Equestria 2009 five years before the beginning of the crime sprees, Canterlot outskirts and slums.
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"The book where is the book at sister?" Crimson asked his younger sister.
"Right next to your hoof." His younger sister Scarlet giggled.
Crimson just looked down at his younger sister and smiled as he picked up the book, he was shocked that his little sister could be so happy living with nothing.
"Do you miss it?" Crimson asked curiously.
"Miss what brother?" Scarlet responded tilting her head.
"The big city living on fresh food, the pampered spoiled city life. Most of all do you miss mom and dad?" He asked, with his crimson eyes looking at his younger sisters blue eyes. She looked back up and, stared lost at her brother, she didn't know what to say.
"I miss mom and dad the most as for the material life, I'm not so used to it. Besides I'll always be happy as long as I have you." She assured him with a smile.
"Do you miss it?" She asked Crimson was a bit appalled with the question coming back to him.
"I'll always miss mom and dad their kind smiles and gentle eyes, their soft touches and the silliness dad always had. They still were happy even knowing that their days were numbered from the sickness. I do sometimes miss the big city and having the money, but I have you and family needs to stick together." He told her giving his little sister a hug.
"How come we didn't get the sickness, what was it called again?" She asked with a little squeak in her voice.
"It was a severe case of hay fever from eating some wrongly prepared hay and flowers, or so the doctors say but the reason we didn't catch it was because we ate with our friends that night. The doctors tried everything they could to stop the symptoms but nothing worked. Why is it you ask this over and over, I'm curious?" He stated looking at his sister.
"I'm thinking about being a doctor when I'm older maybe I could discover new antibiotics to help, or a cure for something worse. I just want to help the people." She told him moving her black and scarlet mane out of the way of her eyes.
"Even for a unicorn you're too smart, you know that right." He giggled as he covered her up. He looked around and noticed they were running out of food, he silently cursed himself for picking to live on the outskirts he heard the alleys of Canterlot we're nicer than the outskirts of it but his sister liked the outdoors more than the busy city.
"Damn I knew I should have stolen more food, the others do it around this time hopefully I can grab some." The pegasus murmured to himself. He looked back at his sister who looked like she fell asleep. He silently cursed himself for leaving her all alone around these hours but he knew she'd be safe, and she's gotten much stronger with her magic. He thought about leaving her alone and silently agreed with himself she'd be fine. He grabbed his bag along with the dagger from his father, he looked at the other and looked back at Scarlet. Someday she'd be able to understand the truth. He also took his staff with him, for the long reach just in case.
The pegasus slowly walked away from their shack made out of boxes and wood, he was rather impressed that it was a decent sized structure and it held both of them and enough room for supplies. Still not a house but better than an orphanage where they could possibly be separated, he knew they'd take her first with her being an adorable little pony. He couldn't blame her he was proud to have a sister like her, so outgoing even after all they've been through. Her black coat that matched most of her mane besides the few strands of scarlet, all he had was his blue coat with his strange crimson eyes with his mix of blue and red mane.
His parents told him that his colors meant his crimson was one of passion, courage, love, and his blue was one of loyalty.
They always reminded him and his sister what their colors meant they said it could possibly help them to get their cutie marks sooner, he remembered that his sisters color of black wasn't bad they believed it to be one of power, and the same for her blue eyes one of loyalty, and for her scarlet it was one of wisdom and compassion. He smiled warmly remembering things like this always tried to make him push harder to succeed. To succeed in becoming a master thief something his dad always reminded him what he was before he met his mother, he vowed to stop his thievery but taught him some things he knew and even how to fight.
"I wonder what he does this late at night maybe he's a protector, or has a job. Well finally I can find out where he goes this late." Scarlet said as she grabbed a bag with supplies, expecting an adventure. Scarlet followed loosely and distantly behind, she thought about what her brother always did during these hours of the night. Being so young she thought he was out maybe saving the day and would just never tell her, but she was smart enough to know that this was just a fairy tale she wished for. Logically she knew if he was a superhero they wouldn't be living so poorly. For being a sixteen year old Crimson had a lot of responsibility to bear, she always admired her brothers courage she had some but not as much as him.
Crimson slowly entered the city's perimeter he noted the soft squishing of the grass to the low clopping sound of the stone pavement. He noted to hover lowly when he was ready to strike just as his father reminded him, he looked around all the carts were taken down around this area. He sighed as the bright city was almost always in a twilight state when it was night, the air was nice and cool with a slow and steady breeze. He noted some of the late night diners and coffee shops were still open, Canterlot was a rather busy city even at night.
'Guess no rest for the wicked.' Crimson noted as he saw in the shadows of others looking for unsuspecting prey as he called them. He slowly panned his head back and forth. As he kept walking on the cold and smooth pavement, he could almost feel the city's day rush. He imagined and felt the ponies brushing by. Their scurried hoof steps as they motioned around the city looking for things to buy. He turned into one of the alleys he knew were empty this hour and flew over it.
"Father I'm ready to train again today, but this time harder." Crimson said softly, his voice raspy as he was just waking up himself. He gently shook his father awake with a grin. His father slowly grunted as he stretched, he got out of bed his blue coat looking tangled and coarse. His wings stretched much later, Crimson looked into his father's blue eyes to match his coat. His eyes were lighter by just a tad compared to his coat.
"Well son we won't be training until I get coffee and food." He chuckled. Crimson yanked his father out of bed, his father could of swore he was going to pop his leg with that rush of speed. They both hovered down the stairs. Crimson revealed a breakfast that even a chef would be proud of, the smell of coffee, pancakes, eggs, and hay fries mixed in the air. It created a heavenly aroma that danced into their nostrils.
"Step 1 a good thief needs a well balanced breakfast." Crimson said as he boasted, his pride was showing greatly. His father gently shook his sons mane which was already tattered. They both looked at each other, they quickly darted to the table to see who would get there first.
"Well soon looks like you've won two in a row, pretty soon you might have the reflexes your old man has." Crimson's father taunted playfully. Crimson wanted to test his fathers reflexes. Crimson quickly grabbed a pancake and threw it at his father, his father caught it before Crimson could even blink twice. The two looked at each other and smiled warm fully, they quickly scarfed down the food and coffee.
"What did you think of the food father?" Crimson asked with a inquisitive tone, almost like he was ready to take notes.
"You can out cook me that's for sure." He chuckled warmly with a small smile. Crimson grabbed the dishes and put them in the sink.
"When will I be of age to know the password?" Crimson asked his father with a hopeful look. His father looked at him inquisitively he inspected his son. He looked him up and down and took mental notes even coming close to Crimson's face a few times. Crimson waited nervously as he had never seen his father look at him this intense before. If his father was trying to make him nervous and uncomfortable on purpose he wasn't going to deny it. The soft heat of his fathers breath on his coat didn't help Crimson's nerves either, they made the situation jump up several notches. Crimson noted that his father backed off and gave a nod of approval.
"The password is Vermillion Cardinal." Vermillion told his son with a smile.
"You mean to tell me that it's been your first name this whole time? To make it even better our thieves guild name this whole time." Crimson facehoofed so hard he felt himself go dizzy for a moment. He typed in the code and slowly pushed open the solid steel door open slowly. The door was extremely heavy as Crimson struggled a bit, he grunted and gritted his teeth as he dug in his hind hooves as he pushed. He smiled as he finally opened it fully revealing a spiral staircase. He had to regain his balance as he almost fell from still using force.
"It's so obvious no one would think of it." Vermillion pridefully stated his face and eyes showed it, they also had a sarcastic tone to them. Crimson took the lead down the stairs, they were barley visible as they continued down. Every hoofstep echoed louder and louder, the sound of hoof colliding with stone was very noticeable. Crimson got tired of walking and just started to hover lightly down the steps. He used his hoof to guide himself as he felt the smooth walls. After a few short minutes of walking they finally reached the training grounds.
"Mom do I really have to keep brushing my hair?" Scarlet asked, she looked up at her mom and gave her the puppy dog eyes. Her mom looked at her and rolled her eyes, her features over exaggerating the motion. "But mom this is so boring!" She exclaimed throwing the brush on the ground.
"Look in order to become a master spy you need to learn patience." Her mother told her with a typical mother look on her face.
"I know but I'd rather be studying on reading peoples facial expression, by reading." She sighed as she placed her face in her hooves.
"Think of it like this the boys are out fishing how much fun does that sound like?" She asked her daughter with a smug look on her face.
"I guess this is better but can we do a different exercise perhaps?" Scarlet asked, the thought that she was learning this still gave her an adrenaline rush. She was sad she didn't get to see much of her brother, but she was glad that she would finally be able to have something to tell her brother a few years from now. She did always hate how her brother was only a year and a half older, but she was always treated like a child by him.
"Scarlet, hellooo. Equestria to Scarlet come in." Her mother poked her to snap her out of a trance. Scarlet jolted and nearly fell out of her chair, thanks to her quick reflexes she caught herself last second. "Are you okay is something bothering you?" Her mother asked.
"Sorry no I'm fine I was just thinking." Scarlet said quickly readjusting herself. Her mother gave off a small giggle.
"So why was brother never taught any of this?" Scarlet asked.
"Your father said he should take his own path." Her mother told her daughter with a warm smile.
"Sucks to be him." She said as she shrugged her shoulders. They quickly began to continue the exercise.
'Some day I will be needed for the good of Canterlot.' Scarlet thought. She gave herself a quick glance at the mirror and nodded to reassure herself.