What's Yours Is Mine

Chapter 1- Shadow of The Theatre

The Canterlot Palace of Theatrics, or 'The Theatre' as it was commonly called, was an architectural masterpiece. With it's polished marble floors and pillars, impressive interior, rounded roof, and an abundance of windows that tended to be left open a lot of the time. The Theatre was an attraction to both supporters of the arts and 'other' guests.

Fancy Pants reached into his coat pocket with his magic, dragging out a silver ornate pocket watch the aristocrat popped it open and checked the time. It was the fifth time the wealthy Unicorn had done so in only twenty minutes as he had headed towards the Theatre through the darkening afternoon streets, a fact that was not lost on his lovely companion.

"Dearest we are not even to the Theatre yet" Fleur De Lis said teasingly "Do not tell me you are awaiting the performances end already" Fancy smiled behind his twirled moustache at his wife, placing the watch back into his pocket but keeping it's silver chain clear for easy access.

"Not so, my dear. Rather I am having an item delivered to our residence tonight and I am pondering if we shall return before it's arrival. I do not want to keep the poor chap who delivers it waiting." Fleur smiled at her husband. The pink Unicorn looked lovely in a simple dress that was just a shade off her coat colour, her neck and ears were adorned with the best crafted jewelry money could obtain and she wore minimal make-up, revealing the mares more natural beauty.

"How very considerate of you love" the mare said "But I am sure that if we miss the delivery, the boy will wait happily. No doubt you shall generously compensate the colt for waiting" Fancy Pants chuckled as the pair reached the marble steps leading up into the Theatre itself, now being surrounded by other aristocratic couples heading to the performance being put on that night.

"You know me too well Fleur" the wealthy stallion replied "Never the less, I would rather get my hooves on the item sooner rather than later" in a lower tone that not even his wife could here the stallion mumbled "I'm already paying twice the normal rates anyway"

As the majority of Canterlot's upper class filtered in the main entrance, a separate being searched for an alternate entrance. Luckily for the shadow, there was an abundance of aforementioned open windows readily available for undetected entrance. One problem did stand though, the only available windows happened to be on the second floor, above the main theatre and at least thirty metres above were a certain Pegasus currently stood.

Now in reality, this was not a problem at all, as being a Pegasus constituted possessing the power of flight. Spreading his grey wings that were left outside of the leather casing in which the rest of his body was covered in. The Pegasus silently ascended towards the window of his choice, he had studied blueprints and builders drawings the day before and had selected this particular window after careful planning.

Reaching the window and entering it swiftly, the Pegasus landed inside the dusty, wooden floored hallway of the Theatres upper floors, after silently closing the window behind him the shadow stalked down the dark hall. Luckily the floorboards under the stallion did not creak as he walked over them, but that didn't stop him from carefully testing each step before putting his full weight on it, causing the stallions progress down the long servant hall to take much longer than had he done otherwise.

As the hooded Pegasus neared the end of the hall, and the door he was aiming for, a muffled voice came from behind the door, becoming clearer as the stallion reached the door and silently opened it, revealing the bright far side.

"...ood evening fillies and gentlecolts! As head of this evenings performance I personally would like to welcome you all to our humble performance of 'The Merchant of Prance'!"

After the stallions eyes adjusted to the change in lighting he observed the situation, he had come out into a small balcony behind the closed red  curtains of the stage. The balcony stood at least a hundred metres above the stage floor, were several performers and stage-hooves ran to and fro, getting into position for the coming play. Continuing his scan the stallion spotted a similar door to the one he had just exited, only this one was placed on the far end of the stage and was his next destination.

Still looking around the shadowy Pegasus saw that there were several hanging platforms and beams that could be used to cross the area to the other door. True the winged stalker could simply fly across, however it was entirely possible that one of the many thespians below could spot him, a chance that he was not willing to take.

Yet again spreading his wings, the grey Pegasus jumped off the balcony and with a single silent flap, soared over to the first of the hanging platforms, the loose board swinging with his weight. After allowing it to settle for a moment, the shadowy figure launched himself to the nearest support beam, not pausing he jumped rapidly from beam to beam, his leather-padded hooves softening any noise that would had otherwise been made. Reaching the final beam the stallion launched himself again and arrived perfectly on his destination balcony, cracking his neck before continuing to the door.

Carefully pressing down on the door lever, the stallion met resistance halfway through pushing the latch down. Revealing the door to be locked quite securely, a fact that the stallion could easily remedy. Reaching into specialized sheaths in his gauntlets, the Pegasus pulled out two thin metal picks, specially designed for one purpose.

Carefully inserting the picks into the slot just above the lever, the stallion carefully pushed them in farther until he reached his goal; the tumblers. With a feather light touch that would have made any mare shutter, the stallion slipped the first pick under the tumbler and pushed it up with a small click, after repeating the process three times a slightly louder click could be heard and the grey Pegasus pushed the lever down again, this time succeeding in un-latching the door and opening it silently, slipping inside and pulling his picks out of the slot before closing the door behind him.

After replacing his picks back into their slots the stallion looked around the small room, it was a waiters closet, several shelves of high-quality wine lined the walls. Besides that there was a water pump, a door on the far left side of the room, a few empty crates and a window that the Pegasus knew was locked from the outside and thus he couldn't had used it for an entrance without being discovered. Walking over to the other door, the hooded stalker put his eye to the key slot and peeked to the room on the other side.

What he saw was one of the few high boxes in the Theatre, places where the high class attendees could look down upon those who couldn't secure a placement in the almost never full boxes. Currently residing in the plush red seats was only five stallions and mares including a certain moustachioed aristocrat and his wife, but the shadowy Pegasus was only interested in the mare sitting on the far left.

She was relatively young, probably around the same age of her hidden observer. She had a pleasant light blue coat with a dark purple mane, her face was covered in excessive make-up in an attempt to augment her beauty and around her neck was a golden necklace, made of intricate weaves of golden vines and inlaid with jewels and strange runes, in the centre was a large oval shaped, scarlet gem that sparkled from even the slightest light change.

After admiring his mark for a moment the stallion noticed something else; the mares face was quite red and it was not from an excess of blush, rather it was the kind of redness that came with an excess of alcohol. This was confirmed when a Unicorn waiter approached the mare and offered a bottle of wine to her, which the mare immediately accepted. The waiter poured the blood red liquid into her awaiting wine glass, emptying the bottle of its condense. After excusing himself the waiter headed towards the closet to retrieve more of the intoxicating nectar.

The hidden rogue was already forming a plan, as the waiter neared the stallion pulled away from the door and turned to a nearby crate. Popping open the top the stallion slipped inside with the empty wine bottles and straw and awaited his opportunity. After a few moments of silence the Pegasus heard approaching hoofsteps and the distinctive sound of the door un-latching, re-latching and the waiter walking in, the stallion in the box waited as he heard the colt moving past his hiding place. After a moment the hidden Pegasus slowly propped the crates top open a crack to reveal the waiter engrossed in searching for his charges favourite brand of wine, with practiced ease the rogue slipped out of the crate and positioned himself behind the Unicorn.

The waiter must of heard him, or perhaps some instinctual sense alerted him to a presence and the servant began to turn, but before he could get far his grey stalker wrapped his forelegs around the waiters throat, pressing down on the Unicorns windpipe and cutting of his air supply. The Unicorn attempted to fight back or choke out a cry or help, unfortunately for him it was too late and he was eventually consumed by the black void of unconsciousness.

Laying the waiter down carefully the hooded Pegasus looked him up and down, the Unicorn was roughly his size, perhaps a bit thiner but that was fine. The waiter was wearing a white jacket and collared shirt with a black bow tie, the garments being the key to the rogues plans.

"Sorry mate" the grey Pegasus said softly before unbuttoning the unconscious stallions jacket. In no time at all the rogue had stripped the waiter of his clothes, leaving the servant nude. In another moment the Pegasus had removed his own leather wraps and garments, carefully placing his picks, satchel bombs, smoke bombs, daggers, and other questionable items with the rest of his equipment. Before then changing into the waiters uniform.

After that, the now disguised rogue picked up the sleeping beauty on the floor and placed him inside the crate that he himself had been binding in, along with his equipment. The Pegasus closed the crate and walked over to the water pump and grabbed a nearby bucket, filling the bucket up with the pump the stallion dipped his hooves in the water and ran them through his rough mane, pushing the long uneven dark brown hair back into a slick sheet behind his head, he couldn't do much about his facial fuzz but it would have to do.

After adjusting his bow tie and grabbing two random bottles of wine and holding them in the crook of his foreleg the rogue confidently strode through the door and into the high box. As he had expected, none of the occupants noticed as the waiter reappeared holding bottles of wine. With a victorious grin the 'waiter' moved behind the main group of aristocrats and to the tipsy mare that was his mark.

When he neared the rogue cleared his throat.

"More wine ma'am?" The mare turned to the speaker with eyes clouded with alcohol.

"Oh I couldn't, I've already has so much already." The Pegasus put on a charming smile.

"Oh I insist ma'am, I want you to have a good time after all. Anything to lighten up such a boring performance." The mare giggled.

"Oh alright, but only one more glass." She offered her glass in which the pretending servant generously filled. And despite the mares claim of only one more cup she drank through an entire bottle in no time, during which time she opted to ignore the play and chose to stare dreamily at the enabler of her alcoholism.

"Yours is a handsome one" she said with slightly slurred speech "What's your name?" The rogue grinned while uncorking the next bottle and filling her glass yet again.

"Serving Hoof ma'am" he replied as she downed the glass of intoxicant. Wiping her mouth and smiling at the stallion as he re-filled her glass.

"I'm Sun Light" the mare said before downing another glass, Sun Light came up from it coughing and red-faced.

"Aw.. I don't feel so good" the Pegasus laid down the bottle and carefully took the wine glass from Sun Light.

"Perhaps you should go lie down Miss Light? I don't want you getting sick" the mare smiled at her waiter.

"Of course Serving Hoof, your right." The stallion helped the aristocrat up and with her leaning on him, the rogue lead her to the waiters closet, closing the door behind them.

"Oh Serving Hoof..." Sun said drunkenly, wrapping her hooves around his neck and facing him with half lidded eyes "Your so very good to me" the mare leaned in and the two met in a heavy kiss. Sun Light tasted, smelt, and breathed a wine-laced stench as she leaned into the kiss more and moaned ever so slightly as the 'waiter' leaned back. The mare finally pulled her head out of it, her head continuing to fall back until it hung limp, the mare falling into drunken unconsciousness.

The rogue delicately laid the mare against the wall and spat the taste of regurgitated wine from his mouth and into a corner, moving over to the crate he retrieved his gear and changed again, throwing the waiters cloths in with their still slumbering owner. After he was suited up the rogue went back over to the sleeping Sun Light and leaned closer, carefully unhooking her ornate necklace from her blue neck, after admiring it fir a moment the thief placed it in a pouch at his side, looking back at his mark he nodded towards her.

"Pleasure doing business, lass" and with that the Pegasus pulled his hood up, headed over to the window, and flew off into the night.

As the rogue made his escape, a certain moustachioed Unicorn aristocrat made good on his favoured habit of that night and checked his pocket watch again. Fancy Pants closed his watch with a snap, a pleased smile coming from under his moustache, the performance was nearing it's closing scene, Fleur was leaning on his side, very ready to head home as was her husband.

In no time at all the play ended, the audience coming to their hooves and stomping them in applause as the cast bowed and waved. After showing their appreciation to the actors, Fancy Pants and his wife headed towards the exit. Leaving the Theatre into the crisp night air the aristocratic couple headed to their house, the short trip not taking much time at all. Until the two reached their home; a decently large residence made of the finest marble, as they approached the door was opened for them by one of Fancy Pant's many butlers, after  thanking the stallion and entering into the polished floor of the main foyer, the couple kissed and parted, Fleur heading off to her freshening room to remove her minimal make-up and Fancy Pants headed up the stairs and towards the master bedroom.

Coming to the door the aristocrat unlatched it and went inside, closing the door with his rear hoof he spoke gruffly to the dark room.

"I trust you have it" the response came in the form of a cocky chuckle, coming into the moonlight from the window, a leather-bound grey Pegasus revealed himself to the stallion. Reaching into a pouch at his side the rogue pulled out the golden necklace he had relived from a certain drunk mare. Fancy Pants stared with greed at it and reached a hoof to take it only to have the thief pull it out of his reach.

"Ah ah ah" the Pegasus said teasingly "Pay up first" Fancy Pants glared at the insolent work before reaching into his jacket and pulling out a sizeable bag that gave off that magical jingle of coin as it moved, Fancy tossed the bag to the rogue who caught it and jingled it near his ear, after nodding in satisfaction the thief put the bag in his satchel and offered the necklace to his client. Fancy Pants took the item with his magic and admired it at closer range, looking back at the rogue he saw the Pegasus give a mocking bow.

"Always a pleasure doing business Fancy Pants." He said, the aristocrat huffed.

"Perfect delivery as always... Swift Hoof" it was at that moment that he heard the sound of somepony climbing the stairs, Fancy's eyes widened slightly.

"Leave." He commanded softly, before turning towards the door as his wife walked throughout it.

"Dearest, were you talking to somepony?" Fancy Pants glanced behind him to see that Swift had disappeared, the slightly ajar window being evidence to such, the stallion turned back to his wife.

"Oh no, I was just speaking to myself." The mare smiled at him.

"Ah I see, did your item arrive yet?" Fancy Pants nodded.

"Indeed it did" and with that he presented the necklace to her, the mares eyes immediately locked on to the masterpiece, gasping in awe.

"Oh my Celestia, it's gorgeous!" Fleur looked up and placed a hoof to her chest "For me?" Her husband nodded.

"Of course my dear" Fancy Pants stepped forward and placed the jewelry piece around Fleur's neck, holding her in his arms as she looked down at her new accessory.

"Where ever did you find such a masterpiece love?" Her husband chuckled.

"Oh you know me" he said "I have good connections."