A (Dis)Honest Livingby Lucky424ChaptersChapter 01Chapter 02Chapter 03Chapter 01To most ponies, the sun not rising at the correct time was something to worry about. For you it presented more opportunities to secure your place within the group, and there was still plenty of room in your saddlebags. A quick glance down the street either way showed that the crowds were still some distance away, giving you time to slip into the house that you knew was empty. You had just opened a ground floor window when you heard a foal crying, looking over the hedge to see a young unicorn filly in the middle of the street… and the mass of panicking ponies heading right towards her. You acted within a heartbeat, tearing off your saddlebags and chucking them down the road, where they ripped open and spread your ill gotten goods across the cobblestones. The impromptu plan worked, the lead ponies stopping as the valuable items grabbed their attention, and you used their hesitation to leap from the garden you were in and grab the filly, just as the crowd began brawling over who was taking what. You quickly checked the filly over to make sure she was uninjured, then drew her close and held her tightly in your forelegs as you flapped your wings and rose above the riot. It didn’t take you long to spot an open door, a unicorn mare looking under the hooves of the fighting ponies from her garden. You dropped down behind her and cleared your throat, the mare jumping around with a gasp, her eyes focusing straight onto the filly. You let her go and nodded to the mare, then took off once more, giving a sigh lamenting your lost booty. The waters of Baltimare Bay reflected the moonlight back up at you, illuminating the whole area, and you set course for the large buildings on the other side of the bay, gaze centred on the shadows of the factories. You were in no rush, so just took a leisurely glide, keeping just a few meters above the water, eventually landing on a half rotten pier, wings folding as you trotted towards the glow coming from around a corner, looking forward to the warm fire and hot meal. “You’re forgetting something, Cage.” You stopped, a chill going over your back as you looked up, seeing a ring of light in the shadows. An earth pony stallion, many years your senior stepped out, looking at your bare back before sitting down and puffing once more on his cigar and motioning to you with a hoof; you knew he was giving you a chance to explain before you got wet. “There was a filly, not even five years old. If I didn’t do something, she wouldn’t make it to five.” “So you dumped your score to save somepony who couldn’t save themselves?” “I did.” His eyes narrowed at you, then he stood up and cracked his back out, stepping to the side and giving you room to pass. “Get something to eat, Cage, then get some rest. Got a job for ya tonight.” Three years later and you were in the same street, watching with a smile through a window as the now eight year old filly got to stay up as late as she wanted for her birthday; hanging around her neck was a small, heart-shaped locket, something you had slipped into her card. Shaking your head with a sigh, you flew up above the houses and made your way two streets over, entering a gate into the front garden of a medium size mansion. A shiver ran up your spine, and you turned around to just catch a shadow move behind a wall. Ignoring whoever it was, you slipped up to a window on the ground floor, which was left open, and entered into the house. The place belonged to one of the rich list, whose snores you could hear even on the ground floor. She never wanted for anything, her coffers filled to the brim with bits, but still her house was missing other things…. she must have been a lonely mare. After exploring and filling your saddlebags with various expensive looking items, you slipped into the master bedroom and almost burst out laughing; lying next to the mare on the bed were several rentcolts from down near the docks. All of the items you had purloined so far were just bonuses, stuff you’d sell to your fences, and the real target was now in sight, but hard to get at, as the mare still had it around her neck. You backed out of the room and slipped your saddlebags off, then re entered and climbed onto the bed. The mare began to stir, knocking aside a couple of the colts, and you took your chance; as her eyes fluttered open you pressed into a passionate kiss, the mare squirming and moaning happily under you. With the good fortune that comes from having pegasi dexterity, you used one wing to cover you both from the other males, whilst the other one slipped behind her neck. Your lips pulled away and the pair of you panted for breath, then you chuckled when you felt her tongue searching for yours. Who ever said being a thief was no fun? As your prize wasn’t free just yet, you slipped a forehoof down her body and between her thighs, which locked tightly around your limb. What would have looked like a fumbling wing finished its task, and you moved from her mouth and down her neck, the mare moaning as you nibbled your way. She was silenced by one of the other colts kissing her, and you looked up, smirking at the wink he threw you; this was the pony that left the window open for you. The mare’s legs spread wide once more as his hoof joined yours, giving you the chance to make an exit, and you took it. Humming quietly once you left the room and slipped back into your saddlebags, you glided down to the ground floor and brazenly walked out the front door, which was not even locked. What kind of brainless pony doesn’t lock their doors at night? Well, she’d have a nice shock when she woke up the next day, by which point it would be far too late for her to recover any missing items. Letting the door close behind you, you walked down the path and into the street, trotting on your way whilst still feeling a pony watching you. You kept going until you hit the docks, slipping into an alley between two warehouses, and as expected heard hoofsteps following you. Your breathing got heavier as you expected the Baltimare guard to come for you, but what came into the light certainly wouldn’t be arresting you. You stepped towards the pony, now revealed to be a pegasus a couple of years older than you, in a pretty sorry state. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, and his lips were cracked, his eyes staring at you and not at you at the same time. You nodded your head at him and left the alley, using some wooden steps to get under the warehouse. You dumped your saddlebags on a pile of others, then stepped closer to the fire and accepted the bowl of baked beans passed to you. The sound of a rumbling stomach caused the other ponies to look behind you, and your boss stepped closer to the newcomer. Without a word the pegasus was waved over, sitting next to you as the boss motioned for a share of the food to be passed to him, whilst the earth pony draped a blanket over the young pegasus’ back. You might not have been part of the most honourable group, but they, and you by extension, never turned a pony in need away. Who knows, maybe you’d make a friend out of him? “Sky Runner.” Your fellow pegasus just remained asleep in the alley where you had found him, so you gently shook him. “Sky Runner! Come on dude, the boss won’t like it if you’re not out of here soon!” He gave a groan as he sat up, cracking open an eye to see where he was. “Come on, boss has called us in.” “Buck off, I’m a freelancer.” His speech was still slightly slurred, his breath stinking worse than the sewers. He tried to roll back over, but you stopped him with a hoof. He stood up and groaned, the noise from the busy market place pounding in making him wince. He stumbled after you whilst moaning, squinting to block the daylight that invaded his vision. “Why does he always have these meetings in the morning?” “It’s three in the afternoon.” He just grunted at you in response, a steady stream of mumbling as he followed you to the docks, the boss spotting you as soon as you rounded some barrels. “About time you got here! Sky, Cage, I’ve got a good one for you. Some rich pegasi have just bought a fair sized house on the east side. They’re moving in tomorrow, but their things are here now. Scout the place out and let me know what you find.” The two of you gave him a nod, spreading your wings and heading across the river. There was only one estate of interest there, so it wasn’t hard to find the building with a moving carriage outside it. You settled onto a cloud, watching for your opportunity to get inside. Night was falling when the last work pony left, the carriage moving away. Sky nodded over to you and he dropped from the cloud, immediately taking the highest floor. He found an open window and slipped in, whilst you drifted lazily down to the front door, which opened to reveal a glaring Sky. “He said tomorrow. They’re here now!” “Well, let’s be extra careful then.” He gave you a nod and stood to the side to let you in, then locked the door, just in case the ponies came down and noticed it open. The pair of you split the house into two separate halves, taking a side each and looking through the rooms. You found several trinkets, but nothing of value, except for a rather large marble statue of Princess Celestia. She was rearing up on her hindlegs, wings mid spread ready for flight . It would be too heavy for you and Sky to move, yet the sparkling jewels in her regalia were perfect for taking. A little small, but enough to provide food for a week for the whole group. You hovered up to it and gripped the diamond shaped amethyst with your teeth, giving it a good tug. The gem wouldn’t budge, so you placed your back hooves against the statue’s thighs in order to get some purchase, and your ears twitched as you heard a cracking noise. You didn’t have time to move as the statue’s back legs broke and the now unsupported torso fell onto you, breaking into several pieces, the largest of which had you pinned. You heard a thud from upstairs, followed by Sky running in to find you struggling free, shaking his head at you. You were about to head back out into the hall, but a flash stopped you, a unicorn stallion standing at the front door. “Hmm, it’s still locked.” He turned your way, and Sky pointed to the window, ushering you towards it. He managed to get it open and let you out first, then you turned to help him follow, but he wasn’t climbing out. He had in fact moved over to a desk and was looking at a photo on it. “Fl-f-fluttershy?” “Who’s in there? Show yourself!” Even though he was your friend, you weren’t going to get caught as well, quickly taking wing and heading back to the docks. Three days you had been looking for Sky Runner, yet there was no sign of him, so you changed tactics. Spotting the unicorn stallion and earth pony mare leaving their house where he was caught, you shifted the cloud you were using for cover along, keeping out of sight to those on the ground. They met up with another mare, a pegasus that shared the same coat and mane colour as the earth pony, donning a rather swollen stomach, and after a round of hugs they continued moving. It didn’t take them long to reach their destination, one of the Baltimare guard stations. They were in there for a good couple of hours, but when they emerged there was another pony following them, his head down as he trudged along. You pushed your cloud above them for a few more blocks until Sky Runner stopped and turned around, looking up at you, so you nodded towards the docks . He shook his head in reply, pointing a hoof at the mare in front of him, then back towards the guard station, where a steady stream of armoured ponies was pouring from. He met your gaze again and you nodded, taking wing in the opposite direction to the docks. There was no way for you to get back and warn the boss, but you knew where the others operated. Perhaps you could warn them and get out of the city. Either way. Sky was in the clear, and you were still free. “Cage, got one for you!” You slid off your cot in the small room, moving to the door that led into a narrow hallway. Slid under your door was a brown envelope that had no markings at all, the pony that deposited it long gone by now. This is how your drops came these days, a letter telling you what to get and where from, and had been like it for the past year or so. Trotting over to the small desk in the corner, you picked up a small knife and cut the envelope open, letting the contents spill on the desk. One sheet contained a map of a town, several lines showing infiltration and exfiltration routes, guard stations highlighted, and the target’s home. Another contained a description of the item that was sought after, as well as where to take it after successfully liberating it from its rightful owners. You committed it all to memory and then dumped it into a small metal bin, reaching up to open the window. A quick match strike and the files began to burn, standard procedure, whilst you collected your saddlebags. Sure, you had one target, but pilfering other goods to sell yourself was allowed in this particular thieves’ guild… as long as it wasn’t something that was ‘on order’. Once you were set, you left your small room and headed down the corridor, nodding to the inn keeper as he went up to his room; he was on the payroll too, all you paid for was food. The cool evening air of Canterlot greeted you when you stepped out into the back yard, the sun hidden behind a high wall. It didn’t take long to reach the train station, several guards having already clocked you as you walked through the doors. Just play the game for now, don’t give them a reason. You calmly trotted over to the ticket booth, where the mare sat inside took a few moments to notice you. “Oh, good evening. Where are you heading to, honey?” “Ponyville, please. Single.” You hoofed over the right amount of bits, took your ticket and headed out to the platform, to wait for your train. Author's Note Yeah, I know about Scorched. I had it on my RIL list for ages, but never got around to it, and it was gone when I got rid of everything. So, only similarities, as far as I know, is it's AJ and 'you're' a thief. I've already been in contact with the author of Scorched, but haven't head back from him/her yet. Chapter 02Stepping off the train, you looked around as ponies went about their evening business and thankfully didn’t pay you any attention. You eased your way through the crowd, not failing to notice there had been an increase of guard activity in town, meaning your report was now inaccurate. Holding your head high with confidence, you did your best to look like you belonged, working your way towards your first waypoint; Town Hall. You got there with no problems at all then started looking for your second marker, but frowned when it wasn’t anywhere in sight. That was until the large red earth pony finished hitching himself up to his cart and moved out of the way, your eyes flicking to the green apple that adorned his… flank… Buck yeah, that’s luck! You gave him a certain amount of distance, then moved to the shadows and followed him out of town. It didn’t take long for the buildings to become more spread out, the stallion in front of you keeping a pleasant pace, until he stopped in the middle of the path. You quickly hid in some shrubs at the side of the path as the stallion began to look around. He gave a low whistle, and you peeked out of the bush to see a plum coloured earth pony mare with three flowers for a cutie mark appear from a nearby building and approach, the pair sharing a quick nuzzle. Doing your best not to gag at the mushiness, you waited until the mare jumped into the near empty cart and the stallion started moving once more, then fell into step with him again. The sun had started disappearing behind the western mountains and bathed the sky in a warm orange by the time your destination appeared, several small barns and one farmstead. The mare and the stallion headed towards one of the barns, a smirk on his face as she leaned forward and said something with a giggle. Leaving them to it, you headed towards the house, where a light had just been extinguished downstairs with one remaining lit on the first floor. Making a note of which room it was, you flew up to the roof and looked around, smirking as you spotted a hatchway. Slipping a wingtip through the gap between the frame and the lid on the side opposite to the hatch, it popped free without a sound, giving you access to attic. Illumination was provided through a window facing the west, an orange glow filling the room. A silent search of the storage space turned up no results, so you trotted towards the staircase hidden in one of the corners. The top step creaked as soon as you put your hoof on it, followed by growling from the floor below. “Calm down, girl. It’s jus’ AB an’ her friends rootin’ through the junk. Come now, we got an early start in the mornin’, time fer bed.” There were a few more growls but they got quieter, disappearing when a door clicked shut. Taking a deep breath, you spread your wings and gently fluttered down to the next floor, entering a corridor with several doors on either side. Unlike the first door to your left, the one on the right was open, so you flew in there and had a good look round. It was a sparsely decorated room, more for function than form, and no sign of your objective in sight. A small statue facing the window made you give a small chuckle. Celestia was rearing up on her hindlegs in exactly the same pose as the statue that fell on you a couple of years ago, but this one was drastically smaller. Gripping it with your forehooves, a quick test lift revealed it to be lightweight, so you carefully slipped it into your saddlebag and left the room. The next one on this side was the bathroom, so you ignored that and drifted over to the only other open door on this level. It was easy to see this was a foal’s room, going by the mess, but you might find something of use. The closet contained too much stuff for you to look through, and the left drawers on the dresser were filled with school supplies. The top one on the right, however, contained something that would have some small value. An otherwise ordinary pink hairbow, though this one was gem encrusted with several small but expensive gems. This would be easy to sell on, as many of the shallow mothers in Canterlot would want it for their filly. Or colt. Into your saddlebag it went and, after checking the other drawer, you slipped from the room and down to the ground floor. You couldn’t spend much more time searching for extras, so placed your saddlebag at the base of the stairs and crept down the hallway. Opening the one door there, your eyes took a few moments to adjust to the light level of the room, but once they did, your gaze settled onto you target. Slowly walking around the bed, whose occupant was well asleep, you reached a wing up and brushed it across the necklace hanging down from a stand. The actual necklace was a simple gold one, but the pendant hanging on it was your goal, and you didn’t care for the reason. The jewel was actually several different ones, fused together in some way and shaped in that of an apple. Carefully lifting it down, you turned around and started to leave the room, when a sudden creak from the floorboards made you freeze. “What’s that? Who? Wings? Sky, is that you?” You panicked a little, then realised the mare, as that was definitely a female voice, couldn’t see you that well in the twilight, and with that you cleared your throat. “Yeah. Just popped over to see how the family’s doing.” “Well, next time bring Bolt with ya, ya hear!” “Sure, I’ll bring her.” You started walking once more, but felt the mare’s glare even though you couldn’t see her. “Mah Sky wouldn’t forget his own colt.” The light in the room snapped on and there was a scream from behind. Turning to the bed, you saw an elderly mare shaking a hoof at you, then her eyes locked onto what was held in your wing. “MAH NECKLACE! APPLEJACK, THIEF!!!!” There were some harsh thuds from the floor above and you darted from the room, sliding along the floor and under your saddlebags, running to another room. Barking followed you, close but not close enough, as you made an internal lap of the building. You could see the base of the stairs and knew you were free, but another mare appeared from the hall next to them. You tried to slow down but failed to do so, raising your hooves to deflect the blow she was aiming at you. It didn’t hit, but you felt an impact, and when you stopped you glanced down to see the mare was a little dazed. The tip of her orange muzzle was dripping red, and as you went to check on her you cried out in pain, for the dog in the household had caught up and sunk its teeth into your wing. After a few moments of flailing in anguish, your other wing grasped a wooden pole, and you went to use it when a weak whistle filled the air, the dog pulling her teeth back a little before letting go and moving over to the downed mare. With your right wing now unusable, you wouldn’t be flying back to town, and you’d need to get some medical treatment done to stop the bleeding. As you turned to leave, your golden eyes met the emerald ones of the mare, which were blazing in hatred at you. Before anything else went wrong, you headed towards the front door, the dog growling at you all the while, and you left the house, heading back towards the town, but not the station just yet. You let out a hiss of pain, your wing stinging as the nurse poured some antiseptic fluid over your wound. Gritting your teeth, you remained still as she covered the bite marks and wrapped a bandage around your wing, then placed the soiled supplies into a waiting bin. “Okay, I’ll just get the release and payment forms for you, then you’re free to go.” You just nodded to the smiling mare, but as soon as she was out of the room you began moving. Grabbing a couple of towels, you wrapped several small bottles in them and stuffed out your saddlebags. You gave your wing an experimental flap, but didn’t get far as pain fired back from it. Pushing aside your loot, you pulled a cloak from your bag, slipped your saddlebags on, then donned the cloak. Knowing you’d have to walk out, you peeked out the door and spotted the nurse at the reception desk, gathering several bits of paper. Her back was to you, so you took the chance and slipped down the corridor, finding a fire exit. With a quick buck to the handle, the sturdy doors sprung open, and as no alarms went off, you stepped out into the evening air. Ponyville’s hospital was, thankfully, located not far from the train station, and within ten short minutes you had arrived at the end of the platform. Here there were no guards, and they didn’t have conductors on trains that ran this late, so it meant a free ride. Making your way to the front carriage, you glanced around to ensure nopony was watching, then slipped in. There were a few ponies inside, but none of them even looked towards you as you slid your saddlebags to one of the seats then hopped up next to them. It was a good thirty minutes until the train started moving, and soon the town was well behind you. The other ponies in the carriage were slowly starting to drift off, but you had to remain alert just in case. A sudden jolt forced you from your seat to the floor, and you hissed in pain as you landed on your injured wing. Wincing as you stood, a glance out the window showed you had arrived at your destination, and the rest of the carriage were starting to disembark. Wrapping your cloak over you, you slipped out of the door and looked around, then panicked a little. Spread out in the station were Canterot’s finest, watching as ponies left the train. Averting your gaze, you grimaced as a stallion walked calmly onto the platform; his back from neck to tail was bare, pink blistering skin with the odd patch of fur. Turning away from his gaze, which had settled on you for some unknown reason, you headed in the direction least populated by guards, heaving a sigh of relief once you were in the city’s deserted streets. You stuck to the back alleys, only crossing the main streets when you had to, until you came to a stop outside a building in the shadow of the castle itself. A series of well practiced knocks on the door a moment later and you were in one of the back rooms, which was dimly lit by a single candle. You could just make out the snout of a yellow furred pony opposite you in the gloom, and the only parts you could see left you questioning whether they were male or female. A muted green glow appeared on their head, meaning they were a unicorn and also hiding themselves with a cloak, as you could see the magical aura through the cloth. A brown bag secured with string was dumped onto the table, the contents clinking and making your ears twitch. You went to grab it with your hoof, but the green glow deflected your grasping limb. “The item first, if you please.” You understood perfectly fine, as some others in your ‘profession’ had taken the money and run, so you reached into the outer pocket and pulled out what you had purloined from the farmhouse. You placed it on the table and caught a brief smile from the other party, and the bits were slid across the table. You tested the weight, and once satisfied, made a hasty exit. There was a cold chill in the air that night, and you paused in fear as several of Princess Luna’s Night Guards came towards you, but they just passed right on by. Taking the good fortune that had come your way as a sign, you galloped off in the direction of the tavern. You stopped a couple of streets before that though, walking up to a window that had bars on either side giving a slight tap to it. A hatch on the inside opened to reveal a young, pretty mare, who wiped her tired eyes before looking at you, her mouth turning into massive grin. “Cage!” “Good evening, Honey Pot.” “You look beat. You getting enough sleep?” “Yeah, just had a busy, busy night. So anyway, got another deposit.” She gave you a nod and lifted the window up a little, creating a hatch that could be used to pass items. Taking out the brown bag, you set it on the window sill and pushed it towards her. “The usual please, Honey. Ten percent to my patron, and split the remaining between my account and you-know-where.” “You know how much you’d have if you didn’t do this?” “I don’t care, I need something to make balance.” Honey just raised an eyebrow at you, then stepped away from the counter and poured the bits on a table, counting them all out. She then grabbed three slips of paper and wrote on them, leaving two on the table and bringing the last over to you. “All good?” “Yep, your account now stands at sixty five thousand, two hundred and seventy three bits and twenty two crowns. The same amount since you started coming here has certainly helped at the... you know, the place.” “Good. Feels nice to give something back.” She frowned at you, but you just waved it away with a hoof. She slid the new balance cheque onto the sill and moved it towards you, her muzzle next to it, so you moved closer and gave her your customary payment, the mare giggling as your lips met hers. You held yourself there for a few moments then pulled away. “Good night, Honey.” “Night, Cagey.” The hatched closed as you walked away, and pretty soon you were back in the inn, waving to the innkeeper as you ascended the stairs. Once into your room, you slipped off your cloak and bags, bringing your wing around to check the wound. The nurse had managed to thread the bandage around your feathers, which meant you wouldn’t be flying for a few days. Giving a wistful sigh, you slumped into bed and pulled the covers over you, then clicked off the lamp. A short while later you heard your door creak open, a shadow falling over the wall you faced. A muted click a moment later you were left in the dark, but you weren’t worried. The pony slipped in behind you and ran their hoof along your side, then rested it on your flank. “Hello, Cagey.” You rolled over, pressing into a passionate kiss with the mare, covering her with you wing. She pulled away and nuzzled under your chin, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “You know, I always get a fuzzy feeling when you give money to the orphanage.” You groaned, lowering your gaze and meeting hers in the moonlight streaming through the window. “Do you always have to say that?” “Don’t forget your origins, Cage. The mares there were nice.” “That they were. Let’s get some sleep, my sweet Honey Pot.” Your lips met in one more soft kiss, then you both snuggled closer and laid your heads upon the pillows, drifting off to slumber. Inside the farmstead of Sweet Apple Acres, one earth pony mare sat on the couch shaking, her faithful companion pressed against her side and letting forth the occasional whimper. In Winona’s mind she had failed and her mistress had gotten injured, so she would comfort her in the hopes of staving off punishment. The bitch let out a low growl as she sensed a being approaching, but she quieted down when the young pony her mistress clearly loved poked his head over the couch’s edge. The colt’s tiny wings flapped frantically as he clambered up the cushions, sliding in behind Winona, who sat patiently until he was against her mistress’ side, then she pressed against them both. “Jay-Jay need hug to smile.” Very slowly, Applejack turned to see her second cousin and one of her best friends’ colt trying to wrap his hooves around her, but failing as he was only a couple of years old. She petted Winona a few times and then hoisted Freedom Bolt to her chest, falling sideways to the couch, whereupon Winona shuffled behind Applejack’s hind legs and settle into the crux of her knees, her head on her mistress and watching the colt. “Jay-Jay feel good?” “Ah’m feelin’ better seein’ you, Bolt.” The colt let out a giggle as Applejack nuzzled him. Then she looked across at the other couch where his mother and father were sitting, the mare wrapped in the stallion’s hooves with one of his wings draped over her, all told a rather adorable sight, but there was something bugging Applejack. “Say Sky, what’s with the frown?” “The pony you described from last night, he seems vaguely familiar, but I’m not sure.” “Well, the guards’ll get ‘im, you’ll see.” “I certainly hope so, AJ, I hope so. How’s Granny?” “Mac said it’ll be best if we jus’ let her think it was a bad dream, an’ that we moved the necklace into the vault in the cellar. She’s still a little shaken, but will be right as rain in no time.” “And you?” “If Ah ever see that good fer nothin’ pony again, Ah’m gonna do more than let ol’ Winona ‘ere bite his wing.” Author's Note Ouchy... that had to hurt. Wait... isn't this a AJ romance fic? Chapter 03The scenery rushing past the window made you groan a little, but a hoof hitting the back of your head cut off anything you were about to say. You turned around and tried to glare at Honey Pot, but she had one of her own on her face, and you weren’t about to win any arguments with her. The day had started off without any trouble, then you decided to see if you could sell the bow you found in the filly’s room, but Honey had caught you in the act. You told her that you had ‘acquired’ it during your last assignment, which was the truth, but there was one tiny detail you left out. The train began to slow down, and you glanced over at your fillyfriend, who was bouncing in her seat. From what you gleaned from her excited chatter when leaving Canterlot, there were several stores in the town whose wares were sought across Equestria and further. So she had joined you for the journey and was going to have a shopping trip, but it wouldn’t be a long one, as the last train to Canterlot left in a couple of hours. Once you were free of the train and the station, Honey gave you a peck on the cheek and moved off towards some of the stores, leaving you to let out a sigh. The simplest way was to go straight to the farm, but you’d be noticed, not to mention the dog. Shaking off a shudder at facing the animal again, you began to wander the streets, hoping there’d be some sign of the farm owners, and you could stealthily return the bow. You saw the apple stand, but instead of the massive red earth pony tending it before, the orange mare was there, chatting to a butter yellow pegasus mare, who had a light blue pegasus colt resting on her back. Slowly backing up, you made your way down a side street and found yourself in a green space, where lots of ponies were gathered. Several families were around, as well as groups of unattended foals. One trio of fillies in particular caught your attention, and you got a bit closer, intrigued as to what they were doing. The orange one, a pegasus, seemed to be resting in the cup of a catapult, which was being pulled taught by a greyish olive earth pony, whilst a white unicorn looked over some sheets. What stood out to you the most was the plain pink bow in the earth pony’s mane, exactly the same style as the one in your saddlebag. You were going to approach, making up some horseapple reason as to why you had the gem encrusted item, when the unicorn nodded to her two companions, her and the earth pony jumping next to the pegasus. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, DAREDEVILS, YAY!!” The catapult remained still for a second, then shot forward and fired the three screaming fillies into the air. You looked further down the park and saw a large inflatable landing pad, and you quickly calculated their trajectory, knowing they’d overshoot and hit the ground. Taking wing, you zoomed after the three ballistic fillies. You adjusted your flight in reaction to their own, pitching down when they hit the apex of their flight arc. Speeding up when they started to drop, you flipped so your back was to the ground, eyes locked on the falling figures. You passed under them at the right moment, managing to catch the pegasus and unicorn with a foreleg each, but the earth pony landed on your chest, knocking the air from your lungs, and messing with your own flight path. A few moments later the ground made its introduction to your back, and you carved a nice muddy path through the loose soil. Shaking off your disorientation, you stood up and checked the fillies, breathing a sigh of relief when you saw they were all fine. Looking around, you saw a small crowd had gathered and witnessed the entire event, then the polite stomping set in. The first of the fillies to stand was the earth pony, who shook her head and picked up your saddlebags, bringing them over to you. “Thanks, mister. Ah dunno what would’ve ‘appened if you wasn’t here to help.” You took the strap and tossed your bag over your back, but one of the straps had sheared off, and the hidden bow fell to the ground, the filly raising an eyebrow at you in confusion. “Why ‘ave you got mah bow?” There was no path clear to freedom, as you were surrounded by equally confused spectators, including pegasi in the air. Out of all of them, one caught your attention, the massive red earth pony you had followed to the farm, and he slowly trotted forward with a glare. Once in front of you, he leant in close, speaking in a angry whisper. “Ah know the truth.” One hit from his hoof was enough to send you skyward, the world fading to black as your body fell towards the ground. Slowly coming to, you noticed there was a chill to the air, and that it was darker. Once your vision was back in focus, you saw the sun rising in the east, and the mountains in that direction were also getting further away. You tried to stand up, but found your limbs were restricted in movement, looking down your body to see your rear legs tied together, your forelegs and wings tied against your torso. There was also a length of rope keeping your muzzle tightly shut. Realising you were being dragged through the streets of Ponyville, you glanced over your shoulder to see your captor, eyes going wide with fear as you saw the orange mare from the farm, who gave you a death glare in return. She stopped in front of a large tree, which had windows and doors carved into it, and she knocked on the front portal. “Twi, ya in there? Ah got a problem Ah could use ya help with.” The muffled conversation on the inside of the building went quiet, and hoofsteps came closer in the silence, then the door opened. In the gap stood a stallion that was somehow familiar to you and a lavender alicorn. “Ah didn’t bother ya with this before, but we had something stolen a couple o’ weeks ago. ‘e did it.” Turning your gaze back to your bonds, you looked for someway to get free when you heard the flap of feathers, staring in surprise at the grey eyes looking back at you. “Cage? What the hay are you doing here?” Behind him, the farm mare wore a confused frown as her gaze switched between you and your old friend, Sky Runner, but before you could say anything, you were lifted up in a lavender glow and pulled into the library, the two ponies left outside following. The door clicked shut, where saw Princess Twilight whispered something to unicorn mare, who then nodded and took a unicorn filly into the kitchen. “AJ, stop.” You glanced at the mare to see a forehoof raised ready to strike the you, but she lowered it to the floor as Sky walked over. He pulled the rope around your muzzle off, then stepped back, his wings flaring slightly as you stretched your jaw. “Well, that’s one. What about the others?” “Ya ain’t goin’ anywhere! Ya lucky ya still alive!” “AJ!” Giving a defeated sigh, the mare walked over to where the alicorn was waiting, so your gaze following her warily. Sky remained in front of you, a glare on his face but sadness in his eyes, and you turned away from him, not liking the shame you felt building. “Now listen here, Cage. You’re going to tell them what they want to know.” The lavender pony nodded along to the conversation you couldn’t hear, then moved towards you, Sky stepping back. “And remember, tell her the truth! All yours, princess.” “Thank you, Sky. Now, where exactly is the necklace?” You just stared at her blankly, as you had no idea where the item was, and there was no point checking the drop location, as the pony there would be long gone by now. With a lavender glow from her horn, the alicorn pulled over a quill and some paper, writing a quick letter, the door opening a moment later. A dragon and young earth pony filly walked in, instantly confused as to what was going on. “Ah, Spike. Could you send this to Celestia for me?” The dragon did as asked, a green burst of flame surprising you as the letter floated away as a pile of glowing ash. The gathered group moved away from you and made small talk, the cloaked unicorn heading through one of the doorways. Another burst of green flame caught your attention, and you turned to see the dragon holding a scroll, which was sealed by golden wax with a ‘C’ embedded into it. “Uh, Twi, you got a response.” The dragon passed it to the alicorn, who unrolled it as the unicorn stallion came back, reading it over her shoulder. The pair seemed to find something amusing and she stepped away and she began whispering to the others, leaving the unicorn stood in front of you, and you knew where you had seen him. “Hey, I recognise you! You’re that burnt stallion from Canterlot, right? How’s it going… Crispy?” He ignored the taunt, closing his eyes and letting his magic build. At first you thought he was preparing some sort of torturous spell, but instead a small, swirling blue portal appeared in front of his legs, the sound of a giggling filly making the room go ice cold. “WHAT THE HAY IS THAT? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PONIES?” “Hello, Cage. You’ve been a naughty colt, haven’t you?” From the portal stepped a spectral filly, a large smile plastered on her face, her bright eyes focusing on you. She took a few steps forward, and the unicorn chuckled as you tried to back away, but just pressed yourself deeper into the couch. “See… if you don’t tell them, then you’ll come with me. You’d like that, right? To come and play with me forever? Come and play with me, Cage.” There were only two ponies in the room who saw what happened next, yourself being one of them, as the little spectral filly changed slightly. Her body was now marred by multiple wounds, each deep and oozing blood, one of her wings torn off and leaving a deep hole in her back, and and eye hanging from its socket. “Come and play with me, Cage, forever,” she briefly flashed back to how she normally looked, then to the rotting corpse as she jumped into your lap. “Forever and ever.” “ALRIGHT, I’LL TALK! Just… get that thing away from me!” The filly jumped back with a squeal of delight, returning to her usual form as she trotted back over to the unicorn, who bent down and let the filly nuzzle him, then opened a small portal for her to return back to the spirit world. Fearing another spectral nightmare, your eyes darted from dark corner to dark corner, your body shaking uncontrollably. “C-can we go somewhere else?” “Hay no! Yer gonna tell me where mah family’s necklace is right now!” You nodded rapidly, now willing to tell them everything, now matter how little, you knew. Considering the tales you had heard from other thieves who had either done their time or broken free, the dungeons underneath Canterlot Castle weren’t actually that bad. Rather than being a stone slab, the bed was actually quite comfortable, and you had a toilet hidden behind a low partition. The guards had been around to question you three times in the few hours you had been their guest, but you just remained silent. After all, you didn’t know who had requested the item nor where it had gone, some you didn’t have anything to say as it were. Growing bored with your seemingly solitary confinement, you got up from your bed and approached the bars, tapping them with a hoof. You paused when you reached the cell door, then gave a shrug, turning around and bucking the lock. In that moment the cell block was filled with the noise of stressed metal, followed by a ping as the supposedly secure device broke. Looking over your shoulder, you raised an eyebrow at the swinging cell door, then gave another shrug and trotted from your cell. Spotting your saddlebags on a desk at one end of the room, you trotted over to them and slipped them on, then saw a glowing gem on the desk. Lifting up your foreleg with the band on it, you noticed the inlaid gem was glowing the same colour. You waved your hoof over the gem, giving a chuckle when there was a click from the band and it fell to the desk, no longer glowing. Moving to the door, you checked the corridor for any sign of the guards, and once you ascertained it was clear, left the cell block. It took you about ten minutes to reach what you considered the castle, and that is when you saw your first obstacle. Looking around, you spotted an alcove and jumped into it, flying on top of a cabinet there just as the unicorn guard trotted past. You gave it a few moments before sticking your head out, checking that the coast was clear and getting the layout of the area. Every so often on either side of the room were alcoves, providing plenty of cover, and that it was what you used. From one to the another you flew quickly, always pausing to check if you had been discovered. You took the paths of least resistance, somehow ending up several floors above the main entrance. You had perused a few rooms, slipping a few things into your saddlebags; the odd bit left out, a gold fork and other trinkets. As you hid from yet another patrolling stallion, a rather lavish door left slightly ajar drew your attention, and you darted over as soon as the guard disappeared. Pausing just outside, you checked the coast was clear then pushed the door open, entering a darkened room. You could sense at least four other ponies in the room, one being a pegasus, and were confident you could make the door if they came for you. Stepping further into the dark, you head a click from behind you and several torches seemingly lit themselves along your path. Your ears swiveled back and forth, listening out for any sound of the guards, but that’s not what you heard. “Welcome to Canterlot Tower, the highest structure built by ponykind across Equestria. Here is housed the history of our nation, from the battle with the Chaos-God,” A light snapped on to illuminate a window on your right, showing the Princesses dancing around a strangely shaped creature, “to one of Equestria’s most darkest hours.” Another window was illuminated as you walked deeper in, showing Celestia battling Nightmare Moon at the top, and standing victorious at the bottom. You slowly crept forward to the stands you now saw in the room, your ears perked as the voice of Celestia continued to come from some hidden speakers. “Even the recent one, which saw the return of Nightmare Moon, her defeat, and the return of my beloved sister, thanks to the act of six ponies.” When the next window lit up, it five mares around the outside, and one in the middle. “These Bearers of Harmony went on to defeat Discord whence he managed to escape,” the strange creature from before was then depicted again, this time being defeated the group of six, and you had now reached the pedestals. “What you see before you are The Elements Of Harmony.” Jackpot. Giving a chuckle, you grabbed the first one and slipping it into your saddlebags, before taking the time to decide which one to take next, even as the voice continued. “Someponies believe them to be a weapon, and in some cases that is true, but those who bear them now would never put them to such use. Presently, with no danger to threaten the safety of our nation, they remain here for all to see, and here they must remain, lest Equestria come under attack from powerful foes once more.” There it was, the reality of what you were doing dawned on you, and your hooves stopped short of taking the third necklace. You fell to your haunches in front of the pedestal, looking at the floor in front of you. You could feel the tension of the other ponies in the room, and knew that something was about to go down. Sensing two ponies entering the room behind you and approaching, you put the two necklaces you had taken back on their stands, stepping back. You slid your saddlebags from your back, the sound of your appropriated goods jumbling around as you set your bag down in front of you. “I… suppose I’ll be going back to prison now, huh?” you asked rhetorically, knowing the answer. “Oh, and your spies can come out of hiding, I know they’re here.” “Only one needs come. She is the one whom you wronged, and your fate is to be left up to her.” Slowly, there was some movement in the corner to your left, the orange mare from the farm emerging from the shadows and approaching. She ignored you, walking right past and stopping in front of the two ponies at your back. “Dame Applejack, what is your judgement.” “Well… Ah’d first like to know what his punishment would normally be.” “Hmm… as he has not left the castle grounds any items on him can be considered borrowed, not stolen, so his only crime tonight is that of breaking free from the dungeons. That carries a penalty of three years incarceration. But I think that may be a little long for a sixteen year old, wouldn’t it?” Looking over your shoulder, you just stared blankly at Princess Celestia, who was giving you a motherly smile. As you turned your gaze away, you noticed Sky Runner trot past you, and he gave you a glare; you know he was silently telling you not to mess up this one and only chance. Giving a sigh, you turned to face the three ponies, surprised to see only Princess Luna remained, and she didn’t seem too happy to see you. With a flash of her horn you were teleported from the room housing the Elements to another, where several of the alicorn’s night guards stood waiting. “So then, Mr Cage, the task of finding the location of the missing necklace has fallen to me.” You glanced at Princess Luna, who moved to a desk and sat in a chair, motioning you to the one opposite her. Under the watchful eyes of her guards you complied, getting comfortable before looking the alicorn in the eyes. “Let us do this easy way. Where is it?” “Dead drop. I can tell you where I left it, but it’ll do you no good. That place has long since been empty. Sorry, your majesty,” you said with a shrug. “But that necklace is long gone by now.” “Well then Mr Cage, show me this… ‘dead drop’ location.” Author's Note Woohoo, it's alive! ...wait, are the readers still alive? (Also, please point out any errors, as this went unedited.)
Chapter 01To most ponies, the sun not rising at the correct time was something to worry about. For you it presented more opportunities to secure your place within the group, and there was still plenty of room in your saddlebags. A quick glance down the street either way showed that the crowds were still some distance away, giving you time to slip into the house that you knew was empty. You had just opened a ground floor window when you heard a foal crying, looking over the hedge to see a young unicorn filly in the middle of the street… and the mass of panicking ponies heading right towards her. You acted within a heartbeat, tearing off your saddlebags and chucking them down the road, where they ripped open and spread your ill gotten goods across the cobblestones. The impromptu plan worked, the lead ponies stopping as the valuable items grabbed their attention, and you used their hesitation to leap from the garden you were in and grab the filly, just as the crowd began brawling over who was taking what. You quickly checked the filly over to make sure she was uninjured, then drew her close and held her tightly in your forelegs as you flapped your wings and rose above the riot. It didn’t take you long to spot an open door, a unicorn mare looking under the hooves of the fighting ponies from her garden. You dropped down behind her and cleared your throat, the mare jumping around with a gasp, her eyes focusing straight onto the filly. You let her go and nodded to the mare, then took off once more, giving a sigh lamenting your lost booty. The waters of Baltimare Bay reflected the moonlight back up at you, illuminating the whole area, and you set course for the large buildings on the other side of the bay, gaze centred on the shadows of the factories. You were in no rush, so just took a leisurely glide, keeping just a few meters above the water, eventually landing on a half rotten pier, wings folding as you trotted towards the glow coming from around a corner, looking forward to the warm fire and hot meal. “You’re forgetting something, Cage.” You stopped, a chill going over your back as you looked up, seeing a ring of light in the shadows. An earth pony stallion, many years your senior stepped out, looking at your bare back before sitting down and puffing once more on his cigar and motioning to you with a hoof; you knew he was giving you a chance to explain before you got wet. “There was a filly, not even five years old. If I didn’t do something, she wouldn’t make it to five.” “So you dumped your score to save somepony who couldn’t save themselves?” “I did.” His eyes narrowed at you, then he stood up and cracked his back out, stepping to the side and giving you room to pass. “Get something to eat, Cage, then get some rest. Got a job for ya tonight.” Three years later and you were in the same street, watching with a smile through a window as the now eight year old filly got to stay up as late as she wanted for her birthday; hanging around her neck was a small, heart-shaped locket, something you had slipped into her card. Shaking your head with a sigh, you flew up above the houses and made your way two streets over, entering a gate into the front garden of a medium size mansion. A shiver ran up your spine, and you turned around to just catch a shadow move behind a wall. Ignoring whoever it was, you slipped up to a window on the ground floor, which was left open, and entered into the house. The place belonged to one of the rich list, whose snores you could hear even on the ground floor. She never wanted for anything, her coffers filled to the brim with bits, but still her house was missing other things…. she must have been a lonely mare. After exploring and filling your saddlebags with various expensive looking items, you slipped into the master bedroom and almost burst out laughing; lying next to the mare on the bed were several rentcolts from down near the docks. All of the items you had purloined so far were just bonuses, stuff you’d sell to your fences, and the real target was now in sight, but hard to get at, as the mare still had it around her neck. You backed out of the room and slipped your saddlebags off, then re entered and climbed onto the bed. The mare began to stir, knocking aside a couple of the colts, and you took your chance; as her eyes fluttered open you pressed into a passionate kiss, the mare squirming and moaning happily under you. With the good fortune that comes from having pegasi dexterity, you used one wing to cover you both from the other males, whilst the other one slipped behind her neck. Your lips pulled away and the pair of you panted for breath, then you chuckled when you felt her tongue searching for yours. Who ever said being a thief was no fun? As your prize wasn’t free just yet, you slipped a forehoof down her body and between her thighs, which locked tightly around your limb. What would have looked like a fumbling wing finished its task, and you moved from her mouth and down her neck, the mare moaning as you nibbled your way. She was silenced by one of the other colts kissing her, and you looked up, smirking at the wink he threw you; this was the pony that left the window open for you. The mare’s legs spread wide once more as his hoof joined yours, giving you the chance to make an exit, and you took it. Humming quietly once you left the room and slipped back into your saddlebags, you glided down to the ground floor and brazenly walked out the front door, which was not even locked. What kind of brainless pony doesn’t lock their doors at night? Well, she’d have a nice shock when she woke up the next day, by which point it would be far too late for her to recover any missing items. Letting the door close behind you, you walked down the path and into the street, trotting on your way whilst still feeling a pony watching you. You kept going until you hit the docks, slipping into an alley between two warehouses, and as expected heard hoofsteps following you. Your breathing got heavier as you expected the Baltimare guard to come for you, but what came into the light certainly wouldn’t be arresting you. You stepped towards the pony, now revealed to be a pegasus a couple of years older than you, in a pretty sorry state. He looked like he hadn’t eaten in days, and his lips were cracked, his eyes staring at you and not at you at the same time. You nodded your head at him and left the alley, using some wooden steps to get under the warehouse. You dumped your saddlebags on a pile of others, then stepped closer to the fire and accepted the bowl of baked beans passed to you. The sound of a rumbling stomach caused the other ponies to look behind you, and your boss stepped closer to the newcomer. Without a word the pegasus was waved over, sitting next to you as the boss motioned for a share of the food to be passed to him, whilst the earth pony draped a blanket over the young pegasus’ back. You might not have been part of the most honourable group, but they, and you by extension, never turned a pony in need away. Who knows, maybe you’d make a friend out of him? “Sky Runner.” Your fellow pegasus just remained asleep in the alley where you had found him, so you gently shook him. “Sky Runner! Come on dude, the boss won’t like it if you’re not out of here soon!” He gave a groan as he sat up, cracking open an eye to see where he was. “Come on, boss has called us in.” “Buck off, I’m a freelancer.” His speech was still slightly slurred, his breath stinking worse than the sewers. He tried to roll back over, but you stopped him with a hoof. He stood up and groaned, the noise from the busy market place pounding in making him wince. He stumbled after you whilst moaning, squinting to block the daylight that invaded his vision. “Why does he always have these meetings in the morning?” “It’s three in the afternoon.” He just grunted at you in response, a steady stream of mumbling as he followed you to the docks, the boss spotting you as soon as you rounded some barrels. “About time you got here! Sky, Cage, I’ve got a good one for you. Some rich pegasi have just bought a fair sized house on the east side. They’re moving in tomorrow, but their things are here now. Scout the place out and let me know what you find.” The two of you gave him a nod, spreading your wings and heading across the river. There was only one estate of interest there, so it wasn’t hard to find the building with a moving carriage outside it. You settled onto a cloud, watching for your opportunity to get inside. Night was falling when the last work pony left, the carriage moving away. Sky nodded over to you and he dropped from the cloud, immediately taking the highest floor. He found an open window and slipped in, whilst you drifted lazily down to the front door, which opened to reveal a glaring Sky. “He said tomorrow. They’re here now!” “Well, let’s be extra careful then.” He gave you a nod and stood to the side to let you in, then locked the door, just in case the ponies came down and noticed it open. The pair of you split the house into two separate halves, taking a side each and looking through the rooms. You found several trinkets, but nothing of value, except for a rather large marble statue of Princess Celestia. She was rearing up on her hindlegs, wings mid spread ready for flight . It would be too heavy for you and Sky to move, yet the sparkling jewels in her regalia were perfect for taking. A little small, but enough to provide food for a week for the whole group. You hovered up to it and gripped the diamond shaped amethyst with your teeth, giving it a good tug. The gem wouldn’t budge, so you placed your back hooves against the statue’s thighs in order to get some purchase, and your ears twitched as you heard a cracking noise. You didn’t have time to move as the statue’s back legs broke and the now unsupported torso fell onto you, breaking into several pieces, the largest of which had you pinned. You heard a thud from upstairs, followed by Sky running in to find you struggling free, shaking his head at you. You were about to head back out into the hall, but a flash stopped you, a unicorn stallion standing at the front door. “Hmm, it’s still locked.” He turned your way, and Sky pointed to the window, ushering you towards it. He managed to get it open and let you out first, then you turned to help him follow, but he wasn’t climbing out. He had in fact moved over to a desk and was looking at a photo on it. “Fl-f-fluttershy?” “Who’s in there? Show yourself!” Even though he was your friend, you weren’t going to get caught as well, quickly taking wing and heading back to the docks. Three days you had been looking for Sky Runner, yet there was no sign of him, so you changed tactics. Spotting the unicorn stallion and earth pony mare leaving their house where he was caught, you shifted the cloud you were using for cover along, keeping out of sight to those on the ground. They met up with another mare, a pegasus that shared the same coat and mane colour as the earth pony, donning a rather swollen stomach, and after a round of hugs they continued moving. It didn’t take them long to reach their destination, one of the Baltimare guard stations. They were in there for a good couple of hours, but when they emerged there was another pony following them, his head down as he trudged along. You pushed your cloud above them for a few more blocks until Sky Runner stopped and turned around, looking up at you, so you nodded towards the docks . He shook his head in reply, pointing a hoof at the mare in front of him, then back towards the guard station, where a steady stream of armoured ponies was pouring from. He met your gaze again and you nodded, taking wing in the opposite direction to the docks. There was no way for you to get back and warn the boss, but you knew where the others operated. Perhaps you could warn them and get out of the city. Either way. Sky was in the clear, and you were still free. “Cage, got one for you!” You slid off your cot in the small room, moving to the door that led into a narrow hallway. Slid under your door was a brown envelope that had no markings at all, the pony that deposited it long gone by now. This is how your drops came these days, a letter telling you what to get and where from, and had been like it for the past year or so. Trotting over to the small desk in the corner, you picked up a small knife and cut the envelope open, letting the contents spill on the desk. One sheet contained a map of a town, several lines showing infiltration and exfiltration routes, guard stations highlighted, and the target’s home. Another contained a description of the item that was sought after, as well as where to take it after successfully liberating it from its rightful owners. You committed it all to memory and then dumped it into a small metal bin, reaching up to open the window. A quick match strike and the files began to burn, standard procedure, whilst you collected your saddlebags. Sure, you had one target, but pilfering other goods to sell yourself was allowed in this particular thieves’ guild… as long as it wasn’t something that was ‘on order’. Once you were set, you left your small room and headed down the corridor, nodding to the inn keeper as he went up to his room; he was on the payroll too, all you paid for was food. The cool evening air of Canterlot greeted you when you stepped out into the back yard, the sun hidden behind a high wall. It didn’t take long to reach the train station, several guards having already clocked you as you walked through the doors. Just play the game for now, don’t give them a reason. You calmly trotted over to the ticket booth, where the mare sat inside took a few moments to notice you. “Oh, good evening. Where are you heading to, honey?” “Ponyville, please. Single.” You hoofed over the right amount of bits, took your ticket and headed out to the platform, to wait for your train. Author's Note Yeah, I know about Scorched. I had it on my RIL list for ages, but never got around to it, and it was gone when I got rid of everything. So, only similarities, as far as I know, is it's AJ and 'you're' a thief. I've already been in contact with the author of Scorched, but haven't head back from him/her yet.
Chapter 02Stepping off the train, you looked around as ponies went about their evening business and thankfully didn’t pay you any attention. You eased your way through the crowd, not failing to notice there had been an increase of guard activity in town, meaning your report was now inaccurate. Holding your head high with confidence, you did your best to look like you belonged, working your way towards your first waypoint; Town Hall. You got there with no problems at all then started looking for your second marker, but frowned when it wasn’t anywhere in sight. That was until the large red earth pony finished hitching himself up to his cart and moved out of the way, your eyes flicking to the green apple that adorned his… flank… Buck yeah, that’s luck! You gave him a certain amount of distance, then moved to the shadows and followed him out of town. It didn’t take long for the buildings to become more spread out, the stallion in front of you keeping a pleasant pace, until he stopped in the middle of the path. You quickly hid in some shrubs at the side of the path as the stallion began to look around. He gave a low whistle, and you peeked out of the bush to see a plum coloured earth pony mare with three flowers for a cutie mark appear from a nearby building and approach, the pair sharing a quick nuzzle. Doing your best not to gag at the mushiness, you waited until the mare jumped into the near empty cart and the stallion started moving once more, then fell into step with him again. The sun had started disappearing behind the western mountains and bathed the sky in a warm orange by the time your destination appeared, several small barns and one farmstead. The mare and the stallion headed towards one of the barns, a smirk on his face as she leaned forward and said something with a giggle. Leaving them to it, you headed towards the house, where a light had just been extinguished downstairs with one remaining lit on the first floor. Making a note of which room it was, you flew up to the roof and looked around, smirking as you spotted a hatchway. Slipping a wingtip through the gap between the frame and the lid on the side opposite to the hatch, it popped free without a sound, giving you access to attic. Illumination was provided through a window facing the west, an orange glow filling the room. A silent search of the storage space turned up no results, so you trotted towards the staircase hidden in one of the corners. The top step creaked as soon as you put your hoof on it, followed by growling from the floor below. “Calm down, girl. It’s jus’ AB an’ her friends rootin’ through the junk. Come now, we got an early start in the mornin’, time fer bed.” There were a few more growls but they got quieter, disappearing when a door clicked shut. Taking a deep breath, you spread your wings and gently fluttered down to the next floor, entering a corridor with several doors on either side. Unlike the first door to your left, the one on the right was open, so you flew in there and had a good look round. It was a sparsely decorated room, more for function than form, and no sign of your objective in sight. A small statue facing the window made you give a small chuckle. Celestia was rearing up on her hindlegs in exactly the same pose as the statue that fell on you a couple of years ago, but this one was drastically smaller. Gripping it with your forehooves, a quick test lift revealed it to be lightweight, so you carefully slipped it into your saddlebag and left the room. The next one on this side was the bathroom, so you ignored that and drifted over to the only other open door on this level. It was easy to see this was a foal’s room, going by the mess, but you might find something of use. The closet contained too much stuff for you to look through, and the left drawers on the dresser were filled with school supplies. The top one on the right, however, contained something that would have some small value. An otherwise ordinary pink hairbow, though this one was gem encrusted with several small but expensive gems. This would be easy to sell on, as many of the shallow mothers in Canterlot would want it for their filly. Or colt. Into your saddlebag it went and, after checking the other drawer, you slipped from the room and down to the ground floor. You couldn’t spend much more time searching for extras, so placed your saddlebag at the base of the stairs and crept down the hallway. Opening the one door there, your eyes took a few moments to adjust to the light level of the room, but once they did, your gaze settled onto you target. Slowly walking around the bed, whose occupant was well asleep, you reached a wing up and brushed it across the necklace hanging down from a stand. The actual necklace was a simple gold one, but the pendant hanging on it was your goal, and you didn’t care for the reason. The jewel was actually several different ones, fused together in some way and shaped in that of an apple. Carefully lifting it down, you turned around and started to leave the room, when a sudden creak from the floorboards made you freeze. “What’s that? Who? Wings? Sky, is that you?” You panicked a little, then realised the mare, as that was definitely a female voice, couldn’t see you that well in the twilight, and with that you cleared your throat. “Yeah. Just popped over to see how the family’s doing.” “Well, next time bring Bolt with ya, ya hear!” “Sure, I’ll bring her.” You started walking once more, but felt the mare’s glare even though you couldn’t see her. “Mah Sky wouldn’t forget his own colt.” The light in the room snapped on and there was a scream from behind. Turning to the bed, you saw an elderly mare shaking a hoof at you, then her eyes locked onto what was held in your wing. “MAH NECKLACE! APPLEJACK, THIEF!!!!” There were some harsh thuds from the floor above and you darted from the room, sliding along the floor and under your saddlebags, running to another room. Barking followed you, close but not close enough, as you made an internal lap of the building. You could see the base of the stairs and knew you were free, but another mare appeared from the hall next to them. You tried to slow down but failed to do so, raising your hooves to deflect the blow she was aiming at you. It didn’t hit, but you felt an impact, and when you stopped you glanced down to see the mare was a little dazed. The tip of her orange muzzle was dripping red, and as you went to check on her you cried out in pain, for the dog in the household had caught up and sunk its teeth into your wing. After a few moments of flailing in anguish, your other wing grasped a wooden pole, and you went to use it when a weak whistle filled the air, the dog pulling her teeth back a little before letting go and moving over to the downed mare. With your right wing now unusable, you wouldn’t be flying back to town, and you’d need to get some medical treatment done to stop the bleeding. As you turned to leave, your golden eyes met the emerald ones of the mare, which were blazing in hatred at you. Before anything else went wrong, you headed towards the front door, the dog growling at you all the while, and you left the house, heading back towards the town, but not the station just yet. You let out a hiss of pain, your wing stinging as the nurse poured some antiseptic fluid over your wound. Gritting your teeth, you remained still as she covered the bite marks and wrapped a bandage around your wing, then placed the soiled supplies into a waiting bin. “Okay, I’ll just get the release and payment forms for you, then you’re free to go.” You just nodded to the smiling mare, but as soon as she was out of the room you began moving. Grabbing a couple of towels, you wrapped several small bottles in them and stuffed out your saddlebags. You gave your wing an experimental flap, but didn’t get far as pain fired back from it. Pushing aside your loot, you pulled a cloak from your bag, slipped your saddlebags on, then donned the cloak. Knowing you’d have to walk out, you peeked out the door and spotted the nurse at the reception desk, gathering several bits of paper. Her back was to you, so you took the chance and slipped down the corridor, finding a fire exit. With a quick buck to the handle, the sturdy doors sprung open, and as no alarms went off, you stepped out into the evening air. Ponyville’s hospital was, thankfully, located not far from the train station, and within ten short minutes you had arrived at the end of the platform. Here there were no guards, and they didn’t have conductors on trains that ran this late, so it meant a free ride. Making your way to the front carriage, you glanced around to ensure nopony was watching, then slipped in. There were a few ponies inside, but none of them even looked towards you as you slid your saddlebags to one of the seats then hopped up next to them. It was a good thirty minutes until the train started moving, and soon the town was well behind you. The other ponies in the carriage were slowly starting to drift off, but you had to remain alert just in case. A sudden jolt forced you from your seat to the floor, and you hissed in pain as you landed on your injured wing. Wincing as you stood, a glance out the window showed you had arrived at your destination, and the rest of the carriage were starting to disembark. Wrapping your cloak over you, you slipped out of the door and looked around, then panicked a little. Spread out in the station were Canterot’s finest, watching as ponies left the train. Averting your gaze, you grimaced as a stallion walked calmly onto the platform; his back from neck to tail was bare, pink blistering skin with the odd patch of fur. Turning away from his gaze, which had settled on you for some unknown reason, you headed in the direction least populated by guards, heaving a sigh of relief once you were in the city’s deserted streets. You stuck to the back alleys, only crossing the main streets when you had to, until you came to a stop outside a building in the shadow of the castle itself. A series of well practiced knocks on the door a moment later and you were in one of the back rooms, which was dimly lit by a single candle. You could just make out the snout of a yellow furred pony opposite you in the gloom, and the only parts you could see left you questioning whether they were male or female. A muted green glow appeared on their head, meaning they were a unicorn and also hiding themselves with a cloak, as you could see the magical aura through the cloth. A brown bag secured with string was dumped onto the table, the contents clinking and making your ears twitch. You went to grab it with your hoof, but the green glow deflected your grasping limb. “The item first, if you please.” You understood perfectly fine, as some others in your ‘profession’ had taken the money and run, so you reached into the outer pocket and pulled out what you had purloined from the farmhouse. You placed it on the table and caught a brief smile from the other party, and the bits were slid across the table. You tested the weight, and once satisfied, made a hasty exit. There was a cold chill in the air that night, and you paused in fear as several of Princess Luna’s Night Guards came towards you, but they just passed right on by. Taking the good fortune that had come your way as a sign, you galloped off in the direction of the tavern. You stopped a couple of streets before that though, walking up to a window that had bars on either side giving a slight tap to it. A hatch on the inside opened to reveal a young, pretty mare, who wiped her tired eyes before looking at you, her mouth turning into massive grin. “Cage!” “Good evening, Honey Pot.” “You look beat. You getting enough sleep?” “Yeah, just had a busy, busy night. So anyway, got another deposit.” She gave you a nod and lifted the window up a little, creating a hatch that could be used to pass items. Taking out the brown bag, you set it on the window sill and pushed it towards her. “The usual please, Honey. Ten percent to my patron, and split the remaining between my account and you-know-where.” “You know how much you’d have if you didn’t do this?” “I don’t care, I need something to make balance.” Honey just raised an eyebrow at you, then stepped away from the counter and poured the bits on a table, counting them all out. She then grabbed three slips of paper and wrote on them, leaving two on the table and bringing the last over to you. “All good?” “Yep, your account now stands at sixty five thousand, two hundred and seventy three bits and twenty two crowns. The same amount since you started coming here has certainly helped at the... you know, the place.” “Good. Feels nice to give something back.” She frowned at you, but you just waved it away with a hoof. She slid the new balance cheque onto the sill and moved it towards you, her muzzle next to it, so you moved closer and gave her your customary payment, the mare giggling as your lips met hers. You held yourself there for a few moments then pulled away. “Good night, Honey.” “Night, Cagey.” The hatched closed as you walked away, and pretty soon you were back in the inn, waving to the innkeeper as you ascended the stairs. Once into your room, you slipped off your cloak and bags, bringing your wing around to check the wound. The nurse had managed to thread the bandage around your feathers, which meant you wouldn’t be flying for a few days. Giving a wistful sigh, you slumped into bed and pulled the covers over you, then clicked off the lamp. A short while later you heard your door creak open, a shadow falling over the wall you faced. A muted click a moment later you were left in the dark, but you weren’t worried. The pony slipped in behind you and ran their hoof along your side, then rested it on your flank. “Hello, Cagey.” You rolled over, pressing into a passionate kiss with the mare, covering her with you wing. She pulled away and nuzzled under your chin, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “You know, I always get a fuzzy feeling when you give money to the orphanage.” You groaned, lowering your gaze and meeting hers in the moonlight streaming through the window. “Do you always have to say that?” “Don’t forget your origins, Cage. The mares there were nice.” “That they were. Let’s get some sleep, my sweet Honey Pot.” Your lips met in one more soft kiss, then you both snuggled closer and laid your heads upon the pillows, drifting off to slumber. Inside the farmstead of Sweet Apple Acres, one earth pony mare sat on the couch shaking, her faithful companion pressed against her side and letting forth the occasional whimper. In Winona’s mind she had failed and her mistress had gotten injured, so she would comfort her in the hopes of staving off punishment. The bitch let out a low growl as she sensed a being approaching, but she quieted down when the young pony her mistress clearly loved poked his head over the couch’s edge. The colt’s tiny wings flapped frantically as he clambered up the cushions, sliding in behind Winona, who sat patiently until he was against her mistress’ side, then she pressed against them both. “Jay-Jay need hug to smile.” Very slowly, Applejack turned to see her second cousin and one of her best friends’ colt trying to wrap his hooves around her, but failing as he was only a couple of years old. She petted Winona a few times and then hoisted Freedom Bolt to her chest, falling sideways to the couch, whereupon Winona shuffled behind Applejack’s hind legs and settle into the crux of her knees, her head on her mistress and watching the colt. “Jay-Jay feel good?” “Ah’m feelin’ better seein’ you, Bolt.” The colt let out a giggle as Applejack nuzzled him. Then she looked across at the other couch where his mother and father were sitting, the mare wrapped in the stallion’s hooves with one of his wings draped over her, all told a rather adorable sight, but there was something bugging Applejack. “Say Sky, what’s with the frown?” “The pony you described from last night, he seems vaguely familiar, but I’m not sure.” “Well, the guards’ll get ‘im, you’ll see.” “I certainly hope so, AJ, I hope so. How’s Granny?” “Mac said it’ll be best if we jus’ let her think it was a bad dream, an’ that we moved the necklace into the vault in the cellar. She’s still a little shaken, but will be right as rain in no time.” “And you?” “If Ah ever see that good fer nothin’ pony again, Ah’m gonna do more than let ol’ Winona ‘ere bite his wing.” Author's Note Ouchy... that had to hurt. Wait... isn't this a AJ romance fic?
Chapter 03The scenery rushing past the window made you groan a little, but a hoof hitting the back of your head cut off anything you were about to say. You turned around and tried to glare at Honey Pot, but she had one of her own on her face, and you weren’t about to win any arguments with her. The day had started off without any trouble, then you decided to see if you could sell the bow you found in the filly’s room, but Honey had caught you in the act. You told her that you had ‘acquired’ it during your last assignment, which was the truth, but there was one tiny detail you left out. The train began to slow down, and you glanced over at your fillyfriend, who was bouncing in her seat. From what you gleaned from her excited chatter when leaving Canterlot, there were several stores in the town whose wares were sought across Equestria and further. So she had joined you for the journey and was going to have a shopping trip, but it wouldn’t be a long one, as the last train to Canterlot left in a couple of hours. Once you were free of the train and the station, Honey gave you a peck on the cheek and moved off towards some of the stores, leaving you to let out a sigh. The simplest way was to go straight to the farm, but you’d be noticed, not to mention the dog. Shaking off a shudder at facing the animal again, you began to wander the streets, hoping there’d be some sign of the farm owners, and you could stealthily return the bow. You saw the apple stand, but instead of the massive red earth pony tending it before, the orange mare was there, chatting to a butter yellow pegasus mare, who had a light blue pegasus colt resting on her back. Slowly backing up, you made your way down a side street and found yourself in a green space, where lots of ponies were gathered. Several families were around, as well as groups of unattended foals. One trio of fillies in particular caught your attention, and you got a bit closer, intrigued as to what they were doing. The orange one, a pegasus, seemed to be resting in the cup of a catapult, which was being pulled taught by a greyish olive earth pony, whilst a white unicorn looked over some sheets. What stood out to you the most was the plain pink bow in the earth pony’s mane, exactly the same style as the one in your saddlebag. You were going to approach, making up some horseapple reason as to why you had the gem encrusted item, when the unicorn nodded to her two companions, her and the earth pony jumping next to the pegasus. “CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS, DAREDEVILS, YAY!!” The catapult remained still for a second, then shot forward and fired the three screaming fillies into the air. You looked further down the park and saw a large inflatable landing pad, and you quickly calculated their trajectory, knowing they’d overshoot and hit the ground. Taking wing, you zoomed after the three ballistic fillies. You adjusted your flight in reaction to their own, pitching down when they hit the apex of their flight arc. Speeding up when they started to drop, you flipped so your back was to the ground, eyes locked on the falling figures. You passed under them at the right moment, managing to catch the pegasus and unicorn with a foreleg each, but the earth pony landed on your chest, knocking the air from your lungs, and messing with your own flight path. A few moments later the ground made its introduction to your back, and you carved a nice muddy path through the loose soil. Shaking off your disorientation, you stood up and checked the fillies, breathing a sigh of relief when you saw they were all fine. Looking around, you saw a small crowd had gathered and witnessed the entire event, then the polite stomping set in. The first of the fillies to stand was the earth pony, who shook her head and picked up your saddlebags, bringing them over to you. “Thanks, mister. Ah dunno what would’ve ‘appened if you wasn’t here to help.” You took the strap and tossed your bag over your back, but one of the straps had sheared off, and the hidden bow fell to the ground, the filly raising an eyebrow at you in confusion. “Why ‘ave you got mah bow?” There was no path clear to freedom, as you were surrounded by equally confused spectators, including pegasi in the air. Out of all of them, one caught your attention, the massive red earth pony you had followed to the farm, and he slowly trotted forward with a glare. Once in front of you, he leant in close, speaking in a angry whisper. “Ah know the truth.” One hit from his hoof was enough to send you skyward, the world fading to black as your body fell towards the ground. Slowly coming to, you noticed there was a chill to the air, and that it was darker. Once your vision was back in focus, you saw the sun rising in the east, and the mountains in that direction were also getting further away. You tried to stand up, but found your limbs were restricted in movement, looking down your body to see your rear legs tied together, your forelegs and wings tied against your torso. There was also a length of rope keeping your muzzle tightly shut. Realising you were being dragged through the streets of Ponyville, you glanced over your shoulder to see your captor, eyes going wide with fear as you saw the orange mare from the farm, who gave you a death glare in return. She stopped in front of a large tree, which had windows and doors carved into it, and she knocked on the front portal. “Twi, ya in there? Ah got a problem Ah could use ya help with.” The muffled conversation on the inside of the building went quiet, and hoofsteps came closer in the silence, then the door opened. In the gap stood a stallion that was somehow familiar to you and a lavender alicorn. “Ah didn’t bother ya with this before, but we had something stolen a couple o’ weeks ago. ‘e did it.” Turning your gaze back to your bonds, you looked for someway to get free when you heard the flap of feathers, staring in surprise at the grey eyes looking back at you. “Cage? What the hay are you doing here?” Behind him, the farm mare wore a confused frown as her gaze switched between you and your old friend, Sky Runner, but before you could say anything, you were lifted up in a lavender glow and pulled into the library, the two ponies left outside following. The door clicked shut, where saw Princess Twilight whispered something to unicorn mare, who then nodded and took a unicorn filly into the kitchen. “AJ, stop.” You glanced at the mare to see a forehoof raised ready to strike the you, but she lowered it to the floor as Sky walked over. He pulled the rope around your muzzle off, then stepped back, his wings flaring slightly as you stretched your jaw. “Well, that’s one. What about the others?” “Ya ain’t goin’ anywhere! Ya lucky ya still alive!” “AJ!” Giving a defeated sigh, the mare walked over to where the alicorn was waiting, so your gaze following her warily. Sky remained in front of you, a glare on his face but sadness in his eyes, and you turned away from him, not liking the shame you felt building. “Now listen here, Cage. You’re going to tell them what they want to know.” The lavender pony nodded along to the conversation you couldn’t hear, then moved towards you, Sky stepping back. “And remember, tell her the truth! All yours, princess.” “Thank you, Sky. Now, where exactly is the necklace?” You just stared at her blankly, as you had no idea where the item was, and there was no point checking the drop location, as the pony there would be long gone by now. With a lavender glow from her horn, the alicorn pulled over a quill and some paper, writing a quick letter, the door opening a moment later. A dragon and young earth pony filly walked in, instantly confused as to what was going on. “Ah, Spike. Could you send this to Celestia for me?” The dragon did as asked, a green burst of flame surprising you as the letter floated away as a pile of glowing ash. The gathered group moved away from you and made small talk, the cloaked unicorn heading through one of the doorways. Another burst of green flame caught your attention, and you turned to see the dragon holding a scroll, which was sealed by golden wax with a ‘C’ embedded into it. “Uh, Twi, you got a response.” The dragon passed it to the alicorn, who unrolled it as the unicorn stallion came back, reading it over her shoulder. The pair seemed to find something amusing and she stepped away and she began whispering to the others, leaving the unicorn stood in front of you, and you knew where you had seen him. “Hey, I recognise you! You’re that burnt stallion from Canterlot, right? How’s it going… Crispy?” He ignored the taunt, closing his eyes and letting his magic build. At first you thought he was preparing some sort of torturous spell, but instead a small, swirling blue portal appeared in front of his legs, the sound of a giggling filly making the room go ice cold. “WHAT THE HAY IS THAT? WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PONIES?” “Hello, Cage. You’ve been a naughty colt, haven’t you?” From the portal stepped a spectral filly, a large smile plastered on her face, her bright eyes focusing on you. She took a few steps forward, and the unicorn chuckled as you tried to back away, but just pressed yourself deeper into the couch. “See… if you don’t tell them, then you’ll come with me. You’d like that, right? To come and play with me forever? Come and play with me, Cage.” There were only two ponies in the room who saw what happened next, yourself being one of them, as the little spectral filly changed slightly. Her body was now marred by multiple wounds, each deep and oozing blood, one of her wings torn off and leaving a deep hole in her back, and and eye hanging from its socket. “Come and play with me, Cage, forever,” she briefly flashed back to how she normally looked, then to the rotting corpse as she jumped into your lap. “Forever and ever.” “ALRIGHT, I’LL TALK! Just… get that thing away from me!” The filly jumped back with a squeal of delight, returning to her usual form as she trotted back over to the unicorn, who bent down and let the filly nuzzle him, then opened a small portal for her to return back to the spirit world. Fearing another spectral nightmare, your eyes darted from dark corner to dark corner, your body shaking uncontrollably. “C-can we go somewhere else?” “Hay no! Yer gonna tell me where mah family’s necklace is right now!” You nodded rapidly, now willing to tell them everything, now matter how little, you knew. Considering the tales you had heard from other thieves who had either done their time or broken free, the dungeons underneath Canterlot Castle weren’t actually that bad. Rather than being a stone slab, the bed was actually quite comfortable, and you had a toilet hidden behind a low partition. The guards had been around to question you three times in the few hours you had been their guest, but you just remained silent. After all, you didn’t know who had requested the item nor where it had gone, some you didn’t have anything to say as it were. Growing bored with your seemingly solitary confinement, you got up from your bed and approached the bars, tapping them with a hoof. You paused when you reached the cell door, then gave a shrug, turning around and bucking the lock. In that moment the cell block was filled with the noise of stressed metal, followed by a ping as the supposedly secure device broke. Looking over your shoulder, you raised an eyebrow at the swinging cell door, then gave another shrug and trotted from your cell. Spotting your saddlebags on a desk at one end of the room, you trotted over to them and slipped them on, then saw a glowing gem on the desk. Lifting up your foreleg with the band on it, you noticed the inlaid gem was glowing the same colour. You waved your hoof over the gem, giving a chuckle when there was a click from the band and it fell to the desk, no longer glowing. Moving to the door, you checked the corridor for any sign of the guards, and once you ascertained it was clear, left the cell block. It took you about ten minutes to reach what you considered the castle, and that is when you saw your first obstacle. Looking around, you spotted an alcove and jumped into it, flying on top of a cabinet there just as the unicorn guard trotted past. You gave it a few moments before sticking your head out, checking that the coast was clear and getting the layout of the area. Every so often on either side of the room were alcoves, providing plenty of cover, and that it was what you used. From one to the another you flew quickly, always pausing to check if you had been discovered. You took the paths of least resistance, somehow ending up several floors above the main entrance. You had perused a few rooms, slipping a few things into your saddlebags; the odd bit left out, a gold fork and other trinkets. As you hid from yet another patrolling stallion, a rather lavish door left slightly ajar drew your attention, and you darted over as soon as the guard disappeared. Pausing just outside, you checked the coast was clear then pushed the door open, entering a darkened room. You could sense at least four other ponies in the room, one being a pegasus, and were confident you could make the door if they came for you. Stepping further into the dark, you head a click from behind you and several torches seemingly lit themselves along your path. Your ears swiveled back and forth, listening out for any sound of the guards, but that’s not what you heard. “Welcome to Canterlot Tower, the highest structure built by ponykind across Equestria. Here is housed the history of our nation, from the battle with the Chaos-God,” A light snapped on to illuminate a window on your right, showing the Princesses dancing around a strangely shaped creature, “to one of Equestria’s most darkest hours.” Another window was illuminated as you walked deeper in, showing Celestia battling Nightmare Moon at the top, and standing victorious at the bottom. You slowly crept forward to the stands you now saw in the room, your ears perked as the voice of Celestia continued to come from some hidden speakers. “Even the recent one, which saw the return of Nightmare Moon, her defeat, and the return of my beloved sister, thanks to the act of six ponies.” When the next window lit up, it five mares around the outside, and one in the middle. “These Bearers of Harmony went on to defeat Discord whence he managed to escape,” the strange creature from before was then depicted again, this time being defeated the group of six, and you had now reached the pedestals. “What you see before you are The Elements Of Harmony.” Jackpot. Giving a chuckle, you grabbed the first one and slipping it into your saddlebags, before taking the time to decide which one to take next, even as the voice continued. “Someponies believe them to be a weapon, and in some cases that is true, but those who bear them now would never put them to such use. Presently, with no danger to threaten the safety of our nation, they remain here for all to see, and here they must remain, lest Equestria come under attack from powerful foes once more.” There it was, the reality of what you were doing dawned on you, and your hooves stopped short of taking the third necklace. You fell to your haunches in front of the pedestal, looking at the floor in front of you. You could feel the tension of the other ponies in the room, and knew that something was about to go down. Sensing two ponies entering the room behind you and approaching, you put the two necklaces you had taken back on their stands, stepping back. You slid your saddlebags from your back, the sound of your appropriated goods jumbling around as you set your bag down in front of you. “I… suppose I’ll be going back to prison now, huh?” you asked rhetorically, knowing the answer. “Oh, and your spies can come out of hiding, I know they’re here.” “Only one needs come. She is the one whom you wronged, and your fate is to be left up to her.” Slowly, there was some movement in the corner to your left, the orange mare from the farm emerging from the shadows and approaching. She ignored you, walking right past and stopping in front of the two ponies at your back. “Dame Applejack, what is your judgement.” “Well… Ah’d first like to know what his punishment would normally be.” “Hmm… as he has not left the castle grounds any items on him can be considered borrowed, not stolen, so his only crime tonight is that of breaking free from the dungeons. That carries a penalty of three years incarceration. But I think that may be a little long for a sixteen year old, wouldn’t it?” Looking over your shoulder, you just stared blankly at Princess Celestia, who was giving you a motherly smile. As you turned your gaze away, you noticed Sky Runner trot past you, and he gave you a glare; you know he was silently telling you not to mess up this one and only chance. Giving a sigh, you turned to face the three ponies, surprised to see only Princess Luna remained, and she didn’t seem too happy to see you. With a flash of her horn you were teleported from the room housing the Elements to another, where several of the alicorn’s night guards stood waiting. “So then, Mr Cage, the task of finding the location of the missing necklace has fallen to me.” You glanced at Princess Luna, who moved to a desk and sat in a chair, motioning you to the one opposite her. Under the watchful eyes of her guards you complied, getting comfortable before looking the alicorn in the eyes. “Let us do this easy way. Where is it?” “Dead drop. I can tell you where I left it, but it’ll do you no good. That place has long since been empty. Sorry, your majesty,” you said with a shrug. “But that necklace is long gone by now.” “Well then Mr Cage, show me this… ‘dead drop’ location.” Author's Note Woohoo, it's alive! ...wait, are the readers still alive? (Also, please point out any errors, as this went unedited.)
