The 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.)