Partners in Crime

Rarity looked at the open field with several ponies scattered around. It was strange for her to steal money from other ponies out in the open, but she was willing to give it a shot. She dressed as a pony from the Victorian era while Applejack dressed as a western sales pony. Their disguises sealed their identities very nicely.

“These ponies are highly gullible, so they would believe even the craziest of things,” Applejack explained to Rarity in a low voice. “The plan is to claim we are raising money for a charity to help with hindquitus.”

“Hindquitus?” Rarity has never heard of that disease.

“I made it up,” Applejack admitted. “Watch what I do.”

Applejack casually walked to the nearest pony, a unicorn  who stared at the sky as if to mourn someone she lost. Rarity followed until she was at hearing distance from both ponies.

“Hello, ma'am. I am raising money for a charity to restore the loss of fur caused by hinquitus. It is a disease that is passed by certain species of flies. It is curable, but the fur lost from it won't grow back. We are raising money to help with the return of fur so ponies who were previously diagnosed with hinquitus can stay warm.” Her words came out effortlessly with no hint of dishonesty. She was a naturally skilled liar.

“I don't believe I have heard of hindquitus, but it sounds terrible for a pony to go without fur!” the mare shouted distraughtly as she levitated a large sum of bits into a bucket that Applejack was carrying.

The surrounding ponies heard her and gave Applejack their bits, too. Applejack and Rarity looked at each other in disbelief. Everything was turning out better than they expected. They decided to let everypony give their donations before looking for other ponies to steal from. Both ponies were thieves, but their methods of stealing were different.

On they searched, they heard the sound of animals crying in pain with the sound of a whip. They decided to see what was going on. They hid behind a large tree so they didn't get caught. What they saw left them in shock.

A yellow pegasus glared at a white bunny as she whipped him mercilessly. Other animals tried to hide, but their leashes didn't let them go very far. The bunny looked as if he was trying to beg the pony to stop, but she didn't listen. She continued whipping him, even after the area around him was wet from the tears.

“Next time, you should eat your food without complaining!” The pegasus shouted, angrily.

Rarity's shock turned into disgust. She was a criminal herself, but even she had standards. Harming another animal was beyond anything she has ever considered. She wasn't the kind of pony to love animals, but she knew when to stop. She wanted to steal the bunny and keep him for herself and to give him a better life.

Applejack had her share of disgust as well. She may have been guilty of hurting other ponies, but animals where a different matter. It was like hurting foals. She made sure to never harm a foal nor an animal. She wanted to talk the pegasus into handing over the bunny and to set it free.

Applejack and Rarity walked over to the pegasus after she was finished whipping the bunny. Neither of them knew what the other wanted, but Rarity let Applejack do the talking. The earth pony was better with words.

“Hello, Miss. I noticed you have an interesting bunny there. Mind if I pet him?” Applejack requested.

The bunny looked up happily, but the pegasus glared at her, “No. He doesn't deserve to be petted! He's just a stupid little bunny and nothing more!”

Rarity decided to step in, “Perhaps your bunny would be much better as something else. Imagine wearing a white scarf in the cold winter. My name is Diamond Seas.” Rarity wasn't going to kill the bunny, but she knew that the pegasus hated him.

Applejack grinned as she heard Rarity lie. She decided to add her own false allias. “I'm Orange Cycle.” It was still convincing. She did have an orange coat.

The pegasus replied, “I'm Fluttershy. My parents are such morons for naming me that! I am not shy!”

“We can tell,” Applejack told her. She seemed to be the opposite of shy. Sometimes, ponies did have names that made no sense. She remembered meeting a pony named Pinkie Pie who was always gloomy. Pinkie Pie sounded like the name of a cheerful pony. She decided to not think too much into names. Ponies aren't psychic. No one had any way of knowing how their foal would turn out.

Rarity put on a serious face, “Fluttershy, I can see that you don't like your bunny. I really think you should consider giving him to me.”

Fluttershy looked into Rarity's eyes and laughed for some time. She finally contained herself and said, “Yeah right, Rarity. I know who you are, and I will turn you in if you dare take my bunny.”

That little devil! Rarity thought. She had no proof that Fluttershy was a criminal, so she couldn't use that against her. Perhaps she was never caught. Most animal abusers weren't caught. It seemed that most ponies didn't care if other animals were treated terribly.

“What's the matter, Applejack? Don't you have anything to say?” Fluttershy was definitely cruel with her mean stare.

Applejack knew she couldn't win that time. As much as she hated Fluttershy abusing her animals, she couldn't do anything about it. The pegasus saw right through her, and reporting her was out of the question. She and Rarity left without saying another word, but they weren't going to forget Fluttershy any time soon.

“We should get Zecora to give us money!” Rarity suggested. “She is such a fool.”

“That sounds like a great plan, but there is one little problem. Zecora doesn't have money.” Applejack told her.

Rarity smiled, “She does have valuable artifacts. She's often gone, and she doesn't lock her door.”

Applejack returned the smile. They headed for the Everfree Forest. Ponies hardly went in there, so it was a great place for criminals on the loose. They agreed that it was unnerving, but they have been in worse situations. Princess Celestia and Princess Luna abandoned their castle in there after they took over as rulers of Equestria from King Sombra. They decided to loot the castle while they were in the forest.