Chapter Ten:
Breaking and entering

"Well well, a tad much security for just a holiday villa don't you think?" Kir said as he perched on a tree branch, overlooking the front of the villa. "Well, it wouldn't be any fun if it wasn't a challenge." Jing replied. "You two are nuts." Gilda grumbled. "Not to worry Gilds, this shouldn't be too hard." He said with a smile. "There's an old wall on the south side by the looks of it Jing, could be a good way to climb into the villa grounds." Kir informed him. "Alright, we'll go that way, you stay overhead and let us know if anyone's coming." Jing told Kir.

"Right, see you on the other side." He replied as he flew off, circling the villa as Jing and Gilda headed for the old wall.

Checking over the top of the stone wall to make sure it was all clear, Jing pulls himself over before landing behind the low hedges behind the wall. Gilda swooping over soon after him and crouching low so as not to be seen by a passing guard. Slowly and methodically, the pair sneaks their way over to a glass door. "Now what?" Gilda asked. Jing replied by pulling a lock pick set out of his coat and quickly gaining them entry, signaling Kir to join them before closing and re-locking the door. "Okay, so if I were a prince who prioritizes kidnapping over aiding to run a country, where would I keep a griffin?" Jing asked quietly. "Most likely the basement so as to make escape harder and keep anyone who enters from simply stumbling across them." Gilda answered. "Basement it is, lets go." Jing said as he led the way.

"Ah auntie, so good to see you." Blueblood said to Celestia as he entered the throne room. "Yes, I only wish it were under better circumstances my nephew." Celestia addressed him. "Why whatever could be the matter?" He asked, though in truth he cared very little.

"I have received a most disturbing letter from my dear pupil regarding you Blueblood." Celestia said as she lifted said letter in her magical grasp. Blueblood eyed it suspiciously, already having some idea what it might contain, but playing ignorant.

"Why auntie, I don't know what you could ever mean. I haven't seen lady Sparkle since she and her.... Friends attended that fiasco of a Summer Sun Celebration." He told her.

"That may be, but tell me, what do you know of a griffin by the name of Gilda?" She asked him, watching him closely.

"He must have some really expensive wine in that cellar to have a pair of guys like that at the door." Kir said as he looked around the corner.

"Doesn't look like there's any other way inside, so I guess we do this the old fashioned way." Gilda said as she reached for her daggers.

"No, I don't want to do this by killing anyone." Jing told her as he places his hand over one of her blades. "Well do you have a better idea?"
She asked. "Well, now that you ask..." He said as he began whispering to them. "No, no way, that will never work." Gilda said to him.

The two guards were standing idly by the doorway to the cellar, staring down the hall in front of them and occasionally to the ones at the sides. That was until they noticed a small box that seemed to be moving along from one side of the hall on their side, to the other side.

"What the buck.... You seeing this?" Asked the one on the right to his partner. "Uh huh..." He responded as they began following the little box.

One of them got close to it and poked it with his hoof, which caused it to go completely still as they both stared at it.

"Evening colts." A gruff female voice said from behind them. They couldn't even get out a surprised huh as both Jing and Gilda knocked them both out with a pair of golf clubs. "Told you it would work." Jing said to her as they dragged the two unconscious stallions into an empty room.

"That was the dumbest thing I've ever seen." She replied to him as Kir tossed the box he was under onto one of the guards heads then took their keys.

Outside the cellar, Minerva thought she heard a commotion, but it was probably just her mind playing tricks on her. She had been locked in this dark place for weeks, and she thought she heard her sister's voice of all things. "I want to go home...." She said to herself sadly, her once proud and clean coat and feathers, filthy from not seeing soap the entire time she had been locked away.

Then she heard it, the unmistakable sound of the cellar door being unlocked, and heavy steps coming down the stairs. "oh no, please no, GILDA, GILDA HELP, PLEASE, ANYONE!"
Minerva cried out, it had finally come, they no longer had use of her. She just cowered in the corner and cried, until she was taken in a warm and comforting embrace. "I'm here little sister..."

"That stupid little unicorn, I knew I should have had somepony take care of her long ago." Blueblood grumbled as he re-entered his mansion home after a couple of hours worth of denying any knowledge of everything contained in Twilight's letter.

"Well, since that no good little bird brain couldn't keep her beak shut, I suppose that her dear little brat of a sister shall have to pay the price." He said as he headed to his study to write a letter to the stallions guarding his villa, to have them dispose of the girl before anything could be done to further investigate the kidnapping claim. "SIR!" Cried out one of his servants as the young stallion ran to meet the prince.

"What is it? I'm very busy right now."
Blueblood said with an obvious hint of annoyance in his voice. "It's a message from your holiday villa sir, apparently there was a break in.

A number of valuables were taken, but that's not all. It appears that the prisoner was broken out as well." He informed his master.

"WHAT?!?" Prince Blueblood shouted furiously. "Damn it! Pack my things immediately, I must get out of the city!" Blueblood ordered as he ran for his study.

"SHERRY! SHERRY! WHERE ARE YOU?" Blueblood called as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"Well well, it would appear that you've landed in quite the predicament Blood." Sherry responded as she appeared from the shadows.

"I've no time for jokes, it's all coming apart, we must get out of the city as quickly as possible." He said as he rushed to put incriminating papers into a small briefcase so as not to leave evidence behind. "No dear Blueblood, you have to. I on the other hand have other business that my master wishes me to attend to." She informed him in a bored tone. "What? But I'm your master!" He said to her.

"Oh you foolish little foal, did you really think that I would let myself take orders from someone as dim witted as you?" She said chuckling.

Shouting could be heard coming from outside the room followed by loud banging on the door. "BY ORDER OF HER MAJESTY PRINCESS CELESTIA, OPEN THIS DOOR!" Shouted a royal guard from the other side. "Oh my, it's time for me to be off, farewell Blueblood." Sherry said as she leapt from the open window, moments later the door was blasted open and Blueblood was subdued by a squad of guards.

"Unhand me you fools! Do you have any idea who I am? When my aunt hears about this you'll all be living on the streets!" Blueblood threatened as he struggled. "Oh I think not Blueblood." Celesta said as she entered the room. "Auntie? What is going on? Why am I being treated like some petty criminal?" He asked the regal alicorn. This only brought a scowl to her usually comforting face.

"Don't you dare lie to me anymore Blueblood." She said as Gilda and her sister Minerva entered the room. "YOU!" Blueblood shouted as he looked angrily to the pair. "Oh, so now you recognize miss Gilda and Minerva do you?" Celestia asked rhetorically. "Umm..I.." He tried to say.
"Enough, I am thoroughly ashamed of you Blueblood. You are no longer fit to be called my nephew or a prince of Equestria. Therefore, by my right as co-ruler of this land, I hereby strip you of your rank and all privileges it entails. Guards, take this criminal to the dungeons." Celestia said with finality. "Yes your majesty!" They replied as they dragged Blueblood away.

"Hey check it out Jing, don't I make a handsome prince?" Kir asked as he wore Blueblood's crown. "Hmm, normally I would think that crown would be a few sizes too large, but I think it suits your big head Kir." Jing joked. "Oh hardy har, you're a riot." The bird responded.

"There y'all are!" Applejack called as she and the rest of the girls ran to meet the two of them as they walked from the train station.

"Good morning ladies!" Jing greeted them. "We were just on our way to see you Applejack, here this is for you." Jing said as he handed her a small bag. "Huh? what's this?" She asked as she opened it. "It's a little something to pay you back for letting us stay at your farm for a few days." He told AJ. Applejack just stared into it as the others came over and looked. Inside was thousands of bits worth of gold and jewelry.

"W-what the hay?" She exclaimed as they all looked back to Jing and Kir. Both of whom just smiled. "There's no way ah can accept this!"
AJ voiced her refusal. "Well too bad, it's yours now." He told her. "Where did you guys even get this stuff?" Rainbow dash asked as she looked at them suspiciously. "Oh, we swiped that on the way out of Blueblood's villa after we got Gilda's sister Minerva out of there. Not like he'll need it in the royal dungeons or anything." Jing dismissed.

This statement shocking Rainbow Dash because she didn't know Gilda had a sister and making Rarity chuckle at hearing of Blueblood's misfortune.

"Well, we better go, it's been really great here with you girls, but unfortunately duty calls." Jing said as he both him and Kir headed back to the station. "Wait, you're leaving?" Twilight asked. "Yeah, but don't worry, we'll write and we'll definitely be sure to come back from time to time, I promise." Jing told her. Pinkie then bounced over to him. "Do you Pinkie promise?" She asked. "Umm..." He said as he held out his pinkie finger. After a quick demonstration and both Jing and Kir replicating the process, Pinkie along with the rest of the girls hugged them both.

"You be sure to come back and tell me about all your awesome adventures." Dash ordered. "We can have a party when you get back!"
Pinkie told them. "Do you think you could bring me back something to go with some of my dresses?" Rarity asked. "Y'all don't be strangers." AJ told them. Fluttershy said something in a hushed tone but nobody could really hear. "Be careful." Twilight said to them.

"Don't worry girls, we'll be fine, and we'll bring back something next time we come back." JIng said as he stepped on the train as it slowly began to move away. Both he and Kir waved to the girls while they waved and shouted to them. Off they went, adventure just over the horizon.

Author's Note

Chapter ten and the first story arc complete! But stay tuned, Jing and Kir will be back for another adventure!
Next time : Dodge Junction Jamboree!
Bye guys!