Prelude: Setting The Stage
Canterlot City: Dazzling Diamonds Jewelry Store
'If a crime is committed with elegance and tact? It is that much easier to forgive. isn't that right darling?' Rarity thought as she gazed out onto the night sky as she prepared for her latest caper. This would certainly get their attention.
The full moon had risen and night had fallen, the skies had gone dark and the street lights had flickered to life giving light to the city as life continued on. On the streets below people went about their usual business, some would be taking a nice evening stroll, others would be heading home from work, others would be going to partake in...less than savory, activity in the Red Light district of town. Canterlot even for as graceful and elegant and varied as it was? Had a very thick and deep criminal underbelly that was well hidden but very prominent. Why was that you may ask? Simple really. Those who rule at the top with the most wealth didn't get there because they played fair or earned their wealth like the 'commoners' they often scoff down at.
No. The ruling elite, more specifically the highest ranking citizen in the city; they were all in one way shape or form, criminals. Thieves. Rogues. Some of them had honor and principal, however others were more craven and ruthless and lately in the past decade? The more honorable rouges seemed to have all but fizzled out. The ones who stood at the very peak, those who could afford to live in Canterlot Heights; were known as The High Five.
The five richest, most influential, most elegant, most renowned and most treacherous group of criminals Canterlot had ever been cursed with. Each of them had their hands in a part of how the city was run, how decisions were made, who wealth and freedom were controlled yet they all managed to hold an equal iron grip on the city able to put up the guise of being 'benevolent benefactors'.
'There is NOTHING benevolent about them. They are nothing more than ruffians & harlots.' Rarity thought with a scoff as each of them appeared separately in her mind as she began to make her way to the waypoint marked by her tactical specialist.
They controlled everything and to a degree everyone in Canterlot and even though the guise of freedom was there? There was no such thing for those who didn't have an abundance of wealth to their name and so that would ultimately force those who would normally be against criminal activity to sink low just to make ends meet or to even survive into the next day. For some it was easier to do but for others? It was impossible to cross certain lines in order to make it ahead. And some? Some are pushed over that line.
However there are a few. A few who can walk the line with grace and decorum. Who can dance the line of criminal mastermind and a upstanding citizen. Ever since all she knew was taken from her when she was just a little girl, she had made it her mission to crawl and claw her way back to the very top to confront those who threw her down into the dirt all alone. Her home, her wealth, her dreams...her family. All either dead or turned against her with money or power being an effective persuasion tool.
'It's been a decade, but I finally have the skills and friends I require to take back what is rightfully mine and give back to the people what is rightfully theirs.' Rarity thought as she stood on the rooftop of the jewelry store owned by one of the High Five Families. The mere thought of stealing from this place sent chills of excitement through her entire body as she overlooked the landscape.
There were a couple of guards posted up. The five were well known security nuts and with the recent uptick in thefts lately? Security at night had been beefed up quite a bit especially with the new police captain Shining Armor now in charge. As Rarity hid behind cover she scanned over the rooftop and then got a message over her earpiece and she would answer it with a single finger.
"Can you read me Rarity? How many guards do you scan?"
"I count a total of four guards, each armed. Strange looking guns on them, must be new. The designs leave something to be desired as do the color scheme of the-" Her inner fashionista was beginning to come out but then the voice spoke up again clearing their throat.
"Focus Rarity, you need to get in and out before you are seen. You need to get in there, find the codex jewel and get out so we can move onto the next phase."
"Oh pish posh calm yourself Twilight darling, these guards will be no trouble especially with the equipment you've gifted me. This'll be a simple operation, hm it would appear that the rooftop entrance is locked. It would seem it requires a special keycard." Rarity stated as she scanned the area with the special purple and white high tech binoculars that Twilight had built for her. It was then another voice, this one more scratchy and tomboyish; came onto the communications.
"Just kick the crap out of 'em and get movin' Rare; not sure how long we will be able to stay stationed down here in the car."
"Patience Rainbow, not everyone is as fast as you are and tasks like this require a sort of slow and flowing elegance." Rarity stated as she scanned her various targets, the device she was using able to isolate certain materials and deduce what any given person she scanned with it had in their pockets at any given time. Using this she scanned the guards to see who held the keycard she needed while the others had some optional loot and her instincts told her she should liberate these guards of their valuables.
"Tch I swear you are dead set on following that old fashioned codex." Rainbow snarked obviously rolling her eyes even if Rarity couldn't see her.
"In times like the ones we live in darling? I believe the world could use a little old fashioned. After all Retro style is the talk of the town." Rarity stated confidently as she stood from her hiding place ready to finally make her move. Dressed in a elegantly handwoven ruby red dress, matching shoes with short retractable heels, silver necklace with a red ruby around her neck, blue diamond earrings in each ear and it was all complimented by alabaster white skin and violet purple hair.
"Yeah well don't chicken out if things get rough, remember what I taught ya. Aim for where it hurts the most." Rainbow replied with an obvious smirk on her end of the communications.
"Yes, yes I remember our training quite fondly thank you very much Rainbow" Rarity said rolling her own eyes now as she leaned down from the perch she was lurking on near the far end of the rooftop of the store and she quickly sprinted to a corner and saw an incoming guard. Smiling she thought to indulge herself and Rainbow a little and using her feminine charms, she stuck out her white leg showing a scandalous amount of thigh to lure the guard closer.
"Oh daaaaarling~"
A light whistle and a curl of her finger as she made her leg disappear brought him quickly and as he turned the corner? Just as quickly he was forced to the ground and into submission with the last thing he would see before passing out would be a pair of snow white thighs wrapped around her head as he was forced to the ground.
"Shhhhh, take a nice nap darling. I'll be taking that thank you" Rarity stated as he struggled to remain awake but eventually he passed out and she unclenched her legs and patted his pockets to find the card she was looking for. Taking a look at his weapons and devices she used her binocular device to snap a couple pictures and sent them directly to Twilight.
"These new armaments may prove to be troublesome. Do be a dear and analyze them for me Twilight? I am about to move in...after I rob these other guards blind" Rarity said with excited glee in her tone as she dragged the knocked out guard away from view so none of his comrades could come to assist.
"Just don't take to long enjoying yourself, no telling if they'll call for reinforcements." Twilight warned.
"Would be smart for her to take these guys out before anyone else shows up anyway. Don't wanna have more guards to deal with than we need once we make the escape if it isn't a clean break in and out." Rainbow added sounding actually cautious despite her carefree attitude.
"Rainbow does make a good point darling. These guards might prove troublesome if things become less than favorable, plus any extra loot cannot hurt." Rarity stated as she made her way around the rooftop and the corners hiding in the shadows in order to get the drop on the guards.
Using her charms once again, one by one she lured them into dark corners and then promptly used her upper body strength to force them to the floor and then her leg strength to choke and knock them out afterwards picking their pockets clean of anything of value.
With the guards out of the way she looked around the roof and noticed there were in fact cameras but she smiled when she saw each of them had a little purple light on the side indicating that her tactical specialist and hacking expert had of course done her job masterfully as always. Smiling and blowing a kiss at the camera knowing that the nerdy introvert was watching she giggled a bit when she heard how flustered she was over the communications.
"Thank you for your aid darling, I'll be sure to swipe you something nice." Rarity said with a smile as she strut over to the door opening it rather nonchalantly.
"Oh just get in there and steal the damn diamonds." Twilight said with a obvious blush on her face as she kept watch over the computer monitors located in the safehouse they had set up in the city. Having put a loophole protocol on the camera footage authorities would be none the wiser who it was that robbed these guards and the store. If only Rarity didn't leave a calling card every time but then again that was all apart of the drama for her so she let it be.
"Language darling; a lady must speak with decorum and tact." Rarity said with a devious smile as she walked into the store making her way through the back entrance and into the store proper. It was large, emaculate and ornate by the standards of the elite but to Rarity? As she looked upon it all she could think and say was "Tacky."
"As if your taste in the fancy is any better." Rainbow snarked over the earpiece.
"Oh please MY future shop will look far better than this and will be affordable to say the least...I mean just look at these prices on piercings! $300 for a single earring?! That is madness!" Rarity exclaimed in typical dramatic fashion.
"I personally cannot wait to put the High Five in their place after all these years. Stores like these thrive off cheap labor and good majority of the diamonds sold here are fake however they only accept real diamonds as any form of payment meaning you've got to basically slave away in the mines if you wanna buy anything of actual value in Canterlot anymore." Twilight said with a clear sense of distaste in her tone for the wealthy elite of the city and how they handled their wealth.
"I agree with the egghead on this one; it's gonna be so fucking sweet to see those rich stiffs get what's really coming to them for a change." Rainbow spoke with the same sense of distaste if not pure hatred for the wealthy elite of the city and anyone who knew her knew exactly why.
Rarity knew both her friends and partners in crime had stakes in what they were doing. They all did, each of them with a concrete and justified reason to act out against those wealthy in power. They wanted to change the status quo and remove those who held too much power as well as wealth. It would all begin with this heist and the statement that it would make. In the city? NONE dared to stand opposed to the High Five, less they wished to have their lives and the lives of anyone close to them absolutely ruined. However Rarity, Twilight & Rainbow were among those few who had nothing left to lose but their lives and everything else to gain.
As Rarity got into the depths of the store proper walking past various display cases that showed off different types of jewels and gems, she paid them all no mind. She had a keen eye and she knew every single item on display here was fake. The owner and CEO of this store was a lover of diamonds and also happened to be an accomplished singer with her hit song being: Diamond love which was played through the store speakers day in and day out as the owner loved the sound of her own voice and so did her customers. The only thing she perhaps valued as much as her voice and her money was her hair and she had A LOT of it.
'Such beauty and an even more beautiful singing voice. A shame it has been tainted by the poisons of wealth and pride.' Rarity stated as she remembered earlier days in her youth, when she and the current owner of this store were actually once friends...well no. Friend isn't exactly accurate. More like rival and if there was going to be any of the High Five she took down first? It would be her.
"I do hope you won't be too upset by this little show of defiance Adagio dear but a lady must do what she must do" Rarity said as she reached a hallway that lead directly to where the safe was located however something seemed off. The hallway was virtually empty save for a couple statues and the cameras on the walls but Twilight had access to them all so that wasn't an issue. Thinking for a moment Rarity reached into the tiny little purse she kept stashed on her thigh and pulled out a tiny ball.
Tossing it on the ground a purple mist exited and shortly afterwards the hallway was revealed to be covered in laser tripwires.
"Well I have to at least commend Adagio on not cutting corners on security. That must mean I am going the right way. These lasers will be a little bit of a problem though." Rarity stated but then got a call from Twilight over her communications.
"Luckily for you I am always prepared for these scenarios! You remember that bracelet I made for you?"
"Fondly yes. I am currently wearing it."
"Well it's more than just a bracelet. It's an experimental hard light generator. the light can block and refract the lasers so you can just walk right through the hallway. But you'll have to be fast as the more hard light you use, the longer it'll take to charge. Luckily you can use it to drain light from other sources but its not perfected yet so you can only use it on things like sunlight or moonlight to recharge."
"Still waitin' on you to build me those super speed shoes egghead." Rainbow replied quickly.
"I'm a scientist not a magical girl Rainbow!"
"Ladies, that's enough. Let us focus on the task at hand." Rarity said getting her partner's attention as the prepared to use the device that the genius Twilight Sparkle created. With a flick of her wrist she saw a display come up on the bracelet on her right wrist and a hard light image of a diamond appeared. It was in the shape of the earrings Rarity often wore and used as a symbol.
Using this and feline grace and flexibility she made her way through the hallway using the hard light diamonds to block and redirect the lasers in such a way that they formed a pattern of three diamonds which was her calling card whenever she committed a crime. Once at the door she desired she took a few pins from her hair and picked the lock with ease. Now inside she gazed upon a large metal vault.
"Found it."
"Excellent, plant the hacker device and I'll have it open in a flash."
"Work your magic darling" Rarity said placing the device and allowing Twilight to begin her hacking.
"Hurry it up you two I think we might have company; couple squad cars just showed up. Only two officers though. Never seen these two though." Rainbow said still scouting outside around the perimeter and having caught eye of two new cops who had just arrived on the scene.
"What?! That's impossible, I shut off all the silent alarms and Rarity didn't trip any lasers!"
"Maybe one of the guards woke up? Did ya check the guards for monitoring devices?" Rainbow asked.
"Drat I did not, see this is why I like to take my time. No matter, are they male or female?"
"Two chicks, one with freckles and the other looks like she has flames for hair. Pretty cool actually; not as cool as my hair but still."
"If only you'd let me style it every once in awhile"
"You better keep your curlers and hot irons away from me Rarity"
"Focus!" Twilight snapped having just finished hacking the vault, undoing the tumblers and locks allowing it to open for Rarity.
"Good work darling, Rainbow? Begin bringing the car around; I'll be making my escape shortly."
"You got it Rare."
Rarity made her way inside the vault and using her instincts she looked past all the other look until she located the object of her desire for this mission. A fairly big ornate gemstone(about the size of a chaos emerald) of a dazzling orange hue, Rarity smiled as she snatched it from its pedestal and in its place she left her calling card which was a single diamond of equal size. Smiling she pocketed the gem but then heard the cocking of a gun behind her but even then she still smiled.
"Hands in the air sugar; yer under arrest" The woman spoke with a thick country accent. Seeing she had the criminal cornered she radioed in. "This is officer Applejack of the 7th district. I've cornered the thief known as White Diamond in the Dazzling Diamond jewelry store; requesting back-up. Over."
"This is officer Shimmer, I am currently en route. Over"
Rarity would slowly put her hands up as the officer walked behind her, smiling still as the officer came closer she began speaking with an obvious teasing tone in her voice. "My, my, my aren't you vigilant. No one has ever managed to catch onto me until now; impressive officer...Applejack was it?"
Keeps gun pointed at her, keeping her finger close to the trigger just in case. "Ah may be new to the force and all these new fangled toys but ah know pretty darn well how ta catch a common crook"
Rarity actually took offense to that. "Common crook? I beg your pardon; I am a trained professional! Why I never!"
"Well it don't matter no more anyway! Yer caught and goin' ta jail; now c'mon and surrender. A pretty thang like you shouldn't be doin' this kinda stuff."
Rarity chuckled briefly at that. "You're right, a lady shouldn't have to stoop herself to the level I have yet here we are. And unfortunately darling-?"
Rarity used this chance to spin around and sweep kick the officer off her footing and she managed to snatch the woman's cuffs and she pinned her to the floor and slapped the cuffs on her after knocking the gun away from her grip. Standing up and placing a heeled foot on the southern woman's back she looked down at her.
"-A lady must do what she must do; Until next time darling! Au revoir!" Rarity stated as she ran forward and turned her face back to blow the officer a kiss as she made her way out of the vault and down a separate corridor she dashed out of the building as fast as she could and when outside she was met with Rainbow Dash skidding to a halt in the car she drove which was a custom dodge mustang with tinted windows and a customized engine.
"Get in and lets cheese it!" Rainbow shouted as she opened the passenger side allowing Rarity to get inside. Once she was in the peeled off. Shortly after they escaped the second officer with red and yellow hair came up and cursed her luck that they managed to get away. Using her radio she contacted Applejack.
"The Hell happened?! They got away!"
Applejack struggled to get up after being handcuffed down in a compromising position by the fancy thief but once she did managed to get up she used a monstrous amount of strength to snap the chains of the cuffs binding her wrists and she answered her walkie talkie. "She was a lot more tricky and clever than I gave her credit; but luckily even though I don't understand these new guns and stuff all too well? Ah did managed to tag her with them mirco trackers before she put me on my ass"
Sunset sighed. "Captain Armor isn't gonna be happy about this and Ms.Dazzle is probably gonna be screaming someone's ear off in the morning you know that right?"
Chuckles heartily. "Yeah I know but ain't much we can do bout it. Let's make the report and go grab some coffee."
"Yeah coffee sounds good right now."
"Haha good one Rare! You sure showed that cop who was boss; good to know all that training paid off!" Rainbow laughed praising her friend.
"Heheh well I have to certainly thank you for putting me through my paces and discovering my strengths and with the technology provided by Twilight? Our ambitions are one step closer to reality. Moreso with this." Rarity said as she pulled the gem from the purse on her thigh showing it to Rainbow as they made their way back to the safehouse.
Rainbow grinned and couldn't wait for the plan to be put into action. "This'll be the first step into taking down the Five for good. This is gonna be awesome!"
"I concur Dashie darling; let us return home and have Twilight break down the next phase of our plan for now? The stage is set."
Prelude II: Know thy enemy
The night was still young yet time was of the essence. Rarity knew it would only be a matter of time before the High Five were put on high alert and she knew they would scramble to protect their assets by any means necessary. However this didn't seem to bother Rarity nearly as much as it bothered the ever jittery Twilight Sparkle whom both she and Rainbow Dash were going to go see currently making their way to the safehouse they called home. The city of Canterlot was vast, with varying districts all throughout, many of the newer ones having been virtually build atop the rubble for former communities and so hiding was rather easy. As Rarity sat in the passenger seat of Rainbow Dash's car she stared longingly at the jewel in her hands as Rainbow cruised along the road.
'With this? At last I can take the first step in reclaiming my place among the elite. Then once those in power are rightfully removed? Change WILL be made so none shall suffer this fate ever again. A lady should NEVER have to stoop so low. But such is the way of the world.'
Rarity thought as her reflection looked back at her in the gem she held within her white hand. It was a flawlessly cut orange gemstone that closely resembled your stereotypical diamond. However according to Twilight? This diamond among a few others were particularly special and required both her eye both detail and Twilight's brains in order to discover just why that was and why Adagio would go to such great lengths to protect one gem. It wasn't like she had a shortage of them yet she guarded this one heavily. Truly they'd gotten lucky because the gem was scheduled to be moved to a more private vault the following morning and was only in that shop as a placeholder.
'I can't imagine she will be thrilled to know her precious diamond has been pilfered but she shouldn't be too upset. As impressive as this gem is? A fake is still a fake. No matter how realistic it may appear.' Rarity stated knowing full well the giant rock in her hand was not an actual diamond. The feel of the material, the cut of its edges, the patterns laced within and how it reflected her visage? It was too perfect and one small inconsistency only a trained eye could notice; was that it was also inverted. Why and how Rarity was unsure but she was sure Twilight would be able to crack the code with ease.
"Twilight will certainly have a fun time hacking this little gem, I must say technology has come such a long way since I was ten. Now people are able to inscribe codded messages into gemstones Truly astonishing." Rarity remarked as she recalled Twilight informing her of this sort of method used to hide hidden ciphers and messages.
"Heh yeah gotta admit the egghead sure knows her stuff, just wish she would get her butt out of that lab and come help us out. She'd be real useful out here if she would just-" Rainbow began to finish but a serious glance from Rarity cut her off.
"Darling, we've discussed this. Twilight's...unfortunate trauma....has left the poor girl unable to leave the sanctum of our safehouse...it's quite shameful to say she NEEDS her 'safe space' so to speak but after what the poor girl has been through? I would say she has earned that." Rarity said with her tone even, not yelling at or berating Rainbow because she knew the strong willed girl wanted only for the reserved bookworm to break out of her shell but Rarity knew it was not quite so simple.
Rainbow sighed and nodded. "Yeah I know, I know. I'm just sayin' she's gotta learn at some point? The world will move on without her if she just stays locked up in that laboratory with her robots."
"We can discuss this another time darling, focus on driving and making sure we aren't followed, I suspect we lost them but one can never be too careful"
"Right. We should be there in a minute. Let Twi know to turn off the lockdown so we can pull in." Rainbow affirmed as she drove deeper into the city where things began looking more old and run down as opposed to the more clean and well build districts in the upper levels of the city.
"Of course." Rarity nodded as she took out her phone and messaged Twilight through the special app she developed for them to communicate.
'En route to the hide out, ETA roughly 5 minutes.'
'Excellent! Any trouble getting the codex jewel?'
'It was a bit of a challenge and the police arrived quicker than I thought but no one managed to see my face.'
'Good, I've managed to loophole and hack any and all footage in that area in a 5 mile radius and the cars sensors are working well enough keeping the car invisible to cameras and GPS tracking. Once you arrive we can finally begin the decoding and to long awaited takedown of the High Five and their empire of greed.'
'Well said darling, see you soon.'
"It's gonna be so freakin' sweet to see those filthy rich chumps on the other side for once. Once this job is over? Everyone is gonna see them for who and what they are" Rainbow said with a thin layer of disdain and malicious intent behind her words. Thoughts and images of her past before all this flashing in her mind. She wouldn't stop until she got back everything she lost and take away everything they took from others.
"Indeed. The five have ruled Canterlot long enough; now the time has come for a real princess to take the throne." Rarity stated as she looked longingly at the diamond in hand still. Her own past flashing in her head as the motivation for all of this played in her mind like a film reel. Her mother, her sister, her aunt...that wretched wedding. All of it she remembered and she would not rest until she got justice. True justice.
"Not afraid you'll chip a nail?" Rainbow teased with a sly smirk.
Rarity gave an equally sly smirk. "If it'll lead to the liberation of this city I'll happily break all of my nails and use the Fives wealth to pay for the most expensive manicure a lady can buy if that's what it takes."
"Heh gotta admire your spunk Rare. I always have liked that about you. Eyes up, we're here."
Rainbow stated as the finally pulled up to their desired location. An old school that looked to have been shut down a decade prior but even after all this time the large marble station of a stallion stood tall on the front courtyard. Canterlot High School had been bought out by Crystal prep and all its students transferred to Crystal prep as the curriculum system began changing and new superintendents were put in place as well as principal's. The old building was left alone and untouched, many believing in legends that it was 'cursed' or haunted by magical forces.
Countless legends surrounding the school spoke of demons and angels battling on the very ground the school was built on. Though many of them were just that, legends. However their resident genius Twilight Sparkle thought overwise and sought to prove the existence of magic among other things and Rarity wished to help her in this endeavor as it was partly because of people thinking she was insane for believing in magic that led to her current isolationist attitude. Rarity of course like Rainbow wanted to help break her out of this but Rarity knew it was going to be an uphill battle but that didn't mean she wouldn't still try and help Twilight.
The young girl had decided to make the school her base of operation and for many years kept a low profile here and ever since meeting Rarity and Rainbow? She very slowly but surely managed to get closer to actual people again but even now the relationship was rather strange at times since Twilight being so incredibly smart meant it was hard to keep up with her at times but she managed either way. Rainbow mostly found her scientific rambling annoying but endearing as well, not to mention she turned her onto a really good book series so that was nice too.
As they came close to the school getting to the parking lot area the car stopped and under the tires four points of contact were activated and when the headlights shined into the wall of the school, a secret door was opened in the wall of the building and Rainbow drove the car inside which shortly after closed the door. Moments after that, the car was scanned by a variety of flying drones and they all gave a green light saying they were clear to exit. Exiting the car Rainbow stretched and walked along with Rarity headed from the converted garage out into the gym which served as a training area for herself and Rainbow.
"Twilight darling? Where are you?"
the PA system would turn on and Twilight would say. "Rarity and Rainbow Dash, please report to Dr. Twilight's lab. Rarity and Rainbow to Dr. Twi's lab."
Rainbow rolled her eyes and cocked an eyebrow "Seriously egghead?"
The PA system would come on again and Twilight would reply with a cheeky tone. "Yes seriously."
Rainbow smirked "Neeeeeeeeeeeeeeerd"
PA system activates again. "Oh shut up and get to the lab!"
"Must you tease her so?" Rarity giggled a bit as she walked forward through and out of the gym making her way towards where Twilight's lab was located.
"Gotta get my kicks somehow and she's too fun to not tease. Besides she IS a nerd." Rainbow responded with a slick smirk on her face as she walked alongside Rarity.
"Yes but she is our nerd and we would both be lost without her expertise and you would both be lost without my impeccable fashion sense"
"Says the one who goes out thieving in a friggin' dress." Rainbow remarked.
Rarity huffed as this would not be the first time this was brought up. "I refuse to have my skin clash with an all black catsuit."
"Oh c'mon you'd look friggin' hot in it; bet that freckled hick of a police officer would wanna 'flash her badge' if ya wore it."
"Hmph how crass and uncouth of you Rainbow. I am a master thief of grace and elegance; I need not stoop to sexualization stereotypes to complete my goals."
"Oh yeah? Then what was that up on the roof eh?"
"Art of the alluring takedown learned from the old codex. While you may not find the abilities we have acquired so far useful? I find them very informative and especially helpful for a lady of my size and strength."
"Yeah well I say you still need to bulk up a little, your still too much of a glass canon."
"Yes I know and hopefully whatever new developments Twilight had come up with will help even the playing field as it were. Going up against the High Five and taking them down how we plan is going to be complicated and things will no doubt get rough but that's a risk I am willing to take."
"Well lets not keep the egghead waiting, I'unno about you but I am bushed. Wanna find out what our next move is so I can get some sleep. Gonna go visit Shy in the morning to help with the kids." Rainbow stated with a yawn.
"It's so sweet that you still aid the orphanage. I do wish you simply would ask Fluttershy out already"
Rainbow groaned and rolled her eyes. "I'm not gay!"
Rarity snickered to herself as they got closer to Twilight's lab. "Ok, ok, relax. Just having a little fun with you darling. Anyway here we are."
Entering a code onto a keypad and scanning her hand she would enter the room and Rainbow would join her shortly after. Twilight was incredibly secretive and shut off. She never left this lab and granted while it was a very large lab which Twilight had also managed to customize with basic living essentials like an oven/stove, a fully functioning bathroom and even an 'entertainment' area. Walking into the room they saw the ever genius Twilight tinkering away at her desk when she noticed them.
"Oh good you're finally here! Lets see it!" Twilight exclaimed excited.
"But of course darling. Here you are." Rarity said taking out the gem and placing it in a special cradle that Twilight had set up. Once she had done that a few drones came around it and began scanning it and running diagnostics on it.
"Excellent work Rarity, in just a moment I'll have the data I need to compile a full list of the High Five's assets and where to strike first so they domino effect happens how we desire." Twilight stated as she looked at the computer as her drones scanned the gemstone.
"It wasn't all that hard especially with the new devices you created for me. Oh and by the way have you completed 'it' yet?" Rarity asked with clear anticipation.
Twilight smirked and adjusted her glasses. "As a matter a fact? I have! It was a bit tricky but I managed to get it to work, interactive nanotech woven into your fabrics should allow you now to design clothes that will better suit your endeavors in the field so you can have an outfit for every situation. Impressive if I do say so myself. It even comes with advanced microscopic cameras that allow you to target items of clothing, scan their measurements and design and copy them into a database for you to adjust clothing you need on the fly." Twilight rambled off her impressive invention and it was clear Rarity was pleased with the results.
"Splendid! Oh thank you darling!" Rarity squeed with glee.
Rainbow scoffed. "Oh so you can do that but not make sneakers that can let me run super fast?"
Twilight sighed and looked down at her own legs. "Be lucky you can even run at all. I'm working on it alright? It's hard to find passion for a device I can't even test myself given my situation."
To show emphasis to what she meant she would come from behind her desk showing the high advanced chair that she was confined to. It used magnetic energy to levitate off the ground thus eliminating the need for wheels and it would appear that she was basically plugged into the thing. It was for this reason she usually avoided working on devices that focused on improving the users legs because it brought painful memories of what happened to her own legs as she still remembered the incident vividly and it was due to this; that she would see the High Five torn down.
It was then Rarity cut in. "Now, now lets relax ladies. We all want the same thing; to dismantle the High Five and loosen their strangle hold on this city. Eventually we will all get what we desire and I promise you Twilight; we will find a way for you to walk once more so that you may leave this place one day. You are far beyond your High School years darling."
Twilight showed a small blush and nodded in agreement with Rarity. She did want to get better, to go beyond this place, to show the Five that she wasn't crazy, that she deserved respect and acknowledgement for her accomplishments and achievements. To reunite with her family. Wiping away a small tear she saw the gem was finished scanning and the information was coming through on her heads up display through her chair and she smiled with nerdy glee.
"Finally a challenge. Whoever coded this knew what they were doing for sure, but they seem to have left just enough holes in the encryption for it be hackable, otherwise the information wouldn't be accessible at all. Which means this is probably a trap." Twilight deduced given the nature of the coding and how the gem was stored and had already begun hacking and decoding the information in the cipher.
"Quite possible but we will have to take that risk. All they will know is that the diamond was stolen and that someone is likely targeting them, they don't know however it is me. After all? Who would suspect a dead woman." Rarity said with a layer of coldness in her voice when speaking that last line. There were days when she forgot that the world thought she committed suicide 10 years ago when she was just 11, after everything was taken away from her. They were wrong.
"Well when this is all over? They'll all rue the day they crossed White Diamond." Twilight stated as she finished hacking and she smirked as she displayed the information on another screen.
"And there they are. The elite of the elites, top dogs, the ruling families of Canterlot." Twilight spoke with obvious disdain in her voice as she saw each of their faces and names put to a price.
At the very bottom at number 5 was a man with slicked back hair, brown skin and pure black hair. He had a dollar sign tie and a smug grin on his face as he held a wad of cash in one hand. The display reading:
Name: Fredrick "Filthy" Rich
Alias': Filthy Rich, Sir Cash Bags, Big Boss
Age: 55
Gender: Male
Assets: Banks, real estate, copyright claim company
Worth: 1.9 Billion.
The next at number 4 was a woman with blackish green skin with a spotty looking complexation but she was still beautiful all the same. She was in a more alluring pose and she was dressed in a stunning dress the complimented her skin. The display reading:
Name: Chrysalis McQueen
Alias': Queen Chrysalis, Unholy
Age: 35
Gender: Female
Assets: Slave trade, spy network, fashion empire, church scams
Worth: 2.5 billion
Twilight would tense noticeably when seeing her but would keep scrolling through the names. The next one at number 3 was the youngest of the bunch and was heiress to a large fortune which she had no real right to. The only reason she was entitled to it was through family marriage and the 'passing' of the one who was ahead of her. The display would show a young girl no older than 18 with curly blue hair and a evil smile on her face. The display reading:
Name: Cozy Glow
Alias': Princess
Age: 18
Gender: Female
Assets: entertainment empire, child labor, charity scams
Worth: 3.5 Billion
Rainbow bit her lip and clenched her fist at seeing that brats name. Images of a tired and barely fed Scootaloo running through her mind. Next after her was a man with a devilish appearance yet one that had an air of charm to it at the same time. Pure black hair and green eyes he wore a stylish suit. The display read:
Name: Sombra Kingston
Alias': King Sombra, The King, The Dark Lord
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Assets: School Superintendent & Police Commissioner. Crime Kingpin.
Worth: 5 Billion
Twilight would tense again, tears slowly forming in her eyes as was the norm any time she thought about that...monster. However even for as bad as Sombra was? He wasn't anywhere near as craven and criminal as the one who stood atop the rest and who was the self proclaimed Queen of Canterlot. The display read her name and Rarity could feel her blood boiling.
Name: Mi Amore Cadenza
Alias': Heartbreaker
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Assets: Crystal Prep Principal, Canterlot Mayor, Crime Queen.
Worth: 5.5 billion(not including her husband)
Each of their names and crimes were on proper display and as Rarity and her two associates looked over the files they could see that their plans were finally about to be within reach. Twilight began typing away at her computer screen deciding which course of action was best to take next as their obvious first target would be the lowest on the food chain and easily the most dimwitted in terms of street smarts. Filthy Rich was a perfect example of a affluent douche who had everything handed to them and all obstacles removed for them by others or by the money they wielded.
"So now that we have uncovered their crimes and who much they are worth? How long until we have a full plan realized and ready to go darling?" Rarity asked as she stood looking over each of the names and the many crimes they were all involved in.
"Some will be quicker to formulate than others. We know who has the power and who controls what but we still need a map out of any defenses they may have and what other assets they have fully at their request. These are the richest in the city and they will protect what they've got with everything they've got."
Rarity chuckled at this as she began to think of a way to gather more information. Seeing that Filthy was owner of the various malls and high real estate locations in the city; Rarity had a myriad of ideas on how to ascertain what he was going to do to protect his assets from her retribution.
"Hmph the High Five are as predictable as they are greedy. Threaten what they have? And they'll flock to protect it with such vigor that they'll even turn on one another to guard what they consider valuable. I do believe a trip to the mall is in order next week, we will give the Five time to prepare themselves. Allow them to get complacent."
"And then WHAM! We hit 'em where it hurts; their wallets." Rainbow said punching a fist into her palm.
"I concur. So long as the High Five have their wealth they can worm their way out of anything...strip that away and they have nothing." Twilight stated as she continued typing at her console formulating various plans based on varying scenario's and outcomes. Her eyes glued to the screen behind her glasses as her fingers typed furiously at her keyboard almost appearing inhuman.
"Indeed. I am going to go indulge in a bit of wine and then take myself to sleep. We have a long week ahead of us ladies. For now we begin the first phase of our retribution and just like with any battle the first step into defeating ones foe? Is to know thy enemy." Rarity said with a grin however there was noticeable malice in her tone as she turned away from the screen that held the names of the families and crooks who took away everything from her. Simply seeing them? It reminded her of that time and she wished to forget just for a little bit and so she would go to lose herself in her wine.
'I will NEVER forgive you for what you have taken Cadenza. For the lives you have ruined; you and your family WILL pay and pay in full'
As Rarity left the room to go to her own, Rainbow Dash looked at the screen; Cozy Glow's smug evil little face sent violent shudders throughout her body and she clenched her fists tightly. In a huff she left the room, knowing if she stayed any longer she would start punching things and she didn't wanna hear Twilight nag. So she would just go and pound the Hell out of her speedbag in the gym.
'Hang tight Scoots. Kids. Dashie is coming soon.'
As Rainbow Dash left Twilight ceased typing for a moment. She removed her glasses and wiped out eyes as she tried to get the bad thoughts and memories to go away. It was always harder to do without him, without both of them it was just so hard. She counted her blessings one of them was still alive even though he thought she was not; however there were days where she wished she would have died alongside Spike. Maybe then she wouldn't be so alone. Shaking her head she put her glasses back on.
"No. Don't look back Twi. Forward...maybe soon after this is over? I can finally finish that project." Twilight stated looking over at a small doghouse made of metal with the words 'Spike' printed on the base of the roof. She missed her number one assistant so very much and she cursed the universe every single day she was without him and she would make it her mission in life to take away everything precious to the High Five to make even for what they had done not just to her but to countless others.
"We won't stop until you know what its like to feel like your worth nothing." Twilight said with a small grin though oddly there was a dark echo to her voice and her normally violet eyes flashed a icy blue if only for a second. As she continued to type away at her computer she smiled saying.
"Knowledge is power and with how well we know all of them? They'll be powerless against us!"
Author's Note
The fun is about to begin
