The Interrogation
(Caught)
I looked down from atop the cloud I stood on, my eyes snapping onto the gleam of a very valuable gem. A gem so valuable that I, Chase the swift, had been called to snatch it from the unfortunate salespony.
Ruffling my charcoal mane somewhat, I looked warily at the pony on my right, before tapping my fairly dirty purple hoof firmly against his cloak.
"I take it that gem is worth quite a bit," I inquired curiously.
"S'worth more than you'd ever have kid," he chuckled, his barely visible muzzle contorting into a sly grin. "My boys down in da' black market don't think you can handle it. You are quite...small after all."
Small, eh?
I didn't know who this guy was, his accent made it very clear that he was not from Canterlot, but beside that, I had little else to go on.
Meh, it didn't matter. As long as I got paid and there was no funny business then he could screech like a Cockatrice for all I cared.
"I don't care what they, or you, think I am," I dismissed confidently. "Just make sure you have the bits on hoof…or I may just find a broker and sell it myself."
Most of my clients don't tend to like my attitude, though judging by his grin, this one didn't seem to mind at all.
"We'll have da' bits ready," he snickered wickedly. "Just make sure you don't get caught, or Celestia will get you…and we all know what happens then."
I couldn't stop myself from gritting my teeth, nor the nervous tremor that silently wracked my body.
"Don't mention that filth," I snarled bitterly.
The guy's expression suddenly twisted into something other than crude mockery, taking on something…sympathetic in its stead.
"Who'd ya lose?" he asked quietly.
"A friend," I muttered. "Well, ex friend, his name was Swift Breeze…we don't talk anymore."
"Swift Breeze?" he asked incredulously. "The Swift Breeze, the one who stole Luna's true crown?"
"The very same."
"Damn, what a loss," he mumbled wistfully. "Nopony ever suspected that her crown was actually meant ta' be bigger."
"Nopony but Celestia obviously," I growled intensely.
The cloaked pony regarded me with a wry grin, before giving my withers a light slap and taking into the air.
"Try not to get caught kid," he repeated quietly. "You're a shining gem amongst us rats, don't let Celestia grind you into a dull stone."
I blinked in surprise at his…surprisingly deep words of warning. Though I'm no fool, I took them to heart because I knew just what they meant.
I knew what Celestia could do to a pony like me. The way in which Swift found me and announced his great new life as a weather manager for Canterlot was enough to show me that.
I was disgusted and shocked at first, though upon listening as he all but begged me to go and see Celestia, I found myself saddened to see a once great thief moulded into the rest of those boring drags.
We haven't talked since I called him a disgrace…but his sad eyes follow me everywhere, like a shadow.
Out of habit, I looked down and touched the locket around my neck, a tremor of nervous energy rippling through my body.
The whole thing started about six months ago, when the crime in Canterlot began rising to an all-time high. Celestia's royal guard began to patrol the streets more thoroughly, and at times that had once been left guard free.
I personally saw it as a challenge, as something to laugh about with Swift.
But then ponies began to get caught. And when you get caught, you get taken to Celestia to be interrogated.
I normally stayed on my own when I did heists, with a couple of exceptions when it came to Swift. Yet even I remember the sheer fear all of my fellow thieves felt upon witnessing one of us come out and change into an honest pony.
During some of my 'off days' I slunk around with some of the boys downstairs. When I say downstairs, what I mean is the ratway, the sewers that became our home. The home to the desperate, the shady, the dishonest…and others like me who simply hated our past lives.
Whenever I stayed there for a kip I was rarely noticed at all.
But this all changed when our home began to lose a few of its comrades. You see, I'd started to become something of an infamous legend among the thieves of Canterlot. And while before that would have given me a lot of respect, with nearly all of us gone it merely became an unwanted burden.
I was an unwanted burden.
Swift tried to take some of the heat off of me by stealing the very gem I'm looking at, but he got caught and…changed. I hated him for it, I never asked him to try…and I missed my friend, I still do.
Maybe I'm just thankful that he never ratted me out, some of the others weren't so lucky.
But still, I won't become like him, I'd rather die alone and unwanted then become like the rest of those drones.
Sure they look happy, but they have to work their flanks off, they have to sweat blood and tears just to make a living. I didn't want any part of it, I never have and I still don't'.
After all, why work for what you can steal?
I closed my eyes for but a moment as I took in the breeze…and smiled.
The wind was perfect.
The direction in which it flowed would cover up my descent, though I'd have to rely on my speed in order to keep my identity a secret.
Oh yes, my plan was so perfect I could picture it.
I would glide down from the cloud I stand on, allowing gravity to gift me with just that little extra burst of speed. And only when nearing the ground would I snap open my wings and allow the wind to push me forward.
The gem was hanging upon a rack, said gem being hung by a silver chain. It was almost pathetic how easy they made it to steal, I mean come on, it was just hanging there!
Breathing deeply, I tensed my wings and stared down at the gem. My eyes didn't seem any different from other pegasi. They were large and the color of rose, nothing unique honestly. But little did anypony else know, my sight had always been sharper than others.
From where I was standing the gem looked about the size of an ant. But if I focused, if I concentrated enough I was able to sort of…zoom in, for want of a better word, and see the gem as if as if I was right in front of it.
To my surprise, as I looked at the stand by it I noticed the sales pony look right up in my direction...but in the end he merely shrugged and turned his focus on a nearby customer.
Probably because a child like myself would never dare to steal from such a populated stall.
Idiot...
I had no idea where this skill came from, it wasn't anything Swift had ever heard about, and he knew everything there was to know about everything.
Though that's not to say it's my special talent, oh no. My cutie mark was that of a shadow, my shadow to be exact. It changed as I grew older, morphing on my flank to look like me.
Why a shadow?
Because that's where I'm at my best, amongst shadows and darkness, waiting patiently for a pony to trot on by, their bit bag hanging loosely by their side.
Heh, I got it when I stole from my father. Not that he was actually sober enough to ever realize it was gone…until I was gone.
In any case, enough reminiscing. That gem is mine!
Taking yet another deep breath, I allowed myself to gracefully fall from the cloud, the wind rushing by ears as the ground came up to meet me. Thankfully it was already well into a sunset, and I was falling right in front of it. So if anypony happened to look in my direction, they'd be blinded by the fading light well before they saw me.
My eyes began to water ever so slightly as the wind pressed against them, but I ignored it, waiting as I did for the right moment…the right…MOMENT!
Just before I hit the ground, I snapped my wings out and forced them to propel myself forward. It was perfect, a Grade-A move that even the fabled Rainbow Dash would struggle with.
I was a blur, the gem was in my sight, I reached out dexterously with my mouth…and grabbed it!
This was it; this was what I lived for. The rush, the adrenaline, the sheer thrill of stealing and getting away with it!
There's nothing quite like it! HAHA!
The chain was expertly manoeuvred off of the rack in but a millisecond, making it easy for me to place in a small pouch, before dashing by and into one of the many alleyways.
"STOP, THIEF!"
I grinned wickedly as the shout reached my ears, fading slightly as I weaved my way through the maze of dark corridors. It was around five minutes or so later than I finally stopped and allowed myself to land, right in very spot that cloaked pony was supposed to meet me.
Though to my dismay, it only seemed to be me there.
"Where are you?" I asked quietly, looking around the rather large and secluded spot.
I didn't like it; it was too quiet for such a great area.
Wait…
The area I was in was wide, with many rooftops facing the other, yet with me standing slap bang in the middle…
Oh buck!
Flaring my wings, I immediately attempted to take off and find higher ground, if nothing else then to allay my sudden bout of paranoid fear.
Unfortunately…
Ponies…and lots of them suddenly hit the ground, surrounding me in a perfect circle. Normally this would have only bothered me a little…but these weren't just any ponies.
They were the Night Guard, Luna's personal defense against those who dared disturb the tranquillity of her night. Some of them were bat ponies, but most were unicorns. All were staring at me with their emotionless draconic eyes, as if trying to unnerve me with their silence.
It was working.
Breathing heavily, I looked up at the darkening sky and grimaced. There was little chance I'd be able to out fly one of the guard, but even then the buildings were tall. If I flew up to try and escape then flying up was all I'd be able to do…and I'm not the fastest flyer.
"As thou can see," a female voice declared behind me. "There is little to no chance of escape, so give thyself up and come with us."
That voice…oh buck!
Turning around, I was instantly met with a very harsh glare, harsh, yet cold enough to make me shiver as I stared back at it.
Said glare belonging to none other than the princess of the night herself, Princess Luna.
"The pouch," she demanded, her eyes narrowing at my hesitance. "Now!"
"He set me up didn't he?" I growled, the pegasus from before suddenly filling my furious thoughts.
"He is called Swift Breeze," Luna spoke dangerously. "And he has only done to thee what he has done to many others."
"Swift?!" I yelled incredulously. "He didn't sound anything like Swift!"
"T'was a simple enchantment within his cloak child," she sighed irritably. "Do not blame him; he only wanted what was best for thee."
"Best for me? He should have STAYED OUT OF MY LIFE!"
The guards around her bristled and made to move, but Luna's sudden hoof stopped them in their tracks. She then looked down and regarded me with…a rather sad expression.
"Thou art full of too much anger for one so young," she spoke gently, her cold glare having suddenly morphed into a kind gaze. "We know there is more to thee than meets the eye…Our sister would very much like to speak with one such as thee."
Celestia, NO!
"I am not going anywhere near her!" I snarled, trying my utmost to convey my anger…but failed to repress a horrible tremor of fear.
Flaring my wings once more, I leaped from the ground and burst up into the air. At first I thought I was home free…but the sudden whip of air around me instantly disregarded that. Two of the guard grabbed a wing, while another hit a spot directly Inbetween my withers.
I immediately felt my body freeze up, before being uncaringly forced back down onto the ground.
"Get off of me!" I screamed furiously, trying everything I could to make my stubborn muscles work.
A sudden light forced me to look ahead, only to suddenly find myself looking directly into Luna's eyes.
W-What's…tha-
"Sleep," she soothed, her turquoise orbs filling my vision.
I…her voice, her very presence was causing me to calm down…to…close my eyes and…
"Tired…" I muttered feebly, all of sudden feeling very much a child.
Very much fifteen.
A soft hoof touched my face, followed up with a very a soothing hush. It was all I could hear, it filled my ears, lulling me to sleep...which then took me.
…
I awoke to the sensation of warmth surrounding my body, almost like a fire…no, no that's not right. It felt like a warm blanket, covering me, protecting me.
For that one moment I let go and allowed myself to sink into it, a genuine smile adoring my muzzle as I sighed happily. I was so relaxed that I didn't even care about the light touch upon my forehead, nor the light titter of joyful laughter that followed.
Wait…laughter?
My eyes snapped open, though the world around me took its time in correcting itself. From what I could see, there were quite of mixture of colours in front of me.
White, rose, and then…almost like a rainbow. And then…there was a voice, a female voice, soft and soothing.
"There you go sweetheart," it spoke gently. "Slowly does it, your body was exhausted."
I blinked once, twice…and it swam into focus.
Princess Celestia was quite literally right in front of me, her wing draped around my body. She was smiling tenderly down at me, her eyes lidded soothingly as she gazed down at my stunned expression.
An expression…that quickly morphed into fear.
I gave off a yell and backed away, falling ungracefully onto my back as I did so.
"Oh my, are you alright?" she asked worriedly, her eyes reflecting said worry perfectly.
Like an actress, like a liar!
I ignored her and quickly scrambled onto my hooves, before rushing to the door and twisting the handle.
It didn't open.
Filled with fear, I attempted to open the door a few more times, but to no avail. It was only a minute or so later than I finally gave up…and turned around fearfully.
I just tried to escape, I just tried to run away from Princess Celestia! I'm so bucked…
Swallowing nervously, I looked back at the princess and…blinked in surprise. In front of her was a tray, though on said tray was a tea pot and two cups. Celestia herself was residing on a large pink cushion, with the tray somehow balanced on top of it.
She was looking at me all the while, her soft and worried expression not having changed in the slightest, despite my attempted escape.
"There's no need to be afraid of me little one," she crooned gently, a soothing smile adorning her muzzle. "Come, drink tea with me, it will calm you down."
What?
I stood motionless as I looked at her, then the tea, then back to her.
And then it hit me…all too slowly.
I was to be interrogated.