//------------------------------//
// With pointed charm 
// Story: Scrapbox 
// by Not_A_Hat 
//------------------------------//

"Just. Stop. Giggling."
 
"But Pax, I can't—"
 
"Bellum, stop."
 
She fell silent, and I returned my attention to the grating. I went back to prying at the window with my stiletto. It was high and narrow, with a metal grate nailed to the frame to deter entrance. It was in a dim alley, half-hidden behind a dumpster, set in a grimy brick wall. We were tucked into the shadows, doing our best to break in. It was taking longer than I'd hoped.
 
"Couldn't you just magic this open? I'm not a unicorn." I looked down at the mare supporting me.  Even in drab glow of the streetlamps, her white coat and horn shined brightly.
 
"You have your earth-pony magic. Wouldn't that work?" She smirked, flicking her wavy blue mane out of her eyes.
 
I frowned at that.
 
"I'm telling you, Pax, you should have let me do that." She shifted slightly, and I swayed.
 
"But then you'd be the first through the window. And as soon as I let you take point, all semblance of discipline in this mission is gone. Anyways, advice would be more useful than mocking laughter."
 
"But you're just so adorable with your toothpick!" My partner grinned again, but her horn lit up, and she drew a knife from somewhere in her small pack. "Here, try mine."
 
I glanced at the weapon, and shook my head slowly. It was closer to a machete than a dagger, nearly half a meter long and serrated wickedly. I reluctantly slipped my stiletto back into its sheath and accepted the knife. Slipping it between the bars, I torqued; the window frame gave with a pop, and the whole assembly fell out. It would have slipped from the end of the knife, but the serrations snagged it.
 
"Here." I held out the weapon. A baby-blue aura enveloped the window frame and the blade as I released it. Turning to the now-open aperture, I cautiously leaned through.
 
The inside of the building was as ornate and pleasant as the outside was drab and oppressive. Bright light gleamed from shining metal and crystal. Marble and porcelain glowed, and dark wood and velvet splashed color around the immaculately appointed bathroom. It was empty.
 
I hooked a foreleg through, pulling myself carefully past the windowsill and off Bell's shoulders. I crawled slowly onto a counter so wide and empty, I didn't even need to be careful of where I put my hooves. As soon as I was clear, I hopped down and locked the door.
 
It was the work of a moment to hoist Bell up. She gazed around with wide-eyed wonder as I pulled our disguises out of my pack.
 
"Here." I shoved her dress at her, and turned away. "Put this on." I was already shrugging into my suit. It was plain black; not what I've have chosen, but it didn't clash with my frost-pink coat. I straightened the collar and slipped on my tie, carefully adjusting the cuffs to hide my weapons. When I turned back, my partner was tangled to near immobility.
 
"Bell…" I sighed. "How did you even manage— no, never mind." I stepped in and straightened her out.
 
"You look very nice." I stepped back and gave her a once-over. She did look good. The dress was full and sweeping, a light yellow that matched my mane and contrasted hers. "You're lucky you have a white coat. Color-coordinating—"
 
"Yawn, Pax. Can't we get a move on?" She gave me an impatient nudge. "I thought we were on a schedule here."
 
"Right, right." I drew a deep breath, schooled my features, and unlocked the door. We stepped out into a party. The main room was twice as ornate, and even more carefully opulent. Well-dressed ponies were talking quietly, grouped into the tiny herds and cliques that denoted unseen flows of power and influence to anypony who knew how to read the atmosphere.
 
Bell fell in just behind me. I pulled out the attitude of a high-society pony, raising my nose just enough and casting my eyes down. In the corner of my eye I saw her mimic me just well enough to pass. I gave her a nearly invisible nod and started to mingle.
 
It was surprisingly easy. We looked the part, we acted the part. Of course we deserved to be here. Anypony could see that. Everything from our immaculate clothes to the perfect pitch of an eyebrow proclaimed it, nopony would be so gauche as to suggest otherwise. Besides, the doors were closed and the guards had a list. It's not like we could have slipped in the back, after all. The idea was so far from the conception of these guests they couldn't even think it.
 
"Good evening, Regal. Why, thank you Star Charmer. Yes, lovely evening isn't it, Sugar Song?"
 
It took nearly fifteen minutes for Bell to start getting antsy, which was five more minutes than I'd expected. She nudged me surreptitiously, but pointedly.
 
"Paaaaax…" she hissed. "Stop it! We've got work!" I downed my drink, and gave her a flat look.
 
"Bellum, I'm doing my best here. I can only do so much; it's not like our target is wearing a sign. If you want to speed things up, you know how."
 
At that, she minced uncomfortably in place for a moment before sighing.
 
"Right, right. Okay, I'll do it. Just… you know."
 
"Yeah, I know. I'll probably take my turn later." I grimaced at that. She nodded somberly, and stepped over to the buffet, carefully positioning herself out of line-of-sight. I saw her lower her head over the punch bowl as her horn sparked. For a brief second a glimmer of magic hung in the air, and a wispy, nearly invisible shape that might have been a heart-shaped crystal glinted in her aura. It vanished as soon as it had appeared, and if I didn't know better, I might have thought I'd imagined it. She raised her head and scanned the room, her eyes finally coming to rest on a sleek brown pegasus mare wearing a frilly ivory dress. She glanced to me and I nodded, sifting through the names in my head.
 
"Candle Flicker."
 
"If you say so." She shrugged. "Now, let's—"
 
"We're going to talk to her."
 
"Phooey."
 
"Don't worry." I snapped up one of the hors d'oeuvres, chewing on the toothpick for a second before tossing it into the trash. "I'm sure you'll get to have some 'fun' later."
 
"Look, just because I like knives—"
 
"Hush."
 
She stamped a hoof as I interrupted her yet again. I'd regret that later; I'd been pushing her pretty hard this time around, but our orders had been clear. I was in charge, at least for now. She fell in behind me, and I could nearly feel the waves of disdain roll off her as I worked my way across the room again, making urbane small talk and meaningless chatter to smooth our passage.
 
"Ah, Miss Flicker!" I nodded pleasantly to our target. "How nice to see you here!"
 
Candle Flicker smiled blandly in return. Subtle tells showed me her progress from careless pleasantry to slight confusion as she tried to place me and failed.
 
"Good evening." She settled on guarded politeness. "It seems you have the advantage of me, mister…?"
 
"Call me Discrete, if you please. I am, you might say, in the import business."
 
"indeed?" Her ears flicked forward as her interest sparked. "You don't say."
 
"Indeed I do." I smoothed my jacket carefully.
 
"And your… friend?"
 
"Also discrete." I grinned slyly, and she nodded slowly.
 
"I see. And how can I help you, Discrete?" She sipped her drink with studied nonchalance.
 
"Well, I've heard some rumors… from a friend, you might say, that you might be in the, ahem, export business. If you know what I mean."
 
"I might. Indeed, I may."
 
"I don't suppose we could take this discussion somewhere more… private?"
 
She nodded once, and turned away, casually dropping her glass on the tray of a passing waiter.
 
"So, how many of them are crooks?" I whispered to Bell, as we followed Candle Flicker through one of the doors.
 
"How many lethal objects are in that room?" She shot back, with a wry smile. I shrugged and let it go.
 
"So, Mister Discrete." Candle Flicker said, as we stepped into a pleasantly appointed sitting room. "What, exactly, are you looking to… import?"
 
"Oh, this and that." I slumped in a nearby chair, projecting an aura of innocence. Bell settled beside me, carefully covering my blind spots.
 
"I'm afraid you'll have to be more specific than that." Her smile took on a sharp edge and her wings flared slightly. "If you please."
 
"Well, honestly, I'm curious to know what you have. I was thinking something… hot? Yes, definitely warm. And maybe, if possible, green."
 
"I may have something like that. For, of course, the right price."
 
Bell nudged me. I ignored her. She wanted to make with the knives and pointy objects, but I wanted some sort of confirmation before we pressed harder. Still, maybe I could accelerate things.
 
"Hmm." I reached into my pockets, rummaging around. I came up with a cigar, and reached over to light it from a nearby candle. It flared at a few puffs, releasing thin clouds of greenish smoke. Candle relaxed a little. "I'm sure that can be arranged."
 
"Then I'll be straight with you." Our target smiled. "I have, on hand, nearly ten pounds of prime leaves." Jackpot. My eyes widened in honest surprise. We'd guessed there was a smuggler here, and Bell's analysis was rarely wrong, but this went beyond my expectations.
 
"The good stuff? Do you get it from the Everfree?" I took another drag on my cigar, conspicuously blowing clouds of smoke.
 
"My Poison Joak? From the Everfree? Please." Candle scoffed. "It's never seen the place. My suppliers can guarantee potency and purity far beyond what's grown in the wild."
 
"Ahhh." I sighed, and turned to Bell. "Alright, your turn."
 
"Huh?" Candle Flicker looked confused as Bellum gave a huge smile and pulled out her knives.
 
"Candle Flicker, Poison Joak is a class two contraband." She slipped off the couch and presented her badge of office, a heart-shaped crystal badge that, unsurprisingly, could double as a weapon. "You are hereby placed under arrest by the Crystal—"
 
I tuned out the legalese, and watched Candle Flicker. Confusion quickly turned to fear, but that swiftly gave way to anger.
 
"You can't do this, no!" Her wings flicked wide, and Bell paused. Her eyes went flat as her grin went sharp.
 
"On the contrary, I, no," my partner glanced back to me, "we can. We are duly appointed officers of the law."
 
The smuggler gaped for a moment, but her anger surged back.
 
"You're foals, both of you. You think you can take me? Walking in here cool as you please, baiting me, you didn't even know the codes! I thought you might just be fools, but this is far beyond!" Her wings flicked wide, and I saw steel glint. "I'm more than enough to take you both!"
 
"Try it." There was a shink as Bell's magic flared, and knives started appearing. They came in all sizes, shapes, and styles, appearing from under her dress like an illusionists trick. In moments there was a veritable swarm hovering around her. "I dare you. Make my day."
 
"Well." Candle's eyes went just as flat. "If you insist."
 
And Bellum got her fun.
 
They met with a clash, and it escalated into a clangor. From there, they moved onto cacophony, and segued neatly into ruckus.
 
I carefully positioned myself to cover our blind spots, while keeping a judicious eye on the melee. Bell was giving as good as she got, and that was pretty damn good. Weapons flashed and darted, pegasus speed matching excellently against unicorn magic. My partner's knives were everywhere, and the pegasus was meeting her halfway. Candle really lived up to her name, flickering around the room like a lambent flame.
 
It took only a few minutes for things to get hairier.
 
"Pax, she just called for help." Bellum's voice was calm. Candle jerked in surprise, and a shattered wax disc crumpled to the floor.
 
"Right, right. Support incoming." I grit my teeth and pulled up a dab of my power. Earth ponies aren't known for their magic, but in my case that's a distinct advantage. My opponents were rarely prepared. As I concentrated, a web of lines glimmered in the air, connections and dependencies linked clearly. My magic, the magic of all earth ponies, was rooted in life. Life was many things to many people, but what I saw was 'threat'. Degree and inclination, linked to will and intent. A knot centered on the fight, clearly delineated relationships showing the violence and savagery of the two combatants as they tried relentlessly to cut through each other's defense. Fainter lines showed Candle hadn't forgotten me, and a few very wispy connections drifted into space randomly, ponies who held grudges or anger somewhere in the city. I tuned that out, and watched as new connections formed, firm ties that latched onto Bell and ran directly towards… the wall?
 
I spun and dashed, flashing into the shadows just as new combatants entered directly. The first was a unicorn, blinking in with a flare of power. He was followed quickly by two earth ponies who simply kicked in the thin panels and galloped through. They took the fight in instantly.
 
"Candle, pull back!" The unicorn took command immediately, stepping into the fight and supporting our target. The pegasus sneered at him.
 
"Don't be a fool, Quip. I can take this one; you get the other."
 
They started at that, spinning as they searched for me. I stepped out of corner, letting them get a clear look. Quip gulped.
 
"No, Candle, you can't." Bell withdrew as he threw something complex at her, a spell that spat and fizzled through the dim room. She absorbed it, carefully shielding herself as it snarled futilely against her defense. "These aren't police. These aren't thugs. They're the Disciples, and they're way, way out of your league."
 
Calm fell as the six of us stood in stalemate. Bell couldn't make another move without my support, and I held back deliberately, waiting to see what would happen.
 
"We can take them!" Candle spat, vehemence loading her voice. "I don't care if they're students, or the alicorns themselves in disguise; I've taken the measure of her, and the other one is clearly no threat!"
 
"Hah." Bell laughed. "Ha. Hahaha." Her laughter was hollow, eerie in the sudden quiet. "You're making a mistake, Candle. We're trained by the Emperor and Empress themselves. You have no idea what we're capable of."
 
"And this is the best Shining Asshole and his pretty pink wife can do?" She sneered. "Quip, let's—"
 
"Alright, that's enough." I flexed my magic, pulling the fire from the candles, the moonlight from the window, even the gleam from Bell's magic, and squeezing it down into a tiny ball before me. The room was plunged into darkness as I stole the light, leaving a single shimmering pearl hanging in the air. "You've made a very basic mistake, and I don't plan to let you off easy; not after you insulted our teachers that way."
 
"Hah! What can—" She cut off as I stepped forward and slammed a hoof into her side. The connections shone clear to me, despite the blackness. All I needed was a little intent, and they sprung clear. My hoof followed one exactly, tracing a careful arc directly past her wing into the pit of her stomach. She gave a wet gasp as I drove the air from her lungs. Quip fired blindly, trying to hit me in the black. I saw the spell form, threads of danger whipping across me as he cast with speed. I simply stepped between them, letting it sail past. I concentrated, picking out the right thread as it ran from my hoof to his horn. The ringing blow sent him staggering as I numbed his magic.
 
The other two were gone now, running blindly. They'd be past the influence of my power in a moment, but I didn't let them escape. I snatched the glimmering pearl from the air,  hurtling it past them and releasing my grip on the light. It sprang apart, releasing all the light in the room straight into their eyes. One of them screamed. The other hit a wall.
 
I stood relaxed, barely breathing hard, as they stared at me in horror.
 
"I'm Pax, Disciple of Shining Armor, the Alicorn of War. I come bearing peace." I spat the word through a smile, letting them see exactly what I meant. "Make one more move, and I'll pacify you permanently."
 
"But—" Candle gasped, eyes flicking towards Bell.
 
"You think it's strange?" My partner slid a knife lovingly along the pegasus' wings, where the barest slip would cripple her for life. "That the student of War is the nice pony, while the Disciple of Love carries the blades? I'm Bellum, student of Empress Cadence, and love is a battlefield." She grinned. "Don't you ever forget it."
 
"Right, right. Enough scaring the prisoners." I glanced to where the others were trying to collect themselves. "Let's wrap this up and get home. We need to be up early tomorrow." She gave a reluctant nod, and fired off the ‘all clear’ signal. 

Wrap up would be a pain, but we were used to that. At least things had ended cleanly.