Just after the train pulled into Ponyville’s station, which ultimately consisted of a single platform and a small employee kiosk, Twilight, Spike, and Rarity exited the train looking somewhat drained.
Twilight stretched, almost sighing in relief at the feeling of the sun on her fur. “Ugh,” she sighed. “This year was by far the worst Gala I have ever been to,” she grumped. Spike nodded from her back. “I didn’t even get to speak with the Princess this time, and Blueblood…”
Rarity’s eye twitched. “I admit to having little desire to be near that… that… ruffian at the moment,” she nearly growled. “Why he thought it was a good idea to have an ice sculpture set on fire escapes me.”
“At least he didn’t insist on a fencing contest with polo mallets in his own honor this time…” Spike said, recalling that particular fiasco. He shivered. Blueblood was a buffoon at the best of times, but the Stallion could swing a mean hammer.
Rarity slowly looked at Spike, her jaw dropping. “Please tell me you are joking…” she almost begged.
Twilight sighed. “No. Blueblood seems to make it his life’s ambition to make some kind of obscene plan during the Gala. I have no idea why the Princess lets him do it.”
Due to Rarity’s shock, she failed to notice the piece of paper on the wind before it smacked her in the face. “Ack!” she cried in shock, nearly jumping out of her fur. Twilight grabbed the paper with her magic and pulled it off Rarity. Rarity sighed in relief. “Thank you dear.”
Twilight examined the paper and frowned. Then she scowled. “Oh come on! Seriously?!” She started ranting to no one about the designer of the interesting times curse and what she’d like to do to them, also dropping the paper.
Rarity, curious, grabbed the paper.
Shifter The Thief Spotted In Ponyville!
It was the front page of a newspaper, which seemed to detail the fact that a thief was robbing ponies in Ponyville. While Rarity normally scoffed at this kind of news, she found herself interested despite herself. She continued reading. The article went on to say the thief was well known for robbing high profile targets with tough security. And… that was it. The story was continued on another page, which was missing.
Her curiosity was so powerful that she decided to later purchase the full paper. For now she tucked the paper away and turned back to Twilight… who was still muttering to herself.
---
“Interesting,” the Unicorn mumbled to himself, reading a book. It was one of the first books issued to the new Town Hall, and one of the few that ever will due to Mayor Mare using the fire as a means to upgrade to electronic storage.
The book detailed the most recent events to happen in Ponyville. And one such event that garnered River Run’s attention was the fight that happened between Twilight Sparkle and Gilda the Griffin. He had his suspicions regarding the mare he fought back in Canterlot, but they had been flawed… or so he thought. It appeared Twilight was gifted with unique abilities most Unicorns don’t have, abilities that don’t require her magic to utilize.
Still, that he had knocked her out told him those powers came with weaknesses, he just wasn’t sure what, exactly, those weaknesses were, only that it something to do with his Manipulator Gauntlets.
He put the book down and stood up. He looked over towards the wall of the room that carried both of his gauntlets. He grinned. “I heard she’s supposed to be back today. Let’s see if she can catch me this time.”
---
Rarity hummed to herself as she sat at her dining room table. Floating in front of her was the complete paper that detailed Shifter’s activities. It went on where she left off to describe that Shifter prided himself on being the best, and only targeting highly secured items, stuff most thieves wouldn’t even consider trying to take, or those that do fail horribly.
Shifter tended to succeed where all others failed.
The Pink Pony Diamond, the entirety of the vaults of the Soaring Griffin Casino, the Eye of Somnambula, Three of the Seven Swords of Muramara, and very nearly succeeding in getting Princess Celestia’s crown some years ago.
Those were just some of his successful thefts. Rarity admitted to herself that he was certainly impressive in terms of skill, but she could not find it in herself to be anything other than disgusted with Ponies like Shifter. His impressive skills only furthered her disgust. And yet, reading about him triggered a strange sense of deja vu within her, and it vexed her fiercely that she found any kind of familiarity with him, understood or not.
Ponies that stole from other hardworking Ponies are trash. When a Pony chooses to steal despite having the obvious skills to survive an honest life, they were worse than trash.
She looked at his image on the paper and her frown deepened. Eventually she growled to herself and got to her hooves. “I need to stop thinking about this. Maybe a snack will help.”
---
River Run leaned back in his seat, a steaming cup of coffee floating in his aura next to him. He was seated in the outdoor portion of a small bakery known as Sugar Cube Corner. A newspaper also floated in front of him in his magic. He was not, however, reading the paper. Periodically, he would glance to the edge of his eyesight. There, seated at a different table than him, he saw a mare with a white coat of fur and a purple mane. She too was reading the paper.
‘Rarity Belle. Daughter of Fashion Wishes and Silver Magnum. Star actor of most school plays she participated in as a child, and creator of most of her own costumes. Discovered a talent for gemology during high school and combined that talent with her sewing skills to create unique outfits. Now runs the Carousel Boutique as both a fashion designer and seamstress. On top of everything else, she is now also the bearer of the Element of Generosity,’ he mused to himself, sipping his coffee.
‘Rumor around town is that she dreams of the high society life, and hopes to one day open a shop in Canterlot. A mare with that kind of ambition and drive…’ River Run grinned. ‘She’s gotta have something locked away from prying eyes, something secured quite well.’