//------------------------------//
// Ch. 6 The Thief's Sacrifice:Part 1 
// Story: Honor Among Thieves 
// by BluePhoenyx 
//------------------------------//

	

Morning broke over the horizon and Seb woke up to find himself in a bed at the library.It had been nearly 3 days since Twilight was shot. Spike was just waking up as well and began getting breakfast started. There was an usual tension between the two, and Seb felt weird for being tense around a dragon that only came up to his knee. He followed the dragon to the back of the library and found a small kitchen. Seb put his hand on Spike’s shoulder and moved him aside.
“Go relax Spike, I’ll make breakfast.” Seb said.

Spike couldn't find any words and simply sat down on a stool near by and watched as Seb began making pancakes. He started up the stove and placed a skillet on one of the burners before preparing the batter. As the batter sizzled in the pan Seb turned to Spike.

“How come you always push everyone away?” Spike asked. Seb kept his silence. “Twilight and the others care about you, you know.”

“I never asked them to.” Seb replied, listening to the sizzle of the pancakes behind him.

“Does someone really need your permission to care?” Spike asked, crossing his arms.

“It isn't so simple.” Seb said. He turned and flipped the pancake.

“I think you’re just scared.” Spike replied.

“Scared? Of what?” Seb asked.

“You’re scared that if you let them get too close they’ll get hurt, like Twilight.” Spike said. Seb was using all his strength to keep himself from punching something.

“What do you know?” He asked, taking the pancake off the skillet and setting it on a plate for Spike.

“You don’t have to feel like you don’t need friends anymore.” Spike said. “You don’t have to feel alone.”

“Just eat your breakfast.” Seb said and left the room, heading outside.

As he stepped outside, he saw Rainbow Dash and Applejack walking down the road with Twilight in a wheelchair. Applejack was pushing the chair while Rainbow Dash walked beside her. Seb met them halfway.

“Should you be out and about?” Twilight asked weakly. Her front right hoof was in a sling and her shoulder was bandaged.

“Should you?” Seb asked.

“Very funny.” Twilight replied. “The doctors said the best thing I can do is get some rest at home.”

“We’ll be checking in on her every once in awhile.” Applejack said. Rainbow Dash simply glared at Seb. Seb glared back. He knew she blamed him for her friend’s injury and he couldn’t really blame her; it sort of was his fault that humans had entered this realm.

“I figured you’d say that.” Seb responded.

They wheeled Twilight into the library and Seb began setting up a bed downstairs for her. Applejack and Rainbow Dash left after staying as long as Twilight could stand them. Seb, like any other day Twilight hadn’t been there, spent much of his evenings sitting on the balcony on the second floor. He liked watching the stars and the towers on the mountain in the distance. The moon was already high in the sky when he heard hoofsteps coming up the stairs. He finally noticed the cold of the night as a stray snowflake fell onto his hand. He turned his head to see Twilight limping up the stairs. She made it to the last one and limped over to him.

“You should be in bed.” Seb said.

“So should you.” A soft smile crept over Seb’s face. Twilight sat beside him and looked out into the distance with him.A few more snowflakes fell between them.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She asked quietly.

“What is it?” Seb asked.

“Canterlot,” Twilight said “The princess lives there in her castle.”

Seb didn't respond. He simply kept watching the city and the stars around it. He could just make them out as the snow clouds began moving over head. Seb began to enjoy the quietness he could share with Twilight. It was a silent conversation they could have where they both knew what each other was saying without even opening their mouths. The snowflakes had begun to fall down steadily and Seb noticed Twilight shiver.

“Go back inside Twilight, you’ll catch a cold.” Seb said. She looked up and smiled at him, shivering.

“You first.” She said. Seb chuckled and stood up slowly.

He felt his bones creak and strain in protest but he ignored it. He then bent down and grabbed Twilight, picking her up, being careful of her shoulder. He carried her down the stairs and plopped her, gently, back into her bed and tucked her in before she could get up and complain. He dropped down beside her and leaned against the wall, his body language saying ‘I’m going to stay right here until you fall asleep and there’s nothing you can do about it.’ Twilight pouted.

“Do you always do that?” She asked.

“What? Carry purple ponies downstairs against their will? No, not often.” Seb replied, smirking. Twilight laughed.

“I meant, do you always go onto the balcony at night?” She asked.

“When I can’t sleep yes.” Seb replied.

“And how often is that?” Twilight asked.

“Every night.” Seb smiled.Twilight shook her head at him then rested against the pillow.

When Twilight had finally fallen asleep again, Seb went back to the balcony and watched Canterlot again. He ran his fingers through his hair and tried to sooth a rising headache by rubbing his forehead. He walked over to the rail of the balcony to lean against it. When he took a step he heard a crunch under his foot and looked down to see a piece of parchment under his foot. It had originally been held but a rock, that Seb was surprised he hadn’t noticed before. He picked up the paper and began reading.


“This is only the beginning, get me that weapon. Time is running out””


A simple note, unsigned but Seb knew who had sent it.

“What’s only the beginning?” Seb asked aloud. A soft glow caught the corner of his eye and he looked up.
Down the road and towards the edge of town he could see a small house being consumed in flames as the embers rose into the night sky. He dropped the note and rushed down stairs. Spike woke up to the thudding of his footsteps and watched Seb open the  front door.

“What’s wrong Seb?” He asked sleepily.

“Fire.” Seb replied simply. He rushed out the door and down the street towards the burning house.

The fire had already drawn a crowd and fire-fighting pegasi and unicorns were trying to tame the flames. Everything seemed to be under control, or going to be, but Seb couldn't shake the feeling of something bad about to happen. The feeling was what had initially brought him there, otherwise he would have just let the authorities take care of it.

“Cherry Pie? Cherry Pie, As anyone see my baby?” A mare asked.

She was an earth pony, a strawberry red color with a light green mane and a glass of lemonade as her cutie mark. Her name was Strawberry Lemonade and her daughter was missing. Seb turned to the burning building. He knew where she was. Seb ran up to the porch of the house and slammed into the door with his shoulder. He moved out of the way just as a wall of fire burst from the door, a warning not to enter. Seb ignored it and forced his way into the collapsing building. Smoke spilled into his lungs like a ghost taking over his soul. He coughed hard and his eyes began to water. The heat from the flames licked at his back as he searched through the house. He heard a cry for help and looked around. He could barely see anything through the smoke and fire but he could see a small filly, a softer red than her mother and sported a short, frizzy golden mane that reminded Seb of a pie crust. He could tell instantly how she got her name.

“Cherry Pie!” Seb called out.

He coughed hard and backed out as a plank of wood fell from the roof and caught on fire. He jumped over it and walked over to the little filly. She had found a small corner in the room that hadn't yet been consumed fire but was getting close to it. The little filly was crying and shied away from Seb, not knowing what he was.

“It’s alright kid.” Seb said, coughing hard again. He could feel blood creeping up his throat. He cursed his disease then held out his arms for the little filly.

She walked over to him, cautiously at first, but another burning plank of wood fell too close for comfort and suddenly the strange creature became her savior. She climbed into his arms and Seb stood up. Their little haven was now completely surrounded by fire. Seb jumped over a beam and began making his way towards the door. He ripped off a chunk of fabric from his shirt and wrapped it around Cherry Pie’s muzzle as he made his way through cloud after cloud of smoke. Outside, Rainbow Dash and her weather team had dragged several rain clouds to the scene while a few earth ponies below used hoses. Strawberry Lemonade stood nervously in front of her burning house while neighbors consoled her. Rainbow Dash landed before her and sighed.

“I’m sorry Ma’am, your house won’t be saved.” Rainbow dash said. She was sweating from the heat.

“I’m not worried about my house, I’m worried about my baby. She’s in there and that human that lives at the library went in after her.” Strawberry Lemonade said.
 
Rainbow Dash furrowed her brow then gasped. She flew into the building, through a hole in the roof and hovered above the flames. She looked around and saw Seb laying under a flaming support beam. The house was standing only on luck at the moment and Rainbow knew it wouldn’t last long. She flew over to Seb and hovered just above him. He was laying face down, but forcing himself to stay above the ground, something was under him. He looked up when he heard the flapping of wings above the roar of the fire.

“Rainbow?” Seb asked with a harsh cough.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here.” Rainbow Dash said, coughing too.

“No.” Seb choked. He shifted and moved over as best he could, pushing Cherry Pie towards Rainbow Dash. “Take her.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyes widened. The house creaked and groaned as a few splinters of wood fell above them. Cherry Pie was crying again and coughing though she held the strip of fabric over her mouth and nose.

“I can move the beam.” Rainbow Dash said and began to try and lift the wooden beam where it wasn't on fire.

“No! Take the kid.” Seb yelled.

Rainbow Dash ignored him and kept trying to move the wood. Seb reached back, grabbed one of Rainbow Dash’s wings, and pulled hard, sending her flying into the air. She flapped her wings vigorously and stayed aloft in the air. The creaking of the wood caught Rainbow Dash’s attention. She groaned and grabbed Cherry Pie. She flew out of the same hole in the roof she had come in, leaving a trail of rainbow as she did. Just as she left, the building collapsed and sent a last gasp of fire into the air. Rainbow landed next to Strawberry Lemonade and handed Cherry Pie over to her. The mare took her baby while Rainbow Dash walked up to the collapsed house. The snow had begun to fall more heavier and Applejack, Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight, with the help of spike, had made their way to the building. Rainbow Dash informed them on what had happened and they watched as the weather team and ground team tried to put the fire out. The snow helped and finally the fire had died down quite a bit. Spike kept Twilight in her wheelchair, though she wanted desperately to go and search for Seb. Rainbow Dash and Applejack had begun their search with Pinkie Pie’s help. Rarity, who was in her robes and her hair in curlers, stood next to Twilight, looking bored and angry about the dirt. Fluttershy was trying not to panic but not doing a very good job of it. Rainbow Dash sighed and stopped sifting through the rubble while Applejack wiped the sweat off her brow.

“I aint findin nothing.” Applejack said in a huff. She kicked a loose piece of burnt wood.

“He’s gotta be in here somewhere.” Rainbow Dash groaned.

There was a rustling behind her in a rather large pile of wood. Applejack and Rarity whirled around and the others made their way up to the devastation. Rarity tried to avoid the dirt as much as possible while Fluttershy flew over to Rainbow Dash. A plank of wood shifted and fell down the hill of the rubble and Seb’s hand and arm wormed it’s way out of the opening. He pulled his head and chest out and coughed up a decent amount of blackened blood. He was covered in soot and burnt in a few places but nothing terrible. He dragged the rest of himself out. His legs and back were burnt and scratched up quite a bit. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy ran over to him as he flopped over on his back, gulping in air.

“Seb!, Oh my, oh my, Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked. Seb replied with a cough.

“Ugh,” Seb groaned “That was the dumbest thing I've ever done.”

“He doesn’t look too bad actually, nothing looks broken.” Rainbow Dash said, looking him over.

“How’d you manage that?” Applejack asked.

“There was a small space I managed to move into. The beam hadn’t landed too hard on me either.” Seb replied. He coughed again and groaned.

Aside from a very long night in the hospital, Seb turned out to be fine other than some smoke damage to his lungs and multiple bruises and scratches. His worst injury was his shoulder being popped out of socket and the doctors called it a miracle he wasn’t dead. Seb thought it was too, many times he thought he was going to die. They released Seb the next afternoon after lunch time. He had dropped the sling that was suppose to keep his shoulder still while it healed. He didn’t need it; he’d done that before and it barely bothered him now. He made his way back to Twilight’s library and opened the door. Twilight and the others were there. None of them wanted to be alone that night, it was rare a fire started but even more rare that someone else started it. Seb had told them about Nathan’s letter while they waited for someone to take him away and it spooked them all. Twilight was finishing up a letter to the princess when Seb walked in. Fluttershy’s heart broke into a thousand pieces; He looked exhausted and so fragile that the wind from a single beat of her wing would send him crashing to the floor. She found a chair for him, he thanked her and sat down. Rainbow Dash was on him in an instant.

“What’s your deal? I thought you didn’t care about anypony, and what else do you know about that fire?” Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack groaned and shook her head.

“I only know Nathan started it.” Seb replied weakly and avoiding her first question.

“Why would he start a fire and send you a note saying he did it?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“I don’t know Rainbow Dash do I look like Nathan to you?” He said. His patience was wearing thin and his voice portrayed that.

“I still don’t understand why you went into that building.” Applejack said. It was obvious they weren’t going to get anymore information about Nathan from him.

“I don’t know, just being stupid I guess.” Seb replied. In truth, he wasn’t sure why he had raced to the building in the first place, perhaps it was because he felt guilty for it and wanted to see if he could help or badly it was burning but at the moment he couldn't say.

“You saved that little filly’s life though.” Twilight said while Spike sent her letter.”Her mother was so grateful.”
Seb said nothing.

“Why did you go in there anyway?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I didn’t think you cared about anything or anyone but yourself.”

It got the whole room quiet as they waited for Seb’s answer. Seb’s lips parted for a moment, as if he were about to answer, but then they closed and he stood up and left.

“I’ll go talk to him.” Twilight groaned, Applejack stopped her.

“You stay here and rest Twi, I’ll go talk to him.” She said and walked out after Seb.

Seb had gotten as far as the park before Applejack finally stopped him. He sat down in the grass, that was blanketed with snow from the night before, and laid on his back, watching the clouds overhead. Applejack sat with him.

“You can’t just keep on runnin' away from yer problems Seb.” Applejack said. Seb didn't reply. “Why is it so hard for you to tell everyone why you saved a life? You did somethin wonderful and y’all should feel good about it. What? Are you embarrassed?”

Seb let out a hard sigh and closed his eyes.

“No, I’m not.” He replied. “I wouldn’t just let some kid die.” He wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince Applejack or himself. His dream about the little boy and Trisha still haunted him and he wanted so badly to prove to the boy he wasn’t a killer.

“I knew y’all had a heart ‘o gold.” Applejack said nudging him with her hoof. Seb couldn’t help but smirk.

“I’ve always had a soft spot for kids.” He was doing it again, telling everyone his life story with no rhyme or reason. 

“I was abandoned on the steps of an orphanage. They took me in and did what they could to adopt me out but my odd strength pushed people away. After a while, the orphanage began to run down and they started treating the kids worse and worse. We were fed some type of slop they called oatmeal day and night and we never got to go outside. There were even rumors one of the adults forced himself on the older kids. I finally left but I hated leaving the others behind. There was nothing I could do until I got into the thieving gig. When I got good enough to let people pay me to steal things, I would take a few dollars here and there for myself and leave the rest on the door steps of orphanages and half-way homes so they could renovate and feed the kids properly. I never left any at the homeless shelters because I figured it was the adult’s own fault they were homeless and didn’t deserve anything. It was ironic really, after a year of me doing that, a legend rose about me, though they said I was an adult half the time. I was only 16 when I did it.” Seb couldn’t help but smile. He didn’t care so much that legends were being made about him, he just enjoyed the fact that everyone tried to speculate who he was and what he looked like but they never got anything right. Except for his eyes. He recalled at one point a little girl in an orphanage caught him leaving money but the only thing she saw in the night were his green eyes. From then on, every depiction of him had green eyes and it made him laugh.

Applejack took her hat off and smiled.

“That’s a mighty noble thing you've done.” She said. Any thoughts of him possibly being evil were blown away by his story. Seb ignored her for the most part and rolled over, putting his back to her.

Applejack turned when she heard someone’s high pitched complaining. She knew right away it was Rarity.

“I can’t believe how utterly rude he is, storming off like that. I ought to give him a piece of my mind. Ugh, and a new wardrobe. I mean please, he’s been wearing the same clothing since he arrived here, I bet he’s simply filthy.” Rarity droned on and Seb groaned. He knew he was going to get an earful in a moment. Applejack chuckled and started walking away.

“Good luck sugar cube.” She said as she left. She passed Rarity, who was glaring down at Seb worse than any mother could glare at their child.

“Alright mister ‘I’m too good for all you’ you listen here. I will not tolerate such rude behavior, especially since you’re only a guest here. Twilight opened her home to you and you were completely rude to her an-”

“You right Rarity.” Seb cut her off.

“Huh?”

“You’re right, I was rude.” Seb replied he really just wanted her to shut up, but she was right. Rarity Lifted her chin up proudly.

“There, you see, how hard was that?” She asked. Seb got up and walked past her.

“You going to stay out in the snow?” Seb asked.

Rarity looked at him and then looked up. A snowflake hit her nose, followed by a sludgy mix that fell from a tree. She glared at Seb after brushing it out of her mane. Seb laughed and made his way back to the library where Twilight and the others were standing outside. They were all surrounding Twilight, who was levitating a letter before her. Rarity came up behind Seb as he leaned into the crowd.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I wrote a letter to the princess about the fire. She wants us to see her in Canterlot right away.” Twilight replied, rolling up the letter. “All of us.” She looked at Seb.