A Raider's Adventure

by Aruzo Night

Chapter 1

"Come back, thief!!" the guards yelled at the top their lungs as they chased me down the busy streets of the local bazaar. Some of the merchants booed and hissed at me, while others tossed rotten fruits and vegetables at both me and the guards for frighting their customers, while others actually cheered me on. I laughed at the guards for not being able to catch up to me, even though I was being weighed down by a pair of heavy saddle bags full of golden bits. After running a few laps around the bazaar and waving at some of the cute mares I decide to end my fun when I saw more guards coming to join the wild goose chase. I looked around and spotted a closed alleyway on the far side of the bazaar and decided it was the perfect place to perform my daring escape. As I began to make my way to the alley I reached into the left pouch of the saddle bag and pulled a hoof full of bits and tossed them into the air. Within seconds I disappear in a massive dog pile of greedy ponies trying get their hooves on as many bits as they could. Hidden from the guards, I turned my attention to the ten foot tall wall that closed the alley and began to search for my solution. I reached into the saddle bag once more and pulled out a gauntlet with strange inscriptions engraved into the metal and four metallic griffon-like claws at the tip to fight with, but I use it more to free-run with. I snapped on the gauntlet with haste for I saw the crowd behind me starting to disperse and could see more guards converging on the other side of the pile. I quickly climbed over the wall without any trouble thanks to the gauntlet. By the time the guards were able to pass through the crowd I had disappeared into thin air... or the other side of the wall. I quietly landed on the other side, using the saddle bags as cushion, and paused for a while to catch my breath.
"He's gone! AHHH!! Get some poster of that thieving scum's face all over the city!" one commanded.
"But sir, I didn't see his face or a cutie mark or even the color of his coat. He was wearing a shemagh and a duster coat." one replied.
"I've heard enough." I thought to myself, I placed the bags on my back and removed the shemagh from my face. To try not to draw any negative attention I swiftly but calmly made my way to my destination just a couple of blocks way.

As I drew near to my destination, I was beginning to get looks of recognition by friendly neighbors that greeted me with a "Hello" or "How're your doin". I greeted them back out good manners, but didn't stop to chat for I had places to be. After a little while longer of walking, I could see a large building that had the appearance of a inn at the distance and a hanging sign that read "Orphanage", I sighed with relief knowing that I was nearly there. As I walked near to the building's entrance doors, I stopped to look in all directions to see if I was being followed by anyone or if any guards were around the area. Seeing that the coast was clear I walked up to the door. I could hear a very familiar kind and gentle voice emerging from inside the building, I could tell that she was story telling again. I slowly opened the wooden doors and entered quietly, not wanting to rudely disturb her, I saw an elderly mare sitting on a wooden stool at the center of semi-circle of little colts and fillies. They gasped to her every word unaware that I had entered. "And when the hero saved the princess from the dreadful dragon-"
"They lived happily ever after." I finished, all the children's heads turned simultaneously to see who had finish the phrase to the greatest story they ever heard. "RAIDER!!" they cheered with much joy, I soon found myself surrounded by several kids clamoring for my undivided attention, some tapping at my gauntlet in curiosity, and others admiring my red dusty shemagh.
"Now now children settle down," she said trying to calm the kids.
"You best listen to Mother or else their won't be any dessert for tonight," I proclaimed. Within seconds the children sat down and stayed shushed.
"Don't scare them like that," she said while slapping my shoulder, "or its you who's not getting any dessert."
I laughed at what she said and that only got me another slap on the shoulder, the fillies and colts laughed at my punishment. I was going to say something but a loud knock on the door interrupted me."It's a guard," Mother said as she looked through the window, chills ran down my spine when she said that. I took the shemagh, duster, gauntlet, and saddle bag off and hid them under an alter of our Ruler and quickly put on my apron that was resting on a chair and pretend to be the helper everypony thinks I am. Thankfully, Mother saw my panicked behavior and took her time to open the doors. There stood a guard with a young mare at his side with a dark blue scarf around her neck which she wore like a shemagh. I immediately recognized the mare as being the second oldest pony here at the orphanage behind me by three years, that plus she is the only one besides Mother, who knows of what I really do for a living. Dammit Sapphire, what the hell did you do this time. "Can I help you, officer?" Mother asked, the guard shoved Sapphire to the floor and looked at Mother with a disgusting expression.
"Yes, I caught your brat trying to steal some apples. You better put her on a leash-"
"You should be the one wearing a leash! YOU SON OF A BI-" Mother slapped Sapphire across the face to shut her up before she got into more trouble. The children and I were left in shock for we have never seen Mother do such an act of violence before. As Sapphire sniffed on the floor, the guard smiled with sick and twisted pleasure and enjoyed seeing her suffer in agonizing pain. "I think that would teach her to show more respect," He said delighted and handed to Mother a "Wanted" poster, with the drawing of a masked thief, " Also if you see this scum tell us. He's wanted for stealing twenty thousand bits." and with that said he left. Mother examined the poster and realized who this thief was, "Okay children go upstairs and get clean, while I prepare supper. Raider can you help me?" I knew she wanted to talk about something, and so did I, the children obeyed and without a word or complaint went upstairs. Sapphire got up from the floor and ran to her room, I tried to stop her but she shoved me to the side and left upstairs crying. I made my way to the kitchen where Mother was waiting already chopping vegetables and boiling water. I inhaled a deep breath and prepared to confront Mother. "Raider... Why?" she asked in a rather disappointed tone.
"I can ask you the same thing. Why?! Why in the world did you slap Sapphire! That was uncalled for!" I ranted, she lifted her face and looked into my eyes, she could see that I wasn't upset but concern for Sapphire."I...I don't know why." she said with a heavy heart, her answer hit my right in the guts. I knew she didn't meant to hurt Sapphire or me, she tried her best to save Sapphire from something worst. Mother knows best I said to myself as I collected my thoughts. I grabbed some fruits and began chopping them for dessert. An awkward silence filled the kitchen while we cooked, it wasn't till I was setting the plates that Mother broke the silence by questioning me once more.
"So, Raider why did you steal twenty thousand bits?" she asked
"Why not. We can do a lot with the money. We can buy more food for the children, fix the orphanage, and even buy each child a present for this year Hearth Warm Eve," I explained, Mother smiled but knew that there was more to this for all that would require less than half of twenty thousand,"...And maybe save up to go on a trip."
"Where?"
"I don't know...somewhere far from here. Maybe Prance or across the sea to Equestria." Mother and I laughed at my wild dreams.
"I just worry that stealing that amount would only get you caught. Promise me this the last time you'll steal from the city."
"I promise, but come on... Catch me?! Bahh, those guards wouldn't catch me even if I walked into a cell myself...while hogtied with chains. Heck, No guard, captain, prince, headhunter, or God would ever catch me, for I am the greatest raider that ever lived!" I said with bravado as I stood on a table for more dramatic effect. Mother just rolled her eyes. We heard some clapping coming from the staircase and there sat Sapphire cheering to my bragging speech. I climbed down from the table and walked up to her to see if she okay. "Hey, how are you feeling?" I asked, but before she could answer Mother interrupted asking for her forgiveness. Sapphire forgave Mother for slapping her, she knew she only tried to protect her. She took this chance as well to apologize for getting in trouble. After a few hugs and tears were exchanged and before I could talk to Sapphire, Mother told me to finish setting the rest of the plates while she and Sapphire called the children for supper. After dinner, I didn't get a chance to talk to Sapphire at all for Mother walked away with her upstairs with the children to put them to sleep and left me to do the dishes alone...again. "It seems like Mother is trying to prevent me from coming near Sapphire. I wonder why?" I repeated to myself over and over again, throughout the two long hours of dish washing. I really need to steal a dishwasher. Once finish I got my belongings from under the alter, but left the money there for it wasn't save to take it out just yet. I knew guards were still going to be looking for it. As I went to my room, I saw that the children were fast asleep and that Mother or Sapphire were nowhere to be seen, they must have already went to bed. "I can tear some of the 'Wanted' posters and before I know it people would have already forgotten of my crime." I plotted. I waited till the stroke of midnight before I go outside as I planned. I sat on my bed trying my best to prevent me from sleeping, waiting till it was dead silent and making plans of how many poster I can tear off by morning.

The clock tower marked midnight, but not single noise was heard for the past three hours, I assumed everypony was asleep by then, but I decided to play it smart. I put on my duster and gauntlet, and opened the window of my room. I could already see some poster nearby from the window view, I paused for a sec and looked at the rooftops of neighboring buildings to see if any guards were there. "Clear... Good... Hmmm I better go to the roof and get a better view maybe I'll spy more posters." I murmured to myself. I quietly began to climb up the side of the orphanage to the roof, careful to not make any noise. After climbing the edge of rooftop, I glanced around to give a second inspection for any authority, but not a single speck of live could be seen. I walked around the top to see the block and notice at least fifteen posters on this block alone. I decided to just clear this block and tomorrow night I'll go clear the market area and so on so forth until the guards and people forget of my crime. I leapt from the roof of the orphanage to a nearby building and used my gauntlet to claw down to my first poster of the night. I tried my best to stay off the ground where guards or anything could easily spot me, but since most of the posters were placed at ground level I had to walk it most often than not. I stopped several times and hid behind anything that can provide cover and trembled with fear whenever I heard the slightest sound or imagine that I was being followed by a guard or worst... Suarians. I was very much afraid of the dark alone when I was a young foal, but Mother only made it worst with her story about lizard-like creatures that stand on two legs and have arm that can stretch forever and a tongue in the shape of a sharp edged needle that will kidnap little foals and eat them. I knew this time was the perfect hour to not get caught so I had to man up and leave childish nightmares aside. After a much filled wall running, tiptoeing, poster ripping, one paranoia filled hour later it was finally time for me to return home. I end up at the roof of a shop that was at the edge of the market, I scanned the area and notice a couple of guards at their post asleep... and at minimum twelve posters. I could easily sneak around the guards but I can feel my eye lids growing heavy and sleepiness blurring my concentration. "I'll do it tomorrow." I yawned, as I turned around to head home something caught my eye... something... big. The clouds that filled the night sky were being torn apart by the massive structure of a travel blimp. The unique paint job on the side and massive size of the ship allowed me to conclude that blimp was not from here. Although small merchant blimps are common here, huge massive travel blimps are a rare sight and for a blimp like that to arrive at midnight even rarer. "What would a blimp of that size be hulling" Fueled by pure curiosity I decided to go forth and investigate the massive vessel and see what it bore in its hull and whom did it belong to.

After a long run on various rooftops and shops, I finally caught up with the blimp that landed at the east port of the city. I hid at the edge of a rooftop nearest to the port to get a better view of what was happening. A posse of earth ponies and zebras with similar uniforms unload several crates and bags of many sizes off the deck of the ship, by the looks of it they look like camp equipment: shovel and pickaxes, as well as food and other necessities. After assuming that they were just bring more supplies for the city, a unicorn started yelling out orders to rest. Indeed, this was bizarre for unicorns weren't common in our city, just like peguases, and griffons. I wasn't able to hear what she was saying so I decided to take a risk by getting closer to the site. I climbed down and hid at the corner of a building and perked up an ear to listen, "Hurry up slackers! Unload those crates! Hurry we have to get all this stuff to the desert by tonight! Hurry," she began to crack her whip at the workers that weren't moving fast enough, "Come on! Or not Master Ahuizotl will have your head for trophies!" she yelled out, when the workers heard the name Ahuizotl they began working twice as hard, "Hurry, we need to leave the city before that wench, Daring Do, arrives!". "Who's Ahuizotl and who is she talking about?" I asked myself, I looked over the corner and notice the mare with the whip looking at the clock tower OHH SHOOT!! It's three a'clock. I need to get back home. I didn't think staying any longer was a good idea anyways, plus I had a lot of ground to cover before I make it home so I climbed to the roof headed for my bed. "HEY YOU STOP!!" SHIT!! They saw me, I ducked and turned around to see who caught me, but it turns out I wasn't the only one spying on them. I saw a silhouette run away from the scene and disappeared into the direction I was heading too, I ignore them and went leaping back home.
My soul was begging for rest when I arrived to the orphanage, I tried to open the front door but remembered that it was closed. It was clear that sleepiness and weariness were weighing me down as dragged my hooves on the floor. I circled the orphanage twice looking for my bedroom window before I found it. I began climbing up the wall, exhausted, until finally arriving to the window's edge. I lightly tapped on the window glass trying to open it, but it wouldn't budge not matter how hard I pushed. After a few minutes of constant pushing it came to my exhausted mind that maybe I wasn't on the right window all this time, the sole thought of that depressed me from my last ounce of strength left me hanging on a window sill. I was just about to let go an drop two stories down to a hard dirt road, when I heard whispers coming from the building's top, I dragged myself to the top to see who was making that noise. When I stumbled onto the roof I saw Sapphire staring at the beautiful night sky with her scarf on her neck and a saddle bag full with goods laying on her side, "What are you doing?" I asked her, wiping my eyes to see a little better, She froze on the spot and dared not to turn. "Nothing." She said shoving the saddle bags aside, she found the courage to turn around to see who had asked and saw me, she lets out sigh of relief when she saw a familiar face. I stumbled towards her saddle bags and inspected the goods that it contained: a shovel, some camp equipment, and a familiar uniform that I've seen before. "So you were the other one at the port." I said, I turned to look at her, she looked surprised that I guessed correctly of where she was. "How do you know?! Were...you there too?" I nodded in response to her question, I sat besides her and explained everything I have done tonight, stopping several time to yawn and blink. After my explanation, she confessed that she was out stealing from the shipping dock to resell items and make a profit for the orphanage and trying to be like me... her hero, I blushed when he said that. "Sapphire I'm no hero. I'm a thief, a raider, a low life of society." I assured her, but she was in complete denial and shook her head in disagreement.
"I have seen how the children admire you when you bring in money to the orphanage." she bickered, "Yes. True, but they don't know I steal it from temples," I admitted. " They cheer because they know every 'shipment' means more food or cloths. They like me because I'm always there to help them with whatever problem they have and fix it." I said, I saw Sapphire's eyes beginning to water and her face grew bright red with anger as tears began running down her cheeks. I hugged her to provide her some comfort, I could feel her tears shower my shoulder, "It's just that when I try to be like you... it seems that everypony hates me for doing so well of course I'm a thief. Like the kids in the afternoon... Did you see the face they made when Mother slapped me,". Actually, I didn't notice them, I was in shock of Mother's action and worrying for you. I allowed her to cry on my shoulder and let her get it all out of her system, "*Sniff* you really are there to help with everypony's problem *Sniff*." she said as she started to let go of me. Z...z...z *POP* "Huh! Yeah. You know me always there to help." I yawned, I was sad of having to let go of Sapphire, for her shoulder was very comfy. She blushes as she stares at the alluring stars and took in a deep breath, "You know now that we are confessing and all. I have to confess something to you.... I like you more than just a brother.... That's why mother was focused on keeping me away from you today...and probably tomorrow as well, I'm not sure how she found out though. I'd understand if we're related but I've asked her before and she says no, we aren't related. I know it sounds kind of weird but I just couldn't keep hiding my feelings any more... And I too worry for you whenever you go off raiding and don't come till dark...............Raider?" she stops gazing at the star and looks to her side to discover an out-cold Raider fast sleep with his mouth open, and legs twitching, she sighs in relief, thankful that her crush did not hear her confession. She giggles at the unconscious pony, unravels her scarf and covers him with it, like it was a blanket, and with a good night kiss leaves the pony to rest.

Somewhere out in the desert
"Master Ahuizotl, the equipment has arrived and our captain, Miss La Tiga, is returning home. She sends this letter and her regards." The soldier declared as he enter into his master's tent, who was sitting on a fine leather seat with his collection of tamed wild cats behind an imported wooden desk. Ahuizotl stretched out from his desk to grasp the letter from his soldier hoof, who's to afraid to come any closer due to his panther watching him with hungry eyes.

Dear Master Ahuizotl

The creature neatly folded the letter and placed in his pocket for save keeping. "Sir, what would you like us to do?" the soldier asked, waiting for his master's reply. He was running his claws through his white cat's soft silk fur and smiled devilishly. "Rest for now for tomorrow we will attack and when that happens all the world would fear the name, Ahuizotl!! HAHA!!" He stood up from his chair, launching his cat away, to add more dreadfulness to his phrase.
"And what about Daring Do?" the soldier asked with a Prussian cat stuck on his head, Ahuizotl slammed his hands to his desk, "After tomorrow. She won't be a problem." he assured, as he stabbed a dagger into the picture of his nemesis.