Chapter 1
A shadow sped across one wall of the store, making its way to the front. The heavy rain drowned out all noise as it reached the entrance door. Amazingly, the door was already unlocked. The shopkeepers must have forgotten about it when they left. You really chose well tonight, the mare thought to herself. All that time to find tools for taking down locked doors without a mess, and for what? She decided to be a little more cautious with the profits from this night's work.
The store was swept clean, every item set for tomorrow's opening. It took only a minute to reach the back of the store and find the safe tucked away in a corner. Apparently, the store owners had thought it was enough to place the safe out of sight, and not bother with stronger security. The key to the safe door was directly underneath the safe itself, another sign that not much thought went into keeping it protected. As she did on most nights, the mare talked to herself while she worked. "They really think nothing like this could happen to them? The ponies in this town are way too trusting."
She pulled several stacks of bits from the safe, pouring then into her bag. "Another clean sweep," she said as she locked the safe back up. It really was too easy this time. Slinging the saddlebag over one shoulder, she imagined the look on those ponies' faces when they next opened that safe.
"Hey, you there! Stop!"
Her thought was cut short as a figure darted in front of her and blocked the doorway. This stallion was brandishing a fireplace poker, though he hardly looked as though he would use it. "Ah'm warnin' you. Don't come any closer!" His voice was shaking now, taking all the weight out of his threat. The mare charged past him, knocking the strong earth pony aside easily and turning down the street.
It wasn't long before the same stallion could be heard drawing closer to her. "Get back here, thief!"
"This one doesn't quit, does he?" she asked. "Well, if he really wants this..." She stopped and turned sharply around, stretching her wings and dropping the bag. "Want me to come back, partner? Come on then. Let's have some fun."
The sun had not yet risen in Ponyville, but already the scent of breads and sweets rolled through the streets as Pinkie Pie began preparing for the usual breakfast rush. A great array of donuts, pastries and cakes, filled with all sorts of fruits and cheeses, lay in neat rows beneath the clear countertop. Nopony was awake, save the two who often came in early to take the first choice of the wide selection. Lyra sat at a table on one end of the store, noisily eating her third donut a she read her newspaper. As usual, her friend Bon Bon sat across from her, slowly sipping a large cup of coffee.
"You know," Lyra remarked between bites, "I'm surprised nopony else is here most days. Ponies wonder why they can't find what they were hoping to buy, but they could've gotten it if they just woke up a little earlier. They really shouldn't complain if it's their own fault, right?
Pinkie noticed Bon Bon's lack of expression as she listen to her oblivious friend. If not for that coffee, the poor pony would likely have fallen asleep right at the table. At the moment, she was propping herself up with one hoof as Lyra carried on. Pinkie then remembered the cupcakes she had left in the oven, and rushed over to make sure they hadn't been burned while she was distracted.
Lyra's voice sounded from across the bakery. "Hey Pinkie Pie, have you heard the news?"
"Nope, haven't heard anything." Pinkie placed the new tray of cupcakes on the counter and bounced across the store to land beside Lyra. "What is it? Something fun?"
"Um, no, it's not fun," the unicorn dully answered. She flipped back through the newspaper, ending on the second page. "There's been another robbery out in Appleoosa. A pony's in the hospital this time, too.
"Oh... Sure are a lot of those lately." Pinkie grabbed the paper for a closer inspection. "First there were a couple in Manehattan, then Baltimare, and now Appleoosa. Kinda weird that whoever's doing this hasn't been caught yet. I mean, you'd think they could find her by now."
"Wait, what? 'Her?' How do you even—"
Pinkie shoved the paper back, pointing to one paragraph. "It says over hear that they keep finding letters left after the crime, and I'm pretty sure it's always the same pony leaving it. She's apologizing for them and saying it's not her fault. It's the weirdest thing, too. Have you ever heard of a crook feeling sorry like that? I sure haven't."
Lyra folded up the paper and returned it to her bag, bringing out a small coin purse. "Well, at least Ponyville's safe from whoever it is. Oh, wait..." She rapped a hoof against a nearby table. "Okay, so that's another five bits, right?"
A stack of five gold bits floated to the counter, guided by Lyra's magic while she put her purse back and started for the door. "There you go, Pinkie. Same time tomorrow?"
"Alrighty then, Lyra. I'll see you both tomorrow, bright and early!"
Sugarcube Corner would be empty for another half hour or so before other customers started to arrive. Pinkie Pie pulled another copy of the Ponyville Express and looked again at the article on the recent robbery. "Such a weird pony, writing apologies like this. I'd kinda like to meet whoever this is, just to see what she's like. Maybe we could even be friends!"
Pinkie paused for a moment. "Wait, would that make me friends with a thief? I sure don't want that, but I don't really want her to be lonely either, so maybe..." She tossed the newspaper back onto the stack and slowly walked back to the ovens. "Making friends sure is hard."