//------------------------------//
// Where Thunder Strikes Twice 
// Story: The Night And Her Thief 
// by Cosmological Principle 
//------------------------------//

Lightning exploded out into a tree some far away Canterlot whilst the act was imprinted in a bright purple jagged ribbon across the sky in the downpour, yet it was half a minute later until I felt his brother thunder greet me from atop my perch on the flat metal tip of The Great Library's segregated glass dome. Wind blew leeward up cross the many step of the library, each gust visible like a living aurora; she went past the eight towering marble coulombs and blew against the sides of a great open double door creating beautifully an outline of windy moving spikes all reaching for warmth inside. The rain soaked me not as each drop that struck my garb slid off and unto the glass dome below without dampening the cloth, suspending my apparel in a constant effect of dryness whilst I looked over Canterlot.
My gaze faced out to The Library's front as I saw across the city's winding streets lined with homes and shops, all of which in each of their respectable districts, until they reached back to Canterlot Castle being bathed in a heavy rainfall. 
Under my hood; my alabaster eyes had locked to spot a ways away betwixt the castle and the dome.
In the middle of Canterlot the streets circled round a very large opening that cut inside the slightly urban environment of The Communitarian district; a huge manor was erected in the middle of the opening that faced its large open doors toward my perch while wide steps led up to the raised colossal doors.
The stairs split downwards into two separate railed staircases that led toward a yard out front of the manor; small steps led up the sides of a sizable stone circle in the yard that held a tall rectangular wall-like spire of perfectly smooth black obsidian in the circles center. Thousands of thousands of names climbed up the reflective black wall in elegant cursive while hundreds of hundreds of dripping candles and sputterings of wax were scattered about and around the glowing yard, beside the doors, on the railing of the stairs, beside the wall and atop it; giving the entire yard a peaceful warmth in the night's cold loving's.

This almost religious manor is called by those who actually attend the place rather than steal from it  (the poor fools) 'The Memorial Of Canterlot', and with good reason as this is the place all of the ponys who died in the city now eternally reside along with most of their usually valuable possessions. Deep under resides a vast maze of crypts, all of the lost soul's bodies are beheld and watched by a single large and wealthy family of extremely protective monks that are actually far more snooty and far, far more crazy than what they look on the tin. The manor above however is a place where ponys who were connected to significant events concerning Canterlot's history have the 'grand honor' of their possessions and work displayed like a museum to the public.
Only few day before had I last stole from The Memorial and now the whole area is certain to be filled with paranoid fanatics who's entire social circle consist of loonies, the dead and pompous siblings all just eager to have a chance to plunge steel into me.
First round I stole from this place I had to take a big chunk of time just keeping out of sight; as the monks went into a huge manhunt only a couple seconds after they found a pot missing, so they did what any apparently peaceful band of monks would do, they charmingly threw everypony out calling them all "vile and heinous bird filth of criminal lovers" before they almost tore the place apart looking for a single pot I stole. It wasn't even a good looking pot.
Even if the family is absurdly bonkers I wouldn't have expected them to hire one of Black Market's own thief's to steal back a painting from one of her caravans. That takes bravery.
In my hour time with Marky (as I call her for my amusement) she told me how they had paid large amounts of bits to hire one of her own thief's to steal back the painting and how it was now my job to intercept the thief, send the family a message, and make sure the valuable was Markys once more.
The painting that was the center of all this espionage is called 'The Transparent Chain' by its author, it uses crystals fused to the paper to depict a pair of crystal stallions befriending another despite being under the rule of King Sombra.
The picture was very delicate, very risky, and very, very valuable. I get to steal it twice in the exact same week. 

Could a thief ever ask for more?


Perhaps I shouldn't have asked that question.
Perhaps.

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I sat inside shadow contained but not confined to an alley on the right side of a wide street, one of the same street that encircles round the manor. Dozens of ponys rich and poor slowly trotted down the road. Some held candles on platters while some held gifts and toys but all of them made their way down the road and toward The Memorial. Some wore expensive suits and ties and some wore rags or nothing at all, some were young and some were old, some had smiles and some had frowns, it didn't really matter to me; only the few that held valuables did.
A crowd of chatty mares surrounding a beefy stallion in a tie trotted by past the alley; not noticing the new addition of a thief to their large huddled group. I slowly walked with the group until I slowly came into the large stone yard that led toward the spire. There were ponys all across the yard, a mass of them were going up the stairs and into the manor, many stood and chatted in the huge cobblestone yard while dozens crowded around and placed gift and candle near the lightly raised circle beneath the spire. As the group started up the stairs along with the others all crowding around me I looked up to the spire and saw that it was positively towering as pegasi hovered and flew around it carrying candles in hoof and small fouls on backs.
We walked into the tall doors as we left the night's wet and cold outside for a bright and warm enormous foyer with hundreds of ponys all walking around inside. The foyer was absolutely massive with dozens of branching hallways on the side, another equally huge door on the wall far opposite the other, a chandler high above hung from the lofty ceiling and a large broad railed balcony above the tower-like raised door my group was walking toward. As we neared the door I could feel a deep and wide stone staircase leading down past the door and into the crypt; candles in sconces lined the stone hall all the way to the bottom. Then my group stopped moving in a fit of shushing and giggling; I began to hear similar across the whole foyer of ponys all looking up to the balcony high above.
An elderly cream colored stallion walked up to the railing as he slowly peered down at everypony with brown withered eyes.
He wore a regal velvet robe across his back with a gold trim and a white camauro covering his head. There were two pompous looking unicorns in tuxedos to his side.

The old stallion began to shakily open his mouth as his lips lightly quivered.

"My interruption shaint be lengthy as i know you all wanting to return to your loved departed." His loud voice slowly echoed in the silent grand hall. The only other sound was the pattering of rain.
"On behalf of The Memorial Of Canterlot and all it's associated we wish to apologize for my...brash words from before."
I started to eye a stallion in front of me that had a golden chained watch in his back pocket.
"I admit i was not myself and i wish all of your humble apology for my inexcusable outburst. Although i see now how my actions were wrong i believe i may right my wrong to you with good news." 

Everyone began to whisper to them self's and exchange glances.

"On behalf of The Memorial Of Canterlot we are pleased to unveil our recapture of The Transparent Chain after it was so wickedly stolen from us early this week!"

Let's see we got seven monocles, two pairs of dress shoes, eleven pocket watch's...

"In mere hours the crystal exhibit will reopened for the public once more!" He shouted.
Pony's began to stamp their hooves and cheer while not noticing I just nicked about thirty things already.
I found this a good time to sneak between the crowds and head toward the far right of the hall. Of course I continued to pilfer pockets the whole way there.
"In celebration of this wonderful occasion we will be serving food imported from the crystal empire itself to your deserving stomachs!"

Great stars how many piercings can a single pony have on her? Seriously that could not have been comfortable, she should thank me for taking them.
I started to get near a hallway on the right, my own pockets now a bit heavier with small shiny objects.

"Please treat our waiters well and we will treat you well in kind. Enjoy your time in our hall of the departed with your loved ones."
His voice slowly began to fade down the hall as I rounded right past a corner; my mind was intent on finding that crystal exhibit.
"That will be all." His voice echoed down the halls as I walked up a staircase at the end of the hall.

Wind blew forth the regal hall touching every painting and window adorning the wooden walls as rain smashed pattered against the rightward glass windows as if she begs for shelter from herself. Moonlight freed herself from the glass revealing a door left of me. A nail jutted from the middle to hold string lacing inside a hanging sign; it rocked and knocked against the door softly in the wind.
The letters had light raise on them for decoration purposes as i'm partial to believing the craftspony had no intention of allowing a blind thief to read from it.

'Exhibit sealed on account of rats.'

What garbage.


I closed my eye's with an inhale slow and calm. Bringing my muzzle hidden neath dark cloth to the doorknob fore I blew my held breath inside the lock. Dust and moisture danced around the plug grazing on what i felt as key pins and grooves.
This was a simple pin tumbler from what the wind told me and I was surprised they didn't exchange for disc tumblers since my last visit. I think I might be insulted.
Perhaps they think me dumb.
My horn glowed dimly blue signaling my entire focus on the lock while I used my highly overrated magic to pick it. I had done this spell many times enough to use it efficiently and with as little exhaustion as possible; in order for a thief to be successful he must as quick and efficent as he is silent.
Soon enough the lock gave up its attempt to rival me as I pushed upon the door letting an breeze blow inside the dark room informatively.
It was a single small room that appeared to be a bedroom however the presence of podiums indicated this was actually an exhibit although it was not the one I was looking for. Still I would go home happier with more in my pockets.
I pushed the door closed with my hind leg's and began to rummage as silently I could.

Minute's grew as fast as the loot while brushes, music boxs, dresses and gems fell into my bag's bottoms.
The moonlight under the door began to darken. There was somepony outside the door.
I immediately spun around and slid under the bed ere I laid on the cold floor completely silent. I took a deep smell of the air from under the bed as the pony outside formed inside my minds eye.
He was a fairly young stallion in what I could only guess a tuxedo. He had just stopped outside and was looking all around him with his mouth slightly open in a state of bewilderment and slight annoyance. Pacing down the hall very slowly he began to sniff deeply then turn toward the door. He slowly walked up to the door and looked at it quizzically before lightly pushing on it. 
Upon noticing the door was open he proceeded to lose his mind
He clinched his teeth and glared into the room with a violent passion to hit whoever he thought did this.

"WHOO. TOUCCCHEDD. THIISSS. DOOOAR!?" He screamed with all of his might.
I hope you can understand my not wanting to respond to this silly stallion.
Seething with rage he wrapped his hoof around the knob and slammed it closed, rocking the very ground with the force of his abuse on the door he was just ranting about being touched.
I heard him storm off down the hall screaming and declaring he would have this door touching idiots head. I would have been flattered but I was a tad more concerned in getting out of the room before a mob tore the manor apart.
I pushed out the door and broke into a quickened but silent trot down the hall.

After scrambling around the manor looking for any sort of sign as to where the crystal exhibit might be I came upon a large door at the halls end. I slowly crept all the way down the hall fore I inhaled once more and blew inside the lock.

"THERE IS THAT DEFILER OF DOORS!"

Oh good.

There was, in fact, a very large and very furious mob of caretakers all the way at the end of hall running toward me wielding cold steel and the intent to kill. I started to form the key faster and with more focus as I was fueled by my desire for a head still on my neck by nights end. The key pushed up the pins as the plug rotated with a 'click' and the mob roared with a guttural snarl.
I pushed past the door as fast I could and braced my back against it. Despite the snarling mob about to ram down the door I was able to get a good view of the exhibit before me. I smelt of the air and she told me of all the statues and all the paintings and all the little things in display cases all around the rectangular room. An empty space led up to an enormous mural on the back wall while to the right was an equally large window covering the walls entirety. There was something else as well, something smelled off, something...somepony.

There was a mare just a few feet in front of the mural wearing an odd assortment of clothing.
She wore a lengthy trenchcoat and a steel helmet that covered her entire head with a large duffel bag round her back. It was the other thief. It looked I had caught her about to display the painting as the bag was open and a large cylinder rested in one of her forearms that she gazed upon. That is, until she looked up at me. Upon sight she immediately stuffed the cylinder into her back and pointed her hoof to me as if accusing me of some act.

I didn't have time to question her as an imposingly thick arrow shot out from her coat toward me.

My horn flamed blue as I forced the arrow past me and toward the door's lock; it stabbed straight down the plug and jammed it, ironically sealing us in together.
I traded the crazed loons for a murderous mare. 
Truly I feel blessed.
I took this new privacy to launch myself toward a small wooden podium that jutted from the floor. The odd mare galloped toward the podium with all her force meaning her intent to smash it. I threw my right side into a roll away from the podium as I slid across the floor on my hooves mid roll. She launched her entire right side toward the podium; when her ribs connected with the wood her bones proved stronger as the podium explosively became mush.
Wood, glass, dust, and a very angry mare with bad fashion sense sprayed across the floor leaving only some jagged planks of wood still standing connected to the now thoroughly dirty linoleum floor. I charged toward the mare as she raised both her hoofs toward me. Arrows blasted out of her coat toward me, then another set, then another and another in a barrage of arrows. I shifted all my weight to my back into a sliding backward fall under the first six exploding into the ground before I broke my slide into a sideways roll onto my hooves narrowly being missed by the other two. My magic ripped my crossbow from a hook interconnecting one on my back. I jammed the side of the crossbow against her throat as I tackled her back to the ground whilst she tried seething under her helm to point her hooves toward my face. I wrestled her hoofs away from my very fragile head as another barrage shot out from all four of her hooves into the chandelier above causing wood, glass, burning wax, and ember all unto my back and across the floor. Before I could rip her helm off I heard the song of steel being sung from under her sleeves.
With a 'shing' steel blades shot out her very annoying trenchcoat sleeves while she writhed on the floor trying her best to force me off and gut me. I focused my magic to her clothing, and with some intense concentration, I ignited her sleeves into a brief puffing blue fire revealing a complex auto notching mechanism tied to small crossbows strapped to her forearms. The blades were locked in a sliding mechanic controlled by some unseen appendage by a string.

Wings.

As if she heard my thoughts; pink wings ruptured her trenchcoat. Her wings pushed against the floor, giving her enough to throw me off her and flap into the air above me. My crossbow flew into the air with a blue hue around it fore I curved it back toward me.
Frustrated with not being able to stab me; she screamed at me and put her hooves to the sides of her helmet fore she flung it to the floor. It smelled heavily of sweat as moisture and dust flew out of the clattering helmet now spinning on the sullied floor.
She had the most vibrant shade of orange, red, and yellow in her long, limp and glistening mane. Her trenchcoat was tattered into mere cloth clinging to what was chainmail of all things that protected most of her torso and hind legs, leaving only her forelegs and head bare to my eyes. She had bright auburn eyes of utter fury.
This odd mare was a thief as i and any self respecting thief does not show a face, this had to be a signal.
If a thief shows his face to another then either they are an accomplice or about to be very dead.
I don't think she would hear my plea to buddy.

The mare pointed both her hoofs at me as i saw an arrow notch itself into her bow.
An arrow plucked from my holster and pulled back the string on my crossbow as I pointed toward her center.
She fired.
I fired.