//------------------------------// // Nineteenth Heist // Story: A New World, A New Stage // by tdnpony //------------------------------// Opening theme: Alice sighed as she lay against the bark of the tree as she sat on a thick branch, looking up at the sky. Ever since the heist ended, she couldn’t stop thinking back to what Jonathan had asked her, or rather, Fox. “The reason why I’m still Fox…” she thought. The answered seemed so obvious back when she first decided to become Fox again, and she still believed it. Yet somehow, Jonathan’s question bothered her to no end. “Something on your mind?” Shade asked as she climbed up on a the branch next to her. “...something like that,” she sighed. Shade quirked an eyebrow, before her face gained a knowing smile. “Its Jonathan, isn’t it?” Alice’s eyes widened for a moment, before they relaxed again, yet she said nothing, which to Shade, only confirmed her guess. “Honestly girl...how long are you going to dance around the issue? We both know why he has such an effect on you,” Shade chuckled. Unknown to them, Toichi had decided to check on them, but when he heard them talking, for some reason he decided to stay back and listen. However, Shade’s words made him VERY curious. He always knew Alice seemed oddly...fond of that cop who keeps chasing her, but now it seemed like it was more than just fondness...and he wanted to know why. “Easy for you to say. You’re not the one dealing with it,” Alice grumbled as she sat up, before looking towards Manehattan, her eyes gaining a far away look. She remained like that for a moment before sighing. “You can come out now, Toichi. I’m not a master thief for nothing, you know.” “Sorry…” the colt said, a sheepish smile on his face at being found out. “I guess I was just curious. Why do you think about that officer so much?” he asked innocently. Alice sighed at the question, but smiled slightly. “I kinda figured you’d ask that…” she chuckled lightly, before looking up at the sky again. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell you...my...connection with that officer, Jonathan…” she said. Meanwhile, another group was having a similar scene… “...Trixie is curious,” Trixie started as she looked at Jonathan who was currently lying on the roof of the wagon. “About what?” Heat asked. “Trixie has noticed that Jonathan often looks at that bracelet on his arm when he has nothing else to do. Why is that? Trixie is curious as to why that bracelet is so important to him,” she explained. “Ah that. Yeah, that was before he met any of us. All we know is that it's very precious to him, seeing as Alice gave it to him,” Howl nodded. “Alice?” Trixie asked in surprise. “And that is something you probably should ask him yourself,” Echo chuckled as they walked away, leaving Trixie to blink in curiosity, before she took their advice. After explaining it to him, he gained an almost nostalgic look. “This bracelet, huh?” he smiled. “Yeah, it was a gift...and a promise…” he started as he began to tell his tale. As the two former humans started to tell their tale, without realizing it the two began to weave a single overall tale. “My connection to him starts with my ancestors…” Alice started. “As you know, for generations my family has been the identity behind the mask of ‘Phantom Thief Fox’. I don’t think I ever told you my full name. I’m Alice Maximilion, the 21st Phantom Thief Fox.” “Just as Fox has been around for generations, my family has spent just as long chasing after them,” Jonathan started. “No matter where, if a Fox was active, you could bet a Trace was chasing after them, and I’m the latest in the long line.” “But this time...there was something a bit different than normal,” Alice sighed. “Normally a Fox and a Trace would never meet before they continued the...tradition, but this time...it didn’t go that way.” “This time I had a met someone who I honestly can’t stop thinking of, even more than Fox,” Jonathan sighed. “That cop, Jonathan Trace…” Alice started. “Alice Maximilion…” Jonathan started. “Was...is, my childhood friend...and my best friend too,” they both said, a small smile on their faces. “We were born in Hoenn, and in an odd twist, happened to live not far away from each other,” Alice explained. “I met him by chance when I was 4. I still remember seeing him climb up a tree trying to help a Taillow that fell out of its nest,” she chuckled at the memory. “You know how sometimes you bump into someone and end up befriending them? Well...let’s just say I fell on her this time,” Jonathan chuckled lightly. “She was an interesting girl, curious, playful, and we hit it off pretty well.” “It wasn’t long before we became friends, and soon we were best friends,” Alice said a warm smile on her face at the memory. “But...those days didn’t last…” she sighed. “We were able to just have fun and play together for 5 years till we were 9...then my dad got a promotion and a transfer. We had to move to Kalos shortly after,” Jonathan sighed. “The day we left, Alice gave me this bracelet. It wasn’t just a gift though...it was a mark of our promise together…” he smiled. “Our promise that no matter what, we’d never forget each other, that we’d always be friends, and more importantly, that we’d meet each other again some day,” Alice remembered, a small tear falling from her eye. “5 years passed after that…” they both said. “During the time, I decided that I wanted to inherit my father’s title, and for a few years, he trained me to be the next Phantom Thief Fox, while at the same time, I found Shade during the time, as well as met Charlotte and Spinner,” Alice nodded, remembering her training. It was harsh at times, but she knew her father did it with every intention of keeping her safe, and he succeeded that’s for sure. “I applied for a trainer license not long after we started living in Kalos, and eventually got Heat as my starter. We met Howl a few months later while I was on my journey. But after I got my fifth badge, I decided to follow in my parents’ footsteps and joined the police when I was 11, and I passed my training when I was 12,” Jonathan smiled at the memory. “2 more years passed, with Echo joining the team along the way, and one day, the station got a notice. One I was expecting to happen eventually. It was a notice from Fox. I still remember the police scrambling to the scene, ready for him. But when Fox appeared, boy were we surprised to see a woman rather than a man, since it turned out the previous Fox had already passed down his title to his successor. As you can guess, she got away,” he smiled wryly at the end, before it turned into a genuine smile. “But it wasn’t all bad. The next day, when I was going to work, I was...surprised when someone suddenly covered my eyes, but when the voice asked me to guess who it was…” he smiled warmly remembering that moment. “It was Alice. After work, I met up with her at the park, and we talked.” “I had decided to be a researcher after I finished my training, and I managed to get a scholarship at Anistar University in Kalos. But of course, like any good member of the legacy, I didn’t want to just fly into Kalos and live like anyone else, I wanted to say hello to my new home, the Fox way,” Alice chuckled at the end. “You wouldn’t imagine my surprise when on my first heist, Jonathan was there. After that, I made it a habit to come visit him when I could, we often talked over lunch or when he was in the park to clear his head. Life was great for the most part. Sure we couldn’t play like we used to, but in the end I was happy that we could fulfill our promise of meeting each other again,” Alice smiled, a few tears falling from her eyes, her face gaining a look of nostalgia despite it not being so long ago. “And that promise hasn’t changed,” Jonathan affirmed. “We made a promise and I intend to keep it. I WILL find her again,” he stated with conviction. When the two finished their respective tales, their audience could only look in wonder. For Trixie, she honestly couldn’t help but admire how loyal Jonathan was to his friend, though after hearing that story, she could tell he saw her as more than a friend, even if it looked like he himself didn’t realize it. So with a nod, she walked away, happy that she had a chance to understand her friend a bit more. Toichi on the other hand, was a mixture of intrigued...and confused. “But Ms. Fox...if he’s your best friend...why doesn’t he…?” he tried to word it carefully, but Alice could already tell what he was thinking. “Why doesn’t he know?” she sighed. “That’s easy. I didn’t want him to know. I guess I was...just too afraid to tell him…” she sighed. Toichi thought about it for a moment, then nodded. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense. You wouldn’t want to lose him as a friend,” he nodded, while Shade facepalmed on the side, as once again her trainer completely missed the REAL reason why she’s like this, but decided to leave it be for now. “They really ARE made for each other,” she sweat dropped. “They’re both utterly clueless,” she sighed remembering how everyone BUT Alice and Jonathan could see how they really felt about each other. A few hours later, Jonathan and Co. entered the guard station in Fillydelphia, a squirming burlap sack with them. When the chief questioned them on the sack, they opened it, revealing the currently hog tied and gagged Medicine Bits, before presenting all the evidence they had on her. When the Guard Captain saw it, he all but grabbed the evidence, and after a quick processing, was shaking their paws so much they felt like their arms were about to come off. Needless to say, the Guard Captain was VERY pleased when they could take Medicine Bits away, said mare glaring at Jonathan and Co. with enough heat to dry a riverbed. Not that it mattered, they had enough evidence to make sure she would stay locked up for a loooong time. “Now what?” Echo asked as they left the guard station. “The normal, we go after Fox,” Jonathan sighed. “Yeah, but where do we go after this? We kinda left her behind in Manehattan, and by now she’d be gone,” Howl sighed. “Maybe, but…” Jonathan pulled out the map. “The next big city she hasn’t been to is...Canterlot,” he said. “Wait...isn’t that?” Echo blinked. “The capital of Equestria? Yep. And do you really think Fox could resist making a statement by stealing from the very heart of Equestria?” Jonathan chuckled. “No, if anything, she’s aiming to bet it all, and if she succeeds, she’s basically cementing herself as one of, if not THE best Thief in Equestria, to be able to steal stuff from under the noses of royalty.” “...Alice, I have to say this straight,” Sleight sighed. “This is the most INSANE plan you’ve cooked up yet!” “I have to agree,” Storm nodded. “Are you seriously planning on stealing the Crown Jewels, from the castle, under the PRINCESS’ noses at that?!” “Yeah, pretty much,” Alice nodded. “...I worry about your state of mind sometimes…” Sleight deadpanned in response, before sighing. “Alright, what kind of ‘miracle’ is Fox about to pull this time?” “I have a few ideas, but first, we’ll need to plan it out a little,” Alice chuckled. “Looks like we’re gonna be paying the castle a few visits first.” And with that, they gathered around to plan their heist and its preparations. This was easily going to be the biggest heist they’ve pulled in Equestria, and they were NOT about to screw it up. Ending theme: