The Night And Her Thief

by Cosmological Principle

Pick

Mute hooves sung not the song of my presence to the pony's neath them, my heart ceased its unending pump at each gap I leapt between each roof I crossed.

Shuddered was my breathing.

Rising was my pulse.

Circulating was my blood.

Roaring was my wind.

And it was glorious.

I slammed down on a bridge made from planks betwixt a sweet shop and a chariot pulling service; dust sputtering as I leapt from it and unto a similar wooden crossing abaft it that clung to another buildings walls. This was part of my city's network; these wood bridges act for crossroads to the assorted Canterlotian districts each type of fence preferred. The Libertarian District housed the Quill Scabbard Road as it is only four blocks right of The Great Library; my shady friend prefers to meet here for it is the furthest from the castle and its barracks always watchful night guard. The day guards of Canterlot act better as militia and metro workers while they patrol each district. The night guards take more obtrusive roles for those who cause misdeed and a small albeit rare number of rebellious gangs, vandalismic teens, fences, and of course; lowly thief's.
I leapt from the top of a book store down unto the concrete floor of the fourth alley on the left side of Quill Scabbard.

I basked silent in the shadows whilst I crossed forward down the street, left unknown by the night to those who would wish harm upon my hidden form as I crept into the narrow alley and neared a purple lined, brown door at the far back rightward of said alley. Boxes and cages sat both sides of me; I passed a broken open birdcage, a crow was perched upon its top whose head snapped left and right, eyeing me hungrily. I dominated its gaze with my pale eyes and approached the dusty door; upon pulling the handle, wind whistled inbetween the now open doors seam's as she whispered sinfully to my eager ears. A hall of downward stairs inhaled my air's touch as I descended down excitedly; I stepped over more cages and rubble that was strewn about the hall giving it a strangely melancholic and almost decorative atmosphere to it. Wind whispered the shape of a familiar room, it was a small square basement with a single window across from the empty door frame I stood behind, it allowed moonlight past its glass to dimly illuminate a table with a quill set flanking a stack of paper in the middle; a single chair sat under the window.

My left cheek twitched lightly as the wind ended her count stating it had now been exactly and finely 7 minutes; and as if statemented to the fact, I felt a surge of magic flow like wind against my horn; its source was a figure that now was seated under the moons glow.
She had a ink black coat conflicting a bone white mane and had beautiful bright blue eyes that gazed at me under her lifted eyelids. A crow was perched atop her cold horn.

She pierced her lips; lightly and slowly blowing a perfect three note tune that mimicked a songbird before she very slowly brought the tips of her mouth up high in a white toothy grin.

"Black Market. What do you have this time you old filly?" I slowly asked with my sore throat.

"Something you will steal for me you old colt." Her breath was ice upon my skin that chilled even across the desk.
A pale white glow wrapped round a paper upon the top of the stack its breathren rested. It glided across unto my end of the desk before me.
"What i desire most this night of nights is not another valuable no no no no no. I need someone not something; you old colt." Her voice elegantly and calmly weaved.
I cocked my head with the crow atop her horn, its gaze fixed on me while mine fixed on the mare.

"I need a life stolen tonight you old colt."
I pressed my hooves upon the table and fought her bright pupil's with mine pale.
"I am not your assassin nor will i ever be to any. I do not take pony's life's only pockets."

Suddenly she reared back fore she slammed her hooves on the desk; fury incarnate in her features.

"YOU WILL KILL.
YOU WILL KILL FOR ME AND YOU WILL KILL FOR ONLY ME.
YOU. OLD. COLT."

I faltered not.

I looked her dead in her still lidless eyes.

"I am not your thief. I am not your assassin. I. will. not. kill. Not even for you. You. Old. Filly." I responded slowly and hopefully without any visible fear to the mare addressed.

Slowly but surely a toothy grin grew upon her muzzle.

"Juusstt. Wonnnddering. You old colt." She femininely played before she sat back into her chair.

I leaned closer to her.

"Now. What do you reeaally want? Show me your hearts desire. You old filly." I grinned.

With a song similar to cold steel being sheathed, she pulled the quill from and against its holster, darkness dripping like candle wax; she grinned her toothy grin.

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Upon Luna's line of gaze was The Libertarian District, with The Great Library the choice of her quizzical eyes interest. A great glass half-dome sprouted from the middle of the rectangular building, allowing moonlight unto its vast halls of scrolls and books few other places held, drifting her minds separate pair of eyes toward her own collection of literature. An old feeling groped her chest whilst she waned her thought to the thief again. It was a rare feeling, one she always had enjoyed but could do naught but fight it when she thought of the thief, his business was not hers, she insecurely reassured to herself.
"It is a beautiful night tonight isn't it?" Luna jerked in surprise from her sisters sudden appearance.
"Oh! Tia! I did not know you were here! Please forgive me." Luna responded with shock being replaced unto calm again with each word.
"Forgive you for what Lu? If anything you should forgive me for not coming out sooner, it is a truly beautiful night you have crafted this evening." She eulogized at her sister.
"Oh come now, you did not just come to praise my work of all things." Luna quirked, gazing back to another area of interest in the night sky.
"And what would be wrong with that? I know you work so hard out here and I just...wanted to talk for a little." She admitted.
Luna turned her gaze unto her sister, who did likewise in a return of interest.

"We always talk Ti."
"I know we do but...not...talk talk." She said sadly
"What would there be to talk of?"
"You keep thinking of that thief Lu, it worry's me." Launching back into the already spoken concern.
Luna groaned
"Ti why do you bring this up so much?" She asked, tired of arguing once more.
"Because i care for you Lu and i have been your sister long enough to know when something is bothering you so much. Please, i just want this to be settled." She asked with her troubles binding with her soft words.

Luna released a jailed sigh past her glottis whilst Celestia looked in her blue eyes for solace.
Luna gave her it with her wandering thoughts formed in words.

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"A return theft? For something i've already stolen before; you old filly?" Asking for clearance to her chilled breath, while making absolute certain he repeated that phrase at each and every end of his sentences.
"This thief has betrayed me, and if you wont take her life then you will take her boon. You may take it. You may Leave it. Your choice. It all matters not. Well...except for your well being; you old colt." She purred, both hooves on her chin as she peered at me, eyes still unblinking.
"This is an odd request, even from you, you old filly." Again willing myself not to forget the phrase.
My life was dependent on those three words. They must be repeated each and every time unless appropriate, it meant we understood each other and acted as basic manners this mare expected to be held when doing business. This mare was seemingly a mix of deceit and fear incarcerated into her form, but even she expects a standard from others when contracting.
"Are you finally giving your forfeit to challenge you old colt?"

She also knew of where and when to strike my nerves.

"The day i give up your challenges is the day that i die and you know it you old filly." I responded

"I look forward to it. But mostly the robbery...you old colt." Still rocking slightly in her seat playfully.

"How much you old filly?"
She ceased her rocking.
"Seventy thousand bits.

...You old colt." She said, her rocking returning as she swayed her hind legs under the desk to and fro.

I looked at her for small time as she simply cocked her head at me along side her crow, it moved with the birds in perfect alignment.

"...Done. You old filly."
The song of steel sang from the inkwell again as her pale light enveloped the dripping quill and was set down below a line at the bottom of page atop a small stack of lengthy and heavily worded documents retaining of my contract that would assure i did my misdeed.
I kept my word and quill in magic as I signed my false name upon the black line before i reset the quill back inside it's inkwell.
Her grin became toothy once more.

Her pale light surrounded the stack as she slid it under her chair, all whilst she gazed that lidless gaze upon me unceasingly.

"I know with certainty you will return back to me you old colt."

"I always do you old filly." I turned as I stated to her and began to walk to the door.
I felt a chill wind inside my horn once more.
When I turned back, the desk was now empty as I heard her songbird whistle echo in the room before it waltzed out into the cold night air and out the doorway where it echoed into the night.

Contract taken, gear prepped and my heart waiting in anticipation; I begun to walk back out with the nights wind.

And readied myself for a most grand theft.

Comments

[Forgotten]

This is a most excellent treat to read. *bows* It is but my shame that I have but one thumbs up to give.

[ShadowlessNight]

3382810
We have two thumbs in real life...
Why can't we have two here?
I would ceartainly give both to this story.