Identity Thieves

by FictionFlyer

Part One

Author's Note:

With special thanks to Rated Ponystar, who came up with the idea and the plot while giving me practice lessons.

Sorry if the end of this part seems rushed i had just finished it before going to bed so...yeah.

By the way bonus points to who ever spots a movie quote I put in here. :P Anyways enjoy!

It was a sunny day in the Equestrian desert, like most days it was hot and dry as most deserts are. On this particular day, watching the landscape roll past the train windows, Rarity and Applejack sat and conversed on their way to Dodge Junction. The two-day ride from Ponyville was a smooth and peaceful one. The two were heading to Dodge Junction for their own reasons, Rarity wanted to go to find inspiration for southern-style dress designs. Applejack went along, both because she knew Rarity wasn’t in the town long enough to know where everything was as well as wanting to visit Cherry Jubilee.

Finally, the conductor announced that they were entering Dodge Junction. Grabbing their things, the two quietly stepped off the train and onto the platform, taking thin the desert air.The two sighed as they made their way off the platform and onto the street, walking into the small town. It seemed like nothing has changed since they last visited the town, except for one small thing. Almost as soon as they walked into town many ponies started giving them strange looks. Some backed away, parents hid their children, and some of the ponies ran into their homes and businesses and locked the doors.Rarity and Applejack gave each other confused looks as they moved forward.

“Uh Rarity?” Applejack spoke up. “Why are all these ponies acting a little...weird?”
“I’m not sure.” Rarity said equally concerned. “It’s like we committed a crime or something.”
“That’s exactly what you did.” A gruff voice said from behind them.
Turning around they saw the sheriff and his four deputies standing, scowls on their faces. The two looked on wondering what he was talking about.

“Ya’ll are under arrest!” The deputies then surrounded the two as they tried stood there confused.
“Under arrest?! What in tarnation are you talking about?!” Applejack yelled.
“Don’t play dumb with me Thornjack!” The sheriff said.
The farm pony stood defiant as the deputies threw the cuffs on her and Rarity. “It’s Applejack and you’re the one who’s dumb here.”
“You two are going away for a long time.”
“Whatever for?” The fashionesta said. “We’ve done nothing wrong.”
“That’s not what we saw, Thievery, when two weeks ago you robbed several shops and the Dodge Junction Bank for 10,000 bits, or last week when you robbed the Royal Mail Train for over 300,000.”

“Not to mention all the banks, trains and ponies you robbed before that.” A mustachioed sheriff said as he led Rarity away. The fashionista was furious at the accusations as well as the fact that the deputy was putting a dirty hoof on her coat. What made it even worse is when she started to get a little ahead causing his hoof to slide down to her rear, the sudden touch infuriated her.

“GET YOUR FILTHY HOOVES OFF OF ME!!!” She shouted bucking the deputy against a nearby store, sending him through the window.
“Now you got assaulting a sheriff on your record!” He said emerging from the window.
“Just keep your hooves to yourself turkey!!” She shouted being dragged away with Applejack.

A few minutes later.

Once they got to the jail the Sheriff told them that for their supposed crimes, they were going to spend the next 20 years in jail. Rarity was already holding on the bars shouting on at the deputy guarding them, the sheriff and the deputies went back on duty while the one Rarity kicked went to get his injuries looked at.

“I AM NOT SPENDING THE NEXT 20 YEARS IN HERE!!! I WANT MY LAWYER!!!” Rarity shouted.
“You’ll be lucky not to get a kick in the backside if you don’t shut up!!” The deputy said.
“You sir are rude!” The fashionista said sitting on her bench with a huff.
Applejack tried to calm her down. “Settle down sugarcube and let’s think for a second.”
“Why would they put us in here Applejack. We’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Unfortunately, I think it might have something to do with that poster over there.”

AJ then pointed to a wanted poster on the wall outside their cell. On the poster were pictures of the bandits Thornjack and Thievery, the two most wanted bandits in southern Equestria. For the past 5 years the two struck over 20 banks and 8 trains in southern Equestria. They were ruthless and willing to kill anypony who got in their way. What struck the two most on the poster is what the duo looked like, apart from the dirty faces, and wearing outfits, the two looked almost exactly like AJ and Rarity. The two immediately understood what was going on, a simple case of mistaken identity.

“I can’t believe they think that we, honest working ponies, are those two cretins.” Rarity said very angrily.
“Don’t you worry your pretty little head about that." AJ said reassuringly. "We’ll get ourselves out of this. We’ve gotten out of worse before.”
“We’ve got to clear our names but how?" Rarity asked. "They won’t let us out, or contact our friends at home, or anything.”
Applejack then pulled Rarity aside and whispered in her ear. “Quite honestly, I think the only way we’re going to get out of here is to break out.

Rarity then whispered in her friend's year. “Truthfully, I think you’re right Applejack. But how are we going to get out of here?”
“I’m not sure?” AJ quickly thought of a way they could get out. Then a thought came to her.
“You know what sugarcube, maybe you can put the moves on that deputy. Maybe your charm will convince him to let us go.” Before even thinking of protesting, Rarity gave it a quick thought. Despite the fact she had standards, there really was no choice in the situation.

“Alright” She whispered. She then brushed her mane with her hoof, instantly realigning itself in its usual fashion. She then walked up to the bars, looking toward the deputy in a seductive fashion.

“Excuse me deputy?” The brown coated stallion looked to Rarity, his green eyes showed a sign of annoyance as he was tired of listening to her, his black moustache couldn’t hide the frown he sported.
“What is it Thievery?” He said, with a clear showing he was annoyed.
"Look I know we've gotten off on the wrong hoof. But if you please let us out, I'll make it worth your while." She said fluttering her eyelashes.
The deputy looked at her, his annoyance getting even more obvious.
"Dirty mare like you, probably slept with so many, who knows what you have. And besides I don't trust ones who break my coltfriends legs."
Rarity sat back stunned and, quietly outraged at what he just said. Applejack was in shock at what he said as well, she knew Rarity long enough to know she would never be like that, except for the breaking of a pony's arms but that was not fully her fault. Applejack watched past her friend and up to the door.
"Um...partner?" She asked. The deputy then slammed his newspaper down and looked back, Applejack actually jumped at the action before speaking up. "What about using the little mares room?"

The deputy then reached into the nearby cabinet where the keys were. Applejack then looked back to Rarity, who was still in shock, attempting to get her attention. She finally thought they were going to get out of there when she noticed the deputy was already sitting back down, but he left something behind on the little window in the bars. Immediately she noticed the small white, cup-like object and recognized it as a chamber pot. Annoyed, Applejack glared at the deputy who still had his back to the duo. 'Alrighty then, looks like this is going to be harder than I thought. Luckily, I have a plan B. She then turned her attention to the quivering unicorn on the floor, muttering gibberish.
'Just as soon as I snap her out of it.

---

***
One Hour Later
"Soups on!" The deputy shouted bringing two trays of food. The two sat on the bench watching as he placed the two small trays on the little windows platform. The duo wasn't happy with what they had, which was a biscuit with some vegies and a cup of water, but they were just happy to get some food. As the deputy sat down, he noticed that the two had gotten quieter in the past hour. Though he felt suspicious about it, he paid no attention to as he continued reading his book. Suddenly he heard a shriek coming from the cell which caused him to drop said book. Turning around he could see the mare he thought was Thievery, moaning, groaning, and flailing on the floor, Thorjack standing above her with her hooves on her head in confusion.

"Please! You got to help her!" The deputy quickly ran to the cabinet and grabbed the keys and a medical kit, which held several vaccines in it. 'I told Cookie to improve his cooking, but nopony listens to me." He thought as he unlocked the gate and entered the cell, Thornjack stood back as he opened the medical kit. Then, without warning, the deputy was hit over the head with the lunch tray, knocking him out cold. Rarity stood up, basically cured of her 'ailment', with a smile. Applejack quickly grabbed the keys and, with Rarity giving the deputy a quick kick in the head for the insult earlier, opened the door to the holding area. The two finally breathed a sigh of relief as they ran out the front door of the sheriff's station. But their victory was short lived as soon as when the two walked outside they were face to face with the sheriff. With Rarity immediately shouting "RUN!!!", both ponies wasted no time in taking off down the street with the sheriff close behind, calling out his deputies in the process.

"STOP!!! JAILBREAK!!!" He shouted.

Rarity and Applejack kept running down the street with a growing posse following close behind them. The two quickly turned down an alley way next to a saloon where a covered wagon sat parked. The two took cover behind the wagon, waiting for the posse to pass by, when suddenly they were pulled right in. The two were about to scream when a set of hooves covered their mouths. Panic turned to relief on they faced their supposed kidnappers, it was Cherry Jubilee accompanied by one of her helpers, he had a red coat that was a shade lighter than Macintosh's, a mane that was the same shade as Cherry's, as well as her green eyes.
"Cherry!" Applejack said, bringing her into a hug. "I'm so happy to see you."
"Likewise." Cherry said. "It's good to see you again too Rarity."

The reunion, for the moment, was shot lived as they heard the posse approach the alley. The sheriff was still shouting out to find the two as they all split up, he and one of his other deputy's walking down towards the wagon. The associate, Cherry's brother, thought fast and got out of the wagon, nearly surprising the two lawmen.

"Maraschino?" The sheriff said. "Sweet Celestia, you nearly gave me a heart attack."
"Likewise, what's going on here?" He asked.
The sheriff explained. "You know how we caught Thornjack and Thievery earlier?"
"They didn't." Maraschino said, playing the act greatly.
"They sure did."
"You got to be kidding me."
"I wish I was, unfortunately those slippery little punks got out and now they're on the loose again. You haven't seen them around, have you?"
"No" he said. "I just finished unloading the cart for the saloons order and all of the sudden, everypony's gone crazy."
"Well, if you do see them just let us know."
"You'll be the first one I call." Maraschino said reassuringly, and with that the sheriff left. The three in the cart breathed a sigh of relief. After the posse left Maraschino hooked himself up and proceeded home, his passengers in tow. Once they were back at the farm Cherry and Maraschino helped the two settle down and get some real food in their stomach's.

"So, I'm sure you two already know why the law arrested you." Cherry said.
"Yeah, we do." Rarity said. "A case of mistaken identity."
"But who are these two?" Applejack questioned "Thornjack and Thievery? I know their wanted for some crimes but---."
"Oh, it's more than a few crimes." Maraschino said. "These two are the leaders of one of the nastiest gangs of outlaws in Equestria."
"They've held up, shops, ponies, banks, and trains." Cherry said. "There isn't a bit they haven't stolen. Three weeks ago, they came into town and started taking advantage of whomever took them in. They began robbing the shops and businesses, depriving ponies of their hard-earned money."
Maraschino then told them. "Then two weeks ago they robbed the Dodge Junction bank. They stole about 10,000 bits from the bank's vault and took off with the manager and one of the tellers as hostages. Luckily the two were found unharmed a few hours later."
"Then last week they stopped the Royal Mail Train coming out of the tunnel just outside of town." Cherry continued. "They assaulted the guards and the trains' drivers before making off with 300,000 bits from the Royal Reserve. Since then, they've been really quiet."

Rarity and Applejack looked at each other and then at their friends, all thinking the same thing, 'how could anypony mistake Rarity and Applejack for those two?'

"Do you know where those two are now?" Rarity asked.
"Last we heard they went back to their hideout at Blackhat Mountain. Reports said one of their own was accidentally wounded during the train heist and they've been hiding there till he gets better."

"Then that's where we're going." Applejack said.
"Are you daffed?" Rarity said in shock.
"It's the only thing we can do sugar cube. The sheriff won't believe us, and we have no way to get a message home."
"We can try to get a message out for you." Cherry said. "While you go and see what they're up to, we'll head down to the post office and get a letter sent to your friends in Ponyville. By the time you get back they should be on their way." After a few minutes of discussing and planning the four decided to get some shut eye.

***
The Next Morning

The two were woken up just before dawn, Cherry wanted to get them far away from town before the sheriff restarted the search. They quickly ate breakfast, took some supplies, and got in the cart for the trip to Blackhat Mountain. As they drove away from the farm the two wondered what was going to happen to them. With thoughts of all kind going through her head, Applejack took out some paper and quickly wrote three notes. The ride was bumpy and getting hot due to the rising desert sun. Around 9 o'clock the cart came to a stop at the foot of the mountain. The two disembarked Applejack quickly grabbed her notes and handed them to Jubilee.

"Here, Cherry. Send this note to Twilight, it'll explain our situation." She then handed the other two to her.
"What are these?" Cherry asked.
"They're for our families. Just in case---"

"Don't say it!" Cherry said. "You two are gonna be just fine."
She then grabbed both of them in a tight hug.
"You'll be fine." She reassured.

The farmer and fashionista both let go from Cherry and smiled.
"Thank you." Rarity said. The two then grabbed their saddlebags, both were filled with food and water for the next two days.
"Now I made sure to pack extra supplies just in case." Cherry said. "Hopefully by the time you come back down the authorities will be on their way."

"I sure hope so" Applejack said. "Just make sure Twilight gets our message."
"I will. And good luck to both of you." Cherry then began making her way back into town, cart in tow as the two friends waved goodbye.

"Are you ready sugarcube?" Applejack asked, with a new sense of determination in her voice.
Rarity looked up at the mountain and then looked back at AJ, with a new sense of courage in her heart.
"Let's get these scoundrels." She spoke. The two friends then high hoofed each other and started making their way up the mountain, not knowing what laid ahead for them.

End of Part One

Comments

[Crossbredorc]

Hmm nice start to all this. maybe going a little fast though. Try to slow it down a little bit. Give Rarity and Applejack more thoughts and experiences. Otherwise I enjoy this so far.

[FictionFlyer]

8713009
First of all sorry for the extremely late reply.

Second yes you are absolutely right. After looking over what I wrote so far it does seem to show that i did go too fast. Though to be honest i really wasn't planning on spliting the story it at first, that actually came at the last second. And i really haven't touched this story in over a year, so my writing on this is kinda rusty. Thank you very much on your input and i promise the next part will be a bit slower, and I'll try to come up with some ideas for the current part.