The Harmony Thief

by DamagedQ

Chapter 5

You wake up, once again, to a harsh pounding on the door. No voice accompanies it, but it’s incredibly annoying, nevertheless. You roll over onto your back and groan.

“Give me a minute!” you shout irritably. The knocking immediately stops.

Your ears perk up and you lift your head to look at the door. The knocking doesn’t usually stop on command. Your curiosity eventually outweighs your aggravation and you get up to answer the door.

You crack open the door and slowly poke your head out. You look down the hallway in both directions, but no one is there.

Your furrow your brow in displeasure before something lying on the floor catches your attention. You look down at a newspaper placed neatly outside your door. It’s folded into a square and held together by a thin, slightly frayed rope.

Who would wake me up just to give me this? you think ungratefully before picking it up in your mouth and bringing it into your room.

You’re about to toss it to the side to throw away later, but a potentially interesting title on the front page catches your eye. You stop mid-motion and set it down on the bed to read. The title reads, ‘Diamond Smuggler Still Unidentified.”

You chuckle to yourself as you read the rest of the article. It mostly explains what gem smuggling is, which makes sense when you take into account that this newspaper’s target demographic consists mostly of sheltered, snobby, rich folk who are oblivious to the rest of the world.

Gem smuggling is highly illegal, but just as uncommon. There was only one gem smuggler who could traffic such massive amounts diamonds and still be completely unidentified by the media.

And you know who it is.

---

After pondering the possibilities for several minutes, you finally came to a conclusion on how you can use your unique knowledge to your advantage. You pick the newspaper up and carry it with you out of your room.

You’ve already hypothesized and tested the idea that the more you gain the princesses’ trust, the more freedoms you are allowed, so all you have to do is continue to help them in ways they won’t expect, and at the very least nothing bad could come of it.

Remembering where the throne room was, it only took a minute or two to locate it by yourself. Luckily, you ran into no guards on the way there. You carefully pushed through the door leading into the back entrance of the throne room. Seeing that no one was present except for Princess Celestia and one guard at the side of her throne, you carefully shut the door and take another step forward.

The guard standing at attention has still somehow not noticed you. You make a mental note to tell Celestia later about this particular guard’s lack of awareness.

You cough a couple times to make yourself noticeable, and the princess is the first to peek around the back of her throne and see you.

Her expression hardens for a moment before she speaks, “What are you doing out of your room with no escort?”

With the newspaper currently clenched in between your teeth, you canter around to the front of the throne and set it on the floor before responding, “I know and I’m sorry, but I need to talk to you about something important.”

Celestia pauses, slowly looks to the side, and then back to you before sighing.

“Go ahead,” she eventually offers.

“It’s about the gem smuggler that’s on the front page of this… Canterlot Daily this morning,” you tell her calmly, “I can help you.”

“And what services, pray tell, could you offer that I would be interested in?” Celestia asks somewhat skeptically, glancing down at you indifferently.

“I know this guy,” you explain, “I know who the smuggler is.”

Celestia’s expression lightens up slightly, and she pauses before glancing towards the guard at the side of her throne, “Go get Captain Shining Armor. Tell him that I require his time for moment.”

“Right away, your majesty,” the guard replies with the upmost respect and a bow. It makes you want to gag.

He scurries off in search of the captain, leaving you and the princess temporarily in each other’s company. You sit in silence for a few minutes before Princess Celestia speaks up.

“I’m going to trust you on this, but only because this is currently the biggest case we have,” she explains, “I’m obligated to hear you out for the sake of my country.”

You slightly part your lips to reply, but almost immediately shut them again when you realize that you should just remain silent. It’s only another minute before the guard diligently returns with the captain, as ordered.

“How may I assist you, your majesty?” Shining Armor asks urgently as he trots around to the front of the throne.

His expression hardens in annoyance when he sees you already standing before the princess. Yours does the same.

“I would like to discuss matters of the gem smuggler with you,” the princess replies. She turns back to the useless guard who is once again standing at attention, “Would you mind leaving us for a moment?”

“Of course, your majesty,” he bows again, “I’ll excuse myself immediately.” You feel a bit queasy and nearly gag, but you immediately shake your head to clear the sickening feeling.

“May I ask why he is accompanying us?” Shining asks once the guard had disappeared.

“He claims to personally know the identity of the smuggler, and as the lead investigator in this case, I assumed that you would like to be informed as well,” she replies calmly. Surprisingly, the princess doesn’t seem to appreciate the captain’s hostility toward you.

“Oh,” Shining replies, stunned for a moment, “And what is he asking for in return for his cooperation?” He adds, gaze shifting over to you distrustfully.

“I ask for nothing in return,” you immediately interject, “I just want to help you, seeing as I have nothing better to do.”

“You expect me to believe that you’re willing to rat out one of your friends for absolutely nothing in return, but because you ‘have nothing better to do’?” interrogates the captain.

“Let me make something clear, Captain. I don’t have friends,” you answer, “I merely obtain temporary allies that can just as easily be my enemy a week later. I no longer have a use for this stallion, and I can aid you in his capture if you’d let me.”

Shining Armor’s expression becomes dour and he looks down slightly in concentration. He eventually sighs and glances back up.

“Alright, you can help,” he grudgingly complies, “but only because we don’t have a single lead so far.”

“Well, then,” you suddenly form an excited, slightly sadistic grin, “Shall we begin?”

---

“Wow, Shiny, this is pretty legit,” you comment to the captain, walking through the forensics division of the royal guard.

“Call me ‘Shiny’ again and you’ll be eating through a tube for a month,” he growls in response.

“You’re a bit touchy this morning, Shiny,” you tease him. Luna glances down at you crossways – probably a warning: one to which you do not adhere.

Shining Armor stops walking and glares daggers at you from mere inches away, “I’m warning you, kid. You’re playing with authority beyond what you can handle.”

“Why do you refuse my display of affection through a cute nickname, Shiny?” you purse your lips and lower your impish smile even closer to him. Luna has stopped walking as well and is ready to intervene on a moment’s notice.

“Is it because that’s what Twilight calls you? Is it because you can’t stand the fact that I’ve conversed extensively with her? She was a bit sheltered to certain aspects of the criminal and vulgar community in Canterlot, but I’ve managed to enlighten her on a lot of it. She’s very eager to learn, you know. You must be proud to have-…”

“I’m going to gut you, you creep!” He suddenly shouts, rearing lunge at you.

You smile devilishly as Luna holds both of you in place with her telekinesis.

“Both of you!” Luna nearly screams, utterly exasperated, easily drawing the attention of everypony on the vicinity, “My sister sent me to lead you to the briefing correspondence with the Canterlot Police Department, not babysit two bickering, adolescent foals!”

Your grin and mirth quickly fade and is replaced with a guilty pang of fear as you are still frozen in place by the princess’ magic. Shining’s intense look of hatred degrades to one of minor annoyance and unease. Luna’s voice then suddenly changes to a soft, shaky tone, as if she is uncertain of something.

“You will do as I say,” she begins, pursing her lips and taking another breath. She glares at you first, “keep close to my left side, and don’t say a word.”

She releases you from her telekinesis and you walk around to her left side, keeping close and quiet. At this point, everypony else’s attention begins to drift back to whatever tasks they were previously focused on.

Luna then looks to Captain Shining Amor, “Please, Captain, be a little more professional. No matter how much he teases you, you cannot lower yourself to petty insults and threats. Stick close to my right side, and do not as much as glance at him with contempt.” Luna points a hoof to you for emphasis, still looking intently at Shining Armor.

From behind the princess, you stick your tongue out at the captain. He doesn’t take his gaze off of Luna, but you notice his eyelid convulsively twitching in forcefully suppressed loathing.

“My apologies, your highness,” he replies shakily, his voice cracking on ‘highness’. He clears his throat and closes his eyes, “It won’t happen again.”

“Alight, so let’s head to the lab,” Luna says collectedly, “The CPD captain and other detectives should be waiting for us.”

The princess leads you to a smaller room with several ponies, a few dressed comfortably or not dressed at all and the rest in more formal attire. It was easy to distinguish Canterlot police officers from the royal guards, since the CPD acted unnecessarily formal about everything.

Shining armor was the first to walk in, receiving welcomes and greetings from several ponies inside. Once Princess Luna stepped into the room, everypony bowed and showed their respects. You leisurely waltzed in behind Luna, not attracting much attention.

One of the CPD detectives, assumingly the captain, eventually speaks up, “So, what’s this new lead you’ve got, Shining?”

Shining armor looks a little uncertain for a moment before looking in your direction, “It’s him.” Everypony turns to stare at you in confusion.

“Him?” questions the CPD captain, “What has he got to offer us?”

“He’s a prisoner, servant, and private consultant,” answers Luna, “My sister and I have made a deal with him as part of a work-release program. So far, he’s been a relatively trustworthy source of information.”

“Relatively?”

“For the most part, yes.”

“He says he knows the smuggler personally,” adds Shining Armor.

“Sure do,” you add casually, shrugging. You notice a couple of the detectives get ready to write information down, more willing to listen than you thought they’d be.

“Well, go ahead,” the new captain says quickly. You find it shocking how less skeptical the CPD is than the royal guard.

“Well, for starters, his name is Maxwell Morocco, but he goes by Medley,” you begin.

A few ponies immediately record the name on paper.

“He has two enslaved diamond dog camps, one just outside of Manehatten, and the other in Baltimare,” you continue nonchalantly.

“Sorry,” the CPD captain interjects, “did you say… enslaved diamond dog camps?”

You raise an eyebrow, “Well, yeah. He took over a diamond dog camp and forces them to work for him, and then he has free gems. It’s practically one hundred percent profit. How did you think it worked?” you inquire confusedly.

“Well, we originally thought they were stolen from the Méxicolt Quarry and smuggled into Canterlot, but this changes everything,” he ponders aloud.

“Anyways,” Shining Armor speaks up, “We still have no way of locating him. Do you have any ideas of where we can find him?” he asks you.

You grin slightly.

“Please explain what we need to do to find him,” the CPD captain implores. You relish the feeling of power and authority you suddenly have.

“There’s a phone booth – a red one on the corner of 36th and Mane Street. If you leave a poker chip inside of the phone box, he’ll meet you the next evening at a private poker table in the back of a restaurant downtown called Foin de Fantaisie. Medley checks the booth every… Sunday, I think, for chips.

“Now here’s the tricky part,” you add a bit solemnly, “You have to put your initials on the chip, and he’ll only meet you if he both recognizes your signature and considers you trustworthy enough.”

There was a pause while statistics were thought over by both the Royal Guard and CPD.

“How are we going to possibly duplicate that?” somepony with the CPD asked from one of the desks, “He’d have to recognize the person, so we’d basically have to find somepony who’s a good friend of Medley and convince him or her to betray him.”

It’s your turn again. You grin.

Shining Armor shoots you a suspicious glare, “Ten thousand bits!?” he asks angrily, “So, you basically want us to supply you with a ludicrous amount of money and place you back out on the streets? I don’t think so!”

“Look, I’m not trying to get away!” you respond fiercely.

Not immediately, anyway.

“I’m trying to help you. And by the looks of it, I’m the only thing even close to a chance that you’ve got… But really, I suppose it’s your decision.”

Shining gives you a strained glare before he shifts his gaze towards the rest of the ponies in the room. Princess Luna and the CPD captain both seem a little pleading and Shining Armor sighs in defeat.

“Fine,” he mumbles, “We’ll have to set up a sting operation. But I’m personally moving in at the first sign of you doing anything you’re not supposed to.”

“Understood,” you reply immediately, still smiling.

---

“Well, I think that went rather smoothly,” you decide aloud, glancing up towards Luna and over to Shining Armor as you make your way back through the palace.

The captain keeps his gaze straight ahead, “You’re mistaken if you think that I trust you.”

“The feeling is mutual, you can trust me on that,” you reply, looking off to the side as you walk the length of the hallway.

Luna sighs, “At the very least, can you two pretend to get along?”

“Doubt it,” you both mumble in unison.

Soon after, Shining Armor turns down another hallway, departing from you and Luna. He says his farewells, which Luna politely returns and you promptly ignore. You continue walking with Luna in the direction of the throne room until she eventually breaks the silence.

“I’m quite disappointed that you can’t get along with Shining Armor,” she states rather sullenly.

“Honestly, I tried too at first, but he made it difficult,” you explain. She scoffs lightly, seemingly unconvinced so you continue, “Trust me; I’m not so stupid as to make an enemy out of the captain of the royal guard merely for the sake of making enemies, especially while in my position.”

“Well; then, I see that you understand the circumstances of your situation,” Luna replies surprisingly amiably, “I’m not going to ask what reasons you have for doing so, but still, the way you antagonize Shining Armor makes me uneasy. I feel like I’m eventually going to have to pick a side.”

You almost comment on Shining Armor again just to antagonize her, but you quickly decide against it, feeling compelled to discuss with her seriously, “Wouldn’t you be pretty much obligated to take the side of the captain of your Royal Guard?”

“Well, yes, I do suppose that would be the proper response,” she admits, “but if you don’t force me to choose a side in the first place I won’t be obligated to side against you.”

“So, you’re obligated to side with your country, but… you want to side with me?” you ask her cautiously.

She opens her mouth to respond, but her expression turns pensive and she closes it again. He looks away from you before finally responding, “I didn’t say that.”

You awkwardly look straight ahead as you continue to walk with her to the throne room, silence enveloping the atmosphere. You glance over to her carefully, only to find that she is looking back. You’re both caught off guard during a split second of eye contact and look back in opposite directions. You grit your teeth in frustration, but you don’t say anything, or look back.

You eventually get back to the throne room and saunter tiredly up to Celestia’s throne alongside Luna. It had been a long day of planning and discussing, and all you want to do is go back to your room and lie down.

“You were gone for a while,” Celestia notes, “I take it your excursion went well, then?”

“It… was interesting,” Luna replies hesitantly, “We discussed a sting operation involving him at the end of this week,” she says, pointing to you, “just before the gala.”

Celestia took a moment to digest the information, “That certainly sounds interesting.”

There is a pause. Celestia’s gaze seems to drift slightly in your direction. You feel like you might have to say something eventually, but your anxiety is lifted when Luna breaks the silence.

“If that sits well with you, of course,” Princess Luna adds, “I should’ve have checked with you before making any decisions.”

“No, Luna,” Celestia responds immediately with a faint smile, “You are just as much of a princess as I am, and you have just as much authority as I do in these decisions.”

“However,” Celestia bites her lip before her gaze becomes resolute, “We must discuss some things pertaining to this one’s particular liberties in and around castle grounds.” She looks down at you indifferently, “You may show yourself back to your room.”

The princesses wait for you to exit before they continue their conversation. It makes sense, for obvious reasons, but you can’t help but feel the slightest bit of contempt. You take your time stepping out of the throne room and head back to your own room for what will hopefully be a long night of rest.

But then again, that might be wishful thinking.

Author's Note:

Merry Christmas to all of you! I sincerely hope you enjoyed this! More to come soon!

Comments

[-Brutus]

Celestia and Shiny~ needs to lighten up.

[gaymr_girl]

Great chapter can't wait to see how this whole thing goes down.

[-Brutus]

Update? :D

[Isaacshadows]

Hey, when are you going to post another chapter? There are not many second person fics out there and very few I want to read, this is is one of those few I actually want to read. Please update soon.