Smooth Criminal

by dudenotactive

A Dash of Paint

In the Castle's library, Twilight Sparkle was currently surround by dozens and dozens of books trying to find a single clue on what the object that her friend Rainbow Dash had found back at the nightclub.

She skims through page by page on anything that could match it, the only thing that came close was an old book that was unreadable because the pages were in tatters, that itself was just another dead end.

It was currently ten in the evening, most ponies would sleeping right now. But not her, the unicorn needed to understand what this thing was.

Twilight places her hooves on her temples, she had spent the whole day trying to find anything about it, but she was left with nothing. Twilight looks to her left as something had caught her attention, a freshly made coffee was settled right next to her, and the one who prepared it was the doctor himself.

"If you plan to stay up late, you'll need a little boost." Time Turner gave her his words of coffee wisdom.

Twilight gave him a smile and a nod before taking the mug for a sip. "Thanks Time Turner, I really needed this."

"You're very much welcome Twilight." His eyes landed on the subject of Twilight's interest. "What pray tell would this be?" He asks the owner of the strange object while examining it.

"Honestly? I have no idea." Twilight sinks into her pile of books.

Time Turner places back the bullet where he had picked up, he then picks up a book, it was titled 'Metals and More'. "Well it seems to me that you aren't looking at the right perspective."

She raises a brow towards the stallion. "Speaking of perspective, why are you here? Not to be rude and all."

Time Turner peaks over the book he was reading to meet her eyes with his. "It is a library, is it not?" Before she could answer he continues speaking. "I was simply visiting to meet with the princesses to speak about some private matters. After I was done I had heard that you and your friends were staying here for the time being, so I decided to see how Rainbow Dash is doing."

Twilight took another sip from her coffee. "I'm sorry to tell you this, but Dash isn't here right now, she went out with Applejack to look for more leads on Roman."

The stallion sets down the book and nodded to Twilight. "I see, then I should take my leave, have a pleasant evening miss Sparkle." He got on all four hooves and walks in the direction of the exit.

Now Twilight was once again alone with the only company being is books, books, books and a mug of hot black coffee. She let out a tired sigh, wishing that Time Turner had stayed a little longer or maybe have someone she could at least talk to. But no matter, there is still so much to do, Twilight picks up another book and began flipping through the pages for anything useful.

"I sure do hope Rainbow Dash and Applejack are doing well on their end."

---

Brie was having a great time in the kitchen of his pizza parlor, Roman gave him some bits in advance to help his business, and right now he is making a few flyers with his parlor's address and few pictures of his delicious pizza. Roman had told him that he needed to advertise his business before he could get some help from the thief, so making flyers was a start, first thing tomorrow he is going to hang it around Canterlot in hopes to attract customers.

He also needed to get in touch with the newspaper company to put in his ad. Before he could think about it more, the bell out front rang, he had remembered that he had forgotten to turn the sign at his door to close but at least now he could set some extra bits for tonight. Wasting no time he walks out of the kitchen to find two mares waiting by the register, the rainbow headed one was looking at the menus while the other mare was leaning over the counter with a bored expression.

Now Brie knows who they are since of their fame, but what made his heart pounding was the fact that Roman's enemies were at Brie's doorstep, too close for comfort. Especially the one who's wing was wrapped in bandages, nothing much worse than a pony that wants you dead. He nervously walks up to his late night customers to take their order.

"Evening ma'am, what can I get you?"

Rainbow Dash turns away from the menu above to look at the owner of the establishment. "Yeah, can we get a medium sized hay-waiian pizza?"

"S-sure!" He said as he quickly jotted it down on his notepad before looking up to ask a question. "Would you like some drinks?"

"Colt-a-cola, how about you AJ?"

"Well," Applejack taps a hoof on her chin. "do ya' sell any coffee, preferably black?"

Brie nodded and 'dashes' into the kitchen, while he worked, Dash and Applejack took one of the many vacant tables in the building.

"You know, I'm glad that this place is open so late, I was literally starving to death!" Said Rainbow Dash.

"Now you're just exaggerating, and it was your own fault that ya' missed dinner."

"It isn't my fault, when Twilight asked us both to go around and ask for leads tonight, I needed to take a nap to keep myself well rested." She gave out her reason to the cowgirl.

"Excuses, excuses. She didn't tell ya' about it before your nap."

"Excuse me ladies?" Both mares faces the pizza pony, with him was a tray holding a basket of garlic bread and a pitcher of water, he sets down both items on their table. "Your order is in the oven, would you like anything else?"

"No, we're fine." Brie nodded, but he still stood there. "Do you need something sugarcube?"

"Y-yeah, just wanted to ask if I could take a picture of both of you so I can hang it on the wall, I'm a big fan. So may I?"

Applejack looks towards her friend and sees that she held a smirk on her face. "Of course we'll let you, anything for a fan! Right AJ?"

"Yes, anything for a fan." She said with a monotonous tone.

"Great!" Brie said and pulls out a polaroid camera. "Now can you please get a little but closer?"

Applejack did as she was asked and smile genuinely, while Rainbow Dash showed off her pearly whites and closes her right eye as if she was winking, her free wing spreads open and a single garlic bread balances on her right hoof. And just as Brie snaps a picture, a strange howl had filled the quiet night, all three ponies tenses up.

"What in the hay is that noise?" The farm pony asks.

"That sounds like a howler monkey." Rainbow Dash answered. "I remember seeing some with Fluttershy back then. Is it coming from some zoo?"

Brie's eyes open wider than before. "If the monkeys are making that noise, then that means something went wrong at the art museum!" He quickly slaps a hoof on his own mouth, sadly it was too late because he had said it out loud.

"Wait, art museum? Then that's probably Torchwick!" Rainbow Dash turns to her friend. "Let's go Applejack!"

Before she could stop the speedster, Rainbow Dash had already left the building and ran towards the noise of the howling monkeys. "Dag nabbit!" She turns over to Brie who still held a hoof on his own mouth, she places down a handful of bits before chasing after her friend. "Sorry for the trouble!"

And once she was gone, Brie puts down his hoof and sighed. "Hope Roman doesn't find out."

---

Canterlot Art Museum,
9:32 P.M.

Roman was on the edge of the museum, looking down at the back entrance, waiting for an opening. He looks behind himself to see a pony in an all black clothing that covers their head to their hooves, their mask only showed their eyes, and revealed a red horn on top.

"I look ridiculous." Scarlet spoke from under the mask.

"Yes you do, but we're not here for a fashion show, so focus on the task at hand." Just then, the metal door swung open and out came a pony who had an unlit cigarette in his lips. "Show time, get ready 'Junior'."

The mare rolled her eyes before her horn was covered with a silver aura as Roman glides silently down, after his hooves touches the ground, he walked over to the pony who was trying to light the cigarette he had with a lighter.

"Here, let me help you there." Roman casually said as he brought out his lighter to help the troubled pony.

The pony smiled and was about to thank him, but he met the face of a wanted criminal, and before he could do anything he was struck by Roman's cane, knocking out the pony as he falls onto the ground. Roman smirks before heading inside through the back door, which was carelessly left open by the security guard.

Roman took out his phone to open his gallery, he inpects one of the pictures that Brie took during his scouting, the staff shift says that there are nine ponies on duty tonight. This made it easier on what to expect, his part of the plan that he made was to clear out the guards which was going to be much easier. A few steps later he just slaps his hoof on his face, he pushes himself onto his hind hooves and continued towards the gallery, grumbling about how the pony world was getting to him.

Up ahead he sees a pony guard walking out of the staff room, he quickly but silently rushes towards them and gave the guard a swift punch, knocking them out cold. Roman then peeks inside the staff room to see three ponies around a table, he loudly taps his cane on the floor attracting their attention, one of them got up to investigate, as soon as they got close enough, Roman came in and took the pony into a choke hold with his cane pointed to the rest.

"Down on the ground." He demanded from the two, before pointing the cane to his hostage. "If you don't do as I say, then I'll have to sully my hands."

Seeing that he had their fellow staff member at gunpoint, they did as they were told, and while they were on the ground, Roman got closer and gave each a swift kick to knock them out. Satisfied, Roman then bops his hostage on the head before leaving the room. He had to admit, its really a walk at the park, now he had to deal with the rest of the guards. Seconds later, the thief had reached the entrance of the gallery, two ponies were currently walking side by side towards him, he looks up to find the monkeys sleeping. Roman smirks as he spotted Scarlet above, she had noticed him as well, and with a nod from Roman the whole room became dead silent as she casted her spell. The guards at first doesn't notice, but when one of them did, they could not warn the other, especially when Torchwick came in and swung his cane and hitting them both.

Roman looks up at the mare who descended from the roof with a long rope, he uses his scroll to communicate with the mare, telling her to execute the next step of his plan. Scarlet gave him a nod before heading towards the painting that a certain someone had asked for, as for Roman, he went off to look for the other two guards. He searches high and low, even outside the gallery and back into the staff only area, yet he could not find a trace. Just as he walks by, a muffled sound had came from the janitor's closet, he used his right wing to pinch the bridge of his nose before walking over to the door. But what he discovers was not what he had expected, inside was a single monkey who was eating a half a slice of pizza, they both stared at each other. And before he could do anything, the monkey howled loudly, Roman was taken back by how loud it was and stumbled back with his hooves on both his ears, the monkey took the chance and ran towards the gallery.

Roman chases after it, but he was too late, the monkey had climbed up to the rest of it's kind and woke them all up before climbing out the skylight to howl outside, now it surprised Roman how well they have trained it. Then the silent room spell had died off, leaving Roman in a front row seat at the howler monkey concert. He ran outside through the front door to save his sense of hearing, and just to make the situation worse, he saw Rainbow Dash just down the street running towards him at full speed with Applejack at her tail.

"Oh for Pete's sake, can't I just have something good happen to me tonight!?"

"ROMAN!!!"

He steps aside just in time to dodge a very angry pegasus. "It's great to see you too Rainbow Crash."

"Ah'm here too you varmint!" Applejack said before turning around to give the thief a hard buck, which he simply dodges as well.

"Great, two earth ponies and a pegasus, we would make a great sitcom." He said while slowly stepping away from our heroes, eyes focused on both of them.

"What did you call me!?" Dash mimics Roman's stance and held her hooves up, ready to fight.

"Well on the account that I could just fly out of here and you couldn't do anything about it, I can classify you as such, a dirt horse." This causes smoke to rise out of the mare's head in anger.

She rushes in to jab at him but Roman dodges with a smirk, sadly that smirk on his face vanishes as he had jumped into Applejack's attack, he was sent straight onto the ground wincing from the pain a bit as he had felt it land on his chest. He quickly got up right before Dash stomps the spot he was on before, he hooks his cane around her neck and flung her towards the farm pony, Applejack dives down letting the cyan pony fly over. Not losing her momentum, Applejack ran in and headbutted the stallion right on same spot she had bucked him.

Roman stood firmly on his hooves as he attempted to swat her away but she took a step back before getting closer again to send a right haymaker, he ducks down and rolls back creating distance from her, Dash came back and swung both her hooves down only to hit the concrete as Roman hovers just right above them. He held his cane like a baton and pulled the trigger, propelling his arm towards Dash as a deadly punch. Applejack quickly jumps in to intercept his attack with her own punch, but she soon regretted her choice when their hooves made contact, she stumbles back with pain in her hoof.

Roman then spun on his heel to strike her side but Dash came from behind to pull down his hat over his eyes, she then used his disadvantage to deliver a series of punches, he could barely catch a break as Applejack wraps her front legs around his waist to perform a suplex but she could not finish as Roman instinctively shifted his weight to the side causing both ponies to fall on their side.

Roman rolls away and fixes his hat, he glares at the two. "I have really expected less from someone in a peaceful world like this."

"You won't get away this time Roman, might as well give up!" Dash said, inching closer to him, ready to start another clash.

He chuckled loudly before raising his cane at Applejack, they both froze on spot since they know the destructive power the cane holds. "That's what they all say, but here I am."

"Ah just don't get it," Roman turned to the element of Honesty with a single brow raised. "how could a pony just throw away their second chance in life just like that? You could've been so much more."

"Let me guess, Pinkie told everyone all about me?" His grip on his cane slightly loosens but it tightens much more when he notices Rainbow Dash getting much closer than she should be.

Applejack shook her head. "She only told us that you were a wanted criminal, there were many questions but she couldn't answer, she says that's all she know about you."

"Well there's not much to say, Beacon drop out turns to a life of crime." His jokster personality was gone, replaced by a much serious one. "Did she tell you how I ended up here?" Applejack nodded somberly. "Then we are done here."

Rainbow Dash's instincts flared as Roman pulls the trigger. "Applejack!" She cried out, the bandages around her wing loosened as both wings spread open, and she launches herself right in front of her friend. The bullet explodes as it hit Dash and sent Applejack tumbling back, she looks up to see a cloud of smoke on the spot where she was.

"R-Rainbow Dash?" She calls out to the speedster and her answer from her friend came as a form of coughing, Dash wobbles out of the smoke surrounded by a cyan colored aura, this causes both Roman and Applejack to stare at her with confusion and awe.

Dash opens her eyes to see them both staring, she looks down at herself to notice that she was glowing brightly before it faded. "Woah what?!"

"Aura..." They both hear Roman muttered. "You have aura!?" He said slightly amused.

"Sugarcube, y-you took that shot like it was nothing!" Applejack pointed it out for the confused pegasus.

"I did!? Woah, I have super powers!" Dash and AJ turns back to Roman, his mad cackle had attracted their attention. "What's so funny, huh!?"

Roman slowed to a chuckle, gasping slightly for air. "Its just that, I find it hilarious that you of all people would get aura, and you barely even know anything about it!" His smile fell, now adopting a more serious expression. "But I still need to know, how did you unlock it?"

"That would be my doing." Applejack and Dash turns around to see Time Turner behind them before he walked past.

"Doc'?" Dash said, equally confused like the other two.

"You truly are a sight for sore eyes Torchwick."

"Have we met?" Roman said, feeling a bit of fear in his stomach.

Time Turner frowns a little. "Yes we have, they may know me as Time Turner, the clock smith, but you would know me for the man who made more mistakes than anyone."

Torchwick's eyes bulges out and threatens to fall off his skull, he wasted no time as he quickly flew away, knowing he could not stand a chance against the the two mares with the newcomer. He did not even say a single word.

"Hey, get back here!" Dash calls out to him, but was held back by Timer Turner.

"You just recovered from the fight, you were lucky he underestimated you." He said eyes still staring at the shrinking form of Roman.

"Hey Doc'," He turns towards Applejack. "how did you and Roman know each other?"

"Time Turner, what's going on?" Dash asked him for answers to questions she does not quite understand.

He gave out a sigh as royal guards had just arrived to the scene a little bit late. "All will be revealed soon enough, I promise. But for now," He faces them both with a smile. "what is your favorite fairytale?"

---

A normally naked Scarlet stood outside of what seems to be an antique store with a cart that has a tarp covering it's contents, with her was Jolly Hammer who keeping an eye on their surrounding, both of them were currently waiting for Roman. Ever since the alarm had went off, Scarlet had decided to run from the crime scene, she chose not to be caught.

Now she was here at the address Lucky Spice had given, slightly worried that they had caught Roman. But that myth was soon busted as Roman drops down from the sky, a blank expression on his face.

"Oi lad, you look tired, do ya' need to lie down?" The oversized unicorn offered.

"Later," He sternly said, this surprises the two unicorns. "let's get some answers first." He nodded towards Jolly who nodded back, the unicorn walked up the steps and knocks on the wooden door shaped like a salt shaker.

The door opens to reveal Lucky Spice who was smiling like a child, she quickly pulls Roman inside where no one could witness their interaction. "Roman Torchwick!" She cheerfully said while shaking his hoof up and down. "I have heard a lot about you, and now we finally meet!"

"Yes yes, now on to business. Why did you ask for us to bring you what we stole and how did you know who my colleagues are."

As they speak, Scarlet brought in the paintings she had stolen while Jolly was still outside making sure no one sees anything. "Roman, I could only bag fifteen paintings, but I don't know if any of these are good." The unicorn said before going outside to retrieve the rest.

"That is why they are here!" Lucky Spice said excitedly. "You see mister Torchwick, I am an auctioneer for the local underground trading, I can earn us a good sum of bits."

"Thirty percent." Roman said nonchalantly as Scarlet brought in the requested painting.

Lucky Spice smirked. "Forty-five."

"Thirty-five, I have to split my share with the rest so there's no room for negotiations." He said with a hoof raised in the air.

Lucky Spice shook his hoof the second time this night. "Alright, fair enough, deal." She looks over to Scarlet and Jolly, both were looking at the painting she had made. "If you would be so kind, can you take that to my office at the door to your left!" The two nodded and did what they were asked to do.

"Now to the 'how'." He said as he massages his forehead with a hoof.

The mare clears her throat and digs into her suit pocket and pulls out a piece of paper with strange writing. "Eight days earlier, two strangely dressed ponies had asked around looking for somepony to secretly buy medical supplies and information, they found me, but they could not afford what I offer. A day after you had made yourself known, the two had returned with a fantastic blue diamond, then just before they left this morning, one of them had told me to make connections with you. He gave me names and your plan to help me established our relationship."

"C.T.? Connecticut! Oh how did I not see that!?" He quickly swipes the paper from her, the two unicorns had returned to see what was the commotion about. "This is old Valean, it reads 'Dear Roman Torchwick, if you are receiving this, then my plan has succeeded and now you know who I am, though the others would not like my decision,I will give you our location. We are currently hiding in the Everfree forest, come around at high noon, it is my time to be look out. From:Perry. P.S. Red leader is also here.'."

"Who's Perry?" Scarlet asks the thief.

And his answer was. "An extra hand for this mess, and he has a experienced friend."

Author's Note:

(This is an extra or an "omake" or whatever, and I'm placing it in the AN so it wouldn't add to my word counts.)

A small crowd of humans laughs out loud at the theater screen, it shows Roman in his first day on Equestria, the fact that he was a pony was just too funny to them. Ruby Rose had a hard time breathing, she turns towards the man of the hour, human Torchwick.

"Oh Oum, you look so cute, it's hilarious!"

Roman, who was really embarrassed by the situation groans loudly. "Yes Red, har har, so funny." He said with obvious sarcasm.

"Come on Roman, why don't you lighten up! Eh, eh?" The handicapped blond said, making the rest of the humans groan. "Oh come on, that was funny!"

"If puns really is your thing," A lime green colored pony spoke from the back rows, he wore a knights helmet. "then this world would be your style since a lot of things from it are puns."

The cat faunus smirked. "Can you throw her in there?" She said as she receives a glare from the Yang.

"Maybe later, we still got more from this one." The pony motions at the screen.

"How about we make bets?" The other handicap spoke, the one with silver hair, his partner Emerald turns to him with a single brow raised. "Ten lien says that he'll rob a place in his first day."

Nora bounces out of her seat to oppose him, Ren could not contain her in time. "I'll take that action!"

"Hah, don't even bother you two." Roman stops their attempt to start gambling their money. "Knowing him?" He points his cane towards the screen where 'he' was currently speaking with a curly maned mare on a bench. "Of course I will."

(I won't really do this much, only if I had an idea for an omake or whatever. See ya on the next chapter.)