Among Thieves: Chapter VI (Skyward Ships)

>"That's the situation we have, Captain."

>The soldier in front of you had a black eye, his armor scorched from a blast of magic from earlier.

>The bottom of your jaw ached from the grinding your teeth were doing, trying to retain some self control.

"Let me see if I understand you. We had three members of that infuriating guild in our custody, and now they're gone?"

>The guard nods.

"And not only did they get away, but they were able to get past you lot and steal MY airship?"

>"Y-yes sir, Captain Armor."

"On top of that, they were able to destroy the other ship as well?"

>"...yes. I already told you all this, si-"

"I KNOW YOU TOLD ME THIS. I just cannot FATHOM how incompetent my own platoon of guards are!"

>You swing a hoof to the side and break the vase of roses by the table, shattering it in anger.

>"Sir, the princesses... what are we going to tell them?"

>Your nostrils flare as you breathe hard, but you stop when the guard speaks.

"We?"

>"I-I mean you, Captain."

>This... was a dilemma..

>Those rats got away from YOUR prison on YOUR watch. Worse yet, you were unable to even stop them due to your absence.

>After all, a wife needs tending to in some evenings.

>You rub your face with a hoof, muttering to yourself.

"Let me handle Princess Celestia and Luna. Just go secure a perimeter, and get some of our pegasus units in the air and get AFTER them."

>The guard gives a salute, then gallops off back to the air docks.

>Celestia and Luna were sure to be livid...

 

>"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "GONE?!" Celestia screams at the top of her lungs.

>You'd never heard her use the Royal Canterlot Voice before. Usually it was Luna who used it, but now it was the sun princess who rocked the very walls with her voice.

"Your majesty-"

>"No! No, this is unacceptable! Those... thieving scoundrels desecrated the tomb of mine and my sister's mother and father!"

"Yes, your majesty, I know, but-"

>"And now," Luna chimes in, loudly as well, "You tell us that they escaped? When did this happen?!"

>Your hesitation only makes Luna even more agitated as she leaps from her throne, extending her wings.

>"If your own royal guards cannot contain a simple thief, then what good are you? Tell us you've sent your men after them."

"I have, your highness."

>Luna scoffs, then relaxes a fraction.

>"Good. We will not stand for such things to keep happening."

>"Sister," Celestia calls out, her voice now level and calm, "Perhaps we should let Shining Armor do his job."

>She looks to you and bows her head.

>"I apologize for my outburst, Captain. I'm sure you will do all you can in order to bring the thieves to justice."

>You give a stern bow to her.

"Of course, Princess."

>"If you do not," Luna says, still eying you warily, "Then we shall see that they are found personally. Do we make ourselves clear?"

"Of course, m'lady."

>"Good. Now, go."

>Bowing once more, you turn and take your leave just in time to see some of the guests of tonight's feast arrive.

 

>"Well now, Captain Shining Armor! Nice to see you again, my fair maned fellow, how are you?"

>It was one of the stallions, a blue pony with stars on his flank.

>You really didn't recognize him, but you were sure he frequented most balls and galas here in the castle.

"Oh, yes, hello."

>"Come now, you haven't forgotten my name, have you? After all I saw you at the royal guard benefit just two weeks ago."

"I'm sorry sir, but I need to attend to some important matters."

>"Oh I'm sure it's nothing too important, after all what could be so urgent?"

"Sir, I-"

>"Please," he says, "Call me Bruce."

"Well, Bruce," you begin, frustrated, "We've recently had a small matter in the dungeons. It's nothing to be worried about. Now please, go and enjoy the feast."

>Shoving past the stallion, you make your way to the docks, where three pegasi in silver and gold armor await you.

>The moment you step onto the docks, they're at attention, waiting for orders.

"As you know," you say to them, pacing, "We have three escaped fugetives on the run. They've commandeered a ship, were last reported as heading to the Southeast. They are -highly- dangerous. I want them brought back here, ALIVE, so that we can hold their executions properly. Do I make myself clear?"

>The three pegasi give a salute, and flare their wings out.

"You have your orders. Bring those rats back. NOW."

>With that they take off. You'd make sure those bastards didn't get far enough.

>In time, they would be yours.

 

===

 

>Amethyst winces as you tie a new bandage around her torso, covering her wound.

>"Watch it, idiot."

"Man up, stupid. You'll be fine, trust me."

>The cool breeze of a sunset whips past you as the airship you were on cruised over the valleys surrounding Canterlot.

>Rising to your feet, you walk over to a hatch in the middle of the ship and poke your head below deck.

"Well? Anything?"

>Suddenly a few barrels float up and out of the hatch, nearly ramming your face as they do so.

"Oi, watch it!"

>"Trixie told you she would find us supplies. Well, there you are. Supplies."

>Trixie trots up and out of the hatch, walking to the barrels she levitated up to you. She stands next to them, looking smug and proud of herself.

"Trixie do you even know what's in those?"

>"Not really," she says, "but Trixie assumes they must be important. They were behind a locked grate below deck."

"What about weapons, was there anything down there we could use?"

>Trixie nods her head to the hatch.

>"Go and see for yourself."

>Eying her a moment, you open the hatch back up and descend below the deck of the airship.

>It was dark and musty down here, but you trek through to the rear of the ship, spotting a weapon's locker.

>Spears, shields, blades. This ship was ready in the case it was ever boarded by the enemy.

>Cracking open a few cases, you finally come across something you can use.

>An oak crossbow, layered with steel. Inside the box alongside the weapon were bolts, too.

 

>Taking the crossbow, you sling it to your back and grab some bolts, securing them in a small pouch for your belt.

>Glancing over to the wall of spears once more, you spot a few daggers hanging on the wall.

>Images flash across your eyes, all of Bruce stabbing Amethyst inside that tomb.

>Your eyes harden, your fists clenching. What you wouldn't give to plug a bolt into the eyes of that stallion.

>"Anon?"

>You jump a bit at the voice behind you, but relax when you realize who it is.

"Star, hey."

>"Found a lot of supplies I take it?"

"Yeah, yeah you could say that. Got myself another crossbow, as you can see."

>She nods, not really paying attention to the weapon on your back. All she does is look at you, a concerned look on her face.

"What?"

>"Do we really need to do this?"

"Do what?"

>"This. Kill Bruce, I mean. Why?"

>You're dumbfounded for a moment. How could she not understand where you were coming from?

"Amethyst, he stabbed you and left us for dead. I would think you of all ponies would want some payback."

>"Trust me, I'm mad. More than mad, Anon, but nowhere is safe for us. We're on our own, and you're telling me you just want to go BACK into that city and try to kill Bruce?"

"That's the idea, yeah."

>"You are the densest idiot I have ever met."

"Hey, I saved you from getting executed. I thought you'd be on my side about this."

>"Anon," she says, walking closer to you, "We can't do this on our own. We need help. We need to find the other chapters of the guild."

 

>An irritated groan escapes your mouth as you turn from her and walk to the daggers on the wall.

"Star, for Celestia's sake.."

>"I mean it! We need to go to the other members, make them see that Bruce betrayed us! Then they'd help!"

"Yeah, or they could kill us. For all we know, Bruce has probably told all of the Canterlot members that WE'RE the traitors. We're fucked, Amethyst. Truly."

>"No, we're not. The Canterlot chapter is a dead end, i agree with you there, but not the others. Phillydelphia, Manehatten, Las Pegasus, Ponyville, they're probably still in the dark about all this. Anon, please, we can't escape death to just go back and get killed in that city. We need to find friends."

>...

>Another groan escapes you once more.

"Dammit I hate it when you're right."

>You feel her head nuzzle into your side, one of your hands reaching out and petting her mane instinctualy.

>"Then you must hate me all the time."

>She looks up and smiles at you as you get to a knee and hug her.

"Amethyst... if I knew all this would have happened, I-"

>"Shh" she says, bumping your head with hers, "Not any of that talk. We can't change the past. Better to just bugger it all and carry onward."

>Sighing as you give a chuckle, you realize that she's right.

"Besides, we have a great big ship and endless sky. Sounds like we're going to be just fine for a while."

>She nods, looking into your eyes again. All the worrying, all the chaos... it seemed to melt when you looked at her.

 

>Before you can say anything though, the ship banks to the right suddenly, throwing you and Amethyst to the floor.

>"What in the-"

>A loud crack is heard from above, and you give Amethyst a familiar look. Nodding to each other, you scramble to your feet and grab what you can.

>Amethyst clenches a dagger in her teeth as you grab a shortsword, the two of you racing to the hatch to get above deck.

>Leaping out of the hold, you reel back as a spear slams into the ground in front of you from above.

>Pegasi. Of course.

>The ship lurches left now, throwing you off balance once more as you look wildly around to the wheel of the ship.

>Trixie was at the helm, maneuvering the ship as she shot off spells at the attackers, keeping them at bay best she could.

>"Well, glad you showed up!" she shouts, as a spear grazes her cheek, a small splash of blood spurting from her cheek.

>She hisses in pain, then fires at the pegasis, encasing him in a violet bubble of magic.

>"Don't just stand there, HELP TRIXIE!" Trixie shouts to you.

>You go to run to her, but one of the Pegasi lands in front of you, thrusting at you with his spear.

>You bat it away with your sword, but he keeps on the attack, nearly impaling you twice.

>"DUCK."

>You hit the floor as a bolt of magic slams into the jaw of the pegasus, rocketing him back and into the wall of the airship.

>Amethyst skids to a halt next to you, wincing with each breathe she takes.

>"This isn't good."

"Agreed."

 

>The soldier within Trixie's magical bubble bursts it with his spear, diving at you and Amethyst with tremendous speed.

>You shove Amethyst to the side and tackle the guard in mid dive, narrowly avoiding his spear as the two of you tumble off the airship.

>Balls.

>The stallion headbutts you, but your rear back and return one of your own, the two of you tumbling to the forest below.

>Suddenly he lifts upward, trying to shake you off of him as he climbs back through the air as you slip, clinging to one of his hooves.

"Let's talk about this!"

>He hoofs your face.

"Okay, talking's off the table!"

>He hoofs you again, and you slip once more, but manage to cling to a length of rope he has at his waist.

>You weren't about to question why he had rope, but dammit that helped.

>You yank the rope from his waist and let go of him, free falling back to the ground below.

>In a flash, you tie the rope to yourself, the other end to a bolt of your crossbow.

"Oh this was a bad idea."

>You bring the crossbow up and fire it at the airship, plugging the bolt into the side of the ship.

>Clinging to the rope for dear life, you turn your free fall into a large, arcing swing as you're brought underneath the ship, swinging yourself up and over the opposite side.

>Flailing upwards, you grab a hold of the ship's railing and swing yourself back to the deck, just in time to see Amethyst concuss the pegasis from earlier.

>"Don't EVER do that again," she says to you, frustrated.

 

>You look to her and shrug as Trixie trots over, dropping a third guard on top of the other one.

>"That's all of them. Trixie takes it you two handled yourselves alright?"

>"Anon threw himself of the bloody ship!" Amethyst says, still angry at you.

"I'm alive, aren't I?"

>"Yes," Star says, walking over to you, "But if you do more crazy shit like that, I'll kill you myself! GUH."

>She hoofs your chest, frustrated, as you give a chuckle. Trixie, on the other hand, isn't really amused.

>"What say we tie these fellows up and send them off, shall we?"

>You nod to her.  Ten minutes alter, and you're dropping the unconscious guards, now tied and bound, into am emergency ship on the port side. It's small, with a parachute system within it.

>Cutting the cords that keep it tied to the ship, the small boat drops to the ground, floating gently as the parachute system kicks in.

>"Right," Trixie starts, "Now do you have a plan, or not?"

>You want to simply tell her that the plan is to kill your guild master, but a look to Amethyst tells you otherwise.

>Her words still ring in your ears. We need friends. We need allies.

>A short sigh escapes you.

"Sit down and I'll explain."

 

END of VI