Also before anyone asks this piece is claimed.
The clock in the marketplace chimed 2am although most of the town’s inhabitants didn’t hear it. Still the great chimes and bells did their duty as they rang and droned. Their sounds drowned out the sharp click that came from one of the palazzo’s clerestory windows. A couple seconds later it swung into the unlit room. The silhouette of a head peered in. A few seconds later a long silken rope that almost reached the floor was tossed in through the open window.
Slowly Scootaloo climbed down the rope into the room. When she was a couple feet from the floor she stopped. Wrapping the rope around her left wrist and clenching it between her legs the pegasus mare removed a flat, crystal about the size of a large coin from a pocket on her black leather vest. Encircling the crystal was a ring of silver that was lavishly engraved with arcane symbols.
Holding it up to one of her eyes she scanned the room and floor with it. Satisfied with what she saw she returned the crystal to its pocket and stepped onto the dressed stone floor.
The palazzo was for the most part silent. Most of the household staff had gone to bed hours ago, and the 4 mercenaries assigned with keeping watch were lazy in their duties. At the moment they were playing cards down in the basement. The only sounds Scootaloo could hear was coming from the nearby master bedroom where Scootaloo’s partner was keeping the master of the house distracted.
Dangling from Scootaloo left ear was a heavy silver earring with a finely wrought silver feather. Placing her left hand on it the mare thought the words.
Sweetie I’m in.
In Scootaloo’s mind her partner responded with a series of nonverbal sounds. She was kind of busy at the moment. The mare smirked and then focused on her job.
For several years Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had been partners in crime. Literally. The war against Al-Conikkrall the great lich/necromancer had disrupted Equestrian society at all levels. For many younger ponies the war had cast them upon uncertain seas. Caught far away from their homes in Ponyville when the war broke out Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle had developed several creative ways to get by. Some had been legit. Others had been less so.
However recently the two mares had been contacted by the none other than the Royal Sisters with a tempting offer. Use their acquired talents to benefit the realm and all outstanding charges and warrants against them would be dropped. Even better Celestia sweeten the deal with the chance to get something both mares found irresistible. Vengeance.
They’d been devastated to hear of the death of their longtime friend Applebloom by none other than the lich Al-Conikkrall.