Hedge Maze Hedge Maze Heist (semi-open)

[RarityDash]

*Note: This thread is open for anyone with an approved World of Equestria or Canterlot Chronicles character application. If you do not have an application for either of those sections, please PM me with your intentions for the thread before joining.*

Slick Noir was far from the common criminal, but even he had to admit the job he had planned out in front of him might be pushing his luck. He was no small time player. He was never afraid to roll the dice. Big jobs suited the big way he thought. All the same, even in the Equestrian underground there weren't all too many stories of things going well when the target for a heist was none other than the Princesses of Equestria themselves. Maybe it was foolishness brought on by age. Maybe all the success he'd seen in Stalliongrad had gone to his head. Who could really know? All that was certain was that, as he stood in front of the labyrinthine hedge maze, looking over at the castle in the distance, his mind was racing with possibilities.

The plan on the table, the plan to rob straight from the coffers of Canterlot Castle, had come about after a meeting with a certain young unicorn mare. She had been an intriguing young thing--a scholar of the occult; smart, slippery and spirited beyond belief--not the sort of mare Slick would typically encounter. She had tracked him down specifically because she heard he was the best, though who knows where she had heard it from or how true it was--there were a lot of thieves out there. All the same, Slick had been impressed, both by the mare and by the simple fact that she had found him despite him not generally wanting to be found. When he had heard what the mare expected of him, he was even more impressed, if also a little stunned.

Slick's scholarly mare friend wanted him to retrieve for her something from a vault in Canterlot Castle. Of course, he was no thug for hire, and she realized this, presenting it more as a trade. He bring back the item in question and she would give him a tip about how to get in and take whatever else he wanted. It had sounded implausible at first, but Slick cautiously entertained the idea of it and agreed. That's when she told him about it. Apparently there was a very old secret passage into the castle, nearly forgotten by all but the princesses located out in the old hedge maze. Finding and using this entrance, one would be able to get quite close to the castle vaults with ease.

It was a good tip, Slick had to admit upon hearing it, but it wasn't enough to turn breaking into Canterlot Castle into a winning proposition on its own. No, security was too tight. Guards were everywhere in the castle and even getting into the hedge maze would be a hassle most nights. Even if the tip was true, there was no working plan to infiltrate the castle on an average night. The right backdrop was needed.

The Grand Galloping Gala provided just that. It was the biggest party of the year, and this year it was bigger than ever before. There was an open invitation policy and they were celebrating some new princess earning her wings. Ponies from all over were going to be coming to the castle and naturally as such, security would be at its tightest--in the main halls. Few would be patrolling the out of the way wings of the castle where the vaults could be found, however, and furthermore the princesses themselves would be all quite busy entertaining guests and the hedge maze was wide open to guests. There was a perfect opening. If Slick could just find the secret passage, he was confident he could pull off this ultimate heist.

Of course, he wasn't stupid enough to go in alone. This was a big job--bigger than one pony. He had let word of the job spread through secure channels in the underground. It was a risky game, robbing the castle, but the rewards for pulling it off were sure to entice some. He wasn't sure who or how many ponies might be joining him for the job, but they were to meet him right there in front of the hedge maze at a designated time not many minutes off. Depending on the turnout, he'd adjust his plan accordingly. For now, he'd just wait for somepony to show up.

​

[Shadowbolt0]

A dark-Blue mare slowly trotted towards the hedge maze, the location of a 'heist' she was meant to take part of. Midnight Blossom knew she was taking too long, but she couldn't help herself. Not only was the job dangerious, her position made it more so, undercover. The Luna Guard had only recently exited her training, and her first 'mission' was to be the guards double agents. Midnight kept on walking, hoping that the rumours that the commander had told her really was fake. That a heist during the gala will occur.

She disliked entering a place, specifically with ponies she was going to deceive, but she didn't have much of a choice. Her commander needed a pony to be there, so she could 'arrest' the criminals, or at least inform the other guards where they were entering. Still, the idea rested uneasy on her, lying, deceit, tricks, all of these were not her strength's, and the only reason it was her, is that her commander couldn't afford to send a good guard. Her commander didn't trust her.

Eventually, she reached the point outside the maze, sitting down and mentally going over her orders. Wait until the heister's are inside the castle, then somehow, without being arrested herself or being called by the criminals, call the guards and get them arrested. So there she sat, outside the maze, waiting for anypony to show up, hoping none did.

(Hope this is still up)