[Canterlot] The Night Watch (ENDED)

[RarityDash]

((Radiant didn't seem suited to any of the existing, open RP's so I decided to start my own. This is completely open to anypony. Feel free to join at any time if you can think of a way to fit your character in.))

Radiant Steel gave a sigh as she stood perched atop a wall of Castle Canterlot, staring off into the night. Night watch duty was just so tedious. Radiant knew she should be proud. After years of hard training, she had finally made it. She was an official member of the Royal Guard now, just like her father, grandfather, and so many proud pegasi of the Steel lineage before them. This was the job she wanted. Protecting the castle and the princesses, there was no profession a young pegasus pony could be prouder of.

That didn't change the fact that the night watch was dull. Nothing to do but fly up and around, swoop up and down, observing the exterior of the castle. In the month since Radiant had been doing this, she had seen absolutely nothing happen. Yet her duty was several hours long. Several hours of standing and flying around with nothing happening and no one to talk to unless she happened to bump into another guard, most of whom were hardly the best conversationalists. The golden armor on her back began to feel a little heavier at these thoughts; she sighed again, and took flight into the night.

Radiant's powerful white wings spread as she stared at the ground along the castle walls. As usual, there was nothing. She shook her head. She couldn't let herself be discouraged. If she performed well here, soon enough she'd be moved on to bigger and better things. Someday maybe she'd be in charge of guarding Princess Celestia herself... Just imagining it made Radiant smile brightly. She nodded. Yes, for Princess Celestia she was going to be the best night watch pony that anypony could ever ask for. Nopony suspicious was going to get anywhere near her side of Castle Canterlot, not while she was around!

Radiant flew swiftly back and forth, her eyes locked on the areas around her side of the castle, seeking tirelessly for anything out of the ordinary. For several minutes, there was absolutely nothing. Then, out of the corner of her eye, Radiant wondered if she didn't just catch a glimpse of some color in the darkness. Not wanting to allow anything to slide, the pegasus swooped downward to the ground below to investigate.

"Halt! Who's there!" Radiant called out fiercely into the darkness about where she had seen whatever it is she saw, still not entirely sure she hadn't just imagined seeing it. She took a step forward, her eyes locked on the spot.

[Tempest Rime]

A spark of flame lit up the shadows as Malediction summoned up a tiny flame to light up the shadows. Somepony had locked themselves out of their house, and she'd had to make a house call to let them in. After the job was done, she'd slunk into a secluded area next to the castle where she'd been loitering in the dark, brooding.

She squinted into the gloom, trying to make out who had called out to her, as if there had ever been any real doubt. The glint of the guard's armor only server to confirm what was already apparent from the self-important call-out. Give a pony a badge or some shiny armor and they think they suddenly have the right to tell you what to do.

Mal briefly considered her options. She couldn't get into a fight with a guard without repercussions, but she had no respect to spare on their ilk. On the other hand, they usually just ignored her, even when she tried to antagonize them. She decided to make a game of it. She'd see how mad she could get this one without actually giving the guard a reason to arrest her.

The blue unicorn let the question go a few moments before finally replying. "Who wants to know?" She leaned against the wall as she spoke, feigning disinterest.

[RarityDash]

((Just read up on your pony. Wow... she's certainly been through a lot... Nice.))

"Who wants to know?" the response finally came. Radiant snarled. She hadn't even seen her, and this pony just sounded like some sort of scoundrel or delinquent from the lack of respect in her voice. Finding the depths of her resolve she stomped toward the shadowed pony, until she was in her sights. Pierced and scarred, this pony just looked like nothing but trouble.

"Radiant Steel, proud member of the Equestrian Royal Guard!" Radiant announced boldly, standing as rigid as possible.

"Please state your name and reasons for lurking so close to the castle perimeter!" she then demanded, ready to fight if the situation called for it.

[Tempest Rime]

((Mal is a nasty piece of work, heh))

"Why? I didn't see any signs saying I couldn't be here? Or did our high and mighty overlord decree that enjoying her sister's night time was illegal? Are things getting frosty between the royals again already?" Mal's voice dripped with scorn and she sneered derisively at the guard.

She stayed leaning casually against the wall, very consciously avoiding making any motions that could possibly be considered aggressive. Her gaze, however remained unblinkingly on the guard. "Proud, huh? I dunno if I'd be all that proud if my job was to fly around at night and harass innocent ponies."

[RarityDash]

Radiant swiftly grew angry. She could handle being mocked herself, but that wasn't all this pony was saying. This pony had the nerve to speak mockingly of the princess Radiant had admired so much all her life... the princesses she had sworn to protect. That was just too much for her to handle.

"You dare speak so contemptuously of the princesses?" Radiant shouted, taking a step toward the other pony. "That hardly speaks innocence to me!"

Radiant took several more steps toward the pony. "Tell me why I should allow someone who openly mocks the princesses so close to the castle they call home?" she then demanded.

[Tempest Rime]

Mal's face lit up with a grin as the pegasus got angry. She'd struck a nerve there. Time to see how far she could take it. Her tone shifted to one of mock innocence. "Contemptuously? Why, whatever do you mean? I'm only asking a simple question, I mean, it's hardly inconceivable that somepony who imprisoned her own sister for a thousand years might have some difficulties in her relationship with said sibling later on. If anything, you're the one being contemptuous by implying that the well-known truth is itself somehow compromising to Princess Celestia. Do you mean to imply that she has something to hide, hmm?"

The unicorn's voice dropped to a hiss. "I wonder, if another conflict did arise between our sovereigns, where would your loyalty ultimately lie? And how far would you go for the princess of your choice? Would you kill the other for them, hmm? It could happen, you know, you really ought to be prepared. Just in case." The nastiest part of this line of heckling was that it was, in fact, quite possible, a fact that gave Mal a giddy thrill when she thought about it.

[RarityDash]

Radiant was fuming. She knew this unicorn was just trying to provoke her, but all the same she couldn't help but become furious. She wanted to beat this unicorn into the ground. She had to resist. She was a defender not an attacker. The cutie mark on her flank, obscured by her glistening armor was a shield. She had to stand strong. She had to protect the princesses, not lash out at this ill-mannered unicorn.

"Do you mean to imply that what Nightmare Moon did was not something that deserved a severe punishment? Eternal night means a doomed Equestria! The plants we feed on would have all quickly died without the sun's light to nourish them. Without the sun's warming rays, temperatures would have declined rapidly until the cold was beyond what a pony could endure. Nightmare Moon's plan meant the total eventual death of Equestria and all ponykind, and you think that not worth strict and immediate punishment?" Radiant argued vehemently.

"I'm positive it was with much heaviness that the Princess cast her sister into the moon, but still, I do think it was a necessity. That the two of them have found the love in their hearts to come back together and forgive one another, is I think unquestionably beautiful, but that does not change that Nightmare Moon was always the one in the wrong," she continued.

Radiant looked down. She stepped forward and spoke boldly, "So to answer your other meaningless question, it is with Princess Celestia whom my loyalties will always lie. It is her to whom I swore my oath. I would go to any extreme in her service!"

[Corsair]

Bonfire paced along the outside perimeter of the palace wall. He should have been in his quarters asleep at this hour, but one of the Night Watch sergeants had fallen ill. Food poisoning of some sort. All they had been able to get out of him in the infirmary was "baked bads," whatever that meant. So, Bonfire had been assigned to fill his watch.

After many years in Her Majesty's Royal Guard, he was used to standing odd watches and changing schedules on a moment's notice. However, that didn't stop him from yawning as he did his rounds, insuring the other ponies on watch were doing their duty. The unicorn kept a bright ball of flame floating over his head to light the way. He couldn't see in the dark as well as a pegasus could, but conjuring this little light took so little energy he didn't even notice it.

So far the night had been uneventful. He'd managed to scare a couple of guards who were drowsing at their posts, but nothing else had been out-of-the ordinary. Bonfire was debating returning to the guard post to finish some reports he had been putting off, when he heard raised voices. As he got closer, the voices clarified into two mares having some kind of argument. Bonfire quickened his pace, approaching the voices. He finally spotted a guard pegasus, who was confronting a blue unicorn. The unicorn was illuminated by a strange green flame. Bonfire, who's magical specialty was fire, was curious about that flame, but the conversation the two mares were having took his attention.

"I wonder, if another conflict did arise between our sovereigns, where would your loyalty ultimately lie? And how far would you go for the princess of your choice? Would you kill the other for them, hmm? It could happen, you know, you really ought to be prepared. Just in case."

..."So to answer your other meaningless question, it is with Princess Celestia whom my loyalties will always lie. It is her to whom I swore my oath. I would go to any extreme in her service!"

Bonfire frowned. The young guardspony was obviously letting the unicorn's comments about the princesses get under her skin. New recruits to the guards tended to be very protective of Princess Celestia's honor. She seemed ready to launch herself at the smirking unicorn. Bonfire knew he had to intervene.

"At EASE Guardspony!" Bonfire yelled, walking into the green-lit circle, his own yellow flame changing the light to an odd mix of colors. He looked at the face of the young guard, trying to remember her name. Radiant Dawn? Shining Steel? Something like that. He still hadn't gotten to know many of the new faces in the palace. "I'm sure that Princess Celestia would appreciate your loyalty to her, Guardspony," he addressed her, "But she would not appreciate you fighting like a school filly!"

Bonfire turned to the unicorn. He was briefly surprised by the scarring and the sneer on the face of a young mare, but collected himself quickly. "State your business on the palace grounds, or be on your way!" he growled at her.

[ZephyrBurst]

This was so annoying. Zephyr wondered again why he chose to deliver this package to Canterlot at night. He was already very unfamiliar with Canterlot, being at night only made things worse. There were very few ponies out and those that were did very little to point him in the right direction. He had to take to the roads so he could see which streets he was on easier, which led to even more annoyances. He didn't even like this city, it was full of unicorns, they still made him somewhat nervous. And then the royal guards... Ugh, authority.

Where is this stupid shop! Zephyr's thoughts raced and his annoyances grew as time passed. He was searching close to the castle walls now, maybe the shop was around there, if he could just find the right street...

"Halt! Who's there!"

Something caught his attention. There were sounds of a situation escalating. He couldn't tell what was being said except for the loud "Halt!", but the direction it came from was clear. Curious, he followed the voices. He hadn't seen another pony in some time at this hour and maybe whoever these were could give him clear directions.

It didn't take long to find where the voices were coming from. Zephyr kept himself hidden as close as he could and watched. It appeared there was a guard hassling another pony. Figures, authority always liked to push others around. He couldn't see the other pony very well from his angle. From the sound of her voice, she didn't seem to have much respect for this guard, Zephyr didn't blame her.

[RarityDash]

Radiant was shocked to see her superior officer, the unicorn Bonfire suddenly appear. She was then filled with embarrassment to be reprimanded by him. Her father would be ashamed of her, acting in such a fashion while wearing the esteemed title of Royal Guard.

"I was out of line, sir!" Radiant called out in a militant fashion as she stepped back and stiffened up. "I apologize, sir!"

Radiant stepped back again, ready to let the sergeant handle the roguish unicorn. She continued to glare at the unpleasant pony regardless, still sure she was up to no good.

[Tempest Rime]

The arrival of the second guard called for a change of tactics, now she could try to get the first guard in trouble. Antagonizing both at once was too dangerous, but turning them against each other might still work out.

"Aww, what's wrong?" Mal sneered at Radiant. "Mister boss pony put you in your place?" She turned her glare to the captain. "My business? Oh, this guard and I were busy having a nice little discussion on the relative merits of our glorious leaders," she said snidely.

"At least, until you came along and spoiled it. And before that, I was just resting my poor, tired hooves before heading home from a late-night house call, and enjoying the nice quiet night brought to us by the lesser princess, according to Radiant Steel here."

[ZephyrBurst]

Zephyr only watched and listened as the large red unicorn arrived. He definitely commanded a higher authority than this pegasus. The discussion was interesting, but was a bit too serious for Zephyr's taste and he felt the tension between them. Even if one of the guards or the pony he couldn't see was able to point him in the right direction, he didn't want to be part of this.

Leaving was definitely the right choice and Zephyr began to back away. As he did, he stepped on a twig, which made a rather loud *snap*, and at this angle, he was in clear view of the red unicorn. Oh good going Zephyr, he thought to himself and stopped where he was. He contemplated casually walking off, but it probably wouldn't help him any, not with how tense the two guards were. He thought about flying away quickly, he was pretty sure he could out fly the pegasus guard, but Zephyr still had business in Canterlot and the trouble wasn't worth it, he waited...

[Corsair]

Bonfire was temped to give the guardspony... Ah! Radiant Steel! He'd finally remembered her name... He was tempted to give her the old "Don't call me 'Sir', I work for a living!" speech, but at the moment he was more focused on the intruder. He briefly let his eyes drift to the green flame above the unicorn's head. There was something tugging at his memory about that flame. Something about... a train accident? He let that thought sit as he dealt with the situation at hand. The mare still seemed to be trying to get both of the guardsponies angry.

"At least, until you came along and spoiled it. And before that, I was just resting my poor, tired hooves before heading home from a late-night house call, and enjoying the nice quiet night brought to us by the lesser princess, according to Radiant Steel here."

Bonfire smirked a little at this. He was known for having a temper, but the fact that this young mare was trying to upset him by insulting the princesses was amusing. His own doubts about Princess Luna aside, he'd put up with much better insults during his service. Like the gryphon who'd once pondered what a Goddess might taste like to Bonfire's face. "Well, miss," he responded, smugly. "Are your hooves rested now? If not, you could rest them in a cell for the remainder of the night."

Just at that moment, Bonfire heard a snap, like a branch being broken. His combat reflexes kicked in immediately. He assumed a fighting stance, and began focusing more energy into his horn. Did this unicorn have someone else with her hiding in the bushes? Was there something more going on? He quickly made larger flame, and shined the light from it towards the sound. He spotted the shape of a large green pony who was just in range to eavesdrop on the confrontation. The pony did not appear threatening, but Bonfire was taking no chances at this point. "Ok, nopony move unless I say so!" he yelled. "You! In the bushes! Come out where I can see you!"

[RarityDash]

Radiant had to say she was quite impressed by Bonfire's words to the unicorn. He really did seem just like a pegasus guard should be. This unicorn really did get on her nerves with how she twisted Radiant's words. She had never said Princess Luna was a lesser princess only that she had a deeper personal loyalty to Celestia. She still wanted to lash out at the unicorn but stopped herself. She needed to stay still and watch. She could learn so much from seeing firsthand how Bonfire handled all this.

Then, at the same time as the sergeant, Radiant's sharp senses picked up on the sound of somepony in then nearby bushes. She was not nearly as quick to jump into action as the other guardspony. As the stallion yelled to the hidden pony, Radiant straightened her posture, keeping her eyes on the blue unicorn. She stood alert, ready to fly into action if it was necessary of her.

[Tempest Rime]

The guard was finally threatening to arrest her, and Mal didn't think she could draw out the incident any longer with the higher-ranking guard around. She was just about to give a few parting shots and head home, when the sound of a newcomer distracted them. This was turning into a crowd, and could start getting dangerous if the guards started falling to paranoia.

"Go, stay, make yo your mind already. Yeesh, you really think anypony is seriously going to pick a fight with a couple of armored castle guards. What a bunch of delusional imperial sycophants," she snarled. "Why don't you go find somepony else to oppress? It's no wonder Luna flipped out if you lot are representative of the sort of pigs Celestia surrounds herself with."

[ZephyrBurst]

"Ok, nopony move unless I say so!" ... "You! In the bushes! Come out where I can see you!"

'I knew it, they always want to order everypony around like they're in charge.' Zephyr thought this and many other things to himself, he hesitated and didn't come out of the bushes at first. During his hesitation, the mare they seemed to be apprehending expelled a fairly cold statement to the guards. Zephyr didn't want to do what the guard said, the guard was edgy, that much was certain. He didn't like authority. They were a figure of fear and oppression in Zephyr's eyes during his youth. He understood now why they were essential, but these self-conditioned thoughts were hard to forget.

He finally stepped forward in full view of everypony in the area. Zephyr had a sealed unlabeled package strapped to him that rested firmly on his back. His expression displayed a bit of irritation and disgust. It was late, he wanted to be home, yet he still needed to find this elusive address, and now he was being held up by these guards. 'I hate my curiosity sometimes.'

Before he spoke, he looked at Mal. It wasn't what he had expected to see. She didn't look harmful at all, in fact, she was the rare build that Zephyr actually showed a bit of restraint to when his past antics resorted to violence. This poor pony would break easily with his strength. She did have a rather cold, menacing stare and aura though, and her words were sharp. Despite this, Zephyr was pretty sure she was just upset with the guards like he was.

He didn't bother looking at Radiant Steel, he had already gotten a good look at her, she seemed like any typical guardpony. He turned his gaze to Bonfire...

"What do you want? I'm busy and I don't want to be held up any longer than necessary!" Zephyr didn't speak kindly to Bonfire.

[Corsair]

"Go, stay, make yo your mind already. Yeesh, you really think anypony is seriously going to pick a fight with a couple of armored castle guards. What a bunch of delusional imperial sycophants," she snarled. "Why don't you go find somepony else to oppress? It's no wonder Luna flipped out if you lot are representative of the sort of pigs Celestia surrounds herself with."

"What do you want? I'm busy and I don't want to be held up any longer than necessary!"

Bonfire was starting to get angry now. Did nopony respect the Royal Guard anymore? Bonfire noted that that Radiant Steel had moved to cover him, watching the unicorn while he dealt with this new situation. She seemed to have good instincts, and just needed some experience under her hooves.

Now that he could get a good look at the pony from the bushes, he could see that the large green pegasus had some kind of package on his back. A courier of some type, perhaps. But that did not explain why he was creeping around the palace walls at night. "Let me guess, you're just 'resting your hooves' too?" Bonfire asked, not taking his eyes off the pegasus. At this point, he couldn't rule out the possibility that he and Radiant had stumbled into some kind of illicit transfer between the two ponies. The shadow of the palace wall seemed a stupid place to do something like that though...

"If you cooperate, you should be able to be on your way quickly." Bonfire told the pegasus. "If not, I can find a cell for you too." With a jerk of his horn, Bonfire gestured to the parcel on the pegasus' back. "What's in the package?" he asked.

[RarityDash]

Radiant gave a firm nod. Bonfire seemed to be doing an excellent job of questioning the pegasus stallion who had appeared. Thinking quickly, she considered what she should do in this situation. She decided immediately that the proper course of action was to keep her focus on the blue unicorn and leave the other to the sergeant. She stepped toward the unicorn as she thought of something appropriate to say, trying her hardest to keep her emotions in check this time.

"You seem to have taken the opinion that we of the guard have affronted you in some way," said Radiant to the unicorn in a very stern voice. "But had you simply answered my questions I would have been on my way without event. It is only because you refused to cooperate, and furthermore spoke with spite aimed at me and the princess that my suspicions remain." Radiant gave a stern scowl, a jittery excitement coursing through her as she spoke. "If you are truly innocent here as you seem to claim, I ask you only cooperate and you will gladly be released. If you do not, it is my job to take precaution and assume you mean harm."

[ZephyrBurst]

((OOC: Tempest said to go ahead and reply before him))

Zephyr rolled his eyes at Bonfire's comment, he wished he could rest, but he still had the flight back to Cloudsdale after this. Though he liked the trips, as they were relaxing, especially at night. He didn't want to deal with these guards and glared at Bonfire about his statement for finding a cell.

'Of course, he figures he can just make threats like that since he's some 'royal' guard. Now he's being nosy about my work, this package is none of his business.'

Zephyr waited till the mare guardspony was done talking. Wow, did these two guards talk a lot of nonsense.

Zephyr sneered at Radiant Steel. "Affronted?! You practically cornered her, how fair is that?"

Zephyr quickly looked at Bonfire and sighed angrily. "And I don't know what's in this package! I'm just a delivery pony from Cloudsdale! I don't go rummaging through other pony's orders! I'm just lost is all. I can't find the address labeled on here. And I'm sure you'll ask so... it's being delivered to... " Zephyr adjusted the package so he could see the name and address.

"Somepony named Mal, err... Mal-e-diction. Here's the address." Zephyr tilted the package's written content in Bonfire's direction so he could see it.

"If you know where that street is, it would be very helpful." He glared at Bonfire again. "Now I've done what you asked me to do, so can you help me out so I can be on my way or are you going to harass me longer like you're doing to this mare over here." Zephyr pointed to Malediction.

"She's probably saying those things because you two keep accusing her of wrongdoing!"

[Tempest Rime]

Malediction spat. "This is why I can't stand you lawpony scum. You think you're so much better than me, just like that filth at the university. You just assume you're in charge and nopony will have any problems with that unless they're up to something. You're nothing but a bunch of brutes." Had she been alone, Mal would probably have simply started cooperating by now, but now she had someone else to make an impression on. She'd risk taking a beating and ending up in a cell for the night, but she wasn't going to be seen rolling over to the guards.

She blinked. Wait, what had he said. "Malediction," she snapped, correcting his pronounciation. "And you're going the wrong way, my shop is down several tiers of the city, it's not all high and mighty like our 'benevolent' tyrant's palace. You can't even see the sky from there."

She glared angrily at Bonfire. "And I'd really rather not have some overzealous fanatic tearing through my mail, thank you very much." She turned up her nose at Radiant and sauntered over towards Zephyr, swishing her tail in Radiant's direction.

[RarityDash]

"So your name is Malediction, you attend the university and you have some sort of shop in the lower tier," said Radiant, listening closely. "This could have been so much easier if you just said as much when I asked."

Radiant nodded, sure she was doing a good job. "But if you do indeed live in the lower levels, it further becomes suspicious why you might be here, so out of your way. I believe we're going to need an explanation, as well as to see just what is in that package." She stared the unicorn pony down, convinced she was some kind of thief or terrorist.

Radiant glanced toward Bonfire, curious as to whether she was performing well before the more experienced guard pony.

[Corsair]

This whole situation was giving Bonfire a headache. He could not remember ever running into two more unpleasant ponies. If these two really didn't know one another, they seemed like a perfect match.

He was finding it hard to believe that the pegasus was simply a lost courier. The fact the the package just happened to be addressed to the other trespasser was just too much of a coincidence. But if this was supposed to be some kind of clandestine transfer, why do it right outside the palace where they could be spotted? Why would this 'Malediction' pick a fight with a royal guard if she was trying to avoid notice? Why put an address on the package in the first place?

Bonfire was sorely tempted to just lock the pair of them up for the night, and let one of the guard officers deal with it in the morning, but he knew that was his own fatigue talking. Right now he just wished for a problem he could solve by bucking it or burning it.

"But if you do indeed live in the lower levels, it further becomes suspicious why you might be here, so out of your way. I believe we're going to need an explanation, as well as to see just what is in that package."

"Ok, fine." Bonfire turned to Malediction. "You don't want anyone going through your mail? You open that package. Radiant Steel, watch the pegasus. I want to know exactly what's going on here."

[ZephyrBurst]

Zephyr put his ears back as Malediction corrected him... wait... this was Malediction? Finally something went right. At least the trouble of finding this address was out of the way. He waited as Malediction began to walk toward him.

The two guards then pushed the issue of opening up the package when it was none of their business and were forcing the mare to open it. He didn't like Bonfire's tone when he told Radiant Steel to watch him. Something about it made Zephyr feel as if he thought the two of them were better than him and the unicorn mare.

"Like she could catch me anyway." He said it only to upset the guardspony.

Zephyr glared and growled at Bonfire."And you know what's going on! You're misusing your authority is what's going on here!"

He looked at Malediction, who had come closer to him and spoke calmer to her. "You don't have to open it if you don't want to. They shouldn't be allowed to impose on your privacy like that." Zephyr pointed his right forehoof at the two guardponies before them as he spoke. He didn't like it, but he unhooked the package from his back and placed it next to Malediction. A bit of compliance might be best.

"It's up to you." Zephyr started to realize he was letting his anger control his words and tone and wondered if he should try and calm himself down.

[Tempest Rime]

Mal snarled at Radiant. "Rrrrgh, I never said I attended the university. They wouldn't take me, I'm not powerful enough for them or some garbage. And I told you already, I was making a house call. I'm a locksmith. Look," she produced a piece of paper to show to the guards. "I even have the work order and receipt right here. A little house over on the eastern edge of this tier. The owner locked himself out, and I'm the only locksmith who stays open all night."

"As for the package..." she glanced over it, reading the return address. It was from a book dealer, but not one of the ones that dealt in the really rare books. That meant it was most likely a book of magical theory, or rare spells. Most importantly, it wasn't anything that would get her into trouble legally, and it was replaceable, in case the guards decided to confiscate or destroy it. Having deduced as much, Mal elected not to cooperate.

She levitated it into her bags and gave the guards a defiant glare. "If you want it opened, you'll have to take it from me by force." She directed her glare at Bonfire, as he seemed to be the senior guard, looking him right in the eyes, daring him to attack her.

[RarityDash]

Radiant listened to the unicorn's words. Her profession was opening locks. She had obvious frustration about her place in the world from how she spoke contemptuously of the princesses and how she could not gain acceptance into the university. It was easy to make assumptions given these points. When one is disgruntled and desperate, it's only natural to want to take what you think you deserve. This pony was here likely to try her lock picking skills on the princess vaults in attempt to find the bits she needed to push herself up in the world. It made sense. At the same time, part of her did want to believe the unicorn's story when she produced the work order. She wondered if it was just her naïvety. She couldn't let herself make a mistake.

"You said not a word about being a locksmith or house calls to me," Radiant said, staring at the other pony. "Even so, I'm not sure why we should trust you. You've already proven yourself to be uncooperative, deceitful wouldn't be a far stretch from there. And your skill of picking locks is a very easy one to use for less than honest purposes."

Her piece said, Radiant turned her head toward the pegasus, intent to follow Bonfire's order. "I'm faster than I look. I've trained for years to fly in this armor," she felt unnecessarily obligated to respond to the other pegasus' obvious taunt.