Umbra kept close to the shadows as she silently made her way through the Manor’s halls. It wasn’t difficult finding entry into the Goldshoes estate – the richest of ponies were often the least weary of their safety. Well, when they weren’t antagonizing the poor of course.

Her green eyes peered through the dark, ears on constant swivel as she ignored the valuable artwork and vases that lined the halls. Ornate tables and busts working as obstacles rather than cover. Past the corner of the center southern hall, she spotted the freestanding fire of the living room sparking away at fresh wood; her green eyes gleaming at the reflection of the dancing flames. The chimney pierced through the roof in a more modern, centerpiece design that lit the living room like a proper hearth should.

A pepper maned gold-colored Unicorn, undoubtedly Sir Goldshoes himself, sat quietly on the overly luxurious couch. Sipping away at a glass of wine, alone. She didn’t come here unprepared – Umbra knew this stallion had a wife, an overgrown ‘child’, and three to six security guards on duty at any given time. It wasn’t hard to take note of schedules; guards often worked on rotations, usually patrolling the grounds every ten minutes. The interior of the halls would be mostly unprotected. The only thing she had to worry about was restless hooves in the night, and being seen by said hooves. Her magic had muted her sound, leaving her undetectable to the unaware.

She could spot her target; a desk sitting elevated over the tile floor, raised on a small stage-like structure surrounded by books. That may be her second stop, at least – it was likely that there would be at least two offices to serve Goldshoe’s needs; a reading room, and a proper office to handle the financial side of things. Considering how he was currently reading a book, this was likely to be the public space reading room. His real work would be tucked away in a secure location, where he could hold quiet meetings without many ears listening in.

He had two floors to his home; it was probably true she’d find his study above, as he’d more than likely entertain guests on the spacious bottom floor. But the problem she faced now was reaching the upper halls quietly.

Her eyes scanned over the windows, taking in the ambient light of the moon. Just enough shadow cover to slip by, if she took her dark form. As if awakening the instinct within her, her body melded into the ambiance of the pitch. Quickly darting under an overly fancy elm table, the whip of her shadows nearly tipped over a vase – which luckily settled in place over the gold-laced red tablecloth.

Regardless, the stir made Goldshoe’s eyes dart up from his book, looking to the hallway with mild interest.

“I need to hire a carpenter to fix that rattling window already,” he said quietly to himself, as Umbra wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead, just on the other side of the hall.

Reinforcing her Silent Steps spell, she continued to explore unseen. Guest room, guest room… this section of the manor seemed to be strictly housing. Her best bet would be to find the kitchen; there would be a staff staircase there, for sure, and it wasn’t likely more than a single servant was awake at the moment. If he even retained any overnights, that is. The only other option would be the large marble staircase in the living room, which was far too exposed.

Her luck shined as she found the dining room at the end of the hall; the kitchen door just beyond it. But another problem… The light of the fire washed the room through the large doorway, right in front of Goldshoe’s perch. She could spot the kitchen’s door handle, at least – and gave it a turn with magic. The creak of the hinges silenced by her emerald aura. She would have to turn completely invisible for this, which meant she’d have to slip on some covers for her noisy hooves.

Her horn glowed quietly, withdrawing four pieces of hoofwear. Thick, heavy socks – mid-leg height to prevent slipping. She didn’t know why, but something about wearing wool socks like this made her feel more… seductive, than anything. And even with her new tools, she had to tread slow and steady. The last thing she needed was to fall onto the polished floor, or make too much muffled noise.

The main problem with this approach was cost. Invisibility drained magic quickly, especially when moving. She was an extremely talented Unicorn, with powers to rival perhaps a Princess – but some spells were incredibly complex without extremely rare potions to aid in casting them. You’d have to be rich to afford a few hours worth of a chameleon potion, and those were bits she simply didn’t have. Even Vee, a close ally like her, wouldn’t grant her something like that; which could pay rent for a season alone with the price tag tied to it.

Slowly, quietly, with her horn twinkling absorbed by the spell – she stepped through the light of the fire. One hoof at a time, it was similar to holding one’s breath. A dozen hooves distance, and she was already beginning to sweat. She felt the familiar pinch of magic exhaustion rapidly rising, horn threatening to give as she nearly flashed her body back into sight.

But she made it. Stifling her panting, she took off of her socks one by one – returning them to her bag. The kitchen was thankfully left unattended, save for a single sleeping mare at a prep table. Umbra’s horn refitted the silent steps spell, and she quickly made her way up the service stairway to her left.

She arrived on the second floor without trouble, breathing a sigh of relief. Peeking into the southern hall, she was happy to find it empty. Next stop… checking doors.

The study was likely to be in the corner of the manor, likely overlooking the street in the north – since the southern section was more housing and frivolous niceties. It could be used in this position to keep track of guests and keep an ear out for arrivals. The living room lay beyond a rail below, circling around the rooms and giving plenty of headway for guests and talk. Since she was more towards the center of the south western corridor, she’d have to keep low, but otherwise, it was easy enough to dart along the darkened hall unimpeded.

Passing quietly overhead, the north west door was a bust – it was simply a dress room and lounge, to experiment with overly fancy dress suits. But with no interruptions, she was quick to check the north east door – sighing in frustration. Locked. Of course. She could pick it with magic – but there was a high chance it would alert Goldshoes below.

She approached the rail behind him, weighing her options. In Erenorn, she would have just killed any Seraph that prevented her from attaining her goals – it didn’t matter, she felt little remorse for their kind. But Equestria was different. Regardless of her life before Canterlot, she couldn’t fall back into her old ways. She was a changed mare; not the hired killer she used to be to pay the bills, years past. On top of that, Goldshoes would probably need to stand trial for his crimes, and it would be significantly harder to pin him for anything if he was discovered dead on the floor.

Instead, she spotted the open bottle of wine, resting lazily in the ice bucket on top of the arm table to his right.. A flick of her horn, and it toppled over – Goldshoes yelping as it clattered to the floor with a crash.

“Ah, f- Tensil! Get the rags, I knocked over the wine again!” he yelled, his voice covering the sound of the crack of magic against the lock. And just like that, she was in. The study had two windows out, as well – and she made sure to turn the now tapped lock behind her. It would buy her time if needed, and she had no intention of going back the way she came.

Umbra began her search properly, checking first the desk – and when that turned up empty, the bookshelves. There, the stalion had left a ledger.

“What are you hiding here, I wonder?” she whispered to no one in particular, flipping the pages through in the dim light of the moon. Her eyes were sharp in the shadows – and she was pleased to find something to back up Vapor’s claims.

It was a receipt dated three years, four months prior – coupled with a few notes left forgotten. Simply put, he had the schematics of a lightning tower on hoof, which wasn’t weird on its own – after all, the Goldshoes Estate ran investments in infrastructure and power. But, the design is what gave away its intentions. Simply put, this was likely to be used to harness vast amounts of power, with no intention of storing it for commercial or residential use. It wasn’t much, but it was a start.

The materials receipt confirmed it; one of the key purchases was for mass amounts of copper, and Enchanter’s Orbs. Essentially, dozens of small gems fitted together in gold, meant to temporarily store vast quantities of magical energy.

She made a rough duplicate of the book, using her magic. The duplicate would stay, while the original fitted snugly in her satchel. As she went to put away the fake, the slight edge of a letter caught her eye from just behind the books.

She looked over the seal with mirth. Alma Sol’s crest, she’d recognize it anywhere. After all, it’s where she resided between her missions these last three years. She didn’t even need to read it. But she had one last thing she needed to do, before darting out the window into the night.

Umbra’s horn glowed, withdrawing a camera from her satchel. She set the fake ledger and letter on the table next to each other, with Goldshoe’s seal resting right on top. In his office, with his name right there, on his desk, facing the camera. Bold evidence of his involvement in at least the attack on the Crystal Empire.

She closed the curtains, before clicking picture after picture of evidence, adding a duplicate letter behind the shelf before stuffing everything in her bag. With the light of the camera’s flash blocked by heavy curtains, she did it all without a fuss. It only took a few moments to remove any traces of her interference, and with the window unlocked – she waited for her break in the security’s patrol.

The soft swoosh of shadows filled the night, landing on the ground well past the gates with a hoof clattering thud. Her horn twinkled and closed the window behind her; gone without a trace.

Tomorrow night, Topaz Jewels. She thought to herself, giving her tail a flick. Stepping proudly down the road unseen, and unheard.

Luna’s door was locked once again, at Arin’s return. So he put together a comfortable pillow fort to rest for the night; and when dawn came, he was gone. On the road to Canterlot, alone – and with one destination in mind.

The tinkle of the bell above Vee’s shop stirred the dozing pegasus from her nap.

“Bold of you to come in here, into my open shop, during my pretend sleep!” she called to Arin, lifting her hat from her eyes. “Oho! Loverboy, back at it again. I’m afraid I ate all my roses, though, if you’re looking to make it up to Umbra. Also, I don’t sell roses.”

“No no, I came here looking for a job.” Arin smiled. Vee simply blinked up at him.

“D’ohoho! That’s a good one, Tall-fry. Next you’re going to tell me you’re serious, and that you’re good at sweeping up feathers.” Vee gazed right through him, the bags under her eyes nearly dragging her face back down to the counter.

“Er… I’m serious. And uh… actually, yes, I’m pretty good at sweeping up feathers,” he said, flicking his wings behind him.

“Welcome aboard then! Unfortunately, we’re not hiring, so you’ve been promoted to customer.” She shooed him with a hoof. But it had little effect on the Seraph.

“I have a good knowledge of Canterlot’s layout from my study as a Knight, and can run deliveries for you?”

“Well, you push a hard bargain! You’ll start immediately. Your first job, get out. You’re fired, we can’t afford you.” Vee raised a tired wing to her muzzle, preening away.

“What? Are you bankrupt or something?”

“Haha! Yes, actually. If you hadn’t noticed, ponies tend to snoot their bits into bags when times are tough. Or purses. Or banks. I don’t suppose you excel at robbing any of those for me, huh, Tall-fry? The pay is nothing, as I’m still broke.” She motioned with her wing, forcing a frown to form on Arin’s cheeks.

“Well, normally at this point, I’d give up and move on. Buuut…”

“Oho! I like where this is going! Please, finish your but.” She smiled now, lifting her coffee mug to her muzzle in her wing. She really enjoyed using them, for just about… well, everything, when she could.

Arin withdrew a bag of coffee beans from the satchel at his side. It was marked with Celestia’s cutiemark, sealed tight. Immediately, Vee’s purple eyes shot open.

“Royal Coffee? Hrmhmhm! I see. Now, I would ask where, but I think I’ve got a clear picture of where’d you snoot that up. But! I’m still not hiring. Though I know a Smol-fry who is! Pumpkin!” Vee shouted with a flap of her wings.

The orange mare appeared from the Kitchen’s doorway, saluting – her oversized hat tumbling to the ground. She tucked it back over her brown and red mane, returning to her serious pose. “Reporting for duty!”

“Hire this Tall-fry! That’s an order!” Vee stuck out her hoof, as Arin set the payment down into her eager grasp. Instantly, she tore the bag open – breathing deep. “Yes, on the double!”

“Vee, um… I-I work for you.”

“Oh.” She blinked, before shrugging. “Well, he’s going to be your new assistant in the kitchen. The pay is terrible and the hours are long, but that’s simply because you haven’t earned me any money.”

Pumpkin Spice’s green eyes stared up at the towering Seraph, blushing. “Gosh um… I-I’ve never had an assistant before. You’re s-so tall! Has anyone, um... told you that?”

“Actually, yes! Just now.” Arin smiled towards Vee. “Besides, I don’t just need a job. I actually came here specifically, because I need help with a project I have in mind.”

“Oho! I knew you were snooting up the right tree. Well Tall-fry, speak, or forever hold your feathers.” Vee had already stashed away her new beans, as she had coffee to attend to first. She’ll have to save them for a special, world saving occasion, probably. Or for casual moonday morning preening.

“Well, if you didn’t already know… Luna’s approval rating is kinda shot.”

“Yes yes, I read the news. Well, the comic section of the news. But it counts. I don’t trust those newfound radios. You can’t read them!” Vee nodded.

“I was looking to do a fundraiser, and with my experience in Erenorn – I’ve got the makings to be a wonderful baker. I can pay up front for all the supplies, too.” Arin placed his bag of bits in front of Vee, who picked it up with a wing. Giving it a gentle toss once – no, twice, she nodded.

“Three hundred and sixty seven.”

“How?…” Arin blinked, before Pumpkin chimed in.

“J-Just don’t question it. It um… w-will save your sanity. Now! Fundraiser, baking, all of this s-sounds great! I-I could use a… big, tall, strong Seraph like you to lift the heavy bags of flour in the kitchen.” She scratched the back of her head, hiding her blush. “I-I may be an Earth pony, but I-I struggle when it comes to heavy lifting, f-for um… magic reasons.”

“And that’s why you’ve got me! To mostly get in the way and eat your cookie dough,” Vee chirped, slurping lazily at her cuppa. “But now, if you’ll excuse me – I have some serious matters to attend to.”

Gingerly, her mug was returned to the coaster – adjusting it so that her ‘I Hate Mornings’ was left on proud display. Following that, her head flopped on the counter – a soft snore following. Pumpkin reached from just under the register, lifting Vee’s muzzle to set it on the cushion.

“J-Just don’t mind her. She has trouble sleeping at night, that’s when she’s most active. She’s a Night Witch, after all! And um… She's not really asleep. S-She likes to pretend.” Pumpkin smiled up at the Seraph, who couldn’t help but chuckle.

“It’s alright. Let’s just get started.” Arin smiled. Pumpkin gave a shy nod, before cantering into the kitchen – the Knight close behind.

Three hours passed under Pumpkin’s guidance. Arin was a bit rusty, since he hadn’t baked a thing in well over… ten years; that was his last employment with the baker of Milla Serine. Instead, the lil’ mare led the charge, mostly at her own discretion. She was pretty quick, too – cookies and blue cupcakes soon lined a small cart, one just her size. It even came equipped with a cauldron, meant to store drinks and punch for serving – but it was still a nice aesthetic to fit her getup.

“By the way, I never asked but… why do you dress like that? It’s the middle of summer. Surely you must be hot.” Arin said, as he placed little moons over the blue cupcakes. Cute decorations to help draw the eye and hopefully make an impact on their sales.

“W-Well, you see, I-I um... like to fly. And it’s pretty cold when I do.” She didn’t make eye contact with the Seraph, instead turning away to fiddle with her hat.

“…Do you have wings?” Arin asked. She was wearing a small orange vest against her cream coat, maybe something could be tucked under her clothes?

“N-No, I ride a broom!” She sparked, smiling through her cute stutter. “Vee taught me. Of course, it’s a um… trade secret, as she’d say. And I don’t think you’d n-need to learn how to do it, your wings are very big and… comfy looking.”

“So… a witch thing, then.”

“Yes!” Her hoof glowed softly, withdrawing a fresh batch of cookies from the oven in her magic. Another trade secret of course, but it did leave much to his imagination.

“Now um… I-I wanted to ask. How could a bake sale help P-Princess Luna? Are you her um… special somepony, a-and you’re saving up for a ring?…” She tapped her hooves together, smiling nervously up at the tall Ascended.

That question caught him off guard. Right now, he didn’t know what he was to her, from the way she’s been acting. At least, not in her own little world she’s stuck in. “It’s… complicated, to say the least. This is more so supposed to help her ratings with the public. There’s some laws that will come into effect if the populace disproves of her by the end of this summer, so I’m going to run as many fundraisers as I can under her name. As her Knight, I’m hoping to change some minds. I don’t know how many ponies there are in Equestria – but I need just a few to turn their heads her way, before it’s too late.”

Pumpkin Spice set a fresh batch of cookie dough into the oven, while Arin began to sift flour into a massive mixing bowl. Pumpkin had already pulled another cart from the closet, the duo working on filling that one too. Two carts, for a pony and a Seraph.

“Charity is always a good thing! B-But do you know where to um… send the bits?” Pumpkin asked, between dolloping spoons of cookie dough onto a freshly buttered sheet. She was quick with whatever magic she had, at least.

He frowned. “I hadn’t planned that far ahead. But you or Vee could help, I’m sure.”

“W-Will you donate it to an orphanage?” She dropped her spoon, facing Arin with hope in her eyes. “I… I came from one, more than a dozen years ago. Vee adopted me as her little Sister, and… I know none of the other orphans a-are doing well. I give what I can when I can, but even with m-my donations, it’s a struggle to feed the foals at night. With your help, we could make a real difference, and…”

Arin ruffled her hair through her large orange-red hat, forcing a blush on her cheeks. “Of course, ‘Small-fry’. It sounds like the perfect place to start. Anything that’s left can go straight to the orphans, too! I had it rough myself. When I was young, my mother… well, she was killed, and I’d like to avoid talking about my father. I know the feeling of being left on your own to fend for yourself. And I feel that Luna would have a soft spot for orphans, above all else. At least, I think she would.”

The witchy mare smiled up at him, before darting forward in a tight hug. “Don’t worry Arin! You’ve got m-my vote. For sure!” The little mare squeaked. “Er… for Princess Luna. Unless you want me to vote for you? In… whatever I’m voting for. I-Is it the general election?”

“I uh… actually don’t know myself. But once I do know, I’ll be sure to tell you.”

She replied with a nod, the duo setting back to work as quick as could be. Within the hour, both carts were decked with treats galore; cups lining the sides as Pumpkin prepared her portable cauldron with… pumpkin juice! She seems to be a very fall oriented pony.

“You know, autumn looks to be a few weeks away. And I’m not the best at understanding ponies, but you do know there are other seasons, right?” Arin questioned, leaving the little mare blushing.

“I-I know, I know. But I love fall! The u-um... leaves, the cool weather, the spooky holidays. I-It’s leagues better than summer, that’s for sure. All we have i-in summer is sweat, sunburn, and mosquitoes! Besides, I-I was both born, and later adopted, on the first of Cloptober.”

Vee’s head appeared in the window of the kitchen, “Don’t call it that, Small-fry. You’re too young for that.”

“That… Vee, that’s the actual name of the month. A-And I’m twenty two?” Pumpkin turned to face her, but Vee merely wingshrugged before slowly slipping back down beneath the window. Very slowly. Her purple eyes watching her work.

“What’s wrong with ‘Cloptober?’” Arin tilted his head at the Pumpkin mare, who’s cheeks turned near crimson with blush.

“I um, u-uh, I… if um… you should ask Vee. Later. When I’m not t-there.” She reached under the counter – pulling a large box free, dangling it by a rope. It had a slot for coins, and a lock on the front – the perfect storage place for donations, if a little crude. She hung it over her neck, her blush slowly fading.

“Vee! We’re leaving!” she called, as the duo pushed their respective carts through the kitchen’s entryway into the lobby. To Arin, it felt odd – running a bake sale kinda hit him in the dignity. This felt like something children would do. But, it seemed like the best idea at the time. Something about ponies and their culture screamed ‘feed us treats and we’ll do whatever you want’.

“Oho! Done already? It’s only been…”

Vee looked at a watch strapped to her hoof, tilting her head left, then right – before realizing she drew said watch on. “Huh. Smol-fry, where’s my watch?”

“You were brewing a batch o-of potions when it slid off your uh… hoof, and fell in the cauldron. I think it’s because our hooves aren’t really meant for wrist watches.” Pumpkin hesitated by the door, lifting her hat with a hoof to look at her big sister.

“Oh yeah. Well then! I’ll check the wall clock.”

Vee looked up at the wall, a dust-free space where a clock used to hang being the closest indicator of the time. “Where’s the wall clock?…”

“You replaced your wrist watch by carrying the wall clock around your neck like a necklace. That, too, fell um… i-in the same batch of potion.”

“…The sun dial?”

“You tried to use it as a bath. Which, again, you should really stop doing. I-It then broke.”

“The neighbor’s clock I borrowed last week.”

“Same thing as the wall clock. By the way, y-you owe them a new clock.”

“Aha! Bills. My favorite thing. If I hated my favorite things, it would definitely be my favorite. Like taxes.” Vee started preening once more, another feather joining the pile on the floor. “Well then. Be back before it’s dark. Or don’t. I’m not rescuing you again.”

Pumpkin stopped at the door, “That was a public pool, Vee. Y-You slapped the lifeguard with a pool noodle until h-he banned us both from swimming there.”

“Well, he started it. D’ohoho! It’s fine, Small-fry. He quit last year, we can go back whenever. You two have fun! And Arin?”

“Yes, Vee-Ness?”

“If you’re going to work for me, you should keep a lucky feather on hoof. Never know when somepony is allergic to tickling, or you need to fly a feather faster. Here – this one will do!” She floated that very same feather she just preened into the air, and with a twirl of twine from under her counter – made a small bracelet from it. The Seraph received the gift through Vee’s magic, inspecting it before putting it on.

“Thanks… I guess?” Arin said, Pumpkin pushing the door open for him. Her cart bumped past, giving the Knight a chance to follow along into the late summer sun.

“You’re welcome, Tall-fry. I’ll see you tonight. Oh, and please – call me Vee. Or Purple. Because I’m Purple. I am very Purple.”