Applejack trotted down the street into ponyville, humming to herself. She had finished her chores for the day, and was looking forward to spending some time in town. Maybe she’d get to do some shopping, or run into one of her friends.

As Applejack cantered into the marketplace on the south side of town, she sighed at the wonderful smells from all the different things being sold, from the apple stand her brother was behind, to Bon Bons candy stall. A pleasant tune seemed to ring through the air as well, helping to muffle the harsh sounds of haggling ponies. She looked around, deciding where to start, when she spotted a familiar mane and tail, unmistakable as any other pony.

A.J. approached Rainbow Dash, noticing the nice pair of tinted goggles on her face. Rainbow was admiring herself in the mirror of the stall, which seemed to be selling sunglasses and other tinted eyewear.

“... These. Are. AWESOME. How much are they?” Rainbow was saying, as Applejack came into earshot.

“They’re a bit pricey ma’am, but well worth it. For just thirty bits you could be the coolest flyer around. And you'll never have to worry about Celestias great sun blinding you at an inopportune moment!” The salespony said.

“Thirty bits?” Rainbow Dash said, her voice taking a confrontational tone. “That’s ridiculous. These are worth, like, fifteen, tops. I’m already the coolest flyer in equestria, let alone around here.”

“Ah, but have you noticed the fine faux leatherwork around the cushion? You don’t see that level of craftsmanship from just anypony. I got those from a high class goggle maker in Canterlot. He supplies the Wonderbolts themselves.” He replied, with a smirk.

“Yeah, and my dad sells apples to the apple family. Try another one.” Rainbow said, with a roll of her eyes.

The salespony took the goggles back from rainbow dash, and started pointing out the special features.

“Fine, even if you don’t believe me about their origin, there’s no denying the quality here. The way the goggles’ shape fits your face. The wonderfully comfortable strap, guaranteed to not catch in your mane, while still securing them during even the most daring stunts. Twenty bits and they can be yours.” He snapped the headband once, to demonstrate, and held them up before rainbow, tempting her.

“Look, give ‘em to me for twenty bits, and I wont tell Princess Twilight Sparkle how you tried to cheat one of her best friends.” Applejack let out a gasp. Rainbow ignored her.

The salespony glared at her for a moment, then looked around nervously, and nodded. Rainbow Dash passed ever the bits and put on the goggles, smiling at her reflection in the mirror, before turning to Applejack.

“So what’s up A.J.? Figured you’d be on the farm all day.” Rainbow said.

“Ah finished mah chores early, but that aint important right now!” Applejack said, annoyed. “What do ya think you’re doin’, tellin that pony that you’d tell Twi if he didn’t lower his price? The price seemed right fair ta me, and Twi would never want her title dropped like that.”

“Oh relax A.J. She won’t even find out, and he was totally overcharging me. I saw the same pair in Manehattan once, for like, twelve bits.”

“Still don’t make it right…” Applejack grumbled, but let it go.

They kept walking around the marketplace, every now and then Applejack would stop to look at something, or buy a snack. Rainbow strolled along next to her, finding cool stuff for sale, and commenting on A.J.’s choice of stalls.

“Look, just ‘cause Apples Emporium don’t have no pogosticks or sunglasses for sale, don’t mean its not a good store. I happen to think the apple-themed carpets and clothes they sell are right nifty.” Applejack said.

“A.J. Darling, you think anything to do with apples is ‘nifty’,” said a voice from behind the pair.

“Rarity! What are you doing here today? I thought you had a big project to work on for some bigwig from Manehatten.” Rainbow Dash said, turning around to see their guest.

“Hey Rares. Good ta see ya. What brings ya out here today?” Applejack asked.

“I managed to finish my projects early, and the weather today was simply divine. I couldn’t bear to let it go to waste.”

“Ahm glad ya decided to join us. You out shopping for anything specific, or just wandering around?”

“Well, I’ve been so busy with orders recently that I haven't had time to create anything new, so I thought I’d look around and see if inspiration struck,” Rarity said, stopping to look at a stained glass booth.

A shout snapped their heads up from the beautiful glass pieces. There was a commotion from a few stalls ahead of them.

“What in tarnation is going on over there?” Applejack said.

“Looks like Swift Hoof got caught again. You’d think he would have learned from the last time,” Rainbow Dash said

“Ah know ah would never steal again if ah had been caught by a rope and hung upside down from a rooftop by The Batmare.” A.J. said with a giggle.

“Yeah, that was awesome. The way she just swooped in, and then wham, bow, hanging from a roof. Then she disappears as fast as she shows up! I wanna meet her so much. Even her costume is awesome. Hey Rarity, could you make me a costume that cool?” Rainbow Dash asked.

At the silence that followed, the two mares looked around. Rarity was nowhere in sight. The stained glass stall was empty save for the shopkeeper.

“Now where’d that mare get to?” Applejack queried.

“Maybe she saw a really nice dress? Or inspiration struck and she ran off to go make more dresses.” Rainbow Dash said with a bored tone. “C’mon A.J. I wanna see if The Batmare shows up to catch him again!”

“All right, all right, Ahm comin’.” Applejack said, still looking around for Rarity.

Rainbow Dash hurried forward, trying to keep up with the crowd following Swift Hoof. A.J. ran to catch up, easily keeping pace, and rolling her eyes at Rainbow’s excitement. As they rounded a corner, they saw Swift Hoof standing in the middle of the road, looking up. Following, they saw what had made him stop.

Standing on top of a house, with her cape billowing behind her, the masked unicorn glared down on the crowd staring up at her. Swift Hoof had stopped in his tracks, stunned by the reappearance of his foiler.

“Drop the goods, or suffer the consequences,” The Batmare said, in a high feminine voice.

“Never!” Swift Hoof shouted back, “You’ll never catch me!”

“Really, do we have to go through this again?” Batmare said with a sigh. “It’s a nice day out, and I was hoping to get some shopping done.”

“Ha! like I care about your shopping! You should just do what I do, and take what you want!” He yelled back.

She glared down at him. “If we all did that, the economy would collapse! Now drop what you have wrongfully taken, or I’ll have to take them from you!”

“You wont get me this time Batmare! This time I came prepared!” He said, as he pulled out a large tube. He pulled a lever on the side, and a net flew out the end, right at The Batmare.

Batmare jumped to the side, rolling down the side of the house, then rising as she came to a stop just before the edge.

She looked up in time to see Swift Hoof ride off on a scooter, racing through the crowd, causing ponies to scream and leap out of his way.

“Stop this criminal act!” The Batmare shouted, as she jumped from one roof to the next. Swift Hoof turned left, and tore down the empty road, no longer having to slow down for the pedestrians. He might be a thief, but he wasn’t about to hurt innocent ponies.

Batmare jumped into the air between streets, then whipped a rope from her belt with her magic, throwing it onto a nearby overhang, she used it to swing around the corner. As she reached the apex of the swing she released the rope, and spread out her cape, stiffening it with her telekinesis, and flying down onto the street, right in front of Swift Hoof.

“I’ve got you now!” She shouted, holding out a hoof in front of her.

Swift Hoof saw her and panicked, leaping from his speeding scooter, he jumped into a side alley, leaving the scooter to fly at The Batmare. She enveloped it with her magic, diverted it towards a bush, then ran after him.

She ran into the alley, only to find a dead end. Looking up, she saw Swift Hoof at the top of the wall. He gave her a wave and wink, and flipped over the wall, out of sight. The Batmare growled and ran after him, leaping up towards the top of the wall.

Magic enveloped her hooves, and she landed on the wall, running up it, then jumped over the top, landing on the other side. Swift Hoof stared at her for a moment, then shook his head.

“Ya know, have you ever thought about a life of crime? You'd make a great Thief.”

“When I was a foal a thief stole my father’s mustache. He carries extras now out of fear; I decided that day that nopony should ever have to feel that fear. I devoted my life to stopping ponies like you.” She replied.

“Well, there was no harm in asking,” he said, and jumped to the right, flying through a window.

“Oh no you don’t!” She cried, and jumped in after him. The window led to a stairwell, and she heard his hoofsteps as he ran above her, apparently heading for the roof. “Heh, got you now.” She said to herself.

She ran up the stairs, following Swift Hoof. three floors later, she could hear him panting, out of breath. She smiled, not even breaking a sweat. She heard a slam from above, and rushed forwards. At the top of the stairs was a trapdoor, and no Swift Hoof. Batmare threw open the the hatch and climbed through.

“End of the line Swift Hoof!” She called over the wind.

Swift Hoof turned away from the edge to look at her. A smile on his face.

“Ahhh Batmare. I said I came prepared didn’t I? You think this has just been a random chase? No no My dear, this was a game of follow the leader. And you played your part perfectly.”

Batmare tilted her head quizzically. Swift Hoof pointed behind her, and she turned her head to look, than gasped. There were three cannons set up, all pointing at her. She turned back to Swift Hoof, a frown on her face.

“You really are quite predictable my dear.” He said as he pulled out a remote. “Now, be a good girl, and stand still!” He pushed a button on the remote, and all three cannons fired at once, shooting out nets. The Batmare tried to dodge them, but they came from three different directions. She ducked under the first one, then dodged sideways from another, when the third one caught and wrapped around her, tangling her hooves and making her fall over.

She wriggled and writhed, trying to escape to no avail. Swift Hoof smirked down at her, enjoying the sight. Then he turned back and walked to the edge of the roof, looking back at her.

“You will always remember this day, Batmare, as the day you almost caught Swift Hoof, Thief Extraordinaire!” Then he jumped from the roof.

Batmare screamed, then he reappeared, being carried by a large griffon. She just stared at him in disbelief.

“Good Bye for now Batmare! Until next time!” he yelled, laughed as they flew away.

Batmare glared after him, until he was out of sight. Then she used her magic to pull out a knife from her belt, and cut herself free. She stared after Swift Hoof for a moment, then sighed. “Next time…” she said and jumped back down the trapdoor.



“Ahm not letting you buy a pogo stick, Rainbow Dash!” Applejack said. They were standing in a small shop that seemed to sell only two things, Wonderbolt paraphernalia and pogosticks. “You’ll just hurt yourself. Ah already have to worry about you doing crazy stunts in the air, Ah ain't gonna let you do crazy stuff down here too.”

“Aw c’mon, you know im awesome enough to pull it off.” Rainbow replied.

“Like when you pulled off breaking your wing? Or that time you crashed into my orchard and I had to carry ya to Nurse Redheart?”

“Hey! Those were just ‘cause of some slight miscalculations!” She said, a slight blush on her cheeks.

“Don't try and use fancy mathematics to muddle the issue! I’m still not letting you get a pogo stick.”

“Dear me, Rainbow Dash on a pogo stick? That sounds like the start of a bad joke.” A feminine voice said from behind them.

“Rares!” Applejack exclaimed. “Glad ya found us after that commotion.”

“How did you find us? The crowd got pretty crazy back there.” Rainbow asked.

“Oh it wasn’t hard, I just had to think ‘which store sold the most cool stuff’, and here you were.” Rarity said with a giggle.

“Well, glad ya could rejoin us. I need a shopping buddy who appreciates things besides Wonderbolt merchandise.” Applejack said, sticking her tongue out at Rainbow.

“Yeah, now I can talk to somepony about something beside apples!” Rainbow said, Sticking her tongue out back at A.J.

Rarity just laughed at their antics, and said, “Come on girls, There's a sale at Dresses and Extreme Farming Supplies.”

Applejack and Rainbow dash followed her out, still bickering, with smiles on their faces.