Deep in the bowels of the city of Canterlot, in the clinic of a young street doctor, two young mares twitched and whined, reprimanding him for every clumsy application of an ice pack or inquisitive prod.

"Would you two cut it out?” Sawblades pleaded, pressing a pack to Sky’s eye. “I haven’t even done anything yet!”

“I know,” said Shadow, cutting out her whining and sitting on the gurney like a silly little horse. “We’re just practicing so that we’re ready for when you break out the hacksaws and syringes and other horrible doctor stuff.”

“Oh, joy,” Sawblades scoffed, glancing sidelong at Shadow before looking back at Sky. “Don’t you sit there grinning, young lady! I know where she learned to be so damn cheeky!”

“I haven’t any idea what you mean!” Sky replied, ever-so-sweetly. She fluttered her eyelashes at Sawblades as her little sister giggled behind her. “I taught her to be a nice, friendly, polite pony! She’d never be cheeky!”

“Yeah, because nice polite ponies never bribe their doctor to dress up like a crook and go wandering around in front of the guard barracks,” Sawblades muttered sarcastically, rubbing Sky’s ear to coax a squeak out of the poor little mare.

“Hey, you didn’t have to take the money!” Shadow put in. “You could’ve gone away or gotten someone else anytime you wanted!”

“Not when you were doing the cute filly routine, I couldn’t!” Sawblades replied wearily. “You two are better sisters than I’ve ever seen in all my life, and that is not a compliment...but at least you guys are safe...ish.”

Shadow looked down at her right wing, which stuck out at a weird angle. “Am I going to be okay, Mister Sawblades?”

The street doctor glanced up at her, letting Sky hold the ice pack to her face as he strode over to her and took a look. “You’re going to be off of that wing for a little while. Whatever broke that did a damn good job at it, but we’re going to get you in a cast and you can be all better, okay?”

“Okay, then,” Shadow said, looking crestfallen.

“What’s the matter? Sad because you’re not allowed to fly?” He asked, gently working it back into a normal position as Shadow fought back the urge to cry out of reflex.

“No...I...ow...well, sort of…” Shadow admitted. “I just wanted to show Sky...that I could fly...when I jumped off of those stairs...it was really cool and I’ve always wanted to be able to fly…”

“Hey, kid,” Sky said, turning around and grinning at her. “I believe you, okay? With wings that big, I’m not surprised that you flew. Hell, a few years for you to practice and grow into them, I’d be surprised if you’re not a better flyer than I am.”

“I know…” Shadow said, “but I just wanted to show you...and keep doing it to make sure it wasn’t a one-time thing…”

“Well, I’ve got an idea.” Sawblades said soothingly, fixing a splint in place and wrapping her oversized wing in bandages. “Do you know what happens to ponies with broken limbs, kiddo?”

“N...no?” Shadow asked, wincing and whimpering with each and every touch to her damaged limb.

“Well, when you get a cast, what I do is I put a great big mould made out of plaster over your wing to keep it straight so it heals up properly,” Sawblades explained, “and then your best friends and family get to write friendly messages on it, so that every time you look at it, you remember that there are ponies who love you. Does that sound nice?”

“Ye...yes…” Shadow said with a little sniffle. Sawblades chuckled, giving her a pat on the head and striding over to where he kept his equipment. He stopped only to slap Sky’s hoof out of the candy bowl and give her a damning look.

“I was...going to give her a lolly…” Sky said sheepishly.

“Sure you were,” Sawblades replied, thoroughly unconvinced. With a disbelieving snort, he got together the things he needed, stirring up a bowl of plaster and slowly moulding it around Shadow’s bandaged wing. “Now, this is going to itch like crazy after a while, but you can’t take it off until you come back here and I say you can, okay?”

“Okay, Mister Sawblades,” Shadow said with a dutiful nod, wiping the tears out of her eyes. “Um...Mister Sawblades?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“Are you going to sign it?” She asked hopefully.

Sawblades glanced between her and Sky, hesitating. The look Sky gave him magically restored his ability to speak, and he cleared his throat with a nod.

“Well, it’s not often someone asks their doctor to sign their cast...but I suppose I can probably make an exception,” he conceded. “Besides, at the rate you’re going, you’re probably going to be walking in and out of this clinic so much that I’m going to be your surrogate dad by the end of this.”

“Yeah, thanks for the vote of confidence, asshole,” Sky scoffed.

“I’m sorry, but how many times have you brought her in here since you guys first met?” Sawblades asked with a grin.

Sky grumbled grumpily, crossing her forelegs and looking away. “The first time wasn’t even my fault…”

“What happens now, then?” Shadow asked, leaning back as she waited for the plaster to dry out. “I mean, we got away from the bad guy, but he’s still gonna be out there, right?”

“That’s kinda hard to say, kid,” Sky admitted, pointedly ignoring Sawblades. “You’re probably on his hit list right now, so we’re going to need to keep you safe until he finds other things to do with his time. That means that I’m gonna have to train you as you get better until we can both look out for each other.”

“A lot of the burglars and other criminals in this city work in teams, especially since Stronghooves became an officer,” Sawblades put in with a nod. “The most successful are the ones that look out for each other and can cover each others’ backs. You’re going to need to do that incredibly well if you want any chance of surviving.”

“Does that mean he’ll keep looking for us?” Shadow asked. “And that Captain Titus, too?”

“I hope not,” Sky said with a sigh, snuggling up to Shadow and wrapping her wing around her, “but it’s probably what’s going to happen, knowing our luck. Still, keep shooting like that and we’re not going to have a problem with him again anytime soon.”

“That reminds me,” Sawblades said, “you guys conducted a raid on one of the most heavily-defended buildings in the city. I mean, I saw the sleep gas grenade part, obviously...you’re welcome, by the way…” he added, “but how the hell did you take Stronghooves down? This guy’s got a reputation for maximum casualties and a teenager and a nearly untrained kid took him out?”

“Shadow’s a hell of a lot better with that crossbow than I thought,” Sky said with a chuckle, ruffling her sister’s mane. “You should’ve seen that shot. The kid’s got one hell of a talent for this stuff. Stronghooves was armoured up and only had a little bit of skin exposed, and she got him right in the neck, didn’t you?”

“Well, it was kind of a lucky shot, but I sure did!” Shadow said proudly, nodding and leaning up against her sister. “Hey, do you think that might be my special talent?”

“Dunno,” Sky said, shuffling up next to her. “Still, you’re gonna have plenty of time to practice your shooting while you’re getting better, so I guess we’ll know sooner or later, either way.”

“Well, all the same, you’re off to a great start,” Sawblades said, looking them both over and grabbing a little black marker. “There aren’t many burglars who’ve survived an encounter with Stronghooves, let alone actually knocked him out in a fight. Keep fighting like that and you’re going to be the envy of the Canterlot Underground in no time.”

“It’s only a matter of time before everyone knows about the barracks raid,” Sky added. “That’s gonna land us with some decent reputation. I’ll see if I can pull some strings, grab a few ponies who can help teach you the same way they taught me.”

“That’d be awesome!” Shadow squeaked, as Sawblades took her wing in hoof and scrawled something on the dry plaster cast. His ears went bright pink as Sky made a damning “Awwww!” sound.

“What’s it say, what’s it say?” Shadow asked, craning her head to look at the cast. When Sawblades finally let go, she grabbed her wing and read the little message he’d scrawled on it.

“‘Get well soon Shadow, you crazy filly. Best wishes, your pal Sawblades,’” she read under her breath. Shadow pouted at Sawblades, giving him a shove. ”You’re crazy!” She insisted, “but...thanks, Sawblades. I’ll get better super soon and get flying again, okay?”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Sawblades said with a friendly smile, passing the marker to Sky. “You just take it easy for the next little while. Well-behaved fillies get well sooner. Did you know that?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s bullshit, Sawblades,” Sky said vaguely, as she scribbled her own little greeting on her sister’s cast.

”Must you sabotage me?” Sawblades asked wearily. “You’re only hurting yourself if she’s acting like a loon for the next month!”

“Don’t worry,” Shadow said, patting Sawblades’s hoof. “I’ll behave myself. I’m sure Sky’s just being all silly and naughty.”

“Excuse me, what do you mean ‘naughty?’” Sky asked, pausing to raise an eyebrow at Shadow.

“Naughty like pulling pranks and getting captured, of course! You’re a very naughty little pony, missy!” Shadow said, waggling her hoof at her.

“Oh yeah,” Sawblades agreed. “See, finally some insight from somepony. You really ought to behave yourself or you’re going to end up being punished.”

“I think she deserves a spanking for being so silly,” Shadow asserted, nodding her head and staring at Sawblades pointedly. When he realised that she was hinting that he should do it, the poor stallion went bright red and looked away.

“Erm...no, I think she just needs to have her ears pinched or something…something that’s not that,” Sawblades trailed off, clearly aware that Sky had finished writing her note and was now staring pointedly at him.

Shadow, however, had no such interest in awkward teenage horse affairs, instead concerning herself with reading the note that her big sister had written her.

“Dear Shadow,” it read, “Thank you for saving me. You’re the best sister ever and I promise I’m never ever going to let you get hurt again. Lots of love, Sky.”

Shadow remained silent for a while, reading and re-reading the messages. She paid special attention to Sky’s, eventually looking up at the little white mare with big, tearful eyes. Without any further ado, she wrapped sky in a great big filly hug, using her one good wing to draw her in and make it the softest damn hug she could.

“Thank you,” Shadow whispered, her voice shaking as she cuddled her favourite mare.

Sky sat there for a moment, expressionless, glancing from Sawblades to her new little sister. Finally, closing her eyes to hide her own tears, she wrapped her wings around Shadow in turn and hugged her back.

“Thank you, too,” Sky whispered back, cradling the young pony and rocking her from side to side. They stayed that way for a while, silently crying and holding each other as tight as they could. There was something about nearly losing your newly-found loved one that really reminded both of them just how much they cared for one another.

It was only when Sawblades coughed awkwardly that they broke the hug, Sky looking away so that he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes.

“Um...we should go…” Sky said hurriedly, hopping off of the gurney and trotting hurriedly to the door. “Thanks Sawblades. We’ll be back when it’s time for her cast to come off, okay?”

“Yeah, sure, though I’ll remember to stock up on extra tissues if you’re going to have another moment,” Sawblades replied, as Shadow hopped off of the bed to follow her. “And...kid?”

The little filly stopped in her tracks, looking guiltily at her saddlebags and then up at Sawblades. “Y...yes?”

“Take good care of Sky, will you?” He asked quietly, looking out of his door at the little teenage pegasus. “You two are going to need each other, you know.”

“Don’t worry, Mister Sawblades,” Shadow said, patting his hoof and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll take extra-special care of my sister, just for you. Doctor’s orders, right?”

“Right,” Sawblades said, as she let him go and trotted out after Sky.

“She really is so much like Sky was when I first met her…” Sawblades mused to himself, watching them head out of his clinic. “I hope those kids stay sa…”

He stopped as a single lolly fell out of Shadow’s saddlebag as she hopped out of the front doorway, landing on the floor and sitting there incriminatingly. Sawblades chanced a look at his desk.

The candy bowl was completely empty. That little filly had snaffled all of it.

“OH, FOR THE LOVE OF…”

“So, Sky,” Shadow said, looking down at her busted wing, “how long does it take to get better from something like this?”

“Oh, not too long,” Sky admitted. “A month, month and a half? I’ve never broken a wing before, so I’d have no idea, really.”

Sky and Shadow remained silent as they clambered out of the catacombs and into the evening air. The sun was setting over Canterlot and many ponies were concerning themselves with closing up shop and going home. The two little sisters found it easy to slip into the crowd, heading towards the Poor District with everypony else.

“So what is it that sick ponies actually do?” Shadow asked, passing Sky a lolly and beaming. Sky stared at her for a time, totally stunned, before a big grin crept across her face and she took the treat from her.

“Well, sick ponies go to bed on time, and go to school, and share all of their candy with the favourite big sister…” Sky said, glowing with pride in Shadow’s candy-thievery efforts.

“Don’t push your luck,” Shadow interrupted, giving Sky a deadpan stare.

“It was worth a try,” she sighed. “Okay, how about ‘sick ponies hang out with their favourite pegasus?’”

Shadow leaned into Sky, nuzzling up under her wing.

“I like the sound of that.” She whispered.

The two ponies were about to turn onto another street, when a sudden shout roused them from their sisterly moment.

“THERE THEY ARE!”

Sky and Shadow rounded on the noise, spotting a group of very large, heavily armoured guards advancing on them.

“Oh, crap…” Sky muttered.

“What’s the plan for these guys, sis?” Shadow asked, taking a couple of steps back as the guards drew weapons.

“Erm...run?”

And run they did. With a flurry of hooves and feathers, Sky and Shadow took off down the street with those pesky officers of the law in pursuit. Though the guards did their best to keep up and get an edge on them, those two little sisters laughed and giggled as they ran. After all, this was business as usual for burglars.

The End