Green Pastures, Cloak’s Front Porch, Equestria
50 Years After the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

As Dagger concluded her tale, the foals looked up at her in wonder and amazement. Cloak had returned in the middle of the story, and now sat in his chair with a fresh glass of lemonade.

“Wait, Rat and Daring Do were sweethearts?!” exclaimed an earth pony filly. “But Nana Hour told me that Great Uncle Leaf was-”

“Easy there, kiddo,” interrupted Dagger with a soft grin. “I never said there was anything there. Honestly, I never bothered to ask Rat how he actually felt about her later on. However, I’m pretty sure that it was a brief one-sided infatuation if there was anything at all.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure about that, Sis,” interjected Cloak. “I’m pretty sure there might have been something there.”

Dagger frowned slightly, realizing that neither sibling could say for certain which one of them was right. Rat had kept such matters close to his chest, only speaking about such things when he couldn’t keep it from his comrades any longer. It bothered Dagger that she never thought to ask the question.

“Grandpa, you mentioned a jailbreak job earlier,” mentioned Cold Snap. “Whatever happened with that?”

“Ah, that job,” chuckled Cloak. “That one always has a fond place in my heart, but it was also pretty important to Rat as well.”

“Why’s that?” asked Kingfisher.

“For Rat, it was his first time leading a group without supervision from a veteran,” replied Cloak with a faint smile. “For me, however, it marked a critical point that would affect my later life completely, shaping my future as only one thing could…”

Mess Hall, The Cirrus, Equestria
11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

Rat looked around the mess hall calmly, not overly concerned with how the last mission turned out. His comrades were decidedly more concerned. Razor had given him an earful all the way back to the Cirrus for leaving the package with an unknown element, especially since it wasn’t part of their contract. Hoxton, likewise, had basically read the riot act to the young stallion for willfully abandoning equipment. Descent, thankfully, had been quiet on the matter, simply asking the young stallion if he was sure he made the right choice.

“Sounds like that milk run really got out of hoof,” smirked Cloak. “Good thing you were thinking well, Boss.”

“Cloak, this is very serious!” snapped Dagger. “If he messed up the contract, it could be grounds for instant dismissal in this case!”

Tank grunted unhappily, lifting Rat up and holding the young stallion protectively. It was like a colt protecting his foalhood teddy bear, but Rat was finding it hard to see it as “cute”. The lack of oxygen was most likely responsible for that, but Rat found it hard to think with his lungs being crushed. Cloak snickered at the display of affection, while Arclight and Phantasm tried not to grin.

“Might want to loosen that grip there, Big Guy,” chuckled Cloak. “You’re squeezing the stuffing out of him.”

Tank immediately flinched, his previous expression turning from grumpy defiance to abject horror. The large pegasus slowly and gently set Rat back into his seat on the bench, staring at the smaller stallion with apologetic guilt in his eyes. Rat chuckled gently, despite his burning lungs, reassuring the large stallion that he was fine. Dagger rolled her eyes as her brother collapsed into laughter, while the rest of the table also worked to control their mirth at the situation. Tank gave a sheepish grin before returning to his meal.

“Hey, shrimpy!” barked an unfriendly voice. “You know where I can find a ‘Rat’?”

Rat turned to find one of the older Shadowbolts standing in the doorway, a permanent scowl on his face. Tank growled slightly at the newcomer. The stranger’s ebony coat was marred by a few visible scars, but remained mostly covered by a worn-down overcoat. His greasy dark grey mane and tail displayed a shocking streak of white-gold. The stranger pulled out a hip flask, taking a long draught from it and confirming the reason for the bloodshot appearance of his steel gray eyes.

“Have you tried your locker, my unwashed friend?” snarked Cloak defensively. “I’m sure you’ll find more than your fair share in there if you look hard enough.”

“You got something to say to me, wise-ass?” snarled the older stallion. “You feeling froggy, just jump. We’ll find out whether you are as good as they say!”

“Stand down right now, both of you!” snapped Rat. “If you take each other out of fighting condition, you’re useless to the Shadowbolts!”

“...Alright Boss,” relented Cloak, “but he better not insult you again, or I’ll-”

“-answer to me if you attack him,” interrupted Rat. “Do I make myself clear, Cloak?”

“...Yes, Rat,” muttered Cloak.

“You’re Rat?” asked the stallion incredulously. “Your rep makes you sound more imposing.”

“I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, though you sound familiar,” replied Rat.

“Just call me Pitch,” grunted the stallion. “Move your ass. Dante wants to speak with you.”

Rat did as he was told, noting that Pitch’s voice was uncannily familiar. With a brief motion to his comrades that he would return soon, he followed Pitch in silence, calm despite the serious nature of the situation.

“I’ll admit, I’m surprised by you,” grunted Pitch. “Ya look like a crossbreeze could carry you away, but clearly your little posse sees something worth respecting, and Descent wouldn’t have brought you aboard if he didn’t see something worth his time.”

“Indeed,” commented Rat. “I remember you now. You were the voice that interrogated me at my initiation.”

“Huh, clever kid,” grunted Pitch.

“Based on that interaction, I’m guessing that you used to be in law enforcement before the Shadowbolts?” probed Rat.

Pitch turned to look at Rat. “Very clever kid,” glared Pitch. “Let me give you a tip: I don’t talk about my past. Those who ask get hurt. See where I’m going with this?”

“Perfectly,” glared Rat.

They walked in silence after that exchange. Rat felt a severe dislike of the older stallion, but felt it was too soon to dismiss him outright. They entered Dante’s office quickly, standing quietly at the back of the room. Dante turned to face them, his expression formal and cold.

“Well done, Pitch, you are dismissed,” ordered Dante.

Pitch simply gave a lazy salute and walked out. Dante approached Rat quickly and led him by the hoof.

“Thank you for coming quickly, Rat,” greeted Dante, a relieved look on the old veteran’s face.

“What’s wrong, sir?” asked Rat. “Was the mob unhappy with the last contract?”

“Far from it,” grinned Dante in spite of his concern. “They actually offered you a bonus for your service, as well as a future favor for your diligence in the matter. In fact, it’s your superior efforts that have brought you here today.”

It was at that point that Rat noticed the pegasus stallion in the corner of the room, pacing anxiously. His tan business suit complemented his storm grey coat, even as it clashed with his greying crimson mane. The bags beneath his hazel eyes, clearly visible from the other side of the room, spoke volumes about the stress the stallion was under.

“You are the stallion who led the group protecting my associates?” asked the older stallion. “I did not expect you to be so young, but age is of no consequence if you are as skilled as your reputation states.”

“I only do my best to serve my clients, based not only the letter of the contract but also the spirit in which it is written, sir,” bowed Rat.

“Very well mannered,” observed the stallion to Dante. “I’m afraid we must dispense with pleasantries for now, as time is of the essence in this contract.”

“Of course,” replied Rat. “I assume that’s the reason you didn’t go through regular channels, so please explain the details.”

“The Hekate Torch Bearers did not appreciate your efforts as much as the Seaddle Mob did, Shadowbolt,” explained the stallion. “They struck at us in retaliation, and at me in particular.”

“How?” pressed Rat.

“They kidnapped my daughter,” replied the stallion hollowly. “An innocent mare who has almost nothing to do with the family business, and they drag her away like a common criminal.”

At this, Rat’s blood began to boil. One thing he always swore by, even as a small-time cutpurse in Saddle Arabia, was to never harm innocent lives, and to keep bystanders out of confrontations.

“I realize that my organization is somewhat strapped for funds at the moment, but-” began the old stallion before being interrupted.

“Don’t worry about the payment right now,” interrupted Rat. “We can haggle over the details once your daughter is out of harm’s way, and not a moment before.”

“Rat, this is highly unusual-” began Dante.

“All due respect, sir, but we don’t have the time to argue,” protested Rat. “The contract is to get her out of there alive and well. If she dies while we’re making agreements, this whole endeavour is pointless.”

Rat turned to face the mob kingpin, who had regained his composure.

“Do you have any information about where she’s being kept?” asked Rat.

“Currently, they’re holding her at a high security detention facility here in Seaddle while they ‘process’ the paperwork needed to legitimize the arrest,” replied the old stallion, pulling out a set of blueprints and other associated documents. “After that, they’ll be moving her to HTB Headquarters in Canterlot.”

Rat skimmed through the blueprints quickly, his gift leading him to the same grim conclusion. However, he needed to be sure of his assessment.

“Do we know how long before they’re going to be moving her?” asked Rat.

“My sources say she’ll be moved in three days,” answered the stallion.

“Then we won’t be assaulting the detention center to get her out,” concluded Rat.

“But this is the best chance we’d have of getting her out!” protested the mob boss.

“Not without losing far too many lives and putting her life at a significant risk,” countered Rat. “If I had a month to plan this, perhaps we could, but there’s too much at stake to simply wing it.”

“What other options do we have?” lamented the stallion. “Once they move her to their Headquarters, it will be impossible to break her out of there!”

“You’re absolutely correct, which is why we are fortunate that there is another way to save her,” grinned Rat. “I don’t suppose you know how they’ll be moving her?”

“Prisoner Air Transport,” replied the stallion. “It’s a standard Janus Security Solutions model.”

“Do you have documents for it?” asked Rat. “Schematics? Floor Plans? Design Specifications?”

“Yes, we can acquire those,” replied the stallion. “You’re not seriously planning on assaulting one of those transports, are you?”

“Not at first,” replied Rat. “First, we’re going to need to break in…”

Meeting Room, The Cirrus, Equestria
11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

“You’re absolutely bonkers,” groaned Cloak. “Clearly, you hit your head on something a few days ago.”

Rat was not encouraged by the looks that his comrades were giving him. Tank was frowning heavily, while Phantasm and Clover stared at Rat with flat expressions. Dagger was staring intently at her blade as she continued to hone its edge. Hawk sat quietly in the corner, staring disinterestedly at the clock.

“The plan is sound, Cloak,” sighed Rat. “All we need is the proper equipment to pull it off.”

“Your ‘plan’ is to have a small group sneak aboard the airship in mid-flight, find the prisoner, replace her with a dummy, jettison the rest of the prisoners through the “riot control” protocols, set the airship to crash in the wilderness, and fly out with the prisoner without a scratch?” repeated Phantasm.

“Basically,” replied Rat. “Once we have the prisoner secured, the second group will begin the decoy jailbreak to occupy the guards from the outside while the primary group escapes out the front.”

“Well, I can see two problems with that plan already, from a technical standpoint,” interjected Clover. “That armor is very thick, and I’m not sure we’d be able to pull the same sort of stunt we did in your first job.”

“We won’t have to try and be quiet,” replied Rat. “We’ll cut through the armor into the ventilation duct closest to the engines, so any noise we make will be masked by their own engines. From there, we’ll enter the main cabin through these storage closets.”

“I assume we’ll be searching pre-assigned decks?” asked Dagger.

“Exactly,” replied Rat. “I’m going to speak to Hoxton about giving us something to synchronize our movements. After we’ve found her, we’ll get her out and trigger the riot protocols, which will be the signal for the decoys to attack and keep the guards busy.”

“Which brings up the second problem,” interjected Clover. “How are you going to crash a vehicle like that?”

Before Rat could reply, Phantasm took the opportunity to speak up.

“If the Mob could get their hands on it, I think I know of something that could help us out with that,” replied Phantasm. “I heard some of the older Shadowbolts mention something called a ‘Dragonlance’ not too long ago.”

“A dragon-what-now?” repeated Cloak.

“The Dragonlance weapon system was created during the last Griffon-Drake war to combat the Drake’s employing full-sized Dragons to raise Hell on the Equestrian border, hoping to overwhelm us,” explained Clover. “The tip of the weapon carries an explosive payload behind a solid tip that is capable of piercing most varieties of dragonscale. Once embedded in the target, the payload would detonate, often spreading a corrosive or flammable liquid over the wound.”

“Aren’t dragons fireproof?” asked Cloak skeptically.

“Not beneath their scales, they aren’t,” answered Clover.

“I’ll see about acquiring one,” interrupted Rat. “Are we clear on the rest of the plan?”

Around the room, the rest of the team nodded their silent agreement.

“Good, then we’ll head out tomorrow to get into position,” continued Rat. “Pack whatever you think you’ll need. We’ll leave at first light.”

Overlook, Five Miles Outside Whinneyapolis, Equestria
13:10 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

“Contact spotted,” called out Phantasm.

Rat nodded and prepped his ear plugs. Cloak and Dagger did the same, adjusting their utility belts on the standard flight suits they brought along for this mission. As the massive prison ship drifted steadily through the air, belching grey smoke to mar the clear blue sky, the three Shadowbolts drifted down to the designated location between the plates. Rat winced as he waited impatiently for the saw to finish cutting through the armor plates. Even through the earplugs, the noise of the engines was incredibly uncomfortable to be around.Thankfully, the saw made quick work of the armored plates, allowing the three pegasi to, after placing a few small explosive charges at the entrance, make their way through the cramped air shafts.

“Not one of your better plans, but not intolerable,” quipped Cloak. “At least it isn’t a sewer pipe.”

“Don’t give me ideas,” chuckled Rat lightly.

“We’ll be splitting up soon,” interjected Dagger. “Better get ready.”

“Right, you all know the cutie mark we’ll be looking for?” asked Rat.

“Yep, memorized it last night,” confirmed Cloak.

“Don’t just use this as an excuse to stare at mares’ flanks,” snapped Dagger. “Remember we have a job to do.”

“I wasn’t gonna do that!” protested Cloak.

“Cut the chatter, we’re here,” interrupted Rat.

At this point, the three Shadowbolts parted ways and began their search. Rat dropped down and kept quiet, picturing the gem-like flower that he was looking for. HTB guards in full armor wandered the halls as Rat made his way to the prisoner cells. After several minutes of searching, Rat failed to locate any sign of their target. He began to make his way up to the next floor quietly when at that moment he felt the bulkhead shake beneath his hooves. Rat ran immediately to the second deck, confirming that it was Dagger who detonated the charges early.

“What the hell were you thinking?” snapped Rat. “You’ve just set the ship on high alert!”

“We’ve got a problem, and we need to move to the ‘Plan B’,” replied Dagger.

“What’s the problem?” barked Rat.

Dagger simply pointed at the unicorn mare standing next to her. To be more precise, she pointed at the unicorn mare’s flank. Rat suddenly felt his throat go dry. A crystalline flower rested on her flank, plain as day. Rat’s eyes moved upward to finally rest on her horn as he watched his entire plan shatter within his mind’s eye.

“Oh, f-” swore Rat.

Overlook, Five Miles Outside Whinneyapolis, Equestria
13:17 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

Clover watched the plume of smoke rise from the back of the airship in horror. Tank gave a worried moan and moved to rush in, but was stopped by Phantasm, without a word.

“There have been complications, but we need to wait for an opening,” explained Phantasm.

“How the hell are they supposed to signal that?” snapped Clover.

At that moment, the prison ship instantly went into lockdown, sirens blaring and security shutters closing. Phantasm hefted the DL-07 MK1, the best Dragonlance the mob could offer, and aimed her first shot through the telescopic sight.

“Tank, be ready to charge in through the breach when this hits,” ordered Phantasm as she loaded the warhead. “Hawk, you follow him and provide backup. Clover, I need you to call out ranges for me with your binoculars.”

The Dragonlance was aimed. Tank grinned in anticipation. Hawk grimaced. Phantasm exhaled. The world exploded.

JSS Prison Ship, Five Miles Outside Whinneyapolis, Equestria
13:21 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

“This is some rescue,” quipped Crystal Rose with a hint of mischief dancing in her striking emerald eyes.

“Forgive us, but your father went a little bit light on the details,” snapped Dagger.

“Daddy sent you?” asked Rose in shock. “Well no wonder you didn’t know! Daddy and I have never met physically! I’ve only known him through the letters that his couriers carried for us.”

“Not the time!” barked Rat as he push the two mares through the security bulkhead before it sealed.

Rat looked back at the prison riot that they caused, frowning slightly. Hopefully, the prisoners would be alright. Rat turned to find Cloak approaching, out of breath.

“What the hell happened back there, Boss?” wheezed Cloak. “Did we find the target?”

“That’s no way to speak to a lady, flyboy,” quipped Rose, winking slightly at Cloak.

“Guh?” articulated Cloak as he got his first look at Crystal Rose.

Despite the situation, Rat had to chuckle slightly at Cloak’s stunned expression. Admittedly, Crystal Rose was a stunning mare in her own right. Her milk-white coat helped to draw attention to her fiery crimson mane and her sparkling emerald eyes. However, what made these features stand out the most was the mischievous grin that she sported, her eyes dancing in the light like fireflies. To look at Cloak’s face, however, one would think that he was staring at the Virtue of Love reincarnated.

“Seriously, brother?” sighed Dagger. “Now?”

“What?” snapped Cloak. “I can’t help it if she’s beautiful!”

“You can if her father could have you buried without a funeral,” groaned Dagger.

“As entertaining as it is to watch you and your charming brother spar verbally, we should probably have an escape plan from this doomed vessel,” commented Rose with a chuckle.

“What’s our next move, Boss?” sighed Cloak.

Rat’s mind went into overdrive. Carrying Crystal out was out of the question for the three of them, especially if they were going to be under fire. Tank could do it, but it was unlikely that the three of them would be able to hold off the guards without casualties. If only there was a way for Crystal to fly-

Rat’s mind suddenly leapt back to his first mission, and the piece of equipment that was critical to their rapid escape. A new plan formed in his mind.

“Cloak, I need you to go to the back of the ship and find the others,” barked Rat. “Tell them to fall back when they see the signal. After that, fly to Phantasm and tell her to target the bridge with the last Dragonlance on the signal.”

“Great plan, Boss,” nodded Cloak. “One question: What the hell is the signal?”

“Trust me, they’ll know it when they see it,” grinned Rat. “Dagger, Rose, follow me.”

“I hope this scheme of yours works,” chuckled Rose as they ran up the ladder to the top deck. “I’d hate for us to die in the process.”

“Well, as long as you aren’t afraid of heights and trust my rope-tying skills, I think you’ll like this plan just fine.”

Overlook, Five Miles Outside Whinneyapolis, Equestria
13:34 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

Phantasm looked up from her sights as Cloak haphazardly landed next to her.

“New plan!” coughed Cloak. “Aim for the helm with the last Dragonlance and be ready to fly on Rat’s signal.”

“Did he say what the signal could be?” asked Clover.

“No, but he did say it’d be impossible to miss,” explained Cloak.

“And how the bloody hell are we going to pick out what that is in all this mess?!” snapped Clover.

Cloak’s eyes suddenly widened in complete shock as he stared, open-mouthed, behind Clover. Clover turned to see what Cloak was looking at, but quickly found herself completely unprepared for what she saw. A hastily-stitched approximation of a Skyhook balloon was rising swiftly from the airship, carrying what appeared to be a screaming unicorn mare in an improvised seat. A bright green flash from the unicorn’s horn caused a small explosion on the upper deck, scattering JSS guards everywhere as they fell to their demise. There was a clicking sound as Phantasm locked the last Dragonlance into the launcher.

“Good enough for me,” quipped Phantasm.

JSS Prison Ship, Five Miles Outside Whinneyapolis, Equestria
13:30 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

“Are you sure this is safe?” asked Crystal Rose hesitantly as Rat secured her to the chair.

“Not entirely, but we’re out of options,” admitted Rat as he disconnected the gas hose to their makeshift balloon. “Dagger and I wouldn’t be able to carry you out of the blast zone, moving on foot would be dangerous, and Tank will be busy covering our escape.”

“If the issue was your handsome friend getting too hoovesy with me, I’d rather you work to save my life first before you worry about ‘preserving my honor’,” quipped Rose nervously.

“‘Handsome’?” snorted Dagger. “Thank Celestia that my idiot brother didn’t hear that.”

“He was a bit inarticulate at first, but I hardly think that counts,” smirked Crystal Rose.

“Are you afraid of heights?” asked Dagger.

“A little,” admitted Rose hesitantly. “Why do you ask?”

“I’m going to enjoy this next part,” muttered Dagger.

“Alright, stand down, Dagger,” barked Rat. “Be ready to cut the ropes on my signal, and then help me guide the balloon so we can avoid crossbow volleys. We’ll go on three. One-”

“Three!” shouted Dagger as several JSS guards broke through to the upper deck.

Rat suddenly felt himself hoisted into the air by his back leg as the balloon swiftly rose into the sky. He was vaguely aware of somepony screaming and a volley of crossbow fire. A grey hoof struck Rat in the face.

“FLY LIKE HELL, ASSHOLE!” bellowed Dagger as she cut Rat free.

Rat recovered quickly and grabbed a line to guide the balloon on its swift ascent. However, the crossbow volleys were becoming overwhelming. Dagger grunted briefly as a stray bolt struck her in the shoulder, opening a thin, red line across her flightsuit.

“Turn me around to face them!” yelled Rose.

“Are you crazy?!” asked Rat. “You’ll end up a pincushion!”

“JUST DO IT!” barked the mare.

Rat flinched, going with the mare’s suggestion just as two JSS Jaegers joined the dozen soldiers on the deck. Rose’s horn glowed bright green as a burst of magic combusted at the center of the guard formation. JSS soldiers screamed as they fell from the deck to their deaths far below. Rat ignored the spectacle, gritting his teeth and guiding the balloon to the overlook. Out of the corner of his eye, Rat could see Hawk and Tank falling into formation behind the balloon, looking no worse for wear for their experience.

There was a brief roar of flame as the Dragonlance accelerated toward its final destination. There was a earsplitting screech as it punched through the airship’s armored hull, which quickly died to a moment of false tranquility. This lull in combat was broken by the entire front of the airship bursting into flames, which quickly spread to the canvas balloon. The burning hulk descended to the forest below, collapsing against the base of the mountain like a wounded animal, becoming consumed by the resulting fireball.

Rat glanced at the rest of his crew. Hawk was rolling his eyes at Tank, who was sticking his tongue out at the fallen transport as it burned. Cloak was whooping and hollering in victory at their success, performing loops and other fancy maneuvers in celebration while Rose watched with great interest. Clover was grinning with childish glee at the prospect of something to ridicule Cloak with if he ever became too teasing. Dagger rolled her eyes at the display, attempting to ignore it as she pulled the balloon. Rat grinned at his crew as he turned his eyes skyward. They had made it through.

The Cirrus, Landing Platform, Equestria
14:01 Local Time, 11 Years Before the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

Rat swooped down to the landing platform, taking care to set the Skyhook down gently. Razor was there to greet them, with Arclight and a number of other medics in tow. The old Shadowbolt was merely shaking his head slightly, laughing as he approached.

“You break the rules, and somehow still come out on top,” chuckled Razor.

“I don’t like limits, Razor,” grinned Rat. “You should know better than anyone how different I am.”

“That I do,” laughed Razor. “We’ll have to swap stories in the mess hall later. Right now, my priorities are a shower and a nap.”

“Don’t break a hip, old timer,” smirked Rat.

“If I do, it’ll be yours, whelp,” countered Razor with a grin and a middle feather.

Rat shook his head and laughed as he watched the older veteran leave. Perhaps it was the fact that he’d pulled a team through another contract all on his own, but Rat couldn’t help but feel as though he was getting the hang of his new life. His doubts were beginning to subside as he found jobs that he was comfortable with, and his “crew” were starting to trust his leadership. He’d found the place where he belonged, and that brought a new sense of comfort to him.

“You look pleased, Rat,” a familiar voice intoned behind him. “I assume your last contract was productive?”

Rat turned to face his old mentor, grinning slightly. Descent was standing on the platform, goggles around his neck. What caught Rat’s interest more was the young pegasus stallion standing behind him. He looked a little younger than Rat, but not by a whole lot if he was. He was certainly from a more stable economic background than Rat had been, considering how his cobalt blue coat shined with a healthy glow. He looked to be a fairly normal pegasus colt with an untrimmed indigo mane that got in the way of his striking orange eyes. However, for some reason that Rat couldn’t place, this colt set him on edge, as though he were Rat’s polar opposite. Rat shook this feeling off, instead deciding to take a more relaxed approach.

“Fairly. Who’s the rookie?” asked Rat.

“A prospect that I observed while on my mission in Baltimare,” replied Descent. “He knows what he’s getting into, and thanks to your success, I don’t think I’ll run into any problems getting Dante’s approval.”

“Glad to have been of help,” smirked Rat. “I’ll make sure Razor doesn’t bother you this time.”

“Indeed,” nodded Descent, before addressing the prospect. “Let’s move. We don’t want to keep Dante waiting.”

“Yes sir,” replied the cobalt stallion, before addressing Rat. “It was an honor to meet you, sir.”

“Just call me Rat,” replied Rat. “You’ll learn why soon enough.”

“Swimming Skies,” replied the stallion, bowing his head.

“Hopefully, that won’t be the case for much longer,” grinned Rat enigmatically. “Better catch up to Descent. Take it from his former apprentice: he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Rat laughed as he watched the young stallion rush after Descent. He’d have to ask Razor more about the rookie at dinner. Suddenly, Rat heard a sharp grunt of pain from behind him, causing him to turn immediately. Dagger was on the deck, clutching her shoulder as blood slowly trickled from her wound. A small trail of blood led to where she had landed on the flight deck, a small pool having formed where she’d stopped. Her suit was soaked with blood as it bubbled through the cut in the fabric where the arrow struck her. Rat felt his frustration build as he prepared to reprimand Dagger severely, but found himself beaten to the punch. Arclight stormed past him and began helping Dagger to her hooves.

“You are coming to the medical bay,” stated Arclight calmly, despite the steely glint in his eyes. “Now.”

“I’m fine,” growled Dagger, grunting in pain and proceeding to glare at the traitorous trickle of blood running down from her shoulder.

“You look like you’ve been thrown through a building, and have left a trail of blood that a geriatric hound with a broken nose could follow,” argued Arclight. “You are not going anywhere besides the medical bay.”

“I said I’m fine, dammit!” snapped Dagger, attempting to limp past Arclight and swearing as she lost her balance.

Arclight caught her before she hit the ground, receiving a glare that could boil an egg at twenty paces before it was even laid. To his credit, Arclight didn’t flinch. He met the glare head on.

“Dagger, I’m going to be perfectly frank with you right now, so shut the hell up and listen,” stated Arclight calmly while applying pressure to the wound in an attempt to stem the tide. “Your body is going to give out from blood loss if you don’t get medical attention. You need help. I know it, and you know it. What I don’t know right now is whether you’ll cooperate and let me take you to the medical bay or whether I’m going to have to use my medical knowledge to safely incapacitate you and drag you there to get treatment. Do you have an answer?”

Dagger held her glare for another minute before grudgingly relenting.

“Fine,” snarled Dagger. “Just know that I’m going to kick your ass for this later.”

“I think I can live with that,” replied Arclight, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. “As long as it’s after you’re no longer at risk of reopening this wound.”

Cloak and Rat just watched in silence as Arclight applied a field dressing to stem the flow of blood from the wound and helped Dagger limp her way toward the medical bay. Rat glanced over at Cloak, taking in the stallion’s expression. To say pure shock radiated from every pore of the pegasus’s body would have been an understatement. His jaw moved silently, opening and closing like a fish struggling to breathe. After about a minute of this, the stallion burst out laughing.

“Holy shit,” swore Cloak after composing himself. “I teased the hell out of her a few years ago, but now it looks like it might actually happen.”

“Aren’t older brothers supposed to threaten the life of any stallion that looks at their little sister like that?” asked Rat.

“Now why the hell would I need to do that?” asked Cloak with a laugh. “First of all, it’s far too early to say anything for certain yet. And even if it weren’t, Arc and I know perfectly well that I wouldn’t get the chance to do anything if he’s dumb enough to break her heart. She’d break his legs before I could even blink, and his ribs before I’d take the first step toward him.”

“Interesting viewpoint,” commented Rose. “Still, I’m sure my father is working himself into a frenzy over my safe return, so if we could find him-”

“I think he found us, ma’am,” interrupted Cloak.

Crystal Rose turned to glance in the direction that Cloak indicated and suddenly found herself unable to move. A middle-aged pegasus stallion in a fine suit was staring at her, completely frozen, tears beginning to form in his world-weary hazel eyes. The lines in his face could be clearly seen through his shocked expression. Rose focused on the only feature that she could recognize in this strange stallion: the deep crimson mane and tail that matched her own, though straighter and with streaks of grey. Finally, after an eternity, the older stallion spoke, clearing his throat.

“You look just like your mother,” choked the older stallion.

“She described you perfectly,” whispered Rose.

“A greaseball, good-for-nothing gangster?” the older stallion laughed bitterly, glancing away.

“A kind, loyal, hard-working stallion who would do everything he could to keep his family safe,” protested Rose, her voice carrying an unwavering edge of complete faith in her words.

There was a prolonged silence as father and daughter were too overwhelmed for any other action. Finally, the old stallion broke from his internal struggle and embraced his daughter for the first time, weeping. Crystal Rose returned the embrace, half-laughing and half-weeping, having finally found the elusive stallion who had guided her through the best and worst moments of her life through his letters.

Rat found his vision blurring as his eyes stung with tears at the display of affection. Cloak was struggling to keep a straight face, even as tears traced their way down his face. Clover and Phantasm were both moved by the happy reunion as well, but were struggling to keep a straight face at the scene next to them. Tank was silently sobbing, even as his grin threatened to split his face in half. A disgruntled Hawk rolled his eyes even as the large pegasus continued to weep, a small pool of tears forming on the flight deck.

“I was so worried, Rosie,” whispered the stallion. “I thought I’d lost you before I’d even gotten a chance to see you. If they’d taken you away, I’d have never forgiven myself.”

“They didn’t, Daddy,” reassured Rose, her eyes glistening with tears that flowed over her radiant smile. “And I wasn’t scared for a moment, because I knew you’d do everything you could to keep me safe.”

“I just wish that I could have saved your mother, too,” lamented the stallion softly.

“Stop it,” chided Rose gently. “You know there was nothing you could have done, and Mom knew it too. She wanted to keep me safe so I could meet you, and that’s what she did. Besides, you know how Mom was when she made up her mind about something.”

“That I do,” chuckled the old stallion as he dried his eyes. “She’d have never married a sleazy gangster like me if she wasn’t like that.”

“Actually, Mom always described you as a ‘lovable, dashing rogue’,” replied Rose with a grin. “She’d never hear a word otherwise from anyone, and neither will I. To me, you’ll always be my ‘caring and loving father, loyal to his final breath’.”

At this point, the two were broken from their tearful reverie by what sounded like a foghorn at the bottom of a well. Rat turned, startled by the noise, to find Tank holding a very shell-shocked Hawk like a handkerchief, having used the smaller stallion to blow his nose. Tank continued to dry his eyes for a few moments before realizing that every set of eyes was now focused on him. With a sheepish grin, Tank placed the Hawk onto his hooves as he shuddered and dripped on the flight deck. The entire flight deck burst into laughter as Tank sheepishly chuckled and patted Hawk on the head, even as the smaller stallion glared daggers at him.

“Shadowbolt, I could spend the rest of my life repaying you for what you and your comrades have done, but I wouldn’t even come close,” began the stallion. “For that, I thank you with every fiber of my being.”

“It was our pleasure, sir,” bowed Rat.

“Please, no need for formalities,” protested the stallion. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re all family now. Just call me Fine Print.”

“Alright, Fine Print, as long as you call me Rat,” replied Rat with a grin. “Now I’m sure that you’re worried about what the cost of this job is going to mean for your organization, despite every protestation to the contrary. Just pay us what you can afford, and we’ll call it fair enough. ”

“But you need to cover your end of expenses as well!” argued Fine Print.

“You’ve already paid enough for three contracts already,” countered Rat. “If you insist on repaying us that much, your support in any future endeavours we might have would be much more useful in the long run.”

“I’ll swear it until my dying day, Rat,” grinned Fine Print. “Whatever you need, we’ll provide it if we can. It’s been a pleasure.”

“Likewise,” grinned Rat.

The older stallion looked as though he wanted to say more, but stopped as if he noticed something, before chuckling and moving to the hot air balloon that he and his associates would be using to return to the ground. Confused, Rat turned to glance where Fine Print had been looking. Off to the side, Rat noticed that Cloak was shifting uncomfortably next to Crystal Rose. The young mare barely contained her amusement as she watched him clear his throat repeatedly. However, every time it seemed as though the young stallion would say something, his ears turned bright red and he’d look away, awkwardly. Rat was tempted to lead Cloak away before the poor sap embarrassed himself further, but apparently their guest had other ideas.

“So do you tell all the mares you meet that they’re beautiful, or is that reserved only for life-or-death situations?” asked Crystal Rose innocently, giving Cloak a very convincing pout.

At this, Cloak found his attention completely locked on the young unicorn mare, his eyes wide with utter shock as his entire face turned crimson. The stallion’s jaw had dropped enough to accommodate a whole apple, and he’d failed to notice that his wings had sprung open. Behind them, Clover looked as though she was about to fall over laughing while Tank grinned at the scene that continued to unfold in front of them. Finally, Cloak managed to find his voice again, jumping as though he’d hit a stray lightning bolt.

“Uh yes, I mean no!” stuttered Cloak, speaking faster and faster each moment. “I mean, you are beautiful- wait no! I didn’t mean to say that! Well, I DID mean to, but- GAH! WHAT THE HELL AM I SAYING?!?!”

Before Cloak could take any drastic action, Crystal Rose burst out laughing, completely losing her composure. Her laughter was completely involuntary, carrying only genuine mirth at the situation without any malicious intent. The surrounding observers also joined in with the laughter, with Clover rolling on the landing deck as she cackled at Cloak finally rendered speechless. Eventually, even Cloak began to laugh as well, as he realized he’d been messed with. Finally, Rose managed to regain her composure enough to speak again, wiping her eyes and slightly chuckling.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have teased you like that,” apologized Rose sincerely. “You just looked so flustered, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity.”

“Don’t worry about it, ma’am,” replied Cloak, grinning sheepishly. “I’d have done the same thing if I could, but you’d probably laugh if you saw me pouting like that.”

“I would not!” protested Rose, before looking away slightly. “Well, not at first…”

When she looked back at Cloak, the stallion had gone from a sincere sheepish grin to a ridiculously exaggerated pout, complete with a quivering lower lip. To her credit, Rose was able to keep from laughing the longest out of all the observers, but it wasn’t long before her composure was gone completely. Cloak began laughing in earnest, unable to keep up the ridiculousness once it had affected its intended target. The two were forced to lean on each other to keep from falling completely as laughter turned to undignified cackles. Eventually revelry died down into a comfortable silence, but neither Cloak nor Rose made any attempt to move.

“I guess you’ll be going home now, ma’am,” observed Cloak.

“In a way, I suppose,” sighed Rose. “Dad will most likely relocate me to Seaddle, now that there’s no point in hiding me anymore. I’m guessing you’ll be off on another adventure soon?”

“Eventually,” sighed Cloak. “We’ll probably have a few days off before we get another contract, but you’re pretty spot-on as far as that goes.”

“I suppose you’ll be running into all kinds of ponies on these adventures of yours, right?” asked Rose.

“Probably, yeah,” mused Cloak obliviously, watching as clouds drifted by.

“In that case, since you’re going to be running into all kinds of beautiful mares, I should leave you with something to remember me by,” smirked Rose, despite the light blush forming on her cheeks.

The mare leaned over and kissed Cloak gently on the cheek. Without another word, the young mare smiled warmly and walked toward the balloon that her father waited in, which took off into the clear sky. Rat approached Cloak quietly, sitting next to his wingmate as he stared at the spot where the pretty young mare had left from. Rat cleared his throat.

“Considering that you didn’t get splattered by his thugs immediately, I’m guessing that you have her father’s approval,” observed Rat.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” snorted Cloak as he laughed dismissively. “There’s nothing there for him to approve of! And besides, the odds of us running into her again are absolutely minimal, so there’s no point in wondering about it!”

“If you say so, Cloak,” laughed Rat, walking away towards the Mess Hall.

Green Pastures, Cloak’s Front Porch, Equestria
50 Years After the Shadowbolt/Wonderbolt War

As Cloak finished his story, he found his eyes slightly damp from the memories brought up again. Even now, after all these years, he could still hear the chime of her laughter in his ears and the warmth of that first kiss on his cheek. He chuckled slightly to himself. If only he had known then what he did now…

“Well, I think we should stop for today,” announced Dagger.

A collective groan of disappointment rose from the crowd of foals, only to be shushed by the old pegasus mare.

“You’ll be back tomorrow, I’m sure,” chided Dagger. “And besides, aren’t you all forgetting something? Like dinner? Chores? Homework?”

At this, every foal but Cold Snap looked around in horror. Brief goodbyes were shared, and the young audience quickly fled, hoping to avoid the wrath of their parents for arriving to dinner late. Cold Snap laughed slightly, moving to head inside to dinner, when he noticed that his grandfather had not moved since finishing his story. The old stallion’s eyes seemed to stare off into the past, a hint of tears beginning to form.

“Everything alright, Grandpa?” asked Cold Snap.

The old stallion didn’t move, seemingly still lost in thought. When he did look at Cold Snap again, it was as though nothing were out of the ordinary. Cloak smiled and gently tousled the young colt’s mane.

“I’m fine, Cold Snap,” reassured Cloak. “Best get inside to dinner before your mother gives us an earful for missing it.”

Still uncertain, Cold Snap made his way up the front steps into the house. After a minute, Dagger took a seat next to her brother, watching the sun hang low in the sky.

“You almost had me convinced, brother,” remarked Dagger. “Unfortunately, I know you better than that.”

“I wasn’t just thinking about that,” corrected Cloak. “I was just thinking of how that was the start of a Golden Age for our merry little band.”

“It really was, wasn’t it?”smirked Dagger.

The two siblings sat in silence, before Cloak cleared his throat.

“Dagger, I-” choked Cloak.

“Take your time, brother,” reassured Dagger, standing up. “I’ll let them know you’ll be in shortly.”

With that, the older mare left. Cloak sat alone with his thoughts for a long time, watching as the world went by around him. Eventually, the old stallion reached into the side pouch of his rocking chair, hefting a battered, leather-bound book from within. He then flipped through the pages covered in faded photographs, looking for the one he needed right now. Eventually, he found it, a picture of a young stallion and mare laughing as they ran through the park, young and full of life.

“If only we’d known then, my darling,” sighed the old stallion with a gentle smile. “If only we’d known then.”

Upon the crinkled page, two new teardrops fell, joining countless others that had made their mark on this page before...

To be continued…
End of Act 2

Author's Notes:

Well, here it is... The longest chapter I've written yet.
And this marks the 1/3rd mark through the story, as I have it outlined.
Due to the semester being what it is, I'm probably going to put this story on hiatus until May, unless I somehow write up the entire next arc in the next week, but that's not really likely.
I'd like to thank Syl, Witchy, Zol, Dest, Calm, and my good friend Animak this chapter. Eagle-eyed readers who have read his story may notice a specific cameo in the last section.
Cheers, everyone!