As she hopped off of Grey's back, Scootaloo looked around at the roof which was one of those flat concrete ones with a railing all around—the type that ponies could walk on, whether they were supposed to or not. Scootaloo had seen such roofs before in Canterlot and Manehattan and also in the movies, although she had never before been on one.

"I wonder what this is a building for," Scootaloo wondered aloud.

"Pretty sure the top at least is a dentist's office that's only open on the weekends," Grey said. Scootaloo watched as he stepped up to the railing and peered over at the city spread out below. "At least, that's if it hasn't changed in the last fifty years. It's been a while since I've been in Umberlight."

Scootaloo looked at him, confused; the stallion was definitely an adult, but she wouldn't have placed him any older than his late thirties or early forties. She shrugged it off and moved on to more important questions. "So, uh... you gonna tell me any of the stuff that you say is so important that nopony else can hear it?"

Grey turned away from the ledge to face the filly. "Oh, right. Well, you see—huh?"

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Shh," Grey shushed, rushing forward in front of Scootaloo. He stood between her and the sole protrusion from the roof's surface that had a door on its face, presumably leading down into the building below. "I think I heard somepony coming."

After a minute or two of standing there with no sound beyond the distant chattering and motion of the crowd on the streets below, Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and that somepony is me. Cut the crap, dude—I wanna know what's up."

Grey sighed. "But of course. I apologise, Scootaloo—I do not want to deceive or mislead you. I'm just on edge."

"Why?" Scootaloo asked.

"What do you mean, 'why'?" Grey said with a nervous laugh. "I broke you out of prison and we just got chased by guards and nearly got caught. Excuse me if I'm a bit nervous."

"That's another thing... why did you break me out of prison, anyway? How do you know who I am? Nnngh... none of this makes any sense."

"Look, kid, there's... there's a lot of complicated stuff going on. But I promise you this: I'm with the good guys. I'm trying to help you."

Scootaloo's expression remained flat. "That is the least plausible sell I've ever heard, dude. How do I know that it's you who wants to help me and not that Velvet guy from the prison or whatever? Maybe he just wanted to protect me from wackos like you."

Grey sighed. "Look, there's a lot I really wanna tell you but we need to get out of the city first. I just need to figure out... how."

"This is underground, right?" Scootaloo asked, looking around at the earthen ceiling of the city that loomed overhead. "Can't we just bust a hole through the ceiling?"

"If only it were that easy... no, we've got to get out without causing too much of a commotion. Otherwise the Bureau police will definitely be after you."

"We're at the top of a building, wise guy. We can't just get off of here without being seen," Scootaloo huffed. "The guards are probably on their way here already. I'm just the kid and you're the one trying to rescue me—shouldn't you be the one figuring this out?"

"Anaxagor damn it, I am. Just—oh!" Grey's face lit up in realisation.

"What?"

"Hold on, I just had an idea! I'll be right back."

"Wait, don't—" Scootaloo started, but it was too late. Before her very eyes, Grey jumped into the air and transformed into a bird. He only glanced back once before disappearing off the edge of the building but it was enough for Scootaloo to see, of course, the reflective silver star on his forehead.

Alone on the rooftop, the filly groaned. "What the buck even...?"