Yona, Smolder, and Ocellus headed down the road towards Ponyville. Even though Gallus had told them to wait by the entrance to the school grounds, two of the three didn’t have the patience for that and had begun a lazy sojourn into town – with the odd changeling tagging along.

This time, Ocellus had been prepared with not only warmer clothing, but a hot water bag under her coat and a few hoofwarmers in her pockets. Thanks to the better preparation, she found out that things were tolerable enough to open her hood a bit and actually be heard easily when she struck up conversation.

“So, what kind of system do you guys think I should get? Provided it's within the budget of course.”

Yona kept moving along on hind legs, an open bag of potato chips grasped in a left forehoof. Her right dipped into the bag and pulled out a mass of tasty, salty goodness which was shoveled into her waiting maw. She barely began chewing them down when she was asked for her input, thus she wound up quite literally spitting out her suggestion.

“Yona think changeling should get big tower with lots of room for many hard drives, given changeling loves to hang around library and study all the time. Put entire library in machine, and never deal with testy librarian again!”

Smolder scooted away from Yona’s spray and was next to voice her opinion on the matter. “True. But I don’t know about putting it all on hard drives. All she would have to do is get a ton of floppies or some CD’s and burn it all onto that. It would take up some desk space, but would be so much more affordable. And if you really want to you can always buy extra drives down the road.”

“Dragon make good points. Focus should be on strong GPU and CPU.”

Ocellus picked up her pace so she could participate without yelling. “I don’t need a supercomputer. Just enough of one to play with you guys would be great.”

The dragon held up a claw. “But you want to get something that’ll last you for some time. The last thing you want is to completely cheap out and get something unreliable that you hate.”

“Yona agrees. System is like battleaxe! You want best built, most durable weapon so you can use it longest!”

Smolder smirked, a playful glint in her eyes. “Here we go again with even more warrior analogies from the greatest yak warrior there ever was.”

An eagle’s screech came from the sky above, and they didn’t need to glance up too much to know who it was. Silverstream and Gallus descended towards the road – the latter cradling Sandbar in his forelimbs. With several mighty flaps of his wings, the griffon came to a hover and slowly powered down. When they were only several limb lengths or so above, the precious cargo was released and the pony was forced to gallop a few steps forward to keep from eating pavement. He gave his ride a pained look when he landed next to him.

“Gallus, dude. You gotta drop me closer to the ground next time. Falls like that aren’t so good on my hooves.”

Sandbar flexed one hoof at a time to alleviate the discomfort of the rough landing as Silverstream came in for hers off to the left, and instantly began bouncing on antsy hooves.

“We all ready to see what kind of super-powerful system we can get for Ocellus?!”

Four nodded in agreement, while Smolder gave Gallus a quick look and then crossed her arms.

“Yeah. Let’s get this over with so we can get to our game.”

The griffon eyed her skeptically, frowning. “You’re still onboard, right?”

She scoffed at the loaded question. “Of course I am. Been thinking about it since last night and realized buying something newer is probably the best bet. We can exhaust other options before trying to fix things and possibly getting blown up.”

“Alright, that’s good. Thought you might back out after the other night.”

“Like I said, thinking on it changed my perspective. We dragons may be a… little slow to come around, but when we do we move the mountains. So yeah, let’s go get O a new system, that work better for ya?”

Gallus’s expression became more agreeable. “Yeah. Now let’s get this show on the road!”

The gang – now in its entirety – continued their trek to the computer store, gabbing about various topics as they passed out of the outer suburbs and entered the more centralized business quarter, where small shops were just getting ready to open their doors for the day. Some of the more superfluous ones had rope signs hanging on the inside of the windows stating that they were closed for the holidays, and an estimate on when they would likely reopen. Yona also noticed that some of those signs were quivering, almost like…

“Yona feel ground… shaking?”

Gallus looked over toward her. “What do you mean?”

“I-I’m feeling it too,” Sandbar vocalized with a thick warble. “I hope it’s not some kind of monster from the everfree!”

The others on the ground quieted down as they too felt the rumbling in the cobblestones beneath them. Concerned eyes glanced around rapidly as the buildings around them began to shake loose their accumulated burdens of snow and ice. First, it was the icicles hanging off the eaves that broke free, the frozen spikes shattering against the street. Then, the snow on the sloped roofs started to shift, slowly sliding down and off to add even more to what was already banked up.

Then they heard the thunder.

Now with something more to go off of than tremors, they all cast their eyes and ears in the direction where the noise was loudest – which was directly down the main drag behind them. Gallus and Silverstream were the first to spot the tips of ears, feathers, and horns starting to appear over the slight curvature of the road, followed by the faces of many determined, and desperate creatures. There was only one word that accurately described the situation, and both flyers shouted…

“Stampede!!!”

By now, all present could see the mass of ponies and other scattered creatures spanning the entire road and its unplowed shoulders. The crunching of snow under their hooves and paws were almost as loud as the ones that smacked against the exposed stone. From several sidestreets, more creatures funneled into the main group, and those with flight capability zoomed overhead.

As the mass rapidly approached, the six friends readied up in their own ways. Gallus wanted to go down and at least pick up one of his friends, but he was suddenly forced to dip and dart around the sky as dozens of pegasi, hippogriffs, dragons, griffons, and the few changelings tough enough to handle winter flight plowed on through with nary a second thought. Silverstream was subjected to the same fate as well, and both had to be mindful of colliding with one another.

Yona did what her kind did best, and faced the new adversary with her head held low and horns presented. She could see the determined faces of several yak students in the mix, and a forehoof was scraped against the ground while she glared directly into their eyes – daring them to try and take her on.

Just like most flight-capable species, a changeling’s first impulse at the appearance of sudden danger was to fly, and Ocellus could feel her wings instinctually struggling to open. Just like the rest of her species, those membrane wings weren’t suited for sub-freezing temperatures, so most kept them folded back and wore their winter gear overtop – just like the parka which kept hers pinned. There was a zipper on the back that would allow for wing usage, as was the norm with pretty much all pegasi derived clothing. But even if there was enough time to unzip it, where would she fly to?

The sky was already filled with reckless fliers, and adding another set of wings to that mix would only make a mid-air collision that much more of a possibility. With that in mind, the changeling fell back onto her learned abilities and started thinking up a good disguise. She didn’t want to turn into something big and scary and cause an even bigger problem, just something sturdy.

Something sturdy…

Seeing the danger that her flying friends were now in, Smolder quickly took wing to assist but was only successful in getting a little ways up before she had to also partake in the bizarre aerial ballet that Gallus and Silverstream engaged in. It was a dance that was short-lived, as Smolder crashed into the ground after dodging a dragon twice her size but was able to land on her legs without injury. Those whom she was rushing to help where nowhere as fortunate, with both being knocked out of the sky by several errant fliers who didn’t give a second glance back as they regained composure and hurried along to their destination. Seeing her dazed and disoriented friends scraping themselves up off the road, and knowing that if she even tried to run over and help she would be subjected to the stampede, the dragon could only hunker down behind Yona and brace for impact.

Sandbar was rooted to the spot; the sight of dozens of creatures galloping his way without any intention of stopping locking his legs right up. It was at this moment that a large shadow grew to eclipse the colt, and he looked up with a visible shake – unsure of what to expect. The boughs and branches of a leafy summer shade tree were what filled his vision. His woes were forgotten for the briefest of moments as he struggled to understand this new development.

It was a tree no doubt, but it was unlike anything that called the Ponyville area home. Most notably, the coloration was way off, and there was something unnatural about the movement of the branches. Then, he heard a faint, but a terse whisper of his name that came from the trunk, and that got his legs into gear just enough to gallop to safety.

Then it hit.

The thunder of a hundred hooffalls against stone assailed their ears, and buffeting winds blew their manes, feathers, and fringes all over the place as the mob blazed around them without pause. Luckily, those were the only negative outcomes for most of the group as Yona’s strategy was paying off. The power and determination in her olive irises caused more timid creatures to stop dead in the street, only to be brutally shunted along by those behind. For those who hadn’t fallen victim to the yak staredown – or were immune to it – they simply parted around the obstruction and carried on.

The unfortunate ones were Gallus and Silverstream, who had just recovered from their crash when they got creamed by those on the ground – which completely obscured them from the view of their cohorts in the street. All they could do was curl up defensively and protect their heads and necks from the flurry of hooves and paws.

The others who happened to be looking that way could only watch as their friends disappeared from view. They wanted to help as well, but they were now hemmed in on all sides by the mob and overhead swarm. The only option was to stay grouped and wait it out.

The harsh din of galloping hooves began to thin out, and the horde started to do the same as well. In a few more seconds, the number of creatures had dwindled to mere stragglers, and Smolder could now start to see the resulting carnage. The large snow banks that had lined the road from the outskirts all the way to town hall had been completely flattened, and all that snow had been sprayed up onto the sides of the buildings and back onto the roadway. Any kind of snow removal tools or yard decorations that had been left outside were now either scattered around or completely destroyed, but that was the least of their concerns.

For sets of concerned eyes focused on the area where Silverstream and Gallus went down, and they quickly spotted their half-buried forms just off the road. Sandbar inhaled sharply and Ocellus’s shapeshift popped out of existence while Yona stomped over and snorted.

They then spotted movement from the fallen, and when both of their snow-covered heads popped up, everybody sighed in relief. The first thing Gallus did was glare down the street at the retreating stampede, and try to figure out just what in the high tartarus was going on around there. Silverstream did the same but chose to look in the outbound direction. She observed a straggling earth pony detouring around the grouping of the others in the street and galloping through the freshly disturbed snow.

With an alarmed squeak, she ducked her head down as the filly leaped over. Gallus didn’t have the same type of reaction time, and he had only just begun to glance that way when the fur missile slammed into his head and shoved it back down into the snow.

Finally, with the way clear, the yak, dragon, pony, and changeling galloped over to the fliers and helped them out of their snowy imprints.

“Sweet Celestia!” Sandbar cried. “Are you guys alright!”

Gallus spat out a beak full of salty, dirty snow and got himself up the rest of the way. “I think most of them were able to see us and jump over. We only took a few blows here and there. All I care about is why?”

The ground in their vicinity shook slightly as Yona slammed her hoof down. “Mildly enraged yak also wants to know!”

Sandbar, who was born and raised in Ponyville, did his best to placate his angered friends. “I’ve seen a few herds like that before, but there is usually a valid reason for it.” He glanced around the area and airspace for any kind of threats but found none, which only left him even more confused.

“I wonder what got them so riled up…?”

Smolder was also going to vent her frustrations at the sour turn of events, but something that had just brushed up against her leg changed everything.

“Guys.”

She picked up a piece of printer paper that had most likely fallen from the saddlebags of one of the stampeding ponies and flicked it a few times to clear some snow off. “I think this may have had something to do with it.”

They all huddled around Smolder to get a good look at the dragon’s find. What had been printed in black and white was very similar to the advertisements found in their favorite tech magazines, with the images of several different complete systems and standalone components juxtaposed in front of a holiday background. Across the top was the logo for the local computer store, and as they read the text below, they became more and more uneasy.

There were several other miscellaneous items listed as on sale, but those were forgotten as the group realized just what was going on. They were initially thrilled at the prospect of possibly being able to afford the best system in the store and possibly some goodies to go with it. Then they devolved into frantic shouting as the reality that they weren’t the only ones heading that way took over.

“Oh no! We’ll never get a system for Ocellus if all those if those other creatures get there first!”

“That herd of ponies is gonna clean that shop out!”

“If shop sells out, Yona smash shop into ground!”

“Guys.”

“I’m right there with you, sister!”

“I-I’m okay with not getting a system, too…”

“Guys!”

Instantaneously, the five panicking creatures ceased their shouting and looked up at the hovering griffon who had screamed the loudest. He had his eyes squeezed shut, and his chest was heaving. After a few heavy breaths, he opened his eyes and said something much more sensible.

“All we need to do is get one of us in there to secure a system and buy it. I can fly ahead and do just that.”

“Hang on there, birdie!” Smolder took off to hover next to Gallus and Silverstream. “You’re gonna need some backup in there. I know that ponies are nice here and all, but there’s bound to be friction in a mob like that.”

Gallus wanted to protest, but knowledge of the risks of going into something like that solo made him think better of it. “Alright then. If you’re coming, then Silver and Ocellus oughta come too.” The griffon looked down at the still shaken up changeling. “I know your wings are sensitive to the cold, so I’ll carry you there.”

Gallus was about to fly back down and scoop her up, but a nagging talon attached to an overly excited hippogriff waving about in the air caught his eye.

“Oh! Oh! Can I carry her there!”

The griffon looked back at the changeling for confirmation, and when he got the nod he backed off.

“Silverstream will get you there.”

“What about us?”

The two non-fliers of the gang looked up at their skybound friends, and Smolder gave an answer.

“You’re just gonna have to hoof it with Yona, but make sure you’re quick. If things go south in there, we want all the help we can get.”

The scene at the entrance to the shop was far worse than they had imagined.

The entire market district had been inundated by a writhing sea of creatures big and small, all vying for enough space to slip into their favorite stores and snag some holiday deals. The four had given up looking for a landing zone by the store and looked for a spot on the periphery to set down. Unfortunately, each time they tried to do that, one or several fliers from the swarm that they shared the sky with would swoop in and take it for themselves. Gallus was not a fan of that fact.

“Gah! It’s no good, we can’t land!”

“There! There’s a spot!”

Smolder pointed down at the mouth of an alleyway next to the shop, but by the time he could track her outstretched claw the opening had disappeared.

“Nevermind.”

After a few more orbits of the area and one too many close-calls, Gallus decided they had to get on the ground. He scanned along the thin alley that ran alongside the store and saw that the side street it connected to was practically devoid of life. The alley itself was much too cramped to land in, and setting down on the narrow road wouldn’t be as easy as the center of the market on a normal day, but he and those with him were skilled flyers so that wasn’t an issue.

“We can land on that sidestreet and come back in through that alley! It’s all we got at this point!”

The griffon wasn’t sure if they got all that, so he also made some universal claw gestures in the general direction as well. They winged away from the plaza and over the roofs of Ponyville’s most profitable stores, and Gallus and Smolder touched down lightly on the other side. Silverstream landed with a bit more gusto as she was weighed down with a passenger, but it was still easy work.

“And the eagle has landed!” The hippogriff cheered. “How was my flying?”

Ocellus carefully dismounted her somewhat crazy taxi and forced a grin past her initial expression of relief. “It really wasn’t that much different than riding Gallus. Maybe a few less barrel rolls in the future?”

Silverstream was aghast at the implication of flying recklessly, but she let it slide for her friend’s sake. “Okay, okay, no stunts next time you ride.”

Just as Gallus got his wings folded comfortably Smolder came up beside him. “So we're walking then?”

“Do you have a better plan?”

“Nah, not really.”

“Then let’s get moving.”

The alley was just an unpaved dirt track that had been severely rutted up from trailer traffic over the years, which made the rough surface which also had the added gift of being iced over treacherous to tread upon. They made slow progress, making sure to not sprain any ankles, as they didn’t need any injuries on top of everything else. That didn’t stop the banter though.

“I can’t believe that the one store we all frequent regularly is having a giant sale and everybody knows except us! We were just in there the other day, what kept us out of the loop?”

Gallus had an excuse. “Well I don’t know about you Smol, but finals were a real bitch this year. Didn’t have much time out in the wild to think about anything else.”

“And you got A’s across the board for your effort,” Ocellus added in. “Great job! And I’m sure that beats rotting in detention because of a cheat sheet.”

The griffon grumbled. “I thought we were never going to speak of that again.”

“Oops, eh heh. Kinda slipped out.”

Gallus patted on the denim pocket where he was keeping his wallet “Anyway, those good grades are what’s gonna get you back in the game.”

“Speaking of that. Do we have some kind of plan when we get back out there?”

“Apart from just getting in and grabbing something?”

“I just-” Smolder almost tripped over a rut. “-wish there was a better way than slogging over all of this.”

“And there just might be.”

Smolder had no idea what Gallus meant by that statement, nor why he was suddenly fluttering on ahead, but knew that it must have been something useful that had caught his eye. The dragon did the same, going for short hops that didn’t take a full wingspan to make. A pit started to form in her stomach when the griffon angled for a cargo delivery area that, judging by proximity to the market, led into Software and Games' warehouse. It only took her a second to figure out just what was going through his feathered head.

“Alright!” The dragon skidded to a stop. “I hope you’re not planning what I know you’re planning!”

Gallus casually leaned back against the brick wall next to the door with forelimbs crossed – as though he was just a bored yardmaster waiting for a late shipment to arrive. “How could you possibly know what I’m planning?”

Smolder played along, even though she already knew where things were headed. “Fine. What is your grand plan?”

He rolled his eyes and uncrossed a forelimb to point at the loading bay door. “See that? All we have to do raise it high enough to squeeze under, and we can sneak into the store.”

“Damn it, Gallus!” Smolder grabbed the limb and shoved it downward. “I want to get this system too, but I don’t want to spend my break behind bars either!”

“Relax,” he laughed. “The staff will be so busy tending to the masses that they won’t notice a few freaks popping in through the back. And if we are found out, which we won’t, It’s Ponyville! The worst they’d do is shout at us and kick us out.”

The dragon hissed. “Yeah, forever.”

“Whatchoo guys looking at?”

For a brief but tense moment, both parties thought they had been busted; that some random pony or store staffer had heard the half-baked plan in full, and would take off to fetch the local constabulary. But when they reflexively jerked their heads towards the interruption and realized that it was just Silverstream and Ocellus catching up to them. Despite the momentary fright, Smolder was still able to beat Gallus to the punch.

“Birdbrain here,” she pointed at the griffon who only scoffed and crossed his forelimbs a little tighter, “thinks that the best way to cut the line is by slipping through that door right there.”

Hippogriff and changeling both followed the claw over to the door that could offer a quick but illegal route into the store. Smolder hoped the two would also err on the side of caution and oppose any kind of intrusion, but the reality that had been dished out was the fact that it was the typically law-abiding Ocellus who first advocated for the just hatched plan.

“He’s probably right.”

The changeling watched the mass of creatures through the aperture of the alley entrance and based on what her analytical mind had taken in while flying over, the crowds had at least doubled. Her passive senses beyond the physical couldn’t discern accurate numbers, but thanks to ponies general camaraderie and herd mentality, she could strongly feel that most of the town’s population was out there.

“Trying for the main entrance at this time is an impossibility, and by the time things clear up, there won’t be anything worthwhile left.”

“Ocellus! You can’t be serious?!”

The changeling, either missing Smolder’s scolding outburst or ignoring it entirely, lightly trotted closer to the door and began to examine the locking mechanism. Finding nothing noteworthy about that apart from the fact that it was just a simple latch, she crouched down and peered through the small gap for any kind of alarm system, and listened for employees who could possibly be working inside. Her sense claimed that wasn’t the case, but It was good form to always cross-reference the other senses to be certain. She trotted back a second later and relayed her findings.

“The door has no lock that I can see, but even if they did it would do them no good with it cracked open like that. I wonder why that’s the case?”

“I can easily picture the scene,” Gallus sardonically remarked. “Store employees are rushing to get the latest shipment through the door and on shelves before the big sale, and the door gets left open. I’m surprised they haven’t suffered any break-ins already.”

“Same here, especially since they deal in expensive technology.”

Since simply hoping others would talk Gallus out of trespassing wasn’t working out, Smolder decided that she would have to step up and try to dissuade him. “Yeah, well, just because they haven’t been broken into yet doesn’t mean we need to be the first to try.”

“Come on, Smolder, It’łl be fine.” The griffon gestured towards Ocellus with talons held wide. “We’ve got our master of stealth guiding us through, what could possibly go wrong.”

“Gallus.” Smolder’s voice took on an edge. “This isn’t Griffonstone or Drakon, there are rules. We can’t just run around doing as we please!”

“Actually, it would be best if I went alone.”

“What!”

They both broke out into a singular protest at Ocellus’s suggestion, then just as quickly cowered down while looking out the alley entrance. They may have had fears of discovery, but with the gathering in the market only getting bigger and louder, there were no prying eyes and ears that cared about the happenings of a dark and cramped alley.

The changeling knew that what she was entertaining wasn’t some tabletop game or computer simulation. The truth was that there were many more variables than either of those could hope to provide – so many ways it could all go wrong. It was only her experience as a changeling that would guide her hoof, but even that was no guarantee. She wasn’t a top flite scout – just an exchange student in need of a new computer – who didn’t want those she cared deeply about to be sucked down with her should things end in failure.

Gallus was quick with a nonchalant response. “And let you take all the glory? I think you know by now that we don’t do solo acts. We may go separate ways on the day-to-day, but when we’re on the job we stick together. So yeah, we’re coming with you.”

Gallus’s statement was far from ideal given the situation. Followers meant extra noise and plenty of other undesirable issues, but she was well aware that they would just follow her regardless of her stance. The choice was to either let them go ahead in an unorganized mess or proceed with a plan. So she got her game face on.

After taking a smooth exhale and inhale, she addressed her entourage. “Alright, we’ll all go in, but this is serious business.” She then adopted a clipped, serious tone. “I need everybody to do exactly as I say when I say it. Like I stated before, I know the way around in there.”

If Gallus was surprised by Ocellus’s change in demeanor, he didn’t outwardly show it. Her business voice was something that started out a year or so back, and after a few heroic outings he and the others learned that she could be incredibly powerful when mind was put to matter. If she was confident in sneaking through the back, he was too.

It wasn’t the changeling he was most concerned about.

“What do you say, Smolder? Gonna sit pretty out here in the cold and violate a group principle, or you gonna be awesome and join in?”

The dragon didn’t want to take risks so brazenly, but it looked like the others didn’t share that sentiment. Ocellus seemed just as set on going through the back, and deep down she knew it was the only option to get in before the getting was gone. The only one who hadn’t really voiced an opinion on the matter was Silverstream, and Smolder tried to gauge the hippogriff’s expression. Unfortunately, the slack-beaked smile and unfocused eyes meant that she was just going to march right alongside them. There was nothing else really to do accept...

“Alright, alright, fine! I’ll join in, but mark my words Gallus, if we get busted and Ember skins me alive I’ll destroy you!”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Gallus pulled away from the wall and stood ready by the door, waving his left forelimb at it’s far side. “Ocellus, if you will?”

With a curt nod, she positioned herself on the opposite side and they both grabbed the bottom of the door and carefully inched it open. When it was believed to be high enough for them all to fit under, they both disappeared under the gap. With more trepidation, the bipedal dragon ducked under the door and the lanky hippogriff had to almost slither through the gap. The initial urge for those less apt at getting into places where they were undesired was to either bug out, or try to rush through as quickly as possible. But the expert leading them had different ideas.

“Stay where you are. Give your eyes time to adjust.”

It was a tense few seconds for Smolder to wait for things to brighten up, but when they did, they were met by the back end of an enclosed wagon. Smolder took note that it wasn’t a run of the mill design, with the defining feature being the large pneumatic rubber tires that came up to her waist.

“Over here.”

The diminutive call from the changeling would have been almost unhearable in any other situation, but with all senses heightened it was authoritative and true. The other three obeyed without fuss and snuck over to the right side of the wagon where Ocellus was hunkered down next to the front wheel. When she saw that her followers were present, she leaned out slightly and pointed across the warehouse.

“There’s a small break area off to our left by the service entrance. You can see it from around or under the cart. It’s the quickest way and we’re unlikely to run into anypony there during peak hours, but I don’t want to risk it. We’re better off taking the long way around and coming in from the right.”

The other three got into positions for viewing without being viewed in turn, each squinting through the rows of lightly stocked industrial shelves between them and the goal, and they could see a couch with several other furnishings that made a halfway decent rest spot. It was easily the best lit area of the warehouse, and it would have been stupid to try and cross it. The rest of the lighting was handled by incandescent bulbs hanging down from the rafters, but with all the shelving and stored boxes obscuring any employee’s view, it was relatively ineffective as a security measure.

“Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s get a move on.”

The low, but commanding whisper brought everyone away from trying to see across the warehouse, and into pace with Ocellus. The changeling led them deep into the warehouse, away from the storefront door and any extraneous light sources. Her movements were slow and measured, with eyes cast downward and every step calculated, as misstepping onto something that made noise could be problematic.

Gallus was for the most part able to mirror his guide’s movements. Being part feline meant that sneaking came as something akin to second nature, and spending some time living in the back alleys of Griffonstone had also honed such abilities as plenty of griffons didn’t take kindly to young vagabonds clawing through their trash and scraps, even though it was just that. He had been forced on several occasions to sneak away from bigger and faster griffons rather than risk outright confrontation. As he moved along in a semi-crouch, he was thankful that Sandbar – or worse – Yona, wasn’t trying to be sneaky alongside them.

Smolder wasn’t quite as attentive to the surroundings as she felt a greater need to keep an eye on Silverstream rather than the path ahead. It wasn’t that she lacked confidence in the hippogriff’s ability to stay focused when it came down to it, but with the stakes raised, she couldn’t be too cautious. One little outburst could spell disaster, but luckily the only time intervention was required was when she found a loose sheet of bubble wrap that was just begging to be popped.

Eventually, Ocellus got them all to the other side of the warehouse. The angle they would be going in at would be infinitely better, but it was still well lit. They remained in the cover of shadow, their guide not having moved for a few moments now. She stood straight, eyes unfocused and jaw set. Her lips curled and relaxed several times, and she mumbled unintelligibly. Then, her eyes jumped back into the world, and she whispered something that caused the whole group to plaster themselves against the floor.

“She’s coming!”

Smolder huffed. “Great, we're gonna get busted for sure.”

“Don’t worry. I got this.”

Before any questions could be raised about just what she meant, Ocellus shapeshifted into a large cardboard box with a rather reviled logo of a computer company printed on all visible sides. It almost matched the boxes on the shelf beside it, which was fully stocked with them.

“Line up behind me, close as possible.”

The other three listened to the box and huddled up behind her. It was just in time too, as the long shadows of an approaching pony darkened the floor ahead. The pony in question came to a stop in that open area, and was proven to be a unicorn when a flashlight spell was cast towards the cargo door. It was shone around all the bare shelves as the employee spoke into some kind of earpiece headset, but nobody could make hide nor hair of what was exchanged over the commotion in the store proper. They just assumed that she was simply taking inventory until the cone of light swung their way...

...and settled directly on their cover.

As soon as the box was illuminated, Gallus knew they had made a big misstep. With heart thudding against tense ribs, he realized taking cover next to the only stocked shelves in the place was probably the worst thing to do in that situation. They would no doubt want to move the merchandise to the front for sale – even if it was crap in his eyes. What other reason would they have to come back into storage?

Smolder was practically holding her breath now, having to swallow down an impulsive hiss a half-second prior. There was no way that pony could shine a light on them and not be suspicious. Silverstream was pressed up against her side, and the dragon could feel her quivering in anticipation. Not daring to even whisper, she wrapped her claws around her friend’s wrist, which calmed her slightly.

Almost as soon as it came upon them, the light moved up and away. Nobody relaxed though, as it had only moved to the top of the shelves. The unicorn examined the other boxes for a few more tense seconds, dynamically adjusting the focus to see to the end of the aisle, and then trotted back towards the main store – light spell clicking off in the process.

It took at least a minute for the gang to breathe easy, even though it felt so much longer.

“Alright,” Gallus gasped out. “I admit it. This was a stupid idea.”

Smolder responded with a dry, sarcastic chuckle. “Really? You’re coming to that conclusion now?”

“Come on guys, we can’t go back now.”

Silverstream was the first to break cover and attempt to finish the journey on her own, but Smolder had enough foresight to grab the hippogriff and keep her around for just a little longer.

“Silver is right.” Ocellus dropped her act and returned to normal. “We’re committed at this point and the door is right there.”

“Can you do your freaky mind-meld thing and make sure we don’t get busted the moment we walk in?”

She shook her head. “Sorry Gallus, but no, there’s too much interference. I was barely able to pick up on her intent, and that was after she separated from all the desperation... and anger.”

“So in other words, everybody is so wrapped up in their shopping that they wouldn’t notice a small group coming in from the back?”

“Well, yes, that would be the likely outcome. But-”

“Alright,” Smolder butted in. “As much as I would love to just sit here and plan, we’re in a bad spot. Can we just get on with it before they send another pony back here?”

Ready to move once again, they snuck the last bit of distance to the door, and then straightened up to pass through the door as casually as possible. Luckily, they weren’t stopped by any employees or security as feared.

That honor went to the insane scene before them.

If they had thought that the market square had been a circus, those ideas had been vanquished when they took stock of the shop floor. Shoppers of all shapes and sizes bumped and ground against one another in the confined space, trying their best to snag some sweet deals without losing their hauls to any opportunists. Just as Gallus had predicted, the staff were completely swamped by the numbers and had sequestered themselves near the cash register and entrance to check buyers out as swiftly as possible, and also try to prevent any items from walking out the door unchallenged.

The one thing that struck them the most, however, was the sheer amount of noise, with all the excited chatter coalescing into a steady roar that one of their number had to almost scream over to be heard.

“Okay!” Gallus got the other’s attention. “They’ve most likely already cleaned out the good stuff, but we can still find something if we move! Remember, the most basic of machines will do!”

With their instruction, the four dispersed into the crowd and began their hunt. Gallus and Silverstream both took to the sky, the former giving Smolder and Ocellus face fulls of feathers as he extended wings for takeoff.

“Gah! Watch your wings!” the dragon objected vehemently, but the griffon was already too far out to care.

Her eyes lingered on the veritable hurricane of flyers that massed in the center of the building, and she looked to her neighbor with concern.

“What’s your plan, O?! Stick with me?!”

“The mob is concentrated around the center!” the changeling pointed at the mass of flying bodies, then reached around her back to unzip her wings. “So I’ll most likely stick to the outside perimeter and look there!”

A brief look of uncertainty crossed Smolder’s face but was quick to become an affirming nod. “Alright! Just watch yourself, okay!”

“You know I will!”

As Ocellus began her patrol, Smolder realized that all her flying friends had opted to go on the hunt in the way they knew best, without any consideration for things that could only be spotted from the ground, such as boxes squirreled away on bottom shelves.

So she resolved to stick to the floor and waded into the fray.

Silverstream was the first to find something, and she deftly landed on her hind hooves with an unheard thud. She got her digits on a large box containing a tower pc as quickly as possible, but just as she was about to pull it off the shelf, someone more desperate than her came along from behind and used painful measures to secure the package.

The hippogriff wasn’t aware that her pants were riding low until she felt somebody grab the hem of her exposed thong and yank up on it sharply. She instantaneously doubled over in surprised pain as the fabric chafed harshly against her most sensitive areas, and was then roughly shoved aside by the random griffon that had just accosted her and fell to the floor as the prize was picked up and carried off.

The more technically minded Gallus had steered clear of the newer and higher-end stuff while searching in the air, dodging every other flier in the shop doing the same. He scanned over a shelf in the back corner where the open box and manufacturer refurbished machines were displayed and spotted something worthy of his time. As he glided down to see the listed specs and possibly pick it up, he was so tunnel-visioned on the text on the box that the obstruction ahead went unnoticed until much too late.

The griffon had just begun to make his approach when an unsuspecting helmeted colt who had been crouched down for some odd reason straightened up, oblivious to what was coming from above. He did his best to abort the landing by waving off to the right, but the inside of his still sensitive left thigh connected with the snowboarding helmet, the shock causing his wings to lock up and send him to the ground where he tumbled into a disparaged heap – the prize now a short hop away. The pain wasn’t of the same magnitude as earlier, so he still had a sense of his surroundings as he kept his back legs pinned together.

Through stinging eyes, he could see the colt that he had collided with shake his head in confusion, and when he saw the griffon laid out he galloped over smartly and extended a helping hoof.

“Holy crapola, dude! You okay?!”

Gallus took the hoof without question. In his current state, he was just glad to find a friendly face in the free-for-all.

“Yeah,” the griffon wheezed slightly. “I think I cracked my nuts on your helmet, though.”

His new pony friend laughed. “It’s a good thing I kept it on. Wouldn’t want griffon junk touching my mane directly. You should be more careful.”

“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind. What are you…? Hey! Wait!”

In a move that the street smart griffon should have seen coming, the pony went over to the shelf with the computer, got onto his hind legs, and hugged the giant box with his forehooves.

Gallus lunged at him, ready to fight over the computer, but a shot of searing pain caused his back legs to seize up and spasm, which gave the snowboarder just enough space to rapidly scoot away towards the checkout.

“No hard feelings, dude! No hard feelings!”

Gallus knew that there was no way he was going to catch him in his current state, so he decided to do what any griffon worth their salt would do in his position. He brought up his right talon – palm towards himself – and curled down the outer claws while leaving the center raised.

“Yeah, up yours too, buddy.”

Ocellus’s choice to take wing was more to avoid the stifling mob than anything else, but she was still committed to the objective. However, her small size and low flying speed made finding that replacement a hard grind. Every couple of seconds, she had to dodge clueless individuals who were too absorbed at the moment to care. If that wasn’t tiring enough, whenever an opening was spied around a product that would fit the bill, she was constantly beaten to the punch by everybody else keeping an eye out. It didn’t matter if she gently hovered down to quietly examine something, or raced full-tilt to beat the impending crush, she was unsuccessful at all turns.

Almost like clockwork another space opened, and she pounced. Driven by the actions and emotions surrounding her and a sprinkling of frustration she’d never admit to feeling, she darted down with all the thrust her buzzing wings could give. When the inevitable flock closed in once again, she pressed on instead of backing off. Despite them now being within wing touching distance, she kept pushing and was rewarded with the annoyed shouts and shrieks of those who had to split because she was now in their way.

She didn’t really recall seeing the pegasus on a direct collision course, nor her instant reaction of jerking upward and shooting for clearer skies, She did however feel her pastern smack against that pony’s flank, and was now rubbing the smarting injury while hovering away from the action. As she observed the destructive tornado descending upon yet another shelving unit like buzzards after rotting carrion, second thoughts about the whole operation crept into mind. The changeling truly needed a new computer and she wouldn’t allow herself to impose on Sandbar’s EDM for any longer than the weekend, but seeing the lengths the desperate shoppers were willing to go to for a deal – how far she and the gang were willing to go – soured the whole thing.

Clear on the other side of the store Ocellus saw the pegasus she’d just missed flying carefully along the far wall, shaking her head in disbelief while tucking up a most likely bruised hind leg to her body. Even though it was far from intentional, the changeling felt some remorse for the flyer whom used the same tactics as herself in the name of shopping. She was about to jump into the same boat and just call off the whole thing, when that pony dropped out of view for a second and came back up with a nice looking computer box in hoof.

That perked Ocellus back up for the time being. No, I’m not giving up yet. If she can get something out of this mess than I can too. Just gotta bide my time and wait for the next safe opportunity to arise.

“Move it, Dragon! That box is mine!”

Smolder didn’t have very much luck finding a suitable computer when she only had ponies and others roughly her size to deal with, but the arrival of some of her dragon schoolmates made things that much more challenging. Wherever she went, they would always be there first, filling their arms with the best deals that the section dedicated to dragon manufactured tech had on offer. Not only were they bigger than her, but they were immune to her normal attempts at assertion.

So she fell back on more dragonish means to achieve results. With a puffed out chest and intentionally lengthy strides, she did her best to forge a path through the belligerent crowd. This worked flawlessly for the first layer of the crowd, which was comprised of the youngest and smallest who quickly jumped out of her way as she marched past.

The next layer was the thickest, and much more difficult to squeeze through. These dragons were around her age, and only those of weaker wills moved to the side. But the others – who were the clear majority – remained unmoved by her aggressive displays. Nobody had tried to start a fistfight yet, but they were more than happy to voice their opinions with nasty hisses and growls.

But it was the final layer that gave Smolder pause, Sure, she could easily fit between the gaps and potentially get to the good stuff, but those dragons were big, with most around the size of Garble and a select few even bigger than that. And these weren’t a bunch of loudmouths trying to make up for their shortcomings. These guys were quite smart and knew how to get exactly what they wanted. Which is why Smolder was floored when one of those dragons sidestepped and created an opening.

Alarm bells began ringing in her mind, warning that things were not what they seemed. Big powerful dragons didn’t just give ground like that, it had to be taken by force. But the infamous dragon greed had descended, and she was now tunnel-visioned on the fine-looking box in view. Without any more logical thought, she charged in...

Only to be grabbed under the shoulders by that very same dragon and mercilessly lifted into the sky. She could feel a very hot waft of steam on the nape of her neck as he held her at head level and rumbled. “Sorry, little ember. This place is for big dragons only.”

There were no more parting words, only action as he deftly tossed the smaller dragon overhead and onto the lesser dragons, who were just as displeased as before – especially the ones she landed on. Their claws dug into her clothes, and many more sets joined in to carry her back to the beginning. Under lighter circumstances, the orange dragon would have loved to crowd surf like in the concerts that she’d sporadically watch on TV, but being tossed around after being called that name again sent her into a fit of thrashing limbs and gnashing teeth.

She was finally dropped into an unceremonious heap on the floor by the younglings. No real thought was given to them by their bigger kin, and they were wholly unprepared for a juvenile to crash down upon them. With the coveted item now out of sight and out of reach, the red mist faded away and she became aware of several scaly bodies scrambling out from under her.

On the other end of the shop, Yona and Sandbar had finally managed to get through the queue into the store, and both were dumbstruck at the sight. The colt’s lower jaw moved up and down slightly as he figured out which royal name to invoke, until his mind settled for the tried and true.

“Celestia!” he declared. “I’ve never seen this many creatures crammed into such a small space before!”

The yak’s appraisal was a little more metaphorical. “It’s like if ten yaks were forced to share five yak ger! Nothing good comes of it!”

Sandbar leaned his muzzle towards Yona’s ear. “Well, we’re in now! Best do what we came to do!”

With a whole mess of creatures ahead, and an entire horde behind constantly nudging them in, the two split off towards different parts of the store. Keeping an eye out for their other friends in the process.

Yona knew deep in her heart that the best systems came from her homeland, so going to the area with the machines she knew best felt like a good place to start. As she picked her way towards the YakardBell sign that hung from the ceiling, she noted that the visible shelves already looked quite barren. She didn’t spot many fellow yaks in the earlier stampede, and now at their intended destination, they were just as sparse as the section that catered to them.

Now directly under the sign, she could see that all the good stuff had truly been pilfered. What remained were utility components like replacement display and network cables and boring office software suites. Knowing a bust when she saw one, the yak huffed and turned away.

Then she spotted it.

A lone wooden crate was sitting in the middle of the floor, one that had been left unattended. She wondered why nobody had picked it up and moved it to the side, but when she saw through the crowd that the crate had the yak’s head logo of the greatest computer company in the world painted boldly on the side, she grinned and began pushing her way towards it. As she got closer, her trot turned to full gallop as others saw what she had, and began moving in as well. Not knowing of any other options to secure the system, the yak leaped into the air over several ponies’ heads and aimed to bellyflop onto the crate and smother it with her body.

Just as she was about to land, a blast of unicorn magic shot the crate out from under her and she slammed chin first onto the wooden floor. She then felt the hooves of several unicorn fillies run over her back, and as she struggled to her hooves, could see them gallop off towards the checkout – wooden crate spinning wildly in their combined telekinetic grasp.

But of the entire group, Sandbar had the worst luck by far. He watched helplessly as yet another box was taken from the shelf and to the cashier by its triumphant new owner. Sure, he tried to get in on that action as well, but no amount of excuse me’s or pardon me’s would disperse the crowd enough to get by. About five minutes had passed, and in that time he had managed by sheer luck to finagle his way into the center of one of the herds of deal hunting ponies who were using their numbers to force their way to the best items. The downside of being at the center was that he was at its whim, and as the collective moved to the next area he was forced to trot along with it.

It was at this halfway point that the colt realized that if he stayed within, he would never find a system. A few others had come to that conclusion as well and were instinctively forming a small herd of their own. It was the only chance for escape, so he threw in with the small group and they began to force their way out. It was an arduous task to go against the grain, but they had just enough ponypower to make it happen. Once free, Sandbar quickly bolted away from both herds and towards the center of the store, determined to not get stuck again.

After all their failed attempts at finding a decent system, the gang finally reconnected in the quiet back corner in varying states of dismay – physically and mentally.

When it came to the physical, Gallus was easily the worst off. His back was hunched and he once again moved with a pronounced limp. More telling was the fact that he wasn’t talking too much, opting to hang his head slightly and grimace instead. Words weren’t needed; empty talons told all.

And for the mental, Smolder took the proverbial cake. Getting so close, only to fall victim to greed and be tossed away by the bigger kin like yesterday’s trash had left her fuming over the situation.

“This is such bullcrap! We flew here as fast as we could – even broke the law getting in – and we still have nothing! That damn mob cleaned out the whole place, even the most basic of toasters is gone! And don’t get me started on those dragons!”

Silverstream was more frantic. “What are we gonna do! Everybody else is taking everything, and they’re being super mean about it too!”

“Same here!” Ocellus wholeheartedly agreed. “I couldn’t even get close to anything without risking serious injury!”

Her friends may have been on the verge of throwing in the towel, Yona was having none of that. “You may be done, but Yona not giving up! Yona is warrior! Keep looking!”

“Hey, guys!”

Sandbar frantically pointed a hoof towards an empty shelf. The other four besides Yona didn’t perk up too much initially, believing it to be pointless to try for something that would be snapped up by the time they reached it. But as shoppers in that particular area began to thin out, the lone box turned to its side and tucked into the back corner became visible. They also could see the pink sale sticker that had been carelessly slapped on its side.

Gallus lethargically began to examine the print on the box, then he suddenly and aggressively launched into the air despite the ache from a building list of injuries. The others capable of flight lifted off as quickly and those who weren’t galloped after him, hoping to make it in time to make a difference.

Even though he had just been nursing his ailments a second prior, pride and determination put any pain on the backburner. It was the last chance to get something meaningful for Ocellus, and he would be damned if he didn’t capitalize on it.

Gallus was the first to land and lay claws on the box, but a set of comically small blue hands attached to big burly arms had latched on as well and were almost successful in pulling it away. A pair of beady yellow eyes set into the face of a horned bull glared over the box, and the newcomer all but shouted.

“Let go! I got my hands on it first!”

Unwilling to lose out this time, the griffon allowed his claws to punch through the cardboard – giving him enough traction to pull it back towards himself. “Well, my claws are in it now, so I will be taking it!”

The minotaur’s massive nostrils flared, and a vein began to visibly pulse on his forehead. “Steel Power does not bend the knee to anyone!”

With knuckles and fingers turning white, Steel Power redoubled his efforts and yanked the box back into his broad chest. Thus began a tug of war between the two, with the coveted item moving back and forth multiple times. Despite holding on to the best of his ability, Gallus knew that he could only last so long in the duel with the naturally stronger minotaur before his muscles gave out. Even a fully grown griffon would have trouble in the situation he was in, so he felt no shame in asking for an assist.

“Yo dudes! Get over here and help me out!”

He only had to hold out a few more seconds before Silverstream skidded to a halt alongside and got her digits on it, but her manicured claws didn’t have nearly the same effect. Smolder was next to assist, squeezing between him and the shelf and punching her claws through the packaging.

The next to arrive on the scene were the groundbound Yona and Sandbar, and they both struggled to find the best positioning. The equine wanted to just jump in, but that would most likely entail grabbing onto Gallus in an unflattering way. They were as close as friends could get, but they weren’t that kind of close. He also didn’t want to be stuck behind or possibly under Yona if she stumbled backward. Personal injury ultimately superseded outward appearance, so he galloped over and grabbed Gallus around the waist and began to lend his strength.

Yona on the other hoof had no such questions as she got behind the others and tried to reach around them to get at the box, but it was just out of her grasp so she grabbed onto both Sandbar and Silverstream instead. Then something big and hairy latched onto her waist with large paws and started pulling as well.

With all his friends now there and helping, Gallus looked his opponent in the eye and grinned sneakily. “You gonna give up now or what?”

Steel Power was beginning to grow fatigued and he had to start stepping forward to keep hold. He glanced around nervously for something that could turn the tables, which he soon spotted.

“Guys! I need a little help over here!”

Just as Steel’s arms were about to give in, a stocky diamond dog ran, and a unicorn colt galloped in from across the store to save his day. The dog ducked under his friend’s arms and wrapped his own around the base of the box. The unicorn used his magic to grab the top, getting a full grasp on all four corners and pulling with all his might – just like everyone else.

“Let go!” Yona roared. “We need system so Ocellus can spell quest with us!”

The minotaur wasn’t having it. “Yeah, and I need this system so I won’t have to bug my uncle Iron about using his work rig to do my schoolwork and play my games!”

Silverstream was the next in line to object. “And Ocellus – nngh – needs it for that too! And she’s, like, a super genius!”

The bear poked her head up over her friends with a bashful yet toothy grin on her muzzle. “Oh, I’m nothing special really. Just your regular, everyday changeling-”

“Ocellus!” Smolder barked. “Do you want a – nngh – new computer or not! Help us!”

The bear looked down at her free forepaws and blushed furiously as she re-grabbed Yona around the waist and lent her strength once more.

For an everlasting few minutes, both sides struggled away in their bid to take home the last good system. As soon as one group started to gain the advantage, the other doubled down and took back the lost ground. But, that back-and-forth could only carry on for so long before somebody got smart and came up with a new plan of action.

The unicorn colt’s magic – the one thing that was keeping things even – began to ripple, and then flickered out of existence entirely. The colt who was casting fell backward onto his rump, and he looked genuinely fatigued. That didn’t stop him from hatching a new plan that didn’t involve his depleted reserves. It was of note that the infamous group they were currently fighting were so focused on the box that they had failed to notice the loss of the magical aura that surrounded it.

His buddies were the same way as well, which meant that he could clandestinely reach a hoof into his worn saddlebags and pull out a felt sack filled to the drawstring with marbles. He didn’t want to lose them to an instance like this, but it would be for a worthy cause.

Silverstream, just like everybody else, was toiling away to free the box. But after doing so for such a long time, her mind began to wander. Roving eyes followed suit, and she could see that the store had cleared out considerably. She could also see the unicorn empty a bag of marbles in her general direction.

There was only a split second for the hippogriff to gasp before they rolled over to the intended victims. Gallus was the closest one, so naturally he was the first to step on them. They were gaining ground again, and as the griffon took a pace back to keep up the pressure, several of the marbles got under the soles of his boots. Paws suddenly slid forward, and he fell – the claws that were sunk deep into the cardboard and underlying packing foam being the only thing keeping him from completely hitting the floor.

Smolder was the next to endure the slippery treatment. Keeping balance suddenly took precedence over monetary desires, and she relinquished her grip to keep upright. She cried out to her friends about the danger, but they were already contending with the new development. Silverstream, Sandbar, and Ocellus – who had to shift back into natural form due to fatigue – all suffered equally alongside the dragon but were able to stay upright and carry on.

Until they got under Yona’s hooves.

With their strongest member now out of the fight, the yak had become their lynchpin, providing most of the muscle and motivation for the team. That was why when she started slipping everything fell apart. With a startled yelp, she stumbled backward and instinctively squeezed onto her friends for stability. But with so much already going on, they could provide nothing in that regard.

It was too much. With the weight of an almost fully grown yak now pulling on them, the last sets of claws let loose and the entire gang was dragged backward. Ocellus was forced to dive for cover as five out of control friends careened into the one shelf that was still stocked with undesirable surplus office software, which instantly gave way to their combined force and toppled over with an almighty crash.

“I got it! Let’s get outta here!”

Gallus lifted his head and was able to get his vision refocused in time to see Steel Power and crew triumphantly gallop off to the checkout. The griffon had been beaten once again, except this time he wanted to get up off his ass, chase that minotaur down, and take back what was theirs. His body had other plans, and with the pain-hiding endorphins coursing through his veins withering away, the ache in the nether region made itself known again. This time, he knew that it would probably only get worse throughout the day.

There was a groan off to his left, and Smolder pushed herself into as much of a sitting position as possible a moment later.

“Can you get up? You’re on my leg.”

“I-I’ll try.”

It was a struggle for the blue griffon, but just as he started to drag himself off of the trapped limb the shelving unit creaked ominously, and it collapsed an instant later. Smolder hissed and he tried again, this time accepting a helping hoof from a winded Ocellus. She was able to gently help him off the pile and onto all fours, but he couldn’t move much further. His dragon friend was now free to swipe some boxes away and stand up. She immediately gasped at what her slitted eyes were now taking in.

“Did we do all that?”

The rest of the gang groaned collectively and began to extricate themselves from the mess. Both Sandbar and Silverstream had been lucky enough to have Yona break their falls, so they were quick to rise. Once they were clear, the yak waved away any offers of assistance and rolled to her hooves, the wreckage cracking and splintering all the way.

As soon as she was up, Silverstream launched herself at the scattering of marbles that had ended the shopping trip in disaster.

“Hey!” the angered hippogriff hollered into the air, a pile of captured marbles held in cupped claws. “You forgot your marbles, you cheating, sorry sacks… of…!”

Halfway through her screeching rant at the heavens, she noticed the intricate designs and stunning color of the marbles. The luster and clarity of the glass spheres was something to marvel at, and she couldn’t just leave the little pretties to the cruel world.

While the hippogriff stuffed her pockets with as many marbles as she could recover, Smolder set about straightening out her askew clothing. “It looks like we were the only ones who didn’t get something,” she muttered while tugging on her hoodie.

“Well, at least we tried.”

“Yeah,” the dragon agreed with the bedraggled sounding Ocellus. “At least we can say that.”

Everyone else also shared the same sentiment. After the insane struggle, they all felt defeated on some level – mentally and physically. Gallus was in the very same boat, but that didn’t stop him from still pursuing the goal.

“Come on! We can’t give up now! There’s gotta be something we missed!”

The griffon wasn’t comfortable with sustained flight after everything that had occurred, so he resigned himself to short hops on the wing as he frantically searched around for anything that could have been missed. The other five did the same, and with practically the whole store to themselves, they were able to appreciate the true scale of the destruction. The entire shop floor had been trashed. What was once organized shelves and bins was now a chaotic mass of smashed metal, cracked plastic, and splintered wood. Adding to that were the tattered remains of cardboard and other packing materials, strewn about like confetti along with with some cords and a few smaller electronic devices.

Silverstream screeched out that she had found something interesting and the gang all raced over with hope, only to groan and scoff at the sorry sight. The few years old laptop on the floor looked like it could have handled some light gaming, but with the damaged screen only hanging on by a thread and its guts spilling out of every opening imaginable, they were forced to write it off and move on. They weren’t able to find anything else of note, but Gallus wasn’t finished yet.

The griffon winged over to the front desk where the employees had all congregated for the majority of the chaos. Now that things had settled down, some of them were out and about, examining the trashed shop with looks of shock and disbelief on the faces of those who hadn't experienced something like that before. He was prepared to see the usual suspects which he'd interacted with on previous visits hanging around closer to their register, gabbing excitedly about the outcome of the sale, but he was a little surprised to see two burly stallions milling around the area as well.

It was hard to tell their identities through the usual method, but he hazarded a guess that the pale yellow, brown maned earth pony who was decked out in the thickly padded armor of an EHL goaltender was one of the hired hooves he'd seen while helping out with the apple harvest back in autumn, and that the dark gray, teal maned pegasus wearing the bog-standard stormball tack over his street clothes was on the weather patrol. Gallus wasn't in any kind of mental state to try and remember names, but it didn't take a genius bird to understand their role in the grand scheme of things, even though it was doubtful that no shoplifted goods made it past the pair.

He paid them no more heed, touching down by the desk and stalking up to it with purpose, not caring when they stopped counting their bits and uneasily eyed up his bedraggled appearance and intimidating posture. They had probably made a killing and greatly reduced their overhead, but they would most likely wind up investing most of it into simply repairing the damage and the leftovers would go into restocking. He was not a big fan of this strategy after being mired in it for the last half-hour, but he wasn't the one calling those shots.

“Hey!” the griffon addressed those who were. “You guys got anything that was kept out of the sale? I-”

As soon as the rest of the gang came to rest behind with varying concern, he realized that arguing his way to a system would only lead to disappointment for all, so he stuffed his emotions for the time being and took a breath.

“We're looking for a system or the individual parts to build one. Preferably stuff from the last five years at least.”

The older store manager took a break from counting bits to answer the potential customer’s question, but it wasn’t good news.

“Sorry son, but all the stuff out there was everything we had. If you’re truly desperate, we do have a surplus of Aquarius systems in the back. We could cut you a good deal on one.”

Gallus almost snarled when he heard the reviled name. He personally felt insulted that a retailer was still trying to sell those things let alone trying to cut a deal on them, but he was too frazzled at that point to raise a deserved fuss so his chose to end that particular interaction

“Thanks for the offer, but I think we’ll try our luck elsewhere first.”