The strange man looked at the gun in Jack’s hand and laughed.

“That’s a cute peashooter, kid,” the man called, hefting his rifle to a readied position. “What’re the odds, you think? That you’ll get me before I take you down?”

“No bet,” came another stranger’s voice. Jack nearly jumped as a woman rounded the van, similarly armed. She stood, gun lazily waving as she put a hand to her hip. “Lookit her, she’s exhausted. I’m surprised she’s even holding that thing steady.”

“Down! Both of ya!” Jack snapped towards the woman. “Or I’ll pull the trigger on yer friend here. Thing’s got big bullets, so I ain’t afraid of missin’.”

“She’s cute,” said the woman, ignoring the threat. “Can we keep her?”

“Bolt!” Jack roared. “On me!”

The moment she finished those words, Dash was already by her side. “I heard ya, Stetson, don’t worry.” She looked at the newcomers, growling and aiming her pistol at them. “Get the fuck down, hands behind your head and tell us who the hell you are and what the fuck you’re doing here!”

“Jus’ some folks enjoyin’ the weather,” the man said, bored, spitting out his cigarette. “Real nice night for a walk in the park, don’tcha think?”

“Oh har har.” Dash took a step forward. “Real funny. You can tell us more jokes when you’re on the ground and not bleeding.”

“The thing about using guns to threaten, girly,” began the woman, “is you don’t. You just use ‘em.”

“Sounds like somethin’ the Queen’s men would say, ya fuckin’ bitch. I’mma countin’ ta three--drop ‘em ‘fore then, an’ we all walk away winners,” Jack growled out, adjusting her hand on the revolver’s grip.

The man laughed. “So you’re right, it does! That’s OK, she doesn’t really mean it.”

“One,” she began, taking a small, barely noticeable step forward.

Neither of them showed any signs of backing down. They simply stood there, wearing confident smiles.

“Two,” Jack growled out, tensing her body slightly and planting one foot in front of the other.

Again they didn’t move.

Gulping hard, Jack was about to speak when a voice from behind said, “Three--pow! You’re dead, birdie.”

The farmer froze, paralyzed and all but unwilling to turn around at the voice.

The man said, “Yeah, she was just distracting you, killing time for our associates to circle far enough around.”

“Goddamnit,” Jack spat through clenched teeth, her face a snarling, animalistic mask as she tried frantically to think of a way out. She could see now, out of the corner of her eye--two more men, dressed similarly to the first pair--had circled around and were now aiming easily at their flanks. Had they really come so close just to get busted now?

“Jack! Dash!” cried a familiar voice. It was soon followed by Twila--Spike and Rarity following shortly after--rounding the van and heading towards them.

“Y-y’all?” Jack stammered out, confusion spreading over her face as she hesitantly lowered her gun a few inches. “The hell’s goin’ on?”

“Oh man!” said one of the men from behind her--a short, red-headed fellow with sharp features. “That was too ripe! She was about to piss herself!” He fell back, laughter shaking his body as his gun fell to the ground, forgotten.

“Cunt,” Dash snarled out towards the man, only affording him a brief glance before looking towards her friends. “Elondre’s dick--the fuck’s your problem, guys?”

“Sor… Sorry! We were all the way at the...at the swings.” Twila said, catching her breath. She glared at the strangers, who had gathered in a group, laughing and slapping each others’ backs. “Why didn’t you tell them?”

The first man--he had the air of being their leader--put on a fake look of hurt. “Oh come on, Twily, we just--” He stopped when he saw her glare grow hotter. “Er, sorry, Miss Shields. Just a harmless bit of fun.”

“Yeah, well, your ‘harmless’ bit of fun probably isn’t too enjoyable to those who just finished risking their lives. So apologize.” She noticed the others sniggering at his berating, so she snapped, “All of you!”

To Jack and Dash’s surprise, they all came to attention, looking truly sorry. A round of apologies followed under Twila’s level stare.

Dash smirked, folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah, that’s more like it--”

She stopped, looking at the park around them. Everyone blinked, confused, hearing a high pitched noise gradually get louder and louder…

“Guuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuys!!!” hollered Pinkie, latching onto Jack first and giving her a tight hug. Chylene was close behind, quiet, but smiling broad enough to bring tears to her eyes.

“Chy! Diane!” Jack exclaimed, squeezing the pink-haired woman around her middle. “Yer alright too! Great!”

“Heh, hey, Pinks,” Dash said, only to have the woman cuddle her next. “Er, hey…” she said, squirming to try and get comfortable. “Where did your dress go?”

“Oh! I threw it away so I could knock a servant unconscious, take his clothes, then crawl through a vent to save Chylene from mean ol’ Blueblood!” Pinkie exclaimed with a smile.

“We’re still going to have words about that, young lady,” Rarity growled. Then she turned to Jack and Dash. “Oh we were so worried!” Tears leaked from her eyes as she hugged first Jack, then pulling Dash into it tightly. “I feared the most awful things!”

“Come on now, sug. We’re alright. Dash jus’ needs a few days off her leg an’ she’ll be good as new. Don’t cry,” the farmer said, consoling the woman.

“Yeah, we’re cool,” Dash agreed, then grunted. “Well, my leg hurts like a bitch, but I’m not crying out for an ambulance or anything.”

“Oh, well you must give it a rest for a couple days,” Chylene said, going over and giving the girls light hugs. “I’m so glad you’re alright! It was all just so…” She looked at everyone around her, on the edge of breaking down. Surprisingly, she instead let out a long sigh, letting out a tired, “Can we relax now?”

Having finished her scolding of the strangers, Twila turned back to the group. “Those guys will never grow up,” she said, irritation and amusement on her features. She smiled as she took a long look at her friends, all safe and sound after another dangerous mission. But when her eyes passed over the bandage wrapped tightly on Dash's leg, all her worries and fears from before returned. Her tone serious, she said, “It's so good to see you all...but... We need to talk, girls.”

“Finally!” sighed Rarity.

“Yeah? What about?” asked Dash, putting the majority of her weight on her good leg.

“What even needs said? Shit’s done--I’m guessin’ ya got the List,” Jack said, crossing her arms.

Nodding, Twila said, “We did--or should I say, Chylene did.”

“Knew ya had it in ya, girl.” Jack smiled and nodded. “Ya did good.”

Chylene offered everyone a small smile, not looking straight at them. “Thank you, but, um, it wasn’t just me. If Spike hadn’t been so brave, we might have not made it out of there…”

“That’s right!” cried Rarity, standing behind the young man, her hands on his shoulders. She leaned down, her head beside his as she smiled. “You should’ve seen him, Twila! He was gallant, dashing, heroic!”

“Seems like you’re giving the little guy quite a bit of credit.” Dash smirked.

“Well, little Spikey here deserves it!” she said. “And wait until you hear Chylene’s story. Pinkie too.” Letting Spike go, she sighed. “I just… I didn’t do much this time around, everyone. You all pulled through so wonderfully.”

“Just having you around is more than enough! Plus,” Pinkie dropped her voice, a little quiet,” even though I ditched it…” Her voice went back to full volume. “You made sure we arrived at the party in style and fit in and everything!” Pinkie wrapped an arm around Rarity, then gestured at her friends. “We all did great!”

“I’m sure ya gals did great. Jus’ happy we’re all alive an’ well,” Jack let out a shaky laugh. “Been a while since I’ve felt this relieved.”

“I know what you mean,” Spike agreed. “Everyone’s alright. That alone…”

Twila said nothing, standing with one arm rubbing the other awkwardly as the party continued to praise each other. The words she wanted to say were right at the tip of her tongue. She had already made the decision--it was the right decision. So why couldn’t she tell them?

Just… Just say it, stupid, she berated herself. It’s for the best. Her eyes trailed back over the wounds noticeable on both Jack and Dash as her mind played through the wounds that couldn’t be seen. She thought of the story that the others had told her--Chylene’s close call with Blueblood, the entire party almost arrested…They would’ve been tried as seditionists and executed. Every last one of them.

The first heist played back, the images that had plagued her nightmares vivid and painful. Jack had died. That had been easy to forget at the time with Chy's quick thinking--but the farmer had died and only the idiotic grace of God had seen her through it. The wounds and terrors the others had suffered... The narrow escape. The constant threat of death, of the finality of a bullet in the brain, or a stray shot catching a lung or an artery...

Could she let them take those chances anymore? No. The decision had already been made.

Her ears tuned back to the conversation at hand. Spike was saying, “...wait till we get back to Mansfield. We need to celebrate!”

“I’m not going back to Mansfield,” Twila said evenly.

"Ooh ooh ooh!" Pinkie cried above Twila's announcement. "I know just what to make, too! There were all these yummy treats at the party I'm pretty sure I can figure out how to make..."

"Uh..." Spike said, hesitant. "We don't want another baked bads incident, so maybe some good ol' Pinkie pies instead?"

Frustrated, Twila yelled, "I'm not going back to Mansfield!"

Pinkie leaped off the ground, eyes widened. “What?!”

Unbelieving, Rarity repeated, “What?”

Looking at them all, Twila said again, “I said I’m not going back with you.” She looked towards the soldiers, now smoking in a quiet group against the van. “I’ll be leaving with them. You guys are free to go home--and stay there, safe.”

“Ya shittin’ me right now, sug?” Jack drawled out. “Why?”

“Why do you think?” she replied a bit heatedly. “You all almost died last time--you did die! This time? While not nearly as dramatic, all of you came so close to...close to…” She made a frustrated noise. “My first plan bungled, but this one’s too perfect. It’s a guaranteed out for all of you. Chrysalis won’t have any reason to suspect any of you anymore.”

“Plan? What plan?” Rarity asked.

“Weren’t you paying attention? Thanks to our little show, now Blueblood--and almost every single person of influence in the city of Camelot and abroad--thinks they’re”--she pointed again at the soldiers--”the masked bank robbers. You’re just victims. Hostages. Innocent.”

“How about what we really are, sug?” Jack stared hard at the woman, her glare narrow and true. “We’re a team. I’ll be damned if yer gonna be in this alone.”

“But I won’t be, Jack. I’ll be with professionals. The people who actually signed up to do this for a living.” Looking at the ground, she said, quietly, “We’ve gotten lucky so far, but that’s all. None of you wanted this. It’s not your responsibility--but it ismine.”

“Now hold up. Y’all are family ta me--an’ family comes first.” Jack stepped forward. “Responsibility or not, I’m with ya ‘til the end, Twi. Ain’t nothin’ gonna change that.”

Angrily, Twila said, “Don’t you think I feel the same way, Jack? Everyone…” We have to keep sacrifices as low as possible...if it can be only me, isn’t that the best? But she couldn’t say that. Couldn’t say the full truth. Instead, she said, “I can’t let you guys hurt anymore. You have families, friends--and yes, I know I do too. But it’s my family’s duty to serve the country. To protect it and her people. And that means you guys.”

“So you think we’re gonna just stand aside while you risk your life alone? No way, nuh-uh, nada.” Pinkie shook her head, sliding in next to Twila. “We do this together. Just like we’ve done all those epic things together before in the past.”

“Damn straight.” Dash nodded. “We made it though that Sombra cult together, we made it through the bank. We made it through this. There’s no fucking way we’re ditching you now, egghead.”

Chylene slowly raised her hand. “I'm in, too. Sometimes it’s scary--well, most of the time it's scary, in fact, all the time it's scary--but I’ll still stand by you guys no matter what.”

Turning so they couldn’t see the tears falling from her eyes, Twila tried to think of anything to convince them to stay. “Why won’t you just--just take the out and be safe?”

“The same damn reason y’all didn’t leave me back at the bank,” Jack said. She took a few steps forward, putting a hand on Twila’s shoulder.

“But I’m supposed to protect you. This is what I was raised and taught to do--I can’t not do it!” She looked at Jack pleadingly. “We won’t get a better chance, Jack.” To everyone, “Now’s when it gets really scary, guys. Everything we’ve been through, everything we’ve done? Child’s play to what’s to come. We’re not talking about just breaking the law anymore. This is revolution--this might even be war in all the North.”

“Like we weren’t preparin’ fer that step.” Jack gestured towards Spike. “In case ya haven’t noticed, that boy’s been preparin’ fer somethin’ that big ever since the bank. Ya don’t hire mercs ta play nice, Twi.”

Shaking her head, Twila said, “No, he really wasn’t. We had no idea what it would take. Not then. But now…?” She took out and held up the manilla envelope. “Now we will. I haven’t looked at it yet, but Roy and the others have been telling me things. Nightmarish, impossible things. That it’s no dream makes it all the more terrifying.”

“All the more damn reason we stick together,” Jack snapped, pointing a finger at the scholarly woman. “I ain’t lettin’ ya risk it on yer lonesome. End-a damn discussion. And you know I ain’t a liar.”

“That’s right,” said Rarity more gently. “As soon as you moved to Mansfield, dear, you were one of us. Nothing can change that. Not time, not distance, not even fear. We’ll always be right there with you, ready to give our support. For me, especially, Twila. For a friend like you, I’d give anything.”

“Hey, Twi, what did Celestia used to refer to me by?” Dash asked, poking her chest with her thumb.

“Uh…” Twila racked her memory, disregarding a few less than positive remarks she figured Dash wasn’t after. It hit her. “Oh! The most devoted of citizens, unmatched through all of Torani history. That’s what you’re talking about, right?”

Dash gave her a firm nod. “That’s right. You’ve got my allegiance, egghead, so there’s no way in hell I’m gonna ditch you now. It’d ruin my rep.”

“And besides,” Chylene cut in, “that wouldn’t be the right thing to do. If any of us left, well, that’d be...be...just awful! And so mean!” she cried. Putting a hand to her mouth, a blush faint on her cheeks, she added, in her much more reserved tone, “I know I could never be that indecent to anyone, least of all a great friend like you, Twila.”

Slinging an arm around Twila and pulling her into an energetic but gentle noogie, Pinkie chirped, “And without you, there’s no way we can have fun! Ya gotta have fun, you know!” She gave a joyous laugh as she spun around Twila. “Together to the end!”

Spike glanced at the others and kicked at the ground. “I’m nothing special on my own, Twila. You know it, I know it. But…uh…” He bit at his lower lip. “I don’t say it enough, but you’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to family. A-and like Jack said, that means something.”

Slowly, Twila stepped over to Spike. Dropping to her knees, she wrapped him in a tight embrace, whispering, “It means everything, Spike. It means everything. “ Overwhelmed, her tears flowed free as she let out a sob. “T-thank you, everyone. I… I didn’t want to...to--I wasn’t sure if I could do it alone, but I was so afraid.” She let Spike go, smoothing out an errant curl of his hair. “But now I see I was more afraid without you. Maybe...maybe she didn’t just mean to keep you safe, not if it meant leaving my best friends in the world.”

I still have so much to learn… Even what I thought I knew. Celestia… I wish you were still here.

She took a long look at each of her friends in turn. Each so willing to risk themselves. For their own reasons, yes, but also for her and each other. Despite the danger, they didn’t hesitate. Twila realized she, since the very moment she had discovered the truth, had been the one hesitating.

She decided she was done with that, now and always.

“Let’s go home, everyone,” she said, smiling broadly. “Together.”