“How do I look?”

“Ridiculous.”

“Great.” Rat huffed. “I swear, I’m gonna give that bitch a piece of my mind when I get my hooves on her, just you wait.”

“Why are you helping her out, again?” Fox cocked his head, looking his big brother up and down.

“Eeh, she’s pretty cute, and she seems to know what she’s doing. Besides, it’s not like we had anything better to do, right?” He shrugged innocently. He looked quite ridiculous, having used mane and coat dye to invert his colours. He’d also strapped on a pair of fake pegasus wings that some cheeky ponies wore for Nightmare Night. In a very strange way, he looked almost like some kind of male alicorn Sky Runner.

“So you’re gonna be bait for those scary-ass super-soldiers she was going on about?” Fox asked. “That’s kind of...I dunno…big for a mare who’s just “pretty cute.””

“What are you implying, exactly?” Rat cocked an eyebrow at his little brother.

“I’m not implying anything.” Fox smiled pleasantly, holding up a blue dart. “Come on now, Rat. Take your medicine.”

“Do you reckon this thing does what she says it does?” Rat asked dubiously, levitating the dart in front of him and staring at it. “It doesn’t look healthy…”

“Well, it’ll make your dick disappear. I wouldn’t say it’s healthy, either.” Fox shrugged. “Still, we’ve gotta make this real. You can’t exactly pull off the feminine look with /that/ hanging down between your legs.”

“Sky didn’t seem to mind.” Rat stuck his tongue out, chuckling.

“Yeah, well it’s time to say goodbye to it.” Fox grinned wickedly, wresting the dart out of the air and jabbing it into Rat’s shoulder. He watched with interest as the blue formula within drained into Rat’s bloodstream, hoping against hope that Sky hadn’t just poisoned him.

Rat’s making one hell of a leap of faith for this mare...she must’ve swept him off of his hooves like nothing on earth… He mused.

The young stallion watched with interest as his brother’s form began to change. His shoulders grew slimmer, his muzzle shortened and his features softened. Rat gave an audible gulp as his Adam’s Apple disappeared, and then another as he glanced down between his hind legs and found nothing.

“This was a mistake!” He yelped, in a decidedly feminine voice.

There was a beat.

“Was...was that me?” Rat yelped, clutching at his...or rather her...throat.

“Sure was, bro...or should I say, sis?” Fox smiled brightly, trying to suppress the urge to laugh out loud at the sight of his brother’s impromptu transsexuality. Rat looked ridiculous.

“Don’t you start, you little shit!” Rat pouted, crossing her forelegs grumpily.

“Sorry, but come on, you’d give me shit if I suddenly turned into a girl!” Fox snickered from behind a shaking hoof.

“That’s different!” Rat glowered. “If if was you, then it’d be funny!”

“You’ve gotta admit that this is kinda funny.” Fox replied evenly, shrugging.

Rat peeked down behind her hind legs again. “Nope. Not...funny...at...all…” She looked back up at her little brother with an expression of supreme confusion. “Why the hell aren’t you getting drugged up?”

“Eeeh, Sky said that nopony really notices Shadow anyway, and when I asked Shadow herself she told me off.” Fox sighed. “She told me she doesn’t have a horn and started suggesting places I could hide my own while I’m disguised as her.”

“Wow, sounds like true love.” Rat chuckled, happy to have a reason to give Fox a hard time for a change.

“I kinda get the impression that you’re fucking with me.” Fox growled, glaring at his big sister.

“No, I mean it!” Rat nodded encouragingly. “Do you know what it sounds like to me?”

“Wh...what’s that, then?” Fox asked warily.

“It sounds like she’s totally challenging you!” Rat grinned, ruffling her little brother’s mane. “Like, you remember the stories where the mare plays hard-to-get?”

“Yeah?” Fox cocked his head, unconvinced.

“Well, that means that she likes you!” Rat nodded sagely. “And I’ll bet that you like her too, hmmm?”

“She kinda...well, she had me head over hooves earlier today…” Fox shrugged.

“And she’s the first filly who’s noticed you in a while, huh?” Rat smiled sympathetically.

Fox bit his lip, nodding. “She’s kinda the first pony I’ve met who could kick my ass like that, too…”

“Oh boy, you two do like each other!” Rat chuckled, trotting towards Grand Central with her little brother in tow. “This is adorable!”

“Shut the fuck up! I’m not...I don’t…” Fox blustered. “Okay, yeah, maybe she’s a little attractive, but she sure as hell doesn’t seem to like me back!”

“You sure about that?” Rat asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, yeah! She was all angry and grumpy around me, and she keeps shooting me with sleep darts whenever I say she looks pretty!” Fox waved his hooves in frustration.

Rat giggled before suddenly clamming up. This gender-swapping thing was weird. “Oh bugger, I’m never gonna get used to this.” She shook her head. “But that just proves it! She’s playing hard to get, just like I said!”

“So what am I supposed to do about that?” Fox frowned. “I can’t stop her being mean, can I?”

“Actually, you can.” Rat smiled sagely. “If you do enough stuff to show her that you’re serious about how you’re feeling, she oughta soften up pretty quickly.”

“What kinda stuff are you talking about?” Fox asked, brightening up a little.

“Well, get her flowers, invite her out to dinner...you know, romantic shit!” Rat shrugged. “Trust me little bro, if you show her you’re serious then she’ll be glomping you before you know it!”

“This kinda feels like a trap…” The young stallion said doubtfully.

“Come on, kid. I know all about this stuff! I’m a lady-killer, remember?” Rat winked.

“Right now you’re just a lady.” Fox giggled, shaking his head. “Fine, fine...I’ll give it a go, okay?”

“Okay.” Rat bumped flanks with his little brother as the two of them ventured into the crowded terminal. “So what was it Sky wanted us to do, again?”

“Well, just hang around here until somepony recognises you, then come and find her when they try and strike up conversation. That’s all she said to me, anyway.” Fox shrugged.

“Given the kind of pony she is, I don’t reckon it’s gonna be a nice conversation.” Rat sighed. “Why the hell did I agree to this stupid plan again?”

“Because you fancy her?” Fox teased, poking his little sister in the flank with a forehoof.

“Nope! She was a pretty good lay, but Rat Racer doesn’t do any of that feelings shit, thanks.” She shook her head, glancing around at the concourse and trying to look for anypony who had a specific interest in her. “I don’t have time for tempta...distractions.”

“Yahuh. Well, Miss ‘don’t have time for distractions,’ why don’t you keep an eye out for those ponies, hmm?” Fox was barely able to stop himself from grinning triumphantly.

“What po...oh! Yeah, right...I’ll...erm...I’ll do that…” Rat rolled her eyes at her own silliness, glancing around and looking for anypony who might be making supremely unpleasant eye contact with her.

Sure enough, there was one pony who was. An earth pony was glaring at her from across the terminal, stamping his hoof irritably. He was a big example of stallionhood, bigger than some of the bodybuilders she’d seen in her time. This looked like a pony who likely pulled the train all the way here.

“Um...I think I found him…” Rat whimpered, ears splaying back.

“Where? I wanna see...oh…” Fox bounded onto his big sister’s back, his own face falling. “Um...run?”

“Ye...yeah…” Rat nodded, backing away a little. “Um...so Sky wants me to lead that guy to Tommygun’s place?”

“Yeah…” Fox bit his lip, eyes going wide. “I think...she wants to make a super-soldier take out the whole Marefia in one go…”

“Clever girl…” Rat breathed.

And with that, she turned tail and galloped for her life.

“You’re bluffing on an empty hoof, sugar.” Tommygun shook his head. “You come in here and try to get information out of me when you’ve got nothing to offer except crackpot stories. Why the hell shouldn’t I get you fitted for some cement horseshoes and toss you in the harbour, huh?”

“Because I’m hot?” Sky shrugged, giving her flanks a little shake for emphasis.

“Sis...not the time…” Shadow facehoofed, groaning. It was bad enough that they were both going to die. She didn’t need her last moments on this earth tainted by the image of Sky trying to get laid.

Tommygun laughed louder than ever before, sitting back down in his chair and wiping his eyes. “You’ve got a great sense of humour, toots.” He cocked his head as he regarded the mare before him, who was smiling sheepishly. “Heh…you know, you’ve got a point. You’re not half-bad looking. Maybe you and I can do business. What kinda info are you looking for?”

“There’s a courier that Rolling Thunder is sending down to Canterlot in the next day or two. He’s got a message for Silver Tongue. I’d like to find this courier and drop in to say hey!” Sky beamed, flapping her good wing and giving him her friendliest, most innocent little smile.

“Oh wow, this is interesting!” Tommygun chuckled. “So let me get this straight. You’re gonna piss off the biggest weapons contractor in Equestria? I don’t suppose you’re hiding a pair of massive balls under that tail?” He raised his eyebrows. “Mind telling your ol’ buddy Tommygun what this is all about?”

“Aaah, you don’t wanna hear about that.” Sky waved her hoof dismissively. “It’s a long story and I don’t have twenty-eight chapters to talk about it.”

“You seem pretty confident that some kinda superhero’s about to bust in here and wreck the place.” Tommygun frowned, leaning across the desk to look her in the eye. “Mind if I take a guess? You’ve gone and pissed off the good Count himself and now he’s making your life a living hell. That means you’re valuable, doesn’t it?” He smirked. “You’re a wanted pony, huh?”

“Well, I’ve made a few most wanted lists.” Sky giggled, shuffling a little closer and biting her lip. “I can sure as hell tell that you want me…”

“Oh, trust me, I do.” Tommygun chuckled, as a mobster stepped forward and passed him a sealed envelope. “So I’ll tell you what. What if you show me some of your moves, hmm? Show me what a nice little mare from Canterlot can actually do? When we’re done, maybe I’ll consider giving you that info rather than handing you over to Rolling Thunder. How’s that sound?”

“That sounds like you’re gonna royally screw us over!” Shadow growled. “You’re just gonna fuck her and then hand her over anyway! I can see through you, buddy!” She tugged on her big sister’s tail. “Come on Sky, we don’t have to deal with this asshole…”

“Now come on, Shadow. I think Tommy here just made a really sweet offer!” Sky grinned, nudging her sister and turning back to the mob boss, who regarded her with raised eyebrows. “So you mean it? I give you the best pony ride of your life and you give me the information?”

“Well, I’ll consider it.” Tommygun shrugged, glancing between Sky and Shadow with a frown. “So, do we have a deal?”

“Sounds like I can’t lose!” Sky smiled brightly. She flashed a smile at her little sister, who cocked her head.

There was a very distant girly scream from somewhere outside, and suddenly Shadow knew what her big sister’s game was. Shadow grinned back, nodding, as Sky extended a hoof to shake Tommygun’s.

“So we’ve got a deal?” Tommygun asked.

“Deal.” Sky smiled back, taking his hoof and shaking it.

A moment later, Tommygun’s face fell. The ground beneath them was starting to shake, and the screaming had grown in volume, such that all of the assembled could finally hear what the mare outside was yelling.

“I HATE YOU SKYYYYYYY!”

“Rat’s coming.” Shadow observed dully.

“Yep.” Sky nodded, squeezing Tommygun’s hoof and grabbing the envelope off of the desk. “I’ll just be taking that, and you can sit here and watch as a super-stallion turns up and wrecks the place!”

Tommygun gaped, wincing only a little as the entire building suddenly shook. “You...led...Rolling Thunder…here?”

“I did warn you.” Sky shrugged, slipping the document into her saddlebag as the mobsters ran outside to confront whatever was threatening their boss. A moment later, a very irate red and white alicorn burst into the room, a young teenage stallion clinging to her back.

“YOUDIDN’TTELLMEHEWASTHATFAST!” Rat bellowed, charging through the office and into the back.

Sky and Shadow nodded at one another before charging after her. Rat had burst into a back corridor and was darting over clutter and boxes as she sped towards the exit. Sky spread her wings, flapping them a couple of times to help her accelerate and catch up with her.

“Why does everypony seem so damn surprised when I tell them that there are super-soldiers running around?” Sky inquired, chuckling at the look on Rat’s face. She looked like she’d just seen a ghost.

“You and I are gonna have a real serious talk when we get out of this, Sky!” Rat yelped.

“And I’ll flutter my eyelashes at you and you’ll drop it!” Sky giggled, galloping alongside him with Shadow flying overhead.

“That’s not gonna work, damn it!”

“We’ll see!” Sky laughed.

The stallion burst out into the corridor behind them, chips of white plaster and splintered wood raining off of his shoulders as he stamped his forehoof. The four of them slammed into the door at the end of the corridor at the same time, Shadow concussing herself and flopping back onto Sky’s flanks.

“Oh no you don’t!” Sky growled at her little sister, hoisting her off of her back and shaking her until she came to.

“Ack...okay! I’m up! I’m up!” Shadow groaned, shaking her head and taking off again. Rat tried pulling at the door handle.

“Um...Sky...it’s locked. I think we’re trapped.” She whimpered. “You got a plan B?”

“As if she even knows what Plan B is!” Shadow rolled her eyes. “Sis, what about the guard golem from the Money Bags Job?”

Sky glanced around at the other assembled ponies, then at the Operative. He seemed pretty confused by the two nigh-identical iterations of Sky before him, but that bewilderment wouldn’t keep them alive for much longer. He stamped his hoof, lowering his head and getting ready to charge.

“Do you reckon we’ve got enough space?” Sky asked doubtfully.

“Great time to find out!” Shadow squeaked. The stallion started to charge, getting up to a good speed far faster than a pony his size should even have been able to manage. There was no way that any of them would survive a collision with him. They’d all be crushed against the door.

Sky glanced back at Rat and Fox before exchanging a look with Shadow, who nodded at her. At the last second, Sky tackled Rat into the side wall, pinning her there and flattening herself up against her. Both ponies stood on their hind legs to reduce their surface area. Shadow looped her forehooves under Fox’s belly, taking off and lifting him into the air.

The Operative missed them by a hair’s breadth, crashing into the door in a storm of shattering wood and disappearing into the closet beyond. His momentum carried him through the back wall, letting the light from the city outside into the building.

“Leg it!” Sky bellowed, galloping back towards Tommygun’s office.

“There was me thinking we were having a moment just then…” Rat snickered, giving chase. Fox and Shadow were left in the corridor together as their elder siblings ran for it.

“You...you saved me…” Fox whispered. He gave Shadow the tiniest of hopeful smiles, squeezing her hoof gratefully.

“Yeah, well when I donate your carcass to science to see how they could fit so much stupid into one pony, I’d hate for you to be too badly bruised.” Shadow stuck her tongue out. “Now come on! We’re burning moonlight here!”

And with that, the two younger ponies hurried after their big sisters.

Tommygun’s operation was, in a word, wrecked. Doorways, pool tables and counters had all been ripped asunder by the passage of the monstrous stallion, and the boss himself was nowhere to be seen. Across the main room lay the broken bodies of what looked like every mobster in the place, their weapons spread out around them in various states of disrepair.

Sky, ever the opportunist, scooped up a repeating crossbow with a drum magazine clipped atop it, giggling. “What do you reckon?”

“Oh, you look ravishing, darling.” Shadow said as she caught up, putting on a sarcastic faux-fashionista drawl.

“Great! Now, where the hell should we go?” Sky asked, as the four ponies burst out into the alley again. She slung the weapon over her back with the rest of her equipment, mindful of the sound of thundering hooves behind them growing louder.

“The docks.” Rat nodded simply. “We should be able to lose him in all of the shipping containers.”

“Sounds good to me!” Sky nodded. The four of them willed themselves to fly and run faster, beating their wings and galloping as fast as their legs would carry them as they hurtled out into the busy street. Rat shed her false wings as they shoved ponies aside. She didn’t need the extra drag.

“We need to get off the street! There are too many ponies out here!” Shadow cried out. The four burglars sought to lose themselves in the crowds, looking skywards for a safe path onto the rooftops. With any luck, that Operatives weight would prove too great for him to pursue them properly.

Sky nodded, glancing up at one of the more pretentious examples of architecture that dominated the city centre; a skyscraper built to look like a set of stairs was winding its way up the buildings exterior. The steps ended at the veranda at the foot of the tower, but getting on top of it wouldn’t be too difficult...at least not for them.

“Up there.” She pointed. The sound of thundering hooves wasn’t dulled by the thousands of ponies on the brightly-lit street. In fact, the very ground beneath them shook and the air filled with screams. A wide swathe was being cut through the crowds as the Operative hunted for them.

“Right, that’s not too bad a jump. I think Fox and I could…wait, where’s Fox?” Rat looked around quizzically. The young unicorn had apparently vanished.

“See, this is why I’m glad that I’ve got a little sister.” Sky giggled. ”She never gets up to...for fuck’s sake, Shadow! This isn’t the time!”

Shadow froze in place, mid-way through rifling through an unsuspecting pony’s saddlebag. She stared at Sky like a deer caught in the headlights for a moment before rejoining them. “Fine, fine...I guess finding whatshisface is more important…” She grunted noncommittally.

“Right.” Rat rolled her eyes. “Now, let’s spread out, see if we can find him. He can’t have gone far…”

“Who can’t have gone far?” Came a little voice from right behind her.

Rat turned around and promptly socked her little brother on the nose. “What the fuck did you disappear for? We’re kinda in trouble here!”

“I was just...you know...getting something!” Fox replied, rubbing his nose and grunting reproachfully.

“What the fuck did you have to get that was so urgent?” Rat asked incredulously. Fox opened his saddlebag, letting his big sister peek inside. Sky and Shadow both tried to peer over Rat’s shoulder, but Fox was resolute, closing it up and shaking his head defiantly. “Nope! You two don’t get to see it until later!”

“Fine, fine!” Sky waved her hooves. “Now, can we please get moving? I don’t think we’ve got much time left before that overgrown Sylvester Stallione look-alike catches up with us!”

Sure enough, it was at that very moment that the Operative shunted two ponies aside, catching sight of the team of burglars. His eyes narrowed as he glowered at them, hunkering down and getting ready to charge again. A lot of ponies were running for it by this point, leaving very little to get in the stallion’s way.

“Sky Runner, you’re coming with me,” He growled, “and I don’t care if you come dead or alive. Just put your weapons down and give up like a good little mare.”

“Well, that sure sounds like a nice offer…” Sky smiled sheepishly for the fiftieth time that day. “Here’s my counter-offer! You put your weapons down and knock off early to go to the bar! Come on, you must be exhausted after such a long day of chasing mares around the city!”

“Don’t I know.” Rat put in. Sky savagely jabbed her in the ribs with her forehoof and she quickly shut up.

“Hey, that sounds like a great counter-offer. I think I’ll do just that once you’re in custody.” The Operative replied.

“Well, I don’t suppose you’d give us a thirty second head start?” Sky tried weakly. “Come on, mate. There are foals here!” She gestured to Shadow and Fox to emphasise her point.

“I dunno if appealing to his good nature’s gonna get us anywhere…” Rat muttered.

“It’s worth a try.” Sky hissed back.

The Operative gave them a long look. “That one’s not gonna work on me, kid.” He grunted.

“Why? Do you hate foals?” Sky asked curiously. Usually telling a guard that she had a little sister to take care of was a reliable way to make them hesitate. Guards often hesitated to arrest her if it meant that they might be taking some poor defenceless pony’s chance of survival away. This time, however, the Operative was staring directly at where Shadow and Fox were standing and he felt nothing. The two youngsters were even waving at him with identical cheesy grins.

Wow, these guys must be brainwashed…

“This isn’t funny, Miss Runner.” The Operative shook his head. “Come on, just put your weapons down and come with me, or I will kill you.”

“I’ll say it isn’t funny! You’re willing to kill young, defenceless ponies if it gets you what you want! That’s just fucked!” Sky shouted back at him. “Shadow, get Fox out of here.”

“Awww, do I have to touch him?” Shadow moaned, rolling her eyes.

“Yeah, fraid so. Just get him out of here. We’ll meet you at the top, okay?” She nodded.

“Fine…” Shadow glanced across at the young unicorn like he was something she’d stepped in when she wasn’t looking, tentatively spreading her wings and putting her hooves around him. “Don’t take this the wrong way, buster. I’ve got my eye on you.”

“You...you do?” Fox asked. There’s that hopeful smile again.

Shadow didn’t even acknowledge him this time, merely rolling her eyes and rocketing into the air towards the top of the tower.

“Well, now that they’re out of the way, you sure you don’t wanna settle this over a drink?” Sky gave him the same friendly smile she’d given Tommygun only a few minutes before.

The Operative shook his head, hunkering down and beginning the charge again. Sky and Rat exchanged a glance, and in a few moments they were both galloping as quickly as they could towards the skyscraper. Both of them fixed their gazes on the veranda, not bothering to look behind them to see if the Operative was still chasing them. Obviously he was, or the ground wouldn’t shake like that.

“Come on, Rat! Let’s get going!” Sky chided, beating her damaged wings as she made a leap for the veranda. The pain from her bad wing shot through her body, spreading like wildfire as every shattered bone and patch of damaged tissue protested. She was meant to be grounded permanently by that thing, and Sky knew that if she didn’t stay off of it more often, it would probably force her to stay that grounded.

Her forehooves caught on the edge and Sky lifted herself onto the veranda with a quick pull. She turned, bracing her hind legs and holding out a hoof for Rat. She looked like the stallion was only a few seconds away from catching her. At the last second, the unicorn made a similar leap, reaching out and grabbing Sky’s hoof.

“Hey Rat, you mind losing a couple of hundred pounds, you fatass?” Sky grimaced, her hind hooves slipping on the tiles as Rat threatened to drag her off of the roof by weight alone.

“Oh, well excuse me!” Rat yelped, her horn flaring as she cast a spell. For a few brief moments, her whole body was engulfed in light, apparently reducing her weight such that Sky could finally yank her onto the veranda with seconds to spare.

“Next time, try casting your fancy magic before you nearly get your fat ass pulled off!” Sky pouted.

“Hey, I was a bit busy trying to get my aim right so I wouldn’t miss that breadstick of a hoof, thank you very much!” Rat poked her tongue out.

“Why did you need to do that anyway? You’re a unicorn! Can’t you just teleport up here?” Sky cried as the two of them made their way towards the first outcrop. It was pure slippery black marble that seemed to run up the whole exterior of the building to the very summit.

“Ehy! That’s racist!” Rat barked, not even trying to hold onto her fake Manehattan accent anymore. “That’s like saying ‘oh, you’re a pegasus! Obviously you know how to do a Sonic Rainboom!’ Only really powerful unicorns can do the teleport spell, asshole!”

“Fine! Fine!” Sky shook her head, hopping up onto the first outcrop. Her boots had enough grip on them that she wasn’t slipping too much, but she certainly wasn’t going to be able to get up to her full speed, and she’d have to be careful once she got to the corners lest she slide off. With one cursory glance back at her compatriot, she began to ascend the building one step at a time.

“Besides, maybe I do know how to do a Sonic Rainboom!” Sky added after a few moments. “I got great marks for dive performance in Flight School!”

“There’s a surprise!” Rat called back sarcastically. “I’ve seen rocks that are more aerodynamic than you!”

“Oh wow, are we back to the ‘Sky can’t fly’ insults already?” Sky chuckled, her boots starting to slip on the smooth polished stone. “These bandages are a fashion accessory, thanks!”

“Yeah? Your fashion accessory’s bleeding.” Rat observed, as they reached the first corner. They were both out of breath, collapsing for a moment on the makeshift marble balcony.

Sky glanced back at her bad wing, panting heavily. “It...is?” Sure enough, there was a tiny trickle of blood leaking out of her worn bandages, the gauze completely soaked through. She let out a soft sigh.

That’s not good...and this isn’t exactly the time for it, either… She thought to herself.

Her bad wing ached like mad, clicking quietly with each tiny movement as her cracked bones rubbed against one another. Jabs of intense pain criss-crossed her wing like lightning as she flexed it, trying to align the bones as if it would in some way stop the bleeding.

“Where the hell’s that Operative?” Rat muttered, peering over the edge of the building suspiciously.

“He’s too heavy and his hooves would just slip on the marble.” Sky mused, getting up and shaking her head. “That means that either he’s climbing up the inside of the building, or…”

“He’s inside.”

The two of them looked around at the glass edifice of the skyscraper.

It looked as if there was a tornado localised within the office space, desks and chairs being thrown up as if by a great storm. As the two ponies watched, however, the chaos took form; the stallion from before. He was charging right at them, sending furniture flying as he approached the glass. There was no way that it was going to stand against him.

“Shit.” The two burglars breathed together.

Sky glanced around, eyes fixating on the marble steps that continued ever upward. “Come on! He won’t be able to follow us up here!” She yelled, giving Rat a smack on the flank as she leapt onto the next stone outcrop in the stairwell. Rat gave a surprised yelp, galloping after her just as the Operative hit the window. The glass disintegrated at his touch, a million tiny shards bursting outward like grapeshot. The stallion glared at the two fleeing ponies, his heavy hooves slipping on the marble as he gave pursuit once more.

“Come on!” Sky beckoned to Rat, beating her wings to get a little more speed out of her tiring body. Rats horn flared, reducing her weight once again. The unicorn was suddenly able to make far stronger leaps and bounds, catching up to Sky with very little difficulty. She even overtook her, slapping the pegasus on the rump as she passed.

“Hurry up, slowpoke!” Rat teased, disappearing around the corner. Sky felt her cheeks grow a little warmer, smiling softly as she pushed herself harder.

The two burglars were more sure-footed on the smooth surface than their pursuer, whose hooves were slipping and sliding all over the marble. On one occasion, the Operative slipped and very nearly fell from the building, resorting to dragging himself towards the two ponies as they made their way up the tower. Guard searchlights fixated on him, illuminating the side of the building against the night sky. The Operative had a mission to complete, and there was no way he was letting the Equestrian military interfere with it.

Shadow glanced over the edge of the building as the clattering sound of repeating crossbows filled the air, interspersed between the roar of pegasi in flight. The City Watch was here, and they were shooting.

“Hey, Shadow! Come away from the edge. They’ll be alright, trust me.” Fox said quietly, putting a hoof on her shoulder for encouragement.

Shadow rolled her eyes, casually pushing Fox away. “I’m not scared, dipshit. I’m just wondering if Sky’s gone and gotten in over her head and needs me to rescue her fat ass again. Besides, I don’t trust you.” She added acidly.

“Are you gonna start with the attitude again?” Fox huffed. “Look, I’m worried about them too, okay? There’s no shame in admitting it!”

“Maybe for you.” Shadow grimaced as a squadron of pegasi descended upon the building, strafing the lower levels with their underslung repeating crossbows. The crashing sound of a monstrous pony actively trying to tear the skyscraper apart echoed up to the two young ponies, who gulped in unison.

:”Shadow, it’s okay to be scared.” Fox said quietly, shuffling a little closer. “I get that you’re worried and all, but come on, those two are badasses! They’ll make it, you’ll see.”

“You don’t get it, do you?” Shadow rounded on him, glaring. “I’m not worried, Sky just can’t...you know…cope without me! She’s not smart enough to survive on her own!”

“Wow, you’ve got a pretty high opinion of yourself, huh?” Fox cocked his head.

“You calling me arrogant?” Shadow asked, fluffing herself up unconsciously. She always did that when she was under a lot of stress.

“Nah.” Fox sighed, resigning himself to the realisation that no matter what he said, he’d get in trouble for it. “You look pretty huggable, though.”

“You really are some kind of masochist, aren’t you?” Shadow sighed, not even looking at him anymore. “Tell me, do you go out of your way to get your ass kicked by everypony who wanders by, or is there something about getting on my nerves that you especially like?”

“Well, um...you get on some of mine…” Admitted Fox, shrugging.

“Erm...wow, okay...er...eww.” Shadow sidestepped away from the young unicorn, pointedly gazing over the side of the building again.

“But...but what I mean by that is...you’re nice and stuff!” Fox corrected himself. “So...by nerves, I mean...um...you make me feel...um...things…”

Shadow’s ears splayed back. “You’re still calling me nice. Even I didn’t know I could hit you that hard upside the head.”

“It’s not like that. I mean, I kinda wanna be friends with you, and you keep making it difficult…” Fox whimpered softly.

Shadow stood there in silence for a few moments, resolutely staring down at the unseen battle below.

“Shadow?”

“We’ll talk about this later.” She said quietly. “Right now, I just wanna make sure my sister’s not getting murdered, okay?”

“Ri...right.” Fox shook his head, suddenly back in the moment. He joined her side, staring down with her for all the good it did, though this time Shadow didn’t sidestep away.

One pegasus guard swooped in, strafing the side of the building with explosive bolts not unlike the arrows and darts that Shadow and Sky use. An ear-splitting roar pierced the night, the screams of a big stallion in pain.

“That’s it, I’m going down to check if they’re okay.” Shadow shook her head, spreading her wings.

“Not without me, you’re not.” Fox protested, his horn flaring brightly again.

“You’ll just slow me down.” Shadow shook her head, pulling her bow off of her back. “Just stay up on the rooftop where you can’t get in my way, okay?”

“Aw come on! My brother...er...sister’s down there!” Fox pouted.

“Yeah, and I’m sure he can take care of himself, but you don’t know what my sister’s like.” Shadow shook her head, taking off and hovering at the edge of the skyscraper, setting herself up for a dive.

”Would you two stop bickering for two seconds?” Came a voice from behind them.

The two young ponies turned on the spot, finding themselves face to face with Sky and Rat. They both looked exhausted but happy to see their younger siblings, trotting forward and giving each of them a very reluctant hug.

“Ugh! Sis! Piss off!” Shadow grunted. “Come on, I’m fourteen! I’m too old for this shit!”

“That’s not what you said on your last birthday!” Sky giggled. “You said you’d still love my hugs even if you lived to be eighty!”

Shadow cast a sidelong glance at Fox, who was giving her a look that said “I heard everything.”

“I...I didn’t say that!” Shadow shoved her big sister off of her, brushing her coat down with her forehooves. “So, how the hell do we get off of this big fuck-off tower?”

The four ponies cringed as one as the crunch of hooves on shattered stone drew closer. The Operative was getting closer, little by little. They didn’t have much time.

Sky frowned. “Rat, which way are the docks from here?”

“Did you go blind or something on the way up here? They’re over there, sweetheart.” Rat said as condescendingly as possible, pointing out over the cityscape. Sky followed her hoof, her eye catching the moonlit cranes and shipping containers on the edge of a cliff. Piers stretched out over the void, a place for airships to dock and load up their cargo.

“I bet we can make that.” Sky muttered to Shadow.

“What do you mean ‘make that?’” Rat asked worriedly.

“I bet we can, too.” Shadow agreed, nodding. The tiniest evil smirk was playing about her features.

“Shadow, what are you guys talking about?” Fox asked, his expression of panic matching his big sister’s.

Sky took Rat’s hoof, squeezing it tightly. “Hey, sweetie…I don’t suppose you could do that weight loss spell again, could you?” Her voice was strangely honeyed and full of confidence. Something about that voice made a stone drop into the pit of Rat’s stomach.

“Wh...why?” She asked as innocently as possible. Nonetheless, her horn flared once more, making her near weightless. Shadow grappled with Fox for a moment before restraining the colt, holding him in her forehooves and giving her big sister a nod.

“How would you like to go flying, Rat Racer?” Sky took Rat’s other forehoof in her own, staring at her with bright blue eyes that were at the same time cheeky and deadly serious. She loved scaring other burglars.

“Fly...flying?” Rat blanched. “You can’t fly, you asshole! I don’t wanna drop like a stone!”

The crunching and panting grew closer still, a low growl permeating the air as a pair of large forehooves appeared over the ledge.

“Shadow? You and your new coltfriend might wanna get going now!” Sky chuckled, bumping flanks with her little sister.

Shadow rolled her eyes, clutching Fox to her chest as she stepped off of the building and spread her overlarge wings once more.

“Now come on, Rat. Don’t be such a baby.” Sky grabbed the unicorn tighter as the Operative clambered onto the rooftop behind them.

“I’m not being a baby! I’m just not big on dying, thanks very much!” Rat yelped, quivering a little.

“You’re not gonna die, sweetie!” Sky giggled, holding her tight as she hopped off of the building and spread her own wings.

“After all, I got great marks for my dive performance in Flight School!”