Now there was a haul that Sky had been waiting for. This might be the money she needed to get her wing fixed.

The crippled pegasus emptied the bag onto her living room floor and started feverishly counting the money. Almost three hundred bits in all. That was a game changer.
"HEY, SHADOW!" she yelled excitedly, gathering all of the money together and popping it back into the bag. "Shadow, check this out!"
"What is it, sis?" The tower's roof hatch slammed shut and a little pegasus filly appeared on the stairs. She was a scruffy kid, with a dark blue coat and hazel-coloured mane, and had two incredibly pretty green eyes.
"I think I've finally gotten enough cash together."
"Oh wow, really? You're finally gonna get your operation?" Shadow asked as she fluttered downstairs, landing next to Sky and looking at the bag of coins, wide-eyed.
"It's enough...I know it's enough." Sky nods happily. "I'm so...wow...I'm just so happy. Shadow...this means all I'd need is one more great heist, and I can retire for good. No more paycheck to paycheck shit..."
"They're not really paychecks, sis..." Shadow pointed out.
"Yeah, but it sounds better than 'stuff I nicked.'" Sky blew her mane out of her eyes. "One thing's for certain, though...after everything's fixed, after I can fly again...we can pull one more big heist and that'll be the end of it. No more trouble with the guards, no more danger. I can take good care of you and we can live like the Princesses."
Shadow sat down next to her and nuzzled her leg. "What, really? No more adventures? You've gone soft, sis."
Sky chuckled softly. "Okay, yeah, we're gonna keep getting in trouble with the guards. I mean, we've gotta be consistent, right?"
"Phew! You had me worried for a moment there. Thought for a moment I’d have to start going to school or something" she looked up at her big sister with bright, shining eyes and a cheeky grin.
"Awww, come on, I’d never do that to you." Sky laughed, ruffling her mane. “I send you to school, and next thing I know you’ll be learning manners and getting a real job or something.”
Shadow’s ears folded back at that. “Don’t even joke about that, sis. I don’t wanna be some kind of frou-frou mare.”
“And you’ll get to try on pretty dresses and talk about colts all day long! Oooh, and read up on all the latest fashions!” Sky went on teasingly.
"I’LL KILL YOU!" Shadow laughed, tackling her big sister to the ground and standing over her, huffing.
Sky looked up at her and stuck her tongue out, giggling.
“You cheeky bitch.” Shadow’s expression softened a little, a little smile forming on her lips.
“Like I said, I’d never do something like that to you. I like you better as a scruffy little burglar anyway.” Sky wrapped her forehooves around the little filly, holding her close. Shadow giggled for a little while, before settling into the hug, nuzzling against her big sister’s chest.
"It'll be pretty sweet to fly with you again." she whispered, smiling.
Sky looked up at Shadow, wearing the happiest grin she'd had in almost five years.
"I can't wait." Sky beamed back.

Sky and Shadow sat on the roof of her tower together as the sun began to set over the city. Each of them had a mug of hot chocolate, and as they snuggled together, Sky put her good wing around her little sister.
"The sunset's nice tonight," Shadow said quietly, sipping hers with a smile.
"So's the company," Sky replied, looking down at her. "I don't do this enough, I know."
"Of course you don't. You're a negligent asshole." she chuckled back, before putting her hoof to her forehead dramatically. "Oh no! My big sister has left poor little me to fend for myself! Whatever shall I do?"
Sky pulled her closer with her wing, nuzzling her cheek. "What are you gonna do? You're gonna get tickled is what, little missy..."
The pegasus suddenly jumped on top of Shadow, yanking a feather out of her good wing and using it to tickle her little sister, holding her down with her hooves.
"Oh Luna no please nooooo!" Shadow squealed, giving a little whinnying giggle as Sky tickled her tummy. "No no please, stop! I'll do anythiiiiing!"
"Anything?" Sky grinned, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
“Except...except bathroom cleaning duty...” she added, panting.
“Fuck.” Sky rolled her eyes. That’s my first choice out the window... “Well...how about you promise me something?”
“Do I have to do work?”
“No...just one special task since I’m feeling kinda merciful today.” Sky smiled at her, rubbing a forehoof on her tummy before picking her up and hugging her. “Just keep being the best damn little sister a mare could ask for, okay?”
“Okay...when you stop being so sappy...” Shadow laughed. Tough little filly that she was, she still went a little red and hugged her back. She couldn’t resist hugs like that.
“I think we might have knocked our mugs off of the roof.” she whispered, after a while.
“Yeah, I think you’re right,” Sky giggled. “Hope they didn’t hit anypony important...”
The two of them lay back on the rooftop, Sky’s good wing wrapping around the little pegasus to keep her warm. The two of them smiled as they gazed into the heavens together, watching the stars come out.

“It’s all going to be different soon, isn’t it? When I can fly again, we’ll be damn near unstoppable together,” Sky mused.
“Yeah, if you can keep up,” Shadow chuckled, snuggling closer and nudging her in the ribs.
“Well yeah...” she shrugged. “But following behind you just means it’s easier to have your back, right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” she sighed. “Sky...I mean, sis...mind if I say something sappy this time?”
“I promise I won’t tell anypony.”
“Okay...well...” she struggled for a little bit, as if wrestling with the words.. “I...I love you, sis.”
“I love you too, kid,” Sky said, staring at the twilight and smiling. “Never forget that.”
She’d never admit it to her little sister, but hearing that out of the little blue filly, she felt safe, loved, cared for and...strangely sad.

Author's Notes:

Many thanks to hell00001 for his fine editing work!