Rat peeked over the windowsill into the Operatives’ Quarters. It had taken him quite a while to find the perfect window, but fortunately the disturbance on the ground floor had given him the time he needed without those super-soldiers catching up to Sky.

“Right…” He muttered to himself, staring at the regimented soldiers within. “Let’s hope Sky wasn’t bullshitting me about this thing…”

As the burglar dangled off of the windowsill by a single forehoof, another Operative trotted into the room. The others quickly lined up and stood to attention.

“Right, listen up!” He barked, pulling his helmet on. “We’ve got intruders in the building, all three of them former Operatives. It’s going to be a tough fight, so I want each and every one of you at your peak, alright?”

“Oh, you’ll peak all right…” Rat muttered, sliding the window open as carefully as he dared. His horn flashed, priming the bomb and levitating it in through the window.

One of the Operatives, failing to pay attention to her commander, glanced around and went wide-eyed as she spotted the glass orb floating towards them.

“HEY!” She yelled, grabbing her sword from the foot of the bed and taking a swing at the ball.

Rat squeaked with fright, dropping the ball and slamming the window closed as it impacted. The room quickly filled with bright pink fog as the liquid inside the bomb was exposed to oxygen. In time, Rat could see the Operatives no more, but their screams and shouts quickly died away to be replaced with dull grunts and the sound of shifting furniture. Rat couldn’t help but grin. He’d just cleared a whole room full of super-soldiers all by himself.

Shit… He thought to himself as a particularly loud moan escaped one of the stallions inside. I’ve really gotta get me some of that stuff. I wonder what Sky’s like when I give it to her…

Rat dropped daintily to the ground, dusting himself off and slipping through a narrow alleyway to avoid the guard perimeter around the facility. If the Royal Guard was moving in on Silver and Thunder, Sky probably didn’t have much time to get those crystals and escape.

That means I don’t have much time to get this done, either…

Rat sat down as soon as he was clear of the perimeter, looking over the directions Sky had given him. They led down into the catacombs under Canterlot, to a place deep in what was, hundreds of years ago, the city’s sewer system. Rat frowned as he followed the directions, turning off of the main streets and into a labyrinthine network of alleys.

Well, I promised Sky I’d only visit Sawblades’s place if somepony got hurt...I guess this qualifies… Rat thought. He remembered Sky mentioning Sawblades in her diary on the night she lost Shadow. Perhaps he’d be able to lend some insight into what the hell that filly even was.

He paused, stepping into an alley that was far narrower than any of the ones he’d come down before. At the end of it sat a little grate, big enough for a pony to fit through. Giving it a careful look, Rat levitated the grate out of its casing, crawling through the gap and into the dark tunnel beyond.

The first thing he noticed was the smell. It wasn’t the unpleasant stench of a sewer system, not as he’d expected. It was the smell of dust and aged stone, of old wood and equally old buildings. There was even a hint of contraband pharmaceuticals in the air. Rat grinned. This was certainly the place.

Clambering down a little stepladder, the unicorn found the way forward lit by little oil lanterns, guiding him through the twists and turns of the underground city. It certainly made sense. When a pony needed the doctor, the last thing they needed was to get lost at a critical moment. That sort of thing could cost lives.

As Rat trotted down the half-lit tunnel, his horn flaring to add a little extra illumination, he ruminated on what he’d read in Sky’s diary. It was weird to think that she’d run this same gauntlet, galloping down this very tunnel with the real Shadow on her back, terminally wounded. He caught himself glancing at the floor as if it were a fresh crime scene, as if Shadow’s blood would still be there five years after what must have been a truly horrible night. He shook his head, bringing himself back to the here and now. With a soft sigh, he ventured deeper into the maze, following the lanterns and hanging his head.

He stopped at a T-junction, looking up at the most unpromising clinic door in history. It was solid steel, painted black and emblazoned with a great big red cross. The door had no handle, lock or hinges. All it had was a tiny little viewing slot that slid aside as Rat knocked nervously on the door. A pair of mismatched eyes regarded him with curiosity.

“Can I help you?” The voice grated.

“Er...yeah…” Rat nodded, trying to sound far braver than he felt. “You’re...er...Sawblades, right?”

“Who’s asking?” The eyes answered, raising a brow.

“I’m a friend of Sky Runner’s.” Rat said quietly, pulling his hood back. “I wanna talk about Shadow.”

The eyes narrowed at him for a time, sizing him up. Finally, the viewing port slid shut, leaving him in the relative darkness.

Oh Luna, I bet she nicked all of his lollipops once or something… Rat shook his head. It was apparent that Sky had quite a reputation with Sawblades, and there was to be no seeing the doctor today.

However, as he made to trot back down the tunnel, the whole catacomb filled with the cacophonous grating of metal on stone. The door screeched open, revealing an earth pony with mismatched eyes and a bloodied apron. Rat had been expecting someone more...violent-looking, but Sawblades’s expression was soft, if a little grave.

“Come in.” He said quietly, turning tail and trotting back into the clinic.

As Rat followed, looking around at what passed for the waiting room, the metal door slammed shut behind him of its own accord. Sawblades stood at the back of the room, yanking a door open and beckoning Rat to follow him.

“So this is about Shadow?” He said quietly as Rat obliged, sitting down in the doctor’s office with the gentle earth pony.

“Yeah.” The burglar nodded. “Look, I’m a friend of Sky’s, and I’ve been working with her to stop this whole Operative deal. I...I guess I found out what happened with Shadow. Kinda wanted to hear your side of the story.”

Sawblades shuffled uncomfortably in his seat, nodding. “I...I can do that.”

The earth pony’s ears flicked and swivelled as he spoke, glancing around almost as if he were looking for a way out.

This must be a pretty touchy subject… Rat frowned.

“How about you start with telling me about Shadow?” He offered helpfully.

Sawblades met Rat’s eyes again, nodding briskly. “Oh, yes! Well...erm...I remember that Sky adopted her a very long time ago...about...oh...fourteen years ago, almost.” He chuckled softly at the memory. “She was a tiny thing with the most enormous wings you’ve ever seen, and such a sweet little girl.” He beamed fondly at the memory. “She was taken in by Sky when she was five and trained to be a burglar. That fussy little mare dragged Shadow down here if she was even remotely sick.”

“I used to do that with my little brother, too.” Rat waved a hoof dismissively, chuckling. “It’s part of taking care of a foal, I guess.”

“Yeah...and that kid meant the world to her.” Sawblades smiled. “Even when she was older, she...well...she was still on her best behaviour every time she came here...and if I asked her really nicely and promised not to tell anypony, she even gave out hugs to some of the patients.”

Rat grinned at that. It was just the sort of thing Sky might do if nopony were looking.

“So...what happened?” Rat cocked his head after a moment of contemplation. “What happened to Shadow, and what the hell is that thing Sky talks to?”

“Well...it’s...really my fault…” Sawblades said uncomfortably, looking down at the floor. “You see, Sky came into my clinic with Shadow in...it’s too generous to call it critical condition. The poor filly was practically dead on arrival.”

“Yeah, I remember Sky writing that you tried your best to save her.” Rat nodded understandingly.

“Well...I did, yes.” Sawblades smiled softly. “I pride myself on my work. I don’t lose patients very often, save for a few who come in at the edge of death to start with. Shadow was one of those.”

“Then what happened?” Rat asked, cocking his head.

“Well, Sky buried her sister and went back to...I wouldn’t say living normally, but still…” Sawblades sighed. “Her wing was broken two weeks later. When she came in to get it treated, she was very similar to how she is now, acting as if Shadow was not only alive, but in the same room.”

“Wait, you mean that that kid isn’t real?” Rat frowned. “That filly that I...I mean, Sky’s been seeing isn’t even there.”

“Rat...sometimes ponies struggle when they lose loved ones.” Sawblades said patiently. “It can be especially difficult when ponies lose the only pony that cared about them.” He sighed. “Shadow was just that, and...I’m speculating here...Sky couldn’t let go of her because she didn’t know how to cope.”

“She’s just somepony that Sky sees because she misses her sister…” Rat sat back on his chair, his ears flat against his skull. “Can...can we help her?”

“I...don’t know.” Sawblades admitted. “You have to understand, it’s been five years. She’s grown...well...delusional. She honestly seems to believe that Shadow’s still alive and well.”

“It’s not impossible.” Rat shook his head, growling. “I’m not gonna let her live the rest of her life thinking that her sister’s alive. That shit ain’t healthy.”

“You’re right, Rat. It isn’t.” Sawblades nodded, putting a hoof on Rat’s shoulder. “The news won’t be easy for her to hear, though. You’ll have to find a way to tell her without hurting her too badly, okay?”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Rat nodded briskly, biting his lip. “Hey, Sawblades...about her wing…”

“She stayed tight-lipped about it, but the damage is magical.” Sawblades shrugged. “It’s...horrible, whatever it is.”

“She’s had that for five years as well?” Rat asked, gaping.

“She came in with that damage to her wing a fortnight after Shadow passed away. I don’t know what happened, only that it’s...difficult to deal with.”

“What do you mean? You’re a doctor. You could just reset the bones or something, right?”

Sawblades huffed at the comment, crossing his forehooves. “Her injuries aren’t as simple as that. She’s been struck by something that forces the area around the wound to necrotise when you try to heal it by magic or potions. Quite simply, Sky can’t be cured. The best way to deal with that is to help her see that Shadow’s gone. Perhaps that will fix at least one of the problems.”

Rat frowned pensively as he got to his hooves, walking to the door and looking back at the doctor. “Thanks, Sawblades. I’ll see what I can do. I’m not gonna make you any promises, though.”

“Nor should you, but...please, take care of her, okay?” Sawblades smiled hopefully. “She needs ponies like you, even if she won’t admit it.”

“Hey, she came looking for me. What the hell else am I supposed to do?” Rat grinned, chuckling a little as he pulled the door open. “Anything else?”

“Only one thing.” Sawblades asked.

“Shoot.”

“I want to find out what did that to Sky’s wing, because whatever it did…” Sawblades twitched slightly, his ears splaying back. “When Shadow was brought in here, her wounds resisted healing potions as well. My guess is that whatever destroyed her wing also killed her sister, and confirming my suspicions means making Sky talk.”

“I’ll look into it.” Rat nodded, leaving Sawblades in the clinic on his own as he stepped back out into the tunnels. He looked around a couple of times to make sure that he wasn’t seen leaving the clinic, before finally easing up and sighing.

So...I guess that whatever it is, Sky doesn’t wanna talk about it. She’s been ducking my questions about her wing ever since I met her, but now I know that whatever fucked her up like that also killed the real Shadow.

Still, he thought to himself, trotting down the tunnel back towards the stepladder, who could possibly hate her that much?

Sky leaned down as Silver came to, grinning victoriously.

“Hey, sweetie!” She beamed, rummaging in her saddlebag. “Did you sleep well?”

“Wha...what are you...did you get bigger?” Silver frowned, looking up at her incredulously. Sky had taken the liberty of binding his hands behind his back. Last thing she needed was a set of claws at her throat, especially when she was so eager to put the finishing touch on her little plan.

“Eeerm, I guess that’s one way to say it.” Sky giggled. “So tell me, because I’m curious. You know that dragon you had back in your house? The one I let go?”

“Ye...yeeees?” Silver cocked his head. “What about him?”

“Who was he before he was a dragon?” Sky asked, sitting down in front of him with a big stuffed envelope in her hooves.

“Wha...what are you talking abou…?” Silver began, his mind dully putting two and two together. With a frightened squeak, the little dragon looked down at himself, staring at his newfound scaly form in sheer terror. “You...you didn’t…?”

“Save your life?” Sky snickered, pulling his amulet out of her leather armour and winking at him. “Your pride wasn’t the only thing I took from you back at the wedding, sweetie. I got your dad’s safe combination and your security amulet. You’ll never guess what I found in your safe, by the way…”

“Wha...what did you…?” Silver gulped, eyes wide with fright.

“Well…” Sky chuckled, pulling out a little folder. ”This looks an awful lot like an account showing who you paid off and for what. Oh, and hey, it says here that you paid Shady and Nightshade for the Museum Job, so when the Royal Guard gets a hold of this, I’ll be off the hook!”

“You...you can’t...you won’t get that to the Royal Guard…” Silver shook his head, his mind racing. His hands were bound, but there was one thing he could do to stop her…

“I mean, just imagine what Princess Sun-Butt will think when she sees these!” Sky giggled, holding up the collection of envelopes and papers. “All of this evidence proving that her biggest weapons contractor was screwing ponies over and killing them all this time! Guess you’re going away for terrorism, Silver!”

Silver growled, the gaps between his teeth lighting up with magical fire. “You’re never going to show the Princesses that.” He snarled, opening his mouth and letting fly. His dragon fire engulfed the folders and envelopes in a whirling maelstrom, forcing Sky to jump out of the way to avoid being burned. Still, the pony didn’t seem all that bothered, even grinning wider.

To his horror, the papers didn’t incinerate as he had intended, instead popping out of existence in a puff of smoke. With his mind on the Princesses and what they would think of him, there was only one place he could have possibly sent all of those documents.

“Thanks, Silver.” Sky smiled softly, patting him on the head and trotting to the door. “And hey, don’t worry. You can learn a lesson from all of this. Wanna know what it is?”

Silver couldn’t speak, his mouth opening and closing in abject terror.

“It’s a pretty simple one.” Sky winked. “Don’t screw ponies over if they can come back and kick your ass for it. Ta!”

And with that, she galloped off, slamming the door behind her and locking Silver in his own office to await the guards.

Sky couldn’t help but laugh as she picked up speed, galloping faster and faster down the corridor. The security crystals on the walls didn’t fire or register her existence, the Operatives were out for the count and Silver was disabled.

I’m free… She thought to herself, a great big grin spreading across her face.

She skidded round a corner, her hooves almost slipping out from underneath her on the polished marble floor. She giggled at her silliness, too happy right now for anything to spoil it. Of course, she’d learned in her career that celebrating before a job was done was a bad move to make. There was still so much that could...go...wrong…

Sky slowed down to a walking pace before halting entirely, her eyes wide with shock and a little fear.

A bone-white stallion with a blond mane and purple-gold armour stood at the far end of the corridor, smiling fondly as he made his way toward her. She knew that stallion better than she wanted to admit.

Stronghooves…

“It’s been a long time, sis.” Stronghooves said quietly, still pacing inexorably toward her. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t happy to see you again.”

Shit...quick, run! Her mind screamed at her. Sky made to wheel around and gallop away, but Stronghooves horn flared, holding her hooves to the floor by magic. The little pegasus struggled against her bonds, beating her wings to try and free herself. No use.

“I could’ve done with a longer hiatus, thanks.” She growled acidly. He was too close to her now. There was no way she’d be able to run for it even if she did free herself at this point.

“Sky, please…” Stronghooves sat down in front of her, looking hurt. “I came to tell you, I killed Rolling Thunder and saved your life. Now we can be brother and sister again. There’s just...well...one more thing we need to sort out…” His eyes drifted to her wings, fixating on her bandaged limb.

Sky pulled her cloak over her bad wing defensively. “Yeah, well, that can wait for another time, thanks. Right now I’m just interested in getting the fuck out of here, so if you don’t mind…” She tugged at the magic binding her hooves again, groaning with effort.

“But I do mind.” Stronghooves said quietly. “Sky, I learned about the Operative Programme very early on in its infancy. Rolling Thunder assured me that nopony would get hurt. When I found out they’d framed you...I did everything I could to make it right. I hunted down the Operatives Silver sent after you. I just wanted to see you safe, that’s all.”

“And you did it. I’m safe, so if you’d please…”

“No, Sky. You’re not safe.” Stronghooves shook his head sadly. “When have you ever been safe since mum and dad kicked you out? When have you been free? When have you been happy?” He stepped closer to her, putting a hoof on her cheek and looking into her eyes. “I know you were when Shadow was alive, but that was...fleeting…”

“You’re still convinced she’s dead.” Sky deadpanned.

“You’re still convinced she’s alive.” Stronghooves lowered his head, getting down to her level. “Sky...she’s gone. I know you don’t want to hear it, but she’s not coming back. You’re holding onto an illusion of happiness, something that used to be real but no longer is. Please...listen to me.”

“Stop trying to fuck with me.” Sky shook her head. “It’s not gonna work. You were always jealous of her, and this is the weakest shit you’ve pulled yet.”

“Can you blame me for being jealous?” Stronghooves shrugged, settling down in front of her. “I love you, Sky. Seeing you hang out with that...freak...instead of me...it hurt.”

“Yeah, and how do you think abandoning me to get raped as a kid felt, huh?” Sky answered evenly. “What the hell was I supposed to do, Hoovesie? You made it perfectly clear that you didn’t want to be my brother anymore, and that filly needs me a hell of a lot more than you do.”

“I want my family back, Sky. I want you and mum and dad.” Stronghooves replied, bowing his head. “I want you all to get along. No more fighting, no more running, no more crime and...and disappointment. Is that so hard?”

“Yes! It’s really fucking hard!” Sky growled. “Mum and dad threw me out! You abandoned me because you listened to their bullshit even though you knew they hated my guts! There’s brothers out there who’d be fucking proud that their sister managed to make it on her own, let alone raise a kid! I guess you wouldn’t know shit about taking care of fillies though, would you?”

Stronghooves glanced up at her, meeting her angry gaze with his own. “I was young, Sky.”

“You were a fucking idiot.” Sky muttered, looking away. “Teenagers do stupid shit, yeah. I might have been able to forgive you for that shit, but then you had to go after Shadow. What the fuck kind of stallion tries to kill a filly because he’s jealous?”

“She was corrupted by the same things that turned you into...well...this…” Stronghooves gestured at Sky’s cloak. “You don’t understand...I want you back in my life, and she...she’d never have accepted me...she stood in my way…”

“Because she loves me!” Sky cried, ears splaying back. “You don’t even fucking know what love is anymore! You’re a selfish sack of shit just like mum and dad.”

“Look, they love you too, Sky. I know we can reconcile with them, you and me.” Stronghooves said, sidestepping any further discussion of Shadow. “You just have to let me help you…”

“Last time I let you help me, it cost me my wing.”

“That wasn’t my fault.” Stronghooves sighed. “Look, Sky, it’s a simple operation. I’ve performed it on dozens of ponies now, specifically so that I could get it right when I finally got you to agree. Please...come with me. Be my little sister. I need you…”

“You need me to change everything about who I am so my mum and dad will accept me.” Sky finished venomously. “Cutting my wings off and turning me into a unicorn’s gonna do nothing but make me miserable and hurt Shadow.”

“Sky, Shadow’s not here anymore!” Stronghooves growled, losing his patience. “She’s gone! She’s not a thre...factor in this decision anymore! The only question you have to ask yourself is whether you want a family anymore!”

“I’ve got a family.” Sky said quietly. “My little sister loves me to pieces because I never abandoned her, not once. Not like you did.”

“SHE’S NOT HERE ANYMORE, SKY!” He yelled, slamming a forehoof into the ground in frustration. The marble floor cracked under his hoof, making Sky jump. Stronghooves stared at it for a time, seeming to realise that he’d flown off the handle, before sighing and calming down. “She’s gone. You only have me, sweetie...and all I want to do is help you…”

“Go away, Stronghooves.” Sky shook her head. “Let me go, go away and leave me alone, please…”

“No, Sky. I won’t.” Stronghooves scrunched his snout, glaring at her. “I’ve worked so hard to learn how to perform this procedure, just for you. I’ve done that since we were little. Remember when I studied that cloudwalking spell just so I could take you to see the Wonderbolts?”

“That was different.”

“How?” He muttered. “How is it different? I’ve worked so hard to have you back in my life, Sky. I’ve learned spells, I’ve hunted you, I’ve tried to perfect and hone my skills so I could change a pegasus into a unicorn, I’ve gone up against a whole platoon of super-soldiers for you. I’ve earned you, Sky.”

“Listen to yourself.” Sky said sadly. “You sound like a little kid. You’re fucking mad.”

“I’m not mad, sis. You are.” Stronghooves growled. “I’m the only pony you’ve got left, the only one with a working brain. You’re sick and tired and insane, speaking to your own shadow as if that little kid of yours is going to come back, but she isn’t. I’m going to rebuild our family one way or another, and a year from now we’ll all be sitting around the table at Hearth’s Warming wondering what all the fuss was ever about.”

“So what, you’re asking me to change everything about myself, then sit there and pretend that the last fourteen years didn’t even happen?” Sky snorted. “You’re madder than you look.”

When Stronghooves looked at her again, his eyes were more bloodshot, wilder and full of something between hatred and love. Sky recoiled slightly as she caught his expression, spreading her damaged wings defensively. His gaze drifted away from her face to the bandaged limb, his smile softening.

Sky followed his gaze, growling at him. “Don’t...you...dare…”

“How are you recovering, by the way?” He asked, cocking his head. “I know you must be in a great deal of pain, but the damage can’t have lasted for half a decade. They’re just scars now, correct?”

“Oh, completely fine!” Sky spat. “Except, you know, the magical damage that won’t heal. You know that shit as well as I do.”

“Well, if the damage is permanent then isn’t it better to just remove it altogether?” He pleaded. “You probably can’t even remember what it was like to fly, and who knows, perhaps you’ll even enjoy having a horn. You could be a prodigious mage and not even know it yet!”

Sky looked up at him, hurt. “The answer’s still no.”

“Face it, sis. You weren’t a very good pegasus.” Stronghooves chuckled, getting to his hooves and pacing around her. “I don’t quite know how, but it’s...it’s put ideas in your head. Turned you bad. Look at you, a naughty little burglar with an eight million bit bounty. I know mum and dad didn’t raise you that way. I certainly didn’t.”

“The last time we had this conversation it didn’t end so well.” Sky sighed, snapping out her crossbow. “Back off, Hoovesie. I’m walking out of here and you’re not gonna stop me.”

“You know, I’ve perfected the procedure.” He smiled, coming around in front of her and beaming. “I can keep a pegasus alive while I do it, now. I mean, obviously there’s still a lot of pain involved, but what’s a little agony compared to a lifetime of love from your big brother?”

“You don’t love me.” Sky spat. “You’re not gonna take me away, and I’m never gonna be part of your family again. Not after the shit you pulled.”

“It was an accident! Can’t you just let it be already?” Stronghooves rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“Bullshit. That was deliberate and you fucking know it.” Sky narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been fucked over by mum and dad more than you want to admit. What the fuck did they drive into that thick skull? My fucking wings aren’t why I do this job. I do this job because I have a filly to take care of.”

“Oh, Sky…” Stronghooves sighed mournfully, his ear twitching slightly. “You’re being disobedient again. You know, I fought our father so many times when he wanted to hit you. I took the blows for you, and it turned me into a good, law-abiding stallion.” He leaned in close, voice dripping with venom as he narrowed his eyes. “And you repay me by constantly misbehaving, constantly putting my career and I at risk.

He froze, dropping his spell and granting Sky the use of her hooves back.

“You know, dad was right.” He smiled, chuckling darkly. “Perhaps a little discipline would help you learn to behave, to see things my way.” He whispered softly, his voice echoing around the empty corridor.

The second Sky’s hooves were free, her crossbow was up and firing. It was more of a panic reflex than anything conscious. Sky already knew that there was no way it was going to work, but it might slow him down for long enough that she could get away.

Him...why the fuck did it have to be him…?

Stronghooves batted the dart out of the air almost casually, settling into a ready position. “Come on, sis. It’s been five years and you still resort to that old trick? You’ve gotten slack.”

Sky took a few paces back, eyes darting around for anything even resembling a method of escape.

Nothing...guess I’ve gotta run back the way I came and hope that he’s slower than those other assholes…

Sky took one more step back, spreading her wings to support some of her weight as she turned tail and fled. There wasn’t much point in running from Stronghooves, so good was he at catching burglars, but Sky was caught in the thrall of sheer terror. There was no fighting a stallion like him, nothing to do but run.

With a flash of light, Stronghooves appeared right in front of her, bringing his forehoof around in a swing that caught Sky in the face. The little mare was knocked off her hooves, her head snapping back as she slid across the polished marble floor.

“Get up.” Stronghooves said quietly, raising his hooves. “There’s no escaping me now, Sky. Get up and take your punishment like a mare.”

Sky groaned, rolling over and trying to come to her senses. The whole room spun, and the force of the impact had left a strange ringing in her ears.

“Get up, little sister.” Stronghooves glared, watching her carefully. “Get up and give in. It’s not that hard. All you have to say is “I’m sorry Stronghooves.” Come on, that’s not hard!”

Sky shook her head, her hood falling back as she brought him back into focus. Cycling in another green dart, she raised her crossbow again, aiming between his eyes. The stallion sighed, bringing a hoof down and trapping her crossbow between it and the floor.

“I said “give in!”” He growled, reaching down with the other hoof and scooping her up off of the floor. He held her in front of his face for a time, looking into her frightened blue eyes with savage glee. Rearing up onto his hind legs, he slammed Sky down onto the ground again, knocking the wind out of her.

Sky gasped and wheezed as she struggled to breathe, reaching out with her forehooves and crawling away from him as quickly as she could. Her whole body ached, her back and wings practically numb with pain, and there was a certain cloudiness to her vision that made it difficult to see, focus and fight.

Stronghooves waited patiently as Sky got up again, unable to run away any more. Raising her forehooves defensively, she tried her best to focus on her opponent.

Maybe I’m still a little faster than him. There’s gotta be something I can do. There’s always a way out, right?

Stronghooves raised his own forehooves, settling into a defensive stance. “Good girl!” He chuckled approvingly. “See? Look how civil everything becomes once you stop sneaking and running around like that!”

Sky growled under her breath, darting forward and aiming a blow right at his stallionhood. The unicorn sidestepped her, smacking her around the back of the head as she passed. “Come on, come on, fight me! None of this below-the-belt nonsense! Here, let me show you…”

Stronghooves kicked out with one of his powerful hind legs, catching Sky in the stomach and launching her into a wall. Sky slid down to the ground, trying feebly to get back up as Stronghooves approached her again. The stallion grasped her mane in his forehoof, slamming her head against the wall again and sending cracks up the plaster. Sky’s whole world spun wildly.

“Now you. Come on, it’s been years! Show your big brother what you’ve got!” He laughed, stepping back and peering at her expectantly.

Sky spat blood as she struggled to her hooves, the ringing growing ever louder. She struck out with her soft padded forehooves, trying to strike at his head a full three times. He blocked and sidestepped each blow, before flanking her and kicking her over onto her side. “Well, I suppose I’ve played with you enough. Now, onto your punishment. There aren’t many things that’ll make you cry, I admit…” He tapped a hoof to his chin. “However, there is one thing that I could do to get the message across…”

She looked around fearfully. He was eyeing her bad wing.

“Shit...no...please...no…” She whispered.

“You and I have never exactly seen eye to eye, not since you ran away and replaced me.” He said pensively, grabbing it in both hooves and extending it out to its full length. Sky cringed at the stabbing pain, far worse than anything he’d done to her thus far. It wasn’t supposed to spread that far anymore. It wasn’t supposed to do anything anymore.

“But if you’d just...stop...running…” He muttered, taking a firm grip and beginning to twist the damaged limb. “You could be part of my family again…”

Sky’s vision disappeared, replaced with a bright white light that wouldn’t go away even when she closed her eyes tight shut. She couldn’t hear what he was saying anymore, her body shutting down almost every non-essential function as it struggled to deal with the white hot agony that shot across her whole body, emanating from her damaged wing. Every feather, every bone, every muscle burned, and Sky couldn't cope. She knew she was screaming louder than she’d ever screamed before...but she couldn’t hear it. In this world Stronghooves had dropped her into, there was no sound, no sight, no softness. There was nothing but pain.

Finally, through the void of sound, Sky heard a crack, then a pop.

The searing pain dulled...present, but still mercifully dulled. She knew, vaguely, that it would get worse in a couple of seconds, but there was nothing she could do. All of the fight and energy had been drained out of her. With no way to escape or prevent the onset of pain, Sky did the only thing she could. She held onto that numbness with all of her might, hoping against hope that it would last forever.

It began at the broken joint between her wing and her shoulder, slowly at first, like the first sparks before a forest fire. It spread quickly, rocketing across her ribs and up her neck, soaring up her wing again, burning away the numbness like kindling. Her desperate pants turned to screams again, and her writhing on the ground only made it worse. The kicking of her legs just brought forth more stabbing sensations, rocketing across her body and flooring her until she could neither scream or run or do anything any more. As he head hit the marble, her vision dim, she wanted nothing more than for it to end.

Please...please...stop the pain...even if it kills me, that’s okay...it’ll be over…

Stronghooves lay down next to her, putting a forehoof around her back and kissing her atop her head.

“Oh, Sky. I’ve missed you so much…” He whispered. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to make everything alright, but now the two of us can. When you learn to behave yourself, when you learn to be a good little sister instead of such a bad naughty pegasus...we can be together again. You’ll be happy, trust me.”

His voice filtered through to Sky’s brain as if he were speaking underwater, a sort of dim mix of sounds that she recognised as words. It didn’t matter to her what they were. All that mattered was getting away from him before he did anything else.

Her forehoof twitched as she reached back down her body towards her hind leg, each movement sending a horrible stabbing pain coursing across her whole body. She gritted her teeth, groaning softly as she wrapped it around a drawstring in her boot.

“Sky...please...why are you trying?” Stronghooves asked, bowing his head. “Please, give up. Come back to me. I know how to help you, to free you from what you’ve done to your mind. Please...I love you, little sister. I deserve you and you deserve me…”

Sky rolled over onto her side, pulling the drawstring back and closing her eyes. Her boots lit up as she let fly with her flares, filling the hallway with balls of bright pink light that blinded and burned. Stronghooves covered his eyes, roaring with pain as his retinas burned and rearing back.

That still works on these assholes, at least… Sky thought to herself, cycling an explosive dart into her crossbow and raising her shaking hoof. With a little squeeze of the trigger she let the dart go, blowing a hole in the exterior of the building. The wind from outside felt like ice against her damaged wing. Sky reflexively tried to pull it back by her side, but it was stuck in place.

Sawblades...gotta get to Sawblades…

“DON’T YOU DARE RUN FROM ME, SKY!” Stronghooves shouted, holding his head in his hooves as his eyes began to repair themselves. “DON’T RUN! COME BACK! BE MY SISTER AGAIN! YOU’LL BE HAPPIER!”

Sky couldn’t hear him, struggling to force herself upright. She staggered over to the breach, spreading her other wing. Her whole world was a spinning void of pain, the city that lay beyond the breach a strange blurred mess. Gulping, Sky stepped forward, letting herself fall.

Stronghooves’s shouting rang out across the city as Sky galloped down a thin alleyway, her hooves slipping on surface water as she ran for her life. Where she was going didn’t matter. All that mattered was escaping from Stronghooves and getting herself safe. The echoing cry from the stallion faded over time, replaced with Sky’s laboured panting as she charged blindly through the urban maze. Her head struck brickwork as she slipped over one too many times.

With laboured grunts, Sky pulled herself into a space between two buildings, well out of sight of anypony who happened to be passing. Only then, in total solitude, did she let herself cry.

Author's Notes:

Yeah, about that happy ending...