In the few seconds it takes for Twilight to get a clear enough view of the floor inside the window to blink herself and her unwitting passengers in, Rainbow Dash has already laid out her assailant. He's a large human man, dressed in heavy-looking gray and black clothing, a lot like the armor the police wear, including helmet. Whatever protective value it might have hasn't done him any good though; there's an angry red smear around his nose, and more of Rainbow's mane and forehead than usual are tinted crimson. A long firearm of some sort, nearly as tall as the human himself, lies not far away. Rainbow shakes her head, sending a few drops of blood to stain the floorboards.
"Hey Twi', you uh, missed the excitement. This guy's bigger than AJ, but he sure has a glass jaw."
"Humans don't have body magic like we do, especially earth ponies," Twilight sighs, "you might have really hurt him."
Rachel shakes her head and staggers a bit. "I'll never get used to that," she mutters, then turns to Dash. "You saw this guy lining up a shot from all that way?"
"These eyes don't miss a thing when I'm flying!"
"And he wasn't just lining it up," Twilight says, "he definitely took it, I felt it on my shield. That thing is really powerful."
Rachel frowns and hurries over to the prone man. "Yeah, it's a sniper rifle. Those things don't mess around. I called in backup during our little trip, and forensics will do what they can," she says, examining him, "but I can't imagine we'll find the slug in all that shit down there. They can probably prove it fired, anyway...but mostly I hope this joker talks."
"What do you mean, I know he shot at me."
Rachel sighs. "This is just going to get harder, Twilight. We lost that vote. Your legal status is up in the air again. And now there are people right here who are happy about that. You know I won't give up on you, but some people will assume you're lying. We need to really prove stuff like this."
"Is he going to be okay? At least enough to question?" Twilight knows Rainbow well enough to realize she's covering with that last sentence - her friend isn't any more comfortable with inflicting permanent injuries than she is.
"We'll see what the medic says," Rachel cuffs the man, "but he's breathing steadily and it looks like his helmet took most of the blow to the back of his head, I think he'll be fine. But this gear's expensive. Guys like this mostly aren't in it for themselves, and mostly don't talk to police."
Twilight shakes her head and gets ready to answer when a wracked sob from the corner of the room interrupts her. She turns to look and sees Mary sitting up against the wall, head cradled in her arms, shaking violently. Twilight turns to go to her, but Rainbow Dash is there in a flash.
"Hey," she leans up against the human and rests her chin on her head, "I didn't even see Twi' bring you in. Never been in a fight like this before?"
Mary shakes her head and looks up, tears in her eyes.
"It seemed a lot more fun in your stories."
"Well yeah, I was trying to impress you. I wasn't going to say we spent half the time...worried."
"Oh ignore her ego, dear," Rarity says, "I was terrified."
"It's ok Rainbow," she giggles, "you can tell me you were afraid. You already impressed your way into my bed."
Dash's ears prick up. "Yeah I did!" She pauses. "Ok, fine, afraid. But you better not tell anyone."
"Just like you didn't tell anyone we hooked up?"
Dash winces. "So not doing Twilight's homework was my bad, but I didn't know! Ponies don't care about that stuff. Besides, it was awesome!"
Mary gives her a little peck on the cheek. "It's ok, I was kidding. It's kind of nice, really. Most humans get ashamed of that sort of thing. It's flattering it just makes you happy."
"Humans are really weird," Dash says, and Mary giggles.
"Look, this is a great moment," Rachel says, "but I have backup out there breaking up the mob and I'm going to have to get this asshole to the medics and then down to the station. Want to give me your statements now so you can go home?"
"Sure," Twilight nods. "I've never given a statement before, though, so you'll have to walk me through it."
Twilight's read enough crime novels to suspect that proper procedure would involve separating them, to prevent them getting their stories straight. She can't really blame Rachel for neglecting it, though, especially since she's been with them ever since they left the bar. After she finishes, they each take their turn, leaving Rarity to wait a bit with Twilight.
"Sorry you had to hit the ground running," she tells the unicorn, "I got to ease into this a bit."
"Don't worry, darling," Rarity nuzzles her, "we're all used to it by now. To be perfectly honest, I've grown to appreciate it. It was before I met you, but I used to be a bit of a drama queen, you know."
"I had no idea," Twilight grins at her.
"Oh yes, it's sad but true. But you know, risking horrible death at the claws or teeth - or hands, I suppose - of creatures you've never heard of really gives you perspective."
"Yeah, you don't conjure up that couch to faint on more than once or twice a week."
"I'm glad you understand."
Twilight really laughs now, for the first time in what feels like forever. "I really missed you, Rarity." They lean up against each other for a moment, then Rachel calls Rarity over, and Twilight wanders over to Dash and Mary.
"So, uh, yeah, sorry for getting you into this mess." Rainbow's saying.
"Look, Dash," Mary says, putting a hand on her shoulder, "part of 'friends with benefits' is the 'friends' bit, you know? I've never been that scared in my life, but I'm not sorry I came. I would be sorry if I'd stayed home while you all dealt with this like some useless pretty princess." She thinks for a minute, then turns to Twilight, "err, no offense, Princess. It kind of means something different here."
Twilight just laughs. "It's okay, I read about that."
"Anyway, want me to take you home?" Dash asks.
"If you really want. But I don't feel very safe right now. Would it be okay if I hung out with you for a bit? I'd feel better going back in a few hours, when I won't be as worried some thugs will show up any minute."
"I don't mind. Twi'?"
"Stay as long as you like," Twilight smiles at her, "I'd be honored if you thought of me as a friend, too. Though I think I'll skip the benefits." They all laugh again. It feels easy, but that little corner of Twilight's mind that's always looking at herself wonders if she's just avoiding thinking about everything else going on.
"Ok girls, all done," Rarity trots over, "now, shall we get out of this ghastly empty apartment and back to our homey, way-too-full one?"
They walk over to the window, and below they can see the police have arrived in force - several SWAT vans complete with heavily armored officers seem to have effectively quelled the fighting. A few clouds of thick gas still linger, and the vans are cutting off the normally busy street in both directions. Twilight realizes that the bar is supposed to open in a few hours, but it seems increasingly unlikely to happen. What look like hundreds of people are still milling about, boxed in by the police, waiting to be booked.
"I think it'd be safer to teleport us," Twilight says, "I'm not sure I want to fly over that crowd. Can you find your own way out, Rachel, or do you want me to take you with us?"
"I'll sort it out," she says, "it might look weird if I go with you."
Twilight nods, and before they can blink, they're back in their familiar storeroom.
"Goodness," Rarity says, moving toward the bedroll, "it's so early still. I feel like this day should be almost over." She looks ready to lie down, but then freezes. "Twilight, what's this?" A small white envelope has been placed neatly on the bedroll, impossible to miss. Rarity lifts it over to Twilight.
Her heart sinks, and she has a dreadful certainty she knows what's in it. She opens it up, and a single business card falls out, unremarkable, solid gray, blank save for a single phone number.
She checks it against the card in her saddlebag, but mostly out of a sort of morbid conviction. It is, of course, another copy of the same card.