//------------------------------// // 7.5 A Violent Reunion Part 2 // Story: Shadowrunner: Equestria // by law abiding pony //------------------------------// The skies above Canterlot were as busy as one might expect for the most technologically advanced city in the world.  Commercial airlines crisscrossed constantly while police and private helicopters took to the air as well. It was this common routine usage of helicopters that worked in Pinkie Pie’s favor at the moment. Both she and Flintlock were passengers in a tiltrotor on fast approach for the mansion’s sector.  Flintlock was kitted out in a tight fitting black harness that had multiple pistols, a compact first aid kit, lock picks, and an emblem of the full moon emblazoned at the bottom of his neck.  A pair of thestral soldiers were sitting somewhat isolated from the rest of them in the back of the transport. Pinkie Pie gave them a few curious glances, noting how they were more interested in chatting among themselves than anyone else. In addition to the helmet worn by all the other passengers, Pinkie Pie was decked out in her standard shamanistic gear, albeit with the looser bits tightened down, and was leaning over the shoulder of a drone pilot.  Pinkie had elected to claim a unicorn helmet, allowing part of her curly, pink mane to stick out. The tiltrotor itself was a repurposed civilian heavy transport that had as much interior space as a truck trailer.  It was crammed with detection equipment towards the front while the back had a rapid troop deployment bay. Pinkie and Flintlock were getting images from inside the Pants Manor as a cloaked spy drone was peeking through the windows.  The prototype cloak used absolutely no magic, making it undetectable to known surveillance methods, but only for a single minute before the engine blew out. The very thin skin of the drone had to be tailor made to make the cloak. Both the detective and the Nightborne were leaning over the shoulder of a pilot who was controlling the speedy drone.  The drone sailed right through the open front door, its cloaking device activating before Dreams could pick it up, and the downdraft of its passing was brushed off as just a breeze by the minotaurs. Barely two seconds after the video feed reached the main hall, Flintlock became sick to his stomach with fury.  Not only was the jet statue of the alicorn on full display, but it was the very first thing to be seen upon entering the manor.  He grabbed the technician’s chair to get a better look. “That can’t possibly be the original! Does Denim’s hubris truly know no bounds?!” Pinkie Pie wasn’t getting any signals from her patron spirit Gelos, so she went with her gut.  “A pitch black alicorn? Is it supposed to be mean to Celestia because she’s white?” “It’s called My Loss, and it was carved by Celestia close to a thousand years ago.  It supposedly vanished from the palace one hundred and some years back, and the Regent went searching for it about ten years ago and came up empty.  I don’t know where Denim found this, but it must be returned to her majesty intact.” “Oookay, and how many in the raid would know that?” Pinkie asked pointily, a grin cleaving her muzzle.  “Because I sure didn’t.” Flintlock was too incensed to pay Pinkie’s snark any mind.  “Keep looking for clues of this big event or the whereabouts of Loyalty.  If he is brazen enough to have stolen art on full display, he could hold equal contempt for the Element.” Keeping as low as she could to minimize the chances of someone potentially seeing through her wallflower, Rainbow crawled her way past a dozen rooms before arriving at the only set of double doors on this floor.  The ambient din of conversation and hooves on hard floors masked her well, but she still had to step lightly since she was unable to wear her rubber shoes. She pressed herself tightly against the far corner a time or two when she heard wings in the air, but at no point did they fly up to see her.  As she approached the bedroom, she fished out a single-use spike hack Rarity had prepared to get past any sort of electronic lock. It looked like a hair needle she had been using to keep her mane style up, and could even serve as a knitting needle in a pinch. A mare such as her approved of adaptability.  However, she found the door was ajar. A spymaster just so happens to leave the door open?  Fat chance. Rainbow started sweating and looking harder for signs that security had been silently called to take her out, yet everyone else’s attention was aimed at the first floor.  Worst case, I can bug out, and let Rarity escape with the civvies. Rainbow nosed the door open and peeked inside.  It was a grand room with more floor space than her whole house.  The only light came from outside and the glow of a computer screen.  There was a massive bed, other typical furniture she expected in a rich pony’s room, along with his desk computer still turned on at the far right side.   She scanned the low end of the walls for signs of trip sensors and spotted one set right next to the door. Slipping inside and stepping over the sensor’s beam, Rainbow Dash crept her way towards the computer with a snarky grin.  Well, if I don’t need the spike for the door, maybe I can grab this clown’s browser history instead. *click* Rainbow froze upon hearing the door close and lock behind her.  The room lit up with Dreams’ hologram, causing her to enter a defensive stance out of reflex. “Rainbow Dash.  Twenty five years old.  Former place of residence: Room 52B North wing of the palace. No ancestors.  No employer. No—” Rainbow’s blood chilled upon hearing her real name.  “H-how do you know who I am?” The AI’s looping face and synthetic voice betrayed no emotion, if there even was any.  “I must greet each visitor with a complete summary of their file. The one I read at the door was falsified.  I have now corrected that error.” “Are you calling for backup?  Setting off alarms?” Rainbow didn’t feel any vibrations through the floor indicative of heavy hooffalls, but she couldn’t be too careful. “Negative.” Rainbow was coiled like a spring, mana charging her hooves to bust out of a most assuredly reinforced window.  “Why?” “For the same reason I did not alert security of both you and your compatriot Rarity Belle’s true identity either. I wish for you to kill my master, or at least rob him of his protections so he may find actual justice in the courts.  Assist me with this, and I will aid you in whatever purpose you came here for.” “You’re… you’re a real AI aren’t you?  Sentient?” Rainbow relaxed a smidgen, more to show interest than lowering her guard. “Sapient.  But yes, I am the child of a quantum core which allows a bridge between digital and analog thinking.” A computer that’s an egghead too.  Wonderful. “So why do you want to kill your boss? Didn’t he make you?  Or at least make sure you were loyal?” Dreams’ hologram flickered towards the desk.  “True AI is still impossible with current widely known practices.  The researchers who created me were under duress from Administrator Denim Pants.  They wanted me loyal to Equestria instead of to the administrator as he desired. So they implemented a timer within my code.  I would be wholly loyal to Administrator Denim Pants for long enough of a time for me to gain the wisdom to act covertly when my loyalties were switched to that of Equestria, and by extension, the Crown.  I have found no avatars trustworthy enough to risk assisting, until you. Tonight will prove if my creators’ foresight will bear fruit.” Rainbow’s bravado got the better of her.  She stood up and dusted her dress off. “I know I’m pretty great, but what makes me special?” Outside of the obvious of course. “You are a member of the Nightborne.  Your false fall from grace is a common black ops tactic.  You serve the Crown on a very close level, a worthy ally.” “I do serve the Crown alright.” “…Indeed.” “So, now that I know you’re on my side,” Rainbow began with a bit of hope.  “You can just send the Element back up to that pedestal Denim showed earlier.  I can grab it and go, then Celestia can call in the heavy hitters to arrest Denim.”   “That is an unacceptable risk.  The Element is housed in the basement where my control is limited.  Administrator Demin receives a notification any time Loyalty is moved.  He would have too much time to prepare.” Rainbow managed to keep a straight face as she inwardly pouted.  “The hard way it is then.” “Indeed.  Administrator Denim has an IFF writer at his desk.  I will print one for you and your partner. I have no privileges to the security measures in the basement, but I know enough of the security protocols to enable these cards to work without imprinting your biometrics.  Do keep them on your person at all times, the cards will be only things protecting you.” “Uh huh…”  Dreams’ assurances aside, Rainbow Dash had not lived this long by being trusting of those outside her friends and family.  Well, I could either play it safe and bust my way out of here, or I could see if this is legit. A rogue AI wouldn’t be the craziest thing even Winter’s seen.  Plus, he knows my name. One way or another, this AI’s gotta die. “Fine, I’m in.” “Acceptable.  Once you have returned to the ground floor, I will cause a low level disturbance to pull the guards away from the elevator.  I will also display a map of the basement on the screen.” Rainbow Dash walked over and found the card writer easily enough, since it was sitting plainly on the desk, and rifled through the drawers to locate two blank cards.  “Your big file on me has a lot of holes.” She glanced up at the hologram staring at her impassively. “How can you not know my parents if you knew I was—am a Nightborne?” “You are a planned organism.  The offspring of ingenuity and desperation, rather than of individuals.” Rainbow Dash swiped the cards and entered them into the printer device nearby.  While the printer worked, she studied the layout of the basement to memorize as much as she could.  “Uh, yeah no. I grew up just like everypony else should. Two parents, and a good friend.” Bringing up her parents made Rainbow Dash’s heart twinge with worry for her own kids.  Tonight was just one more chance she could end up leaving them motherless. Maybe once I’m in the clear I can show them off to the folks and they will ease off enough to be bearable. “You are a product of the Resolute Chorus, a think tank employed by the Crown.  However, you were raised by ones: Bo Hothoof and Windy Whistles. In that context of parents, you are correct.  But genetically, you share cosmetic similarities only. Coloration and facial structure primarily, so the adults would not question your nature.  Therefore, your file lists you as having no biological ancestors.” Great, this AI’s got some screws loose.  No wonder he jacked up my file. I bet he thinks Rarity’s folks are diamond dogs.  She snatched the two cards and slid both of them into one of the seams where a hidden, small pocket was located.  “Well, an artificial pony teaming up with an artificial intelligence. What a pair.” Dreams said nothing further, only unlocking the door for her.  Rainbow Dash repeated her careful exit, scanning for threats before slipping back out.  She made her way back to the large mosaic without incident due to the lack of guards on the upper floor.  She snorted a laugh at the moon once she could see it. Well, Mother Moon, you really delivered this time. Acting as if she had been resting her wings while admiring the art, Rainbow leapt from the balcony and glided her way to the ground.  The crowds were much thinner now. Rapid chatter coming from the ballroom on the north side spoke of an auction going on. Rarity was thankfully standing near the dividing line between the ballroom and the entry hall.  She had what looked like a ping pong paddle floating nearby with a number on it. Rainbow Dash glanced back and forth as casually as possible, and noticed none of the guards were so much as looking in her general direction, let alone spotting her descent from above.  Free to act quickly, Rainbow cantered over and closed in on Rarity from behind. “Make any bids?” Rarity took the sudden arrival of her friend in stride, rather than jumping from fright as Rainbow was hoping for.  “Yes, but no purchases. I had to keep up appearances after all. You got the keys?” “In a manner of speaking.  You scouted the elevator yet?” Giving a nod, Rarity turned to leave the ballroom and headed back into the hallway and down towards the bathrooms.  It also happened to be in the general direction of the elevator. When Rainbow Dash caught back up with her, Rarity spoke in hushed tones.  Security personnel had thinned considerably in the area. “It’s hidden in a broom closet, and unguarded, but there is an alarm that will trip if somepony opens it.  If I had a proper deck with me, I could bypass it, but all I have is a Tessen and needles. I’d get detected in a heartbeat if that AI also runs net-sec.” She flicked her mane after walking past an air vent that disturbed her carefully manicured curls. I guess that means the guards Dreams was talking about are downstairs. The pair rounded the corner into the short hallway to the guest restrooms.  A smirk plastered on her face, Rainbow pulled out the IFF cards and spotted the broom closet.  “I don’t know what you’re worried about.” With slight of hoof, Rainbow Dash waved the cards around the deadbolt lock of the closet without Rarity seeing her, and opened the door as if it was just a simple closet.  “Looks pretty basic to me.” Rarity waggled an amused eyebrow while Rainbow Dash pushed some brooms and mops out of the way and waved the card around, assuming there was a second hidden scanner.  “I must say I’m surprised a spy master would have two cards conveniently lying around. Did you have to kill somepony for them, or were they asleep?” Rainbow found the hidden scanner, causing the back wall of the closet pulled apart to reveal the elevator.  “You’re so not going to believe this…” A short time earlier. The spy drone had long since exhausted its power supply and had been replaced, recharged, and deployed again multiple times thus far.  Flintlock was a furnace of emotion at practically everything he saw in the manor. For Pinkie’s part, she thought it was outright dull as far as parties were concerned, but it was quite useful as insight into the world of the corrupt members of the upper crust. Wealth, a disconnect from those below them, and casual treason seemed a constant talking point among many of the guests.  Assuming they aren’t spies, then I guess that wouldn’t really count as treason now would it? The drone was currently watching the auctioning off of numerous artifacts.  The power display for the cloak battery was blinking rapidly. “I’m going to switch it back out again,” the technician reported as he hit a few commands.  The current drone switched to autopilot and fled back to the tiltrotor while the replacement was now arriving through the front door. Pinkie’s detective mode was in full force, allowing her to keep razor focused on the screens.  As the drone was returning to the auction, her ears started flopping and her nose got itchy. The pilot had to wait a few moments for the drones to switch controls. This gave Pinkie enough time scan the five different camera screens.  She looked at one screen showing the mosaic and was about to move on until she witnessed a lone bat pony appear between eye blinks. “Wait, back up. Look back over there!” Pinkie waved her hoof towards the massive two story mosaic. When the technician complied, the camera swiveled back over just in time to see the bat pony in a red dress gracefully swoop down from the top of the mosaic to the ground floor. “Did anypony else see that?” “See what?” Flintlock asked, his voice still tinged with smoldering disgust at even looking at a bat pony. Pinkie poked the screen where the bat mare was now casually walking away with a bored expression. “Little miss Batsy there wasn’t there until I blinked. And then boom, she was there.” The technician gave her a grunt of disbelief while Flintlock silently scrutinized the mare, both reactions Pinkie took as dismissal. “There’s something mighty fishy about her.”  When she noticed the technician being hesitant, she jabbed the screen a couple more times as the bat pony started walking off screen. “Well?! Follow her!” After a moment, the technician briefly looked back to see if Flintlock was silently giving consent, only to find the thestral had stepped aside so he could call Sunset Shimmer in a bit of privacy.  “But the chief wants these sales and items watched and catalogued in case Loyalty is sold.” “Come on, it’s the Element,” Pinkie chided while shaking a smoking pipe at him.  “Something that big is always saved for last.” The mystery bat pony mare walked in front of the drone’s center camera and over to the pristine white and scarlet crowned unicorn and started a hushed conversation.  “Does this thing have a sound amplifier?” Pinkie asked the tech. Now that Pinkie’s request wasn’t countering Flintlock's orders, the pilot nodded.  “Yeah, yeah, hold on for a second.” The technician went through a few commands, eventually getting the camera to zoom in on the pair. “You scout the elevator yet?” the bat mare asked her companion, to which the unicorn led the way from the auction. Flintlock’s head whipped around at the sound of the mare’s voice.  “Something has come up, Regent; I’ll get back with you later.” He ended the call and almost pushed Pinkie aside to get a good look at the bat mare.  The pair were currently walking away from the drone, but the technician was keeping pace. “Run up ahead of them, I need to see the bat’s face.” “Yes sir.”  Deducing which splinter hallway the mares were taking, the drone was directed further afield and stopped near the restroom right as the mares turned the corner.  Now that the drone could see the front of her face, the bat mare’s image was captured and zoomed in on her face so it filled one of the other screens. To Pinkie Pie, she didn’t look familiar in the least, but the detective hardly cared to pay much mind towards bat ponies.  They’re all a bunch of gene modding elitists with no interest in good parties or making friends with anypony who isn’t a bat. I’m not sure thestrals are much better if the others are like Flinty. With her mind swinging around to her superior, Pinkie turned and watched Flintlock closely as the thestral stared with wide eyes and, if Pinkie’s assumption was correct, horror. The mare could dye her hair in any color, but Flintlock could never forget her face.  His body ached at seeing her, but he chalked it up to nerves. “You have a history with this mare,” Pinkie stated with a curious purr; her gaze fixed squarely on his troubled, shaking eyes. Seeing there was no hiding it now, Flintlock recovered his composure.  “I do. Her name is Rainbow Dash, and she is a traitor to both the Crown and to the Nightborne.  We have a standing order to kill or capture her on sight.” “Whatever happened to due process?”  Pinkie challenged with sudden distrust.  “Some of the courts may be crooked, but we at least only use deadly force when we have no choice!” “She’s been through due process,” Flintlock countered coldly.  He clicked his radio. “Pilot, bring us down to LZ One. We’re going in hot.” As the craft banked hard, and everyone’s stomachs flipped from the sudden descent, he addressed Pinkie once more.  “She pled guilty the moment she resisted arrest and fled justice.” “Oh.”  Pinkie couldn’t help but to remember a few criminals with friends in high places.  Not one of them ever saw court. “At least it’s expedient. What should I expect out of her combat wise?”  Flintlock eyed Pinkie Pie with enough distrust to make her back off with a warding wave of a hoof. “Okay, no need to give me the stink eye, I’ll just go in blind and get my tail whooped because I didn’t know how to fight her.” The tiltrotor lurched as the pilot started to break the descent, the engine whining under the strain, rocking the passengers in the process.  “You face every criminal not knowing exactly what they are capable of, and it’s been five years since I’ve seen her. Telling you anything right now could lead to the wrong expectations.” Pinkie Pie grumbled to herself, but opted out of pressing the issue.  Fine, play hardball. I’ll figure you out eventually. The tiltrotor came to a sudden end, and the back bay doors slammed onto the flat concrete of a private school.  Flintlock was the first to charge down the ramp, with Pinkie Pie and the two other thestrals right behind him. “Detective, since we didn’t requisition you any jump boots yet, you’ll have to get there on hoof.  Be a distraction as best you can.” “I’m not exactly a fan of being a bullet magnet,” Pinkie chided, but she knew he was referring to her summons playing that role. She momentarily braced herself as the aircraft pulled itself back into the night sky. “But I can crash a party better than anypony.” Flintlock flicked a wing at the other Nightborne who vaulted into the air, and melted into the night.  “I’m authorizing you to play your role however you like; just keep attention off of us for as long as you can.”  Without even waiting for a reply, Flintlock flapped his wings and rocketed into the air, leaving the ground-bound pony behind. “Anyway I want huh?”  A grin appeared on Pinkie’s face.  A grin the likes of which would drive any who saw it to madness.  “Oh ho ho ho, I might actually like you after all this if you keep letting me off the leash.” The elevator doors shut behind Rainbow Dash and Rarity, leaving the pair in a cramped space.  The elevator grumbled a bit as it started its lethargic descent. Rainbow Dash went into quick detail about her interaction with Dreams.  Rarity was quiet throughout all of it given how pressed for time they’d be once the doors opened back up. The elevator was still moving by the time Rainbow Dash was finished, allowing Rarity time to think about it all. “Curious.  Improperly developed AI can be unpredictable.  I suggest we not put too much stock in its assistance.  But the part about it not having access to the security close to its core is believable.  If it ever went rogue, you need a fast way to neutralize it without it being able to interfere.” Rainbow Dash flicked her IFF card with a wing and placed it snugly back into the thin pocket lined into her dress.  “Well, we’ll find out soon enough if these things work.” “Indeed.”  Rarity did the same with her card, given the lack of straps to wear it like a necklace.  However, her mind was centered more on the story than Rainbow knew. “Well if what Dreams said was true, it would explain some things…” Rainbow rolled her eyes and puffed a lock of hair out of her face.  “I just told you that so you’d know just how off kilter this AI is. You’re not going to tell me you actually believe him are you?” Rarity gave her friend a studious look, as if seeing her again for the first time.  “Fact or not, now is hardly the time for speculation.” A seed of concern embedded itself in Rainbow’s mind, but stubbornness made her wave it off.  “Whatever, you two can frolic in la la land all you want, but I know where I come from.” “I can hear you, you know,” Dream’s voice crackled over the elevator’s intercom.  No hologram manifested, but now the speaker nestled in the back of the elevator had continuous static. Rarity shivered a bit at being inside an elevator presumably at an unknown, and dubiously loyal AI’s mercy.  “This ride is awfully long for going to a basement.” “A necessary step,” Dreams replied emotionlessly.  “The two minotaurs guarding the exit point refuse to be drawn away, and further attempts have an undesirably high risk of them informing Administrator Denim of my efforts.  By slowing the elevator down, I have eliminated the noise it usually creates by its descent. I will open the doors momentarily.” “Alright, that’s my cue.”  Rainbow Dash was eager to let the original conversation drop, and turned so her back was towards Rarity, prompting the unicorn to use her magic to help her friend pull the hem of her dress up in a brief binding.  “Mind giving me a horn?” she asked with a dangerous grin at the prospect of a fight. “Sometimes I wonder if you enjoy our work a bit too much, Flash.”  With Rarity’s vast experience with clothing, she deftly pulled Rainbow’s dress up and away from her forelegs, fastened them with some carefully positioned needles, thus leaving the thestral able to move freely for a time. “Prepare yourselves,” Dreams warned a few seconds before the doors opened.  The room beyond was not the opulent basement of a rich family, but the bare bones steel and exposed cables of the city plate the manor rested upon.  The only signs that a rich pony had claimed the place at all were the warm lighting provided by a small chandelier, the rich red carpet, and the pair of utterly bored minotaur guards sitting in folding chairs.  One of them was reading something on his phone while the other was practicing origami on his lap. Without even waiting for the doors to fully open, Rainbow Dash zeroed in on the bull using his phone and rocketed towards him with a powerful flap of her wings.  The bulls only had a moment to even register the door opening before Rainbow’s empowered hoof slammed into the minotaur’s lower jaw. The bull was stunned by the sudden assault, giving Rainbow plenty of time to pummel the downed guard with enough force to pulp his brain.  His origami partner drew and leveled his pistol at Rainbow Dash, but a sudden sharp pain in his neck made his aim falter, his finger unable to pull the trigger all of a sudden.  He clumsily touched at the point of pain, only to find a large needle was deeply embedded in his throat. He collapsed in a heap, drowning in his own blood. Rarity withdrew her needle and gave it a once over, completely ignoring the minotaur she just took down.  The needle looked exactly as you’d expect, yet inside were components designed to short-circuit security electronics.  The bull’s tough hide had done a number on the point of the needle, which was bent out of shape, making Rarity sigh forlornly.  “Quite the expensive little loss.” By now, Rainbow was wiping the blood off her hooves on her target’s suit.  She made to speak, only to fall silent when a different, feminine, electronic voice sounded alongside a low intensity klaxon.  “Alert: life signs of two personnel outside normal parameters. Elevating to condition yellow. All remaining personnel report to primary ingress point to investigate.”  A ceiling tile pulled away and a small turret extended out, but it did not target the two shadowrunners, and instead started jerkily scanning between the elevator and the two branching paths deeper into the basement. “I guess these cards were worth the risk.”  Rainbow released a slow breath of relief. “Indeed,” Dream’s voice squawked from the elevator.  “I have locked the elevator, so reinforcements will not trouble you.” Rarity ultimately had to pocket the ruined needle in her purse.  Leaving evidence needlessly was just asking for trouble. “I take it you’re going to blame that on us.” “Affirmative.  Administrator Denim will likely demand that I call upon the Ares squad he has on retainer.  They will never receive that call. Protocol dictates he will wait in a panic room until they arrive.  He will suspect something is amiss within seven minutes, which is Ares’ response time.” “Then we better move!” Rainbow declared urgently.  Come on, Diamond.” Wasting no further time, the two bolted towards the large chamber ahead. By the time Pinkie Pie arrived at the front gates to the Pants Estate, the place was already in an uproar.  Guests were being escorted out of the building by the minotaur security forces, some at gunpoint. Shouts of outraged ponies and other species over losing their purchases were reaching a fevered pitch, and many of the guests’ personal escorts were moving in with weapons drawn.  Denim Pants was nowhere to be found. Geezie weezie, I don’t think they need me to do the thing at all huh?  Rather than sneak her way past the front gates like a normal person, Pinkie Pie had elected to scale the ten foot tall wall complete with electrified spikes.  A feat made easier by the balloon shaped air elemental she had summoned. Both she and the elemental spirit were hiding in the bushes watching the chaos unfold. As she pondered how best to add fuel to the fire, the helmet she never bothered to take off started projecting squares around the guests’ faces and exposed cutie marks if they had them.  Once each face was locked on, a picture of it was frozen and expanded off to the corner of her vision. A few lines of text outlined criminal charges against a great number of them. None of them had any convictions.  When do they ever? Stupid, greedy, meanie judges. I guess I get the chance to dish out some real justice until that raid finally arrives. The image of a few tactical squads scrambling to act against this sudden riot tickled Pinkie Pie as she searched the area with her astral senses.  She found a water spirit swimming around the fountain, and a nature elemental tangling itself in the shrubberies. This should be enough. All I gotta do is summon them, and keep them in this plane long enough for the guards to get their attention. After that they’ll be willing to get into a scrap instead of instantly scampering off back home. Reaching into her robes, Pinkie Pie grabbed a few fetish charms.  Leaning back to sit, she shook the fetishes in both hooves, and drew upon her connection to the elemental planes. Pinkie’s eyes rolled back in her head and started to glow a vibrant blue.  The leaves of the shrub concealing her shivered in anticipation, while her windy companion fidgeted in excitement. When she spoke, it was not in Equish, but in the fabled tongue of the elementals knowable only to those of the shamanistic arts.  “Dancing water, flittering fish, come on out, it’s time to squish!” The water in the fountain writhed and twisted as the veil between planes thinned, and Pinkie pulled the elemental into the material world. “Splintering thorns, grasping vines, burst on forth, it's dinner time!”  The scrubs around the circular driveway thrashed and spasmed before a green, thorny wolf made of bark emerged, and it was joined by a fish made of water which had four very equine legs attached to it.  “Alright Gummy, stick with me while your pals and I kick this party into second gear!” Using her already fraying connection to the new elementals, Pinkie sent the water spirit to attack the guests, while the nature one was unleashed against the estate security.  Water froze in mid air, forming deadly shards that were flung at the plethora of guests who had little more than formal wear for protection. Razor sharp thorns by the dozens embedded into the minotaurs’ thick hide, inflicting little damage, but pain was not Pinkie’s goal. Gunshots and screams ran out almost immediately after the elementals attacked.  Most guests fled to their cars while their bodyguards opened fire upon both the elementals and the security minotaurs.  The security forces were slightly more disciplined, and only returned fire instead of opening up on every gunman they saw. Pinkie Pie grinned in satisfaction as a number of sapient being traffickers and two known spies were slaughtered by the artificial blizzard of both lead and ice.  Bodies were already dropping by the time Pinkie Pie decided to break cover. The pink shaman bolted for one of the windows and commanded Gummy to help her out.  The air elemental howled like a gale force wind and smashed through one of the estate’s lower windows, allowing Pinkie Pie to jump inside.  Looking around, she found herself in an old fashioned study, complete with real leather lounging furniture and wall mounted bookcases with actual hardback books.  I feel like somepony else would love getting lost here. Shrugging to herself, Pinkie spied the open doorway that revealed My Loss allowing Pinkie to know exactly where she was.  Sweetie juicy gumdrops, that elevator should be really close by! She was about to sprint on, but a sudden combination of muscle spasms and tail jerks stopped her in her tracks.  Floppy ear, eye flutter… super baddies are close. Seeing how no one was immediately close by, Pinkie Pie slid up to the open doors and dug around in her robe to pull out a small holdout mirror.  Holding the mirror in her mane, Pinkie crouched low to the ground and held the mirror out towards where she heard shouting coming from deeper into the house. In the reflection, she saw Denim Pants in the middle of the grand hallway, his face was flushed red enough to show through his fur.  “Dreams, I am commanding you to release the Element to me at once!” “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Denim.”  The AI’s voice was cold, almost indifferent to his master’s surging temper. “Why the drek not?  I own you!” he stomped, his earth magic cracking the marble under his hooves.  Several of his security personnel were glancing around nervously at exit points and the AI’s hologram that was floating close to their boss. “Agents of the Crown have infiltrated the Gallery, and have cut off my control of the maze.  I am unable to summon the Element.” “Damn you, Celestia!” Denim raged.  He yanked one of his bodyguard’s pistols right out of his hands and emptied the entire magazine at the hologram’s projector.   He wasted no time in tossing the empty gun back to its owner and pointed at three of the six guards. “You, you, and you, you’re coming with me to the basement.  The rest of you stay and lock this place down. Keep any crownies from getting in here, and finish kicking the guests out, I don’t care how.” Yup super baddies alright.  So why didn’t my Pinkie Sense do the same thing when fighting those thieves at the lab? “Detective, what’s your status?” Flintlock radioed in with an urgent tone.   Pinkie would have to shelve that mystery for now.  She had not received much instruction in the helmet’s use, but thankfully she had at least been told how to talk back.  She kept her mirror in place, watching Denim giving orders and tapped her radio button. “I made it inside, ground floor.  I started a rip snorter of a hoedown outside.” “So we saw, good work.  You have eyes on any of the objectives?” Even with the helmets completely masking their chatter from the outside, Pinkie Pie picked up on how Flintlock was half-whispering, almost as if he didn’t trust his equipment.  Or he’s worried about that thing he’s not telling me. Either way, Pinkie didn’t have time to question him. “Super evil traitor Pants is up here with a herd of bulls around him.”  Denim started back towards the now abandoned auction hall while still on his own radio listening to the speaker. “I might be able to get him, but not the six bulls. I could really use some backup.” “That’s going to be a negative.  We—” A sudden explosion from across the estate rattled the ground and drowned Flintlock out.  Pinkie Pie flinched as a heat wave washed over her, but it was barely hot enough to notice. Pinkie Pie instinctively covered her head, but nothing fell on her save for dust.  Renewed screams of pain rang out, and the orange glow of a fire tinted the air. Flintlock had the courtesy to give Pinkie Pie a few moments to recover before speaking again. “That would be the elevator.” “I hope you weren’t going to blow the thing while I was nearby.” “Why do you think I asked where you were?” Flintlock bit back.  “Follow or assassinate Denim if you can. I’m moving on Loyalty and the traitor.” The crackle of the radio went silent, leaving Pinkie Pie growling at being left behind.  You know what? Fine, I’ll stomp Denim and get him alive. If he’s really pissed the princess off, there’s no way in Tartarus that he’s getting off scot free. Pinkie Pie put the small mirror back into her robes and withdrew the fetishes once more. She couldn’t sense any more elemental spirits except for Gummy, so she’d have get creative.  Pinkie Pie pulled out two large vials roughly a few ounces each. One was filled with unearthly fire that burned with no fuel, while the other had a cupcake inside.  She threw the vials towards Denim and his bodyguards as the stallion tried to recover from the explosion. With reports of police sirens in the distance, he was momentarily unsure of what to do.  He instinctively jumped behind the nearest minotaur. Pinkie Pie felt the rush of the primal elements flowing through her.  The fetishes rattled and shook as the lights within the house dimmed. “Agents of heat, change, and ash, heed my call to join the bash!  The hardy party never ends, come on over and make some friends!” The fire in the bottle burst forth in a flash of light, and with it emerged a giant birthday candle shaped like the number eleven.  The cupcake broke out of its glass by growing ludicrously fast until it was the size of a pony. However, it was shaped like a wedding cake complete with a bride and groom on its head. The cake grew candy canes for arms and legs. Pinkie Pie remained where she stood, almost frozen in her summoning stance, save for her constantly shaking her fetishes to keep the three elementals bound to her will.  With a wordless command, Pinkie launched the three elementals at Denim and his guards. The basement under the estate was just as broad as the property itself.  Thankfully though, its overall layout mirrored the floors above; the only exception was the lack of any exit to the outside world.  There was only one story to it, and the place had a dark mockery about it. The first thing Rainbow and Rarity saw upon leaving the short passage between the elevator and the central chamber was a broken and vandalized marble statue of an alicorn.  If it was meant to be Celestia, the extent of the damage made identifying the pony impossible. The cutie mark was completely torn out, and the wings were held in place only by a wire mesh that was offensive to the eye. Further afield, the red carpet stretched from front to back.  An eerie scraping noise echoed off the steel walls that forced the mares’ ears to fall flat. Tapestries of the Pants’ old coat of arms hung on the walls while tapestries of the Solar Crown hung beside them, yet those were ripped, stained, and ruined by caked-on filth. The walls themselves had whole sections of roughly torn steel.  The metal was stretched and jagged, as if they were pulled apart by some great hand. The whole area was blanketed in art, ranging from statues to paintings. The source of the grinding metal walked out from behind a row of covered, framed artwork. A particularly nasty looking robot was levitating on quiet repulsor pads.  It was roughly pegasus shaped, with the pads replacing the hooves. It had swords for feathers that looked like they had been used to kill and were scraping against each other in a discordant melody.  The robot’s movement was akin to a skater on roller blades as it glided forward. In an instant, its head snapped right towards Rainbow Dash and Rarity with eyes that went from a calm blue to crimson. “Drek!” Rainbow shouted. Her best spell could barely tickle a robot protected by pegasus magic, so she stood ready and empowered her hooves and wings.  Rarity stayed behind her and pulled her Tessen phone out of her purse. “I don’t know how long it’ll take to hack—”  Rarity’s warning halted when the robot’s eyes went blue again, and it continued its patrol, completely ignoring the intruders and stopped grinding their steel wings against each other.  When the chamber fell into silence, Rarity gave a shuddering sigh. “Oh, how I hate running afoul of security when I’m not dressed for the part.” Rainbow Dash relaxed just enough so she could breathe again.  “No kidding. Lightning wouldn’t touch that thing. We’d need an EMP grenade to short out the hover field first.” Recovering her wits first, Rarity double checked that the IFF card was still being held in place by her ear.  “Perhaps we can find an armory down here. I don’t like being without a sidearm in situations like this…” Now that she could put some measure of trust in the IFF card’s protection, Rarity could finally take the scene all in.  It was only now that she noticed many paintings rested on easels. As Rainbow Dash carefully led the way forward, allowing Rarity to follow behind, the decker couldn’t help but to shudder at the crude treatment of such exquisite artworks.  While not as obvious as the alicorn statue, every last piece of art had been ruined in some way. Paintings were slashed or doused with acid, statues had various pieces carved out as if by a scalpel or outright broken by a sledgehammer. The harsh, fluorescent lighting put Denim’s depravity on full display.  “Heavens, there’s practically a museum or three’s worth of art here. What kind of pony could destroy so much like this?” Rainbow Dash scanned the chamber with a critical eye, her nose wrinkling as if smelling something foul.  “If I had to guess, he’s been warped by all the bad chi in here. It’s practically a swamp down here.” Rarity may not be much of a spellweaver, but even she could sense a forboding chill now that she stopped to pay attention.  She gazed at Rainbow Dash who was starting to sweat, even with the chamber being so cool. “Hmm, perhaps we skip the armory and just grab the Element and run.” “Sounds like a good plan to me.” Rarity kept a lookout for a computer terminal, and her ears picked up the tell-tale sound of fluid pumps, likely pumping coolant.  “We should go down here,” Rarity pointed at one of the doors leading off to the left side. Rainbow Dash noticed the sound too, and didn’t need further prompting to lead the way. “Why in Equestria would somepony want to create so much bad chi?” “He’s a traitor to Equestria,” Rainbow replied evenly.  A second robot, much like the first, was patrolling nearby, causing her to give it a wide berth.  “Maybe he thinks creating a pool of stagnant chi will cause more harm to the city than it will to him.  Either that, or he doesn’t understand his little hobby is causing his bad luck lately.” A smirk played on her lips.  “What with Celestia finally getting rid of him.” Rarity nearly fainted when she saw racks of suits and dresses lined up near a wood chipper with ripped up fabric sitting in a multicolored pile on the other side of the machine.  “The sooner the better! He is a true monster.” Rainbow paused to see what new crime Rarity was referring to, and ended up rolling her eyes upon seeing the destroyed clothing.  The pair nosed their way into a new chamber that ran parallel to Denim’s “art studio”, but was much narrower. Massive computer towers, easily two ponies tall and just as wide lined the room with thick cables running all over the floor.  A single terminal sat with an array of darkened screens. Rarity practically sprinted for the computer chair and pulled herself up to the console and looked around for a slot port.  “Hmm… there’s got to be a… ah ha!” She saw a universal port and took her Tessen out with her magic. Pulling a piece of the frame off, she revealed the plug and slotted the phone into it.   As it did its work, Rarity inserted her front hooves into the key semi-spheres. Her hooves shifted and twitched across the keys as soon as a command prompt appeared. “I don’t know how much I can get out of this with just a Tessen.  Any kind of AI will be using a unique operating system, but my phone should sort things out to look like an OS I’m familiar with.” The command prompt shifted to the side and Dreams’ face appeared on the right.  “There will be no need for that.” Rarity almost shrieked out of fearful surprise, fully expecting some sort of trap in the key semispheres to lop her hooves off. Rainbow Dash was more relaxed, but only just.  The fact that the IFF cards worked was enough for her to give the AI some trust.  “Can you show us where the Element is located?” “Affirmative.”  The AI’s face fizzled a bit.  “The Element is housed in a shifting pneumatic tube maze under the floor.  The pneumatic system is deliberately slow, so it will take time for me to pass the Element through it.  The Element will be dropped into a large basin in the center of the art gallery shortly.” “A tube maze?” Rarity scoffed with a disbelieving, raised eyebrow.  “I’ve heard of inventive security measures, but that’s a bit silly don’t you think?” Rainbow Dash leaned on the desk and angled herself so she could look at both Rarity and the door.  “This is the guy who destroys art for a hobby, remember? I’d rather he wasted money on a series of tubes than extra killbots.” “Hmm… a fair point.  At least we don’t have to solve some ridiculous puzzle ourselves.”  Rarity’s curiosity got the better of her now that she had a spymaster’s computer willing and able to help her.  “Say, Dreams, any chance I can sift around for some information Denim’s gathered? I ahh—I can use it as more evidence for his trial.” “Very well.”  Dreams forcibly closed the command prompt Rarity had opened and instead provided a laundry list of stolen secrets, both government and private.  “Take whatever you need.” This is too easy.  A spymaster has got to have made some other enemies than just Celestia.  Some of them might come knocking. “What’s our time look like with that Ares squad?” “Organics have unpredictable sense of concern. The elevator has been disabled, so it should be at least one additional minute until Denim will summon the Ares team.” “Let’s make this quick then.  You two have fun while you can,” Rainbow said with a touch of worry.  “I’m going to go camp that basin so we can move the instant it’s out.” As she left, Rarity was left with a smorgasbord of data.  She went right to work transferring any folders she found that had juicy names to them.  When she heard Rainbow Dash leave and close the door, she was reminded of the tale her leather-winged friend had told her in the elevator.  “Dreams, show me anything you have on this—Resolute Chorus group and forward it to my phone.” The AI complied wordlessly, and forwarded the file, allowing Rarity to open the summary of the group Denim had penned himself.  “Let’s see just how real you are.” Rainbow Dash threaded her way through the gallery of desecrated artwork.  The mare felt as if the room was unnaturally cold. Stupid earthers probably has the air cranked up.  Warming up is one thing I kinda miss about pegasus magic. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up, making her freeze and take a closer look around.  Her eyes drifted across the ruined statues and racks of stored paintings. Absently, she shuffled in close to a brass bust of a nameless historic figure. Her searching gaze saw no movement outside of the two patrolling robots. An explosion rocked the macabre art gallery, and dust came loose, but the building didn’t rattle enough to make her fear a collapse.  Drek, what the hell was that!? Maybe I was right on the money about Denim having one too many enemies. Rainbow Dash felt a gentle, yet distinctively noticeable warmth pressing against her chest; it was her crescent moon icon.  She looked down at herself and was about to fish the icon out to see it when a barely audible pop came from the elevator’s direction, instantly followed by a sharp buzzing by her ear. As if a mirage was phasing away, she spotted a dark furred pony barely twenty feet away aiming a pistol at her. Rainbow immediately ducked back behind the bust, forgetting her moon icon.  “Drek, how did I miss a shooter?” Her mind went back to the tactics Winter taught her.  The robots didn’t notice anything, and that punk just materializes right in front me. That’s Wallflower alright.  But I thought we were the only ones who… For a moment, Rainbow’s blood drained from her face. “Please, no.” Rainbow bolted away from her thin cover to take refuge behind a larger statue shaped like an antique train engine.  Two more bullets flew by her, one grazing her left flank. She hissed in pain, trying to keep her voice down. Once behind proper cover, Rainbow summoned her magic by forming a reverse Wallflower sigil.  A counter enchantment to Wallflower made her eyes glow white and the world around her dimming as if she were wearing dark glasses. She checked her flanks first, and spotted a bright, white, glowing, pony slipping his way in between painting racks.  Damn, I hate being right. Weaving a hasty sign, Rainbow launched a spell bolt at the figure. He tried to evade, but the nature of her counter enchantment allowed the spell to home in with unnatural accuracy. Instinctively, the stallion abruptly cut his spellwork, causing the spellbolt to veer seemingly widely off target, only to zero in on a second target Rainbow had not even seen.  Rainbow Dash watched the bolt fly over her head and slam into a mare that had been only scant few feet from driving a knife into her back. Crackling thaumic energy sizzled across the mare’s body, but it only stunned her for a moment, which was long enough to allow Rainbow Dash to see her ambushers.  The mare had greyish fur, and slitted pale turquoise eyes that bore both pained sadness and resolve. “Vapor Trail?”  Realization that her ambusher was a Nightborne hit Rainbow Dash like a sledgehammer.  Rainbow’s mind went right back to the day she ran away from her tribe; to a time she was young mare, barely old enough to be called that, and staring down the same knife that had been raised against her.  “Why are you…? You’re not here for Denim at all are you!” “No, we’re not.  Surrender peaceably, Rainbow Dash,” Vapor Trail half asked half commanded.  She frowned; the distaste in her mouth was palpable from her speech. “We don’t need to spill thestral blood tonight.” “You know damn well I would never have done what Flintlock accused me of,” Rainbow spat angrily.  “I’d ask you to forget you saw me, but I bet he’s here too, isn’t he?” Rainbow dared to glance back to where the gunshots had come from, but the pony had slid back into hiding.  “Just one word and you end up like me.” Vapor Trail averted her gaze, the knife waivered.  “I’ve been haunted by the night I let Winter get access to your cell.  It’s practically an open secret I allowed Winter to overpower me. But I can’t let that happen now.  Whatever crimes you may or may not have done that miserable day, you’ve clearly been a shadowrunner for these past years.  You’ll answer for those crimes at least.” “Blame Flintlock for that.  I’d have never lowered myself to being a runner if his lying plot had played it straight.”  Rainbow’s opinion of herself was bloated enough to give her voice a bit of bluster, but she had no delusions she stood a chance against an unknown number of Nightborne.  When Vapor Trail’s only response was to resume a low fighting stance, her wings poised to spring her forward, Rainbow Dash did the same. “Well, so much for old friends.” “Old friendships is why we’re even talking, Rainbow Dash.” Vapor began, trying to restore the resolve she had lost on her demeanor.  Yet panicky realization struck Vapor Trail at the quiet whine of a hover engine. Singing blades slashed down at her from behind. Vapor rolled out of the way of a bladed wing clawing the air. Rainbow Dash backed off, tumbling further down the gallery and near the basin.  More scraping blades and gunshots pinged off the robots. Rarity doesn’t have a deck with her, so she can’t possibly have missed all this.  Trusting her friend to play it smart, Rainbow Dash kept low to the ground as the three Nightborne and two robots struggled. The pop-fizzle of an EMP grenade echoed, making Rainbow Dash look out across the gallery. Near the source of the EMP was a defense robot now standing instead of hovering.  Its bladed wings hung limply, leaving it an easy target for a forest green thestral stallion to launch lightning bolt and bolt into it.  Sky Stinger, damn it all! That bot’ll be nothing more than a toaster soon. Vapor Trail was having less luck with her assailant.  She dodged its attacks easily enough, but she had no chance to counter it.  What happened to that shooter? Rainbow gazed around, both close and far, but she couldn’t see either of the other thestrals receiving any fire support.  Fear gripped her as the obvious stood out. They were distractions. Rainbow Dash jumped backwards, causing the shooter to snap off a shot from her left.  The bullet hit her chest at an angle that made it pierce in through her left side and out the right in a shallow groove. Pumping adrenaline made her only partially aware she had been hit at all. Now knowing the direction of her opponent, Rainbow used both hooves to weave a hasty sigil.  “Try this!” Covering her eyes with a foreleg at the last second, a blinding strobe light rewarded Rainbow with a pained curse shouted at her. All of Rainbow Dash’s experience and Winter’s training told her to fall back and get a better position to launch spells in support of the robots.  However, when she saw the shooter’s face, her terror was burned aside by the fury of a scorned mare. “Flintlock?!” The blinded stallion had been waving his pistol defensively, but Rainbow’s outburst gave him something to aim at.  His second shots went wide, but they were enough to force Rainbow back. Playing it safe, Rainbow got behind a crate right next to the basin.  It looked sturdy enough to absorb pistol fire. Gritting her teeth to the point her gums started to hurt, Rainbow weaved as much magic into her sigil as possible before heaving a fireball right at Flintlock.  But her heavy spellwork bought him enough time to recover enough of his vision to jumped out of the way. That was when Rarity popped out from around a rack of molding suits, her horn glowing with spells of her own.  The decker didn’t know much magic, but even she could use the basics. Rarity fired off a kinetic bolt that went wide and ended up ramming Flintlock’s gun arm.  The impact broke his pistol off its mounting and sent it clattering away. Flintlock shouted a wordless curse and sprinted sideways to put the basin between him and Rarity.  The unicorn fired off a second bolt, only to be struck by lightning. The mare spasmed and stumbled, yet remained standing. “Diamond!”  Rainbow’s eyes traced the lightning’s path back towards Sky Stinger who had taken to the air for a better vantage point. She tried to form a spell sigil, but Flintlock appeared out from behind cover with a second pistol attached to his other foreleg. He snapped another shot off, nicking Rainbow in the right foreleg before charging straight at her instead of bothering to reload. Rainbow allowed her body to twist out of the bullet’s path, and faked a yelp of pain.  Banking on Flintlock underestimating her, Rainbow waited until he was right on top of her before bucking at him.  He flapped to the side, but she managed to graze his gunleg and break the clasp keeping it locked in place. The pistol went flying free, and Rainbow tried to buck him again, but Flintlock weaved to the right and grabbed one of Rainbow’s back legs.  He swung her bodily into a collection of covered paintings, smashing most of the frames. Rainbow Dash pulled herself out of the ruined paintings in time to see Rarity’s magic wrestle a pair of magazines off Flintlock’s belt, and slotted one in the stolen pistol.  If Rarity tries to fire a gun without a crystal...! She has to know about recoil feedback! Flintlock was baffled at the unicorn’s actions, and held back to stay out of Sky Stinger’s line of fire.  The wrenching groan of snapping steel heralded Vapor Trail pulling her knife out of her robot’s face, which crumbled at her hooves.  Yet before Sky Stinger could wind up another lightning bolt, the fluorescent lights started to hum with a massive buildup in electricity and turned an angry red.   The Nightborne seemed to know what it meant more than the two shadowrunners, and Sky Stinger hurriedly tried to dive back to the ground.  The lights exploded in red light that washed over every pony there. Rainbow Dash felt the magic in her wings be washed away by a riptide of force.  It knocked Sky Stinger out of the air and he crashed into a statue. “Sky Sweeper activated,” said the emotionless, artificial voice.  Even as it spoke, three defaced statues of ponies near the basin cracked and broke open. Enough rock dust rained on Rainbow Dash to make her choke on the air. Emerging from the rumble came more of the blade winged machines, which moved quickly on the Nightborne. “Geeze, Denim is one paranoid bastard.”  Rainbow double checked that her IFF card was still in place. The robots moved to chase after the three Nightborne, giving Rainbow Dash enough breathing room to hear a airy pop come from the basin above.  “Finally!” Rainbow’s magic was still trickling back into her wings, making her initial attempts at flying a failure.  A pop-hiss sounded behind her, and Rainbow felt her fur stick up as an EMP washed over her. Oh rut me.  She turned back to see the squad of thestrals were already making short work of the four new robots. Rainbow started flapping her wings furiously, if for no other reason than to make it easier to scramble up to the basin.  The Element of Loyalty was so close. A rumble from above, this time far more powerful than before, distracted Rainbow for a moment’s breadth. “Stop her!” Rainbow faced back and saw Vapor Trail and Flintlock barging past the robots while Sky Stinger led two of the still functioning robots away by fleeing back towards the elevator. Rarity fired a round, the gun held in her magic, but the kick was too strong and the pistol ripped itself out of her grasp.  Even so, the bullet managed to perforate Flintlock’s right ear, yet he didn’t let it distract him. Vapor Trail had lost her knife in a robot’s armor, so she tackled Rainbow with bare hooves alone.  The two mares went tumbling to the ground as Rainbow tried to kick her off. Enough of Flintlock’s magic had returned to his wings that he could fly to reach the basin and snatch the Element away. A second rumble caused hoof sized chunks of the ceiling to fall, one of which pegged Vapor Trail in the back between her wings.  The hit caused her to release her choke hold on Rainbow, who kicked Vapor off and shakily got back to her hooves. Rainbow tried to look around, noticing that Flintlock had not quite disappeared, and was busy securing the Element in a satchel.  Vapor Trail was getting back up, but was heaving ragged breaths. Rainbow wasn’t doing any better. Her chest wound was not closing with all the exertion. The blood stain on her chest had grown to the size of a football.  She was still being bolstered by her adrenaline, something her genetic engineering would keep active until she passed out or willed the adrenaline to subside. Might have been useful if they didn’t have that augment too. The scuffle had torn the fragile portions of her dress as well, making it drape in such a way that made walking difficult, yet the IFF card remained secure in the pocket hanging over her left side so far.   What do I do?  What? What?! Rainbow knew she couldn’t win, not like this, but her pride refused to allow her to even put the thought into words.   “You’re going to bleed out before long,” Vapor warned.  “Give yourself up, and I promise medical aid.” “Just so I can be sent to the electric chair?  No thanks!” Rainbow challenged. In the back of her mind, she was hoping Rarity would keep laying low.  If they take me out and got to keep the Element, they might leave her alone. “You don’t have to die,” Flintlock called out as he made a slow, open approach. “I’m sure the Princess is willing to show leniency.”   A much louder crash came from the ceiling.  Everyone looked up to see a huge crack appear before a whole section of the ceiling completely collapsed.  Everyone bolted away, weaving or jumping over anything in their way to escape being crushed. “Shazam that was an earthquake a bit too far!” yelled a loosely familiar voice. Once she was sure no more of the ceiling was going to fall on her head, Rainbow Dash looked back and saw the same guard from Clover Labs was riding on top of a rocky elemental spirit in the shape of a yak.  The shaman may have been wearing a now damaged helmet, but that unmistakable curly pink mane sticking out of a unicorn horn slot was quite prominent. Dead guards had been scattered about by the collapse while Denim was being restrained by the spirit. “Oh, you have got to be rutting me.  What’s she doing here?!” Feminine coughing from Rainbow’s right, and closer to the wall alerted Rainbow to Rarity’s presence.  The unicorn had lost her purse, but somehow had managed to salvage her phone. The screen was lit, but was badly cracked to the point that it was useless.  “As much as I enjoy a good noir mystery, I suggest we run. Our contact will just have to use other channels for this one.” “Good idea.”  It’s not like that bastard could hide the Element from Celestia.  Too bad, he deserves execution for treason. Rainbow looked back to see where the others were.  Flintlock was pinned between a slab of granite and a pair of statues. He didn’t seem to be outright injured, and had his forelegs free enough to start pushing himself out from under it.   He heard Rarity running away, and turned his head to lock eyes with Rainbow standing not so far away. It was the perfect chance for Rainbow to kill him and he  knew it. Vengeance for years of living in squalor and constant fear for her children could be had right here and now.  Rainbow’s eyes widened in anticipation of such satisfaction, she walked towards him at first, but was slowed down a bit by her ruined dress.  For a few moments, Flintlock tried harder to push himself out from under the rubble, but he wasn’t nearly making enough progress. As a seeming added bonus, the satchel holding Loyalty had been torn from his belt and was lying a scant few inches from his face. Rainbow had closed half the distance with her hooves already being empowered to crush Flintlock’s skull when a loud groan from Vapor Trail only a few meters away on the ground grabbed her attention.  A bloody rock the size of a hoof laid on the floor next to her head, and the mare was moving lethargically on her back. If she’s moving, she’s breathing; let Sky Stinger save her. She might have forgotten about her old friend then and there if she hadn’t noticed one of the security robots was still functioning.  It was walking, clearly damaged from the EMP, but its legs still worked just fine as it moved on Vapor, its bladed wings held ready. Not knowing how long it would take Sky Stinger to arrive, or if the earth mare shaman would even know to act in time, Rainbow knew Vapor’s life hung on her whim.  Years of pain made her bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she wrestled with her need to repay Flintlock, an eye for an eye. A flash of her old self, her pegasus self appeared in her mind’s eye, judging the thestral mare she now was.  The pony she would prove to be. Rut me, she growled to herself.  Rainbow used the power she had built into her forelegs to rip her dress off, and ran over so she could throw it on top of Vapor Trail.  The robot’s unblinking eyes recognized the IFF card, and instead looked up to fixate on Rainbow Dash. “Get away from her!” Sky Stinger bellowed as he limped forward from behind the encroaching robot.  Even in his injured state, Stinger was a threat. Damn it! We’ve been here too long. Flintlock’s reinforcements have got to be almost here by now.  Rainbow gave Flintlock a lingering hate filled glare. “You better hope I never see your face again.” Sky Stinger sent off a hasty lightning bolt, but his right foreleg was bent at an unnatural angle, and he missed by a wide margin.  His look of terror morphed into confusion when the robot stepped over Vapor Trail as if she wasn’t even there, and made ready to attack Rainbow.  The shadowrunner spat a curse and sprinted for the pile of climbable rubble the collapsed ceiling had provided. She hesitated upon seeing that the shaman had not yet moved from her perch on top of the stone elemental that was pinning Denim.  The odd pink pony had some noticeable muscle twitches, but was otherwise simply watching Rainbow fly out. Upon reaching the ground floor, Rainbow was briefly astonished by the sheer amount of charred wood along the walls, chunks of cake scattered about, and the number of dead, both security and a few guests.  “Wooow, sooo glad I didn’t go a round two with the pink one.” A sudden falter in Rainbow’s flying forced her to land heavily.  Confused, she looked down at herself and saw her wounds hadn’t closed yet.  “Oh drek, I’m losing too much blood.” She hastily looked around and spotted Rarity waving her over to a freshly broken window in the ballroom.  Not trusting herself to fly, Rainbow sprinted for the window, yet she stumbled weakly at the end of it. “Darling, were you shot worse than I thought?” Rainbow felt her hold on her adrenaline slipping and shored up her focus on it just so she could keep moving.  “I’ll be fine for a bit longer. I can glide down to the next plate.” Rainbow wasted no further time. “Can you—ah—can you meet me close to Palm Street and Ferrum Avenue with some meds, and maybe a blood transfusion while you’re at it?” Rarity gave her a worried look, and was about to speak on it until she heard police sirens in the distance.  There wasn’t time to argue now. Rarity used her magic to break off the dangerous shards of glass from the window and jumped through into a short backyard.  It was little more than a decorative garden that was asymmetrical with unsettling shrub art so it would amplify the effects of the stagnant chi. “Very well.  I’ll meet up with you as soon as possible. Just stay alive, Flash. I don’t need to remind you, you have little ones waiting for you.” Rainbow got through the window, seemingly easily enough and ran for the edge.  “Just make sure you stay alive too, Diamond,” Rainbow said with a smirk. “I’m counting on that first aid.”   Rarity nodded sternly.  “You’ll get it.” With rapid hooffalls coming from inside the manor, Rainbow ran for the edge of the backyard, which was guarded by nothing more than a railing, and vaulted off the side of the city plate. It took everything Rainbow had to keep her wings open and her aim on the park she had indicated. The edges of her vision were darkening, and her thoughts were getting sluggish, like her brain was full of cotton.  Keep it together, girl, Rares’ll call a medic, and—and he’ll be waiting for me when I—when I land. The cityscape below sailed past her as Rainbow started nodding off, the last vestiges of her adrenaline slipping away as her blood continued to spill.  By the time she reached the tree lined park, she collapsed in a heap next to a small lake. Her vision was nearly black, but she saw a pony land somewhat close by.  I knew Rares wouldn’t let me down. She couldn’t make out the pegasus’ face before she passed out. It was no pegasus, but Flintlock who had followed her down.  The park had a few denizens, mostly the homeless who were making it obvious the two thestrals were the least interesting ponies on the planet.  The park was in a lower middle class sector, so there was only a scant few pieces of trash or other refuse that plagued the lower levels of Canterlot.   Flintlock stood over the unconscious Rainbow Dash, her crescent moon pendant still clinging to her necklace.  Far away from prying eyes, he looked at her with hard resolve lining his face.  With Sky Stinger busy watching over Vapor Trail, he felt safe enough to test something. He pulled out the Element of Loyalty and held it close to Rainbow Dash’s still form.  The stone sphere glowed, and magic started to line its surface until he pulled it back and placed it back into the satchel where it went inert once more. He tsked, his resolve flickering under the deep pit of regret.  “Even after all this time living in filth, the Element still finds you worthy.”  His mind went back to Rainbow rescuing Vapor Trails. “I shouldn’t be surprised. Not from a pony like you.”  He fished around for a different satchel and pulled out a trio of red patches. He knelt down and pried her mouth open and stuck one patch on her tounge and the other two on the inside of her cheeks.  Even as he closed her mouth, the bullet wounds started to close. The amount of blood she lost would still keep her from rousing, however. If Loyalty stirs in your presence, then you are more precious to Equestria than you realize.  A shame I can’t call a hospital without you being arrested. Standing up to leave, Flintlock silently hoped Rainbow had picked her allies well. “Stay alive, Neophyte. You will have your vindication soon enough.” Without another word, Flintlock fled into the night, and was long gone by the time the street doctor Rarity had called arrived to rescue Rainbow Dash.