On the outskirts of Fillydelphia, barely within the city limits, there was an abandoned factory.
Like most abandoned factories, it hadn’t always been like that. It had been built, several decades ago, by a bathroom fixtures company to manufacture shower curtains. However, after the company’s eccentric owner drove his business into the ground investing in experimental technology, it’s liquidated assets were purchased by FlimFlam Co, a multinational corporation.
Since FlimFlam Co. had been far more interested in the patented prototypes they now owned than a simple fixtures factory, the building was left to fall into disrepair. The walls were covered in graffiti, most of the windows were broken and boarded up, and anything of value had been stolen years ago. In other words, it was a perfect hiding place.
In the dead of night, an unmarked grey van pulled up to the factory, parking in a hidden nook inside one of the disused loading bays. A pair of men stepped out, both of them dressed in dark clothing. One of them put his hand to his jacket pocket, wrapping his fingers around the grip of his concealed pistol, and looked around cautiously. The other rolled his eyes. “There’s no one there, Sharp.” he said, opening the back of the van.
“You can never be too careful, Blunt…” Sharp replied, peering into the darkness. “The Boss’d kill us if we were followed.”
“Nobody even knows the Boss is in this city.” Blunt said, retrieving a large case from the back of the van. He undid the latch and peeked inside briefly, before nodding and closing it again. “Come on, we don’t wanna keep him waiting.”
Sharp hesitated, then nodded, stepping over to join his partner. The two men made their way deeper into the factory, old flickering lights providing just barely enough visibility. “This place gives me the creeps.” Sharp muttered. He pulled out a handheld torch and flipped it on, the strong white light drastically increasing the illumination.
Blunt nodded. “Gives everyone the creeps. I’ve heard a bunch of rumors about this old factory. Apparently the guy who used to own it was completely bonkers, did all sorts of messed up science shit. Artificial intelligence, trying to buy moon rocks from the government, that sort of thing. People say there’s all sorts of freaky stuff locked up in here.”
“Good place for the Boss to hide, then.” Sharp said. “Nobody in their right mind would come out to a place like this.”
*THUNK*
“What was that?” Sharp spun around, shining his torch around for the source of the noise with one hand while reaching for his gun with the other.
Blunt waved his free hand dismissively. “Probably just the wind, or some old pipes.” He shook his head. “You’re way too jumpy, buddy.”
“And you’re too calm,” Sharp scoffed. Satisfied that nothing was amiss, he turned back, continuing ahead. “Did you forget the reason the Boss is hiding out in a dump like this in the first place?”
“How could I?” his partner replied. “Damned ‘hero’ brats… It’s a miracle we made it out of Canterlot in one piece.”
Continuing deeper into the abandoned building, the two reached something that was noticeably out of place. A reinforced steel door blocking an entryway, one that looked much newer than the rest of the factory. Sharp approached it, and knocked three times.
“Password?” A gruff voice asked from the other side.
“Wait three minutes.” Sharp answered.
There was silence, then the sound of multiple locks being undone. The heavy door was pulled open, and a third man, tall and extremely bulky, silently ushered Blunt and Sharp inside.
This part of the factory was completely different to the rest of the dilapidated building. Clean, plush carpets, expensive art hanging from the wall, a bar in the corner… every part of it screamed ‘hidden safehouse of a crime boss”. Probably because it was the hidden safehouse of a crime boss.
At the end of the room, with a bodyguard on either side of him, was said crime boss himself. Don Krow, a short squat man in a dark blue pinstripe suit and matching fedora with a large white beard. He looked at the two new arrivals with approval. “Sharp Tack, Blunt Edge. You’ve brought them?”
“Yes, Boss.” Blunt Edge nodded, placing the case on Don Krow’s large, mahogany desk and stepping back.
Don Krow unlatched the case and opened it, revealing the contents: Boxes and boxes of imported cigars. “Excellent.” He said, taking a single box out and inspecting it. “And you weren’t followed?”
Sharp Tack shook his head. “No, Boss.”
“Good.” Don Krow placed the box on his desk, closed the case, and snapped his fingers. One of his bodyguards took the case from the desk and carried it to a cupboard in the corner of the room. “Until we get set up properly in this city, my location must be kept in the utmost secrecy, capiche?”
“Of course, Boss.” Sharp replied.
Don Krow sighed. “Nearly ten years of operation in Canterlot, and it all comes tumbling down in three months.” He pulled a cigar from the box and examined it closely. “All thanks to those ‘Elements of Harmony’.” He scoffed, rolling the cigar between his index finger and thumb. “Damn superheroes. Why can’t they mind their own business and stick to fighting monsters and freaks?”
Satisfied with the quality, Don Krow placed his cigar on a cigar cutter on his desk and sliced off the tip, before placing it in his mouth. The other bodyguard leaned forward, with a matchbox in his hand, striking a match alight and lighting the cigar’s end.
“Still,” Pulling the cigar from his lips and slowly exhaling the smoke, he gave a slight grin. “Maybe it’s not so bad. New city, new opportunities, eh?”
“And no ‘heroes’ to get in the way..” Blunt pointed out.
Don Krow shook his head. “Not quite. Heard some rumors about a couple of girls running around, some kinda stage magician and her muscle. You boys better keep your eyes peeled, I don’t want them making any trouble,” He shrugged. “But they’re amateurs, apparently. They shouldn’t be too hard to handle.”
“Excuse me?” An indignant voice from the back of the room exclaimed. A burst of blue smoke flared up, and Trixie emerged from it, one hand on her hip and Starlight’s book floating at her side. “I think you’ll find the Great and Powerful Trixie to be more than a match for you!”
Maud walked out of the smoke next to Trixie without any florushes, arms by her side. “What she said.”
“What?” Don Krow stood up and stepped back, dropping his cigar. “How did you–” He glared at Sharp. “Idiots! You said you weren’t followed!”
“W-we weren’t!” Sharp stammered. “I– how the hell did you get past me?”
“A magician never reveals her secrets!” Trixie declared dramatically with a flourish of her cape.
“Don Krow, leader of the notorious Krow Gang,” Maud said emotionlessly, as usual. “Your criminal ways have come to an end. Surrender, or we will subdue you, by force.”
“What she said!” Trixie added with a smirk.
“Grr… I don’t think so.” Don Krow growled. “You’re outnumbered,” He reached into his suit pocket, pulling out an oversized magnum. “And outgunned. Boys, get em!”
At once, Sharp, Blunt, and both of his bodyguards drew their guns, pointing them at the heroic duo. In response, Starlight flew out in front of them, projecting an energy shield of turquoise magic. Don Krow fired, and the bullet was caught in the shield, floating harmlessly.
The third bodyguard, who had been guarding the door, lunged forward, attempting to grab Maud. She deftly slipped out of his grasp and twisted his arms behind his back, spinning him around and pushing him into the wall, where he slumped to the ground.
“These bullets are nothing to the Great and Powerful Trixie! Let her show you some real firepower!” Trixie flexed out her fingers, hands flickering with magic flowing from Starlight. A ball of energy began to form in her hand, slowly growing from the size of a marble to that of a baseball. “Klaatu… Barada… Trixie!” Trixie cried, throwing the orb of magic over Starlight’s shield.
It exploded in mid air with a massive burst of light, forcing all of Don Krow’s thugs to stop shooting and shield their eyes. Taking the opportunity to go on the offeresive, Starlight lowered her barrier, and Trixie fired sleep spells at the two larger bodyguards. One of the bolts missed, but the other struck true, and the large man fell backwards into a chair and collapsed.
Just before Starlight reestablished her shield, Maud darted forward, moving in front of Blunt and sweeping his leg with a kick before he could fire. He fell, firing a bullet that went wide and struck the ceiling. Sharp swiveled to point his gun at Maud, but she was quicker, wrenching his gun from his grasp and pulling him down on top of his partner.
Noting the last remaining bodyguard turn his attention to Maud, Starlight flew forward, adjusting her shield. However, while she did so, Don Krow, watching the firefight from the back of the room, saw an opportunity. He aimed his mangum carefully, and as Starlight moved the barrier of magic to project Maud, he fired.
The bullet went low, underneath Starlight’s shield, and struck Trixie in the leg. With a cry of pain, she crumpled to the floor, spell in her hand fizzling out.
“Trixie!” Starlight screamed. In a panic, she dropped her barrier, moving back to hover over Trixie’s collapsed body, projecting a dome of energy over it.
Don Krow grinned evilly, and turned to aim his gun at Maud. “You’re next.”
Maud locked eyes with him, unblinking. Her expression hadn’t changed, but somehow her gaze had. For a split second, Don Krow faltered.
It was all she needed.
In a flash, Maud was next to the remaining bodyguard, moving so fast she left a faint afterimage. She punched him in the stomach, and he went flying into the back wall, crashing through the bricks and into the room behind him.
Don Krow took a step back, but it wasn’t enough. Maud was in front of him now. He tried to fire his gun, but she was too fast, tearing it from his hand so hard she pulled his shoulder, throwing it against the wall with such force it shattered. She grabbed the Don’s beard, and pushed him against the back wall.
She glared at him. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t have to. Don Krow was frozen, fear causing him to lock up. Maud pulled his head forward slightly, preparing to slam it into the wall.
“Maud, stop!” Starlight called. “She’s okay!”
Maud froze, still gripping Don Krow’s beard, and turned to look over her shoulder. Starlight floated over Trixie, the bullet held in front of her. On the ground, Trixie looked up and smiled weakly at Maud, leg wound held tight by bands of magic.
Turning back to look at the Don, Maud instead pushed him to the ground. Smashing his desk and walking through it, Maud stopped briefly, knocking over Blunt and Sharp before they could get up and snatching Blunt’s gun from him, and stepped over them, kneeling down to check Trixie’s injury. “How is it?”
“Hurts like hell,” Trixie said, wincing. “But it’ll be fine.” She gave a low whistle of appreciation. “You really showed them, huh?”
“He hurt you.” Maud replied simply.
Starlight, focusing her magic on healing Trixie’s wound, grimaced. “Remind me to never get on your bad side…”
“Well, all things considered, that–” Trixie hissed in pain, gritting her teeth. “–went well enough. Could have done without getting shot, but...”
“I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault...” Starlight said, avatar pacing back and forth. “You could have been killed. I need to pay more attention…”
“Starlight, it’s fine.” Trixie insisted. “It’s not your fault. Trixie chooses to blame the one who actually shot her.”
After successfully subduing the Krow Gang, and tipping the police off to their location, Maud and Starlight had taken Trixie back to their shared apartment. While Trixie’s injury had been relatively minor for a gunshot wound, the bullet not hitting anything majorly important and Starlight’s healing magic taking care of the rest, the book-bound demon had still fretted constantly over it, pumping as much magic into it as possible. By this point, it was only a thin scar on her leg, albeit one that still stung.
“It’s…” Starlight’s face fell. “I could have lost you. I can’t screw up like that again. We’re lucky Maud was able to take the rest of them out.”
“She was amazing.” Trixie declared, looking over at Maud, who was sitting next to her. “I didn’t know you could even move that fast!”
“I hold back a lot.” Maud explained. “I don’t usually like to hurt people too badly. But when people I care about are in danger, I find it hard to restrain myself.”
Trixie thought about this for a moment.
“Trixie, you’re not putting yourself in danger more often to trigger Maud’s protective instincts.” Starlight chastised.
“But–”
“Trixie!”
“Fine…” Trixie grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting. “You always veto my best ideas…”