The doors of the Canterlot Central Bank burst open. Timber, in his werewolf form, stepped inside alongside Flash. People inside turned toward them with trepidation. Timber nodded at Flash who walked up to the nearest clerk's window and smashed it with his bat.
“Everyone, hands on your heads and on the ground!” Timber roared.
Customers casually did as they were told. Several of them began to make small talk with their hostage neighbour. Timber looked at Flash in open confusion.
“Common occurrence,” Flash answered. “They just waited to know if you were a murdery type of villain or not.”
Timber sighed, walked to the far side of the bank, and threw a large sack underneath the clerk's window to a bored employee. “Fill this with money from the deposit boxes.”
“Wouldn’t you prefer from the vault?” The clerk asked.
“No, I want cash from the box that doesn’t have built-in trackers on all of the bills.”
“Well, we can’t open the box during work hours.”
“Funny, because your name tag says you're the branch manager who would have the keys to everything in here and be able to override standard procedures.”
“... I suppose that is the case,” The clerk relented.
“Great, then you can go fill this bag with as much cash as you can from the deposit box.”
The clerk crossed their arms. “Now, see—”
Timber roared, shattering the glass window separating them. The clerk grabbed the sack, raced to the deposit boxes, and began fumbling for the right key from their pocket.
“Now you’re just showing off.” Flash leaned against the counter next to Timber. “You’re practically an expert now.”
“I learned from the best.” Timber gave a toothy grin.
“You sure—”
“That jerk is here!”
“... Dammit,” Flash grumbled.
Both of them turned toward the source of the voice to see Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie standing there. Pinkie was pointing at Flash with a shocked expression, Applejack looked bemused, and Rarity looked annoyed.
“Oh, goodness, darling,” Rarity remarked, cupping the side of her face. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to pull hero duty today.”
Applejack, who’d already ponied up, slammed her fists together. “I was. Mighty fine day for a butt walloping.”
The customers and clerks cheered.
“... What exactly are the odds of the Rainbooms just happening to come here the day we try to rob it?” Timber asked.
“Higher than you expect. Heroes have a weird knack for showing up at the right time.” Flash jerked his thumb toward the Rainbooms. “Think you can take Rarity and Pinkie by yourself?”
“Maybe?”
“Good enough. I’ll try and take down Applejack as quickly as I can. Hang in there as long as possible.”
Without waiting for a response, Flash leaped into action, racing toward Applejack and swinging his bat directly at her face. She blocked the blow with her arm, a cocky grin on her lips.
“Ready to go another round, sugarcube?” Applejack said.
“Of course, Apples. I always love our little spats,” Flash replied.
“Then I reckon we got ourselves a brawl.” Applejack threw a punch.
Flash jumped back. Applejack followed through with several consecutive punches, taking care to not overextend like their last bout. He spared a single glance toward Timber who was engaged with Pinkie and Rarity. He seemed to be holding his own.
“Don’t be lookin’ elsewhere, or you’ll regret it.” Applejack jabbed toward his side.
He blocked the blow with his bat and then swung it back into a batting stance. “I assure you, that you have my full attention, Apples.” He swung at her head.
Applejack ducked under then tackled him in the chest, slamming him against a clerk's counter and cracking the glass separation window. She rose up and pulled back for a punch.
Thinking quickly, Flash planted his feet against Applejack’s chest. He tapped a button on the inside of his wrist causing the soles of his boots to hum loudly. He compressed himself then pushed forward, activating the boosts in his boots and launching Applejack away from him.
She skidded across the floor. As she tried to get back on her feet, Flash ran forward and smashed her in the chin with an upswing from his bat. She staggered. Pressing the advantage, he slung his bat back over his shoulder and began wailing on her face with his fists.
Fully recovered, Applejack grabbed his right fist and gripped it hard. Flash heard a crack as she squeezed the material of his suit.
“You seem to be in a bit of a rush, Warden. Worried ‘bout your wolf friend?” She taunted.
“Yeah, actually,” Warden replied.
Applejack was taken aback, long enough for Flash to click another button on his wrist and cause his suit to release a burst of bright light. Applejack released him and stumbled back, blinded by the surprise attack. Flash took the opportunity and slammed an electrified glove into her stomach, releasing a powerful shock through her system.
She dropped to her knees. Flash prepared to strike the final blow but stopped as a blood-curdling scream cut through the room.
Both he and Applejack turned toward the noise to see a fearful Pinkie backed into a corner with Rarity out cold nearby, several deep red cuts on her body. Timber stood above Pinkie, gripping his head, sparks of green flashing across his eyes.
Something’s wrong, Flash thought.
“What’s got his goat?” Applejack asked.
“I don’t know,” Flash replied.
Applejack whipped her head toward him. “You don’t know?”
The green flashes abruptly stopped. Timber slowly dropped his hands to his sides as he began to emit a low guttural growl, his eyes placid. He stalked closer toward Pinkie as she plastered herself against the wall.
He looked wrong. Less like Timber and more like… a wolf stalking its prey.
“... Apples. Grab Pinkie,” Flash commanded. “I’ll stop Wereoak.”
“What?! Why would you—” Flash raced toward Timber “—Warden!”
Timber snapped open his jaw and leaped toward Pinkie’s neck. Flash jumped onto his back, hooked his bat under Timber’s jaw, and pulled back, forcing his mouth closed and away from Pinkie.
“Knock it off, Timber,” Flash whispered harshly into his ear. “You need to calm down.”
His ensnared target flailed as they tried to dislodge him. As Flash tried to keep himself anchored, he noticed Applejack manage to get Pinkie away from Timber with Rarity slung over her back.
Flash pulled the bat tighter around Timber’s neck in an attempt to choke him out, but his werewolf form proved stronger than expected. Annoyingly.
Sensing that he wasn’t gonna be able to hold on for much longer, Flash leaped off of Timber’s back and turned his electric gloves up to maximum power. As Timber turned to face him, he rammed his palm into Timber’s chest. Volts of electricity poured into Timber. He howled in pain, lucidity returning to his expression.
“I-I— What did I—?” Timber asked.
“We’re leaving,” Flash said.
“But what about—”
“Now.”
Timber flinched. “O-Okay. Exit strategy 2?”
Without preamble, Flash charged toward the nearest window, crashed through the glass, and landed in the back alley. Timber followed after him, both running away from the scene of their crime.
They were back in the log cabin in the Everfree. Flash paced back and forth before a now-human Timber who sat huddled up on a chair. He was caught in a turmoil of emotion as he thought over prior events, unsure of the exact nature of what he was feeling or how he wanted to deal with it. Eventually, he decided on the easiest.
Flash whipped toward Timber. “What happened back there?!” He shouted.
Timber flinched. “I-I don’t know, I just—”
“You don’t know?!” Flash stepped closer toward him. “How do you not know?!”
“These powers are new to me, and I don’t really get all of them. I just got worked up fighting Pinkie and Rarity then kind of blanked out for a moment. It was an accident!”
“You—” Flash growled in frustration. “Do you not realize that you almost killed Pinkie?!”
“I-Is that a bad thing?” Timber asked, confused.
“Yes!”
“But aren’t we villains?”
“Not—!” Flash forced himself to calm down. “Okay, look. There are degrees of villainy and a line that once you cross it, you can’t take it back. Killing someone is that line. Once you do that, you ruin your chances of a normal life.”
Flash slammed his hands onto the chair head on either side of Timber, glaring at him. “I’ve talked with those kinds of villains before and the thing they all have in common is that they never consider a life outside of villainy afterward because they know it would be almost impossible to return to a normal life. If this is the path you want to go down, fine. I’m not one to judge. But if you’re going to do it, make sure it's a conscious decision to do so, not while you’re blanked out.”
“O-Oh,” Timber mumbled.
“How did you get these powers?” Flash asked.
“I-I got bit by a—”
“Wolf, yeah. And then you decided to use them to make money. You’re still omitting a lot of detail to this and I’m not working with you until I know them.”
“Why?!”
“Because I don’t work with people who can’t control themselves,” Flash snarled.
Timber flinched. He looked at Flash with an expression he couldn’t read, then dropped his gaze. “I-It just happened. I was in the Everfree doing my rounds, when this weird wolf made of wood appeared. I tried to run away, but it just stalked me back to the camp, staying just out of reach.
Far enough for me to not be able to reach it, but close enough so that I knew it was close by. Just before I was clear of the trees, it jumped me.
“It pinned me underneath itself and then bit me in the chest. I hadn’t even realized how big it was until it nearly took a chunk out of my whole torso. It held on tight. It hurt so much. I was screaming from the pain and it just kept looking at me. I-I begged it to stop, but it just kept—” Timber shuddered “—I don’t know! It was a weird wolf and it did this to me and I don’t—!” He clutched his head in his hands as he released choked sobs.
Flash leaned back. Timber was sobbing, hard. Enough that he needed to gasp for air between bouts of tears. It… hurt, seeing him suffer like this.
Following his first instinct, Flash knelt down and gently stroked Timber’s head. Timber looked up, his face a mess of tears and snot. Flash continued until Timber had mostly calmed down to a few errant sniffles.
“Let’s go to the amusement park tomorrow,” Flash suggested.
“... What?” Timber asked.
“We’ll have a civilian day. Meet up without the suits and just relax.”
Timber sniffled. “Why would you do that?”
Because I can’t stand to see you suffering this much and I can’t explain why, Flash thought, but aloud said, “We need to lie low until the heat dies down and we might as well have fun while we wait.”
“... Right.” Timber turned askance. “Sure, that sounds good.”
“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Flash stood up. “Will you be okay on your own?”
“... Yeah.” As Flash turned to leave, Timber grabbed the edge of his suit. “Wait, Warden. Can I ask you for a favour?”
“Sure.”
“Can you—” Timber gulped “—make sure I don’t lose control again?”
“...Of course, Timber.”
Timber nodded and released Flash. He waited another moment to see if he wanted anything else, then left, desperately trying to bury the weird feeling that tightened his chest.