It was later that day, and the four women were sitting in the living room, discussing revolutionary plans over chips and sodas.
“We’ll also need capital,” Twilight was pointing out. “We were able to get by with theft for my pharmaceuticals, but by now Armor will have found out about them and will be looking for any tech-related crimes. We grew up together; he knows what to look for.”
Apple Bloom gave her an incredulous look. “An’ yer just gonna buy stuff?”
“Some things, yes,” Twilight said, grabbing another small handful of cheesy puffs. “We’ll need to make new contacts among the black market. Again, Armor was with us during the war. He knows who we knew, assuming they’re even still on the street.”
“Or alive,” Rainbow Dash said, pointing with the hand that held her bottle.
“Or alive,” Twilight agreed. “The point is, we need to avoid making a pattern that as a cop he can detect or as a layman he can put together. The good news is, he’ll probably be thinking we’re assembling either something conventional or something fatal. He won’t be looking for the kind of equipment I’ll be getting. At least, not at first.”
“Which brings you back to the question of money, darling,” Rarity pointed out.
“And that is the question,” Twilight admitted. “By the time the war ended, we’d sunk to using the same tactics as the Sirens. That’s not happening again. But unless we plan to become thieves on a major scale, and continually rob the people that we’re supposed to be helping...”
“Or you could simply rob the criminals themselves,” Rarity pointed out. “Every pusher, pander, and smuggler will have whatever money they make at their profession, will they not? And whenever you find the gangs’ major bases of operation, you can simply take their treasures for yourselves when you destroy their contraband.”
Twilight considered her.
“Well, hell,” Apple Bloom said. “There it is, right in front of us.”
“So, I guess we’re just stupid?” Rainbow Dash said, amused.
“There is nothing so obfuscated as an obvious fact,” Twilight said at last, shaking her head with a grin. “Thank you, Rarity. Alright, then. On to the next order of business.”
Apple Bloom nodded, stood, and fetched a quartet of stapled sheafs of paper from a side table. She handed one to each of her friends, keeping one for herself.
“You giving a presentation?” Rainbow grinned.
“Ayep,” Apple Bloom grinned back. “An’ ya got notes, so if you get bored an’ need to read ahead or anything, it’s all there.”
“Aw, thanks!”
“Anytime, hon.”
“Wait,” Twilight started, “I really need to—”
“Well, lemme get into this first,” Apple Bloom interrupted. “Been sittin’ on this all day.”
“But...”
“Aw, c’mon, Twi.”
Looking uncomfortable, Twilight lapsed into silence, but gestured for Apple Bloom to take the floor.
“Awesome,” Apple Bloom nodded. “Anyway, talkin’ on who we’re up against, there’s three major gangs in the city, not includin' Carousel an’ the cops.
“Every major street gang dabbles in prostitution, indirectly,” Apple Bloom went on. “They lean on the pimps for protection money, usually about twenty percent of whatever they make. The gangs don’t do a whole lot of bookkeepin’, but if they figure a pimp’s holdin’ out... bad things happen to ‘em. On the other hand, anybody messes with the pimps, the gangs make an example of ‘em.”
“Well, that’s fine,” Twilight shrugged. “We’re going after the gangs anyway, so punching pimps is just a bonus.”
“And I can find some honest shelters where you can drop off their victims,” Rarity offered.
“Good,” Twilight nodded. “That’s perfect.” Then, flipping through the pages, she asked, “What are the gangs’ specialties?”
“Well, the Dragon Lords are both the weakest and the strongest gang, at the same time.”
Rainbow Dash’s eyebrows went up. “How does that work?”
“Well, they don’t have the heavy ordinance of the ‘Dogs or the numbers of the Children. But they work security for Carousel, and Carousel owns the cops. They’re run by an older fella named Torch, an’ I guess his lieutenant is a livin’ nightmare.”
“That’s Black Heart, right?” Twilight asked, frowning at her copy of the notes.
Apple Bloom nodded. “Uh-huh. I heard stories about him when I was inside, made Baba Yaga sound like Snow White.”
“Waitaminute,” Rainbow Dash broke in, flipping pages. “You’ve got their preferred weapons listed as machine pistols and...”
“An’ swords,” Apple Bloom nodded. “Yep.”
“And they’re still alive.”
“Most of ‘em, yeah.”
“With swords and bikes.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Against other gang bangers.”
“Well, I mean, sometimes they use cars too,” Bloom allowed. “An’ guns. Plus, Black Heart is a nightmare. But yeah. Mostly, they ride around an’ use swords. I guess they’re just really into the whole anime thing.”
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Fucking weebs.”
Apple Bloom chuckled. “Anyway. They mostly specialize in sex work an’ gamblin’. If you see a casino or a strip joint, odds are they own it. Plus, they run the sex shops, coupla porno studios, an’ their own porn website.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Servers?”
“Dunno, but likely in-town. But what matters most is the security gig I mentioned. Carousel employs their best as body guards an’ security staff. Exceptin’ Black Heart, of course. Which means, between them workin’ security for a major corporation an’ Carousel runnin’ the cops, they get to do pretty much whatever they want in broad daylight.”
Twilight nodded. “Okay, so... super well-connected, badass leadership, as-yet untraceable assets, and their tentacles are deeply immersed in a variety of technically legal businesses.”
“That’s about it.”
“Yeah, next, please,” Twilight sighed, turning a page. “We’ll come back to them later, when we’re better prepared.”
“Next up is the Timberwolves,” Apple Bloom continued. “They specialize in weapon smugglin’, an’ they love their heavy weapons. Not the biggest gang, but it’s hard t’argue with rocket launchers an’ M-60s. Plus, they also supply the other gangs. Their leader is Diamond Dog. Big ol’ fella. Like, Bulk Biceps big.”
Rarity’s eyebrows went up. “Indeed.”
“And he’s not just huge,” Twilight added. “He’s been a career criminal for a long time. Violent type, experienced and smart. I read his book, years ago, View Through a Diamond Eye.”
Rainbow Dash cocked her head. “Any good?”
Twilight shrugged. “It was okay for what it was. The important thing for us is the glimpse it gave me into his personality.”
“Okay, and?”
“Smart. Smarter than anyone gives him credit for. Physically powerful, maybe close to Applejack levels of strength. The thing is, he’s also got something to prove. More even than you’d expect from a gang leader. Reading between the lines, I think he’s afraid of being afraid.”
Apple Bloom gave a bemused look. “So, what, we call him chicken and challenge him to a street race? Who is he, Martin McFlea?”
Twilight shrugged. “He’s too sophisticated for something so obvious, I think. But if he’s already off balance emotionally... maybe? We’ll have to play it by ear.”
“Anything else about the gang, darling?” Rarity interjected.
“Yeah, they’re big into monster trucks,” Apple Bloom answered. “Like, huge. They rent out the stadium every year, do a special rally starrin’ Diamond Dog an’ his freakin’ tank on wheels.”
“But nothing else on rackets?” Twilight asked.
“They got protection rackets all over their territory, but nothin’ else major.”
Twilight nodded. “Okay, that’s a possibility. What about the third...” she turned the next page and her jaw dropped. “Are you... serious...?”
“Yep,” Apple Bloom affirmed. “The third gang is the Children of Trixie.”
Rainbow Dash leaned on her fist where she sat, staring at the ceiling. “Gee, I wonder who their boss is.”
“Well, don’t scoff,” Apple Bloom said. “Trixie’s either got some real magic herself, or gotten good enough at stage magic that it don’t make no nevermind. She’s got the biggest gang around, income-wise an’ numbers-wise.
“Well, less like a gang,” she amended, “and more like, I guess a cult? Anyway, folks’ll die for her, an’ that’s a fact. I met some a’her followers in prison, an’ they were about as hard as you can get.”
“Huh,” Rainbow Dash said. “How the heck did that happen?”
“Probably one step at a time, just like the rest of us,” Twilight sighed. “Areas of commerce?”
“Hard narcotics, ‘specially opiates,” Apple Bloom answered. “Plus a designer drug called Oblivion.”
Rarity frowned. “Oblivion? That sounds familiar, somehow.”
“It’s pretty much everywhere,” Apple Bloom nodded. “An’ the Children are the only suppliers.”
“What does it do, though?”
“Turns you off.”
Rarity’s frown deepened. “I’m sorry, what?”
“It turns you off,” Apple Bloom repeated. “You stop feelin’ anything. You don’t hallucinate, you don’t black out, you just... stop. No pain, no lack of pain, no hope, no hopelessness... it’s beyond numb. Had a celly, she said it was like all the best parts of being dead.”
For a while, the room was silent. Then, Rainbow Dash spoke.
”Jesus Fucking Christ,” she said softly.
Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah. It’s this black liquid, comes in li’l jars with eyedroppers, like for ear drops? You put one drop in a glass of somethin’, it dissolves instantly. Then you drink. It hits right away. An’ then you turn off.
“It don’t get less potent for regular users neither, like with other drugs,” she added. “But after a while, it gets so everythin’ about life... hurts. Every little touch, every little sound, even every emotion. An’ when you take bigger doses, it lasts longer. One gal I knew, she went up to four drops.”
“What happened to her?”
“She didn’t turn back on. Didn’t do anything. An’ after a while, she just... died.”
Again, the room was silent.
“Okay, I think we’ve got our first target,” Twilight said at last, shaking her head. “High income, the leadership is a known element, and Jesus Christ, we’ve got to get that stuff off the street.”
Apple Bloom nodded. “Sounds good. When do we start?”
Twilight reluctantly looked at her. “We don’t.”
Apple Bloom frowned in confusion. “What? Well, what’re we even talkin’ about...no,” she said, eyes widening. “No. No!”
“Apple Bloom—”
“No! No, you are not cuttin’ me outta this!” Bloom raged, throwing her notes at Twilight. “Not now, not after everythin’ I’ve done, everythin’ we’ve been through!”
Twilight started to rise, her hands spread in a placating gesture. “No, look, it’s not like that—”
“Oh, yeah? Just what is it like, then?” Apple Bloom demanded.
She stalked away, then spun around, poking an angry finger at Twilight. “It’s ‘cause I ain’t got magic, ain’t it!”
“What? No, it’s not that! I mean, okay, it’s not just that—”
“Then what else is it? You’re gettin’ rid of me now, before you find the new place...”
Then, Bloom’s eyes grew wide in realization. “You don’t trust me!”
Twilight gasped. “I... Apple Bloom, you know that isn’t true!”
And yet, within Twilight’s mind, it was as if a small voice spoke.
I could let her think that, Twilight realized. I could even encourage it. It would be easy. And if she’s hurt enough, angry enough, feels enough like she’s been used, then she’ll leave. She’ll stay away. Which means that she’ll survive, no matter what.
That’s worth it, isn’t it?
But before she could even decide, Rainbow suddenly grabbed Apple Bloom, hugging her hard.
Apple Bloom had just enough time to give a “Rainbow Dash, what...?”
“Please,” the blue woman whispered. “Please, just go. Just go, so I’ll know you’ll be safe.”
Apple Bloom hugged her back, stricken. “No!”
“Please,” Rainbow Dash begged again into her hair. “Please, Bloomers, please, just go...”
“But I can’t just leave you with this! I can’t!”
“Apple Bloom—”
“I promised!”
“I know you did. And that means everything to me. But... I love you.”
Apple Bloom froze, her eyes snapped open and wide over Rainbow Dash’s shoulder.
“I know,” Rainbow sighed, still holding her. “And it’s gonna be complicated, if it happens at all. But right now, if you died when you could’ve lived, I think... I think that might break me. I can’t do it, Bloomers. I can’t lose Rarity... and I can’t lose you.”
Almost against her will, Apple Bloom looked over to the couch, to Rarity.
There she sat, legs folded under her, beautiful as always. Eyes shining with unshed tears, like the purest sky. Staring back at her. Silently pleading.
She could’ve argued with Rainbow Dash, Apple Bloom realized sadly. And hell, when it came to Twilight, she coulda raised the god-damned roof.
But Rarity?
How could she? How could she even try?
Meanwhile, graceful as a gazelle, Rarity rose from where she sat, quietly stepping forward and hugging them both.
“We can discuss things later, my dears,” she said.
Clearing the hair away from Apple Bloom’s eyes, Rarity met her gaze, adding, “But for right now, Twilight is right. We need you to go. We all do. Please.”
Apple Bloom squeezed her eyes tightly shut, hugging both of them hard as she could. Her anger had abandoned her, leaving her nothing but hurt.
“It ain’t fair,” she managed.
“I know, my dear,” Rarity sighed. “It isn’t fair. And I am sorry. But...”
Slowly, reluctantly, Apple Bloom disentangled herself from her friends. She turned away, crossing her arms. Eyes shut, head down in defeat.
Finally, she spoke.
“Yeah, okay,” she said softly. “I’ll go.”
The airport was huge. And, after her years in prison, more than a little disorienting. After getting dropped off, Apple Bloom had felt lost more than once. Terrified that she’d somehow miss her flight, yet terrified of asking anyone for help, lest she be recognized.
But no. She’d made it here in plenty of time, exactly where she was supposed to be. Turning her back on everyone she’d sworn to help and protect, friends and family all, simply because they didn’t want her anymore.
Which wasn’t exactly true. Not really. Intellectually, she knew that. But reminding herself of that didn’t make her feel any less rejected, or any less alone.
Twilight had set up a new identity for her, with new cards and everything, in just a few hours. It was like she just couldn’t wait to be rid of her. Meanwhile, Rarity had cut Apple Bloom’s hair short, styled it up.
Now, Apple Bloom was wearing a long, black skirt and a Count Von Count T-shirt, with a leather jacket over. The black chucks were at least comfortable, and she could run and fight in them if needs be. Black lipstick made her face seem a different shade, with dark kohl around her eyes making them seem huge and intense. Her black studded choker and wristlets completed the outfit.
Not exactly a disguise so much as a seriously different look, but it seemed effective enough. Between that and Twilight running interference with the security cams and such, she seemed to be sailing right through. She’d been a little nervous when she hit security, but everything had gone fine.
From where she sat, Apple Bloom looked up at the flight schedule for about the hundredth time. The plane was running close to half an hour late. Her slight smile was bitter before it faded again. Apparently, some things were still the same, even after the war.
Eventually, she heard them call her flight over the intercom, ready for boarding. Apple Bloom sighed. Maybe Zecora would be glad to see her again, maybe not. But the Rainbooms had made it clear that she wasn’t really one of them.
Never was, I guess, she thought sadly. At least they told me to my face.
She took the violet hair bow out from her purse and considered it sadly. She’d felt so determined when she’d first put it on, back in prison. So confident. Maybe even proud. She’d had a plan, and sure enough, she’d carried it through against all odds. That bow had been her colors. It had meant loyalty. Faithfulness. Family.
Now, it was just a cheap piece of fabric. And it didn’t mean anything anymore.
A young orange man with green hair started towards her, smiling, probably about to ask her if she was okay. She flashed him her faux wedding band, and he nodded and wandered off.
She stood. For a moment, she looked back at Canterlot through the massive windows, the falling rain gently running down in rivulets along the panes.
Good luck, girls.
She considered once more the worn bit of cloth she was holding, then sighed and dropped it into the trash. Then, shouldering her backpack, she fell into line, walking slowly away from the tattered remnants of home.