Crescent rifled through her coin purse, pulling out a mouthful of silver bits. The pony who took them seemed reluctant to hand over the product at hand, but Crescent pocketed it before he could claim it back.
"Silver dragon's tongue. Check." She muttered to herself, Torch striking through a listed entry on the other side of the hive mind. "What's next?"
"Fragglewort?"
"Ignore my wonderful handwriting." She chirped.
"Frog's warts!" He replied happily.
Crescent scanned the dark market, thin slants of sewer grates and small candles the only illumination. Despite the grimy setting, she knew many of the ponies here, and all of the eateries established kept a clean kitchen and cleaner dishes. She snorted angrily as somepony shoved her, and she rounded on them, teeth bared and Wiring flashing.
The pony who had bumped her took a few quick steps back, foalish eyes staring up in fearful wonder. Crescent immediately dimmed, folding her wings and meeting the eyes of the filly's guardian. A wispy stallion with black marks over his back and face, and gleaming eyes under golden bands of Wiring.
"Redback." She nodded, ears flicking.
"Eclipse." He returned, dipping his head. "Haven't seen you in a while."
"I've been around, though. Where were you? And more importantly, who's the kid?"
"She is Spice."
"Her real name?"
"Of course not."
Crescent smiled down at her, the stifled tension between the two ponies breaking. "Hey, kiddo, I'll treat you to a 'shake at Creams'! You can bring Redback along, if he'll lift his ears long enough to order."
The stallion snorted, flicking his ears up with conscious effort. "We're in a hurry."
"You've never had a Cream's shake, have you?" Crescent grinned, prancing a circle around him. "C'mon, I'll invite the gang, it'll be like old times!"
"No." Redback repeated, sweeping his tail around his blackened flank. "I'm in a hurry."
"You said it was just you in a hurry that time. Does that mean the kid can have a treat?"
Redback glowered, but turned to face the faded cafe. "Fine. But I'm not leaving her with-"
"Me alone? I understand completely!" Crescent air-trotted away, flying just out of ground's reach. "I'm crazy!"
Redback frowned, but scooped Spice onto his back.
Spice grinned. "I like her."
-----
Pumpernickel happily downed her milkshake as Eclipse harried the poor waitress for a cup of blood. After scaring her off into the back room, the Changeling leaned back onto the bench, spreading her hooves to let her elbows hang over the edge. Spiderwick glowered at her.
"Poor filly, she'll probably get all frazzled. I wonder if she'll be back soon so I can order a soda."
"So?"
Eclipse's ears pricked, and she turned slightly to look at him. "Hm?"
"Why'd you invite us over?"
"Do I need a reason for everything?"
"Yes." Spider flicked his ears forward. "Every time you do something for me, that is."
She smiled, lopsidedly, and her eyes unfocused slightly as she tuned into the hive mind. "I'm in need of a couple spools of silver wire and a set of mana crystals. I know you've run these supplies before. Where do you get them?"
A black Changeling entered the diner, the small bell chiming over the door as he called a welcome to a passing waitress. He joined Eclipse, sliding in subtly under one of her outstretched hooves.
"Redback, I assume you've met Spark from a previous escapade?"
"Good runner." He confirmed, nodding towards the darkshell. "I may need him if you want all of those supplies at once."
"What? The great Redback in need of backup?"
He frowned, tilting his head towards the oblivious foal. "Need someone to keep an eye on the kid."
"I'm not good with foals." Spark rumbled.
Eclipse shoved his shoulder. "Like you'd know, you brute. Anyhow, I have a few packmates who'd be more than willing to watch such a nice tyke. As long as she doesn't run into the racers' path."
"She's got sense." Spider muttered. "Who've you got in mind?"
"Ah, forgot you knew my pack. Well, Nightwing's been lame lately, so she'll probably be sitting out races for a while. You know, Jewel Blackclasp's dam?"
"The Jewel that changed packs?"
"Yeah." Eclipse nodded, thinking. "She does like being with the little ones. Brightens her day."
Spider smiled gently. "What kind of payment are we talking for this kind of run?"
"Bits, and if all goes well, some firestone gems."
Spider nodded, noticing Pumpernickel running out of milkshake. "Well, I have a few pickups I need to do first. Expect your package in about a week."
"Make it two days and I'll raise your pay."
"Two days it is."
He slid out of the booth, Pumpernickel close behind him. He glanced back to make sure the darkshell wasn't following, and met Eclipse's glowing eyes.
She smiled again, but it was hollow and lined with fangs. "And if you fail, Spiderwick, do not expect mercy."
-----
Lone trotted up just in time to see the Reaver crash head-first into the wall. He looked up, seeing Nox perched on a windowsill nearby.
"What's going on?"
The Kirin grinned. "Cinnamon's got a newbie in the gear. Blind, too."
Lone winced as the Reaver stumbled and crashed again. "Cinnamon let somepony other than herself near her stuff?"
"Apparently."
"Get up, you stinking pile of horseapples!" The Reaver cursed, struggling to regain it's balance. It stilled suddenly, moving again a few moments later to fluidly stand up.
"She's going to go cool down. As Nox here knows, she's been at this for a while." Cinnamon seemed tired, and the Reaver's slouch echoed that. "Anyway, have you found anything?"
"Nothing of value. Crystal says most of the valuables were taken a long time ago, but she doesn't quite remember why they vanished."
"Where is she, anyway? I haven't actually met her yet." The Reaver looked around, checking to make sure she wasn't missing something.
Lone shrugged. "She said she had to take another swim, but she found an old cart, so she could be anywhere."
"How does a seapony use a cart?"
Lone's eyes widened and he darted into a doorway. "Like that!"
Cinnamon turned just in time to see Crystal's horrified expression and the shimmering panels of a cart before she was promptly run over. The Reaver emitted a loud snap as the cart surged over it, and Crystal managed to jump clear before the runaway vehicle exploded into shards on the wall behind.
"Is she dead?!" The seapony slid over, tail swinging wildly to attempt traction. "Please please please, don't let her be dead!"
"I'm not dead, you reckless pile of scales!" The Reaver struggled to pull itself up, but they could all see the severed wires protruding from the line between it's white plating. "For goodness sake, somebody help me up!"
Nox glided down from his perch, careful not to land on any shards. "Cinny, you might want to..." He waved a hoof towards his own shoulder.
The Reaver's head twisted around, and Cinnamon let out a string of extremely inventive curses. The Reaver turned towards Crystal - a glare was felt, but not seen - and Cinnamon sighed. "Where did you find the cart?"
-----
"I'm going out." Anastasia called back to Cinnamon.
The mare waved a wing, still hooked up to the Reaver. "Make sure you remember how to get back here."
'I will." She stepped outside, gently shutting the door behind her, and lifted her ears to take in the scenery. Her hearing was slightly muffled by the hood Cinnamon had commanded her to wear outside, accompanied by a set of boots and a long cloak. She had torn holes for her wings and ears in secret, but the rough fabric had frayed strangely and itched.
Flicking an ear, she set off down the street. It was market day, even in a ground town, and she could hear the din from where she was. The market she was heading for was not the one everypony else was, however, as she quickly darted off into an alley and shoved open a hanging door. She was used to the sudden hush that came with entering the thickly-walled factory, and she avoided most of the old equipment strewn about.
She ducked under a set of hanging pipes, and her hooves dropped down to the first step. She could feel the Entropy logo carved into the center of each plate. Cautiously, she edged down the spiraling staircase, careful to keep one wingtip on the wall and one on the hoofrail.
She was so concentrated on the steps themselves she didn't notice the other pony until they collided.
"Huh?" The other pony's hooves backed down a few steps, presumably staring up at Anastasia. "Oh, jeez, sorry! I didn't see you there! Are you okay?"
"Fine." Anastasia analyzed her as she spoke, her voice creating more than enough din to locate her.
A Changeling, Wired judging from the hum she was emanating. Female by voice, and looking horribly worried. "I've never seen you use this path before. What's your name?"
"I'm Anastasia, and I use this path all the time. The Old Lot?"
The Changeling snorted. "This is the Old Lot path? Dangit! I knew I shouldn't have let Redback give me directions! I'm Eclipse, by the way. Do you know where the Subway Tunnel is?"
Anastasia shook her head. "This is the only one I use, sorry."
"Heh, no worries." Eclipse rubbed a hoof along the back of her head, folding her fin-like mane. "Here, I guess we can go down together. Where you headed?"
"Not sure. Just needed to get out for a while." Anastasia shrugged.
"I'll treat you to a shake at Cream's, if you'd like! I'm in no rush, and last time I was there I may have accidentally on purpose scared away the waitress. You know they don't find blood a normal menu item?" She grinned and started trotting back down the stairs, leaving Anastasia to stumble after.