The car halted to a stop, a cloud of dust kicking up into the crisp, fall air. The trio stepped out of the convertible; rifles in one hoof, bags of money in the other. They donned black garments that snuggled close to their bodies. Octavia wore a black duster complimented by the white shirt underneath. The purple tie affixed to the collar blew gently in the wind, the tip casually stroking the side of her face. She tucked the tie back into her dark navy blue waistcoat, careful to lay it flat while doing so. A black fedora, complete with a purple stripe around the base of it, held down her straight, jet black hair. She strutted her way to the front door of the apartment complex, the cool breeze feeling good on her warm face. She dropped her weapon and the bags of money on the ground, glancing around to make sure no one had followed them. Removing a key from her suit, she opened the door and strolled on inside.
Vinyl followed behind her, putting her revolver back into its holster. She wore a purple shirt underneath her black waistcoat with a shotgun draped over one shoulder. On the other shoulder rested her two bags of money, the weight carefully distributed throughout her delicate frame. Keeping watch outside was Applejack, her colt 45 pushing up the brim of her hat. She wore a grey undershirt underneath her own black duster, the tail ends of it frayed from years of usage. Her signature cowgirl hat rested atop her matted golden hair, adorn with sweat. She continued to guard the little shack they dwelled in until all the bags were deposited inside. Seeing that no one had seen them or attempted to follow, she walked inside and shut the door behind her, deadbolts locking in place.
"I got dibs on shower."
"C'mon, you went first last time Octavia. It's my turn," declared Applejack.
"The plan went smoothly and we hauled all of the cash. It was my idea that it worked, and besides, I'M THE LEADER!" she stated boldly, slamming the bathroom door behind her.
"Why that little-"
"Don't let her get to ya Applejack. Tavi is just stressed out after a big heist. She just needs to unwind is all," replied Vinyl, removing her waistcoat.
"Unwind? She always gets things her way every time!"
"Yeah, but she's the boss. She helped us when we needed her most. She didn't need our help, we did."
"You might have, Vinyl, but I didn't."
"Is that so?" said Vinyl, her waistcoat and shirt being thrown into the makeshift hamper.
"Yeah, that's so. What are you gonna do fight about it?"
"Nah, I don't fight people that are weak minded."
"Ohoho, sister, I'll show you who's weak."
"You really wanna do this? Right here? Right now? Are you serious?"
The two of them glared at one another, each one not ready to back down. AJ snorted in disgust while Vinyl scoffed, each pony turning their heads. Vinyl flopped back onto the couch and turned on the television while AJ began to clean her pistol. Vinyl surfed through the various channels, each one less entertaining than the last. She cycled through all of the available channels before snagging a news report. She chuckled slightly at the idea that they had gotten away with another robbery.
"Today at noon, the Gun Girls struck again in Manehatten. They managed to rob the 1st Union Bank, getting away with over $30,000 in cash. They left the scene with barely any clues, but the question still remains, where will they strike next? Here, we have the detective on the case, Ms. Sparkle. Ms. Sparkle, 'Do you have a hunch about where they would be heading next?' "
"While they didn't leave much evidence, the tracks and eyewitness accounts spotted them heading west. My hunch is that they're trying to escape the eastern coast. If they struck again, their luck would surely run out. Every bank south of us has been notified in case of an attack," Twilight answered.
"And your opinion, Captain Mac?"
"There's no way those girls would be heading south. It'd be suicide."
"There you have it folks! The latest on the Gun Girls and their latest heist. Coming up, can dogs really talk? Find out next-"
Vinyl shut the television off by accident, her flank hitting the power button. She was laughing hysterically, literally falling off of the couch. She snorted in between breaths of air, AJ just looking at her weapon. AJ stared at this powerful tool, her memories of her brother flooding her thoughts. She held back the tears in her eyes, the knot in her stomach being caught in her chest. Octavia stepped out of the restroom wrapped in a towel, asking what was so funny. AJ quickly stripped and ran into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. AJ grunted under her breath to stifle her breaking heart.
"T-The news said we would be heading west! WEST! Can you believe how dumb she is?! Ahahahaha!"
"Hmmm, that may be a problem," retorted Octavia.
"Huh?! Why?" asked Vinyl, her laughing halted to a standstill.
"They are playing mind games with us. Did the news mention anything else? Clues, hints, maybe an eyewitness?"
"Well the detectives were on there."
"And?"
"Their so called hunch was that we would be heading west and not going south. More or less, a foolish decision by us as they notified all the banks south of our location."
"You've made a fatal flaw, Ms. Sparkle," said Vinyl, grinning.
"What's the flaw? We're in the clear. They won't expect it!"
"You're only half right, dear. See, they made a public appearance to challenge us. They know we'll be heading south. They know the last major bank is within a few hundred miles of us. They're preparing to capture us. And by saying it's foolish, they are daring us to rob them blindly. You see, they want us to head west and leave them alone. If we are out of their vicinity, eventually we'll run out of road and have to either double back or go into a foreign country. By forcing us to venture farther out, we will be in a new domain. And you know what that means?"
"What?"
"More bounty hunters and a higher reward for our heads. Right now the price is small, but it'll eventually ramp up. It's up to them how quickly the price adjusts. But, because no pony has gotten hurt, they can't raise it too quickly. Public demand will outcry that the far more violent types should have a higher reward, not us. In a sense, we still have the upper hoof."
"I see. So what's the plan?"
"Shower first, then we'll discuss. I don't talk with a smelly person beside me."
"But I thought you liked me when I'm dirty," Vinyl smirked.
"Keep it up and I'll have to clean you myself."
"Oh, would you clean every inch of me?"
"I'd do more than that. But first, business. Shower."
"Awwww, c'mon Tavi. Can't I just skip the damn thing?"
"Not unless you want to sleep on the couch."
"Fine," Vinyl huffed.
AJ eventually walked out of the bathroom, tossing the towel into the hamper. Vinyl bolted for the bathroom, the shower quickly turning back on. AJ walked into the kitchen to prepare dinner. Octavia joined her and began to make the tomato bisque. AJ prepared lemongrass sandwiches, lightly toasting them on the stove. By the time the two were finished, Vinyl had already walked out of the shower. Spotting that they were in the kitchen, she set the table and awaited the hot meal. The trio ate their supper, washed the dishes, and lounged on the couch. Octavia filled AJ in on what she had missed. AJ agreed that a trap might await them, but at the same time, the demand for them is too small. It was a valiant attempt to try and lure them out west. Octavia smiled, happy knowing that at least somepony understood what was occurring.
"Question though. When do we move? When do we strike?"
"Patience, AJ. If we move now, we'll be spotted. The fact that our clothes need to be washed is a matter on the table. In addition, for the next job, we need another vehicle."
"For what?"
"Distraction. We need a decoy."
"What didya have in mind?"
"We need a truck."
"Foooor?" said Vinyl.
"Well, if they do have a trap, and I expect they do, we need the extra weight to push our way through. Also, they'll be curious about the new vehicle. Then we jump to our old one and leave the joint. Upon reaching our next city, we burn it and buy a new one. That's the plan. A truck for a little comfort and then we'll be home free. Sound good?" inquired Octavia.
"And where do we obtain the truck?" countered AJ.
"That's where Vinyl and I come in handy. We shall use our feminine charm to lure that sad stallion into a false sense of security," beamed Octavia.
"So you're gonna let him buck you? Well, that's your lifestyle."
"If it comes down to it then maybe. But if he's attractive, I might let him have a little fun," Octavia snickered.
"Well whatever, what do you want me to do?"
"I want you to do the shopping."
"WHAT!?!? NOW HOLD ON!"
"AJ, we are actually about to use our bodies for business. Do you volunteer yours as substitute?"
"Well, no, but-"
"No buts, AJ. Only Vinyl's and mine are involved in this one. You just use the money for food and gas. Oh! And bullets, we'll need those. But there are a few other items I'll need you to grab while you're there. I will need 9 bottles of liquor; 6 of them to be the cheapest kind, and the other 3 to be whatever you want to drink. We'll need rags, barbed wire, and some 2X4's."
"And where do you expect me to get all these items?"
"Look around town. Walk, use your legs for more that just bucking trees and knocking ponies unconscious. I have confidence you'll find them."
"But why me?"
"We can't exactly use the car right now. We need someone strong to carry the items back. And neither Vinyl and I are versatile enough to carry them all the way back. Please, AJ, lend us your strength."
AJ grunted at this idea, but slowly nodded her head in agreement. "Any liquor I want?"
"Ohoho, the most expensive ones I believe suit you the best. Like I said, any kind of liquor you want. We start tomorrow. Understood?"
"You got it boss!" shouted Vinyl.
"And AJ?"
"Heh, I'll be sure to make you pay for each and every bottle you buy me," AJ grinned.
"I wouldn't have it any other way. For now, let's relax," sighed Octavia.