Shadowtrotter: Arbitrary Batastrophic Constellations.

by Blue Pen

Chapter 1: The Job

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Watch your back, shoot straight, conserve ammo, and never, ever, cut a deal with an alicorn.

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It was a cool night once again in New Seaddle, the gentle rain that had been falling over the last few hours having finally cleared off to let the lingering beams of Luna's grace filter down onto a city that had for the briefest moment been washed clean. Hell, even the rooftop I was currently crouched on was a bit less gloomy as I tucked my black wings more protectively over myself to keep hidden in the added light. Off in the distance the sweet siren song of the city's night life called out to me, but alas, here was where I'd been stuck for the past three hours.

I'd given up keeping my whole attention on the car park that I was supposed to be watching close to two hours ago, actually. Instead, my mind wandered a bit towards all of the flashy, colourful icons swimming around the city for those who can see into the digital realm. The visions tried to lure me away from my flesh and shuffle me completely into the Magtrix where my icon could cause so much delicious mischief. I think I had started to lick at my fangs in anticipation as a digital avatar of mine in Hackcraft was about to pounce on a tasty looking digital sheep when my vision was suddenly blurred by several pings alerting me to a wash of information. Most insistently was that of the little leader of our group of rag-tag mercenaries trying to get my attention.

I flicked over the channel just to hear his perfectly calm baritone, “Shadows, I swear if you fell asleep on me again I'm clipping those precious wings of yours and selling them to make up for the costs of this mission.” That threat always sent a shiver along my spine as I turned to give one of my black leathery appendages a nibble of reassuring protection, and then responded. Tranq was always so mean, but then he was just an Earth Pony and I didn't think he actually knew any of those crazy types that needed a bat pony's wings for whatever horrific thing you'd need them for.

“Yeah, yeah keep your bridle on Tranq, I'm awake and even doing my job I'll have you know. Magtrix seems to be clear of anypony else poking about here digitally at least and the markers I put on her commlink are starting to move towards the car park. Should be at the point we picked out in...mm...a four and a half minutes. Two guards flanking.” Ha! Like I can't be professional as all get out if I want to be. Tranquil Spirit, our fearless leader.

For my effort I only got back a grunt of acknowledgment and the direction of the conversation over the comms adjusts to the next person in our little pony merc trifecta, “That means your up Candy. Don't forget that the stipulation was that this needs to be squeaky clean...”

“Hey, excuse me, to whom do you think your talking? Just leave it to me and you'll be counting your bits and drinking those little drinks with the umbrellas, alright?”

“JUST make sure that you don't miss your opportunity chattering, Candy.”

I held in a bit of a giggle, grinning as I cast a glance over to the puff of cloud in the air I knew that Candy Cotton was bubbly chattering over our comms from. Never met a pegasus sniper who could talk your ear off so easily before, or one who was so light-hearted, yet professional. Of course she at least had Tranq to pull her back on task.

With the weather clearing off like this I couldn't imagine anything going... “Okay we're not going to jinx this like that, Shadows, come on now. Keep alert.” I softly muttered to myself and began checking over the area again visually and digitally. My team relied on my keen night vision and my Magtrix know how for these situations. Still nothing. Quiet. Too quiet? No, that's another terrible thing to think! Paranoid ponies might live longer, but I refused to let myself slip that far into being a cynic.

Eyes and ears open, good. The unicorn mare we'd been hired to remove from her employment with MARS Macrotechnology was, from what I'd found out, quite the little problem filly. Embezzling corporate secrets to the competition was quite the bold move, but that kind of corp politicking is what kept ponies like me in work. I offered a little salute with my hoof just as the last seconds tick down on the counter I'd set up for the team.

Then there was thunder and fire. A beam of light and death so glorious brilliant and terrifying to look at sailing down from that little black storm cloud that Candy had been hiding on like a strike from the Princesses of old. Even before it could impact though there was a shimmering of magic inside that car park, a transparent aqua bubble filling the air about our target and her two body guards. I could feel the shuddering impact in the air as the enchanted round from Candy's ridiculous sniper rifle slammed into the shield, my world suddenly coming alive with reports of gunfire in my local area. Our pegasister in wetwork had started a very dangerous clock that I immediate set into trying to cheat a few precious minutes back onto. What? Military grade weapon fire? Nonsense, exploding gas main, or maybe just a lightning strike near by. Nothing to get worked up over my wonderful little puppets.

While I was busy trying to earn the little scroll of 1's and 0's over a star field that adorned my flank as a cutie mark, I refocused for just a moment to see the effects of that shot. It took a few precious moments to realize exactly what was wrong. Somehow that damn aqua shield had actually managed to halt the progress of that bullet, which was still spinning angrily in vain to fulfill its destiny. Always something to hold in awe, how much magical ammunition really wants to off a pony when used. Terrifying awe of course.

"Hit it again Candy," came Tranq's calm voice over the comm and only seconds later another lance of light and death erupts from that cloud. This one glances hard into the side of that barrier. Hitting it hard enough to causes a ripple that has its desired effect. A row of parked cars were instantly torn apart and erupted into flame while at the same time the shield caves in on itself, and a very happy enchanted round gets its wish. I barely manage to turn my head to avoid seeing what happens to a pony when that happens. Seeing it once had been enough for me months back after Candy had bought that absurd firearm.

Back to work for me, grumbling and cursing Celestia under my breath. What? Another gunshot? Several automobiles calling in the same area about significant structural damage? Fire alarms adding to the noise in the area. Outside my little sudden nightmare of digital icons and message traffic things were progressing smoothly. A cheer over the comm. Tranq demanding for calm and confirmation. Confirmation received. The order to clear out being given.

Quick as a bat, I darted to where my data tap had been sunk into a nearby bit of fiber cabling. With a mental command, the link burns out and pops free, allowing me to retract a leading wire back up into the lovely little device that let me work my digital magic, my cyberdeck. Cradling the device like it was my newborn foal, I sealed it up into its protective case. I winced a bit as I set my system to reboot to clear away my digital tally of wrong doing and at the same time all my beautiful marks on the digital world, unfurl my wings and take to the air. "Now if only getting paid goes this well. Hope those cars don't get taken out of our pay..."

Author's Note:

I'm so sorry. I know that I've done a terrible thing but I wanted to be included in a contest.

(Ah, someone offered some editing tips! Thank you!)