Consequences

by shallow15

Raid, Window, and Sacrifice

“I think that's everything,” Sunset said, coming down from the loft. She was carrying an overnight bag. “Ray's got a full water dish and plenty of food.”

“Is that going to be enough?” Twilight asked. “What if something happens?”

“I texted Miss Bookbinder and asked her to check on him if I'm not back by the end of the week. She said she would.”

“Right. Mom said the guest room will be made up for you by the time we get there. I really wish I had a car. I don't feel safe walking out in the open right now.”

“That makes two of us.” Sunset dropped her bag at the foot of the stairs and went to her desk. She grabbed one of the envelopes under the keyboard, produced a pen and scribbled “Do not open until 10/24” on it.

“What's that?” Twilight asked.

“Precautions,” Sunset replied. “Okay, let's get going. The sooner we get to your house the better.”

As the two girls made their way to the front door, Twilight glanced out of the large picture window at the street below. Her eyes widened and she grabbed Sunset's arm. “Wait!”

“What is it?”

Twilight pointed and Sunset felt her teeth clench at the sight of the dark sedan and two black SUVs that were pulling up in front of the building. It wasn't long before Tempest Shadow appeared from the sedan, along with what looked like four other STORM operatives. The group gathered at the car and Tempest gestured, clearly issuing orders.

Sunset wasted no time. She turned to a now terrified Twilight. “Plan B. Follow me.”

Sunset quickly snapped the deadbolt and the other locks on the apartment door shut. She dropped the overnight bag, opened it, and pulled out her shoulder bag. She checked to make sure the journal was still inside, then slung it crossways across her body.

“What do we do?” Twilight's voice was high and tight. “We can't just barricade ourselves in here!”

“We're not. Come on!”

Sunset led the way back up the stairs to the loft, Twilight rushing after her. Sunset climbed onto her bed and snapped the latch on the long narrow window above it.

“I used to use this a lot when I first moved in and was still running with Capper,” She explained. “I hope I'm not too big for it now. Let's go!”

Twilight eyed the window nervously. “I-I don't think I can fit.”

“Sure you can,” Sunset answered. “There's a fire escape just below it. Watch.”

She took the shoulder bag off and pushed it out the window. A small metallic thud came back a few seconds later, causing both girls to wince.

“Probably should have done that slower,” Sunset said, sheepishly. “Come on. You first.”

Twilight swallowed and climbed up on the bed. She gripped the windowsill and paused. “I really don't think this will work, Sunset.”

Sunset groaned. “Twilight, we don't have time for this. There's no other way out. Now, either you climb through or I'm –“

There was a knock on the door, followed closely by the sound of a very irritated Miss Bookbinder. “Sunset, it's Miss Bookbinder. Are you home? There's some... people who want a word with you. I told them to leave, but they are very insistent.”

“Shit,” Sunset whispered. She turned back to Twilight. “Out of time.”

Before Twilight could react. Sunset wrapped both arms around her friend's thighs and shoved her bodily through the window. Twilight almost let out a yelp, but quickly bit her lip and scrabbled to gdt her upper body through the frame. It took a few seconds, but through Sunset's lifting and Twilight's scrabbling, she popped through and landed on the fire escape.

“You okay?” Sunset whispered.

“Owwww, my butt.” came a quiet moan.

Loud thumping came from the door.

“Miss Shimmer, this is Tempest Shadow. I have a warrant for your arrest. If you open the door and come quietly, I can promise you this will be resolved quickly. If not, we're going to be forced to come get you.”

Sunset turned back to the window, then paused. Shit! The letters!

If the letters wound up in Agent Shadow's hands, the portal's existence would be revealed. Sunset got off the bed and moved quickly but quietly down the stairs. She grabbed the letters and shoved them in her pocket.

“All right, Miss Shimmer, you leave us with no choice. Open the door, Miss Bookbinder.”

Sunset dashed back up the stairs, right as the deadbolt snapped open. Fortunately the door was stopped by the other locks that had been installed. Sunset allowed herself a grin at the frustrated noise Tempest made.

“Break it down!” the agent's angry voice barked.

Sunset reached the loft and jumped on the bed, grabbing the windowsill and hauling herself through. She was halfway out when she suddenly lost momentum.

A few feet below her, on the fire escape, Twilight's worried face looked up. “What are you doing?! Come on!”

“I'm stuck!” Sunset hissed.

“Stuck?! How can you be stuck?! You said you do this all the time!”

“When I was about two inches shorter and wasn't having Pinkie Pie ply me with cake and other sweets every other day!”

A loud thump resounded from behind her inside the apartment. Sunset placed her hands on the side of the building. She strained her muscles, grunting with exertion, but she still didn't budge. Another thump from inside, followed by a metallic clang as one of the locks gave way.

Twilight reached up and grabbed Sunset's hands, pulling with all her might. But the angle was awkward and while Sunset did move forward a little, she felt the top of the frame digging into her butt.

Another thump, another clang, and then the sound of the door moving, before it was stopped by the chain. Sunset looked behind her, then yelped as she was suddenly enveloped in a purple aura and yanked out of the window. She heard a ripping sound, then landed hard on the fire escape next to Twilgiht.

“I'm sorry!” Twilight said. “I panicked.”

Sunset gave her a smile. “It's fine. I'm okay.”

She stood up and paused. She reached behind her, feeling under the hem of her top. “But you owe me a new pair of jeans when this is over.”

They heard the door of the apartment crash open from the window. Sunset grabbed her shoulder bag with one hand, and Twilight's wrist with the other. “Gotta move!”

The two girls made their way down the fire escape. Above them, they heard an angry shout, but didn't stop or look up. When they reached the bottom, Sunset kicked the access ladder latch and slid down. Twilight followed, a bit more cautiously.

“What do we do now?” Twilight asked, as Sunset led them down the alley behind the building.

“We get as far away from here as we can,” Sunset replied. “We can get through to McCarthy Avenue through these alleys. If we're lucky, we can grab a bus or maybe a taxi.”

She rounded a corner into another alley, dragging Twilight along when she missed the turn. Twilgiht straightened her glasses as she found her footing again.

“What about the other girls? They're probably in danger too! We should let them know!”

Sunset shook her head. “If I'm right, they already do. You saw the other guys up there. Agent Shadow brought friends.”

Twilight stopped short. “We can't just abandon our friends, Sunset!”

Sunset turned around. “We're not! But we can't do anything to help them if we get caught ourselves. The best thing we can do right now is find somewhere safe to hide, then find out what happened to the girls.”

“That's... that's heartless!”

Sunset put her hands on Twilight's shoulders. “Yes it is. And it sucks, but you know it's the only thing we can do right now, Twilight.”

Twilight looked at her feet and nodded. “I hate this.”

Sunset stepped forward and rested her forehead against Twlight's. “So do I. But we'll get through it. I promise.”

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!”

Both girls gasped as a black suited agent appeared in the alleyway. He held a taser gun in his hands. “You both are under arrest! Put your hands on your heads and get down on your knees!”

Twilight and Sunset both slowly turned to face the agent, raising their hands. As they did, Twlight glanced at Sunset out of the corner of her eye. Sunset's eyes widened as she saw a violet glow appear around Twilight's fingers.

“Twilight, don't!” she whispered.

“Run,” Twilight replied.

With a whirl of motion, Twilight snatched Sunset up in her telekinetic aura and hurled her upward. Sunset let out a surprised shriek as she hurtled into the air and up to the rooftop of a nearby building. Twilight let out a puff of air, then screamed as the agent fired the taser, the pins sending nearly 25000 volts through her body. Twilight collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

Sunset scrabbled to the edge of the roof and clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from letting out a yell of her own as Twilight was hit. She forced herself to slide back before the agent looked upward. She pounded her fist into her thigh to try to express the rage and grief she was feeling in place of the screaming she wanted to let out. After a few seconds she forced herself to get to her feet and began making her way across the roof, tears streaming from her eyes. She knew it was the only thing she could do. She knew Twilight had told her to run. She knew running away was the only chance she had of finding some sort of help for her and her friends.

She still hated herself for it.

Author's Note:

Yeah, I know I said I was going to post all of the next few chapters as one big thing.

Then I realized being a cliffhanging bastard would be much more fun.

Comments

[Sunset_Shimmer83]

Oh Damn

[Sollys]

damn, and I was looking forward to a huge chapter
...
Asshat

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

Okay what crime has Sunset and the girls commited? that is an illegal warrant. so can't wait for karma to strike.

[CapNTilfy]

Yikes! "Sacrifice", indeed! I had the same reaction as Sunset's just before she was catapulted telekinetically.

Also, nice Author's Note.

[keroko]

10267822
The entire organization is an illegal one that only exists because tons of money is going to the right individuals. Legality is furthest from their minds.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

10267911
they still needed a court for that.

[Spiritus Arcane]

10267950
Look up 'no knock raids" and see how often even real police get away with stuff like this.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

10267977
which does need to be addressed

[keroko]

10267981
It does, but it shows that it's far from an impossible scenario. Especially for an organization that has enough shadow backing to exist yet not exist.

[Spiritus Arcane]

10267981
Yes, but the point is if even legit law enforcement in RL does this kind of stuff, then why would a black ops organization in a fictional setting care about rule of law?

[Shadow_Wolf]

That cliffhanger! Gahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Well played 😈

[lazyreader19]

Jokes on you, Cliffhanger person! I waited for some chapters to pile up before diving in :P

.....

braces self for a cliffhanger on that chapter as well

[BlackBlackwatch]

There s something I don t understand. Why Twilight used her magic on Sunset but not on the agent's taser gun?

[shallow15]

10279770
Panic.

[Danyram1308]

Wow this is getting more and more intense, I just hope Sci-Twi is ok.

Sunset stepped forward and rested her forehead against Twlight's. “So do I. But we'll get through it. I promise.”

Like when it says you're not going to do shipping but you still make reference to it.