“Hi, Bun!” Somepony yelled from the crowd as a bad joke.

Bun opened her eyes in a hectic daze, the hall full of faces was endlessly familiar.

“Yes, yes, haha, Maverick.” Blood Diamond went to roll her eyes and barely bothered to get halfway before looking back to Bun. “Just introduce yourself please.”

“U-Uhh... Ummm n... N-N... How... G-Give me a second!” Bun shoved past Blood Diamond and bolted down the stage and out of the hall.

Maverick from the crowd also stood up and yelled over to Blood Diamond, “We got a code four or... Uh... Maybe it's six... Fuck it, I don't remember, just let me deal with it!” Maverick hopped over the heads of his co-workers, galloping right into Bun's hoofsteps.

“M-Maverick, what in Equestria is happening?!” Bun stormed out into the main lounge and dropped against a white-cushioned coach.

“Well... I told... Or I guess since that happens in the future, I will... Tell... You... That you come back, and you did... Does that count as an explanation?” Maverick sat beside her.

Bun growled. “Urghh... Look... Uhh... Just... Tell me... For serious... How do you deal with... The Chaos? All day... It was messing with me, my emotions and confidence... Not even talking about the reality breaking explosion I just became...”

Maverick slipped back and relaxed, “All right... I'll tell you.”

“Good! Please.” Bun collapsed beside his lap.

Mav shut his eyes and took a breath, “First step is understanding that Chaos energy is chaotic. And chaos cannot be controlled.”

“Awwww, come on!!!” Bun kicked the cushions.

Maverick held up an inquisitive hoof, “Although... Not exactly...” Maverick chuckled to his own dramatic pause as Bun was dying to listen, “There is a way to... Direct it... Chaos magic, like any other magic... Can be channeled, like... Put to a similar purpose. For example, let us say there's some chaos magic trying to... Turn orphans into chinchillas.”

“W-Why... Orphans?”

“Shut it, stop questioning chaos! Now... If more chaos magic were to be put into that spell, that chaos magic won't just do something random by itself, it'll channel with the chaos that's already happening. And once you're channeling into that spell, you can suggest it, maybe turn the orphans into chihuahuas instead.” Maverick waved his hooves around to demonstrate nothing.

“How does this have anything to do with my problem?” Bun sighed and bullied Maverick with an eyebrow lift more sarcastic than an emo pre-teen speaking with her parents.

“I'm getting to that part! If you just stopped sassing me, I would have told you already; you're wasting my, yours and the readers’ time with this nonsense, which now that I say it out loud, is basically my entire job so I commend you... Now as I was saying, if you want to channel the chaos magic... You have to become the chaos. An agent of chaos! Like the laughing guy talked about, from the movie everyone likes.” Maverick stood up and presented his message with grandeur and finesse. “If you have the spirit of chaos, then the magic inside you will stop changing you, and instead it'll just empower what you’re already doing!”

Bun was dumbfounded. “I don't get it...”

“Well... Maybe this will help! Music please!”

A jazzy backup tune came through with perfect clarity, and suddenly...

“Well... If – You – Want —
I can tell you — I can tell you the secret of me.
I can tell you — I can tell you but first you have to see.
So let me show you this dove – Poof, now it’s a shark –
Look at the heat freeze the air above – as you create a snowflake from a spark.
The sun’s in the sky, can you see? – How can you? Silly, we’re in the dark.
you can make it all happen, once chaos reigns supreme! – so let it – into – your heart!
I can show you — I can show you what it's like,
I can show you — I can show you the day at midnight!
So let me tell you, with delight –
That you just need to listen to yourself – and you'll always be right.
Don't think too much about it – just go with your gut.
Harmony is about order – Anarchy about rage – but as Chaos everything is so... "So what?"
Once you learn not to care about the details – 'stead strive for some change.
You will laugh instead of cry or growl – others will claim you're deranged.
Don't mind them – you'll be saving lives dawning the Chaos cowl – just let the world become – your – stage —
let me tell you – let me show you what chaos can do!
let me show you – let me tell you the truth!
Yes — let me tell you the truth...”

Maverick slid down to Bun from his song and dance number once more and gently spoke to her. “Because once you act like chaos... Chaos... Will act... Like... You.”

He smiled. “Chaos is the magic of change, Bun. If you wish to change the world for the better, you are the only pony that can do it... You just need to start acting like it instead of trying to live a "normal" life. Cause that's out the window in terms of possibility.”

“R-Right... I... I think I understand.” Bun introspected heavily.

“Wonderful! Cause I don't think readers will put up with another song and dance number.”

“I've... Always been afraid of crimes... Criminals... Hurting ponies... But... What good am I doing just sitting around working on irrelevant emotions software for a robot...” Bun found herself lifting up into a mighty stand, “I... I'll do it. Screw it! I'll use this body and all my chaos magic to become a crime fighting robot spy and actually make some change!”

“That's the spirit.” Maverick relaxed once more and watched, sitting back with hooves up.

“Will you train me, Maverick? I promise I won't pull my punches, or I will, I don't know and frankly don't care, I just want to fix my city.” Bun put her hoof to her heart, swearing her new objective to her soul.

“Awesome! Fuck yeah, I'll train you, let's go get started right now while the nerds have their meeting.” Maverick shot right up.

“Yeah!” They galloped to the training hall, together.

Hoof in hoof, the two concentrated on Bun's inner power. After another bout of far more enthusiastic combat training, Bun now got her first chance to see how in the absolute tartarus magic works.

“Grr...” Bun growled like a mangey dog.

“Come on, Bun, it's not a turd! You can't just push hard and it'll come out, you need intent behind it! Vision and... Like, I dunno how to say this stuff, just let it happen naturally!” Maverick rubbed her back to settle her down.

“F-Fine! Just let me concentrate!” She took a moment to release her stress and looked into herself, thinking over her intentions, wanting to change herself, make herself stronger, her magic flowing from inside and focusing up into her mind.

Then with a sparky flash and a hiss, something had changed.

“W-Woah! Did I do it?! What did I do!?” Bun excitedly looked around her body to find changes, none obvious.

“Hahahhaha!” Maverick slapped his knee, “You really are gonna have to spend a long, long time learning to control your magic.”

“W-What? What did I do?!” Bun stared down at Mav, and so did the snakes draping down the side of her head who shared her curiosity.

Bun then saw the snakes. “AHHHH! MY HAIR IS SNAKES, MY HAIR IS SNAKES!!!” She shook her head as hard as she could, the snakes hissing and struggling against her until she shook off the enchantment itself and her hair faded back into soft blond streaks.

“Oh, Bun, you’re gonna be a fun apprentice.” Maverick took a wander around the room as Bun hyperventilated her panic away.

From the door, a knocking came, a polite and perky knock, surprising Maverick how well he could tell who it was by just the banging on the door. “It's open, Hue!”

“I-I know! But I heard grunting and screaming noises, and I just don't want to walk in on you two like I did my parents that one time!” Hue squeaked from her side of the door, then she fell right through as Ace shoved open the door and walked in. “Ah!!” She screamed on her way down to the floor.

“Heh... Get up, Hue.” Ace helped the poor filly up and made room for the royal guard Pious, the big red dragon and Felix the shimmer to enter after them.

“My goodness...” Maverick shook his head. “Sometimes I question the fact that you are all secret agents.”

“Hey! My mommy owns you!” Hue pointed hard at Maverick, and then looked over to Bun. “Hello, new mare! Can we be friends?!” Hue waved so fast her leg nearly tore off from its joint.

Bun panted and wobbled up, regaining a bit of composure. “Okay... Time to do this right.” Bun took a hop to Hue and hugged her. “Of course, Hue! I'd love to be yours, and Felix's friend. My name is Bun Button, I'm a chaos robot or whatever. Oh, and you don't need to show me your mind erasing ability, I already know it's epic.”

Hue's eyes became two burning firework festivals. “Awesome, awesome, awesome!”

Bun then quickly grabbed Felix into a hug as well, Felix's head jolted up in the back, completely bewildered... But deep down, surprisingly delighted and relieved.

Hue pondered a thought, “W-Wait... How did you know I erase minds..? I don't remember telling you! Did you wipe my mind?! Or did you get me to wipe my own mind?!? Holy moly, I must trust you a lot to wipe my own mind for you!”

Bun giggled and let go of Felix. “Hehe... You’re adorable, Hue. Now...” She turned to Ace, who was cockily smirking, waiting to pull her fast confident act on the newbie.

“Hey there, partner, name's A-”

“Ace Derby, master thief, and if you’re eyeing my million bits worth robot heart it better be ‘cause you think I'm cute and not ‘cause you think I'm just gonna let you have it for nothing. Heh.” Bun hugged the fire-red Pegasus, happily having toppled the mare's ego and causing her to blush hard, even past her natural red fur, all behind the cover of her cowgirl hat which she pulled over her face.

“U-Uh... T-Tha's... Right... Good to meet ya, Bun... Welcome ta the team.” Ace softly patted Bun on the back for a moment, and let go.

Bun right up to Pious, who mentally prepared himself for Bun now that he can see she's a tricky one.

“You owe me a round two. And this time don't skimp on me, Pious. Yeah?” Bun smiled, and so did he.

“I may not understand you completely... As I don't remember a first battle... But if it's a bout you desire, then of course, my fair lady. I'll look forward to it.” Pious bowed to her.

“Good... And finally.” Bun turned her head up, and up, and up to look at the ceiling where the dragon's head lurched above her. “Put it there, bud.” Bun lifted up her hoof, and after an odd glare from him, the dragon gave her a light hoof/fist bump. Pleasantly refreshed by a pony not being afraid of him for once.

Maverick wiped away a tear. “I'm so proud. She's becoming... Cool.”

“I can hear you, you know.” Bun slid into line with the others. “Now, do you have that mission briefing for us?”

Ace shook her head, “I'm mighty sorry, but I thought we were doin' a training day for the newbie. What's up with that?”

Maverick woke up a little. “Uhh... Right, yeah no, we're skipping all that. We have proper business to attend to!”

Hue woo'd and everyone else perked up slightly.

Maverick pulled up a large bulletin board out from off-screen with pictures scattered around of some blurred, cloaked figure and a bunch of corpses on a map. “So, we got a problematic Zebra necromancer. I'm talking zombie army, demonic world ending plot, maniacal laughing after monologues, the whole shtick. Now the research center already has intel on his whereabouts and all that jazz, but since you're in training you're gonna have to get it yourselves. Though fair warning, if you’re too good at locating him, you'll end up working in research full time and I wouldn't wish that upon anyone.”

Maverick pulled a folder out of a cabinet and spilled its contents on the ground, a pile of newspapers forming. “These are your leads. They're what we start with normally, the public freaking out about some 'strange occurrences'. We look into them and sometimes, we find something we need to fix. So... Go find us a necromancer.”

The six trainees took some odd glances around at each other, only broken by Ace stepping forward to slip a newspaper under her single wing. “Haven't been on a hunt in quite the moment... This'll be some good fun.”

Pious swiftly lifted another news sheet with his blade and slid it down to his hooves. “And will we be working together or individually for this task, sir?” He gave a glance to their mentor.

“Eh... I generally recommend not being a prick, ‘cause that's my job, but if you got the balls to try work alone it's your choice. Whatever gets results.” Maverick spat out halfheartedly, now relaxing in a lounge chair.

“Noted, sir.” Pious nodded.

“W-Well... I've never had to track a pony down before...” Felix mumbled while unenthusiastically lifting up his own newspaper.

“Oh we got this, Felix! Don't you fret!” Hue hopped to his side and peered into his paper, reading through the headlines.

The lumbering dragon leaned over and picked one paper out, taking a gaze at the pictures before shrugging and dropping the sheets back down.

Bun finally lifted up her own papers with the intention of reading, though her attention was first drawn by Maverick.

“Good luck, all of you, you're free to work as you please. If you need me, just speak to yourself like a crazy pony and one of our chips will pick it up, be it the one in your skull, phone or any other one we put somewhere inside you for the funsies. Apart from that, I expect to meet you all here tomorrow at the regular time with this zebra bastard's home address. Peace.” And with that Maverick strolled on out.

Ace nudged the dragon on his hip, “Hey, big boy, wanna help me threaten some criminal scum contacts of mine?”

He didn't need to be asked twice, immediately picking up Ace by the stomach with a great smile plastered behind sharp teeth and stomping on out of the facility.

Pious took a small bow, “If any of you need assistance I will gladly help, but ‘til then, I believe I'll be setting off on my own. Farewell.” And the stallion took off as well.

Mere moments later, Hue jumped in excitement as she passed over the newspaper, “There, there, Felix! That one! That has to be the necromancer! Let’s go, let’s go!” Before Felix could stop her, he was already being dragged out of the room.

As he was pulled on out he managed a glance at Bun, “U-Uh... G-Good luck I guess!” He shouted to her, following up with a slight mumble that if it weren't for Bun's enhanced hearing, she may have not heard. “F-Friend...”

And Bun was alone again, after that social whirlwind she was kind of glad to be, but she also sorta wished she could get to know her new colleagues in a calmer, slower environment. She had grown used to working in a tame desk job after all.

Eh... No time to waste.

Bun lifted up her paper and began reading as she toiled her way out of the building, passing over stuff until she finally found something interesting.

Homeless Shelters Report Increase in Missing Ponies in Big Cities

Homeless shelters around Manehattan, Fillydelphia and other large cities have reported that homeless ponies who regularly reserved beds have been going missing at a higher rate these past few months, with over 54 homeless ponies designated officially missing in the past three months. Homeless shelters and caretakers are concerned; the homeless being a particularly vulnerable group. This recent anomaly is being correlated to crime, potentially due to recent police-lead investigations into the drug cartels and street gangs creating an upset in the criminal underworld of the city.

We sat down with a social aid worker and activist, Penny Frisk of the Roof's project on Canal Street, Manehattan, in an interview about these occurrences. They told us the following: “It's no strange occurrence for a homeless or disadvantaged pony to wander in and out of our services week to week; sometimes they find someplace else or they get caught out in a bad spot and can't make it that night, or the unfortunate happens. Although the number of ponies that we've lost contact with has nearly doubled this month, and that's really worrying. We personally finally took notice when one of our ponies, Chalk Tally, who hasn't missed a night in our beds in twelve years of struggling with homelessness and alcoholism, suddenly disappeared, very very uncharacteristically. While what's happening can simply be a statistical anomaly, it definitely highlights the issues in our city and how we need more effort and money to be put into solving them.”

• Watch the full interview on TheHoofprint.com

If you are feeling generous, please donate to the Roof's project at ARoof4All.com or to any other local homeless charity to help with the ongoing crisis.

Strange phenomena, huh..? Perhaps...

Within seconds she was connected to her phone's internet.

[Chalk Tally Pony, Canal Street, Alcohol.]

34,000 search results.

Local legend Chalk Tally breaks another drinking record at The River Dock - @TheRiverDockBar
Chirper.com/TheRiverDockBar/status/849813577770778624

Top 10 must see places on Canal Street!
Whatsbuzzing.com/articles/Top10CanalStreet

Haywire announces new wire-brand writing chalk, now alcohol free!
Haywire.com/CHALK
missing - Canal Street.

...

I think that's what I'd call a lead... And near home too.

She just managed to step into one of the facility’s many elevators, and she switched off her internet-vision to click a floor button, and she found herself hesitating. The options weren't exactly... Self explanatory, you see.

“Ponyville... Canterlot... W-What..?” She mumbled to herself. “Is...” She scanned down the list of buttons, each reading a city name, and sure enough. “Manehattan... These can't possibly... Can they..?”

She sheepishly plopped the button back into its socket and it lit up gently, and as would be expected, the elevator doors shut and she began moving upward.

A few minutes passed by like any other elevator ride, having eased Bun a little. Then a ding rang through the air as the elevator came to a halt.

The doors slid open, Bun fully expecting to still be inside Twilight's castle in ponyville, found herself walking out into a dusty old office in a completely different building. With awe, Bun strolled on out into the hallways, and immediately she recognised where she had ended up.

“Manehattan City Hall...” She mumbled under her breath, Bun could see the place burst with life, ponies sprawling back and forth with city business. Meetings were being held, papers were being transferred and ponies shuffled around the halls. Bun trotted down until she found herself exiting by the receptionist desk, right out the double doors and into the shining streets of Manehattan, when just moments ago she was in Ponyville.

“Well then... Magic elevators... Good to know...” Bun took a small sigh and shook her head, knowing it's better not to question this kinda thing, which really dug at her science-based views.

She went back online and quickly found the bar she wanted on a map and started walking. No time to waste... I suppose.

“That there is the place.” The friendly pedestrian pony pointed Bun to the bar she was after.

“Oh, thank you so much, sir!” Bun dashed over to the brick-built drinking site sitting adjacent to the wide Manehattan river. It was a homely little bar with well worn and well loved furnishings, windows and door all elegantly made of fine wood, polished and cleaned over decades. A small, wonderfully engraved sign read 'The River Dock Bar' atop the doorway.

“Finally!” Bun exclaimed to herself, pushing right in through the door.

The inside of the bar smelt thickly of fine whisky and flame-swept logs. The interior was decked with fine dark-wooded countertops and finely engraved walls holding up a wooden ceiling. Felts and silks for the cushions and pool table, mountains of liquor bottles for behind the long counter top.

A heavy contrast to the neat and old fashioned physique of the bar itself, one of the two only ponies other than Bun currently inside was the young out-of-college bartender who's bright green mane-style looked like it got thrown out of the electro-punk rave for being too blatant, yet not invocative enough. Her body was filled with rings and jewelry to an extent that standing too near a magnet might take her skin off. Though she was lost in a world of thought between two earphones, her hooves tediously cleaning glasses.

Bun trotted up to the bar, “H-Hello..? Miss?”

The pony, without sparing a glance, tapped the sign on the countertop.

Opening Hours -
Mon - Fri 2PM to 12AM
Sat - Sun 12PM to 12AM

“Right...” Bun sighed at the fact it was only six minutes to two PM and waiting six minutes was going to be painful.

“Hey there, lil' filly...” But apparently she wouldn't need to wait to speak with someone as a voice from the only other pony in the bar traveled over to Bun's ears. The voice was grimy and torn, and with a soft turn of her head, Bun could see the hunched over stallion, mane as white as death itself, with the most welcoming smile. “What brings ya to the ol' River?”

“O-Oh... Um...” Bun took a step over to him. “Just... Looking for somepony.”

“Heh heh... If it's a regular at this place... Then I'll be able to tell ya ever'thing about em.” He laughed to himself and took a sip from his short glass.

“R-Really? Oh, that would be wonderful.” Bun perked up and slid on over.

“Yup... The name's Scotch... By the way. Nice ta meet ya.” He graveled out with mindful care, lifting up his hoof for Bun to shake, which she did gladly.

“I'm Bun, nice to meet you too, sir... So, would you happen to know a certain Chalk Tally?” She sat down in his booth on the opposite end.

“Chalk! What a character that pony...” Scotch smiled and went into thinking. “Last I saw him he... He was worried about one thin' or another... That was quite the while ago.”

Bun wrote notes down inside her roboty-brain. “What was he worried about? If you know.”

“Ah... Well...” Scotch leaned a few inches closer and hushed his voice, “Ya see... He was involved in some... Unsavoury activities... If ya know what I mean...”

“Yes... I understand, sir. Would you happen to know anything about... The places he would do those activities? I'm... On an investigation of sorts.” Bun tried to speak as politely as she could.

“Well... I wouldn't know any specifics or nothin'... But I do know there's some warehouse he used to frequent... Somewhere down near Bodied Street... I dunno where exactly though, sorry, miss.” He shook his head and took another sip.

“Oh no, don't be sorry, that is amazing already, thank you so much!” Bun let him see a bright smile from her.

“You're welcome, lil' filly. Heh...”

Suddenly a squeaky voice Bun could instantly recognise rung from outside the bar, “Here, here, here this is the place!”

Hue burst right through the door, some timid stallion which Bun only could assume is Felix in disguise followed behind.

“Oh my Celestia! Hey, Bun! Awesome to see you here!” She waved over and trotted to the counter, slapping down some kinda official-looking ID or something. “I'M AN INSPECTOR! Where is the owner of this establishment!?” She gave the distressed bartender the stink-eye.

The barkeep pointed over to a door in the back with an uneasy hoof.

“Good.” She glared at the mare, walking to the door, giving Bun a quick turn wink and smile as she hopped on into the back.

“S-Sorry about her... She takes our job very seriously.” Felix's voice confirmed his identity to Bun, the bartender on the other hoof just shook her head and went back to cleaning.

Bun thanked Scotch once more and hopped over to Felix's side. “Hey there.”

“Oh... Hi... Uh, here let's take a seat while Hue works. She just needs a few minutes.” Felix pulled Bun to a side booth and sat down with her.

“So... How you holding up?” Bun gave him a heartwarming smile.

“Well... I... I think... Maybe I dunno...” He shook his head. “Just kinda nervous I guess... First mission and all... Even with all the training, I feel unprepared.”

“Don't worry... I technically haven't gotten any training. So, you’re at minimum more prepared than me... How was the training?”

Felix let out a nervous laugh, “Haha... Ah... Yeah... It was... Bad... I dunno how you got in, but I had to do this like six month long thing where we got tested over and over and a lotta ponies died; it was that intense... But... You know... That's what we signed up for.”

“Really? That sounds crazy...”

His smile turned into a nasty look of recalling memories, “Yeah... It was... I'm just glad I made it through the damn thing...”

“So... Did you get selected or did you sign up for it or something?”

“I... Signed up to it...” He looked unsure if he regretted that decision.

“Why..? Like... I'm doing this ‘cause I wanna use the power I have for some good... I hope it's good at least.”

Felix sighed in dissonance, “I guess... It's ‘cause I wanted some place to fit in...” He looked her in the eyes, “You see it's weird being a shimmer... There's only like, half a dozen of my species... Like in total... And we can't die of old age, so all the other shimmers are hundreds, some thousands of years old and stuff... And I'm... Only thirty years old. They see me as like a newborn baby basically... So, I didn't fit in with them... And I didn’t want to live a lie and pretend to be a pony... So, when I found the Shadow Service... It sounded perfect, and now I have Hue, and... You, so... That's nice... I think I'll need a while before I warm up to the others, but yeah... It's looking up.”

“Huh... Well, I'm sure the others will warm up to you too.”

“Yeah, I hope so... And thanks for just accepting the whole shimmers are changelings but good thing, cause I really don't like having to explain where my people come from... Its a long dumb story about a changeling Queen called Seta who lived four thousand years ago and harmony magic and blah blah... Hehe.” It was nice to see him smile, at least Bun thought so.

“Hehehe, you're welcome, Felix.” Bun cheered up too.

“AND TAKE THAT AS A LESSON FOR NEXT TIME, PUNK!” Hue screamed as she kicked her way out of the back room, slamming the door behind her with a swing. She then skipped over to the other two. “Hiya! I got the camera footage we needed! The owner was very nice.” She smiled.

“Uhh... Hehe... If you say so, Hue. What did you get? Footage?” Bun asked.

“Security footage! Apparently this Chalk pony that mysteriously went missing visited this bar every single day without fail. So, I can find the day he went missing with the footage! It was Felix's idea.”

“Y-Yeah... Hehe.” Felix rubbed the back of his head.

“Woah, cool idea... Here, want me to scan the footage for you?”

“You can do that?!” Hue's eyes jumped.

“Uh... I... Yeah... Sure I can. I don't see why not.”

Hue slid over a hard drive, Bun picked it up and prodded it curiously, scanning her body to try and find... clink.

A tiny socket opened up in her left temple. “Okay... Let's see...” She put the plug in and the data appeared inside her inner computer and she searched on through the hours and hours of footage. Skipping on through the days. “What does he look like?”

“Gray stallion, shaved head. Wears a big thick jacket.” Felix replied.

“Yeah... he's here...” She kept scrolling on through. “And... Aha! Got it. Missing on the tenth... So he must have been taken on the ninth or early morning on the tenth.”

“Awesome! Now we just need to find where he was on that day and track where he was taken! Woo!” Hue wagged her hips.

Bun smiled over to Scotch. “Well... I think I know the place he would have been.”

“Where?!”

“Shush, Hue!” Bun snapped at Hue as quietly as she could, pulling her down out of the window they were watching from.

It was now later in the evening, the sun barely still hanging in the sky. The three of them were posted in an abandoned scrapyard along this decades old industrial district overlooking a gloomy decrepit street. Down this street a pony walked in dark, heavy attire. Their face was hidden beneath a hood, cutie mark covered with a long dark jacket. They dragged behind them another pony; a nervous looking, grimy, unshaven stallion who stepped along after the first pony. The stallion following behind most definitely seemed worried for his life.

“Yeah... That looks like the same pony.” Bun commented in whispers, after leaving the bar earlier they found the street-cam footage of the day Chalk Tally went missing, finding that he was led in this street’s direction before disappearing to this day, just like this pony was being led this very moment.

“Let's see where he goes.” Felix added and watched along with the other two.

Poking their heads between sheets of metal scrap they witnessed the ponies trot up to a specific warehouse entrance at a side-door. The leading pony punched in a security code on a keypad which was surprisingly functional, despite its horridly decrepit state. Then they shoved the frightened stallion inside.

“Ahh! There! Come on, let's go! Felix, get ready!” Hue hopped up and pulled her friends over the street. She then tiptoed over to the side of the warehouse where Bun and herself hid next to some rank industrial sized bins that had sat there rotting for years.

Felix on the other hoof went right up to the secured door in question, his skin glowing softly as it morphed. He shrank down more than half his height and his legs all molded softly to have light blue fur and hair sprouted from his head to create a long girlish mane, when the shine stopped, Felix would be indistinguishable from a regular young filly.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

Inside the building somepony swore heavily in confusion as they stomped to the door, which made Felix even more excited to speak with this super duper one-hundred percent clearly totally angelic and kind individual.

“What the fuck is going... On..?” The hooded pony slammed open the door, their hood now down and face clear to Felix. They were a rough looking green mare with a dirty and messed up yellow mane. And it seemed that the young little filly standing at her hooves was quite the bewildering sight to her.

Felix turning it up to eleven. “M-M-M-Miss... I-I-I... I-I'm lost... A-A-And... I d-don't know how to g-get home...”

“Listen, kid, get the fuck outta here! All right? I don't wanna see you here!” The mare yelled at the tiny child.

Felix apparently was a pretty damn good actor, beginning to cry his heart out. “P-P-Please!! I'm scared! I want my mommy!!!”

“Listen, kid, shut the fuck...” The mare turned around as someone from inside the building yelled over.

“What's going on over there!?”

“Let me deal with it! It's fine!” The mare walked out and shut the door as Felix cried, trying not to draw any more attention. “Now listen! I will kick you into the fucking dirt if y-” The mare suddenly had her sentence cut off by Bun pouncing, not unlike a cheetah, towards her with a robot hoof pulled back all the way. Bun threw her punch at the mare and dented her skull with enough force to knock her out stone cold, if not worse.

“Ah... Ahh...” Bun panted softly, “I did it...” She let her eyes wander down to the pony’s body, it quickly growing still and lifeless as it bled out from the mouth, which made Bun realise something kinda important. “Oh... D-Did... I just... K-Kill somepony..?”

“Yeah, you did!” Hue applauded her, quickly taking the body and dragging it to the dumpster where she threw it into. “Don't worry, as a shadow agent, little crimes like that get waived. Hehe.”

“Um... O-Okay... I just... N-Never killed anyone before... I never thought I... Would...” Bun started to shake a little.

Hue hugged her tight, “Aw, don't worry, take a breather if you need it, but don't feel sorry for the pony you just took out. They're a kidnapper and most likely a murderer themselves; Equestria's better off without them.”

“Y-Yeah... You're right... You're right.” Bun took a breath.

Next time the two of them looked at Felix, he had already turned into the identical image of the pony they just disposed of. “Okay... I'm ready.” Voice was spot on too.

“C-Cool... We'll be ready... G-Go on in.” Bun stuttered out, still calming the heck down.

Felix nodded and pressed against the door... And found it had locked again. “Uh... Oh...” Felix eyed the keypad. “We might have to find another way in. That is... Unless either of you two caught the code.”

Hue shrugged.

Bun crossed her eyes, Focus Bun... Her gaze wandered up to the keypad. “Maybe... I can try... Hack it..?”

“You can do that?” Hue was impressed.

“I don't know what I can do... But I might as well try...” She overlooked the keypad, it was a simple zero to nine numberpad. She looked at the sides and bottom, trying to find anything she could pick her way into, but there wasn't anything. All right, Bun... Think...

“Lash! You finished out there or what?!?” A pony yelled from inside.

“A-Ahh Yeah! Give me a second!” Felix, now knowing his persona's name, replied.

“You better get back here right fucking now!”

Oh no... Ahhh... Come on, Bun... Just... Screw it! Bun felt a little surge in chaos magic pull her hoof forward, where she just pressed random buttons, hoping beyond hope that somehow that-

Unlocked.

Oh... That... Worked... She smiled a little on the inside, she just felt her magic flow, even just a spark.

“Nice, Bun! Let’s skedaddle!” Hue whispered while pulling her back, Felix stepping on through the door in his full disguise.

Bun watched their friend step past the door and leave it ever so slightly ajar, their voice growing distant as they walked into the facility.

Hue and Bun found themselves together behind the dumpsters once more.

“The plan is going so well! Eee! Hehe!” Hue celebrated, faintly trying to use whispers.

“Yeah... It is... Though I guess I didn't expect things to be this intense already...” Bun's face didn't know whether to smile out of joy for things working out or start crying from a mental breakdown right now.

“Ah, don't worry, it's only really intense the first few times; it'll start getting fun too!” Hue giggled.

“R-Really? Hue... I don't know how you stay so positive... Especially around... This... Hehe.” Bun pointed around at the trash heap they were in.

“I dunno! Or maybe I do I dunno... Hehe woops, said I dunno twice, that's a confusing sentence. Anyways... I'm just kinda used to seeing the bright side in everything... I didn't have a lotta stuff growing up, no friends either. I had a lotta makeshift stuffed animals and stuff that kept me company. My mommy had to do lots of crime and stuff before she got hired into the Shadow Service. My daddy was killed before I was born and I didn't go to school and stuff... So, I guess stuff just stopped bothering me, I grew resilient and learned to see the bright side in everything, even the worst situations. And now I do have friends and stuff, and that makes me extra happy...” Hue's eyes wandered off during her monologue, and she shook her head strongly after. “Did I get really real just there? Woops. Hehe.” She smiled.

“Yeah... You kinda did. But I don't mind. Hehe... And I sympathise a lot. I had a single mother too.” Bun broke into a soft smile.

“Hehehe... Thanks. And I'm really enjoying getting to be a spy and stuff. Helping make Equestria a better place? That's my calling.” Hue smiled with her.

“I get it... Hey... You think it's been long enough?”

“Yeah. Let’s get on in there!” Hue hopped up and Bun swiftly followed.

Hue put up her hoof and took the lead, gently peeking and keeping a keen ear and eye open as she masterfully slid on through the door and quickly found cover behind some abandoned machinery. She waved Bun over the all clear as she saw nopony in the large desolate manufacturing area.

Bun shifted over, nowhere as fast Hue, as she focused on not making a sound in reaching the cover.

“They must be deeper inside. Follow closely.” Hue whispered into Bun's ear and took to the walls, lurching down the large room towards the back where a garage door was locked into a half-up position, a small amount of artificial light shone out from the other side.

Hue peaked under it and smiled, whispering over to Bun. “Blood warning, hehe.” She then slid on under.

Bun quickly strode under the garage door, careful to spot whatever Hue was on about, the corpse of another criminal-looking stallion bleeding from his now split neck seemed about right. And it made Bun gag a little.

The body laid on the floor over Felix still in disguise, though his hoof was currently transformed into a recently used blade, shape-shifting back into a hoof as he watched Bun and Hue approach.

“Hey... I dealt with this one... And there's four more further inside and then the big boss is apparently holding the pony we saw in a truck behind attached to the loading bay.” Felix trotted up to the very back of this room, which was brimming with rotted crates and barrels of metalwork, to a door presumably leading to the loading bay. “Right through here, they're playing cards, and watching tv, and stuff.”

“Ok... Mnn... How do we plan on dealing with four of them?” Bun questioned gently.

“I was hoping we could get past them and into the massive truck, I nicked the keys to the truck the boss is in.” Felix flashed the set of keys.

Hue beamed with readiness. “Awesome! Sounds like a plan... Bun, you got any ideas for a distraction?”

“Why would you think I can make a distraction..?” Bun raised an eyebrow.

“Well... Chaos magic..? Right?” Hue giggled.

“Oh...” Bun let out a soft sigh, “Right... That's my job isn't it? Hmm... You said they were watching television?”

“Yeah, they are, well, at the very least there is a tv on in there.” Felix clarified.

“Okay, well... Time to pull something out of my ass.” She slipped a panel open in her hoof and pulled out a wire she was sure didn't do anything too important and walked up to a plug and just jammed it right in. A little chaotic jolt inside her heart was a wonderful assertion from her magic.

Suddenly the lights began to flicker in these few back rooms, and Bun panicked slightly. “Come on, sparky... We'll do something fun... Let's work together...” She pleaded with the magic churning within her.

The lights regulated slightly and Bun could feel the currents running in the walls; she was suddenly holding a lot of energy and it begged for a place to put it so it could wreak havoc.

“A-Ahh... T-There... Go...” She found the television connected in with the circuit and channeled the chaos in there, letting it go to do its thing.

As she pulled out of the socket her hoof got zapped, “Ah! Eh... I... I think that might be working.” She waved her hoof to get the static feeling out and pulled her ear near the wall, hearing faint distorted speech and ponies being very confused and hitting presumably the television.

“Hehe, whatever you did in there, they sound very preoccupied! Good job!” Hue slowly opened the door, and peeked over to see a group of four violent ponies yelling at each other and smacking the television. Even after unplugging it, the thing didn't stop the image from blaring weird-ass ads for products that don't make much sense at all really.

The loading bay room stood stacked with more containers, but also with makeshift beds, a rancid fridge and a few tables along with some lock boxes and a safe that most likely contained very illegal things and very dirty money.

But more importantly there were three plots where a truck could comfortably sit inside while being loaded. One of the lots had a worn, unbranded gray truck with a large tarp being used as a curtain door, hanging off off its backside. Inside two figures could be heard, one speaking with some sentences and statements half off as whispers from the other, whimpering pony inside the back of the truck.

Hue leaned down to Felix and told him something, and he nodded, slyly and swiftly stepping into the room and down by the side of the truck, reaching its cabin. He climbed the tiny stepladder and very gingerly hoisting his way inside.

Hue looked to Bun. “Ready?”

Bun nodded.

“Follow close.” She whispered and stepped out into the room, the noise of her hooves masked completely by the loud chatter of the disoriented gang, Bun's followed hoofprint in hoofprint with Hue's as they got to the back of the truck.

Hue took a quick peek under the tarp curtain.

“- yeah I got it, here.” At the back of the truck, behind a few long pony-sized boxes, there were several guns loosely thrown about and a full stack of the drug known as glitter. A bright pink-furred earth pony mare with a solid white mane that wore a bespoke vest and a well ironed, white shirt stood talking into a cell phone in front of a cowering stallion. Her eyes gleamed with fire and an intense lack of empathy, along with her sleazy, yet well articulated voice; it was easy to tell why she was the 'boss'.

The boss took her phone and aimed it at the stallion, taking a photo with flash. She then turned around and spoke into it once more. “You got that? Yeah... And it look good or what?”

Hue and Bun took this chance to slip into the truck and lay down behind the crates, watching and waiting for a chance to strike.

“Wonderful! They'll be with you tonight, see you there.” She ended the call and slipped the phone in her pocket.

The stallion went to plead, “P-P-Please, Jesper... I-I'll do whatever y-y-”

Without letting the poor pony finish his sentence, she pulled a silenced pistol out from beneath her vest and put a bullet into the pony’s skull, the body dropping like a stone in water, slumping down and pooling blood. “You'll do whatever I want all right.” Jesper chuckled. She then turned her head out to the exit. “Max, Trix, get in here and help me move this thing.”

Bun gasped to herself and shook softly. O-Oh... Celestia... I... I could have saved them... She stared at the victim.

Jesper waited for a response, hearing the commotion going on outside that was distracting the ponies out there from her composed voice. “Ughh... What are you idiots doing...” She began stomping to the curtain, right into the range where Hue could leap out and restrain Jesper's mouth, throat and forelegs.

Which she did. Obviously.

Hue choked Jesper’s throat and muffled her squeal, kicking her in the ribs just to wind her double time. Her blade was magically lifted up to Jesper's head and pointed directly against her throat as Hue squeezed the breath out of the pony. “Hush now... Not a word, and you get to live...”

Bun snapped herself out of it and ran to the back of the truck, bumping the steel wall between them and the driver’s seat to give Felix the go ahead.

Felix in the front kickstarted the engine, which finally got the attention of the gang outside. They screamed at the truck, asking what in Equestria was happening, only to obtain no responses. Felix hit the pedal and the truck deeply revved forward, crashing through the flimsy rusted up garage door holding it back from the outside world.

The ponies screaming outside became a distant noise as the truck pulled up onto the road and hauled Hue, Bun and Jesper away.

Hue threw Jesper onto the floor after stripping her of weapons. “There we go. Now we can chat.”

“What the fuck do you ponies want?!” Jesper screeched out.

“Glad we can can get right down to business.” Hue smiled. “Who's the necromancer you’re selling these bodies to?” Hue pressured her leg down onto Jesper’s chest to keep her pinned to the floor.

“That's what this is about?! Well tough luck, filly, you can threaten to kill me all you want, I ain't gonna tell you shit about that. I'd be a dead mare walking if I did.” Jesper grunted out at Hue.

“Is that so, huh? Well, how about you tell me your name, Jesper.”

Jesper crossed her eyes, “What are you up to?”

Hue kicked her ribs in and left her wheezing for a moment. “Say your name, Jesper.”

“Jesper! My name is Jesper, you psychopath!” she coughed out.

“Good.” Hue smiled and her horn shone in its soft blues, and her hooves traveled down and hugged the sides of Jesper’s skull. Jesper winced slightly as a magical pressure hit her mind. After a few moments Hue retracted her hooves. “Now say your name again.”

Jesper began furious, “What did you just do?! And I just said my name! I...” And ended up horrified. “I just... said... It... W-What... W-Why can't I remember my name?! What's happening?!?”

“You see, I wipe minds. Remove memories and ideas directly from your head... Shame I haven't learned how to read minds yet cause that would make this far easier, but...” Hue leaned in real close. “If you don't tell me everything about this necromancer deal, I'll wipe every single thing out of your mind until you’re nothing but an empty husk. And then you'll wish you were dead. Got it?”

“Y-Yes! Okay, please, fine! Just don't do that anymore, I'll tell you everything!” Jesper panicked and squirmed under Hue's leg.

“Awesome! Go ahead and spill it. Hehe.” Hue smirked.

“T-The necromancer lives somewhere in Appleloosa... They have a group of ponies - middlemares of sorts - that I deal with. I think the necromancer is paying them to source these bodies... The gang is called the Vipers or something like that... I was gonna bring these three corpses outta town near the savannah to hoof off to them. That's all I know!”

“Wonderful! Bun, you got all that down?” Hue looked to her friend, who was fascinated and terrified simultaneously, but nodded still.

“Neato! Now, Jesper, it's been nice knowing you, but you can't have seen me, so...” Hue reached down and her magic sparkled once more, Jesper screaming and writhing trying to get out of Hue's grip.

After a light memory wiping, Hue smacked the back of the truck and Felix parked along the sidewalk. “Bun, help me lift her up, we gotta make this look like she was driving.”

“O-Okay...” Bun stepped up to Jesper, she was completely out of it, dizzy and her mind fuzzy as it tried to resettle. Bun lifted her up with Hue and pulled her down out of the truck. With a little hassle they threw her up into the driver's seat in Felix's place.

As Felix changed back into himself, Hue took a brick lying around the abandoned street and placed it on the gas pedal and swiftly hopped off the truck.

The three of them then watched as the truck drove down the sidewalk for a few dozen meters before crashing into a light pole.

And with that, they all slipped away before anyone would arrive to investigate.

“Good work, every-creature! Hehe.” Hue congratulated them.

“T-Thanks, Hue... So... Where are we going?” Felix turned his gaze between the other two.

Bun took a deep breath, taking in the stress of the situation that just passed, breathing out and letting it all go. She was ready to take on the next step.

“Appleloosa.”