The Good, the Bad and the Unfriendly

The Manehattan train station could truly be considered a modern marvel. The amount of trains that went in and out of it and the amount of passengers that came through daily was nothing less than insane. The station was rightly the largest and busiest place in the entire city. The main line as well was something of a unique feature, connecting Canterlot and Manehattan was a pair of parallel rails that ran next to each other. So at any time you could have one train running from Canterlot to Manehattan and another running from Manehattan to Canterlot. However right now both set of tracks held a train at the Manehattan station that were ready to travel west to Canterlot at the same time. A large convocation was being held at the capitol and many were going to visit it.

So of course the train station right now was bustling with even more activity than normal. A lot of important people and quite a few more “lower class” travelers were all trying to get tickets and get themselves on one of these trains. Their efforts were pretty much in vain now though and made even more difficult by the fact that one person had bought the entire first passenger car of one of the trains for her personal use. The luxury front car was now going to be the personal traveling coach of a Lady Cadance and her assistant Sunburst.

The Lady Cadance was well known in Manehattan and most of Equestria as a wealthy inheritor with a rich heritage and history to her family name. The definition of old money. She was also a lender and investor in the gun manufacturing business, giving her even more money and acquainting her with the Flim Flam brothers. Two men she could now call friends. She helped them when it came to political favors and connections and they of course made sure their business benefited her immensely. Now she was hardly some selfish and corrupt miser though and in fact was one of the most charitable women in the country after the famous philanthropist Rarity. Lady Cadance simply knew money was everything. And the more she made from Flim and Flam the more she could use to build and do what she wanted.

“Hurry up, Sunburst. The train is going to be departing soon,” Cadance said to her assistant as he lugged six separate suitcases behind her.

“Y-Yes my lady. J-Just having a little trouble with your luggage,” Sunburst replied.

Cadance giggled. “You’re doing a wonderful job as always.”

Lady Cadance was dressed in a large and frilly pink dress with a crinoline under the skirt to make it even wider. Her sleeves and shoulders were puffed while the chest of the dress was open a generous amount. Around her neck she wore a golden necklace with a fiery red ruby adorned on it. A hidden whale-bone corset she wore under her dress made her already thin waist like paper and pushed up her large bosom until it threatened to pop up out of the top of her dress. She wore no hat but instead carried a lilac parasol with her in her left hand, currently resting it on her shoulder, and a red fan for covering her face in her right hand. When it came to classy beauty, Cadance outdid any other.

Sunburst on the other hand was the model beleaguered assistant. Practically a butler with the tuxedo he wore, complete with white gloves and a bowtie, his glasses threatened to fall off his nose every time he hunched over in exhaustion from carrying his lady’s luggage. He also had to contend with the crowds that were practically mobbing around them and the train. Under no circumstances was he to allow the common rabble to get near Lady Cadence. That was not only because it was his job but also because it would make him quite jealous.

Near the front of their train a few workers were waiting by the steps that directly led up into the luxury passenger car, guarding it and waiting to close it up once Cadance and Sunburst came aboard.

“Here we are, Sunburst. Our “carriage” awaits,” Cadance giggled once more from behind her fan and with her very long and thin legs took her first step up. The dress made it a little difficult for her to maneuver and squeeze past the door frame but she did eventually push herself through.

Sunburst had even more trouble than her trying to juggle all the suitcases. A few times he felt like he was about fall over and lose it all before finally just barely managing to keep his balance and get inside the train car. There he was at last able to set all the luggage down and take a breather. It was odd being in a train car that normally would seat many more people, but for this trip it would just be the two of them. The luxury car was built differently than others, only having a few higher-quality benches, with tables between them, and the front left side of the car taken up by a private bar. That bar though was currently unattended. Cadance didn’t want even the bartender around.

The other rather unusual sight in this luxury car was the large wooden crate sitting in the middle of it. Cadance was sitting in a booth right next to it as well with her parasol and fan resting on the table. Sunburst raised his eye at the crate and walked over to it and his mistress.

“Er, Lady Cadance? What’s this crate?” He asked her. Looking down at it he saw it was stamped with the logo of the Flim Flam Brothers company and there was an envelope resting upon it.

“This is a new gift from my good friends that I will be showing off at the convocation,” Cadance smiled. “Would you please hand me that envelope?”

“Of course,” Sunburst said and grabbed it for her.

Cadance took it in her dainty hand but still held it out in the air. Knowing what he needed to do now, Sunburst pulled a small case from a pocket on the inside of his tuxedo. Opening it up he took out a letter opener and quickly cut open the top of the envelope. With a pleased smile, Cadance then retrieved the letter from inside and set the now opened envelope on the table.

Another small laugh escaped her lips as she read it before folding it up and setting it aside. “Those two jokesters, they never change.”

Although he was very curious as to the contents of the letter, Sunburst knew better than to ask what it said. If Cadance wanted to share it with him she would have.

Cadance relaxed in the booth now as best she could with the overly large and elaborate dress she was wearing. She took a stretch and stared out the window at the other train across the station, the one that would be running with them once they departed. Cadance and Sunburst were on the train on the left tracks going from the station and she sat on the side of their train facing the other train instead of the other side that likely would give her a much better view of the countryside once they departed from Manehattan. Sunburst didn’t question her on this. Cadance did what she did.

“You may take a seat now, Sunburst,” Cadance absentmindedly said. “It’s going to be a long trip, you deserve some rest.”

“Thank you, my lady,” Sunburst replied and bowed. Naturally he didn’t sit in the same booth as her, instead sitting in the one across from her and on the other side of the crate from the Flim Flam brothers. More than the letter he was curious what was inside that. Considering the business he had a vague idea but why a crate that big?

Sunburst mentally shrugged and composed himself as best he could. He needed to be attentive and aware of anything Cadance might need at any moment. And like she said, this was going to be a long trip. He could rest when he wasn’t on the job.

Many compartments down in a cheaper part of the train, three criminals shared a private room. These few cars of the passenger train were not just a bunch of booths or seats but multiple little rooms instead. It was a big draw for people who would be sleeping on the train during its long trips or just wanted some privacy. The latter was the draw for these three.

An almost unnaturally tall woman sat on one side of the small room, a mean scowl on her dark skinned face. Her finger tapped impatiently on her bicep as with every passing second her mood worsened.

“When are we just going to be leaving this stupid station?” Chrysalis growled. “The faster we can get to Cadance the better.”

“It shouldn’t be much longer now, boss,” Pharynx said from across her.

Meanwhile the last of the trio just nervously gulped, right up until his brother elbowed him in the side. “R-Right! Nothing to stress out about.”

“Tch,” Chrysalis started chewing on her thumbnail.

The two brothers looked at each other nervously. This job was a big jump from their usual petty crimes and minor robberies. But they couldn’t disobey their boss. When Chrysalis learned just who it was that was going to Canterlot on this train, a dangerous idea had gotten into her head: Kidnap the wealthy Lady Cadance and ransom her back to either her family or her rich associates for a fortune. They’d take control of the train and get off at the smaller stop of Sage Brush on the way, where they already had things hidden away in preparation.

Chrysalis was tired of the small jobs, she wanted something big. And kidnapping Lady Cadance was the perfect opportunity. Once the train got out of Manehattan the three of them would spring into action and quickly make their way to where their target was staying. The way they saw it, the three of them with guns would be more than enough. It’s not like a train had guards or soldiers on it or anything. And while Chrysalis may not have been as feared or well known as some criminals she was still good with her guns. The dark-skinned woman carried two on her hips in reverse-grip fashion, both of them temporarily obscured by the long coat she wore. Her long legs as well were covered by a pair of old blue jeans and she wore a simple green shirt on her upper body.

Being very impatient, she kicked up her feet and lied down on her couch, resting her head against the windowsill.

“Do you think this is a good idea?” Thorax whispered to his brother.

For not the first time in his life he was wondering about some of the decisions he had made along the way.

“Shut up, you’re going to get us shot,” Thorax whispered back to him.

“I can hear you idiots, you know?” Chrysalis turned her head and glared at them. “Do you have any idea how small this room is?”

Both brothers immediately sat up straight and stared right ahead. “Sorry!”

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “Imbeciles. Just listen to me and we’ll be fine. Like always. This is going to be our big break, you understand? We won’t even have to commit crime anymore after collecting the ransom on Cadance. And there’s nothing at all to worry about, I bet we’re the only ones with guns on this entire train.”

“I’ve never actually shot anyone before though,” Thorax said.

“And if we do this right you won’t have to,” she shifted her legs off the couch and sat back up normally, a malevolent smile on her face. “No one’s going to know what hit them.”

“The boss is right, Thorax,” Pharynx told him. “This’ll be easy, you’ll see.”

Thorax wasn’t entirely convinced. He glanced out the window at the huge crowd of people in the station and slunk down in his seat. “I guess...”

Chrysalis was right about one thing—they were the only ones with guns on the entire train.

But not on the other train.

While there was no passenger as high-class as Cadance on the other train, a single compartment had been entirely bought up by one party just like hers. Only this compartment was full of two-dozen people all dressed wearing the same purple scarves around their neck. And sitting in the middle of them all were three young women who led them. Like Chrysalis, the Dazzlings weren’t as famous as the Shadowbolt Gang, but they were still decently well known.

And just like Chrysalis, their target was Lady Cadance. But the similarities ended there.

“So-” Adagio said as she held her silver pistol beside her head and twirled the chamber. “The one who actually puts a bullet in Lady Cadance’s head will get a bonus. Our employer is paying us an awful lot of money to kill the priss after all.”

“Yeah!” The grunts of the Dazzlings cheered, some of them drunk, most just excited before the big job.

Adagio chuckled darkly and looked to her sisters. “Of course if it just ends up being one of us who kills her… well, I’ll give you a pat on the head.”

Aria snorted and rolled her eyes. “No thank you.”

“I wouldn’t mind the pat on the head but I’d prefer something like a bottle of moonshine instead,” Sonata said with a finger on her chin as she looked up at the ceiling of the train car.

“We’ll have enough money to get all we want after Cadance is dead. This’ll be the biggest job we’ve ever pulled off, and with someone as high-profile as Cadance being killed we’re going to be the talk of Equestria. Even the Shadowbolts won’t be as feared as us anymore after today,” Adagio grinned.

“And we’re sure she doesn’t have any armed guards with her?” Aria raised an eyebrow.

“I’m positive. And even if she did there’s more than enough of us to take out any protection detail on her,” Adagio shrugged. “Once the train leaves Manehattan station all we need to do is commandeer it and get onboard Cadance’s train.”

“Er, that’s the part that has me a little worried,” Sonata spoke up, raising her hand. “Are you sure using ropes with grappling hooks and some of us just jumping over is going to work? If someone messes up...”

“The tracks get almost right next to each other once they leave the city limits, it’s not even a ten foot jump from the top of one train to the other. Some of the grunts will throw grappling hooks through the windows and use them to get on Cadance’s train while the rest jump. Easy,” Adagio explained.

“Still kind of scary,” Sonata grimaced.

Adagio rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

“Are we jumping?” Aria flatly looked at Adagio.

“Yes,” Adagio frowned at her. “It’s faster and most of the passengers will be distracted and scared by the ones coming in over the ropes. We just need to move as fast as possible when the train starts moving, someone will need to hold up the conductor, and we’ll move the rest of the passengers to the back few cars. Got it?”

“I guess,” Aria said.

Sonata though had a more contemplative look on her face. “I have a question.” She asked Adagio.

Adagio sighed in annoyance and dragged a hand down her face. “What is it, Sonata?”

“If the trains are so close together why don’t we just find which passenger car Cadance is traveling in by looking out the windows. She’s rich right so she’s probably in the luxury cars at the very front of the train. Then we all just gather everyone in the car next to hers and shoot it up. That way nobody has to jump over or do anything crazy,” she held both hands palm up and shrugged.

Aria slowly looked over at Adagio.

And Adagio herself had a somewhat blank look on her face as she considered what Sonata had suggested. She then blinked and cleared her throat. “Alright. We are changing things slightly. Sonata’s suggestion will be the new Plan A. The original plan is now Plan B. Let’s get ready for when the train leaves.”

Twin whistles blew and the locomotives began chugging along shortly after to signify that the trains were leaving Manehattan Station and were now on their way to Canterlot. In the luxury car of the left train, Sunburst pulled out a pocket watch that showed it was noon on the dot. Right on time. He and Cadance traveled in silence for the next few minutes, with his lady seemingly occupied by her own thoughts as she glanced outside her window. Sunburst just hoped it was an uneventful trip to Canterlot.

The first noise in the car was of Cadance unclasping one of her bags and pulling out a hand mirror and make up kit to make sure she looked her best. The second noise was Sunburst beginning to drum his fingers on the table in front of him.

He just couldn’t shake the foreboding feeling he had and he felt his eyes keep glancing to the large crate in the middle of the car.

Meanwhile near the back of the train…

“Alright! It’s time to get this plan moving!” Chrysalis said as she stood up, almost hitting her head on the luggage rack over her seat.

“Are you sure? Aren’t we still too close to the city?” Thorax asked.

“The sooner we get control of the train the better,” Chrysalis glowered at him. “We move through the train and anyone who tries to stop us we threaten with our guns. Then we take custody of Cadance and one of you goes to tell the conductors what’s happening. This kidnapping will go off without a cinch!”

Thorax sighed in discontent but stood up, glancing down to the nearly unused pistol on his waist. Pharynx wasn’t without his reservations either but he did a much better job of appearing without worries. He put a hand on his brother’s shoulder in reassurance.

“It’ll be fine, Thorax. At least this is a lot less dangerous than our normal bank robberies.”

“Shut your fucking mouths and put your hands in the air!” Adagio screamed to the train car full of passengers while she held her gun in hand. “This is how it’s going to go—you’re going to get up all nice and orderly and you’re all going to walk to the back of the train. Got it? Any problems and it’ a bullet in your fucking head!”

The passengers were more than happy to comply but only after the initial shouting had died down. Adagio and the rest of the Dazzlings were going through every car of the train and doing the same thing or just plain knocking out any of the workers. They didn’t want to use gunfire yet in case the rest of the train heard it—or even worse—the passengers on the other train somehow hearing. Though that didn’t seem likely what with all the noise two trains running at full speed made.

Adagio was sure to have her men pull the blinds down on all the windows they passed as well. Maybe it would look suspicious to the other train if they saw that but it was better than them seeing Adagio running through the train holding a gun.

“Everything’s going perfectly,” Adagio smiled to herself as they got ready to go to the next car.

“I’ve been peeking out the windows too but no sign of Cadance on the other train yet!” Sonata happily announced. “She’s totally at the very front, I’d bet on it!”

“And only a bigger idiot than you would take that bet,” Aria snorted.

“Yep!… hey, wait-”

“Shut up already,” Adagio glared at both of them. “Let’s just hurry up and get to the front of the train and then finish this. By tomorrow we’ll be relaxing with the most luxurious treats money can buy.”

Opposed to how the Dazzlings were operating, Chrysalis, Thorax, and Pharynx were quickly shuffling through the corridors and lanes of the various train cars as they made their way to the front. Their eyes were downcast and they didn’t look anyone in the eye. It was fairly suspicious looking but they were in and out of each car before anyone could say anything.

“What if Lady Cadance’s train car is locked?” Thorax murmured.

“Then we shoot the lock. By that time it’ll be too late for anyone to do anything,” Chrysalis said.

“What if-”

“Will you quit worrying and just do what you’re told!” Chrysalis growled.

“Yes, boss,” Thorax relented.

“She’s right, Thorax. Just forget about all those worries, you’ve always worried too much. Even if you’re not totally confident in yourself at least believe that me and the boss can handle everything,” Pharynx reassured him.

“Thanks bro… I guess I’ll try my best,” Thorax took a deep breath. He still just couldn’t help but be a little worried.

“It is likely we’ll encounter some train workers who’ll try and stop us before we enter Cadance’s car. But a pistol whip across their nose will deal with that,” Chrysalis said.

The trio exited another car and came out onto the platform connecting it to the other. Stepping over it, the trio then found themselves entering the second luxury car. It wasn’t as nice as the one Cadance had bought out but it still beat the average passenger car. Unfortunately for them this car was also occupied and one of the train workers working as a waiter for these high-priced passengers was able to instantly tell the three of them didn’t belong. With a frown on his face he came marching down the center aisle of the train car.

“Excuse me, do you three-”

He didn’t get to finish as Chrysalis swiftly kneed him in the testicles, making him collapse to his knees, and then knocked him cold with the butt of her pistol to the top of his skull. Some of the passengers screamed and scooted towards their windows to get as much distance between Chrysalis and them. One of the other workers in the car saw the gun she was holding and quickly raised his hands in surrender.

“Smart move,” Chrysalis grinned as she and her two lackeys moved through the car. “And the rest of you hoighty-toity fools can relax, we’ve got no interest in you.” As she passed the other worker she punched him hard in the stomach and then chopped the back of his neck. One more down.

“Sorry, sorry...” Thorax apologized as he walked by the passengers, rapidly bowing his head.

“She should just be right in the next car, let’s do this!” Chrysalis grinned.

And in that car, Cadance was delightfully reading a newspaper Sunburst had been a dear to earlier fetch for her. Sunburst himself was now idly looking out at the passing landscape several miles outside of Manehattan. Soon they’d be passing through hills and mountains and over rolling plains all on their way to Canterlot. He wondered how long it would take for him to get bored of all that.

“Oh, Sunburst, there’s something in here you might find interesting,” Cadance said.

“Yes, my lady?” He looked over at her with a raised eyebrow.

“You remember that old friend of yours who became a sheriff? Starlight Glimmer? Apparently she-”

Cadance couldn’t finish that sentence as the door to their car was suddenly thrown open and the criminal trio boldly stepped inside. Well, boldly on the part of Chrysalis and Pharynx. Maybe a little more apologetically on the side of Thorax.

Instantly Sunburst shot up to his feet and moved around the crate to get to Cadance’s side. “What is the meaning of this? Who are you three?” He could tell easily at a glance that they were bad news.

From behind him, Cadance peered over her newspaper in mild surprise. She didn’t seem too worried by the sight of the criminals at all.

Chrysalis grinned at the two of them. “I am Chrysalis and we’re the ones who are kidnapping Lady Cadence. Don’t try and stop us if you know what’s good for you, butler.”

“Oh my,” Cadance held a hand up to her mouth. Again seeming only mildly perturbed.

“Kidnapping?!” Sunburst’s eyebrows shot up. “There is absolutely no way I shall allow Lady Cadence to be kidnapped by some petty criminals!”

“Petty, eh? Not anymore. Not with the sort of money people would be willing to pay to have her safe and sound.” Chrysalis chuckled, licking her lips. “Either way you’re in no position to allow anything.” She pointed her gun at him and cocked the hammer back. “Get out of the way.”

Sunburst’s lip quivered but he defiantly shook his head. “No. Absolutely not.”

“Just get out of the way!” Pharynx shouted and leveled his gun at Sunburst as well. “Nobody here needs to get hurt.

Behind him Thorax was nodding vehemently.

Sunburst was about to refuse the criminals once again (and probably get shot for his troubles) when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Looking down, he saw the frowning face of Lady Cadance looking back up at him.

“It’s alright, Sunburst. I don’t want you to get hurt. I’ll go with them.” Cadance said.

“But my lady!-”

She smiled. “Don’t worry, I’ll be okay. I’m not scared.”

“That’s good, Lady Cadance. We don’t have any intention of harming you. Now get out of your seat and make your butler stay back, we’re taking control of this train,” Chrysalis grinned at the rich lady.

“Uh, boss?” Thorax said.

“Not now, Thorax,” Chrysalis replied without looking at him. “Hurry up!”

The smile didn’t leave Cadance’s face as she stood up out of her seat. “Very well. I hope you will promise at least to not hurt any other passengers?”

“No one but any train workers or conductors who get in the way will be touched,” Pharynx said.

“Guys...” Thorax said as he looked out the window of the train.

Chrysalis reached forward and grabbed Lady Cadance by the wrist, much to the chagrin of Sunburst. “Alright, it’s good you’re being so compliant. Now we’re making our way to the front of this locomotive to make sure the conductors know what’s going on. Got it?”

“Very well,” Cadance nodded.

“Boss? This is really important,” a nervous Thorax said, tapping Chrysalis’s shoulder.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and finally looked at him. “I don’t have time to entertain your inane fears, Thorax. What is it?”

“I think there’s a problem in the other train,” Thorax pointed past the window.

Chrysalis, Cadance, Sunburst, and Pharynx all looked out the window towards the other train traveling parallel to them. Inside the car directly across from them was close to two dozen other people all with guns drawn pointing at them. In the center were three girls in particular smiling and waving at Cadance. The jaws of the occupants of this train dropped. Especially once the smile on the central girl’s face with the big poofy hair turned downright savage.

“Get down!” Chrysalis yelled and grabbed Cadance, throwing them both over and behind the crate just as a barrage of bullets fired through the windows of the train.

Pharynx yanked Thorax by the collar of his coat and pulled him back to the door of the train car out of the way of the fire while Sunburst was knocked over by Chrysalis and went tumbling down with them, the two women lying on top of his smooshed body. Meanwhile it seemed well over a hundred shots had been fired into their train. The windows were shattered, the walls of the train were covered in bullet holes, and many of the couches and tables had been torn apart.

The gunfire ceased and Chrysalis took a single tentative look over the large crate they had hidden behind. Luckily the various walls, objects, and the thick wood of the crate and whatever was inside it had protected the three of them from the barrage. She saw across the tracks a disbelieving Adagio and her band.

And Chrysalis saw her chance. She grabbed Cadance and pulled her up, making the rich lady run towards the door they had come in from. “Get up! Move! Before they reload!”

“Fuck!” Adagio yelled, loud enough for even the others in the train across from them to hear. “Don’t let them move through the train, reload and shoot them!”

“L-Lady Cadance!” Sunburst cried from his spot on the ground as he saw Cadance being taken away.

“Shut up, butler! I’m here to kidnap her but those other bastards obviously want her dead. So let’s just say I’m her bodyguard right now!” Chrysalis yelled. She made it to where Thorax and Pharynx were hiding and scowled at them. “Come on, we need to keep her moving through the train.”

“But-” Sunburst protested but a wink from Cadance quieted.

“Don’t worry, Sunburst, she’s right! And besides, I need you to help out a different way.”

“What way?” He asked, perplexed and confused.

“Open up that crate,” she smiled at him.

“Huh?!”

“You’ll understand what to do after that when you see what’s inside.”

“But Lady Cadance!-”

She sent him a slightly more sultry smile this time. “If you do as I say today I’ll let you see me in just my corset.”

The blush rising to Sunburst’s face was all the answer he had.

“Oh for the love of-” Chrysalis rolled her eyes. “You realize a bunch of people just tried to shoot you, right? And they’re currently trying to shoot you again. You’re lucky I’m here or you and your butler would already be dead. I am so going to ask for a bigger reward now.”

Thorax and Pharynx opened up the door to the connector outside and made sure that no one in the other train had a fun trained on them. They leaped over to the other car and beckoned Chrysalis and Cadance to come with them.

“Hope you can jump, rich girl,” Chrysalis said to her.

Cadance raised a coy eyebrow at her. “I was expecting you to carry me?”

“Damn it! They’re getting away!” Adagio screamed.

“We heard you the first time!” Aria shouted back at her.

“Grr!” Adagio slammed her hand against the wall of the train. “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to Sonata! We’re going back to the original plan, everyone get ready to board that train!” The leader of the Dazzlings then started running back down to the other cabins, herding her lackeys along with her.

“I don’t think my plan was bad...” Sonata pouted.

Her sister slapped the back of her head. “Shut up! It doesn’t matter, we’re going over there now.” She then put her arm in front of Aria and stopped her. “Except for you. You’re going to the front of the train and making sure the conductors don’t stop it. Obviously everyone in front of this car heard those gunshots and someone is going to come here sooner or later.”

“Whatever,” Aria rolled her eyes and turned around, heading the other way.

“We are not letting that little princess get away. There’s way too much money riding on this,” Adagio’s eyes narrowed.

Once they got back to their original car, the grunts started getting their ropes and grappling hooks ready while others exited the train and used the exterior access ladders to get up onto the roof. A good old-fashioned boarding, just like in the times of piracy. Across from them, Adagio could see all the panicked people in the other train now. Either they had heard the guns or seen something too but now there were two trains full of total chaos heading down the tracks. Adagio was fine with that. That kind of thing was like music to her ears.

Whatever trouble it caused didn’t matter to her so long as it still ended with the death of Cadance. There were only so many places to hide on that train and Adagio truly didn’t care if she had to kill every other passenger first.

“We’re ready!” Sonata called, holding a length of rope in one hand while the heavy metal grappling hook at the end of it lied on the floor.

“Good,” Adagio grinned and pulled up her pistol, leveling it at the window but truly aiming for the window of the other train beyond it. “Blow out the windows on both trains first to make it easier to throw the hooks in.”

“We are so dead, aren’t we? They totally outnumber us and they’re trying to kill Lady Cadance to begin with,” Thorax negatively moaned.

“With that attitude you’re definitely going to die,” Chrysalis said. “Just have some faith in me and my orders. We’ll get out of this alive.”

“Yes, I really think we’ll all be okay,” Cadance chimed in. “Especially once Sunburst finishes with the crate.”

“You’re taking this whole situation awfully easily,” Thorax shot her a bemused look.

“And what’s in that crate anyways?” Pharynx asked.

Cadance only giggled. “Oh you’ll see.”

When they entered the next passenger car it was a mass panic as all the passengers were screaming and demanding answers from anyone who was part of the train’s staff. Unfortunately there was no one around to answer them so the passengers were pretty much turning on each other. When they tried to mob Chrysalis and the others she raised her gun and shot a bullet into the roof of the train car.

“All of you get out of our way and shut up!” She commanded. And while there was more screaming, at least the passengers got down to the ground.

“Boss? I see something bad out the window...” Thorax said as he pressed his face up against one of the large train windows to look down the train as far as he could.

“What?” She asked and went to join him. Her face dropped. “Oh.”

Down several cars of the train they could make out ropes that now attached the two trains together with numerous people shimmying across them. On top of the roof of the same car there were others jumping over on top of it and heading down into the cars.

“Well that complicates things,” Pharynx muttered. “They’re going to find us soon.”

“Grrr,” Chrysalis grit her teeth and looked around the train car before her eyes settled on a private cabin much like the one the trio of criminals had started out in.

“Okay, come here!” Chrysalis pushed them all to the cabin, opening it up and seeing a frightened couple cowering inside. “Out!” Chrysalis demanded and the two practically jumped out of the room while Chrysalis slammed the door shut behind them. “Alright, alright, now just give me some time to think.” She started biting her thumb while the other three stood in the crowded cabin, waiting for the next step in their plan to get out of this alive.

Only Cadance seemed unworried, as if she lived in some kind of fantasy land where people weren’t trying to kill her. An oblivious smile was stuck on her face constantly.

“What are we going to do, boss?” Thorax asked, dismay written clear on his face.

“I’m thinking!” She snapped at him. Her eyes then paused on him as he was standing next to Lady Cadance. They flickered back and forth as an interesting idea popped into her head. “Thorax… you and Cadance are about the same height.”

Thorax glanced aside at Cadance. “Umm… yes?”

A smile tugged up Chrysalis’s lips and a low chuckle emerged from her throat. “Oh, Thorax. You’re going to be our savior.”

“Hoooow?” He gulped, trying to take a step away from her.

“Tell me, what are your thoughts on crossdressing?”

The sides of the crate fell away from Sunburst opening it up, revealing the device inside it. At first Sunburst thought it was just a simple cannon, but as he really looked at it he realized how wrong he was. While it had the same wheels and back tail for balance as a mobile cannon, instead of a simple large single barrel, were multiple smaller barrels that looked only slightly larger than the barrels of a rifle. Except there were eight of them all connected together in a circle. Next to the “cannon” was a metal box with a belt of ammunition leading out of it and feeding into the side of the large gun. Sunburst couldn’t tell for sure but there must’ve been thousands of rounds that fed into it from the box. On the other side of the gun was a hand crank that Sunburst could easily deduce was responsible for turning the many barrels of the gun.

“This is quite the weapon. I’ve never seen something like it before,” Sunburst rubbed his chin.

Another thing caught his eye—a note attached by string to the end of the hand crank. Sunburst grabbed it and flipped it over to see what it said:

FLIM FLAM BROS. MODEL 1-X PROTOTYPE RAPID FIRE MULTI-BARREL CANNON

“Now I see what you meant, Lady Cadance,” Sunburst blew out an uncomfortable breath and scratched his head.

Still, his personal discomfort was nothing compared to the need to protect his lady. While he wasn’t much of a warrior and didn’t commonly handle guns, this thing seemed pretty idiot proof. The only problem was finding the actual opportunity to use it.

“I am not jumping.”

“Yes you are!”

“No I’m not!”

“Yes you are!”

Thorax and Pharynx stood on the roof of the train, Thorax wearing Cadance’s dress and Pharynx tightly gripping his arm. The two were getting ready to hop from their train to the roof of the other one. And Thorax naturally was not looking forward to it. It was Chrysalis’s big plan to get Cadance safe and deal with all those others trying to kill her. They had waited to make sure all of their adversaries had gotten off the roof of the train before heading up here. Now the plan was to jump across in full view of them and make them think that Lady Cadance had hopped to their train and was trying to get away.

It was not something Thorax wanted to do. Especially not while wearing this large and unwieldy thing.

“I’m going to die.”

“No you’re not, just jump with me and I’ll make sure you’re okay.”

Thorax looked at him as if he was out of his mind.

Pharynx glared right back at him. “I’m your brother and I’ve never let you down before.”

“That isn’t fair...”

“Life isn’t fair. Now come on. On the count of three.”

“T-Three...” Thorax gulped, legs shaking as he looked down at the quickly speeding by ground.

“One,” Pharynx started.

“Two...”

"Three!” They both yelled together and jumped.

Adagio, Sonata, and their underlings had all entered the other train now. Things were very crowded in the train car they had crawled over into and Adagio was trying to get them all in order.

“Search up and down the train! We’re not sure where exactly they might be but open every damn door if you need to!” She swept her pistol out over the various passengers. “And all of you stay in your seats and don’t do anything stupid.”

“Should we go up and make sure the conductors don’t stop the train or anything?” Sonata asked.

Adagio nodded. “Yes, we’ll take care of that just like Aria is doing on our train. Let the lackeys search for Cadance for now.”

“Okay!” Sonata saluted with a happy smile.

It was then the two of them heard movement on top of the very train car they were in. It sounded like some brief running and then a scream—Adagio and Sonata, along with their lackeys, looked out the window to see Lady Cadance and some unknown man jump from the roof of this train and onto the other. They just barely made it and collapsed onto the roof before picking themselves up and trying to run for it.

Upon seeing that, Adagio and the others brought up their guns to aim and fire at them but it was too late. Their target and her bodyguard jumped down into the connector between cars and briefly out of sight.

“Son of a bitch!” Adagio yelled, stomping her foot on the ground. “They’re trying to pull a fast one on us and get away! They’ll probably try stopping the other train now, we have to get back! Everyone to the ropes or jump back over from the roof, quickly!”

They all ran back to the other car with the busted windows and ropes still connecting the trains while Adagio cursed up a storm behind them. She happened to stop in the connector between the cars while Sonata and the rest were already traveling back. Hearing a door slam open behind her she looked back just in time to see two figures running out into the car in the opposite direction.

Adagio snorted, some stupid passengers trying to alert the conductors. Not like it mattered right now with Cadance already on the other train.

She was in the middle of stepping back to the other car when her eyes shot wide open and her head swung back towards the figures she had seen fleeing. “Fuck… that clever bitch.” Adagio’s fingers clenched so tightly around her gun that they went white. Knowing Sonata and the others were likely already across or in the middle of it, she didn’t want to waste any time and thus she threw back open the train car door and ran after the two “passengers”.

“You’re not getting away from me, Cadance. That money is mine.”

Thorax and Pharynx were now running as fast as they could through the other train, knowing that their enemies were probably close behind them. Their job now was to get to the front of the train and stop it by any means necessary to make sure that Chrysalis and Cadance could get away safely.

“See, Thorax? The hard part’s over so stop complaining and let’s hurry up!”

“Easy for you to say! You’re not wearing a dress!” Thorax actually had some bite in his voice when he responded to his brother. “At least all of the passengers are gone.”

“Lucky us, but I bet whoever’s trying to kill Cadance is at least smart enough to send someone up to keep the conductors in line. So we need to be ready to fight once we get there.”

“I don’t have my gun with me anymore though...”

“Okay, then I need to get ready to fight. Honestly it’s not like I expected you to shoot anyone anyways,” Pharynx sighed. He then glanced over at his brother. “By the way, you aren’t happy about getting to wear her dress, are you?”

This time it was Thorax who elbowed his brother in the side.

“Just checking,” Pharynx wheezed. “It’s not like you’re wearing her underwear or anything at least.”

And meanwhile a short ways back from them a crazed Sonata was running with gun in hand—leading the others in their gang and not even seeming to notice or care that Adagio wasn’t with them. Her group was making good progress through the train and soon “Cadance” and her bodyguard wouldn’t have anywhere to run. She could almost taste all the good food and drink she would get after putting a bullet in Lady Cadance’s head.

“I really really don’t want to have to use this thing...” Sunburst muttered as he looked over the experimental gun. “What did Lady Cadance even expect me to do with it in the first place?”

It’s true he couldn’t really fathom what use it had right now. The thing seemed more useful for taking out a rampaging tribe of Buffalo Men than anything else. He wanted to run back through the train to find and help protect his lady… but he also had to believe in her and firmly obey her orders. If she thought this was the best course of action then so be it.

His eyes then flicked upwards as he caught movement in the train car across from his—the one that just earlier a huge gang of people had been in. For a second his breath caught in his throat as he saw “Cadance” running through it towards the front of the train. But then he realized something was off as he narrowed his eyes and looked closer. That wasn’t Cadance at all! She had switched clothes with one of those other three thugs.

Looking down the train he then saw the huge group of criminals chasing after the two others. Soon they would enter the train car directly across from Sunburst as well.

He glanced down at the rapid fire cannon. “Oh.”

Sunburst got behind the cannon and turned it so the many barrels were facing the other train. His hand rested on the crank as beads of sweat fell down his forehead. “Am I really about to do this? This is definitely not the kind of work I ever expected to do under you, Lady Cadance.” He sighed deeply. “But if it’s to protect you...”

His hand was shaking as the other large group of criminals made it into the train car.

Once they reached midway through it he started to rapidly turn the crank and let the bullets fly.

Sonata didn’t really hear anything at first.

Instead as she was running she saw the fingers on her left hand disappear. Then her wrist broke apart, and she felt herself wildly spun around. Then the sound came. Defeaning, erupting, overpowering thunder. A constant roar. She only actually heard it for a second before everything went dark, but that second felt like it lasted an eternity. Her body fell apart. Bones, muscle, it was all like paper or straw under the hail of bullets. Parts of her practically evaporated. She was already dead when it happened but her body ended up torn in half at the torso as well.

The barrage of bullets was unlike anything seen in the world at that point. None of the other members of the Dazzlings gang could do anything, they could hardly even tell what was happening as Sunburst mowed them all down. It was a bloodbath inside the train car, what was even left of it at that point, as the power of the “cannon” practically obliterated everything it was aimed at.

Sunburst found himself still subconsciously cranking the handle, unable to stop himself even as the ammunition finally ran out and the multiple barrels just made empty clicking sounds as they rotated. His face was frozen in shock and horror. Whether it was to protect his lady or not, Sunburst would have nightmares about this for some time to come.

“Did you hear that?” Thorax asked Pharynx.

“Yes, but who cares? We’ve got to stop this train, that’s the important part,” Phrynx answered.

The two of them were just now exiting the last passenger car and stepping onto the tender right behind the engine itself. Right when they got up the latter they came face to face with a young woman who was getting up on the other end. Aria had heard the hail of gunfire too and was concerned enough about it to leave her post. After all, she had told the conductors that if they did anything while she was gone she would shoot them. So she figured things would be alright.

As soon as Pharynx and Aria’s eyes met they both froze, instantly knowing the other was an enemy. Both then reached down to their sides and pulled out their guns, taking quick shots at the other over the tender. Thorax fell back onto the platform while Pharynx cursed loudly as a bullet from Aria took off his hat. Aria on the other hand had to duck down as a bullet from Pharynx ricocheted off the back of the tender.

“Fucking really?!” Aria growled.

“Just give up! You’re outnumbered!” Pharynx tried to bluff (not knowing it was actually true at this point).

“Kiss my ass!” Aria yelled back at him and threw her arm over the top of the tender, firing blindly in an effort to get him to look away or duck down so she could get up there.

“Shit!” Pharynx ducked his head down and Aria jumped up onto the massive trough of wood, running across it swiftly and keeping her gun aimed at right where he was just a second before. If he moved or popped his head out again she was going to blow it off.

She got to the edge of the tender and aimed down—and found herself already in the sights of another gun held by some guy wearing a dress.

“What the?” Aria reacted to the strange sight.

“Drop the gun!” Thorax said to her, Pharynx leaning up against the tender.

“Fucking unbelievable...” Aria muttered but did as commanded, the gun fell to the wood and she held up her hands in surrender.

Pharynx shook his head. “I would’ve just shot her.”

The next minute the trio were walking back over the wood of the tender, with Phayrnx keeping his gun at Aria’s back to make sure she didn’t do anything. The three then hopped down onto the engine where the frightened conductors stood. They raised their hands just like Aria had done to make sure they weren’t getting shot.

“Okay, new plan,” Thorax said. “Put on the brakes and stop this train right now.”

Aria snorted. “I can’t wait for Adagio to kill you.”

“Shut up,” Pharynx jabbed her in the back.

The conductors looked at each other before the older of the two raised an eyebrow at Thorax. “Why are ya wearing a dress?”

Thorax groaned and rolled his eyes. “Look—just forget that and stop the damn train!”

A second later the lever was pulled and the train came to a screeching halt over the span of about a hundred feet. Down the way the ropes and hooks were yanked out of place and snapped as the other train continued to sail on by, leaving this one in the dust. Thorax and Pharynx watched it go by with smiles on their faces, pretty sure they had protected their boss now, while Aria glared at it and silently worried that Adagio might decide to shoot her.

As the last train car passed them by, the smile slowly left Thorax’s face. “Uh, bro?”

“Yeah?”

“She’s going to come back for us, right?”

The three criminals now watched the train traveling away into the distance together, a single blank look shared on all their faces.

“Hah! They actually stopped the other train! I think we’re in the clear,” Chrysalis said with a wide smile on her face as she looked out the window. She and Cadance were standing by the door leading to the connector of another car. “And I don’t know what the hell all that gunfire was about but it seems like your butler did something big.”

“He’s not my butler he’s my assistant,” Cadance corrected, the clothes from Thorax slightly baggy on her frame. “And are you still planning on kidnapping me?” She raised an eyebrow. “You may have a gun but your two underlings are gone, and to be honest you’ve done quite the good job of protecting me so far, why not do something else?”

“Something else?”

Cadance smirked. “Let me hire you. I think you’d be an excellent bodyguard. Has to be better than doing whatever else it is you’ve been doing.”

Chrysalis’s eyebrows shot up and she was momentarily lost for words.

The sight of that caused Cadance to giggle. “Well?”

“Let me… let me think about it.” Chrysalis said, scratching her head.

“Alright, I guess we’re safe now from whoever those other criminals were at least. Would you care to bring me back to Sunburst?”

Before Chrysalis could open her mouth the door on the opposite side of the car was thrown open and Adagio stepped in. “Hey!” She shouted and pointed her gun directly at the pair. Chrysalis’s eyes went wide and she grabbed Cadance and threw the door open all in one motion. Adagio fired but her shot went wide, hitting the wall next to them. Her next bullet embedded itself in the closed door.

“Fuck,” Adagio growled as she ran towards them. She got out onto the connector and then went into the other train car—where she was greeted with Lady Cadance and some random schmuck standing in the middle of the luxurious car. But no sign of the other one who had been with Cadance.

She knew what was coming before she even heard the “click” from the hammer of Chrysalis’s pistol from behind her as the other criminal hid behind the door. Spinning around while ducking at the same time, the shot from Chrysalis missed and Adagio slammed the butt of her pistol into the taller woman’s side.

Chrysalis grunted in pain and tried to aim down at the girl again but Adagio’s free hand grabbed her wrist while she then aimed her pistol at Chrysalis’s stomach. However, Chrysalis did the same to her and the two criminals were locked in a battle of strength, neither one able to move their guns just an inch or two to be able to shoot the other. Silently they glared at each other with intense hatred in their eyes—right up until Adagio headbutted Chrysalis in the chin. The taller woman was stunned momentarily and her hand fell away from Adagio’s wrist, but she blindly lashed out with her knee at the same time and managed to get Adagio in the stomach with it.

Adagio dropped her pistol onto the floor with a clatter but before Chrysalis could aim and fire at her, her left hand shot up and painfully smashed Chrysalis’s hand into the closed door of the train. Chrysalis yelped as pain lanced through her fingers and on reflex she dropped her gun as well.

Now it was just a fistfight.

Adagio went for a punch across Chrysalis’s already injured chin but the taller lady took a step back and dodged it. At the same time her foot stomped forward and Chrysalis smashed her heel down right on Adagio’s instep. Tears came to Adagio’s eyes but as she fell down she grabbed the sleeve of Chrysalis’s coat and with her weight and momentum, tugged Chrysalis over her shoulder and threw her onto the floor of the train. Chrysalis sat up just in time to get a boot to the face as Adagio scrambled back to her feet, limping painfully. Meanwhile Chrysalis’s head snapped back against one of the benches in the train car and she briefly saw stars.

In her blurred vision she saw Adagio reaching down for her gun and a surge of adrenaline ran through her. Chrysalis shot up and charged Adagio, slamming into her and knocking the other girl into the wall.

Adagio took the opportunity to give her a few short punches in the side to get the taller woman off her, then hooked her leg around Chrysalis’s and pushed her, tripping the dark-skinned woman back onto the floor with Adagio collapsing on top of her as well. Before Chrysalis could retaliate she felt the slender fingers of Adagio around her neck. The younger girl squeezed hard, strangling Chrysalis while straddling her body. A savage, twisted, smile was on Adagio’s face as she choked the life out of Chrysalis.

What Adagio wasn’t counting on was Chrysalis using her unusually tall body to great effect.

Chrysalis’s long and flexible right leg stretched up as she hooked it under Adagio’s arm and body. Kicking out, she pried Adagio off her and got up to tackle the girl. But Adagio let her tackle her on purpose, rolling with the charge and deciding to use her own legs in a different way. When the two landed back at the floor with Chrysalis trying to hold down Adagio, Adagio brought her legs up and wrapped them around Chrysalis’s neck and started to squeeze, choking her once more.

Chrysalis felt her esophagus clenched tightly shut as Adagio’s powerful thighs squeezed tighter every second. She tried prying the legs loose but couldn’t, then trying to reach towards Adagio’s face but found herself stopped by Adagio’s hands grabbing her wrists. Her vision was getting darker and her eyes were beginning to roll back into her head as she ran out of breath. Adagio grinned her vicious, superior, little grin the whole time.

And seeing that was all the rage Chrysalis needed to keep going. She pulled her left hand loose from Adagio’s grip and grabbed the other girl’s pinky, instantly snapping it backwards and breaking it.

“Agh!” Adagio screamed in pain and reflexively loosened her thighs for just a second, but enough for Chrysalis to get a breath and push Adagio off of her.

Chrysalis coughed as she tried to breath a few more times right before Adagio stiffly punched her in the face. Chrysalis rolled over backwards and picked herself up, seeing Adagio in front of her, barely standing with her injured hand and foot. Neither of them took a moment to rest as Adagio lunged forward and punched Chrysalis in the face again, who responded with a low punch of her own into Adagio’s stomach. The two traded blows back and forth as such until Adagio grabbed the front of Chrysalis’s coat and nastily headbutted her in the face again.

The taller woman almost went down but managed to keep her footing. When Adagio went in for another headbutt, Chrysalis beat her to it. She leaned down and managed to make the two of them smash their foreheads together. It wasn’t how a headbutt was supposed to go and the both were stunned, with Chrysalis recovering faster and grappling Adagio. She moved behind her and got the shorter girl into a headlock, paying back the favor of being choked. With her superior height and strength she lifted Adagio off the ground as she kept her in the submission hold, Adagio only able to weakly retaliate with a few kicks against Chrysalis’s shins or elbows into the ribs. Before long she tried grabbing Chrysalis’s arm in a futile attempt to get out of the hold, but Chrysalis was having none of that.

Keeping the headlock on she intended to strangle Adagio until well after the girl lost consciousness. But Adagio managed to reach one hand back to Chrysalis’s face and jabbed her thumb into Chrysalis’s right eye.

Chrysalis dropped her as she screamed in pain, her eye reflexively shutting. Adagio collapsed onto the floor and used the opportunity to sweep out Chrysalis’s legs. The tall woman fell over with a thud and was immediately straddled once more by Adagio, who sat on her chest and started pummeling away at her face. Chrysalis’s hands searched around on the floor for anything they could use—and thanks to the extra long reach they had, she managed to find something.

Her fingers curled around the handle of Adagio’s dropped gun, index finger sliding right into the trigger guard, and she brought it over and pointed it right against Adagio’s face. The barrel was pressed up against Adagio’s cheek, causing the other girl to pause in her beatdown and her pupils to shrink in fear. There wasn’t any offer of mercy and Adagio didn’t have time to ask for any. Chrysalis pulled the trigger and Adagio’s head was split open like a melon.

Blood splattered onto her face and the limp body fell onto Chrysalis. Who merely took a minute longer to rest there, breathing heavily after the brutal fight.

Eventually she rolled the body off her and stood up before sending a glare in the direction of Cadance and Sunburst. “You could have helped you know?!”

“I was scared,” Sunburst said.

“That’s your new job isn’t it?” Cadance said to her.

Chrysalis rolled her eyes and shook her head, sitting down on one of the luxurious couches to rest some more. “Whatever. What a day… what a fucking day...”

Thorax, Pharynx, and Aria sat together in one of the booths in the second train’s luxury car (Thorax no longer wearing a dress after exchanging clothes with one of the conductors) with all of them in a foul and bored mood. Aria’s fingers rhythmically tapping the table while Thorax glumly stared at his lap and Pharynx silently fumed.

“I think we’ve been left behind,” Thorax finally said.

“Whatever gave you that idea,” Aria snorted in bemusement.

Pharynx sighed and shook his head. “Guess we’re out a boss now...”

“Guess I’m out a gang,” Aria said, glancing at Pharynx.

He caught her eyes. “Wanna make a new trio with the two of us?”

“Really?” Thorax raised an eyebrow at him.

Aria ignored Thorax as she shrugged. “Got nothing better to do. Do we get the train moving again and get off at the first town?”

Pharynx nodded. “Probably. I got a feeling we’re going to be in a lot of trouble with the law.”

“Well then to make things at least a little easier for us there are still a ton of passengers at the back of the train who we can rob. I bet they have a lot of valuables,” Aria suggested, grinning.

Pharynx returned the grin while Thorax despondently put his elbows up on the table and rested his head in his hands. “Sister, I like the way you think.”