Sentry for Hire

Chapters

Severance Pay
Letter Of Offer
Robbed For Your Convenience
Advance Pay Withdrawal
Vertigo
Baddie Breakdown
Afterglow
Park Everfree

Severance Pay

Moonlight shone down through the glass roof upon the main exhibition of the Canterlot Museum of Archeology. The spacious chamber was interspersed with various artifacts from around the world, with the most prominent, the Crystal Heart, displayed upon a central raised pedestal.

At that moment, Sombra, ex-professor of archaeology, current evil sorcerer of Canterlot, stood upon the dais in a pose of dominance as he hefted the heart in his hand toward the sky. Darkness whirled around him, his long black hair twisting like smoke in the fabricated wind. He could be considered imposing if not for the geezer glasses, tweed jacket, and polka dot bow tie he wore.

Cackling, he pumped the fist holding the Heart and a burst of arcane magic shot through the ceiling, shattering the glass and raining shards down upon the room.

He pointed a finger at the Rainbooms who stood defiantly against him, fully powered up with their geodes hanging about their necks. “Bow before your new ruler for I shall usher in a new age of darkness!”

“Not in this lifetime, Sombra!” Sunset shouted back defiantly, the other girls echoing her sentiment.

“We shall see. Minion!” Sombra called. “It is time!”

There’s my cue, Warden thought to himself. He leapt from his vantage point atop a display of ancient Egyptian relics and sprang toward Rainbow Dash.

“Minion, huh? What loser did you manage to—” Rainbow Dash started to say before getting a face full of boot.

She hit the ground before she could wheeze her way out of her daze, Warden tapped his thumb and pinky finger together on his right hand and thrust his now glowing blue palm at Rainbow’s back.

Lightning arced from his gloves and into Rainbow, who screamed before falling unconscious from the electric blast.

Warden stepped toward the rest of the Rainbooms, drawing a metal bat from his back and swinging it in a playful arc. His body suit and helmet didn’t inhibit his movements despite the metal shield harness strapped to his chest. Blue bolts of lightning crawled along the sides of his suit, blurring the edges of his silhouette and providing energy to the variety of weapons hidden in its design.

He was dressed in a full body black suit with a biker helmet, and a metal harness across his chest with a shield in the centre. Blue bolts of lightning glowed along the sides of the suit, providing energy to the various functions built into the costume.

Sunset groaned, holding her head in the palm of her left hand. “Not this guy again.”

“Aw, I’m hurt, Sunny,” Warden said in a gravelly voice. “You almost sound like you aren’t happy to see me.”

“Not really, no,” Sunset said as she fired a blast of fire at Warden.

Banging the head of the bat on the ground, his weapon burst to life in crackling arcs of blue. Swinging it up into a batting stance, he planted his right foot forward, tightened his grip, then swung, smashing into the fireball and flinging it directly at Rarity.

Without enough time to generate a shield, Rarity flew backward and slammed into a gong. It rang out as she slumped to the floor out cold.

“Rarity!” Sunset cried out in a panic.

“Yes, Minion!” Sombra cackled as he fired another burst of darkness at Twilight who dodged out the way. “Take down the brats!”

“Oh no, you don’t, meanie pants!” Pinkie cried.

Anticipating her next action, Warden threw his bat toward Pinkie. As she stepped forward, ready to fling one of her party bombs, the bat sailed through the air and smacked straight into the side of her head.

Warden raced forward, grabbed the bat on the rebound and swung it into Pinkie’s side in swift motion.

She dropped to the floor, her breath gasping out of her in one great whoosh.

“That’s the three most annoying nuisances out of the way,” Warden remarked. “Let’s take out the nerds next.”

He turned around to find himself face-to-face with Applejack. She took a swing at him. He ducked.

“Hey, Apples. Fancy seeing you here. You ready for another round?” He came back up, bat in hand.

“Would be a pleasure if you’d offer me some of your time, Warden.” She took another swing at him. Warden dodged gracefully out of the way. “You’ve always been my favourite dance pardner.”

“I’m touched, Apples.” Warden put a hand to his chest as he sidestepped around another of Applejack’s punches. “I always knew we had a special arch nemesis type relationship.”

“Yeah, ya really do make the most satisfying punching bag.”

She swung forward with a straight punch, overstepping. Warden took advantage of the misstep and ducked down. He swung his legs forward, taking Applejack’s legs out from under her, toppling the farmer to the floor.

Warden pinned Applejack to the ground, straddling her body and using the bat to keep her neck and wrists pressed to the tiles.

“Great job, Apples, but maybe try not to overswing next time,” Warden snidely remarked.

“I’ll keep that in mind when I pummel your face in,” Applejack retorted, struggling against him.

Sparing a quick glance, Warden noticed that Sombra had already taken out Fluttershy and Twilight, both sprawled out on the floor. Sunset was the last Rainboom standing, a look of fierce determination on her face.

“Hahaha!” Sombra laughed as he danced in place. He threw another burst of darkness, missing Sunset entirely and exploding it behind her. “Wallow and weep, Rainbooms! Your defeat is—”

Then Sombra slipped. A misplaced foot on the edge of the pedestal.

Warden, Sunset, and Applejack watched in shock as Sombra fell onto the floor and dropped the Crystal Heart. The artifact bounced twice before skidding forward and right to Sunset’s feet. The dark energy being emitted by the heart dissipating into nothing.

“... This feels bad,” Sunset remarked.

“... Sorry,” Sombra muttered.

“So, I guess that’s that then, huh?” Warden said.

Sunset picked up the Crystal Heart then smashed it between her hands, the resultant glitter drifting down in a shimmery haze. “Yeah, that’s that.”

Warden got off of Applejack and helped her back onto her feet. Just then, he approached Sombra, taking his phone out of his pocket and quickly swiping to the Minion-For-Hire App.

“Before the cops show up and arrest you for a very long time, you mind signing off on my final payment?” Warden offered the screen to Sombra, a signature box open on the screen.

With a weary sigh, Sombra signed using a finger then waved his hand in a shooing motion. “Thank you for your services. Now leave me to wallow in my inadequacy.”

“Hey, now. Happens to the worst of us,” Warden said. “I don’t suppose you have time for a quick customer review survey?”

“... five stars. Was exceptionally competent.”

“Thanks!” Warden gave Sombra a little wave then turned to Applejack. “Could you give me a nemesis recommendation when you have some time, Apples?”

“Same link as before? WatchTheNight729?” Applejack asked.

“That's the one!” Warden shot two finger guns then did a quick salute as he started to walk away. “Good to fight you all again, hope to battle to the death some time eventually!”

Applejack amicably waved goodbye.

“Hey, wait a second! Where do you think you’re going?!” Sunset demanded. “We’re not gonna just let you walk away!”

Without missing a beat, Warden replied, “I planted a micro bomb onto Rainbow’s neck when I knocked her out. You should check on that.”

“What?!” Sunset and Applejack both exclaimed.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Warden beat a hasty retreat to the hidden employee exit door behind one of the displays, easily opening the door he had unlocked earlier that day.

“Rainbow! We have to— Wait, there’s no bomb here! You— Oh, come on! He got away! AGAIN!”

Warden smirked as he made his way to the employee parking garage. Moving to a dark corner of the concrete complex, he grabbed the camo cover over his ride and pulled it off.

Underneath was a black sport bike with blue lightning bolts along the sides. He straddled the body of the vehicle as it hummed to life at his touch. He tapped a button on his suit to raise the parking garage gate, revved the engine, then shot off into the night.

As he rode through the empty streets of downtown Canterlot lit by the bright glow of streetlights and skyscrapers, he tapped the bluetooth button on his bike’s console.

“Akashic, play Flash Sentry’s ‘Night Rider’ playlist,” Flash Sentry said.

Heavy synth rock blasted from his helmet speakers he headed home.

Letter Of Offer

Flash kicked open his apartment door, threw his helmet and bat onto their designated pegs, and then slammed the door behind him with a foot. He stripped off his suit until he was down to his white undershirt and shorts then flopped onto the couch.

His apartment was a single bedroom. One corner was dominated by a hammock with his guitar and sheet music encircling it, and another was taken over by a massive workbench filled with the needed equipment and parts for his combat suit. Gym equipment and clothing littered the space from a general uncaring attitude towards putting stuff away, but the home itself was mostly clean in terms of dust and crumbs.

Taking out his phone, Flash opened the Minion-For-Hire app and navigated to the finances tab. He confirmed that Sombra’s final pay had gone through and been deposited into his private bank account. It was more than enough to afford college, which meant he probably needed to start thinking about where exactly he was going to attend it. Eventually.

He idly scrolled through past payments and grimaced harder with each one he saw. There was Vignette Valencia, which had been a pain for how much of an ego she had and her insistence on him wearing head-to-toe glitter on his combat suit.

Juniper Montage had been sort of fun with the mandatory classic movie watching (he’d gotten a lot of new favourites from that job) and using film quotes to taunt the Rainbooms. But she had been petty, absent-minded, and a micro-manager, which were all combined to be one of the worst bosses he had, and he’d worked for Chrysalis.

Wallflower had been different. More of an espionage mission with Flash ensuring memory wipes were consistent by removing any contradictory objects, and information. She’d been meticulous, and well within the scope of what she could pull off. Much better than most villains. Of course, that was until she’d let Sunset get under her skin and then the entire scheme fell apart.

The list stopped at his first clients: the Dazzlings (magic hadn’t been the only thing keeping people riled up). That was a bit inaccurate, though, as the Dazzlings had only been his first paid venture.

Sunset Shimmer had been his actual first.

And first for a lot . They’d dated, and with it came some events that usually happened when you went out with someone. More importantly, it was also his initial taste of the villain life. She’d been ruthless, manipulative, and an expert at getting exactly what she wanted. It was amazing .

For a wannabe cool guy like himself, she was the ideal . He’d bent over backward for her when they were together, feeding her blackmail material from those she couldn’t reach all the while staying as the ‘oblivious and innocent’ Flash Sentry.

It was addictive, intoxicating , until it wasn’t. Sunset decided only after a year that all she needed were brainless minions and not a partner in crime. She’d broken up with him then, even worse , made him out to be the victim. Any reputation he could have tried to muster on his own was destroyed as no one would take the timid and vulnerable Flash Sentry seriously. He couldn’t even be mad because of how expert a play it was.

Though, he was still mad enough to help Twilight Sparkle take her down. It hadn’t even been hard, since Sunset had gotten lazy and easily exploitable in the time since their heyday.

After that, he joined Minion-For-Hire. Over time, he’d become highly rated, competent, and very well paid. He’d managed to create an alter ego for himself to keep his identity secret and done well for himself under a variety of supervillains. But, as much as he enjoyed the rush… he was nearing the end of his stint in the business.

A notification popped up in his feed notifying him that he’d received a new private message. He tapped the icon. It was a job from some new guy on the scene: Timberjack.

Skimming the contents, he got a quick feel for the guy. It was a job, a vague one at that, with a paltry offer in terms of pay, and a generic message that meant he’d spam sent to most of the locals on the app. Flash easily surmised that this Timberjack was wholly new to the scene, and had no idea what they were doing.

Flash rolled his eyes as he put his phone into sleep mode. Getting up, he made his way to the kitchen and began to make himself a light salad. His mind wandered as he chopped up the ingredients. He really had reached his goal money-wise and could readily leave the business behind.

He didn’t have a real reason to stay. The whole ordeal had become… stale. Villains were, on average, ineffectual with absurd plots that were always beaten by their massive egos before the heroes had a chance to do anything about it. He’d been chasing the rush he’d felt with Sunset for a few years now, and, well, no one really measured up to Sunset Shimmer . He was in his senior year at Canterlot High and had no interest in becoming a full-time villain.

Turning his phone back on, Flash looked over the message from Timberjack again.

Another read-through caused Flash to groan. This guy was going to be exactly like or worse than some of the most terrible villains he’d worked for. But, he needed to stop chasing after this useless feeling Sunset had cursed him with.

This guy wasn’t good enough. He was going to flub. Hard. Further research showed the guy had only joined the app a week ago, had zero background in the business, and no connections to any existing villain or organization. He was a blank slate with no experience jumping head first into a field he had no right being in.

… It might finally be enough to convince Flash to let this part of his life go and move on.

Against his better judgment, Flash replied to the message with a confirmation, noted the location, plugged it into his phone’s calendar, then began to eat his food.

Trees whipped past Flash as he rode his bike along the dirt path heading toward Camp Everfree. He was outfitted in his Warden gear and kept an eye out for the sign that would lead him to his designated meeting spot with Timberjack. All the while, he tried to calm himself down from the events of the day.

Normally, after a night of work, the Rainbooms would spend the next day at lunch complaining about him (or rather, his alter ego). It would be some mild ribbing, maybe a few pointed insults, then they would move on.

That day, for whatever reason, the Rainbooms (excluding Applejack since she respected him enough to not run his name through the dirt) had decided to cuss him out for the entire day. Even worse, it wasn’t the usual deluge of insults, they were jabs against his work ethic . Claims of laziness, general ineptitude, and being a dumb brute. That was bad enough, but then they had to get the other students in on it including Flash himself (who felt weird calling his other self an idiot since it was just him in a suit).

The group had embellished and outright lied about what happened (Rainbow had never once beat Flash in a fight due to how predictable she fought unlike the twenty or so times she claimed she’d done so) to the point that it had taken all of Flash’s willpower to not clap back at them.

This all accumulated into a joking barb from Sunset to him about how Warden makes Flash almost seem capable in comparison. The cutesy wink following had done nothing to sand off the hard edge of that remark. It also, frustratingly , had set his heart all aflutter because it reminded him of the old days.

That didn’t stop him from considering how much he cared for the consequences of anonymously uploading pictures of Sunset’s first few weeks in the human world.

Noticing a crudely carved arrow in a nearby tree, Flash pulled over. He took the time to hide his bike in the foliage. He then began the trek into the woods, following arrow after arrow as he headed deeper in.

As he walked, he took a moment to calm himself down and let the annoyance of the day ebb from his mind. Despite how new this Timberjack was, Flash still had a veneer of professionalism to keep, and taking his personal frustrations out on a new employer was the height of unprofessionalism.

Flash soon found himself in a grove. There was a log cabin, a fire pit, and several colourful flags hung amongst the outer layer of trees. The potential owner, presumably Timberjack (whom Flash was beginning to have a solid idea of who they were), was nowhere to be found.

“Hello?” Flash called out. “Timberjack? I’m here about the job.”

The door of the cabin burst open revealing a shirtless Timber Spruce. Tan skin, a tangled mess of green hair, and the countenance of a guy who frequently put his clothes on backward. Bandages were wrapped loosely around him like he’d flubbed a mummy Halloween costume and did nothing to hide the massive red bite mark around the left side of his chest.

“... Do you need any help with that?” Flash asked.

“Uhhhhhhh…” Timber looked down at his injury and then back up at Flash, his face bright red. “One moment.”

Slamming the door shut, several crashes followed before the door reopened with Timber fully clothed and the bandages wrapped correctly based on the white cloth peeking through Timber’s shirt collar.

“Come on in!” Timber said.

Flash took the invitation and entered the cabin noting that Timber did in fact have his shirt on inside-out. He walked over to a long table, leaned against it with his arms crossed, and took in the sparse furniture and camping gear that was spread across the room.

“So!” Timber started, a wide uncomfortable grin slapped on his face. “You’re here for the job?”

“Yep,” Flash answered.

“Cool, awesome! It’s not like you’re a legendary adversary of the Rainbooms or something, which definitely doesn’t put a ton of pressure on me to impress you or anything.” Timber laughed uncomfortably. “Well, anyways, to get to the point, I need money and a lot of it.”

“Alright. Do you have anywhere in mind that you want to rob?”

“You’re not gonna ask why?”

“I don’t really care.”

“Oh, yeah, I guess you’re not new to this like I am, so you’ve probably heard something similar to my story a hundred times before.” Another nervous laugh. “I’m just desperate since Glory keeps overspending so much on the camp and we’re having trouble paying the bills.”

“Again, I don’t really care.”

“Right, you just told me that!” Timber rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry, I just—”

“What do you want to rob?” Flash interrupted.

“A bank!” Timber answered quickly, startled. “I was thinking of a bank since, you know, that’s what everyone else does.”

“You said you have no experience in the business?”

“None.”

“... And you want to start with robbing a bank?”

“I dunno, the villains on tv make it look easy and some of them are super dumb.”

A memory of Tuna man who had just hip-checked his way through security came unbidden to Flash’s mind.

“...You aren’t wrong.”

“Yeah, and I mean I’m not super stupid and have werewolf powers, so I was thinking this job would be—”

“You have what now?”

“Werewolf powers,” Timber repeated.

“... How?”

“I got bit by a wolf, which was… totally awesome and not at all bad.” Timber chuckled haphazardly, hitting several different pitches at once. “I mean it's a thing that just kind of happens to people you know?”

“I mean, it does,” Flash relented. “But it's not super common or anything.”

“Yeah, so, I guess you wanna see?”

“Since I do need to know of your capabilities, yeah, if you don’t mind.”

Timber nodded then reared his head back, howling. Bark formed across his skin as he grew nearly twice his prior size. His clothes threatened to rip but held against the bark that poked through the cloth material. His face elongated, morphing into a wolfish face with a maw of sharp teeth, his green human eyes still the same on his animalistic head.

Once his transformation was complete, he hunched in on himself, kneading his hands together as he awaited Flash’s judgment.

“This’ll work,” Flash remarked. “I presume you have the usual super strength and hyper-regenerative traits?”

“Yeah,” Timber replied in a gravelly voice. “Is that common?”

“Most werewolf types have the super strength and, considering you’re part plant, I just made the assumption you had regeneration since that’s what most plant-themed villains seem to have.

“Now, considering your lack of experience, I think we should wait on robbing the bank first.”

“Okay, but then what should we rob?” Timber asked.

“We’ll do what all the small-time crooks start off with,” Flash replied. “A convenience store.”

Robbed For Your Convenience

The Fast-Pass convenience store was a small gas station along the highway leading from Canterlot to Manehattan. It was a squat brick building in a wide open field that stretched far off into the horizon in both directions with the only cover being sparse bushels of thick, entangled foliage. Flash and Timber were both hunched behind one such bush as they took stock of their target.

“So that’s the store we’re robbing?” Timber asked.

“Yeah,” Flash answered. He glanced at Timber’s outfit. “Why are you dressed like a lumberjack?”

Timber glanced down. An open red flannel shirt over a white undershirt, jeans, and a cheap masquerade mask. “What do you mean? I thought this would be perfect since it's loose enough to wear in my werewolf form and fits my villain name.”

“That being?”

“Wereoak.” Timber nodded his head proudly. “You know like the tree but with ‘were’ in front of it since I’m a werewolf?”

Flash was thankful his helmet disguised his disgusted expression. “Right then. You got a plan?”

“Yep.”

“What is it?”

“Well, we’re gonna…” Timber bit his lip indecisively “... charge in and demand they give us the cash?”

“Sounds good. On your order then.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yep.”

“... What’s the catch?”

“Nothing.” Flash smirked. “This is just a low-risk environment for you to get your feet wet in a real robbery. The point is for you to be the leader. I’ll step in if things go bad, but, for the most part, I’ll be following your lead.”

“Okay, then I guess I should ‘wolf up’, huh?” Timber chuckled nervously. Flash didn’t join in. “Right, job time.”

Howling as quietly as he could manage, Timber transformed, his body growing into his alternate form’s size. As he readied to leap into action, he flinched as a jolt of green energy zipped across his eyes.

“You okay?” Flash asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Timber replied. He shook his head. “Let’s do this.”

Charging forward, Timber raced across the highway and toward the store. Flash lagged behind at a reasonable jog. Slamming the doors open, Flash followed Timber into the store and up to the counter.

A teenager operated the register. They had the look of an all-day gamer that smoked three joints every hour and was semi-allergic to sunlight.

“Can I help you, sir?” The cashier asked.

Timber roared.

“That’s not an answer”

Taken aback by their blasé attitude, Timber replied uncertainly, “Um, well, I’m robbing you?”

“... Really?”

“Yes, really,” Timber retorted, offended.

“Huh, well, if you’re gonna do that, you should have made your demands first.”

“I did that.”

“No, you roared in my face.”

Flash held back his snicker as he leaned against the counter by Timber.

“I was trying to be threatening!” Timber slammed his hands against the counter.

“Yeah, sure, bud.” The cashier waved a hand. “Though, you seem to be getting pretty worked up.”

“I am!”

“Is that because I’m not respecting your authority?”

“Yes!”

“Must be thirsty work.”

“It is!”

“Wanna buy a slush?”

“Yes!”

“That’ll be $5.99, bud.”

Timber bought the drink, grabbed the cup, and stomped out of the store. Flash followed after him, standing by the simmering werewolf. A moment of silence followed, broken only by angry slurps from Timber.

He threw his drink on the ground. “Dammit! This isn’t even a flavour I like!”

“Looks like you’re the one that got robbed,” Flash remarked.

“Shut up! I’m going back in there and taking that jerk’s money!” Timber turned on his heel and marched back into the store.

“Good luck!” Flash called after him as he sat down on the curb and pulled out a crossword book. He started filling in a puzzle about types of horses as he hummed a merry tune.

Finishing up his crossword, Flash got up off the curb and walked over to Timber who sat on the ground with his arms wrapped around his legs and whimpering, the remains of several dozen slushies surrounding him. He looked up at Flash, pouting and on the verge of tears.

“We’ll work on it,” Flash said.

Timber groaned.

“Alright, let’s review.” Flash slapped the board he’d set up in the cabin, Timber across from him with his phone at the ready to take notes. “First off, though your roar was solid, don’t open with that. Make your demands. Then, if they don’t cooperate, intimidate them.” Rapid typing sounds followed.

“Second, you need to assess the area before charging in. Scope the building, and have an exit strategy. For something this small, you can go with the bare minimum, but you need to get in the habit of planning things out for the bigger jobs or you’ll regret it.

“Third and final point, you forgot I was there. I’m your minion. Use me . You’re the supervillain, which means you need to manage. Utilize your resources efficiently, especially when you might be the only one capable of taking down a severe threat like a superhero.”

After a few more rapid taps at his phone, Timber said, “Okay, I think I got all of that. Anything else?”

“Ditch the lumberjack outfit,” Flash stated bluntly.

“What, why?!” Timber exclaimed.

“You look ridiculous, and I once worked for a dinosaur that wore a top hat and gloves.”

Timber looked ready to argue but instead caved in on himself. “... Okay. What do you suggest?”

“I’ll make you something.”

“You’ll what?!”

“Why are you surprised? I made this suit myself. It will take a while to finish, but will be well worth the wait.”

“Alright, then what are we going to do in the meantime?”

“Work on what you’re lacking, and I got the perfect training plan for it.”

“Hey, Warden?” Timber asked questioningly. Flash nodded to continue. “I’m a bit confused. Why are we watching all of these old videos?”

Flash hit the pause on the tv remote for the private theater they had booked. On the screen was a scene of Chrysalis interrogating a bound target. They had a bucket of popcorn sitting between them and were both reclined in theater seats.

“To learn,” Flash answered.

“What, exactly?”

“How to be a good villain.” Flash gestured toward the screen. “This is Chrysalis, one of the most well-known supervillains in the community. A master of intimidation through hard aggression. A skill you need .”

“Wouldn’t it be better with a live demonstration or like training me to fight?”

“I don’t know about you, but I don’t know too many people that would be down for being interrogated that won’t make things awkward for both of us,” Flash remarked dryly. “We’ll do some sparring and I’ll show you some fighting techniques since we have a while to go before you’re ready to try again, but, realistically, you have raw power already, it's the social aspect you’re lacking.”

“So, the ‘how to villain’ part?”

“Exactly.” Warden shot a finger gun at Timber. “You need to learn that, and the fastest way is to show you the best in the business doing their thing.”

“So, you want me to copy what other villains do?”

“Yep. Use their skills as they are, then start adjusting them into something that works for you. You don’t need to be the next Chrysalis, but it wouldn’t hurt to adapt her techniques.”

“I guess that makes sense,” Timber conceded, still unsure. “Also, how did you get a private theater for this?”

“Blackmailing Juniper Montage,” Flash replied.

“... With what? I thought she’d gone clean?”

“She told everyone most of what she’d done. There are still a couple of things that she would really like others not to know that I happened to catch her doing when I worked for her.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“Eh, it’s mostly creepy.” Flash looked down, bemused. “Also, I’ve been meaning to ask, but why have you been holding my hand this entire time?”

Timber looked down at their entwined hands then jerked his own away, flustered. “Oh, shoot! Sorry, it’s a habit!”

“From?”

“Back when Twilight and I were dating, which… ugh, that whole thing was a bad idea from the start. What was I thinking, going out with one of the campers ?” Timber sunk in his seat with a groan. “Anyways, Twilight liked horror movies and I was a wimp, so she’d hold my hand through the whole film.”

“That’s cute actually,” Flash said. “The holding hands during horror movies part, not the dating a camper thing.”

“... Yeah.” Timber turned bright red and sunk further into his seat.

“You know, if you really want to hold my hand while we watch movies, I don’t mind. Wouldn’t want you getting scared,” Flash teased.

“Wouldn’t that be awkward since I’m your boss and all?”

“I mean, if you acted like that, maybe, but you’ve already paid me for the job, and, at this point, I’m teaching you how to do this more than actually working for you.”

“I guess, yeah…” Timber went quiet for a moment. “So, uh, why are you teaching me then? This seems above and beyond what I asked for.”

“... I dunno. I guess I just like working with you.”

“Really?”

“Best answer I can give you,” Flash replied. “Now, pay attention, we got a bunch of tapes to get through before the end of today’s viewing session.”

Timber sat up as Flash clicked the play button on the remote. As various villainous deeds unfolded across the screen, Timber entwined his hand in with Flash’s.

Timber slammed open the doors of Fast-Pass convenience. He strutted inside outfitted in a dark full body combat suit that stretched comfortably over his bulky werewolf form with a domino mask that covered his eyes, and a large jacket filled with internal pockets.

His gaze scanned the store slowly before resting on the cashier, the same one from his last attempt. “Warden, grab as much as you can from the shelves.”

Flash slipped past him, his bat slung over his shoulder. “On it, boss.”

As Flash began to gather up random items into a bag, Timber stalked toward the counter. The cashier eyed him up and down. “So, here for another—”

Timber slammed a sack down between them. “Empty the register and put the cash in here.”

The cashier glanced at the bag and then back at Timber with a disinterested expression. “Yeah, sure, bud. So—”

In one swift motion, Timber grabbed the cashier by the collar, lifted him off the ground, and bared his teeth in their face, a low guttural sound emanating from his throat. “Money. Now,” Timber demanded.

He released the cashier who immediately got to work emptying the register and shoving the cash into the bag. Flash dumped his own sack filled with goodies next to Timber’s. “Got the goods, boss.”

“Head out back, secure our route, and start up the truck.”

Flash gave a mock salute, then ran out the backdoor of the store, goodie bag in hand. He checked for any potential witnesses, then, when he found none, leaped into Timber’s jeep that had been parked out back earlier, and cranked the ignition while tossing his bag onto the backseat.

Racing out the back door, Timber leaped through the open passenger window, tossed his own bag into the backseat then yelled, “Move it!”

They wheeled out of the parking lot, racing toward the horizon and the Everfree Forest. Timber laughed as he maneuvered himself comfortably into his seat. “Did you see that?!” He slammed the dashboard. “That was amazing!”

“Well done. Glad to see the video watching paid off. Tirek?”

“Yeah.” Timber sunk in his chair, reverting to his human form. “His hyper-aggressive style seemed right up my alley.”

A ping sounded off. Flash took out his phone and checked the message that showed up on the screen. “Nice, five stars. Checkers even said we were the best theft they’ve been through in months.”

“Checkers? Who’s that?” Timber asked, confused. “And what do you mean by five stars?”

“They were the cashier at the Fast-Pass, which doubles as a testing ground for villains to try stuff out.”

“That wasn’t real?!”

“Oh, it was, you just don’t end up in jail if you mess up since Fast-Pass is reimbursed by the Villain Collective.” Flash jerked his thumb at the bag of money in the backseat. “That money is all real. Consider it a welcome from the association.”

“They’re different from Minion-For-Hire?”

“VC is the association for the big-time crooks. Minion-For-Hire is mostly freelancers.” Flash hung his arm out the window, enjoying the wind whipping past. “I called in a favour to give it a try. Seems worth it with how much you improved.”

“Hehe, yeah. Thanks for helping me out.”

“No worries. All part of the job.”

“Yeah… just part of the job,” Timber mumbled.

Flash glanced at Timber through the front view mirror. He frowned at Timber’s disappointed expression. He mulled over the idea of asking about it but ultimately decided not to.

They had the bank job to prepare for.

Advance Pay Withdrawal

The doors of the Canterlot Central Bank burst open. Timber, in his werewolf form, stepped inside alongside Flash. People inside turned toward them with trepidation. Timber nodded at Flash who walked up to the nearest clerk's window and smashed it with his bat.

“Everyone, hands on your heads and on the ground!” Timber roared.

Customers casually did as they were told. Several of them began to make small talk with their hostage neighbour. Timber looked at Flash in open confusion.

“Common occurrence,” Flash answered. “They just waited to know if you were a murdery type of villain or not.”

Timber sighed, walked to the far side of the bank, and threw a large sack underneath the clerk's window to a bored employee. “Fill this with money from the deposit boxes.”

“Wouldn’t you prefer from the vault?” The clerk asked.

“No, I want cash from the box that doesn’t have built-in trackers on all of the bills.”

“Well, we can’t open the box during work hours.”

“Funny, because your name tag says you're the branch manager who would have the keys to everything in here and be able to override standard procedures.”

“... I suppose that is the case,” The clerk relented.

“Great, then you can go fill this bag with as much cash as you can from the deposit box.”

The clerk crossed their arms. “Now, see—”

Timber roared, shattering the glass window separating them. The clerk grabbed the sack, raced to the deposit boxes, and began fumbling for the right key from their pocket.

“Now you’re just showing off.” Flash leaned against the counter next to Timber. “You’re practically an expert now.”

“I learned from the best.” Timber gave a toothy grin.

“You sure—”

“That jerk is here!”

“... Dammit,” Flash grumbled.

Both of them turned toward the source of the voice to see Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie standing there. Pinkie was pointing at Flash with a shocked expression, Applejack looked bemused, and Rarity looked annoyed.

“Oh, goodness, darling,” Rarity remarked, cupping the side of her face. “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to pull hero duty today.”

Applejack, who’d already ponied up, slammed her fists together. “I was. Mighty fine day for a butt walloping.”

The customers and clerks cheered.

“... What exactly are the odds of the Rainbooms just happening to come here the day we try to rob it?” Timber asked.

“Higher than you expect. Heroes have a weird knack for showing up at the right time.” Flash jerked his thumb toward the Rainbooms. “Think you can take Rarity and Pinkie by yourself?”

“Maybe?”

“Good enough. I’ll try and take down Applejack as quickly as I can. Hang in there as long as possible.”

Without waiting for a response, Flash leaped into action, racing toward Applejack and swinging his bat directly at her face. She blocked the blow with her arm, a cocky grin on her lips.

“Ready to go another round, sugarcube?” Applejack said.

“Of course, Apples. I always love our little spats,” Flash replied.

“Then I reckon we got ourselves a brawl.” Applejack threw a punch.

Flash jumped back. Applejack followed through with several consecutive punches, taking care to not overextend like their last bout. He spared a single glance toward Timber who was engaged with Pinkie and Rarity. He seemed to be holding his own.

“Don’t be lookin’ elsewhere, or you’ll regret it.” Applejack jabbed toward his side.

He blocked the blow with his bat and then swung it back into a batting stance. “I assure you, that you have my full attention, Apples.” He swung at her head.

Applejack ducked under then tackled him in the chest, slamming him against a clerk's counter and cracking the glass separation window. She rose up and pulled back for a punch.

Thinking quickly, Flash planted his feet against Applejack’s chest. He tapped a button on the inside of his wrist causing the soles of his boots to hum loudly. He compressed himself then pushed forward, activating the boosts in his boots and launching Applejack away from him.

She skidded across the floor. As she tried to get back on her feet, Flash ran forward and smashed her in the chin with an upswing from his bat. She staggered. Pressing the advantage, he slung his bat back over his shoulder and began wailing on her face with his fists.

Fully recovered, Applejack grabbed his right fist and gripped it hard. Flash heard a crack as she squeezed the material of his suit.

“You seem to be in a bit of a rush, Warden. Worried ‘bout your wolf friend?” She taunted.

“Yeah, actually,” Warden replied.

Applejack was taken aback, long enough for Flash to click another button on his wrist and cause his suit to release a burst of bright light. Applejack released him and stumbled back, blinded by the surprise attack. Flash took the opportunity and slammed an electrified glove into her stomach, releasing a powerful shock through her system.

She dropped to her knees. Flash prepared to strike the final blow but stopped as a blood-curdling scream cut through the room.

Both he and Applejack turned toward the noise to see a fearful Pinkie backed into a corner with Rarity out cold nearby, several deep red cuts on her body. Timber stood above Pinkie, gripping his head, sparks of green flashing across his eyes.

Something’s wrong, Flash thought.

“What’s got his goat?” Applejack asked.

“I don’t know,” Flash replied.

Applejack whipped her head toward him. “You don’t know?”

The green flashes abruptly stopped. Timber slowly dropped his hands to his sides as he began to emit a low guttural growl, his eyes placid. He stalked closer toward Pinkie as she plastered herself against the wall.

He looked wrong. Less like Timber and more like… a wolf stalking its prey.

“... Apples. Grab Pinkie,” Flash commanded. “I’ll stop Wereoak.”

“What?! Why would you—” Flash raced toward Timber “—Warden!”

Timber snapped open his jaw and leaped toward Pinkie’s neck. Flash jumped onto his back, hooked his bat under Timber’s jaw, and pulled back, forcing his mouth closed and away from Pinkie.

“Knock it off, Timber,” Flash whispered harshly into his ear. “You need to calm down.”

His ensnared target flailed as they tried to dislodge him. As Flash tried to keep himself anchored, he noticed Applejack manage to get Pinkie away from Timber with Rarity slung over her back.

Flash pulled the bat tighter around Timber’s neck in an attempt to choke him out, but his werewolf form proved stronger than expected. Annoyingly.

Sensing that he wasn’t gonna be able to hold on for much longer, Flash leaped off of Timber’s back and turned his electric gloves up to maximum power. As Timber turned to face him, he rammed his palm into Timber’s chest. Volts of electricity poured into Timber. He howled in pain, lucidity returning to his expression.

“I-I— What did I—?” Timber asked.

“We’re leaving,” Flash said.

“But what about—”

“Now.”

Timber flinched. “O-Okay. Exit strategy 2?”

Without preamble, Flash charged toward the nearest window, crashed through the glass, and landed in the back alley. Timber followed after him, both running away from the scene of their crime.

They were back in the log cabin in the Everfree. Flash paced back and forth before a now-human Timber who sat huddled up on a chair. He was caught in a turmoil of emotion as he thought over prior events, unsure of the exact nature of what he was feeling or how he wanted to deal with it. Eventually, he decided on the easiest.

Flash whipped toward Timber. “What happened back there?!” He shouted.

Timber flinched. “I-I don’t know, I just—”

“You don’t know?!” Flash stepped closer toward him. “How do you not know?!”

“These powers are new to me, and I don’t really get all of them. I just got worked up fighting Pinkie and Rarity then kind of blanked out for a moment. It was an accident!”

“You—” Flash growled in frustration. “Do you not realize that you almost killed Pinkie?!”

“I-Is that a bad thing?” Timber asked, confused.

“Yes!”

“But aren’t we villains?”

“Not—!” Flash forced himself to calm down. “Okay, look. There are degrees of villainy and a line that once you cross it, you can’t take it back. Killing someone is that line. Once you do that, you ruin your chances of a normal life.”

Flash slammed his hands onto the chair head on either side of Timber, glaring at him. “I’ve talked with those kinds of villains before and the thing they all have in common is that they never consider a life outside of villainy afterward because they know it would be almost impossible to return to a normal life. If this is the path you want to go down, fine. I’m not one to judge. But if you’re going to do it, make sure it's a conscious decision to do so, not while you’re blanked out.”

“O-Oh,” Timber mumbled.

“How did you get these powers?” Flash asked.

“I-I got bit by a—”

“Wolf, yeah. And then you decided to use them to make money. You’re still omitting a lot of detail to this and I’m not working with you until I know them.”

“Why?!”

“Because I don’t work with people who can’t control themselves,” Flash snarled.

Timber flinched. He looked at Flash with an expression he couldn’t read, then dropped his gaze. “I-It just happened. I was in the Everfree doing my rounds, when this weird wolf made of wood appeared. I tried to run away, but it just stalked me back to the camp, staying just out of reach.
Far enough for me to not be able to reach it, but close enough so that I knew it was close by. Just before I was clear of the trees, it jumped me.

“It pinned me underneath itself and then bit me in the chest. I hadn’t even realized how big it was until it nearly took a chunk out of my whole torso. It held on tight. It hurt so much. I was screaming from the pain and it just kept looking at me. I-I begged it to stop, but it just kept—” Timber shuddered “—I don’t know! It was a weird wolf and it did this to me and I don’t—!” He clutched his head in his hands as he released choked sobs.

Flash leaned back. Timber was sobbing, hard. Enough that he needed to gasp for air between bouts of tears. It… hurt, seeing him suffer like this.

Following his first instinct, Flash knelt down and gently stroked Timber’s head. Timber looked up, his face a mess of tears and snot. Flash continued until Timber had mostly calmed down to a few errant sniffles.

“Let’s go to the amusement park tomorrow,” Flash suggested.

“... What?” Timber asked.

“We’ll have a civilian day. Meet up without the suits and just relax.”

Timber sniffled. “Why would you do that?”

Because I can’t stand to see you suffering this much and I can’t explain why, Flash thought, but aloud said, “We need to lie low until the heat dies down and we might as well have fun while we wait.”

“... Right.” Timber turned askance. “Sure, that sounds good.”

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Flash stood up. “Will you be okay on your own?”

“... Yeah.” As Flash turned to leave, Timber grabbed the edge of his suit. “Wait, Warden. Can I ask you for a favour?”

“Sure.”

“Can you—” Timber gulped “—make sure I don’t lose control again?”

“...Of course, Timber.”

Timber nodded and released Flash. He waited another moment to see if he wanted anything else, then left, desperately trying to bury the weird feeling that tightened his chest.

Vertigo

Flash fussed with his appearance for what felt like the hundredth time as he walked about Equestria Land, backpack slung over his shoulder. He’d gussied up his appearance beyond reasonable and his breath was more mint than breath by that point with how many he’d popped through the morning. He’d worn his best casual clothes, a title earned only after going through about twenty different outfits. His anxiety was through the roof on whether he looked his best and it was slowly making him lose his damn mind.

This whole state he was in was ridiculous. He was just helping Timber relax after his breakdown from yesterday, but he was dressed to the nines, on an outing to an amusement park. He guaranteed that something was going to stain his shirt over the course of the day and he couldn’t believe how much he cared about that not happening.

This wasn’t even the first time he’d met Timber. But it would be the first time Flash would admit to being Warden to someone and the fact it was to Timber was causing this roiling anxious feeling to course through him.

For some reason.

He spied Timber on a park bench near Sweets and Treat as he’d told him via the Minion-For-Hire App. Even from far away, Flash could tell he was having a rough time. He was slurping away at a slushie with his beanie pulled down low and wearing a hoodie that covered him in an unflattering way. The feeling caught inside of him heaved at the sight, the exact nature of it unknown to Flash.

Doing one last check on his appearance (which caused another flare of annoyance at why he cared), he sauntered up to Timber.

“Hey, Timber,” Flash greeted with a casual wave. “How are things?”

Timber gave him a quick glance then dropped his gaze. “Fine, uh, Flash, was it?” Flash nodded. “You have a date or something? You’re really dressed up.”

“You could say that.” Flash forced down the fluttering in his chest at the remark. Timber was just being nice. “What flavour are you drinking?”

“Cherry.”

Flash smirked. “I thought that was your least favourite flavour?”

“Yeah, well, I recently had to drink a lot— Wait a minute. How would you know that?” Timber squinted his eyes at him. “... Warden?”

“Would it be easier if I used the voice synthesizer?”

“You’re— What—” Timber spluttered. Flash could almost see the smoke from Timber’s short-circuited brain. “Flash Sentry?! Aren’t you friends with the Rainbooms?!”

“Yeah, and? Friendship doesn’t mean I’ll shirk my responsibilities on the job.”

“Do they—”

“No, and right now, you’re the only one that does.” Flash glared. “Keep it that way.”

Timber made a zipping motion over his lips.

“Great, ready to go on some rides?”

“Y-Yeah, definitely!” Timber leaped to his feet, face flushed.

“Then let’s get going.”

Flash walked off toward a random part of the park with Timber following close behind.

“Ugh.” Timber rubbed his forehead with a hand.

“You okay?” Flash asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, but…” Timber winced. “Do we really need to start with the haunted house?”

“We can skip it if you like,” Flash offered.

“No, it’s just…” A moment of indecision “... never mind.”

“What?”

“It’s dumb.”

“So? We wore spandex costumes and tried to rob a bank.” Flash smirked. “I’m sure nothing you say is gonna top that.”

“But that’s…” Timber trailed off. “Wow, I never really thought too hard about it before, but it sounds crazy when you put it like that.”

“It is, now what did you want to ask me?”

“... Could you hold my hand while we go through?” Timber asked nervously.

“Yeah, sure.”

Flash grabbed Timber’s hand and dragged him toward the entrance to the haunted house. Timber stumbled after him, too flustered to respond.

“You want anything? You were screaming pretty hard back in the haunted house,” Flash teased.

“I wasn’t… okay, I was, but it was very scary!” Timber replied indignantly.

“It was cheap, Timber. I’ve worked with scarier people.”

“Well—!” Timber trailed off then looked askance. “Whatever,” he grumped.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. No shame in being scared. Now, do you want food? I’ll pay.”

“You’ve already paid for the tickets to get in here.”

“And have more than enough to buy food. So, again, want something?”

“... Nah, not really hungry,” Timber finally answered.

“Suit yourself, but I’m getting myself a burger.”

He got in line while dragging Timber along with him, still holding his hand. He’d kept his promise to him by holding on through the ride and then when they exited. And as they wandered the park deciding what to do. And while they approached the food stalls.

Flash should probably let Timber go, but his hand in his was comfortable and Timber hadn’t complained, so he hadn’t seen any reason to stop. It also empowered that feeling roiling around inside of him that had started as a light simmer and was growing into something warm and comforting. He liked that feeling.

“Ugh.” Timber gritted his teeth as he rubbed his forehead again.

“You okay?” Flash asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine, just a headache.”

“That’s the second time you’ve looked like you were in pain.” That comforting feeling stirred into the beginnings of an anxious storm. “Do you need some medication or something? I’m sure there’s—”

“I’m fine, really,” Timber interrupted. “I appreciate the concern, but I don’t want to interrupt our—” A pause “—hangout.”

“... Alright, but if it happens again, we’re getting something to deal with it.”

“Definitely.” Timber grinned.

Flash squeezed his hand. Timber squeezed back. His feelings settled back into that easygoing warmth.

“Watch your step,” The ride operator said in a bored tone of voice.

Flash gave a mock salute as he stepped into the ferris wheel carriage with Timber. They sat opposite each other, releasing each other’s hands for the first time in over an hour as they settled into their seats, a comfortable quiet settling over them as they waited for the ride to start. After a moment, the carriage lurched into motion, beginning its slow ascent.

“Thanks, Flash,” Timber said.

“You're welcome,” Flash replied.

“... Really?”

“Really, what?”

“You're not even gonna ask why I’m thanking you?”

“Why? It's obvious.”

“And what’s that?”

“Because I’m amazing for bringing you here.” Flash brushed his hair back with a hand, smirking.

Timber snorted. “Yeah, sure.”

A real smile formed on Flash’s face as he saw how relaxed Timber was, a far cry from his earlier mood. Then Timber frowned and a ripple of concern shot through him.

“You okay?” Flash asked.

“... What are you planning to do after this job?” Timber replied.

Flash sighed in relief at the innocuous question. “Probably quitting the business.” Timber’s eyes widened in shock. “You didn’t think I was going to do this as a professional career, did you?”

“Well, I mean, you’re good at it.”

“And?”

“I don’t know!” Timber waved his hands. “You’re just really good at this!”

“Thanks, but being good at something doesn't mean I should stake my future on it.” Flash looked at the window, feeling melancholic. “I make enough money now to afford what I need, but if I made this my career I’d have to commit to killing someone and I won’t do it.”

“Haven’t you worked with a ton of villains, though?”

“Supervillains,” Flash stressed. “Most of them aren’t better than general annoyances. Big egos, a lot of collateral damage, but none of them kill. At least, not intentionally.”

“Haven’t you worked with Sombra, and Garble? They weren’t exactly nice. Plus there’s that dinosaur you mentioned.”

“Sombra came off as scary, but, ultimately, just wanted to make the sky spooky for a while. Garble’s view of villainy is literally equivalent to stealing candy from babies. Dinorama was the most dangerous of them, but all he did was throw a tantrum and break some buildings. No injuries reported.

“It's the big guys like Tirek and Chrysalis that you need to aim for if you plan to go pro and I won’t do it because they have few boundaries they are unwilling to cross.”

“Didn’t you have me learn from their videos?” Timber asked.

“Yes, very specific things.” Flash leaned forward, staring intently at Timber. “Those two are in a different league. They’re supervillains that kill. They’re more than just small-time crooks and nuisances.”

He leaned back with a sigh. “Once the folks up top realize that those powers are dangerous and that the villain in question’s morality doesn’t stop at genocide… it stops being fun quips and goofy shenanigans, and instead something to be eliminated at all cost.”

A silence followed as Flash’s words hung heavy in the air.

“So what do you want to do then?”

“... I don’t know. I have enough funds to be able to do whatever I want, especially with the money my parents give. From whatever country they’re working in now,” Flash muttered under his breath, then aloud, “So, I’m gonna retire from being a minion and take my time to decide.”

“That sounds pretty great.”

Flash gave a noncommittal grunt. They lapsed into another bout of silence. He looked out the window, watching the park become smaller and smaller as the carriage rose to the apex of the wheel.

“... What about you?” Flash asked.

“What about me?” Timber replied.

“Well, what do you wanna do?”

He could hear the grin in Timber’s voice as he said, “Well, well, look who's showing an interest outside of a professional relationship.” Flash snorted. “I don’t know. Haven’t really had time to think about it since I’ve been on a bad losing streak lately.”

“The bank?”

“The bank,” Timber agreed. “Being attacked by that wolf. Screwing up with Twilight. My sister running the camp into the ground even after we got all of that help last summer.” He growled. “The fact that I’m so poor I don’t even have any options to consider. I thought that using these powers I got from a horrible situation I could at least make myself feel less trapped but…” A sigh. “I’ve been feeling pretty awful most of the time.”

“... We can work together to find out if you want,” Flash offered.

“What?”

“I mean, you’re really not cut out for this villain stuff, at least, not past some simple robberies.” Flash shrugged, still looking out the window. “So, if you’d like, I can return the money you paid me, retire, and then we can look to see what options you have.” He felt his face heat up from that unknown feeling in his gut. “You know, together.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Yeah, sure. I—” Flash hesitated “—enjoy your company. So, I see this as a great way to spend more time with you while also helping you out. Win, win.”

“... Thanks, Flash. That means a lot.”

“You're welcome.” The carriage slowed to a stop. Flash looked outside to see that they had done so at the very top. “Hey, we got the best seat on the wheel. What a view, huh?”

Silence followed Flash’s remark. He was about to ask if everything was okay but was startled by a loud thump and the carriage rocking.

“Woah, what was—” Flash looked to see Timber on his knees, clutching his head as he silently cried in pain. “Timber!” He was by his side in a matter of seconds. “Hey, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

There was a gasp of pain as Timber became unconscious falling to the metal floor. Flash jerked his head toward the carriage door, trying to think of a way to get them both out and to a medic. Before he could formulate a plan, he was grabbed by his shirt collar and forced to face Timber again. He looked up at him with a wide smile and a strange green sheen to his eyes.

“Timber!” Flash exclaimed. “Oh, thank goodness you’re awake. How are you—”

“Flash.”

Flash felt a thump in his chest at the firm tone in Timber’s voice. “Yeah, Timber?”

His smile took on a jagged quality. “You have your suit on you?”

“Always, but—”

“Get suited up then. I got a plan I want to do.”

“... Sure, but, Timber, are you okay? You’re kind of freaking me out here and this whole thing seems—”

“Random?” A harsh bark of laughter. “No, I’m fine. Don’t worry about it. I just had this brilliant idea that I think you’ll really like, but there’s something really important I need from you.

“What’s that?”

Timber used his second hand to grab Flash’s collar alongside his first and drew him in close, his grin seeming more manic than before. “You’re with me, right?”

Another hard thump echoed in Flash’s chest. The emotions he’d had all day were in a frenzy. “What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said, Flash.” Timber’s hands shook as they held onto him. “I just need to know you’re with me. I can’t do this without you.”

Those words made him feel drunk, like he’d downed a keg of alcohol and was in a foggy haze. Timber wasn’t acting right, but his words were exciting, intoxicating. He didn’t know where this was going, or even what Timber’s plan was, but logic was rapidly dissipating as everything in Flash’s body screamed that he needed this.

It was a feeling he had only known when he’d first entered this business, that razor edge of partner and accomplice. The spark in Timber’s eyes and smile had that same glint, that same promise. All of it emboldened that warmth inside of him that had been building all day into a blazing inferno.

Flash grabbed Timber’s collar back.

“Ride or die,” Flash answered.

Relief seemed to flood Timber as the shakiness in his grip left him. “Excellent, now get dressed.

“I’ll fill you in on the plan as we go.”

Baddie Breakdown

Flash slammed his bat into the side of Timber’s head. It did nothing to slow down his momentum as he rammed into Flash. Flash crashed into a stall, breaking the wood on the front. Using the stall as leverage, Flash planted his feet against Timber’s chest and activated his boosts, blasting Timber away from him.

The werewolf went skidding across the pavement. He latched onto the ground, and pulled himself into a crouch, snarling at Flash.

“Knock it off with the cheap tricks!” Timber roared.

“Sorry, Timber, but as much as I want to save you, I also don’t want to be on the business end of those teeth,” Flash replied.

Timber roared in response and lunged toward Flash again. He rolled out of the way. Timber crashed into the stall, getting entangled in the broken pieces. While he tried to free himself, Flash slipped around the corner searching for something he could use to his advantage.

Before him was a swing carousel. As the name implied, it was a round carousel with swings instead of horses. It was currently in motion and going way faster than it should. The operator and riders were ensnared in vines, and the speed lever had been accidentally pushed to the max. He was interrupted from his observations by a tackle from behind.

Flash slammed into the ground. Timber grabbed the back of his head and roughly smashed it against the ground. The visor in his helmet cracked. He felt dazed, but, thankfully, the inner padding kept him conscious.

Thinking quickly, he turned the electricity on in his gloves and, as Timber brought him back up, he shoved his palm into his chest. The shock caused him to drop Flash.

He rolled back into the carousel and grabbed onto one of the swings. He zipped off, just in time to avoid Timber’s follow-up swipe. He came around the bend and clocked Timber in the head with his bat and managed an encore on his second go-around.

On the third, after Flash hit him again, Timber grabbed the chains of the swing Flash was holding onto and yanked, tearing the bolts out of the roof. Flash dropped to the ground and rolled away. Timber pounced on the last spot he was in mere seconds before.

As he came up, Flash slammed Timber’s chin with his bat on an upswing then again horizontally. He kept up the pressure, swinging repeatedly as he continued to dodge Timber’s claw swipes.

Timber nicked Flash along the arm, cutting his suit and causing him to overshoot on his swing. As he tried to course correct, all Flash thought was, Guess I can’t make fun of Applejack for that mistake again.

He banged his bat ineffectively against his hide with no power behind the swing. Timber took the opportunity. He grabbed Flash’s face and slammed it into the ground behind him, cracking the pavement and the back of his helmet once more causing Flash to thank his past self for the forethought of extra protection.

“Can’t keep up, Warden?” Timber growled. “I thought you were the best in the field.”

“I’m competent in the field,” Flash corrected, his words slurring together as the world spun. “Also, you’re a werewolf. You kind of have an unfair advantage over me with that.”

Timber roared, grabbed Flash by his suit, and threw him. He skidded along the cobblestones and was stopped by the central fountain on Equestria Land Main Street. The mascot, a cute, chubby dragon, happily sprayed water on him in mockery.

“That’s just insult to injury,” Flash muttered.

He staggered to his feet. Timber stalked toward him, towering well above him with eyes filled with anger. Flash swung his bat in an arc, brought it up, and swung. Timber grabbed the weapon, ripped it out of Flash’s grasp, crushed it, and tossed it away.

Flash turned his gloves on and punched Timber in the face. He staggered him momentarily, enough to follow up with another and another after that. He got into a rhythm of punching that he hoped would manage to topple the giant.

Timber grabbed Flash’s fist and squeezed, hard. Flash cried out in pain. Timber grabbed him by the throat and then smashed him against the edge of the fountain, breaking the wall and causing water to spill from the central bowl. Timber squeezed Flash’s throat, his suit cracking from the pressure. Flash thought to electrify the water, but Timber had managed to damage the controls.

“You just needed to be on my side, but you never wanted to, did you?!” Timber yelled, leaning in close. “You were just saying that so I’d do what you want!”

Flash struggled against Timber’s grip, already feeling lightheaded from the lack of air. “I wasn’t just saying that. I want to be with you. I like being with you.”

“No, you don’t! If you did, you would have—!”

“Allowed you to become a monster?” Flash chuckled weakly. “No, I couldn’t let you ruin your life.”

“I’m choosing this!”

“Your insecurities are choosing this.”

“No, they aren’t! This is my best option!”

“How can you know that?” The edges of Flash’s vision became blurry.

“B-Because there isn’t any other option, I’ve tried!” A single tear rolled down Timber’s face. “I’m stuck, and this is the only thing left that I get to choose.”

“Timber, that’s not true.”

“You can’t know that!”

“I can’t, but we can try, and even if it turns out there really aren’t any other options… I’d do everything to make sure you still had one available to you.”

“Don’t say that! Not when you don’t care!”

“Now who’s telling lies?”

“You! You’re still—!”

Timber was stopped by Flash gently touching his face. He smiled. “I care about you, Timber. More than anyone else in a long while. This isn’t some act.”

The colour in Timber’s eyes flashed, back and forth from eerie dark green to his usual forest green.

“Come on, bud,” Flash begged. “You gotta snap out of this. We still need to have that… real date.”

Flash’s hand dropped to the ground as his consciousness faded further. Timber’s eyes widened in panic, fully human, tears gathered in the corners.

“No!” Timber shouted.

He released Flash. Flash sucked in lungfuls of air as he recovered. Timber stepped back, clutching the sides of his head. He growled, whipping back and forth as he tried to shake whatever had a hold of him.

“Get out!” Timber roared. “Get out, get out, Get out, Get Out, GET OUT!”

Green mist drained out of Timber in droves, from both inside and out. The green hue of his bark skin became bleached white. The green coalesced into the shape of a wolf, snarling down at Timber. Timber collapsed onto his knees, his werewolf form dissipating.

“F-Flash,” Timber cried out weakly.

Flash tried to pull himself off the ground, desperately reaching for Timber. Exhaustion, however, still had hold of him, and desperation couldn’t overcome it. He watched helplessly as the wolf’s maw opened, ready to snap, willing his body to push past its current limits.

“Heel,” A voice commanded.

Pink flashed across the green mist in the form of chains. The wolf yelped and drew back. It turned toward the voice and snarled. Fluttershy stepped into view, flanked by her animal compatriots. She glared, one eye bearing the full intensity of a wrathful mother chastising a child.

“I said, heel,” Fluttershy said, power elevating her voice with a deep bass that echoed off the cobblestones.

Arcs of pink burst across the wolf. It yelped in pain and then whimpered, thoroughly cowed by Fluttershy. It snarled one last time at both Timber and Flash then ran off, dissipating into nothingness.

Flash crawled forward and brought himself up enough to catch Timber as he collapsed. He pulled him protectively to his chest, glaring back at Fluttershy with a defiant expression.

“... Take him somewhere safe,” Fluttershy said softly.

“You’re not gonna turn us in?” Flash asked.

“He was obviously under the influence of a corruptive force and… this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve let a previously possessed person go free. Besides, I can guess the expression you have right now under that helmet and I don’t want to know what a desperate Warden is capable of.”

Flash waited to see if Fluttershy would make a move. After he confirmed that, at least for the time being, she wasn’t going to make any more moves, he maneuvered Timber onto his back and stood up. His body screamed in protest, angry at both the abuse he’d already been through and that Timber wasn’t exactly a small guy, but he ignored it. Willing for his body to last until he could reach his car in the parking lot.

He began to walk toward the park entrance.

“I better not see you again as some villain’s minion… Flash,” Fluttershy called after him.

He stopped. “... You heard Timber?”

“Yes… and I had my suspicions before this.”

“Well, you’re in luck, this was going to be my last job anyways. I’m officially retired.”

“Congratulations… don’t do it again.”

With a weak chuckle, Flash walked away.

Afterglow

“Agh!” Timber screamed as he bolted upright on the couch.

Flash put down the knife he was using to chop vegetables, wiped his hands, and walked over to Timber. He was taking quick, sharp breaths with pinpricked eyes and shivering in place. He held onto himself, fingers digging into his skin. Flash sat down in a nearby armchair. When Timber saw him, he visibly calmed down.

“Evening,” Flash greeted.

“It’s… nighttime.” He said, puzzled. He glanced out the dark window and then turned back to Flash. “Have I been sleeping this entire time?”

“Yep. You’ve been out since we left Equestria Land.”

“... How are you still awake? My memory is fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure you got your head smashed into a whole lot of stuff.”

“Because…” Flash mulled over his response then decided that honesty was the best. “I was worried about you, so I stayed awake to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh,” Timber replied, looking askance as his face turned red. He noticed his bare chest tightly bound in bandages. “You treated me here?”

“Hospitals ask questions and, in this line of business, those questions can be a problem. So, I patched you up myself, then popped a few painkillers to keep upright.”

“You haven’t treated yourself?”

“Some people can wrap themselves up. I am not one of those people.”

“Do you want me to help you?”

“I’d appreciate it.” Flash smiled warmly. “Would be good to have that done before bed so I don’t stain the sheets too badly.”

Timber winced. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize. You were possessed by an evil wolf. I blame it more than you for what happened.”

“... As much as I would like to just accept that, I wasn’t completely unaware of what I was doing.” Timber hung his head. “All the stuff I said was already things I had been thinking about.”

“We all have insecurities, Timber. It’s not your fault that some demon took advantage of that and amplified them beyond your control.”

“But, it wasn’t like I didn’t fully have control. I let it take over because I let my doubts speak louder than your words and caused a huge mess.”

“Did you really want to kill me?”

“Never!” Timber immediately replied.

“Then we can bury that whole ordeal under ‘demon wolf’ and move on. We should address those underlying issues, maybe therapy, maybe just talking it out, but any of the extremes we can probably presume it was you being possessed.”

“But—!”

“Punishing yourself further is pointless, Timber. You made a mistake, and not an original one considering Canterlot’s history of demon girls.” Flash held Timber’s hand in his own gently squeezing to reassure him. “Don’t beat yourself up over it.”

“... Okay.” Timber squeezed back. They lapsed into a companionable silence. “How did you stop the wolf?”

“I didn’t. Fluttershy handled it. Speaking of—” Flash smirked “—You outed me as Warden to her.”

“I did?! Shoot, I’m so sorry!”

“It was an accident and understandable given the circumstances.” Flash wasn’t looking forward to the nightmares that particular moment may conjure later. “I had told you I was retiring anyway and now I have more reason to.” He chuckled. “I actually got a text from Fluttershy just before you woke up reminding me that she would tattle if I tried my hand at villainy again.”

“Yeah, probably best not to be on the business end of the friendship laser.”

“No, definitely not.”

“What about the park?”

“Already handled. No injuries and the vines dispersed shortly after we left. So long as we don’t go on a crime spree, the Rainbooms and the police have no reason to bother us.”

“So that’s that then?”

“That’s that,” Flash agreed.

“... What now?” Timber asked.

“We eat, we take our time to recover, preferably here so I can keep an eye on you, and then I help you see what options you have going forward.”

“You’ll still do that?” Timber asked, surprised.

“Of course. I said I would and I plan to keep my word. Besides, I like you, even if you gave me the beatdown of my life,” Flash teased.

“That’s… great.” Timber bit his lip, uncertain. “So, when you say that you like me, do you mean that you like me or like like—”

Flash interrupted Timber by cupping his cheek and kissing him tenderly on the lips. He held onto his hand, taking his time to convey exactly what he meant by ‘like’. When he drew back, Timber was wide-eyed and bright red. Flash grinned.

“You’re cute when you’re flustered,” Flash remarked.

Timber tried to reply, but only some vague noises that sounded like words came out. Feeling cheeky, Flash kissed him again and then abruptly returned to the kitchen. He grinned widely as he heard Timber bury his head in the couch cushions and release a bunch of sputtering nonsense.

He hummed a merry tune as he continued to chop up more vegetables for their salads, a content smile on his face. Though things had started rough, Flash thoroughly looked forward to the next chapter of his life.

Especially since he wouldn’t have to do it alone.

Park Everfree

Timber, now in werewolf form and wearing the suit Flash had made him, alongside Flash stood on top of the metal carriage. They had not yet been noticed, but that would change once they reached the bottom of the ride.

“So, what’s the plan?” Flash asked.

“Wait,” Timber replied. “I’ll fill you in when we reach the bottom.”

“Got it.”

A small part of him knew he should press for details, but a greater part was still in that drunken state of excitement and anticipation. It was important that there was a plan, not that he knew the details.

Inevitably, the carriage slowed to a stop as it reached the end, the ride operator bringing the ride to a full stop at the strange sight of the two. A ripple of curiosity and nervousness coursed through the gathered line goers.

“Attention, all park goers,” Timber announced with a wide grin. The crowd’s murmur grew in loudness. He frowned. “I said, attention all park goers.” No change.

Timber inhaled deeply then released a roar. The crowd immediately silenced. The only sound Flash could hear was the thrilled thumping of his own heart.

“Better,” Timber grinned again. “Now, I’m sure most of you are wondering—”

“Sir, I’ll need you both to step off the ride!” A security guard called out as they approached. “If you could—”

Flash leaped forward and smashed the guard in the face with a swing of his bat. He grabbed the dazed guard’s arm, twisted it behind them, and used his knee to slam his entrapped victim into the ground.

“Keep going, Wereoak,” Flash said.

“Thanks, Warden. And call me Timberwolf. That other name was… lacking.” He cleared his throat. “Now, before I was interrupted I was going to say—” He paused for a moment then cradled his forehead in one palm “—Nevermind, the moment’s ruined. Yadda, yadda, I’m going to encase the whole park in vines now.”

Confusion took over the crowd at Timber’s declaration. His eyes flashed green then he roared. Thick green vines burst through the pavement and ensnared nearby park goers. The crowd attempted to run, but were soon wrapped up in bundles of vines. They spread from their origin, wrapping around the ferris wheel and spreading further into the park.

Flash watched in awe as the vines rushed past him. He left the guard (who was quickly swallowed by the vines) and approached Timber.

“Phase one done. Next step.” Timber grabbed the entangled ride operator’s phone and hit the emergency dial. “911? I need the police.” A moment’s wait. “Hi! So glad you picked up. My emergency is that I have the visitors of Equestria Land ensnared within vines and I’m using them as my hostages. Bring five million dollars to the front entrance, and, when I have the money in hand, I’ll release everyone. See you soon.”

He crushed the phone in his grip. “And now we wait.”

“That. Was. Amazing,” Flash said, starstruck. “I didn’t even know you could do that!”

“Yeah, well, I always could I was just… held back.” A flash of green sparked through Timber’s eyes. “Now, I’ll need you to make sure no one else interferes while I focus on ensnaring the park. Got it?”

“Got it.” Flash nodded. He felt giddy, but an undercurrent worry prompted him to ask, “Hey, Timber, are you really feeling, alright?”

“I told you, I’m fine.”

“I know, it’s just… this seems really sudden especially since I had thought we were going in a different direction. I just wanted to know what changed.”

“Because I have you with me.”

“What do I have to do with this?”

“Oh, right.” Timber chuckled. “I really should have filled you in about that. So—”

A tiger clamped onto Timber’s arm. Timber roared in pain. He grasped the cat’s throat until it let go then tossed it away form him. The tiger was dazed, but was back on its paws in seconds. It growled at Timber, readying to pounce, but was halted by a firm voice.

“Here, Mr. Whiskers.”

Mr. Whiskers ran back to their master, a tall willowy girl with pegasus wings and long pink hair that covered half her face. The one uncovered eye glared at them both with heavy disapproval.

“Uh oh, that’s Fluttershy,” Flash said.

“Is that bad?” Timber hissed out as he gingerly touched his wounded arm.

“She tends to hold back when she’s with the others, but when she’s on her own—”

Fluttershy whistled. Two swarms of pink butterflies flew into the area and coalesced into a bear and lion behind Timber and Flash, fangs bared.

“—She likes to bring in Barry, Mr. Whiskers, and Lionel,” Flash finished.

“... I just wanted one day to myself. One,” Fluttershy mumbled, then aloud, “Shouldn’t you be lying low, Warden and… Wereoak?”

“Timberwolf,” Timber corrected.

“In my defense, we had every intention to do so, but Timberwolf couldn’t help himself.”

“... Well, I can’t really ignore this.” She idly scratched behind Mr. Whiskers’ ears who rubbed into her affection. “Now, boys, stop them, but don’t hurt them… too much.”

Barry launched himself at Timber who matched the bear’s ferocity with a roar. The two cats lunged at Flash. He whacked one of them upside the head with his bat, then rolled away from the second. He took another swing at Lionel, who took the blow and crashed into Flash.

He was thrown back by the force and impacted against an ice cream cart that tipped over, spilling packaged treats across the pavement. A sound from his right drew his attention just in time for Mr. Whiskers to leap at him.

Flash fell to the ground using his weapon horizontally to push back the snarling tiger, taking several scratches for the trouble. He was outnumbered and in a bad spot. He would lose if he didn’t think up a plan to take them out. He had to—

“Warden!” Timber cried, desperation and panic in his voice.

Flash put his feet underneath Mr. Whiskers’ chest and kicked him into the spilt cart. He rolled backward into a crouch and launched himself at Lionel.

Lionel lunged at him. He grabbed the lion’s head, and leap-frogged over him. As Lionel crashed into the ground behind him, startled by the unexpected move, he raced toward Fluttershy who called out Lionel’s name in concern.

She gasped as Flash pinned her body against his, using his bat to keep her hands up and unable to move.

“Stop, or I'll kill her!” Flash shouted.

The animal trio did as told and turned to their master who looked unconcerned by Flash’s declaration.

“It’s a bluff. Warden doesn’t kill. Keep attacking them.”

“About that.”

A roar. Bew vines burst from the ground and entangled the animals.

“No!” Fluttershy shouted.

“Let her go, Warden,” Timber commanded.

Flash did as he was told. Fluttershy dropped to the ground then was promptly trapped by the vines. They covered her up to her head, leaving one glaring eye uncovered.

“Nice, Timberwolf,” Flash said. “Way to tie up the threat.”

“Pretty easily thanks to your quick acting.” Timber tilted his head to one side, thoughtful as he eyed his new captive. “Is there a chance Fluttershy could still ruin our plans?”

Warmth spread through Flash at the use of ‘our’. “Well, I mean, if the other Rainbooms show up it could be a problem since they have that rainbow lazer.”

“So if all of them came together, we would probably lose?”

“High chance of it, but—”

“Let’s kill her.”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened. Flash felt his blood run cold.

“... What?”

“They can beat us if they’re together, but if we kill her, they can’t.” Timber grinned. “Win, win.”

“We talked about this,” Flash said, dread setting heavily in his gut. “If you kill—”

“I cross the line, I know, but—” Timber put up two clawed fingers “—I was thinking I could just go pro.”

“I thought we were going to look into other options. Together.”

“And we are! The together part.” Timber grasped Flash’s hand in his, a pleading look in his eyes. “I want you to go pro with me.”

“What?! I just told you—”

“I’d never make you kill someone. I’ll do it for you!” Timber’s tone betrayed his desperation. “You’ll be the brains, I’ll be the brawn. No need to get your hands dirty outside of some basic assistance.”

“I— What?! No! This is wrong and impractical!”

“So? It’ll just be how we do things. There’s no need to follow some arbitrary guidelines on ‘how to villain’.” Timber’s hands felt ice cold as they clasped Flash’s. “We can be like the greats! We can beat the greats! I just need one thing.”

Apprehensively, Flash asked, “And what’s that?”

“You.” Flash’s eyes widened. “I can’t do this without you. Any other path might mean you leave and… I don’t want that.” Timber gripped his hands tighter, cracking the suit and bones underneath. Flash winced. “So, I just need to know that you’re in. Ride or die, right?”

Timber had lost it. This whole plan had spiraled into madness. He was completely out of his mind. Between this plan and new goal to become a full time supervillain, Flash was… seriously considering the offer.

He hated to admit it, but a large part of him wanted this. He didn’t want to be separated from Timber either and that feeling was driving his brain nuts. This was like with Sunset before, a beautiful mix of partnership and crime. He could be with someone again, be tied to them inexorably.

However, Timber wanted to kill someone. Fluttershy. His emotions and mind rebelled against the notion. It was a step further than he’d ever been okay with, and something he’d thought Timber never would have done.

But here they were, at the brink of exactly that.

“... It’s okay. I know it’s a lot. You don’t have to decide now.” Timber dropped Flash’s hands, a morose expression on his face. He bared his claws. “But, I'm still going through with this. If I’m going pro, I’m going to need funds.”

He stepped toward Fluttershy. His gait was animalistic, primal. A snarl on his lips and pupils pinpricks. He was a predator ready to take his prey.

Completely unlike Timber in every way.

All at once, Flash’s feelings and mind clicked into place, a rapid comprehension of what he wanted, not what he thought he did. Clarity rang true as his mind focused single-mindedly on what he needed to do.

Flash electrified his gloves and lunged forward, hitting Timber in the chest with his palm. Timber roared, stunned by the attack. Flash swung his bat into Timber’s stomach, pushing him away from both himself and Fluttershy.

“Why?!” Timber exclaimed.

“This isn’t you,” Flash stated, leveling his bat at Timber. “And I’m being stupid for going along with it. This isn’t what I want nor is it what you want.”

“I-I trusted you!” Timber snarled. “And now you’re going to stop me?!”

“Yes, because if you weren’t being corrupted by those damned powers, you would want me to. I really should have figured that out sooner, but I might be denser than I thought. Don’t worry, Timber. I’m getting you back.” Before Timber could interject, Flash added, “And then we’re going on an actual date instead of the pretend one we did today.”

“W-what?!” Timber’s hackles raised in embarrassment or offense, Flash wasn’t sure.

“Yeah, I really dropped the ball on this one. Really should have figured out sooner that I wanted a relationship not a partner in crime, but thems the ropes.” He shrugged. “Get ready for these beatings of affection, bud, because I’m not letting you get trapped like this.”

“You— You—!” Timber growled. “Fine. I-I don’t need you. I’ll do this by myself!”

Then he lunged.