Morning broke over Canterlot. Not too many hours later, the phone rang, waking Loona up from her drunken sleep. She answered the phone and laid it on the pillow next to her as she listened to it talk. "Ma'am?" It was the nice mare from the front desk. Loona wondered a moment if that pony ever slept. "Somecreature's here, looking for you, and he seems very irritated."

Loona yawned loudly, rolling on top of the phone and turning it off. "Heh. Bye-bye, Daddy."

***

Blitzo growled at the mare in the hotel lobby. "What the heck?! She turns off the phone, knowing full well I'm right here?! What kind of fucking child did I raise?!"

"A loving one, given that she is your daughter." Twinkleshine looked the imp over. "She did mention a father. I assumed that would be you."

He scoffed. "Yeah. Where is she?" Twinkleshine pointed up and up until she was pointing directly above him. "She had a nice time last night and looked pretty tired when she got back. I would let her sleep."

"You are so damn lucky you're adorable." He reached out to muss Twinkleshine's mane. "Yeah, whatevever. I had a nice time too. Got a nice city here, but we got work we should be doing." He pointed to the ceiling as well. "Would have asked you to take me to her sooner, but you weren't exactly on duty. Busy life of a secretary, eh?"

Twinkleshine giggled. "We have all kinds of things to do, as hotel staff."

"But of course." Blitzo looked back and forth. "There's something you could help me with."

Twinkleshine tilted her head. "And that is?"

"First, the name's Blitz." He hiked a thumb back at himself. "Next up, my daughter is an absolute fool sometimes. Doesn't understand that all men love, and women are all jealous whores." Twinkleshine gasped at that. "It's true! Anyway, I really do need to reach her. Do you think you could show me which room she's in?"

"I'm not supposed to show any guests rooms that aren't theirs." Twinkleshine chewed on her lower lip. "Besides, she paid for it herself, it is hers. That makes it worse."

Blitzo shook his head, laughing dryly. "She didn't have any local money on her. Now I know you're full of shit."

"I could hardly ask what she does for a living and just give her a room anyway!" Twinkleshine protested.

"And so you got stiffed," he guessed correctly. "Is that your reasoning?"

The front desk mare smiled. "Hardly! She just seemed so happy!"

He grinned. "Trust me, if she's happy, it ain't good news for this hotel." Blitzo turned towards the stairway. "If I have to knock on every damn door in this place, I'll get started."

Twinkleshine grabbed his tail before he could run up the stairs. "You wouldn't dare." She pulled him away, opening a door behind the front desk. "This way leads straight to her. But only because you made such a convincing case."

Blitzo bowed down at her with flourish. "I thank thee, milady, for your benevolent grace." He snickered as she trotted past him.

"We do pride ourselves on our courtesy." Twinkleshine led him to a back lift that was used only by staff. "Please, after you." She ushered him inside before tapping the screen with a hoof.

Blitzo watched the numbers rise for several long seconds. On hitting the top one, the door slid open in either direction. Before them, a hallway stretched onward with red carpet leading to the same door he'd first appeared from. The wallpaper was a soft rose color. "Hm. Classy." He stepped through to hear a faint pinging sound coming from further away.

Twinkleshine stepped out with a big smile. "She had come from so far away, I put her in one of the nicer rooms." They strolled together, heading for that lone door at the end. Twinkleshine opened it to reveal an empty room and the sound of running water.

Blitzo walked into the room, sniffing deeply. "Yo, Loona! If you don't finish that shower right now, I'm sending pictures of you as a baby to everyone!" He dropped into a couch that sank under his weight.

Loona's sleepy grunt was the first reply before the shower turned off. "Piss off!"

"If you want me to send those baby photos to the entire pony world, I will!"

She threw the curtain aside and rubbed the steam off her body, shaking her fur dry. "I'm only here because you dragged me here, 'dad'. You work up the nerve to get your own work done?"

"Pssshht." Blitzo brushed her anger aside with a smirk. "Me? Scared? C'mon, I've known you since you were in diapers."

Loona blushed and quickly hid her privates. She hurried to grab some proper clothes and conceal herself. "I'm talking about shooting Luna. You ready or not?"

Twinkleshine blinked, eyes wide. "Why would anycreature want to hurt Luna?! Isn't she nice?!"

Loona paused as she stood up from slipping some underwear on. "Shit." She glanced between her dad and Twinkleshine. "Maybe she didn't know that was a figure of speech."

Twinkleshine relaxed immediately. "Oh! You mean take pictures of her? How delightful!" She giggled brightly at that. "You'd probably want to visit the museum later today. I believe Princess Luna has some duties in relation there. You should get moving!" She started off towards the elevator. "Have a nice day!"

Loona watched her leave. "...So you're good?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Blitzo got to his feet and sauntered over to a small table full of food. He grabbed an apple a the top and took a big bite. "These ponies sure do love their produce. Damn if it isn't kinda good though. Either way, the plan hasn't changed. You put a bullet in Luna, we go home, collect the cash."

Loona frowned a bit at that. "Whatever. Let's go." She finished getting dressed and moved over to her weapons. "These horses sure are friendly, huh?"

Blitzo looked over her arsenal of weaponry. "Friendly? Please, they're easily the stupidest people I've ever seen. We'd never see humans so easy to manipulate or get along with." He rubbed his hands together. "I love it. Can we take one home? Pretty please!"

Loona grimaced at him. "No, Dad, we're not stealing from them! Besides, maybe you should treat them less like idiots. It wasn't hard to put it together that someone might want to hurt her."

"Their loss." Blitzo shrugged at that. "The rifle's all fixed. I wasn't just enjoying myself last night." He threw it to her. "So, no excuses this time. You're gonna have to put that pony in the ground yourself. You can manage that, right?"

"Duh," Loona answered instantly. She pocketed her knife and her other firearms, shouldering the rifle. "She's just a horse." She hid her wince. "Just a horse. Right. Maybe we shouldn't kill her?"

He stared at her. "Are you kidding me? After everything we went through, you want to quit?!"

"Dad, I'm not trying to quit, I just think-" She threw up her hands.

"There's no quitting!" He stomped over to his hellhound girl and jabbed her chest. "You're a part of a team, whether you like it or not. We have an obligation to uphold our end of the bargain. We kill who we agreed to kill, then we get paid. Simple!" He flapped his arms against his sides.

"This whole world doesn't operate on greed and lust, dad." She sighed lightly. "Look, let's get moving. We can figure it out as we go."

***

Luna faced a crowd, which was not where she was at her best. "Citizens of Canterlot, I proudly, hm." She shuffled in place, clearing her throat as she struggled to remember the next line. "I present, the museum, open to all citizens!" She raised the ribbons before her horn ignited, slicing them to shreds.

A crowd of ponies cheered and applauded at that, charging towards the door to enter. Luna let go of a slow sigh of relief.

Loona sauntered up through the crowd, going directly for Luna.

"Ooo, bold. Going in for the personal touch." Blitzo rubbed his hands with a vicious smirk. "That's my girl."

Loona tried ignoring him. "Hey!" Her voice caught Luna's attention. "Thanks for the lovely conversation last night!"

Luna smiled and returned the greeting. "Yes, it was fun, but it would be more enjoyable if we did not shout at one another." She waved for Loona to come closer and was quiet until they were in conversational range. "Good to see you again. You look refreshed!"

Loona grinned a little. "Yeah, thanks. Nice town you've got here. Wonderfully... Easy-going." She chuckled a bit. "Hey, listen, you don't suppose we could hang out again, tonight?"

Luna smiled at the invitation. "It would be a delight. Curious courter, have you something in mind for me?" She leaned in, touching her nose to Looona's cheek. "You excite me with possibilities."

"Really?" Loona smiled warmly and wrapped a hand around Luna's waist, pulling her closer. "How about I give you the ride of a lifetime?" She leaned against the royal body.

"Oh my," Luna breathed out, flushing. "You are too bold, my canine courter." She paused. "Unless you meant that literally? Did you desire a ride across the night sky?"

Loona laughed at that. "Uh-huh." She brushed the tip of her muzzle along Luna's mane, breathing softly in her ear. "It's a shame our relationship won't go any further, Luna."

Luna's blush grew more intense. "You have woken up full of libidinous energy, dear Loona. I would rather learn more of you, and give you a chance to learn of me, before we push on to new things."

Blitzo was disgusted. "Is she seriously flirting with Luna? The fuck..."

Loona shook her head, growing serious. "Luna, let me warn you. My dad is the absolute worst." She cupped Luna's jaw. "Seriously, the worst. But I'm probably no better. We're greedy and selfish people, willing to hurt whoever it takes to get paid." Her cheeks heated up as she admitted that much to her target. "I wanted you to know, we came here because somebody wants you dead."

Blitzo felt the air rush out of his lungs. His blood went cold as Loona ratted him out. "No!" he screamed, drawing his gun and firing wildly. A sign fell and smashed on the ground.

Luna didn't hear, too stunned at Loona's word. "Want me dead?! Whyever for? I have done little deserving of such thoughts."

"Sorry," Loona whispered. "I'm gonna try and make things right now." She let go of Luna and ran back towards her father, dodging more gunfire. "Listen, I think-"

"Forget it, girl!" Blitzo pushed past a stallion in a uniform to vault over the fence. "Your dumb ass may be okay with fucking up this gig, but not me!"

Loona grabbed Blitzo and threw him back. "Can you please keep your bullshit in check for ten seconds so we can talk this out?!"

"Not now." He dodged a unicorn officer and scampered along a wall, his rifle dangling from him as he tried to find a perch. "If you didn't want to pull the trigger, you should have kept your dumb mouth shut!" He leapt onto the edge and perched up top.

She was on the wall a moment later, sprinting alongside him. "Why am I expected to shoot a perfectly nice woman?! She's done nothing wrong!" She spun on her heels as guards climbed the walls after them, aiming a kick and bowling them all down.

"Some of our targets are assholes, and some aren't!" He grabbed one of the spires jutting from the wall and used it to swing himself further ahead. "But it's none of our damn business, either way!" He dug his claws into the roof and hurled himself higher.

Luna crashed into Blitzo suddenly, tackling him as her magic yanked his rifle away. "Is this one working alongside you, or an enemy?" she demanded, eyes blazing as they stared hard into Blitzo.

He spat a loogie into her eye. "Fuck off! Both of you!"

Luna recoiled in disgust at the spit, giving Blitzo time to struggle free.

Loona ran into view a second later. "Look, I'm sorry! But I can't in good conscience help you hurt an innocent creature anymore!" She extended a hand towards Luna. "So we're calling this assassination off."

Blitzo's arms sagged with defeat. "Fucking hell. I'd call you more things if I could finish the job properly myself." He waved at Luna. "I mean, look at her! Those big pinchable cheeks! Those big cute eyes! That tail!" His ears drooped as he spoke. "Do you know how hard it is to shoot a pony that looks so sweet, even to my heartless self?"

Luna glanced down at herself. "What do my looks have to do with murder?" She paused, squinting at Blitzo. "Wait, wait! Are you also attempting to court me?"

"What? No!" Blitzo turned away. "I'll leave that up to my hornball daughter. I just want to hug ponies, not fuck 'em."

Luna folded her forelimbs over her chest. "I think the term you seek is 'flirt', which you cannot deny doing when describing my appearance."

"Fair enough." He clutched at his face, letting out a frustrated moan. "Either way, you took my weapon, and I sure as hell ain't gonna go with stabbing."

Luna plucked up Blitzo's fallen knife with her magic. "That reminds me. Such brutal instruments have little place in Equestria. You have committed terrible acts with this."

He folded his arms behind his back and rocked side to side. "Not here I haven't. You two didn't let me commit a single crime anywhere close to here." Loona held his dagger and turned it about in her hands as he spoke. "So if you can forgive us, I guess, we'll leave. For good."

"No!" Loona stomped her foot down. "Besides, we can't. Or did you fix that too?"

"I wish." He pointed to his dud transport device on his wrist. "Still dead. We're stuck here for now. So unless you want us to rob people blind on the way out of here, we'd be happy to not cause you any trouble at all. I promise!"

Luna turned her head left and right. "You two are a curious pair. What is your relationship?"

"Huh?"

Loona cleared her throat, speaking up instead of him. "Dad and adoptive daughter. I didn't take kindly to him and I still don't. But..." She shrugged. "He's still that." She grabbed him and pulled him closer. "Super ass, but he's my super ass. Sorry for the trouble. You're not hurt, right?"

Luna shook her head, looking both flustered and confused. "I am unhurt, but not unphased. You are nothing like other predators I have encountered."

Loona rubbed her neck with a breathless laugh. "I bet other predators aren't hoping to hang out, if you're, you know, still up for that?"

"You wanna hit on my would-be-victim?" Blitzo laughed at the irony. "After getting caught in the act?"

"I did worse before." She grimaced at what he'd say. "I've been shot by a date before." She held out a hand towards Luna. "I figured, hey, compared to that? Trying to fuck someone after nearly murdering them has to be easier, right?"

Luna stared at the offered limb for a while. Then she reached forward slowly to bump Loona's finger with a hoof. "I will forgive him, but I am keeping this weapon. You, be at my place tonight, at the seventh tolling of the bell."

Loona nodded and backed off to jump over the edge. She hit the ground and rolled with it, heading into the distance.

Luna grabbed Blitzo up in her magic aura and brought him over the edge as well. She levitated him down gently and placed him near a trio of guards, one of which resembled a palomino version of Rob Schneider with wings. "Captain Winterspear, hold him prisoner."

"Hey! You said you forgave me!" Blitzo protested loudly.

"Only that you are unharmed," she assured him.

"I'll take that. Could have gone worse." He kicked his legs up, hanging limp in the grip of her blue magic. "You'll let me go afterwards, right?"

Luna arched a brow at him. "Behave yourself and we will speak again." With that said, she tossed him at the nearest guard and set off to her next task. She had lots to accomplish before nightfall. Including writing a letter.

"Very funny, lady." He landed in the guards' waiting hooves.

Winterspear hefted Blitzo up on his shoulder. "Alright, you scrawny little cretin. This way to the castle dungeons. You'd better hope we're not busy tonight, or the Princess won't spare any time for you."

Author's Note

They're dating, yay! The cat's thoroughly out of the bag. That chapter felt good to me, bits struck true to me, like I was in an episode. For you?

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