Making noise

[multaekappae]

 And with  flash of golden light the two ponies vanished. "Crap, crap, crap!" The unicorn snapped her head up from the scope, slinging the rifle to the side and swearing under her breath. 'One alicorn, two alicorn, three alicorn...'

There was just the slightest puff of wind before the hissing pop heralding the arrival of a teleportation sphere. Sharp Shot was already leaping for the floor below when the pegasus, not fully materialized, lunged after her, hooves still glowing as he grabbed her back legs and slammed her head into a joist in the shelves.

Sharp Wit let the murder's unconscious body drop to the floor before landing next to it. Golden jumped down, catching a lower shelf to ease his descent. The pair eyed the unconscious shooter, eyes flicking from the long range rifle to the dark gray packs distributed along her belt and webbing.

"A professional. Should I take that as a compliment?" The unicorn stallion made a noise halfway between a cough and a laugh.

The gray pegasus frowned, "They had no idea we would be here, it wasn't especially for you." The inspector frowned, his eyes repeatedly drawn back to the rifle, which fired a far larger caliber of ammo than what the autopsy would –

---

"–should be able to walk through it, pace by pace." Agent noise nodded, not quite daring to be optimistic about their chances. "Even a complex spell can be considered a collection of simpler cantrips working in..." She trailed off, noticing where the kelpie's gaze had turned.

Agents Ops and Lining carried the unmoving body of a cybernetically integrated eohippus.

Riptide didn't trust herself to speak just yet, so she instead speared the black stallion with a glare of inquiry.

Black Ops withered under the Deep Queen's gaze. "Sniper shot, to the head. It was instant." He frowned when all that happened was the kelpie's brows furrowed. "A sniper, you know, long distance covert gunner–"

"Guns." Riptide snarled. "It's always 'guns' with you ponies."

The silver stallion cleared his throat, "She, uh... she died protecting the old guy. Um, if that makes any diff–"

The sharp retort of gunfire interrupted the pegasus's stammered speech.

The kelpie's eyes narrowed further. "Put her somewhere comfortable, I doubt she's going to be up and moving any time soon."

The dark furred stallion started to open his mouth and quickly slammed it back shut, nodding sharply to Riptide "Ma'am." For once Silver Lining moved without having to be asked as they brought the body fully into the Starswirl the Bearded Wing.

"Any time soon?" The pegasus mouthed in confusion after the kelpie had made her exit. All he got was a shrug in response. Agent Lining shook his head, "Man, time travel is really annoying."

---

Sharp Wit wondered what it said about him as a pony that he was learning to suppress his reactions when it was possible someone had just killed his partner/mentor. Sure enough, the shot had only taken Golden Scales in the leg, and not near any arteries or other vulnerable tissue. The elder pony didn't seem to recognize the good fortune of his wounding.

"Hades in Tartarus, Grubber, not only are you a complete slimeball, you are also  –oww– one hay of a lousy shot!"

Money Grubber stared in disbelief at the firearm in his hoof before turning to smack one of his goons. "Whadd'ya waiting for? Get them!"

The mooks, to their credit, moved as soon as ordered to. Unfortunately, two of them immediately started sliding backward, blue tentales wrapped about their barrels, eyes widening as they turned to look at the furious armored creature advancing down the hallway.