The ground exploded in a cloud of debris and broken robots as another trio of Doomissles added to the landscape’s collection of craters. Already a dozen more were streaking through the sky, their speakers cackling their master’s evil laughter as they blasted towards their target. The whole base was on full-alert, and anything that could be sent after the intruder was deployed. A small army was hot on her trail, every weapon in their arsenal tearing through the air at her.

So in short, it was a slow day.

Super Secret Agent Doctor Princess Flint Jaguar yawned as she leaped away from the explosion, using her DeathFist to catch a burning scrap of metal and relight her cigar. She was naturally the cause of all this mayhem, for that was her job. She had broken into the Slugfort to steal the Staff of Sluggers of the evil sorcerer Senor CyberSlug, Supreme Slug of the Sluggians. He wasn’t realyl a slug, but he kind of looked like one so it counted. She had broken into the slimy fortress and had dodged all its many traps and security measures, until she stepped on a creaky wooden board. What an old creaky wooden floor was doing in a fortress made of steel, concrete, and slug mucus was a mystery, but asking questions like that just got in the way. It’s not important, dad.

Anyway, after that she had to make a quick getaway. Her magic wings and jetboots had helped her with that, but the sluggians weren’t as sluggish as you’d think. Out of nowhere Senor Cyberslug appeared, sitting on his cyberlegs and chasing after her. He pointed a long scary-looking claw at her and gurgled out “SEEEEEEIIIIIZE HEEEEEER!” From behind him a swarm of grabberdrones flew towards Equestria’s bestest agent ever. She gritted her teeth and ran as fast as she could, as the snagging claws of the evil flying things snapped at her, but she would-

---

“EEP!” A hanger snagged the strap of Flurry’s dress, jerking back and making her tumble backwards. Two strong arms caught her before she hit the ground, wrapping around her torso in a bearhug.

“Daaaaad!” Flurry whined, trying to look annoyed but her grin betrayed her. Shining Armor shared that grin as he looked down at his captive. the “drones” fell to the ground as his magic dispersed, and he put on his gruffest, grandest voice, pouring a hog farm’s worth of ham into his performance. “Well well well, if it isn’t Miss Clunk Jagloser! Trying to steal the wand again?”

“It’s a staff”

“Staff, right, sorry. Trying to steal the STAFF again, are you?” He cackled, sounding more like a witch than an evil slug robot, but Flurry would let it pass. “And what are you going to DOOOO about it, hmmmm?”

He glared down at her maniacally… Maybe a little too maniacally. She went quiet and his smile softed a bit. He always got a little too into character, even when Twilight was a filly. Cadance had scolded him many a time for seemingly scaring her, never seeming to accept “it’s just a game” an a valid answer. His mind started reeling with how to salvage this; Flurry was having such a good time, and he almost never got to play with her like this-

Suddenly the alicorn whipped her water gun towards his face and screamed out “I’m gonna do this!” and squeezed the trigger.

Shining shut his eyes and turned his head as the stream of water blasted him in the face. He sputtered, wiping his face as the surprise attack ended. “You said that thing was empty!”

“Yep, I did.” Flurry smirked.

For a moment, the two stared, Shining trying his best to look firm while Flurry held that smug smile… which Shining couldn’t help but join.

“Oh you little sneak.” And without warning he dug his fingers into her side, and a fresh squeal of giggles filled the room.