Chapter 1: Just another day on the job.
Date: 18th of May
Time: 12:27 PM
Location: Trottingham, The Purple Dragon Pub
“So this is where I find you.” A purple smartly dressed, pony says, approaching a dimly lit table in the corner of the stingy pub.
“Where else would you find me, somewhere classy?” A hooded figure said from the ruined couch surrounding the old, chipped table.
“Of course not, im just surprised your back so soon.” Responded the smartly dressed pony with a slight hint of sarcasm.
“Was the, ‘job’ dealt with?” the smartly dressed pony pulled a stained chair to the table and placed a briefcase onto it with a ‘thunk’ sound that was muffled by the drunken slurred utterings from the other ‘happy patrons’ of the rat hole pub.
“It was.” The hooded figure pulled out a lighter to ignite the end of his cigarette as the case dropped open from a metallic ‘click’ to reveal the stacks of bits within,
“50k?” Asked the hooded pony.
The purple pony smiled under his lowered hat “50k, as promised, meet me at the back on club Spectrum, we are having a drink, and a talk.” he began to turn and leave. “Oh, and Sky? Good job.” Sky finished his cig and closed the briefcase. “I drink Deadscar, rocks.” The purple pony waved his hand in a show of understanding, then disappeared from the pub.
15 minutes later
“Another one, sir?” the bartender drones after spitting whatever contents of his mouth into a pale on the floor behind the counter.
“Applejack Daniels, thin” Sky had developed a resistance to booze over the years, in his first days on the ‘job’ he made the shot from pure luck in his paralytic state, though he did not believe in luck, not nowadays anyway.
“Hey there~” a trying too hard to be alluring voice droned into the ears of Sky “how you doing stranger, how about we go round back for some, ‘stress relief’, how about it handsome”?
Sky took a gulp of his drink, spilling some onto the counter as he places it back down, “no thanks hun” responded Sky in his usual emotionless tone.
“Awww...well if you change your mind, I will be working the corner” the mare of the night wanders from the bar and to the backdoor. Sky shuck his head, despite the offer of a fling with some strange pony for no gain other than what he thought to be ‘money for a dead memory’ he was far too busy wondering what his next hit will be, and what to do with the gold mine of bits in his briefcase. A new car? A fancy new home? Or maybe just spend it on repairs and alcohol as usual.
The old broken television from behind the bar flickers from static to the news, a scratchy voice of a news reporter rings out “I’m here in Sao Pegiso at the Resting Mare hotel where just yesterday an explosion from the 5th floor of the building has caused a state-wide panic, some are calling the incident an act of arson and or murder, though the authorities in the area are stating strongly that it was an accident, the bodies found cannot be identified due to the severity of the ‘accident’ more updates coming soon, I’m Flightstone, Equine news”.
No one knew any the wiser, just like the last 49 contracts, Sky knew he was good at his job, though he never let his success get to him, nor did he think about the death he had brought among the lands.
‘Wonder what Reina is doing right now’ Sky pondered to himself, he had hardly seen her in 3 months, despite being a huge, seemingly unnecessary handful, and as whiny as mares get, she was still his oldest friend ‘Maybe it’s time to pop in for a visit and catch up’ he thought to himself as he paid his tab and wandered with a swaying, yet discrete motion ‘after all, that is what a member of the friend-zone does’ the door was violently pushed open and exited by Skystorm.
Date: 18th May
Time: 16:48
Location: Trottingham, Drai Apartment complex, Reina’s apartment.
The midday sun shined through the light orange drapes of the apartment, the hung-over and tired mare slowly arose, covering her ears with her hands to stop the amplified noise of the traffic outside, her head spinning as the alcohol in her system shows its ugly aftermath.
“Urgh...I need to lay off the vodka” the sound of the alarm clock is like a nail against a blackboard to her fragile ears, she leans over to turn it off and manages to flop out of bed with a loud thunk, causing her alarm clock to fall off the side table and strike her head. “ouch…I fucking hate mornings” she got up from the floor and brushed her messed main from her eyes, staggering to the kitchen, the potent drug she had recently snorted beginning to wear off, leaving the pain from last night to surge through her body. It had been a while since she had worked. Her jobs usually where deemed, filthy and uncouth, from a waitress in a gentlemen’s club to a burlesque dancer in the seedy part of the city. Well, the seedier part anyway.
She opened the grimy fridge and pulled out an almost empty bottle of cheap wine, pulling the top open with a knife found under the unkempt kitchen table. ‘ding-dingading’ rang the doorbell of her apartment.
“Just...hang on a sec, I need to get something” she pulls on a stained tank-top, a ratty pair of purple jeans and pulls out the dagger from her dresser draw. She opens the door and is almost instantly pushed onto her back.
“HEY, WHERE IS MY CLOUD WHORE?!” a burly colt shouts, his white coat shining from the window light.
“Get the hell out Snowblight!” the mare clambers to her hind hooves, clutching the steel silencer out of sight.
“I know you stole it, give it back to me and I may just give you a beating this time!” he walks over and grabs her hand.
“Get...the...HELL OFF!” she plunges the shape metal spike into his sides.
“FUCK!!” he staggers back and pulls out the knife sharply from his gaping wound
“Ok, that’s it!” he grabs her by the neck and slams her to the bed, holding the bloodied weapon. As the first drop of blood hits the floor the stallion is pulled back and slammed against the open dresser by Skystorm, the knife flung into the corner from the movement, his head gashing open from the chipboard.
“Bad move” Snowblight is kicked hard in the gut, dropping to the floor in a coughing heap. “You ok Rei?” the dominate stallion calmly utters.
“Y...yes Sky” Reina stammers over her words from the shock.
The white colt gets to all fours. “You...c...unt” Skystorm hoists him to a stance, he drags him to the door, placing his skull between the door and frame before slamming it with all his might; the splintery broken wood crushing his head.
Snowblight yells in agony “Come round here again, Il strangle you with your own insides, got that you little shit?” with one last slam, and a throw out of the room to the adjacent wall, the battered white pony staggers out of the hallway, clutching his heavily bruised head.
“Want a drink Sky?” Reina asks, shock dominates her voice.
“Deadscar on the rocks.” He turns around and shuts the door quietly, with his classic smirk, plastered over his face like the situation did not even occur, his only flesh eye winking to her; the look causing the mare’s body to quiver. “How have you been anyway?”
Meanwhile
Location: Trottingham National Police Station
“Listen here Captain, one of my big suppliers is dead once again, I’ve had it up to here!” Lady Glemegem raises her hand above her mane, a pout pasted across her face as she exclaims her unhappiness.
“My lady please be calm, your hysteria will not help our case progress, if anything it will hinder it.” The Captain remarks in a mixed tone of authority and calmness.
“Well Captain, I hope that you have someone on the case, I need to return to my work and find myself another supplier, Mr Stockpile now being deceased”. Lady Glemegem brushes her well-kept mane with the back of her nail-polished hands.
“Now now, the case in Sao Pegiso was just an accident” He desperately tries to reassure her.
Lady Glemegem scoffs loudly and crosses her arms “Don’t give me that shit Captain, I know it was murder, this has happened far too often for them to be all accidents, I want something done now!
“Do not worry; someone is on the case, Detective Inspector Evergreen. I assure you he is one of our finest and will catch this murderer”.
Lady Glemegem sighs with a role of her eyes, turning to leave the office. “He better be caught soon, I do not like to be kept waiting.” She remarks without turning to face him.
With the door finally shut the Captain reclines in his fancy new chair. “Crazy stuck up bimbo…” the Captain rubs his temples, resting his elbows on the shiny mahogany desk “I will need to make some investigation seem apparent…before her mother stops investing…” he stands and reaches for the bottle of hard whisky in the bottom draw of his desk. “It’s going to be a long week…”
Date 18th of May
Time: 14:16
Location:
Trottingham, Drai Apartment complex, Reina’s apartment.
Rattles from the cheap, dirt-encrusted shower-head ring out of the dank, budget bathroom. The water blasts cold from the shower onto Skystorm’s mane, thankful his augments are waterproof.
‘She’s still on the Cloud…I can smell it on her coat, see it in her eyes and she doesn't have the money to fund it…stupid girl’ he cleans his fur thoroughly, making sure to remove whatever stains of blood may have splattered on his coat.
“Sky!” shouts Reina from the other room. “How are you doing in there?!”
‘How am I doing? It’s just a shower.’ He thought to himself, rolling his eyes. “I’m fine Rei!” he exclaims back, turning off the jet of water. Skystorm grabs a towel from the silver-coloured rack next to the door before exiting the bathroom.
“You still don’t have hot water…” his towel only covers from his waist to his knees, walking to the open plan kitchen.
“…would you cover yourself a bit more?” she glances at his soaked, muscly abdomen before shaking her head to remove any thoughts about his body.
“Like it matters, we have known each other since school…we have seen far more on other occasions”.
She could not help but look over his body with shifty glances, his black and blue mane, now soaked from the shower’s water matted against his rugged yet smooth face, his one orange eye staring at the towel in his strong grasp, the other blue, yet covered by his damp mane. Yet despite his rugged look, not a scratch nor scar on his powerful frame, despite the accident.
Reina’s Purple fur gives way to a sudden blush from memories of parties they once attended; it has been a long time since she remembers him being happy like that.
“So, what work are you doing nowadays Sky?” asks Reina trying to clear her throat in the process.
“Nothing really…just this and that, how about you?” replays Sky, yawning loudly as Reina takes the toast from the rusty toaster, she opens the fridge while responding.
“O you know…I do things for people” Skystorm raises his eyebrow in suspicion “Not anything dirty!” she quickly reassures.”I tried getting a job at Plot, but right now I’m keeping things safe for people…” she gulps nervously, averting his gaze as she passes a plate of toast to the suspicious pony.
“I hope” Sky sighs. “You are not getting involved with bad ponies again, are you?” he says with a condescending voice and half a slice of toast in his mouth.
“No…and I’m not a little girl anymore, I’m not a whore ether…though I’m kinda low on…”
She is interrupted by a large role of cash striking the table next to her, she stammers at the sight of the money.
“I have had a good week…enjoy” he stands half way through speaking and finishes the food, taking his jacket from the back of the chair.
“Are you mad at me…is there anything you want me to do? Reina stutters, staring at the cash, attempting to hold back the emotional mixture of shock and worry.
“No, not really” he rubs his eye with his hand
“Sky you always seem so closed off, you hardly open up to me anymore, is it the drugs? The awkward relationships? Just tell me please!” Sky shakes his head and turns to leave.
“You really haven’t changed have you?” he swings open the door and walks out of the apartment. Reina’s eye produces a small tear.
‘Why is he always so distant…why does he give me anything I want for nothing in return…does he feel like he has to…' she grips the money as drops of water from her eyes land on the role of bit notes.
All is heard from the hallway is the sudden gasp of a colt witnessing the blood bathed floor, Skystorm walks past him, acting oblivious to the carnage ‘He better not ever come back here…and she better get her shit sorted before she ends up in a gutter, or worse.
Author's Note
Enjoy chapter 1, hope to see some views soon and feeback.
