Sky Graphic sighed as he walked through the jail. He had, by personal request of Gild, taken over the late Shatter's job, patrolling. It didn't really look much like a jail anymore. The beds that once took up the smallest amount of room possible had been replaced with nice beds with sheets and blankets large enough to hold several of the ponies incarcerated. The cells had several places sectioned off with curtains for their privacy, and one of them even had a small couch and bookshelf, all prepared and ready for the occupant, Valinor, to seat herself quietly and read her days away.

He came to Gilded Thread's cell and sat down, looking in at her. She was languishing on her own bed, half covered in her blanket.

"Comfortable?" He asked, unimpressed, "Or should I get you a goblet of wine to go with your accommodation?"

Thread looked over at him blearily and stretched slowly.

"Mmmm... If you're offering~" She replied teasingly. Sky rolled his eyes.

"No, I was being sarcastic. Remind me again how you convinced me to do this?"

She smiled sweetly at him in return.

"I appealed to your good nature sweetie~" She said gently, "And you're such a nice stallion~"

"Too nice, apparently," He replied bluntly, "I don't know how the hell I managed to get Gild to agree to this either."

"Gild is too busy to really read what's on the sheets put on his desk," She said with a bored sigh, "You know, trying to keep my employer out of a home."

"Captain Gild is just doing his job Miss Thread," He responded. Thread laughed softly.

"Darling, your naivety is adorable. Have you seen him close any more stores or establishments?"

Sky hesitated before shrugging.

"He hasn't found evidence on them yet is all," He said, "He will eventually."

Thread smirked and rolled her eyes.

"You keep believing that dear. Have fun serving in corruption sweetheart."

Sky frowned, storing her words away in his mind for later consideration as he turned and, slowly, began his rounds again.

"You are going to need a lot of other ponies working for you to pull off what you want."

Hoodlum sat at a small table in Ambrosia's small apartment, shuffling a deck of cards idly. Ambrosia was making tea in the kitchen.

"I know. I figured you, being a zebra of fortune yourself, could point me in the right direction."

Hoodlum looked up from his cards, shamelessly eyeing the mare up. She was attractive, there was no doubt. She had put on weight since she'd come to Canterlot, given her manager status. However, some of that weight had dropped since she'd lost the star. She still had the appeal she always had.

"Listen princess," He replied, "If you dink for a moment dat you are going to overthrow de guards with simply mercs, you are wrong."

Ambrosia turned to face him, a pair of mugs in her hooves.

"Do tell," She said neutrally, "I'd like to hear your take."

Hoodlum lowered a brow, amused.

"What? No 'I call de shots around here' or, 'who do you dink you are?'"

Ambrosia shrugged.

"There's no shame in seeking help in areas you're not familiar with."

Hoodlum grinned.

"Very true. Many ponies do not dink so anymore." He said, "It's not as simple as you dink. You see, hiring mercenaries or 'opportunists' as you called dem, is risky. A merc's first loyalty is to his pay. Should his pay be threatened, or he offered better money, he will turn on his employer in a moment."

"Oh. That's a fair point."

"Yes. What you need, is a stable base. What you're doing is treason, so you may as well go de whole way."

Ambrosia's eyes narrowed.

"Go on."

"What I am proposing is an extreme. But by de sounds of it, you've tried de more legal aspect. De problem with legal side is your opponent. He is captain of de guard, yes?"

"That's right," She said in reply.

"Den you have a serious problem. Your opponent is setting the scene and de rules of your game, Ambrosia. It is a dangerous game you are playing, and you do not want your enemy making all of de rules."

Ambrosia almost corrected him. He'd pronounced her name like 'Ambro-see-a', and it felt strange, but she let it go, figuring it simply his accent.

"You had my curiosity before, Hoodlum," She said, leaning forward in her chair as she sat down, "But now you have my attention."

Hoodlum smiled wryly.

"Glad to know I'm not useless den. What I'm saying is start making de rules yourself, set the battlefield."

"This isn't a war though?" She said, confused. Hoodlum rolled his eyes.

"That is where you're wrong. This is war, simply on de streets of the City. You, and de guard. More specifically, you, and Gild. Gild already has his army, and power, and that puts you at a disadvantage."

"The guard," She said softly to herself. Hood nodded.

"Yes. De guard are his army. Whether dey know dis or not, every soldier is in his service. I would be careful where you tread. Now. Your army needs to grow. I have been generous, agreeing to your offer. But mercs will not take physical temptation like I will. They will want money, power."

"Then what do you suggest?"

"Gangs," He responded bluntly, "Do what you must to achieve what you must. Create a new mob to take on the guard."

"A mob?" She asked, wide eyed, "Are you serious?"

"Yes," He responded, "As your newest employee, I will help you."

"But don't they ask for the same thing?" She asked, hopelessly confused again, "Money and Power?"

"Well, yes," He answered with a shrug, "But dey also know it's not going to be instant. Dey expect de money and power after time."

"And that's better?" She asked incredulously, "Look, I appreciate your attempts to help but-"

"Let me finish and perhaps you will not be so overwhelmed!" He scolded, making her fall silent, "You may not like it, but de threat of force, on in dis case, magical intervention, will make you many potential allies. I promise you, I will help you. We had a deal, no?"

Ambrosia hesitated for a long moment before sighing.

"Alright... but listen. I set the rules, okay? No force unless I deem it necessary for starters."

"No problem," He replied with a smile.

"And also, where do we get muscle from that isn't going to cost me my left hoof?"

Hoodlum's smile widened and he tapped his hooves together.

"Leave dat one to me."

It was dark. But then, it was to be expected that it was dark, considering how late it was. Almost midnight it was, when the two zebras met. One was much taller, and much bigger than the other. The smaller, was Hoodlum.

"Dank you for meeting me on such short notice," Hood said quietly, "I know you are busy."

"That's nice, Zukra," The other zebra said coolly, "Get to the point and give me a reason not to take you back to Zebrica."

Hood felt a muscle twitch under his eye.

"I don't go by dat name any longer," Hood replied coldly, "I go by Hoodlum now."

"Fitting."

"I have a proposition for you."

"I don't work for criminals, Zukra," The other replied, deliberately using his old name.

"You would not be working for me," came Hoodlum's reply, "But for my employer."

"They hired you?"

"Not exactly," He said with a shrug, "She made me an offer I could not refuse."

"A wealth of dead bodies?" The larger zebra spat. Hoodlum sighed.

"I don't know what the tribes have told you," He lamented, "But I did not, nor do I plan, on practicing Necromancy. No, she offered me services through my life."

"Enough. Just tell me what you want."

"Simple. We, being my employer, wishes you to be our muscle. I do not expect you to accept straight away, but I do wish you to give me reason to believe you will answer, and not ditch us."

"You take me for a common cutthroat?" The zebra snarled, "That I would abandon a contract for the contractor's enemy?"

"Not at all," Hood responded, "Just being prudent."

Silence. For a long time, silence.

"... What is the pay?"

"Negotiable," He said quickly, "But I am willing to offer my bounty, after the job is done."

The larger zebra frowned down at Hood, and Hood glared right back.

"... What about your services through life?" he asked darkly, "Does that include sanctuary?"

"No. Sanctuary was not a part of the bargain. Do we have a deal? Will you meet my employer, Zubari?"

The big Zebra let out a breath, his eyes not straying from Hood's white ones for a long second before nodding.

"I will meet her."

Gild was looking at the calender on his desk, smiling. Upon it, several times, was 'Ambrosia's visit', crossed out at each time, 'rescheduled' as it were. Standing before his desk, waiting to be acknowledged, was Sky Graphic. He stood for a long, uncomfortable few minutes. When Gild didn't say anything, nor acknowledge his presence, Sky cleared his throat.

"Sir?"

"What is it Graphic?" Gild asked with a smirk, not looking away from his calendar. Graphic cleared his throat again.

"Well... no disrespect intended sir, but are you sure keeping Shatter's death from the rest of the guard is wise? If it is religious extremists, like you theorise, then shouldn't we let them know about it? You know, to let them prepare?"

Gild paused, then looked up at Sky.

"No. If I tell the others, there'll be open revolt, trying to find the culprits. Shatter had a lot of enemies, and quite a few religions would see him as a sinner. So no, we won't."

Sky hesitated before speaking again.

"But how will they prepare for possible attacks on themselves then?" He asked hesitantly. Gild, who had gone back to looking at the calendar, sighed and looked up.

"If Shatter had been vigilant, like he was trained, he wouldn't be dead now would he? Shatter was an irreplaceable member of the guard, but now he's dead. There's no point causing panic or thoughts of vengeance in the core. It's a dangerous line we're toeing with this Graphic. A lot of the others would want revenge on principle. They may not have liked him, but you know how some of the guard are."

"I..." Sky started, thinking about it, before nodding. What Gild was saying made a lot of sense, "I get it, yes. Thanks for that sir."

He paused again, thinking before he asked again, slowly.

"Sir... How is it we've seized the star, but not any other stores or establishments?"

Gild looked up sharply, but held his emotions in check.

"Because," he said in a controlled voice, "We have yet to receive any relevant evidence to suggest that they're inciting or had anything to do with crime or criminal activity. Until we have evidence, we cannot arrest nor trial the suspects. Get the picture?"

"And what of Ambrosia's trial?" he asked in response, "Is that ever going to happen?"

"I can only do what I can do on the time given to me, Graphic. Nothing more. I don't make the rules, I just follow them. Now stop questioning my orders."

"Yes sir..." Sky said quietly, "Sorry sir. it won't happen again."

"See that it doesn't, Graphic. Dismissed."

Sky bowed his head in deference, and left the office, ruminating on the new 'evidence' he'd uncovered in his mind.

Author's Note

Zubari belongs to the same person behind the inequitable Zirqon, Jay. Great guy. Good with kids. I think. Maybe. He might be.