The Game

by AlphaOmega

Rating: teen
Tags: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Princess Celestia, Dark, Alternate Universe, Main 6, Princess Luna, Original Character
Length: 11004

Join a thrilling tale of cat and mouse to discover a secret years in the making that will change the world forever.

The land of Equestria. Truly a marvel, it was. But now, during the age of revolution, Equestria has changed. Dark smoke covers the sky of the factories. Colts and fillies work in the monstrous building, while their parents work twice as hard. Only the rich and influential must not risk their lives everyday to survive.

But it will all change.

Somepony...no...someone, pony or other species, has a plan. A way to change the world as one knows it. But they are not just willing to give it to anyone. No, only one can have the prize they are seeking...or will be seeking. For the players of this deadly game do not even know they are a pawn. Until now.

12 Contestants, 1 goal, 1 winner.

For the sake of all, there must be a change.

Its time to play The Game.

Published 2013-11-28 17:50:03 UTC
Last updated 2013-12-19 02:44:44 UTC

Prelude to Change

The Game: Prologue

AlphaOmega

Clear as the sky you see today, so it was back in the time of the rule of the twin sister princesses. They ruled fairly across the land of Equestria, bringing forth day and night. All was well. But, one day, it would all change.

A revolution had occured. At this time, factories had been created. Pony technology had truly taken to the skies. By mixing arcano-technology with galvanization, the future of Equestria had come. Machines ran on steam and magic. Metal was used for almost everything. As a monument to it all, a clockwork tower of bronze was erected, telling the time true that all would follow. And it was by this clock that the new age began.

The population moved to cities, abandoning farms, to find work. And find work they did. The owners of companies, big and small, hired out worker after worker. But even then, the companies could not handle the sudden migrations to their factories in such places as Hoofington and Manehatten. And thus, managers saw fit to raise the general work load. Any who could not keep up with production was fired. Anyone who spoke out of line was fired. Anyone late was fired.

Many families starved. They could not pay for their food, much less their homes. The children had to find work just to bring food to the table. Celestia and Luna saw this and decided it was a time for change.

They declared that there must be a minimum wage. They declared what was right and wrong. They declared...

It all fell on the deaf ears of the elite who now truly ruled Equestria. Yet, the ponies, griffins, even zebras, too, wished for what the Princesses offered. They rose up in furious anger against their oppressive new masters of production and rioted. The elites could have no such thing. And thus, they closed their factories, stopping the drive forward in production and innovation. Without the materials that were created from factories, ponies lived even harsher lives. All workers lost their position.

All of the population felt anger towards the Princesses. At least under the cruel elites they had a shining hope to make money. But now, there were no factories to produce good and no one to man them.

And thus, a revolution began. The ponies, griffins, and zebras took back power...from the Princesses. They were dethroned and disgraced, forced to leave their own land. Yet, they did so freely, but not without warning.

"You will regret this!" The alicorn of the moon yelled. "You know not what you have done!"

But Celestia said nothing. She merely left, taking the sun with her. And thus, the dark clouds that now form over the sky had come to cover Equestria.

And so here we are. Modern Equestria. Where breathing can cost time and money and the sky is blacker than the smoke coming from the walls of the factories. The poor are blocked off, begging for money and the elite live in luxury.

I decided it was time for a change.

History may see me as a monster, perhaps even the devil himself. But I will take it all. The poor cannot fight. The rich want no change. But I will stand up and re-create the world.

Let the Game begin.

Chapter 1: Dawn Everfree

The Game: Chapter 1 - Dawn Everfree

November 13, 11:30 A.M. Manehatten commons

Destiny.

What a fickle idea. The mindset that one was meant to do something. They HAD to do it, otherwise it was against the will of a higher power. Not that it mattered. Destiny could not be avoided. Yet, the very thing that all ponies have is exactly a symbol of destiny. Their cutie mark.

I was lumped in there. My name is Dawn Everfree. I sit here now as I think about my life and reflect on it. My cutie mark is a coal. I was meant to work in the factory for all eternity. I live in the city of Manehatten, working for Mining Industrial. They had the monopoly on the one thing that keeps me warm.

I sighed. What was the point of a break if you kept thinking?

As I finished my lunch (for I would not eat again until breakfast), I saw a shadow move in the distance. I paid it no mind. Why should I? I was a strong mare. I could handle myself. And I always kept in practice with my magical abilities. I would be fine enough.

I threw away the junk. Not a scrap left. My 10 minutes was up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 13, 11:40 A.M. Manehatten Mining Center

Mining coal. Easy enough. Anyone could do it.

As I used my magic to levitate the coal out of the mines, I heard a piercing yell. I turned around to see the tunnel collapsing. The miners ran towards me.

"Everfree! Outta that freakin' way!" The leader yelled. I scrambled away as they came up and the tunnel collapsed.

"What the hell happened?!" I yelled. The leader, one name Clouds, a Pegasus, panted and explained.

"A diamond dog den. We told him to leave, but he would rather see his home crumble before we mined it." He continued to cough, no doubt trying to think about what to tell the manager. He wasn't particularly fond of...anyone.

I winced. I had noticed only 15 miners came out. 22 go in everyday. Where were they?

"They got caught up." He said, reading my mind. "One was the first to get hit by a falling rock and the other miners just weren't fast enough."

I sighed. These were common anyway. The diamond dogs valued property over their homes. And to steal from them meant death.

Just another day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back at my little apartment. I fell down, tired from work. The dim light in the room was rather comforting. A little light in my dark life. I looked around my small abode. The walls needed painting, the table was missing a leg, and I was pretty sure the mouse trap caught another little critter. On most occasions, it was not a mouse, but rather some other creature hoping for a slice of my hard-earned cheese.

As I scraped myself off the floor (which was carpeted; it costs more than you think) and went to my little bedroom. It really was more like a little place of rest. A paradise in my little home. It cost me a few good bits to make my bed. It was sturdy, had a strong musk smell, and a mattress with a hole.

Nothing like home.

I decided to turn on my radio. It always had a way of calming me down. Again, another luxury from working extra time at the mining center.

*ZZZZT! Well hello everyone! Vinyl Scratch here on the air. Today, we've got some awesome beats for the public, but before we begin, I must give these words someone gave me while sticking a knife to my face! So whoever wanted this on the air, here ya go!*

I barely paid it any attention. Someone almost mugged someone? In these times? It was about as common as the deaths in the mines. Nothing new.

*Hello, citizens of Manehatten. You may not know me, but I know you all very well, in a metaphorical sense. But no matter. I have come to deliver a message. This one is a message of death. "Pay attention, you heads of evil. Your injustice to the common people will not go unpunished. A time is coming when you will sit at the top of your factories and you will finally realize the monster you have created." That is all for now. SOMEONE have mercy on your souls, for I surely do not wish it for you.*

I continued to try and turn on my stove. It took a few tries, but the radio helped to calm my nerves. I, again, barely heard what was said. It sounded more like a poem than any threat. Again, I paid it no mind.

I chopped up some potatoes and carrots. My knife was dull as usual and I have no means to sharpen it. So, needless to say, using magic to cut with a dull knife was not going to work. I had to do it manually.

I stepped away for a few minutes to go to the bathroom, when I noticed a letter had been slipped under the door. It was strange. No one got mail like that, unless you were a Deader. They were the only ones who needed to have absolute privacy in their work. I don't think everyone needs to know the work of an assassin. But, more on them some other time.

I levitated the letter to see who it was from. I didn't know exactly why someone would go through the trouble for little ol' me. Nonetheless, I opened it.

"To whom this may concern:
I Hope I find you in a decent mood. Not that it matters. You may have just heard word Of an explosion at your work place-"

What? There was an explosion at the Manehatten Mining Center?

"-and now you will soon be questioned. All police Forces have been deployed to find out the criminal."

Oh shit! Wait. Why am I scared? I wasn't even there!

"By now, you may be in a little fear. The police will catch on and question you at length. The only difference between these police and the regular police, is that these officers have been sent by your corporation. They will hunt you down even if you know nothing."

Oh shit! Again!

"This letter will be evidence against you. But do not worry, you are not alone. Others have been suspected and they will also be questioned, hunted, and inevitably, killed."

Oh Celestia.

"You stand at a crossroad. You can ignore this, and you will wait, and you will die. Your second option is to escape. You must follow the path I have set for you-"

I searched the envelope. Nothing. No map, no directions. I turned the letter over. No map either. I began to panic. I decided it was best to continue for any instructions.

"No doubt you have attempted to look for a "map". Allow me to tell you right now, no such thing exists. After all, what is a game of cat and mouse without a little risk eh? But I will leave you this hint: "The place of tall towers, second only to Manehatten. Just as those towers stand, in the wrong place, so does it reflect in this letter."

"Best of luck. Let SOMEONE have mercy on your soul."

I put down the letter. I was simply too shocked to think straight. An explosion, the police, death or escape, no directions, nowhere to go, I don’t-

The stove made a piping sound, indicating that the pot was now hot and the soup was ready. It brought be back to my senses. I calmed myself. I re-read the note, not sure of what exactly I was supposed to do. Perhaps it was an elaborate joke. Or fate playing a joke on my mind. What was I to-

KNOCK KNOCK. "DAWN EVERFREE. THIS IS THE POLICE. PLEASE MAKE THIS EASY AND COME OUT."

My heart skipped a beat. They were here. I had to find some way to get out. Anything!

"YOU HAVE 20 SECONDS TO OPEN THE DOOR OR WE WILL FORCE OURSELVES IN."

The window. There was a way out. I formulated my plan. I ran to the stove, turned up the heat all the way. I grabbed the letter and a pen. And then I opened the window...

~~~~~~~~~~~~

"WE ARE COMING IN!" The officer yelled. With a flare of magic, his horn blasted away the door. The other police rushed in with batons and magic restraints. They quickly flooded every room to secure the location. No one would be safe from the search.

As they searched the room, they found no sign of the mare in the search warrant. A unicorn with dark hair and sky blue eyes. Worked at the Manehatten Mining Center.

"Attention!" A zebra officer yelled. "Captain entering!"

The other officers saluted to the captain, who in term returned the salute and waved them to continue their work.

"Hello Captain Saber Eye. How is the investigation?" The zebra officer asked. The griffin Captain in turn waved for a pony to bring him a warrant.

"We are looking for a Dawn Everfree. 22 years old. Dark brown hair and blue eyes. Just my type." He said the last part under his breath.

Captain Saber Eye was the head of the 25th division of the police force in Manehatten. It was a rather rag tag team of 20 ponies, zebras, and griffins. But to be honest, it was mostly ponies. His advisor, Lecros Vintard, was the only other species along with the captain, being a zebra, who was not a pony.

"Captain Saber." A pony ran to the griffin. "We have found no pony. It seems she had gone out the window-"

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! An alarm rang out. The officers ran to the noise, a pot over a stove as the stove read in red letters "POSSIBLE EXPLOSION IMMINENT!" The officers quickly moved into position. Hours of preparation in bomb disposal had prepared the officers well. They surrounded the pot and put a protective shield.

An officer brought a monitor with a location of a bomb disposal site. It would help to focus the bomb disposal officer's magic to teleport the "pot bomb" to a safe location where it could explode. The officer focused his magic, levitating the pot and finally making it disappear. Said pot appeared at the bomb site...and did not explode.

Relieved, the officers resumed their search. Captain Saber nodded approval. "You have taught them well, Lieutenant Vintard. They act correctly in-" he noticed some officers go through the closet of the wanted mare, smiling as they saw a thong. "-most cases." Vintard turned in the direction the captain was speaking. "Officer Snips and Snails! What are you..." His voice faded as he strode over to the delinquents. But at the same time, Saber Eye used his talent.

He scanned the room. All his senses sharpened, weeding out information. He deduced from the pile of dirty clothes on the floor, she had worked every day since Tuesday, today being Thursday, and the water came on Fridays. The carpet had a strange symbol on it. It was the outline of a mare with coal. He surmised that she had fallen in exhaustion. He then moved to look at the kitchen.

He noticed several items. The dull knife, the carrot and potato peels. Clearly she had been making dinner or preparing. The stove was hot as the heat radiated off it. He decided she had just recently fled, perhaps within the time frame of the 20 seconds they had allowed her to open the door.

Yet what he had noticed about the stove was the fact that drops had fallen out of where the pot would be if it was boiling. The amount of water around it signified that the heat had reached a temperature it was not supposed to reach. A temperature were it could explode if it got too hot.

He began to piece together the scene. Coming home late, the mare in question was tired and fell to the floor. She then changed into some warm clothes and began preparation for the meal. Then she left the room for some reason. His logic fell short. Why would she leave so suddenly? It was just the police; a summons from them was not irregular in this district. So why the sudden leave?

He looked closer. He found her escape route: the window. As he looked out, he saw a few hoof prints in the dirt. He would come back to that later. But now, he needed a motive. He turned around and looked at her personals. A picture of her and a stallion was on the wall. Saber took it down and checked if there was a safe of sorts. None was found. He gingerly returned the frame and straightened it. If she had a lover, she was certainly lucky, and it felt wrong to desecrate such a moment of happiness in anyone's life, past or present.

Saber eye twitched. He had been in his mode too long. He could go blind if he did not return to normal vision. That was when he caught it. He strolled over an envelope on the floor. Calling over another officer, the Captain compared the type of envelope. It was rough and had a faded color of gray. But that was not the most damning piece of evidence.

A symbol, one of a chess piece with wings, was on both letters as a seal. The Captain was shocked, but not surprised. According to other squads, this seal was on each envelope given to everyone who had mysteriously disappeared. The only shock the Captain felt was that this was all orchestrated so perfectly. The explosion (minutes ago), the escapees, and the clues left behind. All as if part of...

"Sir," Lieutenant Vintard nudged, taking the Captain by surprise, "We see no sign of the mare," No duh, the Captain thought, "and we have nothing to go on. What do we do now?"

The Captain sighed. "Call the other squads together. We will return to the precinct and continue our investigation there."

The zebra nodded. "Officers! Bout face! We are leaving." The trained officers put down all manners of items from the evidence to ladies items. As they marched out, the Captain took one more look at the room. He wasn't sure of all the connections yet, but there was certainly something wrong with all of this. From Lecros' deployment here to the sudden messages and bombings.

He would never realize it before it was too late.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I leapt from my window. The fall didn't hurt so much. A sprained hoof was really all the damage I took, except for a little pride. I heard the officers break my door in.

All I had now was the clothes on my back and that letter. With a slow realization, I discovered that I was now a fugitive. I had run from the law. I CREATED A BOMB. It was an attack on the police themselves. Perhaps I shouldn't have been too fast to run.

I stared at my new possession. The letter was a little wet, but still legible. I read it over and over. I never asked for this. Yet, here I was, running for my life. Well, not running, but certainly worse than what I was doing before. I read the last line again. A clue, supposedly.

"The place of tall towers, second only to Manehatten. Just as those towers stand, in the wrong place, so does it reflect in this letter."

...I was so dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dawn Everfree's goal: CLEAR HER NAME and DISCOVER WHO DID THE BOMBING

Chapter 2: Diviner Festus

The Game: Chapter 2

By AlphaOmega

November 13, 10:45 A.M. Romp & Stomp Circus

"What a beautiful day." I realized. The sky was dark, as usual, but I, Diviner Festus, was lucky to be alive. I had been on the run for a year now, with not much luck on my side. Not that it wasn't unwarranted. After all, I did tell them all to invest in a fake company and I took all the money from the false account. I giggled to myself.

I doubt I was supposed to use my cutie mark talent to rob the rich.

Nonetheless, here I was, miles away from Hoofington. I was happy enough. I bought a little circus, set myself up as ringmaster, and used a nice sum to furnish the circus. And I still had a little left over.

None of the other circus members questioned my past, strange as it may seem for an employer. They were good folk, but greed was certainly a factor in wanting to be in my circus. I paid them better than companies did. Yet, they never questioned me or my motives, and we all have lived well for a year. Better than living in a filthy city all the time every day.

I had set myself up as a fortuneteller. After all, that is my "destiny". I can read people and their emotions. Once in a while, I can tell so much about a person, I see into their future, sometimes even their past. But, it is a one in a few. I work at it every day. Although, there is a price. I can't see my future. Although it may seem more like a blessing than a curse, no one wants to not know their future. Who wouldn't want to know how bad or good one's future can be?

I came back to reality. Deep thinking really wasn't my style. Better to live in the present than to wait in the past or to worry about the future. I stepped over to my closet and grabbed my fortuneteller costume. Time to work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I have never heard such crap in my life!" yelled the mare.

"If you don't think so, see for yourself!" I retorted, loudly. Using my horn, I tried to make an image of the pissed off mare's future. As the image began to form, she continued to yell at me.

"What a joke! This is ridiculous. As if some-wait. What's that?" She asked inquisitively. I smiled to her and merely showed her what her heart knew would lead her to.

A mare and a stallion. Rings being exchanged. A little filly. Then everything went wrong. The house burned to ashes. The filly died a few months later. The money they had struggled to keep to survive was gone. Finally, the husband left, leaving the mare alone. She began to drink, sleeping with various men. She lands a job as a coal miner. But through an unfortunate event, the cave collapses. Yet...

"I see something else." I said. "There is a chance to save yourself."

"Yes?! What is it!?" She asked in a panic.

I slid over a bowl. "It's pretty cloudy right now." I smirked.

With a growl, she handed over a standard "see a better solution" fee. I changed the image. In it, one could see her not marrying the stallion. The mare becomes rich and her fortune is known worldwide. She lives her life in luxury and actually has a filly through an illegal marriage. However, she does get married. Tragedy strikes again. The house is burned, the filly gone, but the husband as stayed, and so has the money. They live the rest of their life together in happiness.

I dropped the image. "Now you know."

The mare's jaw just hung where it was. Attempting to do anything, really, her mouth opened up and down like a fish out of water. "I...I-wha-no wait..."

"Please lead the lady back to the front." I told a servant who came over. A stallion dressed in gold and black clothing came and removed her.

"Wait!" She yelled back to me. I looked up from counting the bits. "How do I know I can trust this future?"

I smiled knowingly. "I only see the future, I cannot change it. That is up to you."

She was led away by my servant. He eyes begged for an answer, but I didn't care. I continued to count the bits. What I did was real, unlike parlor tricks that second-rate magicians use. However, seeing as I was here and some, like Harry Hoofdeneigh, were in Prance making magic, I'm here in beautiful Spring Meadows, making a decent bits off something I was born to do, but for the wrong purpose. Irony maybe?

As I was finishing counting the bits, someone walked in. I didn't bother to look up. "I'm still busy right now, servant, please escort-"

"He is not here." I stopped and looked up. At first, I was a little shocked. The pony (I assume) had been wearing a hood. I couldn't see her face from the angle where I sat and from the candles in the room. But most striking of all, I noticed a dark. luminescent pupil. It struck me cold.

"I-I-" I slapped myself mentally. "How can I help you?"

The pony smiled. "I would just like a simple reading. Nothing more." I motioned for her to sit. We began the ritual as I usually do.

"Bones or eyes?" I asked, knowing her first question.

"Eyes. For that is the only reason you see my eye." I was a little shocked. The usual first question was "Why bones/eyes?" I just blinked as the pony looked at me intently. I realized something else. Her hood had a point. She must have been a unicorn. I was shocked I hadn't noticed it earlier.

"Alright. I want you to think about your current life right now but also the past. Think very carefully now." I asked.

His/her eyes, like many people, seemed to glaze over. I looked at her eyes, the gateway to the soul, as they say. What I saw terrified me.

The world was burning. A crowd was gathered around this pony. They yelled and threw things at the unicorn. Then it shifted to the pony's sister...or brother? She/he yelled something, before taking flight with her sister. Fast forwarding, I saw the pony crying in a small cave. She/he was hunched over another form, possibly the brother or sister. And then...

I pulled away. My mind hurt so much. When I go into someone's memories, I can feel some of the emotions they felt. My heart was giving out, I could feel myself losing hope. I-

"So what did you learn?" The stranger asked.

My jaw didn't work. For once, it was my turn to be shocked. Who was this pony?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things went by in a blur. The explosion, the betrayal, the police. It was all a lot to take in. Why couldn't I have seen it coming? Oh. Right...I couldn't have.

I couldn't think straight. Trying to recollect the pieces of the puzzle, it came back to me.

Once the stranger had left, I prepared for the main show in the big tent that was usually set up in the middle of the entire circus grounds. The other members of the circus would be getting ready as well. No doubt Tippy Toe was practicing the tightrope while Tamer was prepping the animals for the fillies.

The clothes were...extravagant. We all wore a leotard-type clothing but I specifically wore an ACTUAL suit with fancy colors and shapes and lines, all that nonsense. A huge top hat that I was a lot bigger than it looked, had a small cage inside to hide the mouse for the opening act. It wasn't the most spectacular event but the young ones liked it, so I continued the tradition.

As I was preparing, a knock came. A threatening voice followed. "Ringmaster Diviner Festus! Please come out! We have a few questions for you."

Admittedly, I panicked. I, instinctively, backed away from the door to possibly go out the back.

"Don’t bother!" Came a voice from outside. "We have that side surrounded to! Just come out and talk to us. We mean you no harm."

I struggled for a moment. I trotted over to the door...

And was promptly knocked to the ground. The world spun black as the police came in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Do you know why you're here?" Asked the "good cop". "We just want to talk."

I decided it was best not to say anything until the lawyer came. Not that it would help. They weren't the average police force. And the courts really don't have that much power in these parts of Equestria.

"I don't fully know." I responded, making sure to put emphasis on "fully" just to confuse them a little in their subconscious. I smiled coldly inside.

The supposed "bad cop" came over and promptly slapped me. Ow. "Then allow us to fill you in, you two bit carnival-"

"Enough." Said partner. "Diviner Festus, you are here on suspicion of a bomb threat and the actual detonation of said bomb." My jaw dropped and the officer had the nerve to pick it up. "Don't act shocked; it’s your signature right here."

He showed me a letter that, sure enough, had my signature. I was slightly stunned. I don't remember signing a paper...oh crap.

There was someone who knew how to MAKE people do things. And she was even in my circle of associates.

"I didn't do it!" I yelled. "It was her. The hypnotizer!"

"We know that dumbass." Said the bad cop. The good cop came over and merely smiled. "We know you didn't do it." With a stunned look, he explained it fully. "Your alibi is perfect. At the time of the explosion, you were preparing for your circus act. However, we know for a fact that this "hypnotizer" does not. She was seen in town around 9:30 A.M. and promptly disappeared." I was about to question their sources, when the bad cop just spoke. "We knew who you were the whole time; we have been watching."

I was too shocked to speak. I always thought my whole life that I had gotten away. But in truth, I was being watched for my every move. They had played me and my emotions for a whole year. Staring at them, I motioned for them to continue.

"Hypnotizer disappeared down a mineshaft and wasn't seen again. We believe she was behind the bomb at the site. We were called on the scene immediately. That's when we realized that a note was given to us a few days earlier about this bomb. But naturally, we can't believe EVERY person who comes around making threats." The good cop finished explaining.

I had enough of this. "Can I talk now?"

"Speak when your spoken to or otherwise shut the hell up." Said the bad cop.

Slightly taken aback, I pressed forward. "What do you want from me?"

"What do you know about this employee of yours?" I caught the fact that the cop had said the hypnotizer was under MY supervision. Silence had entered the room. Then it was chased away by a voice.

"I know her very well. Her cutie mark is hypnotizing. She could do it so well. But the scary thing was...she was an earth pony. Now, unicorns can obviously do it better, but an earth pony? That is something different. It takes time and is difficult. That's why I took her in." I explained. Silence once again. And then a laugh.

The bad cop couldn't control himself. "You-PPFFFT-You think YOU hired her?!?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA" He gathered himself. "You're free to go."

My jaw dropped again. But this time, no one picked it up. I was escorted out. The officers came over to me and shoved me out of the building. Turning around, I yelled indignantly, "What the hell are you cops playing at!?"

The good cop turned around and merely smiled. "You know nothing that will help us. You're just a pawn in a large game. Try not to get eaten." And the doors to the jail house closed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Diviner Festus's goal: Discover the IDENTITY OF HYPNOTIZER and learn the TRUTH.

Chapter 3: Gunz

The Game: Chapter 3

By: AlphaOmega

November 13, 11:30 P.M, Slums near Cloppington

"I said two pounds of ammunition and three bombs!" The charcoal pony at the end of the table yelled, spit flying everywhere. "I knew you were useless! That cutie mark is good for 2 things: Shooting and killing. Damn delivery services...If you can't do the job right, I'll look for someone else!"

What a disgusting pony, I thought. Perhaps his mother never hugged him and even when she did, she did it to take the money out of his saddle.

I recollected my thoughts along with the items I had dropped off. "So are you saying you WON'T pay for this?" I instinctively moved for my holster. His eyes caught the movement. Feeling a gut instinct, he coughed some alcohol out and began to simmer.

"Look, Gunz, this ain't good for business if you keep attacking your customers. And I am useless to the higher-ups if I'm dead. So I'll cut you a deal." He smiled. I never did enjoy the smile of a man I know as Double Dealer. Perhaps it was the cutie mark of a knife in another pony's body or the countless deals he had cheated out of me for years.

"No deals, Double. I want the money I'm owed. You know some gets lost in transport. If you don't appreciate the trouble and the price, then I'll take this and go." I put on my best face. My cutie mark may not have been cards, but I had a decent poker face.

The black stallion just huffed. Then sighed. "It's not that I don't appreciate it Twins, it's just that the people who REALLY want these keep askin' for more. I can't do much about it." He moved to get another bottle of rum, or whatever you could smuggle in.

"Well it is hard when the Raiders keep attacking." I argues. "Hasn't the Council decided on anything concerning those thugs?"

He merely aimed a glance at me. "How should I know? I'm just the middle man. But I will give you advice: Celestia gave you that cutie mark for a reason. Perhaps it's time to-"

"No."

"Can't blame me for trying. You know the job would be easier if you just got rid of the road blocks, right?" He did have a point.

I shook my head. "You know damn well why I don't use my Talent anymore." I moved to gather my things, including the empty holster. "Speed is better. I can outwit the enemy and out run them; why do I need to make it bloody?"

The dark stallion merely smiled. "Because that is the way our life works!" He said excitedly. "A bullet for a bullet; an eye for an eye. That's the way it works here in Cloppins. No shame in it, either. Celestia or Luna doesn't give a damn about this city, neither does the companies. We're just shit to them, to be used and then thrown away." He looked at me, contempt in his eyes. "You know this."

I couldn't argue. My job was to make deliveries, nothing more. "I'll pay you this time." Double Dealer announced. "But this may be the last job. I keep getting crap from the higher ups. I'll throw in your bonus." He stood up to leave the meeting place. Then paused as half his frame was out the door. "To the usual location?" He inquired.

"3000 bits to the usual." I responded. He laughed out loud. "Funny?"

"Ya know, I always wondered why you asked me this favor. Most ponies don't give a crap about their loved ones in this city. I wonder why you haven't changed?" He explained. A knife appeared next to his head. He didn't flinch at all.

"One more word," I warned, "And you can drink out of the hole in your head." He merely sneered and left. As did I.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cloppington, city of smugglers. Cloppins as it was known by around my parts. I never really liked the inner city, much too violent and smoky. But in the Slums, it wasn't much different. Violent was rampant, freedom have a misguided notion, and no one cared about you unless you were someone that made lots of money.

I love this town.

My job is easy enough. I make deliveries to various buyers; more of a middle man really. I do my job well enough at a fair price. Only problem was that I had to deal with horrible customers. Oh, they were nice enough when getting started, but when you work with them often enough, they tend to get kinda nasty when not all their goods get to the specified location.

So what do I deliver? None your damn business. That's the way it works.

After the meeting, I decided to blow off some steam. There was a pretty nice bar a few blocks away and had cheap booze. On top, I just got paid a decent amount. The landlord could wait a few more hours.

I trotted at an even pace. The night was feeling rather excited, I could feel it. The knife in my holster was ready just in case someone-or some pony- decided I was an easy mark. Fortunately, only a few travelers passed my way. Except one.

"OOOf!" I yelled. "Watch were your goin' punk!" I made sure to check my saddle. Everything was still there. Never know when someone's gonna pull a "bump and lift".

The robbed figure merely smiled. "My apologies." It walked away as if nothing happened. I was able to deduce a few things. Her horn was obvious. So definitely a unicorn. Which meant it was a pony. Interesting. The types you meet around here were usually earth ponies or Pegasi, such as myself, running deliveries.

I shrugged it off as I passed near my complex. I stared up at the massive stone building. Certainly beautiful at one point, it was not just an annoying and loud place to live in. But it was good for my job and paycheck, when I did get one. I had a bed, radio, a stove, and water. That was everything I really needed. When some preferred to have a gun, I decided a knife was easier. Speed weapon for a speed pegasus.

I kept on going. The bar's sign lit up. "Jack's Pub" illuminated the night sky, which was a surprise. Usually, the dark clouds of smoke coming from the city covered the night sky to the point that you could not see anything. Yet on this night, I could see stars. Perhaps the factories had taken a day off? PFFFT yeah right.

As I walked in, the heat of the closed bar hit me. The noise and smell of booze brought me back to the real world. The same crowd was here. Heavy Drinker, another delivery pegasus, was drinking rather...heavily. Another in the dark corner, Stalker, was enjoy a cup of coffee (it may have been a bar, what there was coffee and even milk for the less daring). A griffin name Gazer was talking to a customer, probably on a hitman deal. She made a good deal of money but did have a habit of accidentally killing several other obstacles in the process. Oh, and she insists I owe her a favor for something.

"Hey Jack!" I called over to the bartender. He strolled over. "Well if it ain't good 'ol Gunz. How's the evenin'?" The smell of the alcohol he should be selling instead of drinking hit me.

"Nothing much mate. Just another delivery. The usual."

"Ahh," he sighed. "Another night?"

Jack The Donkey was a rather interesting character. He seemed to pick up hints and catch small tid- bits of info. He knew more about the ponies in this room than what was outside. Then again, he did live here...

"You know the answer to that." I replied. In this business, it was important to remember customer confidentiality. Even after a hard job, complaining could lead to complications, especially if certain parties overheard about it. It had happened more than once in the past and did tend to happen at this bar.

Jack just walked away. He never pushed further than needed. As I continued my drink, I went over a mental checklist in my mind. I had to make another delivery tomorrow. Then I would check in on the twins. No doubt they were giving their mother a hard time. And then-

"NO ONE MOVE! THIS IS THE POLICE!" An officer yelled as he ran in, guns blazing. Behind him, a squad of various police officers strolled in. Taking positions the head honchos of the group walked in. They were a real eyesore.

I noticed as some patrons of the bar began either slowly unsheathe weapons or move towards an exit. This would not end well.

"Officers!" Jack came over. "He's over there!" The donkey pointed...at me.

"Hey what's the big idea!" I yelled. Two officers came over to me. Judging from badge on an approaching griffin's uniform, I was about to be confronted with the captain.

"Hello, gutter monkey." The captain said. "You are under arrest for suspicion of the bombing of the bombing of the Monument. You have the right to remain silent..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1:25 A.M. Cloppington County Jail

Yeah, this is going nowhere, I thought. How to get the damn pegasus to talk. He certainly refused to give up any information on the bombing. He even seemed to not know anything about it. Unfortunately, the evidence was damning.

Analysis’s had gone over the information gathered at the bomb site of The Monument. 8 dead, all currently unidentified. The bomb was made from a high quality bomb material that would require "delivery services", some that this pony would have connections to. Yet, he had no recall of any such deliveries. Either that, or he just refused to talk.

On top of that, his very same hair was found at the scene of the crime. This may be just an attempt to throw us off. Nonetheless, I don't enjoy playing mind games with criminals.

I stared at the accused. He had a smug smile on his face. I didn't have time for that.

"Answer the Celestia-damned question!" Vintard yelled. "Why was your hair at the scene of the crime when you were nowhere near it?" The accused began to speak, "I know why. No need to say. You simply sent some poor foal to their death. You are just a courier, correct?" The accused just sat there, refusing to speak.

Vintard slapped him. "We don't have time for your minotaur shit. People are dying. What is your motive? Who is your leader!? Why-"

"Enough!" I yelled. "Vintard, you are excused."

"But-"

"DISMISSED!" I yelled at the Lieutenant. With one last glare at the accused, he left the room. I breathed a sigh of relief. He was a good officer, but certainly not the kindest. I took a seat opposite from the pegasus.

"I apologize for my partner." I began.

He let out a grumpy sigh. "I've seen worse. Why am I here? I don't understand. I was-"

"Nowhere near the site, I know." I finished. "Here, why don't I explain. Sit back a little and listen because this story does take quite a bit of time to tell." The pegasus did so, but clearly ready to pounce on any sign of weakness.

~~~~~~~~~~

Testimony of Captain Saber Eye:

It all began around 9:20 A.M. this morning of November 13. We received a letter from an anonymous source that bombs had been set up. Naturally, we started asking questions. However, we knew nothing about this random threat notice. It seemed completely out of the blue.

At approximately 11:00 A.M., a bomb went off in the tunnels of a coal mine. 7 total dead out of 22 regular miners who go in.

A few hours later, another bomb went off at the Monument in Cloppington Park. That is where you come in. Strands of your mane were found at the site, the middle no less, where all the other civilians were dead.

We have gone look for anyone who may have seen it or have some connections. Your hair samples are all we had.

~~~~~~~~~~

As I finished my little speech, I took out a lighter and cigarette and decided to calm my nerves. Hopefully, he knew just what he needed to know. The other bombing and arrest were unnecessary for him to know. Perhaps a slip of the tongue would lead to something.

"Now my question is-"

BOOOOOM!

"What the-"

An officer slammed open the door. "Captain! A bomb just went off in the east wing! We don't-OOF!" Too my shock, the smuggler had taken this moment to attempt and escape.

"Shit!" I reached for my radio. "Vintard! The pegasus is getting away! Apprehend him at all costs!" A crackle later. "Roger! I see him! He is heading for the front gate!"

Damnit! If he got away, they would lose their only lead. He could set up the electric fence, but that may kill the pegasus. Then it hit me.

The Electric fence was on in the front at night. The bombing had occurred in east wing, the same room as the electric generator for the gate. And a bomb just happened to go off and the suspect escaped. It was no wonder he was so calm.

There was a spy in the police force.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was certainly a rough escape. I assumed that the explosion had occurred on accident. Of course, I took the chance to escape.

"Captain! A bomb just went off in east wing! We don't-OOF!" I ran to the officer with my hooves tied. I quickly knocked him over and grabbed a master key. I never knew my pick pocketing skills would help me so much. The stunned captain quickly regained his senses and called for his little bitch to come find me.

The hallway of the detention center were on the opposite side of the entire facility. Thankfully, the smoke and fire hadn't come this far yet. I ran down the halls. A few other prisoners cried out.

"Help me, bro! I don't wanna die here!"

"Hey you! How'd ya get that key?"

I ignored it all. My life came first. And the master key may come in handy again. As I passed the last cell, a hoof reached out and tripped me. I turned to yell, but the glare froze me for a moment. The figure spoke. "You are more important than you know."

I didn't have time to mess with the random message. I grabbed my saddle at the end of the hallway and made a run for the exit.

~~~~~~~~~~~

GUNZ'S WISH: DISCOVER THE BOMBER and CLEAR HIS NAME.

CAPTAIN SABER EYE'S WISH: DISCOVER THE TRAITOR, CATCH GUNZ, and DISCOVER THE BOMBER.

Author's Note

Chapter 4 and 5 will be coming out near Christmas.

Chapter 5: Elements

Chapter 4: Elements

By AlphaOmega

November 13, 9:30 A.M., University of Canterlot

2 days before the first bombing.

Twilight never asked to be put in college. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy it, it was just that she had to take several high level classes in engineering. That was natural for a gifted unicorn. However, she didn't understand why she had to go through with it. Magic was her special ability, thus, magic engineering always came easy to her. The concept was easy enough for her to understand. Unfortunately, the company elites did not care for someone who didn't even have a degree. So her parents enrolled her anyway.

So here she was, studying the advanced blueprints of arcane magic engineering. And she had already finished the book in a day.

"UGH! Why do I have to deal with this? Isn't already obvious that the mechanics of arcane magic are equal only the abilities the machinations that the mind can produce?" She sighed. It was all so frustratingly easy. She was taking the highest level course and for a final project, she had to recreate a magic gear, something that was in extreme shortage in even the most up-to-date factories. It required several hours of work and extreme research to balance out all the magics.

She had made 3 for her friends and all received a perfect grade. What Twilight realized she needed was a challenge. Something that would really test her knowledge. Surely there was some problem out there that required her knowledge. Anything-

"Oh hello Twilight!" A voice came from the dorm room door. A pure white pony walked in and pouted. "Look at this mess! Simply atrocious. I will not have you making such a mess in OUR room." She began to levitate empty cans of energy drinks and crumpled paper into the trash. "This isn't just your room, dear. You have to remember I'm rooming here too. "

Twilight barely paid attention. Although Rarity and her had been friends for a long time, it was quite annoying when she constantly kept telling Twilight to clean up. Not that Rarity enjoyed it; she just liked things to be significantly cleaner than what the mess was. Sometimes, she would even do extra cleaning, claiming "always better to leave a room extra clean when SOMEPONY might mess it up even worse". Naturally, Twilight fought her on that. The logic wasn't exactly flowing.

Rarity continued to clean and complain until Twilight couldn’t handle it anymore.

"UGH! Alright Rarity. I get it. I will clean when I have the chance!" Twilight retorted. Rarity looked at her, taken aback by the abrupt comment. She merely smirked.

"And you think I can't get your attention when I need it?" Rarity trotted over to a pile of mail. "Here, Twilight. I wanted to show you something."

With nothing to really do, Twilight strode over to see what warranted her attention, other than her friend. Rarity was sweeping away the mail and such until she got to the near bottom. Two letters were left; one was a letter with a seal on it while the other was already open. Rarity reached for the open one.

"I got accepted to work for Fashion Z!" She exclaimed. "They are one of the hippest, newest, bestest-"

"Not a word."

"Oh shut up." Rarity retorted. "It's my dream to work for them! The head designer, Photo Shop, is one of the- no, THE best in all of Equestria! I will be making clothes for the wealthy and, maybe one day, I can work my way up to assistant head designer!"

Twilight smiled, happy for the white pony. "That is wonderful Rari! When are you moving out?"

Rarity laughed. "Oh Twi. Let's just go out and celebrate. My treat."

"Hmmm....." Twilight thought. She did have a lot of homework....

"Sure. Let's go." Twilight agreed.

Rarity put the letter away on her side of the dorm and prepared a nice dress for going out. Twilight began to put the mail away in the trash, until she noticed the other envelope. "Hey Rarity! Is this yours?" Twilight levitated the strange letter with a red seal.

Rarity paused a moment to look at it. "Well, darling, I think if you look closer you can see it's for you." Confused, Twilight looked the mail piece over. Her name was on the reverse.

"Oh." She blushed. For all her brains, she was running on little sleep and she really didn't pay attention to mail. Unless it was from her parent or Shining, she didn't care.

She broke the sealed and opened the letter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

You probably don't know me. But don't be alarmed, I know you. I have seen you work since you were a child. Your magical talent is beyond compare. However, you must learn to use it.

I can teach you how to do this. But in my current position, I cannot. Nonetheless, it will soon change. Oh and I believe I made a mistake. You may know me, but probably not personally. Anyway, I have foreseen an evil that I wish for you to help me quell, but you must trust me.

In a few days, there will be a bombing. Remain calm, don't panic. Just know that it will happen. I believe this to be the first sign. In a day or so of this letter reaching you, I will deliver a package of various items. Attached is another letter such as this. Follow the instructions and you will uncover the truth.

I know this is strange for me to ask you. But, I promise you this, you have more meaning in this than you know.

May SOMONE have mercy on your soul.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight nearly dropped the letter. "Holy shit." Was the only thing she could say. Rarity trotted over. "What is it Twi? You're not one to use such vulgar language." But she was clearly still in shock. Rarity picked up the letter and did a quick scan.

"WHAT?! A BOMB!?" She yelled frantically. "Twilight! This letter-!"

"I know!" The lavender pony yelled. "I don't know who this is, but they could be the one planting the bomb! We have to get to the police!"

"Wait!" Rarity yelled. As usual, she had to apply some voice of reason before the frantic lavender pony began to REALLY panic. "Let's think this through. We would be questioned. I know your brother is the head of Canterlot police, but you have to remain calm-"

"RARITY!" Twilight said in a hushed yell. "Whoever this is planning to massacre a population! The info we have is vital. We have to tell the police or we could be accomplices!"

Rarity thought it over. "Very well." She agreed then pouted. "And I was looking forward to a nice meal before the day got hectic."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11:30 A.M., Canterlot Police Department, Head Office

"Twili, you can't just come in like this you know." Shining warned. "Not only does it look completely biased, but there are criminals we have tied up. If one got out and took you."

"Please Shining. I know how to run away." Then Twilight remembered. "You taught me how to fight!"

"Yeah. When I was like a kid and you were younger."

"So you admit you're incompetent."

"No I-" Shining stopped. She was doing it again. "Okay Twilight. But explain to me first how you know there will be a bombing. And where too." He stopped again. "But I'm getting ahead of myself. I can't just-" He went on to list a number of laws in submitting possible threats to security.

Rarity whispered to Twilight. "I've got this." She prostrated herself and threw herself at Shining. "Shining, darling, you must understand that we are just as confused as you. We just heard this information from a few stallions in a nearby alley. We are just concerned." She put on her best puppy face.

Shining was having trouble concentrating with the puppy eye look. But he knew it when he saw it. "Stop the magic Twilight. I know a mesmerize spell when I see one." Shining quickly enveloped his head in a pink forcefield. The haze in his eyes cleared and he simply saw a white pony trying to persuade him.

Twilight's horn stopped glowing. She was laughing uncontrollably. "Oh come now Shining, I could see it in your eyes. You enjoyed it."

"...hmph. Cadence would not approve. I'm a married man." He replied. Then he, again, realized he was off track. "Back to the matter at hand."

He moved over to his desk. "I will file a report, but I'm not jumping to any conclusions. I will send out a report to nearby police departments, but I will not stir up a storm over nothing. Understand, ladies?"

"But-"

"Enough Twilight." Shining trotted over. And gave her a hug. "I will figure this out. I know you just want everyone to be safe, but in this job, we can only do so much."

Twilight, stunned, returned the hug. "I just-"

"I know. Just leave it to us."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

12:45 P.M., Fancy Scott Restaurant

It was a perfect afternoon, so Twilight and Rarity, decided to take a table outside. They have ordered a few appetizers and for a main course, a special salad the restaurant made for two.

"So Rarity, tell me more about this job offer."

Rarity smiled. It was good to see Twilight being open. Although they had known each other almost since childhood, she often kept to herself. "Oh it's a wonderful offer! They want me to show them a few dresses. If they like it, I will be working with their Canterlot division to create a new fashion trend!"

"Sounds difficult." Twilight responded. "How do you plan to impress them?"

"Well..."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

11:45 A.M., Canterlot Police Department, Head Office

"Yes. Yes I understand. No. Highly unlikely. Okay. I have to go now. I will talk more about this later." Head Captain Shining Armor hung up the phone. He waited a few moments before calling over the intercom.

"Lieutenant Vintard, please come to the main head office immediately." Taking a hoof off the intercom, he sighed. Now his sister was caught up in the mess. It wasn't enough that the bomber had threatened the Headquarters of the Police Departments in Equestria, he had involved his sister. If only-

"You called sir?" A zebra knocked at the open door. Lieutenant Lecros Vintard was wearing his favorite uniform and had his typical officer hat on. While he was not required to, he always insisted that he wanted to be a symbol of justice wherever he went. And his record was surely no joke.

Shining smiled brightly. "Ah Lieutenant. Please let's drop all formalities. I have a personal request for you."

Vintard smiled. "Thank you sir. I would be honored to carry something out." He paused. "Provided it is not laundry." He grinned.

Shining smirked and laughed. "No such thing I'm afraid. I would like you to look into a very private matter. I can trust your confidentiality?"

"Of course sir!" Lecros responded quickly.

Shining thought for a moment. Should be really trust the Lieutenant? His record was flawless but he was only on the force for a few years. Yet, his notoriety and abilities were worthy of his rank. "Very well. I will explain."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 12, 8:30 P.M., Canterlot Police Department, Head Office

Shining Armor hated paperwork. He hated sitting around doing it. He hated sitting around re-typing it. He hated having to listen to criminals who were murderers. They needed to just be put in jail.

But nonetheless, the Head Captain of the Police Force in Equestria was doing it anyway. The documents required his signature for warrants on high bounty criminals. In any case, the work was almost done and he would soon be home with Cadence.

"Still cleaning up sir?" Asked a unicorn passing by. Shining looked up from his work and smiled.

"It's standard procedures for the me. I don't get much sleep." He smiled. He always appreciated this janitor. Shining didn't really know him, but from what he saw and the janitor's visit, he was a good pony who enjoyed work.

The unicorn laughed. "You really should sleep more often."

"I might say the same for you."

"Heh." The unicorn grinned. "My job is easy. All I do is mop floors. You have to mop up injustice." With a wink, the unicorn returned to his work. Shining turned to get back to his work as well.

"Oh and another thing." Shining looked up. The janitor entered and dropped a message on the desk. "This was found in the mail room. I wasn't sure if it was important or not but I found it on the floor. It was the last of the mail."

Shining blinked. "Th-thank you." As the unicorn left, Shining called out, "What's your name?"

The janitor stopped. "I go by my stage name, Hypnotizer."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in the present

"I always did wonder why he had a name with Hypnotizer when he was a janitor. Perhaps a part time job..." Shining's voice trailed off. "Anyway. Here was the letter he found."

Vintard took it carefully and opened it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Head Captain Shining Armor,

Your security detail is quite lax. I was able to deliver this message and escape quite easily. Nonetheless, I do enjoy my share of action in the field.

No doubt you are about to sweep this aside. But I would suggest against that. In 3 days time, I will bomb several sites in Equestria. It is up to you to stop them. All of my pieces are in place to begin. They may not know what their ultimate goal is, but that is for the police to decide.

I will bring out a chance, Captain, and I want you to play a role.

I will leave you this clue about a name to start:

Just as it was there when Celestia reigned,
it is now blotted out in the morning sky.
Where they used to live is the key.

Good luck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vintard put the letter down. "It certainly does perk up one's ears." However, his face was a mask of emotion. Shining had noticed this of the new captain and often admired him for his abilities. It showed professionalism. Although, he had heard rumors of the Lieutenant during interrogations. Again, he was lucky to have such capable hooves as a subordinate.

Shining pulled out a folder. "This is what I have concluded from my own personal study." He took out a folder with three pictures.

"The first one here is Lunas Castle. He is a factory worker in Mannhatten. I am deducing this from the little poem at the end." Shining pointed out the 3 lines that contained the secret to the possible bombing. However, Vintard showed no emotion.

"If you don't mind me saying," Shining looked up from the papers. "I would like to just warn you that this could just be a joke." Vintard explained. "Perhaps we should wait it out a little-"

The words hit Shining hard. While the Head Captain wanted to protect everyone, he knew he could not if he focused on one problem that may or may not exist. Nonetheless, he had to take these threats and treat them as real as possible to avoid disaster. But if it was fake, he would waste his forces and his reputation on a false lead.

Shining stopped shuffling the papers. Then he spoke. "I will not risk the lives of innocent civilians." He continued to pull out a second picture. "This is also another suspect. Her name is Dawn Everfree. She is a coal miner. She has had a history with run ins with the police a few years after "The Incident". Here is my thinking. The first line may refer to "Dawn" while the last line, after some research, I realized could refer to where the Royal Sisters, Celestia and Luna, lived, the Everfree forest."

"But that's just a legend." Vintard interrupted. "We can't-"

"Go off that info?" Shining completed. He sighed heavily. "I know. But it's the only lead we have. Anyway, here is another one." Vintard took the finally suspect's photo.

"She doesn't look like she would hurt a fly."

"Looks can be deceiving. She was wanted 2 years ago for a riot that broke out in Hoofington and is currently unknown. On top, she was suspected of blowing up a factory to oppose the dumping of materials in the Everfree River." Shining explained.

Vintard looked at the three photos. He really didn't like going on such flimsy leads. It was unprofessional and often ended in failure. However, he took one look at Shining, and realized that the Head Captain's famous intuition was working hard. He began to speak.

"I see. What would you like me to do Captain?" Vintard asked.

Shining sat there and just stared. He debated what to do now. If he sent one of his top Lieutenant on a false lead, Shining would surely look like a fool. However, was the lives of civilians, both pony or other species, worth his pride?

He shook his head. How could he think that? He had a commitment to the populace. If he failed now, and something happened, how could he continue to call himself Head Captain?

He made his decision. "Lieutenant Vintard. I am dispatching you to the cities where these suspects live. Apprehend them and bring them in for questioning. Do it in 2 days so we may prevent disaster."

Lieutenant Vintard smiled. "Very well, Head Captain. But do remember my warning..."

Shining caught the threat in the Lieutenants voice. "Is there something wrong?"

Vintard just smiled. "Nothing Captain. I would just HATE to see your record be tarnished because of a FALSE LEAD. But I will do as you command."

He left the room. "Oh and one last thing."

Shining turned to the zebra. "Fluttershy is my mother's closes friend."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

November 13, 12:30 A.M., ???

The janitor stored his items for the night. It sure was a difficult clean tonight. The officers had partied in the break room and left a mess for him. Nonetheless, he made good money to clean it up.

As he left, he passed by the same bar. His guest would arrive soon. He was supposed to be here at exactly 12:35 A.M. to drop off the instructions. He walked inside.

"The usual sir?" The bar owner asked.

"Sparkling in the Twilight." He responded.

The bar owner walked away...to the telephone. The janitor sat and waited with his drink.

"Beautiful evening eh?" A griffin who sat down said.

"If only I could see the ray's of the sun as beautifully as the moon."

The griffin nodded her head. "The time is coming. Be at the mines in Manehatten for the next phase."

The janitor nodded as the griffin disappeared from the table.

"Your message sir." The bar owner said handing him a paper. He opened it and smiled.

Yes. The job would be easy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

HEAD CAPTAIN SHINING ARMOR'S WISH: DISCOVER THE MASTERMIND.

LIEUTENANT VINTARD'S WISH: FIND THE BOMBER and BECOME HEAD CAPTAIN.

Author's Note

Sorry it is coming out so late. Finals are a pain.

Except 5 to come a little later as well as the first part of Fallout Equestria: Someponies Change (working title; comment your ideas....lol)