Burn Notice: The Equestrian Files.by GyvonChaptersChapter 1: A Familiar, unfamiliar SceneChapter 2: Tale of a Burned SpyChapter 3: The ClientChapter 1: A Familiar, unfamiliar SceneChapter 1: A Familiar, unfamiliar Scene Chapter 1 A Familiar, Unfamiliar Scene Spies live in a world of darkness, their very lifeblood being secrets and lies. However, spies are still human, and the darkness terrifies them. The only thing keeping most of them from going insane is a ray of light. Something to give them hope. It was an altogether unfamiliar scene for the bartender. Sam Axe, his best customer, hadn't touched the one beer that he'd ordered. He was too busy consoling his friend, someone who the bartender had seen before, but had never been introduced. He had already downed five glasses of bourbon and was working on a sixth, which was strange. Every time the bartender had seen this man, he hadn't ordered anything for himself. "C'mon, Mikey." said Sam. "You've had more to drink tonight than I normally do, and that's saying something." Michael Westen stared longingly into his glass, searching for answers. "Why did she do it, Sam?" he mumbled, barely audible over the din of the crowded bar. "Isn't it obvious, Mike?" asked Sam, rhetorically. "Anson had us over a barrel. We couldn't bring him down while he had that info on Fiona." Fiona Glenanne, former IRA terrorist and Michael's girlfriend, was now in jail. She had turned herself in for the bombing of a British Consulate in downtown Miami, which resulted in the death of two innocent security guards. While she had set off an explosion at the building, it had been a small one, targeted on one room where the Guards were not stationed. Another, larger explosive, was set off by Anson Fullerton, the man behind the organization of burned spies. He had been blackmailing Michael. If he didn't do what Anson wanted, the FBI would get an anonymous tip about Fiona's involvement with the bombing. Now, Michael no longer had to worry about that. "She gave you your freedom, Mikey." said Sam. "Now, are you going to waste it, or are we gonna get that bastard?" Michael sighed. "You're right, Sam. Staring into a glass of liquor isn't gonna bring Fiona back." He stood up, but didn't make it halfway before wobbling. Sam caught him before he could hit the ground. "Let's get you home, buddy. Anson will keep 'til morning." said Sam, pulling his wallet out to pay their tab. The bartender waved a negating hand. "It's on the house tonight, Sam. Just get your friend home safe." "Thanks buddy." replied Sam, holding Michael up as they walked out of the bar. As soon as they were out of earshot, the bartender went to pick up the phone. He dialed a number he had been given earlier that day, and the other end picked up after one ring. "They're leaving." said the bartender. The other end hung up, not even bothering to reply. The ride back to the loft was a quiet one. Sam was driving a Mustang one of his many lady-friends had loaned to him, and Michael dozed in the passenger seat. They were in one of the seedier areas of Miami, but word had gotten around that Michael Westen was not one to mess with. As Sam parked the car at the gate, got out and unlocked it. He then opened the passenger side door of the Mustang and prodded Michael. "C'mon Mike. We're home." Michael groaned as he got out of the car, still fighting off the bourbon. He was still wobbly on his feet, so Sam carried him to the door. Sam slid the door open, and stepped inside with Michael still hanging off his shoulder. That's when he heard it. *CLICK* "Oh, son of a-" They were both engulfed by flames as the C4 detonated. Michael groaned as he regained consciousness. He tried to open his eyes, but was forced to close them swiftly due to a bright light. He felt that he was laying in a bed, but knew he wasn't in the hospital. There was the distinct lack of the aroma of disinfectant. For some reason, however, his body felt strange, other than the massive headache. "Oh, good, you're awake." someone said. From the sound of the voice, Michael concluded that the owner was female. Michael managed to open his eyes slightly. As he turned his head, he could barely make out that he seemed to be in a library. Books were stacked high as far as he could see. However, he couldn't see whoever had spoken to him. "Where am I?" he asked, barely louder than a whisper, as he sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "Ponyville." replied the voice. Michael's eyes shot open at the reply, despite the pain. He had never heard of a place called Ponyville. He had grown up his entire life around Miami and knew the area like the back of his hand. What he saw when his eyes adjusted to the light surprised Michael further. It was a Unicorn. That alone would've made the site strange, but it kept getting weirder. It's coat was lavender, while it's mane was a dark violet, with a purple and pink stripe running through it. It's head was round, almost like a human's, though it had a short muzzle. It's large eyes were giving him a quizzical look. Michael took all these details in, and that's when it spoke. "Uh, are you alright?" it asked. Michael realized that it was the same voice that he had been talking to moments ago. His jaw dropped like a rock. He brought his hand up to his face to pinch it, seeing if he was dreaming. It was then he realized just why his body felt strange. He didn't have hands anymore, but hooves instead. Michael quickly looked around the room, and seeing a large mirror facing him nearby, stared at his reflection. He had been turned into a Unicorn. His coat was a bright white color, and his mane was the same as his normal hair color, and was cut short, like his normal haircut. As he looked closer, he saw scars around his left eye, the only memory Michael had of his father. As a spy, the last thing you want to do is panic, especially in unknown situations. It accomplishes nothing more than causing you to lose focus on the job at hand. However, there are some instances like, say, finding yourself transformed into another species, where panicking is perfectly justified. "AAAAAH!" screamed Michael as his brain tried to register just what had happened to him. This went on for a few seconds before the lavender Unicorn slapped him. "Please, calm down!" she said. "You're going to wake somepony." "Alright." replied Michael, taking a moment to catch his breath. After a minute, his breathing resumed its normal rhythm. "What happened to me?" he asked. "I was going to ask you that." replied the Unicorn. "All I know is that a vortex of energy formed in my living room, and a few minutes later, you popped out, unconscious and smelling like alcohol." That explains the hangover, at least, thought Michael, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. "Oh, where are my manners?" exclaimed the Unicorn. "I haven't introduced myself. My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's yours?" "M-Michael Westen." he replied, still having a trouble coming to grips with the situation. "How long was I out?" "All night." replied Twilight. "I was about to go get a doctor when you woke up." Michael sighed, finally managing to calm down. "Thank you." "No problem." replied Twilight. "So, where are you from?" "Miami." replied Michael, only to receive a confused look. "Miami? Where's that?" asked Twilight. "I've never heard of it." She quickly rushed over to a nearby bookshelf and pulled half a dozen atlases down. To Michael's endless shock, the atlases were surrounded by a violet aura and began floating off the shelves. He also noticed Twilight's horn was covered with the same glow. "How are you doing that?" asked Michael. It was Twilight's turn to be shocked. Losing her concentration, she dropped all the books and looked at him wide eyed. "Uh... magic." she replied. Michael's mind rebelled at her answer. Half of it insisted that magic was not real. That it was nothing more than smoke, mirrors, and sleight-of-hand. The other half reminded him that he was having a conversation with a purple Unicorn. "wha?" he managed to say. Twilight rushed over to him, completely forgetting about the books on the floor. "How can you not know about magic?" she asked, mere inches from his face. "I mean, you're a Unicorn! This is basic knowledge! Unless..." Michael could tell by her expression that Twilight's mind was working hard to make heads or tails of the situation. He'd seen the same look in the mirror whenever his mind was working on a tough problem. He glanced at the books she had been levitating previously. "I... doubt that those are gonna be of much help." he said. "...No." said Twilight, shaking her head, having put two and two and two together. "I don't think so either." Any further discussion was interrupted by a loud gurgling noise. Realizing that it was his stomach, Michael looked up with an embarrassed expression. Twilight only giggled. "You must be hungry." she said. "C'mon. There's a new cafe a few blocks away I've been meaning to try. My treat." As she turned to leave, Michael slowly crawled out of bed. He expected standing on four legs would feel strange, but when he took a few steps, it felt strangely... familiar, as if he'd done it all his life. Filing that information away for later, he followed Twilight out the door. Glancing at the mirror as he passed, he noticed a pair of sunglasses seemingly painted onto his flank. Definitely not anywhere near Miami, thought Michael as he and Twilight walked down the street. All of his doubts had been silenced by the lack of southern Florida's heat, mosquitoes, and suffocating humidity. It was actually kinda nice out. The only problem was that he felt a little exposed. He'd never liked small towns very much, preferring the anonymity of a large city. Making matters worse was the fact that almost everyone stopped to say hello to Twilight. Michael also noticed that the town wasn't made up of only Unicorns. For the most part, he saw what looked to be normal, though oddly colored ponies, as well as Pegasi. He took particular notice of one rainbow-maned Pegasus moving a cloud with her fore-hooves. "There it is." said Twilight, precluding any further observations as Michael saw where she pointed. It was a typical open-air cafe like the ones he'd seen in Miami. It didn't seem to be a popular joint, as the only customers were a marshmallow-white, purple maned Unicorn conversing with a gray coated Pegasus with a light-grey, slightly shaggy mane. "Huh, I wonder who that is with Rarity?" asked Twilight. Michael had to admit that there was something oddly familiar about the Pegasus. he couldn't place his finger... er... hoof on it, but he felt like he knew who that pony was. The Unicorn, Rarity, looked up and noticed them. "Oh, Twilight!" she said. "Why don't you two come join us? We were just about to order breakfast." "Thanks Rarity." replied Twilight as she and Michael sat down. "Who's your friend?" The Pegasus reached a hoof across the table. "Sam Axe, pleased to meet you." "SAM?" said Michael, surprised to hear a familiar name and voice. The Pegasus' eyes opened wide at that remark. "Mikey?" "Oh, you two know each other?" asked Rarity. "We're old friends." replied Michael. Sam scoffed. "Old friends nothin'. Mike over here's gotten my ass out of trouble more times than I can count. Then again, recently most of that trouble came from helping him." His expression then took a turn for the serious as he looked at Michael. "I'm starting to think this is not some weird drug-induced coma." "Same here, Sam." he replied, causing the two mares to look at them funny. "Ah well, could be worse." said Sam, leaning back in his seat. Michael's eye twitched a bit. "How could it be any worse, Sam?" he said in a raised voice, surprising Rarity and Twilight. "While we're stuck here, Anson's got a free reign! Do you have any idea how many lives he could ruin?" "Jesus, Mikey!" replied Sam. "At least we didn't die in the explosion." Michael took a moment to process what Sam had said, and sighed. "Good point." "I'm sorry..." said Rarity, "but what are you two talking about? What explosion?" "Yeah!" interjected Twilight. "I know you two are from nowhere near Equestria. What's your story? How did you come here?" Michael looked over to Sam, seeking support. Sam merely nodded. "You're gonna have to tell them sometime, Mikey, especially since we're probably stuck here." he said. "Might as well get it over with." Michael looked around at both Rarity and Twilight, and nodded. "Alright." he sighed. "Let me start by formally introducing myself. My name is Michael Westen, and I used to be a spy..." Chapter 2: Tale of a Burned SpyChapter 2 Tale of a Burned Spy Authors Note: If you are already familiar with the Burn Notice seasons 1-4, skip the parts in red. Please. Spies are trained to lie to everyone they meet. Family, friends, co-workers, it doesn't matter. However, lying is not always the best option. Sometimes, the only way to gain a friend is to tell the truth. He began his story at the very beginning, when he got burned in that Nigerian hellhole. Michael proceeded to tell them how he found the man who wrote his burn notice, only to watch him die before he could talk. Next, he talked about meeting and working for Carla, which lead him to Management, the head of the Organization that burned him and a job offer, which he refused. Later, Michael was approached by a man named Tom Strickler, who claimed he could get the burn notice lifted. However, the cost was too high, and Michael had to kill Strickler himself. However, after his death, Michael was contacted by one of Strickler's partners, a freelance-psychopath named Gilroy. Gilroy had wanted Michael to help with an operation he was running. Not wanting to let Gilroy get away with anything, Michael agreed. He later found out that Gilroy planned to free a high-risk felon. Unfortunately, Michael could not prevent Gilroy's plan from succeeding, and the prisoner, Simon Escher, was freed. As it turns out, Simon was the man responsible for the crimes that got Michael burned in the first place. He had once been a member of the Organization, but had went rogue, and eventually imprisoned by Management. Now that he was freed, he planned to get revenge on Management. Threatening to blow up a hotel, Simon forced Michael to help him. Fortunately, Sam and Fiona managed to find the bomb and prevented a catastrophic event, but not before Michael lost Simon. He then met up with Management at a helipad in downtown Miami, where Simon sprung his trap. However, in the end, Simon was caught, as well as Michael. However, the fact remained that someone had wanted Simon freed, and the Organization wanted to know who and why. To that end, they approached Michael for help. Feeling responsible for Simon's release, Michael accepted. The investigation led Michael to a Bible owned by Simon, which contained the code for a list of the members of the Organization that burned Michael, and the man responsible for freeing Simon, a telecommunications magnate named John Barrett. Barrett wanted the list for his own goals, but Michael was forced to kill him in self defense, and lost the NOC List in the ensuing confusion. Eventually, Michael retrieves the List, and manages to turn it over to someone who can utilize it. This, also, resulted in his burn notice being lifted. Twilight and Rarity remained silent, completely engrossed by the story. Even when Michael paused, they made no sound. Sam took the time to comment on the cafe's terrible service. "That... is quite the fascinating tale." said Rarity, finally breaking the silence. "Indeed." replied Twilight. "But... how could you do such... horrible things? You... killed pon... er, people for Celestia's sake!" Michael breathed a sigh. "It's not something I enjoy doing, and I try to avoid it whenever possible." "Still..." retorted Twilight, "I can't wrap my head around this. Nothing like this happens in Equestria!" Rarity shot Twilight a shocked look. "Twilight! I knew you didn't get out much, but I never realized you were that naive." "What do you mean?" asked Twilight. "While non-existent in Ponyville..." Rarity responded, "Crimes such as what Mr. Westen described are not unheard of in the larger cities, like Manehattan or Las Pegasus. Even Canterlot has its seedy underbelly. However, I have never heard of something this extreme." Twilight took a moment to think what Rarity had said over before turning to Michael. "So, you got your job back? Is that it?" "Unfortunately no." replied Michael. "While the CIA used the List to hunt down the Organization, there was at least one we never found." "Anson." Sam spat bitterly. "You've mentioned this man before." observed Rarity. "Who is he?" "The man behind the Organization of Burned Spies. The one responsible for ruining my life." said Michael. "He orchestrated the murder of Max, my CIA contact, and framed Fiona for the murder of two security guards at the British Consulate." "How did he frame her?" asked Twilight. "Well..." began Michael, "she did set off a bomb at the building." This earned a gasp from the two mares. "But it was a small one, and nowhere near where the security guards were. Anson set off another bomb that killed them." "But... why would she set off a bomb in the first place?" asked Rarity. "Larry." Michael replied, feeling the bile rise at the mention of that name. "Who?" asked Twilight. "Old partner of mine, back before I got burned. Now he's just another murderous lunatic." "You seem to meet a lot of those." Twilight deadpanned. "Anyways, He forced me to steal some files from the Consulate. Fiona planted a bomb on the window of the room that he was in, and set it off. However, Anson had planted another bomb in the building, which killed the two security guards. He used that to frame Fiona, and blackmailed me into working for him." "Still, she did kill that 'Larry" person." Twilight responded. Sam scoffed at that remark. "I'll believe that when I see the corpse. Even then I'm gonna jam a stake through his heart, just to be sure." After taking a moment to regain her composure, Rarity took up the conversation again. "So, why did Anson blackmail you? What did he want?" "He wanted two things. First, he wanted me to erase any mention of him in the CIA's files. Then, he wanted me to burn more spies for his Organization. When I refused, he sent the dirt he had on Fiona to the FBI, and they arrested her." "Then he blew up Michael's loft while we were in it, and here we are." finished Sam. "Now, where is that damned waiter? I'm starving." "I don't think he's coming." said Rarity indignantly. "I don't even think I'll bother complaining to the manager about this." They sat in silence for a minute, before Twilight spoke up. "This is too much. I need to send a letter to the Princess." "Will she actually read it?" asked Sam, earning a glare from Twilight. "Considering the fact that I am her personal student, I believe she will." Michael turned to her with a wide-eyed expression. "That's the first bit of good news I've heard since I woke up. Will she be able to send us home?" Twilight shrugged. "Maybe. Can't hurt to ask." "Well, what are we waiting on?" asked Sam "Let's go." The group walked to the library in silence, save for a few chuckles as Sam tried out his wings. When they arrived, Rarity, Sam, and Michael stood around while Twilight went upstairs to dictate her letter. There was an awkward silence before Rarity spoke up. "So, Mr. Westen, you said that your accounts were frozen when you were 'burned'. How did you survive without any money?" she asked. "I... took a few odd jobs around Miami. Helped some people out with their problems." Michael replied. "Oh? What kind of problems?" prodded Rarity. Before Michael could come up with a reply, Sam interjected on his behalf. "Basically, problems the police couldn't help with. He's foiled several kidnappings, assassinations, and other violent crimes. His methods aren't exactly nice, but they're very effective. A vigilante for hire, so to speak. Although I can't remember the last time he accepted payment." Just then, the door to Twilight's room opened. Out walked Twilight, with a rolled up letter hovering in front of her. "Did this Princess of yours respond already?" asked Sam. "Yes she did." replied Twilight. "Princess Celestia's usually not busy this early in the morning, so it's no big surprise. Now, let's see what she has to say." Twilight unrolled the letter and began reading aloud. My most Faithful Student: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had sensed a disturbance in the fabric of the universe last night, but had no idea what could have caused it until your letter arrived. I do have good news for Mr. Westen and Mr. Axe. There is a spell that could send them home, and it is a simple one to perform. The bad news, however, is that it requires a few reagents that are hard to come by. It will take some time, a couple weeks at most, to gather them all. Until the spell can be performed, I ask that you show our guests the same hospitality you would to anypony else. HRH Princess Celestia. P.S.- Under no circumstances are you to attempt to send them back to Earth yourself. Any attempt without the proper reagents could have disastrous results. "Was that post-script necessary?" asked Michael. "Unfortunately, yes." replied Rarity with a straight face. "Well, Mikey, looks like we're on vacation for the next few weeks." "Yeah, great Sam." Michael grumbled. "And while we're relaxing, Anson's gonna have a head start on whatever it is he's planning, and we'll have to play catch-up when we get back. Also, my Mom's gonna kill me for dropping off the face of the Earth without calling!" "Jeez, Mike, calm down." said Sam. "It's not like whining about it's gonna solve anything." "For the record, I'm not whining, I'm complaining!" retorted Michael. Rarity barely choked back a laugh at his remark. "Anyways..." interrupted Twilight. "I've got a spare bedroom, but I'll need to clean it out first. Rarity, would you mind putting Sam up while he's here?" "Oh, of course, Twilight. It wouldn't be a problem at all." replied Rarity. "Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go clean out the guest room. Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen." As she turned to head for a nearby door, Sam spoke up. "Let me give you a hand with that." Twilight led Sam into the spare bedroom, and shut the door behind them "Alright, what do you want?" asked Twilight. "I just want to talk." replied Sam. "I know you've still got a few concerns about Michael." "Yeah I do." said Twilight. "I especially don't like the fact that I have a... a killer as a house-guest. I know he's not a bad pony, but I can't get over the fact that he's hurt others. I overheard you talking to Rarity earlier, too. Why does he continue to harm others?" Sam sighed. "Twilight, you need to remember that our worlds are completely different. Mikey's skill-set might not belong in Equestria, but back in Miami, he's a very important, if unmentioned, member of the community. The number of people that owe him their very lives can attest to that." "But... why can't he let the authorities deal with these types of problems?" "Believe me, Twilight, if they could, Michael would let the police do their job and give up his day-job in a heartbeat. But, as much as I joke about it, Michael doesn't do what he does for fun." replied Sam. "Earth is full of bad people, some who make Simon look like a pussycat. Mike only does what he can to make it a better place." "But... what should I do?" asked Twilight. "I want to trust him, but..." she was interrupted by Sam placing a hoof on her shoulder. "Before you decide whether to trust Michael or not, at least try to understand him." he said. "Can you do that?" Twilight sighed. "I'll try." "That's all I ask." replied Sam. "Now, let's get this room cleaned. It's almost as bad as Mike's loft." Chapter 3: The ClientChapter 3: The Client Chapter 3 The Client "Have you been up all night, Michael?" asked Twilight as she headed downstairs. She saw a small pile of books surrounding the stallion. Not the usual mess of one of her trademark all-nighters, but still a sizable stack. Twilight also noticed a small table next to him, with a mug of coffee sitting on a small plate. "Not really." said Michael, levitating a book on Equestrian history back to the shelves and picking up a spell book from the pile. "I took a few naps here and there, about a couple hours worth." He took a sip of coffee as he opened the new book. Twilight shook her head, a slight smile on her face. "I still can't believe you've learned basic magic in the five days you've been here. It took me weeks to figure out even basic telekinesis." "I'm a quick study." said Michael. "You need to be in my line of work." He then noticed a small cringe from Twilight. It was subtle, but he'd gotten practice reading her body language. "There a problem?" he asked as he set the book down. Twilight, startled by the question, jumped a few inches off the ground and flashed a quick smile. "No, no problem. Why would there be a problem?" "Anyone ever tell you you're a horrible liar?" asked Michael. "What makes you think I'm lying?" retorted Twilight. "Facial expressions." said Michael. "First off, your pupils dilate slightly when you lie. Also, your right ear twitches and you break out into a sweat. Lastly, your voice rises a few octaves in pitch." Twilight lowered her head and frowned. "That obvious, huh?" She then arched her eyebrows as a thought crossed her mind. "When did you learn to read Pony body language?" "I didn't." replied Michael. "Human and Pony facial expressions, on the other hand, are very similar. Besides, you're just that easy. Now, back to my original question, what's wrong?" Twilight sighed. "I guess I'm still not very comfortable with your job. I've been trying to avoid that subject." she said. "Well, no avoiding it now." said Michael. "What do you want to know?" "Why did you become a spy?" Twilight asked. "How can you live with yourself with what you do? You hurt people for Celestia's sake!" Michael sighed. "Becoming a spy was a very deep and personal choice for me. I'd rather not talk about it." he said. "As for your other question, I do not enjoy hurting others. However, there are a lot of bad people on Earth that need to be watched." He gave Twilight a stern look. "Because of the work I and other spies do, a brutal dictator might be stopped before he can slaughter his own citizens for his amusement, or a potential war that could leave millions dead or homeless might be averted." Twilight gasped at that last statement. "Are you telling me that such... tragedies are common where you're from?" she asked. "Unfortunately, yes." replied Michael. "That's... horrible." she said. "How can anyone live in such a world?" Michael chuckled. "We're a tenacious species, Twi. Believe me, things were a lot worse a century ago." Before the conversation could go any further, a loud crash shook the Library. Several books went flying off their shelves, some striking Twilight and Michael. "That sounded like somepony ran into the door." said Twilight. She rushed over to the entrance and quickly opened it. "Sam?" "Hey Twi. Hey Mikey. How's it going?" said the grey Pegasus groggily. "Still learning to fly, Sam?" asked Michael. "No, I've got that part down." replied Sam as he got back to his feet. "It's the landing that I'm having trouble with." He shook his head, clearing out the cobwebs. "Seriously though, we've got a problem, Mike." Michael did not like the way Sam had said that. "What kind of problem?" "Head over to Rarity's. We'll explain everything." With that, he took off and flew east, in the direction of the Carousel Boutique. "Oh, of all the possible things that could've happened this is the worst... Possible. THING!" exclaimed Rarity, as she ran frantically around her store. "Is she always this melodramatic?" asked Michael, receiving a nod from Twilight. "Mikey, this is serious." said Sam, flaring his wings in agitation. "Oh yes it is!" interjected Rarity. "This isn't simply a matter of being late with an order, or me being humiliated in front of all of Canterlot. This is much much worse." "What's the problem?" asked Twilight. "It's my sister, Sweetie Belle." said Rarity. "She's been.... she's been... FOALNAPPED! Michael's eyes widened in surprise. "When?" he asked. "Less than an hour ago, on her way to school." said Rarity. "Her friends, Applebloom and Scootaloo saw a bunch of strange ponies grab her and take off north. They tried to catch up to the ruffians, but they teleported soon after they made their escape. They could be anywhere!" Michael sighed. He had just gotten used to the idea of being on vacation. "How can I help?" he asked. The smile on Rarity's face immediately brightened the room. "Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you! How can I ever repay you?" "You don't have to." said Michael. "Oh, but I insist. A lady must always pay her debts, no matter how significant." stated Rarity. Michael eyed a display of sunglasses nearby. With a smirk, he levitated one of the more stylish pairs and put them on. "This'll do for payment." He then turned to Rarity, having put his game face on. "Have you received a Ransom note?" he asked. "Not yet." said Rarity. "However, Derpy, the mailmare, doesn't make her rounds until after lunch. I expect it to arrive then." "I see." Michael stated. "Where can I find Applebloom and Scootaloo?" he asked. "Why do you need to talk to them?" asked Twilight. "Because they saw the crime go down." said Sam. "They might have more information." "Oh." exclaimed Twilight. "In that case, they should be in school at this time of day. It's right behind the Library." "Fantastic." said Michael. "I'll go ask them a few questions. Meet me back at the Library." With that, he turned and trotted out of the Boutique. "Wow." Twilight said. "I didn't expect him to want to just help out of the kindness of his own heart." "Mike's full of surprises, Twi." said Sam. "It's really no big surprise to anyone that knows him, however." Twilight shot Sam a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" Sam sighed. "Have you noticed those scars over Michael's eye?" "Why, yes." said Rarity. "Something like that is hard to miss." "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but he got those from when his father would beat him as a kid." he said, receiving pained gasps from Twilight and Rarity. "That's... terrible." said Twilight. "Yeah, it is." replied Sam. "Because of that, Mikey's always had a soft spot for these types of cases. It's bit him in the ass a couple times, but he will not turn away a kid in danger." He then shot a stern glance at the two mares. "You didn't hear this from me, understand?" Twilight and Rarity nodded. "Good."
Chapter 1: A Familiar, unfamiliar SceneChapter 1: A Familiar, unfamiliar Scene Chapter 1 A Familiar, Unfamiliar Scene Spies live in a world of darkness, their very lifeblood being secrets and lies. However, spies are still human, and the darkness terrifies them. The only thing keeping most of them from going insane is a ray of light. Something to give them hope. It was an altogether unfamiliar scene for the bartender. Sam Axe, his best customer, hadn't touched the one beer that he'd ordered. He was too busy consoling his friend, someone who the bartender had seen before, but had never been introduced. He had already downed five glasses of bourbon and was working on a sixth, which was strange. Every time the bartender had seen this man, he hadn't ordered anything for himself. "C'mon, Mikey." said Sam. "You've had more to drink tonight than I normally do, and that's saying something." Michael Westen stared longingly into his glass, searching for answers. "Why did she do it, Sam?" he mumbled, barely audible over the din of the crowded bar. "Isn't it obvious, Mike?" asked Sam, rhetorically. "Anson had us over a barrel. We couldn't bring him down while he had that info on Fiona." Fiona Glenanne, former IRA terrorist and Michael's girlfriend, was now in jail. She had turned herself in for the bombing of a British Consulate in downtown Miami, which resulted in the death of two innocent security guards. While she had set off an explosion at the building, it had been a small one, targeted on one room where the Guards were not stationed. Another, larger explosive, was set off by Anson Fullerton, the man behind the organization of burned spies. He had been blackmailing Michael. If he didn't do what Anson wanted, the FBI would get an anonymous tip about Fiona's involvement with the bombing. Now, Michael no longer had to worry about that. "She gave you your freedom, Mikey." said Sam. "Now, are you going to waste it, or are we gonna get that bastard?" Michael sighed. "You're right, Sam. Staring into a glass of liquor isn't gonna bring Fiona back." He stood up, but didn't make it halfway before wobbling. Sam caught him before he could hit the ground. "Let's get you home, buddy. Anson will keep 'til morning." said Sam, pulling his wallet out to pay their tab. The bartender waved a negating hand. "It's on the house tonight, Sam. Just get your friend home safe." "Thanks buddy." replied Sam, holding Michael up as they walked out of the bar. As soon as they were out of earshot, the bartender went to pick up the phone. He dialed a number he had been given earlier that day, and the other end picked up after one ring. "They're leaving." said the bartender. The other end hung up, not even bothering to reply. The ride back to the loft was a quiet one. Sam was driving a Mustang one of his many lady-friends had loaned to him, and Michael dozed in the passenger seat. They were in one of the seedier areas of Miami, but word had gotten around that Michael Westen was not one to mess with. As Sam parked the car at the gate, got out and unlocked it. He then opened the passenger side door of the Mustang and prodded Michael. "C'mon Mike. We're home." Michael groaned as he got out of the car, still fighting off the bourbon. He was still wobbly on his feet, so Sam carried him to the door. Sam slid the door open, and stepped inside with Michael still hanging off his shoulder. That's when he heard it. *CLICK* "Oh, son of a-" They were both engulfed by flames as the C4 detonated. Michael groaned as he regained consciousness. He tried to open his eyes, but was forced to close them swiftly due to a bright light. He felt that he was laying in a bed, but knew he wasn't in the hospital. There was the distinct lack of the aroma of disinfectant. For some reason, however, his body felt strange, other than the massive headache. "Oh, good, you're awake." someone said. From the sound of the voice, Michael concluded that the owner was female. Michael managed to open his eyes slightly. As he turned his head, he could barely make out that he seemed to be in a library. Books were stacked high as far as he could see. However, he couldn't see whoever had spoken to him. "Where am I?" he asked, barely louder than a whisper, as he sat up slowly, rubbing the back of his head. "Ponyville." replied the voice. Michael's eyes shot open at the reply, despite the pain. He had never heard of a place called Ponyville. He had grown up his entire life around Miami and knew the area like the back of his hand. What he saw when his eyes adjusted to the light surprised Michael further. It was a Unicorn. That alone would've made the site strange, but it kept getting weirder. It's coat was lavender, while it's mane was a dark violet, with a purple and pink stripe running through it. It's head was round, almost like a human's, though it had a short muzzle. It's large eyes were giving him a quizzical look. Michael took all these details in, and that's when it spoke. "Uh, are you alright?" it asked. Michael realized that it was the same voice that he had been talking to moments ago. His jaw dropped like a rock. He brought his hand up to his face to pinch it, seeing if he was dreaming. It was then he realized just why his body felt strange. He didn't have hands anymore, but hooves instead. Michael quickly looked around the room, and seeing a large mirror facing him nearby, stared at his reflection. He had been turned into a Unicorn. His coat was a bright white color, and his mane was the same as his normal hair color, and was cut short, like his normal haircut. As he looked closer, he saw scars around his left eye, the only memory Michael had of his father. As a spy, the last thing you want to do is panic, especially in unknown situations. It accomplishes nothing more than causing you to lose focus on the job at hand. However, there are some instances like, say, finding yourself transformed into another species, where panicking is perfectly justified. "AAAAAH!" screamed Michael as his brain tried to register just what had happened to him. This went on for a few seconds before the lavender Unicorn slapped him. "Please, calm down!" she said. "You're going to wake somepony." "Alright." replied Michael, taking a moment to catch his breath. After a minute, his breathing resumed its normal rhythm. "What happened to me?" he asked. "I was going to ask you that." replied the Unicorn. "All I know is that a vortex of energy formed in my living room, and a few minutes later, you popped out, unconscious and smelling like alcohol." That explains the hangover, at least, thought Michael, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. "Oh, where are my manners?" exclaimed the Unicorn. "I haven't introduced myself. My name is Twilight Sparkle. What's yours?" "M-Michael Westen." he replied, still having a trouble coming to grips with the situation. "How long was I out?" "All night." replied Twilight. "I was about to go get a doctor when you woke up." Michael sighed, finally managing to calm down. "Thank you." "No problem." replied Twilight. "So, where are you from?" "Miami." replied Michael, only to receive a confused look. "Miami? Where's that?" asked Twilight. "I've never heard of it." She quickly rushed over to a nearby bookshelf and pulled half a dozen atlases down. To Michael's endless shock, the atlases were surrounded by a violet aura and began floating off the shelves. He also noticed Twilight's horn was covered with the same glow. "How are you doing that?" asked Michael. It was Twilight's turn to be shocked. Losing her concentration, she dropped all the books and looked at him wide eyed. "Uh... magic." she replied. Michael's mind rebelled at her answer. Half of it insisted that magic was not real. That it was nothing more than smoke, mirrors, and sleight-of-hand. The other half reminded him that he was having a conversation with a purple Unicorn. "wha?" he managed to say. Twilight rushed over to him, completely forgetting about the books on the floor. "How can you not know about magic?" she asked, mere inches from his face. "I mean, you're a Unicorn! This is basic knowledge! Unless..." Michael could tell by her expression that Twilight's mind was working hard to make heads or tails of the situation. He'd seen the same look in the mirror whenever his mind was working on a tough problem. He glanced at the books she had been levitating previously. "I... doubt that those are gonna be of much help." he said. "...No." said Twilight, shaking her head, having put two and two and two together. "I don't think so either." Any further discussion was interrupted by a loud gurgling noise. Realizing that it was his stomach, Michael looked up with an embarrassed expression. Twilight only giggled. "You must be hungry." she said. "C'mon. There's a new cafe a few blocks away I've been meaning to try. My treat." As she turned to leave, Michael slowly crawled out of bed. He expected standing on four legs would feel strange, but when he took a few steps, it felt strangely... familiar, as if he'd done it all his life. Filing that information away for later, he followed Twilight out the door. Glancing at the mirror as he passed, he noticed a pair of sunglasses seemingly painted onto his flank. Definitely not anywhere near Miami, thought Michael as he and Twilight walked down the street. All of his doubts had been silenced by the lack of southern Florida's heat, mosquitoes, and suffocating humidity. It was actually kinda nice out. The only problem was that he felt a little exposed. He'd never liked small towns very much, preferring the anonymity of a large city. Making matters worse was the fact that almost everyone stopped to say hello to Twilight. Michael also noticed that the town wasn't made up of only Unicorns. For the most part, he saw what looked to be normal, though oddly colored ponies, as well as Pegasi. He took particular notice of one rainbow-maned Pegasus moving a cloud with her fore-hooves. "There it is." said Twilight, precluding any further observations as Michael saw where she pointed. It was a typical open-air cafe like the ones he'd seen in Miami. It didn't seem to be a popular joint, as the only customers were a marshmallow-white, purple maned Unicorn conversing with a gray coated Pegasus with a light-grey, slightly shaggy mane. "Huh, I wonder who that is with Rarity?" asked Twilight. Michael had to admit that there was something oddly familiar about the Pegasus. he couldn't place his finger... er... hoof on it, but he felt like he knew who that pony was. The Unicorn, Rarity, looked up and noticed them. "Oh, Twilight!" she said. "Why don't you two come join us? We were just about to order breakfast." "Thanks Rarity." replied Twilight as she and Michael sat down. "Who's your friend?" The Pegasus reached a hoof across the table. "Sam Axe, pleased to meet you." "SAM?" said Michael, surprised to hear a familiar name and voice. The Pegasus' eyes opened wide at that remark. "Mikey?" "Oh, you two know each other?" asked Rarity. "We're old friends." replied Michael. Sam scoffed. "Old friends nothin'. Mike over here's gotten my ass out of trouble more times than I can count. Then again, recently most of that trouble came from helping him." His expression then took a turn for the serious as he looked at Michael. "I'm starting to think this is not some weird drug-induced coma." "Same here, Sam." he replied, causing the two mares to look at them funny. "Ah well, could be worse." said Sam, leaning back in his seat. Michael's eye twitched a bit. "How could it be any worse, Sam?" he said in a raised voice, surprising Rarity and Twilight. "While we're stuck here, Anson's got a free reign! Do you have any idea how many lives he could ruin?" "Jesus, Mikey!" replied Sam. "At least we didn't die in the explosion." Michael took a moment to process what Sam had said, and sighed. "Good point." "I'm sorry..." said Rarity, "but what are you two talking about? What explosion?" "Yeah!" interjected Twilight. "I know you two are from nowhere near Equestria. What's your story? How did you come here?" Michael looked over to Sam, seeking support. Sam merely nodded. "You're gonna have to tell them sometime, Mikey, especially since we're probably stuck here." he said. "Might as well get it over with." Michael looked around at both Rarity and Twilight, and nodded. "Alright." he sighed. "Let me start by formally introducing myself. My name is Michael Westen, and I used to be a spy..."
Chapter 2: Tale of a Burned SpyChapter 2 Tale of a Burned Spy Authors Note: If you are already familiar with the Burn Notice seasons 1-4, skip the parts in red. Please. Spies are trained to lie to everyone they meet. Family, friends, co-workers, it doesn't matter. However, lying is not always the best option. Sometimes, the only way to gain a friend is to tell the truth. He began his story at the very beginning, when he got burned in that Nigerian hellhole. Michael proceeded to tell them how he found the man who wrote his burn notice, only to watch him die before he could talk. Next, he talked about meeting and working for Carla, which lead him to Management, the head of the Organization that burned him and a job offer, which he refused. Later, Michael was approached by a man named Tom Strickler, who claimed he could get the burn notice lifted. However, the cost was too high, and Michael had to kill Strickler himself. However, after his death, Michael was contacted by one of Strickler's partners, a freelance-psychopath named Gilroy. Gilroy had wanted Michael to help with an operation he was running. Not wanting to let Gilroy get away with anything, Michael agreed. He later found out that Gilroy planned to free a high-risk felon. Unfortunately, Michael could not prevent Gilroy's plan from succeeding, and the prisoner, Simon Escher, was freed. As it turns out, Simon was the man responsible for the crimes that got Michael burned in the first place. He had once been a member of the Organization, but had went rogue, and eventually imprisoned by Management. Now that he was freed, he planned to get revenge on Management. Threatening to blow up a hotel, Simon forced Michael to help him. Fortunately, Sam and Fiona managed to find the bomb and prevented a catastrophic event, but not before Michael lost Simon. He then met up with Management at a helipad in downtown Miami, where Simon sprung his trap. However, in the end, Simon was caught, as well as Michael. However, the fact remained that someone had wanted Simon freed, and the Organization wanted to know who and why. To that end, they approached Michael for help. Feeling responsible for Simon's release, Michael accepted. The investigation led Michael to a Bible owned by Simon, which contained the code for a list of the members of the Organization that burned Michael, and the man responsible for freeing Simon, a telecommunications magnate named John Barrett. Barrett wanted the list for his own goals, but Michael was forced to kill him in self defense, and lost the NOC List in the ensuing confusion. Eventually, Michael retrieves the List, and manages to turn it over to someone who can utilize it. This, also, resulted in his burn notice being lifted. Twilight and Rarity remained silent, completely engrossed by the story. Even when Michael paused, they made no sound. Sam took the time to comment on the cafe's terrible service. "That... is quite the fascinating tale." said Rarity, finally breaking the silence. "Indeed." replied Twilight. "But... how could you do such... horrible things? You... killed pon... er, people for Celestia's sake!" Michael breathed a sigh. "It's not something I enjoy doing, and I try to avoid it whenever possible." "Still..." retorted Twilight, "I can't wrap my head around this. Nothing like this happens in Equestria!" Rarity shot Twilight a shocked look. "Twilight! I knew you didn't get out much, but I never realized you were that naive." "What do you mean?" asked Twilight. "While non-existent in Ponyville..." Rarity responded, "Crimes such as what Mr. Westen described are not unheard of in the larger cities, like Manehattan or Las Pegasus. Even Canterlot has its seedy underbelly. However, I have never heard of something this extreme." Twilight took a moment to think what Rarity had said over before turning to Michael. "So, you got your job back? Is that it?" "Unfortunately no." replied Michael. "While the CIA used the List to hunt down the Organization, there was at least one we never found." "Anson." Sam spat bitterly. "You've mentioned this man before." observed Rarity. "Who is he?" "The man behind the Organization of Burned Spies. The one responsible for ruining my life." said Michael. "He orchestrated the murder of Max, my CIA contact, and framed Fiona for the murder of two security guards at the British Consulate." "How did he frame her?" asked Twilight. "Well..." began Michael, "she did set off a bomb at the building." This earned a gasp from the two mares. "But it was a small one, and nowhere near where the security guards were. Anson set off another bomb that killed them." "But... why would she set off a bomb in the first place?" asked Rarity. "Larry." Michael replied, feeling the bile rise at the mention of that name. "Who?" asked Twilight. "Old partner of mine, back before I got burned. Now he's just another murderous lunatic." "You seem to meet a lot of those." Twilight deadpanned. "Anyways, He forced me to steal some files from the Consulate. Fiona planted a bomb on the window of the room that he was in, and set it off. However, Anson had planted another bomb in the building, which killed the two security guards. He used that to frame Fiona, and blackmailed me into working for him." "Still, she did kill that 'Larry" person." Twilight responded. Sam scoffed at that remark. "I'll believe that when I see the corpse. Even then I'm gonna jam a stake through his heart, just to be sure." After taking a moment to regain her composure, Rarity took up the conversation again. "So, why did Anson blackmail you? What did he want?" "He wanted two things. First, he wanted me to erase any mention of him in the CIA's files. Then, he wanted me to burn more spies for his Organization. When I refused, he sent the dirt he had on Fiona to the FBI, and they arrested her." "Then he blew up Michael's loft while we were in it, and here we are." finished Sam. "Now, where is that damned waiter? I'm starving." "I don't think he's coming." said Rarity indignantly. "I don't even think I'll bother complaining to the manager about this." They sat in silence for a minute, before Twilight spoke up. "This is too much. I need to send a letter to the Princess." "Will she actually read it?" asked Sam, earning a glare from Twilight. "Considering the fact that I am her personal student, I believe she will." Michael turned to her with a wide-eyed expression. "That's the first bit of good news I've heard since I woke up. Will she be able to send us home?" Twilight shrugged. "Maybe. Can't hurt to ask." "Well, what are we waiting on?" asked Sam "Let's go." The group walked to the library in silence, save for a few chuckles as Sam tried out his wings. When they arrived, Rarity, Sam, and Michael stood around while Twilight went upstairs to dictate her letter. There was an awkward silence before Rarity spoke up. "So, Mr. Westen, you said that your accounts were frozen when you were 'burned'. How did you survive without any money?" she asked. "I... took a few odd jobs around Miami. Helped some people out with their problems." Michael replied. "Oh? What kind of problems?" prodded Rarity. Before Michael could come up with a reply, Sam interjected on his behalf. "Basically, problems the police couldn't help with. He's foiled several kidnappings, assassinations, and other violent crimes. His methods aren't exactly nice, but they're very effective. A vigilante for hire, so to speak. Although I can't remember the last time he accepted payment." Just then, the door to Twilight's room opened. Out walked Twilight, with a rolled up letter hovering in front of her. "Did this Princess of yours respond already?" asked Sam. "Yes she did." replied Twilight. "Princess Celestia's usually not busy this early in the morning, so it's no big surprise. Now, let's see what she has to say." Twilight unrolled the letter and began reading aloud. My most Faithful Student: Thank you for bringing this to my attention. I had sensed a disturbance in the fabric of the universe last night, but had no idea what could have caused it until your letter arrived. I do have good news for Mr. Westen and Mr. Axe. There is a spell that could send them home, and it is a simple one to perform. The bad news, however, is that it requires a few reagents that are hard to come by. It will take some time, a couple weeks at most, to gather them all. Until the spell can be performed, I ask that you show our guests the same hospitality you would to anypony else. HRH Princess Celestia. P.S.- Under no circumstances are you to attempt to send them back to Earth yourself. Any attempt without the proper reagents could have disastrous results. "Was that post-script necessary?" asked Michael. "Unfortunately, yes." replied Rarity with a straight face. "Well, Mikey, looks like we're on vacation for the next few weeks." "Yeah, great Sam." Michael grumbled. "And while we're relaxing, Anson's gonna have a head start on whatever it is he's planning, and we'll have to play catch-up when we get back. Also, my Mom's gonna kill me for dropping off the face of the Earth without calling!" "Jeez, Mike, calm down." said Sam. "It's not like whining about it's gonna solve anything." "For the record, I'm not whining, I'm complaining!" retorted Michael. Rarity barely choked back a laugh at his remark. "Anyways..." interrupted Twilight. "I've got a spare bedroom, but I'll need to clean it out first. Rarity, would you mind putting Sam up while he's here?" "Oh, of course, Twilight. It wouldn't be a problem at all." replied Rarity. "Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go clean out the guest room. Help yourselves to anything in the kitchen." As she turned to head for a nearby door, Sam spoke up. "Let me give you a hand with that." Twilight led Sam into the spare bedroom, and shut the door behind them "Alright, what do you want?" asked Twilight. "I just want to talk." replied Sam. "I know you've still got a few concerns about Michael." "Yeah I do." said Twilight. "I especially don't like the fact that I have a... a killer as a house-guest. I know he's not a bad pony, but I can't get over the fact that he's hurt others. I overheard you talking to Rarity earlier, too. Why does he continue to harm others?" Sam sighed. "Twilight, you need to remember that our worlds are completely different. Mikey's skill-set might not belong in Equestria, but back in Miami, he's a very important, if unmentioned, member of the community. The number of people that owe him their very lives can attest to that." "But... why can't he let the authorities deal with these types of problems?" "Believe me, Twilight, if they could, Michael would let the police do their job and give up his day-job in a heartbeat. But, as much as I joke about it, Michael doesn't do what he does for fun." replied Sam. "Earth is full of bad people, some who make Simon look like a pussycat. Mike only does what he can to make it a better place." "But... what should I do?" asked Twilight. "I want to trust him, but..." she was interrupted by Sam placing a hoof on her shoulder. "Before you decide whether to trust Michael or not, at least try to understand him." he said. "Can you do that?" Twilight sighed. "I'll try." "That's all I ask." replied Sam. "Now, let's get this room cleaned. It's almost as bad as Mike's loft."
Chapter 3: The ClientChapter 3: The Client Chapter 3 The Client "Have you been up all night, Michael?" asked Twilight as she headed downstairs. She saw a small pile of books surrounding the stallion. Not the usual mess of one of her trademark all-nighters, but still a sizable stack. Twilight also noticed a small table next to him, with a mug of coffee sitting on a small plate. "Not really." said Michael, levitating a book on Equestrian history back to the shelves and picking up a spell book from the pile. "I took a few naps here and there, about a couple hours worth." He took a sip of coffee as he opened the new book. Twilight shook her head, a slight smile on her face. "I still can't believe you've learned basic magic in the five days you've been here. It took me weeks to figure out even basic telekinesis." "I'm a quick study." said Michael. "You need to be in my line of work." He then noticed a small cringe from Twilight. It was subtle, but he'd gotten practice reading her body language. "There a problem?" he asked as he set the book down. Twilight, startled by the question, jumped a few inches off the ground and flashed a quick smile. "No, no problem. Why would there be a problem?" "Anyone ever tell you you're a horrible liar?" asked Michael. "What makes you think I'm lying?" retorted Twilight. "Facial expressions." said Michael. "First off, your pupils dilate slightly when you lie. Also, your right ear twitches and you break out into a sweat. Lastly, your voice rises a few octaves in pitch." Twilight lowered her head and frowned. "That obvious, huh?" She then arched her eyebrows as a thought crossed her mind. "When did you learn to read Pony body language?" "I didn't." replied Michael. "Human and Pony facial expressions, on the other hand, are very similar. Besides, you're just that easy. Now, back to my original question, what's wrong?" Twilight sighed. "I guess I'm still not very comfortable with your job. I've been trying to avoid that subject." she said. "Well, no avoiding it now." said Michael. "What do you want to know?" "Why did you become a spy?" Twilight asked. "How can you live with yourself with what you do? You hurt people for Celestia's sake!" Michael sighed. "Becoming a spy was a very deep and personal choice for me. I'd rather not talk about it." he said. "As for your other question, I do not enjoy hurting others. However, there are a lot of bad people on Earth that need to be watched." He gave Twilight a stern look. "Because of the work I and other spies do, a brutal dictator might be stopped before he can slaughter his own citizens for his amusement, or a potential war that could leave millions dead or homeless might be averted." Twilight gasped at that last statement. "Are you telling me that such... tragedies are common where you're from?" she asked. "Unfortunately, yes." replied Michael. "That's... horrible." she said. "How can anyone live in such a world?" Michael chuckled. "We're a tenacious species, Twi. Believe me, things were a lot worse a century ago." Before the conversation could go any further, a loud crash shook the Library. Several books went flying off their shelves, some striking Twilight and Michael. "That sounded like somepony ran into the door." said Twilight. She rushed over to the entrance and quickly opened it. "Sam?" "Hey Twi. Hey Mikey. How's it going?" said the grey Pegasus groggily. "Still learning to fly, Sam?" asked Michael. "No, I've got that part down." replied Sam as he got back to his feet. "It's the landing that I'm having trouble with." He shook his head, clearing out the cobwebs. "Seriously though, we've got a problem, Mike." Michael did not like the way Sam had said that. "What kind of problem?" "Head over to Rarity's. We'll explain everything." With that, he took off and flew east, in the direction of the Carousel Boutique. "Oh, of all the possible things that could've happened this is the worst... Possible. THING!" exclaimed Rarity, as she ran frantically around her store. "Is she always this melodramatic?" asked Michael, receiving a nod from Twilight. "Mikey, this is serious." said Sam, flaring his wings in agitation. "Oh yes it is!" interjected Rarity. "This isn't simply a matter of being late with an order, or me being humiliated in front of all of Canterlot. This is much much worse." "What's the problem?" asked Twilight. "It's my sister, Sweetie Belle." said Rarity. "She's been.... she's been... FOALNAPPED! Michael's eyes widened in surprise. "When?" he asked. "Less than an hour ago, on her way to school." said Rarity. "Her friends, Applebloom and Scootaloo saw a bunch of strange ponies grab her and take off north. They tried to catch up to the ruffians, but they teleported soon after they made their escape. They could be anywhere!" Michael sighed. He had just gotten used to the idea of being on vacation. "How can I help?" he asked. The smile on Rarity's face immediately brightened the room. "Oh, thank you thank you thank you thank you! How can I ever repay you?" "You don't have to." said Michael. "Oh, but I insist. A lady must always pay her debts, no matter how significant." stated Rarity. Michael eyed a display of sunglasses nearby. With a smirk, he levitated one of the more stylish pairs and put them on. "This'll do for payment." He then turned to Rarity, having put his game face on. "Have you received a Ransom note?" he asked. "Not yet." said Rarity. "However, Derpy, the mailmare, doesn't make her rounds until after lunch. I expect it to arrive then." "I see." Michael stated. "Where can I find Applebloom and Scootaloo?" he asked. "Why do you need to talk to them?" asked Twilight. "Because they saw the crime go down." said Sam. "They might have more information." "Oh." exclaimed Twilight. "In that case, they should be in school at this time of day. It's right behind the Library." "Fantastic." said Michael. "I'll go ask them a few questions. Meet me back at the Library." With that, he turned and trotted out of the Boutique. "Wow." Twilight said. "I didn't expect him to want to just help out of the kindness of his own heart." "Mike's full of surprises, Twi." said Sam. "It's really no big surprise to anyone that knows him, however." Twilight shot Sam a quizzical look. "What do you mean?" Sam sighed. "Have you noticed those scars over Michael's eye?" "Why, yes." said Rarity. "Something like that is hard to miss." "I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but he got those from when his father would beat him as a kid." he said, receiving pained gasps from Twilight and Rarity. "That's... terrible." said Twilight. "Yeah, it is." replied Sam. "Because of that, Mikey's always had a soft spot for these types of cases. It's bit him in the ass a couple times, but he will not turn away a kid in danger." He then shot a stern glance at the two mares. "You didn't hear this from me, understand?" Twilight and Rarity nodded. "Good."
