Prologue: Freedom is a Green Light
The crosswalk light turned green, and everypony on either side of the road began to walk across. One pony in particular, Filthy Rich, made it his point to shove everypony to the side so he could get across just a second earlier than everypony else. His business had just been involved in a major fund loss, and the more time he spent trying to get there, the more money he would lose. His cell phone vibrated in its holster, an annoying ringing accompanying it. Stopping in the middle of the sidewalk, he took it out, and answered the call without looking at who was calling.
“Hello?” he answered.
“Hey there, honey,” came a mare’s voice from the other side. It was his wife, Pearl Necklace. “When do you think you’ll be able to get home from work tonight? Diamond Tiara and I have something special for you!”
“I don’t think I’ll be home for a while, Pearl. The casino took a pretty big hit earlier today, and I need to sort it out. I should be able to get home before Diamond Tiara goes to bed. In fact, I’ll make it a point to get home in time tonight!”
“Oh, okay. I love you!”
“Love you too, Sweetums.” A dull tone over the phone signified that the call was over. Filthy Rich put his phone back into its holster and continued walking. As he rounded a corner, however, he walked straight into another pony.
“Oof!” he grunted as he fell back. “Hey, watch where you’re going! I’ve got important places to be!”
The other pony – a grey mare with a black mane and brown trench coat – muttered, “Why don’t you take your ‘important places’ and shove ‘em up your ass…” A cobalt stallion with a yellow mane helped her up, concern on his face.
“C’mon, Night,” he said as he dusted her off. “Lay off him. It was just an accident. Don’t get all grumpy at a stranger.” The mare huffed as Filthy Rich walked away.
“What an asshole…” Nightstick said as the two began walking again.
“Asshole or not, you need to learn how to be nicer to strangers,” Spark commented.
“Whatever. Did you find out who and where the guy is?”
“I’m working on it,” the unicorn said as he pulled out a device similar in look to Filthy Rich’s cell phone from inside his own trench coat. A real-time video feed popped, recording the activity outside a popular casino. “He should be entering the High Stakes Casino soon…”
The device beeped as the camera zoomed in on one particular pony in the crowd: the stallion that the two had just met earlier. His name popped up beside him on the screen, as well as other information.
Rich, Filthy
Runs black market deals
Age: 40
Occupation: Entrepreneur
Income: 45,000 bits/year
“No way…” Spark said, turning to Nightstick. “The stallion you bumped into? It’s him.”
“No shit,” the mare muttered as the two turned around and began trotting to the High Stakes Casino.
“So, what do we have today?” Filthy Rich asked a black stallion as he walked into a room lit up by multiple televisions.
“Well, Mr. Rich,” the stallion replied, “I’ve got a surprise for you. Somethin’ that’ll put us both into retirement two times over.”
“My wife and daughter have a surprise for me at home, too. Impress me.”
The screens flickered before showing dozens of mares, one to each screen. “We got some beautiful mares here that somepony’s interested in buyin’,” the henchman said. “They’ll sell for 120,000 bits each, makin’ a grand total of 1.2 million bits. We—I mean, you’ll be richer than rich!”
“Is he a trusted buyer?” Filthy Rich asked.
“I can tell you myself that I’m very trustworthy stallion, Mr. Rich.” The casino owner turned around to see a maroon Pegasus walk into the room. “In fact, I run one of the biggest brothels in the city. The name’s Trader. Maybe you’ve heard of me?”
“Yeah, I have. So, you’re willing to pay 1.2 million for ten mares?”
“Absolutely! These mares are so… exotic! Wherever did you get them?”
Filthy Rich turned to the henchman. “Scout,” he said, “where did the mares come from?”
“Right here in Detrot! Tourists, I think.”
Before anypony else could say a word, one of the doors opened. “Mr. Rich,” said a teenaged alabaster pony who wasn’t looking where he was walking, “I know you said you had important business down here and you weren’t to be disturbed unless it was an emergency, an-”
The three ponies in the room and the young pony who just entered stared at each other before Filthy Rich cantered over to the colt, dragged him into the middle of the room, and said, “He’s already seen what’s down here. We need to take care of him.”
“Wh-what?” the colt stammered. “What do you mean?”
“Agreed,” Trader said, ignoring the colt. “How do you want to do it?”
“I’ll use my knife,” Filthy Rich replied.
“Knife? No no no no no! Don’t kill me! Please! I’ll do anything!”
“Sorry, son,” Filthy Rich said as he grabbed a knife on the table, “but you’re a liability. I’ll tell your parents you died trying to save my bits, though, make them feel proud of you.”
Before he could plunge the blade into the colt, though, the televisions began to go haywire. The images turned to static, different colors flashed on-screen, and the lights flickered on and off. “What the hell…?” Trader muttered before the same door the colt entered from was kicked in.
Spark and Nightstick, now wearing shrouds over their muzzles, burst into the room. The mare drew a telescopic baton from her trench coat, extending it with a flick of the hoof, while the stallion took out a pistol with his magic, shooting Scout in the forehead. Meanwhile, Nightstick jumped onto the table and leaped at Trader, cracking her baton down on his head and rendering him unconscious.
“Please, don’t shoot!” Filthy Rich begged as Spark shoved the barrel of the gun in his face.
“Why shouldn’t I?” he asked. “Is it because you think you truly deserve another chance, or do you just want to keep on going like you are right now?”
“I-I’ll be good from now on!” the entrepreneur pleaded. The conversation was cut short as a voice came from inside Spark’s trench coat.
“All officers, head to the High Stakes Casino, we have a 246; I repeat, 246 at the High Stakes Casino.”
“Looks like the cops heard you,” Nightstick said as she collapsed her baton. “What’re we going to do?”
Spark looked at Filthy Rich, then at the shuddering colt. “We’re going to leave this scum to the police, that’s what.” He pointed his gun at one of Filthy Rich’s hind legs and fired, rendering him unable to walk as he yelled in pain.
“A-are you going to kill me, t-too?” the colt asked.
“No,” the mare answered. “You’ve done nothing wrong.” She then turned to Spark and said, “Let’s blow this joint.”
Outside, the two vigilantes finally took off their shrouds, revealing their faces. “I think we did well, Night,” Spark said, pulling out his device from before.
“Of course we did. We always do.”
Suddenly, from behind them, a stallion’s commanding voice yelled, “Freeze! Put your hooves where I can see them!” The two turned around to find a police officer aiming a pistol at both of them.
“Alright, we give up,” Spark said, dropping his device.
“Now,” the officer instructed, “I want you to lie down on the ground! Now!”
“I don’t think I want to do that, though…”
“You’re pushing our luck,” Nightstick said through gritted teeth.
“I have a better idea. BLACKOUT!”
Instantly, the whole city of Detrot went dark. Spark heard Nightstick extend her baton and saw her knock the officer out with it. “That was really fuckin’ stupid of you!” she rebuked.
“Please don’t get really pissy on me now,” the stallion pleaded. “We’ve gotta be somewhere.”
The mare gave a heavy sigh as the two ran to the edge of the alley, where they could see Filthy Rich being taken away by police. Spark drew his device out and magically tinkered with it for a few seconds.
Suddenly, the electronic billboards lit up, showing a live feed of Filthy Rich being arrested. Underneath the video was a line of text that explained that he was in the black market business. Then, all the billboards went out, and only a single line of white text popped up in the middle of each billboard:
_hello world.
Author's Note
Thanks for reading, guys! For now, that's all I've got to give to you. The countdown until the official story arc is introduced is in my short bio, so if you want to keep up with the story, be sure to check that every once in a while! Don't forget to give me a comment below on what you did and didn't like, alright? I love me some feedback!
