fly hard

by spike pp

Rating: teen
Tags: Original Character, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Queen Chrysalis, Adventure, Shining Armor, King Sombra, Dark, Alternate Universe, Changelings, Gore
Length: 5592

Carmen Luther, seasoned detective, searches for salvation. Glaze organizes a deal with vigilante Wild Card. And Glitchey searches to end a thousand-year rivalry.

Carmen "Clue" Luther has has a past of mistakes and misfortunes. He lost his wing, was kicked out of the Royal Guard, and was left for dead on the street of the big city. After many years of silence, he finally comes back as a Private Investigator, the job he loves doing. But will he love doing it anymore when he's forced to investigate a cult war with his blasted old captain, Shining Armor?

Following post-Rainbow Factory, Glaze, the puppet-master behind the operation, sees to conceal the Device before it reaches public ears. So, in order to knock out two birds with one stone, he makes an advance on outlaw Wild Card. He uses Wild to send him to Silhouette, the crime lord and master of disguise in Manehattan. Will Silhouette bring Card out of the situation? Or will Glaze jump the gun and take out two big names in crime?

The prime example of Sombra's war power, Cheyenne, was revived along with the Empire. Now, Cheyenne is ready to end Sombra's hate for Pegasi once and for all by joining forces with the Sombrand, a cult that loathes Pegasi for what they do. Will he stop Glaze in the act? Or will he merely stir up the pot in this mystery?

Find out as "fly hard" comes out over the course of the next year.

Published 2014-07-17 17:00:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-08-15 22:41:01 UTC

Prologue & Important Info

In collaboration with the following OCs (and their wonderful creators)
• Shiny ‘Claire’ Glass (@diamond_melody)
• Silhouette (@kawaiiscootaloo)
• Sonic Blossom (@sonic_blossom)
• Glitchey (@meowinton)
• Autumn Fall/Frostbite (@silvermoon_rp)
• Kaleidoscopic (@kaleido.scope)
• Wild Card (The Tales of Wild Card)
• Glaze (WoodenToaster)
How to Format Dates in Equestria
Years are formatted as xCE year, where CE (Celestial Era) determines era. The most recent era began when Nightmare Moon was imprisoned, 5CE. Before Celestia came to power, dates are DHE (Disharmonic Era) and years go backwards. The 10 months are as follows in order: Frost, Love, Greens, Sun, Festivals, Knowledge, Discovery, Wealth, Leaves, Persistence. The week system is normal.

Prologueco-written by @meowinton

Long ago, before the peaceful time of Celestia, the Pegasus Queen, Katherine, ruled the skies through her champion, Commander Hurricane. But somehow, the Unicorn tribe had formulated a way to infiltrate her cloudy kingdom. In response, the cold-hearted Queen rose up and ordered genocide of anypony who crossed her or her kingdom, including her own kind if they were inadequate. Soon after, Celestia and Luna peacefully gained control of the Unicorns and Earth Ponies, and Hurricane made amends and joined their alliance. Katherine disregarded the decision and continued the execution. Celestia disregarded her murders as long as they were to be kept secret. Meanwhile, in the Frozen North, the Crystal Empire was ruled by King Sombra, who was taken aback by the Queen’s felonies. He ordered his country to create weapons to smite the Pegasi who were not his own, and, as it went down in history, went mad with power by running his war machine. But soon, Celestia targeted Sombra, and on the last day before she took action, he told his bravest knight, Cheyenne, to assassinate the Pegasus Queen. It took Cheyenne merely hours to locate and kill the Queen, for he was the most skilled of all of Sombra’s men; but it was in vain. As the Pegasi mourned for their Queen, Sombra’s kingdom fell beneath the ice and was sealed away for a thousand years, and with it, Cheyenne.

Next, in more recent history, Celestia and her sister had two different main duties. Celestia raised the sun, and created rainbows to continue weather, while Luna raised the moon and watched over the dream world. But when her sister turned against her, Celestia found that raising the moon and sun, plus watching over dreams, was too much, so she entrusted the Pegasi with the duty of creating rainbows. They found that rainbows are created by a special magic called Spectra, which is also found in Pegasi and allows them to modify weather. But Spectra was too rare in the wild; only created by the elusive event of a Sonic Rainboom. So, with a heavy heart, the city of Cloudsdale created the VAiPOr (Verification of Adequacy in Pegasi Ordeal), in which young Pegasi would be tested on flying ability. If they failed the VAiPOr, the Pegasus would be carried off to the Weather Factory and reaped of their Spectra via murder. In order to prevent rioting, Celestia kept the operation a secret and still does. The incumbent Cloudsdale representative, Glazed Voice, watches over the operation and makes deals with those who may work for the Factory. One Pegasus, by the name of Sonic Blossom, escaped the facility, but was contacted by Glaze to keep his mouth shut in exchange for a large amount of money.

Chapter 1 - Carmen

6:50 AM Manehattan Local Time (MLT), Tuesday 12th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Private Investigator Carmen’s Office, Horseshoe Cove, Manehattan

A knock on the door. That always meant trouble.

But after a while, you’d expect these kinds of early-morning appointments. A stallion with a strong will, Carmen was determined to work himself back up in the big city. So far his jobs as a PI had been small; day-time murders, stolen goods. He wasn’t about to stop a major case stop at his doorstep.

He answered the door with an off-hooved “Door’s open.” In came the visitor, an authoritative figure in Canterlot garb. Luther waited for the job, but it never came.

“Well?” Luther, who went by the name Clue, was not one to respect Guard members. Celestia could defend herself with her own magic, for pony’s sake. That aside, he had a grudge against--

“Private Investigator Carmen Luther, I presume?” the Guard asked nervously. His saddlebag looked hastily packed, with the lock undone.

“That’s my name,” Luther sat up in the chair. No need to drag it out. “Well? What do you need?”

“A job, sir,” Magicked out of the bag was a letter, with a Royal Stamp on it. “Celestia’s orders.”

Luther snatched the letter out of the air and skimmed the contents. Mostly official stuff, just requesting the PI take the job. “Brief me.”

“I would if I could, sir,” the Guard looked as if he was being forced to say this. “But Captain Armor says you must take the, um, challenge if you want to know about it.”

Luther looked over his desk at the Guard in disbelief. It’s not an everyday job with security like this. “Armor would do that? And Celestia actually approves of this?”

The Guard bowed his head. “All in secrecy. I’m sure you understand.”

Secrecy, huh? “I’ll do this favor for Armor. This better be important.”

The PI’s visitor looked back and forth like he was being watched, which for all Luther knew he could have been. Armor does like to keep his guards in check. Knowing him, anyway…

“There’s a syndicate, the Athraithe. You’ve heard of them?”

“Here and there, I read things. They’re – well, they were – followers of Queen Chrysalis. Disbanded, I think, after her second defeat.”

“Actually, we’ve let the remaining members stay on the account no crime was committed against Equestria. But lately, they seem to have been talking behind our backs. To make matters worse, the Athraithians (ahth-wraith-ee-ens) Sentinel and Gray Area have reportedly gone missing. Armor doesn’t want the exploitation of trust, especially with the Elements gone. It’s obvious we can’t have this alliance continue, but it’s unclear why it even started. We need counter espionage on all cities.”

Carmen could have laughed – he wasn’t sure why – but he kept his mouth shut.

“We have Cadence and her group watching the Crystal Empire, Celestia and Luna overseeing Canterlot, and Princess Twilight observing Ponyville and the Everfree Forest. But Manehattan and other cities don’t have any instantly available help.

“In the places that have been left open – Las Pegasus, Trottingham, and Appaloosa, among others – we’ve left it up to the government of the cities to provide immediate assistance to those affected by the cult. City Council here decided that’s you and Claire.”

At last, a name he knew, though not friendly. Claire was an old competing detective of his from the Royal Guard Academy. She goes by Claire but friends, and rivals, know her real name, Shiny Glass. The Earth mare saw herself as a pretty good detective, which was her special talent, but Clue thought he was the better. She and Luther worked in the same regiment for quite a while. Glass solved a ‘case’ against Luther once; it was a silly Academy thing the recruits used to do, wagering jewelry to those who could find them. But then something happened. It just went downhill from there. Any more details, he wouldn’t want to tell.

After these few moments, the PI became somewhat confused. “Tell me why we are the best choices for this huge job. Manehattan is a huge city, and you’re asking us to investigate it piece by piece? Us two?”

“Captain wanted me also to relay to you that he will be staying nearby as a small back up. He says Manehattan is too large a city to lose.”

Ah, hell. Isn’t it always like Armor to think so highly of himself? Luther wondered if he was really trying to be this intrusive on a two detective-talent pony case.

Luther calmed down but still wondered. “What about the Guard? Why has Armor come down to help us?”

“I’m sorry, sir,” The Guard looked skittish. Pressure will do that to a stallion. “This is all Armor told me. If you want your questions answered you’ll have to go meet them at the Mane Fair Hotel. That’s in the High-Rises, if you didn’t know.”

Answers are what I need, he thought. Luther turned his back to the guard and stared out at the Manehattan skyline. “Thank you. You are dismissed.”

The Guard walked out and Luther fluttered his wings. Sorry, wing. The copper prosthetic that replaced his right wing was his ticket out of the Guard, but it was almost like he’d been born with it; the accident had happened so early in his life. Nurse Redheart made sure it worked just as well, but hopefully he wouldn’t encounter anything that required him to flee for his life.

An entire branch of a syndicate, up to a private investigator and an Academy… ‘friend’. Oh yeah, and the Captain of the Royal Guard.

The window was pushed open. It’s a good day to fly.

Chapter 2 - Wild Card

7:20 AM MLT, Tuesday 12th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Spire, Manehattan

Helping Hoof elbowed Wild out of his nap. “Oi, Wild, we’re ‘ere.”

Wild Card rubbed his eyes and stared at the train car. In the seat next to him were his two accomplices on his ‘vacation’: Helping Hoof, his medic; and Tumble, his trusty seducer.

They were, well, criminals.

“Awesome,” Wild stared out the window at their destination. “I’m happy we get this little rest from the law,”

“Well, Wild, the law did almost catch up to us,” Tumble said. “it’s time we withdraw from thievery for a while to let them – ah, turn away.”

It was true – on his last escapade, Wild and his gang, the Crimson Saddles, had nearly gotten caught reaping the papers of Canterlot’s private library. He wasn’t willing to almost get caught again; he didn’t realize Canterlot was such a high priority.

The sound of steam drowned out what Hoof might’ve said, and the train pulled into the station in Spire, the premier entryway to the big city.

The doors pulled open, and the gang stepped outside. “Well, I don’ think there are any wanted posters south of the River Harmony,” Helping Hoof magicked a map to Wild. “So I’m guessin’ you’ll want to head to Foundry, the factory district.”

“Long as it’s unsuspectin’, I suppose,” Wild stepped through a turnstile.

“Darn tooting,” Hoof’s Canterlot accent showed through his Western. “It’s the most unsuspecting place in all of this city.”

They walked on in silence across the Lunar Bridge, which would take them to the lower half of Manehattan. It sparkled with hues of gold, cobalt, and silver as the party walked across towards Southern Celestial.

“Tumble, could you get us a ride ‘cross town?” Wild smirked.

“With pleasure. Taxi!” Tumble flew ahead a short distance as Hoof and Wild stepped onto the cobblestone pathway.

The taxi dropped them off at a large brick tenement building in the Foundry. It was old and broken down, but it’d do for a hideout while the Saddles were out of action. But just as soon as they poked their heads in the door, a disembodied voice spoke from the hall.

“Well, Wild Card,” the voice said, in a deep, masculine robotic voice. “It seems like you were trying to catch your breath.”

Wild thought quickly. “Show yourself, or I’ll show you a gun.” How did it know my name?

The figure stepped from the shadows. It was a yellow Pegasus mare with a green and yellow mane. She was wearing a headset and a tuxedo. A government figure?

“I’m afraid you’re going to have to pick up your rifle regardless of whether or not I show myself,” she chided. “Because I’ve got a job for you.”

Hoof tensed up, head in the air. “Oh, yeah? Who are you, huh? Why should we work for you?”

“Because, I’m afraid,” the figure pulled a silver cloud badge from her pocket, marked CLOUDSDALE CITY COUNCIL - HEAD. “If you don’t, you’ll spend your last days in prison.”

Tumble was taken back. “Glazed Voice? Wh-wh-what?!?”

Voice tsked. “It’s Glaze, thank you very much. Representative of Cloudsdale is quite a long title, don’t you think? It needs a short name to accompany-“

Wild drew first but didn’t fire. “Enough chit-chat. You’re a higher-up, and we don’t work for your kind. But if it’s work you want, I’ll do it, so long as I get a break.”

“Alright, then. I’ll clear your name, just as soon as you do my bidding.” Glaze began pacing. Wild didn’t like where this was going.

“I run a political… machine, in Cloudsdale. There’s a particular thing I need for that machine, and that’s concealment.” She devoured the word, before continuing. “Now if there’s one of you vigilantes who has just that, it’s Silhouette stationed right here in Manehattan.”

Hoof spoke up. “I know her, actually. We worked out a deal a while back in Appaloosa to get out of one of our stickier situations.”

“A real miracle worker, isn’t she?” Glaze said. “Anywho, she relocated to Manehattan a small while back. There’s just one problem.”

“Something’s fishy here, Wild.” Hoof backed up, and Tumble followed suit.

“The problem is, nopony can find her. Of course, we assume she’s still here, alive,” Glaze coughed, making an awkward bzrrbt! sound from her voice transformer. “But no leads or any proof suggests otherwise.”

“A search mission?” Wild looked eager. “Well, I’d do anything to clear my name, and this sounds easy as apple pie.”

“Wild!” Tumble called out.

The word rang out around the building.

“Think of this, guys,” Wild turned to address his worried companions. “A new start! We could be normal every-day ponies!”

“But that’s not why we wake up every day to do what we do,” Hoof defended Tumble. “We bring wealth to the poor, knowledge to the unenlightened. We bring equality to this blasted hierarchy.”

“Well, Wild,” Glaze slowly approached the stallion. “You can always make this a solo mission…”

Wild turned to Glaze, then back to his assistants.

“This means more than the world to me.”

Hoof turned away and pulled Tumble with him. “I can’t believe you, Wild.”

Tumble screamed at the top of her lungs.

“YOU GODDAMN DEFECTOR! OUR LEADER!”

The pair stormed down the street, and Wild would not see them again for a long time.

“Mr. Card,” Glaze’s voice sounded happy or giddy. “You’ve got some work to do.”

Chapter 3 - Glitchey

1:20 PM MLT
Gemstone District, Manehattan, Equestria

A change of pace? Glitchey wanted anything but.

Just to fall out of sight was all it was. He had searched for information on Toxic, a friend for which he'd do anything for, and endangered his identity in the process.

After all, it was hard to mistake his mask.

But he was content with his situation. He found the elite district a fine place to hide out until he found more about what had happened for...

A crier stepped in front of Glitchey and broke his train of thought. "Hullo, mister! Care for a drink?"

He gestured towards the alley way. A bar, the Gilded Whinny.

"Oyl stey for a spell," the Old Country accent was thick as a thief. "Thank ye fer the offer, lahd."

The crier was surprised at Glitchey. "Yiss, ser." He didn't expect that accent.

He stepped inside. An earth mare with a blonde mane sitting at the bar turned and gasped.

Glitchey sat down at the bar and acknowledged the mare, then turned to greet the bartender.

"What'll you have?" The bartender asked.

"I 'unno, what d'yeah 'ave?"

The mare gasped again, and then collected herself and said, "I'll show you. It's in the back."

Friendly folks, Glitchey thought. "Arrite, lead the way, m'lady."

The mare stepped into a door marked Employees Only and gulped when Glitch followed her closely.

"Cheyenne? Is that you?"

What?! How...?!?

"How do ye kno' m'name...?"

The mare knelt on her front legs. "I... Didn't know you were still alive. You're... legend."

Glitch kept walking. "You are something else, miss. Yeah, ahm Cheyenne. But after all that, I'm Glitchey. I’ve rebranded."

The strawberry mare stepped in front of him. "Then... I guess you'll want to follow me..."

Glitch followed her through a winding hallway while she introduced herself.

"My name is Kaleidoscopic, Ponyville Chapter Tsar of the Sombrand. Our main goal is to expose the Pegasi through their inhumane actions."

Sombrand. It had a ring to it.

"Well, you found the right man t' represent your army."

"No!" Kaleido sounded very worried. "Sorry. You would shake the hive if they knew you exist. We can't trust everypony; you learn this through experience. Instead, I have a personal assignment for you."

They stopped walking and Glitch's ears perked up. "Lay it on me."

"The whole reason I'm here and not in Ponyville with my ponies is because Manehattan’s chapter Tsar, Autumn Fall, is missing. Generally, your job is to find out more about the situation and hopefully locate Autumn.

"But here's a development. Glazed Voice, representative of Cloudsdale is here for some reason or another. They say it's just for a visit, but we believe we've been compromised, and Autumn is being held by Glaze.

"So here's your job: go to the Mane Fair hotel, where Glaze is staying; search through the hotel manager Firefreeze's office; and get us some evidence. For the time being, ensure Glaze is fine, and stay safe and unnoticed."

Glitch stays silent for a couple seconds.

"I'll do it."

Maybe now he can finally get revenge on the Pegasi and end the rivalry once and for all.

Chapter 4 - Carmen

1:23 MLT
Mane Fair Hotel, High-Rises, Manehattan, Equestria

Carmen scanned the keycard and the door unlocked. He was not going to like it here.

The door swung open to Shining Armor playing solitaire. He looked past one of his cards at the PI. “Oh, hey Carmen! Long time no see.”

“Hello, Captain Armor, sir.” Play it cool. He shook the captain’s hoof for good measure.

“Alright, so Claire told me that we can start investigating before her.” Shining got up and magicked a map to Luther, who snatched it out of the air. “The red X is our 1st lead. I’ll fill you in on the way there.”

Carmen scanned the map. There. 16th Street. Eight blocks down, easy walk or fly. Carmen considered it one of the friendlier neighborhoods, but that was because of all the young faces.

Carmen was skeptical. “That’s too easy. What’s there that could help?”

Armor pointed to a newspaper clipping. The headline was Odd Markings found in Backalley of 16th. “They’ve closed the place off to police. The whole shebang.” The picture was taken by a Ponyroid, so the actual markings were hard to see, but they appeared to be a hexagon of some sort.

"The apartment building vandalized, interestingly enough," Armor added. "is where Sentinel and Gray Area lived."

“I suppose, if it’s anything related to the Athraithe,” speculated Carmen. “it’s worth checking out.”

“Well then c’mon, Recruit,” Armor played at Carmen, but he was not in the mood to reply.

As they started to exit, a black shape moved across the floor under the room window.

Somepony was eavesdropping!

"Captain, seize that pony!" Carmen yelled.

A swirl of magic. Whish! Clank! Carmen reacted quickly and pinned the figure to the ground.

The Earth pony turned his head. "Get off me, you fackuh!"

"Who are you working for?" Carmen held his hooves firmly to the blue stallion.

"I ain't talkin' ter you, so getcha hooves offa me!" He flipped over and used his powerful back legs to push Carmen off of him.

He caught his breath. "I don't work for no pony you'd know, so I reccomend..." Carmen was flung back by magic, a sensation he recognized. But where was the unicorn?

"...you get the fack outta my bizness!"

And with that, the stallion blinked away with a green aura.

Carmen stood there for a second and scratched his mane, panicked that the apparition -or whatever it was - would return, but it didn't.

"I'm going to need to report this," said the Captain, porting in an empty scroll. "Whatever that magic was, whoever was casting it, I can smell on the wind: that's blackjack. Illegal magics to spy on ponies... We can't have that stuff here."

"Whoever that pony was, he sure seemed to not be the ringleader." Carmen started towards the stairs. "Somepony out there knows we're doing this."

That's dangerous, Carmen thought.

Chapter 5 - Silhouette

[The following is a transcript of an unmarked tape found as part of an audio diary.]

[click, static]
Dear Diary:
Welcome to the city.
[A pause, then she clears her throat and begins again.]
I'm sorry I took such a long time to catch up again. There were too many... complications. You know me: I'm a busy mare.
Ahhh... I wish it were like old times, my friend. When all we had was me, you, and the lab. Before that blasted Captain Shining said I was 'corrupted with power' when all I am is... Devoted.
[She laughs insanely but keeps her cool.]
Hm. Anyway, there's a new request that my informant picked up. Apparently the old tramp came to the city with us to do some royal errand. Interesting, no? Well, it gets better. Apparently he's staying with a detective, Clue, and a old friend of mine, Shiny Glass. She was the best at finding me those rare ingredients back in the day.
[A shuffling in the background is heard as the fan shuts off.]
Well, recently, as you know, I no longer own the means of production, which means I've had to procure those ingredients myself. And there are ways.
You see, Diary, there's a thing or two I know about murder. A: it's easy. B: it can get you things you can't get normally. One of those things is rare ingredients.
Sentinel and Gray Area are dead. This much I know. So tomorrow, I'll be out interrupting the Captains work with my informant while I sneak underneath his nose to nab something I need for my experiments. I would've grabbed it before, but some gang they were a part of kept interfering.
Rude, don't you think?
[She coughs, pauses, and then resumes.]
I don't know why they were where they were. But I do know this: the guard is easily distracted by a good ruse. That will keep them busy.
Especially two gangs pitted against each other.
Your faithful curator and contributor,
Silhouette
[click, whirr]

Chapter 6 - Kaleido

4:00 AM MLT, Wednesday 13th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Gilded Whinny Bar, Gemstone District, Manehattan

You’re really good.
The words appeared in her head once more. This mission was more recon than anything, but she definitely admired the work of the assassin.
She was only a voice in Glitchey’s head, though. It wouldn’t be very professional to commend someone for a job not done rather than one well done.
“Ah’m comin’ up on the site now,” Glitchey murmured. He stared down the alleyway where the crime had taken place. The police had taped it up, but there was nothing left to investigate.
“Oh, it was just as I feared,” Kaleido’s ears folded back. “There’s nothing here.”
“Hold on, hun,” Glitchey yelped. “I hear something.”
Through the comm, Kaleido heard nothing. But she trusted the stallion’s better judgment.
Silence. Then…
“Nothin’, probably jus’ the breeze.”
Pwa-shing!
“GLITCHEY!” Kaleido called out.
An arrow sprouted out of his shoulder. He fell over, wounded.
“NO!!!” Kaleido started to worry for the stallion, when suddenely, the crossbow pony and an accomplice stepped up to view their catch.
“Fine shot, Frosty.” the orange mare who accompanied the shooter lifted the motionless Glitchey onto his shoulder. “I reckon Sil will want to see this sucker right away.”
“I don’t need to be told twice. Just get him up and out, damn you,” Frosty, the blue stallion who took the shot, said. “If anyone sees this sunuvagun we’re screwed.”
An alternate comm shouted something at the two henchmen, but through her ears, Kaleido couldn’t make it out.
For Glitchey, Kaleido thought. I’ll track these two jokers back to their base and lead a raid.
They will pay.

Chapter 8 - Wild Card

1:02 PM MLT, Wednesday 13th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Tenement Building, the Foundry, Manehattan

Wild was actually relaxing.
Well, as much as he could, anyway. Glaze had gone to the MHPD Station to research on their enemy, and, as you might expect, a high-profile outlaw like himself would most definitely not be welcome there.
But the building was quiet. Too quiet for Wild’s taste.
Was it the lack of his comradery, the Crimson Saddles? The lack of action? The lack of criminality?
It didn’t matter. The clock on the wall rang 1:30 before Wild heard any noise from the door. Expecting Glaze to finally return, he opened the door.
But it wasn’t him. Rather, a single letter was at the doorstep.
Wild flipped the letter over. This appeared to have been magicked here, as no return address appeared.
He opened it slowly.
My dear Card,

I regret to inform you that you are in jeopardy.
Whoever sent this knew he was here. Wild Card squinted and then continued.

You may wonder where your outlaw brothers and sisters have gone. Search the envelope. You know that Glaze wouldn’t pass up an opportunity like this.
“What?” Wild dumped out the letter and found a newspaper clipping. The headline read “TWO CRIMSON SADDLES LOCATED AND JAILED”.
“He... tricked… ME?!” Wild, furious with anger, noticed another thing that had fallen out. He picked it up and realized it was his own WANTED poster…
…issued by none other than Glazed Voice of Manehattan.
The letter went on.

By now I reckon you are pretty pissed. Well, I don’t blame you. I’ve been stabbed in the back more times than I can count. But to be totally honest, it’s time to face it. I can get you out of this deep pile of shit. Just go to this address and meet with me and Silhouette. Take this letter and we’ll get out of here. Take whoever you want. We’re leaving in 100 hours.
We’re waiting.
The letter ended abruptly, with an address printed on the reverse. It read simply Top Floor: Sonic’s Office, Mane Fair Hotel, High-Rises, Manehattan.
There was no time to lose. Wild packed his weapons and letter and set out for the Mane Fair.
“Time to give that green-maned shit what for.”

Chapter 9 - Carmen

94 hours remain
7:00 PM MLT, Wednesday 13th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Silhouette’s Base, Southern Celestial District, Manehattan
Blackness.
Carmen felt very little. He was drowsy from his work. He was only here for the Captain. He had to stick with him. He had to be strong.
He had to be dedicated.
The captain brought only him. Carmen chuckled. Hell of a raid, he thought.
Shining said something Carmen couldn’t make out. They were approaching the base faster than Carmen wanted.
Blackness. The street was completely off the grid. Dark as hell.
Carmen near collapsed but managed to stay up. He was really taking a toll on himself.
His mind kept jumping between his work and how he was doing. He tried to clear his brain of the thoughts of fatigue. It worked for a short while, but then he started to waver and the cycle started again.
Blackness. What a horrible night to do a raid. Carmen groaned inaudibly.
Shining kicked in the door to the base and held up his weapon of choice: a .22-gauge rifle.
Suddenly, a burst of light.
Carmen was blinded.
Then.
Blackness.

Chapter 10 - Silhouette's Audio Diary

Dear Diar- oh to hell with it.
Listen, diary. Somepony ruined us. I.. don’t remember who. But I don’t have much time.
I’m to meet with Sonic Blossom at the Mane Fair. I’ll be damned if I’ve heard of him before, but he has some connections, OK? I have to comply. Even me, the darned puppet master of Manehattan, can get 2 gangs to go to war, but can’t get a decent security detail.
Argh. My voice hurts. I’ve been yelling to get up and out of this dump for the past 2 hours. I’m glad I’m going to get a better place.
[Indistinct yelling breaks out. Sil gets up and supposedly resolves the problem.]
[A gunshot.]
[Sil gets in the chair.]
OK, Now I’ve got to break shed here in a minute. Talk to you later, diary.
[desk slam, click, static]

Episode 2 - FINALE

[Alright. The guard has let me publish another piece of the file. I’m on thin ice here though. They’ve started to get antsy over the situation. They really don’t want any more in the public’s hooves. I’ll try to persuade them though. I’ll do my best. –GV]

Subject: RE: VaIPOr
Timestamp: DSCV-16-0999
From: blssmfrth@cloudsdaleschools.gov
To: wildfir@cloudsdaleschools.gov

Hey Wildfire. Sorry I took so long to get back to you. I was busy working.
But yeah, I mean, what are they really doing to the students? I’ve lost at least 3 in the past year to random mishaps. It’s a shame, but it seems that they’re killing them! I mean, they never come back to class, they are instantly dropped from the registered, and the older ponies who are Guard material are listed MIA indefinitely. Sibs, I’m scared.
I don’t want to lose anymore students, so I’m dropping out of the VaIPOr program to find out more. Look I know it’s risky, so ridicule me, but I’m not taking any more chances. I don’t care what they do to me… so long as it’s not them.
Catch you on the flip side, Sibsy.

-Blossomforth

Teacher, Cloudsdale School District

Author's Note

Hey guys. Thanks for sitting through another episode. This is my first fic I've ever tried writing, so instead of disliking, can you give me some constructive criticism instead? It would mean alot more than just critical opinion.

Episode 1 - FINALE

[The following is a hoofwritten paper with an incomplete timestamp, merely saying ‘it’s been 14 hours since I got out,’ found in the restricted archives of the Canterlot Library. The paper is stricken with rain or tears, and was found in Cloudsdale teacher Blossomforth's folder, alongside declassified information regarding the VAIPOr. Thusly it was concluded by the guard that 14 hours meant 14 hours past the Incident. Blossomforth was jailed on the charges of conspiracy, and her colleagues have not been found. In subsequent episodes I will try to coax the guards into giving me the remainder of the folder. -GV]

i think its 14 hours since i got out
my name is sonic blossom
if somepony finds this i want them to know
the pegasi hurt people
i dont know how
i dont want to know how
i just know
they dont mean well
i tried to escape them without seeing my friend
my friend aurora
i didnt want to see her die
i dont regret it
i always heard that if you see somepony die
they haunt you
i hope somepony finds this

theres a rainbow above me
but i dont feel its warmth

Chapter 7 - Carmen

9:27 AM MLT, Wednesday 13th, Month of Festivals, 5CE 1001
Gilded Whinny Bar, Gemstone District, Manehattan

The duo stepped into the Gilded Whinny. This was the 3rd on their list of restaurants and bars Carmen and Shining were going to in order to find out more about the case, especially after their only lead, a small vandalized apartment block, was just pointless graffiti.They had abandoned all hope of working with Shiny Glass, as she still had not showed up.
“Hello,” Shining said to the bartender. “Shining Armor, Captain of the EUP Guard. This here is Clue, a detective pony.”
The bartender pointed at a door in the back. “Sorry, I don’t know anything, but my boss might.”
The captain thanked the bartender and the duo walked through the door. Down the hallway was a blonde-maned mare working furiously on a computer console typing something into a document.
Carmen spoke up. “Miss?”
She jolted and turned around. “Ohp!” She laughed nervously. “Hello, captain. And… Detective. The name’s Kaleidoscopic. What are you doing here?”
Carmen sighed. “You’re not in any trouble, we just want to ask you something.”
The mare eased up. “Oh.. alright. Lay it on me.”
“Do you know anything about the missing Athraithian representatives?” Shining went for the blunt route.
The mare’s eyes glinted. “Hm… actually, I might.”
The duo waited as she thought it over in her head. She obviously had something to hide.
“Captain, you know the crime lord Silhouette?”
Shining Armor was instantly engaged. “That sonuva… yes. What about her?”
Her expression became sly. “I’ll sell you the location of her… lair. She might have something to do with it…
“Because she’s right here in Manehattan.”
Carmen had no idea what the two were planning.
Shining took out a sack of bits from his saddlebag and handed it over. “Your reward. Now, where is Sil?”
“All in good time, my fine captain.”