The Manehatten Chronicles: Book 1 of 3: The Manehatten Typewriter

Chapters

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Outcome
Chapter 2: Corruption
Chapter 3: A Fresh Start
Chapter 4 1/2: The Apple Barrel
Chapter 4 2/2: The Lieutenant's first day
Chapter 5 1/3: Sleep Deprivation

Chapter 1: An Unexpected Outcome

As the night falls, bringing the rain with it, I watch the city of Manehatten and its citizens open their black shields of fabric, protecting them from the water that descends down from the sky. As the rain continues to downpour, I can feel the change in the temperature rapidly decrease as the night goes on. The clock behind me should read about 10:00 at night, but I refuse to look as I keep a watchful eye down on this city. The city that had gutters full of blood of the innocent, rights that had been trampled on and wrongfully stolen property that could change forever, and sins from the monsters of the past who had caused those deaths.

And, unfortunately, I later found that I had become one...

It isn't until I hear the sudden bell of the elevator that I am drawn from my thoughts and into the world of the present. From the frame of the elevator comes a pony, with a mane as black as coal and a coat that is as grey as the clouds above.

I dare not look at her. She knows what had transpired here on this night. The event that had changed my life, and the event that I knew I would never be able to go back to what I had considered a 'normal' life.

"Astra..." She begins, "Manehatten Police Commissioner Igneous and his partner are here. They wish to speak to you downstairs."

I'm not at all surprised that the Commissioner and his partner are here, rather I had expected they would come. But part of me believes they're here for discussion about the event. That, or they wished to speak about a disobedience among the members of the mafia. Either way, I'm glad she isn't going to make me discuss this yet.

"Very well... Please let them know I will arrive in a short time." I say, monotone, hoping that she knows that I don't wish to speak anymore then I need to for now. It appears as though she is about to leave, however, before she enters the elevator, she turns back to me.

"Astra."

Damn...

"Yes, Octavia?"

"Once this is over, I expect you to come home. You need rest."

I turn my head to see Octavia in my peripherals, opening my mouth to argue against it, but finding no words coming out of my mouth, nor any coming to mind.

Perhaps she's right, I think to myself.

"Okay... I will." I say, giving her the magic answer she wished for to go into the elevator and leave.

It's a beautiful night...

***************************************

5 years earlier
***************************************

"Hey! Hurry up Astra with that compound! We're gonna need it if we're going to finish this!"

"Alright! Alright! I'm almost there!" I scream down the hall as I carry the compound we need to finish this experiment in a carful manor to avoid having to go back and grab another.

Or worse... The compound having an unstable reaction once it is freed from its metal chamber. Resulting in cataclysmic events that I would rather not think about.

As I walk into the room, I barely get a look at the mare's face before I have to keep my concentration on the tube of energized magic, but I get enough of a look at her to see the smile on her face and the look of pure determination in her perfect blue eyes. What I would give in order to see her like this everyday...

"This is so exciting! Equestria's very first cyborg is coming right out of this laboratory center! All of our research has been leading up to this moment!!" She exclaims, now beaming like a filly or colt who had just received their cutie mark for the special talent they display. "I'm counting on it Minuette, we can't have another disappointment like last time." I reply as I carefully place the energized magic into the frame of the android itself. With one last firm push, the tube is placed into the frame, a few beeps coming from the machine in response to the tube entering and filling the frame with power. "Alright, it appears as though we're ready to go. Would you like the honor?" I ask as I trot to the side of Minuette and extend my right arm to her, the controls to the cyborg in my hoof.

Eagerly, Minuette takes the controller from my hoof and leads us off behind the blast wall. The smile on her face never dims as she stares at the robot's frame behind the glass. "In three..." She begins as she envelopes two pairs of goggles, placing one pair on herself and the other on myself.

"Two..." She says excitingly as she turns the key in the controller, watching it spark to life along with the robot, a big red button indicating a direct communication between it and the robot. Gently she works her hoof to the button that will activate either a scientific revolution, or jump start us to restart the entire experiment. Her hoof now resting on it, Minuette motions for me to place my hoof on top of her own, to which I gladly take the opportunity to do so.

"One!" We say together as we activate the robot and watch as it's brilliant lights come to life in a blue hue. The light makes its way to the eyes, and I find myself on the verge of tears as I watch the eyes come to life in the same blue hue as the lights adorning it's beautiful metallic frame. This is it... I think to myself as I continue to watch this spectacle unfold in front of my eyes.

But the spectacular sight comes to an end as signs of an immediate threat comes to the surface in the form of a black smoke rising from the body of our creation.

"Uh... Minuette... Should that be happening...?" I ask extremely concerned and afraid in an almost whisper tone, as the smoke begins to rise. I try to turn my head from this, but to no avail, and instead opt to face her through the peripherals of my eyes.

She looks just as concerned. Terrified.

"Minuette..." I say as the smoke continues to fill the room, the only signs of our project being the dimly fading lights on its body. However as on cue, I quickly realize what is about to come next.

"Minuette, get down!" I exclaim, breaking from the trance of the smoke and tackling Minuette to the ground. It appears as though I respond appropriately as I watch the head of the robot fly through the blast window and into the wall. The cyborg's head hitting the wall with a metallic clank, pieces of debris flying from it in all directions as its charred heads hits the wall and floor.

Simultaneously, we both raise our heads to see the carnage that had unfolded before us. Rising up from the ground, I begin to make my way to the place our creation had once stood. As the smoke cleared, I was afraid to see what had become of it, but I had already anticipated what I would see next...

The android itself was in almost complete disrepair. It's right foreleg was blown straight off, resulting in a great big hole where it's arm should have been. As expected, the head as well suffered greatly, as half of the neck had been remains and a gap had been open as well. It laid on its side, like a dead animal after a predator had finished cleaving it of its meat and left it to the insects to do as they pleased with the carcass.

"Son of a bitch!!" I had exclaimed, throwing a loose piece at the wall, watching it ricochet off the wall and hit a near by tool case. I was angry. Extremely so. Nearly eight to ten months of work and funding for a pathetic conversational piece. I wanted to cry, scream, hit, and swear all at the same time, but I couldn't. And even if I could, it would serve me no good, aside from venting my anger out.

"Damn..." I heard Minuette say behind me as her magic aura enveloped what was left of the head. Two halves and its jaw were floating in the air, enveloped by her blue hue, it's left eye attempting to spark any form of light, but to no avail, and thus it shut off completely. She was almost as upset as I was, something that never happened...

"I don't even know where we would BEGIN to rebuild this..."

"We can't. Not with anything here at least... There's practically nothing to salvage..." I say, cooling down as much as possible from this embarrassing loss. "Not even the energized magic?"

"I'm certain it will either be destabilized, extremely dangerous, or burned out. My knowledge of something like energized magic isn't my specialty." I say begrudgingly, kicking myself for not taking the class offering subjects like that.

"Let's just both go home and rest on this..." Minuette says after a moment of silence for the fallen. "When we get back, we'll see what went wrong. Hopefully, we'll be able to find out and get this fixed."

"Maybe..." I say, my concentration still on the cyborg, more or less what is left of it. With a nod in agreement, Minuette begins to trot out of the science wing, but takes a look back at me, and immediately trots over to me. Though most of my concentration is on the carcass, not all of it is specifically reserved for it as I can feel the blue unicorn wrap her forearms around me in a warm embrace as she lays her head upon my neck.

Time stands still as she rest on me. Her warm body though keeping the rage in me going also gives me a refreshing feeling of hope. "It'll be okay..." She says to me in a whisper before placing a small kiss on the back of my head. This is what I have wanted now for the past year I have worked here, just her and I together with one another's company, mostly seeing how most have left home. Maybe she is right, maybe things will get better.

"Thank you, Minuette..." I say as my wing comes up to her hoof, giving it a comforting squeeze of both affection and genuine sincerity.

"Your welcome. Good night Dr. Aqueduct..."

And with that, Minuette's warm body leaves my own and proceeds to walk out of the laboratory, taking whatever warmth was left with her.

I continue to sit and watch the android, thinking of different ways that I could possibly have avoided this, but finding that nothing immediately comes to mind. So instead, I begin to search for a clock, and low and behold, I find one outside of the lab in the hall. It simply reads 10:36 at night, though I had expected it to be much later than that. Quickly checking the android one last time, I decide to throw a simple tarp over it and get home soon.

My body and mind are too tired to deal with this anyways.

On the way out, I am greeted by the ponies and stallions I call my peers and mates, some of whom attempt to ask me about the android, others who wished me a goodnight, and mostly those who had genuinely asked how my entire day was. Though my day did go to hell, I simply decided to nod and say fine, often ending the conversations completely with that.

As I walk out of the building, the cold winds begin to blow harder and harder. Winter is coming more quickly than I thought it would. With a jacket strapped on me, I find the closest thing to a grocery story and pick up anything I made need for a dinner tonight.

In this case, a simple salad...

With my dinner in tow, I quickly return home to the residential district of Manehatten, thankfully not too far from my place of work, and enter my fairly large apartment. The dinner I have acquired may have been cold, but it was tasty nonetheless and served a fairly adequate meal, though in retrospect, I didn't think too much of it due to the thought of the android on my mind. There has to be a way to fix it, I think to myself, or at least a way for me to have avoided it.

The failed android seems to be a recurring monster to me, seeing as how I find myself waking up more times than not that night because of it. Dreams of it actually working but it becoming a deadly creature hell bent on destroying Equestria, or worse, dreams of the head coming through and killing the mare I care for. The dreams only seem to end as soon as I wake, but some of them, far fetched or not, actually do affect me. Both psychologically and physically.

One thing that definitely did stay, however, was my constant need to fix it. I needed to...

Chapter 2: Corruption

Awakening the next morning, I found myself refreshed and devoid of my anger, a sigh leaving my smiling lips as I rub the sleep out of my eyes with my wings. Gently, I begin to hover my way towards washroom. Reaching my destination, I turn the faucet on to spill warm water and begin my routine of splashing the warmth upon my face before brushing my teeth and ending with a quick comb through my deep blue mane.

With my hygiene and hair care complete, I retreat into the kitchen where I begin my breakfast, a simple fruit bowl with a honey glaze, and proceed to eat, the television playing in the background the latest news reports in Manehatten. Only occasionally do I decide to tune in and out of this broadcast due to my thoughts staying with the topic of how to repair the android for future use. Hopefully both Minuette and I will be able to see where we went wrong...

I am only drawn out of my thoughts when the words 'Breaking News' fill the screen in red words and displayed on an orange background. "Mares and Gentlecolts, the following information is about to affect your friends, family, and life." The reporter states, drawing my interest towards the screen as I float to my couch, the fruit bowl with a small fork in hoof. Sitting down upon my couch, I proceed to listen to this news report...

"At approximately 5:00 this morning, our governor has just passed a new ordinance entitled 'The SADDAL V ordinance' and assigned it as active. For those of you at home who are not aware, SADDAL V is an acronym for 'Sales And Distribution or Division of Alcohol Legalization Void' that, as the name acronym states, makes it illegal to own, distribute, or manufacturing of any alcoholic beverage inside of Manehatten, an ordinance that has been heavily criticized by many politicians and citizens. Throughout the day, we will continue to cover this ordinance and its effects on you, the viewers at home."

I'm almost entirely not surprised that this new ordinance was passed, seeing as how this governor seemed to make it her first priority when inaugurated into her position, nor am I entirely affected by this. I never was much of a drinker to begin with, and all this ordinance will do is anger some citizens.

If there's anything life has taught me, no decision is without it's critics...

Within a few moments, the fruit salad is reduced to nothing more than a small pool of glaze. Rising out the bowl, I decide to simply leave it in the sink with warm water inside to soak up whatever remains there were. Grabbing my coat and my keys to my apartment, I quickly begin to make my way to the science center, determined to make this breakthrough in science.

***************************************

The sight I see before me shatters my world entirely as I arrive at the center, where a small mass of twenty collages of mine gather at its front, completely curious and devastated at the sight.

The Science Center that many of us have worked at for so long now, is now crawling with Manehatten Police officers and bio-hazardous officials wearing their trade mark yellow and black suits, entering in and out of the building with almost complete disregard for us. In front of our home reads a simple yellow sign with black for its font color reading:

"Because of residential concern and a radiation reading taken last night, the Manehatten Bio-Hazardous squad and Manehatten Police force have joined together to dispose of this building and any other waste left behind. Have a nice day!"

"How could this have happened?" Is one of the many questions that everypony here is asking as they read the sign. I too am asking the same question. How did this all come to be? We keep everything under control here and in the proper storage facilities. How was it possible that there was a radiation leak?!

The answer comes to me as soon as this notice did to the Professors and Doctors
here.

The energized magic.

There's no way though! I think to myself. Magic has no radiation in it, as far as I know. And the energization of magic contains no radioactive byproducts or symptoms...

Right...?

"I'm going to speak to them." I say to the rest of my colleagues, trotting off angrily to one of the many hazmat ponies to demand an explanation.

"Excuse me!" I say, gaining the attention of this pony quicker than I though. "I am Doctor Astra Aquaduct, one of the many who are working here. I demand to have an explanation for this!"

"Didn't you read the sign?" The hazmat pony says in a snarky attitude, "We got a radiation reading last night and tons of angry families breathing down our necks. That explosion last night was the last straw, we're shutting it down."

"But, you can't! It's the first time in months that something like this has happened. There are at least sixty other ponies who count on this for a daily income!"

"Hey, I don't make the rules I just follow. If you've got a problem, talk to the big white fella over there. Blue mane, all official looking and crap." The pony says, turning her back towards me to continue whatever work she had been doing in the first place. Turning myself around, I see the stallion in question. I've sworn I've seen this colt before, but I couldn't quite say when. He is a strong and regal stallion with a blue mane and pearl white coat, a badge adorning his blue Manehatten police force uniform, which is covered by a black long coat.

I immediately make my way over towards him, both angered but mostly scared at his presence. Up close, the stallion is even more large looking, easily taller than me and stronger. Any mare would fall for this stallion, and any stallion would rather die than deal with him.

"Excuse me..." I say, pulling him out of his conversation with another mare much smaller than him situation purple mane and light purple coat, wearing a tan trench coat.

"Can I help you?" He asked, his voice softer than I had expected.

"Uh, y-yes you can. My name is Doctor Astra Aquaduct, I'm an engineer, bio mechanic, chemist, and marine biologist here at our research center. I'm requesting you to keep the science center open for our continuation of making Equestria a better place."

He's silent for the longest time, pondering what I have just relayed to him in a look that seems genuine, but to me looks sarcastic. "Okay, sure..." He said, a smile on his face as he looked upon me. "I'll be sure to pull my team from here..."

"Oh... Why... Thank you Sir, I'm glad we were able to come to-"

"Not so fast." He said, quickly interrupting me. "I'll pull my team if you can answer one question for me."

"Why yes. Of course sir. What would you like me to answer?"

"It's Commissioner Shining Armor to you..." He said, almost in a way that spewed venom at me. "Y-yes Commissioner...!" I said, now stammering horribly.

"Good. Now, there was an explosion that happened here last night. If you could tell me what was the cause of it, I'll give you back the Center. If not, well..." he shrugged, "We'll have to shut it down."

I was now scared. If I responded, then that would mean I was responsible for this whole problem and get my... Our home, back. But if I didn't answer, we would lose this place. What do I do?

The answer comes to me in the form of a blue unicorn, who had just barely arrived and witness what has transpired.

I have to. For her.

"It was... Me. I was working on a new android to do various acts of daily labor or chores. If possible, maybe even a new soldier. However, there were... Complications. The power cord we- I! Was using was a form of magic called 'Energized Magic' a completely harmless and radioactivity void substance. The frame of the android didn't reach well with the substance and caused a minor explosion. I was hoping to come here and, possibly, find out what I did wrong..."

The entire time I say this, Commissioner Shining Armor stares at me blankly, raising his eyebrows every so often at the mare next to him, but nothing more. When I finish, he once again ponders what was just told to him, smiles to himself, and looks back down at me. "Well, I'm glad that you brought this forward. Thank you. You can get your facility back."

"Wait... Really?" I ask, dumbfounded at this response. "Sure. I'll pull my team out ASAP. Boys!" He screams out to all the other ponies on the ground, both police and hazmats, who immediately make their way towards him. Smiling, he continues.

"Change of plans. Mr. Aquaduct here..." He begins, patting me on the head, "has just informed me that it was all his fault for this and there's nothing to worry about. Let's go ahead and clear out. Rusty, Quiltton, pack up everything and make sure everything is spick and span." With his order, the pony and the stallion trot off towards the center and begin to tell the others about what happened, each of them happy to find that they won't be losing the home.

"Whew... Thank you Commissioner for this. It's good to know that all of this was just a silly misunderstand-"

"Frosty, Onyx, please escort Mr. Aquaduct out..."

That sentence hits me like a thousand rocks were just thrown at my chest, rocking me to my core. "Wait... What do you mean escort...?" I ask, a terrified expression on my face as I look at Shining Armor, who looks as though he is hold back a laugh. "Sorry..." He says with a smile, "But if this place is gonna stay up, we can't afford something like this happening again, right?"

I'm completely numb as this point. A whole year of complete dedication just for this? All my hard work and all my time in and out of libraries and classrooms, just to be thrown out of what I was destined for?

The ground beneath my hoofs almost completely disappears as the magic aura of Shining Armor's horn envelops me in it. "Frost! Onyx! Come on! We can't let this guy stay here any longer or we risk a lawsuit." He says, and suddenly I am enveloped in yet another magic aura of half purple half light blue. "Hey... Don't sweat it. You'll find another job, and when you do, you can come back here! On a lunch break." Shining Armor said as I still stood numb and motionless, Chuckling ever so slightly as the two unicorns whisked me away from my home.

The last sight I see, is the sight of Minuette as she turns back and looks at me with eyes full of concern.

Chapter 3: A Fresh Start

The entire scene plays itself like a broken disc over and over in my mind, each time taking a small piece of me with it and smashing it into the ground. That singular event in my life has completely decimated me, worse than anything else in my entire life. Everything I have ever worked for and everything I have ever done while working at the place I had once called home now add up to nothing. My career, my friends, my bits, all gone.

Being fired from the Science Center and being registered as mad stallion has made it almost impossible for me to find any other line of work, leaving a nasty stain on my record as a citizen of Equestria and my career, setting me back at least by 6 years.

Most of my friends from the center look upon me with anger. As it had turned out, the police commissioner had decided to take control of the center, keeping a complete 24 hour watch group in and on the premise. I've been told this by Minuette, the only pony who still even bothers to speak to me anymore, who also stated that it also affected her as a scientist as well, setting her own career back at least 2 years. I genuinely tell her I feel awful for her, but refuse to tell her I have almost no room in my body to feel terrible for anypony other than myself.

The bits I once had in my account dwindled quickly after that event. I found that I had been spending most of it on the rent for my large apartment close to the center. An large apartment near your line of work and the bay meant that rent cost almost twice the normal amount, and soon I found myself no longer being able to afford the rent, especially without a new line of work. I had to move out of my home of almost two years and move into a much smaller studio apartment that was deeper in the city of Manehatten with the bare bone necessities of my daily life.

Today was the day I had moved into this pathetic studio apartment. I had already informed Minuette that I had to move, and even she was concerned about it, especially with the escalation of crime in the city ever since the SADDAL V ordinance. "It's not like I have much of a choice anymore, Minuette." I would tell her, but for every other time I did, she would give me the same, "Yes, you do", Argument.

Upon helping me move into the studio, I could see the disgust on her face when walking in. The outside was disgusting enough, with its tan stucco walls, however the smell of freshly lit cigarette smoke and the once white but now tanning walls was the nail that sealed the coffin shut.

I didn't bring very many boxes with me considering how I had brought furniture and my television set in the days before, so it was easier today than any of the others. All there were in these boxes were simple clothes, utensils, and other such daily items, and considering how I had to sell some of it to cover the cost for this studio, the unloading process was over quick.

"I believe that's the last of it." I say to Minuette as she brings in the last box labeled in black marker as 'Clothes'. She sets it down on the sofa in her blue aura, to which I catch her doing so with a look of sadness and a sigh. "Astra..."

"I know what you're going to say, and I've already told you that I don't have any other choice."

"I gave the choice to come live with me though! I really wouldn't mind it!"

"And I've already told you I won't." I say in a stern voice. "This is my fault and I fully intend on fixing it soon. This is just... Temporary... Until I can get back on my hooves." I conclude, looking around at the studio. I know I'm lying and she does as well. We both know that I am going to be here for quite the amount of time, and that I don't have to, but deep in my subconscious, I need to prove to myself that I can do this. Without anypony's help.

"I still don't trust it." She says, her back turned towards me as the sound of street cars running near by plays in the background. "Neither do I. But I need to do this."

"I know..." She says as the sound of her aura lighting up comes from the front of her. "That's why I got you this..." As Minuette says that, she slowly turns herself around to face me once again, revealing a small brown and finely polished wooden box being enveloped in her aura. When she offers it to me, I open my wings in front of me, watching her place the box in my wings and the aura around it disappear from it. "What is it?" I ask as I float over to the black couch in front of my television and sit down on it, to which she replies, "Just open it."

I comply and begin to very slowly open the small box. Once I get a full view of it, I immediately feel the need to vomit and hand her back the box.

Inside lies a small pistol encased within a styrofoam seal, with a single cartridge inside the box laying opposite of the pistol at hoof. "The dealer told me that it's something called a Jaguar M-71. He also told me that it takes .22 bullets and the cartridge holds about 8 bullets. I just decided to get the cartridge pre loaded for you. It doesn't weigh much and the recoil isn't too bad. It'll do you really well in terms of defense."

"Minuette..." I say, closing the case and looking at the wood grain of the box. "I can't take this. I don't know the first thing about firing one of these." I say, attempting to offer Minuette the box back, but finding that her only response is a frustrated expression. "Yes you can. Astra, as long as your living in the city, you're opening yourself up to all these criminals! The last thing I'm gonna let is these criminals thinking they can take whatever the hell they want from you!" She says, in both an angered and concerned way, "You need it. I need you to need it..." She concludes, now on the verge of tears. Quickly, I make my way over to her and envelope her in my arms and wings, where she begins to spill her tears. As she continues to let her tears fall onto my shoulders, I begin to stroke her mane in a caring way in an effort to calm her down.

Though my emotions are now focused on her, my mind keeps telling me over and over again that I need to give her the pistol back. I can't take it, and I have never fired a gun before in my entire life, much less found a reason to own one. But my heart decides to let Minuette have her way and keep the pistol.

For her sake anyway...

"I... I just... I just don't want to see you get hurt..." She says through her teary voice, which I respond with a simple, "I know."

We sit on the floor for another few minutes, with Minuette continuing to cry into my shoulder and I allowing her to do so. Eventually, she lets up and looks at me with her big tear filled eyes and I give her a small peck on her forehead, a giggle from her as her response. "Okay..." I say, looking back at the box with an unsure look and looking back at her with a fake smile, "I'll keep it. For your sake."

With that, she smiles and leans into me for a second hug. "For both our sakes..."

***************************************

I have almost absolutely no idea when Minuette left, but it is all the more clear to me that she does when I wake up the next morning. The studio no longer smells of burned out cigarette smoke, but instead smells like a new apartment should.

Well... Almost, anyways, I think to myself as I notice a giant crevasse in the wall to the kitchen, a clear sign that something is wrong...

Regardless, I proceed with my daily routine. Shower with whatever warm water I can get, brush my teeth with the remainder of my toothpaste I have left, eat a pathetic breakfast consisting mostly of eggs, and turn on the television for the news, or to be more precise, the weather report. While listening to the weather report, I proceed into my bedroom to place on my attire for the day, where I can clearly hear the reports coming in, most of which consist of small robberies and celebrity gossip. Upon entering my bedroom, however, I find a black long coat and a simple black and white vest, a black tie to accompany the vest, and the box sprawled open with the pistol and cartridge being covered by a note written in black ink: Thank you for letting me stay with you. I forgot to give you this new suit, it has a perfect place for to keep the pistol! Heart, Minuette.

I smile at the note, but cringe at the thought that she would buy me an accessory to accompany the weapon. I'm not planning on using it in the foreseeable future. However, Manehatten is in a state of escalating violence.

Without too much thought, I take the note off of its makeshift stand of the case and remove the pistol from it's styrofoam casing. Holding it in my hoof, I examine the deep black of the weapon, each one of it's unique features, from the barrel to grip. I extend the arm holding the pistol out to get a good look down its iron sight, which consist of no more than the simple 3 points a pistol like this has. Grabbing the cartridge, I quickly slide it into the weapon, choosing not to cock back the hammer, less it go off in my new coat.

Minuette was right, I think to myself, even with magazine it doesn't weight too much.

As I place the pistol down on the bed, I continue to dress myself in the vest and shirt, quickly place on both the tie and coat, and proceed to exit the studio, shutting down the television and quickly grabbing the pistol given to me, placing it in a holster on the inside of my coat.

I'm finding a job today...

***************************************

"Thank You... Heh heh..." I say back to the mare at the front office, a résumé in my hoofs as I leave the building. Making sure I am out of the sights of building, I throw the paper on the ground as hard as can in defeat.

"Damn!!" I exclaim. Now counting this application, that was four denied applications to ANY job. Coffee maker, Fast Food Salespony, Garbage Pony, and now Mail Pony, and not ONE accepted me. The most common statement was "we have a lot already" or "You're too intelligent". The more and more denied jobs, the less and less hope I had, and the more and more my anger grew. I couldn't get a new job because of some high and mighty stallion labeling me insane!

Before I know it, the night quickly approaches, bringing with it small sprinkles of water with it. I don't know where I'm going, but before I know it, I find myself at the only lit building down a long stretch of road.

A bar.

What choice do I have... I think to myself as I begin to make my way inside of the darkened bar, trotting in carefully and cautiously, every hoof forward terrifying me and causing me to rethink my decision. Reach the door, I carefully open it, surprised to see what I do next.

The bar itself is rather empty, with only maybe two or three stallions on the inside of the mostly red bar. To the left lies many booths and tables of a simple brown wood grain. To the front of the entire bar is a simple stage and microphone stand, the microphone itself rest on the stand and shinning in the head lights reflecting off of it. To the right lies the actual bar itself, with a large selection of various alcoholic beverages on the rack behind it, and just in front lays the typical countertop and chairs.

"Can I help you?" Says the bar tender, a lightning blue maned unicorn mare with a pair of black sunglasses upon her face, as she continues to dry various cups that have seen their share of use. "Uh, yes you can actually..."

"Woah... Nice accent there bud, wouldn't expect your type here." The bar tender says, removing her glasses to reveal her magenta eyes which gleamed in the light. "Actually..." I begin, drawing my attention away from the mare at hoof and to my actual thoughts. Think carefully about this mate, you're treading very dangerous waters. Explosion are one thing, but working at an establishment selling the most illegal substance in Manehatten right now is another. Do you really want to do this?

My better judgement's arguments with me completely take over my thought process and the outside world as I hardly even notice that the mare now has her fullest attention turned to me, expecting an answer.

I need the money, or sales of this substance is going to be the least of my worries.

With a large sigh, I begin. "I'm in need of a job, horribly. Everywhere I go it's always the same response. No or 'You're too smart to work here'. And it was all because of the Police Commissioner labeling me as a mad scientist." I say the last sentence angrily before going on, taking a deep breath as I do. "Most of money went towards whatever morsels I could get and moving into a new studio apartment. I need the money now if I'm going to get back on my hoofs and get somewhere else to continue my career."

As I tell my little sob story, the mare looks me over intently, sizing me up head to hoof and wingspan. It had me a little concerned, and the look she gave me looked far more sarcastic than thoughtful brainstorming. "Uh huh..." She finally says before looking at my coat, noticing an odd imprint on my coat's surface. "What's in the coat?"

"E-Excuse me?"

"Did I stammer?" She asks. I shake my head. "Good, now what's in the coat."

"It's... It's nothing." I stammer.

"Wrong answer. Try again." She says, to which she reaches down beneath the table for either a blunt weapon or a firearm of her own.

Fear begins to well inside of me now. What do I do? Do I show her the weapon or stand my ground? What am I thinking?! Of course not stand your ground! Chances are that she has a weapon bigger than your own!

"I'm gonna ask one more time..." She says sternly, a clicking sound being clearly heard as she finishes. Even the stallions drinking away are worried.

"What's. In. The. Coat?"

"Okay! You win. I'll show you, but you need to promise not tell anypony..." I say, reaching into the coat and gripping the handle of my weapon in a death hold. "I'm listening..." She says, lowering her arm only slightly as the mare continues to watch me. Nodding in agreement, I gently remove the pistol from its holster, displaying it to her in my hooves. "This is a pistol a... Very good friend of mine... Gave to me when she learned I'm going to be living deeper into this city. She said she wanted me to keep it as a form of protection from any crazies." I say as the mates eyes light up as she looks at the pistol Minuette had given me.

"Hey..." She says after a while of silence, he eyes growing like the smile on her face, ever so quickly. "Yeah... Yeah... Sure!" She says, taking the pistol in her magic aura and studying it ever so carefully. "You know what?" She says, her focus still on the weapon at hoof, "I like you. Tell you what? We're low on workers here anyways. I'll hire ya, just make sure you do as your mare says and keep this" she says, shaking the pistol, "on you at all times. Do that, and welcome aboard!" She concludes, placing the weapon back into my hooves as I stare at her in a completely dumbfounded expression. "R-Really?!"

"Yup! Name's Vinyl Scratch, Ausi body. But you can call me 'boss' or 'Vinyl'." She says, taking my hoof in her own and giving it a firm shake. "Well... Thank you!" I say, shaking her own hoof as well and having a small smile plant its way onto my face. Thank you Minuette! I think to myself as Vinyl gives me my schedule and shows me the exit.

Finally, a turning point for me! My luck is finally going where I need it to!

Tomorrow is a new day, and while I may not be extremely overwhelmed with joy, I'm still happy that I managed to get a job in the first place. Yes sir. Tomorrow is a new day...

Chapter 4 1/2: The Apple Barrel

The night of the application to Vinyl I find it difficult to sleep. The clock on my night stand reads about 12:00 at night, but it may as well just freeze there, and to a point I almost believe it is frozen. That time itself has completely stopped, and everypony else freezing with it.

Everypony but me.

As I stare at the plain white ceiling of my pathetic studio apartment, my mind runs in every direction. Thoughts of 'Why did you do that?' And 'Don't even think about going back there' are some of the most common of the lot. The thoughts are right. What was I thinking?! If I work at that establishment and get caught I'll never be able to work anywhere in Equestria again! But if I don't I'll never be able to get enough bits to move out of the city and get somewhere else. I'll have to move back with Mother and Father otherwise, a thought I dare not accept as reality. Then quit your stupid complaining and accept it! My mind tells me. Whether you accept it or not, your going to have to grin and bare it, especially with your finances being in the crapper right now.

But what do I tell-?

As though immediately on cue, the phone begins to ring. Quickly I levitate towards the phone, released to here the voice of Minuette say "Hello?"

"Oh, uh, hello... Minuette."

"Thank Celestia your okay! I haven't been able to sleep knowing that you've been all by yourself in that apartment at this time."

"Minuette, I'm fine. This isn't my first night here after all..." I say as cool as I can, desperately trying to avoid her hearing the stress in my voice. "I know, but still, you lying in your bed and getting hurt by an intruder is too vivid."

"Minuette, I swear nothing is going to happen to me. Especially with the... Defensive tool.... You gave me." I respond, her own response being a quick giggle. "I miss having you around at the center... It's just, you know... Not the same without you." She says, making my heart begin to accelerate at an amazing speed. Is she attempting to flirt with me? I think for a moment. "Speaking of work, did you manage to find a place to work?"

Moment over. Completely. Not only does the moment end, but I can feel my heart drop like a meteor dropping deep into the core of the plant. Fast and hard.

"Uh, yes... I did... But I really don't want to speak about it." You idiot!! My mind says as I mentally face hoof. What the hell am I thinking? Informing her that I received a line of work is one thing, but telling her that I don't want to talk about it is almost a dead giveaway that there is nothing good about it. "Why don't you want to talk about it? Is it really that bad?" Minuette says, the concern in her voice being ever so eminent. Come on, mate! Think of something! Fast! "Sort of... It's a job as a-" I stop as the lump in my throat begins to expand. How do you tell somepony that where you're working is going to be the most dangerous and illegal job to have right now? I may as well tell her that I'm going to be working as a thief. Both are illegal and dangerous, especially if you get caught. "Astra?" Well, what other choice do I have?

"I'm going to be working as a...." I begin, taking a deep breath in and out before continuing. "I'm going to be working as a... A plumber."

...

Dead silence. That's that there is on the other line as I finish my sentence. The only sound I hear on the other line is the static of the phone lines connecting to each other.

Then, out of nowhere, the silence is completely taken over by the sound of Minuette's hysterical laughter. She seems to be laughing so hard right now that she can hardly breath. Occasionally, I decide to chuckle, but only nervously due to my concern for Minuette. A long while passes before Minuette finishes laughing, and only after she finishes does she continue on in a gasping voice. "So... Wait...You... You got a job... As a plumber...?" She says, continuing to laugh as she finishes. "Heh heh, yes, that's right. I got a job as a plumber... Heh..." I say, hearing absolutely no response from Minuette other than her laughter. "Look, I need to get to bed, I start tomorrow and I need the rest. I'll call you tomorrow." I say, hanging up the phone and begin staring at the wall.

You lied, the voice in my head tells me as I slowly fade away into the realm of sleep.

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2 Days Later
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Two days have passed since my last conversation with Minuette, and I can feel every last bit of life fade from me as I work at the bar. For the past two days I have been working here at this bar from at least 5:00 to 12:00 at night, due to my new boss, Vinyl Scratch, informing me that the late hours are to avoid run ins with the local police force, not that there are much to begin with. As it turns out, the bar actually does, or rather did, have a name, The Apple barrel. It's apparently seen its fair share of business, however the real owners of the Apple barrel had to take this business underground to avoid confrontations with authorities.

At night, more specifically anywhere from 6:30 to 10:45, the bar see's most its activity. Everypony from the average working stallion to the most disgusting stallions come here and drink their hearts away, the revolting smell smoke on their breaths as they asked for drink after drink. Working behind the counter as well showed me that Vinyl actually had a double barreled shotgun in a shelf, at least 4 buck shots accompanying the weapon as well.

In terms of entertainment for the drunkards of the night, I've seen about two performers. A lounge singer who recites poetry and sings, and a white and black pole dancer who garnered her own pole. When she finishes her 'routines' the stallions will either buy her drinks or attempt to purchase her, both actions equally disgusting. Vinyl has told me quite a bit about the mare as well, although neither one of us both with a name. Supposedly, she was here since the beginning, and only really took interest in her 'career' after her coltfriend left her. She's a giant flirt, and will apparently do so with anypony willing to buy her a drink or pay her. I try as often as possible to keep a distance from her, but every time she finishes her shift, she gives me the same seductive gaze or often grabs my attention by throwing her balled up sock at my head.

I don't like her. And every time I complained about her, Vinyl would always give me the same, "Oh yeah? Wait'll Octavia gets here. Stallions go nuts for her." Response. "Who's Octavia?" I would ask, and her response would be "You'll see. Let's just wait till she gets here Friday..." She would say, a smile at the end of her response. I had no idea what she was talking about or who she was talking about, but if this Octavia was like this other mare, or worse... Then I was going to have to quit this job sooner than I had hoped.

The rest of the seemed to fly by as Friday approached sooner then I had expected. My day mostly consisted of me getting my clothes properly cleaned and my coat cleaned with them. Today, My attire consisted of a white collar shirt with my coat acting as a sports coat for it. Placing on my tie as quickly as possible and the gun in its holster, I checked the clock, now reading about 4:30 in the day, and quickly began to make my way to The Apple Barrel.

When I arrive, Vinyl sits on the countertop, drinking away a small glass of crimson red wine, downing it quickly and licking her lips of the wine remaining. Tonight, Vinyl wears the same attire as the night I met her, a purple collared shirt with a black unbuttoned vest, with a pair of black sunglasses resting on her horn. "Hey hey hey! You look all gussied up tonight. You must be really excited to see Octy tonight..." She says, smiling as she hops off the countertop and makes her way to me. "Hey Ausi, I've been talking a lot about you to Octy. I think that she's interested in you."

"I hope you know I don't have the desire to starts relationship in the nearby future." I say, walking towards the other side of the countertop, making it in, and rinsing off a couple glasses from the night before. "Yeah right..." Vinyl says as she sits upon the stool, arms placed at the table, "Again, we'll hear you say that when she performs."

"Just out of curiosity, what will she be doing here anyways?" I ask as I begin rubbing off the access wine from her glass. Smiling, she proceeds to answer my question. "Thought you'd never ask. Octy is a performer here on Fridays, only working here when she wants. She's a cellist around here, and I'm her partner in crime." She says, now beaming with pride.

"Okay... So what do you do?"

"I'm a pianist. Although I used to be a DJ."

"Used to?" I ask, placing the cup down, now cleaned of any wine or other substances. "Yeah... Used to be pretty good. But the Police Commissioner busted me like he did to you. Screwed up my career and I could get work anywhere but here. I'm happy though, Octy brought me here and I've been working here for the past two years. We've been through a lot, she's like a sister to me..." She says, the tip of her hoof forming a circle on the table.

I can honestly feel for her. I know what it's like to always have somepony watching out for your wellbeing for no other reason than because you've seen a lot with each other. Reminds me of my brother...

"Look, to be honest with you, I really have been putting in a good word for you with Octy. She's a good pony, but she has a tendency to have a cold shoulder. No matter what, promise me you'll make the effort to be nice to her. I like you around here, and the last thing I want is for you two to get off on the wrong hoof."

"I understand..." I say, "From what you're telling me, Octavia doesn't seem that undesirable, or as conceded as that pole prostitute. I'll make the effort." I say, making Vinyl smile at my gesture towards creating a bridge between Octavia and I. To a certain extend, I'm doing this for Vinyl. I've grown quite fond of her as well.

The rest of the time goes on slowly as countless Stallions fill up the bar, eager for their drinks like fillies and colts for candy. To an extend, I can understand why. A hard day of work, a craving for a cure for that hard day, it's understandable.

Just disgusting...

"Ladies and Gentlecolts, may I have your attention please?" Vinyl says atop the stage, to which every stallion turns their attention towards the stage. "Please make give a warm welcome to our performer. You all know her, as she is our most popular performer her at the old Barrel. Please put your hoofs and wings together for Octavia Melody!"

The crowd begins to cheer and whistle as Vinyl finishes her sentence, waiting patiently for the famed Octavia Melody herself to arrive onstage. It first grows quiet as the lights dim themselves to near darkness, the only sounds being the occasional stallion coughing or whispering to his fellow degenerate. But soon, the curtains bring themselves back, only revealing the body frame of a mare, possibly wearing some type of dress in the darkness.

And then, the lights return.

My heart stops.

And the crowd begins to clap for the mare known as Octavia Melody.

The mare herself stands there, surrounded by the stallions, watching as they all applaud her with a regal face and a nonchalant look. She is just as every bit as beautiful as Vinyl had stated, everything from her black as charcoal mane to her stormy cloud gray coat. She wears a simply black dress that reveals her cutie mark, a purple treble clef.

She continues to stare at the crowd with her nonchalant attitude, the lights dancing off her purple eyes that make them seem as though they are twinkling like a star in the night sky. Eventually, the mare makes way to the cello on stage, taking up the bow in her right hoof, and the instrument itself in the left, beginning her song with Vinyl playing along with her on a piano that is more or less out of view.

The song itself hypnotizes the audience along with I, with its rhythmic patterns and constantly dragged out lines. It's dark and mysterious aura it emits completely takes us all by surprise, but especially me. The mare in the black dress has her eyes shut, all of her concentration being placed into the notes that she plays.

She's obviously played this duet before. But when and with whom?

The beat changes tone almost immediately as the notes pick up, now seemingly telling a story with each passing note played by both Vinyl and Octavia, although the music is mainly focused on Octavia. Vinyl seems to take front stage soon after Octavia as her piano picks up in tempo, almost as though it is bouncing.

If it is, she is definitely showing signs of bouncing with the music as she bounces from the twin seat of the piano.

Octavia soon takes place among Vinyl, and the happiness of the tempo seems to shift straight to almost depression before shifting back to mystery as soon as Vinyl's piano takes front place. The mysterious tone seems to carry itself into the next section of the song as it switches back to almost near happiness.

Whatever this duet is, it's a certain whirlpool of emotions, I think to myself as the sadness once again appears. Through the entirety of the song, however, I notice that Octavia's face bears no emotion to it, a complete oddity considering how it has had a complete effect on the audience as most of the stallions now have tears in their eyes.

One giant pause occurs, and nothing but silence is in the air as Octavia holds her bow in the air and her eyes open only slightly to look upon the audience.

And then to me. Time stops itself as her sparkling eyes watch me from atop the stage as she begins looking me from head down. The rest of the crowd seems to disappear into a black abyss, and before I know it, her expression changes.

She smiles at me.

The song continues as Octavia closes her eyes and works continues to work with Vinyl, concluding the song as soon as it had begun, slowly dwindling it down. As soon as the song ends, the audience explodes into celebratory applause for these two. Solemnly, Octavia sets the cello upon its rest on the stage and rests the bow upon the instrument, bows, and then proceeds to trot off the stage and behind the curtains.

I, on the other hoof, am completely still, my mouth open and eyes bulging out of my head at what I had just witnessed. To reiterated my original statement, Vinyl was not lying in the least when she had said that Octavia was in fact better than the mare from Wednesday's disgusting display of her body. Octavia was far more beautiful then I could have ever anticipated, and her performance on the stage only made gave her the trait of remarkableness. Octavia is a beautiful, remarkable, and highly talented pony, the only thought that was currently running through my head. What is interesting is why such an incredible mare like her could've possibly wished to play at a low down establishment such as this when she could clearly be playing at orchestras all over Equestria. Could she have possibly been accused of a crime she never committed? Or was she never interested in joining one? What am I saying? How could she not be interested in joining one of the finer orchestras of Equestria? She clearly has the skill and look for it, so why did she not?

"Excuse me...?" A heavily British accented mare's voice says, making me shake my head. How long was I looking at the stage? I ask myself as I notice now no more then 3 or 4 stallions remain. "Please excuse me... It just... The performance..." I begin, turning my head to see the regal Octavia sitting in front the countertop staring right at me, her eyes half lidded as she looks me down from top to bottom. Don't freak out...! I think to myself as a single bead of sweat begins to form on my head.

"Yes...?" She says, her half lidded eyes now staring at my own deep blue eyes, "What was it you were about to say about the performance...?"

"Eh hem. I was just uh, going to say that the performance was..." I begin, her eyes growing in anticipation for my response, "Very enjoyable... Your skill with the cello up there is very evident..." I conclude with a smile, attempting DESPERATELY to not either pass out, have a heart attack, or sweat. Her eyelids fall only slightly as her lips form a smile at my compliment to her. "Thank you." She says almost happily, as her gaze falls to the countertop.

"Would you like a drink...?" I ask, grabbing a cup and beginning to run away at it to prepare for her request. "I'll have a red wine, thank you. How much will that-"

"Don't worry about it." I say, her eyes now shifting their attention towards me. "I'll pay for it. On account of your performance." I say, another small smile and a "Thank you" as her response. Pulling down a bottle of the red wine, I pour her a quick glass, pass the glass over to her, and quickly check a nearby clock before pouring myself one as well. "To a wonderful performance..." I say as I raise my glass in the air, watching the earth pony raise her own, tap her glass against my own, and simultaneously down the wine in a single swallow, the bitter liquid going down my throat burns, but it feels good to be doing it with an attractive mare like her. "It's Astra, but the way. Astra Aquaduct." I say, placing the glass down as well as trying desperately to keep the liquid from escaping my body. "I'm aware of your name Mister Aquaduct, Vinyl has told many things about you..."

"Was any of it too bad?" I ask. "No..." She in a calm composure, setting down her glass and turning herself to face the stage. "Most of it were actions I find noble, and I almost never heard anything too terrible of you."

"Well, that's good. I'm glad to hear that you-"

"However seeing you now, I know exactly what to think of you..." She says in a cool tone, instantly making me nervous to hear what the mare will say next. "So... What do you think of me?" Idiot!!!

"I think that though there are aspects of you that are rather kind and, too a point, noble. I can clearly see that you're afraid..." She says, her eyes half lidded again as she showed almost no indication of emotion. Afraid? Yes, I suppose that word would fit correctly. "What are you afraid of? Mister Aquaduct?" She asks, to which I simply let out a chuckle and attempt my damnedest to play it off like nothing. It doesn't work. She wants an answer, and I need to give her one. "I suppose I'm afraid of all of this. Moving deeper into this crime ridden city, working here with being caught and arrested being my ending here, always carrying a gun with me..." I say, pulling out the weapon from my coat and examining it closely. The pistol, as it appears, has also grabbed Octavia's attention as well as she looks upon the black metal weapon. "Dying... Every day since I was thrown out of the center I've never felt any comfort, and moving here only brought forth more danger. Miss Octavia, I'm afraid of what my end will be after all of this... And I'm afraid of dying..."

Silence rolls through the bar as I soon discover that it is only us who remain in this desolate area. I can feel the air pass me in almost a rhythmic way. It's soothing...

"Then let me help you get over your fear..." Octavia says, taking my hoof in her own and bringing my attention to her. Electrical sparks fly straight into my eyes and hooves, running through every fiber of my being as I begin to lose myself in those beautiful amethyst purple eyes. I wish to bring her into my arms, bring her lips to my own and refuse to let go of an embrace... But even I know how far fetched the idea is, and refuse to take any romantic advance towards her and instead simply smile and say "Thank you" to her offer. She smiles slightly, leaving the building and taking the warming atmosphere with her. The bar grows cold, and I find myself staying here a bit before returning home that night...

Author's Note

Wow. That took a while!

Black and White OC belongs to Revolver

Chapter 4 2/2: The Lieutenant's first day

***************************************

Elsewhere
***************************************

The building itself was large in size, with the night sky and looming rain clouds only adding on to the stature of the building. It had the look of intimidation, but the worn red bricks that were riddled with cracks and ridges showed the age of the building.

To put it in perspective, it was like an old mare with a shotgun. It had the possibility of being intimidating, hell, even scary. But those days were long gone.

Walking into the building at hoof, I proceed into the main part of the building. Various plaques and trophies were peppered throughout the waiting room, congratulating and thanking the MCPD for it's service in protecting the citizens of Manehatten. At the front of the waiting room was a fairly old stallion, quite possibly in his late 40s, typing away at the computer in front of him. "Excuse me?" I say, catching his attention pretty quickly as his eyes darted up from the screen to me. "Can I help you?" The stallion said in a gruff voice, conforming my suspicions about his age almost immediately. "Yes. My name is Lieutenant Igneous Flame. I came here yesterday to apply and was told to come back today to start my first day of work."

"Heh... Alright fine. Lemme see the paper." The stallion said, to which I comply by handing him the paper which described in full detail about my application being accepted. "Signed by Commissioner Shining Armor? Damn kid, you really are serious." He said after another gruff chuckle. "So...?"

"So get your ass in here. Door's to the left over there. I'm gonna go ahead and call Shining Armor to get ya." He said as a loud beep came from the door, which had been followed by a large lock being unlocked. Walking through the door, I find myself now inside of this small space. The air in here is heavy and the smell of a freshly unwrapped Hayburger and Hayfries are ripe in the air.

It doesn't take long until the blue maned stallion, or Commissioner Shining Armor, arrives at the office. "What'd you need me for Barnes?" He asked, his brow lowered and his voice clearly showing displeasure for the situation. "Kid'ere said that you talked to him and that he'll be working with us." The stallion said, making the Commissioner turn and face me. I stand as straight as possible and put on my straight and determined face. "Reporting for duty sir." I state, my eye contact being kept straight ahead of me and towards Shining Armor. "Oh yeah... You're the Lieutenant huh? Great to have you on the force." He says, extending his hoof towards me. I accept the gesture on his behalf and respond with "Good to be on the force sir."

We take the door opposite of the one I took in and begin to make our way into the actual police building inside.

The place is fairly large. Plenty of desktops and computer screens fill up the building as Police officers walk between on end of the room to the other. The entire thing reminds me of a brain. Full of activity and never sleeping.

The police Commissioner winds up taking me to his own office, where upon entire, takes an entirely different turn. Rather than the mostly stereotypical police building outside, this one is a much more regal office with its finely polished wooden panel on the wall and the even more polished wooden desk. This place is everything I was hoping for.

"Have a seat Mister Flame." He said, to which I comply and the door behind us squeaks open. "You wanted to see me, sir?" A mare's voice says behind me, making me turn to see the pony it belongs to, a purple coat and mane unicorn. "Ah, good, your here too Twily." The Commissioner says, a smile on his face as he instructs her to take a seat next to me.

"Twily, this is Lieutenant Igneous Flame, our newest Police detective. Igneous, this is Twilight Sparkle, my little sis. I'm assigning you two as partners for patrol duty during the day and any Detective work I may need from you. Understood?" He asks. "Uh, I thought you said that I was going to focus mostly on detective work?" The mare squeaked almost nervously. "That why I said you two are gonna be reserved detectives. Right now, I need you to keep an eye out on any robberies or other crimes out there. Trust me, I'll let you get your chance, Twily..." He said with a reassuring smile, the mare smiling along with him. "Twilight, you can go now, I need to have a word with Mister Flame for a few minutes." He said, to which Twilight nodded and made her way out of his office.

"Alright, Flame..." He began, loosening his tie ever so slightly. "Your gonna be Twilight's new partner. As you've noticed she's my sister, and I'd do anything to keep her safe. Which is why you're gonna be doing patrol for right now. Understand?"

"Understood sir."

"Good..." He said, to which I could almost hear the hiss coming from his tongue. "I'm warning you. You let a single hair get outta place and I find out about it, I'll break you." He said in an intimidating tone. "Sir, I promise you that I won't let anything happen to her..." I say, hoping to reassure him of any doubt he may have. "I'll remember you said that. Anyways..." The Commissioner began, "Find Twilight. Tell her everything is okay, and ask her where you can grab your badge and gun. Your patrol starts today." He concluded, releasing me and sending me out to go find Twilight.

Sure enough, I find her and inform her that everything is okay. "Good..." She said, "Shining can be a little bit too tough on ponies sometimes..."

"It's understandable. You're his family. Family's gotta look out for each other, right?"

"Yeah..." She said, with a sigh and a smile. "Anyways..." I begin, "Shining told me that our patrol starts today and to pick up my gun and badge. Know where I can get them?" I ask, hoping to diverge from the topic of Shining Armor for as long as possible. There was just something about him that was off. It was understandable that he make sure I take care of his little sister, but threatening me? I guess he either really cares for his sister, or there's something else wrong with him. "Yeah sure!" Twilight says, drawing my attention away from my thoughts and back into reality. "The badges and pistols are kept in the weapons locker. Come on, I'll show you where." She says, directing me to the weapons locker and grabbing our items.

While suiting up, my thoughts turn back to the mare who I will now call my partner. Though Shining Armor may have been threatening me to keep his sister safe, I honestly meant what I said. Twilight herself seems like a kind hearted mare with a brainy side, and there is almost no doubt in my mind that she's quite a good looking mare, maybe even one of prettiest I've ever met. But with her brother behaving in the manner he did, and the fact that this is a professional environment, I don't think I'll be able to have any form of romantic relationship with her.

First thing they teach you as a cop, after all, don't get too attached. Second they teach you? Don't be late on your first day out in the field.

Chapter 5 1/3: Sleep Deprivation

Two days have passed since my original meeting with the mare in the black dress, and ever since, I've felt the happiest I've been ever since I was fired. Gaining Octavia's trust not only made me available to spend more time with her, but it also allowed me to become acquainted with her own friend Vinyl, who I've come to accept as a friend and vice versa. The two of them aren't so bad, not as intimidating, as soon as you truly get to meet them...

For the past two days, after work hours, we always spend a little time in the empty bar, with a disc machine playing a type of cello music in the background, and split a bottle between the three of us, laughing and reminiscing about the day that had occurred and all the idiotic actions of the bumbling drunkards who had appeared at the bar, both before and while my time of employment here. Apparently there was an incident before I had started working here in which a stallion became so intoxicated, he got into a fight with a bush across the street. The part that really made Octavia and I laugh was how apparently the stallion actually lost.

"How do you do that? How the hell do you lose to a damn plant?!" She said after a quick laugh and a swig of her drink, a glass of champagne. She proceeds on with various stories from her past working at this establishment, but for the most part, I chose to ignore it and sit and smile with her, and I can tell for the most part that Octavia is doing the same. More often than not, I catch her gazing at me before looking away and continue to sip her drink out of a thin straw. What is she thinking?

"And that's how I found out what happens when you drink a mix of Bloody Mare-y and Sake." Vinyl concludes, a smile on her proud face as she loosens up her tie and sits back down in her chair. Quickly, I deduce the end result of the drinks she mixed and come up with a conclusion very fast. "You're a braver soul than I am to do something like that, Vinyl." I say, cringing at the thought of grasping the toilet and praying to the porcelain gods to either make it end or bring you to your end. "More along the lines of stupidity rather than bravery, Astra. What Vinyl did was completely and utterly ridiculous to begin with, and drinking the mixture was just as stupid." Octavia says, her voice now drawing my attention back fully into the discussion at hoof. "Awww... Come on Tavi, it was all in the name of little fun. Besides, I was only puking for like, two days on end!"

"Only the more reason as to why you shouldn't have done something as idiotic as that..." Octavia said, flattening out her dress bottom and refusing to look at Vinyl, instead having an annoyed expression on her voice. "Yeah, whatever... Bottom line it was all in the name of fun. And I wound up with a pretty cool stallion that night."

"A stallion...?" I ask, taking a small sip of my drink. "Yup. Ol' Vinyl here wound up with a stallion that night. His name was somewhere along the line of Neon or something like that..."

"Was? I'm sorry, did it not work out between you two?"

"No, not really anyways. I had to stay here in Manehatten and he left to go tour all of Equestria. Bottom line, he offered it to me and I had to say no..." Vinyl said, her expression falling ever so slightly as both Octavia and I notice her return to her memories. "I'm sorry, Vinyl." I say, watching her lift her expression back to a smile of reassurance. "Hey... I'm over it. 'Sides, I'll meet another stallion, sometime soon maybe..." She says, taking the bottle in her aura and pouring us all whatever was left in the bottle, albeit not very much as I notice that the content in our glasses was no more than a shot glass worth. "To better days?" Vinyl asks, raising her glass in the air in her aura. "To better days..." Octavia and I say simultaneously, clinking our glasses together before downing our drinks. To better days... I think to myself.

***************************************

When I arrive home, I'm surprised to see Minuette waiting for me on the couch, smiling at me and waving for me to come over and sit with her, which I abide by as I float over to her, my wings feeling for the most part stiff as I fly. "Hey..." She says as I flop onto the couch. "Hello..." I respond, removing my jacket and revealing that I didn't have my weapon on me at the time. "Oh... You didn't have your pistol with you today...?" Damn... "No... Not today anyways. I figured I wouldn't need it today seeing as how most crime is dying down." I say, hoping that she would accept my answer and drop the subject.

She does.

"Still, I need you to keep it on you. It's not safe being here and not being armed..."

"Alright, I promise I'll keep it on me. First thing I'll do in the morning actually. Not brush my mane or teeth or get dressed for that matter, just grab my gun first..." I say with a smile, to which Minuette simply rolls her eyes at and giggles. "You better." I chuckle, "So, how are things going at the labs? Any improvements or achievements?" I ask. It takes Minuette a little while to respond as she looks up at the ceiling and ponders for a bit, pouting her lips and squinting her eyes in the most adorable way possible before her response comes in the form of a shake of her head. "Nope, nada actually. Other than the center getting another research grant, I can't really say anything has been going on recently." Another research grant? I think to myself, from who?

"A research grant Minuette? From who and for what?" I ask, genuinely curious as to who may be funding the center. "You know... They never really told us who or what was funding our research this time around. All they really told us was to open up the same thing you and I were working on, Biomechanics and A.I. Systems."

"Why would they do that? We already concluded that the Cyborg we were working on wasn't going to work, and it was completely blown to pieces. As a matter of fact, I thought that the police department took it." I say, now becoming concerned about all of this. "They did, but after you left they just went up and gave us back the OMEGA, or at least whatever was left of it..." She said, getting off the couch and making her way to the fridge, opening it to find my near pitiful amount of foodstuff and a single bottle of non alcoholic Apple Cider. "So are you going to work on repairing then?" I ask, hearing Minuette open the bottle and envelope two glasses in her blue aura. "I guess so..." She says as I hear the liquid being poured into the glasses, and soon see her make her way back to the couch, "Either that or we create a completely new skeletal structure that was similar to the last one." She responds as she takes one of the glass in her aura and passes it to me, taking a seat at the couch next to me while setting down her own glass and allowing the aura surrounding the glass to dissipate.

"I highly doubt Professor Gear Turner will be willing to create another one considering how long it took him the last time. The damage on it wasn't too terrible was it?" I ask, taking a sip of the sweetly carbonated drink and feeling the carbonation burn in my throat. "You seem to forget that the damn head came flying off and right towards us..." Minuette says as she copies my motion, taking the drink in her aura once more before gingerly taking a sip from the glass while I chuckle. "I'm sorry... My memories about that day are a little hazy right now..." Hazy... Oh no please... Not now...! "It's okay... I understand with you being tired and all. Being a toilet cleaner must take a lot outta you." Toilet... Cleaner...? Yes... That's right. I told her that didn't I? I... Lied... To keep her from worrying about... Me. Oh Celestia am I tired...

"Astra...? You okay?" So very... Very... Tired...

***************************************

When I wake up next, I am blinded by the sunlight barely shining through the crack of the curtains and flooding my sight with an ever so annoying brightens. I really need to get it fixed if I'm to stay here any-

"Good morning..." I hear a soft yet regal voiced mare say, shocking me out of my half awake half asleep feeling as I discover that Octavia was standing in the corner of my room, her black dress standing out against the faded white wall, "I was beginning to wonder how long it would take you to wake up. It would appear as though you can't keep down your liquor." She said, a smile on her face and her eyes half lidded as she chuckled slightly at that notion.

"I can assure you that I can in fact keep down my liquor, however with the hours I've been putting in and the amount of life each shift takes out of me, I have a tendency to just come here and sleep after hours." I say, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes as I begin to make my way out of bed. "Oh yes... It must be tiring to work all day as a simple janitor..." She says in a very mocking tone. "How did you-?"

"The mare by the name of Minuette explained it all to me. And may I just say I understand what you see in her..." Octavia says as she begins to make her way to my bed. "I'm not interested in her like that. Not anymore anyways..." I say as I stretch out my wings and make my way to the washroom, whispering the last statement to myself. "There's no need to be embarrassed. She's a kind mare and very intelligent. I'm just surprised she wasn't intelligent enough to see through your lie."

"You didn't tell her? Did you?" I ask as I begin to run a comb through my mane, now a mess from my deep sleep. "No, I didn't." I hear Octavia say before seeing her in the mirror just underneath the doorframe, "I told her that I was working in the same building as you and simply came over to deliver something to you." She says, placing both her hooves on my shoulder before looking into the mirror, an almost dull expression on her face as she does study us both in the mirror. "Do you really have something to bring...?" I ask, studying the image as well while thinking how incredible it would be to actually have a meaningful relationship with her, but reaffirming myself that Minuette may still be the better option.

While looking in the mirror, one thought crosses my mind. What is Octavia thinking when she looks at the mirror? She clearly is a very thoughtful mare, at least from what I could gather from her, but I can't even begin to think what may be going on in her head. Is it that perhaps I am worth any trouble of helping? Or is it that I'm far beyond her help or the help of others? I wouldn't blame her if it was for the latter. "Yes I did..." She said, her head darting to the corner of the room and her hooves working their way towards it. "Okay..." I say, now interested in whatever she may have for me in the corner of my bedroom, "What is it?" I ask again, her only response being a box about the size of a shirt box. "Open it." Octavia says, extending her arms with the box in them, to which I respond by taking the box from her grasp and opening it slowly. "A suit...?" I say as I take the clothing out of the box to reveal a simple black sports coat and tie accompanying a white shirt, "Why are you giving this to me...?"

"For one, I can easily tell that the simple vest and long coat were all you had in terms fancy wear." She says blankly, to which I nod in agreement. "And for another, I saw it at a clothing department in the upper class portion of Manehatten where I live and thought it would suit you." She says, stepping up closer to me and running her hoof down the cool, silky fabric. "Thank you... I'll be sure to wear it tonight." I say with a smile as I look up Octavia's face, the sunlight dancing off her face and make it seem as though it were sparkling. The thought of kissing her, once again, creeps into my mind, yet I know that it is just that.

A simple thought...

Author's Note

Yeah... It's been a while. With my job taking up lots of time and my new puppy (who is really becoming a pain in the ass...) I haven't had much time to write. That changes today. I'm making this a three part chapter, and hopefully, down the line, it'll be much more understandable as to why.