Manehattan was, without question, the busiest hub in all of Equestria. From the moment one stepped into that city, they would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people they encountered there, along with the imposing size of all the skyscrapers reaching up into the heavens. If somepony wanted to find something, this was the place to find it. There was an air of class here that, while not as refined as Canterlot for example, nevertheless impressed many who laid eyes on it. However, not all were as happy to be here as others, as Captain Night Light soon proved. The Captain of Celestia's Guard was, at present, walking down the main street of the city, flanked by two others of his squad. One was an earth pony stallion, and the other was a pegasus mare. All three were clad in the distinct purple armour of the elite of Canterlot, and as such, everypony gave them a wide berth as they made their way forward.
"Are you certain this is the way?" the Captain asked.
The mare beside him nodded.
"Yes, Sir. In fact...yes...there it is!"
Night looked ahead, and sure enough, their destination was now in full view. The town Hall of Manehattan. Probably the oldest building in the city, it retained an element of grandeur to it, even in this modern time. A building of grey stone and marble columns. But it was an old grandeur, one that was now overshadowed, both literally and figuratively, by the many high-rise buildings that surrounded it. Narrowing his eyes, Night gestured to it, and his two cohorts soon followed. It wasn't long before they reached the place, and before they even got close to the door, it burst open.
"Ah! Captain! What a pleasant surprise!"
It was an older earth pony stallion, grey in both his fur and his mane, bearing the clear sash of the rank of Mayor. Every bit the politician, he made his way forward, taking Night's hoof and shaking it in a friendly manner.
"I hope you don't think it too bold of me to say, but it is an absolute honour to have Celestia's elite within our humble city."
Having dealt with politicians for most of his career, Night had, fortunately, developed a tolerance for such forced niceties, and so put on a smile that was just as forced as the Mayor's was.
"And we're glad to be here, Lord Mayor."
The older stallion stood to one side.
"Please, come in!"
And come in they did, as both Night, the Mayor and the other two guards now entered the Hall, closing the door behind them and, at last, getting a good feel for the place. The whole building was awash with filing cabinets, of frantic scribes trying to get work done, and secretaries taking down notes from every single message that came their way. No question, this was an abode of politics, and one that Night couldn't help but grimace at. But, for now, he resumed his earlier smile, turning to the Mayor and, at last, getting down to business.
"My Lord Mayor. I believe you know our purpose here?"
The old stallion nodded.
"Yes! Of course! You wish to inspect the troops?"
Night nodded.
"We do. It's always important to keep abreast of how the Guard are in their regional postings."
For a brief moment, The Mayor seemed nervous about that, but for now, Night just assumed it was mere concern about having one of his rank present for something like this. Naturally, he didn't say as much, and simply kept silent as the other stallion began to lead them elsewhere. It took a few moments, but, after being led down an exceptionally long hallway, they came upon a door, upon which was the unmistakeable symbol of the Equestrian Guard. Night took the lead here, opening the door himself and entering. Here, at last, was the barracks of the local Guard, and it already had a few dozen troops at their respective lockers, either putting on or taking off their armour, depending upon whose shift it was. But, as Night entered in earnest, he cleared his throat.
"Ahem?"
Immediately, all heads turned in his direction, and as soon as the guards saw him, in his noticeable purple armour, their eyes widened, understanding instantly who he was and what he was doing here. A fast as they could, the guards stood at attention, saluting and standing beside their personal lockers. Night nodded to this, and began moving along each of them. There was nervousness here, just as there was with the Mayor, but even so, the Captain kept a serious expression about himself, his eyes fixed firmly on every mare and stallion he passed by here. Eventually, however, he stopped at one stallion in particular. A pegasus, bearing dark blue fur and a lighter blue mane. As with all the others, he stayed quiet, trying to look as professional as possible, until, that is, when he was addressed directly.
"What's your name, soldier?" Night asked.
Saluting again, the pegasus answered.
"Sky Stinger, Sir!"
Night nodded.
"Been here long?"
"Two years now, Sir!" Sky answered.
Again, Night nodded, and his eyes slowly drifted to just behind Sky.
"May I inspect your locker?"
Though understandably taken aback by the request, Sky soon nodded in response.
"Of course, Sir!"
The pegasus turned, and after a few moments, opened his locker for said inspection. He stood to one side, allowing Night to get a better look. For the most part, things appeared to be in order. A few photos of his family taped to the sides, some spare pieces of armour. But, one item in particular caught his interest, and after lighting up his horn, he started to levitate it out. It appeared to be a small bag of nuts, clear and colourful branding all over it. Sky, seeing this, started to look a little unsure, but again stayed quiet as Night finally spoke up.
"Vanhoover nuts, yes?"
Sky nodded.
"Yes, Sir! Some of my favourites!"
Night nodded back.
"I enjoy them myself. However..."
He turned, looking Sky right in the eye.
"They're rather expensive, aren't they?"
Sky's nervousness grew.
"Well...I suppose so, Sir."
Night's expression was hard to read as he continued.
"How often do you have these delivered to you?"
Suddenly, a look of cluelessness came to him.
"Oh...I...I couldn't say, Sir. I don't really keep track of that sort of thing."
Night raised an eyebrow, and soon tuned to the rest of the assembled guards.
"Are there any here who do, perhaps, take note of how often this stallion gets these?"
At first, there seemed to be some confusion about that question, as many looked to one another for clarification. But eventually, one guard, who looked as though there was nothing wrong with this line of questioning whatsoever, raised a hoof, gaining Night's attention as he spoke.
"He gets it in about twice a week, Sir."
Immediately, Sky's eyes snapped in his colleague's direction, looking utterly furious. As for the other guard, he didn't seem to think he'd done anything wrong, and frankly, neither did Night, as he nodded to that same guard soon after.
"Thank you, soldier."
He once more looked to Sky, keeping his professional expression.
"I remember what it was like being at your rank, Sky. We were hardly underpaid, but even so..."
He frowned slightly.
"...getting Vanhoover nuts brought to you twice a week? That seems a little...beyond your pay grade."
Sky was starting to sweat now, and his tone was jittery as a result.
"Well...I...er...I've just been doing a lot of saving, that's all."
Night's expression was understandably incredulous.
"Saving? You don't suppose, perhaps, that it could simply be a case of you doing some...other work? Maybe off the record?"
Sky gulped, and was trying to avoid the older stallion's gaze as much as possible.
"Sir, I...I don't know what you're talking about!"
Night's eyes narrowed further.
"Then allow me to explain. Recently, we've had word of some rather unlawful activity going on at the docks of Manehattan. And one of those described apparently looks an awful lot..."
He placed his hoof squarely in Sky's chest.
"...like you."
Sky was stammering now, unable to get a single word out, much to Night's annoyance. However, before the unicorn himself could question Sky further, another, somewhat meeker voice started to speak up.
"Sir, please. Sky is a good stallion. He's never hurt anypony!"
Night's eyes drifted to the left, to the one who spoke. It was another pegasus, but this time, a mare. Her fur was light cream in colour, and her mane was a combination of light green, light blue and yellow. Night regarded her for a time, raising an eyebrow.
"And you are...?"
Suddenly remembering who it was she was speaking to, the mare saluted.
"Oh! Cadet Vapour Trail, Sir!"
Night nodded.
"You're a friend of Sky's?"
The mare nodded, without hesitation.
"Yes, Sir. We've known each other since we were foals."
Hearing that, Night's expression softened, though only a little, as he turned to once more look Sky in the eye.
"You have a loyal friend here, Sky. Perhaps you could reward her loyalty by confessing to what's actually going on with you?"
Sky said nothing, prompting a more irritated look on the part of Night, who took a step closer.
"I'm going to ask you this once, Cadet. Are you receiving payment from somepony outside the Guard?"
For a time, Sky stayed silent, as though answering such a question would doom him. But, all of a sudden, he felt a touch on his shoulder, and he turned to see the saddened eyes of Vapour, looking right into his.
"Please, Sky...just tell him. It'll be worse if you don’t."
Seeing that, the blue stallion finally relented, sighing and slumping his shoulders in defeat. He looked to Night yet again, giving a nod before speaking the answer everypony knew was coming.
"Yes...I am."
Understandably, Night's frown was one of genuine anger now, and he took another step closer to Sky.
"Who was it that bought you, soldier? Was it the Lunars?! Some scheme of theirs to weaken our forces from within?!"
Confusion came to Sky's face at that.
"Wha...no! It was...was..."
He hesitated again, which Night was in no mood for at this point.
"Who, Sky?!"
Again, Sky sighed.
"It was...Suri Polomare."
This time, it was Night's time to be confused.
"Who in Tartarus is that?!"
Sky opened his mouth to speak, perhaps to further explain things, only to be stopped when, all of a sudden, another voice cut him off. To the surprise of everypony there, it was the Mayor, who had been silent this whole time, now stepping forward and adding his voice to matter.
"Suri is one of the most renowned names in Manehattan. Not to mention one of the wealthiest. A fashionista who's made quite a name for herself in the past decade or so with her clothing lines."
Night raised an eyebrow.
"Why is she involved with the Guard this way?"
This time, Sky was able to answer, and so soon did exactly that.
"She paid me, off the books. Wanted me and a few others to go down to the docks when nopony was around and...well...discourage deliveries of material for her rivals in the fashion industry. You know, threatening people who bring in boxes of fabric and stuff?"
Night glared at him, prompting Sky to raise his hooves in a defensive manner.
"We never hurt anypony, I swear! We just...you know...made them think that we would."
But Night again approached him in a menacing manner.
"Nevertheless, you let yourself get hired out like some...some...some common thug! You're a disgrace to that uniform, Cadet!"
He was right in Sky's face now, his anger clear for all to see.
"If it were up to me, I'd..."
But he didn't finish those words, instead letting out a sigh and bringing himself back down to a calmer level.
"Your time here is done, Sky. Get your things together and report back to Canterlot...for your official dismissal from the Guard."
Sky's eyes widened with shock at hearing that, and he looked as though he were about to protest, only to be stopped when Vapour once more came to him.
"Please, Sky! Don't make this worse!"
The stallion looked to his childhood friend, right into her eyes, and relented. He let out a long exhale, not even looking his superior in the eye, but simply nodding. With his head hanging low, he began to make his way out of the barracks, escorted out by the two guards who had arrived here with Night. And speaking of whom, the Captain himself now regarded the Mayor, taking a few steps closer to him.
"Did you know this was going on?"
The Mayor hesitated, then nodded.
"I did."
Night frowned.
"Then explain to me why you have taken no action."
The Mayor frowned right back.
"I'm right in the middle of my re-election campaign! If ponies found out that this sort of thing was going on under my nose, who in their right mind would ever give me a second term?!"
Night shook his head at this.
"So...you were more concerned with your public image than with stopping this kind of corruption?"
The Mayor did not respond to that, simply looking away from Night, though whether it was from shame or from indignation, the Captain's couldn't say. After about a minute of silence, Night stood tall, looking as serious as ever and pointing straight at the Mayor.
"Call for an investigation. I don’t like to think of we Equestrians sinking to this level, but if it is happening, then we need to find out just what other shady dealings this Polomare person has been involved with."
The Mayor's head snapped back in his direction, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Are you mad?! I can't do that! She's one of the most influential mares in the city! My career would never...!"
But he was cut off as Night began to approach him.
"Let me make this clear for you, Mayor. If you do not call for an investigation, then I will do so on the crown's behalf. And let me tell you..."
He stopped just an inch away from the Mayor's face before continuing.
"...if you think your career is in a delicate place now, then consider just how much your precious popularity would suffer in people found out that this matter had to be exposed through a royal investigation instead of your own!"
The Mayor stared at him, mouth gaping open, as that notion began to truly sink in for him. He'd lost, and he knew it, but even so, it took a while of just standing there being glared at by the Captain before, finally, he started to back away slightly. Unlike before, his expression was very definitely one of shame, and he looked down at the ground like a school child that had just been told off. Eventually, he gave a small nod.
"I...I will call for the investigation."
Night nodded back.
"Then I suggest you get to it."
The Mayor started to sulk off, and as he did so, Night looked over his shoulder. He saw the guards, still standing beside their lockers and, to their credit, never once flinching to breaking from their positions in spite of everything they'd seen here. His face softening somewhat, Night sighed before addressing them.
"At ease."
With that, many of them got back to what they'd been doing before, and some, rather understandably, now tried to make their way out of the barracks, perhaps because they did not wish to be party to yet further discussions of this nature. Whatever the reason, it wasn't long before the barracks was completely empty. That is, except for one. Vapour Trail, who was still at her locker. Her movements were slow, and she had a decidedly unhappy feel about her, for which Night could hardly blame her. Soon, the older stallion approached her.
"Cadet?"
Vapour turned to him, saluting once more.
"Sir?"
Night paused briefly before continuing.
"I am...sorry...that your friend got into the trouble that he did.”
Lowering her hoof again, Vapour's eyes drifted to the side, to Sky's now-former locker.
"I tried to stop him. I told him he'd get in trouble, but..."
But Night finish her words for her.
"He didn't listen, did he?"
Vapour hesitated, then shook her head. Night, as before, sighed.
"You were a worthy friend. Loyal to him, even at the end. You are not responsible for his failings. He let you down, just as he let me down."
He looked to her, taking her in. The way she looked, the way she held herself, everything a critical eye should have taken notice of. In the end, and after putting his hoof to his chin, he started speaking in a thoughtful manner.
"You know...it's rare to meet a Cadet your age who has your kind of dedication."
Vapour looked to him, raising an eyebrow.
"Sir?"
Night paused again, then began to clarify.
"Have you considered what you might do after your time here in Manehattan has run its course?"
Vapour, understandably, was taken aback by that question.
"I...er...no. I hadn't really thought about it."
A knowing smile came to Night.
"Perhaps...there could be better things a Cadet like you could be capable of."
He looked over his shoulder, to the door leading out of the barracks.
"It would be nice if some good came of my trip here. So..."
He looked back to Vapour.
"...would you consider joining my colleagues and I on our trip back to Canterlot? Perhaps a...more worthy posting is in order."
Vapour looked stunned.
"Sir, I...I don't know what..."
But a raised hoof from Night stopped her.
"A purely trial basis at this point, Cadet. We'll see how you fare. And after that...well...time will tell."
Vapour, it had to be said, took no time whatsoever in composing herself, looking as professional as Night himself before giving a salute.
"I won't let you down, Sir!"
Night smiled to this, saluting right back, before losing that smile and looking back over to Sky's locker.
"It would be good to have that be true of somepony I've met today."
