Everything

“I said stop it!” shouted Rainbow Dash. glaring at Applejack.

“Ah did! Ah pressed the stupid button!” replied the mare.

The video on the monitor sped forward at double speed.

“Are you pressing the square button or the two triangles?” questioned Twilight, sticking her head in.

“Oh! Try the red circle!” exclaimed Pinkie, bouncing next to them.

Applejack growled, pressing another button. The image on the monitor froze. “Ha! I knew it was the double rectangles!”

“That would be the pause button, my dear,” replied Rarity.

Fluttershy glanced at the agents before shrinking back further in her seat. “Um… can you guys not crowd around my desk, please?”

Rainbow blinked before realizing that the 5 were surrounding Fluttershy’s desk. “Oh, sorry, Fluttershy, it’s just… The monitor is right above your desk.”

“Fluttershy, darling, if you’re uncomfortable with this I wouldn’t mind switching desks with you.”

The pegasus nodded and darted out of her chair. Applejack turned her eyes back to the monitor. “Well, shoot, we went too far forwards. He’s out of the frame now.”

“Press the rewind button, Applejack,” said Twilight.

“Which one?”

“The double triangles.”

“Ah pressed that already! That just makes it go faster!”

“No, the other double triangles. The ones that are pointing left.”

“Oh. Why would they put two double triangles on one… thing! That’s just confusin’!” She pressed the button, and the tape sped back to the beginning.

“Alright, speed it up.” Applejack pressed another button, and Rainbow’s eyes tracked the movements of the ponies on the recording. “Okay, when I say stop, press the double rectangles. Wait… Wait… now!”

Applejack pressed a button, and the monitor blinked before going pitch black. All of the agents blinked. “What button did you press now?” groaned Rainbow.

“Ah dunno! The one you told me to!”

“Um, actually, you pressed the power button,” whispered Fluttershy. “The red circle.”

Applejack blinked. “Did Ah?” She pressed it again, and the image returned to the screen. “Hey, there we go!”

“Finally!” exclaimed Rainbow. “Can you blow it up?”

“YES!” exclaimed Pinkie, pulling open a drawer in her desk. “I’ve been waiting for this!” She removed a stick of dynamite, causing everyone’s eyes to widen.

“Um, Pinkie, I don’t think that’s the best idea,” said Rarity, grabbing the explosive in her magic and pulling it away.

“Who knows? Might be fun,” scoffed Rainbow. “More fun than what we’ve been doing, anyway. And by blowing it up, I meant making it bigger. Applejack, can you make it bigger?”

Applejack just gave her a blank stare.

“Right, stupid question.”

“We don’t have time for stupid questions,” stated Bon Bon as she trotted over, Lock Pick right behind her. “We need answers. What’ve you got?”

“Well, we found our mystery pony, but the image is a little blurry-”

“Lock Pick.”

The green pony nodded. “Yep.” Lock Pick took a seat in front of a computer and typed a few commands into the keyboard. The monitor zoomed in on the pony standing next to Border Line. “Oh,” muttered Rainbow.

Bon Bon squinted at the pony. “Looks like… A red earth pony. Brown mane.”

“I’ll send out a BOLO,” replied Lock Pick, picking up the phone.

Bon Bon nodded and went to her desk. She glanced up to see the 6 probationary agents staring at her, shifting on their hooves. “Oh for Celestia’s sake…” she muttered under her breath. “Applejack, Dash, go find Side Arm and get Short Fuse’s home address. Search his house. The rest of you, dig into Short Fuse and Border Line. I want everything on them. We have 5 days to stop this attack, probies, I don’t have the time to keep giving you all instructions. Go!”

Applejack and Rainbow Dash grabbed their bags and headed to the elevator as the other agents returned to their desks. Bon Bon sighed as she watched the agents move, remembering a time when all the chaos didn’t matter to her.

6 Years Ago…

The sun beamed in through the large windows, illuminating the offices. The RDI building was mostly empty, many agents enjoying their weekend at home. There were a few agents still around, handling active cases of critical nature, as well as Team Guardian.

“Morning!” chimed Minuette as she trotted into the squad room. She glanced around, seeing the other agents lounging at their desks. “Thought we were handling the tip line?”

“We were,” answered Spitfire as she turned a page in her magazine. “But then Side Arm’s team showed up to do it.”

“Yep,” confirmed Daring, who turned a page in her book. “Apparently someone in HR screwed up and double booked.”

“Bon Bon’s sorting it out with Side and HR right now,” said Lyra, strumming her harp.

Minuette shrugged and leaned back in her chair. “Huh. Well… any paperwork you guys need me to do?”

“Nah, we finished it all ‘bout an hour ago,” answered Braeburn, eyes on the ‘Canterlot Daily’ on his desk. “What’s a three letter word for mistake?”

“Uh…. Oh! Err!” replied Daring.

“Right! Thanks.”

Minuette rolled her eyes and smiled, kicking her hind legs up on her desk and leaning back, staring up at the ceiling.

“It’s settled then,” declared Bon Bon as she entered. “We tossed a bit. Side Arm’s team will handle the tip line today, we’ll do it next week.”

“Sweet,” said Spitfire without taking her eyes off her magazine. “So we can go home?”

“If you want.” As Bon Bon sat at her desk, none of the others moved. She chuckled. “It’s 10 o'clock on a Saturday, yet you all still sit here.”

“If Ah went home, how would Ah get the answers to this crossword puzzle?” asked Braeburn.

“These ceiling tiles won’t count themselves,” joked Minuette.

Spitfire cracked a smile and rolled her eyes. “This chair is more comfortable than the one in my house.”

“Guess there’s nowhere else we want to be, Bon,” replied Daring.

“What a life we live, huh?” chuckled Lyra.

Bon Bon picked up a piece of paper that was on her desk. It was an invitation from the director to be the next Special Agent in Charge of Manehattan. Bon Bon blinked and looked around her. The other cubicles were empty, devoid of agents. Light flooded through the windows, bouncing off the blank monitor and the inactive computers.

She took in the placid expression on Minuette's face, and the concentration on Braeburn’s as he worked through his crossword. She listened to Lyra’s voice and harp as she sang a soft song. She watched as Spitfire turned a page in her magazine, and as inspiration formed a smile on Daring’s face as she read. “There’s no place I’d rather be,” she muttered to herself. She smiled and stuck the invitation into her paper shredder. With a satisfied sigh, she kicked her hind legs up on the desk, rested her forelegs behind her head, and smiled.

Now

Bon Bon reached out and picked up a picture of her and her friends lounging in the squad room. She sighed, trying to ignore the aching pain in her heart. With a new found determination, she set the photo aside and set her gaze to the computer. She couldn’t afford to be sentimental now, she had a job to do.

The door to the apartment creaked open. Rainbow Dash stuck her head in and looked around. “Huh. Pretty clean for a terrorist.”

“What were you expectin’?” asked Applejack as she entered.

Rainbow scanned the room, taking in the organized cupboards, neat stack of magazines, and bookshelf filled with novels. “Not this. I was expecting some big red poster that said ‘I Hate Equestria!’ or something.” Rainbow paused, staring at herself in a mirror hung on the wall. “Hey, I look good in this windbreaker.”

“They’re called Raid Jackets,” pointed out Applejack, taking off her stetson and placing it on the counter.

“Yeah, whatever. Dibs on the living room,” responded Rainbow Dash, tossing her navy blue cap onto the table and pulling on a pair of latex gloves.

Applejack narrowed her eyes. “Flip you for it,” she said, pulling out a coin.

“Heads I win, tails you lose?”

“How stupid do you think Ah am?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She observed the coin, realizing something. “Hey, what kind of coin is that? Never seen anything like it.” The coin depicted a shield, with the letters ‘RDI’ emblazoned on it. ‘Royal Division of Investigations’ was written on the top, and ‘Special Agent’ on the bottom. The RDI motto, ‘Honesty, Faithfulness, and Bravery,’ were written on a banner that sprawled across the shield.

“This here’s a challenge coin,” answered Applejack. “You present ‘em to prove you are who you say you are. If someone challenges you at a bar, you gotta show your coin. If you can’t, you buy everyone drinks. If you can, your challenger’s gotta buy you a drink.”

“Huh. Where’d you get it?” asked Rainbow, intrigued. “Your cousin?”

“Yeah, ain’t his though. It belonged to one of his friends,” answered Applejack, tossing the coin in the air. “Name was… Spitfire?”

“No way!” Rainbow’s jaw dropped. “You have Spitfire’s challenge coin?”

Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You know Spitfire?”

“Yeah… Yeah… She’s the one who inspired me to become an investigator in the first place…”

10 Years Ago…

The technicolored pegasus paced back and forth in the holding cell. “Stupid, stuck up, piece of… she muttered under her breath.

A clicking at the holding cell’s door caused her ear to twitch. “Let me know when you’re done,” the guard said.

“Sure thing,” answered a gravelly voice. Rainbow turned as the door shut to find two pegasi dressed smartly.

“Airpony Dash?” said the first, a white male pegasus. “I’m Special Agent Soarin with the Air Force Investigative Service, this is Special Agent Spitfire.” Spitfire just nodded, and Soarin continued. “We need to ask you some questions regarding what happened between you and the other reserves.”

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Nothing happened. It’s none of your business, anyways.”

“We’re here to help you, airpony,” Soarin stated. “We can’t do that unless we know what happened.”

“Yeah, that’s what the cops said and look where I ended up.” Rainbow scoffed and sat on a bench on the far side of the cell.

Spitfire spoke up. “Look, I get it. Us ‘bolts, we’ve got to trust each other. We’ve got to understand each other, watch out for each other.”

Rainbow perked up. “You guys were Wonderbolts?”

Soarin laughed. “Spitfire was the freaking captain!”

“That’s in the past now,” Spitfire said, waving a hoof dismissively. “The point is, I know how conflicted you feel, but you gotta remember the pressure. Sure, you might be a reserve, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be a full Wonderbolt some day. So you push yourselves, by any means necessary, right?”

Rainbow hung her head, sighing. “I… guess.”

“Rainbow, you were the only one who’s tox screen showed you were clean of drugs.”

“Yeah, and to the cops, that means I’m the dealer.”

“But we know better,” countered Spitfire. “To me, that means you know better. We interviewed Airpony Thunderlane. He says that you tried to get the reserves off of the drugs. And when that didn’t work, you went after the dealer.” She reached into her jacket and pulled out a picture of another pegasus with a bruised face. “And did a real number on him, too.”

“He deserved it,” spat Rainbow. “Stupid drugs… They were ruining my friends!”

“I know.” Spitfire lay a hoof on her shoulder. “And we’re gonna get him for it. Only problem is we can’t find his stash. We have 24 hours left to charge him or let him go.”

“Bastard keeps some in an empty locker,” growled Rainbow Dash. “Number 404, I think.”

Soarin nodded, pulling out a radio. “I’ll tell Signal Flare. Hey, guard!” As the guard unlocked the door, Spitfire sat on the bench next to her.

“Hey, listen. By the end of tonight, I’ll get you out of this cell.”

Rainbow glanced at her. “You really mean that?”

“Course. Nothing wrong with helping your friends. The world could use more ponies like you, Airpony.” She pulled a card out of her jacket, turning it in her hooves. “Now, usually I would tell ponies to never give up on their dreams. But… sometimes dreams change. And that’s alright too. I’ve spent my entire life in the Air Force, but you don’t have to.”

“The air force is my family, ma’am.”

“Yeah… I thought it was mine too. But after I became a special agent, nopony ever looked at me the same. Not even my former teammates. Nothing good about some air force cop, after all. That’s all I am to them. But hey, I’m just rambling. Point is… if you ever want a change of scenery, you give me a call.” She handed the card to her and stood up. “Stay strong, Dash. Don’t you ever give up on anything.”

Now

“Didn’t realize you knew her,” mulled Applejack. “So why join the RDI instead of AFIS?”

“It’s a… long story. Let’s just flip the coin.”

Applejack shrugged and nodded. “Alright. Colored side is heads,” she said, flipping the coin to reveal a similar design cast in bronze, “and bronze side is tails. Call it, pardner.”

“Heads.”

The coin flew up in the air, landing bronze side up on the counter. Applejack smirked. “Well, Ah get the livin’ room then. Why don’t you get started on the bathroom?”

Rainbow growled, rolling her eyes. “Think I’ll start in the kitchen, pardner.”

“Suit yerself, but someone’s gotta do the bathroom eventually.” The southern mare stepped into the living room. She trotted over to the bookcase, eyes scanning the titles. “Huh. He was a reader.”

Rainbow rummaged through the trash can, pulling out some bandages stained with a red liquid. “Hey, AJ, look at this. Doubt a dead pony would come home to bandage themselves.” Applejack dropped her stance, locking her eyes on a closed door at the far ends. “Someone else was here, looks like. Maybe our missing getaway driver,” continued Rainbow.

“Rainbow,” said Applejack in a harsh whisper.

The pegasus stood up. “What? I’m just telling you that someone else was here!”

“Forget that!” she snapped, pointing at the door. Rainbow’s ears detected a shuffling noise from inside. “Someone is here!”

Rainbow drew her gun and joined Applejack, taking a position on the right side of the door.

There was a faint moaning from inside, along with a rustle of paper.

A siren sounded from outside the apartment. Applejack drew her gun and nodded at Rainbow. The mare turned around and bucked the door open. Rainbow rushed in, gun drawn. “Freeze!” She yelled.

She was greeted with gunshots, which forced her to duck down behind a bed. Applejack ran into the room, returning fire from her weapon. The red pony fired two shots from his gun before throwing it aside. He leaped out the window, blood-soaked cloth falling off of his body. Landing on the fire escape, he took off down the metal stairs. By the time Applejack reached the window, the pony was long gone. “Damn!”

“AJ?”

“He’s gone. Bon Bon’s gonna kill us, Dash.”

“Applejack?”

“Better call it in, she’ll find out one way or another-”

“Applejack!”

The mare turned back to the pegasus sitting up on the ground, gripping one forehoof with the other. “What?”

Rainbow held up her left hoof to show it was covered in blood. “Uh… I kind of got hit.”

“... Oh buck.”