BPT: Filling Up in Manehatten

The Big Apple. Neigh York City. Manehatten was known by plenty of nicknames, but perhaps the most apt was the City that Never Sleeps... It had been only a few months since Blackberry Hossmane had taken the big plunge with a shot of vodka along with a little extra something too strong for even his body to handle. He was found in his office dead, the glass still half full, along with more than enough evidence damning enough to insure he'd never get out. So, as cowards are prone to do, he took the easy way out and off'd himself.

But the death of Manehatten's most powerful crime lord left behind an empty throne, and now, after months of hesitation and doubt, the worst of the worst that dwelled in the dark alleys of Manehatten were beginning to see an opportunity.

It was late, and despite the distant sounds of the city, the earth pony was walking down a rather empty street, pulling a wagon filled with goods he was supposed to deliver to some stores along Pintobelly Road.

Ugh, why did I agree to this?! the courier pony fretted as his eyes shifted left and right on the street he was taking. Ever since Hossmane's dirty laundry was aired for all of Equestria to see, things in Manehatten got a little quieter. But lately, things were taking a turn for the worse.

Just last week, the courier could recall how a pimp had beaten one of his call-fillies close to death and gotten away after his bodyguards, a unicorn and a minotaur, had killed a cop and vanished out the back of his whorsehouse. Then, only yesterday, the courier's uncle got threatened by some hoodlum into coughing up bits for "protection" and hurting the courier’s cousin when the brave but foolish colt got smart.

"It's just a few blocks, they said," the courier muttered as he kept his eyes and ears on high alert, "we'll pay you a bonus, they said! Urgh, if my bastard landlord hadn't cracked down on me I wouldn't have been stupid enough to volunteer for this delivery..."

Taking a deep breath, the courier pony just kept going, knowing the sooner he got this done, the sooner he'd be home to enjoy a good night's sleep.

Then, a metallic cluttering caught his attention and he looked to his left, seeing an empty alleyway, electric lights shining between rows of imperceptible darkness, the illuminated areas showing trashcans, litter, crates, and beer cans along the ground yet nary a soul in sight.

"Hoo, get it together, Tailgate. You're letting your imagination get th-" the courier pony sighed and almost carried on but looking forward he saw three figures blocking his way.
"Um... can I... help you?"

The three figures didn't answer as they came closer, one was plainly a unicorn, the tallest a minotaur, and the third was a zebra, who sneered and said, "Yeah, dude, you can help by shuttin' yor trap while we help ourselves."

"Help yourselves...?" Tailgate took a moment before he realized what the zebra meant right as the goods he was delivering all levitated out of his cart towards the minotaur, who began setting them down by his partners' sides.
"Now, uh! Please! C-can we talk about-"

"I said shuddit, fool!" the zebra snapped as he held up a crossbow with a a lethal-looking bolt aimed right at the pony who yelped and fell back on his haunches before holding up his front hooves.
"So my bruthas, how's our catch lookin'?"

"Ooh-hoo-hoo! Pay-dirt, my friend," the unicorn responded as he looked over the goods.

Ohh, I am so fired... Tailgate thought mournfully when the unicorn nodded in satisfaction.

"I think we're done here."

"And you, my friend," the zebra lowered his crossbow while giving Tailgate a smarmy look, "Looks like it's your lucky night for being so cooperative. Although..."

The zebra and unicorn shared a look and the latter said, "Can't just let this schmo off so easy, or else those motherbuckers on Eastside'll never take us for real."

The zebra looked to Tailgate with a mock look of sympathy, "Then I guess this ain't totally your lucky night, my friend..."

Tailgate began to sweat, realizing that getting fired was about to become the least of his problems, "N-n-now, hold on! Can't we j-just discuss this? Like reasonable creatures?!"

"Oh no worries, pal," the unicorn assured with a spurious smile, "our associate here'll just give you a little hard-core massage to remember us by."

"Buh-bye," the zebra chuckled darkly as he and the unicorn trotted off, their ill-gotten goods levitating after them.

The minotaur snorted, causing Tailgate to whimper, too frightened to move or undo the strap holding him to his wagon, as the minotaur approached while cracking his knuckles...

An earth pony mare hurried through the back alleys, garbed in a shadowy cloak, making her way towards an old apartment building that was shut down years ago by a health inspector who declared the building unsafe and infested with roaches and bed bugs. What nopony realized was that report was actually fabricated and the property was bought by an unknown pony of interest. The building had ever since just stood there, a waste of space.

Nopony really paid attention to it however.

It would take a strong mind and keen perception to see through the distractor spells and wards cast upon the building that prevented unwanted scrutiny or intruders. The cloaked mare was unaffected by these enchantments because her cloak itself was enchanted specifically to bypass them. Approaching the side door, she knocked four times, pausing a moment between each one, then knocked three times in quick succession, and finally made five gentle taps. A slot in the door opened and a pair of eyes peered through.

"What's the password?"

"Word on the street is... the Big Apple's fallen rather far from the tree," the mare responded, and the door opened, revealing the answerer was a Dog, also garbed in a cloak.

"You weren't expected till next week."

"I know, but I've been hearing rumors lately," the mare said as she entered and the inside was a fine improvement over the building's outside. "My friend in the MPD, she says crime's been on the rise in the last few weeks. More breaking & enterings, robberies, assault and batteries, even some cases of rape! And don't forget about that cop getting killed last month."

"I hear ya. I've even heard some gangs are starting protection rackets and getting more bold dealing drugs," the Dog added as he led his guest to the building foyer, specifically to an office behind the front desk.
"We suspected this might happen eventually. The top dog running crime in Manehatten is no more. It was only a matter of time before the scum around here started making plays to fill the empty throne."

"Hossmane falling on his own sword was never the Hooded Pony's plan," the mare sighed as she took a seat in an armchair while the Dog sat at a desk and pulled out some files.
"That bastard wronged and harmed a lot of ponies and other creatures, but he did keep crime in Manehatten in check. Now every punk, hoodlum, crook, and other kinds of scum are crawling out from under their rocks and looking to build their own mobs or something."

"The Hooded Pony did leave instructions that permitted us to reach out for help if things escalated in the wake of Hossmane's suicide," the Dog brought up as he looked at some files before sharing a few with his visitor.
"But I've got a bad feeling that the worst is yet to come unless we get ahead of this."

The mare looked at the files her colleague kept of the most notorious criminals Manehatten had to offer, the ones who had yet to be taken down. The ones who were cunning enough to plan ahead and slip away when things went south. The ones who had their hooks in certain places that allowed them to "influence" certain ponies, like judges, lawyers, business owners, even some cops.

Sighing, knowing they were only four strong, the mare agreed, "Send word to the Consultant. We're going to need the boss's help on this."

The missive arrived in a special container reserved for business pertaining to the Brotherhood, and after reading it carefully, Tranquil Skies agreed with the words of the concerned Hoods it came from.

That was why he was keeping his distance as he looked out to his commanding officer as the alicorn prince enjoyed a slice of pizza with his mother, his brother, and his betrothed outside the local pizzeria. He was aware that Prince Midnight had informed his fiancée Princess Twilight about the Brotherhood but Tranquil Skies didn't want to sour Midnight's family outing with their bloody business.

Even so, Midnight met Tranquil's gaze, having sensed him, and they both nodded a silent agreement.

It was well past sundown by the time Midnight walked into the orchard at Sweet Apple Acres, making sure he wasn't seen or followed, before he came to a clearing and said aloud, "Business or pleasure?"

"Business that could turn into the pleasure of putting some undesirables in their proper place," answered Tranquil as he stepped out of the darkness, his cloak blending in with the scenery before it darkened into a velvety phantasmal fabric where the edges eerily undulated, never touching the ground. Tranquil pulled out the missive he received with his wing and held it out to Midnight, who accepted it in his telekinetic aura and read it with a soft but sufficient glow from his horn tip.

"Our operatives in Manehatten are confirming our concerns," Tranquil explained, "Crime is on the rise in the City that Never Sleeps, citizens are getting hurt or worse, violent crimes are escalating, and there's even word that a new drug is being distributed on the streets, straight from the Chemist."

"Hmm..." Midnight furrowed, seeing the particulars before sighing, "I'll leave before noon tomorrow. Inform the Hoods stationed over there that I want to see to this personally."

"Yessir," Tranquil Skies nodded before accepting the message back, "And... what will you tell your family and friends, if I may ask?"

"The truth," Midnight answered without hesitation, "that I'm going to lead an investigation into Manehatten's criminal element with the Hoods assisting me. That's all they need to know."

"Understood, sir. Good night," Tranquil Skies gave a respectful bow before pulling up his Hood and stepping back into the dark of the night, and the alicorn prince turned around to head home.