“The past can't hurt you anymore, not unless you let it.”

― Alan Moore, V for Vendetta

“Blue, ya missed a spot.”

“Wait… What? What do you mean?” I looked up at the stallion facing me from across the desk with a confused look on my face.

“Don’t play mook, it's beneath ya. Ya missed a spot.” The gravelly tone of my interviewer echoed throughout the room as he adjusted the worn fedora on his head.

The interrogation room was a rather bare room, consisting of a single beat-up one-way mirror across the room from me, a single steel table, and two chairs on each side of the table. Taking a deep breath, I hung my head. “...I don’t want to talk about it. They’re old memories that I would prefer not to think about.”

Giving a deep sigh, the stallion presses his hooves against the table to stand up. “Alright, grab the mic. We’re taking a stroll.” A small bunny in a fedora and a trench coat hops onto the table to grab the tape recorder sitting between us, chittering at me in a tone that could only be described as annoyed. “I know, Kid. Faster to do it in one, but burning him out like a two-bit cigar isn’t going to help the case.”

Standing up as well, I picked up the Sparkle Cola Cherry in front of me in my hooves and drained the rest of the bottle as I grabbed the worn pillow I was sitting upon. “Sorry, Kid. You know how I get sometimes…”

Following the trench coated stallion, my tail reached out and closed the door as the three of us left the room, slowly walking through the halls of our makeshift office. “Ya ain’t a liar Blue, especially when ya try. Don’t need my talent to know you’re blowing smoke.”

Continuing along, I tossed the pillow through the open door that led to the living room, landing it onto the couch. “I know that. I just don’t like thinking about the bad times, and you know why…” Pausing for a moment, I straightened out my mane with a hoof‒didn’t do much usually, but it was something to do.

Rolling his eyes, as the stallion opened the main door to our apartment, I gave a glance to the painted-on label on the door:

Starlight Detective Agency

Not a bad place to stay, to say the least… “So… where we goin’ to anyways, Streets?” I closed the door behind us after we trotted through, taking my time to make sure it was properly locked. “Going by hoof, or are we taking the Trotter?”

Casting a glance at me from under the fedora with his monochromatic eyes, Streets shook his head. “Goin’ by hoof. Get the blood flowing, ease those dancing nerves.”

Giving a nod in return, I let out a sigh as we began to descend down the stairs of the apartment complex we called home. “Still, it’s going to be rough having to relive everything I’ve gone through… good and bad.”

Detrot has a strange tendency to be raining a fair amount of the time, but it’s more how the rain behaved that made things difficult. Shrugging on my modified Ministry of Peace cloak, Streets’ coat lined in something similar back when I first joined up with him. “That’s Detrot, Blue. Take the rain, pray for the shine. Rest of the Wasteland’s the same.”

Trotting out of the building, Streets fished out his keys and locked the door behind us before moving forward to be shoulder to shoulder with me. “I understand the point, Streets. In order to figure out a case, it’s always beneficial to have more information on the table than what you need.”

Trotting down the war-torn street, it felt almost… peaceful, actually‒aside from the rain, but it was still rather gentle. The gentle pitter-patter of rain accentuated the clip-clop of our hooves against the rough tarmac. “Remember that old grub hut we visited, after catching the Mosaic Killer? Place with the apple pie that got the Kid grinning for once? ”

Turning my head to the detective, I raised my eyebrows. “Isn’t that a bit of a hassle to get to? I mean, I know I like it, but I’m not about to make things difficult to get out there.”

“Chef still owes us for catching the slasher stuffing stiffs in his ice box, trying to run him outta business. Figured we’d call it in, get the good stuff to go with your sunny disposition.” Streets scanned the ruins around us, stepping over a crack in the street, cold gray eyes sharp despite the mundanity.

Detrot wasn’t an easy place to live, but here we were anyways. Streets, Kid, and I all had a past with this city, and none of them ended well in the slightest. We all knew what the others went through, but it was almost an unspoken mutual agreement to not speak what happened unless it was immediately relevant to a case. “So… I’m not getting a choice in the matter, am I?”

“Sure ya do. We can hit the flop shop, or head by the Watering Hole.” The old detective’s tone was as steady as his gait as the rain continued to patter onto our cloaks. “Might swing that door anyway, we’re running out of whiskey.”

Giving a nod, I let out a chuckle from his second statement. “I didn’t even realize we were getting that low, to be honest with ya. I thought I had all of it calculated for each month as an average…” Pulling out a small journal that I used for keeping track of expenses, I gave it a quick scan before Streets gave a sharp cough.

“Ya didn’t count for yourself, Blue. Drank your way through a three month supply last month. Ya may not drink often, but when ya get thirsty it sticks to ya like a stallion drying out in the desert.” Stopping for a moment, Streets took the time to stomp his cigarette underhoof before lighting another one.

Ears folding back, I looked away slowly to break eye contact. Before I could continue my thoughts, I felt a pair of wings faintly enveloping me and a faint voice in the back of my head as I felt a small surge of dopamine to counteract the current emotions running through my system. “None of that, my Dear. Shame doesn’t suit you, and you hardly deserve it.”

Casting a confused glance behind me, there was only the pouring rain to greet me. When I returned to facing ahead of us, Streets was raising an eyebrow at my sudden act of checking behind me. “Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing to worry about.”

The eyebrow still remaining raised, it slowly lowers as Streets returns to walking. “I’ve seen a fair amount of crazy walking these streets, but yours? Is a flavor off the menu…”

Chuckling with a smile, I followed close behind as I picked up my pace. “What can I say? I’ve seen crazy, and done crazier.” My gait had slowly turned from a slow trudge to a slightly bouncy one, hooves remaining on the ground for no more than half a second.

My response was only met with a soft groan from Streets. “You’re a busted up record sometimes Blue. Good lines and cheesy ones too.” Rolling his eyes, we continued until we found ourselves in front of a small worn-out coffee shop.

Neinstein Brothers Bakery

Looking at Streets, I had to give a soft chuckle when I looked at the worn-out sign. “Bagels? Really?” Trotting to the door, I opened it with a forehoof to allow Streets to walk in before me.

“Oh no, we ain’t having that conversation again. I’ll grab us a corner booth. If you’re gonna nag, ya can order.” Giving a tip of his hat as we stepped inside, Streets took the rain slicked fedora off his head and headed further towards the back of the restaurant, near one of the back access doors.

Trotting along the chipped tile of the bakery, I stepped up to the counter as my eyes scanned over the menu. Next to the standard menu for pastries, there was also a menu for coffee with the label over it of: ‘One-Stop Bean Spot.’

“Well, what can I get ya tod‒Oh hey Arcane! How’s it going?” A pink earth pony with a grey and white mane gave me a smile from under his brown stetson as he pulled out a fresh batch of bagels from the oven across from the counter, causing the smell of freshly-baked pastries to waft through the shop.

I couldn’t help but smile back at the cheerful barista-slash-baker who always friendly. Not a bad reading buddy on the rainier nights in Detrot, either. “It’s… going alright, Wrangler. Just having to take care of a few thi‒”

I immediately was cut off from saying more by finding a blueberry bagel shoved into my muzzle. “No, none of that talk here. I know that look, and I know that tone. This ain’t the first time you’ve walked through those doors like that.” Wrangler proceeded to give a nod towards the two relatively-fixed up doors. Earth pony ingenuity at its finest. “Now, yer gonna make your order, I’m going to fix it for you, and you’re going to go sit down, and if my name isn’t Bean Wrangler…” He mutters the last part to himself. “So, what’ll it be?”

“Well, for me I think I’ll take a Sparkle Cola Cherry and another blueberry bagel‒and I’m paying for the one you just shoved into my muzzle, don’t even argue… and for Streets, he’ll have his usual of a bagel with butter or cream cheese‒whatever’s easier–and some fruit on the side. For his drink…” I couldn’t help but chuckle as I let my voice drop to a low drawl that closely imitated Streets. “Blacker than the darkest night, and more bitter than a lover’s knife.”

Rolling his eyes with a chuckle, Wrangler waves his hoof at me dismissively to indicate the corner that Streets had slinked off to, a few puffs of smoke giving away his position. “Go ahead and wait, and I’ll bring it out when it’s do‒Streets, I told you this a dozen times already, NO SMOKING IN THE BAKERY!” Turning back to me, Wrangler gave a gesture of ‘please?’

Trotting away from the counter, my tail tossed a set of caps onto the counter to pay for the food and drink, as well as a tip. Wrangler makes some of the best bagels in town, and he’s a close friend. He deserves it. As I approached Streets, I looked to the cigarette between his lips, then to his steel-grey eyes. “I know it's an old habit, but not in here, please? I’ll make a grocery run after we get what we’re taking care of done if it’ll help…”

With a sigh, Streets ground the end of his cigarette into a nearby ashtray before letting the rest of it fizzle out as he turned to me. “So, let’s start somewhere else. Markerlight, the Ghost. Ya were his mane squeeze, right? Let’s start with one of those nights out, see where ya ramble.”

Settling into the booth, I gave a soft smile to Streets as I looked up at him. “Hmm… That’s a tough one on which one to pick.” I began to rack my brain in thought on which one to tell, before settling on one of my favorites. “Alright, I think you’re gonna like this one…”

ooOOoo

The snow crunched underneath my combat-booted hooves as the MP I was assigned escorted me to the designated meeting area where I was to wait. He… should be here somewhat soon hopefully. Eyes glancing to the area around us, I looked up to the cloudy sky as Stalliongrad’s signature snow continued to fall down upon us. “So… how long until he gets here, then?” I asked to the armored pegasus standing stoically a few feet to my side.

The stallion cast me a small glance as he rolled his eyes. “Second Lieutenant Markerlight has been notified of your presence, and should be arriving shortly. You will not be freezing soli‒” He stopped as he cast a glance at my mechanics jumpsuit. “Did… did you only wear a jumpsuit?”

Looking down as I adjusted my scarf, I let out a small sigh, the breath fogging up in front of my muzzle. “I left my jacket at the office… didn’t have time to run by there to get it, and I didn’t want to make Martini wait.”

Continuing to wait, I gently rubbed at a foreleg with my other forehoof as I began to shiver in the cold. Is… Is he not coming? Is he ignoring me? Am I getting stoo‒WHAP! I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn’t even see the snowball hitting the side of my face.

“Hey! You got your head in the clouds or something?” I heard a voice call from in front of me to the right as a red pegasus hovered down to me, wearing a Shadowbolts uniform and beret. “Because last time I checked, the sky’s up above you.”

Giving a smile, I waved to Martini as he approached. “N-No, I wasn’t…” Martini proceeded to raise an eyebrow at my attempted lie, and I sighed. “Okay, fine…” Hanging my head, my ears folded back as I let out my admittance. “I thought you weren’t coming…”

Under Martini’s amber-eyed gaze at that moment, I felt as if I was sinking into the white snow beneath my hooves. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him as I stood there, but all he had was a comforting tone. “You’re going to be cold wearing just that.” Lifting my head, I saw the red pegasus preparing to take off. “Be right baaacccckkk!” Martini called to me as he took off towards one of the barracks, the final word drug out through the wind.

Still standing in the freezing snow, my breath continued to fog up in front of my muzzle as I waited for the stallion to return. Ears flicking to flake off any snow from above, I simply took in the sights and sounds of the base around me. The crack of M1 Grand Apples, the short bursts of PPSH-41s, and the barking of orders from drill sergeants floated through the cold Stalliongrad evening.

Soon enough, Martini returned with a leather jacket in his hooves, tossing it to me. “Here. Should help keep you warm enough for tonight.” It was a relatively simple jacket, as it was an Equestrian bomber’s jacket used by bombers, but also found favoritism from the pegasi as it helped keep them warm in the skies as well.

“Thanks… I appreciate it.” I began to slide the jacket on, surprised by the softness of the fluffy material inside. Note to self: put this on a wishlist. Giving a nod to the MP, the two of us were escorted to the offices to sign paperwork for Martini’s leave for the night.

Once the forms were signed and taken care of, we began to head off into the night air as the shield above Stalliongrad continued to flicker, casting a soft glow over the war-beaten city. Turning to me while flying, Martini gave me a look of curiosity. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”

Pausing for a moment, I pulled out two tickets to show to Martini. “Well, there’s a jazz concert tonight that I thought would have been nice. I hear the Stringin’ Swingers have some good music…” I offered up with a smile before stowing them away and continuing my trot.

“Well, sounds like you had somewhat of a plan at least…” Martini gave a small shrug as we continued along to the concert venue. “Any plans for after?” He had a small smirk on his face as he asked the question.

“Well, I was thinking about seeing where things went from there, to be quite honest with ya.” The snow still crunching under my hooves, I did a mental check of where we were, before continuing to the park where the concert was to be held.

There was an earth pony mare waiting at the gate as we approached. “Tickets, please?” She asked in a friendly tone, the sound of soft jazz floating from further in the park. Pulling out the two tickets, I passed them over with a smile, which she returned in kind. “Have fun, and stay safe.” Martini gave a curt nod as the two of us trotted through the security checkpoint into the main concert area.

It consisted of a clearing with what was a relatively simple but practical stage made of wood and reinforced with metal near one of the sides. Almost like the dance halls from home… Giving a smirk to Martini, I headed into the crowd that was currently swaying to the swinging beat from the band on stage. “Come on! Maybe we can find a nice spot!”

Rolling his eyes, Martini followed close behind while flying above the crowd. Once we found a small clear area in the crowd, Martini descended down to land cleanly on all four hooves in front of me. Reaching out a hoof to the pegasus, I gave a nervous smile. “M-May I have this dance?”

“You asked me on this date, didn’t you?” Martini let out a chuckle as he took my hoof, beginning to lead me into a slower dance in time with the music. “So… where you from?” He asked with a gentle smile. Oh, going with date questions while dancing? Clever.

“Well, I’m kind of from the areas around Appaloosa, if it wasn’t exactly obvious from my accent. Not much of a drawl as opposed to a twang…” Letting my muscles relax, I let myself be led into the calm, slow dance. “And you?”

“Las Pegasus, east side. Was born closer to southwest side, though.” While I may have had three left hooves, it seemed as though Martini had a bit of an idea of what he was doing. Besides, it’s only a slow dance, so it’s not too difficult to manage.

Soon enough, though, the swing began to pick up in tempo. Looking into Martini’s eyes, I noticed that they were slits, as opposed to normally being the circular irises of ponies. Noticing my glance, the pegasus gave a sigh, as if he’s been asked the question a hundred times before. “Dad was a bat pony, mom was a pegasus.”

Giving a small nod, my ears folded back as I felt rather awkward in the current situation. “M-Mom’s a unicorn, and dad was an earth pony. Sorry ‘bout the staring…”

Martini simply gave a shrug as he began to lead me through a crowd with our dance. “Got used to it after a while, plus having heightened senses has been quite useful in many cases.”

Giving a nod, I simply let the time and music flow as we continued to dance. “So, what made you decide to say yes to this whole shebang? I was kind of a wreck simply tryin’ to ask you out…”

“I believe you were a wreck in more ways than one when you asked, and besides, you’re kind of cute.” Martini seemed to adopt a smirk while looking back at me.

A blush rising on my cheeks at the memory of that day, I gave a shallow nod before letting out a loud squeak, drawing the attention of several passerby. “Wh-What makes me cute?!?!”

The pegasus’s smirk only seemed to grow at my squeak. “Want to ask yourself that question again, Arcane?” My cheeks continued to warm as I imagined the crowd staring at the two of us. Please don’t be looking at us, please don’t be staring!

Before it felt like the awkwardness would have extended into infinity, I heard a mare’s voice call over the shuffle of the hooves. “And here’s our next tune! Hit it!” And with that, the music began to pick up in tempo and swing, with a stallion taking the lead for the song.

“Yippie yay, there’ll be no weddin’ bells for todaaayyyy~” Looking over, I noticed the lack of a certain string instrument I thought was playing before… Huh, must have been noth‒

“Hiya there, cutie!” I let out another loud squeak of surprise as I found myself to be staring into a pair of golden equine eyes. Backpedaling on my hind hooves, I got a better look at the pony standing in front of me.

She was a unicorn with a mint-green coat, and a cyan mane with white streaks, giving a dopey grin at me as I looked at her. Wait… “Lyra Heartstrings?” I asked in a squeaky tone, still slightly confused and panicked by the mare’s sudden appearance.

Giggling softly to herself, she gave a nod as she returned to standing on all four hooves. “Yup, that’s me! Lyra Heartstrings, the one and only! Haven’t heard a pony squeal like that since this one mare at one of Pinkie’s parties and I‒” Lyra proceeded to almost mentally put a hoof on her mouth before continuing. “Annnyyywaaayysss” She drug out the word as she went to change the subject. Turning to Martini, her TK formed into an odd shape resembling a talon with one of the claws jutting over her shoulder at me. “Marks! Where’d you bag a cutie pie like that? He’d make Bonnie jeaaaalous!”

I couldn’t help but let out an indignant squeak as the two cast a glance at me. Martini only gave me a sly smirk before turning back to Lyra. “Got drunk one night, walked the… how did you put it? ‘Cutie pie’ back home, and from there, things happened. I have a feeling a mare like you would know what I mean~” Okay, now he’s doing it on purpose!

My cheeks flushing in a blush, I proceeded to pout and look away from the two, but that only seemed to encourage them further. Lyra let out a soft giggle and I was now rather in the mood to want to melt into the snow-covered concrete. “Look at his little duck pout! It’s adorable!” Nope, it got worse!

Martini only let out a soft chuckle before giving a sigh. “Miss Heartstrings, while Arcane does seem adorable when he’s teased, I believe it is subject to the same rule as other joys in life: moderation.”

Shaking my head to dislodge the buildup of snow, Lyra let out an “awww” of disappointment. “Okay, Okay. Maybe another time.” Shooting me a wink and a smile, the mint-colored mare trotted back towards the stage. “See you ‘round, cutie pie~”

Before she entirely disappeared, however, her horn glowed the same golden sheen of magic as her eyes, and I felt an odd tingling sensation over my body that felt like there was a smoothness applied to my coat. Wait… standard tingling of magic… what did she cast on me? Lyra gave a knowing look to Martini before she disappeared into the crowd, most likely to return to the stage.

Turning to Martini, I asked in a confused tone, “So… what was that look all about? I know there’s something going on, but I’m not quite sure.” Standing to my hooves, I began to dust the snow off of myself.

“Oh, don’t worry about it, Arcane. Just focus on the stage for me though, okay?” Looking to the stage, I felt rather confused as I rolled my shoulders to loosen my joints.

Up on stage, Lyra was trotting up to the microphone with a small smile teasing her muzzle. “Good evening everypony! I hope you all have been enjoying our little show so far, and this one’s for a certain ‘Cutie Pie’‒You know who you are!” A squeak beginning to escape my muzzle, I crammed my hoof into my mouth to muffle it with an angry glance to Martini, who only shrugged with a smirk.

With a strum of her lyre, Lyra gave a nod to the pegasus mare behind a rather compact trap set, and with a pair of sharp rolls on a snare, a unicorn stallion stepped forward with a microphone and a smile. “Oh Weeeeell, I’m the type of stallion who will never settle down…”

As I let my ears focus on the stage in front of me, I had no time to react as I felt a pair of hooves wrap themselves around my barrel and begin to lift me off the ground. “H-Hey!” I let out a cry as I turned around to see that ever-present smirk on Martini’s muzzle. “Wh-Where are we goi-” Looking down, I saw the concert area disappear slowly beneath my hooves. Okay! Off the ground, off the ground, off the ground! This is not natural!

Hooves continuing to flail, Martini let out a soft sigh. “If you keep doing that, you’re going to get yourself killed.” That one statement was enough to stop me on a dime as I screwed my eyes closed as tightly as possible, attempting to isolate myself from any reminders of our rapid ascent into the atmosphere. No more than a minute later, I felt myself being placed on something soft and… fluffy? Opening my eyes, I found myself on what appeared to be a cloud among the skyline. Wait, this is a cloud!

“Martini, why did you bring me up here? I’m just understanding why you would do thi‒” I stopped as I saw the most notable thing in the sky: a full moon. “Oh. This kind of makes a bit more sense.”

Giving a gentle chuckle as he settled in next to me, Martini took his time in wrapping a wing over my barrel, gently squeezing me to his side. “It’s a nice view, and it’s quiet. It’s never a bad idea to include a moonlit watch, especially with the moon like this.”

Giving him a smile, I let my head rest onto the pegasus’s, giving a murr of contentment. “It’s fine… but a heads up on the next time you do that would be nice of you at least. Earth ponies ain’t really built for the clouds, unless we take precautions with either spells or talismans, unless we wanted to go the cybernetic route with a pair of wi‒”

I was cut off by a red hoof being shoved into my muzzle, and I was pretty sure I could hear Martini’s eyes rolling through his skull. “Arcane, as much as I don’t mind the occasional rant about technical know-how, just… can we enjoy the night for what we have now?”

Pausing for a moment to think, I gave a small nod, inadvertently nuzzling the stallion in return. “Yeah, I think I can do that…” Smiling softly, I began to settle in to enjoy the view of the moon through the faint glow of the city-wide shield protecting everyone.

“They call me the wanderer, yeah the wanderer…”

ooOOoo

With a soft crack of wood, Streets gave a grunt as he heaved the door open with his on-the-spot built crowbar. “First date got a sky high view? Well, at least ya have good taste in music.” Drawing his riot shotgun, the detective gave a nod to the door, which I responded in kind.

Pulling out a rechambered combat shotgun, I made sure that my badge was in clear view on my duster before leveling my weapon to the door. “Actually, it was the first night. Sorry if it wasn’t special or anything if you were expectin’ that.”

“Plenty special Blue. Hold the yapping, just heard the perp. Ya want to do the honors?” The stallion nodded, stacking up against the door. My tail dug through a saddlebag, pulling out a flashbang grenade. Both pins out, and through the door it goes. Just before the bang I raised my voice, shouting at the top of my lungs with an eager grin.

“DETROT POLICE, YOU’RE UNDER ARREST!”

BANG!!!

Notes:

None!

Author's Note

Sorry about the wait for so long, as I kind of got tied up with a bit of work and I had the full chapter on my drive, yet ready to publish, so after a few months, here you all are!