Equestria Crimes: Fillydelphia

1 week later…

“Alright, alright! I’m done! Please, leave me alone,” Ice Breaker pleaded breathless, his forearms up over his head as he sat on the dusty floor of the warehouse.

Vinyl stood over him, pointing her gun at his head. She didn’t know what to do with him.

“Let me go, o-or hell, put me in the brink or somethin’, just don’t kill me!

This guy really wanted to live, didn’t he? She had no pity against him, but killing him would get the FPD nowhere on where the rest of his gang lay in wait. But that wasn’t her problem at the moment.

“No! Wai-“ BLAM!

Ice Breaker’s body fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes. The blood formed a puddle under his head and streamed down from the hole in his forehead. His eyes were wide and his jaw dropped. Vinyl gave the corpse a disgusted look and she looked away.

She took out her cell phone and punched in numbers. “Yeah, Scarlet? I found Ice Breaker. He’s dead.”

“Dead!? God dammit, Vinyl! We needed him alive!”

“Hey! I couldn’t do a thing! He shot himself before I could react!”

“He what?? Damn…”

“So, what’d you want me to do?”

“Just sit tight; I’ll get some paramedics on the scene.”

The rest of Vinyl’s day had been rough. Being scolded by Scarlet for letting Ice Breaker “kill” himself, not being able to talk to Tracey about it since she’s buried under a mountain of paperwork, no paycheck because of what happened, and she didn’t even get her morning coffee! This day couldn’t get any worse, she thought.

Vinyl toke a seat on the couch when she got home that evening. She didn’t want to do anything, just sit down, forget the day ever happened and watch her favorite TV show: CSI: Manehattan. She enjoyed shows that were related to her job since she can relate. Plus, she always enjoyed a good action. She flipped to channel 9: ETV. The prologue had already started and she recognized it. A rerun, but she didn’t mind. She’d already seen every episode.

There was a sudden knock on the door which almost made her jump in her spot. Vinyl turned to the door in confusion.

“A visitor? Who’d visit me?” Vinyl thought aloud. Nobody buzzed in, nor was she expecting.

She peered through the tiny circle window in the door. No one was there. She unhooked the chain and unlocked the door and pulled it open. Nothing. She heard a giggle, and then someone immediately jumped around the corner and wrapped their arms around her.

“Surprise!!” the pony exclaimed, taking Vinyl by surprise.

Vinyl saw some luggage and the cello case in the hall and knew who it was.

“Octy!” Vinyl returned the embrace. “Geez, you’re… early.”

Octavia let her go. “Hehe, yeah, I should’ve called ahead, but I wanted to surprise you! So, surprise!”

Vinyl didn’t care. She was just glad that her best friend was in town; probably the best thing to happen to her all day. She happily let Octavia in, taking her luggage and cello. Octavia entered the living room, only to a sight of dirty clothes, food stains in the carpet flooring and a terrible stench. It was a mess.

“So uhh, this is your…” Her voice trailed off.

Vinyl came up behind her, the bag in her mouth and struggling to hold up the cello on her back. She saw her friend examining the room and she immediately dropped everything to the floor with a loud thud and took to Octavia’s side.

“You know it!” she exclaimed with her arm around her friend’s shoulder. “My humble abode, mi casa, hvorfor er du oversette dette, home sweet home, my-“

“I think I get it,” Octavia cut in, pulling away from Vinyl’s grasp.

“Oh!” Vinyl just realized something. “I’ll lead you to your room!”

Vinyl pulled Octavia down the hall, leaving her baggage behind. Vinyl dragged her friend past her room and into the small room next-door. There was a bed to the left-hoof corner and a mirror on the other side of the room. It seemed quite nice, Octavia thought. She wandered in and twirled around to view all corners of it. There was a peculiar stench, but nothing too bad. Better than the living room at least.

“Well?” Vinyl was eager to hear a response. A positive response.

“It’s nice,” Octavia answered in her light Canterlot accent.

“Yes!” Vinyl whispered to herself. She always thought Octavia wasn’t like other Canterlot folks. She’s nice, caring and doesn’t always care for fashion. All she wears is that pink bowtie to every occasion. She wasn’t wearing it that day, however. Though it did suit her, Vinyl thought.

Octavia took a seat on the bed, which to her surprise, was very soft. She fell back and she sank into the mattress.

“And this is my room?” Octavia asked, which sounded surprising.

“You got it! This is the best room in the apartment and its right next to the bathroom.”

Octavia’s ears perked up. “By the way, may I use it? I need to freshen up.”

“Oh, of course, it’s just through that door there.” Vinyl pointed to a closed door outside of the room.

Octavia bowed her head in gratitude and walked past Vinyl, but not before turning to her. “Oh and Vinyl, could you be a dear and take my luggage to my room.”

Vinyl sighed. She wasn’t too enthusiastic about that idea, especially with that really heavy violin thing. She grabbed Octavia’s stuff in the hall and hauled them down to the guest room. She threw the bag on the bed and was about to put the cello down when a sudden shriek of terror carried out across the apartment which seemed to be coming from the bathroom.

“Octy!?”

Vinyl dropped the instrument and ran next door to check out the commotion. Octavia was standing on the toilet, screaming at a little insect- a cockroach- scurrying all over the floor.

“Vinyl, Help! Kill it! Kill it!” She pleaded, tears in her eyes.

Vinyl couldn’t help but laugh.

“It’s just a cockroach, Octy. It won’t kill yah,” She explained, crushing the insect with her hoof. “These little buggers are all over the building.”

When Vinyl looked back up, she could see that Octavia was not impressed. She’s only been here for five minutes and she’s already regretting it. She would rather be sharing a hotel room with her band right now. She’d choose Jonathan’s snoring over a disgusting cockroach any day.

“Alright, alright, I know it’s not what you expected, but I was meaning to clean it up this week.”

“Yeah? When, the night before I showed up??” Octavia stepped down from the toilet.

“Look, I’m sorry, alright? But, you’re the one who showed up unexpected.”

Vinyl saw that Octavia didn’t want to start an argument, and as much as she wanted to chew her friend out for this, she held back, not wanting to start anything either.

“Alright, alright. How about I make it up to yeah?” Vinyl suggested.

Octavia definitely wanted to hear this one.

“There’s this restaurant downtown. Wonderful. How about I take you there for dinner, huh?”

Octavia liked the sound of that. But, she wasn’t sure if Vinyl meant some fast food joint or what. But, she decided to go with her.

“Great! C’mon, let’s go,” Vinyl exclaimed.

“Just let me get changed,” Octavia said, making her way down the hall.”

Vinyl sighed with impatience. She picked up her keys when there was another sudden shriek of terror, this time, coming from Octavia’s room.

“Vinyl, help! Another bug! Kill it!!”

Vinyl sighed once again. “Oh come on, Octy, it’s a goddamn cockroach!” Vinyl went to save her damsel in distress.

The restaurant was only 20 minutes from Vinyl’s apartment. It was quite fancy for a Fillydelphia restaurant, Octavia thought. The red curtains were only some-what dirty, the red table clothes smelled like they were recently washed- not well, but washed- and the cousins the two were sitting on felt like sitting on sand bags. The two mares had a conversation over the Crystal Empire, which Vinyl was tired of hearing of now-a-days. The topic toke a turn when the food finally arrived and it was now all about Vinyl.

“So, Vinyl, last time I heard, you’re working with the police department,” Octavia started.

“Oh, you bet,” Vinyl muffled with her mouth full of mashed potatoes with gravy. Bits flew across the table and almost hit Octavia on the other side.

“But, you went to college to be a… what was it called…” Octavia’s voice trailed into thought.

“Disk jockey,” Vinyl reminded her.

“Oh yes, that. What happened?”

“Well,” Vinyl toke her napkin and wiped her mouth, “I’d rather not get into that story.”

Octavia was a little shocked, knowing Vinyl loves to talk, let alone about herself. “Why not?”

“I-I-it’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”

“But I’m curious.”

“Well, don’t be.”

The table was quiet for a moment. Vinyl was poking her food with her fork. Octavia could tell something was wrong here. She leaned in, so no one could hear.

“Listen, Vinyl,” she started calmly. “I’ve been your friend for two years now. You can tell me anything.” Vinyl wasn’t budging. She just kept her head down. “Vinyl. Hey. Look at me.”

Vinyl raised her head to see her friend; her best friend, staring back at her with those trusting eyes of hers. Vinyl exhaled deeply.

“I might have been caught… doing things.”

“Things?”

“Bad things.”

Octavia finally realized what was going on. “Oh, I see. Um, well, if you don’t mind, we can talk about it.”

Vinyl grunted. “Back when I was a teenager, when I was working with my father.”

“So, the FPD,” Octavia started.

“Are keeping me out of prison by working for them,” Vinyl finished.

Octavia wished she hadn’t asked. Vinyl had told her about her life of crime during her teenage years, but eventually smartening up to go to school, which her father didn’t agree with.

“H-hey, don’t worry about me. All that criminal stuff is behind me,” Vinyl assured. “I mean, yeah I screwed up back there and I have a huge criminal record that will follow me until the day I die, but hey! I’ll be ok.” She chuckled a bit.

Octavia couldn’t see how Vinyl could be happy about all that. But, she could see that it was a fake smile on her face, so she gave her her sympathy.

The rest of the night went on like the conversation never happened. Vinyl gave Octavia a tour of Fillydelphia, showing her the town hall, the marketplace, Chinatown, and lastly, the night club Vinyl goes to play music on weekends.

“C’mon Octy, it’ll be fun,” Vinyl urged, trying to get Octavia in the night club.

“No way,” Octavia argued. “That place is full of creeps and drunks.”

“Can’t forget the drug addicts,” Vinyl chuckled.

Octavia still wasn’t budging.

“Look, just stick with me and you’ll be fine. Now c’mon,” Vinyl signaled her friend over to the bouncer standing guard at the front entrance, “they know me here.”

The big Earth Pony loomed over Vinyl and Octavia. Octavia cowered behind her friend, hoping he wouldn’t see her. The bouncer eyed Vinyl and lazily looked over Octavia. She hid in her fuzzy designer coat she had bought in Canterlot months back. She noticed Vinyl with her usual cocky smile looking up at the giant, at which then he smiled back with a serious smile.

“Vinyl Scratch,” he exclaimed. “Go right on in!” The bouncer stepped aside to let the two mares in.

Vinyl happily trotted in with Octavia right behind her.

The loud pounding from the music was heard. Octavia couldn’t make out the song or what instruments were used. She had a feeling in her gut that coming here was a bad idea once the two entered the hub. There was a bar to their right, which seemed to be serving nothing but alcoholic beverages. There were tables surrounded by cheap wooden walls to make them appear as stalls filled with ponies snorting coke, getting drunk and anything else that made Octavia feel uncomfortable. And the music was unbearable to her. It sounded like multiple blenders in a laundry dryer mixed in with unfamiliar violin music and that music ponies use in remixes of famous songs that Vinyl shows her on the Internet. The ponies on the dance floor were dancing along to the rhythm of the loud music, not a care in the world.

Octavia stood closer to her escort, who was dancing a bit in her place, a sign that she was really getting into the music.

“C’mon, Octy,” vinyl shouted, trying to compete with the music’s volume with her own voice, “I’ll show you the VIP area!”

Octavia thought the VIP area would be more sophisticated than down here, so she went along with her. She followed Vinyl to a staircase beside the bar and she stopped right in front of another huge pony blocking the staircase going up. This one was a Pegasus.

“Hey, Ascended,” Vinyl yelled.

“Heeey, there she is! Our main mare,” the giant Pegasus exclaimed happily. “Good to see you! You ‘n you’re friend headin’ up?”

Vinyl nodded and the Pegasus let them through. Octavia just looked at the security guard and ran to her friend who was already halfway up the stairs. It led them to this balcony that overlooked the rest of the club. Octavia saw a table surrounded by soft chairs and a couch where ponies occupied them, laughing and having a good time.

“Hey all,” Vinyl called, walking over to the group.

One Pegasus pony who was warring a purple hoodie which appeared a bit too big on her got up and exclaimed, “Hey, hey! Scratch, you made it!” Vinyl and the mare exchanged a hug, at which then she noticed Octavia standing at a distance.

“Whoa, Scratch,” the Pegasus said in a serious tone, letting Vinyl go, “You think we’re gonna let you hang out with us,” she hesitated, “without telling us who your friend is!” A smile which could only be found on a filly formed on her face.

She trotted toward Octavia and walked a full 360 circle around her. “Hmm…” The stranger brushed her blue mane away from her colored eyes and put a hoof on her chin in thought. She went around her again and slapped her flank.

Octavia let out a squeak of surprise, the force making her stumble a bit, but maintained her balance.

The mare smirked. “Nice ass!” She saw that Octavia’s face was bright red and it was not from the flashing lights of the night club. She hid her face in her fuzzy coat again.

“Knock it off, Lara,” Vinyl urged, putting her hoof around her Canterlot friend. “She’s my girlfriend, you know.” She gave her a mischievous smile.

At this point, Octavia wished she was back at Vinyl’s apartment with the cockroaches. She was pretty sure half of these ponies have a criminal record or even had weapons on them right there and judging from her welcome, she’d rather take her chances with the cockroaches.

First off, she wanted to set Vinyl’s comment straight.

“I-I’m not her girlfriend. We’re just friends,” Octavia explained nervously, escaping Vinyl’s grasp.

“So, which way do you go?” Lara asked, examining her again, this time, just the front side. “You definitely don’t look

lesbian. Maybe you’re bi? Do I attract you?”

“Lara, quit torturing the poor thing,” an Earth Pony said, walking up to her.

The stallion wore an open leather jacket which read, “The Vibe MC” on the back. The sewn on tag near the collar read “Vice

President” in small text in Times New Roman.

“I gotta get out of here anyway,” he informed to Lara. He leaned in and the two exchanged whispers and he toke off afterward. Octavia looked at him as he left the area.

Vinyl chuckled, “Who was that?”

“Oh him? Nah, he’s nobody, just a co-worker,” Lara explained. “C’mon, sit with us!”

Vinyl and Octavia toke a seat on the couch next to Lara, who immediately toke a bendy straw from the table and snorted the white powder in front of her. The row was gone in three seconds flat. She held her nose and shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the sensation to end.

“Whew!” Lara yelled, snapping out of her fatigue. She handed Vinyl the straw, “you up for it, Scratch?”

Vinyl pushed Lara’s hoof away from her, shaking her head and laughing, “No way! I’m not going through rehab again!”

The whole group laughed, but Octavia, who was sitting quietly, tried not to attract any attention from these weirdoes Vinyl called “friends.”

“Hey, what about you?” Lara looked past Vinyl to look at Octavia.

She then noticed that the whole group was staring at her, waiting for a response.

“Uhm, no,” Octavia replied politely. The music drowned out her voice.

“What?” Lara asked.

“I said, ‘no’,” Octavia shouted, this time being heard over the club’s music. She noticed she sounded a little angry.

The group of ponies continued to stare. Even Vinyl was looking at her strangely. The Canterlot pony just hid in her fuzzy coat once again.

“So, what’d you think?” Vinyl asked, hanging her hoodie up on the coat rack back at her apartment.

“Huh? What!?” Octavia was still a little deaf after hearing the electronic music for three hours straight. Her ears were ringing all the way back to Vinyl’s place and there’s no sign of them stopping.

Vinyl couldn’t help but laugh a little. She could tell Octavia was really annoyed at her and from the way she walked down the hallway, she was about to pass out as well.

Octavia’s eyes were heavy and the bags under them were noticeable. She could hardly stand straight. Vinyl grabbed her arm and put it around her, “C’mon, Octy, you can make it,” and started escorting her down to her room.

Vinyl helped Octavia into bed. She just laid her on her back; her usual neat hairstyle was a mess and was spread out under her. Vinyl thought she looked adorable. Octavia opened her eyes a little to only see the silhouette of the pony that put her through such a horrible night.

“Hey… Vinyl?” she mumbled.

“What is it, Octy?” Vinyl replied, smiling. Octavia couldn’t hear her, but knew what she said.

I hate yo…” Her voice turned to mumbles and she slipped into a deep sleep; sleep she really needed after the hell she’s been through that night.

“Heh heh, I know,” Vinyl said softly.

She kissed her sleepy friend on the forehead and put her hoof on her cheek. “Good night. Sorry I put you through hell…”

Vinyl turned off the lamp and exited the room, closing the door slowly to try not to make a sound. The door clicked shut behind her.