Friendship is Deception

by Your Antagonist

12 Part 2: It's Business as Usual

Friendship is Deception

By: Your Antagonist (VegaKS03)

Edited by: TheWattsMan & Starwind Pen

Act III: Agents of Disharmony

Chapter 12 Part 2: Back to Business as Usual

The more things change, the more they stay the same. But conflict is constant and consistent, and, like death and taxes, it is one of the few things in life that are entitled to sentient beings, and likewise it is one of the few driving forces that pushes beings to excel and push harder against the fates.

In the foyer of princess Celestia’s castle, Twilight Sparkle paced back and forth back and forth nervously. They’re late. Why are they late? Unless... I’m just early... No! They should still be here by now... Sigh...I think I’m too high-strung about this.

“Uhhh... y’all alright there, sugarcube? You look like you’ve been worryin’ yerself into a rut.”

“I’m...ugh!”-- Twilight face-hooved and took a deep breath, trying to collect her thoughts. “Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie and Rarity should have been here already. I’m certain they’d have received that summons from the princess by now. Do you know what she’ll do if they’re late?

“Pro’bly nothin’,” --Applejack waved Twilight’s concerns off nonchalantly-- "‘sides don’t you always get worked up for no reason’ when it comes to the Princess, Twi’?”

Fluttershy trotted over to join the conversation. “Yes, Twilight, don’t you remember the Philomena incident? You were so convinced princess Celesia was going to um... what was it again... banish me and throw me in a dungeon in the place she banished me to?”

Twilight blushed slightly and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof. Okay, so maybe I get a little carried away when it come to associating the princess with punishments, but still-

A gruff masculine voice from behind cut into Twilight’s chastising inner dialogue. “Ahem! Excuse me, I hate to be so abrupt, but I fear your conversation we must interrupt. Ponies of Equestria, where may we find your princess Celestia?”

Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy all whirled around to the source of the interruption and their eyes fell on a zebra with a shaved mane sporting a pair of oatley’s sunglasses, and he wore a badge in the shape of a golden spiral around his neck as well as a large kukri knife strapped to his left foreleg. The zebra didn’t stand alone however: to his right stood the only thing that could make Rarity’s tardiness a small blessing: Prince Blueblood. Applejack shot a glare at the prince, and Twilight quickly picked up that there was clearly some leftover hostility from the gala incident.

“Yes, where is my dear aunt, I must know why she has subjected one such as myself to the company of such”- Blueblood gave Applejack and Fluttershy a once over before continuing with a grimace- “passe commoners.”

“What did ya call me, ya no good piece of hydra s--” Twilight stuffed her hoof in Applejack’s mouth before she offended any royalty with her less than silver tongue.

The zebra chuckled at Applejack’s outburst, and spoke up again, this time addressing Blueblood. “You would do best to stay your tongue, for you would not last five minutes from where I am from. I am not sure who you think you are, but in life that attitude will not get you very far.”

Irked by this, Blueblood turned to face the zebra. “And just who are you anyway? I thought it odd when one of your kind began ascending the castle stairs unhindered by my Aunt’s guards.” As minor as the discrimination was, it caused Twilight to shoot an equally powerful glare that could rival Applejack’s own, and a glance at Fluttershy revealed a sternly disapproving look that soon faded into an apologetic one and shifted back as though the Pegasus couldn’t decide whether to be angry or passive.

The zebra cleared his throat, cooly shrugging off the Prince’s pointed and callous remark. “You may call me detective Zaca, I am an investigator from the land of Zebrifica. I have come to discuss with your Princess a case, concerning an exiled member of our race.”

A new voice from behind chimed in. “An exiled zebra huh? I think we may have just found another lead in the case, ladies.”

Everypony in the foyer turned to meet the intrigued gaze of Rainbow Dash, the absent-minded gaze of Pinkie Pie, and the enraged eyes of Rarity focused on Prince Blueblood with malicious intent.

Twilight was the first to break the silence, “Lead in what case?”

“There’s been a jailbreak at Iron Bastille maximum, and two of our least favorite trouble-makers were lifted from the place: Trixie and Mayor Mare.” Rarity bit her lip at the mention of the second pony. “Gilda was in the same cell as them, but evidently she grew a conscience during the time since the Black Anarchy incident, and decided to hang back.”

Applejack shot a look of disbelief at Rainbow Dash, who took note quickly. “I know, I didn’t believe it either, but we just saw her plain as day. Anyway, she told us that the one who broke Trixie and Mayor Mare out spoke in rhyme. Sound like anypony?”

Twilight answered softly “ A zebra...”

Rainbow Dash nodded “Exactly, and I think we have our prime suspect, it’s got to be--”

Pinkie Pie leapt out from behind Rainbow dash and pointed an accusing hoof a Detective Zaca. “AHA! IT WAS HIM! Admit it, you pony-napped... er... pony-liberated? Trixie and the Mayor! what have you done with them!?”

Fluttershy trotted over and stroked Pinkie’s mane. “Come on, let’s go over there and catch up so everypony can discuss this in a more rational sense.”

“But... but... Zebra! Right there!” Pinkie Pie pointed more aggressively this time as though to reinforce her point, while Fluttershy steered her away towards the throne room.

“Yes, I know, and he’s a nice zebra,” Fluttershy’s voice faded out as the two disappeared behind the door.

Rarity spoke next, “I apologize for Pinkie Pie’s behavior, detective Zaca, she’s just--”

The zebra held up a hoof to cease Rarity's sentence. “There’s no need to apologize, since the suspect is a zebra, myself I might also surmise.”

“But, we only know one other zebra and she’s in Ponyville. You don’t think Zecora could really have--”

Prince Blueblood voiced his dismay with an upturned snout, “I’ve had enough of this boorish gibber jabber, if you’ll excuse me.” Blue blood trotted off to the door that Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie went through earlier.

“As much as it pains me to agree with that jerk, I do believe it’s time to work.”

“Ah reckon it’s about high time we got this meetin’ started anyhow,” Applejack concurred while moving towards the door.

Rainbow Dash sighed and followed everypony else out. "I guess we can discuss this case after our talk with the princesses.”

The throne room of Celestia’s castle was its usual impeccable white, with several well-worn pillars providing support to the structure. The room was bathed in the refracted light provided by the multitude of stained glass windows displaying the heroes of Equestria since the beginning of harmony. Twilight looked upon the walls with awe, and blushed slightly when she noticed the windows that held the likeness of herself and her friends.

Turning her attention back towards the center of the room, Twilight's eyes were drawn to Princess Luna conversing with Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, while Blueblood stood obstinately to the side, yawning out of sheer boredom and clear disinterest of the company presented before him. Princess Luna noticed the small crowd approaching and flew forth to greet them with a cheery demeanor she’d clearly been working on since they’d last met on Nightmare Night. “Twilight Sparkle-- I mean... ahem, Twilight Sparkle, how art thou?”

“Y’all might want to work on makin’ that a bit more casual, Princess.”

“Am I not as they say... down, fair Applejack?”

Rainbow Dash tried her hardest to stifle a giggle at the princesses’ social awkwardness, but a strong hoof to the hind leg from Rarity ramified the situation before Luna took notice. “Were those colloquialisms not accurate, Rainbow Dash?”

“Collo-whats?” Rainbow Dash asked in a bewildered tone.

“She means is her slang up to date,” Twilight explained.

“Oh... nahh,” Rainbow Dash and Applejack replied simultaneously while shaking their heads.

“Ahem,” coughed Detective Zaca.

“Oh, I almost forgot: Princess, this is detective Zaca from Zebrifica.”

Zaca bowed to Luna, and the princess returned the gesture before addressing him, “Thou art the representative from the Zebra kingdom my sister hath waited for, I take it?”

“You are very astute as I have heard, but I fear for more pressing matters this must be deterred.” He gestured towards Princess Celestia who appeared from a doorway behind the pillars and currently sat in her throne, casting an expectant gaze upon her sister and the elements of harmony, who shuffled to make a line and bow in respect at the foot of her throne. Taking note of this, Luna flew to her sister’s side and dropped her cheery demeanor almost immediately as Celestia began to speak, “Elements, I trust you’re all wondering why I’ve summoned you on such short notice, and I’ll be blunt and to the point: according to data from the RCIA’s intelligence division, there’s been an unusual decline in underworld activity.”

Everypony in the room save for Celestia and Luna all exchanged unsure glances but only Fluttershy spoke up in an attempt to be more assertive, “Princess Celestia, umm, isn’t that a good thing?”

“Yes, I hardly see how a lack of crime is a problem, Princess Celestia,” Rarity concurred.

The princess closed her eyes and shook her head before resuming, “No, my little ponies, a rapid decline among the crime factions like this has occurred only once before. Twilight, I’m certain you already know which incident I’m referring to.”

Twilight nodded proudly. “The Black Anarchy case, Princess Celestia.”

“What does she mean, Twi’?” Applejack asked

“Well, a few months before the trouble with Black Anarchy and the Crossheart Syndicate, the crime rate and the number of gangs or criminal organizations in the lower sectors across Equestria began to lower at an alarming rate, or rather they were being consolidated by--”

Rainbow Dash cut in to finish the sentence, “One really big crime congl- conglo-con--”

“Conglomerate, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity finished while rolling her eyes. Rainbow Dash was certainly a good field agent, but when it came to deductions and piecing together leads and theories, it was safe to say there was a reason Rarity was assigned to Rainbow’s team.

“Yeah, that one!”

Luna nodded to acknowledge the validity of the deduction. “That is correct, and we fear that it may be happening again.”

“That reminds me, Princess Celestia, there have been a number of missing pony reports in the past few days, as well as the jail-break at Iron Bastille. Do you think these might be related?” Rarity inquired.

Celestia stroked her chin with a hoof before responding, “Perhaps... Blueblood.”

“Yes, Aunt Celestia?”

“Have your team look into this matter when this meeting is adjourned.”

Blueblood bowed his head in acknowledgement. “As you wish.”

Detective Zaca turned to address Rainbow Dash, “I realize our conversation earlier was rushed, but was there not something you wished to discuss?”

“Oh, that’s right! Gilda said that the one who broke Trixie and Mayor Mare from the prison yesterday was a Zebra, and I remember you said you were looking for an exile?”

“You memory I must respect, for the words you speak are quite correct.”

Applejack took the moment to think about it and threw in her two bits, “Rainbow, it sounds to me like y’all are lookin’ for the same, varmint.”

“You know what, AJ? I think you’re on to something--”

At that moment, a resounding BOOM shook the castle and moments later several of the royal guards came pouring into the throne room, out of breath and shouting.

“What the hay was that?!” Twilight shouted at the nearest guard.

The pegasus caught his breath and saluted before speaking, “Ms. Sparkle, these two intruders just strolled into the castle grounds and began hurling these green bombs everywhere, shouting something about claiming ‘avarice’, and they proceeded upstairs to the guest lodgings.”

“Claimin’ avarice? What in tarnation is that supposed to mean?”

Twilight responded “I don’t know, but I left Spike upstairs, and I need to make sure he’s alright, c’mon girls. Let’s--”

Rainbow Dash stopped Twilight with a wing before cutting the unicorn off. “Look here, egghead, you need to stay down here with the Princesses, Fluttershy, and Rarity and continue investigating, I’ll take AJ and Pinkie to find Spike, got it?”

Twilight bit her lip for a moment before nodding reluctantly; Rainbow Dash was right after all. Twilight could only hope that Spike was okay.

Blueblood levitated a saber off the wall to himself. “I think it might be best if I accompany you, even a ‘top rate’ law enforcement pony such as yourself could always do with some stellar support.”

Rainbow Dash grit her teeth at Blueblood’s sarcasm but shrugged it off, there were more pressing matters at hand.

Detective Zaca wordlessly nodded to Rainbow while he unsheathed his Kukri knife with his mouth.

“Rainbow Dash, Pinkie, don’t forget to bring these with you!” Rarity removed her saddlebags and kicked them over to her boss. Stopping the bags with a hoof, Rainbow Dash opened them to reveal a hoof pistol that she quickly adorned and a black rubber handle with a piece of metal sticking out the top along with several small flash bang grenades.

“Oh! Oh! Oh! Those must be mine, boss!” Pinkie Pie bounced up and down excitedly at the sight of her gear. She dragged out the black handle with her mouth and adorned the saddle bags.

“Pinkie Pie, what is that?” Rainbow gestured towards the handle in Pinkie’s mouth.

“Thith? Thith is ma thun buthont!”

“Your what?”

Pinkie Pie groaned and whipped her head to the side causing the metal in the handle to extend a foot and a half, and with a vicious chomp on the rubber, a small spark of electricity surged though the rod.

Rainbow Dash sighed, knowing that an electric based weapon being held in the mouth was a bad idea, but as far as she was concerned, Pinkie Pie using non-lethal weapons was a step away from the constant overuse of explosive devices. “Whatever, let’s go rescue a a dragon!” With that, the five ran into the foyer.

Chapter 12 Side B end.

Comments

[Pascoite]

I like this story continuation you've done, and the quality's definitely up since you've employed your reviewers. They shall be demanding more muffins.

[Balancer]

But Luna is one of the bad guys, they know all your plans you fools