10 Days, 3 Adventures - Part 2 - "Manehattan Crime Story"

by TP Night

Chapter 20 - Intermission

Just before midnight, the station door opened. Donut Glaze looked up from his desk,
to see who was coming in at such late time. A group of ponies walked in.
First came Gun Point, followed by a zebra, and then Miss Rarity and Shining Badge.

He spoke up.

“I see you found the other one.”

Gun Point walked up to Donuts desk.

“We found and captured her, yes... ‘other one’ you say? Does that mean the second
sister is here as well? Silver and Pepper were successful?”

“Yeah, about an hour ago. Zebra’s in holding cell B downstairs.” Donut said,
nodding slightly toward the stairs.

“Good, that means we have them both now. Is Silver and Pepper still here?”

“Yeah, Pepper is downstairs keeping an eye on the prisoner, Silver is in her office
finishing up some leftover paperwork from earlier this week, that domestic dispute.”

“Good, good. Now, about the holding cells... which ones are unoccupied? We need
somewhere to put her.” Gun Point waved toward Manyzia.

“Let me check...” Donut said, looking at a board on the wall behind him.
“Cell A is taken by that old drunk again.. Cell B, like I said, is the other zebra.
Cell C and D are free.”

“Hmm.. Can we move the drunk to C, and put the zebras in A and D? I want them as
far apart as possible, so they can’t talk tonight. We’ll keep them overnight and interrogate
them after the lunch break tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Manyzia was standing perfectly still, quiet, almost like a statue.
Shining and Rarity stood on each side of her, keeping their eyes locked on her,
and they had positioned themselves so that Shining was between her and the exit,
so she wouldn’t get any stupid ideas, like trying to escape.

Gun Point finished his talk with Donut, and was given a key.
He returned to the others.

“Okay, so here’s the plan. We’ll lock you up in the holding cell overnight,
and tomorrow we’ll interrogate you and your sister. After that, we’ll see what happens,
depending on what you tell us. You can either talk willingly, or we can make you talk.
We have various methods to convince you, if we need to.”

“I already told you, I have surrendered, and I will talk when the time comes to do so.
Now is not that time. Tomorrow is.” Manyzia said plainly, without a hint of any emotion.

“Follow me.” Gun Point said. “The cells are downstairs.”

He started walking, and Manyzia followed. Shining spoke.

“Hey, Boss.. You want me to come with, or can I leave for the day?”

“No need. Manyzia here seems quite content, and if she or her sister starts any trouble,
I have Pepper Spray downstairs to help me. We can handle it. You may leave.
Oh, and that goes for you too, Miss Rarity.”

“Oh, But... First of all, where is Pinkie and the others? And secondly, I still need
to ask about tomorrow... Do you want us to come back tomorrow, or is our involvement
over now, since they are captured?”

Donut replied to the first question. “Your friends are in the waiting room,
waiting for you to return. First door on the left.” He pointed at a short hallway.

Gun Point added, “As for tomorrow... Well, you have been very helpful so far,
and Erlen Meyer will be attending the interrogation, so I guess you could come too.
Who knows, you may still be helpful, depends on what they tell us.”

He started walking again, Manyzia followed in silence as they walked downstairs.
They entered the holding area, with four cells in a row. Each one had a bed, a table,
and a small bathroom. Gun Point opened Cell A, which was occupied by the local
drunk, who was half-asleep.

“Wadda’ya want now, Gunny? Can’t ya lemme sleep?” he mumbled drunkenly.

“You’re switching cell, Clover. This mare is taking yours, and you’re taking the one
next to it.”

“Why?”

“Because I say so. Now move it.”

The stallion moved slowly, unstable on his hooves. Far from sober, Manyzia thought
when she saw him.

He moved out from the cell, and sat down on the floor. Manyzia walked in,
and sat down on the bed. “I assume this is where you want me.”

“Yeah. If you need anything, just call out to Pepper Spray. We’ll get you food and water
in the morning.”

Manyzia just nodded, and fell silent again. Gun Point locked the cell and walked over to
the next one. He opened it, and the other zebra stared at him.

“Are you letting me go already?” She asked with a hint of surprise.

“No, just a cell-switch. We have your sister in cell A, and we want to keep you apart,
so you’re going in D instead. Now get out.”

She grunted and moved.

“Clover, get in here.” Gun Point said and pointed at the cell the zebra had just left.

He slowly moved, still half-sleeping, and somehow managed to get only halfway into
the bed before falling asleep completely.

The zebra watched him. “Pathetic...”

“Come on. You’re going over here.” Gun Point said, and opened cell D.
“It’s identical to the one you were in. You’ll be kept over night, but I assume
Pepper and Silver already told you that.”

“They did, and they said I’ll be interrogated tomorrow. Good luck with that.”

“Oh, I think we’ll do just fine. Just one last thing before I go.
I never got your name.”

“My name is Zamynia.” She replied. “Can I go to sleep now?”

“Yes. I’ll be back tomorrow.”

As he left the room, he thought to himself,
“Manyzia and Zamynia, huh? And practically identical twins...”

* * *

Upstairs, Rarity had gone to the waiting room and met with the others.
Now, she was sitting in an old sofa, talking with Erlen, Trixie, Pinkie and Petit.

“So...Anypony have any guesses as to what those two were actually after?”
Rarity asked, looking around at the others.

Petit just mumbled shyly, reminding Rarity a bit of Fluttershy, or perhaps Coco
the first time they gad met.

Pinkie raised her hoof. “Oooh, oooh, I know! They were going to steal the show!”

Trixie giggled and facehoofed at the same time. “That joke was so bad it almost became
good.” she said.

Rarity nodded. “Yes, Pinkie has a talent for making terrible puns sometimes.”

Erlen was half asleep. “This is way, WAY past mein usual bedtime... I am an old pony!”

Trixie smiled .”I know. We can probably leave soon, and get you home.”

“I still wonder what those two were after. Perhaps they were planning to steal some
clothes from the show... I mean, some of the creations were rather fabulous,
and some had very expensive materials and such. I’m sure there are fashion collectors
willing to buy stolen goods.”

“Trixie agrees.” Trixie said, and then corrected herself, “I mean, I agree.”

“Still having a hard time with the third person, I see.” Rarity teased.

“Shut up.” Trixie replied, scrunching her face slightly.

Gun Point entered the room. “The Zebras are both locked up now.
And until the interrogation, that’s all you can do for now. You’ve already helped more
than we could ever expect. However, Erlen, I will need you tomorrow, just in case we
need to use the serum. As for the rest of you... Rarity, Pinkie Pie, you two may join us
if you want to. You may still be able to help us. And Trixie, since we’re using Erlen,
you may come too if you wish.”

“Well, I have no other plans, so I might as well see this through to the end.” Rarity said.

“Me too!” Pinkie said happily. “Plus I’m reeeeally curious what they’ll say!”

“So am I.” Rarity added.

“I am afraid I can not come.” Trixie said. “Trixie has work to do.”

“Very well. And you?” Gun Point asked, looking at Petit.

“Oh, I... I can’t... I’m busy too, I have the café to run, and... I wasn’t really that
much involved anyway, so I don’t see what help I could be...”

“Well, thanks for what you did do, anyway. Now then, We will meet here again
tomorrow, after lunch. We begin the interrogation at 13.00, so those of you who will
attend, make sure to be here by then, okay? Until then, you’re all free to leave.”

Everypony said their goodbyes to Gun Point, and left the station together,
splitting up outside. Trixie approached Rarity and Pinkie.

“Trixie would just like to say... thanks... for letting me be your friend,
and trusting Trixie during these few days...”

“Oh, it’s nothing to thank us for. Just make sure to keep in contact, okay?
Send a letter once in a while, you know where to send it.” Rarity smiled.

“We’ll send you letters too!” Pinkie added. “Lots of letters!”

“That... sounds like something Trixie could enjoy, actually. It shall be so!
I will send you each a letter in a week or two, and include my return address
in the letters so that you may reply.”

“Perfect, I look forward to it.” Rarity said. “Now, I think you better get Erlen home...
I think he fell asleep again.” she added, pointing at the old stallion who was leaning
toward a lamp pole, snoring loudly.

The ponies split up, Trixie and Erlen going one way, Rarity, Pinkie and Petit going
the other. After a little while, it was time for Petit to split too and turn another way.

“Well.. It was fun to be with you guys.” she said. “Thanks... Oh, and Pinkie?”

“Yes?” Pinkie asked curiously.

“Would you... perhaps... send me letters too? I mean, I... I’d like to stay in touch...”

“Sure! Just tell me your address, and I’ll send you lots of letters, and postcards!”

“Oh, that’s simple, just address them to the café, I don’t have a private address.
My apartment and the café is actually registered as the same place, since I live
above the café.”

“Okie dokie lokie!” Pinkie smiled widely.

Petit gave her a warm look and a small smile. Pinkie was too busy smiling and bouncing
to see it, but Rarity noticed the look in Petits eyes, and smiled. I see... She thought
to herself. So that’s how it is.. I wonder how that will turn out...

“Anyway, I... I gotta go.” Petit said. She gave Pinkie and Rarity a quick group hug,
and they parted ways. Rarity and Pinkie made it back to the hotel, and went
straight to bed, falling asleep almost as soon as they lay down.

Tomorrow, they would finally find out what the zebras were planning.