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// The Manehatten Project 24: Chaos in Manehatten Part One. 
// Story: The Manehatten Project 
// by Ddraigtanto 
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Paver had trouble sleeping. Her hooves kept twitching against her will, even more randomly than the shoes normally dictated. Sleeping wasn't exactly easy when your body refused to stay still long enough to sleep. She did sleep in the end, when exhaustion meant her limbs simply didn't have the energy to keep moving under the bedsheets.
Then there were the thoughts. The ceaseless, anxious thoughts about the plan Zunbil had in store come daylight. The more she thought, the more she realised how much she was putting herself in danger, putting her family in danger, and then sleep crept even more out of her grasp...

"Maybe I shouldn't do this." Paver said to Scopes over breakfast that morning, the weather was forecast to be pretty grim, the dull, dark clouds outside confirming that prediction with certainty.
He nodded in agreement. "Personally, I'd be on a train to Griffinstone to start a new life as Flappy Falconkin, had things gone a little differently..." He sighed. "But no. We've got to see this through. You need to confront Otto and get those evil shoes off. I, I need to redeem myself for the things I've done on that pony's payroll. Besides, we agreed to it, and Zunbil's men are gonna be there no matter what we do." He sat back. "Still, I wouldn't want you to go either. Otto's going crazy, and... I try to be cool, but there's no cool way to say I'm worried about you."
Paver's face was contorted with shared worry. "...But you're right. I have to see this through."
"I'm really sorry, Paver." Scopes said, his face lowly. "I should never have been working for a pony like him..." he shook his head. "...Maybe it won't go so bad." He offered, trying to clutch at straws. "...Then I can go back to my annoying wit, that'd be fun, huh?"
Paver giggled. "Oh, now you mention it, maybe you should go to Griffinstone? I could try to turn into a hippogriff too, call myself pigeonbum or something?"
Scopes smirked. "I think I'd like that."
"We just got something we gotta do first. All goes well, these shoes will be gone, Otto will explain himself, and maybe things can go back to normal..."

    Paver's mother made one last attempt to persuade her daughter not to go after Otto as she and Scopes headed to the front door, but the die had been cast, and Paver's mind made up. She'd donned her warm, beige jumper, her red fake-leather jacket which went so nicely with the cursed shoes, and her flannel scarf. She and Scopes, who'd donned his armour for good measure, made their way to Manehatten City Hall...

"Remember the plan." One of the zealots spoke. "...You go in there, and keep Otto distracted while Zunbil and his men do the work." Paver nodded, fighting to stop herself shaking, either from anger or anxiety, perhaps both at once. "Don't worry. First sign of trouble, we're coming in to get you out."   
They nodded in agreement, even Scopes. The white hippogriff would, against his better judgment, remain with the zealots so Paver could enter the city hall without drawing suspicion. The cream coloured mare made her way up the marble steps to the hall's double doors, her red shoes glistening from the wet of rain and puddle water.
At the reception desk was Janine, as though nothing had happened. Paver stormed up to the desk, placing her hooves upon it. "Janine, I need to see Otto." she said sternly to the young mare.
"But, but he's a bit busy right..."
"Janine." Paver growled. "Please."
"Erm, erm, okay." she winced, setting a hoof on the intercom button and speaking into it. "Mr. Cratic, sir? Miss Goldstreets is here, she wants to see you."
"Really? Hmmm... Send her in, alone."
"Yes sir. Right away sir."

And that was it, with a cheery smile, Janine led Paver down the hall to Otto's office, her office, at least before he tried to kill her. Inside, Otto was sat in the shadows, watching Paver as she entered. With his magic, he slammed the door shut behind her. "Good morning, Paver." Otto greeted her with a soft voice. "I was wondering when you'd come to visit me."
"Save it!" she spat. "I know about the Flim Flam brothers, I know everything about these damn shoes, I know about the curses on them, and I know what you did!" She advanced on Otto, glaring angrily. "I just want to know why, why you tried to kill me, when I trusted you! Was it just for power, was that it?! Answer me!"
Otto's body language shifted, impatient, and yet playing with Paver all the while. "No." he answered.
"No?"
"It wasn't just for power. Not at first." he continued. "You were prepared to kneel before the princesses, even when they proved they simply can't protect us. I remember Tirek, I don't think I can ever forget. I can't forget what he did to us. I can't forget the path of chaos and descrution he paved through Equestria... And I can't forget how Princess Celestia's best scheme was to nothing, and the other princesses agreed to it! And you? You were actually a competent mayor... But you followed them without question, even with such nonsensical leadership!" He huffed. "...It was at that moment, I knew. You had to go, and then... Then I could do what I needed to do."
"And what's that?"
With that question, Otto stood, taller than he'd ever stood before. Paver gasped as the alicorn amulet about his neck, his eyes red through iris and through bloodshot veins, and his his mighty wings unfurled as he emerged from the darkness. "...Rule."
"Otto..." Paver stammered. "What, what have you done?"
He chuckled. "Well, I had a few drinks, went on a hunt for dark artifacts, got into a big fight with my marefriend after she tried to betray me, and I decided I was sick to death of being shorter than so I transformed myself into an alicorn prince! It's been a mixed week in all." He smirked. "But how's your mum been?"
"Leave my mother out of this!" Paver yelled. "I've had enough of you playing me for a fool, and I've had enough of these shoes! Get them off my hooves, now!"
Otto stopped, looking down at Paver, and the shoes, and he chuckled again. "But you look so good in red. And you're far better at dancing than you are at trying to intimidate people."
Paver glared at him. "I said take them off!"
Otto scoffed. "No, I won't." he said. "I like you, Paver. Had circumstances been different, you and I would've worked well together. Consider that the reason why I didn't kill you as soon as I discovered you were still alive... But you and your friends have become a thorn in my side."
Paver lost it, and charged at Otto... Or she tried to. Otto's horn lit up, and her shoes glowed. Each step grew heavier, her feet and her shoes actively fighting her until they rooted themselves to the spot, leaving her stood before the gray alicorn, unable to move...