//------------------------------// // CPD HQ // Story: This is what we do // by Foxgear //------------------------------// This is what we do ch 23 By foxgear “Who are these two?” A sharp snappy voice demands. Mac and Moon Dancer were sitting in front of Ferocious’s desk waiting for the blood sample to finish testing. Craning his neck Mac looks behind him to see a petite blue woman, barely taller them him sitting, standing behind him. Her finger pointing at them while her eyes follow Feri back to his chair. The towering height of the red detective making her look no taller than a high schooler. Even Moon Dancer had a few inches on the small woman from what Mac could tell. Hell, Applebloom might be taller. Feri looks frustrated as he stares down at the five-foot-four blue woman. “They have badges, I went through the proper channels so stop bugging me Ember.” “That’s Inspector Dragonlore,” Ember says sharply, “And you haven’t reported back in the last few hours. Eyewitnesses say you walked off this morning’s scene and nobody has seen you since!” “That’s why I have these two, their… um… leads…” Feri retorts lamely, the inspector clearly not believing him from what Mac could tell. Ember crosses her arms, “Huh, and what leads is your godson going to provide?” “Not him, her,” Feri says pointing to Moon Dancer. “She was on the phone with someone who was present during the attack, who is now missing. She’s delivering a DNA sample to match the blood at the scene.” The red man checks his watch, grinning widely at the inspector. “But I’m sure you don’t have time to stand there and scold me. I’m sure it’s time for you to go to the Chief’s office, right?” Mac watches Ember’s cheek turn a deep red, her teeth grinding as the blue woman points a death glare at the red detective. Feri didn’t seem threatened as he waves jovially at the inspector like she was a child. “Have fun, I’ll be sure to knock next time.” Ember bats away his hand, growling, “Feri you son of a bitch! If you so much as…” “Relax, my lips are sealed. Why don’t you go have fun with your boyfriend, you’re looking rather tense inspector.” Feri laughs leaning back in his chair with his arms behind his head, he and Moon Dancer scoot their chairs away from the fuming inspector as she slams her hands on Feri’s desk. Ember let’s out a series of inaudible growls before storming away. “Aren’t you popular,” Moon Dancer says sarcastically. “I just caught her and chief if a… compromising position one time. Not a big deal. She’s just mad I have dirt on her. She’s in a tight spot, she’s sleeping with the chief, so she has to be careful. And she’s also the governor's daughter. You two can keep a secret right?” “Sounds like something out of a TV drama,” Mutters Mac leaning back in his chair. A case file in his hands. Bored he takes another look around the office, the fifth time to be precise, this as his first time seeing a real police station from the inside before. Yeah, he’s been to the sheriff’s office in town, but this wasn’t anything close to that. The sheriff’s office was just a few desks and other rooms, nothing really special. Here was much bigger and much busier. He had wondered how close the cop shows on TV got to reality. The scene of the busy police station was fairly accurate, but the piles upon piles of paperwork one each desk was more then he’d been expecting. Feri’s desk wasn’t much better. “Not quite as glamour’s as on TV, huh? Fucking gotta write down everything, even when you take a shit almost.” His godfather hissed looking at the stack of papers on his desk. Taking another stack Feri began to scribe stuff down, grumbling curses as he does. “I don’t know how much longer it’ll be, an hour maybe two. There’s a coffee machine over there near the chief’s office and if you smoke you can go out back or on the roof. If you’re hungry go to the lady up front and she’ll order you something.” “So, we’re just going to stay here and wait?” Moon Dancer frustrating gawks. “Shouldn’t be out looking for Maddie or leads or something?” Feri ignores herm licking his finger so he could flip his paperwork over. “Yes. We’re going to stay here because it’s you the monsters are after it seems. This is the best place to put you, for now. Once we confirm the DNA test, we’ll be heading back to Canterlot.” “Is there a reason we have to wait here? Can’t the lab tech just call you when the results are done?” Asks Mac. “Yeah. That was pretty bold attack the enemy launched on the library. I have a feeling once we get somewhere more remote, say the road between Canterlot and Canterlot City, things might heat up again. So, we’re staying here until we have a plan to move you safely. If you want to be helpful look through these casefiles for me. Maybe you’ll see something I haven’t yet.” Looking at the case file in his hands Mac opens it, it was titled: alleyway incident. Flipping to the next page file Mac finds three mug shots, all boys, all from Crystal prep or maybe Crystal College. They had puncture marks on their bodies. Kind of like a vampire, though the marks were from their necks to shoulder, to their arms. It was more like a wild animal maimed them rather than tried to drain their blood. Turning the page there was a photo of a single stray pink hair. Now pink was not an unusual color. But something stuck out to Mac as he pulls out his phone. Scrolling through his phone he found a picture of AJ and her friends from when they helped pick apples. He flips through the photo’s his finger landing on a close up of Fluttershy and then Pinkie Pie. He looks between the two photos feeling troubled. Putting the file back down he switches to his messages, frowning at the three missed calls and unread texts he had sent to Adagio. They should be home by now. Maybe her phone was dead. Scrolling through his contacts he tries AJ’s phone and same result. He tries a text thinking maybe she was in a low service area, but again after a few minutes of waiting there was no reply or message saying the text had been read. Nervously he taps his phone on his knee. Anxiousness running through his body. Quickly he stood up and marched over to the coffee machine taking a cup for himself, before grabbing another for Moon Dancer. Who was busy reading a different file, taking the cup without looking. “Can I get a refill too since your up?” Feri asks still peering over his paperwork. Mac takes his godfather’s empty mug, which had the moon engraved on it, and refills it. “Thanks.” Feri mumbles taking the mug without looking. Mac sits back down. The wait was killing him, but so was the fact nobody was answering their damn phones! Scrolling this his contacts again he tries Sunset Shimmer, again no answer and no reply. “Twilight was with them and… I don’t have her number.” He grumbles softly. He tries Sonata’s phone next, the obvious happening, so he quickly tries Aria, thinking maybe someone would at least answer it, but no dice. He begins to the dial the number for home, he waits for the tone, but he only gets the voice mail. He checks his watch again. It’s been almost an hour or more since Adagio and the girls left, they should be home and if not, Sonata should be home. He dials Adagio’s number again, but the call doesn’t go through, she must be out of service or her phone was dead. Realizing he wasn’t going to get anywhere just worrying. Mac picks up the case file again. Instantly he goes to the hair sample and Fluttershy’s picture. Now he did not have a critical eye for art or half of the things Adagio does with her makeup. But looking critically at the hair at the scene and the picture of Fluttershy and Pinkie, he would say they were the same shade. That didn’t instantly incriminate them or why explain why he was even thinking this. The two pinkettes wouldn’t hurt a fly. Fluttershy especially because she’s tried to get him to adopt a fly as a pet once. Granting she had been seven at the time. He closes the file with a scoff. Now way Fluttershy or Pinkie for that matter was the culprit. What was the motivation? Besides what proof was there? Well, he should probably finish reading the file to figure that out. Picking the file up for the third time he starts from the beginning. Starting with the location of the attack. Bringing up a map of on his phone he was a bit surprised to find the attack took place between the animal shelter and Fluttershy’s home. Next was the park fountain where the boy's blood was mixed in the water. It was in the same area. Ok. Other things found at the scene. Blood, hair, a soccer ball, and dog hair… dog hair? Ok, the time of the attack, crossed with the time Fluttershy would be getting off work. (Ouch,) Mac thought as the threads of his little web began to tie together. Putting Fluttershy in as the attacker was too perfect. But what reason would she have to attack the boys? Did they harass her? Maybe. Even if they did she wouldn’t hurt them this bad with her magic. Unless. He thought about the dog hair. Would Fluttershy hurt someone this bad over an animal? He cringed. He wouldn’t be surprised. No, no. Fluttershy would defend the animal, but she wouldn’t go this extreme in doing it? Right? Mac looks at the wounds again. They weren’t very clean. The attacker bit them and nearly ripped out their throats. Some were cleaner and kind resembled vampire bites like in the movies. But how does that connect to Fluttershy… no not Fluttershy. Flutterbat! But that would mean Fluttershy turned dark again, but this is from weeks ago, surely some of the girls would have noticed something? He put the file back down for the last and final time. This wasn’t his job. Besides this is crazy. Just because Fluttershy fit the description didn’t mean she was the culprit. Right? Well, his gut wasn’t feeling as sure. “I’m going to get some air.” He said without waiting for a reply. Following the stairs, he walks up to the roof. The filthy city air was not the most mind clearing thing ever, but it beat the office below and thinking one of his sister’s friend committed attempted murder. Still, they’ve all turned to the dark side (Unwillingly) at least once. Twice for others. Could they have rebounded? Was that possible? God, he wished Maddie wasn’t missing right now. She was the one that turned them. Then again, Moon Dancer was here. She should know something, right? “Well, might as well go ask.” He took a step towards the door but stops and pulled out his phone again. It’s been ten/twenty minutes since he last tried to call Adagio. Might as well try his luck again. He presses call and waits. And waits. And waits. He should have guessed. He was about to about to hit cancel when. “Hello?” Came the sound of Adagio’s honeysuckle voice. Instantly his anxiety was lessened. Only for his frustrations to come boiling up. “What the hell! I’ve been trying to get hold of you for the past hour and a half! I’ve called you a half a dozen times, Sonata, the home line, and even Aria! AJ and Sunny too! Where the hell are all of you?” Mac grumbles his hackles rising. Everyone had a damn phone! To hell, if they answer it through. “I’m sorry, we…” There was a hiccup in her voice. Was Adagio crying? “We had some trouble at home.” “What happened?” Mac’s tone shifting from angry to worried in less than a second. The was a pause. A muffled sound coming over the line. There were other voices. A lot of voices. And shouting. He waits. “Sorry, we’re trying to get everyone off the driveway and to the house. Good thing we have some strong men here to help. Luna’s running to get some blankets to cover the girls.” He frowns. “Luna’s there?” “Celestia too,” Adagio quips quickly, the sound of footsteps on gravel coming in the background. “Why do you need blankets? What’s going on?” “Well, your sister, my sisters, and Sunset are all currently are all currently naked and sleeping. I figured Stryker and Fury wouldn’t want to carry them naked to the house.” “Stryker? Wait Fury is there? As in Fierce Fury? Wait, wait… why are my sister and the others naked? On the driveway no less?” “Long story babe, listen. Stryker is telling me to tell you to tell Feri, the Earth Feri, to go set up a conference call or something. He says he’ll deal with things on his end here. Anyway, we’ll hash this all out in a few minutes here when we get things set up. I’ll text you when we're ready. Love you.” The call ends. Feelings relief, yet not, Mac went back down to tell Feri and Moon Dancer of the call. Feri seems to have an idea of what he was talking about as the red detective lead them to a small conference room with a projector. Feri proceeds to plug his iPhone onto the machine and dials a number. A few minutes a later Mac’s living room appears on the screen. And what he could only describe as a blue hair version of Sixes fiddling with something on his TV. “Can you see me? Can you hear me ok?” The Sixes look-alike asks over the speakers of the room. “Reading you loud and clear Stryker, all things go here,” Feri said pointing them to sit down. There was a camera above the projector screen. Stryker steps back, looking pleased. “I see you too.” He steps back, revealing Adagio, Luna, and Celestia sitting on the couch, Fury on the lazy boy, and Stryker on the other couch.” Awkwardness ensues. “Hi, Feri,” Luna says awkwardly. “So, I guess you know about magic too? Huh?” “Same to you.” Feri replies. “How long have you known?” “Past year and a half or so, you?” “Past twenty or so.” “WHAT! HOW THE FUCK DID YOU KEEP IT SECRET FOR THAT LONG?” Luna screams, Celestia, having to pull her back on the couch. Celestia looking bemused by her sister’s reaction. As was the rest of the room. “So now that’s out of the way, where should we start?” Celestia says coughing, while Luna vents. Celestia had a strange air of giddiness about her as she had all the expression of a child that just got her favorite toy for Christmas. “Ok, I can’t hold it back anymore! Luna and I have magic now! Lookie!” Celestia stands ups, sprouting wings and ears, and jumps in place. “I feel amazing!” “That’s ah… an interesting development,” Mac says slowly, unsure how to take the news. Moon Dancer was looking intrigued, while Feri… he was strangely neutral. Dangerously neutral. “How’d that happen?” Celestia’s mood took a nose dive. “Well, how to say this? Your mother had a hand or paw or stick in it. I don’t know, it’s hard to explain.” “There was a Timberwolf version of Applejane, like with Nico.” Adagio clarifies, Mac nodding his understanding. “So, both guardians are gone now?” Feri voices aloud. Earning him a lot of stares. “You knew about them too?” Luna demands, leaning forward. “Then why the hell did tree Nico come to my house!” “Because you were closer, I don’t know. I didn’t program them.” Feri retorts, sounding just a little frustrated. “Your magical awakening aside, let’s get down to business, what happened?” Stryker sighs, digging into his pocket to pull out a pack of cigarettes. Only for Adagio to slap it out of his hand. “Not in my house!” She angrily snarls. “Same here,” Mac adds glaring through the camera. Stryker holds up his hands in defeat. “Alright, alright, sorry. Let’s see, I got a call from one of the boys at the bar about seeing your doppelganger here and went to investigate. I found him harassing that Rarity girl, we duked it out, I get knocked out. Next thing I know I wake up and he’s telling me we gotta to fly to Mac’s farm. Saying he senses dark magic or something. We get there and it’s a shit show. I’m not really sure how else to describe it.” “The girls turned evil again,” Adagio clarifies again. “Apparently Aria was infected with something according to Timber Jane. Aria then infected Sonata and then they proceeded to infect Sunset and Applejack. By the end, all four of them were savage beasts. This guy.” She points to Fury. “Swoops in and then reduces himself and them to ashes.” “WHAT!” Mac jumps, knocking over his chair, his jaw clenched tight. “What the hell did you do to my sister, Fury?” Fierce Fury not looking intimidated in the slightest stays seated, speaking calmly. “It was a gamble, but it worked and hopefully purified them properly this time. We were too careless last time, thinking your familial rainbow blast purified everyone properly. Judging from what I saw at the farm and what I sensed from your world’s Rarity, it is safe to say the SINS were alive and well inside them.” Mac blinks, Feri and Moon Dancer looking as confused as him. “SINS? What do you mean?” Fury asks for a piece of paper and writes something on it and holds for them to see. “SINS, short for, Synthetic Intelligent neuron Symbionts, basically parasites. That serum Maddie gave you was created by her father, Madhoof and his partner in crime Hoofenstien. On the surface, it looks and acts like a mind control serum, but what really happens it creates a parasite inside the host's body. The parasite hatches and infects the host's body. Slowly taking control of over time. During that time, it can be programmed with a new personality. Such as the mindless slaves we fought when we came to rescue you.” A horrible gut feeling bound inside Mac's stomach as he looks at Adagio through the screen, she seems to be having the same feelings as she clutches her stomach. “So, these SINS, the other personalities Maddie put inside us. Their still there?” Fury nods. “What do we do about them? How do we get rid of them? What about Adagio and I? Are we still infected?” “Calm down Mac,” Said Fury. “If either of you were a danger of being hosts it would have happened by now. SINS feed on negative emotions and dark magic. If they can’t get enough nutrients they die like any other parasitic organicism.” Both Mac and Adagio breathe a sigh of relief. “However, we’re not out of woods yet. At least two of your friends are still infected. The first being the one I fought when I came through the portal, which was destroyed by her. Couldn’t tell who it was. From what I could tell the SINS are still separate from the body. The one I fought had a serpent-like familiar. There seems to be a power struggle between the two. I couldn’t tell who was in control. But…” “But what?” Mac asks, knowing he wasn’t going to like what was about to be said. But’s are never good in these situations. “The one I fought last night, had a piece the Fallen Alicorn Grau’s amulet stuck in her chest. She also stole the Green Alicorn Amulet from Equestria. Needless to say, she has some serious power at her fingertips.” “Ok, back up here for a second,” interrupts Ferocious. “What the hell is an alicorn amulet?” “I would like to second that question, what’s the big deal if they have these Alicorn Amulets?” Moon Dancer chimes in, getting stares of disbelief from the two Equestrians. “I mean really what’s the big deal if they have jewelry?” Adagio answers the question. “An Alicorn Amulet is one of the of the most sought-after items in all of Equestria, they are the crystallized remains of the most powerful beings in our world. Alicorns, ponies with the abilities of all three races. Having one basically makes you a demi-god.” The room falls into silence. Mac especially quiet as he remembers the deathmatch he and the girls had against Grau. He didn’t look forward to doing that again. “The amulets aside for now. You said you went after Rarity, Fury. Do you know for a fact she’s infected?” “I could sense a dark magic similar to the one had fought the night before.” Feri replies. “I couldn’t tell them apart, only that they were similar. I can only sense them when the SINS are in full control. Had this fool not gotten in the way, I could have captured her.” “Don’t go blaming this all on me, buddy.” Stryker snaps. While the two argue back and forth about who was more to blame, Mac sat back down, his brow frown with worry. Pinkie and Rainbow didn’t show up to help pick apples. Rarity and Fluttershy did. But then all four were missing this morning at school when the statue was found destroyed. Rarity was a confirmed infected. Applying this new knowledge to the alleyway attack Fluttershy was probably infected too. But what about Rainbow and Pinkie Pie? “Hey Fury,” Mac says, both red men looking at him. “Sorry, the Equestrian Fury. You said the SINS could be programmed, what if they’re not? What happens then?” The red rinin shrugs, “Can’t say for sure. How about you, four eyes. You were Maddie’s assistant, right? Do you know anything?” “No, not about this specifically,” Moon Dancer admits. “But I can theorize if that’s okay.” “Fine by me,” Mac tells her. Moon Dancer coughs taking center stage. “Alright, well given the current information and my own research under Maddie. I can safely say that if the SINS are not programmed, it would make sense they would barrow personality traits from their hosts. At first of course, as they mature, I’m sure they would seek to become more independent and come on to their own. What that entails I have no idea.” “So, say, if these things were in the early stages of development, they would cause their hosts to do things they wouldn’t normally do, right?” Mac asks. Remembering way, way back to that certain night in August. Moon Dancer nods at his hypothesis, so he continues speaking more for himself than the others. “So, say, suddenly a good nature and sportsman player like Rainbow Dash suddenly used her magic to attack another player? To hurt them?” “I suppose, but that’s only a guess.” “It’s not a guess, is it Mac?” Feri said suddenly, both he and Adagio realizing what Mac was aiming for. “Rainbow attacked Gilda with hail at that soccer game. She may not have consciously did it, but she is the only one that could and had a reason to do it. That was the probably ground zero for her infection and the others.” Moon Dancer buts in, “That would make sense. Your sister and her friends share a magic bond. It helped to keep Maddie from changing you all into what she wished if one of you was still unaffected their magic would work to change the others back to normal. But that can also work in reverse too. If one of you is infected then it would spread through the bond to the others over time. And depending on emotional states and environmental factors some changed, while others did not.” “Which means,” Adagio said bringing all eyes on her. “That those not with us now are infected. So, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie are still out there at large and one of them has two alicorn amulets. Or worse they are all working together.” “I don’t think that’s the case,” Fury says. “Between the one, I fought at the school and then confronting Rarity there seem to be no connection between them. That being said, we shouldn’t assume anything for now on. Whether separate or together those girls are a threat and they need to be dealt with. Sooner rather than later. Before the SINS permanently take over their bodies.” “What happens then?” Luna asks speaking up for the first time in a while. Concern for her students clear on her and Celestia’s face. “They’ll become like Kerosene, Tundra, and White Tail,” Moon Dancer answers. “They’ll never be their original selves again.” Silence fills the room as the weight of those words settles in. If the girls can’t be turned back, then, well they didn’t want to really think about that. Feri leans back with his arms crossed, “So, what’s the plan? Pony me, can you do what you did before to fix the girls?” Mac gave a sharp glare to Feri, who wasn’t fazed as he locks eyes with his Equestrian counterpart. The two of them having a silent conversation just between themselves. “Maybe,” Was Fierce Fury’s reply after a full minute of silence. “I’d rather not if given a better option. I didn’t know it would work the first time, it was a heat of the moment thing. Besides, I used Supernova too many times back to back. I’ll need two or three days before my body can handle blowing up again.” “How long do we have till the SINS fully take over the girls?” Adagio asks. “Sixes said it’ll be a week at best before he can get back to Equestria to supply the new portal with his book.” “That’s if they have the new portal built by then.” Fierce Fury adds. “A week might be too optimistic. Especially if they have to track down Starswirl. Luna knows where the hell he’s at these days.” Adagio leans forward on the couch, looking strangely at Fierce Fury. “Starswirl is still alive?” Fury waves her off, “Long story, as Princess Twilight about it. I want nothing to do with that old mage. But back to what my counterpart said. What is our plan of action, Mac?” Fury said looking directly at the camera. Everyone’s eyes fell on him, looking towards him for leadership. The pressure weighing on his shoulders. It was something he should be used too. Yet now even more people were looking to him. It wasn’t just the sirens or his sisters. He glances at Adagio’s face on the screen, she smiles at him. A wide encouraging smile. He found comfort and confidence in it. “We’ll spilt into teams. Adagio will stay with Applejack and the others and keep an eye on them. Fierce Fury, Luna, Celestia, and Stryker will go out and start looking for Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Start by talking to their families and then checking out their work and hangouts for information. It would be wise for you four to pair up, preferably with Luna or Celestia going with Stryker or Fury. That way each team will have an experienced magic user. Once the blood tests are finished. Me, Feri, and Moon Dancer will go to the farm. We’ll check in then and go from there.” He took a breath. “Does that sound good?” Fury chuckles. “Good enough plan for me, kid.” “I think that’ll cover it, for now, we’ll keep in contact,” Feri says turning off the projector and ending the video call. Swiveling into his chair Feri looks at him, smirking with pride. “About gave me chills, son, I thought you were your dad for a second there.” “Thanks, but it wasn’t anything that great,” Mac said as they file into the hallway. “You could have just handed things off to me or Stryker or the Fury. God, that’s weird. I was playing it cool, but it was freaky to see the other me on the screen. Gotta ask what he lifts, pony me is jacked! Speaking of which can ponies lift? I mean how do they lift with hooves?” “Fierce Fury is a Rinin, a dragon pony, so he had claws. I don’t know if he lifts though.” This was not a conversation Mac expected to ever have. Questionings if ponies could lift. Again, his life was weird. Ember was standing at Ferocious’s desk, the petite woman holding a stack of papers under her arm. Feri let out a snicker, Ember fuming. Mac wondered what was so funny, when he notices the woman’s uniform was wrinkled, her make-up was smudged and her lipstick had the appearance of being recently reapplied. “Hey, have fun with the chief?” Feri jokes, Ember remains quiet, staring straight out the window. “Ok, are those the blood results? Sorry to say we probably don’t… hey Ember, what’s fucking wrong? Hey!” The lights flicker in the station, a dull roar of chatter fills the office and then the power goes out and then silence. And then they heard screams. The papers slip from Ember’s grasp, her lips barely moving as she mutters something. Feri and Mac peer around to see the terror-struck eyes of the blue woman as Mac and Feri run to the window overlooking the street. A sight they only saw in their nightmares playing out before them. Monsters. Monsters were roaming the streets, in broad daylight, people screaming and running in terror as the lumbering giant forms of five massive greenish gray beasts, standing at least four stories tall march towards the police station. They're ugly under bite jaws poking out of the massive helms they wore with two huge fangs poking up from their lips. Riding on the shoulder of the lead monster was some other smaller creature. A terrible shriek piece the air, shattering windows. Everyone covers their ears and ducks. Mac and Feri poke their heads over the edge of the broken bay window. The sight of one of the monsters redwood sized clubs flying straight at them! “GET OUT OF THE WAY!” They scream grabbing whoever they could as the massive club crashed into the building.