//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 (the family) // Story: the city part 1 // by keithsterling //------------------------------// It was the evening of that same day that Cadence and I accepted Miss Emerald Luster's case to find her lost father or the pony she was looking for. But that case had to wait till the following morning as we had other obligations to tend to be part of Los Ungulas high society set. We were scheduled to attend a highbrow party at Sunspots hotel for Dilettante Celestia Borealis and her younger sister Luna Borealis; both Alicorns were well known in the High Society circle as party mares. As for us, we were known for our humanitarian work that most other high society members didn't care one bit about; that was OK with us as we have seen the future and the next level for a well-off pony like us. As I drove the 1920 Rolls Royce silver ghost torpedo to Sunspots hotel for the party sitting in the passenger seat. Was Dilettante Cadence Aperture attired in a great Gatsby ivory-colored party dress, white lace lady gloves and black Lucille dress pumps with flapper heels. As for me, I was attired in a black three-piece pinstriped suit and black ballroom shoes. As I reached over to the passenger seat to touch Dilettante Cadence Aperture with my hand, a very light cornflower blue magic hand appeared out of thin air and slapped away my hand. This went on for several minutes each time I reached over to touch my mare. "I know you too well, my dear mare; you can't stay mad forever. It is not in your nature to hold a grudge. You thrive on love and compassion that is your nature.”I said as Cadence looked like the proverbial cat that ate the canary as her anger subsided and she returned to her loving mare self. "You are right, Justice; that is my nature love and compassion. But why do we have to go to that party for my adoptive aunt Celestia Borealis? She will try to fix me up with that less than desirable arrogant Edward Blueblood!” Cadence said coldly as a dark blue feather appeared out of thin air and started to tickle every inch of Cadence's exposed light pink skin on her foot that the shoes she was wearing allowed. “Please! Ahahahahahah! Please!! Ahahahahah! Stop it!” Cadence pleaded as the tickling of her feet exposed and light pink skin started to calm her anger. "(Kissing Cadence on the cheek); you keep forgetting that my mother took over your guardianship from your adoptive aunt Celestia Borealis after the original copy of your late mother's will. Was discovered in the bank safety deposit and her lawyer confirmed it," I explained as Cadence stretched her equine neck out and kissed me affectionately on my cheek. "Thank you, Justice; that is the only reason we can stay together like this. It seems my mother knew that my adoptive aunt was only looking at the vast fortune I inherited from her.” Cadence comments as she once again kisses Justice on his cheek again. "Besides, if you do me a favor, Justice? I will pretend to enjoy the party.” Cadence suggested as her tone of voice got my attention, and a dubious expression formed on her equine face. "That favors my beloved mare?" I asked as Cadence ran her tongue slowly over her glossy navy blue lipstick to make it stand out more on her lips. "After we finished our social obligation, we returned to our apartment. Before I take off my party dress. I will lie on our sofa, and you will take my shoes off my feet. Using your most fluffy feathers, you will tickle my feet for a while before we turn in for the night." Cadence explained went, her light purple eyes shined with pleasure went. I kiss her on her cheek, accepting the favor. With that, we drove up to Sunspot's luxurious hotel designed in the latest art deco style with more streamlined geometric forms and a great deal of metallic color paint on the walls. As the earth pony morph valet helps Cadence out of the car. I handed my key to the other earth pony morph valet on the other side to park the car. I watch Cadence reach into her purse and give the valet a nice tip before I join her on the sidewalk in front of the leaded glass mahogany wood entry into the hotel. We chat as we walk into the hotel's main lobby with interlocked arms. The hotel's main entrance had a highly polished wood façade pained with metallic, bright-colored paint. Suddenly Cadence digs her light blue painted fingernails into my forearm, her face etched in desperation as a magical hand strokes her prefect-shaped bust inappropriately. My cobalt blue eyes blinked with surprise went. I notice the drunken Edward Blueblood standing inside the hotel bar with a drink in his hand. My cobalt blue eyes narrowed with contempt toward him; my beloved Cadence didn’t deserve to be disrespected like that, and I quickly took her far away from Edward Blueblood's reach. In a different part of Sunspots hotel lobby, Cadence's body trembled as I held her tight in my arms. Trying my best to calm my light pink Alicorn mare anxiety from being inappropriately touched by that magical hand from Edward Blueblood. I felt my face flush with indignation as my anger rose, which my mare quickly picked up on. "Justice, please! Don't fall into that trap my adoptive aunt has set for you. She looking for any reason to get back my guardianship from your mother." Cadence said, fearful as tears streaked her light pink cheeks. "Besides, I am forever grateful to your mother for taking the daughter of a very old friend into her family. If she didn't, I would have never met you." Cadence said, thankful and grateful as my lovely light pink Alicorn mare returned to her loving self as she kissed me affectionately on the lips. Watching Cadence and Justice was a heavenly looking dark blue Alicorn mare with classic sophisticated curled glossy black mane and tail. Her elegant 6ft 5in equine figure was attired in a black beaded fringe sleeved Nadine flapper dress. On a pair of twelve-inch long dark blue wonderfully shaped bare feet with classic red toenail polish roughly the same size as her older sister’s feet but a tad bit smaller was a pair of black patent leatherette peep-toed T-strap evenly pumps. A pair of large dark blue feathered bird wings were folded on her back. This Alicorn mare was Dilettante Luna Borealis younger sister of Dilettante Celestia Borealis the hostess of this party at Sunspots hotel in Los Ungulas. ‘Huh? So that is my sister’s game?’ Luna thought as she quickly jotted something down in a small notebook she hid in her sizable bosom. Before she takes the stairs to the fourth-floor ballroom for the beginning of her older sister's party. A few moments later, Cadence and I sit in the partially empty high-end speakeasy at a small table. My light pink Alicorn mare is still much shaken up from what a lawful mare would consider a sexual assault. Went Dilettante Edward Blueblood fondled her breasts with his magical hand without her permission. As my sweet mare consumes her fourth or fifth hard apple cider shot, trying her best to forget Dilettante Edward Blueblood touching her perfect-sized breasts with his magical hand. I spoke to speakeasy owner Alphabittle Blossomforth about the darker side of the entertainment industry. When he was younger, he was a high-priced talent agent before his agency was taken over by an unlawful talent agent rumor to be a member of the Day breaker syndicate. A powerful Mafia family runs by a mighty mare named Day breaker with many bits in the bank and very secretive about her identity. Alphabittle went on to say that they are not even sure if the head of the Day breaker syndicate is even a mare or what every kind of pony species it is. As for Promoter Jacob Varn, he is a low-level mook within the Day breaker syndicate. The only reason he is even part of the Day breaker syndicate is that he had a minor connection to Neigh Horseleans underworld, and Day breaker was trying to put her foot in the door in that underworld. "How do you feel, my dear mare?" I asked thoughtfully as I gently caressed her flowing curl mane with my hand. "Said what!" I exclaimed; went sudden loud sound drew my attention over my shoulder, and I unknowingly moved my hand, resting it on her perfect-sized breasts. "Huh!" I said. I turned my head back toward Cadence, who had a huge blush on her snout and was blinking her eyes that slowly started to crack into the biggest smile I have ever seen on my mare snout and broke into laughter. "I am fine, my dear stallion? But I'll be better if you would move your hand from my perfect-sized breasts." Cadence said serenely as I quickly moved my hand from her squish bust, and she kissed me on my lips. "So what did Alphabittle tell you about Promoter Jacob Varn?" Cadence asked as she gestured away the hard apple cider shot and accepted a small pot of tea to drink. “Nothing good, my dear mare," Justice said as his voice breaks, is quickly pick-up on by Cadence, who elegantly sips her tea from a small cup. "They're a great possibility that the Day Breaker syndicate is involved," I exclaimed as Cadence spat her tea out of her mouth with the news. "The Day Breaker!" Cadence's voice is tight, fearful as the sheer mention of the Day Breaker syndicate sends a chill down the backs of all, the patrons of the speakeasy and Alphabittle Blossomforth. Meanwhile, two thousand five hundred twenty-four miles south-east of Los Ungulas in the City of Tampa Neigh a car bomb rocks a small nightclub in that city. The vehicle belongs to three well know singers in the town, Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze and Sonata Dusk; all three mares run several late-night hot spots in the city. And suspected of being the head of the Siren Syndicate, a well-known Mafia family in the city. This latest killing of the leaders of Siren Syndicate is only the topper of a series of gangland-style murders targeting high-level members of Siren Syndicate, weakening the organization and the whole takeover of all the syndicate’s rackets in the city of Tampa Neigh. The only clue that law enforcement has to identify the possible suspect is a dark mare morph that has been buying up the fronts from Siren Syndicate rackets after the one that runs the racket is found dead. These attacks on the Siren Syndicate have put the heads of the four other syndicates on high alert for a possible full-scale gang war to control the whole underworld in Equestria. In Neigh Horseleans, the base city for the Changeling Syndicate, boss mare Queen Chrysalis Convert has already dispatched her underling. Into the town to keep an eye on the going on in city as her own syndicate is about the same size as the Siren Syndicate and closer to Tampa Neigh than any other Syndicate bases. (Back in Sunspots hotel in Los Ungulas at the speakeasy) "That means we must tread carefully if the Day Breaker Syndicate is involved," I said, struggling to control the quavering in my voice that my mare once again pick-up on. "Justice, let's go back to our apartment. I am not in the mood to party now! I have something else in mind for you.” Cadence said, suggesting as she kissed me on my cheek, and she slowly brought her long Alicorn legs out from under the table, making it a point that I see her gorgeous pedicure on her light pink feet. As Justice and Cadence walk back through the Sunspots hotel lobby on their way back to the main entrance, they pass a white-bodied pegasi mare in a striped gray classic linen dress with a collar and an apron. Her midsize feathered bird wings were folded on her back, and she was pushing a cleaning cart with all cleaning supplies. On her magnificent pair of flawless and unblemished white ten-inch long slender and grand bare feet were black lace-up oxford sneakers. She pauses in front of the elevator to wait for the car to come down from the hotel's upper floors. As she waits, she moves aside a piece of fabric from the cleaning cart and retrieves a Kodiak junior camera from a small box on one of the shelves on the cart. She quickly snaps a picture of Justice Silverlight and Cadence Aperture as their leave the hotel to head home. A massive angelic smile forms on the white-bodied pegasi mare snout as she hides the camera; the elevator doors open on the lobby floor, and she gets on the elevator to head to the next floor.