//------------------------------// // 10 - The City // Story: The Crescent Pact // by Chromentazol //------------------------------// Steady and Aphelion stepped off the train as the clock reached 11PM. Having taken the last train of the day, few other ponies were around in the station. Aphelion carried their bags with his aura as Steady was taking a cigarette break on a bench nearby, having been unable to smoke during the trip itself. Feeling jittery, Aphelion remained standing next to him, pacing back and forth while going over the plan in his head. It was the second time in a week that Aphelion was helping another pony with a dangerous plan, but this time, he was on the right side of the law. Still, he felt anxious at the prospect of finding those who betrayed him a few days ago. "Just stand still for one damned minute, will ya? You're pissing on my smoke break," Steady snapped at him. "S-Sorry. Walking usually helps me calm down," Aphelion replied while sitting down next to the pegasus. For a moment, they both remained silent, taking in the cool night air. Both stallions were lost deep in their thoughts, the young one worrying about the future while the older one thinking about his past. Eventually, Aphelion broke the silence. "Where do we start, then?" "First, the hotel. We're not gonna track them down while carrying our bags with us. You'll take care of it while I check up on a lead," Steady spat his cigarette on the ground. Grabbing it with his aura, Aphelion made it float in a trash can nearby. "Shouldn't I be coming with you for that? In case you find them super early." "Nah, I won't. That lead's an old friend, but she doesn't trust others easy. If you're with me, she'll clam up, so I need to see her alone. While I'm doing that, you can wait in the hotel's lobby. There's a bar there, and whatever we get, the crown will pay our tab... As long as we're reasonable." "So, I should drink alone while you're making progress on the case?" the unicorn asked, raising an eyebrow. "Geez, buck no, that's sad. Drink with other ponies. Strike up a conversation. Only old farts like me should drink alone," he smirked. "I'm feeling increasingly less confident about this whole ordeal," Aphelion sighed. "Good. Remind yourself that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer." "Is that a reference to something?" "Point is, stay sharp. If you see or hear anything suspicious, make a note of it and tell me as soon as I'm back. Our hotel is a piece of shit, so the clientele's bound to be mixed up in some form of shady business. You're certainly gonna end up hearing something interesting." "Oh, so I'm actually doing something productive for the case? Good, that's all I need to hear," he smiled. It was clear that Aphelion, while being anxious about whatever would come next, was still hoping to perform his part well to gain Steady's and Celestia's trust. "Another thing. Your job is to get ponies talking and listen to them. Whatever you may hear or see, don't go off on your own. Don't go trying to be a hero," Steady's last part of his sentence held more weight, as his voice showed a tinge of sadness and regret. Aphelion gulped, then nodded. "O... Okay, I won't do anything stupid. I promise. How long do you think you'll be away?" "Ideally, I should be back in a few hours, but don't wait for me if sleep's getting to ya. We'll start for real tomorrow morning. Be up and ready by 7 at the latest, we've got a lot to do tomorrow." Standing up from the bench and picking the bags up with his magic, Aphelion nodded. "Alright, see you soon, then. Good luck." "To you as well, kid," he replied while watching Aphelion walk away, towards their hotel. Stretching her legs, Misty looked at the clock on her bedroom's wall, which read midnight. She had spent most of her afternoon packing her bags and had just finished casting a spell to render them temporarily invisible, so that nopony could guess what she and Sandstorm were planning to do. As Sandstorm had left a few hours early to buy their boss' beer and to deal with whatever other menial tasks Mud needed her for, Misty had the rest of the night for herself. While she could go to bed and call it a day, the prospect of leaving Manehattan for good meant giving up on all the things she loved about the city. She sighed as she left her room, deciding to spend the rest of her time in Manehattan enjoying herself. There were a few spots she was greatly going to miss, as well as friends she won't be able to see until things calmed down, if they ever did. ignoring the ponies inside the barber shop despite their attempts at bringing Misty with them in their debauchery, she stepped outside and took in the cool night air, soothing her fears. She wished Sandstorm could have gone with her that night, but they were still going to stay in town for a few days. There would be more opportunities in the week, she reasoned. Heading towards the city's center, Misty closed her eyes as she walked. Even without her sight, she was perfectly able to direct herself where she wanted to go while avoiding the obstacles and ponies on her way as she connected with the city. This talent, represented by the white wispy tendrils on her flank, of hers often left others perplexed as it was highly unusual: by spending enough time in a large metropolitan area, Misty was able to tune in with the city itself, almost as if she was merging her consciousness with the concrete jungle around her. On rare occasions, she was also able to communicate with the city she resided in, though it only happened whenever she or somepony she cared about was in danger. "I could've been the best city guide in Equestria," she thought, "if life had actually given me a chance." That night, Misty let the city itself guide her steps. She wanted to enjoy her last few evenings in Manehattan but had no specific goal in mind in terms of which bar or club to go to. Going through increasingly busier streets, she let herself be brought to 'The Nomad', one of the more high-end bars in Manehattan. While Misty didn't have that many bits with her, she still had enough for a cocktail or two before having to leave. However, as she approached the bar's entrance, the air on her back stood up as she suddenly felt a cold sweat. A barely perceptible voice echoed in her mind, repeating a single word over and over again. "Danger." The city itself was warning Misty, and yet it had brought her here. Suddenly paralyzed with fear, she had no idea what to do. Manehattan must have brought her here for a reason, but it was also telling her about a threat inside. In her entire life, her innate talent had only given her contradicting information once before. That time, Misty chose to run away, which led her to start working for Mud against her will. Steadying herself, she took a deep breath. Misty had promised herself to never make the same mistake again. As she began to bring her emotions back into control, she stepped inside. At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There were few ponies inside the bar as it was going to close in just an hour, the general atmosphere being calm and relaxed. Jazz music was playing from speakers strewn across the well-lit room. Ordering one of the bar's special cocktails made with coffee liqueur, Misty attempted to sneakily scan the room without drawing too much attention. Nopony was paying much attention to her, which helped her relax a little. Sitting down on a table further back from the bar, she was able to keep an eye on the entire room as she drank. While this meant she was also far from the main entrance, a fire exit was just a few meters on her right. And so, she waited, trying to figure out what led her to this specific bar and what, or who, was the threat. Taking more time to observe each table, she noticed something strange. On one of them near the entrance, a green lanky earth pony with a messy ochre mane was sitting alone, not eating or drinking anything. She was visibly nervous, often glancing at a window right next to her. She couldn't see Misty as she was seated behind him while she was close enough to listen to her, though the ambient music was making this task more difficult. Then, the green mare perked up as a crimson pegasus was approaching the bar. While Misty couldn't see his face exactly, she felt a sudden surge of anxiety as she quickly identified him as the source of the danger she felt. That's when Misty understood what the city was telling her: this pegasus was a threat and she needed to spy on him. A plan quickly formed in her head: if that pegasus was a threat, it would be better if he wasn't able to recognize Misty in case he knew her. So, she stood up and headed for the toilets. She was going to miss seeing him enter, but not hiding her identity was too dangerous. Getting into one of the stalls, she focused on a simple spell that would help disguise her, changing her coat from pink to teal. It would only last for an hour or two, but Misty wasn't planning on staying for too long anyway. She then quickly restyled her mane as best as she could without a brush before heading back towards her seat. As she left the toilets, she saw the crimson pegasus and the green earth pony seated together, talking. "You sure no one saw you coming in, Steady?" The green mare's voice was shaky and tired. The dark circles under her eyes betrayed her lack of sleep. "Plenty saw me enter, Dew, but nopony suspicious. What about you?" Steady replied, letting himself fall on the seat in front of her. Glancing at the rest of the room, he made a quick mental note of each pony's position in the bar. "Yeah, a few. There was a bum outside who looked at me weird, I think they wanted to rob me, but I ran before they could do anything. There was this unicorn that felt off, but she left, I think. Also, I'm pretty sure the bartender knows me. He's been eyeing me up ever since I got here... You think he knows about the debts?" Steady sighed. "You're being paranoid. When was the last time you had a good night's sleep?" "I... I dunno. But I can't let my guard down, else they'll get me as I sleep and... Well, you know how they make ponies pay their debts. Especially mares..." "You know I won't let that happen," he grabbed her hoof and held it tight, trying to comfort the mare in front of him. "I just need you to give me a few names and then I can get you someplace safe." "For how long, Steady? A week? A month? A year, maybe? You know damn well they can be very bucking patient." "If your intel's right, they won't be able to hurt anypony else. I'll make sure of it. Just trust me, please." "I'm sorry, but not yet. I need some sort of proof you won't backstab me." "...Yeah, of course," Steady looked side to side, making sure nopony was looking at them. He did notice a teal mare glancing in his general direction, though she quickly looked away. He frowned. "I'll have to keep an eye on that one," he thought as he reached into his saddle bags with one of his wings, pulling out a scroll and a large pouch, placing them on the table. "I know you don't like being forced into a single option, so I got you a choice. The scroll basically invites you to reside in Canterlot, as one of Celestia's guests. She's fine with you staying there for as long as you need. You'll be safe in the castle, nopony's gonna be able to breach security to kidnap you. Alternatively, the pouch contains enough bits for you to run off to whichever part of the world you want. You can start a new life safely... Or you can use it to pay your debts, but we both know it won't stop Mud from coming after you." Eyeing the pouch, Morning Dew mumbled. "Yeah, my debt was always just an excuse to get me..." She reached for them both, but Steady quickly covered them with his wings. "I showed you proof for my end of the deal. Give me yours and you'll get your freedom." Glaring at the crimson pegasus, Morning Dew felt her pulse rise. "...Fine. You got something to write?" Going back in his bag, Steady pulled out a small notebook and a pencil before sliding them in front of the mare. She hesitantly grabbed the pencil with her mouth and began to write down a list of names and locations while Steady continued to scan the room. The teal unicorn near the back of the room had been listening to their conversation and her expression had shifted multiple times in reaction to what had been said. Steady decided to try and have a word with her as soon as Dew was done, though he decided not to talk to her about it. Eventually, the green mare finished writing and spat the pencil out of her mouth. "Right. You got your name. Give me my..." before finishing her sentence, Steady slid the scroll and the pouch next to her. "...Thanks," she relaxed a little. "Don't mention it," he replied while grabbing the notebook and quickly reading through Dew's notes. "Wrote 'em in order of importance." "Right. So, 'Smoky's'? Is that a diner?" Steady asked. As he did so, he noticed the teal unicorn at the back of the bar beginning to shake slightly. "Nah, it's some barbershop in the outskirts of Manehattan. Its actual name is 'The Smoky Razor', but everypony calls it Smoky because they do more drinking that mane-cutting, there." "What makes it at the top of the list?" "Almost every week, somepony there ends up with broken bones. I often talk to them during my shifts at the hospital and they always say it's some freakishly strong mare that sent them there. It fits your description, so... You want me to explain the other places?" "Nah, that won't be necessary. I got a hunch telling me that's our ticket." "Alright then. I'll be going. Dunno which option I'm gonna take. I'll... Maybe see you in Canterlot?" "Uh huh," barely paying attention to her, Steady was focusing intensely on the teal unicorn. Dew looked behind and saw her heading to the toilets. Getting a bad feeling, she decided this was a good time to leave, quickly exiting the bar. Once Morning Dew was back in the streets of Manehattan, she started galloping towards her flat. Having done her part, she wanted nothing more to do with Steady or this cursed city. Steady soon left as well upon seeing the teal mare going to the toilets. He knew she would attempt to run away and that she wouldn't be stupid enough to attempt exiting via the front door. Calmly walking into an alleyway next to the bar, he waited a few seconds before a sudden flash of gray light surged in front of him. There, he saw Misty, having dropped her disguising spell, cornered. They stared at each other for a moment, Misty's eye being wide open. Taking a few steps towards her, Steady cleared his throat. "I think you and I ought to have a little talk." Placing the bags down, Aphelion spent a moment alone in his hotel room. It wasn't very big, and the yellow wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and he could swear he had seen a mouse running around in the hotel's lobby, but this was going to have to do for now. Testing out his bed, it was barely more comfortable than the wooden plank he had slept on in his cell. Aphelion could also notice an unidentifiable stain on his bedsheets, but he chose not to linger too much on it. While Steady said this hotel was 'a piece of shit', Aphelion still hoped for something somewhat respectable. Upon noticing a faint smell of rotten food (or at least, he hoped it was rotting food instead of a rotting animal carcass somewhere in the hallways), Aphelion attempted to open the small window on the side of the room. Met with the incredible view of a dirty alleyway filled with trash bags and cats running around, Aphelion thought it was time to leave this wonderful room to try and talk with the local clientele. Walking downstairs towards the main lobby, he headed for the small bar. It was still open when he arrived, but by the look on the bartender's face, it was obvious that he only wanted one thing: to go back home. However, there was one last guest seated on the stools in front of the wooden bar, a purple pegasus. Sitting two seats away from the other pony, Aphelion ordered a beer. The bartender tried to hide his annoyance at the idea of serving another customer so late in the night, but he still listened while forcing a smile. A few seconds later, a lukewarm beer was waiting for Aphelion. With just one sip, he already regretted his decision as Aphelion wondered if the bartender hadn't mixed the alcohol with some of his own urine. Forcing himself to drink, he was brainstorming ways to strike up a conversation with the other pony at the bar. Thankfully, the stranger started the conversation on his own. "Beer here tastes like shit, don't it?" he asked Aphelion without even looking at him. "Y...Yeah, I've had better," he replied while trying to appear more laid back. The last thing Aphelion wanted was to let his anxiety show. "Well, if you don't like it, y'all can go buck yourselves," the bartender barked. "Aw, don't be mad Roonie, ain't your fault this shithole can't pay for better booze." "My name isn't Roonie, you bucking asshole..." Roonie muttered under his breath. "So... Do you know any better spots nearby? To drink, I mean," Aphelion asked cautiously. "Sure. There's quite a few, actually. Why, you lookin' to get wasted?" "Something like that. Had a long week, I'm trying to get the edge off." "Ya hear that, Roonie? Our friend here wants to get black-out drunk. Get two more glasses of your piss water, I'm payin'." The bartender shot a hateful glare towards the two stallions at the counter. "You know what? Screw you guys. I was already supposed to close two hours ago. I'm going home." "Chill, Roonie. Y'know he's gonna come soon, I promise. Ya don't want him to finally make it to see the store's already closed?" The pegasus attempted to calm Roonie down. Upon the mention of the arrival of this other pony, Roonie seemed to tense up. "Bucking hell... You've been saying that for hours, now. You sure he's really coming?" "One hundo percent. He'll deal with your little mistake as long as you pay him... And as long as you keep the booze flowing!" the pegasus yelled, jovially holding his glass high. Aphelion, unsure of what was going on, spoke hesitantly. "Who... Who's coming, exactly?" "Hmm? Oh, ye're new in town, I assume?" "Yes. Or, well, I haven't been in Manehattan since I was 5." "Well, then you need to get acquainted with the stallion runnin' this whole neighborhood. If ya want to get obliterated, he's your guy. Booze, speed, mares... Hell, even stallions if you're into that." Feeling a pit form in his stomach, Aphelion could already guess who was coming. Still, he asked: "Oh... And what's the name of that stallion?" "Everyone here calls him Mud. You'll see, great fella... As long as you pay," the pegasus snickered.