It had to happen sooner or later.
A storm that the local weather team has warned about for the past several days has arrived. Dark clouds have covered Manehattan from one end to the other, blocking out the sun. Heavy rains have driven everypony off the streets. Lightning and thunder make their rounds like sentries. Only the desperate or the truly idiotic would be outside in weather like this.
Naturally, that never bothered me. I love rain, and lightning means nothing to me.
I took the time to craft a bench made of ice outside the Pyre. I'm sitting on it now, one hand resting on its back and keeping it sustained while I enjoy the weather for what it is.
For the time being, I'm alone. First: with the storm deterring any customers, Drama's closed the theater for the day and secluded herself upstairs to catch up with her reading. She told me that if I get any calls, I should just attend to them and not worry about her.
Second: after I learned of the upcoming storm, I had a brief conference with the Police and the local weather team. Maverick and Magnum will be working with the latter for the rest of the morning, helping to make sure that the storm doesn't go out of control. The team's manager was reluctant when the suggestion was posed to him, but he gave in on the grounds that they followed all of his directions to the letter. The duo swore to me that they wouldn't let anypony down.
This post-recovery break was good for me, but I'm anxious to get back to work finding the remaining agents. They're hiding somewhere, and my instincts are telling me that they didn't decide to cut their losses and leave the city just because I'm back to full strength. For my peace of mind and the city's, they'll need to be stopped soon.
Within the past few days, the MRPD was finally able to get past all of the red tape and conduct a search of Chocolate Mocha HQ, search warrant in hoof. The tower was searched from top to bottom, but by the time the Police left they'd found nothing that could be linked between our enemies and the late Cocoa Mocha.
Personally I find the lack of evidence suspicious. It was more than a week between Statuette's confession and the Police search. Assuming that she wasn't lying, that would be more than enough time for any evidence to be hidden or otherwise relocated. I haven't been given the go-ahead to investigate the tower myself, so I haven't been able to prove my suspicions.
My radio crackles. The transmission is garbled on account of the storm, but I can still hear Officer Coffee trying to talk to me. -"---athan? General? -----nemy is on the mo------peat, enemy is on the-----. Collect Gray G--------to the station imm-----."-
Knew it. "I will be there shortly. I repeat: as soon as I can," I inform her.
Leaving the bench to dissolve on its own, I jump off of it and take my leave.
I actually haven't been by Gray's apartment more than once, back on that first day. I've stopped by the building to retrieve Mav and Mag when they seemed to be running late, but that's it. Ebony might be making some good steps in overcoming her fears, but confronting her in her own home didn't feel like a wise move.
The side door on the fire escape is closed due to the weather, so I go in through the front. The superintendent's working in the lobby, and he reminds me where Gray's home is located. Shuffling my way up multiple sets of stairs isn't my idea of a fun time, but I'm still able to reach my destination before long. And I still have to be mindful of the lower ceiling.
The first thing that gets my attention is the yelling. Ebony sounds like she's barking orders to her siblings, with Energy and Zig-Zag yelling back at her. After a little bit Ebony's voice changes in tone, sounding as if she's upset at her mother. What's going on? Is something wrong?
No way to get an answer to that question but to ask. I raise my hand and knock on the door. "Hello? It's Levi. Is everything okay in there?"
The apartment immediately quiets. "Crudbunny," I can hear Ebony mutter. "F-Fiver, get the door."
The door handle jiggles after a moment. "...It's unlocked," Fiver announces in her usual manner. "...Enter if you're fearless."
That's not a good sign. I open the door and step into the family's domain for the first time.
...Okay, did a bomb hit this place? There's plants all over the room.
And when I say all over, I mean 'all over'. The floor, the ceiling, the walls, the furniture, the doors, part-way into the kitchen... there's not a single surface left uncovered. All of the ponies have some of it stuck to them, and Echo is happily chewing on one.
As for Gray, she's completely unfocused and dazed. She's looking at me like everypony else, but she doesn't acknowledge me. I don't think she even recognizes me. "I've got a fang," she states in all honesty. "It's pointy. It hurts." She tries to grab Ebony awkwardly, but misses and hugs the wall instead---smushing her face into one of the leaves. "Self-appointed. Sixteen tons. What do I get?... I'm bad at reading lips, what are you saying?"
...wait a moment. I think I recognize this plant. Juniper Leaf was carrying one of those at that morale-boosting event. "Is this catnip?" I ask, taking a leaf off the wall for a closer look.
Zig-Zag gestures at an opened package in the middle of the floor. "Delivery. Little while ago. Exploded out."
"...You may want to defend yourself," Fiver warns---
---just a moment too late as Gray pries herself off the wall and leaps at me. I brace myself against the door frame to keep from falling over, and while the impact makes me grunt I'm able to stay on my feet. "Gray!" I complain as I try to pull her off. "What in Equestria is wrong with you?"
"C-cat...catnip..." she growls, holding on tight as she tries to nuzzle my face. She almost sounds like she's struggling to make sense, but if she is it's a losing battle. "Scent irresistible. You look like a fish!"
"We k-knew that this stuff effects her weirdly, but never like this," Ebony explains worriedly. As she continues talking, Gray lets go of me and staggers over to the couch to rub her face against it. "We received a package from the nearest Mocha Tavern like we do every year, so I thought we were just g-getting chocolate powder!"
I frown upon hearing this. "Humor me for a moment, kids. What's the return address on that package?"
Energy retrieves the opened package---sidestepping to avoid Gray lunging at him---and reads off what it says on the label. "That can't be right," Ebony protests in response. "We get our shipments from the Tavern just two blocks away. That address is clear across the city at---"
"---Mocha HQ," I finish with a sharp intake of breath, familiar with the location. So they're aware of Gray's background. They've gone back to trying to keep her out of the game for as long as possible. "Has she ever been like this around catnip before?"
Gray plops onto the floor and twists around, a dopey little smile on her muzzle. "Not like this," Zig-Zag states, worried. "Never like this."
"Mom's always liked catnip, but the effects never last this long," Pure Energy elaborates. "It's usually just about ten minutes." He nods. "Ten minutes. Usually. After that she's able to pry herself away from it."
"And how long has it been?"
"(...) Half an hour," the children chorus, with Fiver being half a beat behind.
So either the effects were strengthened somehow, or they're trying to overwhelm her through sheer quantity. I shake my head and re-open a signal to the MRPD. "Officer Coffee? I've got a very stupid situation here."
Coffee traded baffled looks with the pony next to her. "...Come again, General? I'm not reading you clearly. You're saying that the enemy's overwhelmed Gray Ghost with catnip?"
-"That's exactly what I'm saying,"- Leviathan confirmed after a short silence. -"It's everywhere in here, and that's not hyperbole. Her children are telling me that they received a package half an hour ago, and the contents exploded when they opened it. They've been trying to keep Gray under control ever since. And speaking of: Gray, I'm made of metal, now stop trying to bite me! ...Over."-
-"Fishyyy..."- Gray was heard crooning. -"Wanna eat. Yum yum eat 'em up, eat 'em up."-
"...I don't think we have any programs that treat catnip addictions," Coffee's fellow officer deadpanned.
Coffee nudged him into silence. "You think you can get her out of the apartment long enough for the effects to wear off?"
-"I can try. Hold on a few moments. ...Come on, Gray. Let's get you out of here..."- There was some scuffling. -"Come on, I said!"-
-"Raiiiinstoooorm,"- Gray purred. -"Raiiiinstoooorm!"-
"I don't think she's talking about me," the officer pondered. "Maybe she doesn't want to go out in rain this bad?"
-"Wouldn't surprise me,"- Leviathan grumbled. -"Gray, get out from under the couch!"-
-"I'mma lady,"- Gray answered.
-"Fine. If you're not coming out of there--- ...hey, where'd she go? ...GAH!"-
-"Now we're sister ladiiieeesss!"-
-"And why was there a makeup kit under the coach?!"-
-"...Mom was wondering where that went. Thanks for finding it,"- Fiver uttered, her voice nearly lost over the transmission.
-"M-maybe you should've tried lifting the couch instead,"- Ebony nervously suggested.
There was a short pause as the suggestion was followed. -"Ugh! When was the last time you cleaned under here?!"- Leviathan protested indignantly.
-"Two days ago,"- Zig-Zag answered.
-"Well, it's positively filthy now, and---"- The sound of an impact. -"---and now Gray's getting it all over me! For the love of---!"-
-"...It'll come out in the rain, you big baby,"- Fiver droned.
-"And now I'm wondering what baby Reploids look like,"- Energy pondered. -"Thanks, sis."-
-"...You're welcome. I think."-
Shaking his head, Rainstorm got up and walked away as the confrontation continued. "Where are you going?" Coffee wanted to know.
"To see if there's any doughnuts left. This might take a while," came the reply. "Want any?"
"Only if there's blueberry filling."
Leviathan's protest made Coffee's ears turn away on reflex. -"This isn't helping, Coffee-and-Cream!"-
Imagine the fight to end all fights. Twenty soldiers, all of them one-pony-armies in their own right, battling an otherworldly entity that can reshape the continent just by breathing.
I will not tell you exactly how I managed to pry Gray out of that catnip-infested room and drag her over to the police station. All I can tell you is that the two scenarios match up cleanly. The rest I will leave up to your imagination.
"Note to self: go on a diet," Coffee mutters as I finally walk in. She sees Gray being held in my arms like the cat-pony she is. Or like a baby. "You know, you could've just waited for us to dispatch a carriage. They do have attachable rain shields for the drivers."
"I didn't want to wait," I tell her. "I was operating under the impression that this was fairly urgent."
Gray shifts a bit in my arms. She's still dazed, and her legs and wings are twitching sporadically. Meanwhile, Coffee answers me: "Somewhat urgent, but not too urgent. It was important, but not so much that we couldn't afford to wait a few extra minutes." She peeks around behind me, frowning. "And what are her kids doing here?"
Ebony, Fiver, and Zig-Zag all wave at her, the former two semi-awkwardly. All of them are soaking wet, their umbrellas not being enough to protect them from the storm. "Mom's the biggest nuisance when she's in full cat-mode," Ebony complains. She shivers a little at being in close proximity to me, but she's able to keep it out of her speech. Good; she doesn't have much farther to go. "And after a catnip high as big as this? You bet we're going to be here to ease her out of it."
"...Energy stayed behind to scour the apartment of catnip," Fiver continues. She doesn't comment on us telling him to keep the door and windows locked. "...But we can't air out the rooms until the storm ends."
Zig-Zag waves again, as cheerful as ever. "Hi, Coffee lady!"
Coffee doesn't seem sure whether to react to Zeke's greeting or to read me the riot act for allowing the children to follow me. Her mouth opens and closes a few times as she tries put together a reply. What she finally comes up with is: "...Kids, take your mother and get yourselves cleaned off at the showers. We don't need that odor messing with her senses anymore, alright? When you're done, somepony here will lead you to one of the break rooms out of everypony's way."
"...Do they have any cards?" Fiver asks (almost) immediately.
"I don't see why not," Coffee's partner suggests with a shrug.
I set Gray down on the floor. She stumbles and almost falls dizzily, not seeing straight. Ebony's magic and Fiver's strength---both lacking due to various factors, but still present---are able to steady her. "We're here, Mom," Ebony assures her. "We're here for you. Which way are the showers?" Her nose crinkles in disgust. "I've had enough of that smell in half an hour to last me my whole life."
Coffee's partner introduces himself as Rainstorm and volunteers to lead everypony to their destination, while a desk jockey searches out a mop and a Wet Floor sign. With the small stuff out of the way, it's time for me to get to work.
...
...
"So the reason I told you it wasn't too urgent is because none of the agents have been sighted yet," Coffee says once we arrive at the station's hub. "There have been drone sightings, though. All of them except the Torchounds and the Dentadrill---" I wince at the piercingly shrieking reminder of that night. "---are out in force at three specific parts of Manehattan. There's also at least one new drone type that we haven't assigned a name to yet."
"What does it look like?"
"I have an artist's rendering of it," she offers. I nod, and she pulls it off of a desk to show it to me.
As I hold the paper up to see it better, I'm almost immediately struck by the familiarity. A body consisting entirely of a face on stubby little feet (or hooves, in this case), tiny mouth open in a circle, and large eyes. It's protected by an orange helmet that probably wouldn't be out of place at construction sites. The design is different in that the face incorporates a short muzzle, but otherwise it looks almost exactly the same.
If this isn't an incredible coincidence... I whistle in affirmation. "Well, I'll be. They went and built themselves some Mettaurs."
"Mettaurs? You've seen these before?" Coffee asks interestedly as she puts the illustration back. "When was this?"
"Before I ever came here," I tell her straight out. "Mettaurs are one of the oldest and most common mechaniloid designs to exist in Neo Arcadia. They can be modified for use in many environments. Land, sea, air, even low gravity. They're a consistent hit with the populace, half because of their cute design and half because of their low energy requirements."
"If they weren't a threat to the city, I would've suggested somepony make plush dolls of them," admits Coffee with a smile. "I'd buy one."
"I know, right?" I gesture at the helmet. "Now, their offensive prowess isn't anything special. This model probably just has a magic blaster in the mouth. And no matter how they're attacked, they can't take too many hits. The problem lies with their helmets: if they're as durable as the ones back home, they should be able to tank anything short of my best attacks without budging the wearers."
Coffee nods, all business. "What's your suggestion for dealing with them, should we encounter them?"
"Mettaurs typically withdraw into their helmets when attacked, emerge just long enough to fire, then withdraw again. Watch them and learn to time your strikes accordingly. Alternatively: if you're part of a team, have one pony distract them. At that point any earth pony with sufficient strength should be able to approach them from the sides or behind, lift them off the ground by their helmets, and buck them into scrap."
Coffee jots down her notes on my offered countermeasures. "Thanks for the tip. Continuing, the drones are gathering at these three locations..."
She puts down the notes and gestures at a map of the city. Markers have already been placed, with addresses and/or names attached to each. "First, we have the Maximum Millions Shopping Center. It's still under construction, but there's not much more that needs to be done aside from some interior work. There are already ponies planning to open their own stores there. When it's finished, it's supposed to eclipse any small-town marketplace you can find elsewhere in Equestria. Even a few in the larger cities."
"I imagine that their grand opening is going to be set back a little," I comment as I examine the map. "Let's hope their insurance policy is a good one."
Coffee doesn't answer that, instead opting to move on. "The second hotspot's at Ocarina Marina---"
My head snaps down towards her. I couldn't have heard her right. "Come again?"
Coffee hesitates for a second, then repeats herself.
I let my face rest in my hand for a few moments. "Don't tell Gray," I instruct her firmly. "That's the marina that her husband works for. Primarily lifeguard work and safety instruction."
She considers this. "And you don't think she deserves to know that her husband is in danger?" she inquires cautiously.
"As addled as she is right now? She's not going to be in the right mind to make intelligent decisions," I answer, inwardly wincing as my recent experiences in this regard are recalled. "Combat requires both skill and a clear head; go without one or both, and disaster's imminent. Do you know if the drones are threatening the workers there?"
"Everypony's sheltering because of the storm," Coffee confirms. "Nopony is out and about to start with. The one pony who either didn't heed the warnings or never heard about them was pulled out of the ocean and bodily dragged indoors." She takes a sip of water from a nearby cup. "In any case, the drones there are completely fixated on the docks for reasons we don't understand. They're ignoring everypony entirely."
Hopefully they can keep for the moment, depending on the circumstances. "Okay. How about the last hotspot?"
Coffee gestures at the final marker. "Sunrise Laboratories. There have been experiments going on here for a while."
"What kind of experiments?"
She smiles, possibly the broadest one I've seen from her since we've met. "This is... this is so good. They're trying to devise a way to use Celestia's sun as a power source! Once-they-finish-it's-going-to-supplement-hydro-and-wind-power-all-around-Equestria---!"
I raise a hand to quickly cut her off. "Slow down there, coffee addict," I rebuke her. "Getting a little excited there."
Coffee simmers down with a weak chuckle. "I'm sorry. It's just... this is kind of a big thing. A lot of the smaller villages and towns around the country don't have much electrical power. The sources we use now may not be feasible in some cases. Even if it's not a perfect solution on account of cloud cover..." Rolling thunder adds emphasis to her thoughts. "...figuring out how to use sunshine for power is going to do everypony a world of good."
"How long have the Laboratories been in operation?"
"Less than a year. It's a long-term project and there are other tasks being carried out there, so we're not expecting any immediate gains from it. You might want to ask somepony who's more into science and magic if you're interested in the nitty-gritty."
I'll place that on the back burner for now.
Coffee falls silent: she's waiting for me to make a decision on where to go. On the surface, it's easy to prioritize my destinations. The shopping center can wait for a bit, and everypony's safe at the docks. The laboratories should be my first stop: any modern advancements can only help our enemies if they get a hold of them. I open my mouth to state my intent---
"Wha~!"
Coffee yelps and recoils as a sudden flash of green fire takes her off guard. I'm more used to the quirk of dragonfire than she is, so I don't react beyond a raised eyebrow as a crumpled sheet of paper drops into my hand. "You can calm down, officer," I say to her. "I'm just receiving a message."
My navigator gets her bearings. "A message? From who?"
That's a good question, isn't it? It's not the stationery Celestia likes to use, and unless Drama picked up a new quirk without me knowing, I can't picture her using my candle for frivolous reasons. I smooth out the paper against the desk and hold it up to read aloud.
...
"To the self-proclaimed Siren General:
"Go to Maximum Millions upon receiving this. I'm waiting there. Fight me. I'm inclined to leave for personal reasons, but I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I didn't try to destroy you first. Win or lose, none of you will see me again after today.
"When you get the chance, please tell Fiver that I wish her the best with her life and health. And in the event of you winning, make sure she stays away from your future battles. If I ever find out that she was hurt because of you, I will retract my departure notice just to make sure you melt.
"Calico Driftwood"
...
I have a half-smile as I finish reading. "Well, now. Tell us how you really feel."
Coffee scribbles something on a piece of scrap paper and pins it to the city map. "I guess that answers the question of where you're going first."
I set the letter aside. "Though I'm curious as to how much of this we can trust. Is she really going to remove herself from the equation after the battle? And is she viewing Gray's kid as a morality chain, or does she just want to throw threats around?"
"I assume you're going to at least try to subdue her long enough for us to arrest her?" Coffee asks with an eye roll. "It wouldn't look good if you fought her and just let her get away."
"Well, obviously. Corralling them's what I'm here for." I suppress a snort, but not a chuckle. "Heh... 'corral'. I've been here too long if I'm thinking that's funny."
"If you have time to joke, you have time to get to work," Coffee reminds me. Don't act like you're completely serious, little pony: I can see the corner of your mouth twitching. "Get to Maximum Millions and catch that kirin, but be careful: we know nothing about her race, so we don't know what she's capable of. And one more thing: you've probably noticed our signal difficulties, so if you contact us, don't expect us to answer too much."
"Understood," I agree. "For confirmation's sake, where's the site located?"
Coffee provides me with the answer I want, and I nod in response: I'm familiar with the street, but my patrols haven't taken me that far down yet. With nothing more to say or do, I turn and head for the exit at a fast walk.
"Easy there, Mom. Let's get you up there... there we go."
Ebony guided Gray, who hadn't yet recovered from her bout with her biggest weakness, up to a bench away from the showers. Heavy exposure to excessive catnip had rattled her senses, and she still maneuvered a bit like somepony who thought spinning in place for a solid minute was a good idea. She needed some time to rest.
That being said, now that a good shower had purged the scent from her vicinity, she had regained a little bit of cognizance. "...Eebon?" Gray groaned in a low voice as she stretched out across the bench. "Where am I?"
"The MRPD," Ebony informed her as she helped her dry off. "They let us use their showers to get you tidied up."
Gray's eyes flicked around. "Where is everypony? Where's Ocean and the kids?"
"Dad's at work, remember? Energy's back home, getting rid of all the catnip... and yes, Mom, he's keeping the door and windows locked. Fiver's getting some extra towels... that odor was all over us, too. Zeke's still in the middle of his own shower."
Gray blearily looked from side to side. Sure enough Zig-Zag was heard humming an off-key tune from one of the alcoves, the shower's hissing almost drowning him out. Her chin settled against the bench, and she sighed as everything was as it should be. Her eyes closed as she drifted towards the comforting embrace of sleepy-time, not registering Ebony's presence.
...
...
"...I've got the towels," she faintly heard Fiver say as if she were dreaming.
"Thanks, sis," Ebony answered. "Where are you going?"
"...Restroom."
"Alright. We'll catch up with you in the break room in a few minutes, okay?"
"... ...Hn."
Fiver's hoofsteps faded, and Ebony's voice sounded puzzled. "Weird. She seemed more reluctant than usual. What's gotten into her?"
Gray didn't answer, already slipping away again.
...
...
"Mom, I have to check something. Will you be okay there by yourself for a minute?"
"Mm-hm." Just... so... tired.
"Alright. C'mon, Zig-Zag. Let's hit the break room."
"Break room time! Break room time!"
She disregarded Ebony and Zig-Zag's departure from the room. She wanted to sleep, so she was going to sleep.
...
...
"Mom? ... Mom!"
Zzzz...
"Mom!"
"Mmmf..." One of Gray's eyes slowly cracked open as Ebony all but yelled in her ear. "Don't yell. I'm right here. What is it?"
"Mom, Fiver's not at the break room! I just got done looking around, and I can't find her! Nopony knows where she is!"
Both eyes snapped open and dilated in a heartbeat.