//------------------------------// // A Dare // Story: Marevelous Manehattan // by StageQuill //------------------------------// "Well, that was nerve wracking." "You'll probably get it." "Oh, stahwp." I giggled. "But really, you never can tell." My best friend, Dipdye, and I were having ice cream in Swirl's, our favorite place, that happened to have a store two blocks from the theater."Stagelight, you're amazing." "But that might not be it. I might look wrong, or not be exactly what they're looking for, or..." "Okay. If you get it, I told you so, if not, then you told me so." "Thank you." I settled back and dug into my ice cream. It was really delicious. Strawberry and perfect. The clock on the wall chimed. "Oh, I have to go! I'll miss the bus home." I jumped up. "Bye, Dip." "Bye, Stagelight." Dipdye, finishing we own ice cream quickly, started on mine. I laughed as I left. The clock on the corner chimed. I looked up, puzzled. "Galloping gargoyles!" The clock inside the shop must have been slow. I was late for the bus! I galloped down the street as fast as I could. "'Scuse me! Pardon me! Sorry, gotta hurry!" I wove through everypony on the pavement, glad for my dancer's training. My legs were stronger now. I got to the bus stop just as it pulled away. "Argh!" I sat down on the bench. "Taxis are way to expensive!" I hailed one anyway and got in. Five bits for one ride. The round trip bus ticket cost half that much. "9427 Alicorn way." I told the driver. He grunted and nodded. I noticed that he was a mule. I looked stubbornly out the window towards the street. "Oh. Looks like we'll have to take on another passenger. A blind stallion. You mind?" I looked out of the window at the sidewalk. When I saw the stallion he meant... "No, I don't mind." The mule pulled the taxi up to the curb. "Here, sir. Need help?" "No, thank you." Legal Shades ducked in. "Hello." I said. "Fancy meeting you here. I'm the mare from the bus. You were late, too?" "Yes, my watch stopped." He handed the driver five bits. "West Meamorae." "Address?" "I can hoof it from where you drop me off. Just West Meamorae, please." He turned to me. "Stagelight Glow, if I remember." "Mmm-hmm." The driver put up the soundproof wall. I snuck a look at Legal Shades, then remembering he couldn't see me, downright gazed. He looked muscular. "So." I dug through my mind for a question. "What sort of law do you practice?" "Criminal, mostly. Heavy Fog isn't particular. I personally like doing criminal law, but I'll take any case that sounds like the pony I'll be defending is innocent ." He absentmindedly petted his briefcase. I gasped. "Isn't that kind of scary? I mean, having known criminals near you, talking to them..." "Well, somepony has to. I enjoy it." "How many cases have you had?" I asked in awe. He flushed. "Well, a lot. In mock court." He smiled wryly. I smiled as well, not that it mattered. I hadn't expected to feel so comfortable. But this pony was so friendly. "What do you do?" "I act." I said. He smiled. "What have you been in?" He asked. I blushed. "Not anything yet," I put on an affected fancy-pony accent. "But someday, I'll be the greatest star in Equestria!" I laughed then. "Or anyway, I hope to be. I went on an audition today... Small-scale, but I hope..." I felt like I was talking too much. "Now I'm rambling. Sorry." "No, it's fine." He was so friendly, but also mysterious. Was it the dark glasses? No. It was some thing else- the way he held his head, the independent set if his jaw. And his business-brushed mane. "When did you graduate from law school?" I asked. He smiled a little again, with just the corner of his mouth. "Two months ago. Heavy Fog, my law partner, has a rich father who gave us a loan for cheap so we could set up an office." "So you started right away?" "Just today, actually. This was my first time at my office. Foggy doesn't usually ride the bus. He just wanted me to get to the right place." "Oh." I didn't know what to say. "Beautiful weather." I said, just here I remembered this pony couldn't see. He didn't seem to noticed, but I felt embarrassed. "Yes, the Pegasus patrol has been keeping it so cold lately." "My friend Dipdye is on the Pegasus Patrol. She said something about getting hot too early, so they had to make up for it. It's also been too dry. Next week, it'll rain." "Ahh." Legal answered. "I love the rain. The smell it makes, even the city smells fresh. And the music it makes. It's special." I love it too! "Yeah. Where I lived as a filly, in Applewood, it barely rained. It didn't need to, the plants adapted, but I love the water." "Ahh." "Yeah." I didn't know what to say. The rest of the ride was in silence. He got off first. "Thanks for the ride." I said to the driver. "No problem." He said. Good. I paid him enough. In my apartment, I saw a letter. From the Wells. I was called back the next day. "Yes!" I whispered. I might actually make it." ••••••• THE NEXT NIGHT It was done. I sewed all night, my sensitive hoofs discerning fabrics. Then I finished. The costume I donned to avenge my father. I wanted nopony to know, or suspect. I leapt to the roof. It would've been easier if I had wings, but... I could do this. I'd trained enough. I leapt from rooftop to rooftop, then when they got too far apart, used my billy club to swing. I made it across easily, then landed on that roof. I knew exactly where I was going. I could hear the city noises as if I was down there, I could tell each pony apart by their scent in the night air against my face, I could taste the soot of a hundred factories and name each one for what it did and what brand it was. I knew Manehattan. I knew it well. I landed at my destination with a double flip and my hooves hit the ground. Inside of the crumbling old building, a group of stallions sat talking. I knew one stallion was responsible for my Father's death. Crooked Tape, his last manager. And somepony was going to pay him a visit tonight. Not Legal Shades, oh no. Somepony else.