//------------------------------//
// Day 5: Do Not Pass Go 
// Story: Arstrotzka Welcomes You: A Papers, Please Crossover. 
// by Herr Director 
//------------------------------//

	The next morning, the Inspector sat at the table in his apartment, drinking from a cup of coffee. He had gotten up extra early today, he didn't want to take any chances with getting up late again, so that was a plus. The Inspector was disappointed to have discovered that his rent had gone up last night, and his meager salary of 45 bits for yesterday's work didn't fully cover the new cost. Fortunately, he would not have to cut off any of his utilities. Yet. The Inspector had made his own breakfast and lunch that morning, not wanting to wake up his wife. He had a few extra minutes before having to leave, so he read the paper. There was an interesting story about a Saddle Arabian athlete named Aerial Ace who had apparently murdered his manager and fled the country. The Inspector read through the story, then set the paper down. He snuck back into his room where his wife lay, still snoozing. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead, just below her horn.
"Good bye, honey." He whispered. The mare opened one eye
"Be safe, darling."
"I will." As quietly as he came, the Inspector left the room. He then entered the other bedroom that his son, mother in law, and uncle shared. The colt and the old mare slept in beds on each side of the room, while the red stallion that was his uncle slept on a mat in the center. He quietly walked over to his son's bed and did the same to him as he had done with his wife.
"Goodbye, son." The Inspector whispered. "Have a good day at school and don't forget to turn in your homew- oh!" The young colt suddenly reached up and hugged his forelegs around the Inspector's neck.
"I love you, Papa." The foal looked at the Inspector with his deep blue eyes. "Be careful today."
"Don't worry. I will. I love you too."

The Inspector arrived at the booth. He stepped inside, getting respite from the cold Manetin weather. He immediately reached for his bulletin. It was becoming a regular routine for him now.



Dear Inspector,

There's no new forms or anything being issued today. It should be a lot like yesterday, to be honest. It shouldn't be a particularly difficult day for you, so just remember to be vigilant.

You have been authorized to detain suspicious individuals using the alarm button under your desk. Pressing the alarm will call the guards and will close your shutter, so be sure to watch your hooves. Personally, I still do not agree with Arstrotzka's idea of "detainment", but if you have a good reason to detain a pony, like if they look or act suspicious, have clearly foraged documents, or are acting with excessive violence, then detain them. Still, I would feel a lot better if you detained a pony only if necessary

One last thing. You may have heard about an athlete from Saddle Arabia named Aerial Ace who has been suspected of murder. Authorities say that he might try to enter Arstrotzka through the Manetin checkpoint today. If you see him, detain him immediately. 

For the Glory of Arstrotzka and Equestria,
Princess Twilight Sparkle,
Temporary Governor of Arstrotzka.



Okay, now I know what I am up against. the Inspector thought to himself as he opened the shutter. "The checkpoint is now open. Please enter the booth." the Inspector announced. A zebra entered the booth. "Papers, please." He passed his Equestrian passport and his entry permit over to the Inspector.
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"Visiting friends."
"Duration of stay?"
"Sixty days."
The Inspector quickly noticed that the passport numbers on the passport and entry permit did not match. "The passport numbers do not match."
"Impossible." the zebra exclaimed. These documents were probably foraged, and the Inspector had no choice but to detain him. He reached under the desk for the alarm button. The zebra waved his hooves in the air.
"Wait, wait!" The zebra pleaded. The Inspector paused. He would hear out the guilty entrant. "Please don't arrest me. Just deny my passport, and I will go away. I promise." The Inspector nodded and denied the passport.
KA-CHUNK. "Don't come back here again."
"Okay. Thank you. I will stay away."

"Next!" A gryphon entered the booth "Papers, please." She gave the Inspector a Gryphonian passport and an entry permit
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"I am visiting Arstrotzka."
"Duration of stay?"
"One month."
The Inspector looked at the documents. The purpose of the trip was work, not visiting. He pulled out the audio log to double check. Yes, the gryphon had indeed said she was visiting, not working.
"The purposes you gave for entry do not match."
"Oops, that's my mistake." The gryphon corrected her discrepancy. "I have a job here. I come for work." The Inspector nodded. He approved the passport.
KA-CHUNK "Cause no trouble." The gryphon took back her documents.
"Thank you, sir."

"Next." A white on white pegasus entered the small booth. He passed a Saddle Arabian passport and an entry permit through the window.
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"Travel."
"Duration of stay?"
"One week, no more."
The Inspector scanned the documents. They were valid. The Inspector reached for the green stamp, but stopped. The name on the passport was Aerial Ace.
"You are Aerial Ace, are you not?"
"Aw, Celestia dammit." The pegasus' wings flared up in alarm. He nervously reached up and brushed his mane. "Look, I didn't kill her, okay? I was set up, Don't believe those lies! Please let me through."
The Inspector shook his head. Sorry pal. "Wait here, please." He pushed the alarm button. The buzzer sounded and the grate slid down over the window. Ace jumped back in shock.
"What is going on?" The frightened stallion looked around and braced his back on the far wall, raising his front hooves in the air. He still made no attempt to escape.
"OUT!" A loud voice came from outside the booth. Ace hung his head. 
"Crap." Ace trundled out of the booth. The Inspector smiled to himself. That was one less criminal for Arstrotzka to deal with.

"Next." A white unicorn mare with a heavily styled violet mane entered the booth next. She wore a rather garish dress to go with it. "Papers, please." The Inspector requested. The mare presented an Equestrian passport and an entry permit.
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"Visiting friends."
"Duration of stay?"
"Oh, as little time as possible. I cannot stand this place. Only two months is all."
"I see." The Inspector looked over her documents. They were all valid. 
"No offense to you, of course. The ponies are fine," The mare explained. "It's the fashion. These ponies don't know what complimentary colors even are, I'm telling you. I mean, that uniform of yours is hideous!"
The Inspector glared at the mare. "I apologize for my so called lack of fashion. Arstrotzka does not have much of a budget for ostentatious clothing like Equestria does, you know." He stamped the passport with the approval stamp. "Cause no trouble." he said, giving the mare back her documents and shooing her off.
"Ostentatious?" the mare was deeply offended. "My clothing is not ostentatious! You take it back."
"Move along, or I will have the guards throw you out." the Inspector threatened. His patience had worn thin.
"You just don't know how to treat a lady, do you?" The mare trotted out in a huff. The Inspector muttered some obscenities under his breath. He sighed and reached for the microphone.

"Next." A stallion entered the booth. "Papers, please." The stallion passed over an Arstrotzkan passport and an ID card. The Inspector compared the card to the passport. There were no discrepancies. The Inspector allowed the stallion through.
KA-CHUNK "Glory to Arstrotzka."
"Yes, glory to Arstrotzka."

"Next." "Papers, please."
"Here."
"What is the purpose of your trip?"
"Transit."
"Duration of stay?"
"Two days."
KA-CHUNK "Cause no trouble."

"Next." Papers, please."
"Here is my passport and ID card."
"This photo does not look like you."
"I have had surgery."
"I need you to provide your hoof prints, please."
"Okay. Um, will this suffice?"
"This is unfortunate. I cannot verify your identity."
"I'm not sure what to say."
CLANG "One moment, please."
"What is this?"
"OUT!"

"Next." A blonde stallion entered the booth. "Papers, please." The stallion gave the Inspector a San Palomino passport and an entry permit.
"Today is a beautiful day, my friend!" The stallion proclaimed. The Inspector peered outside. It was still rather cloudy. "Today we are free from San Palominoian tyranny!"
"Ah, very good. What is the purpose of your trip?"
"I will be moving here."
"I see." The Inspector checked the stallion's papers. They were correct. KA-CHUNK "Cause no trouble." The Inspector cautioned.
"Thank you so much." The stallion said as he took back his papers. "Please be kind to my wife, she is right behind me." He promptly left the booth.

"Next." A pink mare stepped into the booth. "Papers, please." She presented her own passport. It was a San Palomino passport, like her husband's had been.
"Did you see my husband?" The mare asked. "He made it through, right."
"Yes, he made it through fine, but..." the Inspector began. He had noticed some bad news. "You do not have an entry permit."
Tears welled up in the mare's eyes. She threw herself onto the counter, sobbing uncontrollably. "Please let me through, I beg you!" she cried. "They would not let me have a permit, I had no choice! They will kill me if I return to San Palomino!" The Inspector was touched. He couldn't imagine the pain the mare was going through. He would have to break protocol again today.
KA-CHUNK "Cause no trouble."
The mare took back her passport with a shaky hoof. Her tears had died down. "Thank you," she smiled a bit. "We will not forget this." She passed him a silvery disc, just like the mare yesterday had done. This medal had the San Palomino emblem embossed into it. The Inspector slipped the disc into his bag. He would put it with the other one when he arrived home.
CLICK CLICK CLICK. That would be my citation, I'll bet, the Inspector thought. He looked at the pink piece of paper. It was still hot from the printer.





M.O.A. CITATION

Missing Entry Permit

FIRST WARNING: NO PENALTY GIVEN




The Inspector sighed. It was the price to pay for doing the right thing. "Next."

Some time later, the Inspector found himself walking home. Work had been long, but as Governor Twilight had said in the bulletin, it wasn't too difficult. There was something else on the Inspector's mind however. Today, he realized the power he held, working at the checkpoint. He could change lives for the better, reunite or rip apart families, or even end them outright. All with just a single stamp, or a push of a button. The Inspector could change so many things, so many lives, from inside his little office. 

And it scared him.