Scootaloo waited for the guard to open the door, his eyes going over her before sliding off the lock and letting her and Blood Eye inside. A few faces turned at the sight of her, but as soon as Blood Eye appeared all quickly turned back to their own business. Both walked over to the wanted posters, and Scootaloo began to look through them. The bar was quieter than usual, and she couldn’t help whispering so her voice wouldn’t carry.
“I don’t see yours here, these look like mostly thugs and henchponies rather than big time.” Scootaloo turned her head, seeing Blood Eye lean forward as she looked at the posters, eyes pausing briefly on one that was wanted alive but had a large bounty. Pulling it off, she looked at it for a moment before passing it to Scootaloo.
“Big time are kept separately." Blood Eye continued looking at the posters as Scootaloo went over the target. His name was Sn1ps, and was dressed in bright clothes. Was he some sort of DJ?
“Do you ever go after them?” Scootaloo folded the poster up gently and put it in her hoodie, looking around the room at the eyes watching from their corners. Obviously Blood Eye’s behavior hadn’t gone unnoticed. Blood Eye stepped away from the wanted poster and slowly made her way over to the bartender.
“Not often. I only do those missions when I really need the money.” Blood Eye sat down, and glanced to Scootaloo as she did the same. The bartender noticed their behaviour, and quickly spoke up about it.
“Well well Blood Eye, never thought you were one to team up.” The bartender blinked and took a step back, dropping a glass that shattered on the ground, as Blood Eye fixed him with a pointed glare. All eyes turned to the commotion briefly, before turning away just as quickly.
“I’m not.” Was all she said in response. The bartender quickly looked for another mug to clean and chuckled happily.
“Well of course not, what a silly question. So what can I get for you today?” The tavern keeper saw the gold coin as Blood Eye moved her hoof away and quickly snatched it up. After a glance around, he leaned in and motioned to a map of Manehattan.
“Broker’s on Tenderhoof Road, knock three times at house 15 and wait in the darkness.” With that said, he returned to cleaning his cup, wiping the glass shards under the bar table with a hoof. Blood Eye stood up, and turned to leave. Scootaloo blinked, and was quick to follow.
“So Sweetie Belle is the second in command of Dark Hoof. Is that the largest mob family in Manehattan?” Scootaloo and Blood Eye were currently traveling through the alleyways of Manehattan. When she had asked about why they stayed in the alleyways, Blood Eye had replied it was easier to tell if someone was aiming at you.
“Dark Hoof is one of three mob families that rank the most wanted in Manehattan. Their leaders are ruthless, cunning, and without mercy. The other two are Gorgon, and Midnight Nova.” Blood Eye turned a corner and entered the empty street.
“So who’s the most powerful of the families?” Scootaloo looked around the street as Blood Eye knocked on the door of house 15, before following her into the darkness beside the house.
“All three are about equal, but all report to the same pony, one that's above them. This pony apparently controls the entire city with an iron hoof. That’s what rumors say at least.” Blood Eye watched the Information Broker enter the shadows, and tossed the broker two coins, showing the poster.
“Sn1ps works at the bunny house on Astley Lane. He is normally there around 8 every night until morning.” With the work finished, the broker once more vanished from sight. Blood Eye turned to Scootaloo.
“I’m not paying for you next time. And you owe me six gold bits.” Scootaloo grudgingly fished into her meager savings and pulled out the last of her gold. It was worth it though, now she knew how to accept bounties. And this fee also included how to hand bounties in.
It was time to begin work.
Target 1: Sn1ps
Wanted, Alive.
The party was humming, pulsing with the beat of the tune. At the entrance stood a 5 meter sign showing a triple x along with two ponies dressed in bunny suits. At the front stood two guards, there merely for show than anything else. The door slid open with a loud whoosh, and the sound blasted into the street.
As the two entered, the noise intensified as the strobing lights pranced along the dance floor, a disco ball spinning in the center. Along the edges were many stalls with curtains over them. Those were the private parties, one could assume. In one corner of the room was two large poles with a large assortment of tables surrounding them. This section was filled to the brim with mares, who were throwing money at the stallons showing themselves off on the stage.
Scootaloo felt her head swim as she suffocated in the thick smoke premating the place. It was riddled with many different scents, and most of them pertaining to illegal substances. Although, she guessed they weren’t considered illegal over here. It was also possible it was something that was illegal, but no one enforced anymore.
Walking toward the stairs, she ascended them and headed for the actual part of the building, entering a door and blinking as her senses cleared the instant it closed. Behind her, Blood Eye was absolutely silent. A thug stopped them, and asked them to state their business.
“We’re here to see Sn1ps.” The thug took in Scootaloo, before moving aside and pointing to a door at the end of the hall. Moving through, she knocked gently on the door and waited.
“You may enter the Sn1ps pimp pad.” Wincing at the high and scratchy voice spoke, Scootaloo entered and wasn’t surprised to see the light-brown haired, dark blue stallion that was well known for his small eyes, buck teeth, and large brown eyebrows. Upon seeing her, his eyes lit up and he stood up.
Scootaloo hadn’t seen Snips in a long time, and it had not treated him well. While most ponies slowly grew upward, Snips had grown rounder and shorter, almost like a pancake. His teeth had gotten worse, and she wasn’t surprised to see him trip and fall over his short legs.
“Well hey Scootaloo, come to sell your body as a bunny? I have plenty of opening for mares that look like you. And the pegasus thing would make you even more desirable. I could make us rich!” Snips motioned to one of the mares who had stood in the shadows of the room until now, who approached Scootaloo, holding out a bunny outfit. Scootaloo tossed it aside, and pulled out the wanted poster.
“Actually, I believe you’re a bit more ‘wanted’ than I am Snips.” Scootaloo folded the wanted poster and put it away as Snips began to backpedal, stuttering as he pointed to Scootaloo.
“Y-You’re a bounty hunter!” Pressing a button beside his seat, guards burst into the room and quickly leapt around Scootaloo to stand between her and Snips. Both waited as Snips pointed and ordered them with a wave of his hoof.
“Seize her! If she won’t come willingly we’ll make her a bunny by force.” Both guards descended on Scootaloo, who leapt over their heads, rotating mid air with a single flap and knocking the first guard down with her back leg, sending her spiraling forwards and face first into the floor.
Leaping to her feet, she turned just in time to see the second guard dive for her, and jump straight in the air as he sailed underneath her. Landing on top, she quickly kicked him once in the head before turning to look at the other guard, who was just getting up. Jumping toward him, Scootaloo aimed a front hoof at his face, knocking him down once more. Seeing both were not getting up, she quickly jumped at Snips and knocked him out.
“Whew,” she sighed, cracking her joints just like her big sister had shown her how to do. Finished that, she looked around for some rope to tie up Snips with, before settling for the ropes hanging off the velvet drapes on the bed in the corner of the room. Finished that, she remembered Blood Eye was at the door, and looked between her target and Blood Eye before snorting and moving behind him. Once behind, she began pushing him out of the room, rolling him like a doughnut.
All patrons turned and watched Scootaloo as she slowly rolled the owner out of the club. Some almost stood up to object, but as soon as they met eyes with the mare following closely behind, they sat back down. As the two ponies left the establishment, all heaved a sigh of relief, and the party began anew.
Scootaloo paused outside and watched as Blood Eye walked toward the curb and waited, one pony carts rushing by as ponies pulled their passengers along the streets. Eventually one stopped and a pony completely dressed in black opened the door to the passenger car, holding out a bag of bits. Scootaloo pushed the body in the back of the car and took the bits, blinking for a moment before quickly stashing the money and following Blood Eye away.
“Wait, so I just wait at the curb until a strange car pulls up and pays me the bounty?” Scootaloo turned into an alleyway as Blood Eye nodded. It looked like they would be heading back to building Gamma tonight.
“But isn’t that dangerous, what if someone steals your bounty before I can deliver it?” Scootaloo saw Blood Eye pause, and glance back at her briefly before continuing.
“Only fools steal from those that use this route.” Confused by Blood Eye’s words, she followed quietly as she tried to work out exactly what was meant. Did she mean that those that used this route were strong enough to defend their bounty? Or that those that used this route were protected by those that paid the bounty. Scootaloo was sure it was the former.
“I don’t really think I should be using it, I’m not that strong.” Scootaloo followed once more as they made their way back to the building, knowing that she would be spending another uncomfortable night on the couch.
“Is that not why you hired me?”