//------------------------------// // Act VI: Reasoning // Story: War In The Dark // by Lyraah //------------------------------// War In The Dark *** Reasoning *** *** Manehatten General Hospital. "Thankfully you made it out with only minor concussions, if you wanted to make sure, you can have another check-up." Nurse Redheart followed Minuette out of the examining room. Minuette had her coat draped over her back, with a band-aid on her forehead. She was feeling a lot better now, although the pounding still hurt. "Thanks nurse." She said before heading down the ward. Minuette was very salty about the previous night. She can't believe that she had let Amethyst escape. Again! How embarrassing was that? She was very confident about capturing the mare too. "Minuette, mam?" Minuette lifted her heavy head to see Lightning Bolt and Violet in the hallway. She gave a little wave and trotted pass them. "The chief wishes to speak with you." Violet added. "Please, tell her that I've been waiting for a whole night. I'm tired and don't wish to stay any longer." Minuette dropped her head and turned to leave. Lightning Bolt blocked the unicorn with her wing, preventing her from moving further. Minuette pushed past her wing and disregarded their protests. She was feeling really tired and has no time to deal with anypony. "But mam, we'll get into trouble if you go!" Lightning called but to no avail. Minuette was about to turn down the exit when Lyra trotted past the corner. Both unicorns stared at each other for a few seconds before Lyra made her way towards the detective. "Come with me, Minuette." She ordered, ambling down the hallway which Minuette came from. "Chief Lyra." Violet and Lightning greeted as they made their way after their captain. "Wait for us in the lobby." She directed. The two mares complied and continued their way. When they're out of sight, Lyra began once more, this time, her face was solemn but no trace of anger hung on it. "Right, you don't have to lie to me." Minuette raised her head and replied, "I- I had a dinner appointment with a friend, and since I was on the way, I-" Lyra promptly cut her off, "We found your car in a wreck, riddled with bullet holes." "Someone tried to kill me, I had no idea... Somepony must have a grudge against me." Lyra pushed Minuette and pinned her to the wall. "You're still not telling the truth." She hissed, hovering out a zip-lock bag. In the bag was a bottle of pills left behind by Amethyst. Minuette had no idea what were those pills, nor has she seen them before. "What are those?" She cocked her head, trying to make out the label. "We found it near your vehicle." Lyra said, her voice filled with anguish. Minuette received the bag and squinted at the pills, then back at the chief. Was she being dramatic again? Minuette looked at the chief comically. How nice of her to cheer her up. "I asked the doctor about these pills, he said that these pills are prescribed to patients suffering from the last stage of cancer." Lyra leaned against the wall, beside the blue unicorn, shaking her head sadly. Minuette looked up and felt her heart sink. She didn't know that Amethyst was... And she was so bent on arresting her too. Minuette felt a surge of regret rising up her neck, and so did Lyra. For different reasons. "You were so young..." Lyra rested a hoof on the detective. Minuette stared at the chief in astonishment. "It's my fault for always trying to pick on you, I- I try to find things to scold you for, even though you've already done your best..." Minuette pressed her lips together, peering into the hard cold tiles on the floor. Lyra was not finished, "And then there's you, always patronizing and talking back to me. I'm still your chief, to say the least..." Minuette floated up the bottle, "Heat-inducing pills, it makes me angry." Lyra placed both her forehooves on Minuette's shoulders, giving her an assuring pat. "I'm really sorry..." Minuette nodded, rubbing her muzzle. "I'm really sorry, Minuette..." Lyra sniffed, trying hard to force back her tears. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? I could've helped." "Detective Minuette?" A familiar voice sounded from behind her as she turned around. It was Cloudchaser, and she had come to visit the detective as soon as she heard the news. Lyra was still hugging Minuette, rubbing her face on her neck. Minuette reached out her hooves to receive the files that Cloudchaser had brought with her, trying not to break the embrace at the same time. Cloudchaser gaped at the two hugging mares and remarked, "How did you manage to end up like this in the span of a few hours?" Minuette let out a long sigh saying something like 'you have no idea', flipping the file to have a read. Lyra wrapped her hooves around her, also glancing at the files. To everypony else, they do look like a couple. To Cloudchaser, they do look like a couple. She tried not to giggle at the sight, but it was adorable. Minuette's eyes went wide as soon as she saw the file. "Quarat Quartz is dead?" She turned her head towards the pegasus. "About four days ago, he passed away at ManeEagles' Hospital. I only received the data just now." Cloudchaser pointed out. Minuette sighed, flipping the photographs one by one. She paused at one particular photo of Amethyst posed with Mr Quarat. They were smiling, and both ponies were younger. How are they related? "Who is this?" Minuette asked, pointing to one of the photos. "That's the mare who robbed the financial company." Lyra said, her hooves still locked around the detective. "Her name is Amethyst Star, also known as Sparkler. She was Quarat's daughter. Amethyst was adopted by a family in Ponyville, but she came to Manehatten upon receiving news of her real father. She found him and has been staying here ever since, frequently helps out in the jewelers too." Cloudchaser read from the back of her head. Lyra tightened her embrace on Minuette. The detective promptly pulled herself free from the hug and gasped, "You're gay, but I'm not!" She shrieked at the chief, who was taken aback by her sudden outburst. Cloudchaser chuckled. "Maybe I am, but... not gay for you, that is!" Minuette yelled again, blushing. Lyra glanced between the detective and Cloudchaser, feeling a little embarrassed. "Thanks, sorry to bother you." Minuette quickly apologized to the pegasus, closing the files. "That's fine, there's nothing else I can help with?" Cloudchaser smiled, wagging her tail. "Nope, but I do owe you a meal. I'll remember that." Minuette waved. Cloudchaser nodded, "I guess I'll get going then, goodbye!" She said, centering down where she came from. Cloudchaser disappeared down the corner and Lyra slowly approached Minuette. "Where did she get that much information?" Lyra pointed to the files. "She's the head of Interpol, mam." Minuette casually answered. Lyra stomped on the floor, "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Then cantered off towards Cloudchaser, who was waiting for the elevator. "Madam, I'll see you out!" "Um, thanks?" Cloudchaser nodded politely, entering the lift. Lyra followed her and started introducing herself. "Mam, I am Lyra Heartstrings from the Central Equestrian Investigations Bureau-" Minuette stood rooted to the spot, staring at the bottle of pills, eyes half-closed in deep thought. --- Maya rushed up the stairs with a piece of paper in her mouth. She had a medical band on the side her face, shuffling along frantically to her boss's office. "Boss! A courier sent this, you should have a look!" Maya passed the paper to Hooven, who was sitting behind his desk, an unpleasant look was plastered across his face. He took a look at the paper: it was a picture of the blue diamond with a phone number marked at the bottom. Beside the number was a name, Quarat Quartz. Hooven did not hesitate to ring up the number, to listen to Quarat's possible offer on the diamond. He put the phone to his ears. "How can you come up with such a joke, Mr Quarat?" On the other side, a robotic voice sounded through, "Retribution, Mr Hooven." "I chased you off the last time, until this very day, you're still trying to spite me." Hooven stated. "Then we have nothing much to say." The line went dead. Amethyst sat back on her recliner, with a cup of tea by her side and her late father's vocal aid in her hoof. Hooven hadn't know of Quarat's passing. Although he'll be pleased if he did. That made Amethyst angry, she wanted vengeance. "I promised you I'll expose their lies, I'm sorry that you won't be there to see it." Amethyst muttered, gazing into the framed photograph of her and her father, smiling and happy. A warm tear trickled down her cheek as her thoughts sank in her head. "I will fulfill your last wish..." Just then, her cellphone rang again. Amethyst wiped her tears hastily and took a deep breath, pressing the vocal aid to her neck. The sound output made no difference in voice qualities; it would still be that monotone robotic voice regardless of gender or age. She could easily conceal her voice through the device. "What do you want?" Hooven's voice was cold and icy. "Thirty million. No more, no less. I'm already very generous with the price." "Why would you need so much bits? You won't be able to cram it all in your coffi-" Hooven was cut off as the line went dead again. He wasn't pleased, but he knew there wasn't any choice, unless he were to give up the diamond completely, which he wasn't prepared to do anyway. Amethyst took a sip of her tea just as the phone rang again. Quickly swallowing, she put the device to her neck again and waited. "Where? And when?" Hooven finally declared. "I'll contact you again. Farewell." Amethyst said before hanging up once more. --- "You sure you know where the seat is located?" Minuette asked Lyra, who had pulled up next to the bar. "Yes, you can stop asking me every five minutes." Lyra hissed. Minuette nodded, pulling out her transceiver, "Alright, I'm gonna go in now. But remember, never ever-" "Call you through the transceiver, got it." Lyra mumbled in irritation. "You'll call me when the time to strike is nigh and your team will storm the place." Lyra added, pointing to the car behind hers. "Smart filly." Minuette praised, patting the side of Lyra's face. "Uh-huh." Lyra replied, returning the pat. In the bar, Amethyst sat beside the counter, taking a little sip from her cola. She was watching a television display hung on the corner of the wall. "Hey, detective! You're early today!" The barmare greeted Minuette as she trotted into the bar. "Yeah, I'm meeting a friend." She casually said, sauntering towards the counter. Amethyst paid no attention, but she knew that Minuette will be arresting her now and then. But Amethyst has an offer that the detective won't refuse anytime, and she meant to convince her to help. Amethyst smiled as the hoofsteps got closer. She had started to grow on the detective a little, but she knew that Minuette still treats her as a convict. Too bad their paths have to cross like this. Minuette took a seat on the counter, beside Amethyst, slapping down the round slip of paper she had received two days ago. Number nine. The nine was significant as it marked the date of her father's passing: the ninth day of the ninth month. "You finally figured it out." Amethyst said as Minuette pressed a photograph of her and her late father on the counter. "Uh-huh, you've stolen the diamond, and avenged your father's death, so why did you call me here?" Minuette rested a hoof on the counter, looking intently at the purple mare, who was taking another sip from her drink. "I've said it before, this game lasts for three days, have you forgotten?" Amethyst put down her drink, glancing over to the detective. "There's still one more day." "Um, but that's not your call to make. I'm a detective, and you're wanted." Minuette pointed out, raising her hoof. "Well, you're just sitting in your office, dusting up the place, changing the lights. You have a lot of time on your hooves. Aren't you bored?" Amethyst watched as Minuette smiled nonchalantly, feigning ignorance. "Or are you afraid of losing?" Minuette's eyes swiveled to look at the unicorn. "If you're afraid of losing, you could just cuff me and take me to the police station right now." "Trying to tempt me has no effect on me whatsoever. More so, you're not afraid of being arrested, by me." Minuette spoke, her eyes glancing up at the television. "Do you want to get thrown in jail? You know what? You'll probably die before you even get on trial." Amethyst smiled, more wider than her usual reserved smirk. Bingo, the plan did work. Amethyst remarked to herself. "Yeah, you're right. I have nothing to be afraid of." "I apologize for being so straightforward." Minuette snickered, giving Amethyst a pat on her forehoof. "I should have been more euphemistic about that." Amethyst took another drink, hiding her smile with the glass. "Alright, I like you." Minuette admitted, still giggling. Then glanced over to her phone, "I'll give you a minute to persuade me. If you're able to do that, I won't call in my team." She set the phone on the counter. Amethyst looked at the mare and simpered. "Fifty eight... fifty seven..." Minuette counted down sardonically, making faces as she did. Amethyst laid her hoof on the counter and chuckled. "Hooven Stone of the Northern Mafia wants an exchange for the diamond. But I have it, so he'll pay me a large sum for it, I've already settled the time for the exchange to take place." Minuette nodded, listening with great interest. "He'll be there himself to inspect the diamond, and when that time comes, you can nab him. I'm merely giving you a hoof." Amethyst paused, beaming at the detective. Minuette did not look at her, just staring down at the phone. "Thirty seconds." She stated. That was evidently not enough to convince her, Minuette wanted to hear more. "The Interpol is investigating his case; if you arrest him, you'll do them a huge favour. Promotion will be up your sleeves then." Amethyst continued. While a promotion is tempting, Minuette wanted more information, and assurance that this was not another elaborate scheme to trick her again. "Fifteen and counting." A smirk pulled from the side of Amethyst's face as she admired the detective. "You seem to be having fun." She said, trying to lift the mood a little. "It's just one more day, you won't cross up the offer, will you?" Minuette did not react. "Ten... nine... eight..." "Do you know what you look like this past two days? A lapdog, that's what." Amethyst tried to agitate the mare, but the detective remained calm. "You do as you're said, like an obedient dog." Minuette paused her countdown, nodding in agreement. Her face changed drastically, to a rather morose expression. She gazed at the mare in an 'are-you-kidding-me?' disposition, still nodding. "I tricked you into coming today; surprise, surprise." Amethyst leaned towards her and whispered. Minuette sighed, turning her head towards the back door. "The exit is right there." As much as she hated it, she knew she had to let her go. She did promise to play her game to the very end. Amethyst drew a long breath of air, getting onto her hooves. "You're always welcome to be tricked by me anytime." She taunted, leaving Minuette to stare blankly into space. Minuette turned to admire the purple unicorn as she went out through the back door. She just can't help but hold great approbation for Amethyst. The mare had made her question her morals not just once, but made her think about the deeper side of things, which really gained her respect. Behind her lighthearted nature, Amethyst was a professional and Minuette admitted to have underestimated her. Minuette snatched the leftover drink and downed the remaining. Just then, Lyra rushed over to her side. "She's not here yet? I'll go out and wait then." Lyra tapped Minuette on the back when she saw her alone and proceeded to retreat. "She's long gone." Minuette waved and said. Lyra lost herself again, "What in Equestria were you doing? You clearly knew I was out there, waiting for your cue!" She burst out in a fit of rage. "I've had a dry throat when I woke up today." Minuette innocently replied. Lyra stared at her, realizing what she just said. She stuttered and rested her hoof on the blue unicorn. "Sorry. Don't worry about it, that's just because of the heat." She sat down to comfort Minuette. "I have a way to get you promoted." Minuette suddenly said, throwing the chief off balance. Lyra chuckled, rubbing her cheek apologetically. "I'm really sorry for shouting at you, eh heh." "Sit tight and we'll talk."