1
Joules made his way down the side streets, wearing a cap and jacket. He carefully eyed the ponies he passed, making sure he wasn’t being followed. Feeling that he was clear from prying eyes, he slipped inside the Neighponese restaurant, casually glancing around for any sign of the mare he had agreed to meet.
She should be here any minute… I told her to meet me here at this time… he thought, feeling the beginnings doubt stirring in his belly. The owner was busy working in the back, and would not come out for a while, allowing them to talk in peace. A generous bag of bits had made sure of that.
The mare strolled in casually, sitting down at a table next to Joules', their backs turned to each other. “Nice choice,” she commented dryly, not turning to face him. “Let’s start from the top. You better have some paper with you, because I’m not saying this twice,” she warned.
“Don’t you worry about that. I’ve got all I need here,” Joules said, pulling out a small device from his jacket pocket. “Some newfangled technology that allows me to capture your voice and play it back, kind of like a record.” He hit the button on the front. “This is Sergeant Joules Watts, badge number one-two-seven-six-eight, recording information from an anonymous source in regards to the Red Hoof,” he dictated. “What can you tell me about the stallion?”
“...The Red Hoof comes from the swamplands, far, far from Equestrian soil, to the east. Makes the Everfree look like a neglected swimming pool. And he uses real magic, the dark stuff. None of this sparkly fancy crap. They say he can break minds without even saying a word…”
“So I’ve heard. Do you have any idea where the Oranges are being held?” he asked.
“The one place everyone overlooked, because it was too obvious, and because they hold too much power to make a search without a warrant acceptable. The Rind’s place,” she said simply. “But the Mayor gave Leaf a list of areas he wasn’t permitted to search. A pretty big list, just so he wouldn’t get suspicious of any one of them… that’s why they haven’t even been questioned in relation to the kidnapping. You can thank your coward of a Mayor for that.”
Joules hit the button on the device. “Now that it’s not capturing, I can say this- I didn’t vote for the Mayor, and I damn sure don’t like the way he runs this place. Too easily bought by ponies with deep pockets.”
“He’s scared for a reason, y’know. You think he lost his eye bumping into a cactus or something? His tail, too. Every time Red’s unhappy with him he sends Abacus to give him another makeover. I bet they’ll make him a gelding next. Fuck knows why he hasn't resigned already, after all that.”
“We’re all scared. Fear is one thing… cowardice is another,” Joules said. “The Mayor’s office isn’t built to support cowardice.” He then pressed the button again. “Next question… what can you tell me about the Neighponese stallion that stole the carriages?”
At that, Charade went quiet, her face darkening. “...Nothing. I don’t know the guy.”
“A shame… we could have used intel on him. No matter. How many does the Red Hoof have working under him?” Joules asked, moving onto the next question. He noted the sudden change in Charade’s tone; he knew she knew more, but decided not to pursue it out of courtesy. Plus, if he pushed her, she’d just go tight-lipped and leave.
“Last time I counted, it was seventy three. Two of them are working with a mutual friend of ours, feeding information to a certain batpony. Oh, and word to the wise- one of the Lieutenants in your organization ain’t exactly a saint. Used to be one of Red’s top guys. Quit after one of the missions he’d been sent on got a kid killed.”
Joules bristled at this. “Can you name him?”
“...I think you can tell. There aren’t exactly a ton of Lieutenants about.”
As they spoke, Joules caught sight of a stallion that had been loitering by the front door, staring in a few times, almost directly at them. He turned off the recorder, discreetly slipping it into his pocket. “Are you sure you weren’t followed?”
She gave an unconcerned shrug, coming around the table to sit across from him. “I did what I could to shake them off. Either Red’s started hiring better guys or we’re still alone. I’m risking my ass here, so there’d better be something in it for me.”
“I already said we’re granting you amnesty for whatever crimes you’ve committed under the Hoof, and we won’t be hounding you for more information either,” Joules said. “I can get us out of here, you just need to play along, got it?”
“What I got is that you seem to think I’m afraid of you and the other halfwits in the Guard,” she said bluntly. “Half of you barely know how to throw a punch, and Red’s guys aim to kill. So really, I don’t care about your amnesty. I can escape this shitty town if I need to.” She leaned forward, glaring at Joules. “I’m here for my brother. Nothing else. I find him, I drag him out of this dump and you guys can burn the place down once we’re gone for all I care.”
“That’s fine and dandy… but how do you plan to get out of here in one piece?” Joules asked. As he mentioned this, two more large stallions approached and entered the restaurant taking a seat in the furthest table from them.
“The same way I always do, breaking the faces of anyone dumb enough to stand in my way. But let’s forget about all the incentives you think you’re offering me to be here for a moment, and talk about what really matters. You got ten minutes.”
“You really expect me to sit here and ask you questions about your boss with them sitting in here?” Joules snorted, leaning back. “I guess we’re just gonna sit here until they leave, or they come over to us. I can walk out of here anytime I want, but I don’t think it’ll be that easy for you. We could also move this to another location and talk where it’s going to be a lot harder for them to track us… but again, it’s your call.”
“Get up and follow me,” she whispered. “Pretend you’re trying to win me back. Play along and they’ll be too confused to come after us. Ready? Go.” She slapped him hard across the muzzle. “You really think you can just… just tell me you’re sorry?!” she cried loudly, slamming her forehooves on the table and stirring up a ruckus. “After I caught you balls-deep in my sister!?”
“Baby, it’s not what it looked like, I swear!” Joules begged, immediately getting into character. While he may not have had much experience with mares, he certainly had enough experience with domestic dispute incidents. “She came onto me, honest!”
Charade got up, turning away as the stallions looked shocked and confused. “We’re through! I’ll never forgive you for this!” she said dramatically, storming out of the place and walking down the street.
“Sweet Glaze, wait, please!” he called, chasing after her at full gallop, leaving three confused stallions behind them.
* * *
He quickly caught up to her once they were a good distance away, confident they were no longer being followed. “That seemed to have worked. Nicely done,” he said, nudging her shoulder.
“You catch on fast.” She gave him a wry grin. “I’ve had to wing it a few times in the past, and the ‘jilted lover’ always seems to work. But now we need to find a place to actually talk…” She glanced around her surroundings, trying to find a relatively innocent den. “There’s one place that’d work. You ever used a hot air balloon before?” she asked, hoping he wouldn’t ask why a pegasus would need one to get into the air.
“Not particularly… but in lieu of that, I know a place we can go. It’s late evening, so they should be pretty packed. Hell, I’ll even buy you drinks for your performance,” he added with a smirk. “That sound fair?”
“I never say no to a chance to party.” She grinned in response. “Let’s go.”
“Right this way,” he said, leading them towards a local night club. “It doesn’t hurt that you’re easy on the eyes, so it makes it easier for me to part with my bits,” he said with a coy smile. That… was surprisingly smooth! Good job, Joules!
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t push your luck.” As they headed towards the club he mentioned, Charade winced slightly, feeling the ground itself vibrate beneath her hooves. “It’s kinda loud, but if we can hear each other then it’ll be perfect.”
Nodding, Joules lead Charade up to the door, speaking with the bouncer for a few moments before the latter stepped aside, letting them both in. The door opened, spilling out a cacophony of head-beating music and pulsing, soft strobe lights. They slipped inside, eventually finding a spot for themselves after scouring the packed tables. Joules ordered the first round of drinks, and the two conversed late into the early morning hours.
* * *
Around six hours later, the two stumbled out of the night club, both of them a great deal more shades to the wind than they had originally expected. “Okay… okay, okay, okay… I’m… I’m gonna take you home. You’re too drunk,” Joules stammered, struggling to stay standing.
“I’m… livin’ outta a cardboard box at the moment.” She snorted. “Welllll… it’s actually a hotel but you know...” She shook her head, laughing to herself.
“Shhhhhh…” Joules said, afterwards crossing his bloodshot eyes and looking confused. “I dunno why... I shushed you. Let’s go to your hotel apartment, and get you… get you to sleep!” He nodded to himself, unceremoniously unfurling a wing and using it to prop her up against his body. “Don’t fall down now!” he told her, staggering forwards.
“Okay!” she said cheerfully, stumbling towards the exit. “I’ll race you!” She slipped out from under his wing, drunkenly sauntering down the street at an awkward gait.
Joules started to try to catch up, comically using his wings to help him stay balanced as he caught up to her. “You’re gonna fall over if… if you keep that up! And then you’re gonna have scraped knees and I’m gonna feel bad!” He grunted, this time sticking close to her.
Charade simply grinned, but the smile faltered as her scarf got caught on a market stall, unravelling. She quickly started tying it around herself again, turning her head away and praying he wouldn’t have noticed.
Joules merely sat there, his alcohol-ridden brain trying to put two and two together as he watched her tie the scarf back up. “I dunno why you wear that thing--” he paused mid-sentence to burp, “--when you’re already hot, but I don’t know nothin’ about anythin’ when it comes to that sorta stuff, so what do I know?” He laughed, struggling to stand up and making his way over. “If you- if you were cold, you shoulda just asked! I got plenty of feathers for both of us.” He opened space under his wing.
“It’s my lucky scarf,” she said at once. shaking her head. “Nothing bad ever happens to me when I wear it. Let’s go home and… and…” She tried to think, but the alcohol flowing through her blood inhibited such a complex activity. “I dunno. I need to rest. Anyways it’s over here,” she said, wandering into a three star hotel.
Joules nodded, shakily following her through the complex and up the stairs to her apartment door. He sat there patiently, doing his best to keep himself from wobbling and falling over until her door opened. “Whew… you’re home safe. Now I just gotta-” he started, but stopped when he felt something grab a hoof-ful of his shirt collar and yank him inside. “Wuh-what’s happening!?” He blinked in confusion, feeling his self-defense training trying to kick up at this new and sudden attack, but too much drinking had left him feeling like he was trying to move underwater.
Charade pulled him into a deep kiss, blushing hard. “You’re cute,” she remarked, her face tinged a deep pink. “Way too cute for those choir boys at the Guard. You should live dangerously like me,” she teased him. “What’s the matter, don’t you like danger?” she mewled, batting her eyelashes at him.
Joules stammered and sputtered, blushing furiously as his alcohol-ridden mind short-circuited heavily from the sudden turn of events. “Y-You think I’m cute? That’s my line!” he said in an exasperated tone. “You’re the cute one here!” Yet again, the world around him spun as she pulled him into another room, the pegasus finding himself lying back on what felt like a bed.
Charade sat next to him, smiling. “You know, it’s funny… the nights you wanna remember are the nights you never do, and the nights you wanna forget never leave you,” she said with a sigh, before her face curled into a grin.
Without warning, she threw her scarf against the door, quickly straddling him as his wings expanded to stand at full attention, among other things.
It was going to be a long night.
2
“Bolt?” Snow Storm called out, dragging herself into Bolt Buck’s apartment. That morning had been the longest of her life, but it was only the beginning. It felt to her like a lead ball had settled itself deep in her gut, weighing her down. A plan had formed itself on her way to this hideout, and she hated every bit of it.
But she knew it had to be done.
“Bolt Buck? You home?” she called again, listening intently for any sign of trouble. Maybe he and the pup are still sleeping, she thought, taking a quiet step forward. “We need to talk!”
After a few moments, Bolt Buck emerged, yawning heavily and rubbing an eye. “Sorry, we were nappin’,” he said groggily. “What’s going on? Everything alright?” he asked, looking at her concernedly.
“No, no it’s not,” she admitted, shuffling her hooves to the nearest piece of furniture and collapsing onto it. Every single part of her body was throbbing - all she wanted to do was sleep. But such a luxury was going to be impossible at this point. She sighed. “Is the pup still napping? I need to talk to him.”
“Yeah, he’s still napping… c’mon back,” Bolt Buck said, gesturing to her to follow him, leading her to the back end of his apartment.
Snow Storm groaned, somehow managing to pick herself up and pull herself across what seemed like miles to her lead-filled legs.
Bolt Buck lead her to the back bedroom, the pup fast asleep on his bed, curled up and snoozing peacefully. “You, uh… you still haven’t told me what’s going on…”
“We found the Oranges, and the Red Hoof’s base. I finally get to--” She stopped herself, taking a quick glance at the pup. “I finally get to stop him.”
“...I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into,” Bolt Buck said, a hint of anxiety in his voice. “That stallion is unlike any other you’ve ever encountered. He won’t go down without a fight.”
“Yeah, I know.” She bit the inside of her cheek. “There’s a good chance I won’t even be coming back.”
“C’mon, don’t talk like that,” Bolt Buck said, nudging her shoulder. “You want me to wake him up? You probably wanna take him home and spend some time with him, huh?”
“Actually… he’s getting a new home.”
Bolt Buck looked at her curiously. “What do you mean…?”
“He’s going to live with Stonepaw, that old Dog who runs the gem shop. Let’s face it, even if everything somehow magically goes perfectly, he’s going to need to grow up with one of his own. And if everything doesn’t go perfectly… well, at least he won’t be homeless again.”
Bolt Buck sat down, taking her words in. “Are… are you sure about this? You know it’s gonna break his heart… Figaro adores you, Snow…”
“It has to be done. Besides, give him a month and he’ll forget all about me.”
“I don’t believe that,” Bolt Buck said, shaking his head. “I don’t agree with this… but you’re his owner. If this is what you want to do, I can’t stop you. Do you want me to take him to Stonepaw’s, or are you gonna take him there?”
“I’m not his ‘owner’!” she snapped, scowling for a brief second before her face softened. “... Sorry, that was harsh.”
Bolt Buck merely stared at her, unfazed by her outburst. “It’s fine… though I can tell that you really don’t want to do this, which makes me question why you’re doing it in the first place. I get you’ve got this big thing going down, but why give him away?” he said, shaking his head. “Just when I think I have you figured out, you surprise me in different ways… I’ll ask again. Do you want to take him or should I?”
“Why? Because he needs another Diamond Dog to teach him. He can’t be raised by ponies, least of all me. I’m barely an adult as it is! I don’t know the first thing about raising a kid, let alone a Diamond Pup! This way he’ll grow up respectable, unlike most of those greedy mongrels. I’ll bet he’ll even be running that shop in a couple of years.”
“If that’s how you feel, then that’s how you feel. One last time… am I taking him, or are you?” Bolt asked.
“I’ll do it,” she said, reaching a hoof over and nudging the Diamond Pup awake. “Hey, little guy, have a nice nap?”
Figaro slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes and yawning a large, toothy yawn. “Hi, Alphamom,” he mumbled sleepily.
“I’ll leave you two alone…” Bolt said, leaving the room. “I don’t wanna have to watch this…” he muttered to himself.
“Hey, kiddo…” she said awkwardly, stomping lightly at the ground. He looked up at her, cocking his head to the side and raising his ears slightly.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Well…” She bit her lip, forcing herself to keep looking at him. “We have to talk. About you.”
There was no mistaking the panic beginning to build up in his face. “Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry!”
“No, no, it’s not that!” Oh, Epona, help me! “It’s just that… look, I won’t hold it back. I’m going somewhere dangerous, super dangerous, and I might not survive. So I… I kind of want you to live with someone else, just in case I don’t come back.”
“Oh…” His ears drooped, and she could almost see his spirit going with them. “You don’t want me around anymore.”
“No, don’t even think like that!” It was all she could do to not smack herself on the forehead and take all of this back. It’s for his own good, the voice of her brother told her. “Figaro, it’s for your own safety. And you know what? By some miracle, I may just survive after all, and then it’d be nothing but a short vacation before you’re right back home with me! I just… I don’t want to leave you homeless again, pup. That’s all.”
“Then why can’t I stay with Uncle Bolty!?”
“Because…” She glanced towards the bedroom door. “He’s coming with me, whether he knows it or not.” Outside, in the hallway, Bolt Buck’s ears twitched.
Bolt Buck kept his reaction to just that, instead saving the inevitable argument for after she was done with Figaro.
“I guess so…” the pup said dejectedly, starting to sniffle.
Snow then knelt down, looking Figaro in the eye. “Just… trust me, okay? I’m only doing this because I’m trying to take care of you. I wouldn’t do this if I was sure this mission was gonna be easy, and it’s not… besides, Stonepaw’s a good guy, he’ll treat you right. You should be able to grow up in a good home, not one where I may or may not come home one day. Hopefully you’ll understand when you’re a little older…” she said.
3
Aureate Leaf stopped as soon as she entered her home, her ears twitching. She could hear noises coming from the kitchen. An intruder? It was likely. After all, dad was busy, as usual. He wouldn’t be home for, what, another day or two? Three?
She quietly dropped her school bag and crouched slow, hugging the wall and slinking carefully and quietly down the hallway. She reached out with her magic, grabbing a nearby decorative vase. After she threw it at the intruder, she’d pounce them and put them in a sleeper-hold. After all, she was the Guard Captain’s daughter; she knew a trick or two.
She stopped at the corner of the kitchen, steeling herself for what was about to come. After a deep breath and a mental count of three, she threw herself around the corner, yelling to throw the would-be robber off guard, not yet registering the fact that it was Gilded Leaf standing there, cooking lunch for the both of them.
“Hey there sweetheart, sorry if I surprised you. You hungry?” he asked, nodding at the stove. “I’m making grilled cheese.”
“Dad!?” Aureate skidded to a stop, dropping the vase out of her magic and fumbling for it with her hooves. She caught it just before it could shatter all across the floor. “You’re home early! I thought you were a burglar! Wait, why are you home early? You never are. Did the Mayor fire you for that carriage thing?”
“Surprisingly, no. We just got through some things back at the office, and I took the day to spend time with you, that’s all,” Leaf said with a smile. “What, I can’t come home and spend time with my daughter?”
“Well, no! Uh, I mean, yes! I mean, I don’t know!” She squinted her eyes up at him as he levitated a sandwich towards her. “What aren’t you telling me? Are you finally retiring? That’d be a super pleasant surprise.”
“I’ve been toying with the idea, yeah. I’m getting up there in age, your uncle Murdoc seems like a good contender… plus I feel like I’ve missed some important steps in your life, and I want to start making up for it,” Leaf said. “You’re my little girl, and I need to start being a better dad.”
“Aw, you’re a perfect dad! It’s not your fault you got caught up with a drunk mare who swung a hoof at everything in her line of sight…”
Leaf sighed. “Honey, we’ve had this discussion before…”
“What? I’m perfectly happy knowing she’s rotting away in some Las Pegas prison cell.”
It was clear that Aureate’s words had hurt him, a visible look in his eyes reflecting it. He gave a deep sigh, shaking the thought of his wife sitting in a jail cell from his mind. “Tomorrow is going to be my last mission. Once this mission’s up, I’m hanging up my armor.”
“Oh.” She caught the obvious cue for a change of topics. “One last patrol around the city? See the sights and bust one last perp? Could I come with?”
“If it were a routine patrol, sure… this one? Not so much,” Leaf said, serving her plate and sitting down with his own.
“What do you mean?”
He sighed again. “This mission is involving the entirety of the Guard. One of the biggest missions of my career. I don’t want you getting hurt,” Leaf said seriously.
The sandwich was barely to her mouth when she stopped it. “It’s him, isn’t it? Why? He’s not your personal nemesis or anything!”
“He’s taken innocent ponies hostage and he attacked our Barracks,” Leaf said, taking a bit of his food. “He made it personal.”
“Dad, please, you don’t have anything to prove!”
“I’m sorry sweetheart… this is my biggest opportunity to bring down the biggest crime ring in the city,” Leaf said. “Letting this go would be completely irresponsible of me. A mare’s parents are on the line, Aureate. I have to go.”
“No, you want to go,” she retorted sharply, dropping the sandwich back onto the plate. “One last big hurrah to cement your legacy. The Captain who brought down the Red Hoof. That’s what you’ve wanted your whole career, isn’t it? Just don’t forget what happened to the last one who did that!”
Leaf gave a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry sweetheart, I’m not having this argument. I have to lead my Guards with this one. There’re too many risks involved. This is my last chance to bring this guy down, or he’s going to slip through our hooves and we’ll never be able to take the city back.”
Aureate slumped back in her chair, pouting. “... Fine,” she said after a long moment. “I guess all I can do is pick out a dress for your upcoming parade, huh?”
Leaf looked over at her. “You know it’s never been about that with me. Whatever ‘awards’ they’ve given me I’ve accepted because I had to or it would have looked bad on their part. How was I supposed to turn down a commendation from Princess Celestia herself?”
“Are you sure you can’t just let the Mare do Well handle this?” she asked, almost pleadingly.
“This is a big enough operation where we need her to help us,” Leaf said. “The mission, as big as it is, should be simple in execution. We get in there, get the hostages out, and take the Hoof down in the process.”
“Well… it sounds easy… Just stay safe, okay?”
Leaf gave a warm smile, standing up and moving over to Aureate, pulling her into a hug. “I will sweetheart… how about we go out to dinner the day after, hm? You can help me work out my retirement speech.”
“Sure, that sounds good,” she said, finally eating her lunch and trying to ignore the feeling that something just wasn’t right.
4
Amber Shield had barely set a hoof in her new home when Petunia appeared out of nowhere, throwing herself at Amber and crying her eyes out.
“You’re safe!” Petunia sobbed, tightening her hug on Amber. “I heard so many things! The radio ponies, they said there was a fight… confusion… a bunch of Guards hurt or dead… I couldn’t stop thinking the worst…”
“Hey, hey… I’m fine, alright?” Amber said, taking a step back. “See? All in one piece, okay? You don’t need to worry anymore,” she said, approaching Petunia and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
“No... it’s only gonna get worse isn’t it? The radio was saying all sorts of awful stuff and I tried turning it off, but that was even worse because I didn’t know what was happening and and-!”
Amber stopped her by placing a hoof to her lips. “Shhhhh… just relax,” she said softly. “Yes… it was a hectic scene. Yes… we did lose some good ponies, but we didn’t lose the fight. We drove them off, and we won. I… I even saved a pony’s life, maybe even several more,” she said, her heart catching in her throat.
“I…” The sniffling was beginning to slow down. “You’re so filthy. I should run you a bath.”
“Only if you join me… I… I need you right now. This morning was on another level, and… I need you,” Amber said, suddenly looking dangerously fragile.
“... I don’t like that look. Is there more you have to do?”
Amber swallowed hard. “...The brass have decided to take the fight to the Hoof. We’re… we’re going to raid a possible location where they may be based out of in an attempt to rescue the Oranges. Captain demanded all hooves on deck for this, no exceptions.”
Petunia’s hug slackened just a bit. “Oh.”
“But! I’ll be positioned with Murdoc, and I trust him! I’ve been training hard at getting my shield spells right and getting them to last longer,” Amber said, trying to ease Petunia’s worries. “Look… I know nothing I say is going to make this easy… I just…” she then paused, gathering her words. “I’m scared. Terrified, even. This is the biggest mobilization of Manehattan’s Royal Guard since Discord returned, and I don’t know how this is going to go down. I just… I just need to know that I have you to come home to,” she said, her voice cracking slightly.
“Of course you do,” Petunia replied at once. “Always.”
Amber nodded, unable to stop the flow of tears making their way down her face as she held Petunia tightly like a foal with a security blanket. After a few emotional moments, she looked up into Petunia’s eyes, locking her gaze with that of her partners.
“I love you,” Amber said softly. “I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you, and this felt like the right time,” she said, catching Petunia entirely off guard with such an intimate expression of her feelings.
“I love you too!” Petunia blurted out, smiling. “What do you say we go take that bath? No offense but you could really use it.”
Amber nodded, sharing a kiss with Petunia. “Lead the way…” she said in a tone which only her lover could properly read.
5
Murdoc stood outside of the nursing home, frowning beneath his scarf. All of his friends were home, spending precious time with their loved ones, and he desperately wished he was doing the same.
Unfortunately, unexpected circumstances forced him here, to see the one stallion whom he despised beyond all others. Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
The atmosphere was calm and orderly, with several nurse ponies quietly going about their business. Down the double-hallway beyond the reception room, he saw various old sires shuffling or being wheeled about. Vaguely, he wondered what the poor saps had done to deserve spending the rest of their lives in this hellhole. Surely not all of them could have been spawned from the darkest depths of Tartarus, after all.
The receptionist, a young palomino mare, shuffled a last little bit of paperwork before picking her head up and spotting the newly-entered unicorn. She let out a sharp hiss, her eyeglasses sliding down her face, and frantically nudged the older, much more experienced mare sitting next to her.
Looks like I’m famous… Murdoc thought, smiling as he strolled leisurely up to the desk. Of course, the last time he had been here, he had been ‘escorted’ out. Rather rudely, in his professional opinion.
The older mare glared at him as he approached. “I take it you’re here to see your father?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“Next time we have to remove you from the premises, we’re not letting you back in.”
Murdoc’s mouth twitched slightly. “You make it sound as if that would break my heart. You could simply make my day and tell me he passed recently.”
The younger mare’s eyes went wide at that. She looked over at her companion, confused. Did… he just say what I think he said?
“Look, I could really not care less what your relationship with your father is, or lack thereof, but it’s troublesome to my employees, and I won’t have you disrupt the other residents,” she said firmly.
“I’ll see if we can keep our meeting somewhat civil,” Murdoc countered politely.
“...Just go and see him already,” the mare said, rolling her eyes and allowing him to pass.
“Thank you.” As he strolled past and down the hallway, the young mare turned to her friend.
“What just happened?” she asked, taking a quick glance to where their visitor walked. “Should I alert the Guard?”
“The sad part about it, is that he is the Guard. That’s Lieutenant Murdoc Stonewall, old Bismuth’s son." The nurse sighed, shaking her head. "I dread seeing him walk through those doors ‘cause I know it’s going to end in a shouting match that upsets all the other residents. Last time, as I mentioned, we had to forcefully remove him from the premises. I don’t understand why he keeps coming back if he hates his father so much."
“Bismuth… He’s the one our Nightlies refuse to even go near, right?”
“The one and the same…”
* * *
Murdoc stood outside the doorway of his father’s room - not because he waited for an invitation, but because this was as close as he could conceivably get and still remain in a civil state of mind. “Father,” he said, peering into the darkened room, all windows curtained except for one that held a view of the light snow shower.
“... What the hell do you want?” the old voice called from inside, bitter and caustic as ever.
“Granite sends his regards,” Murdoc said coldly.
“...That’s a name I haven’t heard in decades. More of a screw up than you were, colt.”
“So, he wasn’t lying.” Murdoc’s frowned tightened. “I wouldn’t have given his claims a second thought, but I know how much of a whoremonger you were.”
“Why the hell do you care? That was before you,” the old stallion spat. “Not that it mattered. The mare that spawned that colt was nothing more than a socket for the plumbing. Didn’t mean a damn thing to me then, means even less to me now.”
“I just wanted to find out which one of us was the bastard family. I should have realized you held us all in equal contempt.”
“You had potential… until you became one of those mongrels,” Bismuth growled.
Murdoc grit his teeth. “Cyrus showed me more love in a year than you ever have in your entire, miserable life!”
“Love ain’t what survives in this goddess-damned city! It’s grit, it’s toughness! The moment you accepted that creature as your mentor I knew I had wasted my time on garbage!”
“At least he never went on the take!” Murdoc countered angrily, doing everything possible to keep his voice at a normal level. “He was never in the pockets of whoever the hell thought they ran Manehattan, unlike you!”
“You can’t prove I took a damn bit and you never will! Your ‘mentor’ filled your head with all the sorts of lies and bullshit their kind are used to doing! They messed with your head, and you’re warped! Your brain’s no better than mush!”
“Oh, I know more than you think, you old prick,” Murdoc spat. “For instance, I know you set Cyrus up in a trap. Him and his Cadets. What I don’t know is, why? Was it jealousy, or a bribe? Or both?”
“You can’t prove shit, colt! I woulda never wasted my time or effort on a subspecies like that. Maybe he wasn’t as good as you praised him to be. Maybe the fact that he was a bat got him killed, just like it’ll do you in one day, then you can do all the kinds of subspecies filth you types do when you’re burning in Tartarus!” the old stallion returned, his voice steeped in venom.
“You’re right, I can’t prove it. If I could, you’d be buried far under the jail,” Murdoc spat. “Hopefully right beneath the sewage lines where you belong.”
“No more than you do, kid. Last I checked, rats live and die in the sewers. Maybe I shoulda just tossed you down there if you wanted to be like them so badly. Now get your fanger ass outta my room so I can die in peace.”
“We both know you’ll never die, because then I would become the happiest stallion in Equestria! And you could never stomach the thought of me being happy, could you!?”
“Oh believe me, I’ll die one day… and sure, you may be happy then… but when you croak, I’ll be there to drag your fanger ass straight to Tartarus to burn with me!”
“You know, the next time I run into Granite, I’ll just have to tell him where you reside now. Unfortunately, the Guard may be a little late in arriving to help.”
“At least he’d have the balls to finish the job. Hell, maybe I shoulda stayed with him and his mother. At least he didn’t turn out like you.”
“Ah, yes, like me. A stallion with a long, uncontroversial career and the ability to show love to his family. How unfortunate I must be.”
“Gentlecolts, please!” One of the nurses, tired of this old song-and-dance, stormed up to Murdoc. “This is getting ridiculous! Break it up!”
“Get that filth out of my room! He’s spewed enough of his disease-ridden Fulake bullshit for ten lifetimes! He’s a goddess-damned winged rat and I want him out of my sight!”
“Why do you even harbor this ancient bigot!? I cut payments off two years ago!”
“Because they have to, you idiot! They have to keep me alive as long as they can, even if you’ve stopped paying!” the old stallion howled with laughter. “You shoulda just let me die in my home, maybe then I wouldn’t have decided to torment you after I die too!”
“The only reason you’re even here is because, despite all logic and good judgement, Ash felt the smallest sliver of misguided sympathy for you!”
The stallion’s face contorted with apoplectic rage. “GET HIM OUT!” he bellowed.
“Hit a nerve, father? What, do you blame me for his death, too? Everything else in your miserable life was my fault.” I’m sorry I dragged your name into this, brother.
“Sir, please leave before we force you to leave, you’re upsetting the other residents,” the head nurse said, standing in front of Murdoc and drawing his attention to her.
A porcelain figurine came flying out of nowhere, shattering against the wall next to Murdoc's head. "He was a good boy! You should be dead, not him!"
“If you’d like, I could come back and arrest him for disorderly conduct,” Murdoc spat viciously.
“You can damn well try!” Bismuth spat back.
“Give me a reason to put your hoofs in cuffs, you crotchety old bastard! Any reason at all!”
“If I was fifty years younger I’d send you to Tartarus myself!”
“You’re going to cause him to have a stroke!” the nurse growled at Murdoc, forcefully shoving him away from the room. “Get out! Out!”
“No matter what you do in your filthy, disease-ridden life, remember that it was because of me that you even exist! You are the rotten, seedless fruit of my loins! And the apple never falls far from the tree, so I’ll see you in hell, Slate!” Bismuth yelled, howling with laughter as the nurses forced Murdoc from the room, shutting the door behind them.
Murdoc opened his mouth to retort, but the orderlies had ganged up on him now, pushing him back through the reception area and out the doors.
6
Snow Storm sighed, feeling more than just the weight of Figaro on her back. To her, it felt like the entire world was there.
Their walk downtown had been uneventful, but awkward. Several times she had tried beginning a conversation, only to have it fall flat on her tongue. What could she even say? That she was simply sorry things had gone this way? It was weak, and she knew it.
Let’s hope, she thought sourly, squinting against the light snowfall and resisting every urge to turn around now that the shop was in sight, that it’s only temporary.
Stonepaw looked up, hearing the door to his shop open, spying a familiar white pony with an equally familiar Diamond dog pup. “Afternoon, Snow. What can I do for you?”
“You could do a lot for me, if you’re up for it.” Snow grimaced, suddenly aware that she hadn’t even considered what the Dog would have to say about all of this. If he decided to decline, then she had no idea what she was going to do.
“Oh? Like what?” Stonepaw said, raising an eyebrow and folding his arms over his chest.
“Like…” She pawed at the floor. “Like pupsitting?”
“Oh, well why didn’t you say so? Any idea when you’ll be back?” Stonepaw said, reaching down and picking up Figaro.
“I, uh… I might not be. If I’m unlucky.”
Stonepaw looked at her cautiously, his eyes slowly widening. “Explain, and it better be good.”
“I’m not sure I can tell you. For your own safety. And his.”
“Not good enough,” Stonepaw said, narrowing his eyes.
“Look, it’s probably only for a couple of days, anyway. He can even help you be a cute little salesdog!”
“Knowing you, I do not believe that. I want answers,” Stonepaw said firmly, his voice suddenly serious. He set Figaro down in the bed he kept out for him when he visited, then gestured to the side room, signalling he wanted to talk to her in private.
Snow sighed, following and running the whole spiel through her head. Well, what’s one more to know? “Alright,” she said, shutting and locking the door behind her, “let’s talk.”
“You start,” Stonepaw said, eyeing her closely as he moved to lean against the door.
“The answers are potentially dangerous,” she warned him, frowning. “Even lethal. If anything happened, I’d be responsible.”
“That still does not tell me how Figaro comes into play with all this, unless you are planning on deliberately getting yourself killed, in which case I’d have to find your snow-white ass and kick it until you got back up,” Stonepaw said.
“No, I’m not planning on getting killed, but it could very easily go that way!” She frowned. The one thing she liked - and hated - about Stonepaw was he took nothing less than the absolute, blunt truth of everything. It was both refreshing and annoying.
“Then don’t let it happen, I don’t see what the issue is,” Stonepaw said, shaking his head. “You ponies give too much thought into what may or may not happen. Simply ensure that there are no variables.”
“I wish it were that easy.” Snow sighed. Well, here goes. “You know the Mare do Well?”
“I have heard talk of her,” Stonepaw said. “Next is the part where you tell me you are her, yes?” he asked, his wit sharper than Snow had given him credit for.
She nodded. “And soon I’m going to go after the Red Hoof. That’s why I want you to watch the pup. At the best, it’s for a couple of days. At the worst...” She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.
“At the worst, you die. I know you better than to simply lay down and die like a weakling, so I am expecting you to come back for him,” Stonepaw said, narrowing his eyes. “I will care for him until then.”
She favored him with a wry smirk. “And what if he decides he likes you too much to leave?”
“Then that is his decision. In this case, you are making the decision for him,” Stonepaw replied sharply.
“Fine, just keep him safe. That’s all I’m asking. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go convince a friend to walk into Tartarus with me.”
“Very well. I will do as you ask,” Stonepaw said as the two of them made their way back into the main area. “Oh, and one more thing?”
“Yes?”
“Bury him. Make sure he does not live to see the light of day,” Stonepaw said darkly.
7
After an hour of mindless meandering, Snow Storm made her way back to the apartment. She was barely in the door before being cornered by an unhappy-looking Bolt Buck.
“So you actually went through with it, huh?” Bolt said, staring at Snow.
“Why wouldn’t I?” she asked innocently, shaking off the light powdering of snow she had gotten from her trek.
“You realize that Figaro’s never gonna forget this, right?” Bolt said seriously.
She shrugged, trying to look less concerned than she felt. “We’ll see about that.”
“Putting that aside… the hell makes you think I’m just gonna voluntarily walk into a firefight and get my ass skinned?” Bolt said. “Now I almost have to, to keep up appearances for Figaro! Not cool, Snow!”
“Because…”
“Because?” he demanded impatiently, frowning at her.
“Because I can’t do it without you!” she blurted out, avoiding eye contact with him. “I need your help.”
Bolt Buck’s eyes widened, his gaze focusing on Snow. “Did… did I hear that correctly? You said you needed my help?” he asked, making sure what he heard wasn’t a figment of his imagination.
“Yes,” she confirmed, feeling herself get flush. “I need your help.”
Bolt Buck sighed heavily, before stamping his hooves on the ground. “Damn it all!” he yelled in exasperation. “...Fine, what do you need me to do? Make it quick before I change my mind!”
She pursed her lips. “Alright. It's simple, really. We sneak into his base, find the Oranges and my friend Pick Pocket, you escape with them. If I have to, I’ll be a distraction. Otherwise… I’m going for the Red Hoof.”
“'Simple'!?" Bolt blanched, not daring to believe what he was hearing. "Are you out of your mind!? I hope you’re bringing a damn army, ‘cause the Hoof won’t go down without a fight- that much I promise you!”
“Oh, I’ve got the entirety of the Guard at my back… but this is personal.”
Bolt Buck offered her a confused expression. “How the hell’d you manage that?”
She smiled. “I have a way with ponies, remember?”
“I dunno how exactly you managed that, but it’s good that you’re not going in alone. You’re gonna need all the help you can get,” Bolt said seriously. “You said you wanted my help, right? I guess just… tell me where you need me,” he said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead. “I know I’m gonna regret this…”
“Don’t worry,” she said reassuringly, “we still have a couple of days to prepare.”
8
The main door opened, causing Silver Song to look up from her knitting. Surely the girls weren’t home from school already…? “Girls?” she called out even as another possibility struck her. “... Slate?”
“Hey,” Murdoc said, setting his keys by the door as he usually did and making his way over to Silver, sharing a kiss with her. “How was your day, hon?”
“Nevermind me,” she said, studying his face and not liking what she was finding. “You’ve been to see him again, haven’t you?”
Murdoc sighed softly, half smiling as he looked on at his wife. “You’ve always known how to read me…” He then gathered his thoughts. “I did, yes.”
She frowned, her face hardening. “I’ve warned you about speaking to that miserable raisin! Well, out with it, what was the fight this time?”
He then sat next to her. “There was something I had been meaning to talk to you about, and it’s in regards to that. The other night, during the raid… I met someone. Someone I never expected to meet.”
“Is that so?”
Murdoc nodded. He then took a few moments to gather his thoughts, trying to figure out how to explain it. “As it turns out… Ash wasn’t my only brother.”
Silver Song tilted her head, confused and more than a little concerned. “What do you mean?”
“I met a stallion among the Red Hoof’s forces by the name of Granite. He singled me out and challenged me to a fight. During that fight, he started talking about how he knew who I was,” Murdoc said. “He said he knew about the fact that I was in the Guard for a certain number of years… that I was married, and have two daughters… that I have a father in a nursing home and that my mother passed away years ago,” he explained. “Granite… was my father’s first son, and it turns out my mother was actually a passing fling… until he decided to stay with her, essentially abandoning Granite and his mother.”
Silver Song’s ears flattened against her head. “You’re telling me a thug knows about our little girls!?”
“His quarrel is with me, not them. He was different from the rest of the thugs. Certainly didn’t fight like them,” he sighed. “I’ll make sure the girls have an eye looking out for them,” he said, wincing slightly as he rotated his foreleg. “He caught me good during our fight. Broke through my shield with little trouble.”
“You poor dear.” She hugged him, giving him a small kiss on the cheek. “At least he’s safely locked up in prison… right?”
“...” Murdoc elected not to respond, knowing full well he couldn’t lie to her.
“I’ll take that as a yes. Has that Leaf finally given you a day off yet?”
Murdoc squeezed her in return, judging it safe to continue the embrace. “Yeah, tomorrow. I’m off tomorrow… and then I have the biggest mission of my life the day after,” he said morosely.
“Oh?”
“In two days time, we’re raiding the Rind compound. They think the Oranges are being held hostage there and Red is using the compound as a base of operations. It’s our biggest chance to catch him there,” Murdoc explained. “Leaf’s calling for all hooves on deck for this one.”
“...” Her hug became tighter and tighter, until it almost began to feel like an inescapable vice grip. “What did you say?” she growled threateningly. “The Red Hoof!? Leaf is sending you to face him!? Is he insane!?”
“H-Honey! Shoulder! Shoulder!” Murdoc winced, her hooves digging into the deep bruise on his shoulder as she tries to squeeze the life out of him. “I’m not gonna be the one fighting him! My job is to make sure the Oranges get out alive!”
“You just told me you were going after him,” she retorted, keeping Murdoc locked. “Don’t change your stories on me!”
“We’re going after him as a company!” Murdoc strained. “Leaf is leading us in personally, our mission is to get the Oranges out, and if the Mare do Well fails to take down the Red Hoof, then it falls on us to do it!”
“The Mare do Well? What does she have to do with this?”
“She was there during the raid. We recruited her help to try and take down Red,” Murdoc said, the pain slowly starting to make him dizzy.
“... Alright, fine, this is acceptable.” She slowly eased the death-grip she had on her husband. “We should get this shoulder looked at. Come on, then. We don’t want the girls coming home and seeing you limping around like an old sire.”
Murdoc let out a sigh of relief, trying to center his breathing. “Yeah…” he said, blinking the stars out of his eyes. “Y’know, with that vice-grip-like hug you’ve got there, maybe you could take down Red,” he said with a small smirk.
“You’re damned right I could!” She huffed, pouting up at Murdoc. “And when this is all over, I’m going to have a talk with Leaf.”
“Honey, he’s got enough on his plate as it is. What would you even say to the stallion?” Murdoc asked.
She gave a smile he was all too familiar with. “Oh, I’m just going to persuade him that you need a vacation. And speaking of vacations… the girls won’t be home for another hour. Perhaps we could have your shoulder fixed and then take this conversation upstairs…?”
“Why bother going upstairs…” he purred, stepping even closer to her, “when we can have that ‘conversation’ right here? My shoulder will be fine.”
“In the kitchen?” she breathed, nudging playfully into him. “How uncouth of you, Officer Stonewall!”
“Now now, Miss Silver Song… do I need to subject you to a cavity search? Because I will, and I will do it with a smile on my face,” Murdoc teased as he held her a little closer to him, one of his hooves on her lower back.
“You may have to… I’ve been a very naughty filly,” Silver replied softly, leaning into his touch as they engaged in an intense kiss, the two quickly clearing off the counter top and sharing a brightly burning moment of passion before their children arrived, and the impending battle came looking for him.