Our Darkest Days

by Bluecatcinema

Trouble In Manehattan

The closest page location was in Manehattan. The trio managed to catch the night train (narrowly avoiding a group of guards) and rode it down to the city, arriving in the early morning.

"Finally!" Sterling groaned as they got off the train. "That was a long trip..."

"At last it got us out of the cold." Sunset declared. "Ah, Manehattan. I've always wanted to come here..."

"Hurry along, now." Echo urged. "Time is of the essence. Our masked nemesis could be right behind us."

"Or ahead." Sterling noted.

"All the more reason to get moving." Echo nodded.

They made their way into the city, towards the location Echo had read from the document; A small antiques store, located in the dankest corner of the city.

"Nice place." Sterling remarked. He nudged Echo. "You must feel right at home, huh?"

"Very funny." Echo snarled.

"Enough, you two." Sunset sighed. "You're sure it's here, Echo?"

"Right inside, my dear." Echo nodded.

They walked into the old store, which was as dank on the inside as it was on the outside.

"So where is that page, then?" Sterling sneered. "I'd like to find it before I breathe in too much dust."

"Impatient as ever..." Echo sighed. "It's over here."

Over in the rear of the store was the page, held in a glass case.

"There it is..." Echo whispered.

"Can I help you?"

The trio turned to see the store owner standing before him. He was an old pony with a gray mane, powder blue body, and a vase Cutie Mark.

"Ah, yes." Echo nodded. "We are interested in procuring that artefact right there."

"Oh, I'm afraid it's not for sale." The old pony shook his head.

"I'm sure we can come to an agreement." Sunset declared. "We really need that page."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot part with it." The old pony declared. "And that's my final word on the matter."

"If you say so." Echo smiled pleasantly. "Come along, friends."

Sunset and Sterling followed Echo outside, utterly confused.

"That's it?" Sterling snorted. "You're giving up, just like that? I knew you couldn't go the distance!"

"Of course I'm not giving up." Echo frowned. "The stakes are far too high for that."

"So what are we going to do?" Sunset asked.

"Much as I loathe the idea, I'm afraid we're going to have to... appropriate the page." Echo declared.

"Wait, you mean 'steal'?" Sunset gasped.

"I didn't sign up for this!" Sterling yelled. "I'm no thief! I'm a royal guard, for crying out loud!"

"Would you rather we allowed the masked pony to take the page?" Echo asked. "He would no doubt demolish that store, and show it's owner no mercy. Taking the page would be doing that old fellow a favor."

"I guess you're right." Sunset sighed. "So, how should we do this?"

"It's almost noon." Echo noted. "Once the old fellow goes to lunch, we'll sneak in and take the page."

"Just so you know, I am really against this." Sterling declared.

"Then why don't you act as our lookout?" Echo suggested. "Leave the rest to Sunset and myself."

"Fine." Sterling nodded.

As noon came, the old pony exited the store, locking it behind him.

"Come, Sunset." Echo urged. "We'll sneak in around the back. Cross, you keep watch from across the street. If there's any trouble, bang your hooves on that trash can over there."

"Yeah, sure." Sterling sighed. "Just don't get caught."

"We'll try." Sunset smiled.

Echo and Sunset snuck around the back of the store. Sunset used her magic to pick the lock of the back door, and they crept in.

Across the street, Sterling's eyes roved the area.

"Crazy smart idiot." He muttered, kicking a can with his hoof. "Gonna get us all arrested..."

Inside the store, Echo gingerly removed the case from the page, Sunset having used her magic to counter any protective spells it could have.

"Got it." Echo smiled, picking up the page, "One down, nine more to go."

"Now let's hurry out of here." Sunset urged.

As they rushed outside, they suddenly found their way blocked by four police officers.

"Well, what have we here?" Said the tallest, a lanky orange Pegasus, in a disturbingly quiet voice.

"Couple a' ponies inna heap a' trouble, that's what!" A stocky yellow Earth Pony with a broad "deep south" accent sniggered.

"Thought you'd sneak in 'round the back, huh?" A medium-sized brown Unicorn sneered smugly. "Didn't know there's a side alley we cops use right there, huh?"

"There's a perfectly good explanation for all this, officers." Sunset said nervously.

"Really?" A short, weaselly-looking blue Unicorn gasped. "Well, that fixes everything... not!"

"My cohort is right." Echo stepped. "As outlandish as it may seem, the fate of Equestria hung on us getting this page!"

"Well, looky here." The Pegasus growled. "A Thestral."

"Is that a problem?" Echo asked.

"We don't like yer type round here, boy." The Earth pony glared. "Right, Taser?"

"Right, Mace." The Pegasus nodded.

"And what's wrong with Thestrals?" Echo asked.

"What's right with 'em?" The blue Unicorn snarked. "Am I right, Cuffs?"

"You bet, Nightstick." The brown Unicorn nodded.

"Meaning?" Echo glared.

"You're bat-winged freaks of nature." Taser sneered. "Yellow-eyed, cave dwelling throwbacks. Somepony oughta round you all up and dump you on an island somewhere, so the normal ponies don't have to look at your leather-winged ugliness."

"How dare you!" Sunset gasped, disgusted.

"Hey, he's just tellin' it like it is." Cuffs said defensively. "Not his fault if he's right."

"Even if he is, you can't arrest me for what I am." Echo retorted.

"No, but we can arrest you for theft." Taser grinned. "Both of you."

"Ready to come along quietly?" Nightstick asked. "Please say 'no'."

"Now you see here!" Echo flared his wings, "We have no time to abide to your-"

"Echo, please..." Sunset whispered. "We can't fight the police. It'll just draw attention to us. Let's play along... for now."

Echo glanced at Sunset for a moment, before letting out a sigh.

"Very well." Echo murmured, bringing in his wings and holding up his hooves. "I surrender."

"That's a pity." Mace pouted. "I wanted to have some fun with 'im!"

"There'll be plenty of time for that at the precinct." Taser declared.

"Aww, yeah..." Mace sneered. "Still these here could be dangerous. Ain't no harm in bein' a little rough with 'em..."

Mace suddenly twisted one of Echo's legs in a hooflock.

"Gah!" Echo yelped. "You uncouth..."

"Leave him alone!" Sunset moved forward, only to be pulled back by Nightstick, who had grabbed her mane.

"Easy there, sweetheart." He smirked. "You don't wanna make this harder than it already is. Me, on the other hoof, would love that. So do try."

As Echo and Sunset were led away, Sterling saw them from across the street.

"How did..." He gaped. "I knew this would happen! Guess it's up to me to save the day...hang on, Sunset, I'm comin'…"

Sterling followed after them, being sure to stick to the shadows, so he wouldn't be spotted.

The cops dragged Echo and Sunset to their precinct, and placed them in neighboring cells.

"These conditions are revolting." Echo grimaced.

"What's the matter?" Nightstick sneered. "I thought you Thestrals liked dirty little spaces."

"That is a totally untrue stereotype." Echo glared.

"Ah, go hang from the ceiling, or eat some bugs, or whatever." Cuffs spat.

At the same time, Taser was looking at a recent piece of correspondence, fresh from the Crystal Empire.

"What's up, boss?" Mace asked.

"Just got word from the Crystal Empire." Taser declared. "Turns out a Thestral named Echo Alchemy is wanted for something."

"Ya don't say?" Mace smirked. "Looks like we got us a fugitive here."

"Imagine if we bring him out there." Taser grinned. "We'd all get promotions for sure."

"Sweet potatoes, I'd like that!" Mace grinned.

"Not to mention we could use the good press." Taser declared. "Don't want word spreading about what we do... after dark, right?"

"Right, boss." Mace nodded.

"Once word gets out that we brought in a fugitive of this caliber, nopony'll think ill of us again." Taser smirked. "We'll take 'im down tomorrow. And for now, get Nightstick to take that paper they were trying to steal to the evidence locker."

"Will do, boss." Mace nodded.

Echo struggled against the bars of his cell, to no avail.

"I don't believe this." Echo groaned. "Our quest is over, after barely even starting!"

"It's okay, Echo." Sunset assured.

"No, it's not!" Echo retorted. "That masked pony, once he figures out that the page is here, will squash those four poor excuse for cops flat and take the page, and easily take the nine other pages with little to no resistance! With those pages and the book in hoof, he will bring total destruction upon us all!" Echo let out a heavy sigh. "I'm such a fool..."

"Don't blame yourself..." Sunset told him.

"I'm not." Echo growled. "I blame Sterling! That idiot was supposed to be keeping watch, and now he has probably abandoned us!"

"I'm sure he's on his way to help." Sunset declared.

"I highly doubt that." Echo frowned, as he lowered his head. "I'm so sorry, Sunset... because of me, you will probably be charged for associating yourself with this forsaken quest..."

"It's not your fault." Sunset smiled. "I chose to come with you. I knew the consequences, and I did it anyway. I couldn't let you do this alone."

"And I appreciate that, Sunset." Echo smiled back. "In truth, having you here with me actually makes this horrible situation a little less unbearable."

"Same here." Sunset nodded.

"All the same, it's going to take a miracle to pull us out of this jam..." Echo frowned.

At that very moment, Sterling was climbing the scaffolding on the outside of the building.

"Ugh, the things I do for Equestria..." He groaned, "From assisting a robbery to breaking into a precinct to break out a beautiful maiden and a geeky batpony and getting that cruddy page... they don't pay me enough for this."

Back at the cells, Mace wandered over.

"Don't get too comfortable, Mr Fugitive." He told Echo. "We'll be taking your bat-winged hiney up to the Crystal Empire."

"Pity, if you ask me." Cuffs sighed. "We never got to have any fun with you."

"Maybe we could have some fun with the mare." Mace sneered.

"Excuse me?" Sunset frowned.

"Now there's an idea." Cuffs chuckled darkly. "She looks like a proper little show mare. I could show her a good time..."

"Boy, the ideas that horn gives me..." Mace sniggered.

"Now really, that is too much!" Echo glared. "Insulting my species is one thing, but you cannot talk to a lady like that!"

"Oh, yeah?" Cuffs snorted. "What is she, your marefriend or something?"

"Well, no..." Echo blushed slightly.

"Course she's not." Mace growled. "No mare would wanna be with a freak like him. I'll show her what a real stallion can do."

Echo's indignant snarl faded, the insult giving him an idea.

"You know, you could still have some with me." He smiled.

"What?" Sunset gaped.

"What are you gettin' at, hoss?" Mace asked.

"You could give me a good once-over before the night is over." Echo declared. "If anypony asks, you could tell them I was 'resisting arrest' and you can leave Sunset out of this."

"Now there's an idea." Cuffs grinned.

"Don't even think about it." Taser declared, having been drawn to their conversation. "We handle this right, we could come out looking like heroes. We don't want to risk messing things up by getting charged with police brutality."

"What's the matter?" Echo sneered. "I thought you hated Thestrals? Don't you want to teach me a lesson?"

"I'd love to." Taser smiled. "But I can't take the chance."

"That's funny." Echo pointed to Mace. "I thought he was the yellow-bellied pony."

"What?!" Taser snarled.

"You heard me." Echo glared. "What's the real reason you won't attack me? Are you afraid to fight me?"

"You low-down-" Mace stepped forward.

"Quiet." Taser stopped him.

"Well, are you the boys in blue, or the boys in pink?" Echo asked.

"Echo, what are you doing?" Sunset hissed.

"Are you calling me a cissy?" Cuffs growled, his smugness fading.

"I'm calling you all cissies." Echo declared. "Each and every one of you."

"Aw, that's it!" Mace roared. "Come on, boss, let 'im out!"

"Okay, fine." Taser agreed. "Somepony needs to shut that big mouth of his, and you're ever so good at that."

"Yeah!" Mace yelled.

Echo grinned as the cell door opened.

Meanwhile, Nightstick was in the evidence locker, preparing to store away the page for the night. He stared incomprehensively at the script.

"What kinda gobbledygook is this?" He frowned, "And why anypony, let alone a filthy batpony, would want to steal it?"

"Maybe he's just an avid reader with too much free time on his hooves?"

Nightstick turned to see Sterling standing in the doorway.

"But nevertheless, I'm going to have to take that from your custody."

"Who are you?" Nightstick yelped. "And whaddaya want?"

"Sterling Cross, of the Crystal Guard." Sterling announced. "I am here to collect that page, as well as the two ponies you just arrested."

"So you're friends with that bat-winged freak?" Nightstick snorted.

"'Friends' is kinda stretching it." Sterling shrugged. "But he is with me."

"Too bad." Nightstick glared. "We got him now. And you are way out of jurisdiction."

"Well, that can change." Sterling declared, "Surely, as we are both stallions of the law, we could sort all this mess out-"

Sterling noticed something on the nearby table; a pile of notes.

"Huh, what's this?" He noted, before his eyes widened. "Confiscated money, out on the desk, instead of an evidence locker?"

"We help ourselves to some every now and again." Nightstick shrugged. "It's not like anypony's gonna miss it."

"Oh no... you guys are dirty cops, aren't you?" Sterling grimaced.

"Got a problem with that?" Nightstick asked.

"Actually, I do." Sterling glared. "And if you don't give me that page and release the girl and the 'bat-winged freak', I will have no choice but to alert the proper authorities of your actions..."

"Oh yeah?" Nightstick set down the page on the table. "And what makes you think I'm going to take orders from some rock pony?"

"Look, pal, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Sterling sighed with frustration. "And trust me, you don't want to take the hard way."

"Wanna bet?" Nightstick held up his hooves. "Put 'em up!"

"Oh, I really don't have time for this." Sterling groaned.

"Well, have time for this!" Nightstick charged at him.

However, as soon as he came into punching distance, Sterling simply slugged him hard with a right hook, slamming him into the table, scattering the bills.

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Sterling scoffed, as he picked up the page. "I'll take that." He then picked up some of the bills. "And some of these…" Then he noticed a quiver of bolts on Nightstick's body. "And probably some extra ammunition for the road."

Back at the cells, Mace circled Echo menacingly.

"You ever cut the ear off'n a baby cow?" Mace asked. "They screeeam and screeeam... It's funny."

"I fail to see the humor." Echo deadpanned.

As Mace continued circling, Echo's mind started planning for the fight ahead, the whole scene flashing before his eyes:

'This must not register on an emotional level. First, distract target.' Echo flared out his wings in Mace's face. 'Then block his blind jab. Counter with cross to left cheek. Discombobulate.' He boxed Mace's ears. 'Dazed, will attempt wild haymaker. Employ elbow block, and body shot.' Echo blocked with his elbow and delivered a body blow. 'Block feral left. Weaken right jaw, now fracture.' Echo provided a cross to the jaw, which fractured the bone. 'Break cracked ribs. Traumatize solar plexus. Dislocate jaw entirely.' He delivered two more body blows, and a right hook to the jaw hinge. 'Heel kick to diaphragm.' A buck to Mace's chest sends him crashing against a nearby wall. 'In summary: ears ringing, jaw fractured, three ribs cracked, four broken, diaphragm hemorrhaging. Physical recovery: six weeks. Full psychological recovery: six months. Capacity to be a horrid thug: neutralized.'

Mace charged Echo, who enacted the entire scene he had concocted flawlessly. Mace crumpled to the floor, defeated.

"My gosh..." Sunset gasped.

"What the-" Cuffs gaped.

"Don't just stand there." Taser spat. "Get him!"

"You got it!" Cuffs nodded, launching into the fray.

Cuffs launched blow after blow at Echo, but he swatted them all away, and threw in some karate chops of his own.

"I see you're favouring your right hoof." Echo declared. "Fast movements, but not very accurate ones."

"I'll give you 'accurate'!" Cuffs roared.

As Cuffs made to land a particularly powerful blow, Echo ducked and swept his feet, knocking him down.

"All too easy." Echo smirked.

"We'll see about that." Taser growled. "My turn."

Taser charged at Echo, landing a blow on his nose.

"And I thought that last one was fast." Echo admitted. "But you don't have much in terms of hitting power. Would I be correct in assuming you have your underlings handle most of the physical action?"

"Usually." Taser snarled. "But I can get my hooves dirty if I want to."

"Then bring it on." Echo urged.

Taser rushed at Echo, and the two exchanged a flurry of blows. Taser managed to back Echo against a wall.

"Got ya now." He sneered.

"Think again." Echo smiled.

As Taser made to land the final blow, Echo ducked. Taser's hoof rammed into the wall, becoming stuck.

"Here, let me help." Echo smiled, as Taser struggled to free himself.

Echo threw a haymaker that sent Taser flying.

"Hmm, and you call yourselves enforcers of the law? Even Sterling could put up a better fight than-" Echo scoffed as he turned... only to be faced with a crossbow wielded by Mace.

"Time to die, bat-freak." Mace growled, enraged.

"Ah, bollocks..." Echo cursed, as he closed his eyes, knowing the end was probably near.

He heard the sound of a bolt being released. However, when he opened his eyes, he noticed he was unharmed, and Mace glanced at him funny, before glancing down at his chest, where a bolt impaled him.

"Uh..." He teetered backwards, growing weary. "No fair... you cheated..."

A bolt struck him in the head, killing him. Echo turned to see Sterling with a raised bow.

"How's that for an entrance?" Sterling smirked.

"Sterling!" Sunset smiled. "I knew you'd come!"

"Better late than never, I suppose." Echo sighed. "Thank you for the timely assist."

"No problem." Sterling smiled. "I can't stand racist slime like that."

"Really?" Echo frowned, grabbing the keys from Taser's prone body. "I'd have thought you'd fit right in, considering the way you treat me."

"No way." Sterling frowned. "I hate you because of who you are, not what you are. I can't stand weirdo brainiacs. Thestrals, I have no feelings for either way."

"Good." Echo nodded awkwardly, as he opened Sunset's cell. "Are you okay, Sunset?"

"I'm fine." Sunset nodded. "You were incredible back there. Where'd you learn to fight like that?"

"Yeah, seriously." Sterling added. "Didn't think you were the brawlin' type."

"Oh, I sometimes partook in unofficial boxing matches during a stay in Trottingham." Echo shrugged. "I trust you recovered the page?"

"Right here." Sterling held it aloft. "I also got us some money."

"Should we ask where?" Sunset frowned.

"Not really." Sterling shrugged. "But like one of these bungholes said, nopony's going to miss them."

"That money should come in handy for where we're going." Echo declared. "We need to get to the docks. The next page is overseas. Specifically, Chineigh."

"Then let's get going." Sterling smiled.

"Another place I've always wanted to see." Sunset smiled.

"Yes, and the sooner the better. That masked pony might be on his way there right now..." Echo muttered.

They rushed down to the docks, catching the first boat to Chineigh they could find. Unbeknownst to them, the masked pony was watching their departure. His eyes narrowed menacingly...

Back in the Crystal Empire, a guard was reporting to Shining and Cadance.

"We followed a trail of hoofprints to some sort of depository for knowledge of dark magic." He revealed. "And we found this."

The guard held the lock of Sunset's mane that Sterling had accidentally clipped during their fight against the masked pony.

"So... Sunset Shimmer is with Achemy." Shining frowned.

"But what were they doing there?" Cadance asked.

"I don't know." Shining admitted. "But I intend to find out." He turned to the guard. "Continue the search."

"Yes, your highness." The guard bowed.

Back at the front of the precinct office, the surviving cops were nursing their wounds, having regaining consciousness.

"Well, this is just great." Taser groaned. "Me and Cuffs get our flanks handed to us by some freaky no-good leatherwing, Nightstick gets owned by some military officer and lets him walk out with evidence and the money we were going to steal for ourselves."

"And now Mace is dead." Cuffs added.

"You don't think they're going to blow the whistle on us, do you?" Nightstick asked.

"Naw, the guys up north are lookin' for them." Taser declared. "Ain't no way they'll blow the whistle on us without blowing one on themselves. I just hope nothing else goes wrong tonight."

"Like what?" Cuffs asked.

"Like maybe a bunch of ponies outside?" Nightstick glanced through one of the windows.

Suddenly, a hailstorm of bolts burst through the windows and walls of the precinct. Cuffs took one in the chest, dying instantly, while Nightstick got one in the hoof.

"Ah, my hoof!" He danced around in pain, allowing a bolt to hit him in the backside. "My butt!" A third bolt drove itself into his ear. "My ear..."

Nightstick collapsed.

Taser did his best to protect himself from any lethal hits, but still took enough bolts to mortally wound him.

Soon, the bolts died down, and a big burly buffalo in a fancy suit walked in, and stood over the dying Taser.

"What in Faust's buck with wrong with you?!" Taser roared, spitting out some blood. "Do you know who I am?!"

"Not really." The buffalo shrugged. "All I know is Murray Napoleon wanted me and the guys to come and clean house at a precinct filled with dirty cops. Sounds familiar?"

"You filth." Taser spat. "Nopony messes with us. We mess with them!"

"Either way, I'm here to say: the Napoleon Family sends their regards." The buffalo declared, aiming his own crossbow at him.

The color drained from Taser's face…

"Aw f-"

Taser was cut off by the sound of a bolt swishing through the air.

And with that, the four corrupt cops of Manehatten were no more. And Echo, Sunset, and Sterling's quest for the ten pages continued.

Comments

[HolyCross9]

Thank you Murray Napoleon for dealing with such rotten law-enforcers.

[Vakama95096]

I love you had that Sherlock Holmes part

[danick]

Elementary my dear Sunset

[Koala2001]

Yes! The Napoleans have come to take care of the cruddy ponies!