Chapter 87 - Just another day
Twilight Sparkle liked to think she was a prepared pony. One that had a plan for every outcome.
For instance, that knock at the door could have been a few things. A pony with a friendship problem. Ledger wondering where two of his fiance's got to…
The angry face of Prince Shining Armor wasn’t on her list though. This much was evident by Twilight screaming and slamming the door in his face.
“Twilight Starshine Sparkle,” the voice of her brother came from the other side of the door. “Open. This. Door.”
“Uh, I’m sorry, you appear to have the wrong address. Your Princess is in another castle!” Twilight shouted back as she started a long distance teleport.
“Twilight, so help me, open this door, or my next stop is mom.”
“Twilight, open the door for your brother,” he heard his mother say from inside the castle.
“Nope! I don’t have a brother,” Twilight shook her head.
“Twilight, don’t make me get Cadence as well,” Shining said. “And does mom know how you told me? I’m sure she’d open the door if I explained it.”
Twilight grumbled and opened the door, “Fine, there. Happy?”
“It’s a start,” Shining said as he walked into the room. “Now would you mind explaining your letter to me?”
“Why, I wrote it in plain Equuish,” his sister said. “Just like the one you sent me.”
“Yes, but I thought you were seeing this Ledger guy, and his herd,” Shining explained. “Now all of a sudden you’re getting married to ‘Duke Secret-Hoarder’? It doesn’t make much sense.”
Twilight’s Sparkle and Velvet looked at one another… then started laughing. A laugh that kept going, even as Cider stumbled into the room half asleep. She hadn’t put her mane up yet, so her golden locks spilled everywhere as she rubbed her eyes.
“Ergh… whut’s so dadgummed funny this early in th’mornin?” she mumbled.
“I haven’t the faintest idea,” Shining said as he turned to her. “All I did was ask them about this ‘Duke Secret-Hoarder’ and they started laughing.”
“...What’s so funny bout Ledger?” Cider blinked.
“Wait...you mean they’re the same pony?” Shining asked with wide eyes.
“D-Duke Secret Horahahahaaa…” Twilight giggled. “That’s...whew… that’s Ledger’s changeling name.”
“...Like how Cadence has a long and fancy name,” Shining deduced.
“It's cute how you never use that name,” Princess Mi Amore Cadenza chuckled as she leaned against him. “So Twilight. Does that mean you're getting married to four ponies?”
“Eeyup,” Cider yawned, leaning against Shining’s other side. “She’s gonna be our pretty princess…”
“Right, next stop, Las Pegasus,” Shining said. “I have to have...words with some ponies…”
“Good idea!” Twilight saw an opportunity to deal with this once she was prepared and with a flash of her horn, she teleported him right there.
Cadence and Cider yelped as their resting place vanished and they fell in a heap on the floor.
Shining Armor now found himself in the living room of Cider’s farmhouse…
“Well, I didn’t mean instantly,” Shining mused as he looked around.
The sound of somepony coming down the stairs got his attention as Midnight Song yawned, brushing past him on the way to kitchen. “Hi Shining,” she murmured, her true goal being the fridge. It was time to raid.
“Midnight, where is the changeling known as Ledger?” he asked the thestral. “I want to have...words with him.”
He heard her rummaging around in the fridge, until she found her milk and gulped it down.
“Pwaahhh~ So much better,” she smiled and then blinked. She walked slowly back out into the living room and looked at the stallion.
“I've had this dream before…” she muttered. “But it involved hoofcuffs…”
“Left mine in Ponyville,” the stallion says before looking up the stairs. “Is he up there?”
“Probably,” Midnight sighed. “Do try and leave some left for-” She was cut off as the front door opened and Chrysalis poked her head in.
“Midnight, have you got any sugar? Amy used ours and… oh, hello Former Husband.”
Shining reacted without thinking about it, pulling the large ‘ling into the room and putting a shield around her.
“Well that was rather dramatic,” she sighed. “I understand you missed me. But I'm in a committed relationship now.” She seemed rather unfazed.
“Shiny, please let Chryssie go,” Midnight said as she fetched the nymph her sugar.
“It was my understanding that she was supposed to be in Ponyville, under Twilight’s watch. Bad enough, really, but now to not be there?” Shining asked, not letting the shield up at all.
“Twilight says she's good to go,” Midnight explained. “Chryssie here even has a pair of lovers, one of them being Aerial Ace. You know him yes? The griffon that no student ever bested!”
The white stallion blinked a few times before looking at the changeling queen. “You cannot be serious,” he said simply.
“Do I look like I'm kidding Shining?” Chrysalis was starting to get annoyed. “Now let me out. Don't make me summon her.”
“Summon who?” the unicorn asked with a raised eyebrow. “I think I can hold this until Twilight tells me herself that you’re allowed to be out.”
Chrysalis sighed and closed her eyes. “You had your chance to escape. Oh Amy, your nymph is in trouble~” She sang out and Midnight ducked under a table.
“Then I guess it’s time to make it double~” the voice replied, seeming to come from all around them.
“What the...what the buck is that?!” Shining asked as he turned around, trying to catch sight of whoever talked.
“Your worst nightmare,” Chrysalis smirked. “Last chance Shiny Hiney.”
The stallion shook his head, and if anything, the shield around Chrysalis seemed to grow stronger.
“A Queen in a cage,” she sighed. “Amy dear, if you'd be so kind…”
“Hiya!” the Pink nymph said from right behind Shining Armor. The stallion turned as he took stock of the situation, only seeing a Pink changeling sitting behind him.
“And you are?” he asked.
“Oh, I’m Amy!” the nymph said happily. “And you have my nymphfriend in a cage.” And then her demeanor turned...one shade darker. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
“Amy, no murder, Cider will kill us if you get blood in the carpet,” Midnight said from under the table.
“Oh, can I borrow your kitchen for a little bit of fun then?” Amy said with her demeanor still not bright and cheery.
“...The fuck is going on down here?” A tall Blue Noble said from the top of the stairs. “...Amy, should have guessed that strangled cat voice belonged to you.”
“And good morning to you too Scopey!” Amy said before she reached out and started dragging Shining Armor into the kitchen. “But if you don’t mind, I’m going to convince this pony to let my Chyssie go.”
“Get your...leggo!” Shining said as he tried to break her hold. Tried, and failed.
“Shining…? LEDGER! Get down here!” Scope called out as she looked at Chrysalis and giggled. “You look like a goldfish.”
“Oh shut the fuck up,” Chrysalis pouted. “I can't help that Shining has this weird fetish.”
“I do not have a-” Shining got out before the door to the kitchen was closed. Ledger slowly walked up behind Scope and gave her cheek a kiss.
“About time,” Scope grumbled. “ Can you go make sure Amy doesn't kill Twilight’s brother for his weird shield fetish?”
“Oh, ‘zat all?” Ledger said as he walked up to the shield and hummed. “He does good work with these things...Hey Chryssy.”
“I swear if someone doesn't let me out… then I will murder so many ponies!!”
“Let’s try something,” Ledger said before putting a hoof on the shield. “Right here. Standard beam. On three?”
“Ledger, it won’t work,” Chrysalis said. “But by all means, embarrass yourself. I could use a good laugh.”
Ledger just shrugged and touched the shield again. “Suit yourself. I just thought if there wasn’t a weak point, we could make one if we worked together.”
“He protected a whole city, even under my influence,” Chrysalis explained. “What are our chances that-” With a small ‘pop’ the shield dissipated. “Oh… look at that.”
Amy walked out of the kitchen, all smiles, as she hugged and nuzzled Chrysalis. “Hey you,” she purred.
“Mmm, knew I could count on you,” Chrysalis murred back and kissed her. “Did you let him live at least?”
“Yeeahh, Cadence and Twilight might get mad if you didn’t,” Midnight said, finally coming out of hiding.
“Oh, he’s alive,” Amy said dismissively. “He was just subjected to what a Pink can really do when they’re angry.”
Chrysalis shuddered and closed her eyes. “I almost feel sorry for him. Now… should we get going?” She lifted the satchel of sugar Midnight got her. “I have secured the goods.”
“Yay, more baking!” Amy said as she kissed Chrysalis. “Mmm, let’s head back and say good morning to Acey~”
“Ohh, so were gonna do some frosting then?” Chrysalis grinned and trotted from the home, as Scope shook her head once they left.
“...Why the fuck is Shining Armor in our house?”
“I don’t know,” Ledger said as he walked into the kitchen. A few seconds later, a frozen white stallion was floated out and placed in the living room. “But he’s not stopping me from having my coffee.”
“You are surprisingly agreeable this morning,” Scope nodded, already setting the pot to brew. “Were cuddles that good?”
“Cuddles are always good,” Ledger said as he sat down and stared at the pot, as though willing it to go faster. “Cuddles with ones I love are even better.”
“And my newest form? You like?” Scope asked, doing a little twirl.
“I give it the Midnight Stamp of Approval,” the thestral nodded and licked her lips.
“Now all we have to do is find a way for you to hold it for ten months or so on end and all our problems are solved,” Ledger said before kissing the nymph, still not taking his eyes off the pot if he could help it.
“Honestly, you'd impregnate us all if you could huh?” Scope rolled her eyes as she turned and started to pour the coffee slowly. “What’s with that anyway? Foals are noisy, obnoxious little balls of snot and tears.”
“They’re also the only link you have with the future,” Ledger said. “The only way you have to pass on a bit of you to the next generation. And I’d like to think I’m going to do my best to raise my kid to be better than myself.”
“Well on the plus side, you haven't set the bar very high,” Scope giggled.
“Plus he forgot that it's a Violet thing,” Midnight added. “Sugar told me last night that she still wants Levvy’s babies~”
Ledger coughed, sputtered, and looked at the Thestral. “She what?” he asked inarticulately.
“Well, apparently you're the only other Noble in the city, and you're the only one she actually respects enough to want to do that apparently.” Midnight wondered why she wasn't really bothered by it. Eh, she blamed Ledger.
“Coffee, then process that,” Scope said, setting the mug down in front of him. Ledger nodded and added his customary cube before stirring it up and starting in on his coffee.
“One for you,” she set one down before Midnight. “And even one for Captain Dumbass here,” she said, poking Shining. The stallion reacted enough to hold the cup, though not do much else.
Scope shrugged and sat on the couch, taking her true form and nursing the mug as she drank it, the room falling into silence as they did.
It wasn't for about fifteen minutes that somepony finally spoke.
“Shining, did you come here for a reason?” Midnight asked. “Perhaps related to a certain wedding?”
“The pink fury…” he muttered. “Never...make her mad again…”
“Well he's out,” Midnight shrugged then an idea formed. She straightened up and cleared her throat.
“Shining Armor! Ateeeen-SHUN!!”
The stallion snapped to, saluting to Midnight before he caught on and lowered his hoof. “What...happened?”
“Nothing, you came to visit then just conked out. You must have been tired,” Midnight replied, whistling innocently. “You wanted to see Ledgie yeah?”
“I… uh, yes,” Shining said and shook his head. “So tell me, what's all this about you marrying my sister!?”
“She’s grown so attached to us, that when I asked if she wanted to join us on our big day, she said yes,” Ledger said as he sipped at his coffee. “She’s quite the mare, you know.”
“I'm very well aware of that,” Shining said. “And yet here I am, wondering what you hope to gain from this.”
“A loving relationship?” Ledger said with the bare minimum of snark. “Honestly, it wasn’t planned by either of us at the start, but I’m not complaining.”
“Don't you think it's a little soon?” Shining riposted. “You and your herd have only known her for a month or so.”
“And yet, we probably know her better than anypony save her family,” Ledger riposted Shining’s riposte. “After all, if she didn’t share our feelings, then she was perfectly welcome to say no.”
“You sure it's not because you're a-”
“OKAY!” Midnight interrupted before he could finish that suicidal line of thought. “Look Shine. We love Twilight. We love her as much as we love each other, and isn't that enough? We can't guarantee that it'll all work out. But we're going to try our hardest okay?”
Shining paused and frowned as he closed his eyes. “Fine. And… sorry Ledger. I'm just annoyed at how I found out about all this.”
“If it helps any,” Ledger said as he finally killed his coffee. “When I found out how she told you, I said it was a bad idea.”
“Yeah well… Twiley never did have a firm grip on what was funny and what wasn’t,” Shining sighed and drained his own mug. “Now… I just need to figure out how to get back…”
“Well, seeing as neither of us are her,” Ledger said before looking at Scope. “Think the nymph in Ponyville is up for taking a message to Twilight?”
“How do you know about that?” Scope blinked. “The names and locations of my minions are a secret…”
“I helped you set them up, remember? We both went over where nymphs were needed together,” Ledger deadpanned.
“...Oh yeeahhh,” Scope nodded and her horn lit up. She paused and then blinked. “Huh? I already have a message waiting. ‘Dear Shining Armor. You can’t come back until you stop being mad. Love, Twilight.’”
“How about this one? ‘Dear Twilight Sparkle. Please come fetch your brother before he runs into Chrysalis. Again. Love, Level Ledger.’”
She nodded and sent the message, there was another pause and with a flash, Twilight teleported into the room and looked around.
“Oh Shiny, please tell me you didn't hurt Chrysalis,” Twilight said. “Oh, and Ledger, almost forgot about him.”
“No, Amy dealt with him,” Ledger said as he floated his cup into the kitchen. “I take it you forgot our little friend was living here until just now?”
“Pretty much,” Twilight nodded. “So Shiny, I take it you're better now?”
“Better is… a relative term,” Shining nodded. “But yes, let's go with that.”
“Maybe one day, we’ll get that Changeling phobia of yours properly treated,” Ledger said. “Picture it, Twilight. Your brother and Chrysalis exchanging Hearth’s Warming presents and not even caring about who they’re from.”
“That will be a warm day in the tundra,” Shining muttered.
“Well you'd better get used to it, because she'll be at the wedding,” Twilight said then giggled. “I wonder how she'll react to a wedding she's invited to?”
“That promises to be interesting,” Ledger chuckled as well. “Still, I rather think his business here is concluded, Twilight.”
“No, we'll be back. We have our respective parties tonight,” Twilight reminded him.
“Oh dear,” the drone said as he put a hoof to his head. “I can feel the headache already.”
“Wait, that’s tonight?” Scope and Midnight echoed. With Amy, Sugar and Chryssie…?
“I know our feels Levvy,” Midnight groaned.
“Tonight is going to be interesting,” Ledger agreed. “Assuming we can remember it.”
“Well I can’t drink remember,” Midnight spoke up. “So at least I’ll remember every embarrassing little thing that everypony else does! Although…” She leaned in close and grabbed Ledger’s shoulders, glaring into his eyes. “I know what you’re like when you get drunk. And you had better not come home with another wife Duke Secret-Hoarder!”
“I will do my best to come home with no more than I leave with,” Ledger said with a hoof raised.
The thestral turned her glare to Shining Armor. “And I expect you to make sure he remembers that promise Mr. Armor. Or Twilight will be down a husband and a brother.”
The unicorn gulped and nodded, saluting quickly. “Ma’am yes Ma’am!”
“There’s a pair of good stallions,” Midnight giggled and pinched their cheeks. “Remember to have fun ‘kay?”
Once the thestral headed upstairs to wash her face, Twilight following her. Shining turned to Ledger with wide eyes.
“Dude… she scares the buck out of me…”
“Just be glad you’re not marrying her,” the drone replied.
“Done and done,” Shining nodded. He sipped at his coffee again and sighed contently. “And sorry about the… dramatics. Seeing Chrysalis off of her leash doesn’t sit well with me.”
“It didn’t sit well with me either,” Ledger said as he sipped at his own coffee. “She should be thankful I already went Black once. Otherwise I might have gone Black if I met her before these mares did their miracle work on my psyche.”
Shining decided it was best not to comment on that. It sounded like a story in and of itself. “So who’s coming to this bachelor thing of yours?”
“Fredrick,” Ledger listed off. “My father, Midnight’s dad. Flash Sentry. You’re welcome to join if you want as well.”
“Are you sure?” the unicorn asked. “I mean, I wouldn’t want to impose…”
“This will hardly be any different than the time we went out drinking in the Empire,” the drone pointed out. “We’ll just have more ponies along for the ride.”
“True enough, well, then I accept your invitation,” Shining nodded, just as the door burst open and Aerial Ace flew in, looking around and sighing.
“Phew… finally got away…”
“Having two nymphfriends finally catching up with you?” Ledger asked with a smirk.
“You… have no… idea,” Ace panted. “They are insatiable!”
Ledger just raised an eyebrow, waiting for the gryphon to catch on to his predicament. Heck, Midnight alone was insatiable some nights.
“Well,” the griffon coughed. “Perhaps you would understand…” He looked at Shining and nodded. “You have no idea the suffering we endure.”
“And I am ever thankful for it,” Shining replied.
“Isn’t Cadence the Princess of Love?” Ledger idly asked.
“Don’t you dare give her any ideas!” Shining pointed a hoof at the pair of them. “I am very happy with with my one and only wife.”
“Who said we were going to give her any ideas about adding more wives?” Ledger asked mischievously.
Shining blinked and tilted his head, something Twilight also did when she was confused… then it clicked and he spluttered indignantly. “W-W-WHAT!?”
“I’m just saying, keeping up with an alicorn can’t be easy for you,” Ledger said before killing his coffee.
“We could say the same to you Ledger,” Ace chuckled as he fetched his own mug. Hopefully Amy and Chrysie wouldn’t check here first. “Princess Twilight must be… studious~”
“That’s my sister you're talking about birdbrain!” Shining said sharply. He did not want to think about Ledger and Twilight… like that.
“Out of respect to Shining here, I’ll refrain from saying too much more,” Ledger said. “Well gentlestallion and sir griffon, I have a company to run today. I’ll leave the abduction of me from it for my party up to you and the others that come here for it,” the drone said with a nod to the white unicorn before his usual disguise shimmered into place.
“Fair enough,” Ace nodded. “Perhaps I shall accompany Shining here back to Ponyville…” No, he totally wasn't thinking of skipping town so he could enjoy a small respite.
“If you like… not sure how we're getting back though…”
“Forget about me already?” Twilight said, tapping her hoof against the hardwood floor. “That cuts deep boys…”
“To be fair, our little project is still a secret,” Ledger said to the alicorn before walking over and giving her a kiss on the cheek. “Maybe give them a taster?”
Twilight smiled and returned Ledger's kiss much more passionately, before nodding and firing up her horn. “About that, wanna see something neat?”
“Do tell,” the brown unicorn said, now intrigued.
Twilight giggled and headed towards the backyard. “Follow me lovercolt,” she winked, her tail swishing.
“I blame you completely and utterly for her new behaviour,” Shining groused as he followed her as well.
“I blame Midnight for my new behavior,” Ledger said as he wondered what Twilight could show him. Not that he was complaining, the view was awesome.
“Aaaand he's ogling your flanks,” Shining groaned, Twilight replied by shaking them again as her tail swayed, keeping her modesty barely hidden.
Once outside, Ledger saw a large wooden crate and an even larger smile on Twilight’s face. Both Shining and Ledger knew that was the smile she got when she was plotting something.
“Twiiiiliiiight,” Ledger said. “What are you planning?”
She beamed brightly as she opened the crate with her magic and a maelstrom of bits and pieces whirled around. Within a few moments, Ledger beheld a device he instantly recognised, the portal to that weird ape world. Or at least, something aesthetically similar.
“Copying off of a design that works?” Ledger mused. “Interesting.”
“Moondancer sent me some notes last night.” Twilight trotted in place, she kinda looked like she had to pee. “This is just a prototype… but if it works?”
“It would be awesome,” Ledger agreed. “Though I don’t think your brother or Ace should be the first test subjects. Maybe send an apple first, then try and bring it back?”
“For SCIENCE!!” Twilight yelled and flung an apple through the arcane vortex.
All was silent…
“Did… did it work?” Shining asked.
“Maybe somepony on the other end is eating it,” Ledger mused. “Maybe attach a note to the next one asking them to send it back?”
Twilight frowned and teleported. A moment later, she emerged from the portal with a slight stumble and a sheepish grin.
“Good news, the portal seems stable,” Twilight said and gave Ledger an odd look.
“And the bad news?” Ledger immediately asked, not foolish enough to believe there wouldn’t be any.
“W-Well, it appears that an object going in the portal, comes back out at a slightly increased velocity…”
“What if we turned it off, then activated the portal around them? They’d have no velocity to increase,” Ledger asked. “Is that feasible?”
“There’s a chance the activation will tear them apart at the molecular level… I'll discuss it with Moondancer and the Doctor… also, Iaccidentallyknockedoutyoursister…”
Ledger blinked before facehooving. “So basically,” he told Ace and Shining when he was done with that, “Walk in until you’re in the palace, then stop, otherwise you might trip and fall.”
They nodded and stared at the portal, gulping and slowly entering it.
“So… what do you think?” Twilight asked now that they were alone.
“Well, I won’t deny that there are some bugs with this system, but maybe when you and Moondancer have a minute, you can work them out,” Ledger said, grinning at his own joke.
“That was terrible,” Twilight chuckled and kissed him. “Oh, I sent a letter to the Princess a day ago. Wanna know what it was about?”
“The same thing you sent a letter to your brother about?” Ledger asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Nooo,” Twilight grinned and leaned in close. She was walking backwards slowly, as he followed.
“Let's just say a little dream of yours could be so. Much. More~” And with that, she vanished through the portal, the device closing behind her.
“Right, number one priority is to work out the bugs in this device. Number two, become familiar with it so that she can’t escape so easily again,” Ledger said before turning around. He walked off to work, though not without casting another glance back at the portal.
Now...which dream could she be talking about?...
When Ledger arrived at work, his warehouse was buzzing with activity. Things were being loaded into containers and being sealed with locks both physical and magical.
One of his interns was running about in a panic, a mare named Bookmark. She worked whenever Scope wasn’t around. Which was often.
“Bookmark!” Ledger said, trying to gain her attention.
“Kyaa!?” She stumbled as a pile of paperwork she was levitating went everywhere. “Oh blast it!” she muttered as she started picking it up before realising Ledger was there. “Oh! Um, Mr. Ledger… hello.”
“Can you tell me what’s going on here?” Ledger said as he helped her with her paperwork.
“Ah, um… that is to say…” The mare shrinked back, her ears folded down in fear. “We might have had… a small break in…”
“What did they take,” Ledger said, already running the calculations as to how to recover from this.
“That's the odd part,” she replied, pushing up her round glasses. “They took the next shipment that was meant to go out. They knew exactly what it was and where it'd be.” She sighed and rubbed away an oncoming headache. “This is a right bloody mess. That shipment was worth around eighty thousand…”
“Fortunately,” Ledger said with a smile. “On all my morning walkabouts, I hit every shipment with a tracking spell. It usually wears off in a few weeks or so, more than enough time for our shipments to get where they’re going… but in cases like this?”
“We can locate it,” Bookmark smiled. “I've already informed the PD of the theft…” She sighed and rubbed her head again. “It's a very odd feeling to be laughed out of a police station.”
“Then we go one step higher,” Ledger said. “We inform the Guard. I have a friend there. Think you can take a message to Captain Narrow? Tell her I’m doing something stupid again? That’ll get her over here very quickly.”
“I'm on it,” Bookmark said. She was a cute little thing. She had a lime green coat with a lighter green mane and tail that were both braided. Her cutie mark was a closed book with a feather sticking out. “I'm sorry about this. If I'd only made sure the warehouse was more secure-”
“Not your fault, that’s on me,” Ledger cut her off with a shake of his head. “But those that stole from us are going to get a rude awakening if they think we’re soft. I will tear apart every last crime family in the city if I have to in order to send that message.”
Bookmark had heard stories of how fierce the boss was, and yet he was nothing compared to his collection of mares. A batpony, an earth mare, a changeling and a powerful unicorn…
Well, this city was screwed eight ways to Sunday.
“I'll run that message now,” Bookmark nodded and levitated the paperwork over to him. A manifest of what was taken and the report she attempted to hand over to the police.
“Thank you,” the disguised changeling said, waiting for her to walk off before he corralled his workers. The assortment of changelings were assembled, ready to be chewed out for failing their boss and Duke.
“Listen up!” Ledger said. “I do not blame you all for the theft. It was on me to think that the other crime families might take offense to our prosperity. What I do blame you all for is this exact theft. Somepony knew how to hurt us, and hurt us badly. They hit us in our pride as a reliable shipping company.”
“Did you think it was an inside job?” There was a nervous chittering, as eyes glanced around, looking for a potential traitor.
“At the moment, I don’t know,” Ledger said, considering the options. “Three teams. Team one, will carry on our operations as normal. Team two, will investigate everybuggy. And I will investigate them if they fail to turn up anything.”
“And Team Three sir?”
“Will get a dose of the tracing spell from me, the one linked to the shipment that went missing, in case the Guard don’t move fast enough. We take care of our business.”
The changelings nodded, before they started seperating into groups. The Blue’s made up the investigation team, while Red's and Yellow’s were the tracking group. Everybuggy else went back to work prepping the next shipments.
“Right,” Ledger said, firing up his horn. “Form a line, get your dose, then work together to find out where the shipment is. Upon finding it, do not engage unless you think there is a dire need to. We are still going to talk to the Guard. If they fail to turn up any useful leads after four hours, I hereby give you all permission to reclaim our stolen property.”
The changelings saluted, a little eager to get some action. Working for Ledger was great… but it was also pretty boring.
And that was when somepony teleported in behind Ledger, and he could feel the familiar itch of irritation coming from them.
“Ledger, what the ever-loving hell are you doing now?” Narrow said. The drone merely passed the paperwork that Bookmark had given him to her while he quickly hit as many changelings as he could with the tracking spell he still had on himself.
She flipped through the pages and her brow furrowed. “Celestia-damned mother bucking….” What followed was a string of curses that made several Reds blush.
“Apparently the police find us being robbed funny,” Ledger said as he kept hitting ‘lings with the tracking spell, waving each one off to remind them to go out and look afterwards.
“With Toll’s reputation still hanging over your heads?” Narrow replied. “Doesn't matter, I already know who did this.”
“Oh?” Ledger said as he hit the last ‘ling with the spell and sent him off. “Do tell. I’m curious to know who thinks they can rob us and get away with it.”
“The Raptor family, a bunch of Pegasi elitists,” Narrow said. “And you will leave this to the Guard, got it!”
“Of course,” Ledger said, already breaking his word thanks to what he did. “Though, we do have a reputation to uphold. Maybe once the fighting starts, you would see fit to turning a blind eye to some of my workers...reclaiming the shipment?”
“I mean it Ledger,” Narrow glared at him. “Your shipment has likely been separated and spread across half of Equestria by now. If you or anyone even remotely linked to you does anything, I'll have you arrested for obstruction.” She sighed and gave him a softer look. “If I find your shipment, I'll have it returned as soon as possible… but Raptor has some of the best and efficient fences on the market. It's likely you'll not see that stuff again. I suggest contacting your insurance company asap.”
“Tracking spell,” Ledger said simply, letting her put it all together.
“I hate you, you know that right?” Narrow sighed again. “Fine, give me the location and I'll set up a task force. If we find your goods, we can use it as evidence to finally take him in.”
“I don’t know where it is,” he said, before indicating the open door behind her with a tilt of his head. The one that the last worker had just flown through.
“Celestia-dammit Ledger!” Narrow pointed at the window. “I will seriously arrest your chitinous ass!”
“I told them not to move in unless they needed to, and I even gave you a generous window to mobilize the Guard,” Ledger said. “Four hours is more than enough time, right?”
“All of my hate Ledger!!” Narrow called out, even as she was running for the door. “Don’t assume we're done with this…”
“Of course not,” the drone said as he decided to pitch in and help with the rest of the shipments. There was plenty of work to do, and for once, he was going to help do it.
Midnight was having fun. Narrow had called and asked for some help and hotdamn did it feel good to be in armor again. They’d surrounded some kind of club in the seedier section of the city and while Midnight wanted to be on point, she was stuck playing spotter, in case anypony tried to make a break for it.
And there was no way she was telling Ledger she was doing this. He'd likely pitch a fit over it.
What she didn’t notice was one of his scouts leaving the scene…
When he returned to Ledger, he told him everything. From the methods the Guard was using, the fact that their goods still seemed to be there… and Midnight’s presence.
Ledger, to his credit, did not lose his composure. It was a near thing, though. Instead, he calmly told the scout to go back and tell the others to aid the guard in making sure nopony escaped, and especially not to get in Midnight’s way.
He saluted before taking off again as Bookmark approached the drone.
“Somethin’ wrong boss? You look tense.”
“Midnight’s in her armor again,” Ledger said before looking up to his office. “I could use a drink right about now, she drives me to it sometimes…”
“Your batpony partner?” she asked as she followed him to his office. “She's a guard though yes? Why wouldn't she be?”
“Tell me,” Ledger said as they reached the floor his office was on. “Would you say a pregnant mare can be...hormonal?”
“Well, I guess so,” Bookmark replied, going by her mum’s complaints.
“Midnight is worse,” Ledger said simply, letting her put two and two together as he opened the door to his office.
Bookmark had admittedly never met the mare for more than a second. But she'd heard the stories…
“You have my sympathies?” she offered as he took a seat.
“Yeah, and now she’s back in the armor again,” Ledger said as he fished out the rum and a glass. “And she gets worse if she’s in a combat situation sometimes.”
“You're worried huh?” Bookmark took a seat and rubbed her sore hooves. Running around everywhere was not her usual bookish activities.
“I’m worried for everything around her,” Ledger clarified. “I know she’ll get the job done. I just wonder what she’ll think the job is when she’s in the thick of things like she is.” He poured a small amount of rum into the glass, not even enough to get him tipsy, and knocked it back.
“Well, do you trust her?” Bookmark asked.
“Yeah,” Ledger said with a sigh. “I trust her. I just wish...well I wish for a lot of things, but it boils down to...I wish I’d had warning that she’d be doing this.”
“Mares are unpredictable at the best of times boss,” Bookmark giggled as she put his booze away. It wouldn't do to have him drunk on the job. “Now what say we get to work hmm?”
“Yeah yeah,” Ledger said. “And in the meanwhile, I have to worry about Midnight levelling half the city and dropping a building on our shipment.”
“...wat?” Bookmark paused and then snorted. “Aren't you overreacting just a smidge?”
“Don’t you recall the bank she ‘helped’ save?” Ledger deadpanned.
“That was her?” Bookmark blinked as they headed out to the floor.
“To be fair, she had help, but I’m still willing to blame her for the bank needing repairs in excess of what they were being robbed for,” the drone says. “Let’s just hope we still have a shipment when she’s done with helping…”
A few hours later, Narrow returned, looking like she’d seen better days. Her armor was scuffed and dented, and she was clearly showing signs of magical and physical exhaustion.
“Well that… that was… interesting,” Narrow sighed.
“I can only assume so,” Ledger said. “You know that all you would have had to do was ask nicely, and I’m certain you would have had backup in the form of my workers, yes?”
“You mean the workers that aren't allowed because they aren't guards?” Narrow replied with a weary sigh. “I need a copy of that manifest so we can sort through what we confiscated. Also, Midnight will be a bit. She had to go to the hospital.”
“Well, that eases my concerns by about none at all,” Ledger said before looking over for Bookmark. “I gave it to my latest intern, she might still have it…”
Narrow nodded. “Look Ledger, when one of Raptor’s guys escaped, she pursued instead of relaying like she was supposed to… she took a blow to the stomach…”
“And that’s why she went to the hospital,” Ledger said. “I wouldn’t worry if I were her, though. Changelings grow up tough, even at birth and before.”
“She’s still worried, and it’s my fault for asking her to help in the first place,” Narrow sighed and sat down. “If something happens… it’s my fault.”
“Do you honestly think you could have stopped her from doing what she truly loves to do?” the drone asked with a raised eyebrow. “I highly doubt there will be any damage to the foal, as I don’t think it’s even formed enough for that yet. Plus, maybe this will make Midnight want to tone down her involvement herself. Though, I will admit the possibility something happened to the foal is weighing on my mind. Just, not as heavily as it is yours.”
“Yeah well…” Narrow frowned and looked away. Midnight had been terrified and begged her not to tell Ledger. Still, she prayed that Ledger was right about this. “Your foal’s only half changeling remember?”
“Fair point, but pony foals are pretty resilient as well,” Ledger said. “It’s too bad I already had a drink. I could do with another one.”
“I’m sure you’ll get plenty tonight,” Narrow replied. “Still, I’d go see Midnight. She was freaking out pretty bad, even if she’ll never admit that.”
“I can do that,” Ledger said. “Why don’t you help yourself to a drink while you’re here? Get a small break before having to go back out there?”
“On duty, so I’ll have to pass,” Narrow said as Bookmark brought her the list, the guard unicorn thanking her. “Well, back to the salt mines I guess…” She turned and left, leaving the drone be once more.
“For the record, Captain, you were our first choice,” Ledger said. “I just didn’t want to take the chance that you might not respond favorably.”
“...First?” Narrow paused and turned. “What do you mean?”
“I mean that once the police laughed our concerns off, you were the first idea that came to mind,” Ledger said. “That whole, sending the squad of workers out to find our stuff thing was secondary. My backup plan. One I hoped I didn’t have to use.”
“Look Ledger, my guards are well trained. We know this city and how it works. If you have any more problems, and I highly think you will. Come directly to me alright? We may not have handled that Black, or Tirek… but for something like this. This is why we’re here.”
“I know,” Ledger said. “I know. If this happens again, I will come to you first and hold off on telling the workers to go out and find our stuff...though, I might just send out a few to help you narrow down where it is.”
“I have some changelings on my payroll now. You can work with them to help okay?” Narrow shook her head and rubbed one of her ears. “I’m going to get this done, then enjoy a long bath at home. Later troublemaker.”
Ledger nodded before looking back as his workforce. “You lot got this handled by yourself?”
They saluted as they prepared the last shipment for the day. “Go on Boss. We got this!”
With that, the drone returned their salute before double-checking his disguise and walking out. He had a mare to see at a hospital.
Midnight lay on the bed and sighed. Today had… not gone according to plan. The doctors had told her that everything was fine, but she just wanted to rest a bit away from the prying eyes of her herd.
That was about when she heard the sounds of somepony coming home, thanks to her Thestral hearing.
“Oh for the love of the stars,” she swore, she moved to make a break for it out the window, but the damned thing was stuck. When Ledger arrived, he saw his bride-to-be with one hoof out of the window, smiling sheepishly.
“Uh… hey,” she said weakly.
“You know, if you didn’t want to spend time with me, all you had to do was say so,” the drone said as he sat down in the doorway.
“Uh… this isn’t what it looks like?” she said and removed herself from the window. “I uh, just wanted some air…” She looked at his deadpan stare and sighed. “Yeah, I know ‘Emotivore’.”
“You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to,” he said simply. “Just know that I’m here to listen if you do.”
“It’s just… I’ve been so bored. I feel useless and…” she sighed and flopped onto the bed. “And now I can’t even do the one thing I’m good at…”
Ledger didn’t even draw close for a cuddle, he wanted to make sure she worked this out verbally before she worked it out physically. As in, on him. “You know you’re not,” he said simply. “You’re far from it. You might be...benched, for the time being, but there’s no reason you can’t still exercise or spar. So long as you and your partner take care in where your blows land…”
“My only partner is Ace, and he only has one setting,” Midnight complained. “No. I’m destined to get fat and lazy and you’re gonna not like me once I’m fat…”
“Aheh,” Ledger said with a rub of his head. “Maaaaybe it’s time I tell you about a little...kink, Violet drones have.”
“...wat?” Midnight actually paused and stared at him. “Ooookay?”
“Violet drones...are nicknamed breeders for a reason,” Ledger said with a slight blush. “There’s, ah...nothing more they like than knowing or seeing their efforts to get a mare pregnant paying off.”
“...wat?” Midnight repeated. “And you… share this… kink?”
“I’ve had dreams of all of you getting pregnant,” Ledger admitted. “Kinky, sexy dreams.”
“Oh?” she moved closer and he could feel her feeling more like… Midnight. “Tell me about them~”
“They typically start when it’s the spring,” Ledger said. “And when the season is rolling around. Apple Cider gets me first, and rides me until she can’t stand up straight anymore. Scope wakes up halfway through the first round and, ah...services us, or makes herself available.”
“Hmm, interesting,” Midnight mused, now sitting behind him and rubbing his ears. “Then what?”
“Well then I naturally see to you, of course,” Ledger said. “Paying attention to your belly all the while and telling you how much I love you and love the life you’re working so hard to grow in you.”
“Mmm, I do like being told such things,” she said, licking the side of his neck and nibbling his ear. “And yet, I bet you're saving the best for last~”
“Well then, Twilight comes over to see me, and takes me back to her palace in Ponyville,” Ledger said. “Where we spend days using every room in her palace. Eventually we end up in the throne room where I do her while sitting in her throne.”
“Ohh, I’d like to watch that,” Midnight purred as her wings teased his sides. “Lemme guess, somepony wants an alicorn/changeling~?”
“The thought is something that I’ve spent several session teasing her with,” he admitted. Then, the princesses words from earlier suddenly made a good deal of sense…
“And suddenly the spring is looking very attractive,” Ledger mused.
“Oh?” Midnight asked, her wingtips now teasing his belly as she sat behind him, nibbling his neck. “Why’s that?”
“Let’s just say I’m looking forward to the idea of adding more members to our little family,” Ledger said as he leaned back into her. “Though that depends on the others being willing to help, of course.”
“Hmm, guess we’ll have to see,” Midnight nodded. “We’d have to work out finances and whether or not so many of us can take time off of work,” she said and showed him a little trick she hadn’t before. She wiggled the soft barb-like things on the elbow of her wings, scratching at his belly.
“Oh, that feels good,” Ledger murred. “But yeah...are you satisfied that you’ll never be ugly to me?”
“I am,” Midnight replied, her mind already concocting ways to seduce him. Her scritchies moved lower and she gave him a fanged grin. “Maybe I should have you show me, you know, just to be sure~”
“Well I am back for the day,” Ledger mused...
~*~*~
Once he was done, and Cider had showered as well, the two went downstairs to see quite the party waiting for them. Shining Armor, Painted Palette, Flash Sentry and Grissom Gossamer were waiting patiently.
“Uhh,” Cider looked around and decided to shyly stay in one far corner of the room with Scope, having so many stallions that weren’t family around was a bit unsettling.
“I hope I didn’t keep you all waiting too long,” Ledger said as he surrendered himself to his fate.
“Just a bit,” Palette muttered. “We ain’t getting any younger waiting around here all night.” Critical wasn’t here, so he was in full surly-stallion mode.
“Well then gentlecolts,” Ledger said with a bow. “I am at your mercy.”
The stallions smirked as Shining nodded and snared the drone with his magic. “Well ladies,” Grissom bowed. “We’ll be taking him now. We’ll… try and bring him back alive, I mean, in one piece.”
“And suddenly I fear for my life,” Ledger said as he double-checked his disguise.
“Ah, I wouldn’t worry about that, colt,” Palette chuckled. Flash just nodded and grinned widely. They’d be meeting the rest of their party downtown.
Midnight waved goodbye as the stallions left, then yelped as a familiar hug found its way around her. She turned her head to see her mother hugging and nuzzling her.
“My little Nighty, it’s been so long,” Moon Song cried, kissing her cheeks.
“Ergh! Mom, getoff,” Midnight pouted as Scope chuckled. It was about time that the Mistress got a taste of her own medicine~
Outside, Shining just continued to carry Ledger, in case he decided to make a break for it. “So,” he asked the drone. “Ready for a night you might not remember?”
“I can walk, you know,” the drone deadpanned at them.
“That means you can also run,” Grissom nodded and Shining put the drone down. “Now, we have a nice full itinerary planned for this evening. Now, is there anything you’d like to know first?”
“Just one thing,” Ledger said before looking at Grissom. “We aren’t going to the Love Shack, right? It’s more than a little familiar to me, as it’s home to the Violets of the city.”
There was a pause, as the stallions looked at one another.
“Okay,” Grissom coughed. “That’s one less thing on the agenda. First stop. Fredricks!”
“Oh good, I was getting hungry,” Ledger said as he kept up with the stallions. They looked at each other again and chuckled. He was so adorably innocent sometimes.
“What?” Ledger said, looking at them. “A good meal means there’ll be more in my stomach to help absorb the alcohol I’ll likely be consuming over the course of this night.”
“Aye, we’ll have a light meal first,” Grissom nodded. “Then the real fun can begin~”
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That was interesting, I wonder what madness will happen next chapter?
i wont to see the party and poor shining shoud not have made amy mad
Silly ledger, your Alicorn hardly needs the portal if she wants to teleport away to Ponyville
And damn, I guess Twilight's castle of conception does actually work. With the implication about Scope being pregnant as well, I have a feeling there will be four little ones on the way by the time the wedding actually rolls around.
And worrying about finances seems kinda silly in their situation - while we don't really know how well Ledger's company is doing (though I imagine it's not in the red), Midnight should have one hefty paycheck, being a specialist in Celestia's royal guard and all. Cider's farm isn't exactly hurting for bits with their new produce either. And that's before we get into the fact that Twilight's going to be a part of the family soon enough - with everything that entails about their ability to support any arbitrary number of foals.
On another note, someone really should get an inspection going inside that Police station. Police refusing to investigate a crime against company simply because of who its former owners were is either unacceptable or a sign of corruption (which is also unacceptable). And if Narrow doesn't have the authority to do that, then this needs to be brought to Twilight's attention, so she can authorize it. Because Police refusing to do their jobs in face of actual crime is a pretty serious offense in itself that should come with some pretty serious repercussions.
Yeah, no one really thought many of their ideas in this chapter.
On top of that is it bad that I was like "Yay, FINALLY the crime families are getting off their asses"?
But I wanted to see them tear the yellow nymph apart in this chapter
She always is.
Sigh.
Great chapter, laughed a lot.
Poor Shining, you do NOT threaten a pink's mate.
Sooooo awesome to see Chryssie doing so good and being so happy. And the Amy summoning sequence was simply epic.
Oooooh, finally getting stuff with the other crime families.
To be honest, pregnant women do look good.
And the madness begins.
Ohhhh! I DO so love these chapters! <3
What I want to know is which RNG mines you're digging in.
Las Pegasus will never be the same....
Its a Box.
Its a Cardboard Box.
Its a gateway to a whole other world.
A world of wonder.
A world of fear.
A world.
Of PINKS.
Lets poke Shining through first to check it out.
Very intresting about the tracking spell. How long before his buisiness spell pick it up, integrates it and uses a pointer spell to display in real time on a map of the city, country?
Personally, if I ever had a stag night, Id have Spike set it up. At least he knows how to have a good time without trying to be as mentally out of it as I am normally.
It looks like Ledger is in for quite a night. I hope the girls don't work him too hard LOL. I have to say that I am enjoying this story very much and hope the see more of it soon. of course I can't complain because you've been putting out chapters pretty quickly.
Keep up the good work you're doing.
PS. it would be nice if you gave some background When the guards got his stuff back that was stolen from his Warehouse. Maybe just a flashback when Midnight song lent a helping hoof. Of course that's up to you.
Dragonfox
Oh god, shit's about to go down...
7224513 ...again!
7224787 You read my mind.
yep Just a normal day.
this sounds like a party I would like to be in.
I never hade a bachelor party as I worked night shift. grin and I don't like to go out a drink but at home well lets say I prefer 100 proof normally.
One note: You mention that he has "a changeling nymph, an earth mare, a thestral, and a powerful unicorn" at one point in this chapter (about halfway down the page, if I remember correctly). Think about it for a bit.
your joking... team rocket!?
tho i think T.R. were replaced with robots... a few seasons ago there methids became... cordinated...
team rocket is -was- lucky to walk without being trampled by a swarm of angry pincer... now... well... just no.
7225468
Twilight has mentioned she uses a charm that stops ponies recognising her as an alicorn princess. perhaps Bookmark and everyone else who does not know her see her as a unicorn instead. or only have vague recollections.
s'watt I'm guessing anyway.
My derp, must have switched partners during the lost stanzas section...
If that sexy dream Twilight's talking about has anything to do with this quote from Wikipedia...
Ledger better run for it!
oh, that made me think of a weird scene in the online comic "Schlock mercenary": they had a portal-based system, with one side on their ship, and the other could be moved around...but for some complicated reason, they DROPPED the second portal, at high speed, over someone...causing him to shoot out of the other portal at equally high speed! fortunately, the ship's AI was able to use the ship's artificial gravity to slow them down to a survivable speed.
Midnight might regreat her guard duty for life... One incident is enough to change everything...
Fantastic chapter
Really hope nothing happend to the Foal.
Crime families getting problems soon