Prismatic
"Attention, Agents #1-#9. Attention, Agents #1-#9. Suit up and report to the conference room immediately. I repeat, suit up and report to the conference room immediately. We have a situation on our hooves."
Most of the agents were already 'suited up', having never removed their armor (#3, #8 and #9), having gotten up early and equipped it (#1, #2, and #7), or were in the midst of doing so (#4, #5, and #6). Needless to say that when the announcement blared across their radios, the last group set a new speed record in getting ready. Everypony was down and seated in their usual meeting room inside seven minutes.
The team's usual idle chatter was abruptly cut off when Ignition stormed into the room not thirty seconds after #4 had seated herself. "I'll get straight to the point, mares and gentlecolts. Exactly three hours ago at 4:57a.m., I received an emergency alert from the security team that was promptly cut off."
Everypony stiffened. "An assassin after either Mr. Mocha or his grandfoals?" #4 wondered. "Or somepony trying to engage in corporate sabotage?"
"Neither," Ignition denied. The atmosphere around him seemed decidedly deadly. "When I arrived at the scene, all of the personnel assigned to the ground floor were unconscious without any evidence of violence. My attempts at rousing them didn't pan out. I suspected that it had something to do with our upcoming plans, so I decided not to set off the building-wide alarms or alert outsiders. I attempted to locate the intruder myself, and by the time I did, the culprit was already fleeing the scene with a suitcase in their mouth."
#1 breath hissed through his teeth. "...A suitcase? Is there anything descriptive about the intruder that you noticed? Anything at all?"
"You know something about this, #1?"
"I might. Answer the question, please."
"Only that their features were completely obscured," Ignition admitted. "I glimpsed a dark suit that blocked Cutie Mark-based identification, shades that concealed the eyes, and a fedora. The angle didn't let me discern anything else about them. The coloration of their coat, their manestyle, nothing."
There was a disgruntled groan as #1's mood dropped. "S.M.I.L.E.'s involved. They have to be."
"And who or what is 'S.M.I.L.E.'?" #9 wondered. "A dental coalition?"
"Never heard of them," said #6. Everypony else shook their heads.
"I'd have been surprised if any of you had," #1 stated with a grimace. "The Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria is a monster-hunting organization based out of Canterlot, with branches all across the nation. Before today, nopony outside the organization besides Mr. Mocha and Celestia herself were supposed to know of their existence. Trust me when I say they're bad news."
"How do you know any of this?" #7 asked wonderingly.
"Because before two weeks ago, I was part of their group myself," #1 admitted. "The boss already knows of my background; that was one of the requirements for joining him. The fact that I was juggling working for him, the Police, and S.M.I.L.E. all at once was what led to him suggesting that I start calling myself something else."
"Huh... well, now we know how dangerous they can be when they're playing 'Crusade: Inconceivable'," #9 commented. "How dangerous are they in a direct fight?"
"Some of you might remember a creature known as a 'bugbear' that was menacing some of Equestria's frontier towns not too long ago."
"I've heard of the creature," #3 remarked. "Large, bulky, strong and very mobile. They took it down? Impressive."
"Not 'they'. 'She'," #1 corrected her. "One earth pony armed with her wits, strength, and what tools she could fit in a standard briefcase. She captured it entirely solo.” He waited for #2's whistle to fade before proceeding. “For a measure of how seriously the bugbear was taken, when it escaped from Tartarus just before the robot arrived, Celestia shut down the entire organization and sent the agent responsible into hiding." He shook his head. "And before anypony asks: no, I don't know where that agent is now. That was kept a secret from me."
"Do you feel that the agent who raided the tower was working alone?" Ignition asked him.
Nopony interrupted #1 as he considered this. "Yes. Quite possibly even without Celestia's knowledge. S.M.I.L.E.'s always been full of aggressive peacekeepers—myself included--who would do whatever it took to keep Equestria safe. Considering the nature of yesterday's attacks, one of them could have deliberately disobeyed the Princess and set out to do what they felt was right, consequences or no."
#8 was the first to ask what was on everypony's minds. "How do you want us to respond to this development, Mr. Ignition?"
"And should we slap whoever it was with a suit when we catch them?" #5 wanted to clarify.
"I doubt that this 'S.M.I.L.E.' is going to care about being taken to your courts," #2 rebuked her. "Call it a hunch."
"Not what I'm talking about," #5 corrected him. "I want to rip off their own suit and slap them with it."
"Wasn't there a comic about a goofy dragon that did something like that once...?" #6 pondered to herself.
Ignition waited for them to quiet down before continuing. "You haven't yet heard what the intruder was here for. I checked for anything that was missing, and I do mean anything. The documents that were stolen were your personnel files."
Stunned silence as they all gaped at Ignition. "No...!" #4 whispered. "My career...!"
"I consulted Mr. Mocha before calling you here, and we adjusted the plan a little. Instead of taking to the field, Agents #5 through #9 will remain here at the Tower in case of attack, be it from Leviathan or from the authorities. #1 through #4 will still hold the line at your assigned locations. With your files stolen, hiding your identities would be a waste of time, so don't bother. Is this understood?"
Everypony nodded, knowing what needed to be done. #4's own agreement came a bit slower than the others, her thoughts shifting towards what the future held for her.
Ignition didn't miss this. "Provided the plan stays on schedule, #4, you will be able to resume your normal life after Celestia's downfall. Trust in Mr. Mocha's ideals and stay the course."
"...Yes, sir," #4 acquiesced, her determination reaffirmed.
"Excellent. All of you, finish what preparations you require and go." A nod. "Good hunting, one and all."
Fifteen seconds later, the room was empty.
Ebony Evening took a thermometer in her magic, checking and double-checking the mercury as if doing so would change what it suggested. Sadly such wasn't the case, and she sighed dejectedly. "103 degrees."
"Ooohhh... feeling sick today, dear..."
Fiver shook her head. "...That's what happens when you sleep without covers during the night, Mom."
Gray poked her head out the blankets and snorted something disgusting into a wad of tissue, flinging it haphazardly at a conveniently-placed wastebasket. Her aim was a few inches off, but Ebony caught it and guided it to its destination without looking. "Never stopped me before..." she whined.
Ocean Guard shook his head sympathetically. "Dear, you're in no condition to be wandering around. Maybe you should just take it easy today."
"...Like she does every day," Fiver murmured.
Gray opened her mouth to say something in protest, but it was interrupted by a sneeze that got everypony in the room to scatter. "...Ugh... Second thought, doesn't sound like a bad idea..."
"Let her out, she wants in," Pure Energy said, gesturing back and forth. "Let her in, she wants out."
"Dad, maybe just... go on to work?" Ebony suggested, hesitant at telling her father what to do. "We'll stay here and take care of her."
"I'll admit that I want to stay and help, too," Ocean admitted. "Unfortunately, I can't afford to miss too many days. Can I count on the four of you to look after her until I get home?"
Ebony smiled confidently. "Like you even need to ask, Dad."
"Of course, of course!" Energy agreed cheerfully.
"...We're going to be guard dogs," Fiver declared in all seriousness. "...Dibs on 'Collie'."
Zig-Zag beamed at their father. "I'm a helper!"
Ocean was relieved. "Excellent. Thank you. Now, things have gotten a lot more dangerous overnight, so keep the doors and windows locked. If you must leave the building for any reason, make sure you're in the company of somepony we all trust, alright?"
Ebony nodded, then winced. "I'll have to end up doing that later. Drama Heart's going to call out the search parties if Mom and I don't show up. Somepony has to tell her that we won't be in today."
"I'll swing by the Pyre on my way to work and let her know. That shouldn't be a problem," Ocean said, alleviating her concerns. "I'll see all of you later, kids." He approached the bed, offering his wife a comforting smile. "And I'll see you after work, Gray. Hope you get to feeling better."
"Hope so too. Maybe we should hire guides to map out the mountain of tissue that'll be here later," Gray joked weakly. The children's smiles, minus Fiver's non-existent one, were just as slight.
As Ocean went on his way, the foals divvied up some tasks between themselves. Ebony, being the most capable of them in the kitchen, set about fixing some toast and orange juice for Gray. Energy and Zig-Zag hustled around the apartment to work on a few minor chores that their mother typically took upon herself to carry out, though their efficiency left much to be desired. Fiver retrieved a card deck and sat down next to Gray's bed to keep her company, playing a Solitaire variation that only she knew the rules for.
...
Unknown to everypony present, Gray's condition was not due to her long-standing habit of sleeping wherever she pleased without covers.
She had spent most of the night investigating the series of attacks, backtracking them one by one to the same point: the headquarters of the Chocolate Mocha Beverage Corporation. After entering and shutting off an alarm that she'd deliberately triggered--and incapacitating the security guards who'd reacted to it--she came across a side area that was disconnected from the rest of the building, with no obvious ways in or out (with emphasis on 'obvious'). Of course, that did nothing to stop her from slipping in same as ever.
While looking around and evading the few security measures present, she discovered Ignition's personal office. The file cabinet next to the desk was triple-locked, which required her to use her phasing ability to undo the locks from the inside out. She took a quick glance at the files within to confirm that they were important, nodded when she recognized some information on the Midnight Castles' affiliation, then stashed them in her briefcase and departed the same way she'd arrived. She made no attempts to access the highest floors of the facility, not seeing any real need.
Unfortunately, on account of her needing to drop the information off with the Police and return the suit and briefcase to their proper hiding places, Gray didn't get back to Hyacinth Apartments until right around 6a.m. In addition to spending most of the day working at the Pyre, she had been out all night running around the city and trying to get things done. In her rush to finish before her family started waking up, she had been pushing herself just a little bit too much. She was bone tired in ways she hadn't felt in almost twenty years, and she was beginning to feel under the weather from the stress. By the time her children were awake, she was vaguely dizzy and her sinuses had gone on strike, requiring her family to drag her into the master bedroom and get some blankets over her.
Not as young as I used to be. I feel terrible, Gray told herself. But I'd do it again in a heartbeat. She watched through half-closed eyes as Fiver played her game, and her ears twitched at the sound of a whisk broom in the living room. She considered trying to pick up the scent of toast, but decided there wasn't a point to it. Trying to create an environment where these four can lead peaceful lives... I don't regret my work for a minute.
She shuddered as something she didn't like paid a toll and accessed her mind's highway. She pulled the blankets a little tighter around herself. Still, if it comes down to my family's happiness or my loyalty to the Crown... it would be a nightmare if I was forced to pick just one.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"Coffee?"
"Yeah, Fairy?"
"I need you to pinch me."
"Only if you pinch me first."
"I'm seeing this," I mutter, my voice as dull as Fiver's. "I'm really seeing this right now. I thought you said a dragon busted down a wall to grab the thieves. Broke open multiple cells in the process."
"I did," the officer replies in the same tone.
"I'm no mason," I say, "but I don't think brick- or stonework is supposed to be finished this quickly."
"Neither do I, but what do I know?"
"And I don't think the bars for the cells are supposed to be replaced this fast, either."
"Repeating yourself is getting old, Fairy."
"..."
"..."
"Coffee?"
"Yeah, Fairy?"
"I need you to pinch me."
"Only if you pinch me first."
I've been stuck in this cycle for the past few minutes. I got to the Police station on schedule, and I asked Coffee-and-Cream if they were able to find somepony able to repair all of the damage on short notice. As it turns out, not only are the masons they hired halfway done already, but the M.C.'s two pegasi--Knight and Gargoyle--are helping them install the new bars.
A thought is crossing my mind. I indulge it, if only because this is my best chance to break the cycle. It's been a few days since I last said this, anyway. "Everypony..." I start out saying it quietly, but my voice leaves me behind. "...in this city... IS CRAZY!"
One of the masons rolls his eyes as he works. "Robot, I'm from Ponyville. 'Til you've been there for a moon or two, you have no idea what 'crazy' means."
"I've heard of the place, but I don't know anything about it," Coffee admits. "Beyond maybe one oddball product, it's only on the map because of its proximity to Canterlot."
"I wouldn't suggest puttin' down roots there," the mason warns her. "Not unless you have a high tolerance for 'pink'. Just sayin'. I opened my business here just to get away from her once in a while. Coincidence that I was in town when your Chief tried to reach me."
"Agh..."Don't want to know, don't want to know. "Forget it." My eyes regards the prisoners. "And what about you two?"
"It's something to do," Knight answers. "They were going to install them whether we helped them out or not, so we asked if we could. Figured the worst the cops could do was tell us 'no'."
I'm getting the feeling there's a reference I'm not understanding. "Well... good for you, I guess. Officer, I believe we have somewhere to go?"
...
The room that she leads me to appears to be the hub of the Police station. Aside from the lack of high-end technology, the layout bears a passing resemblance to every command center I've ever been in. None of those present acknowledge me, instead poring over assorted documents and evidence while discussing the present situation with each other. A few of them seem pretty tired, suggesting to me how long they've been awake. I'm detecting a strong scent of coffee... the beverage, not the pony, though I'm not saying that the pony couldn't have used a shower.
The actual Coffee directs me to a spare desk and the decked-out bulletin board next to it. "We hadn't had much success trying to piece things together last night," she explains. "There just wasn't enough leads, and forensics was coming up empty. Then shortly before 0600, we received an unexpected windfall." She gestures at a stack of files labeled IG-MTC on the desk. "This batch right here. Nopony saw who delivered these, and whoever it was didn't stop to talk to anypony... there was just an anonymous note saying 'You can thank me later'. Examination of these files revealed some important information."
A long shot, but... "Do we have our culprits?"
Coffee flashes a smile. It doesn't last long. "Yes. One of the files describes the dragon exactly like our eyewitnesses did. All of them mention the strange armored suits the group was reported to be wearing. And sadly, one of them has clued us in as to how the dragon knew exactly where to strike. Normally this wouldn't be enough by itself, but in the past half hour, our officers on the beat have confirmed sightings of four of these individuals engaging in illegal activities. Same armor, but this time without any attempts at hiding their faces."
Normally this would be good news in that I can jump into action immediately. However... "What's the bad news?"
The officer glares at the folders, a hoof trembling. "One of the attackers is one of our own."
...That would do it. I give Coffee my 'serious' face. "Anypony I've met yet?"
"Not unless you crossed paths with him after our first meeting," Coffee suggests.
I shake my head. "The only authority figure I've met since then was somepony from the Royal Guard, and that was just to clarify a few things I hadn't mentioned in the newspaper."
Coffee doesn't press me for details, for which I'm thankful. It's bad enough that Gray's children and Drama were able to figure things out. "Then no, it wasn't. All of us are mad, sad, take your pick, but the Chief's made it clear that if we're angry enough to stew, we're angry enough to capture the mole and put him where he belongs."
"Which is where I come in?"
"Yes. Chief's noticed that I get along with you well enough, so I've been directly assigned to you for the duration of this incident. I'll be giving you any intel that you'll need to finish your assignment."
Now if this isn't a familiar feeling... "Fine with me. Not to sound mercenary, but are there any payment arrangements? Normally I wouldn't ask for anything, but both Gray and my patron have been terrific..."
"...and you want to give something back to them," Coffee finishes. "A chunk of our budget's going towards those masons and our injured ponies, but I think we can work something out. I'll run it by the Chief after this, see what he thinks."
Best response I could have hoped for. "Good enough." I sit down on the floor to bring myself around eye level. "Let's get started, Officer. Who are we up against?"
"Alright, let me see... rrgh. Okay, first one we've got is the traitor in our ranks," she explains, all but spitting out the word as she opens the first file. She shows me a photo of a well-built, light-brown stallion with a blue and green mane. His Cutie Mark as depicted on the sheet resembles a coil. "Earth pony, mid-forties. Used to be known as 'Springboard', but had his name legally changed to 'Trifecta' this past year. Formerly a drifter who held part-time jobs at best, he was allegedly inspired to become a full-time law enforcer after seeing ex-Officer Gray Ghost at work. He's currently holding down the fort at the abandoned Diarchs Zoological Institute across the bridge."
The second file depicts a lean, mean Griffon machine. Its plumage is dark gray, and its fur is a patchwork of white and tan. There's a few areas on its face that are discolored, suggesting that its been scarred in the past. Its sunglasses and hat---I know what it's called, it's just not coming to mind right now---are blocking its eyes from view. "This is Glintlock, originally out of Griffonstone. Approximately mid-thirties." Coffee explains. "Hunts for both food and sport, but his own race has put a bounty on him. Wanted 'Alive' because of his insistence on hunting in territories where such activities are illegal. It has been reported that he's holed up at Median Park. The paths into the park have been blockaded to keep non-fliers from entering."
File #3 shows the one responsible for the jailbreak. It's a real beast of a dragon; it's difficult to tell just from a photograph, but it seems to stand at almost double the height of Bossa Nova. Its reddish-orange coloration is a dead giveaway as to its abilities, so if it's not a fire-breather, I'll be surprised. Hot pink eyes and back ridge... ha ha ha, I get it. "The file calls this one 'Metallium'. Almost a century old. She's from the Dragon Lands, no surprise there. She was a complete unknown before we obtained this file. It says that the armor all of these criminals use was derived from scales that she and other dragons have shed across their lives. She's claimed a public beach on the mainland for herself and scared all of the tourists away."
The fourth file takes us back to the norm. This one's a snow white pegasus with lime green eyes, her pose the epitome of elegance and pony beauty. There's a second photo of her in a white-and-teal uniform on an ice rink, spinning in mid-air while a crowd watches. The enclosed Cutie Mark depicts an icy, crystalline rapier. "Statuette, late twenties. She's a professional figure skater from Vanhoover, so she's fairly well-known. One of the few ponies capable of making a triple axel look flawless. No past criminal record." Coffee's face crinkles in confusion. My kingdom for a camera. "And her favorite lunches are pear jam sandwiches, though I don't know why they thought of including that detail. Anyway, she's been found at Madisoat Square Garden overseeing the placement of an ice rink in the arena. Our spotter has confirmed that she's armed with a sword in the likeness of her Cutie Mark."
Coffee sets those four aside and claims the next one. "Those are the only ones we can definitively confirm as being active this morning, but we'll go over the rest of these for future reference." She opens the file to show me a unicorn whose color combination strikes me as jarring: topaz coat, royal blue mane and tail with silver streaks. Her Cutie Mark is a shroud of sparkles encircling a light beam. She's trying to look anywhere but the camera. "Illudere. Early thirties. A would-be performance artist from Baltimare. At some point she accidentally hit herself with a powerful illusion spell that she was trying to learn, and it caused her to start living in her own little world, effectively rendering her insane over time. She was confined to an asylum for everypony's safety, but managed to escape with help."
Hm. Makes me wonder if Drama's ever heard of her. Could still be coincidence, but my instincts are telling me that they're connected somehow.
#6... I don't know what to make of this one. The subject looks like someone combined a pony, a dragon, and a stag into the same being. Whatever it is, its coat's an off-white shade, its fluffy mane and tail are cream-gold, and the scales going down its face, neck and back are a dark grayish-blue. Instead of being the same color as its coat like a unicorn horn, this creature's horn is crimson and maroon.
Coffee seems just as puzzled. "Calico Driftwood, approximately mid-twenties. Origin unknown. The file calls her a 'kirin', but there's nothing on that race in our archives... at any rate, she's hesitant to talk about her species with others, and she's a born wanderer. She's been sighted here and there around Equestria in the past, primarily in large cities, and there's an outstanding warrant against her in Canterlot for the theft of a refrigerator."
#7 is more ordinary by comparison. The earth pony stallion is auburn, and his mane is a dirty blonde mess. Compared to the others, this one appears to be more friendly and easy-going. His Cutie Mark is a sledgehammer. "Bushwhacker. Early twenties. Was raised at Seaddle, but moved to that Ponyville place when he was old enough. No previous criminal record. There's... nothing noteworthy about him. Lives the quiet life, gets along fine with everypony, makes a modest living... before yesterday, he was an upstanding citizen."
Which runs directly counter to his name. I doubt that he's called 'Bushwhacker' because of his candy-making skills. Something about him is off.
Finally, Coffee pulls out the dossier on the two escapees. Now that they're neither disguised nor under the cover of darkness, I can see what they look like for the first time. The larger of the two is a mid-to-dark green, with his mane a dark brown. I raise an eyebrow at the X-shaped scar near his eyes, wondering what gave him that injury. He doesn't look like he's smiled a day in his life... probably from having to keep his partner in line for so long. His Cutie Mark is a miniaturized castle, so I guess that's how the 'Midnight Castle' theme got started.
The more average-sized earth pony has a light orange coat, a similarly light brown mane cut short, and the most kickable face in existence. Seriously, between that raised eyebrow and his little smirk, he radiates so much ego that I want to tear out his photo and rip it to pieces. Predictably, his Cutie Mark is a closed gate.
Coffee's quick to notice my annoyance. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you. Bastion and Iron Gates, mid-to-late twenties. Formerly with Canterlot's Royal Guard. Just over a year ago, they let their greed get the better of them and took off for Manehattan, stealing an assortment of weight- and mass-adjusting crystals on their way out of Canterlot. They formed the Midnight Castle gang after their arrival and roamed free across the city until you showed up. Bastion's the more quiet and level-headed of the two, and he's proficient with the same type of close-range weapons you are... given his prior career, he'd have to be. Gates is more talkative and proud, and loves his combat knives."
A brief memory of Gates targeting my Omega-dealt damage comes back to me. "I can believe that."
Coffee puts these files away and takes the ones she'd previously set aside. "Now we have a basic idea of who we're up against. Of the four that are active, who do you think you would want to use as a starting point?"
Good question, actually. I cup my chin with a hand as I consider the information available.
Name: Trifecta
Area: Diarchs Zoological Institute
Mission: Capture defecting Officer
Name: Glintlock
Area: Median Park
Mission: Remove danger to civilians
Name: Metallium
Area: Mainland beach
Mission: Remove danger to civilians
Name: Statuette
Area: Madisoat Square Garden
Mission: Capture enemy agent
Dealing with Glintlock or Metallium first would mean a great deal to the public at large. Median Park is Manehattan's largest recreational area, based on what I've learned in my time here, and any place made safer for the residents is a good place. In addition, Statuette strikes me as being fairly low on the threat meter compared to the other two. She should be a breeze to capture early.
I push myself to my feet. But in the end... "Let's go after Trifecta first. Given that he was the mole in the Police for some time, he's probably the biggest source of information for whoever orchestrated yesterday's events. The sooner we can catch him, the fewer opportunities he'll have to share his findings with his new superiors."
Coffee puts three of the folders down, leaving only Trifecta's. "Perfect. Nothing to do but point you in the right direction, then. We'll need to stay in contact with you, so do you require a spare radio...?"
I shake my head 'no'. "I have one built into my helmet already, though just to make sure it'll work..." Let's see, testing, testing... not that frequency, no... are they even compatible?...
Coffee winces at a brief burst of static from her radio. Okay, they are compatible. Now to nail down the right frequency. "Bear with me here..." I mutter. "Voice check... not hearing any echo there, so that's not it. ...Trying this one." I drop my voice to a low whisper. "Officer, are you picking this up?"
"Hearing you loud and clear," Coffee states with a blink. "That answers one concern we had. We didn't have any radios that could attach to the side of your helmet. What's the range on that?"
"It should be able to reach you from the mainland, though past that I would need a signal booster," I confirm, wishing once more that I had access to Neo Arcadia's hardware. I'll never take long-range communication for granted again. "Provided you don't somehow change frequencies without me knowing, we ought to be able to keep in constant contact even with what you've got. Of course, when I reach my destination we'll need to maintain radio silence unless I break it first."
"Yes, General," Coffee confirms, sitting up and saluting me with her free hoof.
I can't suppress a weak laugh. "I'm not complaining, but why that term of address? I'm not directly part of the chain of command."
"I don't care. You said you were a General," Coffee states matter-of-factly. "So until you do something that proves you aren't, then I'm calling you a General."
“...Putting a bit too much trust in me,” I protest quietly. It's too soon to be addressing me by rank. I'd rather it was saved for after I finish my work, when there's no longer any doubt. “But I guess I'd better live up to my title. How do I get to the Institute?”
“You're familiar with the bridge, I'm assuming?” I nod at Coffee's question. “Follow it to the mainland, then turn south and follow the coast for a mile. You'll receive further instructions when you hit Diarchs' borders.”
“Roger. I'm on my way.” My mission set, I hurry as fast as space permits towards the door...
...
...and pause before I step through. "Oh, yes. One more thing, Officer. Mind hitting the showers? You kind of..." I wave my hand semi-helplessly near my nose.
"I know, right?" a desk jockey pipes up in agreement.
Coffee groans as she leaves the room by way of another exit. "I just had to buy the cheap variety..."
The music links for this chapter include: "Village", from the Super NES version of SimCity; the remastered version of "Prismatic" from Zero 3, and the title theme music from The Henry Stickmin Collection. When I had Levi start pondering over who to catch first, I knew I had to use that last one. >^_^<
Methinks S.M.I.L.E.'s going to have damage control to run after this entire incident finishes, wouldn't you say? Having Trifecta be a blabbermouth isn't going to do their secrecy any good.
The "reference I'm not understanding" refers to the movie Support Your Local Sheriff!. One of the jokes in the movie revolves around a jail that didn't have any bars installed in it yet, and a gunman that was caught and thrown in there. When the local masons finally get around to installing the bars halfway through the movie, the gunman decides to help them out while citing a lack of anything else to do.
And in other news, we finally learn the identities of the story's "bosses". All of them have their own backstories, and I'll be getting into them a bit more as the story continues.
For those of you who haven't seen EvanRank's rendering of Drama Heart yet, visit my blog post here.
As ever, feel free to leave your comments below. They're what's helping me improve the story, after all. 
Estimated Chapter Deadline: June 1, 2022
EDITED 7-14-2023: Fixed the first music link.
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If Trifecta is talking about Bonbon like that, he's probably nowhere near as good as she. I know in my stories, I always make her out to be one of the best...
I wonder if Leviathan is going to have any trouble killing/capturing/defeating her, or if Gray will get involved somehow...?
That said, considering she doesn't "level up" from successive fights and the enemy could easily adapt as they learn of her abilities (the ones she hasn't displayed yet), I think she's making the right call by picking the toughest one she can. Makes it much harder for the others to defend, since while they might know her abilities, they're not as skilled/dangerous to begin with...
Will Fairy have a variant of the VWS?
Whelp, looks like we got our Boss-Roster. And it is a staggered one at that.
I said it before and I'll say it again. Leviathan is living out both her "father's" and her "uncle's" names. Not only that, she's blue like them! The very first female Mega Man! Though I doubt this will happen, I can't help but picture that at some point during her missions, she'll have a hard time during one of her fights before she thinks she sees the spirit of Master X encouraging her to stand up and keep trying.
Yes, I know X doesn't like to fight, but he did learn that sometimes if you want to keep the peace, you have to fight.
]
Wow that's far.
Anyway, accord to Lyra and Bon Bon and the Mares from S.M.I.L.E. the agency still exists and if going by the letter Gray receive from Celestia in this story is possible that has gone rogue since the Princess still thinks is disbanded, something that's always bad.
Still has a plot in my head that Leviathan probably going to end up targeted by SMILE in the future.
Mission Start!
Speaking of comms, gonna have to be careful with that, it's not encrypted...
Let's catch ourselves a traitor!
11244277
I've learned to give myself a bit of extra time in case anything unexpected pops up. I like writing, but I don't like rushing it, either.
Trifecta seriously misread Celestia, Gray, and Contingency Ultimus. That last one was meant to be a shutdown of a temporary nature. Obviously after the events of "Slice of Life", S.M.I.L.E.'s former status was restored, but Trifecta's operating under the belief that the shutdown was total. That belief's going to come back to bite him.
11229954
Ask and you shall receive.
Chapter A Chore In Itself, paragraph 12.
Paragraph 18.
In both cases, the correct contraction would be "there're". You have this error more or less scattered throughout your story. I would suggest Grammarly as it can catch these kinds of mistakes and then some, assuming it is compatible with whatever you use for writing your story (like Google Docs or Word).
11244509
Okay, that makes sense. I'll try to remember that one here on out. Thanks.
(By which I meant the error, not Grammarly, but thanks for the suggestion anyway.)
Why is it sad that somebody clued them in on how the dragon did its work?
11244509
Holy crap man. I also only know English, and yet this is the first I've seen "there're" in years. I genuinely forgot that particular term existed.
I'd love it if Bushwhacker turned out to be just as mundane as the cops believed him to be, and the only reason he was called Bushwhacker is because he's either great at edging lawns or literally whacking bushes. XD
11245442
The reason it was sad from their perspective is because there's a traitor on the force, and he was required to out himself as one during the incident. He's the Agent #1 we've been seeing.
11245444
I know it's a legitimate contraction, but it still doesn't feel right to me when I try to say it aloud.
11245457
That's actually a neat idea. I'd just intended for him to be fairly generic with a decent moral code, but having a talent for landscaping sounds like it would fit. I'll take it into consideration. Thanks.
11245444
That's concerning.
Well this has earned a fav and tracking from me
11245574
Aah, gotcha. The fact that the traitor wasn't mentioned right afterward kinda disconnected that for me. XD
My man, Support your local Sherrif is one of my favourite movies, you sir, are a very tasteful individual!
11248905
My favorite interpretation of Celestia is a mix of prankster and tyrant. Shortly after banishing Nightmare Moon, Celestia somewhat snap thanks to rumors of murdering Luna, rebellions started in her sisters name and doomed to face immortality alone. She start to solidify more and more power and criminal punishment become more harsh and she start a long military campaign to expand Equestria's borders and sponsor imperialism.
She was almost become Daybreaker until something happened. She become less harsh and most wars cease, eventually she transform her Iron Hoof rule to a Velvet Hoof and took pains to reduced the imperialist attitude she foster, although Equestria still maintain some colonies and hold a lot of sway in international politics in modern times.
11248931
Appreciate the compliment. I have my dad's influence to thank for that one; he brought the movie home when I was a kid, and I was hooked pretty much from the beginning. >^_^<
11248944
What a coincidence, that is exactly how I got into it too!
11254084
Relax pal, Live action TV likes to make the passage of Seasons by one year. Animation tends to be a bit more fluid going from a few days to few weeks to few months even few years or have no passage of time at all.
It kinda helps that in animation characters only get old when the animators wants while Live action the series has to adapt the passage of year since actor get old or change hairstyle and so on.
11254445
still bull in the three seasons we had 2 winter episodes. we celebrated Pinkie's birthday in season one and talks about it coming up in 90 days later. also if only one year means Twilight lived in the tree for just 2 years lessening the effect of losing it to Tirek
11254607
Can you give the name for this winter episodes and Pinkie's birthday.
11254649
Winter wrap up abd then hearths warming. Party of one and at tge beginnibg of a season two episode she mentik s Matildas birthday is 90 days before hers
11254649
11254869
If y'all are going to talk about it, do you have any objections to taking it elsewhere on the site? I don't really think the comments section is a place for this. 🙂
11254892
Got it.
On another note. How would Levi react to the fact a pony prevented copy x by guilt tripping?
Hope you don't mind this, Curtis. Happy Memorial Day.
I guess the next chapter is coming after that. It getting close to June 1st.
11255127
She'd probably be thinking something along the lines of: "...Wait, it was really that easy?"
11256364
Lol
That”s totally not jinxing yourself. Nope. Certainly not. Could it though?
11328938
Might be foreshadowing, or it might not be. Who knows...?
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