private Midnight in Manehattan RP

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

Midnight sighed. "Well, tell me everything you know about Mr. Steel." with a gesture a changeling approached from behind and unbound the detective. the doors were still blocked and Midnight could subdue him easily if he tried to escape. "It seems like I trust you more than he does at the moment. No real point in making you uncomfortable at the moment." It was a very intense apathy that Midnight regarded the detective with, Swift found it fairly disconcerting. 

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

"I don't get told a whole lot. I muscle around some ponies, and I get some money in my bank account, that's it. I've never met Steel in person, and I don't even know what he looks like. He couldn't even be real for all I know. I just do what I'm told, and it pays pretty well."

[Guest]

@@crispy fries,

 

"My, my, such aggression!" Steel cooed, leaning forwards. "Please, we all know how this is going to end. Don't make me find more ways to break you. So, I'll ask you again."

 

He took off his glasses, staring into Janeri's soul. Behind him, Salleria gulped.

 

"Where. Is. The key?" he simply asked.

[crispy fries 432]

@,

 

Janeri unwaveringly met Steel's one eyed gaze, and said, "You are a fool. Whatever you do with the artifact, it will wreak pure havoc on Equestria. You are too blinded by money and power to realize it. No sum of money is worth the cost of using the artifact."

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

Midnight looked over at the detective with a tired expression. "You know how hard it is to keep your entire existence a secret? To find a way to gather enough of the emotional energy given off by you ponies to feed a whole hive? It isn't easy, but it's satisfying work when at the end of the day all you're children are fed, living meaningful and productive lives, giving back to the community so they can cause the very emotions they enjoy feeling the most. Many of my children work in the tourism industry so they can cause the tourists to feel the awe and euphoria we enjoy so much. It was a good life. Then Chrysalis had to go off the rails and ruin it for the rest of us. Now most ponies only know of her actions, and not of all the good we've done. I was hoping to make a change for the better, maybe this devastation will aid in that change, show the world that we're not so different from them." She sighed again, lying horizontally across the throne yet never quite looking away from the detective. "Sorry to rant at you like that, it feels good to be open about this sort of thing. Here, I'll get someone to look at your head. Don't want any lasting damage from my subduing you." With a gesture a changeling left the room. "You want anything while I'm feeling so charitable?"

 

(That's my night, see y'all in 8ish hours.)

Edited March 1, 2016 by Illiad Easle

[Guest]

@@crispy fries,

 

"Ah, here we go again," Steel sighed. "Beating around the bush, prophetic mumbo jumbo- all that nonsense.". He leaned back and took off his glasses, rubbing his one eye. "You know, I could cause you a lot of pain. You don't have to be a zebra shaman to have.... interesting chemicals in your possession."

 

He put is hooves together. "I'd go with more.... traditional methods. Unfortunately, the laws of this universe aren't very fond of those."

 

Steel stood up. "Your last chance, Janeri. Where is the key? It's only a matter of time until I find it. Canterlot, was it?" he half asked, turning back at Salleria. She weakly nodded in acknowledgement. "See? That wasn't so hard."

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

The detective wasn't really sure what to think about this. "Does this mean I get to leave if I promise to stop working for Steel, or be your mole or whatever? I'm pretty sure I've told you all I know."

 

@,

 

"Do you not know what power the artifact holds!? It can release any prisoner of Tartarus, and I believe the potential for chaos is obvious."

(I'm also going to bed)

Edited March 1, 2016 by crispy fries

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

(Surprise extra post! Because who needs sleep in college?) 

 

Midnight looked a bit unsure. "Unfortunately I can't let you go just yet. I'm hoping for a response from Canterlot before I decide how to proceed given your attack and abduction of that zebra. Maybe this cooperation to break the criminal underground here will be the step that brings changelings into a better relation with ponies? I'd greatly appreciate it if you helped with that in any way you can. But until that response I think it safest for my children if I keep you here. I'll happily supply you with whatever you need to have a comfortable wait."

 

(Okay, really going to bed now.)

Edited March 1, 2016 by Illiad Easle

[Guest]

Steel shrugged. "If it falls into the wrong hooves, that's unlucky. However, no matter who's way it goes...."

 

He grinned.

 

"I'm going to make a fuckton of money. I tell you, ponies are going to bid billions  for this much power."

 

Meanwhile, Salleria raised an eyebrow at this. 

 

Bidding. All this killing for money. Money for a pony who pretty much has everything. At least I do it to scrape by.

 

She gathered the courage to look Janeri in the eye, albeit for a split second.

 

I may have found a solution to this mess.

 

 

Meanwhile, Steel turned around with gusto. "Salleria! Kindly... fetch me the playset!".

 

Salleria nodded, and reluctantly exited the room.

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

"You want me to start kicking down the doors of the bad guys now? Because I can do that. When you work as bent cop for long enough, you get to know the criminal underworld, even if it is just the low stuff. I'm pretty sure I'm always gonna be watched from now on, so I'll do whatever you want."

 

@,

 

Janeri noticed the look Salleria gave him. He could tell from her eyes the turmoil she was in, and for a brief moment, gave her a kind smile.

[Guest]

@@crispy fries,

 

Salleria returned a minute later, wheeling a cart in full of various medical bottles and syringes. Cold Steel smiled, taking over the cart. "Thank you, darling. You may leave if you wish. I won't want a lady like you seeing what's about to happen next."

 

Salleria cringed and grit her beak, but said nothing in return, exiting the room. Outside, she closed her eyes and sighed.

 

Just give the location away. I have a plan to stop all of this. I have laced the most painful ones with painkillers. Good luck. 

 

With that silent prayer, she walked offscreen. The scene shifted her usual roof. She was writing a letter with a quill.

 

Dear Prince Blueblood...

 

 

 

Meanwhile, back in the room....

 

Cold Steel took up a small vial, withdrawing a relatively generous dose with a syringe. "Yellow Jacket poison. Would you like a taste?" He asked with a grin.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Guest

[crispy fries 432]

@,

 

Chain Break walked back into the room with a tray that had two cups of tea on it.

 

"Here's your tea, boss. Have fun," he said as he set it next to the bottles and syringes.

 

"Do what you wish. I do not break easily," Janeri said with a grin, "Tell me, do you have utmost faith in Salleria? I doubt she approves of your methods."

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

(Is there going to be some sort of scene with the changeling messenger and the princess(es) in Canterlot?)

 

"You are certainly an interesting stallion. If the local law enforcement is indeed compromised I think I'll have to run my own against the criminal underworld. It seems I've ignored it for too long. Your knowledge in police work would definitely assist that effort, given the princesses react well to my letter. If they don't I suppose none of it will really matter and we'll disappear again."

 

A changeling entered the room with a medical bag, beginning to do scans on the detective for any sort of affliction physical, magical or otherwise.

 

The lobby had been swept up of the changeling ashes and the dead pony bodies moved to the morgue. the surviving attackers were in less comfortable cells but not otherwise harmed. Midnight had detailed in her letter that she did not trust the integrity of the local police force to turn them over, but would release them if she asked her to.

 

Workers were cleaning up the blood as the receptionist cleaned up her area despite half of her face smoldering.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Illiad Easle

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

"So the deal is I stop working for Steel and start working for you? I'd be able to live with that. I could bullshit some story about busting some bent cops who were working for Steel. I can vouch for you, and the word of a detective gets respect. We have to tie up some loose ends who know I was working for Steel though."

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

Midnight rolled her eyes. "The ones that got away are why I have such a problem in the first place. I had always been worried that Steel would discover my secret and try to hold it over my head, which is why I had to pre-empt him and tell the princesses first lest he have me removed from the picture. We were able to capture some of the attackers which would be a loose end, but you being a testimony to convict them would certainly be a start."

 

The changeling applied some healing magic before stepping back. "You should be fine, just don't over-exert yourself and get plenty of rest. There shouldn't be any lasting damage." With that he left the same way he came.

 

"Steel will no doubt be watching you when you leave this place, if he suspects I have you under my control he may have you eliminated. If you do agree to help me I will do what I can to keep you safe." 

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

"This seems like a good deal. You seem like you can make sure Steel doesn't have me killed, before or after I testify. I can see what I can do about getting a message up to the princesses, but I'm just a detective. I'd have to expose the entire Manehattan mafia to get somepony from Canterlot to actually care."

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

Midnight nodded. "Equestria's bureaucracy is indeed a stumbling block to its growth. Though Princess Luna's return has made a few changes in that regard. Maybe she'll take interest in my letter, given she missed the changeling invasion and, as I've heard, has not yet been burdened by matters of the state." Her expression shifted like she had an idea. "Her fighting the criminal underground might improve how she is viewed by the general populous, a dark night against the evil and corruption of this city." She sighed as she settled back in her throne. "If either princess were to come personally I would hope for Luna, she has more in common with I than Celestia does." 

 

Changelings were on the lookout for the distinct griffon that had attacked their queen, charged to report her movements and location.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Illiad Easle

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

"Look, I'm willing to help. Steel's probably already got a hit out on me, and I need your protection, plus, you seem like an okay lot. But we're talking about royalty here, even if it is Luna. I can give a message to the chief of police, who might give it to the mayor, who might give it to somepony in Canterlot, who might give it to a princess, but that's it."

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@crispy fries,

 

She shook her head, "I've already sent someone to deliver the message directly. I don't want to risk it being intercepted and the more hoofes it passes through the more likely it is to not make it." She sighed, "Alright, I'll trust you on this. Currently we're looking for the griffon that assisted the capture of the zebra you were after. We want her found and her movements tracked, hopefully we can find safe houses that Steel has been using and systematically break his hold on the city. We'll be watching you, if you betray us we won't be so hospitable next time."

 

With a flash of magic the detective was teleported up to the lobby. the receptionist looked over but didn't say anything, her face still smoldered, one changeling eye showing through her disguise. The lobby looked fine other than the missing front glass. It was a good thing it happened to be a decent day outside.

 

Swift donned a different disguise, a thestral he had met back in Appaloosa that lived out in Minostralia. He went and sat atop a nearby building to see if he could see anything useful with his binoculars.

[crispy fries 432]

@@Illiad Easle,

 

After the brief surprise of being teleported, the detective made his way back to the police station. There, he put out an APB for Salleria and Janeri, and reported on what had happened, claiming it was the mafia who was responsible. The detective also left out the fact any changelings were involved.

[Guest]

Steel sighed sadly, withdrawing liquid from another bottle labeled 'Scopolamine' ( yes, it's a real thing. ) into the same syringe. "Salleria? Ha. She's the most, unquestionably loyal mercenary I've had the pleasure of working with. The others always either demanded more money or told them about the offers they were getting from the enemy"

 

He walked over the Janeri. "Don't worry, it just a prick" he said, injecting Janeri with the concoction.

[crispy fries 432]

@,

 

Janeri groaned with pain, but he felt as though it was hurting less than it should have.

 

"You were correct, it was only a prick," he said, "If this is all you have, I would be worried you will die of old age before I talk. And if Iwere you, I would not be so sure about her."

[Guest]

Steel frowned. Janeri seemed to be enduring the pain quite well. Nevertheless, he chuckled, returning to the set to conjure up some other serums. 'Truth serums', some people call, were specific chemicals that lowered mental inhibitions and made it more likely for the subject or tell the truth.

 

"Oh, don't worry. I've done my research on her. She abides by family traditions: loyalty to the mission above all else, is well, a code she lives by. She won't betray the mission." Steel proclaimed.

 

He withdrew another liquid from a bottle labeled 'versed'. He smiled. "This ones gonna hurt a bit." before injecting it into Janeri's neck.

 

( Versed is particularly diabolical and slightly frightening. Subjects under the influence feel pain and discomfort fully. But when the drug wears off, all memory of the pain and the torture session itself is purged from the mind. The diabolical a heart might see the potential in using versed along with non-marking torture techniques )

[crispy fries 432]

@,

 

Janeri groaned once more. "I, hnng, have seen it in her eyes. She is torn, her soul is in turmoil. Y-you are too blind to see it. Watch your back, for you may find a knife in it."

 

Janeri's thoughts began to blur, and he felt an overwhelming wave of fatigue wash over him.

[Illiad Easle 3,172]

@@@crispy fries,

 

Swift sighed as he set down his binoculars, scanning through the radio one of the changelings had given him he hoped he would hear news that the griffon or the zebra had been spotted. No luck just yet.

 

It was surprising, with changelings accounting for just under one percent of the total population you'd think a very out of place griffon would be the easiest thing to spot in this city. But somehow she continued to elude them.

 

He picked up his binoculars and scanned the rooftops again. Your luck can't keep your traitorous hide hidden forever griffon. You better hope I don't find you first.