Title:           "Because I Choose To" (Part 2) - Mercury
Author:          mercury4eva
Pastebin link:   http://pastebin.com/GKxvUCek
First Edit:      Thursday 27th of April 2017 09:39:11 PM CDT
Last Edit:       Last edit on: Friday 5th of May 2017 12:25:23 AM CDT

> Stepping out into the open carpark of the Police Headquarters Building, you see a convoy of 5 black armoured vans. You follow the rest of the other officers as they walk over and enter the back of the first vehicle.
> From the briefing earlier by Assistant Commissioner Thor himself, you know that there are 24 officers in the Operation, and each of them are wearing their complete set of equipment: Kevlar helmets with face shields, black balaclavas, bullet-resistant combat vest on top of a dark blue combat uniform, elbow and knee guards, and black combat boots, complete with all the minor accessories and gadgets for communication and use in the field. Every Rescue Team officer is armed like you: a MP5A2 sub-machine gun, a Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol and a combat knife, complete with 3 extra magazines for each firearm and an assortment of small items, like torchlights, handcuffs, plastic cable-ties, and rolls of tape. Other officers are carrying ballistic shields and equipment for urban operations, which includes a sledgehammer, a door-breaching tool, heavy bolt cutters and pin-hole camera sets. You are carrying a door-breaching tool yourself in the black bag on your back.
> Mumbling your thanks to the masked officer who helped you up, you take a sit on a wooden bench inside the already stuffy back of the armoured van. Angela, now given the callsign ‘Charlie’, sits down on your right, panting lightly as she attempts to remove her backpack. After trying for a few moments, she taps you on the arm.
> “Delta, help me with this, won’t you?”
> You nod, reaching over to untangle the strap for her, which allows Angela to sling it off her shoulder and place it between her legs. Cradling your sub-machinegun, you glance around the cramped van as more officers enter, some having to sit on the floor as the benches are already full. Many of the seated officers are already making small talk, and from the snippets of conversation that you manage to catch, you note that there are both male and female officers in Rescue Team 1, and many of them sound really young.
> Someone taps you lightly on your left shoulder, which captures your attention. You turn to see a masked face looking in your direction.
> “Hey, Delta right? I’m Bravo, and this guy here on my left is Alpha. We’re in the same detachment.”
> The man turns and gestures to the other masked officer beside him, who offers his hand out to you. You shake it as you smile under the mask, only to realise that he cannot see it. Being glad for a distraction from the heat and stuffiness of the van, you introduce Angela (Charlie) to them. Bravo leans in as he speaks, his deep voice getting muffled from the cloth covering his mouth.
> “That AC Thor is something, isn’t he? Scheduling an operation at the exact time that the Equestrian Citizens Bill is to take effect. 1pm right?”
> You nod.
“Yep, that is 6 minutes from now. We are going to hit those sadistic fucks hard... What does the Bill stipulate anyway, if I might ask? I haven’t been following the news this morning.”
> Charlie sighs beside you in exasperation.
> “Of course you aren’t, when you were so busy with Starlight this-”
> You shush her, but the other 2 officers start laughing. Alpha taps his gloved hand against his chest as he speaks.
> “Don’t worry, Delta, I have loads of fun and love with my Derpy Hooves myself. She’s a little klutzy, but she is so obedient and eager to please. God damn is she adorable… I love her dearly, and I am glad I saved her.”
> What.
“You mean you have your own ponies as well?”
> This time, Bravo answers you.
> “Many of us in the Rescue Team do, Delta, and each and every one of us was hand-picked by AC Thor himself to be members. Apparently, he only wanted people who have shown a certain level of commitment to the well-being of Equestrian Citizens… How he managed to find us, though, I will never know.”
“How did you come to join ECAD RT 1, Bravo?”
> He chuckles before he answers.
> “I was asked by my Commanding Officer to see AC Thor in his office after my shift… I, uh… Punched a man that assaulted his pony in public and stole her. I mean, if he was properly disciplining her, like maybe a verbal lashing or even a few whips of his belt, then fine; but he was kicking her repeatedly over and over again, and all because she dropped and spilled a bottle of milk in the aisle of a supermarket… I saw what was happening, and I took action. Saved that poor girl from that bastard.”
> Wow. That’s… Something.
 “How is she now? Do you still have her?”
> “Spring Step? She’s good. No permanent damage, and she is always cheerful and happy, especially when she plays with and walks my dogs… I was sure that I got into trouble for that incident, but AC Thor somehow made me her legal owner and saved my ass from the Disciplinary Code; would have gotten discharged from the Force otherwise.”
> Bravo punches your shoulder lightly as he chuckles again.
> “And before you ask, no. I just keep her as a caretaker for my dogs… I guess I never saw her in that light, despite all the good things that I have heard about the joys of ponypussy.”
> You laugh, and it is then that you notice that you are not the only one. The back of the van is quiet now, and the officers that you can see are listening to your conversation; some of them are still laughing. One masked officer waves at you to catch your attention; he is seated on your left at the opposite seat.
> “Hotel here. I bought a stallion from the auction, and his name is Night Light. Pretty decent and hardworking chap. He helps me with my gardening and in my garage when I fix up computers as a small profit-making hobby. Also helps to look after my toddlers when the wife and I are at work.”
> You lean your body towards Hotel and ask him how he came to be in the Rescue Team.
> “Oh, I brought Night Light to an event in Special Investigations and AC Thor interviewed me there.”
> A female voice comes from the opposite seat, this time from your right.
> “Yep, when I met him in the elevator, AC Thor just asked me to meet him in a bar after work. He offered to let me join there and then! Became Quebec after that.”
> Someone asked if she has a pony herself.
> “I… Uh… I do. A stallion called Silverstar, who used to be a sheriff back then… We, uh… Have fun too.”
> The van echoes with laughter as again as Quebec splutters in embarrassment. Another female voice reassures her through the din. It raises in volume as the officer it belongs to addresses the people in the van.
> “I am November, and I have 2 ponies. A married couple in fact, who used to be bakers back in Equestria. They lost their foals in the war, but Cup Cake is already expecting. They help my parents in their bakery, and their recipes are quite the hit in my district.”
> That earned her a few ‘ohhs’ and ‘ahhs’. Then, yet another female voice speaks. This one came from your seat on Angela’s right.
> “Tango here. I have Rainbow Dash, and she is my ‘comfort mare’. I am not afraid to say it, as I am openly gay. Poor girl will never fly again even if she goes back to Equestria… She had her wings removed for being defiant by her former owner, and when I broke in to steal her from him, she was already broken in mind and spirit… So, I give her the best care that I can, and our relationship grew over the months. Now, she is as healthy as she can be, even though she is still a little quiet. I promised her that we will enjoy ourselves with our toys after this is over… And don’t any of you dare ask me “what will it take to get me back on solids?”, you pricks!”
> You join the rest in their laughter. God damn, you love these guys already.
> Then, Angela (Charlie) taps you on the arm again as she leans in to whisper in your ear.
> “If I get the opportunity later, Anon, I will try to bring home one of the rescued ponies. I always wanted to keep a dog, but maybe a pony-”
> She is interrupted by shouting from outside the vehicle. You turn your head as you see a masked officer move to close the backdoors, even as the vehicle starts its engine. According to your briefing earlier, the Rescue Team will now be staging a raid on a warehouse believed to be a major hub for smuggling operations. It will be a classic ‘Snatch Rescue’, where the Rescue Team will storm the target location from multiple entry-points to confiscate any ponies on the premises, and if need be, you have orders to neutralise any threats. The vehicle you are in now will move out first, followed by the rest 5 minutes later. Those other vans are empty, and they are meant to hold any ponies that you rescue.
> Reaching your left hand up, you glance at the dark digital watch on your wrist. It is 1:07pm.
> The Equestrian Citizens Bill came into effect 7 minutes earlier. You do not know the full extent of the Bill, but you know that the Government now has the right to confiscate any ponies suspected to be suffering from physical and sexual abuse. If the perpetuators are found guilty, their sentences will follow that of Part 3 of Chapter 12 of the Equestrian Pony Slavery Act, and they will be blacklisted from owning or purchasing a pony slave in the future. The maximum sentences for ‘Cruelty’ will be a fine not exceeding $60,000 and to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 8 years. Judges may also convict the accused to no more than 12 strokes of the cane.
> Angela taps you on the shoulder as the vehicle moves out. Glancing at her, you note the fear in her eyes. ECAD intelligence stated earlier that the slavers in the ring have firearms, and will arrange for the Police Tactical Response Force to activate their standby units if needed. You reach a gloved hand to squeeze hers, nodding softly as she copies your head movement. Your eyes travel to the weapon in your lap as your stomach grows cold. Despite the fear you feel within, you are ready to perform your duty. For your country. For ponies. For Starlight.
> Closing your eyes, you say a quiet and simple prayer.
“God, if I am to meet you later, please be merciful… And please keep my Starlight safe and happy… Always… Amen.”
> Angela and Bravo echo your ‘amen’.
> …
 
> AC Thor himself opens the back of the van.
> “You have your orders. Move out and get into position.”
> Immediately, the officers of your Rescue Team start spilling out of the vehicle. You get up and walk over to the end, kneeling as you jump off it and landing on both legs whilst bending your back. Wordlessly, you raise your weapon to your eye-level and start a brisk walk towards the stairs on the side of the blue building, passing a gate that just had its chain cut. You keep your eyes down the sights of your sub-machinegun as you twist your body around, following the actions of the other 2 dozen men and women as you scan your surroundings for threats.
> From your briefing earlier, the target location of your raid is a large, light blue warehouse. It has 2 stories: an upper office level that is connected to a staircase outside the building via catwalks; and the big storage floor below. ECAD intelligence showed that the catwalks have been boarded up, and that the office itself has 2 rooms; one that is connected to the catwalk, which has a window that overlooks the storage floor, and one that further inside. The storage floor below houses many cages where the smuggled ponies are kept, and based on a reconnaissance that was conducted this morning, there are at least a dozen men on the floor and 7 ponies in the cages.
> Moving swiftly past several container trucks, your thumb is on the selector of your weapon, ready to flick the safety off at a moment’s notice.
> Each detachment comprises of 6 officers, and each one has been allocated an entry point. Your detachment, Det 1, comprises of Alpha, Bravo, Charlie (Angela), yourself, Echo and Foxtrot, and your task is to storm the upper offices of the warehouse while Dets 2 to 4 each take an entrance to the storage floors below.
> When you pass a sentry post, your eyes are drawn to the sight of a man with a bullet wound in his head. The inside of the sentry box is smeared with red and bits of pink. Shaking your head quickly, you focus and resume your combat stance as you press forward, reaching the bottom of the metal staircase as 5 other masked officers join you. Alpha, identifiable by the ballistic shield he is carrying, turns and nods at the corpse, which is now 25 metres away from you.
> “Should have known AC Thor to get the Snipers in. Probably had to take out the sentries to prevent alerting the others.”
> Echo turns to him.
> “Why didn't AC Thor mention this in the briefing? This is pretty important actually.”
> Shaking her head, Foxtrot replies.
> “Probably a case of ‘Need-to-know only’, Echo. You know how upper management thinks.”
> The disgust in Echo's response is clear.
> “These fucking scholars, I tell you.”
> Angela gives him 2 swift taps on the side of his arm.
> “Focus now. Weapons ready.”
> He nods as the rest of you do the same. Moving your thumb on the selector, you push it down, feeling your weapon clicking twice. You are now ready to kill.
> Wordlessly, the 6 of you form a human train with Alpha taking the lead, moving up the stairs together as a unit with your weapons pointing forward and upwards. You feel your instincts and training take over as your mind becomes hazy with fear, and you attempt repeatedly to swallow that lump in your throat. Your stomach feels cold again, and you feel detached from your body. Heart thumping against the vest, your legs are moving seemingly by themselves. You hear the series of metallic ‘thumps’ as 6 pairs of boots impact the stairs repeatedly.
> God, I am scared. Please give me strength. Please give me courage. I am so scared. I am-
> ‘Thunk!’
> A crash behind makes you jump, and you are sure the others did as well. You would have fired your weapon if your index finger was on the trigger.  
> “Gah! Fucking hell!”
> Spinning around, you see that Echo has fallen, and he is grabbing his knee. You glance at the group, and when they stop, you move down cautiously to help Foxtrot as she picks Echo up, letting him sit on the step as he groans in agony. His chin is bleeding profusely, forming a large dark spot on the bottom of his balaclava, and the uniform above his left knee is also soaking with fresh blood.
> “Fucking lost my step… Gah!”
> Great. Raid has not even started yet and there already is a casualty.
> Angela picks up her radio and speaks into it. You ignore the chatter in your headset as you place a hand on Echo’s shoulder.
“Can you walk?”
> He nods even as he grimaces.
> “I can try. It doesn’t hurt that badly, and I-”
> Foxtrot interrupts him with a hand on his other shoulder and a swift shake of her head.
> “No, Echo. You are going to sit out on this one. You cannot move fast now, and you’ll put the rest of us in danger.”
> Alpha comes down, moving his ballistic shield aside as he grabs Echo’s hand.
> “Always another time to be a hero, man.”
> You decide to chime in.
“Don’t worry about it, Bro. There are plenty of other ponies to save.”
> Even through his balaclava, you can see his eyes narrowing. You cannot tell if it is because he is smiling or frowning. Then, they close as he nods. Slowly, he gets up with Alpha’s help and gives each of you a handshake as he says his thanks. Groaning again, he makes his way down the staircase slowly, one step at a time as he holds on the handrails for support. His MP5 hangs limply in the other hand.
> “Murphy’s law, eh Delta?”
> That was Angela’s voice. You chuckle as you give a signal to get back into position.
“Yeah, and it is a bitch.”
> With that, your detachment makes its way up to the stop of the stairs. Pausing at the corner, you hear Alpha say “Go!” before he turns the corner sharply with Bravo and Angela, pausing with his ballistic shield up as the other 2 officers point their weapons forwards. Bravo turns and nods at you, so you get in position behind Angela again, weapon raised and ready as your group travels forward. A male voice speaks from your headset.
> “Det 2, in position.”
> You can feel the heat of the afternoon sun through your uniform, and you are panting already from the weight you are carrying. All you can focus now on is the steady, soft metallic ‘thumps’ of boots on metal, the feeling of Angela’s body on the back of your forearm, and the hardness of a bone that presses against your back. You tell yourself to focus.
> “Det 4, in position.”
> Your group stops outside a chained door as Angela helps Bravo to get out his bolt cutters. They move to adjust the tool briefly before pausing, both of them giving Alpha a swift nod. Then, Bravo gestures for Foxtrot and you to take the other side of the door as Angela moves behind Alpha. When you are in position, Alpha reaches for his radio.
> “Det 1, in position.”
> Your heart is thumping rapidly as adrenaline courses through your system. You feel the fear in you again, and you swallow. When AC Thor gives the command, you will move swiftly and with purpose.
> In a few moments, you will have to act.
> Taking a breath to calm yourself, you focus your eyes on the door. Finger still off the trigger. Good.
> If you need to kill someone, then so be it.
> No hesitation. No thinking. No feeling.
> Just do it.
 
> “Det 3, in position. All in position.”
> “Zulu here. Roger that, Romero Tango 1. Do it. Do it now.”
> Bravo pushes down on the bolt cutters hard with his shoulders, and the tool cuts through the chain easily. Pausing to keep his equipment, Alpha waits for Bravo to indicate his readiness before nodding at the rest of you. He bashes the door open and storms in, and your detachment follows him. Turning around the corner to the left, he pauses about 3 metres in, waiting for your group to form up behind him as he points his MP5 forward, shield at the ready.
> True enough, the catwalk has been covered entirely, and it is lit by weak lights that are placed in intervals. There is only one way to the office: the door you just passed leads to a walkway on the left, followed by a right turn into another walkway that leads to the first room of the office. The one with the window.
> Foxtrot taps you on the shoulder, and you tap Angela on hers. She passes it on to Bravo, who then taps Alpha. When he moves, the 4 of you stick closely behind, weapons at the ready again. Then, your ears are assaulted by the sounds of shouts and gunfire coming from below you.
> Holy fucking hell, that is so loud!
> You narrow your eyes as you try to ignore the cacophony around you, but it does little to distract you from the bursts of automatic gunfire, the single and distinct shots, and the array of voices. Reaching the corner for the right turn, Alpha pauses again and waits for Foxtrot to start another chain of taps. When it reaches him, he turns around the corner swiftly with Angela and Bravo.
> “Clear.”
> Foxtrot and you stack up behind the group, and keeping your weapon raised, you move forward with them. The double doors to the first room is open, and you can see that it has a long metal table in its centre, a bookshelf on a corner and several filing cabinets at another. There is no one there at the moment. You focus your attention at the closed door on your left, getting ready to react.
> 10 metres away from the double doors to the first room.
> 5 metres away. You hear someone scream from below as the gunfire increases in intensity.
> 2 metres away. The door opens, and a dark-haired man in an orange shirt dashes out. He is carrying a M16 rifle as he goes around the table, choosing the side that is closer to you.
> Immediately you fix your sights on him as your group stops.
“POLICE! PUT THE WEAPON DOWN!”
> He turns and sees you. Don’t do it.
> He twists his body. Your finger moves to the trigger. No compliance.
> He swings his arms, turning the barrel of his rifle towards-
> You squeeze the trigger, and immediately, his body gets peppered with bullets as your ears explode from the sounds of gunfire. He collapses against the table, the rifle now laying on the ground beside him. Blinking rapidly, your right ear rings as you see the smoking barrel of Foxtrot’s sub-machinegun just barely centimetres away from your head. Foxtrot taps you in the shoulder.
> “Move out, Det 1.”
> With a nod, Alpha advances into the first room, shield ready as he does a quick scan of the room. Bravo and Angela moves over to disarm the man and check him. With a swift shake of her head, Angela and Bravo moves back behind Alpha, who is waiting beside the opened door, and your group stacks up behind him. Foxtrot starts a chain of taps again, and when it reaches Alpha, he charges in. You follow behind Angela swiftly, entering the room with your weapon raised.
> Inside is a rather run-down office, complete with a desk with a laptop on it and files, 2 couches, more filing cabinets and bookcases. Trash and cigarette butts litter the entire area, and the office appears deserted. Your group fans out, checking the room with weapons still raised. Then, a sound from under the desk captures your attention. You move swiftly towards it, weapon at the ready as you turn around the corner. A small whimper draws your attention again. As Foxtrot circles around from the other side, you nod at her before kicking the chair out of the way as the both of you advance quickly, bringing your weapons forward.
“Police!”
> Cowering under the desk is a mare. A Pegasus. She has an off-white coat, and her mane and tail are pink and green. Her light blue eyes are wide with fear, and her pupils have shrunk to the size of pinpricks. Her face and mane is covered in dry crust, and she stinks to high heaven. She is trembling hard, and when you both raised your weapons at her, she pisses herself. Literally.
> Oh fuck.
> Lowering your weapons, Foxtrot kneels and begins to coax the little mare to come out. It is then that Bravo taps you on the shoulder, pointing at the laptop. You turn your eyes to it, and you see that Alpha and Angela are already staring at it in horror.
> On the screen is a website, and there is a red counter on the top that is ticking down from 42 minutes. Below it is a video feed, and you see a pony in it. She is bound to a bed, each hoof to a corner of the frame as a loop of raffia string is around her neck, connected to a device behind the bed. A profile picture and comment section is on the right side of the website, and you see a picture of a mare with short, light blue hair and a cream-coloured coat. Her eyes match the colour of her mane, and a name on the profile tells you that she is one “Coco Pommel”. The mare in the video looks exactly like the one in the profile picture.
> Alpha picks up his radio and speaks into it, asking for AC Thor to come up to the office urgently, saying that he “needs to see this”.
> Your mouth hangs open as you realise what you are seeing. This is a snuff video, and it is a live-feed with 257 viewers. Reading the comments quickly, you see messages for the maker to do a whole repertoire of cruel and sadistic things to the mare, each ranked in accordance to the number of bids and amount given.
> Your eyes widen. “Knife in poosay :D” ranks the highest, followed by “boiling water bath” and “flay her with a fillet knife”. Shaking your head in disgust, you hear another wave of gunfire and shouts from below. You turn to the others.
“We’ll see what AC Thor wants to do with this. Foxtrot, stay here, look after that mare and brief AC Thor. Bravo, cover the walkway. The rest of us, we gotta support our guys from the window.”
> Bravo gestures towards the laptop.
> “We have 41 minutes to save this mare.”
“I know, but this looks to be a different location. We’ll have to wait for Tech Department to get us a location. Let AC Thor do his job.”
> With a quick exchange of nods, the 4 of you leave the office. Bravo moves to cover the walkway as Alpha, Angela and you move to the window, taking cover below it. Angela speaks urgently as Alpha discards his shield due to its bulkiness.
> “Wait for the shooting to start again. Remember, 4 seconds of exposure. Take your targets down and dive down immediately.”
“Roger that.”
> For now, all you can hear are muffled shouts from below. Then, the sound of automatic gunfire drowns everything out as the gunfire starts again. With a quick exchange of nods, your group gets up, pointing your weapons down at the storage floor below.
> You see 4 distinct groups of people: a detachment of officers taking cover behind a pile of boxes directly below your position, another detachment on your left using a forklift as a shield, a third detachment on the opposite side, peering around a wall as they open fire on the last group, which comprises of 5 individuals who are hiding behind metal containers. You can see several cages against the wall nearest to the 5, and there are ponies in them. Across the storage floor are the bodies of men, too many for you to count in the precious seconds that you have.
> You take aim at a guy wearing a purple shirt, noting the M16 rifle in his hands as he shoots at the group of officers taking cover behind the forklift.
> NOT MY OFFICERS YOU SHITLORD!
> In unison, the 3 of you open fire, and you feel the recoil on your shoulder as the purple guy falls from the burst of bullets from your sub-machinegun. Instantly, you dive down, laying flat on your tummy. Spinning around quickly, you see that Angela is on the ground too, but Alpha is still standing.
> SHIT!
“GET DOWN!”
> You dive over and grab the back of his vest, pulling him backwards, causing him to fall as the back of his helmet crashes into the metal table. At that instant, you feel 3 distinct impacts on your chest. They are like sledgehammer blows, knocking the wind out of you as you fall back. Pain radiates from them, and you curse through your gritted teeth as more bullets slices through the air where Alpha was standing, impacting the ceiling and causing dust and debris to fall into your open mouth.
> “FUCKING HELL, ALPHA! 4 SECONDS, GOD DAMMIT!”
> That was Angela’s voice. Groaning, you move a hand over your chest, and you can feel 3 holes in the vest that were not there a minute ago. The once solid ceramic plate is now in pieces, and they shift under your fingers as you press against them. You move your hand away, noting that they are free of blood. Blinking rapidly, you stare at your fingers in disbelief.
> You are saved. The ceramic plates in your vest saved you.
> Leaning back with a groan, you hear more shouts and gunfire from below. The bullets have stopped now, and in the relative silence, your ears pick up the sound of movement approaching you quickly. Angela appears in your vision, and she drops her weapon as she starts patting you on the chest. You groan as you try to get up.
“I’m okay… I’m okay…”
> She is sniffling as she continues her actions, and when she reaches to unzip the vest, you grab her hands.
“CHARLIE! I’m okay! None of them got through!”
> That made her stop. Then, she covers her face with her gloved hands. You reach over and pet her on her shoulder, and you notice that the gunfire has stopped. Slowly, you get up, groaning again as you feel the bruises on your chest smarting. You crawl to one of the holes made by the bullets that were sent your way, peering at the scene below you.
> Members of your rescue team have over-run the position of the 5 men, and are now standing amongst their corpses. Some of them are already bringing the captive ponies out of the cages. With a sigh, you turn around to see Bravo hunched over Alpha. There is a pool of blood under him.
> Oh fuck.
> FUCK! FUCK!
> Instantly, you are by his side, doing a quick check of him. He is bleeding badly from right upper arm, his left forearm, his left calf and his left thigh, and his combat vest is punctured in 5 distinct spots. Bravo already has his hands on his thigh wound, applying pressure on it to stop the bleeding as he mumbles incoherently in his panic. You reach over and press the wound on his left forearm, hearing Angela’s voice from your headset as she calls for medical attention. She then moves over to apply pressure on right upper arm. Alpha is groaning behind his balaclava, but he opens his eyes as AC Thor and Foxtrot appears beside you, and the lady officer puts her hands on his calf wound. The Assistant Commissioner is wearing a vest himself under his uniform, and you see that one of his shoulders in his uniform has a bullet hole. Alpha speaks softly as he lifts his head to look at AC Thor.
> “… Sir…”
> “Shush now. Medical personnel are on their way.”
> He nods and slowly moves his head to you.
> “S-sorry, man… I fuck… I f-fucked up.”
> You just shake your head.
“It’s okay. Focus on yourself now. What’s done is done.”
> He groans before looking back at AC Thor.
“… S-sir… Can y-you remove this fuck… This fucking helmet and c-cloth… On my f-face?”
> AC Thor nods silently and does so. Underneath the balaclava is another Caucasian man. He is around the same age as you. His hair is a light brown and his skin is fair. His eyes are a pale grey, and his facial features are pleasantly handsome with a strong jawline. Alpha looks at AC Thor again.
> “… Sir, this is it… My t-time has come… Please, I need you… To d-do 2 things for me…”
> AC Thor simply nods as he places a hand on Alpha’s right calf.
> “… Tell my D-Derpy that I love her so v-very much… That I d-don’t want her to cry... And… R-rescue that Pom… Pommel… Fo…”
> Alpha loses consciousness as Bravo yells in despair. AC Thor gets up and goes over to the room with the laptop. Looking down at the officer in a pool of crimson, you choke on your breath.
> That could have been you… You could easily have been Alpha, choking out your last words as you fight to stay alive from the many bullet wounds in your body.
> Your eyes meet Angela’s, and you see something in her eyes. A fire. Angela is angry. Then, you feel your sadness and fear for Alpha melt away as cold fury courses through your being, igniting a flame that burns in every fibre of your being. Glancing at Bravo and Foxtrot, you can see the same look in their eyes.
> Your detachment wants vengeance.
> Quick footsteps appear from the walkway as Paramedics rush in, carrying a stretcher. You stand up to let them do their work, and you hear AC Thor calling for your detachment to enter the office. Glancing at Alpha again as they work to stabilise him, the 4 of you walk over to join AC Thor, who is staring at the laptop with his phone by the side of his head. The pony mare is now laying down the couch, and she is watching your group silently.
> He points to Foxtrot and does a writing motion with his hand, to which the officer tears a piece of paper from a nearby file and grabs a pen. Holding the tip to the paper, she waits.
> “Block 45, Blue Ridge Road, Unit 11-13, Postal Code… 8514862…”
> Wait. That address.
> You turn to Angela at the same time she that does to you, and you see the recognition in her eyes. Then, AC Thor says his thanks and hangs up, tapping at the piece of paper with his finger.
> “Storm this address and get the fucker inside. Take one of the armoured vans. The video feed is from this address, and you have 29 minutes to save Coco Pommel… I will follow once I get Blossomforth here to the vans below.”
> He looks up and gives you all a hard look.
> “What are you waiting for? GO!”
> You obey and run out of the office along the other 3 officers, not even turning to glance at the team of medics that have surrounded Alpha. Turning the corner, you flick your thumb, making your weapon ‘safe’ again.
> You are going after Sprinkle Medley’s killer, and you are going to save that mare.
> You have 28 minutes to do so.
> …
 
> Bravo pulls the armoured van into the familiar carpark, and stops the van behind 2 police cars. Leaving the engine and lights still on, he throws the door open and gets out. Foxtrot does the same, having been seated in the passenger’s seat beside him. Moments later, the back door opens and Angela and you jump out. You check your watch as you address the others.
“We have 4 minutes and 37 seconds. Let’s go! Let’s go!”
> As you run across the small field towards Block 45, all you can focus on are the memory of chasing Starlight across this very path and the alternating rhythm of your legs and body. This time, the metallic clinks you hear are heavier, especially when there is a fucking 7-kilogram door-breaching tool on your back. The 4 of you cross the grass patch quickly, passing the rubbish chute where Sprinkle Medley’s body was found and into the lift lobby, where a pair of officers are already waiting. One of them has a hand on the button of the lift.
> “ECAD RT officers, right? We got your memo from AC Thor himself. How much longer?”
> The 6 of you pile into the lift and Angela jabs the button to the eleventh floor. Bravo answers the officer as he adjusts the weight in his arm; he is carrying Alpha’s ballistic shield.
> “3 minutes and 15 seconds.”
> That policeman who spoke earlier quickly nods, handing Bravo a sock with a white tube leading out of it. It is attached to a silver tube, which is in turn attached to a firing device via a beige cable. The firing device itself is a T-shaped plastic object with a removable cap on the top. Your eyes widen as you look at the crude object.
“A door-breaching charge? Really?”
> The Police constable nods.
> “The Police Tactical Response Force gave us this as instructed. 200 grams of TNT flakes with 2 PETN primers. It is the fastest available option to take down that door, so use the ballistic shield and cover your ears.”
“Seems excessive; I mean, we have our tools here.”
> Angela pokes you in the arm.
> “The faster, the better. How much time?”
> You check your watch again.
“2 minutes 12 seconds.”
> The elevator opens. Bravo checks the sign for the unit numbers, then he heads left. The rest of you follow, stacking up on him with your weapons in a ‘low-ready’ position as the other 2 officers stay behind at the lift landing. In front of you are another pair of Police officers, and they wave as the 4 of you move along the corridor briskly and with purpose. The corridor is flanked on one side with doors to their respective units, while the other has a handrail and is open to the outside, allowing natural light and wind into said corridor.
> At least the explosion later will not be deafeningly loud, Boss. Place is not entirely enclosed.
> Aye, Brain.
> Your group stops in front of the indicated unit, pressing yourselves against the wall. Bravo hands the charge to Angela as she moves to place it on the handle, while Foxtrot orders the other 2 officers to retreat quickly further down the corridor. Angela comes back and glances at you.
> “Time?”
> Your eyes travel down to your watch yet again.
“1 minute 14 seconds. Weapons ready and face shields on.”
> You flip your face shield down with a hand, and several clicks can be heard as you switch your weapon to ‘full automatic’ and bring it up to your eye level. You made sure that everyone reloaded their sub-machineguns during the drive here. Pressing a button on your radio, you speak into it as Bravo braces the shield with an elbow, his shoulder and the side of his helmet.
“Det 1 to Zulu. We are in position and ready to breach. Over.”
> “Zulu to Det 1. I am 6 minutes out. Do it. Breach now.”
> With a nod, Angela unscrews the cap of the firing device and pulls it sharply upwards.
> ‘BOOM!’
> The entire fucking world shakes as a concussive wave washes over you. It feels like a giant hand has slapped your entire body, knocking the wind out of you as a fuckload of wood shreds shoots out into the corridor.
> Brain and you are so wrong.
> FUCKING HELL THAT WAS FUCKING LOUD!
> Ears ringing, you register movement as Bravo storms into the flat, and you follow Angela closely. Passing the main door, which has flown off its hinges into several chunks, you scan the living room. There is a short passageway to the kitchen at the back, and on your left are 2 doorways; the one further down, nearer to the kitchen, has its doors closed. Moving swiftly, Alpha moves to sweep the first room as Angela and you stack up to the closed door while Foxtrot proceeds into the kitchen. You move to the other side of the doorway, and with quick nod to Angela, you reach over and twist the door handle. It opens.
> Swiftly, Angela uses her shoulder barge in, throwing the door open as you rush in after her.
> “POLICE! GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!”
> In front of you is a Caucasian man that looks to be about 30 years old, and he is rather handsome but thin. From the way he looks, it seems like he got dressed very hastily, as his shorts are worn the wrong way. Your eyes search the room. It is padded with what you can only assume to be sound-proof material, and there is an array of stands and recording devices in front of you, along with a small table that has an opened laptop on it. Further in, you see the mare in the snuff video. She is still tied on the bed, and you immediately see that her genital area is horribly stained with fresh blood, which covers the sheets directly below her suspended hindquarters. A bloodstained knife rests at the foot of the bedframe.
> Angela orders him to get down again, and he compiles by kneeling, whimpering as he puts his hands behind his back. Then, your watch beeps, and barely a second later, loud snap echoes through the room. You look up quickly, and you see that the mare is choking and gasping as the device behind her pulls the ruffia string around her neck taut.
> Moving swiftly, you push aside the stands and recording devices as you swing the butt of your sub-machinegun across that man’s face, causing him to land on his back with a groan. Drawing your knife, you swiftly cut the string, causing the machine to snap back its arms and allowing the mare to breathe again; she coughs and splutters as her neck is released from the choking hold. Then, you turn your attention to the man who is writhing on the ground.
> With a swift movement, you pull down the pair of shorts he is wearing, and you see that his crotch area is covered in blood. Coco Pommel’s blood.
“YOU FUCKING BASTARD!”
> With that, you straddle his chest, twisting your body as you drive the back of your sub-machinegun repeatedly into every inch of his body.
“FUCK YOU, YOU SADISTIC PIECE OF SHIT! GOD FUCKING DAMN YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”
> The butt of your weapon slams into him on every alternate syllable with punishing force. When he tries to block with his arms, twisting and turning his body to avoid your blows, you simply move the butt of your weapon to another portion of him that is exposed. Head, shoulder, neck, chest, head again, neck again. Fuck him. All that matters to you now are 3 things: your panting, your body’s form as you drive the weapon over and over again into that sadistic fucker, and your sheer fury that is throwing you into a frenzy of rage.
> “Enough, Delta!”
“FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!”
> This motherfucker! You want to hurt him. You want to hurt him so badly! You are going to kill him! You are going to-
> Suddenly, you feel a firm grip on your shoulder and your face shield lifts up. When you spin to see whose hand that was, a fist comes flying at your face.
> Oh sh-
> ‘Wham!’
> That blow connects with the left side of your face, throwing you off balance as you topple to the ground. Your left cheek bone smarts painfully, and you can taste the blood that is coming from a tear on the left side of your lower lip. The cloth that covers that portion is becoming wet and sticky.
> “I said: That’s enough, Delta.”
> Glaring at the fucker who struck you, you see that AC Thor is the room, and he has his eyes on you. They are narrowed, and his gaze is hard as his flicks his right wrist a few times. Your eyes meet his, then they travel to the sadist on the ground, who is now just twitching and moaning. His face is covered in bruises and blood and it is swelling rapidly. He is missing several teeth.
> Holy shit, you went totally berserk on him.
> “Get up.”
> Hearing AC Thor’s command, you comply, but not before throwing a kick at the semi-conscious man in front of you. You stand up slowly, and you see that the other 3 officers of your detachment are in the room; they are standing behind the Assistant Commissioner, and the laptop is now closed under Foxtrot’s gloved hand. Turning your eyes on AC Thor again, you see that his face is a mask of rage. He points a finger at Sprinkle Medley’s killer.
> “Delta, this man has surrendered. Do I have to remind you that what you just did is a serious breach of the Criminal Procedure Code?”
> Fixing your eyes on AC Thor, you give him a glare of your own.
“Sir, I know the Code, so you don’t have to. This sack of shit used a knife to-”
> “I KNOW WHAT HE DID!”
> That shut you the hell up.
> AC Thor turns as he moves his eyes slowly to each member of your detachment, making sure that every officer in the room is paying close attention to him. Settling his eyes on yours again, he speaks. His voice is slow and dangerously soft.
> “Delta, you are already in trouble, so don’t make it harder for yourself. Hand me your weapon, bring me that bloodied knife, and raise your hands as if you are guarding yourself from a boxer.”
> What the fuck. What is he-
> “That is an order.”
> Wordlessly, you reach your weapon out for AC Thor. When he grabs it, you walk over and pick up the knife, which you hold out to him handle-first. The Caucasian man pauses as he puts on a glove on his right hand, still holding the sub-machinegun in his left. Taking it, he tilts his head lightly as he waits for you to carry out the last part of his order. You let out a breath, glaring at him as you raise your fists in front of you, blocking him from your line of sight.
> You do not trust him, but he is the Commanding Officer for this operation and you are bound by-
> Pain erupts the back of your forearms and your left shoulder. Your eyes dart down, and you see half of the blade is embedded into the uniform of your left shoulder.
> “SIR?! WHAT THE FUCK?!”
> Angela screams at AC Thor as you recoil, gritting your teeth from the fire that comes from your wound. You stagger backwards and fall, feeling the door-breaching tool on your back impact the foot of Coco’s bed as you groan in agony. Gripping your upper arm just below the knife, your eyes travel up to AC Thor’s, and you stare at him in disbelief as Angela rushes to your side, already moving to check the extent of your wounds.
> Holy fucking Jesus, that hurts!
> The Assistant Commissioner turns as you groan again through your teeth, and once more, he looks at each of your team-members before he fixes his stern gaze on you again.
> “All of you, I want you to listen to me, and listen well. Bravo swept the other bedroom, and Foxtrot swept the kitchen. Charlie, you joined Foxtrot because the both of you thought you heard noises from there. Delta, when you entered this room, this fucker lunged at you with a knife. Before you can raise your weapon, he brought you to the ground and tried to stab you. You manage to block his first attack, but he slashes your arms and stabbed you in your left shoulder. Charlie, you heard the commotion and rushed to help, and when you enter the room, you see the bastard on top of Delta as they wrestled with the knife. You order Delta’s assailant to stop, but he ignored you. Then, Delta gets an opportunity to defend himself when he manages to press the barrel of his MP5 to the side of the fucker’s neck. With his personal life and safety threatened, Delta had no alternative and was forced to squeeze the trigger, unfortunately killing his attacker in the process.”
> What the hell? But that bastard is still-
> Before either of you can react, AC Thor grabs the sadist by his t-shirt, pulling him up on to his hands and knees as he drags him forward. Then, with his right hand, he jabs your weapon into the man’s neck and squeezes the trigger.
> The deafening sound of gunfire fills the room, and you feel that your ears explode again as you clench your eyes. When you open them, you see 6 empty cases bouncing towards a corner of the room as AC Thor drops the body and thrusts the sub-machinegun into Angela’s vest. Bravo and Foxtrot simply stares at the Assistant Commissioner in shock. Your pain momentarily forgotten, you are sure that your eyes are as wide as those belonging to the officers from your detachment.
> AC Thor… Murdered him. With your weapon.
> Even through the ringing in your ears, you hear AC Thor’s next words.
> “Charlie, untie Coco Pommel and bring her to the Animal Agency Shelter for emergency surgery. Get one of the pairs of Police officers to escort you there. Hurry please. Bravo and Foxtrot, bring Delta to the Medics below and report to back to Briefing Room 3-2 at PHQ. I will be there in an hour’s time, at 1527 sharp, to conduct the debrief. Charlie, I will see you there as well.”
> Turning to face you, AC Thor addresses you directly.
> “Delta, after you get patched up, wait for DSP Koh to come down and escort you to his office. You will give him your statement of the events that happened here, and cooperate fully with him at all times. I will speak with you after the debrief.”
> Gritting your teeth again, you just glare and nod. You are in no position to resist as the pain flares again in your arms and shoulder. You can feel the blade moving lightly in your flesh as you breathe, and all you can focus on now is the intensity of the burning sensation that floods your senses. It is all you can think of.
> Fuck. That. Caucasian. CUNT.
> “Move. Now.”
> You yell out when Bravo accidentally hits the knife handle with his radio as he rushes to pull you up.
> …
 
> “Easy now, Anon. Take your time.”
“Sure, Sir… What time is it?”
> “5.41pm… And no, you are not doing your night shift after all that.”
“Yes, Sir.”
> DSP Koh moves you to the wall beside the door to his office, allowing you to brace yourself against it for support as he puts down your heavy green case. Reaching into his pocket, he draws out his keys and proceeds to open the door. He then carries the case in before coming out into the hallway to help you stagger in, being careful not to touch the sling that holds your arm in place. You drop down into a chair, leaning backwards with a groan as you feel the pain radiate from your wounds, and this is despite being on a dose of strong painkillers.
> According to the doctor at Florence General Hospital, you have: a 2-centimetre long puncture wound that goes straight through your left shoulder, a total of 6 slash wounds on both your forearms, a torn left lower lip, a bruised cheekbone, 3 large bruises on your chest, a bruised right elbow and a bruised right knee. His assessment showed that most of these wounds are superficial, and the shoulder wound affected only the deltoid muscle and just nicked the bone. He asserted that you will have full function of your arm in a month’s time, but there will be a permanent scar. With the bruises on your chest adding to those that are healing on your back, your torso looks like it belonged to a cow.
> One that is beige and purple, Boss.
> Sitting behind his desk, DSP Koh lets out a sigh as he fixes his eyes on you. His gaze is almost… Pained. It is as if it hurts the Deputy Superintendent to look at you.
“What is it, Sir?”
> “It’s... I am glad that Angela and you are safe.”
> You just nod and smile at the Asian man. Your gut tells you that there is more to that, but you decide not to press the issue.
“Thank you, Sir… I’m glad too.”
> Smiling lightly in return, your supervisor reaches over and pulls out a document from a folder. He clicks a pen and fills up the basic fields, then, he sighs softly before looking up at you again.
> “Anon… I know you are not one for bureaucratic bullshit and pretence, but I need your full cooperation. What happened earlier is a trage-”
“For Alpha, Coco Pommel and all the other Rescue Team officers. Not that sadistic fuck.”
> Your supervisor frowns at your interruption, but you fix him with a hard look that matches the fire you feel with.
> He isn’t your enemy, Boss. Control your fucking emotions.
> Closing your eyes, you check yourself as you swallow the lump in your throat.
“I’m sorry, Sir… It has been a rough day for me, and that was highly inappropriate and uncalled for. My apologies.”
> “Understandable, given that you almost died today and that you had to undergo minor surgery and stitches, but don’t do that again, Inspector. I may be your friend, but I am still your superior in rank and appointment.”
> You nod slowly before opening your eyes again. Forcing yourself to look at DSP Koh, all you want to do now is just curl up with Starlight and sleep for a week.
> “As I was saying, what happened is a tragedy not just for everyone that you mentioned, but for you as well.”
> What.
> You frown.
“F-for me?”
> Tapping the form that he has written in, DSP Koh’s next words sends a chill down your spine.
> “Inspector Anonymous, you are now under investigation for the murder of one Andrew Pierce.”
> What the fuck?!
> Your jaw falls open as you regard the man in front of you. Murder? How? You didn’t do it! It was AC Thor! You only did your job! True, you bashed his fucking face in, but-
> “What does the Criminal Procedure Code and the Disciplinary Code say about extra-judicial killings, Anon?”
> You slump back into your chair as you groan, bringing your right hand up to pinch the bridge of your nose. Of course.
> What happened earlier is, at face-value, an execution that took place without legal processes. It makes you a suspect for murder, and the onus is on you to prove that you did it to defend yourself.
> That fucking AC Th-
> Nevermind... Fuck that. You are just tired now.
“If convicted, a maximum of a death penalty and a dishonourable discharge from the Force, Sir?”
> Without saying a word, DSP Koh nods slowly.
> … Fuck….
“I didn’t do it, Sir. It wasn’t me.”
> Sighing, DSP Koh puts down the pen he is holding and slumps against his chair as well.
> “Everyone will say that, Anon. That’s why I need your statement.”
> Breathing out heavily, your eyes travel down to his desk. There is only one thing on your mind now.
“… I won’t get to see Starlight again… Right?”
> “Until cleared of charges, Anon, no. You will be detained in the Police Detention Barracks until then, and even after, you are required to be put on administrative leave for 2 weeks… If convicted, you will go straight to the Prisons and be placed on death row, and I doubt you will get the same privileges for Starlight as that vigilante did. Given past court rulings Anon, I must admit that the chances of being convicted are… High… I don’t like it any more than you do, but this is how it is and will be… I’m sorry.”
> Groaning again, you feel cold fury flood your being again. You have been framed by that Caucasian asshat, and you have been betrayed by your Commanding Officer for the raiding operations. The injustice of it burns intensely, and your mind is rapidly becoming clouded with rage. With a swift movement, you stand up quickly, not even feeling the pain that shoots from your stitches as you send your chair flying backwards. It crashes into the door with a metallic crunch.
“FUCK! FUCKING FUCK!”
> Squatting down, you cup your hands over your head as you feel the rage quickly disappearing, being replaced by sadness and despair as the single most important thing in your life appears in your mind. Warmth gathers at your eyes as your vision blurs, and you feel a deep cold darkness in your stomach.
> Starlight. Your Starlight… You will not get to see her again.
> You press your palms to your eyes as sobs wreck your body. Even as you feel a pair of hands gently guide you onto a sofa, all that matters to you now is knowing that your pony girl will be crying in the future. For you, and because of you. Memories of her tear-stained face comes to your mind, and you feel the despair within you heighten as you realise that you did not even say goodbye to her when you left this morning. Helplessness and regret join the dark and cold mix that is already in your heart.
> You want to spend your nights sleeping with Starlight by your side and in your arms. You want her to have fun as she dances and runs, and have her palette bursting with flavours as she partakes in another frozen confectionary at Bridget’s. You want her to laugh as you tickle her, and you want her to enjoy the pleasures of an orgasm as you made love to her. You want to fulfill your promise to take her to the airport… You want her to feel loved, and you want her to be happy… You want Starlight to smile again.
> But… You cannot provide all these now, and they will just be memories and dreams.
> It is over.
> That feeling of hands on your shoulder and back is so distant, and the words you hear are echoes that you do not listen to. What do they matter now, when you are leaving her; the sweet, passionate and beautiful girl that you love so immensely? Wetness and warmth covers the inside of your hands as more tears escape your eyes. Your breath chokes in your throat as your chest heaves, and you can feel mucous dripping from your nose.
> Starlight will be alone again, and she will have to face loneliness once more.
> And so will you, Boss.
> …
 
> Having just finished giving your statement to DSP Koh, you lean back against the sofa. You told him the truth; the details of the briefing, the interaction with the officers at the back of the van; the fall that stopped Echo from participating in the raid at the warehouse; the killing of the first M16 wielder by your detachment; the discover of Blossomfirst(?) under the desk; and the realisation of what was going to happen to Coco Pommel.
> Then, you proceeded to give an account of the ensuring firefight, providing detailed information on how you killed the purple guy with the M16. You them gave details on how you tried to save Alpha and how you nearly got killed yourself, including the way which AC Thor gave the order to what remained of your detachment to storm Andrew Pierce’s place.
> Following these, you talked about the decision to use a door-breaching charge and the experience of being caught near a high-explosive charge as it goes off. You elaborated on the tactical decisions that your team made in the sweeping of the apartment, the scene that greeted you in Coco’s room, followed by the bashing that you gave that sadistic fuck, and finally, the way that AC Thor murdered that man using your weapon and the version of events that he painted.
> When you finished talking, you wait as DSP continues to write. Clicking his pen, DSP Koh re-reads the entire account before passing the form to you and asks that you verify the details in it. You read it thoroughly as your supervisor opens a drawer and pours out 2 glasses of whisky. He takes a drink from his glass, refilling it as he motions to yours with a hand.
> You put the document down as you grab the glass, downing it swiftly in a gulp.
> “If you are satisfied with the accuracy of your statement, Anon, please put your signature at the top right hand of each page and another one at the bottom of the last page.”
> Taking a breath, you ponder your next action as you pick up the pen that the Deputy Superintendent had used earlier. Should you point the finger at AC Thor? Do you have enough leverage to say that he was the murderer and not you? What is the weight of evidence that you have against him?
“Sir… May I have a moment to… Collect myself? It’s… Hard to talk about it.”
> Your supervisor nods as he rests the pen down and leans back into his chair. He smiles gently at you as he sips from his glass.
> “Take your time, Anon. Just sign when you are ready.”
> Nodding gratefully at him, you pause to think. You know that you are already in a ton of trouble; as with other cases of extra-judicial killings before you, you are being investigated for murder. It is not your fault and you know it, but the circumstantial evidence points heavily to you. After all, AC Thor used YOUR weapon to kill him and no other officers there opened fire, so that is already a pretty damning piece of information that can be used against you. Furthermore, if AC Thor’s version of events is to be believed and the other officers stick with that, you are the first person to encounter Andrew Pierce in that room. He is dead, so it will be your words against any evidence that is stacked up against you.
 > You frown as you consider your available defence: the one of acting out of self-defence. If all the officers in your detachment stick to AC Thor’s version of events, including Coco Pommel and those pairs of officers outside the apartment, then there is no way for anyone to say that Andrew Pierce died as a result of an extra-judicial killing. He IS dead, after all, and the way that AC Thor executed Andrew will lead the Investigation Officer to conclude that the weapon was pointing upwards when he was shot. You know this, as you saw it happen.
> Reaching a hand over, you feel the stitches in your forearms under your fingertips. The medics and the doctor that patched you up can testify that your wounds are plausibly the result of defending yourself from an attacker, given the angle of the slashes on your forearms and that of the stab wound. AC Thor deliberately attacked you with that knife, and gave a version of events that puts you in a position of plausible deniability to cover for your earlier attack on Andrew Pierce with the buttstock of your weapon.
> It is then that you realise something, and that something that made your eyes widen. Your gaze settles on DSP Koh, who was watching you the entire time, and he smirks at you as your mouth opens in shock.
> Holy shit.
> AC Thor… Planned this. The killing of Andrew Pierce and pinning it as you defending yourself? It is deliberate. He wanted Andrew Pierce dead for some reason, and he used you to achieve that goal whilst trying to cover for you… And by the looks of it, he may very well succeed. As for DSP Koh…
> Your suspicions about his involvement are confirmed when DSP Koh reaches into a drawer and pulls out yet another Statement form, which he hands to you. Still reeling in shock, you take a quick read of the document, and you see that the events described there are similar to the account you gave, except… What happened in Coco Pommel’s room.
> That section describes an account that reflects what AC Thor said in Coco’s room.
> Leaning back into the chair, you watch as DSP Koh leans in to refill your glass with whisky. Lifting his own in a silent toast to you, he smiles.
> “You’ll get a Distinguished Service Medal for your actions today, Inspector Anon, and Andrew Pierce’s death will officially be an unfortunate occurrence when he decided to attack an armed officer, which forced you to take the necessary actions to save your own life and of those around you. Rumours of the way you fended off a strangle-hold from a burly 2-metre tall Andrew Pierce by sticking a chopstick in his eye will fly, as well as how you took down 3 guys in the warehouse office by using a tennis ball for a distraction… You still have to be placed on administrative leave for 2 weeks though, and you will have to spend the next week in the Detention Barracks as you wait for Special Investigations to publish their findings.”
> You just gape at him. Then, you speak the first thing that comes to your mind.
“Sir, why didn’t you say these earlier? You made me believe that I am going to be hanged!”
> “You may very well still be, Anon. Unless, like AC Thor and I said, you cooperate fully with us… And letting you realise the preciousness and fragility of your relationship with Starlight will only make you treasure and love her more… We human beings have a tendency to learn best when we are put out of our comfort zones, especially when we feel loss, fear, hurt and pain.”
> Taking another gulp of whisky, he proceeds to refill his glass yet again as he keeps eye contact with you.
> “Welcome to power politics in the Force, Anon… And please, for heaven’s sake, sign THAT form instead.”
> …
 
> You are feeling restless and feverish. As you lay down on the couch, tossing and turning in discomfort, you cannot place where that feeling came from. Is it from being injured badly earlier, or it is because you are going to be missing the first shift of your career? Does it stem from your worries for Starlight, Alpha, Coco Pommel or Angela, or is it from the rollercoaster of emotions from your discoveries earlier that utterly wrecked many of your beliefs about the Police Force, especially that of your superiors and those in positions of power? It might also be because today is the first time you killed another human being, and you did that twice within mere minutes of each other.
> DSP Koh has left his office after telling you that AC Thor will speak to you before bringing you to the Detention Barracks. He left you in his office with silence and the half-bottle of whisky for company. Despite the urge to, you drank only the glasses that the Deputy Superintendent poured for you, as you want to be sober when you speak with AC Thor later. You have many questions for that manipulative fuck, and even though you understand the circumstances and consequences of your position, you are not afraid of him.
> Adjusting your body on the couch once again, you plant your sock-covered feet on the armrest as your gaze travels to the clock. 6.11pm. You sigh as you feel your stomach churning, but it is one of unease, not hunger... Strange, you should be feeling hungry about now.
> Pulling out your phone, you decide to give Angela a call. You have not heard from her since she left Pierce’s place, and you are anxious to find out about Coco Pommel.  
> She did not take your call.
> Sighing softly, you then proceed to check the news. Nope, nothing on the raids.
> As you are about to put down your phone, it vibrates and beeps. Unlocking it, you see Angela’s message.  It reads: “Hey Anon. Busy at the Agency shelter, helping them with the ponies we rescued. Total 8 of them. Coco’s done with surgery. Looked bad, but nothing serious. Will recover in a week. Asked Thor if I can adopt her, and he said ‘Yes’! :D”
> Smiling warmly, you ask Angela if she is taking the night shift later and if she can help you to look after Starlight in the meantime, as you will be in the Detention Barracks. You are not sure if Angela is privy to what is going to happen to you, and you decide not to give away any information besides the bare minimum. Resting your head down on the armrest, you feel the discomfort in you heighten. Sleep sounds really damn good now.
> Then, your phone vibrates and beeps again. You lift the phone up, letting your head rest on the armrest as you read. Her reply states that she is taking a day of leave to spend the night at the Agency shelter with Coco, and that AC Thor has already taken Starlight into his care. Angela ends her message by wishing you good luck with the investigations, and that she-
> The door opens with a click, and you sit up as Assistant Commissioner Daniel Thor enters the room. Upon seeing that gigantic man again, you feel a mix of cold fury and disgust erupt within you. This is the man who used you. He took advantage of his position and appointment as Commanding Officer of the raids to manipulate you, and he has taken your pony. You will get up and punch his fucking face if you are not hurting so badly from your injuries.
> Instead, you just watch him, fixing him with a glare as he makes his way over to a chair, which he pulls around for him to sit so he is facing you. AC Thor leans in, his eyebrows narrowing as he addresses you with a soft voice. His eyes are a deep blue, and in your anger, all that you can think of is driving that pen on the desk into one of those fucking orbs.
> “How are you feeling-”
“I DON’T NEED YOUR EMPATHY, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE! YOU MANIPULATIVE CUNT! FUCK YOU!”
> Clutching your shoulder as pain radiates from the wound there, you groan as you grimace at him.
> Careful now, Anon, he-
> FUCK. HIM.
> To his credit, AC Thor does not even flinch at your outburst. Instead, he leans back into his chair and breathes out deeply, still keeping his eyes on you.
> “Your rage is understandable… And justified. I won’t pretend to know what you are feeling right now, but I can make it up to you. Tell me what you want, and I will see what I can do.”
> You cannot help chuckling bitterly at that. Curling your lip in disgust at how superficial his words seemed to you, you spit your next words at him.  
“Make it up to me? Really? You think I will fucking trust you after that shit you pulled? You used me, Sir. You killed him. You murdered him! You murdered Andrew Pierce in my name! IN MY NAME, ASSHOLE, AND I AM GETTING FUCKING INVESTIGATED FOR THAT!”
> Again, AC Thor keeps his stoic expression under the barrage that you unleashed on him. Taking a moment to catch your breath, your rational mind takes over and you keep your voice level, but cold.
“You have Starlight with you now, don’t you? Angela told me. Are you going to use her like you used me? Mark my words, you fucking asshole; if you so much as harm her, I will kill you… I will do it with my bare hands if I need to, you psychopathic bastard.”
> Smiling lightly, AC Thor speaks. Again, he is so unnervingly calm.
> “I won’t hurt her, Anon, and killing me will jeopardise the future of all Equestrian Citizens in this country. You know this, so don’t let your rage blind your rationality, Inspector… But, if you still want to…”
> He stands up. Ignoring your bewildered expression, he moves over to your green case and unlocks it with a key. AC Thor reaches in, pulling out your Glock 19 pistol as he removes the magazine to check that it is filled. Satisfied that it is, he slides it back into the weapon and cocks the weapon, chambering a round as he hands you the pistol handle-first. When you do not take it, he simply tosses it on the sofa beside you and reaches his hands to his side. With a few swift motions, he removes the ballistic vest he is wearing and tosses it away. He sits down at the chair again, letting his arms fall to his side as he looks at you once more.
> “Go ahead, Anon. You have 15 bullets with which to take my life if you want to, but all I ask now is just to talk.”
> You snatch up the pistol with your right hand. Gripping it firmly, you fix your eyes on the Assistant Commissioner as an array of thoughts and desires floods your mind. Many of them are very dark and impulsive. Your grip trembles, and your mind races.
> FUCK!
> With a swift motion, you toss the pistol at a corner of the room, causing a jolt of pain to run through your body. Glaring at AC Thor once again, you cover the bandages on your shoulder with a hand as you shake your head slowly. He smiles slowly.
> “You are angry that I used you, but it was the most feasible way for me to get Andrew Pierce. It was part of my plans, and you happened to be a part of it. A tool that I used, in other words, without your consent or even knowledge. Naturally, you will be pissed, and I am ready for that. So, if at any point in time that you feel like going over there to pick that pistol up and use it, I will not stop you.”
> You frown deeper. What the fuck is this guy playing at now?
> “I want you to trust me, Anon, and I will demonstrate my intentions by making it up to you. I have already made arrangements for Starlight to stay at a village for ponies whilst waiting for you to be cleared of all charges. The other ponies there will look after and care for her, so you can be assured that she is in good hands, or hooves for that matter… And as I have said, tell me what you want and I will see what I can do. I owe you that much, on top of what DSP Koh has already promised you.”
“You are damn fucking right that you owe me.”
> AC Thor simply smiles even wider.
> “Take your time to think, Anon. Tell me what you want, and I will do as you say it… Short of killing myself, that is. Like I said, I am needed for the well-being of ponies in this country, Inspector.”
> Giving him a glare before moving your eyes downwards, you feel the discomfort within you building. It is almost like you are running a fever; you feel very restless and your stomach feels bloated. With a groan, you move to lie down on the couch, letting your head rest on the armrest again as you close your eyes.
> “You are not feeling well.”
“Gee, thanks for pointing that out… Sir.”
> That ‘Sir’ was heavily emphasised and forced. You did not even bother to keep the sarcasm out of your voice. AC Thor sighs.
> “I can understand your behaviour, Inspector, but it doesn’t make it any less appropriate or pleasant… And frankly, it is starting to wear my patience. I have been forthcoming and accommodating with you so far; the least you can do is reciprocate and not be so childish.”
> You feel a flare of anger at his words, but you agree with his point. After all, you are only an Inspector; a small fry in the Force, and he is a Director of 2 Departments and an Assistant Commissioner to boot.
> Fine, then.
“I want 3 things, Sir. Not just one.”
> You open your eyes to look at the brute of a man, having made your decision. Wordlessly, AC Thor gives you a nod soft and a smile, which you take as permission for you to speak.
> Boss, you would have spoken out anyway.
> True, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“First, I want you to keep Starlight safe for me, and for you to return her to me at the soonest possible moment. At no point in time should she be in danger or harm, and she is NOT to be used for whatever political games that you play or are thinking of playing… And tell her that I miss her and that I love her.”
> “Done.”
> That is easy enough. Now for the harder ones.
“Second, I want information. I want you to tell me what I want to know, to the best of your knowledge and abilities, and I want honest answers... I want the truth, and none of your political horseshit.”
> AC Thor now fixes you with his trademark piercing stare. Again, you feel like you are being x-rayed.
> “And if these information are meant to be secrets? How can I trust you to keep them that way?”
> You sit up and let your feet rest on the ground, leaning in as you fix him with a hard stare of your own.
“Well, I covered for you, didn’t I? Andrew Pierce’s death was no act of self-defence, Sir.”
> AC Thor smirks at you.
> “You are learning fast, Inspector. It’ll do good for your career.”
> The Assistant Commissioner leans back in his seat.
> “Very well, Inspector. What do you want to know?”
> You ask the first thing on your mind.
“What is the outcome of the raids, Sir? Besides Alpha, were there any other casualties? What of the ponies that were rescued? How are they and where are they now? What’s going to happen to them? What-”
> Putting up a hand, AC Thor gets you to stop. He reaches over and grabs the pen that DSP Koh and you used earlier, which he uses to scribble on a notepad.
> “Slow down there, Inspector. Let me take down your questions before I answer them.”
> The sheer humanity of that causes you to smirk; despite his tough and cold exterior, the ‘Big Man’ is still a person. You are still pissed at him, but your anger is slowly being replaced by a combination of anxiousness and curiosity as the need to know takes precedence in your mind.
> Waving a hand at you to continue, you repeat the questions you have already asked, adding that you would like to know what is the follow up to Andrew Pierce’s case and how he plans to keep the true nature of his death quiet. You expected AC Thor to flinch when you blatantly clarified that HE killed Pierce, but that man calmly ignores you as he re-reads what he has written. His blue eyes travel up to yours before he speaks.
> “The raids achieved their objective; we secured the safety and lives of all the 7 ponies in that warehouse and brought them to the Agency shelter for medical treatment and surgeries. Fixing bones, mending cuts, and patching of a bullet hole in a leg for Babs Seed. Followed up with blood, urine and stool tests, x-rays, treatment for malnutrition, dehydration and parasites, and the giving of vaccinations… Coco Pommel had to get tissue glue for cuts in her vaginal walls, and she is lucky that the blade did not puncture her bladder; she will not have survived that. She is required to keep her hind legs immobilised to prevent the cuts from tearing open, but the wounds she has are superficial, so she will be up and about in a week’s time… These ponies will be kept in the Agency shelter for a week for recovery before they will be transferred to the village that Starlight is in now. That village belongs to us; the Equestrian Citizen Affairs Department, and last I heard, they are having a vote to determine the name of it.”
> AC Thor draws a breath before he continues. His facial expression remains neutral, but you detect a hint of… Sadness, in it.
> “As for the Rescue Team, we have 9 casualties: 5 officers are killed, and 4 injured. All of the 4 are sent to Florence General Hospital’s Emergency Department for treatment, and the 3 who sustained bullet wounds have been stabilised… For those who lost their lives, their bodies have already been released to the families. A memorial service for them will be held in St Steven’s Church next week, probably Saturday morning.”
> Pausing, AC Thor sighs softly as his gaze travels to a spot on the floor.
> “The 5 killed were exemplary Police officers, Inspector, just like yourself. Officers that have friends, family, and lovers… And 3 of them even have children… It pains me greatly that I sent them to their deaths, especially when I personally selected each individual for the Team… I will be speaking to each every one of their families after this, and I will have to bear their sorrows and anger with me…”
> The Assistant Commissioner raises his eyes to yours.
> “This is the price that we pay. It is the heavy burden that we carry as Police officers... We do our jobs so others do not have to… We take on risks to our minds, bodies and souls, so others don’t have to… We see the horrors of the darkest facets of humanity, so that sweet, innocent children do not have to... So that the everyday man and woman are safe enough to complain that our security is insufficient.”
> Swallowing a lump in your throat, you nod silently to show your agreement. He did not need to say them, but his words resonate strongly with you, especially when many of your friends do not understand why you are moody at times after work. It is a burden of wearing that gold badge and that blue uniform. Like Inspector Noel said at the scene where Sprinkle Medley’s body was found, this job kills a person’s mind and soul slowly, even if the physical body manages to survive intact.
> Your heart aches for the man before you, but you ask him about Andrew Pierce and his plans to keep the nature of his death a secret. He gives you a small smile and asks you if you are worried that he will digress again.
“To be honest, yes, Sir.”
> He chuckles softly. It is… Weird, seeing AC Thor opening up like that. He is usually as friendly and warm as a church gargoyle.
> “Let’s just say that I have an extensive network of connections in the Force. Your detachment officers will experience something similar to what you experienced with DSP Koh, and those pairs of Police officers are… Shall we say, under my direct control… And rumours of what actually happened will fly, yes, but so will others… I think the tales of YOUR exploits with chopsticks and tennis balls in the raid will be especially popular, way more so than an Assistant Commissioner carrying out some vigilante justice himself.”
> Shaking your head, you cannot help but feel a mixture of fear, disgust and… Uncleanliness from looking at the man before you.
“Information and image management, as well as having your very own henchmen, Sir? I swear… You elites scare and disgust me.”
> “That’s because you are not high enough yet to play this game, Inspector. In time you will be, and from what I already seen, you will be good at it.”
> Shaking your head, you ask him why he chose you specifically as the scapegoat, and what is his interest in ponies. He narrows his eyes as he smiles softly again.
> “Before I answer that, Inspector, I want to talk about Changelings. Do you know what they are, Anon?”
> You nod slowly as you recall Starlight’s description of them being ‘shape-shifters’, and they apparently ‘live off love’, whatever the hell that means. Telling him as such, AC Thor puts up a finger as he nods.
> “She is correct, but she left out the part where Changelings can sense ambient emotions. They are not able to read minds, but they can sense what a pony or a person is feeling; some examples being happiness, love, fear, and determination. An experienced Changeling can not only tell how a person feels, but can make a surprisingly well-informed guess of what that person is thinking at that moment. After all, most emotions are hard to suppress, and decision-making is often emotionally driven.”
> Again, you nod slowly, confused as to why AC Thor is telling you all these.
> “The ECAD is working closely with the Changelings of Equestria, Inspector Anon. They help us with the gathering of intelligence through establishing a surveillance network, and they provide assistance with our rescue efforts… They are the reason why ponies are going ‘missing’. That security camera footage you saw for Minuette’s case? That man is a Changeling agent specifically trained to rescue ponies who are suffering from their slavery, and unlike humans, they do not shed any of their hairs or skin when they transform.”
> Holy shit.
> You slump back against the sofa as your mind reels from learning that.
“… H-how many of them are here…?”
> “They are not a threat, Anon, if that is your concern. Like I said, they are working closely with ECAD. There are many of them here, and they have retained the ability to transform and use basic spells. Changeling magic uses love, you see, not harmony, and love is readily available here from the ponies we already rescued. That village I was talking about? That’s the haven that they built for ponies, here on Earth. A sanctuary, if you will.”
“Why are you telling me all this, Sir?”
> His response is quick and sharp.
> “Don’t you want to know? You asked for information, so I am providing you with it. After all, you handled those cases.”
> Fair enough. You raise a hand in a gesture for him to continue.
> “That’s why all missing pony cases revolve around the same circumstances, Anon: no DNA evidence, no theft, no broken locks or windows and why people sometimes changing into others. They don’t need to damage property, Anon, when a simple unlocking spell will do, and their focus is to save ponies who are suffering from slavery, Anon, not to harm humans. That is not the Equestrian way of doing things; and as I have said, they are not your enemy.”
> Wow… Just… Wow…
> These Changeling agents are perfect criminals. It seems almost… Unreal, that there are shafe-shifting aliens on Earth that are helping their fellow aliens. Miniature equine aliens. Then, a thought occurs to you as you stare at the Assistant Commissioner.
> Unless…
“… How do you know all these Sir? And how can you be sure that that is their only intention?”
> AC Thor tilts his head slightly.
> Your eyes widen. No… It cannot be…
> AC Thor smiles softly at you as he holds out his hands with his palms facing up. With a flash of green, the skin his right hand becomes a light blue as his left becomes purple.
“WHAT THE FUCK?!”
> You kick your legs hard as you scoot backwards into the sofa. Another flash of green and his hands becomes fair again. Stunned, you just gape at the Assistant Commissioner.
> “Like I said, we are not your enemy. The Changelings here on Earth are not your enemy… I want the same thing that you want, Inspector Anon, and I want the same thing that all your fellow officers in the Rescue Team want; and that is the safety and well-being of ponies here on Earth. We work to save ponies too, Anon, just as you do, because we are indebted to Starlight, Trixie, and Discord for their role in helping to re-form us, and to the ponies of Equestria for readily accepting us into their societies before the War. They gave us friendship and love, and they gave us hope for a new life. As such, when I heard that Princess Twilight has been captured, I went after her and took her place.”
> Recovering from your position, you groan again as your stitches smart. Gritting your teeth, you frown as you regard the man before you. Fear floods your mind as you realise that the man you are talking to is not actually human.
> Nodding at the corner of the room, the… Changeling speaks again.
> “Feel free to pick up that weapon if you want to, if it makes you feel safer. Even without tasting it, I can tell that you are scared of me… If you shoot me, I will die… I am just another living being like you.”
> He turns back to you, and you cannot help but recoil from his gaze. It may be irrational, but you are scared as shit.
> “But, I am really hoping that you do not do that. Anon, there are still many ponies out there that needs my help and yours, and removing an ally will not bid well for what you are trying to accomplish. I could have killed you already if I wanted to, Inspector, but I want to be your friend.”
> You speak slowly, watching the Changeling before you for any sudden movements.
“You killed Andrew Pierce, despite you saying that it “that is not the Equestrian way of doing things”. Why should I trust you, Changeling?”
> He sighs and slumps against his chair, covering his face with a hand.
> “That was a personal matter, Anon, and my behaviour does not reflect that of other Changelings. I wanted vengeance… Andrew Pierce killed somepony close to me in a horrifyingly sadistic way, and I wanted to avenge her... I know it’s wrong, but… Being here for so long, and seeing what happened to my friends has changed me… In ways that I could never imagine… In ways… That I despise myself for… I am not the same person when I left Equestria… Not anymore…”
> It is then that you notice that the ‘Big Man’ is… Crying. He is silent, but you can see the small heaves of his chest and the tears that roll down his face.
> Holy shit.
> Slowly, you reach an arm out and touch him on the side of his elbow. He does not react to your touch, but he speaks again after a few moments. His pain is evident in his soft voice.
> “… She was the most beautiful little foal I have laid my eyes on, Anon… She had so much love and innocence, and she was one of the first to accept me for who I am… She was a special pony… And I loved her so, so much… She did not deserve that… Nopony deserves that, but especially… Not her…”
> Removing his hands, he sniffs as he fixes his wet eyes on yours. Any earlier rage you felt is gone now, and when you look into them, his blue eyes has lost that piercing look that he often gave you. His gaze is… Hollow.
> “You said that you will die before you let Starlight come to any harm, Inspector… What if she died because of him? Screaming in agony as she was used like a piece of meat to please the multitude of perverts and sadists watching her? Waiting for a death that came so slowly and painfully, whilst these monsters pleasure themselves at the sight and sounds of her anguish and torture? What… What would you do, Inspector Anon, if that girl is Starlight? What would you do, if you know you can get away with it?”
> You swallow. Whatever happened to that pony… You do not want to imagine it. Your eyes meet AC Thor’s, and you feel that familiar tiredness from being emotionally exhausted. It is reflected in his eyes.
> Your mind considers his last question, and shaking your head slowly, you close your eyes.
“It’s still wrong. No matter how you justify it, you should have let the legal system decide his fate. We are in no position to mete out sentences, Sir… THAT is not our duty and not our right… That is the job of the Justices and the High Court, and to do so is still wrong, no matter the circumstances…”
> Opening your eyes, you meet AC Thor’s gaze with a hard look.
“… But I would have done the same fucking thing, Sir.”
> He smiles as he snorts softly.
> “From the intensity of your emotions as you answered my questions in my office that day, I knew I chose right… Especially when I found out what you did to Thaddeus Benson.”
> You are not even surprised anymore.
“You’ve been watching me with your Changeling intelligence network, haven’t you?”
> He chuckles softly.
> “Like I said, we are not your enemy, Inspector, and I wanted to make sure that Starlight is treated well… Thaddeus left the position, by the way, and has recently applied to work as a janitor at an engineering firm. He has been blacklisted from ever owning a pony again.”
> When he finished speaking, he holds out a hand. Your eyes linger on it for a second, then you reach out yours to shake it. He smiles, and you return it.
> Guess you’ve made a friend, Boss.
> …
 
> “You disrupted my plans for Starlight, did you know that? When Ms Heather told you that Starlight is going to be ‘euthanised’, it was actually a cover. We knock them out with a dose of anaesthetics under the guise of putting them down, then transfer them to the village... Then, you came in like a hawk and snatched Starlight from me. Ms Heather is new, you see, so she did not know the… Arrangement, we had in place.”
> Interesting.
> “As for your question on the future for ponies, the Bill that was passed by Parliament states that a pony that has been missing for 6 months will be free to be registered under another owner. The intent there is to protect ponies who are hiding from their previous masters, and for those who want to sell themselves back into slavery under new masters.”
> You frown when you hear that. As you open your mouth, AC Thor is already speaking again.
> “You heard right, Anon. There are some ponies in the ECAD village that are willing to auction themselves to fund it for their brethren, as well as the projects we are undertaking for the betterment of ponykind. Their selflessness and love for others will go a long way in helping to secure a brighter future for ponies here on Earth. We were unable to get Parliament to agree on financing the village, as some feel that ponies are not citizens of this country and it would be not be fair to impose a new tax just to benefit them.”
> Even as you are listening, you cannot help but feel that discomfort within you rise again. You suppress a groan.
“What about those who are still suffering? What do you know of Cadance’s plans?”
> AC Thor gets up and guides you to rest on the couch, giving you a stern look.
> “I am afraid I will have to let Cadance answer those at a later time, Anon. You are not well, and you need medical attention.”
> Wait, what?
“Cadance… Is with you? The Princess?”
> He nods.
> “She is the only one that I have found, and she is residing in that village with the other ponies. Princess Twilight has sealed the Portal linking Earth to Equestria, and as far as I know, she is now the ruler of what remains of Equestria… As for Princesses Celestia and Luna, we are still searching for them.”
> Taking out his phone, AC Thor types out a message. Closing your eyes, you groan as you feel your stomach churning again. You feel dizzy now, and your body is strangely weak.
“… Sir…”
> He taps a button and puts his phone away. Letting your eyes close, you feel that dizziness become more intense as your stomach churns yet again. You hear AC Thor get up.
> “Medical personnel will be here in about 5 minutes. Don’t worry, Anon, I will look after Starlight... She means a lot to you, but she does to me too. She is a heroine to us Changelings, and we will treat her as she deserves.”
> You nod slowly as you hear him move to the door.
“Sir? You haven’t heard the last thing.”
> “Go ahead, Anon. Like I said, I owe you.”
> Forcing your eyes open, you meet his gaze.
“I want you to get me Trixie. Trixie Lulamoon.”
> The ‘Big Man’ smiles as he shakes his head.
> “For yourself? Or for Starlight?”
> You smile softly in return.
“Both.”
> “I’ll see what I can do.”
> AC Thor walks back to you and places a palm on your forehead. You close your eyes again.
> “Rest now, Inspector. You’ll be okay… And thank you. For doing your job… For loving Starlight… And… For understanding me.”
> You just nod in return as you feel him removing his hand. The door opens again, and you hear his footsteps stop.
> “If you are wondering, Anon. My real name… Is ‘Thorax’.”
> He leaves, closing the door gently behind him. Again, you hear only silence as you reach a hand over blindly to the bottle of whisky. Finding it, you take a big gulp from it.
> That hit the fucking spot.
> You take another swing.
> …
> What the fuck kind of name is 'Thorax'? Is he like a bug, or what?
> …
 
> You open your eyes slowly, blinking a few times as your vision focuses. The ceiling tiles above you are a light grey, accompanied by a white fan that spins slowly. They are not familiar ones.
> Where the hell am I?
> Moving your eyes around slowly, you see that you are lying in an unfamiliar bed which is flanked by pale green curtains on both sides. From the natural light that is streaming onto the tiles at the foot of your bed, you note that it is day, but there is no clock to tell you the time. Again, the white and blue wall opposite you is not familiar.
> You are obviously in a hospital or medical wing, but which one and where?
> Slowly, you move to sit up, feeling a weight on your left. Letting your eyes drift down, the first thing you see is the mane of your pony lover. Starlight is sleeping by your side, resting her body on the yellow blanket that covers you. She is curled up in the foetal position, back pressed against your body as her head rests on a small cushion. Her hooves are holding on to her tail, which is wrapped protectively around her belly. You smile at the sight, feeling your heart ache at the sheer cuteness of seeing your pony like that, and the happiness and relief that you feel inside. Your Starlight is safe, and she is with you now.
> Sitting up gently, you attempt to pull the blanket off you, but Starlight has pinned one side down with her weight, and the other side is caught under the mattress.
> Great, you are stuck here.
> You extract your hand from under the blanket and reach it over to her shoulder gently, feeling the familiar warmth and softness of her coat and the firmness of her muscles underneath it. Opening your mouth, you whisper to her.
“I love you, Starlight... You’re my beautiful and sweet pony girl, and I missed you so much… Sleep well, my little pony.”
> You do not care that she is not listening; you just wanted to say something to her. It is then that you realise that Starlight is wearing a gold ring on her horn. Said horn is… Repaired. No more cracks or chips, and its sharp pointed end is definitely a danger. Curious, you lean in for a closer look. The ring sits near the base of her horn, and it is a highly polished golden one with small round white jewels that are embedded in it at regular intervals in a circle that spans the entire ring. At the centre of the ring, lining up directly to the middle of her face is a larger round aquamarine gem that is emitting a soft glow. It reminds you of the glow of a very weak lightstick, and as you continue petting her, you watch as its glow grows steadily brighter.
> What the fuck is that thing?
> Hearing a door open, and you immediately lie flat and close your eyes. You are not sure why you did that, but your gut is telling you that pretending to sleep is a good option.
> Footsteps. No, hoofsteps. And Voices.
> “… Happy with the progress of our research, but we still have a long, long way before we are sure that it is safe for unicorns to use… So for now, you’ll have to be content just with basic levitation.”
> “Aww… Okay, Princess… It’s something, I suppose… Guess I will have to wait before I can make teacups again.”
> The 2 female voices laugh softly. You keep still as you hear the rustle of the curtains on your right and the sounds of the ponies as they step up to your bed.
> “She’s really tired, isn’t she? I don’t understand why she insists on keeping watch over him at night… I mean, the doctor is MAKING him sleep as part of the treatment. I told her many times that she is harming herself by doing so, but she just doesn’t listen to me… Starlight’s being ridiculous for this human.”
> Wait, what? Starlight has been staying up for you, you have been in this place for “treatment”, and you are being “made” to sleep? What the hell happened to you?
> The other voice came out in a harsh whisper.
> “Trixie! That is highly inappropriate! You do NOT refer to him that way! I know that you did this for Starlight, but he IS your Master now, and you will treat him as such. You should be more respectful when you mention him. After all, you agreed to this, didn’t you?”
> From the snippets you have heard, you know who these 2 are now. Trixie Lulamoon and a pony Princess. No idea who the latter is though.
> Then, you feel… Something… Pull your right eyelid up. It is a weird feeling; there is no pinch and no touch, and it feels like your eyelid is covered with energy as it lifts in the air. You stay stock still, pretending to be comatose as you fix your gaze at the ceiling. Then, a pony’s face comes into your vision. This is a unicorn mare with a pink coat and a tri-coloured mane that has a pale yellow, pink and purple hairs. Her eyes are purple, but unlike Starlight’s, which is a slight bluish violet, hers are more of a pinkish lavender.
> All still fucking purple, Boss.
> She frowns slightly as she leans in to look into your eyes, ‘hmm’-ing softly. From your peripheral vision, you see that her horn is covered in a teal aura of some kind, and the same-coloured jewel in the golden ring that she wears on it lights up brilliantly. That is the same ring that Starlight is wearing, but it has 3 rows of small white round jewels that surrounds it instead of just one. They are glowing lightly too.
> Then, you freeze when a torch shines into your eyes. The discomfort of looking directly into the beam almost makes you flinch, but thankfully, it moves away quickly. That is when you almost shit yourself in fear when you realise the torch is in the air. By itself. Covered in the teal aura.
> THAT TORCH IS FUCKING FLOATING, BOSS! HOLY SHIT!
> You keep still even as your mind reels from that experience, and you see the pink pony’s face frown slightly as she thinks. Then, her expression becomes neutral again and your eyelid drops back down. You crack open your mouth to release a silent sigh of relief, and you hear a female voice again; the one that scolded Trixie.
> “Before we speak, let me cast a spell so we do not wake them up.”
> “Okay, Princess. It is better that way.”
> You feel that energy around your ears this time. Strange, you expected silence, but you can still hear everything around you.
> “Trixie, I don’t know why we are still talking about this… He is a good man, Trixie… A brave, kind and generous one… He risked his life as an ECAD Rescue Team officer to save other ponies, and he saved Starlight from what he thought was going to be her death. She loves him, because Mister Anon helped her, cared for her and loves her in return, and he gave her a new home and a new life… He is giving you a new home too, and you should be grateful, Trixie, for the chance to be his. He is a good Master and a good human, and you should respect and love him, and do what he asks of-”
> “I agreed to it purely because Thorax and Starlight asked me to. I don’t like it, and I don’t like him! I know what he does to Starlight, Princess! He is using her for his sick pleasures! He is… Raping her! And now, you are asking me to let him to THAT to me too?! I DON’T WANT THAT! I DON’T WANT TO BE HIS SEX SLAVE!”
> The way that Trixie rolls her ‘R’s is interesting. You hear the princess sigh heavily.
> “We’ve been through this many times, Trix-”
> “I KNOW WE DID! AND MY STANCE HAS NOT CHANGED!”
> Silence. It stretches on for a long time, punctuated with sighs from both voices. Then, Trixie speaks again.
> “… Starlight fell in love because she had no choice, Princess. She has been manipulated by him into falling in love, believing that all the lies that he told her… I’ve been through that as well, Princess, and these ‘humans’ are disgusting, foul hairless apes that only have cruelty and perversion in their hearts. You know what happened to me, Princess, and every time that I look in the mirror, I am reminded of that… Starlight is a victim of his games, and she is just NOT seeing it… If I had my way and if Starlight doesn’t need him as she does, Princess, I would strangle him with my magic.”
> Wow… Trixie hates your fucking guts.
> You wonder what the hell happened to her.
> “YOUR MAGIC HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOU BY HIM, TRIXIE LULAMOON! HE PAID FOR IT WITH HIS OWN MONEY! YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EACH OF THESE ENCHANTED RINGS COSTS?! HE CAN BUY 2 CARS WITH THAT AMOUNT! HE CAN BUY HALF AN APARTMENT! HE CAN BUY 4 NEW MARES THAT WILL PLEASE HIM WITH EVERY FIBRE OF THEIR BEINGS, WITH EVERY AND ANY MEANS NECESSARY, AND WITH EVERY PART OF THEIR BODIES! HE CHOSE TO RETURN YOUR MAGIC TO YOU BECAUSE HE KNEW YOU WILL WANT THAT! SO YOU CAN BE HAPPY AGAIN! AND HERE YOU ARE, TALKING ABOUT KILLING THE VERY MAN THAT HAS GIVEN SO GENEROUSLY AND KINDLY TO YOU?!”
> Fuck… That Princess has a temper, and a loud voice.
> WAIT WHAT?! YOU SPENT ABOUT $100,000 ON HER?! FUCK!
> You hear a hoof impact the ground hard.
> “Sweet Celestia, Trixie! You are lucky, you know? You should be grateful, and here you are, behaving like a foal! You should be ashamed of yourself! I know that you are tired of hearing this, but I am going to say it again: He is DIFFERENT, Trixie! You can trust him! He will take care of you and Starlight, and he will love you as how he loves her. He wanted you for Starlight as well, not just him! I know it! Thorax knows it! All he wants in return is for your companionship and love, and yes, maybe ‘that’ too, but Starlight is perfectly happy with him, isn’t she? There IS a reason why she loves him so much, Trixie, and hasn’t he already shown some of that for you, when he emptied his life savings to give you back your magic? How many humans will do that for you, a pony slave on Earth? Doesn’t that count for something?”
> Swallowing a lump in your throat, you continue to listen. “A pony slave” sounds really harsh though.
> “Is it too much to ask that you do this? For Starlight? Or for your fellow ponies in Harmony Village? For Thorax and me? I know how your previous master treated you, but Mister Anon is not him. You never have to live in fear again. You never have to experience pain again. You never have to be hungry again! You nev-”
> “Enough, Princess! We have been through this so many times, and I am sick of hearing this. I will NEVER love him, and that’s final.”
> Ouch.
> “Take a walk, Trixie, and think it over again... Like you said, we have indeed been through this countless times, and yes, I am getting tired of it myself. Go! Take a walk! But be back by lunchtime. Starlight would be awake by-”
> “You can take those disgusting carrots that they always serve and shove it up your plot, Princess! I’ll come back when I see fit!”
> With that, the door slams. You hear a few hoofsteps before a crash echoes through the room.
> “Celestia damn that stubborn mare!”
> Silence.
> Cracking your eyes open, you watch as bits of a wooden chair floats in the air, attaching themselves back together in one piece before it lands gently behind one of the curtains. The right curtain moves, and you close your eyes once more as hoofsteps approach your bed. You hear a sigh.
> “You don’t have to pretend to be sleeping anymore, Mister Anon.”
> You open your eyes, and standing at your right side is the pink mare earlier. She looks exhausted; her posture is slumped, and she has prominent eyebags. You notice the wings on her back. She is… An Alicorn. When you fix your eyes on her, she gives you a bittersweet smile.
> “As you can see, not everything goes according to plan.”
> You just nod.
“It was impulsive for me to ask for Trixie… I was only thinking of Starlight and myself, and have failed to consider what she might have thought or wanted… I was wrong to demand that of her… A pony like that needs her freedom and her distance from us humans, especially after what she has gone through… I can only hazard a guess, but she must have suffered horribly … I would like to tell her that I’m sorry, and that I have reconsidered wanting her.”
> The princess smiles at you. It is a genuine one, this time.
> “I am glad that Starlight is right about you... What I told her is what Starlight has told me. Those are words that I placed my faith and not my knowledge in, and that is despite knowing that Starlight has what you humans call ‘Stockholm Syndrome’… To be honest, Mister Anon, I have had a hard time believing what she said about you, and I take Thorax’s words with a pinch of salt nowadays, especially after what he did to Andrew Pierce… I never wanted it to be like that, and he took it upon himself to do it…”
> Shaking her head slightly, she closes her eyes as her bottom lip trembles. You keep silent, letting the princess get a grip of herself. You do not know how she is related to the foal that Thorax mentioned, but she obviously must have been close to her.
> Reaching your right hand over, you place it on her ear, rubbing them gently as you try to comfort the pink pony. The princess jolts from your touch, but you just reach further and rub them again, smiling gently at her. Her horn is still glowing.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Princess… She must have been a very special pony, and one that you loved dearly... I do not wish to impose my beliefs on you, but I believe that she is in a better place now. I’ll pray for her before I sleep again.”
> She smiles at you gently as she leans into your hand. Her pinkish, lavender eyes moves to yours.
> “Thank you for your kind words, Mister Anon… As I have said, I am glad that Starlight is right about you. For her, and for you. Thorax and I trust you to look after her, treat her right, and keep her happy, so… Don’t let our faith be misplaced, okay Mister Anon?”
> You smile as you move your hand to cup her cheek, glancing at Starlight’s sleeping form and noting the teal aura that covers her ears before you look into the pink pony’s eyes.
“I love her with all my heart, Princess. Those things will come naturally.”
> The princess gives you a smirk and a soft snort.
> “As much as I loved my little Flurry, Inspector?”
> You swallow as you hear her question. This ‘Flurry’ must have been that foal that Thorax also loved. Is he Cadance’s husband? You do not want to ask that, just in case it may offend her. It seemed like even though the death of that filly still hurts her, she must have come to terms with it as she can even joke about it. Nonetheless, you think carefully before you answer.
“Probably never able to meet your level of love, Princess… But I will do my best to come close to it.”
> She smiles warmly at you. Then, your eyes travel up to the golden ring that she is wearing, and your blood curls in your veins.
“Princess… Cadance, right?”
> She nods slowly, and you pause before you speak again.
“Did I… Did I really spend $100,000 to buy those rings? When did I do that?”
> Cadance shakes her head.
> “You did not spend $100,000, Mister Anon…”
> Whew. That IS a relief. You roughly estimate that all your liquid wealth stands at approximately $255,000. Your job pays well and your spending is relatively low, but that amount is after taking the inheritance you got from your grandm-
> “… You spent $240,000. You bought 2 of them; one for Starlight and one for Trixie.”
> FUCK.
> Princess Cadance laughs as you gape at her.
> “Hahaha! I-I’m s-sorry for laughing! Hahahaha! B-but your f-face! Hahaha! Too… G-good!”
> You pinch the bridge of your nose as you sigh. From the way she is laughing, you do not know if the princess is being serious or not.
> Fuck! $240,000?! If that really happened, why did you even…?
> For Starlight, Boss. To give her back her magic again, and because you love-
> You feel a hoof tap your hand. Letting it fall, you see that Cadance is now just smiling gently at you.
> “You did buy those, Anon, but more specifically, you signed Starlight and Trixie up for the Magic Restoration Project… These pieces of jewellery are created by the ECAD research teams in Harmony Village to allow ponies to replenish their harmony reserves. You see, they use Changeling magic to convert love into harmony, which help to restore some of the magical abilities that we ponies have lost here on Earth. You’ll see a few Pegasi flying around and a tiny number of Unicorns casting spells in Harmony Village, but these are very basic models that are extremely limited in their use. For Unicorns, we have only managed to allow them to use basic levitation, which you saw when I was examining you earlier… And yes, I knew you were awake then.”
> Okay.
> You motion for her to continue with a hand.
> “This programme is for life and for subsequent advances, hence the high cost, so you will be receiving newer and more powerful models when they are ready. This one that I am wearing right now is a prototype of a newer model, and I am conducting a field trial as I am the only Alicorn available. Alicorns are more powerful in our magic, you see, so it will be safer if we do so.”
> That explains the repairing spell that she casted on that chair. Hmm… Interesting.
> Pointing a hoof at Starlight, she nods as you turn your gaze to your beautiful pony.
> “Similar to how Changelings live off love, being in the presence of those who love them will replenish the harmony reserves of ponies who wear these jewellery. It was an idea that was brought up by one of the Changeling Agents, and we managed to copy it into wearable accessories… Starlight volunteered to be a tester, but we decided against it… Given her… Past history. Back in Equestria, I mean. No offense to her though, but it was a unanimous decision.”
> Probably something to do with that village she founded, Boss.
“When did I sign them up? I don’t remember that happening.”
> “You told me to when you woke up 5 days ago, but don’t worry, the doctor said that they are done treating you for your Syndrome, so they have stopped using those drugs that has the side-effect of memory loss.”
> 5 days?
> You frown as you turn back to Princess Cadance.
“How long have I been in here? And what is this place?”
> Her response nearly made you jump up.
“Almost 3 weeks. 19 days, to be exact, and this is Florence General Hospital. Ward 15C. You are in because you had Harmony Syndrome.”
> What the fuck. 19 days?!
> And what the fuck is ‘Harmony Syndrome’?
> You put that question to her, minus the expletive.
> “Harmony Syndrome happens to select individuals who managed to get pony blood into their own bloodstream. It has symptoms similar to that of an allergic reaction, and while it is extremely uncomfortable, no one has died from it yet. This is a rare occurrence, as the individual has to have the predisposition to be ‘allergic’ to it, for lack of a better word… The blood of a pony has magic, you see, and under the right circumstances, it can cause humans with such dispositions to have such a reaction when it enters your body. We call this ‘Harmony Syndrome’, and we treat it by addressing the allergic symptoms and by inducing sleep into the patient. Your memory loss might be due to the drugs the doctors gave you for the former.”
> Wow… What the fuck.
> “It is a one-off event, so you will not experience it again… They stopped giving you medications 2 days ago, but you may have to wait for a few more days before you can be discharged… As for the hospital bills, you will be covered by the Force, as you got injured during an operation… That’s what Thorax says, anyway.”
“Well, that’s good.”
> You lay back down on the bed, feeling drowsy again. Those drugs must still be in your system.
> “Mister Anon?”
> You look up at Cadance. Her expression is serious now, and she is frowning at you.
 > “Did you mean it when you said you don’t want Trixie anymore? Isn’t that what you asked from Thorax, along with information?”
> You close your eyes before you answer.
“Yes, I meant it. She has the mind of a free pony now, and I don’t want to break her… To force her into slavery once more will be cruel and selfish of me, and I already have enough emotional and ethical baggage as I keep Starlight with me... Starlight is my lover, but she is still my slave first… And Trixie is right, Princess… Starlight had no choice with me; I had to give her permission for her to make her own decisions. I am a pervert, and the things I have done very well may be considered ‘manipulation’ by some definitions… I wanted to a remedy for my loneliness, Princess, and I used Starlight to get that.”
> Opening your eyes again, you look at the pink pony. Her expression is neutral, making it hard to decipher what she is thinking at the moment.
“I want Trixie to return to Harmony Village, and for her to be a free pony… And keep her as a beneficiary of the Magic Restoration Project… I will pay for it, if it means that she can have a better life. She is Starlight’s best friend, after all, and any friend of Starlight’s is one of mine… Bring her back home when she returns later, but I would like to see you again for the many questions I still have.”
> Cadance smiles warmly at you as she nods.
> “You are an amazing man, Inspector, you know that?”
> You smile as you lean back on the pillow, enjoying the comfort it brings as you rest your head.
“Starlight has said that before… But I don’t believe it. Not with the things that I do and think.”
> You feel a soft kiss at your right cheek.
> “Maybe you should learn to look from another angle, Mister Anon.”
> With that, you hear her hoofsteps leading away as the door opens and closes.
> Silence.
> You adjust your body to get comfortable.
> “Thank you so much, Master… For me, and for Trixie… I love you. Oh sweet Celestia, I love you so bucking much.”
> Oh yeah, Cadance’s spell was just a disguise. You cannot even remember when she lifted it, that does not matter now.
> Keeping your eyes closed, you turn on your side and drape an arm around Starlight, pulling her close to your chest. She is crying again, and you can hear her soft sobs as her chest heaves against your arm. You are not bothered though, as you know that they are tears of joy and gratitude. Leaning in, you notice that her mane smells different; it is… Creamy, not floral. Still has her feminine scent in it though, which you breathe in heavily as you smile.
“You are welcome, my sweet, beautiful Starlight. If it can make you happy, I will do anything for you… And I love you too.”
> That is cheesy as fuck, Boss. Learn to be more creative.
> You ignore Brain as you close your eyes and start to pray for ‘Flurry’. You ask God to grant her peace and to welcome her into his embrace, to forgive her for her sins (if they do have those), to let her know the beauty of his friendship and love… And to… Keep her… In…
> You do not finish your prayer as you drift off into the abyss.
> …