The Slipstream touched down onto a private landing site at the Manehatten Airport, from which disembarked Midnight, Macintosh, and Thunderlane. Hours earlier, the alicorn prince had invited his two best friends to accompany him to the City that Never Sleeps for a "friendly visit" with his cousin, Watcher.

Mac had been a tad reluctant, but due to feeling wrung out between his responsibilities to Sweet Apple Acres and his wife and foals, he'd agreed to a week time-off after okay'ing it with Fluttershy and Faerie Tail.

Thunderlane was up for it, since there was presently no Silverbolt business, and the workload at the Weather Office was slow lately. After making sure Rumble would be fine with his sitters, he'd eagerly agreed to come along.

“Manehatten!” Thunderlane gazed up at the distant skyscraper, “If it weren’t for those annoying ‘no fly’ zones, this place would be perfect for training in flight skills.”

“Eh, trust me, Thunder,” Midnight chuckled, “not exactly the playground you think it might be. Wind gets… funneled and shifted around by these skyscrapers and other tall buildings so much, the updrafts can be intense and unpredictable. Some hotshot fliers thought they could handle it, and wound up either dead or injured for their recklessness.”

“Speakin’ from experience?” Mac raised a brow in question.

“Guilty,” Midnight raised a hoof in admittance. “I was trained by possibly the greatest Wonderbolt to ever live, and I still wouldn’t try flying around here unless I had no choice… or the right motivation.”

“Oh ponyfeathers, still sounds pretty awesome,” Thunderlane grumbled, “like a challenge for the best fliers out there!”

“Well, we’re here on family business,” Midnight reminded, “and I’m looking forward to introducing you guys to my cousin.”

“You’re part o’ th’ Apple Fam’ly, little brother,” Macintosh pulled Midnight into a one foreleg hug, “so that makes Watcher an Apple as well.”

“Heh, we’ll see what he thinks of that, but I’m sure he’ll appreciate it,” Midnight replied before noticing somepony ahead. “Ah, there she is.”

“Ah, Prince Midnight, it's an honor to see you again, though I wasn’t aware you were bringing guests with you?” Star said, looking at the other two curiously before leaning close to his ear and whispered. “Are these new recruits?”

“Star N’ Stripe, nice to see you again, and looking as lovely as ever,” Midnight said with a friendly smile and just a bit of flirt as he took Star’s hoof and gave it a kiss, making her stifle a titter.
“I would like to introduce you to two of my best friends, Big Macintosh and Thunderlane. My colleagues, fellow members of the Council of Friendship, and Knights of Harmony. And…. no, they’re not recruits. But you’re free to speak openly about Brotherhood affairs with them present. They know about the Brotherhood and my position as its leader.”

“Okay, that's a relief, I was worried that I'd have to be discreet about it. Anyways, welcome to Manehatten, the city that never really sleeps! Or shuts up, for that matter…” welcomed Star, grinning as she shook Big Mac's and Thunderlane's hooves. “Anyways, I can take you to where you'll be staying and give you time to settle in or if you'd like, I can take you straight to Watch's place?”

Midnight gave his friends each a look, and both nodded they were cool with that, and so he said, “Why don’t we pay my cuz a surprise visit?”

After arriving outside of the apartment Star began to fill them in on their way upstairs to the fifth floor where Watcher was staying.

“So that's pretty much what I've been dealing with when Watcher and I are out in the field.” Star sighed as she led them down the hall. “Honestly, is one drink with me too much to ask? Feels like every time I ask he shuts it down immediately. I get that he doesn't want to talk about his past, but he's been acting strange lately.”

“This behavior of his does concern me…” Midnight had figured Watcher would have issues, but this was a little more than he’d bargained for.

“Beatin’ on a pony who can’t fight back, ain’t right,” Macintosh’s tone was low and laced with disapproval. “It’s cowardly, is wha’ it is!”

“No offense, Midnight, but your cousin sounds like a thug,” Thunderlane didn’t like the sound of this pony either.

“I know, I know! Watcher, he’s… he’s complicated, but he’s family,” Midnight sighed as they made their way down the hall of apartments.
“I recruited him because I knew he needed some kind of… guidance, purpose, something he could devote himself to and do good. Seems I underestimated his problems however.”

“To be fair, that punk did injure civilians in his heists. So he was warranted a few bruises… I just didn't think he'd go that far this time.” Star stated, still perplexed by Watcher’s state of mind. “Something is bothering him, and I honestly think only you can get him to open up, Midnight.”

“Well, then,” Midnight said as he stood before the door to Watcher’s apartment, “Let’s call this a… intervention, if you will.”

His horn lit up to open the lock, Thunderlane interrupting, “Aren’t you gonna knock?”

“And not take him by surprise? I don’t think so,” Midnight smirked, “Besides, I bought this apartment and placed all the right security wards, so I think I’m entitled surprise drop-ins.”

The lock clicked, but the door still wouldn't open for some reason. Like something was blocking the way. Not wanting to break the door down, Midnight gestured to his friends to help, and together they forced the door open without causing any damage, allowing them all to enter.

Noticing the door was covered in a red sticky substance that continued to ooze down. When they opened the door all the way…they all gasped when they saw everything was covered in the red substance… smoke filled the room and glass shards scattered across the floor.

“What the buck happened here…?! Watcher! Watcher, where are you!?” Star shouted, immediately she flew inside first to try and find the unicorn.

“Mmhm…” Midnight heard.

“Seriously? What is this stuff?” Thunderlane asked, touching some of it with his hoof only for it to get stuck to his hoof.

“Relax,” Midnight patted Thunderlane’s back before touching the red stuff himself to give it a sniff. “It’s not blood.”

“Well, wha' izzit?” asked Mac.

Midnight gave it another sniff… before wiping a bit off the walls and giving it a taste, “Huh, sweet. Some kind of candy.”

“Candy?!” Star echoed, completely baffled, when…

“Mmhmmm!” they all heard this time.

“You all heard that too, right?” Star asked.

“MmmHMMM!” Big Mac heard coming it from behind the door they entered. Closing it, he was able to find the source of the grunts. A dark gray unicorn completely covered in the red substance.

“Watcher!” Star hurried over to check on her charge, when she noticed he was… stuck. To the door. It was very sticky.
“What the hay…?!”

“Hnnooettmeeeownfmmmeerr…?!” Watcher mumbled in frustration.

Mac asked, “Wha’ did he say?”

“If I had to guess, ‘Can you get me down from here?’, I got this,” Midnight lit up his horn, casting a spell, and the red substance gluing Watcher to the wall dissolved into a thin mist that quickly dissipated into nothing, leaving a subtle sweet smell as Watcher slumped down to the floor, gasping and moaning.
“Hello, Cuz, bad time?”

“Actually… good timing… I was stuck there for almost six hours now. I would have gotten out, if my horn wasn't so sticky and covered in my magic candy.” Watcher answered, taking in a few deep breaths.
“Not that I'm not happy to see you or… your friends? But what are you doing here?”

Midnight gave Watcher a lookover, seeing his cousin looked a little ragged and tired besides messy. His coat was stained with the candy he’d apparently been making, his eyes were a little baggy, indicating he’d not been getting much sleep, and yet he sat there on the floor with a ‘whatever’ sort of demeanor. He couldn’t help giving Star a look, which she returned with a concerned shrug, but that was enough for Watcher to understand.

“Star messaged you,” Watcher groaned wearily as he got up and magicked a towel over to start wiping himself off.

“Well, your misconduct aside, I can see you’ve been busy,” Midnight commented, “but I’m not here to read you any riot acts, Watcher. Call it… an evaluation, if that floats your cloud.”

“Look, I got too caught up in that chase and let it get to me. It's not like I killed the guy… plus he was uncooperative. But I get I broke protocol, it won't happen again. I'm fine, I'm fine alright.” Watcher explained, his horn light as purple flames began to appear and dance across his apartment, disintegrating the red velvet. “Now while those flames take care of that. I can get back to work on my latest project.”

“Which, I’m sure…” Midnight said with a soft yet subtle tone that made it clear this was not a negotiation, “you won’t mind sharing with us, as we proceed with your evaluation.”

Watcher gave his cousin a look of subdued annoyance before looking over to Star. She was apologetic, but the look on her face made it clear she stood with Midnight on this. He then noticed the looks on Thunderlane and Macintosh’s faces, Thunder’s was wary, and Mac’s was… not exactly friendly, indicating he didn’t like who he was looking at.

Sighing, Watcher said, “Fine! Let me… regale you with my newest creations… You've already tasted my chocolate red velvet river… or what it was supposed to be. A magic chocolate ball that when you bite into it… red velvet syrup is supposed to ooze down like a river… Well you saw how that turned out.”

“Well, uh… it’s delicious at least,” Thunderlane said, trying to sound polite and friendly, “But… how’d it wind up such a mess? It’s like a bomb went off in here, and you were sticking to the door… for six hours?!”

Midnight and even Mac couldn’t help joining in on Thunder’s amused chuckles while Star stifled hers yet even she couldn't help cracking a smile, making Watcher blush a bit as he pressed his ears back.

“It was an accident involving some yeast I was using for another treat… spilled it all over the red velvet and it caused a chain reaction… which mixed with the heat led to it… blowing up… I was trying to stop it, but only made it worse,” he explained, giving them the stink eye.

“Anyways… it's a failure regardless. I have other treats I've made… granted they… aren't great.” Watcher said, his ears folded down as he pulled out three trays from his fridge of various different candies. “Give them a try.”

Mac, Thunder and Star browsed before each of them reached out… only for a shield of turquoise mana to bar their hooves from even touching the treats, and all eyes turned to Midnight, who gave Watcher a sneaky look.
“It’s not nice to trick somepony into being your test subjects, Watch.”

Their gazes turned over to Watcher, Thunder being confused, Star being disapproving in a parental kind of way, and Mac looking almost angry, and Watcher looked like the colt with his hoof caught in the cookie jar.

“...how’d you know?” Watcher asked lamely.

“You can’t outsneak a sneak,” Midnight answered, “I dowsed this apartment for any source of magic when we entered, and I detected sources in your fridge. So… when you brought them out, I put two and two together.”

“Well I am appalled at you, Midnight… Do you really think I'd give untested candy to them? Give me some credit… they are perfectly safe. More or less…”

“What’s more or less?” asked Star with a raised brow.

“They were supposed to do one thing… but they do another. That's all really.” he replied.

“Watch!” Star raised her voice.

“Ugh! Alright these are my candies that are close but aren't there yet… But I promise on Celestia’s mane that they won't harm, damage, or kill anyone. These are supposed to be for kids. They're just… not there yet,” he assured, giving an innocent smile towards them.

“Explain them to us?” Midnight asked.

“Fine… The yellow and black stripe candy is called… the ‘Bumblebee’ chocolate It’s supposed to give you the wings of a bumblebee and the effects only last half an hour,” Watcher explained, his horn levitating the square chocolate to Star.

She was hesitant to try it but seeing the pleading look in his eyes made he cave and she popped it in her mouth. Her eyes lit up as she savored the chocolate and honey flavor in her mouth.

“Bzzz bzzz!" she uttered, covering her mouth immediately. “Bzzz, bzzzz,bzzz!”

“The problem with this one is that… you just sound like a bee instead… and the effects last only two minutes,” Watcher explained, as Star merely flipped her middle primary feather at him. Watcher just rolled his eyes.

“What about this second one here?” Thunderlane asked, pointing to a pyramid shaped white chocolate with red stripes.

“Yea, tha’ one looks good,,” Big Mac added with a shrug.

“If you must know, it's my experimental apple chocolate dancing candy,” Watcher said, levitating the two pieces to them.

“Ya had me at apple,” Big Mac said, popping it into his mouth.

“Mmm… Not bad,” Thunderlane said as he’d done the same thing.

“Hold on, what does it actually do?” Midnight asked.

“Like I said, it makes them dance… but…” Watcher said with a sheepish apprehension.

Immediately, both Mac and Thunder began to dance as they sang, looking oddly rhythmic yet making complete fools of themselves at the same time, repeating the same verse over and over as they continued to dance under the candy’s effects.. The sight of it caused Midnight and Star’s jaws to drop as Watcher pressed his face into his hoof, shaking it, as he muttered, “Humiliating…”

“Pppthh, HAHAHAHA!!!!” Midnight burst into laughter, boisterous and taken off guard, taking a minute or two to get it out before he eventually calmed down and took a deep breath, “Th- That… Watcher, you evil genius, this… this is brilliant!”

“Normally I'd be proud, but this isn't what I wanted from it! It's supposed to make them just dance! Not sing like a couple sassy backup dancers! It'll last about twenty minutes… They'll be fine.” he explained, levitating the final piece of candy from the tray over to his cousin. “This one though… it's supposed to make you float… but instead it does… nothing. Just plain ordinary hard candy… Tastes bland too!”

“Let me see,” Midnight held out his hoof, and Watcher shrugged as he hooved it over.

Midnight cast a spell to examine the candy for a few moments, before saying, “Hmm… Well, the magical formula seems to be right, but something is missing, a… catalyst that makes the magic work upon ingestion.

“I gotta say, Watch,” Midnight gave Watcher an approving look, “Never pegged you as an alchemist, especially one who would make candy imbued with magical effects!”

“Well alchemy was a major I did in school… just wasn't fond of it until now.” Watcher muttered, slightly annoyed. “So far all my candy have been complete failures… The last 48 hours have been a complete waste… I thought I had it figured out now.”

“Well, maybe you just need another perspective on things, someone to help you,” Midnight suggested kindly. He gave the candies a look and considered the possibilities.
“Magical candies have been looked into before, but concerned parents and such rained on that parade. But I think you’re onto something here, Watch. These candies could be useful, fun, perhaps even help others, once perfected, that is.”

“How long are they gonna keep doing that?” Star asked in annoyance, “It was funny at first, but now it’s just grating on my ears!”

“Like I said before… twenty minutes at most. They'll be fine, we can get some grub while they're… occupied. There's a restaurant across the street that makes great sandwiches… You can stay if you want cuz while Star and I fetch them? If you want to hear them go on and on?” Watcher said slyly.

“Oh no worries, I got this,” Midnight assured before looking at his friends, his horn lighting up and turquoise flames flowing out of his eyes as he chanted, “Finité Dispel!”

A gentle pulse spread from Midnight’s horn, enveloping the room, and then washing over Thunderlane and Macintosh, the magic influencing them appearing as a sloppy web of vaporous and ethereal threads that were suddenly torn to shreds, dissipating into nothing, while the two stallions suddenly tripped over themselves mid-dance and kerplumped onto the floor, spurring a laugh from Midnight, Watcher, and Star.

As they regained their wits and stood up, Thunder and Mac both looked embarrassed before glaring at Watcher and then Thunderlane said, “We never speak of this again… and we can go on being friends. Agreed?”

“Eeyup…” Mac growled with a glare.

“Agreed,” Watcher shrugged in a teasing manner. “Now! Let's get some grub… been stuck in here for two days and I'm starving.”

“I’ll buy,” Midnight offered, “and we can discuss your project some more! I think you’re on the verge of something, cuz.”

“Well I guess I could use some help,”

“Don’t forget that we still need to talk about his evaluation, right Midnight?” Star brought up.

“You're right! Thanks for reminding me, Star.” Midnight said with a smile on his face.

“It’s what I do boss,” she said slyly.

“Star… I hate you so much right now.” Watcher uttered, glaring at the mare as she winked at him before sticking her tongue out at him.

Manehatten was among the most famous and diverse of all Equestrian cities, known for its restaurants, theaters, shopping businesses, seemingly shining like a jewel. But those were only some of its facets.

Manehatten had a dark side.

Even after the renowned Coup of Avarice, the backstreets and darkest alleyways hid the most ruthless and cruel of criminals, some keeping their heads low to avoid clashing with the mysterious hooded vigilantes. Others were biding their time, looking to fill in the empty thrones once occupied by the worst crime bosses Manehatten had ever had the misfortune to deal with.

Once a seemingly upstanding businessmane, Blackberry Hossmane, had been the King of Manehatten’s underworld, until he took his own life rather than face the consequences of all his crimes that were exposed.

Now, there was a suspenseful silence hanging over the darkness of Manehatten, as though the city itself were holding its breath, waiting to see who would make the first grab for power.

In the dreaded Haydes’ Trough neighborhood, in the Westside of Manehatten, in the basement levels of a shady pharmaceuticals company, an earth pony poured over his research notes as his brain ran a thousand thoughts through his mind.

Chemical calculations, discretion, fear of exposure and imprisonment- No…

This stallion, this scientist who had been robbed of the opportunities and the glory that should have been his by lesser minds and bleeding hearts…

I will allow for nothing to interfere at this critical stage… the stallion thought with a grim determination.

His thoughts were interrupted when something nearby began to glow and vibrate, making him groan in vexation before turning to it. A crystal set upon a pedestal, with a large facet reflecting his face back at him.

He was a stallion in his early forties, with a coat of teal, his mane a darker shade of teal with a yellow highlight, his yellow eyes below a pair of goggles, and his cutie-mark was a nucleus with a flask pouring a chemical onto it.

He wasn’t in the best of shape. He wasn’t obese, but he wasn’t skinny either. More of a couch potato, mostly from sitting while reading and experimenting so much and not being very active. He was a little raged, wore a lab coat, and he hadn’t shaved recently, plus his mane was a little mussed up.

Groaning from the sight of the crystal, he decided to get it over with and tapped its reflective facet, his face fading away and in its palace was the nasty scowl of an Abyssinian Cat. A Cat he was all-too familiar with, much to his chagrin.

“Mr. Winkle, to what do I owe this displeasure?” the pony huffed wearily.

“Ah, Dr. Nucleus, How is our latest experiment proceeding?” The Cat, Mr. Winkle, inquired with a seemingly polite tone, but the look in his golden eyes was anything but. “You did receive the package from our… acquaintances?”

“Yes, they brought the tar from the Tower of Trottingham, despite the quarantine around the site. So far it's proven to be able to… revive the dead to a limited degree, though their bodies deform and contort during the incubation period. However, I must say that they've been quite docile thanks to the rune stones The House of Assassin's brought in for us.” Atom Nucleus explained to him, although one thing did bother him.
“Although, I thought the samples would have been delivered sooner. Didn’t you hire another to complete this mission?”

“Watcher! He was originally sent to retrieve the substance and bring it here, but the coward ran off with my bits! My sources say he is currently residing here in Manehattan…” Winkle hissed vengefully.

“How do you know he’s in Manehatten?” inquired Atom Nucleus.

“Let’s say that… there’s some very kind folks who are… eager to see him again. They'll be arriving soon with the next delivery of rune stones.” Winkle explained, his mouth contorting into a foul grin. “One of them in particular is… dying to settle the score.”

“Winkle, please don't tell me you’re sending out-”

“The House of Assassin's? Why yes I am, do you have a problem with that?”

Nucleus narrowed his eyes but bit his tongue. He hated Winkle, a fat cat who thought he could throw money at any problem and solve it to his immediate gratification. More than once they’d butted heads and though Nucleus could sometimes reason with Winkle, the Cat always had the last word. After all, it was his money bankrolling this operation, and without it Nucleus would never be able to continue his work.

Swallowing his pride, he took a deep breath before Nucleus said, “Quietly… I am on the verge of a breakthrough, and cannot afford unnecessary complications. You can at least agree with me on that, Mr. Winkle…?”

“You're talking as if they'll fail and you and I both know they've never failed to eliminate their target,” Winkles said smugly. “They'll arrive within the hour with the next delivery, they've already received payment from me, your job when they arrive is to inform them about his location. They'll take care of the rest.”

“I’m a scientist, Mr. Winkle…” Nucleus stated softly and with a tone, “and we don’t deal in certainties. Only a fool disregards the margin for failure, however promising the prospect.”

“It’s not just about the results, my friend… it's all about tying up loose ends. Or-or… decreasing the variables? That science-y enough for ya?” Winkle spat before he began to cough and wretch, besting his chest and hurrying to take a drink of water.

Nucleus smirked in amusement, “Hairball medicine wearing off, Mr. Winkle?”

“Sh-shut your … mouth! Urp…!” Winkle hissed and burped at the same time, before his tubes finally cleared and calmed down. “Just… give them their next assignment, and tell them to report in when it’s done… comprendé?!”

And without even waiting for Nucleus to respond, Winkle’s image winked out from the crystal’s surface, leaving the scientist with his own reflected company once more. He took a deep breath before saying to his reflection, “Just a little longer, Atom… do the work, get paid, and you’ll have the funds you need to move forward. Pah!”

He turned away from the crystal and got back to work, muttering to himself, “Easy for me to say…hehehehaaa…”

Next Chapter: 429. Hunted from the Past - Part 3 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 23 Minutes