The snow fee of town. Curvy golden lines covered the walls, and the corners of the rooms were rounded by columdns. The floor was made of grey and white tile, and the tables were glass with water vases on them. The restaurants biggest window had the view of Manehattan Central Park with the trees and grass covered in a blanket of snow, but the four stallions at the table beside the window ignored it.

“Hehehe.” Mister Pike drank wine alongside Light Wizard, Prince Blueblood, and Fancypants. “I must say, lads, you three are quite humorous.”

“Yes.” Blueblood took a sip of his wine. “I suppose we are. Say, Fancypants?”

“Yes, my friend?” Fancypants looked up from his pasta. “Is something the matter?”

“Oh no, I was just going to ask how Fleur is.” Blueblood took a bite out of his breadstick.

“She’s good. In fact, she’s currently visiting her mother in Prance.”

“Oh that’s nice. Light, has anything happened to you?”

Light’s ears perked up. “Well, if you must know, your aunt has asked me to conduct a important experiment with the sun.”

Blueblood and Fancy Pants eyes widened a little at the mention of an experiment with the sun.

“The sun, you say?” Fancypants found the idea interesting. “And what would you have to do with the sun?”

“Well, apparently, we have found that another way to acquire conditions needed to conduct electricity.”

“Another way?”

“Yes.” Light wiped some alfredo sauce off his muzzle. “We believe it is possible to use the sun’s rays as a power source.”

“Interesting.” Blueblood took one last sip of his drink. “Well, gentlecolts, as much as I enjoy our time together, I must return to my place of residence.”

“Oh, come now, Blue,” Pike said. “How about staying for dessert at least? I hear there’s going to be muffins.”

Blue Blood's eyes widened suddenly before returning to their normal state. “Um, no thank you. I’m not much of a muffin pony.” With that, he trotted out of the restaurant.

“Oh well. How about you, Fancy?”

Fancy Pants looked down at the muffin in deep thought. “Um, I’m not a muffin pony either. Say I must get going—”

“Aww, you too?”

“Don’t worry my friend, I’ll be at the event.” Fancypants left, leaving Light and Pike alone. Pike’s face hinted at a smirk.

“What are you smiling at?” Light said, wondering what there was to be happy about.

“Oh nothing, Light, just the sight of a plan in motion. Speaking of which. I do believe we should get going. I have a discreet conversation I need with you. Waiter! Bill please.”

After Pike paid and tipped the waiter, they trotted outside, where the chill of the winter’s night confronted them.

“Brrr!” Light wrapped his hooves around his white coat, trying desperately not to freeze as Pike just stood there with his grey long coat open. “At this temperature my salvia’s going to freeze.”

“Pfft!” spat Pike. His spit hit the ground frozen and shattered on impact. “Huh, I guess your right.”

“It’s time’s like this I wonder why Celestia doesn’t bring the sun closer to us!” Light said, rubbing his hooves. “I hate the cold!”

“Oh horseapples!” Pike slapped Light on the back. “I love the cold! It calms the head and straightens the mind.”

“It also kills the nerves and freezes foals,” muttered Light as the two trotted up the street. “So what did you want to talk about?”

“Not here, let’s head to Central Park and talk.”

Light looked up. “Central Park? At this time of night? In this weather?”

Pike glanced at his hooves to see if they were purple yet. “Yes.”

“But we could get hyperthermia! Mugged!”

“Then we could die from the freezing cold and have our bodies desecrated. What’s your point?”

Light snorted. “I simply do not understand why we can’t—Omph!” Asnowball hit him. “What the—- Omph!”

“Come on, Light!” Pike laughed, throwing another snowball. “I thought you were supposed to be good at this!”

“Sir, I am much too mature to fight such childish games.” Light  hmphed.

“That’s not what I heard from the newspapers about you and Coil’s street fight a few weeks ago.” Pike snickered as Light’s blood circulated to his cheeks.

“Um, I can explain that sir. You see—Omph!”

“Come on! try me with your best shot!” Pike said doing a little jig.

“Oh fine I’ll—”

“Nah, nevermind.” Pike put the snow down. “Lets continue on with our conversation.”

“Oh, um, alright. what did you want to talk about?” Light said as the two went under the gate entrance of central park.

“Wait.” looking around to see if anypony was following them, Pike sighed at the sight of no followers. “I want to talk about Templars.”

“Oh, them. What did you want to talk about them for?”

“I need you to become one,” Pike said as if asking a person to gently step aside.

“What? But sir—”

“No buts, Light. Listen, as long as they have the power, we need to rub up to them.”

“But sir,”Light whispered, looking to see if anyone else was there. “What about allying with the Assassins?”

“Aww, the brotherhood would never do it. But the order, on the other hoof, would.”

“Well I’m still not sure, It seems like a gamble.”

“I know it does, but we must do it,” Pike said with a dour grimace. “So will you?”

Light thought for a few seconds before nodding. “Yes. I’ll do it.”

“Splendid! Now then, we can talk about a lighter subject — such as that wristband I gave you.”

“And what happened next, grandpa?” said a seven year old Daring under the covers of the bed, surrounded by posters of jungles.

“Well, my dear, the little timberwolf realized he was home. The end.” Daring’s grandfather closed the book he was reading from. “Good night, child.” Giving Daring a nuzzle, he turned around but was stopped by Daring’s voice.

“Can you please read one more?” she begged.

“Oh I don’t know.”

“Pwease?” Her lips quivered.

“Well alright, silly, but first you gotta do one thing.” He smiled.

“What’s that?”

“Wake up.”

“Huh?” Daring bolted up from her bed. “Oh, it’s you,” she said to Pinkie’s smile.

“Yep, silly, and guess what!” Pinkie smiled wide.

“What?”

“We’re here!”

“Ehh?” Applejack said from her bed. What’s going on? Pinkie, why are ya shoutin?”

“Ehhh!” Apple Bloom stretch. “What’s with all the ruckus?”

“Just this.” Pinkie slid the drapes of the cabin’s windows open to reveal a snowy landscape with the city of Manehattan in the distance.

“Wow!” Apple Bloom rushed up to the window. “It’s beautiful.”

“I’ll say.”Applejack watched the landscape rush by.

Daring, however, was too busy squinting to see the coast of Manehattan to notice the beautiful view, “Hmm, huh?” She felt Pinkie poke her. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just wondering why you're over here being all frowny.”

Daring looked away from the window. “I’m busy seeing if that ship’s out there.”

“Ohhh!” Pinkie’s curiosity was peaked. “So kinda like ‘I Spy’?”

“Huh?”

“Oh let me try! Hmmm, I spy with my little eye something...white!”

“Is it snow?” Daring trotted out of the cabin.

“Yep!”

“Hi, everypony!”  Button, who was sitting at the table with Sweetie Belle had a bowl of non-burnt cereal with the cabin’s drapes closed.

“Hey, kid.” Daringpoured herself a cup of coffee. “What are you and, umm, what’s your name again?”

Oh my Celestia! thought Sweetie Belle. A.K. Yearling wants to know my name!

“S-Sweetie Belle, Miss.” Sweetie Belle held her eyes downward.

“And you, kid?”

“My name’s—”

“His name’s Button Mash!” Pinkie tried to get a sip of Daring’s coffee, but Daring kept it out of her reach.

“Oh right, you're the kid whose book I signed right?” Daring held her hoof against Pinkie’s forehead.

“Yef!” Button said with a mouthful of honeyed oats.

A yawn interrupted the conversation as Rarity came out, all sparkly and clean from the restroom. “Button, darling, don’t talk with your mouth full. It’s not polite, isn’t that right Pinkie?”

“Whaf yof say?” Pinkie said, chewing a muffin.

“Nevermind. Anyway, where’s Twilight? I thought she said she was taking a trot.”

“Right here, Rarity.” Twilight  came out of the bedrooms room with Fluttershy, Octavia, Scootaloo, and Rainbow Dash behind her. “Good morning, everypony. Did you sleep well?”

“Like a foal.” Rainbow Dash flew over to a toaster with sourdough bread. “Isn’t that right squirt?”

“Huh?” Scootaloo rubbed the bags under her eyes. “Did you say something, Rainbow Dash?”

“Scootaloo, what happened?” Spike said as Apple Bloom and Applejack came.. “You look like Twilight when she stays up to read.”

“I couldn’t sleep with Rainbow Dash snoring last night.” Scootaloo got onto the booth.

“Then why aren’t Button or Octavia tired?” Spike waved a claw at them.

“Oh, I slept with the mix tape Sweetie Belle made for me. Ninety three thousand oats on the wall...” He went back to his game, still singing.

“And when you live with Vinyl as long as I have, you learn to adapt to loud noises” Octavia put a bag of tea into her cup.

Rainbow Dash pouted. “Hey I don’t snore that loud!”

“Dash, you kidding?” Applejack poured herself some oats. “Once, you snored so loud you caused a small earthquake and helped clear a good section of the orchard.”

Daring looked down at Scootaloo, who moaned with her muzzle into a bagel. Looking back at her coffee, she signed.

“Hey kid?”  Daring poked Scootaloo to see if she was awake. “Kid?”

“Huh? Scootaloo wiped some cream cheese off herself. “Oh. Morning. Miss Yearling. Do you need something?”

“Here, try this.” She pushed the cup of coffee in front of Scootaloo. “Well, go on, drink it while it’s nice and hot.”

Scootaloo looked down into the cup at the brown liquid., hen the aroma of it hit her nose, she gagged. “Are you sure this is legal for me to have?”

Daring chuckled. “Of course, kid.”

“Can I have some?” Pinkie eyed the coffee with a fierce desire.

“No!” shouted both Daring and Twilight.

The room stopped and looked at them.

“I mean, you see, Pinkie, coffee was recently made illegal for any baker’s assistants to have,” Twilight said, glancing around.

“What? I don’t remember any law-Omph!” Twilight shoved a another gem muffin into Spike’s mouth just in time.

“It’s called the ‘no expresso for the baker’s apprentice law,’ and you know how important following the law is.”

“Alright.” Pinkie looked down when she realized she would not get coffee.

“Oh, it will be alright, Pinkie.” Fluttershy nuzzled her. “I’ll make you a nice hot chocolate.”

“Okay!”

Scootaloo went back to staring at the weird smelling beverage in front of her. Hmmm, well, I suppose one sip wouldn’t hurt. Right?  Picking up the cup she took a gulp. The first sensation as it hit her tastebuds was one of bitterness and a high temperature. She would have spat the drink out if not for another sensation: the vanilla creamer making the flavour bearable, but then a sweet, sticky taste hit her as drips of carmel were absorbed into her mouth. Drinking the entire cup, she thought it couldn’t think it could get better, it happened. The caffeine buzz was slow at first, but then exploded into a world of colors and sounds as she felt time slow down to a near halt. She entered the blissful caffeinated high only coffee could provide.

“Um, kid?” Daring looked into Scootaloo’s eyes to see two constricted pupils. Scootaloo’s mouth had a drip of drool running down her face and the cup fell from her hooves, hitting the ground with a thud. “What the—”

“C-c-c-co-coffee.” Scootaloo got up from the booth.

“Huh?”

“Coffee!” she grabbed Daring by the head and shook her, all the while saying in a fast paced mantra, “Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!” She let go of Daring.

“Um, squirt?” Rainbow Dash flew over to Scootaloo. “You alright?”

“WhyIneverfeltbetter!” Scootaloo cackled madly. “ Ifeelgreatcoffeecoffee!”

“Um, I think you may have had a little too much.”

“Well at least she’s not as bad as Pinkie was on coffee.” Daring put away the cup.

Twilight’s ears perked up. “What did you say?

“What?”

“You said she’s not as bad as Pinkie. How would you know what Pinkie’s like on coffee?”

Daring’s pupils shrank as she realized her mistake. “Well you see... um.” But she couldn’t think of an explanation. Come on Daring, she’s gonna figure you out!

Just when it looked like Daring would have to come clean, she was saved by the sudden entrance of Midnight.

“Morning, everypony, Your Highness.” Midnight bowed. “We are about to pull into Manehattan Central.”

“Oh, letmesee!” Scootaloo rushed to the window to see the passing of the Buckylin Bridge be replaced by the sight of a marble building.

“It’s huge!” Sweetie Belle stared out of the window.

“It’s also one of the oldest train stations in Equestria.” Twilight remembered her studies in the timeline of Manehattan. “Built in-blah blah bla blah.” The sound of her history lesson fell on silent ears as the group stared at the inside of Grand Train Station.

Tiled floors reflected the fluorescent lighting onto the beige stone walls and rows of newspaper stands stood under them. Music filled the air as a symphony of harmonicas, guitars and the occasional bucket drum echoed through the space.

“Wow!” Pinkie said. “It’s freezing!”

And of course, the ice-cold weather pierced everypony to their bones.

“Well that’s ‘cuz you forgot your scarf.” Applejack tossed a polka-dotted scarf at Pinkie.

She wrapped it around her neck. “Aww, nice and toasty.”

“Please do be careful with that,” Rarity said, directing a group of guards carrying her couches out of the train. “That’s the fall collection.”

“Ugh, my head,” groaned a hung-over Lunar guard.

“Here you go, you guys!” Pinkie wrapped Gummy in a blanket (enchanted to make sure the reptiles stay warm) until only his nose poked out and put Slit into a bigger blanket.

“I’m freezing!” Button wrapped his hooves around himself.

“Oh, I know!” Sweetie Belle rushed to him. “I once read that contact with another pony—”

“Hahahaha!” Rarity laughed as she levitated a bag over to the two. “Don’t be silly, Sweetie Belle, Button can just wear one of my scarfs.”

“Nice!” Button opened the bag, and Sweetie Belle pouted. “They’re...pink.”

“And purple,” Rarity said.“I hope they’re not to big for you.”

“Uh, no. It’s just—” memories of his mom reminding him to be polite made Button change his sentence. “—That I, uh, think Scootaloo wants one!”

Scootaloo looked up with wide eyes. “What?Ididn’t—Omph!” A most girly scarf was thrown into her muzzle. Spitting it out, she looked at it. “Ugh,really?”

Rarity was taken back by this.

“Imean,Really?” Scootaloo said with enthusiasm.

Rarity beamed and looked away as Scootaloo face turned back into a frown.

“So, Twilight,” Spike said, putting on his winter beanie. “What are we gonna do now?”

“Well, first we gotta get you all to your accommodations,” Cloud said as he came out of the train. “You’ll be happy to know, Your Majesty, that you and your friends will be staying at the Mane Fair hotel in the penthouse.”

Spike scratched his head. “I don’t remember that hotel having a penthouse.”

“From what I heard, the M.I.T. bought it, renovated it, and added a spa,” said Twilight.

“That means Fluttershy and I wouldn’t have to miss our spa days!” Rarity said with a smile.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Octavia cut into the center of the group. “Shouldn’t we be looking for Humble and those thugs?”

Daring spoke up. “Yeah, you said they’d come by boat. For all we know, they could have arrived already.”

“Don't get your tail up into a twist,” Midnight said. “We’re going to go to the docks with the police just right after we—” the lights above flickered for a moment “—get you to the hotel?”

The lights flickered again before going out and making the station go dark.

“Ugh,” a stallion with a guitar said. “Must be another spark.”

“Another what?” Daring said as the emergency lights flickered on.

“A spark, ya know, as in Coil Spark?” The name exploded Daring’s mind. “Stallion’s always doing weird things in that apartment of his down on Trough lane.”

“Coil Sparks?” said Twilight tapping her chin. “Isn’t he that—”

“Uncle of mine!” Pinkie jumped in front of Twilight. “I forgot he and Unkie Humble live together here!”

“Like those boys in Rarity’s romance novels?” Sweetie Belle said, making Rarity blush.

“I, um, well you see, uh, I can explain!” Rarity waved her hooves.

“Sure you can.” Applejack snickered to Rarity’s increasing embarrassment.

“Heck if I know.” The guitar stallion shrugged. “All I know is the guy lives a couple blocks north of here—”

Daring burst out of the station fast enough to even impress Rainbow Dash.

“Where does she think she’s going?” Apple Bloom said.

“I don’t know, but follow me!” Rainbow Dash waved for the group to follow her.

The group rushed out the the station, leaving the guitar stallion to groan. “Tourists.” He then went back to playing.

Daring flew through the Manehattan air, passing many ponies navigating the busy sidewalks and airspace.

“Hey, I’m flying here!” a yellow, pegasus, stallion yelled as Daring flew in front of his flight path.

As Daring neared the apartment section of the city, a thought dawned on her.

Wait a second, she thought in midair. I don’t even know which apart—”

Rainbow Dash crashed into her, sending the two tumbling down into a snow bank next to a red apartment building.

“What are you doing?” Daring said, throwing Rainbow Dash off her. “I was thinking!”

“Whoa! Chill out, I was just wondering where you’re going,” Rainbow Dash said as the others caught up to them.

“I was trying to find Coil!”

Twilight saw that she had to calm the situation. “Dazzle, I understand you're upset. but you need to calm down. Please.”

Daring looked at the princess for a second before sighing. “Fine.”

“Good, now can you please tell us why you flew out like that?”

“I was trying to find this Coil guy, because he might know something about Humble being foalnapped. But I don’t know which apartment he’s in.”

Pinkie giggled. “Oh don’t be a panicky pony. Uncle Coil sent me a postcard of their apartment.” Plunging her hoof into her mane, Pinkie searched it ‘til she gasped and pulled out a crumbled picture of an apartment building. “It’s...this one!” she said, pointing at the apartment in front of them.

“Oh,” Rarity said as they looked at the building. “Well that’s quite convenient.”

Earlier that day,

The alarm clock of Vinyl’s room woke her up to the sight of her usually clean room in a mess.

“Huh? That’s weird, usually Octy—” Remembering the events of yesterday, she frowned. “Oh yeah. Pffft, who needs her? I can make my own clean room!” Putting her hoof to the floor, she felt something mushy. “Hey a slice of pizza!” Gobbling it up,she began her day.

On her way down the stairwell, she saw the pictures of her and Octavia hanging out. “So what if she doesn’t want me to come with her on her trip? I can have fun by myself.” Ten minutes later, she was bored out of her skull. “Ugh!” She threw a copy of Playfilly aside. “Even porn is boring!”

The doorbell rang.

“Coming!” Vinyl opened the door to Derpy smiling in her mailmare uniform. “Oh, hey Derp, whatcha need?”

“Got a letter for you!” she said, putting her head in her mailbag only to get it stuck.

“Here, let me help.” Vinyl pulled hard on the bag, and after a few moments was able to dislodge Derpy’s head.

“Thanks Vinyl, here’s your mail,” Derpy said, giving her a bunch of letters.

“Thanks, hey, I hope the Doc gets better.”

“Thanks Vinyl, I’ll be sure to tell him that later. See ya!” She flew off.

Closing the door, Vinyl checked to see what arrived.

“Junk, junk, bill, junk, oh my new copy of Disc Jockey monthly!” She opened it to the section on how to make your wubs sound better, and a small letter to dropped out of it. “Huh, what’s this?” She tore the envelope open and read.

“Dear DJ-Pon3, aka Miss Vinyl Scratch,

“I represent the M.I.K: the Manhattan Institute of Knowledge. We have accepted your offer to play at our announcement party. You will be given a first class ticket on board the next train to our city, which should be by tonight if this letter has gotten to you. If you wish to come, you are to present the ticket inside this envelope to the train’s staff and they will take care of the rest. You will be staying in a first class room at the Mane Fair Hotel. Hope to see you play,

TF.

Vinyl stood slack-jawed. “Oh yeah, Manehattan, here I come!”

“Awww,” Filthy said. “Lemon flavored.”

He was in the Rich house pipe room, a fancy little space with red walls and mahogany bookshelves. He sat on the only chair inside the room, a red velvet armchair with a tabl next to it for drinks.

The door opened, revealing Top Hat.

“Sir, a stallion is here to see you.”

“Tell him I’m busy.” Filthy snuggled in deeper into the chair.

“Sir, he seems very determined to see you. He told me to tell you the father of understanding guided him to you.”

Filthy almost choked on his pipe. “Um, nevermind, Top. Send him up, please.”

“At once, Sir.” Top bowed and headed back downstairs.

A few minutes later, the pipe room opened again to a new visitor.

“Enjoying yourself I see?” A dark green stallion stood in the doorway. He had a smug look that was not helped by the coal dull vest he was wearing ontop of his buttoned, white shirt . His cutie mark was of a chart with its arrow going up.

“Aww, Emerald...” Filthy got up, chuckling. “It’s been too long. Didn’t the Grandmaster send you on a mission to Saddle Arabia?”

“Yes he did.” Emerald looked out the room’s window and sighed. “In fact, that’s what I here to talk about.”

Filthy frowned. “Did something happen?”

“Yes. You know Kyle?”

“The griffon? Yes.”

“He was found dead a week ago,” Emerald said grimly.

“What? How did he die?” Filthy grew more anxious with each word.

“Apparently, when he was doing one of his daily flights he had a heart attack.” Emerald looked over some books. “Dead before he even hit the ground.”

“Did The Assassins kill him?”

“Hard to say. If they did, they did it with excellent timing. He fell into a canyon full of spikes so any piercing he received would be accounted for as natural.”

Filthy cringed. “A ghastly fate, but it still doesn’t explain why you're here.” A terrible thought came to Filthy’s mind. “They haven’t found out about me, have they?”

“Not to our knowledge, no, but the Grandmaster has sent a message to come back to Equestria.”

“Why?”

“We believe we have found a another one of the Pieces of Paradise in Equestria. Or, at the very least, a way to locate one.”

“Have our enemies figured this out as well?” Filthy put his head between his hooves.

“Possibly. Kyle was the one who knew what the writings we found in Poma were about.”

“And with his death goes our chance to find it,” groaned Filthy as Emerald nodded. “Now what do we do?”

Emerald shrugged. “Until new orders are given out, our job is to gain more foothold over Equestria.”

The memory of the robes came to Filthy. “That might be harder than it seems.”

Emerald’s ears perked up. “What do you mean?”

“About two days ago, I saw a package of assassin’s robes. Apparently they’re heading to Canterlot.”

“Canterlot?” Emerald said, he took a step back. “We must alert the Grandmaster! He could be in grave danger.”

“I already sent a letter a day ago. With luck, it will reach him in time.”

“These assassins.” Emerald looked up. “What are we gonna do about them?”

“Actually I think I might have a way to handle them,” Filthy said with a smirk. “I recently met two gentlecolts.”

After Humble had escaped them, Stale and Lemon got onto a floatup raft and rowed to the sewer entrance they were told to come to.

“Bucking shit!” Stale growled as Lemon followed him into the sewer entrance. “That little shit got away!”

“Yeah, I know, what are we gonna do?” said Lemon turning his flashlight on. “We can’t just go to Pike and tell him we lost that Humble guy.”

“Hmmm,” thought Stale trying to think of a way out of it. “Oh I don’t know, but what I do know it that this is all your fault!”

“My fault?”

“Yeah, if you had been more careful we would be in the clear!”

“This coming from the smokehead!” sneered Lemon.

“One eye!”

“Scarmuzzle!”

“Sour dandy!”

“That doesn’t even make any sense!”

“It’s because your names lemon and you're a wimp!”

“Oh for the love of Celestia.” Lemon facehooved. “Lets just get on with this, the sewage is getting into my coat.”

“Like I said, sour dandy.”

Meanwhile back at Filthy’s,

“Mercenaries? You want to hire mercenaries?” whispered Emerald as Filthy poured himself a glass of orange juice.

“Yes, but please don’t mention it around here” hissed Filthy seeing if anypony heard him. “I don’t need my daughter finding out about this!”

“Finding about what daddy?” said Diamond Tiara as she came downstairs in her star dotted purple pajamas. Fortunately for the two she hadn’t heard a word of their conversation.

“Um, about the new puppy I’m getting you!”  said Filthy. “But only if you’re good for Miss Dinky.”

“I don’t even know why I have to go apologize to that blank-” But a glare from Filthy stopped her. “-I mean filly,” she chuckled nervously.

“Because you were not nice to her, now get dressed. Top Hat will take you over there.”

Diamond Tiara tilted her head at this. “You mean you're not coming?”

“Sorry princess, but daddy has buisness. You just go get dressed.”

“..Ok,” said Diamond half heartily as she trotted back upstairs to get ready.

“Nice kid,” said Emerald taking a bite out of a bagel. “So what was that all about?”

“Oh, just foal stuff.”

“Well I must get going,” said Emerald wiping crumbs off his muzzle. “The Canterlot train should be coming in a bit.” But just before he left he turned around. “Oh, I almost forgot, Green’s messengers told me at my ships dock to tell you he needs you in Van Hoover in a week.”

Filthy spat out his orange juice. “A week!?” But my wife won’t be home for two weeks, what about my daughter?”

Emerald only shrugged. “Sorry but that’s all they told me, see ya.” he said closing the front door.

“Oh Celestia,” groaned Filthy. “What am I gonna do?” Opening the window he called out. “Top Hat!”

“Yes, master Rich?” said Top Hat from the rose garden where he was cutting the shrubbery of a dollar sign.

“Are you by chance staying here for the week?”

“I’m sorry sir,” said Top trimming the dollar. “But I have to go to the natinoal butler convetnion this week.”

Oh, I gotta find a good foalsitter, but who?

“Daddy! I’m ready to go!”

“Hmmm,” said Filthy as an idea emerged. “Diamond on second thought how about I take you?”

“Ehhh,” moaned Humble as he awoke to find himself in a bed inside a small room. “Huh? Where am I?” Suddenly the room’s door opened up to the older earth pony stallion from yesterday. His coat was the shade of turquoise and he had a rough looking beard along with a cutie mark of a map and boat. “Umm, hello?”

“Hiya kid, name’s Navigate” said the stallion in a eastern Manehattan accent. “What yours?”

“Umm, Humble, say there wasn’t a boat nearby when you found me was there?”

Putting his hoof to his head, Navigate thought. “None that I saw, why?”

“Well you see I got foalnapped by two stallions.”

“...Huh, thought you just fell over drunk,” said Navigation as he pulled out a grey sweater from a drawer. “Well I guess you could go to the police in Manehattan, here,” he said tossing a scarf. “Don’t want ya to get cold and stiff.”

“Thank you,” said Humble putting the sweater on.

“Oh, and we found this here feather on you.” Navigation hoofed over the the feather that Humble had used on the boat. “Thought it was important or something.”

“Yeah thanks.” Putting away the feather Humble realized something. “Just out of curiosity where are we?”

“Why you’re on the  Net, the best salmon catching boat in the country.”

“Salmon?” All of a sudden the stench of fish hit Humble’s nostril causing him  to gag. “Oh salmon. I’m gonna close this porthole okay?”

“Sure lad, but your gonna wanna see Manehattan. We should be coming in now.”

Trotting out the room Humble came to the outside of the boat where a bunch of ponies were throwing fish into ice boxes as the boat entered Manehattan harbor.

“Hmmm, what to do now.” Humble leaned against the boat’s railing. “Well I got out of those two’s plan but now I gotta get back to Pinkie or at least send a letter telling her I’m fine.”

The boat docked and after saying his farewells to Navigation, Humble trotted through lower Manhattan's dock district which was unfortunately also a part of the fishing district.

“Hey!” shouted a stallion to a mule. “Need a twenty pound flopper!”

“Got it Hook!” said the mule wrapping the fish up in a newspaper causing one of the pages to blow away in the wind and land on a pile of snow next to Humble.

“Hmm,” said Humble picking the newspaper up. “Let’s see what I’ve been-huh? Writer foalnapped?” He then read the rest of the paper. “Humble Pie, writer of the book The adventures of Con Colt and the series Ice barrels was foalnapped two days ago-wow news travels fast-at a convention for A.K.-” Suddenly Humble remembered the reunion with Daring. “Oh for Celestia’s sake why does she have to be Daring’s creator!?”

“Humble?” said a voice Humble recognized. Babs Seed  came running out of an alleyway and hugged Humble.

Looking down Humble forgot about his anger which was replaced with curiosity “Babs? What are you doing here?”

“Doing that,” said Babs Seed pointing at a sack of apples. “Folks wanted me to make a delivery to a Mister Hook?” she said reading a note.

“That’d be me!” shouted the stallion catching fish. “Need’em for lunch!”

“Twenty bits,” said Babs as he got the change. “Anyway, Humble what are you doing here? Heard ya got foalnapped.”

“Does everypony know that?”

“You kidding? Coil’s been shut inside you guys apartment for a day. Didn’t even feed the birds,” Babs said, kicking a can. “So are ya gonna tell the police about being foalnapped?”

“I will, I will, but first I need to rest.” Humble put his hoof up against his head. “I got little sleep and I need somthing to eat.”

“Wanna come by my stand?” Babs and Humble stopped when they came to a crosswalk.

“No thank you, I’m just gonna head back to the apartment and get something to eat there,” said Humble as he and Babs crossed the street. “Anyway nice seeing you Babs.”

“See ya Humble!” she said trotting away.

Twirling around to the direction of his apartment, Humble found himself inches away from a life board cut out of Daring in front of a bookstore. The cut out had the words “Reading is an adventure!” on it.

“Hmmm,” breathed Humble with frustration. “Just what I need. Another freaking cut out of her.”

“Know what ya mean friend,” said a stallion sweeping the porch of the bookstore. “Dang kids keep stealing her so I gotta keep buying new ones.”

“Well don’t bother pal, she ain’t worth it,” Humble muttered, heading down the street when suddenly a voice was heard.

“Humble?” said Light Wizard as he signalled his cart’s driver to stop.

“Oh hey Light,” said Humble with a small wave. “Nice seeing you again.”

“Humble I heard you got foalnapped! How ever did you escape?”

“Timing, patience, and salmon. Anyway I know you probably have a bunch of question but I really got to get home see ya!” Humble galloped away

Dang it! thought Light as he signaled for the driver to keep going. Pikes gonna freak!

After trotting for awhile and at times being stopped by neighbors, Humble eventually reached the apartment building he lived in. It was a small six story building with Humble living on the fourth floor and the kind of building where the managers office had a screen in front of it to protect them from drive by eggings or muggings where the thieves would spit. in the middle of the small office was Brown Sugar,  a short brown stallion with yellow mane and a key as a cutie mark.

“Humble?” said Brown looking up from his magazine. “Weren’t you foalnapped or something?”

“It’s a long story Brown,” said Humble as he headed up the stair ways to his front door.

“Well I hope Coil is alright.” Humble knocked on the door to the sudden sound of an object crashing. “Coil?”

A second later the door opened up to a skinny stallion with a light brown coat, a mustache that resembled a comb and a combed back black mane. His cutie mark was that of a circle of purple electricity.

“Humble!?” cried Coil, grabbing Humble into a hug and swinging him into the room while kicking the door shut. “You're alive!” he sobbed with joy.

“Umm, yeah Coil I’m alive say-”

“When I went to get my bread from Babs I saw a newspaper saying that you got foalnapped!”

“I know-”

“And while you were in Ponyville with Pinkie!”

“Yes thats-”

“By the way how is-”

“Coil!” said Humble with a raised voice causing Coil to stop. “Please just calm down, everything’s fine, I’m gonna go to the police and tell them everything. I just need something to eat first.”

“Okie dokie,” said Coil heading over to the fridge. “So how was Pinkie?”

“Oh she’s good...say Coil?”

“Hmm?” said Coil as he brought over a bag of bread along with things to put on it. “Yeah?”

“Did, um, Daz-nevermind.” Humble signed as Coil just shrugged and continued making them sandwiches. After eating Humble excused himself to his bedroom under the excuse of being too tired to go to the police at that moment. “Eehhh,” he said collapsing muzzle first onto his bed. Turning sideways he followed the brown and light brown stripes of his walls as they climbed upwards to the ceiling.

“Humble pull yourself together! You got to get to the police to let Pinkie know you’re alright!”

“Oh, Pinkie. I hope she’s okay,” said Humble sitting upwards. “Those two thugs had better not hurt her or I’ll, I’ll.”

Your’ll what? You don’t have a violent bone in your body!

“Well I hate fighting.”

Yeah and going places.

“I like my typewriter.”

Boring! So your what? A nice guy? Heh, no reason didn’t Dazzle left you

Humble’s eyes widen at the thought. “And what does that mean?”

Please! Look at yourself! You have it all, a hero as a family member, a nice apartment, a good writing career but the only thing you don’t have is ambition.

“And what does my lack of determination have to do with me not being with that mare?”

Your a wimpy, boring individual stupid. I mean what happened to you?

Humble’s eyebrow was raised at this. “What do you mean what happened to me?”

“When you were younger, like five bucking years ago, you wanted to travel the world. You would stay out at night going into the swamps, fight with sticks, and have fun. What happened?”

“You know what happened,” said Humble closing his eyes. “You know what happened.” A second later he opened his eyes to the sound of the doorbell ringing.

“Humble!” said Coil from outside. “I’m busy drawing a pigeon! Can you please get that?”

“Alright.” Getting up Humble realized something. “The compass! I left it on the ground!” trotting towards the front door he opened it. “Hello can I...”

Dazzle stood there in the doorway just shocked along with the other mares, Spike, and guard captains. “Oh no,” she said before she and Humble fainted.

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