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Looking Glass, P.I: Coins and Crowns

by Kavonde

Chapter 11

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Emerald Park ran for several blocks along the south shore of the Starswirl River. It was little more than a stretch of grass with a few clusters of trees and a meandering gravel path that occasionally split off towards the water's edge. It was a popular destination for growing young colts and fillies, with the tall grass and shrubs providing ample privacy for various exciting activities. I'd spent my share of time there myself.

That made me think of Calla (stupid libido). I'd left her with Cammy at the F.P.D station. Whatever our history, Cammy was one of the few ponies I'd trust a stranger's life with. I knew she'd find somewhere safe for Calla to get a few hours' rest, and that she'd keep her presence hush-hush around anypony she didn't absolutely trust. Calla was as safe as she could be in this town.

I, however, was almost certainly walking into a trap.

I arrived early, keeping my head down and my eyes open. Unfortunately, scoping a meeting spot for an ambush isn't all that useful when potential ambushers can drop out of the sky. Eventually, I decided to just settle down and wait for the damned sun to set. Which meant that when I startled myself awake with my own snoring, the moon was out, the stars were shining, and my freaking headache had doubled in intensity.

I grumbled something impolite and heaved myself away from the tree I'd been napping under. My shoulder didn't want to cooperate with the movement, and I had to awkwardly push myself up with three hooves while using the tree for support. With an agonized groan that exacerbated the burning in my throat, I rolled the stiffened joint around until I felt a pop, and the pain was suddenly replaced with blissful numbness.

“That's better,” I observed to the night air.

“Good,” someone replied.

I turned to see a horseshoe-clad hoof rushing towards my face. There was a flash of bright light followed a spiraling, nauseating blackness. I felt my legs turn to jelly underneath me, and distantly realized I was falling. I felt grass brush my face through a styrofoam quilt.

“Nice shot, boss,” a distorted, echoing voice said from a few miles away.

“Grab him,” a second one said, this one taking the shape of a mare as it trotted through the infinite void.

I felt hooves lifting me by the front legs, and then a sensation of vertigo and rushing wind unlike anything I'd ever experienced before. The entirety of the universe spun around me like a kaleidoscope. I threw up.

“Aw, boss, he just puked all over hisself,” the first voice said.

“Shut up and fly, Hornet,” replied the second.

The next eternity or so passed in dizzying agony. I felt myself slipping in and out of consciousness, and I was only aware that I wasn't moving anymore when somepony smacked me across the face and knocked me out of my stupor.

My eyes gradually focused on a shape in front of me. It was a pegasus, female, her eyes, mane, and coat all shades of violet so deep that she was almost invisible against the night sky. She hovered in front of me, her expression mild.

“Nightingale, I presume,” I murmured blearily.

“Looking Glass,” she said with a nod. Her voice was low for a mare, deep and a bit sultry. The cut of her mane fell over one eye in an attractive manner. She was actually quite pretty aside from the three jagged scars that ran across her face, only partially obscured by her bangs. “Private investigator, hero cop, protector of the innocent people of Fillydelphia. Soon to be dead because he took a nap when he really shouldn't have.”

“It's been a long couple of days.”

“Oh, I know,” she said. “I've had my colts tailing you since I found out you were looking for Silver Coin.”

I grunted. “Steed?”

“Steed,” she agreed. “You really need to be more careful about who you talk to, love.”

“Noted.”

She smiled, though the expression didn't touch her eyes. “He also told me the most interesting thing about Silver Coin having a secret fiancé. A fiancé who knew enough to be worried about her stallion, and who was smart enough to not go to the cops.”

“Don't threaten her,” I growled. “She's not part of this.”

Nightingale shrugged. “Not my call, I'm afraid. My colts are picking her up as we speak. I do hope your police friend doesn't get in the way, love. It would be a shame to damage her pretty face.”

I snorted. “Good luck to your flunkies, then. They won't have an easy time getting to them inside the station.”

Nightingale just smirked.

Crap.

“Looking Glass,” she said thoughtfully after a moment. “Such an appropriate name for a private eye. Haven't you ever wondered how some parents just know what to name their foals?”

I tried to shrug, but my arms didn't cooperate. I looked to my left and found a yellow-and-black pegasus hovering in place, holding me up from under my front leg. I looked to my right and found another one with an orange coat, his head wrapped entirely in bandages. He glared at me with intense, hateful, and somewhat familiar eyes.

“You've met Boulder, I believe,” Nightingale said.

“Dumb pony who couldn't open a door,” I replied. “How ya doin'?”

The bandaged pegasus' eyes narrowed.

“Glass,” Nightingale mused, drawing my attention back to her. “You know, I wonder. If my stallions dropped you from this height... would you shatter?”

I looked down. Far, far, far below, the lights of Fillydelphia were spread out before me. From this altitude, the city looked like a map, and I could recognize most of the major landmarks. There was the Horn and Feather. There was the First Equestrian. And there was my local herbalist with his damned awnings.

“Pretty sure it'd be more of a splatter,” I answered.

Nightingale laughed, a surprisingly light and girlish sound. “Oh, it'll be a real shame to kill you, love. I like a stallion with a bit of wit.”

“You could always, you know, not kill me.”

“Oh, I think not,” she replied. “A job's a job, and you've made my employer decidedly unhappy. It's a pity, but I'm afraid you'll have to die. Boulder, Hornet?”

“Wait!” I shouted, trying to think through the concussion muddying my thoughts. “Hold on, I can help you!”

She quirked an eyebrow at me. “Oh?”

I nodded emphatically. “I know your boss is Crown Jewel, and I've got enough evidence to put him away. Think about it! Once he's out of the picture, there's a power vacuum in this town. The Union's the only group in Fillydelphia in a real position to capitalize on it!”

It was a desperate bluff, and even on my best day, I'm not much of a poker player. She narrowed her eyes at me, then laughed. “I think not, love.”

She nodded towards her underlings. I felt the pressure on my legs slacken, and felt myself starting to slip.

“Okay, fine, I don't have the evidence yet! But I will. I just need to get into his mansion. I know he's behind Silver Coin's disappearance. Hell, I know he killed Silver's father, too. There’s bound to be a paper trail, a ledger showing bribes, something. If I can just fine something solid, he'll be decorating Celestia's garden by the end of the week.”

“And what about me?”

I winced as I spoke. “Anything I find linking you or the Union to this, I'll leave out.”

She gave me a long, considering look. “Why should I trust you?”

I took a breath, giving myself time to carefully choose my words. “Because if I'm being straight with you, you get Fillydelphia.”

We hovered there in silence for a long moment, the only sound the rhythmic beating of feathered wings. Finally, Nightingale spoke. “I suppose I've made worse gambles.”

Relief washed over me in a wave, but I had more ponies to worry about than just myself. “One condition, though. Call off your pegasi. Let Calla go.”

She shook her head. “Too late, love. My stallions were under orders to bring her directly to Crown Jewel once she was in custody. I'm sure he has a few questions for her.”

Dammit. Double dammit. It was bad enough that the bastard might hurt Calla, but introducing a hostage into the equation was going to complicate things even more.

And why did I even care? Why was I here, making a deal with the devil so I could rescue a filly I hardly knew from a stallion who, two days ago, I'd never thought would cross my path? I wasn't a hero. I was just a battered gumhoof with a cold and a concussion. I didn't need to get involved. I could leave the city, maybe move somewhere out in the country. Ponyville was supposed to be pretty nice. Maybe I could spend the rest of my years finding stray cats and missing cattle. If I kept my head down, maybe Crown Jewel would just write me off and let this end without any more bad blood. All I'd have to do was get Nightingale to drop me off outside of town and then make a run for it. I’d be miles away before she realized I’d played her.

I looked down at my cutie mark. A simple magnifying glass, brass with a cherry handle.

Who was I kidding?

“Well, Mr. Glass?” Nightingale asked. “What's your plan?”

“Triple dammit,” I muttered.

“Hm?”

“I said, drop me off at Hot Air's estate. I need a word.”

Next Chapter: Chapter 12 Estimated time remaining: 28 Minutes
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