Three hours later, the train rounded a corner and the city of Fillydelphia appeared on the horizon. Industrial spires and skyscrapers rose above flat rooftops, stretching for five miles from north to south. To the east, the sparkling waters of the Celestial Sea shone like a rippling jewel beneath the afternoon sun.

“I remember reading about Fillydelphia’s history,” Twilight said in an attempt to break the silence that hung over the group. “It’s been one of Equestria’s largest ports for several years. With all the businesses and ponies, it inflated from a small sea-side town to one of the most populated cities in Equestria, and one of the greatest industrial sectors in the world. Shipping, manufacturing, mining—”

“It looks pretty,” Spike said, admiring the approaching skyline out the window. “It looks almost as big as Manehattan!”

“Wait until you get close,” Flash grunted.

The skyline seemed to rush forward, as if to envelop the train and its occupants. Before long, they were trundling past junkyards with piles of rusting scrap metal, then passing through canyons of brick and steel buildings that appeared ready to collapse right on top of them. A few minutes later, the train pulled up to the station platform. “Fillydelphia, final stop!” the conductor shouted, his voice carrying down the train cars. The four friends rose off their seats and walked over to the doors; they were among the few getting off the train.

As soon as the doors opened, they were assaulted by a wall of hot, stinking air. The train platform was dark, shaded from the baking sun by a metal domed roof. Litter coated the concrete platform, blowing by in the wind; graffiti of a dozen different colors and styles was scrawled across the walls, competing for attention. A worker in a reflective vest was slowly sweeping the platform with a broom clutched in his mouth, but it was apparent he was fighting a losing battle.

“I take back what I said earlier,” Spike grimaced, holding his nose.

“Either of you got a plan?” Phillip asked as they walked onto the platform, choking on the filthy air.

“We have to start somewhere,” Flash said. “I suppose we should go to the closest City Guard precinct and ask for any information on...on mom’s murder.” He grunted quietly, then coughed. “God, I forgot how bad it smelled.”

“Right,” Phillip nodded. “We—ow!” Phillip cried, staggering and clutching his head. He leaned against a support column, breathing heavily as he rubbed his forehead.

“What is it?” Twilight asked, rushing to his side.

Phillip barely heard her: he felt as though icicles were being shoved through his brain and into his spine. Images raced through his mind: unidentifiable houses, dozens of faces, flashing past at lightning speed.

“It’s my crime sense,” he panted. “I’m getting warnings from all over the city…” He grunted, clenching his teeth against the pain. “All that crime...all these victims...nopony cares…”

“Welcome to Fillydelphia,” Flash said, taking Phillip’s foreleg and helping him stand.

“Here, let me help,” Twilight offered, casting a pain suppression spell over Phillip's head. A cloud of lavender magic briefly surrounded Phillip's cranium. Almost immediately, he sighed in relief and relaxed, then shook his head and refocused. "Thank you," he said to Twilight.

“So, where’s the closest precinct?” Twilight asked Flash.

“This way,” Flash said, starting down the street. Twilight followed him, with Spike riding atop her shoulders. Phillip brought up the rear of the entourage.

The street they walked down was marred with potholes and coated in dust and litter. They walked past brick stores and boarded-up bodegas. Ponies passed them on the sidewalks, but nopony made eye contact with each other. Spike tried to wave at a few passerby, but never received so much as a sideways glance.

“Stop that,” Flash hissed. “Try to keep a low profile. It’s best that we try not to call attention to ourselves.”

They walked past a bearded homeless pony sitting against an alleyway, strumming an old guitar. The battered guitar case sat next to him, with a cardboard sign that read “Please Help” in charcoal writing leaning up against it. Flash dropped a few bits into the case as they passed.

“You grew up here?” Twilight asked incredulously, looking over at a couple of young colts spray-painting a string of profanity onto the side of a building.

“Yup,” Flash grunted. “I know it looks bad, but—”

They were interrupted by a blaring of music. A battered blue carriage with an open bed in the back came racing around the corner. Three tough-looking ponies, their arms covered in tattoos, were riding in the truck, one in the cab and two in the back. A loud song was roaring out of the boom box that the two in the back were carrying:

“Guard killer! Better you than me!
Guard killer! F*** Guard brutality!
Guard killer! I know your family’s grieving...f*** ‘em!
Guard killer! But tonight we get even!”

Passerby looked down at the street as the truck trundled past, but the four friends looked up to follow the vehicle’s motion. One of the ponies in the back, a broad-shouldered earth pony with greasy black hair and “BAMB” scrawled in red on both his forelegs, looked up at the group as they passed. His dark blue eyes focused on Flash. He grinned broadly, revealing several gold and silver teeth, and raised his hoof, drawing it slowly across his throat. Flash stared coolly back at them as the truck disappeared down the street.

“That’s why we don’t want to attract attention,” he said to the others. “We don’t want to get the wrong kind.”

Spike shuddered slightly. “Can we get to the precinct?”

“It’s not far. Just this way,” Flash said, gesturing down a corner. They proceeded down the street, keeping their gazes fixed straight ahead. Up ahead, they could see a large white building sitting some distance away from the street, as if repulsed by the filth. A large chain-link fence topped with barbed-wire surrounded the building’s front lot, which was populated with several black motorized armored carriages with “FILLYDELPHIA CITY GUARD” painted on the sides in white.

As they entered the lot, a pair of City Guards exited the precinct. Both of them were wearing pale gold armor with azure trim and the insignia of a ship sail on their chests. Their helmets had no crests, but they had tinted visors that hid the upper halves of their faces. Both of them had pistols slung at their hips, and the armor was designed to cover most of their bodies, making them seem more machine than pony. Their heads swiveled to track the ponies as they passed by.

“They’ve changed the armor since I left,” Flash commented as they started up the white marble stairs of the precinct headquarters. “They didn’t use to look so...mechanical.”

“Don’t like it,” Phillip muttered. “You should be able to see a Guard’s face.”

They entered the foyer, which was a circular room in white with blue and gold tiles on the floor. Droves of ponies, some in armor and some without, moved in and out of a set of swinging doors. A harried-looking sergeant sat at a wide desk, talking on a telephone and rubbing his temple. The group walked up to him, he looked up and set down the phone. “How can I help you?” he grunted.

“My name is Flash Sentry,” Flash introduced himself. “I’m here to consult on the investigation into—”

“Flash?”

Everypony looked up at the voice. An armored yellow-white pegasus with wavy red hair was walking out of the doors, doffing his helmet to reveal his face. His bright blue eyes shone with joy as he grinned at Flash. His cutie mark was a pair of red dice, both of them displaying a one. A sergeant’s pin was attached to his collar.

“Snake Eyes!” Flash shouted, running over and hugging the other pegasus. “I haven’t heard from you in ages!”

“Well, I’ve been keeping busy,” Snake Eyes replied, embracing Flash. “And from what the papers say, you have too.” He turned to the others. “Who’re your friends?”

“Snake, this is Princess Twilight, Spike, and Phillip Finder,” Flash introduced his friends. “Guys, this is Snake Eyes, my best friend since first grade.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Twilight said, shaking hooves with Snake Eyes.

“An honor, Your Highness,” Snake Eyes said, kneeling before Twilight. He then bumped his hoof against Spike’s fist. “You’re a real dragon? Cool!”

“Yeah, I guess it is,” Spike grinned.

“And Phillip Finder,” Snake said, shaking Phillip’s hoof somewhat hesitatingly. “Yeah, we’ve heard of you even down here.”

Phillip nodded, quietly observing the blue chalk on Snake’s hoof, the short brunette hairs clinging to his feathers, and his unbrushed teeth, and privately wondered if Snake made a habit of staying out too late at the bar shooting billiards and oversleeping with his coltfriend.

“So, uh, I guess you’re here because of your mom,” Snake Eyes said to Flash, looking up at his friend with a slightly nervous expression.

Flash’s jaw noticeably tightened. “Yeah. What’ve you found out?”

“Not much, sorry,” Snake said. “She was home alone one night, and somepony kicked her door in and shot her.” He winced at the blunt narration. “Sorry, that—”

“Forget it,” Flash said tersely. “Do you have any suspects?”

“Nothing definitive yet,” Snake said, turning and holding the door open. “Maybe if I show you the files for it, you can get an idea of where we’re at.”

They walked down a carpeted hallway and pushed through another set of double doors, entering an office area. Desks were spread across the large room, all of them covered in papers and most of them with two or more ponies bending over them. A storm of overlapping voices assaulted the entrants ears.

As they entered the room, a pair of Guards passed by, their faces grim beneath their visors. Both of them had a foreleg looped around a shackled earth pony, whom they were dragging towards a door marked “Holding Cells.” As they passed by, the earth pony looked up. Twilight gasped at the sight of his face; beneath the long brown bangs, his face was covered in fresh bruises and blood, and one eye was swollen shut.

“What happened to him?” Twilight asked softly as they passed by.

“Probably ‘fell down the stairs,’” Snake Eyes replied, keeping his eyes forward. “Come on.” He led them over to a wall of filing cabinets. Opening up one of the drawers, he began to sort through the files and eventually pulled out a thin folder labeled ”Equicide: White Rose.” Flash slowly reached out and took the file in a trembling hoof.

“Sergeant, what are you doing?” a voice grunted. Snake Eyes snapped to attention, turning to face the pony that had approached. This newcomer was a tall, broad-shouldered earth pony with a slate gray coat, a white buzzcut and pale blue eyes carved into his stony face. His armor was brightly polished, and the two silver bars on his collar shone like stars. His cutie mark was a pair of dark gray stones that fit together like a pair of puzzle pieces. He stared coolly at each of the ponies.

“Captain, this is Flash Sentry,” Snake Eyes stated. “He’s Rose’s son. He wants to find who did this.” He turned to the others. “Guys, this is Captain Cornerstone.”

Cornerstone looked down at Flash; he was at least twice as tall as the pegasus. “Much as your concern for your mother is understood, Sergeant, you are not a member of the Fillydelphia City Guard. This case is not part of your jurisdiction.”

“With respect, Captain, I don’t care,” Flash replied coolly, looking back up at him. He opened up the case file, pulled out a photograph and held it up.

The picture showed the body of a unicorn mare sprawled back in a chair. Her pristine pink coat was stained with dark red blood, which had pooled around the six bullet holes in her chest. Her head was slumped and her eyes closed, her leaf green mane shading her face, which was marked with age lines, particularly around her mouth. She was turned slightly to the side, revealing her cutie mark: a pair of white roses imposed on a red heart.

“That’s my mother lying dead there,” Flash said. “And judging by how thin this folder is, you’re not doing much to solve it, so I—”

“Flash,” Phillip interrupted, putting a hoof on Flash’s shoulder. Flash stopped, swallowing. “Right. I’m sorry, Captain, I—”

“I understand,” Cornerstone said, nodding. “However, you also need to understand why I can’t just let you take the files and start investigating on your own.”

Flash looked up at Cornerstone, his lips thinning. Twilight looked between the two stallions, then stepped forward. “Captain, I am Princess Twilight Sparkle. I have reason to believe that this case may have bearing on Equestrian security. I am requesting that you cooperate with me and my Guard on this case.”

Cornerstone looked down at Twilight for several seconds, then slowly nodded. “I see.” He turned to Snake Eyes. “Sergeant, make some photocopies of these files and give them to Sergeant Sentry.”

“Yes, sir,” Snake Eyes saluted. Taking the folder from Flash, he trotted over to a photocopier in the corner of the room.

Cornerstone turned to Flash. “So you’re really Rose’s son?”

“Yes, sir,” Flash nodded.

Cornerstone sighed heavily. “I knew Rose. She was a vital part of this community, especially in the past couple of years. She was one of the leaders in trying to stand against the Nightmare Snakes.”

“The Nightmare Snakes?” Spike asked.

“The largest of several street gangs,” Cornerstone explained. “They’ve become particularly powerful within two years; they’re currently fighting with their main rival, the Pony Enemy Number One. Because of them, Duke Blueblood—”

“Blueblood?” Phillip cut in.

“You didn’t know?” Flash asked. “Blueblood is the head of Fillydelphia; he inherited the position when I was born.”

“Yes, and recently, he started diverting funds away from public services to pad the City Guard budget,” Cornerstone continued. “He gave us upgraded armor and equipment, built a new prison, and passed stricter laws on drugs and gang activity.”

“And has it worked?” Twilight asked.

Cornerstone did not answer for a moment. “It’s an ongoing struggle,” he finally stated. “White Rose was cooperating with us on providing information about the gang activities. I had met with her several times. If I had been with her that night…” He paused, closing his eyes and sighing deeply.

“We will find the pony who killed her, Sergeant,” he said softly. “With your help.”

At that moment, Snake Eyes ran back up, holding a collection of photocopied files and photographs. “Here, Flash,” he said, handing the stack of papers to him.

“Now, I wish I could take the time to discuss this with you, but everypony here is very busy,” Cornerstone said. “We will contact you later.”

“I’ll show you out,” Snake Eyes offered.

“Thanks, Snake,” Flash said. He shook hooves with Captain Cornerstone once more. “Thank you for your cooperation, Captain.”

“I look forward to working with all of you,” Cornerstone stated, nodding to the group as they departed.

Snake Eyes gave Flash a small sideways smile as they headed back up the hallway. “You know what this reminds me of? Remember when we were kids and we set up that amateur detective agency?”

Flash chuckled. “And we handled cases like the missing blueberry pie...which I’m still sure you’re responsible for.”

“You can’t prove it in a court of law!” Snake Eyes replied in mock offense, grinning as he pushed the door to the foyer open. However, as the door swung shut, he glanced behind him, the smile vanishing from his face.

“Guys, listen,” he said softly. “You need to be careful.”

“We’ve handled worse than gangs before,” Flash replied.

“It’s not just the gangs,” Snake said. “It’s the Guard.” He glanced up at the door. “You saw that prisoner’s face. There’s a reason that the citizens don’t trust us anymore.”

“But they should,” Spike said in obvious confusion. “The City Guard’s supposed to protect ponies, right?”

Snake Eyes sighed. “Supposed to, yes.” He paused suddenly, reaching a hoof up to the earpiece in his right ear with a frown. “I’ve gotta go. Stay safe, guys.” Turning, he pushed back through the doors. Flash watched him go, his mouth hanging open for a moment, then turned and slowly exited the building. Twilight, Spike and Phillip followed as he trotted down the sidewalk, his hooves seemingly carrying him forward of their own accord.

They trotted down the cracked sidewalk, past convenience stores where loiterers catcalled Twilight and condos with peeling paint, until they reached a small park. The tiny patch of trees, grass and wilting flowers was unpopulated; litter covered the stone pathway, blowing past in the wind. Flash walked over to an old, rotting bench and sat down upon it, staring straight ahead.

“Flash, are you alright?” Twilight asked, sitting down next to him. Spike sat on Flash’s other side; Phillip stood next to the bench.

Flash blinked, still holding the photocopies beneath his wing. “I haven’t been back here in years,” he said softly. “I’ve got so many memories of this place. Even this park…” He gestured around at the trees. “I used to come here to play with Snake Eyes and my other friends all the time. Mom would bring me here for walks; sometimes when it was warm and she had an extra bit, she’d buy me an ice cream.” A small smile spread across his face at the memory, but quickly vanished.

“Do you have any other family here?” Spike asked.

“Nope,” Flash shook his head. “Only child of an only child of only children.”

“What about your dad?”

Flash’s eyes narrowed and his jaw tightened in fury. “I don’t have a father,” he growled. “I had an abusive, good-for-nothing bully who liked to hit mom when he was drunk...which was all the time. He abandoned her when he found she was pregnant with me.” He took in a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. “He died before I was born. It was the drink that killed him.”

“He died from alcohol poisoning?” Twilight asked.

“No, he was run over by a cider carriage,” Flash explained. He sighed and fell back against the chair.

“When Snake Eyes and I graduated high school and went to college, we both decided we wanted to be in the Guard,” he said. “I wanted adventure, rescuing princesses, all that jazz. But he...he just wanted to stay here, try to fix things. He wanted to save this city.” He looked around at the littered park, despondently kicking an empty soda can. “And now I come back here...and it’s all gotten worse.”

Twilight put a wing around Flash reassuringly. “It’s going to be okay, Flash. We can change things.”

“How?” Flash burst out. “Fillydelphia has been like this since before either of us was born, and it’s only gotten worse! How can anypony fix this?”

Twilight silently stared at him, uncertainty plainly scrawled across her face. Flash sighed heavily, lowering his face onto his hooves. Phillip and Spike hovered beside them, both of them unable to conjure the words to say.

A moment later, the moment was interrupted by a melodious voice, crooning a hymn in a tone borne to them on the late fall winds:

”Wade in the water…
Wade in the water, children,
Wade in the water…
God’s gonna trouble the water.”

Everypony turned to look up at the singing pony walking up the pathway. She was an elderly unicorn mare, her grandmotherly face marked with soft age wrinkles. Her coat was sunshine yellow, and her gray mane was drawn up in a short bun. Her cutie mark was a dandelion flower with a music note. Dangling from her neck was a silver pendant of an open book with a shepherd’s staff.

“Pastor?” Flash asked in surprise, rising from the bench.

The mare smiled warmly at Flash. “Flash Sentry. I always knew you’d be back one day.”

Flash smiled and dashed over to the mare, giving her a warm hug. “Good to see you, Pastor.” He turned to the others. “Guys, this is Pastor Joyful Sound.”

“Good to meet all of you,” Joyful said, shaking hooves with everypony as Flash introduced them. She turned to Flash with a look of concern. “You’re here because of your mother.”

The elation instantly vanished from Flash’s face. He nodded silently.

“Well, dear, we’re having the service for her in a week. Where are you staying?”

Flash blinked and looked at Twilight. “Well, we, uh…”

Joyful Sound smiled and shook her head. “Still the same. Well, come on, you can’t stay out here in the cold. You’ll stay with me in the church.”

“Oh, no, Pastor, we couldn’t—” Twilight protested.

“Child, I insist,” Joyful interrupted. “You won’t be a burden, not in the slightest.”

Flash gave Twilight a meaningful look. “She’s not going to give up, Twi. We’d better go with her.”

Twilight looked at Flash, then smiled at Joyful Sound. “Well, then I guess we’re staying at the church.”

“Come with me,” Joyful smiled, leading them out of the park. “I’ve got some fresh cobs of corn waiting for us.”

Author's Notes:

Well within a week, we have the next chapter of the story.

Welcome to Fillydelphia, a city of corruption and despair, where the only thing separating the City Guards from the gangs is that one of them wears armor. What can four friends do to change this situation?