Rule of last night: No Rest!

The sentence that describes both of them that night.
Pinkamena even being an elite assassin, couldn't sleep due to the infamous letter she received last day, being out of herself for the last week and half, without her controlled thirst for bloodshed and screams of tortured ones.

Mane on his own way, couldn't sleep either, waiting for the time to run to his partner's room in her aid. Or pretty much, paralyzed by his fear of the dark, nightmares that haunt him and the mysterious letter he received last day, sending goosebumps all around his body.

Somepony knocked at his door and his bloodshot tired eyes looked at It's direction, while his hand was searching for his folding knife in the bed.

"Room service!" Said a voice outside.

"No need. I'm fine, thank you!" Answered Mane.

Steps outside went to Pinkamena's door, and she answered the same thing. And again, the room service went to other occupied rooms away from theirs.
Mane opened the door slowly and peeked. The hall was empty aside from the maid going from door to door in the end of the hall.
He stepped outside, and moments later Pinkamena opened the door and gave a tired step outside. They both looked at each other, and hiding they had a rough night from each other was inevitable.

"Bad night..?" Diane asked in a dragged voice.

"So do you..." Answered Mane in the same tone.

At his hooves in the floor, there was a newspaper curled. Mane picked and a title caught his attention.

"At least that geek survived... I thought I killed him at he time... I hope they don't get a cure or a fraction of the army is coming for us..."

"Anything interesting there..?" Pinkamena asked while scratching her eyes, trying to stay awake.

"Nah... nothing much..."

"Let's get a coffee... we could use one."

"Agreed..."

Both walked inside their rooms and minutes later, both walked out in their clothes.
Mane is his ragged classic jeans, black T-Shirt with one of his bands and their logo and of course, his signature black leather vest covered with patches of bands, symbols and the "forbidden name" stitched in the back.
Pinkamena in her elegant black and pink dress, showing her beautiful but hidden dangerous personality, and a secret small leg belt under her skirt holding her butterfly knife.

They looked at each other and smirked, and they agreed It was a bad idea take the stairs in their current state, so they called the elevator and headed to the cantina, where they almost ended with the whole coffee, leaving the other costumers wishing their worst thoughts on their back.

While walking the streets without knowing what to do, and an eye over their shoulders, fearing that their cover has been broken, especially Mane since the time he received the creepy message, of what could be an icon of a group of a horseshoe with three crystals in the middle, and the words "We Know". He had suspicions about the mysterious pursuer from the other day.

"So... what now?" She asked.

"Argh... I dunno... My head is spinning like a tornado from not sleeping..." Mane complained.

"Oh, so you didn't too?"

"Neither you, you say?"

They stopped and stared at each other, trying to make sense of they what they said and heard.

"What was the reason..?" Mane asked while rubbing one eye from the sunlight hurting It.

"Check It yourself..." And Pinkamena handed the letter to him.

He opened curious and read in a volume only them could hear.

""Tell them anything else and your head gets blow to pieces just like you saw! You were warned, bitch!"" - He read, and he looked at her who was looking to the side in a crying a bit. Mane gently petted her head and she flopped down her hears, allowing him to scratch behind them, which she showed enjoyment and her frown turned into a tiny smile.

"You know... you are cute when you are not opening scums in half..." He commented, and she let out a small giggle. "Are you feeling better..?"

"Yes. Thank you." She turned to him. "So... what was your reason?" She asked.

"Oh, just the fact you were... under pressure. I don't wanted anything to happen to you."

"But, I can defend myself, you know."

"Sorry saying this Pinka, but you seem out of character lately."

"I know, and I apologize. I'm just being a weight in your back."

"No no no! It's fine..."

"It was just that?"

"Um...yeah, It was all." He lied, hiding his letter inside the pocket in his jacket.

They kept walking down the road, and stopped in the town square where the unfortunate event happened. With three guards in lookout by the entrance and an investigation team going inside and outside. Nopony else was permitted in that place. The store was a literally being searched from on corner to another.

"Better not talk with them..." Stated Mane. "The responsible for this could be on watch. I know. We could beat him together but we better keep a low profile around. The Empire's law is very rigorous and they answer to threats in a way an Elite from Canterlot would in combat... with order... to KILL if necessary..."

"They are nice..." She commented.

"Yes. The Crystal Empire and It's citizens are pretty welcoming and sympathetic. But I don't suggest anger one..." He looked at her, as if he was giving a clue.

Pinkamena looked him in the eyes, and she surely got the message from Mane: "DON'T you dare fuck with me."

"Let's keep going." The pink mare suggested.

"Yeah..."

Two hours later, strolling around town and visiting the zone and It's sites of interest in a way of trying to calm down Pinkamena a bit more, they stopped by a small park near the Crystal Palace. The gigantic height of the building showered on Mane with flashbacks which he putted away with control.

The place was relaxing, just like the gentle wind blowing on the trees. Spring arrived sooner to the Empire, and the gardens and parks were colorful with their random mixture of specimen of flowers in all shapes, colors and sizes. And even more with the polished marble pavement reflecting the gardens and the blue sky.

They were the only ones in there and they sat on a green crystal bench. Pinkamena couldn't stop looking around her, blaming all those years she was stuck in her hole they call basement, afraid of the world and It's inhabitants. Hidden from the beauty of the world and what she missed in all those years.

"Hey" Mane bumped her elbow. "Do you have fives bucks?"

"Yeah." Pinkamena opened her new wallet filled with some money she had in reserve, and handed the exact quantity.

"Stay here, I'll be back." And Mane walked away.

She stayed there like instructed, looking at the flowers and bees around them. The trees with birds, and the sky with It's clouds passing by. In an instant, her vision was covered by a wall of pink. At first she thought It was her hair blown by the wind in her face, but a sweet smell came to her nostrils, and there was Mane, holding a stick with cotton candy and a weird smile for the kind of character he is.

"For me?" She asked with a blush and her eyes wide open.

"No, for the birds there. Of course It's for you, silly."

She held the stick, and Mane sat back on his place and started eating a hayburger, full of ketchup.

"I thought you didn't like fast food, Mane."

"Eh... *munch*... sometimes you stop and think, "ah what the hell, why not?""

"Haha! I know right?"

"Enjoy the sugar, candy girl..."

"Flattering. In retribution, you are a real gentleman when you aren't serious like eighty percent of the time..."

"You know. I never had many in my life I could do this with."

"I see... me neither..." - She said, giving a bite in the sweet.

"So, back to the topics... when did you received that letter?"

"After taking a bath. It was laying in the floor by the door. I suppose the guy or someone else shoved It under the door."

"Sorry recalling this, but when you were hold hostage, could you see how the pistol was exactly?"

"Well. I'll give my best." Pinka took a deep breath. "The weapon was shaped like a 'J'. The handle was made out of wood along with a part holding the iron tube."

"...only that..?"

Pinkamena made a gesture as if she was holding a pistol too.
" The guy pulled a trigger under his finger like this..." She pressed with her indicator finger, mimicking a shot. "And for what I could see before a smoke screen happened, a mechanism holding a tiny rock got released, shocked against a iron plate, and in a fraction of a second, a huge explosion happened inside the tube... and then... the poor guy was dead on the floor with part of his head missing..."

"Geez..."

"I know right? Such an easy way to kill..."

"We better get a clue soon enough, but where to begin from?"

"I have a suggestion..."

"What is It?"

"HOW about you give me back the fucking change? I know the total wasn't five bits! I saw the prices too! The hamburguer was two and the cotton candy one and half! " Said Diane in an angry way, reaching her hand towards him.

"You have eyes..." Mane commented while handing back the coins.

Pinkamena started counting the coins, and she stopped dead on her tracks, focused on a half bit copper coin. She picked up and raised It on the air, so the sunlight would hit It, for more visibility. One of the sides showed the image of a horseshoe, crossed by a horn and coming our of the horseshoe, there was a wing.

"What is It this time..?" He asked after the last bite in his food, looking at her by the corner of the eye.

"Mane, explain me this. Why the hell... is there a Ponyville cents coin... that was designed and minted in the last month, doing here that soon and so far away from It's place of origin..?"

Time stopped for a second in their heads, as if both were synchronized. They looked at each other and then at the coin.
Pinkamena just discovered a clue.

"Go ask the vendor! Quick!" Diane shouted.

The unicorn stood up and sprinted to the vendor in the middle of the square in front of the palace's entrance, standing in his trailer selling fast food, drinks and sweets.

"Hey you! I need to ask you something!" Said Mane in a haste.

"Calm down. You want another hayburguer? I know they are deli-"

"No! Look!" Mane showed him the coin. "WHO gave you this coin?"

"A client..."

"Who exactly! Can you describe him?!"

"It was today. He was an earth one, light brown. Wearing grey pants, a blue shirt and a black beret." Said the vendor trying to make sense of the question and what was the hurry.

"Where did he went and when?!"

"Um... he headed that way." The vendor pointed towards the far away zone of the city. "In Jade District's direction."

"Sir! That doesn't help! I'm in a hurry! Where exactly! I need to find this individual!"

"Listen, whoever you are! I don't know you and I don't care! If you want to find somepony around town, visit the police post! Now GO AWAY! You are ruining my business!!!" The vendor grabbed a heavy metal spoon from behind the counter, and waved in the air.

"Do you know how urgent I need to find this guy?!" Screamed Mane on top of his lungs in rage.

"DOES IT LOOK LIKE MY PROBLEM?! You go away now or I'll call the guards!"

"You won't because I won't allow! You are my only hope in finding this individual!!"

"Well, there's no need idiot... look behind you."

Mane Shaker turned around and right by his his arms, two strong guards grabbed him and carried him away from the vendor.
Right in time, Pinkamena emerged from the small crowd watching the scene and ran to him, who was getting scolded by the authorities.

"Sorry miss, but this is between us!" Said one of the guards stopping her from running to Mane.

"No sir. I'm with him..." She replied innocently.

"Hey, dumbass! This girl, friend of yours?" Asked the guard.

"Yea." Mane answered with a groan.

"Next time we see you in this, three nights behind bars! Understood?!"

"Yes, Mister Sir Our Highness Officer..." Mane mocked.

"Miss, you better control your boyfriend next time!" Said the other guard to Pinkamena.

"WHAT?! We are not a couple! I would never..!" Screamed Diane.

"Bah, leave them,we have our duties elsewhere..." And the guards walked away.

Mane and Pinkamena stayed there with everypony looking at them. Both just walked away embarrassed by the scene, and headed back to the hotel with their heads low in silence. They headed up the stairs without a word. Before entering their respective rooms, Mane turned to Diane.

"Hey..." He called.

She just looked at him completely silent and with a emotionless expression.

"Am I that bad..?" He dared to ask.

"You told me countless times about keeping a low profile, but seems you don't know how to put in practice your own lessons, do you..?"

"What do you say then..?"

"You fucked It up..." She said those words in such cold way that made Mane shiver a bit in the back of his head.

She slammed the door of her room in his face, and they didn't speak for the rest of the day...