I felt like years since I’ve last been here, but in reality it’s only been a few years. Nothing had hardly changed, the streets were still littered with ponies of all different shapes, colors, and races, I could never figure out how somepony would choose to live here, and the air had that same smell to it, the kind of smell that wasn’t really bad, but it was far from being pleasant. As we all walked the streets trying to avoid as much contact with anypony else, I could see it, the Phoenix Corps. building staring back at me, casting its shadow over everything else. I know there would be no way of attacking them head on, especially with my ammo and crossbow bolts as low as it is, I needed to find shelter and I needed a plan. There are several hotels and motels scattered around Manehattan, and I’m sure I could find one that was nice, yet still under the radar. Come to think of it, I know of the perfect one, “The Come and Stay” I knew the owner, even did some errands for him in the past, I he could probably get us a good room and keep us hidden.

I lead Twilight and Jet down the streets of Manehattan, I know my way around the city pretty well, but firsts thing first, I needed a drink. I was able to find the bar I alway visited when I was in town, before or after a mission or job, The sign read “The McManus Brothers Pub” and I headed inside.

“Where the hay are we?” Twilight asked. “I thought you were finding us a hotel.”

“I am.” I replied. “But first I need something to drink.”

“What!” She yelled. “That’s a terrible idea!”

“Hay, I worked better when I’m drunk.” I said.

“Oh, Just like the time you got your leg broken!” she said.

“That was different. Come on Jet, what’s your poison?” I asked.

“Um…. What?” Jet asked in confusion.

I sighed. “What do you want to drink?”

He answered. “I’ll just take a cola or something, If that’s okay that is.”

“A cola it is.” I said.

I walked up to the bartender as Twilight gave me a dirty look, and ordered myself a glass of Scotch over ice and a cola for Jet. Jet took a seat next to me up at the bar and started sipping at his drink, I then took mine and did the same, the bitter liquid entered my mouth and I swallowed it, and let a bit of a sigh of relief. Ather a bit I came to my senses, What the hell was I doing! Alcohol is what pretty much got us all here in the first place. I pushed my glass to the side and laid down the Bits to pay for our drinks.

“Come on we should get out of here.” I said.

Jet took his can of cola while I left my behind, and we headed back outside, Twilight was still outside looking upset at the decision.

“What happened to getting a drink?’ she said sarcastically.

“I realized how bad of an idea it was when we’re trying to lay low, so I stopped. So I think it’s best just to get a room and call it a night.” I said.

“Well good, I like you just the way you are, you don’t need Alcohol.” She said and smiled.      

We all left the bar and slowly made our way across the city, I felt bad making them walk this far of a distance, but I really didn’t want us to take a cab or anything where we could be easily tracked, so we keep to the alleys and less busy roads. I could tell they were both getting pretty tired, which hopefully they could both just hang on a bit longer, we were almost there. As we all pressed on I noticed Jet had stopped at a wall, just staring at it.

“You okay?” I yelled to him.

He continued to stand there staring for a while before he responded “Um…. Sorry it’s nothing.”

He moved away from the wall and I saw what he was looking at, it was a poster for the band Fall Out Colt. Jet noticed me staring at the poster and said. “What? There my favorite band and they’re playing in Ponyville soon.”

I looked at him and just shrugged it off. It started to get dark out and even now I was starting to feel tired, my body grow heavy but I pushed myself to continue on, I needed to stay strong, I needed to show leadership for Twilight and for Jet. After about another 20 minutes of continuous walking, we reached the “Come and Stay” hotel, it was a lot more run down then I remember, and a bit less than half of the neon light on the sign were burnt out.

We entered through the front door and there to greet us was Cosmic Wonder, called Cosmo, or Cos for short, he was the owner and a bit a friend to me. He ran this hotel on the side, but his real talent was stage magic, He once had me take out some ponies that were dealing around his hotel and hurting his business.

“Ace! How the Hell are ya!” Cos said in excitement.

“I’m good Cos” I said. “Hey can we get your best Suite? I’ve got plenty of Bits.”

"Oh, I know the drill you pay me well and no questions asked, Right?" he asked.

"Yeah, you know me all too well Cos." I said.

"well you're just in luck, my best room just opened up" he said.

"Thanks, you're too kind to me." I said.

"Hay what can I, you've done me well in the past, it helps make us even." he said "now here's your key cards, the room is on top floor room 412."

"I took the key cards and said "Thanks" I handed one key card to Twilight and one to Jet and they headed up to the room while I stayed behind to pay.

Cos took my bits and asked “hey, who the new piece of tail you got there? she looks fine.”

“That’s Just Twilight, she’s a new friend of mine, we met under odd circumstances…” I said.

“I see there Romeo, I won’t anymore questions.” he said with a wink.

With my key in hoof I headed to the elevators, but first I stopped at the vending machines. I was getting hungry and I’m sure Twilight and Jet were to. I put about 20 bits into the machines and got a few bags of chips, some candy, and a soda for each of us. I got into the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor, and the elevator sprung to life, propelling me up to the fourth floor. the elevator doors opened leading out into a long hallway littered with rooms every couple steps, I walked down the hall looking for my room, there it was room 412. Using my key card I swiped it in the slot next to the door and the light went green showing it was unlocked, and I opened the door. The room was smaller than what you would expect from a suite, It only had one king sized bed and a fairly big couch, also there was a 30 or so inch TV and some paintings scattered across the room giving it the at home feeling. In the room as expected were Twilight and Jet, Twilight was watching the TV while sitting on the bed and Jet was watching it from the couch.

“here, I brought some snacks” I said and laid them on the desk next to the TV.

It didn’t take long for Jet to get up and grab a bag and sit back down on his couch. “Thanks.” he said.

After a bit of hesitation Twilight got up and grabbed her bag and went back to sitting down on the bed, with my soda and took my seat on the bed next to Twilight. “Now we should try to get some sleep, I think we all need some, we’ve all had a long day.” I said.

“Yeah I agree, I’m really tried to.” said Twilight.

I let them finish eating their snacks and went over and switched off all the lights leaving the TV on, but turn down the volume. I go over the the couch and give Jet one of the blankets and pillow from the bed, then I take my place in the bed next to Twilight. She proceeded to snuggle up close to me and whisper in my ear. “I think I love you, good night.”

“I think I love you” the word echoed in my head over and over again, It stuck with me for about an hour until I fell asleep, next to the mare I loved too.