Don't Hide, Little Mouse

~~~OC: Suspicious Package~~~

The stallion unveiled and opened the metal suitcase, revealing five small flintlock pistols kept in place by specialized padding. One of his more common sale items. After all, it wasn't too easy to get such a weapon on your own, so what do you do? You find Package.

The other pony simply looked over them with a frown.

"There you go, and five times twenty makes a hundred bits."

"Make it 10 per."

"We just agreed on twenty per."

"Well, I thought you'd have more."

"I could get more for you later, but it's twenty per."

"You said fifteen per?"

Package shook his head with a grin. "I gotta make a living here, Jack."

The stallion then glanced over at the entrance of the alley, and frowned when he saw a figure wearing a very familiar set of armor. Well, shoot. Always something. The Pegasus made two clicking sounds with his tongue to get his client's attention, and then spoke again.

"Hey, guardpony. Take this and git." He closed the suitcase and thrust it towards the other stallion.

"Me? You take it. Why me?"

"Because you're the one with the suit. Now git. Meet you at Thrasher's in an hour with my payment."

The pony took the case with a shake of his head, and started to walk towards the alleyway's entrance. "I swear I'm gonna kill you one day, Rex."

"No you won't, 'cause then you won't have anyone to supply your mafia."

"I can find someone else."

"Sure you can." Package watched as Jack exited the alleyway, already feeling better without having his merchandise in his possession. He stayed where he was for a little while longer, planning to exit a minute or so after his client had left simply to ensure that he wouldn't run into the same guard.

The sound of cool metal clicking together made the sensitive ears of the unicorn prick forwards, and the sound of quickly retreating hooves made her heart start to pound with excitement.

Mm, the mouse makes its escape, she thought, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth. What luck.


With quiet movements, silent as a hawk's dive, Erika made her way in the general direction of the sounds, trusting instinct to lead her in the right direction. 

Thrown into the light, one could see that Erika was not clothed in the same golden armor as most of the guard. Part of it had to do with her physique, being much slimmer and smaller inn the shoulder as her male counterparts, but the other part had to do with rank. Erika was part of a special division of the guard, one that specialized solely in the apprehension of wanted criminals and other major offenders. It was why her training had been so intensive and why nopony in the forces dared to tease her to her face; the mare had graduated at age 21, five years younger than an initiate, and had proven so far to be the best on the field.

A minute or so of waiting and Package decided that the delay between the two ponies was good enough. The stallion would have waited longer on any other day, just in case, but with nothing to do he got bored rather quickly. So the Pegasus followed in the steps of his client, exiting the alleyway and taking a look around. Aside from the normal homeless ponies and ragged kids, Package noticed the same armored figure from a short while ago, who was now a few blocks away and no longer a threat. Jack was nowhere to be seen.

With no other guards in sight, Package adjusted his wings and then turned to walk down the street, in the direction opposite the one that the guard had taken. He still had one more meeting to attend in half an hour before he could rendezvous with Jack at Thrasher's, a regular client who had gotten hooked on Red Rose. The Pegasus was never one to support drug use, but if someone wanted it, then he wouldn't be the one to stop them.

Erika stopped in her tracks for a moment. On a whim, she pulled her dagger out of its sheath and held it in the air with her levitation. It was always good to be prepared, and if somepony attacked, she could genuinely say that she cared in self defense. The lies far outnumbered the truth, and she didn't think Captain would be too happy to find out that she had made the first move in many of her chases.

Erika scrutinized the stallion in the distance. Much as he tried to  hide it, he kept glancing around, evading somepony, maybe... was that somepony herself?

A grin stretched across her face as she made her way towards the retreating pegasus. If he made even the slightest indication of running, then oh, was she in luck.

As Package was looking around casually, he noticed something out of the ordinary. There was definitely a mare with a knife out a bit of ways behind him, and, he wasn't sure if it was just him or if he was in real trouble, but she seemed to be watching him, following him. There were two types of ponies that would try something like that: low-class muggers that were new to the Manehattan scene and therefore hadn't heard of him yet or undercover guards or bounty hunters. One was annoying, one was really annoying.

The Pegasus adjusted his wings again, and observed the area in front of him. Next crossroads 25 meters away. Alley to the left 10 meters away, alley on the other side of the street 1 meter forward. Apartments, bar, two restaurants, warehouse. Hmm. If their a mugger they'll get bored and stop following me, if their really after me then I need to lose them before bad things happen. Let's see... Still walking forward at his normal pace, Package took a few moments to think about what would be the best thing for him to do right then and there.

Eventually, he had reached the crossroads that he had taken note of earlier, and by then he knew that the tail was the worse of two evils. Package turned to his left and quickened his pace to reach the entrance of a restaurant that was just around the corner. He went inside before his tail could have caught up with him and took a seat nearer to a large window without a word to the cashier. Let's see what you do...

He adjusted his wings again.

Hmm. An expert, she noted, in the field of evading petty muggers and the run-of the-mill guards. She'd have to take a different tactic, then.

Erika replaced the dagger and shifted her bow further back, to give her more room to walk, as she blew her forelock out of her eyes and entered the restaurant on her own.

The eyes of the host almost bugged out of his head as he rushed over.

"Ms. Darknight," he said, flustered, "we didn't expect any of you until next week. I'm so sorry, but we're unprepared for your inspection, and-"

"Save your breath," she interrupted. "It sounds like you have something to hide, Emerald, if you don't want us to see it yet..."

His eyes widened in fear as he shook his head wildly.

"... but let's forget this happened, okay?" she said, a smile twitching at the corners of her mouth. "I'm investigating a potential perpetrator, and all I ask is that you grant me permission to take a seat over there."

She pointed with her eyes to the seat across from the pegasus. Breathing a sigh of relief, the host nodded, and Erika took her seat, smiling prettily at the stallion.

She was not unsightly, if her eyes didn't scare a pony away at first sight. Colterean features were apparent on her face and in her mane, giving her a rather exotic beauty. The way her armor shaped around her body couldn't possibly harm, as well.

Erika pulled off her bow and hung it off of the side of her chair.

"You seemed a bit worried out there," she said, avoiding eye contact. That usually made ponies freeze up, and she didn't want that. "I came in to see if you were alright. Wouldn't want anypony to get hurt."

That was an outright lie, but the stallion didnt have to know that.

The following pony, whom Package now saw to be a mare, passed by the window and turned into the establishment's entrance. He was now betting on her being a guard. The mare took a few moments to say something to the restaurant's host, who seemed to be scared to death of her, and then, as he had expected, walked over to the table he had chosen in order to sit down across from him. This close, the Pegasus actually saw her to be quite good-looking, likely not one to be ignored by the average stallion. It was a shame she was most likely bad news for him. She took her bow off of her back and hung it on the side of the chair she had taken, speaking to him once she had done so.

"You seemed a bit worried out there. I came in to see if you were alright. Wouldn't want anypony to get hurt."

A pony in the slums that actually cares for somepony else? That'll be the day. Package gave a casual, friendly smile and replied. "Ah. And here I was thinking that you were out to kill me. Well, it's good to know that there are ponies in this city decent enough to care about a stranger's safety. Thanks for that."

He adjusted his wings again.

The smile Erika gave did not quite reach her eyes.

"Glad to know you're okay," she said. "Though, I was wondering; who were you running from, my dear pegasus?"

She pulled one of her arrows out and gazed at it affectionately, like she would if it was her foal, playing with the feathers on the end and turning her gaze up to the Pegasus now.

Part of Erika's interrogation style was her version of the stare. Ponies froze up when she made eye contact, and she had been known to reduce even the strongest pony to tears, blubbering out a confession and begging to be locked up.

This stare wasn't as intense, but she did hope to squeeze a little of the truth out of him.

"Glad to know you're okay. Though, I was wondering; who were you running from, my dear Pegasus?"

"Well, can't say I'm really sure." The mare pulled out an arrow and began playing with it, gazing at it for a while before shifting her eyes to look at him, making eye contact. Package didn't flinch, his only reaction being that his smile became more of a grin. Intimidation. "Thing is, saw somepony who I was pretty sure was following me, who it was I've got no idea, and I thought it better to be in a public place, like this one, than out on the street. Can't ever be sure of a pony's intent here." I've survived more interrogations than you can even imagine. Just stop now. "Why the interest? You don't often meet ponies who care about anything but themselves in this part of Manehattan."

Erika made a small noise, scoffing at the idea that she could have come off the Manehatten streets. Her ancestry was ancient, but a little something tugged at the corner of her mind. No, Erika. You're even worse. Your own parents didn't want you.

"That's where you have it wrong," she said, shaking off the thought. "I'm from Canterlot. Just doing my job, sir, and my job is to ensure the safety of the ponies of Equestria."

She didn't like this stallion. She didn't like him at all. The way he shrugged off any attempt at evasive interrogation, the cool way he stared at her... this was one at ease with the art of defying the law.

She stroked the dagger on her left hoof almost lovingly, aching for the chance to use it, but preemptive action would certainly warrant heat from her boss. Best to see which way this went.

"That's where you have it wrong. I'm from Canterlot. Just doing my job, sir, and my job is to ensure the safety of the ponies of Equestria."

Package nodded a few times to acknowledge the mare's comment. At least she's not a liar. "Ah. That explains it." The mare began playing with her knife next. "Guess that's where the armor comes in, then." He gestured to the mare's armor with another nod. "Can't say I've ever seen anythin' like that. You night watch or somethin'?"

The Pegasus then raised his hoof slightly to signal a waiter, and soon enough one came. The stallion asked for a simple beer, and then turned back to the mare in front of him. The waiter glanced over at the guard for a moment before leaving to take care of the order.

Erika scoffed again. Night watch. She would never have joined the guard if she was offered such a degrading job as a night watch pony.

"Not at all," she said, smirking. "Though my job isn't really restricted to one time frame or another. I work under both Luna and Celestia, if that's what you were asking. You see, many guards escort the sun princess, or pull the moon's chariot. Some guard ancient artifacts and the palace. Some do routine checks of shady places like this."

She leaned closer. "I'm not any of those. My name, good stallion, is Erika Darknight, the youngest guard in the royal force, and it is not without great efforts that I got out of training five years early."

She sat back and eyed him carefully.

"Most guards want peace and no conflict. You might think I'm strange for saying so, but so does everypony else when I say I live for the chase, the conflict... the occasional violence."

"Not at all. Though my job isn't really restricted to one time frame or another. I work under both Luna and Celestia, if that's what you were asking. You see, many guards escort the sun princess, or pull the moon's chariot. Some guard ancient artifacts and the palace. Some do routine checks of shady places like this." The mare leaned closer, and Package simply kept on nodding to what she was saying. "I'm not any of those. My name, good stallion, is Erika Darknight, the youngest guard in the royal force, and it is not without great efforts that I got out of training five years early. Most guards want peace and no conflict. You might think I'm strange for saying so, but so does everypony else when I say I live for the chase, the conflict... the occasional violence."

Package adjusted his wings slightly. "Ya could've just said you're good at what you do, but hey, it's great to know that we have people like you out there protecting people like us." He gestured to the restaurant and the innocent(-ish) patrons that it contained. "Nice to see a guardpony that's not afraid of actually finding some action. Most crim's around here just blackmail or bribe guards and then go off to lie or steal some more."

He chuckled a bit at the irony of what he had just said, and at that moment the waiter from earlier came back, placing the stallion's drink on the table in front of him before hurrying off to attend to the other customers. If Package didn't know any better, he would think that the pony was simply trying to get away from the table as quickly as he could.

Package took a sip of his newly acquired beer straight from the bottle before speaking again. "By the way, since you've told me your name I think I should return the favor. Mah name's Rex. Good tuh meet'ya." The pony extended a hoof across the table.

Erika shook Rex's hoof, dropping it a little too quickly like a ticking time bomb. 

"Nice to meet you, Rex. It's almost too bad that this part of Manehatten really isn't more active in the way of exciting crime. The Industrial District is definitely a fun place to play tackle tag with cons and crims."

She chuckled, reminiscing. She suddenly snapped out of her reverie and glared at the waiter. When he looked over, she smiled.

"Did you never think to ask me what I wanted?" she asked sweetly. "I'm a busy lady, sir, and a black coffee would be nice. Make it as dark as you can."

With a squeak of acknowledgment, the waiter hurried off.

"Anyways," she said, turning back, "I'm down here to investigate mafia and gang movements. Solving some of those problems make it easier for others to patrol, earning me more bits and more respect in my commander's eyes."

She rolled her crimson eyes, shaking her head. "He's an idiot. Thinks mares are the damsels in distress who need saving. What he doesn't realize is that we haven't had a stallion as a ruler in over a thousand years;  what does that say about mares? The forces tease me about my age and treat me like a foal; some of them end up in wooden boxes six feet under.  I'm out here instead of one of his stallions because I was the last one available."

She gave him a knowing look, sweeping over his figure. "It's why you're in this restaurant, Rex. So, I have to ask you, and, if you answer truthfully, this will be a lot easier and maybe I don't have to do anything to you. Tell me: how far involved into these movements are you?"

"Nice to meet you, Rex. It's almost too bad that this part of Manehatten really isn't more active in the way of exciting crime. The Industrial District is definitely a fun place to play tackle tag with cons and crims." Package nodded once again without losing his smile, and the mare then looked over to the waiter from earlier. "Did you never think to ask me what I wanted? I'm a busy lady, sir, and a black coffee would be nice. Make it as dark as you can."

The pony squeaked once and then left to take care of the order. Package could have sworn that the stallion's color had turned one shade lighter.

The mare turned back to face him. "Anyways, I'm down here to investigate mafia and gang movements. Solving some of those problems make it easier for others to patrol, earning me more bits and more respect in my commander's eyes." She rolled her eyes. "He's an idiot. Thinks mares are the damsels in distress who need saving. What he doesn't realize is that we haven't had a stallion as a ruler in over a thousand years; what does that say about mares? The forces tease me about my age and treat me like a foal; some of them end up in wooden boxes six feet under.  I'm out here instead of one of his stallions because I was the last one available."

Assuming that she's not lying, which I don't think she is, she seems quite ruthless. I'll have to be careful not to annoy her too much. Even if that means eventually talking, better to be in a cell than dead in a dumpster. I can always escape jail, though I'd rather not have a bounty on my head again.

"It's why you're in this restaurant, Rex. So, I have to ask you, and, if you answer truthfully, this will be a lot easier and maybe I don't have to do anything to you. Tell me: how far involved into these movements are you?"

He liked this mare. Unlike all the other guards in Manehattan, she wasn't stupid. She was a guard to actually be a guard, not to be somepony with a suit of fancy armor who just cared about their next payday. He'd probably even go so far as to say that he respected her. But that didn't change the fact that they were enemies by occupation.

Package looked back at the mare with his stupid grin. "What, me? Ah'm just a simple store-owner. I sell my goods to those who need or want them, and that's how I make the living that I need to keep on supporting mahself. And now what would make you assume that ah'm some sort of gangster?"

The stallion took a sip of his beer and adjusted his wings once again.

Erika laughed quietly. It was almost comical, how hard he was trying, and she found it rather funny.

"Rex, dear," she said, grinning, "Don't even try to fool me. I'm a lot smarter than most ponies think."

She looked down at his hooves.

"The smell of cold metal is radiating off of your hooves, but you don't have a briefcase."

She put her chin in her hoof, one brow raised.

"Traveling store owners are rare to find in this part of town. I think you're telling partial truth, Rex, but partial truth is also lying, you see, and I warned you to be honest with me."

The mare laughed slightly, and then returned the stallion's grin with one of her own.

"Rex, dear. Don't even try to fool me. I'm a lot smarter than most ponies think. The smell of cold metal is radiating off of your hooves, but you don't have a briefcase. Traveling store owners are rare to find in this part of town. I think you're telling partial truth, Rex, but partial truth is also lying, you see, and I warned you to be honest with me."

Package's grin simply grew slightly wider as he answered. Rather than thinking of this as the opportunity of attaining freedom or incarceration, as most criminals would, the Pegasus thought of this as a game. A lethal game, but a game nonetheless.

"Don't see why I'd try tuh fool yah. Not like I've got anythin' to hide or somethin'." The stallion paused for a second to take another sip of his beer. "Yeah, I'd be lyin' if ah said that ah haven't touched a suitcase, 'xcuse me, briefcase, in the past day, 'cause I tend to use a suitcase whenever I'm transporting...breakable, goods. An' sure you don't see travelin' storeponies often around here, but I'd be one 'cause it's kinda easier to sell to clients when you're willin' to go to them rather than the other way around. Y'know? Don't you worry, lyin' to or cheatin' a guardpony ain't at the top of mah list of things tuh do."

He adjusted his wings again.

Without warning, Erika slammed her knife into the table, where it quivered, a large crack under where it had struck with the sheer force of the blow.

"Listen," she said darkly. "I like you, and I'd hate, surprisingly, for you to end up on the receiving end of this, but sometimes I can't help myself. You tell me the truth, and I promise you won't go to jail. I understand that a pony has to make a living. I want to catch a true con, and if I have to negotiate to get there, I will do so."

She yanked her knife out of the table, ignoring the huge crack and setting it down.

Without warning, the mare slammed her knife into the surface of the table, forming a large crack where it hit. Package's only reaction was his eyes fluttering over to the knife for a second before his gaze shifted back to Erika's face.

"Listen. I like you, and I'd hate, surprisingly, for you to end up on the receiving end of this, but sometimes I can't help myself. You tell me the truth, and I promise you won't go to jail. I understand that a pony has to make a living. I want to catch a true con, and if I have to negotiate to get there, I will do so."

At that point, Package paused for a second to consider what the mare had just said. His casual smile was still there, but not quite as warm or sincere as it had been before. She could be telling the truth. Could be. But I think she's just ruthless enough to promise me something like that and throw me behind bars anyway. Even if she is telling the truth, she'd still probably do so as soon as she had solid proof on what I do. He wasn't a con, but 80% of contraband in Manehattan could somehow be connected back to him. All it took was a single utter from him. His whole network would be toppled, and reforming it would be nigh impossible. A few moments of silence passed, and the stallion took another sip of his beer.

He was leaning back again. "Well, a 'true con' wouldn't wanna be caught, now would he? You said yah understand that a pony needs tuh make a livin'. All that's nice 'n' dandy, but now let's say I'm the 'true con'. Hay, le's just go all the way an' say ah have a plot going tuh assassinate the Princesses. That assurance would mean nothin' then, right? Jus' somethin' yah said, a memory. And besides, you don't seem like the type of guard to deal with corruption or anythin' similar. Sorry, but tha's not happenin'"

Erika got up and turned to leave.

"Fine. Don't say anything, but I'm a unicorn, and a simple letter to my commander will result in five fully armed stallions busting down the door of this restaurant and take you away, regardless of your innocence or not. I warn you, true interrogation in the urgency that a repeating homicide sequence entails is rigorous, exhausting, and guaranteed to reveal some of your darker secrets."

She leaned in.

"I don't think you want to collapse your whole operation, hmm?"

She turned to walk away, tossing something on the table. It was a gold amulet with Colterean symbols engraved on the surface, gleaming in the light.

"This is my bargain. That necklace contains my identity and my true name. Without it, I am a shell, a phony, a nothing. I promise your freedom and your secrecy, but if it is true that I lie now, you never have to give it back."

The mare got up and turned to begin her leave. However, before she did depart, she spoke once again.

"Fine. Don't say anything, but I'm a unicorn, and a simple letter to my commander will result in five fully armed stallions busting down the door of this restaurant and take you away, regardless of your innocence or not. I warn you, true interrogation in the urgency that a repeating homicide sequence entails is rigorous, exhausting, and guaranteed to reveal some of your darker secrets." She leaned in. "I don't think you want to collapse your whole operation, hmm?"

Package's expression didn't change, though he did acknowledge the mare's words. He'd been interrogated more times than he could remember, though he had only been the victim of a full force military-class interrogation once or twice. He'd held out each time, barely, but a fairly long time ago he had decided that one such interrogation was enough for anypony's lifetime.

The mare turned away once again, tossing a golden amulet onto the table in front of him as she did so. The amulet had some strange foreign symbols on it that the stallion couldn't comprehend, but it did seem rather valuable at first glance.

"This is my bargain. That necklace contains my identity and my true name. Without it, I am a shell, a phony, a nothing. I promise your freedom and your secrecy, but if it is true that I lie now, you never have to give it back."

At that point Package had no idea whether to believe the mare or not. He had just about perfected the art of reading people's goals and thoughts, but conflicting thoughts prevented him from doing so at that moment. Throughout the course of his criminal career, the black marketeer had learned to always assume that guards were lying to him when they wanted something. However, this mare was very different from other guards. Based on her previous actions, Package doubted that she would lie about such an offer, even if it did go against his main philosophy to do so. He usually just went with his gut instinct in such instances, but in this case his gut instinct was repeatedly doubting itself.

She's not from Manehattan, I'm fairly certain of that. That can give me an advantage... It took a few moments, but the Pegasus eventually responded. His smile was gone for the first time, but his expression still did not quite meet the standards for 'serious'. "Tell you what. Ever heard of Gilded Dew, or Suspicious Package?"

Erika stopped, not looking at the stallion but speaking nevertheless.

"Gilded Dew? No. Suspicious Package? Yes. Black market expert. Linked to at least a hundred different crimes by way of stolen or illegal goods found on cons, murderers, rapists... yet still unidentified. There's no bounty on his head... Yet."

She turned and looked at him, a smirk on her face.

"Let's keep it that way, shall we?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Don't worry, Rex. Keep pushing the innocent farmer around others. The files are stored in Canterlot of all crimes in Equestria, so don't fret that someone turned you in."

She sat down as the waiter arrived, bearing a streaming cup of coffee. He set it down and hurried away, not making eye contact with either of the ponies. Erika took a sip of the scalding got drink, not even batting an eye at the burning liquid or the bitter taste.

"So, Rex..." she murmured. "Care to say anything?"

"Gilded Dew? No. Suspicious Package? Yes. Black market expert. Linked to at least a hundred different crimes by way of stolen or illegal goods found on cons, murderers, rapists... yet still unidentified. There's no bounty on his head... Yet."

Damn. Welp, that's out of the question, then. Package nodded once.

The mare turned to him and spoke again.

"Let's keep it that way, shall we? Don't worry, Rex. Keep pushing the innocent farmer around others. The files are stored in Canterlot of all crimes in Equestria, so don't fret that someone turned you in."

The waiter from earlier appeared, setting down a cup of coffee in front of the mare before hurrying off once again, not making eye contact with either of the ponies while doing so. Erika took a sip of her drink, and addressed the stallion once again.

"So, Rex... Care to say anything?"

Alright. Gotta be careful now. Package took a sip of his beer, and then spoke, adjusting his wings slightly while doing so. "Yuh mentioned somethin' 'bout a serial killin', right? Well, ever heard of the Juggalos? If ya have, tha's good, if not, tha's fine too. Anyway, they're one of the gangs here in Manehattan, violent one too." That's not a lie. Too violent in my opinion. "From what ah've heard recently, they're probably involved in these killings. Been buyin' lotsa police- an' even military-class weapons recently, and they've done this kinda stuff before." Also not a lie.

"Anyways, in this case I'd like tuh point out that Package is innocent, 's'hard as it might be tuh believe. 'Parently he's refused tuh deal with'em for one reason or another. Tha's where Gilded Dew comes in." True. "This guy, he's some kinda manager for a freight comp'ny or somthin' like that. Juggalos somehow got him involved, an' now som'a his freight or cargo or whatevs is magically disappearin', that freight bein' mostly weapons, if ya get what ah mean by that. You writin' that down?"

There we go. No lies, not one, and just the right amount of truth. Package took a sip of his drink, still looking straight at the mare with his fairly nonchalant expression. This'll be done by the time I finish my beer.

(I apologize, but I can't get into this rp anymore. Maybe another time?)