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Refugee
Apr 6, 2014 13:26:37 GMT -5
Post by King Tidal Wave on Apr 6, 2014 13:26:37 GMT -5
Palette shrugged. "I suppose I wouldn't mind having my name in the paper. So long as you don't make me look bad," the unicorn teased.
"And if you include her name, you'd better include mine as well," Bluebell added. "And don't worry about being new in the city. Took us a while to get acclimated as well. Manehattan's a very different place."
"As far as your question goes, I think Manehattan has a police force or something. But the Rainlocks are the ones really in charge," Palette spoke.
"And it was like that when we first arrived here, at the start of the invasion," said Bluebell. "Not sure what it was like before then. I think the police force is still around, but as far as I know they take orders from Rainlock."
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Spring Tide
Disciple Pony
Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am, but that's beside the point!
Posts: 56
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Refugee
Apr 13, 2014 14:52:00 GMT -5
Post by Spring Tide on Apr 13, 2014 14:52:00 GMT -5
Another question, another bullet point in the notepad. - Original Manehatten PD under Rainlock PMC command.
Interesting, that Rainlock controlled the Police department, thought Spring Tide. Her people decided what was investigated and what was covered up. Law was effectively molded by the Rainlock commanders, and the ponies who originally had a say, the mayor and city council, the other well to-do-ponies who could influence things with money and politics were effectively cut out of the process. It wasn't very hard to see why some people were upset. Spring Tide could practically smell the conspiracy. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised to find that certain upset ponies were planning ways to recover from their losses, their anger directed towards Lady Rainlock in an uncharacteristic alliance against their common foe. "I only have a few more questions. First, would you happen to know which street was robbed by the Gray Shadow a few months ago, and be able to give me directions? Second, I would like to ask where I might be able to contact either of you, in case I have more questions."
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Refugee
Apr 14, 2014 22:12:18 GMT -5
Post by King Tidal Wave on Apr 14, 2014 22:12:18 GMT -5
"One of them was the department store on Starlit Square, wasn't it?" Palette said, turning to Bluebell.
"I think so... The whole thing with the Grey Shadow robbing those stores must've been a year ago. Long before the Invasion started, and before we ended up here for that matter. Regardless, we're actually living in the apartment building next door. Number 204. We come down here because it's a convenient place to get breakfast."
"Feel free to stop by," Palette spoke. "It's so nice to have company over, especially having lived here for such a short time."
"And good luck on your story," added Bluebell. "Let us know when it's in the papers. We'll be sure to read it."
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Spring Tide
Disciple Pony
Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am, but that's beside the point!
Posts: 56
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Refugee
Apr 18, 2014 12:42:33 GMT -5
Post by Spring Tide on Apr 18, 2014 12:42:33 GMT -5
A whole year ago? Skid had said that the Gray Shadow had been infrequently active since that time, but the first thing he had done was a multiple store heist? No, it was the first significant thing he had done. It was possible that the Shadow had been a small time criminal originally, but something had boosted his confidence. Perhaps an alliance with a powerful pony in Manehatten? Nopony would pull a heist like that unless they had some insurance that they would succeed and avoid capture.
Spring Tide wrote down Starlit Square in his notepad and circled it, as well as his new acquaintances' names and room number. He smiled at Bluebell, and then at Palette.
"Thank you very much for the information. I look forward to speaking to both of you again." Spring Tide turned away from the two mares and trotted to a table on the far side of the room.
The next thing that needed to be done was to plan the next step. A store at Starlit Square had been robbed by the Gray Shadow. Even though it had occurred over a year ago and all physical evidence would have been cleaned up and destroyed, it was still possible that an employee might remember the events of that night. So the next step would be to head there and investigate. It might be a good idea to invest in a map of the city to help facilitate travel. It would also be a good idea to check the time. Spring Time glanced around the common room for a clock. Then he stashed away his writing materials and headed out the door in search of a newspaper stand from which he could purchase a map.
The reporter chuckled to himself. He was glad to finally have a mission, a purpose after idling away in this city. Manehatten wasn't the ideal locale for adventure in Tide's opinion, so populated and separated from nature, but it was new and different and he felt that one could find excitement in such a place. After all, with a goal so noble as tracking down a notorious villain and bringing him to justice, how could a stallion not find a sense of righteousness in his actions?
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Post by King Tidal Wave on May 8, 2014 0:25:47 GMT -5
It was still mid-morning when Spring Tide left the inn, giving him plenty more time to gather his facts and get a story together.
There was indeed a newspaper stand a few blocks down from the building. But more blatantly obvious was a pony selling maps only a few feet down. "Maps! Get your maps here!" The pony had a cart full of neatly organized stacks, and was busy trying to get the attention of passerby by waving his merchandise in their faces. "2 bits apiece! I've got maps of Manehattan, maps of Equestria; maps of the stars' homes and maps of the public transport routes. Get your maps here, folks: 2 bits apiece."
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Spring Tide
Disciple Pony
Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am, but that's beside the point!
Posts: 56
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Refugee
May 14, 2014 23:46:59 GMT -5
Post by Spring Tide on May 14, 2014 23:46:59 GMT -5
It seemed that any item could be found in a large city such as Manehatten, so long as a pony had money. Luckily, Spring Tide did have money, so he purchased a map of Equestria as well as a map of Manehatten, the public transport routes and of the homes of celebrities. He had neglected to buy one when he had set off from home several years ago, but that was because he hadn't known where he wanted to go. He had regretted not acquiring one back then, and felt much more secure that he could achieve his goal with such a tool in hoof.
Tide sat on a bench and looked over his maps. The first thing he tried to ascertain was his current location. Once he found his starting point, he sought out Starlit Square. He made sure to note where the nearest police station was, (they had more than one!?) in case he needed to interview someone there, as well as Rainlock manor. Next he looked over his public transit map and found the quickest route to the Starlit Square. The main mode of transportation on the streets of such a vast city seemed to be carriages. There were plenty of wagons with cargo going up and down the streets carrying goods to the various businesses throughout the city from the harbor. Ponies would ride in carriages up and down the streets, walk the sidewalks, fly through the air.
It never ceased to astound Spring Tide just how densely populated Manehatten was. Enormous skyscraping towers rose all over the place making the city streets feel like canyons. Not only the number but the sheer variety of people going about their business. Ponies of all races, griffins, even a few zebras could be seen amongst the crowd. The hoof traffic moved like the sea, constantly ebbing and flowing and sweeping up debris and flooding buildings. Tide took a deep breath, held it in, and then slowly released it. Growing up in Canterlot had allowed him to become used to carriages, wagons and plenty of folks traveling around day to day. There was an enormous difference between a medium sized city centered around a castle populated primarily by unicorns and an enormous cosmopolitan area inhabited by every creature under the sun and then some. Not to mention the fact that Tide had spent a fair amount of time away from civilization traveling the wilderness and in little hamlets helping folks with mundane problems. It was easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer scale of it all. Breathing exercises helped when the hyperventilating started.
Tide noticed a sign that marked a carriage stop, and he proceeded to wait near it amongst a half dozen other ponies.
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Refugee
Jun 2, 2014 23:28:20 GMT -5
Post by King Tidal Wave on Jun 2, 2014 23:28:20 GMT -5
Looking on his map of the city, Spring Tide could see quite a number of buildings all throughout Starlit Square. Hotels, restaurants, theaters, a wax museum; but the most common building was stores. And the biggest of them all was a department store: Bridledale's. There was no mistaking that this was the one Palette and Bluebell were referring to.
There could likely be cops found scattered about Starlit Square, but the nearest police station seemed to be several blocks further away from the square itself. If Spring Tide wanted to get the police force's side of the Grey Shadow incident, he'd have to decide for himself the best strategy to take.
Several carriages came and went, picking up other eager passengers, before Spring Tide was finally able to secure one for himself. The pony pulling it was a stone-faced mare with a curly mane sitting under her yellow cap. She was silent as the unicorn hopped into the carriage, waiting for him to give his destination.
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Spring Tide
Disciple Pony
Not all who wander are lost. Well, I am, but that's beside the point!
Posts: 56
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Refugee
Jun 29, 2014 2:33:26 GMT -5
Post by Spring Tide on Jun 29, 2014 2:33:26 GMT -5
The map revealed many things that peaked the young reporter's interest. Starlit Square was not just a shopping center; It was an entertainment super-complex. Everything a pony could want was available at Starlit Square. 5-star hotels for the rich tourists, fancy restaurants with food from every corner of the world. Theaters were playing the latest plays and performances, many of which sold out. A wax museum stood as a prominent attraction. It advertised its lifelike replicas of Equestrian heroes like Starswirl the Bearded and the Sky Titan. Spring Tide made note of the wax museum as it seemed to him a fun place to explore, perhaps with his new acquatintances.
The most numerous of the attractions on Starlit Square were the stores. Manehatten was probably the last place in Equestria left (short of Canterlot) where somepony could find stores with luxury goods. Its large port constantly fueled it with new goods keeping the economy afloat. Hopefully that wouldn't change anytime soon. The largest store in the area was a department store called Bridledale's. Considering the size of it, Bridledale's seemed worth investigating for information on the Gray Shadow's break ins.
The plan that Spring Tide formulated in his mind was simple. Get to Bridledale's and find someone who was present during the robberies. Depending on what information he could find there, he would then decide whom to interview next. Tide climbed into the wagon and noticed his driver awaiting him to tell her his destination. "Would you take me to Starlit Square, please?"
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Refugee
Jul 5, 2014 13:59:46 GMT -5
Post by King Tidal Wave on Jul 5, 2014 13:59:46 GMT -5
"Starlit Square," the mare repeated, pulling the carriage from the curb into the Manehattan streets.
They soon arrived at Starlit Square, the mare collecting her bits and bringing the carriage to another pony in look of transportation. The square itself was a sight to behold. The sidewalks were packed much tighter, with far more ponies here hustling about as they moved between the various stores, hotels, and attractions. Bridledale's was within sight, as was the wax museum, restaurants, and more.
Spring Tide had a strategy. Now it was just a matter of putting it to action. He'd find someone working at Bridledale's who had been working the day of the shadow's heist and find out what they knew. Surely he would be able to gain some useful information for getting his story off on the right hoof.
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