CRISIS: Equestria - Divergence, Book 2

by GanonFLCL

Chapter Two: Trouble

Six Months Later

Dawn sat at her desk in the early morning, sipping from a cup of coffee as she prepared herself for the day ahead. She'd been looking forward to today for weeks, and so had done everything possible to make sure that it would go perfectly, like she did every morning. She'd gotten a full night's rest after an early bedtime; she'd dressed comfortably, yet professionally, in her best dress suit; she'd had a hearty breakfast of toast with jam, a bowl of cereal and milk, half of a grapefruit, and a cinnamon sugar donut; she'd even taken a long, hot shower.

Yes, today was going to be perfect, as anything she put her mind to tended to be.

For now, though, she still had some pre-meeting business to attend to.

"And you are certain that there will be no accusations of suspicious behavior?" she asked Admiral Hotstreak over their private connection.

"None at all, Miss Dawn, I can assure you of that," he replied with a nod. "You'll have my vote, and nopony will question it once I give my reasoning. Your father was crystal clear with me about how to proceed with this 'war' with Hope's Point, and I have done exactly as asked, and I have been prepared to move in a different direction at any time."

Dawn sipped from her coffee. "I must admit that I could find no records that could clarify what, precisely, my father's plans for Hope's Point were, or what he discussed with you pertaining to said plans. I would appreciate a brief summary of your conversations."

Hotstreak's mustache bristled. "You've surely reviewed the full capabilities of the NPAF fleet, haven't you?"

"I have."

"Then you're aware that if I wanted to, I could crush Hope's Point beneath my hoof within a single day. Our full repertoire is not known to anypony but myself, my most trusted officers, and you and those you decide to share it with." He leaned back in his seat and ran a hoof through his mane. "But your father did not want them destroyed like the others before them. The technologies they've invented interested him, and he felt it more prudent to let them grow."

Dawn tilted her head. "Are you implying that Hope's Point only remains unmolested because my father allowed it?"

"Not entirely, but that is a factor. The new Queen, Blackburn, is a wily one, and thanks to her thorough purge of our agents within the city, I can't even say if they've managed to improve upon their fleet enough to withstand a full-blown war with us. I'll give her credit; she managed to impress your father."

That gave Dawn pause. Anypony that could truly impress her father was somepony worth keeping an eye on, for one reason or another.

"And you are certain that nopony else on the Committee is aware of this information?" she asked.

"Apart from Blutsauger and Champagne, nopony knows the truth, and even they are not as completely as informed as you and I are. They think our numbers are far less than they truly are, so they'll buy it when I explain why I'm voting in favor of ending the war. They won't like it, but they'll buy it."

"Excellent. If you are confident in these proceedings' success, then I am as well. I will see you at the meeting, Admiral."

He gave a brisk salute. "Until then, Miss Dawn."

Dawn ended the video call and leaned back in her seat. Yes, things seemed to be looking to go exactly as planned. She wondered if her father often had this kind of feeling when—

Then, her computer alerted her to an incoming call. Dawn raised an eyebrow when she saw who was calling, so she answered it right away. "Treasurer Vendetta, to what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked.

Vendetta had dressed impeccably in a tight-fitting suit, surely in preparation for the upcoming Committee meeting. He was always well-groomed, but Dawn noted that he seemed to have put some extra effort into his appearance today. She couldn't quite place it. Maybe it was the rose boutonniere? Or maybe it was that the lighting of his conference chamber appeared slightly dimmer, as if only lit by candlelight. How peculiar.

"Miss Dawn, I assure you, the pleasure is all mine," he said with a winning smile. "Might I say that you're looking positively lovely this morning? Is that a new manecut?"

Dawn's hoof briefly went to her mane, which was styled as it always was. "No, I always style my mane in this manner. I last had it trimmed two weeks ago."

"Ah, of course, of course, sei bellissima come sempre, how could I be so foolish as to assume you could alter perfection."

"Well, while I appreciate the compliments, Treasurer—"

"Per favore, mia cara, there is no need for such formality when we are speaking privately. Just 'Vendetta' will do."

"I must insist on retaining a professional atmosphere at all times, Treasurer Vendetta," she said simply. "All conversations over Committee channels, even private conversations such as these, are considered a formal matter as far as I am concerned. I believe that I have mentioned this before?"

His smile faltered slightly, but he swiftly recovered. "Come desideri, mia cara, I remember. But if I am understanding you correctly, you mean to tell me that if we were to conduct a meeting through other channels that there would be less need for professionalism? Such as a meeting outside of the office?"

"I suppose that would be an accurate interpretation, yes."

"Indeed? Well, buono a sapersi—good to know. I shall keep that in mind for the future. Ah, but I'm afraid that it is nearly time for the Committee meeting, yes? I will let you go for now, my dear, but I'll be seeing you soon." And, with a wink, he ended the call.

Dawn shook her head. The Treasurer was an odd one, that much was true. Nopony else on the Committee was so quick with a compliment or a smile, even the three members secretly loyal to her. Not to say that they didn't compliment her or smile, no, but it was always from a purely professional standpoint regarding her brilliant plans and decisions. Only Vendetta ever complimented her appearance. Strange indeed.

Nevertheless, the meeting was starting shortly, and so Dawn pressed the keys necessary to get the conference call open. Within moments, her screen filled with the images of the other Committee members, all of whom looked well-rested for the meeting. Vendetta, she noticed, had better lighting in his chambers now than he had before, and he had removed the boutonniere from his suit. Again, peculiar.

"Members of the New Pandemonium City Committee, welcome. If there are no objections, I would appreciate the opportunity to begin immediately with a proposal that I wished to present before this panel."

There were no objections. There rarely were.

"Excellent. Then let us proceed." She cleared her throat. "My proposal is thus: for decades, our fair city has been at war with the city of Hope's Point at the southern precipice of our northern continent. Despite our military's best efforts, however, we have yet to see substantial positive results, and have squandered resources totalling in the billions of bits."

Vendetta's mouth curled in a little grin. "If you're asking for additional resources to throw at Hope's Point, Miss Dawn, you don't really need to ask. Your predecessor's handling of the situation ensured that we could funnel as many resources as needed into the war."

"I am afraid you misunderstand my proposal," Dawn interjected. "I am not requesting anything regarding the engagement in further hostilities with Hope's Point. On the contrary, I am seeking to bring an end to the conflict once and for all, not through military action, but through diplomacy. Members of the Committee, my proposal is for a cessation of these hostilities with Hope's Point. I wish for peace."

The members of the Committee all started speaking at once, expressions a mixture of disapproval, confusion, and downright anger. She knew that Blutsauger, Hotstreak, and Champagne's reactions had been rehearsed, but they certainly seemed genuine, at least enough to fool the other four members.

After allowing them to try shouting over one another for a minute, however, Dawn interrupted the Committee with a firm "Enough!"

Everypony went quiet.

"Members of the Committee, a proposal has been outlined before you, and it is within our guidelines that it be brought to a vote forthwith. Thus, you each may present a case for or against the proposal, and may cast a vote, 'Aye' or 'Nay'." She turned her attention first towards Secretary Quill, who by the guidelines mentioned always had first privilege for debating. "Secretary Quill, the floor is yours. What say you?"

Quill adjusted his glasses which had fallen askew in his sudden state of shock, then sniffed loudly before speaking. "Miss Dawn, I am of the opinion that this is a terrible idea in every sense of the word. The sheer magnitude of adjustments that will need to be made in a multitude of fields within the city bureaucracy to accommodate a peace agreement with Hope's Point is, well… it's ludicrous, is what it is."

Dawn tilted her head. "How so?"

"Well, for one thing, there are dozens upon dozens of bylaws nested throughout our city's law enforcement guidelines that entail the acquisition of intelligence related to Hope's Point, be it from spies, informants, smugglers, saboteurs, etcetera. Throwing away all those lines in the legislature isn't a quick or easy matter, and I'll need to bring this to the heads of every single bureaucratic system to weed them all out. That will take years, and that's just one aspect of my disapproval."

"So you're voting against this proposal because you're lazy, is that it?" Champagne scoffed.

"If that's how you want to interpret my words, far be it from me to deny you your opinion, Champagne," Quill retorted. "I merely say this because the timeline for a possible peace treaty is so far off that it's likely things may change in the interim and this vote is moot. For all we know, Hope's Point could launch an attack tomorrow, and we'll just vote to go to war again. This is a waste of time."

Dawn hummed. "Hmm. Cast your vote, then, Secretary."

Quill snorted. "Well obviously, my vote is 'Nay'. The sheer amount of pony-hours needed to filter through our entire legal and administrative system will grind the rest of our bureaucracy to a halt, and likely for nothing. There's no reasoning with those pirates."

"One vote for 'Nay' it is." Dawn turned towards Blutsauger. "Doctor Blutsauger, the floor is yours. What say you?"

Blutsauger leaned back in his seat and stroked his chin. "Before the new Queen forcefully removed all of our agents within Hope's Point, they had been delivering many reports on the advancements being made within the city, ja? Particularly the medical fields."

He leaned forward now, a wide smile coming to his face. "There was talk of advancements in cybernetic and bionic technomagic, for instance. Can you imagine it? Ponies with artificial limbs to replace those lost in accidents, or from illness or birth defects, even from malicious attacks. It has taken decades to finish prototyping similar technology, but the ponies of Hope's Point already have it! And it works better than anything we've tried!"

"How does this impact your vote, Doctor?" Dawn asked, doing her best to seem impartial; her purpose was to put forward proposals and mediate, nothing more.

"Well, I figure that if we can't steal it anymore, what with all of Queen Blackburn's security measures, why not share it, ja? Peace between our cities might just lead to a sharing of technological and medical advancements. It can only improve our way of life, as far as I can tell, so I see no reason to deny progress. My vote is 'Aye'."

"Then that is one 'Aye', one 'Nay'," Dawn said with a nod. "Taskmaster Concrete, the floor—"

"I vote 'Nay'," Concrete grunted.

Dawn blinked. "I see. Is there a particular reason why?"

"Yeah: fuck Hope's Point, that's why." Concrete shifted in his seat, like a mound of gelatin. "I've spent forty years of my life being told and seeing evidence for myself that that city is nothing more than a cesspool of the worst sorts of scum, and I haven't seen any evidence otherwise. Just a bunch of deranged pirates obsessed with putting an end to our way of life."

Champagne chuckled. "Haven't you been keeping up with the New Pandemonium Times, Concrete? They've printed several editorials lately that shine new light on Hope's Point's checkered history. I've heard the most recent polls suggest that public opinion is shifting away from that old dogma."

Concrete grunted again, sounding more pig-like every time he did. "First of all, everypony knows by now that those two Tea Bitches are almost guaranteed sympathizers for Hope's Point."

"There has yet to be evidence to suggest that that's actually true," noted Director Underhoof. "My department has been investigating them for years, and all of the connections we've uncovered are purely circumstantial. Not enough to prosecute or arrest them, unfortunately."

"Either that or you and your agency have gone soft on us, Underhoof," retorted Concrete. "So you'll forgive me if I don't give two shits what the New Pandemonium Times has to say about the subject. Just a load of bullshit straight from the horses' mouths. If it were up to me, I'd have had those two silenced ages ago."

"Well, luckily it's not your call," Underhoof snorted.

Dawn took mental note of Concrete's reactions thus far. She'd known that he'd maintained a staunch anti-Hope's Point stance for years, but this was a little much. Even if—no, when—this proposal passed, he might be a thorn in her side. It would be worth keeping tabs on him beyond the usual monitoring.

"Second of all," he continued, "fuck public opinion. Like I give a shit what a bunch of unwashed plebs think about things they don't understand. We're not publicly-elected officials, so we don't have to listen to anything they have to say unless we think it's gonna cause trouble. Opinions might be shifting, but I guarantee you that we'll see riots in the streets from the ponies that don't support the change."

"Very well, Taskmaster, you've said your piece," Dawn said, maintaining a calm tone. "Two 'Nay' votes, one 'Aye. Chairpony Champagne, the floor is yours. What say you?"

Champagne smiled. "I believe it would be in our city's best interest for me to vote 'Aye'. Hope's Point was built where it is because of the abundant natural resources present, from oil and coal to iron and gold, not to mention the proximity to the ocean. Our own resources are drying up, so we'll be forced to expand outward within the next century if we want to prosper, I guarantee it.

"So, the way I see it, we could keep this war going and hope that we can defeat Hope's Point and then take their resources, or, we can establish peace negotiations with them and work out some trade agreements and acquire these materials without the unnecessary loss of life. I don't even think the idea should be up for debate, to be honest. It's just common sense."

"Then that is two votes each for 'Aye' and 'Nay'. Treasurer Vendetta, what say you?"

Vendetta leaned back in his chair, clearly deep in thought as he stared right at Dawn through the monitor. "Before I say anything, I want to know, signorina, is this truly what you want? Peace with Hope's Point?"

"It is. I foresee no other way for our city to prosper into the future by continuing this war, especially if the only motivation to continue is due to outdated misinformation and potentially misguided biases."

"You say that you believe this peace will help us prosper, but I don't think you really have any idea what a disaster this would present to our city's livelihood." Vendetta leaned forward, tapping his hoof on the table. "Do you know what our city's most valuable resource actually is? I'll tell you. It's not oil, or water, or copper, or anything like that.

"It's ponies. Tax-paying ponies. Every decision this Committee makes depends entirely upon funding, whether it's voting on adjustments to the bureaucracy, building a new row of apartments in the Mid Districts, digging for iron near the Redblade Mountains, developing a vaccine for a new strain of hoof rot, researching a new weapon, or investigating all these missing ponies over the past few months. They all require money.

"Now, that money doesn't just come out of nowhere. It comes from the pockets of ponies all over the city, rich and poor, young and old, healthy and sick, male and female." He jabbed his hoof on the table rapidly. "Everypony. Pays. Taxes. Even us."

Dawn grunted. "I believe we are all aware of that fact, Treasurer. What is the intent of this spiel?"

"What do you think will happen when the ponies find out they can freely move down south to Hope's Point because we're at peace? Hmm? Or maybe they'll go further south, to the southern continent? To the 'land of opportunity'? You know what'll happen?"

Champagne rolled her eyes. "I think we get the gist—"

He ignored the interruption. "It means less funding because there are less taxpayers. We can't arbitrarily raise taxes afterwards, because then more ponies will leave. The public will start demanding we increase taxes on the upper class. We can't afford to do that, either, because then they'll leave, and suddenly the city's economy will tank because there aren't a bunch of rich snobs buying things they don't need."

"And if the economy tanks, so does your pocketbook," Champagne said, tapping her own desk. "Don't try to act like you're against this because you care about the taxes or the taxpayers. You care because all the businesses you own will lose customers. This is about your own bank account."

Vendetta chuckled darkly. "And?" He turned his attention back to Dawn. "If you think my motivations are selfish, so be it. But my vote is 'Nay' on this issue regardless of what anypony thinks, because my point still stands."

Dawn nodded. "Very well. Three for 'Nay', two for 'Aye'. Admiral Hotstreak, the floor is yours. What say you?"

Hotstreak bristled his mustache. "The NPAF has been fighting with Hope's Point for decades, that much you all know. I'll be honest in saying that the fight has not been going as well as we'd hoped. We have had exactly one successful attack over the years, but I've come to realize that that one victory ended up hurting us more than it helped.

"With the death of King Stormchaser, his daughter Blackburn became Queen, and she has done more in these past five years and some months to counteract our efforts than her father and grandfather before her did in thirty combined. We've lost every single asset in the field that could provide us with information, as Director Underhoof will no doubt tell you."

Underhoof nodded. "That is correct, all of the CIA agents we had positioned in the city were discovered within weeks of her taking the crown and exiled from the city under threat of death. A mocking gesture, the way I see it. She could've just killed them, but by setting them free with what information they still had, she sent us a message. She's not afraid of us."

"What's more," Hotstreak continued, "the death of Queen Silver Glow in that same attack caused quite a ruckus on the southern continent, for she was a firstborn daughter of the lord of a prominent noble house. It took us twenty years to negotiate trade with the south for real food, and one day to burn that bridge to ash. The prices we pay for goods now are unsustainable."

"If those backwards hicks are causing trouble, I don't see why we don't just take the fleet down there and make them give us what we want," argued Vendetta. "What are they going to do to your ships, Hotstreak? Throw spears and rocks?"

Hotstreak sighed. "A transcontinental war would be unwise. Northern ponies don't know the intricacies of agriculture, so we need the southern ponies to do that for us. They can't do that if they're all dead.

"Not to mention that keeping the ships fueled and armed for such a war would realistically cripple the city's economy. Only Hope's Point has the technology to cross the Belt of Tranquility safely with the majority of their fleet; I can only send the biggest ships, and those aren't cheap to use."

Vendetta scowled. "I'm aware of the costs, Hotstreak."

"Let the Admiral speak, please," interjected Dawn.

"Thank you, Miss Dawn." Hotstreak shook his head. "At any rate, billions of bits have been thrown at Hope's Point in the past five years alone, all to no avail. Public opinion of the NPAF has soured because of our seeming inability to deal with our only enemy. And frankly… I agree with them.

"I believe that it would be in the best interests of the city if we no longer waste resources on a war that we cannot win without such costs. Hope's Point has proven itself a capable rival, and I think I agree with Doctor Blutsauger and Chairpony Champagne that we would stand to benefit from a peaceful relationship. Together, we might even have the resources to settle the rest of the Wasteland and drive out all those damned bugs. My vote is 'Aye'."

Vendetta's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious."

"Do you doubt my reasoning, Vendetta?"

"No… I don't doubt your reasoning, but I question your judgement. I have invested millions in NPAF weapon development, and you're telling me that you want to just… just stop?"

Dawn was certain she saw Hotstreak smirk. "Oh, that's right, I'd almost forgotten that you were one of our biggest investors. A pity."

"So that makes the vote three against three," Dawn said with a nod. "Director Underhoof, it would seem the tie-breaking vote is in your hooves. The floor is yours. What say you?"

Underhoof ran a hoof through her mane. "I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to even need to vote under this kind of pressure. I thought for sure that Hotstreak would be against this… but I see where he's coming from, even if I don't necessarily agree with the sentiment."

"At least you see reason, then," Vendetta huffed.

"Like Concrete, I've been a firm believer that Hope's Point is the enemy for many, many years. I spent the last years of my training as an agent when the war was still relatively new. I trained alongside ponies that infiltrated the city and attempted to sabotage their growth. I still remember when we landed our first big blow against them, by assassinating Stormchaser's wife, Blue Blitz, when he was still just the Prince.

"But… I think that Hotstreak might actually have a point, especially with the situation as it is currently. The NPAF and CIA have spent billions of bits together in efforts to deal with Queen Blackburn's new policies, and have come away with nothing. And given the recent reports of disappearances through some of the Mid Districts, I'm beginning to wonder if it might be better if I had more resources to direct inward."

"Then just ask for more funding," Vendetta said, sounding almost desperate.

"I think it would just be simpler to stop wasting that funding on a cause that isn't going anywhere, to be honest. Cut our losses, make amends." Underhoof shook her head and turned her full attention to Dawn. "I'm not a fan of this proposal of yours at all, Miss Dawn. There is a huge risk involved if Hope's Point decides to take advantage of this, and without ears on the ground there I can't be sure if that's even in the cards. Queen Blackburn likely holds a grudge."

"My proposal will not require a sudden and complete cessation of activity, I assure you," Dawn said. "I acknowledge that it will not be a swift or easy endeavor, either, but if we vote 'Aye' on this issue, then we can begin that process, and discuss together what exactly that will entail."

Underhoof paused a moment, then leaned back in her seat and nodded. "My vote is 'Aye'. Let's see if we can make this happen."

"The 'Ayes' have it, then," Dawn said, resisting the urge to grin. "This Committee has voted in favor of a peace proposal for Hope's Point."

Vendetta threw his hooves in the air and slammed them on his desk. "I don't believe this. Questo è ridicolo!"

"The votes have been cast, Treasurer Vendetta," Dawn said firmly. "This peace proposal will transpire, regardless of your disapproval. I must remind you of Committee guidelines, however, that your cooperation on the approved proposal is a requirement to retain your position. I trust there will be no further outbursts?"

He took a few deep breaths, visibly grinding his teeth together. "No… no more outbursts, signorina."

*****

One Week Later

Curaçao wasn't really sure what to expect when she arrived at the little diner in Mid-South that afternoon, especially since she'd arrived first. She'd dressed for the occasion in attire appropriate for the district, which meant nice but not too nice. She knew Lockwood would be dressed as he always was—it would be concerning if he didn't—but that wouldn't present a problem here where the dress code was more lax. It was a little odd that he was late, actually, considering he had the habit of always being early.

When he did arrive, though, Curaçao had to do a double-take, just to be sure it was him. He was dressed the same, certainly, but he didn't look quite as tidy as usual. A brief examination of his clothes told quite the story, though. The bits of dirt and mud on his jacket and fedora suggested that they'd been on the ground. Likely thrown, actually, and while he was still wearing them, if the little scrapes on his legs were any indication.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," he said as he took his seat across from her. "Been bit of a hectic day."

She nodded. "Oui, I can see that. What happened? Your call sounded urgent."

"Yes, well, it kind of was." He sighed and rested his face in his hooves. "I think 'hectic' is probably selling it short, actually. Today has been… awful. No, terrible."

She pushed her glass of water over to him—she hadn't partaken in any yet—and gestured for him to take it. He did so, taking a big drink before setting it back down and letting out a breath.

"Okay, so… you already can probably guess what's happened," he said, leaning back and running a hoof over his face. "Long story short, though… Vendetta happened."

Curaçao raised an eyebrow. "Treasurer Vendetta?"

He nodded.

She paused for a moment, then sighed and nodded back. "I see. I cannot say this is a total surprise, but it's still unexpected. C'est dommage."

"Huh?"

"I expected a temperamental response from Treasurer Vendetta when Dawn's peace proposal was passed through last week. I did not expect his temper tantrum to trickle down to your level, but, well… here we are, so apparently I misjudged the situation. My apologies; I could've warned you."

He raised an eyebrow. "The peace proposal got passed through?"

"Oui, c'était un succès complet."

"Well, at least something good came from all of this, then. It was worth getting chucked out on the street."

"Nevermind that now. You're not hurt, are you?" she asked, tilting her head to get a good look at him and setting her hoof to his cheek.

"No, nothing serious. Like I said, I just kind of got tossed out of the apartment with all my stuff," he said with a shrug. "Luckily I can fly, right?"

She smirked. "You're taking this awfully well, mon ami."

"Eh, it's not the worst thing I've been through. Physically, anyway. A bit demoralizing, though, to tell the truth. Made me feel like a belligerent drunk at a bar. Only without the screaming."

"So, he kicked you out of Southeast Point, hmm? You've been the landlord there for, what, six years?"

"Give or take, yeah. Had a pretty good run, but I guess I pushed my boundaries a little too hard lately."

She leaned forward, steepling her hooves in front of her. "Tell me exactly what happened."

He removed his hat and set it aside. "Well, to be brief, Vendetta said something about trimming through his investments and finding everything he could that was a potential loss. The apartment complex is generally a good investment… unless somepony happens to have swung through a few loopholes to get six tenants an apartment rent free for a month. Especially when they just up and vanish after the first month's lease."

Curaçao sighed. "You always knew that would get back to you eventually."

"Yeah, but I don't regret it, not one bit. Rarity and her friends were in desperate need, and I was in the perfect position to help. I enjoyed my time with them in any case, and thanks to that I met you and your sisters too. Absolutely worthwhile."

"So, you were no longer a good investment for him, and he cut you out of the picture."

"Basically. I'll count myself lucky that he never figured out just how close I was with Virtuoso, otherwise we might not be having this conversation."

She shook her head. "You treat escaping death like a minor inconvenience. Je suis ébahi."

He shrugged, and took another drink of water. "I assume he's been doing this sort of thing all week, then?"

"Oui, very much so. Havoc is… not pleased. I don't think I could do justice in words to express just how angry she is."

He raised an eyebrow. "Havoc? What does this have to do with… oh. The Mid-East Rockets. Don't tell me he—"

"Dissolved the team entirely, oui," she said, shaking her head. "Metaphorically-speaking, of course. Apparently going undefeated for an entire season isn't good enough for him to keep the investment going, so now they're all off the team and out of work. For now, anyway. I'm sure they'll bounce back."

"He's that shaken up by this peace proposal? I don't get it."

"He has investments all over the city, non? Especially in the NPAF weapons development. If there is to be peace—"

"Then the weapon development is a huge investment loss, and he's just trying to make sure he doesn't lose everything when the market shifts." He chuckled and shook his head. "What a scumbag. I've been waiting to say that for years. It feels good to say it, now that he's not my boss. Scumbag."

She nodded. "Oui, but we have gotten sidetracked. You were fired, oui, I understand, and I sympathize, but I do not understand why you called me so urgently. You do not need money or a place to live, seeing as you have Captain Flathoof and his family to fall back on, non?"

"I didn't call you for anything like that. I just figured that you'd want to know what was happening with me since it'll probably affect our ability to communicate going forward. Kind of like giving the post office your new address so you can keep getting mail."

"I already have the phone number and address for Flathoof's home, Monsieur Lockwood. Contacting you shouldn't be any trouble at all."

"Oh, I'm not moving in with them," Lockwood said, poking the table with his hoof. "Do you have any idea what that'd do?"

"I cannot say for certain, non."

"I know this city's tax codes inside and out, and I know that having me—an unemployed stallion with no job prospects—moving into their home is going to cripple them financially, and at a time when they definitely can't afford it. Just another thing I can thank Vendetta for."

She raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, I don't see why that would be a problem, either. It wouldn't be for very long, maybe a few days at most. Aucun problème du tout."

"Huh?"

She smiled and gently patted his hoof. "I happen to know that your funds should be more than enough to make your trip down south to be with your beloved Thunderbolt again. It's just a matter of arranging the trip, and I can put you in contact with the right ponies."

"I think you underestimate how much I have saved up, Curaçao."

"I think you underestimate how much a trip will cost considering how much you have. You could almost afford a one-way trip and passport for seven… ponies…" She froze, drawing back in her seat and giving Lockwood a frown. "Oh. I see."

He tilted his head. "See what?"

"That you're not just saving up for yourself, are you? You're saving up to move your entire family. I had always wondered why it would take you this long to save up the funds needed to move, and was even more confused when I looked into your bank account."

"And why, might I ask, have you been looking into my bank account?"

"To see if you might need a helping hoof in making the trip south, of course," was her quick reply. "I already told you, you're an important piece in making this peace proposal work."

"Really now?"

"I know it isn't fair to view you in such a way—I do consider us friends, after all—but the fact is that making peace between New Pandemonium and Hope's Point is of utmost importance. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I'll be honest, it wouldn't be the first time I've been used as part of somepony's political plans," he said with a slight grin. "Okay, yeah, you caught me. I've been saving up for years because I'm not about to leave for greener pastures and not bring along my adopted family. They took me in at a time in my life when I needed them most, and I don't think I could ever repay them enough for it. But I can try."

"D'accord, je comprends. You have stayed here longer than needed just to bring them with you. Vous avez un grand cœur, mon ami." She slapped the table briefly. "Well, I think I can arrange a transfer of funds into your account to make up the difference by the end of the week, and we can start making the other arrangements needed for tickets and—"

"Oh no, no no no, I'm not about to let you do anything of the sort," he said, firmly setting his hooves on the table. "I'm not a charity case, and neither is my family. We work for what we've got, thank you very much."

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, believe me, I am well aware of that. Gray has been quite clear with me about how much it upsets her that she can't provide any help to Flathoof because he refuses to accept it. You're all very proud and stubborn, bravo."

"Look, it's not—"

"You're only short a few thousand bits, Lockwood. If not for Vendetta's little outburst, you'd be able to afford the trip within three months. I am offering you the money that Vendetta has robbed you of, which I will note he only did because of the actions of myself and Dawn."

"But—"

"Furthermore, this money isn't free. You will be working for it, obviously. Consider it a commission."

He tilted his head. "Huh?"

"Dawn got the approval for the peace proposal last week, but she and I knew that it would take months, maybe a year or more, before we could even begin arranging a proper diplomatic visit. Until today, I was under the impression that we would be sending you, and only you, as a sort of… première vague, let's call it. A first wave.

"Now, however, I see an opportunity that cannot be ignored. If you're bringing your entire family with you, then where is the harm in you bringing along a friend as well? Somepony that might be interested in speaking with this Thunderbolt, for example, and possibly arranging a meeting with Queen Blackburn herself?"

Lockwood blinked. "You're serious. You want to piggyback off this trip to try and make a diplomatic visit?"

"It wasn't in the cards until Dawn got the proposal approved, and I wasn't sure how to go about it when it was just you going. I am well aware of the process for traveling from New Pandemonium to Hope's Point, whether by land or by air. You need somepony called a 'voucher', but exceptions are made for family and very few other circumstances. I wasn't confident in sending somepony with you by yourself. But with your family? It could work."

"I suppose it could." Lockwood took a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling. "Alright, you've convinced me. I don't like taking money from others like this, but I don't think you're going to let me leave here without agreeing, are you?"

She grinned. "You know me so well, Monsieur Lockwood."

*****

Curaçao had met Lockwood's adopted family once before, almost a year ago in fact, though they had never actually met her. She still remembered them quite well, and how well they'd treated her disguise, Cadet Gumshoe. They were a nice sort, the kind of family everypony should want to have. The kind of family she wanted to have, sometimes.

The father was Stouthoof, a tall, robust earth pony stallion—apart from Lockwood, they were all earth ponies—with a pale yellow coat and a brilliant red mane. The mother was Shortcake, a slightly plump mare with a pale orange coat and a long, curly orange mane. Then there came the children, starting with Flathoof, the eldest. After that were Thickhoof, a pale gold stallion with a rich brown mane, who sadly was confined to a wheelchair. Then was Pattycake, a dead ringer for Applejack apart from how she styled her mane in a bun and lacked the freckles. The youngest was Shorthoof, a colt that looked just like his father.

When she and Lockwood arrived at the house, the family was just getting ready for dinner—she'd insisted on taking a long lunch and delaying their trip so that the entire family would be present, including Flathoof. They all seemed rather surprised when Lockwood arrived, more so that he'd brought a guest. For now, though, it was just the heads of the household—and Flathoof—chatting in the living room while the younger members of the family set the table.

"Lockwood, honey, you know that you are always welcome at the table for dinner, lunch, or anything," Shortcake said with a smile as she greeted him with a big kiss on the cheek. "But you also know that you need to call first. I think we've got enough for you and your guest, but I would've made more if I'd known."

"It's okay, Shortcake this was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing, and it would've spoiled the surprise," Lockwood said.

"The surprise? What sur—" Shortcake then suddenly gasped and beamed at Curaçao. "Oh my goodness, is this your fillyfriend? Oh my stars and garters, she's beautiful. You really know how to pick 'em, dear."

Lockwood's face turned entirely red; Curaçao saw Flathoof out of the corner of her eye barely stifling a laugh, and had to resist the urge herself.

"Wh-what?" Lockwood stammered. "No, she's not my—"

Stouthoof clapped Lockwood on the shoulder. "And about time, I say, son. A good-looking stallion like you ought to have had plenty of fillyfriends by now, but I knew you'd find the right one for you eventually." He nudged him gently. "And not a bad pick, either, you lucky dog," he said perhaps a little too loudly.

Shortcake took Curaçao's hoof. "Oh you simply must tell us how you two met. A gorgeous mare like you, hmm, maybe at one of Lockwood's charity dinners? You must be a fashion model of some sort."

"C'mon, guys, stop it," Lockwood huffed. "She's not my fillyfirend, okay? She's not interested, trust me."

"What? She's not?" Shortcake turned on Curaçao quickly, dropping her hoof and fixing her with a hard look. "And what's wrong with our dear Lockwood, hmm? Is he not good enough for you?"

Curaçao grinned. "Well, not exactly, no. He's not a mare for one thing, Missus Shortcake."

"Oh?" The hard look vanished instantly. "Oh! Oh, I am so sorry, I didn't mean—"

"It is quite alright. I cannot blame you for assuming. Lockwood and I are quite good friends and business partners, so we spend an inordinate amount of time together." She turned to Flathoof and gave him a small nod. "Captain Flathoof, good to see you again."

"Likewise, Miss Curaçao," Flathoof said with a nod in return.

"Well, seeing as you're interrupting dinner, it must be for a good reason, son," Stouthoof said with a grunt. "I'd accept 'new fillyfriend' but now I'm not so sure."

Lockwood nodded. "A very good reason, actually. I've got news for everypony." He took a deep breath. "Okay, so this is going to seem sudden, but like I said: surprise. I've been saving up money for a few years now, and thanks to some lucrative investments with Miss Curaçao here, I've saved up enough that… well, I can afford passports and tickets to Hope's Point."

Shortcake raised an eyebrow. "Hope's Point? Honey, you never told us you were saving up for a trip."

"It's not a trip, actually. It's one-way only. And, uh… it's not just me. I have enough for everypony. Seven passports, seven tickets, all completely legitimate. We leave next week."

Stouthoof's jaw dropped. "What."

Shortcake shook her head. "You… you're serious? You bought tickets for the family to leave for Hope's Point? Enough for all of us?"

Lockwood nodded. "Yes. The flight's booked for next week and everything, like I said. We're getting out of this city."

"Son of a—" Flathoof pressed his hoof to the bridge of his nose. "Dammit, Lockwood, you know you can't just spring that on us! You're asking us all to just uproot our lives on a whim!"

"I know, it's a lot to take in—"

"It's a lot more than 'a lot'!"

"And on such short notice!" Shortcake blurted. "There's not enough time to do everything we need to do for a move, honey. We have no idea what we're even getting into."

"We never planned on moving," Stouthoof grunted. "We've never looked into what sort of life we can expect in Hope's Point. You never even asked us if we wanted to leave."

"I know, I know, it's sudden, it's big, it's unexpected, but… it's going to be for the best, okay? I know you haven't had an opportunity to consider it, but trust me when I say that it's better than here. You'll all have opportunities in Hope's Point that you'd never have in New Pandemonium. I promise, you will not be disappointed."

"What about our jobs?" Flathoof asked, gesturing between himself and his father. "Are you able to guarantee we'll be able to earn a livelihood down there? I know you know a lot of ponies up here, pal, but—"

"I can guarantee that you will not have to worry about finding work," Lockwood said firmly, so confident in fact that Curaçao felt it in her soul. "There will be something there for you that will make you happy. I swear it."

Flathoof blinked and shook his head. "How? How can you be so confident?"

Lockwood took a breath. "I can't give you specifics right now, but let's just say I know somepony there with a lot of pull that can make sure that whatever you all want to do when we get there, you'll have opportunities provided to you.

"Look, I've been planning this for years, okay? Almost six years, in fact, and I've gone over everything: every possibility, every positive, every negative, every risk we're taking. I didn't do any of this lightly, not in the least, and I've accounted for anything that could possibly happen.

"Let me be blunt: are you guys happy here?" he asked, gesturing around the house. "You don't need to tell me, because I already know. None of you are satisfied with your lives as they are now, not entirely. Oh sure, there might be a bright spot here or there, but I've spent years watching this family, my family, struggle for no good reason.

"Thickhoof isn't happy. He lost the use of his legs because of a freak accident at work because the pencil pushers at the top just wanted a quick profit. Shorthoof isn't happy at school because he's having trouble making friends, and the growth spurt didn't help. Pattycake hasn't been able to find work for a year now despite all the money you spent on a degree."

He gestured around the house again. "And look at this place! I know it's home, but we can all see that it's falling apart. The money it's gonna cost to get it fixed up is completely out of your range; it'd be cheaper to burn it down and hope you find a new house elsewhere with the insurance money.

"Now, if anypony here can tell me, honestly, that I'm wrong, and that you're happy here where you are, I'll accept that and we can be done with this whole idea. And if anypony here can tell me what they think would be a better solution to raising this family up and giving you all a new chance at life, I'd be glad to hear it and I'll support it with every ounce of my being. But if you don't…" He took a deep breath. "Then come with me. Please."

There was a long silence in the room, broken up only slightly by the occasional clatter of a dish from the dining room. Curaçao could tell that the kids were very carefully eavesdropping, and couldn't blame them.

"You're absolutely certain of this?" Stouthoof asked, giving Lockwood a hard look. "Believe me, son, I want nothing more than to provide a better life for my family, but I'm not about to go off on some half-cocked scheme down south like so many other ponies before us unless I'm certain it's a good idea."

"I am absolutely certain of this, sir," Lockwood said with a nod. "I know it's a lot to take in all at once like this, and I know it sounds too good to be true, but I've never given you a reason to doubt me before, have I?"

"No, you haven't." Stouthoof sighed and nodded. "You already bought the tickets and everything? No refunds?"

"Everything's taken care of already. And yeah, no refunds."

"Alright then, it looks like we're moving." Stouthoof took Lockwood's hoof in a firm shake. "I know you wouldn't steer us wrong, son. I trust you."

"Oh my goodness, this is all too much too fast," Shortcake said, flustered and fanning herself with her hoof. "I need to go wash something. Excuse me." And off she went towards the kitchen. Curaçao could hear the sink start running.

"Well, we'd better get back to dinner before things get cold. You two are welcome to join us if you'd like." And with that, Stouthoof headed off towards the dining room.

Flathoof sighed and turned to Curaçao. "And what's your role in all this, anyway? I don't buy the whole 'investments' excuse, obviously."

"I provided the last of the bits needed—only a few thousand—in exchange for a favor," Curaçao said simply. "What that favor is, though, is between myself and Monsieur Lockwood for now, Captain, but trust me when I say that we have everypony's best interests at heart."

He snorted. "I suppose that'll have to do. Does Gray know?"

"At the moment… no, she does not. I felt it would be better for you to tell her, oui?"

"Yeah… I suppose I should." He turned to Lockwood. "You're crazy, you know that? Absolutely crazy."

Lockwood smiled. "I guess I am."

Comments

[ThatBeardGuy]

Let me start by saying I almost never comment on anything. This may be my first comment on all of FIMfic. I started reading the original crisis equestria when it was on Google docs and was devastated when it apparently died, only to discover years later that it was back and being finished on fimfic, then it just kept getting better as you released a sequel, some side stories, and now a whole alt reality version, which is absolutely delightful. Crisis:Equestria was among one of the first pony fics i ever read and plays a large part in my continued enjoyment of these delightful horse words all you wonderful authors put forth for your readers. Just felt I had to say all this, and hope to continue enjoying these fantastic tales on this site for years to come. With nothing but warm wishes and fond regards, ThatBeardGuy

[GanonFLCL]

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I appreciate this very much, especially that you're making your first comment on this site to say it; that means a lot to me. I'm glad you've enjoyed CRISIS over the years and hope you enjoy it going forward.

[Turquoise pony]

I'm wondering if Gray will take the big jump, and follow the family to hopes point.
Will she be willing to leave her sisters of follow her love? Or even admit to herself that she'd be following her love?

[RoboRed]

So I am a brilliant individual and forgot to track the story in my favorites (although I swear I did) and now I'm several chapters behind after noticing things got really quiet.

Guess now we know how things transition from the group going from Pandemonium to Hope's Point. I'm concerned for the family though. If things are going to get as action packed as I expect, it's likely the baddies are going to leverage them against the group.

Speaking of the bad guys...

Dawn shook her head. The Treasurer was an odd one, that much was true. Nopony else on the Committee was so quick with a compliment or a smile, even the three members secretly loyal to her. Not to say that they didn't compliment her or smile, no, but it was always from a purely professional standpoint regarding her brilliant plans and decisions. Only Vendetta ever complimented her appearance. Strange indeed.

Man, is it just me is he being super sweet on her? He wants something, ranging from favors to probably even getting under her tail, I dunno.
And he's also super upset right now.
This is going to come back sooner or later.

[My name is R]

Six Months Later

Ah, another of those. Makes sense.

Dawn shook her head. The Treasurer was an odd one, that much was true. Nopony else on the Committee was so quick with a compliment or a smile, even the three members secretly loyal to her. Not to say that they didn't compliment her or smile, no, but it was always from a purely professional standpoint regarding her brilliant plans and decisions. Only Vendetta ever complimented her appearance. Strange indeed.

She really doesn't see it. At all.

Concrete grunted again, sounding more pig-like every time he did. "First of all, everypony knows by now that those two Tea Bitches are almost guaranteed sympathizers for Hope's Point."
"There has yet to be evidence to suggest that that's actually true," noted Director Underhoof. "My department has been investigating them for years, and all of the connections we've uncovered are purely circumstantial. Not enough to prosecute or arrest them, unfortunately."
"Either that or you and your agency have gone soft on us, Underhoof," retorted Concrete. "So you'll forgive me if I don't give two shits what the New Pandemonium Times has to say about the subject. Just a load of bullshit straight from the horses' mouths. If it were up to me, I'd have had those two silenced ages ago."
"Well, luckily it's not your call," Underhoof snorted.

And Underhoof's not one of her plants. If he supports it, this may just work.

or investigating all these missing ponies over the past few months.

Oh, don’t mind this dangling plot thread, I'm sure it's nothing important.

He snorted. "I suppose that'll have to do. Does Gray know?"
"At the moment… no, she does not. I felt it would be better for you to tell her, oui?"
"Yeah… I suppose I should."

Huh, I hadn't thought about her.
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Same here.