The Right Connections (Patreon)

 up When conducting an investigation there are many directions and approaches one can use to collect the necessary information, evidence, or data. Phoenix and Quick Silver have their methods, but Bloodfeather has her own ways in my Equestria dreamscape. 

  
  Bloodfeather rolled over on to her belly and grinned at the pegasus stallion as he came back into the bedroom carrying the handle of ice bucket in his mouth. She waited until he'd set it on the nightstand before speaking.

   
  "Mmm, I love room service." She said. "You know how to treat a mare right don't you?"

 
  Manehattan City Council Member, Roaming Cloud smiled at the crimson mare. "Only the best for you dear. After all you've definitely held up your end of the bargain tonight!" 

  
  After a brief struggle with the champagne cork it finally came free. Carefully the middle aged stallion poured two glasses and passed one to the mare. He took a sip and then smiled at the mare. 

  
  "So Sunrise you're new in Manehattan? What made you pack up and come to this fine city?"

 
  Bloodfeather smiled. She was working under the alias of Sunrise for this assignment. She took a long sip of her champagne before replying. "Well as I said earlier this evening I'm a dancer. I had found work at the clubs and casinos in Las Pegasus, but..."

 
  She took another sip of her champagne. "But I felt as if I was hitting the limit of what I could do there. There was no chance for me to achieve more, and I want more than what Las Pegasus could offer me." 

  Setting her glass down she reached out and snuggled up against the stallion. "But I've been told that Manehattan is a place where a pony can go as far as they want if they've got the drive and the hunger. Well I've got the drive, and I'm very hungry!"

 
  She gave the Roaming Cloud a long kiss, and then looked him in the eyes. "I want to see my name in big letters on theater marques. I want my name at the top of the page in the newspapers. I want to be the mare that other mares wish they were! And I'm willing to do almost anything to get it!"

   
  Roaming smiled. Oh I've seen hundreds like you. Thought the stallion. Young, driven, enthusiastic mares and stallions who arrive in this city thinking they're going change the world. Most of you end up as failures, but even failures can be useful to me. 

  
  "So have you gotten any interviews lined with any of the theaters or clubs in town yet?" The mauve colored stallion reached and refilled his flute glass with champagne and then topped off the mare's.   

        The mare shook her head. "Not yet. In fact sometimes it's a struggle just to get them to stop long enough to give them your business card, but I'm not giving up!"

 
  The older pony nodded his head. "You do realize that this is the slow time for hiring? Most of the clubs and theaters have already picked up their performer until the fall when the new productions start ramping up. Will that be a problem for you if you have to wait that long?"
 
  He watched mare carefully as he said this. Roaming Cloud had become a master of judging ponies faces and guessing what they were thinking. For just an instant a look of fear danced in the mare's eyes. 

  
  Good. He thought. You probably don't have enough bits to hold you out until the fall do you, and I bet you'd be loathe to take some mundane job as waitress or store clerk until you can find a spot. You've got too much pride. It's your strength. It's your weakness, and I'm going to exploit that weakness for all its worth! 

  "However if you have the right connections it is possible to get an early interview with some of the clubs and theaters. Sometimes they're even willing to give exceptional performers an advance on their pay to keep them from being snapped up by other productions."   

       Roaming Cloud made his pitch. "I know the manager of a club in town. He runs the The House of Roses. We're old school buddies; if you want I could see about setting an audition for you. What do you say to that?"

 
  The mare perked up at these words. "Really! You'd do that for me? Thank you so much!" 

  "Well I'm always looking new ponies that might become important in the future." Said the stallion. "It's how I maintain my network of connections in this city. I think you're going to go places. Just promise me you won't forget me when you make it in the big time. Okay?" 

  The mare grabbed him and gave him a big kiss.

   
  They're so easy to snare. He thought. 

  Several hours later Bloodfeather landed on one of the many flat rooftops that covered the city. It was well after midnight and Manehattan was about as quiet as it got. Slowly she walked over and stood by the doorway that led to a stairway that went down into the building. The door was cracked open just an inch or so.  After about a minute she heard Phoenix speak from behind the door.  

 
  "How did it go? Was my information correct?"

 
  Bloodfeather scuffed a front hoof on the roof. "Yeah. He jumped at the opportunity to get me in at The House of Roses. It looks like your tips were correct. The pony we want is Lucky Card. He's the pony that the Blood Manes have in charge of the place. He's the pony we want. And we'll be able to get that scumbag Roaming Cloud to." 

    
  "I'll forward this information to Canterlot tonight." Said the hidden unicorn. "Then we wait for further instructions. We should get them by tomorrow night. We'll take it from there." 

  Bloodfeather scuffed asphalt on the roof some more and ruffled her feathers. "Look Phoenix I've got something to ask you. In light of where this investigation is going, and we both know that in the past..."

   
  Phoenix cut her off. "Bloodfeather I have no doubt that we can handle any instructions the princesses give us. We've discussed this before. We can do this mission. Right?"

 
  "Yes. you are right. I should be going. I'll be at the usual place tomorrow at 7pm. We'll see what orders Canterlot send us." 

  
  "Understood." Then there was the sound of a pony teleporting and a brief flash of light that seeped through the crack in the door. After a couple of seconds Bloodfeather launched herself into the night sky. 

 To be continued.