Murder of a Merchant (Random Encounter, OPEN)

December the First, Year Four

Three griffons stood outside the remains of a small store, smoking cigarettes and shivering at the biting cold wind that blew through the street. The area was roped off, and several pony workers were in the midst of cleaning up the debris of the ruined store. For, you see, the store had been destroyed by an improvised explosive; blackpowder was suspected.

These griffons were low-ranking members of the Manehatten Guard, relegated to patrol duty of downtown Manehatten. They had arrived not minutes after the explosion, and their only lead was "A gray pegasus". Not much to work on, and they knew it. Their leader, a gruff constable, spat out the butt of his cigarette into the pavement and looked around for someone to harass.

Zero silently walked across the street, wearing a thick hooded jacket to provide some relief against the cold. Not much of him was visible other than his grey mane, and beige muzzle sticking out from under his hood.

He turned his head and paused briefly, taking a look at the recently blown merchant shop across the street. Griffons were here and there, carrying out an investigation of sorts. Either way, he knew damn well this wasn't the place for him, deciding to turn away and trot in the opposite direction rather quickly.

The leader of the trio looked down the street to behold a pony trotting suspiciously away from the scene of the crime.

Coughing the constable began moving towards the retreating pony with a furrowed brow, he hard his two compatriots fall behind him at the same pace. The pony had a gray mane... coat was off, though. Nonetheless, he was now a suspect in the investigation.

The guards would wait until they were within seven metres before calling out to the pony. "Sir, please halt in the name of the Tsar. We have a few questions to ask."

Zero stopped in his tracks, muttering to himself.
"...fuck..."
He stood there motionless, waiting for them to be upon him. Hopefully they'd just ask what he knew, and he'd be on his way. The last thing he needed today was a full-blown interrogation.

The leader walked up to the pony. Looking him up and down, he gave a small grin. Even if this pony wasn't the real culprit, well, scapegoats were always useful. "Well, sir, I think we can forgo the questions. You corroborate the witness account perfectly. You'll have to come with us to the headquarters."

One of the two officers would put a claw firmly on Zero's shoulder after the constable said as such.

Zero violently shrugged the claw off of him. If there was one thing he hated, it was being touched. Especially by one of these stuck up officers.
"Don't touch me... And what are you talking about?"

In the name of the Tsar my ass....

The constable chuckled. "C'mon kid, don't make this harder then it has to be. Let us bring you in, and I'm sure you'll get a hot meal for your trouble." Giving a reassuring smile, he nodded for one of his officers to put a claw on the pony's shoulder again.

With a firm motion, the guard would put the claw on Zero again, a predatory glint in his eyes.