//------------------------------//
// Chapter 8 - The Detective Goes Too Far 
// Story: Bucky's New Year 
// by Yosh-E-O 
//------------------------------//

*** 8 ***

The time was now 10:00 PM.  Some more families and their children had to head on their way home, or to other New Year’s events they had promised to be a part of.

“Thanks for coming!” waved Bucky as the final bunch of departing parents left with his fellow classmates.
“You’re welcome,” a mother Earth Pony smiled as her Unicorn husband levitated their sleeping colt onto her back.  “I know Skippy would say the same, but this is way past his bedtime.”
“I’m not tired”, pouted the butterscotch-colored Earth Pony foal, waking up just long enough to argue.
“We’ll see you soon,” Skippy’s father said with a grin as he and his wife left the house.

KA-THUMP

“Okay,” said Bucky while turning to face those guests who were still around.  “Let’s crack out the board games!”

***

The children all delighted in getting out the many board and card games that Bucky had.  They then all got together and began playing their favorites with their friends.

***

As Bucky and Pint got themselves into a heated game of ‘Field Goal Kicker’, Candy Cloud managed to get Fall to join her in a game of ‘Line Em’ Up’.
“This game’s fun!” flapped Candy while setting up the board that had a series of circular holes in it.  “Have you played it before?”

Fall thought for a moment on how every game the kids were playing was entirely new to her.  However, she knew no pony would think twice about her asking how to play one of them.  Especially since she could hear a number of the children asking questions, or getting into squabbles over the rules of a particular game.
“First time,” she said.
“Ooh!” beamed the pink Pegasus.  “So your first game of ‘Line Em’ Up’ is with me!”
“Yep,” replied Fall as she lifted one of the wooden discs.
“Okay!” grinned Candy.  “You’re holding white so I’ll be black.”

***

Candy explained the rules of the game being how each player took turns dropping their colored circle down into the columns.  You won if you could get four in-a-row up, across, or diagonally.

***

After a few games, which Fall was successful in winning a few, the little, brown Pegasus had to use the little filly’s room.
“Is everything okay?” asked Candy as she noticed her blue-eyed friend looking a bit uncomfortable.
“I just need to use the restroom,” replied Fall.
“I know where it is,” she said.  “Is it okay if I walk you there?”
“Uh…,” thought Fall upon being asked such an odd question.  “Sure?”

***

Candy stood guard at the door after offering Fall, who she still thought was younger than her, to let her know if she needed any help washing her hooves, or anything like that.
“Hey, sweetie,” greeted her father, Moon Cloud, as he approached the restroom.  “Is it occupied?”
“Yeah,” she said.  “My best friend is in there being a big filly!”
“Fall?” he asked.
Candy nodded.
“Yep!”” she smiled.  “She’s my best friend!”
“I know,” he replied while rubbing a hoof through her white mane.

There was a flushing sound followed by the sound of water running.

KA-REEK

“Hey, Fall,” greeted Moon Cloud seeming to come out of nowhere behind the door.
“Eep!” she shrieked with surprise upon seeing a dark-grey form right outside of the restroom.  She had expected to see Candy Cloud’s friendly face greeting her to walk back to the living room.  However, seeing Candy’s father, who was much taller and had a far deeper voice, definitely was far from her expectations.  
“Dad!” scolded Candy.  “You know I don’t like when you play that trick on me after using the filly’s room.”
“I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s…,” stumbled Fall.  “Okay.”

Fall wanted to get back to the living room where all the kids were at, but Moon Cloud seemed to be blocking the way.
“Fall,” he said.  “What are your parents’ names?”
“…,” Fall panicked as her blue eyes widened.
“He means your mommy and daddy,” added Candy with a giggle.  “Daddy uses lots of ‘big words’.”

“Ma…, mommy?” questioned Fall.
“Yeah,” said Moon Cloud with a calm and warm voice.  “I’d really like to get to meet them.”
“Meet… them?” Fall wondered as she couldn’t do much more than keep her eyes facing towards the questioning grown-up.
“Candy told me they are Weather Pegasi,” he continued.  “I’d really like to thank them for helping to make this New Year clear enough for us to see Luna’s Moon tonight.”
“They’re…,” trailed Fall. “They’re…”
“Yes?” Moon Cloud encouraged.

Fall felt trapped.  Something about this Pegasus made him very intimidating.  It was as if he knew she was holding something back and wouldn’t leave her alone until she told him what it was.  In this case, she didn’t want to answer as she knew it would mean a one-way trip right back to the orphanage with Ms. Powder Puff giving her so many punishments for escaping, getting caught, and having questions asked that would do nothing more than make Fall’s already miserable life at the orphanage even more miserable.  

“Are you okay?” asked the dark-grey stallion while picking up on the fear in Fall’s eyes.

GALLOP-GALLOP-GALLOP

With tears streaming from her eyes, Fall bolted under Candy’s father towards the living room.
“Dad!” cried Candy.  “You scared her!”
“I wasn’t trying to,” he replied.  “I just was trying to…,umm…, figure out how we could get you two a playdate.”
“Well,” scoffed Candy.  “You scared her.”

Worried about her friend, Candy galloped for the living room while desperately calling out for Fall.  
“Something’s amiss,” Moon Cloud assured himself.  “Now to figure out what.”