//------------------------------//
// 14 - The Society 
// Story: Soul Reclamation Society 
// by David Silver 
//------------------------------//

Fetlock watched Twilight go, then turned to Gudrun. "We're leaving."

"Leaving, doctor?"

Fetlock gestured where the princess had gone. "We have work to do, but we're going to need some... changes. I do hope you didn't actually believe I was interested in playing a casual matchmaker."

Gudrun raised a brow. "I don't try to second guess you, doctor."

Fetlock blew her mane free of her eyes even as she smiled. "You keep reminding me why I like you. We made a mistake, that much is true, but I think we've just got a handle on it. We'll do it right, and quietly. No more ads, just word of mouth." She glanced over her shoulder at the ruins of her workroom. "There goes the deposit..."

Gudrun began packing her papers into folders and gathering her things. "Do you have a place in mind, doctor?"

Fetlock quickly nodded. "I do, actually. First stop, we have to make a business proposal to some ponies with the power to protect us from being casually discovered again. Some of those cases were important ponies. You do remember that?"

"Of course, doctor." She had all her things ready to go, typewriter under one arm. "May I make a suggestion?"

"Mm?"

"The criminal family connection, the Trot Father. They have need for subtlety and experience besides. I feel they would most directly aid our cause."

Fetlock clopped her fore hooves together. "You are so getting a raise once we get things moving again. A perfect choice. They'll be a constant source of business besides. Damn family loses ponies with a disturbing frequency." She whipped her head in a feeble effort to keep her mussed mane in check. "Let's go. There's nothing for us here."





Twilight watched out a window as the train softly rumbled beneath her. She was happy. Another wrong was righted, and she redeemed a pony without the need to get violent with them, even if she and AJ did tussle with her secretary a little. "You're getting better at this, Princess of Friendship," she complimented herself on a job well done.





Gudrun glanced aside at her employer before focusing on the seedy mare before them. She was the Trot Father, despite not being the 'father' of anything.

The criminal overlord spat out a stick of hay she'd been chewing. "So, lemme get this straight." She raised a hoof. "You'z want protection."

Fetlock nodded at her. "In return, you get one pony every two months, no questions asked."

The Trot Father smiled. "I like that. Questions make things complicated." She stepped forward towards Fetlock, another pony pulling out a slender stalk of hay, another lighting it up so the tip flared to life with a puff of the Trot Father's lips. "Now tell me why you can't make with the ponies more often?"

Fetlock shook her head firmly. "The process is complex, and draining. I also require time to fulfill my own ends. If I spent all the time working for you, then I'd get nothing out of this deal." The shaking made her mane fall and she blew it back up.

The leader of low-lifes came closer still, and Gudrun placed herself between her boss and that boss. "No closer."

The Trot Father arced a brow up at the griffon. "Get a load of this one." She laughed and her subordinates laughed with her. "Gotta give her credit, staying true to the boss, can't fault that." She took the burning hay from her mouth, balanced on her hoof. "So here's the deal. I don't protect nopony that ain't part of the crew, and you ain't. See where I'm going?"

Fetlock frowned faintly. "I'm not sure I--"

Gudrun put out a talon in front of Fetlock. "Doctor, if I may?" Fetlock nodded. "I propose a new organization."

The criminal mare snorted softly. "You ain't a stallion but ya got balls of steel right there. Go on, what do ya have in mind?"

Gudrun smiled softly. "It is time we made the Soul Reclamation Society. Doctor Fetlock and yourself will be the first two chairponies on the board."

Fetlock looked surprised. The Trot Father looked intrigued. "Ah like that." She tapped the burning tip off of her hay. "Ah think I like that quite a bit. Creepy, just creepy enough to remind ponies who's in charge." She reached up with a hoof, holding it out towards Gudrun.

Gudrun knelt down and kissed the offered hoof, cradling it in her talons.

The Trot Father smiled. "I hoped you'd understand the offer. You'ze the third chairpony, er, griffon, whatever. You got a good style, a solid head on your shoulders, yeah, I want you in on this." She drew her hoof back. "Ya hear that? These two are under our protection. We got business to do."