Radiance looked sadly down at the cardboard box in front of her. She always found it a little depressing to see how few boxes it took to pack up her entire life. It seemed like it should take more than five or six of them to contain a life as bright and full and vibrant as hers--and yet, when it came right down to it, there was so little she actually wanted to keep.
Oh well, she thought to herself, as she reached for the packing tape, this was always supposed to be a temporary move, anyways.
She taped the box closed, then hefted it in her magic. She walked towards the front door, where she had already piled the other boxes for the movers. She had barely set it down when there was a knock at the door.
Probably the movers, she thought. Right on time.
“Come in!” she called, as she turned to walk back into the kitchen.
The door creaked open behind her, and she heard a heavy tread on the linoleum entry.
“Oh?” someone said, “Radiance, you’re moving already?
Radiance yelped in surprise, then whirled around. “Princess!” she cried, dropping to one knee. “I’m so sorry, I wasn’t expecting you—!”
“Please,” Princess Celestia said, “just call me Celestia. I’m only here unofficially.”
Radiance snuck a peek at her, and noticed that the Princess was not wearing her usual regalia. She stood almost twice as tall as Radiance herself, but without her crown, her horseshoes, and her peytral, she looked almost like a normal pony. Almost.
“Prin—Celestia,” Radiance quickly corrected herself. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard what happened,” she said simply. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
“You heard, huh?” Radiance grumbled.
“I did,” she said. “Though I didn’t expect you to move so soon.” She looked around the room. “You won’t be leaving your roommates in trouble, will you?”
Radiance shook her head. “Not at all,” she said. “Another one of the rookies--Peach Fuzz, actually--was looking for a new place to stay. She liked the location, and Pen and Curly liked her, so she’ll be moving in next week.”
“That’s good,” Celestia said. “However, I must admit, I’m sad to see you go. You were an excellent officer, Radiance. And that report you sent me was exceptionally well-written.”
“Thank you,” Radiance said with a small bow.
“Though, I’m curious…” Celestia added, “why did you ask your sister to forward your report to me? I know Twilight is one of my personal students, but I would think that, after all those Friendship Reports you’ve sent me, we would be on a first-name basis by now…”
Radiance looked down at the floor. “I was hoping it would carry a little more weight if it came from her,” she admitted.
“Perhaps,” Celestia replied. “But I already trust you and your work. And I would have investigated a charge of this magnitude, anyways.”
Radiance looked up at her. “You haven’t finished already, have you?
“I have,” Celestia replied.
Radiance nodded. “And I’m assuming you decided…?”
“That your concerns were founded,” she said. “Kingfisher had suffered greatly at the hooves of your fellow officers.” She looked away. “Being afraid for one’s life, and reacting to that fear irrationally, is not necessarily a crime. However, taking that fear out on somepony undeserving is--especially if the entire Department is involved in protecting the guilty at the expense of the innocent.”
Radiance hesitated. “What ended up happening with the Department, anyways?” she asked. “I wasn’t really around to find out…”
Celestia sighed. “I believe my press secretary wanted to call it a bloodbath,” she said, “though I convinced her to use the term shakeup. Captain Hard Case, who, as far as we can tell, actually initiated the incident, was immediately dismissed. Five other officers were suspended without pay, including Commissioner Brass. And I’ve ordered both an extensive review of department policy and rigorous, Department-wide training on how to properly subdue suspects.” She hesitated. “We’re also working on specific policies, guidelines, and best practices on how to respectfully and compassionately interact with cultures that the officers might not be familiar with.”
“What about Kingfisher?” Radiance asked. “What happened to him?”
Celestia grimaced. “To be honest,” she said, “I am not entirely sure. I offered him free medical treatment, along with a substantial recompense for his trouble. Instead, he asked for a train ticket back home, or at least, as close as the rails could take him. He told me that he was tired of dealing with the prejudice he experienced in Equestria, and just wanted to be among family for a while.” She gave a crooked smile. “Though his language was a great deal more… shall we say, colorful than that.”
Radiance chuckled. “I can imagine,” she said. “But please tell me you didn’t leave him with nothing…”
“Absolutely not,” Celestia replied. “I insisted on giving him a lunch to take home with him--a lunch that included a check for several hundred bits in the bottom of the bag. We’re still not sure what happened to the gems he was carrying when he arrested, but the check should make up for those, at least. And it will be his choice whether to actually accept the help and cash it. Either way,” she finished, “hopefully he will realize that at least some ponies don’t want to leave him out in the cold.”
Radiance nodded. “I hope he does,” she said. “He deserves better treatment than he got.”
“Indeed,” Celestia said. “Speaking of which--what exactly happened with you?”
Radiance heaved a dramatic sigh, tinged with more than a little sorrow.
“Exactly what I told you in my letter,” she said. “I wasn’t fired, no--they would never fire someone who had just initiated an investigation against almost every one of her senior officers. I was simply told that my contract had expired, and would not be renewed. After all, I—” she raised her hooves and made air quotes in the air “—‘wasn’t a good fit for department culture.’”
Celestia bowed her head. “I am very sorry to hear that,” she said. “Perhaps I should have our investigators take a closer look at their HR department…”
“If they do,” Radiance replied, “they’ll find a second copy of the report penned by Yours Truly. Probably in the very back of a filing cabinet somewhere.”
Celestia pressed her lips into a thin line. “I would be happy to reinstate you, if you like,” she said. “It would be an honor to have a pony with such integrity as yourself on the Force.”
Radiance shook her head. “After the way they’ve treated me,” she said, “I have no desire to darken that door again. I refuse to work with ponies as petty, mean-spirited, and cruel as they are--no matter how good their intentions might be.”
“Of course,” Celestia said. “But—” she looked around the apartment sadly “--what are you going to do now?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” Radiance said. She walked into the kitchen, then began sorting through the dishes in the cupboards. “I wasn’t exactly flush with cash in the first place, so, without a steady job, I’m going to have to move back home.” She paused. “Perhaps I’ll try and get a job at one of those boutiques downtown. I have quite an eye for fashion, if I say so myself…”
Celestia frowned a little. “Seems like a waste of talent,” she admitted. “Doesn’t your father work in a security company? I’m sure he’d be happy to hire you. If not, I’m sure I could find you a position in the Guard.” She paused. “I feel I owe you that much, at least.”
Radiance shook her head. “I appreciate the offer, I really do,” she said. “But I must admit: I despise favors. No offence,” she added, as she laid a plate from the cupboard into an open cardboard box. “But I can’t be my own pony if I have to accept help all the time.” Another dish floated into the box. “Personality flaw? Perhaps,” she admitted. “But I’ve always felt a need to help others simply because they need help, not because of what they can do for me in return.”
Celestia nodded. “I understand,” she said. “I don’t agree, but I understand.”
Celestia watched Radiance place another few plates in the box. Then, she stepped forward, used her magic to open a different cupboard, and began sorting through the bowls, putting them in matching stacks.
“You know,” she said after a while, “there is one more opportunity you might be interested in…”
Radiance shot her a skeptical look.
“How do you feel about Ponyville?” Celestia asked.
Radiance raised a cautious eyebrow. “Twiley and her friends seem to like it,” she said. “I haven’t seen much of it, myself--though it is a little small for my tastes.”
“That may actually be to your advantage,” Celestia replied. Radiance shot her a sharp look as Celestia took a deep breath. “Ponyville is small, of course,” she continued, “but it’s growing, and growing fast. They have a sheriff already, but he’s started thinking about appointing a deputy.” She looked kindly down at Radiance. “And I can think of no pony I would recommend more than yourself.”
Radiance gave the smallest of frowns. “I don’t follow,” she said. “It’s still a policing job, isn’t it?”
“In a way,” Celestia replied. “But at the same time, completely different. Sheriff is an elected position, which means that the department is accountable to the ponies they serve. Additionally, it’s incredibly small--at this point, the only one on the payroll is Sheriff Grasshopper himself.” Her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Who, I may add, has been accused of being more than a little lazy from time to time.”
Radiance smiled a little, and Celestia returned the grin.
“In any case,” she continued, “I strongly suspect that you will be able to satisfy the demands of your destiny, as well as your conscience, out in Ponyville. Additionally, with you being only the second employee, you will likely have a large role in shaping future department policies. With any luck, none of your coworkers will have to make the sort of decision you’ve had to. And, if you like the work enough…” she smiled again “...well. Sheriff Grasshopper is up for election within the next few years. If you work hard, you might end up sitting in the big chair yourself?”
Radiance bit her lip, then shot a covert look at the little square of mirror Curly had hung on the refrigerator. Perhaps she would look good in khaki…
And, just as she was starting to coordinate an outfit, a sudden thought struck her like lightning. She looked away, her gut turning to ice.
“Do you think I would do a good job?” she asked. “Really?”
“Of course I do,” Celestia replied.
“But I’m just a rookie,” she said in a tiny voice. “What if I mess up?”
Celestia shook her head. “Everyone makes mistakes,” she said, “though I expect that you will make fewer than most. In either case, I’m not worried: you’ve already demonstrated your bravery, generosity, and integrity. And that,” she said with a smile, “is a far more important qualification for a police officer than anything you could have learned from the Canterlot PD.”
Radiance smiled, and her eyes misted over with tears. She very nearly lunged forward to hug the Princess--but, before she could, a series of sharp knocks sounded at the front door. Radiance started in surprise, then dashed over to it. Before she grabbed the doorknob, however, she stopped, then shot an uneasy glance at Celestia, a question in her eyes.
Celestia chuckled, then waved dismissively. “Pretend I’m not even here,” she said, turning back to the bowls.
Radiance opened the door and glanced up. At first, she thought the movers had finally come--but to her surprise, the one in front looked surprisingly familiar…
Before she could process what she was seeing, Shining Armor swept her up in his arms and squeezed her tight, almost cracking her ribs as he did.
“Sis!” he cried. “Long time no see!”
Radiance let out a strangled gasp, then freed one arm and managed to get it around his shoulders in a half-hug.
“Same… here…” she groaned.
And then, there was the rest of them--Mother and Father and little Serenade, all reaching in for a hug.
“Proud of ya, Radey,” Shining Armor whispered in her ear.
Radiance closed her eyes, and the tears ran freely down her cheeks.
Suddenly, she heard a yelp of surprise from Mother. Shining Armor let go of Radiance, and she landed on her hooves. She turned to see Mother staring in awe and horror at the sight of the Princess packing dishes in the kitchen. Father, wearing a saddlebag full of cleaning chemicals, took a step around Mother and gaped.
“Your Highness, please!” Mother cried, bobbing her head in a quick bow. “No need for a Princess like you to do that! That’s our job!”
“Nonsense,” Celestia said, carefully stacking Radiance’s bowls in the box, “I enjoy the change of pace. Besides,” she added, “it’s my job to help ponies. And who is more deserving of help than one of the best police officers we’ve ever had on the Force?”
Mother continued to protest, but Celestia just continued to pack the dishes. Father, meanwhile, still stood rooted to the spot. Serenade rolled her eyes, then nudged him with her shoulder.
“C’mon, Dad,” she grumbled, “it’s not like you haven’t met her before…”
Shining Armor laughed, then gave Radiance another quick hug. “I’d love to stay,” he said, “but I’ve got a date with Cadence tonight.” His eyes sparkled. “A very special date.”
Radiance turned to look at him. “Oh?” she asked. “Is tonight the night?”
“Yep,” he said proudly. He drew a small box from his saddlebags, then tossed it to Radiance. She caught it in her magic, then opened it up.
“Ooooh,” she said.
The small, velvet box held an ornate ring of gold, set with sapphires, emeralds, and rubies, with one large diamond set in the middle.
“I just hope she likes antiques,” Shiny said nervously. “I’m still not sure she’s going to appreciate Grandma’s old ring…”
Radiance smiled. “Coming from you?” she said, snapping the box closed. “I think she’d be happy with a twist-tie.”
Shiny laughed, then took the ring back from her. “You’re probably right,” he said. “Either way: next time you see me, I’ll be engaged to the most beautiful mare in Equestria.”
Radiance leaned forward and hugged him. “Congratulations,” she said. “Tell me how it goes.”
“Of course,” he said. “You’ll be the first to know. After Mom and Dad, of course.”
Suddenly, Shiny froze. He looked up over the top of Radiance’s head, at the kitchen behind her.
“Your Highness?” he asked uncertainly. “You… you didn’t hear what we were talking about, did you?”
“My lips are sealed,” called Celestia. “Though I should warn you--she’s had her wedding planned down to the minute since she was fourteen. I hope you look good in red.”
Shining Armor chuckled nervously.
“Come on,” Radiance said, slugging him fondly in the shoulder. “She loves you. Yeah, things might get a little crazy--you’re marrying a Princess, for Harmony’s sake…” she smiled “...but, no matter what happens, we’ll all be here for you. Just like all of you were here for me.” She hugged Shining again. “That’s what family is for. We’re supposed to share each other’s burdens, and make things as easy as we can for each other.”
Shiny hugged her back. “Thanks, Radiance,” he said.
“Any time. Really,” Radiance replied. “Now go knock ‘er dead.”
“Hopefully not,” Celestia replied from the kitchen.
Shiny, startled, looked up at her, his face turning a distinct shade of green. Radiance, seeing his expression, choked back a snort of laughter.