Equestria Noir

Case 14

“Glimmer of Hope”

By Jacoboby1

Edited by ShatteredIllusions

Chapter 1

“Camping”

“So, that was how Equestria was founded,” Cherilee said, closing her history book.

“If Equestria was founded just by us, when did the princesses come?” I asked, and several of my classmates murmured in equal curiosity. “I mean, how did they become royalty?”

Cherilee shook her head. “Nopony knows where exactly they came from. The only thing known is that approximately a decade after Equestria was founded, Clover the Clever found Celestia and Luna.”

Applebloom spoke up, “If we were sufferin' because of that winter, why didn’t they help us?”

“Sometimes parents feel the need to distance themselves from their children to allow them to grow,” Cherilee explained. “You’ll understand when you all have children of your own.”

I put my chin on my hoof, it just seemed odd that something like this would happen and Celestia and Luna didn’t help us. Then again, maybe they wanted us to overcome the problem ourselves before they came back. I just wonder where they were.

The bell rang and Cherilee smiled at the class. “That’s all for today, class. Also, remember the fall camping trip is next week. Please pick up permission slips before you head out.” She gestured to a pile of papers she had on her desk.

Everypony cheered at the prospect of the fall camp out. All of the classes do it at different times of the year to learn by immersion in nature or something. What it meant for us kids was that we could have fun for a week without having to worry about homework.

I rolled over to the desk and looked at the permission slips. Dinky used her magic to pick one up and looked at me. “Something wrong, Tailspin?”

“I’ve never been camping before,” I admitted, as Diamond Tiara complained about the trip being mandatory.

“Never?” Dinky asked, with wide yellow eyes. “That’s right, you only came to school this year. Don’t you and Private go camping together, or something?”

I shook my head as I picked up a permission slip, and rolled outside. “Private and I don’t go on a lot of vacations together. When we do it’s usually just a run up to Manehattan. He and I have never set up a tent anywhere.”

“You’re right,” I said, smiling at her. “I’ll ask him when I get home.”

“Besides,” Dinky teased, smirking slyly, “this trip will allow you to spend more time with you know who.”

“I saw you staring at Scootaloo all through math class, and I put two and two together. No pun intended.”

My cheeks reddened as I recalled how I kissed Scootaloo a while ago. She was determined to find some way for me to dance with her at Fall Semi Formal. So far we haven’t figured out a way for her to dance with a cripple like me.

Maybe Dinky’s right, this trip will be my chance to impress Scootaloo! I’ll show her how smart and brave I can be.

As I rounded the corner, I bumped into somepony, and fell out of my chair. I rubbed my head, pushing myself up with my forelegs to find myself looking right at Rumble. The grey Pegasus and I didn’t get along at all. The reason for that was Scootaloo. His violet eyes glared at me as he walked past. I was glaring back when I heard the voice of an angel speak…

“Tailspin, are you all right?” I slowly looked up to see Scootaloo looking down at me. I blushed furiously, as she gently helped me back into my chair.

Dinky stuck her tongue out at Rumble. She still remembered how he beat me up when he found out I wrote a note to Scootaloo. Rumble just continued walking without looking back at Dinky.

Scootaloo looked at me. “If you need anything on the trip, you just let me know, okay?”

“I’ll be fine," I said, rolling my eyes. This was starting to get annoying. Ever since the trip was brought up everypony was acting as if I couldn’t take care of myself. Then again, the same thing happened after Rumble beat me up. I guess everypony felt sorry for me or something.

I just rolled on hoping that maybe this trip will convince everypony I could do something by myself.
____________________________________________________________
Perspective: Private Eye

“A camping trip?” I asked, before biting into my veggie patty. “Now that you mention it, you have been talking about it for a while.”

“I really think it would be awesome!” Tailspin, said excitedly. “It’s a lot of fun, and everypony will be there! Private, you've got to let me go!”

I sighed, looking over at Tailspin. He certainly was excited for this trip. In all honesty, though, I was a little worried about the prospect. “Tailspin, you’ve never been on a camping trip before,” I said, with a shake of my head.

“So?” my brother asked, with a raised eyebrow “You’ve never been hang gliding before, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try it someday.”

“I really don’t think it’s a good idea,” I said, slowly. “Cherilee will have several kids to think about. I don’t know if you should go, because I don’t think you’ll be able to keep up with everypony. Especially in a chair…“

Tailspin slammed his hooves on the table and glared at me with slitted blue eyes. “I knew it! I knew you wouldn’t let me go because of this damn chair!”

“What have I told you about watching your language?” I admonished, glaring back.

“Well, it got your attention, didn’t it?” Tailspin yelled. “I’m not helpless! I can do things on my own!”

“You can’t walk, or fly on your own,” I pointed out. “What if you fell, or something, and some wild animal came and took you away? I’m saying you can’t go because I think it’s too dangerous for you!”

Tailspin rolled out of the chair and towards his bedroom. That little ungrateful twerp! I can’t believe he honestly said that, after all I’ve done for him!

I set down my veggie patty and walked to a nearby table. On it were pictures of Tailspin and I. I’m just worried about him. He’s all I've got, Mom’s gone and Dad…

I levitated up Tailspin’s dinner, and walked towards his bedroom. I reached up, knocking slowly on the door. “Hey buddy, can I come in?”

I opened the door and saw Tailspin sitting on his bed. His was staring fixedly at the cloud fabrics of his bed. I set his dinner in front of him, and smiled a little. “Look, I’m sorry for saying what I said.”

“I’m sorry for bringing up dad,” Tailspin mumbled. “I just wish you would let me do more things.”

I looked away from Tailspin. “I’m just worried that you’ll get hurt. You’re more than just my brother,” I said, climbing onto the bed and sitting next to my little brother, “you’re one of the best friends I have. I just don’t want to lose you.”

“It’s just,” Tailspin looked at me with tear filled blue eyes, “all the other kids are going! I just want to be with them! They're my friends, and I don’t want to be left behind!”

My grey eyes softened as I gently put a hoof around my brother. He leaned into my grey coat and pressed his muzzle to me. I looked down “I’m sorry, I know you just want what all the other kids have.” I picked him up in my hooves and set him in my lap “Tailspin, if you really want to go, I won’t stop you.” I finished my sentence with a smile.

I nodded and held up a hoof in front of his face “However, if it ever becomes too much for you, call me and I’ll pick you up right away, all right?”

He nodded vigorously and gave me a tight hug. “You’re the best brother in the whole world!”

“Drat!” he said, in mock frustration, and then he looked up at me. “Thanks, Private. I really want to do this.”
____________________________________________________________
One week later…

“Okay, have you got everything?” I asked Tailspin, as we packed up the only suitcase I own.

“Sleeping bag, a lamp, my journal, some snacks for the road.” Tailspin nodded. “Yep, I got everything.”

Tailspin pushed down on my suitcase to make it close better. It was then that I noticed something wasn’t among his items. I looked over and saw an old stuffed white tiger on Tailspin’s shelf. I looked back at my brother with a raised eyebrow. “You’re not bringing Sasha along?”

Tailspin looked at me. “No, I don’t want the other kids to see it. They'll make fun of me for sleeping with a stuffed animal.”

I levitated Sasha down from her perch on the shelf. “Are you sure you don’t want to take her along? She was the first toy I ever bought you. You used to sleep with her whenever you had nightmares…”

Tailspin looked at me for a long time. I guessed I just wanted some normalcy with this. I can’t explain why I wanted Tailspin to take along Sasha, just something to remind him of home. Tailspin relented with a long sigh, and stuffed the tiger deep down inside the suit case. He smiled at me, “I guess she would get lonely if I left her behind.”

I smiled, and put my brother onto his chair. “All right, let’s get going.”
_____________________________________________________
When we arrived at the train station the place was abuzz with activity. Parents were saying goodbye to their kids, and making sure everypony was packed up. Tailspin and I were greeted by a small yellow filly, Applebloom. She smiled upon seeing me. "Howdy, Private!” she said, with a wide smile. “Ya comin' on this trip?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Not this time, Applebloom. I’m just dropping off Tailspin”

I heard a chuckle and saw Applejack walking up to us “Applebloom’s just hopin' ya can come along tah keep all them scary woodland critters away.”

Applejack simply chuckled watching as Tailspin and Applebloom joined the other students. She saw my expression and smiled at me. “Yer first time seein' Tailspin go ona campin' trip?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding slowly. “I’m worried maybe he’ll have trouble.”

“That’s just nerves getting' tah ya,” Applejack replied. “Kids are a lot smarter than most give 'em credit fer. Tailspin’s a smart boy like his brother, he’ll be all right.”

“Thanks Applejack,” I said, with a small sigh of relief. “I guess I’m just overprotective of him, is all.”

She pointed with her hoof to where Rarity and Sweetie Belle were talking with each other off to the side. “Are you sure you have everything, Sweetie Belle?” Rarity asked, with worried eyes. “Will you be warm enough? Did you pack everything like I showed you?”

Sweetie Belle simply smiled, and hugged her sister. “I’ll be fine, Rarity, if any diamond dogs kidnap me I’ll just do what you do.”

Rarity smiled and hugged her sister back. “I don’t know whether I want to praise you or smack you. So, we’ll just hug and hope for the best.”

My eyes fell on Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo as the surrogate sisters smiled at one another. Rainbow ruffled Scootaloo’s mane. “Just take care kid, and keep practicing those wing techniques I taught you.”

Those two have gotten pretty close it seems. That’s good; they seem to be improving each other being together.

My grey eyes fell on Tailspin, who was deep in conversation with Pipsqueak and Dinky. I walked to the trio and spoke up, “All right you three, keep each other safe while on the trip, okay?”

Tailspin smirked at Pip. “Pip has extra incentive to keep a certain unicorn safe.”

I watched as the colts and fillies hopped onto the train. They planned on heading to White Tail Woods this year. It wasn’t too far away from Ponyville, but that didn’t help my anxiety over Tailspin. Tailspin looked up at me. “Private, I just wanna say I’m sorry for yelling at you before.”

I shook my head. “I can’t blame you for wanting to be like everypony else. I’m proud of you for making this kind of decision by yourself.”

Tailspin hugged me tight around the neck. I hugged my brother back tightly. Some ponies looked at us brothers hugging, but I didn’t care. I was saying goodbye to one of the best friends I’ve ever had. I deserved a moment with him.

I let Tailspin go, and watched him get onto the train. I followed the train as it started moving,Tailspin waved his hoof out the window at me as he left. I ran to the end of the platform watching the train slowly disappear beyond the horizon.

I looked behind me as the moon was starting to rise for the evening. Luna, guard and protect him, please…
_______________________________________________________________
Two days later…

I sat holding my marshmallow over the fire. We’d been on this camping trip for two days, and so far it was fun all around. We went on hikes, boat rides on the river, and now I was going to have my first s'more ever!

Sweetie Belle lifted her marshmallow out of the fire and frowned sadly as it literally burnt on the stick. “So much for s'more making cutie marks,” she said, tossing her stick in the pile of other burnt sticks.

Diamond Tiara laughed from her spot over on a log. “At this rate, you’ll be blank flanks until we graduate!”

I was about ready to pummel her, but then Rumble got up and glared at Diamond Tiara. “Back off, nopony likes it when you make fun of them.”

Rumble kept his angry violet gaze trained on Diamond until she got up, and moved to another log. She was muttering to herself about how daddy was going to fix us or something. I shook my head. Diamond was so spoiled. She would think that her dad, Filthy Rich, or Mr. Rich as he liked us calling him, could buy the moon if she asked.

Rumble gave me a long look. There are times I just can’t really tell what he’s thinking. One minute he’s beating me up over Scootaloo, next he’s telling Diamond off for making fun of somepony.

“Tailspin, your marshmallow’s on fire!” Pip’s shout pulled me out of my thought process.

I looked at my stick and sure enough the white treat was on fire. I waved it in the air to get it to stop burning. I frowned as I looked at the charred treat on the end of my stick. “Looks like I won’t get my cutie mark in s'more making either.”

I joined in the group chuckle. Then Dinky looked around “Miss Cherilee’s been gone an awful long time.”

I stopped talking as I heard a sound behind us. I looked over and saw only bushes. I definitely heard something though. Pip and I headed over to the bushes to check it out. I picked up a small stick as a means of defense should the worst happen.

Something big shoved past us, knocking me out of my chair. The other kids screamed as I saw a huge monster in front of me. It certainly looked like a pony, but it was at least twice the size of Big Mac. His eyes were a sharp yellow, his mane long and bright red. His coat was pure scarlet as well. What is he?

It turned to me and snarled low, I noticed it was an earth pony, for it lacked a horn or wings. Those eyes, though, they looked… scared?

A strange fuzzy feeling came over me as I slowly slipped into unconsciousness. The last thing I saw was an old, grape colored unicorn pony looking down at Dinky.

Equestria Noir Case 14 "A Glimmer of Hope"

by Jacoboby1

Chapter 1 "Camping"