//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Stealing a Heart of Gold // by Silentpegasus //------------------------------// Chapter 11. “Well looks like I’ve stumbled onto a conversation.” he said as he trotted towards the group. Gizmo stood there frozen looking his friend. “Shield I’m sorry I-” Shield then gripped him by his coat and lifted him off the floor. “How much did you tell them?” “Only about Flora.” “That’s it?” “Yes.” Shield let out a deep sigh and put the stallion back on the floor. “Okay then. Sorry man.” “It’s fine I probably shouldn’t have said anything.” he said in a low tone. Shield then cast his gaze at the two mares. “We were just curious about you.” Twilight said as she glared back at the stallion “Look....I know you want to know more about me, but my life is not some story that should be told lightly.” “But-” “Listen I have a risky job, it’s made me make decisions that will haunt me for the rest of my life.” Rarity looked at him with a sad look. Shield trotted over to his mare friend and lifted her chin with his hoof so their eyes met “I promise I’ll tell you eventually. I just....need some time okay?” Rarity nodded with a smile and gave him a quick kiss. “Thanks.” he said as his phone began to ring. “Hello?.....Hey Comet what’s up?........positive...good the boys in the lab are still analyzing the feather and the pictures should be developed by now......okay I’ll see you at the station in ten minutes.” he closed the phone and looked back at the ponies. “Sorry, but I gotta go to work.” he gave Rarity a quick kiss and left the library. The white mare turned back to the two unicorns with a smile on her face. “I should really go too, I still have to put that ensemble together. See you later Twilight.” Rarity said as she galloped out of the door. Gizmo looked at Twilight who started to blush. “So...what should we do now?” she asked as she looked at the green unicorn. “Ummm....” his eyes darted around the room until his eyes fell upon a brown wooden box. “Do you play chess?” “Um yeah!” she said in excitement. “Want to play?” “Sure.” she said as she began to set up the board. “White or black?” “A gentle-colt always let’s a mare make the first move.” he said with a smile, Twilight blushed again. “Trust me Gizmo you’re going to regret that.” she said in a playful tone. “We shall see Ms. Sparkle. Your move.” he said with a smug grin. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shield had just stepped into the police station when Comet came up to him holding a file. “Those the results from the hospital?” “Yeah the fluids belong to Red Wing. What about the feather?” “They should be done just about.....now.” a pony in a white lab coat came running up to them. “Here are the test results on that feather inspector.” the lab pony said as he handed him the file. Shield opened it and smiled. “100% match. I just want the photo’s just to be sure he can’t weasel his way out of this.” he said as he trotted over to the dark room and examined the photo’s, he put them in a stack and started to examine them, he let out a small chuckle at a few. “What’s so funny?” “Here take a look.” he said as he handed a few to the mare. Comet noticed that a few of them were pictures of Sweetie Belle. “Looks like our photographer has a crush on my mare-friends sister.” he said as he continued to look through the photo’s. “Gotcha!” he said as he withdrew a photo that showed a red stallion holding a blue mare with his hoof over her mouth, he looked at the next photo and his eyes shrank. “Oh no!” “What?” Shield showed her the photo that showed the red stallions face. “So big deal he got a face shot, this only proves that he’s guilty!” “Ugh! If Shady got a face shot then that means that Red Wing SAW HIM!” Comet’s jaw dropped at the realization. “You go to Shady’s house and you stay there and protect him until I have Red Wing in custody, Understand!?” Comet nodded and galloped into the Captains office, Shield flew out of the police station and took flight towards Red Wing’s address in Cloudsdale. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Back in the library Gizmo and Twilight were dead locked in a battle of wits and strategy. Twilight scratched her chin thinking of a way she could turn this game around, she looked at the stallion who had the same look on his face, planning his next move. Twilight then had an idea that was so stupid it might just work. She looked at the stallion with a smile, Gizmo blushed at the mare’s action. “You certainly are a challenge Gizmo.” “Not so bad yourself Twilight, it’s been a while since I’ve had a real challenge.” he said with a smile. “So you knew Shield’s mare-friend?” “Not really.” he said as he moved a piece on the board. Twilight bit her lip at the motion. “Was she on the force?” “No, she was a florist. I met her once, really sweet mare. It took Shield two whole months to work up the courage to ask her out.” “Why didn’t he ever go out with one of the mares on the force?” she said as she moved closer to the stallion. “Theres an old saying, ‘Don’t eat where you shit.’ pardon my language.” “I don’t get it.” “It’s never a good idea to date within the workplace things can get....complicated.” he said at the mare moved a piece on the board. “Did you ever date any-pony?” she asked as she adverted her gaze. “No. Most mares go for stallions like Shield; the ‘on the street action cops.’ I’m just the guy behind a desk that does the paper work.” Twilight then moved closer to the stallion so that they were only five inches away from one another. “Most mares don’t like smart stallions.” Gizmo looked at the mare who’s blushing face was only inches away from his. “Well Gizmo, I’m not like most mares.” she said in a suggestive voice. “Absolutely.” he said as they both locked lips with one another. “TWILIGHT WE’VE GOT A HUGE PROBLEM!” Rainbow said as she came bursting into the library, she then notice Twilight and the green stallion breaking apart from one another. “What is it Rainbow?” she said in an aggravated tone. “Hate to break up your love fest, but theres something happening down the street! You gotta come quick!” Rainbow said as she flew back out the door with the two unicorns following close behind. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Shield arrived at Red Wing’s apartment, he was trotting down the hall with the land lord and a huge ring of keys. “This is it.” he said as he put the key into the slot and opened the door. Shield stepped inside and began to search the apartment. “Never really liked this guy, always gave off a vibe that just didn’t feel right.” Shield looked in the bedroom closet and found bottles of anesthetic and various other drugs. Shield approached the land lord. “Do you know where he might be?” “No.” he said as the two walked out of the room. A grey pegasus mare with a blonde mane exited the adjacent room and stared at the stallions. “Excuse me ma’am I’m looking for a red pegasus stallion named Red Wing.” he said as he pulled his badge out and showed it to the mare. “You wouldn’t happen to know where he is?” “Oh him! He left like.....an hour ago.” “Do you know where?” “Um....I think he said something about babysitting down in some town called Ponyville. Celestia help that child, that guy is REALLY creepy.” she said in a disgusted tone. Shield’s phone began to ring, he quickly answered it. “Hello?......Comet that you?......Easy, easy slow down what happened?.....HE’S GOT WHO ?......WHERE?.......KEEP HIM BUSY I’LL BE RIGHT THERE!” Shield hung up the phone and jumped out of the window and rocketed towards Ponyville. Comet along with a squadron of police officers were waiting outside of the clock tower where a large gathering of ponies had crowded around the scene. Shield shot through the night sky like a bat out of hell, he landed in front of Comet who looked at him with worry in her eyes. “Where is he?” he bellowed. Comet pointed to the top of the clock tower. “Typical.” he then noticed Rainbow Dash trying to fight her way through the crowd. “Let her through!” he ordered, the police ponies complied and allowed the cyan mare to enter the scene. She flew up to him with worry in her eyes. “Shield what is going on?” “Red Wing’s taken Rarity and Shady captive, he’s holding them at the top of the clock tower.” Comet said. “Well we gotta do something!” Shield drew the mare close and whispered something in her ear. “Can you do that?” “Y-yeah.” she said as she flew into the sky. Shield grabbed a mega phone and talked into it. “Attention Red Wing, this is Inspector Shield with the Ponyville police. You have my word that you will be given a fair trial if you surren-” he was cut off by a large rock falling next to him. “Okay, I am coming up to negotiate. It will be me and me alone.” he looked over at comet who had a surprised look on her face, he put a hoof on her shoulder. “If something happens....promise me you’ll look after her.” he said as he took flight and flew up to the building. As he reached the other side he saw a red pegasus stallion waiting for him, he looked over to see Shady and Rarity tied up and on opposite ends of the clock tower. “So you’re the inspector that’s all over the news.” the stallion said with a laugh. “It’s over Red Wing, we have the proof that you raped Colgate. You’re only making things worse with this kidnapping charge. “Oh it’s far from over! You see inspector, you arrested my cousin two years ago and when he got out he told me all kind’s of things about you. The Phantasm of Manehattan they called you.” he said with a laugh. “So what?” “Let me finish.” he said as he trotted over and picked up Shady who began to squirm in his bindings. “He told me that you’re mare-friend died right in front of your eyes.” he said as he moved over to Rarity who had tears in her eyes. “And that a foal died on your account.” he said as he looked at Shady. “Start making sense!” he said as he raised his right bracer. “Time to make a choice inspector! The mare or the foal, only one can live. You must chose!” he said as he took flight with both ponies under his arms. Shield flew to his altitude keeping the hoof-rifle focused on him. “Don’t do it!” Shield pleaded, the night became silent. He could feel the blood pumping through his body and his heart beating a million times per second. “Times up!” he let both ponies go, Shield fired his right bracer. The bullet hit the stallion in the head, killing him. Shield flew straight down towards the ground. He saw a rainbow blur rocketing towards the falling mare and catch her. He poured every ounce of strength he had and shot towards the colt, he had maybe twenty seconds before he hit the ground. He outstretched his hoof and grabbed the rope holding the colt, Shield wrapped himself around the colt and braced for impact. He felt himself hit the dirt and slide, creating a massive ditch where he landed. Shield opened his eyes to see a blue colt on his stomach looking at him with tear filled eyes. Shield let out a sigh of relief and felt darkness take hold of him.