//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 - Broken radio, intact hopes 
// Story: True Heroes Never Die 
// by LCranston 
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Disclaimer:

My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and associations and are used without permission for the sole purpose of entertainment for no financial gain of any kind.

Crusher Calloway, Squeaky Clean, Vacuum Tube, Radio Dial, Hyde Bound, Four Color, and Dimension Door are my intellectual property, but Lauren Faust can make me an offer if she wishes.

The characters of Mare-got Game and She-Was-Calm are my creation but the name puns are kind of embarrassing.

Law Cranberry is the property of Spectre Von Baren and is used with permission.

Background and setup:

Spectre Von Baren wrote a story called “S.O.S. Foal Detectives”.  It was a story where Sweetie Belle discovered Shadow Nose, the radio show character.  She liked the character and tried to convince the Cutie Mark Crusaders that he was a cool role model.

Shadow Nose was homage to The Shadow, of 1930’s radio mystery fame in the U.S.  I personally love The Shadow.  He uses his brain to solve crimes, not just fists or guns.  Another big fan of The Shadow was young Bob Kane, who would sit in the living room of his residence and listen to The Shadow on the radio with his father.  Later on in his life, Bob Kane would go on to create a comic book character based on the Shadow but made it more up-to-date with his time period.  He called it Batman.

Spectre Von Baren was nice enough to allow me to write a story about Shadow Nose, his original character, with permission.  Still, this is a little fantastic since the story is set in a land of magic talking ponies.

Thank you, Spectre Von Baren.



 
True Heroes Never Die
By Charles Johnson

In the dark room, the young unicorn filly hunched under her blanket.  She pressed herself back against the bed, trying to find some protection.
A harsh, gravelly voice called out, “Where are you, little filly?  Come out here now!”  A moment’s pause brought no results.
The voice took on a falsely sweet tone as it continued, “Come on, little girl.  Uncle Crusher has a treat for you.  I promise not to hurt you.”
A filly’s voice whispered, “Promise?”  A pair of hooves began to step out.
Sweetie Belle peeked out from under her blanket and cried out, “NO!  Don’t believe him!”
A deep, powerful voice announced, “Stop right there, Crusher Calloway!”
Crusher gasped, “Shadow Nose!”
Sweetie Belle happily squealed, “Shadow Nose!”
Shadow Nose stomped his hooves closer.  He stated, “You’re under arrest, Crusher.  I know about the jewels in the doll.  I know about the murder of Squeaky Clean at the laundry.  You’re finished!”
A rustling of fabric preceded a shriek of fright.
Crusher stated, “Don’t come any closer, Shadow Nose!  If I can’t escape, this here filly gets hurt!”
Sweetie Belle crept closer to the radio, tears running down her face.  “NO!  Don’t hurt her!”
Shadow Nose altered his voice to be hollow and with an echo.  “It won’t work, Crusher.  Your gun is too heavy.  You can’t lift it.  It’s made of pure, solid lead!”
Crusher gasped from effort and whined, “Augh!  I can’t keep it lifted!  It’s too heavy!”
Sweetie Belle jumped up, throwing her hooves in the air and cheering, “YAAAAAY!”
The door to the bedroom flung open.  BANG!
The pale unicorn, wearing a furry robe and a green mud mask scolded, “Sweetie Belle!”
The young lavender-maned unicorn screamed, “AAAAAAUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!”
Sweetie Belle spun around to face her sister, knocking her hoof against the radio.  The device fell to the floor, dislodging the crystal battery.  The radio cut out immediately.
Rarity shouted, “Will you please stop making so much noise that the neighbors all knock on our door demanding my apology!  Why are you even up this late?”
The lavender-maned filly shouted back, “You broke it!  You broke my radio!  Now I’ll never know how the story ends!”
The fashion designer retorted, “Who would ever want to listen to this program anyway?  You know how it all ends every time!  Would you please just go to bed?  I can’t prepare for my trip to Canterlot if I can’t get any sleep?”
Suddenly, Sweetie Belle’s eyes widened and her expression blossomed into a smile.  
She sidled up to Rarity and asked, “Canterlot?  You’re going to Canterlot?  Take me with you, pleeeeeeease?”
Rarity rolled her eyes and sighed.  She forgot to conceal that detail.
She calmed down and tried to reason, “Sweetie, I can’t turn this into a pleasure trip.  I’ll be working too much to watch you.”
The filly huffed and narrowed her eyes.  She complained, “You never take me anywhere!  You just shovel me off to your friends and then go off and attend parties.”
The fashion designer objected, “That’s not true!  I go to Canterlot for my business.  I’ll be there for only three days to deliver custom clothing to a convention.  I can’t do things with you because I can’t leave as long as the convention is going on.”
Sweetie Belle insisted, “That’s perfect!  I’ll just stay in the hotel and read my comic books.  I can get new comic books and even a replacement crystal for my radio.  Canterlot’s the only place that has those old crystals for my radio.”  Seeing Rarity’s nonplussed face, she whined, “Which YOU broke!”
For the piece de resistance, Sweetie gave her sister the Ultimate Pout of Suffering.  The gaze melted the heart of her sister instantly.
Rarity, sighed and acquiesced, “Fine, you can go.  But only if you…”
Instantly, the lights in Sweetie Belle’s room went out and the rustle of fabric came from the bed.  The hallway light illuminated Sweetie Belle, already in her bed with her eyes closed.
The fashion designer gaped in awe at just how fast her little sister could move when she wanted to.

The next morning, the two unicorns arrived at the train station frantically.  Rarity held two tickets in her mouth while dragging a large suitcase behind her.  She pushed herself towards the platform and then spoke around the tickets.
“Sweetie, hurry up!  You said you wanted to be in Canterlot now bring those outfits!”
The small filly huffed, puffed, and groaned loudly.  She pushed the covered clothes rack on its wheels with her head, using all of her exhausted might.
She complained, “Ugh!  Rarity, why do you have to bring half of your store with us?  This is so heavy!”
The elder sister spied a stallion in an official uniform and looking at a watch.
She called out, “Conductor!  Assistance, if you please!”
The conductor galloped over and began to pull on the luggage into the train car.
Sweetie Belle collapsed onto the platform and moaned theatrically, “That’s it!  I’m finished!  I have met my doom within a train station!”
Rarity harrumphed loudly and grabbed her limp sister.  She pulled Sweetie into the car and growled in a low voice, “Celestia help me but if you are this much of a pain in Canterlot then I’m mailing you back to Ponyville…book rate!”
From inside the train car the conductor grumbled to himself, “Surprise, surprise.  It’s another happy family and another quiet, peaceful day.  Glad I turned down my marefriend’s proposal.”
He then made the announcement, “All aboard to Canterlot!”