Detective Babs Seed stared at the crime photos taken from Center Park three nights ago. In them was a young mare, late twenties, lying on the ground with an open gash on her forehead thanks to a blunt object. She had struggled, fought against her adversary, but it had been futile. Whoever this stallion was he didn’t care who he hurt as long as he got the purse. It was the same MO: young mare, earth pony, a blitz attack in one of Manehattan’s biggest and most popular parks. Blunt force was used to knock the mare down and take her purse, and no witnesses were ever in the area. However, this was the first case where the victim died.
The previous two of the three mares had been only been knocked unconscious when they tried to resist. The only one who didn’t fight back only got a nasty bump on her head thanks to the fall. That ruled out murder as the main focus, it was all about the purse. Still, even if the scumbag didn’t intend to kill, he had caused a young mare’s death.
Angel Heart. Worked as a nurse in St. Meagan’s Children Hospital. Recently engaged and older sister of three. Dear Celestia, the horseapples I see on this job, thought Babs as she closed the case-file and put it away. She rubbed her temples and, not for the first time, wondered why she was a detective. She glanced at her cutie mark, a boxing glove in the middle of a star. Everypony said she should have gone into the ring, but she wanted to make a difference in the city she grew up in. She thought back to her days as a “Cutie Mark Crusader” and the innocence from back then. Back then, she thought by finding her special talent she would mean finding her destiny, but living in the city taught her that you made your own destiny. Not a mark on your butt.
Besides, you know you like the work, Babs. And you’ve gotten in more than your share of fights.
“Hey, Babsie!”
A ball of scrunched up paper hit her on the back of the head and she turned around, glaring at her partner. Lowering another one with her horn, Emerald Eye smirked before leaning back on her chair and lifting her rear hooves on her desk. Like her namesake, she was a pure emerald unicorn from her buzzcut mane to her fur. The only thing that wasn’t green like grass was her cutie mark, a blue eye inside a magnifying glass. “You’ve been spacing out there for the last twenty minutes. Still reading those case files on the Center Park Snatcher?”
Babs rolled her eyes at the name. Her partner liked to give every suspect a nickname in hopes of it catching on in the precinct or the media. “More like Center Park Murderer. Don’t you want to catch this bastard?”
Emerald’s joking smile turned upside down. “Yeah, I do. But I’m more concerned about you, Babsie. This is your first murder case and the first ones are always make it or break it for rookie detectives like you.”
“I can handle myself fine, Emerald,” snapped Babs.
“I know, I know. Eager to prove yourself. Just be careful and don’t go investigating on your own. Your dad would kill me if anything happened to you,” said Emerald before turning back to her own paperwork.
Babs sighed when she heard that. “Please tell me he didn’t talk tell you specifically to watch out for me when he learned you were my partner?”
“Alright I won’t.”
Babs quickly made a mental note to have a “sweet talk” with her dad the next time they got together. Just because he’s Head of Internal Affairs, doesn’t mean he can baby me. She was only lucky that Emerald was nice. Most cops hated Internal Affairs, and when they learned she was the daughter of the department head? Well, popularity wasn’t a big thing to Babs anyway.
“Hey, Babsie,” called out Emerald. “Didn’t you have to be at Ponn Station for something in an hour?”
Glancing at the clock, Babs cursed when she realized what time it was. “Aw, horseapples. Tell the chief I went to do that task I promised my cousin!” she shouted as she grabbed her trench coat and took off.
“Only if you pay for drinks tomorrow!” shouted Emerald.
***
“The Friendship Express will be arriving in five minutes!”
“Phew, made it,” said Babs as she took a moment to catch her breath. She looked around the station where hundreds of ponies were moving back and forth to their next trains via escalator. The train schedule above told her to expect her new charge at gate A3.
While she waited, Babs made sure to keep her guard up since Ponn Station, while not dangerous per se, was a popular place for pickpockets and scammers trying to earn easy money off tourists. She could see a few uniforms mulling about, but Ponn station was considered a low priority beat, thus the MPD's holding pen for rookies and the less-than-stellar performers. Unless the perp got loud and sloppy, most of these unis wouldn't notice a thing. Some might say that if they knew there were crooks they should book them, but the problem was that this was Manehattan. Get rid of one rat, and you find six more.
Taking herself out of “detective mode”, Babs closed her eyes in an effort to remember who it was that was coming. She recalled Apple Bloom’s letter:
Howdy Cousin!
Been awhile since we talked. Heard ya finally made detective, and only after three years on the force! Things are okay here on the farm and mah shop is doin’ pretty good, too. Sweetie Belle finally got asked the “big question” from Button Mash and everypony’s all excited about the upcomin’ weddin’. Ah doubt it will be as big as Applejack’s and Dash’s but who knows with Pinkie Pie and the twins workin’ together. Ah just wish Scootaloo was here to see all this, but she’s still stationed in Sirus with them Diamond Dogs. I hope she stays safe.
Anyway, there is a reason why Ah’m writin’ this letter. Somethin’ happened in Ponyville and Ah need ya to shelter a friend of mine. Y’all remember Spike, right? The only dragon in Ponyville? Well, he needs to get away from town for a bit and Ah figured what better place then the big city? Ah don’t know how long he’ll be stayin’, but Ah promise he won’t be a burden. He’s offered to help pay rent, too.
Ah can’t say why since Ah made a promise and if ya want to know it’s best to let him tell ya on his own terms.
Hope to hear from ya soon,
Yer cousin, Apple Bloom.
Babs thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of the Friendship Express coming to a halt down below. A part of her wanted to go see the old train that always caught her eyes when she was a filly. She once thought it was the coolest train in the world, much more exciting to ride than the boring trains she always saw in the city. Soon enough, ponies started coming up from the escalator with the occasional griffin or donkey.
Shouldn’t be too hard to find a dragon. Still, it has been years since I last saw him. Babs tried to think of any memories she had of Spike. She had seen him a few times in town growing up whenever she visited for the summer or holidays, but it wasn’t that often. She knew he was the assistant, and adopted little brother, of Princess Twilight Sparkle, and that he was friends with her older cousin, Applejack. The CMC occasionally had played with him a few times, but he mostly hung out with guys like that Snails and Snips duo.
Other then that, she couldn’t remember him that much. But it wasn’t hard to find him as she saw a large purple and green dragon as the last of the passengers came up, carrying only two suitcases on his back. He was walking on all fours instead of the two legs she remembered him by. Her eyes grew wide as she saw him closer; he was about the size of Princess Luna and yet he was as handsome as Prince Shining Armor. Gone was the teenage dragon she used to see, but a real grown up dragon.
He must have recognized her since he walked over and gave her a small smile. “Babs Seed? It’s been awhile.”
“Y-yeah, it has,” said Babs, getting out of her shock. “You’ve really grown, huh?”
“Everypony says that,” he chuckled. “So do you mind if we grab a bite to eat before we head over to your place?”
“Sure, I know a nearby sandwich shop run by a friend of mine. We’ll stop there,” said Babs, ready to take one of his bags, but Spike raised his claw.
“I can take them. Dragon strength and all.”
Babs shrugged as she lead them out of the station. So far, Spike had been polite, kind, and had even smiled.
So then why did his eyes seem so sad?
***
The store bell rang as Spike opened the door for Babs. She smirked and rolled her eyes. A blue earth pony with a mullet, wearing an apron, spotted Babs and waved. Babs turned to Spike and asked, “What kind of sandwich do you want?”
“I’ll let you decide, you know this place better than me,” answered Spike before sitting down at one of the nearby booths that barely fit his size. She watched him take out something from one of his suitcases, a pen and parchment, and start writing on it.
Although she was curious, Babs stomach reminded her of her daily needs. She walked over to the pony who waved at her before. Giving him a friendly smile, she said, “Hello, Double Stack. How’s business?”
“Doing pretty good. Noticed you with a young drake. Friend of yours?” asked Double.
“Not really, more like my cousin’s friend down in Ponyville. Staying with me for a bit,” answered Babs before she licked her lips.
“Seems a bit lonely. Like you used to be in class before we started our CMC group.”
Babs glanced around her shoulder and could see where Double Stack was coming from. Instead of an adult dragon, hunched over a piece of paper and looking like a rain cloud was over his head, she saw an eight year old orange filly trying to cover her blank flank with her tail.
Wonder what’s bugging him, she thought, and what does it have to do with him being here? She turned away from Spike, putting the question away in her head and focused on the list of toppings displayed on the board above. “I’ll take a mozzarella, lettuce, fried tomatoes, and mushroom sandwich with sweet dressing. And same thing for my friend, but give him rubies instead of mushrooms. Both on wheat bread.”
“Knew adding those gem toppings was a good idea,” chuckled Double Stack before he went to work, slicing the vegetables with a knife. “You know, Sugarmix got her cutie mark yesterday.”
“Really? That’s great! When’s her cuteceanera?” asked Babs, leaning forward.
“Thursday. She was excited at first, then she worried when she thought she wasn’t gonna be a Crusader anymore.” He stopped working and both ponies gave each other knowing smirks. “You know what I told her?”
“Once a Crusader, always a crusader,” answered Babs with a melancholy sigh. “Hard to believe that our division has impacted so many foals. We even have a youth center for them.” She turned to a framed picture on the wall. It showed herself and Double Stack back when they were foals, proudly showing off their capes in her backyard. There was one other filly with them, a pink unicorn with yellow pigtails wrapped with ribbons and a smile that could melt any heart.
Babs didn’t know how long she stared at that filly in the photo, but after a bonk on the head she turned around and saw Double Stack with both sandwiches wrapped and ready. “Lost in your thoughts again?”
“Just thinking about the old days. And... Ribbon...”
Double Stack sighed and looked at the photo as well. “I wish she was here, too. It’s not the same when we go there, you know? Helping the new fillies find their cutie marks. It should be the three of us.”
“I just wish I went with her when... when...” Babs started to tremble while biting her lip. Double Stack put a hoof on her shoulder and made her look into his eyes.
“You wouldn’t have prevented it. Or worse, you could have been killed too. She wouldn’t want you to keep asking yourself what if’s,” said Double Stack, lowering his hoof. “I know you became a cop because of what happened and I respect that. But you're not gonna change what happened to Ribbon that day.”
Babs took the sandwiches and turned around. “No, but I can try to prevent it from happening again.”
She didn’t bother to let Double Stack say anything back. Walking over to Spike she saw him hastily put away his paper and pen before following her out the door.
***
Opening the keys to her apartment, Babs spread her hoof out and presented it to Spike in all its simple glory. “Well, here we are. Home sweet home.”
Spike swallowed the last bite of his sandwich before walking in and looking around. “Nice place. You live alone?”
“Yeah, I got the deal at half rent. My dad, when he was a detective, helped the owner of the place find out who caused his wife’s death. Turns out she was only faking it so she could leave the city with her new coltfriend. When I wanted to find my own place he asked for a favor and here I am,” explained Babs, closing the door behind her.
“Did you become a detective because of your dad?” asked Spike, putting his suitcases on the couch.
Babs was silent for a few seconds before answering, “No, something else happened. Anyway,” She pointed down the hall where the kitchen was. “Kitchen is right there. Help yourself to anything in the fridge and if you want to cook go ahead. I can’t make food to save my life. Past that are the bedrooms. You’re on the left, and each room has its own bathroom.”
“Thanks, I guess I’ll just head into my room and catch some z’s,” said Spike, grabbing his things.
“That’s it?” asked Babs raising an eyebrow. “You don’t want to get something to eat, or see around the city?”
“I’m fine, thanks,” Spike said hastily before he walked away.
Babs crossed her forelegs and raised her eyebrow. He’s hiding something.
***
Another two weeks, another victim. Thankfully, this wasn’t another murder. The mare had been assaulted, no surprise, but she wasn’t injured too badly. She also managed to catch better view of her attacker than the others did, no surprise considering she was a bat pony. According to the victim, he was a unicorn stallion of average height and build, except for very well-muscled hind legs, wore a lot of dark clothing and kept his face hidden with a ski mask. She remembered him having green eyes and a light blue tail. While it wasn’t enough to draw out a perfect suspect, it was enough to have a sketch artist make and distribute the drawing to the papers and local park employes for hints.
Naturally, there were dozens of citizens accusing everypony from their neighbors to their husbands. No solid leads.
“Well, we’ll check into it Mrs. Vaningham. Thank you,” said Babs to the elderly griffin who fuddled with her glasses and purse before heading towards the exit. When she was sure she was gone, Babs threw her statement into the trash and leaned back against her chair.
“Aren’t you supposed to process all paperwork?” asked Emerald walking over and handing her a cup of coffee.
“You really think it’s gonna be beneficial if I add in a statement that says it’s the ghost of Jack the Ripper? The griffin serial killer from 200 years ago they never found? That a psychic happens to have figured out the case and wishes to point me in the right direction because it’s apparently my destiny to stop him and put all the innocent souls that died to rest?” asked Babs, raising an eyebrow.
“No, but it would make great conversation material,” joked Emerald. Babs rolled her eyes as she started to drink the most holy of caffeine drinks. “So, did ya get your flank tapped by dragon boy’s rocks yet?”
Babs spat out her coffee and began to choke. When she finally cleared her throat she glared at her partner. “What?! No!”
“Seriously?!” Emerald looked at her with disbelief. “Girl, you got a hot adolescent, yet legal in Equestria, dragon living in your home for two weeks and you haven’t jumped the scales yet? My friend from Celestia Heights said that dragons in bed are like having six stallions at once. Provided they don’t crush you with their pelvis. Which wouldn’t be a bad way to go if you ask me.”
Babs wiped her muzzle clean of any remaining coffee before she shook her head. “No, Spike and I barely talk anyway. Most of the time it’s hi’s and byes. When I get home all he does is keep writing stuff or staying in his room. I don’t think he’s even gone out once.”
“Seriously? He’s in Manehattan and he hasn’t done anything? You need to get him out and about, Babsie,” suggested Emerald.
“Yeah, but he’s got something he’s hiding and my cousin did say he needed to get away from home for awhile,” muttered Babs. “I don’t think I should bother him.”
“I’m not asking you to get his life story. I’m saying help him get out some more. Look,” she walked over to her desk, opened a drawer, and levitated two tickets. “These are tickets to this week’s Yonker’s game. I was suppose to go to with my coltfriend, but he’s down with the flu. Go out together, enjoy yourself. After all, nopony comes to Manehattan and misses a Yonker’s game. Especially when it’s against the Red Horseshoes.”
Babs took the tickets and stared at them. She didn’t admit it, but seeing Spike lie around her house, looking all alone, did bother her. I guess I at least owe it to my cousin to be a good host.
“Alright, thanks. I owe you one.”
“Sure, you can tell me the details when you when he shows you his horde,” teased Emerald.
“Shut up.”
***
“I’m home!” shouted Babs as she closed the door behind her.
“Hey, how was work?” asked Spike as he scribbled something on paper. Tons of crushed pieces of paper could be seen everywhere on her couch.
Same spot as I left him. At least he cleans up after himself, thought Babs, putting her coat away. “I was thinking we could get out of the apartment for a bit. You haven’t really gone out that much except for writing... whatever it is your writing.”
“These?” asked Spike raising his paper. He shifted his eyes a bit. “They’re... just letters.”
“To who?”
“Ponies,” answered Spike before getting up and walking away. “A-anyway, I want to be alone tonight.” Babs wasn’t having any of that. She quickly rushed over and grabbed his tail with her mouth, stopping him. “The hay?”
Babs spat it out. “Oh no, you don’t. You are gonna get off your scaly butt to follow me and we’re going out for pizza. No excuses. I’m treating.”
“But...”
“Now.” Babs pointed at the door and glared.
Spike sighed and rolled his eyes. “Apple Bloom did say you were pushy.”
“Comes with being a mare.”
***
Babs had been alone with guys before when eating out. She had dated a bit and was no stranger to awkward situations. But she was having a hard time dealing with this one dragon who seemed to be more quiet than a mouse. She had tried to get him to open up by asking a few things about Ponyville, but he answered in short answers only. Whatever happened to him had to have happened there.
He sat there, on his extra large seat, watching customers come in and order while twiddling his thumbs. He never once looked at her or said anything. The only times he had talked was when he was answering a question or when the waiter took their order.
Finally, Babs decided to break the ice herself by slamming her hoof on the table, grabbing his attention. “Alright, I’m not gonna lie. I know something happened to you in Ponyville, what that is I don’t know. While I admit I’m curious, I’m more annoyed that you’ve been acting like a minotaur monk taking a vow of silence. So I’m gonna talk about myself. You wanna know why I became a detective?” Spike slightly leaned forward as Babs took a moment to collect herself.
“After I was made a member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, I tried to set up a branch here in Manehattan. Naturally, there were a lot of my classmates who thought the idea was stupid, but I found two who wanted to join and they became my best friends. One of them you met at the sandwich shop, Double Stack, and the other was a filly named Ribbon.” Babs reached into her coat and pulled out her wallet, showing a photo of herself as a filly along with two other foals dressed in capes.
Spike gave a small smirk. “I assume you were as chaotic as our CMC’s were back home?”
Babs chuckled. “My father used to say they had to create their own code number for us whenever we got in trouble or did something that lead to trouble.” She sighed and stared at the photo. “Those were best years of my life. Plus, the three of us managed to keep bullies away from other blank flanks. We were heroes to them. Eventually, we got older and the CMC thing was starting to spread to other cities. Before we knew it, we were helping out at our own Cutie Mark Crusader Center.”
“Yeah, none of us in Ponyville ever saw that coming. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash were proud the day Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo cut the ribbon for the center back in Ponyville. Now it’s a non-profit organization to help foals find who they are and have fun,” said Spike before raising an eyebrow. “That was the last time I saw you I think. I thought I recognized you and those ponies with you.”
“Yeah, that was the last time I went into Ponyville ‘cept for family reunions, Granny Smith’s funeral, and Applejack’s wedding,” said Babs. “As for me and my friends, we all found our special talents. I was a great boxer, Double Stack was awesome at sandwichs, and Ribbon was a dancer like Scootaloo, except she didn’t join the army. She wanted to perform on Bridleway.”
“Is she doing it?” asked Spike, taking a sip of his coke.
Babs closed her eyes and closed the wallet before a tear dripped down her eye. Spike was silent as she wiped it away and shook her head. “Here’s where the story gets sad. When I was sixteen, she was going into a store when a robber came in with a crossbow. He robbed the store and saw Ribbon wearing her pearl necklace. He wanted it. She refused. So he... he...”
She closed her eyes as she remembered that night like it happened yesterday. Her father telling her the news as she screamed and cried and threw every priceless thing in their house against the wall in a fit of rage before falling into her parents arms like she was three again. She could remember the funeral, seeing Ribbon’s parents; wrecks with their own daughter dead and gone. Double Stack even said that he’d wished it had been him instead of her. Ribbon’s pale, but peaceful expression was forever engraved in Babs’ mind along with every ribbon her friend had ever owned, which decorated her mane, dress, folded hooves, and casket. She could remember when she personally laid her crusader cape on the wooden box before it sank into the grave.
Suddenly, she felt two strong arms embracing her while a warmth washed away the cold she kept feeling from the open window. It was like a blanket of fire that didn’t burn, only comforted. Opening her eyes, Babs saw Spike holding onto her with a gentle gaze in his eyes. “I’m sorry. That couldn’t have been easy to go through.”
Babs nodded as she let him hug a bit more before he sat back down across from her. “They caught him and he was sentenced to fifty years without parole. He’ll be long dead before he gets out. After everything that happened, I wanted to make a difference. Try to prevent such a thing from happening again. My parents tried to talk me out of it, but in the end they respected my wishes and here I am. Detective of the MPD.”
Spike gave a sad smile. “From what Apple Bloom told me you rose through the ranks fast.”
“Part of that was because they fear my dad, Head of the Internal Affairs and all. It hasn’t won me many friends, but everybody’s too afraid to be my enemy,” answered Babs, taking a sip of her own coke. “So do you mind if I ask you something?”
“Sure,” answered Spike.
“Did you really save the Crystal Empire when you were nine years old?”
Puffing out his chest, Spike nodded. “Yup, they even have a statue of me in the middle of the city.”
“Still get treated well there?” asked Babs.
“I think I get treated more royally than the royal couple,” joked Spike which made both of them laugh. Spike gave a relaxing sigh and nodded his head. “Hey, thanks for taking me out. I’m glad you forced me too. I haven’t felt this relaxed... in a long time.”
“Well, get ready to be even more pleased cause here comes our pizza,” said Babs, licking her lips as their waiter placed the big pie on their table. The aroma of peppers, onions, and apples made Babs mouth begin to water while Spike eyed the diamond crusted half on his end with sausages and bacon. Made from non-sentient pigs, of course.
The two each took a slice and dug in, moaning at the taste of warm cheese and mind blowing flavors. Spike ate his in one gulp and said, “Okay, this is the best pizza ever.”
“Manehattan, baby. Doesn’t get any better,” said Babs,digging in.
“I didn’t think you guys had gem flavors, I was surprised,” said Spike licking a bit of loose chesse of his muzzle.
“We get all kinds of races here. Ponies, griffins, dragons, minotaurs, goats, pigs, even changelings since the peace treaty six years ago,” answered Babs. “If you want I can take you to Dragon Town. That’s where all the dragons are.”
“Sounds cool. Got any other things we could do?” asked Spike, grabbing another slice.
Babs smiled. “How do you like baseball?”
***
“Ball three!” cried out the umpire as the crowd booed him.
Babs was one of those booing as she swung her cider bottle around, ready to throw it from her seat near third base if need be. “That was in the strike zone! What are they paying ya umpire! Being fair too good for you?! You're as blind as a zebra!”
“Uh, he is a zebra, Babs,” pointed out Spike.
“Figure of speech, Spike,” said Babs, sitting back down as the pitcher for the Yonkers prepared his next throw.
The pitcher shook his head three times at the catcher while the Red Horseshoes batter lifted his bat, ready for the throw. The pitcher leaned back and threw the pitch, a swift slider. Everypony held their breath as they saw the batter swing... and miss by a mile.
“Strike three! You’re out!”
The stadium cheered and the pitcher backflipped in victory while the batter stomped off the field and back to his dugout. Babs clapped her hooves louder than anypony near their seats. Spike only lightly clapped. “Great inning. Wish it was the Canterlot Nationals playing though. That’s my team, baby.”
“Yeah, but you don’t have twenty-seven world championships like we do!” teased Babs as she waved her Yonker flag. “How long has it been since you’ve been to a game?”
“Years, and I missed it,” said Spike, reaching under his seat and eating a tofu dog. “I forgot how awesome these games were. Me and Twilight used to go see them when we were still living in Canterlot under Celestia’s palace. Of course, Twilight didn’t really care about the sport so it then became something me and Celestia did.”
“You have to be one of the few guys I know who is okay calling Princess Celestia just by her name,” said Babs, nudging his shoulder. “Either you two are close or you’re more daring than I realized.”
Rubbing the back of his neck, Spike blushed and said, “W-well, she did raise me along with Twilight. I wasn’t even supposed to hatch when she took her test, but returned back to the dragon lands. You see,” he sighed, “my egg was stolen by smugglers and I was gonna be sold on the black market. The guards managed to put a stop to the smuggling ring and found my egg. Celestia was gonna send me back as an offering of good will, but somepony put me in storage where they keep the tests for applicants for the school and the rest is history.”
“So why didn’t you go back?” asked Babs, tilting her head.
“Apparently, according to the dragon code, the one who hatches any hatchling gets the responsibility of taking care of it. Since Celestia protected me, and Twilight hatched me, they became my mother and sister in a way.”
“So that makes you, what? Prince Spike The Dragon? Hero of the Crystal Empire?” asked Babs.
Spike chuckled. “Nah, I never wanted that. The Prince part, at least. I’ve learned that being royalty is not all it’s cracked up to be. I don’t mind being a hero, but I like being Spike more.”
Suddenly, the big TV screen began to change for this half-inning’s special event. The two quickly blushed when they saw that it was the ever popular “Kiss Cam”. The outside of a heart with pink flowers surrounding it appeared as it found it’s first couple to get to kiss. It went from one duo to the next. Young and old. Pony and non-pony. Straight and gay. Anyone was a victim.
And soon, enough, both Babs’ and Spike’s mouths dropped upon seeing themselves on the screen. The others around them began to whistle and urge them to kiss while the two looked at each other redder than all the ketchup on all the fries in the stadium. Babs felt her heart beating and her throat went dry as she tried to say something but couldn’t. It wasn’t that Spike was ugly—far from it actually—but this was a guy she had been living with for two weeks. Plus, she never once found any interest in the opposite sex of another species beside her own.
Gulping, Spike whispered, “Well, we g-gotta do it. It’s tradition.”
Babs only slightly nodded and leaned forward, unsure of what to do. Her mind going a billion directions at once. To her surprise, Spike leaned over and gently pressed his lips against her right cheek. A small peck and that was it, but that single tiny kiss had warmed her up. Spike grinned. “They never said it had to be mouth to mouth.”
“R-right, of course,” said Babs, turning away with a dark blush. She lightly pressed her hoof on the cheek.
She didn’t remove it for the rest of the game.
***
“Ugh, I’m never having tofu dogs again,” moaned Babs as she opened the door to the apartment. She closed it after Spike went in and quickly made his way towards the bathroom. “Hey, careful. I cleaned the hallway with wax. Don’t want you slipping on it and breaking your neck.”
“Please, like I’m gonna die in such a lame way,” said Spike, increasing his stride. However, as predicted, Spike slipped and skidded on his back side towards the kitchen where a large crashing noise followed. “I’m okay...”
Babs faked a solemn look and cleared her throat. “We are gathered here today to mourn our dearly departed friend, Spike. Whose life was taken from us by large pasta pans that crushed his poor innocent head.”
“Shut up,” muttered Spike before he got up. “I’ll clean up when I’m done in the bathroom.” And with that said he, slowly, walked away.
Babs chuckled to herself before heading over to her coffee table where she saw the morning mail she’d left unattended. Sighing, she laid on her couch and began sifting through it. “Bill. Bill. Letter from Aunt Orange. Ad. Junk mail. Letter to Spike from Twilight. And a letter from... Jay Whistle?”
Curious, she looked it over. It was indeed for this address, but she didn’t know who this Jay Whistle was. Curious, she opened it and read it:
You think you can hide from justice, monster?! Well, you can’t! I don’t care what Princess Celestia says, we all know you are a beast and killing my husband proved it! I have a bunch of my friends both in Ponyville and Canterlot who are waiting for you to come back so we can string you up like the scum you are!
I don’t care if you live in Manehattan! I don’t care what they say my husband did! I don’t believe them! He was a good stallion! A good father and you butchered him!
I hope you do come back to Ponyville so me and those that see you for the beast that you are can do what the law denied me and my daughter. Justice!
Babs read the letter a second time and lowered it in shock. Spike... killed somepony? I’ve been housing a killer in my apartment?! Did Apple Bloom know? She must have if if this happened in Ponyville. Wait... She read the letter again and saw the line that said about Princess Celestia. So Princess Celestia didn’t find him guilty? She wouldn’t play favorites, at least I don’t think she would.
She bit her lip. Even though she promised not to dig into Spike’s problems, this letter changed everything. Especially, if it was true. She didn’t want to think the dragon she was starting to befriend was a bad guy.
“Hey, cleaned the mess,” Spike said, entering the living room. He saw Babs staring at him and raised an eyebrow. “Is something wrong?”
Babs sighed before showing Spike the letter. He took it, read it, and stumbled back before the dark look he had in his eyes when he first arrived appeared again. He lowered his head, ashamed, and asked, “I guess you want to know?”
“Just... tell me the whole story. I don’t think you're a murderer, but still...” Babs bit her lip again. She swore she was going to draw blood at this rate.
“I am...”
Babs just stared at him while he continued to look at the letter. After a long silence, he moved to one of the sofa chairs and sat down. Closing his eyes, he rubbed his nostrils before saying, “Did Apple Bloom tell you anything?”
“No, and she made me promise not to ask. So I didn’t,” said Babs, leaning forward. “Spike, I think you're a good dragon. I have a hard time thinking of you killing somepony. What happened?”
themselves to help him. “It was an accident... and Rarity’s life was at stake... her dignity as a mare. I didn’t mean to kill him!” cried out Spike, before looking at the ceiling. As if asking the heavens
“It’s okay, just tell me what happened,” said Babs.
Spike sighed. “It was three months ago. We were celebrating the anniversary of Tirek’s defeat and Discord finally becoming a real friend so we went out to a club. There were a lot drinks, dancing, good fun. Fluttershy was evening making out with Roseluck and shaking her rump,” Spike laughed for a moment, but his smile quickly faded. “There was one annoyance, however. It was a drunk stallion, earth pony named Treebite. He tried hitting on all the girls and they got annoyed so they pushed him away. He kept going after Rarity the most because... well, it’s Rarity and she’s beautiful.”
Babs gave a small smirk. “Still got that crush on her?”
Spike shook his head. “No... that’s long gone. We went on a date once... just once. It was awkward, and we knew we were better as friends. Still, she’s important to me.”
He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Rarity went to the bathroom and I spotted Treebite going after her. I had a really bad feeling in my stomach, and I was proven correct when I saw him enter the ladies room. There were dancers in my way. I wish they hadn’t been, because maybe I could have gotten there faster...”
Babs’ eyes widened as she saw him clench his fist. She didn’t need any more hints to know what he was going to say next. She had seen it dozens of times from reports and rumors she heard about the cases that some divisions, like the Special Victims Unit, had to deal with on a day to day basis. Hay, one of Manehattan’s rules was never go to the bathroom alone in public.
Spike growled as he continued, “The... bastard was on top of her... he was... pounding her with his hooves without mercy, screaming that she shouldn’t have rejected him. She was bleeding and barely conscious. He attacked her from behind without warning. She tried to scream but he had his hoof on her throat, choking her and preventing her from crying out. The look in her eyes... the pain and fear... she looked at me with those eyes. When I saw what he was doing I lost it. I roared and tackled him, hitting him again and again without mercy. I heard him plead for me to stop, but I wanted him to suffer for what he did.”
“Can’t say I blame you,” Babs muttered, feeling no sympathy for this scumbag. She only wished she had her way with him. “How long did you attack him?”
“It took six stallions to get me off him and a sleep spell from Twilight to knock me out. Rarity was barely breathing and suffered internal bleeding. Treebite was barely anything but blood and meat. Rarity underwent an operation that saved her life. They said ten more seconds before I stopped him and she would have been gone. As for Treebite, they tried to save him at the hospital, but he was... dead before he arrived.” Spike covered his face with his hands. “I... I killed him... I killed him with my own claws.”
“Spike,” whispered Babs as she got up and sat next to him, putting her hooves on his shoulders. A second later, he hugged her. She was surprised for a moment, but she quickly recovered and held him back. She felt his hot, warm tears leak down her fur while his whimpers eased any doubts she had. This was no murderer, but a guilty soul who had saved the life of a friend at the cost of blood. “You were trying to save, Rarity.”
“He had a wife... a filly,” whimpered Spike. “I took him away from them... I didn’t mean to... I just lost control...”
“I know... I know...”
The two of them held onto each other. Neither knew how much time had passed, but it felt almost like a year before Spike slowly came out of the embrace and wiped his eyes. “Th-thanks.”
“It’s no problem,” said Babs, giving him a small smile. “What happened next?”
“There was an investigation launched by Princess Celestia. I had to be arrested. A lot ponies, including his wife, were demanding that I pay for what I did. But with Rarity’s testimony, the doctor’s report on her body, and the alcohol levels in his body they were able to determine the truth. I was let go because the killing had been in defence of another, but that didn’t solve anything.” Spike sighed and leaned back against the chair. “There were some in Ponyville who thought I was guilty of murder and that I got off scot free because of my relationship with the Princesses. The rest were afraid of me, thinking I might lash out at them next. They whispered behind my back, graffitied the castle, even threw trash and insults at me, demanding that I leave Ponyville for good.”
“Why? You’ve been part of their community for years! Why would they do that?!” asked Babs. She was finding it hard to believe the kind and friendly town she visited so often in her fillyhood could do this to one of their own.
“Because I’m a dragon,” sighed Spike, looking at his claw. “No matter how much I try all they see is a big fire breathing monster who can snap their necks with no effort and bite their heads off. It never got as bad as this, even when I was a kid. But this time the full brunt of their prejudice came out. Ponyville rarely has anypony but ponies in it. Even Zecora is still feared. It’s not like Manehattan where a bunch of cultures mix together. I guess that’s why I picked it when I decided to leave for a bit and… clear my head.”
I guess I can’t blame him for that. Mess up in your neighborhood here and you can just as easily move to a new one for a fresh start, thought Babs. “Didn’t Princess Twilight and the others try to help you?”
“They did, but there was only so much they could do. Plus, they were starting to go after them too, calling them murder sympathizers. I didn’t want them to get in trouble. Another reason I left for here,” explained Spike. “I’ve even tried apologizing to Treebite’s family, but I haven’t come up with the words to express it.”
That explains the writing.
“So, now you know. I guess I’ll pack,” said Spike, getting up.
“Pack? Why?” inquired Babs.
“To find a hotel or something. I doubt you want to share your home with a murderer,” said Spike. Suddenly, he felt a hoof smack him in the face. “Ow! The hay?!”
“Don’t call yourself that!” cried out Babs, glaring at him. “You are not a killer! Killers feel no remorse for what they done! You regret it! You were saving a friend! I know the law as much as the next cop and according to what I know, what you did was legal because Rarity’s life was at stake! If you want to feel guilty for killing that bastard, fine. But don’t you dare say you’re a murderer! You are a loyal and good friend and I will have you stay in his apartment as long as you want until you’re ready to go or else I will personally get my nightstick and beat you with it!”
Spike, wide eyed, stared at Babs for a long time before he smirked and the warmth entered his eyes again. “Really?”
“On my honor as a former CMC,” said Babs, smirking.
Spike gave out a relieved sigh before showing her the biggest smile she had ever seen from him since the day he arrived. “Well, in that case. Let me treat you to my Special Spike Sundae. It’s gonna rock your world.”
“Make it two. It’s better to share with friends,” said Babs as she joined him in entering the kitchen, relieved that everything worked out.
But she was more relieved that he was still staying with her.
***
The remaining days were some of the best Babs could ever remember. With all their secrets in the air, Spike no longer held a storm cloud over his head and was excited to see everything there was in Manehattan. She took him to the Village, Statue of Harmony, and Manes Square. The most fun was exploring Dragon’s Town, where Spike got to learn more about his people’s culture and lifestyle. He was like a kid, exploring and asking about everything from dragon cuisine to dances and traditions. He looked really happy, and that made Babs happy.
“Somepony’s got a crush!” sing songed Emerald from her seat on the bar.
Babs ignored her and continued to drink out of her mug. “What makes you think I have a crush on Spike?”
Emerald’s smile widened. “I never said it was Spike.”
Babs cursed and face planted her head against the stick bar table, much to her regret. “Look... it’s just a silly crush. It will go away.”
“Hmmm, keep telling yourself that Babsie,” teased Emerald. She slapped her partner on the back and drank the last of her beer. “Come on, you’ve been talking about that dragon for days. And I see a spark in your eyes whenever you're thinking about him. Admit it girl, you got the hots for him.”
Sighing, Babs lifted her head and replied, “Okay, maybe I find him... attractive. But it’s pointless. Ignoring the fact that we’re of different species, he’s going to go back to Ponyville someday. We’ll live too far apart.. It can’t work.”
“Ask for a transfer to Ponyville,” replied Emerald. “Or better yet, get him drunk, get hitched, and have wild sex every night.”
“Just like your marriage that lasted only a month before you found out he was already married?” said Babs, deadpan.
“Hey, he was alright with sharing, as was I. His wife on the other hoof wasn’t interested in threesomes,” pointed out Emerald. Wiping her mouth of any remaining beer, she shook her head. “Look, maybe he’s also interested. You never know. Ask him.”
“I don't know...” whispered Babs before her partner hugged her by the neck.
“Babsie, you're like a sister to me. So take my sisterly advice and go after that nice dragon and his tail. He is handsome right?”
Babs gave a small smile. “You know how in fairy tales they say the prince is always handsome? Well, they were right. Only I got a dragon prince.”
***
“So, where are we going today?” asked Spike, walking side by side with Babs. She didn’t respond, she was too busy spacing out. Spike touched her shoulder with his tail, waking her up. “You okay? You were spaced out.”
“S-sorry, just thinking about... stuff,” muttered Babs, doing her best to keep her cheeks from flushing. She glanced at Spike, but quickly turned away in an effort to not let her partner’s words cloud her mind.
She wasn’t going to deny what her partner was suggesting was right. She had a crush on Spike. If she was a screenwriter, Babs would say this was the perfect setup for a movie. Stranger from town moves into the city and spends time with a city girl. They get to know each other and town boy’s dark past is revealed. Slowly they fall in love and whatever happen next depended on a happy or sad ending. At least it ain’t Romeo and Juliet.
“So what are we doing?” asked Spike, again.
“I figured we could take things slow tonight. Just walk and... talk... think maybe,” suggested Babs as they contnued down the park’s trail. They passed a stallion walking his dog and nodded politely to him.
Spike didn’t seem to object. In fact, he wrapped his wing around Babs and brought her closer to his side. Now she was blushing as she felt his ever-warm body press against her coat, making her hum in satisfaction. Curious, she gazed at him, ready to ask the question when he quickly said, “It’s a cold night. No reason for you to be cold. Besides, us dragons are always warm.”
“Maybe I should nickname you ‘fire belly’,” teased Babs.
Spike stuck his tongue out in disgust. “Please don’t. That name can be taken in so many wrong ways.”
Babs chuckled before she guided them to a nearby bench near a clearing and sat down. Looking up at the stars, Babs wished that Manehattan wasn’t the “city that never sleeps”. The numerous lights from various buildings aways blocked them from seeing most of the stars in the night sky. Back in Ponyville, you could see the stars for miles without any hinderance. It was one of the things she loved most about the small town.
She glanced over at Spike who was also lost in gazing at Luna’s night. “Thinking about home?”
“A bit. I miss it sometimes, but I keep reminding myself that I’m safe here and I got a good friend taking care of me,” said Spike, smiling back at her.
“Well... what if that friend...” Oh Celestia and Luna, give me strength. “... wanted to try being more than friends?”
Spike’s eyes instantly widened as his mouth dropped a bit before he finally answered. “W-what?”
“Look,” Babs turned away, ears folded. “I... may like you. Like really like... oh jeez, this is wrong.” She got up and shook her head. “Never mind! I’m being stupid! Gotta go!”
“Wait!” shouted Spike who grabbed her hoof and stood up. Babs slowly turned around and looked into his eyes while he looked back. There was no hint of anger or confusion. But, concern. For her. “You can tell me anything, Babs. You’ve been... really good to me and helped me out a lot. I owe you, so whatever you want to say... say it.”
Babs felt her mouth dry up as she struggled to say something, anything as she felt herself melt under his wonderful eyes. “I... I...”
A mare’s scream interrupted them and quickly took Babs out of “normal mode” and into “officer mode”. It then suddenly clicked in her mind which park they had wandered off into: Center Park.
The same place where the mugger she had been chasing was.
Without any warning, she burst in the direction of the screaming. It was him, she could feel it in her gut. Her nostrils flared as she put every sap of energy she had into her legs to keep them moving forward. She ran through bushes and past trees, never once catching her breath as her heart pumped so loud it was all she could hear. Along with the screams.
Finally, she made her way to a clearing and saw him. A stallion, dressed in black and wearing a ski mask, and she spotted a blue tail. This was her perp. He was standing over an elderly looking earth pony, bleeding in the head thanks to a levitated blackjack. The attacker looked up in shock upon seeing Babs, but that was before he saw her hoof in his face.
“Police! You’re under arrest!” shouted Babs, growling as the unicorn struggled to get up. “Stay down or I will be forced to hurt you! And trust me, I want an excuse!”
The thief didn’t say anything. He only took his club and tried attacking with it, swinging it left and right. Using her boxing skills, Babs easily managed to dodge each blow before throwing back a jab of her own with a direct hit each. One jab managed to stun him long enough for her to deliver a right uppercut that ripped through the air and knocked the unicorn straight on his back. Babs stood above him, glaring. “Wanna try again?”
The unicorn only growled before he fired a beam of magic at the nearby old mare who cried out as it smacked her in the chest and sent her flying into a tree. Babs’ eyes turned to the downed mare but she quickly cursed upon realizing it was a distraction. Sure enough, the club came right for her head and knocked her down. She could feel her ears ringing as she opened her eye and hazily saw the thief raising the club again for another blow.
Suddenly, something big and purple flew in and knocked him away from her. Her heart leapt upon her blurry vision clearing to reveal Spike, teeth shown and looking ready to rip a new one. “Get away from her,” was all he said, but his voice was threatening enough it made even Babs shiver.
Upon seeing the big dragon, the unicorn’s eyes widened as he saw that he was now clearly biting off more than he could chew. He tried to make a run for it, but Spike was so fast that Babs barely had time to see him run. He grabbed the running pony by his turtle neck and threw him back on the ground. He quickly got up and threw his blackjack at Spike who didn’t flinch as it bounced off his scales. “Oh, please.”
The unicorn stared at Spike and then at Babs, who was blocking the other path. Babs smirked at the idea of finally cornering this bastard and taking him to jail where he belongs. Just as she was about to move in, his horn glowed again as he reached into his pocket for something and threw it on the ground. Babs cursed as smoke erupted from them, blocking her vision. Babs jumped back to avoid as much as the smoke as possible as she tried to find even a single sight of the criminal. She spotted his blue tail heading towards the direction of the park’s exit and soon began chase.
“Spike! I’m going after him near the exit! Take care of the mare!” shouted Babs as she took after her prey. She didn’t even bother waiting for a response.
Babs found him entering a clearing and galloped harder than she ever could. Closer and closer she got, to the point where she could feel his tail hairs tickling her nose. With a great leap she tackled the criminal and they rolled on the ground, fighting for dominance. At last, Babs managed to get on top and quickly smacked his horn in a spot her father taught her to disable a unicorn from using magic. He cried out in pain as sparks came out of his horn, but this screaming only continued as Babs wailed on him over and over.
“I! Will! Never! Let! You! Hurt! Anypony! Again!” shouted Babs with each attack. She was sure he was pleading for her to stop but she didn’t listen. She wanted to see him bleed. To pay for all the mare he hurt and the one he killed. She had to do this for them. For Ribbon.
She was about to slam down on his face with as much force as possible until she felt a claw stop her. She looked up, gasping and heaving as Spike took her off the bleeding and broken body of the criminal despite her efforts to escape. “Let me go! I have to finish this!”
“Babs, it’s over! He’s down! You can stop!” cried out Spike.
“No! He has to pay! He has to pay for her death!” cried out Babs, tears in her eyes.
“Whose death?! Ribbons?! He didn’t murder your friend, Babs! Open your eyes and look at him!” screamed Spike.
Babs stopped and froze as she saw her criminal. So much blood. His muzzle was completely broken and his two hooves dislocated. Teeth marks could be seen on the grass and rivers of blood were pouring out of his nose. But the worst were the tears, dripping from his face. The only sign that he was alive was the fact he was still breathing, but it sounded like each breath of air was painful. She fell to her haunches, her mouth open in horrification for what she had just done. “I... I...”
Spike was there at once, hugging her as she felt her eyes water. “It’s okay. You didn’t kill him. You’re not a monster, Babs.”
She closed her eyes and let herself be embraced, wanting that warmth he always had. Warmth she loved so much. She sobbed even harder as she fully hugged him. Nothing mattered at the moment. Just them.
Only the two of them.
***
Babs never thought she would be on the receiving end of a police investigation, but she had just been through one. After the beating she gave on the crook, they found a police box and she called for backup. The thief was taken away in an ambulance where he would be treated and then charged with his crimes. There were also the ID’s on all his victims in his pocket as souvenirs so they had him dead to rights.
She had to make a statement, as did Spike and the elderly mare, who was going to be alright last Babs heard. Although she was questioned on her use of extreme force, the investigators went easy on her a bit when they learned the suspect was a murderer. She would still have to make a full report at the station tomorrow and that meant a lot of paperwork. Something that Babs was not looking forward too.
Opening the door to her apartment, Babs fled for the kitchen and opened the refrigerator to get the one thing she desperately needed. A cold hard cider. Taking in its sweet taste like bees to nectar, Babs drank half of it by the time Spike came inside and put his claw on her shoulders. She closed her eyes before leaning in and nuzzling him. He nuzzled back before kissing on the cheek. The same place he kissed her at the baseball game.
Before she knew it she was already hugging him, placing her muzzle against his, and assaulting his lips with a passion she never knew she had. She kissed him. Dear Celestia, did she kiss him. He held onto her, slowly making his own moves as he lifted her up and struggled to hold her in the air as she wrapped her lower legs around his waist. The old feeling of being on two legs quickly came back to Spike as he struggled to hold the mare kissing him while guiding them to her bedroom. The door was already open, thankfully, so all he had to do was plop on it.
Babs quickly got on top and began caressing his sides, putting her tongue in his mouth as she felt him rip of her coat off her back. Not that she cared, she had a dozen more.
They began to slow down, press fur against scale as she felt her heart beating ever faster. She felt him smell her hair and slowly caress her flank, rubbing in just the right spots to make her moan. She kissed him again and again on his face, everywhere she could feel his warm scales making her lips the hot fire of passion. They opened their eyes and stared into each other. Strangers they were and now they were about to open each other up and see their true selves in a basket of heat and excitement.
“Spike,” whispered Babs. “Love me.”
And so he did.
***
By the time morning game, all Babs could think about was one thing. Damnit, it is like six stallions at once.
She sighed happily as she nuzzled closer to an equally awake Spike who placed an arm around her. The smell of last night’s activity was heavy in the air, but it was nothing an air freshener could fix. Or three.
“Do you regret what we did?” asked Spike.
“No,” answered Babs, immediately. “I don’t. Last night... felt so right.”
He smiled and kissed her on the forehead. “So what happens now?”
“... will you stay with me?” asked Babs, hope in her tone. “I... I want us to be together. I want you to live with me and... I know you want to go back to Ponyville, but...”
Spike put a finger on her lips before getting out of bed. Babs held her breath as she waited for him to return and sure enough he did. In his claw was a letter and he showered to her. Reading it as quick as she could, Babs’s eyes widen. “You.. you were gonna tell Princess Twilight... you were staying?”
Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah. Ponyville will always be my home but... I don’t think I’m welcomed there anymore. Even if I went back, nothing will ever be the same. Here? I can start fresh. I’ve found a place where I can learn more about being a dragon. Sure I need to find a job but I’ll find something with my skills. And...” he smiled as she looked at her, “...I found a beautiful mare I think I’m falling in love with.”
Babs, tears in her eyes, jumped on top of Spike and kissed him again. She was sure she was gonna be late for work.
But this was worth it.