"We've got a reported 273A at Phoenix Road and 109th, looks to be about three years old." The sound came from the police scanner. Commissioner Bronze and Officer Armor were sitting in their cruiser, driving to the station to turn in for the night.
"Sir, what's a 273A?" Shining asked.
"It means 'child neglect'." Bill picked up the transceiver, speaking into it. "This is Commissioner Bronze, I'm on 117th, do you have any further details?"
"According to reports, the child was wandering the streets. One caller tried to approach him, but he ran away. The latest call puts him at 109th."
"10-4, we're on our way." Putting the transceiver back down, Bill turned to Shining Armor. "You good with kids?"
"Ummm..." Shining felt as uneasy he sounded.
"Let me guess, never really thought about it?"
"Sir, I've thought about it plenty. Just... never thought about someone else's kid," Shining joked.
"Hahaha, the beauty of youth! The scent of fresh lemons, you see..."
"Do you have kids, sir?
"Yes, I have three. One of each."
"Wait, what's the third?" Shining asked, confused.
"Boy," Bill deadpanned.
"Umm..."
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, my girlfriend... I know I'm young, but I still think about... you know..."
"Sex?"
"I was going to say 'the future'.," he quickly said.
"That, too." The cruiser slowed to a stop. "We're here." They stepped out of the car.
Outside, there was a small child with white skin and green hair. His blue eyes were widened with fear as his head turned to and fro. His clothes, a ratty t-shirt and pair of jeans, were wet from recent rains, stained with grass. He shivered from the cold despite the warm air. Even at this distance, Commissioner Bronze could tell from the child's skinniness and slightly distended stomach that he was malnourished. This wasn't the his first runaway child, just the youngest.
The two officers walked up to the child. Bill took off his uniform shirt, revealing a white tank top undershirt and a gun strapped to his side. "Here, this should keep you warm," he said, offering his shirt to the child.
The child, hearing the officer speak, turned towards him. His mouth opened, but if the child was thankful, neither officer heard him. The child grabbed the shirt, then ran a few feet. Looking back at the officers, he put on the too large shirt.
Officer Shining started walking to wards the child, but seeing the kid back up, he instead squatted, bringing himself to the child's line of sight. "Listen, we're here to help you. We're here to get you home to your parents."
The child's eyes widened and he took off. Shining Armor got up to give chase, but the Commissioner held an arm out. "Listen, kid, you need to learn to watch for clues. He is wary of adults, but accepting of gifts." Walking back to the cruiser, he continued. "If he was lost, he would either be scared of adults, in which case he wouldn't have taken my shirt, or else he would have come with us because the police are the good guys. Therefore, he's not just a lost kid."
"So, what, he's abandoned?"
Stepping into the cruiser, Bill picked up the transceiver. "Dispatch, this is Bill, the kid got away. But don't worry, he has my shirt, so you should be able to track my cellphone to follow him."
"10-4, we'll start tracking immediately."
When Shining Armor was in the car, they put their seat belts on. "Abandoned? Possible, but I don't think so. An abandoned child would behave just like a lost child, depending on the situation. Unless the child was abused, they wouldn't realize that their parents weren't coming back, so he would either be fearful of all adults or else trust the men in blue."
"So, if he's not lost, and he's not abandoned, then what?" Shining asked.
"Probably a runaway, that's my bet. Of course, a child that young doesn't run away unless he's being mistreated, so he could just as easily be an abused, abandoned child. But, when a child is abused, they become untrusting. He probably only took my shirt because of the way I held it. He figured that neither of us could grab him if he came up and grabbed it. Which means he knew he needed it."
"So, if he was abused then..."
"You saying that he's going back to his parents would have been the worst thing he could hear."
"Crap..." Shining lost himself in thought.
Celestia looked at her watch, noting 6:15 AM. Right on time. Her bus pulled up, and she made her way to the school. Sitting down, she held her bag on her lap and let her mind wander. As she rode, she looked out the window, "staring into forever", as Luna would put it. It wasn't until she heard a small cough that she came out of her reverie.
Looking around, she noticed a small child lying in the seat opposite the aisle. Looking again for the parents, she noticed that she and the child were only two passengers. Noticing the too large police officer's uniform, she quickly deduced that the child had snuck on the bus. Reaching forward, she softly poked the child's slightly revealed foot.
The child jumped and backed into the wall, staring at Celestia. Celestia softly asked "are you okay?"
The child began to nod, then, noticing a certain genuine care on her face, began shaking his head.
"I'm Celestia. What's your name?" The child opened his mouth and closed it. Celestia waited a few minutes, before asking "can you say anything?" The child immediately shook his head.
"Can you write?" More shaking. "But you can listen and understand me." The child nodded.
"Do you know where your parents are?" The child backed away. "Do you not want to see them?" The Child shook his head. "In that case, I should probably call the police. They should know how to take care of you, and I'll tell them you don't want to see your parents."
A gurgling sound came from the child's stomach. "For now, would you like a piece of cake?" From her bag she took a piece of black forest cake that was intended to be lunch. The child's hungry eyes grew as he excitedly nodded his head. "Well, here you go!"
Taking the paper plate and ignoring the fork, the child happily ate the cake and licked the plate clean. Celestia giggled at the sight. What a cute child. I wonder why he's here...
Commissioner Bronze walked up the front steps to his house. Taking his keys, he quickly opened the door to the sound of little feet and cries of "grandpa!"
"Velvet Tiara, grandma told you to stop tackling grandpa!"
Bronze stood up, a small child clinging to him. "Solstice Twirl, you brat, I'm not that old."
"Sorry, grandpa," the five year old twins chimed.
"It's okay. Is your Mada still here?" Bill picked Velvet up and put her down.
"Mada! Grandpa's home!" The children ran into the house, Bill following. He assumed that the yelling meant 'yes.'
Locking the door behind him, he proceeded into the kitchen just as Storm Paradise finished frying enough bacon for the family. "Daddy! It's good to see you! What happened to your uniform?" Storm Paradise had dark blue skin to match her father's and short pink and blonde hair that definitely belonged to her mother.
"Met a kid right before the end of my shift. His parents weren't around and he looked cold. How's my favorite child?" Bill sat down at the table and began pouring orange juice into the five glasses that had been placed around the table.
"Now, Bill, you shouldn't play favorites." Cherry Paradise, Bill's wife of forty years walked in carrying Velvet Tiara and Solstice Twirl in her arms. "Especially when all our children are absolutely amazing." Her skin was as red as her name, though in her age her hair had become two different shades of grey.
"Absolutely, they are all amazing. But I'll always have a soft spot for the one who became a cop like me."
"Thanks, dad. I just wish I could see you more often." Storm served bacon, scrambled eggs, and sliced apples to each of the five plates before sitting down. When everyone had taken their seats, the family began eating and conversing.
"Hey, grandpa, I'm in going to grade three next year!" Solstice yelled out.
"So, how's Candy?" Cherry asked.
"Wait, I thought you were only five. Did I somehow miss your birthday?" Bill replied.
"Oh, she's doing fine. She just finished a new composition that the Octavia Melody will play at her next concert!" Storm squeaked a bit telling the news.
"Solstice and I get to skip grade two," Velvet explained. "Of course, I asked how to skip in the first place."
"I would have asked eventually!" Solstice's normally pink skin became as red as his grandmother's around his face.
"Wait, Octavia the sixth or seventh?" Cherry took a sip of juice.
"I forget. Which one plays piano?" Storm stirred her eggs and bacon together.
"Sixth. But if someone had told me that my child would get to meet the famous Melody's twenty years ago," Cherry mused, "I would have checked them into the nuthouse."
"You skipped a grade? Both of you? You must be really smart!" Bill put a slice of apple in his mouth.
"You think they're smart now," Storm turned to her father, "you should see them at home. The smart asses pick apart every single thing that Candy and I say."
"Now, now, children, you should listen to your mother and mada," Cherry scolded.
"We do, grandma!" Velvet replied.
"A little too well," Solstice replied.
"So, what are the Melody's like?" Bill picked up on the other conversation.
"A little stuffy, but their daughter is adorable. Apparently she goes to some public school on the north side." Storm brought some breakfast to her mouth. "Get this, she shares the same birthday as Solstice and Velvet! She's even the same age!"
"Oh, my, what a coincidence!" Cherry laughed.
"And Solstice totally has a crush on her," Velvet teased.
"Do Not!"
"Do too!"
"Do Not!"
"Children, please!" Storm called. "And you two, stop laughing!"
"Sorry," Bill drained the last of his juice, still chuckling. "They just remind me so much of you and Mistral."
"Anyways, I have some important news." Storm finished her meal. "Nightlight is getting married with Twilight Velvet. Shining Armor and Twilight Sparkle are absolutely thrilled."
"And he couldn't find the time to tell us himself?" Cherry began collecting the plates, happy that the children had properly eaten everything.
"Apparently," Bill chimed in, "he's working some big case. Remember that big robbery seven years ago? Apparently they finally have enough evidence to take the Flores in to court. Those brother detectives, the Crabnasty's I told you about, they were investigating a different incident and got permission to investigate this one."
"You know," Cherry looked at her husband, "I would feel a lot more comfortable if Nightlight was the one catching the criminals and you were the one putting them behind bars."
"It's okay, Mom," Storm butted in. "Dad's going to retire in two days!" Storm and Bill's laughter was cut short by a ringing telephone.
"I'll get it," Bill said, getting up and grabbing the phone. "Hello?"
"Is this Commissioner Bill Bronze?"
"Yes it is."
"We've located the child from earlier this morning. A teacher at Canterlot High phoned us in and even convinced him to come to the station with us. We've got your shirt and cellphone."
"That's good. I'll come pick it up. Could you set up a meeting with the teacher? I wouldn't mind speaking with them."
"Of course, sir, I'll see what I can do."
"Thank you very much, I'll be there in half an hour." Hanging up the phone, Bill quickly explained the situation to his family before getting dressed and setting off.