Chapter 2: ‘Officer’ Seven
The unicorn’s mind raced as she processed how she was going to get out of the situation at hoof. An idea struck the mare as her eyes ran over the file still lodged in the body. Without changing her expression, the mare moved her hooves closer together over her head, effectively blocking her horn from sight. Noticing the apparent surrender, the officer lowered her gun slightly, but kept it perfectly trained on her captive. Lucky took advantage of the situation, activating her magic behind the shield that her hooves had created over her horn. As a result, the blood stained silver file came lose, and began to levitate at head height. The officer lowered her head, speaking into her radio.
“I need backup in hall twelve,” She started. Lucky took advantage of the situation, using her magic to propel the file forward. It flew at exactly the right level to sail underneath her helmet, and into her throat. She choked, dropping to her hooves with blood pouring from her neck. Lucky realized that she would only have a couple of minutes to react before backup arrived. Thinking quickly, she raced to her new victim’s body, and began to strip it. She started by untying the boots that the mare wore over her hooves, then moved to the helmet. Since it was built to universally fit any type of pony, there was a hole in the top to accommodate a unicorn’s horn, even though this particular officer was not one. Lucky Seven put the helmet on, and moved to the mare’s shirt. Unbuttoning it, she pulled the sleeves off of the mare’s front legs, and moved to her pants. After she swiftly unbuckled the belt, moved behind the mare and pulled off the mare’s leggings, pausing for a moment to admire the mare’s exposed cutie mark: a sniper rifle.
“I told you, if you would have just given me a chance to explain myself, all of this could have been avoided.” Lucky explained as she stripped off her shirt, then pulled her pants down. “Look at this, we barely even know each other, and you already get to see me taking off my clothes. I may be in to mares, but necrophilia is admittedly taking things a bit far.” She chuckled to herself, contemplating the comedy of talking to a dead pony as she dressed. Looking at her watch, Lucky Seven realized that she was going to have to hurry to dress the other pony in her clothing. She had just finished buttoning her shirt on the officer’s chest when backup arrived.
“What’s going on here?” Asked the first responding officer, as he analyzed the scene.
“Looks to me like this guy here tried to take advantage of this mare here, and he lost his life because of it.” Lucky said casually, as if discussing the weather.
“Then explain why she’s dead too.” A younger, higher pitched voice inquired. A young filly, who’s hat barely fit on her head, and who’s barding hung limply from her hooves. Lucky smiled at her, but she didn’t smile back.
“Simple. She was overwhelmed with guilt, and decided to put her weapon into her own throat rather than live with what she had just done. Self defense or not, killing a pony is never easy.” The second she said it, Lucky regretted it.
“Would you know, about killing ponies?” The filly asked, pausing for a moment to raise her hat back above her eyes.
‘This mare seems to know just the right questions to ask to find the information she needs…I’ll have to keep an eye on her.’
“I appreciate your taking an interest in the case, but I need you to keep quiet and just observe.” The leader said. The filly nodded, and her helmet once more drifted down over her eyes. “As for you, officer, we need an official case report filed and on my desk within the hour. You can find the official reports at the dispatch office. As soon as you get it filled out, come find me.” Lucky Seven panicked. She had no idea where the so called ‘dispatch’ office was….or how to fill out a case report.
“Is there a problem, Ossifer Seven?” The filly asked, raising an eyebrow.
“We’ve been over this, Zig Zag. It’s Officer. Not Ossifer.” The captain explained, trying to stay calm.
“That’s what I said. Ossifer.” Zig Zag repeated. The captain shook his head slowly, but gave up on correcting her.
“Officer Seven, take Zig Zag with you. What do we always say, Ziggy?” He asked.
“No ossifer should ever travel alone.” She recited. The captain nodded.
“Alright officer Seven. Head out. I want that report on my desk within the hour.” Lucky Seven nodded before walking away. Zig Zag tried her best to keep up with Lucky Seven, but her sleeves extended too far over her front hooves, causing her to trip every couple of steps.
“This way ossifer.” She said, leading Lucky Seven through a series of hallways. The unicorn would never admit it, but Zig Zag’s pronunciation of the word ‘officer’ always made her heart melt.
“Thank you, Zig Zag.” Lucky said, absent mindedly watching the filly trip over her sleeves. “Call me Ziggy. All of my friends call me that.” She replied. The unicorn processed the information carefully. Had this filly just called her a…friend?
“Alright…Ziggy…” Lucky Seven said. “Can you fetch me a report, so I can fill it out and return it to the captain?” She asked. Zig Zag smiled, then nodded several times.
“I know you didn’t kill those ponies.” Zig Zag said quietly. Lucky Seven’s heart sank.
“How do you know that?” Lucky Seven asked.
“Because, you’re an ossifer. Why would you kill another pony, instead of protecting her? I mean, my mom was protecting herself. She was a good ossifer, and she’s the reason I became one myself.” Lucky Seven froze. She had killed this filly’s…mother? The unicorn felt her heart break.
“That was your…mother?” She asked, holding back tears. Zig Zag nodded slowly.
“You were assisting another ossifer. I mean, it’s really sad that my mom died, but since she was an ossifer, I wasn’t able to see her very often. We weren’t close, at all. So even though I’ll miss her, I’m not gonna cry about it. I have to be a tough little filly, so I can make her proud.” Lucky Seven had to bite her tongue to keep from crying.
“Look. Ziggy. No ossifer should ever travel alone.” She said, as she ruffled the mare’s mane, pushing Zig Zag’s hat down over her eyes. The filly smiled, then looked up at Lucky.
“What are you saying?” She asked, looking up from under her hat, hope in her eyes.
“Why don’t you come stay with me. Since your mother is…” Lucky Seven couldn’t get herself to say the word ‘dead’, especially since she had killed the filly’s mother, in cold blood at that.
“Do you really mean that, ossifer Seven?” Zig Zag asked. The unicorn smiled.
“Call me Lucky. All my friends do it.” Hearing this, tears filled the young pony’s eyes. She wrapped her hooves around Lucky’s neck, her sleeves flopping down over the mare’s shoulders. Lucky smiled, and embraced the mare, in an attempt to keep up the façade.