Running With the wind

by SC14

Ponies at Odds

As it turns out, Rarity was pretty good at covering her tracks, at least, that was the conclusion that Blue Streak and Night Shade had come to. The duo marched into the streets of Ponyville, determined to make quick work of their new assignment but had ultimately come up empty-handed. Not wanting to go back to the station with nothing they tried their last ditch effort, Sweetie Belle, as dreaded as this was it had to be done and neither one of the detectives wanted to go back to the Chief with nothing.

As they were on their way to Minuetts dentistry where they assumed Sweetie Belle was, something important occurred to Night Shade, What were they even going to ask her? It would seem rather unprofessional to ask her "What can you tell us about your older sister," They needed more questions, better ones, possibly even hard-hitting ones. His train of thought was interrupted by their arrival at the destination. The duo entered and were greeted by Minuette.

"Hey guys, I assume you want to talk to Sweetie Belle?" Minutte said. Night Shade nodded. "She is in the back," The two began walking but were stopped. "I do want to warn you that she has been rather anti-social with anyone other than Scootaloo and Apple Bloom," Minuette warned. Night Shade thanked her before trotting over to the back room with Blue Streak close behind. Sweetie Belle looked up at them and sighed.

"What now?" She asked Night Shade, who was taken aback by this rather rude greeting from the usually polite filly.

"We just came to talk to you," Night Shade said. "We were hoping to find some new information about your sister," He said. Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes, she knew this was coming, she found it funny because she genuinely believed that she had nothing that could help them as she was never nosy or over-involved in Rarity's personal life.

"Look I know this is hard but," Blue Streak started, Night Shade elbowed him and shook his head, Knowing that he was about to say something insensitive. "We just need you to be brave for us, just for a little," Blue Streak said. Night Shade rolled his eyes at the corny remark because it was better than what he was going to say. Sweetie Belle happened to find the remark quite humorous, she found the two bumbling detectives quite funny, for that exact reason, they seemed to be bumbling idiots more often than not which added humor to this dark situation. That though, was a double-edged sword as it was funny but didn't help her case against Rarity.

"Look I'm sorry but I don't think now is a good time," Sweetie Belle explained. The detectives looked at each other, and while they usually didn't find it very useful to push the envelope in situations like this, it, for some reason, was presenting itself as a now-or-never situation to them.

"We can understand that but remember Sweetie Belle if you bail or things don't go our way then we legally have to put you back in Rarity's custody," Blue Streak Said.

"So I can Run away again?" She Deadpanned. The detectives fell silent for a moment as the statement was very accurate.

Night Shade broke the silence "I never said our system was perfect, we are just trying to make the most out of what we have," Sweetie Belle couldn't help but give another eye roll she had a feeling that the system wouldn't help her, it never had it was the reason for all of this, see Sweetie Belle, had never put all of this together until Night Shade and Blue Streak started hinting at Rarirty's possibly illegal activities. A little over two years ago her dad lost his business to a devastating fire and he was not offered any insurance money to restart or help pay off any loans on the business after a few months of struggling Rarity miraculously began helping their parents, paying their bills and even helping pay back the loans that her father had, Sweetie Belle at the time thought nothing of it, she was young and only really cared that they were on their hooves again. But it was very suspicious as her business at the boutique skyrocketed to heights that they had never seen before. All of this happened because the insurance company wouldn't give her dad any money. After all, the fire brigade said that the fire was too "Suspicious," despite that, there was never an investigation launched which, even to a young Sweetie Belle made no sense.

"Equestria to Sweetie Belle," Blue Streak said. Sweetie Belle shook his head, her train of thought broken, she looked up at Blue Streak. "Look Sweetie Belle we just need to use the system to get ahead of the game on this and you are our best chance in doing that," His words fell on deaf ears as Sweetie Belle zoned out once again, Her train of thought that had recently been broken by Blue Streak had resumed. "Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle," Blue Streak waved his hoof in front of the young filly's face.

A sudden wave of anger mixed with sadness overcame Sweetie Belle as she had connected some dots in her head. "My sister got my parents killed! Is that what you wanted me to say? I keep hearing about all these Illegal activities but you guys don't know why it started do you?" She shouted, The two detectives stared in awe at the little filly, too taken aback to speak. "This 'System' you are talking about? Yeah, it's the reason I'm in this situation in the first place! My dad lost his business and guess what? Your buddies at the fire brigade said it was too suspicious! So we got no money and suddenly went from a normal well-off family to dirt poor!" She continued. When it was apparent that the detectives were not going to chime in she continued. "But after a few months, Rarity suddenly had the disposable income to pay off their bills and everything else they needed, Doesn't that sound suspicious? Well, the next thing I know my parents are dead in a ditch with no suspects or any real investigation! and I'm left with that evil witch that I once called my sister while your 'System' goes on with no consequence!" By the time Sweetie Belle finished her rant, she was breathing heavily and the detective's jaws remained on the floor, It remained silent for what felt like hours, the only sounds in the room were the clock ticking and the calm wind blowing on the window.

"Sweetie Belle, we didn't me-" Night Shade started. He didn't make it far into his sentence before he was cut off.

"I don't care what you meant," She growled. "I'm glad you guys are using my shortcomings as your big break," she made her way to the door as the two detectives remained frozen. "Have fun with your stupid fucking system," She added, Sweetie Belle trotted as fast as she could through Minuettes practice, Ignoring the shocked gaze of Minuette and her customers.

Night Shade and Blue Streak, coming to their senses sprang to their hooves and ran after the filly. They didn't make it far, however, as Minuette put her hoof up to block them. "Hey, we have to" Night Shade was once again cut off.

"No, I won't let you two go after her," Minuette said. Night Shade and Blue Streak exchanged shocked and confused looks.

Night Shade raised his hoof to brush hers off his chest. "Look miss," Night Shade began but was once again cut off. and his hoof was slapped down.

"Don't 'miss' me," Minuette started. "I won't let you two go harass that poor filly anymore, she has been through enough already and I'm tired of it," She scowled. Night Shade opened his mouth but didn't get a chance to speak. "If I ever see you two harassing her again I'll rip your heads off," She finished.

"Is that a threat? Don't make us take you into custody," Blue Streak's words had barely left his mouth when Night Shade's hoof struck him right in the mouth.

"Shut your damn mouth," Night Shade said as he stormed out of the dentistry, Blue Streak wasn't far behind.

As soon as they were out of the practice and into a semi-private alley Blue Streak spoke. "What the fuck was that!" He screamed.

"What the hell do you think it was about?" Night Shade responded, Blue Streak started to speak but Night Shade didn't let him. "We are complete Idiots! We have not even a single clue what in equestria we are doing!" He shouted. "A filly just called us inept and she was absolutely right!" He continued. "Not only that but she was right, We aren't trying to solve any crime, We are trying to break through!" Blue Streak sat there staring at Night Shade.

"But we are trying," Were the only words that Blue Streak could get out, trying to keep his confident bravado.

"We might be trying but not at the right things," Night Shade said, this time his voice was much softer. "Streak, We didn't get to where we are right now by just filling out an application, we worked in the police force and then took a year of detective training while still being cops," Night Shade paused. "But now that we are here we seem to have forgotten what we are doing because we are trying to be somepony we are not," He continued. "We are trying to be Split Sight, but we aren't him and we will never be him if we keep acting like this," Night Shade finished.

"I-I b-but we," Blue Streak stammered, his bravado finally falling.

"Let's go regroup," Night Shade said as he slowly began trotting in the direction of the station leaving Blue Streak to be with his thoughts.

From a far window on the second story of an apartment building the Chief watched on as the sparks finally stopped flying, He couldn't help but let a small smile form on his lips, His plan had worked, it may have been highly unethical but he didn't mind too much as he believed that he had finally unlocked the true potential of the two detectives.

---

Sweetie Belle's fast trot became a gallop as soon as she left the front door of the practice, she galloped and galloped as fast as she could, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to stop the tears from falling as memories came flooding into her mind. She didn't have an idea where she was going but at this point, she didn't care.

She barreled through town indiscriminately running into a few ponies still out and about. That is when she happened to run squarely into another Pony, and the two of them crashed to the ground.

Sweetie Belle jumped up, "I'm so sorry I didn't see you," She began but she stopped as she stared at the Orange Pegasus who was staring back at her.

"Woah there Sweetie Belle, what's wrong, where were you running?" Scootaloo asked. She didn't get the response that she had expected as instead of Sweetie Belle responding she collapsed into Scootaloo, becoming a sobbing mess. "Hey, Hey It's okay Sweetie," Scootaloo said, giving Sweetie Belle's mane a comforting stroke. "It's okay," She repeated, this time much softer and reassuring.

After a few minutes of sobbing Sweetie Belle calmed down enough to speak. "W-why? Why did this have to happen?" She managed to sneak out between slow sobs. Scootaloo continued to offer comforting strokes of her mane.

"I don't know Sweetie Belle, I really don't," Scootaloo offered. Sweetie Belle's sobs continued as Scootlaoo kept trying to comfort her friend.

"I-I wish they had just killed me," Sweetie Belle wept. Scootaloo was taken aback by her sudden heavy words, Her outer walls almost crumbled as the thought of Sweetie Belle not surviving her ordeal made her want to join in the cries. Despite this, Scootaloo managed to pull herself together, her friend needed her support.

"Stop that!" Scootaloo scolded. "Don't ever say something like that ever again," She said softly. "I-I don't think I could live in a world without you," Scootaloo stammered, her voice wavering slightly. Sweetie Belle's crying began to slow as she came to the realization, she wasn't completely lost or unloved, she had a reason to keep going, Her best friends. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo did truly care for her, no matter what she thought before all of this had started and she decided that they would be the reason that she tried to stay strong every day, the reason she tried to be brave every day.

With that, the two best friends lay there together for a while before going their separate ways.

Author's Note:

It seems like this is the first time that Sweetie Belle has had an important appearance in this story despite her being the main character lol.
Also, this chapter didn't take a year, It's a miracle!
Anyway, thanks for reading!

Comments

[Kichi]

Let's hope the next one also don't take a year

[SC14]

11645995
It shouldn't, working on the next chapter but it's kinda difficult, I won't spoil though.
It'll hopefully be out next week!

[Kichi]

11646602
Well, I wish your muse don't give you problems