Manehattan's Lone Guardian

by Curtis Wildcat

Glintlock - Part One

The water is billowing behind me as I jet back towards Manehattan. The shadows I'm registering are keeping pace with me, telling me that Maverick and Magnum haven't tried to deviate off course.

I'd spoken with the Princess and given her a brief summary of my decision to let the two thieves help out. She was too busy helping the locals repair Metallium's tunnels for a prolonged meeting, but we got the point across. Her own reply was basically "I'm alright with it if they behave themselves, but maybe you should tell the Police anyway". Then she hugged me again and sent me on my way.

There was something that amused me before I left: the fact that Celestia was helping the locals at all. I don't mean in the sense of using her magic on the tunnels, though there was plenty of that flying around. I mean she was helping them, putting the physical strength of an alicorn to work as much as said magic. The residents were straight-up gobsmacked at the idea of their Princess helping them directly like that, as if they weren't expecting her to step down from the pedestal they'd placed her on. She'd set her regalia aside, and everything.

...Though I'm beginning to think that she deliberately got her hooves dirty just to get grime on me before I left, knowing full well my dislike of the stuff. Gray was right: she is a flake. At least it washed out in the ocean.

My radio is crackling: I'm back within range of Headquarters. "Officer Coffee-and-Cream, this is Leviathan. Metallium is defeated. Repeat, Metallium is defeated," I state. "Reinforcements from Canterlot have sent the dragon back to wherever she came from, and I'm returning to Manehattan with Knight and Gargoyle."

Coffee sounds relieved. -"Confirmed, General. How are you doing energy-wise? Are you still good to go?"-

"Both of those I've fought were carrying Reddocite with them. I'm still in fine shape," I assure her. "On a related note, the two prisoners have requested that they be allowed to continue assisting in resolving this incident."

-"They probably just want to stay free as long as possible,"- Coffee grunted. -"Typical."-

"All the same, the both of them have given me brief job interviews--haven't tried to get references yet--and I've asked the Princess for advice."

-"And what did she say?"-

I surface and slow to a stop, signalling the two pegasi to follow suit. The both of them obey, wings beating as they hover a few meters overhead. "That it was alright with her if it was alright with the Department. The both of them will be working for me directly, and they'll be delivered back to their cells at the end of their working hours. They're aware that they'll be wanted across Equestria if they try to escape. And to be honest, with the only other pony I can think of that could help me being sidelined by personal matters, some extra help won't hurt."

-"...I can't make this decision myself. Give me a minute,"- Coffee requests. -"I've got to speak to the Chief about this."-

The line goes quiet. I take the opportunity to scan the surrounding area with my newly-acquired radar. As advertised, my range above the water is rather limited. It's registering both of my new teammates and a few birds that are flying around in my vicinity, but little else; I can see the distant dot of what can only be a sailboat, but I can't detect the ponies on it.

On the other hand, everything underwater within a thirty mile radius is being read like a pamphlet. While it isn't giving me complete details, the radar's keeping me clued in on all the sea life clear down to the ocean floor. Entities of all types, including a few fish I don't recognize the outlines of, populate the depths. There is even at least one creature down there that I would classify as a legitimate sea monster, though thankfully it isn't causing any disturbances. I wonder how long that has been there.

That's not the most interesting thing I'm detecting, however. Right now I'm surveying the island that Manehattan was built upon, and halfway to the seafloor there appears to be nothing less than a large slab of embedded metal larger than I am. What on earth is the history behind that? Is that a door? I won't know for sure until I---

-"General Leviathan?"- a new voice interrupts, yanks me out of my scanning. Older, masculine, deeper and gruffer than Coffee's, and entirely deadpan. He sounds like he could get along great with Fiver.

"Yes? Who is this?" I inquire.

-"This is Chief Pine Grove. Officer Coffee has just told me that you want those two thieves as part of your team. Ordinarily I would not approve, but given the status of our department at present, I will give you the go-ahead. Just bear in mind that Knight and Gargoyle will be your responsibility as long as they are outside of their cells. If they get out of line, it's on you to rein them in. And if they succeed in fleeing, that will hurt your chances of going home within a reasonable time frame. Do you understand?"-

Well, obviously. If anything, that's downplaying it. "Completely, sir."

-"Alright. I'll turn you back over to your go-between. It's almost lunchtime. I'm going to get me a can of hash and some coffee."-

What's that drop on the side of my helmet? I want to say it's seawater, but water's not supposed to cling to my armor. "Um..."

Coffee's voice resumes control of the transmission. -"Let's... not think too hard about that. Saying he's not your average Police Chief is understating it." She clears her throat. "SO. Who are you chasing after next?..."-

Upon arriving back within the city limits, we are greeted past the bridge by the spotter who'd been watching my duel with Metallium. He warily eyes my escorts, but accepts my request to get the details from his superiors. By the time he's done he's still unsure, though willing to give me the benefit of a doubt.

Carbo-loading notwithstanding, my assistants are looking tired from their flight. So instead of roof hopping across the city and making them fly after me, I request that we take a police carriage to our destination so that they have the chance to shut their eyes for a few minutes. Seeing as how his assignment has been finished, the spotter shrugs and agrees before signalling his partner to help him out.

It's cramped in here both above and to the sides, and I've needed to remove my helmet to keep the fins from smacking my helpers, but watching both Maverick and Magnum slumped against me with their eyes shut has me convinced I made the right choice. It won't be enough to fully rejuvenate them, but every minute they get to rest is a good minute.

Now the real question is, how am I going to get out of here without damaging the carriage? Maybe choosing to sit in the middle wasn't my brightest move.

...

My mental fortitude has become a lot weaker this past fortnight, because I have the strangest urge to scratch behind their ears right now. Curse you, Zig-Zag, for showing me the unbridled cuteness of ponies.

---

-"Single Arrow, this is Officer Coffee. You've got friendlies incoming. Repeat, you've got friendlies incoming. General Leviathan is taking control of the situation, and Chief Grove has okayed the assistance of the Midnight Castles' Knight and Gargoyle. Their carriage will be arriving at your post shortly."-

-"Confirmed, Officer. Thanks."-

Single Arrow, so nicknamed because of an errant hair in his mane that stuck out from beneath his cap and refused to be tamed, shuffled his hooves anxiously as he waited outside one of Median Park's western entrances. His partner, who had been in the force three years longer than him, noted his anxiety but didn't comment on it.

Back when that special issue of the Minutes was released, he was one of those whose initial opinion of Leviathan had been squarely in the negative at first. His first impression of her had him thinking that she was some sort of strange monster that had wandered into the city from who-knows-where, as opposed to a robot from another world. He had never strayed far from the city in his life, never ventured anywhere near the places where actual monsters were known to roam. He only had words and stories to go by instead of any physical or visual proof. As such, the idea of creatures existing other than ponies or the few other races that called Manehattan home unnerved him, and he refused to believe that worlds other than this one existed.

When a few weeks went by without the 'strange monster' making trouble for anypony, he let himself relax a little---but only a little. A recent Minutes article made mention of one Limefrost Spiral complaining that the creature had drenched her in pool water, but he had disregarded it without a second thought. Juvenille pranks might be conceived as "making trouble", but only in the sense that a rubber ball could make trouble for a steel shield. As long as it didn't hit around the shield--a rubber ball thrown at full force would still be painful---then there was no real harm done.

Then he learned earlier this morning that the monster was going to help bring the perpetrators of yesterday's attacks to justice, and his nervousness jumped up to where it had been previously.

Come on, Arrow. come on. You can stay calm. You can do this. If you don't make trouble for it, it won't make trouble for you. Just stay professional and hope that it reciprocates. Come on.

His attempts at staying calm were interrupted a short time later when he saw one of their carriages on the approach. As it got closer, he realized that there was some kind of clamor from its occupants. As he paid attention, he realized that he'd just been proved wrong about what the creature was like. And as he received context while the carriage rolled to a stop, he had to remind himself to stay alert instead of facehoofing.

All three occupants were blushing a bright red. The "monster" was stammering replies and apologies to each of the prisoners in turn. Knight and Gargoyle were alternately chastising her and apologizing to her themselves, for reasons he didn't understand. Why would known lawbreakers feel the need to apologize for anything?

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I wasn't watching what I was doing!"

"No no no, don't worry about it! Don't worry about it! Those things happen!"

"Yeah, settle down! Mistakes were made, everypony's cool, just keep it real!"

"Seriously, if I'd known that it would be getting that sort of reaction from you---!"

"It caught me off guard, that's all! I'm not mad, really! Calm down, robot!"

"Probably could have warned us first, yeah, but you don't need to be so worked up over it!"

Arrow uneasily walked up to the carriage. "Is everything alright here---?"

"YES!" the three of them blurted out before he could continue his train of thought, whirling to face him and very nearly falling out of the carriage in the process. "Everything's perfect!"

For a long moment, everything was more or less still. Arrow was frozen in mid-motion, a hoof halfway off the ground. The "monster" didn't say anything, but her face was all but begging for a topic change. Both prisoners were much the same. A light breeze blew through the area. Birds chirped a few trees away. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked.

The two carriage drivers glanced back at their passengers, discreetly nibbling on mint candies that they'd had on their person while looking entertained. Regulations forbade them from eating popcorn on the job, so they had to make do.

"...Right. If you say so," Arrow finally acquiesced, gesturing at the sidewalk. "If you're done staring at me, then come on. I'll brief you on what's happening here at the park."

The three of them expelled relieved sighs (wait, didn't the paper say that she didn't need to breathe?), then carefully vacated the carriage. Arrow wondered at first why the "monster" had seen fit to remove its helmet, but that curiosity was sated after she re-equipped it and turned to survey the street. Those things on the back of it were longer than they looked. Alright, makes sense. Police carriages do tend to be rather cramped if they're not meant to ferry criminals in bulk.

Satisfied with whatever it was she was looking at, the creature (should be safe to downgrade it from "monster" by now, right?) pivoted to face Arrow directly and saluted him. After a moment's hesitation, the two prisoners shrugged and followed suit. "Reporting in, officer. What can you tell us?"

No one saw me. ...Or at least I think no one saw me.

X alive, these ponies are going to be the end of me. Why did I do that? Why in the bottomless of pits did I do that?

"Because you're a real sweetheart at your core, dearie! Why else?"

Alright, I know I'm hallucinating when I start imagining voices other than my own. If I let Drama Heart get a hoofhold in here, she's not going to leave. Out you go, random thoughts, and the horse you rode in on.

...But seriously, why?

The officer starts talking, and I hastily put a pin on that topic before focusing on him. Time to work, girl. You can break down later. "When Glintlock got here he scared off the few present, then grabbed the nearest officer and told him to block off all the entrances. He said that there were only two individuals that would be allowed to pass: the 'robot', or the 'ghost'. I'm not sure who he was talking about on that last one..."

"Retired Police officer," I say curtly. "Keep going."

"Right. Anyway, he warned the Police that if anyone other than those two broke the barricade and went after him, he couldn't guarantee that they'd stay in good health."

"The 'ghost' won't be making it today, but the 'robot' is ready to meet him." The griffon's challenging me. I would be a poor sport if I didn't accept it. "Assignment seems cut-and-dry. I'll have him caught inside ten minutes."

"That... might be problematic," the officer says, sweating a little.

Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be? "What's the situation?"

"A little filly was sighted wandering into the park. She either didn't know what was going on or didn't care, because she walked right past our barricades. We made an attempt at getting her out, but we were forced to leave when the crossbow bolts started flying."

An escort mission. They really don't like making things easy, do they? A detail in that sentence is making me pause as I formulate a reply. "...Crossbow bolts? Plural?"

"There's traps set up in there," he explains. "I must have stepped on something, because the next thing we knew, a whole slew of them were flying straight at us." He shudders. "One of them almost... I don't want to think about it."

"The charges are going to pile up on him," his partner states. "Repeating crossbows have been outlawed in Equestria for more than a century."

Which implies that normal ones still see active use, but that's unimportant. It's not enough that I have to rescue a foal, but I have to get her away from a deathtrap. I suppose it would be hypocritical to complain in light of how much we put the Resistance through, but why can't these things ever be easy? "Alright, so maybe not ten minutes. Still, this is hardly the worst assignment I've had." I make sure that Maverick's in my line of sight. "Alright, here's how we're going to---"

BzzztcchheeeeEEEE!

"---Plccch! What in blazes---?!" I snarl, slamming a hand on my helmet as the officers and prisoners all flinch in response. A jarringly loud burst of static just went off right in my ears! No, I haven't forgotten that they're technically microphones and not ears, now stay quiet and listen!

-"---EEEeechh--never figure th-chezzbt-pid things..."- I can just barely discern an unidentified voice muttering.

"Who is this?" I exclaim. "If this is somepony's idea of a practical joke...!"

-"CcczZZBEeee--lo? Hello? Who am I speaking to? Is this the robot?"-

Frostily, I answer: "Again, who is this?"

Whoever it is doesn't give his name, though he becomes easily identifiable quickly. -"I'm assuming it is, so I'll be brief. I already know about the little foal sitting all by her lonesome somewhere in the park. You might presume to believe that I'm holding her hostage to lure you in."- He chuckles. -"But you know what they say about assuming."-

"Forgive me if I don't believe you," I deadpan. Meanwhile, Maverick and Magnum hover near my helmet to try and listen to the conversation.

-"There's no catch,"- he denies. -"The child is not heavy enough to trigger my traps. They were intended to catch larger prey, such as yourself. You could recklessly charge straight for me, and not a single hair will be harmed on her head."- A soft chuckle. -"Of course, if you'd like, you can seek out the foal and get her to safety. But there's no guarantee that the emplacements you set off wouldn't catch her in the crossfire as well."-

That's the sort of ultimatum that only a fool would fall for. I am not leaving the child alone. "I'll take my chances."

-"Well, we can't say I didn't try to at least warn you,"- Glintlock sighs. -"It's your own fault if she gets hurt. Pass into Median Park, then. I'll be adding your head to my trophy room soon enough."- A violent crackle of static, and he's gone.

"Who does that guy think he is?" Magnum bites out, incensed. "Letting a kid just wander into danger like that?"

"Please tell us that you'll be saving a piece of him for us," Maverick begs. "Using a foal as bait? Seriously? He needs to pay for that!"

"And he will," I promise them. "But it's up to me to do that. Officer, am I correct in assuming that with the decreased ponypower, you won't be able to take anypony away from the barricades?"

"That's right."

Hmm... "Then here's how we'll handle this. Do any of you have a spare radio?"

"Sure do." The officer's partner fishes one out of his vest. "I accidentally broke mine once as a rookie. Since then, I've never left the Station without an extra."

I take it from him with a thankful nod. "Appreciated." I turn towards the prisoners and summon my Javelin to my free hand. They get the hint: Seriousness is set to 'On'. "Equip this, Maverick," I order, handing her the radio. "Once I find the child, I'll be sending her your way. It'll be on you and Magnum to get her safely home, wherever that is. If she's hurt, get her to a doctor. In any event, when I ask for status reports, I expect you to be prompt. If you're not prompt, then I'll suspect the worst." I raise an index finger into the air, releasing a tiny little puff of ice particles from my Arctic Pulse. "And you don't want me to suspect the worst. Understand, ladies?"

Both of them shiver at my tone. "Ma'am, yes ma'am!" they declare, Magnum's hoof raising to her forehead in a salute. Maverick takes an extra second on account of needing to attach the radio to her ear before doing the same. The on-looking officers nod approvingly.

I smile in satisfaction. It's good to know that my brief moments of lunacy haven't made me lose my touch. "Then it's time I got to work. I'll get the little filly out as soon as I can." With nothing more that needs saying, I jump over the barricade and into the park, activating and putting my new Radar to work as I go.

...

"So," Magnum said to Maverick as they sat down near the barricade, "do you want to be the one to tell her that we actually enjoyed what she did?"

A mild snort. "And give ponies the wrong idea about us? Not a chance," Maverick denied. "Dignity's precious, and I'm keeping mine."

Single Arrow shook his head to clear it, decided that what happened in that carriage was none of his business, and refocused on standing watch.

Author's Note:

Music links for this chapter included: "You Are Now Legally A Bird", from the soundtrack of A Hat In Time; and "Big Bluff", from Trigun. I might've used this last one in a previous chapter, I don't recall, but I'm having trouble fitting tunes that fit.

Chief Pine Grove is, for those who haven't figured it out, based on Freakazoid!'s Cosgrove. ("Hey, Leviathan. Want to go see a squid use Morse Code?" "Would I?!")

Yeah... for those that didn't read my blog posts, this chapter really didn't want to get typed. Writer's block combined with burnout... not fun, y'all. Not fun. ()^_^ Part Two is still in progress and who knows when that's going to be done, but rest assured I'm still working on it. Little by little, it will get done.

I would also point out that my mind goes weird places sometimes.

Ko-Fi tip jar: https://ko-fi.com/curtiswildcat

Comments

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

no one can resist the ear scratch

[Hyan]

That's when you'd be happy to have phantom with you, mostly because he can detect traps.

[tsaukpaetra]

Heh, taking bets on if the filly is someone we know, if her trespass is intentional, and if she'll go quietly the Leviathan tries to send her off...
Never doubt the power of head scritches!

[KRMebius]

If you're not prompt, then I'll suspect the worst." I raise an index finger into the air, releasing a tiny little puff of ice particles from my Arctic Pulse. "And you don't want me to suspect the worst. Understand, ladies?"

leviathan be Savage

[Curtis Wildcat]

11398016
She has to be, in this situation. If they were just general civilians, that would be one thing. But here, until they work off their debts to society, Maverick and Magnum are still on the other side of the law. She has to let everyone present know that she has things under control.

[KRMebius]

11399258
Fair Point

[LightThatBurnsTheSky]

I admit I was sceptical seeing this pop up in the featured fics a few times, but having read though it multiple times, I love it a lot, keep up the good work!

[Curtis Wildcat]

11400425
I will certainly try. Thank you.

[Poparakelis]

"The 'ghost' won't be making it today, but the 'robot' is ready to meet to him." The griffon's challenging me. I would be a poor sport if I didn't accept it. "Assignment seems cut-and-dry. I'll have him caught inside ten minutes."

To meed him*