Stealing a Heart of Gold

by Silentpegasus

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Scootaloo was lying on the floor still hoof-cuffed to the radiator she had stopped crying only because she thought that she had run out of tears. She heard hoof steps approaching her door and cringed back to see a very intoxicated pegasus stallion glaring at her, he trotted over and kicked her in the ribs, Scootaloo started to cough up blood and soon passed out. The large stallion looked down at the unconscious filly, he heard a knock at the door he locked the door from the outside, grabbed his bat and walked towards the door, he opened it to see a familiar dark stallion and a green unicorn mare.

“What do you want!?” he yelled at them. Shield glared at the stallion with hatred in his eyes he pulled out his badge and showed it to the intoxicated stallion.

“Inspector Shield, I’m here to see Scootaloo.” he said as he stepped inside, the stallion then swung the bat at his head, he felt the bat hit Shields face. He looked behind Shields shoulder to see an enraged unicorn mare’s horn glowing a blast of magic hit the stallion causing him to stagger backwards. Shield then sucker punched him in the jaw stunning him, Shield then took his head and slammed it against the wall three times, the stallion fell to the ground with a thud. Shield threw Comet a pair of hoof cuffs, after she had cuffed him the two proceeded to gallop upstairs.

“Scootaloo! Are you here?” the orange filly started to hear a familiar voice calling out to her. he tried to get up but couldn’t find the energy, she stood only for a moment until she hit the ground with a loud thud. Shield moved towards the door and turned the knob, it was locked. Shield turned around and kicked the door open, he looked around the room. His eyes focused on the unconscious orange filly, he rushed over to her and looked her over. “COMET GET IN HERE!” the mare rushed into the room and gasped at the fillies state. Comet came over and undid the hoof cuffs, Shield put the filly on his back. “Can you handle our guest downstairs?” Comet nodded, as the two trotted down stairs they saw that their back up had arrived outside, Shield motioned to the unconscious stallion.

“What should I do?” Comet asked.

“You tell me..your prisoner Inspector.” he said as he took flight with the filly holding onto his back, still clutching the orange crystal he had given her an hour earlier. Shield felt the cold rain hitting his body like shards of freezing glass his left eye was swollen shut from the bat. He rushed into Ponyville Hospital. “SOME-PONY PLEASE HELP!” he bellowed, the doctors took the little filly into the O.R. and began operating on her. Shield was joined by Comet and the rest of his friends soon after. Rarity rushed up to him with tears in her eyes.

“Shield are you alright? Comet just told us what happened.”

“I’m fine.” he said as he got up and trotted over to the doctor. “How is she?” he asked with worried eyes.

“Scootaloo has a broken rib, a concussion and is currently unconscious.” Shield looked back at the doctor with a tear in his eye. “I know it sounds bad but she will make a full recovery.” Shield breathed a sigh of relief and shook the doctors hoof.

“Thanks doc....if she need’s anything send me the bill.”

“Sure thing Inspector.”

“Oh one more thing, she had an orange crystal with her can I see it?” the doctor reached into his pocket and retrieved the orange rock. He trotted back to the group to see that Sweetie Belle and Applebloom had arrived along with Rainbow Dash. The three ponies rushed over to Shield with tears in their eyes.

“How is she?” they asked.

“She’s out cold right now, but will make a full recovery.” he said with a smile. The two small fillies then proceeded to hug the injured stallion with tears streaming down their faces. Shield patted the fillies on the head, he felt the adrenaline starting to leave his body, he felt the pain from the bat starting to take it’s toll, his vision started to blur and he stumbled to the ground and saw nothing but blackness.

He woke up to the sound of a heart monitor attached to his left arm, he looked over to his right to see Rarity sleeping soundly with her head resting on the bedside, he glanced ahead to see five empty chairs positioned around his bed. He looked over to the bed next to him to see an orange pegasus filly sleeping soundly, he saw the orange pegasus crystal resting on the bedside him on the nightstand, he reached over to it and started to examine it. He popped the end of the crystal off and pointed it at the wall, a small picture materialized on the wall, he watched silently as the orange filly was beaten to a pulp by her so called ‘father’ Shield shut the crystal off half-way through, he couldn’t bare to re-watch the beating, a single tear fell from his eye and onto the white mare’s hoof. Rarity’s eyes fluttered open and looked up at the teary eyed stallion.

“Oh Shield, I’m so glad you’re okay!” she said as she hugged him. “When Comet told us about what happened at the house, I was so worried about you and the little dear.” she said as Shield patted her on the back. Her eyes then fell upon the orange crystal in his hoof. “What is that?”

“This is going to put Scootaloo’s father behind bars for a very long time.”

“What is it?”

“It’s a recorder crystal, it records what ever it sees when activated. This proves that her father was abusive.” he said as he sat up. He let out a slight groan as the other mare’s trotted inside and rushed over to him. He then explained to them what had happened and his plan with the crystal. The ponies were stunned by the end of the tale. Rainbow looked at him with a blank look.

“It’s just that....I feel so-”

“It’s okay Rainbow. I know how you feel. The feeling that you could’ve done more, had some-pony been there a few seconds faster and not hidden like a coward.” he said as he looked at the mares who had a confused look on their faces. “Sorry that last one was directed at me.” He looked over st Scootaloo who started to wake up. A smile crept across Shields face. “Hey kid how do you feel?”

“Where am I?”

“Ponyville hospital.”

“And what about my dad?”

“Locked up and going to be for a very long time, far away from you.” Scootaloo breathed a sigh of relief and began to cry.

“Thank you!” she said as she fought through the tears. Shield raised a hoof to the small filly.

“I was just doing my job.”

“But you saved me!”

“Well actually in the ‘official’ report Comet made the arrest, I just helped.”

“Helped!? You took a bat to the face!” Comet said with a surprised look on her face. Rainbow trotted over to the small filly trying to hold back her tears

“Hey kid how are you feeling?”

“Better, but-”

“What’s wrong Scoot?”

“Where am I going to live? I can’t get a job and I don’t want to be alone! I don’t-” Rainbow pulled the small filly into a hug and began to cry.

“You won’t! You’ll come and live with me.” she said as she looked into the fillies eyes. Scootaloo started to cry tears of joy. Shield smiled, he looked at the other mares who all had tears in their eyes. Shield put his head back and breathed a sigh of relief Comet trotted over to him with a smile on her face.

“I lied before.” he said as he looked at his partner.

“What?”

“I do want to continue my family legacy but..” he turned his head towards Rainbow and Scootaloo. “Seeing a happy ending like that makes all this pain worth it.” he said with a smile.

“I-I think I understand that now.” she said as she wiped the tears away. The group was interrupted by the Mayor walking through the door.

“Oh thank goodness you’re alright.” she said as she trotted in between the small filly and the battered detective. “I just heard, you’ve done a great deed Shield.”

“Actually ma’m, Comet deserves the credit, she arrested the perp.” he said pointing over to the green mare.

“Very well, Comet Shooter the press would like to have a word with you outside.” she said with a smile. Comet looked at the dark stallion who nodded.

“Go! Some-pony needs to deal with the media hounds and it sure as hell ain’t gonna be me.” he said with a laugh.

“Okay....Wish me luck.” she said as she trotted out of the room.

“Hey Mayor, hang on a second.” Shield said as he tossed her the orange crystal. “That’s the proof you need to put Cloud Shocker behind bars for a long time.” the mare nodded and trotted out of the roof holding the orange crystal. As the mare exited a doctor entered the room with a chart.

“Okay every-pony, these two need their rest you can come and visit them tomorrow.” the ponies began to exit the room, Rainbow gave Scootaloo one final hug and left with her friends. The doctor then shot a glance over at the dark stallion “Inspector, I hope that you won’t pull another disappearing act on us again.” Shield gave a small sigh and nodded at the doctor as he left the room. Scootaloo then looked over at the dark stallion.

“How did you know that I was...y’know.”

“It’s my job to be able to piece together a crime.”

“I doubt it, from what I heard your pretty bad at seeing things that are obvious.”

“Like what?”

“Like Ra-....nothing. But I know that you had help so tell me who it was!”

“Nope, sorry.” he said as he put his hooves behind hi head.

“I know it was either Applebloom or Sweetie Belle. They’re the only one’s who knew and since you’re living with Rarity I can probably guess Sweetie Belle told you. Right?” Shield stared at the filly in amazement he leaned his head back and chuckled. “What’s so funny?”

“The fact that you managed to figure that out on your own, you’re smart Scoot. Don’t let any-pony tell you any different.”

“So it was Sweetie Belle! Ugh she Pinkie promised me that-”

“She broke her promise to save your life. If she hadn’t then I wouldn’t have been able to save you.” Scootaloo was about to protest but kept silent. “I know that promises are important, but sometimes they need to be broken in order to help some-pony, I know that lesson better than any-pony ever will.” he said in a sad tone.

“What happened?” she asked.

“I’ll tell you......one day. Right now we both need our rest, goodnight.” he said as he turned the light off and rested his head against the pillow. Scootaloo agreed and laid down to rest. Shield’s mind was for the most part at peace he just wanted to sleep, but his mind had other plans.

Comments

[Kickback]

Oh my god, good sir....Silent, yoU brilliant person...YOU JUST DELIVERED ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING CHAPTERS IVE READ EVER!!!

[Silentpegasus]

1918257 Granted they are similar but there is ONE major difference between them, which I will get into in future chapters.

[Silentpegasus]

1913896 Thank you! Just wait more surprises ahead.