The next step (Snowflake mystery)

"Whats this Bolt? You call this being clean?" Renaultar held the bag of contraband he found on the earth pony that was on the ground before him.

Renaultar had spent days trying to catch this pony red hoofed. He knew that Bolt here had connections that were invovled with the Snowflake robbery, but he couldn't get anything from him without leverage. Fortunately he had his methods to catch a pony after the act of buying 'contraband.'

"Well Bolt? Looks like i will have to put you away."

The pony struggled to his feet "Wait wait wait! I...uhh...its not mine...really.....Please don't take me away. Anything you need i can get!"

Renaultar scoffed for effect and shook his head. "Now do you really think I would take a bribe now? Come on.....That is unless you know something about...hmm...The Snowflakes of Harmony theft."

Bolt became even more terrified than before. "What? Oh no no, i wouldn't know anything..." He said rather unconvincingly. A stare from Renaultar got him talking again though. "Listen, Deputy Shields, these guys are serious business. They would have my head on a pike for telling you and probably the same for you for asking! This is not a simple thing!"

Renaultar advanced on him and looked ready to strike at him. There were times when his job called for measured aggression and he learned how to use it over the years, as much as he hated it. "I think you'll find plenty wanting your head on a pike once i put you in jail. You have enough enemies that would like to see you there and more....Give me what i want."

Bolt suddered in place and squirmed vissably. "T-there are three ponies i know that would know about it. They are middle connected in the crime gangs. One of them is bound to know. T-they are..." Bolt listed three names that Renaultar wrote down. It was about time they got a break on this case. It had been nearly two weeks.

"Thanks Bolt....Now get out of here. Next time you might not be lucky."

"Can....i have my...uh....stuff back?"

"....No."

With that Renaultar turned to leave the alleyway.

"Hello, Renny. Hello, sir."

A little filly stood at the end of the alleyway. She had been watching the series of events with great interest, but her face was perfectly blank. It was harder to find Captain Shields today, but there was apparently progress on the case front.

Nameless would have been shocked at Shield's behaviour, if it weren't for Loyal explaining what a guardpony is meant to do. Still, the brutality was somewhat new to the filly's eyes, but Loyal had warned her about this, too.

"Who are those three ponies, if I may ask?"

Renaultar wide wide eyed with shock as he looked to the little filly and then back to the ally way. "Oh...Hello...I didn't see you there, Nameless. How long ago did you get here?" Then it clicked in his head that she knew there were three ponies. "Oh, i'm sorry you had to see that...A nasty part of the job."

He cleared his throat and took the few more steps to be out of the ally and on the sidewalk. Taking out the paper, he read. "Talos Longstride. I know that name. He actually was killed a week ago. Looked like a hit. Martin Clops....Interesting name. He is new to me. And...Shalaska Woods. Bit of an old name. She fell off the grid a few months ago. Least that is what i know."

Nameless nodded. "Loyal said that you were the toilet cleaners of the city's filth, and that I shouldn't be shocked at your work." She allowed herself a small giggle.

The filly frowned at the names which held no meaning for her, but she remembered them anyway. She wondered why those ponies would try to steal the snowflakes from Mr Herald and Mrs Admirer. Then she gasped. "Woods? Does that mean White Woods is involved in all this?"

"T-toilet cleaners?" He stammered. "Oh come now. I may have to do dirty work sometimes but i try real hard to put on a smile for everyone and keep them safe. Otherwise there would be no ice cream sold on the street side." He grinned.

Renaultar didn't think to connect the dots on the last names but waved a hoof at the idea. "Not likely. There are are probably a lot of ponies with Woods as their last name.....But it wouldn't hurt to look up any possible family ties." He made a mental note to do that when he got back to the department. "So, i guess your here for the report on the Snowflake robbery. Wish i had more but right now that't it." He shrugged.

"One dead pony, one gone pony...that doesn't seem like much at all," Nameless said sadly.

There was a pause. A long, uneasy pause.

"What did you talk with Mrs Admirer about, Renny? All I know that Loyal became pretty upset when you left." She giggled nervously. "Said to buck you if you tried to harm me, then tell her."

Renaultar felt a bit red in the face at the mention of the talk he had with Mrs Admirer and Miss Loyal. "Oh. That. Well...I just had some concerns for you. The street can be scary alone....I was just glad to be able to escort you about. Hehe...Cute she said that though. I wouldn't ever harm you. Its my job to protect you and everypony else." He finished with pride. At the mention of escorting her he thought he might as well just do that again.

"Care to take another ride? I can get you some ice cream." He smiled brightly.

Nameless looked offended. "Are you saying that I am not able to to walk to the store and purchase myself a vanilla ice cream?" she said, in her best impression of Loyal.

After pausing for effect, she broke into a small smile. "I would like that very much, Renny. You are a friend, after all."

Happily, she accepted the ride.

Renaultar beamed happily and knelt down to let her get on for the ride. This filly was really starting to grow on him.

"So...How did you find me? Looking in alleys is rather...risky for a little filly." He asked her. The ice cream stand was a bit of a walk from the alley so they had time to talk.

"Well, about that..." Nameless started.

What she didn't say was that she waited outside the department until he came out, then followed Shields around just to see what he actually did. It was not after the alleyway incident that she decided to reveal herself. Maids were trained to be background ponies. She did NOT want to say this.

"...luck?"

Renaultar had spent his fair share of time on the streets listening to ponies make threats, promises, and lies. He knew well enough that what she said was not the flat truth, but he let it go. "Quite some luck you got there....So tell me...uh...did Loyal say anything else to you?"

"Well, she cut most of my household duties," Nameless said, in a bit of a disappointed tone. "Said I should take over buying groceries and the like. I think I've been letting the household down lately, but I don't know where. I've been trying my very hardest to do my duties. And Mrs Admirer has asked me to be her personal assistant sometimes, something that only Loyal dud before. I asked White Woods, but she doesn't really know either. She just asks me to deliver letters in exchange for money to buy ice cream."

Renaultar silently let out a bit of a sigh. It seemed that his words did have an impact. He felt he had done something at least. The new duties she got seemed to give her a lot more chances to get out.

"I wouldn't say that. If anything, they might be thinking your becoming more responsible. Those jobs are not simple jobs localized in the home. I bet they think your ready to do greater things." He smiled and saw the ice cream vendor just across the street. "As they say, up or out."

"Up, or out?" Nameless said, confused. She waved at the vendor. "Hi Mr Brainfreeze!"

Said ice cream pony returned the wave. "Nameless! I see you have your escort again! Now, what flavour do you want?" He asked this with the smile of a pony that knew the answer.

"I would like a vanilla ice cream, if you have any, please, Mr Brainfreeze, sir," came the sing-song response.

"Why, certainly, little miss Nameless."

Ice cream was served.

Renaultar payed for the ice cream before Nameless could complain. "Thanks Sam. Just keeping the lady safe and happy."

He smiled and resumed his patrol. "Up or out. You know. In some jobs you can't just stay where you are. You have to improve yourself. I got promoted two years back, though...i kind of got demoted too. But thats not the point. I think your capable of more. Your new duties are going to help you prove that i bet."

Nameless thought about his words whilst eating her ice cream. "Thank you," she finally said, "I want to serve others, really, no matter what my flank says I should do. I look up at Loyal and White Woods and see how hard they work for Mr Herald and Mrs Admirer, and I see Mr Herald and Mrs Admirer look after them in turn. I've been thinking about your question about family, Renny, and I think I have one in them. I wish to serve them, for they took care of me. And I do it because I love them. That's the truth, Mr Renny. The truth pure and simple. If they think I'm ready, I trust them."

There was another pause as she continued eating her ice cream.

Renaultar smiled even more. "That is a lovely family you have..." He could seem himself starting to draw some parallels with his own childhood and his job. "...They are very lucky to have you helping them. And they love you. I have a feeling they would be more than happy to see you grow and become more though. Families don't just serve eachother. They help one another to grow to be their own self." He looked to her with a loving smile. "Even friends..."

"Hmm-mm," Nameless agreed with a mouthful of ice cream.

Swallowing, she then went on to ask, "Um, Renny? If you don't mind me asking, what did you get demoted for? You seem like such a good guardpony. I don't think you would be the type to get punished."

Renaultar gave a crooked grin at the thought of that particular event. "Well......Several things went wrong...I think ill tell you that story another time...Still feels too soon ago. But i trust you enough as a friend to tell it." He frowned and looked down to the ground.

It was several long quiet moments after that. Renaultar didnt let on any more hints than that it was not a good time for him in the end. Just as Renaultar was about to speak again, his ears perked up and he looked down at an ally a pony was waving at him from. "Officer! Over here!" The strange pony said before running down the ally.

Renaultar reacted and went to the ally to look down it. The ally was filthy and dark, almost moreso than the last ally he was in. Something about this did not sit right with Renaultar at all.

"...Nameless, this may not be safe. I need you to let you down and stay here....And to watch the street for me please..." He added the last part out of fear that he may have to handle something less than pretty. "...And cover your ears." He turned to her with a goofy smile.

"Alright...sir," Nameless stated, "And if hear screaming, I'll run to the department?"

She jumped off the guardpony's back onto the street. "And if you shout 'RUN!' I'm to do so, without any heroics whatsoever. Especially if a pony that is not you comes out of that alley. Even if that would attract attention to myself. Your orders are clear, sir."

Her face was perfectly blank, trained from birth. Not a hint of a smile, nor a frown. Just an expression of duty. Of course those weren't his actual orders, but part of what a maid does was to do what was meant, not what was actually said.

Renaultar smiled wide and nodded. "Hehe, you would make a fine Guardpony. Though i bet you could do better. Be careful friend." Renaultar smiled at her again before turning down the ally.

Wherever that pony went, they sure went far. He barely made out the silhouette of him almost a 100 yards down. Quickening his pace he shouted his arrival to the pony. "Guardpony here. Whats the matter sir?"

The pony was hard to figure from the darkness but did not appear distressed. "Deputy Renaultar?"

"...Yes?" He felt very nervous now. Something was amiss.

The pony waved a hoof before turning around to walk away. Renaultar blinked in confusion. What was this pony on ab-

He ducked as he heard the sound of a lead pipe swing by. A quick buck of his legs met the face of another assailant. Quickly he swung to try to get another bead on the other attacker, but another hard blunt object hit him in the side of the head. He had gotten a head count of 5 before it hit. Now he could hardly think. He felt something sharp go into his shoulder and another hard blow cause a crack in his hind legs.

He fell down, hardly able to defend himself as the other assailants wailed on him.

"...The Bovinachi send their regards..." The shady pony said before going out of sight.

Rule 1: No one notices a good maid unless they need one.

Nameless watched as the numerous ponies wailed on the guardpony. Of course it had been a trap, but an unavoidable one knowing Shields. Of course, no stations were anywhere near here, and the streets were suspiciously devoid of any other guardpony.

So, there had to be an alternative. "Aren't you going to do anything?" she asked.

"Against five other ponies?" came the reply, "Come on, child. Even I'm not that stupid. Besides, as I explained, this cutie mark is a kitchen knife."

"But you followed me."

"To protect you. Not him. As he reaps, so he sows."

Something Nameless looked at her companion strangely. Then she turned to see the shady pony from before leave the alleyway.

"I'm so sorry, Loyal, but I trust you to protect me."

Then she charged.

---

Loyal watched in horror as Nameless headbutted the shady pony. He was caught by surprise, but aside from that, it did as much as you would expect. Before he could retaliate, Loyal was there.

BANG

This was also unexpected, but Loyal's blow to the face was much more effectual knocking the stallion down for the count. "Nameless, stop this foolishness!" she cried as she turned to see Nameless running into the alleyway.

"$#!+!" the normally extremely proper mare swore, as she chased after Nameless.

The headbutted pony went down easy enough. He clearly was not the type to be in a brawl. He actually looked more like a well dressed high class pony. But that was already past them, literally.

The five ponies wailing on Renaultar were mostly unarmed, save an earth pony with a lead pipe in his mouth and a unicorn with a now bloody knife. They all backed off of him as they heard some noise down the ally. They saw that their 'boss' was now down and two figured approached. They seemed startled by it but were relieved when it wasn't another Guardpony.

"No loose ends." Said one and they approached.

Nameless skidded to a halt when she saw the five ponies notice her. Five very scary ponies.

"Leave him alone," she stated in the most authoritative voice she could muster.

This, of course got the predictable laughs and chuckles from the thugs, who advanced further still towards the filly.

"I don't care about the guard, but if you lay one hoof on that filly..." the figure behind her growled.

"You're going to be very, very angry at us, yeah?" one of the unarmed ponies taunted, "Yeah, I'm not sure about you stallion's tastes, but I'm going for that one."

"No loose ends," the unicorn snapped, advancing ahead of the others, levitating the knife threateningly, "Your appetite would have to be satisfied later, Brutus."

Brutus sneered, "Hey, just because you prefer saddling stallions..."

Schwing. The knife was now pointing at Brutus. "You take that -ack!"

Choked, the unicorn dropped the knife, which was subsequently caught and plunged into his shoulder. Falling to the ground, his horn was then stomped on by a maid's shoe. Now the thing about the shoe is that the bottom was made of extremely tough metal. A scream of pain accompanied the sound of a breaking horn.

"Pardon me," Loyal said calmly, before pulling the knife out of the unicorn with her mouth. The thug emitted a moan of pain.

There was an awkward silence as the remaining four thugs tried to comprehend what just happened.

It was broken by Brutus commenting, "Now I'm even more turned-" He never got to finish that sentence. Being struck down by a thrown knife would do that.

Seizing his opportunity, the Earth pony with the lead pipe charged forward. Loyal dodged the clumsy swing and kicked him in the side of the head, sending him right into the brick wall. Thinking coming in groups would be a good idea, another quickly followed, only to be smashed with the lead pipe.

And then there was one. This one had pulled the knife out of his fallen comrade and was now faced with the dilemma of being beaten up now, or being beaten up later.

Loyal threw the lead pipe to the side, producing an audible thunk and a groan of pain.

"There," Loyal commented, as though she was saying, 'the weather is fine with a slight chance of showers'.
"Now we're even."

Figuring being beaten up by a mare would be slightly more preferable than a bunch of ugly thugs, the last pony charged. The knife pointed toward Loyal's face, before it was smacked out of his mouth. After staggering back, bleeding, he stared at Loyal in shock. The mare shrugged. "I don't know why my shoes are like that either."

He didn't bother to reply as he ran for it. Maybe if he left Manehattan, he would be spared the opportunity of getting his ass kicked. For now, running was the only thing that mattered.

Looking at the aftermath, Loyal declared in her schoolteacher voice, "Now I am very, very angry at you all. If any of you even thinks of the possibility of getting up before I depart with my charge, I will make sure that you will not be able to call yourselves 'stallions'. Now," turning to Nameless, "What in Celestia's name did you think you were doing, child?"

For the first time in her life, Nameless ignored Loyal and hurried over to the fallen Shields. "Renny! Renny, are you okay?"

"Renny? Nameless, what is-?"

"I do not think this is the time, Loyal!" Nameless snapped, "Somepony is hurt, and it is our duty to make sure he is okay!"

She nudged the guardpony. "Are you okay, Renny?"

It was not a pretty sight. Renaultar's barding was beaten in like tinfoil. Two of his legs looked bent oddly. Stab wounds were in his shoulder and flank, at least what could be seen. Bruises were showing up all over. Some blood from his maw showed he had some internal injuries, and one of his eyes was a bloody mess.

He groaned weakly, alive, but weak. His hooves moved to try to stand but they hardly got that far. Words barely escaped him as he struggled through the pain. "I....forgot to...say..run.." He heaved, sounding like a failed laugh. "...You...are safe?"

Considering his condition, unless help came soon, he might turn for the worse.