The next step (Snowflake mystery)

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.

Before Nameless could respond, Loyal cut in with a harsh, "Yes. She is perfectly well. No thanks to your...stupidity. If it weren't for her, you would be dead." She threw a neutral glance (somehow) at the filly. "Yet still she believes that somehow she is still in your debt despite this. I have no idea what you did to make her acquire such a debt, but after we get you to care, you will not talk with her again."

Nameless' eyes widened at the ultimatum. "But...Loyal..."

"No buts!" Loyal snapped, as she steadied the guardpony. "This guard is now officially, mad, bad, and dangerous to know! Well, one out three isn't horrible. I was able to protect you today, but there are going to be times when I won't be! This whole thing has attracted unwanted attention, just like... "

Loyal paused as she guided Shields out of the alleyway.

"Nameless, this is an order.You are not to speak to Deputy Shields again."

Nameless looked down. "Got it, Loyal."

"Good. Now the hospital is this way..."

Durring all their talk, Renaultar was in a daze. He tried to do a check of what happen to him, but everything hurt and he couldn't see anything with his left eye. Some parts of him didn't seem to respond at all. After some more attempts to get up, he realized that he had some broken legs.

Renaultar was confused at the reaction of the other two. They seemed to act as if he would be okay enough to walk, but with each passing moment, it became harder to think. His body started to feel numb and his one good eye go blurry. "I....can't.......mmm......Sorry....Nameless..." He went limp. The next few moment's were uncertain, but he appeared dead. Fortunately a closer look would show he had only passed out...for now.

"...and you have just died on me," Loyal muttered, "Fantastic."

Nameless looked alarmed. "Renny is dead?"

The older maid looked over the guardpony carefully. "No, he's not dead. But he's not awake, either. Nameless, you'll have to get help. Don't think I can carry this overarmoured lug around. You got that, child?"

Nameless nodded with determination and ran off.

When she was gone, Loyal kicked the ground in frustration. "Damned guardponies. Useless, good-for-nothing..."

Blue Lightning slowly walks down the streets and alleyways, his hoof steps muffled by the boots on his hooves. He had quite a fortuitous day of scavenging, having found quite a few interesting pieces of scrap in the junkyards and from walking. It was truly a marvelous day as only one group of young thugs decided to harass him. And the older pony had scared them away with a wave of his wrench. He didn't even have to beat any of them. All there was left to do now was go home and rest his tired bones...

"...99% of them are more corrupted than Nightmare Moon, and even the ones that are remotely good, such as the one here, are completely and utterly stupid!"

Loyal went to kick the ground again, but unfortunately kicked Shields instead. Since Murphy's law was multiversal, it was at this time that a certain other pony appeared.

The maid looked up at the new arrival, and realised what the scene must have looked like. Breaking new records, she expressed a profanity for the second time that day.

Blue came to a stop at the scene. He looked to the maid, then to the broken guard laying in the alleyway. A guard that he knew. Most ponies would have flew into a rage at seeing their friend beaten and broken and bloody on the ground, but he slowly turned his head to see the other broken bodies of the local neighborhood thugs. This was bound to happen eventually. He looked up at the maid, fortunately having missed her kick him.

"How long has it been since you found him?"

"I...he's been like this for a couple of minutes, sir," Loyal replied, relieved that the pony hadn't assumed she'd done it, or attacked her. Yet. She got into a defensive stance, just in case.

"I've sent someone to go get medical help. I'm not sure if moving him around would be a good idea."

If she was not in a high state of tension at the current time, Loyal would have turned up her nose at him. The pony looked...wacky. And wackiness was something Loyal couldn't usually stand.

The old stallion cracks his neck.

"Judging by how much blood he's lost, the ambulance cart will have to sent back for a hearse. Put those young legs and neck to work and try to lift him up onto my back. Don't give me that look, just do it."

He crouches down somewhat by the broken body to make it easier on her.

Loyal still gave the wacky pony a disapproving look, but said nothing as she shifted part of the guardpony on his back.

"I can hardly let you do all the carrying work, sir," she stated.

The young descriptor was a nice change though. White Woods taunted her about her age constantly, and Something Nameless treated her like a mother. She did not show these thoughts on her impassive face.

"Good, he'd break my back with that heavy ass armor he's wearing. Now follow my lead and don't complain about the weight unless you're about to fall, I don't want to hear it."

Ugh, servants. Maids specifically. They're nothing but tools, lifeless machines with stoic faces. They're good tools, but tools that nonetheless took a pony's form that even to him, an inveritable mechanical wizard, looked like abominations. In his mind there was no difference between them and a mass of gears and cogs with fur wrapped around and clothes draped over them.

...
...
...
...
There was absolutely nothing to say.

---

Bursting into the hospital, breathing heavily, Nameless looked at the receptionist.

"Somepony's been badly hurt..."

Soon, an ambulance left the hospital post haste.

The elder pony expertly navigated the back alleys toward the nearest hospital. Two ponies could scarcely walk side by side on the crowded addressed streets without bumping into somepony else, and this circumstance required complete unobstructed mobility. But the hospital wasn't on this block. They'd have to cross eventually. Luckily right when they stepped onto the street the ambulance was about to go by.

"Ho there!"

He called out to the ambulance as loud as he could. Visibly weakened by carrying his materials and half of the guard's bulk on his back.

The ambulance screeched to a halt, and two medical ponies jumped out. Relieving the pair of their load, one of the pair said, "Sorry. Only personnel and the wounded on the cart. If you want, you can go to the hospital." The pony looked at the pair. "Your, um, other maid is there."

Loyal said nothing, only curtsying before they drove off. She then walked off towards the hospital in silence.

Blue stood in the wake of the ambulance for a moment while nopony else was occupying the space. The day's events were too much for the elder pony. He could walk all the way back to his apartment, unload his findings, and take a nap before going to the hospital. Or he could carry everything to the hospital now so he could have another thing to hold against Renaultar in case one of his experiments violated the zoning laws again.

With his decision made, he followed the maid toward the hospital.

Nameless sat in the waiting room, weeping her eyes out. She didn't care that such an action was inelegant. No, that was a lie. She cried silently, as to not disturb the other ponies who were also waiting. The tears were for two reason. The first, obvious reason was the state of Renny, her first and only friend (she wasn't sure if she could count Mr Brainfreeze as a friend yet). The second, more subtle reason was the fact that she wouldn't be able to talk to him ever again. Going against what Loyal said? Risky, but possible. Going against her direct order? Unthinkable.

"Something Nameless!"

Quickly wiping the tears away, the filly looked up to see Loyal walk into the room. "Yes, Loyal!"

The elder maid walked up to the filly. "We are going home to put all this silliness behind us." She raised her eyebrows when she noticed Nameless' red eyes, but said nothing.

"Yes, Loyal."

Loyal nodded, and turned to leave. Nameless slowly followed.