Old Habits Die Hard

It has been two weeks since Kid has arrived in Ponyville. At first, he loved how happy and different the now town is in comparison to Manehatten. He enjoyed the thought that while he was living here, he would never have to steal or con somepony again. This proved not to be the case.

Kid had begun to steal and con again after a week of not being able to get a job...or eat. Kid hated how he had to do this just to survive, especially when he had to do it near ponies who were so kind, loyal, generous, honest, humorous and magical. He especially hated the looks one the ponies faces who realized that they had been conned or stolen from. He hated himself for what he was doing, and he hated the fact that he had to do it. (although the media ate it right up and LOVED him for it....well not him, but loved the new coverage that they had!)

Kid kept running with the basket of apples he had taken from an orange mare at an apple stand. He had stolen the basket when he saw her dealing with another customer. He didn't think anypony saw him take it, though that was made a completely wrong idea when he heard somepony shouting "Stop! Thief!"

Kid kept running, hearing the hooves of whoever was chasing him getting closer and closer as he began getting more and more weary. Stopping and thinking that he couldn't get away with the whole basket, he quickly grabbed a few apples and stuffed them into his knapsack before ditching the basket and running like crazy again.

It seemed like hours before Kid thought he had finally lost his pursuers. He was tired and out of breath. Stopping and taking a breath, looking around to make sure nopony was still chasing him. He found he must have been in the park from the look of the nearby fountain and the sound of ponies playing. Smiling to himself, he trotted over beside the fountain and took out a stolen apple. He hoped that nopony recognised him...or the apples.

Brawny Hooves stood up against a wall, watching many ponies trot by. There weren't many things on his mind, but it was a big deal. In a couple days, he would be getting married. A hard thing to do, give your whole life to another pony. That's why you do it to somepony you care about. And boy did Brawny love Calla. His attention was grabbed when he noticed a colt out of breath.

Brawny looked at the colt in confusion. Why would he be running that much? And holy Celestia he was small. Guess that made him run faster. There are benefits to being a skeleton, aren't there? Then the colt trotted over to the fountain and started eating an apple. He could get an idea where he got that, putting one and two together. He didn't bother, and trotted up to him.

"You alright there, little guy?"

Erika had been sent from Canterlot to do a routine check of neighboring Ponyville. She didn't see the point in it, for every time she had gone to the little town, there was absolutely nothing wrong, but she had to obey her superiors if she didn't want to end up killing them all.

She would kill them all for her sick sadism if she didn't feel joy in catching cons and criminals. None of those guards stood a chance against her, and they all knew it, so they tried to stay on her good side. It didn't matter. She didn't feel anything for them, nor would she ever. Such was the way of her mind.

So, Erika was in Ponyville, in half-armor, her helmet off and her dagger strapped to her foreleg. Over her back, her faithful blue bow rested perfectly into the grooves of her armor, ready to be removed at a moment's notice.

She yawned as she entered the square until her ears picked up a cry.

"Stop! Thief!"

A sadistic grin appeared on her face. There was her joy, peaking at the chance to catch a con. She observed the crowd of running ponies before quietly finding a shortcut to their path.

Tantei was walking down the street when he saw a pony wearing a weird set of armor with the helmet off. Then he saw her badge. "An Fbi agent on my grounds?" He thought to himself walking up to her. He was about to say something when he heard. "Stop theif!" And she runs off. He teleports to the roof across from the stand to see where the theif was running to. He saw the theif stop further from the stand for a breath. "Knowing the fbi I should get him before she does"

"You alright there, little guy?"

Kid smiled up at the large (to him) green stallion who trotted over to him. He hadn't become a con-artist at his age without being able to expertly act out situations and feign afflictions.

"Yup! I'm alright!" Kid smiled as he continued munching on his (stolen) apples. "Just playing a game with some friends!"

Brawny Hooves looked at the colt with a smile. He wasn't entirely sure if he was being truthful or not. But he decided not to go into detail with that. He'd rather be nice to the kid. He could be having his own foal one day. He seemed like a nice and harmless colt.

"Well, whatever you were playing, I think you've won. Say, wanna hang out? You and me? I'm Brawny, by the way." He felt like he was being a little too forward and creepy with that statement. He was just trying to be friendly with the colt, is all. "And can I- Actually, never mind." He was about to ask if he could have an apple, but looking over the colt, he needed it a lot more than he did.

Erika teleported past the crowd of ponies, who had grumbled and stopped searching. She perked up her ears, listening for sounds and movement.

"Well, whatever you were playing, I think you've won."

Erika narrowed her crimson eyes and edged along the wall. There, in the park, a colt was munching on an apple, which seemed quite familiar...

The green pony didn't look too hard to take out. If she scared him off with an arrow, or even just her presence, she might be able to get the foal. Never mind that he was just that, a foal. A con was a con. And all cons deserve to be brought to justice.

Tantei looked to see the fbi pony getting closer to the others. He teleports in front of her. "What are you doing in my jurisdiction?" He said annoyed.

"Hahaha, you bet I won, mister!" Kid beamed up at the stallion, feeling a little off for lying to him. Though he couldn't risk getting caught, so he had to keep his story sound.

Kid noticed how the stallion was looking at the apples he had. He felt that if he wasn't the only pony to eat one, it would be harder to trace exactly who had stolen them.

"Do you want one of my apples, mister? You look a little hungry." Kid smiled as he hoofed one up to the stallion. Not noticing (or caring) how his stomach rumbled loudly and his ribs poked the stallion. "I have more than I could eat in one sitting, and apples are always the best when they are shared with others!"

Kid continued to smile and looked around, until he looked over and saw a mare who looked to be spying on them and a stallion who appeared to be nagging her.

"Who are they?" Kid asked as he pointed out the mare who seemed to look like she was stalking them and the stallion. "Are they your friends? She looks dangerous....and he appears to be annoying her."

Erika stared at the pony, her red eyes blazing. If she had been normal, she would have scoffed, but annoyance wasn't part of her life.

"Your jurisdiction? I'll have you know that I have all rights to pursue through private and public property, sir. You can be charged for disturbing an officer in the line of duty. Erika Darknight, of the Special Force."


She flashed her badge.

"Now, if you'll excuse me," she said, drawing a dagger and flipping over the stallion, "I have some business to which I must attend."

She focused her crippling stare on the colt, narrowing her eyes and inching forwards.

They said Erika's stare could bring the strongest to his knees, confessing all of his crimes and begging for mercy. She had done it before, but she liked to intimidate more than incapacitate, so that's what she did. She was a good two heads taller than the average pony, as well, and it was time to put that to use.

Tantei knowing the colt was a theif but also knowing the fbi drew his sword and got in her way. "Hes just a colt leave him be. ill take care of him and if i have to ill pay for the apples. and besides when did stealing apples involve the FBI?" He asked his horn glowing ready for anything.

Kid backed away from the scene that was unfolding in front of him and Brawny. The mare had begun walking towards him with looks that could kill and a dagger, and the stallion went ahead and drew a sword on her. Thats when Kid recognized the mare.

He didn't know who she was exactly, but he could remember her cold calculating look and intimidating stares from Manehatten. She was the mare who haunted Kid's nightmares due to her swift and brutal tactics with dealing with con-artists.

Kid made his eyes go wide, tared directly at the pair, pointed and screamed.

"OH MY CELESTIA, THOSE TWO ARE GOING TO KILL EACH OTHER!!"

Kid looked around in false terror as he saw everypony turn and stare directly at the pair. One with a dagger, one with a sword. To everypony who looked, it did seem as though the two were going to square off and attack each other.

"SOMEPONY STOP THEM, GET THE GUARDS, CALL 911!!"

Kid screamed again as he ducked down in a feigned horror. Covering his head and face with his hooves and mane. Trying to make sure that nopony could see him...and to cover up any vitals that could be harmed in the ensuing battle.

Brawny Hooves looked over at the two law enforcers at each other throats. He felt bad that this sweet little colt had to watch them fight each other. The mare, a really tall looking one, appeared to be with a really high up branch of the law. An agent, perhaps? What was she doing down in Ponyville? Brawny ran over to the two, hopefully being able to diffuse the situation.

"Hey hey, calm your flanks here you two. You're scaring the colt." Brawny nodded toward Kid. "Now, big mare, what are you doing down in these parts? What could possibly be going wrong that would require your attention?"

Erika looked at the colt in disbelief.

"Kid, I'm a guardspony," she said, not realizing her degrading nickname was, in fact, his actual name. "I'm legally allowed to do this."

Turning to the green pony, she realized it would be a lot simpler to make him leave.

"The kid's a thief, sir," she said coldly. "I've seen him before, and I let him off with a warning. He's from Manehatten. A repeat con-artist. Never let a pony's exterior fool you, in the line of duty."

Her horn glowed, and her helmet slid over her braided mane. It was a Nightmare-Moon-esque thing, but it was durable and trustworthy.

"Well how about this then ill pay for the apples and you leave him alone?" Tantei said sheathing his sword. He sheathed it to show he doesn't want any fighting.

Kid didn't want any fighting, and he didn't want anypony fighting over whether or not he did something that he did.

"Look...I don't want anypony getting hurt." Kid sighed as he got up, brushing his mane out of his face and dusting himself off. "So...we might as well cut the part where I feign innocence...seeing as how I have a feeling that it wouldn't work...or wouldn't matter to you."

Kid kicked a rock as he looked around. He saw foals playing, without worry. Families smiling and cheering. Ponies not looking as though they would be stuffed from a single sandwich. His ears drooped down as he brushed his mane out of his face once again.

"I also hope you know that I will not be simply accepting my fate of being sent to a prison before i'm 10." Kid said as he allowed a fake smug smile creep across his face. Grabbing his knapsack and giving it to the stallion. He continued his masquerade of smugness. "Now then, you go ahead and take that back to the orange mare at the apple stand in the market. Give her my apologies. I'd do it myself...but I think it's obvious that I will be busy for the next little while."

Turning back to the guardsponies, Kid nodded. "So then...will you be kind enough to wait a little while so that I can have a head start?"

Kid then grabbed his knapsack, latched it on tight and bolted off, but not before shouting. "Sorry for the inconvenience!"

Brawny Hooves looked at the colt bolt away from the group. He kind of expected him to be a thief. He was a scrawny little foal, and he didn't seem to have much help or support. He would certainly help the poor colt kid out. he was getting married, and he could be a father at any given time. He watched him run away, hoping he could at least try to distract the mare.

"Okay, look. Maybe the kid is a thief and a con. But it's not like he has much of a choice. Look at him. He's practically a skeleton. I could use his ribs as a xylophone if I wanted to. And it doesn't look like he's Mister Moneybags, so cut him a break. Slap him on the wrist if you have to, but show some sympathy. I'll take care of him if I have to."

Brawny had no idea why he cared for this foal so much. Maybe it was his fatherly instinct kicking in? Maybe he felt bad for him? He had no idea. But he wanted him to be alright

Erika sighed and teleported in front of the foal.

"Look, here, kid," she said. "I just want to talk. You're too young to go to prison anyways..." she felt slightly deflated at the idea, "but you do need to learn how to be honest."

She couldn't believe she was teaching a con, but he was a bit too small to use as target practice, and too young to go to jail. Too young to even get a smile and a good job, the only thing she looked forward to in her life.

"How about you sit down with me for a moment, and we can discuss your punishment."

Tantei watched as kid bolted away. "Well then hes got spunk." He said with a smile. he then heads up to the stand and pays for the apples instead of giving them back. and goes after kid. "Hey kid these are yours besides you'll need something to eat." He said as he ran.

The sudden appearance of the guardspony in front of him startled Kid into tripping over his mane. Getting up and brushing the dust off himself and the dirt out of his mane, he looked right up at the mare. Making sure to maintain eye-contact.

"You make it sound as though I didn't just admit to stealing apples and being a con." Kid scoffed as he kept his cool, despite the fact he was freaking out on the inside. "I'm perfectly honest, I just bend the truth to suit my needs."

Kid began to run away again, but not before stating "I also dislike punishments, I received enough of those from the orphanage owners to last me a lifetime!"

Brawny Hooves sighed and ran after the pony and the colt. What was her deal anyway? The FBI dealing with petty thievery? Well, this was Ponyville, and crime is very rare here. He could see how ponies would overreact to stealing apples.

Brawny finally caught up with the two, and Kid bolted again. He heard what he said to her. He kind of liked him. He was a cool colt. He wished he knew him while growing up, or at least hung out with him. Sucks that he was getting chased by the Po-Po. Brawny stopped the guard again.

"Let the damn thing go! The apples were paid for anyway! And what's a Fed doing with a situation like this anyway?"

"Calm down, mophead," she said cooly. "I'm not going to hurt the kid. He just needs to be straightened out, to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Erika sighed and teleported again, but this time, she landed on top of the colt, pinning him to the ground.

"Stop for a minute," she commanded. "I don't want you to deal with this like I'm a fed, okay? I want you to pretend I'm your mother. Listen to me!"

She hoped it would hit a nerve.

Tantei teleports and gets there as Erika pins kid. He doesnt intervene hoping that they would just talk.

Kid's body crumpled like tissue paper under the weight of the mare. Once he hit the ground, he heard several loud cracks and felt sharp, intense pain all across his body. Screaming out in pain, he began crying as only any 5 year old would cry when they broke multiple bones. He couldn't hear anything...

...That is until.

"I don't want you to deal with this like I'm a fed, okay? I want you to pretend I'm your mother. Listen to me!"

Kid's face went blank after hearing this, his eyes only leaking the tears from the pain of the broken bones. Unable to say, hear, see or do anything. Kid just laid there flat-pinned upon the ground. With multiple flaring physical pains...and a few emotional and psychological.

Brawny Hooves followed the mare once again and caught her sitting on Kid. What she said sounded nice and reasonable, but then her heard bones cracking and the crying of a foal. She was crushing him. Was that was she planned to do? If so, she's one sick mare. Brawny pulled the fed off of Kid.

"Oh buck, man! She crushed his bones! He's... broken! Oh buck, oh buck oh buck. We need a doctor!" Brawny turned to the fed. "Look what you did! You pretty much broke the poor guy in half. Both his body, and his mind! Do that to some other convict. Leave the foal alone, for Faust's sake."