Internal Changeling Affairs

Chapter Nine:  Good News Overdue

"Now, Fluttershy you listen and you listen to me good ya hear?"  Applejack said embracing Fluttershy in a hug while stroking her mane.  "that thing left ya no choice!  there was nothin' else ya coulda done!  it was either him or you and Pinkie Pie!"

Fluttershy was hyperventilating to the point where she was about to faint.  Without warning, she broke free from Applejack's embrace and began to heave.

"HINGURP...ACK...BLEAHCKK...WHEEEEEZZZE"

The whole group, trying their best to comfort the distraught pegasus watched in horror as she expelled the entire contents of her stomach.  It was a telltale sign that was all too common within the CRGD or any large city law enforcement agency for that matter.  When a member of such a department is required to make the decision to discharge their firearm resulting in the death of the criminal, vomiting afterward was a common symptom.  Fluttershy's episode of nausea and vomiting were the first signs of a pony who after such a tragic event would never fully be the same.

Twilight, feeling horrible for how things had ended up for poor Fluttershy, still knew that the incident that had just taken place was far from all said and done.  She walked to the farthest point in the alleyway from everypony else and reached for her radio.

"Dispatch, this is Coach 45.  come in, Dispatch"

"this is Control S"  Spike answered from the other end.  "go ahead"

"be advised, spike, that the changeling on the run is now code four.  suspect is down"

"you guys caught it?  way to go!"

"not exactly spike.  that's why I need you and Cadence to inform the city coroner"

"the coroner?  you mean it'-"

"deceased.  the changeling is indeed deceased, Spike"

After talking with spike on the mic, Twilight rejoined the group while Rainbow Dash was taking her turn trying to comfort Flutershy.  Twilight then grabbed both of them in a hug while starting to cry with them.

"Fluttershy, I'm so sorry!"  Twilight sobbed.  "I'm so sorry you had to do this!  I would give anything to have been the one to do it instead!"

While Rainbow Dash and Twilight still hugged Fluttershy, one by one the rest began to join in an effort to calm the timid pegasus and find their own serenity from the rough week they have all been having.  Pinkie Pie had seen the whole thing as well and was able to find a spot to land her pedal chopper to join the group hug and soon even Steel Piston was crying with them too.  After several minutes, Fluttershy's panic attack had finally subsided and she was now even calm enough to light a cigarette.  The sweet moment full of hugs was then interrupted by the consistent beeping sounds of an ambulance coach being backed into the alleyway where they were waiting.

"well, everypony"  Twilight said in a very somber tone.  "the coroner is here.  Officers Apple and Dash, go with Steel and bring Fluttershy back to the Palace and have her get some rest.  Rarity, Pinkie and myself will need to speak with the coroner and we'll be coming back in the chopper"

Without uttering another word, they did what they were instructed to do and were on their way to help Fluttershy get her  much needed rest.  The ambulance had then parked itself and a middle aged stallion with a white mane wearing a black suit and another in a white pressed shirt with an EMT badge on the upper left chest area got out.

"has the stiff been touched since it was shot?"  said the gray stallion in the black suit with even darker gray circles around his eyes.

"no, sir.  so far it was left as it was."  Twilight replied.

"who ended up having to take him down?"

"my friend Detective Fluttershy.  we had to get her out of here and away from the body.  this was actually her first day on the job and she's not feeling too hot about this"

The coroner then turned his head to glance over at the changeling's body.

"Get a stretcher and a body bag out will ya, Red Shield?"

"yessir" the medic replied as he went back to the ambulance.

"I understand where your friend is coming from, kid" the coroner who had a scythe for a cutie mark said to Twilight.  "what she just had to do, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.  I was the CRGD sergeant a few years back and believe me, I've been there"

The two stallions then wheeled the stretcher over to the stiff.  As the medic prepared the bag the coroner put a rubber hoof glove on his right hoof, reached down to the body's face and closed it's eyes.

"I don't know if you'll understand this but I can't help but feel pity for this poor race"  The coroner said.  "just Imagine the horrible, depressing life they must have to live.  always hiding in the shadows with nopony to love or to love them back.  maybe I'm thinking too deeply about this but it just makes me sad that it has to be this way for these unfortunate beings and I think it's wrong to hate them"

While listening to the coroner's speech that actually made a lot of sense, Rarity began to be taken over by the strong feeling of guilt for the way she cursed out the changeling when it revealed itself.

"I...I do understand what you are getting at, sir"  Rarity said while looking the stallion directly into his tired, depressed looking eyes.  "I've never thought of it that way but it does make perfect sense"

"young lady"  the coroner replied.  "please forgive me but I just have to be completely honest with you.  the feeling you get when you have to fire on an armed criminal is worse than the pain from the bullet you take in the process if there was one.  thirty-two years ago I had to gun down a Mentally deranged stallion who had lost his medication and already put one in me first.  I still have nights where I lay awake over it and even go so far as to wish he had killed me before I had to the chance to shoot back.  he wasn't a bad pony...he was ~squee~ed up in the brain and needed help...when this happens, you feel like you've lost your soul and to this very day, I still worry about where I'm going when my time comes"

Meanwhile, in the patrol coach

"I just can't help it, girls"  Fluttershy said trying to relax with a cigarette.  "I feel like I've lost my soul"

"don't even think that way, Fluttershy!" Rainbow Dash said.  "you're no different than you were before this and you're still the sweet little filly we all know and love!"

"thank you, Dash.  *sniff*  I could never ask for better friends than all of you.  and Steel, I know you've only been our friend for a few days but you're just...you're such a wonderful stallion.  I could never hope for a better guy than you for my friend Twilight"

Steel Piston once again blushed at the topic being brought up.

"uh, well of course!"  Steel stuttered.  "thanks for the compliment but what reason would I have to not be her friend?"

"aw horse apples!"  Applejack said jokingly.  "we see it plain as a barn without a paint-job!  we all know ya got the hots fer Twilight"

"don't feel bad, Steel"  Rainbow assured him as she gave him a light punch on the shoulder.  "she's pretty into you too.  don't tell me you didn't notice how much she stares into your eyes...and between your back legs"

Steel could no longer hide his embarrassment and began to get soaked in his own sweat.

"that's so awkward it's not even funny" Steel said.  "but yes, I admit it ok?  I really, really, really like Twilight"

"I'm glad you do, Steel" Fluttershy said.  "you two have so much in common.  you both talk up a storm when you find a topic that both of you are into.  and you're smart and sweet and caring an-"

"and a total egghead" Rainbow Dash interrupted receiving disapproving looks from Fluttershy and Applejack.

"what?  I didn't mean it like it was a bad thing!  that just makes him all the more perfect for Twilight"

"hey girls, how about some tunes?"  Steel said loudly as he switched on the radio making it clear that the conversation was making him uncomfortable.  He quickly found his favorite station and started to sing along with it.

"The heat is on!  It's on the street!  Inside your head, and in every beat!  the pressure's high, just to stay alive!  whoa whoa!  whoa whoa!  Caught up in the action, I'll be looking out for you!"

Meanwhile, In the Pedal Chopper

"attention dispatch"  Pinkie Pie said into her headset.  "this is Chopperpie, be advised I'm coming in for a landing and parking for the night, you copy?"

"this is Control C" Cadence replied.  "10-4 on the landing, over and out"

Pinkie Pie then slowed down her pedaling and descended the air machine to the heliport runway on top of the highest point of the palace.  Twilight, Rarity and Pinkie Pie exited the cockpit and made their way down the staircase to meet the rest of the group and discuss the day's productivity.

After entering the control room which had been set aside for them to use for their meetings, they were greeted by Princesses Celestia and Luna both with a somber look on their faces.

"Twilight, I heard about what went down" Luna said, again trying to get with the modern day lingo.

"I know you all might think this sounds crazy" Twilight replied.  "but aside from the fecal matter coming in unwanted contact with the rotary blade of an electronic air circulating apparatus, today was actually very, well, we got a lot of work that we needed to do done"

"um Swilight *hic* Tarkle"  Rainbow Dash said while sitting at an office desk with a half empty bottle of cider.  "uhh with all respect due, er, what the ~squee~ are you talking about?"

Twilight let out a disapproving groan at her friend's drunken stupor.

"~squee~ hit the fan, Rainbow.  but listen, everypony I'm serious!  just check out what me and Steel found at the crime scene!"

Twilight then used her magic to reach into her pocket and proceeded to pull out the revolver inside a plastic bag out and held it high for everypony to see.  Everypony except Steel Piston let out a loud gasp and the whole room went dead silent for several seconds until Princess Cadence began to study the pegasus-fit handgun and finally broke the silence.

"get the ~squee~ out of here!"  she said in disbelief at the sight of the familiar looking instrument of destruction that Twilight had brought.

"you want us to leave?"  Pinkie Pie replied.  "but I thought we were supposed to find out who's threatening Equestria"

"no Pinkie, that's not what I meant.  what I'm getting at is that this gun is a dead giveaway as to who has a lot of explaining to do"

"what did I tell you, sis?"  Princess Luna said.  "I told you there was something up with the sergeant!  but did you listen?  nooooooo, you figured your little baby sister was just seeing things or wa-"

"I thought he was wearing new contacts!"  Princess Celestia said obviously feeling foolish for not taking her sister seriously.  As the two sisters continued to Argue, Rainbow Dash was pouring herself another shot of cider of which Fluttershy quickly swiped and knocked back.  While the bickering between the princesses raged on, the telephone that sat upon Rainbow Dash's desk began to ring.  Nopony was paying attention however, and since Rainbow was passed out with her head laying on the desk, Fluttershy was able to answer it after the fourth ring.

"Hello, Canterlot Guard"  Fluttershy answered.  "oh I'm sorry, she's a little busy right now.  can I take a message?...uh huh...ok then...wait, what?...Oh my goodness that's wonderful!...ok I'll tell her.  thank you"  click!  "um, everypony?  good news"

"oh and another thing!"  Princess Luna shouted to Celestia  "I'll have you know that I found that bag of Everfree Forrest happy grass in your not so secret anymore compartment under the floorboards!"

"uh excuse me Princesses but I just got off the phone with the Star Swirl Memor-"

"yeah what of it?"  Princess Celestia retorted to Luna.  "can't I ever take the edge off  without you being shoved up my-"

"why didn't you offer me any?!  you think I'M never stressed out?!"

"SHUT THE ~SQUEE~ UUUUUUUUP!!!"  Fluttershy screamed drawing everypony's undivided attention and even jolting Rainbow Dash out of her drunken slumber.  She then suddenly replaced her expression of rage with a sweet little smile.

"I just got a phone call from the hospital, everypony.  they have good news" End Chapter Nine