Ponyville PD

Chapter Two: charlie

Shepard lowered his gun as he heard the voice. It was one he recognized, but not one he wanted to hear. “Hey, Shepard?” He called in. Without answering, Shepard unlocked the door and pulled it open. Outside was his old friend, Charlie. The tall chestnut pony stood before him in a grey business suit. “Oh, wow, you look like shit.” Charlie said looking at Shepard. And he was right.

“Why are you here?” Shepard rasped. He didn’t talk to people much so his voice was very rough.

“Just dropping by to see how your retirement is going.” Charlie said stepping inside. Shepard eyes him suspiciously.

“Why are you really here.” Shepard said raising his gun again. Charlie put his hoof on the barrel of the firearm and pushed it back down again.

“You really are paranoid, you know.’ Charlie said. Shepard stayed silent but lowered his weapon. “I’ve got something to talk to you about.” Charlie said walking past him and sitting down on the couch.

“Charlie, I’ve told you I’m not coming back.” Shepard said stuffing the gun in the back of his pants.

“Just hear me out. How about this, you go clean up, and we’ll go get lunch and discuss it then.” Charlie said standing up.

“As long as you’re buying.” Shepard grumbled.

“As always my friend!” Charlie said.

Shepard walked past his friend and into the bathroom. He closed the door and flicked on the light. As soon as he saw himself in the mirror he took a step back. “I really do look like shit.” He said to himself. His thin layer of stubble that he had always grown every weekend had turned into a thin, scraggly beard. His dark grey mane was plastered against his head littered with an unholy amount of tangles.

He muttered obscenities and started the shower. His gun fell out of the back of his pants and clattered to the ground as he took off his shirt.

As he put the thin cotton shirt on the counter, he saw the long scar that had plagued him for years. Reminding him of his failure to protect his friends while he was in the military. He hated it, he hated himself. He was never there when others needed him. He wasn’t there for his friends when they had died, he wasn’t there for Slate when he was being harassed and the worst of all, he wasn’t there for Clair. He knew something was going to happen that day and it did, and he wasn’t there for her. And he hated himself for it. He shook his head to rid himself of the memories. He finished undressing and quickly got in the shower.

Out on the couch, Charlie was flipping through a magazine for high powered rifles that had been sitting on the coffee table. He looked up when he noticed Shepard out of the corner of his eye. He was wearing a plain white T-shirt and a pair of worn jeans. He was freshly shaven and his mane fell down just past his collar.

“Plain and simple.” Charlie said standing up.

“I am not a complex stallion.” Said Shepard as he did the clasp on his watch. With that Charlie walked towards the door and Shepard followed him.

The two of them walked into a small cafe and made their ways to the back quickly followed by a waiter. “What can I get you colts?” She asked pulling out a small writing pad.

“We’ll both take coffee.” Charlie said. She nodded and tore the note off the pad and went back to the kitchen. Charlie craned his neck to see the mare as she disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. “Well she was cute.” He said turning back to Shepard.

“How are you not in prison yet?” Shepard asked.

“Why I never!” Charlie said holding his hoof to his chest in an innocent manner.

“That doesn’t help.” He said putting the menu down as the waiter placed their coffee cups down on the table. and just before she walked away, she made a big deal of winking at Shepard. As she walked away, Shepard smugly sipped his coffee while Charlie just stared at him.

“So, what is your ‘glorious proposition’ for me to come back to the police station?” Shepard asked.

“This.” Charlie said pulling a thin yellow file out of his jacket and handing it to Shepard. He opened t up and was greeted by the face of a young mare with amber fur and shimmering blue eyes.

“Robin Thatcher, so what?” He said looking through the mare’s file.

“She’s a rookie that’s being transferred here from Trottingham. She graduated from the academy with the highest scores and recommendations since, well, you.” Charlie said.

“And you want me to mentor a rookie. I’m sorry, do you know me?” Shepard said. “I’m not a very good teacher.”

“You won't be teaching her anything, she’ll be your partner. Not your student.”

“Sorry, but no.” Shepard said closing the file. “You got anything better than a cute mare?” He asked. Without saying anything else, Charlie pulled a significantly larger file out of his suit and placed it on the table. Shepard picked it up and opened it, but almost dropped it as he read the name. “I’m in.” He said slamming the file down on the table.

“I knew that would persuade you.” Charlie said happily.

“I’ll do anything to see that stallion’s head in a noose.” Shepard said standing up.

“w-where are you going?” Charlie asked him.

“I gotta go get fitted for a suit. If i’m gonna be a detective, I’ve gotta dress the part.” Shepard said, repeating the exact words he had said when he was promoted twelve years ago.

Excerpt From The Diary of Roy Shepard

Entry #234

I guess I should start writing in this old thing again. Today Charlie came to try and get me to come and join back up with him as a detective. I was skeptical at first, but he showed me the case file of Jeremiah Fink. He was tried for murder but found not guilty, and that’s a problem. They need someone good, very good, to help them gather the needed evidence to put this guy away. As for the new mare that I’m going to be working with, I hope she’s not a waste of my time...