Working For Her

It was just an hour after Celestia told us a story about how she had to comfort Luna after her parents left them. Similar to my parents minus the murder but I was in the shooting range. I stood in a concrete room with the far rubber wall down the range all torn up from bullets. I had earbuds in to muffle the sound of gunfire in an enclosed area. Shining stood off to the side as I fired a few shots into a target about three yards away. Music was playing. Good music too so I stayed focused. Gems n Tulips. I set the gun down after the chamber stayed open after launching out the last bullet casing I had in it. I waited a moment before taking the earbuds out and my phone from my pocket stopping the music. Shining came over. "So you got a feel for that thing now?" He asked. His voice echoed through the empty range.

I gave a nod sighing. "Gotta aim down a bit just to hit my mark..." I said. "Speaking of my mark...." I pushed a button at my side pulling the target towards me. It was just a normal target almost like a dart board. Shining only loaded about eight shots into the clip so there were two near dead center, four on the next ring out and two in other areas. "...Shit... So close..." Shining looked at my shot placement and hummed.

"Damn... Better shot placements than me! I was planning on giving you captain's rank but... Maybe you deserve something better." I smiled and took the holster off and put it down.

"What do you say about getting some food? Half a sandwich can only do a man so good for so long." He gave a smile and nodded taking my gun and putting it in the holster.

"I'll hang on to this just so no one thinks I let a civilian in here who's armed with a gun near the princesses." Shining clipped the holster to his side and patted me on the back. "You go wait outside here for me. I gotta make a call real quick." I gave a nod and started for the door. As I opened the door I hear Shining speak again. "...Shining here... Yes I'm in the castle. Shooting Range, basement level... Why what's wrong? The school?! What's going on? Stranger trying to lure fillies. Fuck... I'm on my way." He came back to the door and I acted like I was tying my shoe. "Come on we gotta roll. We'll get you a spare set of armor and we gotta get to the school. Apparently a lock down order because of a stallion trying to lure kids out of the school yard. No reports of kids gone missing but it may help your sister to know her brothers there."

"Food comes later. Scoot comes first!" I replied. My heart was racing. I wasn't sure if I was scared or pumped. I just knew this was my first real call to action.

Not long later I was in the passenger seat of Shining's truck, sirens blaring. Yes I did think back to that night but I kept my mind on work. As we made turn after turn I grew more and more nervous. I didn't know what awaited me. Were we gonna find some guy in the bushes masturbating furiously to a class filled with kids? Were we gonna see a weird truck with a guy, a bottle of chloroform and a rag and some filly clothing? Nope. Neither right. We came to the school house and nothing but silence. The principal, Miss Jetlag was her name, stood out in front with another teacher there to stand watch over her. I think he was the Vice Principal, Mr. uh... Okay I don't know him I never had a meeting with him at all. Miss Jetlag saw us get out and she hurried over to us. "There you are!" Miss Jetlag snapped. "We are risking ourselves out here to catch a creep and the guard cant get here quick enough! Were you two just sitting inside your truck jacking each other off?"

Shining looked over at me. "Don't worry the locals that are really scared." He whispered. He looked back at Miss Jetlag. "I apologize. Training exercises you see." He pointed over at me. "Why don't we go inside and talk? My partner here will take a description from the colt or filly that reported it."

I saw Miss Jetlag give a nod and turn back to the door as the VP was opening it. He went in, we followed but he went down the hall. "I'll be right back with the filly who reported the stallion." He said. I gave him a nod and waited by the door as Shining went towards the office with Miss Jetlag. I looked back and saw the VP walking back with Silver Spoon, one of the fillies Scootaloo had problems with. Only reason I knew her is because she walked Scootaloo home one day about a week and a half after 'it' happened. She looked shaky and scared. I knelt down as she clung to the VP's hand. "...Hey there..." I said as I removed my helmet. "I understand a weirdo trying to get you into his car. You wanna come with me and tell me about what you saw?" Silver gave a nod. I held out my hand giving her a reassuring smile. She took my hand and I stood back up. I walked her back to the office which was just a room at the end of the hallway.

We went in and saw Shining Armor sitting with Miss Jetlag at a desk. He looked to me and pointed to an open desk. I gave a nod and went over and sat there with Silver. The principal came over and sat near us. "Alright Miss Spoon." Miss Jetlag said. "Tell this nice guard about what happened. I'm here if you need me."

Shining came over brought me a pen and paper. "Write everything down you can." He said. "I'll record things with my phone just in case we miss something okay?" I gave a nod and readied up. He looked to Silver. "...Alright...just start talking and we'll get that bad man off the street."

Silver spoon nodded and took a few deep breaths. "Well..." She started. "...I was late to class because my daddy had me walk today... I had to walk with my friend who was also late... While we were walking a b-blue truck pulled up and the stallion inside asked if we wanted some candy... We both said no and started walking faster... He followed us all the way to the school kept trying to get us in his truck... By the time we got in he tried getting out and grabbing us but we already got inside... We came straight to the office and he just vanished... We don't know where he went..."

"Do you remember what the stallion in the truck looked like?" She nodded and started to tear up.

"...He... He had no pants... White undershirt... red mane and dark grey fur... Unicorn I think..."

I wrote down each and every word said. Blue truck, white undershirt, red man and dark grey unicorn. I looked to Silver. "Was it a pick up truck?" I asked. She nodded and I wrote that down. "...Okay. You have nothing to worry about Miss Spoon. We'll get that sicko out of here!" She whimpered and hugged the principal. I got up and gave the clip board to Shining. "Here. I gotta check on something real quick." He nodded and I looked to the Vice Principal. "May I speak with a filly in Miss Cheerilee's class please?"

The VP gave a nod. "Follow me sir." He said. I gave him a nod and followed him out while Shining consoled the filly with the principal. He led me down the hall and looked over at me. "I've seen you before. You're the older brother of Scootaloo Wheeler aren't you?" I gave him a nod.

"Yes I am. I just need to speak with her and make sure she gets to her destination safe going home. I don't know how long I'll be working today and I really need someone to keep an eye on her until I come back home." He gave a sigh.

"I understand you're a loving caretaker. You'd be nice to stay for Miss Cheerilee's show and tell." We stopped outside room 4.

"Uh... Sir I have a job to do. I may stay for a moment but I have to go and catch that perv..."

"Perhaps you could stay just incase that guy comes back. Give the kids some relief knowing a guard is around to protect them. Their teachers have them sheltered in place because of that filly's report."

"She also mentioned a neighbor walking her to school? Do you know who she showed up with?" He thought for a minute.

"...I think her neighbor is Diamond Tiara. They live on the same street but that's all I can disclose. Now you want to go inside and pull your sister out or may I?" I thought for a moment. Did I want to frighten kids more by entering? Nope.

"Sir I think you should go in and pull my sister out of there... Maybe Sweetie Belle and Applebloom as well just as a little buddy system thing..." He nodded and entered the classroom as I waited. He left the door open.

"Sweetie Belle, Applebloom, Scootaloo. The guard would like to speak with you three outside. He just wants to know if you've seen anything." I heard a few deep breaths and screeching chairs.

As I waited the VP stepped out of the way. I remembered I accidentally left my helmet in the office but I couldn't hide who I was. Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom instantly noticed me. Each filly looked scared out of their mind. "...R-ryder? You... wanted to speak with us...?" Scootaloo asked. I knelt down and nodded. She hugged me whimpering. "...I-I wanna go home.... I don't wanna be here with that... sicko out there...."

I pried Scootaloo off of me. "Yeah! I wanna get back to the orchard with AJ n Big Mac!" Applebloom said.

Sweetie Belle latched onto me scared. "...I want Rarity!" She said. "We wanna go home!"

I sighed and pried Sweetie Belle off me as well. I stood all three in front of me. It didn't help they each had tears in their eyes. "Look guys I cant take you home." I said. "You guys stay here and I'll stay here and keep watch just in case that guy comes back. If he does I'll lock him up and throw away the key. I promise you guys'll be safe."

The vice principal came to my side. "Girls why don't you guys go back inside and get back to class." He said. "I need to talk with.... Ryder... Alone for a moment."

The fillies sighed looking at the Vice Principal. "....Yes Mr. Arrowhead..." They all said. That was his name. Mr. Arrowhead. He actually used to be my middle schools archery teacher. I don't know how he made his way to Vice Principal.

As Scootaloo and her friends went back inside I stood back up looking to Mr. Arrowhead. "Well now what's there to talk about?" I asked. "I mean... I know what I said earlier about needing to be out of here finding that guy but... I changed my mind. I have a sister to protect."

Mr. Arrowhead huffed. "Ryder I know you... Always failing to complete a simple task." He said. I looked at him a bit ticked. "I've had you for two months in middle school... Each time you went up and shot that arrow you were way off your mark. You weren't focused, you didn't let the arrow go the right way and I had to send you to the office about ten times in one week. You keep these kids safe and I will let you keep that job of yours. You seem like the new guy in the guard. Why else would you have a partner?"

"Sir let me go in and watch over the class. Yes it's my first day on the job but it's an important job I choose to be serious about. All my work in school and in life I've been serious about yet no one tried to stand by me and help me. I have encouragement from my sister, my friends sisters, even that filly crying in the office with another friend of mine who believes I can do this job. That psycho substitute teacher you hired to teach my sister could have easily killed her if Miss Cheerilee wasn't working. That day I had to do the guard a favor and put the suspect six feet under... The suspect was that bitch you hired. Do you believe I could do this?"

"I believe you could screw up somehow. And believe me I knew she was a nutjob when she kept your sister near her during lunch and recess to talk... Your sister came to me and told me she kept her there without letting her go and play with her friends. I fired her and she must've snapped." Just then a torrent of screams came from the room. I looked inside and saw Ms. Cheerilee rushing the door. She grabbed my arm and pulled me in. What I saw made me see blood red. Almost as red as the 'confession' from Berrie. There was a stallion, matching the description Silver Spoon had given me, standing in the middle of the room trying to go to the window with SCOOTALOO. In. His. Arms. I broke off quickly and tossed desk aside away from scared colts and fillies rushing to the other side of the room and almost immediately I found myself covered in glass, outside the window. The stallion was under me trying to get out. I didn't let up for a second.

"You piece of shit!" I snapped. "You have a sick fucking desire to have sex with fillies? Sick! Fucking SICK!" I looked back at the window the best I could. I saw Mr. Arrowhead hopping through the busted out window carefully trying not to cut himself. Same with Shining who had a pair of handcuffs ready. I got helped up by the VP and looked him in the eye as Shining cuffed him. "Still don't believe I could do this job?"

"I'm sorry I doubted you but you need to get back in there and check on your sister. I've sent all the others into the hall away from the damage. You may need to take her to the hospital, she had glass shards fall on her and it seems you could patch up too." My heart dropped as I just felt something running down my cheek. I wiped it away but it kept going slowly. Blood. I saw blood. I went back to the window and saw Scootaloo sitting in a chair holding her arm as she bled from her cheek, her arm and forehead. She shook scared as I approached her and knelt down.

"Scoot? You okay?" She sniffled and nodded not being able to speak a word. "Alright.... Did that guy touch you when he was trying to take you?" She gave a hesitant nod and hugged me starting to sob lightly. I hugged back. "...Okay... I'm gonna get you bandaged up. Shining and I will take you back to the castle, I'll have Shining record a testimony against him... I-if you want I could... I don't know stay home with you and look for something else to do."

Scootaloo sniffled and looked at me. "...P-please... don't... You saved me..." She said. "...Again... C-can we go home now....?"

"...Not after we go to the hospital see if there isn't any glass in us. Shining may get a few medics to help us out. I cant tell glass in my arm from a bubble of blood." Scootaloo grabbed my arm and I flinched feeling pain. I looked and saw a shard of glass sticking out of it. "...Well... Guess I really cant tell..." I looked back to her. "C'mon.... We gotta get someone to call an ambulance.... just gonna say now it hurts more than scraping your knee on the ground..." She gave me a nod and took my hand as she got up.

Not long later, say about a half hour or so Scootaloo and I were sitting in the back of an ambulance holding each other's hand. A medic for each of us, used wet rubbing alcohol cotton balls and tweezers to get each glass piece we had in us. I had to even take my shirt off. Had glass in my wings and some on my chest. Hurt like a motherfucker too. I was actually close to crying from pain but had to hold back for Scootaloo. Shining came up to the back door of the vehicle and hopped in. "HA that's my boy!" He said. "Princess Celestia is going to be thrilled you took down a known pedophile. Your sister okay?" I looked over at Scoot. She was getting bandaged up.

"...I hope so..." I replied. "Why does trouble always seem to find me? Why does it always come my way?" I looked back at Shining. He shrugged. "Well... What's gonna happen after we're done here?" He gave a sigh.

"Well first I'm having Big Mac pick you and Scootaloo up here. He's probably gonna take Applebloom back home and yes I will file a report on your status, maybe see if Twilight could maybe give you a dinner for a job well done and... Well who knows where that could go from there."

"What about the window?"

"Ah it's fine. I get paid enough to do stuff like that. I called up another car, they came and got the guy, leaving me enough time to have me call up a window repair and a cleaning service to replace this stuff. Cadence likes it when I do stuff like that."

"...You think you could just take us back to the castle, save us some time?" Shining thought for a moment.

"...Dunno dude... All the guards would be wondering why you had your sister there at Twily's..." I brought him in and a medic bandaged my wounds.

"Look dude if I just go back home with her I'm gonna feel as if I'm gonna mess up somewhere and she's gonna freak out just because someone came up and knocked on the door. With all the guards around she's gonna feel like Celestia and Twilight until I do bring her home." Shining sighed and looked up at me.

"Okay I'll give Twilight a call and see if she can do something to accommodate for her. If she says she cant, I'm sorry. She can only do so much." I gave him a nod and he got out.

I looked to the medic as he handed me back my shirt and my armor. "Here you go sir!" He said. "Again fine job on protecting this community!" I gave him a smile and nodded taking my things. He looked to Scootaloo. "Is this nice guy gonna give you a ride home little filly?"

I pulled my shirt over my head and huffed. "Well I'd hope so." I said. "She's my little sister!" Scootaloo hugged me carefully as not to hurt herself again or hurt me. I wouldn't care if she did hurt me. She's okay, I'm okay. She's hurt, I'm hurt. The medic gave me a surprised look as Scootaloo climbed out of the ambulance.

"Well look who was here at the right time then! Good job on keeping these little ones safe." I gave a bigger smile as I got my armor on and hopped out of the ambulance.

As I turned around I saw Miss. Cheerilee approach me with Sweetie Belle and Applebloom at her side. Both had their bags while Cheerilee had Scoot's. Both fillies she had came to my side and hugged me along with Scootaloo after she grabbed her bag from her teacher. "Ryder thank you for rushing in like that..." Miss Cheerilee said. "Out of any of the children he could've taken he took the wrong one and in front of a new guard! You have my highest honor for protecting my students!" I gave her a nod.

I thought this attention was going to my head but.... It just felt bittersweet. Why? Why did it feel bittersweet? I pondered that for a while. A long while. I pondered it while we got into Shining's truck. I sat in the back with Scootaloo on my lap, Sweetie Belle and Applebloom next to us. Even after we arrived at the castle I pondered. I had actually gotten so hypnotized by the thought I was snapped out by a loud growl of my stomach. Lucky me Shining and I were walking towards the dining hall for lunch with the princess. Scootaloo and her friends were right behind us. "Sounds like someone kinda forgot to grab something to eat." Shining said. "Seems like I did too. You're lucky Twily's in a good mood and is including your sister and her friends. Celestia wouldn't have allowed it." I sighed as he looked back at the fillies. "Well you three are lucky enough to join Princess Twilight for lunch. She never gets visitors unless.... Well unless it's your siblings I guess. Just letting you know now you bow to the Princess showing respect. First watch us then do the best you can. Okay?"

The three fillies nodded. Sweetie Belle came up and took my hand. She was still a bit shaky. I looked down at her. "You still scared from school Sweetie?" I asked. She nodded hesitantly. "Don't worry you're safe. Maybe you know anything about this?" She shook her head. "Ah... well I'll give Rarity a call tell her I gotcha here." And speak of the devil my phone rang. Rarity called. Her ring tone was a live version of a Metallicolt song that had a symphony orchestra in it. I stayed back and answered it as Sweetie Belle and the girls went with Shining. "Hey Rarity wha-"

Rarity cut me off with a scream. "RYDER! SWEETIE BELLE IS MISSING SHE ISNT AT THE SCHOOL HOUSE!" She yelled. Something tells me I was supposed to call AJ and Rarity telling them I've got both their sisters... Fuck.

"Rarity! Calm down she's here with me at Twilight's castle. Miss Cheerilee gave her over to me and-" My phone beeped in my ear. "....Give me oooone minute...." I looked at my phone and saw Applejack's face. I didn't waste time shooting on over to Applejack's call. "...AJ before you-"

Applejack ended up screaming in my ear. I could swear I heard Big Mac bawling in the background. "APPLEBLOOM'S MISSIN!" She yelled. I huffed.

"APPLEJACK LISTEN!" I yelled. "Applebloom is with me! Sweetie Belle's with ME! Some jackass tried kidnapping Scootaloo, everypony was scared and since Miss Cheerilee knew our sisters were friends I had to go and get them away from the school and they're all at Twilight's castle! Now if you just contact Rarity and bring her here I promise we can let them go with you after a few witness statements." I heard Applejack take a few deep breaths and call out to somepony in the background. Either Big Mac or Rarity or both.

"Dammit Ry y'had Big Mac pissin' himself! Now he's gotta sit in the bed of the truck to dry off. Why didn't someone tell me you had our sisters? I was gonna kick some flank but you're glad I can forgive my sweet sugarcube since you have my sister. Whatcha doin' at the castle anyways?"

"Lunch break. If you hurry maybe you and I can spend some time together. And uh... Maybe something for a congratulatory first takedown?" Applejack laughed a bit.

"Maybe not there but tomorrow I might have somethin' ready for ya. Now I'm gonna give Twilight a call and make sure you're actually givin' us the right word."

"Would I ever lie to my big blondie baby?"

"Woah woah hold up you callin' me fat or something?"

"No no! You have the best curves a mare could ever have! Now uh.... Just hurry over here I think i'm about to faint or something...." I hung up on Applejack without an I love you or goodbye. Yeah.... Bad idea... But I wasn't scared. I had my mind on other things. Injuries and other fillies and colts.

After a few minutes of walking and thinking about why the hell it felt bittersweet. It was because I nearly lost Scootaloo. It was awesome that I got her but just thinking about all the other ways I could lose her made me feel like it was a D-rated save. An F rated save would be actually losing Scootaloo. She's my sister, she's all I have left, she's basically my life! I lose her I AM DEAD! I came into the dining hall almost in tears and saw Shining Armor sitting at the end of the table with Scootaloo and her friends. Twilight sat at the very end. I walked to an open seat directly next to Twilight and bowed to her before sitting. "Is something the matter Ryder?" Twilight asked. I hesitantly nodded. "Is it the fact you forgot to tell my friends about their sisters being here?" I shook my head. "Well what is it?" I looked over at Scootaloo who was just talking up a storm with her friends. "....You wanna just talk later about it?" I looked back over and nodded. "Well why don't you order something to eat. Shining's gonna have the chef cook us all our favorite dish." I gave a nod and wiped away my tears.

After about a half hour of eating and filling ourselves I had to carry Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo all to a bedroom. Shining walked behind me helping Sweetie Belle stay on my back even though I did have her gripped in my wings. After we set each filly down on the bed he looked to me. "Hey you just go back to the dining hall." He whispered. "Twily needs to talk with you. I'll watch over these fillies for you." I gave a nod and hurried out of the room. Here's where tears started to pour from my eyes. I came back into the dining hall seeing Princess Twilight sitting at her seat at the end of the table. I didn't bother sitting down. I went to my knees and cried. She helped me up and hugged me.

"Ryder calm down! I thought you would be happy about your first day on the job!" She said.

I sniffled and looked at her. "....y-you don't understand..." I said. "...I could've lost my sister.... One of us could've been hospitalized.... I had a shard of glass two inches deep in my arm! Do you know how bad that hurt? Do you know how much pain I had to endure to make sure my sister didn't see me cry?" Twilight sighed and pulled out a chair for me.

"Ryder I know you nearly lost your sister but.... Shining knows how it feels. When I was younger Shining and I weren't allowed to talk with each other for a while. That and.... Well.... He saved me from nearly getting shot..." She sat down in her chair keeping my hand in hers. "...He told you how he got his cutie mark right? The shield? The guy who broke into our house in Canterlot?" I gave a nod. "He and I had to be put in therapy for a while.... I even had to go to the hospital a few times to get pumped full of fluids and such after waking up screaming and hurling...." I saw tears in her eyes. I wanted to do something but I didn't know what.

"...Princess... May I ask for a day off maybe...? ....It's gonna take a bit of getting used to but.... Scootaloo might need me all day tomorrow...." She gave a nod and got up from her chair sitting on my lap. She hugged me shaking scared. Well... I couldn't tell. I couldn't tell whether it was me scared of someone walking in and thinking I was taking control over Twilight or it was all her just freaking out about what she told me. All I could do would be to hug Twilight and shush her. I couldn't even get up to move her and try and hand her off to Shining. I was a Royal Guard. Might as well do an easy job.