“That’s another idiot that bites the dust.” It was night time, no surprise. The big house was empty this time. It was thanksgiving so they probably all went to spend time with their families. I parked my motorcycle on the curb. Why should I care where I park? its empty. The stars were pretty bright outside. You could still see well even if the street lights were off. I could’ve enjoyed the night sky if it wasn’t for the annoying tied up colt on the back of my bike. I don’t know why I put a black bag over his head, he was more annoying than when I shot all his friends earlier. That’s right, I’m a bounty hunter. Probably the best in Equestria, my opinion only.
“When I get out of prison, I’m going to kick your arse!” the colt screamed. I took the black bag off his face so he would shut up. He couldn’t move anyways, I tied this guy up real good. Steel wires that tighten the more you move? Best invention ever. His short silver mane shone in the moonlight. Wish it wasn’t a full moon though; his face isn’t something nice to look at. His right eye had a nasty black eye, almost swollen shut. His left ear had a big cut on it, the dried up blood an indication it was recent. Don’t look at me, he bumped into a blade. If it makes you feel better I tripped him. That’s how he got the black eye. He spat at my face, pieces of blood and spit mixed together. I wiped my face off on my leather jacket sleeve. He’s already hurt; I don’t want to kill him. He’s not worth much dead. I picked him up off my bike and onto my shoulders. He wasn’t that heavy. Then again, he looks like he hasn’t eaten much since he mass murdered 100 ponies on the summer Olympics on Cloudsdale. I groaned at the smell of dried up blood. I almost forgot I ripped off his wings. He was flying away, I can’t make 100,000 bits fly away I need that money. Trust me, if you had to spend a 2 hour drive from where he was to the police station with this guy yelling and screaming in pain, you would’ve done the same.
“Where’s your family bounty hunter? Are they at the whore house like where your mom is now.!” I dropped him on the floor. I have a family. A wife and a beautiful daughter. They’re my life. My wife’s a beautiful orange Pegasus with a long, flowing light blue mane. She has these beautiful fuchsia eyes, those that could make your heart skip a beat. As for my daughter, my lovely daughter. She looks like her mom in every way. Except she has purple hair, probably a result of my red mane and her mom’s blue. I try not to understand colours in this world. She has her mom’s eyes as well. Hell, if it wasn’t for her man, she would be a mini version of her mom. I picked up the grinning colt, avoiding eye contact.
“I don’t have a family.” I had to lie. He’s no use to me if he dead. Besides, if he were to step foot in my house, he wouldn’t even be able to compliment the nice coffee table we have. I walked inside of the police station, my hooves tapping on the marble floor. For a police station, they keep their floors clean. Then again I come here often with a lot of beaten up colts, they’d better keep it clean. I smiled to the police stallion at the front desk. Nice guy got a whack load of kids, half of which go to my daughter’s school. I’ve been to this station a lot of times. Mostly for bounty hunting reasons but I did get arrested that one time for drinking. But that’s why you become friends with the police, they return the favor. Well, half the time.
“Another one bites the dust?” the cop asked. I merely just grinned, dropping the annoying, tied up colt on the ground. The police colt called over two ponies, one a mare and one a colt. by the looks of his brown mane on his light brown fur, I think they were doing something together. At least the mares golden mane was fine. They picked up the tied up colt and carried him off into the back. I walked over to the wanted board. I needed something to do tomorrow. Other from watching the game, I needed something “interesting” to do. The Flim Flam brother eh? Not the best reward of 500 bits but it’s good enough. I tore the paper off the wall and stuffed it in my leather jacket.
“That’ll be 100,000 bits please.” The cop nodded and gave me a check. Normally I don’t take checks but tonight’s an exception. That prisoner’s gonna be on TV tomorrow and I want to see how long he’s gonna be in the slammer. I took the freshly written check from his hooves and into my pocket. Kids going to freak when she sees how much money I got this time. As long as my alcoholic wife doesn’t spend it all on booze. No, this money is for my daughter. I’ll buy her anything she wants. As long as it isn’t expensive.
“Jet wave wait.” Can’t he see I’m in a good mood? This is a rare occurrence so I’d leave myself alone. Unless he gave me the wrong check this better be good. “The school called here earlier. It was the janitor. He said that your daughters still over at the school.” Now you might call me an overprotective father. But a young filly out in a dark night like this? If you were me, you’d be driving over their like you heard there was free booze. This is why I never trust my wife anymore. Ever since this kid was born all she’s been doing is drinking. Hell, she got arrested for drinking and driving. Now before you say ‘then why did you tell an alcoholic mare to pick up a child from school?’ I had to. Most of my friends are in a different town and I’m sure as hell my neighbours a pedophile. So I’m not an overprotective father. I’m just a normal father that loves his daughter and will kill anyone that touches her. Another reason I got arrested. As my bike screeched around the corner I saw her under a tree next to the school. Her eyes were closed, her short purple mane covering her face. Her chest raised and then lowered. She layed on her small kinder garden bag, using it as a pillow. Thank Celestia she’s ok. For a minute there I thought I was going to have to kill someone. List of things to do tomorrow. I laid her on the back of my bike. Her small little eyes opened to see me holding her in my arms. She smiled and spat her tongue out at me. I just grinned.
“Hold on kiddo.” I feel so bad for the girl. I understand that she’s young but she could’ve at least walked home. Or flown… I don’t know when to tell her. The doctors say that due to my wife’s obsession with alcohol, it messed up the jeans. I don’t even know if she’ll ever be able to see Cloudsdale. It’s a pretty place. I’ve been there a lot. Lot of the idiots now a days think that being a Pegasus means that you’re superior. Do a crime and fly off before the cops show up. Did I mention they were idiots? There’s the old house in the distance… Not the best thing in Equestria; two bedrooms, one and a half bathroom. But I call it home. She calls it home. My wife… I don’t care. Parked the bike in the driveway, for the first time, perfectly. I was going to open the door, but just groaned as I slipped the key in the lock. There were empty bottles of alcohol everywhere. Brandy, Scotch, hell there was even some Cider from Ponyville. I nodded at the kid, an indication to go upstairs. I started to walk around the room. I don’t know what bar she raided but there was enough bottles that not even a party of 30 could finish. I called her name, no response. Obviously. The sound of a scream made me react. I rushed up the stairs to look for the producer of the sound. I swung open the room to my room. There she was my beautiful light blue manes wife. She looked at me, surprised for a mare that can’t see straight. She was sitting on something, her bottom half covered by the white blankets we had. I walked into the room, narrowing my eyes at my speechless wife. I froze in place when I noticed what she was sitting on. A light brown colt with a dark brown mane looked at me in shock.
“Kiddo pack your things!” I glared at my wife one last time. “We’re leaving….” My wife ran to my hooves, crying in agony as she pleaded for forgiveness. Never gave a damn before. Not going to give one now. I walked into the kids’ room, picking up the tired filly and her kinder garden bag. I walked down the stairs, ignoring my ex-wife’s threats. She’s drunk, why should I care what she says? Besides, this isn’t the first time. I sat the little filly on the back of my bike, putting the small blue helmet on her head. Looking back at the house through my rear view mirrors I noticed something. I forgot to cut the lawn today. The screech of my bike tired echoed through the streets as I drove off. My ex-wife’s threats started to get quieter until they were completely gone. What was I doing? Saving my little girl. I can’t raise a mare in an environment like that. A 24/7 drunk mare that can’t even raise one child. I might as well put her in the stripper business if she stayed there. Not on my watch. I drove on the empty highway, looking at the tumbleweeds that passed by once in a while. I looked behind me and smiled. The poor kid’s asleep. I don’t blame her, I would’ve took a dive too. But that got me thinking. I can’t raise a kid. I’m a bounty hunter that gets money for killing people. I can’t raise an innocent filly like that. I’m all I got. Mom and dad are dead and my wife’s out of the question. I don’t want her to become what I’ve become. I don’t want her to do what I’ve done. I don’t want her, to become me. I glances to the left to see a green sign.
PONYVILLE 20 MILES.
I had no choice. It’s the only thing I could do. I promised myself id never do this. Hell, I think every father doesn’t want to do this. But I have no choice. Here I stood, in front of an adoption building, the kid on my back in a deep sleep. I laid her on the doorstep, her head resting on her bag. The blue helmet sat beside her. I laid a piece of paper on her chest, brushing some of her hair out of her face. A soft smile came on my face as I kissed her forehead.
“They’re gonna love you kid… I know I did.” I pressed the doorbell and rushed off, jumping onto my motorbike and driving off. It was weird that no one in this town had a vehicle but I won’t question. As long as my child’s safe, I can die happy. I small tear ran down my cheek as I remembered what the note said.
DEAR PONYVILLE ADOPTION’S AGENCY.
HER NAME’S SCOOTALOO.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF HER. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF MY DAUGHTER.
SHE’S ALL I HAVE IN THIS WORLD BUT I CAN’T RAISE HER.
HER MOM AND ALCHOHOLIC, I DON’T WANT A CHILD RAISED IN THAT CONDITION.
PLEASE, FIND HER A HOME.
YEARS LATER
“Hello miss.” The white mate turned around, her short pink mane covering one of her eyes. I smiled softly. She blushed a bit.
“Yes sir may I help you?”
“Is there a young filly that’s here? She’s orange and has purple hair?” the white mare looked at me, confused. She took out a small folder and started flipping through pages. She stopped and smiled.
“I’m sorry sir.” She pushed the paper in front of me. “But she was adopted years ago. By the teacher at a local school here. Ms. Cheerilee’s her name. Why?” I merely just smiled.
“Just asking…” I walked out of the building. Ever since I left her there I’ve been checking every year. I lost track after my ex-wife finally discovered the telephone and got arrested. Jail’s not as bad as they say. ‘They’ being the people I bring in. but now I don’t have to worry. She’s safe now.
Thank you Celestia.
She’s safe.
END.
