Redemption for a Cloverleaf

Maretime Bay

The same day that Izzy and Sprout were in Zephyr Heights, both Sunny and Hitch were kept busy as well.

Especially Hitch. After waking up at around midnight, he saw that Sunny had, apparently, pulled an all nighter on finding information about Bud Bloomington. So much so, that she was now asleep at the very desk she worked so hard at.

He was, honestly, impressed by her research. He had found the names of not only Bud Bloomington’s accomplices, but the names of the victims of the Lexi Orphanage fire 20 years ago. Also, a Canterlogic employee named Reggie used to be a Police Pony from Clopton at the same time that had happened. He HAD to know something about it.

The only thing he knew would be hard was talking with Phyllis Cloverleaf. The last time they talked, he confronted her about Bud Bloomington being her son. It was certainly an ugly and bad conversation.

Mostly, how it ended. That was when Hitch started to put an idea in his head about the possibility of…Phyllis being raped.

The thought just made his skin crawl. Especially, given the huge age difference between Sprout and Bud(according to his ME Pony, Charnelle, Bud was about 12-13 years older), then that would mean Phyllis had him when she was a young teenager.

Meaning…she was violated at only 14 or 15 years old.

He truly felt like shit now. The way he confronted her the last time, even if he might’ve been justified in being angry, was completely uncalled for. He had no right to act in the way that he did.

And if his theory was correct…he could only imagine what Phyllis must’ve gone through for almost 40 years now. He knew that, when he speaks to her again, he needed to be as gentle as possible. If he was going to take some figurative shots to the face, so be it. If she was going to yell and scream at him, she had a right too.

But, even with all that said, he NEEDED her. He needed to speak with her. He needed to know if all the things he was finding were true. He just hoped he could get her to talk.

He was taken out of his intense thoughts from Sunny mumbling something. He looked at his desk and saw she was waking up. As she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, she saw Hitch’s smiling face.

“Morning Sunshine.” He said in a friendly tone.

Even still feeling groggy, she then opened her eyes in shock.

“Oh crap!” Sunny said out loud. “I forgot to wake you up. I’m so sorry, Hitch.”

“Don’t worry about it, Sunny. You helped me out a lot.” He said, making her look confused, while he standing up from her chair.

“You helped me find the names of Bud Bloomington’s accomplices. And this Reggie guy. He might now something about Lexi. You did a good job, Sunny.” He said, complimenting her job well done.

She flushed red in embarrassment. “Happy to help, Hitch.”

He nodded at her. “Okay, Sunny. Today, I’m going to Canterlogic to interview Phyllis.”

“I’ll come with you. I can close my smoothie stand for today.”

He shook his head. “No. I need to do this alone.”

Noticing his sad look, Sunny was concerned with curiosity for him. “Why? Why do you have to?”

Hitch sighed. “Because it’ll get uncomfortable. I guarantee things are gonna be said between her and I. Very bad things. And I don’t want you to hear them. It needs to be one on one. Just me and her. I don’t want her to feel outnumbered. Sorry Sunny, but this is my job here.” He said, looking depressed.

She gave him a sad look. “Are you sure? I could come and maybe ask Reggie questions.”

Hitch was about to say No again, before a thought crossed his mind. While he interviews Phyllis again, Sunny could talk with Reggie. Kill two birds with one stone. He shrugged.

“I guess. Although, I doubt he’ll talk about it. We can give it a shot. But don’t try to coax or force it out of him. If he won’t talk, we can’t make him. Can you promise that?”

Sunny sighed and nodded. Even if she wanted to find Bud Bloomington very badly, she had to respect that this was HIS job. She had to honor his rules.

“I’ll do my best, Sheriff Hitch.” She said, making Hitch smile.

They were going to have to wait for a few hours before Canterlogic would open. They also would probably wait an extra hour or two so Phyllis could get settled into her office.

So, for the time being, the two went back to looking into more research on Bud Bloomington. It would only be a matter of time before they caught this murderer. And send him to prison where he belongs.

Hopefully, if Phyllis and Reggie cooperate. If not, then they may not know what to do.

Reggie had rarely felt nervousness. Being a former cop, he learned in the boot camp training about how to keep your emotions at bay. How to keep them in control. It was a skill needed, being an officer of the law.

He didn’t feel nervous whenever he had to enter a building to stop a criminal from committing a horrific crime. He felt calm and collected when he once interviewed a pedophile, while his old partner wanted to bash the pony’s skull in. He didn’t even flinch when a group of five ponies once cornered him to try and mug him for his money.

Stupid thugs didn’t know who they were messing with. They certainly learned that day.

There was only 3 times in his life when he truly ever felt nervous. The first one was asking his girlfriend at the time(who would eventually, and sadly, become his ex-wife) to marry him. He almost sweated bullets. Being married to a cop would certainly be a challenge to any marriage. He was completely shocked when she said yes. And that made him a happy stallion.

The second time was when his daughter was born. He remembered how he almost felt like he was having an anxiety attack in the hospital while his wife was in labor. If he didn’t have his old partner with him, he may have done that. Thankfully, after words of encouragement from said partner, he was able to cool his nerves down. Then, when he saw that little baby filly, wrapped in a blanket, in his wife’s hooves, it all went away. Him holding his little baby girl was all worth it. He felt so happy now.

How he wished things would’ve played out differently.

The third time he ever felt nervous was actually now. It had been 2 days now since his night with his boss, Phyllis Cloverleaf. The two had a drink together, after he found her crying alone in her office, looking at a picture of her and her son, Sprout.

Truth be told, Reggie never hated or even disliked Sprout. He definitely knew most of, if not everypony else did. He heard the comments and remarks about him. And, while never really interacting with Sprout at all, he didn’t hate him. If anything, he almost felt sorry for him.

The kid probably just wanted to live the rest of his life in peace, but ponies just don’t want him too. No matter what, if you at one time got yourself in trouble, served your time and now a member of society again, they wouldn’t let you forget it. Even though Reggie knew that some criminals who get out of jail would go right back in, he didn’t see that with Sprout. He just saw a lonely kid who deeply regretted his actions.

However, that wasn’t what was making him nervous now. What was making him nervous was knowing he had to go to Phyllis’ office to get her garbage and quick scrub her toilet. He didn’t have to do it yesterday, because he does that area only 3 days of the week. The other day was one where he left it.

So now, he was going to come face to face with his boss, whom he spent a night with. After they both got drunk at a bar and opened up to each other, they went back to her place, and that resulted in them…sleeping together.

The thought just shook him. Not necessarily the sex itself, but the fact that it was his BOSS. The mare who signs his paychecks. The mare who hired him. The mare that controlled whether or not he could work here.

He was grateful she told him she wasn’t gonna fire him. But, even so, that still didn’t change the fact that he still did something inappropriate with his boss. He was a professional. He would NEVER do something like that…until two days ago that was.

What was worse though, for him, was what if somepony found out about it? He hadn’t told a single soul, and he was confident that neither did Phyllis. However, he didn’t know if somepony saw him and Phyllis leave the bar together. Whether they were coworkers of his or not, they might’ve started up a rumor about them. And the rumor would end up being true. Because it DID happen.

Reggie shuttered in nervousness. He had just finished up with the west end bathrooms. Now, he was going to get the trash in the break room area. That was where Kodiak was forced to kiss Phyllis’ hooves when he mocked her son out loud.

Just goes to show that some pony’s really need to shut the fuck up sometimes.

As he made his way toward the very break room area, he heard a few ponies talking. He knew who they were.

“So, did you hear about what Adonis did to Sprout a couple days ago?” He heard a young adult mare day. He knew this voice. It was Judy. She’s a friend of Kodiak, the Boss Hoof Kisser.

His attention perked up at the mention of Sprout. What did she say?

“Yeah. He poured a smoothie on his head.” He heard another mare’s voice. This one was named Rain Fall.

He stopped his cart and decided to listen in. This sounded interesting. Especially hearing it was his fellow coworker, Adonis.

Now, Reggie didn’t HATE anyone he worked with. He was a professional pony, who would work with anypony if he was asked to. However, if there was one pony who came close to him HATING, it would be Adonis.

The two had some interactions with each other in all the years he had been here. And all those times, he just saw Adonis as a stuck up, arrogant, narcissistic asshole. The dude thought he was better than everypony else. He truly believed that he was better than everypony.

The way he’d talk about how great he is, the constant grooming of his blonde mane, him making offhoof comments and remarks at his fellow coworkers. All these things just made Reggie want to ask Phyllis, or Mrs. Cloverleaf since he was on the job, about why she still had him employed.

Probably, she had no idea about any of this.

“That’s just awful.” Judy said.

Rain Fall scoffed. “Who cares? It’s Sprout. He doesn’t even work here anymore. Why should we care?”

Judy glared at her. “Just because I don’t like somepony, doesn’t mean I agree with something like that happening to them. I’m just glad Posey, Primrose and Dahlia defended him. Because Adonis, kind of committed a crime.”

“Pouring a drink on somepony is a crime?” Rain Fall asked, sounding condescending.

“Yes.” Judy said. “That can be labeled an assault.”

Reggie had heard enough. He grabbed a few trash bags and walked in. Both Judy and Rain Fall noticed him. Rain looked nervous at him.

“Hello Reggie. How’re you this morning?” She asked, trying to sound polite.

Reggie raised his eyebrow at her, making her look more nervous now.

“Fine.” He said, walking toward the garbage can. He grabbed the bag and pulled it out. As he was putting a new trash bag in the can, he saw Rain Fall’s eyes darting back and forth, while Judy just rolled her eyes at her coworkers behavior.

Reggie grabbed his filled garbage bag and brought it to his cart to consolidate it with the bag on it.

“Did you hear?” Rain asked, sounding scared. Judy just muttered “Idiot” to her.

Reggie thought about if he should say anything to her. Should he threaten to tell Mrs. Cloverleaf? Should he make her apologize? No. He had a better idea.

He turned toward her. “I did. Every word.”

“Are you gonna tell Mrs. Cloverleaf?” She asked, almost sounding like a child who didn’t want to get into trouble.

He just shook his head. “I’m not a snitch, unless I REALLY dislike you. I don’t know you too well, so I can’t say that I do dislike you. So No. I’m not telling Mrs. Cloverleaf.”

Rain Fall breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, Thank you Re—“

“I’m not done.” Reggie interrupted her, shutting her up and making her feel intimidated. Judy felt it too.

“Let me tell you both something.” Reggie said in a scolding voice. These two, more so Rain Fall, needed a lecture from him.

“I understand why you don’t like Sprout. I get he committed some crimes. But, when does all this pettyness stop?” He asked, to which they didn’t answer.

“When do you let it go? In case you hadn’t noticed, Sprout doesn’t work here anymore. So why do you continue to criticize him? Did it ever occur to you that maybe he ACTUALLY wants to change and be different? How much do you even know him?”

Both Rain Fall and Judy gave a bummed look.

“Why can’t HE get a second chance? What’s so different about him?”

After hearing his words, both Rain Fall and Judy looked sullen. His words obviously were getting to them.

Reggie just shook his head. “I’m not trying to make you like Sprout, because you can’t force somepony to like you. But all I’m saying is, can’t you stop with all this hate for him? It’s getting ridiculous.” He said, now pushing his cart away from the break room area, leaving Judy and Rain Fall to think about their words.

He then took the elevator to get up to the floor where Mrs. Cloverleaf's office was. As he got out, he figured he should take care of the two small bathrooms that were closest to her office. No problem. He could get those done in 5 minutes.

After getting the mare's bathroom done, he headed toward the stallion's. When he saw a faint light at the bottom of the door, he knew that somepony was using it. So, he waited for that somepony to finish up.

"Mmmm." He heard a sound coming from the other side. "You are so dashing. You have the best looking mane in all of Maretime Bay." The voice let out an arrogant chuckle.

Reggie let his eyes roll in annoyance. He knew who it was on the other side now. That narcissist, Adonis, was in there preening his mane, while talking to himself about how amazing he looks. He must think he's on the set of some big movie set or a big commercial shoot.

No. He was at Canterlogic. The place where he is employed. A place where he is supposed to work. Which he is not doing right now. Which was making Reggie do the same thing. He shook his head, having enough of this.

Reggie knocked on the door. "Adonis. Hurry up in there. I gotta clean." He called out, sounding annoyed. After about a minute of silence, the door opened, revealing a just as annoyed, also irritated, Adonis.

Adonis came close to Reggie's face. "Listen to me, you old coot." He said, emphazing old coot, clearly mocking Reggie's age of being in his mid 50's. "Do not ever rush me again. My mane takes time for it to look perfect. Unlike yours. Tell me, did you ever perform at a drag show? Because that's what yours looks like." He laughed at his coworker, while walking away.

Reggie REALLY wanted to deck this guy. He may be old, but he knew he could bitch slap this pony and make him cry like a mare. However, he knew if he assaulted him, Sheriff Hitch Trailblazer would arrest him and Phyllis would probably fire him for it.

Suddenly, an idea popped in his head. He remembered what Judy and Rain Fall were talking about earlier.

"Oh, you like manes so much, huh? You like pouring smoothies in other ponies mane's too?" Reggie asked out loud. Adonis froze in place after hearing that question. He turned around and saw Reggie grin at him.

"That's right. I know." He said, making Adonis look nervous now. The two were silent now. Simply staring into each other's eyes. One with confidence, the other with concern.

"I think you should be nicer to ponies from now on." Reggie said, now turning away from him and heading toward Phyllis' office. Even though his head was turned, he could just FEEL Adonis looking scared that he was gonna tell Mrs. Cloverleaf about what he did to her son. While he felt he absolutely SHOULD report Adonis for that, he decided against it. Let the arrogant little punk feel some fear about his job. He needed it.

He needed it to be humbled a little bit.

After his little victory, Reggie was now outside of Mrs. Cloverleaf's office. The door was wide open. So that meant she was indeed in there. Probably looking over some paperwork of some kind.

His nerves were still on edge, but he knew he had to do this at some point. He couldn't hide from her, even if he tried. So, with that, he gave a small rap on the door.

"Come in." He heard Mrs. Cloverleaf call out. He gave a deep breath before coming in with his cart. He was correct in his assessment of her looking over paperwork. When she looked up at him, and their eyes met, the tension almost immediately came to them. After remembering their little night together, Phyllis couldn't help but have a small flush of pink on her already pink cheeks. She knew it was wrong of her to think this, but after their night together, she couldn't help but think Reggie had some...nice physical attributes to him.

Reggie looked away from her, almost in shame. Not at her, but at himself. He didn't regret helping a mare when she had some personal issues at home. He was glad to help somepony like that. However, he still felt dirty after he slept with her. Even if she was, and he knew this was wrong to think, a very lovely and pretty mare, she was still his boss. It was reckless for him to do what he did.

He cleared his throat, making the awkward tension between them clear out as well. "Hey. I'm, uh, here to get your bathroom for you." He said in a low, awkward tone.

"Thank you." Phyllis said in the same way.

He pushed his cart toward her personal bathroom. He emptied the small trash can, wiped the mirrors, and scrubbed the toilets, sinks and surface areas. He also stocked some toilet paper and paper towels for her as well. Never know if you may need some extra if he wasn't there.

While all that was going on, Phyllis looked over at him and smiled. She knew how hard working he was. He was a year older than her, and probably had some pain in his body after the years of being a police pony in Clopton of all places. Yet, he still dragged his ass to work everyday. If he was off, it would be because he asked for it. Not because he no-showed. He was always in a professional mood, never came off as grouchy or grumpy and he would help anypony out in any way he could. She was glad to have him as an employee.

When he finished her bathroom, he came over to her desk and grabbed her trash can that was next to it. After dumping it into his garbage bag on his cart, he put it back over to her desk. He was about to tell her to have a good rest of her day, when she spoke before him.

"How're you feeling?" She asked him, catching Reggie off guard.

“What?” He asked, sounding confused.

Phyllis rolled her eyes a little bit. “How’re you feeling? Meaning, how’s your day been?” She asked him.

Feeling red in the face, he stuttered, “O-Oh, I-I’m fine, I guess. All things considered.” He muttered that last part, feeling embarrassed.

She flushed a little bit as well. “Good to hear.” She said.

After a second of awkward silence, Reggie then asked his boss, “How about you? How’ve you been doing?”

He almost regretted asking her that, due to her demeanor changing. She looked sad. Probably, due to everything that’s been happening to her recently.

“It’s hard. It hasn’t even been a week, and I miss my Sugercube so much.”

Reggie groaned in sympathy for her. He remembered what Phyllis told her about the fight she had with her son. Something that made him move out in anger at her.

If only he knew the REAL reason for all this.

“Every morning I wake up, I almost feel the need to call out to him to tell him breakfast is ready. But then I remember he’s not here anymore. And when I remember that, I feel so….alone.” She said, her lip quivering. But holding back tears, to make herself look strong for her employee.

Reggie breathed a sigh in sadness for her. He could tell she loved her son with all her heart. Him not being with her was one thing, because all children leave their parents one day to have home’s of their own.

However, it’s another thing to have them leave you, because they feel angry with you over something that either was or was not in your control. And they don’t speak to you for years. They don’t want anything to do with you.

Oh, how he knew that feeling very well.

“I used to think that too.” He said, making Phyllis look at him, her interest perking.

He gave a depressing sigh. “I lost my family. My wife divorced me, my daughter doesn’t like me very much, and I’m almost certain my grandson is being told how awful of a pony I was to my family. I haven’t spoken to them for 9 years.”

Phyllis gasped in shock. “9 years? Reggie, I didn’t…I had no idea.” She said, feeling incredibly sorry for him.

“I allowed myself to put my work ahead of my family. I have no pony to blame but myself. And when I moved to Maretime Bay, I felt alone for so long.” He said, before he did something that he did at the bar that night, but this time sober as ever.

He put a comforting hoof on top of Phyllis’. She felt surprised at first, but accepted his comfort.

“However, after the past few years here, I’ve learned that, no matter how alone somepony feels…they aren’t. You aren’t alone, Phyllis.” He said to her in a kind and warm tone to her.

She felt a tear in her eye, hearing that statement. As she wiped it away, she said to him, “Thank You, Reggie.” Causing him to give her a nod of approval.

“I do hope one day you and your family can reconcile.” She said to him. Deep down though, she felt like a major hypocrite. Because she knew that she would NEVER reconcile with hers.

Not after what they did…and did NOT do.

He gave another sad sigh. “I doubt it. After everything, I’m not sure I’m even worthy of their forgiveness.”

Phyllis raised her eyebrow in confusion. “Why? What exactly happened?” She asked.

He was silent for a minute. Phyllis was about to tell him that he didn’t need to say anything, before he revealed it to her.

“20 years ago. Back when I was a detective, there was a fire at an orphanage.”

Phyllis froze.

“Lexi Orphanage is what it was called.”

Lexi Orphanage

“One day, I saw this gossip column. There was a story in there about the owners of the Orphanage.”

”I guess this’ll do.” A young voice in her head said, looking through a list of orphanages.

“According to an unnamed source, they abused, neglected and even molested the foals they adopted. There were even some reports from teachers about some of the foals as well.”

Phyllis wanted to tell him to stop talking, but couldn’t. It was like some type of force was making her sit there and listen to him.

“Me and my partner went there to question them. Issac and Lexi. Of course, they denied it. The kids wouldn’t talk. Probably, because they were too scared. Though, there was one in particular that I’ll never forget.”

”No Way.” Phyllis thought.

“The oldest one there. He had this…look in his eye. Like, there was nothing there. But, at the same time, there WAS something there. Something….evil.”

The young pink coated, blonde maned filly quickly trotted up to the house she found on the Canterweb. She dropped the basket carrying that THING she was forced to give birth too. After a look of disgust, she knocked on the door, and then quickly fled away. Not just from this home, but out of Clopton.

“Even his name, I’ll never forget.”

Bud Bloomington. She knew what he was gonna say, right before he even said anything. He did say that name, but Phyllis only heard it in her head, not from his mouth.

Reggie took a breath from his venting, only to realize that Phyllis’ demeanor had changed again. Even if her head was facing toward her desk, he saw that she looked…Shocked. Worried.

Scared?

“Uh, Phyllis?” He asked, sounding concerned.

She looked back up at him, still showing that look he had never seen from her.

“Not to be rude, Reggie, but will you please get back to work?” She asked him in a low tone that seemed…almost frightened.

Now he felt even MORE concerned. Why was she acting this way? Did his story disturb her that much?

Or was there something more there?

He wanted to ask her what was wrong, but she was still his boss. If he was told to get back to work, then that’s what he was going to do.

Still looking worried for her, he said, “Okay. Have a good rest of your day.” He then grabbed his cart, and walked away with it out of her office, closing her door on the way out.

Phyllis just sat there, still looking at the door. She was alone now. Physically, at least. Mentally, she wasn’t.

Looks like he knows.

No, he doesn’t.

The guy is a former cop. He can figure this stuff out. He’ll know eventually.

Then I’ll deny it.

And you think that’s gonna make me go away? You know I’m here until you come to terms with what happened.

I don’t want to remember what happened.

Because they blamed you, right?

Phyllis tried to forget. She didn’t want to remember. She hid that hideous scar from so long ago for close to 40 years now.

Now, that scar…it was opening.

A young pink coated, blonde maned teen mare was on the floor, holding her cheek in pain from the blow she took.

The stallion standing over her had a look of pure rage on his face, with his hoof in the air. While another mare was standing off to the side, doing nothing. She knew if she did, something would happen to her too. And, she knew what was about to happen to this little filly right now.

“YOU FILTHY, LYING LITTLE SLUT!!!!” He screamed, while he kicked her a few times, making her cry in pain.

“AFTER WHAT HAPPENED, YOU DARE ACCUSE HIM OF THIS??!! AND THEN ABANDON YOUR CHILD??!!” The enraged stallion said, as he grabbed his daughter by her face and screamed in it.

As terrified as the teen mare was, and with enough bravery her body could muster, she told him, in a pain filled voice,

“Truth hurts doesn’t it, Daddy?” She said in a mocking tone, with some anger in it as well.

She knew that HE was the family favorite. She was just the other child. They obviously didn’t love her as much as they did HIM.

Now he was gone. Because he was a coward.

The enraged stallion then grabbed a hooffull of her mane and dragged her toward the front door of the house. With the filly kicking, screaming and crying all the way.

The door flew open. “You aren’t my daughter anymore. You aren’t a Bloomington anymore. Get out of my house and get out of my life.” He said, as he literally threw her out of the house and onto the pavement.

She looked back one more time, before her father shut the door, showing she was no longer a member of this household. With tears in her eyes, and with nothing on her, she picked her bruised body up from the cold ground.

She only took a few steps, before looking back at the home she grew up in. One last look. After that, she trotted away. She may be only be 15 years old, and recently had a goal she dropped off at a random orphanage, but she knew there was only one place to go. A place where she’ll be accepted for who she was.

Maretime Bay.

Finally, the tears fell down her face. A horrific memory that she wanted to repress was remembered by her. A scar reopened she wanted to keep closed.

She then buried her face into her arms and cried for a little while at her desk.