StarStep and Lighthoof skimmed the rooftop over Old Canterlot, just a few blocks from the 8th street that marked the start of their patrol area. Lighthoof suggested the two glide around their new patrol perimeter, to get a feel for how big it was and what areas within, they were familiar with. Old Canterlot was, for the most part, laid out in a grid pattern of main streets. West to east were odd numbered streets, and south to north were even. So, from the wall, north towards the castle, they had 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 8th. Then the other side of their patrol was 13th thru 19th. On paper, it didn't seem that big an area, but Old Canterlot had ages of buildup, reconstruction and renovations. What used to be straight streets, sometimes winded around buildings. As well as side-streets being added to connect the main thoroughfares. Those were often named after famous ponies, or rich ones. It was also an issue of the area being full of both night-clubs and bars, but a few low income housing units mixed. It's not that low-income ponies were bad news. Most of the ponies in the city were friendly enough. But it often attracted those who preyed on the weak or the gullible. There was a lot of potential trouble in that grid of streets.

The two friends glided down to the cobblestone street, a ways from the first of the neon-lit night-clubs. Still too early for the evening crowds to be out. Light smirked at the club's sigh, “The Iron-Mare” it proclaimed in a steady glow of neon pink. A spot for up and coming hard rock, punk and metal bands to cut their teeth. Once the place got jamming, Light knew from experience that it rivaled even DJ-Pon3's club, “Wub Woofer”.

Star pulled his linen map from his leg-pouch and spread it out on the ground. His lips tightened as he studied the red outlined section of the city. “They weren't kidding. It looks tiny on this thing but there's a lot of ponies living in this area. Plus the club crowds. How are two guards suppose to take care of this?”

Light glanced about the near empty streets. “I was thinking about that, dude. My guess is, we should give the illusion there's more than two of us. Keep moving in spiral and zig-zag patrol patterns, mostly flying. If they believe we're always watching, a lot of the trouble-makers will think twice.”

Star blinked at his friend, “Huh...the Princess wasn't kidding, you have a knack for this logistics stuff. He folded his map back up and stuffed it in his little black armor pouch.” A smile touched his lips as he smoothed the blue alicorn feather against his chest emblem. If Luna thought they could do it, he'd give it his best.

Light looked to the rooftops, “Lets start by hitting the major intersections, move from rooftop stop to rooftop stop. See what we can see, then as the club ponies show, we'll focus more in this area. Sound good?”

“Yeah, beats my idea of just flying back and forth and stumbling on trouble.” They shared a chuckle as the two pegasus took flight.

The air was muggy, thicker here in the lower area of the city. A storm was forecasted for early morning but the two of them would be off-duty by then. Thankfully, the streetlamps lining the main routes along with the incredibly bright club signs, made navigating the streets by wing, a cinch. At the first major intersection, they stopped on a tall building, looking up and down the avenues. Lighthoof wanted a feel for the different areas. With no disturbances or anything out of the ordinary, they moved on to the next checkpoint.

An hour passed by, with nothing notable. The area's near the clubs were gaining a little more traffic, but Light insisted they finish patrolling the outer routes before focusing there. Star wasn't going to argue, he trusted his friend's instincts in this.

Around 6th and 15th, as took their positions on the rooftop, Star heard a sigh escape Light. He looked over at his guard-partner, who seemed to be focused on something down below. Curious, he glanced over the roof-edge and noticed an earth mare on the corner under a street-lamp.

“Everything alright, Light?”

“Ten bits says she's an unlicensed Pleasure Pony.” His lips down-turned and he looked like he wanted to spit.

“How can you tell?”

The other pegasus pointed up the street towards a pair of approaching colts. “Just watch.”

Sure enough, as the colts approached, the mare trotted close and was whispering something in their ears. She made a gesture to a nearby alley and flicked her tail at them suggestively. They two colts shook their heads and wandered onwards.

“That doesn't really mean anything. Maybe she was asking for directions.” Star eyed his friend, then glanced back down at the mare in question.

Another colt was trotting down the dark streets. Again the mare approached, whispered in his ear and gestured with her head towards the alley. The colt started away when she nipped his flank. He spun, glaring, but she walked right up to him and whispered again. He glanced around the streets, checking to see if they were being watched, then nodded to her. The mare led the colt into a dark alley. Star glanced at his friend, “Um, should we do something?”

Light frowned and shook his head, “Let's wait till she gets back. Then we'll have a talk with her.”

There were soft moans reaching their ears on the rooftop, reverberating just enough from the alley. It built quickly, then a sharp intake of breath and quiet. At last the colt trotted merrily out of the alley, glanced about to insure he was still alone, and wandered off down the street. Shortly there-after, the mare slipped out of the darkness, tossed some bits into a pouch around her neck and squatted at the corner. Star wrinkled his nose as he realized she was revealing herself right there.

“What the buck is she doing? Is she...?”

Light shook his head and sighed, “She's...cleaning herself for next customer. She thinks she's alone. I suppose we better have a word.” He unfurled his wings and swooped down to street level, Star just behind him. As they landed, clad in the imposing dark purple armor of the Night-Guard, the mare yelped and fell over. Light wrinkled his nose at the sight of the creamy colored puddle under her haunches.

“Miss?”

She stammered in surprise as she pulled herself to her hooves. “Ey, what's tha big idea, scarin' tha' flip outta me, oy.” She pointed a hoof in Light's face, “Why ye be harrashin' ah pony for?”

Light ignored her hoof, “Miss, do you have a license to be a Pleasure Pony?”

“Neigh, what's it to ye?” She glared angrily.

“Are you a freelance or do you have a...” He paused. Star could see a bit of conflict in his friend. “A manager?”

“Manag'r, what ye be on about? This be mah own business. I make ah little scratch to get by. Oy, now yer gonna tell me it be a crime tha make a little money 'ere?”

“Actually, Miss. It is. Unless you're licensed, it's illegal to do what you're doing. I suggest you either stop, or go down to the tax office and obtain one.”

“Wat 'or? Some some git in tha fancy castl' can have a bite at mah money?”

Star frowned and stepped forward, “That 'git' is your Princess. I suggest you-” He was cut off by a gentle hoof on his shoulder. Light was shaking his head.

“Miss, what's your name?”

She hesitated, looking between them, “Tangle Vine. Wat of it?”

“Miss Vine, there's some ponies out here that will do worse than just take a little of your money. They'll abuse you, rob you, rape you, and put you in a form of slavery. The point of the license is to have somepony watching out for your well being. I get the feeling you haven’t been at this long.”

She blinked at his rather blunt warnings, “Wha'? No pony done threatened me yet. Why ye try an' scare ah honest mare?”

“Tell you what, I'll give you three choices, either you get a license, you quit, or I'm hauling you in every night and charging you a fine. I better not see you out here tomorrow without the paperwork. Good evening, miss.” With a curt nod, he spread his wings and shot for the sky. Bewildered, Star could only give a quick nod to the stunned mare and launched himself to catch his friend.

Star flapped hard to regain distance so he could glide next to the other Pegasus, “What the buck was that all about? You sure do know a lot about this thing.”

Light led the way to the next rooftop checkpoint. Once they were both landed he turned to his friend, “You should know the basics from training, dude. Pleasure Ponies get licensed. They get medical check-ups and health inspections of their place of business.”

“Well yeah, I got that part of the briefing too. I mean, I may have come from a backwater town and I understand that for some ponies, making others feel good is their special talent. But...you were going off on something a bit more than laws. What's this all about, Light? You coulda hauled her in if you really wanted to.” Star sat back on his haunches.

“Yeah, could have, dude. But it wouldn't have helped. I suspect we'll see her again and again till something bad happens.” He sighed and looked down at the roof-top. “This is exactly the kind of stuff I joined up for. To stop these things from happening to other ponies.”

“Seems like you got something on your mind, Light. I'll listen if you wanna get it off your chest.” He smiled reassuringly to his friend.

There was a long pause, a slight shaking of his head and a heavy sigh before Lighthoof replied, “It has to do with my mom.” He turned and walked to a rooftop edge, looking over at the intersection below them.

Star stepped up beside him, watching the slightly increased night-traffic below. The clubs would be hopping in another hour or so. “You never talk about your family. You wanna tell me about it?”

Light snorted in disdain, “Family...yeah right. If you were any other pony I wouldn't say a word but...My 'family' is just my mom who's an unlicensed Pleasure Pony in Manehatten who lives under the thumb of her abusive boyfriend, slash, pimp.”

Shaking his head, Star grimaced, “I can see why you don't talk about it. Too much fodder for other ponies to make fun of you. Have you seen her since you joined the guard?”

“No, and I don't plan on it. I think she loved me when I was little, hard to tell between the memories of her moans, getting bucked on the other side of a thin wall by her clients. Or hearing her cries as she was beaten by her pimp, for not making enough money. As I got older, she became more distant, and cold. Yelling at me a lot and just tossing a few bits at me to feed myself. Some nights I wonder if she ever loved me, or if I was always an inconvenience.”

“That's harsh, Light. What about your dad?”

The pegasus sneered and looked up at the heavens, dulled by the city lights, “Tartarus, dude, I'm not even sure who my father is. Perhaps a client, some bum friend of hers, or maybe that son of a manticore who took her money. To be honest, I'd rather not know.”

They sat in silence for a bit, Light busy watching the ponies below, trying to ignore the slight look of pity his friend was giving him.

“Well...that explains why you went off on that mare back there. And why you looked like a drowned rat when you became a recruit.” They shared a light chuckle.

“Yeah, dude. I can't imagine how terrible I looked back then. Mom never gave two bits about my appearance. I was the poster-foal for a street urchin. To be honest, I probably would have flunked out of boot-camp if it wasn't for you.”

Star gave his friend a light punch on the shoulder, “Hey. I know what it's like to be misunderstood.” He paused, giving a slight smile, “Light...When I next go to Ponyville, I want you to come with me. I want you to meet my folks.”

His friend turned to look at him, eye-brow raised, a slight look of confusion. “Are we that far along in our relationship?”

Star rolled his eyes and laughed, “No, you jerk. We've been like brothers these last couple of years, haven't we?”

The other pegasus thought about it a while, then nodded, his purple helm gleaming in the street-lights, “Yeah...I guess so. You're probably the closest thing I have to family who gives a buck about me.”

“I've told my parents about you here and there. Once I explain your situation, I'm sure they'd welcome you to our family. You and Sherry seem pretty serious. Who knows, you could marry her, maybe have some foals. Do you really want your childhood to be the example of what a family is?”

Lighthoof tightened his lips, looking away, “...you have a point. I guess I don't really know what having a real family is like. And I sure as buck don't want to be like my mom.” He looked up at his friend with a smirk, “So you're saying you want your parents to adopt me?”

His buddy grinned, “Well, wouldn't you rather be adopted than a bastard?”

Light slugged him in the arm before the two shared a chuckle, “Fair enough. Let me think about it, cool?” Star nodded “And uh...thanks Star. I-”

“Somepony! Hel-!” A mare's sudden shout was cut off nearby.

Light spun, his ears swiveling, Star facing another direction, “Did you hear where it came from?”

Star flapped over a gap between two buildings, glancing down the next row of dark passageways, “No. Check that side.”

The two pegasus bounded from roof-top to roof-top, carefully scanning the alleys till a hiss from Light caused Star to spin mid-air and drop down next to him. Down below, a large earth-pony stallion had a young unicorn mare pinned to the brick wall. It was shadowy, so it was hard to discern much else. The mare had something stuffed in her muzzle, muffling her sounds. Star guessed it was a rag or cloth. Light shushed Star with a quiet gesture, then the two leaned their heads down to listen to the colt.

“The boss don't like it when ponies don't pay their bills. And he really doesn't like it when a pony in debt drags their little friends into it. I didn't want to rough you up a bit, but you're butting your nose into other pony's business. You tell your little mare-friend, to pony up the monthly balance or we'll do the same thing to her that I'm doing to you. Now, if you're serious about paying down her debt. Perhaps we can...come to an arraignment.” The pegasi could hear her muffled screams and see her squirm, “What's the street value of a good buck, two hundred bits for a young thing like you? That just about covers the monthly interest your friend owes. How about it, filly? Willing to take get shafted for that dead-beat?” She whimpered as he caressed her cheek. “Tell you what, I'll give you three hundred if you let me mount your plo-AGggggghhh, bitch!” He staggered back, clutching between his hind-legs as the mare landed back on all fours and bolted for the alley-exit. She made it a to the edges of the shadows when the colt overtook her, tackling her to the ground.

“Fine, you little slut, want to make it rough?” He decked her across the muzzle with his hoof. She recoiled and struggled to wiggle out from under him. The colt lifted a hoof to strike her again when a purple-armored blur flashed through the air and sent him tumbling.

The stallion staggered to his feet, shaking his head to clear the daze. He frowned at the smaller pegasus staring him down. “Walk away little bird. This is Steelhoof family business.”

Lighthoof crouched and flared his wings, ready to strike, “Star, how's the mare?”

StarStep was standing protectively over the downed filly. He turned to glance her over in the shadowed light, “Looks banged up, black eye, bloody muzzle.” At Star's voice, she opened her unswollen eye, noticed his armor and latched onto one of his fore-legs, sobbing softly. “And apparently happy to see us.”

Light nodded, his eyes still locked on the large stallion, “Are you a pimp or something? There's two things I hate. Pimps and mare-beaters. Now, are you going to surrender peacefully or do I get to enjoy bucking you up?”

“Little colt, you have no idea who you're bucking with. I'm Don Steelhoof's enforcer. If you don't walk away right now, I will personally skin your flank and sell it on the black-market.” He stomped his massive fore-hoof down. It clanked on the stone of the alley heavily.

“Weighted horseshoes, Light.” Star announced, holding the cowering filly to his breastplate. “You need a hoof?”

Lighthoof shook his head, “Naw, dude. I got this mother-bucker.”

The large stallion smirked, “Big words from a little birdbr-” POW! Lighthoof shot from the ground, landing a clean blow across the colt's jaw as he streaked by and up. The earth-pony stumbled a step and growled, spinning behind him. He didn't see Light's attack from above. A double hoofed strike on the top of his head. The large colt stumbled about, taking a wild swing at the fast pegasus. It missed but cracked the brick he contacted. “Hold still you little sh-OOOF” The pegasus guard slammed his body into the staggering stallion's side, toppling him over. As he sought to regain his footing, Star calmly walked up to him, turned around and apple-bucked him in the face. The stallion's eyes rolled back and he fell limp.

“Bucking mare-beaters.” Lighthoof growled, panting for breath. He dug hoof-cuffs from his armor pouch and slapped one of each set of legs. Satisfied, he trotted over to Star and the filly. “Come on, Star, lets get her out in the light.”

His friend nodded, having a hard time prying the pony from his leg, but the two of them coaxed her out of the dark alley, protectively keeping her between them. Under a bright street-lamp, Star had her sit and turned her face up with his hooves. She was a light purple-grey unicorn with yellow mane.

“Oh...buck me...Dinky?” He frowned and pulled a cloth from his armor pouch to gently dab at the blood on her muzzle.

The filly had tears in her eyes, “Who...who are you?”

“You know her Star?” The other pegasus asked, he grimaced at her banged up face.

The filly glanced her unbruised eye to Light then to the colt cleaning her wounds, “Star? StarStep?” She made a little whimper of a noise.

He gave her a reassuring smile, “Yeah, Dinky. It's me. I'd say it's good to see you but...not like this.” He paused to remove his guard's helm, letting the magic return him from shadowy-grey pegasus to his natural blue-grey. She smiled slightly as he returned to cleaning her face. “Dinky, this is my guard-partner, Lighthoof. Lighthoof, I'd like you to meet Dinky Doo, from Ponyville.”

The other guard smiled to the grey unicorn. “Other than the face, are you ok, Miss Dinky?”

“Yeah, thanks you two. I thought I was in real trouble” She gave a slight shrug and a faint smile.

Light tapped his chest-emblem three times. There was a pause then a chime sounded from it. “Alright, prisoner pick-up will be here shortly. Can you tell us what this is all about, Miss Dinky? I want to bury this colt in charges.”

Star was carefully turning her head one way and another, looking for more injuries. She frowned, “I...can't talk too much about it. I promised I wouldn't. But...a room-mate took out a loan and didn't read the fine-print. Things didn't work out and now my friend is in serious trouble. The pony who loaned her money was Steelhoof. He sort of runs the underground things in this part of town. I thought I could reason with him for her, so I asked this guy to let me speak to his boss. And well...you saw what happened I guess.” She looked down, unable to meet Star's concerned look.

There was a sudden flash of light and two unicorns appeared in golden Sun-Guard armor. They noticed the two pegasus nearby and trotted over. “Excuse me, guards, did you summon prisoner transport?”

Lighthoof nodded and pointed down the alley, “Earth stallion. Arresting on charges of assault and battery, extortion, and threat of death against a Royal Guard. We'll be in at the end of the shift to fill out a full booking report.” The unicorns nodded and trotted into the darkness. There was a short pause then a brilliant flash filled the alley.

Star handed the cloth to the young mare, “Sorry you're having a bad night, Dinky. Can we escort you home before we return to our shift?” She smiled and nodded, thanking the colts as they helped her to her hooves.

“Thank you both. It's not far.” She led the way down the main-street, the two pegasi on each of her sides. “My roomy is going to flip...my colt-friend too...oh, poor Pip.” her ears wilted. “He's going to be so angry and sad I didn't let him come for my protection.”

Star smiled slightly, “You and Pip still together? That's pretty awesome.”

She nodded with her own little smile and hung her head, “Yes...I know he wants to marry me but, his pride wont let him ask till he saves up for a horn-ring. Sadly...money has been really tight. Me, him, and our roomie scrape by.”

“Who's the roomie? She's the one this whole loan thing is about, isn't it?”

She glanced at him, “Yes...but...I swore I wouldn't let any other ponies know what she's gotten herself into. Sorry Star.”

“Hey, we all have our secrets.” He unfurled a wing to give her a gentle hug to his side. “Sorry you got mixed up in whatever this is. No pony deserves to get punched because you wanted to help a friend.”

She sighed, “It's not a bad life here in the city. But ponies like that one and Steelhoof...they prey on us. We don't have a lot of options.”

The walked in relative quiet for a while. Light seemed to be watching every alley, expecting an attack. Star would glance over at Dinky to ensure she wasn't suffering, and Dinky kept her head down, deep in her thoughts. At last she led them to the entrance of a battered two story building, wedged between a pawn-shop and a boarded-up business. “Alright, gentle-colts. This is my stop. Thank you for walking me home. I just hope that jerk doesn't blame me for you two arresting him.”

Light nodded, “Glad to help. I wish I'd stepped in a minute earlier. Sorry, Miss Dinky.”

She gave a soft smile to him, “It's ok, Lighthoof. I work over at the Iron-Mare most nights. Swing by for a drink sometime.” She nodded to Star, “Same for you. I'm sure Pip would love to catch up. He works there as security.”

Star grinned, “Hey, sounds like a plan. I would love to hear how you two are doing, minus the loan-shark drama.” He glanced up at the building number and blinked. “Oh, bucking hell...”

Dinky, confused, took a step forward so she could look up and back at the numbers as well, “What, what is it, Star?”

“Your roomie is Sweetie Belle.”