“Ranger, I-I understand you are upset, but…”

I cut Shield Heart off and glanced down at him, as he kind of had to half trot to keep up with my pace. Many ponies we passed looked worried. I suspect the fact I was pissed and showing it was the reason.

“We’re going to place her in custody, Shield. Nothing more, unless she resists arrest. Then, we will use what force is necessary to restrain her.”

He exhaled “Sorry, just, I’ve never seen you this angry, and I’ve never seen any mother…”

I gave a nod. “Takes a special kind of heartless bitch to hit their own child like that.” We turned a corner and headed up the lane to the ‘richer’ part of town.

He looked up at me once more, ears flat, the cause likely being my language. “What does a female canine or diamond dog have to do with it?”

I slowed my pace, caught totally off guard. I looked down at him with a blink. “Wait, wh..OH, uh, well, you see-” I was cut off by a third voice, as a unicorn stallion trotted up to us. I could hear Cort breathing hard and fast.

“C-came fast as I cou-could. LD is-is-is on her way to Manehatten already.”

I glanced over at him. “Told you you need to go out on a jog with me every day, chubby.”

He gave a snort as Shield Heart chuckled.

“Whatever….ok, what's the plan?”

Glancing over to the house, I looked back at him. “By the book, Cort. We knock and initiate. We draw her out or get her to invite us in. We place her under arrest, and we take her in.” I frowned. “And we’re going to walk her right through the middle of town, in irons, to do it.”

Both unicorn and earth pony frowned. “Dude.” Cortland looked up at me. “Y’all can’t do that. It ain’t right.”

I gave a frustrated snarl and looked down at him, speaking in a low but harsh tone so no one could overhear us. “Cort that fucking bitch hit her daughter. I just came from the school. That little filly has a eye black as night and she'll be lucky if it doesn’t have permanent damage.”

I thrusted my finger at the house, still looking him in the eyes. “That self righteous whorse is going to face justice, and we are going to perp walk her past everyone — yea, shut up, I know, everypony — so they know what she did.”

Cort looked pissed as he glanced to the house, to me, back to the house and gave a nod. “Your call, LT, but don’t like it and I’m going to say so in the incident report.”

I looked over at the Twilight guard with us. He looked a bit shaken by the whole exchange. I shrugged and glanced back to the Apple unicorn. “I wouldn’t be happy if you didn’t, partner.” With a nod, we turned and the three of us walked up the path to the house. I reached out and banged on the door.

An older stallion, faded bluish grey coat and big bushy eyebrows of white, matching his mane and tail, opened the door. I could see his eyes were a bit puffy, but like any gentleman's gentleman, his thoughts were guarded.

“Can I help you, gentelcolts?”

I saw his eyes roam to the badges and the guard. I saw the dawning light in his blue eyes.

“We are here to speak with Mrs. Rich.”

He gave a nod. “I will take you to her, officers.”

Cort, however, corrected him. “Rangers.”

Again, a nod. “Rangers, and royal guard, please, this way.” The look he gave me, there was… worry in it. As the door closed behind us, he paused. “Mi ... Ranger McDonald.”

I was surprised he knew my name and he gave a nod back “Master Rich and Miss Tiara speak highly of you. Please… is, is…?”

I cut him off and looked down at the old pony who came to my hip in height. “Foal services is on the way. I sent our fastest flyer to get to Filthy and bring him home. She will be in good ha-hooves until he gets here. Right now, Silver, her other friends, and Princess Twilight are with her.”

I saw relief flood his eyes. He pointed a hoof at a closed door. “She's in there.” His tone was no longer polite, but had a edge of anger, of venom to it, before turning and walking off.

I gave a nod to Cort, who moved to the right side of the double pocket door. I glanced at the guard and gestured to the left side. He tilted his head then gave a nod as he understood what I was asking. I myself moved to the center. I figured there was no real risk of her being armed or setting a trap for us. Hell, I don’t think she was that intelligent in the first place.

With a nod of my head, Cort’s red magic gripped the right door. The guard grabbed the left one with his hoof, and they slid open with a bang.

There, behind a desk, sat the pink monster herself, currently looking quite shocked. It looked to me like she was pretty deep into a glass of something. Stacks of paperwork around her spoke to her doing some kind of… work, perhaps?

“You! Get out of my house, you monster!”

I smiled just a bit as the guard and Cort stepped into view. “Spoiled Rich, maiden name, Spoiled Milk, you are under arrest. Stand up, turn around, and place your forehooves on the bookcase behind you.”

Her demeanor seemed to flicker before she was back in cunt mode.

“I will do no such thing! This is illegal! The princesses shall hear about this! I will see you locked up in a dungeon, you monster!”

I shook my head as I approached her, two ponies at my side. “Ma’am that wasn’t a request. It was a lawful order. Get up, turn around, hooves on the bookshelf. Don’t make us use force.”

That seemed to sink in, as the color ran from her face. “M-my husband will hear o-of this” She had started to slide off the chair. I kept a eye on her, my right hand near my gun, but I didn’t really think she would be a threat.

As she reared up and put her hooves on the bookcase, she spoke. “What charges does some lowlife dare bring against my good name? No doubt false charges made up by you and that lowborn scum you serve like a loyal dog.”

I kept my anger in check, but I heard Cort give an aggressive snort. I glanced down at him and back to the pink pig of a mare.

“Spoiled Rich, you are hereby charged with foal abuse, foal endangerment, and felony assault on a minor.”

That hit her and she went quiet again as Cortland moved past me, pulling the leg and neck irons out of his bag. The mare turned her head to look, saw the chains and cuffs, and all hell broke loose.

“I will not be touched by your kind!” she shouted as she spun around, and smashed a hoof into Cort, rocking his head to the side. For all he was, I think her outburst caught poor Private Heart by surprise as he was frozen in place.

Me, that pissed me off. She struck my partner. My hand flashed down and the old peacemaker cleared the holster right as she spun to glare at me. Now, I have said before I abhor hitting a woman, but this wasn’t a woman.

I brought the heavy metal barrel across the side of her temple. Lucky for her, I held back my strength. I knew that the properties of the gun from my world would do a number to her without the impact. It hit her and sent her to the ground in a heap. Following up, my thumb brought back the hammer and I leveled the gun at her. From the corner of my eye I saw Cort was getting up from where he fell, anger in his eyes.

I could see the cold fear in her eyes now. No longer was she the arrogant mare. Reality had set in, and I think she had started to see just how deep in shit she was now.

“Assault on a officer of Equestria in discharge of his duty. Tack on a few more felony counts.” I paused. “You ok, Cort?” I never took my eyes off the prone mare. I could see she was going to have a bit of a mark along the side of her face from the gun's impact.

“Yea, she just caught me off guard,” he said as he picked the irons up. “I need her up.”

I gave a nod. “Private Heart, help Ranger Cortland chain the suspect. Mrs Rich, my recommendation, get up real slow. I mean molasses in winter time slow, and you just stand there and let them do their job.”

She trembled as she stood. “Y-you struck me. Celestia will hear of this!”

I gave a nod, making note of her eyes locked on the barrel of my peacemaker. Did she know what it was? Not likely, but did she suspect it was a weapon. Probably.

“Yes, she will. In our full report.” The first cuff went around her neck and closed with a click, followed up by the ones around her left and right pastern.

Cortland started to talk as he worked. “You have the right to remain silent. You have the right to have an advocate appointed to you. You have the right to a fair trial. Do you understand your rights?”

She took on a bit of a mean look. “I will make you pay for this, monster.”

I gave her a smile as I slid the pistol back into the holster. “Private, will you be so kind as to fetch us a wagon for the fair lady here to ride in? Something with open sides, so the whole town can see her.”

He gave a nod. “Sure thing, Ranger. I think the old jail wagon is still behind town hall.” He turned, and headed out the door.

I looked back to see her anger, but it was starting to fade from her face as the full weight of what was to be set in. I decided to be a tad bit unprofessional.

“You finally get what you wanted, Spoiled. The whole town will be looking at you.”

Was it a bit unnecessary? Yes, but the look in her eyes was worth it. They were wide as it hit her: her life was over.

---

Four hours later, I pushed the door open and walked into Berry’s bar. Cort was with me. The private had stayed behind. WIthout really speaking, we walked across the room and up to the bar itself. I felt a lot of eyes on me, but no hostility at all. I suspect news of our deeds had made the rounds by now.

“What’ll it be, Rangers?” Berry Punch, herself, leaned on the bar and looked at me.

I reached in and tugged out ten gold bits and laid them down. “Whole bottle, and AJ doesn’t get told about this.”

She frowned, slid the bits off the bar to disappear, and brought up a bottle of amber liquid and two glasses. “I won’t lie if she asks me.”

Cortland and I both gave a nod. “Fair enough.” I picked up the bottle and uncorked it, pouring a shot for myself and for the unicorn next to me. Just as I was pouring the second glass, a sound came from my other side. I turned and found Twilight. She climbed up on the barstool slowly, her face drawn and tired looking.

“P..princess! How can I-” Berry started, but Twi held up her hoof. “Just Twilight, please...and another glass.” She gestured to me.

Both Cort and I lifted a eyebrow and glanced at each other before looking back to the purple alicorn. I gave a nod and a shot glass was brought out and set with the other two.

I poured the third glass as Twilight started to speak. She sounded so tired, but there was more to it than that. There was a kind of pain in her tone that spoke of her having seen and heard things she wasn't quite prepared for.

“Nurse Redheart looked at...and said she should be ok.” She edited herself as we were in public. Yes, ponies around us were giving the three of us space, but still.

“FPS has someone on the train right now coming from Canterlot. I don’t know who yet. I received a direct communication from Manehattan.” She glanced over at me. “Lighting Dust is on her way back already with Filthy Rich. You should know, she set a Equestria record time. Dash and the Wonderbolts are already investigating. She may have set off a sonic rainboom of her very own.” A slight smile flickered on her face.

I nudged her glass to her, then Cort’s to him. I remained silent, even as she put her hooves on either side of the glass. “I saw your report before it was sent…” She closed her mouth, then looked at me with such hurt in her eyes.

I glanced at Cort who was almost as lost and back to the purple princess of friendship. “I'm sorry, Twi. I don’t have words to explain things. I can’t tell you why.” I knew the question she had in her eyes.

She gave a nod before I continued. “To doing the job. Justice must be served.” Cort cleared his throat, “Here here,” and all three of us clinked our shot glasses together. Lifting them as a trio, down the hatch it went.

To her credit Twilight looked normal for a full two seconds before she let out a gasp. Her hoof slamming down into the bar with a loud thud. “Gahhhh” glaring at the glass like it had offended her. She looked over at the two of us. “How do you two drink that stuff!”

Cort chuckled some. “Well, Princess, after ‘bout the third one, you quit caring about the burn.” I just nodded my head in agreement.

She shook her head and nudged the glass over away from herself with her hoof. “I think I'll stop at one.” She paused and look up at me again.

“She's over at Fluttershy’s tonight. The Crusaders and Pip are with her. I think Rainbow’s staying over, too.”

I smiled just a tiny bit “Thank you, Twilight. For… well, for taking care of that side of this.”

She put her hoof on my arm and looked up at my eyes. “Don’t get drunk, ok?” She looked over at Cortland. “Both of you have somepony at home worried for you right now.”

I lowered my eyes and thought on that for a moment, glancing over my shoulder at Cort who gave the same kind of look I likely had. Turning my head back, I nodded. “We'll head home in a bit, here.”

She slid off the stool and smiled. It was forced, I could tell, but she gave it anyway. “I have things that must be done,” she said before heading for the door. I took note of many ponies bowing their heads to her as she passed them. I felt kind of bad really, because here she was, the Princess of Friendship, but still a young mare. Hell, barely out of being a filly, herself. Now she had to face life and the cold reality of it. She had a long, hard life before her, but the way she carried herself out said to me, at least, that she had the strength to do it.

Author's Notes:

A big thank you to this chapters guest editor PeerImagination