Driving up to Moon Stones driveway Starknight noticed the time was twelve in the afternoon parking the car along side the curb she turned her attention to Moon Stone giving him a nod.

"Okay" she said "we're here"

"Thanks for doing this sergeant" he replied.

"Not a problem just don't make this a habit got it rookie"?

Nodding his reply Moon Stone got out and opened the back passenger door for Moon Dancer. Getting out Moon Dancer quickly grabbed her backpack and headed inside with her brother and Starknight following her. Entering Moon Stone’s home Starknight looked around and smiled turning her attention to Moon Stone.

“So” she began, “this is your home” the living room was like any other living room with a sofa at one end of the room, a warm comforting fireplace at the other end. A large flat screen Tv placed above the fireplace and a sliding glass door leading out to a stone walkway. “Its very nice Moon Stone” she finished.

“Thank you” he replied heading into the kitchen he quickly added, “would you like something to eat before we head back to work sergeant”?

“I have a question” Starknight heard Moon Dancer call out from behind her turning around she heard Moon Dancer finish, “Why does my big brother call you ‘sergeant’? I mean you and he are in the same police department aren’t you”?

“You are correct Moon Dancer” she replied, “your brother and I are in the same department but we are not the same rank. Therefore by calling me ‘sergeant’ rather than Starknight your brother is showing me the proper respect that I am owed due to my rank and title.” Turning her attention too Moon Stone she watched him for a few minutes while he made a PB&J sandwich she added, “I thank you for asking me to join you for some food officer Moon Stone but I must respectfully decline the offer besides we both have to---”

Hearing a phone ring he interrupted her, “Hang on let me get that” picking up the phone he continued, “hello”

“like hey tihere Mr. stione it’s likue mme minuettem” hearing her hiccup several times as well as her slurred speech he gave Starknight a very concerned look i’m well like aso sorry about this bust ii afcn’t watch your sifster today”.

“Are you drunk”!?! he asked quickly receiving a concerned look from Starknight she watched him clench his hand into a tight fist “Minuette I can’t believe this I called you earlier today and you sounded fine what the actual---”

Coming around a corner with a large glass jar in her hands Moon Dancer grinned holding the jar up for Starknight to see it quickly earning herself a grin from the sergeant. On the front of the glass jar were the words ‘swear jar ten dollars per naughty word’. Seeing the jar in his sister's hands Moon Stone set the phone to speaker getting out his wallet from his back pants pocket. Placing ten dollars into the jar he gave his sister a scornful glare returning to his conversation with Minuette.

“I'm jinsulted htat you would think that fo me i’hm like os not wasted” he heard her slur out i“ jsut had only rthree dor maybe it was six beergs before calling you”

“Yeah you're obviously not in any condition to watch my little sister so I am going to hang up now goodbye”! Sighing he looked to his sister before adding, “Looks like I’m going to have to take you with us kido”.

“Absolutely not” Starknight injected crossing her arms “leaving aside the clear fact that you should be able to find another babysitter a police precinct is no place for a child regardless of the fact that she is your little sister”!

Hearing tapping from behind him he turned around seeing his sister impatiently tapping her foot glaring at her big brother she crossed her arms giving him a scornful scowl. Smiling to herself Starknight watched the specital begin as Moon Stone’s little sister frowned.

“Why can’t you just stay home today Moon Stone”?

“Because without a steady job, I won’t be able to afford this house or to keep you in school”. He replied looking at the phone he sighed turning his attention to Starknight he finished, “I suppose you are right that the police precinct is no place for a child”.

“I’m not really good with kidsMoon Stone so before you ask me to watch over her please don’t” she replied, turning her attention to his little sister she finished, “I know you really want him to stay home today Moon Dancer but you’re brother is right that he needs to work in order to provide a stable life for you”.

Pouting Moon Dancer headed to her room while Starknight simply shook her head with a slight smirk etched on her face she sighed to herself. Seeing her reaction Moon Stone’s confidence began to waver as he started to let his thoughts dwell on the current situation. “I need to find someone to watch her I can’t just leave her here alone” he thought to himself flipping through his phone his eyes fell to one number in particular hoping that the person it belonged to would be willing to watch over his little sister. “I hope this works” he said out loud catching Starknights attention dialing the number he finished, “Please be home and please, be willing to watch my sis---”

“Hello”

“Hello Mrs. Smith its Moon Stone” he began getting a positive look from Starknight “I am in need of your services” closing his eyes he silently prayed to himself, “there was an incident at Moon Dancers school today due to this I need your help can you-well-that is would you be willing to watch my little sister for a few hours today”?

“av course ay would be mawe than awful happy ta watch y'all's little sistur Moon Stone just bring hur down here ayn' ay'll watch hur faw ya” hearing him let out a sigh of relief, she added, “well whatcha waiting fur I ain't got all day sonny Ah’ll see you in a few hours”.

“Thank you Mrs. Smith this means a lot to me” hanging up his phone he smiled finishing, “good now that is---”

Hearing the front door open and slam shut quickly followed by a car horn blaring his eyes widened giving Starknight a confused look he hurried over to the living room window. Peering out he saw his sister Moon Dancer in the front seat of the patrol car beeping the car horn clearly showing she was very impatiently waiting to go. Feeling a finger tapping his shoulder he turned around locking eyes with Starknight.

“Well are you going to stand there all day”? she asked, “or are you going to take your sister to Mrs. Smith's ranch so she can have some fun and perhaps learn about the animals and plants that Granny Smith has up there”?

Leading Starknight out of the house he closed the door being sure to lock it getting to the car first Starknight opened the front and door knelt down. Giving Moon Dancer a nod locking eyes with her she grinded.

“Come on hurry up” she heard Moon Dancer wine “I want to go see all the neat animals and learn about the plants and, and oh, what else do you do on a farm”?

“Well tell you what” Starknight pleasantly began “if you hop out and get into the back seat I’ll tell you what else you can do on a farm”.

“Really” she exclaimed with excitement her eyes beamed with joyful happiness “cool I’m going to learn so much today this is so exciting”.

Quickly getting out of the front seat and into the back passenger seat Moon Dancer buckled in while her brother got into the front left passenger seat. Starknight climbed in shut the door and started up the car backing out of the driveway heading down the street a few moments later coming to a stop sign she turned on the radio before looking both ways.

“In today's news” everyone heard over the radio “we have two mangled bodies found near the Canterlot Harbor”.

“Looks like we might have to take that case sergeant” she heard Moon Stone say picking up the cars mic he added, “Dispatch this is car sexyfour seven do you want us to take that ten - thrity nine”?

“That’s a ten - seventy four officers there is already three ten - sixties in the local area continue about your duties”. The dispatcher replied.

Hanging up the mic he grunted to himself catching both Starknights and Moon Dancers attention turning a corner Starknight glanced over to him. Noticing he was annoyed by the lack of assignments he was getting remembering her own lack of assignments she chuckled to herself. Letting her thoughts shift to her first few days on the force in Mainehatten New Bork. Tilting her head to the right and being a bit curious herself Moon Dancer chimed in, “What's a ten - sixty Moon Stone and can we go to the area that has that body that we heard about over the radio”?

“Well depending on how you use it Moon Dancer honey” he replied, “it could mean that an officer such as Sergeant Starknight here could use some back up” receiving a quirked eyebrow from Starknight he quickly added “or it could mean that other officers are already on the scene and don’t require any backup” looking ahead he smirked to himself “in this case kido it means that we don’t need to go there besides that you uh, don’t need to see a dead body at least not at your age” he finished.

“Or any age for that matter” Starknight injected taking a right turn she stopped at a red light turning around she looked into Moon Dancers eyes for a few seconds before adding, “listen kid, it sounds like you want to learn all you can about being a cop. While I can tell you that it is an exciting job there are aspects of this job that you at your young age you don’t need to know about or hear about”.

“Aww phooey” she whined in protest “that doesn’t sound like any fun to me besides I wanted to see my big brother in action”.

Turning back around and heading further into the country Starknight bit her lower lip thinking to herself, “God I wish I could make it clear to her why she shouldn’t become a police officer”. Getting to Sweet Apple Acres a half hour later Starknight drove down the long dusty dirt road pulling up alongside a long wooden fence. Getting out of the car Moon Stone turned his shoulder radio volume down and opened the back door for his little sister as Granny Smith came up to the fence greeting them with a pleasant smile.

“Can I go see the chickens and horses” Moon Dancer asked while she looked around for anything that would excite her curiosity, “I promise I won’t bother them I just want to look at them,” she finished trying to look away from Granny Smith who gave her a sympathetic stare clearly taking notice of Moon Dancers blackeye and split lip.

“Sure thing kido” Her brother replied watching her scamper off.

“How done y'all's little sistur get that there awful a-lookin' split lip ayn' blaykeye”

Turning his attention fully to Granny Smith he frowned replying, “She got that from two girls that have been bulling her at school.” Looking towards the direction his sister ran off in he continued, “thanks again ever so much for doing this Mrs. Smith I’ll get her backpack from the car” turning to get his sister bag from the car he looked over his shoulder finishing, “It pains me greatly to see her hurt like that, that’s why I am pulling her from school as soon as I am able to do so. I want her to go to a school where this type of thing doesn’t happen”.

Turning to watch Moon Dancer run towards the horse carel Mrs. Smith sighed letting her thoughts dwell on her mother. “Ay see.” she finally growled out in anger tightening her hand into a fist “Why when ay were hur age my mowthur would have whipped the floaw with the person that evur dare lay ayy hand on me.” Feeling a soft firm hand resting on her shoulder she sniffed fighting back her tears gently patting Moon Stones hand she added, “Ma would have taken hur belt off and given them bullies ay darn good crak on the skull ayn' ay tell ya what Moon Stone that there would be that there naw mawe bullies”.

“I am sure she would have made them pay dearly for hurting you Mrs. Smith” He softly replied watching her turn around the two locked eyes for a moment offering her a smile as best as he could, he added, “you wouldn’t happen to have some old clothing my sister could use while she is up here would you Mrs. Smith”?

“Why sure ay do y'all's little sistur ken use some ov Applejak's old cloths ay am sure they will fit hur just fine” she replied watching him head over to the police car, “My granddaughtur’s will be home in ay few hours Applejaks away at school and Apple Bloom’s away at summur camp right now. But when they get back ay am sure The'll wan-ta show y'all's sistur around ayn' perhaps Moon Dancur will also help with the chores around here”.

“That'd be great” He replied picking up his sister backpack he carried it over to Granny Smith placing it into her hands adding, “now she has her homework to do as well so be---”

His words were cut short when both heard Starknight yell to them from the car, “Moon Stone get in now we need to leave”!

Spinning around he ran towards the car getting in giving her a concerned look leaving Granny Smith to shake her head and carry Moon Dancers backpack towards the farm house. Starknight slammed her foot into the gas growling out into the car’s mic, “This is squad sixty four seven we are ten-seventy six copying that ten-twenty four repeat we are copying that ten-twenty four”!

Knowing that ten-twenty four meant officer down Moon Stone braced himself for what was sure to be a rough afternoon. Flipping on the sirens he pressed his back into the soft leather of the police cruiser noticing the speedometer was trembling just past one hundred twenty two. Gripping the doors handle he gulped as Starknight took a sharp right leaving only tread marks behind the only indication that they were ever there. Blaring the horn she screamed out to a velchel that wasn’t yielding to her right of way, “Get the hell out of the way”!

Next Chapter: Wednesday, August 3rd 12:15 pm part seven Estimated time remaining: 6 Hours, 44 Minutes