If you'd asked me just hours ago what I thought of changelings, then I would have told you they are heartless monsters who take away all you love without a thought. They hurt my brother, they nearly killed the princess, and now they've separated me from every pony I love. Just hours before I would have happily said those things.
But now I'm not so sure.
A few minutes after Rainbow contacted every pony to say we caught the suspected spy the girls arrived to take him away. They used these metal things (which I later found out are called cuffs) to restrain Royal Pin and throw him in the back of a wooden cart. He looked so defeated and scared. It broke my heart.
They locked the doors and drove back to the station, me and Rainbow took another cart back. When we arrived Rainbow and I headed back to her office, neither of us sat down.
"Good job D.I Sparkle, if it weren't for your quick thinking we may never have caught him". It felt like a compliment but I couldn't feel good about it. All I could see was that poor stallion, covered in blood and cuts. I decided to ask the question that I had been asking myself the whole way here.
"What's going to happen to him?" She had no look of worry or regret, she looked so calm, like this was the norm.
"We'll hold him in the cells till tomorrow. Then we'll question him and figure out if he is our changeling spy".
"And what if he's not the changeling?"
"Then we release him". I was surprised by her stoic response.
"That's it? We just release him, forget we chased him half way across town? Forget I tackled him to the floor?" I was getting emotional over a changeling I've never met, it makes no sense.
"He resisted arrest, that justifies our actions". If I didn't hate this mare enough already then that last comment just made me hate her ten times more! It is wrong to treat ponies like that, even if they are changelings!
I couldn't bare to be near her anymore. "Where did they take him?"
"The cells"
"Where are they?"
"Reception area, the door on the left". With out another word I left in search of our 'guest'.
When I arrived I saw a variety of cells, each one specifically designed for different creatures. There were classic cells with metal bars, but they had small ones, large ones, metal bars, wire mesh. A cage for any species. Then there were glass ones, electrically charged ones and many more.
They were all empty, all except the one with Royal Pin in it. I suppose since this is my coma then the cages would be empty, since I've only caught one 'criminal' so far. Hopefully this will be the only one I catch, I don't want to be here one second longer than I have to.
I finally found Royal Pin's cell. He'd been put in a glass cell with no obvious holes or gaps, probably so if he is a changeling he couldn't turn into something small and escape. He was lying on a small cot like bed, it looked sort of similar to the one in my flat, only smaller. I can't help but find that amusing, my brain has given me the same bed to sleep in as the prisoners in the cells. How luxurious.
He looked up at me. He didn't look like he was as scared anymore, but he didn't look like he was going to up a fight anytime soon. "I suppose you're here to see if I'm a changeling, correct?" I shook my head.
"Actually, I came to see if you were alright". He gave a single laugh of disbelief.
"Yes, I'm fine. You only just tackled me to the ground". I feel so guilty, I know I shouldn't have done it but I couldn't think of any other way to stop him running.
"I'm so sorry about that". Then, even though I hate her guts right now, I decided to quote D.C.I Dash. "But you did resist arrest". I cringed when I said it. "Why did you run?"
"No comment". I was about to say more when I heard somepony coming towards the cell. I looked up to see Fluttershy walking towards us, she had a white saddle bag on her back with a red cross on the side. She was dressed in her usual green top and denim skirt, her mane drawn back into a pony tail and her fringe covering one eye. She smiled when she saw me.
"Hello Twilight, what are you doing down here?" I couldn't bring myself to smile, I didn't feel like it.
"I came to see how Royal Pin was doing". She was still smiling.
"And how is he?" I looked back to him, he wasn't looking at us anymore.
"I don't know, he seems depressed".
"Ok, well I've come to look him over. Make sure he's ok and that". I looked back to her saddle bag, it must be a first aid kit. Fluttershy pulled out a key from her pocket and opened the cell door, once she was inside she locked it behind her.
"Who sent you down?" I wonder if she just does this without being asked, being the element of kindness and all that.
"Rainbow sent me".
I let out a disbelieving laugh similar to the one Royal Pin had let out earlier. "Guilty conscience I bet". Fluttershy looked at me through the glass, she looked confused.
"Guilty conscience? For what?" For what!? What does she mean for what!?
"For the way she treated him!" I pointed to Royal Pin. Fluttershy looked to him then back to me.
"Um, please forgive me Twilight, but wasn't it you who tackled him?" I opened my mouth to respond but nothing came out. I opened and closed it a few times before responding in a slightly squeaky voice.
"Well, yes. But Rainbow was the one who said if he isn't a changeling our actions are justified because he resisted arrest! That's not fair". Fluttershy let out a sigh and stood to face me through the glass.
"Listen, Twilight, I know you don't like the Gov. I understand that, but you have to at least give her a chance". I must have looked shocked because she carried on. "If you must know Twilight, Rainbow sends me down here to check every suspect, regardless of what happened to them. That's not a standard procedure, she makes me do it. As for resisting arrest, technically he did, you told me so when you radioed me during the chase". I looked down at the floor and my ears drooped. "Rainbow never meant that as a way of covering this up, she just doesn't like to be wrong. Face it Twilight, she's done nothing wrong".
I looked up into her eyes, I hope she can see how scared I am. How I long to be back with my friends, with Spike. I suppose I took that fear out on Rainbow, I may not like her but she doesn't deserve that. A tear rolled down my cheek and splashed onto the floor. "I want to go home". I whispered it so quietly that I didn't think she'd hear me, she did.
"I know". Then she went back to looking over Royal Pin, bandaging up his wounds and cleaning his cuts. "That must have been one hell of a fall, luckily you seem to have no broken bones just some minor cuts and bruises". She looked at me. "Perhaps I should check you over to Twilight, make sure you didn't sustain any major injuries in the fall". I felt fine, but perhaps I should let her look me over, just in case.
"Ok, thank you". She smiled at me then packed up her things and walked to the door.
"Royal Pin? That is your name right?" He was still lying on his bed, he didn't move but he did look up at us.
"No comment".
"That's fine, for now then we'll call you Mr Pin. I just want you to know that if you are proven guilty you won't be harmed in any way, I'll make sure that D.C.I Dash won't hurt you". Royal Pin gave a small smile, something I never thought I'd see.
"Thanks, Miss Shy was it?" Fluttershy nodded. She took out the key and unlocked the door just like before. When she was outside and the door was locked she turned to me.
"Twilight, could you come to my office please. I'll look over there". I nodded. Just before we left I looked over at Royal Pin, he must have sensed it because he turned to look at me.
"Are you sure you don't want to tell us your name?" Then he lifted his head and shook it.
With a smile he said "No comment". I knew he was being humorous, it was lovely to see him smile. Perhaps he's forgiven me? I really hope he has. I may not be able to forgive myself, but it's nice to think that he might.