Sherlock Hooves

Sherlock fussed at his costume Cherry had gotten for him, he didn't necessarily hate Nightmare Night, he just hadn't done something like this sense he was a colt. The dressing up was something he never made time for. Cherry had already bought the costumes, both from miss Rarity so it wasn't like the cheap store bought stuff. And she had expressed how she loved this holiday, mostly for the pranks. So for her he would break his normal routine; the costume was certainly one of Miss Rarity's, flashy, tight, and more than a little unpractical. He sighed and made his way to the haunted house, that Cherry asked him to meet her at. "I can't imagine that ponies of the 15th century would wear this type of thing... Its far too tight and the material is off..." Being a little bit of a history fanatic, Sherlock tended to break things apart more than was needed sometimes. After a short walk he found said haunted house and noticed Cherry, as when he saw her try it on earlier, he turned a little red. Her costume was certainly wasn't accurate, but it still kept his attention, tight chest, and a short cut skirt just covering her cutie mark. He walked up and noticed her nervous behavior, he smiled and got himself behind her. "You seam a little nervous dear."

Sherlock smiled and nodded, normally he wouldn't really think about this but she needed him and that was his talent in life. He was a protector and if she needed it he would do it. "Alright Cherry I can do that." He helped her up and returned her to the bed, he walked over to the other side and sat down next to her. "I don't mind waiting... I just want you to sleep well."

He smiled knowing that she was, for the most part, okay. He looked around and saw the smashed lamp on the floor. "You don't need to worry about it, I'll take care of things." He held her closer, "Is there anything I can do?"

His thoughts were broken at the sound of something crashing followed by Cherry's screams. Without hesitating Sherlock bolted down the hall practically kicking the door to the bedroom open. "CHERRY?!" He found the wall switch and flipped the overhead lights on, quickly scanning the room for anypony else, just in case. Finding nopony save for Cherry on the floor crying, Sherlock came to her side. "Cherry, its alright... don't worry..." Sherlock was confused, he had never seen this kind of situation before, but he knew that if he started to become distraught it would only make the situation worse. He took her and just held her in his arms, he didn't know much else what to do. But now he was more determined than ever to fix this. After a few moments, "Y-You alright Cherry?"

Sherlock was a bit taken back, he knew it was a little bit of the alcohol but seeing Cherry crying like that... it broke his heart. "He... he strikes her?" A rage was building in Sherlock's eyes, he kept his mind calm but it wasn't easy. Even though his job was a detective, his talent and drive in life was to help anypony that needed it. He couldn't stand seeing somepony helpless like that. Calmly he took Cherry to the bed and helped her slip in. "Alright Cherry, have a good sleep... and if you do have a nightmare... I'm just down the hall." He walked out of the room and back into the main area of the apartment, instead of laying down on the couch he went to his desk and filing cabinet. "Hmmm Darkly Dare... Dare, Dare... Have I heard that name before?" Sifting through his files yielded nothing but he was sure that name came up at one point. He sat down at his desk and thought, "This needs to be dealt with... but how? Its not like I can just go over there and beat this colt within an inch of his life... Though that is a thought." He shook his head "Come on Sherlock think... this needs to be dealt with by the book..." He got an idea and smiled a little, "Or at least look like it was done by the book... No! I can't do that, I wont cross that line... but what to do... what. to. do?"

Sherlock chuckled a little at Cherry as she wobbled off him, but hearing her comment about the nightmares made him stop. "You have nightmares Cherry?" He stepped closer to her to keep her on her hooves, "Would you mind if I asked what they were about? I just find it strange... you don't strike me as the type to be bothered by... well anything really." He started to guide her down the hall to his bedroom.

Sherlock chuckled at Cherry, "Well why shouldn't they, but my advantage is I know what kind of filly is behind those looks." Miss Canter sighed and helped Sherlock carry Cherry up the stairs to his room, "I do hope I don't have to worry about her Mr. Hooves." Sherlock gave his land mare a deadpan stare and sighed. "Nothing to worry about nanny, I'll be on the couch tonight. By the way, Miss Bloom doesn't have a place to stay in town, so until she's on her hooves I've offered my room." Miss Canter nodded as she opened the door to Sherlock's apartment. "Very well Mr. Hooves, though keep in mind if she stays too long I'll have to raise your rent." Sherlock nodded to her and hauled Cherry in shutting the door behind him. "Alright Cherry, here you go."

Managing to catch her before she and the ground became good friends he chuckled at her and hoisted her up. "You sure you're good to fly like that? Here I have another idea." He lifted Cherry up and placed her along his back, allowing her arms to wrap around his neck. "There we are, now we wont have to risk you flying into something." He chuckled and started for home, outside it was already dusk and getting darker by the moment. Sherlock knew this area was bad even by his standards at night so he picked up the pace. "Well it was kind of obvious, the way your sister acts, and the fact that you've been to a halfway home for troubled fillies. Most parents don't do that unless they're trying to get their foals to behave in some manner." Finally arriving home, and luckily without incident, he set Cherry down and opened the door helping her up to his apartment. "Oh Mr. Hooves, its only her first day! What did you do to the poor filly?!" His land mare protested once she saw Cherry's state. Sherlock smiled sheepishly, "Nothing Miss Canter. It was all her choice I assure you. Besides I'm taking care of her as you can see." She eyed him then blinked in shock at his last words. His brow furrowed, "Not like that! Really git your mind out of the gutter nanny." He rolled his eyes at his land mare and started for the stairs.

Sherlock shook his head and smiled, "Not a chance, I was raised to be a gentlecolt... well when its needed... and I wont have you sleeping anywhere else." He grinned at Cherry and pulled a few bits out of his pocket to pay the tab. "Besides you've seen how I sleep, I haven't actually slept in that thing in a few days." He chuckled and started for the exit, he waved to someponys in the crowd and they did the same. There were a couple of huffs and disappointed glares from some of the mares.

He turned to Cherry a bit confused then came to a realization, he sighed. "You're not going to be staying with Lilia are you?" She shook her head, he saw the major problem here. She had no place to actually call home in the city and having her stay with him would be difficult. "Well we need to figure something out... I would offer but my apartment is only the one room..." He blushed at the thought of Cherry sleeping there, he had only just opened up to her less than 5 minuets ago. He thought for a little while longer and could only think of one practical solution. "Well okay... I guess you'll stay with me until we can find you your own place. You can have the bed and I'll use the couch... or desk... or floor." He chuckled a little, "Honestly I just sleep wherever I want sometimes."

Sherlock smiled sheepishly as he noticed Luna's reaction to his slight mess, promptly placing his hoof back down. "My apologies your highness, I wasn't expecting to just turn a corner and just find you there." Normally he wouldn't care to give nobility their title, he always felt that the majority of them didn't really deserve it, however this was princess Luna. One could say MANY things about the infamous detective. But one thing nopony could deny was that his loyalty to Celestia, and since her return, Luna was without fault. He looked around taking the situation in; his eyes narrowed and he got confused. "Forgive me for asking princess... but why do you have no entourage, or guards for that matter?" He pondered the situation some more and stomped his hoof with his realization. "Oh that must be it! Taking a tour of the city, right? I remember one of my friends in the castle guard saying you had been getting a little antsy being cooped up in the castle for so long. I can only imagine the need to step out for some fresh air." He smiled at first, then his face turned as if he had just mentally facehoofed himself, which he promptly did next. Sherlock was known for his eccentric nature, sometimes it came off as rude or inconsiderate but that was never his intention. Usually, again, he didn't much care but given that he had just called Luna a shut in, he started to mentally beet himself up. "Ahhh... Again my apologies princess, sometimes when I break down a situation my mind will wander and I often speak when that happens..." He gave a nervous grin then gave a look like something else just clicked, "OH pardon me your highness, knocking you down, then profiling you without introducing myself. heh Wouldn't surprise me if you had my locked up for the night... though wouldn't be the first time." He chuckled a little, bowing slightly he rose with a smile. "Sherlock Hooves at your service princess." He stood for a moment before glancing to Granola and facehoofing himself once more. "And my apologies to you miss... like I said wasn't expecting to turn a corner and run right into the princess, my apologies for knocking you down as well... as well as for not really noticing you there. Not to be rude but..." He shrugged and made a pointing jester to Luna, indicating that something/somepony else was on his mind. "And I know I must look a site, it was in the line of duty so to speak you see..." He stopped and shook his head, "You know its really not that important... lets just say it was quite a night last night."

"Agreed Cherry, besides the day is almost done and I'm sure you'll be needing to get home and rest." He walked back to the bar, paying the glares from the crowd no mind. Sherlock wasn't very skilled in the ways of relationships, that didn't mean fillies didn't throw themselves at his hooves. He was just never interested in any of them; he knew that more than a week with him and they'd be sick of him. Sherlock wasn't blind to the colts either, and who cold blame them, Cherry was very pretty, and she made it very clear that he was the only pony getting her attention tonight. They made their way back to the bar, where he slowly finished off his last scotch. "So even though we didn't get a case, not a bad first day eh Cherry?"

He blushed furiously after breaking the kiss. His mind raced, he was terrified, worried, excited. He smiled warmly at her reaction, her smile was all he needed. Hearing the mare's protest he turned to her still smiling, "I'm sorry ma'am, but I didn't lie. I wasn't looking, she somehow managed to find me though." The mare pouted and gave an annoyed huff at the detective. At that moment he didn't care, he was happy, happier than he had been in a long time. Sherlock turned his attention back to Cherry and kept dancing, giving her a nuzzle and wrapping his neck around her own.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, he wanted to say he was just afraid. But he couldn't shake the feelings, it was strange. This filly that he had known for less than a week, that impressed him so, and practically begged him to be his assistant; he didn't want to lose her. "If you want... " He still couldn't get it out, he was getting visibly angry with himself. He finally put his metaphoric hoof down and took hold Cherry by her cheek; determination flaring in his eyes he pulled her in and kissed her on her lips, letting it linger as she did. Finally breaking and taking a breath, "... want to see where this goes?"

Still blushing at you, he sighed and slowly danced in time with the music... as best he could. "Who said I wanted you to go anywhere now?" He pulled himself away and swung her out by her hoofs. Then quickly pulling her back in close, "Cherry stay and be my new assistant... and... if you want..." He was stumbling over his words again, it drove him crazy. He was so articulate with everypony else, he could be intimidating or charming if he needed to be. But with her, he was stuttering.

He blushed furiously at her kiss but still smiled when she broke it. Weather it was the scotch or not he was getting use to it and to her. "If I didn't think you didn't deserve it... I wouldn't have taken you. A lot of begging and determination isn't really enough to get me to choose something as important as an assistant." He leaned down and pick up his hat, "If you were any other pony, I probably would have said no." Placing his hat back on he looked back to Cherry, "And if I recall you used your history of being in and out of halfway homes as a reason I should take you on. So why should I factor in that now?" The band started up again, this time another slow jazz piece. "Now if anypony isn't deserving of something, its me. Halfway homes for troubled fillies is one thing, I've been brought before the princesses themselves for my digressions. Plus there are my habits, I can drive ponies away. I have had filly friends in the past... but I've driven them all away with some of my thoughtlessness." As the song progressed and the other ponies began dancing around them he held out a hoof bidding her to take it. "May I have this dance?"

Not failing to see Cherry as she walked through the crowd he grinned and did a quick turn getting behind her. He grabbed her shoulder and spun her to face him; looking to the stage he called out to the band, "Hey Jazz! Finish this one for me!" He tossed the mic to the band leader and turned his attention back to Cherry, "Quite resourceful Miss Bloom I have to admit you've got a lot of talent for this line of work." He chuckled at her and started to dance, not quite yet taking his hat back from her. "Distracting your mark, using the impulses of a crowd to cover an escape, very good. Keep this up and you'll probably be better at this than me." His scotch was getting to him a little, he could handle his hootch just fine normally. But this time he had slammed a couple of shots, its not something he normally does. He kept dancing with her, taking her hooves and doing his best to properly swing to the music. Sadly for Sherlock, his singing was better than his dancing. But he honestly didn't care, and neither did the crowd really, they knew him and his odd traits. "I will admit Cherry, I'm a bit of a dunce when it comes to... flirting, but I'm not totally clueless." He spun her out to the tip of his hoof then pulled her back, crossing his arms around her neck, "Its not the first time mares have tried to gain my affections." He started to blush bad and his words stuttered a little. "A-And the reason I haven't... Is.. well its because... nopony has ever impressed me... or made me feel comfortable enough..." He trailed off a bit and looked down. He sighed in frustration then looked back with determination in his eyes. "Cherry, no mare I've ever met has impressed me more than you... and I haven't felt this happy and relaxed in years... even the times I've been here by myself... I haven't been this happy... Thank you." He smiled at her and as the song ended he took hold of her shoulder and dipped her, still smiling just holding her for a moment.

Upon hearing the comment the herd of mares gasped and advanced on the poor detective. Before he could realize what had happened he was near surrounded by them, all begging questions and making accusations. "You told me you weren't looking for anypony!" "Who is she Mr. Hooves? What kind of mare could steel you away?" He shuffled and tried to back himself away in the confusion. "Ladies please its not like that... Why would you even..." Then something clicked in his head and he grinned a little, "Clever, clever filly Cherry... You may be more cut out for this than I thought." He backed away from the crowd of mares apologizing to them and thought of how to find Cherry and get her back for this... Then a thought came and he nodded to himself. "How about another song as an apology?" They all smiled in agreement and he hopped back up on stage to the sound of cheering. He spoke to the band once more and grinned to himself. "A young filly who's a fan of Dean's shouldn't be able to resist this." The music started, a very Istallian (Italian if I was making that too vague xP) style song, he started slow. "A colt went back, to Napoli, because he missed the scenery. The native dances and the charming songs, but wait a minute, something's wrong.... Hey mambo, mambo Istalliono." He continued and scanned the crowd for Cherry, not finding her right away he moved to the next tactic and pulled the mic out of the stand and walked onto the dance floor, and started to dance with some of the mares that had assailed him earlier, only for a few moments before moving on.

Sherlock glared but not out of anger, more playfulness. He saw her disappear into the crowd on the dance floor, he gave chase but as soon as he got his opportunity he disappeared into the crowd as well. He scanned the crowd and kept himself low, slowly he worked his way around to the other side of the audience. Tracking her down he worked his way through the crowd, his target in sight, coming within hoof's reach of her. "Oh Mr. Hooves, you were so wonderful!" A mare next to the two of them shouted out his name. He mentally facehoofed himself and groaned as his cover was blown.

He chuckled seeing her play up the scene like that. "Well maybe its the only one worth going to?" He walked up to her chuckling at her. Before reaching out for his hat trying to snatch it back.

He was about to say it was alright, but before he got the chance Cherry grabbed his prized fedora and took off with it. "Hey! Cherry..." He ran off after her, he knew she wouldn't do anything to his hat, she wasn't that kind of filly. But she wanted him to follow her so he played along, if for nothing else to figure out what. He loved a mystery after all.

He looked at her then back to his drink, he didn't put a hoof on her shoulder or say he was sorry, he sat there for a moment then sighed. "My grandfather was the chief inspector here in Canterlot for about 30 years before this new one. When he retired... well was asked to retire, because of his failing health. My parents asked me to come here and help him out with his day to day things." He took a swig of his drink and grimmest at the burning sensation it left in his throat. "I learned everything I do now from him... especially my love of the Rat Pack. He knew them actually, saw them play in this very place once or twice I believe." Sherlock's face began to smile a little then faded, "The day he died, he told me that he couldn't be prouder of somepony than he was of me, for following in his hoofsteps. He left me with the skills I needed to make it in this world... plus this." He pulled his hat off and placed it on the bar.

Hearing her words, he blushed hard, he wanted to respond but couldn't think too clearly right at that moment. Not like he could have been given much of a chance though, before he could even recover from her words, the kiss. He couldn't remember the last time somepony kissed him, even counting his mother. He didn't speak, or rather he couldn't; all he could do was sit there stunned beyond rational thought. When he finally returned to Equestria he looked back at Cherry. "I-I... Miss Bloom... I don't... wh-why..." He was stumbling over his words, something that never happens to him. He turned around to face the bar and took a very deep breath, trying to regain his composure and speak clearly Turning back to Cherry, "Forgive me... Now Cherry... I'll just assume its the alcohol talking... or at least saying what's on your mind. But I don't think, you and I, would be a good idea. I... I'm not relationship material." His gaze returned to the bar and hung a little, memories that he wasn't very fond of returning. His next scotch arrived, he picked it up but didn't drink, just swirled it around. "... For the record though... you're not a silly filly. I would have never thought somepony so young would be like you; you drink scotch, you enjoy the old classic music, and you have no problem handling yourself in harsh environments and situations. Any colt that didn't bat an eye for you would be an idiot... Or... trying to keep you from getting hurt..." He sipped at his scotch, this time just drinking it as normal.

Sherlock smiled pleasantly surprised, "Really a young filly like you knows Dean's songs, and he's your favorite? You're surprising me more and more Miss Cherry." He grabbed his drink and finished it down, noticing Cherry's tail against his flank. He blushed again, this time he wasn't able to shake it off as an accident. Sipping down his drink quickly, quicker than he normally does, burring his throat a bit. "Oh... haaaa... Another one!" He fidgeted a little then heard Cherry mumble something, "You say something Cherry?"