Fancypants' mouth hung agape as several surrounding ponies rushed over to comfort him. The unfortunate news seemed to have thrown off his balance, as he began to stagger about in search of a sofa or chair in which to rest. The first of the few to aid him, however, was Upper Crust. Her mascara was running and her blue eye shadow smudged as she sobbed into the shoulder of a still very shocked Fancypants. Twilight took a note of this - Upper Crust and Fleur de Lis, best friends? Or perhaps, deadly enemies hidden behind fake smiles. Rarity trotted past Twilight with a solemn frown and took a seat beside the blue-maned stallion, perching on the edge of the red velvet cushions.
A few of the palace guards had been dispatched from their supervision to secure the crime scene. Twilight remained undeterred. The lavender unicorn approached two guards clad in gleaming golden armor.
"Ahem." she said, pretending to clear her throat loudly. "I would like to see the crime scene please. I would like you to get Fancypants, Upper Crust and perhaps a few other possible suspects rounded up for questioning. I shall carry it out in a vacant suite as to allow the party to carry on." The stallions smirked, exchanging glances. They must've decided to humor her, however, for one responded.
"And why, pray tell, should we listen to you of all ponies?" the guard to the left replied airily, peering down at the mare. Twilight simply chuckled.
"Do you not know who I am?" Twilight said, biting her lip to stem the flow of laughter. She commended the soldiers for carrying out their sole duty, but these stallions were even more dense than they appeared. Celestia herself had trusted Twilight with a murder case before; it had been December, nearing Hearth's Warming Eve, when a Pegasus was found strangled by a string of Christmas lights in her own living room. It had taken her some time and frustration, but Twilight Sparkle had eventually cracked the case like an egg in a mixing bowl. The worried expressions on the unicorns made it clear - they hadn't the foggiest who she was or why she had the authority to simply waltz into a crime scene.
"Twilight Sparkle, sleuth and student to Princess Celestia." Twilight grinned, extending a hoof as if to shake. The guards immediately bowed their heads, kneeling slightly in apology.
"Miss Sparkle! Terribly sorry. We hadn't recognized you. Please, do come in." the guard to the right babbled, anxiously brushing a shaggy lock of orange mane beneath his helmet. They both stepped to the side, opening a gap to allow her past, before they sealed it up once more.
"Quite alright!" she called as she trotted down the hallway. A Persian-type carpet covered the floor, decorated with orange and green squares. The door at the very end of the hall was the only one that hung ajar. Suite 39. The light from the crystal chandelier above flooded the room in light. The first thing Twilight came across when she poked her head into the suite was blood. It splattered the beige walls and collected in a tiny pool on the hard-wood floor. The darker reddish-brown tint signalled that it was dry. Unfortunately, without the proper technology, this fact was useless in determining when the murder took place, for it could depend on several different variables such as the humidity and the composition of the blood itself.
Twilight's heart fluttered with a fleeting sense of joy at the thought of variables - such wonderful things! The glee melted away as the sight of her body came into view. Fleur de Lis' light pink mane was now caked with blood, and lay in sticky red strands. The unicorn mare shuddered at the vile sight. This murder had clearly been carried out viciously, and with no remorse for what they were doing. This was a murderer with a grudge. There were several gashes dotting her upper back, just caressing the nape of her neck. Twilight approached hesitantly, careful not to disturb the body... or step in the blood. She knelt down beside Fleur, pressing her face down near the floor to peer into her open eyes. Even in death, her eyes were entrancing. Even if they were slightly clouded over.
"Miss Twilight," a guard standing outside the door grunted. "Your notebook." A fountain pen, notebook and a bottle of black ink consumed in a yellow glow drifted down to rest beside her. "How are you-"
"Thank you." Twilight cut him off, intentionally dismissing his attempt at conversation. There was no time for idle chit-chat, for there was a crime to be solved. She took the pen in her own aura, dipping it in the ink and immediately began jotting down notes.
- eyes open after death
blood caking furthest wall and the majority of the suite's floor
several stab wounds on upper back and neck
violent death, signs of struggle - most likely grudge
Twilight paused, peering up from the paper. A spark erupted from her horn, and the foreleg of the dead mare was engulfed in a purple hue. "Just as I thought." Twilight nodded, jotting down another sentence. The body was stiff and resisted her prodding profusely - another sign that death had long since dug into this unfortunate unicorn.
- rigor mortis set in at least three or four hours before 7:13pm
Rigor mortis was a term derived from Latin, 'rigor' meaning 'stiffness' and 'mortis' meaning 'of death'. Twilight's brow furrowed as she contemplated this. "Ah-hah!" she exclaimed, a triumphant grin gracing her purple muzzle. "This must mean that the murderer would have had access to the castle before the party had started!" The purple hue vanished, allowing the notebook to fall to the wooden floor. "Guards!"
Within mere moments, a guard stood in the doorframe, obediently awaiting his next command.
"Yes, ma'am?"
"I'd like you to gather anypony that might've had access to the castle before the party started, including Mr. Fancypants. I am sure he will understand. I need you to assure that nopony leaves this castle until a murderer is found. Is that perfectly clear?" Twilight instructed, pacing back and forth in the spacious suite.
"Yes, miss Twilight. Right away."
"Thank you." Twilight sighed, somewhat in relief. This clue was an important one, and it had come rather easily to her. Perhaps she was getting the hang of this already. Mustn't get ahead of yourself now, Twilight. There is still a killer at large. Twilight peered down at the corpse of a once-beautiful mare. The alluring scent of lavender perfume now overwhelmed by the stench of her decay. Twilight pitied her, for it was a shame that she had died so young, even though Fleur had been much older than she. There was still an entire life ahead of her, memories to be made and dreams to be fulfilled. But, at the hooves of a ruthless murderer, that life was stolen.
And now, the unicorn lay in this room, nothing but a hollow shell of the mare she once was. Indeed, Fleur de Lis was no more than a wilted flower. A faded memory. A victim. "I will avenge you, Fleur." Twilight whispered, as if she were addressing a perfectly-alive, living, breathing pony.
"I will find whoever did this to you."
"How would you describe your relationship with Fleur, Mr. Set?" Twilight questioned, staring intently into the eyes of the stallion she was questioning. Jet Set sat with an uncomfortable frown, fidgeting and shifting his position in the hard wooden chair.
"Please, I prefer Mr. Jet."
"I asked you a question." Twilight pressed in a persistent tone, icy but not angry. It was a task to keep it that way, though Twilight hated to admit that even to herself. She was usually so passive and patience was a valued trait of hers, but patience sometimes led problems when you needed answers pronto.
"Right, erm, sorry." he said, coughing into the crook of his foreleg. "Fleur and I were more or less acquaintances, really. Never talked to her much and when I did, our conversations were usually about the weather or politics."
Twilight groaned, openly displaying her frustration. She had stopped caring. She would give anything to reach over and punch the unicorn right in his square jaw. It wasn't him in particular, actually. It was the fact that two hours had slipped through her hooves and not a single pony could offer any information remotely valuable to the investigation. The only thing keeping Twilight sane at the moment was the company of her friends, whom stood at the far wall, watching the interrogations unfold. Rarity placed a calming hoof on her shoulder, restraining her friend somewhat.
"Mr. Set - er... beg your pardon, Mr. Jet, can you think of anypony who may have wanted to hurt Fleur de Lis?" Rarity asked with a kind smile, placing a manicured hoof on the wooden table.
"Well, come to think of it... yes." Jet Set said cautiously, glancing away with hesitance glazing his blue eyes. "My wife. She and Fleur had a tiff as teenagers. They both fancied... well, Fancypants. When he chose Fleur, their friendship was torn apart and, knowing my wife, she holds a rather nasty grudge. I'm afraid she never truly got over it."
Rarity nodded, writing it down in the notebook and shooting a 'not bad, eh?' glance in Twilight's direction as she trotted back to lean against the wall. Twilight could hardly believe her ears. Finally! Something worthwhile. Twilight made a mental note to thank Rarity later, but for now, she had something much more pressing to deal with: an actual suspect.
"Rainbow Dash, could you send in Upper Crust please? Thank you for your help, Jet Set. You can leave now." Twilight nodded, newfound determination in her voice. Rainbow nodded eagerly, glad to have something to do other than count the strands of her multicolored mane. Jet Set stood to his hooves and trotted off, rather shakily, as though he were a little colt just about to get a needle. Within moments, Upper Crust emerged from the crowd of chatting ponies and entered the vacant suite, which Twilight had fashioned into a make-shift interrogation room. She took a seat and crossed her forelegs on her lap.
"Hello, Mrs. Crust."
"Oh, hello, Twilight." she said somewhat bitterly. Like most Canterlot 'rich folk', Upper Crust despised the pathetic 'cowpony' residents of Ponyville. As much as Twilight fought it, she would be lying if she said the feeling wasn't mutual. Canterlot was once her home, but these ponies seemed like strangers to her now. She vaguely recalled having to attend tedious parties with her parents when she was younger.
"Upper Crust, I hate to intrude on your personal matters, but we recently received wind that you and Fleur fought long ago. Is this true?" Twilight asked, leaning back in her chair, allowing it to tilt backwards. The mare pursed him lips.
"My husband told you that, didn't he?" she sighed. "Well, yes. It is true. We both took a liking to Fancypants when we were younger and when he chose her over me, our friendship was torn apart. It was mostly my fault though, I should've accepted it from the start." Twilight pressed her tongue against her cheek as she jotted down what she spoke. Letting the pen fall with a metallic clink, Twilight pressed her hooves onto the table.
"And where were you from 3pm to 7pm this day?" the purple unicorn asked, brushing a strand of her mane from her eyes. Upper Crust squinted against the glare of a desk lamp, which Twilight may or may not have placed just so it would irritate her. She placed a hoof up to shield her eyes.
"Well, I was in my room, room 23 to be exact, practicing the violin. I've been taking lessons." she said rather haughtily, very pleased with her musical endeavour.
"Do you have anyone to back up that claim? Anyone with you?"
"I'm... afraid not. I was alone."
"I see..." Twilight breathed, a sympathetic glance shot towards the yellow pony across from her. "I'm afraid this leaves you as a prime suspect, Mrs. Crust. Is there anything you wish to say to defend yourself?" Upper Crust's mouth hung agape, displaying a bottom row of perfect teeth as her jaw fell away in shock.
"Me? I-"
"Why'd ya kill 'er? Huh? Was it fun or somethin'? Why don't ya jus' fess up an' get it over with?!" Applejack yelled in her familiar southern accent, slamming an orange hoof down in front of a stunned Upper Crust. Twilight's ears flattened as Applejack continued to rant. Fluttershy approached her and restrained her flailing limbs, whispering something to the mare. Upper Crust's eyes fluttered open and shut, as if she were trying to awaken herself from a horrific dream. When it was apparent that she had, indeed, just been yelled at by a filthy Earth pony, her eyes immediately welled with tears.
"I-I... no! I didn't! I wouldn't kill her. I may have been jealous, but she was still my b-best friend!" she blurted, sobbing openly. Twilight rolled her eyes.
"Applejack! That isn't how we should treat her, even if she was the killer for sure! She's still innocent until proven absolutely guilty." Twilight scolded. Applejack lowered her Stetson, pressing against her heart.
"Mighty sorry, Twilight. And ya too, Mrs. Crust. I jus' guess I'm a bit tired from this long night and fer a split second, there was no doubt in mah mind that you were tha killer. Shouldn't have snapped like that..." she once again raised her worn-out hat, placing it onto her ruffled straw blonde mane. Upper Crust nodded bitterly, reluctantly accepting her apology.
"Quite alright. I can see why you must have such suspicions. But I assure you, I would not commit such a vile criminal act. This, I swear upon." Upper Crust said, her nose upturned. To emphasize her point, she raised her hoof to her chest and nodded solemnly. Twilight and Applejack exchanged a look.
"You are dismissed." was all Twilight said in a quiet and secretive tone. She watched the unicorn rise and trot out the door without a second glance in their direction. Twilight copied this action, soon breaking into a light jog as she made her way out of the room and through the bustling crowd of chatting ponies. Rarity galloped after her.
"Wait, Twilight! Wherever are you going?" she screamed over the hum of idle talk and obnoxious laughter. Her question was answered as Twilight came to a stop in front of Fleur's suite. She strode in, Rarity following at her tail. Twilight was accustomed to the sight of blood and corpses, but Rarity winced as the unicorn bathed in her own blood came into view.
"Sweet Celestia! This is... absolutely horrid." Rarity gasped as she clasped her hoof to her muzzle to evade the stench of rot. Twilight herself found it difficult not to gag, but she voluntarily inhaled the scent, breathing it in. It was something she would have to become familiar with if she wished to carry on in this line of work. She nodded silently in reply.
"Indeed. Now, if you don't mind..." Twilight said absent-mindedly as she levitated her trusty notebook and quill to Rarity, who groaned.
"Alright, fine." the white unicorn said as she took the notebook, the quill now poised to take notes. Twilight muttered a thanks, but it was clear her mind was wandering to other things as she examined the body for a second time. She narrowed her eyes, gazing at the several stab wounds with intrigue.
And that was when she saw them; three large slits on her neck, so thin that is was hard to imagine a blade that could create it. Twilight felt almost idiotic for not noticing it sooner, for it was now so evident. She peered at it once more, and Rarity struggled to contain her protests as Twilight reached out and touched them, running it along the slices. Her eyes widen in realisation. Strings. No, a single string of a violin bow. The mare felt a delightful tingle as the discovery seeped in. She had found her killer.
"Hmm. Interesting." Twilight wondered aloud, trotting over to the steel sink in the small kitchenette, washing the germs of decay from her hooves. Rarity raised an eyebrow as she surveyed the thin cuts that ran nearly half of Fleur's neck. "Rarity," Twilight said, calling the attention of her friend back to her. "Get Upper Crust." Rarity nodded obediently and vanished around the corner. A few moments passed and Twilight paced impatiently around the room, her eyes still fixed on the corpse in her presence. After what seemed like an eternity, Rarity returned with a clearly-shaken yellow unicorn.
"You called, Twi - er, detective?" Upper Crust asked with a hint of fear tainting her voice. Twilight nodded and pointed to the dead body that lay beside her, gesturing towards her neck.
"Care to explain?"
"Pardon?" Upper Crust said with genuine confusion a she stared blankly at the gashes.
"Care to explain why Fleur was found with three cuts on her neck that were caused by a violin bow? Ring a bell at all?" Twilight continued, a little smugly at that. Rarity silently went to shut the suite door.
"No, it couldn't - I must have been framed! It's a set-up, I swear!" Upper Crust protested, her blue and white mane thrown askew as she did so. Askew? Twilight stifled a giggle as the mane began to slip from her head entirely, leaving behind a bald and rather wrinkled yellow head. Rarity looked away, a smile present as she tried to direct her attention away from the wig.
"Um... Upper Crust, your hair." Twilight said, gesturing gingerly to the bald spot. The unicorn ceased her ranting abruptly, a look of sheer horror settling on her face. She threw her hooves up and fumbled about with the wig, hastily setting it on right. She gulped and gave the two detectives an uneasy grin.
Twilight, eager to provide another topic of which to discuss, veered the conversation back towards the arrest of a murderer. "So, as I was saying, would you care to explain? Perhaps confess to something, Mrs. Crust?" Twilight prodded, taking a step towards the mare. She continued to shake her head, as if in disbelief. Eventually, the frown faded into an almost sympathetic smile, as if to say she pitied the detectives that were about to arrest the wrong pony. She took a step towards Twilight, and settled down on her haunches to free her forelegs.
"Arrest me, detective, for it's clear that there is no way I can evade your suspicions, however false they may be." Upper Crust sighed in an oddly dreamy tone, holding up her forelegs, offering her hooves to be cuffed. "But, if I may, I wish to take one last look at the body." The faded yellow mare frowned, her gaze falling upon Fleur. Twilight and Rarity exchanged a glance, but Twilight eventually nodded, allowing the unicorn to pass. Upper Crust trotted over to the corpse, covering her muzzle as the smell hit her square in the nose. She coughed, but pressed forward, as if she were the lens of a camera, extending to get a better shot of the sliced neck.
"Hmm... I hate to burst your bubble, Ms. Sparkle, but it is clear that these marks are much to thick for violin strings."
"Pardon me?" Twilight snorted, joining Mrs. Crust in examining the body.
"These marks were left by a cello bow, from the looks of it." the mare finished. Twilight was dumbfounded, and Upper Crust gave a triumphant smile. Twilight looked to Rarity, who nodded in agreement.
"I believe she is correct, Twilight. My mother was a music enthusiast on the side of her designing career, she taught me a thing or two about violins and cellos. This... this was a cello that left the dreaded mark." There was a moment of silence between the three ponies, begging to be broken as the tension grew. Twilight sighed dejectedly. Upper Crust bit her lip, looking from one mare to the other and then back again anxiously. "Mrs. Crust, I am horribly sorry for our false accusations. I do hope you can forgive us. Why, I''m sure being falsely accused is simply the worst possible thing!" Rarity raised a hoof to her forehead dramatically, feigning a faint as she often did.
"Quite alright, I suppose." Upper Crust said half-heartedly. "May I... go now?"
"Of course! Erm.. enjoy the rest of your... night?" Twilight said, plastering a grin onto her face. Her eyes dangled upon the mare as she made her way for the door, and soon submerged into the sea of guests. Rarity pursed her lips. "Well, that was... awkward." Twilight said with an uneasy laugh as the two made their way into the crowd, escaping the stench of death that loomed over a slowly decomposing Fleur de Lis. Twilight closed her eyes, allowing herself to drown in the sweet chords of a masterful composition. She marveled out how the cello being played could portray emotions, as if it had a soul of its own.
Cello. Twilight's eyes flew open, instantly falling on the source of the music. A grey earth pony stood alone on the stage, her black mane cascading behind her shoulders, streaked with the occasional strand of naturally grey hair. A faded red bowtie was tied around her neck, a little too tight for comfort, if you asked Twilight. Octavia stood, peering down at the cello and bow in hoof as she wove a sorrowful sonata into the ballroom. The music was disrupted by aloud gasp that rose from the audience as a blur of white and purple tackled the cellist, pinning the struggling mare to the ground. Twilight's jaw dropped as Rarity toppled over on top of her, wrestling the cello out of her grasp.
"You are under arrest for the murder of Fleur de Lis! Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law!" Rarity screamed, her voice swelling in the now-silent room. Octavia ceased to struggle entirely. Twilight made her way onto the stage, gesturing for two guards a she did so. She raised an eyebrow at Rarity, but her attention was soon stolen by the cellist, who's mane now hung in disarray, several strands falling from the once-groomed hair.
"Bravo." Octavia said calmly as the anger drained from her face. "I thought you would never catch on." The mare struggled her hooves free from Rarity's tight grasp, and began clapping slowly, sarcasm hinting every clap of her hooves. The guards, upon hearing her confession, pinned her to the wooden floor of the stage. A murmur rose from the guests, but soon died down as Octavia continued to speak. "Yes, and it would have been the perfect crime, too." she began, bitterly. "If it weren't for you."
"Why did you do it?" Twilight asked as the earth pony's hooves were bound together and the cuff-links clicked shut around her forelegs. The mare's face hardened, the smug smile fleeing from her lips, which now curved in the slightest of frowns.
"I did it, dear Twilight Sparkle, for love." Octavia said, a weak smile momentarily gracing her glossy lips. Twilight watched as her gaze wandered briefly, before lingering on a familiar stallion: Fancypants. "I once admired him from afar, a distant fan of his charm and elegance. Then, I was fortunate enough to make it into the Royal Canterlot Philharmonic Orchestra, allowing me to only get closer to that handsome stallion. The only problem was that he was taken... married to that imbecilic trophy wife of a mare. But as long as he was happy, I could cope.
That was until I uncovered a disturbing secret. I saw Fleur... and Jet Set... well, we needn't delve into those details. I was outraged! She was squandering his love away with another stallion! Something had to be done. That is when I devised this plan. I would murder her, and as time passed, it came to be that Upper Crust was a convenient pony to blame. Everything simply fell together since then..."
"Only to fall apart now." Twilight pointed out, but Octavia's smug grin, which had returned over the course of the story, did not falter beneath this speculation. No, it only seemed to deep her pride.
"Oh, Twilight. Is vengeance not worth it? Besides, let's just say... I have friends in high places."
Her voice struck a chord in Twilight's heart, the iciness in her voice extending its cold tendrils into the depths of the detective's mind. What exactly did it mean? Twilight couldn't be sure. But the smile persisted on the murderer's face as she was led away. Rarity sidled up beside Twilight, laying a hoof on her shoulder.
"Why so glum, Twilight? We solved the case. We saved the day, did we not?" Rarity grinned, clearly brimming with confidence at the sight of another criminal about to be cast behind iron bars.
"Of course." Twilight replied, though her mind still lingered on Octavia, on her story, on her eerie sense of optimism in the face of jail, on her words. And so it would remain upon this troubling matter for the remainder of the evening as the ponies slowly settled into their casual routine of chatting and sipping at martinis.
We saved the day... did we not?
Twilight sat alone in a dim room, the only source of light was a single candle perched atop her writing desk. It had been hours since the storm had picked up outside and had since forced the locals of Ponyville to take refuge in their homes. The shadow cast by a blanket of grey clouds that loomed over the town made it appear as though it were night, but a glance at the ornate wall clock informed the pony that it was only late afternoon. The flame which consumed the steadily shortening wick was now flickering as the altar of white wax was reduced to a glob of clear liquid at the bottom of the dish. The unicorn worked diligently though, her horn aglow with a purple-hued aura. The faint noise of a feathered quill scratching against paper could be heard as she wrote, the red phoenix plume that Celestia had given her, and now adorned the quill, swayed back and forth. Twilight sighed contentedly as she dotted the last period on her scroll of parchment. She massaged her aching wrist, which had grown tired from her feverish writing, and peered down to read the scroll.
Twilight skimmed the page, and once she was certain that nary a grammatical error flawed the page, grinned. She levitated the pile of parchment steadily to one of the ceiling-high shelves that bordered the walls of the Ponyville library, setting it down atop an organized pile of similar scrolls.
"Perfect!" Twilight beamed, just as a stout purple dragon emerged from the loft after his afternoon nap. "Oh, hey Spike!"
"Hey, Twilight." Spike yawned, stretching his arms above his head as he did so. "What are you up to?"
"Nothing much. I was just -" her words were cut off by the familiar hoot of an owl. She craned her neck to see Owlowiscious perched on the windowsill, which he had cracked open just enough to slide into the room. He held an envelope in his beak. He hooted once more, as if beckoning for her to take the letter. "What is it, Owlowiscious?" The owl presumed to flutter in past her, shaking his feathers dry as he did so. The letter fell to the floor beside her.
She overturned it and examined the intricate red wax seal, but the design did not belong to neither Celestia nor Luna. In fact, it was completely foreign to her. It did not bear the symbols of any royalty she knew. Her magic made quick work of tearing the envelope open, and the letter slid out, now illuminated in the embrace of her magical influence. There were few words on it, but the handwriting scrawled upon the yellowing parchment was eerily familiar. Had she seen it somewhere before? She read it aloud to Spike.
"Dearest Twilight Sparkle,
You are cordially invited to attend a private soirée. It is to be held at the Canterlot Castle at 7 pm sharp. It would be most pleasing to have you.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
Twilight folded the letter and swallowed in an attempt to wet her suddenly dry throat. The mere fact that it failed to mention exactly whom was holding this party was peculiar indeed, but the anonymous sender was what sent a chilling shiver up Twilight's spine. Spike looked equally befuddled at the secrecy of invitation.
"Weird." he said. "You're not going to go, right, Twilight?" A hint of concern riddled his voice. Twilight shook her head, immediately dismissing the thought.
"No, there's something..." she paused to find the right word. "not right about this. I can feel it."
The loud bang of a door bursting open caused both Twilight and Spike to jump. At the door stood Rarity, drenched from head to hoof with rain. Her purple mane, which was usually done up in a beautiful curl, lay in disarray. Despite the fact that she was completely soaked, there was an oddly ecstatic grin on her face. In fact, even her eyes appeared to be smiling at her as the unicorn shivered at the door. Spike, upon seeing his damsel in distress, had immediately gone to fetch a towel and now draped it over the white pony.
"Hello Twilight." Rarity greeted, though her words were somewhat muffled by the dripping piece of paper in her mouth. "I came as fast as I could! Did you get the invitation too?" Twilight nodded, glancing reproachfully at the puddle of rain that had formed at her friend's hooves, ruining the newly-polished floor. It was quite unlike Rarity to act so... calm about being wet and unclean. She usually had the sense to at least bring an umbrella before galloping to her friend's house mid-storm. "Good! Then I suppose you need a nice dress too? I have an ensemble back at the boutique that just screams 'Twilight'!"
"Uh... what?" Twilight gaped, struggling to process what Rarity was saying. She had not only received this ominous letter, but was also seriously considering attending? Rarity blinked, and her smile faded.
"You are attending, aren't you?" Rarity pressed, her eyebrow raised. The silence between us immediately answered her question. "You aren't?! But Twilight, you simply must join us! All the girls received an invitation, and we're all planning on going. Why, without you, it wouldn't be the same!"
"Fine, I'll come along then! But don't you think there's something just a teensy bit off about the anonymous letters?"
Rarity's pout vanished, instantly replaced by a pleased grin. "Oh, seriously, Twilight. You needn't be so uptight about something so silly as an anonymous letter. Perhaps the hosts wanted to add an air of mystery to it! Now, I am glad you decided to tag along after all. We have just enough to time to scurry back to the boutique and get you all done-up. Perhaps a touch of mascara..."
"It's fine, I'll just wear my Gala dress. That's what I always wear for fancy things like this."
Rarity was flabbergasted. "You can't be serious, Twilight! You need a touch of variety -" Rarity gasped. "Oh, alright." she sighed in defeat. "But don't come crying to me when your dress it too plain for the tastes of the upper-class ponies." the unicorn harrumphed. Twilight rolled her eyes and grinned.
"Thanks anyway, Rarity."
"You're quite welcome." she replied bitterly, still clearly disgruntled to have her advice denied. A soft rapping at the heavy oak door was a welcome distraction. Spike rushed to the door, opening it to reveal a dry Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. Each pony wore their respective gala dress, much to Rarity's chagrin. "Girls!" Rarity exclaimed, trotting over to them. "However did you stay dry out there?"
"Rainbow Dash was nice enough to make us a little cloud." Fluttershy replied in her usual quiet tone of voice. Sure enough, a cloud floated just above their heads, sheltering them from the weather.
"Ah stopped by tha boutique on mah way an' picked up yer dress for ya, Rarity." Applejack grinned, handing the unicorn her dress. Rarity, towelling the remainder of her mane dry, slipped into the pink and yellow gown and placed the iconic tiara upon her violet mane. She trotted into the bathroom and examined her reflection in the mirror, a pleased smile curving on her lips. As Rarity applied a delicate amount of mascara to her eyelashes, batting them as if she were flirting with a handsome stallion, Fluttershy helped Twilight into her dress.
"Alright, ladies. We best be making our way to Canterlot. I shant wish to be late on such an important occasion!" Rarity said as she emerged from the bathroom and out the door. "Rainbow, would you be so kind as to make another cloud for us while we wait for our carriage?"
"Consider it done." Rainbow grinned, the familiar rasp accenting her voice. The six ponies clumped together beneath the protection of the puff of grey cloud , which drifted over them as they made their way across the cobblestone path. Within mere minutes, the sound of cart wheels rolling along the path ushered in the sight of the carriage. A burly-looking stallion with a mint mane drew the intricately-designed carriage towards the cloister of shivering mares. His mane was drenched, but he seemed not to mind.
"Ladies." he greeted, bowing his head. One by one, they scaled the miniscule steps and each clambered into the cart. It was a tight fit, but the velvet cushions kept them somewhat comfortable. The carriage was shaped much like a teapot lacking a spout and handle, Twilight mentally speculated. The walls were adorned with a painting of vine and roses, occasionally dotted with a bluebird or two. The windows would have normally provided something for Twilight to occupy herself with, such as gazing out at the fleeting images of the surrounding scenery. Unfortunately, the constant torrents of rainwater was as thick as a shroud of fog. The hour-long ride to Canterlot passed surprisingly fast despite the cramped space in which they traveled.
The carriage wheels grinded to a stop before the palace. As Twilight emerged, inhaling a lungful of crisp evening air, it was clear that the rain had not subsided in the slightest. The horizon was shadowed by the layer of thunderheads. Occasionally, a clap of thunder would peel through the sky, accompanied by zigzagging streaks of lightning. Nonetheless, the unfortunate weather had failed to dampen the spirits of the six mares as they scurried for the shelter of the castle. Two guards stood at their posts, mouths curved in a slight, stern frown.
"Ma'am." one of the guards grunted, looking us over. The doors burst open, showering them in light. Standing in the doorway was Fancypants himself.
"Rarity!" he crooned, throwing his forelegs open and inviting her into a friendly hug. "I wasn't expecting you here!"
Twilight raised an eyebrow. "You w-weren't?" The group exchanged concerned looks.
"No." Fancypants shook his head. "But you're still welcome to come in and enjoy yourselves." Twilight nodded and trotted in, eager to escape the cold. The room was filled with the hum of chatter as at least two hundred ponies conversed while holding martinis. Jetsetter and his wife threw their heads back in laughter, most likely at some snide quip the stallion they were speaking to had made. The beautiful singing of a cello could be heard of their voices, accompanied by a grand piano, violin and a golden harp. Octavia stood at the head of her band, cello in hoof as she masterfully wove a heart-wrenching sonata.
Rarity continued to chat with Fancypants, helping herself to a few hors oeuvres as a server passed. The rest scattered off to their areas of interest; Rainbow Dash and Applejack headed down to the buffet table, which was covered with several succulent dishes and delicious desserts, Pinkie Pie began to dance wildly, much to the shock and disgust of the surrounding attendees, Fluttershy trotted over to the botanical garden to observe the shrubs shaped to look like peacocks and rabbits. The night was still young, the clock only just striking 7pm. Twilight scanned the ballroom for something of interest, but her thoughts were interrupted by an ear-splitting shriek.
A loud gasp rose from the crowd, and every single head turned to see a distraught maid fleeing from one of the suites. Tears poured down her cheeks. Jetsetter caught the crying mare and attempted to calm her down. Twilight pushed her way through the dense crowd, fighting to get closer to the babbling maid.
"She - she... she... w-was..."
"Who is 'she'? What happened?" Jetsetter pressed, patting the mare's back.
"She's dead!"
"Who is dead, dear?"
The maid sniffled a little, drying her tears as she frantically tried to regain her composure. Fancypants had made his way to the front of the crowd, and now emerged beside Twilight. Several ponies had gone to explore the suite.
"Fleur. Fleur de Lis. She's dead!"
