//-------------------------------------------------------//
                         Twilight                          
                   -by Priest of Syrinx-                   
//-------------------------------------------------------//
//-------------------------------------------------------//
                   The Sign of the Five                    
//-------------------------------------------------------//
The Sign of the Five
"You can't do this to me!" screamed Twilight Sparkle, her veins clearly visible. Her mentor, Princess Celestia, stood directly across from her, much more calm than her fuming pupil. The Princess had payed a visit to the genius detective and magic users laboratory in the middle of a rather gruesome interrogation; what's more, she had told her pupil that she was to temporarily move to the town of Ponyville in order to make friends due to her concerns of sociopathic behavior; also, the Summer Sun Celebration was taking place under reports of a high threat level and the Princess could think of no pony better for the job.
"You need to make friends! That's what ponies do! Besides. do you want to take the chance of letting tons of ponies fall dead on this grand of an occasion?"
"I'm not a normal pony, you know that! I am not going to some poor and run down town to meet other ponies! Other ponies are boring! And do you really believe that a terrorist would attack with two of the most powerful beings in the universe in attendance?Admit it, the only reason you're sending me away is because you don't want me here while you sleep with anypony you can get your hooves on!"
"WHAT!?" Celestia screamed, now matching the anger that her pupil held. Twilight smirked and spoke rapidly.
"There's discolored strands of fur on your body and it's only around noon. That doesn't mean that you slept with somepony last night, of course, but the fact that the fuzz from your blanket can be found on you in various savory unsavory places does. But no, I'm not finished; there is also a small amount of rust on you as well, and we all know that you don't wear armor around so I can come to the conclusion that it was a royal guard that was standing outside of your door last night. However, keep in mind that there are two royal guards outside of your door at night and you couldn't just drag one in and not include the other because the other would talk! The amount of different fur on you proves this, and the fact that there are two colors that seem to show up more than others; a multicolored mane is possible but we can rule that out because for one every guard in the force save for commanders have their manes and coats died to match whomever he or she is serving and it isn't the mane or tail that would make the most contact. The body, however, does, and the fact that you have four different colors of fur on you that don't belong to you, those being grey, blue, white and purple, I can also assume that one of the guards you were courting was one of your sisters, who, due to the recent threats in Ponyville, was filling in for one of yours."
Expecting an embarrassed reaction from the Princess, Twilight gave a mocking bow. When she came up, she was greeted with a hoof to the face.
???????
Holding ice on her eye, Twilight Sparkle stared at the top of her room from the bed she was lying on. The clear roof revealed that it was a typical Canterlot day, with the sun bright and shining with the clouds gently hanging above her. Her library seemed to be a brighter shade of blue because of it, and various light rays shone on her bookshelves, illuminating various areas of her study. Her assistant, Spike, was getting water that she could drink before departing.
"What exactly did you explain to her?" asked Spike. Spike was a dragon in what ponies would consider their teens, and he was as tall as Twilight standing up. His green and purple scales always seemed to have something on them that Twilight could pick out and tell him what had happened to him during the day.
"Something I would rather not talk about." Came a voice from behind them. They both turned, Twilight rising out of her bed to do so, to see Celestia in the doorway. Her hoof was bandaged.
"I care about other ponies, student, unlike you." Celestia began, "And if this terrorist attack turns out to be real, then thousands of my subjects, all of whom I love and care for deeply, would be endangered. Do you understand?" asked the Princess. "All I ask is that you prod around. You don't have to stay under any circumstances." Twilight gave an audible grumble and began pacing around the room.
"Details." Twilight said. Spike and Celestia grinned at each other; with those words, Twilight was ready to begin investigation.
"An informant let us know that she received word of a terrorist attack for the celebration from a local sleeper cell she placed in the Ponyville area. This sleeper agent gave no details, claiming that was the only information he or she could get a hold of. That's where you come in." Celestia explained. By this time, Twilight already had her eyes closed, deep in thought. She began muttering to herself before her eyes shot open. She turned to the princess.
"I'm going to need a floor plan of the entire layout for the celebration and book on Ponyville immediately. Get my stuff packed and a carriage ready in an hour; I'd like to get there as soon as possible. This is proving to be much more interesting that I originally thought it would be. The game is on!" Twilight exclaimed. She began to run out the door, but she stopped at the last second.
"Oh, and Celestia?" Twilght asked. Celestia, lost in thought, focused back on Twilight.
"Yes, my student?" she asked.
"...Was I right?"
???????
"It was just about to heal, too." Spike said with a sigh, examining the eye that had been punched for a second time today. They were currently being transported to Ponyville via pegasi carriage and Spike had been treating the newly damaged eye for the entire flight.
"At least she was decent enough to give me an answer."
"Say, how long did she say this flight was going to take?" asked Spike.
"A pegasus flight carrying two ponies, as you weigh about the same as one, can only go for about forty minutes before the pegasi become fatigued. These are Celesta's personal guards which means they would have to make the trip back to the castle. Seeing as we have already been in the carriage for five minutes the trip could take up to fifteen minutes. It cannot be too close, as we would be using a simpler method of transportation if it was, so I would say that fifteen sums it up perfectly. Now leave me alone, I need to read this book before I get to Ponyville. Say the list of names of the staff working on the Celebration, please?" Twilight explained.
Spike, now used to Twilight's deductions, accepted her estimate and pulled out the list of names she was given by Celestia; these five ponies were suspects.
"Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Wait a minute, where are their professions? They aren't listed here-" began Spike. Twilight cut him off, grinning ear to ear.
"Celestia knows I can figure that out myself. Alright, Spike, stop talking to me for the rest of the ride, I really need to read this book by the time that we get to Ponyville."
"Always reading your books..." Spike muttered.
Exactly when Twilight had predicted, Ponyville began to come into view. It was very rural, with homes being at least twenty feet away from each other on the streets. The homes themselves appeared rural like, not using complex designs. Instead, the house used rather simple architecture that wasn't flashy but would protect their inhabitants from various natural disasters with ease. The grass was greener than any Twilight had ever seen.
Stepping off the carriage, Twilight began to walk towards her first destination; she was to go to Sweet Apple Acres to presumably meet Applejack, who must providing the food for the Celebration. Ugh, she had to ask normal ponies for directions. Twilight gave a sigh before beginning to spot someone she could ask. The first pony she saw was a pink mare with three balloons as a cutie mark. She was hopping more than she was walking, and Twilight began to break her down, bit by bit.
She is very hyperactive and jovial, and so her talent has something to do with that. Judging by the small dots of cake frosting and slight hint of static electricity on her chest and cheek she has to be a party planner. Her hair is unnaturally curled, one, two, three times a day meaning that she doesn't want any pony to know that fact. This, along with her difficulty of concentration and occupation as a party planner signal past and moderately current depression; surround herself with others and doing favors which make them happy in turn makes her feel the same, and she uses his method in order to boost her level of self esteem. She lives with two other ponies, but they aren't her parents; possibly landlords or relatives. Slight ink stains on her hooves meaning that she was planning a party and writing down the materials very recently, and because Ponyville is not a particularly large town and that we are close to town hall, she must be planning the party at the Celebration, and because she is pink on all parts of her body, and is jovial in nature, she must be-
"Pinkie Pie." Twilight said aloud. Pinkie stopped in her tracks and quizzically looked at the mare that called her name.
"Uh...have we met before?" Pinkie asked. Twilight grinned and Spike rolled his eyes.
"No." began Twilight. "But, I-"
Suddenly, Pinkie gave a dramatic gasp; before Twilight could react, Pinkie was sprinting back the way she was coming from. Twilight's eyes widened and her facial expression turned from that of smugness to anger.
"HEY!" she called, beginning to sprint after her. Spike, who was thinking about something else and staring into the distance, stumbled into action after she saw his best friend sprint off into the distance.
Where could she be going? Think, where would a mare like her be running to? Ugh, IT'S TOO HARD!
Twilight began to search for something in her mind that might tell her where the mysterious mare was going. She couldn't get a grasp on anything, and she gave out an audible, frustrated moan.
Judging by the small dots of cake frosting...
Twilight's eyes lit up like a bulb, and she immediately turned to the left. Cake frosting doesn't stay on for a long time, so she must have just been baking. It was a total long shot, and could be a completely incorrect assumption based on what Twilight had to work with, but it would be good enough.
Ponyville became a blur around her; Twilight whipped to the right once again, and looked back to see Spike right on her trail. He was grinning ear to ear, and Twilight gave a rare grin back before focusing ahead of her. The game was on for sure, now.
According to the map, the Marketplace is slightly northwest of the Town Square. That being said, with the route I have chosen, I should be able to cut her off right-
Before she knew it, Twilight Sparkle was on the ground, dazed and confused with stars dancing around her vision. A throbbing pain pumped in her head, and she slowly turned to see the very mare she was chasing was in the same state she was. Pointing at was Twilight was fairly sure was the downed mare, she began to talk in a bumbling manner.
"S-S-Spike...g-get her-r..." Spike obediently restrained the mare, though he hardly needed to; the only thing Pinkie was capable of doing was holding her head and giving an audible groan. Staggering up, Twilight did the best she could to stop herself so she could concentrated. One she did, she fired a spell from her horn, directed at the prone Pinkie.
A magical ring formed around all four of her hooves, one ring for two legs, as Twilight gave a relieving sigh. She clenched her head as she looked at her assistant.
"Call a cab. Mrs. Pie-" began Twilight, "You are being arrested on suspicion of terrorist actives and getting dirt all over Twilight Sparkle's coat."
???????
Pinkie came back to her senses shortly after the collision; by then, they were already on their way to the next target on Twilight's list.
"Man, that hurt! Although I bet that looked really cool from another ponies point of view! You see a mare running at full speed and BAM! Out of nowhere, another mare collides with her. Gee, I wonder-"
"Shut up." Twilight said, looking out the window. Pinkie did exactly that, and they rode in silence for the next eight seconds before Pinkie decided to talk again.
"By the way, what are these on my hooves?" Pinkie asked. She moved one leg up, and the ring stretched on the side to move with it. She moved both hooves and the ring moved with them, an oval that encompassed about three inches length from the hooves.
"Those are magical handcuffs. You can walk perfectly fine, but if you begin to run or walk too far away from the pony who cast them they tighten around your legs, causing you to trip and fall. Generally, they're only good for pegasi and earth ponies and you need to exert more force to do a winged variation on the pegasi. Unicorns can usually counteract it, so we tend to bind their horns instead and then do the spell, which causes a lot of magic energy. It is usually only performed with more than one pony, though I can pull it off."
"So would one do you do with a Unicorn and you're alone?" asked Pinkie. Twilight had been expecting the question from her as her assistant already knew the answer. She was about to open her mouth when Spike finished for her.
"We knock them out. Unicorns are the most dangerous and powerful race in Equestria, as you know, so dealing with them is an extremely sensitive matter. They usually wake up in ten minutes, which is usually enough time."
"I just want to get to Sweet Apple Acres without my head throbbing." remarked Twilight. Pinkie's head shot up with a wide grin on her face.
"Oooh, that's where Applejack lives! Applejack is my best friend-well, one of my best friends, I have four other best friends because you can't just have one best friend-"
"I'm sorry, but did you just say you had four other best friends?" Twilight asked. Understanding dawned on her previously oblivious assistant.
"Well, DUH! Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Fluttershy are totally my besties! Like, we like to hang out, and go to the lake, and sing, and dance, ride carriages, and listen to music, and watch the sunset, and sit by the fire, and play with our animals, I have an alligator, and-"
"They're all you're friends?" Twilight asked. When Pinkie Pie nodded enthusiastically, a grin began to slowly spread across Twilight's face before she exploded into a mildly disturbing cackle.
"Ha ha, this is wondrous! Five ponies, all friends, and all suspects for an eminent terrorist attack! Thus could be a part of a cell, or a major organization...I haven't had this much fun in ages! Spike, do you have pipe? A pipe would really complete the moment here-no, no, I promised I wouldn't endeavor in that again, but it doesn't matter-" Twilight stopped as she realized she was acting just like the mare she had been annoyed with the entire evening. However, Twilight was relieved to find that Pinkie Pie was still talking and that Spike had a rather annoyed look on his face.
"Oh...sorry. How far away are we from Sweet Apple Acres? We should have arrived by now, according to my calculations." Twilight asked. Pinkie, who happened to be going on a rant about beehives, suddenly stopped her talking to look out the window. Her countenance became a confused one.
"What? With this route, we're heading straight to the Everfree forest. How could you get those two routes mixed up?" Pinkie asked.
"Wait, hold on; you know the route to Sweet Apple Acres and the Everfree by memory?" Spike asked. Twilight gave a drawn out sign and rolled her eyes.
"I swear Spike, when you tell me you don't need to be tested I'd like to think I can trust you-of course she knows the routes, she's a party planner. She goes to ponies' houses as a job everyday, she has to know the streets around here and she would have to know the Everfree route to make sure not to go there. Now, who could be taking us to the Everfree forest when I swear I specifically said-" Twilight's eyes widened, and she turned to the window. She didn't talk for a second, but proceeded to begin screaming in rage at the top of her lungs.
???????
Twilight stepped out of the carriage, followed by Spike and Pinkie, and they began to walk down a small path. The forest hung over them ominously, and darkness shrouded the path ahead. Pinkie matched pace with Twilight, and they walked in silence for a minute before Pinkie began to talk.
"Based on the uncontrollable rage you had back there, I'm going to assume you know who brought us here?" Pinkie asked.
"Ah, Sister! You're finally here, I was beginning to worry." said a voice. The party of three rounded the corner to find a rather small but well lit clearing.
A large hut occupied the center, with various mystical decor and tribal like paint plastered all around it. Three stallions stood in front of it; two of them were behind the third on each side, donned in what looked to be expensive suits. They were of the same color scheme as Celestia's guards, and were a still as statues beside the third stallion.
The third Stallion stood the tallest, at least a foot ahead of the guards behind them. He was dressed in a commander's outfit, complete with ranking badges and a golden sash. He, too, looked like a royal guard, but he had multiple shades of blue in his mane. Below his ice blue eyes were rectangular framed glasses, perfectly fitting the size of his face.
"I see you got new glasses, Shining. You should wear them on your eyes sometime." Twilight taunted. Shining Armor gave a chuckle.
"I would be glad they caught your eye, though it appears that Celestia has already done that for me. Twice." Shining remarked. Twilight gritted her teeth while Pinkie looked uneasy. Shining noticed it immediately and laughed again.
"I apologize, Pinkie. I'm Shining Armor, Twilight's brother, though I doubt she calls me that. Spike?" Shining asked. Spike gave a smile mimicking that of Shining's.
"I believe she refers to you as "G.I Slow" though I think she may have changed it." said Spike. They both began laughing hysterically, and Pinkie joined in simply because she liked to laugh. When they were finished, Shining straightened out his glasses and continued talking.
"I am the Commander of the Equestrian Military and I have a small role in the Equestrian Government-"
"He is the Equestrian Government." Twilight explained. "Listen, brother, I don't want any trouble right now, alright? Just tell me what you want and I'll see if I can help; if not, then I'm leaving and you don't contact me further. Do you understand me, Shining?" Twilight asked. Shining nodded, the smile from earlier still plastered on his face.
"Actually, I was hoping that we could take a walk around town. I have an important matter to discuss." Shining turned to Pinkie and Spike. "You two will stay here in the hut. I have a friend in there who will treat you with the utmost hospitality. Her name is Zecora. She's a zebra. Oh, and your friends will all be here before we get back, Pinkie, okay? Make sure to explain the situation to them, else they be horridly confused. Come, dear sister, we have much to discuss."
Twilight gave a grunt of disapproval before grudgingly following her brother out of the forest. The walked in silence until the green of the Everfree disappeared and Ponyville reared it's face once more.
"I see you have taken the case that Celestia has given you, albeit with a struggle by the state of your eye. What did you find out about Pinkie?" asked Shining. Twilight rolled her eyes.
"You're just as good as me, you know about her." Twilight said. Shining smiled.
"Of course I know, I just need to make sure that you do. I doubt you sometimes, little sister." Twilight stopped walking and turned to face her brother with an icy glare.
"She is hyperactive and jolly, and with the cake frosting and static electricity on her chest and cheek she has to be a party planner. Her hair is unnaturally three times a day meaning that she doesn't want any pony to know that fact. Her difficulty of concentration and occupation as a party planner tells me she has depression; She helps others and thus feels better about herself. Slight ink stains on her hooves obviously state that she was writing down something. When I met her she was on her way to the area of the town square which means she was planning the party for the celebration. Sometimes I doubt you, little sister." Twilight finished in a mocking tone. Shining nodded his head in content.
"Very good. My trust in you is well placed." Shining remarked. They walked in silence for a few minutes before Shining began to speak once more.
"We've raised the security at the Summer Sun Celebration to red. We have a day before the event and we still don't know who is behind all of this. I expect you to find out what is happening by afternoon tomorrow, Twilight, and you know how I feel when things don't go how I expect them to."
"Of course," began Twilight. "And you needn't worry. I'll have this case solved by tonight, I guarantee it. I already suspect a few things. By the way, you shouldn't be eating cake, if you were serious about that diet of yours."
"And you shouldn't be smoking the pipe again, sister, if you still intent to quit." Twilight couldn't help but smile at that; she always enjoyed playing deductions with her brother, who was the only one observant as she was. She turned over to Shining to find a pipe waiting for her, levitated by her brother's magic. Gratefully, Twilight took the pipe and put it in her mouth, puffing from it at an even rate.
"What is it you really want to tell me, Shining? I'm getting bored." Twilight remarked. Shining only gave a mysterious smirk in return.
"We're going to the market, sister. Right about now, it's bustling with ponies and activity. Turn left here." Rounding the curb on the road, they continued forward in silence for the rest of the way. It was an exceptionally hot day in Ponyville, and the weather ponies showed no mercy as a cloud was nowhere to be found. The Marketplace was still vibrant with activity as ponies of all shapes and sizes bought, sold, screamed and yelled. Twilight and Shining took their place on a bench at the outside of the square; ponies passed them from all directions.
"Incredible, isn't it? All these ponies set to a daily routine, not thinking twice at looking around them. It must be so dull being them, seeing but not observing." Shining remarked.
"You've already been here today." Twilight said, "So what is it you want from me?"
"Let's play deductions." Shining said. "You win, and I tell you what I brought you here for. The aqumarine mare, with the cyan and white mane." Shining declared. The mare in question was only a few feet away from them, arguing with another mare with a butterscotch coat and a purple and pink mane.
"Well, she's a musician, based on her cutie mark alone, that being a lyre. She has a cold, due to the mucus on her forearm which she has blown her nose into and the redness of her rose. Based on the dirt on her hooves mixed with sand she came here from the other side of town meaning it was a long walk; the mare she's talking to came from the same place so they live in the same area." Twilight explained.
"They live together, as her coat and mane color is found in various places on the body, mostly on the side, and chest which indicates an embrace; they are obviously not relatives so they're in a relationship. The other mare is a candy maker, not only evidenced by her candy cutie mark but the fact that she has chocolate on the edges of her mouth and sugar on her hooves. She was testing out a new candy and, because a good amount of it is still there, she is trying to sell it." Shining deduced. Twilight gave a curt chuckle.
"You're missing something." She teased.
"I never miss anything." Shining retorted.
"She isn't at her booth right now; if what you say is true, shouldn't she be attending it? The new candy she made won't sell and, expecting it to be great, she didn't bring anything else. The aquamarine mare is scolding her for it and she is trying to defend herself. They've been here for at least an hour, as the dirt is a little more plentiful than the sand." Twilight finished. Only after her concentration did she realize she was talking too loudly, and the two mares were gawking at her in amazement.
"Was I right?" Twilight asked. Still wide eyed, the two mares vigorously nodded. Twilight smirked and turned to his brother, who looked disappointed at his failure.
"Ha! I win! Now tell me why you brought me here or I'll give to you what Celestia gave to me this morning!" Twilight demanded.
"You two can leave now. This is government business." Shining said, directing his words at the astonished mares. Believing anything at this point, the two ponies galloped off further into the Marketplace. Shining Armor turned to his sister a stern expression on his face.
"I've been talking with Celestia, Twilight. We both think that it's best you stay here for a month before you return to Canterlot. We want you to make friends and see new places, Twilight, and you can't do that huddled up in an observatory for your entire life. We're doing this for you, sister."
"No, you aren't." Twilight said, "And no, I'm not. This is ridiculous. I'm not going to stand here any longer and listen to this; I'm going back to Canterlot after I solve this case, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."
"Of course there is, Sister. As of right now, I have-"
"Four unicorns at even distances from each other across the square, ten feet away from me. They're informants, and they'll tell Celestia of my disobedience with a hand signal. Shining, you really are getting boring. I recommend something with more firepower, if you truly mean to stop me from doing anything."
"I don't need a smart ass comment at the moment." Shining scoffed.
"Are you suffering amnesia, brother mine? You seem to be forgetting who you're speaking to. I'm taking a carriage to the Summer Sun site; I planned to do so after I met all the suspects but I happen to lack the desire to hear your voice at the moment. Stay away, Shining Armor." Twilight promptly removed herself from her chair and began to walk away; Shining Armor attempted to follow, only to find that he had magic handcuffs attached to his hooves. As he feared before trying to remove himself from the binding, they were an advanced witch's spell; they could only be taken off by the one who put them on. Shining Armor looked to his ponies in the field to find them flirting with other mares. Shouting for their attention, he looked back at the direction his sister had left from.
"Unwise, sister mine."
???????
The noise of construction greeted the ears of Twilight Sparkle as she studied the scene. A large platform would be constructed, supposedly to house the Princesses, and a large space was dedicated to a massive gathering. Tables were everywhere, to house food and drink along with merchandise; significant it may be, it was still partly a tourist attraction. Purple velevet curtains hung around the area, likely to contrast with Luna's night sky before Celestia does her work. Twilight looked around the area, attempting to make something out of it.
The terrorist would have to kill everypony, which is not an easy feat. So, it would have to be an extremely large explosive, which is unlikely, and a team of assassins would be too noticeable. It would have to be the food or drink. This is tedious, and it would have to be put on every table with food or drink on it. The staff is the only one who can do this, and we would have to have someone in charge of catering carry out the action, knowingly or not, for that to be able to work. That would narrow it down to Pinkie Pie and Applejack; Pinkie is experienced in sweets as part of her job and Applejack, with apple in the name and whom appears to be a part of Sweet Apple Acres, presumably to do with a family, will have to take care of the catering. However, they could merely be just proxies. They would have to be close to them, so that pins all five down as suspects. Not to mention that the apples would have to taste test the product, so it would have to be done either immediately before the ceremony starts, which is unlikely, or the night before the event in secret, which is more likely. These are a lot of ponies though, so it would have to be a body of ponies instead of a singular one. Whoever is ordering the attack would not be present, or might be doing it as part of a suicide attempt; everypony has to die, because Celestia would be looking over from the podium. If they are going to do this, they would have to be genius when it comes to crime. I'm done here.
Twilight eyed the table once more before returning to the cab she instructed to wait for her. She hopped in the back before calling to the cab driver.
"Evefree Forest. Whatever the highest amount of money you were payed today was, I'll triple it."
???????
When Twilight rounded the corner once more, five ponies and a zebra were waiting for her. They were mingling outside the hut, while the Zebra was off to the left, doing something else. Twilight took a look at the Zebra as she entered the clearing.
Lives in isolation, as the fur on her only came recently from the other ponies. Has traces of herbs and other plants on her fur so she works with those; the staff indicates she's somewhat akin to a Shaman. She is foreign to outsiders due to her nature, though she doesn't seem to care about it based on her body language and relaxing behavior.
Twilight, irritated that she couldn't gather anything else from the Zebra, turned to the ponies. They were already looking at her curiously, as she was too busy studying Zecora to notice that the mares had stopped talking. She gave a fake smile and was about to greet them when who she knew had to be Applejack had her hoof in a violent handshake. She looked Applejack over.
Definitely works at Sweet Apple Acres. She is very muscular but more so in the back legs, meaning that she bucks the trees and loads the apples onto a cart, as she has slight traces of rust and wood near the edge of her mouth. She lives with three other ponies on the farm, and they are her family members, save one; she lives with an elderly pony, based on the gray hairs around the neck area. She's short, or bent over from old age, and the gray hairs also dignify an elderly. Some pony like that is too old to have a mare her age. Her handshake is fairly aggressive, which shows attachment and desire to be friendly. She's lost somepony important; considering the fact that four live on the farm and one is a relative, the other two would have to be siblings or cousins. It is tradition for farm ponies to have multiple kin to work around the farm. Her hat is slightly big on her, drooping to one side, so it isn't hers. The important pony is not alone; Applejack's parents died, and not long ago as the signs of attachment still linger in her body language.
"Howdy! Name's-"
"Applejack." Twilight finished. She leaned over and whispered in Applejack's ear. "We need to talk in the hut afterwards."
Applejack's sudden cheerfulness turned grim at the words. Before she could make a comment, Twilight had already moved on to her next subject.
Wearing eyeliner and a frankly strong perfume; cutie mark shows that of diamonds, showing an appreciation for glamour. Eyes focused on my scarf which means she takes an interest in it; therefore, she knows about clothing which most ponies prefer not to use so she must be in the clothing business. Strand of fabric on her neck means she was working with a sowing machine operated by the mouth; she's a designer. One pony she lives with, and by the height of the mane hair it's a sibling or other family member. Fashionable accessories indicate Canterlot, but her posture is laid back and relaxing unlike Canterlotians; even I adapt their posture, and she doesn't carry it. She's from here, though she wishes she wasn't. Tartarus, I'll bet she even carries the accent-
"Hello, Darling. I adore that outfit." As Twilight predicted, she indeed spoke like a true Canterlotian. Twilight feigned a smile and held out her hand.
"Pony Smith. Thanks, Rarity." Rarity, startled that she had already known her name, shook the hoof suspiciously. Twilight moved on the the next pony in the line as she didn't think Rarity was a threat.
"Hello, Pinkie. Feeling better? I'm certainly not." They both gave a chuckle as Twilight leaned in to whisper in her ear, telling her the same thing she told Applejack. Pinkie, unlike the former, gave no change of expression but merely excepted the summons. Twilight began to study her penultimate pony.
Cutie mark is cloud with lightning striking behind it. The lightning is the same color as her mane, and that tells us who she is right away; however, she is much more physically built than other pegasi, almost matching that of Applejack which means she trains daily. Various cuts and scars say she crashes every once and a while but not all the time meaning she is good at what she does and the training is vigorous. She's a weather pony, as her fur is tanned more than the others, but she wants a different profession; based on what we just observed she wants to be a Wonderbolt, and based on her training regime, she'll get there someday. She's from Cloudsdale and moved down here, which is rather odd, but otherwise she is not a threat.
She moved on to the last pony. Rainbow Dash was a little suspicious that Twilight hadn't said anything thing to her, but she was fine with it all the same.
Animal caretaker, he fur has many strands of hair from various animals. Same depression problem as Pinkie Pie has, due to difficulty concentrating an antisocial behavior from her body language, but much worse; she can't make friends as well as Pinkie was able to, and so she became an animal caretaker to have a substitute. She lives alone, and goes into the Everfree frequently. She's also from Cloudsdale, not here, which means she had to have come here herself, much like Rainbow Dash. Cloudsdalens don't typically do that, so she must have came down because she had been there before momentarily and saw the animals; she knew this was a perfect solution to her problem with friends so she decide to stay. Rainbow Dash must have recognized this and moved down here with her in order to watch over her. She's seemingly okay now, with four friends to support her, but you never seem to know with these types...
Twilight looked at her kindly, as she was slowly backing away from her.
"Hi, Fluttershy! It's alright, I don't bite." Twilight mentally laughed to herself, as that was a big a lie as any, but she stuck out a hoof for a hoof shake. Fluttershy looked at it for a moment before finally taking it. Twilight leaned in close and whispered what she said to Applejack and Pinkie. Fluttershy looked visibly alarmed, but quickly removed the look.
"Alright, everypony! It was nice to meet you all, and let me assure you that this is not a big threat and that you all seem okay to me! I just need to grab Pinkie, Applejack and Fluttershy to help me identify some faces they may have seen in their area. You can go home, Rainbow and Rarity! I'll make sure to update you on the situation." The pair held suspicious looks for the second time that day, but hopped in the waiting carriage outside the forest. When they were gone, Twilight turned to look at her three subjects.
"Let's have a talk, shall we? I smoke a pipe, I hope you don't mind." Twilight said. They walked into the hut to find the zebra named Zecora mixing various herbs for a potion.
The hut was all wooden, with shelves filled with various herbs. A nice smell lingered throughout the room, presumably from whatever Zecora was making. Wooden masks and tribal paint gave the room a nice, unique decor, the likes which the group had never previously seen. It seemed smaller on the inside, and the living room, if one would even call it that, had a singular chair with tribal decor on the fabric.
"Zecora, I would request you leave for about half an hour, at the most, fifteen minutes at the least." Zecora narrowed her eyes at Twilight.
"What is this I am being told? To remove myself from my own home?" Zecora asked. Twilight gave a grin.
"I'm telling you to leave, or else; you'll find yourself in failing health." Twilight retorted, her horn glowing with a purple hue. Zecora looked at it before exiting the hut, a satchel at her side. When the door closed, Applejack turned to the mare, who had found a spot on the comfortable chair.
"That wasn't very nice!" Applejack said. Twilight chuckled, which served to anger Applejack even more.
"I'm not a nice pony. I would ask you to find a seat, but there aren't any left." Twilight pulled a pipe from her coat pocket with her horn and placed it in her mouth. The pipe began to emit smoke immediately, and Twilight stared at the three ponies in the room with her.
"Keep in mind two things; one, with my proficiency in deduction, I have gained a considerable amount of knowledge on the three of you without even saying a word to you. I observe what is hidden to the ordinary soul and deduct the incalculable to the common creature. If I am wrong, though I believe I am not, do not hesitate to tell me, as it does happen. Secondly, my hammer pounds by the judicial philosophy; one is innocent until they are proven guilty. I will say things that may provoke an emotion, or ask on a matter you would rather not dwell on; you must tell me everything I wish to know, else those you care about, and everypony in this town, die. With that being said, Applejack, what happened to your parents?"
Applejack gaped at Twilight, who's expression remained unchanged. She held that facial expression for a few more seconds before speaking. "How-"
"I just told you, and I don't have time to list out why. Tell me what happened to your parents, Applejack, so I can confirm you are not a psychopath." Applejack stared at her sternly, and gave a noticeable gulp.
"It was only a year ago, to this exact day. My Pa and Ma were gonna harvest the Zap Apples that day when the weather ponies announced that a storm would be coming soon and would last the whole day, as they had fell behind on schedule and they had to make up for it. We told them we didn't want them to go out there, but they insisted. We stayed in the barn the while they went out. They were supposed to be done in an hour, but they didn't come back by then. We waited another hour, and they didn't come back. Big McIntosh, my brother, finally decided to go and check on them. He came back fifteen minutes later, in tears. They had been crushed to death by a Zap Apple tree that had fallen on them. I'll never forget it. The hat I'm wearing is even-"
"Your father's..." Twilight said, a drone in her voice. She was wide eyed, and staring off into the distance. Applejack gave her a puzzling look.
"Uh, Twilight? You there?" she asked. Twilight shook her head and focused back in on Applejack.
"Sorry, I...had a thought. You would do anything to keep the farm running, then? In their memory, and to support the Apple family?" The smoke from Twilight's pipe was slowly beginning to infest the room, and all three ponies looked uncomfortable from the fumes. Twilight, however, paid no heed to it.
"Absolutely. I do anything to carry on his legacy." Applejack answered proudly.
"Innocent. Pinkie." Twilight declared, turning over to the bubbly pink mare. "You've had problems with depression, and still suffer from it occasionally. I'd like to know, in your mind, what you believe was the cause of it all, and anything else you would like to share concerning it."
Pinkie still remained her typical self, though Fluttershy had her jaw to the floor, staring at Pinkie Pie who, as usual, gave no attention to her.
"You see, when I was young, my Parents worked on a rock farm. They moved the rocks from field A to field B. It was dark, gloomy, and all around sorrowful. It was hard not to be depressed." Pinkie said. Twilight gave a horridly confused face, to which Pinkie was completely oblivious. Applejack and Fluttershy seemed not to mind either.
"My sincerest apologies...you worked on a, um, rock farm?" Twilight asked. Pinkie nodded enthusiastically.
"..."
"..."
"Innocent. Fluttershy." Twilight said. Fluttershy nervously backed away a few steps.
"You had the same problem, Fluttershy, but you couldn't do what Pinkie eventually found natural. You couldn't make friends, so you turned to animals. Tell me, when was the first time you saw animals on the ground? Ponies from Cloudsdale don't generally ever leave, as I'm sure you know." Fluttershy was hesitant, and started her tale slowly.
"I was being picked on by everypony from flight school. I always was a target, as I could..."hardly fly", as they deemed it. One day, Rainbow Dash had enough, and challenged them to a race. I was to be the flag mare. They were lined up, I dropped the flag, and they were so fast that I fell. I thought I was going to die, naturally, but...I was caught. by Butterflies. I floated to the ground, and there I was. The middle of the forest was so amazing! I had seen animals I have never seen before. They loved me, more than anypony besides my relatives had, and there it is. I had finally found my place. The cutie mark appeared, and it was signed and sealed. I would never let anything happen to them."
"You feel content, then? Wit them and the friends you have now?" Twilight asked.
"Absolutely. I wouldn't let them down for any reason." Fluttershy explained, with a ferocity Twilight had never seen. Twilight sat back in her chair and puffed for a few minutes. completely in silence. Applejack was the one who broke it.
"Well? Are we terrorist?" asked Applejack. Opening her eyes, Twilight leaned forward.
"No, you aren't. And that's a problem."
???????
It was time. The celebration would begin at ten, and the Princess's reveal would be at eleven. Twilight Sparkle and her brother, Shining Armor, stood in the center of the festivities that would take place in an hour, looking over their last minute change to see that it went well.
"If the food isn't good, Shining, I'm going to kill you." said Twilight. her older brother gave a chuckle.
"You tried just yesterday. I couldn't get anypony down there for an hour. Say, I'm impressed you know that spell; it's highly advanced, stopping a unicorn from using magic."
"I graduated from Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns at the top of my class. Of course I can do that, it's part of my job. You seem relaxed, Shining, considering that this could be the last night of our lives." Shining smiled and poured himself some wine, the color of the velvet curtains, giving Twilight a glass as well.
"Death, be not proud!" Shining recited. Twilight smiled and raised her glass to his.
"Though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, thou art not so. I'll see you in Tartarus, brother." Twilight clanked her glass against Shining's, and they drank from their cups. When they finished their glasses, they both flinged them off to the side.
"Applejack is really upset about it." Twilight off-handedly remarked. Shining armor gave a snicker.
"One would think a dumb farm pony like that wouldn't have any emotion." It was then that Shining felt a sharp pain across his head, followed by a swift kick in his side; his sister had brought the glass from where she had thrown it and hit him in the head with it, followed by a kick in the ribs. Shining toppled to the floor, and when he got up and put his glasses back on he was greeted by his younger sister.
"Don't. Do. That. Again." she demanded. She took a quick look around the area before shouting to the guards at the front door. "Open up! It's time to begin!"
The party went down very well, as it should have. Applejack was still a little upset, but she understood the situation at hand and accepted it. Fluttershy was absent, as she had to prepare her songbirds, and Pinkie was too busy asking how everypony was. Rainbow and Rarity appeared to enjoy everything, and Twilight was willing to admit she was having a good time as well. She entertained the guests at the celebration by deconstructing them, and left all the bad details out to be polite. Shining Armor talked with the guards, going over the routine for Celestia's grand appearance
The time eventually came, and ponies were gathered in front of the curtain where Celestia would appear. Twilight looked around at the bustling crowd and quickly realized her brother was next to her. He was sipping on champagne, in classic Shining fashion, and stared at the curtain.
"Here it is." Shining said. "Life or death, calling from the song of a bird." On cue, the birds began to sing their song. Any moment now, Rarity would pull the curtain and Luna and Celestia would appear to applause. Luna would lower the moon, and Celestia would raise the sun.
"Mares and Stallions, I present to you, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna!" Rarity pulled the rope, and the curtain folded outwards to reveal absolutly nothing.
First there was confusion. Five minutes passed, and it became hysteria. Celestia and Luna don't miss their own celebration, everypony knew that, so they got the broader message; something was wrong. Meanwhile, Twilight and Shining were engaged in a fierce shouting match.
"YOU IDIOT!" Twilight screamed pointing at Shining. "DOES THIS LOOK LIKE A TERRORIST ATTACK? THIS IS KIDNAPPING, RIGHT UNDER THE RADAR!" Shining was going to retort, but was interrupted by the shouting of Rarity.
"I found a note!" She said, holding it up. Everypony stood still and quiet as Rarity read it to the crowd.
"Goodnight, drones! S.S."
Author's Note
0101001101010101010011100010000001010100010110100101010101010011001000000100011001001111010101010101001001010100010010000010000001001000010001010100000101000100