Laughing

{Day 3}

I just couldn't believe it. I never would of thought. I should've been there. It didn't seem like such a big thing then but...

"Creator damnit!" I yell and punch the mirror with my right hoof angry at the world and myself, "Why didn't I look further into it! I'm a Celestia damned detective! How did I not see this coming!"

I throw more of a fit. Putting more holes than there were previously out of rage. I just couldn't take it. When the news came that morning about Lemon and her child.

I just lost it. I waited till the ones who brought me the news left before I unleashed my feelings. I didn't want them seeing me like this. Specially when they know me for not showing emotions or facial expressions while on the case. I'm suppose to be cold and un caring when I'm not. Now... Now who ever the bastard is. They've made this personal.

But it's like a killer too. I've studied the griffons long enough to know that you kill the one's closest to the detective first to make sure you get a point across that you don't want to be found. But no, the bastard even left a note. I went up stairs and low and behold I fine a bone through my wall with a note attached.

Here is a little present from Lemon it red.

I take deep breathes before walking into the kitchen and grabbing a bottle of water. I shake my head and start drinking it down. I know screaming and destroying things will never get me far, but it just feels so great to let the tension go.

I grab my things and head out. Now I'm ready to solve more than a crime I'm assigned to. I'm ready for revenge whether someone else enacts it for me or I do it with my bare hooves.

But for right now I have a case to solve. I head for Lemon Slush's house to look for any clues. When I get there the area is still taped off and many by standers are around talking loudly and crying. I push my way through and walk past a lot of the police ponies. The first thing that I'm greeted by when I enter the house is again another kids body hanging. Lemon's kid.

Though I look at it indifferent I can't help but curse on the inside. The same thing as before happened. Except this time her chest where her heart should be in cut wide open in the shape of a heart. The sick pony or creature must have taken in. What it did with it is another story.

A roach falls from the corpse and lands at his hooves before crawling away, "So where is Lemon's body?"

One of the big burly ponies motions for me to follow. He leads me into the kitchen where I find her holding a knife into her chest with a look of shock on her face. Her right hoof lays lazily on the knife while her left hoof.

"Tsk." He left hoof is holding the heart of her child.

That implies one of two things so far. Either the murderer really wants to play a sick joke or something happened to where Lemon murdered her child and took her hear, most unlikely, and than killed herself.

I than notice some places that seem to be a struggle mark. Marks running down her right flank where she was clawed, timber wolves, juvenile dragon, or some other creature with long claws; has left its mark from most likely trying to push her away from the side. It also covers her cutie mark a bit. Than again the marks can easily be copied with the knife. First the knife would have to be examined and see if the knife fits the mark with the cuts.

Hopefully not, but than again I would be catching a lucky break if it didn't.

Walk around I notice one of the wings sprained from the sudden shock. Part of the bone towards the base is bent awkwardly. Either slammed her wing into something or a creature with very precise marking. Or just insane luck. I consider flipping her over just to check out her back to see if I can get anymore of a clue, but I would rather not mess with the evidence right now.

I back track to the entry way trying to find signs of a scrimmage of some sort. Claw marks, hairs, hell I'm having problems just trying to find blood from the entry way to the kitchen which only supports my cause that some creature had done this not Lemon. It lemon had done this than there would have been a blood trail leading from the body to her because there was a lot of blood around them both.

"Find anything interesting yet?" Somepony asks behind me.

I turn around and see miss know it all herself, Twilight, "What are you doing here."

Of all the ponies that manage to get through the line it has to be on the wannabes.

"Well Pinkie said that you might need me." She says following the blood of pool to the child's body.

I hear her breath catch in her throat but I don't pay much attention to it. I'm more concerned of why Pinkie would send her. Sure I needed someone to make sure to scan the bodies with magic to check from prints and even more evidence, but I would of simply let the clean up crew handle all of that.

That only raises Pinkie up in my suspicious list. Though than again her Pinkie sense probably told her, though that would be one hell of a pacific one. I put it to the back of my mind as I look at Twilight who's face is all green.

"It helps if ya don't look at it. Use your magic to scan the area of any sort of magic doings." I say not really sure of how magic works.

I know a bit on how magic leaves a bit of a residue that can't be picked up by normal means. I figure since Twilight is here she might as well. I look at the body of the child again as Twilight's horn lights most likely thankful she doesn't have to look at the mangled body anymore. Speaking of which, I notice that the intestines seem to be tied very precise not like with a hoof or anything. More of like witch magic or fingers.

The only creatures with hands near this area are the dragons and the great apes. But the great apes don't have claws nor do they actually come out this way. They don't make weapons and they don't eat meat.

"Hey Jubs. Did they steal anything?" I ask as a red unicorn stallion passes me by.

"Not from what I can tell." He says fixing his officer hat on his well kept yellow mane.

I swear sometimes this police ponies care more about how they look than the actual crime.

Twilight gasps aloud and the light die down, "I got something..."

I raise an eye brown waiting for her to tell me.

"It seems to be..." She says walking to the door, "Some kind of chaotic energy around the body... But I don't think..."

"Discord?" I say more of a statement than a question.

I had my guess at him. Not all criminals take to well to being locked up. The question I can't get over is why would he switch from his cotton candy ground clouds and popcorn showers to murder and bugs. It doesn't add up unless magic is involved and even than does it make this case a lot more complicated. I'm no unicorn so I can't just cast a spell to help me see things better. I have to go hard into it or else I'll miss something.

"No, I don't think so but I won't rule him out." I say as Twilight looks out the window behind me, "Something chaotic huh... Maybe another creature that can produce it off. There are a lot of chaotic creatures so I would rule it off as Discord just yet."

No reply from Twilight. She must be thinking it over as well. I wouldn't be surprised. She's the pony of the hard thinking sorts. I think it over but I tend to be quick about my short decisions.

I shake my head and walk back to the kitchen area again looking for any more clues. There I find something not there before. Another note with black and white confetti over it.

All around the dead bodies the monkey chase the weasel.

The monkey chased the weasel.

And when he thought he was gone

pop goes the monkey.

I snort. Obliviously I'm dealing with a lunatic. A lunatic that knows how to kill and leave no to little clues. He take the note and put it under my hat whipping over the confetti first. I watch as the boring looking paper shreds fall to the ground wondering why that would be here.

I shake my head and walk for the exit to see Twilight's gone. I pay no mind to it as I walk out.

{Night 3}

I walk the darkness looking around. Its a foreign place and I have the sense of familiarity. As if I'm familiar with the dark. I guess I kind of am. I'm always in the dark with every case I get.

I eventually come to a set of stairs and begin to walk down them. With each step I become a little bit smaller. It doesn't hurt my shrinkage but it does raise questions. When I reach the bottom of the steps I'm in a room that is way to familiar to me. I start to back up hoping my hooves will hit steps. They don't.

I look around the room that is bigger than it should be. I gulp and walk forward. I remember this place like the back of my hoof.

"Lucas!"

I jump at my name and the voice that calls out that name. My mother. My mother has been dead for so long. She died in a fire which left my homeless and alone. Later on did they learn that it wasn't her fault. My father set the house on fire hoping to kill me and him. They never found him either.

It made me sick. Made me want to become a detective so I could find him myself. I've been at this for so many years and I still can't find the bastard.

"Lucas!?" I hear her call out again.

Her sweet voice. Her always musical voice of a good mother. I walk forward and into the kitchen. Where I can hear her call me from.

"Ye-"

I stop dead in my tracks tears forming in my eyes. My mother stands there a skeleton and flames all round her.

"There you are! What have you been up to?" She says her eyeless eyes looking into mine.

It burns me to the core. I look away and try to run away to only find her standing behind me.

"Is something wrong hun."

I can't work my mouth. I can only look away and run and only hope the nightmare ends sooner. All the while I can here something repeat in my head. The same hysterical laughter as well as someone singing. A mare.

"Lucas' dream is burning down burning down burning down!

The nightmare doesn't end soon and when I awaken.

The nightmare continues.