Clover Clues and the Fugitive Fawn

We understood his orders, but we were still shocked. It was almost as though the gravity of our situation hadn't completely sunk in until that point. I tried to choose my words carefully. "You...you must know what it would mean if the Vestments were destroyed. Our Princess Luna...it hasn't been very long since she came back to us. She depends on those items to aid her Sister to rule our land, to literally control the celstial bodies."

The stoic earth pony sheathed the magical sword. "Yes, and returning them to Luna-sama is our top priority. But I wanted to make sure you knew of our contingency." He looked out at his daughter building a snowpony in the picturesque garden. "Miichan is the only family I have, and I would do anything to protect her. All of her, including her dreams. If the thieves find out where we are, they will attack us from all fronts." He climbed back into the pool and sighed contentedly in the warmth. "But better us than somepony else, who are defenseless"

He then took off the black skullcap and dipped his head into the water briefly, soaking his mane. I tried not to stare when his head surfaced. Where his left ear and eye had been, there was a long, jagged scar. "I know firsthand what it is like to be defenseless."

~~~

That night, I tossed and turned restlessly. Hanzō snored loudly, thanks to his insistence that it was "tradition" to drink sake when staying in this type of hotel. I was more inclined to think he wanted to get tipsy on the government's dime. I had tried a drink, but only to be polite. Laser had had a bit more. I flopped onto my shomach and groaned into my pillow. Those two were getting awfully chummy. Which was fine, but...I couldn't help how I felt about the way she looked at him. It ate me up inside. And Hanzō was an extraordinary pony! He deserved her and my respect and admiration. So why did I feel so terrible? Oh that's right, maybe because there's a deadly fawn somewhere out there toting some seriously powerful nightmare-inducing magic.

That's when I heard a soft thunk of something hitting the wooden wall. I slowly rose out of bed, making sure not to rouse anypony else. If there was somepony outside, I didn't want them to know I had heard them. I stalked over to the inside door and quietly slid it open. I peered out into the hallway without sticking my head out. Seeing nopony there, I walked into the hallway and looked around thoroughly. There wasn't anypony there, so the sound must have come from outside. I walked back into the room and tried to think of some way to check outside without opening the door. Oh right. The walls are made of paper. I stuck my horn a little ways through a corner of the doorframe, making a peephole.

Standing out in the snow, I saw the fawn. She was staring directly back at me with those fierce yellow eyes. Waiting for me. I gave a heavy sigh and slid open the door, stepping out into softly falling snow. I briefly looked back and saw that a small knife had been thrown into the door with a note attached. Hey, the culprit is throwing evidence at me now! Lucky me. I regarded her cautiously. In place of her thieving gear, she was wearing a simple black kimono and her hair was tied in a tight bun. She seemed to be waiting for me to speak, so I did.

"Well? Why are you here? Come to finish the job?"

She laughed sweetly, a strange sound to come from such a lethal creature. "No, Tantei, I came to talk. If I wanted to kill you, you would not know it. You would simply be dead." She spoke with a thick accent, definitely Neighponese but something else as well. As though the words were difficult for her to physically say.

I sneered. "Fair enough. I take it you would rather me not proceed with this investigation? Are you here to bribe me? Let's not play games. I'll ask again, why are you here?"

"No, I do not wish to insult you with a bribe, or to ask you to leave. I simply came here to tell you that you will die if you pursue me and my...oh what is the word..." She seemed to actually struggle to find the right thing to say.

I led the witness, Your Honor. "Your organization?"

"Hai, yes. It is as you say." She smiled disconcertingly, like she was trying the expression for the first time.

I might as well try questioning her since she's standing right in front of me. "Is that all? Because it's cold out here, and I think you'll understand if I don't invite you in. Why don't we speed things up and you tell me what this organization is? Oh, or how about your name for a start?"

"As for the first question, no. I will not reveal my employer. Ah, that was the word! As for my name...hmm." She drew a slim cloven hoof to her chin, playing as if she was toying with the idea. Suddenly, her eyes glowed yellow and an angular, etherial horn appeared on her brow. She rapidly dashed towards me with her hoof raised. It was crackling with yellow sparks. I was so stunned by the sight of her magic, I didn't even try to block it when she punched me in the face.

The electric punch knocked me into the snow, where I laid twitching, unable to move of my own volition. The fawn crouched down to be eye level with me and coldly said, "My name is Hanako. Hanako Yamada. Goodbye, Tantei."