For love or money

I was trying to sleep the evening of. But the case carouseled my mind. Who was the target? Was it a plot to get rid of an unwanted director who just pested you? Or was it an act of jealousy at the young star? And why Digitoxin? It was almost, if not totally impossible to just plant Foxglove around Sage ang hope that the person you wanted dead was to eat it. And there was another way… the killer may have just wanted a spread of terror and that the killing of ANYONE would do. Nothing made any sence. But no worrys, PINKIE got it all covered…

…in fact, she probably had. And it was annoying that I, the smartest of alicorns can’t make anything out.

At nine, Pinkie returned.

”Ah, you feeling better now?Good! I need my faithful assistant at her best mood tomorrow! Right now, lets go for dinner! I don’t know bout you, but I’m starving. Oh, and thanks for the help with the chemist. That was most necessary.”

”Pinkie, I have been listening to his records and…”

”Oh! Great! You tell me what you think in the elevator! Come on! FOOOD!!!”

I was dragged out of the room and into the elevator. Pinkie pressed the entrance floor button with a frenzy I found stupid.

”What’s the matter with you Pinkie?”

Silence.

”Ah,come on Twi, you’re…”

”And don’t blame me this time! You are the one acting strange”

There was silence again for a while.

”Yeah, I know… sorry. It’s… it’s… stupid really, but….”

”But? Pinkie, you’re my friend. Tell me!”

”…I will… but… after dinner, ok?”

We went to an italian restaurant. Their straw spaghetti was delicious, and the wine was excellent. Finally Pinkie was in her normal mode. The evening was pleasant, we talked about everything else but the case. We took a long walk, looking at stars and other ponys, until we came back to our hotel at eleven thirty.

I threw myself to the bed. Pinkie stood in the door, looking at me.

”What’s the matter? Are you ok? Oh, yeah…sorry…what was it that…. you should tell me after dinner?”

Pinkie was silent. She then walked to the bed, sat next to me, and kissed me.

That felt strange. I was not prepared for that. Not that it felt weird, it was… surpricingly nice. But totally unexpected. And to be honest…

”Pinkie… What was that?”

”It was a kiss, stupid!”

”Yeah yeah…but… Pinkie, you’re not in… love with me are you?

She was silent.

”Cause I… I… well I…like you but… not that much…. Sorry”

”It’s okay. The thing is… I don’t love you either…I’m just…Lonely. ”

”YOU’RE lonely?”

”Yeah, can’t I be lonely?”

”Of…cource, I just thought you…”

”Were having all these friends? Oh, I do. But… everyones getting familys… They don’t have the same amount of time for me… But the thing is…I don’t want a special somepony right now. I’m just… lonely and horny. And with you there all day… Well i can’t help notice you around and… I find you very attractive actually.  Would… would you go to bed with me?”

The next morning, I woke up with pinkie on my arm. I lay silent for a while, just watching her. I wasn’t sure what last night was about, but I knew it had been…really really good.

”Good morning starshine! You’re quite the lover, you know that?” Pinkie awoke and started to talk at once.

”You’re not so bad yourself.”

”You know Twilight…  you are the best of friends…there are not many ponys who whould do this…”

Silence again.

”So…what does this make us?” I was curious.

More silence.

”Friends with benifits, I guess? I mean…I know you want your specialpony. And I want… Well…I don’t know…to have fun? So wer’e not dating, we just… buck when we want to?”

”Sounds good to me.”

”At your service princess! Always nice to serve royalty! Now, get your beautiful royal ass out of the bed! I want breakfast!”

Well...that was just Pinkie.

After breakfast, I decided it was time to talk about the case.

”So… Pinkie, what about…”

”Oh, Now I know! I know who did it, I know why, and I know when. Sweetie Belles witness was pretty much all I needed. But we must visit mrs. Swanee to get everything clear. Can you arrange with the DI to meet us there?”

”Sure." I hated to admit I didn't understand anything, so I went the ironic way. "So, what was the curious incident the night of the murder?” I asked, with a smirk smile.

”Oh, nothing really. As Sweetie said, they had dinner, they toasted for sucsess, and then there were party. Xtreme drank quite many drinks as usual. Mrs Swanee tended bar. And in the morning everypony started feeling sick. ”

”But… if everything was normal, then how could you…”

”Figure it out? Oh, it was actually my first theory that was easily fitted over the facts! But it was also the fact that there are some misconceptions.”

”Like what?”

”Well, at some point you assumed that it may have been an attempt at mr Swanee. But it was not, I told you, the murder was intended at Xtreme, and it was a crime of passion! And the digitoxin have been misinterpreted as well. You know, …”

”You say this was a crime of passion? How?”

”Oh, that is the most obvious part! Didn’t you listen to his songs?”

”Yeah, but…”

”No ”butts” here. Ah, Mrs Swanees house! Now its time to pin the tail on the murderous pony.

”Hullo, ladies!”

”Why, inspector! I didn’t expect you to come”

”Well…I’m not sure what you’re after, but I trust her royal highness!”

”Oh. You shouldn’t, I don’t think she understands either. But its okey. Now lets go inside. ”

We rang the bell, and the door opened by a young stallion. He was really good looking with a long many of think auburn hair, and yet there was something reluctant over him. He left us in mrs Swanees study, and I told Pinkie this. And much to my surprice, she agreed.

”Yes Twilight, you are right. I do not like him. He’s to good looking. Always for the soft jobs he will be. But, that fits in my theory. Did you notice he had been crying?”

”No…”

”Well…it wasn’t a big thing. His left hoove was wet, and his glasses were smudged. Ah, but here’s mr Swanee.”

”Ah, miss Pie! Your highness! Inspector! Any light over the case?”

”Oh, yes. In fact, everything fell in place last night. It was a nice stroll for you down to the chemists shop?”

”Well… nice and nice… I needed to renew my prescription. But how did you know... and what has that got to do with anything?”

”Everything!…”

”What do you mean!”

”You killed him. You killed your own star.”

”Why, that is ridicoulous! Why would I kill somepony that gives me the most money I can wish  for?”

”Well, you were having thoughts about his choice of songs…”

”Well, we did have our disagreements, but thats not the base for killing somepony.”

”Perhaps not. But love is. He was in love! And he wanted to share it with the world! Your buisness would have cracked! Your biggest star, the dream pony of every filly in equestria...in a relationship...AND with a stallion!"

Silence again. Then the director broke it.

"You are out of your mind!"

"Oh no I'm not! My doctor says I'm okay, and her word counts more than yours! That was the worst part, wasn't it? That he had become involved with Your Own Secretary!"

"But but...princess! You can not believe this crazy raning, can you?"

I said nothing. It all fell into place. The "do as you're told"...referenced mrs Swanee... And growing up and discovering love led to Xtreme wanting more mature themes with his songs.... And "Darky" sounded a bit like "Derk"...

"Well...I actually do."

"Ah do to!"

"Inspony?"

"Ayup! We have a witness of an aspecially nasty argument between the two of you... Xtreme saying that...ehm...'whatever yer said, he would go throw with it' and yer almost directly threatend to kill him."

"All right! All right! I told him it wasn't a good Idea! I mean, I don't have prejudices...but the fans! You can never tell what the fans would say! He would have lost his whole fanbase!"

"Oh, I think he would've gotten a new one!"

"Well...perhaps... but I did not kill him! Everyone got sick! How can you say It was me?"

"Because of the digitoxin! It is like this...it is fatal to the heart, BUT at the right amount, it works as medicine! Speeds up a slow heart, so to speak! YOU have a slow heart, you EAT digitoxin for that purpouse! How easy it was for you, to first serve everybody foxglow, and then present a lethal dose to your intended victim, probably through a drink! You had plenty of opportunities, since you handed bar. Everything fell into place.  The arguments with Xtreme, the tension between you and your secretary, the foxglow, youre prescription... yep, everthing fitted. I checked with the chemist yesterday. I asumed you needed a refill when you empty a whole jar in someones drink. And I was right."

Silence. The air seemed to slip out of Mrs Swanee.

" Yep, coldblooded, well planned, determined murder. As I said, it was a crime of passion. Love. You. loved. him. You wanted him to be yours, and for you to live happily ever after.  But he never loved you back, in spite of everything you did for him.... and then, he cheats on you with a stallion..."

The director sighed.

"That bucking little brat...I made him what he was...He Owed me! And that is how he returned my emotions! If I couldn't have him, Noone should!"

"well...Ah  guess that does it then...Yer have the right to remain silent..."

We left, as the DI gave mrs Swaenne the treatment.

"Love does strange things to ponys, doesn't they,Pinkie?"

"I guess your right..."

"You know...sometimes I wish I never fall in love."

"Why not? That sounds just so sad, Twi."

"well yeah...but I mean... if it only ends in hurt... I don't really think Derk Gentlys feelings were real."

"They were to Xtreme."

" Yeah. Lucky kid, died at the right time...he..."

Then, she silenced me with a kiss.

"What was that Pinkie?"

"A kiss again, stupid. You need to get your mind on easier things. I know love is hard. But I'm not giving up, and neither shall you. But there's enough evil of today. Now lets throw the emotions out the window and stick to the fun parts of any relationship!"

"...bucking?"

"Yup! First to your room gets to be on top!"

"Game on!"

I leave the rest to your minds...