New Trottland Yard Case 01 - Silver Cross and the horror of Haunchington

Silver Cross

and the horror of Haunchington

Chapter 3

The old Unicorn stallion could not believe it. He had finally succeeded, the mare he had brought back had run off and killed her family! What a disaster. The townsponies were already suspicious of him, because he never visited the town. These superstitious idiots. All they were good for, was to serve as test subjects for his experiments...

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I sat at the breakfast table, munching on some steamed broccoli, when I overheard the proprietor of the Inn speak to another Unicorn stallion that had walked in just a few minutes ago. I'm usually not a mare that eavesdrops on another Ponies conversation, but the first few words they spoke made my ears perk up.

“And I tell you, Swift Feather has hung himself! That family is cursed I tell you. Cursed!”, the newcomer said frantically to his Earthpony friend.

“So what if he did? He probably just couldn't accept that he killed his wife and kid. But what would really interest me is, what made him do it. As far as I know he loved his family more then his own life... You don't suppose...”

“The Professor? Could be. Baton Draw told me earlier that the other villages around here have reported stolen corpses as well. The only place that from which you could reach all them villages, is Dark Horn Manor. I wonder if the old stallion has anything to do with it...”

“Has Baton talked to him? Haven't seen that guy since he moved in there.”, the proprietor said while cleaning the counter.

“Are you insane? I bet everything I have that he has something to do with this! Say what you will, but I believe what Swift told Baton. Have never known the stallion to lie before. It was his daughter, Sunshine, that killed the two.”

After that the Earthpony just laughed at his friend, ignoring most of what he was saying. I on the other hoof, walked over to him after finishing my meal. Waiting for the mysterious mare from last night was useless, since the proprietor had told me already that she had left early in the morning. It was time to do my job, by trying to get some information on my case.

“Hey there, my name is Silver Cross. I'm interested in historic buildings, and I was wondering if you could tell me how I can get up to that Manor on the hill.”, I asked, a big grin on my face. The stallion behind the bar had a point in regard of the disappeared corpses. If that “Professor” was the only one who could comfortably reach the towns in which dead bodies had been stolen, he was the logical choice for my first stop.

“Heya Miss. Hard Hammer is my name. I can only advice you not to go up there, if you value your life. That there Professor is as creepy as Nightmare Moons backside. I don't trust the old bucker.”, he explained, looking worried.

“So? I don't think he would have anything against me looking at his manor for a while. Besides, I bet he isn't that bad. Sounds to me as if he just wants to be left alone. The worst he can do is tell me to buzz off after all.”, I replied, trying to sound as casual as possible. I didn't want to reveal that I was with the New Trottland Yard just yet.

“If ya say so Miss... But be careful. Word has it that he is some kind of dropout from Canterlots magical academy, and that he was kicked out since he studied Changeling magic.”

That didn't sound good at all. Even though most Changelings were now living amongst Ponies peacefully, they had been known to practice dark magic before the war that had put an end to their empire. I was more then surprised that nopony seemed to have caught on to this. It was time to pay the Constable of this sleepy little town a visit. I excused myself, still not knowing how I would get up to that hill, and made my way to the Constables office...

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“I'm Inspector Silver Cross. Superintendent Gruff sent me here to investigate the case of these murders that have occurred around this area.”, I explained to the perplexed Pegasus.

“You pipsqueak are the Inspector the Yard sent here? Oh Twilight, what did I do to deserve this?”, he swore under his breath, before looking at me again. I chose to ignore his comment about my size, since an argument about this would only hinder my efforts to get this case solved. To be precise: A dead stallion wouldn't have been able to answer my questions. It didn't stop a vein on my forehead to start pulsing visibly though...

“Yes... I am the Inspector, and I would like you to tell me what is going on here. I have heard that there are several corpses missing from the villages in the area, and that you have a Professor who practiced Changeling magic living nearby... Have you questioned him? Is he in custody?”, OK, maybe I didn't stay as calm as would have been appropriate, but my size has always been my sore spot.

The Constable began to tell me about the murder, and how he had seen it all. I had to agree that the case seemed waterproof, yet the complete disappearance of Sunshine Petals corpse and the story her father told the Constable made me think. I didn't believe in stories of the undead, no matter if they were about Zombies, Vampires or other resurrected riffraff. Yet there was no other explanation. The “Professor” could have something to do with it, and I was dead set to ask him some questions. It was hard to believe that this stallion had actually missed that connection. He claimed that all of this were mere rumors about a hardworking stallion...

“Your words in Celestias ears...”, I thought as he informed me that there had been a new disappearance recently. A young Pegasus mare, only sixteen years old, had vanished without a trace. Her name was Gear Turn apparently. The stallion fulfilled my request, and provided me with a photograph of Gear Turn. I just hoped that I wasn't too late.

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Gear Turn lay on a marble pedestal. All her legs were bound with chains that were fastened to the pedestal. Even her wings were bound tightly to her body. The room she was in stank of rot and decay, but she couldn't see anything due to the blindfold over her eyes. She struggled as best she could against her bonds, but to no avail. She wasn't a Unicorn after all. With magic she might have been able to free herself... It were times like these that she cursed herself for being born with wings.

The worst was, that she didn't even remember how she got here. She had been on her way to her neighbors, to help their young colt with his studies. Something she did to earn some extra pocket money, when she had been enveloped in a green sheath of light. Shortly after, everything had gone dark...

Gear could hear hoofsteps that came closer to her. The splish splash on the wet ground was clearly audible. Her captor certainly made no attempt to approach her silently. She was terrified. Her best friend, Knife Wrench, had been raped a few years ago. Was she about to suffer the same fate?

The young mare wasn't even able to scream when she felt a sharp pain penetrating her chest. She tried to struggle harder, but the chains holding her were just too strong. The blade slowly pushed in deeper into her body, and finally reached her heart and she gasped. Gear Turn cried, sniffled and tried to beg, but then her heart was impaled and her body fell limp.

She didn't die instantly, but it didn't take long either. Her last thought, before her eyes broke and her body started to go cold was,“Why?”

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Grinning madly, the Professor watched as the mare he had just killed rose once again. His spell was finally perfect. He could bring back the dead. Screw those Ponies in Canterlot. With such an ability, he would be able to rule the whole world! This mare would go and kill even more Ponies. Ponies who would soon join his army. The numbskull's in Canterlot wouldn't be able to stop him. Their military would crumple beneath undead hooves. Hooves that were under his command!

“Go! Go and kill!”, he ordered the mare. The creature, that had once been known as Gear Turn, obliged gladly. Life had to be sought out and destroyed. Life was filthy and had to be cleansed from this world!

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I trotted up the hill to Dark Horn Manor. The mansion looked positively wicked. It had been built out of black marble, and the Gargoyles on it's walls looked like Windigos, Timberwolfs and other vile creatures. Whoever lived here, had a very strange sense of aesthetics.

Suddenly a shadow fell over me from above. Since the sky had been clear just a few seconds ago, I looked up to see what it was. I still had to look for that missing Pegasus teenager after all. Maybe she had flown up here on a dare, and was now on her way home?

There was indeed a Pegasus mare above me, and it was, without a doubt, Gear Turn. The only problem was, that she was diving directly towards me, her hooves outstretched. I jumped aside as she crashed where I had been standing just a moment ago. I went over to her, wanting to check if she was OK, when she suddenly kicked out at me. The blow caught me straight in the face, and I stumbled backwards. Before I could react, the mare slammed into me, knocking me over on my back.

“Miss... Gear Turn... Please... Stop... I don't... want... to … hurt you!”, I gasped as she started to choke me. Her face was expressionless as she did so, and it sent an extra chill through my body as I saw her broken eyes. I realized that I was too late. This mare was dead already. Dead but moving and determined to make me join her in death...

My rear hooves came up against her belly, while my forelegs wrapped around her neck. It took some effort but I finally managed to roll her off of me, and draw one of my guns. Before the creature could get up again, I emptied the magazine into her body. To my horror, she still came at me, even with the intensive led therapy!

I tossed the gun aside and ran towards the manor. The front door stood wide open, and since it looked pretty sturdy, I thought it would be my best chance. Luckily my shots had shattered the bones in two of the creatures legs and one of her wings, so she couldn't follow me fast enough.

Slamming the door behind me, I panted hard, not believing what I had just seen. Something slammed into the door from the other side, and I had to stand on my back legs to press my back against it. There was no key in the lock, and I was not willing to become Zombie food just yet.

As I let my gaze roam around, to see if there was any potential weapon I could use aside from my pistol, I caught a movement out of the corner of my eyes. I failed to duck my head fast enough, and soon after everything went dark, as a bright red hoof connected with my right temple...