Decapitating Harmony

Chapter 6 – The Reveal

Rainbow Dash laid uncomfortably on the nylon mat staring at the walls where she had taped the papers she had received from her lawyer at the discovery hearing. All of the reports outlining her guilt stirred anger in her heart as she tried to come up with an explanation as to how she would have come to be falsely accused.

The other inmates had made it abundantly clear that she was lucky to have avoided a cell-mate, known colloquially as a 'celly' to the inmate population, in the few days she had been there. Rainbow felt fortunate to be allowed the opportunity to perform necessary bodily functions without the presence of another, but she was becoming lonely.

She couldn't wrap her mind around why anypony would come to the jail more than once without having some kind of epiphany altering the behavior that caused them to be detained there. When she was being transported to court on the previous day, she saw Gilda in shackles being led back to the Segregation Housing Unit. According to Rainbow's fellow inmates, that griffin was constantly being arrested for battery charges and petit theft being released and booked in so often that they began to think she enjoyed being in the system. Gilda was also known to knock a few skulls around during each visit which is why she was placed on a permanent assaultive status and housed in the SHU from booking every time. Rainbow Dash was surely not going to get the opportunity to talk with her flight academy buddy during her stay at Canterlot’s Involuntary Resort and Spa.

The words on the reports flooded her mind as she tried to block the wet smacking sounds of the 'cellies' in the adjacent cell having sex while the detention guard slept on her desk. It wasn't comforting that the activity sounded consensual. Homosexuality made Rainbow Dash uncomfortable having been teased about her tom-boy pattern of behavior which led many ponies to assume she was a lesbian all her life.

Forensic palynology was confusing. She didn't even know that was a thing, but according to that report, she had been in the area where Twilight's body was dumped linking her to the crime. Rainbow strained her mind trying to figure out how she had gotten candy-lion pollen in her mane.

A sudden penetrating image flashed across her vision; Ghastly Gorge. She sat up quickly recalling a certain 'brain clearing flight' and realizing that she had been to Ghastly Gorge the morning of the murder. She recalled mutely the wipe-out into the candy-lions which thusly secured her position as primary suspect. Fear welled tears in her eyes as the fortuity became fact in her brain. “They were right.” She whispered to herself, “I was there.”

The confined lovers' soft moans grew into wails of pleasure catching the attention of everypony except the napping figure of authority whom was supposed to put a stop to that kind of thing. The jail motto was, “No means no, and yes is not allowed.” Quiet calls of encouragement from the horny fillies all around the unit echoed from underneath the doors amongst a few other inmates whom shouted that they were trying to sleep, or whatever other reason for their protest.

She fell back against the mat forgetting its hardness and thudding her head against the steel below the nylon. She thought deeply through the new found ache in her skull searching her mind for a way to communicate with her friends and put their brains to work. She needed help conveying that she was at Twilight’s dump site, and yet completely innocent.

She rubbed her noggin with a hoof staring at the ceiling and worried about sending a letter through conventional mail. The guards read everything that leaves and enters the facility to control contraband and monitor gang activity; therefore, she felt like she would be signing a confession if she admitted it on paper.

Rainbow turned over on her side trying almost desperately to avoid talking to herself. She thought, that's the first step to going crazy; lying in bed and chatting herself up. All of the cognitive effort wasn't aiding her sore head, although the dull pain ringing her ears was welcomed as it drowned out the sound of the neighboring inmates climaxing together.

* * *

The morgue was smaller than Fluttershy expected which aided the ghoulishly unnerving feeling of casualty hidden behind the chrome doors. The florescent tubes above them did little to lighten the dark disparity.

Redheart asked them both to stand still as she applied a small amount of cream to their upper lips. It smelled powerfully like mangos and its soothing scent had no effect on Fluttershy's racing heart. The white nurse pony explained that it was to mask the bodies' odor which also wasn't soothing in any way.

They made their way down the thin corridor that was almost too small for them to walk three ponies wide. Fluttershy eyed the drawers with the tiny white name plates seeing all of the lost friends and family through the cold stainless steel. She had a brief moment of mortality thinking of the statistic she would inevitably become at the conclusion of her life.

Nurse Redheart gripped the handle of the door marked 'T. Sparkle' and pulled it open sliding the drawer outward as if revealing the contents of a file cabinet. A freshly bleached sheet covered Twilight's body appearing like a specter lying in wait to jump at them or show them the errors of their past, present, and future.

The nurse curved a hoof over the cover to pull it back when Fluttershy called out collapsing on the floor burying her face under her hooves, "Stop! Stop! I can't! I just can't see her like this!"

Envoy knelt attempting to peer through Fluttershy's hooves and into her eyes, "Fluttershy, we need you. I know this isn't easy, but you're helping her."

"What good am I?" Fluttershy clasped her hooves tightly against her face as she cried woefully. "I'm not going to be any use. This isn't going to work!"

The little grey unicorn stood and shrugged at Redheart, "Sorry, Nurse. We're not trying to waste your time. Just give me a few moments with her."

Redheart nodded and the room became silent save for the light clopping of her hooves on the bright linoleum floor as she made her way out.

Envoy patted the weeping pegasus, "I'm sorry, Fluttershy. You don't have to look at her, but I need you to see what we found. It's important."

"No." Fluttershy stood with her eyes closed, "I have to do this."

Her eyes peeled slowly releasing a river of tears as she made weak steps to Twilight's side and stared intently at the sheet covering her lost friend. Envoy watched Fluttershy struggle with herself from across Twilight's body awaiting a sign to continue.

“Are you sure about this?” Envoy asked poising a hoof on the sheet preparing to uncover the body.

“No.” Fluttershy said looking to the unicorn and nodded with hesitation. Envoy slid her hoof across the table's surface catching the cover and pulling it down to Twilight's chest.

Fluttershy took a deep breath appearing to hold it together very well when her head fell precipitously against the table reverberating a loud bang within the morgue as she wailed in anguish. She put a hoof on the table attempting to pick her head up, but the weight of her sadness prevented movement with the exception of her heaving sobs.

Envoy choked back her own sympathetic emotion striving to continue, “Besides her injuries contributing to the cause of death, do you see anything abnormal?”

Fluttershy's blubbering slowed as she brought herself up gazing upon the dead Twilight. She appeared peaceful in a state of rest, but the abhorrent gashes in her throat burned Fluttershy's mind urging her to look away.

“I don't see anything.” Fluttershy said slowly. “I'm sorry.”

“That's okay, Fluttershy.” Envoy assured as she levitated a notepad, “That just means that the injuries we found were all sustained during her final moments.” Envoy noted that fact on her tablet. “I didn't expect you to actually find anything.”

A light scratching echoed as Envoy wrote while Fluttershy stared at her friend's closed eyes and sunken features. Twilight's mouth was pressed into a thin line leading to the exposed lower teeth on the left side of her face. Fluttershy's demeanor faded into ease finding a peculiar closure in sight of her friend's tranquility.

“Twilight.” Fluttershy spoke to her deceased friend. “You were the best friend anypony could have. We're going to take care of Spike and everything is going to be okay.”

Twilight continued to lay unmoving as Fluttershy leaned down and softly kissed her cold forehead.

Envoy's glowing horn moved a small plastic sack with three small green rocks into the light, "The examiner found these." Envoy sniffled, "We aren't sure of their significance, but we're hoping that you had an idea."

The yellow pegasus shook her head before realizing what they were, "Those..." she paused, "Those are one of Zecora's doorstops."

Envoy wrote quickly on the levitated notepad, "Zecora the zebra?"

Surprise overtook Fluttershy's grief and was quickly replaced with betrayal followed by anger.

"That... that..." Words crammed into Fluttershy's mouth so quickly that she couldn't choose any of them when she suddenly shouted, "That BITCH!"

Fluttershy suddenly galloped as fast as she could out of the morgue and exiting the hospital in flight to Scroot's cabin with speed that would make Rainbow Dash proud.

* * *

Teddy's Transportation was a large dirt yard fenced with large cedar posts holding within hundreds of carts of varying size and style. In the northeast corner of the compound was a single wide trailer parked next to the chain link entry gate. A dilapidated steel license plate hung from the storm door by aluminum twine with 'Office' spray painted on the displayed reverse side.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack stepped into the trailer where a dusty mahogany desk rested in the center with a blue earth pony sleeping behind it. His gold mane was short and spiked in the front misrepresenting the shoulder length hair lying across the back of his neck. He had his rear hooves settled on the calendar in the center of the desk, his forelegs wrapped around his middle and tucked under each other, and his chin rested on his chest. In his slumber, he had begun to drool on his navy blue button up work shirt on which 'teddy' was embroidered in white on the left breast.

Applejack raised a brow at Pinkie Pie snidely before ringing the bell on the desk loudly.

Teddy didn't jump or otherwise react, but simply opened his eyes glaring at the ponies standing before him. He dropped his hooves to the floor and rubbed his face yawning. He allowed his forelegs to fall into his lap tiredly looking over Applejack and Pinkie.

“I'm sorry.” Teddy said in a heavy southern drawl. “The foal's been fussy overnight. Is there somethin' I can help you with?”

“Yessir.” Applejack nodded, “We're investigating a cart that may belong to you.”

Pinkie Pie raised a hoof, “It's actually a sled.”

Teddy opened a drawer in the desk and balanced a binder on his hoof presenting it to the mares. “This is our log. I know I may not've given the impression of bein' diligent, but it's up to date.”

He allowed the book to fall on the surface of the desk with a light clatter. “What's this all about, anyway? If I'm allowed to ask. I hope we ain't in no trouble.”

Pinkie shook her head, “We're not investigating you, silly. Just trying to figure out who was the last pony to have your sled.”

Applejack's heart thudded against her chest in anticipation of the information she and Pinkie were about to uncover. Pinkie glanced at Applejack a few times before taking initiative and nosing open the binder. The date of Twilight's murder headed the page in bold red over small rectangular fields in which the renter's name, the cart's number, and the projected return date would be written.

Three carts had been rented that day. One that hadn't been returned numbered 30012 under the name “B&N Frisky.”

“I assume you're here for 30012.” Teddy began, “Did Charlie hire y'all? 'Cause I don't want no investigation over a missing cart on the company bit.”

“No pony hired us, sir.” Applejack said without looking up.

“Well, golly darn. Y'all just helpin' a neighbor out? Ain't that peachy.” Teddy smiled. “I sure appreciate you.”

Applejack intently stared at the name on the page searching her head for a face to put to it. She thought so hard she hadn't realized she had said it aloud to herself several times.

“Don't hurt yourself, girl.” Teddy said. “That name there's what fancy folk call a pseudonym.”

Applejack became quickly panicked fearing that they had lost their lead, “A fake name?! Why in the hay would you let somepony put a fake name in your log?”

Teddy held up his hooves to Applejack calmingly, “Simmer down, now. I only did it because that filly was stirring up quite a scene.”

“How did you know it's a fake name?” Pinkie asked with a raised brow suspecting Teddy knew the pony prior to doing business with her.

“Everypony knows that crazy broad.” He said matter-of-factly. “She came in here with a terrible disguise declaring, 'Pay no particular attention to The Benign and Negligible Frisky!' Which is funny because everypony that was here has mentioned her at least once a day since.”

Teddy laughed while closing the book and putting it back into the desk, “Then she said she wanted a sled. It's spring! I asked if she wanted one of the cheaper carts. You know, with wheels!?”

He leaned back in his chair kicking his hooves up again. “And you know what she says? Get this, she says, 'The Benign and Negligible Frisky doesn't trust wheels.”

Pinkie Pie stopped Teddy sensing that he was going to continue, “Who is she?”

Teddy gave them a look as if they were asking him what color the sky was before answering.

* * *

Ponyville was winding down quickly with ponies in their homes performing some before bed chores, some outside tending small flower pots, and a few parents hustling colts and fillies inside for the night. The sky had been cleared to make way for the moon to shine upon the sleeping town as the sun descended. The air was sweet, crisp, and cool except around Scroot's head where the hot thick smoke floated away from his nose.

Scroot wondered down the main street of Ponyville deep in thought without direction. Doubt shrouded every piece of evidence and everything he believed he knew about the case. He didn't want to admit he was wrong without something hard to prove it, but he had begun to exclude Rainbow Dash from the murder.

He crossed his eyes looking at the burning filter just beyond his nose before dropping the butt and extinguishing it with a hoof. He stood for a moment looking around the peaceful neighborhood shaking his head at the thought of the residents being subjected to the first major crime in their blemishless history.

“It's a hell of a thing.” A high pitched soft voice came from just in front of Scroot.

“Ain't it?” Scroot said to the stocky black unicorn stallion attached to a cart which had aluminum placards on either side with 'Trash' in bright green block letters on them.

“You're that big wig investigator?” The trash unicorn asked. His voice was calming and surprised Scroot that he wasn't a mare. He wasn't as big as Bulk Biceps, but he might give that muscle head a run for his money.

Scroot nodded then nosed in his pocket for another cigarette, but instead retrieved the empty box. He mutely cursed to himself having forgotten to grab another pack.

“You had Rainbow Dash arrested.” The black unicorn said flatly.

He looked up to the unicorn unsure of where that statement was leading. Rainbow Dash was a good friend to many ponies in Ponyville, and her arrest made him not too popular around town. The seasoned investigator knew a few tricks about fighting which may help him with a pony his own size, but he was pretty sure this unicorn would swat him like a fly.

Scroot proceeded cautiously, “Yeah, I did.”

The unicorn's horn glowed a cold green that matched his crew cut mane raising a pack of menthol 100's from the outside pocket on his large saddlebag, “You really think she did it?”

A thin white cigarette floated to Scroot encompassed with the green magic as the unicorn placed another one in his lips. Scroot took it in his teeth trying not to show his relief for the unicorn's civility on his face. He pressed his pocket for his lighter feeling nothing but his chest underneath his coat.

“I did.” Scroot said through his teeth. “I'm starting to think I got the wrong pony.”

A sudden pop like a bolt of lightning from the horn struck the tip of unicorn's cigarette lighting it. Scroot searched himself for his lighter not wanting to test the unicorn's accuracy with the little party trick of his when a flash blinded Scroot for a moment catching him off guard. He jumped so hard he nearly dropped the recently lit cigarette.

“There you go, buddy.” The unicorn stallion smiled.

Scroot blinked a few times trying to rid himself of the jagged spots covering his vision, “Thanks.”

“The name's Grand Overture. Most ponies just call me Randy.” The unicorn extended a hoof.

“Scroot.” The investigator nodded shaking hooves with him. Scroot leaned over to take a gander at Randy's cutie mark which was a simple white bass clef.

“You checking me out, Scroot? I don't swing that way.” Randy chuckled.

“It's just, with a name and a cutie mark like that; I just wonder how you got the garbage gig.” Scroot said without reaction to Randy's joke.

“It pays the bills.” The black unicorn said simply. “I can play the ever loving crap out of a bass guitar, but I don't do well in bands. The musicians around here are into that electronic junk or classical.”

Scroot raised a brow, “What's wrong with classical?”

“It's not heavy. Besides, those classical ponies are real snooty.” Randy pulled on his cigarette.

“Go to Manehattan. There's a pretty decent rock scene around there. I crashed many a party and arrested many a rocker pony when I was a cop.” Scroot nodded in recollection thinking, 'good times.'

Randy blew smoke while shaking his head resembling an angry dragon, “I had a band in Manehattan quite a while ago. I had to quit and come to Ponyville for my mother's sake. I couldn't put her in a home.”

Scroot smiled, “Noble. Especially if you guys were any good.”

Randy sucked on the cigarette again before saying, “We were good, too. They got signed right after I quit and the producers gave them some studio bassist jack-off. You may've heard of Two Hoof Death Buck, but they're nothing like we used to be.”

“I've seen articles about that band in the paper every once in a while, but that metal shit is just noise so I've never given it a listen.” Scroot said. “I prefer music with rhythm and intelligible vocals.”

“Oh! I see,” Randy laughed. “Sonic violence is the point.”

“That doesn't make it any more appealing.” Scroot shrugged. “You metal ponies are some fucking strange folks. I wouldn't get involved with that crowd if I had a fifth leg growing out of my ass.”

“There are some hot freaky mares, though.” Randy smiled with a raised brow.

“I wouldn't fuck any of them with a ten foot dick.” Scroot said with smoke rising from his mouth. “I don't stick my dick in crazy.”

“I'm guessing you lived in Manehattan. You came to Ponyville to get away from crazy?” Randy took another puff from his cigarette.

“These ponies are good folk and half-way normal.” Scroot said shrugging.

Randy laughed hard with a grey cloud wafting from his throat, “Normal?!”

“Yeah.” Scroot nodded. “What's not to like about them?”

“Don't get me wrong, Scroot. They're likable, but normal? Please.” Randy's horn glowed as he adjusted his saddlebag. “Seriously though, what part of this populace is normal? Like the other day, I was doing my rounds, and I saw this idiot pulling a sled in the middle of the night.”

Scroot froze. His cigarette fell from his lips as his mouth dropped open, “A sled?”

“Yeah, over by the train station. So, I asked her if she needed help because, you know, it's the middle of spring, for Celestia's sake, and she was having a rough time traversing the dirt.” Randy recalled.

Scroot's face remained frozen as he said, “Uh huh...”

“Then this idiot screams at me to get away from her and proceeds to pick up the entire cart with her magic and take off with it in a dead sprint. I've never seen such a pretty mare so sweaty.” He laughed.

“Uh huh.”

“So, it's teetering in her magic because it's got to be heavy. She drops it, tries to drag it, and then picks it up again trying not to lose the load. It was hilarious!”

“Uh huh.”

“She runs off and I'm left thinking, 'Boy, this town has got some strange ponies in it'. And the truly crazy part is that kind of thing happens daily. Just plain and simple weird stuff.” Randy concluded beginning to realize that Scroot isn't laughing, smiling, or reacting in any way.

“Where was she going?” Scroot asked interrogatingly.

“I don't know. South.” Randy shrugged.

“What color was she?”

“Blue,” Randy answered with uncertainty, “Why?”

Scroot cantered to the cart's harness gripping the release with his teeth and dropping it to the ground.

Randy looked down at the harness and then up to Scroot, “What the hell?”

“You need to come to my cabin right now.” Scroot commanded.

“Dude, I don't swing that way.” Randy said with genuine concern.

“No.” Scroot waved his hoof dismissively, “I need you to submit a statement.”

Randy recoiled raising a brow, “What for? Am I in trouble?”

“Randy! That pony with the cart was the killer!” Scroot almost shouted.

“How do you know?”

Scroot groaned in frustration, “I can't explain it to you. That'll poison...” Scroot paused and shook his head, “I need you to tell me everything you saw and everything you know about that pony, Randy. You may be the key to solving this case.”

“I don't know much about her.” Randy shrugged, “She's just another town weirdo. I only really know her name...”

* * *

Fluttershy head butted the front door sending splinters from the broken frame onto the floor. The door swung open slamming into the inside wall as she leapt over the front desk and madly pulled files from the cabinets throwing them onto the table. She laid out the dozens of photographs of the hair found at the scenes shuffling through and arranging all of the blue ones in front of herself. Her eyes were wide in a half-crazed examination of the photographs carefully scrutinizing every detail. Her comparison settled her belief of the killer's identity deeper.

“Fluttershy, dear. What happened to the door?” Rarity asked as she entered the cabin.

Fluttershy shot a glare of insanity to Rarity and shouted, “It doesn't match Rainbow!”

Rarity looked over the broken door jamb, “Scroot is not going to be happy about this.”

“The hair in these pictures is clearly deep cornflower!” Fluttershy stomped a hoof on the floor, “Rainbow Dash is cerulean!”

Rarity nodded, “You're preaching to the choir, Fluttershy. I know Rainbow is innocent. You're acting a little crazy.”

“What you're not understanding is that cornflower is exactly what I thought the hair color would be before I even left the hospital.” Fluttershy explained. “I was just confirming it.”

Rarity made her way to Fluttershy's side and patted her, “What did you find at the hospital?”

Fluttershy became calm, “I know who did this.”

“You, what?!” Rarity exclaimed. “Who? Who?!”

“Celestia’s mercy!” Envoy shouted seeing the destruction at the door. “Scroot is going to be pissed! What the hell?!”

Fluttershy looked up to Envoy, “Oh, I'm really sorry. I just got excited.”

Rarity stepped between them, “Fluttershy, who did this?”

Envoy scanned the floor eyeing the bits of wood, “This is ridiculous! I stand up for you when Scroot is around. Are you just testing my abilities to keep him from killing you all?”

Fluttershy craned her neck to see Envoy around Rarity, “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

Envoy shook her head and blew air, “Being sorry is good and all, but we’d better start coming up with a damn good story to explain this.”

Rarity grabbed Fluttershy’s face, “Fluttershy, who did this?”

“I did.” Fluttershy admitted. “I really am sorry. I should have used the knob.”

“Do we have Timberwolves around this time of year?” Envoy rubbed her chin. “We could say you were being chased.”

Rarity turned to face Envoy with a hoof pointed, “Envoy, please stop talking!” Rarity quickly turned back to Fluttershy and hadn’t realized that she had begun shouting, “Who killed Twilight?”

Fluttershy said, “Oh! No, that wasn’t me.”

Rarity stifled a frustrated groan making her pink in the face. She drew in a cleansing breath and said calmly, “I know, dear. Who did?”

Fluttershy gave pause preparing to be asked how she came to the conclusion and said...

* * *

At that very moment in a miraculous concurrence of fortuitous coincidence, three ponies, in three separate locations, were led by three different series of events to unknowingly state in unison, “The Great and Powerful Trixie.”