Nightingale

The sun had been set for a while now and detective Silverlight was sitting at his desk filing away all the paperwork he had been filling out during the day."Finally" he thought to himself."I didn't think the case would take that long to write up". He got up from his desk and headed towards the break room to grab a coffee before he headed home. While sitting down enjoying his coffee the chief detective burst through the door.

"Silverlight, there you are" he said trotting towards the table where he was seated."I just got a case in from a small town just at the edge of our district. I need you to check it out".

"Can't one of the other detectives do it" Sliverlight responded grumpily as he took a sip of his coffee.

"There isin't any other detectives here Silverlight. They have all gone home".

Silverlight stared at his chief."Can't this wait until tomorrow" he argued.

"I'm afraid not, it's a code 179" the chief said.

"Dammit" Silverlight thought. A code 179 was a murder, which meant it had to be dealt with once reported."I presume I'll have to get there myself" he asked the chief.

"There is a actually a carriage outside for you. It's the one that brought the message".

"Okay let me grab my stuff and I'll go". He got up from his seat and went to exit the break room.

"That's it Silverlight and as a bonus you can have tomorrow off" the chief called to him as he left.

"Tomorrow is already one of my days off" he shouted back.

"I know" said the chief as he chuckled to himself."Enjoy it".

Silverlight grabbed the golden badge which beared the royal seal and his gun. He then headed downstairs and found the carriage."Where are we headed" he asked the driver.

"A small little settlement called Neighagra town, do you know it".

"No" Silverlight responded and the carriage headed off into the night.

It took all night for the carriage to get to Neighagra town from Baltimare police station.It was a very small village to look at Silverlight thought to himself."Can't be anymore than twenty houses here. Not even houses, more like little cottages" he said to the driver.

"We're a small community" the driver responded."I'll take you to the town hall where you can talk to the mayor". They rode throught he town to a large building at the end. Silverlight hopped off and thanked the driver.

"Just head on in the mayor is expecting you". With that he rode off. Silverlight walked up the few steps and entered the stone building. There was a small desk with a mare sitting at it typing something on a typewriter. He walked up to the desk and coughed to get the mare's attention. Without looking up or losing concentration she spoke "Your late, please take the door on the left". SIlverligth stared at her for a second then went through the left door. Upon entering the room he was greeted with a thundering "Hello"."I'm Autumn, the mare of this fine town. I presume you are the detective we sent for".

"Yes my name is Detective Silverlight, I'm here to assist you in solving your recent murder" he said and instantly a hoof was shooved into his mouth.

"Shhh my dear you must not mention such things so loudly, we don't want the whole town in a panic" she said with a slight nervousness.

"Alright, can you take me to the crime scene then" he asked staring at Autumn.

"Of course, my PA will show you around town as I'm busy at the moment". She went over to her desk and pressed a button."Lilac, please come and show the detective to the house". Immeadiately the mare who was sitting at the desk entered the room.

"If you would like to follow me sir". She gestured towards the door. Silverlight went through the door and headed outside. The two ponies walked through the town to one of the houses on the outskirts of the settlement. Lilac stopped in front of one of them."This is the place" she said, then left the detective.

Silverlight opened the door."Let's get started then" he thought to himself.

The first thing that hit Silverlight when he entered the house was the smell. The place smelled of rotting flesh. he went through the house until he came to the back room. The sight that greeted him nearly made him throw up. In all his six years as a detective he had never seen anything this grusome. He looked at the body and had no clue what the cause of death could have been. There was too many possibilites.

"I'm going to need a forensic team out here" Silverlight thought to himself. He stood outside the house for a while as he could not stand the smell. As he waitied outside he studied the design of the house to see if he could find the murder's entry point. After doing a full circle of the house and finding no forced entry points he came to the conclusion that the murderer must ahve known the victim. So all he had to do was compile a list af the last few ponies who visited this house."Maybe the neighbours saw something. He walked over to the neighbouring house and knocked on the door. He was greeted by a burly stallion who glared at him.

"Hi" Silverlight said."I'm with the Baltimare Police Department" he said flashing his badge."I was hoping you could help me out".

"How so" the burly stallion asked.

"I was hoping if you could tell me if you saw anypony call to the house next door".

"Next door huh, nopony has been next door except the stallion who lives there" he responded.

"I see, thank you for your time" Silverlight said and walked off.

"Wait" the stallion called out to him."Did something happen".

"I'm sorry, I can't discuss ongoing investigations. If you do see anypony odd at the house leave a letter with the mayor for me". Silverlight headed back up through the town towards the town hall to tell the mayor what he knew.

Silverlight walked into the mayor's office to find her eating a salad."I'm sorry I didn't mean to interupt" he said.

"Not at all" Mayor Autumn replied."Take a seat and tell me what you have found out".

"Well I can't determine the cause of death without getting a forensic team to do an autopsy. Also I found no signs of forced entry which would indicate the killer knew the victim and the neighbour saw nopony suspicious".

"I see" Said the mayor."Well I'm sorry but I can't have a forensic team here, the last thing I need is to send the town panicing. I suggest you stay yourself and see if you can perform the autopsy yourself. We should have the equipment needed in the hospital. I'll arrange a room for you at the inn".

"Thank you" Silverlight said."It shouldn't take me a day to perform the autopsy". With that Silverlight got up and left the mayor's office."Great" Silverlight thought to himself "Now I have to perform an autopsy. I hate messing with dead bodies". As he was leaving the mayor's PA stopped him.

"Tell the inn keeper the mayor sent you and she'll have a room ready for you" she said without looking up from her typewriter.

"Okay, thanks" Silverlight responded and left town hall. He wondered through the streets looking for the inn, which once he spotted it felt like a complete idiot for not finding it quicker. It was a proper old fashioned inn with an old fashioned chimney and all. He headed inside and was greeted by a warm fire. He walked up to the bar to find the inn keeper. A mare popped up from behind the counter.

"How can I help ye" she said. She had a perky attitude that Silverlight liked.

"The mayor sent me, I'm the detective".

"Of course ye are, right this way I'll show you to yer room". SHe leaded him over to a set of wooden stairs and stopped."Yours is the only room  upstairs, go on up whenever ye feel like it". She then returned to the counter to serve the other customers. A grumble rang through his stomach."Better grab something to eat" he thought. He walked over to the the counter and sat on one of the stools."Can I get a hay sandwhich and a scotch" he said.

"Of course" the mare responded."That'll be 10 bits".

Silverlight reached into his coat pocket and gave her the bits. She poured his scotch and said "your sandwhich will take a bit love" and then trotted into the kitchen. He took a sip of his scotch and looked around the inn. It was very old fashioned. The inn keeper came back with his sandwhich. He had finished about half of his sandwhich when a stallion sat down beside him.

"You was looking around that Emerald tree's house wasnt you" he said almost growling the words.

"Yes I was, do you know something about it" Silverlight asked staring at the stalion, readying his hoof on his gun.

"Keep your nose clean ye dirty pig" he said and then ran out of the inn. Instinctively Silverlight ran out of the inn after him. After chasing him past about four houses he seemed to just disappear. Confused by the stallion Silverlight headed back to the inn. When he got back what greeted him he could not have anticipated. The inn was up in flames. Other ponies had noticed the smoke and were screaming and running. Silverlight stood there staring at the inn slowlying burning to the ground. Since it was very old fashioned it was pure wood and straw which made the thing go up like a torch. After a couple of hours the fire eventually died out and everypony from the village was gathered around the burned down inn. The mare made her way through the crowd towards Silverlight.

"Thank Celestia your alright, what happened" she asked him witht he saddest look in her eyes.

"I.. I don't know, I ran out of the bar to chase this crazy stallion and when I got back the inn was up in flames" he said shaking his head trying to make sense of it all.

The mayor stood there, in tears, staring at the inn."The inn keeper, she was my sister".

"I'm sorry" Silverlight said coming out of his daze."I'll try get to the bottom of this fire. Do we know how many ponies were in there".

"There are seven ponies unaccounted for at this moment in time" Lilac said who was staring at the ashes, a slight hint of sadness on her normaly expressionless face.

"I see, I'll get to work on finding the cause, I'd suggest you go home and rest the loss of a loved one can be hard"

"I know, thank you for your help Silverlight, since you can't stay at the inn anymore, I offer you my spare room in my house, it's the least I can do" the mayor said to him.

"Thank you very much Autumn, but I doubt I'll get any sleep with this". The mayor nodded silently."What was her name". The mayor looked up at Silverlight.

"Excuse me" she said confused.

"What was your sister's name" he repeated.

"Buttercup... her name was Buttercup" she said.

Silverlight trotted to the mayor's house just as Celestia would be raising the sun in Canterlot. He knocked on the door and was suprised to find it answered by Lilac.

"The mayor is still asleep, I'll show you to the guest room" she said gesturing for him to enter. Silverlight enetered the house and followed Lilac to one of the room at the rear of the house."Here is your room" she said as expressionless as ever."The mayor also asked me to find out if you know what caused the fire". Silverlight looked around the room meekly then turned to Lilac.

"The only probable cause I could find was a spark might of flown out of the fireplace and set the whole inn ablaze".

"I see, I'll let the mayor know once she is awake". She turned and left the room. Silverlight walked over to the bed and layed down.

"Time for some rest" he thought to himself as he instantly fell asleep. He woke up what felt like days later to the sound of two ponies arguing. He got out of bed and headed through the house to investigate. He came to the front hall where he found the mayor arguing with a stallion. The mayor was the first to notice Silverlight and she stopped shouting. The other stallion confused by the mayor's lack of response, turned around to see why she had stopped and saw Silverlight.

"Silverlight" the mayor said quietly."This is my husband Rainfall. He is the town's sheriff. He was supposed to look after the case your on but was out of town".

"How do ye do" he said turning to face Silverlight.

"I'm good, I presume Lilac told you what I found out about the fire mayor" Silverligth said turning to look at the mayor.

"Oh yes she did, thank you for clearing that up for me. I always told Buttercup to upgrade the interior as it might catch fire" she said tears almost forming in her eyes.

"I presume I'm no longer need here then" Silverlight said to break the silence.

"Yes, of course" Autumn said wiping her eye."If there's anything you need before you go just holler".

"Actually, when I was in the inn this stallion walked up to me at the bar and shouted out me keep your nose clean you dirty pig".

The mayor's husband spoke this time."That would be old stallion Ironclaw, he's one of the town's oldest resident and he doesn't take kindly to new ponies. Come with me and we'll swing by his house to get an explanation from him". The two stallions left the mayor's house as she headed upstairs to get ready for her day of work ahead.

The two stallions walked trough the town in silence. Silverlight decided to break the silence."So where were you these past days" he questioned Rainfall.

"I was at a meeting in Canterlot on behalf of my wife to convince Princess Celestia to increase the police force here. Celestia said there was no need for any extra police ponies here as we are a small town. I think she'll reconisder once she has heard what happened". Nightfall stopped walking and said "We're here". They both then realised that the door had been kicked in. They both drew their guns and slowly advanced towards the door.

"I'll go first and you cover by back" Silverlight said to Rainfall. He nodded. Silverlight stepped over the door and moved through the house."First room is clear, you check the back I'll take the kitchen". Rainfall moved past him and towards the back of the house. A few seconds later he heard "Clear" from Rainfall. Silverlight entered the kitchen.

"I think I found your stallion" he called to Rainfall. Rainfall joined him in the kitchen and once he saw the stallion he nearly threw up. He was hanging from a bar on the ceiling, a rope around his neck. Rainfall took one more look at the body then ran out of the house. Silverlight stared at the hanging body swaying in the breeze from the open door. He then went to join Rainfall outside."You okay" he asked Rainfall and got his response when he threw up on the ground.

"Sweet Celestia, he's dead. He's bloody dead" Rainfall said, then threw up again.

"I presume it's your first time" SIlverlight said.

"Well when your a small town sheriff you don't see dead bodies on a regular basis" he shouted angrily."How can you not throw up" he said.

"You never get used to seeing a dead pony but you eventually learn to not eat that much" he responded.

"How do you think it went down, suicide or murder" Rainfall said not sure if he would throw up again.

"Well judging by the fact that there was no stool where he would of stood, would suggest murder, but he is a unicorn so he could of levitated himself up. I'd have to further examine the body".

"Well I guess you'll be staying a bit longer then" Rainfall said.

"I guess I am".

After Rainfall had gone to tell his wife what had happened Silverlight went back inside to investiagte the crime scene."if this was a suicide there would most likely be a suicide note" he thought to himself. He searched around the kitchen for it but had no luck."Maybe it's in one of the other rooms". After searching through the back rooms he finally found what he believed to be the suicide note, though something seemed odd about it. While trying to figure out what it was he heard a noise from the kitchen. Grabbing his gun he went to investigate. He crept along the wall to the kitchen. He knew whoever was sneaking around the house was around this corner. He moved from his cover, pointed his gun at the pony and shouted "FREEZE".

"Don't shoot" was the squeal of a response he got. He then looked at the pony and realised it was the mayor.

"What are you doing here, next time announce yourself" Silverlight said holstering his gun.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know you were in here. When my husband told me I rushed down here. Where is Ironclaw" she asked.

"He's in the kitchen, but I'd suggest you don't go in there, it's quite grusome to look at".

"And your sure he's dead".

"As dead as he can get".

"I see, and did you find out if it was murder or suicide".

"Well I found his suicide note, but there's something odd about it" Silverlight said handing her the note.

"Odd, what could be odd about a suicide not" she said looking at it puzzled.

"I'm not sure, but I intend to find out".

"Well come back with me the town hall and you can find out there". The two ponies walked back towards town hall. As they reached town hall it hit Silverlight what was wrong with the note.

"It's typed" he shouted.

"What" the mayor looked at him confused.

"The note, it's been typed. Nopony types a suicide note they always do it in writing. That's why I thought it was odd. And Ironclaw didn't have a typewriter in his house".

"I would think not" said the mayor.

"What, why not" Silverlight asked.

"Well the only pony in Neighagra town with a typewriter is Lilac".

"And where is she now" Silverlight asked Autmun.

"She should be at her desk" she said. The two burst through the doors to town hall and Lilac wasn't at her desk. Then gunshots came from the mayor's office. Silverlight charged towards the door followed by the mayor. He knocked the door off it's hinge and pulled out his gun. Rainfall lay on the ground, two gunshot wounds sustained to the chest with Lilac pointing a gun at him.

"Drop the gun Lilac" Silverlight shouted at her. She turned and pointed the gun at Silverlight.

"Not until you arrest this stallion for treason" she said.

"What" both Silverlight and the mayor said in unison.

"That's right arrest this stallion detective".

"Why, what's he done that could be considered treason" Silverlight said not taking his sights off Lilac, while also slowly moving towards her.

"This stallion and four others had planned an assassination attempt of Princess Celestia" she said."I have proof".

"Well then show me" Silverligth said, moving ever so closer to Lilac.

"I can't, he destoryed it before I could get to it".

"She's insane Silverlight, shoot her" Rainfall said.

Silverlight hestitated over the trigger."Unless you can give me something solid Lilac I will have to shoot".

"He has a tattoo" she said.

"What kind of tattoo" Silverlight said nearly at a distance where he could jump her.

"A tattoo that indicates him as part of a secret orginisation".

"I have a book on it in my house. They're called Nightingales. Assassins who wanted to removed the bloodline".

"That's a fairytale Lilac. You can't have based your reasoning on a fairytale" Silverlight said.

"You have to trust me, it's all in my".

BANG!

A gunshot was fired and Silverlight instantly looked around for the shooter. Lilac fell to the ground blood dripping from her skull. Silverlight looked over at Rainfall and saw him holding a small pistol that some officers carry.

"Why didn't you shoot her" Rainfall said to Silverlight as he got up.

"I was planning on jumping her. But I guess that's out of the question".

"It's over now, what's done is done. The murderer has been killed". The mayor ran over to her husband.

"We have to get you to the hospital" she said."I'll get a cart to bring you". She ran out of the office.

"I guess my work is finally finished here then" Silverlight said.

"Yeah, thanks for your help".

Silverlight left the office and stroled through the town. As he was he stopped a stallion to ask him ssomething."Excuse me, do you know what house Lilac lives in".

"Oh it's the one next door to the mayor" he said and walked on. Silverlight headed for her house and found the door unlocked. He went inside and looked around."Seems like a normal house" he thought to himself. Then he entered her bedroom. The wall was covered in newspaper articales, book pages and photos. All related to the Nightingales. Silverlight look through the notes and found a chart which had all the ponies who had died the past few days. Each were suspected by Lilac of being Nightingales."Well that covers her for the rest of the murders" he thought to himself. He then heard a knock at the door. He went to answer it, but found only a box. In it was a letter and some photographs. The letter read:

Dear Lilac,

Enclosed are photos of that stallion you wanted me to follow around Canterlot. I don't know why you said he would be at the palace. he never went there once, he mostly went to private clubs. Anyway I'll be expecting my usual form of payment.

Your friend

Silverlight looked at the photo's. They were all of Rainfall."If he was the stallion mentioned in the letter then that would mean he lied about why he was gone" Silverlight thought."Maybe Lilac wasn't so crazy". At the bottom of the box was another letter, but it wansn't from Lilac's friend. It spoke of plans about how to get somepony into the palace as a waitor for Celestia's upcoming birthday party. The letter bore Rainfall signiture and a weird symbol. Silverlight looked through Lilac's notes to find this was the Nightingale symbol."So Rainfall really is a Nightingale" Silverlight though."That means I have one thing left to do.

Silverlight arrived at the small hospital a few minutes later. He walked straight into the room where Rainfall was and pointed his gun straight at him."By the power vested in me I am placing you under arrest Rainfall, for planned assassination of the Princess Celestia". Rainfall didn't respond. In fact he didn't even move. Silverlight walked closer to the bed and pulled back the sheets where he found Rainfall had been stabbed multiple times. He nearly fell back from shock. From the door he heard a soft weep. He turned to see the mayor standing there holding a scalpel and Rainfall's gun.

"He... he killed my sister" she sobbed.

"Autumn, put the gun down" Silverlight said advancing towards her.

"And then I killed him".

"Put the gun and scalpel down Autumn".

"Now it's my turn" she said pointing the gun at her skull.

"NO"

BANG!

Her body hit the ground before Silverlight could get to her. Her blood covered the floor. Silverligth stared at her corpse while the doctor and nurse ran in panicing, trying to figure out what happened.

Silverlight walked throught the hospital, towards town hall where he hopped on the back of a carriage."Baltimare please. I have a lot of paper work to do" he said as he leaned back to take a nap for the ride home.