"What a bright time, it's the right time
To rock the night away
Jingle bell time is a swell time
To go riding in a one-horse sleigh
Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet
Jingle around the clock
Mix and a-mingle in a jingling beat
That's the jingle bell, that's the jingle bell,
That's the jingle bell rock”
“ God, I have no right to love that song as much as I do.”
I scold myself every time I listen to that blasted song. I click the number seven button on my car interface and the radio station turns to a smooth jazz. I pull up to my parking space at the far corner of the parking lot and get out of my car. I grab my brief case in teeth and then realize that what I am doing is very stupid. I set down my brief case and activate my horn. My light gray magic grasps the cases handle. I levitate it over to my side and continue walking to the entrance of the detective agency.
“Morning Phil!” I call to one of my co-workers as he dashes into the building.
No doubt able late for his meeting with the council pony. I take a moment to look at the ground in front of me knowing that I still have time before I need to be at work. I take a small, light step into the crisp, heavy snow on the ground and smile. Perfect packing snow! Why had I not realized this sooner? I form a small snowball with my hooves and toss it into the air. It falls down just a few feet in front of me. Happily, I walk into the lobby of the building, promising to myself that when I get home tonight I’ll have a snowball fight with my two little foals.
“They will love that.” I whisper to myself. I trot up the stairs to the fourth floor and enter my office. I walk over to one of my side tables and turn on the coffee machine. I then walk over to my desk and look over the files that reside there. “I am defiantly going to need that coffee.”
“Isaac!” I barely notice the pony standing in front of me. I shake my head dazed.
“Yes Thomas?”
He clears his throat. “I am sorry I had to use your first name sir. You didn’t seem to be responding to anything else. Are you ok sir?”
I chuckle. “Thomas, you know that you have never needed to call me by my last name or by the title of sir. Save such things for the ponies in this world that care for such formality. You have known for a very long time that calling me Isaac is perfectly fine. Now, on to why you are here please Thomas. I haven’t got all day and neither do you last I checked.”
Thomas nods in response. “I was told that there had been a security breach and to tell others. But not to worry Sir! It was only minor and there seams to be nothing different with the building. But we have a slight problem…” He looks out the window, avoiding eye contact with me.
“But what Thomas?”
Thomas shakes his head in frustration. “Sir, there were… there was… there is a changeling in the building. It could be any pony Sir, we are still investigating.”
I crack a slight smile. “And you think, with a building full of detectives, that we would have solved the brake in by now.”
Thomas disapproves of my joke. His face tells it all. “Sir, with all do respect, how can you be making jokes at a time like this? I mean, there is a spy now among us and you’re just… sitting here! I would think, as a head of this agency you would be taking action right now!”
I roll my eyes and take a sip of my coffee. “Thomas, let me tell you something, if there really is a changeling among us I would not trust a sole. So, I ask why would you?”
I levitate my coffee to my lips but at the same moment I quietly grab my gun and cock it, covering the light click with a sneeze. “Because sir, without trust, there would be no world.”
Thomas walks to the door, but instead of leaving, he locks it. I slowly pull up my gun to shoot. “Oh, please Isaac. Do you really think that I hadn’t planed for a gun in the room?”
In a moments notice my office fills with a green light. Standing in front of me is no longer Thomas, my co-worker, but a changeling. Keeping calm I stand up and walk away from my desk and to the glass window. I look out into the city of Manehattan and sigh.
“And you think that I didn’t plan for you to be a changeling? Now tell me please, where is Thomas?”
The changeling behind me laughs manically. “You really had hope for him didn’t you? I really think that you, Isaac, would already know the answer to your own question. He’s dead.” I can’t help but gasp.
“What?” The changeling asks. “Did you really think that he would still be alive?”
I shake my head. “I had hope, yes. But apparently I underestimate your kind. You really are just as evil as the reports say you are. I had hoped that they had lied.” The changeling scoffs. “So…” I ask. “Why ask questions before you kill me?”
The changeling only smiles. “Now, where would be the fun if I didn’t take my time? So, the smart, risk-taking detective didn’t shoot the changeling in his office. Why didn’t you shoot Isaac?”
I roll my eyes. “Oh, please. I’d just waste my time trying. Not only did you have a shield spell active you had sound proofed my office. No pony would hear the shoots so no point.”
The changeling looks shocked for a moment but regains his cocky attitude. “Very good Isaac! You’re smarter then I thought! Though you did get one thing wrong…”
I think fast. What could I have missed!? “And what pray tell did I miss?”
The changeling moves forward, toward the window and stands next to me. “It’s. MY. Office.”
I’m taken back. “Your silly plan wont work.” Chances are all I have now. I levitate my gun over behind me.
“And now it’s my turn to ask. What pray tell do you mean my plan won’t work?”
I laugh. “Oh, changelings, always so naïve. How will you be me if everypony knows im dead?” I shoot the glass in the window.
“Wait what?!” the changeling shouts.
But I never registered what he wanted in that moment. I jump out the window, firing a few shots in the air. Hoping I draw attention to myself. I do. Heads turn to see me falling.
I land in a heavy snow bank and the first thing that hits is pain. Pain all over. “Am I dead?”
A pony a few years older then my runs up to my side. “Sir! You just fell out a window! Are you ok?”
this pony is an idiot. “I’m fine. But there is a changeling in my office. Mind calling an ambulance?”
he looks dumb founded but calls 911 and in a little bit im rushed to the hospital.
I’m fine I tell myself and drift to sleep