Manehattan Central Police Station
500 E 200 South
Agent Sparks walked into the N.E.I.S HQ when the phone on his desk rang. It rang for three more times before he answered “Hello?”
“Um,” the voice said “is this Special Agent Jolt Sparks?”
“Yes,” he said “this is him.”
“Well,” the voice said “I was…uh…wondering if you could help me with a problem kind sir.”
“What is it?”
“You see,” the voice continued but as it did Sparks mouthed the words TRACE THE CALL to Agent Night who was sitting across from him. She tapped a few keys and gave him a wink of acknowledgement. The voice went on “I’m a fashion designer of, well…no small repute. I’m rather small I’ll be the first to admit, but I have a couple of colleagues who are big names in the industry, and some of them live in Manehattan. However, one of my lines which I sent over there was completely destroyed!”
“Ah, I see,” Sparks said “the line.”
The voice said “A line is a series of outfits based on a theme.
“Exactly ma’am,” Sparks said “I understand.”
“I’m afraid you don’t,” the voice said “the importance of this is staggering. There’s only six weeks until fashion week…”
“Yup,” Sparks said “fashion week.”
“It’s the event of the season,” the voice said indignantly “if one is declared the winner of a fashion week, the contracts which one gains are worth a fortune!”
Sparks was intrigued “And how large could this contract be?”
“Why,” the voice said “hundreds of thousands! A fashion designer’s reputation is not only put in the spotlight and they get attention, but that is advertisement alone for their specific brand. In the fashion industry, reputation is everything and if one’s reputation is ruined, then it can be so drastic so that pony could never show their face again in the industry. I mean, it’s alright that if one loses Fashion Week, but of course, that is something which only we in the industry can grasp.”
“And,” Sparks said “you think that someone could be sabotaging the lines.”
“Oh,” said the voice “most definitely.”
“Well,” Sparks said “we’ll look into it then.”
“Thank you Agent Sparks,” the charming voice said “I just want the competition to be as fair as possible.”
“Indeed,” Sparks said “we’ll be in touch.”
With that, he hung up the phone and rubbed his temples “Tell me that you got a trace?”
“Yes sir,” Agent Night said getting up and handing him a cup of coffee “It was traced to Carousel Boutique in Ponyville, about five hours by train away from here.”
“Who owns it?”
“A pony named,” Agent Night looked at her notes “Rarity. She’s actually quite well known in the industry but has an equally large reputation in the town.”
“It’s not too difficult,” Sparks said “to have a reputation either way in a small town.”
“You taking the case?”
“Got nothing better to do,” Sparks said and grabbed his bags “you coming?”
“Always,” Night said and together they left the office.
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Carousel Boutique
Ponyville, Equestria
Sparks knocked on the door of the Carousel Boutique. Having never been there, he didn't know he could walk right in. Magically, the door swung open and a beautifully white unicorn with a blue mane and tale and sapphire eyes trotted up to him "Welcome to Carousel Boutique where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique," she said giving them a dazzling smile "how may I help you today?"
"Are you Rarity?" Agent Night said "
"Yes," she said "of course. But who are..."
"Special Agents Jolt Sparks and Pearl Night, Northern Equestrian Investigative Service," Agent said as they both flashed their badges at her "you called us giving a tip about the fashion saboteur?"
"How did you?"
"Don't worry about that ma'am," Agent Night said cordially "you're trying to help us and we're doing the same for you. We were simply wondering if you could give us some more details about your thoughts on the case?"
Rarity awkwardly stood there with one hoof over the other "Well," she said regaining her posture "I hope you can understand Agents, why I had to at least try and be discreet. If word got out, it would be my reputation on the line if I was proven wrong and it was just simply a series of setbacks."
"Does that happen often?" Agent Sparks said as he pocketed his badge.
"Yes," Rarity said "quite unfortunately too often. I had a line for example last year, when I was doing a show in Manehattan, I was trying to be generous and share some of the fabric which I used for my first line and gave it to another pony who went and then copied every single outfit. She went before me, and so therefore, the judges would have thought that I would have copied her."
"And you didn't," Agent Night said "didn't you."
"Most certainly not," Rarity said "I have standards, and wouldn't ever stoop so low."
"But," Agent Sparks said "there are ponies who would?"
"Absolutely," Rarity said "in fact, there is one, Suri Polomare, who had the audacity to tell me, that she copied it because in Manehattan it is 'every pony for themselves'."
"I see," Agent Night said "and you suspect her?"
"Well," Rarity said "I wouldn't go so far as to suspect her. But I'd definitely look into her first."
"We'll follow up on that," Agent Night said.
"By the way," Rarity said facing Agent Sparks "I was there at the award ceremony, and you never showed."
"I liked coffee better," Agent Sparks said.
"I simply thought I'd get to see a hero of Equestria for myself," Rarity said "and see what they look like."
"Well," Sparks said curtly nodding "now you have."
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Sparks and Night left the Carousel Boutique and walked towards the center of the town "What do you think of her?" Agent Night asked.
"Who?'
"Of Rarity," Agent Night said "do you think she's telling the truth?"
"I can't see why she'd be lying," Sparks said looking at Night "she gives us a tip off on a potential case, gives us a suspect, and a motive."
"But it's too easy sir," Night said.
"Do you not like her simply because she's pretty?" Sparks asked
"No sir," Night said "it's just..."
"It's just what?" Sparks said "my gut's telling me that she's telling the truth, even if she doesn't have all of the facts yet. Remember, innocent until proven guilty. We don't accuse ponies before evidence arrives, besides, that's what they do at the E.I.A.?"
"And since when does the great Special Agent Jolt Sparks do charity calls?" a voice called out.
"Agent Steele?" Agent Night asked "what are you doing here?"
"You're investigating the saboteur of the fashion line right?"
"Well yes," Night said "of course but what does that..."
"Come," Steele said "it's a murder investigation now. I came to pick you up and I'll brief you on the flight over."
All that is Gold Does Not Glitter
All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king. - J.R.R. Tolkien
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Investigator Bristle swiveled around and faced the three agents as they walked in through the doors "Sparks!" he said excitedly "you'll never guess what I found!"
"Nope," he said "so tell me."
"First," Bristle said "let me tell you about the murder. And it was pretty grisly too."
"I don't doubt that," Sparks said "what about the case Bristle?"
"Body was found about one hundred yards away from the Manehattan Theater," Bristle said still dressed in his lab coat "three stab wounds to the back of the neck, plus a throat cut. It was pretty brutal if you ask me."
"Weapon?"
"There was none found at the scene," Bristle said "but I'd say that it was something sharp like a stiletto with a serrated edge or..."
"A pair of scissors?"
"Very good Sparks," Bristle said grinning "like a pair of scissors used for fabric."
"Do you think there's any connection to the tip we got from Rarity and the murder?" Night asked turning and facing Sparks.
"Possibly," Sparks said "we won't know until we gather more evidence."
"I'll see what I can dig up," Agent Steele said "and get back to you tomorrow morning."
"Don't you mean later today?" Sparks said as they walked out of Ops.
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The Silas Pit Night Club
351 South 5th East, Manehattan
"What did you see?" Agent Sparks asked the manager of the Night Club.
"First tell me who you are?" The manager, who's name was Fillymore retorted.
"Agents Jolt Sparks and Pearl Night," Sparks said flashing his badge "of the Northern Equestria Investigative Service."
"I heard of you Sparks," Fillymore said "you were that big hero who saved Celestia a little while back weren't ya?"
"That was last week," Sparks said nonchalantly "but it doesn't matter."
"Like hay it doesn't," Fillymore said "after this is over, you ponies swing on buy here and you'll get a free round of drinks. On me."
"Very kind of you," Sparks said "but what did you see."
"Nothin'"
"Nothing?" Sparks asked.
"Yeah," Fillymore said "I didn't see a thing, the music was blastin' my ear drums out. But, that mare," He said gesturing with his head "she said she saw the pony who was murdered earlier last night around 9 p.m. In fact, she said that she even knew him."
"What's her name?"
"Coco Pommel," Fillymore said "I know cause she was doing some work for Rarity here a few months back. She's big here in Manehattan, in case you didn't know. She did one show, one show, called Hotel Chic, and man, it blew us out of the water!"
"I see," Night interjected "and you think that she has something to do with this?"
"Well sure," Fillymore said "why wouldn't..."
"Because Rarity was in Ponyville," Sparks said "working on a completely different line. She wasn't planning on showing up this year."
"Eh," Fillymore said "you talked with her."
"As part of the investigation," Sparks said.
"Huh," Fillymore said "well then, I guess I'm out of ideas."
"Duly noted," Night said "can we talk with Coco Pommel?"
"She's not my daughter," Fillymore said "if she was, she'd dress better. I'll take you over to her."
They all walked towards Coco Pommel who was recovering from sobbing at a booth in the Night Club. Agent Night slide into it on the opposite side followed by Sparks. She looked up "Who are you?"
"Special Agents Night and Sparks," Agent Night said "N.E.I.S."
"Weren't you on the news last week?"
"Yes," Sparks said "but that doesn't matter now. We're here to help you. We're friends of Rarity's."
"You," she sniffed "know Rarity?"
"Of course," Sparks said smiling kindly "we chatted with her a little while ago."
"How is she?"
"She's doing fine," Sparks said "she's worried about you."
Coco Pommel sniffed again "That sounds like her. Always the generous one."
"That's what I've been told," Sparks said "now Coco. I know it'll be hard, but...could you be like Rarity and be generous to us? We need help finding the pony who killed the one outside. We need all the help we can get and if you could give us your side of the story. That'll go a long way in helping us out with this investigation."
"Well," said Coco Pommel "I'll try."
"That's a good mare," Sparks said taking out a notebook and pencil "start from the beginning."
"Well," Coco Pommel said "I came in at around 9:30 p.m. I arrived early because I normally don't go out for social venues such as these, but some friends of mine, Blue Swing and Sweet Banter wanted me to go out with them. So, I came in, and I didn't really know what I was doing, the music was loud and the lights were dazzling, so I put on my shades and sat on a bench by the wall. I hadn't been there, for more than a couple of seconds, when the pony who was killed came up to me and asked if I wanted to dance. I said no, but he whisked me away and we started dancing together. He actually made me feel like I was having a good time..."
She sniffed again and then went on "I actually never got his name. He was handsome, and I'd never met a pony like that before. I saw him leave at around 11:30 that night when I got lost in the dancing crowd. I looked down and also saw that I'd forgotten my purse, so I ran back and grabbed it before heading out to see where he'd gone. He might have gone looking for me. But I saw him in a dark alley talking with another pony, suddenly, the other pony raised their hoof and knocked him to the ground. Something metal flashed in the street light, and then...then...I heard a soft groan. The other pony looked up and saw me. I ran, back into the night club, and tried to find my friends but I couldn't. I hit in the bathroom and cried the rest of the night."
"What did this other pony look like?"
"It was dim," she said "so I couldn't tell. But he was..."
"He?" Night interjected "you're sure it was a stallion?"
"Well," Coco Pommel said "not entirely. But I thought so. The pony was rather, well light colored. I thought either pink or orange."
"How could you tell," Sparks asked.
"Out of the corner of my eye," Pommel said "I thought I caught the color in the street light."
"Thank you Coco," Sparks said folding his note pad "you've been most helpful."