The story of a new life

"No, sorry, Pinkie isn't home today, she told us that she would be at her daddy's birthday party, and you know how she is with birthdays..." Mister Cake said

"Oh... Do you know when she will be back ? we have some very important questions to ask her." Twilight asked.

"She said she would be there all night and that she would catch the first train in the morning to Ponyville." Misses Cake said

"Thank you a lot, Mister and Misses cake." Twilight said

"Oh, it is nothing, we are happy to help, and your friend is such a great costumer."

At that moment, all their eyes turned on me. I was barely listening to the conversation. I heard that pinkie Pie wasn't there, but I couldn't focus a lot, I was so hungry... I decided to order more cupcakes... It wasn't very healthy, but it would have to do for now. I had also learned that the two ponies running this place were Mister and Misses cake... Probably the most original names I heard since I arrived in this world... Twilight joined me at the table. She took one of the cupcakes out of the plate and shoved it in her mouth, slowly chewing it, I guess she was still pretty hungry too...

"Hey ! I was going to eat that !" I said, annoyed

She ignored my remark and told me after swallowing the cupcake :

"If Pinkie Pie isn't there, we are running out of people to interrogate... I guess this is the part where we have to investigate on our own isn't it ?" She said

"I guess so" I replied

We stood here a few seconds in silence. I had a bunch of ideas... But I had to accomplish them alone. Suddenly I got an idea :

"I know where we could start, remember the letter rainbow Dash talked about in the hospital ?"

"The one that had been confiscated by the Ponyville police ?"

"Exactly, and if I am right, I should have my detective badge somewhere in there..."

I searched in every of my jacket pockets and finally I found it. It was a small rectangular card with my first name, family name, address and other details, it also included a photo of me at twenty-one year old, when I became a detective. It was my official detective badge.

"You think it'll do ?" I asked

"Yes it will be perfect !" Twilight answered

And here we were again, on our way to a new adventure. I couldn't wait ! Since I got there I had been through so many emotions that I couldn't possibly describe everything in detail but all I knew is that it was the most exciting case I had been working on yet. I had abandoned all supposition that this world was only a fantasy of my imagination. And I was ready to finish this investigation no matter the time and energy needed.

The police station was quite far away and on the way, I observed curiously this new town. There were some really interesting things : in some places they sold weird pony hats with funny drawings on them and in an other, they sold some kind of hoof-file... I was fascinated by everything around me and I was loving it ! It isn't everyday that you get to visit a parallel dimension.

We arrived at the police station at about half past 3 in the afternoon. It seemed similar to the ones is the human world. We entered by a small metal door and approached the counter. Around us, ponies in police officers were running in different directions, some were talking on the phone, or some were taking some funny-looking ponies to some unknown rooms. We were received by a rather skinny male pony in a grey suit. He finished a phone call and looked at us. First at Twilight and then at me. That look was familiar...

"Can I help you two ?" The pony said in a neutral voice

"Yes, we are here to examine a piece of evidence that has been confiscated by the police." Twilight said.

The pony shook her head

"Oh, no please, not you again... I told you that only a qualified detective could see those kind of evidences." The pony answered

Twilight turned her head to me. I knew what I had to do. I approached the counter :

"I am a detective. Private detective Christopher." I said while handing him my badge.

He observed it from all angles. He looked very unhappy at the fact that a human had such a permit here... I wonder why. The pony grumbled :

"Hmm... Very well, follow me to the storage room. But... your friend will have to wait here." He said, pointing his hoof at Twilight."

Twilight looked surprised but nodded slowly. I told her :

"Don't worry Twi', I'll be back soon and I'll tell you everything I saw."

I followed the grey suited pony through a back-door. While walking with him I thought : it was the first time I had called Twilight... Twi'. I didn't really realise it, it just felt easier... And she said it her self, I was her friend so why not call each other by nicknames... After a long hallway we finally arrived in front of a door with a big metal plate on it : STORAGE ROOM.

He used a key card that was attached to his neck and swiped it into a card identifier. The door opened with a metallic noise, and we both entered, the door slamming shut behind us. It was a small and rather dark room. There were maps of Equestria hung up on the walls with various scribbles on them, there was also some kind of device on a table that I couldn't identify. In the middle, a large table with a few things on it : a large pair of shackles, three untitled books, multiple blank sheets and a half-eaten sandwich... On the far end of the room, there was a large row of locked lockers. The pony accompanying me walked towards them and stopped at the locker '45b', he opened it with a small key he kept in his pocket . He took out a big white envelop from the locker. He then returned to me and handed it to me.

"When you are finish examining it, put it back in the locker and close it. You know the way back to the main room I suppose." The pony said

I actually didn't really but I'd manage...

"Yea sure, thanks." I said

I heard him whisper something while he was leaving an closing the door behind him but I couldn't understand what he said. He was probably still grumbling.

I took a chair and sat down at the large table. I took the envelop and put it right in front of me. Well, here goes nothing. I ripped the upper part of the envelop and scattered its content on the table. There was two objects inside the package : a letter and a cassette. I first took a look at the letter :

Dear Rainbow Dash,

You don't know me but I know who you are. This is your last warning, you will meet me in the Everfree forest in the eastern clearing. If you don't, well... If you found the cassette I joined in this letter you will understand. This is only a copy I still have the original. If you don't want any pony knowing about this you better do what I tell you. You wont alert the police or any of your friends about this or else I will let this baby out.

I am looking forward to meeting you.

S.

Those letters were getting more and more intriguing. I knew I wouldn't be able to get this out of the police station so I decided to write a copy of it on a piece of paper I found on the table. I rewrote everything , then, put it in my pocket. I then turned my attention to the cassette. It was looking very old, just like the one my parents use to watch when they were kids. I searched the room and I found what I was looking for : the weird device I saw earlier was in fact a cassette player with a dirty screen just above it.

I didn't really know how to use those kind of things so I tried putting it one way in the machine. It just wouldn't go in, so I tried another side... Still no result. After a few minutes of turning it every sides, I finally found how to insert it. The device swallowed it and a loud static noise could be heard. To be honest, I was more afraid that this thing would explode in my face than what was actually on that cassette...

Suddenly, the screen turned on and the cassette played...

* 20 minutes later*

I closed the door behind me as I left the room. I was walking in the hallway to get back to Twilight. My mind was on an another planet... I was still shocked by what I had seen. When the device decided to play the cassette, I watched, curious... But I quickly understood why rainbow Dash didn't want that running around Equestria... Part of me wanted to turn of this... 'film' and part of me just couldn't look away. This had definitely scared me for the rest of my life...

I arrived in the main room, Twilight was still sitting on the bench, waiting for me. As she saw me, she stood up and came towards me, her four hoofs clopping on the floor.

"I'm glad you are back, so, did you find anything interesting ?" She asked

I was still a little bit dizzy but I answered :

"Yea, I found out why Rainbow Dash went to the Everfree forest, it was because of this letter."

I handed her the letter. She read it slowly and I knew the question coming up....

"Hmm, what does it leans ? What cassette ?" Twilight asked

I sighed...

"Let's just say that she didn't really have a choice on obeying what the letter said." I answered

What I had said only made things worse...

"What do you mean ? What is on this cassette ?" She said with am impatient voice.

"Very well but don't go say I didn't warn you" I said

I leaned towards her and whispered what she wanted to hear. She blushed slightly :

"Oh... I see..."

*30 minutes later*

We arrived at twilight's tree-home at about seven PM. It had been a very long and hard day, but for me, it wasn't over. For about an hour or two, Twilight and me discussed what we had discovered today : so we knew that someone had blackmailed Rainbow Dash and forced her to go into the Everfree forest. I enjoyed talking to someone, It had been so quiet and lonely in my apartment lately.

After Rainbow Dash accepted the 'invitation',then, she would have been attacked and poisoned by either the same person that sent the letter or someone working for him. He would have then left her body near the Everfree forest. The motive was still unknown... Why didn't he kill her, why go through the trouble of poisoning her and then leaving a five day delay ? It was a very peculiar and odd situation. I also remembered I still had the mysterious shampoo that Rarity gave me.

The case was still pretty blurry but we had made a lot of progress since this morning. Tomorrow, I would have to focus on interrogating Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy if I could find her... I will never say that enough times, but I truly felt good here, I felt alive. This adventure really changed my life, but I'm sure it hasn't finished surprising me. At least now, I was a lot more comfortable talking with magical ponies. I was still so surprised sometimes, that I would shake my head or pinch myself just to remind me that this wasn't a dream, and that I was truly saving someone's life. And to be honest, I hadn't even thought once about what I was going to do after, if I succeeded, I didn't want too. My brain just wasn't allowing that thought.

After discussing, we both went to bed, but just before Twilight turned off the lights, she said :

"Christopher, I know I already said that, but I just couldn't thank you enough for what you are doing to help my friend, you know, there aren't many people like you, ready to help total strangers, Thank you again." She said

I couldn't see her as she was in her room but I smiled and said :

"No problem Twilight, and you can count on me to continue. Good night." I answered

"Good night Chris."

There we go, we were officially friends ! The room turned in to pitch dark but I couldn't stop smiling. I finally had a friend. Something I never experienced, not even in school, and oh my god it felt good. I lied in the tiny bed, I was so tired but I knew that this would be a sleepless night, I had a plan...

I waited in the dark room a few hours, until it was midnight. Then, I slowly got out of the bed and checked if Twilight was sleeping. She was indeed. As quietly as I could, I grabbed a bag, a rope, a flash light, a notebook and a pen. I also took some kind of stick with a metal extremity. I didn't know the crime rate in Equestria but I'd rather assure my safety when I go out at night in a world full of talking ponies. It was hard to carry the bag as it was designed for ponies but it would do. After a few minutes of preparations, I opened the door slowly, checking one last time that Twilight was asleep. I stepped outside and closed the door behind me. As quietly as I had opened it.

I felt the fresh air on my skin, the fresh air of the night, I felt a strong sensation of freedom and I immediately forgot about my fatigue. I took a deep breath and started walking. I was ready. I was determined.

Let's see what you are hiding from me, element of honesty.