-Cold Case-

Three knocks echoed through the lush room emblazoned with Celestia's mark. Quiet shuffling of papers is all that was heard before a muffled guard voice called through the door. "Gallant Mind?"

"Not here!" Barked a grouchy stallion from within.

Rein sat, surrounded by towers of boxed case files from all over Equestria. The dates scribbled across their labels spanned back eighty years and were faded at different levels. Overall, there had been at least three hundred cases, mostly domestic, and all of them were as cold as cold cases get.

More insistent knocks banged on the door before a softer voice called. "Hi Rein, it's Twilight. We just wanted to talk to you."

With a laborious groan, Rein stood and strode towards the kitchen. His late studies into modern investigative techniques and theories had proved so interesting that he had forgotten to eat.

Twilight walked in with Rainbow Dash and Applejack; Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy had stayed in Ponyville for individual reasons. She looked around at the piles and towers of boxes. "Where are you?"

"Sandwich, I'll be out in a moment." Rein called when Twilight's voice echoed into the spacious penthouse. "Make yourself at home."

"Cold cases?" Applejack asked.

"It's an unsolved crime that's been put on pause." Rainbow floated up as she read the labels. "I think they reopen them when they get something to go on."

"I know." Applejack rolled her eyes, she wasn't sheltered.

Rein lumbered into the room balancing a reuban on his head and a coffee hugged to his side. He glanced at Applejack and sat down slowly with his back to her. "You're right. Cold cases are the hard ones that too often go unsolved. And as fate would have it, those are my forte."

"Fort what?" Rainbow asked.

"My specialty." Rein sighed and turned on his television to One hundred and seven, where an anchor sat and complained about Manehatten's front runner, Doggle Tramp. "So what brings you three all the way to Canterlot and then to my door?"

Twilight sauntered over and sat next to her savior and smiled weakly. "I never got a chance to thank you. You left so fast, a few of us thought that you were the one getting foalnapped."

"Job was done and there wasn't anything in Ponyville that I was allowed to do, so I returned here-" Rein gestured to the castle apartment Celestia begrudgingly gave him with both hooves outstretched. "-and started my workload via your very eager Princess, Celestia."

Twilight looked at all the boxes and like an epiphany, she could then see Celestia's cutiemark on a great many of them and which ever ones didn't have her mark, had Luna's, or Cadance's.

"Suffice to say, Celestia has been more than happy to see my willingness to take a look at her vault of cold cases. A vault I'm sure you can see she was more than willing to send to me." Rein grumbled. "In triplicate."

"This is a fancy penthouse ya have, if ya just got out of jail, how'd you have enough bits to get it?" Applejack asked in both earnest and jest. She wanted to know, but meant more to lift Rein's annoyed mood. She stared on as he remained silent, much in the way someone does when they pretend you don't exist. Before she could call him out, he took a deep breath.

"Princess Celestia let's me stay here, after releasing me, she saw it fit for what she had envisioned for me." Rein's quiet voice choked out. He kept his gaze fixed towards the television, he didn't watch it, but the alternative would steal the strength from him.

Twilight looked up to Rainbow and then to Applejack who shrugged. They gestured for her to speak more, but she seemed reluctant.

Twilight smirked deviously, believing to know what was going on. "Rein, I don't believe you and Applejack have been formerly introduced."

"Don't." Rein said like the snapping of a steel trap. He slowly looked over to Twilight and leveled his enraged glare at her. "Leave it alone."

"I just thought, since you seemed so-"

Rein sighed. "It's been a long, frustrating week. I apologize, but I am in no condition to host visitors." He tried to remove a binder from an undersized box, but it disappeared and reappeared before Twilight. "Hey, no, don't read that."

"What is the 'Sand Torro Case?'" Twilight asked curiously, trying to find a reason to stay.

Rein's outstretched hoof hovered over the table where the binder had been moments before, he sighed and let his arm collapse momentarily before leaning back.

"This doesn't look like another cold case?" Twilight flipped to the back. "It says the killers were tried and imprisoned."

"The 'victims' were former associates of mine." Rein grabbed a cigar from his splayed out coat and stuck it in his mouth, unlit. He reached forward and snatched the binder from Twilight's grasp. "You're too fragile and shouldn't read this."

"I can handle it!" Twilight protested.

Applejack and Rainbow looked intrigued, but slumped when Rein shook his head. "None of you are. You practically collapsed at the prospect of someone trying to murder you."

"Wouldn't you?" Rainbow asked.

"It loses its potency after the third time. After that, it affects you like someone cutting in line at the grocery store." Rein shrugged.

Twilight bit her lip and looked at the name on the binder and curiosity got the better of her. "Can you tell us about the 'Sand Torro' case? I believe we can handle it and I think it would be good for us to have a conversation."

"Celestia wrote to you and asked for you to come by, didn't she?" Rein asked.

Twilight opened her mouth, but Rein held up his hoof.

"Rhetorical." Rein rested the case file on the counter and chuckled. "Do any of you know about the hitpony named Sand Torro?"

Each mare shook their head.

"Sand Torro was a mob hitpony around eighty-five years ago. I knew him before he was known as 'Sandy the Savage.'" Rein glanced up to see Twilight's eyes light up.

"I've heard that name, he's a villain in the 'Power Ponies' comics. He is always chasing a mouse around the city and-" Twilight sputtered at Rein's sudden laughter.

"I'm sure he would be enraged to hear that he is the subject of comic book comedy." Rein searched his coat for a lighter, lazily. "Sandy the Savage got the name because of the savage hits he carried out. To fit him into a trope, he was a loose cannon and assassin for the mob bosses when they needed a point to be made."

Rainbow gulped. "A point?"

"Yeah, don't you ponies now-a-days have a decent education system where you learn about this era?" Rein asked.

"That's usually reserved for higher educational courses." Twilight stated. "Or for some of the guard corps."

"Right." Rein said. "Well, mob bosses of the era would make someone an example whenever they were slighted. You lie or tell someone info that wasn't yours to tell? Throat cut and tongue removed. Found with another stallion's wife? Mutilated genitalia and heart removed. Gambling debt? A bolt to the head with a bit in the hole." Rein found his lighter and lit his cigar. "Often times the punishment fit the crime, but with Sandy the Savage, he lived up to his name and it was hard to identify his targets."

"And he was your associate?" Twilight asked in disgust. "What did you do?"

"In the times as Gallant, I hunted Sandy, but..." Rein tapped his cigar. "Some point along the line we became business associates. He did get what was coming to him though."

Applejack choked down her spit and coughed. "What happened?"

Rein paused for a second and took a deep breath before Twilight looked between the two with confusion. "What happened?"

"Sandy the Savage was lured out to an apple farm in Appalusa with his brother. He thought his brother was being brought into the mob business, but they were ambushed, beaten, and buried alive." Rein puffed and sighed. "It was revenge for an unauthorized hit years prior, they didn't find the disturbed dirt 'til the following spring."

Twilight, Rainbow, and Applejack looked pale.

"I take it this era's Equestria is docile and peaceful and concepts such as murder, foalnapping, and the like are reserved for the darker parts of history class?" Rein asked.

"Was that a question?" Twilight asked.

"You're catching on." Rein chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't burden you with an old stallion's musings and memories."

"The concepts that you mentioned exist, but are very rare. It is a kinder time." Twilight tried to smile. "I do want to hear more, though."

"No, I don't want to hurt you with what's in these cold case files, or with stories of what landed me in All-Hope." Rein shook his head and looked to the kitchen.

"I've been wondering about that actually." Twilight exclaimed. "You were a paragon of Equestria and then became the head of a crime syndicate, but nothing listed would have earned you thirty life sentences. I've heard you committed crimes and was able to dig up articles talking about some of them, but are they true?"

Rein stood and started to walk to the kitchen. "You mares hungry?"

"Aren't you going to answer my question?"

Rein stopped and glanced back at Twilight. "That part of my life is for me, I would have to be very inebriated to fess up about it all. And I drink very rarely."

Twilight looked to her friends and shrugged. She tapped her hoof on the back on the seat and looked up. "What if I go and read newspapers in the library about it?"

"They've probably been censored by the Princess."

"Then I'll ask her." Twilight exclaimed.

Rein stuck his head into the room and blew smoke in her direction. "Feel free, but know she won't even share my favorite color if it meant losing my trust."

Twilight scoffed. "You're on."

With a few scribbles on a nearby piece of paper, Twilight teleported it to her mentor only to come back moments later with a larger more regal scroll. She snatched it up and started to open it with vigor. "Aha! Now we will see who is right here."

Twilight, Gallant's past is his to share with whom he chooses.

But on a possibly related note, his favorite color is silver.

-Celestia

Quiet laughter came from Rein as he tapped his cigar on his hoof, letting the ashes fall to the floor.

"What's so funny?" Twilight asked, clearly upset.

"I know your Princess far more intimately than you do." Gallant said. He glanced to an old photo of him on the wall, receiving what was then Equestria's greatest honor, being knighted. He sighed, knowing that the title was practically given away in the age he now was forced to live in. "Years ago, I answered to Celestia directly much in the way you all do now, but at that time it was a privilege."

"It still is a privilege!" Twilight shouted as Rein walked away from her to return to his files.

"Oh yes, holding a court where anyone can sit within striking distance. Very privileged." Rein said as he sat, taking a long drag of his cigar. "Now, if you are all done, leave."

"Fine." Twilight said as the doors behind her opened up, revealing her mentor. "Princess?"

"Hello, Twilight, it's good to see you again." Celestia smiled down at her former student. "I trust that Rein has been a gracious host to you all?"

"If by gracious, you mean a complete pinhead." Applejack mumbled.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Rein collapsed to the floor and curled into a ball. "They barged into my dojo and started to kick and call me a soggy biscuit before spitting on me."

"You lie!" Rainbow yelled.

"And then the Rainbow one said she would drag me while performing her sonic rainboom to tear my flesh from my body to line her bed with." Rein shuddered and crawled to the princess with his back lags following limply behind him. "Then she tried to sodomize me with a cowbell while screaming 'more cowbell!'"

"Gallant..." Celestia placed her hoof on her forehead, trying to ignore her student's expression and her friend's horrified looks.

"I mean, I kind of liked it. What stallion doesn't like to be ganged on by strong, demanding mares?"

"Gallant Mind." Celestia groaned.

"If they just tackled me and had their way before putting their cigarettes out on my neck because I didn't gyrate fast enough, then that's one thing, but subjecting me to rambling questions of inadequacy was far beyond the mark!" Rein kicked and flailed at Celestia's hooves, but then rested on his side, supporting his head with a hoof.

"You done?" Celestia sighed.

"I never finish first."

"What in the world is wrong with you?" Twilight asked.

Celestia held up a wing, stopping Twilight from continuing. "Rein, I have a job for you."

With a delighted chuckle, Rein stood and paused. "Wait... nope." He turned and strode away before being teleported before Celestia. "Not doing it."

"It's important." Celestia insisted.

"Nope!" Rein tried to walk away only to teleported back before Celestia in a never-ending loop, soon, his walking became a full on gallop. He moved faster and faster before his voice grew in volume.

"Well the years start coming and they don't stop coming. Fed to the rules and I hit the ground running. Didn't make sense not to live for fun. Your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb. So much to do, so much to see-"

Celestia released her magic and sent Rein head first into his refrigerator, knocking him out cold.

"Princess?" Twilight called.

"Let us speak as we walk." Celestia said. After hearing the commotion, her guards rushed into the room and were waved down with a commanding hoof. "Guards, please take Gallant Mind to the infirmary, he has hurt himself."

"Princess!" The guards shouted before dragging Rein with them along the floor, showing clear disregard for his well being.

Celestia watched as Rein slid along the floor with a cigar and lighter in hoof, seemingly pretending to have been knocked out. She grumbled under her breath as her frustration bubbled to the surface. "That little-"

With a strained sigh, Celestia looked to Twilight, Applejack, and Rainbow. "I'm sorry you all had to see that. These past few days I've been trying to get him to be more sociable, but I've only succeeded in depressing him."

"He's depressed because he's spending time with royalty?" Twilight asked.

"Sounds like he is just being a drama-queen." Rainbow said. She looked at the disaster that was his apartment and tsked. "I'm not Equestria's neatest mare, but this place is a warzone."

"Can't even look a mare in the eye." Applejack remarked with distaste.

"He's been through a great deal." Celestia relented, trying to defend her charge as a mother would her child when he acts up. Slowly, she wondered if releasing him was a wise thing to do. This step worked with the other villains she tried to work with, but thus far, Gallant acted distant. Every time someone brought up his past and pressed his reluctance, he would turn to his strange, vulgar behavior.

"Many ponies have been through a great deal." Rainbow said. "They don't snap and go from manageable to a weirdo"

"I think the term is masochist." Twilight said.

"Yeah, he went all freaky. I don't see an excuse in that." Rainbow nodded.

Celestia looked at the binder on the floor labeled 'Sand Torro.' The case was long cold and after eighty years it had faded from the public consciousness, but the memories were as clear as freshly fallen rain.

"Eighty years of being away has left him alone within our society." Celestia started. "Most of the ponies he knew are dead. The fashion, trends, and even the way we interact with each other has been swept away with time much in the way all things are." She turned to Twilight and smiled. "It may be unpleasant, but I just ask that you have patience with him. I still see some trace of who he was hidden beneath the facade he plays out."

With a silent nod, Celestia invited Twilight and her friends to follow her to the throne room.

"Princess, may I ask you a question?" Applejack asked.

"Absolutely."

"What did that fella do to land himself with thirty life sentences?" Applejack asked. "I was talkin' with my granny and she wouldn't tell me, none of the old timers would."

"That is likely because they do not wish to talk about it." Celestia said before smiling at Applejack's inquiring look. "Due to his notoriety at the time, we kept knowledge of most of his crimes very confidential, but even then it shocked the public conscience. We held silent hunts for him through the lower, undercity of Canterlot, Manehatten, and Seaddle. We placed posters and even consulted clairvoyants to track him, but in the end a young pony named Sherclop Pones tracked him and apprehended him."

"Really?" Twilight asked. "I've never read that, I always thought it was you."

"I brought him in, but Pones tracked him down and laid a trap for him." Celestia admitted, sadly. "I had not seen him for years at that point and thought we had made a mistake, but his eyes told me it was him."

"But what did he do?" Applejack asked.

"Dark things, most of the crimes that would land someone a life sentence he committed with zest. I trust you saw his filed horn?" Celestia looked the her escort of mares as they nodded. "He did that the night he solved the Whitechapel slayings. The next morning, when he didn't report to the royal debriefing, we searched his house and found it had been rummaged through, then there was a letter stuck on his door with his shaven horn stabbed through it."

"We discovered traces of dark magic in his study and found that he was reading forbidden texts from the Canterlot archives. We still don't know what his goal was, but it wasn't good." Celestia turned and entered her lavish throne room. "Once he was caught his criminal syndicate crumpled."

"How did he get to the archives?" Twilight asked.

Celestia stopped midway up the stairs leading to her throne and hung her head. "He took advantage of the kindness I showed him. He entered the restricted section and stole books that were locked away."

"He stole books?" Twilight asked, confused at the lack of library card. "Why not ask you?"

Celestia sat on her throne and stared out at her court to see nothing but the usual assortments of sashes and rugs. "Gallant stole books that are older than Equestria and bound in the flesh of slaves. They were written in a dead language by Grogar, a violent ruler now only known to the annals of time."

A soft gasp left Twilight's lips. "Princess, you kept books like that in your library?"

"It was to keep them safe. I wanted to have them studied to find a way to defeat Grogar should he return." Celestia propped her forehead on her hoof. "Once I discovered this, not a day has gone by that I don't scold myself for not seeing his desire for power. He fell to what plagued him for his entire life."

"What was that?" Twilight asked.

"The need to know." Luna said as she entered the room with Cadance, causing Twilight to squeal and start her usual greeting ceremony of ladybugs.

"Sister." Celestia greeted.

"I see you're wasting no time in spilling your guts to your student." Luna chided. "We came to an agreement that we should keep Rein's past a secret."

"His name is Gallant Mind, Luna." Celestia said.

"I know him as Rein six one six. He insists on the name, any semblance to who he was died the instant he went against his oath as a guard." Luna scolded.

"And to me he will always be Gallant Mind." Celestia glared at Luna, a rare moment of clear rage present in her eyes.

"You really think he can be saved, don't you, sister?" Luna asked, unphased at her sister's anger.

"He can be."

"And what will you do when you're proven wrong?" Luna asked.

The throne room fell into silence as Celestia paused. The question wasn't revolutionary, but it was one she didn't have an answer for. Would she be able to justify his release if he went on a rampage?

Luna sat next to her sister and placed a hoof over her sister's. "I like to think that everyone deserves a second chance, but I have also seen his nightmares. He is not the stallion you once knew."

"But still a great detective." Celestia smiled down at Cadance who wore a worried look. "How are you doing, Cadance?"

"About as well as I can be, considering the circumstances." Cadance said, looking down at Twilight. She felt her heartstrings pull at having to break the news to her.

"Cadance." Celestia called. "Gallant Mind is in the infirmary. Go and discuss your case with him, Luna and I must speak with Twilight." She looked to Rainbow Dash and Applejack. "Alone."

With a solemn nod, Cadance left for the infirmary by herself. A feeling of apprehension and anxiousness washed over her. Just like Twilight, she read his books as a foal before being scolded by Celestia for taking books from her library without permission. For most of her life, she believed that Gallant Mind had been put to death. So hearing that not only was he still alive, but that he was being put on her case both excited and terrified her.

Memories flew through her mind of all the conflicting stories. No source of news in Equestria was ever able to say what happened to him with certainty. Some say he died of natural causes after being released. Execution. Suicide. And some even claimed he never really existed, that he was just propaganda from eighty years ago.

As she strode through the halls, she saw two guards laying face down on the floor with nurses standing above them trying to wake them. A broken table and a shattered vase nearby painted the picture of what happened.

"What happened here?" Cadance called as she neared.

"Princess, these guards were knocked out." An orderly stated. "I don't think it's safe for you."

As Cadance listened to the mare, she saw a hooded stallion peeking from the corner at the end of the hall, with a small trail of smoke wafting into view. "Right. Nurse, make sure these stallions are taken care of. I'll go and warn the other Princesses."

With some haste, she started to walk towards the stallion, but he disappeared the instant she rounded the corner leaving only a translucent cloud of sweet smelling smoke.

With a silent curse, Cadance looked around the halls for a clue as to the stallion's whereabouts. The scent of the cigar hung in the air, then began to disappear. She walked around and noticed that it had clung to the drafts that moved through the halls. Soon, she found herself gliding to the scent that she followed.

"Cadance?" A familiar voice called as she passed another corridor. The voice of her husband was unmistakable, she had heard it for years, day in and day out. His voice used to bring her comfort, but now it only flowed like frigged air.

The stronger smell of the cigar smoke snapped her from her trance of negative memories. A visible trail of smoke could be seen coming from the stallion she pursued as he left one of the guarded side doors to the castle.

With a wave of his hoof, he left the stoic guards without them knowing who passed them due to the stallion's coat being pulled high. As soon as he thought he was in the clear, a guard sucked his teeth.

"You, let us see your face." A cold shoulder caused the guard to growl as he reached out to snatch the coat down. "How dare you ignore a royal guard!"

"Guards!" Cadance called, forcing them to snap to attention. "There are two guards knocked out in the west wing. They need your help."

"Yes, Princess!" The guards barked before galloping passed her and into the twists and turns of the castle.

Cadance held her hoof to her bosom and let a light laugh flow from her lips. "No need to thank me, I'm sure you like your... anonymity." She looked where her quarry had been moments before and found him trotting away. With a simple plop, she appeared before him. "I take it you're Gallant Mind?"

"Nope." Rein mumbled as he tried to walk around her, only to find her stepping into his path before feeling an invisible claw push her gently aside. "Got places to be, Lovebutt."

Cadance paused and shook off the weird sensation that moved her. "I believe we have some business to talk about."

Rein slowed to a stop when Cadance teleported into his path once more and stared at her with an impatient look. He looked her up and down, an act that none had the gall to do to in broad daylight with the Princess being able to plainly see them doing so. "Do you even know who I am?"

Cadance smiled at her unwilling detective. "Yes, I do. I've come here from the Crystal Empire to speak with you."

"What's the gist of the case?" Rein asked, his fur kinking from agitation. He looked on as Cadance remained hesitant to discuss the details, something he would not stand for, so he left.

"Gallant Mind." Cadance called as she watched him leave, she tried to teleport near him but gasped when it didn't work. Try as she might, none of her spells worked on the stallion as he walked into the busy Canterlot streets. In a fit of anger, she turned and started galloping to the throne room to inform her aunt, she knew him leaving as he did was bad news, she wanted to play to his appeals, but that had failed.

Twilight sat with tears in her eyes as her mentor informed her of her brother's divorce. Memories of seeing them together since she was little played in her mind and a soft burn danced across her brain at realizing that it was now the past.

"Celestia." Cadance called as she teleported passed the guards and skidded to a halt before her and next to a shocked Twilight. "Gallant Mind has left the castle grounds."

"So?" Celestia said.

"Isn't he not allowed to leave the castle grounds?" Cadance asked.

With a silent nod, Celestia sighed. "Well, him and I came to an agreement that for the time being he was to stay confined to the grounds, but we told no one. How did you know?"

"He was trying to sneak passed guards." Cadance said. "Ponies don't do that unless they're up to no good."

Twilight put her shaky hoof on Cadance's shoulder as tears started to roll down her cheek, just then, Cadance realized what Celestia had told her.

"Cadance." Celestia's voice boomed. "You need to tell me everything. Was there anything off about him?"

The atmosphere was thick in the throne room as Cadance tried to fight Twilight pleading stare and Celestia's demanding look.

"Cadance." Celestia boomed louder, startling Twilight from her trance.

"He was impatient. I know that much, but from what I've heard that isn't out of the ordinary." Cadance said.

"Details." Celestia stated. "What did he say? Was there anything that jumped out at you?"

Cadance paused and tapped her chin. "After the second time I stopped him from leaving I wasn't able to use magic around him."

The throne rang with a solid thud as Celestia fell back into it. She sighed heavily and strobbed her eyes, trying to grasp the situation. A soft laugh left her lips.

"I see he wasted no time in slipping back into his evil ways." Luna said as she summoned an order of execution.

"Sister!" Celestia scolded.

"I will not have you impede my orders, Tia." Luna began to write, but felt magical strain on her quill. With a scream of rage, she teleported the order away and glared at her sister. "Celestia, I told you when you decided to release him, should he stray into an evil path I will put him down like the mongrel he is!"

"Without a trial?" Celestia asked.

"Yes." Luna growled. "To save our subjects from him." She squinted at her sister. "I've read our private archives regarding his crimes. You lied to the press to make them seem lesser and tried to reason with him when you were in striking distance. Thirty ponies over ten years. What about all the unconfirmed deaths and the ones caused by hooves he ordered? This ends."

Celestia lowered her head in defeat. "I thought he could be saved."

Luna rested her hoof upon her sister's. "And I commend you for that. You've reformed a great many; Discord, Sombra, and many more. But not everypony can be saved, Tia. I know he held a special place in your heart. You watched him grow up, become the top student in your gifted unicorn program, then move to becoming a highly decorated warrior, and ultimately, your second hoof pony in keeping Equestria safe. But even you can see that who he was is long dead."

"That's why I try so hard." Celestia said. "Because I can still see him there, past the thing that parades around in his flesh."

"Be that as it may." Luna said as a new order teleported before her. "I can not let him roam freely in Canterlot. I believe wanted posters will appease us both. When we retrieve him, we will discuss his return to Beggar's Bay."

"Okay." Celestia said sadly. "Assemble the guards."

Canterlot Cemetary

The light fall of rain petered off the back of Rein's coat as he stared down at the plaque that lain in the neatly cut grass. Quiet hisses could be heard as the walling water touched the searing end of his cigar.

Applejack
Spring 898 - Winter 991
Loving mother
Beloved Sister
Departed as she lived. With a smile.

A body appeared off to his side as he stared down. With the grass having a chilled layer of moisture over it, every time a hoof landed it would cause soft crunching of the grass.

"You know it isn't a good idea to leave by yourself, Rein."

Devoid of emotion, Rein scanned upward to see Luna giving him a sad look. The cemetery was surrounded with the higher echelon of the royal guard as well as Equestria's favorite celebrities; The Princesses and their Elements. She was clearly ready to enact great action to make sure he was taken into custody.

"I know." Rein turned, but stopped as Luna lowered her head.

"I understand your need to know, but tell us first."

With a solemn nod, Rein left the crowd behind without a word, only casting a momentary glance toward Applejack as he left.

"Why was he here of all places?" Rainbow asked as Luna approached.

"This is the only place he belongs, sadly." Luna said.

"Luna." Celestia scolded with a look.

"It is, Tia." Luna gestured to the countless graves. "Most of the creatures he knew are now buried here. Everyone, except the children that knew him before being locked away."

Realization fell over Twilight and her friends as well as any eavesdropping guard.

Celestia closed her eyes and took a slow breath. "Which grave was he at?"

"I didn't catch the name."

"Grave marker?" Celestia asked.

"Seventh from the beginning of the row." Luna said, glancing over to see which row. "Row One hundred."

"So he still thinks about her." Celestia mumbled as she realized neither Cadance, nor Rein were around. She placed a hoof on her face in annoyance. "Oh, good. This fiasco again."

Light faded from Equestria as Night overtook day. Lamp fire filled the streets as a cloaked mare followed a lone Detective. Quick glances were thrown around before he ducked into an alleyway only to have his follower copy his movements with precision.

"For someone who has murderers after her, you're very reckless."

"R-Rein?" Cadance said, lowering her hood. She darted her vision to the deeper, darkened alleyway and then back to the stallion, still smoking despite the damp conditions of the city. "I thought you would have gone to a bar."

"And why is that?"

Cadance sat and fumbled with her hooves. "Usually when a detective knows they're being followed, they seek crowded places to circle around and surprise their follower."

"Shadow Spade?"

"Shadow Spade." Cadance nodded.

"Listen. Cadance. I know you want me to take a case of yours, but I kind of want to just disappear." Rein took a long drag from his cigar and looked to the mare he had to let down gently. "I spent eighty years in a hole, the world doesn't need me anymore."

"And about Applejack?" Cadance asked.

Thick silence hung in the air along with wafts of smoke. Rein gave a low chuckle and shook his head. "I didn't take you to be the perceptive type. Especially since royalty dulls most of one's senses."

"I'm not as dumb as ponies think." Cadance corrected. "I heard Applejack complain about you being unable to look her in the eye and at the cemetery you were at her relative's grave."

"Could have been a coincidence."

Cadance shot Rein an incredulous look.

"Anything else, Princess?"

"Aren't you going to at least talk to her?" Cadance smiled. "I'm sure you could make friends and-"

Rough laughter escaped Rein's throat as he left into the darkness, but a soft pop echoed in the alley and Cadance was face to face with her quarry once more.

"You know I could easily escape you."

"I know." Cadance said. "But I'm desperate and I need your help."

"You don't." Rein squinted. "Your daughter does."

"Will you take the case?" Cadance asked.

"I promise to go as far as hearing the case in its entirety, then I'll decide." Rein grumbled. "You're lucky you're pretty. If you looked like one of your Elements I wouldn't have let you catch up with me and corner me in an alley. You feisty creature, you."

Author's Note

Nothing much on author's notes, just that we love ya