The Fallen Angelby Julian the DreamerChaptersPrologue: Request DeniedBroken Sapphire (Part 1)Broken Sapphire (Part 2)Broken Sapphire (Part 3)Broken Sapphire (Part 4)Sibling's Rivalry (Part 1)Prologue: Request DeniedIt was a typical night in Manehattan. Couples were going out to romantic dinners, criminals planned their next crimes, police officers did their best to catch them in the act, friends got together to enjoy the city’s night life in clubs and such. This story starts in one of them, elegant and modern, not to mention filled with the wild youth of Manehattan. Harmony was one of the most famous and well-known clubs in the city. One of the reasons was his unique owner. Calling himself a draconequus, he was a chimerical creature that seemed like a mix of at least nine different animals. He had a way with people, forming alliances and partnerships with ease. He knew all the right persons, he could enter all the best places, and could take almost anyone to his bed. But the thing that raised most eyebrows was his name. Discord. It was the name of the Beast; the ruler of Tartarus. Not to mention the being which many considered the ultimate evil that existed. Everyone assumed it was some kind of artistic name; artists and rich people tended to have unique quirks, after all. And having in count the name most ponies were given or chose for themselves, it wasn't that strange. Because they couldn’t believe that the arrogant yet charming draconequus could be such a being. Surely the Beast could not be the life and soul of the party. Oh, but how wrong they were. In more than one aspect. Sporting a black suit (not the pants, mind you; those things weren’t used in this planet) over a white shirt, both tailored for his unique physique, Discord entered his bar, enjoying the wild music while navigating through the dancing ponies and the occasional griffin. Manehattan was mainly a pony city, with almost 10 percent of the population belonging to other species. Discord, sharing his appearance with no one else in the universe, attracted looks everywhere… a fact he loved, mind you. After greeting several acquaintances (and kissing one or two), the draconequus managed to reach the bar. The only empty chair shifted and changed to better fit him. “Good evening, boss,” the bartender said, giving him his usual drink. He just answered with a nod. “Busy day, Sunset?” He asked after taking a sip. “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” The unicorn answered. She had an amber coat, with a red and yellow mane and tail that reminded some of a fire. “Then again, this isn’t what I signed for.” After attending two more customers, she refilled his glass. “Wouldn’t you want to do something more… significant? Important? Exciting?” She looked at him meaningfully, but Discord just stared back nonchalantly, playing with the ice in his drink. “Oh, for crying out loud; you’re the ruler of Tartarus. How about we go back and impart justice over those that deserve it?” She questioned; with the music and the constant chatter, no one else was paying attention to them, so they could talk without problem. “I retired, my dear. And Gaia seemed like a good place to retire to. Poor woman has seen better days, though,” he commented while looking around. Sunset grumbled while she went to refill more drinks; she missed her old post in Tartarus. The screams, the blood, the tournaments... “I didn’t ask you to come with me. You could have stayed and enjoyed the screams of the damned; I can take care of myself,” Discord pointed out rather quietly when she came back. The unicorn snorted. “Yeah, right.” “Your lack of trust in my capability to stay out of trouble wounds this old heart,” Discord answered dramatically, holding his paw to his chest. Sunset hit him in the shoulder playfully. “You are my lord; I’ll follow you until the end of time. Even if I don’t agree with every choice you make. Besides, this place has its perks.” “Drugs, alcohol and sex?” He asked. Her smile was all the answer he needed. She refilled his glass… or tried to, anyway. The liquid seem to slow down, like it was too lazy to move and gravity was ok with that. The music was next, as well as the people dancing and drinking around them. The initial confusion passed and they shared a worried look; someone was slowing down the flow of time, and they could not perceive any magic acting around them that could be the cause. That only left one suspect. A silhouette in the middle of the dance floor catch Sunset’s attention, and her lips pursed. “Boss… we have a visitor.” Walking among the ponies was someone so similar, yet so different to them. A dark blue alicorn whose mane and tail were like the night sky, complete with stars shimmering in it. She wore a simple white dress that started at the small yoke at the base of her neck and went almost to her tail, covering her flanks. Her wings were uncovered and held at her sides, though. Her light blue eyes were beautiful, though lacking the warmth Discord once saw in them whenever she looked at him. Shaking his head to get that nostalgic feeling out, he put on a happy smile and walked towards her and meeting her halfway, sitting down on one of the couches at the border of the dance floor. “Selene! It’s been ages. How are you doing?” “I stopped using that name centuries ago; I go by Luna now.” “Really? You should keep me up to date,” he said, taking a half-full glass from a griffin at his side and offering it to her; she lifted a hoof and shook her head. The draconequus shrugged and downed it himself. “Discord-” She started. “I mean, what kind of sister doesn’t tell his brother something so important?” He interrupted, half-joking. Selene- sorry, Luna looked a bit put out by that, and actually seemed to ruminate that for an instant before shaking her head and proceeding with her message. “Discord, it has been requested by Father that you return to Tartarus and reassume your position as its ruler.” Having seen that coming, he wasn’t more than bored and a little annoyed at the request. “You don’t say. Let me check my agenda,” the draconequus brought a small notebook from out of nowhere and started to flip page after page. “Hmmm… sorry, I’m too busy with my new job to go back to the old one. Besides, I retired from the entire ‘eternal punishment’ thing.” Luna took a deep breath. She had seen this coming, and yet, she couldn’t help but to be increasingly irritated at him. “This is a game for you, isn’t it?” “Yep.” “Brother, do you know what happens when the Beast is not on Tartarus to supervise things? Do you know what happens to the demons and tormented souls in there?” “No. And I honestly don’t care,” he answered, looking at her in boredom while scratching his neck. "The demons are mature enough to take care of themselves, and they know what will happen if they step out of line. And the mortals down there? We both know they can't get out, and whoever manages to escape gets hunted down and thrown back in. Tartarus doesn't need me, and I got tired of living in Hell. Up here is much more pleasurable." Luna simply shook her head in exasperation. “Things would be better and calmer if you were back there, where you belong. You better do as Father asks, brother. He won’t be so merciful with your 'vacation' much longer.” He stopped for a millisecond, before snorting disdainfully. “Like I was scared of Dad’s wrath. The jerk can’t do worse than what he’s already done,” Discord answered nonchalantly. Luna’s features hardened as she extended her right wing, doubling the appendage in an impossible way until the point of her feathers were pressing against Discord’s neck, way sharper than feathers were allowed to be. Though startled, the draconequus hid his uneasiness and snorted challengingly at her. “Very well, do it. If he’s not angry now, this will certainly do the trick,” a malicious smirk appeared on his face. Even like this, he was more than a match for her. Luna stood there for a few second, glaring at her brother before looking at Sunset. The unicorn stood with both hooves on the bar, ready to jump over it and join any possible fray. Though her eyes were cold, the demon’s smirk was identical to Discord’s. Finally, the angel backed down. This was not what she was here to do… even though she really wanted to beat that smile out of his face and pummel him until he screamed ‘uncle’. “I will be in touch,” Luna said as she turned around and walked away. Discord waved lazily at her. “I know. Bye, sis.” The angel disappeared among the crowd, and time hit the throttle to go back to its normal speed. Discord got up and went up to the bar, his mood dropped a bit. There used to be a time when he got along with Selene. They enjoyed each other’s company back then. Not anymore. “Well, that was disappointing,” Sunset commented, getting a stronger beverage for both of them. “Next time it can be your neck under her feathers, if that makes you feel better.” “Meh, I could beat her with both claws tied to my back,” The demon filled their glasses, turning serious. “We knew this would happen eventually.” Discord didn’t meet her look, instead keeping both eyes in his glass. “It couldn’t be helped,” he mumbled, downing his drink in one go. Author's Note And so we start this new story. After seeing Lucifer, this Idea popped in my head and wouldn't get out, so I had to write it. English is not my mother language so I apologize for any mistake or confusion caused. Broken Sapphire (Part 1)Standing at the front door of his establishment, the draconequus smoked a cigar, silently contemplating the night. His sister’s visit had soured his mood. It wasn’t going to last though, as a taxi stopped near and an earth pony got out. She had amber eyes, blue mane and tail and a light yellow coat. A simple yet elegant white dress covered her in the chilly night. The ponies making line to enter the club noticed her in an instant. “Dude, it’s her!” “No way!” “I love you, Sapphire!” She waved at the excited fans before turning her attention to the draconequus, who reduced his cigar to ashes. “Well, well, well; who do we have in here?” He asked while a smile growing on his face. “Discord!” She practically tackled him, giving him a tight hug. “Oof! Glad to see me?” he managed to say after getting air back to his lungs. ‘She would make a great hoofball player.’ In a private room, Discord attended his surprise visit, both of them resting in a comfortable couch. “So, what brings the great Sapphire Shores to my humble place?” He asked while giving her a glass filled with cider. “… I came to thank you,” hhe answered after taking a sip. “What for?” He asked, curious. “All those people you introduced me back then, when I started my career... they said you recommended me.” The draconequus shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “I thought you deserved a chance. I’m more of a rock kind of guy, but I recognize talent when I see it.” “And here I thought I could give you one of my albums for free as your birthday gift,” she joked, causing both of them to laugh. After it died down, she sighed, downing what was left of her drink. A frown appeared as she played with her glass. “Tough day?” he said while refilling their glasses. “More like tough years. I… suppose you know what I’ve been through?” She asked, praying that he didn’t. “You mean the drugs, rehab and romantic scandals?” He said without missing a bit, resuming the huge drama that the last few years of her life had been. The earth pony buried her head in her hooves, embarrassed. Oh, he definitely knew. Discord patted her in the back “I’m not judging you; I happen to like the occasional substance. Besides, you mortals’ romances are nothing compared to the affairs of certain ‘deities’, so to speak.” Sapphire had heard something like that before; Discord constantly talked about other times like they were mere days ago. She didn’t honestly believe he was the Beast; but there was no doubt in her mind that he was ancient and powerful. Lifting her head, she refilled her glass and downed it quickly. “You know, when I was little I always dreamed of being a star, a great idol. Fame and fortune! my name in every magazine!” She exclaimed, gesturing with her hooves fefore falling back to the couch “. But I never imagined…” She stopped for a moment, looking at a mirror in a near wall. Seeing her exhausted reflection on it, knowing all the problems behind it. All the mistakes she had made in the way. She didn’t want to know how disappointed her younger self would be at her now. ‘Present me is disappointed enough.’ “I never imagined how low I would fall.” “Hey, as an expert on falls I can tell you that you are not so bad,” he quipped, made her chuckle a little. “When people dream, they forget the bad things. Reality has no problem reminding you how things truly are. Now, are you going to succumb to all that or rise and live your dream?” She looked at his red eyes; his gaze challenged her to pick herself up and go forward. As he knew she could. “Doing favors to help others achieve their dreams and consoling a poor, little pony; are you truly the Beast that everyone fears?” She joked, smiling a little. Discord snorted in amusement. “People should know me first before judging me.” They sit silently for a minute, sipping their light beverages before she talked again. “What should I do?” Discord answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Get up, learn from your mistakes and make your dreams true,” he answered with conviction, before continuing with a mischievous tone. “And then find that ex of yours that said you would never be famous and show him oh how wrong he was.” While she laughed, she hugged him gently. “Thank you. For everything.” Discord stiffened, before awkwardly patting her in the back. These things were not his forte. Half an hour later, they exited the building, standing in front of the door. There were only a few people walking through the streets. “You do owe a favor, though,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m sure you’ll use it when you get a nice girlfriend that just happens to be one of my fans,” she assured him with a teasing smirk. “I’m more of a free spirit, you know,” Discord answered with a snort and a smirk of his own. She stood on her hind legs and spread her forelegs, looking at him with a pointed look. Discord rolled his eyes but crouched down and hugged her. These ponies and their excessive displays of affection… A dragon landed in the middle of the street so fast it cracked the asphalt. They had barely started to shift their attention towards him when he acted. A crystal flew through the air faster than a speeding train, directly towards them. A few inches away from her coat, it glowed as the spell inside activated. Discord didn’t have time to react. It flashed and exploded with a loud boom, pushing them backwards and directly through the doors of the club. Breaking through the railing of the stairs located right at the entrance, they fell to the middle of the dance floor. People screamed at the explosion and the limp bodies, leaving a wide berth while panicking, many rushing out through any available entrance. After a few seconds, Discord got up, breathing heavily as his lungs once again filled with air. He looked at his side to see Sapphire, her blood pooling around her. She was badly burned; Discord moved in four legs towards her, gently moving her mane to look at her face. It wasn’t as burned as her chest, but he could clearly see her lifeless eyes. She was already gone. Too fast for him to try anything. Through the corner of his eye he saw Sunset appear, galloping to stand at his side. She looked at him for a few seconds gazing down at her old coworker. “Damn,” she muttered. A pegasus flew through the sky at great speeds, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. She easily slow down and landed in front of the night club like it was nothing. This cyan pony with rainbow mane and tail wore a black coat designed to be as aerodynamically as possible. The scene greeting her wasn’t a cheery one; but that was sadly expected in her profession. Police officers were everywhere, keeping people calm and out of the crime scene. A light blue pegasus walked towards her, wearing the same coat. “Rainbow,” he greeted his coworker. “Soarin,” she greeted back with a nod before turning toward the door, where a couple of ponies was pulling the body out in a stretcher, covered in a blanket. “What do we have here?” “Famous singer Sapphire Shores. Witnesses report a dragon dropping out of the sky, throwing a crystal bomb at the victim and then disappearing in a flash; probably using a teleportation amulet,” Soarin answered. “So we have another murder,” she said, following the body with her gaze as it was carried towards a vehicle. Soarin nodded. “We still have to talk with the owner of the club. The witnesses say he was right beside the victim when the dragon attacked, and was even caught by the attack.” Rainbow looked at him. “How badly hurt is he?” “Surprisingly, it seems like he’s not hurt at all; he’s waiting inside. I was planning to go talk to him myself when you arrived." Rainbow waved a hoof at him. “I’ll do it. You finish out here,” she said before marching inside. “Something I should know about him?” “Yeah; he’s a draco… draconequis, I think it was.” She stopped and looked back at him. “He’s a what?” Soarin shrugged, giving up on getting the word right and gesturing towards the broken entrance. “Just go inside and see for yourself. He sure isn’t like anything I’ve seen before.” He wasn’t kidding; Rainbow had seen her share of chimerical creatures on her job (some even say pegasi themselves were like that), but nothing like the person resting in the bar. None of his limbs matched; neither his horns nor even one end of his long body with the other. ‘He sure looks like those freak animals you would find in a circus.’ She then chastised herself for that thought; her father would lecture he to no end if she ever said something like that. “Detective Rainbow Dash. Are you the owner of this place?” She introduced herself, stopping near him. “Nice to meet you, officer. And yes, I am,” he answered, lifting his glass in greeting while changing his position to face her. She noticed the burned suit he wore, little more than rags in the front; but apart from a slightly burned coat, he didn’t seem hurt. “I’m here to ask you some questions,” she said while getting her small notebook and pen. She flapped her wings, floating in place without problem; it was easier for her to write while hovering. “Fire away.” “First of all, aren’t you hurt?” She said, gesturing to his burnt fur. Discord snorted. “This is nothing, believe me. It’s only a itch,” he answered, waving nonchalantly at her. Seeing his attitude and noting how it didn’t even seem to bother him, she decided to take her word for it. Maybe it was like how a pegasus’ body was more resistant to electricity, and getting hit with lightning wasn’t as bad for them as it would be to other kinds. “What’s your name?” “Discord,” he said, wondering how she would react. She stopped writing and looked at him, lifting an eyebrow. “Is it your artistic name?” “Nope. It was given to me by my father. You may know him; your species kind of worship him,” he replied with total honesty. The eyebrow rose higher and she answered with a tone that left very clear that she didn’t believe him. “Riiight. What was your relation with the victim? “She used to work here years ago; she was actually one of my first employees. She sang by herself, and sometimes I joined her in the scenario. Fun times,” he reminisced. “She left to start her career, and visited once in a while… like tonight.” “Any idea of why she was killed?” “Why do you people kill each other?” He said, manifesting a list in his paw that unrolled itself and went rolling away. He checked a few ones. “So many things to choose; so many motives for it all. It amazes me as much as it disgusts me.” Rainbow followed the rolling list before it turned around the bar. “Any reason in particular?” “Got a few, but nothing concrete;” with a flick of his wrist, the list dissolved in shiny sparks that disappeared in an instant. “Jealous rival, angry ex; you know, the usual.” “’The usual?’” She questioned. “The reasons you mortals always kill each other.” ‘’You mortals’? So, what does that make you?’ “Did you manage to see the attacker?” “Dragon; green scales with red underbelly; kind of clashing if you ask me. Orange, bloodshot eyes; dark cape that sorely needs a good washing machine and he stank.” It took Rainbow a second to write it down, not expecting such a detailed and fast description; although that last bit made her stop. “He stank?” “He definitely needed a shower. And that’s all I know,” he said, refilling his glass. “Well, that will be all. Thanks for your cooperation,” Rainbow finished, turning around to leave. “Detective.” The pegasus stopped and turned around. “It’s draconequus. Dragon Horse. Of course, I’m made of so much more, but then the name would be unbearably long.” Rainbow blinked and absently nodded before walking out of the building, wondering if he had heard her and Soarin before, or if he simply was used to being asked that. ‘It’s probably the later. There’s no way he has such good hearing…’ “I’m surprised you didn’t try to seduce her,” Sunset commented, walking towards him while watching the pegasus leave. “The thought crossed my mind, but there are more important things to do now.” He answered, getting up before brushing the burnt fur off him like it was dust. “Like what?” she questioned, lifting a brow in confusion. “First of all, to change out of this burned clothes.” He said, gesturing to his ruined attire, before walking towards the elevator to the upper floors where they lived. “And second, to take a temporary leave from my vacation and make a visit to that dragon.” Sunset smiled, licking her lips. ‘Oh, this is going to be exciting. I hope he lets me see what he’ll do to that lizard…’ Author's Note Well, here it is the first chapter. I have exams in college, so the next parts may take a while. Broken Sapphire (Part 2)It was easy to find someone when you were Discord. The draconequus first asked to a police officer where the city kept their registers about its inhabitants. From there, he just took a taxi to the bureaucratic building and used his charm and personality on the receptionist and a couple of employees (good thing they closed at midnight; he knew voting for that mayor was a good idea). After that, it was just ten minutes of dull browsing to get the address of the dragon. 'Wow, he sure didn't take good care of himself.' Discord mused, looking how healthier he looked in the photo attached to the document before putting it back. 'Well, he's gonna look a lot worse when I'm done with him.' Waving goodbye, Discord adjusted his suit and walked off, before picking up speed and sprinting down the road. It was time to send that dragon straight to Tartarus... after he punished it. It was easy to find someone when you were a cop. Calling the station by radio and leaving them the description only left Rainbow waiting for thirty minutes as they searched for the information. "Remind me again when are we buying new computers?" She asked Soarin while they waited. "With our budget as it currently is?" he deadpanned. They got lucky and went right away to the location, a small flat in the top of a five story building. You didn't need to get close to see it was a really cheap thing. With two more officers with them, they entered and went right up to to the last floor. And at the end of the stairs, trotting up the last steps, was Discord. His angry glare was masked behind a smirk as he looked at the pegasi behind him. "Officers," he saluted with a nod before walking towards a door. Rainbow zoomed past him and made him stop in front of the threshold. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion when she realized it was the address they were looking for. "The same thing you are doing, I suppose," he shrugged, not paying much atttention to her as he focused on the flat at his right. Behind those walls was that murderer. Before he could even reach for the doorknob, Soarin walked past him and stood next to Rainbow. "Sir, this is a police matter. Please go out and let us do our job." "And I'm doing my job, so no, I won't..." He suddenly trailed off, looking at the door as a certain smell reached his nostrils. Sniff, sniff. Yep, there was no doubt. The pegasi looked at each other in confusion; but before either of them could utter a word, Discord said a single one that caught all their attention. "Death." He then launched himself at the door; breaking it off its hinges like it was nothing and entering the apartment. "Hey, wait!" Rainbow was right behind him... but both stopped at the sight in the small living room. Small, crumped, full of garbage and stains and a still dragon fallen over a small, broken table. He fit perfectly the description Discord had given her, including the smell. A syringe was practically stabbed in his right arm, where it met the joint with the forearm. "Well, we found our suspect," she mumbled. Soarin walked over and checked the body while the other two officers entered the apartment and went to inspect the rest of it. "Yeah, too bad he's dead. But he's still warm, so it was recent-" He then was pushed back as Discord stepped forward and grabbed the dragon's chest with his talon, digging into the scales. "You're not leaving yet," he said with a cold, restrained rage as the dragon suddenly drew a desperate breath, panting. His wide eyes moved everyway, having a hard time focusing on anything. "What? Where-" "Still among the living, for now. You're lucky I'm not in Tartarus waiting for you," the draconequus growled while the pegasi watched, stunned. "Wha-but he-he was dead!" Soarin sputtered. "You sure you checked well? Because he sure seems alive to me," deadpanned Rainbow. "Why did you kill Sapphire?" Discord demanded. "Apart from the fact that she owed me?" The dragon rasped, staring at those eyes that shone with an unholy fire. If he wasn't so overdosed, he would be peeing himself at the scary sight. "Don't make me repeat myself." "Hey, I just killed her. And she killed me, so... why don't you go after... her..." He mumbled, before his eyes dulled and his head fell. Dead again. "Great," muttered Discord, letting go of the corpse and standing up, his tail almost knocking over the officers as it moved around in frustration. As the police checked the apartment and the forensics did the same with the body, Discord was reclined against a wall and his neck pressed against the roof-'too tall for this building'- while Rainbow hovered in front of him. "What did you do back there?" The pegasus wasn't sure what happened, but either Soarin made a mistake, or this guy actually brought the dragon back to life for a few seconds. "His soul hadn't crossed to the spirit plane yet, so I managed to make it talk while it was still tethered to his body. It didn't took long for it to go away, as you saw," he explained like it was an ordinary thing. Rainbow just blinked. 'Ok, Soarin made a mistake, and this guy is nuts.' Said pegasus came out of the apartment, carrying a bag with a white powder in it. "Well, it seems he used this place to make drugs, if the small lab in the back is any indication." Discord put a finger in the bag and scooped up a little of the powder, taking it to his mouth and tasting it. He winced as the pegasi stared at him in disbelief. "Must be a terrible one; this is atrocious." "... Seems like Sapphire was in debt with him, and he simply took her out as payback; then came here and overdose himself by mistake, like an addict would do," Soarin said, choosing to ignore that while making sure the bag was out of the draconequus' reach. "You sure about that?" Discord queried, lifting an inquisitive eyebrow at him. "Sir, stay out of this, please," Rainbow said, before turning back to Soarin. "But he's right; you heard what the dragon said. It seems like there was someone else here, and they could have overdosed him to keep themselves unknown." "That's a good reasoning; isn't your job to check these possibilities to catch the wrongdoers?" Discord queried again, his head getting between the two of the while staring at Soarin. "Sir, stay out of this," the pegasus demanded, pushing his long muzzle off his face. "Rainbow, he was dying; people don't make a lot of sense in that moment, and even less when it's an overdose of drugs what's killing them. To me, it seems like he was talking about Sapphire." "And what if he wasn't?" Soarin, open his mouth, closed it, looked at Discord and then guided her away while whispering his answer."Rainbow, remember what happened last time we had a discussion like this? Believe me, I don't want a repeat of what happened in the docks anymore than you do." That was a bit of a low blow for Rainbow. "What happened in the docks?" Discord whispered, his head only inches above theirs. The pegasi startled, hitting their heads with his muzzle ."Seriously, back off!" They both exclaimed; Discord lifted his arms in surrender before walking back to the apartment. Rainbow took a deep breath before gazing at Soarin."I know; but that's a risk I'll have to take." The pegasus shook his head in defeat. "That stubborness of yours is gonna get you in more trouble; but you're a big mare. If that's what you want, I won't stop you." An officer exited the apartment and walked past them, carrying several objects as evidence. A glint caught Discord's attention, and he took the object -a necklace- without the officer noticing. Soarin and Rainbow did, but they didn't complain as they saw the draconequus' eyes widen in recognition. "This was Sapphire's." "Are you sure?" Rainbow asked, looking at the golden, elegant necklace. "She presumed it to me in her second-to-last visit; she had made a music video and the first thing she bought with that check was a few of these for her, the other singers and some of the production people that she got along with." He smelled it. "There are too many chemicals and drugs in it for me to catch her scent, but I'd recognize it anywhere." "Probably gave it as pay to the dragon for drugs," Soarin conjetured, taking it back. Discord frowned but turned to Rainbow. "So, what now?" "Now? I'm going to escort you out of this crime scene," the pegasus said, doing what she's been wanting to do for the last half hour; though that last bit with the necklace could be useful. "Do me a favor and escort him out of the building!" Soarin screamed as she pushed the draconequus downstairs. "Okay, seriously, what now?" Discord asked as they were out of the building and into the night sky. Rainbow Dash hovered to talk to him face to face. "Sir-" "Discord," he interrupted. 'Sir' felt too formal to him. "... Sir, you're not a cop or a royal guard, so you don't have any permission or authorization to work on this case," she continued, ignoring his comment. "You do know it is my eternal duty to punish those who commit crimes like this, right? I may be retired, but I'm making a brief comeback for this special occasion." Rainbow massaged her temple with a hoof. "Look, I don't know why you believe yourself to be the Beast, and I don't care. But you're not interfering in this investigation; is that clear?" Discord rolled his eyes and snorted before answering in an annoyed tone. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you loud and clear. See you later, detective." With that, he turned around and walked away. Rainbow watched him go before going back into the building, both deep on thought. 'He better listens to me and doesn't interfere anymore; this seems like it's going to be complicated enough without having him around...' 'Ok, whose of Sapphire's friends and acquaintances should I interrogate first?' Author's Note What, you expected Discord to do as Rainbow told him? He never said he would, after all... Sorry for the delay in the chapter. I've been either procrastinating or working on other fanfics. Broken Sapphire (Part 3)Author's Note Well, writer's block and laziness are my two biggest enemies. Anyway, here we have a new chapter; I hope you guys like it. Stay tuned, because I'll try to have part four ready soon, and we'll reach the conclusion to find the one behind Sapphire's murder! Edit: The last part was getting too long, so I added the last interrogation to this chapter. Broken Sapphire (Part 3) Discord spent the night walking around the city, questioning all those that were close to Sapphire. Most were annoyed at being woken up so early, but either cooperated out of friendship to the late singer, fear of Discord and the rumors about his strange powers, or just to go back to sleep. Around 9 am, he crossed paths with the detective again. And with 'crossed paths', I mean arresting him for hanging an earth pony from his balcony to get him to talk. Pushing the complaining draconequus out of the building with his paws cuffed behind his back, Rainbow couldn't help but curse her luck. The club owner just happened to as stubborn as her. "You know, I have more important things to do than play 'Cops and Robbers' right now," he complained, tossing the handcuffs at her. Rainbow caught them in disbelief. They not only adjusted to fit the person, but were also magic-proof due to having cold iron on the inner side. You either used the key to open them or applied a lot of brute strength to break them. And Discord had done neither. "How...?" "It wasn't a challenge at all. Maybe one day I'll teach you how to do it, but now I'm busy," he simply stated, turning around and walking away. In a dash, she was hovering in front of him stopping his advance with a hoof pressing his muzzle. "You're not going anywhere," she ordered, reaching with her other front leg to the weapon at her belt. It looked like a wand, big enough for her to hold with one hoof. A white crystal shone in the top, charged with magic. She had the setting to 'stun' by default, so it wouldn't do too much harm to him. "Detective, I'm immortal; getting shot will just ruin my suit," he snorted, getting her hoof off his muzzle and spinning around with her in a dance, sending the pegasus away while twirling like a ballerina. Rainbow blinked, trying to process what just happened before once again blocking his path. "Why do you insist in getting in the way?" Discord groaned but decided to humor her; maybe being honest he could convince her to stop pestering him. It always worked in movies, after all. "An injustice has been committed; something... I can't ignore. Something I don't want to ignore." That had him confused. Sapphire was good company, but in the end they weren't that close. And yet here he was, taking a temporary leave from his retirement just to find the ones responsible for her murder. Well, there was a reason he'd been given that accursed job in the first place: he didn't tolerate evil going unpunished. So that was probably why. Rainbow looked at his quieter attitude, and a part of her understood. If a friend of hers was killed, she would do anything in her power to throw their murderers to jail. Still... "I can't have you messing in this case and getting yourself or someone else killed." "I'm touched, detective, but you seem to forget that I'm immortal. No one in this world can kill me," he assured with the utmost conviction. "Forgive me if I don't want to take the risk," she deadpanned. The draconequus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok, this is taking us nowhere. I want to catch whoever's behind this murder, you want to catch whoever's behind this murder, no force in the universe is going to stop me, I get the feeling you won't stop annoying me about that..." he said, gesturing at himself and at her alternatively before sharing his idea, "...so how about we work together to solve this?" She blinked, not expecting that. "Are you serious?" "Why not? That way we'll both get what we want. You could use the help, if the fact you're the only officer here is any indication," he added, looking around to see if he could catch sight of any other cop in the vicinity. She ruminated that for a while, her gaze never leaving him as he patiently waited. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. But only because I can keep my eyes on you that way." "I assure you, I can be pretty useful." Seeing her reluctantly gesture with her hoof for him to continue, he complied. "I have the power to bring out people's innermost desires." "So, you read minds?" she asked skeptically; Discord's eyebrow rose in confusion as he looked at her. "Wha-no, that's not what I said. I can make people reveal those secrets they wish to hide from everyone, those desires they don't share with anyone. I ask, and no lie can come out of their lips." "That sure would make my job easier," she mumbled. "Here, let me show you; look into my eyes and tell me: what do you wish the most in life?" His red eyes stared into her reddish-violet ones, his mind focusing on that raw emotion in her, those things she kept buried within. Rainbow just lifted an eyebrow. "Apart from you acting like any normal person?" she deadpanned. Discord blinked, bemused, before gazing at her more intently; he was pretty sure his power was in the 'on' position. But she just gazed at him unimpressed. "Well, this has never happened to me before," he said in utter confusion."It seems my power doesn't work on you." "How convenient," she answered sarcastically while flying away, wondering if she's going to have to drag him to the asylum at the end of the day. Discord followed her, still looking befuddled. 'This pegasus...' he shook his head, a smirk pulling at his lips. 'Just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore.' Fast Beat was an old, brown pegasus that worked as a manager. He had worked for many a person, from utter failures to a couple of stars, and gone through so much drama that few things could scare him. Opening his door to find Discord at the other side did the job. "Nice to see you too, Beaty. Mind if we come in?" the draconequus greeted, ignoring the stallion's girlish scream and entering the house with Rainbow behind. "What are you doing here?" he managed to say once he managed to get over the surprise. And fear. "Just came to find out if you were the one who had Sapphire killed," he answered nonchalantly, making the pegasus even more nervous. "WHAT?!" "Let me handle this," interjected Rainbow, pushing Discord aside and showing her badge." Detective Rainbow Dash; I'm working in Sapphire's homicide last night and came to ask you some questions, if you don't mind." "No!" he exclaimed quickly, before clearing his throat and talking in a more controlled tone." No, it's ok." Being interrogated by a detective was way better than being interrogated by Discord, after all. "You were Sapphire's manager, right?" "Yes, she hired me a couple of years ago and I like to think I did a good job in helping her reach the stardom. She had all the potential, of course; but she was bad at making a schedule or choosing the right events. And don't get me started on her albums!" "Have you had any problems with her lately?" questioned the detective. "No, not at all," he said too quickly. "Don't lie to us, buddy; did you two had problems lately?" Asked the draconequus, looking straight at his eyes while walking closer, aiming at the ager and resentment inside the pony. Fast Beat panicked and closed his eyes, facing anywhere but Discord's gaze. "Fine, I'll talk! But no freaky powers, please!" While Rainbow looked confused-and with a hint of disbelief- Discord snorted in amusement and looked at her sideways. "Sometimes all you need is the right reputation," he explained smugly. "We ... had something between us," he confessed before frowing. "But when it was getting somewhat serious... well, I caught her in bed with a younger stallion." "Heh, I guess she didn't like them old in the end, did she?” chuckled Discord before Rainbow elbowed him. "Hey!" "So, what happened after?” she asked, glaring at the draconequus. "We argued and broke up... but we kept working together; we gained a lot of bits, after all,” he finished, before noticing Rainbow's incredulous look. "What? It's hard to get a job as a manager these days, and not everyone could deal with Sapphire's horrendous lack of business savvyness. It was for our mutual benefit to keep working together." "Mutual benefit for their wallets, maybe; though experience have taught me that we can trust the greed of mortals in these cases, "murmured Discord to the detective. "But just to be sure: no deep-buried wish to take revenge?" "Well, yes... but I didn't have her killed!" he answered defensively. "I... may have been the one to give those gossip magazines the dirty, juicy details of her private life as payback." "Oh, so it was you! I suppose it was a fitting punishment for her, all things considered," Discord mused; it was hard to tell with so little information. It depended on how serious that relationship was, and what Fast Beat had revealed. You wouldn't believe the number of magazines published that talked about the lives and scandals of the famous. Ignoring the draconequus, she addressed the stallion again. "Where were you last night?" "I was working on the studio; paperwork." She'd check his alibi later; she then showed him a picture of the murderer. "Have you ever seen or had any contact with this dragon?" "No; who would want to deal with those reptiles?" he scoffed. "Like you furry mammals were any better," Discord pointed out, grabbing the stallion in a mocking hug with one arm. "If you're not responsible, do you know of anyone that could have wanted her dead?" Fast Beat rolled his eyes and snorted. "A name does come to mind..." If Applewood was the top of the cinema world, Manehattan was the top of the musical one: every great musician and singer of Equestria had worked or even launched their careers from there. The city was full of studios, opportunities and a mountain of broken dreams. Rising Wings Studios was one of these places, were the few rose to fame and glory beyond their wildest dreams while the many run away in tears and utter failure. "I never understood what is it with ponies and their need to put such names to everything." muttered Discord, glancing at the humongous sign at the front of the building. "I mean, 'Rising Wings'? That's not even a good one." "It's just how we are," answered the pegasus. "Though I admit sometimes we come up with ridiculous ones." The interior was elegantly decorated, with red carpets and lustrous furniture. Multiple pictures of famous singers and bands adorned the walls. A light blue unicorn with yellow mane approached, cautious of the strange pair. "Can I help you?" The pegasus flashed her badge. "Detective Rainbow Dash; we came to talk with Swift Lyrics. Is she here?" The mare nodded. "She's busy finishing Sapphire's album." "What?" they both asked. Seeing as she was dealing with a detective, she gestured with her hoof for them to follow, taking the pair through a lateral hall and into the depths of the studios. "In her memory, a group of friends are finishing her last album." "And donating every bit to charity, I presume," inquired the draconequus, arching an eyebrow. "Er... I guess?" She didn't sound so sure about that last part."Anyway, Swift Lyrics is one of them." They arrived to a room full of singers, musicians and producers, checking instruments and chatting between them. The mare gestured to the group with her head. "She's the unicorn mare with the white mane." Thanking her, the pair continued forward, catching the attention of almost anyone thanks to Discord's appearance. "Swift Lyrics?" The mare in question was tall, with a red coat and her mane was braided in an elegant ponytail; she wore a simple white dress. "Yes?" She answered, stepping forward. "Hello, I'm detective Rainbow Dash and-" "Discord, yes; I know him," she interrupted, looking at him nervously. "Now, that's no way to greet someone, Swifty," chastised the draconequus, coiling around her. "It's not like you had something to hide from me, something you don't want people to know..." His face rested right in front of her, his red eyes piercing right into her soul. "Like orchestrating a crime. Or do you?" She closed her eyes and covered them with her hooves. "Could we please talk about it in private? And without that freaky glare?!" Rainbow pushed Discord aside, to the latter's annoyance. "Of course." They retreated to a side room; Discord threw himself over the expensive couch while the ponies sat in a near table. "This has to do with Sapphire's death, right?" "Yes; we believe someone hire this dragon to kill her," Rainbow answered, showing her the photo. Swift's eyes widened almost imperceptively. "You know him?" "O-oh, no. No, I don't. It's just... he's ugly." She reluctantly admitted. Discord gestured with his talon for her to continue. "And it's wrong to give your opinion of his appearance because...?" "I have enough issues already without people saying I'm a dragon-hater. More than one great artist has had their careers ruined for expressing such opinions on other species." Rainbow nodded in understanding; even though it's been decades since the equestrian monarchy approved the citizenship for the non-pony species and allowed them to take residence in Equestria, there was still ways to go in the social aspect. "Ok, let's get back on track; how was your relationship with Sapphire?" "We were good friends," Swift answered. "That's not what we've heard," pointed out Discord with a smile, like he'd caught her stealling a cookie from a jar. "So, how did your relationship went from good friends to orchestrate her death?" "I didn't kill her!" she jumped, slamming her hooves on the table. "I know you didn't; I found the responsible, and it seemed like someone killed him," he added, picking something between his teeth with a claw. "So, am I wrong? Or did you have her killed?" Switf Lyrics looked away as Rainbow chastised Discord. "Let me do this, ok?" Discord snorted but lifted his paws in surrender."Okay, fine. She's all yours." "We've been told that you weren't exactly close, or even amicable as of late." "...We met when we both arrived at this city. Manehattan is the dream of every colt and filly that wants to reach stardom. We suffered together, always relying on each other for help. Finally, we got our chance to become singers," she remembered with a longing smile that promptly disappeared."But the music world is fierce, and you can only trust yourself when you want to become a star. Our friendship suffered a lot, and we ended up becoming rivals." "So, given the choice between your dreams and your friendship, you both chose the former. Understandable, if somewhat disappointing," resumed the draconequus. "Where were you last night?" questioned the detective. "In a party with some friends; they are in the other room, if you want to check." "I'll check the alibi; you finish here." Discord leaped from the couch and walked through the door. Rainbow turned back to the singer. "You may not been closed as of late, but can you think of anyone that might have any reason to have Sapphire killed?" The unicorn thought it over for a few seconds. “Well, there's her manager, Fast Beat. And her lover, Fancy Pants..." After checking out the unicorn's alibi, they left the studios to search for their new suspect. An hour later, the peculiar duo emerged from a train station, having taken the subway to the other side of the city. It would've been faster for Rainbow to go flying, but this was less tiresome and Discord couldn't run as fast as she could fly. Reluctant as she was, they were working together and they were going to stick together. Being noon, Discord took the chance to buy a pair of sandwiches from a fast food place at the station. "You know, they may have gone with one of the most uncreative names I've ever heard, but they sure know how to make a good meal," he commented while eating his extra large sandwich. "Yeah, I think I'm going to order there from now on," she agreed, munching on her normal-size one. "So, who's Fancy Pants? There are so many noble families I can't keep track of all of them." "He's a descendant of a long line of soldiers; his family originally amassed their fortune through the pillage of other nations and rewards given to them by the crown. I think that's how they became nobles in the first place," the draconequus answered as he finished his sandwich. "When Equestria stopped their conquering and warmorgering ways, they decided to try their luck in other fields; Fancy's grandfather opened a wine cellar, and managed to survive two economic recessions. His father almost put them on the street due to never working a single day on his spoiled life and living off of every bit earned through decades of hard work. Luckily, Fancy Pants is more restrained and wiser than his progenitor." They'd reached a luxurious building, way taller than Discord's club and house. "Though he might not be as restrained as he seems to be, if he was Sapphire's lover." "What do you mean?" she inquired as they entered, flashing her badge to the doorman. "He's married, if I'm not wrong." After taking the elevator the the penthouse -and Rainbow almost shooting the speaker to stop the most obnoxious elevator music in the universe-, they came out to a small hallway leading to a elegant door, with a small plate that read 'Pants'. They knocked, and a maid opened the door. After the usual scream of terror Discord got from the most skittish beings that roamed the planet, they were led to a room were several ponies in elegant suits were sitting by a table. If the snobbishness in the air was any indication they were nobles, businessmen, or both. "Master Fancy Pants?" The maid guiding them called. "I'm very sorry for interrupting, but this is urgent." The smartly dressd, white unicorn with blue mane, tail and moustache looked at the newcomers and his eyes widened when he recognized Discord. The noble excused himself from the group and walked towards the pair. "Thank you Golden Chalice, that will be all." The mare bowed and left the room. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Discord. I've heard about you, your successful night club and your growing influence in the city." The draconequus smirked. "Seems like my reputation precedes me." "I presume you wish to conduct business with me? Though I don't know why it could be so urgent for Golden Chalice to interrupt this reunion." Instead of answering, Discord turned to the pegasus. "So, do you want to do the honors or should I do it?" Rainbow showed the unicorn her badge. "Mr. Fancy Pants, I'm Detective Rainbow Dash from Manehattan's Police Department. I-we are investigating a murder, and we wanted to make you some questions." The ponies on the table looked among themselves while Fancy Pants looked alarmed for a second. "A murder?" Before Rainbow could answer, Discord butted in."Yes, Sapphire Shores' murder, to be exact. We've been told you two were lovers, so we came to see if this was a passional crime or, in case you're innocent, if you could give us any clue to catch the responsible." Fancy Pants grew more horrified with every word; now the ponies looked aghast, murmuring with between them in an alarmed tone. Rainbow facehoofed and elbowed him in the side. "What? That's why we came here for." "Why don't you let me do the talking?" "Le-let's talk about this in private, please." The unicorn practically pushed them to a nearby room, sweating bullets. When he closed the door he turned to Discord, angry and nervous. "Why did you have to say that in front of them? This could very well ruin my standing among the upper class!" "Solving this crime is more important to me than your reputation, little mortal," Discord answered almost nonchalantly. "We are getting out of track. Though I apologize for his lack of tact." Rainbow tried to amend, shooting the draconequus a glare. Fancy Pants sighed in resignation. "Well, what's done is done. I'll have to talk to them and explain things before rumors spread." "We came here to make you some questions. We were told that you and Sapphire were lovers; is that true?" The detective started. "Yes, we were. We met like a year ago in a party... well, more like waking up the day after in the same bed, with no recollection of how we got there." Discord chuckled. "Never happened to me, but I've seen it before; it's hilarious." "From there, we got together once or twice a week to chat, one thing led to another and it wasn't long before we shared a bed again." He explained in a hushed tone, like he didn't want anyone listening. Unbeknownst to the ponies, there was someone listening through the door. "It's sad what happened to her, but... c'est la vie. You never know when it'll be over." He finished, a genuine expression of sadness in his face. "Or when your wife is going to spy on you through the door." Discord pointed out, a smirk in his face. As the ponies turned towards the door- the stallion utterly scared- a tall, slender mare of white coat and pink mane and tail entered the room, her steps elegant and her expression... well, it wasn't a friendly one. "F-Fleur, my dear!" The unicorn said, sweating even more now. "Fancy." Was her cold acknowledgement. The alluded turned towards his guests. "She's my wife, Fleur De Lis. My dear, Detective Rainbow Dash and Discord." They nodded in greeting and Rainbow shook hooves with her. "A pleasure to meet you." "Likewise. So, have you come to interrogate my husband about his lover's death?" Fancy looked like he'd received the death penalty. Fleur looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, I knew. You weren't exactly subtle." "Okay, before this descends into a fight between a cheating husband and a betrayed wife, I'll make the questions." Discord held Fancy's head and glared into his eyes. "Did you have any reason to kill Sapphire?" He couldn't turn his eyes away, and he felt the word pouring out of his lips. "No." Discord let him go as Rainbow stepped forward. "Where were you last night?" "In a party, with my wife and a few friends." The pegasus turned to Fleur for confirmation, and she nodded. "Ok, then let's go to the potential suspect number four!" He turned to Fleur so fast the slender pony took a step back, startled. "Did you have Sapphire killed to take revenge on your husband?" The mare couldn't stop the words from coming out her mouth. "N-no. I've been sleeping with Stormwing as payback." She answered almost robotically before shaking her head in disbelief. 'Did I actually say that?' "STORMWING?!" Fancy Pants exploded. "My rival?! My archnemesis?! That pompous, arrogant, SAD EXCUSE OF A PEGASUS?" Fleur looked at him, utterly furious. "Who better to take revenge with?! And let me tell you, hypocrite, he sure knows how to please a mare! You should call him and ask for advice!" "WHAT?!" "Excuse me-" Rainbow tried to interrupt, to no avail. "Yes, you heard right! Not only is he richer and a better businesspony, but he's a better lay! Another thing he surpasses you in!" As they argued, their guests forgotten, Discord leaned towards Rainbow. "I think I broke the dam holding her anger back." Broken Sapphire (Part 4)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.Sibling's Rivalry (Part 1)It was a brand new day. Stirring among his silky bedsheets, Discord got up from bed and went to take a long, hot shower. The draconequus was in such a good mood that he was even humming a catchy tune. Ever since solving that crime last week, he'd been in really high spirits, to the delight of the ponies he'd been with last Sunday and Wednesday. As he made an omelette in the oven while wearing only a bathrobe, he mused about that. He probably missed imparting punishment; making evil souls pay for their crimes was something he enjoyed. And still do, he thought with no amount of satisfaction. There was something... fulfilling about making evil pay in this plane of existence, something that was missing in Tartarus; but the fallen angel couldn't quite tell what it was. He flipped the omelette in the air, where it lazily turned around, almost at the peak of its ascension. Seeing his food move at a snail's pace got rid of his smile. "Oh, you have got to be kidding..." he groaned. Turning around, he was greeted with the sight of his sister, wearing a silver yoke and a simple, white dress. "Couldn't you at least have waited until I finished my breakfast, Selene?" "Luna," she corrected."This matter is more important than your breakfast, brother." "First my drink, now my breakfast... what's next? Paying me a visit when I'm in the shower?" He sat on a chair, still holding the pan in his paw. His talon drummed on the table as he stared idly at the alicorn. Doing her best not to laugh at the mental picture of her brother singing in the shower using the soap as a microphone, Luna cleared her throat. "Discord, whatever game you're playing has to stop. You have to go back." "This is no game, sister. This is retirement." Luna's eyes widened at that; his tone may be casual and with a tinge of annoyance, but his gaze was serious. "I've spent eons doing the job dad so kindly 'asked' me to do. Well, no more!" He said, making air quotes with his fingers. "But-!" "No buts. I got tired of the job and decided to quit. End of story." Luna looked at a loss for words, before staring at him with an even more serious face than before. "That was your punishment. You can't simply walk away from it!" "He gave me the ability to choose; it's not my fault he doesn't like my choices," He replied, his gaze never leaving hers while he absently twirled the pan; "and he didn't seem too keen on stopping me from leaving Tartarus in the first place." They stood in silence for a minute, daring the other to make the next move. The older sibling caved first. "I have orders to send you back to Tartarus, brother," Luna said, adjusting her stance and looking ready to pounce at him, wings extended and flapping twice as a metallic shine flowed over her feathers. Discord looked alarmed for a second before relaxing again. "You can try to force me to, but we know I'm the better fighter; not even that little trick with your wings will help you beat me." He snorted, gesturing at them with the pan. Though he would fight with her if he had to, he didn't want to. He was rather fond of his kitchen. Reluctantly, Luna eased her stance. "We all have a duty to do, Star. I'm His herald, and you're His punisher. It's what we are meant to do." How long has it been since he'd been called by that nickname? Eons, that's for sure. "Not anymore," he asnwered nonchalantly. "Dad can assign someone else to the job for all I care. He probably did it already, didn't He? So who has to suffer in my place?" Luna simply glared; among the seriousness and annoyance, Discord caught sight of a particular emotion: Resentment. The draconequus snorted, trying not to laugh. Luna glared even harder as he fought to keep his laughter under control. "PffftthahaHAHAHA! Sorrry, sorry, it's just-oh, I can't believe it. Selene the First Angel, Father's messenger and carrier of His will when he doesn't feel like doing something directly... is -hehe, is now at the very bottom of existence as regent of Hell! Oh, are you now the Lady of Tartarus?" A cackle escaped before he gripped his muzzle shut, trying to not explode in laughter. Luna took a deep breath, doing her best not to hit Discord in his goat-like muzzle. "Yes, I'm your temporal replacement." She emphasized. Something I plan to solve as soon as I can. "Then you better start having auditions or plan a tournament to assign a new ruler, because this one is retired." "You won't go back." It wasn't a question. Discord groaned, exasperated. "Are the screams of the damned driving you deaf, sister? No, I won't!." "… This isn't over, Discord. We need you back there, and I'm not leaving until you go." She said with resolution, walking out of the kitchen and towards the balcony. "Oh, joy, just what I needed: my older sister bothering me endlessly." With a scowl, Luna stopped her power, letting time go back to normal. Discord stared annoyed at his pan, before a sudden realization had him jumping from his chair in a saving dive. "My omelette!" Luna took to the air, a petty smirk blossoming on her face as her brother groaned over his ruined breakfast. Hovering out of the station, Rainbow read through a folder, going through the content over and over, ignorant of what was around her. "Good afternoon, Detective. " "AH!" Her wings beat faster, lifting her up in surprise as the folder slipped from her grasp, the pages spreading through the ground. "A bit jumpy today, aren't we?" the draconequus asked with a smirk as he bent down, picking up the papers. "Discord! No, you just took me by surprise. I was... too focused." She landed and picked up the pages alongside him. "I can see that," he laughed, returning the folder to her."So, any new case for us to tackle head on?" Rainbow looked at him and sighed; though as annoying and flirty as he could get, he was very helpful. But... "Discord, we've been over this; I can't have you going with me. I appreciate your help, but that was a one time thing." "The 'one time things' I usually have tend to involve a dinner or a dance before adding a bed, so I wouldn't call it that. I can show you, if you want," he offered with a smirk, causing the pegasus to scoff and roll her eyes. His charm still didn't work on her."Ok, flirting aside, you can't deny we make a good team. The best, I would dare to say!" Before she could answer, something in the pocket of her jacket vibrated, followed by a quick, energetic tune. Rainbow grabbed it with her hoof and put it out. The object was a cellphone, relatively simple in design. She hooked it in her ear, ignoring Discord's inquisitive look. "Hello? Yes, that's me," she talked to the microphone. For the way the phones were designed, almost no sound could be caught from the speaker when one had it on their ear, so Discord could only hear some mumbling even with his acute sense of hearing. "She what?! " Rainbow asked, her eyes slightly widened. Discord rose an eyebrow at her reaction. "Ok, I'll be there soon." She cut and shoved her phone back into her pocket. "Something important?" "My daughter got into a fight in school," she answered as her wings extended, ready for takeoff. Her next words were cut short, though. "You have a daughter?!" Discord did not see that coming."Wow, you don't look like you had a child; I mean, no extra fat or anything. Operation, luck or healthy lifestyle?" She just glared at him before taking off and flying away. Discord followed her with his gaze before walking into the station with a groan. "Great, now the curiosity is killing me..." Rainbow walked out of Manehattan's Public School N° 55, an orange pegasus filly with saddlebags going alongside her. "I am very disappointed in you. And you are grounded; no dessert for a week." "But mooooom!" she whined. I won't make it to the weekend without my chocolate cake! "You fight in school, you don't get to complain. We'll talk about this when we get home." Turning around the corner, she stopped in her tracks as her eyes caught sight of Discord, lying against the wall with a lit cigar in his mouth. "You know, a 'see you later' would have been appreciated," he said after a puff of smoke. "Discord?! What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was going?" The pegasus asked, suspicious. "Well, we were having a chat before you have to come here to pick up whom I assume is your daughter, right?" he said, gesturing to the wide-eyed filly. "As for the how, I asked in the police station for the school's address. Morning Dew was more than happy to tell me... not to mention agreeing to go out this weekend." Rainbow groaned; the gossipy, flirty unicorn of the precinct struck again. Resigned, she gestured to the filly. "Discord, she's my daughter Scootaloo. Birdie, he is Discord; he helped me solve a case last week." Closing her mouth, the filly cautiously walked forward and gestured the draconequus to come closer. Bemused, he lowered his neck until he was almost at eye level with her. "Discord, as in... the Beast?!" she whispered. "The very same!" He smirked at her before straightening up again. "… Cool!" she exclaimed shortly after, to the adults' bemusement. "Well, that's a first. I must say, you have a very peculiar daughter," he commented to the unamused pegasus, ignoring the filly moving at his feet. "Children tend to be scared of me; not that I mIND!" Surprised at the sidden tug, he look at his tail to find Scootaloo standing on it, playing with the white hair growing from the tip. "Is this real? Because the dragons at the school don't have hai--" "SCOOTALOO!" Embarrassed, Rainbow picked her daughter off his tail. "And people wonder why I don't like children..." he grumbled, fixing his puff of white hair. Rainbow's attempts-subtle and not- to get rid of Discord in a somewhat polite way were fruitless, so she eventually relented and let him come with them. Their house was a cozy place on the ground. Being on the coast, the savage winds that came from the sea made it impossible to build cloud buildings on a long term, so pegasi in Manehattan and Baltimare had grown used to living on the ground, though their houses were made spacious enough to hover comfortably. Discord liked that aspect, as he didn't have to crouch or walk on four legs, though he had to be wary of the occasional candlelight. As Rainbow opened the door and the ponies entered, the groan of wood contorting made them look back; the doorframe trembled and grew at least half its size. Discord still had to bend over to pass, but he couldn't push the doorframe any wider without damaging the structure; the physical world was fragile and even his powers had limits. As the pegasi looked dumbstruck at the now shrinking door, the draconequus walked past them and looked around, taking note of the large sofa on the living room. Some ponies liked to snuggle with their families, so a furniture big enough for all of them was common; but that one was way too big for just two or even three ponies. "Nice place," he commented. "Thanks," she muttered absently, tentatively touching the doorframe with her hoof, half expecting it to move. "Though I don't think a cop's salary would be enough to cover it. I don't think it's even enough to cover a good fridge." Rainbow rolled her eyes at the joke, but silently agreed with him. She didn't joined the force to get rich, after all. "It's grandma's place!" Scootaloo said, going to the kitchen to get a snack. "She has more than one house, and rents them. She's letting us stay here until I save enough money to buy my own." Rainbow explained, letting the folder in the living room table. She would go over it again later. There was a chimney in one of the living room's wall, and as was common there were pictures resting over it. Discord walked curiously and went over them: Rainbow with her parents -her mother looked familiar, bu he couldn't place her at the moment-, with her daughter, and one of the two with a stallion he'd seen before. "Isn't that the detective that works with you?" Discord asked. "That's my dad!" Scootallo said, coming back from the kitchen with a plate full of cookies balancing on her head. "Why am I not surprised?" He muttered in a deadpan tone. 'I think I saw this twist in a movie once...' He grabbed a cookie. "So, why didn't you tell me you're married?" he asked before biting on the snack. "Would that have stopped your... " she looked for suitable words to use near her daughter, who was devouring her cookie and looking innocently at them. "…poor attempts at flirting?" "Poor?!" Discord's hackles raised, clearly offended." I'll have you know my charm is exquisite!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I beg to differ." The draconequus fumed, but let it pass. Now was not the time to ponder why his charm didn't work with her."Yes, it would have stopped my flirting." The pegasus did a double take, her expression a mix of disbelief and bemusement."Wait, really?" Oh, I wish I've had a camera on hand; that face was priceless, Discord thought, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "A relationship is a promise; I always keep mine, and I won't be with someone who's already taken." If anything, Discord was a celestial being of honor. It got annoying eons ago how surprised everyone got at that. "Huh," Was all Rainbow said. "Now, if they like experimenting or are open-minded, I don't have a problem in taking part of a thr-mmpph." Discord was interrupted by a sudden hoof pressing against his mouth. "Not in front of my daughter!" She whispered sharply, hovering in front of him. Not even standing in two legs could she reach his face. Scootaloo was actually too distracted enjoying the cookies, but came back from her musings to find a funny scenario."Mom, why's he kissing your hoof?" Rainbow quickly hovered back, and Discord's face scrunched."Blegh! What did you step on?! Now I have the most terrible taste in my mouth," he complained. "Nothing that the power of chocolate can't cure!" the filly exclaimed offering the plate to the draconequus. He quickly took another two. Rainbow's phone rang again; she flew nearer to the wall and answered. "Rainbow Dash. Where? ...Ok, I'm on my way." She hung up and turned around. "Sorry Birdie, but I have to go back to work. Why don't you go to play with the neighbors? They should be back from school." "Ok!" She flew and hugged her mom tightly." Bye mom!I love you!" Rainbow hugged her back. "I love you too, Birdie." Scootaloo turned around and hugged Discord, who went stiff from the discomfort. "Bye, mister Discord!" The draconecuus didn't know what to do, so he simply patted her head and pushed the pegasus away. "Yes, yes, goodbye little pony. Now go." Scootaloo giggled and flew away. Rainbow peeked through the window to see her enter the neighbor's house. She then found herself with Discord standing at her side, his lion arm giving her a side hug. "So, ready to go out there to punish some dastardly evildoers, partner?" He asked, a silly police hat hanging from his horn. She rolled her eyes. "You're not going to stop, are you?" Discord pouted. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing to work with me," he said, feigning hurt. Rainbow groaned, but gave up. "Fine! You can come with me. But this is the last time. And If you interfere in any way with the investigation, you're out." She warned him. "I assure you, I'll be nothing more than helpful," he said with a charming smile. This headache says otherwise.The pegasus just shook her head, hoping this wouldn't get her reprimanded, or worse.
Prologue: Request DeniedIt was a typical night in Manehattan. Couples were going out to romantic dinners, criminals planned their next crimes, police officers did their best to catch them in the act, friends got together to enjoy the city’s night life in clubs and such. This story starts in one of them, elegant and modern, not to mention filled with the wild youth of Manehattan. Harmony was one of the most famous and well-known clubs in the city. One of the reasons was his unique owner. Calling himself a draconequus, he was a chimerical creature that seemed like a mix of at least nine different animals. He had a way with people, forming alliances and partnerships with ease. He knew all the right persons, he could enter all the best places, and could take almost anyone to his bed. But the thing that raised most eyebrows was his name. Discord. It was the name of the Beast; the ruler of Tartarus. Not to mention the being which many considered the ultimate evil that existed. Everyone assumed it was some kind of artistic name; artists and rich people tended to have unique quirks, after all. And having in count the name most ponies were given or chose for themselves, it wasn't that strange. Because they couldn’t believe that the arrogant yet charming draconequus could be such a being. Surely the Beast could not be the life and soul of the party. Oh, but how wrong they were. In more than one aspect. Sporting a black suit (not the pants, mind you; those things weren’t used in this planet) over a white shirt, both tailored for his unique physique, Discord entered his bar, enjoying the wild music while navigating through the dancing ponies and the occasional griffin. Manehattan was mainly a pony city, with almost 10 percent of the population belonging to other species. Discord, sharing his appearance with no one else in the universe, attracted looks everywhere… a fact he loved, mind you. After greeting several acquaintances (and kissing one or two), the draconequus managed to reach the bar. The only empty chair shifted and changed to better fit him. “Good evening, boss,” the bartender said, giving him his usual drink. He just answered with a nod. “Busy day, Sunset?” He asked after taking a sip. “Nothing I couldn’t handle,” The unicorn answered. She had an amber coat, with a red and yellow mane and tail that reminded some of a fire. “Then again, this isn’t what I signed for.” After attending two more customers, she refilled his glass. “Wouldn’t you want to do something more… significant? Important? Exciting?” She looked at him meaningfully, but Discord just stared back nonchalantly, playing with the ice in his drink. “Oh, for crying out loud; you’re the ruler of Tartarus. How about we go back and impart justice over those that deserve it?” She questioned; with the music and the constant chatter, no one else was paying attention to them, so they could talk without problem. “I retired, my dear. And Gaia seemed like a good place to retire to. Poor woman has seen better days, though,” he commented while looking around. Sunset grumbled while she went to refill more drinks; she missed her old post in Tartarus. The screams, the blood, the tournaments... “I didn’t ask you to come with me. You could have stayed and enjoyed the screams of the damned; I can take care of myself,” Discord pointed out rather quietly when she came back. The unicorn snorted. “Yeah, right.” “Your lack of trust in my capability to stay out of trouble wounds this old heart,” Discord answered dramatically, holding his paw to his chest. Sunset hit him in the shoulder playfully. “You are my lord; I’ll follow you until the end of time. Even if I don’t agree with every choice you make. Besides, this place has its perks.” “Drugs, alcohol and sex?” He asked. Her smile was all the answer he needed. She refilled his glass… or tried to, anyway. The liquid seem to slow down, like it was too lazy to move and gravity was ok with that. The music was next, as well as the people dancing and drinking around them. The initial confusion passed and they shared a worried look; someone was slowing down the flow of time, and they could not perceive any magic acting around them that could be the cause. That only left one suspect. A silhouette in the middle of the dance floor catch Sunset’s attention, and her lips pursed. “Boss… we have a visitor.” Walking among the ponies was someone so similar, yet so different to them. A dark blue alicorn whose mane and tail were like the night sky, complete with stars shimmering in it. She wore a simple white dress that started at the small yoke at the base of her neck and went almost to her tail, covering her flanks. Her wings were uncovered and held at her sides, though. Her light blue eyes were beautiful, though lacking the warmth Discord once saw in them whenever she looked at him. Shaking his head to get that nostalgic feeling out, he put on a happy smile and walked towards her and meeting her halfway, sitting down on one of the couches at the border of the dance floor. “Selene! It’s been ages. How are you doing?” “I stopped using that name centuries ago; I go by Luna now.” “Really? You should keep me up to date,” he said, taking a half-full glass from a griffin at his side and offering it to her; she lifted a hoof and shook her head. The draconequus shrugged and downed it himself. “Discord-” She started. “I mean, what kind of sister doesn’t tell his brother something so important?” He interrupted, half-joking. Selene- sorry, Luna looked a bit put out by that, and actually seemed to ruminate that for an instant before shaking her head and proceeding with her message. “Discord, it has been requested by Father that you return to Tartarus and reassume your position as its ruler.” Having seen that coming, he wasn’t more than bored and a little annoyed at the request. “You don’t say. Let me check my agenda,” the draconequus brought a small notebook from out of nowhere and started to flip page after page. “Hmmm… sorry, I’m too busy with my new job to go back to the old one. Besides, I retired from the entire ‘eternal punishment’ thing.” Luna took a deep breath. She had seen this coming, and yet, she couldn’t help but to be increasingly irritated at him. “This is a game for you, isn’t it?” “Yep.” “Brother, do you know what happens when the Beast is not on Tartarus to supervise things? Do you know what happens to the demons and tormented souls in there?” “No. And I honestly don’t care,” he answered, looking at her in boredom while scratching his neck. "The demons are mature enough to take care of themselves, and they know what will happen if they step out of line. And the mortals down there? We both know they can't get out, and whoever manages to escape gets hunted down and thrown back in. Tartarus doesn't need me, and I got tired of living in Hell. Up here is much more pleasurable." Luna simply shook her head in exasperation. “Things would be better and calmer if you were back there, where you belong. You better do as Father asks, brother. He won’t be so merciful with your 'vacation' much longer.” He stopped for a millisecond, before snorting disdainfully. “Like I was scared of Dad’s wrath. The jerk can’t do worse than what he’s already done,” Discord answered nonchalantly. Luna’s features hardened as she extended her right wing, doubling the appendage in an impossible way until the point of her feathers were pressing against Discord’s neck, way sharper than feathers were allowed to be. Though startled, the draconequus hid his uneasiness and snorted challengingly at her. “Very well, do it. If he’s not angry now, this will certainly do the trick,” a malicious smirk appeared on his face. Even like this, he was more than a match for her. Luna stood there for a few second, glaring at her brother before looking at Sunset. The unicorn stood with both hooves on the bar, ready to jump over it and join any possible fray. Though her eyes were cold, the demon’s smirk was identical to Discord’s. Finally, the angel backed down. This was not what she was here to do… even though she really wanted to beat that smile out of his face and pummel him until he screamed ‘uncle’. “I will be in touch,” Luna said as she turned around and walked away. Discord waved lazily at her. “I know. Bye, sis.” The angel disappeared among the crowd, and time hit the throttle to go back to its normal speed. Discord got up and went up to the bar, his mood dropped a bit. There used to be a time when he got along with Selene. They enjoyed each other’s company back then. Not anymore. “Well, that was disappointing,” Sunset commented, getting a stronger beverage for both of them. “Next time it can be your neck under her feathers, if that makes you feel better.” “Meh, I could beat her with both claws tied to my back,” The demon filled their glasses, turning serious. “We knew this would happen eventually.” Discord didn’t meet her look, instead keeping both eyes in his glass. “It couldn’t be helped,” he mumbled, downing his drink in one go. Author's Note And so we start this new story. After seeing Lucifer, this Idea popped in my head and wouldn't get out, so I had to write it. English is not my mother language so I apologize for any mistake or confusion caused.
Broken Sapphire (Part 1)Standing at the front door of his establishment, the draconequus smoked a cigar, silently contemplating the night. His sister’s visit had soured his mood. It wasn’t going to last though, as a taxi stopped near and an earth pony got out. She had amber eyes, blue mane and tail and a light yellow coat. A simple yet elegant white dress covered her in the chilly night. The ponies making line to enter the club noticed her in an instant. “Dude, it’s her!” “No way!” “I love you, Sapphire!” She waved at the excited fans before turning her attention to the draconequus, who reduced his cigar to ashes. “Well, well, well; who do we have in here?” He asked while a smile growing on his face. “Discord!” She practically tackled him, giving him a tight hug. “Oof! Glad to see me?” he managed to say after getting air back to his lungs. ‘She would make a great hoofball player.’ In a private room, Discord attended his surprise visit, both of them resting in a comfortable couch. “So, what brings the great Sapphire Shores to my humble place?” He asked while giving her a glass filled with cider. “… I came to thank you,” hhe answered after taking a sip. “What for?” He asked, curious. “All those people you introduced me back then, when I started my career... they said you recommended me.” The draconequus shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal. “I thought you deserved a chance. I’m more of a rock kind of guy, but I recognize talent when I see it.” “And here I thought I could give you one of my albums for free as your birthday gift,” she joked, causing both of them to laugh. After it died down, she sighed, downing what was left of her drink. A frown appeared as she played with her glass. “Tough day?” he said while refilling their glasses. “More like tough years. I… suppose you know what I’ve been through?” She asked, praying that he didn’t. “You mean the drugs, rehab and romantic scandals?” He said without missing a bit, resuming the huge drama that the last few years of her life had been. The earth pony buried her head in her hooves, embarrassed. Oh, he definitely knew. Discord patted her in the back “I’m not judging you; I happen to like the occasional substance. Besides, you mortals’ romances are nothing compared to the affairs of certain ‘deities’, so to speak.” Sapphire had heard something like that before; Discord constantly talked about other times like they were mere days ago. She didn’t honestly believe he was the Beast; but there was no doubt in her mind that he was ancient and powerful. Lifting her head, she refilled her glass and downed it quickly. “You know, when I was little I always dreamed of being a star, a great idol. Fame and fortune! my name in every magazine!” She exclaimed, gesturing with her hooves fefore falling back to the couch “. But I never imagined…” She stopped for a moment, looking at a mirror in a near wall. Seeing her exhausted reflection on it, knowing all the problems behind it. All the mistakes she had made in the way. She didn’t want to know how disappointed her younger self would be at her now. ‘Present me is disappointed enough.’ “I never imagined how low I would fall.” “Hey, as an expert on falls I can tell you that you are not so bad,” he quipped, made her chuckle a little. “When people dream, they forget the bad things. Reality has no problem reminding you how things truly are. Now, are you going to succumb to all that or rise and live your dream?” She looked at his red eyes; his gaze challenged her to pick herself up and go forward. As he knew she could. “Doing favors to help others achieve their dreams and consoling a poor, little pony; are you truly the Beast that everyone fears?” She joked, smiling a little. Discord snorted in amusement. “People should know me first before judging me.” They sit silently for a minute, sipping their light beverages before she talked again. “What should I do?” Discord answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “Get up, learn from your mistakes and make your dreams true,” he answered with conviction, before continuing with a mischievous tone. “And then find that ex of yours that said you would never be famous and show him oh how wrong he was.” While she laughed, she hugged him gently. “Thank you. For everything.” Discord stiffened, before awkwardly patting her in the back. These things were not his forte. Half an hour later, they exited the building, standing in front of the door. There were only a few people walking through the streets. “You do owe a favor, though,” he said nonchalantly. “I’m sure you’ll use it when you get a nice girlfriend that just happens to be one of my fans,” she assured him with a teasing smirk. “I’m more of a free spirit, you know,” Discord answered with a snort and a smirk of his own. She stood on her hind legs and spread her forelegs, looking at him with a pointed look. Discord rolled his eyes but crouched down and hugged her. These ponies and their excessive displays of affection… A dragon landed in the middle of the street so fast it cracked the asphalt. They had barely started to shift their attention towards him when he acted. A crystal flew through the air faster than a speeding train, directly towards them. A few inches away from her coat, it glowed as the spell inside activated. Discord didn’t have time to react. It flashed and exploded with a loud boom, pushing them backwards and directly through the doors of the club. Breaking through the railing of the stairs located right at the entrance, they fell to the middle of the dance floor. People screamed at the explosion and the limp bodies, leaving a wide berth while panicking, many rushing out through any available entrance. After a few seconds, Discord got up, breathing heavily as his lungs once again filled with air. He looked at his side to see Sapphire, her blood pooling around her. She was badly burned; Discord moved in four legs towards her, gently moving her mane to look at her face. It wasn’t as burned as her chest, but he could clearly see her lifeless eyes. She was already gone. Too fast for him to try anything. Through the corner of his eye he saw Sunset appear, galloping to stand at his side. She looked at him for a few seconds gazing down at her old coworker. “Damn,” she muttered. A pegasus flew through the sky at great speeds, leaving a rainbow trail behind her. She easily slow down and landed in front of the night club like it was nothing. This cyan pony with rainbow mane and tail wore a black coat designed to be as aerodynamically as possible. The scene greeting her wasn’t a cheery one; but that was sadly expected in her profession. Police officers were everywhere, keeping people calm and out of the crime scene. A light blue pegasus walked towards her, wearing the same coat. “Rainbow,” he greeted his coworker. “Soarin,” she greeted back with a nod before turning toward the door, where a couple of ponies was pulling the body out in a stretcher, covered in a blanket. “What do we have here?” “Famous singer Sapphire Shores. Witnesses report a dragon dropping out of the sky, throwing a crystal bomb at the victim and then disappearing in a flash; probably using a teleportation amulet,” Soarin answered. “So we have another murder,” she said, following the body with her gaze as it was carried towards a vehicle. Soarin nodded. “We still have to talk with the owner of the club. The witnesses say he was right beside the victim when the dragon attacked, and was even caught by the attack.” Rainbow looked at him. “How badly hurt is he?” “Surprisingly, it seems like he’s not hurt at all; he’s waiting inside. I was planning to go talk to him myself when you arrived." Rainbow waved a hoof at him. “I’ll do it. You finish out here,” she said before marching inside. “Something I should know about him?” “Yeah; he’s a draco… draconequis, I think it was.” She stopped and looked back at him. “He’s a what?” Soarin shrugged, giving up on getting the word right and gesturing towards the broken entrance. “Just go inside and see for yourself. He sure isn’t like anything I’ve seen before.” He wasn’t kidding; Rainbow had seen her share of chimerical creatures on her job (some even say pegasi themselves were like that), but nothing like the person resting in the bar. None of his limbs matched; neither his horns nor even one end of his long body with the other. ‘He sure looks like those freak animals you would find in a circus.’ She then chastised herself for that thought; her father would lecture he to no end if she ever said something like that. “Detective Rainbow Dash. Are you the owner of this place?” She introduced herself, stopping near him. “Nice to meet you, officer. And yes, I am,” he answered, lifting his glass in greeting while changing his position to face her. She noticed the burned suit he wore, little more than rags in the front; but apart from a slightly burned coat, he didn’t seem hurt. “I’m here to ask you some questions,” she said while getting her small notebook and pen. She flapped her wings, floating in place without problem; it was easier for her to write while hovering. “Fire away.” “First of all, aren’t you hurt?” She said, gesturing to his burnt fur. Discord snorted. “This is nothing, believe me. It’s only a itch,” he answered, waving nonchalantly at her. Seeing his attitude and noting how it didn’t even seem to bother him, she decided to take her word for it. Maybe it was like how a pegasus’ body was more resistant to electricity, and getting hit with lightning wasn’t as bad for them as it would be to other kinds. “What’s your name?” “Discord,” he said, wondering how she would react. She stopped writing and looked at him, lifting an eyebrow. “Is it your artistic name?” “Nope. It was given to me by my father. You may know him; your species kind of worship him,” he replied with total honesty. The eyebrow rose higher and she answered with a tone that left very clear that she didn’t believe him. “Riiight. What was your relation with the victim? “She used to work here years ago; she was actually one of my first employees. She sang by herself, and sometimes I joined her in the scenario. Fun times,” he reminisced. “She left to start her career, and visited once in a while… like tonight.” “Any idea of why she was killed?” “Why do you people kill each other?” He said, manifesting a list in his paw that unrolled itself and went rolling away. He checked a few ones. “So many things to choose; so many motives for it all. It amazes me as much as it disgusts me.” Rainbow followed the rolling list before it turned around the bar. “Any reason in particular?” “Got a few, but nothing concrete;” with a flick of his wrist, the list dissolved in shiny sparks that disappeared in an instant. “Jealous rival, angry ex; you know, the usual.” “’The usual?’” She questioned. “The reasons you mortals always kill each other.” ‘’You mortals’? So, what does that make you?’ “Did you manage to see the attacker?” “Dragon; green scales with red underbelly; kind of clashing if you ask me. Orange, bloodshot eyes; dark cape that sorely needs a good washing machine and he stank.” It took Rainbow a second to write it down, not expecting such a detailed and fast description; although that last bit made her stop. “He stank?” “He definitely needed a shower. And that’s all I know,” he said, refilling his glass. “Well, that will be all. Thanks for your cooperation,” Rainbow finished, turning around to leave. “Detective.” The pegasus stopped and turned around. “It’s draconequus. Dragon Horse. Of course, I’m made of so much more, but then the name would be unbearably long.” Rainbow blinked and absently nodded before walking out of the building, wondering if he had heard her and Soarin before, or if he simply was used to being asked that. ‘It’s probably the later. There’s no way he has such good hearing…’ “I’m surprised you didn’t try to seduce her,” Sunset commented, walking towards him while watching the pegasus leave. “The thought crossed my mind, but there are more important things to do now.” He answered, getting up before brushing the burnt fur off him like it was dust. “Like what?” she questioned, lifting a brow in confusion. “First of all, to change out of this burned clothes.” He said, gesturing to his ruined attire, before walking towards the elevator to the upper floors where they lived. “And second, to take a temporary leave from my vacation and make a visit to that dragon.” Sunset smiled, licking her lips. ‘Oh, this is going to be exciting. I hope he lets me see what he’ll do to that lizard…’ Author's Note Well, here it is the first chapter. I have exams in college, so the next parts may take a while.
Broken Sapphire (Part 2)It was easy to find someone when you were Discord. The draconequus first asked to a police officer where the city kept their registers about its inhabitants. From there, he just took a taxi to the bureaucratic building and used his charm and personality on the receptionist and a couple of employees (good thing they closed at midnight; he knew voting for that mayor was a good idea). After that, it was just ten minutes of dull browsing to get the address of the dragon. 'Wow, he sure didn't take good care of himself.' Discord mused, looking how healthier he looked in the photo attached to the document before putting it back. 'Well, he's gonna look a lot worse when I'm done with him.' Waving goodbye, Discord adjusted his suit and walked off, before picking up speed and sprinting down the road. It was time to send that dragon straight to Tartarus... after he punished it. It was easy to find someone when you were a cop. Calling the station by radio and leaving them the description only left Rainbow waiting for thirty minutes as they searched for the information. "Remind me again when are we buying new computers?" She asked Soarin while they waited. "With our budget as it currently is?" he deadpanned. They got lucky and went right away to the location, a small flat in the top of a five story building. You didn't need to get close to see it was a really cheap thing. With two more officers with them, they entered and went right up to to the last floor. And at the end of the stairs, trotting up the last steps, was Discord. His angry glare was masked behind a smirk as he looked at the pegasi behind him. "Officers," he saluted with a nod before walking towards a door. Rainbow zoomed past him and made him stop in front of the threshold. "What are you doing here?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion when she realized it was the address they were looking for. "The same thing you are doing, I suppose," he shrugged, not paying much atttention to her as he focused on the flat at his right. Behind those walls was that murderer. Before he could even reach for the doorknob, Soarin walked past him and stood next to Rainbow. "Sir, this is a police matter. Please go out and let us do our job." "And I'm doing my job, so no, I won't..." He suddenly trailed off, looking at the door as a certain smell reached his nostrils. Sniff, sniff. Yep, there was no doubt. The pegasi looked at each other in confusion; but before either of them could utter a word, Discord said a single one that caught all their attention. "Death." He then launched himself at the door; breaking it off its hinges like it was nothing and entering the apartment. "Hey, wait!" Rainbow was right behind him... but both stopped at the sight in the small living room. Small, crumped, full of garbage and stains and a still dragon fallen over a small, broken table. He fit perfectly the description Discord had given her, including the smell. A syringe was practically stabbed in his right arm, where it met the joint with the forearm. "Well, we found our suspect," she mumbled. Soarin walked over and checked the body while the other two officers entered the apartment and went to inspect the rest of it. "Yeah, too bad he's dead. But he's still warm, so it was recent-" He then was pushed back as Discord stepped forward and grabbed the dragon's chest with his talon, digging into the scales. "You're not leaving yet," he said with a cold, restrained rage as the dragon suddenly drew a desperate breath, panting. His wide eyes moved everyway, having a hard time focusing on anything. "What? Where-" "Still among the living, for now. You're lucky I'm not in Tartarus waiting for you," the draconequus growled while the pegasi watched, stunned. "Wha-but he-he was dead!" Soarin sputtered. "You sure you checked well? Because he sure seems alive to me," deadpanned Rainbow. "Why did you kill Sapphire?" Discord demanded. "Apart from the fact that she owed me?" The dragon rasped, staring at those eyes that shone with an unholy fire. If he wasn't so overdosed, he would be peeing himself at the scary sight. "Don't make me repeat myself." "Hey, I just killed her. And she killed me, so... why don't you go after... her..." He mumbled, before his eyes dulled and his head fell. Dead again. "Great," muttered Discord, letting go of the corpse and standing up, his tail almost knocking over the officers as it moved around in frustration. As the police checked the apartment and the forensics did the same with the body, Discord was reclined against a wall and his neck pressed against the roof-'too tall for this building'- while Rainbow hovered in front of him. "What did you do back there?" The pegasus wasn't sure what happened, but either Soarin made a mistake, or this guy actually brought the dragon back to life for a few seconds. "His soul hadn't crossed to the spirit plane yet, so I managed to make it talk while it was still tethered to his body. It didn't took long for it to go away, as you saw," he explained like it was an ordinary thing. Rainbow just blinked. 'Ok, Soarin made a mistake, and this guy is nuts.' Said pegasus came out of the apartment, carrying a bag with a white powder in it. "Well, it seems he used this place to make drugs, if the small lab in the back is any indication." Discord put a finger in the bag and scooped up a little of the powder, taking it to his mouth and tasting it. He winced as the pegasi stared at him in disbelief. "Must be a terrible one; this is atrocious." "... Seems like Sapphire was in debt with him, and he simply took her out as payback; then came here and overdose himself by mistake, like an addict would do," Soarin said, choosing to ignore that while making sure the bag was out of the draconequus' reach. "You sure about that?" Discord queried, lifting an inquisitive eyebrow at him. "Sir, stay out of this, please," Rainbow said, before turning back to Soarin. "But he's right; you heard what the dragon said. It seems like there was someone else here, and they could have overdosed him to keep themselves unknown." "That's a good reasoning; isn't your job to check these possibilities to catch the wrongdoers?" Discord queried again, his head getting between the two of the while staring at Soarin. "Sir, stay out of this," the pegasus demanded, pushing his long muzzle off his face. "Rainbow, he was dying; people don't make a lot of sense in that moment, and even less when it's an overdose of drugs what's killing them. To me, it seems like he was talking about Sapphire." "And what if he wasn't?" Soarin, open his mouth, closed it, looked at Discord and then guided her away while whispering his answer."Rainbow, remember what happened last time we had a discussion like this? Believe me, I don't want a repeat of what happened in the docks anymore than you do." That was a bit of a low blow for Rainbow. "What happened in the docks?" Discord whispered, his head only inches above theirs. The pegasi startled, hitting their heads with his muzzle ."Seriously, back off!" They both exclaimed; Discord lifted his arms in surrender before walking back to the apartment. Rainbow took a deep breath before gazing at Soarin."I know; but that's a risk I'll have to take." The pegasus shook his head in defeat. "That stubborness of yours is gonna get you in more trouble; but you're a big mare. If that's what you want, I won't stop you." An officer exited the apartment and walked past them, carrying several objects as evidence. A glint caught Discord's attention, and he took the object -a necklace- without the officer noticing. Soarin and Rainbow did, but they didn't complain as they saw the draconequus' eyes widen in recognition. "This was Sapphire's." "Are you sure?" Rainbow asked, looking at the golden, elegant necklace. "She presumed it to me in her second-to-last visit; she had made a music video and the first thing she bought with that check was a few of these for her, the other singers and some of the production people that she got along with." He smelled it. "There are too many chemicals and drugs in it for me to catch her scent, but I'd recognize it anywhere." "Probably gave it as pay to the dragon for drugs," Soarin conjetured, taking it back. Discord frowned but turned to Rainbow. "So, what now?" "Now? I'm going to escort you out of this crime scene," the pegasus said, doing what she's been wanting to do for the last half hour; though that last bit with the necklace could be useful. "Do me a favor and escort him out of the building!" Soarin screamed as she pushed the draconequus downstairs. "Okay, seriously, what now?" Discord asked as they were out of the building and into the night sky. Rainbow Dash hovered to talk to him face to face. "Sir-" "Discord," he interrupted. 'Sir' felt too formal to him. "... Sir, you're not a cop or a royal guard, so you don't have any permission or authorization to work on this case," she continued, ignoring his comment. "You do know it is my eternal duty to punish those who commit crimes like this, right? I may be retired, but I'm making a brief comeback for this special occasion." Rainbow massaged her temple with a hoof. "Look, I don't know why you believe yourself to be the Beast, and I don't care. But you're not interfering in this investigation; is that clear?" Discord rolled his eyes and snorted before answering in an annoyed tone. "Yeah, yeah, I heard you loud and clear. See you later, detective." With that, he turned around and walked away. Rainbow watched him go before going back into the building, both deep on thought. 'He better listens to me and doesn't interfere anymore; this seems like it's going to be complicated enough without having him around...' 'Ok, whose of Sapphire's friends and acquaintances should I interrogate first?' Author's Note What, you expected Discord to do as Rainbow told him? He never said he would, after all... Sorry for the delay in the chapter. I've been either procrastinating or working on other fanfics.
Broken Sapphire (Part 3)Author's Note Well, writer's block and laziness are my two biggest enemies. Anyway, here we have a new chapter; I hope you guys like it. Stay tuned, because I'll try to have part four ready soon, and we'll reach the conclusion to find the one behind Sapphire's murder! Edit: The last part was getting too long, so I added the last interrogation to this chapter. Broken Sapphire (Part 3) Discord spent the night walking around the city, questioning all those that were close to Sapphire. Most were annoyed at being woken up so early, but either cooperated out of friendship to the late singer, fear of Discord and the rumors about his strange powers, or just to go back to sleep. Around 9 am, he crossed paths with the detective again. And with 'crossed paths', I mean arresting him for hanging an earth pony from his balcony to get him to talk. Pushing the complaining draconequus out of the building with his paws cuffed behind his back, Rainbow couldn't help but curse her luck. The club owner just happened to as stubborn as her. "You know, I have more important things to do than play 'Cops and Robbers' right now," he complained, tossing the handcuffs at her. Rainbow caught them in disbelief. They not only adjusted to fit the person, but were also magic-proof due to having cold iron on the inner side. You either used the key to open them or applied a lot of brute strength to break them. And Discord had done neither. "How...?" "It wasn't a challenge at all. Maybe one day I'll teach you how to do it, but now I'm busy," he simply stated, turning around and walking away. In a dash, she was hovering in front of him stopping his advance with a hoof pressing his muzzle. "You're not going anywhere," she ordered, reaching with her other front leg to the weapon at her belt. It looked like a wand, big enough for her to hold with one hoof. A white crystal shone in the top, charged with magic. She had the setting to 'stun' by default, so it wouldn't do too much harm to him. "Detective, I'm immortal; getting shot will just ruin my suit," he snorted, getting her hoof off his muzzle and spinning around with her in a dance, sending the pegasus away while twirling like a ballerina. Rainbow blinked, trying to process what just happened before once again blocking his path. "Why do you insist in getting in the way?" Discord groaned but decided to humor her; maybe being honest he could convince her to stop pestering him. It always worked in movies, after all. "An injustice has been committed; something... I can't ignore. Something I don't want to ignore." That had him confused. Sapphire was good company, but in the end they weren't that close. And yet here he was, taking a temporary leave from his retirement just to find the ones responsible for her murder. Well, there was a reason he'd been given that accursed job in the first place: he didn't tolerate evil going unpunished. So that was probably why. Rainbow looked at his quieter attitude, and a part of her understood. If a friend of hers was killed, she would do anything in her power to throw their murderers to jail. Still... "I can't have you messing in this case and getting yourself or someone else killed." "I'm touched, detective, but you seem to forget that I'm immortal. No one in this world can kill me," he assured with the utmost conviction. "Forgive me if I don't want to take the risk," she deadpanned. The draconequus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ok, this is taking us nowhere. I want to catch whoever's behind this murder, you want to catch whoever's behind this murder, no force in the universe is going to stop me, I get the feeling you won't stop annoying me about that..." he said, gesturing at himself and at her alternatively before sharing his idea, "...so how about we work together to solve this?" She blinked, not expecting that. "Are you serious?" "Why not? That way we'll both get what we want. You could use the help, if the fact you're the only officer here is any indication," he added, looking around to see if he could catch sight of any other cop in the vicinity. She ruminated that for a while, her gaze never leaving him as he patiently waited. Finally, she sighed. "Fine. But only because I can keep my eyes on you that way." "I assure you, I can be pretty useful." Seeing her reluctantly gesture with her hoof for him to continue, he complied. "I have the power to bring out people's innermost desires." "So, you read minds?" she asked skeptically; Discord's eyebrow rose in confusion as he looked at her. "Wha-no, that's not what I said. I can make people reveal those secrets they wish to hide from everyone, those desires they don't share with anyone. I ask, and no lie can come out of their lips." "That sure would make my job easier," she mumbled. "Here, let me show you; look into my eyes and tell me: what do you wish the most in life?" His red eyes stared into her reddish-violet ones, his mind focusing on that raw emotion in her, those things she kept buried within. Rainbow just lifted an eyebrow. "Apart from you acting like any normal person?" she deadpanned. Discord blinked, bemused, before gazing at her more intently; he was pretty sure his power was in the 'on' position. But she just gazed at him unimpressed. "Well, this has never happened to me before," he said in utter confusion."It seems my power doesn't work on you." "How convenient," she answered sarcastically while flying away, wondering if she's going to have to drag him to the asylum at the end of the day. Discord followed her, still looking befuddled. 'This pegasus...' he shook his head, a smirk pulling at his lips. 'Just when I thought nothing could surprise me anymore.' Fast Beat was an old, brown pegasus that worked as a manager. He had worked for many a person, from utter failures to a couple of stars, and gone through so much drama that few things could scare him. Opening his door to find Discord at the other side did the job. "Nice to see you too, Beaty. Mind if we come in?" the draconequus greeted, ignoring the stallion's girlish scream and entering the house with Rainbow behind. "What are you doing here?" he managed to say once he managed to get over the surprise. And fear. "Just came to find out if you were the one who had Sapphire killed," he answered nonchalantly, making the pegasus even more nervous. "WHAT?!" "Let me handle this," interjected Rainbow, pushing Discord aside and showing her badge." Detective Rainbow Dash; I'm working in Sapphire's homicide last night and came to ask you some questions, if you don't mind." "No!" he exclaimed quickly, before clearing his throat and talking in a more controlled tone." No, it's ok." Being interrogated by a detective was way better than being interrogated by Discord, after all. "You were Sapphire's manager, right?" "Yes, she hired me a couple of years ago and I like to think I did a good job in helping her reach the stardom. She had all the potential, of course; but she was bad at making a schedule or choosing the right events. And don't get me started on her albums!" "Have you had any problems with her lately?" questioned the detective. "No, not at all," he said too quickly. "Don't lie to us, buddy; did you two had problems lately?" Asked the draconequus, looking straight at his eyes while walking closer, aiming at the ager and resentment inside the pony. Fast Beat panicked and closed his eyes, facing anywhere but Discord's gaze. "Fine, I'll talk! But no freaky powers, please!" While Rainbow looked confused-and with a hint of disbelief- Discord snorted in amusement and looked at her sideways. "Sometimes all you need is the right reputation," he explained smugly. "We ... had something between us," he confessed before frowing. "But when it was getting somewhat serious... well, I caught her in bed with a younger stallion." "Heh, I guess she didn't like them old in the end, did she?” chuckled Discord before Rainbow elbowed him. "Hey!" "So, what happened after?” she asked, glaring at the draconequus. "We argued and broke up... but we kept working together; we gained a lot of bits, after all,” he finished, before noticing Rainbow's incredulous look. "What? It's hard to get a job as a manager these days, and not everyone could deal with Sapphire's horrendous lack of business savvyness. It was for our mutual benefit to keep working together." "Mutual benefit for their wallets, maybe; though experience have taught me that we can trust the greed of mortals in these cases, "murmured Discord to the detective. "But just to be sure: no deep-buried wish to take revenge?" "Well, yes... but I didn't have her killed!" he answered defensively. "I... may have been the one to give those gossip magazines the dirty, juicy details of her private life as payback." "Oh, so it was you! I suppose it was a fitting punishment for her, all things considered," Discord mused; it was hard to tell with so little information. It depended on how serious that relationship was, and what Fast Beat had revealed. You wouldn't believe the number of magazines published that talked about the lives and scandals of the famous. Ignoring the draconequus, she addressed the stallion again. "Where were you last night?" "I was working on the studio; paperwork." She'd check his alibi later; she then showed him a picture of the murderer. "Have you ever seen or had any contact with this dragon?" "No; who would want to deal with those reptiles?" he scoffed. "Like you furry mammals were any better," Discord pointed out, grabbing the stallion in a mocking hug with one arm. "If you're not responsible, do you know of anyone that could have wanted her dead?" Fast Beat rolled his eyes and snorted. "A name does come to mind..." If Applewood was the top of the cinema world, Manehattan was the top of the musical one: every great musician and singer of Equestria had worked or even launched their careers from there. The city was full of studios, opportunities and a mountain of broken dreams. Rising Wings Studios was one of these places, were the few rose to fame and glory beyond their wildest dreams while the many run away in tears and utter failure. "I never understood what is it with ponies and their need to put such names to everything." muttered Discord, glancing at the humongous sign at the front of the building. "I mean, 'Rising Wings'? That's not even a good one." "It's just how we are," answered the pegasus. "Though I admit sometimes we come up with ridiculous ones." The interior was elegantly decorated, with red carpets and lustrous furniture. Multiple pictures of famous singers and bands adorned the walls. A light blue unicorn with yellow mane approached, cautious of the strange pair. "Can I help you?" The pegasus flashed her badge. "Detective Rainbow Dash; we came to talk with Swift Lyrics. Is she here?" The mare nodded. "She's busy finishing Sapphire's album." "What?" they both asked. Seeing as she was dealing with a detective, she gestured with her hoof for them to follow, taking the pair through a lateral hall and into the depths of the studios. "In her memory, a group of friends are finishing her last album." "And donating every bit to charity, I presume," inquired the draconequus, arching an eyebrow. "Er... I guess?" She didn't sound so sure about that last part."Anyway, Swift Lyrics is one of them." They arrived to a room full of singers, musicians and producers, checking instruments and chatting between them. The mare gestured to the group with her head. "She's the unicorn mare with the white mane." Thanking her, the pair continued forward, catching the attention of almost anyone thanks to Discord's appearance. "Swift Lyrics?" The mare in question was tall, with a red coat and her mane was braided in an elegant ponytail; she wore a simple white dress. "Yes?" She answered, stepping forward. "Hello, I'm detective Rainbow Dash and-" "Discord, yes; I know him," she interrupted, looking at him nervously. "Now, that's no way to greet someone, Swifty," chastised the draconequus, coiling around her. "It's not like you had something to hide from me, something you don't want people to know..." His face rested right in front of her, his red eyes piercing right into her soul. "Like orchestrating a crime. Or do you?" She closed her eyes and covered them with her hooves. "Could we please talk about it in private? And without that freaky glare?!" Rainbow pushed Discord aside, to the latter's annoyance. "Of course." They retreated to a side room; Discord threw himself over the expensive couch while the ponies sat in a near table. "This has to do with Sapphire's death, right?" "Yes; we believe someone hire this dragon to kill her," Rainbow answered, showing her the photo. Swift's eyes widened almost imperceptively. "You know him?" "O-oh, no. No, I don't. It's just... he's ugly." She reluctantly admitted. Discord gestured with his talon for her to continue. "And it's wrong to give your opinion of his appearance because...?" "I have enough issues already without people saying I'm a dragon-hater. More than one great artist has had their careers ruined for expressing such opinions on other species." Rainbow nodded in understanding; even though it's been decades since the equestrian monarchy approved the citizenship for the non-pony species and allowed them to take residence in Equestria, there was still ways to go in the social aspect. "Ok, let's get back on track; how was your relationship with Sapphire?" "We were good friends," Swift answered. "That's not what we've heard," pointed out Discord with a smile, like he'd caught her stealling a cookie from a jar. "So, how did your relationship went from good friends to orchestrate her death?" "I didn't kill her!" she jumped, slamming her hooves on the table. "I know you didn't; I found the responsible, and it seemed like someone killed him," he added, picking something between his teeth with a claw. "So, am I wrong? Or did you have her killed?" Switf Lyrics looked away as Rainbow chastised Discord. "Let me do this, ok?" Discord snorted but lifted his paws in surrender."Okay, fine. She's all yours." "We've been told that you weren't exactly close, or even amicable as of late." "...We met when we both arrived at this city. Manehattan is the dream of every colt and filly that wants to reach stardom. We suffered together, always relying on each other for help. Finally, we got our chance to become singers," she remembered with a longing smile that promptly disappeared."But the music world is fierce, and you can only trust yourself when you want to become a star. Our friendship suffered a lot, and we ended up becoming rivals." "So, given the choice between your dreams and your friendship, you both chose the former. Understandable, if somewhat disappointing," resumed the draconequus. "Where were you last night?" questioned the detective. "In a party with some friends; they are in the other room, if you want to check." "I'll check the alibi; you finish here." Discord leaped from the couch and walked through the door. Rainbow turned back to the singer. "You may not been closed as of late, but can you think of anyone that might have any reason to have Sapphire killed?" The unicorn thought it over for a few seconds. “Well, there's her manager, Fast Beat. And her lover, Fancy Pants..." After checking out the unicorn's alibi, they left the studios to search for their new suspect. An hour later, the peculiar duo emerged from a train station, having taken the subway to the other side of the city. It would've been faster for Rainbow to go flying, but this was less tiresome and Discord couldn't run as fast as she could fly. Reluctant as she was, they were working together and they were going to stick together. Being noon, Discord took the chance to buy a pair of sandwiches from a fast food place at the station. "You know, they may have gone with one of the most uncreative names I've ever heard, but they sure know how to make a good meal," he commented while eating his extra large sandwich. "Yeah, I think I'm going to order there from now on," she agreed, munching on her normal-size one. "So, who's Fancy Pants? There are so many noble families I can't keep track of all of them." "He's a descendant of a long line of soldiers; his family originally amassed their fortune through the pillage of other nations and rewards given to them by the crown. I think that's how they became nobles in the first place," the draconequus answered as he finished his sandwich. "When Equestria stopped their conquering and warmorgering ways, they decided to try their luck in other fields; Fancy's grandfather opened a wine cellar, and managed to survive two economic recessions. His father almost put them on the street due to never working a single day on his spoiled life and living off of every bit earned through decades of hard work. Luckily, Fancy Pants is more restrained and wiser than his progenitor." They'd reached a luxurious building, way taller than Discord's club and house. "Though he might not be as restrained as he seems to be, if he was Sapphire's lover." "What do you mean?" she inquired as they entered, flashing her badge to the doorman. "He's married, if I'm not wrong." After taking the elevator the the penthouse -and Rainbow almost shooting the speaker to stop the most obnoxious elevator music in the universe-, they came out to a small hallway leading to a elegant door, with a small plate that read 'Pants'. They knocked, and a maid opened the door. After the usual scream of terror Discord got from the most skittish beings that roamed the planet, they were led to a room were several ponies in elegant suits were sitting by a table. If the snobbishness in the air was any indication they were nobles, businessmen, or both. "Master Fancy Pants?" The maid guiding them called. "I'm very sorry for interrupting, but this is urgent." The smartly dressd, white unicorn with blue mane, tail and moustache looked at the newcomers and his eyes widened when he recognized Discord. The noble excused himself from the group and walked towards the pair. "Thank you Golden Chalice, that will be all." The mare bowed and left the room. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Discord. I've heard about you, your successful night club and your growing influence in the city." The draconequus smirked. "Seems like my reputation precedes me." "I presume you wish to conduct business with me? Though I don't know why it could be so urgent for Golden Chalice to interrupt this reunion." Instead of answering, Discord turned to the pegasus. "So, do you want to do the honors or should I do it?" Rainbow showed the unicorn her badge. "Mr. Fancy Pants, I'm Detective Rainbow Dash from Manehattan's Police Department. I-we are investigating a murder, and we wanted to make you some questions." The ponies on the table looked among themselves while Fancy Pants looked alarmed for a second. "A murder?" Before Rainbow could answer, Discord butted in."Yes, Sapphire Shores' murder, to be exact. We've been told you two were lovers, so we came to see if this was a passional crime or, in case you're innocent, if you could give us any clue to catch the responsible." Fancy Pants grew more horrified with every word; now the ponies looked aghast, murmuring with between them in an alarmed tone. Rainbow facehoofed and elbowed him in the side. "What? That's why we came here for." "Why don't you let me do the talking?" "Le-let's talk about this in private, please." The unicorn practically pushed them to a nearby room, sweating bullets. When he closed the door he turned to Discord, angry and nervous. "Why did you have to say that in front of them? This could very well ruin my standing among the upper class!" "Solving this crime is more important to me than your reputation, little mortal," Discord answered almost nonchalantly. "We are getting out of track. Though I apologize for his lack of tact." Rainbow tried to amend, shooting the draconequus a glare. Fancy Pants sighed in resignation. "Well, what's done is done. I'll have to talk to them and explain things before rumors spread." "We came here to make you some questions. We were told that you and Sapphire were lovers; is that true?" The detective started. "Yes, we were. We met like a year ago in a party... well, more like waking up the day after in the same bed, with no recollection of how we got there." Discord chuckled. "Never happened to me, but I've seen it before; it's hilarious." "From there, we got together once or twice a week to chat, one thing led to another and it wasn't long before we shared a bed again." He explained in a hushed tone, like he didn't want anyone listening. Unbeknownst to the ponies, there was someone listening through the door. "It's sad what happened to her, but... c'est la vie. You never know when it'll be over." He finished, a genuine expression of sadness in his face. "Or when your wife is going to spy on you through the door." Discord pointed out, a smirk in his face. As the ponies turned towards the door- the stallion utterly scared- a tall, slender mare of white coat and pink mane and tail entered the room, her steps elegant and her expression... well, it wasn't a friendly one. "F-Fleur, my dear!" The unicorn said, sweating even more now. "Fancy." Was her cold acknowledgement. The alluded turned towards his guests. "She's my wife, Fleur De Lis. My dear, Detective Rainbow Dash and Discord." They nodded in greeting and Rainbow shook hooves with her. "A pleasure to meet you." "Likewise. So, have you come to interrogate my husband about his lover's death?" Fancy looked like he'd received the death penalty. Fleur looked at him and rolled her eyes. "Oh, yes, I knew. You weren't exactly subtle." "Okay, before this descends into a fight between a cheating husband and a betrayed wife, I'll make the questions." Discord held Fancy's head and glared into his eyes. "Did you have any reason to kill Sapphire?" He couldn't turn his eyes away, and he felt the word pouring out of his lips. "No." Discord let him go as Rainbow stepped forward. "Where were you last night?" "In a party, with my wife and a few friends." The pegasus turned to Fleur for confirmation, and she nodded. "Ok, then let's go to the potential suspect number four!" He turned to Fleur so fast the slender pony took a step back, startled. "Did you have Sapphire killed to take revenge on your husband?" The mare couldn't stop the words from coming out her mouth. "N-no. I've been sleeping with Stormwing as payback." She answered almost robotically before shaking her head in disbelief. 'Did I actually say that?' "STORMWING?!" Fancy Pants exploded. "My rival?! My archnemesis?! That pompous, arrogant, SAD EXCUSE OF A PEGASUS?" Fleur looked at him, utterly furious. "Who better to take revenge with?! And let me tell you, hypocrite, he sure knows how to please a mare! You should call him and ask for advice!" "WHAT?!" "Excuse me-" Rainbow tried to interrupt, to no avail. "Yes, you heard right! Not only is he richer and a better businesspony, but he's a better lay! Another thing he surpasses you in!" As they argued, their guests forgotten, Discord leaned towards Rainbow. "I think I broke the dam holding her anger back."
Broken Sapphire (Part 4)Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter.
Sibling's Rivalry (Part 1)It was a brand new day. Stirring among his silky bedsheets, Discord got up from bed and went to take a long, hot shower. The draconequus was in such a good mood that he was even humming a catchy tune. Ever since solving that crime last week, he'd been in really high spirits, to the delight of the ponies he'd been with last Sunday and Wednesday. As he made an omelette in the oven while wearing only a bathrobe, he mused about that. He probably missed imparting punishment; making evil souls pay for their crimes was something he enjoyed. And still do, he thought with no amount of satisfaction. There was something... fulfilling about making evil pay in this plane of existence, something that was missing in Tartarus; but the fallen angel couldn't quite tell what it was. He flipped the omelette in the air, where it lazily turned around, almost at the peak of its ascension. Seeing his food move at a snail's pace got rid of his smile. "Oh, you have got to be kidding..." he groaned. Turning around, he was greeted with the sight of his sister, wearing a silver yoke and a simple, white dress. "Couldn't you at least have waited until I finished my breakfast, Selene?" "Luna," she corrected."This matter is more important than your breakfast, brother." "First my drink, now my breakfast... what's next? Paying me a visit when I'm in the shower?" He sat on a chair, still holding the pan in his paw. His talon drummed on the table as he stared idly at the alicorn. Doing her best not to laugh at the mental picture of her brother singing in the shower using the soap as a microphone, Luna cleared her throat. "Discord, whatever game you're playing has to stop. You have to go back." "This is no game, sister. This is retirement." Luna's eyes widened at that; his tone may be casual and with a tinge of annoyance, but his gaze was serious. "I've spent eons doing the job dad so kindly 'asked' me to do. Well, no more!" He said, making air quotes with his fingers. "But-!" "No buts. I got tired of the job and decided to quit. End of story." Luna looked at a loss for words, before staring at him with an even more serious face than before. "That was your punishment. You can't simply walk away from it!" "He gave me the ability to choose; it's not my fault he doesn't like my choices," He replied, his gaze never leaving hers while he absently twirled the pan; "and he didn't seem too keen on stopping me from leaving Tartarus in the first place." They stood in silence for a minute, daring the other to make the next move. The older sibling caved first. "I have orders to send you back to Tartarus, brother," Luna said, adjusting her stance and looking ready to pounce at him, wings extended and flapping twice as a metallic shine flowed over her feathers. Discord looked alarmed for a second before relaxing again. "You can try to force me to, but we know I'm the better fighter; not even that little trick with your wings will help you beat me." He snorted, gesturing at them with the pan. Though he would fight with her if he had to, he didn't want to. He was rather fond of his kitchen. Reluctantly, Luna eased her stance. "We all have a duty to do, Star. I'm His herald, and you're His punisher. It's what we are meant to do." How long has it been since he'd been called by that nickname? Eons, that's for sure. "Not anymore," he asnwered nonchalantly. "Dad can assign someone else to the job for all I care. He probably did it already, didn't He? So who has to suffer in my place?" Luna simply glared; among the seriousness and annoyance, Discord caught sight of a particular emotion: Resentment. The draconequus snorted, trying not to laugh. Luna glared even harder as he fought to keep his laughter under control. "PffftthahaHAHAHA! Sorrry, sorry, it's just-oh, I can't believe it. Selene the First Angel, Father's messenger and carrier of His will when he doesn't feel like doing something directly... is -hehe, is now at the very bottom of existence as regent of Hell! Oh, are you now the Lady of Tartarus?" A cackle escaped before he gripped his muzzle shut, trying to not explode in laughter. Luna took a deep breath, doing her best not to hit Discord in his goat-like muzzle. "Yes, I'm your temporal replacement." She emphasized. Something I plan to solve as soon as I can. "Then you better start having auditions or plan a tournament to assign a new ruler, because this one is retired." "You won't go back." It wasn't a question. Discord groaned, exasperated. "Are the screams of the damned driving you deaf, sister? No, I won't!." "… This isn't over, Discord. We need you back there, and I'm not leaving until you go." She said with resolution, walking out of the kitchen and towards the balcony. "Oh, joy, just what I needed: my older sister bothering me endlessly." With a scowl, Luna stopped her power, letting time go back to normal. Discord stared annoyed at his pan, before a sudden realization had him jumping from his chair in a saving dive. "My omelette!" Luna took to the air, a petty smirk blossoming on her face as her brother groaned over his ruined breakfast. Hovering out of the station, Rainbow read through a folder, going through the content over and over, ignorant of what was around her. "Good afternoon, Detective. " "AH!" Her wings beat faster, lifting her up in surprise as the folder slipped from her grasp, the pages spreading through the ground. "A bit jumpy today, aren't we?" the draconequus asked with a smirk as he bent down, picking up the papers. "Discord! No, you just took me by surprise. I was... too focused." She landed and picked up the pages alongside him. "I can see that," he laughed, returning the folder to her."So, any new case for us to tackle head on?" Rainbow looked at him and sighed; though as annoying and flirty as he could get, he was very helpful. But... "Discord, we've been over this; I can't have you going with me. I appreciate your help, but that was a one time thing." "The 'one time things' I usually have tend to involve a dinner or a dance before adding a bed, so I wouldn't call it that. I can show you, if you want," he offered with a smirk, causing the pegasus to scoff and roll her eyes. His charm still didn't work on her."Ok, flirting aside, you can't deny we make a good team. The best, I would dare to say!" Before she could answer, something in the pocket of her jacket vibrated, followed by a quick, energetic tune. Rainbow grabbed it with her hoof and put it out. The object was a cellphone, relatively simple in design. She hooked it in her ear, ignoring Discord's inquisitive look. "Hello? Yes, that's me," she talked to the microphone. For the way the phones were designed, almost no sound could be caught from the speaker when one had it on their ear, so Discord could only hear some mumbling even with his acute sense of hearing. "She what?! " Rainbow asked, her eyes slightly widened. Discord rose an eyebrow at her reaction. "Ok, I'll be there soon." She cut and shoved her phone back into her pocket. "Something important?" "My daughter got into a fight in school," she answered as her wings extended, ready for takeoff. Her next words were cut short, though. "You have a daughter?!" Discord did not see that coming."Wow, you don't look like you had a child; I mean, no extra fat or anything. Operation, luck or healthy lifestyle?" She just glared at him before taking off and flying away. Discord followed her with his gaze before walking into the station with a groan. "Great, now the curiosity is killing me..." Rainbow walked out of Manehattan's Public School N° 55, an orange pegasus filly with saddlebags going alongside her. "I am very disappointed in you. And you are grounded; no dessert for a week." "But mooooom!" she whined. I won't make it to the weekend without my chocolate cake! "You fight in school, you don't get to complain. We'll talk about this when we get home." Turning around the corner, she stopped in her tracks as her eyes caught sight of Discord, lying against the wall with a lit cigar in his mouth. "You know, a 'see you later' would have been appreciated," he said after a puff of smoke. "Discord?! What are you doing here? How did you even know where I was going?" The pegasus asked, suspicious. "Well, we were having a chat before you have to come here to pick up whom I assume is your daughter, right?" he said, gesturing to the wide-eyed filly. "As for the how, I asked in the police station for the school's address. Morning Dew was more than happy to tell me... not to mention agreeing to go out this weekend." Rainbow groaned; the gossipy, flirty unicorn of the precinct struck again. Resigned, she gestured to the filly. "Discord, she's my daughter Scootaloo. Birdie, he is Discord; he helped me solve a case last week." Closing her mouth, the filly cautiously walked forward and gestured the draconequus to come closer. Bemused, he lowered his neck until he was almost at eye level with her. "Discord, as in... the Beast?!" she whispered. "The very same!" He smirked at her before straightening up again. "… Cool!" she exclaimed shortly after, to the adults' bemusement. "Well, that's a first. I must say, you have a very peculiar daughter," he commented to the unamused pegasus, ignoring the filly moving at his feet. "Children tend to be scared of me; not that I mIND!" Surprised at the sidden tug, he look at his tail to find Scootaloo standing on it, playing with the white hair growing from the tip. "Is this real? Because the dragons at the school don't have hai--" "SCOOTALOO!" Embarrassed, Rainbow picked her daughter off his tail. "And people wonder why I don't like children..." he grumbled, fixing his puff of white hair. Rainbow's attempts-subtle and not- to get rid of Discord in a somewhat polite way were fruitless, so she eventually relented and let him come with them. Their house was a cozy place on the ground. Being on the coast, the savage winds that came from the sea made it impossible to build cloud buildings on a long term, so pegasi in Manehattan and Baltimare had grown used to living on the ground, though their houses were made spacious enough to hover comfortably. Discord liked that aspect, as he didn't have to crouch or walk on four legs, though he had to be wary of the occasional candlelight. As Rainbow opened the door and the ponies entered, the groan of wood contorting made them look back; the doorframe trembled and grew at least half its size. Discord still had to bend over to pass, but he couldn't push the doorframe any wider without damaging the structure; the physical world was fragile and even his powers had limits. As the pegasi looked dumbstruck at the now shrinking door, the draconequus walked past them and looked around, taking note of the large sofa on the living room. Some ponies liked to snuggle with their families, so a furniture big enough for all of them was common; but that one was way too big for just two or even three ponies. "Nice place," he commented. "Thanks," she muttered absently, tentatively touching the doorframe with her hoof, half expecting it to move. "Though I don't think a cop's salary would be enough to cover it. I don't think it's even enough to cover a good fridge." Rainbow rolled her eyes at the joke, but silently agreed with him. She didn't joined the force to get rich, after all. "It's grandma's place!" Scootaloo said, going to the kitchen to get a snack. "She has more than one house, and rents them. She's letting us stay here until I save enough money to buy my own." Rainbow explained, letting the folder in the living room table. She would go over it again later. There was a chimney in one of the living room's wall, and as was common there were pictures resting over it. Discord walked curiously and went over them: Rainbow with her parents -her mother looked familiar, bu he couldn't place her at the moment-, with her daughter, and one of the two with a stallion he'd seen before. "Isn't that the detective that works with you?" Discord asked. "That's my dad!" Scootallo said, coming back from the kitchen with a plate full of cookies balancing on her head. "Why am I not surprised?" He muttered in a deadpan tone. 'I think I saw this twist in a movie once...' He grabbed a cookie. "So, why didn't you tell me you're married?" he asked before biting on the snack. "Would that have stopped your... " she looked for suitable words to use near her daughter, who was devouring her cookie and looking innocently at them. "…poor attempts at flirting?" "Poor?!" Discord's hackles raised, clearly offended." I'll have you know my charm is exquisite!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "I beg to differ." The draconequus fumed, but let it pass. Now was not the time to ponder why his charm didn't work with her."Yes, it would have stopped my flirting." The pegasus did a double take, her expression a mix of disbelief and bemusement."Wait, really?" Oh, I wish I've had a camera on hand; that face was priceless, Discord thought, an eyebrow raised in amusement. "A relationship is a promise; I always keep mine, and I won't be with someone who's already taken." If anything, Discord was a celestial being of honor. It got annoying eons ago how surprised everyone got at that. "Huh," Was all Rainbow said. "Now, if they like experimenting or are open-minded, I don't have a problem in taking part of a thr-mmpph." Discord was interrupted by a sudden hoof pressing against his mouth. "Not in front of my daughter!" She whispered sharply, hovering in front of him. Not even standing in two legs could she reach his face. Scootaloo was actually too distracted enjoying the cookies, but came back from her musings to find a funny scenario."Mom, why's he kissing your hoof?" Rainbow quickly hovered back, and Discord's face scrunched."Blegh! What did you step on?! Now I have the most terrible taste in my mouth," he complained. "Nothing that the power of chocolate can't cure!" the filly exclaimed offering the plate to the draconequus. He quickly took another two. Rainbow's phone rang again; she flew nearer to the wall and answered. "Rainbow Dash. Where? ...Ok, I'm on my way." She hung up and turned around. "Sorry Birdie, but I have to go back to work. Why don't you go to play with the neighbors? They should be back from school." "Ok!" She flew and hugged her mom tightly." Bye mom!I love you!" Rainbow hugged her back. "I love you too, Birdie." Scootaloo turned around and hugged Discord, who went stiff from the discomfort. "Bye, mister Discord!" The draconecuus didn't know what to do, so he simply patted her head and pushed the pegasus away. "Yes, yes, goodbye little pony. Now go." Scootaloo giggled and flew away. Rainbow peeked through the window to see her enter the neighbor's house. She then found herself with Discord standing at her side, his lion arm giving her a side hug. "So, ready to go out there to punish some dastardly evildoers, partner?" He asked, a silly police hat hanging from his horn. She rolled her eyes. "You're not going to stop, are you?" Discord pouted. "You make it sound like it's a bad thing to work with me," he said, feigning hurt. Rainbow groaned, but gave up. "Fine! You can come with me. But this is the last time. And If you interfere in any way with the investigation, you're out." She warned him. "I assure you, I'll be nothing more than helpful," he said with a charming smile. This headache says otherwise.The pegasus just shook her head, hoping this wouldn't get her reprimanded, or worse.
