Raven Mystery

by Discorded Imagination

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure, Discord, Main 6, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Thriller, Original Character, Mystery
Length: 2326

Raven Mystery lives a quiet, contented life, then Pinkie bounds into her life.

Raven Mystery lives a quiet, contented life in Appaloosa. One day, Pinkie bounds into her life, finding out about her upcoming birthday. During the party, Raven is convinced to go to Ponyville. In Ponyville, a conspiracy theory starts to unravel. Mysteries develop around her mother's reasons to leave Canterlot, Raven must assist in the investigation to establish the truth.

Published 2017-04-27 17:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2017-04-27 17:10:01 UTC

Chapter 1

Raven Mystery

Raven Mystery shifted in her bed. Sunlight penetrated past her curtains and irritated the corners of her eyes. Raven attempted to lift her head away from the light, but her head proved too heavy for her early morning willpower, and it slumped back into the original position. Raven growled as the pestering rays returned. In annoyance, she grouchily flicked her eyes open.

“Half five!” She groaned as somehow the first thing that grabbed her attention was the time on the face of her small red alarm clock. Raven, then reluctantly rolled herself onto her feet and trotted over to her curtains.

“There, that’ll fix you,” Raven commented as she drew the curtains shut, but during her two paces back to bed, her stomach grumbled into life. Raven sighed. She knew her belly wouldn’t let her sleep even if she tried. Stroking her front right hoof over her cobalt blue mane, Raven tried to reinforce sharpened focus back into her eyes as she gazed at the bedroom door. She ended up only stroking a short amount and then holding her hoof against her jaw as she let out a yawn.

At this point, Raven knew it would be a battle between tiredness and alertness all the way down to the kitchen, but her belly wouldn’t quit its rumbling, and so she opened the door and trudged her way to the kitchen. Once, she got there, Raven retrieved the milk from her fridge and then set her sights on the cereal box unit cupboard.

First, another yawn bellowed out, and Raven slapped her right hoof across her face. Levitation magic would require her full concentration as she let pain alert her attention to the task and cast a cobalt blue aura around her horn. Still, the task appeared too easy.

Focus. Raven thought and shot her magic at the cabinet handle, levitated it down to open the cupboard, then came the single hard part. Multi-tasking. Raven powered down her magic stream. Raven sweated and kept her stream at three-quarters of the way to the cupboard, while also focused on switching target from the cabinet door to the cereal box. Raven puffed a sigh of relief when she saw her blue magic aura surround the cereal box; then it was an easy task to levitate it onto the table.

Then, the gleaming shine of her solid oak antique table stole her attention for two seconds. Raven admired the graft she put it to make the family heirloom stand out in her kitchen. Then, she shook her head as she realised she had been distracted and trotted over to the lower cupboards to retrieve a small bowl and a spoon. Despite her accomplishments, tiredness remained on her mind. Her eyes flickered between alertness and drowsiness as she was supposed to put her flank onto the seat, but instead, a sharp vibration shot up her spine.

Raven shivered, not anticipating the surprise and frowned. Quietly she fumed with herself as a hot tear crept down her face.

Damsel in distress. An unhelpful thought lingered.

Raven whimpered, but the bowl, the milk and the cereal box were still there, and it wasn’t there to waste. So, Raven settled down and had breakfast. Once done, her casual gaze shifted over to her kitchen wall clock. Raven grimaced at seeing only fifteen minutes had passed since waking up. Plus, with food in her belly, her mind was now demanding more activity, Raven regretted the decision to leave the bedside. Still, as she was about to return to the stairs, she heard a mail letter drop onto her doormat.

“Mail before six in the morning?” Raven puzzled and thought the mail-pony didn’t tend to make the rounds this early. Curious, Raven paced over to her front doormat and saw a pink envelope lying there. A thought rushed through her head that maybe it was a Hearts and Hooves Day card from a secret admirer, but another thought contradicted and reminded her Hearts and Hooves Day was months away. Raven scowled and hoped if some stupid prankster had the gall to send her a fake Hearts and Hooves Day card, they better be prepared for a beat-down. Still, another thought told her that until she opened it, she wouldn’t know the contents. Raven picked it up and ripped the envelope open.

A bang occurred.

Raven danced back her hooves with fear. Then, confetti fell out of the dropped envelope and onto the floor.

Raven growled with intensity and summoned a cobalt blue aura around her horn again. She eyed up her target; a pinpricked feeling noted when her eyes were locked on. However, just before beginning to summon up magical energy, a thought intervened that if she destroyed the letter, she would not find out who the culprit was. Raven snorted and restrained herself, trotted over and retrieved the message from the envelope.

“Sorry, I startled you,” Raven roared to herself as she read the first line.

“How would you like to have your upcoming birthday party arranged by Equestria’s premier party planning pony?” Raven gasped as she knew of only one pony who would dare brand herself that way. She dropped the message in stunned surprise as her eyes didn’t want to believe she had just gotten a letter from Pinkie Pie.

Her thoughts rushed to memories of gossip and rumours trickling on from Ponyville and then from pony to pony along the sandy streets of Appaloosa. Plus, there were lots of news articles in the press about Pinkie Pie and her friends. Princess Twilight, the Princess of Friendship, was an all too familiar target for writers to speculate their opinions and stories on. However, as her eyes reluctantly returned to the dropped message, Raven wondered how one of the famous ponies had found out about her birthday or even her existence.

Surely, she thought that sort of fame made them far too busy to notice a lowly country unicorn mare who had grown quietly contented with a simpler, relaxed lifestyle away from the busy, hustling crowds of Canterlot. Plus, with a lot more high-class and celebrity and even royal ponies calling Canterlot their home, Raven was sure one of them was far more likely to draw attention.

Raven wondered if she was dreaming, but remembered she had been startled into alertness. Plus, the confetti still decorated the floor from earlier. She quaked and reminded herself she had only read two lines of the letter and there was likely more to it as she picked the paper message back up.

“Stop dropping the letter, silly,” Raven read the next line and battered her eyelashes, the lines of the letter seemed to have predicted her reactions and be addressed to her as if Pinkie Pie was in the room watching her.

“Any who, this message announces my intention to visit you to discuss your party plans! I look forward to working with you and arranging the best party ever!” Raven read the last line, and her nerves felt fried that the letter said Pinkie was coming over to visit her.

Then, there was a tapping on her door. Raven sweated and approached her door with caution.

“Don’t be Pinkie Pie,” she muttered.

“Hi,” Pinkie waved, “I’m afraid I can’t be not me,” Pinkie beamed a knowing smile of what she just said and chuckled.

Raven slammed the door shut, but Pinkie tapped again.

“Aww, come on, don’t get all clammy or nervous,” Pinkie called from the other side.

“Leave me alone,” Raven backed away from the door and in her mind, letting Pinkie in would result in having a reckless party crowd bounding on through her home if she let Pinkie arrange her party for her.

“Hey, don’t say that I’m a friendly pony,” Pinkie tried to encourage Raven back to the door.

Still, Raven thought about what a misbehaving guest or two amongst a party crowd could do to her furniture, but an image of a stern look from her Earth Pony father came into her mind. His look informed her she had already committed the cardinal sin of closing the door on a friendly pony. To ignore her as if she didn’t exist would just be plain rude and very negative behaviour. So, she returned to the door and opened it up again.

“Thank you,” Pinkie beamed a wide grin, “May I come in?”

Raven flinched and didn’t expect the formality. Then, feeling a responsibility to recognise it, Raven nodded and let Pinkie in.

“So, what do you want for your party?” Pinkie questioned after trotting inside.

Raven didn’t like the full attention of her blue eyes. It made her sweat.

“Uh… a quiet, relaxed affair with a calm emphasis,” Raven stuttered.

“You do know you only get one birthday party every year,” Pinkie twisted her head.

Raven shivered as Pinkie thought her odd.

“So, you want every stallion and mare to treat your birthday as a formal gathering?” Pinkie questioned again.

Raven thought about it. Did she want to see bored faces trying to adapt to a sophisticated and refined culture at her birthday party? She imagined herself watching on while a clearly unhappy and uncomfortable pony would cut a cheese block with a bored expression. She would watch on and become depressed, and the party would stink.

“I guess there’s some room for fun,” Raven contemplated.

“That’s more like it. I could throw in a game of pin the tail, ask Vinyl to DJ and get a beat going. Then, every pony will want to dance or at least socialise” Pinkie mused.

“The party should stay away from the kitchen,” Raven worried about party guests getting a little too close to her antique dining table for her comfort.

“Why? Every pony likes cake,” Pinkie smiled.

“I don’t want some pony crashing down onto the table. It might break,” Raven stated.

“Well, let me test it out,” Pinkie suggested.

“Uh…” Raven mumbled but found herself watching on as Pinkie hopped into her kitchen. Then, she rushed into the kitchen after her.

Pinkie tapped on the near right side leg of the table.

“Nope, this one’s as sturdy as a rock, and I should know, my sister Maud loves rocks,” Pinkie chuckled.

Raven started to shed tears.

“Nope, this won’t budge,” Pinkie tapped the other leg on the right side. Then, rounded the table to the left side.

Raven sniffled.

“Check, one leg left to go,” Pinkie appeared to have given three table legs a health check.

“And nope, it would take a high impact speed to break this table,” Pinkie tapped the last leg and gave her analysis.

“You sure?” Raven asked, unconvinced.

“Yep,” Pinkie gave a firm answer, “Just one quick question, why do you think a pony would crash into your table in the first place?”

“Uhh…” Raven paused to reflect on an answer, “Maybe a party guest might get a wild idea to throw another pony onto the table for fun.”

“Ooh, that’s silly! Most partying momentum gets tuckered out on the dance floor, plus the likelihood of a pony getting a wild impulse like that is almost zero,” Pinkie commented.

Raven frowned and thought Pinkie had a fair point.

“And I would say, the sturdy legs of your table have more than enough strength to support a pony or two dancing on top of it,” Pinkie came over and raised Raven’s chin up.

Raven’s deep jungle green eyes sparkled with hope, Pinkie told the truth, and Pinkie kept her chin up and glared into her eyes.

“Yep, I meant what I said, watch this!” Pinkie beamed a smile and then hopped onto her table and began dancing.

Raven watched on in disbelief, but every one of her table’s legs remained stationary, though soon Pinkie established a rhythmic pattern with her feet as she smiled and enjoyed her dance routine.

“See!” Pinkie said and then halted her momentum and jumped back off.

A small smile tugged itself on Raven’s face. She judged she shouldn’t be so prone to worry and anxiety.

“Now, then, party decorations,” Pinkie moved on, “Do you like party balloons, banners and streamers and party cannons?”

“A party cannon?” Raven imaged a thought of a pony shooting out of a cannon. The momentum would provide more than enough thrust for a high speed while the unfortunate victim would be in the air long enough for a hard landing.

“Don’t worry, it shoots out harmless confetti, and sometimes guests are so enthused by the parties I arrange, I don’t even have to ask for them to help clean up afterwards,” Pinkie commented.

“Really?” Raven asked.

“Yeah, though some party guests are more responsible than others, some ponies do sometimes slip out,” Pinkie soured.

Raven nodded in understanding and thought since this was her home, she had to have responsibility for its upkeep, but if it weren't, she would understand how an unhappy pony being left to clean up a mess all by its lonesome would feel.

“So, you don’t mind the cannon?” Pinkie shot back to questioning.

“I can handle it,” Raven replied.

“Great, what about party banners and streamers?” Pinkie asked her next.

“Maybe, just one big banner hanging from the front corridor ceiling,” Raven replied and thought it was going to be her birthday. A happy birthday message hanging somewhere was standard.

“Got it, and balloons?” Pinkie eyed her with hopeful intensity.

“What’s a good party without a few balloons around?” Raven joked. Relief pulsed through her coat, this discussion didn’t have to be difficult.

Pinkie bounded up and down with joy.

“I think I’ll ask Rarity to help me make a cake for you,” Pinkie buzzed.

Raven smiled and didn’t mind Pinkie wanted to seek assistance.

“Okie, Dokie Loki, I’ll get the invites out,” Pinkie then bounced herself to face her front door and zoomed out.

Raven found herself admiring Pinkie’s playful spirit and gently closed the door behind her.