Hunting: The Shade of Canterlot

As the morning sun peers over the horizon, illuminating the city of Canterlot with a heavenly glow, ponies emerge from their beds to gaze out their windows at the exquisite sight. From the comfort of their luxurious homes, they listen as flocks of birds fly up from the trees and into the amber sky. Then, a sudden cry for help fills the streets, alarming everyone nearby. The ponies jolt and look down from their windows as a suited stallion gallops down the bricked streets shouting at the top of his lungs. “Help! Somepony alert the Royal Guard! The Canterlot Museum’s had a break-in! Help!”

The Canterlot Museum: a home for countless artifacts of unprecedented value, has never been looted since the building has been built. However, today, somepony managed the impossible. Crowds of well-dressed ponies gather around the entrance to the museum as guards adorned with golden, plated armor and spears stand out front. Inside, photographers in brown suits take pictures of the crime scene: a now empty glass case that once contained a famed portrait of Princess Celestia. Two royal guards approach the photographers, motioning their heads for them to move aside. Obeying their order, they investigate the seemingly, untouched case. “You think it was him?” One guard asks the other.

“Who else do you think could’ve done this? I know it was him. You wanna know why?”

“Why?” The guard points down to a little, white card sitting beside the case. He picks it up off the sleek, tiled floor, and holds it before the other guard’s face. His eyes run across the text printed onto the card, and they widen with surprise. The card reads: ‘With warm regards, The Shade’. “This . . . this is not good.”

“You think?”

“What are we going to tell the princess?”

“I don’t know! Think of something!” The two guards jolt with fear as a shadow flies over them, and they look upward through the glass ceiling to see what they had feared most. Princess Celestia lands at the entrance with a thud kicking up clouds of dust as she folds her wings. After straightening out her posture, she approaches the two guards who are examining the glass case as the clopping of her golden shoes echoes throughout the room.

“So,” Princess Celestia begins. “What have you two found?”

“I-It’s definitely The Shade, Your Highness.”

Princess Celestia sighs. “I should have figured as much.”

“What are we gonna do, Your Highness? This has been going on for months now, and none of us have been able to track him down.”

“No need to worry, soldier. I have a plan to capture this ‘Shade of Canterlot’.”

“Your Majesty!” Princess Celestia smiles as a familiar voice calls to her from the entrance. Her faithful student gallops wildly towards her with her wings spread out from panic. “I’m sorry I’m late,” she says whilst skidding across the tiles to a halt as she tries to catch her breath.

“Late? Not at all, Princess Twilight. You’ve come at the perfect time, as we’ve concluded who is responsible for this heinous act.”

“Please don’t tell me it was. . .” Princess Celestia regretfully nods her head, and Princess Twilight sighs with frustration. “Something needs to be done about this. This ‘Shade’ character has been running rampant for far too long.”

“Which is precisely why I’ve decided to put ‘you’ on the case, Princess Twilight.”

“Me. . ?” Princess Twilight’s eyes widen and jaw drops. “I-I don’t know if I’m the right mare for the job. I mean, I’m not trying to question you or anything. I’m just, you know, a bit taken back by this. I-I’m not sure if I have the skill or expertise to catch him.” Princess Celestia waves her hoof to the two guards, and they salute before marching off.

“I believe you are more than qualified to capture this thief. After all, your vast knowledge surpasses many of ours. I feel a brilliant mind such as yours is perfect for this case.”

“Oh . . . well, I-I suppose you’re right. Don’t worry, Princess Celestia, I won’t let you down.” Twilight puffs out her chest with confidence.

“Also, you will not be alone in this endeavor.”

“Really? That’s great! Who else is partnered with me?”

“Good morning, ladies!” A cheerful voice shouts near Princess Twilight, causing her ears to ring and her body to jolt. She looks over to see a young stallion with a caramel-brown coat of fur, and a bulky, messy dark brown mane. He’s dressed in a violet, collared shirt, along with a vest sewn with thin stripes of black and gold. As Princess Twilight glares at him for his outburst, his big smile vanishes as he clears his throat. “My apologies, Your Highness. That was probably a tad too loud.”

“Yeah . . . a ‘tad’. Are you lost? You’re walking right in the middle of a crime scene, you know?”

“Princess Twilight,” says Princess Celestia. “This is your partner.” Princess Twilight, dumbfounded, glances to the stallion, then back to Princess Celestia.

“Him?” asks Princess Twilight.

“Detective, why don’t you introduce yourself?”

“Yes, Your Highness!” The stallion salutes. “Firstly, Princess Twilight, it’s an honor to make your acquaintance. I am clueless.”

“. . . I’m sorry, what?” Twilight asks as she raises an eyebrow in confusion.

“I said I’m clueless.”

“Okay . . . but, weren’t you going to tell me your name?”

“I did, Your Highness.”

“No . . . no, you didn’t.”

“Sure I did. I said I’m clueless.”

“You’re . . . clueless as to what your own name is?”

“Oh! I see what’s going on here.” He then reaches his muzzle into the pocket of his vest, and pulls out a shiny, silver badge in his teeth. “I am Detective Clueless, Your Highness!” Princess Twilight squints as she further examines the suspicious-looking badge, as she notices his name has been placed onto it with a sticker. Not only that, but the badge itself doesn’t appear to be an official badge.

“Is this . . . a toy badge?”

“Besides the point.” Detective Clueless quickly shoves the badge back into his pocket. “Princess Celestia has given me the honor of being your partner-in-crime for this investigation! And I can already tell we’re going to make a great team! We’re gonna capture this ‘Blade of Canterlot’ with ease!”

“. . . It’s ‘Shade’. . . We’re looking for The ‘Shade’ of Canterlot.”

“Him too!” Princess Twilight sighs as she places her hoof over her eyes in agitation. “So, what are we waiting for, Princess! Let’s get to this!”

“Yeah, can you just give us a moment, Clueless?”

“It’s um. . . It’s ‘Detective’ Clueless—”

“Please!”

“Yes, yes, of course! I’ll uh . . . I’ll investigate all possible entrances for a sign of a break-in.”

“Yes, go do that.” Once Detective Clueless is far enough away, Princess Twilight turns to Princess Celestia. “Your Majesty, a-are you sure that—”

“I already know what you’re concerned about, Twilight, and the answer is yes.”

“But there’s no way this colt is knowledgeable enough to handle something like this.”

“Twilight, I don’t quite approve of your preconceptions of this stallion. You do wrong to speak poorly of him behind his back.”

“I know—I apologize—but this can’t be right!”

“Hey, Princess Twilight!” Clueless calls and waves from the entrance as both she and Princess Celestia turn to look at him. “I’ve found out exactly how the perpetrator got in to the museum! He just waltzed right on in! These doors are left wide open!”

“They’re open, because ‘we’ had to get inside!”

“Ah . . . good thinking. . ! I like the way your voice echoes! It sounds lovely!”

“Clueless!”

“It’s Detec—!”

“I know! Just. . ! Please!”

“Yup! No problem!”

Princess Twilight rolls her eyes and looks to Princess Celestia with a look of hopelessness. “Trust me,” says Princess Celestia. “I sense great promise with this stallion.”

“Unless you mean promise of ‘failure’, I’m not too sure what you mean.” Princess Twilight sarcastically remarks.

“Perhaps he might not be as intelligent as you, but that doesn’t mean you should jump to conclusions about him. Out of every other detective I could have chosen, I know that ‘he’ is the one that will put an end to this ‘Shade of Canterlot’.” Princess Twilight sighs as she considers her words. “All I ask is that you give him a chance, Twilight. You may be surprised by what he can accomplish if the both of you work together.”

Princess Twilight smiles. “You’re right, Princess Celestia. We’ll solve this case.”

“Thank you, Twilight.”

“Hey!” Detective Clueless calls and waves to the princesses once again. “So, I just wanted to apologize for the comment on your lovely voice! I think it sounds perfect just the way it is without all the echoing!”

“I get it!”

“I’m just saying, you know! You’ve got a nice voice!”

“Alright! Thank you, Clueless!”

“. . . Do you think my voice sounds cool with the echo?!”

“I really don’t know, Clueless! And I really don’t think it—”

“Hello! Princess Twilight!” Detective Clueless yells at the top of his lungs. “We’re gonna go catch The Blade of Canterlot!” He waits until his echo finishes reverberating throughout the museum. “What do you think, huh?!”

“Yeah, it’s great—but we’re not looking for The ‘Blade’ of Canterlot! I told you, we’re looking for The ‘Shade’ of Canterlot!”

“Got it! We’ll get the Shade first! Then the Blade later!” Princess Twilight can feel her agitation building inside of her, but takes in a deep breath to calm herself as she looks to Princess Celestia with a nervous smile.

From beyond the museum, a dark figure stands atop the rooftop of a neighboring building watching the commotion below. The figure smirks, and lowers the brim of his black top hat before whipping himself around, allowing his dark cape to flow behind him with the breeze.