Chapters (Chapter 2) Case: An Apple Away
Nothing would of prepared me for that phone call. It wasn't Silver like I'd hoped, but chief note. He needs me in his office.
I'm needed in the Chief's office. Placing the gun back on my side, I walk out the door.
I'm dreading that I have to do this. Trudging up the stairs the the RCIS headquarters, I walk. Not caring to fly. I walk through the front doors and am stopped by the guard. Sighing, I pull out my badge and show him. He nods and let's me through. The badge goes back into my coat and I make it to the front desk.
"Hi Andreah!" A young stallion says.
"Hi. You new?" I ask, looking at him. He nods.
"Yeah! Started last week." He tells me, then his phone rings. I let him answer it by me walking away.
I make it to the third floor. Remembering where it is I'm going, I head down the hallway, and look into my office.
Flowers.
Curious, I enter my office and head to the desk. Wrapped around the vase is a string with a piece of paper.
'Welcome Back Andreah!' -Tangled Wires.
Tangled... I need to go thank him.
Exiting my office, I turn left heading for the Chief's office.
Soon, I knock on the door.
"Come in!" His voice traveling through the door. I enter, then turn around and watch myself close the door.
I turn back to the chief.
"Hey." Silver says, in his regular chair across from me. I just nod at him, ashamedly.
"Now that we've got pleasantries aside, let me tell you where your going." The chief says, grabbing a case file from his desk. "Sweet Apple Acres, just out side if Ponyville. Earthpony remains were found. I'm assigning you two."
"We're back!" I shout happily. Silver not sharing in my enthusiasm.
Bump bump.
The train makes those dreaded noises again, reminding me of the trip that changed my life so much.
Silver's asleep, across the train from me. I can tell he's distancing himself from me. He obviously depressed.
He's changed his outfit in the time I was gone. He went from a trench coat like mine except being black, to a weird suit. Sleeves and everything.
I must admit he's kinda handsome in it, but it's not him. Not the Silver I knew.
Bump bump. Bump bump.
Ah.... Ponyville. My home town. I'd of loved to go around with Silver and show him my childhood play places, where I ran around with friends like Lemon Juice and her sister Orange Juice and Swi....
I look over Silver's side at the map he's Psychokneticly holding up. Sweet Apple Acres is.... North of here. Okay. Let's go.
I walk down a dirty path leading to an arch that breaks an opening in the fence. Silver walking silently behind me. Slowing my walking speed down some, I start to walk beside him.
"Hey." I say to him. "I understand why your all skulky and everything. And you have a right to be. But you can't be like that when we talk to the owners of the property." I tell him. He just groans something and speeds up to get ahead of me.
Growling annoyedly, I run ahead and stop in front of him, making him stop.
"Hey!" I say, placing my hoof under his chin and push his head up. "Look at me!"
He's reluctant, but he does. I look into his eyes and notice something off. They're slightly glazed over and... Absent.
I push it aside as him being tired.
"Hey." I say again. "I love you." My words make him wince.
"Sure..." He whispers, turning to continue walking to the homestead behind me.
"No." I tell him, pulling his head back and making him look at me again.
"Just 'cause you thought about it doesn't mean you know what it actually did to me." He says, walking around me.
The tears flow.
Silver knocks on the front door to the main Sweet Apple Acres home.
I hang back about ten feet behind him. I'd stopped crying but if they look hard enough they'll know I was.
The door opens quickly after Silver knocks. A little filly at the door.
"Hi!" She says. "How may ah help you?" She asks in a southern drawl.
"Hello!" Silver says with neutrality that shows nothing's wrong. "May I speak to Applejack?"
"Of course! That's mah big sis! Let meh go git 'er!" The happiness in her voice is aggrevating. She bolts from the door and runs into the house.
About a minute later an orange coated and blond maned Earth pony shows up.
"Howdy!" She says, tipping her country hat. "Watcha need?"
"Hi. My name's Silver Colt with the RCIS. I'm here about the remains found in one of your orchards." Silver says, flashing his badge.
"Oh... Yes." The happiness drains from her voice. "Grab yer marefriend and I'll show yeh. It's this way."
He didn't object to me being his marefriend. That's good! Right?
I trot to their side.
"How did you happen upon the remains, Ms. Applejack?" Silver asks.
"Ah was out apple buckin' yesterday when one of mah apples went further than it should've. So ah went to go get it, but that's when ah felt something snap under mah hoof. At first ah thought it was just a twig. But when it happened again, ah had a gut feelin' to look. That's when I saw it ain't a twig." Applejack tells us. Then we reach an area where the dirt is turned up.
"Here it is."
I walk over and look. A few of the remains are broken, a few scattered. But it's an earthpony.
"Well..." I say. "We've got ourselves a crime scene."
(Chapter 3) Case: An Apple Away
I think Applejack might of stepped on a few more than she said. Yeah, definitely. Both front radius and ulna snapped, back left femur broken in multiple spots. Not to mention how not all of the system is here. I'll need to get a unicorn in and cast a searching spell. Wait, I have a unicorn.
"Hey, Silver." I say, standing up and turning around. "Silver?" He's disappeared. Again. Wait, there he is.
He walks out from behind a giant apple tree that was behind me. He's rolling down his right sleeve.
"Hey, could you cast a finding spell, please? Not all the remains are here." I ask. He nods, his eyes half closed. starting to walk over, he stumbles, corrects himself, then actually gets to me.
Closing his eyes all the way, he thinks. Shiny silver eminates from his horn, sputters, then bubbles down, failing.
"Uh, what happened?" I ask. In response I get nothing. I look to him and he's floating a map out of his saddlebags.
"Here." He points, voice shaking. "T-they can do the spell.... Thing."
I look to where he's pointing. It's a small shop like building. I nod.
"Okay, let's go."
"Y-you can go..." He says, almost whispering. "I need to go.... Lay down....."
"Okay... Sleep well. I'm going to the shop. See you at the apartment." I tell him, he shakes his head.
"W-we have different..... Apartments....... But they're still..... Right next to each other." He stumbles out.
"You okay? You don't sound too good." I ask, concerned.
"Just tired." He says, then walks away. I walk far enough behind him to keep it from being awkward.
"Hi! Welcome to Trixie's magic shop! How may Trixie help you?" A squeeky voiced mare shouts as i walk in. She wearing an odd wizard hat and cape.
"Hi, I'm from the RCIS." I tell her, pulling out my badge and showing her. I put the badge back. "I need somepony who can cast a finding spell."
"Ooh... As much as Trixie would love to help you, she can't use that kind of magic. But she knows somepony who can help." She tells me.
"Great! W-"
"STARLIGHT!!!" She yells, causing me to put my ears back.
I swear I've heard that name before.
"What!? Why is it that you need me this time!?" A purple unicorn yells, walking out from a curtain behind the counter. "I swear if it's an-" she looks at me.
"It's you!" We both shout simultaneously.
She laughs, I just shift uncomfortably.
"What do you need?" Starlight asks.
I walk over to the counter.
"I need somepony who can cast a finding spell. I'm investigating a murder but some of the remains are scattered." I tell her.
Trixie slightly gags.
"Trixie can't handle death." She says, then walks away. Starlight giggles.
"She's always been a baby." She says to me, I nod in response.
"So, can you do it?" I ask her.
"Sure! I just need to be there."
"So....." Starlight says, breaking the silence that has plagued us since the shop. "You ever find that stallion you were looking for?"
The question takes me by surprise and I stumble momentarily.
"Uh... I... I don't want to talk about that. I did, but...." I trail off.
"But what?"
"It's... He's not who he used to be. I mean... I know ponies change after two years, but.... Not Silver..." I sigh, looking down. Seeing it's a touchy topic, she changes the subject.
"We're going to Sweet Apple Acres?"
Snapping out of my state of sadness, I look ahead.
"Yes. The West orchards is where the remains are." I tell her as we walk through the arch thing.
"I hope word doesn't get out. That could seriously damage the reputation of Sweet Apple Acres."
"Yea..." I say. "Hold on, I gotta to talk to the owners." I say, she hums a response.
I walk up the couple of steps and knock on the door. Applejack opens it.
"Howdy again. Hey there Starlight." She says, tipping her hat.
"Hi Applejack." Starlight replies.
"Awesome!" I say. "You two already know each other." They both nod. "Just so you know Applejack, everytime I enter your property with somepony new, I'll introduce them to one of you, that way there's no confusion to who's working the case or not."
"Alrighty! I mighty appreciate that." She says to me.
I always try to limit the amount of unicorn magic I use. The magic, be it a spell or just normal levitation, if touching the bones leaves a residue. It's tiny, but still there. And can screw up the equipment in the lab, causing false positives or just bad readings.
"So, where do I need to do the thing?" Starlight asks from behind me. I continue walking then stop.
"Here." I say, looking down. "The remains are here."
I sit and let my saddlebags fall off my flank. Standing back up and turning around, i open a bag and pull out a white, tyvek tarp. As well as some hoof and wing gloves. I ask Starlight to lay the tarp out while i put the gloves on. I pick up a Coccygeal vertebrae and hold it out to starlight.
"I need the whole skeletal system found. When found could you put them on the tarp please?" I ask. She nods, picking up the vertebrae.
Here's how this finding spell works. The one casting it picks up something similar. Or in this case an exact DNA match. Scanning the item, the spell shoots out in all directions for a distance of 100 hooves. Then it creates a mental image of exactly where it all is. One disadvantage for me not having magic.
"It's all right here. Under where the others where. They're just deeper." Starlight tells me. "I'll get them out."
"Carefully!"
She nods. "Carefully."
Within an hour we had it all set out on the tyvek tarp. Actually, more accurately, she had it all set out.
"Where'd you learn to put together a skeleton?" I ask her, looking at the almost perfect put together remains. Even the broken peices were right. The only things off were a few of the vertebrae.
"When you came to the castle about a month ago, I wanted to learn what you do."
"You learned this in a month!? It took me almost five years!?" I shout, surprised.
"I a fast learner." She giggles.
"Whatever. Could you help me get these to the Ponyville lab?"
Author's Note
1 hoof = 1/2 foot.
(Chapter 4) Case: An Apple Away
I step into by apartment, not bothering to turn the lights on. I'd requested that Andreah and I not have the same room, mostly because of my... Habits.
I close the door and sit on the bed. Taking off my suit, I throw it across the room.
I put out my left foreleg. The other front leg I haven't tried yet. Taking my left hoof, I feel around my Left joint for the main vain. After about a minute if searching and withdrawl symptoms creeping up, I find it.
Opening my saddle bag with my magic, I pull out a syringe and a small vile. Floating them over, I insert the needle into the easy fill top and pull out a syringe worth of the drug.
Finding the vein again, I place the needle on it, then push. The plunger descends and I feel the fire burst through my arms. Almost instantly hitting my brain.
I fall back into the bed, tongue lolling. Quickly, I throw the blanket over me. The last word I see before I go blank minded is the word on the bottle.
Dilaudid.
"Thank you Starlight!" I say, resting the last rib on the stainless steel table.
"No problem! If you need anything more, just go back to Trixie's shop. I usually hang there." She tells me.
"Alrighty, will do!" I say. She nods and walks out of the Ponyville lab.
I turn back to the table with the remains on it. I need dental records.
Recalling where all the things are, I trot over to a cabinet on the wall, pulling out a gel like small slab. Once back over to the skeleton, I but the slab in between the mandible and maxilla pressing them together, the teeth imprint onto the gel.
Spreading the jaw I take the gel and put it in a bubble wrap yellow envelope.
"This would be a great time to thank him as well.' I tell myself. I put the package on the counter and trot over to the desk, grabbing a quill and paper.
Dear Tangled Wires,
I must thank you for the flowers, they are very lovely.
On another note, enclosed in this package is a dental reading of remains I have here in Ponyville. Could you please make a mold, then find a possible I.D. please?
Thank you!
- Andreah Reigns
I reread it. Then, satisfied with it, I fold up the letter, retrieve the package and place the note inside. Now I'm off to the post office.
"Hello?" I call, walking into the post office. After a few crashing noises eminate from the back room, a gray Pegasus mare walks out.
"Hello!" She says, looking at me with her non-lazy eye.
"Hi!" I respond, smiling at the goofy mare. "I have a package that needs to get to Canterlot as soon as today."
She gives an unhappy smile.
"Oh. I'm sorry. Canterlot is a day trip from her. With all the other stops and all."
"It's alright." I reassure her. "I'll still send it. Just be careful with it please?"
She gives a happy nod as I place it on the table.
"That'll be two bits."
Well, that's it for the day! Tomorrow's a weekend, so unless something big happens it's my day off.
"Hello... What's my room number?" I ask the motel owner. He asks for I.D.. I just show him my badge.
--
Room 24. Silver's 25. I unlock the door and walk in. The bathroom to my left, one bed. A radio across from the bed. Some newspapers on a stand next to the bed.
I walk in and put my saddlebags on the bed, then walk over and turn on the radio. Octavia's symphony plays. It's nice. Helps me sleep sometimes.
I walk back over to the bed and fall into it. Closing my eyes, I let sleep take me.
------ until something hit the wall in the room adjacent to me.
Getting up, I think about what that was.
Unless throwing things is good, I think something might be up over in Silver's room. I exit my room and walk over to the door of Silver's. Knocking on it, I call through it.
"Hey Silver! Everything okay?"
I hear things moving around and being placed. I knock again, this time he opens the door.
"Hey... Andreah." He stutters out.
He looks horrible, his eyes look like they have cataracts. He's breathing hard. He's not wearing his suit but he has these weird sock things that cover up his front forelegs.
I giggle.
"What's with the socks?"
"Uh..." He looks at them. "I don't know."
"Hmm. Everything alright?" I ask him.
"Night." He says, closing the door in my muzzle. Snorting annoyedly, I walk back to my room, hopefully this time to sleep.
Dammit. The alarm clock already.
I open my eyes and look at the analog clock on the nightstand.
5:30.
I sigh then heave myself out of bed. Throw on my coat and walk out the door. I walk over Silver's door and bang on the door.
"Hey! Get up!" I yell. No response. Deciding to enter, I turn the door nob and open the door.
I can't see anything, the lights not on. Reaching around for the light switch, I walk into the bathroom. Turning on the light, I get the smell of vomit. Wrinkling my nose, I turn around. The light from the bathroom illuminates the light switch for the actual bed room. Turning off the bathroom light, I walk over and turn the main light.
Being able to see, I look around. There's a lump under the covers of the bed I assume Silver. The place is relatively clean aside from his suit thrown into the floor. And his saddlebag open and on the floor. I walk over to the bed and see a blood red hoof hanging off the bed.
That's not right. Silver's hooves are tan, not red.
Knowing something's off, I yank the blanket off of him.
He's laying on his back, forelegs out. In his front left leg, a needle.
Shit! Silver! Running over to the phone, I pick up the hoofset. Looking at Silver I see a bottle. I run back over and look at it. Instantly knowing the drug from my time in the cartel.
Dilaudid.
Author's Note
Ok! Before anypony chews my ass for this, I KNOW HORSES CAN'T THROW UP! They only can here for dramatic effect.
(Chapter 5) Case: An Apple Away
I've gotten used to hospitals. The smell of disinfectant around every corner, the constant nagging of the nurses.
"Do you need anything?" The nurse asks for the bazillianth time. I just smile at her.
"No I'm good." You could go away!
I didn't say that last part. Though I'm pretty sure she heard it anyway. She nods, smiling, and walks away.
This room is like all others. Bed by window, curtain separating Silver and I from the other pony in the bed. Little tray that can roll around, nightstand, EKG, me in the guest chair, flowers in the window. Those are from me, courtesy of Mr. Tangled Wires.
I sigh and look over at the unconscious Mr. Love me, love me not. Hey, I got flowers. Mabey I could turn to picking pedals.
The nurse walks in again. The one I'm about to throat punch.
"Ms. Reigns?" She asks looking at me.
"Yes?" I reply, getting up from my chair.
"I'm afraid visiting hours are over." She says, beckoning me over.
"He's unconscious, so technically I didn't visit at all." I snap back. She flinches, but hides it. She actually puffs out her chest a bit, like a defensive stallion.
"Well, you still have to leave. We're vacating all visiting ponies." She tells me.
'vacating'? Because you can't say kicking out.
I sigh, knowing I have to leave. I walk over to Silver and kiss him on his horn. Then walk away.
"Thank you." She says.
Your lucky I still don't punch you.
I still didn't say that.
Back at the lab, I look over the remains again. Looking at the skull and pelvis, I conclude it's female. I'm also taking note of where and on what I find the scavenger marks. So far, the most marks have been on the back femur. As if something was knawing on it before it at buried.
So far, the only culprit is a wild dog. Or maybe that mutt Applejack has.
The only evidence I have of it being a dog, is the fact that the remains were buried. All of them.
I got lucky.
Knock
Knock
"Come in!" I shout, looking over to the door to see who it is. Walking in with a mail cap on is a gray Pegasus. Cross-eyed and bubbles for Cutie Mark.
"Package for... Dr. Andrea Reigns?" She asks, cocking her head.
"It's: an-DRAY-uh." I tell her, walking over. "But thanks you, miss..."
"Ditsy Doo!" She almost shouts with a huge smile.
"Ditsy." I can't help giggling. I grab the small manilla envelope and thank her. She leaves and I walk over to the counter, placing the manila down.
Opening it, I pull out a packet I suspect is identity of the Jane Doe on the table. Secondly I pull out a lined piece of paper. It's a letter.
Dear Andreah,
Your back! Welcome back! I'm looking forward to working with you again! You were missed!
And regarding the flowers, I never sent any. I wasn't aware you were back until I received the request for an I.D.
Love,
Tangled Wires
I set the letter down. If he didn't send the flowers, who did? And why under his name?
To this I have no answer.
Setting aside the letter, I pick up the packet.
Thicker than it should be. Normally it's one paper.
Looking at the front, I read the name.
Name: Murky Sky Sex: Female Age:25
Description: Blue mane, blue coat, green eyes.
Cutie Mark: Gray clouds
Learning nothing that could benefit be here, I flip to the second page.
Offense: Misdemeanor Theft.
Description: On the night of 5/09/XXXX, Ponyville police received a phone call claiming stolen property. When officers arrived, Murky Sky was found fleeing the scene. Found on her person was six stolen 'Songbird Serenade' CDs, adding up to a total of 96 bits. 40.5 community service hours where sentenced and served.
Growling, hoping the rest of the ten page packet isn't just Misdemeanors, I flip through it.
"Hmm... Misdemeanor theft again; attempted assault; assault and battery; oooh here we go, felony theft!" I giggle to myself until I hit a dreadful charge.
Offense: Possession of illicit drugs.
Description: On 11/26/XXXX Ponyville police received a call claiming that four ponies were using illicit drugs in the apartment across from them. Ponyville police arrive and speak with the caller. "I know their using the drugs because they were up all night yelling about it. Something called Oxycodone." The owner told the officers. They then proceeded to knock on the door of the suspected drug users. Responding to the door was Murky Sky. (See back of page for transcript) Once invited in, the officers managed to find traces of oxycodone on the kitchen counter. Murky Sky was arrested on a possession charge. As well as the other two in the apartment. Lucky Strike and Postal Card. All three were sentenced to 12 years in prison. They will be released on 5/02/XXXX.
"They were released two months ago." I tell myself. The gears in my head turning, I trot back over to the remains.
Putting on hoof gloves, I lift the skull.
"Hmm. The Forum Magnum is clear with no evidenceof anything. Not even scavengers. There is a-"
"You need somepony to talk to?" A voice cuts me off. I turn to the door.
"Agent Qwick." I say. He gives me a flirtatious smile.
"I heard you were back in town. Thought I'd say hello." He tells me. Walking over her puts on hoof gloves. Placing his forehooves on the table, he looks over the remains.
"Well, one thing is definitive." He says.
"What's that?" I ask. I shouldn't have.
"This pony is dead." He says looking up and half smirking. I roll my eyes.
"This one's name is Murky Sky. Though COD is inconclusive, I'm suspecting drug overdose. Sometime between a month to two months ago." I say. He nods.
"Substantial amount of scavenging. The bones are marred up quite a bit."
My turn to nod.
"She had to have died in the woods. A death in a house wouldn't let birds or dogs get her."
"Unless she was dragged and dumped. For money or drugs, ponies will go to extremes." He tells me. I sigh. Then my phone rang.
I trot over to the desk and lift the hoofset with my wing.
"Hello, RCIS Hippologist Andreah Reigns speaking." I say.
"Hello, Miss Reigns. Silver Colt is awake and requesting you."
Author's Note
Is this getting dry? I hope not. I love writing these.
(Chapter 6) Case: An Apple Away
Agent Qwick. He's a grey Earth Pony and his mane a sheek black. He has orange eyes. His hooves are a different colour than his coat, they're blue. He's skinny, a whole lot skinnier than Silver. Almost anorexic. His Cutie Mark is a Griffin Arms pistol with lines signifying quickness. (Kind of like a quick draw.)
He's also attractive as all hell.
All that aside, I have to get to the hospital.
"Qwick." I say turning around. He looks at me, across the table with the remains.
"What?" He asks. His eyes sparkling.
Dammit! No!
"I have to go to the hospital to see Silver." I tell him, taking off the gloves. He takes his forehooves off the table and walks over to me. He clicks his tongue.
"Ain't he your coltfriend?" He asks.
Don't do it!!
"Not at the moment." Dammit Andreah!!
"Well... Whaddya say w-"
"Okay bye!" I shout, trotting out of the lab.
"Is Andreah here yet?" I hear Silver ask the nurse.
I'm hiding behind the curtain. Something I can do because the other bed is not occupied at the moment.
"Not yet. I'm sure she'll be here soon. She was very reluctant to leave your side." The nurse tells him. I feel my cheeks grow hotter.
The two of them cease talking. I hear the nurse clink around. Probably getting blood samples from Silver. A few more seconds later and she's walking out with a tray of full blood vials. Passing right by me.
I take a deep breath, hoping no conflict between Silver and I will happen.
Well, even if he yells at me for helping him, I'm gonna yell right back about me actually saving his flank twice and he seriously owes me.
Though I hope I don't have to do that. I'm prepared to.
Breathing again, I step out from the curtain and walk to the hoof of his bed.
"Well, well. Look who's awake." I say, acting as calmly as I can. Silver turns his head, going from looking at the window, to looking at me. "So... I'm here. Watcha need?" I ask.
He looks back at the window. I can just barely make out the reddining in his face.
"I never called for you." He says, monotonously.
"You did. I was behind the curtain when the nurse was doing a blood draw." I stubbornly tell him. He looks at me wide eyed.
"You were spying on me!?" He asks angrely. I shake my head
"No..." I sigh. "I was hiding. I was scared to talk to you." I admit. His expression sofens.
"I don't blame you.... Who would want to talk to a junkie like me?" He growls. "It'd be best if you go."
"What? No!" I shout, walking to his left, putting myself between him and the table with the phone.
"Yes, Andreah. Please go."
"No, Silver! I saved your ass twice. I'm not going to leave you now!" I yell, not caring if the nurses hear me.
"Look at this!" He raises his voice, lifting his front hooves. "I blood shot just my front hooves." He then holds out his left foreleg. "I've fucked up my leg completely!"
"So?" I protest, getting closer. .
"If I can't take care of myself... How will I be able to take care of you? Now go!"
"I'm not leaving you, Silver! Your my partner. Always have been!" I yell, getting even closer. "And I don't plan to leave my coltfriend behind." I say softly.
"I'm not your coltfriend." He says, pushing me.
To hard.
I fumble backwards, tripping on my own hooves and falling backwards. I try to turn, but only end up cracking the left side of my head on the table. I feel the skin split and blood start to trickle.
Standing up, I put my left hoof on the cut.
"Andreah... I-i'm...."
"Yeah, your right. You don't even care, much less have the ability to provide!" I shout angrely. Turning, I hobble out of the room, having my left hoof keep pressure.
I wince, hissing in air as the unicorn nurse magicly applies antiseptic with a cotten ball.
"You fell pretty hard, hard enough to give a concussion. Luckily, I don't think you did. But you'll know for certain tomorrow." She tells me. The nurse had been at the hallway nurse's station when I hobbled out.
Putting a gauze pad over the cut, she then wraps a disposable bandage around my head, the wrap keeping the gauze in place.
I turn to her after she's done.
"You think I was to hard on him?" I ask her. She shakes her head.
"Trust me, I've been through two husbands. And trust me when I say, your lucky you got to say what you did. I wish I did." She says, closing up and the medical box.
"Thank you." I say to her. She smiles at me.
"Of coarse."
She picks up the box with her magic and she walks back to the station.
I stand up from the hallway waiting chair and look back towards Silver's room door. Thinking for a second, I then turn around to the direction of the stairs. I growl to myself.
"I'll deal with him later."
I walk back into the Ponyville lab, and Qwick is at the remains, picking them up and examining them.
"Are you actually on this case or are you here to bother me?" I ask him, heading over to the table. He looks up.
"Dear Celestia what happened!?" He asks worriedly. I shake my head, causing it to trob.
Maybe I did get a concussion.
"I just fell. A nurse there patched me up." Well I'm not lying. Just not giving the whole truth.
"You going to be okay?" He asks, setting the radius down and trotting over to me.
"I'll be fine. What'd you find?" I ask, looking over to him. He has his right foreleg in the air.
"Come here." He demands, motioning to me. Does he want me to hug him?
"What? No." I say turning around. He trots in front of me.
"No. I'm not going anywhere until you hug me." He says. "It'll make you feel better."
I doubt that.
"I'm good. What did you find?" I repeat.
This time he comes over to me and puts his forelegs around me. I try to pull out from his grasp but to no avail.
To tell the truth, it feels good to be in somepony's embrace again. Even if it's not Silver.
I feel my eyes start to water.
Dammit! Don't cry.
I break down crying. I don't even know why.
(chapter 7) Case: An Apple Away
Author's Note
If you didn't know, I updated the long description of this story.
(chapter 7) Case: An Apple Away
"Maybe it was a Lycan!" Qwick shouts from across the morgue. I look up from the notes on my desk.
"A what?" I laugh, hopping off my chair.
"A Lycan. Lycanthrope?" He tries to get something to ring a bell. Nope.
I shake my head and walk over to the table.
"I have no idea what it is your trying to say." I tell him, looking down at the remains.
"Hold on..." He tells me, walking over to the table. "If this was just a normal canine, wouldn't it of buried just a few pieces? Not the whole bloody thing?"
"Bloody?"
"Bear with me. Is my statement correct?"
"I guess. Now that you mention it, it is odd that the whole thing was buried." I admit, throwing on hoof gloves. "But it could be a 'normal canine' creating a cache."
"Or, It was a Lycan. It killed Miss Murky here while there was a full moon. After the moon passed, they realized what they did, turned back into the wolf and buried the corpse. But not after getting their fill of dinner." He says, putting on his own pair of hoof gloves.
Then proceeding to pick up the skull and mandible and moving the mandible up and down.
"Put that down!" I reprimand, grabbing them from him. I put them back in their proper spot on the table.
"Why?" He cocks his head to the left. I ignore him.
"If it was a... 'lycan'... How come I've never heard of it?" I ask. Looking back up at him, I ruffle my wings annoyedly.
"Well, probably because Princess Luna has their existence a priority secret. All agents are required to know everything about it." He says, bringing his forehooves off the table and taking the gloves off.
"I'm an agent. Did you just waste those gloves to play with the skull!?"
"Yep." He says, wadding them up and tossing them in the direction of the waste bin. Missing. "You didn't go through the agent school-place like we had to. That's where we were taught about it."
"Oh, yeah, I did- where are you going?" I ask, watching him open the door.
"I'm going to go get a list of all Lycans in the Ponyville area." He says. Leaving without giving me time to respond.
I roll my eyes then turn my attention back to the remains on the table.
It is odd how all the remains are here. If it were a typical scavenger burial it would be scattered burials, if any at all.
I looked through Murky Sky's criminal record for about another hour before looking up at the clock.
"Damn, already?" I ask myself, watching the clock turn from 9:29 to 9:30.
Deciding I'll look through the record more at home, I throw it into my saddlebag. Placing the bags on my flank, I head out the door.
Walking into my apartment, i'm greeted by the yelling of my hungry cat. Telling her I'll feed her in a minute, I head to my bedroom, tossing the chafing bags onto the bed.
Next, throwing myself onto the bed, I pull the bags over to me and remove the file.
Skimming through it, I stop at one I feel could yield some information.
Offence: Assault and Attempted Homicide
Description: At 10:47PM Vanhoover police received a call stating the caller witnessed a murder in an alleyway connecting two streets. When officers responded, they found Murky Sky standing over (Name Undisclosed) Lucky 6, with a knife pointed at Lucky's throat. When police confronted Murky, she claimed self defense. Soon after, attempted to harm one of the officers. Tazer was discharged.
Lucky 6 was medivac'd to Canterlot hospital. 6 survived the assault and made a recovery in Canterlot hospital. Officers returned to speak with him a week later.
"She just came at me with a knife, y'know? She threatened me. Wanted bits. Wanted drugs. I ain't got any o' that shit. She bucked me in The side, knocking me over. That's when she put the knife in my neck. I thought I was dead. Thank Celestia you came."
6 was discharged two weeks after the incident. Murky Sky is serving a year in prison.
"A year? That's not very long." I tell myself. Only to be responded by the yells of a starving cat.
"I'm coming!" I yell at Ruby, standing up and trotting out of my room.
I want a house. Like a real house. A front door and a back door. Windows and stairs. Closets that will hold the paint for the outside. Maybe once Silver's out of the hospital he'll agree to get a house with me.
Or maybe Qwick.
MEOW!
Ruby yowls, pulling me back to reality. Sighing, I open the cabinet and grab the cat food. Then the can opener. The monotony of this task has become hell.
With my cat happily slurping up the food, I trot back over to my room.
I hop back up and get comfortable. Grabbing the Sky file, I feel my stomach gurgle. Shaking my head, I tell myself I'll eat in the morning.
After another hour of reading the file, my eyes have become lead. I glance over to my clock. 12:26.
I close the file and put it on my nightstand. Not wanting to get up to move my saddlebags, I use by hind hooves to kick it off the bed. Pulling the covers out from under me then putting them on top of me. I was asleep before the blankets made contact.
RING!!!
Groaning, I throw the pillow over my head.
"It's Sunday!" I shout, my voice cut out by the pillow.
RING!!
Wait. That's not my alarm. That's my phone!
I throw the pillow and covers off me, scaring the cat awake. Landing on my hooves, I trot as fast as I can without breaking anything.
What if it's Qwick? Or Silver?
"Shup up!" I verbally yell. Now filled with paranoia caused by the spontaneous thought, I hesitate to pick up the hoofset.
Then it stops ringing. I continue to stare at it, as if challenging it to ring again.
After about a minute I turn around and head for the kitchen.
RING!
I make it over to pick it up.
"Hello?" I say into it.
"Hello? Andreah?" A gravelly voice says on the other side.
"This is she, who is this?"I ask. On the outside I'm calm. On the inside I'm freaking out.
"Who am I?" The choice asks with disbelief. "I'm your father."
(Chapter 8) Case: An Apple Away
"Dad?" I ask, gaining a laugh from the other side.
"Yes. It's me. I caught word that you were in Ponyville. So I called your residence there to say: hello!" He says.
Here's a little something about my dad: his name is Dark artist. And, as you probably guessed, he's a painter. And Celestia is he annoying.
"You 'caught word'?" I ask, the quotations evident in my tone. "From who?"
"Note, Of course! He calls your mother and me everytime you're on a new case and tells us where you're going to be!" He tells me, his smile audible. I sigh.
"Why in Equestria would Chief Note give you updates on where I am?"
"Well... We asked." He says like it's something I should've known. I scoff.
"Bye dad."
"Wait!"
"What?"
"Come visit will you? We haven't seen you for... Hell... Two years now. We would love to see you. And maybe you could bring that partner of yours. The one you said was your coltfriend." He tells me.
When had I told him that? The letter I sent before I went to the cartel? I don't remember.
Dad saying that causes a wave of depression to hit me.
"Yeah. Maybe. Bye dad." I whisper.
I can hear him protesting as I set the hoofset down, hanging up.
I heave a sad sigh. Mentally kicking myself for the tears welling in my orange eyes.
meow?
My cat meekly asks. I turn and look at her, smiling.
"At least your here." I say, wiping the tears away. Walking over to her, scooping her up with a wing and placing her on my back. "I'm going back to bed. You're coming."
She meows a response.
KNOCK KNOCK!
Somepony raps on my apartment door.
"No more!" I yell, not caring if whomever is at the door can hear me. "I just want to sleep."
"'Dreah! It's noon!"
Silver?!
I jump out of bed and run to the front door, ignoring the dizziness from the drop in blood pressure. Making it to the door and swinging it open, only to have my hopes crushed.
"Oh... It's just you." I say to Qwick.
"What? Am I not good enough for you?" He asks, faking a frown.
"Your not allowed to call me 'Dreah. That names reserved."
"For who?"
"My coltfriend." I say, putting my muzzle in the air.
"And if I understand correctly, you don't have one right now." He says, smirking.
"I have a list of possibles." I lie.
"Do these put me on that list?" He asks, picking up flowers that were sitting out of my view.
A bouquet of purple roses and baby's breath.
"Oh. For me?" I ask dramatically, placing a hoof on my chest.
"Yes. For you 'Dreah." He says, the smirk growing to a smile. I grab the bouquet in my mouth.
"Ftill not allowed do use dat name!" I muffledly tell him.
"Eh, I tried." He sighs, pointing into my apartment. "May I?"
I nod moving out of the way, allowing him to walk in. He walks over to my sofa while I close the door and head over to the kitchen in search for a vase.
"Don't work on weekends?" He shouts so I can hear him.
"No." I shout through the flowers. Finding a vase under the sink and placing it on the counter. Unwrapping the flowers from the paper, I place them in the vase.
"Do you like them?" He asks, causing me to jump.
"When did you get that close?" I ask, turning my head to look at him, five hooves away from me.
"Sorry, I can be quiet sometimes. Doing a lot of things." He says, smirking.
Ignoring the obvious reference to sexual acts, I turn and walk over to the sink with the vase grasped in my left wing.
"Why exactly did you show up here? I doubt it was just to give me these flowers." I shout over my shoulder, filling the vase with water. When receiving no response I turn to see why.
I gasp with surprise when his lips meet mine. My wings involuntarily splaying out. Qwick laughs, breaking the kiss.
"Did you enjoy it that much?" He asks, continuing to laugh. I push him roughly with my wings.
"Get out."
"What?" Stumbling, his laughing dying out and smile fading. I tuck my wings back to my body.
"I did not invite you into my home to be flirted with. The flowers are nice, thank you. But that's where I mu-" my voice cracks. I breath deeply. "I'm saving myself for one pony specifically. And I don't intend to change that. Now, Mr.Qwick, please leave."
I look at him, watching as he puts his ears back. Then nods.
"I-i'll see you Monday."
He turns around and walks to the door. Opening it, he looks back at me. Then walking out and closing the door.
I fall to the floor and cover my eyes with my forehooves.
"Dammit! I don't want to have to choose." I tell myself, feeling tears start to well.
Meow?
I uncover my eyes and look at Ruby, standing in front of me. I smile.
"Are you hungry?" I ask her, getting a meow that sounds like a 'yes'.
I'll spare you the details of me feeding my cat again.
Soon enough the phone rings it's annoying announcement.
"It's Saturday! Can I not speak to anypony!?" I annoyedly shout to nopony.
Groaning, I walk over and pick up the hoofset.
"Hello?"
"Andreah? It's your mom."
"Hi Mom. Yes, I know. You want to see me. I'll see you soon. Goodbye."
"Hey! Don-"
I hang up and sigh.
"I'm done with ponies today. I'll do stuff tomorrow." I shout. Running into my room and jumping into my bed.
Rolling over, laying normally on the bed, I place a pillow over my head.
RING! RING!
"I'm going to kill somepony!" I shout, after the phone wakes me up.
Groaning I roll to the right, falling of the bed and hitting the floor.
I stand up and slowly walk to the ringing phone.
Extending a wing, I reluctantly pick up.
"What!?"
"Andreah? It's S-Silver."
(Chapter 9) Case: An Apple Away
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. (Chapter 10) Case: An Apple Away
Author's Note
I'll do my best to keep this story from being exceedingly long, though i'm on chapter ten and have barely touched the murder.
(Chapter 10) Case: An Apple Away
I have never slept so bad in my life. Tossing and turning like a maniac. I want somepony to snuggle up with.
Dammit.
I have to get up. It's morning.
I groan and sit up, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.
To get out of bed, I have to lay on my side and pull my hind legs out from under me. This way I can stand up and hop off the bed.
Exiting the bedroom and deciding not to shower, I head to the kitchen. Choosing to make a quick bowl of hot oats, I then notice the piece of paper on the fridge. I pick it from under the magnet with a wing.
Andreah, Thank you for letting me to sleep here, I left quietly and early enough not to wake you. See you Sometime during the week.
-Silver
Well than.
Back at the lab, after what seemed like a week. Though only being two days, I sure doesn't feel like it.
"Hi Andreah." Somepony says sulkily from behind me. I turn from the remains to look.
"Hello there, Qwick." I respond, then turn back to the bones. There is a slight anomaly on the top of the left radius. But not anything like all the scavenger marks. It's too straight and perfect. Looking closer, it seems to be a small channel.
"Find anything interesting?" He asks, heading to the table side across from me and throwing on gloves.
"Yeah, what does this look like to you?" I ask, holding up the radius. He grabs it and brings it closer to his face.
"Well, I'll tell you it's not natural. Got to be from some kind of tool." He looks back up at me, returning the bone back to my hoof.
"You've been studying. Good. Now, reading her b-"
"It's female?" He cuts me off.
"I've told you before."
"Not that I recall."
I let out an annoyed groan.
"Anyway, I read her record. She's been arrested for Possession of drugs and other things relating to drugs. So if I had to guess, it would be a 25 gauge needle."
"But look at it more." He grabs it from my hoof again. "It's too precise at where a vain would be. It also looks forced. I'm not a drug addict, but I'm pretty sure that they wouldn't shove it hard enough to damage a bone." He places it back onto the table.
"What are you suggesting?"
"I'm saying I think she was murdered. Somepony could've taken advantage of her, shoved a needle into her leg and overdosed her. Effectively killing her, while making it look like an accident." He tells me.
"Well, you have a badge for a reason. Grab the file off my desk and I want you to go talk to the others who knew miss Murky." I demand, taking off the gloves and throwing them at the trash bin. Making it.
"Wow, so assertive. I kinda like it." He flirtatiously says to me. My eyes roll.
Quick walks over to my desk and picks up the file.
"Okay... So... Murky Sky. Looks like she knew a... Lucky Strike. And a Postal Card. Hmm. Their parents weren't very creative naming them." He says, placing the file in his bag. I watch as he turns around and walks over to the door.
"Hey Andreah." He calls, turning around.
"What?"
"How about dinner later tonight? I know it's a Monday, but after I catch these leads and your stuck at a dead end, I figured it'd be good for us to unwind." He inquires, turning around, his eyes glinting towards me.
"What." I say plainly, this not being a thing I expected. Not remotely.
"Well. I've recently received a paycheck..." Drawing out the word check, he walks over to me. Then places a hoof under my chin, slowly moving along. "And you, malady, are just a beautiful sight that should be treated to a nice dinner." He purrs. Lowering his hoof, but bringing the distance between our faces closer.
"You know 'malady' is a disease, right?" Smile.
"Uhh.."
"You Mr.Qwick, have a silver tongue." I say, turning away, then walking towards my desk. My left ear flicks with slight amusement.
"I'm not sure whether that is good or bad." He admits.
Giggling, I look back at him over by flank.
"Yes. I'll let you treat me to dinner." Full 180. "But don't get too carried away. Or think too much of it." I say, getting an agreeing nod.
"Of course." Turning, he walks towards the door. "Malady."
The two way mirror separates me and the cocaine addict sitting in the interrogation room. Quick hauled in Postal Card. Lucky strike is on his way.
Quick is doing his interrogation thing where he stands, staring at the guy until he says something.
It's been like this for ten minutes.
"What ever you t'ink ah deed, ah deedn't do eet." Postal finally breaks the silence.
"Is it true your a drug addict?" Stone Cold, unmoving.
"I want my lawyer." Shit.
A very very, VERY skinny mare walks in and sits next to Postal.
"So, again Postal Card, is it true that you're a drug addict?" Quick repeats.
"You don't have to answer that." The lawyer says. So Postal he exercises his right to remain silent.
"What gauge needle do you use?" Qwick continues.
"You don't h-"
"SHHHHHHT!" Qwick shushes her.
"I'm the l-"
"Shhhhh!" He does it again, this time quieting the mare. "Anyway, Postal. We found one of your old..." He coughs. "Buddies. 'cept here's the twist. She's dead."
From the booth I can see the muscles in Postal's neck muscles flex than relax.
Fear.
I grab the hoofheld radio to tell quick through his earpiece.
"So? My friends die all the time." Card says defensively. Quick ignores this.
"Did you know somepony named..." He looks at a paper, most likely to set Card on edge. "Murky Sky."
I catch it again. Fear. And this time surprise. His eyes buldged for a second.
He knows something. I tell Qwick.
"So you know her?" He asks.
"You don't have t-"
"Yes. I know her. And I was there when she was killed."
(Chapter 11) Case: An Apple Away
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. (Chapter 1) Case: Unassigned
Rain. Why is it that rain symbolized sadness? Is it Equestria's way of showing its sadness? Or is it the weather crew just being dramatic?
Either way, it dampens the mood.
I stand in the crowd of mourners, mourning those who gave their lives during the dungeon raid. My blood red mane creating a pathway for the water to the ground.
CRACK!
Seven rifles fire off.
CRACK!
They fire a second time.
CRACK!
The third and last time the rifles fire their blanks. Behind the pegasi, two unicorns fold up an Equestrian flag. Aside the unicorns are Earth ponies, slowly lowering a casket into the ground.
"Mommy!" A little filly yells, running over to the casket. "Mommy! Why are you burying Mommy!?" She screams at the Earth ponies. They don't answer. A red stallion walks over and picks up the filly.
"No!" She screams. "Don't leave Mommy!!!! Mommy!! Come back!!!"
This chair has never fed depression before today. It used to help lift my spirits, I'd spin in it for hours. Now it's just reminding me of Silver.
Meow?
"What?" I say, lifting my head off the counter.
Meow!
"Your hungry? Come on." I say, dragging myself out of my chair. I take her running over to the cabinet as a yes. I walk over to the cabinet and open it with a wing. I pull out a can of cat food and a can opener. Stand through the painstakingly annoying sound of a can opening.
I place the newly opened can onto the floor and let Ruby eat. Walking back over to my couch I take off my trench coat and throw it across the room angrely.
"I'm so sorry, Silver." I say to myself.
Then the phone rings.
I jump up and run over to it, preying it's Silver calling.
I pick up the hoofset.
I lower the gun from my mouth with my magic. I can't, not now. She's not dead.
I've been through this routine a dozen times. Put the gun in my mouth, swearing to myself 'this is it.'
But it always results in the same way, crying, throwing the gun across the room and screaming. Hoping that the throw would cause the gun to fire and hit me just right.
This time was different. There was no screaming, no throwing. Just returning the gun to it's proper spot, and loathing Andreah's way of telling me she was alive. Only if she knew what her 'death' did to me. How many times it caused me to place that pistol against my soft palate.
Two weeks ago she walked into this room and acted like we saw each other yesterday.
No.
Let's see how you feel Andreah. Let's see how you cope.
I lift the pistol with my magic and place it in my mouth again. I hear the safety click off.
The phone rings.