The Lulamoon Files

The Lulamoon Files

Chapter Fourteen: Picture Perfect

Written by TheCrimsonDM

“Celestia rut me proper,” I whispered as I watched the other little rainbow balls repeat the process. Several cracks were quickly spread over each one of my windows. Dents were popping in my roof as their little bodies hit with enough force to do damage.

I started my car and the radio popped on. I pushed down on the break and screamed. The engine died. The radio stayed on though.

The radio mare had a voice like silk in a storm of doom. “And now a special request from Pinkie Pie to a pony trapped in a bad situation; Rocket for me by Colors.”

If I was going to die, at least I was getting a beautiful mare to sing me into oblivion. It was probably the sweetest voice I’d ever heard, full of vigor, confidence, sexuality, and grace all at the same time. A trumpet blared in the background while she sang.

“It came to town

A new kind of motion

Spread around

Sort of set you frying

Now I’m all through with sympathy

Oh, rocket for me

Every night

You’ll see all the cites

That’s right

Poor and filthy

Now that they’re all down with sympathy

Ho ho ho, rocket for me

Now it’s true that once upon a time

The warscene was all but devine

Now today it’s all rage and pain

So you won’t you satisfy me

Oh Rocket, Oh rocket

Oh rocket for me.”

I sat there, waiting.

And waiting some more.

The sound of the swarm was still buzzing up ahead, barely audible over the sound of the music, but they’d stopped hitting my car. I looked up, the swarm was slowly moving off into the distance. The swarm seemed to be bouncing, swinging from side to side, and having what looked to be a wonderful time. There was a blue one on hood of my car, it’s wings had broken and it’s body was bloody and bruised. Yet it was still bouncing, or flopping in rhythm to the music coming out of my stereo.

I don’t know how long I sat there. Staring at that little guy. I know that I watched it attempt to dance until it finally gave in, closed its eyes, and went limp. Yet I just couldn’t bring myself to move. I had… won? Survived surely, but the swarm actually flew away.

I remembered then something that Flitter had said. The rainbow wall had chased her all the way up until she hit a parade. There was music in parades. I smiled at finding what had to be an important clue in how to defeat the warlock. I turned my key again. This time the engine roared to life, and I was off. Where was I going? Well first of all I was going to get my key and check my messages. After that, I wasn’t entirely sure. One step at a time I suppose.

***

My office was just as I thought it would be. Being watched by a police car in the street across from it. Even though my watch told me it was ten I knew that I could get inside easily enough. But if I went up there I was going to be seen. Now I was really regretting my wasteful use of the invisibility potion.

I parked around the block and got out. The cops were going to see me the moment I went inside the office. At least they would if they were looking at me. Invisibility spells were very difficult. I had managed to go invisible a few times in practice, but only for a few short seconds. The issue was that one had to be able to constantly account for creating a shifting illusion of their surroundings as they moved. So standing still and being invisible wasn’t that challenging, it was moving that taxed me too hard. There were however much easier options available for not being seen.

I peered around the corner of the building and saw the cop car still sitting there. I could make out two ponies inside, though I wasn’t sure who they were. With a flick of my wand I cast one of my grand illusions, perhaps the greatest one yet. A double of myself! I sent my double walking right past the cop car, going toward the office as though she was heading to work. She didn’t look as roughed up as me, but I did add the bandages to keep it more realistic.

The car doors swung open. Both Applejack and Caramel Apple stepped out of the car. Caramel had her gun ready in her mouth. Applejack stomped loudly. “Freeze! Yer under arrest!”

My double looked back, screamed, and galloped down the street in the opposite direction. I heard Caramel’s revolver go off followed by Applejack cursing at him and giving chase. “Don’t you dare shoot her again!”

Caramel followed. “She ran!”

“I don’t care if she’s running, driving, or flying on a broomstick away from us, you don’t shoot her!” Applejack demanded as the two rounded the corner and out of view.

I wasn’t sure how long my double would exist for, but my hope was that it would last long enough. I galloped to the front door of the building, whipped out my bobby pin and got to work on unlocking the door. Within seconds the door was unlocked and I was inside. I locked the door up behind me and went straight for the elevator. I was going up.

Once I got to my floor I got off and spotted my office. Oh how I missed my office. It was like a second home to me, just public. After slipping inside I hit my ice chest for a cold Cobra Cola. The snuggery caffeine drink washed down my throat like godly elixir. The itching in my brain stopped and the aches started to fade. It was no rejuvenation potion, but it was as close as I was going to get.

The key, I was happy to discover, was still inside the desk in its little box. I took a seat and relaxed in my chair, still nursing my cola. I had no idea where I was supposed to go after this. The warlock was out there, somewhere. Rider wasn’t involved with him and he was my best lead. Scythe was dead. Flitter was dead. What in Equestria was I supposed to do?

A tired sigh escaped my lips. It had been a long night. Too long. Being on the run from the cops, as well as from a giant swarm of little colorful round things that ate ponies. Manticores, wardens, and dragons, oh my.

After a few minutes I finished off my cola and glared at the door. My stomach was groaning, and I felt the hunger pains. A few more peanut butter crackers later I was not in much better shape. I was running on darn near empty, but what was I supposed to do now?

My phone sat there. Staring at me. It occurred to me that there was one pony that I could still contact. One pony that might still have a resource available to help. Though I was positive that they were completely out right now. It was too much to hope for, but I called in anyway.

The phone rang nine whole times before it was picked up. The sleepy voice on the other end spoke in a soothing tone that could bring peace to the middle of a warzone. “H-hello?”

“Hey, Coco, it’s me, Trixie.”

“Trixie? It’s pretty late, so this much be important, right? What do you need?”

“Did a mare named Flitterbell stop by today?”

“The mare you sent to me? Yes. She stopped by and I fed her, I even offered her a blessing but sadly she didn’t want to stay. I attempted to ease her mind by telling her that you would check up on her, but she was really determined to leave.”

“Where did she go?”

“Why do you ask? Did something… did something happen?”

I grimaced. “I just need to know where she went. Please Mother Coco, I need the help.”

There was silence for a moment. “Would you be willing to come into church Sunday?”

“No.”

“She went to her house. I have the address right here for you.”

“Thank you, Coco.”

“You send the Sun Goddess’s lost children my way for help, of course I can return the favor.”

“I don’t do it for your god.”

“No, but you still do holy work.”

I growled. “What’s the address?”

“400 south, Devil’s Ballroom.”

I wanted to scream. Flitterbell lived in Devils Ballroom. Of course she had a magical key and was being chased by a monster. That place was dangerous and the only law was Wind Rider’s thugs. Still it was as good a clue as I could get.

“Thank you, Coco.”

“Please don’t thank me, thank the sun goddess. She is the one helping you, always, even in our darkest nights her light is there to guide us to the next dawn.”

I hung up.

After that I decided to grab a cola for the road and leave. It was well past time to get out into night and go to Flitter’s last known location. Part of me was terrified that I’d find her body there. Another part of me realized that I needed whatever clues she had bad enough to break into a potential crime scene. It was just one small trip down the elevator, and one lucky trip out the front door and back to my car. Applejack’s car was gone now. I suspect they were looking for my vehicle. It was only by blind luck that they didn’t find it on the street.

I got in, turned on the engine and pulled out of there. The roads were quiet, and traffic was low. This meant it only took ten minutes to get all the way over to the Devils Ballroom to start looking for Flitterbell’s place. I found it sure enough, a small single story house on a quiet street. The house itself was a faded blue with an overgrown yard full of weeds. Police tape surrounded the house telling me not to go in. The neighbors houses on either side actually looked worse. I saw a group of young donkeys down the street watch as I parked outside the house. They watched me, or more specifically my car with hungry eyes.

I had learned long ago that the only way to go around a city like this was to move with predatory purpose. I got out and marched my way past the police tape and up to the house. I made double sure that my keys were in my pocket. They were.

I didn’t knock. No point in knocking on a dead mare’s door. I just opened it and walked in like I owned the place. There was no magic barrier, and I felt no weaker inside. Yeah, this wasn't a home anymore, just a murder scene.

The inside was a wreck. Chunks were missing from the wall. Bits of the carpet had been torn up. The sofa was in shreds. I was careful not to touch anything important looking as I made my way further in, over to the kitchen. Food had been splattered against the wall as something hungry had ate it. I didn’t have to guess what that thing was either.

Next the bathroom. This room was in surprisingly good shape. Though when I looked over and saw the stained carpet in the bedroom I knew why. Inside everything had been torn apart. Drawers thrown to the floor, clothes ripped and discarded and dark splatters covered the walls. At least the body had been moved, or more likely bagged.

The thought made my stomach twist. I looked around. There had to be some sort of clue, something, anything. I didn’t want Flitter’s death to be for nothing. I looked through the torn up papers, the discarded clothing, and the ruined bed. Why did Flitter come back here? What was so important that she couldn’t just stay in the church and be safe. Magic things couldn’t have touched her there.

After several minutes of searching I sat down and leaned against the wall. I was missing something. What though? That swarm of monsters had come in here and gobbled up everypony thus far. I mean that shouldn’t have even been possible. Magic creatures couldn’t just force their way into a house, not without losing a considerable amount of power. Each one of those swarming things were pretty weak on their own, so they wouldn’t be able to enter. That warlock would have to had been quite powerful indeed to break a threshold and retain any amount of power, but he wasn’t that strong. I’d witnessed him. The kind of power that he would need to pull this off would be godly.

I banged my head against the wall. “What am I missing?”

A portrait fell off of the wall and bonked me in the head. Glass shattered onto the floor as it landed. I rubbed at my head while lifting the portrait up with my telekinesis. It was another picture of the ponies working at the EWP. I saw Scythe and Flitterbell. This picture however differed from the one in the office earlier. This one wasn’t folded on the end like Scythe’s had been. On the corner of the picture I saw a pony I had met recently. A white stallion with a golden tail. The fedora he wore was black just as was his jacket and pants.

The stallion was Blue Blood.