*******135 E Memorial Blvd*******

I guess third times the charm. This time, Twilight didn’t lose her lunch. Granted, she still looked uncomfortable as hell, but at least there was some improvement here. She told Spike to wait outside while we, or mostly I, look over the body.

Obviously, it looked like there was a major struggle involved here. Like somepony barged into his home, Midnight tried to fight him off, but the killer got the upper hoof. There were chairs thrown over, lamps broken, and blood on the walls, which looked like Midnight trying to get away, but failed. The forensic team was searching the place for a murder weapon.

I brought out the photos that The Bartender from the Cruizin Colt gave me. The victim was the same one in this photo here. Pegasus, who looked to be about 27 or 28 years old, dark blue coat and black mane. He was lying in front of me with multiple stab wounds to his chest and torso area flat on his back.

Looks like I was right: The victim is Midnight Whistle. Steel’s gay lover.

"So, what have we got? Besides the vic's name that I was informed of earlier." I asked Cadaver.

He looked pretty surprised. "How did you know the victims...." He began to ask but then stopped himself. "Uh, nevermind. Anyway, from the state of the body, this happened literally just a little while ago. Some pony barged in, Midnight and whoever the suspect is fought with each other, they fought all over the house, until our killer stabbed Midnight in the stomach." Cadaver then levitated a bat toward me, which had blood on it. "Midnight hit the killer with the bat, temporarily incapacitating the killer. Midnight tries to fly away, but is succumbing to his injuries. The killer walks out here, and proceeds to stab Midnight about 9 times in the chest and torso area." He finished explaining to me.

"Is the blood on the bat our killer's, or did Midnight's blood get on there?" I asked him.

"I'll have to get back to the lab and check, but I'm almost certain that it is. Plus, I also did some extra research on the crime scene with Steel. And I found something you might find very helpful." He told me as he handed me a few photos from the lab.

They were photos of hoofprints. About 4 or 5 of them. "These hoofprints were taken at the crime scene. Each one of them is different. Look, sorry to make this case even more complicated, but I think your dealing with more than one killer." He told me.

"Do you have an ID on these hoofprints yet?" I asked.

"They're still coming in. But, we should have them soon, Mr. Shadow. I promise." He said to me.

"Alright. Anything else, I should know about?" I asked him.

He, then all of a sudden, looked uncomfortable. "Well, actually yes. And I've been kicking myself in the ass for not finding this out sooner." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked. He looked around and motioned me to come closer to whisper in my ear. Why he needed to do this, I didn't know, but why not? Why not humor him? So I did it.

He then whispered in my ear, "Steel was HIV positive when he died."

......Holy Fucking Shit.

"Are you sure?" I asked him.

He nodded. "Yes. I double AND triple checked the body to be sure. He tested positive all three times." He said to me silently. He looked queasy.

"Are you alright?" I asked him.

He sighed. "Yeah, it's just this kind of thing gets to me. I have a family member who is HIV positive. It's scares me, ya know." He said.

I put my hoof on his shoulder. "Well, it's good that your being brave and doing this. And I'm sorry about that family member of yours." I told him.

He smiled. "Thanks. I'll make sure to get the tests done as fast as I can. Then, I'll tell you about it right away. I gotta get back to the lab. Thanks again Mr. Shadow." He said as he left the area to do his job.

"Anytime Cadaver." I said to him as he left.

I walked up to Twilight, who also looked uneasy at everything around her. Can't say I blame her. I know she's fought giant monsters and evil villains before, but this is something entirely different.

This was a murder. Everyday life so to speak. Something I don't think she's ever seen, or wanted to see in her life.

"You doing okay, Twilight?" I asked her.

She sighed. "I just can't believe there's a possibility of a serial killer in a small and wonderful town like Ponyville. I thought this place was supposed to be the happiest in Equestria. Guess I was wrong." She said.

"Well, sorry to sound brutally honest, but that's just life Twilight. Stuff like this happens everyday. How do you think I feel whenever I'm on a murder case?" I asked her.

Twilight was silent before she asked, "Then why don't you just tell your sister about what happened during your case's? She'd be helpful, wouldn't she?"

"I get what your saying, but that wouldn't work either." I told her.

"Why not?"

"What do you expect me to say?" I then imitated my sister's voice, the best I could, "Hey Shadow, what happened at work today?" Then I did my voice. "Oh, I found a dead foal in a tree hanging from it intestines by the neck all bloodied and beaten to death. How was yours?" I finished.

Twilight looked shocked and freaked out as she stood there and looked at me.

"Understand?" I said softly.

She had a sad look on her face. "Okay, I get it."

*******Outside*******

I told Twilight everything as we walked outside. From the hoofprints to the fact that Steel was HIV positive when he died. She was a little shocked when I told her that, but let's be real here. When somepony is sexually active, has access to drugs, which may include needles, and is seen as an honorable figure, due to him being a royal guard, he may have been easily infected by some pony infected with one of the deadliest diseases in Equestrian history. I should've had a feeling he had something like this from the start of the investigation.

"Hey." Twilight said getting my attention.

"Yes?" I answered.

"How do you really do it?"

I raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Get through cases like this. I don't believe ponies can suppress their feelings for so long without telling some pony about it. There has to be some pony who you talk too. Do you have friends? Anypony you talk with?” Twilight asked me.

********9 Years Ago - High School********

”HOW COULD YOU?” A young mare asked a young stallion very angrily and with tears in her eyes.

“I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t think she would do something like this.” The stallion answered.

“Do you have any idea how much you hurt her when you said “No”?”

“How was I supposed to know she’d fucking shoot herself in the head?” The stallion screamed now sporting tears in HIS eyes as well.

“You rejected her at a dance that meant so much to her? SHE FUCKING TOLD YOU SHE LOVES YOU! Why couldn’t you just feel the same way?”

“I just didn’t, okay? I feel bad that I didn’t feel the way she felt toward me. But it’s not my fault Silhoutee committed suicide, Sugar Spice?”

“No. She made her choice, I admit it, but it opened my eyes to something Shadow.” Sugar replied.

“What’s that?” Young Shadow Haze asked.

“That you are a selfish asshole who never takes other ponies feelings into consideration. Which is why, we are NOT FRIENDS ANYMORE!” Sugar yelled.

Shadow was shocked at this statement. “Sugar, come on. Don’t do this.”

“No. I’m taking daddy’s offer to move to another school. And I never wanna see YOU or any of our other friends again. Screw You Shadow Haze.” Sugar angrily said as she walked off.

“Fine! If that’s how you wanna flush 9 years of friendship down the fucking drain, then go right ahead. Go away. I don’t care if you ever come back.” Shadow screamed at his now former friend before walking away.

*******Present Day*******

That day is still in my fucking head as well. I still think about Sugar Spice from time to time. My two other friends I grew up with, Tango Twister and Silver Sweeper, grew apart from me and Sugar. So, pretty much, I haven’t seen or heard from them in years. It kind of depressing.

Silhouette, why did you do it? You could’ve had any other guy you wanted. Why did you solely want me?

“I don’t talk with my friends anymore Twilight? We grew apart.” I told her.

“That’s terrible. Maybe you should try and contact them. Maybe reconnect with them. I did it before.” She said.

As much as I’d like to, I just can’t. “I’m sure they are doing fine without me. Besides, one of them says they never wanna see me again anyway. So, why bother?” I told her.

“What do you mean? What happened?” She asked.

“I don’t feel like telling you that right now. We’ve got a case to get back on. We’re gonna see what Duke Bronco is up too.” I told her as I walked ahead of her.

*******Freedom Arts********

Before we arrived at work the factory, I called a few police ponies from the detention center to go and pick up Bold Ice from his and Duke’s apartment. So, by now, he’s down there, waiting for me to interrogate him and his brother.

This letter factory looked like shit. I mean, it looked dusty, grungy, dinghy, and just not sanitary at all. How anypony can work in this environment is beyond me. Hell, even Twilight was sniveling up. She told Spike to wait outside. It might get ugly.

I walked up to some pony who worked here. “Excuse me, sir?” I said getting his attention. I flashed my badge at him. “Detective Shadow Haze. Is Duke Bronco here?” I asked him.

He nodded. “Yeah.” He pointed to a conveyor belt a little bit a ways down from where we were. “He’s right there.” He said. I walked down that way to go and get his attention.

I turned to Twilight. "Okay, here is the plan: You stay right here. Out of his sight. I'm gonna get his attention. If he runs, I'll chase him. You go out where we came in, fly above the building. If you see us, hover above him as quietly as possible. Then, I'll motion for you to take him down. Understood?" I explained to her.

She nodded. "Yes sir."

Okay. Time to get this fucker.

“Hey Duke!” I yelled out to him. That got his attention as he looked over in my direction. “Detective Shadow Haze. Your coming with me.” I said as I was a bit closer to him now by just a few feet.

And, of course, like any criminal, he has to fuckin run. As soon as I said that, he started running toward another exit. I motioned for Twilight to go out the entrance that we came in, and I chased after Duke where he was running out of. We were both outside of the building now. I was chasing him on the side of the road.

I looked and saw Twilight in the air, stalking Duke as he ran from me. She was hidden in the tree branches.

"DUKE BRONCO, STOP RUNNING, OR I WILL SHOOT!" I called out to him.

While running, he turned his head back to me and screamed, "LEAVE ME ALONE, FUCKER!"

What he probably didn't know, because he was so focused on getting away from me, is that Twilight was now on ground level, and a few feet away from him. I knew that once he passed this small opening in the road, he's ours.

And that's what happened.

As soon as Duke passed through that small opening in the road, Twilight leaped out shoulder charged him. It wasn't too effective, but what she did next was really smart.

She used her magic to trip him up. Now he's mine.

I grounded him, and punched him a few times in the face. "UGH. Gaah." Were the sounds that Duke made as I beat his ass. After a few punches, I spun him around and cuffed right then and there. I stood him up and told him what I always tell criminals when I take them away.

"Duke Bronco, your under arrest for the murder of Steel Spear. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford one, it will be offered to you in the court of law. Do you understand these rights?" I said as I read him his rights.

"I understand my right to tell you to kiss my ass you little--" He didn't finish that sentence as Twilight punched him in the gut. He almost fell over.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you." Twilight told him.

******* Ponyville Detention Center*******

We got back to the detention center. I told a few forensic guys to go over to Duke and Bold's apartment to gather any evidence while I was interrogating them.

We got Duke in an interrogation room away from his brother. I thought about interviewing them together, but then got second thoughts after I realized they might not talk if they knew they were here. After all, brothers wouldn't sell out each other.

......Most of the time.

Me and Twilight were currently interviewing Bold Ice first. Since he, technically, had been waiting the longest. This guy looked a bit intimidated by me. Good. That's just what I need to make him talk.

"Your in a lot of trouble Bold. You know that right?" I told him.

"I had nothing to do with what happened to that guard. I swear." Bold Ice exclaimed.

"Then you wouldn't have any problems explaining why you and your brother Duke Bronco were running away from the scene of the crime. Would you?"

"Me and Duke weren't there. We were at home."

Ah, lies. I love it when I call somepony out on their bullshit.

"Your lying Bold. You were there. And we have proof." I told him.

"No, you can't prove I wouldn't there." He said sounding scared.

Then Twilight stepped in. "We have a witness who saw you and Duke running away from the crime scene. You and Duke almost ran her over she said. And trust me, I know Cheerilee. She wouldn't lie in this situation." She said to him. She actually sounding intimidating as well. Huh. Guess you learn something about somepony new everyday.

"She also said she heard you say "What the hell did you do" as you guys were running away. You WERE there Bold. Now start talking." I chimed in. Now he looked even more stressed and scared at the same time.

"Look, you don't understand. My brother is fucking crazy, okay? He's always had a bad temper. If I tell you, he will KILL me. Plus, I'm not selling out my brother to help that piece of shit. That guard deserved what he got." Bold told us.

"Why? Because he's gay and you don't agree with his lifestyle?" Twilight asked angrily.

"NO! Because he's a disease spreading piece of shit who got our cousin infected with HIV." Bold told us. Cousin huh? HIV spreading? This could get even bigger than ever.

Wait? What about all the other guys he's had sex with? Blue Flash, Cobalt, Midnight Whistle. Could all of them have HIV as well? Maybe they do, and found out they got it from Steel. Revenge maybe.

"Who is this cousin of yours? When did he get infected?" I asked him.

"His name is Spector Mark. We all knew he was gay when he was, like, 11. He met up with Steel at that drug ridden AIDS filled bar, The Cruizin Colt. They had sex one night. Then, about 4 months after that, Spector went to the doctor cause he felt sick. He found out he was HIV positive. He got it from Steel. Me and Duke found out, and we wanted to make him pay." Bold said.

"So you found him one night and decided to kill him?" I asked.

"No. We just wanted to beat him to within an inch of his life. But, damn it, someponies already was there fighting with him when we got there. They jumped us when they saw us. So we ran away." Bold told us.

Some ponies? As in plural? As in more than one? Cadaver did tell me that we are probably looking at more than one killer. So I guess I'm not surprised.

"When you got there, what did these ponies look like?" I asked.

"Well, one of them had a red coat and pink mane, and the other had brown coat and blonde mane. I've never seen them before, so I don't know their names." He told me.

I took out my pictures I had of the victims. The red coated stallion was Berry Breeze. Now, from what Blue Flash told me, he and Steel had a lover's quarrel with each other. Especially after seeing the relationship with him and Midnight. So, it makes sense.

Then, I looked at the photo from the wallet I got at the crime scene. The brown coated blonde maned stallion.

Cobalt?

Well, I guess it does make sense. I mean, Green Tea did say that he knew Steel was charting on him. Maybe he got sick of it and decided to get revenge.

"And what happened after you ran away?" I asked.

"We went back to our apartment we're staying at. Please don't tell Duke what I said. He's crazy man." Bold told us.

I finished up with him after I wrote everything down. "Well, if you cooperate with me, than I'll cut you a deal. However, your brother is here. In another interrogation room as we speak." I told him.

He got that scared look again. "He's here? You caught him?" He said sounding surprised.

"Let's just say team work is the most important thing Bold." Twilight said.

"Yeah." I said. "We're going to interrogate Duke. Don't try anything stupid." I told him as me and Twilight left the room. As we were leaving, I heard him yelling "Don't tell him what I told you. Please don't." He sounded like he's terrified of his brother. Well, he did go to jail. Twice. I guess jail can make a pony be intimidating to other ponies.

*******Duke's Interrogation Room*******

"I'm not saying a damn thing to you Detective." Duke told me.

"You will if you want to avoid the death sentence." Twilight told him.

"You don't have the guts "Princess"." He said very mockingly on that last line.

She then smiled very arrogantly. "Oh wouldn't I? I'm a Princess, Duke. I could send you to jail, or have you executed if I explained your situation to Princess Celestia or Luna. They'll believe me. So, do I really NOT have the guts too? Hm?" Twilight explained. He looked pissed off and a little scared.

I stepped in. "Look, Duke, I'm not interested in sending you to death. I'm interested in sending you to jail. Unless you give me something. Plus, Twilight here is right. I can't stop her if she says she wants you gone." I told him.

Duke growled at me. "You dirty mother fuckers." He said very angrily.

I shrugged. "That's what happens when your a cop. So, start talking. NOW!" I told him.

"You want to know what happened, huh?" He said with a smirk. I almost had to hold Twilight back.

"That's exactly what I want to know." I said.

"Fine. But let me go back a few years. About 13 to be exact. You see, when I was in high school, me and my girl at the time, we liked to, heh, you know, get a little kinky." He said with a smirk. "She liked to role play as a helpless mare getting raped by a stallion. She's a sick bitch let me tell ya. But I loved her."

I had to stop myself from almost vomiting.

"Anyway, one day we did it after school on the hoofball field. Steel caught me and her, and he called the cops. That no good mother fucker got me in trouble. Even after my girl told the police several times that she wasn't being raped, they didn't believe her. I did 3 in a half years, until they finally found evidence that she was telling the truth, Detective." He said sounding angry. I guess I can't say I blame him for being angry. It was a mistake, and I guess some cops just don't listen as well as I do sometimes.

"Then, after I got out, I made a plan to get at Steel. I found this gay bar where he liked to go to sometimes." He said.

"How did you find that out?" Twilight asked.

"You'd be surprised what kind of info you get when your behind bars, lady." Duke said, which made Twilight frown

"So, I found him walking out with his boyfriend, and I just bull rushed that fuckstick. The only problem, was I didn't know how good a fighter he was, and that there was a cop there as well. So, that was on me." He said.

"So, you spend five months in jail. Then you get out again, and plan to get at him a second time?" I asked.

"Yeah. And me and my brother found out about this alleyway that him and that boyfriend of his like to go to fuck each other. So, we decided to go there one night to catch him, and beat the shit outta him. But, damn it, they beat us to it." He said as he pounded his hoof on the table in frustration.

"Who's they?" Twilight asked. I looked at her in confusion. I guess she didn't want him to know that Bold Ice gave him up. I guess that's a good thing to do.

"I don't know. But, one of them was a guy with a red coat, and pink mane. The other was a guy with a brown coat and blonde mane. And I could also tell something else too." He said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"The blonde guy, he kept yelling at Steel "You did this to me you bitch", as he kept stabbing him. I could tell those two had a fling and it didn't go well. Trust me, I know relationships. Gay or straight. Not that there's anything wrong with that." He said arrogantly.

"So, if you don't have a problem with gay ponies, then why were you a member of the Fight Against Gays Society?" Twilight asked.

"Pfft. I only joined them to get info on Steel. His dad may hate him, but he probably knows Steel better than anypony. That's why I joined. That church is full of dumbasses, Detective, let me tell ya." He told her.

"What is your impression of Rocky?" I asked him.

"Guys a loser. I can tell he's a major hypocrite." He said.

"What makes you say that?" I asked.

"Cause he's exactly what he hates. He's--" He started to say before I heard a knock on the door. Cadaver came in and motioned for me and Twilight to come out.

"We'll be back for you." I told him. I heard him go "Mhmm" as I got out of my chair.

As we left Duke's interrogation room, I was stopped by Cadaver. He had quite a bit of documents in his hands.

"Mr. Shadow, Princess..." He bowed to Twilight, which made her look embarrassed, "...I've gotten a match on the hoofprints to Steel's body. I also got a match on the DNA on the bat." He told us.

"What have you got?" I asked him.

"Well, Duke and Bold were indeed there, and were involved in a fight. However, I also found the hoofprints of Berry Breeze and Cobalt as well. They were there that night. I also matched the coordinates of the attack. And, if I had to make a guess, Steel was already jumped by Cobalt and Berry before Duke and Bold even got there." He explained.

"But, how does that explain the hoofprints of Duke and Bold. What about Duke's clump of hair at the crime scene?" Twilight asked.

"Well, I thought that Duke attacked Steel and that lead to Steel ripping out Duke's hair. However, when Duke and Bold caught Steel getting assaulted by Berry and Cobalt, they got attacked by them as well. And that's what lead to Duke getting his hair ripped out."

"So, was Steel dead after Cobalt and Berry were caught?" I asked.

"Well, after a few more tests, I found out that that answer is No. Steel slowly bled out, causing him to pass put and die from blood loss. The paramedics arrived too late. They couldn't revive him." He told us. So, Cheerilee must have thought he was already dead. Poor girl. Now this news will make her feel worse.

"What about the blood on the bat?" I asked him.

"Oh, yes. The DNA is a match with Berry Breeze. He's the one who killed Midnight. The only thing we didn't get was the knife. If we got that knife, I could match the DNA of both Steel AND Midnight to that knife." He told us.

"So, we need that knife. We NEED to find Berry Breeze and Cobalt before it's too late." I said.

"But, how do we find them?" Twilight asked.

"We need to put out an APB on both of them. And fast. Go to the chief and give him my orders." I said to her. She nodded and quickly got to it.

"Did you also check any signs of HIV on Midnight Whistle as well?" I asked Cadaver.

He got uncomfortable again as he replied, "Unfortunately, yes. If I had to guess how long he had it, I'd say about 6 months. There's no doubt in my mind he got it from Steel."

So it is true. Steel infected Midnight. And, if what Duke and Bold are saying is true, then he must have infected Cobalt and Berry and Blue Flash as well. He was a walking disease before he died.

The only other thing I'm worried about is how many other ponies were infected?

Hopefully, when I catch Berry and Cobalt, I can get that answer. I just hope it's not too many.

Author's Note

If you like this chapter, make sure to comment, like, favorite and follow for future updates. Thank you all and good night everybody.