Spike's Big Case

Detective Books could not help himself, letting out a whistle as he stepped out of the private elevator belonging to the finest hotel in Fillydelphia and into the largest suite he had ever laid eyes on. The very first thing that caught the seasoned officer’s attention was the large pool in the middle of the room. Crystals of colors that mirrored the rainbow seemed fused to the ground, jutting upwards in large spikes or just in various small clusters here or there. Water poured out from the ceiling via a metal slit from the upper floor to create a waterfall which Books assumed one could control with a remote. After all, nearly everything in this day in age was controlled with a remote of some kind. The water poured gently into the water, creating a splashing sound that Books found to be rather soothing. But he wondered if there were any fish in the pool like had seen in some of the yards belonging to some of the more prodigious individuals he had visited during regrettable and often bloody cases. Alas, the detective found that he was too far away and the water too low to the ground behind the varied crystals to make anything out. Though, after a brief sniff of the air, he didn’t detect any algae or any of the other scents he found with those who owned such large aquariums.

Managing to pull himself away from such an opulent sight, Books looked around to see the rest of the suite. On one side, he saw that the entire wall was made of large rectangular windows which overlooked the city below. Through them, he could see the lights of the city flickering with a light in each of the buildings slowly beginning to fade out. But despite that, there were still pegasi flying around, passing by the windows without so much as giving it a glance. While Books had never been in this building before, let alone this very floor, he had passed by enough times to know that the two story tall glass panels were one way. No doubt meant to give them privacy from the paparazzi and soaring pegasi. Slowly his gaze moved across the rest of the suite, realizing that he was stepping upon fine white marble flooring which looked freshly polished. While he was no ‘real’ expert, Books had seen quality marble like this before from the Pie Rock Farm. Given the nature of the relationship between the Royal family and the Element bearers, it wouldn’t have surprised him if they did purchase their marble from them. Above their heads light shined from large, crystal chandeliers that dotted the ceiling.

While both the floors and the pool had a taste of modern wealth behind them, the rest of the suite seemed devoid of such things. The furniture, which was well spaced from what he could see with it being close enough so that the place didn’t look barren while at the same time careful not to make it feel cluttered, reminded him of hand crafted products of the century prior. The sort of thing that he had seen in both his grandmother’s and parent’s homes while they had been on this earth. But unlike theirs, the furniture before him still looked freshly made. The clawed feet of the sofas and chairs were freshly polished without so much as a sign that they had ever been scratched or dented. The cochins appeared plump and made of red silk which the detective had to assume was of the highest quality.

“Sir, may I take your jacket?” asked a maid, startling Books as she seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

“I’m good,” replied Books as he held up a hand, smiling at the earth pony maid in a friendly manner as he gave her a quick once over. He eyed her hands, spotting how coarse they were as well as spotting an odd gesture she made as she lowered them. One hand seemed to reach for her waist, as if expecting to find something on her black maid uniform. The other became a fist briefly as it rose up her body but soon relaxed. When it was all said and done, the maid smiled and bowed before walking away.

“I’m going to put Murky to bed,” announced Batibat as she moved in, holding her son’s hand in a firm but guiding fashion. “We have a big day tomorrow.”

“Mother,” said Murky as they passed by a roaring fireplace, speaking for the first time since Books had been with them. His voice was a bit deeper than what he would have expected of a youth his age. Not by much, but it was noticeable. “Can Mr. Blueblood tuck me in as well? Maybe read me a story?” As he said this, the colt turned a little to look at the elder unicorn whom the detective noticed looked rather touched by this request.

“Blueblood,” began Batibat in a slightly nervous tone as she looked over at the two stallions. “Has some work he has to do tonight. It might take a while.”

“But,” began Murky, the mask of a perfect little colt beginning to shatter as he looked ready to stomp his hoof onto the ground, much to Books’ relief. Since the time he had first met the lad, he had remained silent and well behaved. Too well behaved for a colt his age if you asked him. No asking a thousand questions, looking around at everything around him, not displaying seemingly endless amounts of energy or any of the other things that he normally expected. There were, of course, more innocent reasons for this like the lad being naturally shy. However, having dealt with the darker parts of crime for so long, it always paid to keep an eye out for danger signs.

“Murky,” said Blueblood as he approached the pair. Books could barely contain his surprise as he watched THE Prince Blueblood lower himself to one knee as he looked the colt in the eye with a smile on his face. “Best to listen to your mother and run along to bed. I have a long, probably very boring conversation with this stallion that will no doubt put both of us to sleep. With so much boredom in the air, even our dreams are likely to be dull. Dull enough to put Princess Luna to sleep should she be unfortunate to visit us in our sleep. No, I couldn’t do this to you Murky. Please, save yourself from this foul fate. At the very least you shall be asleep in your own bed!” Books had to turn to his side to hide a grin on his face. Blueblood’s tone was a little over the top right now, looking like at any moment he was going to faint from dread at the thought of being out here with him. No doubt just playing it up for the colt.

Honestly, if this was how the stallion spun this yarn, Books was very interested in seeing how he told a bedtime story! And that was a thought he never expected to have about the prince!

Books then noticed Murky’s lower lip tremble as he took a step towards Blueblood. “But I don’t want you to have boring dreams,” he said, acting like it was the worst thing ever.

“Then you are my only hope!” exclaimed Blueblood as he put his hands on Murky’s shoulders in what felt like a desperate plea. “You must go to bed swiftly my colt! Sleep so that should Princess Luna visit you this night, you can warn her of my pitiful plight! If properly warned then perhaps she can wade through the boredom to save me!”

Hiding a smile with his hand, Books looked over at the Baroness whose hands were on her hips while it seemed like she was fighting to keep from rolling her eyes in amusement. With a shake of her head, she pulled Murky towards her. “Come on now,” she said, clearly trying to keep the amusement out of her voice. There was a twinkle in the mare’s eye as she then looked over at Blueblood, a smile of appreciation gracing her features as she led Murky across the room. Slowly, Blueblood got to his feet as the two of them watched the pair of mother and foal turn a corner before vanishing from sight.

For a moment, nopony said anything as the maid reentered the room with a tray held in both hands. On the tray was a large bottle of a dark amber liquid along with twin crystal glasses suited for such a drink as well as a container full of rather large ice cubes. The maid moved past them, moving towards a set of couches set so that they both faced the other as well as giving them an unhindered view of the cityscape. Between them was an old oak coffee table which the tray was set upon without the liquid even slightly turning about. When it was over, the maid moved around to stand behind one of the couches and she stopped just as soon as the sound of a door closing was heard from down the hall.

“Well, you certainly are full of surprises my Prince,” said Books at last, the humor in his voice never wavering while Blueblood moved over to the liquor. The detective noted just how calm he was as he poured two glasses, showing not a sign of embarrassment at the scene he had just been a part of. “Never thought that a stallion with your sort of reputation would get along with foals so well.”

“You’re not the only one,” admitted Blueblood as he turned around, looking unabashed as he walked over to Books to hand him a glass. Gently, Books accepted it and watched as Blueblood looked over to where the two had departed. “Never in a hundred years would I have ever dreamed of doing something of the sort for any foal. But I am fond of the young colt, despite him not being of my own flesh and blood. I have found myself wanting to spend more time with the lad and getting to know him better alongside his mother. He’s been a brave young colt for his mother during their hard times and wonderfully gifted as well from what I have seen. But, more than that he…”

There was a stillness in the room as an odd look fell upon Blueblood’s face, a distant one as his smile faltered. Books lightly sipped from his drink, his profession taking charge as he examined the stallion before him. He had seen that look plenty of times in the past: regret. But what that regret was, he had no idea though he could hazard a few theories. It could be that the Prince was thinking of himself when he was that age, not liking what he saw when he compared the two. That was possible, given the rumors that had circled around royalty for hundreds of years. Or was it regret that he had never had a foal of his own. That or he did, never spending time with the little ankle biter and now it was far too late.

To break the stillness of the moment, Books let out a loud and very forced cough. “Well now, such high praise coming from a prince of Equestria,” said the detective with a small smile visible on his mustached face. “Going to be pulling some strings in the background to make sure he gets into one of your auntie’s schools?”

“Heavens no!” laughed Blueblood, the good humor in his voice returning. As he continued to talk, the white stallion strode over to one of the couches while gesturing to Books to follow him. “I brought that same subject up with the Baroness and she was adamantly against the idea. Young Murky is a unicorn, but he is also half thestral. As such, it would be in poor taste having him travel all the way to Canterlot to receive a unicorn’s education…given the current state of affairs within the Hanging City. And after witnessing it first hand, well, I can’t say I disagree with her. A shame when you think about it, Murky would have truly excelled there. As for Princess Luna’s Academy, while I find it horribly brutish for my own tastes, I cannot deny that the end results are impressive. Given that the thestrals are fond of the night princess, having her give Murky a diploma might help them overlook his heritage. But despite this, the Baroness wishes to keep her son in the Hanging City for his education. No real harm there as a tutor can always be brought in to help him with his magic.” By this point, Blueblood was in front of one of the long sofas who's back faced the massive wall of windows. As the Prince sat down, he gestured to the sofa directly across from him leaving the old wooden coffee table as the only thing that separated them. Books took the hint, moving to sit down while Blueblood took a small sip of his drink. “But enough about such future matters. So, what had Jet Set gotten himself into this time?”

Books, who had been about to take a sip from his own glass, paused briefly as he looked at his host. Blueblood’s appearance had taken on a more curious approach, a leg shifting so that it lay on the other while his head rested upon his fist. Yet there was something in his eyes that…

“Pardon?” asked Books before taking a small sip from his drink, doing his best to buy himself more time in order to consider what he should and shouldn’t say.

“Come now, you don’t really expect me to believe that a high profile detective such as yourself was just chatting with Jet Set for no reason,” said Blueblood swiftly, a light smile on his face. “Meeting him on the street at one of the finest restaurants this city has at night.”

“Well…he hasn’t been charged with anything yet,” said Books, careful with his words still. Blueblood’s smile faded for a moment, but quickly appeared as his horn began to glow. There was a sudden flash that filled the room, Book’s instincts kicking in so he raised an arm to shield his face. A sudden pop was heard and then…nothing. Slowly, Books lowered his arm and saw Blueblood was still seated as he sipped from his glass. Yet his keen eyes did notice something and, when he looked down at the table, he saw it. There, next to the liquor, was a family crest. The Royal Family crest, belonging only to those directly related to Princess Celestia as a symbol of their authority. Not even Princess Twilight was allowed to carry one, though rumor had it she had gotten a similar one after the failed Starlight Rebellion.

“It seems like if we are going to make any progress we should, as they say, put all our cards on the table,” said Blueblood. “As long as our badges rest on this table, everything said this night is off the record.”

“Fine by me,” said Books, already reaching for his badge and resting it next to Blueblood’s. It was a little sad, as when the old detective looked down at his badge and compared it to the royal’s, his looked more like a plastic toy. “Could have done it without the flashy lights.”

“What’s life without a little fan-fair?” asked Blueblood, grinning a little at that. “Now, let me repeat myself: What has Jet Set done to gain the attention of the Fillydelphia police?”

“To be honest, we don’t know,” said Books, sipping from his glass while Blueblood looked irritated. “Not too long ago, there was an incident in Dragon Town. An off duty officer spotted two vehicles entering an abandoned building. He called for back-up while heading to confront them. Whoever they were got away.”

“Well that, ah, interesting,” said Blueblood, now looking confused. “But I fail to see how you connected the Jet Set to something like this.”

“The wheels,” said Books as he pulled out his notepad. Quickly, he turned page after page until he found what he was looking for: an image of the wheel’s tread marks created using his magic. More information was jotted down alongside it which included the dimensions as well as potential makers with nearly all of them crossed off. Using his magic, he floated the notepad to the prince and did not start talking again until the prince had it in hand. “Pricey custom job, made specifically for upscale clients. Don’t see too many of them here in Fillydelphia. So far, I’ve been checking with a few who could make them leaving only one left. One found in dear old Canterlot. And, well, wouldn’t you know it, that very night Jet Set came to our city.”

“Yes,” murmured Blueblood as his eyes scanned the paper. “I recall him showing off those gaudy wheels some time ago.” Gently, the Prince set down the notepad. “But you do know that there are others who could have ordered the same wheel design, correct? How many more are out there?”

“From what the maker was willing to let slip, about a dozen,” said Books calmly. “All of them made within the last couple of years. Couldn’t get the names without a warrant, but nothing stopping me from taking a look at a fancy set of wheels on the street. Just…admiring them.” Books took a sip of his glass, noting that the prince had moved his free hand over his lips as if to hide a slight smile. Was he amused with all of this or was he impressed that Books had managed to get this far by exploiting a small loophole. It was hard to say as the detective was finding it harder to get a good read on the stallion now that they were sitting here like this. Blueblood was hiding all of his tells; not an eye twitch, shifting around in his seat, or anything that could possibly give away his mood at the moment. Was this the result of some sort of training Blueblood had undergone in order to make him a better negotiator? Moving his lips from his glass, Books continued as to not give the impression that he was examining Blueblood. Or, at least, not making it too obvious. “Course, there is still a bit more leg work needed to be done before I can get that warrant.”

“Like, for example, trying to figure out if what was going on in that building was a crime,” suggested Blueblood gently. “If this was Jet Set, I dare say this wasn’t the first time he’s been in an abandoned building. You should see his old factory down in Horseshoe Bay.”

“Funny you should mention factories,” replied Books, a small smile at the slight insult his host had made at Jet’s expense. “See, Jet Set is opening a new factory right here in town. Thing is, with all the money trouble he’s been having lately, I’m having a hard time figuring out how he managed to open it in the first place. Don’t suppose you might know?”

“To be honest,” said Blueblood, his free hand leaving his mouth as he looked down at his glass, “that had crossed my mind when I heard he was building it. According to my very reliable source, the First Canterlot Bank has decided that they will no longer be loaning him any more bits.”

Now that got Books’ attention! The elder stallion leaned forward a little bit, staring at the prince with greater interest. “Have they now,” the detective whispered. “Is this reliable source Jet Set himself? Or his wife?” Normally, Books wouldn’t have asked this about somepony like Jet Set. It didn’t take somepony knowing him to a personal level to tell that he held within him a great deal of pride in, at the very least, his status. To have your financial situation being so poor that the bank believes you’re a bad investment had to be a blow to the stallion’s ego. And not just any bank. The First Canterlot Bank was home to the elite of elites that only took in the highest level clients! Ponies such as the entire royal family to the Canterlot elite to the most notable celebrities in Equestria. To have such a position rocked would most certainly be a badge of shame no sane pony would ever want to admit to.

Still, an admission would have been interesting to hear. Had he thought himself safe among his fellow elites? Perhaps loudly complaining to all those gathered, trying to paint himself as a victim? Or had his wife Upper Crust mentioned it, perhaps making a passing comment that Jet Set had to try and silence. It was possible. He could see a mare like her, gossiping with the other elites and then complaining how the bank was denying them funds. If that were the case, Jet Set would have been working damage control for the rest of the day and possibly days later. Oh, there was also the greatest lip loosener of all times: alcohol.

“Oh, very reliable,” answered Blueblood calmly. “Not Jet Set or Upper Crust, but I would take her word over anything those two said any day of the century.”

“Hmm,” was the only sound Books could make at the moment as he took back his notebook. This was getting interesting. Quickly he jotted down a few notes about what had been said, but knowing full well that he couldn’t reveal Blueblood had given him this tip. Still it would be helpful. “Sounds like you don’t get along with the two.”

Blueblood gave a little shrug, his horn lighting up as the glass full of high end liquor began to float in the air to refill his glass. “In all honestly…I was never that fond of Jet nor his wife,” said Blueblood with a light sigh. “Even before his financial troubles began, his presence among the Canterlot Elite was more…tolerated than anything else. He had deep pockets, connections to various industries both in Equestria as well as beyond, and there was something admirable about a stallion who had worked his way to the top. That said, however, many of his…‘conversations’ left something to be desired. There were times when I felt like he was acting more like a frat colt, his bag full of his father’s bits, and bragging about his latest…exploits.”

The mask Blueblood had worn so well was beginning to slip a little. His eyes were downcast, almost biting his lower lip. He was also struggling with his words, perhaps trying to keep them civil. But there was something more to it. Perhaps regret. Shame? But of what Books could not tell.

“These, er, exploits,” began Books, breaking the silence. “Hopefully all above the board?”

“Legally, yes,” responded Blueblood in a bitter tone. “Morally, however, is another matter entirely. Jet, well, he has bragged about the mares he’s seduced with honeyed words. Always ones he met while away from Canterlot. It doesn’t matter who they are be it the daughter of a business client, somepony’s wife, or even just a mare who seems hard on their luck. Jet would go on and on about how he got them to trust them, getting their hopes up, sleeping with them, and then laughing in their face when they thought he’d honor his word. He would laugh it all up in front of the other elites when he was sure his wife wasn’t around, feeling so very proud of what he had done.”

Books nodded as Blueblood talked, doing his best not to frown. While this was deplorable, it wasn’t illegal. Nothing he could get the bastard on. Also, hearing all of this reminded Books of the theory a few of the other officers had tossed around as to what might have happened. With this new information, one might assume that this was just another one of Jet’s outings. Perhaps to meet with a mare under the cover of darkness far from the eyes of other ponies, depositing his carriage and hopping into hers as they made their way to a more private and clean establishment. But Books quickly scoffed at the idea, even after hearing all of this. If Jet was having one of these exploits, then it would have been far less conspicuous for him just to rent a carriage for the night than to take his own all the way to Dragon Town. That was, after all, what got him on Spike’s radar in the first place. And if that had been the case, why did he flee?

Books went to take another sip of his drink, but found it was empty. Unphased by this, the detective began to help himself to another glass while his mind was still hard at work. Only this time he was more focused on the tidbit of information he had received about the bank. If the First Canterlot Bank had cut him off, then it seemed very unlikely that any other bank would have loaned him even a single bit. So the question was: where did he get the bits to start building that factory? Had the stallion sunk so low that he was meeting with an underground loan shark? That was possible, though nearly as unlikely as getting a loan from another bank. The sheer amount of bits needed to buy the land, build a factory, get materials, and so on would have had to range in the millions! What sort of collateral could he offer in exchange? Books doubted that the stallion could have been carrying with him anything valuable in his carriage that wouldn’t have fetched a better price on the regular markets. Was it a favor?

With his glass filled, Books knew he needed more information.

“When we spoke outside the restaurant,” began Books slowly. “You were hoping to help the Duchess do business with Jet Set since he’s been down on his luck. Strange you would do that considering how you feel about him.”

Blueblood’s calmer, more masked façade returned as the stallion lifted himself up a bit. “Well, time has a way of changing ponies,” he said. “I’ve been…reflecting on myself in recent times after a few random occurrences. They have been eye opening, to say the least.”

“I’m guessing that meeting a lovely Duchess and her son are among some of those occurrences,” suggested Books with a slight smirk on his face. The prince took no offense, or at least seemed to, as he blushed slightly at the remark.

“I admit that meeting both of them has left a powerful impact on me,” admitted the prince, lightly swirling his glass in hand. “Seeing how she was getting by back then, with few ponies to lend a helping hand. How her tribe was getting by. I don’t think that anypony should have to go through that sort of thing. That was why, despite my dislike for the stallion, I thought of setting up a potential business deal between the Duchess and himself. The very least I could do was offer him this chance.” The prince then paused, frowning a little. “Still, very odd that he would leave in such a hurry. The Jet Set I remember would have brushed right past you, entering the establishment before ordering them not to allow you inside.”

“Who’s to say,” said Books with a small smile. “Saw something inside that spooked him. Staring in through the window as we were talking, then suddenly claiming he forgot an appointment. Maybe he thought the crown was after him for missing his taxes.” Both stallions got a laugh out of this, Blueblood laughing the louder.

“No, no,” chuckled the prince as he leaned back into his seat. “Right now, Jet Set isn’t even on our list of concerns.”

“Hmm,” went Books, raising an eyebrow as he looked the prince over again. “Interesting choice of words there. Does that mean that there’s somepony in Fillydelphia that is on our list?”

“Well,” began Blueblood slowly, not seeming bothered by this question. In fact, Books began to feel like Blueblood had said that on purpose. That the prince had hoped he would pick up on that! “I will admit there are a few. Ponies like the Flim Flam Brothers.”

“Those con-artists?” asked Books, unable to hide any shock from his voice and nearly spilling his drink all over the place. “Is it about the Crystal Empire situation from way back?”

Blueblood let out a sad sigh. “No, no. Though truth be told, I wish it were. Princess Cadence and her husband have not forgotten what they did, nor have they forgiven them. But Princess Celestia had decided to forgive them back then…an act that did not help in her relations with the other princess’ mind you. She has her reasons, I’m sure. However, that forgiveness only applies here in Equestria. I know for a fact that Princess Cadence has been saving a very special cell for the two of them and when they set hoof in the Empire…” Blueblood allowed his words to hang in the air, causing Books to shiver slightly. He wondered what fate the Princess of Love had bestowed upon the two who had threatened everything she had ever held dear.

“Sadly, the reason I am looking for the two is of a more personal interest,” continued Blueblood. “While I was in Hollow Shades, a series of unfortunate circumstances prevented me from acquiring a place to stay. Thankfully, a mare by the name of Ghostly Stitch offered me shelter and what little food she could spare at the time. And it is that kindness I plan on repaying.”

“Let me guess, the brothers swindled her,” said Books.

“Got it in one,” laughed Blueblood in a humorless tone while gesturing to Books with his free hand. “You see, while Miss Ghostly was sheltering me, I inquired about a large selection of plates made of high grade silver that were in one of her rooms. Grand pieces that, I swear upon my life, were elegant enough to be given as gifts between rulers of nations! But the prices were labeled ‘best offer’. From her I learned that she had been trying to sell them during the tourist season, hoping to catch the eye of incoming ponies since the locals were in a bit of a financial crisis. Then, two ponies approached her and claimed that the product she was trying to sell was of low quality. The poor mare, she was so desperate that she accepted their offer for one bit per box! Well, before I left that haunting town, I made sure to ask Miss Ghostly to describe the two to me and discovered there that they were the Flim Flam brothers pulling a fast one on her. What’s more, I had been at an auction of theirs where they were selling those plates prior to meeting her. Each one went for well over a thousand bits!” Anger was beginning to flare up in the prince’s voice now while an almost faraway look appeared in the stallion’s eyes. Like he was recalling a memory of something. Or somepony. Perhaps he was remembering the mare who had shown him kindness or something more attached to her. But whatever it was, it vanished as it came. “Upon my return to Canterlot, I met with one of the ponies who bought several of those very same plates: Fancy Pants. Together we were able to confirm that these were the same plates that the brothers bought.”

Books let out a hum as he set down his glass. “I’m not really all that versed in the white collar division, but this is sounding like business fraud to me,” said Books as he scratched his chin slightly.

“Indeed, that is what the legal team I have hired to represent Miss Ghostly have told me,” said Blueblood with a nod. “And that will be just the beginning. I cannot go against Princess Celestia and have them tried for their crimes against the Empire, but for what they have done to the ponies of Equestria; I am ending it. Those two will be buried as I bring down the entirety of Equestria’s legal might down upon them! They have escaped its grasp for far too long, and with each new scheme they hatch is worse than the last. Who knows what bit making scheme they’ll think up next?!? All I need to do now is find them so that I may serve them their papers!” He ended his statement by patting his pants pocket, as if to indicate that he was carrying them with him at this moment.

“Well then, I’ll be happy to be on the lookout for them,” said Books with a grin. “Like to slap the cuffs on those two myself given everything they’ve done.”

“You might want to stay a bit longer after that,” said Blueblood with a grin. “Because I hope to question the two myself about a different subject. I will take great pleasure in watching the two squirm, in separate rooms of course, as I dangle their only hope at a slightly reduced sentence. A chance I will bestow upon one of them to not spend the next thirty to forty years in one of Equestria’s most vile prisons. You see-” The prince paused for a moment, eyes widening slightly before looking down at their badges. Once again the mask he had worn slipped ever so slightly, allowing Books to get a read on his host once more. By the way his lower lip was twitching, Books could tell he was having an internal debate with himself. But before he could wonder what that debate was about, Blueblood lifted his head while a look of the utmost seriousness appeared on his face. “I need to remind you that whatever is said next is off the record completely. Breath a word of it to anypony…”

“I understand,” said Books, fighting the slight chill he felt from Blueblood’s hanging threat. He knew that, legally, if he told anypony anything that happened tonight then he would make a powerful enemy. At the very least, the Prince would deny everything with a laugh while watching for the fallout and moving from there. If everypony believed him, then he would just destroy Books’ reputation via the paper; doing interviews where he would comment that Books was paranoid or seeking attention or something to that effect. Or perhaps pressure the department to force him out. If nopony believed him, well, the foal gloves would come off. A pony like Blueblood had the bits to sue him and make sure everypony was watching. Illegally, well, it would be so easy to make a nopony like himself just disappear.

Blueblood paused for a moment again, filling up his glass before he spoke. “What I am about to tell you is a matter of high importance currently only known by the Royal Family and a select member of the guards,” said Blueblood. “Given the level of trust Princess Luna put in you, as well as the number of years you have served this city, I am willing to trust you.”

“T-Thank you,” stuttered Books, feeling the weight of this unknown secret already pressing down on his shoulders.

Blueblood gave a small nod before taking a large gulp of his drink, smacking his lips loudly as he finished. Then, he set his glass down with a sigh. “I have mentioned Hollow Shades a few times now. Tell me, what do you know about the recent events there?”

“Just what was in the papers,” said Books. He knew what Blueblood was doing: seeing how much he knew so as to better explain the situation. “Three of the four Dukes down there were abusing their power. Creating an ore shortage to up the prices, barely maintaining the mines, driving the town into the ditch, and bribing the Mining Safety Committee.” The elder stallion paused for a moment. “But I think there was something more going on.”

“I wish I could say you were wrong,” said Blueblood sadly. “When I first arrived in Hollow Shades, or rather the forest surrounding it, I came upon several bodies entangled within webs. One of them, I noticed, worked for the crown. It took some looking into but we eventually discovered that he, along with several others, were employed by the Mining Safety Committee. Ponies who could not be swayed by bits, intent on doing their job.” Blueblood shook his head sadly. “I wish they had come to us sooner. They were left there, in the forest to be eaten by the large spiders that inhabit the woods while the Committee merely faked their resignation. And they were not the only ones. Anypony who could have been a threat to them suffered the same fate.”

“Hmm,” went Books as he noticed that Prince Blueblood’s hands were shaking slightly. It had happened half-way into the conversation. When he started talking about… The elder stallion’s eyes widened a bit while he recalled how Blueblood shuttered when the Duchess brought up some spiders. And, like that, the pieces began to fall into place. “I’m guessing they did the same to you.”

That caught the prince off guard. “How did you-” but caught himself. “I see, you picked up on that. Didn’t you?”

“Hard to miss,” replied Books with a slight shrug. “You’ve been avoiding saying it outright, but you leave in enough hints. See, I figured something must have happened to you when you mentioned that ‘series of unfortunate circumstances’ kept you from getting a place to stay. Seemed funny to me, a royal with your wealth and power unable to stop in at one of the Duke’s homes down there or at least get himself a room at a cheap motel. That’s odd, but I’m not willing to rule out a pickpocket or the like. But just now, when you started talking about the webs, your hands began shaking. I’m guessing they left a nasty impact on you.” Books watched at Prince Blueblood grasped his hands together quickly, as if trying to get them under control. “Makes sense. You being the Prince and all, having the Princess’s ear. Probably realized you couldn’t be bribed and so they tried to be done with you. It’s gutsy, I’ll give them that. You being a prince and all.”

Blueblood let out a sigh. “We have discovered that that was Copperhorn’s doing,” he said as he leaned back. “I was supposed to be teleported straight to Duke Dark Bargain’s estate, however the mages constructing the spell had been bribed by him. Instead of appearing in the Hanging City, I found myself in front of massive spider webs within the forest surrounding Hollow Shades. Apparently, he had hoped to frame the Duke for my disappearance to ensure that he would lose his title. And, as much as it pains me to admit it, Princess Celestia fears it might have worked. It would have been the word of Duke Dark Bargain, a stallion whose family was under investigation at the time, versus some of her most trusted mages within Canterlot.” Blueblood then paused for a moment as he looked down. “But, we soon found out that all that was just the tip of the iceberg.”

“Really?” asked Books, surprised. “What could be worse than-”

“Slave trade,” said Blueblood, interrupting Books. The elder stallion’s eyes shot wide, mouth shut as Blueblood continued. “When we were searching the estates of the other Dukes in the Hanging City, we discovered one of them held several mares and that had been there for some time. Probably keeping them there so that his wife in his ‘main’ home never found out. All of them nude along with clear signs of sexual abuse. Their minds…shattered. None of them had any idea who they were, only referring to themselves in the third pony as ‘This Slut’ or ‘Bitch’.”

Books felt himself breathing deeply without realizing it. “Dear Celestia,” he breathed. “Do you…Do you have any idea who they were?”

Blueblood nodded, his head rising as he did. The look he was giving Books was piercing. “Their cutie marks help to identify them,” he began. “All of these mares were living alone, having recently moved into a new area. Nearly all of them, a big city.”

“Makes sense,” muttered Books. “Big cities, it’s easier for ponies to fall through the cracks. With so many, it’s hard to notice when one or two goes missing. Especially if they just moved in.” Books then let out a sigh. “Were most of them low incomers?”

Blueblood looked surprised by that. “Why, yes. Nearly all of them were. How did you-”

“Jobs with high turnover rate,” said Books, his voice almost icy cold now. Though it was not directed at the prince nor the mares they spoke of. “A mare stops coming in one day and the boss just figures she quit like so many others. Never even bothers to check on her or see if she’s ok. Just mails the last check and moves on.” Books slightly gritted his teeth as his eyes focused on the floor. Memories of the past several decades began to flash before him. Club owners who seemed to shrug off the disappearance of one of their servers, not caring until they were told she was found in a ditch several blocks away. Restaurant owners ranting and raving about a ‘lousy’ waitress before the bomb of her death was dropped. The owner of a hotel unparsed that one of his housekeeping staff hadn’t been in for several days. How many ponies could Books have saved if any one of them had just tried to contact their employees? Just made the slightest effort to see if they were ok.

And how many more could have been saved if any of them ever learned from these tragedies…

“Yes, that seems to be the case,” said Blueblood. “None of their former employers went to check on them and their landlords only went to call on them when their rent was past due. Only a few who had family drop by for a surprise visit raised any alarm.”

“But I take it you’re not out here looking for the families of these mares,” said Books. It was not an accusation nor anything to bring shame upon the prince. Any social worker or officer could be looking for them. No, the prince was dipping his hooves into something much bigger and far worse.

“Right now, those who know of the situation are taking action while our foes are left in the dark,” the prince said with a sad smile. “Princess Celestia and Princess Luna are right now, respectively, trying to get answers out of the former Duke and trying to heal those mares. It is slow going as the pony in question has refused to answer anything unless he gets a deal. A deal which includes his freedom and being allowed to keep all his riches. He is a fool to think that Princess Celestia would grant him such a thing. She is willing to grant him peace of mind as well as allowing him to spend the rest of his days in a more, shall we say, comfortable cell. And her deal will be taken off the table if we are able to catch the scoundrels first. Meanwhile, Princess Luna is using her magic to try and repair the minds of those mares. Whatever they did, it wasn’t magic nor potions making the process slow going. Hopefully though, when they return to their senses, they will be able to shed some light on the situation.

“Since this was discovered in the Hanging City, the Countess is currently checking The Wall to see if any of her, er, ‘less fortunate’ subjects have been taken as well as those who live on the outskirts of Hollow Shades. She is also searching to discover how those mares were smuggled in without any thestral noticing. It could be anywhere from having paid off some of her guards to simply having them transported via flying carriage. As for the rest of us in the know, we all have our tasks. Mine, at the moment, is to see if I can discover who else might be involved in this heinous affair. Since the incident with the former Duke has been kept from the public at large, we are operating under the belief that any creature who has bought from this slave ring knows that we are aware of its existence. I have met with the mares whom we recovered, so I have an idea what to look for.”

“So the story about helping the Duchess making connections is…”

“Completely true,” said Blueblood as a smirk appeared on his face. “The best cover stories, in my humble opinion, are the ones with some truth to them. Duchess Batibat is in need of many things, so we have been going from city to city to meet with ponies of high importance. She, of course, knows about the slave ring and is eager to assist with her own set of skills. If we find any sign of wrong doing in this, then they will be hauled away in secret in the hope that they might be a bit more…cooperative. But, if we don’t, then we will hopefully have helped the Duchess with her affairs and nopony is any the wiser.”

Books nodded as he continued to process this, seeing everything working out before his eyes as if he were watching a play. He could see Blueblood and Batibat being welcomed into the home or office of one of the upper class. Perhaps asking for a tour of the manor, playing on the vanity or pride those elitists had. Heck, he could almost hear Blueblood buttering them up, suggesting that either he or the Duchess could use some inspiration for their own redecorating. Then, well, who knows?

“Well, well,” was all Books could say as his focus fell back on Blueblood. “Guess you have your work cut out for you. Still wondering why it’s a surprise visit, but-”

“That was my idea,” came the voice of Batibat, interrupting Books as she landed right next to Blueblood, startling the elder stallion. Quickly he placed a hand on his heart, feeling it race as he failed to notice her approaching. Looking up at her, Books saw that the thestral mare was grinning in a way that showed her fang while something glinted in her eyes. He also noticed that she had changed her clothing during the time they had been sitting here. Rather than a gown or some fancy night dress, she was wearing an old, loose fitting tee-shirt and shorts. This new attire seemed to help her relax as she sat down next to the prince. “The only ones who should know that we are now aware of the slave ring would be the ring leaders themselves. After all, the Dukes being outed and their homes searched made national headlines. I think it’s time they found out what it was like to be prey, with the eyes of the hunters looking down at them and wondering when they will strike.”

“Agreed,” said Blueblood with a smile, one that noticeably grew as Batibat cozied herself up to him. “We have no idea who is leading this ring, but it would have to be somepony, or creature, with high level connections. Perhaps a business pony of some note or a griffon claiming to represent Griffonstone or the like. Whatever the case, we feel that, if they knew we were coming ahead of time, the ring might have tried to move the mares out of the city. That or, far worse, dispose of the mares in an unpleasant manner. Now, however, they have been blindsided by our sudden arrival. Every single elite and leader of business within this city knows that we have arrived…or at least they should, considering that I personally made sure that all of their informants know. It will be interesting to see how they behave. Right now there are eyes watching who is coming in and out of the city, with certain targets getting a bit keener attention.” Blueblood then let out a small sigh. “So far, I am only aware of two ponies of interest who tried to leave the city in a blind panic before we even got our menus. We will be looking into why they did so in due time. The rest have sent me messenger ponies, stating how surprised they are to find me in the city and wish for me to call on them if my schedule allows.”

“They might not be in the city,” Books pointed out.

“That’s true,” agreed Blueblood. “But, as I said, we all have our parts. I’m just doing mine in this city.” The weight of that statement was quickly felt by the aged detective as he understood its meaning. Others were out there, looking for this ring in their own ways.

However, at the same time, a thought came to Detective Books. One that escaped his lips in a single sentence. “Why are you telling me all of this?” It seemed like the most obvious question. They had gone to great lengths to keep this secret, keeping the number of ponies who knew fairly limited to those they knew they could trust. So, why tell a lowly detective like him? How did they know they could trust him? For all they knew, he could be working for one…of the…nobles.

Could that be it?

“There are many, many pieces in play right now,” said Blueblood in an even tone, eyeing Books carefully. “However, we do not know how many pieces our foe has or how large they are. For all we know, there could be smaller ones out there that might slip through our grasp like grains of sand. Having somepony on the street, somepony we trust, would be of help.”

“And you think that pony is me?” asked Books, keeping his words careful and even.

“To be honest, it's more like you were in the right place at the right time,” said Blueblood with a little shrug. “I hadn’t considered getting any other ponies involved until you brought up Jet Set and Dragon Town. There are plenty of crimes going that may be connected that could escape my notice. So it makes sense for somepony who knows his way around to keep an eye on things for me. Especially if he now knows what to look for.” Then Blueblood let out a little grin. “Or, at the very least, having you look for those brothers so I can free up my other forces.”

Books forced out a laugh. “Well, like my mother always said: bits are like eyes. You can never have too-” As he spoke, Books had begun reaching for the liquor, ready to pour himself another glass but froze right before his fingers touched it. His eyes widened slightly as a new theory entered his mind. He remained that way for a good couple of seconds before licking his lips, his hand relaxing somewhat. Pulling back, Books looked up to see that Blueblood and Batibat were looking at him curiously. “Do you think our cases are somehow connected?”

“Connected?” blinked Blueblood. “I don’t see how…oh, you’re suggesting that Jet Set is involved somehow.”

“I happen to know where he is staying,” said Books in a firm tone. There was a part of him that knew that some might think that he was becoming obsessed with Jet Set, just throwing out ideas in order to see the upstart unicorn behind bars. And perhaps they were right…to a point anyways. But right now, there were so many pieces that seemed to be falling into place within his mind! “He’s renting a place on Saddle Boulevard while in town, a good distance away from the restaurant. He seemed eager to get inside, claiming to be meeting with somepony very important. Then, all of a sudden, he looks like a scared rabbit and runs away.” Books leaned forward a little. “Maybe he saw you were there.”

“I…I honestly find that hard to believe,” said a surprised looking Blueblood. “Jet Set is many things, I can assure you. Surely he would have been informed that I was there. And given his finances, well, it seems unlikely that he would buy-”

“Who said he was buying,” said Books, interrupting the prince. If the royal was offended, he didn’t show it as he instead stared at Books with wide eyes. As for Batibat, she gave a little nod for it seemed like she realized where this was going. “His bit problems seem to be going away, but no bank is lending him the bits. At least, that we know of. There is a factory going up here in town and I’ve been scratching my head trying to figure out how he was paying for it.”

“It is possible,” whispered Blueblood. “If you are right and he was in Dragon Town late at night, fleeing from the police, he could have been making a deal or something. He needed the bits so-” Blueblood paused for a moment to shake his head. “Still, I’m finding it hard to believe that Jet Set could do something like that to those mares. Jet, he,-”

“Well, somepony has to transport those mares,” said Books in a tone that caused the entire room to grow silent. Not even the lapping of the waterfall could be heard by those staring at each other as their focus was on what was said next. “And this wouldn’t be the first time we’ve caught him transporting illegal goods.”