Colt Detectiveby DanishDashChaptersPrologueChapter 1: Cutie Mark What?Chapter 2: The Stolen MoneyChapter 3: Something AmissChapter 4: MissingChapter 5: The First CasePrologueIt was a grey afternoon, the massive landscape passing by the windows of the train car seemed to go on forever. It was a big change from a place like Manehatten, but, at least it would be quieter. Time Turner, or Doc, as he was being called, liked the quiet. As an inventor he liked the quiet. Ponyville was an ideal place for his work, and the town was filled with nice ponies. It was a quiet town, and a friendly place. A perfect place for...Him. He looked to his side, seeing a young colt staring out the window. He had a light amber colored coat and a brown mane and tail. His most distinguished feature was his eyes. They were cold, not full of life and wonder like any foal his age should have. Instead he seemed so distant, like his foalhood had been ripped away from him. In some ways, it had.. It had only been a few days ago when Time Turner received an urgent letter telling him about the suicide of Star Chaser, the colt's father. It had shocked him beyond belief and, as he read about the events and how they unfolded, he could only think about his nephew and what he was going through. Years earlier the colt's mother, who had been Time Turner's sister, had been killed in an accident, leaving his nephew alone with his father. It had been hard, but the colt still had his father, who he admired and could draw strength from. Time Turner, however, hadn't seen his nephew since his sister's funeral, and now he was only showing up again at another one. It shamed him to think about it, shamed him to think he never reached out. So when the letter asked if he could become the legal guardian of his nephew, he jumped on the first train to Manehatten in order to collect him, and to attend his brother in law's funeral. During the ceremony, the young colt never spoke. It was not an unusual thing, but he never cried either. He never showed any emotion. He had simply stared at the casket as it was lowered into the ground and, to be honest, the look he had in his eyes had disturbed him. Still, he was determined to help his nephew and give him a warm and loving home. His marefriend, Ditzy, had been nothing but supportive of his decision to get his nephew, and she had promised to prepare him a room. She had just moved in along with her daughter, Dinky. So all of this was quite overwhelming to them, but Time Turner needed to do this, his sister would have wanted that. Turning his head, he looked at the colt. "Well lad, soon we shall arrive at the splendid town of Ponyville, I'm sure you will love it there!" Time Turner said, trying to put enthusiasm into his voice, but he was pretty sure his nephew could tell that he was forcing it. "Mhmm... Okay.." That was the colt's only answer. That had been his only answer ever since he picked him up. He was never impolite per say, but he was distant and only used the minimal amount of words. 'Poor boy, he must be distraught. I wish I could do something, but I guess it is still too early to expect anything. Best thing I can do for him is to be there. I just hope he will come to like his new home..' Clue Chaser, or Chaser as ponies called him, hadn't really spoken since that day. The police had refused to listen to him. He had kept telling them that his dad wouldn't kill himself, of course he wouldn't! But what shocked him the most was their refusal to investigate it. His dad had served the police department dutifully for as long as Chaser could remember, so was this the only level of loyalty his service he had earned? Finally, after much arguing, crying, and begging, he had simply given up, knowing full well it was out of his hooves. Nopony would listen to a foal, and so he had simply drawn back into himself. He spoke, but only when he needed to, and even then he only used as few words as possible. He had been surprised when he saw his uncle Time Turner come to collect him. At first he thought he was only there for the funeral, but he told him he was also there to bring him back to Ponyville. In truth, he thought his father's brother would have let him stay with him, but maybe that was too much to hope for. Chaser didn't really remember much about his uncle. He had been to see him along with both his parents when he was very little, but of course he could not recall it in detail. Another time, the last time, was at his mother's funeral. After that, they hadn't really spoken. Not that he thought it was wrong. They had never been close and they lived so far apart, so maybe that was only natural. He didn't really have any affection or dislike towards his uncle, he just didn't know him. He knew he was an inventor, specifically a scientist. He also knew his mother and him were close, she always spoke fondly of him, but that didn't really have any impression on Chaser other than, if his mom liked him, then he could be trusted... His uncle was polite, and cheery, or at least he tried to be. Chaser appreciated the effort, but he was simply too tired, too drained and disappointed. His family, his life, his dreams, they all seemed to have been ripped away. Before, he had dreams of becoming a detective, just like his hero, Phillip Finder. He was a private detective with a keen eye for detail, and a strong sense of justice, Phillip Finder was his hero. There was a nice stack of books published, though his favorite had to be Equestria Noire, Volume One: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it was the first book where he teamed up with Daring Do! Funny, A.K. Yearling had authored both books, and he wondered if Yearling always had this romantic tension planned between her two heroes. At any rate, Clue Chaser wanted to be like Phillip Finder, he had even gotten his very own trilby hat! Though, right now, he didn't feel like wearing it. To be honest, he was not even sure if he ever would again. His father had been a cop, and look at the lack of loyalty his fellow cops had shown him. Chaser still believed his dad was murdered, but nopony listened to him. It had given his belief in the justice system a crack, it had made him doubt everything he knew. Philip Finder had to deal with that too. Everything from corrupt cops, to cracks in the justice system. Chaser wished he knew what Phillip would do. But, maybe he was simply not meant to become a great detective, maybe that was never his purpose. He couldn't even get the police to investigate his father's death. And what if he was wrong? What if it was just like they said? What if he had been reading too many books and fabricated a case where there was none? What if his dad really did... Letting out a sigh, he looked back out at the landscape, then noticed a town coming into view. "Next stop, Ponyville!" The conductor called out. Clue Chaser watched as his uncle stood up. "Well it seems we have arrived at our destination! Come come, nephew! It is time to inspect your new home.." He stopped, frowning as he realized he might have said too much. Chaser however, didn't react in any negative manner. He simply nodded and got down from his seat, taking his saddlebag in the process. They got ready by one of the doors as the train slowly came to a stop. Outside were ponies waiting on the platform, ponies waiting to get on and ponies waiting for friends or family. There didn't seem to be anypony waiting for them as they got off, his uncle had told him about his marefriend and her daughter, but they seemed to be at home as nopony came to greet them. Then again, it was a little past dinner time, so most ponies were likely at home eating. They picked up Clue Chaser's small suitcase, filled with what few items he had wanted to bring. Though, it was not much, he didn't want everything, and he was not sure why. Maybe because it now all felt, tainted... He had taken his Philip Finder books, feeling too nostalgic to leave them behind. A few pictures and mementos, and of course his magnifying glass and fedora, but again, he was not sure if he would ever use them again. Letting out a sigh, he tried to push the thoughts from his mind, trying to be in the here and now. His uncle led him down the streets of the small town, which seems quieter than Manehatten. Smaller, but it had great charm. The houses were small, but they had a warmth to them that made him feel relaxed. All the ponies they passed close by greeted his uncle, and he greeted them back, but did not stop to chit chat. Clue Chaser could see them wanting to ask about him, but his uncle apparently did not want to stop, seemed he wanted me to get home, and avoid all the attention for now. His intention was good, but Clue Chaser figured all of the questions would have to be answered sooner or later, if not by his uncle, then by him. They walked for a bit, passing a lot of houses, shops, and whatever that round carousel tower was. Ponyville wasn't the smallest town for sure, but it wasn't large either, they had a fire department, a police station, hospital, a market and several shops, so it was certainly not out in the middle of nowhere, in fact, he could see Canterlot mountain from here. He had heard of the town before, it had been in the newspapers more than once as six of its residents had been honored by the princess herself. Elements of Harmony, true enough, they had saved Equestria from the likes of Discord and the changeling invasion, but those were obvious threats... No, as important as they were, the powers of the elements could do nothing for the common pony. He did not dislike them, nor did he discard their importance, but he knew that everyday heroes worked in the blue uniforms of the Equestrian police force. The fire departments and hospitals, to him, those were the everyday hero the common pony could relate to the most. "And here we are!" His uncle exclaimed, bringing the colt to a stop. Chaser looked around, having not paid too much attention. To his surprise, his uncle had quite a nicely sized house, and behind it was what looked like a big garage. Chaser had no idea his uncle made this kind of money, then again, he had no idea what he did for a living. The front door opened and a grey mare with a blonde mane and tail stepped out. Though, what captured his attention the most were her eyes, they didn't seem to look the same way, and it made her kind of look like a derpy kind of character. "You're home!" The mare exclaimed and quickly trotted over to his uncle, the two of them sharing a nuzzle before both of them turned to face him. "This is my marefriend Ditzy Doo." Chaser was tempted to say that it was quite obvious, but he didn't want to be rude to his uncle, or his special somepony. Ditzy looked at him with a kind warm smile, the sort of smile only a mother could give. She looked a bit, goofy, but even Chaser could feel she was a kind and gentle mare. "And you must be Clue Chaser." She greeted, and it was nice to see she wasn't nervous about talking to him. He wished he could do the same, but he simply couldn't. "It's so nice to meet you." Chaser nodded a little, not even bothering giving her a smile. He wanted to, but he simply didn't have the energy or will to even force one. "Nice to meet you too, miss Doo..." Ditzy giggled. "Oh, Ditzy is just fine!" She cheered. "Are you two hungry, I saved some dinner for you both." "Capital!" His uncle cheered, and looked down at his nephew. "Come along my boy, dinner awaits us, and trust me when I tell you that Ditzy's food is the best!" His marefriend blushed, and they once again shared a quick nuzzle. Dinner was….awkward... Clue Chaser could see both his uncle and his marefriend being very careful. They danced around unpleasant questions, he knew they wanted him to make him feel welcome, and not to pressure him into talking about his dad. Chaser was not even sure he wanted to, not with them, not yet at least. So to give them a lifeline, he threw out a question of his own. "Uncle, you said Miss Ditzy had a daughter, where is she?" His sudden question took them both by surprise, and for a moment they seemed stunned. By now he imagined they had gotten so used to his silence they simply didn't expect him to speak, but both of them seemed pleased after they overcame their initial shock. "Oh, you don't have to call me Miss Ditzy, Clue Chaser. Ditsy is just fine.." She repeated while blushing slightly over the formal polite way he addressed her. Not many ponies showed her such respect, something he was bound to find out at some point. "But, my daughter, Dinky. She is upstairs in her room, sleeping. She is younger than you, and it's past her bedtime." Chaser nodded, not really sure what else to say, or ask. They in turn seemed as stuck as he was, it was awkward, and it just hammered home the point what circumstances brought him here. It was Ditzy who, once again, broke the silence. "So tomorrow, I was thinking, I could walk you to school.." She seemed a little timid, as if asking him something deep and personal. His uncle frowned. "You know you don't have to go back to school yet, right?" Chaser nodded. "Yeah.. But, I just don't wanna sit in my room..." He answered, not looking up at them. "I want a distraction.." Not wanting to press him on that subject, Ditzy continued. "I'm walking Dinky to kindergarten, and it's on the way to the school. I can show you, if you want." "Okay.." Chaser simply said. He had no reason to refuse, not that he would refuse even if he had one. Not knowing the town, it would be good to be shown the way, and so he could always go by himself next time if need be. "I'm sure you're going to like it there. You will be in Ms. Cheerilee's class, she is very nice, and is a great teacher." Ditzy assured him, but Chaser just nodded absently. He was tired, he just wanted to sleep and forget about everything. As if reading his thoughts, Time Turner cleared his throat and said. "Well, it's been a long day, and you must be tired. How about I show you to your room?" Chaser nodded once again, and rose from the table. He looked over at Ditzy first though. "Thank you for the meal, it was very good." To be honest, he had not really thought about the taste, but it was still nice of her to cook for them. Ditzy smiled. "Thank you, Chaser. There will be freshly baked muffins tomorrow for breakfast!" Her childish excitement couldn't help but draw out a small tired smile from Chaser, and he simply nodded. "Good night Miss Ditzy.." After a quick shower, and brushing his teeth, Chaser went into the room his uncle had shown him. It was nothing special, a modest room, a single bed, a dresser and a desk, nothing extraordinary. He hadn't expected it to be, after all, this was his first night, and tomorrow his first day. He hadn't had any time making this room his own, and he had barely brought anything to decorate the place with. His suitcase and saddlebag was on the bed, and he figured before he went to bed, he might as well unpack what few things he had brought. It was nothing much, some clothes he wore on occasion, a family album he had taken from the shelf. Some of his personal belongings, like his lock picking set, one he had made himself. His magnifying glass, a notebook, some of his pencils. Then he pulled out all of his Phillip Finder books, and placed them on the desk, he would put them in order tomorrow after school. Lastly, he pulled out a black trilby hat. His dad had given it to him as a gift last year, it had been his pride and joy, his proof that he was going to be a detective. Chaser sighed, even though he was just a foal, he felt like that had been another lifetime, a dream of another. He didn't even have a cutie mark that showed any special talent for detective work. Maybe it was just not meant to be.. His dad would have laughed, telling him to get back up and keep moving. But he was dead, and no one seemed to take Chaser's theory of murder seriously. He hadn't cried all day, not at the funeral, not at the trip over, he didn't want to cry, but now. Now that he was holding the trilby his father had given him. Now, recalling the words of encouragement his father always gave him, supporting his dreams. Now alone, away from all the pity eyes that looked at him, he finally felt his resistance waver, and so, as the warm tears fell from his eyes, he crawled into the bed, hugging the hat tightly to his chest. Silently, he cried himself to sleep, hoping tomorrow would be better... Author's Note After a year of planning, I' finally releasing my detective story! Yay! Please note that chapters will be slow, as I'm trying to nail the cases, and take my time with them. This is my first Detective story, so I'm not going to rush things, I will try to improve each time. Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do! Chapter 1: Cutie Mark What?Morning came, but Chaser hadn't prepared the alarm clock. Still, he was slowly coming around, somehow sensing he should wake up. The more he came to, sensing the world around him, he somehow felt some pony was looking at him. Opening his eyes, groaning a bit as he did so, he came face to face with a small unicorn filly, who looked directly into his eyes with a huge smile. "Wha?!" Chaser's eyes shot open as he sat up, falling onto his back on the bed. The little filly giggled a bit. She was young, younger than Chaser, perhaps by five or six years between them. What was she doing in his room? As if sensing his question the little filly gave him a big smile and a wave. "Hi, my name is Dinky, what's yours?" "Uhm... Clue Chaser..." He responded, a little unsure how to react. Of course he knew who she was, his uncle had told him Derpy had a daughter, he was just a little out of it after the shock he got. "Nice to meet you too.." Chaser forced out, trying to give her a smile, but failed. She however didn't seem to notice and simply nodded before turning her head. "Mooom! Clue Chaser is awake!" The filly called, and soon enough Chaser heard hoofsteps. In came his uncle and his marefriend, Ditzy. "Good morning Clue Chaser." "Ah, good morning lad! A bright day ahead of you I'm sure!" The whole family was here, in his room, smiling at him. Chaser was not really used to this, he was used to getting up by himself, his dad sleeping on the couch, exhausted, before he made his own way to school. Now he suddenly had a whole family making their way into his room, wishing him good morning. "Uhm, morning.." He said, still a bit confused, and really not sure how to react. "We just wanted to wish you good morning." Derpy smiled. "Why don't you brush your teeth and come downstairs and have some breakfast with us?" "Breakfast.." He said in a mumble, trying to remember when he last shared breakfast with anypony. He hadn't eaten with his dad for weeks, and now, he was gone. Chaser felt his eyes water slightly, and he was about to wipe them away fast when Derpy suddenly spoke again. "We'll just be downstairs, come down when you're ready." She ushered the others out, and gently closed the door behind them, giving him time to recover. Chaser was a bit surprised at her insight, she had not commented on his tears, to which he was grateful, and she was tactful enough to give him time to recover on his own. Still, he cursed at himself for allowing himself to cry here in front of them. Taking a deep breath, he wiped the tears away with his fore hoof. "Dammit.." He mumbled, then let out a sigh. He couldn't stay in here all day, he needed to move and get his mind off things. He jumped out of bed, made sure it was nice and neat before he went to the bathroom to do all his morning routines. He brushed his teeth, combed his mane, and went back to his room for his saddlebags. As he got them, he cast a look at his black trilby. His dad had got him that, but it was one he wore because he wanted to be a detective. He wasn't sure about that dream anymore, and for just a moment he turned his back to it, not wanting to bring it along. He didn't manage to walk away however, he had just reached the door when he suddenly turned around, hurried over, put it on, and then went down the stairs. At the breakfast table, Dinky was already consuming a nice morning muffin, and some oatmeal. Ditzy was doing the dishes, humming to herself a pleasant little tune, uncle Time Turner was nowhere to be seen however. Dinky smiled when she saw her. "Ohhh, cool hat!" She exclaimed, already looking interested in what it was. Ditzy was the next to notice, but she didn't comment on it, instead she just smiled at him. "We have muffins and cereal if you want some?" "Mommy's muffins are the best in the world!" Dinky giggled, licking her lips and rubbed her stomach. Chaser just shook his head. "Uhm, cereal will be fine, thank you.." Ditzy smiled warmly, humming as she brought him his breakfast. Chaser muttered a thank you, still feeling out of place in this big house, and with these new ponies in his life. He still felt awkward, even though he had never really cared about his image. He wasn't a rude colt, or caring about social norms, but he never felt the pressure of other pony's approval or thoughts about him. Now however, he was uncomfortable, because he could tell they all pitied him. Not Dinky, obviously, she had no idea why he was here, other than he was going to live here now. His uncle and Ditzy knew full well, and so tried to walk on eggshells around him. It was enough to make him want to scream, because it only reminded him of the fact he was alone. The only reason he didn't lash out and voice his frustration was because it didn't come from a bad place, pity rarely did. But they were out of their comfort zone just as much as he was. He could understand that, even though it made him feel even more exposed, he wasn't gonna bash them for trying to do right by him. Breakfast felt like it lasted a lifetime, but soon enough they were all out of the door. Turner was with them, talking about Ponyville, and the school. Ditzy mostly echoed what he said, but did give more in depth information. Chaser learned she was a mail mare, so she knew a lot about the town's details. Much to his own annoyance, Chaser couldn't help but soak everything in. Everything Turner and Ditzy said, every impression he got, every detail he noted, it was all just absorbed into his mind for later use. He was thinking as a detective, or at least, how he imagined a detective would think. The more information he had, the better he could establish patterns, and reach deductions, but a part of him resented that part of himself now. Dinky was just beaming, looking like she was so proud of having Clue Caser near. Since he had no siblings of his own, Chaser wasn't sure how to feel about it, it was all really strange and new to him. She wasn't his little sister, she wasn't even his cousin or related to him in any way. Still she seemed utterly fascinated by him, trotting right beside him, keep glancing up at him and looking over his reactions to things. Chaser couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed, but he didn't say anything as she was around six years younger than him after all. Her eagerness didn't come from a bad place, just like the hidden pity from his uncle and his marefriend. While he felt like snapping and telling them off, he kept it buried deep inside him, and did his very best to be polite. 'Never let them see you weak..' Chaser thought to himself, refusing to let them see how destroyed he really was. "And this is where we part." Said Ditzy, stopping in front of a pleasant and colorful building. Dinky let out a cheer, nudging Chaser while pointing at the building. "That's my kindergarten!" She exclaimed proudly. Chaser just gave an acknowledging nod, something that didn't bother Dinky at all. Ditzy though, while not bothered, saw Chaser was uncomfortable, and thus decided to move things along so Turner could take Chaser the rest of the way. "We have to go now, muffin." "Kay!" She quickly hugged Time Turner. "Bye, daddy!" The smile on Time Turner's face could only be described as one of pure joy. Chaser knew his uncle was not her real father, but he treated her as his daughter, and she responded in kind, something that he was immensely proud of. He leaned down, hugging his adoptive daughter. "You have a good day, filled with amazing learning!" Dinky gave a nod. "I will!" "Brilliant!" Turner smiled, giving her a squeeze. Then Dinky turned to Chaser, somewhat startling him as she suddenly moved forward and hugged him as well. He stood there a bit stiffly, unsure how to react, or what to do. Dinky however didn't notice his hesitance, or the fact he didn't hug her back, she just stepped back and hurried back to her mother, waving at him. "Bye, Clue Chaser!!" Chaser waved back, though it was more out of embarrassed obligation. When Ditzy and Dinky had gone inside, Turner took Chaser down the road, towards the school house. Chaser didn't say anything, nor did his uncle, the two were still pretty much strangers to each other. Turner wished he had been there more for Chaser when his sister passed away, he should have made more of an effort. Hopefully he could make up for it now. They arrived at school soon enough, it was still early, so students were still making their way inside the red building. Near the front door stood an adult mare, greeting each student as they slowly and unenthusiastically made their way inside. The sight was foreign to Chaser, who looked at the building almost in amusement. His old school was made of bricks, and was certainly not as bright and colorful as this one. Moreover, the teachers did not bid every student good morning, if they were out and about, it was to get coffee, or to chase the foals into their classes faster. This place looked like it had come out of a storybook. The reddish purple earth pony saw them, she smiled, and made her way over to them. Chaser noticed how her green eyes looked him over, but quickly avoided him when their eyes met for the briefest of seconds. The way she smiled, there was a hint of nervousness, which made Chaser suspect the mare knew of his circumstances. "Good morning, Time Turner." The mare greeted. His uncle bowed his head in greeting. "And a very good morning to you, Ms. Cheerilee." The mare then looked at Chaser, smiling at him, though she seemed a little nervous, like if she said the wrong thing everything would collapse. "And this must be your nephew, Clue Chaser?" Chaser gave a nod. "Morning, Ms. Cheerilee." He said, his tone flat and devoid of the usually bounciness of most ponies. The way Cheerilee reacted to his almost emotionless greeting gave credit to Chaser's theory. Cheerilee knew of the circumstances of his arrival in Ponyville. "Morning, Clue Chaser. I'll be your teacher starting today, I hope you will get along with me and your new classmates." She spoke with such sincerity that Chaser was slightly surprised. At his old school his teachers, while well meaning, were overworked most of the time, and only seemed to survive thanks to coffee. "I know this must be a big change from the big city school, but I'm confident you will do well here." Chaser inclined his head. "Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee." His uncle smiled, gently patting Chaser on the back. "Capital! Well, if there is nothing else, I must be off." Looking at his nephew, he gave an unsure look. "Do you want me or Ditzy to pick you up after school?" Chaser frowned. 'Pick me up? I'm not four!' Though Chaser, slightly annoyed, quickly suppressed the annoyance, knowing he was only trying to help. "No, I'll be fine on my own." Turner nodded. "Okay, if you decide to stay out, just remember to be back in time for dinner." "Sure." "Alright, I hope you will have a great first day!" Turner grinned, then looked at Cheerilee. "You know how to reach me if you need anything. Have a good day." Cheerilee nodded, saying goodbye to Turner before he left the two alone. Once they were, she looked at him with a kind smile. "Right then, how about we go in and say hello to your new classmates?" Chaser just shrugged, and she took it as a sign of approval, if slightly reluctant. She led him inside, taking him down the hallway and towards the only door that was open. The hallway itself was empty of any foals who might linger, and the rest of the doors were closed, one leading to the bathroom, while another led to a closet. As they got closer, they could hear the foals talking, doing what foals mostly did before it was time to start a lesson. That was not unknown to Chaser, it was the same at his old school. What differed however was the sudden change when Cheerilee walked in, they quieted down. Back in Manehatten, students would continue to talk and screw around until the teacher ordered them to sit and be quiet, here though, the foals did it as soon as they noticed Cheerilee. Chaser followed Cheerilee inside, and as soon as the other foals saw him, he could sense them silently looking him over. There were a few whispers here and there, but otherwise the classroom was silent. The classroom was much like the building itself, colorful, and filled with much more character than his old classroom. It was bigger, yet smaller. It was bigger in the sense that the room itself was bigger, but smaller when compared to the number of seats. There were sixteen seats, divided into four rows. There was plenty of room for more seats, and Chaser could easily imagine that if required, more seats could be added. To the student's left side was the wall facing the playground, three large windows letting in plenty of sunlight, though the window beside the front row was blocked by a table willed with painting supplies, a place Chaser noted to avoid as the table was quite messy. The rest of the classroom was neat and tidy though, but still had a more free atmosphere about it. Chaser took it all in, every little impression, every little detail, he added it all to his mental library. Then Cheerilee's voice spoke, jolting Chaser from his spot by the door, and walked further inside and joined his new teacher's side. "Good morning class!" "Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee!" Came the instant response. "Today you will be getting a new classmate. Clue Chaser comes all the way from Manehatten, and has just moved to our little town." She turned, looking at Chaser expectantly. "Tell us a little about yourself." Chaser didn't want to, but he knew the faster he got it over with, the faster they would move on. Letting out a sigh, he gave a small wave. "Hello, my name is Clue Chaser, I'm ten years old, and I've just moved to town. Nice to meet you all." It was as an unenthusiastic greeting as it could get, but Chaser simply didn't feel like getting into it. He wasn't happy, he didn't want to be here, he just wanted his dad. 'Don't let them see you cry, don't let them see you weak..' Chaser thought to himself, repeating a few times as thoughts of his dad made him want to cry, or lash out at the world. 'Be strong..' A filly with a red mane and a pink bow, raised her hoof, and Cheerilee pointed at the filly, nodding. "Yes, Apple Bloom? Do you have a question for Clue Chaser?" The filly nodded, she sat in the second row, one desk away from the middle window. "I just wanted to know if Clue Chaser likes apples?" Chaser looked at Cheerilee, and she gave him a nod. Looking back at the filly, Chaser gave a shrug. "Yeah, I do." It was a strange question, but nothing horrible, or too personal. Then another filly raised her hoof, she sat in the front row left from the first. Her coat was orange, and her mane was reddish purple, kind of like the coat of Cheerilee. "Yes, Scootaloo?" "Do you like cool and extreme stuff?" Another odd question, and a vague one at that. "I guess?" Then a colt raised his hoof, before Cheerilee could acknowledge him, he blurted out. "Why did you move to Ponyville?" It was a simple enough question, and Chaser had expected it to come up, just not yet. He noticed Cheerilee looking a little nervous, trying to figure out whether to stop it here, or let Chaser answer. Wanting to end this whole exercise, Chaser gave a short explanation that was true, but didn't tell the whole story. "I moved here to live with my uncle." Cheerilee quickly ended it after that, wanting to avoid the obvious follow-up question. "I think that will do for now, Chaser, why don't you take a seat next to Apple Bloom over there?" Looking to the seat she indicated, Chaser made his way to the second row of student desks, and passed Apple Bloom. He placed his saddle-bags next to his new desk, and sat down. He was on Apple Bloom's left side, right next to the window, and right behind the filly called Scootaloo. Both of the fillies look over at him, sending him friendly smiles. He just nodded back, looking up at Cheerilee as she continued the lesson. "Alright class, as you all know, I promised you a test today." The whole class groaned, and Cheerilee gave a small giggle. "I know, I know, but you have had a week to prepare for it." She started giving out tests, which was only two pages, both having to do with math. Looking through the problems, Chaser saw no real challenge, and so did not worry or dread the test as the rest of the class clearly did. "Clue Chaser," Cheerilee suddenly said. "I know you haven't gone over these math problems with the rest of the class, but just do your best, and if you have problems or questions, feel free to ask me." Chaser just shook his head. "No, I think I will be okay." "Alright, then you may all begin." The class all turned their attention to the sheets of papers in front of them. Tough now and again, Chaser would notice them look at him, or hear small whispers here and there. He just tuned them out, answering every question with ease. School work had never really been a problem for Chaser, his hero was adept at multiple subjects, so in hopes of one day being as good as Phillip Finder, Chaser had devoted himself to his studies and more beyond. He finished the test before any other, and thus spent his time looking out the window, getting lost in his own thoughts, thinking of the events that had led him here. His dad's supposed suicide, the way the officers had dismissed him, and how his dad's own brother had agreed with them. It hurt him just thinking back on it, like a knife in the back getting twisted in the wound. There was nothing he could do, and now he was stuck in this town. What would happen to him now? When the test was over, and every foal had given back their test sheets, it was time for the day's first recess. Every foal in the class sprang up, all of the hurrying outside to play. Chaser was the last one to leave, and only did so when most of his new classmates had left. Once outside, he did his best to stay away, trotting over to a tree and sat down by himself. He didn't want to play with the others, and he didn't feel like talking to them either. It wasn't because he thought they were stupid, or less worth than him, but he just couldn't handle all of that right now. Though his peace didn't last long, he'd barely gotten comfortable under the shadow of the tree before three fillies approached him. Two of them he knew as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, an earth filly and a Pegasus filly, but the third, a unicorn filly, was unknown to him. She was a unicorn, light grey coat, and two colors in her mane, grayish mulberry and light rose. The three of them looked at him expectantly, all three smiling, looking excited. Looking back up at them, he sent them a flat look of disinterest. "Can I help you?" "You have no cutie mark." Said the one known as Scootaloo. Chaser raised an eyebrow. "So?" Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Sorry, that wasn't what we meant to say." She cut in, giving the Pegasus a scolding look. Then she smiled, looking at Chaser as she introduced herself, and her two friends. "I'm Apple Bloom, and this is Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle." The unicorn raised her hoof in greeting, smiling somewhat shyly. "Hello." "Hello," said Chaser back to her before looking at Apple Bloom once again. The earth filly continued. "We just liked to welcome you to our class, and Ponyville." "Thanks?" Chaser doubted that was all. Clearing her throat, Sweetie Belle decided to continue. "And we noticed you didn't have a cutie mark yet." She gestured to herself and her friends. "We don't have one either." Then Scootaloo cut in. "But we're trying a bunch of stuff to get them, and we wanted to know if you wanted to become part of our club!" Chaser tilted his head, not sure where they were going with this. "Club? What club?" The three fillies shared a knowing grin, and with surprising well choreographed accuracy, the three fillies spun and did a dramatic pose. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" "Uhm, the cutie mark what?" Chaser asked, not sure if he got that right. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Scootaloo repeated, slightly annoyed that she had to repeat it. "Right, and you're trying to figure out your cutie marks?" The three fillies nodding, clearly thinking his interest was increasing. Sadly however, Chaser had no intention of joining their little club. "Sorry, but I'm not interested." The three almost recoiled in shock, all three had their mouths open and eyes wide. "What? Why the hay not?!" Scootaloo asked, not angry, but more confused. "We have a super cool club house, and we do all kinds of fun stuff!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded along, but still Chaser dismissed their offer. "That's neat and all, but I'm not interested." He wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, but his tone was cold and one caring, something that set him apart from other foals, and something that caught the three fillies off guard. "How about if you come over to just have a look at the club house? Just to see what we do?" Sweetie Belle suggested, sounding almost hopeful, but also a little unsure of him. "No." Chaser simply said. "But-" Apple Bloom tried, but was shot down with the same response. "No." Scootaloo looked like she was about to put in a final attempt, but before she could say what she wanted, another voice joined in. "Well look at this, seems like the loser squad is trying to recruit another blank flank." The voice was that of a filly, and it dripped with condescension. The cutie mark crusaders all looked uncomfortable as two fillies made their way towards them. While the first three looked concerned, Chaser didn't look bothered at all, instead just watching as the two new fillies trotted up to him. "I'm Diamond Tiara, and this is Silver Spoon." Chaser let out an annoyed sigh. "And what do you two want?" "Oh nothing, we just wanted to see if the loser squad managed to recruit another blank flank." Diamond Tiara looked over her shoulder, smirking. "I'd say they have not managed to recruit you. Looks like you got some brains after all." Then she looked at Chaser again, clearly thinking she was asserting some sort of authority, or superiority. "So, why are you in Ponyville?" "To live with my uncle." Chaser just replied. "What? Your parents didn't want you around?" Diamond snickered. "Yeah?" Silver Spoon added, seeming just to go along with whatever Diamond was saying, and apparently had nothing else to add. If Chaser was bothered by the comment, he didn't let it show. The Cutie Mark Crusaders watched the exchange, all three holding their breath. Letting out a sigh, Chaser just shrugged. "Are you done? I'd like to enjoy recess in peace, so if you don't mind, can you leave me in peace?" "Why? Are you too busy being friendless?" Chaser almost let out a laugh, who did this filly think she was? Chaser was far from intimidated by her coming from Manehatten, he had seen bullies, real bullies. They were monsters compared to this little brat, and while she was annoying, she was nowhere near as scary or effective. She almost got in his face, poking him with her hoof. "What? You gonna cry?" "Diamond! Stop it!" Sweetie Belle called out. "Yeah!" Scootaloo joined in. "Stop picking on the new kid." Apple Bloom nodded, taking a step forward. "We'll tell on you!" Diamond turned around, facing the three crusaders. "Oh yeah?!" "Yeah!" Chaser rolled his eyes, standing up on all fours. "You guys are so annoying.." He said under his breath, trotting away. "Are you running away, blank flank?!" Diamond called after him, Chaser just ignored her. The rest of the day Chaser just kept to himself. The three fillies still wanted to talk to him, but did not approach him, which suited Chaser just fine. Diamond Tiara didn't either, apparently she had her fun for the day. Chaser focused on his studies, and when it was recess or lunch, he would keep to himself. The other foals in class avoided him, all seeming to sense he didn't want to talk to them. Then the end of the day was finally near, and already you could feel the energy rise within the class. Foals eager to escape school and venture out into freedom. Chaser wasn't in a hurry, so he just waited patiently as Cheerilee finished up. "And remember, next Monday we will have that yard sale, so if you have something you want to sell to help the school, or your parents, please bring it this week so we don't have to sort through it Monday morning." She looked at the clock on the wall, noting the time, and turned her attention back to her students. "That's all for today, see you tomorrow!" And with that, the class room erupted into pure chaos. Foals quickly gathered their stuff into their saddle-bags, others talking to their friends, but most ran out as soon as possible. Chaser wasn't in any hurry, and instead, like with every recess, took his time, and waited for his classmates to have left the path clear for him. Once they had, he put on his saddle-bags and trotted towards the door. Cheerilee sat at her desk, but then noticed him. "Oh, Clue Chaser, do you have a moment?" He stopped. "Sure." "Just wanted to congratulate you on your test score, 100%, that's really impressive." Chaser could tell she wanted to be encouraging, wanting him to feel welcomed and accomplished. Again, her intentions were good, but at this point, Chaser's patience was running low. "Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee. Can I go?" The blunt question seemed to do the trick, and the teacher nodded, trying to mask her frown with a smile, but only half succeeding. "Of course, have a nice day, and see you tomorrow." "Thanks, you too." He left, thinking he would finally be able to be alone. He was wrong, as soon as he stepped outside, he was faced with the same three fillies from earlier today. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, all three looking at him. Taking a deep breath, he started moving again, and as he came closer he asked. "What do you want now?" "We wanted to show you around Ponyville." Sweetie Belle said, a little unsure and maybe a little timid. "We want to make you feel at home, and make you feel welcome." Apple Bloom added. Then Scoots winked, a sly smirk on her face. "We’ll even treat you to a milkshake," "No." The three fillies winched, as if the word no had just slapped them across their muzzles. "Then how about coming over to see our clubhouse?" Apple Bloom tried, but was shot down again. "No." Scootaloo grinded her teeth, pointing at him with her hoof accusingly. "What's the big idea, why are you being such a jerk!? We helped you with Diamond Tiara!" Chaser looked at her, his eyebrow raised, this time in slight annoyance. "I neither wanted your help nor did I need it. As to why I'm being such a jerk, that's because I can't get some peace. So, will you please let me be?" "Why I oughta!" Scootaloo began, but was stopped by Apple Bloom who stepped in front of her. Chaser rolled his eyes, and started to trot away, leaving the three fillies alone. Scootaloo let out a frustrated groan. "He's such a jerk! We're only trying to be nice to him!" "I know," Apple Bloom replied. "But maybe he just needs some time?" "Maybe he's just shy, or maybe that's how city ponies are?" Sweetie suggested, considering this. "Rarity always says city ponies are very busy." "Yeah, my sister says that too!" Nodded Apple Bloom, then looking back at Scootaloo. "Maybe he will be in a better mood tomorrow, and we can try again." Scootaloo let out a sigh, then nodded reluctantly. "Alright, if we're lucky we can get our cutie marks in being recruiters." Then the three friends smiled, seeing a challenge ahead of them, but one they were confident they could overcome. When dinner came around, Chaser was finding himself sitting at the dining table with his uncle, his uncle's marefriend, and a very talkative Dinky. He'd kept himself to his room ever since he'd gotten home from school, needing some time to himself. If His uncle had come by, or Ditzy, he'd told them he was doing homework. It wasn't exactly a lie, the assignment was easy enough, and he hardly needed complete silence and focus to do it, but it gave him a convenient excuse to be left in peace. Even Dinky had respected it, and so he had found himself being able to calm his mind and regain his patience, at least enough to endure dinner. Chaser mostly kept quiet, letting the others chat about their day. Watching them, Chaser saw how close they were, so warm and connected. While not his real daughter, Turner treated Dinky as if she was his own daughter, and it was clear it touched Ditzy deeply. They were a family, through and though. He couldn't help but envy them, while his own relationship with his dad was great, they both missed his mom. His dad had done his best for Chaser, given him all the attention a single father can give, while at the same time trying to keep up with his caseload, and pay the bills. No matter how busy he was though, he always did his best, and always found time for Chaser. They shared a bond, and while times could be hard, they still had each other, and stuck together. "Chaser?" "Hm?" He looked up, seeing they were all three looking at him, all with a worried expression. "What..?" "You're crying.." Dinky said, her voice filled with concern. Chaser's eyes widened, and he quickly released a few tears running down his cheeks. He turned away, wiping them away before he stood. "Uhm I.. I.. Thanks for the food.." Without another word, he hurried back upstairs, running into his room and shut the door tightly. His heart was pounding, his mind raced. His whole body seemed to heat up with emotions, as he tried to shut out the world by leaning against the door. Tears moved down his cheeks again, and he gritted his teeth. "Dammit... Dammit.." He whispered over and over again, letting his small body slump to the floor. He'd promised he would be strong, promised he would never show weakness again, and yet he had failed to do that very thing in front of the ponies that had taken him in. He knew they would understand, rationalize it into him still grieving. They would pity him even more, look at him like he was made of glass. Chaser didn't want that, he didn't want them to look at him like a small foal, he hated it! Closing his eyes tightly, hiding his face in his hooves, he tried to hold back the flood of emotions, gritting his teeth, controlling his breathing, and refused himself to cry, not even when he was in private. He refused it, refused himself to be weak and vulnerable ever again! Yet still the tears came, still they leaked from the damn of stubbornness and onto the wooden floor beneath him. "There's no shame in crying, anklebiter. Even the toughest ponies cry when they're hurting." A voice suddenly said. He knew the voice, he knew who it belonged to, but he hadn't heard it since the funeral of his dad. Looking up, he spotted the pony he expected to see, Phillip Finder. Standing in his green vest, his own trilby, and a compassionate look about him. He wasn't real of course, he was just a figment of Chaser's imagination. He'd first shown up at the police station back in Manehatten, showing up in his hour of need, trying to comfort him, to line up the facts as Chaser believed his dad was murdered. He wasn't real, just a manifestation of his grief Chaser figured, but despite his mind telling him that, the way Phillip looked at him, talked to him, it made him feel like he was really there. "I.. I'm not.." Chaser said, his voice cracking as he struggled holding it all in. Phillip inclined his head, raising an eyebrow. "You know that they'd want to help you. Bottling it up isn't gonna solve anything." Finally he'd had enough, he grabbed the trilby still on his head, and threw it at the imaginary Phillip. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!" He screamed, seeing the trilby fly through the air and hit, nothing. Phillip was gone, and Chaser was left alone in the darkness once again. Clue Chaser awoke the next morning, his body stiff, his eyes dry, and his head hurt like crazy. Looking around, he found himself tugged into his bed. Knowing he had not crawled into bed himself, he figured his uncle and Ditzy had tugged him last night. He couldn't recall, which made him wonder how much of what happened last night was a dream. "Great job, not only did they see you cry, but they tugged you in as well.." He let out an annoyed sigh, but he didn't blame them. He was the one who ran upstairs and cried, they just did what responsible adults did. He could just have gotten into bed himself. "Idiot.." Looking around, he noticed how bright it was for this early morning, though his attention was quickly grabbed by something else. A glass of water had been placed on his nightstand, and when his throat was dry and slightly sore, he quickly got a hold of it and drank greedily. It felt so good, and when the glass was empty and down on the nightstand once more, he took a deep breath, and cleared his mind. Chaser still felt stiff, tired, and his head still hurt, but he still felt better, enough to figure out that the reason it was so bright was because he'd overslept! "Damn it!" He quickly got up, grabbing his trilby and saddle bags on his way out. Chaser hurried down the stairs, but before he could reach the door, his uncle called. "Clue Chaser, what's the hurry?" He stopped, almost smacking into the door itself with the speed he was going with. Spotting the stallion, Chaser trotted towards him. "Uncle, I've slept too long, I'm late for school." The stallion frowned. "My boy, we thought you wanted some time. After yesterday, we thought it would be best." Chaser grimaced, quickly shaking his head. "No, I'm fine, I want to go to school." "Chaser, you sure that's a good idea?" "Yes, I'm okay, I was just exhausted. I'm all better now!" Chaser insisted, looking almost desperate. He wasn't going to let anypony think he had gone into hiding, or could not handle his new school. "Alright, but if-" Before Time Turner could finish his sentence, Chaser had already bolted out the door. "Thank you, uncle, bye!" Turner was left staring at the door, slightly bewildered. "But, what about your lunch?" Chaser ran through the streets of Ponyville, quickly moving down the path to school they had taken the day before. Strangely enough, it felt good to be running, burning off some steam and pent up frustration. Even so, he was annoyed that he was late only on his second day of school. It was not something he wanted to do, and he certainly didn't want his new teacher to think he was too sad to come back. Chaser was going to make it, no matter what. A small part of his mind told him this was a bad idea, he was not doing this clear headed, he did this because he was afraid of looking weak. It was a bad judgement call, but his stubbornness drove him forward, drove him to run all the way from his home, to the school house. Once he arrived, he made his way to the door, and in his eagerness almost slammed the door open, startling his classmates, and Ms. Cheerilee. All eyes were on him as he stood in the doorway, panting, and his mane still in bed/running mode. "Clue Chaser?" Cheerilee said, sounding bemused. "I thought you weren't coming today?" "Overslept.." Chaser simply said while catching his breath. "Sorry.." As he made his way to his seat, Cheerilee nodded, trying to figure out what was going on. "That's alright, we were just talking about the end of the second trade war between Equestria and Saddle Arabia, so if you grab your textbook, you can follow along with the rest of the class." Clue Chaser nodded, ignoring his classmates' staring, and did as asked. Though as the lesson continued, he heard Apple Bloom whisper to him. "Hey, are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," Chaser whispered back. "Let me study.." The lesson continued as planned, and at recess, Chaser was left alone. Most of the morning went like that, which suited Chaser just fine. Then lunch came around, and having not eaten breakfast, or brought lunch, Chaser found himself sitting alone, and with a growling stomach. Hungry and tired, Chaser wasn't exactly in the mood to fool around. So when he noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders make their way towards him, all of them carrying their lunches, he could already feel his frustration grow. He sighed, looking up at them. "Yes?" "Aren't you going to eat?" Sweetie Belle asked, after the three fillies had put down their lunch boxes. "I'm not hungry." He lied, and as if his body had a mind of its own, his stomach growled, revealing the lie. He blushed, but otherwise refused to react. Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes almost accusingly. "You shouldn't be lying, and I can tell you're hungry." "I'm fine." Chaser insisted, narrowing his own eyes. "Dude, just let us eat with you. The whole world isn't gonna collapse if we do." Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes as she sat down. The other fillies followed her example. Chaser let out a sigh, about to protest, or get up himself and leave, but before he could Diamond joined in. "Oh, it looks like the official meeting of the blank flank club has just begun! How cute!" Diamond smirked, with Silver Spoon giggling behind her. "Looks like you made some friends, good for you, Chaser! Though to be fair, these three are hardly an improvement." Chaser groaned, he wasn't in the mood for Diamond and her idea of bullying. "Go away, Diamond Tiara, and take your cheerleader with you. I'm not in the mood." Diamond snorted, smirking as she thought she had gotten to him. "What's the matter, blank flank? Still sad because your mom and dad sent you away?" Chaser flew up, shocking everypony. The way he moved, and the way he glared at Diamond made everypony think he was going to hit Diamond, but instead, he just got in her face. "If you must know, my mom died years ago, and my dad has just been murdered, so that's why I'm here!" The whole playground went still, and an inaudible gasp seemed to go through the foals. Diamond seemed at a loss for words, her eyes wide, her ears down, her mouth moving up and down as she tried to come up with something to say. Whatever it was, Chaser wasn't interested. "Chaser, we.." Sweetie Belle began, but was cut off when the colt turned his glare at her and her friends. "And you three! Will you please just leave me alone?! I don't want to be a member of your stupid club, I don't want to be friends, I just want to left ALONE!!" His words shocked not only the foals within earshot, but Chaser as well. He'd lost control of his temper, something he had never allowed to happen before. He looked at the three fillies, who wasn't only shocked, but hurt as well. Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears, Apple Bloom seemed at a loss, and close to crying as well. Scootaloo gritted her teeth, glared, and like her friends, seemed close to shed some tears, but like Chaser, she held them back with all her might. Chaser regretted his words, deep inside he knew they came from a place of anger and sadness, but it was too late to turn it around now. He was angry, and he didn't want to be here. Instead, as he saw Cheerilee at the door, he trotted away. All were silent as they watched him head towards Ponyville. Today had been a disaster, and he couldn't find it within himself to stay for the rest of the day. His uncle would have questions, Ditzy would be worried along with Dinky, but right now, Chaser didn't care. He needed time to cool down, and think... Author's Note Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do! Chapter 2: The Stolen MoneyTo say Clue Chaser wasn't exactly popular after his outburst at school would be somewhat of an understatement. While he wasn't being bullied anymore, neither did anypony, especially the cutie mark crusaders, try to approach him again. He was left alone, just as he had told everypony to do. He felt bad for hurting the three fillies, seeing how their club meant a lot to them, and they had only tried to include him. His uncle and Ditzy had of course heard about the whole episode, and it took some effort to get them to let him go back, despite knowing he had overdone it, he knew nopony would bother him after that. The rest of the week was spent alone, none of his classmates approached him, and as the day of the yard sale grew closer, it seemed nopony wanted to be in his group. So Chaser would have to work alone, even if Cheerilee didn't like it very much. He should be happy, he had the peace he wanted, and even at home it seemed they were giving him space to think. Though the impression he had left on his schoolmates bothered Chaser more than he thought, and at times he found himself thinking about apologizing. Then his more stubborn side would kick in, reminding him it was better to be alone, to shut other ponies out. However, as the days passed, he grew less and less convinced, and more and more lonely. He'd had friends back in Manehatten, but the last time he saw any of them was the day of his father's death. He could write to them, but what was he going to say? How do you start a conversation when life has changed so dramatically? At times he tried to write a letter, but he just stared at the paper, never once putting a single word down. After a while, he just gave up, figuring it was better to just vanish from their minds. When the weekend came around, Chaser found himself more bored and lonely than he could ever have imagined. Having nothing else to do, Chaser decided to leave his room and go and explore Ponyville more thoroughly. So far he had only gone between his uncle's home and school. He had never really taken the time to really get to know the place. He passed the kitchen on his way to the door, and Ditzy stopped to look at him. "Are you heading out?" Chaser stopped, turning to look at her. "Yeah.. I thought I'd go and explore the town." For some reason he felt slightly embarrassed, or timid. He knew he hadn't exactly been a very friendly or easy guest, and having already made a bad impression on his classmates, Chaser felt a bit more aware of himself. Ditzy smiled warmly however, and nodded. "Of course you can, just don't be home too late, okay?" "I won't," promised Chaser, feeling relieved, if not slightly surprised she could still smile so warmly to him, even after the cold shoulder he had been giving them. "Thanks.." She waved him goodbye, and Chaser left the house. It was sunny, and a lot of ponies outside to enjoy the weather. Not knowing where to start, he just decided to walk and see where that would take him. It was a strange experience, for years he had only known the city, and now he was in this country town. There was not much traffic, more greenery than concrete, and more pleasantly, it was quieter. That was not to say Manehatten didn't have its charms, it would certainly always hold a place in Chaser's heart, but this place had its own charm. He didn't see it before, but the more he trotted around the place, the more he started to notice. Ponies seemed less busy, more open towards one another. In Manehatten, ponies liked to keep to themselves, go to where they needed and not stop in the middle of the street to chat. Here, that didn't seem like an issue. Ponies all over stopped to chat, waved to one another, and wished each other a good day. Maybe that was to be expected in a town like this, most ponies probably knew each other by name, or at the very least knew who was local, and who were not. It made him feel out of place, like he didn't belong here, at least not yet. The cutie mark crusaders had tried though, they had reached out, offered him a hoof so he could become part of the community. He'd slapped it away, and being justified or not didn't change the fact he'd hurt them. So what should he do now? He thought back at what the imaginary Phillip Finder had told him that day. 'You know that they'd want to help you. Bottling it up isn't gonna solve anything.' Was that the solution? Just open up to them? Chaser shook his head, snorting as he did so. It was too late, he had burned whatever bridges there were, and he was on his own, that's how he saw it. He had no dad, he was not a detective, he no longer had friends, and the ones he could have didn't want anything to do with him as per his wishes. This was how things were, and this was how it had to stay. "HEY YOU!" A cheerful voice suddenly greeted right behind him. "Argh!" Chaser yelped, quickly turning around to face a pink pony. She was an adult, smiling widely at him. "You must be Clue Chaser! Welcome to Ponyville, I'm Pinkie Pie!" "Uhm, okay, hi?" Chaser replied, a little reluctant and disturbed. "Can I help you?" "Help me?" She repeated, thinking for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope! But how about I'll help you?" Chaser raised an eyebrow, not sure what this mare's deal was, but he was not sure if it was safe to hang around her. "No thanks, I don't think so." "Don't be silly! Everypony needs help once in a while, and you look like you're down on your luck." Before Chaser knew it, she had put him on her back, and trotted into some sort of café. He was too confused to react at first, and really first reacted when he was sitting in a booth. "H-hey!" "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie cheered, throwing some confetti into the air. Chaser sent her a flat and slightly annoyed look, but either she didn't notice, or she ignored it, because before he knew it, she had placed a cupcake in front of him. "Here you are! In the house, do you want a milkshake too?" "I didn't ask for-" His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten breakfast today. He blushed, stopping his protest and just mumbled a small annoyed thank you. Pinkie just giggled. "Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, do you want a milkshake? Come on! What's your special super favorite flavor?!" "Strawberry..." He mumbled under his breath, not looking at her. Pinkie turned her head, putting a hoof close to her ear as she leaned in. "What was that?" Chaser's blush increased, why was she doing this to him?? "Strawberry.." "Just a tiny bit louder, Click-Clack-Clue~!" The pink mare said in a sing-song voice. He turned to look at her, his eyes glaring. "I said Strawberry!" "Strawberry!" Pinkie cheered. "Those are yummy!" She seemed to vanish from sight, confusing Chaser even more, but before he knew it, she was back, and had placed a large strawberry milkshake on his table. "Here you go! This is a bit of a welcome to Ponyville! If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen! See you later Cluedo!" "Ergh.. Weirdo.." Chaser mumbled to himself, looking at the cupcake and the milkshake. "But, It was nice of her to pay for this." He wasn't sure if he should be annoyed, disturbed, or happy. Letting out a reluctant sigh, he took the cupcake and took a bite. "Mm?!" His eyes widened, as the piece of cake hit all the right spots. Quickly he took another bite, and pure satisfaction soon followed. This was delicious, and when he added the cold milkshake into the mix, it became a snack shock of blissful deliciousness! "Oh.. Wow.." This beat a hayburger any day, and while he still felt kinda low, his lips soon moved up into a smile. For about fifteen minutes he sat and enjoyed himself, almost forgetting about his worries and troubles. At least, like so many times before that, he was reminded when three fillies stepped through the doors to Sugarcube Corner. It was The Cutie Mark Crusaders, all three seeming happy and excited to get some snacks. They didn't see him as they trotted towards the counter, and having finished his own cupcake and milkshake, Chaser found it best to leave before they noticed him. With his cupcake and milkshake being on the house, Chaser could quietly make his way to the door and leave with the CMC being none the wiser. It would have worked perfectly, had it not been for a voice calling his name from the counter when he was about halfway to the door. "Hope you enjoyed the cupcake and milkshake Chaser! Come again soon!" Turning his head back, he saw Pinkie Pie behind the counter, grinning and waving at him. The three fillies looked confused, then turned around and spotted him. They looked surprised, then unsure on how to react. Chaser felt the same way, and the four foals fell into an awkward silence. "Uhm.." Chaser mumbled, trying to figure out if he should try to apologize or not. This wasn't exactly how he had imagined it, and it was clear they were in the same boat as him, trying to figure out what to say or do. Of course it was Pinkie who broke the silence, perhaps in an attempt to push the foals to make up. "Oooh, do you guys know each other?" No one answered, instead Apple Bloom took a deep breath, and stepped forward. "Chaser we.. Uhm.." Panic and dread filled Chaser, he couldn't do this. It may be a coward's way to deal with things, but he just couldn't get himself to face this problem right now, and here of all places. "I have to go!" He turned, trying his best not to run, but failed. He was gone before any of them to call out to him. He ran away, this time not as far as he had done when he was late for school, but enough so he was sure he was out of sight. Gritting his teeth, he stomped his hoof on the dirt. "Dammit!" He'd run, afraid of facing them, afraid of opening up, he was nothing more than a good for nothing foal! Helpless! He hated the feeling! Chaser could of course go back, but that would just be too weird. No, instead he decided to head home, deciding it was better to not do anything for now. Letting out a sigh, he left for home, and a boring weekend ahead. When the first day of the week came, Chaser wasn't exactly hugely enthusiastic about it. Today they wouldn't have normal lessons, but instead have a yard sale so they could raise money for the school. It wasn't because they needed money for supplies or anything like that, but the idea was to get a little extra to the budget, and perhaps invest in a big field trip, or perhaps something awesome for the playground. Students had brought things from home to donate, with the help of their parents of course. Chaser didn't really have anything he could sell, he hadn't really brought much from the flat he lived in with his dad. Luckily His uncle and Ditzy had a few things, and happily donated. Ms. Cheerilee had used the last day of the week to sort through the items with her students, all of them coming up with stalls, and how to divide the items. His classmates had thought it good fun, while Chaser just did what was required, and so focused on building and painting the stalls. He obviously wasn't alone in that task, but he didn't contribute creatively like his classmates eagerly did. After his breakfast, Chaser went to school by himself. Dinky was disappointed he went off early, she wanted to walk with him, but other than a pout, she hadn't said anything. When Chaser arrived at school, the usual morning energy had totally shifted. Instead of being tired and half asleep, his classmates seemed positively energized by the events of today. Cheerilee trotted inside, smiling, as she seemed as excited about today as her students. She greeted them like she did every morning. "Good morning class!" "Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee!" Came an eager reply. She giggled. "My, my, you all seem much more awake today. Are you all excited for the yard sale?" The class cheered, and the overall mood was just positive. "Very good. As you know, we are trying to raise money for something benefitting the school. We could perhaps go on an exotic fieldtrip, or get some new playground equipment." Another cheer went out, and Cheerilee waved her hoof to get them to settle down, but she did it with a smile, happy to see her students excited. "After today, we will know how much we earned, and then I will start coming with some suggestions based on the budget that you can vote on. And the suggestion with the most votes, wins!" A third cheer, and this time Cheerilee let it go on a little longer. Once the class had settled down however, she continued. "Right, we have a busy day ahead of us. First, we need to get our stalls outside and set everything up. Then you will be allowed free play until 10, and then we will open up. I will be with you all the way, and if you have questions or are in doubt, you just swing by me." She went on about some of the details of the day, setting up the groups, and their duties. Chaser listened, but only with half an ear, he knew full well none of his classmates wanted to work with him, which suited him fine. Even so, the incident at Sugarcube Corner the other day, had made him glance once or twice at the cutie mark crusaders, and he was sure he had caught them glancing at him as well. There were some unresolved issues there, but Chaser didn't know if they would be able to solve them today, or if ever. "Right then," Ms. Cheerilee finished. "If there aren't any questions?" She waited, giving her students a chance to speak up, when nopony did, she clapped her hooves together. "Then let's set up shop!" As foals started moving outside, she quickly called. "Remember to take anything you need, as the classroom will be locked while we're out there!" And so the day began, the students went outside, and on their way grabbed everything that they needed for the stalls. Their spirits were high, and they all had a blast setting this yard sale up. Some even started to play pretend, like construction ponies, or merchants. Chaser did of course not partake in any such games, instead he just focused on bringing the stuff they were putting on sale out with Cheerilee. She had of course tried talking to him after the incident, and had been worried about his relationship with his classmates. Chaser had assured her he was fine, and for now had at least closed the conversation. Things went pretty smoothly, before long they had a little mini market of their own. Five stalls, all moved in a half circle pointing away from the school house. They'd spent some time setting everything up, and having already put price tags on the items, all they had to do was to put them on display. Recess came, and most foals stayed near their mini market, loving to perfect their stall and make it as unique as they could. Others did decide to go to the playground, but Chaser decided to find shelter near a thick tree and read the book he had brought from home. He sat in such a way that the tree hid him from view, which meant if somepony was looking for him, they would not see him until he moved. It could be because he figured the CMC would try and approach him during free play, but still he chose to put it off. He simply didn't want that confrontation right now. If they did look for him, he didn't see, and soon enough it was time for the yard sale to open. Chaser was surprised with how many ponies that came around, many of them seemed eager to buy something. Some were his classmates' parents, they probably showed up to support their foals, and support the school with a nice donation. Neither his uncle or Ditzy showed up, but that was okay, he knew they were both busy. Ditzy had enough trouble doing her job without flying into stuff, or delivering the wrong mail. His uncle in the meantime always seemed to work on some new gadget, he was either too busy to show, or was simply too distracted with whatever he was doing, which was fine. Chaser didn't have a need for them to show up, and he doubted he would feel like his classmates did if the two did decide to show up. To his surprise, they actually sold a lot more than he thought they would. Even Ms. Cheerilee seemed surprised, but nonetheless pleased. Before they knew it, the yard sale was over, and they were left with very few items in stock, and with a nice big bag of bits! Cheerilee congratulated them all for their hard work. "Very good work, all of you. Thanks to you all, I'm sure we'll be able to spend this money on something fantastic for the whole class!" The foals cheered. "Now, let's get this money inside, then we clean everything up, and head home for the day." The students all nodded, and did as asked. Cheerilee unlocked the classroom, placed the bag with Bits on her desk, and told her students to clean up their desks, and make sure the windows were closed. It all took less than five minutes, and after locking the classroom again, they all went outside to begin taking down their stalls. Dividing themselves into groups, the foals moved around, cleaning up everything. Some focused on the stalls, while others focused on trash, or sorting the items that weren't sold. Everything seemed to go well the first half hour, then Ms. Cheerilee called them together again. "Children, have any of you seen my keys?" She asked, frowning. She pointed to her saddlebags, then looked at them all again. "I could have sworn I put them in there, but I must have dropped them. If you happen to find them, please bring them to me." The foals nodded, then went back to work, with the added task of finding the keys. Chaser continued to take down one of the stalls, figuring she must have dropped her keys, and they would be found quickly. By the stall next to him, the cutie mark crusaders were hard at work themselves. "No, you have to hold it up while I'll remove this plank." Scootaloo told Sweetie Belle. "But it's heavy.." Sweetie Belle whined. Apple Bloom sighed. "That's because you still haven't taken down the sign yet. If we take that off first, then we can take the rest of it down easier." "Oh!" The two other fillies exclaimed. "Yeah that makes much more sense!" Scootaloo grinned, then she turned around, moving towards the school house. "Where're you going, Scootaloo?" Asked Sweetie Belle. "Gotta use the little fillies room, I'll be back soon!" She ran off, and passed Chaser on her way. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but she didn't stop to speak, nor did she say hi. Instead he was now facing her two friends, who had now spotted him as Scootaloo went inside. The three looked at each other for a few seconds, but then Apple Bloom went back to work, Sweetie Belle soon doing the same. This time they didn't try to approach him, or strike up a conversation. Chaser wasn't sure how he should feel about that, but there was nothing to be done about it. He had kept dismissing them, and if they'd given up he could hardly blame them. Chaser returned to his work, finishing up soon after. About two minutes later, he noticed two colts, Snips and Snails, running towards Cheerilee. "Ms. Cheerilee! Ms. Cheerilee! We found your key! We found your key!" The little one exclaimed, nudging the taller one. "Show her!" "Oh, yeah, here you!" Cheerilee let out a relieved sigh. "Thank Celestia, you found them! Where were they?" "Over by the front door, Ms. Cheerilee." Chaser raised an eyebrow, they seemed to be panting, and it was not that long a run from Ms. Cheerilee to the door. Then again, they could have done something before that, and Snips was not the most healthy looking colt, so it made sense that he was not a good runner. He returned doing his own stuff, finishing up, and soon enough Scootaloo returned to her own friend. The rest of the clean up effort went off without a hitch, and once they were all done, Cheerilee took them all back inside the school house so they could get their saddle bags and head home. Everypony was pretty happy with how today had turned out, and many talked about what they could use the money for. Everything from the possible, to the absurd. However, as the door to the class room opened, Ms. Cheerilee let out a startled gasp, as did the rest of the class when they looked too. "The money!" One exclaimed. They were gone, the big bag of bits had vanished from Ms. Cheerilee's desk. Chaser was the last one to see, because he always walked behind the crowd, so once everypony else was inside, he too saw the Bits were missing. "Oh, this is terrible, just terrible!" Cheerilee said, sounding slightly panicked and unsure of what to do. "Class, do any of you know what happened to the Bits?" Everypony denied ever having seen the money after Cheerilee locked up, and since there were no signs of a break-in, she was at a loss. She wasn't sure how to handle this, and so decided to check every student out. "Alright class, empty out your saddle bags, I need to be sure none of you are lying to me." Under normal circumstances, such a demand would have annoyed the entire class, but everypony wanted to know what had happened to the Bits they'd worked so hard for, and so did as asked without any complaints. They all went to their seats, took their saddlebags, and emptied them. Scootaloo gasped, because when she tried to lift hers, she found herself dropping it as if it was too heavy. The bags landed on the wooden floor, and out spilled a wave of shiny coins. The entire class gasped, and Cheerilee looked shocked beyond belief. "Scootaloo?" "Wait what?!" Scotaloo looked even more shocked, taking a step back away from the many coins. "No! I didn't take the Bits!" She yelled, looking first up at Cheerilee, then at her fellow classmates. Cheerilee looked at the money, then at the class. What could she say? It wasn't like she could point to another student, and Scootaloo did have the Bits in her saddle bags. While she wasn't sure about this, she couldn't hold the rest of the class up. "Scootaloo, you need to stay with me, then we-" "I swear, it wasn't me!" Scootaloo begged, looking like she was about to cry. Ms. Cheerilee didn't look anymore happy about it than she did, she looked disappointed, and why wouldn't she? She had just found the stolen money from the school yard sale in her saddle bags. The other students looked shocked, and Scootaloo's two friends seemed outraged. "She wouldn't do something like that!" Sweetie Belle insisted. Apple Bloom nodded, then added. "That's right! She was framed!" Her eyes flicked around the classroom, as if looking for the answer to this whole affair. Her eyes landed on Diamond Tiara, then pointed at her. "You framed her!" The filly jumped, surprised, then angry. "Me!? I didn't do anything! Your friend is a thief!" "I am not!" Cheerilee Tried to calm everypony down, but so far, she had a hard time with it. Clue Chaser just sighed, packing his stuff into his saddlebags. Those three fillies had been nothing but trouble, they'd kept chasing him around, asking him to join that stupid club they had going. Chaser didn't want to play with them, nor did he think any of this was his business. Even so, the suggestion that somepony would actually take the time to frame Scootaloo was just laughable. He couldn't blame Cheerilee for thinking it was just a simple theft, because it was. "Your father would be ashamed of you." Said a voice he was very familiar with. Chaser didn't look up, he just focused on his work. "Go away.." He mumbled. "You know she's innocent. You saw proof." Chaser's eye twitched, he knew what he saw, and it was true, things did not line up. Looking up, he found the pony he expected to see. Phillip Finder, a reddish-brown earth pony stallion. He had a midnight black mane, it was long and untidy. Most ponies did not wear clothing, but Phillip did, he wore a pale gray short-sleeved shirt with an olive green undershirt. Though maybe the most notable about him was his headwear, a trilby, just like in the books. Lastly, plastered on his flank was his cutie mark, a magnifying glass. Chaser sighed, feeling a pang of guilt raising. "I don't know what I saw.." It was a lie, and he knew it, and his imaginary manifestation of Phillip knew it too. His eyes bored into his, almost raging like thunder clouds. Finally, he gave in. "The window, the paint cans, the key and the timeline, it doesn't match up.." "So why aren't you doing anything?" "Because I can't be a detective. I'm just a foal who reads too many books.." Phillip Finder seemed more than annoyed at him, but why should he care? This was all in his mind, he wasn't real! "You know this is wrong, and you're not doing anything to stop it. Know what we call ponies like you?" Before Chaser could tell him off, he suddenly vanished, then appearing right in front of him, glaring at him with the most judging eyes he had ever seen. "Cowards." Chaser almost took a step back, as if Phillip was really there, in the flesh, scolding him. He couldn't look away from the imaginary detective's eyes, it was like he was being forced to face him, face himself. He looked like his hero, but his eyes, he did not just see Phillip, but his father's, and his own. Chaser remembered when he found his father, laying in a pool of his own blood in their apartment. His own screams echoing in his ears, the iron smell of the blood. He had been so desperate, he had tried for hours to convince the police his dad would never kill himself, that this was murder. But no one listened, not one of his dad's former colleagues listened to him, or even considered murder. It was around that time, in his despair and sorrow that Phillip showed up, or at least, this manifestation of him. He had been the only one he could confide in, but after the funeral, he had just suppressed that part of him, until now. He looked at Scootaloo, the world wasn't moving, it was like as if it was standing still. This was all in his head of course, he knew that. Time hadn't suddenly slowed down at his whim, but it was a place of his creation, a place for him to focus. Chaser frowned, seeing how desperate she was to convince the reluctant teacher that she was not guilty. Of course she wasn't, it was so simple if the ponies around him just opened their eyes. Then he understood, if he walked away now, if he kept silent, he would not only leave an innocent to pay for a crime they did not commit, but he would be just as guilty as the one who caused all of this. No, it couldn't stand, and as his guilt of leaving her alone grew, so too did his determination. "Scootaloo is innocent." Clue Chaser suddenly declared, entering the real world again. Everypony in the class became silent, looking at Chaser with puzzled looks. He could understand their surprise, so far he had been very quiet and closed off, so for him to suddenly boldly declare something like this out of nowhere must startled them. "Scootaloo couldn't have been the one who stole the money, it doesn't add up." "How? She was the only one in here, and the Bits were found in her bag." Diamond Tiara pointed out, like if she had just told him the sky was blue and he needed air in order to breathe. "First." Chaser started, looking directly at her. "There is no proof Scootaloo was ever in the classroom, or that she was the one putting the money in her own saddlebags." Diamond snorted. "I saw her trot into the school house." "You saw her trot into the school house after Miss Cheerilee found out the key was missing, Scootaloo was looking for the key just like the rest of us." Chaser continued. "The key was already stolen, and the theft already underway when we found out the key was missing." "How do you know?" She then asked, almost mockingly. Chaser sighed, looking at the row of windows at the left side of the classroom. In one reflection he saw Phillip looking back at him, his eyes, they were watching him, almost like a school teacher watching his student at an exam. How did he know Scootaloo did not do it? A passage from his favorite book came back to him. 'Every detail, even the innocuous ones, tells a story. No matter what we do, we always leave a trace everywhere.' Phillip Finder. Yes, the clues were all here, and they all told a story. All he had to do was link them together and reach the conclusion. Turning around, he looked at the group of foals, and their teacher. Taking a deep breath, clearing his mind of doubt, he began to explain. "At the end of our sale, we all returned here to the classroom. Ms. Cheerilee asked us to clean our desks and close the windows. We did, and we all left to go outside and clean up after our yard sale. Ms. Cheerilee locked the door, and none of us returned to the classroom before now, except for the thief of course." "We already know this," said Diamond Tiara, but Chaser ignored her. "We began the clean up, many of us working in groups. It was then the key was stolen." He noticed how they all glanced towards Scootaloo, who seemed to notice it and lowered her ears. "Not by Scootaloo." Chaser pointed out. "Remember, when Miss Cheerilee found out her keys were missing, Scootaloo was still with us." "She went to the bathroom!" A colt said. "I saw her!" "Yes, but that was after we knew the key was missing," replied Chaser. "And remember, we found the key while Scootaloo was still in the bathroom. She what? Unlocked the door only to throw the key out next to the main entrance?" No one answered, so Chaser continued. "No, the thief was already in the classroom when Scootaloo went to the bathroom." He turned, walking to Cheerilee's desk. "The money was all up here, the thief grabbed the bag full of Bits, and made their way to the painting table." He started to walk towards the desk with the paint brushes and paint cans, but then stopped when she came to Scootaloo's desk, the desk closest to the painting table. "But he stopped, something made the thief put the bag of Bits in Scootaloo's Saddlebag." At this point Cheerilee was too invested in this investigation nonsense, she almost forgot his age as he explained. She couldn't help but ask her young student. "Why?" Chaser shrugged. "Panic. Something scared the thief into making a rash decision, to rid himself of the evidence before he risked being found out, and I think that something was the sound of Scootaloo's hooves as she made her way to the bathroom. The path she would have needed to take leads right past the classroom door." Now understanding started to spread through the group, but of course he still hadn't proved a thing, and so skepticism rightfully remained. "The thief panicked, there was no time to put it back on the desk, and would not risk trying the escape route with the large bag of Bits, too much risk." Apple Bloom tilted her head. "What escape route?" "The door was locked when we arrived at the classroom, so the only other way to exit was through the windows." He pointed towards the painting desk. "The window behind that table." Before anyone could ask him how he knew that, he trotted up to it and gestured to the cans and glasses filled with all sorts of pencils. "Notice how far the cans and glasses have been spread to each side of the table, as if clearing a path." He moved beside the table, stood on his hind legs and observed the window, and just as he suspected, it was unlocked. "And see, it is the only window unlocked." Now things were falling into place, but there were details missing. He needed to make certain that the right foal was punished, because the only one who could have done this, was a foal his own age, but he had to prove it, and he needed to make damn sure the evidence was solid before he accused anypony. Then a voice cut through the silence, once again bringing her skepticism to the full attention of everyone. "We could just have forgotten to lock it." "No," answered Chaser. "Because out of all those windows, we never open that one, and the reason is very simple. In order to reach the window in the first place, you would have to reach over the table, which is simply too much effort for one simple window." Diamond could suggest magic was used, but even she knew if windows could just be opened with magic that easily, then there would be a lot more break-ins. All windows had a small lock that made it hard for anypony to focus their magic so precisely that it would unlock. It was too much effort, and took too long. No, it would be faster to open it with your hooves. "How do you know the thief was panicking?" Sweetie Belle suddenly asked, to which Chaser simply shrugged. "In all honesty, I don't know for sure that the thief did panic. I think the thief panicked because the thief is a foal, likely this is the first time he or she has ever stolen, so understandably nerves are going to be running high. Hiding it in Scootaloo's saddlebags was just the first place that popped into their mind, likely the thief did not even remember that it belonged to a fellow student." The mood became tense, Chaser had claimed Scootaloo was not guilty, but he was also claiming one of them, a fellow classmate, was the one to do it. They were all nervous, because if Scootaloo could be wrongly accused, then so could one of them. For now though, Chaser finished going over the events as he had deduced they took place. "Panicked, the thief hid the money in the first spot he could find. He made his way to the table, climbed up, and moved out the window. From there it would have been easy to walk past the door, toss the key aside and let somepony find it." His eyes turned to Snips and Snails, who both seemed to shrink as he looked at them. "And after you found it and took it to Ms. Cheerilee, Scootaloo trotted out from the main entrance, after the key was found." Things started to line up nicely, they all seemed to be listening and the doubts seemed to vanish little by little, but of course, his fellow classmates were still nervous of being accused. Luckily, there was not going to be much doubt in this matter. "You two did it, didn't you?" He looked directly at Snips and Snails again, and this time, they did not look nervous, but scared and desperate. It made him certain that one of them had panicked, that this was their first time, and none of this was supposed to have happened. "Wait a minute!" Snips said, holding out a hoof as if to stop him. "We never went inside." "Y-yeah!" Snails agreed. The other foals thought about, then one said. "I didn't see them go into the Schoolhouse.." Chaser shrugged. "You would likely not notice, why would you? Seeing two students, fellow classmates going into the schoolhouse, why would you make a note of that. If it was an adult, or even Miss Cheerilee, then you would likely notice. Scootaloo said she was going to the bathroom, that is why we know she went inside. If she had slipped off without saying anything, then we would likely never have noticed." Both of the colts bit their lips, but that still didn't prove any of them was involved, which they made sure to say out loud. Chaser however had proof, he gestured to the painting table again. "I have all the proof I need, because both of you left hoofprints. Stepping in paint, some dry, some still gooey and slightly wet." He looked back at them, his eyes hardening. "I saw traces of paint under your hooves as we went inside!" He pointed at them. "You two stole the money and didn't speak up when Scootaloo was blamed!" Both of them went stiff, as none of them had thought about stepping on the paint. Chaser knew they could not claim it was old, and they could not claim to have played with paint today of all days either. Miss Cheerilee seemed to come to the same conclusion, she looked at the two colts, and without accusing them of anything yet, she did need to see if what Chaser had said could be right. "Snips, Snails, show me your hooves." There was a moment of hesitation from them both, but knowing there was no way out, they sighed, sat down on their flanks and showed all fours. There it was, the paint, sticking to the underside of their hooves like a big red marker of guilt. Both of them started to sniffle, likely none of them had ever done this before, or had wanted Scootaloo to get blamed. Cheerilee let out a sigh. "Boys, you will be coming with me." She looked at the rest of the class, with a tired expression. "The rest of you, go home." She escorted both the colts out, and likely they were both going to cry, and they were likely feeling very badly. Thankfully, they were both foals, and the Bits had not been taken away, so what had happened was not as serious as it could have been. In truth, Chaser had probably done them a favor, if Scootaloo had been dragged off instead of them, then they would have trotted around with that knowledge, feeling it weighing down on their continence. Hopefully now, they would learn a valuable lesson, and not continue down the road they had nearly started on. "Wow, Clue Chaser.." A timid voice said from his side. He turned, and found Scootaloo looking at him with a grateful smile. Her eyes were red from the crying, and she was still feeling a bit vulnerable from the whole ordeal. "You saved me." Chaser felt his cheeks burn slightly. "Saved you? That might be going too far." The other crusaders joined their friend, all grinning at him. "That was amazing! You are like a real detective!" Sweetie Belle declared with awe in her eyes. Apple Bloom nodded. "Darn tootin'! You really helped our friend out there." Clue Chaser chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed, but also happy. He had actually done it, he had solved a case, small though it may be, he had solved it! Maybe, maybe he could do this, maybe he could follow clues, put the story together, maybe there was a chance, a real chance for him to become a real detective! He heard the three fillies gasped, gaining his attention. "What?" "Look!" Scootaloo exclaimed, pointing to his flank. Chaser did, and his eyes went wide at what he saw. His cutie mark, he had earned his cutie mark! HE HAD DONE IT! Clue Chaser looked at his awesome cutie mark, a magnifying glass, just like Phillip Finder! Though unlike him, he had three question marks inside of it, making it all his own. He couldn't believe this, he really could become a detective! Looking up, he spotted his imaginary friend in the window, smiling at him. "You need help, you know where to find me." Chaser smiled back, almost feeling a tear reach his eyes, as it almost felt like his dad's spirit shone through Phillip, telling Chaser he was proud of him. He gave a single confident nod, and Phillip vanished, but Chaser knew he would be there when he needed him again. Everypony in class went outside, all saying their goodbyes before heading home. Chaser stayed back however, looking back at the school house, thinking about what had just happened. Then the fillies approached him, and he in turn looked at them, this time not with annoyance, but with a small smile. Scootaloo pointed it out with a smirk, and a small laugh. "What's this? He can smile!" She teased, and Chaser chuckled, slightly embarrassed. Then he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, listen.. About last week, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go off on you like that.. I was acting like.. Like.." He tried to find the right word, but thankfully the three fillies helped him, and knew just the right words to use. "A jerk?" Scootaloo smirked. "Yeah.." Chaser nodded. "A meanie?" Sweetie Belle put in. Chaser nodded again. "Yeah, that's fair." Apple Bloom too had something to add. "A stubborn fool?" "Exactly, and I-" "A giant stupid meanie ultra non-cool total lame dork?" Scootaloo interrupted. "Yes! Okay, I get it!" Chaser said, glaring at her, but this time it was more of a playful glare. The three were quiet for a few seconds, then burst out in giggles and laughter. Once it died down, Apple Bloom offered her hoof. "It's alright, we were being a little too pushy." "Yeah, maybe just a little bit.." Scootaloo reluctantly admitted, then putting out her own, joining Apple Bloom. Sweetie nodded, looking a little guilty. "We didn't mean to be annoying, we just wanted to be your friend. Honest." Then she put hers out, the three of them offering their hooves as one. Chaser looked at them, then smiled and reached out with his own, touching their hooves with his own. "I know, and I'm sorry. Mind if we start over..?" The three fillies smiled, giving him a nod. His own smile grew. "Hi, I'm Clue Chaser, I'm ten years old, and when I grow up, I want to be a detective." The three fillies smirked, sharing a knowing look. Then Apple Bloom looked at him. "Hey, Clue Chaser, I'm Apple Bloom." "I'm Sweetie Belle." "And I'm Scootaloo." The fillies started. Then Apple Bloom continued. "And we are..." There was a dramatic pause, and Chaser expected them to do their pose again. Only this time, they jumped him. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders Group Huggers!" "Whoa!!" He fell back onto his flank, surrounded by these three giggling fillies. "I didn't ask for a group hug!" He yelled, blushing, but still couldn't help but smile. The three fillies just squeezed him harder, then proclaimed. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Group Huggers!" Chaser rolled his eyes, then started laughing too. He still had a lot to deal with, but at least now he had a fresh start, and some new friends. Maybe things would get better? Only time would tell. Author's Note Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do! Chapter 3: Something AmissIt had been some time since Clue Chaser first came to the town of Ponyville, and things had certainly been emotional. When Chaser first arrived he was hurt and broken. He'd lost his dad, been adopted by his mother's brother, and was suddenly taken to a town he only knew by name. It would have been a nice place to end things, but Chaser knew too well his problems could not be solved on his own. The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't the only ones he owed an apology to. While he hadn't been snarling at his family, or downright troublesome, he knew he had been somewhat cold and distant. His family were good ponies, and they had given him space, but Chaser still felt bad. His uncle never needed to take him in, he had his own family to deal with. Chaser could have easily ended up in an orphanage, but at the time, he didn't care. Now however, he felt it was time to put the cards on the table, and let them know he truly appreciated all they had done for him. So on that day, he returned home, feeling like his whole body had become lighter after shedding a burden he hadn’t even realized he was carrying. So much had happened today, and it had only taken a few minutes. Chaser's mind had spent the entire trot home to put it all together, and no matter what conclusions he came to, he just felt happy. For the first time since he'd arrived here, he was grinning from ear to ear. Once he arrived home, he hesitated for a bit. Chaser had no idea where to begin, nor how to really approach the subject. Still, nothing would come of standing outside and thinking about it. It was better to act, get it out of the way, and hope they would understand. The logical part of his mind told him they would, but the other part screamed with nervousness and hesitation. As soon as the door opened, he was hit by a pleasant smell of freshly baked muffins. His uncle's marefriend must have finished her shift early, and was apparently using the time productively. Letting out a small sigh, his ears folded back, Chaser went to the kitchen. As he expected, Ditzy was waiting for the muffins to finish, humming to herself as she turned a page in some sort of novel she was reading. For a few moments, Chaser just stood there, gathering his courage. After maybe two minutes of silence, he let out a quiet cough to get her attention. It worked, because her eyes moved up, finding him quickly. "Hey, Clue Chaser! Did you have a nice day at school? How did the sale go? And wha-Oh my gosh! Chaser! You got your cutie mark?!" Chaser nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, it happened not too long ago in fact." "Did it?! You have to tell me all about it! Want a muffin?" She was so excited for him, so happy. It made Chaser feel slightly worse, but he knew if he could just explain, then he would be able to get better. "Well, I was hoping to talk to you, and my uncle…is he home?" Ditzy noticed the serious and nervous tone. While she didn't frown, she did become calmer and more serious. "Of course he is. Why don't you go into the living room, then I'll get him?" Chaser nodded. "Thank you.." He trotted back to the living room, waited patiently for his uncle and Ditzy to arrive before he sat down. Maybe he was being too formal? Before he could decide on that, Ditzy returned with his uncle. Turner grinned at him when he entered. "Chaser, my boy! I've heard you got your cutie mark? Splendid!" Soon enough he noticed the rather tense mood, and so he adapted and calmed down as well. "Clue Chaser? Are you alright, lad?" And so began a long and emotional story. Chaser told them everything, how he had been feeling ever since coming to Ponyville. His meeting with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, his outburst, and of course how he got his cutie mark. He laid everything out, and never in his life had he ever felt exposed. Chaser wasn't one to share about his feelings, not even with his dad. All of this seemed too raw for him, and it hurt. Not physically, but emotionally, and at times, he felt like crying. Still, he faced it head on, and told them what they were owed. Once done, he didn't know how they would react. Logic would usually tell him they were good ponies, and they would not get angry, or anything of the sort. In this case however, logic failed him, and it was like he could only sense his own fears and doubts. Turner spoke first, as he usually did. "Clue Chaser.. I'm so proud of you." Chaser's ears perked, and he looked at his uncle with uncertainty. Up until now, he had not dared to look them in the eyes, focusing instead on the floorboards. Now however, he could see both of them were smiling, and their eyes were glinting with tears. Before he could ask, Ditzy spoke up. "You did really well, defending Scootaloo like that." She really looked proud, and Chaser could not help but feel slightly happy about it. "And you had the courage to tell us the truth about how you feel, that was very brave of you." Chaser felt his cheeks warm a bit, he wasn't after praise, but it felt nice. Turner smiled, leaning forward a bit. "Don't you worry, lad. We are going to make sure you have the support and help you need. We'll be right behind you, all the way." Chaser let out a breath he had no idea he had been holding in. "Thank you.." Friday: Four weeks had passed since then, and little by little Chaser had gotten used to life in Ponyville. True to his word, his uncle had set him up with a foal therapist, one he was to visit twice a week after school. While he wasn't super excited about the idea, he didn't complain or fight, instead did his best to give it a chance, despite how uncomfortable it sometimes could be. Thankfully the therapist was a nice mare, who seemed determined to make their sessions as comfortable and helpful as possible. Chaser liked her, she was nice and dedicated, unlike other officials he had met back in Manehatten. Though in a town like Ponyville, he could easily see how her work would be less stressful. The therapist was a unicorn called Nettlekiss, although she preferred just to be called Nettle. She had a light gray coat, white mane and tail, and green eyes. She had a certain neatness about her; even if Chaser had not known her for so long, he could tell she likes things neat and pretty. Everything was straight in her office, even the cups of tea she placed on the coffee table between them was set at a specific angle. Thankfully she didn't apply this kind of treatment to her patients, so Chaser didn't have to worry about being corrected or asked to sit a certain way. Her sessions took place at her home; she had dedicated the whole of the first floor for this purpose, creating an open space with plenty of light. Chaser liked it here, it wasn't cramped or felt intense. Likely that was the point of this office, and Nettle clearly liked to make her patients feel as comfortable as possible. Chaser was surprised to find himself opening up to her relatively fast. Nettle was just so easy to talk to, so it felt so natural just to open up to her, even if some subjects were still too touchy to approach for now. Nettle didn't push him, instead she did what she always did when he came over. She usually offered him tea and biscuits, doing small talk, and let the conversation flow naturally. Smiling kindly at him, Nettle asked about his day. "How was your day, Chaser?" "Well, it was okay. We have been asked to do a project, and our teacher has made us pair up. I was paired with Apple Bloom." "Ah, that is one of your good friends," Nettle said with a pleased smile. Chaser felt his cheeks warm. He wasn't sure if he would call Apple Bloom or the others “good friends,” but they were friends. "Yeah," Chaser still answered. "She and her friends keep trying to drag me on one of their crusades to get their cutie marks." Nettle let out a pleasant chuckle. "Ah yes, the famous crusading. Those three fillies have made quite the reputation in town." Chaser couldn't help but chuckle a little himself. For the past four weeks the three fillies had dragged him along for anything they could think of. Whatever scheme they had to gain their cutie marks, somehow he almost always had to either be involved, or be the only voice of reason. "It's not like they take me along for every crazy scheme they have planned, but they do try to get me along with most of them." Chaser replied, rubbing his right hoof with his left, looking down at the floor as he did so. "I don't really get why they want me to come anyway." "Maybe they just want to spend time with you?" Nettle suggested. "I don't know," Chaser replied, adding in a sigh for good measure. "I mean, I like them." He quickly clarified. "I'm just not used to all the attention." Nettle nodded, leaning back in her armchair a little. "Did you have many friends back at Manehatten?" Chaser flinched, he hadn't expected that question. "Well, I…uhm…" Thinking back, Chaser recalled his school days back at Manehatten. He had friends, right? The more he thought about it, the more unsure he became. He wasn't bullied, nor was he exactly unpopular, or popular. He had always had his nose in his books, and his classmates had not really been that smart. Chaser stopped, a sudden wave of guilt washing over him. His ears dropped. "I guess, I didn't really have any friends before. We were not really interested in the same things." "And these three fillies are?" "Well, I mean, they are, kinda." Chaser fidgeted on the couch, trying to come up with the words. Nettle chuckled. "It's alright, Clue Chaser. Sometimes it is hard to put our feelings into words." Chaser sighed. "I guess I was too focused on becoming a detective that I didn't give my classmates much attention back in Manehatten." "Do you feel bad about that?" "I guess." Chaser shrugged. "I always saw them as kinda dumb." Looking up at her, he quickly added. "I don't mean I'm better than them, I just, well, I don't know." "I understand what you mean," she assured him. "Do you know why these fillies have been able to get closer to you?" Again, Chaser shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I guess I felt bad for the time I yelled at them. They were just trying to be nice to me, and I threw it back in their faces." They'd had this conversation before, although now she was looking into it from a different angle. "Do you like spending time with them?" Chaser thought about it for a moment. The three fillies had a lot of crazy ideas, and at times seemed to pay little attention to the potential dangers they put themselves in. Chaser had to either stop them or get them out of a tight spot on more than one occasion. Even so, when all was said and done, yes, he liked spending time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Miss Nettle and gave a single nod. "Yes, yes I do. I mean, they are reckless, and constantly getting themselves, and at times me, into trouble." Nettle smirked. "And yet?" Chaser sighed. "It's the most fun I've had for a long time." "I'm glad to hear it. You seemed to have settled in nicely." Nettle said and looked over her notebook. It gave Chaser time to look around the office. The entire first floor was dedicated to her consultation, which meant there was plenty of room for all sorts of activities. On one end was her desk, and a large closet. Then after that came her more informal space, a large couch, and an armchair with a coffee table separating them. It was here Chaser was, and it was here all his conversations with Dr. Nettlekiss took place. The rest of the space was likely to do physical exercises, Chaser had seen some yoga mats, and three of those very large rubber balls. The place looked spotless, and very neat as always. Although, today things had seemed a little different. For example, the wooden tray was not on the coffee table. It was where their tea would be placed, along with the sugar and their mugs. Normally it would be on the table, but instead he had spotted it over at the desk, and with the mugs had been used. "Did you have a visitor before I came by?" Chaser asked. Nettle stopped looking over her notes, moving her eyes up to meet his. "Excuse me?" "I was just wondering," Chaser replied, feeling a little embarrassed. "Did you have someone come over that you didn't expect before I came?" Dr. Nettle seemed to tense a bit, biting her lip and sitting up straight. Had he upset her? "What makes you think that?" "Well, the tray with the tea is on your desk, and you have not offered me any. Normally when you serve tea, the mugs are turned upside down," Chaser explained, then pointed at the tray on the desk. "But they are standing the right way up, suggesting they have been used." Nettle didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then she smiled, just a little. "You can tell that? That is very impressive, Clue Chaser. Why do you think it was someone I didn't expect?" Now Chaser felt his cheeks burn a little brighter. "Well, normally you like to keep all things neat and tightly. You also usually have things prepared when I get here, only this time you didn't. If you had expected company, I imagine you would not have taken them up here to drink tea, but instead kept the matter downstairs. But you used the tea set we use up here, so I imagine the visit was unexpected, but still important enough to let them in. Having already made the tea for our session, you took them upstairs and talked instead of making a new kettle, so the encounter must have been somewhat brief and close to our meeting." The more Chaser talked, the more he could see he was right. Dr. Nettle seemed tense, likely embarrassed that he had been able to deduce all this. She liked keeping things neat, an attempt of control, and he had noticed it, and worse, he had noticed the change. "They must have left just before I came around, because you didn't have time to make a new pot of tea." Dr. Nettle startled, or perhaps impressed, it was hard to tell. Though after a few seconds, she smiled at him. "That's very good, but if it was a short visit, then there should be plenty of tea left in the pot. So I didn't need to make a new one." Chaser shrugged. "Even so, you have not gotten clean mugs, or offered me any tea at all. So it has slipped your mind, which is out of character for you. I don't think the visit was planned, and it must have frazzled you, as you knew I would be arriving soon." His therapist favored him with a smile, admitting he was right. "That is really impressive, and really embarrassing." Nettle blushed, but still smiling. "I'm so sorry for the tea, it slipped my mind. I have a lot on my plate right now." "Is everything okay?" asked Chaser, tilting his head to the side. Dr. Nettle giggled and waved his concerns away with her hoof. "Oh yes, it's just some adult stuff." With a hoof, she placed it over a locket that hung around her neck, as she often did when she was thinking. The locket was very beautiful, and old. It looked like it had been through a lot, but had lost none of its elegance and charm. "Well, I think that will do it for today, Clue Chaser,” she said, removing her hoof and smiling. "I'm sorry I was so far away today, but we'll make up for it next week, I promise." "It's okay," assured Clue Chaser, getting up from his spot on the couch, and down on the floor. Dr. Nettle took her young fellow downstairs, where Clue Chaser could pick up his hat. Smiling, Nettlekiss opened the door for him, and Chaser stepped outside. "Thank you for today, Chaser. I think you are doing really well. Get home safely, and I'll see you next week." Chaser nodded. "Thank you." The two parted ways, and Clue Chaser made his way home to his uncle. He made his way through town, enjoying the almost tranquil nature of it all. Ponyville still felt a bit foreign to him, as if he wasn't really a part of the town just yet. Although he supposed it was like this whenever you moved someplace new. He had always lived in the big city, so this was his first experience in moving somewhere else. His school felt less strange to him now, and he felt generally accepted by his classmates. Miss Cheerilee was a good teacher, far more patient and understanding than any other teacher he'd ever had back in Manehatten. Then again, her school had a smaller student body, so that meant a less stressful environment. His uncle and his marefriend did everything they could to make him feel at home. When he first got here, their relationship had been that of strangers. While they knew each other, they had not been in constant contact, so it had been a challenge to get over the hill. Thankfully, things had seemed to ease up a bit. Uncle Time Turner seemed less nervous and tense when talking to him, and that in turn made Chaser feel less exposed and awkward. Things were still a little strained here and there, but generally Chaser felt things were going the right way. Maybe in time, they could actually feel like a proper family? Of course, Chaser still carried his father deep in heart, and he was still convinced his father had been murdered. However, he accepted that for now, there was little he could do. The best thing he could do, was to hone his detective skills, and study the subjects that could possibly help him in the future. Clue chaser had vowed he would find his dad's killer, but he knew the odds were heavily stacked against him. For one, he was only a foal, and he recognized his age and the trauma of seeing his father dead could have influenced his overall assessment. Two, all clues were likely gone by now, and the police have already ruled it a suicide. Three, the police would likely not be of any help, and he had no way to access the resources they possessed. So all in all, things didn't look good. That didn't mean he would stop trying, no, far from it in fact... Saturday: The next day Chaser slept in, as he did every Saturday like most foals his age. He had no idea that something was afoot in Ponyville as he slowly opened his eyes, and greeted the new day with a yawn. Rubbing his eyes with his hooves, Chaser sat up, heard a small thump. Looking to the side, he saw that a book had fallen from the bed and onto the floor. He had been reading in bed again. It wasn't the worst habit a colt his age could have, but it did mean he would read until it became way past his bedtime. A glance at his alarm clock banished any tiredness from his eyes. It was almost 09:30, and he had promised the girls he would meet them at Sugarcube Corner to work on a school project. Chaser had been lucky enough to get paired up with Apple Bloom, who was definitely the most studious of the CMC. Not that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were not smart, but Scoots hated to do any kind of school work, and Sweetie Belle got easily distracted. While Apple Bloom wasn't a big fan of homework either, she did do them dutifully, and was kind of the good filly in the group. He let out an amused snort. Apple Bloom was smart, and yet she was also very active and adventurous. Chaser wondered if her sense of responsibility came from her family. He'd only met her family a few times in passing, but from what he had been told, and from what he had seen, they valued honest work, and took responsibility. When thinking about it like that, it was no wonder Apple Bloom turned out the way she did. That being said, she was still a filly, and still liked doing foal stuff, and getting into trouble. The door opened, bringing Chaser out of his thoughts. It was Ditzy, standing in the doorway with a smile. "Oh, good morning, Clue Chaser. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still sleeping." Chaser yawned, shaking his head as he did so. "No, it's alright, I was already getting out of bed." Ditzy giggled. "Sleepyhead." She walked in, carrying a basket on the back. "I just wanted to see if you had anything that needed washing." "No, I got nothing." Chaser assured her, thinking the whole laundry thing was just an excuse to check up on him. He didn't call her out on it, she meant well, and it was clear she worried about him. "Thank you." Ditzy smiled. "You're welcome, sweetie." She turned around to walk out, but then stopped. "Oh, do you have anything planned for today?" Chaser nodded, finally sliding out of his bed and landed on his legs, stretching a little. "Yeah, I'm going to meet up with my friends and do some homework." "Oh! That sounds like lots of fun!” Ditzy beamed. “Do you need any pocket bits?" Chaser shook his head. "No, I'm good. Thank you." "Alright, if you're sure. Just remember to freshen up and brush your teeth before heading out, okay?" "I will," assured Chaser as Ditzy left. Yawning one final time, Chaser shook his body, trying to wake up, and clear his head. It didn't do much, but at least it gave him enough focus to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth. He'd never been a morning pony, but he knew it was his own fault for reading until so late. He made a mental note of keeping better bedtime schedules for himself in the future. About seventeen minutes later, Clue Chaser was finally out the door, his saddle bags placed across his body, and his trademark hat. He still felt a little sleepy, but nowhere near the amount he felt this morning, and the fresh air did help clear his head a lot. All around him ponies were getting on with their day. Going shopping, spending time together, or foals playing around. It was a scenery he wasn't used to back in Manehatten, but he had to admit it was starting to grow on him. However, something he did recognize from Manehatten was a couple of police ponies, walking around and asking random ponies questions. Chaser raised an eyebrow, slowing down his pace as he watched the uniformed ponies thanking the pony they had been talking to, and then moved on with their day. Chaser had seen plenty of cops back in Manehatten, his father was one of them after all. However in Ponyville they were a rare sight, as the jurisdiction fell under Canterlot. They did show up from time to time, of course they did, but it was rare, and there usually was just one or two. In this case, Chaser didn't see one pair, not two or three pairs, but four pairs of police ponies trotting around. It was very unusual, but Chaser didn't think more about it, not until he entered Sugarcube Corner and he again saw police. A stallion with a thick mustache. He wore a coat, and seemed senior to the mare in uniform beside him. They were talking to Mrs. Cake, and Chaser had half a mind to go over and listen, pretending to be standing in line. However that was not to be, before he could as much as take a step towards them, a voice called out to him. "Clue Chaser, over here!" He looked over to one of the booths, it was Sweetie Belle who had called, and she was waving enthusiastically. Looking back towards the officers, Chaser saw they were already finishing their business and turned around and left. They didn't even glance at Chaser. However when they passed, he could hear the mare speak with an upbeat voice. "Don't worry, sir. I'm sure we will find something!" "I don't like it, Sergeant." Replied the deep voice of the stallion. Chaser frowned, and he wanted to follow, his instinct pushing him to investigate, despite having no reason to do so. However another call from the three fillies compelled him to go to their table. They had already ordered milkshakes, which was nice. "Morning," came the automatic greeting from Chaser, and the girls all replied in turn. It wasn't really morning anymore, but it was early enough that Scootaloo looked like she rather wanted to spend her Saturday in bed. Apple Bloom got out of her seat, so Chaser could slide into the booth with them. "Have you guys been waiting long?" "Nuh-uh," Apple Bloom replied, sitting back down once Chaser had passed her. "We just got here a few minutes ago." "And Sweetie Belle wanted milkshakes, so," Scootaloo said, sounding bored with the assignment in front of them already. "So I decided to order us all some!" Sweetie Belle finished. "Good thinking," Clue Chaser replied, while at the same time taking out his papers and pencil, while the others had brought books. Well, Apple Bloom had brought books, being the more studious of the three fillies, more willing to take on responsibility, so Chaser was happy he got paired with her. "So," Apple Bloom began, smiling at Chaser. "We need to find a story about Ponyville." Scootaloo sighed heavily. "Why? This town pretty much always sleeps." "That's not true, remember the time when Discord took over Equestria?" said Sweetie Belle. "Well, alright," admitted Scootaloo. "Or that sleeping dragon?" "The what?" Chaser asked, looking up from his papers, but nopony answered. "Or when Twilight pretty much brainwashed the town?" "She did what?" "Okay, I get it," Scootaloo shrugged. "I guess there is a lot we can write about." Seeming a little less bored, but still not thrilled about the whole project. Apple Bloom giggled, then looked at Chaser. "We could write about my family!" she beamed, pulling out a blue book from her green saddlebag. Chaser was about to ask why, but Apple Bloom was prepared, "My family pretty much founded this town when Princess Celestia granted my great grandfather the land." Chaser lit up. "That does sound interesting." For a moment, he had completely forgotten about all the police he had seen in the town, but it was only just for a moment. "Can we get in on that too?" Scootaloo said, a small hopeful tone in her voice. Apple Bloom looked at her friend, an almost scolding look in her eyes. "No, you just wanna copy us." "Will not!" Scootaloo insisted, but had no further arguments to defend herself with. In the meantime, Sweetie Belle happily drank her milkshake, almost seeming oblivious to what was going on around her. Although Chaser suspected she had seen her two friends argue plenty of times, and had simply learned how to tune it out. After a minute or two, the girls stopped their arguing, and Apple Bloom returned to her book, and started to explain her idea to Chaser. Scootaloo in the meantime returned to looking bored out of her mind. For the next two hours, the group began planning out their projects. Chaser and Apple Bloom did most of the work and had to push Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to get started. However it only took an hour before things started to loosen up, and it became less and less about homework, and more and more about having fun. Chaser would normally have found it annoying if he was still in Manehatten. However, after having lived here for a while, the fillies had sorta rubbed off on him, so he actually started to join in, and relax more than before. That was not to say when it came to their ideas of how to get their cutie marks, Chaser had to politely, patiently, yet firmly, be the voice of reason. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two police ponies trot by, and he was reminded of what he saw on his way here. He turned his gaze back onto his friends. "By the way, did any of you notice all the police ponies in Ponyville?" The three fillies nodded. "Yeah, they came out to my family's farm to talk to Granny, Big Mac, and my sister," explained Apple Bloom. "Oh yeah, now that you mention it." Scootaloo nodded. "I did see a lot of them on my way here." "It is pretty unusual,” Sweetie Belle put in. "We don't see police ponies here often. I mean, once Rarity had to report a theft from the store, but it turned out her cat had taken the fabric," she said with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Does any pony know what has happened?" Chaser asked. The fillies looked at one another, but none of them had an answer. Clue Chaser let out a frustrated grumble, the desire to know what was happening eating away at his chest. Maybe that was kinda childish, and he again had to remind himself that he had no business knowing anything about what they were doing here. On the other hoof, he had such a bad feeling about it, he really felt a need to know. For now though, there was nothing he could do, and so decided to leave it alone. He sighed, doing his best not to sound frustrated. Instead he looked at the fillies, and made himself smile. "So, I guess this homework session is over. What do you girls have planned for today?" He already knew the answer, and he wasn't disappointed when they all answered in unison. "Cutie Mark Crusading, yay!" Chaser flinched away, but didn't stop smiling. "And what insane plan have you guys come up with now?" "We are going to try our luck at being weather ponies!" Scootaloo replied. "Weather ponies?" Chaser repeated, frowning slightly. "How are you supposed to do that? Only one of you is a pegasus." The three fillies stopped in their tracks. "Oh, yeah," mumbled Scootaloo. "Well, we can still try our hoof at health inspectors." Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom shook her head, waving her hoof as if waving the idea away. "No, we did that last week." "I have an idea!" a sudden bubbly voice said from under the table. They all jumped, then looked under it to have a look, but nopony was there. When they sat up again, they all let out a yelp, because Pinkie was sitting among them, right between Chaser and Sweetie Belle. "How did you do that?!" Chaser asked, before suddenly being dragged closer by Pinkie's Pie hoof. "That's a secret!" she giggled, then let the colt go from her half hug. "Any-bo, I overheard you're looking for your next cutie mark adventure!" The fillies all nodded, although Chaser wasn't a crusader, so he didn't count himself a part of this conversation. "You have an idea, Pinkie Pie?!" Scootaloo excitedly asked. "Yooou betcha!" Pinkie grinned. "You guys can be my super duper baking assistants today! What do you say?!" Pinkie looked at them with anticipation, and the girls only needed to exchange one look before it was decided. As one, they threw up their hooves, and cheered in unison again. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ASSISTANT BAKERS, YAY!" Pinkie let out a cheer as well, and as if she was made of air, she easily bounced out of her seat, over the table and landed on the other side with no problems. "Okie dokie! Let's get started!" The foals got out from the booth, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders made ready to follow Pinkie Pie. All except Chaser, who took his red saddlebag, and turned the other way. "You girls have fun. Good luck with your crusading." He was just about to take a step towards the door, when a pink hoof stopped him. "Where do you think you're going, silly head?! You're coming too!" "What?" Chaser turned around, a confused expression painting his face. "I got stuff to do.” "Don't be silly!” Pinkie said, pulling him close. “You don't need to try and find your cutie mark to have fun with friends!" Chaser looked from Pinkie, to the fillies, and back again. "But I-" He didn't get to say anything else, before Pinkie suddenly pushed him to the three fillies. "Take him to the kitchen!" Pinkie commanded in a mock royal voice, and the three fillies grabbed Chaser. It was all in good fun, but still Chaser struggled, confused and bewildered. All the while, the three fillies hauled him towards the kitchen, while calling out in unison. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER KIDNAPPERS, YAY!" "What do you mean yay?!" Chaser protested. "Don't say yay to that! Hey, let me go!" Scootaloo laughed. "Relax, will you? What's the worst that can happen?" The group laughed, and before he knew it, Chaser was trapped in the kitchen with Cutie Mark Crusaders. Somehow they had managed to talk him into helping out. Oh well, maybe Scootaloo had a point. What was the worst that could happen? Author's Note This chapter was going to be much longer, but I kept getting stuck, so I decided to cut it up a bit so I can move on to the next bit faster. Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do! Chapter 4: MissingSaturday: What could go wrong he'd asked? Well, plenty went wrong! Chaser wasn't even sure what happened was physically possible, but here he was, trotting home, covered in sticky, dripping dough. What had happened had defied logic and Chaser wasn't even sure about how it happened. Before he knew it, the simple dough which they had prepared had started to grow, and before they could have escaped, exploded, sticking him and Scootaloo to the wall. It took the rest of the group, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and the so-called responsible adult, Pinkie Pie, almost thirty-three minutes to get them unstuck. Miss Pie had simply laughed it off, and the two fillies had asked if they were okay. Well, they were not hurt in any way, and other than a sticky and dirty coat, Chaser and Scootaloo were alright. Pinkie Pie had promised to clean the mess up, leaving the Cutie Mark Crusaders and himself free to go home and take a bath. Chaser let out a frustrated sigh. Those three always found a way to make trouble, even when they didn't intend to. Not only that, but they always managed to drag him into trouble. Despite his uncomfortable sticky situation, Chaser smiled slightly. "Girls," he mumbled with a small chuckle, rolling his eyes. Clue Chaser soon reached his uncle's home, and he had barely made it to the door before he heard a large noise coming from his uncle's workshop. It sounded almost like an explosion, and Chaser could have sworn he had felt the ground shake a little. The first time he'd heard such a noise, he'd been worried, but after the tenth, he had learned it was simply part of life here. His uncle always worked on some strange new invention, and often the results were quite explosive. Chaser still made his way around the house, and walked to the large workshop. It was part of the house, and almost looked like a tower. On top was an open balcony with a telescope, and around the entry were scattered several parts, like gears, and scraps of metal. Chaser approached the door, but before he even got close enough, it swung open, and shrouded in black smoke, exited his coughing uncle. He was alright, as usual, but whatever had happened to him had left him black with almost all over his body. "Uncle? Are you okay?" Chaser asked, raising an eyebrow in bemusement. Time Turner coughed a few more times, but otherwise seemed unhurt. He ran a hoof over his eyes, clearing away the soot so he could see better. "Yes, I'm quite, erugh, quite alright, lad." He smiled, seeming to jitter with excitement. "I've been experimenting with fireless fireworks, so far my efforts have been less than successful." His uncle admitted, shaking his body free from the soot, and looked at Chaser. "It is good that you're home, my boy. We have something to talk to you about." Time Turner took his nephew inside the main house, and Chaser followed without asking any questions for now. Once inside, Turner called to Ditzy, and soon enough she joined them in the living room. Like when he had talked to them, they all sat down, got comfortable, and let the peace settle around them. Chaser noted their boy language, how they seemed more tense, and how Ditzy seemed to glance towards the stairs a few times, as if afraid someone might hear? Was she worried that Dinky would hear them? Letting out a sigh, his uncle spoke first. "Clue Chaser, I need to ask you if you have seen Diamond Tiara lately?" The colt raised an eyebrow in confusion. "No, wh-" he began, but then stopped, thinking back on all the police he had seen. "Has something happened?" The two adults glanced at one another, seeming to hesitate for just a moment, then returned to their gazes back at him. It was Ditzy who spoke now. "I'm afraid she has gone missing, Chaser. Her mommy and daddy haven't seen her since yesterday." "But she was at school," noted Chaser, remembering her clearly complaining about the school assignment. "Maybe she went to Silver Spoon's house?" "I'm sure the police will look into that," assured his uncle. "However, if you do remember something, please tell us, okay?" Chaser nodded, wrinkling his nose a little. "Tomorrow a lot of Ponyville is going out to look for her,." Ditzy explained, continuing the conversation. "We are going out to help tomorrow, and it would be really helpful if you could stay here and look after Dinky." "But I can help!" Chaser instantly responded, his voice filled with dread over being left out. It wasn't that he didn't like Dinky, but something was going on, and Chaser wanted to be there. "Clue Chaser." his uncle said, a firmness in his voice Chaser hadn't heard before. "We need you to do this for us, please." Chaser blinked, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, feeling like a foal who had just been told no for the final time after making a scene in the toy store. Instead of arguing about it, he nodded. "Yeah, I can look after her." His uncle nodded slowly, as if he understood Chaser's reservations. Chaser didn't think he did, but he didn't say anything about it. As if he owed Chaser an explanation, his uncle continued, "we don't like any of you out there when we look around." Then he admitted what they were really afraid of, just without saying it directly. "We don't know what we will find." A cold shiver ran down Chaser's back. His uncle was right, and Chaser mentally scolded himself for not thinking about it earlier. His dad had talked about a case like this once, it was well known that the longer a foal is missing, the less likely it is that they are found alive. So if the police hadn't found Diamond Tiara by tonight, there was a good chance she would not be found alive... Sunday: The next day came quickly, and this time Chaser didn't sleep in. He had a hard time falling asleep, thinking about what could have happened to Diamond Tiara. An accident perhaps? Lost in the woods? Attacked by wild animals? Kidnapping? Maybe even murder? Any of these scenarios had their valid probabilities, but in an area such as Ponyville, the last two seemed the less likely. She could have just run off, but why would she? Diamond Tiara seemed to have everything a pony could ask for, and she seemed rather spoiled. Why would she run away from a life like that? In the end Chaser had fallen asleep, trying his best not to think about the case. Once morning had come, he had joined his family for breakfast, where Dinky seemed excited to be spending the day with Clue Chaser. During breakfast she was talking about the things they could do together, like drawing, playing, and, well, drawing and playing. He didn't mind, but in truth, Chaser had never looked after a younger foal before in his life. It had become clear neither Ditzy or his uncle wanted her to know what was going on, so Chaser decided not to tell her anything either. It seemed it was going to be a pretty drawn out day, and just when his uncle and Ditzy were about to leave, somepony knocked on the door. "Oh, I wonder who that could be?" Ditzy mumbled, sounding slightly confused. If she was surprised that someone was knocked, she didn't look at it before she opened the door and came face to face with the element of honesty herself. "Applejack?" Clue Chaser's ears stood up as he heard the name, and with an uncertain step, he moved closer to the door to look. It was Applejack, Apple Bloom's older sister. Clue Chaser had never actually met Applejack before, he had seen her, but never officially been introduced to her, or any of Apple Bloom's family. What was she doing here? "Howdy, Miss Doo. Sorry to bother you, but I have a favor to ask." "Of course, Applejack. Do you need to come in?" Applejack shook her head, instead taking one step to the side, revealing a red maned filly, Apple Bloom. "Me and the family are heading off to help in the search for little Diamond Tiara, and we need somepony to look after little Apple Bloom." Chaser could see Apple Bloom blushing and pouting, looking away from her sister in embarrassment. "I wouldn't ask this of you normally, but Apple Bloom said she had a school project with her new friend Clue Chaser?" Her tone raised a little in the end, as if asking if that was indeed his name. Ditzy seemed to light up. "Oh, yes! Hello, Apple Bloom." "Howdy," was all Apple Bloom said, she seemed more timid than what Chaser was used to. "Clue Chaser is going to look after my daughter, Dinky," Ditzy told Applejack with a knowing nod. "I'm sure he will be happy to have some company." "Are ya sure it won't be a problem?" Applejack asked, but smiled a little. "No problem at all!" Ditzy promised. "Apple Bloom, you can go and find Clue Chaser." "Okay." Chaser stepped out from the corner, waving at Apple Bloom who hurriedly made her way towards him. "You behave yourself, Apple Bloom!" Applejack called after her, but the two foals were already gone. Letting out a small chuckle, Applejack looked at Ditzy and smiled a bit more. "Thank you so much, Miss Doo, We really didn't want to leave Apple Bloom alone." Ditzy nodded, knowing exactly how she felt about it. "It's no trouble at all, I promise, and please, you can call me Ditzy." "It's mighty kind of you, I just hope the two won't get up to any mischief. Yesterday, Apple Bloom came home covered in dough!" Applejack said with an exhausted, yet amused expression. "Something about getting her baking cutie mark." Ditzy giggled. "Well, that explains why Clue Chaser came home covered in dough as well." The two mares shared a heartful laugh, something they both needed right now. When it was over, Applejack looked at Ditzy with a more relaxed expression. "I guess I'll see you and your coltfriend out there." Some of her seriousness returned, but she was much less tense now. Ditzy nodded, a determined look in her mismatched eyes. "You will." Meanwhile upstairs, the two foals reached Clue Chaser's room. Once they entered, Apple Bloom stopped and took a good look around, almost like she was at some exhibit. "Something wrong?" Chaser asked with a raised eyebrow. Apple Bloom quickly shook her head, blushing slightly. "N-no! Just never been in a colt's room before." Chaser let out small laugh. "It's not that interesting." That was true enough, the room looked very empty. There was his saddlebag by the door, a desk with some notes and books, his bed next to a large window, and a small dresser. "I didn't really bring a lot of stuff with me from Manehatten," Chaser said, reading her wondering expression. "You can put your saddlebag next to mine." Apple Bloom did just that, then trotted over to his desk and looked at some of his notes. She smiled, seeing what they were. "You're writing about my family?" She said that it was more of an excited statement than a question. Chaser just smiled, got up on his bed and sat down. "We agreed to write about your family's history here, so I wrote a few notes down yesterday." With a frown, he added. "Besides, I couldn't really relax yesterday, so I tried to distract myself with some homework." Apple Bloom frowned, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "You're thinking about it too?" Chaser nodded. "I was pretty shocked when my sister told me, why would Diamond Tiara run away?" Chaser shrugged. "Lots of reasons, I guess." Truth be told he did not know his wannabe bully very well, so there could be a lot of reasons for her to want to run away that he didn't know about. "Something else could have happened, something worse." "You mean, maybe she's hurt?" "That, or something worse." He scratched his head. "I can't stop thinking about it." "But there are so many police now, and all the adults are looking for her now. They'll find her." Apple Bloom said, sounding so sure of it. Chaser nodded absently, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, you're right, they'll find her." Changing the subject, he nodded towards her saddlebag. "So, what did you bring?" Apple Bloom smiled mischievously. "A few snacks." "Really?" Chaser let out a half snort half laugh, and shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?" "I also brought a few pictures, my Granny told me a lot we can use in our presentation." Apple Bloom added, moving over to her saddlebag and moved it closer to his desk. "If we work fast enough, perhaps we can get the report over today," added Clue Chaser, trotting closer to her. He reached out for the saddlebag to take a look, but when he did, Apple Bloom did the same, and the hooves touched. "Oh, uhm." The two redrew their hooves as if they had touched something hot, almost by reflex. "Sorry." Both of them blushed a little, mostly Apple Bloom who looked a bit sheepish, but pleased. "It's okay, let me just get that." Just as she was about to open the bag, the door opened, and two foals jumped slightly, as if they were being caught in doing something they were not supposed to. When they both looked, they saw a small filly looking up at them with big puzzled eyes. "Clue Chaser!" She said, rising in tone as she finished his name. "Mom says they are leaving now." "Oh, thank you, Dinky." Clue Chaser replied and stood up. He was about to approach her, but was suddenly passed by Apple Bloom, who quickly made her way to the filly. "Oh! Is this your little sister? What's your name?" Dinky fiddled with her hooves, looking down a little. "D-Dinky..." Apple Bloom seemed to almost beam with excitement. "And how old are you?" "Four?" "I'm Apple Bloom, your brother's friend from school." Apple Bloom said with a friendly smile, then looked at Chaser. "You didn't tell me you had a younger sister!" Chaser blushed. "We are not really..." But it was too late, Dinky seemed to beam now too, excited. "I have a big brother?!" she asked, seemed on the verge of squealing with excitement. Apple Bloom looked slightly confused at Chaser, but before he had a chance to explain, Dinky had turned around and ran out, calling for Ditzy as she did so. "MOOOM! I HAVE A BIG BROTHER!!" Chaser looked at Apple Bloom with a raised eyebrow, and she let out a small sheepish laugh. "Ehehe, sorry.." "Heh, no worries," said Chaser, rolling his eyes with a small smile. "Come on, we should go down and see them off." As they left his room he added, "And you're helping me foalsit." Time Turner and Ditzy left the house, but not before hugging Dinky, and making sure Clue Chaser knew what a big responsibility this was. He was ten years old, almost eleven, so Chaser was pretty sure he could handle this. Even so, they went through everything. There was food in the fridge, he was not allowed to cook anything more complicated than toast. Look after Dinky, make sure they did not go out, or open the door to a stranger. It came to a point Clue Chaser was convinced they were going to tell him how to flush the toilet, but thankfully it didn't go that far. Besides, when it came down to it, they were asking him to look after a small filly, and no matter how you looked at it, that was an important responsibility. When they finally left the three foals alone, Chaser let out a relieved sigh. Apple Bloom looked at him bemusedly. "You think that's bad? You should see my sister when she gives me any responsibility at all. I'm not even allowed to stay home alone yet." She bumped him with her body playfully, and he sent her a smile back. "Guess you're right." "Big brother! Big brother!" Dinky cheered, running to him, looking ecstatic. "What are we going to do today?!" Chaser flinched. "Well, uhm…I..." He mumbled unsure of what to do. He'd never had any siblings, older or younger, he hardly even had any friends before coming to Ponyville. He looked at Apple Bloom, hoping she had an idea of what to do. Fortunately, she did. "Why don't we play some games?" Dinky's smile broadened. "Yay!" Chaser nodded, although being less enthusiastic. "What game should we play?" Putting her hoof under her chin, Apple Bloom thought about it for a few moments before she grinned. "How about hide and seek?" "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Dinky jumped up and down. "I know the house better than anypony, I know all the good hiding places!" A sly smirk came across Apple Bloom's face, then leaned closer to Dinky. "Then how about we hide, and Chaser has to find us?" Dinky giggled, and nodded in agreement. "What? So I just have to find you?" asked Clue Chaser, feeling his cheeks warm a bit. Was this something that normal colts knew how to do? Apple Bloom smiled at him. "Yes, you have to count down from one hundred, that will get us time to hide, and then you have to find us." "And the first one you find will have to be the finder next!" Added Dinky. "Uhm, right," Chaser nodded. "And you can't look, turn around, close your eyes, and start counting." Apple Bloom giggled, stepping closer to Dinky, ready to take off when Chaser did his part. "Right," he simply replied, turned, closed his eyes, and started counting. The two fillies ran off, and so began a long day of games, laughter, and fun. It was pretty fun, even Chaser thought so, and despite his deductive skills, the two fillies managed to evade him more than once. It was pretty fun, and the three of them had a good time. The game soon shifted to drawing, which is to say, Dinky got to draw, while Chaser and Apple Bloom decided to work on their project. The hours passed, and the three of them enjoyed the snacks Apple Bloom had brought. It wasn't really a proper lunch, but it was enough to fill them, along with some delicious apples. As midday turned into afternoon, Ditzy and Chaser's uncle returned home. Dinky got up, and ran to the door. "Mommy!" Ditzy smiled, and hugged her daughter. "Heya, sweetheart, did you have fun?" "Mmhm, Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom are fun. We played all sorts of games!" She smiled, seeming a little less energetic now. Chaser could hardly blame the filly, as she had been running around most of the day. Chaser and Apple Bloom came to the entryway, and one look at Time Turner was enough to let them know there had been no luck in finding Diamond Tiara. It was not the time to ask, but Chaser understood the seriousness of it. "Apple Bloom, your sister is still out for a little while, but your Granny has returned home. Do you want me to walk you home?" "I can do that," said Clue Chaser, glancing at Apple Bloom, then back at his uncle. Time Turner looked at his nephew, considering. "Well, I don't know." "It's not that far away," Chaser reminded him. "And there are a lot of ponies outside, I promise I'll come straight home." It wasn't hard to guess what worried him, but Chaser doubted he would be in any real danger. They still didn't know if a crime had even occurred, at least to his knowledge. "Well, alright, if it is okay with you, Apple Bloom?" Apple Bloom nodded, smiling gently. "I don't mind none." "Right, just come straight home, Chaser," his uncle reluctantly agreed. "I will. Come on, Apple Bloom. Let's get your stuff." Apple Bloom said goodbye to Dinky and promised she would come by again one day. Then, after putting her saddlebags on, she followed Chaser outside, and made her way towards home. As they trotted down the streets, and to the outskirts of Ponyville, Apple Bloom looked at Chaser and asked what he himself was thinking. "Do you think they found her?" Chaser shook his head. "No, I think they would have told us if they did. Unless something really serious had happened." Seeing her startled expression, Chaser quickly added. "I don't think that either, they would have seemed more tense and nervous, I think." "You think?" "I can't be sure, it's just my best guess." Clue Chaser admitted. "The police are probably talking to everypony that might have seen Diamond Tiara, or knew where she was going." "What do you think has happened to her?" Apple Bloom asked, her voice sounding careful, as if she was afraid of the answer. "I don't know," he replied, looking at her. "Are you worried about her?" "Of course I am!" Apple Bloom replied, her voice rising slightly and a hint of guilt crossing her face. "I mean, she can be really mean, and she is a bully, but that doesn't mean I want anything to happen to her." "I know," Chaser reassured her. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Diamond Tiara either. Whatever was going on though, surely the police would find her soon enough. They continued trot down the dirt path, soon enough arriving by Apple Bloom's home. When they came to the fence gate, Apple Bloom looked at him. "You want to come inside?" "Thank you, but I promised I'd come straight home." Chaser said, looking at her with an apologetic smile. "Oh yeah." She giggled a little, then stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you for today." Chaser was surprised, but hugged her back. "Sure, no problem. Thank you for helping me with Dinky, and making the day fun. I couldn't have done it without you." Apple Bloom giggled again, stepping back with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Darn tootin!" She winked, then turned. "See you at school tomorrow!" Chaser watched her run to her home for a few seconds, then he turned with a smile, and started to make his way back home. While today had been fun, he couldn't let go of this growing dread. What had happened to Diamond Tiara? Where was she? And was she okay? For now, there wasn't much of anything he could do. He just hoped wherever she was, that she was okay. Monday: When morning arrived, Chaser did everything as he usually did on a school morning. When Ditzy gave him his lunch and saw him off by the door, she told him to have a good day, and to be careful. All this missing Tiara case really had everypony worked up, not that Chaser didn't get it. Sadly, it wasn't a rare thing that a foal went missing in Manehatten, but in a town like Ponyville, where everypony knew everypony? That must be rare and shocking to all the ponies here. Chaser would indeed be careful, but he didn't want to trot around and be afraid either. As he made his way towards school, he sensed a strange atmosphere around Ponyville. It was hard to describe, but everypony seemed a little less happy and smiles, and more worry and gloom. That was to be expected though. Making his way down the road he usually took to school, he was suddenly joined by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. They came from behind, calling his name. "Chaser!" He turned, seeing them run up to him. He smiled, stopping and waited for them to catch up. "Good morning." "Morning," they both said, although Scootaloo said it while she yawned. "Have you heard?" "About Diamond Tiara? I think everypony has heard by now," he replied. "Did your family help looking?" Both nodded. "Rarity helped, although she wouldn't let me help, so I was with Scootaloo." "My aunt left, leaving me to be looked after by my other aunt." Scootaloo shrugged. "Then Sweetie Belle came over, and we just hung out. What about your family?" "My uncle and his marefriend went out, so it was just me and Dinky." Chaser said, then added. "Apple Bloom came too, and we just played around." "Apple Bloom was over at your house?" Scootaloo asked, sounding surprised. "Who's Dinky?" "Yes she was, and that is Ditzy's daughter." Sweetie Belle frowned. "Who's Ditzy?" "Derpy," Scootaloo clarified. Chaser raised an eyebrow, and Scootaloo's ears lowered. "S-sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I've just heard other ponies call her that." "Yeah, well, her name is Ditzy Doo," Chaser said in a neutral tone, but with a small edge to it. "She's done a lot for me.” "I'm sorry…" Seeing her frown, Chaser bumped her with his body, smiling a little. "No worries." She smiled back, and the three continued on down the road. As they approached the school, they saw Apple Bloom waiting for them. They came directly from Ponyville, and Apple Bloom came from Sweet Apple Acres, so their routes to school didn't really line up. "Morning y'all!" greeted Apple Bloom with her sweet smile. "Morning," the three greeted back. "You were at Clue Chaser's place yesterday?" Sweetie Belle asked her. Apple Bloom nodded. "Mmhmm, we had fun." "What did you do?" Asked Scootaloo. "Looked after Clue Chaser's little sister, and did some work on our project. What did you do?" Apple Bloom asked while they all made their way inside the school house. "I was with Scootaloo yesterday." Replied Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo sighed. "And we didn't do boring stuff like work on our project. We had fun." "Hey, we had fun too, didn't we, Chaser?" Chaser nodded, only listening with half an ear. As they entered the classroom, he instantly spotted Silver Spoon. She sat in her usual spot, looking deflated. Normally she would be chatting and giggling with Diamond Tiara, but now, she just looked lost. A knot of guilt formed in the pit of Chaser's stomach. His friends noticed too, and the four of them exchanged looks. Chaser wasn't sure if he could even say anything, he didn't know Diamond Tiara like the rest of the class. His friends on the other hoof had been victims of her bullying, so did she really want to hear from them? Before any of them could decide, the door opened and Cheerilee stepped in. Only she wasn't alone; following her was that police pony from yesterday, the mare from Sugarcube Corner! "Please take your seats everypony," Cheerilee said, trotting to her desk. She and the mare waited for the students to find their seats before continuing. "I'm sure all of you have heard that Diamond Tiara has gone missing. This is a very serious matter, and her parents are very worried about her." She gestured to the mare beside her. "This is Officer Lucky Dawn, and she wants to talk to you all before classes start." With a nod, Lucky Dawn started. "Thank you, Miss Cheerilee." She looked at the many faces looking back and her, and seemed to hesitate for a moment. "As Miss Cheerilee said, Diamond Tiara has gone missing. Currently we are not sure if she is hiding, gotten lost, or maybe gone with a stranger. So, I just want to remind you all, if you know something, saw anything last Friday, then please talk to your parents, Miss Cheerilee, or someone from the police." Chaser listened, although most of what the officer said was about stranger danger. It was something he had heard about pretty much each week back in Manehatten, and he only listened in case there was something new he could learn. His eyes started to wander, looking over his classmates. They listened with great interest. His eyes moved over to Silver Spoon and their eyes met before they both flinched and quickly looked away. Chaser frowned, was she looking at him? For a few moments, he kept looking her way, waiting to see if she glanced at him again. At one time he thought she was about to look, but didn't. Maybe it was just his imagination? "So, anypony have any questions for Officer Dawn?" Cheerilee asked. When everypony shook their heads, she turned her attention back to the mare. "Thank you for coming by, Officer Dawn." "No trouble," smiled Lucky Dawn. "We'll talk later." She gave a final nod to the class, then to Miss Cheerilee. The mare left the class, and Cheerilee returned her attention to the classroom. "Right, class. If anypony needs someone to talk to, you can come to me, or I can set you up with our volunteer counselor. For now, how about we take a small break, and then we get back at it, okay?" The small chairs moved back, and Chaser's classmates started to mingle and talk. Chaser himself was about to go to his three friends, when suddenly somepony touched his back. He turned, and to his surprise found Silver Spoon looking at him with a nervous expression. "Silver Spoon?" "Can we talk? Like, in private?" She asked, keeping her voice low. "Oh, uhm, sure." Clue Chaser agreed, and followed her out the classroom, and outside the school itself. She took him to the large tree next to the swing set before she stopped, and when she did, Chaser thought she looked very small. Not physically, but nervous and maybe a little lost. He didn't speak, instead waiting for Silver Spoon to find her voice. When she did, she looked at him with a determined look that surprised him. "I want to hire you." Clue Chaser's eyes widened a little. "You, wait, what?" "I want you to find my friend. I want you to find Diamond Tiara." Author's Note Sorry for cutting it off again, but all of this was supposed to be in one chapter originally. Can you imagine? This chapter along with chapter 3 and then the next one, chapter 5? So I decided to cut it up so I won't get stressed out about it, and can deliver them a bit faster. Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do! Chapter 5: The First CaseMonday: Clue Chaser stood rooted to the ground, not sure if he had honestly heard the filly in front of him right. Diamond Tiara had gone missing, either lost or taken, no ransom note, no clues at all. As far as Clue Chaser knew, the police had made little headway, and ponies all over Ponyville were looking for her. While some whispered about it, nopony had said the word “crime” out loud. So now here was Diamond Tiara's best friend, perhaps only friend, looking Clue Chaser in the eyes, asking him to find her? "You want to hire me?" Clue Chaser asked, almost slowly, as if he could not believe what he had just heard. Silver Spoon nodded. "Yes, you're a detective, aren't you?" His cheeks burned a little. "Yeah, but-" "Then I want to hire you to find my friend." Silver interrupted, looking more determined than he had ever seen. Clearly she was worried for her friend, Chaser had no doubt about that. "Silver, I understand you're worried for Diamond, but I'm sure the polic-" "No!" she interrupted again, almost yelling this time. "You don't understand, Chaser! Diamond Tiara is my best friend, and I want her safe!" Chaser was honestly taken aback. He knew Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as two spoiled brats, nothing more. To see Silver be so honest with him, so obviously worried and on the verge of tears, was a little surreal. "If you don't want to help me then just say so, but don't pretend you understand what I am feeling." The two stood in silence for a few moments, then Chaser nodded. "Alright, I'll try, but I can't promise you anything." Despite his words, Silver seemed to light up a bit. "Okay, I need you to tell me everything you know. When did you last see her?" "Friday after school." "And what do you remember about that day? How did she seem to you?" "She seemed fine, her usual self." The answer came instantly like reading from a script; Chaser suspected that the police had already asked her that several times. "Are you sure about that? There was nothing unusual in the way she behaved or anything?" Silver shook her head. "No, it was just a normal Friday." Chaser frowned, trying to think of any other question that might give him a hint to where to start. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon often spend time together. Did they not spend time after school?" Chaser's frown deepened as he heard the voice of his hero Phillip Finder in his head. The voice would often come to him when he was in deep thought, so it no longer surprised him. Chaser knew that logically, Phillip was just his imagination, likely just part of his subconscious. Even so, that didn't account for when he could see the stallion, almost as his own mind projected him into reality. Chaser didn't answer the voice, he never did when other ponies were around. However he did not need to, Phillip had a point, and it was worth looking into. "You last saw her Friday after school, right?" Silver nodded. "Do you mean you guys didn't spend time together afterwards?" Silver nodded again. "Why not?" Silver Spoon shrugged. "She had to do something, and.." She paused. "Well, every week there is at least one day she can't hang out, but this was actually the second time she couldn't hang out." "Did she go home?" Silver shook her head. "No, because I went home right after, and my mansion is on the way. If she went home, we would have walked together." Chaser nodded thoughtfully. "So if she wasn't going home, do you think she could have met with her parents?" Chaser already knew it wasn't likely, but it was good to get Silver's impression. She thought about it for a few moments, then shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Her dad usually doesn't come home until dinner time, and her mom usually stays at home, she does not really go out without her dad." "So what do you think Diamond Tiara had to do?" Silver frowned. "You know, she actually lied to me." "Lied? What do you mean?" "Well, she said she had something to do at home, but she didn't go home." Silver frowned more. "I didn't think about it because I thought it was none of my business, but…well, I don't know, maybe I just misunderstood what she meant." That was certainly possible, but Chaser knew that if anypony knew when Diamond was lying, it would be Silver Spoon. "Do you think she could have met with somepony?" "I don't know, I really don't." Chaser nodded, letting out a sigh. "Right, well.." "She was vanishing at least one time a week? Maybe going to a doctor?" "Is Diamond Tiara sick?" Silver Spoon looked puzzled. "Sick? What do you mean?" "I mean, do you know if she gets treated for anything?" Again Silver Spoon paused, searching her memory, but still shook her head. "No, I don't think so." "Would she tell you if she was getting treatment from something?" She nodded. "Yeah, I think so." Chaser let out a sigh, and nodded. "Right, okay. Thank you, Silver Spoon. I'll snoop around and see what I can find, but I can't promise you anything." "As long as you try." Silver started with a surprisingly firm tone. She moved towards the school house again, but stopped just as she had passed Chaser. "And thank you.." She added almost in a whisper, trotting a bit faster now. Chaser watched her go back, taking a moment to let everything fall into place. Silver Spoon had just hired him to find Diamond Tiara, so what he needed to do now was to follow the clues, which were almost non-existent. She'd given him something to go on, but really he had no idea if it would lead anywhere. "Could be she was meeting with somepony," said Phillip Finder as he appeared by a tree, leaning against it casually, looking at Chaser almost like an older brother would look at his younger sibling. "A friend?" Chaser thought about it, then shook his head. "If it was a friend, then why not just tell Silver Spoon?" "Could be it was somepony she didn't want Silver Spoon to know about." "Good point, but why though? Why would she hide that friendship?" "If it is a friend," Phillip reminded him. Chaser let out a sigh and nodded. "Right. We don't know if it is connected." "So we should go through the process of elimination. See if the tip holds any value. If it does not, we discard it." "Yes, but the only ones I could imagine would have any information about it would be her parents." Chaser explained, starting to trot back and forth. "And I don't think they will take kindly to some colt showing up and playing detective. At the very least they won't be in the mood to answer any of my questions. Besides, if her parents do know about that meeting, I'm pretty sure the police would already know." "Then we should find out." "Easier said than done," Chaser snorted. "Well, you have the rest of the school day to figure it out." The rest of the day proceeded as normal, however Diamond Tiara's disappearance dominated the topic of the playground. Scootaloo tried to put a positive spin on it, but it was clear that she did not believe any of her own scenarios. She suggested things such as Diamond Tiara had run away to a friend, or some family member. Maybe something had made her sad, and she was hiding somewhere, however that made as much sense as the first idea. If the police were involved, then it had to be a serious matter, and no matter the issues the fillies had between them, none of them wished anything bad to happen to Diamond Tiara. Clue Chaser did not partake in the discussions, and the others were too focused on the conversation that they didn't notice. That is to say, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn't notice. After the last lesson concluded, all the foals were packing their stuff and making their way out. As Chaser did so, he felt a hoof tap his shoulder. "Chaser?" He looked back, and spotted Apple Bloom looking back at him with a concerned look. "Are you alright? Ya haven't said much all day." "Oh, yeah, I'm fine, sorry." She shook her head. "It's okay. Is it whatever Silver Spoon wanted to talk to you about?" Chaser eyed her carefully, not sure if he should involve her in this or not. Then again, he could easily imagine Apple Bloom getting more worried if he didn't say anything. "She wants me to find Diamond Tiara." Funny enough, she didn't look surprised. She just asked. "So what are you going to do?" "Well," Chaser started, then stopped. "Well…uhm..." That was the problem indeed, he wasn't sure where to start. "I’m going to have to start from scratch, see if I can find some clues.” He stopped, scratching the back of his head as his mind raced. “Silver Spoon said there is at least one day a week Diamond can’t hang out after school.” “What does that mean?” Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head to the side. “I can’t be sure of what she was actually doing, Silver Spoon didn’t know either. However, if it is once a week, it does fit if she has an appointment of some kind.” “Like with a doctor.” Chaser smiled, and sent her a small nod. “Exactly! Only Silver Spoon says she knows Diamond Tiara wasn’t sick. Of course, that doesn't mean it couldn’t have been a doctor’s appointment.” He started to tap his hoof on the ground, thinking about what Silver Spoon had told him. “She also told me that this week was different.” “Different how?” Apple Bloom asked, sounding more and more spellbound as Chaser told her what Silver had told him. “Well, Diamond Tiara would be unavailable at least once a week, however last week there were actually two days she was unavailable.” Apple Bloom frowned. “Is that good?” “Depends how you look at it,” Chaser shrugged. “It is a break in her pattern, and it could be something, but it might not lead to anything. Silver Spoon told me Diamond Tiara lied; she told Silver Spoon was going home, but Silver’s house is in the same direction as Diamond Tiara’s.” Chaser closed his eyes, focusing his mind, trying to figure out where to start. He spoke slowly and clearly, as if thinking about each word, like a key would reveal itself if he just did it the right way. “She was breaking her pattern, lied to her best friend, and probably did not tell her parents, but that is speculation.” He let out a sigh, paused for a few seconds, then continued. “She was going somewhere, and it is likely her parents were not involved. So, the obvious answer would be to look for wherever she was going, and I can only do that if I have an idea why she lied to Silver Spoon.” Both of them went silent. Chaser tried to come up with a reason that fit, but what could he figure out the police wouldn’t? If Diamond didn’t go home, then there was a possibility she was meeting her parents, and just misspoke. Then again, it could be a hasty and clumsy lie, trying to mask her break in pattern, or maybe she was so nervous about whatever she was doing she tripped up in her lie? “Well, if she didn’t tell her friend, and if she didn’t tell her parents.” Apple Bloom suddenly said, making Chaser look up at her. “Then maybe she wrote it down in her diary?” Chaser frowned. “Her diary? You think she has one?” Apple Bloom sent Chaser a look he couldn’t quite interperate, but he had the distinct feeling he had asked a really stupid quasion. “Most fillies do, and I will bet my bow somepony like Diamond Tiara has one!” She grinned. “A diary,” Chaser repeated to himself, then he grinned. “You’re right, Apple Bloom! If Diamond Tiara has a diary, then it is likely she wrote down something of use! Maybe not exactly what she needed to do, but maybe something that can lead us on the right track!” He turned around, and started trotting down one of the roads. “Come on, we have no time to lose!” Apple Bloom followed, a bewildered look on her face. “Wait, we?” Clue Chaser smirked. “Of course, you figured out a potential clue, it is only right you are to come with me to investigate!” She had never seen Clue Chaser this animated before, well, not counting the time she and her friends got their coats covered in honey and he got really angry. He seemed so much more excited. “Quickly, Apple Bloom!” He called back, “The hunt is on!” She followed the colt down the road, unsure what this would lead them to. They arrived at Diamond Tiara’s family home soon after. Apple Bloom had never actually been by her house before, and neither had Clue Chaser. However it was pretty easy to figure out where it was, thanks to the presence of the group of police ponies near the mansion. As the two got closer, Chaser took them closer to the fence, and large bushes covered up the fence. He sighed, “just as expected. There are police all over the place.” “So what are you planning to do?” Asked Apple Bloom. “I don’t think they will just let you trot in there and look for Diamond Tiara’s Diary.” Chaser sent her a coltish smirk, one that made her blush, and feel her heart flutter a bit. “Well, I could try to sneak past them,” he said, looking towards the entrance. “But that will probably end with me being seen and thrown out. Or worse, they will take me with them and inform my uncle.” “So then what?” “I’m no Daring Do, but if I’ve learned anything from her it is that you never waste ponies' perception of you.” He smirked a little, then took off his hat and gave it to Apple Bloom. “Watch my hat, I’ll signal you when I get in.” “What?” Before she had a chance to ask what he was about to do, Chaser hurried towards some of the officers standing near the entrance. He thought back to Daring Do and Phillip Finder’s first case together. It was chapter five, when Phillip took Daring to the August Gallery. Had used the perception of a couple visiting the gallery, something normal that you would expect. This was no gallery, nor could he copy the exact plan Daring had. However, perception was everything, he just needed to use the common perception of a foal. “Mister! Mister!” Clue Chaser said, running up to one of the officers, moving a little back and forth. “Can I please use the restroom?” Meanwhile, watching from the bushes was Apple Bloom, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. The Clue Chaser she had come to know was calm, mature, and calculating. The colt standing in front of the confused officer was whiny, childish, and lacking any amount of cool Chaser had. The officer looked bewildered, looking around as if expecting to see somepony with him. “Uhm,” he mumbled half panicked, then looked down at Chaser. “Can’t you go into one of the bushes?” Chaser shook his head. “Nu-uh, my mom says you should not use nature as a toilet!” “I, well, you see, you can’t.” Clearly he wasn’t expecting to deal with a foal, and this particular problem. “Is everything okay here?” a mare asked. Both the officer and Chaser looked towards the entrance to the mansion to see the police mare from Sugarcube Corner and School. “Oh, sorry Sergeant Dawn. It’s this colt, he wants to use the bathroom. I told him to use the bushes but h-” “Nature is not a toilet, Constable!” she said, surprising not only the officer, but Chaser too. She looked at him with a friendly smile. “Hi there, I’m Sergeant Lucky Dawn. Follow me, and stay close. There is some important police work going on, so please be quick and quiet, okay?” Chaser nodded emphatically. “Good colt, follow me.” Chaser shot a glance in Apple Bloom’s direction. He couldn't see her, but he didn’t doubt that she was there. Soon enough he was inside, his eyes widening at the size of the entry hall alone. It was big enough to house his and dad’s old apartment, and there would still be enough room to go for a run. There weren't many around, some officers trotting into a room, then one going outside, not really much Chaser needed to worry about. She took him towards a large door, and Chaser could hear voices coming from the other side. He tried to focus his hearing, but Lucky Dawn chose this moment to seperate. “Alright, I have to take care of a few things,” she said in a hushed voice. “The bathroom is just down the hall and to the left, can you find it by yourself?” Chaser looked back at her, and gave her a shy nod back. “I’ll try...” he mumbled, keeping up the persona of a shy, nervous colt. “Alright. Remember to head straight out when you’re done, and remember to wash your hooves, okay?” He nodded again, and she sent him one final smile before opening the door and heading inside. At the moment Lucky Dawn left his sight, Chaser’s whole demeanor changed. He was no longer twitching and shaking, but straightened up his posture, and looked around with a critical eye for detail. He doubted there would be any clues down here, but his prize was much bigger anyway. Diamond Tiara’s room, that was his destination, and her diary was the prize. With any luck, the police had not confiscated it. Then again, if they had and they didn’t find anything of note, then this might be a waste of time. 'No, stay focused. I don’t know anything yet, the police might have missed something.' Chaser thought to himself, shaking his head as if to remind himself to stay on track. He looked around the entry hall, and found the large staircase leading to the floor above. It was likely their bedrooms were upstairs, while he did not know for sure, the odds were in his favor. If anypony stopped him, he could always say he was looking for the bathroom. He followed the long decorated hallway, opening doors to find Diamond Tiara’s bedroom. On the fifth try he struck gold. Quickly slipping into the room and closing the door behind him, Chaser stepped further in and took a look around. Just like with the entry hall, Chaser was in awe of the size of the bedroom. When he lived in Manehattan, he had one small room while his dad slept in the living room. When he moved to Ponyville he had thought the room his uncle had given him was huge, but this room was simply massive in comparison There was a huge dollhouse in the corner, bigger than a dog house. There were some posters neatly lined up along the wall, and some other looking expensive toys. Everything looked expensive, and if Chaser was being honest with himself, he couldn’t help but feel a little contempt. It was no wonder Diamond Tiara felt superior to everypony else: her home, her room, her toys, everything screamed that she was a spoiled filly. Then Chaser reminded himself that Diamond Tiara was just a filly, and right now she was lost. If he could find her it was his duty to do so. First things first, he needed to make sure Apple Bloom was nearby. He doubted he had enough time to read Diamond's diary up here, and he couldn’t just walk out with it. Luckily, Diamond Tiara’s window faced the fence he and Apple Bloom had been hiding behind. Trotting up to the window, he opened it and stuck his head out to look for her. Didn’t take him long to spot her back legs and some of her back. He couldn’t yell, that would attract too much attention, but he had to try something. “Pssst, Apple Bloom!” he called in a mix of whisper and yelling. “Apple Bloom, up here!” He tried and he tried, but she didn’t move a muscle. After a few tries, he gave up, trotted back inside as he let out a frustrated sigh. “Horse apples..” he mumbled as he looked around for a solution. He spotted Diamond Tiara’s desk, and moved over to find some paper, and a crystal glass filled with writing tools. It only took him a few seconds to find what he needed. Bullies back home used to do it in the hallways, and while he much rather wanted to use a straw, he would attempt to do this with some paper instead. First he took one of the pencils from the glass, bit off the small eraser at the end. Then Chaser tightly rolled up the paper, making sure it was a clean and tight tunnel, not too big, and not too narrow. He took the eraser tip, then placed it into the makeshift straw. “I hope this works,” Chaser mumbled to himself as he made his way back to the window. Sticking his head out again, he placed the paper straw near his lips, aimed, and blew. “Ow!” The filly jumped, looked back, then around, and then finally spotted Clue Chaser waving at her. Looking around, she quickly moved along the bushes until she could look directly up Chaser with a small scowl. “You hit my flank!” she hissed, trying her best to keep her voice down. Clue Chaser smirked a little. “Sorry,” he replied sheepishly. “Aimed for your thigh.” “Same thing!” “Okay, I’m sorry. Listen, I found Diamond Tiara’s room. When I find the diary I’m gonna toss it down to you, okay?” Apple Bloom looked alarmed. “What? You mean we are stealing it??” “Borrowing it,” Chaser corrected. “And it is for the right reasons, we are trying to find her, remember?” “Yeah, but…” She hesitated, then looked around. “Just hurry up, I don’t want anypony to get the wrong idea.” “Will do,” Chaser promised, smiling. Going back in, he faced the room, looking around with fresh and alert eyes. “Now, if I was a filly, where would I hide my diary?” Chaser mumbled, and made his way to the first and most obvious place, the bookshelf. While he doubted it would actually be sitting with her other books, he would rather be safe than sorry. It would suck if he searched the entire room, only to find it hanging out with the rest of her books. However, after checking each book, he could officially rule the bookshelf out. And so the search began. Clue Chaser divided the room up into four sections, searching each section carefully. He inspected her bed, checking under her sheets, pillow, even under the bed. He searched her desk, drawers, potential hiding spots like behind a shelf, under her mattress, her dollhouse, and even behind some of the larger pictures hanging on the wall. Each and everyone of the places he looked yielded no results.. Chaser stepped into the center of the room, rubbing his chin with his hoof. “This is harder than I expected. Maybe the police already found and took it?” He mumbled to himself, or so he thought. "Or maybe you just haven't found the right place to look yet," the voice of Philip Finder interjected. Chaser tensed up, for a moment thinking somepony had entered. Then he relaxed, sighed, and turned to his imaginary mentor. He was standing near the bed, tipping his hat to him. Chaser sighed, still not sure if seeing an apparition of his hero was a good thing or not. “Or maybe,” he said in a challenging tone. “Maybe she never had one to begin with.” "A filly like Diamond Tiara not having a diary? It’s possible, but can you really rule it out?" “Of course I can’t, but so far I’ve seen no trace of it.” "Yes, you have." Chaser frowned and looked back at his imaginary Phillip Finder. “What?” "If Diamond Tiara has a diary, then naturally she wants it close by." Chaser chuckled. “You’re reaching, speculating.” "I’m just stating my observations, or should I say ours?" Chaser bit his lip, but didn’t respond. "So, if she wants it close by, where could it be?" “The bed,” Chaser answered almost immediately. “But I have already checked the bed.” "If she wanted to hide it, it wouldn’t be that easy," Phillip responded, then moved a few steps back. Chaser eyed him, then eyed the bed. If it wasn’t hidden in the bed, then perhaps under it? But he had already looked there… Sighing, he moved under the bed once again, checking every he could think of. He was just about to give up when he saw something strange. One of the floorboards had what looked like run down sides, and it didn’t fit nice and neatly like the rest. It was like it had been taken off the floor several times. Scooting closer, Chaser reached over and removed the board carefully. It came off easily, and below was a small space, perfect for hiding something. His heart was pounding as he reached in, and pulled out a book. “Yes!” he exclaimed, about to get out when he suddenly heard hoof steps outside in the hallway. He froze, listened intently, but thankfully the door didn’t open. When the sound faded he quickly got out. “I found it, Philip, I found..” Chaser paused. Phillip Finder was gone again. He shook his head, deciding he didn’t have time to wonder about his imaginary friend. Instead he hurried to the window, and looked down at Apple Bloom. “Hey, I found it.” He said, holding onto the book. Apple Bloom smiled, but it didn’t last. “Good, then let’s get out of here.” Chaser nodded, then held out the book. Apple Bloom gave him a confident nod, sat back, and held up her forehooves. Very gently, Chaser tossed the book down to Apple Bloom. “Got it!” She exclaimed with a relieved sigh following. “Now hurry on out of there.” Chaser nodded. “I’ll be right there,” he said, closing the window again. “Let’s just hope this was worth it…” Quickly Chaser made his way out of Diamond Tiara’s room, trying to mix silence and speed as he moved down the stairway. Once he got all the way down, he noticed the large doors to the next room were slightly open, and he could hear voices. Chaser paused, knowing he should keep moving, and not risk standing around. However his curiosity got the better of him, and he carefully moved closer to the door, his ears turned against the opening by the door. He could hear a deep and rough voice speaking, and when he got close enough to peek through the slight opening, he could see the police pony from Sugarcube Corner, the only Sergeant Lucky Dawn had been with. He really stood out, with his dark coat, and black mustache. Two adults sat on a large couch, who Chaser could only assume was Diamond Tiara’s parents. The police pony stood in front of them, looking both firm, and sympathetic. “I understand this is not easy for you..” He soothed, “but please believe we are doing everything in our power to find your daughter.” “Well so far your efforts seem to have yielded little result, Chief-Inspector.” The mare said in almost what Chaser would call a snarl. That was definitely Diamond's mother, no doubt about that. The stallion sitting beside her, placed his hoof on hers, but looked at the Chief-Inspector. “We know you are doing your best, forgive my wife, it has been a trying three days. Please continue, Chief-Inspector Stone Heart.” Stone Heart gave a nod. “In most cases of kidnapping, the perpetrator is either a family member, or somepony the victim knows. Kidnappers are usually driven by financial gain, extremism, or emotional disturbance.” Stone Heart paused, letting the information sink in for a few seconds before he continued. “In this case we haven't heard anything about a ransom, though it can still happen. I doubt it has anything to do with extremism, which leaves emotional disturbance. If you will just humor me for a moment, sir. Do you have any enemies?” “Enemies?” Diamond Tiara’s father repeated. Stone Heart nodded. “Yes, enemies. Somepony who has a grudge against you, or seeks to hurt you in some way? I’m asking because if this is not about money, then it could be about hurting you.” Filthy Rich frowned, narrowing his eyes as if searching his mind for anything. “I don’t..” He hesitated, shaking his head. “I don’t know for sure, I doubt anypony holds such a grudge against me that they would hurt my little girl.” “But?” Stone Heart pressed. “Well,” Filthy Rich let out a sigh. “Some years ago, my partner and I were involved in an industrial accident. It was terrible, some died, and even more were injured. There was an investigation, and it found that the one responsible was my partner, due to negligence on the new set of safety regulations.” “I see.. I think I remember that.” “However there was no conclusive evidence, but of course we got a massive fine, rightfully so. After that I forced him out of the company.. He didn’t take it very well, as you might imagine. His reputation was ruined after that, I don’t think he ever managed to make another business work.” “I see,” Stone Heart mumbled, nodding to himself. “Tell me the details, what exactly was the nature of the accident, and what happened.” Chaser pressed himself closer to the door, careful not to open, but at the same time eager to listen in. “What are you doing?” a voice suddenly said from behind. Chaser nearly let out a startled yelp as he turned around, coming face to face with Sergeant Dawn. “Uhm, well, I..” “Did you find the bathroom?” she asked, her tone no less friendly, but there was a firm side to it now. Chaser couldn't think of anything else to do than nod, his heart pumping faster and harder. “That’s good,” Sergeant Dawn said, guiding him towards the front door. “Then you better head on home, okay?” Chaser nodded again, and Sergeant Dawn sent him a more warm smile, escorting him out of the mansion. Chaser didn’t protest, and obediently followed the Sergeant outside. There they said their goodbyes, and despite his desire for learning more, he knew it wasn’t a good idea to push his luck. Instead he quickly made his way past the other officers guarding the premises, and moved towards the bushes. Apple Bloom stood and waited for him, looking nervous, as if afraid the police would come after them at any moment now. “There you are,” Apple Bloom said, letting out a sigh of relief. “What took you so long?” “Sorry,” replied Chaser as he put his saddlebags back on and followed Apple Bloom back up the road. “I overheard the police talking to Diamond’s dad. The police suspect that Diamond Tiara was kidnapped because of a revenge motive.” “Revenge on Diamond Tiara?” Apple Bloom asked, looking over her shoulder. “No, her father,” said Chaser. “Apparently something happened years ago, some accident that was caused by his former partner. He was disgraced, and forced out of her dad’s company.” Apple Bloom nodded. “So they’ve got him, then?” Chaser shrugged. “Well it is a good motive, but it doesn't hurt if we snoop around for a bit. If you give me the diary, I can study it, see if I can find some mention of this meeting Diamond went to.” Apple Bloom frowned at him and pulled the diary away from him slightly. “I…I don't think you should read it.” “What?!” Chaser´s eyes went wide. “What do you mean? After all the trouble we went through to get it?” Apple Bloom made a face Chaser´s couldn't quite interpret. “I want to find Diamond Tiara too, but a diary is the most private thing to a filly.” Chaser was about to protest, but Apple Bloom held up a hoof, cutting him off. “For a colt to read it is even worse, I want to respect it as much as I can. So I think I should read it.” “You would read it? Isn't that just as bad?” he asked, but Apple Bloom shook her head. “Don´t get me wrong, nopony should be reading this. Though if somepony has to, it should be somepony who can understand and respect the privacy of the diary.” Chaser resisted the urge to groan, but he managed to keep it in. “Alright then, but do you know what you are looking after?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Eeyup, if Diamond Tiara was seeing somepony regularly.” “Mhm, that being a doctor, or somepony else, anyone we can investigate. Try and see if she mentions some meetings leading up to the day of her disappearance.” He paused, thinking about whatever else she should look for. “Come to think of it, it might be best if you read it. You know Diamond Tiara best, you know what sticks out more than me.” “Right,” agreed Apple Bloom, smiling a little. “I won't let you down.” Chaser looked at her for a moment, then smiled back. “Well, when you say that, I know it is true.” “That is something you might as well learn about me and my family. We never lie, and our promises are as good as gold.” “Alright then,” Chaser chuckled, sending her a small smile and nod her way. “I trust you.” Looking up at the sky, he let out a small sigh. “We better get back home, or our families will worry themselves to sleep.” Apple Bloom puffed out a breath. “Tell me about it. Applejack is so tense now, I’m worried she might lock me up in my room!” Chaser was sure she was joking, but Apple Bloom seemed serious. When he raised an eyebrow, she smirked and shook her head. “She’s just a bit overprotective…” “With everything that is going on, I don’t think she is alone in that worry.” “I guess so...” “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow, Apple Bloom.” Chaser said, turning away from her. “Thanks for the help today.” Apple Bloom smiled. “No problem, see you tomorrow, Clue Chaser!” With a final wave, the two foals split up, each heading back to their homes. Apple Bloom returned to the familiar dirt road that would take her back to the family farm, a road she had walked many times before. While the sun was still up, and the sky still blue, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. Her mind went over the events of the last few days, the police, Diamond Tiara’s disappearance. It was all so unreal... She couldn’t help but wonder if Diamond would be the only one who went missing. If it was, then what if the kidnapper was still out there? What had he done to Diamond Tiara? Suddenly she felt more alone and vulnerable, being out on this road all alone. Granted, she had moved up and down it many times without a care in the world, and it wasn’t far from anything. Still, with her mind thinking about everything that had happened, she suddenly felt afraid for the first time in ages. “Get it together...” she mumbled to herself, mentally chiding herself for acting like some five-year-old filly afraid of the monster under her bed. Even though she thought that, she couldn’t help but to look over her shoulder once in a while, making sure nopony was watching her. Soon enough Apple Bloom returned to Sweet Apple Acres, and her heart seemed to relax just by the mere sight of the old farm. She could see Big Mac working on a birdhouse near his little workshop, and she could smell a freshly baked pie, likely made by her granny. “Well howdy there, AB. How was school today?” asked Applejack, coming up one of the paths leading out of the orchard. She smiled at her, but Apple Bloom knew her older sister well enough to spot when she was nervous or tense. She didn’t want to worry her, and she definitely didn’t want to tell them about what had happened today. While it was for a good reason, her and Clue Chaser had essentially broken into a home and stolen something. “It was fine,” replied Apple Bloom. “A police officer was there to talk to us about Diamond Tiara.” “I know,” Applejack nodded. “How are you feeling?” “I’m fine, but Diamond Tiara is still out there, sis.” Apple Bloom let out a sigh. “She must be so scared and alone.” “Don't you worry none,” said her sister. “Everypony is looking for her, and the police will get to the bottom of this. Everything will be fine.” Even though she said that, Apple Bloom noticed the tension in her smile increase. Instead of asking about it, Apple Bloom just nodded, smiling back at her. “I hope so.” she said, then turned towards the farmhouse. “I’m gonna do some homework before dinner.” It wasn’t an outright lie, Apple Bloom knew such a thing would get her sister’s attention right away. “You do that, sugarcube. I’ll give ya a holler when dinner’s ready.” Without wasting any time, Apple Bloom hurried into the house, and up the stairs. Clue Chaser counted on her, but more important, so did Diamond Tiara. If somepony really had ponynapped her, then Apple Bloom would do her best to save her. No matter their former issues, nopony deserved to be hurt by some stranger! She made it to her room, closed the door, and for a moment considered locking it. “Probably best I don’t…Applejack will probably get more worried if I do lock it.” Moving to her little desk, she pulled out the diary and placed it in front of her. She stared at it for a few seconds in silence, her conscience warring with her. But there was no reason to trot around the hot porridge. She just hoped this would help in some way. Taking a deep breath, she opened the diary up, and found the last entry. Tuesday: Clue Chaser was standing at the entrance of the school, waiting to spot Apple Bloom. He hadn’t been able to relax all night, he had gotten home and gone over the facts of the case again and again, but with no new data it was impossible to make any progress in the case! Finally he had just decided to work on the project he and Apple Bloom had been assigned. Nothing to it, he just asked Ditzy and his uncle for some information on Apple Bloom’s family, and made an easy framework they could build on later. It wasn’t really challenging, but at least it gave him something to do, and it kept him somewhat relaxed until he could fall asleep. “You look tense, dude. What’s up with you today?” said a boyish voice from behind him. Chaser didn’t need to look to know it was Scootaloo coming up to him. “Nothing, I’m just waiting for Apple Bloom,” he replied. “You two are all close lately,” Scootaloo said, and Chaser could practically sense the teasing smirk spreading on her face. Still he didn’t look, he could not focus on her. “Worried your marefriend won’t sit with you at lunch today?” “Marefriend?!” Sweetie Belle cried. “Clue Chaser, I didn’t know you’ve been dating Apple Bloom.” “We aren’t dating,” replied Chaser, finally turning around to face them. “We just have some things to work on today.” Scootaloo chuckled. “Sure you do,” she smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. Clue Chaser puffed out a breath. “How far have you and Sweetie Belle gotten on your project?” Scootaloo snorted, waving off his comment with a dismissive hoof. “We are working on a title.” “And a subject.” Sweetie Belle added, sending Scootaloo an annoyed look. “Pssh, subject smugjeck, we have plenty of time.” “That’s what you always say to every assignment, Scootaloo. I don’t want to get a big fat F on it thanks to you.” “Hey!” Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle. “I’m not getting Fs on every assignment!” “Nearly.” The two continued their argument, while Clue Chaser turned around just in time to see Apple Bloom making her way down the path towards the school. She wasn’t alone, beside her trotted an orange mare. Ignoring his bickering friends, Chaser made his way up to the small entry leading up to the school. Apple Bloom smiled as she saw him come to greet her. “Mornin’, Clue Chaser.” “Morning, Apple Bloom.” Replied Chaser, glancing at her before looking at the mare. Apple Bloom glanced at her sister. “This here is the new friend I was telling you about, Clue Chaser.” Applejack looked at Chaser with a big friendly smile. “Ah, so you’re Clue Chaser. Apple Bloom has been talking about you a lot, it’s good to finally meet ya. I’m Applejack, Apple Bloom’s older sister. ” “Good to meet you too, I’m Clue Chaser, but ponies just call me Chaser.” Applejack chuckled. “I hope Apple Bloom and her friends haven't been dragging you into too much trouble? They can be wilder than a rattlesnake that got hit by lightning.” Chaser couldn’t help but smile. “They are good friends, and I’m doing my best to keep them out of trouble.” “Well that’s good. Apple Bloom told me what happened with those stolen bits. Glad you could sort it all out.” “I’m just happy to help.” The bell in the school house tower rang to signal the students that the first lesson of the day was about to begin. Applejack looked at the two foals and nodded towards the school house. “You two better be off, don’t want to be late.” She smiled at Chaser. “Nice meeting you, Chaser.” “You too, Ms. Applejack.” The two turned, and headed towards the school house. Once sure that nopony could hear, Chaser leaned closer to Apple Bloom. “Anything?” he asked in almost a whisper. “I’ll tell you after the first lesson,” she whispered back. “But yeah, you could say that.” The first lesson progressed as it did every morning, however Chaser only listened with half an ear. He couldn’t focus on something trivial, his mind wouldn’t allow it. It wasn’t just a question about the diary and what Apple Bloom had learned. It was also a question about how to proceed after it. ”If the diary does say something like she was meeting with somepony, then we should take it to the police. Be stupid of me to keep it to myself.” Even so, it was going to be hard to explain how he and Apple Bloom had gotten to it. Not that it mattered. Of course there was the possibility there wasn’t going to be anything of use, which would leave him to find a way to put it back, or explain how he’d gotten his hooves on it. That would be a fun conversation to have with the police. As Clue Chaser sat and thought about his options, he started to notice that Silver Spoon wasn’t in class. ”That’s strange, maybe the police wanted to talk to her again? Maybe Ms. Cheerilee knows something..” As soon as the first lesson of the day ended, Chaser stood up, and headed straight for his teacher. She noticed him approaching, and met him with a warm smile. “Is something the matter, Clue Chaser?” Chaser shook his head. “No, I was just wondering where Silver Spoon was?” “Oh, well she has a dentist appointment today, so she won’t be joining us. Did you need her for something?” Curse his luck! Having her help could prove invaluable. “No, not really. I guess I can swing by her place later.” Cheerilee frowned. “I’m sorry, Clue Chaser, but Silver Spoon is in Canterlot. She has an uncle who is a dentist there, I think they’ve decided to make a trip of it.” He let out a disappointed sigh. “Alright, thanks anyway.” Chaser replied, deciding to move on to the main point of today. He found Apple Bloom waiting for him just outside the school house. “Everything alright?” Chaser nodded. “It’s nothing. What about you, did you learn anything?” “Yes, but we should take this elsewhere.” She glanced around, and then nodded towards one of the large trees by the fence. The two foals made their way to it, standing in the shade, and away from any risks of anypony overhearing. “I read the diary like you asked, and there was something that stood out.” “What?” Chaser asked, feeling as if he was about to burst. “Diamond Tiara fights a lot with her mom.” Apple Bloom looked down. “Apparently it’s nothing new. She talks a lot about her mom pushing her a lot, and that she doesn't like the pressure.” Chaser frowned. “Oh.. Well, did she write anything about meeting with somepony regularly?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, sorry. I went over the weeks, but it says nothing about her meeting with anypony. The last entry she had written she had a big fight with her mom, but she doesn't give any details. It almost looks like she was cut off.” “Cut off?” “Yeah, like if she was interrupted writing,” Apple Bloom nodded. Chaser let out a thoughtful hum, closing his eyes. Apple Bloom tilted her head to the side in a questioning manner. “What is it?” Chaser opened his eyes again. “Well, 90% of kidnapping and abductions are done by family members, and 60% of those are mares, mothers.” Apple Bloom let out an almost inaudible gasp. “You think Diamond Tiara’s mother could be responsible?” “I’m not thinking anything yet, but it is a possibility. However, I don’t have any evidence to support that theory. Did the diary ever say if Diamond Tiara was afraid of her mother? Or that her mother was abusive in some way?” “In what way…?” Apple Bloom asked, sounding scared to even ask the question. Chaser had to admit, it wasn’t a pleasant thought to imagine Diamond Tiara getting abused by her mother. Then again, nothing about this case was pleasant. “Did she ever write about her mother hitting her, for example? Or punishing her?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” “Fiddlesticks..” Silence hung between the two for a little while, both trying to think of something to do. Finally Chaser let out a frustrated groan and kicked a small pebble on the ground. “If only we could talk with Silver Spoon, maybe we could find out something new. Maybe she would know if she was afraid of her mother, or anything.” Another moment of silence, then Apple Bloom asked him. “So what do we do now?” Chaser let out a sigh. “I don’t know, honestly.” He scratched his head, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to go over their options. “The police are probably already looking into the revenge motive, but we can do a little research ourselves.” Chaser finally said, not really expecting it to yield anything useful, but more information could never hurt. “I say we go to the library after school, see if we can find something in the old newspapers about the accident Mr. Rich talked about.” Apple Bloom nodded, feeling the same frustration as Clue Chaser. “Okay...” The two turned around, and headed towards the rest of the playground, trying to enjoy the rest of the recess before class continued. However before they could reach their friends, a voice called out to him. “Clue Chaser.” He knew that voice, and he turned around to find his therapist, Dr. Nettlekiss, standing in the doorway to the school. “I was hoping to bump into you before leaving.” “Who’s that?” asked Apple Bloom. “Uhm, she is a doctor. She helps me deal with, uhm, stuff,” Clue Chaser answered, not really wanting to talk about the fact he was going to therapy. Quickly he changed the focus to Nettlekiss instead. “What are you doing here, Doctor?” The mare trotted closer to them both, smiling warmly. “I just came to inform Ms. Cheerilee I will be busy most of the week, so I can’t do much work as the school counselor this week.” “I didn’t know you were the school counselor,” Chaser admitted. Nettlekiss chuckled. “Well, the school isn’t that big, so it is on a voluntary basis. Really, Ms. Cheerilee handles most of the day-to-day stuff, so it would be a waste of money to have me on full time. Not that it matters, I’m happy to help when she needs it.” “I see…well, what did you need from me?” “Oh right, well, I just wanted to let you know that I will sadly have to move our appointment today.” Chaser had completely forgotten he had an afternoon appointment with her. He had been so focused on the case that it had totally slipped his mind. “I’m really sorry, Chaser. We will meet at the usual time on Friday, but some family stuff has come up so I have had to move a lot around.” Chaser nodded. “Oh, that’s alright.” Really it gave him the perfect excuse. “I guess I’ll see you Friday then. It was nice to meet you, Apple Bloom, right?” “Eeyup,” Apple Bloom smiled. Nettlekiss chuckled. “I figured. I’ll be seeing you around, Clue Chaser. Both of you have a nice day.” “Yeah, see you Friday,” Chaser replied, watching her leave. He was just about to turn around and head the other way, when a thought suddenly crossed his mind. He turned around again, looking towards Nettlekiss. “Wait, excuse me!” Nettlekiss stopped, and looked over at the young colt. “Yes?” Chaser trotted closer to her, with Apple Bloom only a step behind him. “I was just wondering, if somepony in class has some troubles, do you talk to them?” “Well, yes, if Ms. Cheerilee thinks it proper, or if the parents refer them to me.” She nodded. “Why?” “So have you by any chance talked to Diamond Tiara?” Nettlekiss frowned. “Chaser, I can’t tell you that. It isn’t a concern of yours if I have or haven’t. That would be a private matter between me and Diamond Tiara.” Chaser nodded. “So you have talked to her. Was she sad about her home life? Have you talked to the police? What about the possibility of her mother being involved?” “Chaser!” Nettlekiss exclaimed, looking appalled. “Young colt, this is something serious the police should take care of. You should focus on school and spending time with your friends. For the sake of giving peace of mind, no, I have not talked to Diamond Tiara, she is not a patient, and yes, I have talked to the police.” Chaser frowned, his ears lowering. “I see…” Nettlekiss sighed, placing a caring hoof on his shoulder. “I know you want to help, Clue Chaser, but this is not a game. It is a police matter, and you should stay well away from it. Do you understand?” Chaser sighed, not looking at her. “Do you understand?” she repeated, putting a bit more firmness into her tone. Chaser still didn’t look up at her, but he did give the smallest of nods. “Yes.” “Good..” She smiled a little. “We can talk more about this on Friday, but until then I want you to be careful, and stick to your friends. Now you should probably head inside, recess should be over soon.” “Right..” “See you later, Clue Chaser.” And with that, Dr. Nettlekiss left. Apple Bloom stood there in silence, looking at what she thought was a dejected Clue Chaser. “Are you okay, Chaser?” she said in a gentle tone. Chaser turned around, nodding, his look of dejection gone. “Hm? Oh, yes, yes, don’t worry about me. Come, we better go inside, then after school we can head to the library.” He started to head towards the school house, with a perplexed Apple Bloom following him. “What about Dr. Nettlekiss?” “Hm? Oh that, I just needed to know if she had talked to Diamond Tiara or not,” Chaser replied, shrugging. “So you tricked her?” “Only a little, and I don’t like it, but at least we know she didn’t talk to her. I doubt she would have talked to Cheerilee, but it is a possibility of course.” Chaser explained, looking over at Apple Bloom. “However, maybe it would be best if you didn’t continue the case with me.” The two came to a stop, and Apple Bloom frowned deeply. “What do you mean?” Chaser stopped as well, looking at his friend. “She had a point back there, this isn’t a game. This is pretty serious, and maybe it would be better if you didn’t get more involved. This case could lead to some dark places.” To his surprise, Apple Bloom didn’t whine, beg, or even showed signs of sadness. Instead she fixed him with a stern glare, and poked him in the chest with her hoof. “Now you listen here, mister. You didn’t read Diamond Tiara’s diary, I did. I know now how lonely she must be, and I know she needs our help. I’m just as involved as you, and I’m going to help you find her.” Chaser didn’t speak, he only stood there with his mouth half open in shock. He simply nodded in understanding, and she smirked in return. “Good! Now, we should get back to class, right?” With that, Apple Bloom trotted past him, leaving a speechless Chaser behind. After a few seconds, he smirked, following his friend back into class. It wasn’t hard to convince Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle that he and Apple Bloom were going to finish their project today, and therefore couldn’t hang out. Chaser also pointed out that they had barely started their project, and the days were not endless. That had been enough for Sweetie Belle to drag a pouty Scootaloo off to finally finish their assignment. It left Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom with time to work, and it meant they could head to the library without the fear of being disturbed. As much as Chaser and Apple Bloom liked their friends, they didn’t want them to get dragged into this mess. Better for them to finish this alone. They made their way to Golden Oaks Library, a place both foals had visited several times. Despite it being a library, it was also the home of Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s personal student. So since it was both a library and a home, the two foals stopped at the door and knocked. Only a few seconds later, the door opened, and a small purple dragon looked at them. “Oh hi, Apple Bloom and Clue Chaser. I didn’t know you two knew each other.” Apple Bloom grinned. “Howdy, Spike!” “We go to the same class, Spike.” Clue Chaser chuckled. “Can we come in?” “Oh I knew that, but it didn’t mean you two hang out together.” He smiled back, then stepped aside. “Sure you can, Twilight is napping up in her room.” The two foals trotted inside, passing the small dragon before he closed the door behind them. Apple Bloom glanced up the stairs. “Napping?” Spike nodded. “She was visiting Canterlot yesterday, and she got home really late. The train was delayed or something.” He shrugged. “Anyway, is there something I can do to help?” Chaser nodded, turning to him. “I hope so. We wanted to take a look at some old newspapers from some years ago.” A look of puzzlement crossed the young dragon’s face. “Uhm, alright. Can you be a bit more specific?” he asked. “We don’t really have a year.” Chaser admitted. “Or date.” Apple Bloom added. “But we know it has something to do with a big railway accident at least ten years ago.” Spike scratched the back of his head, searching his memory about such an accident. “Well…I’ll try, but don’t hold your breath.” He moved towards a hole in the back of the main reading room. A staircase was leading to the basement below, and the little dragon soon vanished as he descended Once out of sight, Apple Bloom turned to Chaser. “What are we looking for?” Chaser let out a sigh, moving to one of the chairs. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I don’t have a lot to go on. Either she really has run away, in which case we need to talk to Silver Spoon again. Or she has been kidnapped, in which case we have nothing to go on but this.” He noted, gesturing towards all the library. “Since we can’t talk to Silver Spoon before she returns from Canterlot, we might as well read up on some history. If nothing else, we might learn something new that can point us in some direction.” Frowning, Apple Bloom trotted closer and sat down on the chair across from him. “So this is just..?” “Just me throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.” Chaser sighed, clearly not satisfied with his own performance. “In truth there is not much we can do but hope. If we do stumble upon something, we’ll be lucky, and I don’t like to rely on luck. It shouldn’t come down to that.” “But, if we do find some clue that can help Diamond Tiara, does it really matter how we got it?” Apple Bloom asked, tilting her to the side, trying to get Chaser to look her in the eyes. Clue Chaser smiled a little, glancing at her. “I guess not.. If nothing else, we can at least widen the net. Hopefully we will find something.” He sat up straighter, looking at her with a genuine grateful smile. They sat in silence and waited for a bit. The main reading room of the library was very pleasant, and almost like always there weren't any other ponies around. It was allowed to read in here, but most ponies borrowed books and took them home to read instead. Clue Chaser had done both, but he could see why most considered this Twilight’s home, and not a public library. Suddenly footsteps could be heard from the staircase, and up came the little purple dragon with a selection of small tubes. Apple Bloom squinted her eyes, as if doing so would make it clear what the little dragon was carrying. She pointed with her hoof. “What’s that?” “Film. Twilight told me that most newspapers are kept on film so as not to take up too much space,” the dragon explained, coming up to their table, and placed the small tubes on it. “I never actually had to find them before.” “They’re really small, how do we read them?” the filly asked, moving a hoof over, and slid one of the tubes closer to inspect it. Spike smirked, and turned toward a small cupboard. The two foals watched as Spike went over and opened the doors, revealing a strange machine. It was big, the size of a small boulder, square, and with some large buttons. Clue Chaser smiled, knowing what it was, or could at very least guess its purpose. Spike smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with his claw. “You mind helping me carry it? It’s kinda heavy.” The two foals quickly got up from their seats. With the three of them working together, they managed to carry the film reader to the table without any accidents. Once they set it up, Spike went over the tubes containing the film, and the years and dates. “I don’t know what year or date you’re looking for, so this is the best I could do. Sorry.” Clue Chaser shook his head. “No, it’s alright. Sorry we couldn’t get you something more specific.” Spike smiled. “Well, let me know if you need help with something.” “We will, thanks, Spike!” Apple Bloom replied as the little dragon made his way across the reading room and into another room. Looking back at Chaser, then at the film reader, Apple Bloom asked. “So where do we begin?” Clue Chaser shrugged, taking one of the small tubes and moving it into the machine. “Let’s try going as far back as we can. This one is from eleven years ago.” The screen lit up, and after turning one of the buttons, the first page was shown in great detail. Apple Bloom frowned. “This looks like it’s going to take a while..” “Hopefully we will get lucky and we won’t have to go through them all.” Chaser responded, and started to move from page to page, from newspaper to newspaper. It did take a long time, even though they were two, and sometimes three whenever Spike had a moment to spare. It was a boring task, and at times Clue Chaser had a mind to throw the machine out the window. They had to take small breaks periodically. Well, Apple Bloom had to force Chaser to do so seeing how desperate he was growing. They would never last long, and it was clear Chaser didn’t relax one bit. The hours seemed to fly by faster, and it wasn’t too long before afternoon turned into early evening. Apple Bloom could only imagine how nervous her family must be if she delayed much longer. She turned to Chaser, seeing his eyes still scanning the page on the screen. “Chaser, maybe we shou-” “I got it!” he exclaimed, making the filly jump in surprise. “I found it!” The colt blinked a few times, rubbing his hoof over them as if trying to wake them up. Apple Bloom scooted closer and took a look, and there it was. A large picture of a wrecked train, partially on fire, and with emergency services tending to the crash site, and helping the wounded passengers. It looked horrible, and Apple Bloom had to look away when some of the more graphic pictures came by. They went over the article, and the following ones, going over the accident, the investigation, and the inquiry. So far it seemed just as Filthy Rich had said to the police. Negligence on the part of his partner resulted in the accident, but no specific laws were broken, due to progress they had made on the train. Legally they were free of liability, but the regulations had not taken into account the development of trains, and the ways they might be built. So while Filthy Rich’s partner was responsible, he could not be put behind bars. It had all ended with a massive fine, and a large compensation package for the victims, and the victims families. Chaser looked over the pictures of the inquiry, the wreck, read the list of names of deceased and the survivors. It was horrible, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Looking over the pictures of the survivors throughout the inquiry, Chaser found only despair and anger. A stallion holding a sniffling mare, a mare holding a picture of her daughter and husband, a foal in bandages along with his father. Finally Chaser leaned back in his seat, letting out a long and tired sigh.. There was silence for a few good long moments, then he leaned forward again, rubbing the side of head as he spoke. “I don’t know what to make of this.” Apple Bloom frowned. “What?” Chaser gestured to the screen. “This, I don’t know if this will help us, I can’t see how. Sure, if it is a kidnapping, the one with the biggest motive is Mr. Filthy’s Rich’s business partner, having been forced out of his position. The victims too, but their revenge would be directed at the partner, not Filthy Rich.” He let out a frustrated groan. “I don’t know what to do now, Apple Bloom.” After a few moments, Apple Bloom looked at her friend with a small smile. “Well, you could come over for dinner?” Chaser looked at her, confusion on full display across his face. “What?” Apple Bloom looked away again. “Well, it's not like we are going to think of anything while feeling tired and defeated. Plus, it’s getting late, and our families are probably worried. So how about some food? My granny always makes too much, I’m sure they will fix you up a plate, if you come over.” Chaser hesitated, biting his lower lip as he thought about the offer. “Mmm, I don’t know, what about this?” He asked, gesturing to the screen. “I want to find Diamond Tiara too,” Apple Bloom reminded him. “But we won’t help her by being exhausted.” He let out a third sigh, and after a few seconds, he nodded. “Yeah, alright. We just have to swing by my place to let them know.” “Okay!” Apple Bloom smiled, getting up from her seat. Chaser started to get up himself, about to turn off the microfilm reader when his eyes glanced at something on the screen that made him stop. His whole body paused, as his eyes narrowed. “Wait…” he mumbled, mostly to himself. “What?” Apple Bloom asked, pausing herself. Chaser didn’t answer, he simply used one of the buttons to zoom in on one of the pictures. One of the survivors looked familiar. He felt his heart start pumping faster, his eyes going wider as he examined the survivor in every detail. “The mane is different…” he mumbled to himself. “But that could be easily changed…” With a quick turn of a button, Chaser turned to the page with the list of survivors and dead. After only a second or two, Chaser gasped, quickly going back to the picture. “No…it can’t be...” He stood up from his seat, his mind racing as he heard the voice of the chief-inspector, his voice echoing in his mind. ‘In most cases of kidnapping, the perpetrator is either a family member, or somepony the victim knows. Kidnappers are usually driven by financial gain, extremism, or emotional disturbance. In this case we haven't heard anything about a ransom. I doubt it has anything to do with extremism, which leaves emotional disturbance.’ He remembered what Apple Bloom had told him earlier today. ‘Diamond Tiara fights a lot with her mom. Apparently it’s nothing new. She talks a lot about her mom pushing her a lot, and that she doesn't like the pressure.’ Then he remembered what Silver Spoon had told him when he asked when she had seen Diamond Tiara. ’Friday after school.’ ’Well, every week there is at least one day she can't hang out, but this was actually the second time she couldn't hang out.’ Chaser backed away from the screen, almost as if he had touched a burning stove. Apple Bloom flinched in surprise. “Chaser, what’s wrong?” “We need to go right now.” he simply said, moving towards the door with Apple Bloom following behind him. “What’s going on?” she demanded, but Clue Chaser was already out the door. She quickly followed him, almost running as he led her down several streets. “Chaser!” “I think I know who kidnapped Diamond Tiara,” he finally said, not taking a moment to slow down or even look at her. “I hope I’m wrong, but we need to find out tonight, or something horrible will happen.” “I don’t understand!” Chaser stopped quite suddenly, almost making Apple Bloom bump into him. They stood in front of a large house, it seemed almost to loom over them as its shadow covered them. Chaser turned to her. “Listen to me, I’m going to distract them while you search for Diamond Tiara.” The two foals moved up the path towards the door, and before Apple Bloom could stop him, he had already knocked. “Chaser, what do you mean? Distract who?” There was a sudden sound behind the door, followed by a few hoodsteps. With a click and a turn of the doorknob, the door opened. “Clue Chaser? Apple Bloom? What a surprise, what are you doing out so late?” It was Doctor Nettlekiss. Apple Bloom looked at Chaser, trying her best not to look shocked or nervous. Looking over at Chaser, he looked serious, but kept his tone casual. “Sorry for coming so late, I just hoped we could talk a bit?” The mare gave him a patient smile. “Chaser, I thought I told you I can’t today. Isn’t it something we can handle on Friday?” Chaser smiled, scratching the back of his head. “Well, it will be quick, and truth be told, Apple Bloom needs to borrow the bathroom too, so..well...” Dr. Nettle seemed to give it some thought, then shrugged and stood aside. “Very well, but I don’t have much time, Chaser. Only a short conversation, if you promise it’s important.” “It is,” Chaser insisted as they walked in. “The bathroom is just down the hallway, dear,” Nettlekiss told Apple Bloom. “Okay..” She nodded rather timidly, glancing at Chaser who gave her a small nod. “Shall we go upstairs?” Nettlekiss asked, to which Chaser nodded, and followed the mare up some stairs, leaving Apple Bloom alone. Looking around, Apple Bloom felt her heart sink. “Oh dear...” Chaser followed Dr. Nettle upstairs to the therapy room he had become so familiar with over the last few weeks. With the sun going down, and the red light of the evening sun streaming in from the windows almost gave a sinister glow to the otherwise peaceful room. “So,” Nettlekiss said, trotting towards the desk. “How can I help you, Clue Chaser?” Despite his outward appearance of calm, Chaser could feel his heart beating away with fear? No, anticipation. “I wanted to ask you a few questions.” he said, trotting over to the couch he usually sat on. “Oh?” Nettlekiss murmured, hardly sounding surprised.”About what?” “Did Diamond Tiara ever come to you in secret to talk about her mother? Or general problems? More specifically, did you talk to her last Friday?” There was a moment of silence, then a small sigh. “Chaser, please have a seat.” Her voice was calm, even gentle. He didn’t know what to make of it, but he didn’t think he was in danger, or at least, there was nothing that worried him outright. So he did as she asked, and sat down at his usual spot. She turned around, carrying a tea cup, and placed it on the table. “Here you go.” Chaser eyed the tea cup suspiciously. Nettlekiss let out a small giggled. “It isn’t poisoned, Clue Chaser.” He looked up at her, his heart starting to beat just a little faster. “You were expecting me?” She favored him with a small smile. “Of course I did. I don’t know how you did it, but when you asked me earlier today, I knew it probably wouldn’t be too long before you came around.” She trotted back to the desk, and got herself a cup of tea. “So you kidnapped Diamond Tiara when she came to visit you last Friday.” Chaser stated, and Nettlekiss didn’t bother to deny it. Instead she trotted back, sat down on the couch, took a sip of her tea and nodded.”She arrived before you did, so I had to hurry,” she replied, and smiled when she saw Chaser's shocked expression. “She was the unexpected visitor you had come over last time.” Nettlekiss shrugged. “Unexpected? No, not really. Although the timing wasn’t so good, I had an appointment with you after all, and I couldn't let you know she was an unofficial patient of mine.” Her calm unnerved Chaser, it was like she knew exactly what was going to happen today. “Have you killed Diamond Tiara?” For a moment, her eyes flickered with something Chaser could only interpret as anger, or annoyance.She didn’t look at him, she kept her eyes on her tea. “No, she’s alive and as well as can be expected under the circumstances.” Chaser was just about to ask something else, when she looked up at him with an almost sad smile. “Tell me, Chaser. How did you come to find out about me?” Chaser hesitated, he wasn’t sure how much he should reveal, but then again, the cat was out of the bag no. There could be no harm in coming clean. “Silver Spoon asked me to look into Diamond’s disappearance, and I found out she could not hang out at least once a week. From there I went to Diamond’s home, and found her diary.” Nettlekiss raised an eyebrow. “You stole her diary?” “Borrowed, anyway, I wanted a better understanding of Diamond Tiara, and see if she wrote down something about her weekly vanishing act.” He explained, and Nettlekiss nodded, gesturing for him to continue. “She didn’t write anything about you, although I did learn she had problems with her mother.” “Ah, that’s why you asked me about it this morning.” Chaser nodded. “When I was at her home, I overheard a conversation between the police and Diamond Tiara’s father. I learned of a possible revenge motive, and they suspected Mr. Rich’s former business partner.” Again, there was this flicker of anger behind Nettlekiss’ eyes, but she kept her cool. “So when I got nothing from you, I decided to go to the library and search some old newspapers in order to figure out what had happened.” Nettlekiss let out a sigh. “I see, and you saw me?” “Not at first, you’ve changed since then.” That got a small hollow chuckle out of the mare. “What tipped me off was the locket, you held onto it in the picture I saw. There was a list of deceased and survivors. Your name came up as one of the deceased.” There was a moment of silence, Chaser unsure if he should continue or not. Nettlekiss, or whatever her real name was, didn’t even look at him. “I…” He said, starting to feel the tense mood for the first time. “I figured given your age, and the picture of you in the paper, holding the photo of your husband and daughter...” Nettlekiss took a sip of her tea, then sat the cup down. “Very good, Clue Chaser.” She smiled, looking at him with eyes that seemed to shimmer in the light. “You’ll make a good detective someday, because you’re right.” She let out a long tired sigh, and suddenly she seemed a lot older than before. As if she didn’t have enough strength to hide anymore. “My husband was the engineer of that train, so naturally our daughter and I were invited to ride the train on its first trip. It was a whole different class of train, and it should have been built with new safety regulations in mind.” “Only they didn’t,” Chaser replied. “Mr. Rich’s partner used the current ones.” She nodded, smiling bitterly. “It was to save money.. So going up the mountain, the train could not handle the weight, the turns, or the speed, or the brakes…so it was just a question of when it broke, and we found ourselves moving backwards, flying off the rails and down the side.” She looked at him, a tea in her eye. “I lost everything that day, Chaser.” He frowned, looking at her now, he couldn’t recognize the happy and sweet mare he had talked to for these past few weeks. She looked older, exhausted, and sad. He couldn't help but feel bad for her. “I’m sorry...” She nodded, looking down at her tea again. “Thank you, it means a lot...” As she took another sip, Chaser asked his final question. “Why did you take her?” Nettlekiss looked at him, eyebrow raised. “You don’t know?” “Well,” replied Chaser, almost feeling like a student being questioned by a teacher. “Revenge is the only motive I can figure out, but I don’t understand why. Diamond Tiara had nothing to do with it, and her father wasn’t involved.” Nettlekiss snorted, her expression became one of disgust. “Of course he had. His partner was a designer, so yes he should have known. Filthy Rich however, he was the business pony, he cared about profit. Who do you think wanted to save money?” She was getting agitated, the sadness in her eyes suddenly gone and replaced with the anger that had flickered before. “The inquiry didn’t find him to be responsible.” “Don’t be naive, Chaser. You’re just a foal, so you wouldn’t understand. The world isn’t black and white,” she told him, almost scornfully. “Of course they wouldn’t blame him, they were paid off.” “Do you have proof of that?” She stood up so fast Clue Chaser almost jumped to his hooves. The tea cup fell down, spilling its remaining contents out on the wooden floor. “My husband and daughter’s bodies are the only proof I need!” She moved around the table, coming closer to Chaser, who quickly got up and backed away. “The designer getting fired, and the company getting a fine, a slap on the hooves, that isn’t justice!” Clue Chaser backed away, and she kept coming. “They couldn’t do anything else, the law was only-” “Don’t lecture me, Chaser!” She yelled, making Chaser flinch. “You weren’t even born, you don’t know how the world works! Was it justice when the police ignored the death of your father? Ruling it as a suicide?” Chaser’s eyes widened, his heart sank, and he felt himself getting pressed against the wall. “I... I...” Nettlekiss sighed, looking down at the colt. “You’re smart, Chaser, but you don’t know everything. What did you even expect would happen here?” “W-what do you mean…?” “What did you expect would happen once you confronted me, hm? Did you think you would outsmart me into confessing while Apple Bloom looked for Diamond Tiara?” When Chaser didn’t answer, she shook her head, looking disappointed. “I have spent enough sessions to know you pretty well by now.. If I were to guess, you haven't even called the police, you rushed here thinking you would get the big breakthrough and solve the case by yourself.” “No, that isn’t...” The words died in throat, his mind racing, his heart pounding in his chest. What had he been thinking? Well, that was the problem, he didn’t think, he just rushed into the manticore’s den without a proper plan. He didn’t even stop to consider what to do. Worst of all, he had rushed here with Apple Bloom following right behind him. How could he have been so reckless?! He looked into her eyes, resigning himself to whatever fate she had in store for him, at least for now. “Don’t hurt Apple Bloom…” Nettlekiss shook her head again. “Chaser...” She sounded almost gentle again, however there was this impatient sternness to it, almost like a mother being disappointed in her foal. “I never intended to hurt you, and I don’t intend to hurt Apple Bloom.” “Then why-” She held up a hoof. “I have my own plans, and I would rather not involve you or your friend. So if you don’t make a fuss, you can wait with Apple Bloom in the basement until the police arrive in the morning, it will all be over by then.” Apple Bloom shuddered, she couldn’t believe this was actually happening. As soon as Chaser vanished up the stairs, she had sprung into action, her heart pounding as she did so. She didn’t know how much time Chaser could buy her, so she moved as quickly as she could. He seemed so sure about this, Apple Bloom couldn’t do much else than to trust him. If he was wrong, they would be in deep trouble, Apple Bloom didn’t want to imagine it… She spent the next few minutes going from room to room, checking everywhere Diamond Tiara might be held, but so far there was no sight of her. At times she would stop to listen, trying to hear what might be going on upstairs, but all she could hear was muffled voices. She couldn’t grasp the exact words, so she decided everything was going according to Chaser’s plan, and so she continued her search. About six, maybe ten minutes had passed when she finished with the main rooms and came to a stop in front of the last door. “Please be here...” Apple Bloom mumbled, hearing something upstairs falling to the floor. She reached up to the door knob, half expecting it to be locked, but to her luck, it wasn’t. She turned and opened the door, and instead of facing a room, she was faced with a staircase leading down into near total darkness. The cellar, she figured. She glanced towards the stairs Chaser and Dr. Nettlekiss had used, then backed down towards the cellar. She didn’t want to become trapped down there, but if Diamond Tiara really was down there, she wanted to get her out. As carefully as she could, as well as as fast, she moved down the stairs with a mix of speed and silence. At first her eyes could only see the utter darkness, but as they got used to it, she started to see more of the room. It felt dusty and dry, and it was clear by the smell that the windows hadn’t been open for a long time. As for the windows, they were at the top of the far side of one of the walls. Very small, and boarded over, recently too, judging by the wood. Apple Bloom looked around, glancing over her shoulder once in a while. “Diamond Tiara, are you down here?” she whispered. “Tiara?” She was just about to inspect the room, when a sudden movement made her gasp so loudly she almost shouted. “A-Apple Bloom?” a timid voice spoke. Out of a corner, a small filly appeared. She limped out of the shadows, her mane a mess, her eyes bloodshot, as if she had been crying. Their eyes met, both in a brief state of disbelief. Only a second later, Diamond Tiara’s eyes welled up with tears, and Apple Bloom was quick to rush to her. “Is it really you?” Diamond cried, feeling her hooves wrap around her as soon as she was close enough. “Yes, it’s me. I promise everything will be okay.” Apple Bloom said, feeling Diamond wrap her hooves tightly around her. Apple Bloom couldn't help it, she felt tears well up in her eyes too. They had never been on good terms, never really exchanged any friendly greetings. However as Apple Bloom held Diamond Tiara in her hooves, she could imagine the long days she must have spent down here. Alone, afraid of what was going to happen to her. “How did you find me?” Apple Bloom let go, smiling as she wiped away some tears. “Clue Chaser found you, it's a long story.” “Clue Chaser?” she asked in disbelief. “Yes, but it's a long story, and we don’t have time. Come on, the door is open, we need to leave before Nettlekiss comes down.” Apple Bloom explained, talking faster than she normally did as she felt a mix of urgency, fearn and excitement. “I can’t,” Diamond Tiara whimpered, holding up her chained hoof. Apple Bloom let out a made up curse-word, quickly looked around. “Alright, I’ll fix this.” she said, although mostly to herself. “Apple Bloom…” a third voice suddenly said, and the two fillies froze. By the stairs stood Clue Chaser, and he wasn’t alone. Right behind the colt, towering over him like a shadow stood Nettlekiss, giving the filled a stern look. “I’m sorry..” Said Clue Chaser. “I tried my best.” Nettle pushed Clue Chaser towards Apple Bloom, and the two foals almost collided. “I don’t want to hurt the two of you, but if you’ll make this difficult, I won’t hesitate.” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened as she saw the blade in her hoof. “Diamond,” the mare said, looking over at the cowering filly. “It’s time for us to go.” Diamond Tiara whimpered again, drawing back from the mare. Nettle was just about to approach when Chaser moved in front of the mare. “What are you planning to do to her?” He demanded, glaring at her. “That’s none of your concern, Clue Chaser. Now move, or you will get hurt.” Her voice was calm, yet full of held back anger. Chaser’s ears fell back, as he tried to resist the urge to do as she said, and remain safe. “I won’t let you hurt her.” A low amused chuckle escaped from Nettle’s lips. “I have to admire your courage, Clue Chaser, but this isn’t like in your detective stories. You’re alone, you’re just a foal, and no one is coming to help you. Not before tomorrow anyway, at which point it will all be over, for me...” She eyed Diamond Tiara. “And for her.” “You’re wrong!” Apple Bloom suddenly said, carefully moving closer to Chaser and Diamond Tiara. “The police are coming.” Clue Chaser eyed his friend. Was she bluffing? Nettle thought the same thing, because she let out a snort. “Nice try, Apple Bloom, but I know Chaser didn’t call them before you rushed over here.” Apple Bloom nodded. “That’s true, he didn’t, but I did.” There was utter silence for a second or two. Nettle looked at her in shock. “You did what? When?!” “I did it right after you went upstairs,” Apple Bloom admitted, trying not to sound afraid. “You’re lying!” Nettle hissed, which made Apple Bloom glare back at her. “We don’t lie in my family!” She looked at her in a mix of disbelief and anger. Suddenly the mare was in a rush, something she hadn’t been expecting. She turned back towards Chaser, lifting up the knife in a threatening manner. “Move, Chaser, I won’t tell you again!” “No!” Chaser insisted. “I won’t let you take her!” “Do you want to get hurt?!” she was almost screaming, taking a step forward. “I don’t want to hurt you, Clue Chaser, but if you stand in my way..” The threat was obvious, and Chaser could feel his legs shake a bit. His heart was beating so fast he thought it was going to burst out of his chest. Still he didn’t move away, he couldn’t. Then suddenly Apple Bloom came to his side, trying to remain stern, but her voice was shaky. “Please don’t do this,” she said. There was a sound from outside, shadows passing the windows, and voices talking. The police were here, but no one dared yell out for help. Not with Nettle holding a knife to them. She looked at them, desperation burning in her eyes. “Move, I have to do this!” She lunged forward, a desperate attempt to push past the two foals to get to Diamond Tiara. “NO!” Yelled Clue Chaser, pushing into Nettle, Apple Bloom did the same. The move must have come as a surprise for Nettle, as she was pushed back, almost losing her balance. Clue Chaser yelped, feeling a sharp pain on his hoof. “Chaser!” gasped Apple Bloom. “You’re bleeding!” Chaser glanced down and noticed the cut. It wasn’t deep, although he did bleed. He couldn’t look at it, but he also didn’t care. They had bigger problems. Nettlekiss growled, looking both desperate and angry, a combination that rarely ended well. “You don’t want to do this!” declared Clue Chaser, making the mare pause. “It is right! My little filly died because her father wanted to save money! I lost my husband, and everything!” she screamed, pointing the knife at Diamond Tiara. “This won’t bring her back!” said Apple Bloom, frowning. “Diamond Tiara had nothing to do wi-” “I’m sorry…” came a timid voice from behind Apple Bloom and Clue Chaser. They all looked behind them, and saw Diamond Tiara on her hooves, trotting forward, past Clue Chaser. The chain did not allow her to go much further, but she was as close to Nettle as she could. “I’m sorry for what happened to you…it isn’t fair.” Nettle seemed just as surprised as Chaser and Apple Bloom. “No it isn’t...” Nettle simply said, seeming to try to hold on to her bitterness. “My daughter was my everything..” Her voice was starting to shake, her growling seeming to become sobs. “She was so beautiful and happy…” Diamond Tiara nodded, tears appearing in her eyes. “She must have been pretty nice if she had a mother like you.” She said, wiping some tears away. “I wish I had a mother like you. My mother never listens to me, she just expects me to be like her.. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I wasn’t even born at all..” “Don’t say that..” Nettle sighed, her knife lowering. Tears started to run down her cheeks, the sobs becoming louder. “I…I…” Diamond Tiara tried to move forward as much as she could, but the chain kept her from approaching even farther. Instead, she sat down, and opened her forehooves. The mare looked with shock, seeing the little filly smile at her, inviting her for an embrace. It broke her, the knife dropped to the floor, and Nettle followed soon after, crying uncontrollably. Chaser pushed the knife out of her reach, just in case, and then watched as Diamond Tiara leaned down, and hugged Nettle. “I’m.. I’m so sorry!” Nettle cried, hiding her face in Diamond’s coat, hugging her back with a sort of desperation neither Chaser or Apple Bloom had seen before. Diamond Tiara didn’t pull away, she simply stroked Nettle’s mane, letting her cry. It seemed the danger was over, and Diamond Tiara was safe. Everything went by so fast after that. Apple Bloom had left the cellar to get the police, who were all waiting to storm the house, or negotiate. They had heard the screams of Nettle, and assumed it was a hostage situation. It must have come as a great relief when Apple Bloom came out, and told them everypony was fine. It felt bittersweet when the police stormed the house and cuffed Nettle, who was seemingly too tired to fight back. Everything was a bit of a blur after that. The police helped the kids outside, asked them all sorts of questions, doing their best to make the foals feel safe while tending to their wounds. Clue Chaser told the police everything, even the part about stealing the diary, something they were not too happy about. There was a break in the conversation, and the three foals were left with a nurse. Chaser looked at Diamond Tiara, who was watching as Nettle was being led into a police carriage. He frowned. “I’m sorry for what happened to you..” She shook her head. “I feel more sorry for her,” she replied, simply looking down on the ground. They sat silently, each of them trying to come to terms with what had just happened. Finally after maybe about a minute, Diamond Tiara looked at Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom. “Thank you for saving me.” Chaser chuckled. “I think you were the one saving us in the end.” He then looked at Apple Bloom. “And if you hadn’t called the police..” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I rushed us into this.” Apple Bloom shook her head, nudging him with a hoof. “It’s okay, let’s say you owe me one then.” “It’s a deal,” he said, leaning back, letting out a tired sigh. He felt exhausted, his adrenaline had gone down, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Then he winced, feeling his cut on his hoof. “Ah, horse apples..” The fillies giggled, but looked at his cut with concern. “Are you alright?” Asked Apple Bloom. “Yeah, it’s fine, it isn’t deep or anything.” “Thank you for protecting me,” Diamond Tiara almost whispered. “Don’t mention it.. I couldn’t do anything e-” Smooch~ Apple Bloom let out a small, almost inaudible gasp as Chaser felt the lips of Diamond Tiara on his cheek. He blushed, unsure what to do or say. Diamond Tiara sat back, blushing as well. “Uhm, well..” She mumbled. “It’s a reward for, you know, saving me..” Chaser looked at her, unable to speak. “I.. Uhm..” “Tiara!” a stallion called. She looked up, a big smile spreading across her face and tears of joy welling up in her eyes. “DADDY!” she cried out, getting up and ran to her father. Chaser and Apple Bloom watched as Diamond Tiara ran to her parents, and the three embraced. After all that had happened, Chaser was happy to see Diamond Tiara’s mother also getting emotional, hugging her daughter tightly. He looked at Apple Bloom, who smiled as well. “I’m glad it all worked out.” She said, running her hoof over her mane. “I never knew how hard Diamond Tiara had it, I always thought she was just a big meanie.” Chaser nodded. “I know how you feel.. I always thought you girls were just all annoying, but then I got to know you, and I found out you were only kind of annoying.” Apple Bloom punched his shoulder. “Ow!” The two shared a laugh, which lasted a few seconds until their families arrived. “Apple Bloom!” “Clue Chaser!” Both foals were pulled into big hugs, and examinations. Questions upon question, upon questions not to mention a stern talking to. Neither their families or the police were happy with the fact they had put themselves in danger. However, none of them could deny the fact they had found Diamond Tiara, and quite possibly saved her life. Wednesday: The evening continued with a visit to the hospital, a meal, and a stern talking to. By the next day, everyone in Ponyville knew what had happened. The local newspaper printed the story, and Chief-Inspector Stone Heart talked to both Chaser and Apple Bloom before school. He was impressed by their courage, but also let them know what they did was not only dangerous, but reckless, and they had been very lucky. Diamond Tiara was safe, and so were they, that was all that mattered in the end. Both of them could count on a reward for their actions. Although that didn’t mean they escaped punishment… The whole class treated both Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom as heroes. Ms. Cheerilee had of course also made sure to mention never to do something so reckless again, but otherwise she allowed them both to feel good about saving a classmate. Chaser had to admit, it felt pretty good, even though there had to be a lot of lessons learned from this case. Still, he had helped save a life, and he allowed himself to feel good about that. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were of course also in awe of their accomplishment, although Scootaloo was a little disappointed that they had not been included in the case. Still they were both impressed, and asked a ton of questions. When school ended however, it was time to head straight home and begin their punishment.. “That is just so unfair!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “You saved Diamond Tiara and you are still going to be punished?” Clue Chaser shrugged. “Well, we aren’t being punished for saving her.” Apple Bloom nodded. “It’s not so bad, we’ll be able to hang out again next week.” “Maybe, but still, grounded for a week? It just doesn't seem right,” Sweetie Belle commented. Chaser smirked. “I think we got off pretty easily. It’s only a few days after all, and Diamond Tiara is safe.” “Speaking of,” Scootaloo smirked. “Is it true that she kissed you?” Chaser blushed, looking away in embarrassment. “Well, she was just overcome by emotions…” he mumbled, not sure what else to say. He had never had a filly kiss him before, it was still a strange feeling he was coming to terms with. Apple Bloom let out what could only be interpreted as an almost annoyed snort. “She was just happy to be saved, and it was just a peck on the cheek!” She argued, her face a little red. “Well, why didn’t she kiss you then?” Sweetie Belle asked, and Scaootaloo burst out laughing, making both Chaser and Apple Bloom blush even more. When her laughter died down enough, Scootaloo wiped away a tear from her intense laughing. “Oh.. Well, Chaser saved you too, and you didn’t kiss him, Apple Bloom.” “Okay, stop it.” Chaser said, looking at Scootaloo. “It was very emotional, and a lot happened. It was just one small peck.” He turned his head to look at Apple Bloom. “Isn’t that right, Apple Bloo-Mmfh?!” “Mfmh!” “Oh my...” Author's Note It has been a long wait, but the newest and longest chapter is finally here! Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
PrologueIt was a grey afternoon, the massive landscape passing by the windows of the train car seemed to go on forever. It was a big change from a place like Manehatten, but, at least it would be quieter. Time Turner, or Doc, as he was being called, liked the quiet. As an inventor he liked the quiet. Ponyville was an ideal place for his work, and the town was filled with nice ponies. It was a quiet town, and a friendly place. A perfect place for...Him. He looked to his side, seeing a young colt staring out the window. He had a light amber colored coat and a brown mane and tail. His most distinguished feature was his eyes. They were cold, not full of life and wonder like any foal his age should have. Instead he seemed so distant, like his foalhood had been ripped away from him. In some ways, it had.. It had only been a few days ago when Time Turner received an urgent letter telling him about the suicide of Star Chaser, the colt's father. It had shocked him beyond belief and, as he read about the events and how they unfolded, he could only think about his nephew and what he was going through. Years earlier the colt's mother, who had been Time Turner's sister, had been killed in an accident, leaving his nephew alone with his father. It had been hard, but the colt still had his father, who he admired and could draw strength from. Time Turner, however, hadn't seen his nephew since his sister's funeral, and now he was only showing up again at another one. It shamed him to think about it, shamed him to think he never reached out. So when the letter asked if he could become the legal guardian of his nephew, he jumped on the first train to Manehatten in order to collect him, and to attend his brother in law's funeral. During the ceremony, the young colt never spoke. It was not an unusual thing, but he never cried either. He never showed any emotion. He had simply stared at the casket as it was lowered into the ground and, to be honest, the look he had in his eyes had disturbed him. Still, he was determined to help his nephew and give him a warm and loving home. His marefriend, Ditzy, had been nothing but supportive of his decision to get his nephew, and she had promised to prepare him a room. She had just moved in along with her daughter, Dinky. So all of this was quite overwhelming to them, but Time Turner needed to do this, his sister would have wanted that. Turning his head, he looked at the colt. "Well lad, soon we shall arrive at the splendid town of Ponyville, I'm sure you will love it there!" Time Turner said, trying to put enthusiasm into his voice, but he was pretty sure his nephew could tell that he was forcing it. "Mhmm... Okay.." That was the colt's only answer. That had been his only answer ever since he picked him up. He was never impolite per say, but he was distant and only used the minimal amount of words. 'Poor boy, he must be distraught. I wish I could do something, but I guess it is still too early to expect anything. Best thing I can do for him is to be there. I just hope he will come to like his new home..' Clue Chaser, or Chaser as ponies called him, hadn't really spoken since that day. The police had refused to listen to him. He had kept telling them that his dad wouldn't kill himself, of course he wouldn't! But what shocked him the most was their refusal to investigate it. His dad had served the police department dutifully for as long as Chaser could remember, so was this the only level of loyalty his service he had earned? Finally, after much arguing, crying, and begging, he had simply given up, knowing full well it was out of his hooves. Nopony would listen to a foal, and so he had simply drawn back into himself. He spoke, but only when he needed to, and even then he only used as few words as possible. He had been surprised when he saw his uncle Time Turner come to collect him. At first he thought he was only there for the funeral, but he told him he was also there to bring him back to Ponyville. In truth, he thought his father's brother would have let him stay with him, but maybe that was too much to hope for. Chaser didn't really remember much about his uncle. He had been to see him along with both his parents when he was very little, but of course he could not recall it in detail. Another time, the last time, was at his mother's funeral. After that, they hadn't really spoken. Not that he thought it was wrong. They had never been close and they lived so far apart, so maybe that was only natural. He didn't really have any affection or dislike towards his uncle, he just didn't know him. He knew he was an inventor, specifically a scientist. He also knew his mother and him were close, she always spoke fondly of him, but that didn't really have any impression on Chaser other than, if his mom liked him, then he could be trusted... His uncle was polite, and cheery, or at least he tried to be. Chaser appreciated the effort, but he was simply too tired, too drained and disappointed. His family, his life, his dreams, they all seemed to have been ripped away. Before, he had dreams of becoming a detective, just like his hero, Phillip Finder. He was a private detective with a keen eye for detail, and a strong sense of justice, Phillip Finder was his hero. There was a nice stack of books published, though his favorite had to be Equestria Noire, Volume One: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it was the first book where he teamed up with Daring Do! Funny, A.K. Yearling had authored both books, and he wondered if Yearling always had this romantic tension planned between her two heroes. At any rate, Clue Chaser wanted to be like Phillip Finder, he had even gotten his very own trilby hat! Though, right now, he didn't feel like wearing it. To be honest, he was not even sure if he ever would again. His father had been a cop, and look at the lack of loyalty his fellow cops had shown him. Chaser still believed his dad was murdered, but nopony listened to him. It had given his belief in the justice system a crack, it had made him doubt everything he knew. Philip Finder had to deal with that too. Everything from corrupt cops, to cracks in the justice system. Chaser wished he knew what Phillip would do. But, maybe he was simply not meant to become a great detective, maybe that was never his purpose. He couldn't even get the police to investigate his father's death. And what if he was wrong? What if it was just like they said? What if he had been reading too many books and fabricated a case where there was none? What if his dad really did... Letting out a sigh, he looked back out at the landscape, then noticed a town coming into view. "Next stop, Ponyville!" The conductor called out. Clue Chaser watched as his uncle stood up. "Well it seems we have arrived at our destination! Come come, nephew! It is time to inspect your new home.." He stopped, frowning as he realized he might have said too much. Chaser however, didn't react in any negative manner. He simply nodded and got down from his seat, taking his saddlebag in the process. They got ready by one of the doors as the train slowly came to a stop. Outside were ponies waiting on the platform, ponies waiting to get on and ponies waiting for friends or family. There didn't seem to be anypony waiting for them as they got off, his uncle had told him about his marefriend and her daughter, but they seemed to be at home as nopony came to greet them. Then again, it was a little past dinner time, so most ponies were likely at home eating. They picked up Clue Chaser's small suitcase, filled with what few items he had wanted to bring. Though, it was not much, he didn't want everything, and he was not sure why. Maybe because it now all felt, tainted... He had taken his Philip Finder books, feeling too nostalgic to leave them behind. A few pictures and mementos, and of course his magnifying glass and fedora, but again, he was not sure if he would ever use them again. Letting out a sigh, he tried to push the thoughts from his mind, trying to be in the here and now. His uncle led him down the streets of the small town, which seems quieter than Manehatten. Smaller, but it had great charm. The houses were small, but they had a warmth to them that made him feel relaxed. All the ponies they passed close by greeted his uncle, and he greeted them back, but did not stop to chit chat. Clue Chaser could see them wanting to ask about him, but his uncle apparently did not want to stop, seemed he wanted me to get home, and avoid all the attention for now. His intention was good, but Clue Chaser figured all of the questions would have to be answered sooner or later, if not by his uncle, then by him. They walked for a bit, passing a lot of houses, shops, and whatever that round carousel tower was. Ponyville wasn't the smallest town for sure, but it wasn't large either, they had a fire department, a police station, hospital, a market and several shops, so it was certainly not out in the middle of nowhere, in fact, he could see Canterlot mountain from here. He had heard of the town before, it had been in the newspapers more than once as six of its residents had been honored by the princess herself. Elements of Harmony, true enough, they had saved Equestria from the likes of Discord and the changeling invasion, but those were obvious threats... No, as important as they were, the powers of the elements could do nothing for the common pony. He did not dislike them, nor did he discard their importance, but he knew that everyday heroes worked in the blue uniforms of the Equestrian police force. The fire departments and hospitals, to him, those were the everyday hero the common pony could relate to the most. "And here we are!" His uncle exclaimed, bringing the colt to a stop. Chaser looked around, having not paid too much attention. To his surprise, his uncle had quite a nicely sized house, and behind it was what looked like a big garage. Chaser had no idea his uncle made this kind of money, then again, he had no idea what he did for a living. The front door opened and a grey mare with a blonde mane and tail stepped out. Though, what captured his attention the most were her eyes, they didn't seem to look the same way, and it made her kind of look like a derpy kind of character. "You're home!" The mare exclaimed and quickly trotted over to his uncle, the two of them sharing a nuzzle before both of them turned to face him. "This is my marefriend Ditzy Doo." Chaser was tempted to say that it was quite obvious, but he didn't want to be rude to his uncle, or his special somepony. Ditzy looked at him with a kind warm smile, the sort of smile only a mother could give. She looked a bit, goofy, but even Chaser could feel she was a kind and gentle mare. "And you must be Clue Chaser." She greeted, and it was nice to see she wasn't nervous about talking to him. He wished he could do the same, but he simply couldn't. "It's so nice to meet you." Chaser nodded a little, not even bothering giving her a smile. He wanted to, but he simply didn't have the energy or will to even force one. "Nice to meet you too, miss Doo..." Ditzy giggled. "Oh, Ditzy is just fine!" She cheered. "Are you two hungry, I saved some dinner for you both." "Capital!" His uncle cheered, and looked down at his nephew. "Come along my boy, dinner awaits us, and trust me when I tell you that Ditzy's food is the best!" His marefriend blushed, and they once again shared a quick nuzzle. Dinner was….awkward... Clue Chaser could see both his uncle and his marefriend being very careful. They danced around unpleasant questions, he knew they wanted him to make him feel welcome, and not to pressure him into talking about his dad. Chaser was not even sure he wanted to, not with them, not yet at least. So to give them a lifeline, he threw out a question of his own. "Uncle, you said Miss Ditzy had a daughter, where is she?" His sudden question took them both by surprise, and for a moment they seemed stunned. By now he imagined they had gotten so used to his silence they simply didn't expect him to speak, but both of them seemed pleased after they overcame their initial shock. "Oh, you don't have to call me Miss Ditzy, Clue Chaser. Ditsy is just fine.." She repeated while blushing slightly over the formal polite way he addressed her. Not many ponies showed her such respect, something he was bound to find out at some point. "But, my daughter, Dinky. She is upstairs in her room, sleeping. She is younger than you, and it's past her bedtime." Chaser nodded, not really sure what else to say, or ask. They in turn seemed as stuck as he was, it was awkward, and it just hammered home the point what circumstances brought him here. It was Ditzy who, once again, broke the silence. "So tomorrow, I was thinking, I could walk you to school.." She seemed a little timid, as if asking him something deep and personal. His uncle frowned. "You know you don't have to go back to school yet, right?" Chaser nodded. "Yeah.. But, I just don't wanna sit in my room..." He answered, not looking up at them. "I want a distraction.." Not wanting to press him on that subject, Ditzy continued. "I'm walking Dinky to kindergarten, and it's on the way to the school. I can show you, if you want." "Okay.." Chaser simply said. He had no reason to refuse, not that he would refuse even if he had one. Not knowing the town, it would be good to be shown the way, and so he could always go by himself next time if need be. "I'm sure you're going to like it there. You will be in Ms. Cheerilee's class, she is very nice, and is a great teacher." Ditzy assured him, but Chaser just nodded absently. He was tired, he just wanted to sleep and forget about everything. As if reading his thoughts, Time Turner cleared his throat and said. "Well, it's been a long day, and you must be tired. How about I show you to your room?" Chaser nodded once again, and rose from the table. He looked over at Ditzy first though. "Thank you for the meal, it was very good." To be honest, he had not really thought about the taste, but it was still nice of her to cook for them. Ditzy smiled. "Thank you, Chaser. There will be freshly baked muffins tomorrow for breakfast!" Her childish excitement couldn't help but draw out a small tired smile from Chaser, and he simply nodded. "Good night Miss Ditzy.." After a quick shower, and brushing his teeth, Chaser went into the room his uncle had shown him. It was nothing special, a modest room, a single bed, a dresser and a desk, nothing extraordinary. He hadn't expected it to be, after all, this was his first night, and tomorrow his first day. He hadn't had any time making this room his own, and he had barely brought anything to decorate the place with. His suitcase and saddlebag was on the bed, and he figured before he went to bed, he might as well unpack what few things he had brought. It was nothing much, some clothes he wore on occasion, a family album he had taken from the shelf. Some of his personal belongings, like his lock picking set, one he had made himself. His magnifying glass, a notebook, some of his pencils. Then he pulled out all of his Phillip Finder books, and placed them on the desk, he would put them in order tomorrow after school. Lastly, he pulled out a black trilby hat. His dad had given it to him as a gift last year, it had been his pride and joy, his proof that he was going to be a detective. Chaser sighed, even though he was just a foal, he felt like that had been another lifetime, a dream of another. He didn't even have a cutie mark that showed any special talent for detective work. Maybe it was just not meant to be.. His dad would have laughed, telling him to get back up and keep moving. But he was dead, and no one seemed to take Chaser's theory of murder seriously. He hadn't cried all day, not at the funeral, not at the trip over, he didn't want to cry, but now. Now that he was holding the trilby his father had given him. Now, recalling the words of encouragement his father always gave him, supporting his dreams. Now alone, away from all the pity eyes that looked at him, he finally felt his resistance waver, and so, as the warm tears fell from his eyes, he crawled into the bed, hugging the hat tightly to his chest. Silently, he cried himself to sleep, hoping tomorrow would be better... Author's Note After a year of planning, I' finally releasing my detective story! Yay! Please note that chapters will be slow, as I'm trying to nail the cases, and take my time with them. This is my first Detective story, so I'm not going to rush things, I will try to improve each time. Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
Chapter 1: Cutie Mark What?Morning came, but Chaser hadn't prepared the alarm clock. Still, he was slowly coming around, somehow sensing he should wake up. The more he came to, sensing the world around him, he somehow felt some pony was looking at him. Opening his eyes, groaning a bit as he did so, he came face to face with a small unicorn filly, who looked directly into his eyes with a huge smile. "Wha?!" Chaser's eyes shot open as he sat up, falling onto his back on the bed. The little filly giggled a bit. She was young, younger than Chaser, perhaps by five or six years between them. What was she doing in his room? As if sensing his question the little filly gave him a big smile and a wave. "Hi, my name is Dinky, what's yours?" "Uhm... Clue Chaser..." He responded, a little unsure how to react. Of course he knew who she was, his uncle had told him Derpy had a daughter, he was just a little out of it after the shock he got. "Nice to meet you too.." Chaser forced out, trying to give her a smile, but failed. She however didn't seem to notice and simply nodded before turning her head. "Mooom! Clue Chaser is awake!" The filly called, and soon enough Chaser heard hoofsteps. In came his uncle and his marefriend, Ditzy. "Good morning Clue Chaser." "Ah, good morning lad! A bright day ahead of you I'm sure!" The whole family was here, in his room, smiling at him. Chaser was not really used to this, he was used to getting up by himself, his dad sleeping on the couch, exhausted, before he made his own way to school. Now he suddenly had a whole family making their way into his room, wishing him good morning. "Uhm, morning.." He said, still a bit confused, and really not sure how to react. "We just wanted to wish you good morning." Derpy smiled. "Why don't you brush your teeth and come downstairs and have some breakfast with us?" "Breakfast.." He said in a mumble, trying to remember when he last shared breakfast with anypony. He hadn't eaten with his dad for weeks, and now, he was gone. Chaser felt his eyes water slightly, and he was about to wipe them away fast when Derpy suddenly spoke again. "We'll just be downstairs, come down when you're ready." She ushered the others out, and gently closed the door behind them, giving him time to recover. Chaser was a bit surprised at her insight, she had not commented on his tears, to which he was grateful, and she was tactful enough to give him time to recover on his own. Still, he cursed at himself for allowing himself to cry here in front of them. Taking a deep breath, he wiped the tears away with his fore hoof. "Dammit.." He mumbled, then let out a sigh. He couldn't stay in here all day, he needed to move and get his mind off things. He jumped out of bed, made sure it was nice and neat before he went to the bathroom to do all his morning routines. He brushed his teeth, combed his mane, and went back to his room for his saddlebags. As he got them, he cast a look at his black trilby. His dad had got him that, but it was one he wore because he wanted to be a detective. He wasn't sure about that dream anymore, and for just a moment he turned his back to it, not wanting to bring it along. He didn't manage to walk away however, he had just reached the door when he suddenly turned around, hurried over, put it on, and then went down the stairs. At the breakfast table, Dinky was already consuming a nice morning muffin, and some oatmeal. Ditzy was doing the dishes, humming to herself a pleasant little tune, uncle Time Turner was nowhere to be seen however. Dinky smiled when she saw her. "Ohhh, cool hat!" She exclaimed, already looking interested in what it was. Ditzy was the next to notice, but she didn't comment on it, instead she just smiled at him. "We have muffins and cereal if you want some?" "Mommy's muffins are the best in the world!" Dinky giggled, licking her lips and rubbed her stomach. Chaser just shook his head. "Uhm, cereal will be fine, thank you.." Ditzy smiled warmly, humming as she brought him his breakfast. Chaser muttered a thank you, still feeling out of place in this big house, and with these new ponies in his life. He still felt awkward, even though he had never really cared about his image. He wasn't a rude colt, or caring about social norms, but he never felt the pressure of other pony's approval or thoughts about him. Now however, he was uncomfortable, because he could tell they all pitied him. Not Dinky, obviously, she had no idea why he was here, other than he was going to live here now. His uncle and Ditzy knew full well, and so tried to walk on eggshells around him. It was enough to make him want to scream, because it only reminded him of the fact he was alone. The only reason he didn't lash out and voice his frustration was because it didn't come from a bad place, pity rarely did. But they were out of their comfort zone just as much as he was. He could understand that, even though it made him feel even more exposed, he wasn't gonna bash them for trying to do right by him. Breakfast felt like it lasted a lifetime, but soon enough they were all out of the door. Turner was with them, talking about Ponyville, and the school. Ditzy mostly echoed what he said, but did give more in depth information. Chaser learned she was a mail mare, so she knew a lot about the town's details. Much to his own annoyance, Chaser couldn't help but soak everything in. Everything Turner and Ditzy said, every impression he got, every detail he noted, it was all just absorbed into his mind for later use. He was thinking as a detective, or at least, how he imagined a detective would think. The more information he had, the better he could establish patterns, and reach deductions, but a part of him resented that part of himself now. Dinky was just beaming, looking like she was so proud of having Clue Caser near. Since he had no siblings of his own, Chaser wasn't sure how to feel about it, it was all really strange and new to him. She wasn't his little sister, she wasn't even his cousin or related to him in any way. Still she seemed utterly fascinated by him, trotting right beside him, keep glancing up at him and looking over his reactions to things. Chaser couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed, but he didn't say anything as she was around six years younger than him after all. Her eagerness didn't come from a bad place, just like the hidden pity from his uncle and his marefriend. While he felt like snapping and telling them off, he kept it buried deep inside him, and did his very best to be polite. 'Never let them see you weak..' Chaser thought to himself, refusing to let them see how destroyed he really was. "And this is where we part." Said Ditzy, stopping in front of a pleasant and colorful building. Dinky let out a cheer, nudging Chaser while pointing at the building. "That's my kindergarten!" She exclaimed proudly. Chaser just gave an acknowledging nod, something that didn't bother Dinky at all. Ditzy though, while not bothered, saw Chaser was uncomfortable, and thus decided to move things along so Turner could take Chaser the rest of the way. "We have to go now, muffin." "Kay!" She quickly hugged Time Turner. "Bye, daddy!" The smile on Time Turner's face could only be described as one of pure joy. Chaser knew his uncle was not her real father, but he treated her as his daughter, and she responded in kind, something that he was immensely proud of. He leaned down, hugging his adoptive daughter. "You have a good day, filled with amazing learning!" Dinky gave a nod. "I will!" "Brilliant!" Turner smiled, giving her a squeeze. Then Dinky turned to Chaser, somewhat startling him as she suddenly moved forward and hugged him as well. He stood there a bit stiffly, unsure how to react, or what to do. Dinky however didn't notice his hesitance, or the fact he didn't hug her back, she just stepped back and hurried back to her mother, waving at him. "Bye, Clue Chaser!!" Chaser waved back, though it was more out of embarrassed obligation. When Ditzy and Dinky had gone inside, Turner took Chaser down the road, towards the school house. Chaser didn't say anything, nor did his uncle, the two were still pretty much strangers to each other. Turner wished he had been there more for Chaser when his sister passed away, he should have made more of an effort. Hopefully he could make up for it now. They arrived at school soon enough, it was still early, so students were still making their way inside the red building. Near the front door stood an adult mare, greeting each student as they slowly and unenthusiastically made their way inside. The sight was foreign to Chaser, who looked at the building almost in amusement. His old school was made of bricks, and was certainly not as bright and colorful as this one. Moreover, the teachers did not bid every student good morning, if they were out and about, it was to get coffee, or to chase the foals into their classes faster. This place looked like it had come out of a storybook. The reddish purple earth pony saw them, she smiled, and made her way over to them. Chaser noticed how her green eyes looked him over, but quickly avoided him when their eyes met for the briefest of seconds. The way she smiled, there was a hint of nervousness, which made Chaser suspect the mare knew of his circumstances. "Good morning, Time Turner." The mare greeted. His uncle bowed his head in greeting. "And a very good morning to you, Ms. Cheerilee." The mare then looked at Chaser, smiling at him, though she seemed a little nervous, like if she said the wrong thing everything would collapse. "And this must be your nephew, Clue Chaser?" Chaser gave a nod. "Morning, Ms. Cheerilee." He said, his tone flat and devoid of the usually bounciness of most ponies. The way Cheerilee reacted to his almost emotionless greeting gave credit to Chaser's theory. Cheerilee knew of the circumstances of his arrival in Ponyville. "Morning, Clue Chaser. I'll be your teacher starting today, I hope you will get along with me and your new classmates." She spoke with such sincerity that Chaser was slightly surprised. At his old school his teachers, while well meaning, were overworked most of the time, and only seemed to survive thanks to coffee. "I know this must be a big change from the big city school, but I'm confident you will do well here." Chaser inclined his head. "Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee." His uncle smiled, gently patting Chaser on the back. "Capital! Well, if there is nothing else, I must be off." Looking at his nephew, he gave an unsure look. "Do you want me or Ditzy to pick you up after school?" Chaser frowned. 'Pick me up? I'm not four!' Though Chaser, slightly annoyed, quickly suppressed the annoyance, knowing he was only trying to help. "No, I'll be fine on my own." Turner nodded. "Okay, if you decide to stay out, just remember to be back in time for dinner." "Sure." "Alright, I hope you will have a great first day!" Turner grinned, then looked at Cheerilee. "You know how to reach me if you need anything. Have a good day." Cheerilee nodded, saying goodbye to Turner before he left the two alone. Once they were, she looked at him with a kind smile. "Right then, how about we go in and say hello to your new classmates?" Chaser just shrugged, and she took it as a sign of approval, if slightly reluctant. She led him inside, taking him down the hallway and towards the only door that was open. The hallway itself was empty of any foals who might linger, and the rest of the doors were closed, one leading to the bathroom, while another led to a closet. As they got closer, they could hear the foals talking, doing what foals mostly did before it was time to start a lesson. That was not unknown to Chaser, it was the same at his old school. What differed however was the sudden change when Cheerilee walked in, they quieted down. Back in Manehatten, students would continue to talk and screw around until the teacher ordered them to sit and be quiet, here though, the foals did it as soon as they noticed Cheerilee. Chaser followed Cheerilee inside, and as soon as the other foals saw him, he could sense them silently looking him over. There were a few whispers here and there, but otherwise the classroom was silent. The classroom was much like the building itself, colorful, and filled with much more character than his old classroom. It was bigger, yet smaller. It was bigger in the sense that the room itself was bigger, but smaller when compared to the number of seats. There were sixteen seats, divided into four rows. There was plenty of room for more seats, and Chaser could easily imagine that if required, more seats could be added. To the student's left side was the wall facing the playground, three large windows letting in plenty of sunlight, though the window beside the front row was blocked by a table willed with painting supplies, a place Chaser noted to avoid as the table was quite messy. The rest of the classroom was neat and tidy though, but still had a more free atmosphere about it. Chaser took it all in, every little impression, every little detail, he added it all to his mental library. Then Cheerilee's voice spoke, jolting Chaser from his spot by the door, and walked further inside and joined his new teacher's side. "Good morning class!" "Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee!" Came the instant response. "Today you will be getting a new classmate. Clue Chaser comes all the way from Manehatten, and has just moved to our little town." She turned, looking at Chaser expectantly. "Tell us a little about yourself." Chaser didn't want to, but he knew the faster he got it over with, the faster they would move on. Letting out a sigh, he gave a small wave. "Hello, my name is Clue Chaser, I'm ten years old, and I've just moved to town. Nice to meet you all." It was as an unenthusiastic greeting as it could get, but Chaser simply didn't feel like getting into it. He wasn't happy, he didn't want to be here, he just wanted his dad. 'Don't let them see you cry, don't let them see you weak..' Chaser thought to himself, repeating a few times as thoughts of his dad made him want to cry, or lash out at the world. 'Be strong..' A filly with a red mane and a pink bow, raised her hoof, and Cheerilee pointed at the filly, nodding. "Yes, Apple Bloom? Do you have a question for Clue Chaser?" The filly nodded, she sat in the second row, one desk away from the middle window. "I just wanted to know if Clue Chaser likes apples?" Chaser looked at Cheerilee, and she gave him a nod. Looking back at the filly, Chaser gave a shrug. "Yeah, I do." It was a strange question, but nothing horrible, or too personal. Then another filly raised her hoof, she sat in the front row left from the first. Her coat was orange, and her mane was reddish purple, kind of like the coat of Cheerilee. "Yes, Scootaloo?" "Do you like cool and extreme stuff?" Another odd question, and a vague one at that. "I guess?" Then a colt raised his hoof, before Cheerilee could acknowledge him, he blurted out. "Why did you move to Ponyville?" It was a simple enough question, and Chaser had expected it to come up, just not yet. He noticed Cheerilee looking a little nervous, trying to figure out whether to stop it here, or let Chaser answer. Wanting to end this whole exercise, Chaser gave a short explanation that was true, but didn't tell the whole story. "I moved here to live with my uncle." Cheerilee quickly ended it after that, wanting to avoid the obvious follow-up question. "I think that will do for now, Chaser, why don't you take a seat next to Apple Bloom over there?" Looking to the seat she indicated, Chaser made his way to the second row of student desks, and passed Apple Bloom. He placed his saddle-bags next to his new desk, and sat down. He was on Apple Bloom's left side, right next to the window, and right behind the filly called Scootaloo. Both of the fillies look over at him, sending him friendly smiles. He just nodded back, looking up at Cheerilee as she continued the lesson. "Alright class, as you all know, I promised you a test today." The whole class groaned, and Cheerilee gave a small giggle. "I know, I know, but you have had a week to prepare for it." She started giving out tests, which was only two pages, both having to do with math. Looking through the problems, Chaser saw no real challenge, and so did not worry or dread the test as the rest of the class clearly did. "Clue Chaser," Cheerilee suddenly said. "I know you haven't gone over these math problems with the rest of the class, but just do your best, and if you have problems or questions, feel free to ask me." Chaser just shook his head. "No, I think I will be okay." "Alright, then you may all begin." The class all turned their attention to the sheets of papers in front of them. Tough now and again, Chaser would notice them look at him, or hear small whispers here and there. He just tuned them out, answering every question with ease. School work had never really been a problem for Chaser, his hero was adept at multiple subjects, so in hopes of one day being as good as Phillip Finder, Chaser had devoted himself to his studies and more beyond. He finished the test before any other, and thus spent his time looking out the window, getting lost in his own thoughts, thinking of the events that had led him here. His dad's supposed suicide, the way the officers had dismissed him, and how his dad's own brother had agreed with them. It hurt him just thinking back on it, like a knife in the back getting twisted in the wound. There was nothing he could do, and now he was stuck in this town. What would happen to him now? When the test was over, and every foal had given back their test sheets, it was time for the day's first recess. Every foal in the class sprang up, all of the hurrying outside to play. Chaser was the last one to leave, and only did so when most of his new classmates had left. Once outside, he did his best to stay away, trotting over to a tree and sat down by himself. He didn't want to play with the others, and he didn't feel like talking to them either. It wasn't because he thought they were stupid, or less worth than him, but he just couldn't handle all of that right now. Though his peace didn't last long, he'd barely gotten comfortable under the shadow of the tree before three fillies approached him. Two of them he knew as Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, an earth filly and a Pegasus filly, but the third, a unicorn filly, was unknown to him. She was a unicorn, light grey coat, and two colors in her mane, grayish mulberry and light rose. The three of them looked at him expectantly, all three smiling, looking excited. Looking back up at them, he sent them a flat look of disinterest. "Can I help you?" "You have no cutie mark." Said the one known as Scootaloo. Chaser raised an eyebrow. "So?" Apple Bloom rolled her eyes. "Sorry, that wasn't what we meant to say." She cut in, giving the Pegasus a scolding look. Then she smiled, looking at Chaser as she introduced herself, and her two friends. "I'm Apple Bloom, and this is Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle." The unicorn raised her hoof in greeting, smiling somewhat shyly. "Hello." "Hello," said Chaser back to her before looking at Apple Bloom once again. The earth filly continued. "We just liked to welcome you to our class, and Ponyville." "Thanks?" Chaser doubted that was all. Clearing her throat, Sweetie Belle decided to continue. "And we noticed you didn't have a cutie mark yet." She gestured to herself and her friends. "We don't have one either." Then Scootaloo cut in. "But we're trying a bunch of stuff to get them, and we wanted to know if you wanted to become part of our club!" Chaser tilted his head, not sure where they were going with this. "Club? What club?" The three fillies shared a knowing grin, and with surprising well choreographed accuracy, the three fillies spun and did a dramatic pose. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" "Uhm, the cutie mark what?" Chaser asked, not sure if he got that right. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders!" Scootaloo repeated, slightly annoyed that she had to repeat it. "Right, and you're trying to figure out your cutie marks?" The three fillies nodding, clearly thinking his interest was increasing. Sadly however, Chaser had no intention of joining their little club. "Sorry, but I'm not interested." The three almost recoiled in shock, all three had their mouths open and eyes wide. "What? Why the hay not?!" Scootaloo asked, not angry, but more confused. "We have a super cool club house, and we do all kinds of fun stuff!" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded along, but still Chaser dismissed their offer. "That's neat and all, but I'm not interested." He wasn't trying to be a jerk or anything, but his tone was cold and one caring, something that set him apart from other foals, and something that caught the three fillies off guard. "How about if you come over to just have a look at the club house? Just to see what we do?" Sweetie Belle suggested, sounding almost hopeful, but also a little unsure of him. "No." Chaser simply said. "But-" Apple Bloom tried, but was shot down with the same response. "No." Scootaloo looked like she was about to put in a final attempt, but before she could say what she wanted, another voice joined in. "Well look at this, seems like the loser squad is trying to recruit another blank flank." The voice was that of a filly, and it dripped with condescension. The cutie mark crusaders all looked uncomfortable as two fillies made their way towards them. While the first three looked concerned, Chaser didn't look bothered at all, instead just watching as the two new fillies trotted up to him. "I'm Diamond Tiara, and this is Silver Spoon." Chaser let out an annoyed sigh. "And what do you two want?" "Oh nothing, we just wanted to see if the loser squad managed to recruit another blank flank." Diamond Tiara looked over her shoulder, smirking. "I'd say they have not managed to recruit you. Looks like you got some brains after all." Then she looked at Chaser again, clearly thinking she was asserting some sort of authority, or superiority. "So, why are you in Ponyville?" "To live with my uncle." Chaser just replied. "What? Your parents didn't want you around?" Diamond snickered. "Yeah?" Silver Spoon added, seeming just to go along with whatever Diamond was saying, and apparently had nothing else to add. If Chaser was bothered by the comment, he didn't let it show. The Cutie Mark Crusaders watched the exchange, all three holding their breath. Letting out a sigh, Chaser just shrugged. "Are you done? I'd like to enjoy recess in peace, so if you don't mind, can you leave me in peace?" "Why? Are you too busy being friendless?" Chaser almost let out a laugh, who did this filly think she was? Chaser was far from intimidated by her coming from Manehatten, he had seen bullies, real bullies. They were monsters compared to this little brat, and while she was annoying, she was nowhere near as scary or effective. She almost got in his face, poking him with her hoof. "What? You gonna cry?" "Diamond! Stop it!" Sweetie Belle called out. "Yeah!" Scootaloo joined in. "Stop picking on the new kid." Apple Bloom nodded, taking a step forward. "We'll tell on you!" Diamond turned around, facing the three crusaders. "Oh yeah?!" "Yeah!" Chaser rolled his eyes, standing up on all fours. "You guys are so annoying.." He said under his breath, trotting away. "Are you running away, blank flank?!" Diamond called after him, Chaser just ignored her. The rest of the day Chaser just kept to himself. The three fillies still wanted to talk to him, but did not approach him, which suited Chaser just fine. Diamond Tiara didn't either, apparently she had her fun for the day. Chaser focused on his studies, and when it was recess or lunch, he would keep to himself. The other foals in class avoided him, all seeming to sense he didn't want to talk to them. Then the end of the day was finally near, and already you could feel the energy rise within the class. Foals eager to escape school and venture out into freedom. Chaser wasn't in a hurry, so he just waited patiently as Cheerilee finished up. "And remember, next Monday we will have that yard sale, so if you have something you want to sell to help the school, or your parents, please bring it this week so we don't have to sort through it Monday morning." She looked at the clock on the wall, noting the time, and turned her attention back to her students. "That's all for today, see you tomorrow!" And with that, the class room erupted into pure chaos. Foals quickly gathered their stuff into their saddle-bags, others talking to their friends, but most ran out as soon as possible. Chaser wasn't in any hurry, and instead, like with every recess, took his time, and waited for his classmates to have left the path clear for him. Once they had, he put on his saddle-bags and trotted towards the door. Cheerilee sat at her desk, but then noticed him. "Oh, Clue Chaser, do you have a moment?" He stopped. "Sure." "Just wanted to congratulate you on your test score, 100%, that's really impressive." Chaser could tell she wanted to be encouraging, wanting him to feel welcomed and accomplished. Again, her intentions were good, but at this point, Chaser's patience was running low. "Thank you, Ms. Cheerilee. Can I go?" The blunt question seemed to do the trick, and the teacher nodded, trying to mask her frown with a smile, but only half succeeding. "Of course, have a nice day, and see you tomorrow." "Thanks, you too." He left, thinking he would finally be able to be alone. He was wrong, as soon as he stepped outside, he was faced with the same three fillies from earlier today. Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, all three looking at him. Taking a deep breath, he started moving again, and as he came closer he asked. "What do you want now?" "We wanted to show you around Ponyville." Sweetie Belle said, a little unsure and maybe a little timid. "We want to make you feel at home, and make you feel welcome." Apple Bloom added. Then Scoots winked, a sly smirk on her face. "We’ll even treat you to a milkshake," "No." The three fillies winched, as if the word no had just slapped them across their muzzles. "Then how about coming over to see our clubhouse?" Apple Bloom tried, but was shot down again. "No." Scootaloo grinded her teeth, pointing at him with her hoof accusingly. "What's the big idea, why are you being such a jerk!? We helped you with Diamond Tiara!" Chaser looked at her, his eyebrow raised, this time in slight annoyance. "I neither wanted your help nor did I need it. As to why I'm being such a jerk, that's because I can't get some peace. So, will you please let me be?" "Why I oughta!" Scootaloo began, but was stopped by Apple Bloom who stepped in front of her. Chaser rolled his eyes, and started to trot away, leaving the three fillies alone. Scootaloo let out a frustrated groan. "He's such a jerk! We're only trying to be nice to him!" "I know," Apple Bloom replied. "But maybe he just needs some time?" "Maybe he's just shy, or maybe that's how city ponies are?" Sweetie suggested, considering this. "Rarity always says city ponies are very busy." "Yeah, my sister says that too!" Nodded Apple Bloom, then looking back at Scootaloo. "Maybe he will be in a better mood tomorrow, and we can try again." Scootaloo let out a sigh, then nodded reluctantly. "Alright, if we're lucky we can get our cutie marks in being recruiters." Then the three friends smiled, seeing a challenge ahead of them, but one they were confident they could overcome. When dinner came around, Chaser was finding himself sitting at the dining table with his uncle, his uncle's marefriend, and a very talkative Dinky. He'd kept himself to his room ever since he'd gotten home from school, needing some time to himself. If His uncle had come by, or Ditzy, he'd told them he was doing homework. It wasn't exactly a lie, the assignment was easy enough, and he hardly needed complete silence and focus to do it, but it gave him a convenient excuse to be left in peace. Even Dinky had respected it, and so he had found himself being able to calm his mind and regain his patience, at least enough to endure dinner. Chaser mostly kept quiet, letting the others chat about their day. Watching them, Chaser saw how close they were, so warm and connected. While not his real daughter, Turner treated Dinky as if she was his own daughter, and it was clear it touched Ditzy deeply. They were a family, through and though. He couldn't help but envy them, while his own relationship with his dad was great, they both missed his mom. His dad had done his best for Chaser, given him all the attention a single father can give, while at the same time trying to keep up with his caseload, and pay the bills. No matter how busy he was though, he always did his best, and always found time for Chaser. They shared a bond, and while times could be hard, they still had each other, and stuck together. "Chaser?" "Hm?" He looked up, seeing they were all three looking at him, all with a worried expression. "What..?" "You're crying.." Dinky said, her voice filled with concern. Chaser's eyes widened, and he quickly released a few tears running down his cheeks. He turned away, wiping them away before he stood. "Uhm I.. I.. Thanks for the food.." Without another word, he hurried back upstairs, running into his room and shut the door tightly. His heart was pounding, his mind raced. His whole body seemed to heat up with emotions, as he tried to shut out the world by leaning against the door. Tears moved down his cheeks again, and he gritted his teeth. "Dammit... Dammit.." He whispered over and over again, letting his small body slump to the floor. He'd promised he would be strong, promised he would never show weakness again, and yet he had failed to do that very thing in front of the ponies that had taken him in. He knew they would understand, rationalize it into him still grieving. They would pity him even more, look at him like he was made of glass. Chaser didn't want that, he didn't want them to look at him like a small foal, he hated it! Closing his eyes tightly, hiding his face in his hooves, he tried to hold back the flood of emotions, gritting his teeth, controlling his breathing, and refused himself to cry, not even when he was in private. He refused it, refused himself to be weak and vulnerable ever again! Yet still the tears came, still they leaked from the damn of stubbornness and onto the wooden floor beneath him. "There's no shame in crying, anklebiter. Even the toughest ponies cry when they're hurting." A voice suddenly said. He knew the voice, he knew who it belonged to, but he hadn't heard it since the funeral of his dad. Looking up, he spotted the pony he expected to see, Phillip Finder. Standing in his green vest, his own trilby, and a compassionate look about him. He wasn't real of course, he was just a figment of Chaser's imagination. He'd first shown up at the police station back in Manehatten, showing up in his hour of need, trying to comfort him, to line up the facts as Chaser believed his dad was murdered. He wasn't real, just a manifestation of his grief Chaser figured, but despite his mind telling him that, the way Phillip looked at him, talked to him, it made him feel like he was really there. "I.. I'm not.." Chaser said, his voice cracking as he struggled holding it all in. Phillip inclined his head, raising an eyebrow. "You know that they'd want to help you. Bottling it up isn't gonna solve anything." Finally he'd had enough, he grabbed the trilby still on his head, and threw it at the imaginary Phillip. "JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!!" He screamed, seeing the trilby fly through the air and hit, nothing. Phillip was gone, and Chaser was left alone in the darkness once again. Clue Chaser awoke the next morning, his body stiff, his eyes dry, and his head hurt like crazy. Looking around, he found himself tugged into his bed. Knowing he had not crawled into bed himself, he figured his uncle and Ditzy had tugged him last night. He couldn't recall, which made him wonder how much of what happened last night was a dream. "Great job, not only did they see you cry, but they tugged you in as well.." He let out an annoyed sigh, but he didn't blame them. He was the one who ran upstairs and cried, they just did what responsible adults did. He could just have gotten into bed himself. "Idiot.." Looking around, he noticed how bright it was for this early morning, though his attention was quickly grabbed by something else. A glass of water had been placed on his nightstand, and when his throat was dry and slightly sore, he quickly got a hold of it and drank greedily. It felt so good, and when the glass was empty and down on the nightstand once more, he took a deep breath, and cleared his mind. Chaser still felt stiff, tired, and his head still hurt, but he still felt better, enough to figure out that the reason it was so bright was because he'd overslept! "Damn it!" He quickly got up, grabbing his trilby and saddle bags on his way out. Chaser hurried down the stairs, but before he could reach the door, his uncle called. "Clue Chaser, what's the hurry?" He stopped, almost smacking into the door itself with the speed he was going with. Spotting the stallion, Chaser trotted towards him. "Uncle, I've slept too long, I'm late for school." The stallion frowned. "My boy, we thought you wanted some time. After yesterday, we thought it would be best." Chaser grimaced, quickly shaking his head. "No, I'm fine, I want to go to school." "Chaser, you sure that's a good idea?" "Yes, I'm okay, I was just exhausted. I'm all better now!" Chaser insisted, looking almost desperate. He wasn't going to let anypony think he had gone into hiding, or could not handle his new school. "Alright, but if-" Before Time Turner could finish his sentence, Chaser had already bolted out the door. "Thank you, uncle, bye!" Turner was left staring at the door, slightly bewildered. "But, what about your lunch?" Chaser ran through the streets of Ponyville, quickly moving down the path to school they had taken the day before. Strangely enough, it felt good to be running, burning off some steam and pent up frustration. Even so, he was annoyed that he was late only on his second day of school. It was not something he wanted to do, and he certainly didn't want his new teacher to think he was too sad to come back. Chaser was going to make it, no matter what. A small part of his mind told him this was a bad idea, he was not doing this clear headed, he did this because he was afraid of looking weak. It was a bad judgement call, but his stubbornness drove him forward, drove him to run all the way from his home, to the school house. Once he arrived, he made his way to the door, and in his eagerness almost slammed the door open, startling his classmates, and Ms. Cheerilee. All eyes were on him as he stood in the doorway, panting, and his mane still in bed/running mode. "Clue Chaser?" Cheerilee said, sounding bemused. "I thought you weren't coming today?" "Overslept.." Chaser simply said while catching his breath. "Sorry.." As he made his way to his seat, Cheerilee nodded, trying to figure out what was going on. "That's alright, we were just talking about the end of the second trade war between Equestria and Saddle Arabia, so if you grab your textbook, you can follow along with the rest of the class." Clue Chaser nodded, ignoring his classmates' staring, and did as asked. Though as the lesson continued, he heard Apple Bloom whisper to him. "Hey, are you okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine," Chaser whispered back. "Let me study.." The lesson continued as planned, and at recess, Chaser was left alone. Most of the morning went like that, which suited Chaser just fine. Then lunch came around, and having not eaten breakfast, or brought lunch, Chaser found himself sitting alone, and with a growling stomach. Hungry and tired, Chaser wasn't exactly in the mood to fool around. So when he noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders make their way towards him, all of them carrying their lunches, he could already feel his frustration grow. He sighed, looking up at them. "Yes?" "Aren't you going to eat?" Sweetie Belle asked, after the three fillies had put down their lunch boxes. "I'm not hungry." He lied, and as if his body had a mind of its own, his stomach growled, revealing the lie. He blushed, but otherwise refused to react. Apple Bloom narrowed her eyes almost accusingly. "You shouldn't be lying, and I can tell you're hungry." "I'm fine." Chaser insisted, narrowing his own eyes. "Dude, just let us eat with you. The whole world isn't gonna collapse if we do." Scootaloo said, rolling her eyes as she sat down. The other fillies followed her example. Chaser let out a sigh, about to protest, or get up himself and leave, but before he could Diamond joined in. "Oh, it looks like the official meeting of the blank flank club has just begun! How cute!" Diamond smirked, with Silver Spoon giggling behind her. "Looks like you made some friends, good for you, Chaser! Though to be fair, these three are hardly an improvement." Chaser groaned, he wasn't in the mood for Diamond and her idea of bullying. "Go away, Diamond Tiara, and take your cheerleader with you. I'm not in the mood." Diamond snorted, smirking as she thought she had gotten to him. "What's the matter, blank flank? Still sad because your mom and dad sent you away?" Chaser flew up, shocking everypony. The way he moved, and the way he glared at Diamond made everypony think he was going to hit Diamond, but instead, he just got in her face. "If you must know, my mom died years ago, and my dad has just been murdered, so that's why I'm here!" The whole playground went still, and an inaudible gasp seemed to go through the foals. Diamond seemed at a loss for words, her eyes wide, her ears down, her mouth moving up and down as she tried to come up with something to say. Whatever it was, Chaser wasn't interested. "Chaser, we.." Sweetie Belle began, but was cut off when the colt turned his glare at her and her friends. "And you three! Will you please just leave me alone?! I don't want to be a member of your stupid club, I don't want to be friends, I just want to left ALONE!!" His words shocked not only the foals within earshot, but Chaser as well. He'd lost control of his temper, something he had never allowed to happen before. He looked at the three fillies, who wasn't only shocked, but hurt as well. Sweetie Belle was on the verge of tears, Apple Bloom seemed at a loss, and close to crying as well. Scootaloo gritted her teeth, glared, and like her friends, seemed close to shed some tears, but like Chaser, she held them back with all her might. Chaser regretted his words, deep inside he knew they came from a place of anger and sadness, but it was too late to turn it around now. He was angry, and he didn't want to be here. Instead, as he saw Cheerilee at the door, he trotted away. All were silent as they watched him head towards Ponyville. Today had been a disaster, and he couldn't find it within himself to stay for the rest of the day. His uncle would have questions, Ditzy would be worried along with Dinky, but right now, Chaser didn't care. He needed time to cool down, and think... Author's Note Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
Chapter 2: The Stolen MoneyTo say Clue Chaser wasn't exactly popular after his outburst at school would be somewhat of an understatement. While he wasn't being bullied anymore, neither did anypony, especially the cutie mark crusaders, try to approach him again. He was left alone, just as he had told everypony to do. He felt bad for hurting the three fillies, seeing how their club meant a lot to them, and they had only tried to include him. His uncle and Ditzy had of course heard about the whole episode, and it took some effort to get them to let him go back, despite knowing he had overdone it, he knew nopony would bother him after that. The rest of the week was spent alone, none of his classmates approached him, and as the day of the yard sale grew closer, it seemed nopony wanted to be in his group. So Chaser would have to work alone, even if Cheerilee didn't like it very much. He should be happy, he had the peace he wanted, and even at home it seemed they were giving him space to think. Though the impression he had left on his schoolmates bothered Chaser more than he thought, and at times he found himself thinking about apologizing. Then his more stubborn side would kick in, reminding him it was better to be alone, to shut other ponies out. However, as the days passed, he grew less and less convinced, and more and more lonely. He'd had friends back in Manehatten, but the last time he saw any of them was the day of his father's death. He could write to them, but what was he going to say? How do you start a conversation when life has changed so dramatically? At times he tried to write a letter, but he just stared at the paper, never once putting a single word down. After a while, he just gave up, figuring it was better to just vanish from their minds. When the weekend came around, Chaser found himself more bored and lonely than he could ever have imagined. Having nothing else to do, Chaser decided to leave his room and go and explore Ponyville more thoroughly. So far he had only gone between his uncle's home and school. He had never really taken the time to really get to know the place. He passed the kitchen on his way to the door, and Ditzy stopped to look at him. "Are you heading out?" Chaser stopped, turning to look at her. "Yeah.. I thought I'd go and explore the town." For some reason he felt slightly embarrassed, or timid. He knew he hadn't exactly been a very friendly or easy guest, and having already made a bad impression on his classmates, Chaser felt a bit more aware of himself. Ditzy smiled warmly however, and nodded. "Of course you can, just don't be home too late, okay?" "I won't," promised Chaser, feeling relieved, if not slightly surprised she could still smile so warmly to him, even after the cold shoulder he had been giving them. "Thanks.." She waved him goodbye, and Chaser left the house. It was sunny, and a lot of ponies outside to enjoy the weather. Not knowing where to start, he just decided to walk and see where that would take him. It was a strange experience, for years he had only known the city, and now he was in this country town. There was not much traffic, more greenery than concrete, and more pleasantly, it was quieter. That was not to say Manehatten didn't have its charms, it would certainly always hold a place in Chaser's heart, but this place had its own charm. He didn't see it before, but the more he trotted around the place, the more he started to notice. Ponies seemed less busy, more open towards one another. In Manehatten, ponies liked to keep to themselves, go to where they needed and not stop in the middle of the street to chat. Here, that didn't seem like an issue. Ponies all over stopped to chat, waved to one another, and wished each other a good day. Maybe that was to be expected in a town like this, most ponies probably knew each other by name, or at the very least knew who was local, and who were not. It made him feel out of place, like he didn't belong here, at least not yet. The cutie mark crusaders had tried though, they had reached out, offered him a hoof so he could become part of the community. He'd slapped it away, and being justified or not didn't change the fact he'd hurt them. So what should he do now? He thought back at what the imaginary Phillip Finder had told him that day. 'You know that they'd want to help you. Bottling it up isn't gonna solve anything.' Was that the solution? Just open up to them? Chaser shook his head, snorting as he did so. It was too late, he had burned whatever bridges there were, and he was on his own, that's how he saw it. He had no dad, he was not a detective, he no longer had friends, and the ones he could have didn't want anything to do with him as per his wishes. This was how things were, and this was how it had to stay. "HEY YOU!" A cheerful voice suddenly greeted right behind him. "Argh!" Chaser yelped, quickly turning around to face a pink pony. She was an adult, smiling widely at him. "You must be Clue Chaser! Welcome to Ponyville, I'm Pinkie Pie!" "Uhm, okay, hi?" Chaser replied, a little reluctant and disturbed. "Can I help you?" "Help me?" She repeated, thinking for a moment, then shook her head. "Nope! But how about I'll help you?" Chaser raised an eyebrow, not sure what this mare's deal was, but he was not sure if it was safe to hang around her. "No thanks, I don't think so." "Don't be silly! Everypony needs help once in a while, and you look like you're down on your luck." Before Chaser knew it, she had put him on her back, and trotted into some sort of café. He was too confused to react at first, and really first reacted when he was sitting in a booth. "H-hey!" "Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie cheered, throwing some confetti into the air. Chaser sent her a flat and slightly annoyed look, but either she didn't notice, or she ignored it, because before he knew it, she had placed a cupcake in front of him. "Here you are! In the house, do you want a milkshake too?" "I didn't ask for-" His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten breakfast today. He blushed, stopping his protest and just mumbled a small annoyed thank you. Pinkie just giggled. "Soooooooooooooooooooooooo, do you want a milkshake? Come on! What's your special super favorite flavor?!" "Strawberry..." He mumbled under his breath, not looking at her. Pinkie turned her head, putting a hoof close to her ear as she leaned in. "What was that?" Chaser's blush increased, why was she doing this to him?? "Strawberry.." "Just a tiny bit louder, Click-Clack-Clue~!" The pink mare said in a sing-song voice. He turned to look at her, his eyes glaring. "I said Strawberry!" "Strawberry!" Pinkie cheered. "Those are yummy!" She seemed to vanish from sight, confusing Chaser even more, but before he knew it, she was back, and had placed a large strawberry milkshake on his table. "Here you go! This is a bit of a welcome to Ponyville! If you need anything, I'll be in the kitchen! See you later Cluedo!" "Ergh.. Weirdo.." Chaser mumbled to himself, looking at the cupcake and the milkshake. "But, It was nice of her to pay for this." He wasn't sure if he should be annoyed, disturbed, or happy. Letting out a reluctant sigh, he took the cupcake and took a bite. "Mm?!" His eyes widened, as the piece of cake hit all the right spots. Quickly he took another bite, and pure satisfaction soon followed. This was delicious, and when he added the cold milkshake into the mix, it became a snack shock of blissful deliciousness! "Oh.. Wow.." This beat a hayburger any day, and while he still felt kinda low, his lips soon moved up into a smile. For about fifteen minutes he sat and enjoyed himself, almost forgetting about his worries and troubles. At least, like so many times before that, he was reminded when three fillies stepped through the doors to Sugarcube Corner. It was The Cutie Mark Crusaders, all three seeming happy and excited to get some snacks. They didn't see him as they trotted towards the counter, and having finished his own cupcake and milkshake, Chaser found it best to leave before they noticed him. With his cupcake and milkshake being on the house, Chaser could quietly make his way to the door and leave with the CMC being none the wiser. It would have worked perfectly, had it not been for a voice calling his name from the counter when he was about halfway to the door. "Hope you enjoyed the cupcake and milkshake Chaser! Come again soon!" Turning his head back, he saw Pinkie Pie behind the counter, grinning and waving at him. The three fillies looked confused, then turned around and spotted him. They looked surprised, then unsure on how to react. Chaser felt the same way, and the four foals fell into an awkward silence. "Uhm.." Chaser mumbled, trying to figure out if he should try to apologize or not. This wasn't exactly how he had imagined it, and it was clear they were in the same boat as him, trying to figure out what to say or do. Of course it was Pinkie who broke the silence, perhaps in an attempt to push the foals to make up. "Oooh, do you guys know each other?" No one answered, instead Apple Bloom took a deep breath, and stepped forward. "Chaser we.. Uhm.." Panic and dread filled Chaser, he couldn't do this. It may be a coward's way to deal with things, but he just couldn't get himself to face this problem right now, and here of all places. "I have to go!" He turned, trying his best not to run, but failed. He was gone before any of them to call out to him. He ran away, this time not as far as he had done when he was late for school, but enough so he was sure he was out of sight. Gritting his teeth, he stomped his hoof on the dirt. "Dammit!" He'd run, afraid of facing them, afraid of opening up, he was nothing more than a good for nothing foal! Helpless! He hated the feeling! Chaser could of course go back, but that would just be too weird. No, instead he decided to head home, deciding it was better to not do anything for now. Letting out a sigh, he left for home, and a boring weekend ahead. When the first day of the week came, Chaser wasn't exactly hugely enthusiastic about it. Today they wouldn't have normal lessons, but instead have a yard sale so they could raise money for the school. It wasn't because they needed money for supplies or anything like that, but the idea was to get a little extra to the budget, and perhaps invest in a big field trip, or perhaps something awesome for the playground. Students had brought things from home to donate, with the help of their parents of course. Chaser didn't really have anything he could sell, he hadn't really brought much from the flat he lived in with his dad. Luckily His uncle and Ditzy had a few things, and happily donated. Ms. Cheerilee had used the last day of the week to sort through the items with her students, all of them coming up with stalls, and how to divide the items. His classmates had thought it good fun, while Chaser just did what was required, and so focused on building and painting the stalls. He obviously wasn't alone in that task, but he didn't contribute creatively like his classmates eagerly did. After his breakfast, Chaser went to school by himself. Dinky was disappointed he went off early, she wanted to walk with him, but other than a pout, she hadn't said anything. When Chaser arrived at school, the usual morning energy had totally shifted. Instead of being tired and half asleep, his classmates seemed positively energized by the events of today. Cheerilee trotted inside, smiling, as she seemed as excited about today as her students. She greeted them like she did every morning. "Good morning class!" "Good morning, Ms. Cheerilee!" Came an eager reply. She giggled. "My, my, you all seem much more awake today. Are you all excited for the yard sale?" The class cheered, and the overall mood was just positive. "Very good. As you know, we are trying to raise money for something benefitting the school. We could perhaps go on an exotic fieldtrip, or get some new playground equipment." Another cheer went out, and Cheerilee waved her hoof to get them to settle down, but she did it with a smile, happy to see her students excited. "After today, we will know how much we earned, and then I will start coming with some suggestions based on the budget that you can vote on. And the suggestion with the most votes, wins!" A third cheer, and this time Cheerilee let it go on a little longer. Once the class had settled down however, she continued. "Right, we have a busy day ahead of us. First, we need to get our stalls outside and set everything up. Then you will be allowed free play until 10, and then we will open up. I will be with you all the way, and if you have questions or are in doubt, you just swing by me." She went on about some of the details of the day, setting up the groups, and their duties. Chaser listened, but only with half an ear, he knew full well none of his classmates wanted to work with him, which suited him fine. Even so, the incident at Sugarcube Corner the other day, had made him glance once or twice at the cutie mark crusaders, and he was sure he had caught them glancing at him as well. There were some unresolved issues there, but Chaser didn't know if they would be able to solve them today, or if ever. "Right then," Ms. Cheerilee finished. "If there aren't any questions?" She waited, giving her students a chance to speak up, when nopony did, she clapped her hooves together. "Then let's set up shop!" As foals started moving outside, she quickly called. "Remember to take anything you need, as the classroom will be locked while we're out there!" And so the day began, the students went outside, and on their way grabbed everything that they needed for the stalls. Their spirits were high, and they all had a blast setting this yard sale up. Some even started to play pretend, like construction ponies, or merchants. Chaser did of course not partake in any such games, instead he just focused on bringing the stuff they were putting on sale out with Cheerilee. She had of course tried talking to him after the incident, and had been worried about his relationship with his classmates. Chaser had assured her he was fine, and for now had at least closed the conversation. Things went pretty smoothly, before long they had a little mini market of their own. Five stalls, all moved in a half circle pointing away from the school house. They'd spent some time setting everything up, and having already put price tags on the items, all they had to do was to put them on display. Recess came, and most foals stayed near their mini market, loving to perfect their stall and make it as unique as they could. Others did decide to go to the playground, but Chaser decided to find shelter near a thick tree and read the book he had brought from home. He sat in such a way that the tree hid him from view, which meant if somepony was looking for him, they would not see him until he moved. It could be because he figured the CMC would try and approach him during free play, but still he chose to put it off. He simply didn't want that confrontation right now. If they did look for him, he didn't see, and soon enough it was time for the yard sale to open. Chaser was surprised with how many ponies that came around, many of them seemed eager to buy something. Some were his classmates' parents, they probably showed up to support their foals, and support the school with a nice donation. Neither his uncle or Ditzy showed up, but that was okay, he knew they were both busy. Ditzy had enough trouble doing her job without flying into stuff, or delivering the wrong mail. His uncle in the meantime always seemed to work on some new gadget, he was either too busy to show, or was simply too distracted with whatever he was doing, which was fine. Chaser didn't have a need for them to show up, and he doubted he would feel like his classmates did if the two did decide to show up. To his surprise, they actually sold a lot more than he thought they would. Even Ms. Cheerilee seemed surprised, but nonetheless pleased. Before they knew it, the yard sale was over, and they were left with very few items in stock, and with a nice big bag of bits! Cheerilee congratulated them all for their hard work. "Very good work, all of you. Thanks to you all, I'm sure we'll be able to spend this money on something fantastic for the whole class!" The foals cheered. "Now, let's get this money inside, then we clean everything up, and head home for the day." The students all nodded, and did as asked. Cheerilee unlocked the classroom, placed the bag with Bits on her desk, and told her students to clean up their desks, and make sure the windows were closed. It all took less than five minutes, and after locking the classroom again, they all went outside to begin taking down their stalls. Dividing themselves into groups, the foals moved around, cleaning up everything. Some focused on the stalls, while others focused on trash, or sorting the items that weren't sold. Everything seemed to go well the first half hour, then Ms. Cheerilee called them together again. "Children, have any of you seen my keys?" She asked, frowning. She pointed to her saddlebags, then looked at them all again. "I could have sworn I put them in there, but I must have dropped them. If you happen to find them, please bring them to me." The foals nodded, then went back to work, with the added task of finding the keys. Chaser continued to take down one of the stalls, figuring she must have dropped her keys, and they would be found quickly. By the stall next to him, the cutie mark crusaders were hard at work themselves. "No, you have to hold it up while I'll remove this plank." Scootaloo told Sweetie Belle. "But it's heavy.." Sweetie Belle whined. Apple Bloom sighed. "That's because you still haven't taken down the sign yet. If we take that off first, then we can take the rest of it down easier." "Oh!" The two other fillies exclaimed. "Yeah that makes much more sense!" Scootaloo grinned, then she turned around, moving towards the school house. "Where're you going, Scootaloo?" Asked Sweetie Belle. "Gotta use the little fillies room, I'll be back soon!" She ran off, and passed Chaser on her way. Their eyes met for a brief moment, but she didn't stop to speak, nor did she say hi. Instead he was now facing her two friends, who had now spotted him as Scootaloo went inside. The three looked at each other for a few seconds, but then Apple Bloom went back to work, Sweetie Belle soon doing the same. This time they didn't try to approach him, or strike up a conversation. Chaser wasn't sure how he should feel about that, but there was nothing to be done about it. He had kept dismissing them, and if they'd given up he could hardly blame them. Chaser returned to his work, finishing up soon after. About two minutes later, he noticed two colts, Snips and Snails, running towards Cheerilee. "Ms. Cheerilee! Ms. Cheerilee! We found your key! We found your key!" The little one exclaimed, nudging the taller one. "Show her!" "Oh, yeah, here you!" Cheerilee let out a relieved sigh. "Thank Celestia, you found them! Where were they?" "Over by the front door, Ms. Cheerilee." Chaser raised an eyebrow, they seemed to be panting, and it was not that long a run from Ms. Cheerilee to the door. Then again, they could have done something before that, and Snips was not the most healthy looking colt, so it made sense that he was not a good runner. He returned doing his own stuff, finishing up, and soon enough Scootaloo returned to her own friend. The rest of the clean up effort went off without a hitch, and once they were all done, Cheerilee took them all back inside the school house so they could get their saddle bags and head home. Everypony was pretty happy with how today had turned out, and many talked about what they could use the money for. Everything from the possible, to the absurd. However, as the door to the class room opened, Ms. Cheerilee let out a startled gasp, as did the rest of the class when they looked too. "The money!" One exclaimed. They were gone, the big bag of bits had vanished from Ms. Cheerilee's desk. Chaser was the last one to see, because he always walked behind the crowd, so once everypony else was inside, he too saw the Bits were missing. "Oh, this is terrible, just terrible!" Cheerilee said, sounding slightly panicked and unsure of what to do. "Class, do any of you know what happened to the Bits?" Everypony denied ever having seen the money after Cheerilee locked up, and since there were no signs of a break-in, she was at a loss. She wasn't sure how to handle this, and so decided to check every student out. "Alright class, empty out your saddle bags, I need to be sure none of you are lying to me." Under normal circumstances, such a demand would have annoyed the entire class, but everypony wanted to know what had happened to the Bits they'd worked so hard for, and so did as asked without any complaints. They all went to their seats, took their saddlebags, and emptied them. Scootaloo gasped, because when she tried to lift hers, she found herself dropping it as if it was too heavy. The bags landed on the wooden floor, and out spilled a wave of shiny coins. The entire class gasped, and Cheerilee looked shocked beyond belief. "Scootaloo?" "Wait what?!" Scotaloo looked even more shocked, taking a step back away from the many coins. "No! I didn't take the Bits!" She yelled, looking first up at Cheerilee, then at her fellow classmates. Cheerilee looked at the money, then at the class. What could she say? It wasn't like she could point to another student, and Scootaloo did have the Bits in her saddle bags. While she wasn't sure about this, she couldn't hold the rest of the class up. "Scootaloo, you need to stay with me, then we-" "I swear, it wasn't me!" Scootaloo begged, looking like she was about to cry. Ms. Cheerilee didn't look anymore happy about it than she did, she looked disappointed, and why wouldn't she? She had just found the stolen money from the school yard sale in her saddle bags. The other students looked shocked, and Scootaloo's two friends seemed outraged. "She wouldn't do something like that!" Sweetie Belle insisted. Apple Bloom nodded, then added. "That's right! She was framed!" Her eyes flicked around the classroom, as if looking for the answer to this whole affair. Her eyes landed on Diamond Tiara, then pointed at her. "You framed her!" The filly jumped, surprised, then angry. "Me!? I didn't do anything! Your friend is a thief!" "I am not!" Cheerilee Tried to calm everypony down, but so far, she had a hard time with it. Clue Chaser just sighed, packing his stuff into his saddlebags. Those three fillies had been nothing but trouble, they'd kept chasing him around, asking him to join that stupid club they had going. Chaser didn't want to play with them, nor did he think any of this was his business. Even so, the suggestion that somepony would actually take the time to frame Scootaloo was just laughable. He couldn't blame Cheerilee for thinking it was just a simple theft, because it was. "Your father would be ashamed of you." Said a voice he was very familiar with. Chaser didn't look up, he just focused on his work. "Go away.." He mumbled. "You know she's innocent. You saw proof." Chaser's eye twitched, he knew what he saw, and it was true, things did not line up. Looking up, he found the pony he expected to see. Phillip Finder, a reddish-brown earth pony stallion. He had a midnight black mane, it was long and untidy. Most ponies did not wear clothing, but Phillip did, he wore a pale gray short-sleeved shirt with an olive green undershirt. Though maybe the most notable about him was his headwear, a trilby, just like in the books. Lastly, plastered on his flank was his cutie mark, a magnifying glass. Chaser sighed, feeling a pang of guilt raising. "I don't know what I saw.." It was a lie, and he knew it, and his imaginary manifestation of Phillip knew it too. His eyes bored into his, almost raging like thunder clouds. Finally, he gave in. "The window, the paint cans, the key and the timeline, it doesn't match up.." "So why aren't you doing anything?" "Because I can't be a detective. I'm just a foal who reads too many books.." Phillip Finder seemed more than annoyed at him, but why should he care? This was all in his mind, he wasn't real! "You know this is wrong, and you're not doing anything to stop it. Know what we call ponies like you?" Before Chaser could tell him off, he suddenly vanished, then appearing right in front of him, glaring at him with the most judging eyes he had ever seen. "Cowards." Chaser almost took a step back, as if Phillip was really there, in the flesh, scolding him. He couldn't look away from the imaginary detective's eyes, it was like he was being forced to face him, face himself. He looked like his hero, but his eyes, he did not just see Phillip, but his father's, and his own. Chaser remembered when he found his father, laying in a pool of his own blood in their apartment. His own screams echoing in his ears, the iron smell of the blood. He had been so desperate, he had tried for hours to convince the police his dad would never kill himself, that this was murder. But no one listened, not one of his dad's former colleagues listened to him, or even considered murder. It was around that time, in his despair and sorrow that Phillip showed up, or at least, this manifestation of him. He had been the only one he could confide in, but after the funeral, he had just suppressed that part of him, until now. He looked at Scootaloo, the world wasn't moving, it was like as if it was standing still. This was all in his head of course, he knew that. Time hadn't suddenly slowed down at his whim, but it was a place of his creation, a place for him to focus. Chaser frowned, seeing how desperate she was to convince the reluctant teacher that she was not guilty. Of course she wasn't, it was so simple if the ponies around him just opened their eyes. Then he understood, if he walked away now, if he kept silent, he would not only leave an innocent to pay for a crime they did not commit, but he would be just as guilty as the one who caused all of this. No, it couldn't stand, and as his guilt of leaving her alone grew, so too did his determination. "Scootaloo is innocent." Clue Chaser suddenly declared, entering the real world again. Everypony in the class became silent, looking at Chaser with puzzled looks. He could understand their surprise, so far he had been very quiet and closed off, so for him to suddenly boldly declare something like this out of nowhere must startled them. "Scootaloo couldn't have been the one who stole the money, it doesn't add up." "How? She was the only one in here, and the Bits were found in her bag." Diamond Tiara pointed out, like if she had just told him the sky was blue and he needed air in order to breathe. "First." Chaser started, looking directly at her. "There is no proof Scootaloo was ever in the classroom, or that she was the one putting the money in her own saddlebags." Diamond snorted. "I saw her trot into the school house." "You saw her trot into the school house after Miss Cheerilee found out the key was missing, Scootaloo was looking for the key just like the rest of us." Chaser continued. "The key was already stolen, and the theft already underway when we found out the key was missing." "How do you know?" She then asked, almost mockingly. Chaser sighed, looking at the row of windows at the left side of the classroom. In one reflection he saw Phillip looking back at him, his eyes, they were watching him, almost like a school teacher watching his student at an exam. How did he know Scootaloo did not do it? A passage from his favorite book came back to him. 'Every detail, even the innocuous ones, tells a story. No matter what we do, we always leave a trace everywhere.' Phillip Finder. Yes, the clues were all here, and they all told a story. All he had to do was link them together and reach the conclusion. Turning around, he looked at the group of foals, and their teacher. Taking a deep breath, clearing his mind of doubt, he began to explain. "At the end of our sale, we all returned here to the classroom. Ms. Cheerilee asked us to clean our desks and close the windows. We did, and we all left to go outside and clean up after our yard sale. Ms. Cheerilee locked the door, and none of us returned to the classroom before now, except for the thief of course." "We already know this," said Diamond Tiara, but Chaser ignored her. "We began the clean up, many of us working in groups. It was then the key was stolen." He noticed how they all glanced towards Scootaloo, who seemed to notice it and lowered her ears. "Not by Scootaloo." Chaser pointed out. "Remember, when Miss Cheerilee found out her keys were missing, Scootaloo was still with us." "She went to the bathroom!" A colt said. "I saw her!" "Yes, but that was after we knew the key was missing," replied Chaser. "And remember, we found the key while Scootaloo was still in the bathroom. She what? Unlocked the door only to throw the key out next to the main entrance?" No one answered, so Chaser continued. "No, the thief was already in the classroom when Scootaloo went to the bathroom." He turned, walking to Cheerilee's desk. "The money was all up here, the thief grabbed the bag full of Bits, and made their way to the painting table." He started to walk towards the desk with the paint brushes and paint cans, but then stopped when she came to Scootaloo's desk, the desk closest to the painting table. "But he stopped, something made the thief put the bag of Bits in Scootaloo's Saddlebag." At this point Cheerilee was too invested in this investigation nonsense, she almost forgot his age as he explained. She couldn't help but ask her young student. "Why?" Chaser shrugged. "Panic. Something scared the thief into making a rash decision, to rid himself of the evidence before he risked being found out, and I think that something was the sound of Scootaloo's hooves as she made her way to the bathroom. The path she would have needed to take leads right past the classroom door." Now understanding started to spread through the group, but of course he still hadn't proved a thing, and so skepticism rightfully remained. "The thief panicked, there was no time to put it back on the desk, and would not risk trying the escape route with the large bag of Bits, too much risk." Apple Bloom tilted her head. "What escape route?" "The door was locked when we arrived at the classroom, so the only other way to exit was through the windows." He pointed towards the painting desk. "The window behind that table." Before anyone could ask him how he knew that, he trotted up to it and gestured to the cans and glasses filled with all sorts of pencils. "Notice how far the cans and glasses have been spread to each side of the table, as if clearing a path." He moved beside the table, stood on his hind legs and observed the window, and just as he suspected, it was unlocked. "And see, it is the only window unlocked." Now things were falling into place, but there were details missing. He needed to make certain that the right foal was punished, because the only one who could have done this, was a foal his own age, but he had to prove it, and he needed to make damn sure the evidence was solid before he accused anypony. Then a voice cut through the silence, once again bringing her skepticism to the full attention of everyone. "We could just have forgotten to lock it." "No," answered Chaser. "Because out of all those windows, we never open that one, and the reason is very simple. In order to reach the window in the first place, you would have to reach over the table, which is simply too much effort for one simple window." Diamond could suggest magic was used, but even she knew if windows could just be opened with magic that easily, then there would be a lot more break-ins. All windows had a small lock that made it hard for anypony to focus their magic so precisely that it would unlock. It was too much effort, and took too long. No, it would be faster to open it with your hooves. "How do you know the thief was panicking?" Sweetie Belle suddenly asked, to which Chaser simply shrugged. "In all honesty, I don't know for sure that the thief did panic. I think the thief panicked because the thief is a foal, likely this is the first time he or she has ever stolen, so understandably nerves are going to be running high. Hiding it in Scootaloo's saddlebags was just the first place that popped into their mind, likely the thief did not even remember that it belonged to a fellow student." The mood became tense, Chaser had claimed Scootaloo was not guilty, but he was also claiming one of them, a fellow classmate, was the one to do it. They were all nervous, because if Scootaloo could be wrongly accused, then so could one of them. For now though, Chaser finished going over the events as he had deduced they took place. "Panicked, the thief hid the money in the first spot he could find. He made his way to the table, climbed up, and moved out the window. From there it would have been easy to walk past the door, toss the key aside and let somepony find it." His eyes turned to Snips and Snails, who both seemed to shrink as he looked at them. "And after you found it and took it to Ms. Cheerilee, Scootaloo trotted out from the main entrance, after the key was found." Things started to line up nicely, they all seemed to be listening and the doubts seemed to vanish little by little, but of course, his fellow classmates were still nervous of being accused. Luckily, there was not going to be much doubt in this matter. "You two did it, didn't you?" He looked directly at Snips and Snails again, and this time, they did not look nervous, but scared and desperate. It made him certain that one of them had panicked, that this was their first time, and none of this was supposed to have happened. "Wait a minute!" Snips said, holding out a hoof as if to stop him. "We never went inside." "Y-yeah!" Snails agreed. The other foals thought about, then one said. "I didn't see them go into the Schoolhouse.." Chaser shrugged. "You would likely not notice, why would you? Seeing two students, fellow classmates going into the schoolhouse, why would you make a note of that. If it was an adult, or even Miss Cheerilee, then you would likely notice. Scootaloo said she was going to the bathroom, that is why we know she went inside. If she had slipped off without saying anything, then we would likely never have noticed." Both of the colts bit their lips, but that still didn't prove any of them was involved, which they made sure to say out loud. Chaser however had proof, he gestured to the painting table again. "I have all the proof I need, because both of you left hoofprints. Stepping in paint, some dry, some still gooey and slightly wet." He looked back at them, his eyes hardening. "I saw traces of paint under your hooves as we went inside!" He pointed at them. "You two stole the money and didn't speak up when Scootaloo was blamed!" Both of them went stiff, as none of them had thought about stepping on the paint. Chaser knew they could not claim it was old, and they could not claim to have played with paint today of all days either. Miss Cheerilee seemed to come to the same conclusion, she looked at the two colts, and without accusing them of anything yet, she did need to see if what Chaser had said could be right. "Snips, Snails, show me your hooves." There was a moment of hesitation from them both, but knowing there was no way out, they sighed, sat down on their flanks and showed all fours. There it was, the paint, sticking to the underside of their hooves like a big red marker of guilt. Both of them started to sniffle, likely none of them had ever done this before, or had wanted Scootaloo to get blamed. Cheerilee let out a sigh. "Boys, you will be coming with me." She looked at the rest of the class, with a tired expression. "The rest of you, go home." She escorted both the colts out, and likely they were both going to cry, and they were likely feeling very badly. Thankfully, they were both foals, and the Bits had not been taken away, so what had happened was not as serious as it could have been. In truth, Chaser had probably done them a favor, if Scootaloo had been dragged off instead of them, then they would have trotted around with that knowledge, feeling it weighing down on their continence. Hopefully now, they would learn a valuable lesson, and not continue down the road they had nearly started on. "Wow, Clue Chaser.." A timid voice said from his side. He turned, and found Scootaloo looking at him with a grateful smile. Her eyes were red from the crying, and she was still feeling a bit vulnerable from the whole ordeal. "You saved me." Chaser felt his cheeks burn slightly. "Saved you? That might be going too far." The other crusaders joined their friend, all grinning at him. "That was amazing! You are like a real detective!" Sweetie Belle declared with awe in her eyes. Apple Bloom nodded. "Darn tootin'! You really helped our friend out there." Clue Chaser chuckled, feeling slightly embarrassed, but also happy. He had actually done it, he had solved a case, small though it may be, he had solved it! Maybe, maybe he could do this, maybe he could follow clues, put the story together, maybe there was a chance, a real chance for him to become a real detective! He heard the three fillies gasped, gaining his attention. "What?" "Look!" Scootaloo exclaimed, pointing to his flank. Chaser did, and his eyes went wide at what he saw. His cutie mark, he had earned his cutie mark! HE HAD DONE IT! Clue Chaser looked at his awesome cutie mark, a magnifying glass, just like Phillip Finder! Though unlike him, he had three question marks inside of it, making it all his own. He couldn't believe this, he really could become a detective! Looking up, he spotted his imaginary friend in the window, smiling at him. "You need help, you know where to find me." Chaser smiled back, almost feeling a tear reach his eyes, as it almost felt like his dad's spirit shone through Phillip, telling Chaser he was proud of him. He gave a single confident nod, and Phillip vanished, but Chaser knew he would be there when he needed him again. Everypony in class went outside, all saying their goodbyes before heading home. Chaser stayed back however, looking back at the school house, thinking about what had just happened. Then the fillies approached him, and he in turn looked at them, this time not with annoyance, but with a small smile. Scootaloo pointed it out with a smirk, and a small laugh. "What's this? He can smile!" She teased, and Chaser chuckled, slightly embarrassed. Then he sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Hey, listen.. About last week, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go off on you like that.. I was acting like.. Like.." He tried to find the right word, but thankfully the three fillies helped him, and knew just the right words to use. "A jerk?" Scootaloo smirked. "Yeah.." Chaser nodded. "A meanie?" Sweetie Belle put in. Chaser nodded again. "Yeah, that's fair." Apple Bloom too had something to add. "A stubborn fool?" "Exactly, and I-" "A giant stupid meanie ultra non-cool total lame dork?" Scootaloo interrupted. "Yes! Okay, I get it!" Chaser said, glaring at her, but this time it was more of a playful glare. The three were quiet for a few seconds, then burst out in giggles and laughter. Once it died down, Apple Bloom offered her hoof. "It's alright, we were being a little too pushy." "Yeah, maybe just a little bit.." Scootaloo reluctantly admitted, then putting out her own, joining Apple Bloom. Sweetie nodded, looking a little guilty. "We didn't mean to be annoying, we just wanted to be your friend. Honest." Then she put hers out, the three of them offering their hooves as one. Chaser looked at them, then smiled and reached out with his own, touching their hooves with his own. "I know, and I'm sorry. Mind if we start over..?" The three fillies smiled, giving him a nod. His own smile grew. "Hi, I'm Clue Chaser, I'm ten years old, and when I grow up, I want to be a detective." The three fillies smirked, sharing a knowing look. Then Apple Bloom looked at him. "Hey, Clue Chaser, I'm Apple Bloom." "I'm Sweetie Belle." "And I'm Scootaloo." The fillies started. Then Apple Bloom continued. "And we are..." There was a dramatic pause, and Chaser expected them to do their pose again. Only this time, they jumped him. "The Cutie Mark Crusaders Group Huggers!" "Whoa!!" He fell back onto his flank, surrounded by these three giggling fillies. "I didn't ask for a group hug!" He yelled, blushing, but still couldn't help but smile. The three fillies just squeezed him harder, then proclaimed. "Cutie Mark Crusaders Group Huggers!" Chaser rolled his eyes, then started laughing too. He still had a lot to deal with, but at least now he had a fresh start, and some new friends. Maybe things would get better? Only time would tell. Author's Note Special Thanks To: Editor: Jason Monroe Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
Chapter 3: Something AmissIt had been some time since Clue Chaser first came to the town of Ponyville, and things had certainly been emotional. When Chaser first arrived he was hurt and broken. He'd lost his dad, been adopted by his mother's brother, and was suddenly taken to a town he only knew by name. It would have been a nice place to end things, but Chaser knew too well his problems could not be solved on his own. The Cutie Mark Crusaders weren't the only ones he owed an apology to. While he hadn't been snarling at his family, or downright troublesome, he knew he had been somewhat cold and distant. His family were good ponies, and they had given him space, but Chaser still felt bad. His uncle never needed to take him in, he had his own family to deal with. Chaser could have easily ended up in an orphanage, but at the time, he didn't care. Now however, he felt it was time to put the cards on the table, and let them know he truly appreciated all they had done for him. So on that day, he returned home, feeling like his whole body had become lighter after shedding a burden he hadn’t even realized he was carrying. So much had happened today, and it had only taken a few minutes. Chaser's mind had spent the entire trot home to put it all together, and no matter what conclusions he came to, he just felt happy. For the first time since he'd arrived here, he was grinning from ear to ear. Once he arrived home, he hesitated for a bit. Chaser had no idea where to begin, nor how to really approach the subject. Still, nothing would come of standing outside and thinking about it. It was better to act, get it out of the way, and hope they would understand. The logical part of his mind told him they would, but the other part screamed with nervousness and hesitation. As soon as the door opened, he was hit by a pleasant smell of freshly baked muffins. His uncle's marefriend must have finished her shift early, and was apparently using the time productively. Letting out a small sigh, his ears folded back, Chaser went to the kitchen. As he expected, Ditzy was waiting for the muffins to finish, humming to herself as she turned a page in some sort of novel she was reading. For a few moments, Chaser just stood there, gathering his courage. After maybe two minutes of silence, he let out a quiet cough to get her attention. It worked, because her eyes moved up, finding him quickly. "Hey, Clue Chaser! Did you have a nice day at school? How did the sale go? And wha-Oh my gosh! Chaser! You got your cutie mark?!" Chaser nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Yeah, it happened not too long ago in fact." "Did it?! You have to tell me all about it! Want a muffin?" She was so excited for him, so happy. It made Chaser feel slightly worse, but he knew if he could just explain, then he would be able to get better. "Well, I was hoping to talk to you, and my uncle…is he home?" Ditzy noticed the serious and nervous tone. While she didn't frown, she did become calmer and more serious. "Of course he is. Why don't you go into the living room, then I'll get him?" Chaser nodded. "Thank you.." He trotted back to the living room, waited patiently for his uncle and Ditzy to arrive before he sat down. Maybe he was being too formal? Before he could decide on that, Ditzy returned with his uncle. Turner grinned at him when he entered. "Chaser, my boy! I've heard you got your cutie mark? Splendid!" Soon enough he noticed the rather tense mood, and so he adapted and calmed down as well. "Clue Chaser? Are you alright, lad?" And so began a long and emotional story. Chaser told them everything, how he had been feeling ever since coming to Ponyville. His meeting with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, his outburst, and of course how he got his cutie mark. He laid everything out, and never in his life had he ever felt exposed. Chaser wasn't one to share about his feelings, not even with his dad. All of this seemed too raw for him, and it hurt. Not physically, but emotionally, and at times, he felt like crying. Still, he faced it head on, and told them what they were owed. Once done, he didn't know how they would react. Logic would usually tell him they were good ponies, and they would not get angry, or anything of the sort. In this case however, logic failed him, and it was like he could only sense his own fears and doubts. Turner spoke first, as he usually did. "Clue Chaser.. I'm so proud of you." Chaser's ears perked, and he looked at his uncle with uncertainty. Up until now, he had not dared to look them in the eyes, focusing instead on the floorboards. Now however, he could see both of them were smiling, and their eyes were glinting with tears. Before he could ask, Ditzy spoke up. "You did really well, defending Scootaloo like that." She really looked proud, and Chaser could not help but feel slightly happy about it. "And you had the courage to tell us the truth about how you feel, that was very brave of you." Chaser felt his cheeks warm a bit, he wasn't after praise, but it felt nice. Turner smiled, leaning forward a bit. "Don't you worry, lad. We are going to make sure you have the support and help you need. We'll be right behind you, all the way." Chaser let out a breath he had no idea he had been holding in. "Thank you.." Friday: Four weeks had passed since then, and little by little Chaser had gotten used to life in Ponyville. True to his word, his uncle had set him up with a foal therapist, one he was to visit twice a week after school. While he wasn't super excited about the idea, he didn't complain or fight, instead did his best to give it a chance, despite how uncomfortable it sometimes could be. Thankfully the therapist was a nice mare, who seemed determined to make their sessions as comfortable and helpful as possible. Chaser liked her, she was nice and dedicated, unlike other officials he had met back in Manehatten. Though in a town like Ponyville, he could easily see how her work would be less stressful. The therapist was a unicorn called Nettlekiss, although she preferred just to be called Nettle. She had a light gray coat, white mane and tail, and green eyes. She had a certain neatness about her; even if Chaser had not known her for so long, he could tell she likes things neat and pretty. Everything was straight in her office, even the cups of tea she placed on the coffee table between them was set at a specific angle. Thankfully she didn't apply this kind of treatment to her patients, so Chaser didn't have to worry about being corrected or asked to sit a certain way. Her sessions took place at her home; she had dedicated the whole of the first floor for this purpose, creating an open space with plenty of light. Chaser liked it here, it wasn't cramped or felt intense. Likely that was the point of this office, and Nettle clearly liked to make her patients feel as comfortable as possible. Chaser was surprised to find himself opening up to her relatively fast. Nettle was just so easy to talk to, so it felt so natural just to open up to her, even if some subjects were still too touchy to approach for now. Nettle didn't push him, instead she did what she always did when he came over. She usually offered him tea and biscuits, doing small talk, and let the conversation flow naturally. Smiling kindly at him, Nettle asked about his day. "How was your day, Chaser?" "Well, it was okay. We have been asked to do a project, and our teacher has made us pair up. I was paired with Apple Bloom." "Ah, that is one of your good friends," Nettle said with a pleased smile. Chaser felt his cheeks warm. He wasn't sure if he would call Apple Bloom or the others “good friends,” but they were friends. "Yeah," Chaser still answered. "She and her friends keep trying to drag me on one of their crusades to get their cutie marks." Nettle let out a pleasant chuckle. "Ah yes, the famous crusading. Those three fillies have made quite the reputation in town." Chaser couldn't help but chuckle a little himself. For the past four weeks the three fillies had dragged him along for anything they could think of. Whatever scheme they had to gain their cutie marks, somehow he almost always had to either be involved, or be the only voice of reason. "It's not like they take me along for every crazy scheme they have planned, but they do try to get me along with most of them." Chaser replied, rubbing his right hoof with his left, looking down at the floor as he did so. "I don't really get why they want me to come anyway." "Maybe they just want to spend time with you?" Nettle suggested. "I don't know," Chaser replied, adding in a sigh for good measure. "I mean, I like them." He quickly clarified. "I'm just not used to all the attention." Nettle nodded, leaning back in her armchair a little. "Did you have many friends back at Manehatten?" Chaser flinched, he hadn't expected that question. "Well, I…uhm…" Thinking back, Chaser recalled his school days back at Manehatten. He had friends, right? The more he thought about it, the more unsure he became. He wasn't bullied, nor was he exactly unpopular, or popular. He had always had his nose in his books, and his classmates had not really been that smart. Chaser stopped, a sudden wave of guilt washing over him. His ears dropped. "I guess, I didn't really have any friends before. We were not really interested in the same things." "And these three fillies are?" "Well, I mean, they are, kinda." Chaser fidgeted on the couch, trying to come up with the words. Nettle chuckled. "It's alright, Clue Chaser. Sometimes it is hard to put our feelings into words." Chaser sighed. "I guess I was too focused on becoming a detective that I didn't give my classmates much attention back in Manehatten." "Do you feel bad about that?" "I guess." Chaser shrugged. "I always saw them as kinda dumb." Looking up at her, he quickly added. "I don't mean I'm better than them, I just, well, I don't know." "I understand what you mean," she assured him. "Do you know why these fillies have been able to get closer to you?" Again, Chaser shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, I guess I felt bad for the time I yelled at them. They were just trying to be nice to me, and I threw it back in their faces." They'd had this conversation before, although now she was looking into it from a different angle. "Do you like spending time with them?" Chaser thought about it for a moment. The three fillies had a lot of crazy ideas, and at times seemed to pay little attention to the potential dangers they put themselves in. Chaser had to either stop them or get them out of a tight spot on more than one occasion. Even so, when all was said and done, yes, he liked spending time with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Taking a deep breath, he looked at Miss Nettle and gave a single nod. "Yes, yes I do. I mean, they are reckless, and constantly getting themselves, and at times me, into trouble." Nettle smirked. "And yet?" Chaser sighed. "It's the most fun I've had for a long time." "I'm glad to hear it. You seemed to have settled in nicely." Nettle said and looked over her notebook. It gave Chaser time to look around the office. The entire first floor was dedicated to her consultation, which meant there was plenty of room for all sorts of activities. On one end was her desk, and a large closet. Then after that came her more informal space, a large couch, and an armchair with a coffee table separating them. It was here Chaser was, and it was here all his conversations with Dr. Nettlekiss took place. The rest of the space was likely to do physical exercises, Chaser had seen some yoga mats, and three of those very large rubber balls. The place looked spotless, and very neat as always. Although, today things had seemed a little different. For example, the wooden tray was not on the coffee table. It was where their tea would be placed, along with the sugar and their mugs. Normally it would be on the table, but instead he had spotted it over at the desk, and with the mugs had been used. "Did you have a visitor before I came by?" Chaser asked. Nettle stopped looking over her notes, moving her eyes up to meet his. "Excuse me?" "I was just wondering," Chaser replied, feeling a little embarrassed. "Did you have someone come over that you didn't expect before I came?" Dr. Nettle seemed to tense a bit, biting her lip and sitting up straight. Had he upset her? "What makes you think that?" "Well, the tray with the tea is on your desk, and you have not offered me any. Normally when you serve tea, the mugs are turned upside down," Chaser explained, then pointed at the tray on the desk. "But they are standing the right way up, suggesting they have been used." Nettle didn't say anything for a few seconds. Then she smiled, just a little. "You can tell that? That is very impressive, Clue Chaser. Why do you think it was someone I didn't expect?" Now Chaser felt his cheeks burn a little brighter. "Well, normally you like to keep all things neat and tightly. You also usually have things prepared when I get here, only this time you didn't. If you had expected company, I imagine you would not have taken them up here to drink tea, but instead kept the matter downstairs. But you used the tea set we use up here, so I imagine the visit was unexpected, but still important enough to let them in. Having already made the tea for our session, you took them upstairs and talked instead of making a new kettle, so the encounter must have been somewhat brief and close to our meeting." The more Chaser talked, the more he could see he was right. Dr. Nettle seemed tense, likely embarrassed that he had been able to deduce all this. She liked keeping things neat, an attempt of control, and he had noticed it, and worse, he had noticed the change. "They must have left just before I came around, because you didn't have time to make a new pot of tea." Dr. Nettle startled, or perhaps impressed, it was hard to tell. Though after a few seconds, she smiled at him. "That's very good, but if it was a short visit, then there should be plenty of tea left in the pot. So I didn't need to make a new one." Chaser shrugged. "Even so, you have not gotten clean mugs, or offered me any tea at all. So it has slipped your mind, which is out of character for you. I don't think the visit was planned, and it must have frazzled you, as you knew I would be arriving soon." His therapist favored him with a smile, admitting he was right. "That is really impressive, and really embarrassing." Nettle blushed, but still smiling. "I'm so sorry for the tea, it slipped my mind. I have a lot on my plate right now." "Is everything okay?" asked Chaser, tilting his head to the side. Dr. Nettle giggled and waved his concerns away with her hoof. "Oh yes, it's just some adult stuff." With a hoof, she placed it over a locket that hung around her neck, as she often did when she was thinking. The locket was very beautiful, and old. It looked like it had been through a lot, but had lost none of its elegance and charm. "Well, I think that will do it for today, Clue Chaser,” she said, removing her hoof and smiling. "I'm sorry I was so far away today, but we'll make up for it next week, I promise." "It's okay," assured Clue Chaser, getting up from his spot on the couch, and down on the floor. Dr. Nettle took her young fellow downstairs, where Clue Chaser could pick up his hat. Smiling, Nettlekiss opened the door for him, and Chaser stepped outside. "Thank you for today, Chaser. I think you are doing really well. Get home safely, and I'll see you next week." Chaser nodded. "Thank you." The two parted ways, and Clue Chaser made his way home to his uncle. He made his way through town, enjoying the almost tranquil nature of it all. Ponyville still felt a bit foreign to him, as if he wasn't really a part of the town just yet. Although he supposed it was like this whenever you moved someplace new. He had always lived in the big city, so this was his first experience in moving somewhere else. His school felt less strange to him now, and he felt generally accepted by his classmates. Miss Cheerilee was a good teacher, far more patient and understanding than any other teacher he'd ever had back in Manehatten. Then again, her school had a smaller student body, so that meant a less stressful environment. His uncle and his marefriend did everything they could to make him feel at home. When he first got here, their relationship had been that of strangers. While they knew each other, they had not been in constant contact, so it had been a challenge to get over the hill. Thankfully, things had seemed to ease up a bit. Uncle Time Turner seemed less nervous and tense when talking to him, and that in turn made Chaser feel less exposed and awkward. Things were still a little strained here and there, but generally Chaser felt things were going the right way. Maybe in time, they could actually feel like a proper family? Of course, Chaser still carried his father deep in heart, and he was still convinced his father had been murdered. However, he accepted that for now, there was little he could do. The best thing he could do, was to hone his detective skills, and study the subjects that could possibly help him in the future. Clue chaser had vowed he would find his dad's killer, but he knew the odds were heavily stacked against him. For one, he was only a foal, and he recognized his age and the trauma of seeing his father dead could have influenced his overall assessment. Two, all clues were likely gone by now, and the police have already ruled it a suicide. Three, the police would likely not be of any help, and he had no way to access the resources they possessed. So all in all, things didn't look good. That didn't mean he would stop trying, no, far from it in fact... Saturday: The next day Chaser slept in, as he did every Saturday like most foals his age. He had no idea that something was afoot in Ponyville as he slowly opened his eyes, and greeted the new day with a yawn. Rubbing his eyes with his hooves, Chaser sat up, heard a small thump. Looking to the side, he saw that a book had fallen from the bed and onto the floor. He had been reading in bed again. It wasn't the worst habit a colt his age could have, but it did mean he would read until it became way past his bedtime. A glance at his alarm clock banished any tiredness from his eyes. It was almost 09:30, and he had promised the girls he would meet them at Sugarcube Corner to work on a school project. Chaser had been lucky enough to get paired up with Apple Bloom, who was definitely the most studious of the CMC. Not that Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were not smart, but Scoots hated to do any kind of school work, and Sweetie Belle got easily distracted. While Apple Bloom wasn't a big fan of homework either, she did do them dutifully, and was kind of the good filly in the group. He let out an amused snort. Apple Bloom was smart, and yet she was also very active and adventurous. Chaser wondered if her sense of responsibility came from her family. He'd only met her family a few times in passing, but from what he had been told, and from what he had seen, they valued honest work, and took responsibility. When thinking about it like that, it was no wonder Apple Bloom turned out the way she did. That being said, she was still a filly, and still liked doing foal stuff, and getting into trouble. The door opened, bringing Chaser out of his thoughts. It was Ditzy, standing in the doorway with a smile. "Oh, good morning, Clue Chaser. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still sleeping." Chaser yawned, shaking his head as he did so. "No, it's alright, I was already getting out of bed." Ditzy giggled. "Sleepyhead." She walked in, carrying a basket on the back. "I just wanted to see if you had anything that needed washing." "No, I got nothing." Chaser assured her, thinking the whole laundry thing was just an excuse to check up on him. He didn't call her out on it, she meant well, and it was clear she worried about him. "Thank you." Ditzy smiled. "You're welcome, sweetie." She turned around to walk out, but then stopped. "Oh, do you have anything planned for today?" Chaser nodded, finally sliding out of his bed and landed on his legs, stretching a little. "Yeah, I'm going to meet up with my friends and do some homework." "Oh! That sounds like lots of fun!” Ditzy beamed. “Do you need any pocket bits?" Chaser shook his head. "No, I'm good. Thank you." "Alright, if you're sure. Just remember to freshen up and brush your teeth before heading out, okay?" "I will," assured Chaser as Ditzy left. Yawning one final time, Chaser shook his body, trying to wake up, and clear his head. It didn't do much, but at least it gave him enough focus to go to the bathroom and brush his teeth. He'd never been a morning pony, but he knew it was his own fault for reading until so late. He made a mental note of keeping better bedtime schedules for himself in the future. About seventeen minutes later, Clue Chaser was finally out the door, his saddle bags placed across his body, and his trademark hat. He still felt a little sleepy, but nowhere near the amount he felt this morning, and the fresh air did help clear his head a lot. All around him ponies were getting on with their day. Going shopping, spending time together, or foals playing around. It was a scenery he wasn't used to back in Manehatten, but he had to admit it was starting to grow on him. However, something he did recognize from Manehatten was a couple of police ponies, walking around and asking random ponies questions. Chaser raised an eyebrow, slowing down his pace as he watched the uniformed ponies thanking the pony they had been talking to, and then moved on with their day. Chaser had seen plenty of cops back in Manehatten, his father was one of them after all. However in Ponyville they were a rare sight, as the jurisdiction fell under Canterlot. They did show up from time to time, of course they did, but it was rare, and there usually was just one or two. In this case, Chaser didn't see one pair, not two or three pairs, but four pairs of police ponies trotting around. It was very unusual, but Chaser didn't think more about it, not until he entered Sugarcube Corner and he again saw police. A stallion with a thick mustache. He wore a coat, and seemed senior to the mare in uniform beside him. They were talking to Mrs. Cake, and Chaser had half a mind to go over and listen, pretending to be standing in line. However that was not to be, before he could as much as take a step towards them, a voice called out to him. "Clue Chaser, over here!" He looked over to one of the booths, it was Sweetie Belle who had called, and she was waving enthusiastically. Looking back towards the officers, Chaser saw they were already finishing their business and turned around and left. They didn't even glance at Chaser. However when they passed, he could hear the mare speak with an upbeat voice. "Don't worry, sir. I'm sure we will find something!" "I don't like it, Sergeant." Replied the deep voice of the stallion. Chaser frowned, and he wanted to follow, his instinct pushing him to investigate, despite having no reason to do so. However another call from the three fillies compelled him to go to their table. They had already ordered milkshakes, which was nice. "Morning," came the automatic greeting from Chaser, and the girls all replied in turn. It wasn't really morning anymore, but it was early enough that Scootaloo looked like she rather wanted to spend her Saturday in bed. Apple Bloom got out of her seat, so Chaser could slide into the booth with them. "Have you guys been waiting long?" "Nuh-uh," Apple Bloom replied, sitting back down once Chaser had passed her. "We just got here a few minutes ago." "And Sweetie Belle wanted milkshakes, so," Scootaloo said, sounding bored with the assignment in front of them already. "So I decided to order us all some!" Sweetie Belle finished. "Good thinking," Clue Chaser replied, while at the same time taking out his papers and pencil, while the others had brought books. Well, Apple Bloom had brought books, being the more studious of the three fillies, more willing to take on responsibility, so Chaser was happy he got paired with her. "So," Apple Bloom began, smiling at Chaser. "We need to find a story about Ponyville." Scootaloo sighed heavily. "Why? This town pretty much always sleeps." "That's not true, remember the time when Discord took over Equestria?" said Sweetie Belle. "Well, alright," admitted Scootaloo. "Or that sleeping dragon?" "The what?" Chaser asked, looking up from his papers, but nopony answered. "Or when Twilight pretty much brainwashed the town?" "She did what?" "Okay, I get it," Scootaloo shrugged. "I guess there is a lot we can write about." Seeming a little less bored, but still not thrilled about the whole project. Apple Bloom giggled, then looked at Chaser. "We could write about my family!" she beamed, pulling out a blue book from her green saddlebag. Chaser was about to ask why, but Apple Bloom was prepared, "My family pretty much founded this town when Princess Celestia granted my great grandfather the land." Chaser lit up. "That does sound interesting." For a moment, he had completely forgotten about all the police he had seen in the town, but it was only just for a moment. "Can we get in on that too?" Scootaloo said, a small hopeful tone in her voice. Apple Bloom looked at her friend, an almost scolding look in her eyes. "No, you just wanna copy us." "Will not!" Scootaloo insisted, but had no further arguments to defend herself with. In the meantime, Sweetie Belle happily drank her milkshake, almost seeming oblivious to what was going on around her. Although Chaser suspected she had seen her two friends argue plenty of times, and had simply learned how to tune it out. After a minute or two, the girls stopped their arguing, and Apple Bloom returned to her book, and started to explain her idea to Chaser. Scootaloo in the meantime returned to looking bored out of her mind. For the next two hours, the group began planning out their projects. Chaser and Apple Bloom did most of the work and had to push Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo to get started. However it only took an hour before things started to loosen up, and it became less and less about homework, and more and more about having fun. Chaser would normally have found it annoying if he was still in Manehatten. However, after having lived here for a while, the fillies had sorta rubbed off on him, so he actually started to join in, and relax more than before. That was not to say when it came to their ideas of how to get their cutie marks, Chaser had to politely, patiently, yet firmly, be the voice of reason. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two police ponies trot by, and he was reminded of what he saw on his way here. He turned his gaze back onto his friends. "By the way, did any of you notice all the police ponies in Ponyville?" The three fillies nodded. "Yeah, they came out to my family's farm to talk to Granny, Big Mac, and my sister," explained Apple Bloom. "Oh yeah, now that you mention it." Scootaloo nodded. "I did see a lot of them on my way here." "It is pretty unusual,” Sweetie Belle put in. "We don't see police ponies here often. I mean, once Rarity had to report a theft from the store, but it turned out her cat had taken the fabric," she said with an annoyed roll of her eyes. "Does any pony know what has happened?" Chaser asked. The fillies looked at one another, but none of them had an answer. Clue Chaser let out a frustrated grumble, the desire to know what was happening eating away at his chest. Maybe that was kinda childish, and he again had to remind himself that he had no business knowing anything about what they were doing here. On the other hoof, he had such a bad feeling about it, he really felt a need to know. For now though, there was nothing he could do, and so decided to leave it alone. He sighed, doing his best not to sound frustrated. Instead he looked at the fillies, and made himself smile. "So, I guess this homework session is over. What do you girls have planned for today?" He already knew the answer, and he wasn't disappointed when they all answered in unison. "Cutie Mark Crusading, yay!" Chaser flinched away, but didn't stop smiling. "And what insane plan have you guys come up with now?" "We are going to try our luck at being weather ponies!" Scootaloo replied. "Weather ponies?" Chaser repeated, frowning slightly. "How are you supposed to do that? Only one of you is a pegasus." The three fillies stopped in their tracks. "Oh, yeah," mumbled Scootaloo. "Well, we can still try our hoof at health inspectors." Sweetie Belle said. Apple Bloom shook her head, waving her hoof as if waving the idea away. "No, we did that last week." "I have an idea!" a sudden bubbly voice said from under the table. They all jumped, then looked under it to have a look, but nopony was there. When they sat up again, they all let out a yelp, because Pinkie was sitting among them, right between Chaser and Sweetie Belle. "How did you do that?!" Chaser asked, before suddenly being dragged closer by Pinkie's Pie hoof. "That's a secret!" she giggled, then let the colt go from her half hug. "Any-bo, I overheard you're looking for your next cutie mark adventure!" The fillies all nodded, although Chaser wasn't a crusader, so he didn't count himself a part of this conversation. "You have an idea, Pinkie Pie?!" Scootaloo excitedly asked. "Yooou betcha!" Pinkie grinned. "You guys can be my super duper baking assistants today! What do you say?!" Pinkie looked at them with anticipation, and the girls only needed to exchange one look before it was decided. As one, they threw up their hooves, and cheered in unison again. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER ASSISTANT BAKERS, YAY!" Pinkie let out a cheer as well, and as if she was made of air, she easily bounced out of her seat, over the table and landed on the other side with no problems. "Okie dokie! Let's get started!" The foals got out from the booth, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders made ready to follow Pinkie Pie. All except Chaser, who took his red saddlebag, and turned the other way. "You girls have fun. Good luck with your crusading." He was just about to take a step towards the door, when a pink hoof stopped him. "Where do you think you're going, silly head?! You're coming too!" "What?" Chaser turned around, a confused expression painting his face. "I got stuff to do.” "Don't be silly!” Pinkie said, pulling him close. “You don't need to try and find your cutie mark to have fun with friends!" Chaser looked from Pinkie, to the fillies, and back again. "But I-" He didn't get to say anything else, before Pinkie suddenly pushed him to the three fillies. "Take him to the kitchen!" Pinkie commanded in a mock royal voice, and the three fillies grabbed Chaser. It was all in good fun, but still Chaser struggled, confused and bewildered. All the while, the three fillies hauled him towards the kitchen, while calling out in unison. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER KIDNAPPERS, YAY!" "What do you mean yay?!" Chaser protested. "Don't say yay to that! Hey, let me go!" Scootaloo laughed. "Relax, will you? What's the worst that can happen?" The group laughed, and before he knew it, Chaser was trapped in the kitchen with Cutie Mark Crusaders. Somehow they had managed to talk him into helping out. Oh well, maybe Scootaloo had a point. What was the worst that could happen? Author's Note This chapter was going to be much longer, but I kept getting stuck, so I decided to cut it up a bit so I can move on to the next bit faster. Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Artwork: Hoodwinked MCShelster Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
Chapter 4: MissingSaturday: What could go wrong he'd asked? Well, plenty went wrong! Chaser wasn't even sure what happened was physically possible, but here he was, trotting home, covered in sticky, dripping dough. What had happened had defied logic and Chaser wasn't even sure about how it happened. Before he knew it, the simple dough which they had prepared had started to grow, and before they could have escaped, exploded, sticking him and Scootaloo to the wall. It took the rest of the group, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and the so-called responsible adult, Pinkie Pie, almost thirty-three minutes to get them unstuck. Miss Pie had simply laughed it off, and the two fillies had asked if they were okay. Well, they were not hurt in any way, and other than a sticky and dirty coat, Chaser and Scootaloo were alright. Pinkie Pie had promised to clean the mess up, leaving the Cutie Mark Crusaders and himself free to go home and take a bath. Chaser let out a frustrated sigh. Those three always found a way to make trouble, even when they didn't intend to. Not only that, but they always managed to drag him into trouble. Despite his uncomfortable sticky situation, Chaser smiled slightly. "Girls," he mumbled with a small chuckle, rolling his eyes. Clue Chaser soon reached his uncle's home, and he had barely made it to the door before he heard a large noise coming from his uncle's workshop. It sounded almost like an explosion, and Chaser could have sworn he had felt the ground shake a little. The first time he'd heard such a noise, he'd been worried, but after the tenth, he had learned it was simply part of life here. His uncle always worked on some strange new invention, and often the results were quite explosive. Chaser still made his way around the house, and walked to the large workshop. It was part of the house, and almost looked like a tower. On top was an open balcony with a telescope, and around the entry were scattered several parts, like gears, and scraps of metal. Chaser approached the door, but before he even got close enough, it swung open, and shrouded in black smoke, exited his coughing uncle. He was alright, as usual, but whatever had happened to him had left him black with almost all over his body. "Uncle? Are you okay?" Chaser asked, raising an eyebrow in bemusement. Time Turner coughed a few more times, but otherwise seemed unhurt. He ran a hoof over his eyes, clearing away the soot so he could see better. "Yes, I'm quite, erugh, quite alright, lad." He smiled, seeming to jitter with excitement. "I've been experimenting with fireless fireworks, so far my efforts have been less than successful." His uncle admitted, shaking his body free from the soot, and looked at Chaser. "It is good that you're home, my boy. We have something to talk to you about." Time Turner took his nephew inside the main house, and Chaser followed without asking any questions for now. Once inside, Turner called to Ditzy, and soon enough she joined them in the living room. Like when he had talked to them, they all sat down, got comfortable, and let the peace settle around them. Chaser noted their boy language, how they seemed more tense, and how Ditzy seemed to glance towards the stairs a few times, as if afraid someone might hear? Was she worried that Dinky would hear them? Letting out a sigh, his uncle spoke first. "Clue Chaser, I need to ask you if you have seen Diamond Tiara lately?" The colt raised an eyebrow in confusion. "No, wh-" he began, but then stopped, thinking back on all the police he had seen. "Has something happened?" The two adults glanced at one another, seeming to hesitate for just a moment, then returned to their gazes back at him. It was Ditzy who spoke now. "I'm afraid she has gone missing, Chaser. Her mommy and daddy haven't seen her since yesterday." "But she was at school," noted Chaser, remembering her clearly complaining about the school assignment. "Maybe she went to Silver Spoon's house?" "I'm sure the police will look into that," assured his uncle. "However, if you do remember something, please tell us, okay?" Chaser nodded, wrinkling his nose a little. "Tomorrow a lot of Ponyville is going out to look for her,." Ditzy explained, continuing the conversation. "We are going out to help tomorrow, and it would be really helpful if you could stay here and look after Dinky." "But I can help!" Chaser instantly responded, his voice filled with dread over being left out. It wasn't that he didn't like Dinky, but something was going on, and Chaser wanted to be there. "Clue Chaser." his uncle said, a firmness in his voice Chaser hadn't heard before. "We need you to do this for us, please." Chaser blinked, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment, feeling like a foal who had just been told no for the final time after making a scene in the toy store. Instead of arguing about it, he nodded. "Yeah, I can look after her." His uncle nodded slowly, as if he understood Chaser's reservations. Chaser didn't think he did, but he didn't say anything about it. As if he owed Chaser an explanation, his uncle continued, "we don't like any of you out there when we look around." Then he admitted what they were really afraid of, just without saying it directly. "We don't know what we will find." A cold shiver ran down Chaser's back. His uncle was right, and Chaser mentally scolded himself for not thinking about it earlier. His dad had talked about a case like this once, it was well known that the longer a foal is missing, the less likely it is that they are found alive. So if the police hadn't found Diamond Tiara by tonight, there was a good chance she would not be found alive... Sunday: The next day came quickly, and this time Chaser didn't sleep in. He had a hard time falling asleep, thinking about what could have happened to Diamond Tiara. An accident perhaps? Lost in the woods? Attacked by wild animals? Kidnapping? Maybe even murder? Any of these scenarios had their valid probabilities, but in an area such as Ponyville, the last two seemed the less likely. She could have just run off, but why would she? Diamond Tiara seemed to have everything a pony could ask for, and she seemed rather spoiled. Why would she run away from a life like that? In the end Chaser had fallen asleep, trying his best not to think about the case. Once morning had come, he had joined his family for breakfast, where Dinky seemed excited to be spending the day with Clue Chaser. During breakfast she was talking about the things they could do together, like drawing, playing, and, well, drawing and playing. He didn't mind, but in truth, Chaser had never looked after a younger foal before in his life. It had become clear neither Ditzy or his uncle wanted her to know what was going on, so Chaser decided not to tell her anything either. It seemed it was going to be a pretty drawn out day, and just when his uncle and Ditzy were about to leave, somepony knocked on the door. "Oh, I wonder who that could be?" Ditzy mumbled, sounding slightly confused. If she was surprised that someone was knocked, she didn't look at it before she opened the door and came face to face with the element of honesty herself. "Applejack?" Clue Chaser's ears stood up as he heard the name, and with an uncertain step, he moved closer to the door to look. It was Applejack, Apple Bloom's older sister. Clue Chaser had never actually met Applejack before, he had seen her, but never officially been introduced to her, or any of Apple Bloom's family. What was she doing here? "Howdy, Miss Doo. Sorry to bother you, but I have a favor to ask." "Of course, Applejack. Do you need to come in?" Applejack shook her head, instead taking one step to the side, revealing a red maned filly, Apple Bloom. "Me and the family are heading off to help in the search for little Diamond Tiara, and we need somepony to look after little Apple Bloom." Chaser could see Apple Bloom blushing and pouting, looking away from her sister in embarrassment. "I wouldn't ask this of you normally, but Apple Bloom said she had a school project with her new friend Clue Chaser?" Her tone raised a little in the end, as if asking if that was indeed his name. Ditzy seemed to light up. "Oh, yes! Hello, Apple Bloom." "Howdy," was all Apple Bloom said, she seemed more timid than what Chaser was used to. "Clue Chaser is going to look after my daughter, Dinky," Ditzy told Applejack with a knowing nod. "I'm sure he will be happy to have some company." "Are ya sure it won't be a problem?" Applejack asked, but smiled a little. "No problem at all!" Ditzy promised. "Apple Bloom, you can go and find Clue Chaser." "Okay." Chaser stepped out from the corner, waving at Apple Bloom who hurriedly made her way towards him. "You behave yourself, Apple Bloom!" Applejack called after her, but the two foals were already gone. Letting out a small chuckle, Applejack looked at Ditzy and smiled a bit more. "Thank you so much, Miss Doo, We really didn't want to leave Apple Bloom alone." Ditzy nodded, knowing exactly how she felt about it. "It's no trouble at all, I promise, and please, you can call me Ditzy." "It's mighty kind of you, I just hope the two won't get up to any mischief. Yesterday, Apple Bloom came home covered in dough!" Applejack said with an exhausted, yet amused expression. "Something about getting her baking cutie mark." Ditzy giggled. "Well, that explains why Clue Chaser came home covered in dough as well." The two mares shared a heartful laugh, something they both needed right now. When it was over, Applejack looked at Ditzy with a more relaxed expression. "I guess I'll see you and your coltfriend out there." Some of her seriousness returned, but she was much less tense now. Ditzy nodded, a determined look in her mismatched eyes. "You will." Meanwhile upstairs, the two foals reached Clue Chaser's room. Once they entered, Apple Bloom stopped and took a good look around, almost like she was at some exhibit. "Something wrong?" Chaser asked with a raised eyebrow. Apple Bloom quickly shook her head, blushing slightly. "N-no! Just never been in a colt's room before." Chaser let out small laugh. "It's not that interesting." That was true enough, the room looked very empty. There was his saddlebag by the door, a desk with some notes and books, his bed next to a large window, and a small dresser. "I didn't really bring a lot of stuff with me from Manehatten," Chaser said, reading her wondering expression. "You can put your saddlebag next to mine." Apple Bloom did just that, then trotted over to his desk and looked at some of his notes. She smiled, seeing what they were. "You're writing about my family?" She said that it was more of an excited statement than a question. Chaser just smiled, got up on his bed and sat down. "We agreed to write about your family's history here, so I wrote a few notes down yesterday." With a frown, he added. "Besides, I couldn't really relax yesterday, so I tried to distract myself with some homework." Apple Bloom frowned, knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "You're thinking about it too?" Chaser nodded. "I was pretty shocked when my sister told me, why would Diamond Tiara run away?" Chaser shrugged. "Lots of reasons, I guess." Truth be told he did not know his wannabe bully very well, so there could be a lot of reasons for her to want to run away that he didn't know about. "Something else could have happened, something worse." "You mean, maybe she's hurt?" "That, or something worse." He scratched his head. "I can't stop thinking about it." "But there are so many police now, and all the adults are looking for her now. They'll find her." Apple Bloom said, sounding so sure of it. Chaser nodded absently, forcing a small smile. "Yeah, you're right, they'll find her." Changing the subject, he nodded towards her saddlebag. "So, what did you bring?" Apple Bloom smiled mischievously. "A few snacks." "Really?" Chaser let out a half snort half laugh, and shook his head. "Why am I not surprised?" "I also brought a few pictures, my Granny told me a lot we can use in our presentation." Apple Bloom added, moving over to her saddlebag and moved it closer to his desk. "If we work fast enough, perhaps we can get the report over today," added Clue Chaser, trotting closer to her. He reached out for the saddlebag to take a look, but when he did, Apple Bloom did the same, and the hooves touched. "Oh, uhm." The two redrew their hooves as if they had touched something hot, almost by reflex. "Sorry." Both of them blushed a little, mostly Apple Bloom who looked a bit sheepish, but pleased. "It's okay, let me just get that." Just as she was about to open the bag, the door opened, and two foals jumped slightly, as if they were being caught in doing something they were not supposed to. When they both looked, they saw a small filly looking up at them with big puzzled eyes. "Clue Chaser!" She said, rising in tone as she finished his name. "Mom says they are leaving now." "Oh, thank you, Dinky." Clue Chaser replied and stood up. He was about to approach her, but was suddenly passed by Apple Bloom, who quickly made her way to the filly. "Oh! Is this your little sister? What's your name?" Dinky fiddled with her hooves, looking down a little. "D-Dinky..." Apple Bloom seemed to almost beam with excitement. "And how old are you?" "Four?" "I'm Apple Bloom, your brother's friend from school." Apple Bloom said with a friendly smile, then looked at Chaser. "You didn't tell me you had a younger sister!" Chaser blushed. "We are not really..." But it was too late, Dinky seemed to beam now too, excited. "I have a big brother?!" she asked, seemed on the verge of squealing with excitement. Apple Bloom looked slightly confused at Chaser, but before he had a chance to explain, Dinky had turned around and ran out, calling for Ditzy as she did so. "MOOOM! I HAVE A BIG BROTHER!!" Chaser looked at Apple Bloom with a raised eyebrow, and she let out a small sheepish laugh. "Ehehe, sorry.." "Heh, no worries," said Chaser, rolling his eyes with a small smile. "Come on, we should go down and see them off." As they left his room he added, "And you're helping me foalsit." Time Turner and Ditzy left the house, but not before hugging Dinky, and making sure Clue Chaser knew what a big responsibility this was. He was ten years old, almost eleven, so Chaser was pretty sure he could handle this. Even so, they went through everything. There was food in the fridge, he was not allowed to cook anything more complicated than toast. Look after Dinky, make sure they did not go out, or open the door to a stranger. It came to a point Clue Chaser was convinced they were going to tell him how to flush the toilet, but thankfully it didn't go that far. Besides, when it came down to it, they were asking him to look after a small filly, and no matter how you looked at it, that was an important responsibility. When they finally left the three foals alone, Chaser let out a relieved sigh. Apple Bloom looked at him bemusedly. "You think that's bad? You should see my sister when she gives me any responsibility at all. I'm not even allowed to stay home alone yet." She bumped him with her body playfully, and he sent her a smile back. "Guess you're right." "Big brother! Big brother!" Dinky cheered, running to him, looking ecstatic. "What are we going to do today?!" Chaser flinched. "Well, uhm…I..." He mumbled unsure of what to do. He'd never had any siblings, older or younger, he hardly even had any friends before coming to Ponyville. He looked at Apple Bloom, hoping she had an idea of what to do. Fortunately, she did. "Why don't we play some games?" Dinky's smile broadened. "Yay!" Chaser nodded, although being less enthusiastic. "What game should we play?" Putting her hoof under her chin, Apple Bloom thought about it for a few moments before she grinned. "How about hide and seek?" "Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" Dinky jumped up and down. "I know the house better than anypony, I know all the good hiding places!" A sly smirk came across Apple Bloom's face, then leaned closer to Dinky. "Then how about we hide, and Chaser has to find us?" Dinky giggled, and nodded in agreement. "What? So I just have to find you?" asked Clue Chaser, feeling his cheeks warm a bit. Was this something that normal colts knew how to do? Apple Bloom smiled at him. "Yes, you have to count down from one hundred, that will get us time to hide, and then you have to find us." "And the first one you find will have to be the finder next!" Added Dinky. "Uhm, right," Chaser nodded. "And you can't look, turn around, close your eyes, and start counting." Apple Bloom giggled, stepping closer to Dinky, ready to take off when Chaser did his part. "Right," he simply replied, turned, closed his eyes, and started counting. The two fillies ran off, and so began a long day of games, laughter, and fun. It was pretty fun, even Chaser thought so, and despite his deductive skills, the two fillies managed to evade him more than once. It was pretty fun, and the three of them had a good time. The game soon shifted to drawing, which is to say, Dinky got to draw, while Chaser and Apple Bloom decided to work on their project. The hours passed, and the three of them enjoyed the snacks Apple Bloom had brought. It wasn't really a proper lunch, but it was enough to fill them, along with some delicious apples. As midday turned into afternoon, Ditzy and Chaser's uncle returned home. Dinky got up, and ran to the door. "Mommy!" Ditzy smiled, and hugged her daughter. "Heya, sweetheart, did you have fun?" "Mmhm, Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom are fun. We played all sorts of games!" She smiled, seeming a little less energetic now. Chaser could hardly blame the filly, as she had been running around most of the day. Chaser and Apple Bloom came to the entryway, and one look at Time Turner was enough to let them know there had been no luck in finding Diamond Tiara. It was not the time to ask, but Chaser understood the seriousness of it. "Apple Bloom, your sister is still out for a little while, but your Granny has returned home. Do you want me to walk you home?" "I can do that," said Clue Chaser, glancing at Apple Bloom, then back at his uncle. Time Turner looked at his nephew, considering. "Well, I don't know." "It's not that far away," Chaser reminded him. "And there are a lot of ponies outside, I promise I'll come straight home." It wasn't hard to guess what worried him, but Chaser doubted he would be in any real danger. They still didn't know if a crime had even occurred, at least to his knowledge. "Well, alright, if it is okay with you, Apple Bloom?" Apple Bloom nodded, smiling gently. "I don't mind none." "Right, just come straight home, Chaser," his uncle reluctantly agreed. "I will. Come on, Apple Bloom. Let's get your stuff." Apple Bloom said goodbye to Dinky and promised she would come by again one day. Then, after putting her saddlebags on, she followed Chaser outside, and made her way towards home. As they trotted down the streets, and to the outskirts of Ponyville, Apple Bloom looked at Chaser and asked what he himself was thinking. "Do you think they found her?" Chaser shook his head. "No, I think they would have told us if they did. Unless something really serious had happened." Seeing her startled expression, Chaser quickly added. "I don't think that either, they would have seemed more tense and nervous, I think." "You think?" "I can't be sure, it's just my best guess." Clue Chaser admitted. "The police are probably talking to everypony that might have seen Diamond Tiara, or knew where she was going." "What do you think has happened to her?" Apple Bloom asked, her voice sounding careful, as if she was afraid of the answer. "I don't know," he replied, looking at her. "Are you worried about her?" "Of course I am!" Apple Bloom replied, her voice rising slightly and a hint of guilt crossing her face. "I mean, she can be really mean, and she is a bully, but that doesn't mean I want anything to happen to her." "I know," Chaser reassured her. He didn't want anything bad to happen to Diamond Tiara either. Whatever was going on though, surely the police would find her soon enough. They continued trot down the dirt path, soon enough arriving by Apple Bloom's home. When they came to the fence gate, Apple Bloom looked at him. "You want to come inside?" "Thank you, but I promised I'd come straight home." Chaser said, looking at her with an apologetic smile. "Oh yeah." She giggled a little, then stepped forward and hugged him. "Thank you for today." Chaser was surprised, but hugged her back. "Sure, no problem. Thank you for helping me with Dinky, and making the day fun. I couldn't have done it without you." Apple Bloom giggled again, stepping back with a slight blush on her cheeks. "Darn tootin!" She winked, then turned. "See you at school tomorrow!" Chaser watched her run to her home for a few seconds, then he turned with a smile, and started to make his way back home. While today had been fun, he couldn't let go of this growing dread. What had happened to Diamond Tiara? Where was she? And was she okay? For now, there wasn't much of anything he could do. He just hoped wherever she was, that she was okay. Monday: When morning arrived, Chaser did everything as he usually did on a school morning. When Ditzy gave him his lunch and saw him off by the door, she told him to have a good day, and to be careful. All this missing Tiara case really had everypony worked up, not that Chaser didn't get it. Sadly, it wasn't a rare thing that a foal went missing in Manehatten, but in a town like Ponyville, where everypony knew everypony? That must be rare and shocking to all the ponies here. Chaser would indeed be careful, but he didn't want to trot around and be afraid either. As he made his way towards school, he sensed a strange atmosphere around Ponyville. It was hard to describe, but everypony seemed a little less happy and smiles, and more worry and gloom. That was to be expected though. Making his way down the road he usually took to school, he was suddenly joined by Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. They came from behind, calling his name. "Chaser!" He turned, seeing them run up to him. He smiled, stopping and waited for them to catch up. "Good morning." "Morning," they both said, although Scootaloo said it while she yawned. "Have you heard?" "About Diamond Tiara? I think everypony has heard by now," he replied. "Did your family help looking?" Both nodded. "Rarity helped, although she wouldn't let me help, so I was with Scootaloo." "My aunt left, leaving me to be looked after by my other aunt." Scootaloo shrugged. "Then Sweetie Belle came over, and we just hung out. What about your family?" "My uncle and his marefriend went out, so it was just me and Dinky." Chaser said, then added. "Apple Bloom came too, and we just played around." "Apple Bloom was over at your house?" Scootaloo asked, sounding surprised. "Who's Dinky?" "Yes she was, and that is Ditzy's daughter." Sweetie Belle frowned. "Who's Ditzy?" "Derpy," Scootaloo clarified. Chaser raised an eyebrow, and Scootaloo's ears lowered. "S-sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I've just heard other ponies call her that." "Yeah, well, her name is Ditzy Doo," Chaser said in a neutral tone, but with a small edge to it. "She's done a lot for me.” "I'm sorry…" Seeing her frown, Chaser bumped her with his body, smiling a little. "No worries." She smiled back, and the three continued on down the road. As they approached the school, they saw Apple Bloom waiting for them. They came directly from Ponyville, and Apple Bloom came from Sweet Apple Acres, so their routes to school didn't really line up. "Morning y'all!" greeted Apple Bloom with her sweet smile. "Morning," the three greeted back. "You were at Clue Chaser's place yesterday?" Sweetie Belle asked her. Apple Bloom nodded. "Mmhmm, we had fun." "What did you do?" Asked Scootaloo. "Looked after Clue Chaser's little sister, and did some work on our project. What did you do?" Apple Bloom asked while they all made their way inside the school house. "I was with Scootaloo yesterday." Replied Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo sighed. "And we didn't do boring stuff like work on our project. We had fun." "Hey, we had fun too, didn't we, Chaser?" Chaser nodded, only listening with half an ear. As they entered the classroom, he instantly spotted Silver Spoon. She sat in her usual spot, looking deflated. Normally she would be chatting and giggling with Diamond Tiara, but now, she just looked lost. A knot of guilt formed in the pit of Chaser's stomach. His friends noticed too, and the four of them exchanged looks. Chaser wasn't sure if he could even say anything, he didn't know Diamond Tiara like the rest of the class. His friends on the other hoof had been victims of her bullying, so did she really want to hear from them? Before any of them could decide, the door opened and Cheerilee stepped in. Only she wasn't alone; following her was that police pony from yesterday, the mare from Sugarcube Corner! "Please take your seats everypony," Cheerilee said, trotting to her desk. She and the mare waited for the students to find their seats before continuing. "I'm sure all of you have heard that Diamond Tiara has gone missing. This is a very serious matter, and her parents are very worried about her." She gestured to the mare beside her. "This is Officer Lucky Dawn, and she wants to talk to you all before classes start." With a nod, Lucky Dawn started. "Thank you, Miss Cheerilee." She looked at the many faces looking back and her, and seemed to hesitate for a moment. "As Miss Cheerilee said, Diamond Tiara has gone missing. Currently we are not sure if she is hiding, gotten lost, or maybe gone with a stranger. So, I just want to remind you all, if you know something, saw anything last Friday, then please talk to your parents, Miss Cheerilee, or someone from the police." Chaser listened, although most of what the officer said was about stranger danger. It was something he had heard about pretty much each week back in Manehatten, and he only listened in case there was something new he could learn. His eyes started to wander, looking over his classmates. They listened with great interest. His eyes moved over to Silver Spoon and their eyes met before they both flinched and quickly looked away. Chaser frowned, was she looking at him? For a few moments, he kept looking her way, waiting to see if she glanced at him again. At one time he thought she was about to look, but didn't. Maybe it was just his imagination? "So, anypony have any questions for Officer Dawn?" Cheerilee asked. When everypony shook their heads, she turned her attention back to the mare. "Thank you for coming by, Officer Dawn." "No trouble," smiled Lucky Dawn. "We'll talk later." She gave a final nod to the class, then to Miss Cheerilee. The mare left the class, and Cheerilee returned her attention to the classroom. "Right, class. If anypony needs someone to talk to, you can come to me, or I can set you up with our volunteer counselor. For now, how about we take a small break, and then we get back at it, okay?" The small chairs moved back, and Chaser's classmates started to mingle and talk. Chaser himself was about to go to his three friends, when suddenly somepony touched his back. He turned, and to his surprise found Silver Spoon looking at him with a nervous expression. "Silver Spoon?" "Can we talk? Like, in private?" She asked, keeping her voice low. "Oh, uhm, sure." Clue Chaser agreed, and followed her out the classroom, and outside the school itself. She took him to the large tree next to the swing set before she stopped, and when she did, Chaser thought she looked very small. Not physically, but nervous and maybe a little lost. He didn't speak, instead waiting for Silver Spoon to find her voice. When she did, she looked at him with a determined look that surprised him. "I want to hire you." Clue Chaser's eyes widened a little. "You, wait, what?" "I want you to find my friend. I want you to find Diamond Tiara." Author's Note Sorry for cutting it off again, but all of this was supposed to be in one chapter originally. Can you imagine? This chapter along with chapter 3 and then the next one, chapter 5? So I decided to cut it up so I won't get stressed out about it, and can deliver them a bit faster. Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
Chapter 5: The First CaseMonday: Clue Chaser stood rooted to the ground, not sure if he had honestly heard the filly in front of him right. Diamond Tiara had gone missing, either lost or taken, no ransom note, no clues at all. As far as Clue Chaser knew, the police had made little headway, and ponies all over Ponyville were looking for her. While some whispered about it, nopony had said the word “crime” out loud. So now here was Diamond Tiara's best friend, perhaps only friend, looking Clue Chaser in the eyes, asking him to find her? "You want to hire me?" Clue Chaser asked, almost slowly, as if he could not believe what he had just heard. Silver Spoon nodded. "Yes, you're a detective, aren't you?" His cheeks burned a little. "Yeah, but-" "Then I want to hire you to find my friend." Silver interrupted, looking more determined than he had ever seen. Clearly she was worried for her friend, Chaser had no doubt about that. "Silver, I understand you're worried for Diamond, but I'm sure the polic-" "No!" she interrupted again, almost yelling this time. "You don't understand, Chaser! Diamond Tiara is my best friend, and I want her safe!" Chaser was honestly taken aback. He knew Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon as two spoiled brats, nothing more. To see Silver be so honest with him, so obviously worried and on the verge of tears, was a little surreal. "If you don't want to help me then just say so, but don't pretend you understand what I am feeling." The two stood in silence for a few moments, then Chaser nodded. "Alright, I'll try, but I can't promise you anything." Despite his words, Silver seemed to light up a bit. "Okay, I need you to tell me everything you know. When did you last see her?" "Friday after school." "And what do you remember about that day? How did she seem to you?" "She seemed fine, her usual self." The answer came instantly like reading from a script; Chaser suspected that the police had already asked her that several times. "Are you sure about that? There was nothing unusual in the way she behaved or anything?" Silver shook her head. "No, it was just a normal Friday." Chaser frowned, trying to think of any other question that might give him a hint to where to start. "Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon often spend time together. Did they not spend time after school?" Chaser's frown deepened as he heard the voice of his hero Phillip Finder in his head. The voice would often come to him when he was in deep thought, so it no longer surprised him. Chaser knew that logically, Phillip was just his imagination, likely just part of his subconscious. Even so, that didn't account for when he could see the stallion, almost as his own mind projected him into reality. Chaser didn't answer the voice, he never did when other ponies were around. However he did not need to, Phillip had a point, and it was worth looking into. "You last saw her Friday after school, right?" Silver nodded. "Do you mean you guys didn't spend time together afterwards?" Silver nodded again. "Why not?" Silver Spoon shrugged. "She had to do something, and.." She paused. "Well, every week there is at least one day she can't hang out, but this was actually the second time she couldn't hang out." "Did she go home?" Silver shook her head. "No, because I went home right after, and my mansion is on the way. If she went home, we would have walked together." Chaser nodded thoughtfully. "So if she wasn't going home, do you think she could have met with her parents?" Chaser already knew it wasn't likely, but it was good to get Silver's impression. She thought about it for a few moments, then shook her head. "No, I don't think so. Her dad usually doesn't come home until dinner time, and her mom usually stays at home, she does not really go out without her dad." "So what do you think Diamond Tiara had to do?" Silver frowned. "You know, she actually lied to me." "Lied? What do you mean?" "Well, she said she had something to do at home, but she didn't go home." Silver frowned more. "I didn't think about it because I thought it was none of my business, but…well, I don't know, maybe I just misunderstood what she meant." That was certainly possible, but Chaser knew that if anypony knew when Diamond was lying, it would be Silver Spoon. "Do you think she could have met with somepony?" "I don't know, I really don't." Chaser nodded, letting out a sigh. "Right, well.." "She was vanishing at least one time a week? Maybe going to a doctor?" "Is Diamond Tiara sick?" Silver Spoon looked puzzled. "Sick? What do you mean?" "I mean, do you know if she gets treated for anything?" Again Silver Spoon paused, searching her memory, but still shook her head. "No, I don't think so." "Would she tell you if she was getting treatment from something?" She nodded. "Yeah, I think so." Chaser let out a sigh, and nodded. "Right, okay. Thank you, Silver Spoon. I'll snoop around and see what I can find, but I can't promise you anything." "As long as you try." Silver started with a surprisingly firm tone. She moved towards the school house again, but stopped just as she had passed Chaser. "And thank you.." She added almost in a whisper, trotting a bit faster now. Chaser watched her go back, taking a moment to let everything fall into place. Silver Spoon had just hired him to find Diamond Tiara, so what he needed to do now was to follow the clues, which were almost non-existent. She'd given him something to go on, but really he had no idea if it would lead anywhere. "Could be she was meeting with somepony," said Phillip Finder as he appeared by a tree, leaning against it casually, looking at Chaser almost like an older brother would look at his younger sibling. "A friend?" Chaser thought about it, then shook his head. "If it was a friend, then why not just tell Silver Spoon?" "Could be it was somepony she didn't want Silver Spoon to know about." "Good point, but why though? Why would she hide that friendship?" "If it is a friend," Phillip reminded him. Chaser let out a sigh and nodded. "Right. We don't know if it is connected." "So we should go through the process of elimination. See if the tip holds any value. If it does not, we discard it." "Yes, but the only ones I could imagine would have any information about it would be her parents." Chaser explained, starting to trot back and forth. "And I don't think they will take kindly to some colt showing up and playing detective. At the very least they won't be in the mood to answer any of my questions. Besides, if her parents do know about that meeting, I'm pretty sure the police would already know." "Then we should find out." "Easier said than done," Chaser snorted. "Well, you have the rest of the school day to figure it out." The rest of the day proceeded as normal, however Diamond Tiara's disappearance dominated the topic of the playground. Scootaloo tried to put a positive spin on it, but it was clear that she did not believe any of her own scenarios. She suggested things such as Diamond Tiara had run away to a friend, or some family member. Maybe something had made her sad, and she was hiding somewhere, however that made as much sense as the first idea. If the police were involved, then it had to be a serious matter, and no matter the issues the fillies had between them, none of them wished anything bad to happen to Diamond Tiara. Clue Chaser did not partake in the discussions, and the others were too focused on the conversation that they didn't notice. That is to say, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle didn't notice. After the last lesson concluded, all the foals were packing their stuff and making their way out. As Chaser did so, he felt a hoof tap his shoulder. "Chaser?" He looked back, and spotted Apple Bloom looking back at him with a concerned look. "Are you alright? Ya haven't said much all day." "Oh, yeah, I'm fine, sorry." She shook her head. "It's okay. Is it whatever Silver Spoon wanted to talk to you about?" Chaser eyed her carefully, not sure if he should involve her in this or not. Then again, he could easily imagine Apple Bloom getting more worried if he didn't say anything. "She wants me to find Diamond Tiara." Funny enough, she didn't look surprised. She just asked. "So what are you going to do?" "Well," Chaser started, then stopped. "Well…uhm..." That was the problem indeed, he wasn't sure where to start. "I’m going to have to start from scratch, see if I can find some clues.” He stopped, scratching the back of his head as his mind raced. “Silver Spoon said there is at least one day a week Diamond can’t hang out after school.” “What does that mean?” Apple Bloom asked, tilting her head to the side. “I can’t be sure of what she was actually doing, Silver Spoon didn’t know either. However, if it is once a week, it does fit if she has an appointment of some kind.” “Like with a doctor.” Chaser smiled, and sent her a small nod. “Exactly! Only Silver Spoon says she knows Diamond Tiara wasn’t sick. Of course, that doesn't mean it couldn’t have been a doctor’s appointment.” He started to tap his hoof on the ground, thinking about what Silver Spoon had told him. “She also told me that this week was different.” “Different how?” Apple Bloom asked, sounding more and more spellbound as Chaser told her what Silver had told him. “Well, Diamond Tiara would be unavailable at least once a week, however last week there were actually two days she was unavailable.” Apple Bloom frowned. “Is that good?” “Depends how you look at it,” Chaser shrugged. “It is a break in her pattern, and it could be something, but it might not lead to anything. Silver Spoon told me Diamond Tiara lied; she told Silver Spoon was going home, but Silver’s house is in the same direction as Diamond Tiara’s.” Chaser closed his eyes, focusing his mind, trying to figure out where to start. He spoke slowly and clearly, as if thinking about each word, like a key would reveal itself if he just did it the right way. “She was breaking her pattern, lied to her best friend, and probably did not tell her parents, but that is speculation.” He let out a sigh, paused for a few seconds, then continued. “She was going somewhere, and it is likely her parents were not involved. So, the obvious answer would be to look for wherever she was going, and I can only do that if I have an idea why she lied to Silver Spoon.” Both of them went silent. Chaser tried to come up with a reason that fit, but what could he figure out the police wouldn’t? If Diamond didn’t go home, then there was a possibility she was meeting her parents, and just misspoke. Then again, it could be a hasty and clumsy lie, trying to mask her break in pattern, or maybe she was so nervous about whatever she was doing she tripped up in her lie? “Well, if she didn’t tell her friend, and if she didn’t tell her parents.” Apple Bloom suddenly said, making Chaser look up at her. “Then maybe she wrote it down in her diary?” Chaser frowned. “Her diary? You think she has one?” Apple Bloom sent Chaser a look he couldn’t quite interperate, but he had the distinct feeling he had asked a really stupid quasion. “Most fillies do, and I will bet my bow somepony like Diamond Tiara has one!” She grinned. “A diary,” Chaser repeated to himself, then he grinned. “You’re right, Apple Bloom! If Diamond Tiara has a diary, then it is likely she wrote down something of use! Maybe not exactly what she needed to do, but maybe something that can lead us on the right track!” He turned around, and started trotting down one of the roads. “Come on, we have no time to lose!” Apple Bloom followed, a bewildered look on her face. “Wait, we?” Clue Chaser smirked. “Of course, you figured out a potential clue, it is only right you are to come with me to investigate!” She had never seen Clue Chaser this animated before, well, not counting the time she and her friends got their coats covered in honey and he got really angry. He seemed so much more excited. “Quickly, Apple Bloom!” He called back, “The hunt is on!” She followed the colt down the road, unsure what this would lead them to. They arrived at Diamond Tiara’s family home soon after. Apple Bloom had never actually been by her house before, and neither had Clue Chaser. However it was pretty easy to figure out where it was, thanks to the presence of the group of police ponies near the mansion. As the two got closer, Chaser took them closer to the fence, and large bushes covered up the fence. He sighed, “just as expected. There are police all over the place.” “So what are you planning to do?” Asked Apple Bloom. “I don’t think they will just let you trot in there and look for Diamond Tiara’s Diary.” Chaser sent her a coltish smirk, one that made her blush, and feel her heart flutter a bit. “Well, I could try to sneak past them,” he said, looking towards the entrance. “But that will probably end with me being seen and thrown out. Or worse, they will take me with them and inform my uncle.” “So then what?” “I’m no Daring Do, but if I’ve learned anything from her it is that you never waste ponies' perception of you.” He smirked a little, then took off his hat and gave it to Apple Bloom. “Watch my hat, I’ll signal you when I get in.” “What?” Before she had a chance to ask what he was about to do, Chaser hurried towards some of the officers standing near the entrance. He thought back to Daring Do and Phillip Finder’s first case together. It was chapter five, when Phillip took Daring to the August Gallery. Had used the perception of a couple visiting the gallery, something normal that you would expect. This was no gallery, nor could he copy the exact plan Daring had. However, perception was everything, he just needed to use the common perception of a foal. “Mister! Mister!” Clue Chaser said, running up to one of the officers, moving a little back and forth. “Can I please use the restroom?” Meanwhile, watching from the bushes was Apple Bloom, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. The Clue Chaser she had come to know was calm, mature, and calculating. The colt standing in front of the confused officer was whiny, childish, and lacking any amount of cool Chaser had. The officer looked bewildered, looking around as if expecting to see somepony with him. “Uhm,” he mumbled half panicked, then looked down at Chaser. “Can’t you go into one of the bushes?” Chaser shook his head. “Nu-uh, my mom says you should not use nature as a toilet!” “I, well, you see, you can’t.” Clearly he wasn’t expecting to deal with a foal, and this particular problem. “Is everything okay here?” a mare asked. Both the officer and Chaser looked towards the entrance to the mansion to see the police mare from Sugarcube Corner and School. “Oh, sorry Sergeant Dawn. It’s this colt, he wants to use the bathroom. I told him to use the bushes but h-” “Nature is not a toilet, Constable!” she said, surprising not only the officer, but Chaser too. She looked at him with a friendly smile. “Hi there, I’m Sergeant Lucky Dawn. Follow me, and stay close. There is some important police work going on, so please be quick and quiet, okay?” Chaser nodded emphatically. “Good colt, follow me.” Chaser shot a glance in Apple Bloom’s direction. He couldn't see her, but he didn’t doubt that she was there. Soon enough he was inside, his eyes widening at the size of the entry hall alone. It was big enough to house his and dad’s old apartment, and there would still be enough room to go for a run. There weren't many around, some officers trotting into a room, then one going outside, not really much Chaser needed to worry about. She took him towards a large door, and Chaser could hear voices coming from the other side. He tried to focus his hearing, but Lucky Dawn chose this moment to seperate. “Alright, I have to take care of a few things,” she said in a hushed voice. “The bathroom is just down the hall and to the left, can you find it by yourself?” Chaser looked back at her, and gave her a shy nod back. “I’ll try...” he mumbled, keeping up the persona of a shy, nervous colt. “Alright. Remember to head straight out when you’re done, and remember to wash your hooves, okay?” He nodded again, and she sent him one final smile before opening the door and heading inside. At the moment Lucky Dawn left his sight, Chaser’s whole demeanor changed. He was no longer twitching and shaking, but straightened up his posture, and looked around with a critical eye for detail. He doubted there would be any clues down here, but his prize was much bigger anyway. Diamond Tiara’s room, that was his destination, and her diary was the prize. With any luck, the police had not confiscated it. Then again, if they had and they didn’t find anything of note, then this might be a waste of time. 'No, stay focused. I don’t know anything yet, the police might have missed something.' Chaser thought to himself, shaking his head as if to remind himself to stay on track. He looked around the entry hall, and found the large staircase leading to the floor above. It was likely their bedrooms were upstairs, while he did not know for sure, the odds were in his favor. If anypony stopped him, he could always say he was looking for the bathroom. He followed the long decorated hallway, opening doors to find Diamond Tiara’s bedroom. On the fifth try he struck gold. Quickly slipping into the room and closing the door behind him, Chaser stepped further in and took a look around. Just like with the entry hall, Chaser was in awe of the size of the bedroom. When he lived in Manehattan, he had one small room while his dad slept in the living room. When he moved to Ponyville he had thought the room his uncle had given him was huge, but this room was simply massive in comparison There was a huge dollhouse in the corner, bigger than a dog house. There were some posters neatly lined up along the wall, and some other looking expensive toys. Everything looked expensive, and if Chaser was being honest with himself, he couldn’t help but feel a little contempt. It was no wonder Diamond Tiara felt superior to everypony else: her home, her room, her toys, everything screamed that she was a spoiled filly. Then Chaser reminded himself that Diamond Tiara was just a filly, and right now she was lost. If he could find her it was his duty to do so. First things first, he needed to make sure Apple Bloom was nearby. He doubted he had enough time to read Diamond's diary up here, and he couldn’t just walk out with it. Luckily, Diamond Tiara’s window faced the fence he and Apple Bloom had been hiding behind. Trotting up to the window, he opened it and stuck his head out to look for her. Didn’t take him long to spot her back legs and some of her back. He couldn’t yell, that would attract too much attention, but he had to try something. “Pssst, Apple Bloom!” he called in a mix of whisper and yelling. “Apple Bloom, up here!” He tried and he tried, but she didn’t move a muscle. After a few tries, he gave up, trotted back inside as he let out a frustrated sigh. “Horse apples..” he mumbled as he looked around for a solution. He spotted Diamond Tiara’s desk, and moved over to find some paper, and a crystal glass filled with writing tools. It only took him a few seconds to find what he needed. Bullies back home used to do it in the hallways, and while he much rather wanted to use a straw, he would attempt to do this with some paper instead. First he took one of the pencils from the glass, bit off the small eraser at the end. Then Chaser tightly rolled up the paper, making sure it was a clean and tight tunnel, not too big, and not too narrow. He took the eraser tip, then placed it into the makeshift straw. “I hope this works,” Chaser mumbled to himself as he made his way back to the window. Sticking his head out again, he placed the paper straw near his lips, aimed, and blew. “Ow!” The filly jumped, looked back, then around, and then finally spotted Clue Chaser waving at her. Looking around, she quickly moved along the bushes until she could look directly up Chaser with a small scowl. “You hit my flank!” she hissed, trying her best to keep her voice down. Clue Chaser smirked a little. “Sorry,” he replied sheepishly. “Aimed for your thigh.” “Same thing!” “Okay, I’m sorry. Listen, I found Diamond Tiara’s room. When I find the diary I’m gonna toss it down to you, okay?” Apple Bloom looked alarmed. “What? You mean we are stealing it??” “Borrowing it,” Chaser corrected. “And it is for the right reasons, we are trying to find her, remember?” “Yeah, but…” She hesitated, then looked around. “Just hurry up, I don’t want anypony to get the wrong idea.” “Will do,” Chaser promised, smiling. Going back in, he faced the room, looking around with fresh and alert eyes. “Now, if I was a filly, where would I hide my diary?” Chaser mumbled, and made his way to the first and most obvious place, the bookshelf. While he doubted it would actually be sitting with her other books, he would rather be safe than sorry. It would suck if he searched the entire room, only to find it hanging out with the rest of her books. However, after checking each book, he could officially rule the bookshelf out. And so the search began. Clue Chaser divided the room up into four sections, searching each section carefully. He inspected her bed, checking under her sheets, pillow, even under the bed. He searched her desk, drawers, potential hiding spots like behind a shelf, under her mattress, her dollhouse, and even behind some of the larger pictures hanging on the wall. Each and everyone of the places he looked yielded no results.. Chaser stepped into the center of the room, rubbing his chin with his hoof. “This is harder than I expected. Maybe the police already found and took it?” He mumbled to himself, or so he thought. "Or maybe you just haven't found the right place to look yet," the voice of Philip Finder interjected. Chaser tensed up, for a moment thinking somepony had entered. Then he relaxed, sighed, and turned to his imaginary mentor. He was standing near the bed, tipping his hat to him. Chaser sighed, still not sure if seeing an apparition of his hero was a good thing or not. “Or maybe,” he said in a challenging tone. “Maybe she never had one to begin with.” "A filly like Diamond Tiara not having a diary? It’s possible, but can you really rule it out?" “Of course I can’t, but so far I’ve seen no trace of it.” "Yes, you have." Chaser frowned and looked back at his imaginary Phillip Finder. “What?” "If Diamond Tiara has a diary, then naturally she wants it close by." Chaser chuckled. “You’re reaching, speculating.” "I’m just stating my observations, or should I say ours?" Chaser bit his lip, but didn’t respond. "So, if she wants it close by, where could it be?" “The bed,” Chaser answered almost immediately. “But I have already checked the bed.” "If she wanted to hide it, it wouldn’t be that easy," Phillip responded, then moved a few steps back. Chaser eyed him, then eyed the bed. If it wasn’t hidden in the bed, then perhaps under it? But he had already looked there… Sighing, he moved under the bed once again, checking every he could think of. He was just about to give up when he saw something strange. One of the floorboards had what looked like run down sides, and it didn’t fit nice and neatly like the rest. It was like it had been taken off the floor several times. Scooting closer, Chaser reached over and removed the board carefully. It came off easily, and below was a small space, perfect for hiding something. His heart was pounding as he reached in, and pulled out a book. “Yes!” he exclaimed, about to get out when he suddenly heard hoof steps outside in the hallway. He froze, listened intently, but thankfully the door didn’t open. When the sound faded he quickly got out. “I found it, Philip, I found..” Chaser paused. Phillip Finder was gone again. He shook his head, deciding he didn’t have time to wonder about his imaginary friend. Instead he hurried to the window, and looked down at Apple Bloom. “Hey, I found it.” He said, holding onto the book. Apple Bloom smiled, but it didn’t last. “Good, then let’s get out of here.” Chaser nodded, then held out the book. Apple Bloom gave him a confident nod, sat back, and held up her forehooves. Very gently, Chaser tossed the book down to Apple Bloom. “Got it!” She exclaimed with a relieved sigh following. “Now hurry on out of there.” Chaser nodded. “I’ll be right there,” he said, closing the window again. “Let’s just hope this was worth it…” Quickly Chaser made his way out of Diamond Tiara’s room, trying to mix silence and speed as he moved down the stairway. Once he got all the way down, he noticed the large doors to the next room were slightly open, and he could hear voices. Chaser paused, knowing he should keep moving, and not risk standing around. However his curiosity got the better of him, and he carefully moved closer to the door, his ears turned against the opening by the door. He could hear a deep and rough voice speaking, and when he got close enough to peek through the slight opening, he could see the police pony from Sugarcube Corner, the only Sergeant Lucky Dawn had been with. He really stood out, with his dark coat, and black mustache. Two adults sat on a large couch, who Chaser could only assume was Diamond Tiara’s parents. The police pony stood in front of them, looking both firm, and sympathetic. “I understand this is not easy for you..” He soothed, “but please believe we are doing everything in our power to find your daughter.” “Well so far your efforts seem to have yielded little result, Chief-Inspector.” The mare said in almost what Chaser would call a snarl. That was definitely Diamond's mother, no doubt about that. The stallion sitting beside her, placed his hoof on hers, but looked at the Chief-Inspector. “We know you are doing your best, forgive my wife, it has been a trying three days. Please continue, Chief-Inspector Stone Heart.” Stone Heart gave a nod. “In most cases of kidnapping, the perpetrator is either a family member, or somepony the victim knows. Kidnappers are usually driven by financial gain, extremism, or emotional disturbance.” Stone Heart paused, letting the information sink in for a few seconds before he continued. “In this case we haven't heard anything about a ransom, though it can still happen. I doubt it has anything to do with extremism, which leaves emotional disturbance. If you will just humor me for a moment, sir. Do you have any enemies?” “Enemies?” Diamond Tiara’s father repeated. Stone Heart nodded. “Yes, enemies. Somepony who has a grudge against you, or seeks to hurt you in some way? I’m asking because if this is not about money, then it could be about hurting you.” Filthy Rich frowned, narrowing his eyes as if searching his mind for anything. “I don’t..” He hesitated, shaking his head. “I don’t know for sure, I doubt anypony holds such a grudge against me that they would hurt my little girl.” “But?” Stone Heart pressed. “Well,” Filthy Rich let out a sigh. “Some years ago, my partner and I were involved in an industrial accident. It was terrible, some died, and even more were injured. There was an investigation, and it found that the one responsible was my partner, due to negligence on the new set of safety regulations.” “I see.. I think I remember that.” “However there was no conclusive evidence, but of course we got a massive fine, rightfully so. After that I forced him out of the company.. He didn’t take it very well, as you might imagine. His reputation was ruined after that, I don’t think he ever managed to make another business work.” “I see,” Stone Heart mumbled, nodding to himself. “Tell me the details, what exactly was the nature of the accident, and what happened.” Chaser pressed himself closer to the door, careful not to open, but at the same time eager to listen in. “What are you doing?” a voice suddenly said from behind. Chaser nearly let out a startled yelp as he turned around, coming face to face with Sergeant Dawn. “Uhm, well, I..” “Did you find the bathroom?” she asked, her tone no less friendly, but there was a firm side to it now. Chaser couldn't think of anything else to do than nod, his heart pumping faster and harder. “That’s good,” Sergeant Dawn said, guiding him towards the front door. “Then you better head on home, okay?” Chaser nodded again, and Sergeant Dawn sent him a more warm smile, escorting him out of the mansion. Chaser didn’t protest, and obediently followed the Sergeant outside. There they said their goodbyes, and despite his desire for learning more, he knew it wasn’t a good idea to push his luck. Instead he quickly made his way past the other officers guarding the premises, and moved towards the bushes. Apple Bloom stood and waited for him, looking nervous, as if afraid the police would come after them at any moment now. “There you are,” Apple Bloom said, letting out a sigh of relief. “What took you so long?” “Sorry,” replied Chaser as he put his saddlebags back on and followed Apple Bloom back up the road. “I overheard the police talking to Diamond’s dad. The police suspect that Diamond Tiara was kidnapped because of a revenge motive.” “Revenge on Diamond Tiara?” Apple Bloom asked, looking over her shoulder. “No, her father,” said Chaser. “Apparently something happened years ago, some accident that was caused by his former partner. He was disgraced, and forced out of her dad’s company.” Apple Bloom nodded. “So they’ve got him, then?” Chaser shrugged. “Well it is a good motive, but it doesn't hurt if we snoop around for a bit. If you give me the diary, I can study it, see if I can find some mention of this meeting Diamond went to.” Apple Bloom frowned at him and pulled the diary away from him slightly. “I…I don't think you should read it.” “What?!” Chaser´s eyes went wide. “What do you mean? After all the trouble we went through to get it?” Apple Bloom made a face Chaser´s couldn't quite interpret. “I want to find Diamond Tiara too, but a diary is the most private thing to a filly.” Chaser was about to protest, but Apple Bloom held up a hoof, cutting him off. “For a colt to read it is even worse, I want to respect it as much as I can. So I think I should read it.” “You would read it? Isn't that just as bad?” he asked, but Apple Bloom shook her head. “Don´t get me wrong, nopony should be reading this. Though if somepony has to, it should be somepony who can understand and respect the privacy of the diary.” Chaser resisted the urge to groan, but he managed to keep it in. “Alright then, but do you know what you are looking after?” Apple Bloom nodded. “Eeyup, if Diamond Tiara was seeing somepony regularly.” “Mhm, that being a doctor, or somepony else, anyone we can investigate. Try and see if she mentions some meetings leading up to the day of her disappearance.” He paused, thinking about whatever else she should look for. “Come to think of it, it might be best if you read it. You know Diamond Tiara best, you know what sticks out more than me.” “Right,” agreed Apple Bloom, smiling a little. “I won't let you down.” Chaser looked at her for a moment, then smiled back. “Well, when you say that, I know it is true.” “That is something you might as well learn about me and my family. We never lie, and our promises are as good as gold.” “Alright then,” Chaser chuckled, sending her a small smile and nod her way. “I trust you.” Looking up at the sky, he let out a small sigh. “We better get back home, or our families will worry themselves to sleep.” Apple Bloom puffed out a breath. “Tell me about it. Applejack is so tense now, I’m worried she might lock me up in my room!” Chaser was sure she was joking, but Apple Bloom seemed serious. When he raised an eyebrow, she smirked and shook her head. “She’s just a bit overprotective…” “With everything that is going on, I don’t think she is alone in that worry.” “I guess so...” “Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow, Apple Bloom.” Chaser said, turning away from her. “Thanks for the help today.” Apple Bloom smiled. “No problem, see you tomorrow, Clue Chaser!” With a final wave, the two foals split up, each heading back to their homes. Apple Bloom returned to the familiar dirt road that would take her back to the family farm, a road she had walked many times before. While the sun was still up, and the sky still blue, Apple Bloom couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous. Her mind went over the events of the last few days, the police, Diamond Tiara’s disappearance. It was all so unreal... She couldn’t help but wonder if Diamond would be the only one who went missing. If it was, then what if the kidnapper was still out there? What had he done to Diamond Tiara? Suddenly she felt more alone and vulnerable, being out on this road all alone. Granted, she had moved up and down it many times without a care in the world, and it wasn’t far from anything. Still, with her mind thinking about everything that had happened, she suddenly felt afraid for the first time in ages. “Get it together...” she mumbled to herself, mentally chiding herself for acting like some five-year-old filly afraid of the monster under her bed. Even though she thought that, she couldn’t help but to look over her shoulder once in a while, making sure nopony was watching her. Soon enough Apple Bloom returned to Sweet Apple Acres, and her heart seemed to relax just by the mere sight of the old farm. She could see Big Mac working on a birdhouse near his little workshop, and she could smell a freshly baked pie, likely made by her granny. “Well howdy there, AB. How was school today?” asked Applejack, coming up one of the paths leading out of the orchard. She smiled at her, but Apple Bloom knew her older sister well enough to spot when she was nervous or tense. She didn’t want to worry her, and she definitely didn’t want to tell them about what had happened today. While it was for a good reason, her and Clue Chaser had essentially broken into a home and stolen something. “It was fine,” replied Apple Bloom. “A police officer was there to talk to us about Diamond Tiara.” “I know,” Applejack nodded. “How are you feeling?” “I’m fine, but Diamond Tiara is still out there, sis.” Apple Bloom let out a sigh. “She must be so scared and alone.” “Don't you worry none,” said her sister. “Everypony is looking for her, and the police will get to the bottom of this. Everything will be fine.” Even though she said that, Apple Bloom noticed the tension in her smile increase. Instead of asking about it, Apple Bloom just nodded, smiling back at her. “I hope so.” she said, then turned towards the farmhouse. “I’m gonna do some homework before dinner.” It wasn’t an outright lie, Apple Bloom knew such a thing would get her sister’s attention right away. “You do that, sugarcube. I’ll give ya a holler when dinner’s ready.” Without wasting any time, Apple Bloom hurried into the house, and up the stairs. Clue Chaser counted on her, but more important, so did Diamond Tiara. If somepony really had ponynapped her, then Apple Bloom would do her best to save her. No matter their former issues, nopony deserved to be hurt by some stranger! She made it to her room, closed the door, and for a moment considered locking it. “Probably best I don’t…Applejack will probably get more worried if I do lock it.” Moving to her little desk, she pulled out the diary and placed it in front of her. She stared at it for a few seconds in silence, her conscience warring with her. But there was no reason to trot around the hot porridge. She just hoped this would help in some way. Taking a deep breath, she opened the diary up, and found the last entry. Tuesday: Clue Chaser was standing at the entrance of the school, waiting to spot Apple Bloom. He hadn’t been able to relax all night, he had gotten home and gone over the facts of the case again and again, but with no new data it was impossible to make any progress in the case! Finally he had just decided to work on the project he and Apple Bloom had been assigned. Nothing to it, he just asked Ditzy and his uncle for some information on Apple Bloom’s family, and made an easy framework they could build on later. It wasn’t really challenging, but at least it gave him something to do, and it kept him somewhat relaxed until he could fall asleep. “You look tense, dude. What’s up with you today?” said a boyish voice from behind him. Chaser didn’t need to look to know it was Scootaloo coming up to him. “Nothing, I’m just waiting for Apple Bloom,” he replied. “You two are all close lately,” Scootaloo said, and Chaser could practically sense the teasing smirk spreading on her face. Still he didn’t look, he could not focus on her. “Worried your marefriend won’t sit with you at lunch today?” “Marefriend?!” Sweetie Belle cried. “Clue Chaser, I didn’t know you’ve been dating Apple Bloom.” “We aren’t dating,” replied Chaser, finally turning around to face them. “We just have some things to work on today.” Scootaloo chuckled. “Sure you do,” she smirked, wiggling her eyebrows. Clue Chaser puffed out a breath. “How far have you and Sweetie Belle gotten on your project?” Scootaloo snorted, waving off his comment with a dismissive hoof. “We are working on a title.” “And a subject.” Sweetie Belle added, sending Scootaloo an annoyed look. “Pssh, subject smugjeck, we have plenty of time.” “That’s what you always say to every assignment, Scootaloo. I don’t want to get a big fat F on it thanks to you.” “Hey!” Scootaloo looked at Sweetie Belle. “I’m not getting Fs on every assignment!” “Nearly.” The two continued their argument, while Clue Chaser turned around just in time to see Apple Bloom making her way down the path towards the school. She wasn’t alone, beside her trotted an orange mare. Ignoring his bickering friends, Chaser made his way up to the small entry leading up to the school. Apple Bloom smiled as she saw him come to greet her. “Mornin’, Clue Chaser.” “Morning, Apple Bloom.” Replied Chaser, glancing at her before looking at the mare. Apple Bloom glanced at her sister. “This here is the new friend I was telling you about, Clue Chaser.” Applejack looked at Chaser with a big friendly smile. “Ah, so you’re Clue Chaser. Apple Bloom has been talking about you a lot, it’s good to finally meet ya. I’m Applejack, Apple Bloom’s older sister. ” “Good to meet you too, I’m Clue Chaser, but ponies just call me Chaser.” Applejack chuckled. “I hope Apple Bloom and her friends haven't been dragging you into too much trouble? They can be wilder than a rattlesnake that got hit by lightning.” Chaser couldn’t help but smile. “They are good friends, and I’m doing my best to keep them out of trouble.” “Well that’s good. Apple Bloom told me what happened with those stolen bits. Glad you could sort it all out.” “I’m just happy to help.” The bell in the school house tower rang to signal the students that the first lesson of the day was about to begin. Applejack looked at the two foals and nodded towards the school house. “You two better be off, don’t want to be late.” She smiled at Chaser. “Nice meeting you, Chaser.” “You too, Ms. Applejack.” The two turned, and headed towards the school house. Once sure that nopony could hear, Chaser leaned closer to Apple Bloom. “Anything?” he asked in almost a whisper. “I’ll tell you after the first lesson,” she whispered back. “But yeah, you could say that.” The first lesson progressed as it did every morning, however Chaser only listened with half an ear. He couldn’t focus on something trivial, his mind wouldn’t allow it. It wasn’t just a question about the diary and what Apple Bloom had learned. It was also a question about how to proceed after it. ”If the diary does say something like she was meeting with somepony, then we should take it to the police. Be stupid of me to keep it to myself.” Even so, it was going to be hard to explain how he and Apple Bloom had gotten to it. Not that it mattered. Of course there was the possibility there wasn’t going to be anything of use, which would leave him to find a way to put it back, or explain how he’d gotten his hooves on it. That would be a fun conversation to have with the police. As Clue Chaser sat and thought about his options, he started to notice that Silver Spoon wasn’t in class. ”That’s strange, maybe the police wanted to talk to her again? Maybe Ms. Cheerilee knows something..” As soon as the first lesson of the day ended, Chaser stood up, and headed straight for his teacher. She noticed him approaching, and met him with a warm smile. “Is something the matter, Clue Chaser?” Chaser shook his head. “No, I was just wondering where Silver Spoon was?” “Oh, well she has a dentist appointment today, so she won’t be joining us. Did you need her for something?” Curse his luck! Having her help could prove invaluable. “No, not really. I guess I can swing by her place later.” Cheerilee frowned. “I’m sorry, Clue Chaser, but Silver Spoon is in Canterlot. She has an uncle who is a dentist there, I think they’ve decided to make a trip of it.” He let out a disappointed sigh. “Alright, thanks anyway.” Chaser replied, deciding to move on to the main point of today. He found Apple Bloom waiting for him just outside the school house. “Everything alright?” Chaser nodded. “It’s nothing. What about you, did you learn anything?” “Yes, but we should take this elsewhere.” She glanced around, and then nodded towards one of the large trees by the fence. The two foals made their way to it, standing in the shade, and away from any risks of anypony overhearing. “I read the diary like you asked, and there was something that stood out.” “What?” Chaser asked, feeling as if he was about to burst. “Diamond Tiara fights a lot with her mom.” Apple Bloom looked down. “Apparently it’s nothing new. She talks a lot about her mom pushing her a lot, and that she doesn't like the pressure.” Chaser frowned. “Oh.. Well, did she write anything about meeting with somepony regularly?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, sorry. I went over the weeks, but it says nothing about her meeting with anypony. The last entry she had written she had a big fight with her mom, but she doesn't give any details. It almost looks like she was cut off.” “Cut off?” “Yeah, like if she was interrupted writing,” Apple Bloom nodded. Chaser let out a thoughtful hum, closing his eyes. Apple Bloom tilted her head to the side in a questioning manner. “What is it?” Chaser opened his eyes again. “Well, 90% of kidnapping and abductions are done by family members, and 60% of those are mares, mothers.” Apple Bloom let out an almost inaudible gasp. “You think Diamond Tiara’s mother could be responsible?” “I’m not thinking anything yet, but it is a possibility. However, I don’t have any evidence to support that theory. Did the diary ever say if Diamond Tiara was afraid of her mother? Or that her mother was abusive in some way?” “In what way…?” Apple Bloom asked, sounding scared to even ask the question. Chaser had to admit, it wasn’t a pleasant thought to imagine Diamond Tiara getting abused by her mother. Then again, nothing about this case was pleasant. “Did she ever write about her mother hitting her, for example? Or punishing her?” Apple Bloom shook her head. “No, nothing like that.” “Fiddlesticks..” Silence hung between the two for a little while, both trying to think of something to do. Finally Chaser let out a frustrated groan and kicked a small pebble on the ground. “If only we could talk with Silver Spoon, maybe we could find out something new. Maybe she would know if she was afraid of her mother, or anything.” Another moment of silence, then Apple Bloom asked him. “So what do we do now?” Chaser let out a sigh. “I don’t know, honestly.” He scratched his head, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to go over their options. “The police are probably already looking into the revenge motive, but we can do a little research ourselves.” Chaser finally said, not really expecting it to yield anything useful, but more information could never hurt. “I say we go to the library after school, see if we can find something in the old newspapers about the accident Mr. Rich talked about.” Apple Bloom nodded, feeling the same frustration as Clue Chaser. “Okay...” The two turned around, and headed towards the rest of the playground, trying to enjoy the rest of the recess before class continued. However before they could reach their friends, a voice called out to him. “Clue Chaser.” He knew that voice, and he turned around to find his therapist, Dr. Nettlekiss, standing in the doorway to the school. “I was hoping to bump into you before leaving.” “Who’s that?” asked Apple Bloom. “Uhm, she is a doctor. She helps me deal with, uhm, stuff,” Clue Chaser answered, not really wanting to talk about the fact he was going to therapy. Quickly he changed the focus to Nettlekiss instead. “What are you doing here, Doctor?” The mare trotted closer to them both, smiling warmly. “I just came to inform Ms. Cheerilee I will be busy most of the week, so I can’t do much work as the school counselor this week.” “I didn’t know you were the school counselor,” Chaser admitted. Nettlekiss chuckled. “Well, the school isn’t that big, so it is on a voluntary basis. Really, Ms. Cheerilee handles most of the day-to-day stuff, so it would be a waste of money to have me on full time. Not that it matters, I’m happy to help when she needs it.” “I see…well, what did you need from me?” “Oh right, well, I just wanted to let you know that I will sadly have to move our appointment today.” Chaser had completely forgotten he had an afternoon appointment with her. He had been so focused on the case that it had totally slipped his mind. “I’m really sorry, Chaser. We will meet at the usual time on Friday, but some family stuff has come up so I have had to move a lot around.” Chaser nodded. “Oh, that’s alright.” Really it gave him the perfect excuse. “I guess I’ll see you Friday then. It was nice to meet you, Apple Bloom, right?” “Eeyup,” Apple Bloom smiled. Nettlekiss chuckled. “I figured. I’ll be seeing you around, Clue Chaser. Both of you have a nice day.” “Yeah, see you Friday,” Chaser replied, watching her leave. He was just about to turn around and head the other way, when a thought suddenly crossed his mind. He turned around again, looking towards Nettlekiss. “Wait, excuse me!” Nettlekiss stopped, and looked over at the young colt. “Yes?” Chaser trotted closer to her, with Apple Bloom only a step behind him. “I was just wondering, if somepony in class has some troubles, do you talk to them?” “Well, yes, if Ms. Cheerilee thinks it proper, or if the parents refer them to me.” She nodded. “Why?” “So have you by any chance talked to Diamond Tiara?” Nettlekiss frowned. “Chaser, I can’t tell you that. It isn’t a concern of yours if I have or haven’t. That would be a private matter between me and Diamond Tiara.” Chaser nodded. “So you have talked to her. Was she sad about her home life? Have you talked to the police? What about the possibility of her mother being involved?” “Chaser!” Nettlekiss exclaimed, looking appalled. “Young colt, this is something serious the police should take care of. You should focus on school and spending time with your friends. For the sake of giving peace of mind, no, I have not talked to Diamond Tiara, she is not a patient, and yes, I have talked to the police.” Chaser frowned, his ears lowering. “I see…” Nettlekiss sighed, placing a caring hoof on his shoulder. “I know you want to help, Clue Chaser, but this is not a game. It is a police matter, and you should stay well away from it. Do you understand?” Chaser sighed, not looking at her. “Do you understand?” she repeated, putting a bit more firmness into her tone. Chaser still didn’t look up at her, but he did give the smallest of nods. “Yes.” “Good..” She smiled a little. “We can talk more about this on Friday, but until then I want you to be careful, and stick to your friends. Now you should probably head inside, recess should be over soon.” “Right..” “See you later, Clue Chaser.” And with that, Dr. Nettlekiss left. Apple Bloom stood there in silence, looking at what she thought was a dejected Clue Chaser. “Are you okay, Chaser?” she said in a gentle tone. Chaser turned around, nodding, his look of dejection gone. “Hm? Oh, yes, yes, don’t worry about me. Come, we better go inside, then after school we can head to the library.” He started to head towards the school house, with a perplexed Apple Bloom following him. “What about Dr. Nettlekiss?” “Hm? Oh that, I just needed to know if she had talked to Diamond Tiara or not,” Chaser replied, shrugging. “So you tricked her?” “Only a little, and I don’t like it, but at least we know she didn’t talk to her. I doubt she would have talked to Cheerilee, but it is a possibility of course.” Chaser explained, looking over at Apple Bloom. “However, maybe it would be best if you didn’t continue the case with me.” The two came to a stop, and Apple Bloom frowned deeply. “What do you mean?” Chaser stopped as well, looking at his friend. “She had a point back there, this isn’t a game. This is pretty serious, and maybe it would be better if you didn’t get more involved. This case could lead to some dark places.” To his surprise, Apple Bloom didn’t whine, beg, or even showed signs of sadness. Instead she fixed him with a stern glare, and poked him in the chest with her hoof. “Now you listen here, mister. You didn’t read Diamond Tiara’s diary, I did. I know now how lonely she must be, and I know she needs our help. I’m just as involved as you, and I’m going to help you find her.” Chaser didn’t speak, he only stood there with his mouth half open in shock. He simply nodded in understanding, and she smirked in return. “Good! Now, we should get back to class, right?” With that, Apple Bloom trotted past him, leaving a speechless Chaser behind. After a few seconds, he smirked, following his friend back into class. It wasn’t hard to convince Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle that he and Apple Bloom were going to finish their project today, and therefore couldn’t hang out. Chaser also pointed out that they had barely started their project, and the days were not endless. That had been enough for Sweetie Belle to drag a pouty Scootaloo off to finally finish their assignment. It left Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom with time to work, and it meant they could head to the library without the fear of being disturbed. As much as Chaser and Apple Bloom liked their friends, they didn’t want them to get dragged into this mess. Better for them to finish this alone. They made their way to Golden Oaks Library, a place both foals had visited several times. Despite it being a library, it was also the home of Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia’s personal student. So since it was both a library and a home, the two foals stopped at the door and knocked. Only a few seconds later, the door opened, and a small purple dragon looked at them. “Oh hi, Apple Bloom and Clue Chaser. I didn’t know you two knew each other.” Apple Bloom grinned. “Howdy, Spike!” “We go to the same class, Spike.” Clue Chaser chuckled. “Can we come in?” “Oh I knew that, but it didn’t mean you two hang out together.” He smiled back, then stepped aside. “Sure you can, Twilight is napping up in her room.” The two foals trotted inside, passing the small dragon before he closed the door behind them. Apple Bloom glanced up the stairs. “Napping?” Spike nodded. “She was visiting Canterlot yesterday, and she got home really late. The train was delayed or something.” He shrugged. “Anyway, is there something I can do to help?” Chaser nodded, turning to him. “I hope so. We wanted to take a look at some old newspapers from some years ago.” A look of puzzlement crossed the young dragon’s face. “Uhm, alright. Can you be a bit more specific?” he asked. “We don’t really have a year.” Chaser admitted. “Or date.” Apple Bloom added. “But we know it has something to do with a big railway accident at least ten years ago.” Spike scratched the back of his head, searching his memory about such an accident. “Well…I’ll try, but don’t hold your breath.” He moved towards a hole in the back of the main reading room. A staircase was leading to the basement below, and the little dragon soon vanished as he descended Once out of sight, Apple Bloom turned to Chaser. “What are we looking for?” Chaser let out a sigh, moving to one of the chairs. “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “I don’t have a lot to go on. Either she really has run away, in which case we need to talk to Silver Spoon again. Or she has been kidnapped, in which case we have nothing to go on but this.” He noted, gesturing towards all the library. “Since we can’t talk to Silver Spoon before she returns from Canterlot, we might as well read up on some history. If nothing else, we might learn something new that can point us in some direction.” Frowning, Apple Bloom trotted closer and sat down on the chair across from him. “So this is just..?” “Just me throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks.” Chaser sighed, clearly not satisfied with his own performance. “In truth there is not much we can do but hope. If we do stumble upon something, we’ll be lucky, and I don’t like to rely on luck. It shouldn’t come down to that.” “But, if we do find some clue that can help Diamond Tiara, does it really matter how we got it?” Apple Bloom asked, tilting her to the side, trying to get Chaser to look her in the eyes. Clue Chaser smiled a little, glancing at her. “I guess not.. If nothing else, we can at least widen the net. Hopefully we will find something.” He sat up straighter, looking at her with a genuine grateful smile. They sat in silence and waited for a bit. The main reading room of the library was very pleasant, and almost like always there weren't any other ponies around. It was allowed to read in here, but most ponies borrowed books and took them home to read instead. Clue Chaser had done both, but he could see why most considered this Twilight’s home, and not a public library. Suddenly footsteps could be heard from the staircase, and up came the little purple dragon with a selection of small tubes. Apple Bloom squinted her eyes, as if doing so would make it clear what the little dragon was carrying. She pointed with her hoof. “What’s that?” “Film. Twilight told me that most newspapers are kept on film so as not to take up too much space,” the dragon explained, coming up to their table, and placed the small tubes on it. “I never actually had to find them before.” “They’re really small, how do we read them?” the filly asked, moving a hoof over, and slid one of the tubes closer to inspect it. Spike smirked, and turned toward a small cupboard. The two foals watched as Spike went over and opened the doors, revealing a strange machine. It was big, the size of a small boulder, square, and with some large buttons. Clue Chaser smiled, knowing what it was, or could at very least guess its purpose. Spike smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head with his claw. “You mind helping me carry it? It’s kinda heavy.” The two foals quickly got up from their seats. With the three of them working together, they managed to carry the film reader to the table without any accidents. Once they set it up, Spike went over the tubes containing the film, and the years and dates. “I don’t know what year or date you’re looking for, so this is the best I could do. Sorry.” Clue Chaser shook his head. “No, it’s alright. Sorry we couldn’t get you something more specific.” Spike smiled. “Well, let me know if you need help with something.” “We will, thanks, Spike!” Apple Bloom replied as the little dragon made his way across the reading room and into another room. Looking back at Chaser, then at the film reader, Apple Bloom asked. “So where do we begin?” Clue Chaser shrugged, taking one of the small tubes and moving it into the machine. “Let’s try going as far back as we can. This one is from eleven years ago.” The screen lit up, and after turning one of the buttons, the first page was shown in great detail. Apple Bloom frowned. “This looks like it’s going to take a while..” “Hopefully we will get lucky and we won’t have to go through them all.” Chaser responded, and started to move from page to page, from newspaper to newspaper. It did take a long time, even though they were two, and sometimes three whenever Spike had a moment to spare. It was a boring task, and at times Clue Chaser had a mind to throw the machine out the window. They had to take small breaks periodically. Well, Apple Bloom had to force Chaser to do so seeing how desperate he was growing. They would never last long, and it was clear Chaser didn’t relax one bit. The hours seemed to fly by faster, and it wasn’t too long before afternoon turned into early evening. Apple Bloom could only imagine how nervous her family must be if she delayed much longer. She turned to Chaser, seeing his eyes still scanning the page on the screen. “Chaser, maybe we shou-” “I got it!” he exclaimed, making the filly jump in surprise. “I found it!” The colt blinked a few times, rubbing his hoof over them as if trying to wake them up. Apple Bloom scooted closer and took a look, and there it was. A large picture of a wrecked train, partially on fire, and with emergency services tending to the crash site, and helping the wounded passengers. It looked horrible, and Apple Bloom had to look away when some of the more graphic pictures came by. They went over the article, and the following ones, going over the accident, the investigation, and the inquiry. So far it seemed just as Filthy Rich had said to the police. Negligence on the part of his partner resulted in the accident, but no specific laws were broken, due to progress they had made on the train. Legally they were free of liability, but the regulations had not taken into account the development of trains, and the ways they might be built. So while Filthy Rich’s partner was responsible, he could not be put behind bars. It had all ended with a massive fine, and a large compensation package for the victims, and the victims families. Chaser looked over the pictures of the inquiry, the wreck, read the list of names of deceased and the survivors. It was horrible, and it left a bitter taste in his mouth. Looking over the pictures of the survivors throughout the inquiry, Chaser found only despair and anger. A stallion holding a sniffling mare, a mare holding a picture of her daughter and husband, a foal in bandages along with his father. Finally Chaser leaned back in his seat, letting out a long and tired sigh.. There was silence for a few good long moments, then he leaned forward again, rubbing the side of head as he spoke. “I don’t know what to make of this.” Apple Bloom frowned. “What?” Chaser gestured to the screen. “This, I don’t know if this will help us, I can’t see how. Sure, if it is a kidnapping, the one with the biggest motive is Mr. Filthy’s Rich’s business partner, having been forced out of his position. The victims too, but their revenge would be directed at the partner, not Filthy Rich.” He let out a frustrated groan. “I don’t know what to do now, Apple Bloom.” After a few moments, Apple Bloom looked at her friend with a small smile. “Well, you could come over for dinner?” Chaser looked at her, confusion on full display across his face. “What?” Apple Bloom looked away again. “Well, it's not like we are going to think of anything while feeling tired and defeated. Plus, it’s getting late, and our families are probably worried. So how about some food? My granny always makes too much, I’m sure they will fix you up a plate, if you come over.” Chaser hesitated, biting his lower lip as he thought about the offer. “Mmm, I don’t know, what about this?” He asked, gesturing to the screen. “I want to find Diamond Tiara too,” Apple Bloom reminded him. “But we won’t help her by being exhausted.” He let out a third sigh, and after a few seconds, he nodded. “Yeah, alright. We just have to swing by my place to let them know.” “Okay!” Apple Bloom smiled, getting up from her seat. Chaser started to get up himself, about to turn off the microfilm reader when his eyes glanced at something on the screen that made him stop. His whole body paused, as his eyes narrowed. “Wait…” he mumbled, mostly to himself. “What?” Apple Bloom asked, pausing herself. Chaser didn’t answer, he simply used one of the buttons to zoom in on one of the pictures. One of the survivors looked familiar. He felt his heart start pumping faster, his eyes going wider as he examined the survivor in every detail. “The mane is different…” he mumbled to himself. “But that could be easily changed…” With a quick turn of a button, Chaser turned to the page with the list of survivors and dead. After only a second or two, Chaser gasped, quickly going back to the picture. “No…it can’t be...” He stood up from his seat, his mind racing as he heard the voice of the chief-inspector, his voice echoing in his mind. ‘In most cases of kidnapping, the perpetrator is either a family member, or somepony the victim knows. Kidnappers are usually driven by financial gain, extremism, or emotional disturbance. In this case we haven't heard anything about a ransom. I doubt it has anything to do with extremism, which leaves emotional disturbance.’ He remembered what Apple Bloom had told him earlier today. ‘Diamond Tiara fights a lot with her mom. Apparently it’s nothing new. She talks a lot about her mom pushing her a lot, and that she doesn't like the pressure.’ Then he remembered what Silver Spoon had told him when he asked when she had seen Diamond Tiara. ’Friday after school.’ ’Well, every week there is at least one day she can't hang out, but this was actually the second time she couldn't hang out.’ Chaser backed away from the screen, almost as if he had touched a burning stove. Apple Bloom flinched in surprise. “Chaser, what’s wrong?” “We need to go right now.” he simply said, moving towards the door with Apple Bloom following behind him. “What’s going on?” she demanded, but Clue Chaser was already out the door. She quickly followed him, almost running as he led her down several streets. “Chaser!” “I think I know who kidnapped Diamond Tiara,” he finally said, not taking a moment to slow down or even look at her. “I hope I’m wrong, but we need to find out tonight, or something horrible will happen.” “I don’t understand!” Chaser stopped quite suddenly, almost making Apple Bloom bump into him. They stood in front of a large house, it seemed almost to loom over them as its shadow covered them. Chaser turned to her. “Listen to me, I’m going to distract them while you search for Diamond Tiara.” The two foals moved up the path towards the door, and before Apple Bloom could stop him, he had already knocked. “Chaser, what do you mean? Distract who?” There was a sudden sound behind the door, followed by a few hoodsteps. With a click and a turn of the doorknob, the door opened. “Clue Chaser? Apple Bloom? What a surprise, what are you doing out so late?” It was Doctor Nettlekiss. Apple Bloom looked at Chaser, trying her best not to look shocked or nervous. Looking over at Chaser, he looked serious, but kept his tone casual. “Sorry for coming so late, I just hoped we could talk a bit?” The mare gave him a patient smile. “Chaser, I thought I told you I can’t today. Isn’t it something we can handle on Friday?” Chaser smiled, scratching the back of his head. “Well, it will be quick, and truth be told, Apple Bloom needs to borrow the bathroom too, so..well...” Dr. Nettle seemed to give it some thought, then shrugged and stood aside. “Very well, but I don’t have much time, Chaser. Only a short conversation, if you promise it’s important.” “It is,” Chaser insisted as they walked in. “The bathroom is just down the hallway, dear,” Nettlekiss told Apple Bloom. “Okay..” She nodded rather timidly, glancing at Chaser who gave her a small nod. “Shall we go upstairs?” Nettlekiss asked, to which Chaser nodded, and followed the mare up some stairs, leaving Apple Bloom alone. Looking around, Apple Bloom felt her heart sink. “Oh dear...” Chaser followed Dr. Nettle upstairs to the therapy room he had become so familiar with over the last few weeks. With the sun going down, and the red light of the evening sun streaming in from the windows almost gave a sinister glow to the otherwise peaceful room. “So,” Nettlekiss said, trotting towards the desk. “How can I help you, Clue Chaser?” Despite his outward appearance of calm, Chaser could feel his heart beating away with fear? No, anticipation. “I wanted to ask you a few questions.” he said, trotting over to the couch he usually sat on. “Oh?” Nettlekiss murmured, hardly sounding surprised.”About what?” “Did Diamond Tiara ever come to you in secret to talk about her mother? Or general problems? More specifically, did you talk to her last Friday?” There was a moment of silence, then a small sigh. “Chaser, please have a seat.” Her voice was calm, even gentle. He didn’t know what to make of it, but he didn’t think he was in danger, or at least, there was nothing that worried him outright. So he did as she asked, and sat down at his usual spot. She turned around, carrying a tea cup, and placed it on the table. “Here you go.” Chaser eyed the tea cup suspiciously. Nettlekiss let out a small giggled. “It isn’t poisoned, Clue Chaser.” He looked up at her, his heart starting to beat just a little faster. “You were expecting me?” She favored him with a small smile. “Of course I did. I don’t know how you did it, but when you asked me earlier today, I knew it probably wouldn’t be too long before you came around.” She trotted back to the desk, and got herself a cup of tea. “So you kidnapped Diamond Tiara when she came to visit you last Friday.” Chaser stated, and Nettlekiss didn’t bother to deny it. Instead she trotted back, sat down on the couch, took a sip of her tea and nodded.”She arrived before you did, so I had to hurry,” she replied, and smiled when she saw Chaser's shocked expression. “She was the unexpected visitor you had come over last time.” Nettlekiss shrugged. “Unexpected? No, not really. Although the timing wasn’t so good, I had an appointment with you after all, and I couldn't let you know she was an unofficial patient of mine.” Her calm unnerved Chaser, it was like she knew exactly what was going to happen today. “Have you killed Diamond Tiara?” For a moment, her eyes flickered with something Chaser could only interpret as anger, or annoyance.She didn’t look at him, she kept her eyes on her tea. “No, she’s alive and as well as can be expected under the circumstances.” Chaser was just about to ask something else, when she looked up at him with an almost sad smile. “Tell me, Chaser. How did you come to find out about me?” Chaser hesitated, he wasn’t sure how much he should reveal, but then again, the cat was out of the bag no. There could be no harm in coming clean. “Silver Spoon asked me to look into Diamond’s disappearance, and I found out she could not hang out at least once a week. From there I went to Diamond’s home, and found her diary.” Nettlekiss raised an eyebrow. “You stole her diary?” “Borrowed, anyway, I wanted a better understanding of Diamond Tiara, and see if she wrote down something about her weekly vanishing act.” He explained, and Nettlekiss nodded, gesturing for him to continue. “She didn’t write anything about you, although I did learn she had problems with her mother.” “Ah, that’s why you asked me about it this morning.” Chaser nodded. “When I was at her home, I overheard a conversation between the police and Diamond Tiara’s father. I learned of a possible revenge motive, and they suspected Mr. Rich’s former business partner.” Again, there was this flicker of anger behind Nettlekiss’ eyes, but she kept her cool. “So when I got nothing from you, I decided to go to the library and search some old newspapers in order to figure out what had happened.” Nettlekiss let out a sigh. “I see, and you saw me?” “Not at first, you’ve changed since then.” That got a small hollow chuckle out of the mare. “What tipped me off was the locket, you held onto it in the picture I saw. There was a list of deceased and survivors. Your name came up as one of the deceased.” There was a moment of silence, Chaser unsure if he should continue or not. Nettlekiss, or whatever her real name was, didn’t even look at him. “I…” He said, starting to feel the tense mood for the first time. “I figured given your age, and the picture of you in the paper, holding the photo of your husband and daughter...” Nettlekiss took a sip of her tea, then sat the cup down. “Very good, Clue Chaser.” She smiled, looking at him with eyes that seemed to shimmer in the light. “You’ll make a good detective someday, because you’re right.” She let out a long tired sigh, and suddenly she seemed a lot older than before. As if she didn’t have enough strength to hide anymore. “My husband was the engineer of that train, so naturally our daughter and I were invited to ride the train on its first trip. It was a whole different class of train, and it should have been built with new safety regulations in mind.” “Only they didn’t,” Chaser replied. “Mr. Rich’s partner used the current ones.” She nodded, smiling bitterly. “It was to save money.. So going up the mountain, the train could not handle the weight, the turns, or the speed, or the brakes…so it was just a question of when it broke, and we found ourselves moving backwards, flying off the rails and down the side.” She looked at him, a tea in her eye. “I lost everything that day, Chaser.” He frowned, looking at her now, he couldn’t recognize the happy and sweet mare he had talked to for these past few weeks. She looked older, exhausted, and sad. He couldn't help but feel bad for her. “I’m sorry...” She nodded, looking down at her tea again. “Thank you, it means a lot...” As she took another sip, Chaser asked his final question. “Why did you take her?” Nettlekiss looked at him, eyebrow raised. “You don’t know?” “Well,” replied Chaser, almost feeling like a student being questioned by a teacher. “Revenge is the only motive I can figure out, but I don’t understand why. Diamond Tiara had nothing to do with it, and her father wasn’t involved.” Nettlekiss snorted, her expression became one of disgust. “Of course he had. His partner was a designer, so yes he should have known. Filthy Rich however, he was the business pony, he cared about profit. Who do you think wanted to save money?” She was getting agitated, the sadness in her eyes suddenly gone and replaced with the anger that had flickered before. “The inquiry didn’t find him to be responsible.” “Don’t be naive, Chaser. You’re just a foal, so you wouldn’t understand. The world isn’t black and white,” she told him, almost scornfully. “Of course they wouldn’t blame him, they were paid off.” “Do you have proof of that?” She stood up so fast Clue Chaser almost jumped to his hooves. The tea cup fell down, spilling its remaining contents out on the wooden floor. “My husband and daughter’s bodies are the only proof I need!” She moved around the table, coming closer to Chaser, who quickly got up and backed away. “The designer getting fired, and the company getting a fine, a slap on the hooves, that isn’t justice!” Clue Chaser backed away, and she kept coming. “They couldn’t do anything else, the law was only-” “Don’t lecture me, Chaser!” She yelled, making Chaser flinch. “You weren’t even born, you don’t know how the world works! Was it justice when the police ignored the death of your father? Ruling it as a suicide?” Chaser’s eyes widened, his heart sank, and he felt himself getting pressed against the wall. “I... I...” Nettlekiss sighed, looking down at the colt. “You’re smart, Chaser, but you don’t know everything. What did you even expect would happen here?” “W-what do you mean…?” “What did you expect would happen once you confronted me, hm? Did you think you would outsmart me into confessing while Apple Bloom looked for Diamond Tiara?” When Chaser didn’t answer, she shook her head, looking disappointed. “I have spent enough sessions to know you pretty well by now.. If I were to guess, you haven't even called the police, you rushed here thinking you would get the big breakthrough and solve the case by yourself.” “No, that isn’t...” The words died in throat, his mind racing, his heart pounding in his chest. What had he been thinking? Well, that was the problem, he didn’t think, he just rushed into the manticore’s den without a proper plan. He didn’t even stop to consider what to do. Worst of all, he had rushed here with Apple Bloom following right behind him. How could he have been so reckless?! He looked into her eyes, resigning himself to whatever fate she had in store for him, at least for now. “Don’t hurt Apple Bloom…” Nettlekiss shook her head again. “Chaser...” She sounded almost gentle again, however there was this impatient sternness to it, almost like a mother being disappointed in her foal. “I never intended to hurt you, and I don’t intend to hurt Apple Bloom.” “Then why-” She held up a hoof. “I have my own plans, and I would rather not involve you or your friend. So if you don’t make a fuss, you can wait with Apple Bloom in the basement until the police arrive in the morning, it will all be over by then.” Apple Bloom shuddered, she couldn’t believe this was actually happening. As soon as Chaser vanished up the stairs, she had sprung into action, her heart pounding as she did so. She didn’t know how much time Chaser could buy her, so she moved as quickly as she could. He seemed so sure about this, Apple Bloom couldn’t do much else than to trust him. If he was wrong, they would be in deep trouble, Apple Bloom didn’t want to imagine it… She spent the next few minutes going from room to room, checking everywhere Diamond Tiara might be held, but so far there was no sight of her. At times she would stop to listen, trying to hear what might be going on upstairs, but all she could hear was muffled voices. She couldn’t grasp the exact words, so she decided everything was going according to Chaser’s plan, and so she continued her search. About six, maybe ten minutes had passed when she finished with the main rooms and came to a stop in front of the last door. “Please be here...” Apple Bloom mumbled, hearing something upstairs falling to the floor. She reached up to the door knob, half expecting it to be locked, but to her luck, it wasn’t. She turned and opened the door, and instead of facing a room, she was faced with a staircase leading down into near total darkness. The cellar, she figured. She glanced towards the stairs Chaser and Dr. Nettlekiss had used, then backed down towards the cellar. She didn’t want to become trapped down there, but if Diamond Tiara really was down there, she wanted to get her out. As carefully as she could, as well as as fast, she moved down the stairs with a mix of speed and silence. At first her eyes could only see the utter darkness, but as they got used to it, she started to see more of the room. It felt dusty and dry, and it was clear by the smell that the windows hadn’t been open for a long time. As for the windows, they were at the top of the far side of one of the walls. Very small, and boarded over, recently too, judging by the wood. Apple Bloom looked around, glancing over her shoulder once in a while. “Diamond Tiara, are you down here?” she whispered. “Tiara?” She was just about to inspect the room, when a sudden movement made her gasp so loudly she almost shouted. “A-Apple Bloom?” a timid voice spoke. Out of a corner, a small filly appeared. She limped out of the shadows, her mane a mess, her eyes bloodshot, as if she had been crying. Their eyes met, both in a brief state of disbelief. Only a second later, Diamond Tiara’s eyes welled up with tears, and Apple Bloom was quick to rush to her. “Is it really you?” Diamond cried, feeling her hooves wrap around her as soon as she was close enough. “Yes, it’s me. I promise everything will be okay.” Apple Bloom said, feeling Diamond wrap her hooves tightly around her. Apple Bloom couldn't help it, she felt tears well up in her eyes too. They had never been on good terms, never really exchanged any friendly greetings. However as Apple Bloom held Diamond Tiara in her hooves, she could imagine the long days she must have spent down here. Alone, afraid of what was going to happen to her. “How did you find me?” Apple Bloom let go, smiling as she wiped away some tears. “Clue Chaser found you, it's a long story.” “Clue Chaser?” she asked in disbelief. “Yes, but it's a long story, and we don’t have time. Come on, the door is open, we need to leave before Nettlekiss comes down.” Apple Bloom explained, talking faster than she normally did as she felt a mix of urgency, fearn and excitement. “I can’t,” Diamond Tiara whimpered, holding up her chained hoof. Apple Bloom let out a made up curse-word, quickly looked around. “Alright, I’ll fix this.” she said, although mostly to herself. “Apple Bloom…” a third voice suddenly said, and the two fillies froze. By the stairs stood Clue Chaser, and he wasn’t alone. Right behind the colt, towering over him like a shadow stood Nettlekiss, giving the filled a stern look. “I’m sorry..” Said Clue Chaser. “I tried my best.” Nettle pushed Clue Chaser towards Apple Bloom, and the two foals almost collided. “I don’t want to hurt the two of you, but if you’ll make this difficult, I won’t hesitate.” Apple Bloom’s eyes widened as she saw the blade in her hoof. “Diamond,” the mare said, looking over at the cowering filly. “It’s time for us to go.” Diamond Tiara whimpered again, drawing back from the mare. Nettle was just about to approach when Chaser moved in front of the mare. “What are you planning to do to her?” He demanded, glaring at her. “That’s none of your concern, Clue Chaser. Now move, or you will get hurt.” Her voice was calm, yet full of held back anger. Chaser’s ears fell back, as he tried to resist the urge to do as she said, and remain safe. “I won’t let you hurt her.” A low amused chuckle escaped from Nettle’s lips. “I have to admire your courage, Clue Chaser, but this isn’t like in your detective stories. You’re alone, you’re just a foal, and no one is coming to help you. Not before tomorrow anyway, at which point it will all be over, for me...” She eyed Diamond Tiara. “And for her.” “You’re wrong!” Apple Bloom suddenly said, carefully moving closer to Chaser and Diamond Tiara. “The police are coming.” Clue Chaser eyed his friend. Was she bluffing? Nettle thought the same thing, because she let out a snort. “Nice try, Apple Bloom, but I know Chaser didn’t call them before you rushed over here.” Apple Bloom nodded. “That’s true, he didn’t, but I did.” There was utter silence for a second or two. Nettle looked at her in shock. “You did what? When?!” “I did it right after you went upstairs,” Apple Bloom admitted, trying not to sound afraid. “You’re lying!” Nettle hissed, which made Apple Bloom glare back at her. “We don’t lie in my family!” She looked at her in a mix of disbelief and anger. Suddenly the mare was in a rush, something she hadn’t been expecting. She turned back towards Chaser, lifting up the knife in a threatening manner. “Move, Chaser, I won’t tell you again!” “No!” Chaser insisted. “I won’t let you take her!” “Do you want to get hurt?!” she was almost screaming, taking a step forward. “I don’t want to hurt you, Clue Chaser, but if you stand in my way..” The threat was obvious, and Chaser could feel his legs shake a bit. His heart was beating so fast he thought it was going to burst out of his chest. Still he didn’t move away, he couldn’t. Then suddenly Apple Bloom came to his side, trying to remain stern, but her voice was shaky. “Please don’t do this,” she said. There was a sound from outside, shadows passing the windows, and voices talking. The police were here, but no one dared yell out for help. Not with Nettle holding a knife to them. She looked at them, desperation burning in her eyes. “Move, I have to do this!” She lunged forward, a desperate attempt to push past the two foals to get to Diamond Tiara. “NO!” Yelled Clue Chaser, pushing into Nettle, Apple Bloom did the same. The move must have come as a surprise for Nettle, as she was pushed back, almost losing her balance. Clue Chaser yelped, feeling a sharp pain on his hoof. “Chaser!” gasped Apple Bloom. “You’re bleeding!” Chaser glanced down and noticed the cut. It wasn’t deep, although he did bleed. He couldn’t look at it, but he also didn’t care. They had bigger problems. Nettlekiss growled, looking both desperate and angry, a combination that rarely ended well. “You don’t want to do this!” declared Clue Chaser, making the mare pause. “It is right! My little filly died because her father wanted to save money! I lost my husband, and everything!” she screamed, pointing the knife at Diamond Tiara. “This won’t bring her back!” said Apple Bloom, frowning. “Diamond Tiara had nothing to do wi-” “I’m sorry…” came a timid voice from behind Apple Bloom and Clue Chaser. They all looked behind them, and saw Diamond Tiara on her hooves, trotting forward, past Clue Chaser. The chain did not allow her to go much further, but she was as close to Nettle as she could. “I’m sorry for what happened to you…it isn’t fair.” Nettle seemed just as surprised as Chaser and Apple Bloom. “No it isn’t...” Nettle simply said, seeming to try to hold on to her bitterness. “My daughter was my everything..” Her voice was starting to shake, her growling seeming to become sobs. “She was so beautiful and happy…” Diamond Tiara nodded, tears appearing in her eyes. “She must have been pretty nice if she had a mother like you.” She said, wiping some tears away. “I wish I had a mother like you. My mother never listens to me, she just expects me to be like her.. Sometimes I wonder if it would have been better if I wasn’t even born at all..” “Don’t say that..” Nettle sighed, her knife lowering. Tears started to run down her cheeks, the sobs becoming louder. “I…I…” Diamond Tiara tried to move forward as much as she could, but the chain kept her from approaching even farther. Instead, she sat down, and opened her forehooves. The mare looked with shock, seeing the little filly smile at her, inviting her for an embrace. It broke her, the knife dropped to the floor, and Nettle followed soon after, crying uncontrollably. Chaser pushed the knife out of her reach, just in case, and then watched as Diamond Tiara leaned down, and hugged Nettle. “I’m.. I’m so sorry!” Nettle cried, hiding her face in Diamond’s coat, hugging her back with a sort of desperation neither Chaser or Apple Bloom had seen before. Diamond Tiara didn’t pull away, she simply stroked Nettle’s mane, letting her cry. It seemed the danger was over, and Diamond Tiara was safe. Everything went by so fast after that. Apple Bloom had left the cellar to get the police, who were all waiting to storm the house, or negotiate. They had heard the screams of Nettle, and assumed it was a hostage situation. It must have come as a great relief when Apple Bloom came out, and told them everypony was fine. It felt bittersweet when the police stormed the house and cuffed Nettle, who was seemingly too tired to fight back. Everything was a bit of a blur after that. The police helped the kids outside, asked them all sorts of questions, doing their best to make the foals feel safe while tending to their wounds. Clue Chaser told the police everything, even the part about stealing the diary, something they were not too happy about. There was a break in the conversation, and the three foals were left with a nurse. Chaser looked at Diamond Tiara, who was watching as Nettle was being led into a police carriage. He frowned. “I’m sorry for what happened to you..” She shook her head. “I feel more sorry for her,” she replied, simply looking down on the ground. They sat silently, each of them trying to come to terms with what had just happened. Finally after maybe about a minute, Diamond Tiara looked at Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom. “Thank you for saving me.” Chaser chuckled. “I think you were the one saving us in the end.” He then looked at Apple Bloom. “And if you hadn’t called the police..” He shook his head. “I’m sorry I rushed us into this.” Apple Bloom shook her head, nudging him with a hoof. “It’s okay, let’s say you owe me one then.” “It’s a deal,” he said, leaning back, letting out a tired sigh. He felt exhausted, his adrenaline had gone down, and he wanted nothing more than to sleep. Then he winced, feeling his cut on his hoof. “Ah, horse apples..” The fillies giggled, but looked at his cut with concern. “Are you alright?” Asked Apple Bloom. “Yeah, it’s fine, it isn’t deep or anything.” “Thank you for protecting me,” Diamond Tiara almost whispered. “Don’t mention it.. I couldn’t do anything e-” Smooch~ Apple Bloom let out a small, almost inaudible gasp as Chaser felt the lips of Diamond Tiara on his cheek. He blushed, unsure what to do or say. Diamond Tiara sat back, blushing as well. “Uhm, well..” She mumbled. “It’s a reward for, you know, saving me..” Chaser looked at her, unable to speak. “I.. Uhm..” “Tiara!” a stallion called. She looked up, a big smile spreading across her face and tears of joy welling up in her eyes. “DADDY!” she cried out, getting up and ran to her father. Chaser and Apple Bloom watched as Diamond Tiara ran to her parents, and the three embraced. After all that had happened, Chaser was happy to see Diamond Tiara’s mother also getting emotional, hugging her daughter tightly. He looked at Apple Bloom, who smiled as well. “I’m glad it all worked out.” She said, running her hoof over her mane. “I never knew how hard Diamond Tiara had it, I always thought she was just a big meanie.” Chaser nodded. “I know how you feel.. I always thought you girls were just all annoying, but then I got to know you, and I found out you were only kind of annoying.” Apple Bloom punched his shoulder. “Ow!” The two shared a laugh, which lasted a few seconds until their families arrived. “Apple Bloom!” “Clue Chaser!” Both foals were pulled into big hugs, and examinations. Questions upon question, upon questions not to mention a stern talking to. Neither their families or the police were happy with the fact they had put themselves in danger. However, none of them could deny the fact they had found Diamond Tiara, and quite possibly saved her life. Wednesday: The evening continued with a visit to the hospital, a meal, and a stern talking to. By the next day, everyone in Ponyville knew what had happened. The local newspaper printed the story, and Chief-Inspector Stone Heart talked to both Chaser and Apple Bloom before school. He was impressed by their courage, but also let them know what they did was not only dangerous, but reckless, and they had been very lucky. Diamond Tiara was safe, and so were they, that was all that mattered in the end. Both of them could count on a reward for their actions. Although that didn’t mean they escaped punishment… The whole class treated both Clue Chaser and Apple Bloom as heroes. Ms. Cheerilee had of course also made sure to mention never to do something so reckless again, but otherwise she allowed them both to feel good about saving a classmate. Chaser had to admit, it felt pretty good, even though there had to be a lot of lessons learned from this case. Still, he had helped save a life, and he allowed himself to feel good about that. Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle were of course also in awe of their accomplishment, although Scootaloo was a little disappointed that they had not been included in the case. Still they were both impressed, and asked a ton of questions. When school ended however, it was time to head straight home and begin their punishment.. “That is just so unfair!” exclaimed Scootaloo. “You saved Diamond Tiara and you are still going to be punished?” Clue Chaser shrugged. “Well, we aren’t being punished for saving her.” Apple Bloom nodded. “It’s not so bad, we’ll be able to hang out again next week.” “Maybe, but still, grounded for a week? It just doesn't seem right,” Sweetie Belle commented. Chaser smirked. “I think we got off pretty easily. It’s only a few days after all, and Diamond Tiara is safe.” “Speaking of,” Scootaloo smirked. “Is it true that she kissed you?” Chaser blushed, looking away in embarrassment. “Well, she was just overcome by emotions…” he mumbled, not sure what else to say. He had never had a filly kiss him before, it was still a strange feeling he was coming to terms with. Apple Bloom let out what could only be interpreted as an almost annoyed snort. “She was just happy to be saved, and it was just a peck on the cheek!” She argued, her face a little red. “Well, why didn’t she kiss you then?” Sweetie Belle asked, and Scaootaloo burst out laughing, making both Chaser and Apple Bloom blush even more. When her laughter died down enough, Scootaloo wiped away a tear from her intense laughing. “Oh.. Well, Chaser saved you too, and you didn’t kiss him, Apple Bloom.” “Okay, stop it.” Chaser said, looking at Scootaloo. “It was very emotional, and a lot happened. It was just one small peck.” He turned his head to look at Apple Bloom. “Isn’t that right, Apple Bloo-Mmfh?!” “Mfmh!” “Oh my...” Author's Note It has been a long wait, but the newest and longest chapter is finally here! Special Thanks To: Editor: PonyJosiah13 Inspiration/Creator of Phillip Finder: PonyJosiah13 is the writer of the story that played a huge part in inspiring this story. Be sure to check out Ponyville Noire: Tails of Two Private Eyes, it's an amazing read, and that is just one of many of his nail-biting detective stories! The one I posted features Phillip Finder's first meeting with Daring Do!
