Equestria Noir Case 8 "Scoots and Murders"by Jacoboby1ChaptersChapter 1 "In The Dark of the Night"Chapter 2 "The Many Secrets of Scootaloo"Chapter 3 "Guns of the Loftwings"Chapter 4 "Ball of the Bells"Chapter 5 "Flight of the Pegasi"Chapter 6 "Storm of Vengeance"EpilogueChapter 1 "In The Dark of the Night"Equestria Noir Case 8 “Scoots and Murders” Chapter 1 “In The Dark of the Night” “Worst movie adaptation ever!!” Dash complained as we left the theater. Rainbow wanted me to come with her to see the movie adaptation of “Daring Do and the Kingdom of the Crystal Horn”. To say she was disappointed was like saying the sky was blue. I rolled my eyes “It wasn’t that bad…” “NOT THAT BAD?!” Dash exclaimed in my face as if I said the wonderbolts sucked. “The writing was terrible! The stunts were awful! Whose idea was it to have Shy Laburn play her son?! Why did she even have a son in the first place?!” I shrugged as we walked away from Ponyville’s cinema. “Maybe they wanted her character to expand or something? She was getting older Dash, something was bound to happen” Dash let out an exacerbated sigh “And then there was the refrigerator…” “You’re not going to let that go are you?” “A refrigerator Private! A freaking REFRIGERATOR!! You can’t survive a nuclear explosion inside a refrigerator!” I rolled my eyes, she’d been complaining ever since we got outside of the theater. I for one found the movie relatively enjoyable despite all of the problems with it. I wasn’t going to tell Rainbow Dash that…she’d have me watch a marathon of the original trilogy of films just to prove her point. Am I the only pony in the world that thought that “Daring Do and the Sanctuary of Doom” was the worst of the lot? _________________________________________________ “Hey listen” Dash said hovering beside me as we made our way through Ponyville’s dark streets. “I’m sorry for dragging you to see that. Had I known it was going to be that bad…” I shook my head “Nah, I needed something to do since there haven’t been any cases recently” I smiled at the cyan colored Pegasus “Besides, we haven’t really got to enjoy time together since Cloudsdale” “It’s good to have you back in Ponyville Private” Dash said giving me affectionate shove with her hoof. “It’s more exciting with you around” I smiled at her. Dash was a good friend of mine at this point. I don’t think I could ever pick a more loyal friend to have. She wasn’t the most…refined of ponies but she came through when it counted. Dash looked over at me “Listen, if you ever want me back on a case again you just say the word” “I’d be happy to have you…” BANG BANG!!!! Both of our ears turned to a nearby alley. “Gunshots!” Dash exclaimed We both ran towards the alley way and it twisted and turned. I rounded the corner with Blackbird out. I saw a Pegasus flying away from a dead body. He was covered head to hoof in a black body suit. I aimed my gun at him and fired a few shots but the Pegasus too fast. “Dash go after him!” I shouted as I walked to the body. “On it!” Dash zoomed into the cloudy night sky after the killer. She disappeared among the clouds as I looked at the body. She was a Pegasus with a cherry pink coat and a short brown mane tied back in a bun. She wore a simple brown jacket and appeared to be covering something with her body. She had two shots in her head from a close range gunshot “At least cause of death isn’t going to be a question…” I looked over as Dash landed back on the ground breathing heavily. She shook her head in frustration “I lost him in the clouds! I can’t believe it!” I put a hoof on Dash’s shoulder “Don’t worry Dash, we go with what we have” Dash looked at me with those magenta eyes of hers. She slowly nodded “Yeah, you’re right…hey what’s this?” She gestured to what the Pegasus was laying on. “Looks like the she was trying to protect whatever was in this bag” Dash grabbed the bag in her teeth; its contents were very large so she had to use some effort to drag out the bag from under the body. I leaned over the knot sealing the bag and used my magic to untie it. I opened the bag and Dash let out a gasp. “Oh no! Squirt oh no!’ For inside the bag…was an unconscious Scootaloo. “Don’t be dead!” Dash ran to the filly and lifted her tiny head in her forelegs. Her magenta eyes looked over the orange filly desperately searching for signs of life. I put my ear to her mouth and felt air coming out. “She’s not dead Rainbow…just unconscious. Probably drugged by something” Dash’s nostrils flared “Who would drug her?! If I find whoever kidnapped her I’m gonna…” she just pounded the ground to exemplify her point. I looked at the orange filly. Her violet mane was in disarray…she must’ve been kidnapped while she was sleeping. She wasn't hurt beyond being drugged. My grey eyes turned up to Dash. “Dash…I want you to follow my instructions exactly” Dash nodded but still held Scootaloo like she was her own child. “Anything for squirt here…” “I want you to take her to my house. Tailspin should be there to let you in. Then I want you to call Twilight and Fluttershy and tell them what happened. Tailspin should be able to help you get Scootaloo comfortable until they arrive” Dash shook her head “Shouldn’t we take her to a hospital!?” “Whoever killed this mare” I gestured to the dead body “Probably is looking for Scootaloo as well. A hospital will probably be the first place he’s looking for” “But why Twilight and Fluttershy, shouldn’t we get a real doctor?” “Twilight will be able to determine the drug that was used on Scoot. Fluttershy has had some medical training so she should be able to help out” Dash nodded slowly “I think I understand…” “Then go!” I said pointing out of the alley. Dash nodded firmly and picked up Scootaloo in her forelegs gently “It’s going to be okay kid…I’m going to get you help…” Dash then flew out of the alley at a quick pace. I returned to the body and used my magic to open the mare’s jacket and look inside. Aside from the usual lipstick and makeup cases you would normally find on a mare. There was also a medallion of some sort. I looked it over. It was a medallion with two wings interlocked with each other. I bit into the medallion “It’s made of real gold? She must be somepony very important…” I slipped the medallion inside a plastic bag and put the bag inside my coat. I also noticed she had a firearm inside her coat. “Looks like she was expecting trouble” I opened the chamber with my magic “No shots fired…never got to be used to defend herself” There was nothing else I could do but see if I could get the body identified. She didn’t have a wallet or any id on her. I walked to a nearby phone booth and made the call to Forceps. After three rings I got an answer “Ya better have a good reason for interrupting me at this hour!” “Forceps, it’s me Private” “Private? What are you doing out so late?” “I should ask you the same thing…” “Well I have…company…” “Company?” I said with a raised eyebrow. I heard a voice sound from the background…it sounded scarily familiar. “Get back ere you crazy farm animal!” I cringed…”Is that Granny Smith?” Forceps spoke outside the phone “I’ll be right there my little apple pie….” I felt…violated somehow “Look, when you got a moment form…whatever the hell you’re doing…I got a body for you” “A body? Where at?” Forceps said his interest peaking “In the alley by the Pharmacy, see if you can get uniforms to comb the place” “Will do Private! But uh…there might be a delay…” “I really don’t want to know Forceps…” I said as I hung up. I walked out of the phone booth and ran for my house. __________________________________________________ I arrived at my house and saw Scootaloo lying on my couch with a blanket on her. Fluttershy and Twilight were looking her over while Rainbow paced frantically. Tailspin who was beside Scoot looked up at me “Private…she’s not waking up” I walked over to Scootaloo who was sleeping soundly. I looked over at Twilight “What’s the verdict doc?” Twilight smiled a little “The drugs won’t kill her; she’s just sleeping right now” Fluttershy gently stroked Scoot’s mane. “We did all we could to make her comfortable…but she hasn’t stirred at all no matter how many times we’ve talked to her” I nodded “Let’s give her some space; I’ll get something cooking for everypony…” We went into the kitchen and I managed to get some hot chocolate going for everybody. Tailspin hadn’t left Scootaloo’s side though. He just sat in his chair looking at her. Twilight looked at me as she took a sip from her mug. “Tailspin hasn’t left Scootaloo since Rainbow brought her in” I smirked a little “Tailspin’s got a little crush on her but he won’t admit it to anypony” Fluttershy sighed a little “That’s so wonderful…young love…” Dash made a noticeable gag as she chugged down her hot chocolate. “Love? Aren’t they a little young for that?” Fluttershy shook her head “Love can spout at any age Rainbow” She smiled a little “Some of my animals fell in love when they were only a few days old…” “What about you Fluttershy?” I asked curiously “You got a special somepony?” Fluttershy’s butter yellow face turned tomato scarlet. She sank in her chair and hid behind her mane “N-no…” Rainbow raised an eyebrow “But weren’t you eyeing Big Mac the other day?” Fluttershy let out a squeak of embarrassment “No! I mean yes I mean…oh dear…” She literally hid under the kitchen table she was that self conscious. Twilight frowned at Rainbow “You know how sensitive she is about stuff like that” Rainbow shrugged “It’s the truth isn’t it?” So…Big Mac and Fluttershy? I shrugged and took a sip of the hot chocolate. I guess I could see it. My grey eyes looked over at my brother who was still looking at Scootaloo. The little guy sighed a little as he stared at the filly he liked. I got up from the table and levitated another mug of hot chocolate. I walked to my brother’s side and put the mug in his lap. He picked up the mug and took a small sip “Thanks Bro…” I rubbed my brother on the back “Tailspin she’s going to be fine…” “Who would do this to her?” Tailspin said his blue eyes not leaving the orange filly. “It’s just sick…drugging her and taking her from her home like that…” “I know you care about her Tailspin…” Tailspin opened his mouth to deny it. I gave him a look that dared him to try “But you just got to trust me to solve this okay? I’ll find out who did this to her and why” Tailspin slowly nodded and took another sip from his mug “You’re right…I just hate not being able to help her” I smiled at my little brother “Just you being here shows how much you care about her. She’ll come around sooner or later…” Tailspin’s face slowly turned into a smile. Dash entered the room and sat beside me looking down at Scootaloo. She looked over at me “Any change?” I shook my head “Nothing…still sleeping like a baby” “I hate seeing her like this…” Dash said as a tear came to her eye. “She really does mean a lot to you doesn’t she?” I asked rubbing Dash’s back in comfort. She nodded “Yeah, she’s my number one fan…this squirt was always there at every event I performed at…” She wiped her tears away with her hoof “To see her like this…it’s like somepony kicked me right in the face” I looked over at Tailspin who got the hint. He rolled to the kitchen to give Dash some space. Dash bent down to the filly and gently nuzzled her on top of the head. “You’re going to be okay kid…just wake up…” ….”Dash…?” “Kid!” Dash exclaimed as Scootaloo’s eyes slowly opened. The little orange Pegasus sat up and looked around. Fluttershy, Twilight and Tailspin all ran/rolled into the room. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash. Her violet eyes wide in shock “Rainbow Dash! You saved me?!” Dash smiled at the little filly and wiped a tear away from her eye “You scared me a couple of times kid…” She reached over and hugged Scootaloo tightly “I’m glad you’re okay” Scootaloo let out a small squeal at being held by her idol. But then she calmed down and returned the hug Rainbow was willing to give her. “I’m okay Rainbow Dash…I’m fine” The two let go after a few minutes and Fluttershy did a check up on Scootaloo. “You don’t seem to be hurt anywhere” She smiled at the young filly “Just try and get lots of rest for the next couple of days” Scootaloo nodded “I will Fluttershy you can count on that” Tailspin spoke up “Who kidnapped you?” Scootaloo frowned at Tailspin “Oh…hi Tailspin…” My little brother blushed at being addressed by Scootaloo “I was uh…here to help to…” Scootaloo sighed “You don’t need to help me out all the time Tailspin. I’m not helpless you know” Tailspin wasn’t listening, just gazing lovingly at Scootaloo. I facehoofed…my brother was hopeless, I declare him TLC: totally lost cause. I walked closer to Scootaloo “Even still Scootaloo, could you tell us why we found you in a bag in an alley?” Scootaloo looked down at her blanket “I uh…don’t want to talk about it…” Twilight looked at the orange filly in earnest “Scootaloo…anything you can tell us could help us find out who would want to kidnap you in the first place” Scootaloo looked at Rainbow as if asking for permission. Rainbow gave a slow nod and Scoot turned to me. I levitated out my notebook to write down her testimony. “I finished my homework and went to bed a few hours ago…After I fell asleep I heard somepony break into my room. They came in and put some kind of rag to my mouth. I inhaled whatever it was and then my head got heavy and I fell asleep again…” Twilight prodded “Did you see the pony that kidnapped you?” Scootaloo nodded slowly “I didn’t just see her…I knew her…” Rainbow’s eyes went wide “You know who tried to kidnap you!?” The orange filly nodded again “She was…my nanny…” Chapter 2 "The Many Secrets of Scootaloo"Chapter 2 “The Many Secrets of Scootaloo” All of our jaws dropped at the same time. Rainbow was the first pony to speak “Your nanny tried to kidnap you!?” Scoot slowly nodded “Well, she was my nanny anyways” I wrote this down in my notebook “When was the last time you’ve talked with her?” “Besides telling her to let me go?” Scoot said trying to lift the mood a little “I haven’t talked to her since I was six” “Why did you have a nanny in the first place?” I asked my curiosity peaking “Don’t your parents take care of you? Are they working parents?” Scoot’s eyes went down. This was obviously something she wasn’t used to talking about even among friends. “My…mom died when I was little and dad is…well…” Rainbow put a hoof on the little filly’s shoulder. Scootaloo looked comfortable with Dash around her like that. Dash smiled at her “It’s okay squirt, Private’s here to help” Scootaloo nodded and turned her eyes back to me “My dad got really shaken up by mom dying and well…he had us leave our home and come to Ponyville in order to get away…he’s been a mess ever since” Tailspin raised an eyebrow “I’ve never seen your dad…you always went home alone…” Scoot nodded, “Yeah, I usually have to go home before he did something…drastic…” Rainbow rubbed the filly’s back trying to comfort her. I was thankful that Rainbow cared so much for the young filly. I doubt I could’ve gotten this information out of the filly without Dash here to help her admit to her problems. I decided to move on from her father “Where did you live before you came to Ponyville?” “Canterlot…I lived in Canterlot…” Twilight’s jaw dropped “You’re from Canterlot!? But if you lived there then you must’ve been…what’s your last name anyway Scootaloo?” Scootaloo looked to Dash again. Dash nodded with a smile as if giving her permission. Scoot looked at Twilight and confessed “My full name is Scootaloo Themeara Loftwing” “Loftwing!?” Twilight’s voice spiked in shock “The Loftwings are one of the most influential families in all of Canterlot…but I thought they were all unicorns…” I shook my head “Not all of them, it was in the papers that one of the family members went against tradition and married a Pegasus” Rainbow looked at me with a raised eyebrow “What’s the big deal? Ponies marry interracially all the time. Why would it be a huge controversy for squirt's dad?” “Maybe for you and me it’s no big deal” I said knowingly “But back when my dad was my age there was a huge schism between Pegasi and their ground dwelling cousins. Most traditional families in Canterlot wouldn’t see past racial prejudices and kept their families from intermarrying with them” “You’re mother was a Pegasus right?” Twilight said looking over at me “Your father must’ve broke tradition as well if he married her” I quickly changed the subject. As much as this was relevant I really didn’t want to talk about my father. I looked back at Scoot “Your father left the family in order to marry your mother?” Scootaloo nodded “Yeah, I lived in Canterlot for a short time when they let him back in. But after mom died well…dad broke down” “When was the last time you’ve talked to your family?” “At least four years ago, and that was when Dad and I walked out the door to move to Ponyville” ______________________________________________________ “It seems so silly to me” Dash said as we walked down Ponyville’s street. We left Twilight and Fluttershy to stay guard over Scootaloo in case anypony tried anything. Tailspin was more than happy to stay behind and guard the love of his life. Like I said, T.L.C. “What seems so silly?” I asked “This whole issue about marrying outside of your race” Dash said shaking her head “I can’t believe that ponies can get so hung up over whether you have wings or a horn that they would kick a family member out of their own home” “It was a huge conflict…at least Canterlot wasn’t as bad as Manehatten” “How bad was it over there?” Dash asked nervously “Oh you had gang fights in the streets, shootouts, rumbles…you name it the unicorns and earth ponies were doing something bad to try and get at their Pegasi brethren” “All because we have wings?” Dash said flapping her wings to exemplify her point “It goes deeper than that…the upper crust changes about as often as a solar eclipse” I sighed “One of the reasons I’m glad to be out of that world…” “Let’s change the subject” Dash said “What’s the deal with Tailspin?” “My brother falling head over hoof for Scootaloo?” I laughed “He’s been like that ever since his first day with her” “Yeah but she doesn’t seem to like it so much” Dash said looking at me “What’s up with that?” “Dash, Scootaloo admires you, you’re an independent self made mare” I said sagely “She must think that in order to be like you she has to appear tough. Tailspin is used to mares eating out of his hoof because he’s so eager to give them what they want. What tough girl would want that?” “Wow” Dash flushed a little “I didn’t think about it that way. I knew she was my number one fan but…wow” “You seem attached to Scootaloo” I observed “An outside observer would think you two were sisters by the way you two act” “Well I always liked the little squirt” Dash said trying to hide her embarrassment “She reminded me a little of myself when I was that small. Over time I guess I just grew attached to the little kid” “It’s good that she has somepony like you as a hero, she really seemed to trust you” I said smiling “Well when you’re somepony as awesome as I am what’s not to like?” Dash said proudly There was the ego I knew Dash by. I looked ahead at a small apartment building in front of us. I held up the address that Scootaloo provided for us. “Apartment four…” “She lives in this dump?” Dash said as we entered the apartment. I knew college dorms that smelled less bad. The building itself was heavily run down and some of the paint was peeling off. I could not believe a young filly lived here. This wasn't the place to raise a kid. I came to Scootaloo’s apartment and knocked on the door. No sound greeted me…I knocked again…no sound again. I pulled out Blackbird and turned to buck down the door. The door fell after one buck and I aimed my gun inside…I found an orange unicorn sleeping on the coach…he looked just like Scootaloo. I put my gun away and walked to the sleeping unicorn. I nudged him and he drowsily arose from his slumber “What…who the hell are you…?” His words were slurred…he’d been drinking. “Detective Private Eye, I want to ask you some questions about your daughter being kidnapped…” “Aww hell…I really got to lay off the scotch…” ________________________________________ The unicorn’s name was Jockey, and after sobering him up he managed to sit down on the coach while Dash and I sat opposite him. “The hell do you want with me?” I spoke firmly “Last night somepony tried to kidnap your daughter” Suddenly his violet eyes grew wide “Where is she now?!” “She’s safe at my home” I said assuredly “We have two guards posted so that she’ll be safe” I wasn’t going to tell him that the guards were a socially awkward unicorn and a doormat Pegasus. “I was hoping you could answer some questions” He nodded slowly “I’ll tell you what I can detective…” “Where were you last night when your daughter was kidnapped?” I asked “I was passed out on the couch…Tonight was supposed to be the night I got off the bottle. I was having one last drink…I guess it led to several last drinks” Dash was about to tackle the irresponsible parent but I held her back with my magic. I moved on “Your daughter said her nanny was the pony who kidnapped her” “Feather Duster? Why would she kidnap her? She loved Scootaloo” The orange unicorn said confused. I levitated a picture that I took of the nanny before I left. “Is this her?” His eyes scanned the picture and he nodded “Yeah, that’s her…why…oh Celestia she’s been shot?” I nodded solemnly “Yeah, an assassin killed her as she tried to take Scootaloo away. Who would kill a nanny?” Jockey thought for a moment but then his eyes became small pupils. “My family…they would do something like this…” “Why would your family try to kill and kidnap a filly?!” Dash retorted “Because…Scootaloo is the only heir to the family…she’ll inherit all the fortune once the head of the family, my father Blitzwing, dies” _____________________________________________________ “I can’t honestly believe that guy is Scootaloo’s father!” Dash said punching the earth outside the apartment in frustration. “Who goes off and gets drunk while their daughter gets kidnapped!?” I looked over at Dash “You can choose your friends Dash; you can’t choose your relatives” Dash’s wings drooped a little “At least…she has a dad…” My eyebrow rose. “You don’t have a dad?” Dash shook her head “No, I lost my dad when I was very small…Mom died when I was just a filly…” She started tearing up a little. I rubbed the Pegasus’ back for comfort. “Dash I had no idea…” “Its okay” She wiped her magenta eyes “I’m used to it at this point…” I smiled at her “What’s say that we follow up on this lead?” She nodded “But how are we going to meet them?” She folded her forelegs in thought “We can’t just walk into their mansion…they probably are expecting somepony to come looking after all of this” “Wow Dash, you’re starting to sound more like a detective every day” I said smiling at her “Well yeah, I get it from hanging out with eggheads like you and Twilight” She said smirking “I am not an egghead!” I yelled as Dash ran off with me in hot pursuit. ________________________________________________________ Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow and I all sat at my kitchen table. I filled Fluttershy and Twilight in on what happened at the apartment. Fluttershy frowned “Oh that’s so awful that Scootaloo has to live there…” Twilight shook her head “When I have foals I’m going to make sure my husband stays as far away from alcohol as possible” I wasn’t going to tell her about the vision of our daughter. Then again this could be a not so subtle hint for me to stay away from alcohol. I shook my head “Either way we need to find some way to meet up with the family…” A light bulb appeared over Twilights head. “I know just the place!” She dug into her saddle bags and pulled out a flier. I read the flier aloud while Dash and Fluttershy read over my shoulder “Come one Come all to the Canterlot’s finest event. The Ball of the Bells is an event where Canterlot’s elite are invited to dance and have a good time…” “The Loftwings will defiantly be there!” Twilight said triumphantly “One problem though” I observed “None of us are Canterlot nobility…you maybe Twilight but your family doesn’t exactly scream elite” “You have a point there” Twilight said defeated “Even if I am Celestia’s student that couldn’t get me into a party like that” I suddenly got an idea…it was a long shot but it could get us in “I think I know who could get us into the party…” Dash looked over at me expectantly “Who? Who?” I put down the flier and said two words “Raiden…Bolt” Twilight’s jaw dropped again and then she squealed like a fan girl “The Raiden Bolt?! As in the world famous rock star?!” . I sighed “That’s him…” Fluttershy squeaked in delight “I have all his albums…I don’t really listen to rock and roll all that often but his lyrics are so well done and…” She blushed a little “He’s kind of cute…” “I begged my brother for weeks to take me to his concert one time! I even got to touch his hoof onstage” Twilight said laughing in delight Both mares squealed in absolute delight at the mention of Raiden. But then they stopped and looked over at me. Twilight spoke first “How do you know Raiden Bolt?” “Well…we were kind of…” I said nervously “What?” Fluttershy asked her aqua eyes begging for an answer. ….”Childhood friends…” WHAT?!!?!? Every mare in the room including Rainbow Dash was looking at me. Twilight then got in my face “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Raiden Bolt personally?!” “Because I knew at least two or more mares in the room would react like you two did” I said flatly “Oh…” was all Twilight could say. Rainbow snapped out of her stupor “You think he can get us in?” “I have yet to see Raiden do any wrong when it comes to things like this. If there’s anypony who knows how to handle Canterlot nobles…it’s him” “What’s a rock star doing getting involved in Canterlot nobility?” Twilight said tilting her head. “I never said he was involved by choice” _______________________________________________ I left Scootaloo and her father with a protection detail that morning. Tailspin insisted on staying behind with Scootaloo despite her objections. I also had Luca stay behind; nothing was scarier to a criminal then a wolf attacking them. We arrived in Canterlot that evening via train. The four of us stepped off the train and Rainbow Dash looked around “How are we going to find him? Canterlot is huge” A horde of fan girls ran passed us like a heard of stampeding buffalo. They were all wearing black t shirts with yellow lightning bolts on them. When they passed I smiled at Rainbow who had her mouth agape. “Just follow the herd…” _____________________________________________________ We arrived at an outdoor concert hall. Fan girls crowded the stage so bad it took two Minotaur security guards to keep them from running on stage. Twilight and Fluttershy ran to the front and joined in with the craziness. Rainbow sighed “What’s so great about this guy anyway? So what if he can sing? I can sing it’s no big deal” “You haven’t heard Raiden…” I said ominously Suddenly the stage went dark. Streams of smoke met spotlights as a Pegasi took the stage. His dark coat almost blended in with the darkness of the stage. He lifted a guitar off a stand and walked to the microphone. “This one goes out to all the awesome ponies out there that could come tonight! Are you ready to rock?!” He shouted into the mike The crowd screamed and cheered as the spotlight revealed Raiden in all his glory. He was my age with a dark coat and large wings. His most distinguishing feature was the yellow bolts of lightning he had on his sides and flank. His wings spread out to show that he also had yellow feathers mixed with his black ones. His yellow eyes looked out to the crowd and he riffed on his guitar and he began to sing. Open up your eyes take a look at me If the picture fits in your memory I’ve been driven by the rhythm like the beat of a heart! And I won’t stop until I start To stand out… To stand out! He began to move about the crowd as the fan girls squealed in delight. I was going to punch this guy if he even so much as toughed Twilight. I looked over at Rainbow…she was in a total daze at the pony on stage. Some ponies settle for the typical thing Living all their lives waiting in the wings It ain’t a question of if, just a matter of time Before I move to the front of the line!!! Sparks flew out behind Raiden to allow him to stand out even more. He was truly a master on stage. And once you’re watchin every move that I make! You gotta believe that I got what it takes! Suddenly Raiden was in the air flying over the crowd while still playing his electric guitar. His eyes passed over me as he flew over. He smiled and I waved to him. I couldn’t hate the guy after he pulled of something as impressive as that. To stand out! Above the crowd! Even if I gotta shout it out loud! Til mine is the only face you see Gonna stand out… His eyes suddenly found Rainbow…his jaw dropped a little but he shook his head and continued. Till you notice me… Suddenly my friend descended until he was hovering upside down in front of Dash. The cyan colored Pegasus flushed bright red as suddenly she was the center of attention by this guy. He smiled and continued his song If I could stop and have you take a look at me instead of just… Walkin by… There’s nothin that I wouldn’t do if it was getting you to notice He sounded out the last bit of lyrics I’m alive… Suddenly he flew again back to the stage and continued. Several ponies were staring at Rainbow Dash who was blushing furiously. But all eyes soon returned to Raiden. All I need is half a chance a second thought a second glance To prove, I got whatever it takes!! He landed on the stage and smirked “It’s a piece of cake…” Suddenly lightning bolts came out of his wings as he finished up the song. The stage was alight with lights and neon to the point of near blinding. Raiden’s shadow ripped on the guitar as he continued. To stand out! Above the crowd! Even if I gotta shot it out loud! Til mine is the only face you see! Gonna stand out! Suddenly the lights died down until Raiden was the only pony on stage. He smiled at the crowd “Til you notice me…” And notice they did, everypony in the crowd stomped in sheer appreciation. I looked over at Rainbow Dash who just looked stunned. I nudged her with a hoof to get her out of her daze. “You okay?” Two words came out of Dash’s mouth that described the entire experience in a nutshell…”So…Awesome…” Chapter 3 "Guns of the Loftwings"Chapter 3 “Guns of the Loftwings” We walked behind the stage to where Raiden’s trailer was. All three of the mares in my company had insisted on hitting the venders before we did. I rolled my eyes, this always happened whenever I brought girls along to see Raiden. We arrived at Raiden’s trailer and a Minotaur guard stopped us. “You have business with Mr. Bolt?” I nodded “I’m an old friend, Private Eye and I need to see him” The Minotaur nodded and knocked on the door. Out stepped Raiden himself clad in a lightning bolt colored robe and a pair of shades. He lowered his glasses so his yellow eyes were visible. He smiled wide “Bout time you came around dude!” I smiled back “It’s good to see you to Raiden, can we talk?” “Well, I’m willing to talk to you…” He looked past me at Rainbow Dash. “But it’s your marefriends here I’d like to get acquainted with…” Rainbow blushed furiously and shook her head. Suddenly she flew up and got in Raiden’s face “Look pal! We need your help and we don’t have time to be screwing around!” “Aww” Raiden said in mock disappointment “But screwing around is the best part…” Dash’s face turned even redder at the innuendo. Spring! Dash’s wings sprung up wide and she shook her head. “Look are you going to help us or not!?” She tried desperately to flatten her wings while the rest of us laughed a little. “Of course, right this way” He pointed for us to enter his trailer. Twilight and Fluttershy entered the trailer bouncing with a little too much excitement. Rainbow frowned and as she passed Raiden to enter the trailer… Spring! “Darn it!” Dash suddenly picked up the pace to enter the trailer. I frowned at Raiden “Still the same old womanizer I see” Raiden shrugged “I can’t help it if the mares fall at my hooves” He then looked over at me with curiosity in his yellow eyes. “So which one is yours?” I got within inches of my friend’s face “It’s the violet one…if you even think about flirting with her…” “It’s all cool dude” Raiden said dismissively “You know I respect you enough not to use my wiles on her” “But you’re willing to use your wiles on a Pegasus you’ve only just met?” I said my frown still on my face. “Dude have you seen her!?” Raiden said excitedly “I don’t think I’ve seen a flank like that in years! And that mane, how many mares do you know have a mane like that? Rainbows should totally come in” Raiden’s own mane was long and parted in the front. He had yellow highlights among the black of his mane. Or was it the other way around? I can never tell in that mess of a mane he had. I sighed “Just try to act professional and I won’t hang you from the nearest flag pole” He laughed out loud “Same old Private…” _____________________________________________________ “A murder and a kidnapping?” Raiden said while sitting on a couch in the trailer. The trailer itself was about the same size of a small house. It had a full on kitchen for Luna’s sake. We sat around him in various chairs as Raiden went on “Sounds heavy dude” “It is” I said simply “And that’s why we need your help to get us inside the Ball of the Bells” Twilight continued “None of us can get in without drawing attention to ourselves, but Private tells us you can get in” Raiden nodded “I could get you guys in; you all can disguise yourselves as my busboys or something. That way you guys can get in…though…” I sighed “What do you want Raiden?” “Just a small request” He said assuredly “I don’t think it’s too drastic” Fluttershy ironically was the one who asked this “What exactly do we need to do?” Raiden’s eyes turned to Rainbow who was trying very hard not to be noticed by him. His yellow eyes eyed her up and down until I got the hint. “You want to have Rainbow be your date…” I said as it dawned on me Dash sprang into the air “What!? You want me to- No way in Equestria!!” Raiden tilted his head in confusion “What’s the problem? Most mares would kill to have a date with me” Dash got within inches of Raiden with her nostrils flaring. “Listen you stuck up jerk! I’m sure you’re used to mares fondling you left and right! But I’m not!” She then flew out of the trailer in a rainbow colored blur. The shades on Raiden fell “Well…that was unexpected…” I shook my head bemused “You’d have to figure this would come eventually” Raiden shook his head “What happened? I would’ve thought she would want that…” I got up from my seat “I’ll go talk to her…” _________________________________________ Dash was sitting outside with her head looking at the ground. I walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. She looked over and realizing it’s just me returned to staring at the earth. “What was that all about Rainbow?” I said looking at her “Why’d you lash out at Raiden like that?” Dash sighed “You remember when I said my dad was gone…?” She looked over at me “Well…he didn’t die…” “What happened Rainbow?” I asked hoping to help my friend. “Dad never wanted to have me in the first place…when I was had well…he left…” “Your mom was single?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. Then it dawned on me “You’re worried that Raiden will be like your dad…” “Yeah” Dash admitted “When he was out there singing that song I was enthralled…he was so amazing and I felt my heart want to burst out of my chest. Then…I remembered that my mom said that’s what happened when she met dad…” Dash was crying at this point. I pulled her in and she pressed her muzzle to my shoulder. I let her tears fall on my trench coat. I was in big brother mode at this point. I gently rubbed Rainbow on the back and let her sob on me. “I was teased a lot in school” Dash said still sobbing “Whenever I wouldn’t date a guy they would call me a filly fooler…” “But the real reason that you don’t date” I said gently “Is because you’re afraid that you’ll end up like your mom” “She was going to be a huge athlete…” Dash cried “She gave up her dreams to have me…” She pounded me on the chest in frustration. “That jerk took that dream away from her…” “Shh…” I said into her ear. There was nothing romantic about this whole business. Dash just needed somepony to listen to her problems. I was like a big brother listening to her crying like this. This must’ve been a huge blow to her pride but she didn’t care. She just wanted somepony to care… She pulled away and wiped her eyes “Sorry…I must look like an idiot…” I shook my head “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for…but Dash, I really think you should give Raiden a chance. He may be irresponsible but deep down he has a good heart...” Dash hung her head “But…what if I screw things up?” I patted her on the head “Then know you got friends that are willing to pick you up when you’re downtrodden” Dash smiled and punched me in the chest affectionately. “Thanks Private…you’re an awesome friend” “I’m sorry if you thought of me that way…” I heard a voice say behind me. I turned around and there was Raiden. His yellow eyes looked over at Dash apologetically. He walked to her and bowed his head “I shouldn’t have been so…sorry I’m not good at this stuff…” I chuckled “Just ask her out you idiot” Raiden smiled and looked at Rainbow Dash “Your name is Rainbow Dash right? Well…would you join me for the Ball of the Bells?” Dash looked hesitant at first. But then she sighed “Only if you don’t get me flowers or anything too…fancy” Raiden smiled wide “Awesome! I’ll start getting this ready right now!” _______________________________________________________ Twilight and Fluttershy walked on either side of me. “While Raiden and Rainbow are getting ready for their night out we’ll investigate the assassin angle” Fluttershy looked over at me “Um…Private…thanks for comforting Rainbow Dash like that” I looked over at the butter yellow Pegasus “Have either of you heard her story?” Fluttershy shook her head “No, I’ve known her ever since flight school but she’s never told me about her dad” I felt Twilight brush against me “Either way Private, you helped her out and that’s what matters” Fluttershy smiled at me “It was very kind of you Private” I flushed in embarrassment “Stop it you guys you’re making me blush” I shook my head and refocused “Either way, I’m gonna make a call to Forceps” I went to a nearby payphone and made a call to Forceps’ morgue. Fluttershy and Twilight were gossiping about Rainbow and Raiden outside. I rolled my eyes and listened for the ring. “You’ve reached the Ponyville town morgue, this is Forceps” “It’s me Private, what do you have on the body?” “Let’s see ere…early sixties, female, shot in the head twice with a .44 caliber pistol. I’d say it was used by a Pegasus by the way the aim was off the first time” “Anything you can tell me about who killed her?” I answered “I already know it was used by a Pegasus” “Well I talked to Foundra; I noticed an odd symbol on the bullet casings we found at the scene. They were custom made by some foreign company” “Can you trace any professional assassins that bought those bullets?” I asked my mind already at work. “We got one match, an assassin in Canterlot by the name of Fliptrip. He lives at an 1121 Krios Lane” “Thanks Forceps, I’ll head there now. Keep me posted if you find anything else” ___________________________________________________________ I banged on Fliptrip’s door with my hoof “Open up it’s the police!” The house was a small one story house designed to blend in with Canterlot’s bigger buildings. I looked over at my partners “Fluttershy, you take the roof in case he tries to fly away” “I won’t have to hurt him will I?” Fluttershy said meekly. I sighed “No just hold him long enough for me to put hoof cuffs on him if he tries to fly off” Fluttershy nodded and slowly flew up to the roof of the house. I motioned for Twilight to hug the other side of the door. Her horn was aglow, ready to cast any spell that was needed. I pulled out Blackbird and turned to buck down the door. Suddenly a green streak burst through the straw roof. I looked up to see a green Pegasus flying away with a screaming Fluttershy holding onto his tail. “Fluttershy!” Twilight and I shouted as we ran in pursuit. I couldn’t shoot down Fliptrip if I wanted to avoid hitting Fluttershy. Fluttershy held onto Fliptrip’s tail for dear life trying to balance herself with her wings. I shouted up at her “Fluttershy! Find some way to pull him down!” Fluttershy’s eyes blinked as an idea formed in her head. Suddenly her wings were glued to her sides and she became a dead weight on Fliptrip’s tail. The two fell like a pair of bricks from the top of Canterlot Castle. Twilight’s horn glowed and she caught Fluttershy right before she could fall. Fliptrip however…hit the ground in a rather uncomfortable way. I ran to the guy and started putting hoof cuffs on him “Fliptrip, you’re under arrest for the murder of Featherduster” Fliptrip’s brown eyes looked up at me “I didn’t kill Featherduster! Somepony else did!” ______________________________________________________ I entered the interrogation room at Canterlot’s detention center. Fliptrip sat in a rather dignified manner. I never expected an assassin to be so…refined. “You understand why you’re here?” I said after taking my seat across from him. “I do, you want to know if I killed Featherduster” Fliptrip said simply “I did not kill her” “That’s a pretty bold statement” I said with my eyebrow raised “The question is…who would want a nanny dead?” Fliptrip spoke his testimony in a very refined and professional manner “I got a call from Blitzwing, the head of the Loftwing family, who says he didn’t want his granddaughter to inherit the family fortune. So he hired me to…take care of her…” “You would kill a filly?” I said trying to hide my anger. Suddenly his brown eyes widened “His granddaughter is a filly?!” “You didn’t know? He must’ve told you his granddaughter was a young child” He shook his head “No, he didn’t tell me that I would be killing a child…now that I think about it he must’ve known I’d refuse if I knew” “So you weren’t the one I saw in the alley that night…” “What alley?” Fliptrip said very confused “Okay start over” I said waving my hoof dismissively “After you got the call then what?” “I was given an address of her current residence” Fliptrip said trying to recall every detail “It was very cloudy that night so I used the cover to hide myself…but the I remember getting hit by something and next thing I know I was lying on the top of a nearby building” “What gun were you going to kill the daughter with?” “A .44 caliber revolver…loud but I knew it would end it quickly. I’m not an assassin that lets his victims suffer. But…” “But what?” “When I came to…the gun was gone” “So you didn’t kill Featherduster…” I said firmly “No, but somepony else did” Fliptrip said simply “I can think of only one pony that would though…” “And who is that?” I asked leaning forward. “His name is Krackle; I heard he got arrested this morning for selling greens…and not the good kind. I remember him bragging about some big and simple job he got before I left the bar to do the job” ________________________________________________________ “Look I ain’t talking until my lawyer gets here!” A frost blue Pegasus spoke indignantly. “You’re lawyer will get here when he gets here…” I said annoyed “You have plenty of time. Here’s how it’s going to work…I ask the questions and you answer them, simple right?” “Who the hell do you think you-“He was cut off when I smacked him onto the table with my magic. He struggled but couldn't get up under the invisible hold I had on him. “Mr. Krackle I don’t believe you were paying attention…” I said my voice low “I ain’t sayin nothing! You can’t do anything to me!” He growled “I’ve faced worse then you ya little chicken shit!” “A .44 caliber pistol was found at your home that belongs to somepony else. You took it and performed the assassination yourself to frame Fliptrip! Now one question remains...who hired you? Tell me who hired you and I won’t sell your balls to the nearest dragon…” “You can’t do that! I have right you know! Nothing you can do can convince me!” He growled I let go of my magic and smirked evilly “You’re right…there’s nothing I can do…” Suddenly he began to sweat profusely “What…what are you talking about?” I turned to the nearby door and opened it. In entered sweet little Fluttershy smiling cutely. I nodded to her “Madame Fluttershy…tell Krackle how much of a bad boy he’s been…” _______________________________________________________ Twilight and I stared thought the one way mirror. Twilight looked over at me “I’ve heard about the power of the stare but…to see it in action” “Just be thankful you aren’t on the other end” I said staring at the scene like one would a carriage accident. Fluttershy exited the interrogation room smiling happily “Did I do good?” I looked over at the whimpering blubbering ball that was Krackle. Maybe she did a little too well after all he did manage to get him to confess to his crimes. As well as some rather... embarrassing details about his school life. I looked over at Fluttershy “What did you find out?” Fluttershy cleared her throat and spoke “He was hired to kill Scootaloo as well…the poor thing. He killed Featherduster after witnessing her kidnapping the poor dear in the first place” “That puts him at the scene of the crime” Twilight said nodding “We have our culprit” “But do we have a mastermind?” I said looking over at Fluttershy “Did he say who hired him?” “No, he got the job from a distorted voice at a pay phone” Fluttershy shrank a little “I’m sorry…” I shook my head “You did good Fluttershy…there’s only one way we can find out who killed Scootaloo” _____________________________________________________ Twilight, Fluttershy and I explained to Rainbow Dash what happened. “Two assassins and a kidnapping?” Rainbow exclaimed “Man this case is more messed up then the one at Cloudsdale!” I nodded “The only way we’re going to found out who hired the assassin that killed Featherduster is if we go to the family directly” Rainbow smiled “I guess it’s time we followed this fox” She suddenly put on shades “To its hole!” YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! “You are not ending this chapter on that joke!” I shouted at Rainbow Dash “Haven’t you ever heard of a running gag Private?” Dash whined “THAT”S A GAG!?” I exclaimed indignantly. All three of them laughed. Somewhere a certain Pink Pony was freaking out that a forth wall joke was said without her around. Wait…what the hey am I talking about!? Chapter 4 "Ball of the Bells"Chapter 4 “Ball of the Bells” “I’m not coming out!” The door in front of me said for the twelfth time. For the past hour Twilight and I have been trying to convince Rainbow to come out of the dressing room Raiden provided. Our efforts to get the Pegasus out of the room have been as fruitless as trying to empty the ocean with a spoon. Twilight sighed “Fluttershy worked hard to make sure you’d look good for tonight. Least you can do is not let all that go to waste” Fluttershy, who was sitting nearby, blushed a little at the praise. She was the one who took care of Rainbow Dash’s look for tonight. I’ll have to admit I was surprised that the shy Pegasus knew so much about fashion. I knocked again “Look Dash if you don’t come out I’m going to come in there after you and drag you out” I stepped back as the door slowly opened. Both mine and Twilight’s mouths dropped at the same time. “How do I look?” Was all that Rainbow Dash said. She looked…pretty. Her mane was actually combed and was sparkling like an actual rainbow after a rain storm. Her cyan coat was well groomed and gave off a very fine sheen. She was clad in a very beautiful white and sky blue dress with a matching necklace. She was even wearing makeup…Dash never wore makeup. Her cheeks flushed and she scuffed the floor with a hoof. “Stop staring guys…” Twilight smiled at her friend “You look great Rainbow; Fluttershy did an amazing job with you” Fluttershy hovered beside me and smiled at Twilight “Rarity always gave me tips whenever we went to the spa. I thought I’d put what I learned to practice” “Yeah” I agreed “When you clean up Rainbow you can look very pretty” Rainbow flushed even more at all of this “Guys…” I turned around “I’ll go check out your date” I nodded to Fluttershy and Twilight in turn “You girls get ready for tonight as well” I walked out as Twilight and Fluttershy kept complimenting an embarrassed Rainbow Dash. I felt like I was sending Rainbow on a prom date or something. I guess it shows how attached I’ve grown to the cyan Pegasus. _______________________________________________________ I was in Raiden’s dressing room trying to tie on his bow tie on the rock star’s suit jacket. “Will you quit squirming?” I said annoyed “It’s harder to do this then it looks” “Sorry dude” Raiden said apologetically “I’m just nervous is all” I raised an eyebrow “Raiden you were never nervous at any date you went on” I smiled at my friend “What changed?” “What changed is that I…” Raiden shook his head “I don’t know dude, something about that mare has just got me beyond nervous. It’s not like it was with all the others” I laughed “If I told you that you’d be feeling like this years ago you would’ve laughed in my face” Raiden laughed in turn as I finished up my work on the bow tie. He looked at himself in the mirror. I managed to convince him to not wear so flashy attire for the evening and get that mess of a mane under control. My friend sighed “I’ve never felt like this for any other mare…when I saw her out in the audience it was like Celestia herself was telling me to go for her” I nodded “What are you so nervous about? You two have a lot in common, you both have huge egos, you both love flying, you both are cocky to the core…” Raiden laughed “You know me way too well Private” “Twelve years of bailing you out of detentions can do that” I said smiling “You always were the responsible one” Raiden reminisced “I was always the one trying to get the power out in the school so we could get out of school for a day” I rolled my eyes “No wonder the lights kept flickering in gym” _______________________________________________________ The Ball of the Bells was started over a hundred years ago. A Canterlot noble was asked to create a new bell for Canterlot castle’s bell tower. He ended up donating three sets of bells to the castle. Celestia was so grateful she had a ball created to celebrate such an event of generosity. Nowadays the event is where Canterlot’s elite go to plot their constant invisible wars with one another. The wars always went on where we commoners couldn’t see. I never understood the upper crust’s constant need to war with one another. Wasn’t enough that they had money and prestige? I thought this as I opened the door to Raiden’s limo carriage. I was disguised as a servant wearing a simple suit jacket. I had to leave my trademark hat back at Raiden’s trailer. I couldn’t risk somepony recognizing me before I found the Loftwings. Raiden excited the limo and helped Rainbow descend the steps. The two had been talking the whole trip here about various topics. They seemed more comfortable around each other when they realized that they shared similar sized egos. I looked over at Twilight who was also disguised as a servant. “We follow them in and then we go for the Loftwings” Twilight nodded then tapped her ear. “Fluttershy? Are you in?” I heard a small choice speak in the small earpiece that was a two way radio. "I’m in; I managed to disguise myself as one of the waitresses. Oh I hope I didn’t hit that poor dear too hard…” “Focus Fluttershy” I said over the radio “Do you see the Loftwings?” We followed Raiden and Rainbow as they entered the ball room that was rented out for the occasion. “I see them; Themeara Loftwing is sitting by herself on a couch. “Themeara…that’s Scootaloo’s middle name” I observed. Twilight whispered to me “She’s also the matriarch of the Loftwing family; if anypony would want Scootaloo taken out it’s her…” ____________________________________________ Many well dressed ponies littered the ball room everywhere. It wasn’t hard to change out of our servants garb in the bathrooms and become nobility in a matter of seconds. I looked over at Twilight who was now clad in a black evening dress. She smiled at me “I feel like a spy” I cleared my throat and spoke in a smooth voice “The names Eye…Private Eye…” Twilight laughed a little at my James Pone impression. She then looked toward the couches. “There she is” Themeara was a rather old looking unicorn with a soft orange coat. Her mane was jet black and was showing grey from age. She was clad in a blue dress for the occasion. She must’ve been a beauty in her prime but right now she was just another enemy in the invisible wars. I casually strolled to her and her blue eyes turned to me. She put on a practiced smile “I’ve never seen you around here before” “You should be glad you haven’t seen me before” I said smoothly. She raised an eyebrow and I flashed my badge from inside my suit jacket. I closed the jacket before anypony else could see it “Detective Private, I want to ask you a few questions” The matriarch simply nodded and gestured for me to take a seat beside her. Her blue eyes looked over at me “Am I under arrest or something dear?” I shook my head “Unless you had a maid killed for kidnapping your granddaughter” Her blue eyes looked away from me “I’m afraid I’m not blessed with grandchildren dearest, you must have me mistaken for somepony else” I levitated out a picture of Scootaloo. The recognition that came to her eyes was unmistakable. I spoke smoothly “Her name is Scootaloo…she’s ten now” Themeara looked at the picture. Her shield of politeness cracked a little and a bit of the grandmother inside her spoke “Can I…see that?” I let her own magic wrap around the picture. She held the picture in front of her and smiled “She has her father’s features…she’s getting so big now” “Somepony tried to have her killed…and it wasn’t you” I observed “How do you know it wasn’t me?” She said her blue eyes testing me. “If she’s alive then you must be aware that should my husband die my granddaughter gets the fortune” I shook my head “You didn’t lash out in anger at the picture…you miss your granddaughter” Just then a rather young looking unicorn mare with a white coat and a dark mane came to us. “Mother, sir Irenius is looking for you” She nodded “Thank you Rainshower, could you tell him to wait a bit?” She looked over at me “I’m talking to this young man at the moment” The mare looked at me and tilted her head “Are you related to Sir Irenius at all? You look familiar” I shrugged “Must have me confused for some other noble” The mare simply shrugged and returned to the crowd. I looked over at Themeara “Your daughter?” The matriarch nodded “Yes, she’s about your age actually. She’s doing better since the whole incident of my son leaving the family” “She and him were close?” I observed “Yes” She answered simply “They were like two peas in a pod, you never saw one without the other” “Mam” I said “If we could get back on topic?” She nodded “Yes of course…I didn’t have anypony kill my granddaughter. I asked Featherduster to bring her to Canterlot” “You hired somepony to kidnap your granddaughter?” I said warily “I never hired Featherduster; she loved Scootaloo a great deal. She wanted to keep her safe from my husband” “Featherduster died fulfilling her duty” I said looking at the matriarch “Scootaloo is safe now” The matriarch sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear…I didn’t approve originally of Jockey marrying her mother” She shook her head “But life doesn’t always give you what you want. I should’ve counted my blessings and accepted the granddaughter I had. Not the one I wanted” _________________________________________________________ “So she was the one who had Featherduster kidnap Scootaloo” Twilight said sipping some punch as we talked. I nodded “Yeah, now we just have to figure out who killed the kidnapper” “Excuse me” I heard a voice speak behind me I turned around to see Rainshower again. She smiled politely “Forgive me for eavesdropping but what is all this talk about killers and kidnappers?” I nodded and showed the young mare my badge “I’m Private, a detective investigating a kidnapping and murder. Your niece was kidnapped by her nanny and murdered trying to get away from a nearby ally” “And you believe one of our family is responsible?” She asked rather defensibly. I held out my notebook “Could I ask you a couple questions about your niece?” “I will answer what I can” She said compliantly “But you must understand that my niece is not a subject I find…easy to remember” “What was your relationship like?” I asked writing down everything she said. “My brother and I were very close. I loved him very dearly…but then she came…” “Scootaloo’s mother?” I asked “Yes, he fell in love with her and wouldn’t stop talking about her. I thought this would just be a short affair but then…the wedding bells tolled” “You didn’t approve of him marrying a Pegasus?” I observed “Of course not” Rainshower said rather snootily “Their kind had no place in our family; she didn’t deserve a stallion like him…” Twilight advanced on the snobby unicorn “I have friends that are Pegasi thank you! You keep your racist comments to yourself now!” Rainshower simply turned up her nose and walked away. “I don’t need to hear this” Twilight snorted “What a snob” I nodded “Most of them are like that…if you aren’t needed by them…you aren’t worth anything” _______________________________________________________ I found Blitzwing at a refreshment table. He was a rather large stallion with a white coat and dark mane that was turning silver. He looked at me with a discerning eye when I approached “Can I help you?” “You can help me quite a bit actually…” I said while flashing my badge at him. He smirked “A cop? I’ll have you know I have committed no crimes…” “An assassin was hired to kill your granddaughter” “You believe me to be the client?” He said as if I told him he wasn’t a noble “I am aghast, how could you think I would kill my granddaughter?!” “Simple” I said shrugging “You wouldn’t have a pegasus have your fortune when you kicked the bucket” His violet eyes betrayed his guilt. But then his expression turned back into that smug look and I knew what was coming. “If you’re willing to look the other way my boy…I could make you a very rich stallion” “Doesn’t work Blitzwing” I said smirking “I accept no bribes from anypony” He started to sweat and I continued to press. “You hired Fliptrip to kill Scootaloo…you couldn’t stand the fact that your granddaughter was a Pegasus. Ironic given your family name that you would have a flier as a granddaughter” “Loftwing was once an old and proud name!” Blitzwing snarled at me “The Pegasi would’ve tarnished the name and used it to mock us!” “I’ll have you know that Fliptrip never got to perform the hit” “I never should’ve hired such a worthless assassin! That brat will inherit the entire fortune! Everything I’ve built will go to that worthless chicken!” Chicken was the worst insult you could give to a Pegasus. I’ve heard my mother called the word twice in my life. Both times…this happened. I tackled Blitzwing onto the refreshment table and began to wail on him. “You take that back you worthless asshole!” “Unhoof me! Guards!” He shouted as I kept punching him. I felt magic take hold of me and saw two guards grab me by the forelegs. I struggled and glared at Blitzwing “You monster! How could you call her that?!” “Take him away!” Blitzwing growled “He tried to attack me!” “That’s enough…” I heard a familiar voice speak. A voice I hoped never to hear again in my lifetime… I turned my head and saw him. He looked like an older version of me, with a dark brown mane that had turned silver and a dark grey coat. His blue eyes gazed at me in recognition…this was my father…Irenius Eye. He held up a monocle to his blue eye and simply stared at me “Preventus…?” I struggled out of the grip of the guards and took off. I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t even want to look at him! He didn’t deserve it! I ran outside and simply sat on the sidewalk. I didn’t expect to run into my father here…oh Celestia why?! I shook my head and simply looked down at my hooves. I felt a hoof touch my shoulder and I turned to see Twilight looking at me. “I saw the commotion” She gently rubbed my back “Private…that stallion was your father wasn’t he?” I nodded slowly “I should’ve expected him to be here…but to see him again after all this time…” She pressed up against me and gently nuzzled me on the cheek. I was happy that Twilight was here at my worst. She was always there whenever I broke down like this. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with her. Twilight spoke in my ear “Private…we still have a case to perform” I chuckled “Usually it’s me telling you that we need to get a move on with the case” Twilight smiled at me “Somepony has to keep things going when you are hurt like this” I nodded “At least…I got Blitzwing’s confession” I smiled and revealed the bug on the inside of my suit jacket. “Now we can get him for hiring the assassin to kill Scootaloo” “Great, case solved then” Twilight said smiling I shook my head “Something still bugs me…who hired Krackle? He was the one who actually performed the deed…so who hired him to assassinate the kidnapper?” Chapter 5 "Flight of the Pegasi"Chapter 5 “Flight of the Pegasi” Twilight and I got back inside the party just as the festivities were reaching their high point. Granted that didn’t amount to much at a formal event such as this. But I noticed Rainbow and Raiden on the dance floor together. Raiden was one of the better dancers I know. But the storm dark Pegasus had trouble outdoing Rainbow. I couldn’t tell if what dance they were doing was supposed to be romantic or competitive. It looked like both to be perfectly honest. Twilight smiled at the pair “They seem to be getting along well” I nodded “It’s nice to see Raiden get excited about a mare like this” “What do you mean?” Twilight asked curious “Well, back in high school Raiden never really had serious relationships” I explained “He was always a bit irresponsible” “Like another pegasus I know” Twilight said with a small laugh Just then a loud commotion came from the punch table. I looked on to see Blitzwing falling over on the ground. Several ponies yelled and screamed at the sudden keeling over of a guest. I ran to him and saw the overturned cup that he drank from. I sniffed it “Poison! Somepony poisoned him!” “Uh Private…” Twilight said as she came up to me “We got trouble…” I looked over to see that Twilight was looking at a pair of thug unicorns carrying Tommy guns. I grabbed Twilight and ducked behind a table “Get down!” A symphony of bullets came after me and Twilight as we ducked for cover. I pulled out Blackbird and took a few shots at them but ducked before I could become Swiss cheese. Twilight looked over at me “Blitzwing’s been poisoned…somepony is trying to cover up the murder!” I nodded and ducked at another bullet shot “We gotta get outta here! Where’s Rainbow and Raiden?” Twilight looked over and pointed. I followed her hoof and saw Raiden with Rainbow behind an overturned table. Some loose bullets fired at them when Raiden saw me. He waved at me and pointed for us to head out the back way. I nodded and Twilight and I worked our way through cover. I tapped my ear to turn on the radio. “Fluttershy are you alright?!” I heard a small squeak on the end which said she was okay. “Make your way to the back and find Themeara! She may be responsible for this!” “R…Right” The four of us made out way to the servants exit. I opened the door for everypony to get inside. A thug pony was running my way but one shot in the leg by Blackbird but him down. I slammed the door behind me and locked it tight. I turned to see a strange sight. Fluttershy was there with Themeara, the old unicorn was holding her side trying to stop the bleeding of a bullet wound. I looked at the yellow Pegasi “What happened?” Themeara spoke weakly “Somepony…somepony hired those men to kill me and my husband…” Fluttershy ripped off parts of her waitress uniform to use as temporary bandages. “Please try and hold still” She tried to press the bandages to the old unicorn’s wounds. Themeara shook her head “If they killed my husband then they are after my granddaughter!” She pushed the bandages away “Go after her! Save her from the bastard that did…this…” She fell over weakly. Fluttershy stared in horror at this. I bent down to the old unicorn. I looked at Fluttershy knowingly “She won’t last long…she’s an old horse and this bleeding will kill her if we don’t get her to a hospital…” Raiden pushed past me and lifted the old unicorn onto his back “I’ll take her…I can handle the extra weight” Rainbow looked at Raiden “Aren’t you going to help us get to Scootaloo?” Raiden shook his head “I’m not about to get shot at again…” Rainbow’s magenta eyes grew alight with fury “You aren’t helping! You’re just running!” Raiden glared back “I only signed up to get you guys inside! I didn’t sign up to take a bullet for a pony I barely know!” Rainbow’s nostrils flared “Well you go ahead and run you….you….chicken!” She then flew away and turned her back on Raiden. Raiden’s yellow eyes grew wide at the insult. He looked over at me…Raiden was never one to get into a fight if he could avoid it. He was asking if it was okay for him to help in this way. My own grey eyes answered that question for him. I didn’t approve of him running when we could use him. But he wasn’t completely bowing out. He was helping just not in a way I would’ve wanted him. I simply nodded and Raiden turned to fly out the window with Themeara on his back. He gave one last look at Rainbow before flying away. Fluttershy flew to her friend and put a hoof on her shoulder “Rainbow I’m sorry…” Rainbow shook her head. “Feeling sorry for me isn’t going to help now Fluttershy! If those guys killed Squirt’s grandparents then they’re after her to” I nodded and looked at Twilight “Let’s get out of here! We need to get back to Ponyville as fast as we can!” Twilight nodded “They probably have the whole place surrounded; we can’t get out by the normal entrance” Rainbow smiled smugly “You forgot that you have two Pegasi in the group now” I looked out the window at the nearby parking lot “And I think I know how to utilize those two Pegasi…” ______________________________________________________ We ran through the crowd quickly. Dash discarded her dress in favor of freedom of movement. Just as I was rounding the corner to get around I felt a pony punch me in the face. I fell back several feet and saw a rather large looking thug in front of me. I looked over at Twilight “You guys go ahead! Find a sky chariot!” Twilight and the Pegasi ran out of the ballroom as I faced the thug. He smiled smugly and charged at me. I dodged smoothly and delivered a swift buck to his ribs. I wasn’t strong like Big Mac or Applejack but I could make a buck hurt. The thug yelped in pain but then fired at me with his horn. I was hit by a blast of magic to my shoulder and I slid to the side. I spat out blood that formed in my mouth and scraped the floor in a challenge. The thug charged me horn down I met him with my own horn. Our horns clashed like swords and I shoved the thug back. I tackled the thug with my shoulder into a nearby pillar. The thug then grabbed me with his teeth and slammed me into the very pillar I slammed him into. I started seeing stars in that moment and he slammed his hoof into my face again. I fell to the floor and he pinned me down. I glared up at the thug “Who hired you!?” “Somepony who wants to make sure the Pegasi don’t tarnish the Loftwing name…” He lifted his hoof and punched me across the muzzle. I tasted blood as he kept wailing on me. Damn, I can’t believe I’ve gotten so careless. I just hope the girls are safe. Pain shot in my ribs as the thug punched me in the neck. I struggled to try and get up but couldn’t under this stallion’s weight. I was a sitting duck- Bang! A bullet shot into the stallion’s shoulder and he fell off me. A grey blur tackled the stallion and that blur lifted a cane and smacked the pony upside the head. The thug fell back and my savior shot him in the leg with a levitated revolver. The thug went down like a ton of bricks…then my savior spoke. “That’s my son you’re trying to kill you bastard…” My savior was my father… He turned and looked at me with those blue eyes he shared with Tailspin. He had some bruises on his muzzle…he’d been fighting. We didn’t speak for a moment but then my father simply nodded. “I’ve called the police; they will be here to stop these monsters” I nodded “You make sure that these ponies get to safety” Whatever animosity I held towards my father was overshadowed by the issue at hand. My father nodded “Be careful Preventus…” He ran past me “Dad…” I said as he did. He stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around “Thanks…” I ran out, I had to hurry if I was going to stop these thugs from getting at Scootaloo. I hoped my father was able to get these ponies out before too many got hurt. Funny…to think I’d be running into my father like this after all these years. _______________________________________________________________ Bullets sang around my ears as we flew off in a sky chariot. Fluttershy and Rainbow were pulling the vehicle while Twilight and I were riding in the back. I looked behind us as a group of thugs were riding another sky chariot firing at us. Twilight activated a barrier just in time for it to be hit by another assault of bullets “They’re gaining on us!” I aimed Blackbird at one of the thugs and shot him in the head. The thug fell off the chariot and into the landscape of Canterlot’s outskirts below. I ducked behind Twilight’s barrier before his friend could shoot me back. I looked over at the two Pegasi powering this chariot. “Can’t you two go faster!?” “I could!” Dash shouted over the rushing wind “But with Fluttershy here I’m lagging behind!” “Oh dear oh dear oh dear…” Fluttershy kept repeating as the bullets kept coming. They were protected by Twilight’s barrier and the chariots front but the noise was still getting to Fluttershy. I didn't know how long the Pegasus could take all this scary noise. Twilight looked at her butter yellow friend “Fluttershy if you don’t pick up the pace those thugs will hurt Scootaloo!” Fluttershy spoke in an uncharacteristic rage “Those. Big. Meanies!!!!” I held on as the chariot got a boost of speed from a reinvigorated Fluttershy. Dash smiled in approval and matched her speed. I looked back and saw more sky chariots chasing us. I shot out with Blackbird and hit one of the thugs in the shoulder. Weather forecast for this day will be cloudy with a chance of falling homicidal henchponies. Please plan accordingly for ponies falling from the sky at great speeds. I ducked behind the barrier again. “Twilight these guys will overtake us if we don’t do something!” Twilight nodded “I’ll see if I can’t teleport us out of here! I’ve never teleported anything this big before!” Just then one of the bullets hit Twilight in the shoulder as she tried to stand up. She let out a scream of pain and the barrier failed. I held Twilight in my forelegs as her shoulder bled from the bullet wound. “Are you alright?!” She nodded and winced a little “Just a scratch…but I don’t think I’ll be able to teleport us away…” I looked on as the sky chariots got closer. I saw a thug pony load his gun and prepare to shoot Twilight. I used myself as a pony shield over Twilight and prepared for the worst… Boom!! I looked behind me as a magenta explosion hit one of the thug’s chariots. Just then members of the royal guard were there with sky chariots of their own. They had with them a very pissed Shining Armor. “That’s my sister you bastards!!” He fired another bolt of magic from his horn that hit one of the thug chariots hard. Thugs fell off to the ground below. Shining smiled down at me “You guys go on ahead! We’ll take it from here!” “Shining…” Twilight said with a smile at her brother. I nodded and turned to Rainbow and Fluttershy “Step on it!” The two Pegasi flew at top speed away from the fighting. I didn’t have to worry about Shining; he had years of training from being in the royal guard. I’m glad he turned out innocent in that one case. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he was arrested before this. The group made their way towards Ponyville just as clouds from a rain storm were about to gather. We didn’t have much time… ____________________________________________________________ We landed in front of Scootaloo’s apartment building. Rainbow and Fluttershy unhitched themselves from the chariot. Twilight limped out using me as support. I looked to Fluttershy “Get Twilight to a hospital now!” Fluttershy nodded and accepted the burden of Twilight on her back. I went to Twilight and kissed her lovingly “You stay alive okay?” Twilight grabbed my head with her hooves and kissed me back “You to…” Fluttershy sighed a little at the romantic moment. But one look from me got the yellow Pegasus going. Twilight waved weakly as she flew away on Fluttershy’s back. Rainbow was already zooming into the apartment building. I followed along just as fast and went inside… We found Jockey dead on the floor…a bullet wound in the head. Signs of a struggle were everywhere… Rainbow came back from her exploration of the house. “They’re gone! Tailspin and Squirt are gone!” She punched a wall in frustration. I noticed something on the door…a piece of fabric. I took it…it was a dark blue…what a certain daughter was wearing at the party… I went outside with Rainbow Dash in tow. “What are we going to do now!?” Rainbow said frantic “How are we going to find them!?” “We aren’t…” I said simply. I lifted my muzzle to the dark sky and let out a howl. The howl echoed throughout Ponyville until it was returned… Rainbow’s jaw dropped upon seeing Luca make his way to me. The wolf licked me on the muzzle affectionately. “You have a pet wolf!?” I smiled at Dash and petted Luca on the head. “This is Luca, we met at Appaloosa, since then I’ve been training him as a tracking wolf” “He can find Scootaloo and Tailspin!?” The cyan Pegasus said hopeful. I nodded and held the fabric to Luca “Can you find them boy?” Luca’s yellow eyes studied the fabric. He sniffed it deeply and then barked. He started running off to the south of town. “He’s on the trail!” I said as I took off after Luca. Dash followed me with a look of determination on her face. “Hold on squirt…Rainbow Dash is coming for you…” I smiled at Rainbow; I always admired the loyalty that she shared for her friends. One thing was for certain…whoever did this pissed off the wrong ponies. They were going to get a vengeful friend and Big brother after them. If this criminal did anything to Tailspin… I didn’t want to think about it. Nopony was going to hurt my brother on my watch! Chapter 6 "Storm of Vengeance"Chapter 6 “Storm of Vengeance” Luca lead us to an old warehouse just to the south of town. I opened the door with my magic and peeked inside. I looked to Luca “You sure about this boy?” Luca barked in affirmative. The scent led here and he was sure of it. Luca hasn’t let me down before so I trusted the wolf. I nodded “Good boy” I looked over at Rainbow Dash “Let’s go and find our lost kids” Dash nodded and I left Luca outside. The cyan Pegasus and I entered the warehouse cautiously. I got an uneasy feeling we were about to… ZAP!!! A bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and hit me and Rainbow hard. I screamed in pain as electricity coursed through my body. When it was over I fell over weakened by the attack. Dash fell down as she was also hit by that strange lightning. I looked up weakly and saw the culprit of this whole operation standing over me. I smirked with what little strength I had “Hello Rainshower…” The white unicorn glared at me, she was levitating some kind of staff with her magic. She then smirked confidently “How did you figure it out?” “You’re dress; it ripped on the door as you left to kill your brother…” “Why would I kill my brother!?” Rainshower spouted out indignantly “Vengeance, you killed him because he fell in love with a Pegasus…” Rainbow glared at Rainshower furiously “You couldn’t stand it! You were close to him and you couldn’t stand the fact he was going to throw it all away for a Pegasus!” Rainshower glared at the cyan Pegasus. “My brother was a fool in the end! I gave him the option to hand over that little mistake of his! But he threw himself in front of the bullet to protect that mistake!” “Scootaloo is not a mistake!” Rainbow shouted “You will never understand that it doesn’t matter who your family is! You should still care for them no matter where they came from!” Rainshower slapped Rainbow on the face. “You will not speak you damn chicken!” I tried to get up but was met by another blast from her lightning staff. “You bitch…how dare you call her that…” “It’s thanks to her kind the Loftwing name is in the toilet!” Rainshower glared at me “The Loftwing name was once a proud name! But my brother threw it all away for some tramp!” My eyes grew in understanding “This isn’t about restoring the family name…” “What?!” “If it was you wouldn’t kill off both your parents…you hired those men to erase your family from existence. They disapproved of something…something that would’ve tarnished the name even more…” “You’re saying…” Rainshower wearily, I was getting close. “You…loved…Jockey” I said slowly Rainbow looked at Rainshower with wide eyes “You were in love with your brother!?” I nodded “Yes, and when he threw away the family name for another mare you couldn’t stand it. You tried to convince your parents to go against it, but they wouldn’t approve of your love for your brother. They ignored you…I remember how dismissive Themeara was of you” “My mother never could see things for how they were…” Rainshower growled “You knew that your father was going to try and kill Scootaloo. But you also knew that your mother was planning to kidnap Scootaloo to protect her from him. You knew that Blitzwing’s assassin would miss Scootaloo if the plan went as it did. So you hired Krackle to intervene…he never got to finish the deed” “No” Rainshower said smirking “But I will…” She gestured to a cage hanging from the ceiling. She used her magic to remove the cover and I saw Scootaloo and Tailspin inside a small cage. Tailspin saw me and cried out “Bro!” I tried to get up “You let my brother go now!” I got another lightning bolt to my chest and fell back on the floor. I looked up as my little brother reached out with his front hoof between the bars. Scootaloo reached as well for Rainbow Dash “Rainbow! Help me!” “Hang on kid!!” Rainbow got up and charged for the cage. Rainshower zapped Rainbow just before she could reach Scootaloo’s outstretched hoof. Rainbow fell like a rock onto the floor. Her wings singed by the lightning bolt. Rainshower kicked Rainbow in the stomach “You truly are pathetic…she’s not even your blood and you risk injury to save her…” “She may not be my real sister…” Rainbow said weakly. She smiled at Scootaloo who was crying at seeing her hero like this “But she may as well be…” Rainshower laughed out loud “You are all so pathetic! These pathetic chickens aren’t worth saving!” Her horn glowed and a lever was pulled. I saw that a bunch of loose sparks ignited a puddle below the cage with a electricity. “Squirt!” Rainbow shouted before getting hit in the stomach again by Rainshower. “Scootaloo can just fly out can she?!” I shouted “She can’t fly! I knew I should’ve taught her…” The bottom of the cage had a trapdoor under it. Tailspin and Scootaloo can’t fly…if they fell on the water…oh Luna no… Scootaloo knew the situation and looked to Tailspin “Tailspin listen…I’m sorry” Tailspin looked over at Scootaloo “What for?” The orange Pegasus shook her head “I was so mean to you before…You didn’t deserve to keep getting yelled at…” Tailspin shook his head and set a hoof on the orange fillies shoulder “You don’t need to apologize…I did all those things for you because…” “All that helping me stuff?” Scootaloo said with a raised eyebrow “The picking me up when I tripped…the sharing with me…being worried about me when I was asleep back at your house…?” Tailspin nodded “Yeah…I did it because I thought…you’d like me to…” His sapphire face turned a much darker shade as he confessed his feelings. “You…like me?” Scootaloo said her jaw dropping and her face flushing. “Yeah…” Tailspin smiled at her “I think you’re really cool…you don’t let anything discourage you even when all this crap is happening…I admire that” Scootaloo’s face turned red as well…then she reached over and hugged Tailspin. She cried into his coat and just kept repeating “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…” Tailspin returned the hug and gently held her close. “It’s okay…you don’t need to apologize to me…” Scootaloo broke from the hug and wiped her eyes “I thought…I thought you were just showing how weak I was…” Tailspin shook his head “I don’t think that at all!” “But…I’m a Pegasus who can’t fly…” Scootaloo confessed to my brother. Tailspin turned around to reveal his brittle and small wings. Scootaloo stared at them as it dawned on her. Tailspin can’t fly at all…she was lucky to have wings at all. Scootaloo reached a tentative hoof and touched Tailspin’s wings. My brother tensed as she did. He didn’t even let me touch his wings and I’m his brother. But he let her hoof run along the brittle feathers gently. I was amazed that Tailspin let her...he must really care for her if he let her perform such a action. Tailspin turned back to Scootaloo “I think you’re strong Scootaloo…losing your dad…your family…I know how hard it is” His blue eyes met her purple ones “You don’t need to face all that hardship alone…” Scootaloo hugged my brother again. I smiled a little…Tailspin…I’m proud of you. Rainshower laughed again “Now that that’s over with! Time to die!” Scootaloo clung to my brother as Rainshower’s magic wrapped around the trap door. Scootaloo looked at my brother “Tailspin…if we don’t make it out of this…I want to say…I like you to…” Tailspin’s eyes grew wide as he felt Scootaloo nuzzle him on the cheek. Tailspin returned it and then…the floor beneath them gave way. I yelled as Tailspin and Scootaloo fell to the electrified puddle below. Dash reached out with her hoof but she knew she couldn’t stop them in time… Crash!! Whoosh!!! I looked to see a dark streak breakthrough the window and zoom towards Scootaloo and Tailspin. I blinked and saw Raiden hovering in the air with both foals on his back. Rainbow’s magenta eyes grew wide at the sight of him. Raiden landed on the ground and set the foals down on the ground. Raiden glared at Rainshower “Nopony hurts foals on my watch…” Rainshower smirked “Raiden Bolt…I see you felt compelled to play the hero” “I’m not playing you bitch…” Raiden said dangerously “I may not like getting shot at but…a certain mare taught me something about loyalty…” Rainbow smiled weakly at Raiden. This was unusual for Raiden; he never wanted to be a hero. I guess Rainbow left an influence on Raiden that can’t be understated. Rainshower growled low at Raiden “You will die for your insolence!!” Raiden smirked and lowered into a fighting stance “Hit me with your best shot…” Rainshower held her lightning staff and fired full force at Raiden. The dark Pegasus simply spread his wings and took the full brunt of the blast. But instead of falling over…the electricity went into Raiden’s wings and the rock star was unharmed. “What the hell is this?! You dare defy me chicken!” Rainshower exclaimed upon seeing Raiden suddenly becoming super charged. Raiden smiled “A little trick I picked up from a career in show biz. I have conductors in my wings that allow me to channel electricity through them” He spread his wings to their full length “And send it anywhere I want!” He flapped his wings and twin bolts of lightning fired out of them. Rainshower didn’t even have time to scream as she was hit by the lightning bolts. Electricity coursed through her until she fell to the floor in a crispy heap. Raiden’s yellow eyes were triumphant and he glared down at the unicorn. “Also…chicken my ass…” He punched the criminal in the face and she fell unconscious. I got up weakly and ran to my little brother. I held Tailspin in my front legs tightly. “Tailspin…” I said while holding my little brother to me. Tailspin pressed himself into me and smiled “I’m okay bro…I’m okay…” I looked up from my brother and saw Scootaloo helping Rainbow to her feet. Rainbow looked over at Raiden her eyes confused “But I thought…” Raiden shook his head “After I saw how you guys were willing to risk it all I…I decided to come back and help you out” I let go of Tailspin and walked to Raiden “How did you find us?” “Well” Raiden explained “After I dropped off Themeara at the hospital some old noble told me where you guys went. He said you guys got a sky chariot to Ponyville so I followed” “That explains how you got to Ponyville” I said “But how did you find us here?” “Some wolf started barking at me” Raiden said I could only imagine it was Luca “He pulled on my tail and I followed him here” Rainbow walked to Raiden “That still doesn’t explain why you came back…” Raiden’s yellow eyes were downcast “I…I remembered how you called me a chicken and…well I couldn’t stop thinking about how much of a coward I was being. You convinced me to come back…” Rainbow’s cheeks started flushing at this but then she gave a small smile to Raiden. “Thanks for coming back…” My friend smiled “Anything for a pretty mare” Spring! “Darn it!” Rainbow exclaimed as her wings sprung up. We all laughed a little at Rainbow’s expense. Rainbow joined in after a bit…it was good to have everypony safe and sound. ______________________________________________________ “We’ll take it from here Private” Shining Armor said as they loaded up Rainshower in a police carriage. “Thanks for bringing this case to a close” I nodded at the captain of the guard “I’m glad you came when you did. Thanks for saving us back there” “No problem” Shining said smiling “How’s Twili doing?” “She should be out of the hospital in about a week, the bullet didn’t cause as much damage as was originally thought” I said reassuring the concerned older brother. Shining nodded “That’s good to hear…because if she died on this case….” He suddenly got within inches of my face “A certain detective would have a little…”accident”” I gulped as Shining laughed at my expression. I knew he meant it as a joke but my mind still remembered the pink explosion from before. The captain of the guard went to speak to some of the other guards. I walked to where Rainbow was with Scootaloo. Scootaloo was thanking Rainbow for the twelfth time “Thank you guys so much for coming to save me and Tailspin!” Rainbow flushed at the praise “No problem kid…anything for my number one fan” I walked to the pair and smiled. “Themeara should be out of the hospital soon…she’s an old horse but she’s tough” Rainbow smiled “That’s good; it means squirt here has a home” Scootaloo however looked down at the ground “But…until then I don’t have any place to stay…” Rainbow thought for a moment then smiled widely. “You can come and stay at my place” Scootaloo’s violet eyes grew huge in shock “You mean it!? I get to stay with you!?” Rainbow nodded “While you are…let’s see if we can’t teach you how to fly” Scootaloo let out a yell of delight then leapt into Rainbow Dash. She hugged her idol tightly and Rainbow wrapped her wings around the orange filly. It didn’t matter if they weren’t related…they still cared for one another. That was Dash for you I guess. I looked over to see Raiden finishing up his interview with a guard. Raiden nodded to the guard and hovered to me “To think I spent a good part of my life avoiding those guys. Now they treat me like a hero, I guess that’s irony for you” “Well you did just zap a criminal before she could murder all of us” I said with a smile “You gotta admit that’s impressive” “Yeah I am awesome like that” Raiden said with his chest puffed out in pride. I rolled my eyes as he continued “I think I might stick around this place for a while” This took me by surprise “What about your tour and career?” He dismissed that with a wave of his hoof “I’ll tell my manager I’m taking a break from show biz. Besides there are…” He looked past me at Rainbow who was talking excitedly with Scootaloo “Other things out there that are more important” I smiled and walked past my friend “You take good care of her Raiden…” “I will Private” Raiden said firmly “You take care of that violet one to…” That reminded me I needed to visit Twilight at the hospital. I left the crowd to walk towards Ponyville General. The rain was lighter then normally here. I looked up at the falling rain. You didn’t follow sorrow this time Rain…but renewal. I gave one last look back at Rainbow and Scootaloo…the surrogate sisters were going to be alright. I was proud of Dash. She really deserved the element of loyalty a dozen times over. EpilogueCase 8 Epilogue Tailspin’s eyes scanned the panel in front of him. After careful debate in his head he finally nodded on his decision “Cloud 18!” “Darn it!” Pipsqueak said as he tossed a piece off his board. “You zapped my weather pony!” “That means I win!” Tailspin exclaimed raising his hooves in victory. They have been playing three straight games and so far Tailspin had won all of them. “I was only going easy on you!” Pipsqueak retorted trying to save whatever pride he had left. Tailspin laughed at his pinto friend. The two colts had been the best of friends since Tailspin had arrived at Ponyville. Pipsqueak was also from out of town, Trottingham to be exact, and the two bonded well. Dinky who was reading nearby raised her periwinkle head at the two colts playing. “You’ll beat him next time Pip” Pip sighed a little “Tailspin is just way too good at this game” Tailspin suddenly smirked “Well, maybe we could provide incentive for you to win next round” “What do you mean?” Pip said with a raised eyebrow Tailspin laughed a little “Winner gets to kiss Dinky on the cheek” Pip suddenly turned bright red as Tailspin burst into laughter “Tailspin!” Dinky covered her mouth with her book to hide her own giggling. Then she looked over at Tailspin disapprovingly “You shouldn’t embarrass Pip like that” “Yes you three should be doing something else…” All three of the foals looked up as I entered the living room. They tried to hide the game and book that they had behind them. They gave innocent smiles at me but I could see past the smiles. “Do you three have your homework done?” All three of them gave guilty looks. Tailspin was the first to speak up “We uh…we’re almost done Private” I shook my head “I let you three come here because I expected you three to actually get your homework done together” Pipsqueak looked at me apologetically “Sorry Mr. Eye. It was my idea to play the game and well…one thing led to another” I sighed “Just get your homework done and then you three can play” “Yes Mr. Eye” Dinky said with a nod of her head. The three foals went into the kitchen to finish up their work. I shook my head bemused. I sounded stern but I was actually glad that Tailspin had found friends. Those three always got into trouble together. Tailspin was the ringleader, always coming up with this plan or that. Pip was the right hand pony. The little pinto always stood by Tailspin in whatever adventure they planned. Dinky was the brains of the outfit, she’s usually the voice of reason with her two friends. So far the three have been a constant presence in my house. I never really had foals in a house I’ve owned before. My apartment was usually empty as Tailspin was usually at the hospital. Nowadays I was lucky if I had at least a few moments of quiet. But, at least it was enjoyable loudness. I went into my room and used my magic to turn the radio on. A female voice spoke over the small radio. “Goood Evening Equestria! This is DJ-Pon3 here to bring all the news your little hearts can handle!” I laughed as DJ-Pon3 spoke so happily over the radio. Her real name was Vinyl Scratch and she ran the radio station known simply as “The Vinyl Scratch” along with her co host Octavia. Funny…I keep hearing of this Octavia, I wonder if I met her somewhere before? My thoughts were interrupted by Vinyl going on. “We got word from Ponyville that that awesome detective Private Eye, has done it again. Solving a case going all the way into Canterlot nobility itself, a massive conspiracy all centered around the abduction of one little filly” She laughed a little “And I thought my family was crazy” I shook my head and removed my trench coat and hat. I sat on my bed flat on my belly. It felt good to relax after such a case as this one. I shook out my brown mane and levitated the paper in front of me. I looked over the headlines and saw my picture in the paper alongside Rainbow and Twilight. That’s when I noticed my answering machine…I completely forgot to check my messages when I got home. I shut off Vinyl who was about to go into a rock anthem for the whole night. I walked to my answering machine and pushed the button. You have one unheard message a digitized voice spoke to me. A small beep occurred and I heard a male voice…a male voice that belonged to my father. “Preventus, it’s me your father I tried to call you sooner but it took me ages to find your new number. How are…*sigh* let’s just spare the formalities. Preventus…I want to just say I’m sorry…” I wanted to stop the message. He was trying to apologize after what he did?! All that he’s done! All that he’s not done!? I should just delete the message and… “I’ll admit I was wrong to cast you and Tailspin out of my home…” He…called Tailspin by name…he never did that. “It was my fault…I couldn’t accept that you were doing something I didn’t approve of. It was my own selfish greed that drove me to do what I did. I should never have had your mother take Mandrake! I would have both of my sons and my wife if I just let Tailspin come naturally…” I felt something touch my cheek… “I don’t blame you if you’ll never forgive me for what I did. I have yet to forgive myself for what I did. But when I saw you getting attacked today…I realized what I was about to lose. I saved you because I love you Preventus…you’re still my son regardless of what happened ten years ago” Another thing was running down my cheek… “I realize now I’ve missed so much of your life…your graduation at high school…your first love affair…you becoming a stallion…I look back on my life with nothing but regret over what happened” Stop it…stop falling! “When I saw your picture in the papers I was so proud…you were doing something good with your life. You were helping Ponies that others would turn away. I don’t know of any way you could make me more proud of you Preventus. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me…I don’t deserve it but I can still hope” You didn’t…damn it! Stop falling! Stop it! “I love you Preventus…you and Tailspin…I haven’t met Tailspin yet…I hope to remedy that some day…” You don’t! You don’t deserve to go near him…damn it! Stop falling!! “Goodbye Preventus…I love you…*click*” I knocked the answering machine off my night stand. I fell to the floor and just wiped my eyes. Why couldn’t I stop crying!? This man didn’t deserve to be forgiven! All he’s done is ruin mine and Tailspin’s lives! He killed mom! No…did he really? I crawled onto the bed and pressed my face to a pillow. No…Dad didn’t really kill mom…he was only making up for me wanting to be a detective… Dad was only doing what he thought was right…He held no animosity towards me and Tailspin…he loved us… Dad…I’m sorry… Author's Note Link to side story: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/51986/equestria-noir-side-story-irenius Link to next Case: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/52161/equestria-noir-case-9-murder-she-spelled
Chapter 1 "In The Dark of the Night"Equestria Noir Case 8 “Scoots and Murders” Chapter 1 “In The Dark of the Night” “Worst movie adaptation ever!!” Dash complained as we left the theater. Rainbow wanted me to come with her to see the movie adaptation of “Daring Do and the Kingdom of the Crystal Horn”. To say she was disappointed was like saying the sky was blue. I rolled my eyes “It wasn’t that bad…” “NOT THAT BAD?!” Dash exclaimed in my face as if I said the wonderbolts sucked. “The writing was terrible! The stunts were awful! Whose idea was it to have Shy Laburn play her son?! Why did she even have a son in the first place?!” I shrugged as we walked away from Ponyville’s cinema. “Maybe they wanted her character to expand or something? She was getting older Dash, something was bound to happen” Dash let out an exacerbated sigh “And then there was the refrigerator…” “You’re not going to let that go are you?” “A refrigerator Private! A freaking REFRIGERATOR!! You can’t survive a nuclear explosion inside a refrigerator!” I rolled my eyes, she’d been complaining ever since we got outside of the theater. I for one found the movie relatively enjoyable despite all of the problems with it. I wasn’t going to tell Rainbow Dash that…she’d have me watch a marathon of the original trilogy of films just to prove her point. Am I the only pony in the world that thought that “Daring Do and the Sanctuary of Doom” was the worst of the lot? _________________________________________________ “Hey listen” Dash said hovering beside me as we made our way through Ponyville’s dark streets. “I’m sorry for dragging you to see that. Had I known it was going to be that bad…” I shook my head “Nah, I needed something to do since there haven’t been any cases recently” I smiled at the cyan colored Pegasus “Besides, we haven’t really got to enjoy time together since Cloudsdale” “It’s good to have you back in Ponyville Private” Dash said giving me affectionate shove with her hoof. “It’s more exciting with you around” I smiled at her. Dash was a good friend of mine at this point. I don’t think I could ever pick a more loyal friend to have. She wasn’t the most…refined of ponies but she came through when it counted. Dash looked over at me “Listen, if you ever want me back on a case again you just say the word” “I’d be happy to have you…” BANG BANG!!!! Both of our ears turned to a nearby alley. “Gunshots!” Dash exclaimed We both ran towards the alley way and it twisted and turned. I rounded the corner with Blackbird out. I saw a Pegasus flying away from a dead body. He was covered head to hoof in a black body suit. I aimed my gun at him and fired a few shots but the Pegasus too fast. “Dash go after him!” I shouted as I walked to the body. “On it!” Dash zoomed into the cloudy night sky after the killer. She disappeared among the clouds as I looked at the body. She was a Pegasus with a cherry pink coat and a short brown mane tied back in a bun. She wore a simple brown jacket and appeared to be covering something with her body. She had two shots in her head from a close range gunshot “At least cause of death isn’t going to be a question…” I looked over as Dash landed back on the ground breathing heavily. She shook her head in frustration “I lost him in the clouds! I can’t believe it!” I put a hoof on Dash’s shoulder “Don’t worry Dash, we go with what we have” Dash looked at me with those magenta eyes of hers. She slowly nodded “Yeah, you’re right…hey what’s this?” She gestured to what the Pegasus was laying on. “Looks like the she was trying to protect whatever was in this bag” Dash grabbed the bag in her teeth; its contents were very large so she had to use some effort to drag out the bag from under the body. I leaned over the knot sealing the bag and used my magic to untie it. I opened the bag and Dash let out a gasp. “Oh no! Squirt oh no!’ For inside the bag…was an unconscious Scootaloo. “Don’t be dead!” Dash ran to the filly and lifted her tiny head in her forelegs. Her magenta eyes looked over the orange filly desperately searching for signs of life. I put my ear to her mouth and felt air coming out. “She’s not dead Rainbow…just unconscious. Probably drugged by something” Dash’s nostrils flared “Who would drug her?! If I find whoever kidnapped her I’m gonna…” she just pounded the ground to exemplify her point. I looked at the orange filly. Her violet mane was in disarray…she must’ve been kidnapped while she was sleeping. She wasn't hurt beyond being drugged. My grey eyes turned up to Dash. “Dash…I want you to follow my instructions exactly” Dash nodded but still held Scootaloo like she was her own child. “Anything for squirt here…” “I want you to take her to my house. Tailspin should be there to let you in. Then I want you to call Twilight and Fluttershy and tell them what happened. Tailspin should be able to help you get Scootaloo comfortable until they arrive” Dash shook her head “Shouldn’t we take her to a hospital!?” “Whoever killed this mare” I gestured to the dead body “Probably is looking for Scootaloo as well. A hospital will probably be the first place he’s looking for” “But why Twilight and Fluttershy, shouldn’t we get a real doctor?” “Twilight will be able to determine the drug that was used on Scoot. Fluttershy has had some medical training so she should be able to help out” Dash nodded slowly “I think I understand…” “Then go!” I said pointing out of the alley. Dash nodded firmly and picked up Scootaloo in her forelegs gently “It’s going to be okay kid…I’m going to get you help…” Dash then flew out of the alley at a quick pace. I returned to the body and used my magic to open the mare’s jacket and look inside. Aside from the usual lipstick and makeup cases you would normally find on a mare. There was also a medallion of some sort. I looked it over. It was a medallion with two wings interlocked with each other. I bit into the medallion “It’s made of real gold? She must be somepony very important…” I slipped the medallion inside a plastic bag and put the bag inside my coat. I also noticed she had a firearm inside her coat. “Looks like she was expecting trouble” I opened the chamber with my magic “No shots fired…never got to be used to defend herself” There was nothing else I could do but see if I could get the body identified. She didn’t have a wallet or any id on her. I walked to a nearby phone booth and made the call to Forceps. After three rings I got an answer “Ya better have a good reason for interrupting me at this hour!” “Forceps, it’s me Private” “Private? What are you doing out so late?” “I should ask you the same thing…” “Well I have…company…” “Company?” I said with a raised eyebrow. I heard a voice sound from the background…it sounded scarily familiar. “Get back ere you crazy farm animal!” I cringed…”Is that Granny Smith?” Forceps spoke outside the phone “I’ll be right there my little apple pie….” I felt…violated somehow “Look, when you got a moment form…whatever the hell you’re doing…I got a body for you” “A body? Where at?” Forceps said his interest peaking “In the alley by the Pharmacy, see if you can get uniforms to comb the place” “Will do Private! But uh…there might be a delay…” “I really don’t want to know Forceps…” I said as I hung up. I walked out of the phone booth and ran for my house. __________________________________________________ I arrived at my house and saw Scootaloo lying on my couch with a blanket on her. Fluttershy and Twilight were looking her over while Rainbow paced frantically. Tailspin who was beside Scoot looked up at me “Private…she’s not waking up” I walked over to Scootaloo who was sleeping soundly. I looked over at Twilight “What’s the verdict doc?” Twilight smiled a little “The drugs won’t kill her; she’s just sleeping right now” Fluttershy gently stroked Scoot’s mane. “We did all we could to make her comfortable…but she hasn’t stirred at all no matter how many times we’ve talked to her” I nodded “Let’s give her some space; I’ll get something cooking for everypony…” We went into the kitchen and I managed to get some hot chocolate going for everybody. Tailspin hadn’t left Scootaloo’s side though. He just sat in his chair looking at her. Twilight looked at me as she took a sip from her mug. “Tailspin hasn’t left Scootaloo since Rainbow brought her in” I smirked a little “Tailspin’s got a little crush on her but he won’t admit it to anypony” Fluttershy sighed a little “That’s so wonderful…young love…” Dash made a noticeable gag as she chugged down her hot chocolate. “Love? Aren’t they a little young for that?” Fluttershy shook her head “Love can spout at any age Rainbow” She smiled a little “Some of my animals fell in love when they were only a few days old…” “What about you Fluttershy?” I asked curiously “You got a special somepony?” Fluttershy’s butter yellow face turned tomato scarlet. She sank in her chair and hid behind her mane “N-no…” Rainbow raised an eyebrow “But weren’t you eyeing Big Mac the other day?” Fluttershy let out a squeak of embarrassment “No! I mean yes I mean…oh dear…” She literally hid under the kitchen table she was that self conscious. Twilight frowned at Rainbow “You know how sensitive she is about stuff like that” Rainbow shrugged “It’s the truth isn’t it?” So…Big Mac and Fluttershy? I shrugged and took a sip of the hot chocolate. I guess I could see it. My grey eyes looked over at my brother who was still looking at Scootaloo. The little guy sighed a little as he stared at the filly he liked. I got up from the table and levitated another mug of hot chocolate. I walked to my brother’s side and put the mug in his lap. He picked up the mug and took a small sip “Thanks Bro…” I rubbed my brother on the back “Tailspin she’s going to be fine…” “Who would do this to her?” Tailspin said his blue eyes not leaving the orange filly. “It’s just sick…drugging her and taking her from her home like that…” “I know you care about her Tailspin…” Tailspin opened his mouth to deny it. I gave him a look that dared him to try “But you just got to trust me to solve this okay? I’ll find out who did this to her and why” Tailspin slowly nodded and took another sip from his mug “You’re right…I just hate not being able to help her” I smiled at my little brother “Just you being here shows how much you care about her. She’ll come around sooner or later…” Tailspin’s face slowly turned into a smile. Dash entered the room and sat beside me looking down at Scootaloo. She looked over at me “Any change?” I shook my head “Nothing…still sleeping like a baby” “I hate seeing her like this…” Dash said as a tear came to her eye. “She really does mean a lot to you doesn’t she?” I asked rubbing Dash’s back in comfort. She nodded “Yeah, she’s my number one fan…this squirt was always there at every event I performed at…” She wiped her tears away with her hoof “To see her like this…it’s like somepony kicked me right in the face” I looked over at Tailspin who got the hint. He rolled to the kitchen to give Dash some space. Dash bent down to the filly and gently nuzzled her on top of the head. “You’re going to be okay kid…just wake up…” ….”Dash…?” “Kid!” Dash exclaimed as Scootaloo’s eyes slowly opened. The little orange Pegasus sat up and looked around. Fluttershy, Twilight and Tailspin all ran/rolled into the room. Scootaloo looked up at Rainbow Dash. Her violet eyes wide in shock “Rainbow Dash! You saved me?!” Dash smiled at the little filly and wiped a tear away from her eye “You scared me a couple of times kid…” She reached over and hugged Scootaloo tightly “I’m glad you’re okay” Scootaloo let out a small squeal at being held by her idol. But then she calmed down and returned the hug Rainbow was willing to give her. “I’m okay Rainbow Dash…I’m fine” The two let go after a few minutes and Fluttershy did a check up on Scootaloo. “You don’t seem to be hurt anywhere” She smiled at the young filly “Just try and get lots of rest for the next couple of days” Scootaloo nodded “I will Fluttershy you can count on that” Tailspin spoke up “Who kidnapped you?” Scootaloo frowned at Tailspin “Oh…hi Tailspin…” My little brother blushed at being addressed by Scootaloo “I was uh…here to help to…” Scootaloo sighed “You don’t need to help me out all the time Tailspin. I’m not helpless you know” Tailspin wasn’t listening, just gazing lovingly at Scootaloo. I facehoofed…my brother was hopeless, I declare him TLC: totally lost cause. I walked closer to Scootaloo “Even still Scootaloo, could you tell us why we found you in a bag in an alley?” Scootaloo looked down at her blanket “I uh…don’t want to talk about it…” Twilight looked at the orange filly in earnest “Scootaloo…anything you can tell us could help us find out who would want to kidnap you in the first place” Scootaloo looked at Rainbow as if asking for permission. Rainbow gave a slow nod and Scoot turned to me. I levitated out my notebook to write down her testimony. “I finished my homework and went to bed a few hours ago…After I fell asleep I heard somepony break into my room. They came in and put some kind of rag to my mouth. I inhaled whatever it was and then my head got heavy and I fell asleep again…” Twilight prodded “Did you see the pony that kidnapped you?” Scootaloo nodded slowly “I didn’t just see her…I knew her…” Rainbow’s eyes went wide “You know who tried to kidnap you!?” The orange filly nodded again “She was…my nanny…”
Chapter 2 "The Many Secrets of Scootaloo"Chapter 2 “The Many Secrets of Scootaloo” All of our jaws dropped at the same time. Rainbow was the first pony to speak “Your nanny tried to kidnap you!?” Scoot slowly nodded “Well, she was my nanny anyways” I wrote this down in my notebook “When was the last time you’ve talked with her?” “Besides telling her to let me go?” Scoot said trying to lift the mood a little “I haven’t talked to her since I was six” “Why did you have a nanny in the first place?” I asked my curiosity peaking “Don’t your parents take care of you? Are they working parents?” Scoot’s eyes went down. This was obviously something she wasn’t used to talking about even among friends. “My…mom died when I was little and dad is…well…” Rainbow put a hoof on the little filly’s shoulder. Scootaloo looked comfortable with Dash around her like that. Dash smiled at her “It’s okay squirt, Private’s here to help” Scootaloo nodded and turned her eyes back to me “My dad got really shaken up by mom dying and well…he had us leave our home and come to Ponyville in order to get away…he’s been a mess ever since” Tailspin raised an eyebrow “I’ve never seen your dad…you always went home alone…” Scoot nodded, “Yeah, I usually have to go home before he did something…drastic…” Rainbow rubbed the filly’s back trying to comfort her. I was thankful that Rainbow cared so much for the young filly. I doubt I could’ve gotten this information out of the filly without Dash here to help her admit to her problems. I decided to move on from her father “Where did you live before you came to Ponyville?” “Canterlot…I lived in Canterlot…” Twilight’s jaw dropped “You’re from Canterlot!? But if you lived there then you must’ve been…what’s your last name anyway Scootaloo?” Scootaloo looked to Dash again. Dash nodded with a smile as if giving her permission. Scoot looked at Twilight and confessed “My full name is Scootaloo Themeara Loftwing” “Loftwing!?” Twilight’s voice spiked in shock “The Loftwings are one of the most influential families in all of Canterlot…but I thought they were all unicorns…” I shook my head “Not all of them, it was in the papers that one of the family members went against tradition and married a Pegasus” Rainbow looked at me with a raised eyebrow “What’s the big deal? Ponies marry interracially all the time. Why would it be a huge controversy for squirt's dad?” “Maybe for you and me it’s no big deal” I said knowingly “But back when my dad was my age there was a huge schism between Pegasi and their ground dwelling cousins. Most traditional families in Canterlot wouldn’t see past racial prejudices and kept their families from intermarrying with them” “You’re mother was a Pegasus right?” Twilight said looking over at me “Your father must’ve broke tradition as well if he married her” I quickly changed the subject. As much as this was relevant I really didn’t want to talk about my father. I looked back at Scoot “Your father left the family in order to marry your mother?” Scootaloo nodded “Yeah, I lived in Canterlot for a short time when they let him back in. But after mom died well…dad broke down” “When was the last time you’ve talked to your family?” “At least four years ago, and that was when Dad and I walked out the door to move to Ponyville” ______________________________________________________ “It seems so silly to me” Dash said as we walked down Ponyville’s street. We left Twilight and Fluttershy to stay guard over Scootaloo in case anypony tried anything. Tailspin was more than happy to stay behind and guard the love of his life. Like I said, T.L.C. “What seems so silly?” I asked “This whole issue about marrying outside of your race” Dash said shaking her head “I can’t believe that ponies can get so hung up over whether you have wings or a horn that they would kick a family member out of their own home” “It was a huge conflict…at least Canterlot wasn’t as bad as Manehatten” “How bad was it over there?” Dash asked nervously “Oh you had gang fights in the streets, shootouts, rumbles…you name it the unicorns and earth ponies were doing something bad to try and get at their Pegasi brethren” “All because we have wings?” Dash said flapping her wings to exemplify her point “It goes deeper than that…the upper crust changes about as often as a solar eclipse” I sighed “One of the reasons I’m glad to be out of that world…” “Let’s change the subject” Dash said “What’s the deal with Tailspin?” “My brother falling head over hoof for Scootaloo?” I laughed “He’s been like that ever since his first day with her” “Yeah but she doesn’t seem to like it so much” Dash said looking at me “What’s up with that?” “Dash, Scootaloo admires you, you’re an independent self made mare” I said sagely “She must think that in order to be like you she has to appear tough. Tailspin is used to mares eating out of his hoof because he’s so eager to give them what they want. What tough girl would want that?” “Wow” Dash flushed a little “I didn’t think about it that way. I knew she was my number one fan but…wow” “You seem attached to Scootaloo” I observed “An outside observer would think you two were sisters by the way you two act” “Well I always liked the little squirt” Dash said trying to hide her embarrassment “She reminded me a little of myself when I was that small. Over time I guess I just grew attached to the little kid” “It’s good that she has somepony like you as a hero, she really seemed to trust you” I said smiling “Well when you’re somepony as awesome as I am what’s not to like?” Dash said proudly There was the ego I knew Dash by. I looked ahead at a small apartment building in front of us. I held up the address that Scootaloo provided for us. “Apartment four…” “She lives in this dump?” Dash said as we entered the apartment. I knew college dorms that smelled less bad. The building itself was heavily run down and some of the paint was peeling off. I could not believe a young filly lived here. This wasn't the place to raise a kid. I came to Scootaloo’s apartment and knocked on the door. No sound greeted me…I knocked again…no sound again. I pulled out Blackbird and turned to buck down the door. The door fell after one buck and I aimed my gun inside…I found an orange unicorn sleeping on the coach…he looked just like Scootaloo. I put my gun away and walked to the sleeping unicorn. I nudged him and he drowsily arose from his slumber “What…who the hell are you…?” His words were slurred…he’d been drinking. “Detective Private Eye, I want to ask you some questions about your daughter being kidnapped…” “Aww hell…I really got to lay off the scotch…” ________________________________________ The unicorn’s name was Jockey, and after sobering him up he managed to sit down on the coach while Dash and I sat opposite him. “The hell do you want with me?” I spoke firmly “Last night somepony tried to kidnap your daughter” Suddenly his violet eyes grew wide “Where is she now?!” “She’s safe at my home” I said assuredly “We have two guards posted so that she’ll be safe” I wasn’t going to tell him that the guards were a socially awkward unicorn and a doormat Pegasus. “I was hoping you could answer some questions” He nodded slowly “I’ll tell you what I can detective…” “Where were you last night when your daughter was kidnapped?” I asked “I was passed out on the couch…Tonight was supposed to be the night I got off the bottle. I was having one last drink…I guess it led to several last drinks” Dash was about to tackle the irresponsible parent but I held her back with my magic. I moved on “Your daughter said her nanny was the pony who kidnapped her” “Feather Duster? Why would she kidnap her? She loved Scootaloo” The orange unicorn said confused. I levitated a picture that I took of the nanny before I left. “Is this her?” His eyes scanned the picture and he nodded “Yeah, that’s her…why…oh Celestia she’s been shot?” I nodded solemnly “Yeah, an assassin killed her as she tried to take Scootaloo away. Who would kill a nanny?” Jockey thought for a moment but then his eyes became small pupils. “My family…they would do something like this…” “Why would your family try to kill and kidnap a filly?!” Dash retorted “Because…Scootaloo is the only heir to the family…she’ll inherit all the fortune once the head of the family, my father Blitzwing, dies” _____________________________________________________ “I can’t honestly believe that guy is Scootaloo’s father!” Dash said punching the earth outside the apartment in frustration. “Who goes off and gets drunk while their daughter gets kidnapped!?” I looked over at Dash “You can choose your friends Dash; you can’t choose your relatives” Dash’s wings drooped a little “At least…she has a dad…” My eyebrow rose. “You don’t have a dad?” Dash shook her head “No, I lost my dad when I was very small…Mom died when I was just a filly…” She started tearing up a little. I rubbed the Pegasus’ back for comfort. “Dash I had no idea…” “Its okay” She wiped her magenta eyes “I’m used to it at this point…” I smiled at her “What’s say that we follow up on this lead?” She nodded “But how are we going to meet them?” She folded her forelegs in thought “We can’t just walk into their mansion…they probably are expecting somepony to come looking after all of this” “Wow Dash, you’re starting to sound more like a detective every day” I said smiling at her “Well yeah, I get it from hanging out with eggheads like you and Twilight” She said smirking “I am not an egghead!” I yelled as Dash ran off with me in hot pursuit. ________________________________________________________ Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow and I all sat at my kitchen table. I filled Fluttershy and Twilight in on what happened at the apartment. Fluttershy frowned “Oh that’s so awful that Scootaloo has to live there…” Twilight shook her head “When I have foals I’m going to make sure my husband stays as far away from alcohol as possible” I wasn’t going to tell her about the vision of our daughter. Then again this could be a not so subtle hint for me to stay away from alcohol. I shook my head “Either way we need to find some way to meet up with the family…” A light bulb appeared over Twilights head. “I know just the place!” She dug into her saddle bags and pulled out a flier. I read the flier aloud while Dash and Fluttershy read over my shoulder “Come one Come all to the Canterlot’s finest event. The Ball of the Bells is an event where Canterlot’s elite are invited to dance and have a good time…” “The Loftwings will defiantly be there!” Twilight said triumphantly “One problem though” I observed “None of us are Canterlot nobility…you maybe Twilight but your family doesn’t exactly scream elite” “You have a point there” Twilight said defeated “Even if I am Celestia’s student that couldn’t get me into a party like that” I suddenly got an idea…it was a long shot but it could get us in “I think I know who could get us into the party…” Dash looked over at me expectantly “Who? Who?” I put down the flier and said two words “Raiden…Bolt” Twilight’s jaw dropped again and then she squealed like a fan girl “The Raiden Bolt?! As in the world famous rock star?!” . I sighed “That’s him…” Fluttershy squeaked in delight “I have all his albums…I don’t really listen to rock and roll all that often but his lyrics are so well done and…” She blushed a little “He’s kind of cute…” “I begged my brother for weeks to take me to his concert one time! I even got to touch his hoof onstage” Twilight said laughing in delight Both mares squealed in absolute delight at the mention of Raiden. But then they stopped and looked over at me. Twilight spoke first “How do you know Raiden Bolt?” “Well…we were kind of…” I said nervously “What?” Fluttershy asked her aqua eyes begging for an answer. ….”Childhood friends…” WHAT?!!?!? Every mare in the room including Rainbow Dash was looking at me. Twilight then got in my face “Why didn’t you tell me you knew Raiden Bolt personally?!” “Because I knew at least two or more mares in the room would react like you two did” I said flatly “Oh…” was all Twilight could say. Rainbow snapped out of her stupor “You think he can get us in?” “I have yet to see Raiden do any wrong when it comes to things like this. If there’s anypony who knows how to handle Canterlot nobles…it’s him” “What’s a rock star doing getting involved in Canterlot nobility?” Twilight said tilting her head. “I never said he was involved by choice” _______________________________________________ I left Scootaloo and her father with a protection detail that morning. Tailspin insisted on staying behind with Scootaloo despite her objections. I also had Luca stay behind; nothing was scarier to a criminal then a wolf attacking them. We arrived in Canterlot that evening via train. The four of us stepped off the train and Rainbow Dash looked around “How are we going to find him? Canterlot is huge” A horde of fan girls ran passed us like a heard of stampeding buffalo. They were all wearing black t shirts with yellow lightning bolts on them. When they passed I smiled at Rainbow who had her mouth agape. “Just follow the herd…” _____________________________________________________ We arrived at an outdoor concert hall. Fan girls crowded the stage so bad it took two Minotaur security guards to keep them from running on stage. Twilight and Fluttershy ran to the front and joined in with the craziness. Rainbow sighed “What’s so great about this guy anyway? So what if he can sing? I can sing it’s no big deal” “You haven’t heard Raiden…” I said ominously Suddenly the stage went dark. Streams of smoke met spotlights as a Pegasi took the stage. His dark coat almost blended in with the darkness of the stage. He lifted a guitar off a stand and walked to the microphone. “This one goes out to all the awesome ponies out there that could come tonight! Are you ready to rock?!” He shouted into the mike The crowd screamed and cheered as the spotlight revealed Raiden in all his glory. He was my age with a dark coat and large wings. His most distinguishing feature was the yellow bolts of lightning he had on his sides and flank. His wings spread out to show that he also had yellow feathers mixed with his black ones. His yellow eyes looked out to the crowd and he riffed on his guitar and he began to sing. Open up your eyes take a look at me If the picture fits in your memory I’ve been driven by the rhythm like the beat of a heart! And I won’t stop until I start To stand out… To stand out! He began to move about the crowd as the fan girls squealed in delight. I was going to punch this guy if he even so much as toughed Twilight. I looked over at Rainbow…she was in a total daze at the pony on stage. Some ponies settle for the typical thing Living all their lives waiting in the wings It ain’t a question of if, just a matter of time Before I move to the front of the line!!! Sparks flew out behind Raiden to allow him to stand out even more. He was truly a master on stage. And once you’re watchin every move that I make! You gotta believe that I got what it takes! Suddenly Raiden was in the air flying over the crowd while still playing his electric guitar. His eyes passed over me as he flew over. He smiled and I waved to him. I couldn’t hate the guy after he pulled of something as impressive as that. To stand out! Above the crowd! Even if I gotta shout it out loud! Til mine is the only face you see Gonna stand out… His eyes suddenly found Rainbow…his jaw dropped a little but he shook his head and continued. Till you notice me… Suddenly my friend descended until he was hovering upside down in front of Dash. The cyan colored Pegasus flushed bright red as suddenly she was the center of attention by this guy. He smiled and continued his song If I could stop and have you take a look at me instead of just… Walkin by… There’s nothin that I wouldn’t do if it was getting you to notice He sounded out the last bit of lyrics I’m alive… Suddenly he flew again back to the stage and continued. Several ponies were staring at Rainbow Dash who was blushing furiously. But all eyes soon returned to Raiden. All I need is half a chance a second thought a second glance To prove, I got whatever it takes!! He landed on the stage and smirked “It’s a piece of cake…” Suddenly lightning bolts came out of his wings as he finished up the song. The stage was alight with lights and neon to the point of near blinding. Raiden’s shadow ripped on the guitar as he continued. To stand out! Above the crowd! Even if I gotta shot it out loud! Til mine is the only face you see! Gonna stand out! Suddenly the lights died down until Raiden was the only pony on stage. He smiled at the crowd “Til you notice me…” And notice they did, everypony in the crowd stomped in sheer appreciation. I looked over at Rainbow Dash who just looked stunned. I nudged her with a hoof to get her out of her daze. “You okay?” Two words came out of Dash’s mouth that described the entire experience in a nutshell…”So…Awesome…”
Chapter 3 "Guns of the Loftwings"Chapter 3 “Guns of the Loftwings” We walked behind the stage to where Raiden’s trailer was. All three of the mares in my company had insisted on hitting the venders before we did. I rolled my eyes, this always happened whenever I brought girls along to see Raiden. We arrived at Raiden’s trailer and a Minotaur guard stopped us. “You have business with Mr. Bolt?” I nodded “I’m an old friend, Private Eye and I need to see him” The Minotaur nodded and knocked on the door. Out stepped Raiden himself clad in a lightning bolt colored robe and a pair of shades. He lowered his glasses so his yellow eyes were visible. He smiled wide “Bout time you came around dude!” I smiled back “It’s good to see you to Raiden, can we talk?” “Well, I’m willing to talk to you…” He looked past me at Rainbow Dash. “But it’s your marefriends here I’d like to get acquainted with…” Rainbow blushed furiously and shook her head. Suddenly she flew up and got in Raiden’s face “Look pal! We need your help and we don’t have time to be screwing around!” “Aww” Raiden said in mock disappointment “But screwing around is the best part…” Dash’s face turned even redder at the innuendo. Spring! Dash’s wings sprung up wide and she shook her head. “Look are you going to help us or not!?” She tried desperately to flatten her wings while the rest of us laughed a little. “Of course, right this way” He pointed for us to enter his trailer. Twilight and Fluttershy entered the trailer bouncing with a little too much excitement. Rainbow frowned and as she passed Raiden to enter the trailer… Spring! “Darn it!” Dash suddenly picked up the pace to enter the trailer. I frowned at Raiden “Still the same old womanizer I see” Raiden shrugged “I can’t help it if the mares fall at my hooves” He then looked over at me with curiosity in his yellow eyes. “So which one is yours?” I got within inches of my friend’s face “It’s the violet one…if you even think about flirting with her…” “It’s all cool dude” Raiden said dismissively “You know I respect you enough not to use my wiles on her” “But you’re willing to use your wiles on a Pegasus you’ve only just met?” I said my frown still on my face. “Dude have you seen her!?” Raiden said excitedly “I don’t think I’ve seen a flank like that in years! And that mane, how many mares do you know have a mane like that? Rainbows should totally come in” Raiden’s own mane was long and parted in the front. He had yellow highlights among the black of his mane. Or was it the other way around? I can never tell in that mess of a mane he had. I sighed “Just try to act professional and I won’t hang you from the nearest flag pole” He laughed out loud “Same old Private…” _____________________________________________________ “A murder and a kidnapping?” Raiden said while sitting on a couch in the trailer. The trailer itself was about the same size of a small house. It had a full on kitchen for Luna’s sake. We sat around him in various chairs as Raiden went on “Sounds heavy dude” “It is” I said simply “And that’s why we need your help to get us inside the Ball of the Bells” Twilight continued “None of us can get in without drawing attention to ourselves, but Private tells us you can get in” Raiden nodded “I could get you guys in; you all can disguise yourselves as my busboys or something. That way you guys can get in…though…” I sighed “What do you want Raiden?” “Just a small request” He said assuredly “I don’t think it’s too drastic” Fluttershy ironically was the one who asked this “What exactly do we need to do?” Raiden’s eyes turned to Rainbow who was trying very hard not to be noticed by him. His yellow eyes eyed her up and down until I got the hint. “You want to have Rainbow be your date…” I said as it dawned on me Dash sprang into the air “What!? You want me to- No way in Equestria!!” Raiden tilted his head in confusion “What’s the problem? Most mares would kill to have a date with me” Dash got within inches of Raiden with her nostrils flaring. “Listen you stuck up jerk! I’m sure you’re used to mares fondling you left and right! But I’m not!” She then flew out of the trailer in a rainbow colored blur. The shades on Raiden fell “Well…that was unexpected…” I shook my head bemused “You’d have to figure this would come eventually” Raiden shook his head “What happened? I would’ve thought she would want that…” I got up from my seat “I’ll go talk to her…” _________________________________________ Dash was sitting outside with her head looking at the ground. I walked up to her and put a hoof on her shoulder. She looked over and realizing it’s just me returned to staring at the earth. “What was that all about Rainbow?” I said looking at her “Why’d you lash out at Raiden like that?” Dash sighed “You remember when I said my dad was gone…?” She looked over at me “Well…he didn’t die…” “What happened Rainbow?” I asked hoping to help my friend. “Dad never wanted to have me in the first place…when I was had well…he left…” “Your mom was single?” I asked with a raised eyebrow. Then it dawned on me “You’re worried that Raiden will be like your dad…” “Yeah” Dash admitted “When he was out there singing that song I was enthralled…he was so amazing and I felt my heart want to burst out of my chest. Then…I remembered that my mom said that’s what happened when she met dad…” Dash was crying at this point. I pulled her in and she pressed her muzzle to my shoulder. I let her tears fall on my trench coat. I was in big brother mode at this point. I gently rubbed Rainbow on the back and let her sob on me. “I was teased a lot in school” Dash said still sobbing “Whenever I wouldn’t date a guy they would call me a filly fooler…” “But the real reason that you don’t date” I said gently “Is because you’re afraid that you’ll end up like your mom” “She was going to be a huge athlete…” Dash cried “She gave up her dreams to have me…” She pounded me on the chest in frustration. “That jerk took that dream away from her…” “Shh…” I said into her ear. There was nothing romantic about this whole business. Dash just needed somepony to listen to her problems. I was like a big brother listening to her crying like this. This must’ve been a huge blow to her pride but she didn’t care. She just wanted somepony to care… She pulled away and wiped her eyes “Sorry…I must look like an idiot…” I shook my head “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for…but Dash, I really think you should give Raiden a chance. He may be irresponsible but deep down he has a good heart...” Dash hung her head “But…what if I screw things up?” I patted her on the head “Then know you got friends that are willing to pick you up when you’re downtrodden” Dash smiled and punched me in the chest affectionately. “Thanks Private…you’re an awesome friend” “I’m sorry if you thought of me that way…” I heard a voice say behind me. I turned around and there was Raiden. His yellow eyes looked over at Dash apologetically. He walked to her and bowed his head “I shouldn’t have been so…sorry I’m not good at this stuff…” I chuckled “Just ask her out you idiot” Raiden smiled and looked at Rainbow Dash “Your name is Rainbow Dash right? Well…would you join me for the Ball of the Bells?” Dash looked hesitant at first. But then she sighed “Only if you don’t get me flowers or anything too…fancy” Raiden smiled wide “Awesome! I’ll start getting this ready right now!” _______________________________________________________ Twilight and Fluttershy walked on either side of me. “While Raiden and Rainbow are getting ready for their night out we’ll investigate the assassin angle” Fluttershy looked over at me “Um…Private…thanks for comforting Rainbow Dash like that” I looked over at the butter yellow Pegasus “Have either of you heard her story?” Fluttershy shook her head “No, I’ve known her ever since flight school but she’s never told me about her dad” I felt Twilight brush against me “Either way Private, you helped her out and that’s what matters” Fluttershy smiled at me “It was very kind of you Private” I flushed in embarrassment “Stop it you guys you’re making me blush” I shook my head and refocused “Either way, I’m gonna make a call to Forceps” I went to a nearby payphone and made a call to Forceps’ morgue. Fluttershy and Twilight were gossiping about Rainbow and Raiden outside. I rolled my eyes and listened for the ring. “You’ve reached the Ponyville town morgue, this is Forceps” “It’s me Private, what do you have on the body?” “Let’s see ere…early sixties, female, shot in the head twice with a .44 caliber pistol. I’d say it was used by a Pegasus by the way the aim was off the first time” “Anything you can tell me about who killed her?” I answered “I already know it was used by a Pegasus” “Well I talked to Foundra; I noticed an odd symbol on the bullet casings we found at the scene. They were custom made by some foreign company” “Can you trace any professional assassins that bought those bullets?” I asked my mind already at work. “We got one match, an assassin in Canterlot by the name of Fliptrip. He lives at an 1121 Krios Lane” “Thanks Forceps, I’ll head there now. Keep me posted if you find anything else” ___________________________________________________________ I banged on Fliptrip’s door with my hoof “Open up it’s the police!” The house was a small one story house designed to blend in with Canterlot’s bigger buildings. I looked over at my partners “Fluttershy, you take the roof in case he tries to fly away” “I won’t have to hurt him will I?” Fluttershy said meekly. I sighed “No just hold him long enough for me to put hoof cuffs on him if he tries to fly off” Fluttershy nodded and slowly flew up to the roof of the house. I motioned for Twilight to hug the other side of the door. Her horn was aglow, ready to cast any spell that was needed. I pulled out Blackbird and turned to buck down the door. Suddenly a green streak burst through the straw roof. I looked up to see a green Pegasus flying away with a screaming Fluttershy holding onto his tail. “Fluttershy!” Twilight and I shouted as we ran in pursuit. I couldn’t shoot down Fliptrip if I wanted to avoid hitting Fluttershy. Fluttershy held onto Fliptrip’s tail for dear life trying to balance herself with her wings. I shouted up at her “Fluttershy! Find some way to pull him down!” Fluttershy’s eyes blinked as an idea formed in her head. Suddenly her wings were glued to her sides and she became a dead weight on Fliptrip’s tail. The two fell like a pair of bricks from the top of Canterlot Castle. Twilight’s horn glowed and she caught Fluttershy right before she could fall. Fliptrip however…hit the ground in a rather uncomfortable way. I ran to the guy and started putting hoof cuffs on him “Fliptrip, you’re under arrest for the murder of Featherduster” Fliptrip’s brown eyes looked up at me “I didn’t kill Featherduster! Somepony else did!” ______________________________________________________ I entered the interrogation room at Canterlot’s detention center. Fliptrip sat in a rather dignified manner. I never expected an assassin to be so…refined. “You understand why you’re here?” I said after taking my seat across from him. “I do, you want to know if I killed Featherduster” Fliptrip said simply “I did not kill her” “That’s a pretty bold statement” I said with my eyebrow raised “The question is…who would want a nanny dead?” Fliptrip spoke his testimony in a very refined and professional manner “I got a call from Blitzwing, the head of the Loftwing family, who says he didn’t want his granddaughter to inherit the family fortune. So he hired me to…take care of her…” “You would kill a filly?” I said trying to hide my anger. Suddenly his brown eyes widened “His granddaughter is a filly?!” “You didn’t know? He must’ve told you his granddaughter was a young child” He shook his head “No, he didn’t tell me that I would be killing a child…now that I think about it he must’ve known I’d refuse if I knew” “So you weren’t the one I saw in the alley that night…” “What alley?” Fliptrip said very confused “Okay start over” I said waving my hoof dismissively “After you got the call then what?” “I was given an address of her current residence” Fliptrip said trying to recall every detail “It was very cloudy that night so I used the cover to hide myself…but the I remember getting hit by something and next thing I know I was lying on the top of a nearby building” “What gun were you going to kill the daughter with?” “A .44 caliber revolver…loud but I knew it would end it quickly. I’m not an assassin that lets his victims suffer. But…” “But what?” “When I came to…the gun was gone” “So you didn’t kill Featherduster…” I said firmly “No, but somepony else did” Fliptrip said simply “I can think of only one pony that would though…” “And who is that?” I asked leaning forward. “His name is Krackle; I heard he got arrested this morning for selling greens…and not the good kind. I remember him bragging about some big and simple job he got before I left the bar to do the job” ________________________________________________________ “Look I ain’t talking until my lawyer gets here!” A frost blue Pegasus spoke indignantly. “You’re lawyer will get here when he gets here…” I said annoyed “You have plenty of time. Here’s how it’s going to work…I ask the questions and you answer them, simple right?” “Who the hell do you think you-“He was cut off when I smacked him onto the table with my magic. He struggled but couldn't get up under the invisible hold I had on him. “Mr. Krackle I don’t believe you were paying attention…” I said my voice low “I ain’t sayin nothing! You can’t do anything to me!” He growled “I’ve faced worse then you ya little chicken shit!” “A .44 caliber pistol was found at your home that belongs to somepony else. You took it and performed the assassination yourself to frame Fliptrip! Now one question remains...who hired you? Tell me who hired you and I won’t sell your balls to the nearest dragon…” “You can’t do that! I have right you know! Nothing you can do can convince me!” He growled I let go of my magic and smirked evilly “You’re right…there’s nothing I can do…” Suddenly he began to sweat profusely “What…what are you talking about?” I turned to the nearby door and opened it. In entered sweet little Fluttershy smiling cutely. I nodded to her “Madame Fluttershy…tell Krackle how much of a bad boy he’s been…” _______________________________________________________ Twilight and I stared thought the one way mirror. Twilight looked over at me “I’ve heard about the power of the stare but…to see it in action” “Just be thankful you aren’t on the other end” I said staring at the scene like one would a carriage accident. Fluttershy exited the interrogation room smiling happily “Did I do good?” I looked over at the whimpering blubbering ball that was Krackle. Maybe she did a little too well after all he did manage to get him to confess to his crimes. As well as some rather... embarrassing details about his school life. I looked over at Fluttershy “What did you find out?” Fluttershy cleared her throat and spoke “He was hired to kill Scootaloo as well…the poor thing. He killed Featherduster after witnessing her kidnapping the poor dear in the first place” “That puts him at the scene of the crime” Twilight said nodding “We have our culprit” “But do we have a mastermind?” I said looking over at Fluttershy “Did he say who hired him?” “No, he got the job from a distorted voice at a pay phone” Fluttershy shrank a little “I’m sorry…” I shook my head “You did good Fluttershy…there’s only one way we can find out who killed Scootaloo” _____________________________________________________ Twilight, Fluttershy and I explained to Rainbow Dash what happened. “Two assassins and a kidnapping?” Rainbow exclaimed “Man this case is more messed up then the one at Cloudsdale!” I nodded “The only way we’re going to found out who hired the assassin that killed Featherduster is if we go to the family directly” Rainbow smiled “I guess it’s time we followed this fox” She suddenly put on shades “To its hole!” YEEEEEEAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! “You are not ending this chapter on that joke!” I shouted at Rainbow Dash “Haven’t you ever heard of a running gag Private?” Dash whined “THAT”S A GAG!?” I exclaimed indignantly. All three of them laughed. Somewhere a certain Pink Pony was freaking out that a forth wall joke was said without her around. Wait…what the hey am I talking about!?
Chapter 4 "Ball of the Bells"Chapter 4 “Ball of the Bells” “I’m not coming out!” The door in front of me said for the twelfth time. For the past hour Twilight and I have been trying to convince Rainbow to come out of the dressing room Raiden provided. Our efforts to get the Pegasus out of the room have been as fruitless as trying to empty the ocean with a spoon. Twilight sighed “Fluttershy worked hard to make sure you’d look good for tonight. Least you can do is not let all that go to waste” Fluttershy, who was sitting nearby, blushed a little at the praise. She was the one who took care of Rainbow Dash’s look for tonight. I’ll have to admit I was surprised that the shy Pegasus knew so much about fashion. I knocked again “Look Dash if you don’t come out I’m going to come in there after you and drag you out” I stepped back as the door slowly opened. Both mine and Twilight’s mouths dropped at the same time. “How do I look?” Was all that Rainbow Dash said. She looked…pretty. Her mane was actually combed and was sparkling like an actual rainbow after a rain storm. Her cyan coat was well groomed and gave off a very fine sheen. She was clad in a very beautiful white and sky blue dress with a matching necklace. She was even wearing makeup…Dash never wore makeup. Her cheeks flushed and she scuffed the floor with a hoof. “Stop staring guys…” Twilight smiled at her friend “You look great Rainbow; Fluttershy did an amazing job with you” Fluttershy hovered beside me and smiled at Twilight “Rarity always gave me tips whenever we went to the spa. I thought I’d put what I learned to practice” “Yeah” I agreed “When you clean up Rainbow you can look very pretty” Rainbow flushed even more at all of this “Guys…” I turned around “I’ll go check out your date” I nodded to Fluttershy and Twilight in turn “You girls get ready for tonight as well” I walked out as Twilight and Fluttershy kept complimenting an embarrassed Rainbow Dash. I felt like I was sending Rainbow on a prom date or something. I guess it shows how attached I’ve grown to the cyan Pegasus. _______________________________________________________ I was in Raiden’s dressing room trying to tie on his bow tie on the rock star’s suit jacket. “Will you quit squirming?” I said annoyed “It’s harder to do this then it looks” “Sorry dude” Raiden said apologetically “I’m just nervous is all” I raised an eyebrow “Raiden you were never nervous at any date you went on” I smiled at my friend “What changed?” “What changed is that I…” Raiden shook his head “I don’t know dude, something about that mare has just got me beyond nervous. It’s not like it was with all the others” I laughed “If I told you that you’d be feeling like this years ago you would’ve laughed in my face” Raiden laughed in turn as I finished up my work on the bow tie. He looked at himself in the mirror. I managed to convince him to not wear so flashy attire for the evening and get that mess of a mane under control. My friend sighed “I’ve never felt like this for any other mare…when I saw her out in the audience it was like Celestia herself was telling me to go for her” I nodded “What are you so nervous about? You two have a lot in common, you both have huge egos, you both love flying, you both are cocky to the core…” Raiden laughed “You know me way too well Private” “Twelve years of bailing you out of detentions can do that” I said smiling “You always were the responsible one” Raiden reminisced “I was always the one trying to get the power out in the school so we could get out of school for a day” I rolled my eyes “No wonder the lights kept flickering in gym” _______________________________________________________ The Ball of the Bells was started over a hundred years ago. A Canterlot noble was asked to create a new bell for Canterlot castle’s bell tower. He ended up donating three sets of bells to the castle. Celestia was so grateful she had a ball created to celebrate such an event of generosity. Nowadays the event is where Canterlot’s elite go to plot their constant invisible wars with one another. The wars always went on where we commoners couldn’t see. I never understood the upper crust’s constant need to war with one another. Wasn’t enough that they had money and prestige? I thought this as I opened the door to Raiden’s limo carriage. I was disguised as a servant wearing a simple suit jacket. I had to leave my trademark hat back at Raiden’s trailer. I couldn’t risk somepony recognizing me before I found the Loftwings. Raiden excited the limo and helped Rainbow descend the steps. The two had been talking the whole trip here about various topics. They seemed more comfortable around each other when they realized that they shared similar sized egos. I looked over at Twilight who was also disguised as a servant. “We follow them in and then we go for the Loftwings” Twilight nodded then tapped her ear. “Fluttershy? Are you in?” I heard a small choice speak in the small earpiece that was a two way radio. "I’m in; I managed to disguise myself as one of the waitresses. Oh I hope I didn’t hit that poor dear too hard…” “Focus Fluttershy” I said over the radio “Do you see the Loftwings?” We followed Raiden and Rainbow as they entered the ball room that was rented out for the occasion. “I see them; Themeara Loftwing is sitting by herself on a couch. “Themeara…that’s Scootaloo’s middle name” I observed. Twilight whispered to me “She’s also the matriarch of the Loftwing family; if anypony would want Scootaloo taken out it’s her…” ____________________________________________ Many well dressed ponies littered the ball room everywhere. It wasn’t hard to change out of our servants garb in the bathrooms and become nobility in a matter of seconds. I looked over at Twilight who was now clad in a black evening dress. She smiled at me “I feel like a spy” I cleared my throat and spoke in a smooth voice “The names Eye…Private Eye…” Twilight laughed a little at my James Pone impression. She then looked toward the couches. “There she is” Themeara was a rather old looking unicorn with a soft orange coat. Her mane was jet black and was showing grey from age. She was clad in a blue dress for the occasion. She must’ve been a beauty in her prime but right now she was just another enemy in the invisible wars. I casually strolled to her and her blue eyes turned to me. She put on a practiced smile “I’ve never seen you around here before” “You should be glad you haven’t seen me before” I said smoothly. She raised an eyebrow and I flashed my badge from inside my suit jacket. I closed the jacket before anypony else could see it “Detective Private, I want to ask you a few questions” The matriarch simply nodded and gestured for me to take a seat beside her. Her blue eyes looked over at me “Am I under arrest or something dear?” I shook my head “Unless you had a maid killed for kidnapping your granddaughter” Her blue eyes looked away from me “I’m afraid I’m not blessed with grandchildren dearest, you must have me mistaken for somepony else” I levitated out a picture of Scootaloo. The recognition that came to her eyes was unmistakable. I spoke smoothly “Her name is Scootaloo…she’s ten now” Themeara looked at the picture. Her shield of politeness cracked a little and a bit of the grandmother inside her spoke “Can I…see that?” I let her own magic wrap around the picture. She held the picture in front of her and smiled “She has her father’s features…she’s getting so big now” “Somepony tried to have her killed…and it wasn’t you” I observed “How do you know it wasn’t me?” She said her blue eyes testing me. “If she’s alive then you must be aware that should my husband die my granddaughter gets the fortune” I shook my head “You didn’t lash out in anger at the picture…you miss your granddaughter” Just then a rather young looking unicorn mare with a white coat and a dark mane came to us. “Mother, sir Irenius is looking for you” She nodded “Thank you Rainshower, could you tell him to wait a bit?” She looked over at me “I’m talking to this young man at the moment” The mare looked at me and tilted her head “Are you related to Sir Irenius at all? You look familiar” I shrugged “Must have me confused for some other noble” The mare simply shrugged and returned to the crowd. I looked over at Themeara “Your daughter?” The matriarch nodded “Yes, she’s about your age actually. She’s doing better since the whole incident of my son leaving the family” “She and him were close?” I observed “Yes” She answered simply “They were like two peas in a pod, you never saw one without the other” “Mam” I said “If we could get back on topic?” She nodded “Yes of course…I didn’t have anypony kill my granddaughter. I asked Featherduster to bring her to Canterlot” “You hired somepony to kidnap your granddaughter?” I said warily “I never hired Featherduster; she loved Scootaloo a great deal. She wanted to keep her safe from my husband” “Featherduster died fulfilling her duty” I said looking at the matriarch “Scootaloo is safe now” The matriarch sighed in relief. “That’s good to hear…I didn’t approve originally of Jockey marrying her mother” She shook her head “But life doesn’t always give you what you want. I should’ve counted my blessings and accepted the granddaughter I had. Not the one I wanted” _________________________________________________________ “So she was the one who had Featherduster kidnap Scootaloo” Twilight said sipping some punch as we talked. I nodded “Yeah, now we just have to figure out who killed the kidnapper” “Excuse me” I heard a voice speak behind me I turned around to see Rainshower again. She smiled politely “Forgive me for eavesdropping but what is all this talk about killers and kidnappers?” I nodded and showed the young mare my badge “I’m Private, a detective investigating a kidnapping and murder. Your niece was kidnapped by her nanny and murdered trying to get away from a nearby ally” “And you believe one of our family is responsible?” She asked rather defensibly. I held out my notebook “Could I ask you a couple questions about your niece?” “I will answer what I can” She said compliantly “But you must understand that my niece is not a subject I find…easy to remember” “What was your relationship like?” I asked writing down everything she said. “My brother and I were very close. I loved him very dearly…but then she came…” “Scootaloo’s mother?” I asked “Yes, he fell in love with her and wouldn’t stop talking about her. I thought this would just be a short affair but then…the wedding bells tolled” “You didn’t approve of him marrying a Pegasus?” I observed “Of course not” Rainshower said rather snootily “Their kind had no place in our family; she didn’t deserve a stallion like him…” Twilight advanced on the snobby unicorn “I have friends that are Pegasi thank you! You keep your racist comments to yourself now!” Rainshower simply turned up her nose and walked away. “I don’t need to hear this” Twilight snorted “What a snob” I nodded “Most of them are like that…if you aren’t needed by them…you aren’t worth anything” _______________________________________________________ I found Blitzwing at a refreshment table. He was a rather large stallion with a white coat and dark mane that was turning silver. He looked at me with a discerning eye when I approached “Can I help you?” “You can help me quite a bit actually…” I said while flashing my badge at him. He smirked “A cop? I’ll have you know I have committed no crimes…” “An assassin was hired to kill your granddaughter” “You believe me to be the client?” He said as if I told him he wasn’t a noble “I am aghast, how could you think I would kill my granddaughter?!” “Simple” I said shrugging “You wouldn’t have a pegasus have your fortune when you kicked the bucket” His violet eyes betrayed his guilt. But then his expression turned back into that smug look and I knew what was coming. “If you’re willing to look the other way my boy…I could make you a very rich stallion” “Doesn’t work Blitzwing” I said smirking “I accept no bribes from anypony” He started to sweat and I continued to press. “You hired Fliptrip to kill Scootaloo…you couldn’t stand the fact that your granddaughter was a Pegasus. Ironic given your family name that you would have a flier as a granddaughter” “Loftwing was once an old and proud name!” Blitzwing snarled at me “The Pegasi would’ve tarnished the name and used it to mock us!” “I’ll have you know that Fliptrip never got to perform the hit” “I never should’ve hired such a worthless assassin! That brat will inherit the entire fortune! Everything I’ve built will go to that worthless chicken!” Chicken was the worst insult you could give to a Pegasus. I’ve heard my mother called the word twice in my life. Both times…this happened. I tackled Blitzwing onto the refreshment table and began to wail on him. “You take that back you worthless asshole!” “Unhoof me! Guards!” He shouted as I kept punching him. I felt magic take hold of me and saw two guards grab me by the forelegs. I struggled and glared at Blitzwing “You monster! How could you call her that?!” “Take him away!” Blitzwing growled “He tried to attack me!” “That’s enough…” I heard a familiar voice speak. A voice I hoped never to hear again in my lifetime… I turned my head and saw him. He looked like an older version of me, with a dark brown mane that had turned silver and a dark grey coat. His blue eyes gazed at me in recognition…this was my father…Irenius Eye. He held up a monocle to his blue eye and simply stared at me “Preventus…?” I struggled out of the grip of the guards and took off. I didn’t want to talk to him. I didn’t even want to look at him! He didn’t deserve it! I ran outside and simply sat on the sidewalk. I didn’t expect to run into my father here…oh Celestia why?! I shook my head and simply looked down at my hooves. I felt a hoof touch my shoulder and I turned to see Twilight looking at me. “I saw the commotion” She gently rubbed my back “Private…that stallion was your father wasn’t he?” I nodded slowly “I should’ve expected him to be here…but to see him again after all this time…” She pressed up against me and gently nuzzled me on the cheek. I was happy that Twilight was here at my worst. She was always there whenever I broke down like this. It’s one of the reasons I fell in love with her. Twilight spoke in my ear “Private…we still have a case to perform” I chuckled “Usually it’s me telling you that we need to get a move on with the case” Twilight smiled at me “Somepony has to keep things going when you are hurt like this” I nodded “At least…I got Blitzwing’s confession” I smiled and revealed the bug on the inside of my suit jacket. “Now we can get him for hiring the assassin to kill Scootaloo” “Great, case solved then” Twilight said smiling I shook my head “Something still bugs me…who hired Krackle? He was the one who actually performed the deed…so who hired him to assassinate the kidnapper?”
Chapter 5 "Flight of the Pegasi"Chapter 5 “Flight of the Pegasi” Twilight and I got back inside the party just as the festivities were reaching their high point. Granted that didn’t amount to much at a formal event such as this. But I noticed Rainbow and Raiden on the dance floor together. Raiden was one of the better dancers I know. But the storm dark Pegasus had trouble outdoing Rainbow. I couldn’t tell if what dance they were doing was supposed to be romantic or competitive. It looked like both to be perfectly honest. Twilight smiled at the pair “They seem to be getting along well” I nodded “It’s nice to see Raiden get excited about a mare like this” “What do you mean?” Twilight asked curious “Well, back in high school Raiden never really had serious relationships” I explained “He was always a bit irresponsible” “Like another pegasus I know” Twilight said with a small laugh Just then a loud commotion came from the punch table. I looked on to see Blitzwing falling over on the ground. Several ponies yelled and screamed at the sudden keeling over of a guest. I ran to him and saw the overturned cup that he drank from. I sniffed it “Poison! Somepony poisoned him!” “Uh Private…” Twilight said as she came up to me “We got trouble…” I looked over to see that Twilight was looking at a pair of thug unicorns carrying Tommy guns. I grabbed Twilight and ducked behind a table “Get down!” A symphony of bullets came after me and Twilight as we ducked for cover. I pulled out Blackbird and took a few shots at them but ducked before I could become Swiss cheese. Twilight looked over at me “Blitzwing’s been poisoned…somepony is trying to cover up the murder!” I nodded and ducked at another bullet shot “We gotta get outta here! Where’s Rainbow and Raiden?” Twilight looked over and pointed. I followed her hoof and saw Raiden with Rainbow behind an overturned table. Some loose bullets fired at them when Raiden saw me. He waved at me and pointed for us to head out the back way. I nodded and Twilight and I worked our way through cover. I tapped my ear to turn on the radio. “Fluttershy are you alright?!” I heard a small squeak on the end which said she was okay. “Make your way to the back and find Themeara! She may be responsible for this!” “R…Right” The four of us made out way to the servants exit. I opened the door for everypony to get inside. A thug pony was running my way but one shot in the leg by Blackbird but him down. I slammed the door behind me and locked it tight. I turned to see a strange sight. Fluttershy was there with Themeara, the old unicorn was holding her side trying to stop the bleeding of a bullet wound. I looked at the yellow Pegasi “What happened?” Themeara spoke weakly “Somepony…somepony hired those men to kill me and my husband…” Fluttershy ripped off parts of her waitress uniform to use as temporary bandages. “Please try and hold still” She tried to press the bandages to the old unicorn’s wounds. Themeara shook her head “If they killed my husband then they are after my granddaughter!” She pushed the bandages away “Go after her! Save her from the bastard that did…this…” She fell over weakly. Fluttershy stared in horror at this. I bent down to the old unicorn. I looked at Fluttershy knowingly “She won’t last long…she’s an old horse and this bleeding will kill her if we don’t get her to a hospital…” Raiden pushed past me and lifted the old unicorn onto his back “I’ll take her…I can handle the extra weight” Rainbow looked at Raiden “Aren’t you going to help us get to Scootaloo?” Raiden shook his head “I’m not about to get shot at again…” Rainbow’s magenta eyes grew alight with fury “You aren’t helping! You’re just running!” Raiden glared back “I only signed up to get you guys inside! I didn’t sign up to take a bullet for a pony I barely know!” Rainbow’s nostrils flared “Well you go ahead and run you….you….chicken!” She then flew away and turned her back on Raiden. Raiden’s yellow eyes grew wide at the insult. He looked over at me…Raiden was never one to get into a fight if he could avoid it. He was asking if it was okay for him to help in this way. My own grey eyes answered that question for him. I didn’t approve of him running when we could use him. But he wasn’t completely bowing out. He was helping just not in a way I would’ve wanted him. I simply nodded and Raiden turned to fly out the window with Themeara on his back. He gave one last look at Rainbow before flying away. Fluttershy flew to her friend and put a hoof on her shoulder “Rainbow I’m sorry…” Rainbow shook her head. “Feeling sorry for me isn’t going to help now Fluttershy! If those guys killed Squirt’s grandparents then they’re after her to” I nodded and looked at Twilight “Let’s get out of here! We need to get back to Ponyville as fast as we can!” Twilight nodded “They probably have the whole place surrounded; we can’t get out by the normal entrance” Rainbow smiled smugly “You forgot that you have two Pegasi in the group now” I looked out the window at the nearby parking lot “And I think I know how to utilize those two Pegasi…” ______________________________________________________ We ran through the crowd quickly. Dash discarded her dress in favor of freedom of movement. Just as I was rounding the corner to get around I felt a pony punch me in the face. I fell back several feet and saw a rather large looking thug in front of me. I looked over at Twilight “You guys go ahead! Find a sky chariot!” Twilight and the Pegasi ran out of the ballroom as I faced the thug. He smiled smugly and charged at me. I dodged smoothly and delivered a swift buck to his ribs. I wasn’t strong like Big Mac or Applejack but I could make a buck hurt. The thug yelped in pain but then fired at me with his horn. I was hit by a blast of magic to my shoulder and I slid to the side. I spat out blood that formed in my mouth and scraped the floor in a challenge. The thug charged me horn down I met him with my own horn. Our horns clashed like swords and I shoved the thug back. I tackled the thug with my shoulder into a nearby pillar. The thug then grabbed me with his teeth and slammed me into the very pillar I slammed him into. I started seeing stars in that moment and he slammed his hoof into my face again. I fell to the floor and he pinned me down. I glared up at the thug “Who hired you!?” “Somepony who wants to make sure the Pegasi don’t tarnish the Loftwing name…” He lifted his hoof and punched me across the muzzle. I tasted blood as he kept wailing on me. Damn, I can’t believe I’ve gotten so careless. I just hope the girls are safe. Pain shot in my ribs as the thug punched me in the neck. I struggled to try and get up but couldn’t under this stallion’s weight. I was a sitting duck- Bang! A bullet shot into the stallion’s shoulder and he fell off me. A grey blur tackled the stallion and that blur lifted a cane and smacked the pony upside the head. The thug fell back and my savior shot him in the leg with a levitated revolver. The thug went down like a ton of bricks…then my savior spoke. “That’s my son you’re trying to kill you bastard…” My savior was my father… He turned and looked at me with those blue eyes he shared with Tailspin. He had some bruises on his muzzle…he’d been fighting. We didn’t speak for a moment but then my father simply nodded. “I’ve called the police; they will be here to stop these monsters” I nodded “You make sure that these ponies get to safety” Whatever animosity I held towards my father was overshadowed by the issue at hand. My father nodded “Be careful Preventus…” He ran past me “Dad…” I said as he did. He stopped in his tracks but didn’t turn around “Thanks…” I ran out, I had to hurry if I was going to stop these thugs from getting at Scootaloo. I hoped my father was able to get these ponies out before too many got hurt. Funny…to think I’d be running into my father like this after all these years. _______________________________________________________________ Bullets sang around my ears as we flew off in a sky chariot. Fluttershy and Rainbow were pulling the vehicle while Twilight and I were riding in the back. I looked behind us as a group of thugs were riding another sky chariot firing at us. Twilight activated a barrier just in time for it to be hit by another assault of bullets “They’re gaining on us!” I aimed Blackbird at one of the thugs and shot him in the head. The thug fell off the chariot and into the landscape of Canterlot’s outskirts below. I ducked behind Twilight’s barrier before his friend could shoot me back. I looked over at the two Pegasi powering this chariot. “Can’t you two go faster!?” “I could!” Dash shouted over the rushing wind “But with Fluttershy here I’m lagging behind!” “Oh dear oh dear oh dear…” Fluttershy kept repeating as the bullets kept coming. They were protected by Twilight’s barrier and the chariots front but the noise was still getting to Fluttershy. I didn't know how long the Pegasus could take all this scary noise. Twilight looked at her butter yellow friend “Fluttershy if you don’t pick up the pace those thugs will hurt Scootaloo!” Fluttershy spoke in an uncharacteristic rage “Those. Big. Meanies!!!!” I held on as the chariot got a boost of speed from a reinvigorated Fluttershy. Dash smiled in approval and matched her speed. I looked back and saw more sky chariots chasing us. I shot out with Blackbird and hit one of the thugs in the shoulder. Weather forecast for this day will be cloudy with a chance of falling homicidal henchponies. Please plan accordingly for ponies falling from the sky at great speeds. I ducked behind the barrier again. “Twilight these guys will overtake us if we don’t do something!” Twilight nodded “I’ll see if I can’t teleport us out of here! I’ve never teleported anything this big before!” Just then one of the bullets hit Twilight in the shoulder as she tried to stand up. She let out a scream of pain and the barrier failed. I held Twilight in my forelegs as her shoulder bled from the bullet wound. “Are you alright?!” She nodded and winced a little “Just a scratch…but I don’t think I’ll be able to teleport us away…” I looked on as the sky chariots got closer. I saw a thug pony load his gun and prepare to shoot Twilight. I used myself as a pony shield over Twilight and prepared for the worst… Boom!! I looked behind me as a magenta explosion hit one of the thug’s chariots. Just then members of the royal guard were there with sky chariots of their own. They had with them a very pissed Shining Armor. “That’s my sister you bastards!!” He fired another bolt of magic from his horn that hit one of the thug chariots hard. Thugs fell off to the ground below. Shining smiled down at me “You guys go on ahead! We’ll take it from here!” “Shining…” Twilight said with a smile at her brother. I nodded and turned to Rainbow and Fluttershy “Step on it!” The two Pegasi flew at top speed away from the fighting. I didn’t have to worry about Shining; he had years of training from being in the royal guard. I’m glad he turned out innocent in that one case. I can’t imagine what would’ve happened if he was arrested before this. The group made their way towards Ponyville just as clouds from a rain storm were about to gather. We didn’t have much time… ____________________________________________________________ We landed in front of Scootaloo’s apartment building. Rainbow and Fluttershy unhitched themselves from the chariot. Twilight limped out using me as support. I looked to Fluttershy “Get Twilight to a hospital now!” Fluttershy nodded and accepted the burden of Twilight on her back. I went to Twilight and kissed her lovingly “You stay alive okay?” Twilight grabbed my head with her hooves and kissed me back “You to…” Fluttershy sighed a little at the romantic moment. But one look from me got the yellow Pegasus going. Twilight waved weakly as she flew away on Fluttershy’s back. Rainbow was already zooming into the apartment building. I followed along just as fast and went inside… We found Jockey dead on the floor…a bullet wound in the head. Signs of a struggle were everywhere… Rainbow came back from her exploration of the house. “They’re gone! Tailspin and Squirt are gone!” She punched a wall in frustration. I noticed something on the door…a piece of fabric. I took it…it was a dark blue…what a certain daughter was wearing at the party… I went outside with Rainbow Dash in tow. “What are we going to do now!?” Rainbow said frantic “How are we going to find them!?” “We aren’t…” I said simply. I lifted my muzzle to the dark sky and let out a howl. The howl echoed throughout Ponyville until it was returned… Rainbow’s jaw dropped upon seeing Luca make his way to me. The wolf licked me on the muzzle affectionately. “You have a pet wolf!?” I smiled at Dash and petted Luca on the head. “This is Luca, we met at Appaloosa, since then I’ve been training him as a tracking wolf” “He can find Scootaloo and Tailspin!?” The cyan Pegasus said hopeful. I nodded and held the fabric to Luca “Can you find them boy?” Luca’s yellow eyes studied the fabric. He sniffed it deeply and then barked. He started running off to the south of town. “He’s on the trail!” I said as I took off after Luca. Dash followed me with a look of determination on her face. “Hold on squirt…Rainbow Dash is coming for you…” I smiled at Rainbow; I always admired the loyalty that she shared for her friends. One thing was for certain…whoever did this pissed off the wrong ponies. They were going to get a vengeful friend and Big brother after them. If this criminal did anything to Tailspin… I didn’t want to think about it. Nopony was going to hurt my brother on my watch!
Chapter 6 "Storm of Vengeance"Chapter 6 “Storm of Vengeance” Luca lead us to an old warehouse just to the south of town. I opened the door with my magic and peeked inside. I looked to Luca “You sure about this boy?” Luca barked in affirmative. The scent led here and he was sure of it. Luca hasn’t let me down before so I trusted the wolf. I nodded “Good boy” I looked over at Rainbow Dash “Let’s go and find our lost kids” Dash nodded and I left Luca outside. The cyan Pegasus and I entered the warehouse cautiously. I got an uneasy feeling we were about to… ZAP!!! A bolt of lightning came out of nowhere and hit me and Rainbow hard. I screamed in pain as electricity coursed through my body. When it was over I fell over weakened by the attack. Dash fell down as she was also hit by that strange lightning. I looked up weakly and saw the culprit of this whole operation standing over me. I smirked with what little strength I had “Hello Rainshower…” The white unicorn glared at me, she was levitating some kind of staff with her magic. She then smirked confidently “How did you figure it out?” “You’re dress; it ripped on the door as you left to kill your brother…” “Why would I kill my brother!?” Rainshower spouted out indignantly “Vengeance, you killed him because he fell in love with a Pegasus…” Rainbow glared at Rainshower furiously “You couldn’t stand it! You were close to him and you couldn’t stand the fact he was going to throw it all away for a Pegasus!” Rainshower glared at the cyan Pegasus. “My brother was a fool in the end! I gave him the option to hand over that little mistake of his! But he threw himself in front of the bullet to protect that mistake!” “Scootaloo is not a mistake!” Rainbow shouted “You will never understand that it doesn’t matter who your family is! You should still care for them no matter where they came from!” Rainshower slapped Rainbow on the face. “You will not speak you damn chicken!” I tried to get up but was met by another blast from her lightning staff. “You bitch…how dare you call her that…” “It’s thanks to her kind the Loftwing name is in the toilet!” Rainshower glared at me “The Loftwing name was once a proud name! But my brother threw it all away for some tramp!” My eyes grew in understanding “This isn’t about restoring the family name…” “What?!” “If it was you wouldn’t kill off both your parents…you hired those men to erase your family from existence. They disapproved of something…something that would’ve tarnished the name even more…” “You’re saying…” Rainshower wearily, I was getting close. “You…loved…Jockey” I said slowly Rainbow looked at Rainshower with wide eyes “You were in love with your brother!?” I nodded “Yes, and when he threw away the family name for another mare you couldn’t stand it. You tried to convince your parents to go against it, but they wouldn’t approve of your love for your brother. They ignored you…I remember how dismissive Themeara was of you” “My mother never could see things for how they were…” Rainshower growled “You knew that your father was going to try and kill Scootaloo. But you also knew that your mother was planning to kidnap Scootaloo to protect her from him. You knew that Blitzwing’s assassin would miss Scootaloo if the plan went as it did. So you hired Krackle to intervene…he never got to finish the deed” “No” Rainshower said smirking “But I will…” She gestured to a cage hanging from the ceiling. She used her magic to remove the cover and I saw Scootaloo and Tailspin inside a small cage. Tailspin saw me and cried out “Bro!” I tried to get up “You let my brother go now!” I got another lightning bolt to my chest and fell back on the floor. I looked up as my little brother reached out with his front hoof between the bars. Scootaloo reached as well for Rainbow Dash “Rainbow! Help me!” “Hang on kid!!” Rainbow got up and charged for the cage. Rainshower zapped Rainbow just before she could reach Scootaloo’s outstretched hoof. Rainbow fell like a rock onto the floor. Her wings singed by the lightning bolt. Rainshower kicked Rainbow in the stomach “You truly are pathetic…she’s not even your blood and you risk injury to save her…” “She may not be my real sister…” Rainbow said weakly. She smiled at Scootaloo who was crying at seeing her hero like this “But she may as well be…” Rainshower laughed out loud “You are all so pathetic! These pathetic chickens aren’t worth saving!” Her horn glowed and a lever was pulled. I saw that a bunch of loose sparks ignited a puddle below the cage with a electricity. “Squirt!” Rainbow shouted before getting hit in the stomach again by Rainshower. “Scootaloo can just fly out can she?!” I shouted “She can’t fly! I knew I should’ve taught her…” The bottom of the cage had a trapdoor under it. Tailspin and Scootaloo can’t fly…if they fell on the water…oh Luna no… Scootaloo knew the situation and looked to Tailspin “Tailspin listen…I’m sorry” Tailspin looked over at Scootaloo “What for?” The orange Pegasus shook her head “I was so mean to you before…You didn’t deserve to keep getting yelled at…” Tailspin shook his head and set a hoof on the orange fillies shoulder “You don’t need to apologize…I did all those things for you because…” “All that helping me stuff?” Scootaloo said with a raised eyebrow “The picking me up when I tripped…the sharing with me…being worried about me when I was asleep back at your house…?” Tailspin nodded “Yeah…I did it because I thought…you’d like me to…” His sapphire face turned a much darker shade as he confessed his feelings. “You…like me?” Scootaloo said her jaw dropping and her face flushing. “Yeah…” Tailspin smiled at her “I think you’re really cool…you don’t let anything discourage you even when all this crap is happening…I admire that” Scootaloo’s face turned red as well…then she reached over and hugged Tailspin. She cried into his coat and just kept repeating “I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry…” Tailspin returned the hug and gently held her close. “It’s okay…you don’t need to apologize to me…” Scootaloo broke from the hug and wiped her eyes “I thought…I thought you were just showing how weak I was…” Tailspin shook his head “I don’t think that at all!” “But…I’m a Pegasus who can’t fly…” Scootaloo confessed to my brother. Tailspin turned around to reveal his brittle and small wings. Scootaloo stared at them as it dawned on her. Tailspin can’t fly at all…she was lucky to have wings at all. Scootaloo reached a tentative hoof and touched Tailspin’s wings. My brother tensed as she did. He didn’t even let me touch his wings and I’m his brother. But he let her hoof run along the brittle feathers gently. I was amazed that Tailspin let her...he must really care for her if he let her perform such a action. Tailspin turned back to Scootaloo “I think you’re strong Scootaloo…losing your dad…your family…I know how hard it is” His blue eyes met her purple ones “You don’t need to face all that hardship alone…” Scootaloo hugged my brother again. I smiled a little…Tailspin…I’m proud of you. Rainshower laughed again “Now that that’s over with! Time to die!” Scootaloo clung to my brother as Rainshower’s magic wrapped around the trap door. Scootaloo looked at my brother “Tailspin…if we don’t make it out of this…I want to say…I like you to…” Tailspin’s eyes grew wide as he felt Scootaloo nuzzle him on the cheek. Tailspin returned it and then…the floor beneath them gave way. I yelled as Tailspin and Scootaloo fell to the electrified puddle below. Dash reached out with her hoof but she knew she couldn’t stop them in time… Crash!! Whoosh!!! I looked to see a dark streak breakthrough the window and zoom towards Scootaloo and Tailspin. I blinked and saw Raiden hovering in the air with both foals on his back. Rainbow’s magenta eyes grew wide at the sight of him. Raiden landed on the ground and set the foals down on the ground. Raiden glared at Rainshower “Nopony hurts foals on my watch…” Rainshower smirked “Raiden Bolt…I see you felt compelled to play the hero” “I’m not playing you bitch…” Raiden said dangerously “I may not like getting shot at but…a certain mare taught me something about loyalty…” Rainbow smiled weakly at Raiden. This was unusual for Raiden; he never wanted to be a hero. I guess Rainbow left an influence on Raiden that can’t be understated. Rainshower growled low at Raiden “You will die for your insolence!!” Raiden smirked and lowered into a fighting stance “Hit me with your best shot…” Rainshower held her lightning staff and fired full force at Raiden. The dark Pegasus simply spread his wings and took the full brunt of the blast. But instead of falling over…the electricity went into Raiden’s wings and the rock star was unharmed. “What the hell is this?! You dare defy me chicken!” Rainshower exclaimed upon seeing Raiden suddenly becoming super charged. Raiden smiled “A little trick I picked up from a career in show biz. I have conductors in my wings that allow me to channel electricity through them” He spread his wings to their full length “And send it anywhere I want!” He flapped his wings and twin bolts of lightning fired out of them. Rainshower didn’t even have time to scream as she was hit by the lightning bolts. Electricity coursed through her until she fell to the floor in a crispy heap. Raiden’s yellow eyes were triumphant and he glared down at the unicorn. “Also…chicken my ass…” He punched the criminal in the face and she fell unconscious. I got up weakly and ran to my little brother. I held Tailspin in my front legs tightly. “Tailspin…” I said while holding my little brother to me. Tailspin pressed himself into me and smiled “I’m okay bro…I’m okay…” I looked up from my brother and saw Scootaloo helping Rainbow to her feet. Rainbow looked over at Raiden her eyes confused “But I thought…” Raiden shook his head “After I saw how you guys were willing to risk it all I…I decided to come back and help you out” I let go of Tailspin and walked to Raiden “How did you find us?” “Well” Raiden explained “After I dropped off Themeara at the hospital some old noble told me where you guys went. He said you guys got a sky chariot to Ponyville so I followed” “That explains how you got to Ponyville” I said “But how did you find us here?” “Some wolf started barking at me” Raiden said I could only imagine it was Luca “He pulled on my tail and I followed him here” Rainbow walked to Raiden “That still doesn’t explain why you came back…” Raiden’s yellow eyes were downcast “I…I remembered how you called me a chicken and…well I couldn’t stop thinking about how much of a coward I was being. You convinced me to come back…” Rainbow’s cheeks started flushing at this but then she gave a small smile to Raiden. “Thanks for coming back…” My friend smiled “Anything for a pretty mare” Spring! “Darn it!” Rainbow exclaimed as her wings sprung up. We all laughed a little at Rainbow’s expense. Rainbow joined in after a bit…it was good to have everypony safe and sound. ______________________________________________________ “We’ll take it from here Private” Shining Armor said as they loaded up Rainshower in a police carriage. “Thanks for bringing this case to a close” I nodded at the captain of the guard “I’m glad you came when you did. Thanks for saving us back there” “No problem” Shining said smiling “How’s Twili doing?” “She should be out of the hospital in about a week, the bullet didn’t cause as much damage as was originally thought” I said reassuring the concerned older brother. Shining nodded “That’s good to hear…because if she died on this case….” He suddenly got within inches of my face “A certain detective would have a little…”accident”” I gulped as Shining laughed at my expression. I knew he meant it as a joke but my mind still remembered the pink explosion from before. The captain of the guard went to speak to some of the other guards. I walked to where Rainbow was with Scootaloo. Scootaloo was thanking Rainbow for the twelfth time “Thank you guys so much for coming to save me and Tailspin!” Rainbow flushed at the praise “No problem kid…anything for my number one fan” I walked to the pair and smiled. “Themeara should be out of the hospital soon…she’s an old horse but she’s tough” Rainbow smiled “That’s good; it means squirt here has a home” Scootaloo however looked down at the ground “But…until then I don’t have any place to stay…” Rainbow thought for a moment then smiled widely. “You can come and stay at my place” Scootaloo’s violet eyes grew huge in shock “You mean it!? I get to stay with you!?” Rainbow nodded “While you are…let’s see if we can’t teach you how to fly” Scootaloo let out a yell of delight then leapt into Rainbow Dash. She hugged her idol tightly and Rainbow wrapped her wings around the orange filly. It didn’t matter if they weren’t related…they still cared for one another. That was Dash for you I guess. I looked over to see Raiden finishing up his interview with a guard. Raiden nodded to the guard and hovered to me “To think I spent a good part of my life avoiding those guys. Now they treat me like a hero, I guess that’s irony for you” “Well you did just zap a criminal before she could murder all of us” I said with a smile “You gotta admit that’s impressive” “Yeah I am awesome like that” Raiden said with his chest puffed out in pride. I rolled my eyes as he continued “I think I might stick around this place for a while” This took me by surprise “What about your tour and career?” He dismissed that with a wave of his hoof “I’ll tell my manager I’m taking a break from show biz. Besides there are…” He looked past me at Rainbow who was talking excitedly with Scootaloo “Other things out there that are more important” I smiled and walked past my friend “You take good care of her Raiden…” “I will Private” Raiden said firmly “You take care of that violet one to…” That reminded me I needed to visit Twilight at the hospital. I left the crowd to walk towards Ponyville General. The rain was lighter then normally here. I looked up at the falling rain. You didn’t follow sorrow this time Rain…but renewal. I gave one last look back at Rainbow and Scootaloo…the surrogate sisters were going to be alright. I was proud of Dash. She really deserved the element of loyalty a dozen times over.
EpilogueCase 8 Epilogue Tailspin’s eyes scanned the panel in front of him. After careful debate in his head he finally nodded on his decision “Cloud 18!” “Darn it!” Pipsqueak said as he tossed a piece off his board. “You zapped my weather pony!” “That means I win!” Tailspin exclaimed raising his hooves in victory. They have been playing three straight games and so far Tailspin had won all of them. “I was only going easy on you!” Pipsqueak retorted trying to save whatever pride he had left. Tailspin laughed at his pinto friend. The two colts had been the best of friends since Tailspin had arrived at Ponyville. Pipsqueak was also from out of town, Trottingham to be exact, and the two bonded well. Dinky who was reading nearby raised her periwinkle head at the two colts playing. “You’ll beat him next time Pip” Pip sighed a little “Tailspin is just way too good at this game” Tailspin suddenly smirked “Well, maybe we could provide incentive for you to win next round” “What do you mean?” Pip said with a raised eyebrow Tailspin laughed a little “Winner gets to kiss Dinky on the cheek” Pip suddenly turned bright red as Tailspin burst into laughter “Tailspin!” Dinky covered her mouth with her book to hide her own giggling. Then she looked over at Tailspin disapprovingly “You shouldn’t embarrass Pip like that” “Yes you three should be doing something else…” All three of the foals looked up as I entered the living room. They tried to hide the game and book that they had behind them. They gave innocent smiles at me but I could see past the smiles. “Do you three have your homework done?” All three of them gave guilty looks. Tailspin was the first to speak up “We uh…we’re almost done Private” I shook my head “I let you three come here because I expected you three to actually get your homework done together” Pipsqueak looked at me apologetically “Sorry Mr. Eye. It was my idea to play the game and well…one thing led to another” I sighed “Just get your homework done and then you three can play” “Yes Mr. Eye” Dinky said with a nod of her head. The three foals went into the kitchen to finish up their work. I shook my head bemused. I sounded stern but I was actually glad that Tailspin had found friends. Those three always got into trouble together. Tailspin was the ringleader, always coming up with this plan or that. Pip was the right hand pony. The little pinto always stood by Tailspin in whatever adventure they planned. Dinky was the brains of the outfit, she’s usually the voice of reason with her two friends. So far the three have been a constant presence in my house. I never really had foals in a house I’ve owned before. My apartment was usually empty as Tailspin was usually at the hospital. Nowadays I was lucky if I had at least a few moments of quiet. But, at least it was enjoyable loudness. I went into my room and used my magic to turn the radio on. A female voice spoke over the small radio. “Goood Evening Equestria! This is DJ-Pon3 here to bring all the news your little hearts can handle!” I laughed as DJ-Pon3 spoke so happily over the radio. Her real name was Vinyl Scratch and she ran the radio station known simply as “The Vinyl Scratch” along with her co host Octavia. Funny…I keep hearing of this Octavia, I wonder if I met her somewhere before? My thoughts were interrupted by Vinyl going on. “We got word from Ponyville that that awesome detective Private Eye, has done it again. Solving a case going all the way into Canterlot nobility itself, a massive conspiracy all centered around the abduction of one little filly” She laughed a little “And I thought my family was crazy” I shook my head and removed my trench coat and hat. I sat on my bed flat on my belly. It felt good to relax after such a case as this one. I shook out my brown mane and levitated the paper in front of me. I looked over the headlines and saw my picture in the paper alongside Rainbow and Twilight. That’s when I noticed my answering machine…I completely forgot to check my messages when I got home. I shut off Vinyl who was about to go into a rock anthem for the whole night. I walked to my answering machine and pushed the button. You have one unheard message a digitized voice spoke to me. A small beep occurred and I heard a male voice…a male voice that belonged to my father. “Preventus, it’s me your father I tried to call you sooner but it took me ages to find your new number. How are…*sigh* let’s just spare the formalities. Preventus…I want to just say I’m sorry…” I wanted to stop the message. He was trying to apologize after what he did?! All that he’s done! All that he’s not done!? I should just delete the message and… “I’ll admit I was wrong to cast you and Tailspin out of my home…” He…called Tailspin by name…he never did that. “It was my fault…I couldn’t accept that you were doing something I didn’t approve of. It was my own selfish greed that drove me to do what I did. I should never have had your mother take Mandrake! I would have both of my sons and my wife if I just let Tailspin come naturally…” I felt something touch my cheek… “I don’t blame you if you’ll never forgive me for what I did. I have yet to forgive myself for what I did. But when I saw you getting attacked today…I realized what I was about to lose. I saved you because I love you Preventus…you’re still my son regardless of what happened ten years ago” Another thing was running down my cheek… “I realize now I’ve missed so much of your life…your graduation at high school…your first love affair…you becoming a stallion…I look back on my life with nothing but regret over what happened” Stop it…stop falling! “When I saw your picture in the papers I was so proud…you were doing something good with your life. You were helping Ponies that others would turn away. I don’t know of any way you could make me more proud of you Preventus. I hope one day you can find it in your heart to forgive me…I don’t deserve it but I can still hope” You didn’t…damn it! Stop falling! Stop it! “I love you Preventus…you and Tailspin…I haven’t met Tailspin yet…I hope to remedy that some day…” You don’t! You don’t deserve to go near him…damn it! Stop falling!! “Goodbye Preventus…I love you…*click*” I knocked the answering machine off my night stand. I fell to the floor and just wiped my eyes. Why couldn’t I stop crying!? This man didn’t deserve to be forgiven! All he’s done is ruin mine and Tailspin’s lives! He killed mom! No…did he really? I crawled onto the bed and pressed my face to a pillow. No…Dad didn’t really kill mom…he was only making up for me wanting to be a detective… Dad was only doing what he thought was right…He held no animosity towards me and Tailspin…he loved us… Dad…I’m sorry… Author's Note Link to side story: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/51986/equestria-noir-side-story-irenius Link to next Case: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/52161/equestria-noir-case-9-murder-she-spelled
