Chapter 9: The Case

Sandova woke up somewhere around noon, feeling refreshed despite the late hour he fell asleep. After he had freshened up a little he went to the dining area of the hotel for some breakfast. He spotted his friends and walked over to their table.

"Good morning ladies, how are you today?"

They looked up and smiled.

"Good morning Sandova. We were just discussing our plans for today. Where did you want to go?"

Sandova sat down and grabbed some toast using his telekinesis, and poured some orange juice with his hooves.

"Well, I thought I'd see the sights first, but Detective Hard Facts wants to see me ASAP. We could meet up later today, though."

The mares seemed a little disappointed, but nodded in understanding.

"We could meet up at the museum, how long do you think you're needed?"

Sandova thought a moment, munching his toast, then shrugged.

"Honestly, I have no idea. But it couldn't be more than three hour or so. Let me see, see you at the museum at four?"

"Okay, is there anything we can do to help?"

Sandova smiled at Twilight and shook his head.

"Not right now, but I think you can help me out later. Either with the case or by explaining some of the expositions at the museum. Now, if you'll excuse me."

He got up and left the hotel, leaving his friends to enjoy a day in the city together. Nothing could go wrong with that, right?
~
Abyss looked at the note in front of him, feeling dread slowly take hold of him. The script was strange and flowing, yet sharp and foreboding. Not many ponies knew this script existed, let alone be able to read it. But Abyss could, his study in the darker alleys of magic forced him to learn to read Tartaran, the ancient script of demons and dark magic.

My dear servant,

I Have some important business to take care of, but on my return I expect that colt brought before me. Do not disappoint.

Your master

"Damnit! What have I gotten myself into?"

There was a knock on the door. Abyss composed himself and hid the note.

"Enter."

Loud Snap entered the office, a somewhat pleased expression on his muzzle.

"Boss, I have some news from Silent Whisper."

Abyss' ears perked up, all was not yet lost, it seems. He urged Loud Snap to continue.

"It seems our guy is involved in some kind of investigation, he's headed to the guard HQ now. The mares he was with are still in the hotel, and don't seem to be involved."

Abyss nodded, his sources in the guard had notified him of a rather peculiar case. Three colts murdered with necromancy, and a fourth with apparent talent for such magic had been arrested. Abyss could recognize his master's hand in this, but what benefit could Terminus gain from forcing a dark talent upon a teenager and frame him for murder?

"So our guy is some kind of private investigator?"

Loud Snap shook his head.

"Not that I know of, Whisper overheard that his specialties lie in combat and magical theory. Maybe some retired special agent?"

Abyss snorted.

"Retired? You told me he looked no older than twenty-five. No, there is something special about him, I'm sure of it. Besides, our 'dear' diarch would never employ a necromancer. Whoever he is, I'm sure he can get us the colt, one way or another."

He waved his hoof at his underling.

"You can go now, contact me if Silent Whisper has more news."

Loud Snap nodded curtly and left the office. Abyss pondered the information he had. Although it wasn't his style, he needed to move quickly. His very life, and possibly more, depended on it.
~
Sandova entered the Guard HQ and spoke to the first guardspony he could find.

"Excuse me, sir. I am looking for detective Hard Facts, she wanted to see me."

The blue unicorn looked at Sandova with a calculating gaze, then nodded.

"You are Sandova, I take it?"

Sandova nodded. The other stallion grinned and held out a hoof.

"I'm detective Cold Case, her partner. So you're some kind of inter-dimensional alien?"

Sandova was caught off guard, but recovered quickly. He somehow managed to shake hooves with Cold Case and returned his grin.

"You could see it that way. But rest assured, I come in peace. Now, could you take me to your leader?"

Cold Case let out a guffaw and shook his head.

"Now I see why Hard Facts dislikes you, she can't stand jokers in such a serious business. Well then, follow me."

Cold Case led him through the HQ, making small talk along the way.

"So, if you're from a world with significantly less technology, how did you know that science fiction reference?"

Sandova thought back at the 'movie night' he had with the girls a few weeks ago, it took Twilight hours to explain him all about the subject. It took Pinkie about two minutes, and Sandova preferred her version. Pinkie Pie may be chaotic and random, she knew how to get a point across, if you know how to listen.

"I've had time to get to know this place better. And my friends helped me get used to all of this."

Cold case nodded sagely.

"That explains a lot, but it seems small talk is over. We're there."

They stood in front of a small office, a small name plate marked it as Hard Facts' office. Cold Case knocked.

"Come in."

Sandova's eyebrows went up, the detective sounded bone-tired, like she had pulled an all-nighter. They entered the office and Sandova noticed that his suspicions were correct.

The office looked like it was usually tidy and well-organized, but now it looked more like a general's tent in the middle of a warzone. Documents were strewn everywhere, and the smell of coffee filled the entire office. Behind the cluttered desk hung a chart of Equestria, small colored pins were placed on some locations, forming a line between Ponyville and Manehattan.

"Sweet Celestia! Did you get any sleep tonight?"

Hard facts lifted her head from her desk and glared at her partner.

"Sleep is for the weak and those that can afford it, I am neither. Now quit yammering and listen, I think I'm onto something."

Hard Facts turned around and gestured towards the map.

"I was Looking into similar cases around Equestria, and I discovered a pattern."

Cold Case looked shocked.

"Similar cases? There hasn't been a reported murder in decades!"

Hard Facts Nodded, her face grim.

"I know, but there have been some cases of unexplained deaths and disappearances, right? Well, the last 2 months those have skyrocketed in frequency, especially disappearances. The pins mark where they occurred."

She looked at Sandova, and he cringed at the intensity of the glare.

"And you have been around for two months, right? Care to explain?"

Sandova suddenly felt both nervous and offended.

"Hey, we cleared yesterday that I have nothing to do with this crap. But you're right that this pattern is awfully suspicious. Are there any criminal organizations in Equestria influential enough to make ponies disappear?"

Hard Facts and Cold Case exchanged dark glances. Sandova picked up on it immediately.

"So there is. Now, what would a criminal organization gain from making ponies disappear? I'll tell you: Power. People get afraid when friends or relatives disappear without trace, especially if they're indebted to something shady. The fact that the frequency has gone up means they're up to something. The only thing that doesn't add up is the fact that such organizations are usually more subtle than this."

Cold Case spoke up.

"But what does our case have to do with it? We're looking for necromancers, not organized criminals."

Sandova gave him a wry smile.

"And that's where you could be wrong. We could be looking for both. You know the expression 'Knowledge is power', right?"

Both detectives nodded, comprehension dawning on their muzzles.

"Well, considering the fact that necromancy is all but unheard of here, we can safely assume that any detailed information is pretty rare. What if our crooks have gotten hold of such information? What if they are led by an influential megalomaniac with a sharp mind an no conscience? Maybe even a special talent in magic. They could very well be moving to do something big, maybe trying to overthrow the current regime. The fact that they are forgoing secrecy for speed could mean that they are close, that they believe no one can stop them."

Both detectives stood there, slack jawed. Hard facts recovered first.

"How come you can give such a detailed explanation about something so terrible? There is more to this than you let on, isn't there?"

Sandova laughed, he couldn't help it. Hard Facts looked furious and stepped forward, but Cold Case held her back. Sandova stopped and looked at her, his face gravely serious.

"You ponies are adorably naïve. I know this because I have experienced this before, six times to be exact. On my world, this stuff happens much more frequently. And I have helped put a stop to these things before. First as an adventurer, along with a party of comrades we have stopped a warlock from calling demons to the Material Plane and conquering most of the kingdoms in the west. Later I was cast out because of my powers, and I went on alone. I have tricked several self-styled 'arch-villains' into granting me governance over their souls, then sold those souls to a powerful devil. Ironically, that was the thing my governance was supposed to protect them from."

Sandova gave a wicked smile before continuing.

"That favor was the thing that got me here, to be precise. I still don't know why a Pit Lord would send me to such a peaceful world, perhaps it was some kind of sick joke. You know, send the morally challenged necromancer to a happy go lucky world like this, that'll stir up some trouble."

He hadn't noticed when he'd became so bitter, but the detectives did. They had backed away from him, a worried look upon their faces. Sandova noticed just how much he'd told them, and sighed. Cold Case was the first to speak up.

"You..scare me, you know that? But Celstia has given you a chance, and the Elements trust you. Just, you know, don't go telling such stories to everyone, okay? It might give them the wrong impression."

Sandova laughed again, but it was cold and without humor.

"No, I'm afraid it'll give them the right impression. Don't get me wrong, I want to help you because I think it is the right thing, the just thing to do. But I am a bad person, Celestia has given me a chance at redemption, but I know better. Some sins cannot be forgiven."

Sandova sighed again, then shook his head.

"Look at me, getting all depressed. We're on a case peopl-, I mean ponies. Now, are we going to solve it or not?"

Cold case and Hard Facts looked at each other and nodded.

"Yeah. So, do you have a plan?"

Sandova grinned.

"Oh yes I do."
~
When Sandova left the Guard HQ it was two o'clock, so he had the time to put his plan into motion before he'd meet up with the girls again.

"Now where can I draw the most attention to myself?"

He looked around until he saw a sign pointing to a park.

"Ah, perfect."

When he got to the park he noticed it was already crowded, some kind of stage standing in the middle of it. He made his way through the cloud, a dark hooded cloak hiding his features. It seemed that some kind of performer had set up stage, and the show was about to begin.

A blue mare with a silver mane wearing a typical star-spotted wizard's hat and cape suddenly appeared, accompanied with a flash of fireworks. Sandova was impressed, a little pompous but certainly an eye-catcher. This showmare knew what she was doing.

"Behold! The Great and Powerful Trixie! Today I shall tell you the tale of the unicorn that beat an Ursa Minor with nothing but her magic and her wits!"

Her horn glowed, and in front of the audience a cloud appeared. But before she could finish somepony from the audience started shouting at her.

"Yeah, and it wasn't you. Haha, didn't you know, folks? She's a fraud! A nopony. All her high-and-mighty talk is just that, talk. I heard she fled when that Ursa Minor showed up, and somepony else cleaned up the mess."

The spell flatered, and Trixie looked stricken. Befoore she could speak up against the heckler another one spoke up, and another. Soon the entire crowd was jeering and taunting. Sandova felt his blood boil, because he knew this mare now. Twilight and her friends had met her before, and told of the incident. Sandova had never understood the reason they disliked her so much. A good showman(or mare, in this case) always exaggerated! No one was interested in some simple story without heroics, they wanted spectacle.

Sandova caught the eye of the showmare, and he gave her a sympathetic smile and winked. Then he gathered as much power as he could and put on his most terrible sneer, activating his fear aura along the way.

"SILENCE!"

The combined force of his roar and the aura got a spectacular reaction from the crowd, and they soon felt fearfully silent. Sandova's grin grew wider, oh he was going to enjoy this!

"Hah, I see now that the only one that I thought that could keep me from taking over this city is nothing but a fraud. Excellent! Now cower in fear little ponies, cower before Lord Asphyxious."

A terrible laugh followed. But some of the ponies that were outside of his aura were not convinced, not yet. One stepped bravely forward and glared at Sandova.

"We will not cower before some idiot with a fancy name, go back to your basement, dork"

Sandova's eyes narrowed, and he spat an incantation in Infernal. Before him, the skeleton of Chemical Trial appeared in a haze of black smoke, the same color of his aura.

"Fool, you dare challenge me? I command the dead, and soon I shall command the living!"

He took some steps forward so that their faces almost touched, a glared at his challenger. He grinned maliciously at the pegasus in front of him.

"Would you like to join my undead horde? No? THEN GET ON THE GROND AND KNEEL!"

The pegasus dropped to the ground immediately, soiling himself in the process. Evertpony else was already on the ground, cowering in fear. Except for Trixie, who also looked frightened despite the fact that she knew it was an act. She stepped forward and looked down menacingly.

"You will leave these brave citizens alone, you monster! Or you'll have to face the wrath of the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Sandova laughed scornfully and gestured at the skeleton.

"Show her your power, my minion. Crush that rock."

The skeleton sprang forward immediately and smashed one of the large boulders that lined the path. It shattered without much trouble, showering rock splinters everywhere. All other ponies flinched at the loud crack of hoof against rock. Sandova looked back at Trixie, counting down the remaining time the spell would last.

"Do you still wish to fight, oh 'Great and Powerful ' Trixie?"

He nodded at Trixie, hoping she would get the hint. She did.

"I will not leave these poor citizens at your mercy, 'Lord' Asphyxious."

She gathered her power and unleashed a blinding flash of light, which Sandova recognized as a harmless flare spell. As the flare went off Sandova's summoning spell ran out, and the skeleton dissipated in black smoke.

"NO! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE."

Sanova roared, a panicked look upon his face. Trixie smirked, and her pink aura lit up again.

"Now leave before Trixie has to hurt you."

Sandova glared at Trixie.

"This isn't over, I will return someday. Watch the shadows, Trixie, for I might dwell there."

With these words, Sandova unleashed his deadly blast of negative energy, being far away enough not to harm anypony in the square. He took off before the smoke dissipated, making it appear as though he had vanished. He hid behind her cart and quickly removed his cloak, then paused to listen to the aftermath.

"Fear not, citizens of Manehattan. As long as Trixie lives, she will let nopony be hurt by tyrants like him. You have my word."

The thunderous sound of hooves stamping on the ground, the Equastrian equivalent of applause, hit Sandova like a wall. He smiled and decided to wait until Trixie wrapped up her show, so that he could thank her later. From the corners of his eyes, he could see a pony watching him intently before turning and leaving for downtown Manehattan. He smirked.

"Heh, everything is going just as planned."

Author's Note

Hey guys, it seems Vecna has finally released my muse, so I'm on a roll. I think I might even post another chapter soon, unless this chapter is so awful that I have to rework it, of course. Tell me what you think of it :D

Sandova out