55 Days

55 Days - Day 4

CLOUDSDALE HOTEL, DAY 4, 7:01 AM

Another bad night of sleep. I had nightmares, strange ones. With every passing day, more people die...

Two scrolls lie on the floor.

I picked one up;

"Hal,

Three more ponies died yesterday. Strangely, at the same times. On the advice of the council, we have quarantined ponyville. This way, the killer cannot enter, as the town is spellbound.

Best of luck,

Celestia."

But if this note came from celestia...

I picked up the other note:

"YOU CAN'T KEEP ME OUT."

How did the killer get in here; the place is guarded! Why didn't they kill me? Something is amiss...

"Sir," said a guard next to me. I must've ignored him when he entered. "all our men in the camp outside Ponyville!"

HEAD COUNT OUTSIDE PONYVILLE, 2 HOURS EARLIER

Aaand last house... The apple family. Alright, let's go.

But when I got there, I stopped. The air smelt of almonds, apples and smoke...

I saw smoke coming from the barn.

"Fire!", I shouted.

I ran to the house to wake up the apple family, but as I got closer, I got weaker; I couldn't breathe. I blacked out, as I felt my body being dragged away.

NOW

"Have the princesses been notified?"

"Yes. Commander also reports that there's a fire in Ponyville."

"Huh!?"

I stepped to my window. Sure enough, there was smoke on the horizon.

I'll be there immediately!

CAMP OUTSIDE PONYVILLE, FOUR MINUTES EARLIER

"Tell the investigator that all our men our missing, and that we're putting out a fire in Ponyville now."

The guard pegasus flew, bound for Cloudsdale.

That investigator better have answers, or we're all doomed...

I trotted to central Ponyville, where the blaze was being extinguished. There was the fire chief, and fireponies putting out the blaze.

"Is it under control?"

"Yes, we have it to this block. It'll be out soon"

I saw a pegasus on the horizon, running towards us.

"And here's our investigator, chief."

He looked where I pointed.

NOW, RUNNING TOWARDS PONYVILLE

"I came as fast as I could! Hello, commander!"

I gave a wave.

"The fire's under control. As the chief here needs to determine the source of such a devastating event," he said while handing me a fire helmet, " we need you to help."

TEN HOURS LATER

"This isn't adding up, how can the fire originate from all of these houses at the same time?"

"I don't know chief, but I'll bet you the killer has a hand in this."

"There were no traces of accelerants... how did this burn so rapidly?"

I thought for a moment.

"Princess Celestia thinks there's dark forces at work here."

We sat for a minute, silent.

"So you're saying you have no idea?"

"Unfortunately."

I handed my notes to the chief, and stepped away from the table.

"Goodnight.", I said as I walked away, back to cloudsdale.