//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 "Ball of the Bells" // Story: Equestria Noir Case 8 "Scoots and Murders" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// 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?”