//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 "Shadowhoof" // Story: Equestria Noir Season 2 Case 5 "Shadowhoof" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Chapter 6 “Shadowhoof” The elevator ride up the tower was slow, long, and quiet. It was like the climax in a lot of mystery shows and movies. No words, just the detective facing forward, awaiting to face the villain that started all this. I felt the weight of both of my guns at my sides. I didn’t want to have to use them. But worst comes to worst it’s best to be prepared. The elevator doors opened and I was back in the office I was at only two cases ago. Sitting at the mahogany desk looking out at the city skyline behind him, was Shadowhoof. “Took you long enough,” He said. “You’re the one who had me running around Manehatten all day and night,” I said. “So, where are my friends?” “They’ve been released, in fact they were released about two hours ago,” He replied. “I had no intention of harming them.” “If you had no intention of hurting them, why put me through all this?” “Because, I knew it was the only way to hold your attention,” He said, and slowly turned around. Spera Imperictus, owner of Imperial Group, a top business pony. Was Shadowhoof… “The only question I have, Spera, is why,” I said, my eyes narrowing. “A great number of reasons why to be honest, my friend,” He said, standing firm despite my glare. “There is no reason that could possibly justify the kidnapping of my friends,” I growled. “They were a necessary piece on the board,” He replied. “It was all so that you would perform my tasks as asked. Your friends are perfectly fine, they came to no harm under my care. I had them kept in a warehouse on the outskirts of the city. By the time you arrived at Lightning Electronics, they were on a train back to Ponyville.” “You let them go? Just like that?” I asked. “I told you I had no intention to hurt them. I’m not evil, Private. I just knew it was the only way for you to do as asked. The wedding was simply an opportunity where I could easily orchestrate the kidnapping,” He said, his green eyes looking at me. When I spoke again, it was firm, yet cold: “Then why send me on a wild goose chase in the first place? Was it to show me who you were, Charcoal?” He blinked at that, his ears perked up. He’d obviously not been called that in years. After a minute, he nodded and said, “Yes, it was for that reason. I wanted you to know where I stand.” “But why me?” I asked. “Because you get it, Private,” He said. “You understand the true nature of Equestria. You, like me, have seen the dark side behind the bright peaceful world. I wanted you, above everypony else, to see my plight. But I couldn’t reveal who I was, so, I made this plan so you would find out yourself. All while keeping my anonymity.” “Again I ask, why?” I said. “I’m sure, you know the circumstances of my life,” He said, quietly and his eyes downcast. “You and your father were close,” I said. “The closest any father and son could be. I saw the carving Spera.” “I made that when I was four,” Spera said, a wistful smile on his face. “My father was my whole world. I loved my mother, too, but I was closest to my father.” “Double Blaze, you told me at the gala,” I added. “Yes, but I’m sure you’re also aware of what he was,” He said. “He was an earth pony, you’re a hybrid like me,” I said. “In fact, both of our mothers died at the same hospital. Only, yours was a simple heart attack.” “It was no heart attack,” He said, an edge going into his voice. “I figured,” I said. “Things are never simple with guys like you.” “Indeed, my grandfather resented my mother because she fell in love and married Double Blaze. He despised the very ground I walked on. He wanted nothing more than to see her married off to some rich fat pig so he could live off her for ages to come. So, he orchestrated everything. While at my tenth birthday party, one of the rooms mysteriously caught fire and it spread quickly.” “Your father died in that fire.” I observed. “He was murdered in that fire,” Spera said, the edge coming back in that voice. “Maybe it was out of madness or simple grief, but I was always called back to that place. To that mansion, I used my connections to make sure it remained untouched throughout the years. It wasn’t until I was twelve that I figured out the truth. My grandfather had one of his men cast a fire spell in that empty room.” “The police didn’t believe you?” I said knowingly. “Of course not, I was a child at the time, filled with grief over the loss of my father. Even with concrete proof they wouldn’t believe me. I’m sure you’re aware that my mother remarried,” He said, sadly. “It wasn’t of her choice I imagine,” I asserted. “No it wasn’t, with her second child on the way, my grandfather wanted to use that as an excuse to marry her to Kalos.” There was definitely anger in his voice. “He changed your name,” I said. “I can imagine he’s also the reason Scarlet is... like she is.” He smiled at that point. “You guessed I was Big Brother.” “It wasn’t hard to figure out,” I stated. “Yes, Kalos did abuse poor Scarlet,” He said. “He wanted her to be his precious little puppet, to show off to everypony at balls and what not. Probably wanted to marry her off at the youngest age possible. Typical noble, all he ever cared about was money and status, no wonder Grandfather adored him so.” “Have you tried getting help for her?” I asked. “I tried, for many years I did. Sadly, she is beyond repair. The doctors told me that she has a form of depression and autism. There is no cure for what she’s become,” He replied, his voice sad. “Kalos pushed her over the edge when he didn’t become what she wanted,” I concluded. “All I could do at the time was watch as he tried to mold my family into something I despised,” He said, turning back to look at the skyline of Manehatten. “My mother turned to drinking to cope with what was happening. I poured myself into my studies, hoping that when I take over the family I could find some way to stop this madness.” “Your mother’s death was no heart attack, it was what tipped you over the edge,” I affirmed. “Yes, I was about the same age as you at the time. I remember studying at the library when I got the call. I ran out into the cold rain and I was lucky enough to find a cab. When I arrived, Scarlet and Kalos were there to greet me. Scarlet was crying, she was only a little filly at the time. Kalos was trying to silence her wailings. But, I ran to my mother’s room…” His voice choked up a little, I could this was hard to relive. “She was dying, and you felt the most powerless you’ve ever been in your life,” I said, as memories of my own mother’s death passed through my mind. “Her last wish, was for me to take care of Scarlet,” He said. “And that was the last straw wasn’t it?” I added. “Yes it was,” He said, that edge coming back into his voice. “I learned from overhearing one of my stepfather’s conversations with my grandfather. Turns out, my mother was poisoned, all to make sure Kalos inherited the whole estate and I would get nothing. I didn’t care for the money or the estate, but nopony was going to murder my mother and get away with it.” I was almost scared to hear what came next. “I tried the police again, only to be rubbed on the mane and called a child. They dismissed me as a colt in grief over losing yet another parent. It wasn’t until a year later that I learned they were bribed by Kalos to look the other way. To ignore my plight and treat me like a simpleton.” He then smiled and said, “So, I took matters into my own hooves.” My eyes grew wide. “While my grandfather and stepfather were celebrating another success in the business world I got them so drunk they couldn’t see straight. Then, I lured them into a windowless room, set them both on the couch, and tossed a fireball spell into the room, locking the doors so they wouldn’t escape.” “You murdered them,” I said firmly. “It wasn’t murder, it was extermination of blood sucking vermin.” He said, a smiled creeping onto his face. “The police labeled their death as an accident. The alcohol in their system was enough proof to slap the label on. Scarlet and I were finally free of those stallions.” His smile turned wistful. “You still killed them,” I said firmly, I was about ready to pull out Blackbird at any minute. “Private,” He tried to start. “You also killed the others. All that blood is on your hooves,” I said firmly. “Private, what could jailing them had done?” He said, looking back at me. “All of them would’ve found some way to sneak their way out of this world’s flawed system. They would be back out on the streets doing as they please, you think Blueblood is bad, imagine what would happen if other’s you jailed had gotten out.” I hesitated for a minute, wanting to listen to what he had to say. “The nobles are the problem Private. They stand in their posh palaces while everypony suffers under their hooves. They manipulate ponies, use them as mere pawns in their games for status and wealth. I wish to change that,” He turned around to stand before me. “You’re one to talk about manipulation,” I said firmly. “Look at what you’ve been doing to me all this time.” “My manipulation suits a purpose, a purpose far greater than myself or anypony,” He then, gave me a yearning look. “Private, I didn’t do any of this to hurt you directly. I only wanted to have you understand.” “Understand the fact you murdered four ponies?” I glowered. “Private, you’re trying to fight me, when we should be on the same side. Join me Private, and together we can create a new world.” His voice was yearning, longing. “A world where nopony will suffer under nobility anymore. Where ponies are judged by their merits, not by the merits of some dead pony hundreds of years ago.Where no colt has to be without his mother…” I blinked at that. “I know everything about what happened to your mother, how you had to raise your crippled brother alone.” He said. “Private, we can make sure that nopony suffers like that again.” “A tempting offer,” I said. “But I’m not going to become a vigilante hoping to turn my hatred out on the world.” It was his turn to blink. “Yes, I understand your plight. Yes, I get it. But, I’m not going to follow a murderer. I’m not going to follow anypony who treats my friends like pawns. I’d sooner join Sombra.” I glowered. He was quiet for a minute...then...he smiled. “So, what are you going to do?” “Arrest you for what you did,” I said firmly. “For one who has faith in the system, you don’t seem to understand the situation you’re in,” He said. “You have no proof of what I did. You have no proof that I am the murderer. If you were to go to the police station now and try to tell your story, you’d have to have admitted to breaking into not one, not two, but three police guarded areas without a warrant. You’d be arrested long before I am.” He was...right...I didn’t have proof…. He...beat me… “There is absolutely nothing you can do.” He said. “DNA spells? The bodies have long been washed down and stored for later. Any lingering DNA is buried under days of autopsy and poking around. Bug Recording of this conversation? Sorry, but my security at the front gate automatically destroys bugs. Took a page out of your grandfather’s book.” He was right...there was…. Oh….there’s something...I can do… I pulled out Blackbird and fired at him. The bullet flew towards him...but stopped in mid air...I saw him open his eyes...he had Sombra’s eyes as well… “Nice trick Private Eye,” He said, “But I’m not about to let you take me out so easily.” His horn glowed with dark magic and the bullet fell to the ground. “You...you were the one who was using the mist,” I said, my voice in shock. “Ah, there is another detail about me you don’t know,” He said, a cruel smirk coming to his face. “You see, a thousand years ago, Sombra fell in love with a unicorn from Equestria. He seduced her and got her pregnant. After his fall, she gave birth to a son. I, am descended from that son…” “You mean to say, that we are both descended from Prometheus himself?” I said. “Yes, we are Private Eye. I through Sombra’s line, yours through Eclipse.” “How do you know all this?” “Simple, my ancestors told me in dreams. As yours have in your own dreams,” He said. “That power is dangerous Spera!” I said. “It gets inside you and makes you do things you shouldn’t!” “Oh, like you’re one to talk. As if you’ve never used this power yourself,” He said. “Only when it was necessary!” I yelled. “So, you seem to be more like me than you care to realize,” He replied. “I hate to imagine what your friends would think once they hear about what you did with this power.” “They know about it already!” I yelled. “Yes, but for how long are they going to defend you?” He asked. “How long before they turn their backs on you again? The truth is, Private Eye, friendship is simply a lie. It’s only good so long as the ponies involved benefit from it. But when push comes to shove, you see exactly what friendship gets you. Alone, when you need your friends the most.” “They are my friends! They won’t turn their backs on me!” I yelled. “You’re naive Private Eye, your so called magic of friendship may have defeated a few obvious villains. But you have yet to see even a tenth of what you are capable of. With this power we no longer need to bow to the whims of this world,” He said, looking at his hoof as it slowly glowed with the same aura. “We can mold it, shape it to what we want.” “But at what cost Spera?” I asked. “Would you really sell your soul for this?” “Sell my soul? How quaint a way to phrase it,” He said with a dark laugh. “If you think you’re so strong, try and stop me Private Eye.” I fired another bullet at him. He held up a magical shield and the bullets bounced off. At this point, I really wonder why I’m even still using a gun. But I used that brief window to leap at him. My hoof collided with his face, sending him staggering back. His horn then sparked and I jumped out of the way just in time for black crystal to jut out of the ground. “Where’d you learn to use Alchemy?” “Is that what it’s called?” Spera asked. “A neat trick that Prometheus taught me…” “How is this possible?” I asked. “Like I said, you haven’t even discovered the basics of what our line is capable of.” He smirked and his horn sparked again, this time two crystals jutted out of the walls. I ducked just in time for them to collide with one another. My own horn glowed silver and I fired at him. The spell hit him in the chest and he staggered back a little. I then tackled him and we tussled for a minute. He managed to land a blow on my chin, I got him on the left cheek. Finally we rolled until he was on top of me. I kicked him off me, and pulled out blackbird and fired just in time to hit him in the shoulder. He yelled in pain as I got up, suddenly I saw Blackbird get grabbed by his aura. The gun flew away and before I could pull out White Tiger Spera shot me with a magical bolt to the chest. I flew and slammed into the wall, knocking down a painting. I felt dazed for a minute and then felt his aura grip around my neck. I felt the air coming out of me as I was lifted once again into the air. I struggled as Spera stood there. “You put up a good fight,” He said. “You constantly struggle and fight when all odds are against you. I admire that Private Eye.” “Go to hell!” I yelled with all my might. “How, how are you able to do all this? You’re a hybrid like me.” “Dark Magic doesn’t care for blood line,” He said, smirking as his eyes glowed. “Even a hybrid like me can perform magic like you would not believe.” He looked to his right, and his horn sparked again. I watched as a sword started coming out of the black crystal. He used alchemy to make it. “Sombra taught me a great many things in our time together,” He said, holding the blade in his magic. “He is a blaggard fool in the end, but he had his uses.” “Spera! Stop this…” I said, starting to run out of air. Spera levitated up Blackbird and White Tiger. “Such primitive weapons in the end.” I then watched as both weapons were crushed in his magic before my eyes. He then just tossed them both to the ground like trash. I felt as if a part of me was crushed as well. Blackbird and I had been together for a long time...it felt like I lost a friend when I lost that weapon…. “You can see you’re clearly outmatched…” He said. “Not entirely…” I smirked as my own horn sparked. Suddenly a pillar came out of the ground in front of Spera. It hit him in the chin before he could even react. The magic canceled around my neck and I fell to the ground in a heap. I think...it’s time...to get a little help from Nocturne… I reached into my trench coat and pulled out his medallion. Spera looked on it as I smirked and said, “Henshin…” I slipped the medallion around my neck and tapped it. The sound of unsheathing blades was heard and I felt my body grow and form into that of a Lunar Stallion. I felt the dark violet armor form on my body and the gladiuses come into being at my sides. I glared at Spera with yellow slitted eyes and growled low. “Well, that’s not something I was expecting,” Spera said with a smirk. “Or…” He reached into his suit pocket...and pulled out a medallion…. “Was I?” He smirked and slipped it around his own neck. “I did a little research, turns out this technology is as old as Luna herself. This power is great Private Eye, but imagine how great it is...once dark magic has had it’s way with it…Henshin…” He tapped the medallion. Suddenly Spera became just as tall and formidable as me. He was clad in a black and green lined armor that nearly covered his entire body. A helmet formed on his head, resembling Sombra’s crown a little. His teeth formed into fangs and his eyes retained their green glow. He had a pair of blades two, only these resembled scimitars, and were made of black crystal like his old blade. “How?” I said, my voice sounding very deep. “Like I said, Sombra has his uses,” He replied, his voice the same tone as Sombra. “You can put on a new coat of paint,” I growled, “but you’re still going down like Sombra did!” I drew both gladiuses and charged at him, the blades held in my magic. He did the same, roaring like a lion as he charged at me, scimitars drawn. Our blades crashed and we attacked each other with absolute ferocity. Our blades performed a chorus of clashes and clangs with each other. An outside listener would almost call it musical how we fought. I managed to get in an opening and slice him across the cheek. He grunted in pain but managed to hit me in the leg with a free blade. I growled and managed to sink my fangs into his neck. He yelled in pain and his horn glowed, he fired a bolt of magic that flew me back. I flipped and landed on my four hooves. Then...I saw a cord of light come from me. I looked over and saw Eclipse was there again. The stallion held up his hooves, and motioned for me to do the same… I did, and saw both of them were on fire...but, I felt no pain as I did. Was this an ability Eclipse had? Let’s see what it can do! I thrusted both hooves out and a jet of fire shot from them. Spera only had a split second to put up a shield spell. I saw now that one of my hooves now glowed with lightning. I thrusted both again, and saw the fire and lightning merged into one blast. Both hit Spera’s shield spell and the explosion sent the stallion crashing into the wall. “Now to finish this!” I yelled, another cord of light came from me. This time, Littlepip appeared at my side. She hunkered down into a fighting stance as tons of weapons appeared around me. “You think you can hurt my great great great great a whole lot of greats grandfather? I don’t think so motherfucker!” She cried as all of the weapons fired at once at Spera. It was a whirling sea of bullets and fire and on occasion explosive eggs. When the dust settled there was barely a wall left. Spera stood there, his armor half blown off as he glared at me. “Not so tough now huh?” I said with a smirk. He slowly smirked himself, “A neat trick Private Eye, you have learned to use Tenacity well.” “It’s Hope, that’s what it’s true name is,” I growled. “Hope is a pipe dream,” Spera said. “Tenacity, is when one has the will to force the world to bow to you. Hope is kissing the hooves of the world. I...am no slave…” His horn glowed again and he smirked evilly. I watched as what looked light green lighting shot from his horn. Before I could even react the spell hit me hard. I screamed in pain. I tried to fight back, but I couldn’t concentrate. Suddenly more and more spells hit me, I was being backed towards the window. I yelled at him, “I will stop you Spera! Make no mistake!” “I gave you the offer of joining me, but instead of choosing the way of power,” He yelled, “you chose the way of pain!!” Both of his blades glowed with dark magic. I filled both of mine with my own magic. We at the same time swung the blades at one another, the explosion rocked the entire floor. I flew back and crashed through the window. NOT AGAIN!!! I yelled as my medallion deactivated. I was normal again as the medallion hanged uselessly around my neck. I failed...I couldn’t...beat him… I heard...chanting again… I opened my eyes...and saw...mom...She was falling with me… She leaned her head against me, the cord of light connecting us...I felt...my horn… It felt like my horn was unwinding itself… I felt something come out of my back...my horn was gone…. But...something replaced it...I was..flying… I flew gently over to a nearby roof and crashed onto it. I tumbled for a minute and laid on my side. I looked at my sides, and saw...I had wings...I was a pegasus…? No...they were fading… my horn was coming back...that meditation that Grapes was talking about...Hope...made it so that I could switch...to a pegasus… But...it mattered little...I still lost...I failed… There was nothing...I could do….