Sherlock Hooves. Adventure one: Greg the griffon.

by 30bars

Chapter five: Pinkie Pie's Story

“What?” Watson asked and headed to where Justin was standing.

“It looks like a note.”

“A note?” Now that had to have some clue. Justin held up a piece of paper and handed it to Watson.

“The ink is still wet!” Watson noted just by looking at the paper.

“Yeah and the quill is still in the inkwell.” Justin pointed at an inkwell on the table, but Watson was still busy looking at the discovered note. “Do you think he died right after he wrote this?”

“I don't know. You should read it.” Justin suggested.

Watson started to read out loud, “To your Royal Highness King Razorclaw the Third. I’m guessing Razorclaw is their king.”

“Keep reading,” Justin said eagerly.

Watson cleared his throat and began to read again. “I regret to inform you, but I have to say that I cannot follow through with the endeavor you assigned to me. I do not believe you told me the truth when you were describing ponies. They have all been kind to me and they have even fed me despite our diets being completely different. Those ponies are more compassionate and kind than you or any of your fathers will ever be. You should feel ashamed that you even thought of-” Watson stopped reading because that was all that was written.

“Thought of what?” Justin asked after he realized Watson stopped reading.

“That's where it ends. You should feel ashamed that you even thought of.” Watson read again.

“That can't be the end!” Justin took the paper from Watson's hooves and read. Once he saw that nothing else was written he whispered, “That can't be all to the clue.” Justin looked up at Watson and said, “There’s no signature at the bottom. Do you think he could've died while writing this?”

“His body would have been in here and not in the main room.”

“The murderer could have dragged him out so the cops wouldn't find this room! The only other thing that would know about the secret room would be…” Justin’s eyes lit up. “His sister. We have to tell Sherlock.” Justin started to walk off.

“Wait.” Watson held out a hoof to stop Justin from walking away. Watson wanted to say that it wasn't her for some reason, but he didn't have any proof. “I don't think it was her.”

“Why not? Greg was obviously writing this and then something happened.”

“It just,” Watson exhaled, “doesn't add up. I mean, what’s the motive? There’s that thing in the closet but we still don’t know what it was.”

Justin didn't say anything. Watson began to talk again, “Let's just look around some more and let Sherlock find what Gilda was doing today. We want to find out as much as we can before leaving.”

Justin sighed, “Alright, you're the famous detective. Just be expecting me to say ‘I told ya so’ when Gilda comes back to her house to cover up evidence.”

Watson smiled. “Alright, let’s just go over what we know.”

“Greg obviously wasn’t planning on staying in town for a while.” Justin said.

“The King assigned him to make something. It was probably the thing he hid in his closet. He changed his mind at the last minute before he got murdered.” Watson also added, “The murderer had to have access to syringe needles and had to be a unicorn to work it.”

“Or it was a gryphon and she used her claws!” Justin added.

“And whatever the King wanted him to make is now gone.”

“Celestia, this is so much fun!”

“And r = 2,739 feet.”

************************

The pink pony could not stop laughing at the painted walls.

“Pinkie Pie I need you to calm down.” Sherlock said while looking at the clock. He was fifteen minutes behind schedule. Sherlock was glad to know that one of his suspects had talked to another one of his suspects. It was killing two birds with one stone. But actually under the circumstances, Sherlock didn't want any more dead birds.

“I’m sorry!” Pinkie was on the floor laughing, “Just look at it!” Pinkie pointed at the walls and clenched her stomach.

“I have been unfortunately and it’s been killing me every second.” Sherlock spoke so seriously that Pinkie took it as a joke and laughed even harder. She started rolling on the floor and even snorted a few times.

Time for a different approach. “Pinkie Pie, You remind me so much of myself when I was your age.” Sherlock really had to stop depending on that line. Eventually the ponies of interest would figure him out.

The line really did calm her down though. “Really?” She said from the floor. “Well I guess you really shouldn't judge a pony by their appearance.”

Sherlock mentally took that as an insult, but kept a cheery face on the outside. “Yes. I love to party with siblings. I actually just moved here so me and you should throw some party together some time.” Oh, Celestia no. What did he just commit himself to do?

“Um, okay.” Pinkie Pie didn't seem too keen on the idea.

Sherlock felt insulted again. Why couldn't he throw a party with her? He silently wished that Pinkie pie was the murderer so he could tackle her and have a reason. “So. Time to get to work. Pinkie please sit in your designated chair.”

Sherlock grew tired of having to do all this work. Hopefully it will be over quickly.

Pinkie seemed to notice Sherlock's depressed mood and she tried to cheer him up. “Oh come on Shirley!” Shirley? “You're going to have to be on your party mood if you want to get anything done!”

Was Pinkie teasing him that he hadn't figured her out yet? “That's a great idea Ms. Pie. As soon as you have a seat we can begin.” Sherlock gestured at the empty chair.

Pinkie finally sat down. Was that cotton candy Sherlock smelled coming from Pinkie Pie? Sherlock took a loud whiff to support his theory. Yep. Definitely cotton candy. “I know what's happened today has been heart shattering.”

Pinkie didn't say anything.

“And I'm here to help mend the cracks. All I need from you is back-story. So you're going to tell me everything that has happened to you today. Start from when you woke up and mention places you've been, ponies you've talked to and things you've seen. I know today was probably a little crazy, but I'll believe every word you say as long as it's true. And believe me, I know when you're lying, I can see straight through your soul.”

Pinkie still kept a straight face. Even when Sherlock glared at her when he mentioned seeing through her soul.

Then Pinkie's hair deflated like it was a balloon and blew into Sherlock's face, knocking his bowler hat on the ground. The air that was blown in Sherlock's face smelled like cotton candy too. Sherlock picked up his hat off the floor, put it atop his head and stared at the pony across from him.

Her hair was now straight and she even looked to have a grey tint all over her body. She looked sad and Sherlock almost felt bad for her. That is until he remembered she could be a psychopathic murderer. “You may now begin.”

Pinkie sighed, “I woke up early because I had a great idea and if I went back to bed I would have forgot about it so I woke up early.”

Sherlock prepared himself for a story told by a mare that was terrible at telling stories.

************************

Pinkie’s great idea was to add watermelon into her cupcakes instead of sugar. No, she would keep the sugar and just add the watermelon without replacing anything.

Once the batter was all made she had to spark up a fire. Cupcakes always taste better if you cook them over a fire and not in a stove. You wouldn't understand.

Except Pinkie was faced with one problem. She had no means to start a fire. She pondered for an answer and finally came up with an idea. She could get Spike to start a fire. He could start fires right?

It would be perfect. Once the cupcakes were done she could share them with her dragon friend.

Pinkie went to Twilight's library where Spike lived and technically broke into the house. There lying peacefully on his bed was an asleep Spike who looked peaceful.

************************

“Don’t use the same adjective in same sentence,” Sherlock mumbled. His Grammar Nazi side couldn’t take the mare’s way of storytelling anymore.

“What?” Pinkie asked when she heard Sherlock mumble.

“Nothing,” Sherlock said clearly, “Carry on.”

************************

“Spike.” Pinkie whispered.

Spike was still in a deep sleep.

Pinkie repeated herself, “SpiiiIiiIke…” This time Pinkie shook Spike’s bed.

He was still asleep.

“Spike wake up!” Pinkie slapped the defenseless dragon and he woke up in a jolt.

“Huh? He sat up in his bed and looked over at Pinkie. “How did you get in here?” Spike asked as he rubbed the side of his cheek Pinkie slapped.

Pinkie didn't answer. Instead she just pointed to an open window on the second story.

“Did you climb up the side of my house?”

Pinkie giggled, “Yes, silly! I came here because I need you to do a special job.”

Spike looked interested. “What?”

“I need yooooooou,” Pinkie poked Spike, “to light a fire so I can make cupcakes.”

Spike suddenly lost interest. “I'm going back to bed,” and he covered himself with his blanket.

“No Spike! I need you. Please!” Pinkie ripped Spike's blanket from his bed, uncovering a cold, tired baby dragon.

“I only have thirty more minutes before I would normally wake up. But since you woke me up now, I'm never going to fall back asleep.” Spike said, sounding annoyed.

“That’s great! That means you can help me!” Pinkie scooped the dragon up in her hooves and carried him out the front door that was locked on the inside.

Spike groaned knowing there was nothing he could do. When Pinkie finally made it back to her house, Spike had fallen asleep on her back. Pinkie bent her forelegs so her back was at a slant. Spike slid down her back unconscious and fell face first on the ground. “Wake up Spike I need your fire.”

Spike pulled himself off Pinkie’s floor and with a tired voice said, “I can only use fire if I'm sending letters.”

Pinkie only thought for a moment. Alright I'll make a letter for you to send!”

Spike groaned, “Do you have to? I don't think you realize how bad letters taste!”

Pinkie didn't care. She scribbled something down on a blank sheet of paper, folded it and handed it to Spike. Spike walked over to Pinkie’s fireplace and held the note up so when he sended it would light the fireplace.

************************

“Sended isn't a word. It's sent!”

Pinkie rolled her eyes.

************************

Spike let out a dragon burp. The note was engulfed in a green flame and the fireplace was lit in a similar green flame.

Spike turned to Pinkie. He asked, “Are you happy now?”

Pinkie took her cupcake holder full of wet cupcake batter and placed it on a metal camping grate over the fire. Pinkie answered Spike’s question cheerfully, “Nope!”

Spike sighed. “What do you want now?” Before Pinkie could answer Spike’s question, Spike clenched his stomach and burped a bright, fiery note.

“It's my note!” Pinkie said. “I sent the letter to myself! See!” Pinkie held up her note and Spike saw that ‘Hi future Pinkie Pie’ was written on it.

“Oh, past Pinkie Pie, you know exactly what to say!” Pinkie hugged the note and smiled.

Spike was ready to leave. He rolled his eyes and started to walk out the door.

Pinkie Pie cut him off, “Wait! Aren't you going to stay for a cupcake?”

Spike really didn't want to stay, but he decided since he had nothing better to do that he would. Spike agreed, sat down and watched the green fire cooking the pastries. “How long is this going to take?” Spike asked.

Pinkie answered in her normal cheerful voice, “Fifteen to twenty minutes.” Pinkie was whipping up some frosting. She stirred her bowl of frosting and looked over at Spike staring at the fire. The green glow in the entire room gave Pinkie an idea. She would put green dye on the frosting to make it green. It would definitely look good with the green tint already on the cupcake and it would go good with its title.

“So Spike,” Pinkie tried to come up with an icebreaker question, but nothing came to mind, “do you like whales?”

Thankfully Spike had already fallen asleep so he didn't hear Pinkie.

Pinkie finished stirring her icing and looked over her cupcakes. When they looked ready Pinkie woke up Spike.

Spike looked up at the camping grate and said, “Do you want me to take the cupcake holder off the grate?”

Pinkie answered, “Yes, please.”

Being immune to fire had its perks, but it also meant that you had to do special jobs. Spike started to take out the cupcake out of the cupcake holder with a fork, but Pinkie yelled out, “No! Only two of them are good.”

“Only two? Why didn't you cook them in a stove and have all the cupcakes good?”

“Because the two that ARE good are the best cupcakes ever made!”

Spike was surprised to see Pinkie was right. Ten cupcakes were burnt and two were baked perfectly to a golden brown (and a tint of green.)

Pinkie set two cupcakes on her counter and dumped the ten burnt ones in the trash. She got a large amount of frosting on her rubber spoon and started to frost. Spike watched. When Pinkie was all done with one, she handed it to Spike. “Thanks for being so helpful. Tell me what you think of it.”

Spike sunk his teeth into the warm pastry. He smiled. “It's really good Pinkie. Thanks.” Spike took another bite and Pinkie finished frosting the other one.

“Nothing better than waking up extra early to make cupcakes, am I right?”

“You said it!” Spike said and took another bite.

Pinkie was about to eat her creation when she heard the flaps of wings outside. They were much louder than pegasus’ wings so Pinkie looked outside to get a better view. Pinkie almost died when she saw two gryphons fly over her house. And she almost died again when she thought she recognized one of the gryphons. “Is that,” Pinkie paused, “Gilda?”

Spike ran to Pinkie’s side and looked out the window. Spike only got a short glimpse it the two flyers, but he could still recognize one of them. “It is!”

Pinkie hopped through the window and gestured for Spike to come next to her. “Come on!” she said in a loud whisper, “Let’s follow them. In stealth mode!”

Spike jumped out of the window and said, “Are you nuts? Don’t you remember what happened last time?”

“I do. That’s why I'm wondering why she's back.”

Pinkie started to tip-toe her way across the street. She managed to hide herself behind two-inch thin lamp posts. She stuck her head out checking if the coast was clear. When she saw nopony in sight she darted for bushes nearby.

Pinkie’s stealth mode continued for a while until she came to the empty house next to Golden hill. Gilda and some other gryphon were moving boxes that were in a carriage into the house.

************************

“Did you say Boxes?”

The grayish pink pony only nodded and asked, “Why?”

“I'm just expecting somepony to come back.” That was strange. If Watson found boxes in the house then he should definitely be back by now. Unless he saw something interesting in the boxes.

Pinkie sighed and continued, “Gilda soon spotted me, but I wasn't expecting her to do the next thing that she did.”

************************

“Pinkie is that you?” Gilda said and pointed to Pinkie who was holding a twig over her face. It wasn’t the best disguise the pony could come up with.

She set the twig down and nervously laughed, “Y-yep it’s me!” Pinkie slowly started to back away. “Well, I guess I’ll see you around.”

Gilda dropped the box she was holding and headed toward Pinkie. The other gryphon watched from a distance. Pinkie turned around and almost sprinted away, but Gilda called out before she could. “NO Pinkie! I want to talk! I’m here to apologize.”

That was something she wasn’t expecting. Gilda wanted to apologize? Pinkie turned around and came face to face with Gilda.

“About what happened last time I was here,” Gilda said, “I was a total jerk. I’m sorry.” Gilda actually sounded sincere though. “Can we start over and pretend like none of that ever happened?”

“So you want me to pretend I’ve never met you?” Pinkie clarified.

“Yes.”

That made Pinkie jump in the air from pure joy. She grabbed Gilda’s claw and shook it vigorously. She said in her normal, cheery self, “Hi-ya stranger! Welcome to town! What’s your name?”

Gilda obviously wasn’t expecting to win Pinkie’s forgiveness back so easily. “Uh, Gilda,” she answered.

Pinkie immediately responded, “Pleasure to meet you Gilda! My name’s Pinkie Pie!” Pinkie finally stopped shaking Gilda’s claw. “Who’s that over there?” Pinkie pointed at Greg who was still taking in boxes.

“That’s my brother. You should come and meet him.” Gilda and Pinkie walked over to the front of the house where Greg was.

Gilda started the introduction, “Greg, This is Pinkie Pie.” Pinkie waved at Greg.

Greg held out a claw to shake Pinkie’s hoof. Pinkie shook his claw and Greg smiled and said, “Hi Pinkie. So you're the one that has inspired my sister to be kinder. Good job. I can really see a difference.”

“Thanks.”

An awkward silence followed. Pinkie finally asked, “So, do you need any help moving in?”

Greg suddenly looked worried and said, “Uh, no we got it.”

“No, come on. I can help.”

“I actually packed a lot of science equipment and I’d hate it if anything broke…”

“I’ll be careful.” Pinkie said.

“You don’t have to help. We’re almost done unpacking.”

“I insist that I help out every stranger I meet.”

Greg turned to Gilda and whispered, “I thought you said you knew this pony.”

“I do.”

Greg looked confused.

Pinkie jumped in, “I want to help!”

Greg was about say something, but Gilda cut it, “She can bring in the wooden beams and the drywall, Greg.”

“Drywall? Like the things the walls are made of?”

Gilda spoke again, “Ya, we’re putting some touch-ups on the walls and stuff.” Gilda turned and pointed to the carriage parked next to her house full of boxes. “They should be in there.”

“Okey dokey!” Pinkie jumped/skipped to the carriage full of stuff. Greg quickly went to her side.

He nervously said, “Careful!”

Pinkie spotted a wooden beam in all the mess and was about to pick it up when something else caught her eye. It was a metal dolly holding up something covered by a sheet of cloth. Something about it appealed to Pinkie. Whatever was under the cloth was about three inches thick and was in a rectangle shape. Pinkie was about to lift the cloth of the mysterious object, but Greg quickly appeared to her side screaming,

“Don't!” Greg grabbed Pinkie’s hoof and she stopped. “This is my main project! This is everything I've lived for. If it breaks then all my science stuff will be useless.” Greg took a bottle of vanilla frosting and a jar of black leaves. “If you want, you can take these inside.

******************

Sherlock whispered in realization, “The West-Bolio pine leaves!”

Pinkie asked, “What?”

Sherlock stopped gazing into space and looked at Pinkie.“Did you ever look at it? What was under the sheet?” Sherlock asked.

“No. Greg stopped me. Why?”

“Because I think that’s why Greg died. The murderer wanted whatever that was.”

Pinkie suddenly became interested.

“Continue.”

**************

Pinkie set the items inside and then helped Gilda roll in a chalkboard. Greg continued to put boxes of glass beakers in his room.

Once everything looked completed Greg went back into town to return the carriage and Pinkie and Gilda talked.

“So why are you coming back to Ponyville?” Pinkie asked.

“Um, Greg had more job opportunities as a scientist here.”

“Greg's a scientist?”

“Pinkie, didn't you see the beakers and chemicals we moved inside?”

“Yeah I did. I was wondering why you had all those. Now it makes so much sense.”

Gilda facehooved, or faceclawed in her case.

“Hey, I should throw a party for you guys! Welcoming you a second time into Ponyville.”

Gulda blushed remembering how awful she was at the last party that was thrown for her. “I guess that would be nice.”

Pinkie started on an entirely new topic, “Hey, I know the perfect pony for Greg to talk to. She's a scientist to!”

“Why don't you go get her?” Gilda sounded like she had enough of the pony’s company.

“I will!” Pinkie said cheerfully and started to trot away from Gilda’s house.

Spike eventually started running next to Pinkie and he asked, “What was that all about?”

“Spike!? Where were you?” Pinkie totally forgot about Spike.

“I was watching you. Why were you so nice to Gilda?”

“Spike, you'll go nowhere in life always seeing the worst in ponies. Gilda sounded like she wanted to change and she did doggone it. That was my Applejack impression. Did you like it?”

“Um. Sure.”

Spike and Pinkie made it to Twilight's house. Pinkie stopped in front of the door and waited for Spike to catch up.

The door was still unlocked so Pinkie opened it. Twilight was inside reading. Spike went upstairs.

“Spike, where have you been?” Twilight asked.

Spike started looking through books. “Oh, me and Pinkie went on an adventure.”

“What?”

Pinkie broke in, “Guess who we saw!”

Twilight looked away from her brother who was searching through books and over at Pinkie Pie standing in the doorway. “Who?” she asked.

“I did say guess, but you're probably never going to guess so I'll just tell you. We saw GILDAAAA!” Pinkie smiled.

Twilight’s face instantly showed depression. “What kind of adventure was that?”

“A fan-freaking-tastic one, that's what!”

“We’re talking about Gilda the gryphon, right? The one who called you a dweeb and such.”

Pinkie thought for a second. “Yes and no. Yes it’s Gilda the gryphon, no it’s not the Gilda who called me a dweeb. Shes actually changed. She's an entirely new gryphon her brother even notices the difference.”

“Brother?” Twilight questioned.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you! Gilda’s brother is moving in to. He's a scientist!”

Twilight was still hesitant about Gilda moving back to town.

“Gilda thinks you and he should meet up and talk about science stuff!”

“What's he study?” Twilight asked.

Pinkie rose her elbows to show that she didn't know.

“I doubt he’s studying magic. He's a gryphon. We’ll have nothing in common.”

“Aw come on Twi. You really should meet them. Gilda is totally different. She didn’t call me a dweeb once.”

Twilight still looked hesitant. Pinkie decided to do everything she could to persuade her.

“PleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasePLEASE!!” Pinkie was on her knees begging her unicorn friend.

Twilight finally gave in. “Alright. I’ll bring over a basket of something and maybe start up a conversation.”

“Wow, that was easy.” Pinkie got up from the floor. “You know, I should go tell Applejack about Gilda. And I should also show her,” Pinkie grabbed her watermelon cupcake, “this.”

************************

“Okay so first you told Twilight about Greg,” Sherlock paused and waited for Pinkie to nod, which she eventually did, “Then you told Applejack, then you told Rarity and then you left to tell Fluttershy.”

“How did you know that?” Pinkie asked.

“I've already talked to Applejack and Rarity. We’re running out of time so you're going to have skip those parts. So tell me, what did you and Fluttershy talk about?”

“Um okay. I saw Fluttershy walking down the road and I thought it would be funny if I scared her because I thought it would be funny.”

************************

“BOOM!” Pinkie yelled as she jumped out of the bushes.

Fluttershy gave a weak ‘Eep!’ sound and fell to the ground causing her to drop all the books she was carrying.

Pinkie laughed, “Did I scare ya? I didn’t want to yell ‘BOO’ because I thought that would be too scary so yelled ‘BOOM’ instead.”

“Oh Pinkie, thanks for thinking about my feelings,” Fluttershy said from the ground. “I wasn't scared that bad. Just a little frightened is all.”

Pinkie helped her friend up. Fluttershy started to pick up her books from the ground and Pinkie started to tell her friend about the news.

“Pinkie you'll never guess who I saw moving into Ponyville.”

Fluttershy picked up a book and answered, “Was it that weird gryphon?”

Pinkie was shocked. “Wow. You did guess. Have you met him?”

“You could say that.”

“Does he know your name?”

Fluttershy picked up another book before answering. “No I just saw him. And I'm not happy they’re moving in.” Fluttershy sounded a little annoyed. That was new.

“That's because you think the old ones are moving in!” Pinkie said like it was obvious.

“As opposed to the young ones?”

Pinkie Pie laughed, but Fluttershy still kept her angry mood. “No, silly! Gilda’s an entirely new gryphon. She feels bad about what she's done.”

“That still doesn’t mean it was okay for her to roar in my face!” Fluttershy crossed her forelegs.

“So you should give her the chance to apologize. Come on I'll take you to their house.” Pinkie started to push Fluttershy’s rump with her head and Fluttershy dug her legs in the ground to try and stop herself from moving.

“I don't want to see them ever again!”

--ten minutes later--

“I can't believe I'm doing this.” Fluttershy said as she walked aside Pinkie.

“Don't worry, it will be fun!”

“What if one of them is on their shedding season?” Fluttershy asked.

“Huh?” Did Fluttershy say, ‘shedding season?’

Fluttershy knew she had to explain. “It's when a gryphon’s old feathers are too, well, old. And so they shed those ones off and get new ones.”

“So what if one of them is shedding? Are you afraid to get feathers on you?”

“No. When a gryphon is on their shedding season they're very moody and are hard to get along with. I read all about it in my ‘gryphons’ book.” Fluttershy started searching through her saddle bag for the book. After a couple seconds of searching Fluttershy started to look worried. “Where is it? I swear I had it in here. I was going to return it to Twilight. Do you think it's back where you scared me?”

“Hopefully. At least we'd know where it was if that's the case. Thank goodness I didn’t drop anything. I would have died if I didn't have this.” Pinkie reached in the spot where all earth ponies carry things, but she didn't feel anything there. Pinkie gasped, “MY CUPCAKE!!” and darted away in hopes that her cupcake was near Fluttershy’s book.

Fluttershy followed behind her. Thankfully, they didn’t get too much distance away from the spot Fluttershy dropped her books.

When the two finally came near the spot Pinkie saw that she was too late. There was a half eaten cupcake on the ground and a sick looking Rainbow Dash next to it. Pinkie yelled out, “YOU ATE MY CUPCAKE!”

Rainbow returned, “That was yours!?”

“Yeah, it was mine! I dropped it here and when I realized it was gone, I followed my hoof steps backwards to find MY BEST FRIEND munching on my desert!” Pinkie pie started breathing heavily when she was done screaming.

“Pinkie, that cupcake was awful!” Rainbow tried to point out. “Why would you get it?”

Pinkie gasped. “You didn't even enjoy it! Well there goes a perfectly good watermelon cupcake down the drain!”

“Watermelon!? Pinkie that tasted NOTHING like watermelon!”

“Yes it did! You obviously don't like watermelon!” Pinkie remembered that Rainbow Dash didn’t eat a single watermelon at last week’s watermelon eating contest.

“Pinkie I beat you in a watermelon eating contest last week, remember?”

Oh wait. She did eat watermelons. But that still doesn’t mean Rainbow had the right to eat whatever she found on the ground, does it? Pinkie yelled, “YOU ATE MY CUPCAKE!!”

“I'm sorry okay! Listen, I'll bake you a new cupcake that's a million times better, alright?” Rainbow held out a hoof so she and Pinkie could have shook on it. But Pinkie didn’t want Rainbow’s cooking. She wanted her own, so she was probably going to end up making a whole new batch.

Pinkie was about to yell at her friend some more, but then something jittered in her body. It was her Pinkie sense.

Still holding a hoof up, Rainbow asked, “What was that?”

Pinkie looked at her tail. “Hmm, twitchy tail. So that means,” Pinkie didn’t finish her thought. When she remembered that it meant something was going to fall, she immediately looked up.

She saw what seemed to be a birdhouse and she pointed up and yelled, “LOOK OUT!!”

Before Rainbow could look up in the direction Pinkie was pointing, The Birdhouse fell on Rainbow’s head. The little hole made for the birds to get inside the house, had somehow made its way around Rainbow’s neck.

Fluttershy yelled, “My birdhouse!”

Rainbow started to kick and buck aimlessly and would’ve hit Pinkie is she hadn’t ducked out of the way.

Pinkie asked, “What’s your birdhouse doing on top of Rainbow Dash?”

“I didn’t think it would fall on her! I had the best screws installed!”

Rainbow started smashing the birdhouse on the ground, but the birdhouse didn’t seem to loosen. Then she did something unexpected. She flew up in the air and then headed towards the Everfree forest.

Fluttershy looked worried. She called out, “Where are you going, Rainbow?” and she flew into the air to catch her.

However, that left Pinkie all alone. She tried to call out to Fluttershy to ‘wait up,’ but the pegasus had already flown out of earshot. Pinkie tried to follow her friends on hoof and she started to run into the forest.

The forest was very thick. It was hard for Pinkie to maneuver her body and keep track of her friends flying above her at the same time. So eventually, she lost them. She was all alone, in the middle of the forest and didn’t know where her friends flew off to. She tried to call out to them by screaming, but she got no response.

This was just great. Pinkie decided to walk forward in a straight line for a little bit instead of run. When Pinkie decided to give up and just turn around, she heard a loud scream. It sounded like a fillies. Pinkie started to trot in the direction of the scream, which was forward. However, she didn’t see anypony further in the forest. Was her mind playing tricks on her? It seemed to do that a lot.

After walking forward in search of the source of the scream for a little while Pinkie grew tired. She leaned her body on the base of a steep cliff and started thinking which way was home. She remembered having the sun in her eyes when she was looking up at Fluttershy, so the way back would have the sun shining on her back. Feeling a little smart, Pinkie got up and something extraordinary happened. Her tail twitched. “That’s odd. Two things falling in one day? I wonder what it could be this time.”

************************

“AND THEN A BEAR FELL FROM THE SKY!!!” Pinkie’s hair and face went back to normal. That pleased Sherlock, since now he didn’t have to talk to a depressed mare. “CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!”

Sherlock remembered that Greg had pushed a bear off a cliff in Rainbow’s story. So that must have been where it landed. “Actually Pinkie, I can believe it. And I believe you.” Sherlock smiled.

“So at first, I poked it to ask it if it was good bear. Then it roared at me and tried to attack me and I started booking it!”

************************

Pinkie could hear the bear chasing her. She would jump over logs and duck under branches while the bear would just plow its way through it all. Pinkie made a sharp right turn and the bear continued to go strait. Breathing heavily, Pinkie still kept running. Then she heard the bear roar. He was still very close.

Then Pinkie came to a clearing in the forest. And there standing in the middle of it, was Gilda. Gilda quickly recognized the mare and looked at her with a ‘what are you doing here?’ look. Pinkie breathed heavily and Gilda walked toward her.

“Pinkie, what are you doing here?” Gilda asked.

Pinkie tried to catch her breath. “Gilda, I…”

“Pinkie listen. I just want to say that I'm really sorry about my behavior last time I visited.”

Pinkie was still breathing heavily. “Gilda…I'm,”

Gilda cut in, “You don't have to forgive me, but just let me show you that I changed and-”

Pinkie cut in, “Gilda…listen…”

Gilda cut in, “No, you listen. The way I acted was unacceptable and I don't want you thinking that all gryphons are like me-”

Pinkie grabbed Gilda’s shoulders with her forelegs, shook them around and screamed, “GILDA I’M BEING CHASED BY A BEAR!!”

Instantly, a bear burst its way through the trees and casted its big, dark shadow over the two females. Gilda didn’t have much time to yell out, “RUN!” before the bear attacked them.

The two got away, thankfully, and they started to run through the thick forest. Gilda was in the lead and Pinkie followed her, not daring to get separated. Gilda suddenly slowed down, grabbed Pinkie, and tried to fly away. Gilda, only flew a couple of feet in the air and said, “How much do you weigh, Pinkie?” Gilda said that like Pinkie weighed a lot.

Pinkie was too busy enjoying herself to hear. She had never flown before. (Except for that one time, but it didn’t really count.) Flying was like jumping without the falling down part.

Gilda couldn’t keep flying with all the extra weight. She tried to be airborne, but she just couldn’t manage to hold Pinkie Pie.

The crash to the ground didn’t cause any serious injuries. The two skidded on the forest ground and eventually came to a complete stop. Gilda jumped up. The bear was not far behind. The gryphon grabbed Pinkie again and this time carried her to some nearby bushes. She whispered, “Get down.”

The bear came near and started to smell the air. He turned his back to the girls, but if they tried to escape now the bear would definitely hear them. It was so close. Pinkie didn’t move a muscle. She hopped that the bear would just walk away and look for lunch somewhere else.

Gilda quietly whispered, “I can't believe I’m doing this. I am a bird of prey! I shouldn't be hiding. I should be fighting.”

Before Pinkie had time to ask what ‘prey’ meant Gilda had jumped from her hiding spot and thrusted herself on the bears shoulder. Her claws dug into the bear's flesh to keep herself on the bear. Pinkie only helplessly watched from the bush as her “friend” attacked the bear.

Things were actually going pretty well. Until the bear grabbed Gilda with his clawed forearm and threw her on the ground in front of him. Which was about five seconds into the fight. Gilda screamed again as the bear took another blow on the gryphon.

Pinkie had to do something. She picked a rock up off of the ground and as hard as she could, threw it at the bear. It was a perfect shot. Right in the back of the noggin. It was so perfect, in fact, that the bear stopped attacking Gilda and decided his new target would be Pinkie. The bear glared at the uncamouflaged pink pony in the green bush and he started to run toward her. That gave Pinkie a good intention that she should run. So she did.

She ran past the bear somehow and came next to Gilda’s side. Pinkie helped her up and asked, “Are you okay?”

Gilda clenched her left wing and it was all bloody. “My wing hurts,” she said as she was getting up. “I can’t fly with it.”

“That's great. Let's hope your hooves are fine.”

The two started to run away. This was going nowhere if not getting worse.

That's about when Pinkie had an idea. She remembered a ponymade river somewhere not far from here.

This time Pinkie was in the lead and she yelled back, “Follow me!” Pinkie led the way and was actually gaining distance from the bear. After a couple of minutes Pinkie finally found it. There was about a twenty foot drop to the river and on the other side there was flatland. That is until you go further downstream. Then both sides of the river are twenty foot dirt walls.

Pinkie informed Gilda, “Get to the other side as soon as you can when you jump,” and she jumped.

The water was cold and the jump put her very deep into the water. Pinkie swam up to the surface and used all her energy to make it to the other side. Once she finally did, she shook her entire body to get the water out of her fur. Then she remembered that she was forgetting somegryphon. She looked back up the twenty foot dirt wall on the other side of the river and she saw Gilda, just standing on the ledge.

“You should probably jump now!” Pinkie yelle out.

“I don’t know Pinkie, I...” Gilda whispered something and Pinkie didn’t hear.

“What? You need to jump now if you want to escape a hungry bear!”

“No, Pinkie. I can’t...”

Still Pinkie couldn’t hear. “Can’t what?”

Gilda looked back and saw the bear appear from the trees and was charging at her. Gilda jumped and in the middle of her fall yelled, “SWIM!”

Uh oh. Pinkie watched as the gryphon splashed into the water and eventually surfaced, thankfully. Gilda struggled to keep afloat as she was gasping for air at every possibility she had.

“Gilda swim to me! Quickly before the side become too steep.” But it was no use. Gilda was getting pushed downstream. Pinkie followed her on the edge of the river and yelled advice to her. “Gilda push with your back hooves! Come on, you can do it!”

But eventually the side Pinkie was on became steep too. Gilda was stuck in a river where both sides were twenty foot dirt walls. Pinkie couldn’t take it anymore. She jumped back into the river to save her friend.

The water was just as cold as Pinkie remembered it. She wrapped her hooves around the struggling gryphon and brought her to the surface. Gilda took that moment to breathe the fresh air. Pinkie was still holding her up. Gilda finally got the air to ask, “Do you know where this river leads?”

“I remember that there's a lake nearby. I think it might dump us there.”

“Okay, so I shouldn’t be worrying about the waterfall over there.”

Pinkie couldn't see any waterfall in the distance. Pinkie squinted down the river but still saw nothing. “I don't see anything.”

“I have incredible vision, Pinkie. I'm telling you, there's a freakin waterfall!!”

Pinkie started to see what Gilda was talking about. “Okay we’ll just swim away!” Pinkie said nervously.

Pinkie tried her best to swim against the current and hold on to Gilda at the same time, but nothing seemed to be helping.

“I see something!”Gilda yelled. Pinkie looked to see where Gilda was pointing and saw a big, plastic pipe. It came out of one of the dirt canyon wall and into the water.

“That's right,” Pinkie said, suddenly realizing something, “Ponyville uses this river to get water to their houses! That pipe supplies everypony with water.” Still holding Gilda, Pinkie swam to an edge of the canyon and grabbed onto the pipe.

The waterfall was in plain sight now. The two girls hung onto the pipe as if their life depended on it, because it kind of did.

“So now what?” Gilda asked.

“We can just hang here until somepony finds us.”

“Or until one of us dies from hypothermia.”

“What's hippothermia?” Pinkie asked.

“What do they teach you in those pony schools?”

Almost instantly after Gilda said that a loud ‘crack’ sound came from the pipe and it fell a few inches. Gilda looked worried.

“Don't worry, The pipes not going to break.” Pinkie said. “This pipe has to deliver a ton of water to everywhere. I'm sure it can support a few extra pounds!”

The pipe snapped off. Well that was just great. The two girls fell into the water again. Pinkie grabbed Gilda and started screaming. They were getting closer and closer to the waterfall and there was nothing they could do to get away from it.

“There's kinda a waterfall coming up, so you're going to have to swim!” Pinkie yelled at Gilda. Pinkie was trying her best to swim away from the horrible waterfall.

“I'm trying!” Gilda yelled back, “You're the one not swimming!”

Gilda was starting to sound like her old self. Pinkie knew she wasn't going to get any help from Gilda, so she yelled, “Somepony HELP!” maybe somepony would hear her screams and save them in ten seconds. Hopefully.

Pinkie kept swimming, not taking her eyes off of the waterfall. Yep, it would definitely kill you if you fell of this one. It was no use. The waterfall was only ten feet away. Pinkie kicked even harder, but was still going towards it. Five feet away. Pinkie held on to Gilda tightly and closed her eyes shut. Only two feet away. Any secrets Pinkie confessed right now wouldn’t be heard from the roar of the waterfall that was soon going to kill her. Pinkie could feel the water starting to fall. This was it.

Except ‘it’ didn’t happen. Pinkie and Gilda had stopped moving. “Wh-What happened?” Pinkie asked still closing her eyes.

“I think your friend saved us.” Gilda said.

Pinkie opened her eyes and saw a rope tied around Gilda’s claw and was being held by Applejack. Applejack was on the top of the canyon and was trying her best not to let go of the rope.

“Applejack!” Pinkie screamed joyfully as she saw her orange-coated friend.

Applejack started to pull the two towards one of the canyon walls. When they were at the base Gilda said, “I think we got it from here.” She turned to Pinkie, “Hang on Pinkie,” and she started to climb the dirt walls with her claws while giving Pinkie a piggyback ride.

Pinkie Held on to Gilda very awkwardly so she wouldn’t fall.

Eventually Gilda and Pinkie reached the edge of the canyon and struggled to climb up it. Applejack let go of the rope and went to Gilda and Pinkie's side to help them up.

“What were you two doin in the river?” Applejack asked.

Gilda was breathing heavily. “It’s a very long story.”

“Applejack it was crazy!” We were running and Gilda tried to pick me up! And then she attacked it!” Pinkie, who was still obviously shaken from the whole ordeal, tried to explain.

“Um, what?” Applejack asked.

“Like I said, it’s a long story.” Gilda calmly said.

“Oh, Uh, Alright.” Applejack didn’t question any further. She cleared her throat. “Howdy Gilda.”

“Thank you so much Applejack. I could of...” Gilda started to get teary eyed. “I could’ve died. And you saved me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I guess.” Applejack returned.

“Listen. I got to go do something. It’ll be really quick. I’ll see you at tonight's party.” And Gilda ran off, not even looking back once.

Applejack turned to Pinkie. “Who was that?”

“It was Gilda.”

“No. Gilda wouldn’t have thanked me like that and she certainly wouldn’t have almost cried like that.”

Pinkie smiled. “I guess somegryphons really change.” Pinkie put a wet hoof around her friend. Applejack actually didn’t seem to mind. “I think I’m going to take a bath before I prepare for the party.”

“Yeah...me too.” Applejack agreed.

************************

“So she's the reason the water wouldn't work for Rarity,” Sherlock thought.

“But my bath wouldn’t work and I was wondering why, but then I remembered me and Gilda broke that one pipe so I just went straight to setting up Greg’s party.”

Sherlock kind of wanted Pinkie to go into more detail, but seeing that he was so much behind schedule, he let it slide.

Pinkie sighed and remembered what had happened next. “Then, right when I had finished everything, A policepony knocked on my door and asked if I'd ever talked to Greg. I said I did and now I’m here.”

“Interesting.” Sherlock said. “Is there anypony I could ask to confirm that you were preparing a party and not preparing a murder?”

Pinkie said in an angry voice, “You think I did it?”

Sherlock quickly recovered, “No. I just want to make sure you are telling the truth.”

“I thought you could tell when I’m lying.”

Since Sherlock was almost done interrogating this mare he said, “I lied. Who's the pony that can confirm?”

“Derpy Hooves.” Pinkie answered. “She saw me setting up.”

“Interesting. You are free to go. Wait in the other room until I have interrogated everypony. Bring in Fluttershy for me.”

Pinkie said, “Okey dokey,” very cheerfully and walked out the door.

“It wasn’t her.” Sherlock thought. “She doesn't have a motive. Heck, who does have a motive? Maybe Twilight was trying to find out what Greg was working on and the only way to get to his work was over his dead body. But that doesn’t add up. Officer Dirk told Pinkie she needed to be interrogated and Twilight told the other group of girls. When Officer Dirk asked who talked to Greg Twilight must have been the pony to confess. If she was the murderer then why even confess? Was it to throw me of? Oh well, She’s not going anywhere. You can get answers when you talk to her. Right now, I need to start interrogating a new mare. The one who said that she liked Greg. This is going to be a depressing interrogation.”