The Disappearance of Twilight Sparkle

by Charliemane

Chapter 4

The room was as dark as the night itself, despite it only being one hour past noon. Although Inspector Javanner was aware that Princess Luna was now raising the sun while Princess Celestia took a leave of absence, he did not expect to the Princess of Day to have closed herself away in such a dark seclusion.

Now she sat before him, in a pitiable state, attempting to regain some of her dignified appearance for her subject. Even though she now wore the crown and regalia, her mane was an absolute mess, her eyes bloodshot and still watering with tears, and the bags under her eyes indicated to the Inspector that she had not slept in a very long time.

“Thank you for coming, Inspector. I'm sorry, I did not want to pull you away from the investigation. I know...time is invaluable...”

Inspector Javanner remained at attention, not too different from the near countless guards stationed just outside the small room.

“Do not fret, Your Highness, I have dispatched my aide to take care of things while I give my...report.”

Celestia's eyes widened slightly.

“I was unaware that you had an assistant.”

“She is a local Ponyville police officer. She has proven quite adept.”

“I see...”

Princess Celestia nodded as her voice trailed off. Her eyes narrowed and her brows furrowed slightly, but at last she looked up from the floor towards Inspector Javanner.

“Inspector...please, what can you tell me?”

“Do not lose hope, Your Highness.”

“Is that all?”

Javanner had always had a respect for the Princess. Though he was never as close with her as Twilight Sparkle had been, Princess Celestia had presided over ever promotion ceremony since the beginning of his career. Her words of wisdom in every speech she had given to him rang out louder in his heart than anypony else's. Indeed, there was a part of him that was envious of Princess Twilight, who was able to look upon Celestia as a daughter looks upon a mother while her real mother was still living.

“That is not all, Your Highness, but I must warn you, I have leads, but little in the form of suspects or motives.”

Celestia's breath became bated and she quickly reached up and wiped her eyes with her hoof.

“Luna tells me you believe she is okay. Do you still believe she is still okay? Can you find her?”

Inspector Javanner's stance never wavered.

“I can, and I will, but it will take time, Your Highness. I have good reason to believe that Her Highness, Princess Twilight Sparkle, is still alive and well.”

For the first time since he had walked into the darkened room, Inspector Javanner noticed a tiny smile begin to form on Princess Celestia's face as the tears began flowing freely.

“You believe so? Truly?”

“Truly I do.”

Celestia closed her eyes and put a hoof to her chest.

“Thank you, Javanner.”

Inspector Javanner still remained motionless, but Princess Celestia had worked with the Inspector enough to be accustomed to his unemotional nature.

“Is there anything I can do to assist you? Anything at all?”

Despite his desire to say that he would rather not discuss the case with so little information, Inspector Javanner instead pulled a copy of his notes from his pocket.

“I am looking for a pony that matches a description given to us by a herbalist who may have...unknowingly provided assistance to the perpetrator.”

Inspector Javanner paused for a moment to gauge the Princess, but if there was anypony in the entirety of the world that he could not see into, it was her.

“The witness describes the suspect as a yellow unicorn with a red mane. Evidence found at the scene of the crime indicates that this pony may be somepony that Princess Twilight is familiar with, possibly even friends with. As a close friend of Princess Twilight's, do you know of any pony who might match this description?”

Princess Celestia froze, her lavender eyes growing wider and wider.

“No...no...it couldn't be...”

Javanner resisted the urge to step closer to his princess. He leaned in closer, but said nothing as he waited for Princess Celestia to continue.

“No...No...They were friends! Twilight told me herself! It was resolved! It was over!”

The last of Princess Celestia's composure rapidly began to crumble and she ran over to her dresser, grabbing old photos from times long past. As she grabbed hold of more and more images the impact seemed to grow worse and worse and her words became less and less coherent.

Then, as though on cue, Princess Luna appeared next to Inspector Javanner. The scene before them was powerful enough that even the ever stoic Javanner was visibly startled by Luna's appearance.

“Inspector, We thank thee for thy service. Prithee, wait for thy Princess of the Night in the sitting room down yonder hallway and all will be made clear.”

Inspector Javanner nodded quickly and made a hasty exit from the room. Outside, two guards were waiting to escort him to the room where Princess Luna would rejoin him. Pausing once to look back at the closed doors, Javanner heard a wail that a shiver down his spine and without another pause, the Inspector raced his guards to the room that he hoped was rather far away.

---

It had felt as though days had past, but the clock on the wall indicated that he had only been here an hour and a half, though ultimately, Javanner did not mind the wait. It gave him time to put his thoughts in order as he sat on the cushioned sofa and readjusted his uniform.

It surprised him how much Princess Celestia's condition still bothered him. He had dealt with grieving families before with far worse information, but even though he could not quite put his hoof on it, there was something far more personal in this one. The ghostly wail that he had heard leaving the Princess's room still echoed in the back of his mind and soon he was standing and pacing the small waiting room.

A quick glance at the clock revealed that another hour had passed by and Javanner's pacing increased. If Princess Luna was still not here, then that must mean that she was still consoling her sister, which seemed to bother him more than if she had simply forgotten about him. At last a knock came at the door and Princess Luna, her own mane now a terrible mess, slowly slipped into the room.

“You have our highest gratitude for thy patience, Inspector. Thy service to the Crowns shall not be unnoticed or forgotten.”

Inspector Javanner gave a courteous bow.

“My most sincere apologizes, Your Highness. I did not expect Princess Celestia to react in such a manner. Had I known-”

“There is no way that thou couldst have known. Indeed, even we would have been sorely pressed for such knowledge.”

Princess Luna walked to the seat across from the sofa and motioned for Javanner to sit down as she produced one of the pictures that Princess Celestia had gone scrambling for.

“In truth I told thee that young Princess Twilight was as much a daughter unto my sister as any true kinspony might be, but what I had failed to reveal to you was that there was another who once held such a prestigious position within my sister's tender heart.”

The small photograph levitated in front of Javanner who took hold of it with his own magic. There was a single pony, young and grinning wildly as she was evidently running in between Princess Celestia's legs. She was a unicorn with a yellow coat and a fiery red and yellow mane.

Immediately Javanner looked up from the photograph to Princess Luna, who continued.

“Her name was Sunset Shimmer. She held the position that Princess Twilight held previously, that of the Princess's prime pupil. I had never met the dear foal, as she had come and gone from the castle long before my own return.”

Princess Luna closed her eyes and sighed as her magic began to render the room darker and darker until at last Javanner could seen nothing but himself and the Princess across from him. The only sound Javanner had heard inside the tiny room had been the clock's dull ticks, but now everything was silent and the two ponies looked directly at each other, illuminated only by Princess Luna's magic.

“What I am about to say unto thee is something I dread. For Sunset Shimmer did not leave this castle of her own accord. Though she was held in such high esteem by my sister, she was rash and became impatient, demanding more power day by day. Eventually she became uncontrollable and my sister, much to her own sorrow, removed her from her position and banished her from the castle grounds.”

Inspector Javanner said nothing as his eyes went back to the picture.

“It pained my sister to no end that she was forced to remove the student that sat so close to her heart, but Sunset Shimmer, in her anger, vowed revenge.”

Immediately Javanner's eyes shot up towards Princess Luna, who nodded as she continued.

“This appeared to have come upon us in the form of an incident, not too long after Princess Twilight was crowned. Sunset Shimmer reemerged, attempted to steal Princess Twilight's crown, and seize control of the Element of Magic. However, Twilight was able to regain her crown and, we were told, Sunset Shimmer was rendered into a repentant state. In truth, Princess Twilight has visited her numerous times now, and has even kept correspondence with her, such was so that we truly believed that she was repentant.”

Princess Luna paused and looked to the ground, a small tear welling up in her own eye.

“In truth we all believed her to be a new pony. Last month, Princess Twilight sent a letter to my sister, expressing a hope that perhaps Sunset Shimmer would return to Equestria, at least for a short while, long enough for the two to finally make amends.”

Luna gave a quick sob into her hoof.

“I am truly sorry, Inspector, 'tis difficult to bear this news. To see the joy that was once my sister's now turned to such bitter sorrow. Even I had hoped to meet the pony who held my sister's esteem, who had fallen unto temptation as I had, and was recovering as I still am. That this should all have been a ruse to render my sister's...my niece...asunder is...is...”

Javanner nodded as he looked over the picture again.

“Your Highness, we do not know if Sunset Shimmer is the culprit and we would be...unwise to jump to that conclusion with so little evidence. However, if you know where she makes her residence, I would very much like to ask her a few questions.”

Princess Luna took a moment to regain her composure, during which Javanner studied the picture again. It was clearly from well before the fallout between the two. She looked like such an eager and happy young foal that Javanner could almost hear the child's laughter from the picture.

“I am afraid, Inspector Javanner, that finding Sunset Shimmer will be most difficult. Inside of Princess Twilight's castle is a portal that leads unto another world. That is where Sunset Shimmer has made her home.”

Javanner said nothing as he processed the Princess's words and the two sat in an eerily still silence until at last Javanner cleared his throat.

“Your Highness is no doubt aware, I do not have jurisdiction in another world.”

“Dost thou believe Sunset Shimmer may have taken Twilight Sparkle back unto her world?”

“It is possible, but difficult to say. I will have more information once I meet up with Officer Constable, who has been working, and continues to work, this case diligently alongside me. When this is over, I would like to offer her up for commendation.”

Princess Luna nodded.

“'Tis already done. I trust that thou art eager to depart?”

Inspector Javanner nodded and instantly the darkness was gone and the dull ticks of the clock sounded out the passage of time again. Rising from his seat, Inspector Javanner bowed to the Princess.

“Thank you, for the information, Your Highness. I would like to take this picture back to Officer Constable and we can begin a search.”

Princess Luna nodded as she rose and stepped towards the door.

“Then take what thou dost need. Do whatever is necessary, Inspector, but please, bring her back.”

---

There was a small cloud of steam from the locomotive that passed by the car door as Inspector Javanner stepped out onto the Ponyville platform. There was a certain familiarity that he had gained in riding the Midnight Express between Ponyville and Canterlot, but the notion was quickly dismissed as Officer Constable raced up to him.

“Sir! I've spoken with the stationmaster and I believe he has some news that might interest you.”

Inspector Javanner looked behind Constable to see a nervous looking pony in a suit as he slowly stepped up to them.

“Good evening, sir, I'm the stationmaster here, my name's Logbook.”

Inspector Javanner gave a curt nod.

“I am Inspector Javanner of the Royal Equestrian Police Nationale. Did you see something?”

Logbook quickly nodded.

“Y-Yes, she came by not too long ago, the one matching your description. Unicorn, yellow coat, red mane, wearing a dark cloak.”

Logbook paused for a moment, but the Inspector's patience was already incredibly thin after his meeting with the Princesses.

“Go on.”

“Oh! Yes, she wanted to mail a box, or rather she wanted to travel with it. She was very insistent that she travel with it, but the box was so big, it was too big to be a carry-on for Santa Neigh Railroad policy, you see.”

Inspector Javanner's eyes at first widened, but immediately narrowed as he leaned into the nervous stationmaster with a piercing gaze.

“How big was this box? Big enough to hold a pony?”

Logbook nodded as he looked up into the tall unicorn's eyes.

“Y-Yes, it was far too big to travel in the passenger car, but she was adamant that she ride with it. When I told her it couldn't be done, she left in a huff.”

“When did this happen? How long ago?!”

Logbook stepped back.

“J-Just a just a few hours ago, she left with the box in a wagon.”

Inspector Javanner immediately turned towards Constable, his eyes wide as he immediately stomped the floor and motioned for her to follow him. He was already in a run as they reached the edge of the platform.

“Get a description of the wagon from the stationmaster! I think I might know where our suspect is heading!”