> Twilight Velvet's "Pseudo Facade"
>  by ZhaoZoharEX
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Publishing
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was nothing quite like a good story. Any author worth their salt knows this fact. If you can’t write something that will entertain the audience, you’re not going to be a very successful author. So how does one write a good story? Is it the characters? The setting? The style? If one were to ask Twilight Velvet, a seasoned writer from Canterlot, she’d likely say it was a combination of all those things, but with a hint of originality mixed in. If you manage to find that perfect balance, the sky's the limit.

Of course, none of that matters if you don’t finish your manuscript.

The unicorn mother of two sat in her study, jotting down along the latest of many sheets of paper. Every once in awhile, she took the time to dab the tip of her quill into a pot of ink while attempting to maintain her focus. As she wrote, she tried her best to print as legibly as possible, despite her instincts to stray into her normal hoof writing.

After an hour passed, Velvet placed the quill down to stretch out her hoof. If one were to ask why she didn’t just use her magic, she’d likely respond with a statement about how difficult it actually is to keep her dexterity. Sure, magic wasn’t exactly mundane to her. Advanced magical skills run in the family, after all. But being so used to a typewriter and the fact that stress was taking a toll on her mind did little to improve her focus.

On that thought, it had to be today of all days that her own typewriter, her main livelihood, decided to malfunction and destroy one page of her work. Gazing at it across the room where she had put it, the typewriter was a gift given to her by none other than A.K. Yearling, her longtime partner, for her contributions in the famous Daring Do novels. 

It was thanks to her that Velvet was able to get into the business with little issue. She was not only a writer, but an editor as well, for which Ms. Yearling was grateful for. Along with those contributions and editor experience, Velvet boasted a number of short stories for high school literature books, even holding an academic honor award which hung on the wall of her family photos. She had accomplished many things during her career.

Yet…. There was something she had yet to achieve, a merit she had yet to earn: Her first solo novel. A story she could entirely call her own. In fact, she had an idea for a novel long ago when she was still in high school and even wrote snippets of it from time to time. But with her work on Daring Do, her other short stories, and her eventual marriage with Doctor Night Light of the Canterlot Research Society, she never had much of an opportunity to do anything with it. She long forgot about it over the years until just recently after a visit to her sister in Las Pegasus.

That is why she sat here now, working her flank off and wracking her brain to no end. She had her old notes with her, but as she aged, so did her old ideas. Updating was necessary and crucial before even thinking about her current manuscript. It had been nearly a whole month, but it was almost done. Even with her typewriter out of commission, she was determined to get it done today, hoof cramps be damned.

“Whew, done….”

Velvet let out a tired sigh as she put down her quill for the final time that afternoon. It had been a long road, but it was finally finished. She leaned back in her seat and stretched her back, popping her neck and just shaking off the fatigue that accumulated. Stretching more as she stood up, she glanced at the clock.

“I’d better get dinner started. The kids will be home soon,” she giggled to herself. “I can’t wait to for them to hear this.”





Velvet heard the door open almost as soon as she finished setting the table. Whether by coincidence or simply habit, she and her family had impeccable timing. The next part was definitely habit as Velvet sat down and opened her forelegs to accept the purple blur that pounced into them.

“Hi mommy!” Twilight Sparkle chirped as she happily nuzzled her mother’s chest.

Her daughter’s excitement never failed to put a smile on Velvet’s face. “Hello sweetie. Did you have a good day at school?”

Breaking off the hug, the little unicorn nodded excitedly and began regaling her mother with tales of academic achievement as she took her seat and the other two family members entered the dining room. Shining Armor’s eyebrows raised as he caught a whiff of dinner.

“Wow Mom, that smells amazing!” he said as his father nodded in agreement. Night Light walked over and gave his wife a quick peck on the lips.

“I have to agree, you certainly pulled out all the stops for this one, dear. What’s the occasion?” Night inquired.

Velvet smiled knowingly. “Well, I do have a bit of an announcement to make” she explained, chuckling inwardly as her children’s heads immediately spun to face her, “But let’s all get comfortable first. I imagine we’re all very hungry.”

The family began to eat, though the two younger ponies never took their eyes off their mother, and even Night Light couldn’t help but throw glances at his wife now and then. Once she felt that enough suspense had been built up, Velvet cleared her throat and instantly gained her family’s full and undivided attention.

“Well everypony, I am happy to report that as of an hour or two ago, I finished writing the manuscript for the first Pseudo Facade book.”

As one, Velvet’s family erupted in cheers and applause.

“Congratulations, dear!

“That’s awesome, mom!”

“Hooray! That’s so great, Mommy! It’s gonna be the bestest book ever!”

Velvet couldn’t help but laugh out of pure giddiness. “Well I’m not sure if it’ll be a success, but I definitely consider it to be my biggest personal victory.”

Night Light scoffed. “Not sure? Nonsense, it’s going to be a great success. The foals and I wouldn’t have encouraged you to write it as strongly as we did if we thought otherwise.”

It was Shining Armor’s turn to nod in agreement. “Absolutely, mom. I really love how quickly Sleuth adapted to the situation. He’s definitely my favorite character.”

“I like Facade himself! It’s really amazing how much thought he puts into his heists, and how he just leaves everypony so stumped!” Spoke up Twilight, who was now standing on her seat in excitement.

Velvet smiled at her children’s heartfelt praise. “It was definitely a challenge to think it all through. I’m really glad you like it.”

“More than that,” Night Light added, “I’m quite intrigued to see what you do with the Jade Kings. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing quite a lot of them.”

Velvet chuckled darkly, smirking. “Honey, you don’t even know the half of it.”

The family continued to talk and laugh over dinner, trading thoughts on the story and ultimately praising Velvet for thinking of them. While she still thought that celebrating her story’s success was rather premature, she couldn’t help but revel in the pure joy of actually having finished the book. It was done. The only thing left to do was to go to the publishing office and-

Velvet suddenly caught a glimpse of a clock, and noticed that the hands indicated a time much later than she had expected.

“Oh my gosh, it’s late! The publisher will be closing up shop soon!” Velvet exclaimed, panic starting to tug at her senses.

Night Light’s eyebrows raised. “Wait, you haven’t turned in the manuscript yet?”

Velvet shook her head. Not only to indicate the negative, but to clear her thoughts. She set her jaw and focused on the task at hand. “Not yet, but there’s still time. I can still make it!”

Velvet dashed to her study, snatched up the manuscript in her magic, and then turned around to head for the door in one fluid motion. She quickly bade her family goodbye as she dashed out the door, their cheers of encouragement still ringing in her ears.





It was a lively day at the Barns and No Bell book shop. Twilight Velvet’s first solo novel had just been released, and while the customers may not have lined up around the block for it like they did for a certain other book series, it still gathered a respectable crowd and was selling quite well. Indeed, at that very moment a sale was being made.

“I know she works on Daring Do, but you do know that Twilight Velvet’s style is rather different from A.K. Yearling’s, right?” The clerk reminded the prospective customer, a young filly. However, the filly simply rolled her eyes and adjusted her glasses.

“Please, I’m a fan of Twilight Velvet herself. I’ve read every one of her short stories. Her coming out with a full novel is a dream come true for me!”

The clerk raised an eyebrow. Given that Velvet’s stories tended to skew towards older audiences, such a young yet devoted fan was a little uncommon. Still, a sale was a sale, and it wasn’t long before the filly galloped home and plopped down onto her bed with her newest purchase. It was the weekend, her numerous studies were complete, and nothing was going to stop the little unicorn from reading her favorite author’s newest story cover-to-cover. She opened the book and read the title page aloud with a huge grin.

“Pseudo Facade: the Heart of Stained Glass, by Twilight Velvet.”

> Heart of Stained Glass ~ Chapter 1
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Las Pegasus. Famous for its importance in film, tourism, and lifestyle. But among those things is a suave, elusive thief. Now, he is being challenged by a new police inspector. Little do either of them know, the police force aren't the only ones after the phantom of LP.







Las Pegasus. 

It is very lively city, according to those that live there. It was very popular for tourists for many reasons. Besides the Applewood Production company, centerpiece of Equestria’s film, television and radio industry, it was home to many landmarks and vacation sites. And in the recent decade, it had become famous for a particular young celebrity.

Within the city, a small earth pony filly was snug in her bed, inside her family’s penthouse. It was very late in the evening and she was already late for her bedtime so falling asleep did not require much effort on her part.  However, she did not stay asleep for too long and she got out of bed in a groggy daze, intent on acquiring a glass of water.  Once her thirst was adequately quenched, she trudged back in the direction of her room. However, a shadow in the moonlight caught her attention. Present near the rooftop pool out on the balcony was a silhouette of some sort. Upon further inspection, the curious filly saw it was the figure of a stallion, wearing a scarlet cloak and top hat. Overcome with an urge to get a better look, the filly stepped closer, opening the screen door and tiptoeing out onto the balcony.

“Um, excuse me?” the little filly shyly said.

The stallion pivoted his head to the sudden voice, attention caught but with no concern. He was wearing a red mask with playing card motif and a black rimmed monocle over his left eye. Of all the things that could have happened to this naive filly, he simply smiled and turned to face her entirely.

“Why good evening, young lady,” he said in a sophisticated low voice as he presented himself with a bow.  “Did I wake you up from your night’s sleep?  My deepest apologies about that.”

He spoke with a suave tone, his windswept cape adding to his air of class.  Such a regal image easily enraptured the young filly.  “Um… Uh…”

The stallion bent down and held her hoof in his own.  “No need to be afraid; I am but a humble pigeon resting after a long flight.  Soon, I’ll be a thing of the past…” the stallion paused to kiss her hoof, causing her to blush.  “Milady.”

Not two seconds passed before the balcony was lit by an extremely bright light, the source of which came from a searchlight attached to a helicopter that suddenly appeared behind the stallion.  The luminosity from the searchlight quickly became too much for the filly and she had to shield her eyes.

“ATTENTION FACADE!  THIS IS THE LPPD!  YOU ARE UNDER ARREST!  PUT YOUR HOOVES UP AND SURRENDER IMMEDIATELY!”

The stallion stood back up, chuckling as he shook his head in an amused manner as he tipped his hat.  “They just never learn, do they milady?  Well, it appears as though I have to cut my little rest short.  Ciao!”

And with that, he ran and leaped over the edge of the building.  In a panic, the filly rushed to the edge to look down, only to see the stallion gliding away from the building with a pair of wings, seemingly hidden under the cape. She could only observe as the helicopter chased after him, wide eyed and giddy from the encounter.

“Wow…”





The news of the latest theft spread across the city as a lone griffon dressed in his police uniform waited within the large train station.  With him were two other officers, a light brown pegasus mare and a gray unicorn stallion.  While it wasn’t terribly uncommon to see officers in this large terminal, they were waiting for a few particular passengers to arrive.  With an unexpected delay however, all they could do was watch the video monitors playing the news reports.

“Good morning, Las Pegasus!” a khaki earth mare news reporter exclaimed onscreen.  “I’m Meryl O’Knette and welcome back to LP Local News.  Todays top story:  Facade has struck again!  Last night, the Jack of Clubs successfully stole the Locus Brooch, an emerald which is estimated to be worth around seventy-thousand bits.  How exactly did he give police the slip?  Apparently with soap and water!  Eyewitnesses report seeing a mass of foam pour from several open windows of the Monumental Building, during which the culprit made a clean getaway in more ways than one.  As usual, no civilian casualties were reported and aside from the suds, no damage was said to have occurred.  Police have yet to respond for a comment on the investigation.  In other news...”

The griffon wore a scowl as he continued to watch the news reports on the screen.  He felt no form of contentment today and his two subordinates would be remiss if they didn’t know why.

“Boy, Inspector Gavroche sure is pissed after last night’s failed operation, eh Mounty?” the unicorn officer whispered.

“Can you really blame him, Bobby?” responded the pegasus officer.  “That’s the fourth time this month that Facade made us look like idiots.  He’s is making a fool out of the LPPD and Gavroche is the face of the investigation.  He’s facing a lot of pressure, not to mention rage.”

“Yeah.  Kinda makes me glad I’m just an officer so I don’t have to put up with that bullcrap.”

“You and me both.  And now we’re getting a new superintendent.  I heard from Noncom that his son is supposed to be taking charge of the investigation since Gavroche is moving to the homicide division.”

“That so?  Know anything about the Slewfoots?”

“Other than the son being engaged, not very much. I do know that he was recently promoted to Inspector before transferring.”

“No kidding?  Well, at least he has experience.  I wouldn’t know how to feel if they put a newbie in charge or something like that.”

“We were all newbies at some point, weren’t we?  I remember when you were still in the academy and you accidentally shot the instructor in the crotch with that beanbag round?”

“Heh, yeah, he was pretty hard on me after that, not that I blame him...  In any case, this should be interesting.”

The trains then arrived right on schedule and eventually came to a complete halt.  The patrons waiting on the platform either boarded the train, or searched for particular friends, family, or acquaintance to disembark.  The police trio stood patiently until eventually another trio of ponies exited the train with the staff aiding with luggage. All three of them were unicorns, two male and one female. The bespectacled mare was light blue with a blonde mane that was tied back in a bun.  The older stallion was dark violet with a lean build and a short combed gray mane and mustache.  The younger stallion was a grayish azure with a dark blue mane.

“Good morning, Superintendent Sentinel Slewfoot, Mrs. Brass Slewfoot,” Gavroche addressed the older stallion with a salute, prompting the other two officers to mimic his gesture.

“Ah, Inspector,” Sentinel said as he returned the salute.  “Son?”

“Good morning, Inspector Gavroche,” the younger stallion joining in the salute.

“We at the Las Pegasus Metropolitan Police Department welcome you aboard.  We would be more than happy to help you with your things.”

“Your help is most appreciated, Inspector,” Brass said popping her neck, stiff from the long train ride.  “Though I do hope you expect my dear son is expecting a pickup of his own.”

“Yes, we spoke with Lord Falsetto.  We have two separate carriages waiting outside.  He would also like me to tell you, Superintendent Slewfoot, that he will drop by when you are settled in.”

“Very good. Bobby and Mounty, would you help Sleuth with his things while the inspector works with Brass and myself?”

“Yes sir,” both officers said in unison.

While the parents, mostly Brass, had many bags to load into their carriage, Sleuth had surprisingly few of his own, not enough to worry about space but enough to require help.  Though they were thankful for a substantially less workload than they expected, the fact that he had so little with him stumped both the officers.  Once all belongings were safely secure in the back compartment, the three occupied the carriage and sat down before the ponies pulling it started heading for their destination.

“Uh, excuse me, Inspector Slewfoot?” Mounty asked hesitantly.

“I’m technically off duty, you can just call me Sleuth.”

“Err, very well, Sleuth.  If I may ask, I noticed you packed very lightly. You are moving, shouldn’t you have more with you?”

“Most of what’s in those suitcases are clothing and some personal belongings. See, I’m marrying Lord Falsetto’s daughter and he’s insisting I move in with them.”

“Hang on,” Bobby interrupted.  “Lord Falsetto’s daughter as in Soprono Serenity?  THE Soprano Serenity, LP’s biggest actress and Equestria’s number one sweetheart?  Heh, you really know how to pick em’.”

“I guess so, why?”

“Whaddya mean ‘why’?” Mounty asked incredulously.  “How did a police inspector get engaged to a famous teenage actress?”

“Betrothed, technically.  Both of our father’s are old friends and our parents played matchmaker, therefore we came to an agreement to like, or at least tolerate, each other.  Though I will admit, the prospect of marrying sompony almost ten years younger than me is a little bit… weird.”

“Oh please,” Bobby said nonchalantly.  “Trust me, there have been far weirder things in this city.”

“Like that famous thief, right?” Sleuth said shifting the conversation away from his fiance.  “Can you tell me what you know about this Facade?  I would like to gather what little bit of intel I can about this criminal.”

The officers shrugged and Bobby pointed to a poster on the wall of the carriage behind Sleuth.  It depicted a stylized drawing of the thief resembling a playing card, specifically a court card.  “It’s weird but the citizens of Las Pegasus seem to celebrate him.  Well, a majority of them do anyway, some of the upper-class don’t seem too fond of him.”

“I can understand that,” Sleuth said examining the poster.  “The guy’s stolen many expensive things and the rich just love their conspicuous consumption.”

“We’ve always identified him from the clothing he wears,” Mounty said.  “That hat, that cape, the mask, he’s not exactly difficult to miss.”

“And yet he hasn’t been caught,” Sleuth said with a frown.

“We’ve tried, Sleuth.  We really have.  To be honest, I just don’t think Inspector Gavroche was up for it in the first place.  He keeps saying he’ll double his efforts to apprehend the guy, but it never happens.  I think he got fed up with it after all these years.”

“Hm… I have heard Facade is a master of disguise.  Can you confirm this?”

“Oh definitely! Bobby and I have been working the case for a long time and a majority of the cases involved a disguise of some sort.  His impersonations are almost flawless.”

“Have you noticed any kind of pattern?  Like say, a connection between those he’d impersonated?”

Bobby and Mounty pondered for a moment.  “Well,” Mounty started.  “I’ve noticed the thefts always occur between one and two weeks after he sends the letter.”

“Letter?” Sleuth said with a raise eyebrow.

“Yeah, letter.  From day one, he almost always sends a letter directly to the intended victim detailing the object he intends to steal and the time he intends to strike.”

“He’s got balls, I’ll give him that,” Bobby conceded. 

“This is shaping up to be an interesting challenge…  I think I’m gonna enjoy this.”

The grin Sleuth gave was a clear indication of his anticipation.  This confused the two officers; the Facade investigation was notoriously difficult to be involved in and even more infuriating when attempts to thwart a heist would continue to fail.  Why is this new guy so excited to work?  Was he aware of what he was getting himself into?

They would have to find out later as the carriage approached the gates of a luxurious villa, no doubt the home of Mr. Falsetto.  Once through the gates and stopping at the front of the house, the occupants of the carriage and the stallions who pulled it carried the luggage in through the doors.  On the other side was a plump yellow earth stallion with a graying mane, tail, and mustache. The white suit he wore was accented with the pair of brown framed glasses adorned across his eyes.  Above all else, he wore a welcoming boisterous smile.

“Welcome again, Sleuth dear boy.”

“Good morning, Lord Falsetto.  My father should be by later today.”

“Yes, he has quite a bit to do today, hasn’t he?  Settling into a new home and office.  Really though, we all really need to get together over dinner again, hohoho!”

“Daddy?  Who are you talking to?” a young baby blue mare haughtily said coming down from the stairs. “Is it the in-laws?  Oh, and it looks like the dogs are here too,” she asked with a hint of condescension aimed at the two officers.

“Now now, Alto.  There’s no need to talk like that, especially to Sleuth here.  You’ve meet him before and he’ll be part of our family soon.”

“Whatever.  I’m going to take a nap, don’t wait up for me, ‘kay?”

Alto huffed away back to her room as Mr. Falsetto shook his head.  “You’ll have to forgive Alto.  She’s not in the best of moods today."

“Not happy about her sister getting married either,” Sleuth added.  “She hardly quiet about that.”

“Ah, she’ll warm up to you.  Anyway, I will have somepony carry your things to the guest room.  Would you two like some coffee or tea, maybe something to eat?”

“As tempting as that sounds, we really need to get back to the station,” Mounty said, stopping Bobby from speaking first.

“But--”

“No buts, Bobby.  We’re on duty and you really don’t need extra caffeine.  C’mon, let’s go.”

“Ugh, fine.  We’ll see you later, Sleuth.  Make sure to stop by the station, we’ll help you settle in.”

Sleuth smiled as the doors closed behind the officers before he yawned with a tired breath.  “Lord Falsetto, I think I’m going to take a nap of my own if that’s alright.  I couldn’t sleep very well on the train.”

“Hm?  Oh yes, I understand. If you are interested, I’m taking your father to see the Kicker at the Lucky Lag.  You should come with my dear Soprano, it would be a good opportunity to catch up with her over dinner.”

“Kicker?  Sure, why not.  I really need to see her again.”





The evening came and the nightlife buzzed with activity.  While there were many businesses that thrived under the moon, one of the highest grossing was the casinos, in particular that of the Lucky Lag Resort.  Not only was it the biggest in the city, but it offered more than just craps and poker.  The main floor did bring in a lot of money, but the hotel, shops, restaurants, and entertainment wing helped to further this profit.  On top of that, it was a prime location to mingle amongst the rich and famous. 

For humble duke Lord Falsetto, this was practically a second home.  He was a regular patron and an acquaintance to the Bounty family who owned the business.  Two members of said family was the dealer at the poker table Lord Falsetto was sitting at, a young white coated earth stallion by the name of Bluff, and his mother Ante who decided to play a few rounds herself.  Besides them, the only other pony at the table was a stallion who was having a hard time keeping up the two high rollers.

“I’m… I’ma call,” Ante said placing chips into the pot, a purple and two blacks.

“I’ll see that and raise you eight hundred,” Falsetto said sliding eight black chips.

“Geez guys,” the third player said folding.

“Better luck next time, sir,” Bluff said as he burned the top card of the deck. “It’s pretty hard to compete with them.  Here is the flop.”

Flicking his left hoof, Bluff laid down three cards which were the queen of clubs, the eight of clubs, and the ten of hearts. As the third pony left the table, no longer interested in trying his luck, the remaining two took a look at their hands. Ante was a professional player and kept an A grade poker face despite her excellent odds of winning with the cards she had.  Lord Falsetto however took prolonged sips of his drink, a subtle tic Bluff identified as him being nervous.

“I’m going to raise a thousand,” Ante said placing more chips into the pot before taking a sip of her own drink.

“I shall call that.”

Bluff burned the next card before laying the fourth community card, the four of diamonds.  “Here’s the turn.”

“I’m going to call.”

“I’ll raise fifteen hundred.”

Bluff’s eyebrow raised a bit with intrigue.  Lord Falsetto was more confident in this bet, meaning the turn card was one he needed.  Bluff burned the deck again and laid out the last card, the jack of clubs.  “And the river.  My lucky card too.”

Ante smirked at her son’s comment and took a sip of her drink before placing two thousand into the pot.  “Raise.”

“I’ll see that.”  Falsetto placed twenty-five hundred.

“Ooh, it’s getting real now,” Bluff remarked.

“Fine.  I’ll go all in.”

Falsetto swallowed.  Was she bluffing?  And if so, did he dare call it?  In the end, he decided to go for it and went all in as well.

“Time for a showdown.  Let’s show our hands.”

Both ponies revealed their cards. Unfortunately, Falsetto’s risk was not well spent as Ante’s ten and nine of clubs trumped his two aces. A straight flush is difficult to beat. It wasn’t as if he lost a huge chunk of his cash anyway, not with his income.

“Jack of clubs is the house’s lucky card too,” Ante chuckled.

“Ah well, better luck next time.  Say, how about another round of drinks?”

“DADDY!” yelled a pink earth pony standing behind Lord Falsetto.  Her mane, an icy white, was pulled up into an elegant bun, and she was dressed in an elegant blue satin dress and orange sandals.  Aside from some light eyeshadow, the only thing she wore on her face was an irritated frown.

“Oh, Soprano. You're here early--”

“Don’t give me that crap!  You've been gambling again.  And just how much have you been drinking tonight?  What would mom say?”

“Nice to see you too, dear,” Falsetto chuckled, as did Bluff and Ante.  “I don’t suppose the you being here means the Slewfoots are as well.”

“Of course you change the subject…  Fine, yes they’re here.  Sleuthy and his parents are in the dinner theater.  You weren’t there so I went to look for you.  Guess how long it took.”

“Uh, five minutes?”

“Six minutes?” Ante snarked.

“Six minutes, one second?” Bluff also snarked.

“Your closest without going over,” Soprano said to Ante.  “Let’s go, they’re waiting and the show is going to start soon.”

“Ah, I suppose I should go.  We really should do this again, Ante--”

“Daddy, no!” Soprano clutched the collar of her father’s firmly with her teeth and pulled him away from the table, the middle aged stallion surrendering at this point.

“Have fun you two, say hi to Contralto and the kids for me,” Ante smiled in a singsong voice.  Once she lost sight of the two ponies, the mare stood up and yawned.  “I suppose I should go and see if Kicker is ready."  

"I think you mean 'take off', mother," Bluff smirked with a raised eyebrow.

"Mommy is a bit tipsy, son," she responded with a wink. "Bluff deary, why don’t you prepare to punch out.  It’s been a long day for both of us.”

“Sure, let me close up the table.”

Back in the dinner theater, Soprano and her disappointed father found their seats and joined with the rest of their families.  The parents of each group all shared a larger table while their offspring held two different tables.  One was occupied by Alto and her boyfriend Baritone, a suave khaki pegasus that spoke in a slight Prench accent.  The other was taken by Sleuth with a seat reserved for his fiancee.

“Glad to see you didn’t get lost,” Sleuth said as a flustered Soprano sat down beside him.  “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just a little mad at my daddy,” she responded with a huff.  “Caught him gambling again.”

“It is a casino, Soprano.”

“And a theater, a hotel, a restaurant, I could go on.”

“Okay, okay.  Just take a deep breath.  We’re here to have fun tonight.”

“Yeah, yeah.  Anyway, have you ever seen The Kicker before?”

Sleuth took a sip of his wine.  “I can’t say that I have.  Why?”

“No reason,” Soprano giggled.

The house lights dimmed in the theater and the stage spotlights focused on the center of the curtains. “Fillies and gentlecolts, the Lucky Lag is once again proud to present, all the way from Vanhoover, the magician with the most kicks, Theeeeee Kicker!”  Everypony applauded as the curtains parted to show a zebra dressed in a maroon suit and top hat emerging from block of false ice, jumping through as if shattering it.  The applause continued as he landed on his hind hooves and stood up, throwing his front hooves in the air and bowed to the audience.

Kicker then brought up a hoof, gesturing for the applause to stop, which it did after a couple seconds.  He then walked nearby to a small table with his props, stopping just short of being within hoof’s reach.  He then took off his top hat to reveal a spherical object balancing on his head before flicking his hat onto the table.  After using his right hoof to take the object off his head, he displayed it for all to see, revealing it to be a bowling ball. Then, as if to dispel any doubts, he dropped it to the ground, which caused a loud bang one would expect from a heavy object.

“I don’t know what they’re putting in the hair gel to cause that to happen.”  A small chuckled emitted from the audience.  “Well, it’s good to be here in Las Pegasus again. Good to be back in familiar territory.  I’ve been traveling across Equestria for most of my career, and I’ve met many different folks and just about all of them were amazing.  However, there was one that stuck out in my mind, we talked a bit and she started helping me out with my act.  She came up on stage with me for the first time and displayed a little talent of her own, I was impressed, we’ve been a team ever since.  Fillies and gentlecolts, please help me welcome the lovely Soubrette!”

The crowd applauded yet again when a blonde scarlet pegasus danced from backstage and curtsied when she was right next to Kicker.

“How you doing tonight, Soubrette?”

“I got a new dress,” she responded pointing to the sparkly green dress she was wearing, being noticeably bouncy on her hooves.

“Oh, yeah I see that.  You seem a little jittery tonight, though.”

“Sorry, I was trying out my new cappuccino machine.  Got it as a gift along with some flavors, which I ended up having a cup for each so I’m a little hyped up on caffeine.”

“Ah.  How many flavors did you get?”

“Seventeen.”

Kicker opened his mouth, but paused as though his mind tried to process his next words.  This beat got another chuckle out of the audience, as did his odd expression when he did a double take at Soubrette’s prancing in place.

“Well… I think we’re switching you to decaf next time.”

“They were all decaf.”

“...It’s not worth questioning,” Kicker said, speaking to the audience.  “How about we put all that energy to good use?  Now Soubrette here is going to go into the audience to pick out a volunteer.  In the meantime, I’m going to pick up this deck of cards here and give it to these stellar young ladies in this front table here.  I would like for you three to check to make sure it is a plain, ordinary deck, shuffle it and make sure it’s random.”

Kicker and Soubrette continued their routine, pulling a volunteer from the audience.  The card tricks performed were fairly standard and simple, including one where he made the cards cascade from his right hoof. Simple card tricks were a staple gimmick for many illusionists, but they still managed to get a laugh and even a small wow from the audience. Or at least most of them as Sleuth was wearing a bored expression on his face.

“What’s the matter, Sleuthy?” Soprano whispered as she looked over to him.  “Not enjoying the show?”

“I wouldn’t say that yet.  It’s only about five minutes in.  But I feel like I could be doing something more useful than just sitting here.  No offense to you or your family of course.”

“Do you have something on your mind?  Is something bothering you?”

“Probably has something to do with the phantom thief, am I right?” Bluff approached the table, still in his casino uniform.  Sleuth glared the dealer’s grin, not sure about this unfamiliar stallion.

“I feel like I’ve seen you from somewhere,” Soprano said to Bluff.  “Did we meet before?”

“No, not really.  But I did see you earlier when you picked up your dad.”

“Oh… Oh yeah.”

“Name’s Bluff Bounty by the way,” Bluff said running a hoof through his curly brown mane. “It’s a pleasure meeting you, Miss Serenity.”  Bluff flashed a grin and winked, causing Soprano to blush a little with a smile, further annoying Sleuth.

“Excuse me, buddy,” the police pony growled through his teeth. “but is there a reason for why you are standing there, flirting with my fiancee?”  He put more emphasis on the word ‘fiancee’ than he normally would in the hopes that Bluff would wise up and stop bothering him.  However, it didn’t deter him much; if anything, Bluff saw it as a challenge.

“As a matter of fact, I have two reasons,” Bluff said without losing his grin.  “First, the young lady here dropped something of her’s back on the floor.”

Soprano’s ears perked as Bluff reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a heart shaped locket pendant.  The four quarters of the heart consisted of a different gemstone: a ruby, a sapphire, a citrine, and an emerald.  These gemstones were held together with polished platinum, inside of the interior being a mirrored locket, albeit a currently empty one. For such a fancy locket though, the neck string was a fairly cheap looking leather strap.

“Need to be a little more careful with your jewelry, young lady.”

“Y-yeah, thank you.  Um, please excuse me, Sleuth.  I need to go talk to my father really quick. I’ll be back in a bit.”

Soprano stood up and while carefully hiding the pendant, walked over to the table her parents were sitting at.  Sleuth couldn’t help but feel a little suspicious at how elusive she was being then, but more so towards the smug bastard that was taking an unoccupied chair at the table.

“You weren’t given an invitation to sit here,” Sleuth said intensifying his glare.

“I won’t be long.  But anyway, I did say I had a second reason for being here, besides that piece of gaudy jewelry.  I overheard you saying you couldn't concentrate.”

“That is not your business.”

“Isn’t it?  Inspector Slewfoot?”

Sleuth’s eyes shot open wide in surprise.  How did this suspicious stranger know who he is? He had only been in Las Pegasus for less than a day, he didn’t know anypony else besides Soprano and her family.  However it was possible, it was enough for Sleuth to put his guard up, not that it wasn’t already.

“How do you know me?”

“Your future father-in-law told me during his poker game.  Guy is really talkative about his daughter, you know.  Of course, when you do what I do for a living, you meet all kinds.”  Bluff chuckled as he slouched in his chair.  “I suppose the same can be said for you.  Especially with that phantom loose.  I mean, you are marrying into money.  What’s to say you won’t become a target in the future?”

“And you aren’t, Mr. Bounty?  I know who you are as well.  Your family owns and operates the Lucky Lag and its resort.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”  Bluff picked an orange from the decorative wax fruit bowl at the table and started fiddling with it.  “My mother and Mr. Falsetto are associates after all.  One of our best customers.   It only makes sense you would know.  But you are right, Slewfoot: we’re both targets. I'm pretty well known in this city, especially by mares who seek to... acquire my services.”

As the inspector rolled his eyes at the dealer's, for lack of a better word, boasting, Bluff took out a handkerchief and covered the wax orange with it before removing it to reveal it was now an apple, completely genuine and edible.  This raised an eyebrow of the inspector, out of amazement though he would never admit it to Bluff.

“The only difference is I actually applaud the thief,” Bluff said as he polished the apple on his vest and taking a bite. “You’re clearly new to LP affairs, so let me fill you in a bit.  This city may be pretty and nice for most of the time, but it also has a dark side, as most big metropolitan cities do.  You would be surprised how easily some criminals get off because of their status, money, or connections. Rumor has it that our mayor had mafia connections at some point. Facade? I promise you a good fifth of big name criminals wouldn’t be convicted if he didn’t expose them.  He is a thief, not a monster.”

“And in the process, he is making the police look like buffoons for his own crimes,” Sleuth countered.

“Eh, the police were already buffoons before he came in.  At least now, they’re learning to coordinate more efficiently.  He is bringing them together in the name of what the police should be doing: upholding the law and keeping peace and justice.”

Sleuth stayed silent. As much as Bluff was getting on his nerves, he did have a point.  He knew even before entering the city that LP’s finest were lacking in that reputation, in no small part because of Pseudo Facade.  Even fellow officers Bobby and Mounty spoke to him about the decline in nine-one-one police services simply because nopony was trusting the authorities anymore.

He then started to ponder a bit.  What if he could catch LP’s phantom?  Give ponies a reason to seek help again, get this guy off the streets and jump start a reformation of the law?  The more he thought about it, the bigger his smile became as it would not only improve his new home, but it would greatly boost his own reputation.  How would it look in the papers if he was able to defeat the undefeated?

“Well, it’s about time for me to go.  Enjoy the show, Slewfoot.”

Sleuth barely noticed the stallion leave and was still well in thought when Soprano came back to the table, looking a little flustered.

Kicker’s show eventually concluded and the audience cheered as he and Soubrette took their bows and left the stage. Once back stage, Soubrette gave the zebra a kiss on the cheek before heading to her dressing room. Kicker himself wished the next performer good luck before going to his own dressing room where he found Bluff and Ante.

“Well? How was it tonight?” Kicker asked in confidence.

“It was a real kick, as usual,” Ante winked.

“Oh, you flatter me senorita. And how is the master doing?”

“Delivered the pendant and spoke with the new inspector,” Bluff said reclining in the seat in front of the mirror. “I don’t know why you’re worried about this guy, though.  The new inspector doesn’t look like he will offer much.”

“Perhaps not. But a good magician has to be well prepared for his act.”
> Heart of Stained Glass ~ Chapter 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The nightlife of Las Pegasus was what made the city prosper.  The clubs, the casinos, the entertainment industry, there were many reasons to be active after dark and many found it more appealing than the mornings and afternoons.  However, the crepuscular and nocturnal lifestyles weren’t all fun and games for some.  It was also when the criminals often came out and when the cops would have to be more alert.

In all fairness, the more simple crimes did not pose much of a problem for police, especially on a good night; dumber crooks were easier to catch.  Besides the resident thief, it was the organized crime ring that was a bigger issue.  The collective underground knew their turf just as well as the authorities did and then some.  Above all, the crime lord of Las Pegasus was among the most feared ponies out there.

This was a thought that Professor Cherub held in his mind as he walked in from the evening rain into the Viceroy Hotel lobby.  The albino unicorn took the time to dry off his raincoat before folding it and placing it into his bag, afterwards walking to the front desk.

“Hi, how can I help you today,” the mare at the desk greeted.

“I was supposed to meet the executive manager here in one of the reserved offices.  My name is Professor Cherub Mannequin, Las Pegasus University.”

“Okay, give me a moment to find your name.”

The clerk flipped through the pages of her book, scanning ever so carefully for the scheduled appointment.  Every second spent made the professor more nervous.  Truth be told, he did NOT want to be here.  Though the zodiac motif of the lobby gave off an intriguing vibe, he felt various degrees of pressure building.  His heart was pounding so hard that he feared it would burst out of his chest at any given moment.

“Ah, here it is.  Hold a moment,” the clerk pressed a button on an intercom located near the book.  “Mr. King, your seven o’clock has arrived.”

~”Good, send him up.”~

“Right away, sir.  Okay Professor, your office suite is on the twenty-seventh floor and it’s room eighteen B.  Would you like me to hold your belonging?”

“No, thank you.”

Cherub picked his bag up with his magic and headed towards the elevator.  As he ascended the building, he tried his best to calm himself.  He did not want to give his client a bad impression, not when he was offering so much money.  At the appropriate floor, he stepped off into the hallways and looked for his room number.  It was the very last one on the south side and as he approached it, he saw four stallions in gray coats, sunglasses (which were all in their breast pockets), and driver hats.

One of them, a muscular crimson stallion, halted the professor with a rather disinterested glare.  “Have you seen the full moon tonight?”

Cherub took a small breath before lightly stomping the ground twice.  “It casts a glow worthy of her majesty’s reign.”

The red stallion glanced back at the others and all three ponies, a white unicorn, a black pegasus, and a pale green pegasus, each nodded.  The first stallion gestured the professor to follow them inside the room.

He was greeted to a spacious office with windows that gave a fantastic view of the city.  The room itself though was very dimly lit by only the light of the moon and the sickly green light of a lava lamp on the desk where a couple other ponies were sitting.  One of them was a pegasus who appeared to be in his thirties.  It was difficult to tell what the color of his coat was from the combination of his charcoal suit and the lighting of the room, but the mint green shade was easily made out once he stepped forward and offered a hoof shake.

“Professor Cherub.  Thank you for meeting with us here tonight.  We apologize for the inconvenience, but I pray you understand.”

“Jade King II,” Cherub responded accepting the hoof shake before sitting at the empty table side.  The remaining ponies, besides the suited stallion, was an older jade colored stallion with long bleach blonde mane, and a celadon colt who appeared to be between ten and thirteen years of age.  Neither the colt nor the younger stallion intimidated him very much.

It was the older figure in the center and his menacing glare at him that increased the pressure in his chest, especially with the non vegetarian plate set to his side.

“So, professor,” the elder stallion began in a quiet, deep voice.  “I understand your major is engineering.”

“Yes sir.”

“You have handled volatile materials, have you not?”

“Yes sir.”

“Then allow me to be straightforward.  Do you have the know-how on building explosives?”

Cherub choked back a gasp.  He did indeed know how to engineer such devices and could easily craft them if given access to such materials.  But he knew who these ponies were and what they did. If they are asking him to do such a thing, he could only shudder at their purpose.  There was no possible way out of this now though as if he were to deny, he would likely never leave the building.

“Y-yes sir, I do.”

The old stallion glared, as if to burn deep into Cherub’s mind that he should be thankful for being so merciful.  He then stood up and walked over to the large windows to look out into the city.  “Good.  Junior?”

“Yes, father.  Now, we have information from an informant that somepony among us is working against us.  The problem is we don’t know who, our source was only able to gather that he had a white coat, and some blonde in their mane.”

The colt slid a folder towards the professor along with a vial.  “This is a strand of hair one of our guys recovered from the target’s last location.  May not be your specialty, but I’m sure that as a scientist you can find ways to analyze DNA.  We suggest starting there.”

“Where do the explosives come in?  And why are you asking me of all ponies to hunt down this pony?  Couldn’t you send one of your guys after them?” Cherub asked incredulously as he took the folder and vial.

“You’d think, but we don’t want to draw attention from the feds,” Jade King II responded.  “He’ll recognize our regular men.  We need somepony outside the ring to ice him.”

“Like say a struggling professor,” Jade King III interjected with a smirk.  “And we can easily compensate.  Do this job, and you’ll be able to pay off your bills and then some.”

“And if you don’t,” Jade King I said looking back with one ice cold brown eye.  “I’ll be holding a feast for the family later.”

Cherub gulped.  He wouldn’t…. Would he?

“Now for the explosives part,” Jade King II said clearing his throat.  “We not only want to roast the bastard, but we also wanna send a message.  Nopony.  Betrays.  The Jade Kings.  Do you understand, Professor?” Cherub nodded nervously as he stood up.  “Good.  We want to go over a few things with you later.  We’ll place an ad in the entertainment section of the paper tomorrow.  Make sure you read it, meet our guys there, they’ll tell you what you need to do.”

After backing up into one of the guards and being escorted out, the three generations of the Jade Kings were left to discuss amongst themselves.  “So, you think it’ll work,” Jade King III snickered. “Think he’ll go through with it?”

“He will,” Jade King I responded without turning away from the window.  “A pony like him is too cowardly to face his own demise.  If all goes according to plan, he’ll be gone and so will the Jack of Clubs.”

“Do we really have to get rid of him, dad?” Jade King II pleaded.

“The professor has owed us much and has yet to-”

“No no, I was talking about Facade.  Do we really need him gone?”

“...Oh.  Not necessarily, but we don’t need him around either.  Not with his MO.  He’ll expose us if we give him too much leeway.  Besides, he damaged my hotel the other day with that whole soap and water thing.  I outta throw him off the roof.”

“That’s gramps, cold and ruthless as ever,” Jade King III grinned.

“Yeah, joy,” King II responded sarcastically.  “Are you going to need anything else tonight, father?  I best prepare a workshop for our... guest.”

“Go on then.  I need to finish up here.”





The early morning in the villa was fairly quiet when Sleuth woke up from a rough slumber.  In the previous night, he had been trying to get settled into his new home, albeit in a temporary room.  Though arranged to marry, he felt sleeping together before the wedding was a faux pas, especially considering the bride’s age.  With a glance at the calendar, marked off the previous day before looking further at a circled day.

November twenty-seventh, the eighteenth birthday of his future wife, as well as the day she would be old enough to marry.

That was still seven days away however and there would be other times to think about it.  For now, he needed to get ready for work.  The precinct would be expecting the new inspector and he would be remiss if he was late on the first day of work in Las Pegasus.  After taking a shower and putting on his uniform, he stepped into the kitchen to retrieve a lunch bag he had prepared the previous night and placed it into his satchel before munching on a plate of sandwiches on the counter, set out for him by the staff.  Once all set to go, he walked out the door where a stallion and carriage was waiting to take him to work.  As he wasn’t yet used to the route, he would have to learn it.

Arriving at the station, he disembarked the carriage and thanked his driver before walking inside where he was greeted by a unicorn officer.

“Good morning sir.  Officer Constable.  Let me escort you to the war room.”

“Lead the way, Constable.”

The room Sleuth was lead into was populated by a few other officers, among them Bobby and Mounty along with Gavroche.  Items in the room itself all related to the city’s thief, such as a photo album with pictures of his loot, a map of the city with circled parts he had struck, and a billboard of sketches depicting his possible appearance based on past cases.

“Good morning, Inspector,” Officer Mounty saluted, as did the other officers with Sleuth returning them.

“Shall we get down to business?  What’s the itinerary for today?”

Gavroche pointed to an opened letter on the desk behind Sleuth, who used his magic to pick up the letter and read the typed out words.

        

On the twenty-second, the Mirage Knight’s Medallion shall mimic its master’s fate under the silver windswept currents.  With the new inspector joining us this time, I am curious to see what he can bring to it.  I sincerely hope he will provide more of a challenge than the mature bird.

~The Jack Of Clubs



“Egotistical bastard.  The Museum of Mythic Arts received this letter and as usual came to us,” Gavroche grunted, chewing on the end of a pencil.

“I thought you transferred out of the case,” Sleuth inquired.

“I did.  But since you’re new around here, I want to spectate a bit.  This guy is cocky, but he’s pretty good.  I’ve been chasing him ever since I was assigned to the case over thirty years ago. Practically spent half my career just trying to nab him.  After the last time, I had it.”

“Thirty years, huh?” Sleuth pondered.  ("If that’s the case, this Facade would probably be somewhere between his mid forties and early fifties. If he’s been doing this for that long, then he’s got to be both bold and smart to be able to outwit the police and still be free.")

“This is a little weird though,” Gavroche continued.  “Just about every other time, he would always send his note within two weeks of his heist and would always strike on the promised day, no earlier and no later.  Yet now, he’s given both us and himself two days to prepare and the letter was a lot less elaborate this time around.  That’s not like him.”

“Yeah, I found that kind of odd too,” Officer Bobby added.

“I believe he wants to make things clearer because of me joining the hunt,” Sleuth said sitting down in a chair, still analyzing the note.  He had subtly switched his magic to use an analysis spell used by many forensic scientists, checking for any aura residue or DNA traces, none of which were found.  “Like Inspector Gavroche said, he is cocky.  This note is clearly a challenge to me specifically.  Somehow, he knows about my presence.  Well, if he wants a battle, we’ll give him a war.”

“What do you propose we do, Inspector?” Officer Constable asked.

“First off, I would like to go to the museum to record its layout so I can plan accordingly.  I would also like to talk to the owner and staff, as well as obtain a record of any visitors and maintain constant surveillance for the last forty-eight hours.  I want everypony to keep a close eye on any patrons that come in during that time, especially during the red hours.”

“Yes sir, I will notify the security as soon as you give the word.”

“And I want you to do a full body search on the staff as well, including security.  We need to rule out a possible inside job. We don’t know yet if Facade is using any accomplices and if he is, we can cripple him a bit at the very least by taking away that advantage.”

“Roger.”

Constable left the war room to inform other officers of this part of the plan.  Sleuth went on to detail and explore several options with the other officers.  By the time the day of the heist would come, he would be ready to capture him. But part of him also wanted to see the legend in action.  Part of him wanted to see the impressive escapes he was famous for.

Alas, he was an officer of the law. It was his job to capture criminals and bring them to justice.  Even if Facade was the occasional Robin Hood, he was still a felon.  Sleuth was confident in his abilities.  Maybe he wasn’t as experienced as his father or Gavroche, but he made up for that in eagerness.  He was confident that somehow, he would catch the uncatchable.

And he would smile when that time came.





A museum wasn’t usually a place most teenagers would choose to spend their Saturday off from school.  Most would prefer the malls or other places where they could hang out with friends.  While that was fun and all, Soprano took an interest in a particular section recently, thanks to her own work.  And of course, the museum gained several visitors that day because of this.

Over the course of her career, Soprano gained an appreciation for the relics that withstood time itself.  Some of the stories surrounding them held more importance than her demographic really cared for.  The artifacts themselves also had a very archaic feel to them that appealed to her materialistic side, something that she can’t seem to feel in jewelry or fashion trends lately.  What she was concerned with most today was the exhibit of the Mirage Knight, the armor of said Knight in a display case along with the glossy medallion that gave off a gorgeous shimmer from which Soprano could not look away.

“Oh my,” Soprano said thinking aloud.  “To think the prop guys have to make a replica of this.  I only wish I have the real thing.”

“Oh my gosh! Soprano?  Soprano Serenity, is that really you?”

The young actress pulled her eyes off the exhibit and looked in the direction of the voice who addressed her, belonging to Officer Mounty with Officer Bobby standing near.  Instantly, Soprano assumed her appropriate posture, not wanting to look unladylike in the face of company.

“Why hello there, officers.  How are things today?”

“Soprano Serenity!” Mounty squeed before Bobby pulled her to the side.

“Sorry about that, Lady Serenity.  You’ll have to forgive her, she’s a huge fan.” ("Geez, Mount. This is why nopony takes the police seriously anymore.")

“Hey, it’s quite alright.  I meet many fans on a daily basis.  Trust me, you get used to it.”

“Yes, I’m sure you do.  Err, we’ll just continue about our business.  Come on Mounty, Inspector Slewfoot needs us running the perimeters.”

“Wait, Sleuth is here?” Soprano asked at the name Slewfoot.

“Uh, confidential business.  Not at liberty to give away details-”

“Let me guess. Facade?” Soprano grinned.

“Uh…  Well, we…  Err.”

“It’s alright, guys,” Sleuth said walking into the area. “I’ll take it from here.”

Bobby snuck one last glance at the mare before practically dragging Mounty away, taking note of how much prettier the celebrity was in person.  ("Damn, Slewfoot.  How did you ever get so lucky?")

“So, may I ask what brings you here today?” Sleuth asked his fiancee in a subtly annoyed tone, a tone which Soprano identified right away.

“If you must know,” Soprano said with a huff.  “I came here to do a little research, thank you very much.”

“Is that so?” Sleuth responded as he removed her straw hat from her head, exposing the bun tied hair underneath.

“Hey!  What, may I ask, are you doing?” Soprano responded irritated.

“Checking to make sure you aren’t Facade or an affiliate. I wouldn’t put it past him to disguise himself as you to slip right past me.”

“Ugh! The nerve, accusing me as being that hunk- THUG! Yeah, thug is what I said. Totally.” Soprano blushed a little as she tried to recover from her verbal slip, growing a scowl as Sleuth adopted a grin as if he was about to laugh. “Shut up! How do I know you aren’t Facade.”

Soprano pulled on Sleuth’s cheeks as she attempted to check for mask. “You don’t hath to pull sho hard,” Sleuth slurred with his speech affected. He retaliated by tickling the armpits of the offensive mare, sending her into a laughing fit. Both were thankful no other patrons were around, lest the embarrassment be unavoidable.

“No fair,” Soprano said in a mock pout but still giggling from the ‘security check’. “How do you know my one weakness?”

“I looked after you, remember? I still remember things from six years ago. Besides, we’re to be married soon.”

“Oh shut up. Anyway, was I right earlier? Is all this going on because of Facade? He’s going to strike here, isn’t he?”

“I’m not at liberty to say either, Soprano. Confidential information.”

“Oh, okay then. At least I know my soon-to-be husband likes to keep secrets from me. That’s a great sign right there.”

“Dammit Soprano. Fine. He plans to steal the Mirage Knight’s medallion. Happy?”

“Quite… You do know I was only kidding, right?”

“Quite, but you do bring up a point. I suppose I can’t keep everything from you. But I hope you understand when it comes to top secret information. I can’t go around telling it to everypony.”

“Yes, yes. I will tame my lips for now.”

“Well, I do need to go to lunch soon. Maybe we can go together?”

“I’d love that, Sleuthy. Let’s.”

After informing the others over radio of his lunch break and putting Officer Constable in charge for the leave, Sleuth followed Soprano to a small diner across the street. Thankfully for Sleuth, there were few other ponies dining, aside from a few elderly stallions who either didn’t know of their celebrity company, or didn’t care.

“So what kind of research are you doing?” Sleuth said as he picked up his menu. “Another project?”

“Yep. I’m staring in a musical adaptation of The Mirage Knight’s Hour and I wanted to know a little bit about the story behind it. I’m playing la Duquesa de Vidrieras, you know the royal who tamed the rowdy warrior and my very own ancestor. I was also kind of curious to see what the historical armor and stuff looked like.”

“Armor and stuff, huh?”

“I don’t know what the word for it is.”

“Paraphernalia. I’m not actually familiar with the story by the way. Would there be any reason Facade would be after that little medallion over everything else? I mean, the armor I can understand but…”

“That medallion is sort of a symbol for our city. The Mirage Knight was a real historical figure who played an important part in the founding of San Palomino Province and was indirectly involved in the founding of Cloudsdale too. Basically, he was a pegasus warrior named Fata Morgana who had a perpetual rage and thirst for blood. One day, he wandered into a city, the precursor to Las Pegasus, and entered a tournament. He became the champion and he was approached by Duquesa de Vidrieras, the duchess of the city. The warrior eventually became her partner in politics, military, and in overall life.”

“Oh? Wasn’t he supposed to be a brute? How did he get that far?”

“You would be surprised how powerful love can be, romantic, platonic, or otherwise. See, Fata Morgana never had a family or any friends to speak of. He was called Mirage Knight because he blended in with his surroundings, both in environment and society. An optical phenomenon was even named after him. Duquesa de Vidrieras was kind of his first friend and he adopted her as sort of a sister figure. It really says a lot when you devote yourself to a pony you love and respect. ‘I weep for my passing yet I gladly discard my future as I vanish under the silver windswept currents to ensure yours.”

Those words caught Sleuth’s attention. “Silver windswept currents? Does that have any significance now?”

“According to the modern version, it’s an archaic term for the common nighttime winds the city gets. Fata Morgana supposedly died on ten o’clock exactly under a full moon, but his body was never recovered. It was like he just disappeared like he was a mirage. All that was left was his armor and his medallion, the prize he won in the tournament that was said to bring him luck in all his major battles.”

("Ten o’clock. Full moon. Windy.") Sleuth made a mental note of these details. Perhaps he would do some more research, but those particular things stuck out to him as it wasn’t just a poetic setup for a story, it was also a possible condition for a crime to be committed. ("Facade said that the medallion would mimic its master’s fate under the silver windswept current. If the Mirage Knight vanished at ten o’clock, perhaps thats when Facade will strike. It’s just a hunch but it’s worth checking into.")

“Sleuth? Hello? Sleuthy, say something. You’ve been a little too quiet,” Soprano said irritated.

“I just thought of something that I need to inform my men about. I’ll be right back.”

“What? Wait, Sleuth!”

The blue unicorn rushed out of the diner, oblivious to the waitress passing by with the food he had ordered. Soprano remained seated at the table with a scowl decorating her face when the waitress place her food on the table.

“And daddy wonders why I question the whole marriage thing...”





On the night of the heist, the officers were all prepared for the arrival of their target. The surrounding blocks were closed and a patrol blockade was set up to prevent foot entry into the area surrounding the museum. In the air, a police chopper hovered with its spotlight lit and scanning. The interior of the building was tightly secured with SWAT level officers, patrolling in teams of four in strategic areas. Aside from the museum director who was given a thorough body search, the entire area was occupied with law enforcement officers and only they were given clearance to be there.

“Radio check,” Sleuth said into his walkie upon entering the building.

~“You’re clear, Inspector,”~ Bobby responded.

“Good. Constable, what’s your status right now?”

~“I’m at zero point with Popo and Noncom, sir.”~

“Mounty, how about you?”

~“On Overlook A. Bobby is en route to Overlook E with a beanbag rifle.”~

“Actually Mounty, I need a pegasus with me to run a quick check of the building. I want you with me, I’m going to have Centurion take your place at Overlook A. Do not leave your current position until he gets there.”

~“Ten-four.”~

“All other units, stand by.”

Sleuth passively observed the preparations until Mounty flew down from the second story balcony in the exhibit room. The inspector gestured for her to follow from higher in the air while he took the ground level. When in the halls, Mounty took to covering the rear while Sleuth’s observant eyes scanned for anything suspicious. At some point, the duo reached the roof of the building.

“Looks like the place is clean for the time being. It’s almost that time though, do you want me to stay by your side or do you want me to go back to zero point?”

“I’m going to stay up here for a few minutes, I have a feeling he’ll break in from the roof somehow. If you can offer it, I would appreciate your presence just in case I need back up.”

“Roger that. I just hope Bobby can handle my absence this time.” Mounty knelt down to the side of the door and place her rifle to her side.

“Worried about Bobby? He is an adult and an officer, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“I know, but I can’t help it. Big lug and I have always been close friends, like brother and sister. Heck, we lived together for awhile after graduating college, that’s how close we are. It’s a little hard not to be concerned for each other’s safety.”

“Interesting. I do see you two together a lot, come to think of it. Still, he is an expert shot from what I hear.”

“He always was the better markspony. Being a police officer has been his dream since he was a colt. Me? I always wanted to try out for the Wonderbolts, but I didn’t do very well at the academy.”

“And you became an officer after that?”

“Well, the police force has military characteristics and I could go though the police academy with my best friend, so it seemed like the next best thing. I ended up liking the idea of serving and protecting. What about you, Inspector? What made you join the force?”

Sleuth sat down beside the pegasus, fairly relaxed despite the impending deadline. From the information gathered, he was sure neither he nor Mounty was in any physical danger, but he still maintained an awareness of his surroundings just in case. “I’m kind of half and half. My family originally hails from Canterlot where my father was a Captain in the CPD. At some point when I was growing up, I had this fascination with the idea of catching bad guys and I always wanted to be the hero who saves the day. Now that I’m older and have gone through the experience, I realize how childish that sounds. But all the same, I want to restore the former glory of the police department.”

Mounty raised an eyebrow as she listened to her boss speak. Perhaps he and Bobby aren’t all that different. “So glory motivates you? That’s a little vain, don’t you think?”

“In my opinion, it really depends on how you look at it. Sure maybe it is a little foolish, but if I can help some people in the process, then I take pride in that. We both know that this job is never routine, but it’s also never boring. Most of us work hard to earn our living. That is what separates us from the crooks we apprehend.”

“Um, okay. I guess.” ("Maybe ‘glory seeker’ is a bit extreme.")

Sleuth stood back up while glancing at his watch. “Get ready, it’s almost time.”

“Indeed it is.”

The deep voice startled the two officers with its abruptness. Mounty quickly got to her feet with her rifle ready while Sleuth pulled his revolver from its holster. Both looked all around the rooftop for the source of the voice, but nothing yielded any findings.

“All units, we have a possible sighting of the Jack of Clubs on the roof. Please stand by and be on guard,” Sleuth ordered into his radio.

It wasn’t until the chopper’s spotlight illuminated the roof that the shadow of a cloaked figure stood in front of Sleuth, the feet of the shadow converging with a silhouette standing above the door. It was here that he saw the infamous pony with his own eyes.

“Facade…”
> Heart of Stained Glass ~ Chapter 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The inspector was dumbfounded. How in the holy mother of Celestia did this phantom manage to elude the radar and show up without any trace? And why did he reveal himself to two armed officers out to get him? Something about Facade really rubbed him the wrong way. A whole building of police and he wasn’t showing a hint of nervousness.

Sleuth had seen his share of overconfident and arrogant criminals, but this was something completely different. With his reputation, he knew he was dealing with a professional.

But now that he was right in front of him, Sleuth was able to get a good look at Facade’s attire. With his white clothing and red cape, he certainly wasn’t dressed for stealth. It was as if he wanted to be seen. What stuck out to him was the stallion’s scarlet mask that seemed to have a monocle attached to it. He wore a ruffled shirt, pants and gloves which covered most of his body, his cutie mark included. His cape was trimmed with white fur and was held together with a clover shaped buckle at his front. Finally, the top hat that sat atop his blonde ponytailed mane was tilted forward rather than the conventional back; it was at an angle that allowed it to hide one’s horn.

“So… You’re the new inspector, huh? I have to admit, I’m disappointed already.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sleuth responded with a glare.

Facade chuckled slightly as he jumped off the rooftop access, now standing level with the officers. At this point, Mounty had her rifle pointed at the thief, ready to shoot a less-than-lethal bean bag round if he tried anything funny. “Come on, Slewfoot. Any good detective wouldn’t have let his guard down like that, let alone not even notice his target on the roof with him. But since it’s your first time, I’ll cut you a break. Anyway, I’ve got a prize to take. Ciao.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Mounty pulled the trigger of her rifle. But instead of the expected round, only confetti shot from it. “Wha?”

Facade smiled before casually dropping a flash bomb from his sleeve. Sleuth saw the bomb and tightly shut his eyes and covered his ears just before it went off. It didn’t protect him from the daze completely, but he was far better off than Mounty was.

“~Attention all units!~” Sleuth heard his own voice yell through the radio. ~“We have a confirmed visual! Facade is in the building and he is headed for the medallion!”~

Sleuth couldn’t believe his own ringing ears. “Could he be imitating my voice? But… How? And why announce himself?” He rushed through the open rooftop door, knowing he had no time to check on Mounty and practically jumped the many flights downstairs.

He caught Facade simply walking down the hall on his hind hooves as if it was an everyday occurrence. “Stop right there!” he said pointing his revolver at him. “If you do not comply, I will use force!”

Facade looked back with his monocle eye and grinned before turning completely around. “Dear officer, would you shoot an unarmed stallion?” He unfurled his cape and revealed that his front hooves were nonexistent anymore as many balloon’s emerged from the sleeves.

“What in the…? Hey!” Sleuth growled as the balloon’s obstructed his view. He made a quick decision to compress the balloon’s flat with his magic in order to pop them and by the time he did, Facade was entering the door opposite to him.

On the other side, Facade was met with several SWAT officers with rifles pointed at him, each loaded with rubber bullets. “Seriously, how many times have we done this now?” he said before slipping a flare gun from his sleeve and shooting it up towards the high ceiling. This caused the sprinkler system to go off and as the officers tried to react, he jumped over them from the balcony down to the main exhibit floor. The water pressure not only impaired their vision of the criminal, but the water also caused the tile floors to become extremely slick, making it difficult for ponies to stand.

Facade landed in front of the display case with the armor and medallion of the Mirage Knight. Sleuth slid through the door just in time to see Facade take his hat off, revealing a black spherical object on his blonde head, as well as a white horn. “Wait, is that a bowling ball? He’s not gonna…”

He did. Facade took the ball off of his head and used its weight and momentum to break the glass case, also setting off the alarm in the process which caused the doors to lock. He didn’t seem to care though as he gently reached inside and took the medallion.

“I honestly expected more of you guys tonight. It feels like you’re not even trying,” Facade smirked as he literally skated on the slick tiles towards fire exit.

("Clever bastard"), Sleuth thought. ("The fire doors don’t lock when the sprinkler system is active, even when the alarm is going off too. And by gathering us in one spot and setting off the sprinklers, he stuns us while also securing his escape route. But wait till he sees the surprise outside.")

Facade stepped out the fire door and into the back alley. He quietly stepped towards a nearby construction project with all attention focused on the chaos inside. However as soon as his hoof made contact with the blacked out street, several spotlight’s lit the area up, from those on the ground to the one in the sky.

“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE, FACADE!” shouted the mare in the chopper as many officers closed in on him, weapons drawn. “DROP THE MEDALLION! AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT, PUT YOUR HOOVES UP!”

Strangely, the thief seemed to comply with the order. He gently placed the medallion, wrapped in a microfiber cloth, on the ground in front of him and slowly raised his hooves, getting down on his knees at the same time. “Very well, you got me. Go ahead and take me to prison, boys.”

Cautiously, the officers approached the surrendering stallion, still very well aware it could be a trick of some sort. Six surrounded him from all angles and it looked like they would finally succeed in their long anticipated arrest.

Unfortunately, though unsurprisingly, Facade had one last surprise up his sleeves, or rather his hat which blew off in a small gust of wind generated from the chopper descending, revealing his horn which was glowing a cool violet. In a single second, the block and the spotlights lost power as everything went pitch black. Facade then quickly got up and stomped on the ground, creating a smoke screen in the process. When everypony activated the flashlight’s on their gear as the smoke cleared, their target had vanished.

It wasn’t too long before the power for the block came back and the spotlights on the ground and chopper were functional again. Sleuth arrived on the scene as the confusion was still in process. And though he was disappointed he wasn’t able to capture his target, he still held a smirk.

“Let’s see how long it takes for him to realize his arrogance.”
  




“What was up with that blackout earlier?” Alto said as she walked the streets with her sister. “It just came and went.”

“Facade most likely. Sleuthy has been obsessed over it the past few days.”

“Gah, he is so lame. Why daddy thinks it’s a good idea for you to marry an idiot like him is something I can’t comprehend.”

Soprano rolled her eyes. “Don’t be like that, sis. He’s not so bad. There could be worse stallions to marry into the family. That piece of eye candy you’re dating for example.”

“At least Baritone is a hottie who actually has something interesting to talk about every once in a while. Your beau is just a broken record who always rambles on about the most pointless things. What a dork.”

“...You wanna be the pot or the kettle on this one? Anyway, at least try to behave when we come pick him up, okay oh older sister of wisdom?”

“This guru is not making any promises.”

Soprano sighed as they continued their stroll through the district, attempting to do a little bit of shopping. Working as an actress sometimes meant scrunching whatever time she could spare. With how active the city was at all times, sometimes it was better to shop at night anyway. Thank Celestia for twenty-four hour shopping centers.

At a certain point in their shopping run, they saw an area blocked off by police and the flashing beacons. Soprano, on a hunch, squinted to single out the officers and sure enough, she saw her inspector speaking with witnesses. When he finished taking their statements, she cantered to catch up with him; Alto simply took her time.

“Hey Sleuthy,” Soprano said with a smile.

“Soprano? What are you doing here? Oh, hello as well Alto.”

“Mm,” Alto said in acknowledgement.

“I got off rehearsal awhile ago so big sis and I were shopping. So, how did it go? Did you catch Facade?”

Sleuth scratched his head. “Unfortunately not, but I think we got the last laugh in this case.”

“Wait, so he took that stupid medallion then?” Alto bluntly asked, Soprano’s eyes widening in concern upon saying it.

“No, the medallion is safe,” Sleuth grinned. “The one Facade took was a decoy. The real one was moved to another location before this all started.”

“What other location?” Alto again asked.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that for security reasons.”

“Typical…”

At this point, Soprano noticed a bandage on Sleuth’s head, slightly red from bleeding. “Oh Sleuth, you’re hurt!”

“Wha? Oh, that,” Sleuth rubbed his bandaged head. “I hit it on a bowling ball.”

“A what?” both Soprano and Alto asked in surprise.

“He used it to break the glass of the display case. The floor was slippery from the sprinkler system and I… slipped. You can probably guess what happened. Not one of my proudest moments,” Sleuth said with a nervous chuckle before clearing his throat.

“Inspector!” An alabaster earth stallion galloped to Sleuth.

“Officer Noncom, are we finished documenting already?”

“Not quite, sir. We have a problem.”

Sleuth lost his grin. “What? Girls, I have to ask you to stay put. I’ll be right back.”

He followed Noncom into the museum building where he was escorted into the basement vault. On the way, he ran into the museum director.

“Mr. Mint Condition, what’s going on?”

“The medallion. It’s gone!”

Sleuth’s eyes widened in horror of the statement. In that instant, he galloped into the vault. He had to confirm for himself. Sure enough, a thorough search of the entire vault and turning it upside-down yielded nothing for the medallion. Only a letter strategically left on the floor.



You did fairly well for your first gig here, but I’m afraid this victory goes to me. Better luck next time.

~ Your friend, Facade.

P.S.  Hope that head wound heals alright, you seem to only have so many brain cells to spare.



His face contorted in a strong display of fury along with his shaky hooves crumpling the note. “But… How? How did that bastard…?”

The unicorn inspector slumped, feeling utterly defeated. Within a few minutes, Noncom caught up with him in the vault with the two mares. 

“Wha- Hey! What are you two doing down here?! This area is supposed to be off limits.”

“I let them down here, sir,” Noncom awkwardly responded. “They were being very… insistent. I’ve checked them and they are clean.”

“Police protocol!- Oh, screw it. What harm could it do at this point?” Sleuth said in his irritated state. “What are you doing down here anyway?”

“An important piece of this city’s history was being threatened, how could I stand idle with it going on?” Soprano said defending her action. “The medallion? Is it…?”

“I’m afraid so…” Sleuth sighed. “I underestimated Facade. I don’t know how he did it, but I’m going to get him for it.”

“If it makes you feel any better sir,” Noncom began, “you’re far from the first one he’s done this to. All things considered, you could’ve done worse.”

With a tense feeling of humiliation, Sleuth removed his radio from his holster and composed himself before speaking into it. “APB, we have a confirmed four eighty-seven!"

Sleuth suddenly punched the steel wall out of anger. “And I’ll be the last he ever does this to. Mark my words, I will not rest until that… that arrogant SMARTASS is rotting behind bars! He’ll pay for making a fool of me.”

Alto leaned in towards her sister. “Dramatic much?” she whispered into Soprano’s ear.

Soprano rolled her eyes, but gave no response. Right now, she only felt both pity and disappointment towards her fiance for this whole mess. “Oh Sleuthy…”





Three high class equines sat in their carriage that was en route to the Serenity Estate for the evening gala. Given the invitation was from her best customer, Ante Bounty was more than happy to accept it. As Falsetto’s daughter was a fan, Kicker couldn’t resist the opportunity to perform at her birthday as a present to her; it was also a chance to generate new business for the Lucky Lag and possibly new fans. Bluff? He simply rested his head back with his eyes shut.

“Goodness, boy,” Ante smirked as she spoke in her posh accent. “Stay up late again? Did you work for a long time or did you get lucky?”

“Ugh, I wish,” Bluff said rubbing his eyes. “With all this stuff going down, I could use the company of a lady right now. Kinda hoped I was going with Brette tonight, but that ain’t happening.”

“Why not? What lady wouldn’t want a handsome, well educated chap like my boy?”

“She had prior obligations with her brother.” Bluff yawned and popped his neck. 

“Aw, that's a shame,” Ante nudged her son. “Perhaps you can make it up to her later, I’d like to see some more grandkids sometime before I die.”

“Oh, don’t start talking like some creepy old lady, mother,” Bluff responded deadpan as he glanced out the window. “With a hag like you hovering over me all the time, it’s a miracle I bring home any mares at all.”

Bluff’s comment was met with a playful whack to the back of his head via Ante’s fan, resulting in both of them chuckling. Kicker watched in amusement as the mother and son traded smartass banter. It wasn’t long before the carriage approached the villa gates and passed through them to the doors of the large house. When they came to a complete stop, two ponies opened the doors and allowed the occupants to step out. The zebra magician disembarked first and offered a hoof to the elegant mare. Bluff was the last to exit and offered a tip to the servant as the door closed.

“Ah, welcome to my humble estate, Madam Bounty,” Falsetto greeted as they walked inside the villa that was noticeably alive with chatter among the other guests. “So terribly glad you could make it tonight.”

“Charmed yourself, Lord Falsetto. I wouldn’t miss such a soiree, not when invited by my favorite customer.”

“Buenas noches, Señor Serenity,” Kicker addressed with a small bow and a tip of his top hat. “I hope you don’t mind a private performance for the party.”

“Oh, not at all, sir. I dare say the girls would absolutely love it. My Soprano is currently changing into her evening dress, but won’t she be surprised to see you. And good evening to you, Bluff my boy.”

“Hello again, Lord Falsetto. If it’s alright with you, I would like to leave you and my mother to talk.”

“By all means. Mingle, have fun, sample some of the hors d’oeuvres,” Falsetto smiled.

Bluff and Kicker walked away from the foyer and headed towards the great hall where many guests were present, among them quite a few nobles, celebrities, and many friends of the Serenity name.

“Geez, it really reeks of first world problems in here,” Bluff disparaged as he eyed the ponies who clearly had way too much money. “I feel like I’m at a gathering of peacocks.”

“A change of pace to be, no?”

“For better or worse.”

Bluff walked with Kicker among the crowd, observing and scanning various ponies along the way. It was a habit he grew into when working in his family’s business, to try and analyze what kind of ponies they were from certain things like speech, posture, and body language. He eventually parted with Kicker and decided to appease his pallet at the buffet.

("Quite a spread here. Mmm, this all looks good. What to try first"). Bluff licked his lips as he saw an assortment of pastries just begging to be tasted. Nothing particularly fancy for high society, but then you’re never too rich to enjoy free food. After the obligatory pause, he picked up a cookie and bit into it, making note of the sweet molasses blessing his taste buds.

He took with him a glass of punch to wash down the treat and continued to watch the crowd. Many of the guests were younger adults, between high school and college age. Considering the girl of honor, this didn’t surprise him in the least. A mare of Soprano’s caliber probably had many friends, acquaintances and probably a few suitors despite her engagement. However, there was a price with fortune and fame that Bluff knew all too well: were they here because they really were her friends, or was it because of said fame and fortune?

Nevertheless, quite a few of her female friends were pretty easy on the eyes. A duo of them even seemed to share this thought towards him as they approached the stallion.

“Hey there, big boy,” the orange unicorn said flirtily. “Having a good time?”

“I was, but you’re presence has made it slightly better,” Bluff replied with a sly grin. “Friends of the birthday girl, I presume?”

“And classmates,” the peach pegasus added with a wink. “You?”

“My mother is friends with her father, so I don’t really know her that much personally. Her father is a regular at our business, one of our favorites in fact.”

“Where do you work?”

“The Lucky Lag. I’m a dealer there.”

“Oooh, an older guy,” the mares giggled among themselves. “So uh, you’d be interested in joining us tonight?” the peach mare asked coyly.

“We wouldn’t mind some male company for the evening,” the orange mare added.

“Thanks for the invitation ladies, but I’m afraid I have to decline as I’ve got a lady friend already.”

“Aw, okay then,” the peach mare said disappointed.

“We’ll see ya around then, big boy,” the orange mare winked.

The two mares trotted away and Bluff took another sip of his drink before he was approached by another pony, this time a familiar face. “You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?” asked the azure unicorn.

Bluff pivoted his head in the voice’s direction and grinned jovially. “Hey, inspector! How’s it going? Nah I don’t, but they don’t need to know that.”

“I see. You’re the last pony I expected to see here. Your mother and the magician I can understand, but I don’t see a practical reason for you being here,” Sleuth scowled.

“Pfft! Is it really so implausible that I intend to wish a very happy birthday to LP’s sweetheart? I am so hurt!” Bluff joked. “In all seriousness though, I didn’t actually plan to be here tonight. I expected to be sleeping. But y’know, when you receive an invitation, you don’t wanna be rude.”

Sleuth sighed as he refilled his glass. “Whatever, just don’t cause any trouble. We’ve got four other officers in the guest list so you’ll regret it if you do.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of starting a ruckus in front of LP’s finest,” Bluff responded with a hint of mockery in his tone. “Honestly, if you wanna watch out for somepony, I’d watch out for all those stallions here to get a glimpse of your wife-to-be. After that fiasco a couple days ago, I wouldn’t be surprised if she changed her mind.”

“Shut up, I have enough to deal with without you pouring salt in the wound.”

“I’m being serious. I wouldn’t want to marry an officer of the law who can’t even protect a little coin shaped object.”

“Stop talking.”

Sleuth took a sip from his own drink. He wore a perpetual grimace as he tried his best not to make eye contact with the casino stallion. Bluff always had a knack for reading ponies and Sleuth’s emotions were an open book with enormous bold font. It was obvious he was frustrated from being in his presence, but it seemed to extend beyond that. It was like he struggled for nights to comprehend his failure, something that he himself could relate too in his own strange way.

Bluff finished off the last sip of his glass before refilling it. “Hey look, sorry for instigating. I get it, you’re pride is hurt. I understand what that’s like, but I really shouldn’t have gone that far. How about we start over? What do you say pal, truce?” he asked offering his left hoof for a hoofshake.

The police pony looked at him in the corner of his glaring eye, unwilling to relent. He then threw his head back and took in a flabbergasted breath. “Fine,” he said only tapping Bluff’s hoof rather than shaking it. “Just don’t piss me off anymore.”

“Fair enough. On a more positive note, I heard about how that night went with the thief. Personally, I don’t think you did all that bad for your first major case here in LP.”

“Is that so?” Sleuth took a bite into a small cookie. “To tell you the truth, I’m kind of stunned that the inspector before me didn’t think to use a decoy, instead stupidly guarding the real item. It’s common knowledge in Canterlot where the royal family lives. You’d think that after years of dealing with the guy, he’d have at least considered it.”

“Hey, just means you’re smarter than him. Just a little bit at least. Gotta count for something.”

Sleuth caught a glimpse of Kicker performing a set of tricks for a small audience, among them being Soprano who was dressed in a beautiful red ruffled dress with her mane tied up, similar to how she was when they saw the magician live. Her face lit up when Kicker gave her one of his doves - after poofing it into existence from his right hoof - and Sleuth smiled slightly, happy to see Soprano enjoying herself.

“What do you think of the guy?” Bluff asked.

“The Kicker? As a performer, he’s alright I guess. I’ve never been one for illusionism personally. Certainly knows how to please an audience.”

“He’s a good guy. Pretty much a part of the family too.”

“Oh?”

“Longtime friend of mine since I was born, practically an adopted sibling of my mother and my father was his partner on stage before he passed away.”

That last part caused Sleuth to pause his glass before it reached his lips. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“He went peacefully in his sleep. His liver just stopped working, liked the bottle too much. Real shame too, he was probably the best ventriloquist LP had for a time, though I guess that’s not saying much. I mean, look at all the other ventriloquists out here.”

“So this guy is kind of like your uncle then by the sound of it. Am I correct in assuming he taught you a little bit in illusionism?” Sleuth asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not as much as you might think. He would show me the tricks but would never outright explain them and I would have to learn them myself. Very cryptic about it. ‘A good magician never reveals his tricks’ he would always say. I kind of disagree with it though. It may shatter the illusion but In my opinion, you appreciate the trick a little more when you realize the complexity and work that needs to go into it. Of course, my array of tricks is pitiful compared to his.”

“But you don’t do it professionally like he does.”

“True, very true. I’m just a rich sucka who’s only good for dealing cards and flirting, am I right?”

Despite his best efforts, Sleuth found himself growing more relaxed towards the stallion that previously agitated him. When he wasn’t acting like a smug sleazeball, he was at least tolerable. It did not do much to alleviate the feeling of stress that had built up since the failed operation. ("Still a better conversationalist than Alto.")

Bluff continued to eye the crowd. He caught a glimpse of the parents of the betrothed conversing with his mother who looked back at him out of the corner of her eye and smiled. Tilting his head, he saw Monty scolding Bobby at the next table over, likely from either pigging out on the goods or about the sugar intake. Regardless, the off-duty officers made for an amusing distraction. Not too far from them was Officer Constable with his unicorn wife who sported a noticeable baby bump through her satin evening dress.

“I never expected to see so many cops here at this grandiose birthday party.”

“Those guys over there received their invites from me,” Sleuth responded as he started stretching out the muscles in his neck. “I figured a few officers here would discourage any pony from doing anything that would ruin Soprano’s party. They’ve also somewhat become my friends.”

“Wouldn’t that security work better if they were in uniform?” Bluff questioned.

“Probably, but we were encouraged not to be.”

("Because you don’t want to be the laughing stock among a bunch of upper class socialites,") Bluff thought as he rolled his eyes. More observing went on before eventually seeing a familiar mare from television talking to Alto. “Hey, is that who I think it is?”

“Who, Meryl O’knette?” Sleuth said looking in her direction. “I guess so. Alto does have quite a few celebrity friends.”

The two mares were unfortunately too far away to hear much of their conversation. If not for Sleuth being so near, he would have made an effort to move closer and eavesdrop. ("Kinda wish I’da brought along my earpiece tonight…") 

“Sleuthy?” The sound of Soprano’s voice far to his left made Bluff’s ear twitch. Soprano approached Sleuth wearing her heart pendant around her neck; to Bluff, it continued to be an eyesore. “Can I talk to you later? It’s important.”

“We can talk now. I’m not really busy, not with this guy here.” Bluff took a sip and grinned in feigned innocence.

“Actually, I need to talk to you in private after the party.”

“Uh, sure thing.”

Soprano walked by the guys after a nod, but when she passed by Meryl, the reporter pony stopped her with a camera in hoof. “Oh! Excuse me, Lady Serenity? I don’t think we’ve met before, but I’m a friend of your sister. I was wondering if I could get an interview from you for our station.”

Soprano paused for a moment, unsure what she wanted to do. After a brief hesitance, she stood tall with a smile. Even if she wanted to do something right now, she was always a fan of the spotlight. “Sure, I guess I don’t mind.” 

“Great, I’ll make this as quick as I can. First question: How does it feel to be eighteen years old now?”

“I’m one step closer to being an adult, so I guess it’s pretty good. I am old enough to marry too.”

“Oh, do you have a special somepony?”

“I do actually, a fiance in fact. I’ll be marrying him after the premier of the new musical. Of course, a lot of ponies probably already know that.”

“Speaking of musicals, are there any other projects you’ve been thinking about being involved in once your run in Mirage Knight’s Hour ends?”

Soprano had to stop and think about what was on her agenda before giving an answer. “Not particularly. As I said, I’m going to be getting married so I’m probably going to be taking it easy for a little bit, maybe a month or two. I was offered the role in a sitcom a few weeks back, but there’s nothing serious right now.”

“I see. Very well then, onto the next question. As a frequent reporter on the Facade cases, I was wondering: what is your opinion on the phantom?”

“He’s um…” Soprano blushed and averted her eyes in coyness. “Well… I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find him a little fascinating. B-but he’s still a criminal! And he stole a piece of the city’s history with the medallion. I can’t really approve of that.”

“Okay. One last question on behalf of your fanbase: a lot of ponies have been wondering if the supposed malicious allegations between you and Miss Serengeti have any truth to them. Can you offer your opinion on this matter?”

“Those alleged threats are simply nothing more than gossip. Any altercations Miss Serengeti and I have with each other are always settled in a civilized manner and we have agreed to put the embarrassing blunder behind us. For further proof, please ask her directly so she can give her side of the story.”

“Thank you for your time, Lady Serenity. Do you have any last words you would like to add?”

“Actually, I have two things I would like to say. One of them is a thank you to my fans. You guys are so wonderful!” Soprano winked. “It’s all thanks to each and every one of you for making it possible for me to get this far. I will do the best I can to continue entertaining you and I hope to see your support at the premier.”

Soprano gestured for Meryl to follow her to an open crowded area, where Kicker previously performed. Meryl was taken aback at the sudden change of pace, but followed her regardless with the camcorder still rolling. It was her nature as a journalist to keep recording no matter what happens.

The guest of honor eyed the crowd as she waited for Meryl to get up front for a perfect view. It took only a second before she spotted Sleuth. She sighed before clearing her throat.

“Everypony, may I have your attention please? I have something I’d like to say.” The ponies in the immediate area ceased their conversations and turned their smiling heads to the mare of the hour, curious to hear her announcement. “I’m pleased that so many of you turned up tonight for this occasion. I’m grateful for all the gifts you brought and infinitely grateful for the support you’ve shown over the years.”

The crowd clapped in response to her kind words.

“It isn’t much, but I would like to tell a small tale of our family, one that I think you’ll find relevant. The Serenitys are a dynasty that have been around since this great city was founded. Great-great-great-grandmother Cappella was the grand advisor to the small royal family that established the San Palomino province and a good friend of la Duquesa de Vidrieras following the passing of the legendary Mirage Knight. As a token of friendship, Duquesa gave my ancestor a jewel encrusted pendant; the Corazón de Vidrieras.”

Soprano held up her own pendant for all the world to see. While much of the crowd beheld in the sparkling glossy gemstones, Bluff only rolled his eyes. Why the high class would covet such a garish accessory he would never know.

“This is but a replica of the famous Heart of Stained Glass. The real one remains in a location that I shall not disclose tonight. However, don’t you be disappointed. For in a few days time, I will not only be displaying the real heirloom within the Equestrian Historical Museum in Manehattan, but I shall be wearing it during the debut of the new musical here in Las Pegasus. If you can, I encourage you all to see both the exhibit and the show.”

Soprano placed the pendant back around her neck and closed her eyes in a nervous smile. Her next words were sure to shock ponies everywhere, but it was a now or never decision. Since she had the stand, there was no better time since her speech would be broadcasted later.

“And with that said, I would like to issue a public statement, particularly to a certain pony who I know is out there watching this. I am of course talking about the master thief Facade. You know the history behind this piece of jewelry. I, Soprano Serenity, challenge you to steal the real thing before the date of my wedding.”

It was a bad time for Bluff to be drinking from his glass as he started to choke. The questionable announcement sent a wave of murmurs among the guests as well, a mix of emotions ranging from intrigue from Meryl and Soprano’s friends, to utter shock from her parents. Before any questions could be asked about the absurd challenge, Soprano only curtsied and smiled at Meryl.

“That is all. Please enjoy the rest of the evening.”





The rest of the evening went on more or less normally. Of course, there was plenty of talk between guests about the earlier announcement. Not many knew how to take it or even how to react. It was around the time the party started winding down that Bluff and his company started for home. Of all ponies, it seemed odd for him to be concerned about all that transpired. After the speech, he spent a lot of time by himself, with Sleuth disappearing for the night leaving him by his lonesome. But why wouldn’t he be concerned with a massive task ahead of him.

When the family trio got home to their seaside villa, Ante stretched and yawned with tired satisfaction. Unlike her son and honorary brother, it was almost as if nothing in the world was wrong. “I’m going to bed now. I need to get up early tomorrow.”

“Yeah, um, goodnight,” Kicker hesitantly replied.

Ante went to her room, leaving Kicker and Bluff in the living room to deal with the situation on their own. The latter of the two plopped down onto the sofa with an exasperated sigh. “Well, this is a troublesome twist. So soon after the medallion too.”

“It can’t be helped,” the zebra said sitting in an armchair close by. “We mustn't dwell on it. We should prepare for the coming challenge.”

“Why? It’s just a gaudy heart-shaped pendant. Even if it is a piece of history, it hardly has any value to us.”

“Perhaps not financially,” Kicker chuckled. “Bluff mi niño, you have to keep your eyes and ears open. Did you not interpret the situation as I did?”

“What are you-”

“This is a matter of professional integrity!” Kicker clapped his hooves dramatically. “What kind of gentlecolt would the magnificent Facade be if he ignored a direct request from a lady?”

“I don’t like where this is going at all…” Bluff facehoofed. “What about the medallion? Are we just going to set that aside until this is dealt with then?”

“The medallion can wait. It is too heated to deal with that anyway. Now then Bluff, we should prepare.”
> Heart of Stained Glass ~ Chapter 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

To say the night turned awkward was an understatement. Soprano knew this well, hence her early retirement from the evening after her announcement. Though she used a quick trip to the little filly’s room as an excuse to find privacy, she knew she would be bombarded with countless questions concerning what she expected to be a controversial moment. Even so, it had to be done. Whether it led to her desired outcome was completely up to fate.

She had a slight headache. Perhaps it was from her first glass of wine from earlier in the evening, a traditional rite of passage among nobility upon reaching eighteen. More likely though, it was just subconscious stress from the gala party kicking in, not to mention the unrestful nap. Over the past hour, the party had died down and most everypony had gone home for the night. Pretty soon, her fiance and family would be turning in as well.

She decided to switch out of her evening dress and into something more casual. By now, few of the guests would still be around, but some of her friends would be lingering. Not many ponies, but just enough needed. After she was finished and walked back downstairs, she received a tap on the shoulder, followed by a familiar male voice. “Darling? Do you have a moment? I need to talk to you.”

("Right on cue,") Soprano sighed and followed her father into the dining hall. “Yes daddy, what do you need?” she replied, even though she already knew the answer.

Falsetto walked her to her seat across from Sleuth and his family. Father Slewfoot had a concerned expression as he always did when he sensed one of his kin was troubled. His wife shared an equally concerned expression, but the son, Soprano’s beloved fiance, had what appeared to be a restrained looked about him. It was like he had something on his mind, but was holding back. 

“Dear?” Falsetto said as he sat down at the table between her and his wife. “I wanted to talk about earlier this evening. I’m--”

“I know, you’re unnerved by what I said and why I did it.”

“Well… Yes. Both myself, your mother, and the Slewfoots are concerned as well, especially Sleuth.”

“Why wouldn’t we all?” Soprano said a flat casual tone. “I just dared the city’s most famous criminal to steal our family heirloom. It’s not really something that occurs often.”

“Yes but why did you do it?”

Soprano looked at the stallion across from her. Sleuth remained relatively calm compared to the others in the room. There was a silent nod between them, after which Soprano cleared her throat, a nervous one that she could not mask very well, despite being a high grade actress. This was a different situation than what she was used to.

The unicorn cop sat up in his chair and assumed a serious posture for the discussion. “Listen, we need to talk about tonight.”

“Yes, indeed we do,” Soprano crossed her hooves. “I suppose you want to know about it? I’ll tell you why.” She stood up and leaned toward him, jabbing her hoof in his chest when she got too close as she could. It was an absurd thought, but as he was now he almost seemed intimidated by the mare nearly ten years younger than him. At least, it looked that way. “I’m disappointed in you, Sleuth Slewfoot.”

The eyes of all around them widened greatly with that blunt statement. She was showing a side of herself the public usually did not see.

“I… I beg your pardon?”

“You call yourself an officer of the law. You have sworn yourself to serving and protecting, yet you can’t even defend a little amulet.”

“That’s what this is about?!” Sleuth shouted incredulously, stomping his hooves on the table. “Look, I know I didn’t succeed this time, but this is the first case I worked here in Las Pegasus! You can’t expect--”

“I’m not talking about that. This isn’t about your failure over the case.” Soprano got right into Sleuth’s face, a small challenge given the noticeable height difference between them. “I’m sick of your whining! Ever since that night, you just couldn’t stop complaining about it! The guy made a fool of you, you’re angry, I get it. Well you know what? I decided to set up a rematch between you and Facade. If you don’t stop bitching it, you might as well give him your ring!”

“Ring?” Sleuth paused for a second to let it sink in exactly what Soprano was implying. “Are you… Are you actually threatening to call off the marriage?! Over this?!”

“Dearest Soprano?” Falsetto stumbled, trying to defuse the situation. “Don’t you think you’re being unfair to Sleuth? He moved all the way out here just to be with you and us, surely you can’t kick him out? That’s simply preposter--” 

Falsetto faltered as Soprano shot an uncharacteristic glare at him.

“That all depends on Inspector Slewfoot. I don’t know about you, but I can’t help but feel a little unsafe marrying a police officer who can’t even defend a little coin-shaped treasure. Surely you both can understand where I’m getting at?”

She made a valid point. Assuming she was even considering the family’s reputation, Falsetto could not argue the logic, despite how low it made him feel for questioning the family friends. Sleuth himself didn’t even respond with any counter argument.

“Consider this a test,” Soprano declared as she started walking away from the table. “If you can succeed in protecting my heart before the premier of my performance, then the wedding will proceed as planned. If Facade manages to steal my heart, then I am ending this engagement. Now if you excuse me, I’m going to take a bubble bath before going to bed. I’m not in the mood for dinner anymore.”

As Soprano passed right by Sleuth on the way to the door, she locked eyes with him and her annoyed look changed to a smile and wink, which the detective returned without hesitation. The moment lasted no longer than a split-second, unnoticed by everypony else before they resumed their previous expressions.

Sleuth only gave a worried glare at his half empty plate before he too excused himself from the room. The look painted on his face gave of a mixture of rage over his fiancee’s bratty behavior and guilt over driving her to this in the first place. “I’m not particularly hungry anymore either. Mr. Falsetto, I’m going to retire for the night. I have some… things to think about.”

“Y-yes, I understand dear boy.” 

Upstairs, Soprano practically slammed the door to her bedroom. It was probably a tad overkill, but then she was always one for going that extra mile to sell a performance. After spending roughly twenty minutes in the tub of her personal bathroom, she drained the water and dried herself off before brushing her teeth. Taking a brush with her, she walked back out to her bedroom wearing her bathrobe and noticed the lights had been turned off. Another thing caught her attention though: the wind blowing in from the open window. “I don’t remember that being open…”

She placed the brush down on her vanity and went to close the window, lest the wind mess with her mane. When she shut it though, a rectangular shadow contrasted against the moonlight, a rose taped to it. Even before she removed it, it was obvious what it was. With the rose, she had a good guess who left it.

And she was right.

Dear Lady Serenity

Perhaps this is earlier than you expect, but you are an intriguing young mare. Your public challenge interests me, therefore I shall accept it. How could I ever resist such a pretty face? It’s a shame you are engaged; I would have thought I would be the one to capture your heart.

Who knows? I just might in coming days. For now though, I do hope you had a happy birthday despite your pre marital problems. Please accept this rose as message of good fortune. Ciao.

~Facade

The birthday girl blushed furiously as she put the letter and rose down on her nightstand, smiling a goofy smile just like a school filly thinking about her crush. She chose to ignore the implication that the thief was nearby possibly spying on her earlier argument; she was too tired anyway.

“It really is a shame, isn’t it?...”





Casings. Secondary explosives. Primary explosives. Those and countless other components had been carefully laid out on the table of Cherub’s hotel room.

On their own, the parts weren’t terribly hard to acquire, especially not for somepony like the Jade King. He had even been quite generous, providing several different varieties of each depending on which would be needed.

But while the Jade Kings provided the resources, Cherub provided the skill. With the proper construction, one could get a much more effective detonation with the same parts. It had been a while since he had done this, but time had not dulled Cherub’s skill. His hooves worked meticulously, assembling bomb after bomb. It wasn’t particularly exciting work, but he had little else to do.

To be more accurate, he could not do anything else. The King, as well as the guard waiting outside the door, had made it clear that Cherub was not to leave the hotel room until he had two things: Lots of bombs, and a plan to kill Facade that included those bombs. The former would simply be a matter of time, but the latter was proving to be much more difficult. While Soprano Serenity’s challenge was the talk of the town, it was still unclear when and if Facade would accept it. Cherub had been listening to the news intently ever since the story broke the previous day, but no response had been heard from the Jack of Clubs.

Cherub was already mulling over what words he’d use to ask the Jade King for more time, but his luck suddenly took an upswing when a reporter he liked appeared on the screen before him.

“Good evening, Las Pegasus! This is Meryl O’knette with an LP Local News special report. The response you’ve no doubt been waiting for has finally been delivered! The phantom thief, Facade, has officially accepted Soprano Serenity’s challenge!”

Cherub’s head immediately shot upwards from his quickly-forgotten work, giving undivided attention to the report.

“But that’s not all, folks. It seems the police are taking no chances with defending the Heart of Stained Glass. They’ve set up an arena specifically to challenge Facade on their own terms. And the arena they’ve chosen… is none other than our fair LP Local News radio station! In a few short hours, the police will be turning our center for all things news into a veritable fortress! State-of-the-art alarm systems, guards at every corner, helicopter surveillance, and the heart of LP’s sweetheart nestled at the center of it all! No expense has been spared! The Jack of Clubs will be hard-pressed to breach barricades like these. Has he finally met his match? We’ll be reporting live throughout the entire gripping experience, so you’re guaranteed to see the outcome of this exciting clash as it happens. Don’t forget to tune in!”

As the reporter continued on to other topics, a grin of pure relief began to creep onto Cherub’s face. Getting up from the couch, he went to inform the guard of two things: He had a plan, and he would need more wired blasting caps to pull it off.





Careful preparation is key to a plan’s success. There wasn’t a single cop in the building that didn’t share this viewpoint, not with how many times the department had been burned now. Two days after the challenge was announced, the headquarters of LP Local News was vacated of all employees and replaced with an army of officers, backed by a well-devised security system. Outside, two police helicopters flanked the building with spotlights illuminating everything. Higher above them was a helicopter from the very building they were covering, Meryl O’knette anticipating the impending zero hour.

However, sometimes even the most sophisticated plans have holes in them.

Two uniformed officers approached the building and displayed their badges at the checkpoint. Officer Noncom patted them down before letting them in. This was a common cycle in this assignment, a monotonous but necessary one. And it went on many times as the night drew near for the hour of action.

The only thing to keep him from dying of boredom was the sounds of the vultures, that is to say the various crews of photographers and filmers, be they professional or paparazzi, lining up to get a shot of the Jack himself.

("Always amuses me how the press can respond quicker than the authorities sometimes,") Noncom thought as he glanced at the clock. ("It’s getting close to that time, probably should secure the area.")

Noncom waited for his replacements to occupy the area before heading towards the lobby to prep for the big event. There, other officers stood straight, awaiting orders from their superior. As he entered the building, he collided with an older stallion, a technician if the uniform was any indication.

“Woah, s-sorry officer,” the stallion nervously stammered.

“No biggie, sir. I take it the new system is set up?”

“It’s ready and already live.”

“Good. I recommend vacating the area, this place is going to get pretty hectic in a little while.”

“Will do, sir. Good luck!”

The officer stepped aside to let the older pony through before entering the building himself. SWAT officers scattered to their positions as he stood beside the other cops.

“Alright, listen up!” Sleuth said in a firm gruff voice. “I don’t want any screw-ups tonight. You all know the plan and ran through it several times before. I want you to know that this operation is going to rely heavily on team effort and coordination. Those of you at the zero point, I want half of you to keep your eyes trained on the Heart, and I want the other half to be ready to spring the trap. The rest of you, report any and all suspicious activity. Update frequently. Am I understood?”

“Yes sir!”

“Dismissed!”

At this command, the officers dispersed earnestly. In particular were Sleuth, who headed to the west, and Noncom himself who took hold of a rifle in his left hoof and made an advance to the east where the stairs were.

The roof was calling him.





“Zero hour, approaching in thirty-five seconds.”

The thief muttered to himself as he waited patiently inside a custodian closet, claiming it as his makeshift safe room, free from the helicopter lights or any patrol that may stumble upon him prematurely. He knew for a fact that none would find him up there, least of all the officer that was supposed to be stationed up on the roof.

“Three…. Two…. One…. Go time.”

He cracked the closet door open and peered out with a small mirror attached to his monocle, scanning the hall cautiously. Once all was clear, he casually yet calmly flung the door open before softly shutting it behind him as he walked out, adjusting his tie afterwards. The building was new territory for him. There was previously no reason to break into it. But like a professional, he had done his research and crept his way left before crouching at the set of stairs. After peering down to double check that nopony was climbing up, Facade dropped a small satchel next to the door to the roof just next to him and walked down.

“Floor fourteen. Case should be…. Two floors down,” Facade quietly stated to himself.

Like any pro, he had his route mapped out. He was careful to choose the most direct route allowable without giving himself away too soon. Just as planned, there were no officers on this floor and that gave him the leeway to the next floor down.

However, sometimes even the most sophisticated plans have holes in them.

The phantom stopped himself just in time before walking directly into the line of sight of a familiar policemare. ("What? Mounty? Isn’t she supposed to be in the broadcast room?") Facade thought, suppressing a sweat bead. There was no time to think, only time to shift into the next room across the hall while Mounty’s eyes weren’t pointed in his direction. With only a second or two to stop, he hid himself behind a desk as Bobby’s flashlight illuminated the room from the other doorway. Carefully stalking the unicorn officer, he tucked himself behind a corner for long enough to sneak past and down to the next floor.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Facade took a moment to review his position. This floor had two possible routes to his goal. The direct route to the left would have him traverse past a plethora of SWAT ready to take him down on sight. While possible in theory, the risk was far too high.

That just left the balcony to his right. It may not have been ideal considering the helicopters, but he really didn’t have many other options.

“Luna and ministers of night defend us,” he declared to himself as he exited onto the outside balcony. Thankfully, the architecture allowed him to escape the light of the choppers, if only by a sliver. He resorted to crawling in order to avoid detection, despite his white attire standing out against the teal floor.

Finally, his destination. Carefully cracking the door, he quickly scanned his blind spots with his monocle again before stealthily entering and closing the door behind. He found himself directly behind a sentry officer with the door to the broadcast room at his immediate right. With careful steps and a little sleight of hoof, the last door proved to be no match for him.

The Broadcast room. The place where anchors like Meryl O’knette work their magic, where news of the Jack’s past heists were told on citywide TV. And tonight, the ground zero for his prize. It was a simple walk from the door to the case, yet he knew better than to do so.  With a suspicious lack of officers, there was no way it was going to be this easy. The suave stallion made glances around the display case in the center, just in front of the circular anchor’s desk, then to the the sides of the room. At the control panel for the lights, an external switch was present. Facade smiled and made a move for the panel.

His hoof stopped just short of the switch, thanks to a gun to the back of his head.

“I honestly, truly didn’t think you’d fall for that.”

That voice. He knew that voice. It was the voice of a burned cop who just gained the upper hoof. And thanks to him, he was now trapped.

“Inspector Slewfoot, what a surprise. To what do we owe the unexpected pleasure?”

“I gotta hand it to my dear fiancée, she sure made a convincing act back at the party, eh?”

Facade could barely see it through the mirror in his monocle, but he caught a glimpse of the inspector’s smile. No, his grin. The grin of somepony who just pulled a fast one.

And unfortunately for the thief, sometimes even the most sophisticated plans have holes in them.

“That lovely lady came up with this? I must say, I’m impressed,” he said smugly, attempting to retain his namesake. “Perhaps I should pay my respects later at your wedding.”

“You can do that once you’re behind bars. Facade, you’re under arrest.” With his gun still trained on the thief, Sleuth reached for his radio. “All units, I have a positive ID on the suspect. Eleven ninety-eight, zero point. Respond.”

~“Ten-four inspector, units are on their way. Stand by until arrival.”~

As the inspector spoke on his radio, Facade found himself sweating slightly. There was no denying his original plan was not going to slide anymore. Still, he was but a reach away from the control console. And he still had an ace literally up his sleeve.

("Only got one shot at this… Better make it count.")

At the very last second before Sleuth finished relaying his message, Facade clenched his eyes shut and threw down a small flash bomb from his sleeve, blinding and dazing the inspector with a sudden burst of light. That done, Facade wasted no time in hitting the switch and hopping over the panels to make a rush for the Heart, security systems no longer being a concern. In his blinded state, Sleuth himself simultaneously reached for the remote in his pocket. A remote that would activate the alarms.

However instead of alarms going off, the display case in the middle of the room erupted in a massive explosion, surprising the thief and knocking him down.

“Woah, okay, that’s new!” said the thief as he ducked to avoid shrapnel. The force of the sudden detonation knocked the officer off his footing, thankfully shielded by the panel from the sharp glass and other debris. His vision came back just in time to see the thief stand up again.

“What did you--”

His query was swiftly interrupted by another series of explosions within the building, accompanied by several audible screams and yells from both inside and outside. He glanced at Facade, who was equally confused and worried about the unfolding events. Their eye contact lasted for less than a second before the thief decided to cut his losses in favor of evacuating, the inspector following soon after.

As the string of explosions continued, it became clear the officers stationed within the building had the same idea to clear the premises. There was no sense putting their lives in danger at this point. Sleuth knew this too, yet he had eyes on the possible culprit and he had to stop him at all costs. Relentlessly, he pursued him all throughout the upper floors until they came to the roof.

“Facade!” Sleuth exclaimed angrily. “Don’t you think this is a bit much?”

“Oh? What kind of cop uses bombs to catch a thief?”

“I might ask what kind of gentlecolt thief uses bombs to cover their escape!”

“Believe me, inspector. They ain’t in my arsenal.”

“Nor mine, Facade!” It took a moment before the implication set in, but Sleuth’s look of anger softened towards confusion. “Wait… If neither of us did this… Who did?”

Facade used a moment to catch his breath. “Good question. To which there is only one answer: Who knows?”

Sleuth’s annoyance returned with a vengeance as he pulled his gun out once more. “Well, I'm sure we'll be able to discuss the matter more thoroughly down at the station. You're still under arrest, Facade. That hasn't changed.”

A grin slithered onto the phantom’s face as he threw his hooves up in obvious mocking fashion. “Oh am I now? If you recall, I don’t have the heart with me.”

“That doesn’t matter. You’re still under--”

Another round of explosions gave the building a lurch, this time compromising the roof’s structural integrity. Facade, being towards the side railing, was in a stable enough spot to avoid the steep sloping of the roof. The inspector, however, was not as fortunate. With nothing holding his footing, Sleuth found himself sliding towards the edge, railing now practically nonexistent. He could hear a round of frightened screaming as he grabbed onto what was left of the rail.

With his hooves just barely managing to stay hooked over the edge, he could feel the spotlights from below focus on him, his imminent demise being caught on live LP television.

“Oh crap! Hold on a sec, stay right there!”

Had he not been hanging on for dear life, Sleuth most definitely would have rolled his eye at Facade’s borderline smartass statement. Not a second sooner however, a rope dangled just next to him, the other side tied to a stable rail and held by his very target.

“Climb up, quick! You’ll be alright!”

"What are you doing?!"

"Saving your life, inspector! Don't be an idiot!"

Shelving his pride in favor of self-preservation, Sleuth used his magic to tie the end of the rope around his hoof, allowing leverage to start a climb up. Yet despite the generous act, he couldn’t help but be incredulous over the position he was in.

“Why the hay are you doing this? You know I’m just going to arrest you when I get up there!”

“You’re a hair’s touch away from death, climb up the damn rope!”

His climb to the top took only a few seconds, yet most of the way it felt as if his heart stopped, with much of the roof giving way to the flames of the floor below. Once at the other end of the rope, his adversary offered his left hoof and pulled him up to his level. Given the dire situation, Sleuth opted not to arrest his rescuer.

“We’ve got to get out of here, pronto! This building is going to come down any minute!”

“Over there!” the thief shouted as he pointed to the railing. “I set up a rappel line earlier in the night, it should get you down to the sixth floor fire exit!”

“Sheesh, you thought of everything…”

“That’s me alright.” With a grin, Facade helped Sleuth hook himself up to the line. With that done, he stood on the edge and extended his wings. “Hey, for what it’s worth, you’re leagues more challenging than the old bird ever was. I think I’m going to enjoy dueling against you in the future.”

“Just get out of here. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.”

As if on cue, another piece of the roof collapsed, prompting Facade to survey the damage for a moment. “Duly noted. Just make sure everypony is safe once you get down there. Ciao!”





After making it down to ground level, Sleuth made his way to the area where the rest of the officers had assembled. He was relieved to see that none of them had been killed, and there were no injuries of life-threatening severity. Even Noncom had made it out with only a few bumps and bruises, seeing as he had been stationed at the most dangerous area, the roof. After hearing Noncom’s full report of the situation up to the moment, Sleuth made sure that the officers were properly coordinated to check for possible civilian casualties and to receive incoming emergency personnel. Once he was satisfied that everything was under control, Sleuth handed command of the situation to a lieutenant and made his way back home. He was positive that Soprano must have been out of her mind with worry, and this assumption was vindicated as soon as he opened the door.

The second he was inside, his fiancee tackled him into a tight embrace. “Sleuthy! Oh thank Celestia you’re alive! I was so scared…”

Sleuth gently patted her head and wiped away her tears. “It’s okay, I’m still in one piece. The rest of the force is too, somehow. Considering the turn that tonight took, we were really lucky.”

Soprano managed to stem her tears and bring herself under control. She then gave Sleuth a resolute look.

“Don’t worry, Sleuthy, I believe in you. There’s no way you had any part in this.”

The pit of Sleuth’s stomach dropped ever so slightly as dread began to take hold. “Soprano… what are you talking about?”

Soprano simply pointed a hoof at the TV, which was on and showing live coverage of the destroyed radio station. Meryl O’knette was reporting as usual, though she seemed much more haggard than usual.

“-Although they’ve denied any involvement in this incident, none can deny that the evidence against them is overwhelming. Inspector Slewfoot himself had placed extremely tight restrictions on the personnel allowed into the building, making it highly unlikely that somepony other than the police could have set the bombs. I personally can’t help but wonder what gave the inspector the idea that bombing a news station to the ground would be an acceptable method to catch a single thief; A thief who is still unaccounted for, I might add. Whether he’s dead or managed to evade capture is still unclear-”

Sleuth was absolutely livid. In terms of PR, this was the absolute worst possible situation imaginable. He sat down on the couch and massaged his temples, attempting to calm down and stave off an oncoming headache. Anger and pain would not help him think logically, which was exactly what he needed to do at a time like this.

“Lies, all of it. It sure as hay wasn’t the police. It wasn’t Facade either.”

Soprano’s eyes alit with curiosity. “How do you-?”

“I spoke with him.” Sleuth explained, pre-empting Soprano’s question “I was that close to catching him, but then bombs started going off out of nowhere. He actually saved me up on the roof. I figure that if he was the bomber, the only reason he’d do it would be to eliminate the key officers assigned to his case while they were all gathered together. If that were his motive, why would he save me? It doesn’t make sense. Facade didn’t do it.”

Soprano’s brow furrowed. “Okay, but then who did do it?”

“That’s what I want to know.” Sleuth sighed, “But I doubt I’ll be getting answers anytime soon. Tonight has been a complete disaster, and tomorrow we’ll likely need to hold a press conference to dismiss these ridiculous conspiracy theories.”

“In that case, get yourself cleaned up and come to bed” Soprano suggested, “You’ll need all the rest you can get tonight.”

It was a good idea, and Sleuth followed suit. He made his way to the bathroom, shed his uniform and started the shower, sighing with relaxation as the hot water ran down his coat. As he cleaned himself, he went over the night’s events in his mind. Starting with the scheduled time of the heist and ending with coming home after hearing Noncom’s report. While the night had been chaos, there had to be some detail that hadn’t occurred to him. Something out of place. Something that would get him closer to finding his quarry, whether that was Facade or the unknown bomber.

As he thought it over for the fifth time, his eyes shot open. There it was. It had been staring him right in the face, as he expected. It seemed minor in the scope of the evening’s events, but it was definitely something to go on.

After Soprano had fallen asleep later that evening, Sleuth quietly crept out of bed. The sooner he tested his hypothesis, the better. Opting to first stop at the police station, Sleuth later found himself at the doorstep of the place where his theory would be put to the test: The Lucky Lag Casino Resort.
> Heart of Stained Glass ~ Chapter 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Lucky Lag. One of the only places in LP where one didn't have to pay a king’s ransom to live like one. He could not lie, Sleuth respected the effort the Bountys put into building and supporting their corporate empire.

“Hello, welcome to the Lucky Lag. What can I do for you?”

Speak of the devil. The unicorn inspector stepped into the lobby of the hotel wing with his small briefcase tucked into his saddlebags. “Hello Ms. Bounty,” Sleuth greeted the fair-coated mare behind the counter. 

“Well good evening, Mr. Slewfoot Jr. I would’ve figured you’d be resting in bed with dear Soprano after what happened tonight,” Ante grinned. This statement brought a slight blush to Sleuth’s face, despite his best efforts.

“Heh, I want to be, trust me. I have to say, business is still quite booming even with that fiasco at the tower.”

“Time never stops, it just moves at various speeds. It’s never quiet around here. Anyway, how can I help you tonight?”

“I was actually hoping to talk to your son. Is he in right now?”

Ante stole a quick glance at the on-call on her desk before picking up the phone. “He should be resting in his home suite. I can call him, let him know you’re on your way.”

“I’d be much obliged, thank you.”

After dialing the home number to the family penthouse, Ante held the phone to her ear as she continued to write down on documents. However, it seemed her son wasn’t answering as several minutes went without a response. “Hm, let me try this one instead.” Once more, she dialed the phone, this time a different room and number. “Hello?.... Hi Kicker, is Bluff with you right now?... Oh good! Hey, I have a guest that would like to talk to him, is he up?...Cool, I’ll send him your way… Obviously not, or I wouldn’t be calling you right now…. Okay, watch yourself mister or I might just bite later, hehe…. Alright, you too… Mhm, bye.” Ante turned back to her guest. “Bluff is in room twenty-two twelve. I suggest taking that elevator over there, it will take you directly to the twenty-second floor.”

“Thank you, Ms. Bounty, I appreciate it.”

“No problem. You have a nice night.”

Sleuth nodded and entered the elevator, his briefcase jostling in his saddlebags as he began ascending. It took approximately two minutes before the doors opened once more and he disembarked. The corridor was noticeably luxurious, with polished black marble floor and walls. The mahogany doors were obviously made by experienced professionals, sanded and carved with various motifs that were befitting a casino resort. Even the keyholes and knobs were wonderfully ornate, lending further proof of the business’ comfort.

“And all this for just fifty bits a night? With prices like that, no wonder Miss Bounty generates so much revenue. Let’s see, room twenty-two twelve, twenty-two twelve…. Ah, here we go.”

His destination discovered, Sleuth tapped the door enough to be heard, almost too afraid he might damage the distinctly unique door bearing a carving that almost resembled the king of clubs card…

Before long, the door opened to reveal the zebra illusionist. “Inspector Slewfoot. Buenas Noches.”

“Evening, Kicker. Ms. Bounty said I could find Bluff here.”

Kicker nodded and gestured in his trademark magnificence. As he stepped inside, Sleuth noticed a strong presence of cinnamon, likely from the cone incense burner on the glass coffee table. In front of said table was the stallion of the hour laying on the sofa, apparently resting his eyes. Surprisingly - or perhaps not - his head rested on the lap of Soubrette, who seemed quite content with this.

“Hello, Mr. Bounty” Sleuth said, glancing at Soubrette, “I hope I’m not interrupting something, but I’d like a bit of your time.” This provoked a glance from the lounging dealer.

“Hm? Oh, hey Inspector” Bluff responded sleepily. He sat up and stretched his neck and back out. “Figured you’d be resting in bed with your fiancee.”

“Funny, your mother made the same remark. Like I said to her, that's where I'd rather be right now, but circumstances dictate otherwise. By the way, I hadn't realized you two were involved.”

“We’re married, actually. Bluff and I even have a daughter, she's on a trip with Uncle Call,” Soubrette answered while winking at Bluff, who grinned back.

"Interesting, back at the party, he said he didn't have a girlfriend."

"And I didn't lie," Bluff winked.

Sleuth nodded. “Ah. Well in any event... mind playing a game of chess with me?”

“Chess?” Bluff raised an eyebrow, “Sure, but... Kinda weird you'd pick this time of night to play me of all ponies.”

“I need to do some thinking, and I do some of my best thinking when I play chess.”

Bluff shrugged and started clearing off the center of the coffee table. Soubrette decided to vacate the sofa to get some coffee for her guest whilst Kicker took the unoccupied recliner. The inspector placed his briefcase onto the table and opened it to reveal a pristine chess set.

“I admit, I don’t play chess often,” spoke the alabaster casino prince, “but what kind of host would I be if I didn’t humor you?”

Igniting his horn and enveloping the chess pieces in a magical aura, Sleuth set up the board in a matter of seconds before setting the briefcase on the floor. “If you don’t mind, I prefer to play black.”

“You do know black goes second, right? Eh, each to their own I guess. I’ll play white then.”

The white stallion pondered for a moment before deciding his first move. Reaching over with his left hoof, he moved a pawn. Unbeknownst to him, Sleuth was watching this more closely than he could ever realize. Sleuth responded by moving a knight.

“Crazy night, tonight was. A lot of us were watching from the many TVs in the building.” Bluff stated as he moved one of his bishops. “We all got a little worried.”

“You're telling me. I thought my number was up tonight.,” Sleuth shuddered as he moved his other knight.

At that moment Soubrette returned with the coffee, placing a cup in front of Sleuth, “Well, I’m sure Soprano was overjoyed that you made it out alive, Mr. Slewfoot.”

Sleuth nodded. “You’ve got that right. I’m pretty happy about it as well.”

“Hey ‘Brette, it occurs to me that it’s getting kinda late.” Bluff said, “Don’t you have a show tomorrow?”

Soubrette shrugged, “I can afford to stay up a little. How long do you think you two will be?”

“Trust me ‘Brette, I have a feeling it’s gonna be a looong night if the inspector has anything to say about it.” Bluff grinned at her, “I'll be around later. Keep the bed warm for me.”

“I always do. See you next time, guys.” Soubrette smiled warmly at Bluff and Kicker before leisurely turning around and leaving the room.

Bluff’s focus returned to the chess game, and he considered his next move, “So where were we…? Ah yes, tonight’s events. Can't say I was expecting a bombing. I knew the PD was desperate to catch Facade, but that's a little overkill.”

Sleuth’s forehoof connected with his face, “Ugh, not you too. For the last time, the police did not set those bombs! It's sheer lunacy that anypony could even think that we did.”

“Oh I know. I just wanted to see your reaction.” Bluff replied mischievously as he moved one of his pieces, “To be honest, even with the rep the LPPD has, I couldn't imagine anyone being stupid enough to even consider that.”

Sleuth rolled his eyes. “Thank you for the support, smartass. Sadly enough, there are some jokers who actually believe it. It was on the news the very second that I got home.” His eyes scanned the board with care as he planned his next move. “Really, it's a miracle that nobody was killed, or even seriously hurt. Even my guy on the roof made it out in one piece.”

“Guy on the roof?”

Sleuth nodded. “Yeah, he's one of my best. Would've been terrible to lose him.” Repositioning a rook, Sleuth continued, “Anyway... what do you make of all this? Why did Facade set those bombs?”

“Facade?” Bluff’s eyebrow raised again, “Why would he set 'em?”

“Well it wasn't the police, so it must have been him.”

“Unlikely,” Kicker chimed in, “Facade is a criminal, but he's hardly a monster.”

Sleuth glanced back at Kicker, and then at Bluff. “Well, what other explanation could there be?”

“Really? You're asking us that?” Bluff asked incredulously, “Aside from maybe an outside party, I haven't the bucking slightest.”

“An outside party?” Sleuth pressed.

“Did the police set up the traps themselves entirely, or did you hire other guys?” Bluff explained, “If it's the latter, that opens up a lot of branches.”

Sleuth rubbed his temple slightly, “Before that though, why would somepony want to sabotage a Facade heist in the first place?”

Bluff lazily fiddled with one of his chess pieces, “Who wouldn't? He's a thief, he steals from all kinds of ponies, a lot of them rich. But as for who.... Eh, my mind's a blank.”

Sleuth shook his head, “I dunno, that doesn’t make sense. They’d have to hate him enough to not care about catching police officers in the collateral damage. That's the sort of thing that would get you put away forever. Who would take that kind of risk just to off one little thief?

“Well If we knew, we wouldn't be having this conversation, Inspector.”

Sleuth sighed heavily, “Fair enough. I guess I won't be finding any leads here.”

Surveying the chessboard once more, Sleuth placed a hoof on one of his knights, “Before I go, there’s one last thing I’m curious about.”

“I’m all ears, inspector.”

Sleuth moved his knight, capturing one of Bluff’s bishops. 

“Bluff... how long have you been impersonating Officer Noncom?”

Bluff blinked, “What?”

Sleuth gave Bluff a piercing gaze, “In the aftermath of tonight's incident, one particular thing bugged the hay out of me. When Noncom reappeared and reported to me, he didn't mention Facade at all. Very strange, considering his posting would have almost certainly given him a visual on Facade and even not seeing him would have been worthy of report… Oh, and uh, check by the way.”

Realizing that it was his turn, Bluff quickly moved one of his rooks between his king and an attacking bishop. “Maybe he was more concerned with getting out of that chaos. I mean, the roof is arguably the most dangerous place to be in case of fire. That and the elevator.”

With a triumphant smirk, Sleuth moved his bishop and captured the rook that Bluff had just moved, putting him back into check.

“Mr. Bounty... I never said that Noncom was the officer stationed on the roof.”

Bluff inwardly grimaced behind his poker face, moving his king out of check, “...Played like a damn fiddle. I screwed up, didn't I?”

“Yep. The officer deployment plans in these operations are kept tightly under wraps. Only somepony on the force could have known about it.” Sleuth pressed on without mercy, “And after Noncom's rather glaring omission got my attention, I decided to stop by the station and do a little background check on him. The information in his dossier had several small but puzzling inconsistencies if you knew where to look for them. Dates that didn't quite match up, small bits of omitted info, that sort of thing.”

Bluff was at a loss for his next action, both in the conversation and in the game. He contemplated, admittedly in some desperation. Ultimately though, he simply found himself stopping the clock, indicating a resignation.

“When I dug a little further,” Sleuth continued with a small victorious grin, “I found that Mr. Noncom had been shipped off to the Haywaiian islands after being injured in the line of duty, and he's been living in happy retirement ever since. Apparently the funds for his rehab and relocation came from a very generous donation. From your family, as a matter of fact.”

Bluff stared silently, a blank expression replacing the previous confidence he started with. It wasn’t until Kicker broke the silence that he moved another facial muscle.

“We found him bleeding out one night, he'd been shot four times and had his equipment stolen, so he couldn't call for help.”

Sleuth nodded, “That's consistent with the report I read.”

Sleuth turned towards Bluff once more, placing a hoof to his chin.

“I gotta say, Bluff, you were good. Everypony else on the force knew ‘Noncom’ so well that they never even considered that he wasn't who he said he was. You impersonated him well…. Right down to the fact that you both share a left dominant hoof.”

Bluff chuckled softly, “Heh. I guess there's no use denying now. Yes, I was Noncom. And by extension.... Well, I'm sure you've put two and two together already.”

The inspector smirked, “Indeed. You're also pretty good at keeping your composure. I would have thought that you'd have more of a reaction to a cop figuring out who you are.” 

Sleuth simply folded his hooves as he slouched forward.

“Checkmate, Facade.”

Sleuth stared unblinkingly at his quarry, with Bluff meeting his gaze. They simply stared for almost a minute before Bluff broke the silence.... grinning.

“Tell me, can a cop still make an arrest while off the clock, or am I spending the rest of the night in jail? Because either way, you and I both know I won't be staying there. Not with the pitiful amount of evidence on the table.”

Sleuth began to casually clean up the chess set, “Indeed, you're absolutely right that I don't have the evidence to put you behind bars for any significant length of time, not for being Facade anyway. At most, I'd only be able to put you away for impersonating an officer and even then, since I'm not authorized to wear a body cam right now, this little confession wouldn't hold up well in court. And with the pending investigation, I don't know if anything I say can be considered credible. But it's just as well, because I have no intention of arresting you for the moment.”

Bluff wasn’t sure that he had heard correctly, “Er… come again?”

“The police didn't set those bombs, and you didn't set them either. We both know that. Therefore, somepony else did. I want to know who and why, and I'd wager that you want to know as well.”

Bluff frowned, “That's an understatement. This is the first time something like this has happened to me personally.”

Sleuth nodded, “Indeed. So, since we both want to know who's behind this, I think our energy would be much better spent by calling a temporary truce and pooling our resources to that end.”

“I agree twofold.”

Satisfied, Sleuth considered Bluff for a moment, then continued, “That said, I'd be remiss if I didn't also say that arresting Bluff Bounty on suspicion of him being Facade would be a really anticlimactic end to our duel. I have more respect for you than that, I at least owe you that much for saving my life. If I unmask you, I want it to be during one of your heists after legitimately outmaneuvering you.”

Bluff’s frown quickly turned into a smirk, “Heh. You're even more of a glory hound than I thought. I think I'm going to enjoy this little friendship of ours.”

"’Friendship’, eh? We'll see. At any rate, I think we should waste no time in hunting down the bomber. But who would want to off Facade? Do any enemies come to mind?”

However, Kicker was the one who spoke up, “There is one: The Dynasty. Known in full as the Dynasty of Jade, they are the biggest organized crime group this side of Equestria and then some. The grand majority of criminals in this city answer to the Jade Kings in some form or another.”

Some recognition sparked in Sleuth’s eyes, “Ah. Come to think of it, they were mentioned when I was first briefed on Las Pegasus. But since I was brought here to specifically catch Facade, it was only a footnote. Bluff, what the hay did you do to piss off guys like them?”

Bluff didn’t need to think about it, “Facade is a frequent saboteur of their operations. It should go without saying they'd hate him.”

“Fair enough. And a group like them certainly wouldn't care if they got some cops killed in the process of offing you.”

Bluff nodded, “I wouldn't put it past them to send someone. As it stands right now, they have bigger influence than the law does.”

Sleuth sighed, “That's certainly a sorry state of affairs. Well, whoever made the attempt on your life is bound to realize that they missed the mark at some point. 'Til then, we may have a bit of time to collect information.”

“Information…” Bluff smirked, “Slewfoot, what say you stick around here for a while longer? I need to get ready to contact an old... um... partner.”

Sleuth raised an eyebrow, “An information broker, I take it?”

“And then some,” Kicker chimed in.

Bluff stood up from the couch and stretched.

“Alright” He said, walking towards another room, “make yourself comfortable while I make a few calls.”

Sleuth nodded as he finished packing up his chess set. Still thinking over the whole situation, he almost didn’t notice Kicker approaching him.

“Inspector. I have a question.”

Sleuth raised an eyebrow, “Yes? What is it?”

“How early did you suspect Bluff as Facade? I'm curious.”

Sleuth thought for a moment, “Well I’ve had a feeling about him for a while, ever since talking to him back at the show. The way he praised the phantom made me at least keep an eye on him. Though it really caught my attention when I noticed that both Facade and Bluff were left-hooved, just like Noncom. And with as much as he seemed to know, it seemed logical. What really sealed it for me was the fact Facade knew there was a decoy set up, even though I only switched it out last minute and told only one other person where the real one was moved to: Noncom. In hindsight, I realized Facade was providing a distraction while someone one the inside performed the actual theft. It didn't seem like his standard style from what I heard and read, so it stuck out to me.” switching gears, he continued, “By the way... that was you at the museum heist, wasn't it?”

Kicker’s eyebrows raised, “It was, as a matter of fact. What led you to think that?”

“The difference in dominant hooves for one. Bluff is a lefty, I've noticed him deal with his left hoof before in the times I've visited Lord Falsetto in the casino, and I began to notice it more once I started observing him as Noncom. You however are a righty, I've seen you use your right hoof when you do your shows and at the museum. That alone wouldn’t mean much, I realize, but now that I know that Bluff is Facade and that you're in on the act, it makes perfect sense. Your age matches the original profile I had built for Facade. You used the same trick during the heist that you used on stage during the magic show. And Noncom was accounted for when you first appeared. Once I figured out it was the same stage trick, it was a simple matter of turning my attention to Bluff since you two seemed well associated.  I figure Bluff expected me to come at him from the Facade angle, so catching him off guard by outing him as Noncom was something I figured he wouldn't anticipate. From there, it was a matter of paying a visit."

Kicker smiled softly, “Remarkable. Perhaps there’s hope for you yet, Inspector Slewfoot.”

Sleuth nodded politely, and resumed waiting for Bluff to return. Hesitantly, he took sips of his coffee as Kicker did the same. He took this time to glance around the room that Kicker called his home, or at least that was the assumption he made given the magician’s paraphernalia. On a nearby table, he spotted something familiar: a top hat.

“Speaking of which, Mr. Kicker. I figured out the bowling ball trick. I analyzed that ball you used during the medallion heist. Fairly simple actually, all you’d need is two balloons and a way to create a rapid freezing mechanism. I don’t know exactly what freezing agent you used, but I assumed it was a magic treated version of liquid oxygen or liquid nitrogen.” 

Kicker stopped mid sip of his drink and placed it on the table as his guest continued.

“You prepare the smaller balloon with about a cup of the freezing agent, then coat it with a magic that creates a solid seal between the inner balloon and the freezing agent. The seal keeps the cold from escaping it, protecting the handler and any substances, such as liquids, from freezing on contact. That balloon is then placed inside the second balloon, which is then filled with about a pint and a half of water. When the trick is ready to be performed, all the handler needs to do is strike it with enough force to break the inner seal. Dropping it on the ground or kicking it would be enough. Once the seal breaks, the inner balloon causes the outer liquid to flash freeze to subzero temperatures so quickly that it freezes solid almost instantly. It would look flawless on stage, but anyone who gets a closer look would be able to tell it’s not a real bowling ball.”

The illusionist smirked and laid his head on his hoof. “I’m impressed, Inspector.”

Sleuth took a larger sip of his coffee, narrowly avoiding burning his tongue in the process. “Of course, the real mystery is why you bothered to use that trick at the heist in the first place. You know I was in the audience during that performance a few nights ago. So why risk tying yourself to the crime?”

“I simply wanted to test your mettle. I had dealt with the same inspector for all my career, so when I heard there was a new one in town, I temporarily came out of retirement. Call it… A challenge on behalf of my protege.”

“And yet, it’s funny how a simple misdirection nearly foiled me in the end. Given how the Facade I saw the first time had a glowing horn, it made me look for a unicorn suspect. I never would have suspected it was a fake. Can I assume it was Bluff that was holding the control for the substation that caused the blackout?”

The first generation thief simply winked. “A good magician never reveals his tricks."

It was just a few seconds afterwards that the door opened again…. And in stepped an officer.

“...Really? You’re dressing as Noncom for this?”

“Uh, just roll with it. My partner is very meticulous about his ways.”

“How meticulous are we talking?”

“He prefers his risks be measured in negative numbers.”

Sleuth was a tad dumbfounded and struggled for a second to think of a follow up, but simply gave up. “Huh. Well, that’s something. I just hope he approved me accompanying you though…”

Adjusting his hat and uniform, the faux officer gestured for Sleuth to stand up. “As long as you keep your investigation off him, you should be fine. Now come my friend, we’re gonna get some drinks.”

“Yeah, two officers, one in uniform, meeting up in the a casino during the busiest hours for a few drinks. Yep, not conspicuous at all,” Sleuth said rolling his eyes.

“It’s so overt, it’s covert,” the dealer-turned-cop retorted. “Don’t worry about trekking through the public, I know a nifty shortcut.”

“What are you t-”





“-alking about?.....”

Sleuth suddenly found himself sitting at one of the bars in the Lucky Lag’s restaurant wing, in front of the counter with his new partner beside him. Not surprisingly, he adopted a very puzzled look on his face.

“Neat shortcut, huh?”

“....Such a strange sequence of events I’ve gotten myself into....”

The particular bar he found himself in wasn’t very packed; not quite empty either, but only populated by about a dozen patrons, some ponies, some not. The other side of the bar table was inhabited by a lone bourbon colored unicorn stallion, his suavely cut mane accented by a few piercings - particularly a lip stud that stuck out like a sore hoof - and clearly too much hair gel. Sleuth could not help but raise an eyebrow at the juxtaposition of the stallion’s face compared to his semi-formal white shirt and black vest.

“Evenin’ officers. Name’s Dyna, call me Dyna. What can I get for y’all?” The bartender said with a smirk.

Bluff…. Noncom rather, scratched his face beneath his left eye. “I’d like to know what’s on the secret menu,” he responded with a wink in his Noncom voice.

Dyna nodded and leaned into whisper distance. “We’ve got a special on bourbon, just three bits for a bottle,” he replied with a wink of his own.

“Sounds like a deal,” Sleuth hesitantly played along, only to be lightly elbowed.

“Oh shoot, I think I lost my wallet somewhere downstairs. Think you can help me find it, partner?”

Sleuth rolled his eyes and shrugged dismissively and stood when prompted to by the stallion beside him. Bluff discreetly led him out of the bar and to a flight of stairs that led to the basement floor. This area wasn’t really much, it was more an area for employees and maintenance than anything else, thus it was fairly empty compared to every place they had been prior. Before long, the tiled halls led them to a door bluntly labeled ‘LOSS PREVENTION’. A simple knock by the casino heir resulted in the door opening, a huge dark gray pegasus standing on the other side.

("Whoa, wouldn’t wanna mess with that guy…") Sleuth thought awkwardly, his inadequacy suddenly creeping up.

“Oh, hey officers,” the stallion said in a deep voice.

“Sorry to bother you, Bell. Just looking for a missing wallet,” Bluff/Noncom acknowledge with a wink.

The stallion nodded and stepped aside to let them in. The security office was well lit and fairly large, one wall made up almost entirely of monitors which certainly were connected to the many cameras that were spread throughout the casino resort. There were at least three ponies keeping tabs on these monitors with another three, dressed in security uniforms, playing cards on the table nearby. Once the original large pony walked away to his little office space in the corner, Bluff pulled Sleuth towards a back area with what appeared to be a janitor’s closet, though it was clearly not the case when it was opened and exposed a small staircase leading further underground.

“That guy was Belltower, he’s our head of security. He may look scary and tough as nails, but he’s a good guy. Just looking out to keep peace,” Bluff winked as he gestured for Sleuth to go down the steps. “Ladies first.”

Once Bluff recovered from the shove, he pulled out a headlamp from his belt and used it to illuminate the way forward. As it turns out, that hidden entrance lead into the sewer tunnel system, with a false wall separating the tunnels from the section leading to the office.

“You certainly weren’t kidding about how lost your wallet is….”

“I know right? Imagine losing it on a frequent basis. Now let’s see. B-3… B-3… B-3… I think that’s to the east….” Bluff had to pause and glance at a pocket map to affirm his thought. “Yep, east. Follow me.”

Sleuth nodded in acknowledgement and followed his guide through the dark, if somewhat smelly tunnels. The route they took was roughly thirteen minutes, along the way observing graffiti on the walls and the occasional trash and rats scattered on the floor.

“Man, I thought spacious sewers were only a thing in the movies…” Sleuth thought out loud as he fought to combat the unpleasant smells.

“Uh huh, sure thing. Now, little bit of warning,” Bluff, clearly not paying attention, suddenly spoke up, his voice echoing through the space. “This guy is…. Different. He may seem strange…. But that’s just because he is.”

“So long as he can clue us in on who set those bombs, he could be sitting in a giant jar of jelly for all I care.”

“Heck, I’m sure he’s actually done that at some point…. Wouldn’t be surprised.”

“...I said I wouldn’t care, so I’m not gonna ask.”





Seated amidst several other ponies, Cherub breathed a sigh of relief as the train left the platform and started picking up speed. In the confusion of the radio station bombing’s aftermath, he figured that it would take weeks of sifting through the rubble to determine whether or not Facade had really perished. It didn’t matter to him, though. The Dynasty had asked him to lay a trap, and that’s exactly what he had done.

Fatigue was starting to set in, and Cherub let himself sink back into his seat. One of the other ponies got up and exited the car, presumably going to the bathroom. 

Cherub had paid his dues to the Dynasty to the best of his ability, and although he couldn’t positively guarantee Facade’s death, he doubted that the thief had survived. Even Cherub was rather impressed at the destruction that his handiwork had unleashed. The police were lucky that so many of them had escaped death. He felt rather sorry that the media had decided to scapegoat the police for a wrong he had inflicted upon them, but couldn’t deny that it would buy him some measure of time.

Another pony stood up and left. Perhaps a friend of theirs was in a different part of the train?

But again, it really didn’t matter. Whether it was the grip of the Dynasty or the law’s reprisal, Cherub was leaving it all behind. His task was complete and soon he would be very far from Las Pegasus, spending the rest of his life in peaceful seclusion. No shady debts, no hounding police officers, nothing but blissful retirement. It pained him that going into such a seclusion made it unlikely that he would see his sister again, but reasoned that she was a very resourceful mare. She could take care of herself just fine.

The sound of a door snapping shut startled Cherub out of his reverie. Another pony had left the train car. Looking around, Cherub discovered that the entire car was now empty save for himself. The minutes went by, and not one of the other ponies showed signs of returning. Cherub felt a prickling along his spine as anxiety began to set in. Something wasn’t right. As much as he tried to assure himself otherwise, the feeling of apprehension simply refused to be shaken.

Cherub gasped as the entire car went black, but was immediately relieved when he soon realized that it had simply entered a tunnel. However the mood was anything but bright when the tunnel had passed.

Not with the lone mare in black sitting across from him.

This mare… The glossy trenchcoat, the trilby hat, the gray coat, the charcoal mane immaculately brushed over one eye, the menacing glare that the other eye shot through him over the newspaper she was reading... Nothing about her gave any indication she was there to have a friendly chat.

“Did you really think we wouldn’t pursue you, Professor Cherub Mannequin?”

The menacing, yet somewhat calm contralto echoed through the train car. That sealed it. He was screwed.

“L-L-La Dama Negra….?”

The mare calmly folded her paper and set it aside before standing and walking over. The white scarf she was wearing over the lower half of her face only further pushed the fear of demise into his soul. Her cold purple eyes continued to shoot daggers into his heart as his life flashed before him.

“W-what do you w-w-want? I finished the job! I did everything they asked!”

“Finished the job? I don’t think so. A certain pigeon is still flying out there somewhere. You had one job, Professor. Think you can shirk your responsibility?”

“H-how do you know he’s out there?! How do you know he’s not dead?!”

At this point, the mare grabbed his shirt collar and lifted him out of the seat and several inches off the floor. “Do you take me for a fool?”

“N-no, never! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that! Please don’t hurt me, please!” the professor replied in an attempt to appease his inevitable assassin.

“We have eyes and ears all over the province. And many arms too. The target is alive. And you’ll be the one to eliminate him. But if you insist on abandoning the family in our time of need, I’m sure your little sister could work to pay off your debt.”

Cherub’s eyes shot open. Oh how he despised the Dynasty for playing the one dirty card in the deck.

“NO! I-I mean, no, please! I’ll do it, j-just…. Don’t hurt her. I beg of you!”

“Good.” The mare let go of his collar, dropping him back into his seat. “This train is scheduled to make a stop in the next station. You will be changing trains and returning to the city. If you decide to skimp out on that, well…. Let’s just say your sister is going to be getting a new ‘job’. Whether she likes to or not.”

He grimaced and nodded obediently, doing his best to choke back the mixture of fear and anger. He didn’t want to do this job… But he didn’t want leave his only remaining family in the mercy of… the devil’s child himself. For her sake, he must be strong.

“And as for you, Professor. If you fail this time or even think about trying to run further...”

She leaned in and glared right into his soul, yet again.

“You’ll be answering to Santa Muerte.”