EQD Batpony Writeoff results.

The crescent moon hung over the Manehattan office like a guillotine, just waiting for that fatal drop. Didn't both me in the slightest; in fact, it was nice. Reminded me that there was somepony keeping her eyes on me. Keeps a corpse warm at night.

It wasn't my office; belonged to some poor sap who'd been on the wrong side of another sap when it came down on his skull. The Royals had already cleaned the mess up. Too bad they didn't have the eyes for evidence that I did.

I pulled the manila folder out from under the squeaky floorboard, lit up a cigarette, and fell back in the other pony's chair. Tall back, faux-leather. Adequate. The glow from my smoke was enough for my eyes to read by.

Loyal Liar,
Congratulations! After all the votes were compiled, your story I, Witness won third place in the Equestria Daily Batpony writeoff.

What? Really? I... honestly, I'm flattered. I know the voting is anonymous, but if you can post it or something, I'd love to tell all the voters 'Thank you!'

"Find anything?" asked a fine voice from the doorway. I didn't look up; didn't need to. I knew my partner well enough.

"Yeah, Witness. Somepony else is in this mess too. You get the name for the office?"

She slunk forward, still unused to the secret strength in her cold legs. "Somepony named 'Poor Sap'. Why?"

I smiled, just enough to show my fangs. "We've got a name," I told her, tossing her the paper. "And a real easy lead. Let's see if this 'Loyal Liar' is hard to track down."

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[The 24th Pegasus]

I recline in my chair as my associate hands his files to me. The signs of a struggle are still present in his mane and coat; blood, dirt, dust, and grime. A bruise on one of his shoulders. Apparently the job wasn't as clean as I had hoped.

"Thank you, L," I say to him as I run a hoof through my pure white cat's fur. "This is exactly what we needed to draw Chocolate Malt out into the open."

"Are you sure it will work?" he asks, concern filling his voice. I have no need to guess why; after all, this stallion had just brushed coats with two kinds of dead in the same day and lived.

"Oh, quite positive. An experienced detective such as he will be unable to resist an actual challenge for once." The cat meows, and a ghost of a smile raises the corners of my mouth, even as the rest of my face lies obscured in shadow. Reaching forward with a wing, I offer my associate a series of letters, signed and sealed.

He takes them with a hoof and looks at them, noting the Equestrian stamps on the envelopes. "What do you want me to do with these?" he asks as he tucks them in a pocket in his trench coat.

"Put them in the mailbox at Station Center in Canterlot," I respond. "Do it in the broad of day; the thestrals aren't out then."

He stares at the letters even more quizzically. "But the Guard will read these letters. You know that."

I wave it off with a hoof. "A fake address is something easy enough to forge. Beside, I want them to read them." I steeple my hooves and turn around, my teeth surely glistening in the dim light of the hazy office. "After all, how else are they going to know that Twenty-Four is after them?"