//------------------------------// // Lost Time/Investigation: Part Three // Story: Circumstantial Evidence // by Mad Hatter //------------------------------// *Beep* *beep* beep* The Ponyville General's machines kept a rhythmic time attached to the unconscious form of Sun Shower. Blaze kept watch most of the day, stepping out for a quick lunch, and more importantly, to send a letter to Canterlot regarding the events and deliver the sample to the library. "We're not sure what caused it yet, but it appears that her system went into 'overdrive' if you will. Extreme excitement, followed by a massive drop in blood pressure. The loss of consciousness was her body's reflex from the resulting crash to prevent additional damage. Unusual, the rare cases we get of this are almost entirely overdoses. Obviously I can't tell you who the others were, you know patient confidentiality. She isn't known for this though." "Estimated time of waking?" Blaze asked in a tone that hid the majority, but not all, of his trepidations. "Unknown." the pale gray nurse replied professionally. "This one shouldn't be permanent, but it could be weeks. Expecting a few days." "I've heard that ponies can hear in this state, and familiar sounds can help. Is that true?" "It's not a guarantee, but it's commonly considered a comforting influence, and will help on occasion." Blaze gave a smirk that unnerved the nurse a bit. "I'll be back in an hour. Keep ponies with sensitive ears away." With that, he was gone before the nurse could ask precisely why. Weights, not now. They have tea in the hospital. Here we are! Blaze balanced the record player on his back, and grabbed a random record in his mouth, heading back to the hospital. He began to set up the player next to the bed, cone pointed at Sun. The nurse trotted in just as he was finishing. "Ah, of course. Many families have brought in music. But that doesn't explain why you said not to let any ponies with sensitive ears near." Blaze chided himself a bit for implementing such a rather unprofessional act, but wrote it off to a necessity. He smiled at the nurse. "You do now." The needle hit the record. Whoooah, come on! Close the city and tell the ponies that Something is coming to crawl Death and darkness are rushing forward to Take a bite from the wall, oh You've nothing to say They're breakin' away. If you listen to foals, the mob rules The mob rules Kill the spirit, you'll be blinded, the end is always the same Play with fire, you burn your hooves and "What the hay are you doing!?" Nurse Redheart practically shrieked as she ran into the room, taking a stance next to the nurse. "Wakin' me up, what did you think he was gonna do?" Sun gave a weary smirk to the shock of the medics, but not to the guard. "Let's get outta here, we need to find what Twilight's found on that powder and we lost too much time as it is." The hospital protested the unusual event, but the word of a royal guard was not to be questioned. They grudgingly signed the paperwork and allowed them to leave, along with a few other release forms that essentially entitled them to amnesty if Sun drops dead. Blaze noted this to Sun, who was mindlessly hoofwriting her signature on each page in turn. "Trust me." was all she said, and from what Blaze had heard from the firehouse's other members, this was to be believed. After stopping just long enough to drop off the record player, they cantered to the library-tree. Spike answered the door, to nopony's surprise. "Can I help y.... A royal Canterlot guard? Twilight!" he yelled. "Oh, uh, come on in." A lavender young mare trotted down the stairs. "I'm in the middle of some important research Spike, what do... Oh. Hello again Mr. Fire, Ms. Shower. Honestly I expected you a little earlier, but I'm almost done. Follow me please." "Earlier? Blaze, how long was I out?" "About a day and a half Sun." "WHAT?" "With Blaze escorting you, I presume this is timely business." "Yeah, I got about 3 days, if that, to prove I didn't kill nopony." Twilight displayed a rare image for a moment: Confusion. "But doesn't Canterlot law give more advanced notice for court dates?" she queried. "Usually yeah, but this son-of-a-diamond-dog was messi-" Blaze cut her off. "Ms. Sun, regardless of opinions or other matters, that is not to be discusses as such." "Whaddaya mean?" Blaze thought for a moment. "Consider it a separate trial. We are not to influence the public in these matters while said trial is ongoing." Sun was nonplussed. "Fine." Turning back to Twilight "Anyway, I have time now instead of before. I gotta know what's in that dust." "Oh yes, the particulate matter you brought to my attention! Follow me please." she noted, back to her usual analytical self as soon as research was mentioned. The trio trotted to a basement laboratory where beakers and samples of various materials were laid out in sections according to types, and then according to alphabetizing per the periodic tables. Twilight approached one of the tables, and drew a paper closer with a hoof before focusing on the writing. "This substance is natural, though refined via means I don't personally know right now. It was done organically, and doesn't bear any traces of artificial ingredients or other tampering or the base product. It's composed of 98.5% coffee, and 1.5% cocoa, both refined to the highest degree of their functional chemicals." Sun blinked. "Say that in Equestrian." "Coffee and chocolate, turned into almost-pure caffeine. Dangerously strong." she explained again, with slight annoyance at having to re-word it in such a way. "It also explains your temporary coma. Anypony who isn't inured to this level would experience extreme agitation, followed by nigh-immediate slowing of functions at it's zenith." Sun raised an eyebrow. Twilight sighed and translated. "You went hyper, then 'crashed'. Hard." Sun nodded. "Makes sense. So what does it all mean?" Twilight paced a bit as she read the last of the sheet, now suspended in front of her in her trademark-hued glow. "Everything here would leave traces of artificiality. The only... of course! We need to see Zecora. She would probably know how to do this naturally." She looks at a clock on the wall. "But it's so late now. We can go tomorrow." Sun double-checked the clock Twilight just looked at, followed by sinking spirits. "Yeah, it is that late. We'll be here first thing in the morning, this needs to be done fast."