//------------------------------// // Five: The Case of the Stone Ponies, Part 1 // Story: A Haunting in Canterlot // by Mr Movie Magic //------------------------------// Manehattan, 0800 hours. Beneath the Hay's Pizza restaurant, Bon Bon and Lyra walked through the large, cold chrome room of the Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria hidequarters. Their boss, Agent Furlong, had called them in to discuss the recent string of petrifications in Canterlot and Ponyville. The agency seemed particularly busy today. The black-suited ponies hurried back and forth from desk to desk, reports in mouth, like an army of ants at a picnic. The agency's motto, proudly displayed on the back wall and large enough to be seen no matter where you stood, was a haunting reminder that "We're everywhere and we're nowhere." The two mares met Agent Furlong in the conference room where he was to assign them their next mission. "Agents, I've got a new assignment for you," Agent Furlong notified. "There've been several cases of ponies turned to stone in Canterlot. We don't know who or what is behind this, but we can't let it go any further." His horn began to glow with a purple aura as he magically set a file folder containing the incident reports before Lyra and Bon Bon. Bon Bon opened the folder and carefully studied the reports inside. "Do you think this has anything to do with the incident in Ponyville?" Lyra asked as she looked at the reports. "Said incident was reported in Ponyville, but the crime scene is in the Everfree Forest," Agent Furlong corrected as he wiped the frozen hot cocoa mustache from his mouth. "And yes. We have every reason to believe that both cases are related." "Sir," Bon Bon started, her eyes fixed on the reports. "No known pony has glowing red eyes. No known centaurs. It certainly isn't a cockatrice for the suspect has been described to be of pony height and body type." She looked up at her boss. "Through process of elimination, I deduce we have a full-fledged monster on our hooves." Agent Furlong puffed with pride. "Well, Agent Drops-" Sweetie Drops is Bon Bon's actual name "-you certainly have moxie, which is why I'm assigning you and Agent Heartstrings this mission. You've proven yourselves a formidable team on your last mission. So now, you two will go to Canterlot undercover to gather intelligence on whatever this Phantom thing is. Report back to me your findings. I'm counting on you two. Don't let me down." "We won't, sir," said Bon Bon. "Good luck, agents. There's the door." Agent Sweetie Drops and Agent Heartstrings gathered their effects, strapped on their hoofpacks, and, disguised in attire befitting the Canterlot Elite, took the first train to Equestria's capitol city. The Friendship Express, en route to Canterlot, 0930 hours. The two undercover friends made lively conversation with each other during their train ride. They remained in character, blending in with the other ponies. "It'll be nice going back to Canterlot," said Lyra. "It's been a while since I've been there." She rested her chin on her hoof and cast her eyes out the window toward the tall mountain standing at the center of Equestria with the Princesses' castle perched on the cliff face. "I'm a Canterlot girl." Bon Bon reminded, "Don't forget, we're only in Canterlot as part of..." she continued more discretely, "our you-know-what." "I know that. We're a couple of very important ponies. We've got a job to do. Canterlot, maybe even all of Equestria, is counting on us." "I'm sorry. Please don't think that I don't have faith in you. This, er, job has me a little nervous." "You? Nervous?" Lyra was surprised to hear that her tough-as-nails, can-do friend would be nervous. "We've never had a 'client' like this before," Bon Bon explained in code. "What if we get more than we bargained for?" "Well if he drives a hard bargain, I suppose we'll have to take our business elsewhere. I'm sure it'll put a 'F.R.OW.N.' on his face." Lyra gave Bon Bon a wink, referring to the Friendship Ranger Organization of Worldwide Neighgotiations (a.k.a. Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie). Bon Bon smiled. "You're right. What would I do without you?" "This is what friends do," said Lyra. "We're in this together." The two mares' eyes met. The Fire of Friendship burned within them, giving them the courage to face whatever challenge lay ahead. "Next stop, Canterlot Station," announced All Aboard as he walked down the aisle of the passenger car. Canterlot, 1000 hours. When the Friendship Express rolled into the station, Bon Bon and Lyra disembarked, collected their luggage, and set out for where they'd be staying. There was no doubt the city was anticipating Coloratura's premier. The two undercover agents walked streets with places of business whose windows displayed tour posters, lamp posts with streamers and little flags, and even the amphitheater where the concert will be held. When they arrived and checked in at their residence, they unpacked, made sure that the windows and doors were locked, closed the blinds, and analyzed the incident reports. "One manticore and one Unicorn petrified in the Everfree Forest," noted Bon Bon. "Intelligence gathered by the agency suggests that our suspect is a pony based on hoof print size and shape." "Here in Canterlot, music producer and manager Show Biz was turned to stone along with several ponies from the Equestria Daily Inquirer," Lyra observed. Bon Bon studied the reports. "The Everfree Forest incident happened at night. By the time a report was made on Show Biz and the newspaper staff, it was almost noon." "Could our suspect be only active at night?" Lyra asked. "It's hard to say," answered Bon Bon. "Going by the Everfree Forest incident, yes. As for the incident here, reports weren't made right away. It could have happened before or after sunrise." "Hold on. If yesterday's papers were already sent out, then the ponies would have been turned to stone in the morning. The sun would have already been out." "Good point, Lyra. We'll need to find out. This information will help us determine if the suspect is active at night, during the day, or if hour is of no importance." Lyra and Bon Bon secured the reports and hit the streets of Canterlot. Spotting a couple out for a stroll, Lyra, in true Canterlot fashion, casually approached them. "Excuse me," she began. "I don't mean to trouble you, but would you be so kind as to tell me what yesterday's headline was in the Equestria Daily Inquirer?" "Oh, why certainly," responded Fancy Pants. "The headline spoke of Coloratura and her former manager, Svengallop. An atrocious article if I do say so myself." "Very distasteful," commented Fleur de Lis as she flipped her mane. "I refuse to believe a single word of it. Coloratura is a sweet young filly and doesn't deserve such rubbish." "Are you going to her new concert?" Lyra asked. Bon Bon nudged Lyra on her shoulder. The look on her face said, What are you doing? We've got our answer. Let's go. "Indeed, I am," replied the most important pony in Canterlot with enthusiasm. "Fleur de Lis and myself will be attending with some close, personal acquaintances. What about you, young filly?" Before Lyra could answer, Bon Bon interjected, "Would you look at the time? We really should be going. Thank you for your time, sir. Good bye." Bon Bon nudged Lyra to start walking. "Perhaps I'll see you at the concert?" Fancy Pants called out. "Perhaps you will," Bon Bon answered for Lyra. Canterlot, Undisclosed Location, 1200 hours. Bon Bon and Lyra returned to their room with knowledge that the Phantom had been active in both the light of day and the dark of night. They reported their findings to Agent Furlong and went out to have lunch. Canterlot, 2000 hours. Lyra and Bon Bon had been out on the town, trying to find any evidence that would point them to who or what the Phantom is, but they hadn't much luck. They took one last walk. "You know, Bon Bon," Lyra began, "a case like this is very familiar to me." "How so?" questioned Bon Bon. "I read a book once called The Peculiar Perusal of the Petrified Ponies. In it, this strange pony named Spring-Hoofed Jack, a mischief-maker who was the terror of Canterlot, could turn ponies to stone just by staring into their eyes. Plus, he had glowing red eyes, just like our suspect." Bon Bon stopped in her tracks. "Lyra, let me stop you there." "What's wrong?" "Please tell me that you're in no way implying that Spring-Hoofed Jack is behind all this." "I'm not saying he is, Bon Bon. I'm just saying he could be a possible suspect. We need to consider all possibilities." "I know that, Lyra, but characters from bit novels and pony dreadfuls don't count as possibilities." "But you're always saying, 'Investigate everything,' and 'Consider all possibilities.' We don't know who or what this thing is. It very well could be Spring-Hoofed Jack." Bon Bon thought for a moment. She knew that Lyra was right about considering all possibilities, even if they do seem far-fetched. "Lyra," Bon Bon started, "I really don't think that somepony from a little foals' bedtime story is the culprit, but seeing as there is no evidence to suggest otherwise, I must accept it as an option." A terrified scream pierced the night. The two agents hurried as quickly as they could to find the pony in distress. On a dark street corner, they found a petrified stallion and a mare crying beside him. "Are you okay?" Bon Bon asked. "I-I'm fine," the mare answered, tears pouring from her eyes. "But just look what that beast has done to my husband." "Where did it go?" inquired Bon Bon. "It ran off that way," the mare pointed in the direction. Bon Bon turned to her partner, "Lyra, stay with her. I'll go after the perp. If it comes back, you know what to do." "Okay, Bon Bon," Lyra replied. "Be careful." Bon Bon nodded and hurried after the Phantom. As she gave chase, she came upon another pony turned to stone. Ahead, two more ponies, among them the Constable. Bon Bon knew by this grim sight that she was going the right way. She also knew that perhaps she and Lyra were getting more than they bargained for. She took out her communicator watch and activated it. "Agent Furlong, this is Agent Drops. Do you copy? Over." The Chief's voice came through the communicator watch, "Agent Drops, this is Agent Furlong. I copy. Over." "Agent Furlong, I'm in pursuit of our suspect. Agent Heartstrings is tending to the victims. I'm concerned the two of us won't be enough to handle this case. I'm requesting backup. Over." "I can't believe I'm hearing this from you. You're one of my top agents. I'll send Agent Bravo post haste. Over." "Ten-four. Thank you, Agent Furlong. Over and out." Bon Bon stopped to catch her breath. There was nopony around. She had lost the Phantom's trail. Making her way back to help Lyra, she found a pair of glasses on the ground. They appeared to be in good condition with the exception of a cracked lens. Could this be a clue? Canterlot, Undisclosed Location, 0700 hours. The next morning, Lyra and Bon Bon brought Agent Bravo up to speed on the Canterlot incidents. "This Phantom is the haunting of Canterlot," said Lyra. "Two days ago, five ponies were found petrified at the Equestria Daily Inquirer office. Last night, four more ponies were turned to stone." "Interesting," Agent Bravo said in his usual stern tone. "Very interesting indeed." "I went in pursuit," said Bon Bon, "but the trail went cold." She showed Agent Bravo a sealed plastic bag with the broken glasses inside. "These were all I could find after coming the trail. It could be a clue." "Hmmm. Could be a clue," Agent Bravo said, examining the glasses. "It could very well be a clue." "The eye witness report from Ponyville describes the suspect as a pony, or something with a pony body type," Lyra explained. "However, I spoke with a mare last night whose husband was turned to stone and she said it was a cockatrice." "Call them together. We'll call the witnesses together and see how their stories line up."