//------------------------------// // Epilogue // Story: Equestria Noir Case 1 "The Big Macintosh Case" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Case 1 Epilogue The Police put Mandarin inside the police carriage. He went out with the look of a defeated man. He thought his crime was perfect but he underestimated how far I was willing to push. The rain fell on my fedora and I would be drenched eventually. I didn’t care though, the case was over with and I could relax a little. Twilight stood beside me as the carriage was taken away with Mandarin inside. She looked at me. “What’s going to happen to him now?” she asked. “Well, he’s looking at banishment not just for murder but also for trying to frame Big Macintosh” I said solemnly “He’s not going to be seeing Equestria again anytime soon” Twilight blinked then nodded “Well so long as this whole mess is wrapped up” “Yeah, I’d say we can call this case closed” I said as I began to trot away. “Where are you going?” Twilight said, one of her eyebrows raised. “My apartment, I gotta put away my case notes” I said “Aren’t you going to stay at Ponyville? I thought...no, you have no reason to stay there anymore” Was it just me...or did Twilight sound like she wanted me to stay in Hic-I mean Ponyville? “I’ll come and visit once in a while Twilight. Who knows? Maybe a case will take me back to Ponyville” I said trying to lift the mood despite the pouring rain. Twilight and I walked back to my apartment. Spike caught up with us talking with Twilight about how awesome the SWAT ponies were. I stopped dead at my door. All my stuff was sitting in the rain...and an eviction notice was on the door. I spent all my time on the case I completely forgot about all that unpaid rent. I seethed with building rage at myself and the landstallion. I looked at Twilight “Cover....Spike’s...ears....” I said through clenched teeth. Twilight did so quickly. I looked at the sky and shouted “F********************-!!!!!!” ___________________________ “Not even a letter of warning or nothing! Right before I get paid for this dang case to! It’s as if the case was just a wild conspiracy to get me out of my apartment!!” I ranted as I dragged my crap with my magic. “I’m sorry Private, had I known you were in that much trouble financially...” Twilight said lifting some of my stuff with her magic as well. “It’s not your fault Twilight. I should’ve made sure to pay the bills before I took the case. It’s my fault you and I are lugging all this crap in the pouring rain. Let’s get out of this downpour before we catch a cold” We stepped down into a subway station to get out of the rain. I shook myself to get the water out of my coat and mane. Twilight and Spike did the same. Twilight set my stuff down and I did the same. We sat on a bench together Spike sitting on a suitcase with my stuff. For some reason he looked a little, queasy. Twilight looked at me. “If you need a place to stay I got a spare room at the library” “Thanks for the offer Twilight but I wouldn’t want to impose” “Think of it as thanks for helping get Big Mac out of jail” “He should be out soon actually, my old boss sent the letter to the detention center this morning” “That’s good to hear, Applejack will be glad he’s back” I looked at Spike who was holding his stomach like he was about to throw up “Spike, you okay? Did you eat something bad?” Suddenly Spike belched fire. I ducked to avoid the flame and it singed my fedora a little. A scroll fell into my lap. Twilight raised an eyebrow “A letter from Princess Celestia?” I looked at Twilight not amused at all “Maybe she should look for a safer means of delivering her mail” I used my magic to levitate water to douse my fedora. Spike took the scroll in hand, cleared his throat and began to read it aloud. Dear Private Eye, I cannot thank you enough for all you’ve done for Ponyville. You handled the case with not just good logic and deducing but honor and integrity as well. Qualities I wish for you to share with all the ponies of Ponyville. I’ve made arrangements for you to have an office set up in Ponyville. All expenses will be paid and all I ask is for you to keep solving cases like you did this one. I’ve also decided to assign Twilight as your assistant in solving these cases. She’s a good student and working with you on these cases will help her learn how to apply the knowledge she’s gained. Take good care of her and I look forward to hearing about the rest of your cases. Sincerely, Princess Celestia Spike closed the scroll and my jaw was on the floor. Here was Princess Celestia, absolute monarch of all of Equestria and she wanted to give me an office, in Ponyville of all places. I couldn’t help but question her motives. But hey, I wasn’t about to argue against getting an office for free. Twilight closed my mouth and smiled “I guess we’ll be working together from now on” “Yeah, I guess we are” I said still reeling over what Spike had just read. Spike looked at me excitedly “So does this mean we’re detectives now!?” “Not officially, though I might need your help on a case Spike” “You can count on me!” Spike said proudly “I’m the number 1 assistant to your assistant after all!” Twilight looked at the scroll puzzled “Still...I wonder why Celestia would give you special attention. She doesn't do these things like this for just anypony...” I nodded “We’ll figure out her motives later, I gotta go make a call, you guys go on ahead. I’ll meet you at the train station later” Twilight nodded and picked up her share of my crap “Alright, come on Spike” She walked out of the subway station on her way to the train station. I stepped into a phone booth and put in a bit to use the phone. After two rings Nurse Jubilee answered “This is the hospital, how can I help you?” “Helloo Nurse!” I said and got a giggle on from the receiver. “You flatter, what can I do for you Private?” I told her about all that’s happened and she took it pretty well. “So I need you to look after Tailspin for a little while longer until I get settled” I said “We’ll take care of him Private don’t worry. About your hospital bills...” “I told you before Jubilee, no price is too high as far as my brother is concerned” “That’s the thing; somepony has already paid the bill in full” I didn’t have any rich relatives I was close to or that would be willing to pay for him. Tailspin’s bills weren’t cheap. “Who paid them?” “Somepony named Larksong” I didn’t say anything for a long time. Larksong paid them? I know she liked Tailspin when we were together but that was before all hell broke loose. “Did she say why she paid them?” “Nope, just slapped a check on my desk and said ‘this goes to Tailspin’ and left. Is she a friend of yours Private?” “Was, she was a friend of mine. Thanks for looking out for Tailspin Jubilee” I said smiling a little. “Anytime Private, all the nurses love Tailspin and we aren’t about to let him starve on the streets” That was Tailspin alright, that brother of mine could get any mare wrapped around his hoof. Probably the main reason he’s managed to stay in the hospital for so long. “Thanks, good night” I hung up the phone after she said goodbye. I looked up as the rain touched my muzzle. Larksong...like the rain you are always present...but I will never understand you. _____________________________________________ I arrived back at Ponyville about two days later. I managed to get what I needed from my (now vacant) office. I had enough bits left over from my pay from the case to pay for train tickets and luggage fees. I arrived at Ponyville to a small fanfare courtesy of a small party wagon set out on the train stop. Pinkie Pie leaped to my side as I got off the train. “Oh Private! I’m so glad you get to stay in Ponyville! I’ve never been this happy since, well, ever!!!” I smiled at her; I couldn’t help but do so with this pink ball of energy. “Thanks Pinkie, it’s certainly going to be an interesting time” “I can’t wait for you to meet all my friends! There’s Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Derpy, Octavia, Vinyl Scratch, and all sorts of Ponies I want you to meet!” “Maybe after I get settled Pinkie, I got an office to check out” “Okey Dokey! I’ll see ya later Private!” She hopped off taking her party wagon with her. I smiled as I watched her hop away. That pony could make even the crankiest of ponies smile. I walked to the library and was greeted by an enthusiastic Spike and a smiling Twilight. Twilight walked up to me “I got the address for the new office. It’s in one of the old offices that the city council used to use. I’ll take you to it” Spike leaped onto Twilight’s back and we started to trot into town. I was given looks by all the ponies there. Instead of the looks of fear and worry I got earlier I got looks of relief and hope. Like I was some kind of pony who was going to come and make things better. In a way I was, but I didn’t much like the attention, couldn’t do my job with everypony hounding me for an autograph or some means of expressing thanks for clearing up the mess in town. We walked to an older looking building with a sign hanging above door. Private Eye Detective Agency “Solving crimes in the blink of an Eye!” I facehoofed. Why did Celestia have to keep that stupid pun? Twilight held the door open for me and I stepped in. The office was spacious with two desks in it. One was in front of a window with a good view behind it of the town square. The other was a smaller desk with a set of file cabinets next to it. I can only guess that was Twilight’s desk and the one by the window was mine. The room also had a chemistry set for anything a detective could possibly need. A small computer sat by itself on Twilight’s desk as well, the newest model from Berry. A bookshelf was by the door filled with all sorts of books a crime solver could use. There was also a small coach on one side of the room. I looked around taking it all in. “When she said all expenses would be paid I didn’t expect her to fully equip me” Twilight looked at me as Spike dismounted her to look around at the new room. “Sometimes even I don’t understand the princess at all. But it’s great she’s willing to do this for you” I noticed a small basket on my desk right then. I trotted up to it. It was filled with apple sweets: apple pies, apple tarts, apple fritters. I didn’t even have to look at the card to guess where they came from. I looked at the card on the basket anyways. Just a lil thank you for helping mah family. Big Mac is going to be released tommahra and I’m so happy ya managed to help us. I would never have suspected somepony from my family would do something so dishonest. Anyways, here’s a little somethin to get some meat on those skinny bones of yers. Applejack I wasn’t that skinny! I just didn’t eat like I should. I shook my head and set the card down. Twilight was already hard at work organizing everything. I was tempted to knock over the bookshelf with my magic just to mess with her. I leaned back in my office chair and looked out the window. Watching the Ponies go about their daily business again gave me some form of peace. I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the start of an interesting time of my life.