//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: "Shai Sideways: Psychic Detective." 
// Story: Shai Sideways In: Murder She Mocked 
// by XombieSlayr 
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Shai Sideways sat in her chair and sipped her coffee, ignoring the browbeaten faces of the two officers trying in vain to stare her down or the buzzing of the florescent lights in the precinct's interrogation room.

"Welp. Here I am again." she thought. This would be the fifth time this month that she had been taken into custody and accused of a crime. First week had been arson, second burglary, third kidnapping, and fourth grand theft.

This weeks flavor of the day was murder, first degree. Two victims, married couple. Of course Shai had known the best friend had done it, and like a responsible citizen called the police and told them exactly where they had to go to find their evidence and where the guilty party had stuffed himself in a miserable attempt to 'lay low.'

And of course, like always, her tip was too good. Obviously, she had to be an accomplice to the murderer; nopony else could have known the things she told them. It was impossible!

"No", she had told them, "It's very possible, for me at least."

"Oh really?" they had asked. "And what makes you so special?"

And she had told them the truth.





"Psychic powers?" asked the mean looking head detective stallion in front of her. "You must think we're stupid."

"Not at all, detective Manners." Shai said plainly. A smile curled onto her lips. "But, the night is young."

"You're honestly expecting us to believe that the reason you were able to tell us the murderer's identity, where the evidence was and even the brand of deodorant the guy wore," the blonde mare detective stopped, as if to think out her next words. "Is because you're psychic?"

Shai nodded. "That's what it says on my card."

The mare detective looked down once more at the black card Shai had given her when they took her in. Shai Sideways: Psychic Detective.

The mare kept looking down at it, as if it held some kind of proof that Shai was lying. But it looked genuine, maybe even more genuine than the precinct's own business cards.

Shai set her coffee down and sighed. "Can I go now? I'm sure I have a ton of cases that need my attention."

Manners slammed a hoof down on the table. "Not until you tell us the truth!" he demanded.

Shai didn't have time to deal with these guys. "Fine," she turned to look the detective right in the eyes, and it all came out.

"Psychic? Bah! Please, as if we haven't heard that one before. This mare's a fraud, no doubt about it."

These were Head Detective Manner's exact words. But he hadn't said them. He had thought them.

And Shai was the only one who could hear them perfectly.

"No doubts, huh?" Shai asked. She scanned through the jumble of thoughts in his head. She smiled. "Then how would I know that two weeks ago, you stole a Saturn bar off of your partner, detective Reese's desk and blamed Judy in the forensics apartment for it?"

Manner's gaped at her. "I...how did-" He looked up, Reese was now looking quite concerned. 

Shai turned and looked at Reese. Her thoughts were better put together, but still as easy to read as the rest. "Or that when you told Reese that Judy had stolen her Saturn bar, Reese decided to steal the Guava Juice from Judy's desk as payback."

Both detectives simply stared at one another, mouths hung open. Manners quickly tried to regain his composure. "That, that doesn't prove anything!" he cried. "You must have glanced at the security cameras in the security room, is all."

Shai rolled her eyes. "Okay, how about this," she closed her eyes, and when she opened them back up, her eyes were as wide as they could possibly go, her pupils swollen to such a size they almost turned her sclera black. Both detectives looked alarmed, before her eyes returned to normal in an instant. She looked over at the door. "In ten seconds, the chief will come in here and ask Manners if he was through with the interrogation yet. He still has the report she needs done by Monday. Don't be late."

Manners looked worried, before he finally burst out laughing. "Oh really?" he laughed. "Wow, I mean I'll hand it to you; you certainly don't hold back with this ploy do you? But, as I thought, you're just a-

At that exact second (about the end of 10 seconds to be exact) Chief Mazra opened the door. "Manners?" she asked, her voice cold and hard.

Manners put on his best butt kissing face. "Yes, ma'am?" he asked eagerly.

"Are you through with this interrogation yet?" 

Manner's breath caught in his throat. "Ugh, I-"

"You still have that report I need done by Monday; don't be late." and she slammed the door.

The blood had drained from Manner's face as he stared at the closed door, mouth agape. Reese had her hooves up to her mouth, utterly stunned, and a little bit horrified.

They both turned to slowly face Shai. 

She only rolled her eyes again, more than a little annoyed. "So...can I go now?"





Shai Sideways smoothed out the creases on her red trench coat, and adjusted the red clip keeping her navy blue bangs out of her eyes. As she made her way down the steps of PPD precinct fourteen, a cold voice called out to her from behind.

"Not so fast, Ms. sideways." Shai turned around already knowing it was Chief Mazra. "I'm Mazra, chief of police of the PPD and precinct fourteen."

"Nice to meet you." said Shai. 

"I heard about what you did in there."

"Yes. Your welcome." Shai turned to leave.

"That wasn't the phrase I was going to use." Shai turned back around. Mazra wasn't smiling. "I was going to say improbable; possible...yet unlikely."

Shai looked at her. "Is it okay that I'm still taking this as a compliment?" she asked.

Mazra actually smiled at that. "I pulled your file," she said. "Top of your class at the Royal Canterlot University. You practically ran the criminal justice program; seven masters and graduation with honors. Very impressive."

Shai looked confused. "You're still complimenting me right?" 

"And then there's your work as a detective," Mazra said ignoring her once more. "Perfect case record; not a single unsolved case under your belt. No complaints. They all say you're the best."

"They're right." said Shai. "Forgive me, is this going anywhere, Chief Mazra?"

Mazra gave Shai a long hard look before answering. "Are you familiar with the Maxentier family?"

Shai nodded. "Of course, they're the second richest family in Ponyville next to the Riches. Why?"

"There's been a kidnapping. The Gilded Griffin over in Manehatten."

"I've already been falsely accused of kidnapping this month, Chief Mazra." said Shai. "Can it wait till next month?"

Mazra shook her head. "Actually," she smiled again. "I would like you to help us with it."