//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 "Life Itself" // Story: Equestria Noir Case 5 "Bonds of Madness" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Chapter 6 “Life itself” I bucked open the door to the clinic and raised my gun at the empty room. The office was dusty and equipment was strewn along the floor. Twilight followed me inside taking in the whole thing. Spike looked around “Abortion is illegal in Equestria, what’s a clinic doing here?” I spoke solemnly “Back when I was on the force we busted several clinics just like this one. Mostly the upper crust did it to create designer fillies” Twilight began walking around the office when Spike looked at me “Designer Fillies?” “It was a common practice during the age of the Alicorns. Ponies would use magic to alter a newborn foal on the most basic genetic level” I lifted up an old advertisement for the clinic that was left on the floor. “When Celestia came to power she banned the practice and for good reason. There was a large amount of risk with the entire process, magic is a powerful force but any number of things can go wrong” Spike looked around nervously “And the foals that don’t meet expectations?” I gestured to a nearby room, where the acts were performed. “They are erased like a bad memory…” Spike held his tail and a tear came to his eye “That’s horrible; I can’t believe somepony would kill their own foal” “They aren’t told it’s a foal of course. The ponies here probably told the mothers that their foal was a load of tissue” I shook my head angrily “It’s sick, foals aren’t simply loads of tissue, from the moment they are conceived they are alive” Spike put a claw on my shoulder “This really affects you huh?” I nodded somberly “When Tailspin was born, one of the doctors asked if I wanted to…put him down” “Because of his wings?” Spike said looking at me with his green eyes. “Yeah, I couldn’t do it though, Tailspin was all I had. I wasn’t going to have him treated like some kind of inconvenience that could just be snuffed away” “Private I think I found something!” I heard Twilight’s voice come from the office. I entered to find Twilight poured over some kind of folder. “I was looking over the records of this place; all the mares that came here had to sign a confidentiality agreement to keep this place a secret from the police” “That’s common” I said knowingly “Did you find out who ran the place?” Twilight shook her head “No, but I did find something interesting, the last patient didn’t sign the agreement. She didn’t go through with the abortion” Spike spoke up “That’s probably why they abandoned the place. They were afraid she would blab to the police” “Who was the patient?” I asked looking at the folder Twilight was levitating. Twilight’s violet eyes looked to the folder and scanned the contents “Listed as a…Derpy Hooves?!” I gaped at this “That can’t be our Derpy can it?!” Spike spoke up “It could be a fake name, used to make sure she couldn’t be connected to the clinic” Twilight shook her lavender head “I’m pretty sure it’s Ditzy, I recognize her signature from when she made her library card a few months ago” It was starting to come together now. I opened my grey eyes and spoke “I know why our killer killed Cardinal…” Both of my companions looked at me wide eyed. Twilight spoke up “What do you mean?” “Twilight, look in the doctor’s office right now” Twilight nodded and ran into the doctor’s office. She came back with another folder and a small picture frame. “You won’t believe this! Look at his picture!” Spike and I looked at the picture. It was an old black and white photo but I recognized Dawnbird’s cutie mark as she was depicted in the picture. Alongside her were two unicorn ponies. They were her mother and father; I noticed her father was wearing a lab coat. “Dawnbird’s mother and father ran the clinic jointly. I guess death was a family business” Twilight said holding up the photograph “But what does this have to do with Cardinal’s death?” I smiled and spoke loudly “Why don’t you tell us yourself Glimmer?” Both Spike and Twilight looked behind me as a violet pony came out of the shadows. She was significantly older than she was in the photograph. This was Dawnbird’s mother, she grinned smugly upon seeing me. “I’m surprised you figured it all out Detective” I turned around and raised my revolver “I know all about your little scheme” She smirked her violet eyes betraying an aura of evil. “And what prey tell was my little scheme?” “To put it simply, revenge” I said keeping my gun trained on her “You wanted to get rid of the one link left in this place. Only you didn’t want the blood on your hooves. You spread that olive oil all over the well because you knew Dawnbird would accidentally push Cardinal over” “And why would I kill my own grandfilly?” “Because she had dyslexia” I said simply. I could see the mare standing before me get an eye twitch at that. “Cardinal was suffering from a mental condition and Dawnbird couldn’t get help for her. Because you convinced her that to admit that something was wrong with Cardinal is a great sin in itself” She glared at me but didn’t say anything to that. “But Cardinal wasn’t meant to be the only victim. You used Dawnbird’s fear of your wrath to convince her to pin the blame on somepony else. The filly that ruined your entire operation” “You speak of that thing!” Glimmer said with enough venom to kill a bear. Twilight retorted “How dare you call Dinky a thing!” I held up a leg to calm Twilight down. I held my gaze on Glimmer. “You knew Dawnbird would try to kill or frame Dinky for the death of Cardinal. Your daughter who failed to deliver you a grandfilly would go to prison. Dinky would end up dead and her mother on the verge of suicide. You would get out Scott free” Glimmer looked at me her violet eyes alight with fury “That mongrel ruined everything! I and my husband started this business for one reason and one reason only! That was to make sure that all the trash that plagued the pony race would be taken out!” “So you had Cardinal killed?” “Of course I did!” She growled “That stupid daughter of mine was perfect until that worthless daughter of hers came out! The stupid bitch couldn’t give birth to a proper daughter if she tried!” “You’re sick Glimmer” I said my own voice betraying my fury “Life is a precious gift, you’re coming with me you sick twisted witch!” Glimmer’s fury subsided and she returned to her smug self “Who would believe you? Nopony even knows this place even exists! You can’t prove I did it based on just some olive oil on the well!” I smirked “Thank you for speaking your mind” “What!?” I opened my trench coat to reveal a bug on the inside. I’ve been recording this whole conversation. I smiled smugly “You’ve just confessed your sins Glimmer. You have nowhere to go” Glimmer’s jaw dropped then she smirked “Now there’s nothing holding me back from taking care of the little thing myself” Her horn glowed a faint blue. Spike leaped to try and tackle her but Glimmer teleported away just before Spike could grab her. He punched the ground in frustration. “She could be anywhere now!” Twilight lifted her muzzle into the air “Do you guys smell something?” I sniffed the air and my eyes grew wide “Gas! Twilight get us out of here!” Spike and I grabbed onto Twilight as her horn glowed. In the split of an instant we left the clinic behind and were outside the cave. We turned around and heard an explosion come from inside the cave. Twilight let out a breath “That was too close” I started running off and my two companions followed me “Glimmer won’t stop at this! She’s going after Dinky!” ________________________________________ We were too late. We arrived at Ditzy and Dinky’s house and we found Dash and AJ on the ground. I noticed that two small cups were on the floor. I sniffed the cups and kicked them in frustration “Glimmer drugged them!” Spike returned from his run of the house “I’ve looked everywhere! I can’t find Dinky anywhere! I found Ditzy passed out in her bedroom. I also found this next to her!” He handed me a small note and I grabbed it with my teeth and set it down on the floor to read it. My eyes grew wide at the message. If you want her Come and get her at 1889 Dark Street I looked at Twilight and handed her my recorder. “Take this to the police and tell them I sent you! I want a perimeter around the entire town! Nopony gets in or out!” Twilight looked back at me as I was about to walk out “You’re going after her aren’t you?” I nodded “I have to stop Glimmer before she can hurt anypony else” I felt Twilight’s muzzle brush against my neck. I looked at her beautiful violet eyes. They were laced with pleading “Be careful Private, I don’t want to lose you twice” "You won't...I promise" I gently nuzzled her back and started to walk out. I knew this was a trap, but Glimmer was going to hurt her bait if I didn’t spring it first. I ran with as much speed as my legs could give me. I had to hurry, Dinky was counting on me. ________________________________________ It was long dark when I arrived at my destination. It was a long abandoned two story house and Glimmer was standing in front of it. I glared at her and held up my revolver. “You’re under arrest Glimmer! Put your hooves in the air!” “But if you shoot me, I’ll drop this…” She held a lighter over a trail of gasoline leading into the house. “If you shoot me I’ll drop this and this whole place will be set ablaze…with the little spawn inside” I heard screaming coming from inside “You would murder an innocent filly!?” “Innocent?!” She laughed “That filly is the reason my whole life fell apart! Dawnbird made a poor choice as a husband to get Cardinal’s genes from!” “You murdered Scarlet! You murdered her as revenge for Cardinal’s dyslexia! You knew the police would suspect Dawnbird and she would be your perfect scapegoat!” I yelled back Glimmer’s horn slowly began to glow “She was simply a convenient way of getting what I wanted” “You’re a sick witch! Life isn’t something you can just toss aside when it isn’t convenient!” She smirked “Let’s see you hold to your beliefs Detective. As your precious life gets in the way of getting me” She dropped the lighter. I fired at her but she teleported away too quickly. I tried to reach out with my magic to stop the lighter. But I was too late. The fire on the lighter hit the gasoline and in the next two minutes the entire house caught on fire. I looked on as I saw Glimmer making a break for it. I knew I could catch her; I was more athletic than her. But then I remembered that Dinky was inside. I knew I couldn’t save Dinky and catch Glimmer at the same time. I had to choose one or the other. She’ll just hurt more ponies if she gets away But Dinky will die! What is one life if it means that other ponies can live? Life is precious! Really? You’re willing to let a criminal go to save one filly? I’d never be able to face Ditzy or my friends again… Is that what this is about? What good are friends if they can’t help you now? But… Your friends aren’t here now. They can’t save Dinky or stop Glimmer, you think your friends can help you? They are my friends! They wouldn’t want me to let an innocent die! What are you doing!? I ran into the building. I was going to save Dinky no matter what that strange voice said. I bucked down the burning door and coughed at the smoke. You’ll get yourself killed! How can anypony catch Glimmer if you’re dead!? I told the voice in my head to shove it. I crawled under the smoke and called out. “Dinky! *cough* Are you there!?” “Private I’m up here!!” I heard Dinky’s voice scream from the second floor. I ascended the stairs quickly I came to the door where the voice came from and tried the knob. It was locked of course; I heard Dinky’s voice again “Private I’m all tied up! I can’t get free and it’s getting really hot in here!” Leave her damn it! Glimmer is getting away! How can you catch her if you’re dead!? I turned around and bucked the door imagining it was that weird voice in my head. It took three swift bucks to the door before it finally gave way. I ran inside and found Dinky tied to a chair coughing at the smoke. Her gold eyes lit up upon seeing me. “Private! *cough cough* I knew you’d come!” I ran to the filly. The smoke was messing up my concentration so I couldn’t use magic to break the ropes. I opened my mouth wide and bit on the ropes. After a few bites they finally gave way. Dinky wiggled out of the ropes and hugged me tight. I hugged the filly as well “It’s alright Dinky, I’m here now” She looked at me smiling, she had a bruise over her left eye but she was otherwise unharmed. I took off my trench coat and wrapped it around the filly to keep her from getting burned by the slowly growing flames. I picked her up with my forelegs and looked to leave where we came. Crash! The door I just came through now had a bunch of burning debris in front of me. “Dang! We’re locked out!” I then heard a shout come from outside. I opened the window and looked down. There was Pinkie and Rarity and Twilight holding a trampoline. Pinkie shouted up at me “Jump Private! We’ll catch you and Dinky!” I looked at Dinky who was looking down scared. “You gotta be brave for me alright?” Dinky nodded and I gently pushed her over the edge. Pinkie and Rarity maneuvered the trampoline so that Dinky landed on it safely. I smiled but then I felt a burst of some kind of invisible force. I was knocked back and slammed into the the wall opposite the window. Debris fell on the window and my exit was blocked off. You never could listen to reason could you Private? I coughed violently as I inhaled more smoke. You just had to let one little filly die and then you could’ve caught Glimmer without trouble. But no! You had to go all noble on me! I’m very disappointed in you I used what little strength as I could muster to smirk “Life is precious, I know that now. I won’t sacrifice an innocent to make sure that I solve a case” You truly are a fool, this town has softened you “I don’t care, so long as…Dinky…is safe…” I felt light headed and I collapsed onto the floor. I couldn’t muster even a simply levitation spell I was so weak. Now you will die for your sorry beliefs pony! If I die then…I want it to be keeping another safe…twilight would want that… I felt weak…tired…very tired… The last thing I saw…was a violet light…then I fell asleep….