//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: The Incognito // by keithsterling //------------------------------// Its 0000 hrs Equestria Standard Time, Spanish revival style home, Center City Neighborhood, City of West Applewood, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, master bedroom. "Merriweather helps me, Merriweather help me, Merriweather." A familiar stallion's voice said to the owner of the home. Slowly a clean-cut purple-colored earth pony stallion with yellow mane and tail stirs to life in his bed. His toned 5ft 8in equine figure is attired green, blue plaid pant pajama. His eleven inch long purple feet were bare. He rolls out of bed and pulls on his robe; he pip-pops barefooted over the hardwood floors into the living room of his home. This earth pony stallion is Business stallion Russell Merriweather, a successful investment banker from Los Ungulas Bank. As he exits his bedroom door in the center of the living room was a closed casket, three other ponies stood around it. The closest pony to him was an alluring medium blue colored pegasi mare with a bright green colored mane and tail. Her 6ft 3in physical fit equine figure was attired in black below the knee length fit, and flares dress. On her ten-inch long medium blue bare feet with bright yellow toenail polish were black open-toed high heel pumps. Folded on her back were medium blue feather bird wings. On the closed casket's right side was a pleasing dark brown earth pony stallion with an ebony black mane and tail. He's very fit 5ft 7in equine figure was attired in a black suit and on his eleven inch long socked dark brown bare feet were black dress shoes. Standing at the casket foot was second nice-looking dark brown earth pony stallion with charcoal black mane and tail. His muscular 5ft 6in equine figure was attired in a black suit, and on his ten, and two thirds long socked dark brown bare feet were black dress shoes. The familiar stallion's voice know to Russell was coming from inside the casket. As Russell Merriweather opens the coffin, his green eye transfixed with horror inside the casket was him very much dead. A moment later, the earth pony Russell Merriweather wake up in his own bed in a cold sweat. It's 0900 hrs Equestria Standard Time, the following morning, Solar wind estate, Small colonial Georgian style mansion home, Golden Horseshoe Neighborhood, City of Grazing Hills, Coltifornia, city of Los Ungulas, Solar wind garden patio. It was a quiet morning sitting at a table in solar wind garden patio was a dark blue unicorn stallion with crimson red mane and tail. His athletic 6ft 5in equine figure was attired heather gray short-sleeve flex polo shirt and timber wolf brown tapered athletic fit jeans. On his eleven and one-sixth inch, long dark blue socked bare feet were brown slip-on shoes. This unicorn stallion was Lord Justice Silverlight, the fiancé of Princess Celestia Borealis, the co-ruler of Equestria and commanding officer of Royal Division of the Solar Guard. He soon joins at the table by gorgeous pearly purple unicorn mare with a fern green mane and tail. Her toned 5ft 9in equine figure was attired heather gray short-sleeve knit polo shirt and black Amanda jeans. On her eleven and one-third inch, long flawless and unblemished shaped pearly purple bare feet with baby blue colored toenail polish were black glitter peep-toe pumps with two and one-half heel. This unicorn mare was Lieutenant Colonel Emerald Luster, the Executive officer of Royal Division of the Solar Guard and friend to Colonel Justice Silverlight. A few moments later, a second gorgeous looking white pegasi mare with a Spanish blue mane and tail join the two unicorns at the table. Her physically fit 5ft 7in equine figure was attired bold blue round neck short-sleeve blouse and meridian blue relaxed fit jeans. On ten-inch long flawless and unblemished white shaped bare feet with cranberry red, toenail polish was gray gildie open-toed slip-on shoes with a one-inch heel. Folded on her back were her white-feathered bird wings. This Pegasi mare was Captain Anita Stormchaser, the Operations Officer of Royal Division of the Solar Guard and friend to Colonel Justice Silverlight. Meanwhile, click-clacking across the porcelain tile flooring of the hallway from the kitchen was an elegant-looking light blue pegasi mare with a peach colored mane and tail; she was carrying covered trays with two other maids to the solar wind garden patio to serve breakfast to the two unicorns and one Pegasus. Her 5ft 10in sleekly muscular equine figure was attired in lavender (very pale blue) colored slightly below the knee-length fit and flare dress. On her silky light blue legs were gray thigh-high stockings with lace trim. On her, ten inches, long flawless, and unblemished light blue bare feet with creamy white colored toenail polish were stone-colored Dryden wedge heel pumps with a one-inch platform and two and three-fourths heel. Folded on her back were her regular sized light blue feather bird wings. This pegasi mare was Personal Royal Maid Diane Sheer, the senior maid for Lord Justice Silverlight; she in charge of a small group of ten handpicked royal maids from the Grand royal palace that serves Lord Justice Silverlight as his traveling retinue of royal maids. As the three maids set the trays down in front of the three ponies sitting at the table, they simultaneously lift the covers, revealing the diners' food. "Diana, my two mares here are going shopping for a little while on Rodeo drive this morning, and I have ten o'clock tee time at Bel-Air country club. So go about your regular household chores for today. I'll be returning to the mansion home at about 11:30. So begin making lunch at 11:00 for me alone. My two mares are planning to have lunch at 208 Rodeo while shopping." Justice explains as Diane gestures the other two maids to take the covers back to the kitchen. "Yes, My lord. I'll have one of the maids bring around a car for Lady Luster and Lady Stormchaser to head to Rodeo drive. I'll get your clubs from your room and bring around a car for you, my lord as well." Diane replied as Justice whispers something into his senior maid ear that made her blush, and she nods her head. "Yes, my lord, I'll be ready went you come back from the country club," Diane said softly, her voice strained as she heads up to his room to get his clubs and inform one of the other maids to bring a car for Lady Luster and Lady Stormchaser to drive to Rodeo drive for their shopping trip. A moment later, the bell on the front door rings, and Diane click-clacking across the engineered hardwood floor of the foyer to answer the door. As she opens the door, stand outside on landing was good looking white earth pony mare with pink mane and tail. Her shapely 5ft 8in equine figure was attired peach white mid-knee length short-sleeve floral print fit and flare dress. Her ten-inch long white bare feet with bubblegum pink toenail polish were navy blue slip-on shoes with a one-inch heel. This earth pony mare was Nurse Elethea Red heart, an emergency room nurse from the Ponyville hospital; she was hired by a rich stallion for temporary living in nursing position in Coltifornia at his home. "Greeting mare; how may I help you?" Diane asked politely as the earth pony mare smile too much at her. "Is this home of Lord Silverlight?" Hopefully, the earth pony mare asked as she makes a great business of searching for her pen in her purse. "Yes, Miss?" Diane replies in a calm and reassuring voice that relaxes the nervous earth pony mare. "Is he home? My name is Nurse Elethea Red heart; I must speak to him? In an urgent manner." Elethea asked hopefully as Diane lets the earth pony mare in. The moment Diane exits the rear door into the garden patio, Justice's eyes blink with surprise went the two mares walk up to the table. "Well, greeting Nurse Elethea Red heart, I didn't expect you to be in Coltifornia or City of Grazing Hills. What brought you here?" Justice asked as Elethea quickly noticed the other two mares sitting at the table with Justice and smile at them. "Nice to see you too, Justice, away from the Ponyville hospital," Elethea said, hugging Justice as Diane went to grab a chair for Miss Red heart. "Well, greeting Lady Luster and Lady Stormchaser, I should have guessed you two would be with Lord Silverlight here. He insists that I contact one of you two went he visits the emergency room after (clearing her throat) an intense case. And not his fiancée Princess Celestia Borealis." Nurse Red heart said her voice edged with tension as Diane brings over a chair for her to sits on. "Greeting Nurse Red heart." The two mares said simultaneously as they both sigh, slowly acknowledging what she mentioned, and she sits down on the chair. "With that said, what bring you to see me, Elethea?" Justice asked as the maids pick up the dirty dishes from the table and take them back to the kitchen to be washed. "I am here to ask for your help, Lord Silverlight," Elethea said as Justice gestures for her to continue. "About two months ago, why I was working my shift at the Ponyville hospital. I received a phone call from Mr. Russell Merriweather, an old Ponyville resident whom I have never spoken to before. He offered to pay me 300 bits a year if I work for him as a temporary living in nurse till he finds a more permanent living in nurse in the City of West Applewood here in Coltifornia. Since it was quiet in Ponyville, I jump at the offer; it would also allow me to expand my knowledge." Elethea explains as Diane returns carrying a small coffee tray and serves the four ponies at the table. "I put in for some time off from the Ponyville hospital and flew out to Coltifornia. I was picked up at the airport by Mr. Merriweather chauffeur; he drove me to a Spanish revival style home in Center City Neighborhood. That went, I finally met Mr. Russell Merriweather; I found him a very friendly earth pony stallion-like most of the residents of Ponyville. He shows me around his compound and set me up in a fully furnished guest house on the property. It had everything that a living in nurse could need to take care of a resident patient." Elethea explains as she takes a drink of coffee from her cup. "After meeting him, I went about my duties as his living in nurse. For the next several months, I learned that Mr. Merriweather was a pony of habit. At 6 o'clock every day, he would leave for an hour walk around the neighborhood. No matter the weather and come to my guesthouse at 4 o'clock for a quick check-up and pay me my fee for the service. I told him he didn't have to pay for my service, but he did." Elethea explains as the maids return to pick-up the dirty coffee cups from the table. "So far, Miss Red heart, I have heard nothing that would need our help for? Unless I have missed something in your account of the events." Emerald comments as Justice tell his personal maid Diane to cancel his tee time at the club and bring a car around for the three of them. "Please forgive me, my Lord and Ladies; here the reason I have come to see you," Elethea comments asking the maid for a glass of water. "About a month ago, why I was in my guest house, making myself something to eat, Mr. Merriweather ran into my home in such a state of agitation. He was holding a torn up piece of newspaper. He was babbling about a burglary that happens in the neighborhood; I calm him down and walk him back to the main house." Elethea explains as the maid gives her a small glass of water, and she thanks her. "Miss Red heart, did you see the paper Mr. Merriweather was holding or know the date?" Anita asked as she stretched her wings out to loosen them a bit. "I am sorry, Lady Stormchaser, I didn't; it was torn up. I think it was the September eighth issue of the Los Ungulas times." Elethea answers as Anita gestures it fine. "Please continue, Miss Red heart," Anita said as she folded her wings back onto her back and looked at Emerald and Justice, who both nodded their head. Tell her to see if she can find a copy of the September eighth issue of the Los Ungulas times. "Then a week ago, why I was buying my groceries from a local market, I return home. Mr. Merriweather was in panic tell me that someone has broken into his home why he was away. I ask him if anything was taken. He said no, but that was not the point someone was in his home without his permission." Elethea explains as she takes another drink from her glass. "The following week, he didn't leave his home at all and turn his home into a fortress. I ask him about it, and he'd snap at me. And I drop the subject. As the weeks went on, it started to calm down, and Mr. Merriweather resumed his schedule." Elethea explains as she takes another drink from her glass. "Just the other day, Mr. Merriweather once again got broken into went he was gone, and once again, nothing was taken. After that, I asked if we should call the police about the matter. He said no, there was only one person that could help him, but there doesn't know how to contact him." Elethea said as Justice raises his hand to stop her in mid-sentence. "Did Mr. Merriweather ask for the Royal investigator, specifically Elethea?" Justice asked as his two mares ready themselves for the answer. "He did!" Elethea said as his two mares shook their heads. "Very good, Miss. Red heart let depart. Emerald, you will come with me. Anita does what you do the best." Justice said as all four ponies stood up from the table. "Yes, Justice," Emerald said "Yes, Justice, I'll see what I can find out and find a copy of the paper," Anita said, flew off to do the research.