Chapter 6
“Finale”
Roland stepped back his blue eyes betraying his guilt over the situation. He was in a corner now. He couldn’t back out from me or his brother now. The Phantom advanced on his brother his blue eyes looking at his brother pleading. “All this time Roland…has vengeance gripped you so much that you would frame your own brother?”
Roland glared at the Phantom “Vengeance was all I’ve ever desired when it came to our relationship brother. Our father always went on about your talent and ability. Mother adored your handsome features and every damn thing about you!” He turned around “What did I get? Nothing! I built this house up from the pit father dragged it into and received nothing for it!!”
Phantom put a hoof on his mask “So the oil…wasn’t simply a harmless prank gone wrong…”
“I did it so that you could finally get what you deserved brother! The truth is you never wanted the house at all! You would’ve squandered it on some venture or another with your damn music!”
“You monster!” Spike said as he tried to rush Roland. Rarity held Spike back with her magic. I thanked her inwardly for it.
Roland glared at the young dragon “But that wasn’t enough! Even after father rejected him he still haunted me!” He turned back to Phantom whose face was neutral “When I finally met Moongale I fell in love for the first time…but then she started talking about her angel of music…suddenly all the pieces fit together. I knew it was you…”
Twilight spoke up “So you tried to frame him so that Moongale could be yours”
“She would’ve become my bride like a proper mare! But no! It wasn’t me she cared for! It was my sorry brother who should’ve died!”
Just then more thug ponies started springing out from among the catacombs. I and the rest of the gang were surrounded by well muscled thugs. I glared over at Roland “You plan to cover up your crimes Roland!?”
Roland smirked from behind his men “With you all dead I will explain to the constable that the Phantom killed you all in a fit of passion!”
“Moongale will never love you for that!” I shouted at him
“What do I care if she loves me or not?” Roland said “She’s a mare…she will listen to what I say. Simply having her is the ultimate revenge against my brother! She’s merely a pawn in my game of revenge!”
….”Is that true Roland…?”
We all turned to see Moongale standing behind Roland. She looked directly at him her blue eyes laced with understanding and fury.
Roland’s pupils dilated in shock “Moongale…you were…supposed to be…”
“Upstairs?” She retorted “Where I would not see you murder my friends!? Not only that but you would blame Phantom for this?!”
Phantom looked up at Moongale his blue eyes meeting hers. Moongale continued “In truth…Phantom was always there…when I was sad or lonely…he was there even if I didn’t see him”
Roland scoffed “Don’t tell me you’ve grown to care for this monster!”
Moongale glared at Roland “He’s not a monster Roland! You are!” She slapped him across the face with her hoof.
“You go girl!” Spike cheered next to me. I gave a smile as well; I wanted to smack Roland myself.
Roland glared at Moongale then hit her with his cane. She fell like a rock and he picked her up with his magic. He turned to his guards “Kill them all!!” He then turned tail to run with Moongale on his back.
I looked around…there were at least twenty guards surrounding us all well muscled and dangerous. I looked over at Phantom and withdrew my gun. “You go after Roland! We’ll hold them off!”
Phantom nodded “Let me give you a distraction!” He threw down a smoke bomb and made a break to follow Roland. I used the distraction and tackled the first thug I saw. I delivered a swift punch to his face and turned and kicked another with my hind hoofs.
Twilight used her magic to smash the heads of two thugs together. She turned and blasted another thug with her magic. Spike clawed at the face of one of the thugs. When one tried to pick him up with magic he gave him a facial a la flame blast to face. The thug dropped the baby dragon and Spike delivered a swift kick where the sun don’t shine.
I looked over at Rarity expecting her to be having trouble. But I was surprised to see she was flipping a stallion twice her size. She then turned and delivered a swift kick to another thug and dodged a blow from another stallion. She then grabbed the stallion with her front legs and flipped him over wrestler style so he slammed his head into a nearby wall.
She dusted off her hooves and caught me staring. She smiled “Black belt…fifth degree…with the little pink truffles”
Spike just stood there agape at this. I smiled down at the baby dragon “Careful Spike, you’re drooling”
I turned to where Fancy was protecting Fleur from a nearby thug. Suddenly a gunshot was heard. I looked at Fancypants “Go after the Phantom! Make sure he’s okay!”
“Righto my boy!’ the gentlestallion said as he broke off in a run. Fleur went to sprint after her husband. I punched another thug and fired my gun in the leg of another.
Twilight, who just finished dispatching another two thugs, shouted at me “Private you go to! We’ll take it from here!” She slammed another thug into the wall with her magic.
I nodded and broke into a run for the surface.
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I came into the theater and found Roland holding a gun in front of Phantom. The Phantom was holding his shoulder, the gunshot was one given by Roland. Roland was grinning with sheer evil. Moongale was next to the Phantom trying to provide him comfort.
Roland laughed “What can he give you Moongale! He has nothing that he can provide for you! He’s a recluse! A fool!”
Moongale glared at Roland “You have no idea what true love is! Stallions like you will never understand why I stand with him instead of you! I love Phantom! He was my angel of music! Even now I stand with him after all he’s done for me!”
Phantom fell over onto the ground. Moongale kneeled to him and gently nuzzled him. Phantom looked up at Moongale “You…even after I showed you what I looked like under this mask…”
“Scars can heal and be made better Phantom…” Moongale said gazing lovingly at the brown stallion “I can’t replace you…”
“This is beyond rich!” Roland shouted
“That’s enough Roland!” I said pointing out my revolver “You’re under arrest for the murder of Raustam!”
“You cannot arrest me!” Roland shouted madly. “I own Trottingham! Without proof you cannot bring me in! My worthless brother is the only witness!” He aimed his gun at Phantom and Moongale “If he dies, you cannot arrest me! I will have my revenge!”
“YOU WILL HAVE NOTHING!!!” Suddenly a white blur hit Roland in the side. Fancypants was wrestling with Roland. Roland kicked the gentlestallion in the stomach and Fancy flew back. He got up and glared at Roland “I will not let you murder again!”
Roland grinned “You cannot stop me…nopony can…” He aimed at Fancypants with his gun “Now die!”
“Mon amour!!!” Was heard as Roland fired his gun at Fancy….Fleur leaped into the path of the bullet…It hit her across the cheek and left a bleeding cut on her thin face. The bullet didn't hit her husband and simply embedded itself into the bricks behind Fancy.
Fancy’s eyes grew wide and he ran to his wife. He bent down and took her hoof “Fleur! Fleur speak to me!” He looked desperately for some sign of life from the beautiful mare.
She opened her violet eyes and smiled at him “Mon amor...you’re alright…”
The gentlestallion shook his head “Fleur my love…you almost died trying to protect me…”
“I would do it a thousand times for you my love…” She said softly
“All this time…” Tears began to show in the stallion’s eyes “I should’ve…I should’ve done more for you…I should’ve been a better husband to you…”
Fleur made a shushing sound and ran a hoof along her husband’s cheek. “Simply by you being here…right now…makes me love you all the more…I know you are a good husband by you simply being here…with me…”
Fancy put a hoof over his wife’s and kissed her where she was bleeding. It wasn’t a bad cut but it was enough that it would probably leave a scar when it healed.
I took this opportunity to aim my gun and shoot Roland’s gun away. I aimed my gun at Roland but then Fancy spoke up “Private! Let me have at him…”
“YOU?!” Roland laughed “What can a worthless noble like yourself do to me!?”
Fancy got up and glared at Roland. His blue eyes filled with a fury I’ve never seen before. “Quite a bit…” His magic wrapped around the sword on his waist and he unsheathed it. “You hurt my wife…I plan to return the favor…”
Roland reached for his cane and pulled on the handle. A sword came out from it and he held it with his magic. “She was a worthless mare anyways…”
Fancy swung his blade and it clashed with Roland’s. He turned to me “Private! Take care of Fleur!”
I nodded and ran up to the stage. Moongale and Phantom made their way to me as Fancy and Roland clashed with their blades. Their steel sang a cruel melody as I made my way to Fleur. Moongale ripped the skirt of her dress and began to press the fabric to the cut on Fleur’s face.
I looked back at Fancy who parried a blow from Roland. Roland counter parried and cut Fancy across the cheek. Fancy made a cut and cut Roland across his cheek as well. Roland glared at the gentlestallion “You truly are pathetic Fancypants! All of this for a mare!”
Fancy kept his blue gaze on the murderer “You are a cancer to the high society that I plan to drive out…” The two clashed blades twice and Roland cut Fancy across the chest drawing blood. Fleur let out a yell but we restrained her from joining in the fray. This was Fancy’s fight.
The gentlestallion was hit by another cut from Roland. He was cut across the leg and he bent down from the pain. Roland held his blade to Fancy’s neck. “You will die for your precious love…I’ll say that you died valiantly trying to kill the Phantom…and your wife in grief will be mine…”
“Don’t you dare touch her…” Fancy growled
“You are a fool…you are all fools to have fallen prey to love…” He lifted his blade to try and cut Fancy across the head. Fancy blocked the blow…then he said one phrase…
“Hello…my name is Fancypants von Trottanam…you hurt my wife…prepare to die…”
Roland backed away as Fancy’s blows became fiercer. Their blades clashed again and again until Fancy spoke again “Hello…my name is Fancypants von Trottanam…you hurt my wife…prepare to die…”
“Stop saying that!!” Roland said and swung his blade downward. Fancy expertly dodged it and sliced one of Roland’s legs.
Fancy spoke again “Hello…my name is Fancypants von Trottanam…you hurt my wife…prepare to die…”
Roland swung again and missed. Fancy then cut him across another leg. This process repeated until Roland was on his knees before Fancypants. The murderer then spoke in a pleading voice “Stop! I will reward you with anything you want!!”
Fancy pressed the tip of his sword to Roland’s neck “Make the offer bigger…up to half your land…”
“Yes even my whole land!”
“Everything in it…”
“Yes anything you want!!!”
“Anything I want…?”
“Yes Anything!!!!”
Fancy then got within inches from Roland’s face. He spoke in a low and threatening voice “I want you to remember everyday what you did to my wife you son of a bitch….” He raised his sword and sliced Roland across his right eye. Roland held his bleeding eye as Fancy sheathed his blade.
I got up and aimed my gun at Roland’s face “Roland…you’re under arrest for the murder of Raustam…and the attempted murder of me and my friends”
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The police came and took Roland away. His eye would have a scar forever. Fancypants walked to Fleur whose face was bandaged up. She smiled at him “You fought for my honor…”
“I fought for far more then that Fleur" The gentlestallion's voice was betraying guilt "I fought so that I could forgive myself…”
Fleur put a hoof to his cheek “I only wished I didn’t have the bandage so that I may look proper to such a hero”
Fancypants shook his head “You will always look beautiful to me Fleur…”
“Mon amour….”
Fancypants embraced his love and whispered in her ear “Tu es mon amour toujours Fleur…”
She then wrapped her legs around his neck and kissed her husband on the lips with all the passion and love she held for him. The two finally realized how much they truly loved each other. No barriers kept them apart now.
I felt a weight on my shoulder and turned to see that Twilight was there. She smiled at me then at the kissing couple “I think they’ll be alright…”
I smiled “Yeah, once they realized that all they needed was each other…the rest was easy”
Spike ran up to us “Hate to bug you guys but Ponder wanted to see us”
We followed the young dragon and left the husband and wife alone. Rarity was with us as we walked to the stage where the Phantom had his leg in a sling. Ponder smiled upon seeing us “Detective I cannot thank you enough for all that you’ve done!”
I smiled “Just doing my job Ponder”
“You’ve done more than that!” Ponder exclaimed in joy “This whole incident has given me a brilliant idea for another opera! One where prince was locked away in a shining castle but became a horrible beast and a young girl is to…wait that sounds like a novel I read once”
Rarity laughed a little “I believe you’ll find it in Prance somewhere”
“Even better!” Ponder shouted with joy “I’ll contact the author and see if he’s willing to have his story adapted for the stage!!” But then his face turned somber “If only our composer didn’t quit after Raustam died…”
Moongale spoke up “Perhaps Phantom could do so?” She smiled at her love “He has an impeccable talent for music”
Phantom blushed a little “I don’t claim to be anything spectacular…”
Ponder tapped his hoof “If only I had a sample of your music…”
I then reached in my trench coat and pulled out my tape recorder “I kept this on when I went into the lair” I used magic to turn it on. Phantom’s music played and it rang throughout the theater. Ponder’s eyes turned to Phantom.
“You created that music?”
Phantom smiled and nodded “Had I known I was auditioning I would’ve given you something far better to listen to”
Ponder’s eyes glowed “If this is merely your average I would love to see your best!” He shook Phantom’s hoof vigorously to the point where Phantom had to hold on his mask with his other hoof “We will begin talks as soon as you are well enough again!”
“You will not hate me because of my involvement with Moongale’s kidnapping?”
“Are you mad boy?!” Ponder said “You saved my best singer and actress from Roland! I should practically hand you the deed to the opera house!”
“It’s enough to simply make music for Moongale…” Phantom said laying a hoof on Moongale’s. She leaned into him lovingly.
“I never got your name dear boy in all of the excitement” Ponder said looking over at Phantom. “I’ll need something to put on the posters”
Phantom looked at Moongale then back to Ponder. He smiled “Arson…Arson Lloyd Hunter”
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“I think I’ve had enough of Trottingham to last a lifetime” Spike said as we rode the train home. Luna’s moon was shining down on our train as we made the journey home. “Too many crazy nobles for my own good”
Twilight laughed “Can’t be much worse the Canterlot was”
Rarity was working furiously at a notebook “I will have so much work to do when I get back home. I’ve become so inspired by Trottingham’s fashions! Oh the dresses I’ll make!”
I leaned back in my seat “I’ll just look forward to getting some much needed rest” I smiled over at Twilight “This’ll make quite a report to the Princess”
“I can’t wait to start writing her about all that’s happened” She replied “It was quite an adventure all in all”
Spike nodded “Too bad Fancypants and Fleur can’t come with us back home”
I looked over at the young dragon and smiled “They need some time alone…they deserve it after all they’ve been through”
“I know” Spike said shrugging “Would’ve liked him to give me some pointers though…”
I looked over at Rarity to see if she heard this…she was leaning against the window sound asleep. I looked over at her and pulled off my trench coat. Spike looked at me expectantly and I levitated my coat to him. Spike smiled and took the coat and laid it on Rarity.
Spike smiled at the white unicorn “Sleep well Rarity…you deserve it after all that’s happened”
Rarity then did something unexpected…just as Spike was about to return to his seat he was picked up by Rarity’s magic. The white unicorn reached out with her hooves in her sleep and took Spike in them. Spike’s face turned as red as a tomato and I gave him a smile. Rarity smiled contently as she held the little dragon in her front legs. “Thank you for being there Spikey-wikey…” She said as she drifted off to sleep.
Spike closed his green eyes and fell asleep on the beautiful white mare. I gave a cheer inside for the little guy. Then I felt a weight on my shoulder. I looked over at Twilight who had also fallen asleep. She smiled contently as she held her head on my shoulder.
I gave her a kiss on the forehead “I’m lucky to have friends like you do…sleep well Twilight…” I then whispered into her ear “Thank you…mon amour…”