//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 "Spell Secret" // Story: Equestria Noir Case 9 "Murder She Spelled" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Chapter 3 “Spell Secret” Trixie’s invisibility spell got us out of the staff building. When were out of earshot and eye sight I looked at the show mare. “Why sneak around?” I said curiously “You obviously don’t want to be seen” Trixie simply huffed “Trixie doesn’t need to explain herself to you” I snorted; this mare was tap dancing on whatever nerves I had left. I looked back at the fabric that we risked so much to get. This proved that somepony was wearing Wander’s cape. Whether it was the teacher or not remained to be seen. Trixie smiled at me “Now Trixie has proven that Wander Wave was in the alley. He obviously cared deeply for the teacher and felt compelled to take advantage of her” “Funny” I said tapping my chin in thought “He seemed so friendly…” Trixie shook her head “He had his eye on Nightspeller for some time, she didn’t return his affections though” “Did she tell you this when she was teaching you?” I asked Trixie got quiet all of a sudden. She then slowly nodded “She didn’t love him but he loved her very much. So did everypony else…” I was about to speak again when I heard a voice that turned my blood cold. “Trixie?!” Twilight said as she ran to us Trixie smirked at the sight of Twilight fuming “The Great, Powerful, and Investigative Trixie has just blown this case wide open” “What are you even doing with Private?!” Twilight said glaring at the show mare “You’re not allowed to just walk into an investigation like this!” “Oh and Twilight Sparkle has special permission?” Trixie said matching Twilight’s glare “Who gave it to you? Your boyfriend as he whispered sweet nothings into your ear?!” “How dare you!” Twilight said her horn glowing with her rage “How dare you talk about Private and me like that!” “Trixie has helped in this case! Nopony can deny that!” Trixie fired back “Well nopony asked you to help!” Twilight said her voice getting dangerous. I finally had enough; I got between both mares and pushed them apart. I looked at Twilight and spoke firmly “I let Trixie help Twilight and Trixie” I gazed firmly at the show mare “You will not insult Twilight like that while I’m in earshot!” Twilight relented and calmed down. She looked at me with guilt ridden eyes. I simply gave her a reassuring hoof on the shoulder. Trixie huffed something along the lines of an apology. Twilight walked to Trixie “So, what did you guys find?” Trixie went on to explain the story in such an overblown way not even I could repeat it. It was something involving narrow escapes from blood thirsty golems and dangerous traps. I gave Twilight the more truthful version that didn’t involve Trixie single handedly slaying a lava monster. “That can’t be right…” Twilight said after I finished the story. “What do you mean?” I said tilting my head “You believe Trixie to be lying?!” Trixie accused Twilight. A look from both me and her convinced the show mare to relent “Okay so maybe Trixie stretched the truth of her story a bit…” “I mean” Twilight continued “That it doesn’t make sense for Wander to be in that alley” “Why not?” Trixie said “We found the cape fabric in the alley way. He was there” “No” Twilight said with a shake of her head “I asked around and one of the students was talking to him around midnight when the murder occurred” “That means Wander has an alibi” I said firmly. Trixie’s face frowned “Well…maybe he teleported there or something and came back when the student came in?” It was my turn to shake my head “CSU didn’t find any teleporting spell powder. Nopony used a teleporting spell in that alley. We did find powder but that used to slice open Nightspeller’s throat” Trixie slowly nodded “Trixie…understands…” Twilight looked over at me “Private we should go talk to Forceps. He should be finished with Nightspeller’s body by now” I nodded and looked to Trixie “Thanks for helping Trixie…we’ll take it from here” Trixie looked indignant “Trixie will not be cast aside like some tool after it’s finished!” I was about ready to slap this mare before Twilight spoke up “Trixie I know you’re grieving about Nightspeller” I told her about Trixie being Nightspeller’s student when I explained what happened. “But right now you should just leave things to me and Private” Trixie opened her mouth to protest again. Then she slowly closed it and nodded “I…understand…if you need Trixie she will be at her wagon in Canterlot square…” Trixie then turned invisible and I heard hoof steps as she walked away. Twilight’s violet eyes suddenly looked very guilty “I hope I didn’t hurt her too badly…” “You caught that she said I didn’t you?” I observed “I noticed it too” Twilight nodded “She only refers to herself in the first person like that when she’s upset…I wonder what made her speak like that?” ___________________________________________________________ The sun was setting from its zenith by the time Twilight and I arrived at the crime scene again. I looked over at Twilight “CSU has already combed the area; we should head for the station now” Twilight nodded “I can’t get Trixie off my mind though” She sighed “She seemed so upset” I ran a hoof along Twilight’s shoulder “Hey, she’ll come back in a few ready to challenge you and she’ll be the same ole Trixie again” She smiled at me “Thanks Private, I’m probably worried about nothing” “Don’t you two just make the cutest couple?” I heard a voice speak behind us. We both turned to find Moondancer flanked by what looked like younger students. They looked like body guards protecting a princess. Moondancer’s blue eyes looked over at me “Good to see you again Detective” “Moondancer” I said simply, careful how I spoke to her “I must ask what you are doing here” “So direct and to the point” Moondancer smiled as she advanced on me. Her blue eyes were half lidded “I like that in a stallion…” “Moondancer” Twilight said getting between me and her “You didn’t answer his question” “Why I’m here to follow up on our conversation from before” Moondancer said slyly “Have you discovered anything new about Nightspeller’s death?” “That’s sensitive information” I said to the mare “I’m afraid I can’t tell you much” “I understand detective” Moondancer said smiling slyly “If you ever require information at all I’m here to ask” I nodded “That’s quite alright” I looked to Twilight “We should get going” “Aww” Moondancer gave in mock hurt “I would’ve liked to have gotten to know you better Private…” She then got very close to me and whispered in my ear “I always get what I want…” I felt magic tug me on my tail and looked to see Twilight dragging me away from Moondancer. Good thing she did because I didn’t like the look Moondancer was giving me and Twilight. It was like Twilight was taking away her favorite toy or something. _______________________________________________________________ Twilight stopped dragging me as we walked the sidewalks of Canterlot “I can’t believe she would do that…” I dusted myself off and looked apologetically at Twilight “I’m sorry if you got the wrong idea I was enjoying that Twilight…” Twilight shook her head “No, it’s how she is with every guy that comes around. She doesn’t really want the guy’s she dates anyway” “What do you mean?” “I mean she doesn’t want a boyfriend so much as a servant” Twilight explained “You remember those two students? She has a personal army of them that treat her like a queen” “Ahh, a queen bee type” I said knowingly “Does she usually flirt with older stallions? I was at least three years older than her” “Mostly if you aren’t too old you’re a prime target for her” Twilight said with a sigh “I really didn’t like hanging out with her in school because she treats ponies like her servants” “Let’s not worry about her” I replied “Let’s hurry to Forceps and see what he discovered about the body” ________________________________________________________ “You’re not going to believe this…” Forceps said as we walked into the morgue. Nightspeller’s body lay on the table in front of us. For once Twilight didn’t make a bee line for the bathroom upon seeing a dead body. I guess it’s a testament to how far she’s come since Big Mac’s case. “What did you find out?” I asked earnestly “Was she really raped?” “Well…yes and no” Forceps said obviously trying to avoid some embarrassing detail Twilight raised an eyebrow “How can you be raped and not raped? That doesn’t make any sense” “Didn’t make sense to me at first” Forceps said with a shrug “She has signs of getting raped but no ejaculation was made” “You mean he didn’t…” I pushed my hooves together to get the point across Forceps shook his head “There are bruises and scars in the private area…but he didn’t go all the way” “Was he interrupted?” Twilight suggested “Maybe he just didn’t get to finish?” “Nah” Forceps shook his head again “You should’ve seen some of the scars…they took their time with her” “So if he wasn’t interrupted then why didn’t he go all the way? Did he kill her first?” “Nope, all the signs of rape were made pre mortem” Forceps explained “It just doesn’t make sense…” Then a thought occurred “What if he couldn’t go all the way…” “What do you mean Private?” Twilight asked with a raised eyebrow “What if he was a she?” “You mean a mare raped her?” Twilight said her eyes going from shock and confusion back and forth “Private what makes you think that?” “Forceps check the markings again, this time think about a mare trying to get in her plot” “Hold on a sec!” Forceps said looking at Nightspeller’s private areas again. Any other occasion, I would’ve smacked the old pervert for taking advantage of a corpse like this. But right now was a time of action “These markings…they weren’t made by a stallion’s bits” I flushed at the thought of how the whole situation could’ve gone down. Then I moved on “So if the killer was a she…” “Then Wander really is innocent” Twilight observed “But what mare would do this to Nightspeller?” “Could be any pony on campus” I said shaking my head “Twilight you get Shinebadge on the phone and see if we can’t get more officers to interview students” Twilight nodded and walked out to make the call. It was then I noticed some objects on one of the counters in the lab “Stuff found at the crime scene?” “Yeah I was going to let you have a look at them” Forceps said before covering Nightspeller’s body. I looked at the objects and found two that peaked my interest. One was a large baby blue sapphire that was about the size of a hoof. I turned it over and I saw it used to have a pin on the back. It looked like it was broken off “Looks like something you would hold a cape together…possibly belongs to the rapist?” I set the evidence back down and looked at the other object. It was a locket with the chain broken off. I used my magic and opened the pin, inside was a picture of a much younger Nightspeller with a smiling Trixie. “Trixie wasn’t lying when she said she was her student. Obviously a picture of happier times” Then it hit me…Trixie’s cape, it didn’t have a clip on it. I remembered her adjusting the cape when she got out of the staff building. Why would something of Trixie’s be at the crime scene? That show mare owed me an explanation. I stepped outside for a minute. Twilight was going to be a bit trying to get the officers ready to interview students. That left me plenty of time to find Trixie and get to the bottom of this. The sun was beginning to set as I walked down the street. It was getting late and most of the ponies were at home so the street was deserted. I hoped Trixie wasn’t going to make a break for it. If she really was there at the crime scene…wait why was she helping us in the first place? She was so intent on putting the blame on Wander for some reason. Maybe she really killed Nightspeller and helped to cover up the murder? That doesn’t make any sense though! Trixie had a great admiration for her teacher why would she- Whap! I felt something hit me on the back of the head and darkness overtook me. I didn’t get a chance to see who hit me and I was nopony was there to notice me getting dragged into a nearby alley way. I fell unconscious and felt somepony open my trench coat before darkness finally claimed my eyes. ______________________________________________________ I felt somepony nuzzling me on the cheek. My grey eyes slowly opened to see Twilight standing over me looking worried “Private are you okay what happened!?” “Somepony hit me” I said rubbing the back of my head “Damn jerk got me while I was thinking about the murder” “Private, why is your trench coat open?” Twilight observed. I looked down on my trench coat. Sure enough all my pockets have been turned out, no money was stolen and my personal effects were still there. The only thing stolen was… “My notebook! It’s gone!” “Your case notebook!?” Twilight exclaimed “That has everything about the case in it!” “I know and somepony took it!” I said searching all the pockets for it “Who would steal a notebook…unless” “Unless what?” Twilight asked looking frantic “Unless it was Trixie trying to steal our case notes…” “Why would Trixie steal your notebook?” Twilight asked I went on to explain my findings about Trixie. She was there that night…Twilight’s eyes went wide “But why would she be there!? She should’ve told us that!” It was then I noticed Frisk running towards us. He looked winded and took a minute to catch his breath before speaking “I’ve been looking everywhere for you detective!” “Officer Frisk?” I said looking at the brown officer “What’s wrong?” “Some kind of student riot sir” Frisk said frantically “Somepony found out about the case and there’s looking like a mob’s forming at the school!” I nodded “Get riot squads ready in case things get dicey! Twilight and I will try and stop this from getting out of hoof!” Frisk nodded as Twilight and I cantered out of the alley toward the school. I knew how bad riots could get. I just preyed this one wasn’t going to get any students hurt. Too many bad things can happen when ponies got scared and angry. ____________________________________________________________ Twilight and I arrived at the school to see a huge crowd gathered around what I could only imagine used to be a stage wagon. It was the kind that could unfold into a stage easily for performers. Right now though it was trashed into a worthless heap… I looked at a nearby student “What’s going on here?” The student glared towards the center of the crowd “Moondancer’s found out who killed Nightspeller!” “She what?!” Twilight exclaimed I began to push my way through the crowd and moved so I could see the front. There on the stage was Moondancer standing over Trixie. I recognized my notebook levitating with Moondancer’s magic “You would steal to cover yourself up Trixie!?” Trixie looked up from the ground; she’d obviously been beaten up by Moondancer’s goons. “Trixie…Trixie didn’t steal that…” Moondancer smacked her “You lie every day Trixie! You expect us to believe you now?! I found this notebook among your things!” Trixie stole my notebook? She really was trying to cover up the murder… Trixie shook her head, her hat falling off her head in the motion “Trixie didn’t do anything wrong!” “More lies…” Moondancer said threateningly “But according to Private Eye’s notebook you were at the crime scene…” I remembered writing down everything about the case. Trixie was having her trial right now…she had nopony to defend her… Trixie shook her head “No, Trixie wasn’t…” “Then why was your locket and cape jewel there?” Moondancer said inquisitively “You were there Trixie!” Trixie shrank back from Moondancer she looked pleadingly at the pretty mare. “Please Moondancer…Trixie didn’t…” “You didn’t kill her? You expect me to believe that?” Moondancer said I started to push my way through the crowd. I wasn’t about to let this go too far. Trixie shook her head, tears were in her eyes “No! Trixie cared for Nightspeller just like everypony here!” “You did indeed….” Moondancer said which got the students to hush. I looked up at the pretty mare as she advanced on Trixie “You really cared for her…” Trixie’s violet eyes looked at Moondancer pleadingly “Please…don’t say it…” “You…loved her…” Moondancer said slowly Say what now!? This came completely out of left field! Moondancer went on “Don’t try and deny it Trixie…you’ve always loved Nightspeller…she was like a mother to you but you wanted more…” Trixie’s eyes were flooding with tears now “No…Trixie…” “You want proof?” Moondancer frowned “I’ll prove it to everypony here…” Trixie was groveling at Moondancer’s hooves “No! Don’t play it!” Moondancer made a motion and somepony played a tape recorder. The voice was Trixie's as she was now…. Please Nightspeller, show me that trick one more time! An older and motherly voice laughed Alright Trixie just this once You’re so amazing Nightspeller! Trixie wants to be just like you one day! Oh Trixie, you flatter your teacher Nightspeller… Yes Trixie? I wanted to tell you something… What is that Trixie? Trixie has always…admired you in such a large way… Trixie what is this about? It’s not like you to be bashful… Trixie…can’t hold it anymore! Real life Trixie was a lump of tears at the last bit… What do you mean Trixie? Trixie…loves you Nightspeller! Trixie has always loved you! The crowd hushed as Trixie looked up at Moondancer “You promised…” “I didn’t expect you to murder our teacher in a jealous rage…” Moondancer said with a glare “You knew Nightspeller wouldn't return your feelings. She was considering proposal from Wander Wave. You were so jealous so you tried to take advantage of the mare who denied you…” Trixie was muttering incoherently. I couldn’t help but feel…pity… Moondancer looked to the crowd “She is your murderer! She raped our teacher in a fit of jealous rage! She even tried to pin the blame on Wander Wave! Trixie Lulamoon is the murderer!” All hell broke loose…