//------------------------------// // Chapter 5 "Spell Friendship is Magic" // Story: Equestria Noir Case 9 "Murder She Spelled" // by Jacoboby1 //------------------------------// Chapter 5 “Spell Friendship is Magic” My grey eyes slowly opened as the new day dawned. My eyes were greeted by Twilight sleeping next to me. I guess she doesn’t sit still when she’s asleep either. I reached over and ran my hoof along her cheek. She pressed into it and smiled in her sleep. Celestia that smile was beautiful… I moved over and kissed Twilight on the forehead. I took in her beautiful smoky scent…wait SMOKE!? My grey eyes grew wide as I smelled the smoke. I noticed it was coming from the kitchen and made a bee line for it. I hoped that there wasn’t a fire otherwise I don’t know if Shining would let us stay here again! I’d be in big trouble if- “You’ve ruined the surprise!” A voice said as I entered the room. There standing there was Trixie, all well and better glaring at me. A bowl of what I could only imagine was breakfast was causing the smoke to rise. “The Great, Powerful, Investigative and eternally grateful Trixie was going to make you and Twilight Sparkle breakfast!” I blinked as Twilight walked in beside me. We both just stared at Trixie for a moment. I shook my head “Where’s Shining and Cadence?” Trixie returned to trying to salvage the breakfast “They went off to buy foal stuff in the market today. Trixie told them to go have fun while Trixie here offers…thanks…” Trixie said that last bit with an uncharacteristically quiet tone of voice. Twilight looked at then motioned for us to take a seat at the table. I sat down as Trixie went to work on making breakfast as I looked at Twilight “Well this isn’t what I expected…” Twilight nodded “I guess she just wants to make it up to us for taking her in” “At least she isn’t running away from me like I’m going to hit her” Twilight smiled “She just found out that under that rough exterior you’re a big softie inside” I flushed and glared at her “I’m not that much of a softie!” Twilight giggled “That’s not what came across last night” She reached over and put a hoof on mine "But I love you anyways..." I rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment but then I heard sobbing. I looked over to see Trixie crying over some eggs. Twilight walked to Trixie “Are you alright Trixie what’s wrong?” Trixie wiped her eyes and set the completed breakfast on plates. “Trixie is just…not used to stallions and mares getting along like you and Private…” Twilight looked at me as Trixie levitated the breakfast in front of me. I’ll admit it looked a bit different, like Trixie just hashed together whatever ingredients she could. Then again this may have come from a life on the road. Trixie stared at me as I dug into the food. Despite being a little burnt the product was quite nice. I gave Trixie an approving smile. Trixie smiled in turn and Twilight dug into her own food. Twilight smiled after we were finished “Trixie this is amazing, a little burnt but great” Trixie flashed a confident smile “Trixie had to cook for herself on the road. Cooking became a valuable skill to have” I looked over at Trixie “Trixie, I’m going to have to ask you some questions…if you’re comfortable with letting them come out” Trixie looked at me, then at Twilight, and then back at me again “I will answer whatever questions you need to ask me…I didn’t kill Nightspeller…” There was the I again. I knew I had to be careful from this point on “You were in love with your teacher, but she didn’t return your feelings” Trixie nodded “I always admired Nightspeller for her talent and beauty. Even though there was a significant age gap between us I was drawn to her. She was always so helpful to me, always caring when nopony else did…” I nodded “You were in that alley that night…why?” Trixie looked uncomfortable to speak at first but a comforting hoof from Twilight allowed her to speak out. “Trixie was going to meet Nightspeller that night…apologize for what happened” I motioned for her to go on She nodded “Trixie arrived there and saw she wasn’t there. I thought she was so mad at me that she didn’t want to see me again. I took off the locket I had of her and threw it on the ground. I was so hurt…” tears were in her eyes at this point. Twilight ran a comforting hoof along the show mare’s back. “That’s why your locket was there, but why was your sapphire clip there?” Trixie shook her head “Trixie doesn’t know how that got there. Trixie remembers leaving her cape back at her wagon. It started to rain when I got back from the alley and Trixie remembers chastising herself for forgetting an umbrella” Twilight looked at me “The evidence was placed…” “Let’s go to a different subject” I said looking at Trixie “How did Moondancer get a recording of your confession to Nightspeller?” Trixie’s violet eyes closed “That was…Trixie’s idea…” I raised an eyebrow “You recorded it? But why?” Trixie flushed in embarrassment “Trixie wanted to commemorate the moment forever…Trixie wanted to play the moment in the middle of the night when the world was cold…to remind myself that somepony loved me…” “And when she didn’t return your feelings…you gave it up to Moondancer” Trixie nodded “Moondancer was a friend of Trixie’s; at least I thought she was…Trixie told Moondancer to get rid of the tape. I didn’t even want to look at it…” I noticed her speech pattern changes depending on the mood of the statement. Whenever she’s speaking in third person it’s a simple statement. Whenever she refers to herself as “I” the statement is heartfelt or sorrowful. She doesn’t lie when she says I. “She didn’t get rid of the tape by the looks of it” I observed “That’s why you said you trusted her at the riot” The show mare nodded again “Trixie didn’t know that she kept it. Trixie thought that Moondancer was her friend…I thought wrong I see” Twilight frowned “Moondancer doesn’t have friends she has soldiers. I’m sorry that you fell into her trap Trixie…” Trixie smiled a little at Twilight. She then looked at me “Detective, I know you won’t believe me but when I was in that alley I didn’t see Nightspeller there…” “No I believe you” I said smiling “Why? I’ve done nothing but lie to you!” “Because Trixie you said I. You don’t lie when you refer to yourself as I. You may not have noticed it but I picked it up from talking to you” Trixie looked on me as understanding dawned on her. She smiled “Nopony has really believed Trixie like this…” I left Twilight with Trixie to get my trench coat. Twilight was comforting a recovering Trixie. I admired the way Twilight could act as comforter when she needed to. I wonder if she’ll be like that when…oh Luna, am I really thinking that? I shook my head and lifted my trench coat off the coat rack. It was dry now thanks to Rarity’s upgrades to the fabric. It was then that I noticed it… A hair, along the pocket where I used to keep my notebook…it was long and blond not silver like Trixie’s. __________________________________________________________ I was outside Wander’s office with Twilight at my side. I kicked open the door and held my revolver to a startled Moondancer who was in Wander’s office. Wander glared at me “What is the meaning of this?!” I pointed my gun at Moondancer “Hello Moondancer…I believe you have something of mine…” Moondancer looked shocked but then recovered her smile. She walked to me in a rather sultry way “If you’re looking for your notebook then I’d be happy to give it to you…when you give me something in turn…” I smirked and my grey horn glowed. Out of my trench coat came the hair that I found inside it earlier. Slowly the hair turned green…as well as Moondancer’s body. Moondancer’s eyes turned wide with shock “What are you doing!? What is this?!” “A DNA viewing spell” I said smoothly “It colors DNA and germs so that we can see who this hair belongs to…it belongs to you” Moondancer laughed a little “What are you getting at Detective?” “It was you who ambushed me in that alley and took my notebook. Not Trixie, if it was Trixie then I would’ve found her DNA all over the inside of the trench coat” Twilight glared at the white unicorn “You tried to frame Trixie so that you could cover up the fact you were the one who killed Nightspeller” Wander’s eyes grew wide and he stared at Moondancer “Is this true?” Moondancer kept on her fake smile “This is a ridiculous accusation! Trixie was in that alley during the murder!” “Wrong…” “What?” She said looking at Twilight Twilight smirked “Trixie said she went to the alley but Nightspeller wasn’t there. She left her cape behind and went there to meet the love of her life only to find she wasn’t there” “She could be lying!” “Trixie’s pin was there but her cape was dry. It was pouring last night so if she was in that alley her cape would’ve been wet this morning. It wasn’t though. It was dry as a desert yesterday morning. She never went out with that cape or hat…and Novery said she saw the murderer with a cape and hat. Trixie wore neither that night” Moondancer backed up “But what motive could I have to kill Nightspeller!? She was a beloved teacher by all!” “Because” Twilight held out the tape recorder that was used against Trixie “of this” Twilight fast forwarded the recording to Trixie’s confession Trixie…loves you Nightspeller! Trixie has always loved you! There was a slight pause followed by a sigh Trixie I’m sorry but I can’t return your feelings…. But…but why? Trixie loves you Trixie I am your teacher and significantly older then you What does age matter!? Age matters a lot…Trixie I’m sorry but you’re confusing your feelings of me… What… What you feel is simple admiration. Not love. Trixie I’m so sorry… But *sniff* Trixie… I’m sorry…You are a wonderful mare and I’m sure you’ll find a special somepony who feels the same way…but I can’t let my love for my students get in the way of my teaching… What do you mean? Moondancer tried this morning to convince me to let her slide on several tests…she tried to take advantage of my kindness…I can’t let anypony do such a thing… What will you do with her? I plan to have a word with the rest of the teachers. Moondancer can’t be allowed to manipulate ponies for her own ends anymore… Twilight stopped the recording “Nightspeller wouldn’t bow to you, she threatened to expose you” I advanced on the stunned white unicorn “When you got the tape from Trixie you heard the rest of the recording. You were determined to have her put out of the way…so you killed her…You also played on the fact that Trixie loved her. The wounds in her private areas were put there by magic...not Trixie. You made it look like rape to add to add to the "evidence" mounted against Trixie....” Wander glared at Moondancer “How could you do such a thing?! Nightspeller treated you with nothing but kindness!” “What do I care about kindness?!” Moondancer growled “She didn’t give me what I wanted so she had to get out of the way!” My grey eyes narrowed “So you had the only other pony who knew about it get blamed. You tried to turn the entire student body against her. You tried to break her so she wouldn’t tell anypony what happened” “Trixie was nothing but a worthless charlatan!” Moondancer scoffed “She had no real talent for magic. But when I found out she was a personal student to Nightspeller I offered to be friends with her…the stupid bitch fell for it” “How could you just manipulate her feelings like that?!” Twilight exclaimed “She was useful…” Moondancer said with a smirk “Just as you will be Twilight!” She tackled Twilight and held her down. She held Twilight as a shield before me “I know how you care for her Private! If you want her meet me at the library! Come alone!” Before I could say anything more she teleported away. I looked over at Wander “Contact Shining Armor of the Royal Guard! Tell him to get his ass in gear to stop her from escaping!” I ran out. Nopony was going to hurt Twilight on my watch. Hold on Twilight…Private’s coming for you! __________________________________________________________ I burst into the deserted library. The place didn’t open until noon so none of the staff or students were in there. I held up Blackbird with my magic and looked around. Book shelves were everywhere but in the center was Twilight tied to a chair. Twilight looked at me wide eyed and struggled in her bonds. Her horn had an inhibiter ring on it which prevented her from telekinetically untying herself. She yelled at me “Private look out!” I was hit from behind by a bolt of magic. I yelled in pain and flew forward, my gun tossed away by some more magic. I got up and turned to see Moondancer smirking at me her horn glowing with a bright gold. I tried to levitate my gun back up but I was hit in the chest by another magical blast. Moondancer laughed “For a unicorn you have very little resistance to magic…” It was true, I was a half breed. My mom was a Pegasus so some of my dad’s magic genes found it hard to work with my mom’s more physical oriented genes. I never had any talent for magic and I was outmatched in this fight. I wasn’t about to give up though. I got up and tried to fire a beam of grey magic. It bounced off a barrier that Moondancer put up. “Pathetic! Unicorns like you are a disgrace to the gift of magic!” Moondancer said as she fired another bolt at me. I dodged it but she quickly grabbed me with telekinesis and threw me across the room. I crashed into a book shelf knocking it over. Thankfully it didn’t fall in my direction so I didn't get crushed. Twilight looked at me as she struggled with the bonds “Private!” “How simply ridiculous….” Moondancer said as I got up again “Why do you bother with him Twilight? He has no talent for magic or anything spectacular…” “You don’t know Private!” Twilight shouted “You’ll never know what it’s like to have somepony care about you! All you are is a stuck up, no good, dirty rotten bitch!” Twilight never swore…Moondancer really pissed her off. Moondancer smirked at Twilight “Who needs ponies caring about me? It doesn’t get me what I want. So long as they are willing to give me what I want what do I care how they feel?” Twilight tried her hardest to get a spell going but the inhibiter ring sapped at her magic like a sponge. Moondancer smirked “You’ve got a lot of nerve Twilight…but I will look forward to showing you just how powerful I truly am…” I tried to rush Moondancer but she grabbed me with her magic again. I fell to the ground and felt like somepony had pinned me to the ground with chains. I struggled and struggled but couldn’t get free. Moondancer smiled and her horn glowed “If you will not obey me…then I will make you mine…” Twilight’s eyes grew wide “You wouldn’t!” “I would…I researched the magic that the Changeling Queen used on your dear brother…Private’s weakness to magic will make him easy prey to it…” “No!!” “Yes…Now Private…enjoy your last moments of true freedom…” She lowered her horn slowly. I struggled and struggled but her magic was too strong. I looked on at Twilight as she cried…oh Twilight…I wish I could hold you one last… Suddenly Moondancer was hit by an invisible force. Her magic broke on me and I made a break for Twilight. Something invisible picked up a nearby vase and smacked the white unicorn upside the head with it. I ran to Twilight and pulled the inhibiter ring off her horn. I used my own magic to untie her and Twilight threw herself into my forelegs. She cried into me “Private…I’m sorry I couldn’t stop her…” I gently kissed her on the lips “Twilight I’m glad you’re okay and that’s all that matters…” “Private…” Twilight said wiping her eyes. I turned my attention to Moondancer’s fight with the invisible foe. Moondancer then unleashed a shockwave of magic. Twilight put up a barrier just in time to stop the wave from hitting us. Rising from a group of books was Trixie herself. She glared at Moondancer “Moondancer! Trixie is pissed at you!” Moondancer laughed out loud “Trixie!? You think you can stop me?” “You have hurt my friends!” Trixie said standing her ground before the white unicorn “I may not have Twilight Sparkle’s talent. I may not have Private’s ability with deduction…but one thing is for sure. I will never let anypony hurt them!!” “Nice sentiment Trixie…but you have no talent for true magic” Moondancer’s horn glowed “Your cheap parlor tricks won’t hurt me!” She fired a beam of magic just as Trixie vanished in a puff of smoke. Just then a rope snaked its way around Moondancer’s legs and bound the unicorn. Moondancer let out a yelp and fired another shock wave. Trixie appeared again and was flown back towards us. Trixie got up and disappeared again. “You plan to hide from me Trixie!?” Moondancer shouted as she untangled herself “You know I always hated you! You were such a pitiful case and Nightspeller took you in!” She looked around the library. Twilight was about to join in the fight but I stopped her. She looked at me and understood. Trixie had a plan… Moondancer looked around and fired at random book shelves “Come out Trixie! Quit playing around!” She passed a particularly large book shelf which I noticed was tipping. I looked at Twilight and she fired a beam of magic at Moondancer. The beam missed on purpose but it got Moondancer’s attention “I almost forgot about you two love birds!” Just then a large crash was heard and the book shelf tipped over. Moondancer let out a yell as books and the entire shelf fell on her. Trixie appeared on top of the book shelf “That…was for Nightspeller…” “Was that supposed to impress me?” Trixie turned and was hit by a point blank magic bolt fired from an intact Moondancer. Trixie flew several feet and landed in front of us. Moondancer laughed manically “Did you forget I could teleport!? Such an elementary mistake!” Twilight bent down and looked at Trixie. “Are you okay?” Trixie looked up at Twilight weakly “Twilight….I’m so sorry…for all the trouble I caused…” “Are you kidding?” Twilight said smiling “You proved yourself a true friend by doing all of this…” “But…Trixie lied…Trixie caused you and Private nothing but trouble…” Twilight shook her head “Trixie, you fought for us…that shows how much you care…” I helped Trixie up and smiled at her “Trixie, we are your friends. You may have your flaws Trixie but when it really came down to it you fought for us…that’s what friendship is all about” Trixie was crying “Trixie…I…have never had any real friends…” Twilight walked to the unicorn and held out a hoof. “You do now…” Trixie looked at the hoof and reached…when they touched… I felt a surge of magic run through me. Suddenly my horn was glowing bright as the sun. Twilight and Trixie looked at me as I slowly floated into the air. I can’t explain the feeling…it felt like magic was flowing like blood in my veins. Slowly…I could hear chanting of some sort inside my head. Then some kind of glowing cord connected Twilight and Trixie. Their eyes closed together and they floated in the air with me. Moondancer growled “You will not forget about me!” She fired a bolt of magic. Both Trixie and Twilight raised a hoof in sync and the barrier bounded the magic away. Moondancer’s eyes dilated at the sight of this “What is this magic!?” Twilight’s eyes slowly opened and they were glowing bright. Suddenly a gold tiara formed on her head. The element of magic?! What was it doing here? I looked over and saw Trixie’s eyes opening. A similar tiara formed on her head, the only difference was that the jewel resembled Trixie’s cutie mark of a crescent moon. Was Twilight sharing the power of the element with Trixie? The chanting grew louder as Trixie and Twilight turned at the same time to face Moondancer. Their mouths opened and spoke at the same time. “Moondancer! For too long you’ve used lies and deceit to manipulate ponies!” Moondancer looked on in absolute fear “What is this!? What is this magic?!” They ignored her as the chanting grew louder. I had no idea who was singing but it sounded like a hundred ponies speaking at once. The language they spoke was foreign but I felt like it was a call to arms. They spoke again “Now the world will see you as you truly are!!!” “What is this power!?” Moondancer exclaimed as she ran away. She didn’t get the memo…Friendship is Magic!! I held both of my hooves in the air and Trixie and Twilight circled in the air around me. Suddenly a column of light fired out of all three of our horns and it fired down towards Moondancer. It hit the white unicorn dead on. She screamed in pain and she looked at herself. Her beauty and looks broke off like paint chipping. She was revealed to be an ugly creature underneath…she screamed as she looked at herself and fainted. I slowly touched on the ground as the chanting died away. I looked over and saw the tiaras vanishing from my two friends. I walked forward, picked up Blackbird and aimed it at the now ugly Moondancer. “Trixie’s magic has revealed you as the ugly beast inside…I’m placing you under arrest for the murder of Nightspeller…May Celestia have mercy on your soul…”