//------------------------------//
// A High Class Case 
// Story: Royals Don't Bleed Blue 
// by Applefai 
//------------------------------//

I was working late in my office that night, the sound of the rain hittin’ the roof of my building filling me with the feelings of melancholy but also a bit of euphoria, a weird combination I know.

I sit there at my desk as I file some old cases, some solved and some that have since been cold, a few of them catch my eye as I read the headline ‘Precious Jewel Found.’ That was my first case, a rare cornflower blue sapphire was stolen from Canterlot Museum of Archeology, and I was called in to help, following the clues that the other gumshoes had gather I suspected a single perpetrator, but the lack of a broken display case led me to one Individual.

I lean back in my chair as I read the article about how I found out it was a traveling magician by the name of Trixie Lulamoon who pulled off the heist, unfortunately for her she didn't get the chance to reap her reward, the sapphire never left the museum, but instead was hidden in an hollow wood out display case, somehow the illusionist got in and placed the gem in one of her trick cases and when the lights went out, the gem had been pulled inside, she was waiting for the chance to go back to the museum and steal the gem entirely without anyone knowing,

A smile creeps its way on my face as I recall that day, Trixie got put away, but since she didn't cause any real harm and she was only stealing it to feed herself, I along with the court system took pity on her.

“Mr. Applefai, here’s your coffee,” A voice rang out, snapping me back to my senses. Trixie stands there as she places a mug of hot coffee on my desk. “Would you like anything else,” She asks me.

“No, I’m fine but thanks,” I tell her as she returns to her desk. I can’t help but smile at how she has been doing since I gave her this job, though I am proud I brought her to justice, I don’t hold her crime over her head, she has helped me out on a few cases herself with how she understands sleight of hand and the seedy underbelly of Canterlot.

As I begin to drink my coffee, I suddenly hear a knock on the door, Trixie immediately answers it and in walks a fine looking, number, her black silk dress tells me she at least rubs elbows with the upper crust of the city, her face is pained and fear-stricken. 

“Are you, Applefai,” the woman asks, fear and desperation in her voice.

“I am, how may I help you, miss,” I ask the woman standing before me,

“Rarity,” she introduces herself, walking deeper into my office and sitting in a chair.

I extend my hand to shake hers, the rough feel, but also delicate way she shakes my hand tells me she’s a seamstress, and though she is masterful at her craft, she gets nicked from time to time. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss Rarity, now what may I do for you,” I ask as I take out a pen.

“You can just call me Rarity, but I require your help to clear my name. I've been accused of a crime and I did not commit it,” she replied, fear overtaking her voice as policemen came rushing into my office.

They quickly grab the dame sitting in the chair across from me and handcuff her. “You have the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one, one will be provided to you,”

“Applefai, are you alright,” the lead detective asks as he comes up to me. I nod as I watch the lawmen handcuff and haul Rarity away before my eyes.

“Yeah, I’m fine Shadow, so can ya tell me what’s going on,” I ask, confused by the sudden raid.

Before he answered, the detective lit a cigar and took a big puff, blowing out a cloud of smoke as he held the stick between his fingers.

“We got a tip about a murder over at Prince Blueblood's Mansion. Don't you fret none, pal. We already got the prime suspect in our clutches. Looks like it's gonna be an open and shut case.”

He says as he puts his lighter back into the inside pocket of his olive green trench coat.

“And I assume that prime suspect is the woman you just arrested,” I ask him as I organize any toppled items from the raid

Shadow takes another puff from his cigar as he makes a smoke ring. “"You better believe it, pal. We got the goods from a stand-up citizen who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

I stood there shocked, I had heard Rarity’s name from countless papers and news interviews, but to think she would be capable of murder. “I don’t suppose you would be so kind as to tell me the name of this “stand-up citizen” and allow me to see any evidence you got,” I ask, knowing that I stand on thin ice with Shadow’s department since I left to become a private eye.

"Listen up, Applefai. You know I can't just hand over that kind of intel. I already told you, this case is cut and dry. So why don't you scram and let me do my job, eh?"

“Shadow, you know I would if it was cut and dry, but I don’t think that that it is, Prince Blueblood, was a royal, but I don’t think that she would have any motive to kill him, besides this is my job,” I reply standing my ground, Shadow and I always remained professional, but at this moment you could cut the tension with a knife.

Shadow puffs a large smoke cloud towards my face, making me cough a bit as he shows his trademark cocky smirk on his face. "Now, listen here. That dame definitely had a motive. See, Rarity and the prince used to be an item. But the key word here is 'used to'." He sits down on one of the chairs as he flicks some of his ashes on my desk. “Whatever went down between those two ain't important now. What matters is that the girl was probably only with the prince for his riches."

“You seem desperate for an arrest, Shadow, has the prosecutor threatened to dock your pay again?” I ask as I grimace at the ashes he flicked on my desk, I slide the back of my hand over my desk, relocating the ashes to a waste bin.

"Whoa, hold up there, pal. Just so you know, I've been holding my own just fine with that prosecutor.” Shadow stammers plainly sweating as he tries to hide the fear in his voice with bravado, “Unlike you, ditching the team to play a dime-a-dozen private eye." He asserts as he folds his arms, donning an upset looking expression.

“Then I think it’s best you scram and let me do my job, pal,” I say, tossing Shadow’s words back at him as I grab my coat and hat, preparing to head out to search for evidence to help my client.

Shadow immediately rises from the chair as his cigar falls to the ground, promptly smashing the cigar with his shoe, "Hey, come back here, buddy! You can't just steal my shtick like that! We ain't finished talking yet!"

I look back and smugly smile. “I believe we are, so why not be a good little cop and pick up that thrash from my floor before you leave,” I say as I walk out the door, Trixie staying behind to file the cases.