//------------------------------//
// Murder Mystery 
// Story: A Medicine Cat among Ponies 
// by Kitsulestia 
//------------------------------//

*Celestia's POV*

*Canterlot*


I was soon notified by my sister that Spoiled Rich had been arrested for child abuse.

*Sigh* Even though she wasn’t extreme, Spoiled is a bit like Stardust.

Luna spoke "We can't have abusive ponies doing whatever they want. Take Stardust for example. If Sir Featherwhisker hadn't figured out what that stallion was doing, young Cozy Glow would have gone down the path of darkness."

“I know, Luna.” I responded.

Luna spoke "Exactly but we should talk to Mr Rich about this first."

“He’s already on his way here.” I said.

The sound of wings flapping was heard since Lillian had airlifted Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara all the way from Ponyville.

Lillian thoughtspoke "{I brought him and Diamond in.}"

“Thank you, Lillian.” I smiled in gratitude.

The pterolycus' tail wags a bit.

Diamond was quiet.

“I assume you know why you’re here?” I asked Filthy Rich.

Filthy spoke "Yes Princess, my ex-wife had attacked one of the Abyssinians but she failed to realize said Abyssinian was a lightning user."

Lillian drapes a wing over Diamond's back, comforting the filly.

Diamond smiled.

Luna spoke "Tis unfortunate that Spoiled Rich was a bad influence on Diamond Tiara but we are grateful that somecat caught on before it got too far out of hoof. Especially since some things are suppose to remain a secret. We do not need a repeat of Stardust's behavior."

Luna smirked at me, which made me slightly uneasy as she knows about my… cake obsession.

I playfully wingslap Luna on the head.

Luna spoke "Hey!"

Moonlight asks "Momma?"

Luna spoke "If you'll excuse me."

Luna picks Moonlight up before trotting away.

“Sorry about that.” I apologized with a smile.

Lillian thoughtspoke "{No worries Princess.}"

Lillian licked at the fur on her chest. 

Diamond asks "Dad?"

Filthy asks "Yes?"

Diamond asks "Will I have a new mother?"

Filthy and Lillian smiled at each other at that.

Lillian thoughtspoke "{That and one or two new half siblings.}"

Diamond asks "*Freezes in shock* Wait… What?"

Lillian thoughtspoke "{It's a long story.}"

Filthy spoke "Now-now, Lily. She’ll know when she’s older."

Lillian giggles "{Fair enough.}"

I spoke "*ahem* As for Spoiled Rich, I think it would be wise to file a restraining order against her for the sake of your future children though."

Filthy spoke "I suppose that is for the best."

Vera showed up. “Let’s hope Spoiled doesn’t go black and becomes a Cruella de vil.”

I spoke "If push comes to shove, that dark gray Abyssinian female can be rather scary when she gets mad... Especially when she has those dangerous berries on hand."

Vera spoke "*Shiver!* Tell me about it… Those are definitely db. That’s da bomb, in a bad way, if ya know what I mean."

I spoke "That sort of knowledge should be kept secret so that the young ones stay safe."

Vera spoke "Agreed!"

A random guard gallops into the throne room.

The guard spoke "Princess, there's something you need to see. This concerns Mr. Rich and his daughter too."

“Hmm? What is it?” I asked.

Lillian thoughtspoke "{Whatever it is, it doesn't sound good.}"

The guard leads the trio and I down to the jail, only to find Spoiled Rich's body not moving at all.

Immediately covering Diamond's eyes, Lillian thoughtasks "{What in the?!}"

The guard spoke "I don't know how it happened but I'm terribly sorry Mr. Rich."

Filthy was silent at that.

Vera spoke "Featherwhisker was the last one who had used them though... Spottedleaf refuses to even touch the berries out of concern for her kits... Yellowfang had Fireclaw by the tail feathers though since she had to stop him from eating the berries... Jayfeather can't see anything though... Alderheart knows better than to leave a deathberry or two lying about... Same with Mothwing... Kestrelflight's not stupid enough to leave dangerous berries out... And I don't think Frecklewish would leave something that dangerous lying about... So that pretty much rules out the nine cats."

Lillian thoughtspoke "{Jayfeather’s out, since he’s blind.}"

Vera looked around all of Canterlot, but found nothing. “Ugh… Whoever’s responsible is already long-gone, and untraceable at that point.”

I spoke "Even if the medicine cats are in the clear, they're still suspects."

Vera spoke "Still, we have absolutely no clue on who it could’ve been."

I spoke "Maybe that other Danyelle can figure it out."

Vera spoke "I don’t know… I mean, sure that could work, but it might all be seen as a blur."

I spoke "It's either that or we ask every Abyssinian cat that recently showed up from Spottedleaf's old world."

Vera asks "Danyelle first, then ask those from Spottedleaf’s old world. Sound good?"

I spoke "Agreed."

Starlight soon pops up with Bramblestar but something was off about the dark tabby Abyssinian.

Vera asks "What the?"

Starlight spoke "Something's off about this tom... It's as though he's not right in the head."

Vera asks "Maybe something that doesn’t belong got into his mind?"

Starlight spoke "More than likely, I had to knock him out cold so he didn't attack me."

“I’ll get my sister.” I said.

Starlight spoke "Good idea, this tom will be locked up for a bit until whatever's causing him to behave this way is removed."

Filthy spoke "Good idea, we can't have him running around in that state of mind."

Lillian thoughtspoke "{Agreed.}"

Starlight spoke "No offense to the donkeys and mules but this cat is being a total jackass."

Lillian thoughtspoke "{Agreed...}"

I soon returned with Luna.

Starlight explained everything she had heard from Squirrelflight to Luna.

Luna spoke "I see. I will try to find out the source."

Starlight spoke "Every cat from ThunderClan is on edge because their leader isn't acting like himself."

Spottedleaf soon shows up with Squirrelflight.

Squirrelflight spoke "The talking pony is right, Bramblestar's not right in the head."

Spottedleaf spoke "Still, he’ll need help."

Looking at Squirrelflight, Starlight asks "Have you had any issues with a certain cat before?"

Squirrelflight started getting nervous at that.

Starlight spoke "Uh girls, he's starting to wake up!!"

Vera appeared with a syringe before she stabbed Bramblestar with it as she injected the liquid inside, causing him to fall back asleep. “Nothing a little sedative won’t help with.”

I spoke "Luna, if you please."

Luna spoke "Understood."


*Inside Bramblestar's mind*

*Luna's POV*


I notice a pile of chains off in a corner but something was watching me.

Bramblestar asks "What’s going on?! Who’s talking with my voice?!"

I spoke "Calm thouself tom, I'm here to help thou."

A voice taunts "Really? Then how come you don’t trust her?"

A fiery bolt of lightning hits the stranger.

Firestar growls "Back off Ashfur!"

The voice spoke "Firestar? Now how did you get in Bramblestar’s mind? Or should I say… *Reveals himself as Bramblestar, but with red eyes* my mind."

A loud boom was heard as a gust of wind kicks up while a shadow moves over a puddle of water as four cats appear!

Thunder snarls "RELEASE THE CAT!"

Wind, River and Shadow snarl as well.

The imposter spoke "Don’t you get it? Bramblestar doesn’t trust any of you. Yet he tried to open up because he thought he could change, when he actually hasn’t at all. He separates himself from others and doesn’t trust them because he’s terrified of being hurt."

Bramblestar spoke "That isn’t true!"

The imposter spoke "Why so defensive? I thought I was spouting hairballs for a second there. Or maybe, I do know everything you know and think."

Bramblestar growls "Stop it! What are you?! Who are you?!"

The imposter spoke "I thought I already told you, I AM you."

Bramblestar hisses "No… No! You can’t be me you monster!"

The imposter started laughing as he gained a red and black aura. “Aw yeah! That’s right! Keep going! Say that again!”

Bramblestar hisses "You’re not me! You’re not me!"

The imposter laughed even harder at that. “Yeah! That’s right! I’m my own self now! I ain’t you at all!”

Then to our surprise, shock and horror, the imposter suddenly transformed into a giant manticore.


BGM: Hopes and Dreams


Wind flung blades of air at the manticore, slicing the wings off.

The imposter spoke "I am a shadow, the true self. I won’t trust anyone, so the lot of you are on my hit list! Vanish!"

The manticore slammed the ground, sending out an elemental attack as we protected Bramblestar.

The imposter spoke "I know everything about you, Bramblestar! I know just how pathetic you truly are!"

Memories appeared, showing everything that happened to Bramblestar that made him mistrust everycreature.

Bramblestar yowls "Stop! That isn’t me! You don’t know me at all!"

Bramblestar started writhing while chained as the others fought the manticore.

The imposter spoke "Being just a normal cat on four legs bored you, so you decided to enjoy being an Abyssinian! All you wanted was some cheap thrills while using others!"

Bramblestar spoke "No! You’re wrong! Stop it! You’re wrong! You’re wrong!"

The imposter spoke "You’re better off dead!"

A powerful bolt of lightning hits the imposter.

Squirrelflight snarls "Leave my mate alone!"

But I saw Bramblestar’s expression, it was denial and disbelief.

A ginger cat with yellow eyes hits the imposter on the rear with a lightning bolt.

Goldenflower hisses "RELEASE MY SON RIGHT NOW!"

I spoke with Bramblestar telepathically as I helped him calm down, before the chains snaring him suddenly shattered on their own as he got back up.

Bramblestar spoke "Deep down, I knew it was true. After what happened to me, I found it hard to trust anyone. But no matter what, I’ll trust my friends and family. *Looks at the manticore as it fought the others* So that’s me, huh? I guess if I’m gonna be honest with myself, all of this is a part of me."

The manticore roared in pain and anger as it started glitching. “You are so freaking annoying!”

River calmly spoke "You don't belong here."

We attacked the manticore as it roared in defeat before exploding in a black mass as it reverted to the red-eyed Bramblestar, who was silent. We were about to attack before Bramblestar approached his fake as he placed a hand on his shoulder.

Bramblestar spoke "I know who you are. I’m you, and you’re me."

The red-eyed imposter gently smiled with closed eyes and a nod before it was absorbed into him.

Bramblestar spoke "Thanks, everyone… for helping me face myself."

I soon sense another nightmare and this time, it was Flintfur.

I spoke "But we still don't know who had murdered Spoiled Rich."

Bramblestar sighs "Yeah…"

Squirrelflight spoke "I was so scared Brambles..."

Bramblestar spoke "I’m so sorry I kept this to myself for so long, and for lying to myself."

Squirrelflight spoke "Especially after the Ashfur incident..."

Squirrelflight was then surprised when Bramblestar gently hugged her, before she started crying while hugging him back.

Squirrelflight spoke "I just realized something... We don't have a Moonpool in this world..."

That left me confused.

Thunder spoke "I'll explain that part."

The tom explained what he had known about the Moonstone to me.

Thunder spoke "The Moonpool works the same way."


End