“There’s nothing wrong with sharing a bed Clopson.” Sherlock said, reading The Elements of Harmony from under the covers beside his friend.
“I’m just saying that we wouldn’t have to if we went to the inn…” Clopson said with annoyance.
“I am sorry, I don’t have many visitors.” Twilight said entering the room. “Are you sure there isn’t anything else you need?”
“Just fine thank you.” Sherlock said. “Oh, actually, can you get me that book of fables over there… on the top shelf.”
“I’ll get Spike to get it to you.” She said happily and trotted off.
“You could have gotten up you know.” Clopson said judgmentally.
“And leave your warm and comforting side? Never.” Sherlock teased.
“Here it is.” Spike said, carrying over a book.
“Thank you very much…” Sherlock said, “That will be all.” He opened up the book and continued to read.
“That’s the fourth book Hooves, are we ever going to sleep?” Clopson asked wearily.
“Well I’m not, but you can do whatever pleases you.” Sherlock said turning a few pages. Clopson sighed and turned away from Sherlock.
He just closed his eyes when the bed shook and Sherlock yelled, “I found it!”
“Uh, what?” Clopson asked.
“It says here that the Elements of Harmony exist within six qualities of friendship, and that it is the greatest form of magic known to pony kind.” He said. “However, there are other forces, and in this fable… admittedly, quite old, and not from a very reliable author… Nightmare Moon was created by jealousy and loneliness, but she was a completely different entity from Luna… there was another, very powerful being that influenced her, and unlocked the dark power within her.”
“So?” Clopson said.
“The Elements of Harmony unlock the magic of friendship, just as this being unlocks the darkness in others.” Sherlock continued. “Or at least, it can be inferred in the text…”
“I still don’t understand…” Clopson asked, wiping sleep from his eyes. “Do you really believe all this? It seems like you are jumping to a lot of conclusions.”
“No, of course not.” Sherlock answered, shaking his head. He showed the page to Clopson. “But somepony does.” On the page were shorthand notes. Somepony had written the whole of this plan in-between the printed words. “Somepony took this book and lacked some other place to write their notes.” Sherlock said. “Twilight!” he yelled. “Who else used this book recently?”
Twilight walked up to him, shaking the sleep from her eyes. She yawned and looked at the book. “Well, no one really, but everypony knew where it was after I took it out last time…”
“Everypony?” Sherlock asked.
“Yea, Rarity, Dash, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Fluttershy…”
“We will have to pay them all a visit then.” Sherlock said, jumping out of bed.
“At this hour? Really Sherlock?” Clopson argued, putting on his overcoat anyway.
“Pinkie Pie owes us a party.” Sherlock said dismissively. “Let’s collect.”
------------------------------
“…I’m sorry I didn’t plan the party sooner, it was going to be today and everypony was going to be here! But our refrigerator isn’t running today so everything went bad, and it usually runs, well, not around the house, that would be silly, we will have to go catch it and it would get annoying after a while if it kept running away like that. We never had that problem but I have had a lot of people calling me warning me about it so I think it must be a big problem around here…”
“Pinkie we actually came to ask you a few questions.” Sherlock finally found the energy to stop her.
“Okey dokie loki.” She said quickly. Her house was lit by candles, and the night sky, but otherwise it was quite dark.
“Have you ever checked out ‘The Elements of Harmony’ from the Library?" Asked Clopson, pen and paper ready.
“No, why?” She asked.
“They have actually been stolen…” Clospon said.
Pinkie gasped loudly, “REALLY? But mine was so pretty! And they looked so cool; you’re going to find them won’t you? Please please pl…”
“We have the best ponies on the case.” Clopson said. “So, do you know anything that could be of importance to the case?” he asked.
“Nope.” She said soundly. “Sorry.”
“Alright… I’m sorry to have disturbed you at this hour.” Clopson said.
“Oh that’s okay, I was up already.” She said.
“Why?” Sherlock asked quickly.
“What?”
“Why are you up so late?” he asked.
“Oh you know, just doing… stuff.” She said, looking up and away.
“Alright then, do you know where I can find Rainbow Dash?” Sherlock asked.
“Um, no, but I’m sure you could find her tomorrow…” she started. But she was interrupted by the sound of a gasp in another room. “Oh, that? That’s Ms. Cake, she snores weird. Like, all the time…”
Suddenly, the door opened, and Rainbow Dash began walking out, talking to another pony following her. Her skin gleamed with trace amounts of sweat “That was amazing! You have to show me how to…” then she saw that there were visitors.
“What is it?” Spitfire followed her from the dark room. “Oh, guests.”
“DASHIE. SPITFIRE. What were you doing in that room?” Pinkie said with a false smile.
“We... uh… we…” Dash started.
“Playing chess?” Spitfire suggested.
“Er, yea.” Dash said. “Playing chess… I love chess. She was like ‘knight to A5’ and I was like, ‘king me!’ and, and, um…”
“I should be going. I have a show tomorrow.” Spitfire said awkwardly, leaving the room.
“Oh, yea, and I have a busy day tomorrow too… napping. I seriously need some sleep before I .. nap… hardcore and stuff…” she zipped out of the room and the building.
“… Those crazy fillies.” Pinkie said with a smile. “Anything else you two need?”
---------------------------------
“Well, that was awkward.” Clopson said, walking away from Sugar cube corner in the dark.
“What?” Sherlock said.
“Oh you know… what happened back there?”
“I don’t follow.”
“She… nevermind.”
“No, enlighten me.” Sherlock said, as if offended.
“Well… I just… didn’t think Dash and Spitfire knew each other like that.” Clopson insinuated.
“Like what?”
“Do I have to spell it out for you? They were in a dark room, alone, together, sweaty, her mane is a rainbow, they are both a bit tomboyish…” Clopson began.
“What?” Sherlock said with disgusted facial expression. “Do you really think they were… doing that?” he said.
“Well… yes. What do you think they were doing?” Clopson said.
Sherlock rolled his eyes and began, “Spitfire became famous because of her skills, skills that Rainbow Dash admires. One of her most famous is where she literally, ‘spits fire’ and I hear that it is a closely guarded secret. And one that also causes heat, ergo, sweat.” Sherlock explained.
“And I suppose the technique would be best shown in the dark. Besides, the color of her mane, as well as their tomboyish nature is genetic, and shows nothing of her personal preferences. Their relationship is nothing more then platonic Clopson, at most it is a teacher-student arrangement. Get your mind out of the gutter.” Sherlock condemned his friend.
“Well, you can see me reasoning though right? I mean, they both were in a dark room…”
“Dirty, Dirty mind Clopson.” Sherlock continued. Clopson looked down and away as they walked down the streets towards Fluttershy's home, towards the Everfree forest. They were still surrounded by the town's buildings and dark alleyways however.
“… So… I guess that means she’s single.” Clopson said looking up. “You think I should give her my number. Ask her out for some hot chocolate…”
“Don’t be silly Clopson she is still obviously a lesbian.” Sherlock said rolling his eyes.
“What?!…” Clopson exclaimed. “But you just…”
“Shh!” Sherlock stopped and silenced his friend with a motion.
“What is it?”
“SHH!” Sherlock once again silenced him and looked around.
“… We’re not alone.”
Suddenly, there was a noise.
“The chase is on!” Sherlock turned and ran towards the noise, Clopson followed and saw the faintest wisp of a shadow entering a nearby alleyway. They followed, hot on the trail of the shadow, and turned into the corner just to see yet another glimmer of darkness turn behind a building.
They followed still, never getting a good look at the stalker, until finally, the trail went cold, and the shadow ran into the Everfree forest.
“That pony is a fast one.” Clopson said, stopping and catching his breath.
“Yes, quite.” Sherlock said, also windless. Clopson looked down at the odd tracks left by their prey. They were hooves to be sure… but they were strange…
“Coming Clopson?” Sherlock said, walking once more towards Fluttershy's house.
“Coming.” Clopson sighed in dismay and exhaustion.