//------------------------------//
// Chapter 6 "Bonds of Madness" 
// Story: Equestria Noir Case 14 "A Glimmer of Hope" 
// by Jacoboby1 
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Chapter 6

“Bonds of Madness”


Perspective: Tailspin

It was about an hour after Tyran arrived when I heard it. I lifted my head from the wall where I was trying to sleep. Everypony else was getting some sleep after all that’s happened. I looked over to my left and saw Scootaloo sleeping soundly next to me. I flushed when I realized how close we were. 

Gosh, she’s very pretty

Boom!

I heard something hit the door. I nudged Pip who was asleep nearby He slowly opened his brown eyes and looked at me groggily “Tailspin, what-“ 

“Shh!” I said, with a hoof on my mouth. He nodded and I pointed at the door and whispered, “Somepony is trying to get in.” 

Pip got up slowly and stepped over the various sleeping ponies. The booms got louder and louder steadily. Pip peaked through the crack in the door and a boom got louder as he did. He looked back at me frantically. “Some lady is trying to get in by kicking down the door! She’s a unicorn so it won’t be long before she starts using magic!” 

“What does she look like?” I asked, while crawling towards the door.

“She’s purple and very, very, mad!” He said, as another boom hit the door.

Not good! I spoke, loudly. “Everypony wake up! We got trouble!” 

Rumble slowly got up and looked at me. “What now, Tailspin?” 

“Some crazy lady is trying to get in! I think she’s the same one who kidnapped us!” I explained, as I crawled to the door and tried to nail more boards on it quickly. Rumble got everypony up. Together we tried desperately to hold the door back, but whatever was hitting the door kept getting stronger and stronger. 

Finally, one last blast hit the door, flinging me back like a dead weight into the far wall. Everypony looked up as the smoke cleared and standing before us was Glimmer, the lady Private tried to stop when I came to Ponyville. 

She looked horrible, her violet coat was ragged and she stank. She must not have bathed for a while. Her grey mane cascaded down her side and her violet eyes showed nothing but contempt. 

I put myself protectively in front of Scootaloo who, along with the others, had made their way to the back of the shed to avoid this crazy unicorn. I glared at her, trying to look brave. “I know who you are! Private told me all about you!” 

“I see my reputation precedes me,” she said in a mocking voice, “and what, pray tell, did Detective Eye say about me?” 

“That you’re the crazy witch who tried to murder Dinky!” I fired back; Pip put himself in front of Dinky to protect her. “Not only that, but you murdered your own granddaughter!” 

Glimmer laughed manically and looked down at me. “You brats should learn to respect your elders.” 

“I give respect where it’s earned!” I stuck out my tongue at her. “You aren’t getting my friends!” 

Then Glimmer’s eyes looked at Tyran, who was trying not to be seen, sadly his efforts didn’t help “Tyran! I thought I told you to guard these brats! Yet here you are, among them.” 

“I’m sorry Grandma!” Tyran said, walking away from us and to Glimmer. “They didn’t seem all that bad, I thought it would be nice to play with-“ 

He was cut off when she slapped him across the face. Sweetie Belle held Applebloom back from tackling the witch. Glimmer glared down at Tyran “Know your place child, your sister died because she proved useless to me.” 

“Sister?” I gasped in realization. I did notice the striking resemblance Tyran had to Cardinal. ”Tyran is Cardinal’s brother?” 

“Indeed boy,” Glimmer said in obvious contempt. “A twin, born for one reason only, that was to provide for Cardinal should she need organs or anything else. Originally I didn’t plan on Tyran being born, but he was a useful twin, until this.” 

“You’re nothin' but a bully Glimmer!” Applebloom spat at Glimmer. “Ya better quit pickin' on him and treatin him like an object right now!” 

“What are you going to do about it?” Glimmer asked, with an evil laugh. “You are all but tiny insects.” Her horn glowed suddenly. “Now let’s see, which should I exterminate first?” 

“You won’t get any of them,” Tyran said, as he slowly got up. “They’ve treated me better than you ever have!” 

“Stay down Tyran!” Glimmer commanded. “Do you wish to get hit again?” 

“If it means you won’t hurt them, then so be it!” Tyran leaped to try and tackle the witch, but he was hit midair by a spell fired from her horn. He fell in front of us, his side visibly burned by the spell. 

Applebloom rushed past us and picked up Tyran. “It’s gonna be okay, Tyran. We’ll get ya somewhere safe!” 

Tyran smiled up at Applebloom slowly. “Thanks, I’m happy to have met you guys…” 

Glimmer’s horn glowed even brighter, “I’ll deal with you trash myself, I already got what I needed from all of you.” 

Slowly I felt my head getting fuzzy again. I fell over along with the entire group, giving Glimmer on last glare. “Private will…get…you…” 

Glimmer just smirked at me. “Oh, I got plenty of surprises in store for your bastard of a brother.” 
___________________________________________________________
Perspective: Private Eye
“That there’s an Alicorn!” Big Mac exclaimed, in shock. “She looks just like mah sis, but with Sweetie Belle’s hair.” 

“That’s not the only thing she’s got,” Twilight said, looking at some lab notes. She pulled up some and her violet eyes scanned them “Says here, that whoever did this took bits of DNA from all of the kids to make her.” 

“What did she get from whom?” I asked, while staring at the sleeping Alicorn.

“Looks like he took bits from all of the cutie mark crusaders,” Twilight said, after looking through the notes. “She has Applebloom’s strength, Sweetie’s magic, Scootaloo’s agility in air, lots of other things are listed here as well.” She looked up at me. “Whoever did this was trying to create another Princess Celestia.” 

“Is that even possible?” I asked, looking at Genova. “Is she alive?” 

“She’s just asleep, according to this lab report.” Twilight said, with a nod.

Fluttershy looked at Genova and put a hoof to the glass. “Hello there, Genova. My name’s Fluttershy.” 

“Shy, Ah don’t think she can hear ya” Big Mac said, slowly.

“Yes, she can,” Fluttershy said, keeping her eyes on Genova. “It’s like she’s in a glass womb, she can hear me.” 

“Well, maybe you can ask her what’s going on.” I said, half-jokingly.

Fluttershy just smiled at Genova “It’s all right little one; we’re going to find the bad pony who created you, and stop her from doing bad things to everypony.” 

I swear I saw Genova move, she swayed her head slowly. 

Fluttershy smiled at me then back at Genova. “It’s okay, Fluttershy is going to get you out-“ 

“Do not touch her!” I heard a voice scream behind me.

I whirled around and there standing before me was Glimmer. I quickly pulled out Blackbird and aimed it at the Madmare. “I should’ve known you’d be behind all this.” 

“So this is how you greet old friends, Private?” Glimmer asked, in a sickeningly sweet tone.

“I wouldn’t count you as one of my friends, you witch,” I said, threateningly. “Why did you kidnap those kids? Was it to create Genova?” 

“Indeed,” Glimmer said, with a nod. “I had those brats brought here so that Genova would have the necessary components to be born.” 

“Why, Glimmer?” Twilight said, her horn aglow. “Why are you doing all of this? What purpose could you have to do such an evil! thing?” 

Slowly Glimmer turned; I noticed for the first time, she had a blank flank. She was an adult without a cutie mark. Such a thing was rare beyond belief, though not unheard of. “I was never given my special talent, at least none that would earn me my cutie mark. My parents were rich and famous. I believe you’ve heard of the Thatcher family, Private.” 

“They were a noble family in Canterlot,” I said, knowingly. “This was their home,” I gestured to the mansion we were in, “but it’s since fallen in disrepair. Why?” 

“My mother, Morning Star Thatcher, was the one who caused all of this,” Glimmer said, with a glare. “I was a teenager when it was discovered I would never earn my cutie mark. It’s a rare disease that happens to only one in every billion ponies. When it happened to me, my mother feared my father would leave her. So, the bitch planned on replacing me with some stupid foal.” 

“How dare ya slander yer family like that!” Big Mac spat.

“Family?” Glimmer laughed. “They weren’t my family! They were my handlers! They groomed me to be the best, but when I proved not enough, they tossed me out like trash. That’s when I realized, the useless are tossed aside to make way for the strong.” 

“What happened to them?” I asked, slowly.

“I made sure my mother never had her child,” Glimmer grinned.

“You murderer!” Big Mac growled. “How could ya do such an evil thing?” 

“To make sure the mistake was never repeated,” Glimmer said. “I spent my family’s fortune to set up that abortion clinic you found, Private.” 

I still remember the stink of the place. 

“I eventually married and had a child of my own,” Glimmer explained “Dawnbird, however, proved to be useless to me. All she ever did was whine and complain about her wretched coltfriend leaving her.” 

“Cobalt Masquerade,” I said, slowly. “Dinky’s dad.” 

“When dear Derpy Hooves found out she was pregnant I told Dawnbird to try and persuade her to give up the baby. So she directed Derpy to the abortion clinic, where I told her that her daughter would be born just as stupid and weak as her.” 

“How dare you!” Fluttershy said, with a fury I’ve rarely seen in her. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that!” 

“Sadly, Derpy had a change of heart when her boyfriend came rushing in, saying he’d raise the baby. He threatened to shut down the clinic by going to the police. I knew he wouldn’t go immediately, I was far too influential.” 

“Then when Dawnbird had a child with Scarlet Mane,” I said slowly, “you eventually discovered Cardinal had dyslexia.” 

“Dawnbird couldn’t bear a good child if she tried,” Glimmer said, venomously. “Then you had to go and ruin my plans to frame her for Cardinal’s little ‘accident’.” 

“You really are a monster,” I said, with contempt. “I’m placing you under arrest for every crime you've ever committed.” 

“You have to worry about your own brats first” Glimmer said, smirking. “They are upstairs, getting ready to be burned.” 

“You monster!” Big Mac tried to rush her when Glimmer’s horn glowed. Suddenly, Tangerio came to life and broke out of the glass intercepting Big Mac. The workhorse stood and faced his undead cousin. “Tangerio…” 

“Murderer,” Tangerio hissed at Big Mac.

“Ah ain’t the one who killed ya! “Don’t do this, cuz,” Big Mac pleaded.

“He’s not talking about you!” I shouted “He’s talking about Scarwing; they remember when they die, and see everything as the murderer!” 

“Quite perceptive aren’t you?” Glimmer asked, mockingly.

“How else could you get them to feed?” I aimed my gun and fired at her.

The bullet hit Glimmer in the leg and she teleported away. No! I’m not letting her get away again!

I looked over as Dustmane broke out of his tube and tackled Twilight. Twilight fell to the ground and pushed with her hooves at the monster. “Dustmane! I’m sorry!” Her horn glowed, and the beast was hit in the stomach with a blast of magic. 

Tangerio was on top of Big Mac, the workhorse trying his best to knock the beast off. Suddenly a yellow blur came out of nowhere and hit Tangerio in the side. Fluttershy was wrestling with the undead monster. She grabbed his hind leg and pulled it back in an angle it wasn't supposed to go. 

Big Mac stared at Fluttershy as she went all Buck Lee on the undead monster. I looked at Big Mac with a bemused smile. “Close your mouth, you’re drooling.” 

Big Mac shook his head to focus, and then tackled Dustmane. “Ya go and get the kids! We’ll hold em here!” 

I nodded as Twilight fired another bolt of magic at Tangerio. I had to hurry!
_______________________________________________________
I leapt up the stairs, seven at a time. When I got back to the central foyer I smelled the smoke. I saw a small fire, and hanging over it was a large cage with the kids inside. As I looked up with tear filled eyes, Tailspin spotted me. 

“Bro!” He shouted.

“Tailspin!” I shouted back. “Hold on I’m going to get you down!” 

“Hurry, Private!” Applebloom cried, pointing to the rope holding up the cage. “That there candle’s gonna burn the rope any minute now!” 

I noticed the candle she was referring to. The flame was slowly burning through the rope holding the cage above the flame. I wasn’t going to let these kids die!

I ran to the rope just as it snapped. I caught it in my teeth and used all the magic I had in me to decrease the weight inside the cage by levitating it. I held the rope in my teeth, and looked at the top of the foyer. I saw Glimmer laughing, a shotgun levitated in her magic. 

“So, we meet again, Private, only this time I’m not planning on running.” 

I would’ve sworn at her but the rope was in my mouth and there were kids in the building. I just gave her a steely grey eyed glare. 

“Your precious life gets in the way once again, it seems,” Glimmer said, aiming the shotgun at me. “Now, you will see the foalishness of your precious morals.” 

Just then, I noticed Tailspin commanding the kids to push on the sides of the cage. When did Tailspin become a leader? I smirked a little and pulled, so the cage could keep swinging. 

“What are you doing?” Glimmer asked, oblivious to the cage above her. 

Dropping a package. 

“Private, now!” Tailspin shouted, as the cage swung above Glimmer.

I let go of the rope and the cage plummeted towards Glimmer. The Madmare jumped out of the way, dropping the shot gun as she lost concentration. As the cage landed safely on the carpet, I levitated the shotgun up, aiming it at her. “You’re done, Glimmer!” 

“Not yet I’m not,” she exclaimed, teleporting away. I took this opportunity to run to the cage, and drag it away from the growing fire. When we were far enough away, I picked the lock until it gave way. 

“Private!” Tailspin cried, with tear filled eyes as the door opened.

“Tailspin!” I exclaimed grabbing my little brother and hugging him tightly. “Tailspin, I thought I lost you…” 

“I’m fine, Private,” My little brother said, as I held him close. “I’m okay, don’t cry.” 

“I can’t help it,” I said, looking down at him. “You seem to have grown a little.” 

He smiled up at me. “Well, sometimes kids need to venture on their own to grow.” 

“How quaint” I heard Glimmer say from on top of the stairs, she had reacquired her shotgun. “Now you can all die together!” 

“OVER MY DEAD BODY!” I saw a red blur tackle Glimmer and knock the shotgun away from her. I saw the monster from before, only he was the size of your average colt. He was wailing on Glimmer with both hooves. 

I pulled the shotgun to me with my magic and tossed it to Pip “Get this to Big Mac in the basement! You’ll find the doorway by a crashed suit of armor! He could use it.” 

He nodded and carried the weapon down towards the basement with a sure speed. The red colt got knocked away from Glimmer by her magic and landed in front of me. Applebloom ran to the colt and looked at him worriedly. “Ya all right, Tyran?” 

“Tyran?” I asked, looking at Dinky quizzically.

“A new friend of ours” Dinky replied, looking at the red colt fondly. “He’s the one who took us, but only because that crazy witch made him.” 

Tyran opened his yellow eyes to look at Applebloom “I’m glad to have met you all, you are the greatest friends I have ever had.” 

“We are your only friends,” Applebloom said with a small smile, “but yeah, we are sure glad to have met you.” 

Diamond glared up at Glimmer who was recovering from the beating “Listen lady! I’ve had a very rough night! I demand you let us go! I’m tired! I’m hungry! I had to listen to Tailspin all night!” 

“For once I’m glad she’s yelling at somepony,” Tailspin said, smiling at me.

Glimmer laughed maniacally “Oh this is cute! You children think you have a chance against me? You are nothing but pawns to us adults. You’re all too stupid to even comprehend the situation you are in.” 

“Never underestimate the young, Glimmer!” I fired back. “They are smarter than you think.” 

“Well, they will all die before the perfect child,” Glimmer said, as she hit a button on the wall. 

Slowly, the tube from below rose out of a hole in the floor. I saw Genova floating in the liquid. Glimmer teleported to her and grinned. “Arise, my child. Show your true power, and kill these foals!” 

Genova’s eyes opened, I noticed they were blue, like Diamond Tiara’s. A bright flash came and before me appeared an Alicorn. Her mane was long and flowing, her eyes a slitted blue. Her body was equal in size to Princess Celestia. I was staring at a monster.

“Kill them all, Genova, Glimmer ordered, evilly.

“Yes, mother,” Genova said, woodenly, before charging towards us…