//------------------------------//
// The Needle to The End 
// Story: Deduction is Magic- The Mysterious case of the Missing Magic 
// by Raot 
//------------------------------//

	“Where are the Elements of Harmony?” Clopson asked the immense dragon.
“Further in my cave.” The dragon answered. “Hidden by the Bull, Mooriaty.”
“And who is Gappy?” Clopson asked. 
“Oh, you will meet her.” The dragon said, raising one of his arms. Beyond the wall of scales was a thick swath of darkness that Clopsons eyes could not penetrate.
“Just remember… all is not as it seems.” The dragon whispered as Clopson began walking. He heard another set of hooves and turned back to see Dash limping after him.
“No, Dash…”
“You can’t stop me, I’m going with you.” She said in annoyance. She winced at every step. “I’m fine, I think it’s just a sprain…”
“You can’t. Look, the best thing you can do is go back to Ponyville and get help. Tell them I found the Elements and to come here.”
“No! I Said I’m going with you!” Dash insisted. “I won’t let you go in there alone.”
“I can take care of myself…”
“So can I!” She fought back. “See, I can walk…” She winced and fell to one of her knees in pain. Clopson tried not to show his annoyance toward her, as he helped her up. She flew a foot into the air with one flap of her wings and smirked.
“Dash, Please, I love you, but you need to go back…” he tried to push her out of the cave with his forehead on hers.
“Well what if I love you too! I don’t want you to…” Clopson turned his head up, and met her lips with his own. Dash was immediately silenced in the air as Clopson kissed her in anger and passion. 
It lasted only a moment, or at least, it felt like only a moment, and then Clopson broke it off and spoke, “If there is any trouble, I want royal guards on their way here. That it the best way you can help.” 
Dash, still shell shocked, nodded once. 
“Thank you. I promise I will come back safely after this is all through.” Clopson then turned and walked into darkness, still wondering what had come over him.
After a few moments the dragon lowered his arm, and all light was gone. Clopson sighed and spoke to himself.
“Ha… if only Sherlock could have seen that.” He began to light up his horn. “Just wait until he finds out…”
“You can tell him in just a moment.” Clopson suddenly noticed two eyes, and two horns, just inches away from his face. He could not react fast enough, the eyes burst forward at him, the horns going to either side, and he felt the massive skull of a big black bull crash into his own.

“I used to wonder what friendship could be!” Clopson awoke to the singing of some horrendous creature and a pounding headache. Clopson observed his surroundings, he was in a dimly lit room with some obnoxious Pony singing the tune.
“Until you all shared this… this… erm…” Clopson suddenly recognized the voice and stood up. Clopson was in a small cell with a iron bar door. The voice was coming from an adjacent Cell that he could not see into.
“Sherlock?!” he asked in amazement.
“No…No… not Sherlock… Horseapples, what’s the next word…” The voice said. “Sherlock is definitely not the right word… wait, what is a Sherlock?” There was no doubt. That voice was Clospons companion, Sherlock Hooves. 
“Sherlock, it’s me, Clopson.” He said anxiously. “How did you get here? Did you find the Elements? Are you okay?!...”
“Big adventure, tons of fun!...” Sherlock carried on, but stopped. “Tons of fun, tons of fun… what comes after tons of fun?… The song can’t end there.” Clopsons heart sank. “Hey, er, who’d you say you were? You know the next part?” he asked Clopson.
“I’m… I’m your partner, Clopson…” He tried to remind the deteriorating Sherlock. 
“No no  that’s not it…” Sherlock said in anger. At this point there was a metal clang from elsewhere down the hallway. “Oh, it that who I think it is?” Clopson heard Sherlock say. “The old G.A.P.T. is it?”
Clopson recognized those letters. Gapt, Gapy… he could see a Diamond dog misreading that… but whos G.A.P.T.?
“That’s Great And Powerfull Trixie to you!” Shouted the blue unicorn as she passed Clopsons cell. Clopson was immediately at the bars. 
“You! It was you!” he said. Trixie flinched at the sudden movement, but then smiled. 
“Hmm, foalish colt…” she continued walking until she got to Sherlocks cell. Clopson tried to adjust his head, but he was still unable to see what was going on.
“Get up!” Clopson heard a smacking sound
“Don’t you hurt him!” Clopson yelled, slamming himself against the grate. there as a silence, a grunt, and Sherlock walked out of his cell with a ball and chain around his back leg. Trixie then unlocked Clospons door and locked another ball and chain around his leg as well. Sherlock seemed to be nursing his eye as both Colts were pushed down the hallway as fast as their chain would let them.
“Well well well.” A booming voice was heard after traveling through the darkness for some time. They were now in a large cavern, and with a click, a skylight opened and the coliseum type room lit up from the moons rays up above. The voice belonged to a large black bull near the center, waiting for them. The Elements of Harmony were on the ground around him at his feet. 
“We finally meet face to face.” Mooriarty finished as the Colts were forced to bow down below the Bovine.
“Face to face… to face… to face…” Sherlock mumbled incoherently. The bull chuckled. “Now you see the power of the Elements. Now you know that Lunas threats were justified. She has an army on her side, and a new Republic is on the rise.” He said. “With me as treasurer, And Trixie in second command. You were good to come this far. But even you could not fight against The Magic of the Elements. Even you, can loose” He spoke to Sherlock.
Sherlock looked up, around, and then stood up as if at a dinner party and dusted himself off. As if he had suddenly become sober, “You sir are mistaken.” He took a hoof up and pointed at the bull. “You are the one who has lost.” Mooriarty chuckled loudly again. Clopson kept hoping that Dash and the Royal Gaurds would show up soon…
“Please, Explain.” The Black Bull asked politely, like a gentlecolt. ”I want to hear this because when absolute power shifts, and Luna demands that you be sent to the sun along with her sister…”
“You have no magic.” Sherlock interrupted and explained. “And you never did.” He spat on the ground, trying to remove something unpleasant from his mouth. 
“I realized,” he started his story, “The moment I saw Celestia, that the Elements had nothing to do with this crime. And I knew that my greatest challenge would not be securing them, but finding you.” He looked deep into the bovine’s eyes. 
“Celestias entire body was covered by a blanket, but she was not suffering from fever or cold, so the blanket must have been to cover some deformity…” He cleared his throat, every moment seamed to portray the brown colt as a little more sane then he had been before. 
“And when I got a good look at her up close, my theory was confirmed. She was covered in blue spots under her cloak. It was Poison. She was suffering from Poison Joke. A peculiar plant that grows in the Everfree forest, sometimes the effects of which take away the magic from unicorns, and betray the natural abilities of anyone who touched it. It’s highly potent, but I needed to know how it had gotten into the princess system.”
“This too was easy to solve, as I recognized the taste in the tea immediately. Realizing that the culprit had access the tea, they must have been able to sneak about the castle, and they were almost certainly in the room at the time as well to make sure their lie was believed. Also, I knew it could not have been Luna…”
“Why not?” The Bull was actually impressed, and was enjoying the spectacle before him.
“Firstly, she had left her room on a whim, with breakfast half eaten. No one commits treason on a whim. Secondly, the letter. It was addressed as “Luna.” Not “Nightmare moon” but, “your faithful sister, Luna.” And Luna would never do this. Not to mention that, while the writing was her style, her word choice and syntax portrayed vanity and greed, not jealousy or anger. So I knew that some greedy, vain person in the room was the prime suspect.” 
Sherlock smiled. “I quickly left the room as calmly as I could and spat my tea into the nearest flowerpot. I had already touched it, but I knew it was only a small dose. Lunas kidnapper, and the thief I was looking for, had seen me drink the poison, and I knew they would believe that my mind, my greatest asset, would soon be deteriorating. A good criminal would jump on the chance to take credit for such an event. Especially one that is already accustomed to taking undue credit.” He motioned to Trixie with a smile.
“So my mission was three fold. Get myself cured quickly, find the criminals involved, and save both princess Luna and the Elements of harmony. I told Clopson to stay and give me a list of everyone there so I could start my search, and I also gave a note to Clopson on the door so that he would eventually meet me here as well. While this was going on, I visited the greatest chemist I know, Zecora of the Everfree forest. She quickly gave me a cure and I was on my way…”
“And that was when we found you.” Mooriatry chuckled.
“… yes. You did find me quite quickly…”
“That’s because I knew.” Mooriarty laughed. “I’m not just muscle Sherlock, and I’m not just a criminal… my job is to think like you. To outsmart the law. I knew every step you would make. I knew your would find the poison joke, and I knew you would not tell anybody.” The Bull then leaned down at the small ponys before him “And I know your plan now. You just want to waste time until the Royal Gaurds come to rescue you.” Clopson gulped. “Well, that’s not going to happen. Because you’re not in the Everfree forest, and your not in a dragons cave. No one knows where we are. Face it hooves… you’ve been outmatched.”
“That was Clopson plan.” Hooves motioned to Clopson. “Not mine.”
“Oh?” The Bull giggled. “And what was your plan?”
“Brazalberry.” Sherlock spoke the single word.
“… And that is?” Mooriarty asked.
“A peculiar berry found in Froggy bottom bog. Very bitter tasting…” He spat on the ground again. “But a little goes a long way. It is a very powerful light blue dye that can make even the darkest pony look a bright blue, especially in moonlight. Concentrated and filtered, about a bucket of berries can be swallowed, but easily vomited. And a stomach full of the berries is enough to dye a small Alicorn…”
Trixie lifted her eyes and threw off her cloak, showing a pair of wings. “Luna wasn’t that hard to free, and it wasn’t that hard to knock out Trixie… you really need to get smarter comrades.”
Mooriatry flinched at the realization that he was now alone. “So, as I was saying.” Sherlock once again spat out the last of the dye in his mouth. “You are the one who has lost.” Mooriarty quickly tried to dash towards an exit, but Luna quickly blocked the exit with her horn aglow. Sherlock and Clopsons manacles were quickly released and they two went after the Bull. He jumped up, climbing up onto the wall and inched his way up towards the skylight
“Don’t let him get away!” Sherlock yelled as Luna swooped up and rammed the huge Bovine off the wall and back to the ground. Morriarty reeled and rolled back to his feet, trying to exit through one of the doors.
But Clopson blocked his way “You’ll have to go through me first…” Mooriaty lowered his horns and charged faster. “Oh bugger.” Clopson dived out of the way as Mooriarty charged out the door in order to save himself. He quickly gave chase along with Sherlock and Luna as well through the caverns of the huge underground tunnel. Clopson wondered where they were for a moment, but could not keep his mind on that for long. The bovine kept blending with the shadows around him, making him harder to follow and track, until finally the three reached an exit.
As they found the opening to the outside, Clopson gasped. They were exiting the very mountain that supported the Princess castle. He could very easily see Ponyville from here…
“Stop!” The ponies turned to see a patrol of guards flying their way. 
“Mooriatry just escaped!” Sherlock stated. “Luna has been apprehended and the Elements are in that cave.” He motioned to the cave. The guards quickly divided, and checked the authenticity of Sherlocks story as well as sent out and search party for the missing Bovine. 
The gaurds quickly authenticated and acquired the Elements of Harmony, but after many hours, the guards had returned with nothing. Mooriaty had escaped.

12 hours later.

“Well, at least the sun is up.” Clopson said cheerily, Sherlock holding a steak to his bruised eye. He gazed out of the window of their apartment in Canterlot at the sunrise. “And Luna gets a bit of attention. Until Celestia gets better, she will be doing double time I guess with the sun and the moon.”
“Yes, And the Elements were found… Job well done.” 
Clopson looked to his friend in surprise. “Your not angry that Mooriarty escaped? After all that work to corner him?... you even vomited on a princess! I’m sure she didn’t appreciate that idea…”
“We will find him.” Sherlock assured Clopson, not addressing the other issue. “But we won this time,” Clopson suddenly noticed Sherlock was holding a blue syringe in his hooves.
“What that?” Clopson asked in surprise. 
“Concentrated Poison Joke…” Sherlock explained with interest. “It seams that it actually had the opposite of the intended affect. While under it’s influence I felt… clearer. Faster. I actually doubt that I would have outwitted Morriaty if it weren’t for this drug…”
“You can’t be serious, don’t…” it was too late, and Sherlock stuck the syringe in his arm and injected the poison. ”Sherlock!” Clopson exclaimed in surprise. 
“Don’t worry.” Hooves sat back in his chair “It’s just a test. I made sure it was a safe amount.” Clopson angrily left his seat and the stormed out of the apartment. “Oh don’t be like that!” Sherlock said, rolling his eyes, but by that time, Clopson had already slammed the door

“He never listens to me!” Clopson said in Pony Joes donut shop next to a cup of hot chocolate. “I can forgive him most of the time but now he’s gone too far. I’m his Doctor! And he went and…”
“I think we should stop seeing each other.” Clopson stopped rambling and turned to Rainbow Dash in shock.
“W… What?” Clopson asked. He felt his heart skip a beat.
“It’s not you, it’s just… I want to stay friends.” She shrugged in embarrassment. “And… we’re just not right for each other I think.”
“What do you mean?” Clopson asked in dismay. “Do… did I move to fast? I’m I too British? Is it because of Sherlock? Oh, of course it’s because of Sherlock…”
“No, that’s not it.” She said awkwardly. “I just… lets just stay friends.” She tried to smile.
Clopson was silent, and speechless. Dash awkwardly grimaced and muttered, “I’m sorry,” as she left his side and trotted out the door.
“Wow.” Pony Joe put down another donut down by Clopson, “Here, This one’s on the house buddy.” He then walked back into the kitchen, leaving Clopson utterly, and completely alone, with nothing but a lukewarm Chocolate and a jelly donut to ease his sorrows.

Elsewhere

“Mooriarty sends his regards…” spoke a messenger as she passed a letter to another pony. The pony opened up the scroll a read the lone sentence on the parchment…
“10,000 bits for Sherlock’s head.”