“We’re gonna let Featherweight himself narrow down the suspects.”
"That's insane! He's dead!" Snips exaggerated.
"Whoa, seriously?!" Dinky Doo said in response to Snips.
At least, that’s my plan. I just hope it works. Because there’s still plenty of evidence we’ve yet to go through. But if we narrow down the suspects, then at least we’ll be able to pinpoint the culprit faster from whatever they say.
“You must be speaking in a meta sort of sense, yes?” Silver Spoon rose an eyebrow as she asked.
"Well, he'd have to be. Letting the dead speak for them is leaning towards voodoo territory. That's grounds for me to believe that he has Zecora affiliation." Ginger added.
“Right. Scootaloo said to me that Featherweight went to her and her friends yesterday; that he spoke to them about their motives and such.” I explained.
“You’re seriously gonna believe that blank flank!? She can’t even fly! If anything, she and her friends have the biggest reason to kill!”
“Diamond Tiara, could you please shut up? You never took the time to know them. All you know is the fact that they don’t have cutie marks.” Twist's eyebrows furrowed. Despite the shine in her glasses, I can tell she was getting tired of Tiara's insults.
“Grk!” Heh, guess this is a first time for her being told off so effectively.
I’m not even a crusader, but eh. That was a nice one, Twist.
“I-I, mean that...” Twist began trembling uncontrollably when she said all of that, even losing her train of thought.
What is with this girl? Brave one second, yet always backing out of it the next.
“No one’s mad at you Twist. We’re actually happy for saying that!” Sweetie Belle happily said, which made Twist herself heave a sigh of relief.
“Fine, FINE! I get it, so go on!”
“I got it from here, Shady.” Scootaloo then turned her attention to the others, “He told me not to commit any murders. He sorta managed to guess my motive right, wanting to lend me an ear I suppose. To be honest, even now, I don’t believe that motive. Believing it would just drive me nuts anyway, and I’d be waving a white flag to that stupid bear and his whole despair crap. I only told Shady that Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were approached by him too. And Twist answered the same thing, so that makes four of us.”
“Oh, speaking of which, the little guy talked to Me n’ Snips as well! He really looked desperate, so I was kinda worried, so we chatted at the coffee shop! Man, Snips was so on edge, he drank so much coffee!” Snails added, confirming that himself.
“What the heck, man!? You know that you just outed us as suspects!” Snips chided.
“No I didn’t! We just have to tell him the contents of our conversation soooooo, no worries! My magic master taught me about how honesty should be the best policy!” Snails tipped his top hat, looking to Apple Bloom.
“Wow, nice shot at me. Ya know, Ah’ ain’t gonna be mah sister. So don’t expect that of me. But Ah’ can at least tell ya what he said to me.” Apple Bloom said.
“Wow, awesome!” Dinky clapped her hooves, applauding. “Sooooo, this narrows this down to six suspects, how?”
“The process of elimination starts depending on the conversations he had with these ponies, right?” Rumble asked.
“Right. I’ll take the conversations and the abilities of the ponies in question, as well as their wherabouts during today’s events, and we’ll reach our answer, and we’ll know our culprit, and we’ll know who tried to frame Grace Lightning for this mess.” I answered.
“Heh, sounds good to me!” Grace grinned, looking forward to what she probably thought was an interrogation.
“Wait a sec, how can you just narrow it down to the ponies he just talked to?” Truffle asked.
“Didn’t I ask that question?” Dinky glared at me instead. Guess I should’ve answered earlier.
“Because! Ever since Scootaloo told me about his actions yesterday, it had me thinking, did he say something to somepony that made them snap? Because really, why him? What did he say to make him a target? That’s what I need to know!”
“He has a point...” Sweetie Belle spoke up, even raising a hoof up like she was in class. “I’ll speak first. Scootaloo already told her part, so I’ll say my part too.”
“I’m listening.”
“See, to be honest, before coming here, my sister and I got into a huge argument. I didn’t know what would happen, and I’ve been worried ever since. But then I received those pictures...! I told Featherweight everything, including the contents and my sister too!”
“Really?”
“Yes.” Sweetie Belle began clutching her body and breathing heavily, trembling even as she continued. “I was worried that something may have happened to Rarity! I didn’t want our last conversation to be that argument! The Carousel Boutique was in ruins and the walls were littered with blood! Featherweight basically tried to give me hope that things will be fine! Rarity is one of the elements of Harmony, so she won’t go down that easily! That’s what he tried to say! All he tried to do was cheer me up!”
It must’ve taken Sweetie Belle everything she had to say all of that. Looking at her now, I thought she could break any moment.
I’m curious about what her and her sister argued about, but I’m sure that’s not relevant to the case.
“Why are you breaking down? You’re not guilty, so-” Twist muttered.
“You’re right, I’m not guilty, but I’m still worried!” I never seen her get so worked up before.
“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t-”
Anyway...
“Man, that’s tough stuff. But I can’t believe in my motive at all though!” Snails said, but it’s obvious his voice is shakey. “I mean, she’s the Great and Powerful Trixie! Of course she’ll be fine! Featherweight just told me that there’s still hope and all. Saw right through my doubts! Real cool of him!”
“Yeah, well what does he know?” Snips asked, narrowing his eyes, giving off a vibe full of scorn. “I don’t believe my motive either. I mean, it’s dumb! Just grabbing pictures outta nowhere and putting’em in our homes! What’s up with that! Didn’t Featherweight have a camera of his own by the way?”
Camera? Why'd he bring that up?
“Well, yeah, but-” I wanted to explain, but he cut me off.
“Dude, it’s alright, he’s not smart enough to control that fat bear thing up there anyway.”
“Hey! I’m not fat, I’m big-boned! I’m a bear after all!” Monobear made a quick retort.
“Wait, you suspected him of being the freaking mastermind!?” I couldn’t stop myself from glaring at him.
“Whoa, calm down, man! I’m not the culprit! I just thought he was the mastermind for a bit because of the camera, but when we talked, he didn’t know what my motive was at all! Like, he was just randomly guessing what it was and telling me that there’s still, hope!” Snips frantically explained. “And you, Twist? Don’t go quiet on us now!”
“Right.” She sighed, “My motive... I did believe, but he simply asked a series of questions, like, what are my parents like and such. And he got me to believe that they’re strong. They wouldn’t die so easily. I was skeptical, but I decided to take those words to heart. I repeated his hope over and over, turned it into a mantra. I can’t fulfill my dream with a conscious full of guilt.”
“Heeeeeeeeeey, what happened? Why am Ah’ bein’ ignored??” Apple Bloom pouted.
“Because we’re afraid you’d go on your whole cutie mark quest here in this trial.” Silver Spoon answered.
After rolling her eyes, Apple Bloom answers, “Ya know, ya’ll some awfully harsh ponies, even after the death of a friend. A dear ol’ talented friend with a nice cutie mark to boot! But he did talk to me too! Ya’ll really don’t wanna hear me out? Believe that Ah’ll lie, maybe wish Ah’ was lil’ miss honesty like mah sis?”
“Whether you lie or not, we’ll use what you say against you, should the evidence add up to the murder.” I glared at her, so she knows I’m not messing around.
“Alrighty then! Git yer jimmies on, we’re ‘bout to go into a short story mode!” Apple Bloom’s too happy about this...
“J-just get on with it!” Diamond Tiara’s impatience with Apple Bloom was actually something I agreed with in this case.
“Ol’ Featherweight talked to me at that ol’ coffee shop! Tellin’ me to not let those pics get ta me! Ah’ told him that the photos I got were of Sweet Apple Acres smashed to bits! And it’ll cost a lotta bits to get it back up to speed! Yet, Ah’m told Ah’ need power and stuff! But I have no reason to fret! My mighty mom ‘n dad will help fund the farm! And I’ll use my super talent I get from this place to help’em out! Ah have no reason to kill! All I care about is talents n’ cutie marks! That’s it!”
“..................................” Silver Spoon looked on, appalled by Apple Bloom’s words.
“Wait, you’re not worried about your family at all? Not even about Applejack??” Sweetie Belle asked, unnerved by Apple Bloom’s cheerful expression, saying the condition of her farm like it was nothing.
“Nah, why should I be? They’re the Apple Family! Good ol’ strength in numbers! They all got each other’s backs, and Ah’m sure Applejack’ll scold me later, so I have looooooots to look forward to! Hahahahahaha!”
Scootaloo stayed silent, not knowing how to comprehend this behavior. I’m pretty sure none of us knew what to say.
To be honest, it kinda sounds like she’s glad that her family farm is gone...
“Okay, so now that the six ponies here all explained what they talked to Featherweight, how can we even know that he talked to just these six?” Truffle asked, insisting on knowing the answer.
“That’s easy.” Rumble scoffed at the question, as if it should’ve been obvious. “Remember when we all got our motives yesterday? We were all on edge. We all sat at that coffee shop, right? The ones absent were Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Twist, Snips, and Snails. He had no reason to speak to us twice. In fact, let’s add Grace Lightning to that list.”
“Wait, what?! You-”
“Settle down. You’re not a suspect, but you weren’t with us either. In fact, you’ve been gone for days. You still haven’t told us the whole truth. You’re hiding information, something you won’t tell us. Something big.”
“Grrrrr...” Grace grumbled, but couldn’t think of any rebuttal, sighing in defeat in the end. “I get it. You want to know why I ran. I guess it makes me a coward to know that I submitted to my fears.”
“Sooooo, am Ah’ the prime suspect or what? Am Ah’ a talented suspect?! Talented at getting suspected?!”
“Zip it, hick girl! I’m shutting these idiots up!”
“Fiiiiiiiine~”
“You idiots... one of you tried to kill me! I wasn’t gonna die. Not alone, so I ran! THERE!”
“W-wh...... IMPOSSIBLE! Somepony like you!?” Diamond Tiara couldn’t help but vocalize how shocked she was. But I think she speaks for everypony here.
“If somepony tried to kill her, then perhaps her tough appearance is merely a front.” Silver Spoon sharply added on, even giggling a bit.
“Who!? You gotta tell us!” Scootaloo demanded.
“I didn’t see who, it was freakin’ dark in there!”
Dark in there...? Just where in the world did she hide?
“You can’t be serious!” Diamond Tiara grabbed her head in frustration.
“Look, I just went into hiding, then somepony tried to kill me, so I ran! And I thought it was that Feather guy, alright?! Happy now?!”
“W-why!? Why him!?” I demanded.
“BECAUSE HE WAS THERE! Dragging around that dog!” Grace pointed a hoof at our teacher.
“Miss Cheerilee!? She’s no dog! You take that back now!” Truffle demanded.
I look to Miss Cheerilee, with her eyelids lowered. She probably thinks he’s crazy for believing she’d take offense at this point.
“Zip it, wide load! That guy followed me around and tried to act all nice with me, but I know somepony tried to stab me! That much I know!”
“You should’ve told somepony!” Truffle demanded, knowing that we should’ve stuck together.
“And what, show how weak I am?! SCREW YOU! It’s easy for you to say, but have you had someone try to kill you!? Hah, screw that! I’m living on, dammit! I won’t go down, not without a fight!”
Through all of that screaming and ranting, she put on a brave front. It’s obvious that she was terrified to the core. She used most of her emotional strength to not cry.
But still, the place was dark? There was a pony inside wherever she hid!
"I believe she may have hidden herself in the storage room of the clothing shop the first time." Rumble said.
"How do you know?"
"If there's one thing I learned from this case, is that air duct is a pretty big hint. I think the culprit was there the entire time, creating an escape route. Why else would the culprit use it anyway?" Rumble answered with a question.
"Oh, riiiiiight!" Dinky gasped in amazement. "But how'd you think Featherweight tried to kill you? I'm conpuzzled!"
Dinky has a point. And on top of that, from the sound of it, she ran from him to begin with...
So why did she run from Featherweight the first time? Her explanation about mistaking him for a killer sounds more like the reason why she kicked him, not why she’d run.
Something’s off. Something’s way off with what she’s saying. It’s as if she’s going back and forth about Featherweight.
She’s not telling us the whole truth!
NONSTOP DEBATE
Evidence Bullets:
-The Air vents
-Monobear File
-The Killing Goods
-Scuff MarksGrace Lightning: That little guy and that dog were planning to kill me, that’s why I ran!
Diamond Tiara: You should’ve said so from the beginning! I would’ve let up a little if I knew!
Sweetie Belle: I have a hard time believing that he was trying to kill you! I mean... he was kind! He was helpful!
Grace Lightning: Didn’t mean he wasn’t gonna snap. He snapped, end of story, got it?!”
Pipsqueak: Dude, I just can’t see a guy like that losing it to that point, ya know!?
Pipsqueak: And besides, since he had working wings, he coulda cornered you more easily!
Grace Lightning: I-I wanted to kill him, that’s all! That Dog made it hard for me to do it!
Truffle Shuffle: How did Miss Cheerilee make it hard for you!?
Truffle Shuffle: Was it a hug?! Was it a scolding!? The barking noise!?
Dinky Doo: She sure kept blinking pretty hard whenever she saw Miss Cheerilee!
Dinky Doo: I say she wasn’t that far off the mark when she talked about the murder!
Cheerilee: *ARF! ARF, ARF!* *whines*
Scootaloo: Nooooot helping there, teach.
Huh... Dinky Doo’s words reminded me of Grace’s odd behavior around Miss Cheerilee before. Not to mention, Miss Cheerilee herself was trying to say something.
That has to mean she was pointing out a contradiction... Could it be!?
I got it!
YOU GOT THAT WRONG!
_________________________________________________________________
“Damn it, what the hell, blue snooper!?” Grace chided me for shouting, but I had to. Dinky Doo’s words helped me to remember something huge that hasn’t been brought up.
Until now that is.
“You’re wrong, because you’re lying about something. And it’s actually about Miss Cheerilee.” I wasn’t gonna let her scare me this time!
“Geh- Wait, no, it’s not what you think!” Grace is suddenly trembling before I even get to the point. Guess she knows where this is going, huh?
“It’s been bothering me. Every time you saw Miss Cheerilee today, you’d slam your eyes shut for some reason, like you didn’t want to look at her no matter what. Why is that!?”
“NO WAY! I DIDN’T, I MEAN, I... agh!” She couldn’t find any excuses through her ranting.
“You’re afraid of dogs! Isn’t that right!?” I shouted with all I had.
I’m sure of it. It sounds silly, but if that’ll explain why she ran away to begin with...
Yet, why am I being stared at like I've lost my mind??
"Really? That's your big objection?" Diamond Tiara asked me, unable to comprehend where I'm going with this.
"If she's afraid of dogs, can I be afraid of cats? Wait, that doesn't make much sense, does it?" Dinky asked.
"I don't see how it would!" Snips chimed in.
“NO! I’m not scared! I’m NEVER Scared! I mean, uhh... I’M JUST NOT!”
“Then look at Miss Cheerilee. Can you focus on the teacher without focusing on the suit!?”
The only way to corner someone like her is to challenge her...
“OH YEAH! Watch me! WATCH ME DAMMIT!”
Taking the bait, Grace turned to Miss Cheerilee, and her eyes shut the moment she saw the suit.
She’s actively forcing her eyes open with her hooves even!
“Huh... Now I get it. It’s not just any dog she’s afraid of.” Rumble muttered to himself, but loud enough for us to hear.
“What?” I asked, curious as to what Rumble was getting at.
“Look at Miss Cheerilee’s suit. The color, especially.”
Well, yeah. It’s a gray suit...
Wait a sec, that’s it!
“Diamond Dogs... right?” I answered, expecting clarification, hoping that I’m right.
“Of course. I doubt she’d be afraid of an ordinary dog. So the Diamond Dogs is our best guess. Hey Grace, care to confirm that for us?” Rumble said.
“GAH! No! NO NO NO NO NO! I’m not scared! I’m not I’m not I’m not! You can’t expose my fears here! This isn’t important! I DIDN’T KILL ANYPONY!” And now she’s just spouting random rants.
I think we’re spot on. She wouldn’t be freaking out like this if we were wrong, I’m sure.
“We need to know the initial reason you ran! Because if that’s the case, then Featherweight couldn’t have tried to kill you! Somepony else was in the Rarity Shop storage room!”
Grace grumbled, groaned, and roared in anger. She pounded her left forehoof onto the top of her stand again and again, angry that her secret was exposed. “DAMN IT! Fine, I’m afraid! Happy now!? LEAVE ME ALONE!”
"I don't feel like it." Dinky chimed in, then noticed Grace's piercing glare. "H-hey! I was kidding! Come on, take a joke!"
"You're not a blank flank, so very well!" Tiara said, earning more scorn from Scootaloo as usual.
“Yeah. We will. I think that broke through everything now. But before that, allow me to ask one last question.” Rumble looked to Grace, hoping his eyes would let her know he’s not saying she’s the murderer.
Remaining silent, Rumble went on with his explanation anyway.
“What time did you get back?” He asked.
“What time!? What, do I look like somepony who wears a watch?! How the hell would I know that!?”
The ID band you're wearing kinda functions like one...
Ah, of course! She never learned know how to use her ID band!
“Then did you see a sunrise?”
“Of course I did! The sun was up by the time I got back! I also heard that stupid morning announcement!” Grace ranted, setting off Monobear in the process.
"Hey! I go out of my way to wish you a good morning, and that's how I'm treated? That really stings worse than a honey bee swarm! Remind me to make fun of you tomorrow morning! Enjoy your rude awakening, you bastard!" Monobear ranted.
"I don't need greetings from a teddy bear anyway!" Grace retorted. Then again, I doubt anyone would enjoy being told 'good morning' by that bear.
“She must've arrived at seven, something!” Dinky rose a hoof, happily declaring.
“We'll have to go with that if we recall when Monobear makes his morning announcements.”
“Then there’s nothing else we can really go off of, huh?” Snips sighed, somewhat disheartened.
“I have something that’s bothering me right as we speak. Perchance, you’ll allow me to voice my thoughts?” Silver Spoon turned to us, giving a look of determination.
In fact, I’m curious about it too.
“Recall when Grace Lightning said that one of us tried to kill her. This perhaps is actually related to Featherweight’s time of death. I’m beginning to think Grace gave the killer a chance to commit this murder through her actions.”
“Huh?” Pip formed a somewhat solemn scowl, letting out a slight nervous giggle. “Hahaha, you’re implying we could’ve gotten to him on time... haha...!”
“She’s more or less implying that we wouldn’t even be here if we actually acted when we saw the body... I think.” Even Twist was beginning to get nervous. Speaking adding on to the conversation, Twist too, grew nervous at the implications.
“That’s precisely what I mean. He died at 7:30 AM, yes? And it was 7:41 when that body discovery announcement was made. Grace Lightning even mentioned mentioned a killer somewhere during the chase. All Diamond Tiara walked in on, was a limp Featherweight.”
“I... was wrong!? I mean, I can’t be! NO! Why should I be!?” Tiara's haughty attitude began to crumble.
“Dia, listen. We all looked at the body before we chased down whom we once saw as the culprit. We came to the conclusion of death, perhaps a bit too early." Silver Spoon clarified.
“Monobear! Explain the death announcement!” Truffle demanded.
“Oi! Who do you think you are!? Can’t you see I’m eating honey-like popcorn?! Honey Popcorn! This is my enjoyment! Don’t bring me into it!”
After Monobear set down his bag of popcorn, Truffle's eyes lit up and drool began running down his mouth. "Actually, could you share some of that instead? I really really reaaaaaaaaaaallly would like some popcorn! I'm hungry!"
"Ask again after losing fifty pounds!" Monobear's denial was swift and effective.
"That's too much weight!" Truffle complained.
"Shut up already!" And Diamond Tiara was having none of that.
“Just answer our question and you can fill your chalice with our despair all you want. Just how does the death announcement work?” Rumble asked.
“Whatever! I guess I’ll stop eating this deliciously mouth watering honey to answer!” Monobear set down his bag to the side. “The announcement occurs when three or more of you discover the body! And before I have to stop again, no! It does NOT include the culprit!”
“That means... he really wasn’t dead. I don’t know the time span between when we found him and before his death, but Tiara, when you said to us that he was dead, and we all arrived the first time, it’s highly likely he wasn’t dead. We probably could’ve saved him if we hadn’t jumped to conclusions.” Rumble said.
“So it’s our fault! If only we didn’t panic!” Sweetie Belle was already in tears.
“!” Diamond Tiara’s eyes started to well up, but she quickly shook her head and turned to me. “Err, hahaha, you see, what had happened was-”
I already knew what was coming, and I won't have any of it.
“Don’t even bother apologizing to me. I didn’t reach the truth just to gain your sympathy. I came here so I could catch a killer. That’s all that matters. I don’t need anypony’s pity, got it? Besides, I’m sure you’re not that stupid to just cry wolf like that.” I said.
“Well duh, you’re right. She ain’t got a right to apologize. But I do, and don’t give me that no-pity crap! I was the one who kicked him when he took the blow for Miss Cheerilee! I made him vulnerable to begin with! Don’t get it twisted with that pity BS you’re on about. I’m just taking responsibility!”
Took the blow for Miss Cheerilee? Is that why Featherweight ended up like that...?
“LISTEN TO ME!” Tiara screamed, “I saw the blood, I know I did!”
“How much was there then?” Ginger asked.
“Ya saw that crime scene too, at least, didn’t you?” Apple Bloom added..
Tiara went silent for a brief moment, shutting her eyes tight.
“Well?! Hurry up and tell us!” Scootaloo demanded.
“SHUT UP! I’M THINKING!” A minute or so later, her eyes widened as her mouth slowly opened. “The blood... the amount of blood I saw after was... different! There was more blood than what I previously saw!”
“T-that means we could’ve saved him, right!?!” Scootaloo asked, despite the outcome. She just wanted to know anyway, I suppose. What’s done is done.
“Then even if we got to him in time, he probably would’ve bled out eventually. Sounds legit.” Rumble sighed.
“Well geez! That’s a pretty harsh way of dying!” Even Dinky Doo, who’d normally whip out a joke or two, was completely mortified.
“Yep. It’s done already.”
“Doesn’t that mean that the whole chase lasted about eleven minutes? That’s a very short amount of time!”
“Even in a short amount of time, it doesn’t take long if we assume that the culprit was active from the very beginning, planning his or her plot to kill. From Grace’s testimony, the culprit may have already prepared an escape route.” Ginger said.
"Escape route, huh... That explains why Rumble there had me draw this map of the whole place."
Scootaloo dug into the pocket of her hoodie, taking out the map I saw earlier before the trial.
"I can see why too! When we cornered Grace, we have two alleyways here!" Scootaloo pointed out on the map, and then traced along the escape route with her hoof. "Of course the culprit could've used either one to blend in with us in the end!" Scootaloo ranted, narrowing her eyes slowly as she went on.
All because of an unwitting decoy.
“I think I have an idea who the culprit is. And I know I’m not the only one who thinks the way I do.” Rumble asked, glancing my way with a very strange smile. It’s almost as if he’s looking forward to it...
"You're not seriously expecting me to know the culprit this quick, right?!" I asked, unnerved by the sudden expectations.
"It's not that hard, Shady. You used Featherweight to narrow down the suspects. I'm sure somepony's words seemed a bit off to you." Rumble kept smiling in anticipation.
Was it anxiousness? Excitement?
But he has a point. When I think about the evidence and facts we established during this trial, and even some of the smallest things, then I may have an idea on who the culprit is. Even though we haven't gotten there yet, I have an idea on the true murder weapon if I recall the contents of the Killing Goods boxes
“So it really is one of the six of us that Featherweight spoke to before he died, right?” Sweetie Belle asked.
When I think about what those six said to Featherweight, one of those statements didn't sit well with me at all.
There’s only one pony who fits everything so far. I have evidence I've yet to speak of, but with everything else out of the way, the answer’s clear!