Equestria Noir 2

Case 12

“Big Top Fall”

By Jacoboby1

Chapter 1

“The Circus Comes to Canterlot”

When one lives in Ponyville, you learn quickly to expect anything when waking up. Sadly Ponyville never fails to sucker punch me with whatever it has in store. So now, I’m paying witness to the greatest battle of the century playing out in my living room.

“Oh come on Twilight!” Rainbow said. “You can’t ignore that there is something between a good guy and bad guy!”

“For the last time, Doctor Crypto and Daring Do are made for each other. You can’t just base a romance off mild speculation,” Twilight shouted back.

“Crypto is boring though! He has about as much personality as Tom the rock.” Rainbow fired back whilst I drank generously from my coffee.

“Yes, but A.K. Yearling clearly set things up for their romance! Ahuizotal is a villain! There’s no way a romantic relationship will come up!” Twilight yelled back as now both of the were glaring at each other whilst hovering.

Geez, I can’t believe ponies can get so worked up over fictional relationships. Kind of reminds me of the hullabaloo over whether Handsome Guardian, or Dark Supplanter would be the perfect match for Beautiful Purity. Boy what a mess that was.

I guess I shouldn’t talk after the angry letter I sent as a teenager to Joss Whinny after Willow Tree became a fillyfooler. At the time I thought she and Sawdust were absolutely made for one another.

The doorbell rang and was ignored by the ship to ship battle going on. I went over to the door and opened it to see Spike standing there, looking like he just ran a small marathon.

He looked past me at the battle going on, “Let me guess, the wait’s getting to them?” He deadpanned.

“Sadly I doubt this’ll let up even when the book does come out next week.” I said with a roll of my eyes. “So, what’s up?”

“I ran by the office today and got a call for a job.” Spike said, “You know the Ringing Sister’s Circus?”

“Of course who doesn’t?” I said. “It’s one of the biggest circuses in Equestria. I used to go to it when I was a kid.”

“Well, as it turns out, one of the acrobats got killed and the ringmaster wants you to investigate it personally.” He said. “Come on, the circus is at Canterlot, if we hurry we’ll get the train.”

“Hold on,” I said, and turned around to the arguing girls. “Say, Twi, do you want to tag-”

I took the hint and went outside of my house, leaving a note as to where I was. Hopefully none of them decide to use our furniture as projectiles….
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The Ringing Sister’s Circus was a traveling circus that has been active even before my dad was born. It apparently started off in the smaller cities before Celestia attended one day and she fell in love with the show. Well, pretty much everypony followed suit after that and the show has been a hit for decades.

Although in recent years with the advent of television and movies there has been a declining attendance at the circus lately. But apparently it’s still trying to go strong.

Spike and I hopped off the train as Canterlot was abuzz as usual with activity. Honestly it seemed worse than usual, thanks to one of Princess Celestia’s favorite pastimes being in town. Colorful buntings decorated the lightposts, with posters for the circus posted around the city. There were performers of all types, including a griffon fire-eater, and Earth Pony acrobats. There’s just something thrilling about seeing normally ground-bound ponies defying gravity. Elephants from Zebrica were also featured, they doing some kind of ballet, or interpretive dance. Lion tamers, snake charmers, and other acts were also widely advertised.

Spike and I moved quickly through the crowds. It got so bad Spike had to sit on my back as we went. I saw the familiar looking police wagons up ahead, all around one of the biggest collection of tents I’ve ever seen.

Of course the biggest tent was for the main performances. It was striped in red and white had three peaks, and was obviously the centerpiece of the area. Behind it, in what was obviously the “personal area” was a collection of travel carts, all having a similar design. They were meant to be light-weight, and easily pullable by your average pony. The other tents held a variety of venues. These included sideshows, refreshment stands, souvenir sellers, and games. Along the “roads” of the circus roamed one-pony venders, selling bags of peanuts, cotton candy, and lip-beakers of soda. It was colorful, and quickly brought a rush of nostalgia to me.

Spike and I pushed our way through the gathered crowd. I came up to the police line and saw Yang standing there. She blinked at the sight of us, “What? No princess this time around?”

Spike smiled confidently and began, “I’m Spike! Savior of the Crystal Empire and Twilight’s number-”

“Yeah, you’re with Private so odds are you’re helping out,” Yang went on. “Now are you going to come inside before the chief gets here and we both get our asses chewed out?”

Spike grumbled as we ducked under the police tape and made our way towards the main tent. “So what happened?” I asked.

“Spindle Wire, one of the main acrobats here at the circus. A cleaning mare found him dead this morning,” Yang said as we walked.

“Well, let’s just say Gravity didn’t take kindly to being defied anymore,” She said as she held the flap open for us to enter.

The floor of the tent was soft dirt, covered with sawdust, and three brightly colored wooden rings delineated the three performance areas. Bleacher style seating was placed around the circumference of the tent. The seats were made to fold up, easily, for travel, and had been lovingly crafted so no pony would end up with a splinter in their flank from sitting upon them. Up above there was the tightrope, a braided metal cable that was meant to hold the weight of three to four ponies who performed up there, and their props.

Over another ring was the trapeze. Strong cables that support bars from which flightless ponies would swing through the air. On either side, connected to one of the strong support posts was the platforms from which the acrobats would launch themselves, swinging over the awe-struck crowd. The flying trapeze was the most death-defying trapeze act, and one of the more dangerous. This was evidenced by the poor blanket-covered pony that lay in the sawdust in the ring.

The CSU ponies; dressed in their emblazoned black jackets, with their kits by their sides; were in the center ring, carefully going over the area, making sure not to miss anything that might be a clue. Off to the side a family of Earth Ponies huddled close, obviously mourning the passing of one of their own. Nearby a unicorn mare with a sunny yellow coat and pink hair was obviously offering moral support. She wore a top hat, and a bright red coat, and bore the cutie mark of a trio of rings.

I looked up at the trapeze, and saw that one of the handles was cut, looking down I saw the handle laying next to a blanket covered body. Forceps looked over at me from the body, “Well, some stiffs get stabbed, others get whacked, but this one tried to fly and failed,” He said, giving his rather unsettling laugh along with it.

“Spindle Wire, male, mid forties, member of the Wire family. They’re the family over there,” He said, gesturing to the Earth Ponies. “Cause of death, he fell on his head when he hit the ground.”

“Yeah, I think we’ll keep the blanket over him, Doc,” Spike said, gulping.

“Judging by the fact the police are here, it was no accident right?” I asked.

“Right again,” He said, bringing over the handle. He pointed to the ropes with his covered hooves. “It looks ripped, but the rope is brand new, somepony sliced into it.”

“Exactly,” Forceps said. “We’re having CSU looking at what could have cut it. So far I’m guessing a knife of some kind, but I’m a Pathlogist, not a forensics expert.”

“Let me know if CSU finds anything,” I said. “I’ll talk to the family and see what I can find.
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“Spindle was the best out of all of us,” The stallion, Copper Wire said as he and his wife spoke to us. Copper was tall, rugged and his mane was a deep silver, his blue eyes looked distraught over everything that happened. “He was our youngest, got into acrobatics when he was a foal, been making us proud ever since.”

The wife, Loosy Wire, wiped her wrinkled eyes, “He was such a good colt, he would never hurt anypony. Why does it always have to happen to the good ones?”

“Believe me, Lady, I ask myself that every day,” I said. “When was the last time any of your family had talked to him?”

“About two days ago when he said where we were going to see him when the circus came to town,” Copper replied, then he blinked and narrowed his eyes, “Why do you ask?”

I debated in my head whether to tell them it was sabotage. Unfortunately, Copper saw right through me in that moment of hesitation.

“Sir, please remain calm,” I said firmly. “Yelling at me won’t bring your son back.”

“Dear, please,” Loosey begged, “let’s not do this now. This stallion is just trying to help us. Please, can we resolve this so we can put little Spindle to rest…?”

Copper stopped after that, he let down his hoof and calmed down. “Sorry, I know you’re doing your job. But, are you saying that his death wasn’t an accident?”

“We’re trying to figure that out,” I said. “Has he been acting strangely at all?”

Copper and Loosey looked at one another. Copper then spoke, “He, did seem a little on edge when he talked to us. Seemed like he was in a hurry to get somewhere, but he didn’t say when we asked, just hanged up.”

Something tells me Spindle got himself into something...and it wasn’t good…
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One of the trailers was for the office of the Ringmaster, or in this case, Ringmistress. Inside the door was obviously a public area. It was carpeted in a stain-proof brown berber. Off to the left was a business-like desk in a dark wood, with a circus tent styled trim. On the desk was a couple of inkwells, and quills. A Zebrican elephant fetish, carved in soapstone, served as a paperweight. Behind the desk was filing cabinet with at least four drawers. In front of the desk was a couple of chairs, fairly comfortable looking, for when somepony needed to discuss business with the Ringmistress. Closer to the more personal area of the trailer was a couple of couches, and a coffee table.

“He was my best act,” The Ringmaster, an older mare by the name of Bella Ringing, said as she sat behind her desk. “He was gonna open for the big show tomorrow night. Now what am I supposed to do when our big act bites the dust?”

“Look, lizard breath, it’s hard running a circus, especially nowadays when everypony and their mother are going to movies.” She sighed and looked to a picture of two older mares on her desk. “My mother and aunt started this business back when I was barely a toddler. Their show ruled Equestria for a while, but nowadays I’m lucky if I even see a full house.”

“Yes, my mother passed it down to me. I was so happy when she told me the news, now I have a dead acrobat and a show tomorrow night without a main act,” She then looked to me, “I hope that we can at least give Spindle some closure.”

“Did Spindle get along with the rest of the cast and crew?” I asked. “Did he have any enemies or rivals? Being on top of the big top can make a few enemies.”

She shook her head. “None that I’m aware of. Spindle was a really nice guy. Didn’t let the fame get to his head unlike some of my performers. He was very humble and good too, he wasn’t a show off and everypony liked him.”

“Maybe the guy was in some kind of trouble?” Financially perhaps?” Spike suggested.

“Never thought I’d see the day when I’d be interrogated by a dragon,’ Bella observed, shaking her head. “No, I gave him a good salary, as much as he would take. As far as I know he wasn’t in any real trouble. Wasn’t in a relationship either, as far as I knew. I mostly let my performers keep privacy in their personal lives.”

“Did you know anypony who was here last night?” I asked. “Anypony who could’ve saw what happened?”

“I don’t think so,” She said, tapping her chin with a hoof. “He practiced a lot alone. It freaked me out the first couple of times he went outside late at night to practice.”

“Well, he’s really good, but you’d be crazy to practice without a net,” Bella answered. “Why there wasn’t a net there is freaking me out too.”

Maybe he got so absorbed into what he was doing he didn’t notice the net was missing. Still though, there had to have been somepony who committed the Sabotage. I was going to find out just why such a nice guy was dead.
______________________________________________________
“I don’t get it, the guy was as clean as Rarity’s house and he ends up dead,” Spike said as he lounged on my back. “It just doesn’t add up.”

“We’ll just have to ask around the circus and see if anypony saw him last night. Odds are somepony ought to have seen him,” I said as we walked along the way through the tents.

Spike and I rounded a corner and...what the…? There was a very familiar yellow wagon with a red roof. On the front was a sign, depicting a light blue crescent of magic, and a magic wand tipped with a star, and it sat on yellow spoked wheels. On the side was a pair of shutters, with heart-shaped cut-outs. On the front was an arched window, a purple-painted crescent moon decorating the wall below it.

Pulling said wagon was a very familiar looking blue unicorn with bluish silver hair and wearing a purple cape and wizard hat on her head. She was arguing with Yang. “The Great, Powerful, and Extraordinarily talented Trixie demands to be let in!”

“Look lady, I don’t care if you’re Princess Celestia’s personal toilet cleaner, get lost before I report you. This place is a crime scene after all.”

“Indeed it is a crime scene! For the crime of my mother being cheated out of her dream!"

Equestria Noir Season 2 Case 12 "Big Top Fall"

by Jacoboby1

Chapter 1 "The Circus Comes to Canterlot"