//------------------------------// // The Pony in Pink: I Will Never Tell/You'll Follow Me // Story: Twilight: The Consulting Detective // by A Wise Pony //------------------------------// SPOILER WARNING: This Ponified episode contains heavy reference to the BBC Series Sherlock's 1st episode, A Study in Pink. DO NOT READ IF YOU OBJECT TO THESE SPOILERS! Sherlock © the BBC All MLP Characters © Hasbro. Unofficial names used where real names are unknown. *** Twilight pulled her coat on as she stepped out the door of Baker St. The door closed behind her as she took in the scene. A cab was parked at the curb; it's driver stood at its door, her pink mane hanging limply from under her hat. “Taxi for Twilight Sparkle,” she said. Twilight adjusted her collar. “I didn't order a taxi,” she told the mare. “Doesn't mean you don't need one,” the earth pony said simply. “You're the cabbie,” Twilight realized. “The one who stopped outside Northungulate street. It was you. Not your passenger.” “See, nopony ever thinks about the cabbie,” the other pony gloated. “It's like you're invisible. Just the back of a head! Proper advantage for a serial killer.” Twilight stepped closer, then glanced around. The mare wasn't imposing, and seemed to be alone, but that didn't rule out the possibility that she was armed. “Is this a confession?” “Oh, yeah,” the cabbie nodded. “I'll tell you what else. If you call the cops now, I won't run. I'll sit quietly and they can take me down, I promise.” She made a gesture across her heart, sealing the pact. “Why?” The cabbie grinned gleefully. “Cause you're not gonna do that.” “Am I not?” “I didn't kill those four ponies, Ms. Sparkle,” the pony said. “I spoke to them, and they killed themselves. Now, if you get the cops now, I promise you one thing. I will never tell you what I said.” She repeated the motion, then walked around to the driver door. “Nopony else will die, though,” Twilight said, not moving from where she stood. “And I believe they call that a result.” “And you won't ever understand how those ponies died,” the cabbie retorted. “What kind of result do you care about?” She got into the cab and closed the door, then sat there, picking at her shirt. Twilight looked around once more, then walked up to cab window. The cabbie turned toward her as the unicorn spoke. “If I wanted to understand, what would I do?” “Let me take you for a ride,” the cabbie told her. “So you can kill me too?” The cabbie blinked in surprise. “I don't wanna kill you, Ms. Sparkle.” She smirked darkly. “I'm gonna talk to you, and then you're gonna kill yourself.” She faced forward again, awaiting the unicorn's decision. Behind her, the passenger door opened. As Twilight climbed in, the dull pink pony smirked. She started the engine and drove off, carrying her intended victim with her. *** From the window of 221B, Applejack watched as the taxi drove out, her phone at her ear. “She just got in a cab.” She turned towards the policeponies. “It's...Twilight, she just drove off in a cab.” “Told you,” Derpy said. “She does that.” She turned to Rainbow. “She bucking left, again.” The sergeant turned to the rest of the policeponies. “We're wasting our time!” “I'm calling the phone,” Applejack said. “It's ringing out.” Everypony listened, but there was no sound. “Well, if it's ringing it's not here,” Rainbow decided. “I'll try the search again,” Applejack decided. She returned to the computer. “Does it matter?” Derpy questioned. “Does any of it? She's just a lunatic and she'll always let you down and you're wasting your time. All our time.” She glared at her superior. Applejack watched as the computer tried to find the phone. It was taking even longer this time. Rainbow looked away from the sergeant and sighed. “Okay everypony,” she said, addressing her officers. “We're done here.” *** Inside the cab, Twilight listened as Fleur's phone stopped ringing. The cabbie had ignored it for the whole ten rings. “How did you find me?” she asked. “Oh, I recognized you,” the cabbie explained. “As soon as I saw you chasing my cab. Twilight Sparkle. I was warned about you. I've been on your website, too. Brilliant stuff, I love it!” Twilight ignored the compliment. “Who warned you about me?” “Just somepony out there who's noticed you,” the earth pony said mysteriously. “Who?” The cabbie didn't answer. In the silence, Twilight scrutinized the cabbie and the interior of the cab, noticing several things of possible import. But the unanswered question remained in her head. “Who would notice me?” The cabbie laughed. “You're too modest, Ms. Sparkle.” “Oh, I'm really not,” Twilight assured her. “Got yourself a fan.” The unusual claim piqued the unicorn's curiosity. “Tell me more.” “That's all you're gonna know,” the cabbie said. “In this lifetime,” she finished ominously. *** “Why did she do that?” Rainbow pulled on her coat as the rest of the 'drug squad' filed out. “Why did she have to leave?” Applejack shook her head. “You know her better than I do.” “I've known her for five years, and no, I don't,” the pegasus replied. “So why do you put up with her?” the earth pony asked. Rainbow shrugged helplessly. “Because I'm desperate, that's why.” She turned to leave, then added, “and because Twilight Sparkle is a great mare, and I think one day, if we're very very lucky, she might even be a good one.” She departed, leaving Applejack to ponder that. *** The cab pulled to a stop outside an old looking building. “Where are we?” Twilight asked. “You know every street in Canterlot,” the cabbie said. “You know exactly where we are.” “Pudding-Head Further Education College,” the unicorn identified. “Why here?” “It's open. Cleaners are in. One thing about being a cabbie, you always know a nice quiet spot for a murder.” The cabbie thought about that for a moment. “I'm surprised more of us don't branch out.” The detective was incredulous. “And you just walk your victims in? How?” The cabbie reached into her pocket and withdrew a gun, which she aimed at the unicorn. Twilight rolled her eyes. “Oh, dull.” “Don't worry,” the cabbie assured her. “It gets better.” “You can't make ponies take their own lives at gunpoint,” Twilight protested. “I don't. It's much better than that.” The cabbie put the weapon away. “Don't need this with you, 'cause you'll follow me.” She walked towards the entrance of the righthoof half of the structure. Twilight hesitated, then got out of the car and trotted after her. She glanced back at the car and the phone that lay forgotten in the driver's seat before entering the school. *** Applejack waited for the search to finish. The compass kept spinning. She couldn't understand; if the phone was still, it should have been found within three minutes, just like before. But why would it be in motion? She finally decided that there was no point in waiting and stood to collect her jacket from downstairs. She was halfway to the door when she remembered her cane. It was propped on a box that was atop the desk. She reached to get it just as the computer beeped. A location appeared on the screen. Applejack blinked, then realized what this meant. Twilight hadn't had the phone when she left...but if the pony who had driven her cab had had it, it explained the false positive at Baker St, and why Twilight had left. The killer had her. Applejack scooped up the computer and hurried out of the room. The cane lay abandoned against the desk. ***