Equestria Noir Season 2 Case 15 "Manehatten Rain"

by Jacoboby1


Chapter 2 "Whispers of a Bat"

Chapter 2

“Whispers of a Bat”

I gave Field Goal a look that displayed my skepticism fully. “A batpony?” I asked him. “You’re saying there’s a Batpony that goes to your school?”

Field Goal nodded, “Yeah man, he doesn’t like, go to school all the time he takes mostly night classes and stuff. He’s kind of shady to be honest.”

“This Batpony have a name?” I asked.

“Even..something, I dunno dude, I never really paid attention to him until now.”

Even? Strange name for a Batpony…

And on top of that, a Batpony living in the middle of Manehatten? That’s a little upsurd. Most Batponies tend to avoid the big cities because their overly sensitive hearing didn’t take kindly to the bustle of the city. But, this was my only lead, that foal was definitely a hybrid. The question was, just who was this Batpony kid exactly? Could he have been connected in the worst possible way…?
_________________________________________________________


I still got a small feeling of dread coming in here. Behind the partition where the school’s secretaries worked, lay the dreaded Principal’s office. There were the two metal desks, with their requisite filing cabinets. The berber carpet on the floor was typical school budget faire, and barely had any padding beneath. The intercom mic peeked out from behind the partition, shelves with baskets, and a lost and found were along the walls. Maybe the secretaries knew something about the batpony.

I then heard arguments coming from the office of Mr-I mean, Principal Standard, she must’ve come back while I was walking about…

“For the last time, Guideline, I do not believe we should rile up the students.” Standard’s voice said, trying very hard to keep calm.

“But we both know that he is the most likely suspect, we should inform the police as soon as possible.” A rather young sounding voice yelled back.

“And announce it to the whole school? What would making a huge show of poor Evenstar accomplish?” Standard replied cooly.

“It would be putting the suspect in-”

I opened the door at that point, both mares stopped talking. The other mare I didn’t recognize, she had to be just fresh out of college, maybe a couple of years older. Curly orange mane, sandy brown coat and glasses obscured by a pair of thick shades that would make Rainbow jealous.

She also looked very cross at my intrusion. “And you are?”

Standard spoke up for me, “This is Private Eye, you may have seen him on the news. He’s helping us with the case.”

“A private detective? That isn’t with the police force and we are supposed to trust him to handle this case?” The other mare replied cooly.

“Yes Ma’am, although I’m not directly a part of the police I have been given the authority by Celestia to help out with any case I deem needing attention.” I said firmly.

Bout time I got the line down right.

“Private,” Standard began, gesturing to the mare, “This is Guideline, our student counselor, came to us out of Royal State University.”

“You guys were talking about a boy named Evenstar?” I asked.

Standard nodded, “Yes, he hasn’t been seen since last night, Miss Guideline here says we should inform the police and I vehemently disagree.”

“Private, can I call you that?” Guideline said, dropping the cool tone and taking to a tone I heard many a pony adopt when they want something out of me. “This boy, Even, is a very troubled child with a long history of delinquency, I am only doing my civic duty as a citizen of Equestria by informing the police and the student body about Even’s disappearance.”

I narrowed my eyes, I hated the fact I couldn’t see her soul windows thanks to the shades.

“And you do realize just how fast gossip and misunderstanding can spread in a high school environment?” I asked.

“Of course, but since the boy was obviously invo-”

“Guideline, I believe that is quite enough.” Standard said, rising from her seat.

“Obviously involved, because he was close to Miss Star Flare before her disappearance…” Guideline finished.

They were close, but, something just isn’t right here…

“If you would be so kind as to give Mr. Eye Even’s record?”

“To prove that he was the culprit and we can stop with this charade?” Guideline asked.

“No, to find the poor boy and get the truth before somepony makes the wrong assumption and hurts him,” Standard replied.

Guideline frowned and dismissed herself, I heard her muttering “Stinking brats…” under her breath...I’m pretty sure.

Standard sighed when Guideline left, “Young ponies, always a chore…”

“Oh come on, we weren’t all bad.” I said with a smile.

“Maybe not, but I remember a certain trio of colts that would often be found in my office for this or that reason.”

“More like one colt and two that keep trying to bail him out before he does something stupid.”

We both laughed at that.

I then took the seat in front of Standard and asked, “So, this kid Evenstar? What’s his deal?”

Standard sighed, “Poor boy, last time I looked at his record was two years ago, when we admitted him here. We found him trying to steal from the cafeteria for food one night. Instead of turning him in I offered him a chance to learn here, at night, where he didn’t have to worry about being teased for being a batpony.”

“You always did have a heart for the lost…” I said, feeling almost nostalgic.

“I did, I didn’t charge him tuition because I was effectively homeschooling him unofficially. He was such a well behaved boy in the classroom, but outside…”

“Trouble?”

“Majorally, many of our students sadly come from privileged backgrounds with...certain archaic views on those that are different.” she replied.

I nodded knowingly…

___________________________________________________

Your mom is a freak!

Your dad left you!

You're worthless! Nothing!

Get out of our school you freak!

Ugly Hybrid Freak!

_______________________________________________

“Private?” Standard asked.

“Sorry, got lost for a minute there, so, bullies?”

“Yes, the few times Even had to come during the day he often get bullied or teased because of what he looked like. I tried as best I could, but I can only do so much, bullies are always the worst when teachers can’t see them.”

“So how does a kid like that know the most popular girl in school, Star Flare?” I asked.

“I have honestly no clue, the two were from completely different worlds…”

“You don’t think…” I suggested.

“A lot think it, that Evenstar, in a moment of blind anger took advantage of young Star Flare. The foal being his, and she took her life or Even killed her to keep the rape a secret…”

“And what do you think?” I asked.

“I think it’s a load of hogwash. Evenstar is a little crass but he’s no lunatic. It’s just a story that makes sense to a lot of ponies. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended up on the news and was played up as this big racist story because Even is who he is.”

I slowly nodded and asked, “So, do you know where he lives?”

Standard nodded and gestured for me to move my head closer, I nodded and did so, listening in. “The address in the record is just the orphanage he’s officially attached to, I know where he actually lays down his head. He lives over in Downstreet Alley, not far from where the old donut shop we used to go to was.”

I nodded, taking a mental note. So far, none of this made sense, how could a delinquent and a rich girl end up making a foal. If it wasn’t rape then what…

“Here are the records you asked for…” Guideline said as she came in, holding some files. She gave them to me, “I hope you solve this case soon, that Evenstar could be quite the little danger to himself…”

“We’ll just see…” I said, stepping out of the office and entering the hallway. I saw a group of mares helping up a girl whose books had just fallen. She shook her head, “What the hell was Field’s problem?”

“You alright?” I asked, coming over.

“Fine, that idiot Field Goal came out of the office and almost ran me over.”

Field Goal...could he have...oh no!

I sped out of the school, leaving behind some knocked down girls, the first one then yelled. “Not again!”

_____________________________________________________


I strolled down the grimy streets, looking around cautiously. This place was dark, foreboding, and very run-down. I couldn’t see how a kid from this neighborhood was going to a school like Elk Ridge. I kept aware of my gun, at all times, ready to use it should I have to. This was a place where the lowest of the lowlives lurked. Trash littered the street, I could hear an argument off in the distance. Rowdy singing came from a distant pub, and I could hear cats fighting in the alley.

Not a neighborhood anypony would want to live in…

I looked down at the record again, looking at Evenstar’s life before my eyes. Poor kid was left at an orphanage years ago, plopped down from one foster home to another. Finally was kicked out of the system when he became a teenager, pretty much the deadline for an orphan…

I heard a crash over in the next alleyway, I then remembered that was where Even’s place was supposed to be. I rounded a corner and saw...Field Goal was punching a teenage batpony in the stomach. That had to be Evenstar…

He was average height, thin, with messy dark violet hair, a smokey grey coat and glasses covered by a pair of goggles. His Batpony features stood out too, big furry ears, a pair of leathery bat wings and small fangs I could see when he gasped for air after that last punch, his flank sported a cutie mark with a single slitted eye on it, a star surrounding it.

Field Goal wailed another punch into him while his two cronies held Evenstar against the wall. “What the hell did you do to my girlfriend you freak!? You were with her last!” He yelled.

“I told you,” Even replied, his voice still showing the peaks and valleys of adolescence. “I didn’t kill her!”

“You’re a liar! All of you batponies were killers!” Field shouted at him.

Even...smirked…”So, you do pay attention in history class after all...”

Field punched him again.

3 guys surrounding him, one beating him up, almost completely helpless, and he still has the time to snark…?

I like him.

“Just tell me why did you kill her!?” Field yelled.

“I didn’t kill her…” Evenstar said, “I had nothing to do with her dying…”

“Stop lying-” Field was about to punch him again…

I used my magic to yank out Golden Eagle, the old Flintlock charged to it’s lowest setting and fired a small jolt of lightning at Field, right in the flank.

Field yelped and the three jocks turned to me.

“Aw shit, it’s the cop!” One of his cronies said.

“Let’s scram!”

All three jocks left Evenstar on the ground and took off. I fired a few light jolts at them to give them more incentive. When they left, I holstered Golden Eagle, then turned to see Evenstar try to get up...where have I seen him before…?

I gently helped him to his hooves. “Easy now,” I said, “Those guys did a number on you…”

Even turned his head to me, and then slowly lifted his goggles, revealing a pair of slitted yellow eyes, “You’re...you’re Private Eye…”

“Bout time one of you teenagers recognized me.” I said to myself, dusting him off.

“I, I can’t believe you’re really here…” He said, “I mean...I couldn’t believe it when I saw you last time a few months ago…”

“Wait? Months ago?” I asked.

“I, was the one that saved you from that freaky knife stabbing filly.” Even said with a humble smile.

That’s where I’ve seen him before! He was the pony that saved me from Scarlet! But...hold on Private he’s still a suspect…

“Evenstar, I presume?” I asked.

Even slowly nodded, “Yeah, that’s me, Evenstar, local batpony freak and the only one who’s trying to figure out what’s really going on....”

“You know something about what’s happening?” I asked. “Were you with Star Flare?”

“Yeah, but for different reasons,” He replied. “I was trying to find out why she was leaving so suddenly! I wasn’t going to kill her! I didn’t even speak to her before that day!”

“Why did you seek her out?” I asked.

“If you think it was because I had a sicko crush on the mare, that ain’t it! I didn’t even like her!” Evenstar said frantically.

“Hold up, calm down…” I said.

Evenstar took a deep breath, and then let it out, flapping his wings a little. “Private Eye...listen...the truth is...I need your help...I think I know what happened in that alleyway…”

“what happened?” I asked, eager for an answer.

“I think,” He gulped a little, as if the answer scared him. “I think Field Goal killed Star Flare…”