Taking care of the expected transportation and security details she wanted had been as simple as always. All she had to do was call for an officer of the Palace Guard, tell him what she wanted, and then dismiss him to make the arrangements. The Guard could be so incredibly efficient at times. At least, it appeared that way from her perspective. She never had to concern herself further with any matter she gave it into their charge. It was one of the institutions of which she readily took full advantage without reservation or doubt.
However, the matter of finding a Criminal Psychologist wasn’t quite as simple. There weren’t very many in all of Equestria. And none were listed in Canterlot. Indeed, the job description was made official only within the past score of years. Up till then, there hadn’t existed enough of a consistent need to require a pony in permanent employment. Sadly, times had changed.
‘Marble, Doctor of Psychiatry, Therapist, Counselor’: Luna read the brass plaque on door 326 of the Canterlot Medical Center, unable to keep from thinking that the name sounded rather strange for a psychologist, much less a doctor. She rather thought ‘marble’ tended to bring up morbid thoughts, mental pictures of monuments and gravestones. Although, to be fair, she couldn’t think of a pleasant name that would specifically fit a psychiatrist. Head Shrinker? Couch Counselor? Hoof Holder? She shook her head and knocked.
This was the pony recommended to her by the sources at the Palace. This pony was her best option, unless she wanted to wait for a specialist to arrive from one of the other larger cities. She didn’t. So here she was to find out whether this pony was as intuitive and insightful as had been described to her.
“Come in.” A simple reply answered her knock.
She entered an office decorated by somepony who knew the perfect balance between professional styling and comfortable living; it felt like a den or a personal reading room. Forest green walls met varnished cherry wood bookshelves and baseboards. An overstuffed couch on one side of the room invited her to recline in its billowy depths. Across from the couch on the other side of the room was an equally plush sitting pillow next to a gold lampstand and a writing table, complete with quill and inkwell. Centered toward the back and framed by the bookshelves sat a solid cherry desk that dominated the room.
Seated behind the desk and immersed in his reading sat a white pegasus stallion with a cerulean mane and a turquoise blaze. Luna closed the door. The sound of the latch finally brought the stallion’s head up.
“Princess Luna,” he stated, then stood and walked around to the front of his desk. His coat wasn’t completely white, but covered with splotches of cerulean and turquoise all over. Even his wing feathers carried the colors in the same haphazard way. His mark, a violet and magenta yin-yang like symbol blazed on his mostly turquoise hindquarters. Once in front of his desk he properly bowed. “Welcome to my office, Princess, I am Marble, and I am honored that you are here.”
His voice carried no surprise nor awe. In fact, she thought, it was so neutral as to be sleep inducing. She wondered if that effect was inculcated to all psychologists to rapidly calm overwrought clients. “Thank you, Doctor.” Luna said.
“Please, Princess, if you would, call me Marble; I eschew the title of ‘doctor’. It may be necessary and serve a purpose in a hospital, but in my field I believe it has little value other than to stroke the egos of those who insist on it.”
“Very well, Marble. First, let me say that I am not here for-” Luna stopped and squinted. Marble’s eyes didn’t match. His right eye was definitely violet, but his left was nearer in color to magenta. “-counseling, but I need the expertise of a criminal psychologist to assist in the investigation of a death.” Luna mentally scolded herself over her pause, and especially for her leer. She was above letting little things like a minor physical abnormality trip her up! Celestia would never have done such a thing!
Marble showed no indication that he had noticed her obvious faux pas, but nodded in understanding. “Yes, Princess, from the moment you entered, I didn’t think that you were here for counseling. Despite the bandages on your pasterns, you have moved with a confidence and certainty that I have not seen you possess. Then as I made my obeisance, you received it completely at ease whereas before you showed some disquietude. In light of those observations, I would theorize that you have recently experienced a self-actualizing event.” He answered her in a factual, uninflected manner. “Is this correct?”
Luna felt herself leaning back at his uncomfortably accurate, snap assessment of her. Irritated at allowing herself to be unbalanced again, she drew herself forward. “We do not recall our meeting before. Where was it that thou didst see us?” She demanded sternly.
Marble’s lips spread into a disarming smile. “You are a public figure, Princess, and you do make public appearances. Also, I have been to events at the Palace, both from direct invitations, and as the ‘plus one’ guest of another that gave me the opportunity to meet and greet you. In addition, there has been the odd panel or committee at the Palace that requested me as a speaker on an issue. One of them you sat on. But the other times I saw you mingling with officials during a recess.
"Please understand that I have not been prying, but I have been observing. It is one of my gifts, and curses; depending on whether or not the pony I am observing is open to hearing the truth about themselves. And I hope you can forgive me, Princess, as I can tell that despite your recent soul-building experience, my observations have you quite unsettled at this moment.”
“We are- Luna caught herself mid denial, and fortunately early enough to keep from embarrassment. Of course, he knew that she was unsettled; her speech had reverted back to Old High Equestrian. She decided to press on. He had proven himself capable, or at least bold enough to declare her state of being. Perhaps he was exactly what she needed for this investigation; an observer who always observes and has the education to understand what he sees. She started over. “We are here because We need the expertise of a criminal psychologist to assist in the investigation of a death, and possibly a murder. Dost thou believe thyself equal to this task?”
“I have been educated on criminal minds and behaviors, and I have observed some criminal cases, but I have never been on a case exclusively in that role. However, I do believe that I am able to serve you in this capacity, if you are willing to accept my lack of experience.”
“Perhaps,” Luna said, “canst thou intuit a pony’s character from their written correspondence alone?”
Marble’s brow knotted and he frowned. “What you are asking is definitely possible, but it can be inaccurate. There are tells in a pony’s quillship that can give me clues: word choices, shapes of certain characters, signatures. Much more depends on the volume of writing, and whether or not the correspondence is of a personal nature. And if there are examples of letters written by the subject to more than one pony; preferably addressees with different backgrounds and relations to the subject would allow the most accurate assessment."
Marble sounded like he was about to explain further, but stopped after a glance at the floor. The action made Luna realize that she had unconsciously started tapping her hoof.
“But yes, it is possible to gain many insights from a pony’s writing alone.” Marble finished.
Having made her decision, Luna drew a breath and nodded. “Marble, art thou able to join Our expedition immediately? We shall be at the scene this evening.”
Marble bowed. “I am at the Princess’ convenience.”
“Then let us both go and meet thy Captain.”
The classroom was in the basement. Rather appropriately, Luna thought, as she wound her way down the staircase. There is no better place to have a class about death and morbid subjects than deep underground. Marble - for all of the talking he seemed to like to do in his office - was now so quiet that if weren’t for his hoofsteps so close behind her, she might have doubted his presence.
The bottom of the stairs ended at double doors which she pushed through into a wide, but dimly lit hallway which made her stop and wonder. Marble found and flipped a light switch, but the lighting didn’t change. Concluding that somepony had removed all but the permanent lights, she then walked down till she reached a set of double doors labeled B-404. She put her hoof on the door handle and listened. The room seemed silent. Thinking that a test may be in session, she elected to be as quiet as possible. Slowly, she pressed down on the handle and unlatched the door. Then she pushed it open and stepped in boldly, both to not appear timid, and to not prolong any distraction.
The classroom was just as dark as the hallway. A quick glance confirmed that just like the hallway, only one-quarter of the lights were lit. All but eight of the desks were stacked up to the ceiling against the left wall. Those remaining were set in two ranks facing the chalkboard and podium at the rear of the room.
There was more light from the right side, but not from the ceiling fixtures. One source was from the tiny points that could escape through the closed blinds of an office window. The other was from the seven ponies clustered around what appeared to be a large sandbox, about as deep as a pony’s knees. Four of them had small lanterns and were actively taking notes and gazing into the sandbox where a dirty reddish-brown and pale yellow skeleton lay uncovered in the box. Two ponies, one a cadet-gray and blonde earth stallion and the other a pure-white noctala, were intently examining a leg bone from the mostly uncovered skeleton. Behind them, and surveying all that they did, stood an ocean-blue mare whose over-regulation-length green mane faded to yellow at the tips.
Just inside room and flanking the door stood two earth ponies; both of them were craning their necks to glimpse inside the cluster to the large sandbox and its macabre contents.
At the sound of the door closing behind them, both of the ponies standing at the entrance turned to her, startled, and drew away from her.
Luna bit down on her molars. “Is this Criminal Forensic Lab?” She asked of the cream colored unicorn on her left.
“Yes, Princess…” His responded trailed indefinitely, like he wanted to say something more, but lacked the nerve.
“Is Captain Carry On here?”
“Yes, Princess. She, um… she is the blue earth pony standing behind the lead investigators.”
“Thank you.” Luna answered and started toward the pony he indicated.
“Princess Luna?” The other pony, a brick red earth stallion stepped just in front of her.
Luna stopped and stared at him.
“Uhh… class is in session, Princess.”
“I’m well aware of that.” Luna answered impatiently.
“Oh, uhh... okay.” He hopped back out of her way.
With her way clear, Luna advanced toward the group, picking up the argumentative whispers of the ponies behind her.
“Why didn’t you stop her?”
“That’s Princess Luna! Duh!”
Luna paid no further attention to them, but advanced straight to the ocean-blue mare pointed out to her. “Captain Carry On?”
Captain Carry On did a double take at her approach. “What the…” she blurted out, looking Luna and Marble up and down, clearly displeased far more than surprised. “Excuse me.” She said and brushed between her and Marble.
“You two!” She yelled at the ponies standing by the door, “Why are these unauthorized ponies in the middle of an active crime scene?”
“It’s Princess Luna, Ma’am!” The cream-colored Cadet answered.
“That’s no excuse!” She snapped. “What is your eleventh general order?”
“To guard the scene from flank to flank, allowing noone unauthorized regardless of rank.”
“This cadet told her that class was in session, Ma’am!” The other said, glancing about nervously.
“Oh, you told her class was in session? Well, did either of you think to explain to Princess Luna that this lab is being run like an active crime investigation and therefore, no ponies not on the investigative team are allowed in?”
“No, Ma’am.” Both answered, shamefaced.
“Do you know why we have those rules?”
“To prevent loss of evidence, Ma’am.”
“To prevent the destruction of evidence or the contamination of the scene!” Carry On recited the reason word-for-word out of the textbook, chanting each syllable slowly and loudly for them to join in.
“What happens when evidence is destroyed and crime scenes get compromised?”
“Killers go free, Ma’am.”
“Killers are free to kill again! Do either of you think that Princess Luna would be pleased to know that she may be responsible for allowing a killer to kill again because she accidentally destroyed or compromised crucial evidence because you two didn’t think, and failed to stop her from entering a restricted area?”
“No, Ma’am.”
“Then you two better start thinking, stand there, and do your job!”
“Yes, Ma’am!”
Carry On spun on her hooves and marched around Luna and Marble to the dig site. “Cadet Valiant, Princess Luna has flown in unexpectedly and is demanding answers. You have uncovered a complete skeleton of a filly. Are you able to tell her that you can close this case so that she can go and calm a frightened populace?”
Cadet Valiant glanced over to the noctala by his side who shook his head.
“What is your answer, Cadet?” Carry On stamped her hoof.
“No, Ma’am, I cannot.”
“Why? You have one complete skeleton. What is the problem, Cadet?”
“The front leg bones don’t match the rest of the skeleton, Ma’am.”
“But you have one complete skeleton! Are you seriously going to try to convince me that you have two bodies here?”
“The bones don’t lie, Ma’am.” The white noctala said.
Carry On turned to the other cadets. “Does anypony have a different opinion?”
Nopony said a word.
“Cadet Valiant, Cadet Bloodsight, congratulations! You have done well. I didn’t expect you to get this one. Great job!”
The four other cadets stamped their hooves in approval.
Carry On waited for the applause to end. “This scene is based on an actual case, the details of which we will cover after break. But for now, we have in our midst a very special guest. Formation!”
All of the cadets sprang into action, scurrying to form two ranks of four in front of Carry On.
“Atten-tion!” She commanded, and all cadets stood stock still. Then she performed an about-face, squared herself to Luna, and bowed very low, almost to the ground. “Princess Luna, I’m Captain Carry On, and this is Forensics Class 177. We are honored to have you in our presence and we bid you welcome.”
“Thank you, Captain,” Luna answered, “this is Marble, he's acting as my assistant for the weekend.”
Carry On gave him a partial bow and returned her attention to Luna. “To what do we owe this honor of your visit, Princess?”
“I came to have a word with you, Captain. Perhaps no more than five minutes of your time.”
“Yes, of course, Princess. I am at your disposal. My office is behind you, please make yourselves comfortable. I will dismiss my class and join you shortly.”
Her office was small and spartan, but in contrast to everyplace she had seen so far on this floor, it was at least well lit. One desk, with lamp, supplemented the unmodified ceiling lights. A few small filing cabinets stood near a small cabinet which held a sickly looking potted plant and a badly scuffed coffee maker. No decorations hung on the patched white walls other than the certificates and awards she expected to see in any professional’s office. Just behind and off the side of the desk sat the only chair in the room; a cushy, functional, wheeled pad that was found in most offices. Luna helped herself. Marble sat on the floor near the window with the drawn blinds.
“Would either of you like some coffee, Princess?” Carry On asked from the doorway.
Marble shook his head.
“No, thank you, Captain.” Luna propped an elbow on the corner of the desk and eyed the half-full coffee pot. “But don’t let me stop you, if this is your normal coffee break.”
“It is, Princess,” Carry On crossed over to the pot and filled a skull shaped coffee mug, the teeth of which were formed into letters proclaiming, ‘Smile!’. After a slurp and a satisfied sigh, she plopped her rump down on one of the filing cabinets and slumped back against the wall. “It’s my understanding, that the ranking pony in the room selects the topic of conversation.” she said, and took gulp from her mug.
“Well first, is there a reason why this floor is so dark?”
“There certainly is, Princess,” she gestured toward the next room with her mug. “You saw the noctala, the white stallion?”
“Yes, of course.”
“He’s not white, he’s an albino. He completely lacks any pigment whatsoever. As a result, his eyes are ultra sensitive to light, even more than typical noctala. The class decided on their own to modify the room during a break. I didn’t ask any questions, but I go along with it because most crime scenes are in back alleys, or in heavy cover, or at night. I figure, if they learn now how to look for clues in low light, it can only help them later in the field.”
Luna looked over certificates and diplomas hanging near her. “Is there any particular reason why you are in this classroom and not heading a team in the field?”
Carry On nodded. “There is. Some time ago, a study showed that young to middle-age mares are better instructors of young stallions than any other pony. And, that same study also showed that female students in predominately male occupations find encouragement and have lower dropout rates when they have a female instructor. So, whenever it is decided that a new class is deemed necessary, the Chiefs start looking for the best field agent in that area that has shown excellent leadership and possesses superior training skills. If that exceptional field agent is also a young to middle-age mare, they just offer her the job.” She drank a few swallows. “At least that’s what they’ve done with me for the past six years.”
“Do you enjoy teaching, Captain?”
Carry On shrugged, “I do. Six to nine months of fieldwork, then six months of teaching keeps both jobs interesting. But mainly, I take the teaching offers because it keeps me out of trouble. It seems that I rub some ranking officers the wrong way, if you can believe that. I have been occasionally accused of failing to show ‘proper’ deference to authority.”
“I am left mystified as to why.” Luna deadpanned.
Carry On chuckled at the joke, but her smile melted away. “I know that I was pushing the limits of impropriety back there in the classroom with you, Princess. I’m really very grateful that you were able to look past my slights against you to see the other exceptionally important lesson that I wanted to teach.”
“You made your point quickly, and then you demonstrated proper decorum afterward. In a job that requires specialists to sometimes exercise authority above their rank, I would say that you tread a fine line exceedingly well.”
“Years of practice, I guess.” Carry On hopped down and refilled her mug. “So, you’ve checked my credentials. Are you here to offer me a permanent job teaching? She asked, as she shimmied her rump back up on her filing cabinet perch.
“Would you be interested if I did?”
Her answer was immediate. “Nope.”
Luna nodded once. “Good.”
Carry On’s ears jolted upright and her face showed obvious, wide-eyed surprise. “I’m not sure how I’m to take that, Princess.”
“You should not take offense, Captain, I was only assessing your potential level of interest in a current field assignment.”
Carry On leaned forward. “You mean, there’s an open case here in Canterlot, Princess?”
“Near Canterlot, yes.” Luna corrected.
Carry On set her mug down. “If you need an agent, Princess, I’m ready to catch your killer.”
“I need an agent, but I almost certainly already have the killer.”
Carry On’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not sure I understand why you need me then, Princess.”
“The location of the body has not - till now - been known. The victim died, or was murdered almost four years ago. The suspect is in custody and will lead us to the body tonight. What I want to know is, if the death was murder, accidental, or natural.”
“Oh, it’s a bit of a cold case.” Carry On leaned back and picked up her mug. “And it sounds like it’s mostly solved too.”
Luna sighed. “I understand why this information would temper your enthusiasm. But this case has special import to me.”
“Are you ordering me to investigate this case, Princess?”
Luna shook her head. “A thousand times, no! I want somepony who wants to be on this case. Not somepony who thinks that I’m wasting her valuable time.”
Marble just then cleared his throat and stuck his hoof between the blinds and peered out through the opening as though he wished to observe the empty classroom.
Luna puzzled briefly over his action, it was definitely designed to draw attention, but as to what purpose she couldn’t figure. She turned back to see Carry On’s eyes darting from her to Marble and back.
Carry On then took a slow sip of coffee and studied Luna from behind her mug. “You said that it’s important to you… so I’m a little afraid to ask…”
“Go ahead, Captain.”
“Next door, there are eight ponies who will happily take this case, without prejudice, and they’ll have all the desire, enthusiasm, and energy you want."
Luna raised an eyebrow. “And you?”
“I’ll have to tag along to supervise them, of course. They are still cadets.”
Luna turned her head, staring past the door to the unseen students. “Do you believe them… capable?”
“I would not have made the suggestion if I didn’t believe that they could do it. They are only two weeks away from graduating and going to their first assignments. Yes, they’ll still need guidance, just like they will in the field, but as I said, I’ll be there as acting as their senior field agent. And one more thing I’ll have you know, this may be the brightest class I’ve had yet. These are really smart Cadets, even the two I reprimanded today. But, of course, it’s up to you, Princess.”
Luna stood up. “Report to the front gate of the Palace at sunset. You and all the Cadets that wish to come.”
Carry On leapt down and saluted. “Yes, Ma’am! You won’t be disappointed, Princess.”
“What do you think of her?” Luna asked as she and Marble walked out of the building. It took every ounce of her self-control to hold her questions till now. Echoey stairwells were not ideal for clandestine conversation.
“She’s confident enough in her abilities, and the awards on her wall bear witness that her confidence is not misplaced. She is definitely a free-thinker and an adventurous personality. Loves inventiveness, simplicity, and out-of-the-box thinking. She’s a strong alpha personality that doesn’t think much for rules or regulations if the results are good.” Marble answered like he had been expecting that question for the same amount of time that she had been holding on to it.
"Was there a reason why you interrupted and looked out of the window in her office?"
Marble's answering smile was self-congratulatory and bordering smug. "I recognized that she wasn't going to take the case for you if it was only for the resolution of a minor mystery. She wanted to, but that would mean sacrificing some of her attention away from her students. And that is against her nature because she is very results motivated. So I diverted her attention back to her current job of teaching so she might see that the two goals weren't mutually exclusive. She just needed help seeing the answer. And that answer is found by remembering the students. And, what is the best way to educate students, Princess?"
"To have them learn by doing."
"Exactly. I guided her to the answer that she needed that would allow her to do both. A win-win for you, as you get your investigator, and doubly for her because she gets to be in the field solving a case, and yet still is able to instruct the next generation of agents without a chance of letting a criminal go free."
"Why not just make the suggestion yourself?"
Marble shook his head, "More good is done this way. Ponies will perform better and work harder if they think that they all of their efforts are being spent on their idea. This way, she is joyfully spending her energies on accomplishing her idea, not struggling to placate that Princess and her know-it-all aide."
Luna shook her head. "Brilliant. That sounds like something my sister would have done. You are very wise."
Marble's head snapped over, his smile vanished. "I try."
Luna could tell that she was back under his prying gaze and said nothing more till they got to her chariot. “We know - I know that I have imposed upon you, and that I should allow you to take your leave until tonight. But I do wish that you would be amenable to accompanying me to the Palace.”
Marble studied her. “I will do so, but I would like to know why first.”
Luna took a deep breath. “There are some… letters... that We want to show thee- to show you.”
“As I said before, I am at the Princess’ convenience.” Marble swept a hoof toward her chariot.
Luna boarded and was joined by Marble. A minute later and they were in the sky being whisked away to the Palace.
“The letters, were they written by the deceased?”
Luna swallowed. “They were indeed.”