Ch. 5: Detective Rarity Rides Again
It is a very critical night. Discord was arrested by the Manehattan Police Department after he was accused of ruining the Midsummer Theatre. Now, he was placed in the interrogation room to be questioned by Celestia, Scorpan, and Twilight.
“This is mutiny I tell you!” Discord begged, “I'm a law-abiding citizen in Equestria! I did not cause the riot!”
“Like you never planted the Plunderseeds, almost got Cadence and me eaten by a Tatzulwurm, slimed the Grand Galloping Gala, or betray us to Tirek?” Twilight yelled.
“Alright! You got caught me red-handed those incidents," he says before showing his hands being red, "But I didn’t ruin the Midsummer Theatre.”
A police pony came in with pictures of footprints.
“Your Highnesses, we took pictures of the crime scene and found unusual footprints behind the theatre,” said the cop.
Twilight levitates the picture toward her and examines the foot. The footprints are of a goat and a dragon.
“Then how come your footprints lead to the backstage entrance?” Twilight said.
“I don’t know! Someone is setting me up…THORNE! That flying jerk is railroading me!” Discord yelled while on a toy train.
“Thorne was busy with security detail with me,” Scorpan said.
“Discord, if what you said is true, I am giving you forty-eight hours to prove your innocence,” Celestia said, “If you can’t find anything that proves you have been framed, I will proceed with a trial. If you are found guilty, I have no choice but to banish you to Tartarus!”
“Tartarus! Anywhere but there!” Discord begged.
Rarity, Fluttershy, and Megan could hear him through the door outside the interrogation room.
“What’s Tartarus?” Megan asked.
“It’s an underground prison full of the most evil monsters to ever harm ponies,” Fluttershy said.
“It’s like a roach motel,” Rarity said, “Evil checks in, but it never checks out!”
“This is terrible! Rarity, I need you to help prove Discord’s innocence,” Fluttershy pleaded, “You helped prove Rainbow Dash’s innocence when she was framed by that horrible Wind Rider.”
“What’s Fluttershy talking about?” Megan asked.
“Rainbow Dash was framed for sabotaging the Wonderbolts by a Pegasus named Wind Rider. I proved her innocence before he got away with it.”
Rarity brings out her truck and quickly puts on her trench coat.
“Never fear, Fluttershy! I am on the case. Besides, I know Discord didn’t do it.”
“How?” Fluttershy asked.
“The entire incident was not done by magic,” Rarity said, “The snakes were not hypnotized like the beavers in Ponyville, and the clothes were ripped manually according to police. Such a thing is beneath the Spirit of Chaos.”
Rarity goes in and sees Discord looking down. She puts her hoof on his right shoulder.
“Chin up, Discord!” Rarity said, “I am going to get the proof you need to clear your name.”
“Oh thank you, Rarity!” Discord hugged her.
“Megan, I’ll need a second set of eyes to help,” Rarity said.
“No problem, Rarity,” Megan said.
Rarity puts an orange trench coat on Megan, deputizing her.
****
“It is looking very grim in Manehattan,” Rarity said in a noir narrative, “Someone is framing Discord for a riot he didn’t start. If I can’t find the proof he needs, he’ll be doing eternity as Tirek’s cell mate. To solve this mystery, we need to look at every detail and suspect that comes our way.”
“Megan, while you were onstage, did you notice anything suspicious?” Rarity asked.
“I did,” Megan said, “Those two pony clowns from earlier today were on the catwalk when that sandbag fell.”
“We must return to the scene of the crime and look closer.”
****
Rarity and Megan return to the Midsummer Theatre to reexamine the stage. Rarity got out a magnifying glass and took a closer look at the rope of the sandbag.
“You are right, Megan,” she said, “The rope was clearly cut.”
Rarity took a closer look at a piece of Coloratura’s costume and looked at the threading.
“The threading from the costume was cut by shears, which means the rest of the costumes were cut the same way.”
“Then Discord couldn’t have done it,” Megan said, “He doesn’t need scissors.”
“Exactly. I already made a list of possible suspects.”
Rarity hands Megan a piece of paper with suspect names and motives.
“Why would you have Thorne on this list?” Megan asked.
“Thorne is a likely suspect,” Rarity said, “With Discord out of the way, he stands a chance with Fluttershy. Let’s not forget Trixie Lulamoon. Clearly, she was angry about not getting to be the opening act. She and Discord have their differences, which is a long story. We also have Ahuizotl. With Discord out of the way, we’d be minus one power to protect us from Grogar.”
“What about that pony you growled at?”
“Suri? She is at the top.”
“What’s the idea of making me a suspect?” Thorne shouted as he came in.
“Well with Fluttershy in mind. Where were you when the sabotage at the theatre occurred?”
“Security detail, remember?” Thorne said.
“I forgot.”
“Besides, as I knight, I am a bat of honor, and I wish to win Fluttershy with such. That is why I’m here.”
“Did you notice anything weird, Thorne?” Megan said.
“I did. I saw Trixie leave with two wooden legs that are covered with mud. She seemed upset about something.”
“We have our first lead,” Rarity said.