Equetria's Detective Reason: Clouds, Memory, and the Detective

by FirestarLeon

Chapter 6

Fluttershy… Fluttershy… Fluttershy!

Pinkie! Screaming and chanting the poor dear's name over and over again is not going to wake her up!

Oh. Sorry Rarity. I'm just having a hard time waiting. I really want Fluttershy to wake up. I can't wait to give her all these get well cupcakes!

P… Pinkie?

Fluttershy!? Stay still dear. You've had quite the ordeal. After you landed, you went into shock and passed out.

I… tried to fly so fast. I never fly fast enough to leave a color trail behind. Rainbow Dash does that a lot though.

Wow! So you were flying so fast around town looking for Rainbow dash? That's amazing! Here! Have a cupcake!

Oh… thanks Pinkie. Wait! Where's Everypony else? Where's Reason!?

Goodness darling. Why do you need to know where the detective is?

Because it was my job! No wait I mean… I…

Sweetie… what're you not telling us?

…

It's okay! You can tell us. Pinkie Diana Pie is the best secret keeper ever!

…Reason has a dark secret he doesn't remember.
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The air was tense as we held our ground against the royal guards. Every muscle in me screamed to flee. But I knew better. I was on cloud, pegasi are faster and can fly, and finally these were trained soldiers. My chances are pretty slim for a successful get away.

"Well?"

Alright. Guess I'll just wing it with these pagasi.

"Hello. I'm detective Reason. I'm here with my assistant miss Twilight Sparkle here on an investigation."

Twilight seemed to have not got the hint to play along. She was still shaking as bad as the other guard. Wait. I thought royal guards were supposed to be fearless? Probably a new guy.

"Reason eh? Well… Reason. This is an official investigation. Now I'd advise you'd hand over any and all evidence you've taken. Along with leaving the premises now."

Twilight without a word started to reach into her saddle bag. But I swiftly took action.

"I've got it Miss Sparkle. Why don't you head over to the balloon and get it ready?"

Twilight started to open her mouth, but I nudged her along. She moved without complaint. Though she still had the shakes. Meanwhile, I had to distract these guys.

"Here you go sirs." I took the feather out of my pocket and handed it to shakes on the left. "That's all we had time to take. I wanted to see if one or two of these feathers matched the victim. I mean, for all we know, another cyan pegasus could have come along and trashed the place. Never can be too careful."

Loud mouth narrowed his eyes. He came up to me and looked right into my eyes. We stared each other down until his eyes widen again, and a smile crept across his face.

"Heh. If you say so, Reason. Me and my partner, were just going to wrap things up here. Why don't you run along now. You do seem to have a busy schedule. And I hope things have been going well for you, detective."

Something's not right here. Why is he now acting like a buddy? Oh well, better play along.

"Thanks. Things are going well. I've just been doing my job. Even gotten to meet some nice new friends."

Shaky I guess seemed to pick up on what was happening. And he became eerily calm as well, with a smile to match his partner. "Like your assistant? Yah, she's a keeper alright. You should go on. Go enjoy her. Heh heh."

Okay. This just got creepy. My green lit glow not helping make this seem less creepy. I'm so out of here. But of course, loud mouth had to get one last word before I left.

"Make sure to check back in. Thinker is getting restless to hear back from ya."

As I was closing the door, I looked back into the now darkening house.

"I'll do that when I'm good and ready."

And with that, I closed the door on them. Only seeing a glimpse of their startled faces.
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The trip back down to Ponyville was silent. Twilight wouldn't look at me. Though I knew that wouldn't last long. I had a sneaking suspicion that I was in for the lecture of a life time.
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Someponies may say they hate being right all the time. I personally, hate being wrong.

When we landed, Twilight kept trotting ahead of me. And when I finally caught up to her, we were back at the library.

I closed the door behind me, only to wish I hadn't so I could flee.

Twilight threw book after book at me, all nearly hitting me. In my dodging, I noticed Spike and Applejack there, trying to calm her down.

"Twilight! Stop it. What happened?"

"What happened? I'll tell you what happened! Reason is the reason I'm going to a dungeon! When the princess finds out I broke the law, she'll send me off back to magic kindergarten! And that's the best case situation!"

"Sugarcube. Your Celestia's student. 'Member that? You've dealt with all kinds of affairs on your own. What makes this any different?"

"The difference is that I lied about taking things from a crime scene! That's stealing, breaking and entering, and whole other load of crimes!"

Okay this is getting ridicules. I'm not going to stand here, and be pelted with-

OW! Was that my own novel that hit me in the face?

"Twilight! Stop it, right now! I had reason to do all that. I'm trying to help your friend remember? Rainbow's in trouble. And I know I can help. Something wasn't right about the scene. Just give me a chance to explain!"

I stopped, shielding my face with my hooves. Waiting for the next book to come at me. Thankfully it never did.

"Fine. You have five minutes to explain yourself. But for the moment. Spike, Applejack. What did Mayor Mare say?"

Applejack took off her hat and held it to her chest. "Sorry Twi. She said she'd help if she could. But since the royals are dealing with it, it's out of her hooves. Right now, she's trying to get another weather pony."

Silence filled the room.

"Spike. Please say you got some good news from the princess." Twi begged.

Spike opened up a scroll he was holding, reading it aloud.

"Dear my faithful student Twilight. I've had some soldiers sent over to help if they can. But I'm afraid there's not much I can do. I've been extremely preoccupied with another matter, and have had little time for anything else. I will help more if the time comes. I'm sorry Twilight, and I wish I could do more. All I can do now though, is pray for Rainbow Dash's safety. Your regretful ruler, princess Celestia."

After he was done reading, Spike looked up at Twilight with big sad eyes. He looked like he was going to cry, and I didn't blame him. How could all these higher ups not be able to help?

Twilight gave a sigh and looked over at me. Guess it was my turn now.
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I put all the evidence we gathered at the nearby table, minus the feather that was taken. Twilight, Spike, and Applejack were all sitting around the table as I began my little show. All eyes on me now.

"Now, as we entered the house, it was quite true the place had been ransacked with Rainbow nowhere to be seen. And Twilight had mentioned Miss Dash had been keeping to herself and been out of town. Correct?"

All nodded in agreement.

"Now originally, I had assumed maybe this was a personal attack. I had asked for some of Dash's enemies and I assumed that with that mindset at first. Until I saw the inside of the house. Something was strange enough to change that theory."

"But all that was there was bunches of Rainbow Dash's feathers Reason." Twilight chimed in.

"Exactly! Don't you see? If Rainbow Dash was indeed attacked, why weren't there any other feathers? Only pegasus can fly and stand on clouds. And Rainbow was quite the fighter, so I'm told, and I could only guess that she would have at least gotten a few good swings at her attacker. So why were only her feathers found everywhere?"

Spike now spoke up. "Couldn't a unicorn just cast a cloud walk spell like you guys did?"

"Well Spike, even if you considered that, how did the unicorn get up there? To high to teleport. And using a balloon or other such means would have been quite obvious to the public. And earlier today at the picnic, some of you mentioned that Rainbow was around earlier that day. So it was in broad daylight."

Applejack spoke up last. "Did you ever consider that maybe she was outnumbered?"

"Again, there would still be feathers. Plus if Rainbow Dash is as fast as they say, I would have thought she'd have gone to get help. The place is made of cloud. If she had to, she could just crash though the cloud and run to the rest of us. No. I have a different theory."

Everyone leaned in anticipation for the reveal.

"This crime scene. If you ask me, it's too much. The amount of damage around the place, it looked like a bloody war happened. It looks too much like a crime scene. I think it was staged. Rainbow Dash is missing no doubt. But I don't think a fight ever happened."

"What!?" Everyone shouted.

Twilight quickly spoke up after that. "That doesn't make any sense. Why fake it all. And if it is all faked, where's Rainbow Dash? And who took her?"

"I don't know everything yet," I added before anyone else could speak. "But our next clue would be in the papers we found. I believe those papers, Miss Dash's behavior, and this crime scene are linked. Along with Applejack's visitor, and perhaps the case I was working on."

"What makes you think everything is connected?" Spike asked with raised brows.

"The key to that is in these papers. The calendar, and more importantly, the contents of the folder Twilight took. "

I levitated the said folder finishing. "Miss Dash's payment slips."