Twilight: The Consulting Detective

by A Wise Pony

The Bridled Banker: It Was A Threat/Killed Another One

SPOILER WARNING: This Ponified episode contains heavy reference to the BBC Series Sherlock's 2nd episode, The Blind Banker. DO NOT READ IF YOU OBJECT TO THESE SPOILERS! Sherlock © the BBC
All MLP Characters © Hasbro. Unofficial names used where real names are unknown.

The two ponies found Moondancer in a restaurant eating with her business partners. They caught the end of a story involving a fork and somepony's mane, which was met with much laughter from the other ponies at the table.

“It was a threat,” Twilight said without preamble. “That's what the graffiti meant.”

Moondancer chewed confusedly at their sudden appearance. “I'm kind of in a meeting. Can you make an appointment with my secretary?”

“I don't think this can wait,” Twilight said. “Sorry, Moondancer. One of your traders, somepony who works in your office, was killed.”

“What?” Moondancer asked, blinking in disbelief.

“Blueblood,” Applejack told her. “The police are at his flat.”

“Killed?” the banker repeated, a wine glass hovering where she'd left it.

“Sorry to interfere with everypony's digestion,” Twilight said to the rest of the table, not sorry at all. “Still want to make an appointment?” she inquired of the banker. “Would, maybe, nine o'clock at Shetland Yard work?”

Moondancer shifted nervously, then excused herself to the restroom. Twilight and Applejack followed her. The banker washed her hooves before speaking. “Hackney, Oxford,” she said, recalling Blueblood's schooling. “Very bright guy. Worked in Asia for a while, so...

“You gave him the Horn Kong account,” Applejack finished.

Moondancer nodded as she dried her hooves. “Lost five mil in a single morning, made it all back a week later.” Twilight's ears perked at that. Moondancer continued. “Nerves of steel, yeah?”

“Who'd want to kill him?” Applejack asked.

Moondancer shrugged. “We all make enemies.”

“We don't all end up with a bullet through your temple,” the earth pony said drily.

“Not usually.” The red maned unicorn's phone beeped. “Excuse me.” She read the new text. A sour look spread across her face. “It's my chairpony. Police have been out to him. Apparently, they're telling him it was a suicide.”

“Well, they've got it wrong, Moondancer,” Twilight insisted. “He was murdered.”

“Well, I'm afraid they don't see it like that,” Moondancer replied annoyedly. “And neither does my boss. I hired you to do a job. Don't get sidetracked.” She trotted back out to dinner.

Twilight frowned. What did she mean hired? Unless...had Applejack taken the check?

“I thought all bankers were supposed to be heartless knackers,” Applejack commented. Twilight glared at the earth pony. Of course she had.

***

It was night. A panicked stallion ran, glancing over his shoulder, a book held in his mouth. He darted into the street and was almost hit by a car. The driver honked at him, but the stallion kept running. An expression of fright gripped his features. He made it across the road and immediately ran to the door of a building. The set of keys rattled in his hoof as he tried to find the correct key. The moment it was open, he rushed inside and locked the door behind him. He dropped the book as he galloped up the stairs and unlocked the door to his flat. Slamming the door behind him, he fled into the sitting room, then froze. A stray breeze stirred the air of what should have been a closed space. He turned slowly, and his eyes widened at a terrifying sight.

***

The next day, Written Script was at work, restoring an urn. His boss trotted over, holding out a paper. “I need you to get over to Caspian's,” she said. “Two Wing vases up for auction, Chenghua. Will you appraise them?”

Written took the page and looked at the antiques. He could do it, but it was hardly his area of expertise. “Uh, Inkie should go. She's the expert.”

“Inkie has resigned her job,” his boss told him. “I need you.”

Written blinked in surprise. He glanced over to the table Inkie normally worked at. All that was there was a set of cups and one shattered teapot.

***

After appraising the vases, which had in fact been authentic, Written stopped by the building where Inkie lived. He rang the bell, but no one answered. No movement could be seen in her flat. Deciding that it might be seen as creepy if he kept coming round here, Written took out an envelope he'd found in his pocket. He scribbled a note to Inkie and slipped it through the mail slot, then walked off.

***

The pegasus behind the desk raised an eyebrow as he read over the impressive resume. A highly skilled doctor, obviously. He looked up a the applicant. “Just temp work,” he told Applejack.

“No, that's fine,” the earth pony replied.

“You're, um…” He thought how to put this diplomatically. “Well, you're a bit overqualified.”

“Uh, I could always do with the money,” Applejack said with a smile.

“Well,” Soarin' said, leafing through a calendar, “we've got two away on vacation this week, and one's just left to have a baby. Might be a bit mundane for you?”

“Uh, no, mundane is good sometimes,” the earth pony said. “Mundane works.”

“It says here you were a soldier,” the pegasus said, gesturing at the resume.

“And a doctor,” Applejack reminded.

“Anything else you can do?” Soarin' asked.

“I...learned the fiddle at school,” she offered.

The pegasus laughed warmly. “I look forward to it.”

Applejack returned the laugh. Well, this was a good start. Some work, and an agreeable colleague.

***

Twilight sat in deep concentration, staring at a printed picture of the vandalized portrait and wall. She compared every symbol she was familiar with to the strange signs, yet still was at a loss. Applejack walked into the flat. “I said could you pass me a pen?” the unicorn asked.

“What,” the earth pony asked in puzzlement. “When?”

“About an hour ago,” Twilight admitted.

“Didn't notice I'd gone out, did you?” Applejack picked up a pen and tossed it at Twilight. It glowed as the unicorn caught it without looking. The earth pony looked at the mirror over the mantle, which was surrounded by pictures of the yellow sign. “Yeah, I went to see about a job at that clinic,” she told Twilight.

“How was it?” the detective asked, still focused on the symbols.

“Great,” Applejack said. “He's great.”

“Who?” the unicorn asked, glancing at her.

The earth pony realized her slip and corrected herself. “The job.”

“He?” Twilight questioned.

“It.”

The unicorn let it slide. She inclined her head towards the desk. “Here, look at this.”

“Hmm?” Applejack trotted over and read what was on the computer (hers again, she noticed in annoyance). A news article reported the death of a journalist under mysterious circumstances. "The intruder who can walk through walls,” she quoted.

“Happened last night,” Twilight pointed out. “Journalist shot dead in his flat. Doors locked, windows bolted from the inside. Exactly the same as Blueblood.

“Celestia, you think-”

“She's killed another one,” Twilight affirmed, still staring at the photos over the mantle.

***