My Little Investigations: Marehunter

by Metool Bard

Confrontation: Sapphire Shores (O)

December 14, 12:46 PM
Lincolt Center
Main Floor
***

"Ma'am, are you sure you don't need anything?"

"Look, I told you a million times already. I'm alright."

I could't help but get the distinct of déjà vu as we arrived on the main floor of the building. Just as the police reported, Sapphire Shores was standing around, in her hospital gown no less. But instead of the jovial, happy-go-lucky Sapphire Shores I've become used to, she looked positively frantic and agitated. Oh, she did her best to hide it, but it was painfully obvious that something was bothering her. Puzzlement was the first of us to approach her.

"Um, Ms. Shores?" she said, clearing her throat.

Sapphire looked over at Puzzlement and gave her a small smile. "No need to be so formal, officer. Please, call me Sapphire."

Just so you know, she says that to everyone. But this time, it felt a lot, weaker than usual.

"Uh, right," said Puzzlement, brushing the back of her head sheepishly. "Anyway, have you been cleared by the doctors? Because if you're not well enough to be up and about, I have no choice but to escort you back to the hospital."

"Don't sweat it, officer," said Sapphire. "They cleared me. I'm just wearing this for now, seeing as my old costume is a complete wreck."

I suppose that's as reasonable an explanation as any for why she's dressed in such an *ahem* undignified manner. Of course, Sapphire's choice of attire is the least of my concerns at the moment.

"Ms. Sapphire, how did they c-clear you so f-fast?" Rarity sputtered. "You were in critical condition when we found you!"

Sapphire turned to Rarity and raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you say you weren't going to make it today?"

"Don't change the subject, Ms. Sapphire," said Puzzlement, adjusting her monocle. "Ms. Rarity is right; it shouldn't be possible for you to recover so quickly from, well, what happened to you."

Sapphire chuckled. "Well, as it just so happens, I remembered a little ditty Pan taught me that heals injuries. Normally, I wouldn't use it, but this is a special case."

Puzzlement furrowed her brow. "Ms. Melody, is this more of that Music Code you've been talking about?"

"It is," I said with a nod. "She used it when she was attacked at the Manehattan Music Festival back in April."

"Good to see you remember that, Tavi-doll," said Sapphire with a chuckle. Her expression then became serious. "I'll be honest, though. I don't know whether I'm relieved or terrified to see you here."

I tilted my head. "What do you mean by that?"

"Long story, and I don't think I have time to recap it here," said Sapphire bluntly. "All you need to know is that you should get out of Manehattan as soon as you can."

"Yeah, that ain't happening, Sapphie," said Vinyl, folding her forelegs. "We were all sent here by the Princess of Friendship herself for an important investigation."

"Speaking of which, we should start with that," said Puzzlement, taking out her notepad. "Ms. Sapphire, are you well enough to give us your testimony?"

"Ms. Sapphire, as your bodyguard, I feel obligated to remind you that you don't have to answer to her if you're not up to it," Lockdown chimed in.

Sapphire raised her hoof and smirked. "It's alright, Lockdown. I think I can handle a few question without keeling over. But there's something you should keep in mind."

"What's that?" asked Fluttershy.

Sapphire's face darkened as she dipped her voice. "I don't know how much time we have to talk. If you want to question me about anything, be quick about it and keep it relevant, a'ight?"

Lockdown raised an eyebrow. "Ms. Sapphire, are you sure you're up for this? You look a bit pale."

Sapphire groaned and massaged the bridge of her nose. "Lockdown, do me a big favor and just chill for a second, okay? There's no need to worry about me."

Considering that Sapphire Shores was the pony who got attacked, I find that statement rather dubious. In fact, every word out of her mouth has just sounded ominous and foreboding. Something must really have her on-edge, and I have to find out what it is.

"Well, if you're well enough to talk, we shouldn't waste any time then," said Puzzlement, opening up her notepad. "Let's start with the attack itself. Tell us everything you remember about it."

Sapphire shrugged. "That's where we're starting, huh? Alright, I'll try to boil it down as much as I can. But then we're moving onto some more important stuff, got it?"

Puzzlement gave Sapphire a dirty look. "I don't appreciate you telling me how to do my job, Ms. Sapphire."

"I-I'm not trying to do that," said Sapphire defensively. "I-I just want to move this along, y'know? We're in a bit of a rush here."

Wow. I don't think I've ever seen Sapphire Shores get this nervous about something. Whatever's on her mind, it feels like it's much worse than what happened at the Manehattan Music Festival. I don't know if she's just exaggerating or what, but whatever the case may be, I should be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Well, here goes everything.

***
Testimony: The Attack
***

"I was back at the Performance Studio with Sweetie Belle, helping her get ready for her big debut," said Sapphire. "In the middle of our conversation, something just phased through the door and jumped us. I don't know who it was; they were completely hidden in shadow for some reason. Anyway, I fought back the best I could, but as you probably know, I'm not fighter. The last thing I remember is shielding Sweetie Belle with my body. After that, I woke up in the hospital."

"Y-you protected Sweetie Belle?" asked Rarity.

"I had to," said Sapphire with a shrug. "C'mon, I'm sure any of you would've done the same if you were in my horseshoes."

"I, supposed that's a good point," said Rarity sheepishly. She then smiled. "Thank you very much for looking after my little sister, Ms. Sapphire. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Sapphire simply smiled back. She then became serious, knowing full well that our discussion was far from over. There were several holes in her story, most likely due to the fact that she was summarizing. I know she said we were in a hurry (for reasons I'm still not clear on), but I'd be remiss if I didn't press her for clarification.

"Sweetie Belle mentioned that you were helping her overcome her stage fright," I said. "Did that involve teaching her a spell out of Pan's Music Code?"

"Heh, guilty as charged," said Sapphire with a bow. "The spell was a bit of a parting gift from Pan at the end of the festival. I guess he figured I could use it if I ever got stage fright myself."

"Have you ever had a need to use it yourself?" I inquired.

"A couple of times," said Sapphire. "And before you ask, yes, this was one of those times. However, as you can probably guess, it wasn't nearly enough."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Puzzlement.

Sapphire sighed and shook her head. "I don't know how, but this guy knew the Code, too. And he certainly knew a lot more spells than I did."

That must explain the melody Babs heard when she was going to check up on Sweetie Belle. Slowly but surely, I feel like this is all starting to come together. But we're not done yet.

"Think you can give us a description of the guy?" said Vinyl. "If we plan on catching this bastard, we need to know what to look out for."

Puzzlement flinched. "Let's try to get through this without the use of epithets, please and thank you," she begged.

"Hey, it's not my fault you're allergic to words," said Vinyl factiously.

"Vinyl, just stop," I said. "Sapphire already said we can't waste time here."

"Tavi-doll's right, Vinyl," said Sapphire gravely.

Vinyl sighed. "Alright, I'll try for you, Sapphie. But I make no promises."

"That'll have to do," I said, turning back to Sapphire. "Anyway, Vinyl is right about one thing. We could do with a description of your attacker."

Sapphire knitted her brow. "Well, there's not much to say. I mean, he was big and shadowy, but that's about it. I also remember he had this ocarina of some kind which he used to perform the Music Code. That's about it; the rest is just fuzzy."

Wait a tick. I think I know a way to jog Sapphire's memory. It's certainly worth a try.

"Detective Puzzlement, do you still have that sketch Sweetie Belle drew?" I asked.

"Um, yes," said Puzzlement.

"I'd like to show it to Sapphire."

Puzzlement gave me an odd look. "Are you sure it'll help?"

"Positive," I said with a nod.

Puzzlement shrugged. "Alright then."

She then took out the crude sketch and showed it to Sapphire. Sapphire squinted a bit.

"Uh, what's this supposed to be, Tavi-doll?" she asked.

"Your attacker," I said, adjusting my bow-tie. "We asked Sweetie Belle to draw it for us. Now, did he look anything like this?"

Sapphire looked over the sketch with a critical eye before gasping in surprise.

"My stars, you're right! He did look like that!" she exclaimed.

"Great, wonderful," said Vinyl, a distinct hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Now we just need to find someone who matches the kid's doodle, and we're all set."

"Not so," I said. "Sapphire already mentioned that he knew Pan's Music Code. He probably was using a spell to mask his appearance."

"Well, he didn't exactly do a great job of that," Rarity mused. "We already know from Babs Seed that he's a bipedal creature with wings; possibly from the Tengu Dynasty Twilight mentioned."

That is an interesting point. If he didn't want to be found out, why didn't he try to hide himself better? As I pondered this, I saw that Sapphire's eyes were darting every which way. Does she know why? How could that be?

"Well, we already sussed out who the culprit is," I said. "Mostly, anyway. But now, we need to figure something else out."

"I'm thinking the same thing," Puzzlement concurred. "Ms. Sapphire, do you have any suspects in mind for this attack?"

Sapphire gulped. "I, uh... *ahem* Er..."

Fluttershy gave Sapphire a quizzical look. "Are you okay, Ms. Sapphire?"

"Look, I don't want to seem uncooperative here," said Sapphire. "I'm really trying to help you out. I just don't know if I can answer that question safely."

Puzzlement sighed. "Ms. Sapphire, we have police stationed all over the building. You have nothing to worry about."

"Besides, there's no use in hiding it," I added. "Your bodyguard already told us that you received a death threat from someone."

Sapphire grimaced and turned to Lockdown. "How much did you tell them?"

"J-just about Centrot Park. That's it," said Lockdown, clearing his throat. "I told them to get the rest of the story from you."

Sapphire nodded. "I see. Good work, Lockdown," she said. She then turned to me and sighed. "Tavi-doll, listen up and listen good. You shouldn't have come to Manehattan. I'm asking you as a friend to get out of here right now, while you still can."

I'd be lying if I said that wasn't the least bit tempting. However, before I could respond, Vinyl had already stepped forward.

"We knew the risks coming here, Sapphie," she said boldly. "Whatever happens, we can take it. Heck, you should know I'm not gonna let anyone mess with Tavi and get away with it."

Sapphire shook her head. "It's not that easy, Vinyl. Sweetie Belle and I are lucky to be alive. This guy means business."

"That didn't stop Octy back at the Manehattan Music Festival," said Vinyl, giving me a playful nudge. "Right, Octy?"

Thank you for putting me on the spot, Vinyl. That was most appreciated.

"Listen, I'm not going to mince words. I am deathly afraid of whoever did this to you," I said. "But that's why I can't let him get away. I got into this mess, and I'm seeing it through to the end."

Sapphire let out a deep sigh and nodded. "If that's the way you feel about it, then I suppose my hooves are tied," she relented. "Alright, I'll tell you about what went down at Centrot Park. But after I say my piece, you're hopping on the next train back to Canterlot, okay? Trust me, this'll be enough to satisfy Princess Twilight."

Wouldn't the require knowing what sort of information Princess Twilight is after? I'm really getting worried right now.

"Let's just get this over with," I said.

"Couldn't agree more, Tavi-doll," said Sapphire somberly.

***
Testimony: What Went Down
***

"It happened a few days ago, when I first got to Manehattan," said Sapphire. "I was just strolling through Centrot Park, minding my own business. Suddenly, I heard some sort of fight going on down the path. Curious, I went to check it out. Get this: It was your masked friend from the Manehattan Music Festival. She was fighting some other guys, but I didn't get a good look at 'em. I tried to get away, but one of them spotted me. That goon was the same guy who came after me today. And that's why I've been so on-edge."

I-I think I need a moment to take all this in. I mean, wow. That's rather, intense. Well, at the very least, we have a definite connection to Mare-Do-Well now. However, that doesn't explain what this has to do with me.

"Now, you're sure it was Mare-Do-Well you saw," I said.

Sapphire deadpanned. "She's the only pony I know of who would dress up like a superhero. I think I'd be able to recognize her."

"Alright, alright," I said. "But, what were these goons doing in Centrot Park in the first place?"

"You expect me to know?" said Sapphire indignantly. "I'm not holding out on you, Tavi-doll. That's really all I know."

"Hang on, hang on," said Vinyl. "The ransom note said that the songbird would die before it got a chance to sing. Are you saying that punk was aiming to kill you?"

"I thought that would be pretty obvious, Vinyl," said Sapphire. "Like I said, I'm lucky to be alive."

"Wait, I think I understand," said Rarity, tapping her chin. "We must've barged in before the culprit could deliver a finishing blow."

"It would make sense, seeing as she indicated that there was some sort of struggle," Puzzlement mused.

Sapphire snickered. "Well, if that's the case, then I owe you guys one for twisting Lockdown's leg like that."

Lockdown blushed. "I-I honestly had no idea someone got past me, Ms. Sapphire. Had I known, I would've been—"

"It's alright, Lockdown. You're hardly to blame for this," said Sapphire, cutting across him. "We've got more important stuff to worry about."

Indeed we do. I think I understand what's going on here, at least on some level. Better tie up all the loose end before we leave.

"Let me see if I've got this correct," I said, adjusting my bow-tie. "You stumbled upon Mare-Do-Well having a scrap with some thugs, one of them caught you, and then they tried to kill you."

"That pretty much sums it up," said Sapphire.

"I'm afraid not, Sapphire," I said. "Because we still haven't answered one question."

"And that is?"

"Why would this fellow want to kill you?"

Sapphire blanched. "Wh-what do you mean, Tavi-doll? I thought you already knew!"

"Well, you thought wrong," I said. "Detective Puzzlement."

"Yes?"

"In the situation Sapphire just described for us, would there be any reason to kill her?"

Puzzlement's brow furrowed. "I suppose if they're known criminals, they'd kill her to keep their crimes secret."

"Yes, but why would they wait four days to do it?" I said.

Puzzlement immediately saw what I was getting at. "Th-they wouldn't."

"Precisely," I said. "Which is why I think these thugs are no mere thugs. They have an entire plan, and they couldn't risk Sapphire Shores mucking it up!"

"Ah!"

Puzzlement recoiled, her monocle flying off her face as she did so.

"Um, really?" said Fluttershy. "What makes you say that, Ms. Octavia?"

"Remember the map Babs found?" I said. "It was hard to decipher, but it clearly indicated that some forethought had been put into this caper."

"Yes, but we don't know what it's a map of, darling," said Rarity.

Hmm. That's very true. "Well then, let's take another look at it."

I pulled out the map and carefully observed it from every angle. To be honest, the writing was still gibberish, but given what we knew, it started to look a bit more familiar.

"Here, let me see that," said Puzzlement, taking the map from my hooves. It didn't take long for her to find something. "Wait, I recognize this. This is a map of Centrot Park! Meaning this piece fits with Sapphire Shores's testimony!"

"Really? How can you tell?" Vinyl asked.

Puzzlement smirked. "Trust me, I've been there enough times to know what it looks like," she said. "Nevertheless, we're still missing a few key pieces to this puzzle."

"Look, I told you everything I know," said Sapphire wearily. "Now a bargain's a bargain, Tavi-doll. Take what you've got and skedaddle."

I sighed. "I'm sorry, Sapphire. We can't do that in good conscience. Someone has something big planned, and it obviously involved Mare-Do-Well. It won't be easy, but we need to get to the bottom of this and..."

Suddenly, I heard a faint tune being played on some kind of flute. It was hard to make out, but from what I could hear, it sounded rather ghastly and sinister. The tune gradually got louder and louder, and I could sense that the air somehow was thicker than before.

"Um, is anypony else noticing this, or is it just me?" asked Vinyl.

"I-it's not you," said Fluttershy as she began to hyperventilate. "Oh my goodness, oh my goodness."

Sapphire heaved a great sigh. "It's too late now. Tavi-doll, I-I'm sorry about all this."

Okay, now this is really starting to freak me out.

"S-sorry? Wh-what're you sorry for?" I stammered as panic started to set in. "Sapphire, what's going on? What's this all about?! This is— oof!"

Uhhhhhh...

Comments

[The Nightmare has Come]

Need more!

[theNDinspector]

Is Saphire...being possessed? There are a whole lot of sinister things going down now!

[mylittleponyfan12345]

wow. that end was intense! the way Sweetie Belle described how the thing wanted Sapphires voice.... the sirens?!