A Haunting in Canterlot

by Mr Movie Magic

Three: "There's a Monster on the Loose!"

The petrified bodies of Trixie and the manticore, as well as Trixie's magic wagon, were brought under investigation as soon as Starlight had relayed the horrifying news. Early the next morning, Mayor Mare called an emergency town meeting to address the situation.

"Mayor Mare is holding a town meeting. This is an emergency. Everypony is needed at town hall posthaste!" the voice of Ponyville's town crier rang out.

Lyra Heartstrings and Bon Bon were out for a morning constitutional, enjoying the warm sun and the cool, gentle breeze, when the alarming message of the town crier disrupted their peaceful stroll.

"What's going on?" Lyra asked in curiosity.

"Didn't you hear?" Passing by, Davenport paused momentarily to explain. "There's a monster on the loose! It's turned Trixie and a manticore to stone. Mayor Mare is holding a town meeting to discuss it. You two had better hurry over to town hall. The meeting will start soon." He then hurried off to the meeting.

"A monster turning ponies to stone," pondered Bon Bon.

"Let's investigate," said Lyra, eager to take on a new case.

"Alright." Bon Bon organized a game plan. "Our first step is to attend Mayor Mare's meeting and gather as much intelligence as we can."

Their morning walk would have to wait. The two S.M.I.L.E. agents instead proceeded to town hall.

---

Everypony gathered at town hall. They talked among themselves about the safety and wellbeing of Ponyville. At the front of the hall sat Starlight and her friends. Starlight was in tears, feeling fear and remorse for what had happened.

"Am I not meant to have friends?" Starlight cried. "Fail me now, Twilight. I think I'm better off alone."

"Starlight, listen to me," Twilight began. "Trixie's being turned to stone was not your fault."

"I should've tried harder to-" there was a catch in Starlight's throat. "To keep her from leaving the wagon." She sniffled. "Admit it, Twilight. It is my fault. Some friend I am, huh?"

"Starlight, you can't blame yourself. And you are a good friend. If you weren't Trixie's friend, you wouldn't have come to let us know what happened to her. You wouldn't be worried about her."

Twilight really hoped that she could get through to Starlight, but the student was too unmoving to reflect upon her teacher's words.

"If I was a good friend, I would've stood by Trixie's side," Starlight remarked. "I wouldn't have stayed hidden under the wagon. If I was her friend, I'd be stone, too."

Starlight maintained her assertive position. The sorrow she felt, however, could be seen in her eyes, reddened from crying.

"May I have your attention, please?" Mayor Mare began to speak, stepping up to the podium. The room quieted down. "Thank you, everypony, for coming. Some of you know that our dear Trixie and a manticore had been turned to stone last night." Ponies began to murmur to each other. "Our eyewitness reports that a strange figure dressed in a black cloak with red eyes and making chirping noises was present before and after the petrification."

Seated in the assembly, Bon Bon took careful notes of the mysterious perpetrator and the incident.

"What do you think this thing could be?" whispered Lyra.

"It's too early to tell," Bon Bon answered. "We need to search for more clues before we can reach a definitive answer."

Mayor Mare continued, "I ask everypony to please be careful, especially if you will be leaving town. I advise you to remain in Ponyville if possible. I am issuing a safety ordinance declaring that everypony is to stay alert and listen out for strange chirping noises. Report any sightings of this cloaked thing immediately. We cannot let it harm anypony else. Lastly, nopony is allowed out after dark. I have commissioned our resident time turner, Dr. Whooves, to set the chimes of our town clock to ring at sundown. You will have until the sun is fully set to get indoors. Please plan your time accordingly. Once again, be careful, and if you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. May Harmony abound. Thank you."

---

Over at the crime scene, Ponyville's Detective Gumhoof was on the case. He observed every detail, snapping pictures, and jotting down notes. A light blue aura of magic began to glow around the gray Unicorn's horn as a magnifying glass, surrounded by the same blue aura, was raised to his eye. He followed the hoof prints around the magic wagon. He noted that there were four sets of prints: three belonging to ponies, and one belonging to the manticore. He followed one of the sets of hoof prints to Trixie's stone form. He noted that she had been facing the manticore. Something had caught her attention and she turned to her left. Then she was turned to stone, frozen in place, her posture suggesting that she attempted to shield herself or run.

Very curious, Detective Gumhoof thought to himself as he observed the hoof prints of the perpetrator. The perpetrator approached the scene walking on three legs. When they stopped to turn the victim to stone, they stood on two legs. They hurried away on three legs.

The detective scribbled these observations in his notepad. When he finished, he began to pack his magnifying glass, camera, and notepad into his black leather saddlebag. He saw somepony approaching through the corner of his eye.

"Can I help you?" Detective Gumhoof turned to the pony.

"I was just...I just came by to..." Starlight let out a sigh.

"Did you know the victim?"

"She was the first best friend I've made in a long time." Starlight paused. "May I?"

"Yes."

Starlight walked up to Trixie and put a hoof on her stone shoulder.

"Even though we knew each other for a short time," Starlight opened up, "I felt... We had something special." Her eyes began to water. She wiped them dry and exhaled to keep from crying. "I don't know why I'm telling you all this. I should let you get back to work. I'm sorry to have bothered you. I'll get out of your way."

"No, no. It's okay," Detective Gumhoof assured. He used his magic to cinch up his saddlebags. "I'm sorry about your friend. My condolences."

"Thank you," Starlight said softly.

Detective Gumhoof gave a nod and gathered the rest of his belongings. "You're Starlight Glimmer?" he asked.

"I am."

"Starlight Glimmer, my name is Detective Gumhoof." His horn began to glow as his quill and notepad levitated from his saddlebag to in front of him. "Do you know if your friend, Trixie, had any enemies? Anypony who would do this to her?"

"Enemies?" Starlight questioned defensively.

"Forgive me. I have to ask. Any information we have takes us one step closer to solving this mystery."

"No, Detective," Starlight answered. "She didn't have any enemies."

"That you know of?"

"That I know of."

Detective Gumhoof jotted down Starlight's answers in his notepad. He continued, "On the night of the incident, from where were you, Trixie, and the manticore leaving, and to where were you headed?"

"We were coming from Appleloosa. We were on our way to the White Tail Woods."

"For what purpose?"

"We had been putting on magic shows in the small villages around the countryside. The White Tail Woods was our next stop."

"And the manticore is part of the show?"

"He is."

Detective Gumhoof continued to write. When he finished, he put his pad and quill away saying, "Thank you, Miss Starlight. I've got everything I need. If you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my office. Good day."

He smiled and started for Ponyville. Starlight remained behind. She took one last look at her stone friend, wishing there was something she could do to reanimate her.

Author's Note:

Bon Bon and Lyra being secret agents is a reference to the book, Lyra and Bon Bon and the Mares from S.M.I.L.E. by G.M. Berrow, whose events precede this vignette.