The sign of four

by keithsterling

Chapter 1

Author's Note:

The radio transmission between Alysia and dispatcher mare are actually police radio codes.

It 1200 hrs, the Fair White Unicorn Café, Patio Area, Bistro ward, City of Canterlot, and Capital city of Equestria.

The Bistro ward is the massive restaurants area in the city of Canterlot it home to numerous restaurants for ponies to eat after attending and leaving performances at the Canterlot Theater and Opera House (It one blocks down from those venues).

After a particularly stressful week for Royal Investigator, Alysia Silverlight of investigating dead ends on the current case she is working on. In an attempt to de-stress from all the pressure of the investigation, Alysia called her Grandmother Celestia. She invited her to have lunch with her.

Celestia was overjoyed with the invitation from her granddaughter since taking over her father’s position as the Royal Investigator in the Canterlot Military Police Department. Celestia rarely sees her Grandchild around the Royal Palace anymore, and she misses her.

'Grandmother said she would meet me on the corner of Cuisine Road and Cookery Street under a lamp post and she had something to show me.’ Alysia thought as she walks down the sidewalk toward the location that her Grandmother specified for the meeting.

As she near the location for the meeting, she spotted a 6ft 5in white pegasi mare with bright golden blonde mane and tail. She was attired in navy blue floral print short sleeve crew neck blouse and black straight leg jeans, why pair of slip-on shoes was on her feet. A silver shoulder bag hung from her shoulder. As Alysia neared the pegasi mare, she turns around and gawks in disbelief. This Pegasi mare was her Grandmother Princess Celestia Silverlight.

"Hello, Granddaughter, what do you think of my new mane and tail color. After a thousand years, I decided to change it. I think it suits me better." Celestia said her voice constricted as she waited for her granddaughter's approval.

"Do you not like it, Alysia?"Celestia said her voice quavering as it took Alysia a few minutes to wrap her head around her Grandmother's new mane and tail color.

"It doesn't matter what color your mane and tail is Grandma. You’re still a breathtaking beautiful Alicorn mare and my Grandmother. Plus, you seem reborn with this new hair color," Alysia said reassuringly as Celestia blush from her granddaughter's approval.

"Oh, thank you Grandchild shall we go find a place to have lunch?" Celestia inquiry as Alysia hugs her.

With that, the two mares walk down the block to the Fair White Unicorn café. The fair white unicorn café is a small street-side bistro with the most exceptional food and drink in the bistro ward. Alysia came across this small restaurant last time she was on vehicle patrol in the ward and have wanted to try it. Over the next few hours, the two mares talk to each other, till knowing smile forms on Celestia's snout.

"You are much stressed, are you not, Grandchild?" Celestia said nonchalantly as Alysia's jaw drops.

"How did you know, Grandma?" Alysia inquiries as Celestia signaled the waitress mare to bring her some more tea.

"Your Grandfather Prince Justice was the same way. Went his stress level was too high, he would send me a message asking me if I was free for lunch. Because I was the ruling Princess at the time. I would reply to the message saying, 'I was, but we had to have lunch at the palace,' and sure enough at the time I specified he would arrive at the palace to have lunch with me." Celestia explains as the waitress mare brings another small pot of tea to finish her lunch with her granddaughter.

As Celestia's empty the last drop of tea from her final pot and before Alysia could lift her MCV up to pay the bill for the meal. Celestia pays off their bill at the restaurant with credits from her own personal account. An annoyed look appears on Alysia's snout as her Grandmother politely chuckles into her hand.

She knows that her granddaughter wanted to treat her to lunch and pay off the bill for them. But Celestia has not forgotten it was her own Grandchild that kept her and her sister from spending the rest of their long life in Canterlot Psychiatric Hospital, trying to be cured of being an Alicorn.

"Please forgive me, my dear Grandchild I have yet to pay back my debt to you for that leap of fate it my obligation as a Princess of Equestria to pay back my debt to you in full," Celestia explains apologetically as the two mares stood on the sidewalk next to Alysia's CMP patrol car.

"I understand Grandma; it just I too have a debt to pay back to you up till you returned Grandma. I didn't know anything about the history of my Royal family. You fill in many questions I had about my family. I know a little bit more about them now." Alysia said gratefully as Celestia's eyes moist with joy from her grandchild appreciation of her.

"Chuckles, so it looks like we are both honors bound to pay back our debt to each other. Let talk about it later. Went, will you be back at the palace?" Celestia inquiry as Alysia thought for a little while.

"As soon as I can wrap up this current case, I am working on. I'm still royalty in Equestria and must perform my royal duties as a Princess of Equestria. I am hoping to be back at the palace by sometime next week, but that a stretch for this case." Alysia explains as she climbs into her CMP patrol car.

"Oh, all right, I am very patient I can wait till you wrap up your case, well, goodbye, granddaughter." Celestia said as her granddaughter drive off back to the department.

"Ow!!" Celestia exclaims as she grimaces with a lousy fracture; she got on her delicate Pegasus wing after getting hit by speedy squash ball. Went she and Luna were playing together a version of a ball game they called Alicorn squash.

'I didn't think my wing was that badly fracture I thought I could muscle through it. But I should have listened to Luna and had my wing check out by Blueberry.' Celestia thought as their bloodcurdling scream as Celestia is attacked from behind by a knife-wielding pony.

A few hours later, Streets of Canterlot on the way back to Canterlot Military Police Department, Judicature ward, City of Canterlot, and the Capital City of Equestria.

"Dispatch to Patrol Vehicle 47-how are you receiving?" CMP Radio dispatcher mare inquiry,

"Patrol Vehicle 47-ten 2-loud and clear" Alysia answers

"Patrol Vehicle 47-ten 23-stand by for a call," CMP radio dispatcher mare said

"Roger dispatch-ten 23-standing by." Alysia answers

"Royal Investigator Silverlight-Respond Code 3 lights and sirens to the Bistro Ward assault with deadly weapon call a modified mare has been attacked. It less than an hour old victim of the latest assault en route to the hospital as we speak." CMP Radio Dispatcher mare explains

"Roger dispatch-has the victim of the assault been identified?" Alysia inquiry as their a long pause from CMP Radio Dispatcher mare

"It was *transmission inaudible*" CMP dispatcher mare said

"Ten 1 dispatch-receiving poorly-ten 9 dispatch-repeat." Alysia inquiry

"I am sorry your highness the latest victim is Princess Celestia Silverlight. Your grandmother Alysia." CMP dispatcher mare sadden as crying is the only thing heard over the radio from Alysia's unit.

"R-r-roger dispatch-patrol vehicle 47-going 902-enroute to the hospital-ten 4-over and out." Alysia said with a hitch in her voice as she stops radio transmission from her unit.

Its 1400 hrs main lobby, Palace hospital, royal ward, City of Canterlot, Capital City of Equestria.

The main lobby of the palace hospital is ample open space near the entrance of the hospital with numerous corridors leading to a different area of the hospital. As an anxious Alysia walks through the automatic door into the lobby, she runs into her Aunt Grand Princess of Love Blueberry Swirl Silverlight. Upon leaving a meeting at the Grand Royal Palace with her older siblings. A nurse from the Palace hospital informed Blueberry that severely injured Alicorn was being brought into the hospital. And they need her help as the only specialist in Alicorn medicine in Equestria.

At the time, Blueberry had no idea that the severely injured Alicorn was her own mother, Princess Celestia Silverlight. But upon seeing her mother lying on the gurney in the Emergency Room Blueberry set to work stabilizing her mother. So she can send her to the operating room to begin to repair the numerous stab wounds on her mother's back.

"Auntie! How is grandma? Is she going to survive?" Alysia's voice becoming high and hysterical.

"Please calm yourself, your Grandmother is in the ICU ward. I just finished surgery on her to repair all the stab wounds on her back." Blueberry said she remains calm as she leads Alysia through the hallways of the hospital to the ICU ward.

"Grandma!" Alysia's voice explodes out of her in the ICU ward Alysia begin to tear up upon seeing her Grandmother lying unconscious on a bed with an oxygen mask over her snout and hook up to various machines.

"Alysia listen to me; your Grandmother is immortal; she can't die. But the shock of being stabbed numerous times in the back threw her body into suspend animation to allow her natural Alicorn healing ability to work and stop the severe bleeding. I have no idea how long your Grandmother will remain unconscious for something like this has never happened to her before." Blueberry explains very calmly and reassuring as she places her hand on Alysia's shoulder.

"If you don't believe me. Alysia go squeeze your Grandmother's hand. Like her own foals, she will most likely respond to your touch," Blueberry suggests as Alysia walks over to her Grandmother's bedside.

Slowly Alysia reaches down and grasps her Grandmother's hand firmly in her and squeezes it. A moment later, her Grandmother responds by weakly squeezing her granddaughter's hand, tears once again run down Alysia's cheeks soaking Celestia's hand. Secured in the fact that her Grandmother will survive the assault Alysia release her hand and place it on the bed next to her.

"Auntie, may I ask your opinion on something?" Alysia inquiry as she stands in front of her aunt Blueberry.

"Sure, Alysia, what?" Blueberry answer

"This looks like the work of the serial killer that been preying on modified ponies of late. He attacks the victims from behind with some kind of knife. My question is why attack a pure Alicorn mare like Grandmother? She no modified pony as far as I know. This doesn't fit the serial killer pattern. What do you think, Auntie?" Alysia poses the question as Blueberry thought for something before answer her niece.

"You know it been a great number of seasons since I last worked on a case file since your father was the Royal Investigator. But anyway. As it is very true, a serial killer doesn't break from its established pattern, it sort of ritual to them. To switch so dramatically to attacking a pure alicorn it unheard of there are only two of them mother and auntie; both of them are immortal. So trying to kill them will not satisfy the killer need the two of them will just come back. But a serial killer does make a mistake and attacks the wrong target that could be a reason for the attack on mother, but that just my opinion, Alysia. It your job to figure out why?" Blueberry explains as they both leave the ICU to allow her Grandmother to rest quietly