• Published 13th Mar 2020
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The sign of four - keithsterling



This case file is taking from the Case files of Royal Investigator Alysia Ara Silverlight the oldest daughter of Grand Prince of the Moon Somnus Silverlight.

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Chapter 3

Its hour later that same day, Palace hospital, Royal ward, City of Canterlot, Capital city of Equestria, Princess Celestia's Private hospital room, fourth floor of the hospital.

The hospital room that Princess Celestia Silverlight now occupies is a single occupant room on the fourth floor of the Palace hospital. Due to the high profile of Blueberry's mother, the former ruler of Equestria, she opted to assign her mother's continuous recovery to the more secure fourth floor of the Palace hospital. It the only floor with its own security forces to protect the high profile patients. Laying on her hospital bed talking to her sister Luna on her vid-phone was Celestia; her sister just learned that she was attacked.

"How are you, sister?"Luna inquiry

"I am still a bit sore, Luna. But ok." Celestia answers as she notices Alysia walking into the room.

"Good to hear, sister." Luna replies

"I'll call you back, Luna. Alysia just arrived." Celestia explains as she hangs up her vid-phone as Alysia approaches her bedside.

"I am sorry that I worried you, grandchild, I did feel you squeezing my hand in my condition all I could do was that weak return squeeze," Celestia said apologetically as Blueberry told her everything that happens went she came to.

"Ow!" Celestia exclaimed as she clamped her eyes shut went Alysia hug her a bit too tight, as she still very tender on her back and wings from the attack. Quickly Alysia released her grandmother from her hug as Celestia's knuckle turned white.

"I am sorry grandma." Alysia apologetic as Celestia shook her head.

"No Grandchild, it fine. This old alicorn will take a little longer to heal her wounds than normal, but after that, I'll be that much more huggable. Beside that grandchild, you have something to talk to me about?" Celestia comments as she gently lay back on the pillows behind her as Alysia shook her head.

"Did you see your attacker Grandma?" Alysia inquiry

"No, I didn't Alysia I was standing on the curb with my back turned waiting for the cab to arrive to pick me up and take me back home. I couldn't fly back home on my own, so I called a cab to pick me up." Celestia explains as Alysia enter the statement into her MCV.

"Well, that confirms what I suspected the attacker mistook you, grandma, for some pony else, because your back was turned," Alysia explains as Celestia gawk in disbelief.

"Mistaken me for some pony else! What?" Celestia said as she gazes in shock.

"I just learned about it myself. Three of the victims of the Serial Killer where suspects in a case that father was working on dealing with The Sign of Four Company. The fourth suspect was unicorn mare that looks kind a like you Grandma if the pattern holds she modified herself with a pair of wings." Alysia explains as Celestia gasps, the name sparks a memory in her grandmother.

"That case you mentioned involving the Sign of Four Company, it was series of mysterious fires that struck properties own by the company, correct," Celestia said, remembering the case.

"That right grandma, you and Great Auntie are the ones that assign father the case. Is there anything you can tell me about the case Grandma that can help me?" Alysia inquires as she looks at her grandmother.

"Only what your father noted in his second to final report to the crown at the last fire scene The Herbaceous restaurant a badly burned body was found in the kitchen of the establishment. Very close to the starting point of the fire, a stove with hot grease fryer was left unattended." Celestia said as Alysia noted the statement on her MCV. After carefully hugging her grandmother. Alysia left Celestia’s hospital room and head back to the medical examiner's office to talk to her grand aunt seer again.

Its 1800 hrs, many years earlier, Herbaceous Restaurant (closing time), Bistro ward, City of Canterlot, Capital city of Equestria, the kitchen of the restaurant.

Walking about the empty kitchen checking that everything was turned off was an attractive ash gray body earth pony mare with white mane and tail. Her athletic 5ft 6in equine figure was attired in white short-sleeve knit polo shirt and blue inspire straight regular fit jeans. Why on her ten-inch long ash gray bare feet were black round-toed clogs. This earth pony mare was Chef Natasha Cuisinier, the owner and head chef of the herbaceous restaurant. She relocated from Stalliongrad to Canterlot to pursue the dream of owning her own restaurant.

A moment later, a brilliant amber colored earth pony stallion with light gray mane and tail walks into the kitchen and up to Natasha wrapping his arms around her waist before kissing her on her cheek. His athletic 5ft 7in equine figure was attired in a white short-sleeve polo shirt and dark gull gray cargo jeans. Why on his eleven-inch long amber colored socked feet were black slip-on shoes. This earth pony stallion was a Restaurateur David Cuisinier co-owner of herbaceous restaurant and Natasha's husband.

"Is everything secured, Natasha?" David inquiry as she shook her head.

"Da! Yes, David." Natasha said in a Russian accent as she turns around to kiss him.

"It hard to believe Natasha that two short years ago, you were just a simple and underpaid Sous chef working at a small restaurant in Stalliongrad. The head chef at the restaurant makes sure that you stay as an underpaid Sous Chef. By calling all your wonderful dishes his own and gave you no credit for your hard work." David comment as Natasha shook her head a few times.

"It was his ego that finally did him in. He didn't like the fact that his customers started to question the dishes he put out. To prove a point, he fired me from the restaurant. Last I heard about the head chef is that he got several customers sick at his restaurant and was finally forced to close." Natasha explains as the two earth ponies walk to the front of the house.

"Then, one month later, as I was looking for a certain restaurant to review in Stalliongrad. I ran into you looking for a job as a cook. You told me that all the dishes that the head chef did at the restaurant was your work. To test it, I took you to one of my friend's restaurant and ask him to allow you to cook in his kitchen. You brought out the most wonderful dish. My friend says if you work for him, he will teach you how to make this wonderful dish into a great dish." David explains as the two earth ponies climb into the car and drive back home.

Its a few hours later (present), Canterlot City Morgue, Medical Examiner office, Civilian Sector: Judicature Ward, City of Canterlot, and Capital City of Equestria.

"Grandma mentioned something about a badly burned body that was found at the herbaceous restaurant at the last fire scene. Do you have any information regarding that case, Aunt Seer?" Alysia asks as Seer begins typing on her holographic keyboard, looking for the case number on her holo computer in front of her.

"Why do you want to know about that case, great-niece?" Seer asked as she found the case number, and she walked over to the furthest file cabinet in her office and crouches down in front of it.

"The Sign of Four Company is the only thing that connects the three killings and the assault on Grandma (a tear comes to her eye)," Alysia said her voice a lifeless monotone as Seer sets the case file on her desk

"Great niece, your grandma is no normal mare. She knows you are trying your best to find out who did this. I see so much of my late brother in you. It sometimes very scary if you think about it. You and my brother have that same look in your eyes. No matter what, you will close this case and solve it." Seer said encouraging as Alysia took hold of the case file.

"Thank you, great Aunt Seer. I needed that." Alysia thankful

"You are welcome, great-niece." Seer said

"The body was so badly burned it was unrecognizable. It was not until it was brought to the morgue that I was able to identify it as an earth pony mare. As I continued the autopsy, I discovered that the mare's lungs had no soot in them. This means that the earth pony mare was dead already before the fire started." Seer explains as the vid-phone on Alysia's MCV rings, and she answers it. Slowly the holographic head of gorgeous Alicorn stallion with crimson red mane springs to life in front of Alysia and Seer in mid-air.

"Greetings, daughter, and Aunt Seer. Angeletta told me you were looking for me to ask me about something?" Somnus said as a smile form on Alysia's snout.

"Yes, father," Alysia said

"And what was it, Alysia?" Somnus inquiry

"Father, you investigated the Sign of Four Company, did you not?" Alysia inquiry as Somnus turns a cold eye on.

"The Sign of Four Company! May I know why daughter?" Somnus said indignantly as Alysia has never seen her father this mad.

"Three of the owners from Sign of Four Company were killed by the serial killer I am looking for. Grandma was attacked by the same serial killer." Alysia explained as Somnus' mood changed from anger to shock from the news.

A moment later, Somnus turn his head away from the holo camera, and Alysia heard her father call her Aunt Aurora's name. A moment later, a second holographic head of gorgeous Alicorn mare with crimson red mane springs to life next to Somnus.

"Greetings, niece, and Aunt Seer. Why did you call me, brother?" Aurora inquiry.

"Our mother was attacked by the serial killer my daughter is looking for," Somnus comments as Aurora gasps.

"What!? Mama! How is our mother doing Alysia?" Aurora inquiry with a hitch in her voice.

"She is recovering in the Palace hospital, Auntie." Alysia comment as a tear runs down Aurora's cheek.

"If you have no objection, brother, this meeting in Mustangia is not as important as our mother is, let postpone it and head back to Canterlot." Aurora looking toward her brother.

"I have no objection to your request, Your Highness. I fully agree with your decision, sister." Somnus comment as Aurora shook her head in agreement.

"Very good your highness, let repack and head back to Canterlot. And Alysia, please do nothing more until me, and your father returns to Canterlot. I overheard your father mention the Sign of Four Company. It was my Solar Guard fugitive recovery unit that allows the four owners to slip out of Canterlot and disappear with all those bits in their pockets. That case is personal." Aurora said coldly as her holographic head disappeared from the holo camera.

"Huh, father? Great Aunt Serena never mentions that Aunt Aurora Solar Guard was trying to find them." Alysia comments as Somnus sighed.

"After the four owners disappeared, I asked your aunt Aurora to use her fugitive recovery unit to try and locate the four owners. By the time the arrest warrant made it into your aunt's hands, the four owners escape from Canterlot and disappeared. Your aunt has not forgotten that." Somnus explains as he hangs up the holo phone.

Its 1700 hrs that same day (present), Illustriousness apartment, Apt 30, Penumbra ward, City of Canterlot, Capital city of Equestria.

In apartment thirty, a breathtaking beautiful pale fuchsia-colored modified unicorn mare with a golden blonde mane and tail paces back and forth nervously, the holo set in her apartment is set to the Equestria News Network. The reporter states that four modified ponies have been murdered by a serial killer. Three of the murder victims were her old partners from the Sign of Four Company. This modified unicorn mare was Miss Isis Wishes, the second most senior partner in the Sign of Four Company.

"No, I knew this was a bad idea returning to Canterlot from Peurto Cabello. But that stupid mareizer Ashton Lancer would get in trouble with the mayor's daughter. I had a cushy hacienda in the city and enough bits to live out my new life. But no, his big mouth set off an investigation by the local police force. To make things worse, a married couple from Solar Guard unit were on their vacation in the city. The local police force asks them for their assistance." Isis said fiercely as their knock on her apartment door.

"Who is it?!" Isis calls

"Speedy filly Pizza Delivery for Miss Dia Yen." The voice on the other side of the door calls as Isis Wishes answer the door.

"It about time (face stricken) it can be, you!" Isis wishes scream as the next sound is the window breaking as delivery pony push Isis Wishes out the window of her apartment.

Tossing the baseball cap and pizza box onto a nearby table was aging but handsome, brilliant amber colored earth pony stallion with light gray mane and tail. His 5ft 7in fit equine figure was attired in a red short-sleeve polo shirt and gray slim fit jean. On his eleven inches long foot were black sneakers.

"It finally over, my beloved Natasha. Those four have paid for their crime of killing you." The delivery pony said as he quickly leaves the apartment.