Sakura Blizzard

by Lunaria

Chapter 3 - I Can't Stop Seeing...

Chapter 3
I Can't Stop Seeing...

When she entered the room she immediately spotted her target. Hunched over the desk of her room was a gray earth pony with dark gray mane. Her purple eyes glaring at the things in front of her while a stack of used dishes rested aside on the nearby bed table.

The hope that had been slowly building up over the evening left her body with the wind.

"Hey?" She asked, not even trying to hide how shaky her voice was.

Octavia snapped to attention and glanced at her. "Lyra," she nodded.

Octavia had always been distant since the incident. At first she'd thought it was just because of the fame or because she'd moved so far ahead in the musical circles of high society. Now though? Now she wasn't so sure.

"Found anything?" She closed the door behind her with her horn as she approached.

Octavia leaned back in her chair and sighed, her eyes trailing the notebook and bloody knife that sat on her desk. "I'm afraid not."

The smile that she'd tried to keep up slowly left her. Even if all those stories weren't true, Octavia was the only one who believed her to be innocent, the only one who would help... And now she was running herself ragged because of her. Her eyes lowered in shame.

"There's much that doesn't make sense, but I've got no clue as to who could have killed him," Octaiva put a hoof to her muzzle. "Diamond Flair doesn't seem the slightest bit phased that her son is dead. What kind of mother wouldn't grieve their child? And even besides that, not a single pony so far has had anything resembling a motive," it wasn't often Octavia got worked up about something, but Lyra could clearly hear the frustration in her tone and in the way she talked.

"We could just wait for the guard, right? I'm sure they'll-"

"No."

The way Octavia had said that and turned to stare at her shocked Lyra. Her tone was so definite and harsh that it made Lyra shiver.

"I need to fix this, I can't let it..." Octavia trailed off, rubbing one of her front legs against the other. She shook her head. "There is a murderer here Lyra, and I need to know who they are and stop them. I can't let anypony else die," the way she spoke sounded almost desperate.

"...Okay," she nodded dumbly. She'd never seen her friend like this before.

"That being said..." Octavia turned back to her desk. "I can't say I'm making much headway here.

"I... uh, I wish to help?" She hadn't really put much thought into it, but it was her neck on the line here. She couldn't just dump it all on her clearly distressed friend.

"Well..." Octavia sighed. "If you learn anything you think might be important, I'm all ears."

Lyra walked over to the desk and sat down on the floor next to Octavia. "Weeell, I didn't exactly take notes like you did. But... I did some thinking and I asked around a bit."

"Not that many wanted to talk to me..." she whispered before shaking her head.

Octavia glanced over to her "Oh?"

She nodded. "Everyone was around for breakfast except for the prissy unicorn, the old grumpy stallion, and Polo."

Octavia hummed. "That means Graphite Pen had to still be alive this morning. Whoever killed him did so between then and lunch."

Lyra rapidly nodded her head. "That's what I was thinking! Because I went there right after I finished eating my lunch."

Octavia turned her head and met her eyes. "Do you also happen to know who was there at lunch?"

She could feel a smile grow on her lips. "Yes! I know you left shortly after getting your food, something about eating in privacy?"

"Yes, I decided I'd rather eat in my room. Being forced to stay here... brought back some memories and I wished for some privacy," she said while glancing away.

"Right," Lyra continued. "I didn't see Graphite Pen, and neither did anypony else, so obviously he didn't come to lunch. Lord Radon showed up late, according to his wife. When I asked Ice Top about it she said that he was dealing with something in the lounge."

Octavia frowned. "I thought the lounge was closed and locked for renovation?"

"Huh, it is?"

Octiavia's expression morphed into a tired smile. "You don't remember, do you? Ice Top was quite clear about it when we arrived yesterday."

Lyra could feel her cheeks light up. She had kind of tuned out the noble pony when she went on and on about the estate.

"Was there anypony else missing?"

Lyra blinked a few times. "Huh?"

Octavia rolled her eyes. "At lunch, Lyra?"

"Oh, um... I don't think I saw the old grumpy stallion either, nor that other weirdo that arrived shortly after us yesterday."

Octavia put up a hoof and massaged her forehead. "It does not hurt to start remembering ponies' names."

"Well I never talked to either!" She defended.

Octavia just shook her head. "We should see what everypony else is doing. I've still got another two ponies to track down as well."

Octavia packed her notebook in her saddlebags and got up, Lyra following suit. Instead of leaving however, like Lyra expected, Octavia wrapped her front hooves around her in a hug; her hooves resting unnaturally heavy against her back.

"Harpsichord would be proud, you know that, right?" Octavia whispered into her ears.

She could feel her eyes tearing up as she leaned into Octavia's hug, it was as if a flood gate had been shattered. The entire roller-coaster of emotions she'd gone through all day just came crashing down as she leaned into her friend's embrace and just cried.

---

The discussion that was ongoing came to a halt as the two of them stepped into the dining room. They had headed down as soon as she'd recovered, yet the way everypony was starring at her threatened to make her tear up again.

She briefly eyed the small stage she and Octavia had performed on the day prior. Although it was small, it was quite oversized for just the two of them.

"So, the great detective returns," Flair snarked. "Tell us, have you finally decided to see reason?"

Octavia huffed quietly and made her way over to the table undeterred. "I'm still investigating."

Diamond Flair snorted. "Some genius."

Lyra swallowed and took a few steps closer to stand next to Octavia.

"Last I checked, Mrs. Flair, I never once claimed I could live up to your-" Octavia's eyes travelled across the room to meet each and everypony's own. "-or anypony else's lofty preconceptions."

"B-but," Ice Top started as she took a step forward. "I thought you could solve this...?"

Octavia closed her eyes and sighed, Lyra did not envy her position.

"I will try my very best, Lady Top. As has been said, I do have some experience. But regardless I will be hoofing over all of the investigation and any potential arrest to the Royal Guard once they do arrive."

The room fell silent, several ponies looking to each other with expressions of unease. Lyra wanted to be anywhere but here right now, how had she gotten into this mess? This was supposed to be her big gig, the one that would kick-start her musical career.

She could see Diamond Flair slowly approach the two of them when her ears started to swivel. Her mouth speaking before she could even properly process what she was hearing.

"Is that, singing?"

Flair stopped in place and several other ponies looked around for the source.

"...It is," Octavia confirmed. "And it's not the voice of a pony that was mentioned to be here," she continued while glancing at someone on the opposite end of the room.

Lord Radon let out a deep sigh and stepped forwards. "That is... our other child. We had hoped this entire party would be over with before anyone realised they were here."

"What?" Lyra couldn't help blurting out.

Radon glanced towards her before continuing. "They are... well, there is no nice way to put it, really. Recently they have been quite shameful in their behaviour after their latest business venture went up in smoke. In order to cope they have taken to... consuming, without restraint."

Consuming? What did that mean? The singing hadn't stopped either, if anything it had just gotten louder.

"Am I to believe that there is another member of House Radon on the premise... who is currently singing while being drunk off their hooves?" Octavia questioned.

Both Radon and Ice Top looked down to the floor in shame.

"T-that's why we decided to say that the lounge was off-limits, they've been practically living in there for several weeks now."

Octavia stared at Radon and Ice Top for a few moments. "I need to interview them too," she turned on the spot and headed towards the adjacent room with such speed that Lyra struggled to keep up with her.

The singing became more and more pronounced the closer they got to the door, and once Octavia pushed the double door open one could clearly make out the feminine voice singing out Sapphire Shore's debut hit single 'On the Shores of Canterlot'.

The lounge itself was quite large and had everything from a billiard table to a fully stocked bar. There were also two large sets of couches for ponies to rest, relax, and gossip on. But none of that even registered with Lyra, no, her gaze was drawn to the pegasus mare dancing in circles and singing in the middle of the room.

Her long green mane flew around as she spun, their white coat beaming in the light of the chandelier. And when they opened their eyes, their beautiful yellow eyes that glanced straight towards her own? Lyre could feel her cheeks heating up.

The mare came to a stop with a giggle when she noticed she had an audience. "I didn't expect company~"

"And I can't say I expected to see you here Wing, though I'm not sure why I'm surprised," Octavia quipped.

"Ever the charmer Octavia," the pegasus turned their gaze towards Lyra. "Who's the cute mare?" They winked at her, something which caused her stomach to flutter.

Octaiva snorted and walked up to them. "Stop teasing her."

The pegasus turned to Octavia. "I'll try," she chuckled. "Normally I only have this effect on stallions, it's a nice change of pace."

Finally getting a handle on her thoughts again Lyra pressed the obvious point: "You two know each other?" She glanced between the two of them as she walked closer.

The pegasus just smiled at her while Octavia shook her head and sighed.

"Lyra, meet Radon Wing, Radon, this is Lyra Heartstrings."

"It's a pleasure," Wing said while taking a light bow.

"Um," she nodded her head along, before catching herself and extending her hoof. "I-it's a pleasure."

Wing smiled at her and shook her hoof. "If it was a better opportunity, I'd offer you a dance."

Struggling to find words, Lyra just stood there, mouth hanging lightly open. Wing put up a hoof to her mouth and giggled lightly before turning around and walk over towards the bar.

It took her a moment before she realise Octavia was nudging her side. "Lyra?"

"Huh?" She turned her eyes away from the pegasus to meet Octavia's.

In a moment of indignity, Octavia rolled her eyes. "Try and focus on the important things. You don't want to get involved with Wing anyway."

"But she's so pretty," she whispered under her breath to Octavia.

"Exactly my point," Octavia walked over to the bar where Wing was sipping on their drink.

Lyra followed as quickly as she could manage.

"Let me make proper introductions then," Octavia started, a chill having overtaking her voice. "Since someone can clearly not behave," she was shooting daggers towards Wing.

"This is Radon Wing, older brother of Radon Polo."

Lyra blinked a few times before it registered just what Octavia had said.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Heartstrings," Wing said, still smiling at her.

She opener her mouth to reply, only to close it again and taking a step back. Her cheeks now flush with embarrassment she rushed out the room.

Author's Note:

Most people write Lyra after she hooked up with Bonbon, given when this story takes place... well, it becomes a bit harder to write her.

Most of Lyra's fanon character is defined by her relationship with Bonbon, so a story that happens before the two hook up is naturally going to need to expand upon her a bit more.

Comments

[Roberto The Stormtrooper]

"But she's so pretty," she whispered under her breath to Octavia.

"Lyra, meet Radon Wing, Radon, this is Lyra Heartstrings."

"This is Radon Wing, older brother of Radon Polo."

I thought Radon Wing was a girl in this story, I'm a little lost here...
Great story so far, but that part is a little confusing

[Lunaria]

11852718
He's a very feminine looking Stallion, so Lyra, who has never met him before, confuses him for a mare. Mayhaps it wasn't clear enough in the narration.