Deduction is Magic- The Mysterious case of the Missing Magic

by Raot

Iron Hooves and Silver Tongues

“Are you okay?” Dash asked, setting Clopson down at the caves entrance.

“Yes, of course.” He said, attempting to hide the degree at which her previous statement phased him. “You uh… you should stay out here. In case things get hairy…”

“No way!” Dash responded quickly. “I can handle myself. I saved you last time didn’t I?”

“I just don’t want anything happening to you that’s all…”

“Well, I don’t want anything happening to you either. We’ll go together.” She said. And that was that. He didn’t try to convince her further, but he did lead the way, with his horn aglow. Through many twists and turns they found themselves in a huge cavern, with the biggest dragon Clopson had ever seen taking up most of the space. Surrounding him were mountains of gems and gold, so much so, that if the cave went any further, Clopson could not tell, because the dragons girth and the treasure abounding around him filled every last crack. The dragon, at the sight of them, bared his fangs, each tooth was the size of Clopson, horn to tail, and he spoke in a booming voice, but Clopson realized by the tone that he must have been whispering. The Dragons voice could bring the whole Mountain crashing down with a word if he wished…

“What business do you have?” the Dragon asked. Clopson looked over the dragon once more. The teeth had distracted him, but he now looked along the face and body of the creature, finding a long beard coming down from his chin, a moustache stretching from one side of his face to the other, and his scales chipped and torn. Clopson had never known an old dragon, and wondered how old the thing truly was… he nervously introduced himself.

“I am Clopson, and this in my… Friend. Rainbow Dash. I am a detective, and I would like to ask you some questions…”

The huge eyes wavered on him, and then turned to Dash. His massive eyelids blinked for a moment, and showed a slight dilation.

“You… the rainbow one.” He spoke. “…My son spoke of one such as you. He said you kicked him in the face.”

Clopson gulped and looked to Dash, who, wide eyed, nodded and winced with a degree of fear, and remarkably, a bit of pride.

The titanic beast giggled, making the earth shake slightly, and debris fall from the walls and ceiling. “I’m sure deserved it… little brat. But I am sorry, I digress..” He spoke slowly, like every word was precious, and deserved great care to speak. “My Name is Death-Engine McRail-Spike.”

“Er, that’s… that’s quite the name.” Clopson started.

“Dragon names are a bit… Different then Pony names.” He explained. “My father, Rail-Spike McDagger-Fire, once told me a story…”

“Not to, um, interrupt, I am sure you have many good stories.” Clopsosn tried to interrupt the slow speaking dragon as politely as he could. “But I am trying to find The Elements of Harmony, And Luna, Celestias sister.” He said. “I heard that a dragon in the area has some… connection to the crime. That is why I am here.”

“Oh.” The dragon scales cracked loudly from disuse above his eyes as his one of his brows rose. “And who told you that?”

“A Confidential source.” Clopson said, fearing for the Dogs safety against this thing. “They told me you had a connection with Luna, Mooriatry, the Elements of Harmony, and someone called Gappy…”

“Gappy?” the Dragon showed genuine confusion. “Gappy… Gappy…” he mumbled to himself. And then in a moment, a loud booming sound came from the belly of the beast, Dash and Clopson covered their ears in pain and fear before Clopson finally realized that the roar was one of laughter. Once he had his fill, he continued, “Those illiterate Dogs…”

“What do you mean by that?” Clopson asked.

After a short, not as loud chuckle, the dragon responded, “Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m afraid I can’t help you with your investigation.”

“Do you expect me to believe that?” Clopson asked.

“What are you going to do?” the dragon moved his gargantuan face, which was the size of a three story house, and moved it closer to The Unicorn. “Arrest me?” Clopson kept silent for a moment, and the dragon continued, “I’d like to see you try.”

He quickly realized that this dragon would not give him anything. And there was no way force way he could force a confession…

“Challenge accepted!” Clopson heard Dash cry and leap into the air in response.

“Dash! No!” She darted over the slow dragons head and grabbed one of his massive, bone horns, and tried to pull it back with all the force in her wings… to no avail.

She then dashed down to his beard and moustache and grabbed a clump of hair in her hooves, using her legs and wings to pull as hard as she could towards the mouth of the cave.

Again, the Dragon did not budge, and simply watched the poor pony make a fool out of herself.

With a grunt, she tried to lift on of the dragons claws from the stone ground, but it stayed stiff, and unmoving. With roar of anger, she zoomed out of the cave, turned, gained speed and aimed a hoof to the dragons forehead.

A horrible sound, resembling the sound of a bell shattering onto hard earth, was created from this clash. Dash hit the ground nursing her fore hoof in agony as the Dragon maneuvered his old eyes down to gaze upon the tiny creature.

“Dash…” Clopson made his way over to her and tried to comfort her.

“I’m fine!” she snapped in anger, ripping her hoof away from the doctor. Dash curled into a ball on the floor, facing away from Clopson in shame. He heard a sob and tried laying next to her with a comforting hoof on her side.

“Was there anything else you wished to try?” the Dragon asked wryly. Clopson now looked at the old dragon with more confidence. A more powerful instinct to beat this thing gave him the will to try. But what? What could he possibly do to get this dragon to talk…

“…How about a game?” Clospon asked. The Dragon raised his brow once more. “A battle of witts. I will ask you a question, a fair question, and you will do the same. And we will continue until one of us outwits the other.” He said. “If you win, I will leave, and whatever plans you have with Luna and Mooiraty will go on unmolested. But if I win. Then you will tell me everything.”

The dragon smiled, using muscles and scales that had obviously gone unused for perhaps a century. “I have a mind that has eons on yours. Do you know how many I have triumphed over in the past?”

“No. But I doubt you have ever had a true cause other then treasure motivating you… and I have something I fight for.” He said.

“Fine. But what is a, “fair” question?” The dragon asked.

“It cannot require information that either party is not privy to. No ‘what is jingling in my pocket’ bullocks.” The dragon nodded his house of a head. “And if multiple answers exist, all must be accepted.” Clopson racked his brain, trying to think of anything the dragon could use to corrupt that game.

“Sounds fair.” The dragon agreed. “But if I win, I want a reward”

“What do you want? I suppose I could help you get more gems…”

“I don’t want gold or gems. I have enough riches.” He spoke. “I have gold and Emeralds, and Rubies and Topaz, and Turquois and Opal, and Diamond and Perl, they have simply lost their color in my eyes.” He spoke with great age. “I have had every treasure known in Equestria, from food to books and magical items. But there is something I have not had. In many, many eons… youth.” His eyes went down upon Rainbow Dash. “I can no longer see your colors, but I can feel the vibrant life inside her… I want her. Should I win, her life is forfeit.”

“I can’t let you…”

“Do it.” Dash said. Clopson gaped at her for a moment as the pony wiped her eyes.

“But, but…”

“We need to get the elements, and this is the only way I can help… fine.” She said. “Do it.”

“I will let you start.” The dragon responded with a smile

Clopson gulped. He was not Sherlock, but he had his fair share of puzzles to ask. “Alright, so, a plane flies and crashes on the border of Equestria and Canterlot…”

“Survivors aren’t buried.”

“Horseapples. I guess you’ve heard that one.” Clopson said. He now realized what kind of predicament he was in. this dragon had probably heard every riddle ever made…

“My turn.” The dragon spoke. “The man who made it does not want it, the man who needs it does not know it, and the man who bought it does not need it. What Is it?”

Clopson knew this one! What was it though?! It was on the tip of his tongue… no… no… He stomped his hoof against the ground and shut his eyes tight. Think Clopson think…

“Time is ticking.” The Dragon spoke. “I am getting impatient.”

“There were no rules on a time limit…” Clopson said.

“That was your fault.” The dragon responded. He then, slowly, took a claw to one of his treasures, a huge hourglass, and turned it over. “So now I get to make my own. And I want an answer before the sand runs out.”

“I… I…” he had to think of something. The hourglass was not set for an hour… he had only a minute. And the seconds went by at the speed of his every breath.

“Three, two…” the dragon counted down as the last grain was about to fall.

“A bra!” Clopson screamed. The cave was filled with silence.

“That’s not the…”

“But it works. ” Clopson smiled, his face filled with sweat. “The rule says if a question had multiple answeres, they must all be acceptable.” The dragon was deep in thought for a moment,

“The man who made it does not want it…” the dragon repeated under his breath. He chuckled. “Fine. It passes.” He said. “This time.”

Now it was Clopsons turn. He tried to think of the most abstract riddle he had ever heard…

“Your turn.” The old dragon spoke again in impatience.

“Okay, so…” Clopson started. “Two brothers stand at a crossroads, one always tells the truth, and one always lies, and you get one question to find out which way leads to salvation…”

“If you were your bother which way would you say lies salvation?” The dragon stated.

“So I… guess you heard that one too?” Clopson said awkwardly, tried not to look into Dashes glaring face.

“I swear, next you will be asking me what walks of four legs in the morning.” The dragon rolled his eyes.

“I hadn’t actually heard that one…” Clopson said, but then he quickly corrected himself. “Oh, well, I mean, yes, everyone has heard of that one. Four legs and all that. Good classic.”

The dragon sighed and then spoke, ”Many years ago, Before Luna fought against her sister, and before The Elements of Harmony were ever created, Celestia and Luna where testing their magic. I had only just spawned, I was a baby dragon, in an old world that many say is filled with arcane magic… but to me, it is simple magic…”

Clopson knew right away that he had not heard this one before…

“It was Celestia who opened my egg, but it was not her face that I saw first… it was Lunas. She was beside Celestia, and try as she might, she failed to open my brothers egg.” The Dragon closed his eyes, remembering the sad fate he witnesses so long ago. “She never passed that test. And I grew up an only child, and though I had been hatched by Celestia, I bonded with Luna at birth, and always saw her as a teacher… and a mother.” There was a silence. And then he spoke.

“What is my brothers name?”

“That’s Bull!!” Rainbow Dash accused with a scream. “You’re breaking the rules…”

“You already have all the information you need.” The Dragon spoke nonchalantly. “But I will give you time. If you need it.”

Clopson took a deep breath and Dash continued to curse and cradle her injured hoof. He looked at the dragon, his eyes, his scales, his horn, his moustache, he recalled the dragons name, “Kill-Switch McRail-Spike…”

Clopson had an epiphany… but was it possible?...

“…Your Brother.” Clopson started. “…Is it Spike?”

The dragon sighed. “Correct. Though, I doubt even Celestia recognized the egg.”

“Wow… Spike’s gona look like you?!” Dash asked in surprise.

“Yes… the mustache is unique in our family.” He said. “It shows our sea serpent lineage… but I digress. It is your turn Clopson.” The Dragon continued.

“…” Clopson had an idea. “Though I never hide, I only come out at night. The blacker it is, the brighter my light. Only in darkness am I seen. Death is my brother, and life my bride to be. What am I?”

The Dragon paused… his eyes shifted up and to the right, and then he smiled once more.

“Where did you hear this riddle…”

“Answer, and then I will tell.” Clopson responded. The mass of scales shifted and he brought a single claw to his temple in thought.

“… I give up.” The Dragon said in pleasant defeat. “Now tell me.”

“The answer, is “A Dream”.” Clopson said. The Dragon snapped his claws in frustration and smiled.

“Of course! But where did you hear it…”

“I made it up!” Clopson said with pride. The Dragon guffawed and slammed his hand against the ground, shaking the mountains very foundation.

“Of course you did! It has been so long since I spoke to a creative soul…” he took a short breather to regain his composure.

“A deal is a deal, I will cooperate.” He said happily. He rested his body back onto the stone earth and finished, “What do you want to know?”