Circumstantial Evidence

by Mad Hatter

Morning Ritual/Investigation: Part One

Waking up at the usual time, Sun trotted to the kitchen for her morning tea, only to find another pegasus sleeping on the floor in the living room. “What the bu-” was interrupted by the mental click as the shock obliterated the common morning haze. Oh yeah, on trial for murder. Buck... How many ponies can say that? The morning musing was stopped by Blaze's getting up. She wasn't sure if the outburst woke him, or if he was just used to getting up at this time, not that it mattered. “Mornin'... Er, Blaze, right?”
“Blaze Fire, correct miss Sun Shower.” Apparently Blaze was more of a morning pony than Sun was, lacking the dim eyes and slightly gritty voice Sun displayed.
“Well, I better offer breakfast. No use having two guards pissed at me.” Making a mental note to buy more groceries than usual next trip and cursing her fate again, she dug through cabinets and the icebox to produce some eggs and wheat.

A few minutes, a couple cups of tea, and some sustenance put anything still out of focus back to it's proper place. They ate quietly, lacking any new information since the trip back to Ponyville. Putting the dishes in the sink Sun declared “Right. First the workout, then we get going on this.”
“Workout miss Sun Shower?”
“Yeah. Can't be slow when this's all over.” In a small room off to the side between the parlor and bedroom was a number of weights and miscellaneous equipment, as well as the record player on a small table in the corner. “Grab a record, gotta have music for this.” Silently obliging Blaze picked out one with a sleeve in various greens and placed it on the player. Within a few notes Sun smirked to herself. Of all the things for a royal guard to put down, heh.

I first met this colt by the Clopton Street tracks
In no shape for success headed nowhere too fast

He may've been somepony once by the sound of his call
Now he answers to no one, no one at all

We all die alone, he shouted as he passed
with no sense of regret, see he never looked back

For his pride was wounded, his ego was strong
Yea that was his trouble and this is his song

You said we die alone, in this case you were right
No friends by your side or family in sight
There'll be no talking your way out this time
So don't count the bits 'cause you leave 'em behind

His friends come and go like the seasons and tide
He can't keep a mare they all realize
He loves them, leaves them, takes what he needs
He's loyal to no one, no one at all

Blaze couldn't understand the light chuckle Sun gave as she started, until he listened to the lyrics while waiting. Attempting to deflect embarrassment from his pick, he asked “So you a clover, or just like the music?” Sun shot him a dark glare at that. “Highlander. You'd have had a lot of angry ponies at you callin' someone a clover over there. Grandparents were anyway.”
“Oh. My apologies Sun Shower.”
“Guess it's OK, seeing as you prob'ly weren't taught about countries Canterlot doesn't seem to hold a hoof over as much.”
“What do you mean 'hold a hoof over'?”
“The Highlands pretty much run themselves. Old honor codes make most of the law over there. They don't cause no trouble, and it works fine without anypony stepping in.”
“I see.”
“Haven't visited in a while. Maybe take a vacation when this' over.”

Cleaning up afterwards, Sun threw on a saddlebag and stepped out with Blaze in tow. The first stop was, unsurprisingly, the fire house. "Hey Sun. Hear some crazy stuff about you going to Canterlot for a trial or something."
"Yeah. That crap's true too." she somewhat sarcastically replied, jerking her head back to draw attention to the guard. "Busy day, we need to see Flash. Now."
"Y-Yes, sure Sun. Hey boss!" The firepony rushed to the office. In a tinted window they could see the outlines of both of them, hooves flying in the air as if in a panic. Sun walked up to the door and impatiently waited, tapping a hoof at the indistinct noise coming from the next room. Within a minute the door opened and the pony left in short order. Sun and Blaze entered quietly to face a rather nervous Flash Bright. "Calm down boss. This here's an investigation, so all you have to do is answer Blaze here.
"Yes Flash Bright, it won't take long. Sun, if you would."
"Would what?"
"Protocol to prevent ponies from putting words into somepony's muzzle."
"Oh. Makes enough sense. It'll be the same thing I told you earlier anyway." she confidently assured as she left. More indistinct words, sans hoof-waving ensued. A half hour later Blaze returned, a handful of papers in hoof. Sun preempted any attempt to get the first word in with "Reports from other fires that pony started. Good."
"In as many words, yes."
"While I'm guessing this stuff, you need to see city hall for some more records."
"...Correct Sun Shower."
"Sun'll do, day's too short to be formal for all of it. Save that for the mayor. The wait for that place is gonna be a pain."
"Very well miss Sun."
"Just Sun."
"Miss Just Sun."
Sun blinked. Did this guy just get a riff out on me? This might not be as bad as I'd thought.

The wait at city hall was just as Sun feared. Blaze stood stoic as paper-pushing ponies gave them both looks, while Sun was valiantly fighting the urge to make snide comments or rude gestures. Remember, pissing 'em off will only make the wait longer. It took nigh the rest of the day to aquire the obituary, the government copy of the fire reports, and for him to get some words with the mayor.

Author's Note:

For the record, I know I'm mixing Irish and Scottish here. Was originally going to call it “haylander”, but highland is an actual breed of pony, so I think it fits even better. The lyrics below (With minor changes) are "Loyal to No-One" by Dropkick Murphys and unchanged lyrics are the property thereof.