> Chasing Shadows
>  by zerofireking13
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Case File 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was around 9 a.m., I was sound asleep, there was a knocking at my door and I wasn't in the mood, for those unaware my name is Spike, and I am... well I was the number one assistant to Princess Twilight Sparkle. I'm now living in Manehattan, away from the girls if you want to know about that well...it's a long story. Here's some good news however, I did start my own business and got my own license as a private investigator. That felt like an appropriate way to distance myself from the girls, private investigator. Where police fail to do their jobs the families of the victims rely on me to help crack the case open, and I have on several occasions. I solved a 10 year old cold case where a girl had gone missing, much to the chagrin of police department, I got a reward for my courageous acts and for going above and beyond the call of duty. Except, I've never served in the police or military. The closest I've come to 'call of duty' is working for Twilight and that wasn't all that glamorous. 

There was another knock on my door. I knew who it was, it was my secretary. Yes I have a secretary, I picked her up off the streets. Her name is Quick Pick, or at least that's what she told me, I'm more than convinced she's lying to me, she said got that name with how handy she is with a lockpick. I caught her trying to break into my office she was just looking for a  quick score, but I managed to convince her to do some steady work for me. I pay her 25% of whatever I get paid, which due to the solving of several high profile cases makes me very in demand, nine times out of ten it's usually some wife checking to see that if her husband is cheating on her or not. Sometimes it is, or sometimes just on occasion the guy is just doing a weird hobby that he doesn't want anyone to know about. Missing persons, murder investigations, thefts, kidnappings, those crimes are a dime a dozen and they're very exhausting. 

They also hardly ever come by my door, like I said I pick up the pieces that the police leave behind. In the meantime, I cope with these things by drinking a lot of alcohol. The legal drinking age for ponies is 210 and I'm 415, the magic in our systems expands our lifespans by centuries, not including the all-bloods or the princesses. They have the blood of the Terrans, blood of the Valkyries, and blood of the Magi. Twilight was originally a Magi-blood, being able to manipulate and control all forms of magic. Rainbow is a Valkyrie, and Pinkie is a Terran, just for some points of reference. I'm a drakeblood, or for lack of a better term. I'm a dragon, I stand at an impressive 6'1 and I weigh 215 lbs, I had to put on a lot of muscle in order to pass the physical exam for the private investigators license. Don't know why though, some of the other people here look like pieces of shit. In the more recent years I have developed a foul mouth. 

There was another knock on my door, "JACK, IF YOU DON'T WAKE UP NOW I SWEAR TO THE SISTERS I'M GONNA KICK DOWN THIS DOOR!" 

"Alright! I'm up!" I said, "Just give me 15 minutes to get ready." 

"I'll give you 5." Quick said. 

I groaned and grabbed a silver ring, I put it on and it turned my iconic neon green hair and eye color into a dark chocolate brown. Something a little more forgettable, if you're wondering why she called me Jack instead of Spike, it's as simple as this. I wanted to get the hell out of the shadow of the elements of harmony as soon as possible. I asked for a favor from my mother, Princess Celestia and she granted my wish. In exchange, I had to keep her updated on my status and to visit from time to time whenever I could. I didn't have much of a choice, it was either being unhappy or trying and potentially failing at being happy. So I chose the latter I also chose a new name, Jack Drake it has a nice ring to it I should say. I finished off a letter and sent it off via my dragon breath, I should expect a reply later tonight. I twisted my back and cracked it into place and looked at the cot that I had slept on, "I've got to get a fucking bed." I put my white t-shirt on, put on my jeans and slipped on my trench coat, I then put on my hat and opened the door. 

Quick was just looking at me, "You're late, you were supposed to be in your office half an hour ago. For paperwork involving that cheating case." 

"Oh yeah, cheating case number 825, the curse of the gay man." I said.  

"Har-Har." Quick said, Quick had red hair and orange eyes with pale complexion. She's a valkyrie, so she can fly and she's a little leaner than other people. She stands at 5'6 and weighs 110 lbs give or take. "That joke wasn't funny the first time you said it, it's not funny the millionth time you said it." 

"Yeah well, I don't fucking care. It's funny to me." I said. 

"Still with that foul mouth Mr. Drake?" Quick asked. 

"We're not on the clock yet Ms. Pick so you can stop with the formality. We're headed to Mr. Deli's by the way." 

"You can't start without your morning coffee can you?" Quick asked. 

"Nope, and not without my morning bagel as well." I said as I smirked, "I know you can't resist their tuna melts either." 

"...Damn you." Quick said. 

"I'll pay don't worry." I smirked once more. 

"When you pay for me you usually take it out of my paycheck!" Quick said as I started to jog to Mr. Deli's. She started to run after me.

We soon got into the deli and the man behind the counter, Mr. Deli himself already had our orders ready. "Hello Mr. Drake, how are you today?" 

"I've got paperwork. Just finished up another case, going to send them a bill." I said as I paid. 

"Hmm, I'd never understand how you do it." Mr. Deli, a neightalian terran that was a bit overweight at 312 lbs and 5'11, with wispy golden brown hair. 

"It's tough, and disgusting at times but mostly it's just sitting in a car and waiting, maybe a little breaking and entering." I said as I grabbed our order and my coffee. I nodded my thanks and took a sip of the hot coffee, but it's not like it could really affect me that much, I'm a drakeblood. So hot foods, be it temperature or spice they don't affect my tongue. I looked at Quick, "You're two minutes and 39 seconds late." 

Quick was bent over and breathing heavy, "Why does that matter?" 

"It could be life or death. You've got to be able to react fast, the situation doesn't matter. I stopped the kidnapping of a key witness to a murder trial in less than a minute." I said. On the side, I've been training Quick to be her own private eye she can't rely completely on her ability to fly, I've seen some of the fastest Valkyries struggle to save people from falling to their deaths. I handed her our food, "Be careful, now let's go to the office." 

I led the way to our office, Emerald Investigations. It was several blocks from here, Quick caught up without trying to spill our food. "Remind me again, why you don't use your car?" 

"Because recharging is expensive." I took some spare bits out of my jacket pocket and gave it to a homeless person. 

"Sisters bless you kind sir." The man replied.

I rolled my eyes and continued on towards my office, with Quick behind me I unlocked the door to Emerald Investigations. I turned on the lights and open the door to my office, I put my hat and jacket on a coat rack and sat down behind my desk and started to fill out paperwork while drinking my coffee. Quick walked into my office and gave me my bagel. I started to eat my bagel with cream cheese and sapphire sprinkles. Quick looked at me, "I think we have a new client, they've actually come in." 

"This early in the morning? Tell them I'll be with them soon, I just have to change." 

"Into your suit? Yeah I know you keep a closet full of suits in your office." 

"Always be prepared." 

"Rule number one." Quick said. 

I finished my bagel and downed my coffee and soon put on a nice black and white suit complete with a tie. I finished up my paperwork and then put it to the side and organized everything. The door opened to reveal...the girls. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Rarity Belle, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Starlight Glimmer. I was speechless, I was absolutely stunned. 

"Jack Drake?" Twilight asked. 

I coughed and spoke up, "Y-Yes? What is it that you need assistance with?" 

"We would like you to help us locate a missing person. They disappeared about 2 years ago, the police had searched but no body was ever recovered so we have reason to believe that this person is still alive." 

"It would help if I could have a name and a descriptive gender." I said. 

"The description is that of a male, and he's a drakeblood with bright green hair, his name is Spike Solaris." Twilight choked out some tears, "Please help us find him. We miss him."
> Case File 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The girls I had spent time actively trying to get away from, get out from underneath their shadows were now in my office and nearly on the verge of tears. Except Applejack, because she 'cries on the inside' which I call bullshit on. I've seen her cry, she just has so much pride and stubbornness underneath that ten gallon hat of hers that she can't see past her own rack at times. I looked at Twilight who was almost actively crying, she held what looked like a manila folder close to her chest, looked like a police investigation file. With her being a princess I wouldn't doubt that she would have asked for and gotten her own copy of the proceedings the investigation.  

When I left Ponyville two years ago, I disappeared. There was no trace of a kidnapping, mugging gone wrong, abduction, nothing I just packed my things and left. I was gone the next day, I didn't leave a note or any reason as to why I was gone. The girls might not have even noticed that I had disappeared, but they obviously did. They obviously looked distressed and I just got up and walked to the door the girls never took their eyes off me as I looked at Quick. "Ms. Pick could you please brew a pot of coffee, these ladies look like they need a little pick me up before discussing details pertaining to our new potential case." 

"Not a problem Mr.Drake." Quick smiled and went over to the coffee machine and prepared a fresh pot for the girls as I sat back behind my desk. 

"Thank you." Twilight managed to squeak out.  

"It's not a problem, I always want to make sure that people are comfortable when in my office." I said while eying the folder, "If I were to hazard to guess, I'd probably be right in assuming that that would be the police report?" 

Twilight looked down and just nodded. Starlight coughed into her hand, "Please understand that this is not easy for Twilight at the moment, the person in question is one of if not the closest and oldest friend she's ever had. While we've been helping her with her day to day life, she can hardly function without Spike." She explained. 

"I apologize, I don't mean to come across as rude." I said, "This person Spike, obviously meant a lot to you and I just want to help." Yeah, nice going you lying jackass. You're standing, or rather sitting right in front of them. I thought to myself after I spoke to the girls.

Quick came in with a tray that had the pot of coffee, eight mugs, sugar, milk, and creamer. "Here you go girls, one cup for each of you and one for Mr.Drake here because nothing short of an entire gallon of coffee will wake up this drakeblood." 

Rarity looked up at me, "You're a drakeblood? Why are you here in Manehattan instead of in the Firelands?" 

"I was orphaned as young child so my parents couldn't initiate me into their family clan." I explained. Liar. 

"Oh my apologies." Rarity bowed her head. 

"It's fine you didn't know. I would like for my secretary to refrain from spilling any more of my personal information until we have formed a formal contract with the potential clients." I looked at Quick and she just bowed her head. 

"Sorry boss." She apologized. 

"It's fine." I organized my mail and paperwork and handed it to her, "Please just get this filed away and sent out to the appropriate resources."

"Why again?" Quick asked. 

"So you know how to do paperwork yourself when you become a PI." I said. 

"Then why aren't you doing it?" Quick asked. 

"Because you don't know how to negotiate a contract yet." I replied and that shut her down. 

"I'll go file and mail these away." Quick said and left the room. 

I got up and closed the door behind her, then I gestured to the tray with the coffee. "Please, help yourselves." The girls and I served ourselves coffee and prepared them the way that we had preferred. I mixed my coffee with sugar and creamer, I looked at the girls. "Are you ready to talk?" I asked them after they had their first few sips of coffee. 

Twilight slowly nodded and put the folder she was clutching and replaced it with a mug of coffee. "About this time two years ago, our close friend Spike Solaris, went missing. He just vanished, almost like a ghost or a shadow like he never even existed, the police looked up and down and searched his last known location but nothing." Twilight slowly opened the folder. "There were no signs of a struggle or abduction, but I don't understand why he would just disappear." 

"We also looked in the Dragon district in Fillydelphia, but that turned up nothing." Rainbow added, rubbing her shoulder blades. "It was a long trip, I was tired by the end of it." 

"You're always tired Rainbow Dash." Applejack said before taking another sip of her coffee. "I find you sleeping in my orchard all the time." 

"Girls can we please focus?" Pinkie of all people said, in fact she was the most out of character of them all. Did my leaving really affect them that hard? It looks pretty obvious now that I think about it. 

"Spike was very dear to us." Fluttershy said. 

"Spike is very dear to us." Twilight said, "I don't care what the police said, he's not dead. They never found a body." 

"Twilight adamantly believes that Spike is still alive." Rarity spoke up, "We support her beliefs but we have moved on, for the sake of our sanity." 

"I told you it was fine girls." Twilight said. 

I wish I could take off this ring and show that it was me, in fact a small part of me wants to, but what would that get me? I'm actually doing pretty well here, I'm living the life I want to live. "So you believe he's still alive?" 

"Yes I do, and I heard that you're one of the best private investigators in Equis, you solved a kidnapping and murder 10 years after the police decided to call it quits."  Twilight said. 

"Only after new evidence had come to light and more people were willing to come forward. Sometimes time is what it takes." I said. 

"Please, I'll do anything to get Spike back, or at least talk to him!" Twilight said, "I'll double or even triple your rates!" 

"Twilight!" Starlight said, "Don't be so rash, you've spent so much money already." 

"No, you don't have to do that, the thing is time. I can't spend a lot of time away from here because I still need to keep the lights on and the bills paid." I said. 

"Oh." Twilight looked down, "What's the longest amount of time you can stay away?" 

"Two weeks." I said. "That's the most amount of time I can give you. If I can't solve it, I'll refer you to some people who can help you move on."

"Alright, I just want some definitive answers." Twilight said. 

We soon drew up a contract and Quick led the girls out. I leaned back in my chair and sighed. Quick came back in, "That was Princess Twilight Sparkle!" 

"Trust me, I know." I said as I got up. "I'm going to pack my stuff, do you want to come with me?" 

"YES!" Quick said. "Oh man my first field assignment, what should I bring?" 

"Your lockpicks, and plenty of clothes and cash. I'll bring the weapons." 

"W-Weapons?" Quick said. 

"Yes, now go home and get packed. I'll call you on your cell and tell you which train to take." I said as I loosened my tie, "In the meantime I have a letter to write."
> Case File 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I sat in my apartment thinking about the things that had just transpired earlier. I had talked with my landlord and paid her in advance for next months rent in case of an emergency.  She's a very understanding lady and constantly tries to set me up with her daughter in exchange for a reduced rent, while flattered. I still refused, I had gotten a reply in both my letters at around lunch time, because even princesses need to take a lunch break. I needed to have a conversation with her, one on one. I packed my things and looked at my illusion ring, well it's technically called a caster ring. I could cast spells with it in theory, but last time I tried the results were very explosive. Basically, singed clothing and burnt hair, it wasn't my hair though. 

I turned off my lights, closed the door, and locked it. There was a woman who lived a couple flights up that was struggling with her groceries. "Oh hello Jack, would you mind  helping me with my groceries?"

"My train is in half an hour. I'm sorry Windy." I apologized. 

"It's okay Jack, you're being honest." Windy smiled. 

I picked up my luggage and walked out to see Quick, "I thought I said I would meet you at the train station." I pointed out.

"The train tickets are much more expensive than you give them credit for, even when we use your membership." Quick said, "I did some calculations and it would be much better if we took your car. I know how frugal you can be at times and it would save us almost 100 bits." 

"My car is a deathtrap." I pointed out. 

"But is it street legal?" Quick asked. 

"Yes, you know it is." I said frowning. "Are you absolutely sure?" 

She just pulled out a piece of paper and I looked at it, then sighed. I tilted my head towards the right to the garage next to the apartment building I lived in. It was one of the reasons I lived in that building, the parking garage was a package deal. I walked up to a muscle car and unlocked the door, I then unlocked the door to the passenger side, then I opened up the trunk and put the luggage inside of it. "I got a GPS app on my phone." 

"I hate those things."  

"Says one of the only people who uses a flip phone." She said as she handed me her luggage. 

"It keeps me from being distracted." I say, "When you're on a stakeout you need to pay attention to every little detail." 

"Stakeout?" Quick asked. 

"Yes, stakeout. Like a police sting operation, and you have to know your jurisdiction. I've accidentally walked into several sting operations, I was put in jail once before because I didn't have the paperwork on me." I said, "Every single detail." 

"Oh." Quick said. 

"Just get in, there's a map in the glove box...somewhere." I said as I got in and started up the v8 engine. These engines run on a powerful liquid magic, and that liquid magic is very expensive to manufacture, it's essentially squeezing a magi-blood for almost all the magic they have until their magic recharges. From what I've been told it pays well, hence why they keep going back to it. Twilight once did it to see what it was like, she said she didn't like it but she wasn't treated horribly. I just feel like there's something more going on in those places. I shifted the car into reverse and pulled out of my parking space, as soon as I completed pulling out the car I shifted into drive and soon got out of the parking garage. I  directed the muscle car onto the highway and followed the directions that Quick told me and I was soon on the interstate and headed towards Canterlot. The engine roared as I had my foot on the accelerator, we had been on the road for a while now and Quick pulled up her GPS much to my unamusement. 

I shifted into 6th gear and the car lurched forward even faster. If you're wondering how I got this car, it was given to me by Celestia, or my mother. If I was going to start a new life, I might as well have something to do to occupy my time when I'm not working. The parts were hard to find, especially competing with rich people who have nothing better to do, so the market was very limited. I got it in a working, street legal order, but I haven't been able to drive it as much as I wanted to because traffic in Manehattan is absolute murder. I knew how to take the back roads to avoid toll booths so that whole recalculating bullshit from Quick's GPS annoyed the hell out of me. We were soon out of Manehattan and halfway through passing through Fillydelphia when Quick spoke up. "Uh, Jack?" 

"Yeah?" I replied to her question with a question. 

"Can we get to the nearest rest stop? I need to use the bathroom." She squirmed. 

"Alright, I need to use the bathroom as well." I agreed and went a few more miles before pulling into the nearest rest area and using the restroom. From what I planned I wanted to reach Baltimare by at least nightfall, from there it's a straight shot to Canterlot. 

I was finished using the restroom fairly soon and then Quick came up to me. "Hey, uh Jack?" 

"No." I immediately dismissed. 

"You don't even know what I was going to suggest!" Quick stomped. 

"You always start with 'hey, uh' when you want to do something involving criminal activity. Now we have to go, we're on the clock." I said as I walked back to my car and opened the door. Quick got back into the passenger seat and sulked. 

"You never let me do anything fun." Quick muttered. 

"Fun for you involves jail, which involves me, which means I go to jail, and that means that all the people I put in jail will kill me." I pointed out. 

"How many people have you put in jail?" Quick asked me. 

"140, that's actually pretty big number for a private investigator. I busted a drug ring once, led to the arrest of 50 to 75 people." I said as I started the car and pulled back out onto the highway. 

"Wow, you've done a lot in a short amount of time." Quick said. 

"Yeah, I know." I replied. 

"I hope I'll be able to do the same." Quick said as she settled down into taking a nap. 

I grunted and shifted gears, continuing onward to Canterlot.
> Case File 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The drive was long and contemplative, but I think the question that was burned into my mind is mostly just, why? Why did the girls go through the effort of not only coming all the way to Manehattan to find me to hire me, but go through with the effort of even looking for me in the first place? To me it just doesn't make sense, then again things that the girls do hardly make sense to begin with. I was currently on a back road when Quick shifted and stretched, she yawned while she did. She took a look around and noticed we were off the highway and it had recently turned dark. "How long have we been driving?" She asked. 

"About 8 hours." I replied, "Also I've been driving, not you." 

"You always get so hung up on your semantics." Quick looked around, "Don't you think that this would be a good time to stop off and eat?" 

"We can go through a drive through. That's about it." I said. 

"Ugh, I hate when you get like this." Quick said. 

"Like what?" I asked her. 

"You get all business-y and you can never chill out even for a moment, it's like you transform into a completely different person. I don't like it." Quick crossed her arms. 

"It's just something I do, I can't help it. Time is literally life and death, and money." 

"And everything else in the world. You keep going on about time! Why is it so important to you!?" She nearly yelled. 

"Because we don't have enough of it!" I yelled, quieting her. "One day you're just going along happy as can be and the next thing you know, the girl you loved breaks your heart and leaves you behind for one of your friends." I gripped the steering wheel tighter. 

"Whoa." Quick said, "I've never seen you like this before...is something wrong?" 

"No, nothing's wrong." I muttered. 

"Okay, now you're lying to me. I can always tell." Quick said, "It's something about those girls that hired us isn't it?" 

"One more question like that and you're fired." I said. 

"You don't have the balls to fire me because I know where everything is and you don't." Quick said, "It is about those girls isn't it? What is it though, do you hate them?" 

"No, there's just a time and place for business and there's a time and place for pleasure and right now is not the time for the latter." I said, "I don't hate them but I just don't have time to explain why I'm being the way I am." 

"Okay, I trust you." Quick said. 

"Yet, you don't trust me enough to give me your real name." I said, "You know if you don't give me your real name I can't put you on a payroll." 

"I did give you my real name." Quick crossed her arms once more.

"That's not what my contact at the police station says." I said. 

"You had Cold Justice do a background check on me?" Quick asked. 

"Yes, I did. Had to make sure that you weren't going to drag me into something that would KILL me, it's called the act of self preservation. I wanted to know what I was getting myself into." I said, while turning back onto the highway and hitting the accelerator and shifting the gears. The engine roared to life and pulled the car onto the road at a faster pace. 

"You wouldn't understand about why I'm so hesitant about my past..." Quick said. 

"I'd probably understand better than most." I said, "I know I haven't told you everything either." 

"I...know...but you have your reasons to keep your secrets." Quick said. 

"Yeah." I said and then thought to myself. Hell no, I just don't want to be found. Fate really fucking hates me. 

"I don't know if you know this, but I'm really thankful that you took me in. In hindsight, I was on a steady path to death." Quick fiddled with her fingers, "So...thank you." 

"You're welcome." I said as I took the exit to Canterlot. 

Quick looked out the window of the car, "Oh wow! Look at me now ma! I'm in Canterlot!" She cheered, I couldn't help but smirk as she continued. "Do you think we'll be able to see the Princesses?" 

"It's a possibility." I almost laughed, because my mother is Princess Celestia. 

"Do you think Princess Celestia is awake right now?" Quick asked. 

"I don't know." I answered. Yes you do, and she's about halfway through a bottle of wine and crying about lost lovers. 

"Probably not, by the way. Where are we going?" Quick asked. 

"Tomorrow evening, we're going to the palace. I have a contact there that could tremendously help with our case." I said. 

"T-The PALACE?!" Quick said with excited shock. "Can I go?" 

I looked at her and then looked back toward the road, "Sorry Quick, I need you to check out the places that Spike used to frequent here in Canterlot and ask around. I promise I'll take you on a tour as soon as we're done with our case." 

"Pinkie promise?" She held out her pinkie finger. 

"Cross my heart, hope to-" I cut myself off then interlocked my pinkie finger with hers. "Pinkie promise." 

She soon broke the interlock and looked out the window again. "What was it you were going to say?" 

"Sorry, an...old friend had a unique take on the pinkie promise. Force of habit I guess." I smirked. 

"Sounds like a fun friend." Quick said. 

"Yeah, they were." I pulled up into a motel and parked the car. 

Quick looked at the place as she got out, then she glared at me with look of contempt. "Seriously Jack? We're in Canterlot and this is the place you chose?" 

"If I had a million bits, I'd get someplace nicer. I'm not made of money, and I don't shit gold."  I said as I walked into the lobby to book us a room. "Can I get two bed please?" I asked the person. 

"Sorry, fresh out. All we have left is one bed rooms." He said. 

I let out a big sigh, "Fine I'll take it." I laid out some bits on the table and he gave me a room key. Room 155, I took the key and walked out to my car. 

Quick looked at me, "You look like you have bad news." 

"There's only one bed. You take it, I'll sleep on the floor." I said. 

"Oh, okay." Quick looked...disappointed? I've known her about a year now, and I've lived with women for most of my life. So I can tell when a woman is upset or disappointed. That's an extent of what I know, that and they like a clean place to shit, so I go above and beyond to keep my bathroom clean.  

"Come on, let's just get our stuff inside and we can get some well needed sleep." I pulled the car over to the front of our room and soon unloaded our stuff, I also locked my car because even in Canterlot, there are some people who want what you have. 

Quick sat on the bed and plugged in her phone. I meanwhile, took a shower because I hadn't since yesterday and didn't like stewing in my own juices for very long. Like most motels, the bathroom was one of the most neglected things on the planet, but it was still better than bathing in a river. I came out of the shower and Quick had already changed into her pajamas. "So I was thinking..." Quick spoke up. 

"Yes?" I asked. 

"It wouldn't really be comfortable for you to sleep on the floor, you need to be in top shape in case we need to chase this guy down right?" Quick asked. 

"Right?" I said, Yeah what the fuck would I chase? A reflection? 

"What I'm saying is... we can share the bed." Quick said. 

"Please tell me you're not doing this so you can get into my pants." I said bluntly. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Quick shouted. 

"A lot, but I don't think you're a licensed therapist and we wouldn't have the time to break down my illnesses." I said. 

"Look, if anything it's a way to pay you back. You've done a lot for me and I appreciate that." Quick said, "Nothing more, nothing less." 

"Alright, alright, I gotcha." I said getting on the other side of the bed and rolling over with my back facing her, "We've got to be up bright and early tomorrow so hurry up and get some sleep." 

"Goodnight." She said. 

"Goodnight." I replied whilst drifting off to sleep myself.
> Case File 5.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sleep is a weird thing for me now, it's just darkness and then I'm awake. I don't know why I don't dream anymore, maybe it has something to do with Luna wanting to respect my wishes to become my own person or maybe she's protecting me from the girls trying to reach out to me in the dreamscape. I want to get to the bottom of a lot of things, but most of all why in the hell did the girls come knocking on my door of all people, or more specifically why are they looking for me? I think I made it pretty fucking clear that I didn't want to be found. I woke up and cracked my neck to see that Quick was all in for cuddling me, I just held my breath and increased my internal body temperature until it was uncomfortable for her and she let go. She woke up soon after and looked at me, "We will not discuss a word of this." 

I rolled my eyes and tossed her a notebook, a pencil, and a copy of the file Twilight gave me, "These were some of the last places Spike visited before he disappeared. Go around, and ask questions. Shouldn't be that hard, if someone won't tell you anything or tells you to get off their property, do it. I don't need to bail you out of jail." 

"What are you going to do?" Quick asked. 

"Shake some trees, see if I can get a few apples to fall." That's a lie and you know it, you're going to see your mother. 

"What's the difference between what I'm doing, and what you're doing?" Quick asked. 

"Because I'm going to the palace, you're walking around town." I said. 

"Do you really have connections to get you inside the palace?" Quick asked. 

"Yes, now I'm going to go get dressed and head there." I said while changing into some clean clothes, and tossing her some bits. "Here's some money for the bus, there should be a map at the front desk." 

"You're telling me to take the bus? Why not just drop me off?" Quick asked again. 

"Because you're asking too many questions this morning and I haven't even had my coffee." I rubbed my eyes. 

"Dick." Quick muttered. 

"I heard that, now say anything else and I won't get coffee for you either." I said as I shrugged on my classic PI's trench coat. 

"Must you wear that horrid thing everywhere you go?" Quick asked. 

"I like keeping anything I might need on me at all times." I said while walking out the door and opening the trunk of the car, pulling out my revolver. "Anything." 

Quick watched from the doorway and gulped, "Are you sure you need that?" 

"We're looking into someone who doesn't want to be found, they're gonna put up a fight." I said. Yeah right, the only fight they're gonna put up is the one about whether you want a donut or not. 

"Only if you're sure." Quick said. 

"You know I only use rubber bullets." I pointed out while closing the trunk. 

"Those can still kill if you're not careful. I don't want you getting hurt." Quick said. 

"I'm a drakeblood sweetheart, I'm literally bulletproof. Remember?" I told her while opening the driver's door. 

"That still doesn't stop me from worrying!" Quick shouted as I started the engine. 

"I'll be back later tonight." I shouted at her, you're gonna tell me your leads if you get any and remember to pack our stuff, we're not staying two nights here." I shifted the car into first gear and took off onto the streets of Canterlot. I sighed to myself and shifted into second gear, I already knew where I was headed. I'd gone there a thousand times before, during...better days.





"So are you ready Spike?" Twilight asked me. 

I smiled at her and nodded my head, "I can't wait to give mom her mother's day present!" I kicked my feet while sitting in the passenger seat, a rarity at my current age. 

Twilight smiled, "Well you put a lot of thought and hard work into it, I'm sure she'll appreciated it. Oh, looks like we're here! I'll pick you up at 8, okay?"

"Okay." I said as Twilight brought the car she drove to park to let me out. "Bye Twi!"  




I shook my head and tore myself out of the flashback, I occasionally wish I could go back to those simpler times. Most of the reason why Twilight took care of me when I was younger was because Celestia couldn't. She wasn't about to let the castle staff take care of me either, look how well Blueblood turned out. She left me in the care of Twilight because she felt that raising me had to have a certain mother's touch, ah well. Look how that turned out, I took off and turned Twilight into a sobbing mess. That's the past now, I need to focus on the future, or more importantly. This case, I pulled up to the guard shack around the back of the Palace, the one only certain personnel, like myself, and the other members of the Royal Family know about. 

A guard approached my car with a gun drawn and the other guard was pointing a gun with a laser sight targeted right at my heart. The guard got to the open window and looked at me, "Who are you and how do you know about this area?" 

"Cinnamon Swirl." I said and the guard immediately stood down and told the others to as well. 

"Apologies your highness, we didn't recognize you." The guard saluted. 

"That's the point, I'll give you credit though. You didn't shoot first and ask questions later, unlike some law enforcement and military personnel I know." I nodded and pulled my car up after the gate arm had been lifted. I parked the car in a specific spot and looked at a white sports car and a navy blue supercar. I smirked and locked my car, "Never change ladies, never change." I then proceeded to an elevator and call it, the doors opened and I pressed a button leading to the main housing of the Royal Family.

I stepped out and saw a sight that was usual for the family, however it was a terrible one. Blueblood harassing another maid, "How many times must I tell you that the water for my baths must be tepid and not lukewarm!" 

The maid cowered in fear as Blueblood had backed her into a corner. I took a digital camera out of one of my many pockets, turned the flash off and took a picture. I then walked over to Blueblood, grabbed his shoulder, forced him to turn to face me and uppercut his jaw. I hit him so hard the man came out of his what I presume to be, 10,000 bit shoes. I looked to the maid, "What's your name sweetheart?" 

"I-I-It's Cotton." She shivered. 

"Go tell the guards that Blueblood was being a pompous asshole again and that some time away from his money might do him some good." I said as I continued to Celestia's room, I took out a keyring and unlocked the door. I walked in after closing the door behind me, looking at the expensive and old liquor that she had always placed out for herself and her sister. I took notice of a scroll on her desk, I poured myself a bourbon and sat at her desk. I looked at the ribbon of the scroll and it was the same type that Twilight had always used, trust me after spending enough time in the unpaid employ of a secretly greedy fashionista and a studious woman you know what type of fucking ribbon is which. 

I deeply inhaled through my nose and let the breath out through my mouth, I then opened up the scroll and immediately recognized the handwriting of my former guardian, Twilight Sparkle. 



Dear Princess Celestia,

It is with great regret that I must bring you this news, as though I can't believe it myself but my faithful and number one assistant Spike has gone missing. I first thought that this was just a clever ruse but I have been mistaken, Spike has disappeared without a trace and the Ponyville Police while very competent in their jobs of enforcing the law. Failed to find Spike himself, after two days of searching Spike was declared legally dead and it was decided to hold a funeral in his honor, this is your formal invitation to this upcoming funeral. Upon recent reflection, I have shown much regret that most of the time I spent with him I treated him as just an assistant instead of what he was. He was my best friend and my first friend. I hatched him, I brought him to life and you helped raise him and then handed the responsibility over to me, a task in which I had oh so desperately failed. It's not only I but the rest of my friends regret not including him on more of our adventures, I now think of the lack of care I had treated Spike with after we had moved to Ponyville had contributed to his disappearance. We have here a list of things that we regret and we will use to learn from this, we only hope that this list and our learning from our mistakes can give you solace in the fact that your son is missing and presumed dead. 

I, Jacqueline Jonagold Apple regret that when Spike had personally felt indebted to me that I had given him meaningless tasks to keep him from annoying me when I should have been honest with him. I personally hate when someone gives me or my family the runaround and I should've never done the same to a friend, I also regret using him as a unwilling participant in the Iron Woman competition between Dash and I, I would never wish to inflict harm upon anyone but to throw your friend or even someone who's a friend of your friend is an act that would land most in prison or worse. I can't show how sorry I am princess but I hope this helps, I sincerely hope you can forgive me. 

I, Pinkamena Diane Pie regret that I never had invited Spike to almost any of my parties. Everyone deserves to take a break and have fun, but when excluded it can be very hurtful to see your friends have fun without you is something I dislike very much. Admittedly I can be, very emotionally fragile at times and very easily distracted. I've been working on this for quite some time with a personal therapist but I had outright ignored someone with the exception of their birthday and it made me feel disgusted with my own actions in hindsight. I'm sorry for your loss. 

I, Fluttershy Pieridae regret I had treated Spike like he was an animal...I myself feel that I connect more with animals than other people and when Spike first arrived I felt more of a connection with him than other people I had met, and through the course of time, I began to ignore him and let him fall to the wayside. I feel that in many ways that made him feel that he wasn't valued in my eyes once I saw him as a person. It was not a kind thing to do, and it's something I deeply regret. There is no amount of apologies in the world that I can give that will ever make this right, you lost your son and we were the major cause of it. Please forgive us.

I, Rainbow Asperitas Dash regret not treating Spike as a friend, loyalty is something I hold very dearly to my heart and when it came to Spike it was always gray area for me, but now I know that I should've treated him more as a friend, my actions are very regrettable as I was very much a bully to the young Drakeblood, I called him names and pranked him mercilessly. There was one point where I questioned that if he even was a dragon, that was my most shameful interaction with him. Not only did I use a racial slur but I also questioned his heritage I questioned his blood. The thing I hold next to my loyalty is my pride as a Valkyrie, and I had taken his pride as a Drakeblood and dragged it through the mud. It's not the proudest moment of my life, and I wouldn't blame you if you vetoed my application to the Wonderbolts Training Academy, I would give every drop of my blood if it meant that I could apologize to him. Yet, the best I can come up with is apologizing to you. I'm sorry for what I did, I can only beg dearly for your forgiveness. 

I, Rarity Belle am probably the one who regrets my actions the most out of all of our friends. I had known the feelings of our beloved Drakeblood for quite some time and had chosen to simply ignore it, thinking nothing but a tiny crush at the time. That was my mistake however, because time after time and day after day that lovestruck boy came into my shop and assisted me to the best of his abilities, I had used his love for me as a tool to advance my own career. He was showing me true love in putting his interests, his livelihood, and his health before my very own. I used him and in one case, I abused him after using him as a living pincushion. While he said he didn't feel a thing I felt differently, and while it is a very common occurrence that I became hyper focused on one thing only. That doesn't excuse inducing pain upon another person, there is an entire list of thing I've done to Spike that I regret but the most prevalent one that comes to mind is when I took a birthday present from him and hung it around my neck as if it were a trophy I had found myself. When I first saw his fire ruby I should've congratulated him for receiving such a lovely gift for his birthday, yet instead I manipulated and schemed to get it into my possession. After we lost Spike, I did a lot of reflecting and upon doing so I see that I was not a lady at all I was a manipulative bitch who just wanted someone to wait upon me hand and foot and never talk back to me. I had that in Spike, but I threw his feelings away as if it were unwanted scraps of cloth. No one should have to bear the pains that Spike went through when dealing with me, if he came back I would show him the love and kindness that he showed to me tenfold. Because I was so focused on finding my ideal prince charming, I missed the one standing right before my very face. I beg for your forgiveness, and I beg for Spike's forgiveness as well, wherever he may be.

There you have it, the things we have learned from Spike's disappearance. The things I regret, are plainly stated in the paragraph above the others, I just wish he would come back, so we could apologize. We miss him so much. 

With humble apologies, Twilight Sparkle.



"Enjoying yourself there?" A voice spoke up from behind me, and I slowly swiveled the chair I was sitting in to reveal the Princess of the Sun, the Solar Diarch, and most of all, my mother. Princess Celestia. 

"Hello Mother."
> Case File 5.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Solar Diarch, the bringer of light, for the longest time the sole ruler of Equestria. My mother, Princess Celestia Orlais Everfree, she was a very tall woman due to being an Allblood, or as the common folk would say, an Alicorn. She's been alive for many many years, some say since before written history, and while they're not wrong it's still rude to burst into the throne room and ask her how old she is. She stood at 6'9 and weighing none of my fucking business, besides the magical flowing hair, and her height, it was her bust. The size of her tits make her the envy of all other women in the world. In case you were wondering what her cup size is? It's 64 I, you fucking perverts. 

She looked at me with that motherly gaze she gave all of her subjects, the one I hated. I took a sip of the bourbon that I had poured for myself, "Stop looking at me like that." I said, breaking the silence between the two of us. 

"I wasn't expecting you today." Celestia said, dropping her motherly gaze for one of slight annoyance.

"I've become the bearer of the element of surprise, don't tell the girls that there's a 7th element of harmony." I smirked, "I did however tell you that I was coming, you should've expected me at any day." 

"Fair enough, I only came by here because a citizen matching your current description used a password that only one person knows." Celestia crossed her arms. 

"How come you never told me that there was a police investigation?" I asked. 

"I didn't want to burden you with the knowledge." Celestia muttered. 

"Yes, that seems to be a reoccurring theme with you, never letting anyone know about some horrible secret until it's too late." I said, "I can't blame you, knowledge is power and holding all the knowledge of eldritch abominations is holding all the power." I took another sip of my drink. 

"That's not fair." Celestia said. 

"You fear your public, that's why you use that matronly gaze with them. To coddle them into a state of false security, when in fact the world could be destroyed any other Tuesday." I said, "But I'm not here to talk about the semantics of your ever shrinking morality and talk about why you didn't tell me that Twilight has gone nearly bankrupt on multiple occasions trying to find me, and has now hired me to find myself." I took out a file and threw it on a coffee table that separated the two of us. I finished my bourbon and set the glass down on her desk.

"Well, what would you have done?" Celestia asked. 

"I would've at least sent them a letter that I was alive and happy. Tell them to move on and not spend a FUCKING FORTUNE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO BE THERE!" I yelled at her suddenly before calming down and regaining my neutral tone of voice. "Twilight, is almost destitute trying to find me and you did nothing. Someone who practically worships the ground you walk on the and the ground before that and you just sat there and watched as she spent and wasted money." 

"I never said I was perfect, but she's a grown woman." Celestia argued. 

"Just barely, I had to make sure she took a shower, ate, and slept on a regular schedule. I was basically her drugs, I did everything she didn't want to do and now that I'm gone she's been suffering from withdrawal." I said, "She's been in the first stage of grief for almost a year now and you did nothing. You made her into the princess of friendship not the princess of being a well adjusted person. It seems like you kinda skipped out on that part when you took her in as your personal student and not giving her the time to grow into her own." 

"I tried once with Sunset Shimmer and she left." Celestia said. 

"At the very least you didn't have to worry about her having an mental breakdown every time you mention the word test." I said, "You gave her all the tool she needed to learn about friendship when she was a grown adult, basically you manipulated a little girl into your own tool but that's neither here nor there." 

"When did you become so wise?" Celestia asked. 

"It's called taking a fucking break, you want to keep your sanity and not wind up like your sister or Discord? Go on a fucking vacation, because from the way I've seen you're on a one way track to looney bin town with no fucking stops." I said. 

"I have the distinct feeling this isn't entirely about you." Celestia said. 

"Unloading a lot that I couldn't put on a paper." I said, "So you're gonna have to bear with it." 

"Fair enough." Celestia acquiesced.

"Let's get back to why I originally came here. How come you never told them that I was at least still alive?" I asked. 

"I didn't think it was my place to say..." Celestia mumbled, yet I picked up on it. 

"Yeah, your son goes missing without a trace and you show no emotion or concern whatsoever. Leads a lot of people to believe that you're a psychopath. I'm guessing more people have been walking around on eggshells with you ever since I 'disappeared'." I put air-quotes around disappeared. 

"I, well yes. I fail to see how the two are related." Celestia said in a questioning tone. 

"Politician, leader, and princess you excel at. An actress you are not, you show no emotion or concern towards your own family, people are going to think a few things. Either, you're in so much denial that you don't want to accept that I'm gone, and hallucinate that I'm still here OR that you've never cared in the first place and care even less about the people you lead." 

"I do though!" Celestia shouted. 

"Your actions towards my 'disappearance' and 'death' point to the contrary. You were never good at reading a room full of your own subjects, you just look at them with that condescending motherly smile and gaze and hope everything will turn out alright when it doesn't. You say you're a princess, but you act more like a queen behind the guise of something that sounds a bit nicer." I said. 

"That's not true!" Celestia shouted once more. 

"Then tell me of one time when you didn't look at me with that same smile and gaze, feigning interest in me and pushing me aside to work on being a princess instead of raising me. Pawning me off to the person you thought I was closest to, well look how that panned out mother." I finished sarcastically. 

"What are you saying Spike?" Celestia asked. 

"Don't call me that! Let's just say that the girls weren't the only person that I wanted to get away from. Now I came here for answers and I think I'm more than deserving of them!" I yelled, "So tell me just why you didn't at least tell Twilight that I was ALIVE!?" 

"I WAS SCARED!" Celestia finally answered and started to cry into her hands. "All this time, when you've been away I was scared, whenever you visited me I was so scared to do anything that might push you away from me!" 

"So basically, you did to me what you did to your sister, minus the part where you send me to the moon for 1,000 years." I crossed my arms and sat back down. "You're going to have to do a lot in order to make up for all this shit you've put me through." 

Celestia looked up, or should I say down at me from her crying, "I, I wouldn't know how to begin." She admitted. 

"Stop with the matronly smile you give to every one of your subjects to me, and actually help your friends. If you can call them that." I said as I stood up and began to walk out. "You're going insane mom, you keep repeating the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome. Take a fucking vacation." I then left the room and pulled out my cell phone, calling Quick as I went back to the elevator. "Hey, it's me. Meet me at the hotel, pack our stuff, and check out for us. We're headed to Ponyville." 



 

I met quick back at the hotel and she had the stuff packed and ready to go, I opened the trunk to put the luggage in. Quick looked at me, "So did you find anything out about Spike?" 

That jolted me out of my stupor, "Uh, no. My contact at the palace didn't have any information for me, all they knew was that Spike's last location was Ponyville before he disappeared." 

"Oh well, at least you got in, no one gets in usually." She smiled, "Must know someone that's pretty high up on the ladder to let a total stranger inside." She went to get in the passenger side. 

"Hey Quick, can you drive a stick?" I asked her. 

"Yeah, why?" She replied to my question with her own and I tossed her the keys to the car. 

"You drive this last leg, my way of showing thanks for letting me sleep in the bed with you." Quick had the biggest grin on her face that I'd ever seen. I followed it up with this, "However, this isn't a permanent thing. Got it?" 

Quick nodded and I got into the passenger side, I adjusted the seat as she adjusted the driver's seat. "Next stop, Ponyville!" 

I sighed and smiled at her enthusiasm, she shifted the car into reverse and then we soon pulled out of the hotel and we were back on the highway. Hold onto your asses Ponyvillagers. Spike is coming home.
> Case File 5.3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The car trip was relatively silent, I just stared at the window watching cars whip by and kept thinking to myself. Quick looked at me and then looked back at the road, my peripheral vision told me that much and I think it was harder for her to concentrate on the road. She took an exit a few miles out from Ponyville, pulling over she looked at me, she cleared her throat and I just stared back at her. "Something is wrong with you." She noted. 

"There's a lot wrong with me, you're going to have to point out what specifically." I retorted.  

"That!" She nearly shouted, "Ever since we took this case you've been either angry or just plain silent, I don't know what happened at the palace but something is obviously pissing you off. It's concerning, and no it's not you being a professional because you have a different aura about you when that happens. So spill it, what really happened up there?" 

"I don't have to tell you." I said. 

"You're acting more like a pissy teenager than a grown ass adult, didn't you once tell me that you can only keep secrets for so long that eventually they won't remain secret anymore?" 

"....Yes." I slowly answered. 

"This isn't just a case for you, it's personal." Quick pointed out, "You wouldn't be acting like this if it wasn't." 

Now she had backed me into a corner, figuratively speaking. "I...shit." 

"What is it." Quick stated, she didn't ask. 

"Can you keep a secret? A drop dead to your fucking grave secret?" I asked her. 

"Yes, obviously. I've been keeping secrets my entire life, you think one more is going to kill me?" She replied.  

I slowly take off my caster ring, letting my hair brighten into the neon green that it is. "It's me that they're looking for...they hired me, to look for me." 

Quick was silent. She looked at me and was confused, "But why? Why did you leave them?" 

"There are multiple reasons, firstly I wanted to get out of the shadow of all the girls. They had already accomplished so much at such a young age, and time after time after time, I was left behind. I was barely invited to do anything, all it was for me was work, work, and more work. It's not that they weren't appreciative either, they compensated me well for the things that I did for them. The daily grind of doing something for someone else and never having time for yourself is...exhausting. I told my mother that I wanted out and so she gave me the ring, the car, and enough money to get my own business off the ground and paid for my apartment until I could pay for it myself." I said,  "When we were up in Canterlot, I was talking to my mother. Princess Celestia, I unloaded a bit on her that I shouldn't have and well I'm still angry."

"Well, what the fuck are we going to do?" 

I looked at her, "Excuse me?" 

"They hired you to find yourself. Where do we start?" Quick asked. 

"So you're not freaked out by this at all?" I asked her. 

"Jack I mean Spike, I uh...fuck what do I call you?" Quick scratched her head. 

"You know me as Jack, and it's not like I've changed. So I would just stick with Jack." I said. 

"Jack, I've known you for almost a year now. You've always had faith in me and always kept me in line whenever you felt I needed it." Quick took a deep breath. "You're kinda like the dad I never had." 

"You're not going to start crying now are you? Because I'm prepared for a lot of things but the one thing I can't handle is a crying woman." I said. 

"No, I'm not going to cry." She shifted the car back into first gear and quickly did a U-turn. She then turned back onto the highway and we took off, I put my caster ring back on. "You need to forgive her." 

"Why should I?" I asked her. 

"Because, she may not know what she's doing but she tried. Also, she let you leave the girls and spread your wings. Look where you're at now, I think you were a little too mean to her. You haven't told me everything, but I can tell." 

"Women can always tell." I said solemnly. 

"Besides, she could've ratted you out. But she didn't, doesn't that count for something?" She asked. 

Then it hit me as to why she didn't tell Twilight I was alive, and in my anger I left out the most obvious reason. It was love, and there I went in like a brat and yelled and degraded her for no reason. "Turn around." 

"What?" Quick asked.

"We're going back to Canterlot." I said. 

"Why not just send her a letter?" Quick asked as she exited the highway and got back on the path to Canterlot. 

"Because apologies on paper aren't as meaningful as apologies in person." I said. 



 

Celestia was sitting at her desk, looking over the paper that Spike had read with a glass of wine in one hand, well more like a bottle of wine. 

"Sister, this isn't like you to start drinking this early and to shirk your duties." Luna pointed out from behind the locked door. 

"I'm on vacation sister, you should try it. It's good for your health." Celestia said drunkenly. 

Luna sighed as she spotted two new individuals approaching her, one of them was excited the other had a look of what people called nowadays, resting bitch face. The pair soon walked up to Luna and she was prepared to do a lot of harm to these trespassers until the male spoke up, "Hi Aunt Lulu, could you please let us pass?" 

There was only one person in the world who had called her that, and she had been convinced that he had disappeared forever. "S-Spike?" 

"I go by Jack now, Jack Drake." I answered her, I then tried the door and sure enough it was locked. "Hey Quick can you?" I turned to look at her and notice that she had her face almost planted to the floor. 

"Rise my little-" Luna began, but I cut her off. 

"No, I want her to stay like this for a bit. I've never gotten her to bow before me." I smirked. Quick then said something but it was muffled by the carpet, "You're going to have to get up if you want to come up with a witty reply, unless you like to munch on carpets." 

Luna smacked my arm and told her to rise, when she did Quick smacked my other arm. "You're an asshole." 

"The door's locked, can you get me in?" I asked and Luna stared at me. "Please?" 

Quick took out her tools and was about to get to work on until the door opened, by itself. Celestia looked down at all of us, "What are you doing back?" 

"First." I said, I then took the bottle of wine out of her hand while dragging a stunned Quick to the balcony, and handed her the wine. "Pull." 

Quick threw the wine over the edge and I pulled out my revolver and shot the bottle of wine. Celestia stared at me, "What was that for?" 

"I'm sorry." I replied, "Also I hate you so much for making me dependant on having women in my life to point out when I fucked up." 

"Hmm?" Celestia asked. She was still drunk and Luna had already read the situation loud and clear. She lit up a spell to lift Celestia's drunken haze and make her remember the last few seconds with more clarity. "You're back. But why?" 

"I was an asshole, I was being a brat and you didn't deserve it. I was angry, and I had no right to take my anger out on you." 

"Why were you angry?" Celestia asked. 

"I thought, that the past was put behind me. That I could walk away with no regrets and that everything would work out. Obviously I was wrong, seeing all the shit that I had done and that was done to me rushed back like a hurricane of emotions and I didn't know how to react." 

"I guess, hoping that everything will work itself out runs in the family." Celestia said, "Sp- Jack, I love you. You're my son and nothing can change that, you're going to get angry at me. That I understand and on some level I can understand your frustration. You needed an outlet, although anger isn't the healthiest, I have no room to talk however." Celestia looked at the wine bottles that littered around her. "I think we need some family therapy." 

I looked at the gun in my hand and reflected on my recent actions. "Yeah I think that would do us a world of good." 

"Would you like to stay the night?" Luna offered, Celestia looked at her younger sister. "What? It's not like you would have offered the same courtesy."

"We can't, we have to get going. I think Quick is still in shock that she's met two out of four of the princesses and one of them was drunk off their ass." I said as I put my gun in it's holster. 

Luna looking to savor the time she spent with the now rarely seen Spike, "What about dinner?" Luna blurted and that got the attention of the three people in the room. 

"Sure!" Quick spoke up and I looked at her, "I haven't had anything since breakfast and that was coffee! I've been so busy tracking down leads which are now red herrings by the way. I didn't have time to eat, if you think I'm passing up the opportunity to eat with Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, not only are you an asshole, you're also insane." Quick walked outside the door. 

"Where are you going?" I asked her. 

"To get my best dress!" Quick replied and took off jogging. 

Luna looked at me, "I don't know where you got her, but I like her." 

"I like her too, but I don't as well." I answered Luna, causing both her and mom to look at me. 

"How can you like her, but not like her?" Celestia asked. 

"Because it just goes to show me that I need someone in my life to point out when I fuck up instead of doing it for myself." I said, "I don't like being codependent. It shows me that I don't have what it takes to support myself." 

"Is that what all your anger is about? You feel like you need someone to guide you." Luna asked. 

"I don't feel it, I know it. I'm angry that for the first time in my life I'm finally doing stuff that I've wanted to do, things that make me happy, make me my own person and all of a sudden these women who have been bossing me around my entire life just show back up and push me around again and again, and when I stand up for myself and try not to be a doormat, I go overboard and hurt the people I love. I've always been a servant to someone else, whether people wanted me to or not." I said. 

"That can't be entirely true." Celestia said. 

"You remember that letter I sent you about that time the girls and I were sucked into my magic comic book? The girls had said that I may not have been a pony but I was certainly one of them and the next day afterwards, everything reverted back to the status quo of Spike do this and Spike do that, Spike stay behind and watch the library. I was always the comic relief, never the one to have his own moment in the spotlight." 

"There was the time in the Crystal Empire." Celestia suggested, "They love you like a hero over there." 

"That moment was stolen from me the moment the girls started to sing about how Twilight passed her test from you." I said, "But hey good job Spike you destroyed an ancient evil with a giant blue heart. Now let me sing about something I did that eclipses what you did." 

"That's not really fair, you've done a lot of heroic things." Luna said. 

"During the first Grand Galloping Gala we went to, when the girls left me behind. I spent the entire party just roaming around doing nothing. I accidently bumped into someone and at first they started to get upset but then someone said, oh don't worry that's just Ms. Sparkle's Dragon slave. That's why you found me at Joe's, I was so insulted and so upset that no one noticed I was crying, even when I went right out the front door and looked back at my mother and supposed sister. I've been physically abused to the point where I had to check myself into the hospital and no one noticed. So yeah, those things are very heroic." I sat down on the bed. 

"Wow." Celestia sat next to me, "I never thought." 

"No one usually does. That's some of the reason why I left." I said. "It gets, tiring. The things kept piling up, soon I became so dependent on others that. I didn't value myself, I had no self-esteem. What was I going to do? If nothing changed while I was with them then the location needed to change. I needed to leave for my sanity, or else I would've done something a lot worse than just leave."

"What are you saying?" Luna asked. 

"You all were making a villain that knew every single one of your weaknesses and could use them against each other, not only essentially tearing apart the elements of harmony but the entire government as well. It was on a one way track to being me, anyone else would've fucked it up." 

"Are you saying that if you hadn't left you would've become the world's greatest villain?" Celestia asked. 

"Opportunity plus timing, multiplied by a lot of pent up rage to the power of intelligence and manipulation that equals one pretty unstoppable villain. Hell I even had a plan." 

"But you had a conscious as well, which made you stop before you acted upon it." Luna said.

"I'm just gonna say this, had I spent a few more days like that. I would've been the one on the throne today and not you girls." I said, "That's not bragging, that's stating a fact." 

"I believe you." Celestia said, "I could barely stop my own sister 1,000 years ago. I could never stop my own son, adopted or not." 

"You left not only for you but to keep everyone safe." Quick said standing in the doorway, she was in her best dress, that she brought. I've seen better, she walked back into the room. 

"I was raised, to value life and hold friendship dear. Very little of that was shown to me in all the time I spent with Twilight, and I wanted to inflict so much pain upon her and her friends, but then I realized something. That's what people would expect, I could've started manipulating from the background making people slowly doubt each other. Or I could become something bigger and better than something they could ever be. It'll take some time, but it's about the same amount of time I would spend slowly manipulating everything to my will and crafting my world. It was a sacrifice no one knew about." 

"So you'll stick it to them, by what? Showing that you're better?" Quick asked. 

"Bingo, after all they can only embody one element. Me? I'll be all 6." I said. 

"Beat your enemies by being better than them, you're playing it smart." Luna said. 

"I was always going to play it smart, I lived in multiple libraries and owned comic books where I could see the villain's plot coming from miles away. Do you think I just sat around doing nothing in a library when I got all my chores done in an hour?" I asked Luna. "So, now that Quick is dressed. What do we say about dinner?" 

Soon we were sitting at the dinner table and I was digging into my steak, while Quick had a chicken salad, Mom had the tilapia, and Luna had fruit salad, considering this was her breakfast, I don't blame her. I poured steak sauce into a pile next to my mashed potatoes and broccoli, cutting pieces off my steak and dipping it into the sauce then quickly devouring it. Celestia cleared her throat, "So Quick, how did you meet Sp- I mean Jack?" 

"I...had heard that he kept a gun in his office, I was looking for a weapon to stick up a convenience store..." Quick said, "It wasn't the proudest moment in my life. I was, unfortunate or fortunate enough however you look at it, that he was in his office and caught me. I was ready to fight, but he talked me down and hugged me. That hug, saved my life,  I noticed that his office was in disarray so I offered to organize everything for him for 20 bits, he offered me 50. I kept coming back, I kept getting paid, and most importantly. I kept getting advice."   

"You saved her life." Celestia looked at me. 

"Be better than the ones who treated you like dirt. I knew how she felt, similar situation different path. I offered her a life preserver, she was smart enough to take it." I stated as I finished my steak. 

Quick and I soon finished our food and were ready to leave until Quick stopped. She looked at the Princesses, "Before we leave, can I get a picture?" She held out her phone. 

The sisters looked at each other and then shrugged, she then handed the phone and posed with them. I held up the camera and pointed at them, "Say balubaday!" They looked confused and I snapped the photo. "That's authentic." 

"Why did you do that?" Quick snatched her phone back from me. 

"There are thousands of pictures of the princesses smiling, not a picture of them confused. Now no one can say it's photoshop, you're welcome." I said and she backed up a bit. 

"Thanks, I appreciate this." She smiled. 

I looked at my mother, "I'll look into finding some family therapists, because there's a lot of shit we need to wade through, together. So pick a persona, I know you have many different ones." I pointed at Luna, "You too Lulu." 

I walked back to the car with Quick behind me, we got in the car and I got in the driver's seat. I rested my head against the wheel, crying.
> Case File 6.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I drove down the highway once more, after my crying spell was over with, I silently went down the route to Ponyville once more. Quick looked at me, and my red eyes. I glanced at her and then looked back at the road she soon spoke up, "Are you going to be alright?" 

I shifted the car into another gear, "Yeah I'll be fine. I just got a lot off my chest, I'll get better. Do me a favor though, look up family therapists on your smartphone." 

"You were being serious?" She asked. 

I nodded and turned on my turn signal taking the exit ramp to Ponyville, or well. The city closest to it, Ponyville is actually remarkably hard to find if you don't know where you're going, but I do. I lived there for several years it was easy for me. I turned onto a dirt road and Quick looked around, without saying anything I answered the question in her head. "Yes, this is the way to Ponyville." I then smiled as I realized that I had a muscle car that did best on dirt roads, I shifted into 3rd gear and hit the gas. Quick held onto the handlebar attached to the roof and I cackled all the way down the dirt path. I drifted the car to stop right in front of the welcome to Ponyville sign. 

Quick just stared at me, "ARE YOU INSANE!?"  

I looked at her, with an 'are you kidding me look' on my face. "I think we both know the answer to that." 

"Right, why did you stop outside the sign?" Quick asked. 

"Pinkamena Diane Pie, she has this sense about things, like an extra sense. She throws a party for everyone new in town, I don't know how her Pinkie Sense would react to me, because technically I'm not new." I took out a cigar and sat on the hood of my car, I lit it with my fire breath and put it in my mouth. 

"Why do you smoke those things?" Quick asked, joining me on the hood.

"One of the most legal ways to take the edge off besides drinking or cigarettes." I said, "Besides, dragons have a high immunity to tobacco related cancers." 

"Still don't get the last one." Quick looked at the sign and then the town. 

"My best guess is magic, but who really knows?" I took a drag of my cigar, then let the smoke out through my nose. 

"How long has it been since you've been here?" Quick asked. 

"Almost two years. I spent a few months trying to figure out what I wanted to do, I finally settled on a private investigator." 

"Was there anything else you wanted to be?" Quick asked. 

"I was considering a cop or a forensic pathologist. But I didn't want to be shot at on a daily basis and medical school costs an arm and a leg." 

"You still get shot at while being a private investigator." Quick pointed out. 

"Yes, but not as much." I retorted and smoked my cigar some more. 

"You're a very silly man." Quick pointed out. 

"This is where I got it from." I lightly leaned back against my windshield and offered her a drag of my cigar. 

She took it and took a drag from it, "So how are we going to solve a case, when you're the one that's supposedly 'missing'?" She asked. 

"That is a good question, most of them think I'm dead, but Twilight is as stubborn as she is studious. She's not gonna fall for just any lead, it has to be proof, and that's where I'm stumped." I told her.

"You're a smart guy, I know you'll figure something out." Quick complimented and handed me back my cigar. 

"Thank you, but where I'm smart. Twilight is smarter, she'll pick apart every little detail as if her life depended on it." I took another slow, deep drag from my cigar. 

"So you're playing chess with Twilight?" Quick asked. 

"If you think about it in the simplest terms, yeah I guess you could say that. Thing about that is, I always lost to her. Now, the prize is my freedom." I sighed and finished my cigar. 

"Do you really hate them that badly?" She asked me. 

"Well, not as much now. I wouldn't call it hate either, more like a deep seated resentment. They broke me down until I was nothing but either useful, convenient, or just there for a good laugh or two. Even when they showed and said that they cared, the next day it felt like that what they had said meant absolutely nothing or that they had never said it." I said, "Thing about that is, it can make you very insecure. I was insecure to the point where I thought an animal was going to replace me, those thoughts and actions from them just piled up, and you can only put so many straws on a camel's back until it breaks." 

"Wow." Quick said, "Are they really that bad?" 

"They're...self-centered....but they don't realize it. They don't mean to be, that's why I didn't really confront them. I just left, no warning, no explanation, just poof. Vanished." I said. 

"So what's your plan of attack?" Quick asked me. 

"I'm going to spend a day in 'Spike's' shoes." I said, "Tell them that in order to be able to track him down I have to know what he thinks, what he's done building a psychological profile. Which isn't entirely false, I'm just stretching the truth." 

"Just be careful." Quick told me. 

"Who's the investigator, me or you?" I asked her and she looked at me with an 'are you shitting me' look on her face, "Well as much as I would like to stay outside of Ponyville, we do have a job to do. I wish I could just stay here and shoot the breeze with you though." 

"Quit lying." Quick said as we both hopped off the hood of the car, she walked over to the passenger door.

I opened the drivers door, "If there's one thing I don't do, it's lie. Testimonies don't hold up in court if you lie, plus the truth is funnier." 

"How so?" Quick asked as she sat back in the passenger seat.

"I once had to say that the defendant uses hard taco shells to masturbate into. Restaurant wanted me to find out why their health rating dropped so drastically. That was in front of a jury of his peers." I chuckled, "I still remember the look on his face."

"Wow." Quick said, "I can't even begin to process how that must have turned out." 

"10 years in jail and 2,000 hours of community service. He did some other things as well, but fucking with another person's food is not a light sentence." I started the car and pulled into Ponyville. 

"So can you give me a run down of the place?" Quick asked. 

"To give Ponyville credit, it's very hard to find if you aren't going by train. Tirek had a hard time coming here, he was lost for a day or two." I explained, "It was mostly settled by the Apple family, and then more farming families moved out here to make their livelihoods after realizing the ground had such fertile soil." I slowly pulled up to the Cozy Sleep Inn and got out, "I'll go rent a room."

Quick nodded and stayed in the car as I entered the main office once more, this time to a different motel and ordered a room, this time there were bedrooms with two beds available. We quickly unpacked our stuff and fell asleep, well...Quick fell asleep. I was still thinking to myself, about what had transpired earlier today. Maybe I could repair my relationship with the girls, but I have to pro/con the whole situation. I also stayed up because Aunt Luna could go into my dreams if she wanted to, but like everyone. I needed sleep, so I closed my eyes and soon I drifted off to sleep. 





I woke up to some knocking, it was the thing I dreaded most when coming in to Ponyville, mostly because I didn't ask for a wakeup call. I got up and cracked my neck, put on my caster ring, and opened the door to see one Pinkamena Diane Pie and she had party clothes on she opened her mouth and I held up my hand. "We're here for work, not for pleasure." I interrupted her thought process.

"But, you can't stay in Ponyville without a welcome to Ponyville party." Pinkie pointed out.

"We're not moving to Ponyville, we're conducting an investigation. Or do you not want to find out what happened to your friend, also since I never gave you information about our location, this is considered stalking and harassment." I told her. 

"But, my pinkie sense-" 

"Doesn't hold up in the court of law." I said, "Unless you're giving out blowjobs or coffee, please leave." 

Pinkie's hair deflated, a characteristic of hers since I had known her, she's very emotionally fragile. She stated so in the girls letter to my mother, almost like a balloon her hair deflates. Then it suddenly reinflated, "You're right, I apologize for my actions. If you would like in your spare time, I'd like for the both of you to come by my work and I'll treat you on the house, it's Sugar Cube Corner, you can't miss it." 

"Thank you, but I'd like some more sleep." I closed the door and she skipped off. 

Quick rolled over and looked at me, "Who was it?" 

"Like I said last night, it was Pinkie." I said, "I kinda had to tell her that she was breaking the law in order to get her to leave." 

"Don't the elements do that all the time?" Quick asked as she sat up in her bed. 

"Not since last month, the girls were slapped with a huge ass lawsuit. I don't know the exact details but they're still having to do community service, and that's just for countless amounts of property damage." I explained, "How did you not know about this? It was all over the news." 

"I hate the news." Quick said, "Every time I turn it on something bad happens." 

"Get used to it, the world is terrible." I said as I hopped in the shower and quickly washed myself and dried off. I put some business casual clothes on, I then walked out of the bathroom. Quick had already changed, that girl would not bath unless I poured a bucket of water over her. "If I know Pinkie like I think I do, she'll gather everyone at Twilight's place and tell them I'm in town." I then put on my trench coat and looked at Quick, "You ready?" 

She looked around and then nodded, we walked outside and she proceeded to the car and then looked at me as I walked down the street. Quick looked at me, "I thought we were taking the car?" She asked. 

"Everything here is within walking distance. Would it kill you to get some exercise?" I asked her. 

"No, but in terms of physical fitness. I'm much better off than you are, Mr. Jelly Donut." 

"You're sleek and slender, as a Valkyrie should be, I'm bulky and tough as I should be." I stated, "I go to the gym every day I can." 

"Whatever you say to make you feel better." Quick said as she walked alongside me. 

I just sighed at we walked up to the huge crystal doors that was Twilight's palace. I went to knock but stopped, Quick looked at me and I whispered to her. "What if I don't like what I see?" 

She put her hand on my shoulder and looked at me, whispering back she said. "I understand this, you're scared. No one is going to know, no one is going to find out. I promise." 

"And if they do?" I asked her.

"Then we run, we run so far that gravity will have a hard time keeping hold of us." Quick said.

I took a deep breath, I then drew my fist back, letting gravity to allow it to fall forward knocking.
> Case File 6.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I had knocked on the door, with Quick and I waiting patiently outside of the giant tree that was known as Twilight's palace. The door soon opened to reveal Trixie Lulamoon, I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes, "Yes we have an appointment with Ms. Sparkle, I believe Ms. Pie informed you of our arrival, I'm Jack Drake, and this is my associate Quick Pick." I stated.  

"The Grreeat-" Trixie started but Starlight cut her off from inside. 

"Trixie just let them in!" She shouted. 

Trixie grimaced and opened the door, "Welcome." She stood aside as we entered.

I took off my hat when we entered, Trixie guided us to the Map room, the girls were sitting in their thrones and 'my' throne was wrapped in police do not cross tape. How quaint, that must've been Pinkie's idea. I thought to myself. They all looked at us when we arrived and looked back at them with the most neutral face I could muster, "Good morning." 

The only one that seemed to be fully awake was Applejack, "Good morning, You'll haveta excuse us. Some people aren't so good at waking up in the morning." 

Pinkie was the second most awake out of the group. "Jackie, you wake up at the crack of dawn and already working, besides it's your turn for community service today." 

"Anyways," Applejack strained, "Welcome to Ponyville, where would you like to begin your investigation Mr. Drake?" 

"Well as all investigations begin, you have to know who you're looking for." I started and placed my hat on the Map/Table hybrid.

"Um, I thought you already knew who you were looking for?" Pinkie asked. 

"Apologies, you'll have to forgive my phrasing. What I meant is that you to know everything about them, sometimes time is really of essence. I'm talking about building a psychological profile of the person you're looking for. You have to know their habits, their schedule, their likes and dislikes, things of that nature. Considering that he's been gone for almost what two years now?" I asked and Twilight nodded whilst sipping coffee. If only I could show you, I really WISH I could. For a moment I fidgeted with my ring, considering actually taking it off. No, no I can't, I'm happy with my life now...aren't I? Before I did anymore introspection I spoke up again, "I need to...live a day in the life of Spike, to find his motivations for running away." What are you doing idiot? You could fall back into the same routine all over again. I closed my eyes and shook my head. 

"Are you okay Mr. Drake?" Applejack asked. 

"Just sleepy, haven't had my morning coffee." I lied. 

"Alright." Applejack got up and stretched. She walked over to me and whispered in my ear, "I know ya ain't tellin' the whole truth, meet me at my farm later." She then passed me and spoke to the other girls, "Welp, I'm off girls. Those apples won't harvest themselves. As much as I wish they did." Applejack left. 

She just confirmed something I was worried about, I don't think I'll be able to question her without her finding out who I really am. I'll leave that to Quick then, she can lie on my behalf, it's almost second nature to her. It comes almost as naturally as thievery to her, or well lock picking. Either way, it would be in my best interest if I limited my contact with Applejack.

"As I was saying, before Ms. Applejack left. I need to build a psychological profile as to why Spike decided to leave, which means I need to put myself in his shoes." I said and Twilight looked up at me. 

"Which means you'll need to see his room." Twilight assumed correctly and I nodded a confirmation, Twilight got up and motioned to the stairs. "Follow me." 

Twilight led the way and I followed behind her, asking Quick to stay behind and get some characteristics from the girls. She knew it was just meaningless nonsense at this point but didn't care. Twilight held out her hand to a closed door, "Is this it?" I asked though I already knew the answer, truthfully? I just wanted Twilight to talk and talk she did. 

"Yeah, this is Spike's room. It hasn't been touched since he left except for his dirty clothes, I washed those. I dust in here from time to time too, I just keep it pristine. In hopes that he comes home one day." Twilight answered. 

"Do you think you know what drove him away?" I asked though, I already knew the answer. 

"Neglect." Twilight responded, "When we first moved to Ponyville, we were having the time of our lives. However, without realizing it. I began to neglect his feelings, his friendship, and his dedication to me, I began to push him into the background and soon the girls followed suit with me. I was learning how to make friends, but I was ignoring the oldest friend I ever had, I never offered him the same level of friendship that I gave the girls and it hurt him. The years of this almost psychological abuse of showing him what he would never have always waving it in front of his face? Made him feel less and less like a close friend and family, and more and more like a tool and a...slave." Twilight had become misty eyed and started to wipe away falling tears. "The real kicker is, I don't have a real reason as to why I would do such a thing, why we would do such a thing. I just miss him so much." 

Without consciously knowing it I just reached out and hugged her. It took her off guard, but she soon melted into the hug. Crying into my chest as I slowly pet her head, as she did for me so many times when I was so very young. When I could never see my mother because the nobles always took her away from me. "It's alright, and don't worry about apologizing for being hysterical. These things happen so often that I've had to play counselor more than investigator more times than I can count." 

"Th-Thank you." Twilight broke the hug, "It felt good to get that off my chest." 

"Sometimes you need to talk to a total stranger to help solve your problems, that's why therapists are a thing." I said, "Now, do I have your express permission to enter and investigate this room?" 

"As long as you return everything back to its original position then yes you do." Twilight consented and I opened the door, "I think I'm going to return to my friends and leave you alone so you can get to work." Twilight soon returned to the map room and I looked at my old room. I took a deep breath and let it out, I then decided that it was time for me to get to work.
> Case File 6.3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I looked around, and sure enough it was as Twilight said. It was as untouched as the day I left it, I licked my chapped lips and continued my search. The sheets were pristine and everything was organized, but it didn't feel like home anymore. No, home was an apartment in Manehattan underneath a noisy neighbor and above a neighbor that doesn't seem to realize that the smell of pot travels upwards. I took a deep breath and exhaled, I then got to work although me getting to work consisted of closing the door and laying down on the bed to read comic books, I just was procrastinating. However, I can't stop the nagging feeling of what Applejack said to me, that she wanted to talk to me. She is the element of honesty, but how far does that stretch? 

If I lie to her, she could tell that I'm lying and if I tell her the truth then she'll tell the girls who I really am. If I send Quick, she'll know I'm onto her that or that I was afraid. I just got trapped in a no-win situation. The best thing I can do is to lie, but to also weave the truth into it. Although complicated, it is possible to beat someone who can tell if you're lying or not. I wasn't about to call Applejack a lie detector, because lie detectors are easier to beat than her ability. Trust me, people have taught classes on how to beat lie detectors, beating AJ was much harder. 

I sat back and thought about what I was going to say but my thoughts were interrupted by a knocking on the door. "Mister Drake?" It was Starlight. 

"One moment please." I said as I tidied the room back to its original condition, or at least as much as I could I then adjusted my clothes and opened the door, "Hello again...Miss...Glimmer was it?" I faked remembering her name. 

"Yes, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" Starlight looked up at me. 

"Go ahead." I nodded. 

"Why are you looking in Spike's bedroom?" Starlight asked. 

"You can find out a lot about a person by the way they keep their room. Every little detail is a clue to the person's past and allows me to peek into the mind of the person I'm investigating. I'm building a psychological profile to help me predict the movements." I answered her. 

She looked up at me, "So you're trying to see what state of mind that Spike would be in before he left?" She asked. 

"Indeed, if you have anything that could help me with my search it would be much appreciated." I said whilst withdrawing a notepad and a pen from my trench coat inner pocket. Starlight looked at me a little stunned and then shook her head. "Is something wrong?" I asked. 

"Sorry, just for a moment I thought you looked a bit like Spike." She laughed and scratched the back of her head. "Isn't that crazy?" 

"It's not as crazy as you might think, I have a feeling that you may say you have moved on but you haven't really. Have you?" I asked her. 

"I-I had to move on, for everyone else's sake and my own." Starlight sighed, "Spike was one of the first ones to accept me. However, when he left he never gave a specific reason as to why. But before he left, he kept referring to shadows. I don't know if that means anything, but it should help." 

The shadows of the girls, the shadows I had to escape. I smiled and wrote that down, "I appreciate that" 

"If there's anything else I can do for you please just let me know." Starlight said. 

"I'll be sure to do so." I said and clicked my pen, putting both items back into the pocket they returned to. When doing so Starlight noted the handle of the revolver that hung underneath my left armpit. 

"You carry?" Starlight asked. 

".44 Magnum, Remington." I said, "I mostly use rubber bullets." 

"They can still kill if used in the wrong way." Starlight said. 

"Then that will be on my conscious." I said. 

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Starlight asked. 

"I did once, it still weighs heavily on my mind during slow days. Like you said rubber bullets can still kill if used in the wrong way." I said. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." Starlight apologized. 

"I'm not going to let it get to me while investigating." I said, "Is there anything else you wanted to add?"

"No, but you should speak to Rarity the moment you can, for a time we used to joke that Spike was Rarity's shadow...at the time we didn't know it hurt him." Starlight said. 

"I'll be sure to do so, thanks Miss Glimmer." I smiled and exited the-my old bedroom, "I think I'm done here anyways." 

"By the way, I love the trench coat." Starlight complimented. 

"You think so? I thought it would've been a little cliche. My secretary seems to think so, she thinks I can't hear her mumbling under her breath. However, us Drakebloods have amazing senses." I grabbed the collar of my jacket, I chuckled to myself. 

"I think it ties the whole look together. Now all we need is a proper fedora, and not one of the ones that those kids are wearing now, a 1920's fedora." Starlight said whilst brushing off some dust on my shoulder. 

"Miss Glimmer, I still have to proceed with my investigation." I said, I could tell what she was aiming at. She was getting very touchy, must have a thing for dangerous men. While I wouldn't be opposed to something like this, she's in a relationship with Trixie and Sunburst. That also brings me to another point about my world, it's not uncommon or unheard of for people to be in polygamous relationships. It's not out of the question for people to be monogamous either, this is because of the incredibly low male count of the Equestrians, in Equestria the females outnumber the males 7 to 1. I shook my head from these thoughts and came across Twilight once again. "Princess?" 

Twilight looked up from the book that she was busy reading, "Hmm? Oh I'm sorry, I just was reading a book." Twilight put it down, but I recognized it. It was our old photo album, the one before we moved to Ponyville, it was full of my baby pictures. "Also, there's no need to call me Princess, just Twilight is fine." 

"Alright then, just Twilight." I said and she giggle snorted, which made me smile a bit. 

"Sorry, I had read that in so many trashy romantic comedy books and seen it in the movies that had that line and it always cracks me up." Twilight said. 

"I'm glad I could make your day a little bit more cheery." I told Twilight, "I got some information from Miss Glimmer, saying that I should talk to Rarity Belle, I just came by to tell you that I was leaving." 

"That wasn't necessary, however I do appreciate it." Twilight smiled, "So what could you surmise from Spike's room?" 

"He's very neat and organized, he wouldn't do anything without reason and as to the reason why he left I think you have a lot of the story but not all of it." I said whilst rubbing my chin. 

"You think so?" Twilight asked. 

"I'm very good at my job." I said and started to leave,  "For now I must say goodbye. I'll let you know if I come across anything, sound fair?" 

"Yes, thank you Mr. Drake. Good luck." Twilight waved as I left. 

I got out ot the castle and started to walk towards Rarity's boutique. For a moment I looked back at the castle, that was my home for so long but now? I see it as a looming prison, there may be one day where I can come back to this place and see it as a happy setting, but not today. Quick was fast after me as I called her to my side, I almost forgot about her in my stupor. She looked up at me, "So what do you need Jack?" She asked. 

"I need you, to get your hands on some letters, 7 of them should suffice." I told her. 

"Okay, but why?" Quick replied to my request with a question. 

"As far as the girls are concerned, Spike left without a reason. They don't know that I'm Spike, so I'll give them a reason. Something they can believe, until I can wrap up this investigation." 

"So you want me to plant evidence?" Quick asked. 

"I just need the letters, I'll plant the evidence. There's a store nearby called Parchment and Tables, I'm going to need 7 rolls of parchment." 

"Parchment and Tables?" Quick asked. 

"They work in conjunction with another store called Quills and Sofas." I replied. 

"Is everyone in this town insane?" Quick asked. 

"There's a man who lives here that is obsessed with jelly to the point that he has a 8 foot tall jar of blackberry jam. That I swear to all that is holy that he goes skinny dipping into." I said, "Welcome to Ponyville, Population? Fucking whack jobs and psychopaths."
> Case File 6.4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With Quick out buying things for me to cover my tracks, I walked down the path that I'd known so well. I'd gone down this road too many times to count, but it was different this time. Probably because I'm not Spike anymore; I'm Jack, or maybe I've become a mix of the two. I think I might be having an identity crisis of sorts, so I'll save this information for later. I walked along the street and picked up a piece of trash, throwing it away. Whilst looking upon the park, I spotted Rainbow Dash in an orange safety vest, her cyan hoodie, and running shorts while she picked up trash and grumbled to herself. The girls still had community service, and this was part of it. She saw me and came over, I didn't want her to, but I couldn't stop her, "Hey, it was Jack right?" Rainbow asked.

I looked away for a bit then turned my attention back towards the valkyrie. "That's correct. I can see that you're busy, as am I; given that I'm still conducting the investigation."

"I know this will only take a few minutes. I...I just wanted to apologize," Rainbow said.

An expression of confusion crossed my face, "What? Why?"

"Because of the things I've done to Spike," Rainbow said, "I can't apologize to him right now, so I think that apologizing to you would be the closest thing. As for why... it's because you're a drag-" Rainbow coughed before correcting herself, "You're a drakeblood."

"You were going to call me a dragon weren't you?" I asked her, and she nods.

"There was something that was brought to my attention," Rainbow started, "I'm actually a bit racist. While I never really noticed it while it was happening, in hindsight it's very prominent. So, I'm sorry for being insensitive towards drakebloods. As well as any other race; I swear from this day forward, I'm going to get better." Rainbow stood almost at attention.

I was still completely confused as to why she would do this to me of all people, although it could be a female intuition thing. I doubt it though, Rainbow was never good at all the girly stuff. "Thank you?"

Rainbow nodded and returned to the task of cleaning up the park. The thing I hate most, is seeing such a beautiful place ruined by trash, but I guess that's just the way the world works. People who work hard to make it beautiful only for others to come along and mess it up, and then there are guys like me. The ones who clean up the trash, which sometimes feels like an insurmountable task. However, sometimes there comes along someone who can clean up a lot more than others, and sometimes there are multiple people who do. Right now though, I've got to get back to the task at hand; Rarity.

She was a woman who I was absolutely enamored by. I couldn't get enough of her beauty, she could've said anything and I would've done it. She could've ordered me to go to the farthest corners of the earth to collect the most valuable gems in the world, and I would've gone there and come back in time for dinner. Something had changed between us, and while it started years in the past, I could remember it like it had happened mere seconds ago.





I was finished with my chores for Twilight early, and I was well on my way over to Rarity's boutique and everything was going well, I even had the chance to stop and pick up a rose. Money was tight for me right now so I couldn't get her more than one rose at a time, but nevertheless, there was a skip in my step and my spirits were lifted, hell, I was humming to myself. I walked down the path to Rarity's Boutique and entered, the bell above the door jingling. I made my was into the studio only to discover that Rarity wasn't alone, Applejack was with her, and Applejack was kissing her. Rarity pushed off Applejack and spotted me. I gripped the rose in my hand tight, there was a flood of emotions all coming to me at once. The most prominent emotion however, was the one of betrayal. The things I had done for the both of them and this is how I'm repayed?

"Spike!" Rarity started, "This isn't what it looks like! I swear!"

I dropped the blood stained flower, "No, there's no need for an explanation. I'd never get one anyway, just an excuse as to why I wouldn't understand."

"Spike." Applejack stepped towards me, and I stepped back.

"You could've at least told me." I said, before off running, which is what I've been doing ever since.





I shook my head, and wiped my eyes; I'd thought I had buried that part of my past. Maybe the embers of the torch I held for Rarity were still there, somewhere. I needed to be careful; embers could cause wildfires if left unattended. I continued down the path to Carousel Boutique. I finally came across the building, and it looked just as majestic as I remembered, with the exception of one thing that poisoned the beauty. Motorcycles, three of them in front of the store. I walked up and looked at the bikes, spotting decals stylized to look like hellhounds. "Diamond Dogs," I whispered to myself, "Shit."

Going in through the back door, I heard Spot talking to Rarity. I pulled out my brass knuckles and slipped them around my fingers. I act on the worst, not without seeing it, hence why I went with the knuckles instead of my gun. Besides, the cops will come, and I technically just broke into Rarity's home. The Diamond Dogs are a gang that primarily focus on peddling gold and jewelry, so they aren't big time crooks. Multiple sources say that they're just underlings for major drakeblood operations, which is another reason why I chose to become a private investigator, as most drakebloods are known for being in organized crime. Hell, if it weren't for my contacts at Manehattan police department I would've been profiled multiple times just for carrying a gun. Fortunately, I'm an asset to the MPD, so to they've kept to themselves. But enough about racism and profiling for now, I've got to listen in on this conversation.

"We need you to incorporate these jewels into your next dress," Rover told Rarity.

"Boys, I've told you multiple times. I'm not going to work as a fence for you." Rarity stated.

That's all I needed to hear, with a low whistle I caught the attention of all four of people in the room. "What was that?" Spot asked.

"Dunno, go check it out. I'll stay with the lady." Rover commanded.

"Why do we have to do it?" Fido asked.

"Because, the boss put me in charge" Rover said, "Last time you two were in charge we lost a lot of money because someone can't do basic math."

The two others grunted and came my way, and I reacted the moment I saw one. It was Spot, I struck him squarely on the jaw and knocked him out, possibly breaking or dislocating his jaw in the process. This lost me the element of surprise, and Fido tried to get me in a sleeper hold. It wasn't as effective as it could've been, and with a couple of strikes to his kidney via my elbow, he lost his grip and I tossed him in front of me using a judo throw. I still had a grip on his arm, which I used to my advantage put him to sleep by choking him out using my legs. Having taken care of those two, I pulled some handcuffs out of my jacket and cuffed them both, securing both their hands and feet. That left just the one, but now I had a potential hostage situation on my hands. I grabbed both Spot and Fido and pulling them out of sight and storing them into a broom closet. "Rover, come out and play~" I singsonged, turning off all the lights via the circuit breaker. Now in the dark, I used my memory of the place to my advantage. Rover was somewhere in the kitchen, and I heard the distinct click of a pocket knife. My eyes adjusted to the dark within a few seconds, thank you draconic senses.

"Where are you?" Rover asked.

Whilst he was busy flailing a knife around in the dark, I dropped to all fours and practically slithered into the kitchen. I stood up into a crouch and swept his legs with one swift movement. I took him down quickly and attempted to put him in an armbar, hopefully to dislocate his arm. Upon grabbing his arm, I learned that it wasn't the arm with the knife in its hand. Shit, he's a southpaw!

I had no time to react as he brought the blade down, stabbing it into my shoulder as I grunted in pain. The shoulder straps on my gun as well as my two layers of clothing did little to stop his recent actions. In retaliation for the stab wound, I raised my size 12 dress shoe and had my foot acquaint itself with Rover's face, stomping as hard as I could to not only break his nose as well as knocking out a few of his teeth. He released his grip on his knife, and in return I released the grip on his arm. He reeled back I got up and pulled the knife out of my shoulder, pain searing my senses as I tossed it aside. I quickly spotted the frying pan on the stove and grabbed the handle. While Rover was turning around and presumably drawing his gun. I brought the frying down on his wrist, making him drop his firearm, I grabbed his hand and promptly backhanded his head with the frying pan. This knocked him out. Suddenly, the lights came back on and I heard a click. This direction this sound came from was behind me; I dropped the frying pan and raised my hands; I knew from experience, it was the click of a hammer being pulled back on a gun.

"Mr. Drake?" Fortunately, the owner of the firearm was one Rarity Belle, "What are you doing here?"

"Weeeell, originally, I came here to ask about Spike. And then I heard these gang members harassing you from outside and snuck in from around the back." I explained with my back still towards the seamstress.

"And the lights? Was that you?" Rarity asked.

"Yep. I saw the circuit breaker while I was coming in from the back." I said with my eyes darting side to side, wracking my brains to come up with a halfway decent answer to keep from revealing the truth.

"Did you come from the laundry room?" Rarity asked, as that was where her backdoor and the breaker were located.

"Yes." I lied, as I had actually come in from the home door. Since she almost always left that one unlocked. Carousel Boutique had three doors, one to the backyard, one to the home, and the last one to the storefront.

"I suppose I can forgive you for breaking into my home, you did deal with those ruffians. Speaking of which, where are the other two?" Rarity asked.

"Broom closet." I answered, with my mind seemingly absent from my skull.

"And how in the world did you know where my broom closet was?" Rarity asked, becoming more and more suspicious.

Shit, shit, shit. "My sense of smell!" I nearly blurted, trying to keep my cool.

"I beg your pardon?" Rarity asked again.

"I could smell ammonia coming from behind the door. Dragonblood's senses are on the higher end of the scale." I explained whilst making a pun in the process.

"I suppose that does make some sort of sense." Rarity said.

Thank Bahamut. I sighed, not enough to be heard, "May I put my arms down now?" I asked.

"Oh!" Rarity pushed the hammer forward, back to its original position. "Yes, I'm sorry. Truth be told, there weren't even any bullets in here. I just have it to scare away people who don't take no for an answer." I turned around and Rarity spotted the hole in my jacket which had begun to draw blood through itself. "Oh dear! You're bleeding!"

"Nothing to really worry about, I got shot in the chest with a shotgun a while back," I said, "Hurt like hell, but I'm still kicking."

"You may not be worried about it, but I do not want blood to be dripping all over my nice hardwood floor." Rarity said.

"One moment please." I went over to Rover and pulled out two sets of handcuffs, I cuffed his hands behind his back and bound his feet. "You'd better call the police."

"I dialed them before I retrieved my gun." Rarity said, placing the weapon on the table.

I sat down in one of the chairs, "Do you mind?" I asked, after the fact.

"Go ahead, it's better to bleed on a table than the floors I suppose. I'll go get the first aid kit." Rarity ran off to the bathroom and I spied the gun on the table. It was a Sig Sauer P229. I just smirked to myself. Atta girl, Rarity. I leaned back in the chair and looked up at the ceiling. I could hear the sirens in the distance and Rarity rushing back to the kitchen. I looked back down and took my gun out of its holster, pushed out the chamber and emptied the bullets into my hand, stashing them in my pocket and waiting for both Rarity and the police to arrive.
> Case File 6.5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

When the police arrived, they were ready to arrest both myself and the Diamond Dogs, but Rarity quickly explained the situation. I showed the officers who I was, which caused them some level of embarrassment. I took the time to explain that having a badge doesn't give you a pass to be a racist. I explained how not all drakebloods are criminals, or things of that nature. They offered assistance for my wound, but I brushed them off, telling them it was just a flesh wound and that they shouldn't worry. They took the Diamond Dogs and left as quickly as they had arrived. Rarity looked at me with the same compassion in her eyes that drove her to such extreme lengths for her customers. I could've lost myself in those eyes forever, but that was a chapter in my life I closed the book on long ago. I'm sure she's happy with Applejack, as far as I know. The day I found them together, that had been final. Snapping fingers brought me out of my stupor. "Darling, I said are you alright?" Rarity apparently reiterated.

"Sorry Mrs. Belle, I was...lost in thought. Thinking about a previous situation similar to this one." Lying jackass. "I'll be fine, but I don't think I can salvage either my coat or shirt." I concluded with a smile.

"Honey, there's no need to lie to me. Rover was very lucky when he stabbed you, he could've nicked some vital areas. I don't want you to lose scales over this so, show me." Rarity demanded. If there's one thing I love-used to love about her, it's that she's not afraid of demanding what she wants.

I sighed and shrugged off my jacket, loosened my tie, and took off shirt, allowing to take a look at the bleeding stab wound. "You don't have to do this, I'll just go into the walk-in clinic later."

"How did you know that Ponyville has a walk-in clinic?" Rarity asked.

"I got a map of Ponyville from my hotel, made notes of the important places like the mayor's office, the police and fire stations, and the medical facilities." I stated, "I do it for any place that I go out of town for."

"Oh." Rarity said and looked closely at my wound, then she looked at the rest of my exposed body, "You have a lot scars."

I looked down, what she said wasn't untrue. My body was littered with scars from bullets, stabbings, and the occasional explosion. These are memories left behind from my more exciting adventures. "Yeah, that I do. I think it's better for me to take the pain rather than someone else."

"Regular knight in shining armor are you?" Rarity asked.

"Something like that." I answered her question. She was still inspecting the fresh wound, "If you're gonna keep staring then I'm gonna have to start charging you." I joked.

Rarity snapped her head up, "Sorry, I was checking to see if there were any pieces of the knife that had broken off. I have a very keen eye for detail."

"I don't doubt that, you're pretty famous Mrs. Belle." I said.

"Please, just call me Miss Belle, Mrs. Belle is my mother." Rarity said as she poured rubbing alcohol onto a cotton swab and began to clean my wound.

I had a sharp intake of my breath when she touched the cleaning agent to my wound. "I thought you would've been a Mrs." I noted.

"How exactly would you know that?" Rarity asked.

"The tan line on your right ring finger." I stated, "There must have been someone special in your life."

"There was...for a time, but it fell apart." Rarity stated as she begun to suture my dermis and epidermis. "It was only an engagement, we never got married."

"It was Ms. Apple wasn't it?" I asked, Rarity stopped.

"There's coincidental and then there's just plain psychic. How did you know that?" Rarity asked.

"It's the small things, you kept sneaking glances at each other. There's always a tension between you two, more than just a conflict of personal preference. More than just she's a city girl with big dreams and she's a rustic country girl with a down to earth attitude." I stated, "I feel like she wasn't the one who broke it off though."

"You're right." Rarity said, "However, I would prefer to continue this after you are sewn back up."

I shut my trap and let her get to work on sewing me back up. She did so with an expertise that I had never seen before, I say this because last time I checked she sewed clothing together, not people. I could feel every time the needle went in and out of my skin, bringing the two pieces of severed flesh back together. She finished with the stitches and then raised my arm and wrapped a gauze around my shoulder. She squeezed my bicep as she did, is she...feeling me up? I coughed and the squeezing stopped. I spotted a faint blush on her face and she finished wrapping up the wound. "Hopefully you'll want to continue talking. Otherwise I wouldn't want to waste either of our time, seeing as we're both very busy people."

"No, I'm willing to continue our conversation. If it will help with the investigation." Rarity said, "I just want to wash my hands and put these away first." She gestured to the medkit.

"I can wait." I said as I took my gun off the table and put it back in the holster. It was removed from my body when taking off my clothes, that much was obvious. I sat there, shirtless and waiting.

I heard the sink turn on and a few doors closing then Rarity came back down with a shirt, "Here." She said, "Something for you to wear while I fix your clothes."

It was one of my old purple dress shirts. "Did this belong to-?"

"Spike? Yes it did, the poor dear had a bad habit of leaving his clothes all over the place, well here he did. To be fair I did ask him to strip down and be a model for my more skinny mens clothing." Rarity said, "That boy was too damn good to me... I wish he was here so I could tell him."

I put my old shirt on, it was a more snug fit now. I reached over and pulled out my notepad, "What would you say to him?" I asked.

"I would tell him that he meant so much to me, that I was a blind and manipulative fool. That I had always felt guilty that he left, I feel like I was ultimately the reason why he left. I was always there for him but I was never there for him in the way that he was for me. Most of all I want to say I'm sorry." Rarity grasped the shirt that was draped over the chair behind me. She continued to speak as she retrieved a needle and two spools of thread from her workspace. "Is this silk?" She asked whilst feeling the material of my shirt.

I blushed a bit, "I like the way it feels on my skin."

Rarity chuckled a bit, "That sounds just like....Spike?"

Shit, did my ring fall off? I stole a quick glance to notice that my ring had stayed in it's position. I looked around a bit then a confused look crossed my face, "I'm sorry?" I questioned her.

"Oh dear, I'm sorry. Just for a moment there I thought you looked like Spike." Rarity started to laugh, "You must think I'm hysterical!"

"It's common to associate someone you don't know to someone you do. It happens a lot." Not really.

Rarity began to sew up my shirt. I always loved watching her work; She's so studious, graceful and even when she gets disorganized she always knew where everything was. I could watch her work for hours. I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. This is going to be tough, I thought I had buried these feelings. And yet, like a vengeful revenant rising from the grave, they've returned, I want to take this ring off pull her close and kiss her, she's so beautiful. More gorgeous than 1,000 sunsets, someone who I want to take care of and hold and comfort her when things get bad. It would be worth it, but then there's that little voice in the back of my head that makes me question.

Would it be worth it?

That's what makes me question everything, 'cause I don't think I could come back. Not entirely, I remember long ago when I was a teenager that the girls and I were sucked into one of my comic books, they stood up for me. They said that I was just as much as their friend as anyone else, but then after that. It was back to business, back to the same old, same old. That's what sparked this feeling of inadequacy and a feeling of wanting to belong, and the need to leave, I may sound like a broken record at this point. In fact I know I do, however it still rings true. I know I talked to this with my mother, but no matter what I did. It never felt like it was enough to satisfy anyone. And after I saw Applejack kiss Rarity, I stopped thinking about satisfying everyone else and started to think about what made me satisfied, what made me happy and right now I'm very happy in my life. But I still know, I made a lot of people upset with the way I went about pursuing my own happiness.

There it was, the light bulb moment. If they are truly my friends, they'll be happy with whatever I decide to do with my life. I huffed a little, but not enough for Rarity to notice. Why did it take me this long to realize it? I kept watching her as she finished up with my shirt. She looked at me, "Is something wrong Mr. Drake?"

"No, nothing at all. In fact, I think everything will be okay." I smiled, "While we're at it, please call me Jack."

"Alright then, Jack." Rarity blushed a bit when saying my first name, however fake it was. I smiled then I got on with the 'questions'. I just asked a few things, like what was he like before he left and what, if anything, made him decide to leave. Rarity answered honestly, as I expected her to do. She then got to work on sewing my jacket back up as I put on my white shirt and tie, but as I was tying my tie Rarity got up from her chair. "No, darling, it should go like this." She started to tie it for me, "I used to do this for my father all the time before he started to wear those dreadful Haywaiian shirts. He never...could...get it...right..." Rarity trailed off as she looked up at me, staring into my eyes. "Why do you do it?"

"Why do you?" I turned her question against her.

"I just love to see people's faces light up with joy when I've made them something absolutely stunning. That's why I do what I do." Rarity answered, "Now spill it, why do this. It's dangerous."

"I've always been too curious for my own good, I've always needed to answer whatever questions I find myself asking. Putting my life on the line for those answers just...occurred to me." I answered her.

Rarity moved her hand up and caressed my cheek, for a moment. It was everything I've ever wanted I pressed my forehead against hers, "There's something about you. I just can't tell what it is." She whispered and closed her eyes.

I wish I could tell you. I looked at her, whispering back "I'm not going to do anything, but I'm not going to stop you."

Rarity closed her eyes bringing her lips to mine for a brief moment she tore them away as fast as she could. "I'm sorry! I can't."

"Why?" I asked her, "I'm not upset, I just want to know why."

"I may feel better but I know it's just a temporary fix, my heart lies with Spike, wherever he may be." Rarity admitted.

You have no idea how much that means to me, mon trésor. I smiled, "Well then," I straightened my tie, "If you don't mind. I'd like to place a rush order. I need to get to work."

Rarity took a deep breath, "I'll have it ready in just a minute Mr. Drake."

"Take all the time you need."
> Case File 6.6
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I left Rarity's place with a patch job on my coat and shirt. I looked down at my old purple dress shirt. I don't think she knew who I was, not exactly. Looking back at the boutique, I thought about all the time I'd spent there. Memories. Memories of smiles and laughter, but most importantly... memories of heartbreak. I swallowed down the pain, forcibly reminding myself that the past was dead. I still hold onto that pain though... because pain means I'm still alive. I looked out toward the west of Ponyville. I knew what was over there. Well, more like I knew who was over there.

Applejack, or Jacqueline Jonagold Apple, as her birth certificate read. The Bearer of the Element of Honesty, one of the side effects of that being the fact that she can tell whenever a person is lying. And she wants to meet me. I need advice on this, so I decided to turn to the only person I know who's able to lie straight to anyone's face and have them believe it's the truth. I walked back to my motel room to see Quick Pick inside, flipping through a magazine. "Hey Jack, what are you doing back?"

"I need to make a phone call." I said, "Would you mind leaving?"

"What exactly am I going to do?" Quick asked as I handed her 20 bits.

"There's an arcade in town, go fuck around there." I told her.

"How old do you think I look? 10?" Quick asked.

"You act like it." I pointed toward the door, "Get going."

Quick sighed as she left. I shook my head and checked my car keys, which were still in my pocket; Quick has a bad habit of stealing from me whenever I make her upset. I'd already given her money though, so that should be enough to hold her over. I took out a notepad and flipped to the first page. It contains 7 passwords corresponding to each day,



Sunday- Cinnamon Swirl

Monday- Cosmic Sobriety

Tuesday- Cracking Soul

Wednesday- Counting Sand

Thursday- Creating Statues

Friday- Courting Stars

Saturday- Crystal Style



If you're wondering why they're all two words starting with a C and an S, it's because I'm Celestia's Son. It's a rather simple system which was put into place after I changed my identity, and it allows me immediate passage for anything that the public might not know about; The back entrance to the palace in Canterlot, for example. I picked up the phone in the motel room, which was a simple rotary phone and dialed the palace.

"Hello, Canterlot Palace. If you're a diplomat and would like to make an appointment-" a female voice answered.

"Cosmic Sobriety," I interrupted the receptionist.

"Oh, I apologize sir. I'll patch you in as soon as I can, she's in a meeting right now," She replied, "If you don't mind holding."

"Thank you, and no, I don't mind at all," I thanked her and politely waited on hold.

I waited for about 5 minutes before there was a click and another, more familiar voice. "Hello Spike, I didn't think you'd be calling so soon," My mother spoke.

"I need some advice, specifically about lying to someone and having them believe that I'm telling the truth," I told her.

"Applejack?" Celestia asked.

"Eeyup," I said popping the p at the end of my reply.

"Lying is very easy, as long as you can weave some truths into what you're lying about," Celestia told me, "Like when I told the girls about Discord after the first time he returned."

"So you know how he returned?" I asked.

"It was the Cutie Mark Crusaders," Celestia said, "I never should've approved of that field trip, but by the time I realized that it was Cheerilee's class I couldn't rescind the trip without some backlash, so I had to allow it. I didn't know how much damage they would cause until it was too late."

"So it was either A, you look bad, or B, your kingdom is reduced to a state of chaos that it could have potentially never recovered from."

"It was a calculated risk that I was on the wrong side of. I made a mistake, but we recovered admirably. Let's move on." Celestia said.

"So, how do I lie to Applejack?" I asked her after she requested that we change subjects. I wanted to get back on track and to Sweet Apple Acres before the sun set.

"That's going to be quite tough, but you are royalty, and my son. So I believe that you can do this. Tell her the truth, but not everything. If she asks you whether you're Spike or not, deny it. Say something like it reminds you of one of your first cases or something. If you bury your lie within the truth then it should be covered well enough." Celestia advised.

"That should work, since you're the expert on lying." I said.

Celestia sighed, "I know." 

"Have you found a therapist?" I inquired, "For our whole family situation?"

"I have, and Luna seems very supportive of it. We've gathered our identities together, I will be Sun Spot, Luna will be Star Gazer, and you can still be Jack," Mother said.

"Thanks for actually trying, instead of just brushing it off," I thanked her.

"It's a step forward for us," I could tell that she was smiling on the other side of the phone as she said that.

"Yeah," I spoke curtly, lightly smacked my lips and let out a small sigh, "I need to get going; I want to take care of the Applejack situation before sundown and you need to wrap up your day."

"Okay, I... I love you sweetie," She spoke, and... was that a hint of desperation tucked away in her voice?

"Yeah," I said once more, as I don't think I can return the sentiment just yet. "I... I know. have a good night mom."

"Good night Spike," She said, prior to hanging up.

I lowered the earpiece and microphone back onto the receiver, a resounding click echoing throughout the room. I lowered my head and wiped my eyes. I've got a lot of shit to sort through after I'm done with all of this. I took a deep breath, stood up and walked outside, motel key in hand I locked the door behind me. I looked towards my destination once more. I took another deep breath and let it out my nose. "Fuck it," I said to no one in particular and began to walk toward the farm known as Sweet Apple Acres.





I don't like apples. I mean, apples are okay and all, but I've had enough to last me several lifetimes. I walked with a purpose, my dress shoes making soft crunching sounds on the gravel below my feet. I didn't want to come across like I was intimidating or angry, 'cause pulling something like that would get your ass beat and buried in the orchard if you're not careful. I slowly made my way to the farmhouse and knocked on the door, when I knocked the door opened to reveal Apple Bloom, who grown up quite a bit and was now into her teenage years. "Hello," She said.

"Yes, hello. I'm looking for Applejack, she invited me over here. I'm Jack Drake," I pull out my business card, handing it to her, "I'm the private investigator that Princess Twilight hired to find Spike."

"Um, you'll have to gimme a minute," Apple Bloom said.

"That's fine, I'll wait out here," I said and took a step back, waiting. I looked down at my shoes, or the scuffs on my shoes, if you wanted to be specific. I needed to polish them; Rarity would be disappointed in me if I don't keep up my appearance. I was torn from my thoughts when the door opened again, revealing the blonde farmer devoid of her ten gallon hat given to her by her father. "Miss Apple."

"Hello Mr. Drake," Applejack replied, "Let's take a walk." The cowgirl said without taking another look at me. I followed behind her without another word, she took me deep into the orchard a place I almost didn't recognize. She wanted to have the home field advantage, and I can't say I blame her either, seeing as I'd do the same. If I do just as mom said to, then she'll believe me without question, so the tough part is selling it. Applejack stopped, I followed her lead and stopped as well. "It was always you." Applejack stated.

"Excuse me?" I asked her.

"You were always on her mind, she could never take it off of you, it was always about you!" Applejack turned around, tears streaming down her face. "It was always about you, Spike!" My heart skipped a beat, I fought all my instincts to reel back and I ultimately won. Standing there I looked at her as she continued, "Don't try to deny it, I know it's you Spike. My gut is telling me so and it never lies!"

"What would it change?" I asked.

Applejack reeled back, "What?"

"If I were Spike, what would it change? It wouldn't change the fact that you and Rarity aren't together anymore, it wouldn't change how devastated Princess Twilight and the others felt."

"We-we would apologize!" Applejack shouted, "We'd make things right!"

"How?" I asked her, "How would you make any of this right? From what I understand, he was less than dirt to you. Now you're gonna treat him like dirt? Apologies or not, you can't make up for years of abuse and neglect like that with a simple apology."

"That doesn't matter! What matters is that you're Spike and you're lying to everyone including me!" Applejack shouted.

"I'm not Spike! The only reason your gut is telling you that I am is because I've been in his fucking shoes!!!" I yelled at her.

"What?" Applejack stopped.

"I was on my own for a long time, I fell into the wrong crowd. I joined a gang, people of my blood, people who I thought were my family and friends but only showed their true colors when we got busted for a B&E; they ran off and left me to take the fall. I got lucky that the judge let me off with a slap on the wrist if I told them who it was that was with me that night," I told her, "My friends abandoned me when I needed them the most, my family left me to rot when I called out to them. So if your gut is telling you that I'm Spike, well then you've got it dead wrong sister! The only reason it's telling you that is because I know how he feels!"

"I-I..." Applejack couldn't find the words to say anything.

"All of that aside, what do you think would really happen if Spike did come back, right here, right now? Because you can't just say you're sorry and say you're gonna try better at acknowledging that someone exists and expect it to be all sunshine and blowjobs from there on out. You broke him, not only physically but emotionally as well. You girls made him think that he had no value to anyone, especially himself."

"W-We just want to make sure he's okay..." Applejack whimpered.

"Seems like all you want to do is blame him for Rarity's sexual confusion between you and him," I said, "You say you love Rarity, so do the right thing. Let. It. Go. Because holding onto this heartache is only going to lead you to do stupid things." I said.

"Y-You spoke to Rarity?" Applejack asked.

"I had to, Spike was in love with her wasn't he?" I asked her and Applejack nodded.

"That boy held a fierce torch for that girl," Applejack leaned against an apple tree, "No, that ain't the right analogy. I held a torch for Rarity, that boy had a volcano for her. The dedication, the sacrifice, the love. Once she saw that, no one could compare...not even me."

"I get why that might make you angry, but who are you really angry at? You, him, or Rarity?" I asked her.

"I-I suppose I don't rightly know," Applejack admitted.

"Do you still think that I'm Spike?" I asked her a different question.

"No, ah don't think you are. Spike would've ran away not confront his problems, you stared me down and told the truth. I'm sorry."

"You're very stubborn, you know that?" I told her and she looked up at me, "There are times where that is good, but most of the time it does more harm than good. I'm just trying to do my job Miss Apple."

"You can call me Applejack, and I'm sorry I came across as hostile before. I thought you were a two timin' scammer trying to get one over on Twilight."

"I'll make you a deal. If I don't find any clues to Spike's whereabouts, I won't take a single piece of Princess Twilight's money. But you have to trust me enough to do my job," I promised her.

"Fair enough," Applejack nodded.

I proceeded to walk away, but before I left the orchard, I stopped and spoke, "It's hard isn't it? Being the bearer of honesty? After all, just because something is true, doesn't make it any easier."

"Yeah, you're right," Applejack sighed.

"In the end, we both want the exact same thing...the truth."
> Case File 7
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I walked back to the motel, opened the door and lied down on the bed. The door opened and Quick entered the motel room after me. I looked over at her as she gazed back at me. "Rough day?" She asked. I sighed and nodded. She lied down next to me and, "I went to the arcade, and I got the things you asked for," She said to me and I didn't reply, "What? no snarky comeback?" I shook my head as and answer to her question, "Was it something I did?" She asked, and I shook my head in response. The sun had set as I looked out the window.

Whether I wanted to or not, I had inherited the legacy that my mother left for me, one of lies and deceit. It was something that had I never wanted, yet here I am. I didn't completely lie to Applejack, but it was still a lie. Today was very stressful, and I hope tomorrow will be better. I have my doubts though. "This is the part that they don't tell you about in training," I finally spoke up, "I'm tired."

Quick wrapped herself around me in a hug. "This isn't anything sexual, I just feel like you really need a hug."

"The worst is still yet to come," I said to her.

"Covering your tracks?" Quick asked.

"I don't know, I just have a bad feeling," I rested my head on her shoulders, "If anything happens to me..."

"Please don't say that," Quick whimpered, "I know I haven't shown you how much I care about you but please...just don't say that."

"Quick, I'm not a superhero. I'm not unkillable, I'm just very lucky and I feel that my luck has been stretched thin as of this moment," I explained.

"You're not gonna die on me, nothing is going to happen to you," Quick held me close.

"Quick, I was stabbed today by some gang members, who I then was responsible for incarcerating. When, not if but when word gets back to their leaders I'm going to be in huge fucking trouble," I told her then I asked, "You do know how to shoot a gun right?"

"Y-Yeah," Quick answered, detaching herself from me and looking into my eyes, "Why?"

"There's a spare nine millimeter underneath the passenger seat of the car with an extra magazine. If I don't get back to the motel room by at least 10 pm, get that out of the car and sleep with it under your pillow. I'll text you when I get back," I sighed.

"What do you think will happen?" Quick asked.

"Kidnapping and interrogation. The people I arrested were apart of the Diamond Dogs, so they're going to send me straight up to their bosses," I said, "In the short time I've been doing this, I've been kidnapped 10 times. Most of the time, I tell them I stepped into the wrong place, I don't say shit and leave them the hell alone, or that they were harassing my friend and that I stepped up, kicking the shit out of them."

"What happens after that?" Quick inquired.

"That's the scariest part, they decide what to do with me. If I'm lucky, they'll shoot me in the head and think nothing of it, I don't come across as a Dragonblood so they think I'll just go down and stay down. Hurts like a bitch though," I yawned, "Let's go to bed."

"I want you to be here when I wake up," Quick mumbled into my back as I lay down next to her.

"I'm not going to lie to you, I can't guarantee that," I told her.

"Will you come back?" She asked.

"I won't abandon you," I told her, "I will never abandon you."

"Thank you," Quick mumbled as she soon fell asleep; I could still tell that she was worried. I did relieve some of her tension, however small that may be. I closed my eyes, and slowly drifted off to sleep.





When I woke up, there was a bag over my head, they took me in the middle of the night. I sighed, "You couldn't have waited until after I had my morning coffee?"

"You'll wait until our boss gets here," A voice said, I think it was male but thanks to Rainbow Dash, I couldn't really tell.

"Which one? Your gang boss or your dragon boss?" I said and got punched in the head for that comment. It didn't hurt as much as you'd think but it's no bed of roses either. "Ugh," I groaned out. My legs were cold, and considering I fell asleep in my clothes, they had stripped me down to a shirt and my boxers. Thankfully, as I don't know who to thank, Bahamut or my mother, or just dumb luck; They left my ring on, must've thought nothing of it, "Anyone got a cup?" I asked.

"What the fuck do you need a cup for?" Another voice asked.

"I need to piss." I answered.

"Whoa, what?" The first voice asked.

"Look, I get the whole kidnapping me for petty revenge because I got some of your guys locked up. Had you been a little bit more cordial with your kidnapping, like say after I got my coffee, and taken a piss and/or shit. Then I would've been a little more cooperative," I told them, "Instead, you took me while I was asleep, took my clothes and my gun. I understand that, but what you have now is a cranky man, who needs to piss and has been distracting you long enough with speaking that I already cut the ropes," I said as I did just that, I cut through the ropes that were holding me, Dragonbloods have very sharp, retractable claws behind our fingernails. It's like our normal fingernails get covered in a sharp talon; Manticores can do it too. I ripped the bag off my head in an urgent fashion.

I quickly looked around, there were two guys, both getting out their guns, I rolled back in the chair and threw it at the closest one, who was on my right. The chair knocked him off balance and I scrambled to close the distance, I got there just in time as the other had his gun out. I had already taken control of the situation. I grabbed the disoriented man's gun barrel, slid the back of my hand under his wrist, and turned with my entire body to get the gun out of his hand. I took the safety off and shot the other guy in the kneecap, but not before he shot me in the chest.

Getting shot is not fun. No matter what species or subspecies you are, a bullet is a bullet and when shot, it's intent is to kill. I'm lucky though, I'm a Dragonblood, which means I have scales under my skin, which makes me almost bulletproof. Emphasis on the word almost, there are bullets that are mass produced, which shatter into razor blades or needles on impact, and are typically used against Dragonbloods. I pointed the gun back at the original owner of said firearm and then there were a mass of clicks, in my stupor I had failed to look up and see that I was completely surrounded. There was a balcony that stretched along the walls of what I now established as a warehouse. I then heard the soft repetitive clicks of high heeled shoes coming my way. I turned my attention toward the sound of the approaching person and my breath hitched as they came into the light, in a two-tone blue dress, a light blue on the front turning into a dark blue, was a woman. Tan skin, short blue hair with white streaks going through it and blue eyes, I knew who she was and almost dropped the gun at the sight of her. "Ember?"
> Case File 7.1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I couldn't stop staring at Ember. I mean, I'd heard rumors, that she had taken up her father's business. But I'd dismissed them as just that, rumors. She looked at me with those cold eyes of hers, but I knew she heard me say her name. There was no escape. "How do you know my name?" She calmly asked; she had the upper hand, and she knew it. I slowly raised my hands, methodically sliding the magazine out of the gun, letting it fall to the ground. I kicked it aside, and proceeded to pop the bullet in the chamber and toss it opposite of the magazine.

"I have plenty of reasons why, pick one," I said, and she grew a bit irritated.

"Now is not the time to be messing with me," She crossed her arms over her breast, "A snap of my fingers, and I could have you gunned down in a second."

"You could do that, but it wouldn't kill me," I told her and, a look of confusion spread across her face. I held up a finger with my arms still raised to the sky, and my claw slid out. I dug the bullet out of my chest and flicked it to her feet.

She looked down at the bullet, then back to me, "You're one of us?"

"Yep, the only reason I beat up your guys and had them locked up is because they were harassing a key witness in my investigation," I told her.

"Investigation?" Ember asked.

"No, I'm not a cop. I'm a private investigator, I'm looking for someone that you may know."

"Who would that be?" Ember questioned me.

"A man by the name of Spike Solaris Everfree," I told her and she looked at me in shock.

Ember stared at her gunmen, "Lower your weapons," She looked at the two I had beaten and shot, "You two go to the doctor," Finally looking at me, "And you, come with me."

"Not a problem, I just have one request," I stated.

"What would that be?" Ember's voice was mixed with a little frustration but now more shock.

"May I please have some pants?" I asked nicely and she looked down at my boxer clad lower half.

"You'll get some later," She told me, and I saw no point in arguing with her, she beckoned me with her finger as she started to walk away. I followed her, she led us both out to a limousine where one of her people opened the door for the both of us. She got into the limo and I entered after her sitting across from her, the door closed and out of instinct I found the seatbelt and buckled myself in. "You're buckling yourself in?" Ember asked.

"Limos carry important people, if you've ever seen a spy movie in your entire life. You should know that you're basically riding around in a luxurious moving target, that and black SUV's," I stated.

Ember paused for a moment, then nodded, "That makes sense."

The limo's engine turned over and then started, the window behind Ember rolled down, she nodded and it rolled back up. "If you don't mind me asking, where are we going?"

"Stop. You're going to answer my questions. Understood?" She said in a commanding tone.

"Yes ma'am," I replied to my Dragon Lord.

"You're one of us, what's your name?" She inquired.

"Jack Drake," I answered.

"Clan?" She requested.

"Uninitiated, parents died before I could choose one of their clans," I answered again.

She paused and looked down, then met my eyes again. "I apologize, you must've had it rough."

"Don't we all?" I replied.

"Do you know how the clans work?" Ember asked.

"I know that each clan works like a family or a gang, that you have allies and you have enemies, but they're all subservient to the Dragon Lord at the time, and that if the Dragon Lord tells two families to knock some shit off that they have no choice but to comply, lest they be banished and their assets taken away from them."

"That's the sparknotes version, these rules don't apply to uninitiated, however you are highly advised to follow the command of the Dragon Lord, or you make an enemy of all Dragonblooded people."

"Yes, my lord." I replied.

"You know who I am?" Ember asked.

"I read a lot of news and books, I have to be kept in the loop for a lot of things if I want to stay ahead of the game," I replied.

"Yet you still interfered with a business of mine," Ember asked.

"They were harassing a Ms. Rarity Belle, someone who I know is an acquaintance of yours and Spike's."

Ember tensed up when I mentioned that name, my old name, "I'm sorry....is that a....difficult subject?"

"It's a sore subject," Ember said, "Why would he just...run away like that?"

"I can't say for certain, but from what I've heard from his friends. It sounds like they were friendly to Spike, but not an actual friend to him. Then those feelings of negligence just piled up, got overwhelming, and he needed a change. Sometimes for something to change it has to be drastic, and that's what he chose," I said.

"I-I wish he had come to me," Ember admitted.

"Why?" I asked, both as Spike and Jack.

"Because...I liked him...he was the first person to show me that having friends is worthwhile. He saw past my more...illegal activities and actually wanted the best for me. He was- is so charming and so innocent...I couldn't help but fall for him," Ember admitted.

"You loved him?" I asked, this was news to me.

"Very much so, but he had his eyes set on another. I couldn't do anything to sway his interest," Ember said.

"You said he is so charming and innocent, do you have reason to believe he's alive?" I asked her.

"Part of being the Dragon Lord is having a connection to every Dragonblooded individual in the world; that's what the Bloodstone Scepter is for, you're connected to every individual Dragonblooded, which helps you lead. If a Dragonblooded individual that is close to the Dragon Lord dies, the current Dragon Lord would feel it. It would be like a small part of you has died. So far, I haven't felt anything," Ember stared through me, as if I were made of glass.

"So do you mind answering my question of where we're going?" I asked.

"You don't need to know," Ember commanded, "I suppose that Fido, Rover, and Spot could spend a few months in the slammer though...it could be a very valuable learning experience."

I was curious I met her gaze, I then asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Dragonbloods look out for each other," Ember said.

"No, that's not it. We never have, only when you command us to..." I leaned forward in my seat, "Ember."

She tensed up again, "Stop," She whispered as she forced her head to look out the right window.

I just looked at her confused, "I'm sorry?"

"You say it just like he did," She whispered.

"Oh... I didn't mean to," I leaned back and the crimson stain on my shirt slowly spread.

"Do you need help?" Ember asked, pointing at the bloodstain.

"I think I'll be fine," I told her as the limo came to a stop, the driver got out and opened the door to reveal a 3 story mansion. I whistled at the sight of place, for all its majesty it was still intimidating. I looked at Ember as she led the way into her home, swallowing the fear that was creeping up in the back of my throat and followed behind her, the doors closing us off the outside world.
> Case File 7.2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The doors closing off the outside world was startling, to say the least. Looking around the house, I noticed that several key details had changed. I'd been in the house before, back during what they called the Gauntlet of Fire. And funnily enough, I won the damn thing, even though I never wanted to participate. I handed the mantle over to Ember because; A) I knew nothing of running both the race of Dragonbloods and; B) I didn't want to become a criminal, as much as I grew to dislike my situation growing up. I know that a lot of people would kill to be in the position that I was formerly in. I wouldn't blame them either, I did have a pretty good life... from an outsider's perspective, at least.

I gulped slightly when Ember looked back at me as I paused in the entrance to her house. "What are you waiting for?"

I looked back at her, then looked down at the nearly bare lower half of my body, "Pants."

Ember blushed in embarrassment as she realized that no one had gotten me my pants. "Oh," She snapped her fingers and one of her goons came running in, "Get him some pants please."

While one of Ember's 'paid associates' retrieved some pants, I took in the details of what had changed around here. Even the small things, because the small details could help you if you know what you're looking for. Then I spotted something; Torch's signet ring...shit. I knew Torch wouldn't go anywhere without that ring, and then looking at where it sat, on the mantle below a painting of Torch that had been commissioned. "I'm sorry to hear about your father. I don't know how late I am saying this, but losing a family member never is easy," I said, without looking at her.

Ember said nothing as she stood still, until she asked, "Do you have any leads?"

"On Spike?" I asked her, "I'm tracking some down, but I can't really help from here," I stated.

"Dad said Spike was good for me, said that I should've married him," Ember wiped a tear from her eye, "I just want to find him."

"Have you considered trying the scepter?" I asked.

"Yes, many times," Ember trailed off.

I hadn't ever been summoned, though, so she must have stopped herself, for whatever reason. "Why didn't you use it?" I asked her. Foot, meet your old friend, mouth.

Instead of exploding into a rage like I had expected her to, she just quietly spoke, "I want him to come to me of his own free will," Ember started, and continued, "Spike would be upset if I dragged him here ...to me... against his will."

I internally chuckled, and kept myself from actually laughing. The only one I never meant to hurt was Ember, but look, and see what I did to her. Though it was very subtle, I could still see how she had changed. I looked down at my ring, the thing that kept me from the world. I took a deep breath and let it out, "Can you keep a secret?" I spoke out loud.

Ember looked at me, "What are you talking about?"

"I lied earlier, I haven't found any leads," I said, then I took off my ring, "Because there are no leads."

Ember stared as my hair brightened to that neon green color and some of my facial features disappeared, she stood in shock staring at me, "S-Spike?"

"Can't have any leads when you're looking for yourself," I stated, and got slapped, "Okay, I deserved that."

"YOU RAT BASTARD! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! TO YOUR FRIENDS!" Ember shouted after walking up and slapping me.

"WHAT FRIENDS!?" I shouted back and shut her up. "You and Thorax? While you're both busy running countries and you're busy being the head honcho of what seems to be the Dragonic Mafia?"

Ember was taken aback when I stood up to her, "I-I would've made time for you. Y-You could've lived here."

"And have you worry about me 24/7? Ember, I needed to leave. For my sake, and I'm sorry that you got hurt by me leaving, that was something I never intended to do. I swear." I held her hands in mine.

Ember blushed then gasped, "Oh Bahamut, I told you...that I-I-I-" She stuttered.

"Can we talk about that later? I've got a lot of things to take care of before my love life, okay?" I asked her.

"O-Okay." Ember said as her associate came back with my pants.

"Ms. Ember-" He stopped in his tracks, I just looked at him and grabbed my pants.

Ember looked at him, and like a switch she flipped from being shocked to instant boss. "You saw nothing, say anything and you will not go home to see your children." She threatened.

I put my pants on and stared at the exchange, I rolled my jaw at it when Ember looked back at me she saw that I was not in a good mood now, "I don't like it when you do that."

"How else am I supposed to keep him quiet?" Ember asked.

"People forget things just as easily as they remember them," I told her, "Resorting to threats and violence just makes others believe in the stereotypes about us."

Ember looked down, then looked back to me, now confused, "Hold on, let me ask you something. Why reveal yourself to me? You've obviously taken careful steps to make sure that you got away from your old life, so...why me?"

"I guess in all honesty, I don't know," I sat down on a nearby couch and looked down at my hands, "Since I've been back in Ponyville, my past has been mixing with my present and I don't know how I feel. If I were to hazard a guess, it's because you were the first friend I could actually trust."

Ember came and sat down next to me, hesitant to either hit me or hug me, so she slugged me on the arm. Just as I was about to protest, she hugged me, "Shut up. Your stupid ass just dumped a lot of shit on me and I don't like it. So I'm reacting."

I put one arm around her, "Fair enough."

We stayed like that for a few minutes. I told Ember about how I was unhappy with my life, being a practical slave to the girls and that I had just up and disappeared. How I made a new life for myself and began to help people, the adventures I've had and the friends I've made...well the one friend I'd sound up making along the way, but she doesn't count because I pay her. I told her about coming up here and talking to my mom and Aunt Luna before coming here. The talking to the girls and about my plan to cover my tracks.

Ember spotted the bloodstain on my shirt again, "Oh shit!" She straightened her posture, "Shirt off, now." I complied with her command, with her assistance she got a good look at my now bare upper torso. "By Bahamut." She muttered to herself, however I could hear her.

"It's just a flesh wound," I stated, "Nothing to worry about."

"It's actively bleeding, it could get infected," Ember said, she snapped her fingers and another 'associate' of hers opened the door.

"Yes ma'am?" She asked as she poked her head in.

"Get me something to dress an actively bleeding flesh wound, and forget who you saw with me in here," Ember commanded, "Quickly."

"Yes ma'am," Her 'associate' nodded and closed the door.

"Better?" Ember asked looking back at me.

"I can tell that's sarcasm," I told her.

"While we're waiting you might as well fill me on on just what the hell is going on," Ember stated before poking near the bullet hole in my chest, "After you lay down."

That made me wince in pain, "Alright, you deserve that much," I didn't argue as I shifted to lay on her couch.

While in the process of laying down she had received the items she requested and dabbed at my chest while doing it in the sexiest manner she could. She practically lay on top of me whilst cleaning the blood and the wound, she looked at all my scars that I had earned over the past two years. She lightly touched them with her fingers, "How many?"

"I'm sorry?" I interrupted my storytelling.

"How many of these scars were from me?" She asked, "From the things I do?"

"Ember," I started but she stopped me.

"Tell me," Ember was now on the verge of tears.

"Five," I lied, "Please, Ember I don't blame you for it," I reached up and brushed her cheek with my hand, "So don't blame yourself."

Ember nodded, "Okay."

I felt my heart thump in my chest as she continued to dress my wound, when she got it clean she did something I didn't expect, she breathed her fire on my wound, cauterizing it. Her teal blue fire closing up my bullet hole, but I could tell it meant something else. "What did you do?"

Ember hesitated, then spoke, "I-I marked you."

"Does that mean marriage?" Spike asked.

"N-Not specifically, no. It just means that I will always be with you," Ember said, then she kissed the mark, "I've always wanted to be with you."

"Ember... I told you..." I said but she stopped me.

"I know but, Bahamut be praised you have turned into a sexy ass man," Ember complimented, "By his will I want to take you right here! Something is holding you back, I can tell." She lay on top of me now, hand on my chest and her other hand lightly running through my hair repeatedly.

"I don't know about my love life Ember, I have a hard time coping with my real life at this moment. Had you caught me at any other time, I probably would've said yes. But right now, I don't even fucking know," I admitted.

"It's Rarity isn't it?" Ember asked, "You always did hold a torch for her."

"Yeaah, maybe a little. Like I said, I don't know. Everything is confusing right now," I told her, "I'm not the same person you knew, Ember. I've changed a lot."

"I can tell," Ember said, "Just stay here, with me. For a bit?"

"Sure thing," I replied, and I did stay. Thinking about why I revealed myself to Ember, and in all honesty? I really don't know anymore. Was it because I didn't want to hurt her? Or was it that I just don't care anymore? Either way, all things considered, I'm pretty happy right now.
> Case File 7.3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Several hours had passed and Ember had already requested for me to get my things back, and I stood there with everything on. Ember stared at me, with my whole private investigators outfit on. She stared as I adjusted my coat, I looked back at her. "See something you like?" I asked her. She didn't respond so I snapped my fingers in front of her face and she shook her head. 

"Sorry, I was busy." Ember said. 

"Busy doing what exactly?" I asked her, Ember mumbled, "I'm sorry what was that?" 

"I said, you're so damn sexy right now." Ember admitted. 

I took a deep breath and let out a huge sigh, "Ember like I said earlier-" 

"I know, trust me. I know." She interrupted me, "Every fiber of my being is telling me to pin you to the ground, tear off those clothes and make you my mate. I'm fighting against it because I know you would disapprove." She stepped closer and caressed my cheek, "I missed you so much." 

I touched the hand on my cheek and looked into her eyes. "Everything is confusing, and I don't know what's true and what's false." I told her, "I will make this right, just not today. I promise you." 

Ember said nothing as she just leaned up and kissed me, and I didn't even resist as she did. I may have kissed her back a little, she broke the kiss. "We'll figure this out, just...don't disappear on me again." 

"You still got that penthouse in Manehattan?" I asked. 

"Is that where you live now?" Ember asked. 

"Maybe." I replied with a smirk. 

"Quit being sly." Ember hit me on the arm. 

"Fine, fine." I took out my notebook and wrote something down on it I then tore out the page, "Here's my cell phone number, call me sometime. Not all the time however, gotta have some boundaries." I told her while handing it over. 

"Okay..." Ember said. 

I put my ring back on and my features changed back into Jack, I looked in the mirror and adjusted myself. "How do I look?" I asked Ember. 

"Like a total stranger." Ember replied. 

"Good, that's the way it should be." I said. 

"There's one thing missing however." Ember said, "Stay right here." She walked off. I stood still, what else was I going to do? Run and get shot by a bunch of armed thugs? No thanks. She soon returned with a cylindrical box, "This used to be my father's, I think he would've liked it if you had it." 

"What is it?" I asked as she handed it to me. 

"Open it and find out jackass." Ember crossed her arms over her chest. 

I shrugged and did as The Dragon Lord commanded, setting it on the couch and taking off the lid. "Whoa," I looked back at Ember, "Ember are you sure about this?" 

"Positive, you may not be a wise guy. But, you've earned it." She smirked. 

I reached into the box and pulled out a classic trilby, it was a chester brown with a white sash above the brim. I put it on and Ember helped adjust it, "Do I look the part now?" 

"You look better." Ember complimented before turning me around and giving me a playful smack on the ass, "Go on, get out of here." 

"Yes ma'am." I said as I started my stroll out of the mansion, "Don't forget to call." 

"Don't forget to answer." Ember said.

"I'll try not to," I replied as I left.





Ember's associates took me back back to he motel along the way I called Quick making sure she didn't shoot me while I tried to get back into the motel. I was dropped off soon after calling Quick and opened the door to the room, I noticed quick sitting there with my backup gun in her hands and mascara running down her cheeks. 

She dropped the gun and ran into me, nearly tackling me as she wrapped her arms around me hugging me, "Don't ever do that again. Please don't leave me again, I don't care if you have to take me with you to do something dangerous, just don't go."

I hugged her back, apologizing. "I'm sorry kid, I promise I won't abandon you again."

"Th-Thanks." She stammered out, "I'm gonna go take a shower."

"I think that's for the best." I said as she gathered her clothes and went into the bathroom, closing the door. The rushing of water from the pipes in the walls indicated that she was indeed in the shower, I went down and picked up my spare gun. Ejecting the magazine and popping the one in the chamber, after putting the bullet back in the magazine. I went back out to my car to put the gun back where it was originally from. I opened the passenger seat and stored it back into the holster tapped to the bottom of said seat, and doing the same with the spare magazine. When I came back up I was met with the visage of one Pinkamena Diane Pie, in her grasp was a bag of groceries. I looked up at her, "Pinkie Pie? What are you doing out here?" I asked. 

"Um...my pinkie sense told me that there was someone in the area that was really sad. With me being the element of laughter I always feel compelled to cheer people up, I was going to knock on the door but...my gut told me not to." She answered.  

"You were right to trust your gut, things would've gotten very messy if you didn't." I told her as I closed the door to my car and turned back to my motel room, only to be stopped by a question. 

"Y-You aren't looking for Spike are you?" Pinkie asked and that did stop my in my tracks. 

I replied to her question with another question, "What would it change if I did?" 

That seemed to put a pause in her pink head, "I-I don't really know."

"Yeah, I don't either." I said, I then nodded at her. "What's in the bag?"

"Oh! Just some baking things we were running low on at Sugar Cube Corner." Pinkie told me.

"I think you'd better get to delivering those goods then," I suggested.

"In a minute, I've got one more question." She then hesitated and finally got , "Are you...Spike?"

"I don't know what it is about the content of my character that makes you girls think that I'm the person you hired me to find. But I'm not Spike, my name is Jack. I mean just look at me." I gestured to myself, "What part of my physical features even suggests to any of you girls that I'm the person your friend hired me to find!" I shouted, realizing what I did. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for. You're not the first person to think that I am, I can assure you that I'm not." 

"Thank you, and I'm sorry." A visibly shaken Pinkie said. 

I sighed, "You know, I've got some time. How about I help you?" 

Pinkie stared, "I...would appreciate that." 

The walk with Pinkie was brisk, she took slight glances at me. I saw her peaks out of the corner of my eye, "I-I don't get angry a lot, I've just been under a lot of pressure." I told her. 

Pinkie took a deep breath, "I understand how it feels to...snap, I suffer from something called Histrionic Personality Disorder." 

"What's that?" I asked, "I don't mean to be insensitive."

"In layman's terms, I have an intolerance for negative emotions." Pinkie explained, "It's also why I'm hyperactive and impulsive. It's just one of the things I've been diagnosed with since visiting my therapist." 

"Wow." I knew she was visiting a therapist, but I never knew that this was the extent of it. 

"When Spike left, it revealed a lot of things about myself that I didn't like." Pinkie hugged her groceries a bit tighter, "My therapist says that my parties are a part of my HPD. She said that as much as I like to make others smile, I also like to be the center of attention and that's why I throw them even if it's 'a been two weeks since we last had a party' party." 

"I...don't know what to say." I replied.

"After talking about it a bit, it was revealed that this might have originated from the fact that when I was a child I grew up on a rock farm. The day-in, day-out workload at such a young age is bound to have more drawbacks than benefits. It made me take a step back and look at my friends and family from a stranger's perspective, and what I saw I didn't like." Pinkie said. 

"Why reveal this to me? I'm just a complete stranger." I asked her. 

"Twilight seems to trust you with finding Spike or some kind of closure, and she's one of my best friends." Pinkie said. 

"I...honestly don't know what to say. Thank you, I guess?" I was just really confused.

"You're welcome." Pinkie said as we got to Sugarcube Corner, "Would you like to come in?" She offered. 

I racked the contents of my brain to find a reason to say no, and I couldn't come up with anything, "I can stay for a few minutes." 

Those few minutes stretched into an hour as I sat in the bakery testing new concoctions from the chaos that is the brain of Pinkamena Diane Pie. This is one of the few things I missed, my dragon biology would allow me to eat almost anything I could put into my mouth. I was immune to most equis poisons but not dragon poisons, and they had distinct flavors too. Here I am reminiscing about a life I thought I had put behind me. I sigh as look out the window, seeing all the memories pass by like spectres lost to the grip of time. The ringing of the shop bell above the door tore me out of my stupor. Looking over at the source of the noise surprisingly I saw Twilight standing in the bakery. 

Pinkie also was staring at the princess of friendship whom seemed like she was in a daze. "Twi?" Pinkie asked her close friend, "Are you okay?" 

"I....I don't know." Twilight said, then she started to laugh, which was concerning for me because I used to live with her, and that generally means hysterics. I got up to walk over, but Pinkie spotted me out of the corner of her eye and held her hand up. That stopped me in my tracks. She soon calmed down and apologized, "I'm sorry, I must look crazy." She sighed, "For once in my life I don't know something and I feel...happy? I guess?" Twilight said and I sat back down. The purple librarian princess looked at the pink confectioner, "Pinkie, can I please have a cupcake? I feel like having something sweet today." 

Pinkie paused for a minute before shaking her head and smiling, "Of course Twilight." She went into the back to make another batch of cupcakes, considering I ate all of them. I was hungry, could you blame me? 

Twilight spotted me and made her way over, stopping right beside me. "Excuse me, Mr. Drake?" 

"Yes, may I help you Miss Sparkle?" I asked her. 

"Please call me Twilight," She said and then pointed to the chair opposite of myself. "Is there anyone occupying that seat?" 

"Not that I'm aware of." I told her. 

"May I?" She asked. 

"I don't see any reason as to oppose your notion." I said and she sat across from me. 

"How goes the search?" Twilight asked. 

"There are a few things here and there, I'm doing the best I can to find some type of answer for you." I assured her. 

"Thank you," She smiled as she put her hand on mine. "You've given me at least a sliver of hope." 

"I have to ask this, what if the person that you want to find. Doesn't want to be found?" I looked her dead in the eye. 

"If they do not want to be found, that's fine. All I want for Spike to know is that I still love him. I may not have shown him a lot of times, in fact hardly at all." She teared up, "I just want to know he's safe and sound. That he's eating right, and that I would want to try and be his friend again, be a proper friend this time. Then hopefully somewhere down the line, be family to him. I know that a lot to ask, and it's a lot to tell you. Especially considering that you don't even know who I'm talking about." Twilight concluded wiping her eyes with a free hand. 

You have no idea Twi. I thought to myself and I smiled a kindhearted and warm smile. "If I find him, I'll let him know." 

She reached across the table with a sudden hug, "Thank you so much." She whispered into my ear. 

I returned the hug as best I could before she sat back down, "Well then, you're welcome?" I said. 

"I'm so sorry, I must seem like the craziest person you've ever had to deal with." Twilight apologized. 

"Nah, you wouldn't be the craziest. Someone tried to hire me to find the underwear gnomes that had been stealing their underwear." I said. 

Twilight laughed out loud, it's been a long time since I've heard her laugh, she always did giggle snort. "I'm sorry that's mean of me." 

"No, I was much meaner. I eventually took my lunch break to point out that the man had a hole in the bottom of his drawer." I concluded and she laughed again, "After that I referred him to the nearest mental institution. Turns out he hadn't been taking his medication and was going crazy." 

"So it worked out?" Twilight asked. 

"In a way yes." I said, "He started taking his medication again and got a new dresser." I said. 

Twilight and I continued chatting, after she got her cupcake we ordered some milkshakes and continued to talk. I missed this, I'm not afraid to admit it just the nonsensical ramblings between the two of us, even though she doesn't know that I'm Spike. We chatted until Mr. and Mrs. Cake had to kick us out of the store because it was closing time. I walked Twilight back home. Twilight looked up at me and smiled, "It's been so long since I could genuinely laugh, thank you Mr. Drake." 

"You can call me Jack, so long as we're on the same page Miss Sparkle." I had a half cocked grin. 

"Alright, alright. I give." Twilight held her hands up, "Still, this was not necessary and I thank you anyways." 

"You're more than welcome Twilight." I said. 

Then she did something completely unexpected, she leaned up and kissed me on the cheek. Blushing, she ran inside leaving me standing there dumbfounded. "What the fuck?" I asked myself.
> Case File 8
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, thinking of what transpired between Twilight and I tonight. Quick snuggled up against me for warmth, lightly snoring. I breathed out and looked at the phone, I wonder if my- I mean Celestia would be up at this point. I looked at my watch, it was about 10:30 pm. I talked to myself, "If I don't get Celestia then I'll at least get Lu, I hope." I picked up the phone, headset and receiver then I dialed the number. 

"Hello, Canterlot palace. Princess Celestia is currently unavailable for contact. If you are a diplomat and would like to make an appointment-" A male voice said. 

"Counting Sand." I interrupted the man. 

"Oh, I'm sorry sir. Like I said earlier, your mother is not available at the moment, she just went out and won't be back until tomorrow morning."

"Do you happen to know where she went?" I asked him. 

"Said she was going for a stroll, not even Princess Luna would know where she went." The receptionist replied, "Do you want me to patch you through to her?" 

"Sure, I don't think she'll mind talking to me." I replied, wondering just where exactly Celestia would have went. While the receptionist connected me to Luna.

"Greetings." Luna said in her mysterious tone. 

"Drop the act Lu, it's your nephew...the good one." I said as to not confuse me with Blueblood and get hung up on. 

"Oh, good." I heard her mutter under her breath and then address night court saying that it was to take a 30 minute recess. "What can I help you with sweetie?" 

"Did you pick up the phone while holding night court?" I asked her.

"You're much more important than this anyways. We were discussing a dispute over a lemon tree, it's incredibly tedious and hardly worth my time. But Tia said that it establishes good public relations whatever that means." Luna sighed as I could hear the air quotes.

"Speaking of Celestia, do you happen to know where she went?" I asked her, "Receptionist told me that she was out." 

"Truly I have no idea where your mother went off to tonight." Luna answered my question. 

"C-Could you please not call her that?" I requested. 

"You're adverse to calling Tia your mother? Why, did she not change your undergarments and fed you from her own breast when you were naught but a hatchling?" Luna asked. 

"In that sense, she would be but..." I gulped, "I just don't feel like that's something that's been earned quite yet. At least by me, I'm not dismissing your points because you do make good ones, I just have a lot of shit to wade through before I'm there. Some of it being my own, some I feel that are hers as well, and some I feel belong to the both of us." 

"You really want to do this family therapy thing don't you?" Luna asked. 

"Luna, we're a fucked up family at best and that's not accounting for the fact that eventually I'm going to be running the country." I told my aunt. 

"And where does Twilight fit into that scenario?" Luna asked. 

"Twilight is a good princess of friendship, but she's not the best when it comes to being organized without someone else to wait on her hand and foot. That's not accounting for the fact that I am the one officially in line for the throne and I supercede her ascension."

"True, you were a prince before she was a princess." Luna muttered. 

"Getting back to the reason why I initially called, so you have no idea where Celestia is at right now?" I asked her. 

"No clue, it's not usually like her to not announce where she's going. That's usually my shtick." Luna complained. 

"You're gonna get annoyed at your sister just because she wants some alone time?" I asked her. 

"Well....when you put it like that." Luna admitted. 

"Just, tell her to call me when she gets back. Something happened and it's been keeping me up, I just wish to talk to her." I told Luna. 

"No problemo....did...did I say that right?" Luna asked as she still had trouble understanding the lingo of the modern world. 

"Yes, you said it right Auntie. Have a good night at court, and try to get some lemonade out of this dispute, when night court gives you a lemon tree." I said, as she knew what phrase I was getting at. 

"Yes, yes, I know." She dismissed, "Have a good night Spike." She then hung up the phone. 

I sighed as I eventually did the same, I stood up and looked outside the window of the seedy motel I stayed at, well seedy is being too mean. The Cozy Sleep Inn is on the higher end when it comes to motels, it's run by a lovely couple and they go above and beyond when it comes guest services. Could they be doing better business wise? Yes, but then again so could everyone in the world. While the Twilight thing was running through my mind, it wasn't the main objective. That was reserved for writing the letters, and since I probably wasn't getting any sleep. Might as well start writing them out, I made them personalized. Trying to put myself in the mindset of who I was a few years ago, something was stopping me though. "I can't." I whispered to myself, "God damn it." Instead of writing out a personalized letter to any of the girls, I wrote a note to Quick. Telling her that I was going out, and that I would return. Getting up I walked out the door and locked it behind myself, I then started to walk towards the liquor store. The Spirit of Ponyville, run by Berry Punch. The premier Sommelier this side of the hemisphere. Going in, I found what I wanted. Whiskey with sour apple flavoring, "It's better than nothing." I concluded, walking up to the counter and purchasing the alcohol. I broke the cap open and started drinking. 

I wouldn't consider myself a heavy drinker, that's a lie to make yourself feel better. An inner voice told me, in which I responded. "I'm not afraid to kill you with the booze in my hand. Greeeeat, now you're talking to yourself, one way track to the looney bin." I eventually found myself in Ponyville park, at the top of the hill. I resigned myself to sitting down at the top of the hill, looking up at the stars that were shining in the sky. I downed another swig from my whiskey, "Why is this so hard?" I asked out loud. 

"Because you're seeing the consequences of your actions." A voice piped up, grabbing my attention. I turned to see the owner of said voice was Fluttershy. 

"I...I don't know what you're talking about." I immediately replied. 

Fluttershy made her way over to me and sat down next to me, "You can't lie to me Spike." 

"I'm not-" I started but cut myself off, "How did you figure it out?" I couldn't lie to her, not to Fluttershy. 

"No matter how much you harden yourself to the outside world, you still care about Twilight. I could see it in your eyes, your compassion." She said, "You still care about us, and I know why you left." 

"You do?" I asked her. 

"It was a cycle of abuse, and we weren't going to stop. It took me a month to realize that, I wasn't treating you with the same kindness I treated my friends with." She accepted, "But you were right in a way, if you told everyone you were going to leave then we would've begged for you to stay. Eventually you would have and the cycle would've continued. In some ways, you just disappearing was what was best...for most of us anyways." 

"But not Twilight." I concluded. 

"In her own way, she loved you so much." Flutters said, "But that way, that wasn't healthy. She didn't love you as a son, she loved your service to her. But she never took any interest in your interests. This was needed in a way, to show her that the way she was loving you, wasn't the way you wanted to be loved. It took her awhile to realize that." 

"What do I do?" I asked her, "What can I do?" 

"Within these past two years you've been living your life to the fullest and the way you want. Is that still what you still want?" She asked me. 

"Yeah, I do." I said, "I've seen how much everyone has been affected by my leaving, and I just want to fix it." I told her, "I don't know how...." I turned to look at her, "Mom."

"H-How did." The faux Fluttershy stuttered. 

"You're powerful, you can do a lot of things to try and hide your presence. You can't hide the smell, you. You smell like a warm summer breeze. Fluttershy smells like pine trees." I told her, "You want me to repair my relationship with them, but you want me to be my own person." 

The illusion dropped and there sat Princess Celestia, "Yes." 

"So you disguise yourself as one of my former friends and pretend to know my secret, telling me about my guilt and about how my actions have affected others. Then you expect me to trust you?" I asked her. She opened her mouth and then closed it, I continue. "The part I don't understand is, why oh why of all the people to do this to....why me? Why your son? Do you not trust me?" 

"I-I do trust you." She stuttered. 

"Then why come to me, with a literal mask on your face?" I asked her. 

"Because I don't trust myself." She said shakily, "I don't trust myself not to hurt my loved ones." 

"So you keep secrets, and live behind the filter of a mask. Withholding information, and causing more damage for yourself in the long run." I stated, "Causing your own cycle of self abuse." 

"I...you're right." Celestia admitted and was surprised when I handed the bottle over to her. 

"You're right too." I admitted, "I am seeing the consequences of my actions. After all how many people have been hired to find their own fucking selves?" 

"I don't like it when you swear." Celestia grimaced after taking a swig of her own, "And I don't like whiskey." She gave me back the bottle. 

"There's nothing else, so shut it." I told her as put the bottle back to my lips and drank from it. 

"D-Did you just tell your own mother, one of the diarchs of Equestria, the avatar of the sun, and the oldest living being in the world to shut up?" She asked. 

"Yeah I did, what are you going to do? Banish me to the sun? Then I'll really be dead." I smiled and gave her the bottle again, "I also got you to admit you're old." 

"I-" She couldn't find anything to say so she took another drink. "You're grounded." 

"I don't live in the castle, so you can't ground me." I smirked. 

"I'll suspend your bank accounts." She countered. 

"I'll open new ones." I fired back. 

"I'll take away your car." She retaliated. 

"I always prefered trains anyways." I returned fire once more. 

"I'll take your secretary away." She threatened. 

"Go ahead, she'll probably steal from the castle and sell the world ending artefacts on the internet to foreign countries." I retorted, that's what broke her, she soon started laughing. 

"Pffftttt....hahahahahahahahaha!" She leaned back, laying down on the grass as I grabbed whiskey from her. 

"Gimme that, I don't want to waste my money on good cheap booze going back into the earth." 

"That's an oxymoron, there's no such thing as good cheap booze." Celestia pointed out, not bothering to get back up. 

"I'm sorry I don't have thousands of years and gallons of perfectly aged wine in my basement! The closest thing I got to alcohol there is rat turds." I quipped before I drank. 

"That's....fair." Celestia acquiesced. 

"In reality, I'm actually glad you're here. I need to talk to you about something. I don't know if I should pursue this or not, things have been...incredibly complicated as of late." I said, which got her attention. I told her about the quasi date I had with Twilight and about how she kissed me on the cheek, I told her about Ember and how we kissed while I was Spike. I revealed that Rarity kissed me briefly as well. I told her all the details and when I finished she looked up at me. 

"Hmm, that does sound troubling. You do know about how there's nothing against having multiple partners especially in Equestria?" She pointed out, "I'm not Cadence, I've not had a partner in...well that doesn't matter." 

"That's not what I was concerned about, and you know it. I've known these girls all my life, with the exception of Ember. Twilight I see as a sister so I can't imagine doing anything of that nature with her. While I still feel something for Rarity, I don't want to go down a road where it might cause more pain for the both of us." I told her and took another drink, "I really screwed myself on this one didn't I?" 

"Yes, you did. However, you're very smart. I have no doubt that you'll find a way to be happy eventually." Celestia said. 

"Going home?" I asked her, as I could tell that her words were being used in a conclusive manner. 

"Unfortunately I must, the sun cannot raise itself and Luna breaks out in hives when she does." She said. 

"Goodnight Tia." 

"Goodnight Jack."
> Case File 9
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I stayed up, finishing my bottle of whiskey and watching the sun rise over Ponyville. The birds started to chirp and sing their melodic mating cries, "I used to wonder what it sounds like to Fluttershy, seeing as she can talk to animals." I chuckled to myself, looking around I saw that no one else was in the park with me. I put my feet under my legs and pushed myself upwards, slowly. I didn't want all the blood rushing to my head and wind up being right back where I started.  Speaking of starting, where do I start? The logical side of my brain is just saying to finish the case and move on, but how can I? 

Tia was right, I was seeing the consequences of my actions and I was stuck. Do I tell them the truth and see what happens, or do I write those letters and leave? I sighed as I couldn't find an answer in sight. "Um, excuse me?" I heard a familiar soft voice pipe up. The smell of pine trees tickling my nose. It was the actual Fluttershy. 

I turned to her, "May I help you?" 

She saw the bottle of whiskey in my hand and looked at me, "I think you're the one who needs help." 

"I'm not an alcoholic, I was just...frustrated." I said. 

"I know it's tough." Fluttershy said, "You're scared of what would happen if you found out the truth, aren't you?" 

"And if I am?" I asked her. 

"Everyone is scared of everything, even the princesses." She said. 

"What do you think the princesses are scared of?" I asked the girl. 

"Loss." Fluttershy said, "They never showed up to his funeral, I think they were scared of losing the closest thing they had to family." 

"Was he that important?" I asked her. 

"He was the most important person in Equestria." Fluttershy said, "But he never felt like it, he was constantly pushed to the side. He had to care for himself, he was left alone a lot of the time. We never treated him like he was meant to be treated, he was our friend and we didn't show it." She started to sniffle, then she wiped her eyes, "We all miss him, and I know he's not dead. However I can't help but feel like, we're dead to him." Tears rolled down her cheeks and she wiped them away, "We have to move on however. We have to keep moving forward. Some of us can't move forward without some closure though." She looked to Twilight's castle. 

"That's what I do, I provide closure." I said. 

"I know who you are really Mr. Drake." Fluttershy said while still looking at Twilight's castle, "You're very well known for closing your cases within a week or so but it's been almost an entire week and there's not even a shred of evidence of where Spike went to. It's because you're too close to the case isn't it?" She asked. I said nothing and looked down. She looked at me, "I don't blame you." That caused me to look up, she continued. "I would've done the same thing in your position." 

"Really?" I asked, at this point I was just tired of the deception. I had changed, but I couldn't lie to her. Not to Fluttershy. 

"Like it or not, it was a cycle of abuse. That abuse being false promises and abandonment. The worst thing you can do to a friend, is make them think that they were never your friend to begin with." Fluttershy said. She then came over and hugged me, "I'm sorry." 

"When did you figure it out?" I asked her. 

"I suppose I always knew since I first saw you after all this time. Your look may have changed but your eyes, they still showed that you cared." Fluttershy mumbled into my chest, "You always showed that you cared, even when we didn't." 

"I don't know what to do." I told her while hugging her back.

"What do you want to do?" Fluttershy asked. 

"I want to go home, I want to go back to my rickety apartment in Manehattan where one of my neighbors keeps hitting on me even after I told her a million and a half times no." I said. 

"What's stopping you?" Fluttershy asked. 

"There's a part of my brain, scratch that. A part of me that doesn't want to let this go, I saw what happened and I want to come back and try make it right." I told her. 

"What is there to make right?" Fluttershy asked me, "You left for your own sake." 

"Did I?" I asked. 

Fluttershy brought her hand up to my cheek and looked in my eyes, "Spike. Don't lie to yourself. Why did you really leave?" 

"I was scared." I looked down, she tilted my chin back up to look at her.

"Why were you so scared?" She asked. 

"Because I was hearing voices, they were telling me to hurt people." I admitted, "They told me to hurt Twilight." 

"Why didn't you say anything?" Fluttershy asked. 

"Because no one would listen to me. Everyone always said maybe later Spike, or not right now Spike,  or I'm busy Spike can it wait?" 

Fluttershy was speechless. She could see how much he was hurting, she pulled my head into her breast having me listen to her heartbeat. "Then that thing with Applejack and Rarity happened." She said. 

"That's when I found out that the only person who truly cared about me is me." I said, "I had to leave, but life, or the universe, or hell even elements of harmony just want me here. I don't want to be here, I don't want to be hurt again." I fell to my knees, my head aligning itself with Fluttershy's stomach. 

Fluttershy picked me up and put my arm over my shoulder. She may look small but she's wrestled with bears, and that takes quite a bit of strength. She took me to her house and lay me down on the couch. She took the bottle out of my hand and disposed of it, "Sit up." She commanded and I didn't refuse, she slowly took off my coat and hung it up. She went to my button up shirt but stopped, "Can you do this yourself?" 

"No." I said hoarsely. I was just...tired, of everything at this point. I don't know if it was the fact that it was actually Fluttershy or the alcohol or what I was just...exhausted. 

Fluttershy unbuttoned my shirt, took off my tie, took off my shirt then folded them, placing them together. She looked at the scars that wracked my body, and slowly reached out. Touching them, slowly tracing them with her fingers. "Where did go? After you left?" 

"I checked myself into Manehattan Psychiatric Hospital." I explained she gasped and sat down next to me. "The voices had developed while I was constantly left alone in Ponyville, the doctors had theorized that because I was left alone so many times at such a crucial stage in my development that my mind had made a way so I could never be alone."  

Fluttershy looked down, thinking of all the things that had happened for the person before her to just break. He must've been so scared, he just wanted his friends to help him. She thought to herself. She leaned over and hugged me. "This is long overdue. I'm so sorry." 

It was at that moment that the floodgates just opened and I started to cry, to actually and truly cry. I couldn't take any more, I was just broken. Flutters pulled me over to her and hugged me tight, tighter than ever before. 

Fluttershy looked down at the sight before her holding him. How long has it been since someone's done this for you Spike? Why did it take so long? She closed her eyes as tears leaked out of them, slowly running her fingers through his hair. 

She could hear him mumbling, "I just wanted my friends." repeating himself again and again. 

"You've got me now." She told him. "I'm just so sorry that it took so long." Holding the broken man in her arms, she swore to herself, to everyone and everything watching, listening, or even thinking of this moment. "I'm never leaving your side again. I promise you that."
> Case File 10
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years? How long was I with Fluttershy? How much time did I spend just sitting on her couch making a mess of her sweatshirt? I don't think I care about that any more.  For the first time, someone was there for me. They didn't need anything from me, they were just there to hear my troubles, to listen to me and not get paid to do so. I guess that's something I've always craved, just someone who was there for me. I was always there for others, Twilight, Rarity, Tia, but no one was there for me. Quick is too new in my life to really count as being there for me always, and I'm a pillar of strength for her. I can't really decide to be weak and break down in front of her, Celestia was always too distant and Twilight is Twilight. I thought none of them ever saw me as a person who needs others; I was just always there. 

In the conclusion of my breakdown, I couldn't help but feel one thing. Dread, I dreaded about how the same cycle of abuse would start all over again and I would just drag Quick along with me. There's some part of me that just wants to stay here in Ponyville, and I'm thinking that it's going to win out if I don't do something soon. Fluttershy could feel me tensing up and she rubbed my back, "Spike, please talk to me. I swear I'll listen." 

I cracked my eyes open and looked up at her, "Do you promise?" was all I asked. 

"I promise." She replied.

"Well it started a few weeks after Twilight and I moved to Ponyville..." I started off and continued to tell her the story of how I went into a slow descent into loneliness and brief bouts of schizophrenia. The voices started after I had 'saved' the Crystal Empire. I had finally gotten my moment and then everyone burst into song about how Twilight passed her test, taking my moment from me. I was devastated, I finally got to live up to the long shadows that I had spent so many cold nights under. And I wasn't even mentioned at all, no one said congratulations, I didn't get a song or moment of harmony. It was immediately about Twilight again. Then a voice in my head spoke up, and I knew it wasn't my inner voice it told me. After all that, they show their true colors. They never cared about you.

There were other moments, like the time we got sucked into that enchanted comic book and even though I was just as important as anyone else, what happened the day after that? It was back to Spike doing all the chores, and Twilight gets to go out and be with her friends. That's another time that the other voice spoke up, Just as important as everyone else huh? I never dained to give the other voice a name, as it came and went. It only picked at the things I already knew, that at that moment...I was no one. I just faded away into my work, helping Rarity and Twilight. Barely ever go out with everyone else, and certainly never get noticed. After all I had done, I was still ignored. 

Then came the breaking point, the day Applejack kissed Rarity. At first, I ran home to my bedroom. I locked the windows, I moved my bed in front of the door; then I packed my things and left. Where was Twilight during all of this? Busy in Canterlot, because Princess Celestia needed help with organizing the library and there was NO ONE better than Twilight to do so. When she knew full fucking well she had almost a hundred librarians at any given time in said library and barely used ANY of them. She just wanted to be close to the daughter she wished she had, but instead she got me. The uncrowned dragon prince, and she couldn't even be bothered to raise me! Just pawn me off to Twilight the moment I could walk and talk! I guess that's also part of the reason I left, I had no family or friends in the world. Just acquaintances, my own mother rarely spoke a word to me and I didn’t truly feel like family to her. 

The person that reached out to me was Luna, she found me in my dreams. Eventually she convinced me to talk to Tia, not like I could escape her if I wanted to, I said my piece and everything was set up for me. A new identity, a business, my disguise. For a while I was very happy. Then I got visited by Twilight, I had spent so many years underneath her wing, in her shadow. That when the time came for her to have MY back; she wasn’t there. She never was, and you have no idea how hard it was for me not to say anything. I held my tongue however, I was the ever diligent assistant. I still loved her, in a round a bout way. 

I still loved Rarity too, it hurt that I could never truly escape from them no matter how hard I tried to run the Elements of Harmony were always going to be to haunt me, to hurt me. I could not escape their shadows, but yet I don't blame them. They don't even know that they were doing it. 





Fluttershy couldn't help but stare at me after I exposited how I felt. "You, you were schizophrenic?" She stuttered.  

"Turns out it was stress induced auditory hallucinations." I sighed, and looked up at her. 

"I'm so sorry." Fluttershy said. 

"Stop apologizing, there's a lot of stuff to unpack. It's not entirely your fault. I'm just at a crossroads, and I don't know what to do." 

"Well...What do you want to do?" Fluttershy asked. 

I paused, looked down then looked back at her. "I think that's the first time that anyone has asked me that." I grabbed a tissue from the tissue box on the coffee table. I wiped my eyes and blew my nose. I threw the tissue away straightened my back and looked at her, "I know what I want to do, but I'm going to have to lie at least for a little while." 

"If you're sure, then I've got your back." Fluttershy stood up, then walked over to her coat rack, grabbing my hat and jacket. Handing them to me she gave me a reassuring smile. For once I finally felt her kindness, and it felt so warm.

It was so comforting, I put on my jacket and held my hat, "Are you sure that you want to help me lie?" I asked her. 

"Applejack is the element of honesty, not me." She smiled. 

"I guess so."