Prologue: Meeting

The Intriguing Mysteries of Deduction and Stethoscope

Narratives compiled by Dr. Stethoscope, Ph.D.

Prologue: Meeting

Throughout my life I have had the pleasure (and occasional displeasure) of coming across a variety of ponies in and around the kingdom. While most of them were merely passing acquaintances or one-time patients, there have been a few that have left a long lasting impression on me. However, of these particular ponies neither has been as profoundly interesting, as unusual, as unorthodox, or as exceptionally extraordinary as the one that I came to call a friend, Deduction. Through the thirty odd years that I’ve known and lived with him I have had the astounding privilege to partake in a grand number of adventures and mysteries that have served to highlight his keen intellect and prowess. These have also served to heighten my own.

As such I feel that it is my duty as his friend and assistant to record the events and the more interesting cases that occurred during the time when we shared a flat in Buckshire Street in our native city of Trottingham. This so that other generations may come to fully understand what sort of stallion Deduction was and, to this very day, still is. Some might think of him differently that I do and I would not hold you to a fault for thinking that way. However, to those who are currently reading these writings, I urge you to keep an open mind as to his methods and behaviour. Then, and only then, will you be able to fully understand and appreciate the true depths of his genius.

Alas, I feel that if I am going to tell you of our adventures, I must first detail the events that led to our fateful meeting. Fear not for I will not give you my entire life story which, needless to say, is nothing of import. I will, on the other hoof, detail a few ponies of note for they will play a role in one way or another in these narratives.

Around three or four years before I knew Deduction, I had recently finished earning my degree in medicinal studies at the University of Trottingham. Unfortunately, it appeared that I had underestimated the difficulty of finding a proper place in which I could hone my practice. Bitless and desperate, my salvation came to me in the form of a position as an assistant to the town physician in one of the faraway colonies. Normally, I would not have risked such a long and arduous journey across the ocean, but current circumstances forced my hoof. Thus I packed up what few belongings I had from my years as a student and used what little wealth I had accrued at the time to buy myself a place in the next ship to Twilight Town, and to whatever fate had laid out for me there.

The journey was indeed long and tedious but, thankfully, it was made all the better by the disposition of the vessel’s crew. At first, I thought that they would turn their backs on me being that I belonged to a higher social status than them. On the contrary, they treated me with the utmost respect; as if I was one of their own. One of them, a young stallion of twenty years known as Pipsqueak, told me stories of how he had personally met Princess Luna when he was just a small colt during his first ever Nightmare Night.

“She was quite the beauty,” he had told me, “not as beautiful as me wife, but beautiful all the same.”

The captain, a certain calm stallion by the name of Spyglass, was also a rather charming fellow; occasionally sharing a glass of Crystal Brandy with me some nights. I sought to repay his kindness by offering my skills as a medical pony; an offer which he wholeheartedly accepted. I took my time examining the crew to see if any of them were in need of medical attention. Some had bouts of fever or nausea, but nothing gravely serious seemed to affect any of them.

Finally, after nearly two months at sea, the ship finally reached port. Admittedly I had unceremoniously thanked the Goddess for finally landing on terra firma. After bidding the captain, Pipsqueak, and the rest of the crew farewell I immediately set to work at my new profession. The doctor was a rather mature mare; having a thick Manehattenite accent as her distinguishing feature. Most of my time was spent assisting the doctor with her procedures, occasionally performing operations myself under her supervision. The pay itself was fair; a generous twenty bits per hour. Enough to pay for a room at the local inn and to acquire food.

Twilight Town itself was a beautiful village, but I gradually grew more and more homesick at time went by. The doctor was not blind to this and so one day she approached me and placed a large purse containing five hundred bits on my hoof.

“Kid, ya been a great help and I appreciate it,” she said with a smile on her face, “...but I can tell ya miss home and I think you’d be better off back there than here.”

Admittedly, I felt a twinge of sadness at the thought of leaving her alone to care for an entire town. Though she insisted and I finally relented. With that, I chartered a ship back to Trottingham where I had hoped to find better luck than I did before leaving. On the journey back, however, I began to experience severe dizzy spells and a terrible fever. It appeared that I had somehow contracted malaria right before leaving the colony. Why I still managed to continue living still baffles me to this very day. Needless to say, I did.

When the ship arrived at Trottingham, I was immediately taken to the nearest hospital. There I had spent countless weeks in a feverish state of which I am told caused me to mutter incomprehensible sentences and vomit constantly. When I finally began recovering I was as thin as a silver spoon and had seemed to age a few years. Nevertheless, the staff deemed that I was well enough to leave.
The day before I left the hospital I came across a very familiar face. It was none other than Healing Touch, an old colleague of mine from medical school. It seemed that fate had deemed it wise to make have our paths cross.

“Why, dear Stethoscope!” he exclaimed as we gave each other a friendly embrace. “How ever have you been?”

I gave him a short account of the series of events that had led me here. At the end of my tale, his look of happiness changed to that of pity.

“By the Goddess, how terrible!" He placed a hoof upon my shoulder,”What are you going to do now?”

I merely gave a shrug. “At this point, I find that I should begin searching for lodgings with reasonable prices. After that? Attempt to find some place that is in dire need of doctors.” I told him.

Healing Touch began to smile again. “I do believe I have a solution for your plight.”

“You have?” I asked.

“Indeed! There is this certain stallion that frequents this establishment looking for certain materials for his experiments. He had come to me asking if I knew somepony who was willing to share the rent for a two bedroom flat he had come across in Buckshire Street. At the time I knew of no such pony, but it seems that now the circumstances are different. “ He put a hoof under his chin in thought “As for employment, I have more great news: One of our senior doctors has moved to the Crystal Empire and I have been assigned to recruit a new pony to take his place. What say you?”

I am sure that I needn’t tell you how positively delighted I was to hear this news. He told me that he would talk to the facility’s administrator and would put in a good word for me. I did not mind the fact that I would be sharing my home with another stallion. I enjoyed having company.

As we made our way to Buckshire Street, I took a chance to survey my surroundings. In the time that I had been away the city remained virtually the same. Smoke poured out of the chimneys while Pegasi cleaned the dormant ones with soot covered brushes. Young fillies stood in the corners crying out the newest headline in the Trottingham Times. Mares and stallions in professional clothing still walked down the sidewalk; conversing with each other about their businesses and income.

“Before we arrive, I must talk to you about the pony you will be lodging with,” said Healing Touch whilst we made passed Trotsford Avenue. “He is a bit…odd in terms of his thinking. He seems to take an interest in every form of science. Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, et cetera. Though, he is a decent sort of pony.”

“Is he a student?” I inquired.

“Not exactly, though he does seem to enjoy attending lectures and observing procedures on the cadavers. Plus as I mentioned before, he constantly asks for various chemicals from our stores.”

The more I heard of this pony, the more I was intrigued by his queer behaviour. Before I could push for more information, my old friend declared that we had finally arrived at our destination. It was a medium sized building that seemed to blend in with the ones around it. Healing Touch placed a few solid knocks on the dark green door that adorned the front, which was composed mostly of reddish brown bricks. It had been answered by a small tan mare that seemed to have been of the same age as my charge in Twilight Town.

“Why Mr. Healing Touch, how great to see you!” she greeted in a sweet voice, “How are you this fine day?”

“Greetings Mrs. Parsley. I am doing well.”

The mare then turned to me. “And who is your friend?” she inquired; a welcoming look upon her features.

“Mrs. Parsley? I would like to introduce you to Doctor Stethoscope. He is an old university colleague of mine.”

I gave her a tip of my hat. “Pleased to make your acquaintance, madam.” I said.

“The pleasure is all mine.” Her smile seemed to grow wider. “Would either of you like some tea, perhaps some biscuits?” She asked my companion.

“That would be lovely.” He looked up the stairs that adorned the side of the entrance hall, “By any chance, is Deduction still here?”

“Why yes, he is.” she answered, “I was about to bring some tea to his room. Would you like me to fetch him?”

He held his hoof up. “That won’t be necessary. We shall go up ourselves. Thank you, in any case.”
She nodded and made her way to a door at the end of the hall; most likely the kitchen. Healing Touch and I made our way up the stairway one step at a time. They squeaked loudly as my hoof landed on the wood but I paid to heed to it. Soon we came upon a simple wooden door with a metal plate at the top that read “344B” on it. My friend once again took up the mantle of knocking on the door.

“Yes?” came a muffled male voice from inside.

“I say, Deduction?” said Healing Touch, “it’s me, Healing Touch, from the hospital. May we come in?”

The collected voice cried back,“Yes, yes, of course, the door is open.”

We made our way inside the flat as he wished. It was a fairly decent sized abode, furnished with two large chairs, a couch, a large bookcase and a desk at the other side of the room. It contained a multitude of objects, including a telephone, various test tubes and beakers that seemed to belong to a laboratory, and stacks of papers. Sitting at the desk was a grey earth stallion with a black mane that was neatly combed back. Emblazoned on his flanks was, curiously, the image of a magnifying glass. He was looking through what appeared to be a microscope; his back turned towards us.

“Hello sir.” My colleague greeted “What are you doing?”

“Merely observing this specimen.” The stallion answered “These parasprites seem to have a similar wing structure than that of a common fly. Not only that, but their eyes are almost exactly the same. It is most interesting.”

Healing Touch and I shared a look. “That’s fascinating. But more importantly, I have found a solution to you lodger problem.”

At this the stallion diverted his attention from the contraption and turned towards us, allowing me a better look at his features. He had a calm face with a few wrinkles forming around his eyes. They were of a brown colour and seemed to show signs of exhaustion, possibly from concentrating intently on his specimen. A half-finished cigarette hanged from his lips which he extinguished on the ashtray that was placed upon the desk. He left his seat and walked towards us, a smile forming on his face.

“Excellent!” he exclaimed “This is certainly wonderful news.”

I held out hoof which he shook softly. “A pleasure to meet you, sir. My name is Stethoscope. I have heard a good deal of you.”

“I am pleased to meet you as well. I take it you’re my new roommate?” I nodded. “Well then, welcome to your new lodgings. I am sure you and I will get along just fine.”

He had seemed friendly enough. I believed that living with him would have been no trouble at all.

Healing Touch cleared his throat, bringing our attention to him. “Well, I must be off now.” He turned to me. “Would you like me to send for your belongings?”

“That would be splendid.”

“Very well. I shall leave you two alone to get acquainted.” With that, he stepped out through the doorway and down the stairs. Deduction closed the door behind him and pointed to one of the large chairs in the middle of the room.

“Please, have a seat. Mrs. Parsley told me she would be bringing tea soon.” I obliged him and made my way to chair. Slowly, I sat down on my haunches; feeling the fabric rub against my coat. My fellow lodger sat on the one next to mine. “So, Mister Stethoscope, am I safe in assuming that you are also a doctor?”

“Technically, yes. Though, I’ve yet to locate an actual position. I have only recently returned from working as an assistant to a physician in one of the colonies.”

“Interesting.” said he“Well, I believe I should tell you about myself. As you can see and have most likely heard, I hold a keen interest in the art of inquiry. I strive to learn more about the problems and events that this life of ours can present at any given moment. My mind constantly craves stimulation and challenge and, without it, it would no longer be of any use to me. That is why I chose the profession I chose or rather, created it.”

“And what would that profession be?” I asked.

He smiled; “I would guess you would say that I am a sort of ‘consultant’ for various parties in the city. There are times when ponies cannot find enough help from the constables or that they wish to not seek them at all. As such, they come to me for my help to investigate their problems and solve their mysteries.”

“Like an inspector?”

He gave a dry chuckle. “Not exactly, though I have been keen to help the force as well. You see, since I am not part of the city police, I do not need to operate within restrictive boundaries. I am allowed to make my inquiries any way I see fit; within reasonable limits, of course. In fact I-“

He was interrupted when the telephone began to ring abruptly. Deduction quickly excused himself and made his way to the desk. He picked up the earpiece with his hoof and began to speak into the main body of the phone. “Yes, this is Deduction speaking. Yes. Yes. I see. Interesting. I will be there post haste.”

After a few minutes of talking, he hung up the telephone and made his way towards me.

“Who was that?” I asked.

“That was the police. They have something they wanted to show me. Would you like to accompany me?”

I was slightly taken aback by his offer; I had only just met him. “Are you sure?”

“I insist. I can always use another personal opinion on certain matters. Plus, you can observe for yourself what I do.”

I cannot lie. I was curious as to what his profession exactly entailed. Besides, until my position in the hospital was secured, I did not have anything else to do. “Very well, let us go.”

“Excellent! Come, let us make haste.” As I stood up from the chair, he approached the long wooden coat rack that stood next to the door. Standing up on his hind legs he plucked off a hat that was hanging from the top. It was a simple top hat that had seen its fair share of use.

“Follow me, Mister Stethoscope. It’s not too far away, so we can arrive there by hoof.” He passed through the threshold.

As I followed behind him I did not realize that this first meeting would forever linger on in my memories until after I pass from this world. I could not fathom that this would lead to a mystery unlike no other.

Prologue End

Case 1: The Saddle Arabian Treasure (Part 1)

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The Intriguing Mysteries of Deduction and Stethoscope

Narratives compiled by Dr. Stethoscope, Ph.D

Case I: The Saddle Arabian Treasure

When I first stepped into the flat that fateful night, I, in my years as a surgeon and medical consultant, would have never begun to fathom the turn my life would take after meeting the peculiar stallion that was walking silently at my side. Indeed, throughout my days of study and working in Twilight Town, I always envisioned my life being nothing more that providing my services to the sick of my home town. However, as I’ve come to learn in the years following the events that I am about to narrate, life is not so predictable as one believes.

And so, there we were: two unlikely companions silently trodding towards an unknown destination (unknown to me, at least) in an ordinary dark and frigid Trottingham evening. It had been nearly an hour since we hastily left our lodgings at 344B Buckshire Street after receiving a call from the police. At the time, the only thing I could gather from the call was that the police were in need of his presence. As I thought back to our short meeting at the flat, he explained to me that he was what he named “consultant” to the police, a rather peculiar position to be sure. As he described it, his duties involved assisting ponies who could not find help with the city constabulary to solve their problems. He told me that he was not an inspector as he was not part of the police and as such he could operate without any boundaries.

I looked at my flat-mate, studying his features curiously. Etched upon his face was a visage of determination and concentration. He did not speak to me throughout our journey, but his eyes and the slight smile upon his lips told me that he was eager to arrive. His pace was long and quick that I found myself struggling to stay at his side.

As we passed the bank in Horn Street, my curiosity got the better of me. “Excuse, Mr. Deduction, but where are we-”

“Just Deduction, if you please,” said he, still staring at the sidewalk in front of us. “If we are to live under the same roof, then we must be rid of such stifling formalities.”

“I see. Very well, Deduction.”

“Thank you. Now then, what was your question?” He turned his head towards mine.

“Well, I have multiple questions, actually. Firstly, we are we headed?” I inquired. His talk of our destination being close seemed to lack any truth behind it. Already, my hooves were becoming more and more exhausted to the point where each step was met with discomfort.

“We are headed for a certain house at the very end of Horn Street, so we are not too far off now,” he answered. I gave out a small sigh of relief at the prospect of an end to our incessant walking. “Now, you had another question, I believe?”

“Yes. Why are we headed there?”

“Well, as you saw, the police contacted me and requested that I met them at the house.”

“But why do they want to see you?”

“They did not say why.” His smile grew. “But I very much prefer it that way. It is good to go into a case without any prior knowledge so as to not make any baseless assumptions.” He suddenly came to a stop and turned towards me. “That reminds me: you would not perchance have a notepad and pencil, would you?”

I shook my head slowly. “No, I do not.”

“Hmm, a pity, but it should not be a problem. For the next time, do bring one, for it is always imperative to have testimonies written down. Do you understand?”

I nodded.

“Excellent. Come, we are nearing our destination.” He turned away and we resumed our trek.

---

He had been speaking the truth this time when he said we were near our final point. As we approached the house, I could see the the police had been there for a good while. Two rather large earth stallions were guarding either side of the main gate that led towards the house. About the house, it was truly a marvel to look at. From what I could gather, it was around two stories and it covered a rather substantial area. The windows were awash with light, which I assumed was done by the constables as all the other homes in the area were dark.

We approached the two officers in front of the gate whom eyes us suspiciously. “This is a crime scene, citizen. Please return to your home,” said the guard on the left, a brown stallion.
Deduction’s smile did not falter even under the stallion’s scrutiny. “Good evening, honourable servant of the law. Forgive my intrusion, but we are here under the auspices of the Chief Inspector. Might we see her?”

The brown pony turned to his companion on the right and signaled him inside without saying a word. The other seemed to have understood what he meant and made his way into the habitation. A few moments later, he stepped out, along with another pony in tow, a mare to be exact. She was around the same height as the guards, a rather rare sight amongst the mares in Trottingham. She was a white coated unicorn with a grey mane. The uniform she wore was rather plain, though the badge that pinned on her breast was slightly larger and more ornate than the badges of the other two. Her face showed the tell-tale signs of aging, but even so she still carried a certain air of beauty.

“Hello, Deduction. I trust the walk here was pleasant enough?” she spoke, holding out a hoof in front of her.

Deduction, still smiling, took her hoof between his and shook it in greeting. “Pleasant enough,” he answered. “May I ask, are you having any problems at home?”

I looked at him in confusion. Was that not a little personal for him to be asking? How did he figure out such a thing?

To my surprise, she did not respond to his question with anger, but with a dry chuckle. “What gave it away?” she asked.

“Well, for a start, your clothes are always in pristine order every time we’ve met, yet today they are all wrinkled and dishevelled. Now last month, you told me that it was your wife that made sure your uniform was always in order, so I merely deduced that you were either evicted from your house or, inversely, she left you. Also, I noticed that you do not have your wedding bracelet around your hoof,” he explained.

I was, for lack of a better word, amazed. How was he able to deduce correctly that she had marital problems just by pointing out such inconsequential things? I thought back to what Healing Touch had told me about Deduction when we met. Perhaps he was right in calling this stallion “peculiar.”

The inspector sighed. “We… we just need to be away from each other for a bit. In any case, there are more important matters to attend to.” She turned to me. “And who might this be?”

“Allow me to introduce to you my new flat-mate, Stethoscope,” said he. “He is here as an observer so he may better understand my profession. Stethoscope, this is inspector Looking Glass.”

“A pleasure to meet you, madame,” said I, tipping my hat to her.

“The pleasure is mine,” she responded with a curt nod. “I pray Mr. Deduction here has not frightened you in any way.” She gave out a wry chuckle.

“Well I-”

“Never you mind that, Stethoscope. We have more pressing matters to attend to,” said he with a dismissive hoof. “Inspector, can you tell why the police are in need of my services.”

A frown formed on the mare’s face. “By all intents and purposes, it appears that the owner of this humble abode is a tragic victim of burglary.”

Deduction shook his head. “Ah, but were it that simple then my presence would not be required, would it?”

The inspector smiled. “We would not bother you were it so. Come, I am sure that you would prefer to see for yourself.”

Inspector Looking Glass turned towards the large house and beckoned us with her hoof. We obliged her, speaking not a single word as we made our way inside.

When the three of us passed through the threshold into the foyer, the sight that greeted us was a complete contrast to the habitation’s exterior. Whereas outside, the house appeared to be splendid and well-kept, the interior looked as if the entirety of the Royal Army had marched about after traversing a mud soaked plain. Various pieces of furniture had been knocked over, and the smooth wood floor had been caked in dirt. The inspector led us then to the living room, which seemed to have suffered even worse than the foyer.

As we entered the room, my ears perked up at the cacophony of voice that permeated the vicinity. A mixture of unicorn, pegasus, and earth pony constables were spread out throughout the area, discussing matters \to this particular case. Above the din, I could make out the exasperated shouts of a distressed unicorn stallion who I assumed was the owner of the defiled abode.

“Hoodlums! Vandals! How dare they defile my home like this?” he exclaimed at two officers recording his testimony.

“He is certainly not pleased with this turn of events,” said I.

“What he feels is of no relevance,” spoke Deduction. “Now then, may you explain the details of the problem, inspector?”

“Very well. The owner, who goes by the name of Daring Venture, had just returned from an extended trip to Flankfurt when he found his home in its current state that you see before you. Suspecting he had been burglarized, he called the station immediately.”

“Yes well, it does appear to be a simple robbery,” said I, examining mine surroundings.

“Normally, I would agree with you, Mr Stethoscope. However, there two facts that make this a rather strange case.”

“Oh?” spoke Deduction, his brow raised in interest. “And what might those be?”

“First, the guards, myself and Mr. Venture investigated the rest of the house, only to find that all the other rooms had been spared ransacking. Added to that, it appeared that nothing of import to owner had been stolen from the premises.”

“And what is the second factor?” Deduction asked.

Inspector Glass said nothing, choosing instead to point her hoof towards the wall behind us. On it was some sort of writing. However, in my eyes, it appeared to be some sort of nonsense message written in a foal’s hoof.

I looked towards my companion. “What do you make of this, Deduction?”

“From what I am seeing, it appears to be written in the same script that is used in Saddle Arabia. However, I am unable to translate it at this moment. Inspector, can you copy this message so that I may examine it in my flat? I do believe I have a book on Saddle Arabian script.”

The mare nodded, producing a writing pad and a pencil from her coat pocket with her magic. “I assume that you wish to speak with the owner?” she asked Deduction.

“Very much so, if you please.” She turned around and led us to the distraught stallion arguing with two police mares near the fireplace. He was an older pony, his mane a dark shade of grey and a coat of white fur. His muzzle was a mixture of moles, wrinkle, and tired eyes that were hidden behind a pair of old spectacles.

“Hoodlums! Vagabonds! No respect for their elders!” he shouted, his face contorted into a most distraught frown. He had almost begun another tirade before he found us standing aside him. With a quick clearing of his throat, he composed himself and turned towards my companion and myself.

“Yes?” he said, adjusting his glasses, “May I help you, sirs?”

“Good evening. My name is Deduction and this is my companion, Dr. Stethoscope,” Deduction answered. “I presume that you are the owner of this house, correct?”

The old stallion nodded. “That is correct. My name is Daring Venture, professor of Archaeology at the University of Trottingham. I am also quite displeased, as you can surmise.”

“Yes, I can see that. Now then, I was hoping if you could give us your story of tonight’s events.”

Mr. Venture looked at us in confusing, his head slightly cocked to the side. “Pardon my rudeness, but you don’t seem to be part of the police.”

“Appearances can be deceiving, Mr. Venture, but fret not, for we are working alongside the police in this case,” Deduction said, slightly reassuring the old stallion.

“Very well, though there is not much to say,” he said, beginning his recollection of the events. “I was out in the countryside, visiting my colleague, Steel Spade, who lives in his estate near the outskirts of Flankfurt. When I arrived, I found my home in the state you now see before you.”

“Do you have any servants, anypony who would have been here at that time?”

“Servants, yes. However, they are griffins and yesterday was one of their holy days. As such, I was obliged to allow them to observe their rituals and what not. Apparently, this is my reward for being a gracious master.”

“A tragedy, for sure,” said Deduction, with no emotion in his voice. “Was there anything of value stolen. Any jewels, money, priceless antiques?”

“Aside from any feelings I had of being safe, no. Strangely enough, all of my savings were intact. Of course, that does not excuse this….this travesty.” Mr. Venture frowned, clearly still angered by his ordeal.

“Yes, a tragedy.” Deduction turned to the side, his face demonstrating a ponderous look. “Tell me, Mr. Venture, have you, by any chance, an insurance policy for this house?”

Daring Venture looked at my companion with a hint of suspicion. “Well, I do not see what bearing that has on the investigation, unless…” He glared at Deduction, realizing what he was the implications of his question. “How dare you imply that I caused this calamity?! What right have you to come to my house and accuse me of fraud?! I should have you charged with libel!”

Deduction did not turn towards the irate pony. In fact, he seemed to ignore him whilst he released a barrage of curses and threats, gaining the attention of the officers in the room. Only after Mr. Venture began to calm himself did my companion turn to meet his gaze, his face as serene as ever.

“Pardon me. I did not mean to accuse you of anything. I merely wish to gather any and all relevant information so as to aid me in finding who ransacked your humble abode and why.”

The old stallion re-adjusted his spectacles in an effort to compose himself once more. “Yes, well, I still don’t understand how that is of any use in apprehending the worthless vandals who ruined my home.”

“It will, I can assure you of that.” Deduction turned towards me. “Doctor, I do believe we have learned all we can from the scene of the crime.”

“I see,” said I, “What do you intend to do now?”

He place a hoof under his chin, pondering our next course of action. “For now, I believe that the best course of action is to analyze that message left by whoever infiltrated Mr. Venture’s home. I think I can have it translated in an hour or two.”

“What about the griffons?” I asked Deduction. “Would they not be prime suspects in this case? Should we not question them?”

My companion shook his head. “Unnecessary. Griffins are proud creatures; for them, robbery is as dishonourable as cold blooded murder. They would not sink so low, even if their stations were
less than desirable by griffin standards.”

“Then who do you believe caused this mess?”

“That, my dear friend, is what we must discover.” He gestured towards the Chief Inspector, the fatigue on her face now more pronounced than earlier. “First, let us retrieve the note from Inspector Looking; I pray that she was able to transcribe the script with nary an error. Then, we shall return home, where I shall get to work translating it.”

I nodded, and we approached the older mare. “Had enough of him, I reckon? He certainly is a hoofful.”

“Well,” said Deduction, “robbery brings out the worst in ponies, I’m afraid. Pray, have you written down the message?”

“Aye.” Inspector Looking Glass’s horn glowed as she used her magic to levitate a strip of paper before Deduction’s face. He took the transcript and place it under his hat. “Thank you, I believe that is all that we can gather tonight.”

“I am not entirely sure how gibberish can help us catch this lowlife.”

“Ah, Inspector, you must not underestimate these things. In cases like these, even the smallest of clues can lead to great discoveries.”

The old mare rolled her eyes and smiled. “Always the poet, eh Deduction? Very well, be sure to call the station once you have any information.”

Deduction smiled as well and bowed slightly. “I will make sure to provide you with answers post haste.” He turned to me. “Come doctor, we shall take a cab this time. The more time we have to translate this, the better.”

I followed my companion towards the street, silently releasing a sigh of relief at the prospect of not having to cross the long road back to our flat on hoof.

---

We had arrived at our flat in scarcely twenty minutes, far quicker than it would have been had we walked. Mrs. Parsley had brought us a kettle of delicious mint leaf tea, which I drank heartily. My companion’s drink, however, lay still at his side, his attention turned towards the message the Inspector had transcribed and a copy of Saddle Arabian: A Guide to Saddle Arabian Script and Grammar. He had been working tirelessly for the last hour or two, seemingly unaffected by neither fatigue nor stress. A quick look at the clock showed that it was almost time to retire to bed.

“I say, Deduction,” said I to my flat mate, “how much longer until you finish?”

“Not a moment longer,” replied Deduction, not turning towards me, “I am almost finished.”

“Thank the Goddess. Surely you must be tired.”

“When I am working on a case, sleep is merely a distraction I cannot afford.” Deduction smiled and placed the writing contraption onto the desk. “There, it is finished.”

“Excellent!” I ejaculated, “What, pray, does it say?”

“According to the Guide, this message translates to the Saddle Arabian word Almaut.”

“[i[Almaut?” I asked, “What does that mean?”

“Simply put, Stethoscope, it means ‘death.’” replied Deduction with a grave look etched upon his features.

“Good Heavens!” I cried, “Why on Earth would somepony write such a vile message?”

“I do not know, but I feel that Mr. Venture’s life may be under peril.”

“Then we must call the police, they must warn him.”

The moment those words left my lips, the telephone began to ring. Deduction quickly took the call, a sense of urgency prevalent in his movements.

“Deduction,” he said in a terse voice. For the most part, he remained silent. However, I could see a look of disappointment slowly forming on his muzzle as the call continued. At times, he would interject with short phrases including, “when,” “how,” and “I see,” the context of which I had no knowledge of. Eventually, Deduction ended the call with a short “very well,” and hung up the phone.

“Who was that,” asked I.

“The police,” replied Deduction. “Come, we must make haste back to Mr. Venture’s home.”

“Why? What has happened?”

“It seems my fear have sadly come to fruition.”

“Fears? What do you mean?”

With a solemn sigh, he looked into my eyes.

“Mr. Venture was found in his home, a victim of murder.”