> Darkly Dreaming: Blood and New Feelings > by Connor Shadows > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter: 1 Patches, you poor bastard. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Darkly Dreaming: Blood and New Feelings By Connor Shadows Chapter: 1 Patches, you poor bastard. It was just before dawn in Ponyville the black unicorn with a peppered mane Patch Work, Patches to his friends, sat in the small white tiled bathroom of his coat shop home. He was curled up on the cool floor tiles dealing with a large amount of discomfort in his gut. “Ooooh, Shit what the hell did I eat.” He whined. The older stallion was usually in good health, he hadn’t eating anything that day other than salads. He didn’t even put cheese on them. Another deep throb hit him. “Damn oooww, if I have gas just let it come out already.” As if his innards heard him a long and not very pleasant noise came from his back side. After that most of the pain subsided. Now that clouding pain was gone he could think. What different food did he try today “It was those freaking brussel sprouts.” Patches realized. “Note to self don’t eat those again.” The exhausted shopkeeper was about to go back to bed when he heard a commotion outside. It sounded like some kind of fight. The voice of a younger stallion rang out in the still night. “Get off of me you freak!” “What's going on out there?” Patches wondered to himself as he cautiously made his way out of the bathroom and down the dimly lit hallway that led to the storefront. He got to the end of barely lit hallway to a solid oak door. He grabbed the aged brass door knob and pulled on the hefty block of wood. The door now wide open he was met with a bushy wall of cloth, he pushed his way through with the all too familiar scent of dusty fabric entering he nostrils. “Uggh! Somepony help!!” “This is more than a fight.” Patches quietly screamed. After Patches had gotten through the wall, shutting the door softly behind him, he looked at his favorite place in Equestria. The storefront of ‘Jackets Galore’ the small store was covered with clothes racks with what the name of the store implies. The shiny, wood floor had one short of a dozen racks with assorted coats and jackets, they were set up in orderly grid like fashion in the space available in the shop. There were also racks on the wall, one in particular with a gap in the clothes hanging bars hid the door that led to were Patches lived. He always thought it was clever. The store was pitch black all he could see was a small sliver of lunar light coming through a crack in the thick curtains that covered the front window casting a thin silvery line across the room. Instead of fumbling around in the dark Patches decide he use some magic so he could see. His magic was dark shade of grey very close to black with star like yellow dots speckled inside and a thin outer aura of the same shade of yellow. His magic wasn’t very good for making light but it was better than nothing. With his horn aglow he began to slowly creep to the dampened window. The struggle outside sound like it was close to the end. The voice that had been screaming and crying out had become much weaker and Patches would no longer hear the words. All he heard was low whimpers. He knew should be moving faster but his feet wouldn't allow it. “Come on you coward move your hooves.” Patches scolded himself. A sickening kind of slurping noise came from outside followed by the sound of tearing meat, then nothing. Patches had decided there was no need to look out the window. He rushed to the door, unlocked it and slammed through it. “What the hell is going on!” He yelled pushing down his fear. He saw a dark shape of what looked like stocky stallion running away with a saddle bag bouncing as he sprinted down the street away in the opposite direction of the shop. He couldn’t tell much else about the runner. “Yeah, you better run punk.” Patches yelled his confidence finally returning to him. He looked around, the area near the train station, where his store was only about fifty yards from, was clear. The houses were dark the only light was coming from the small silver crescent in the sky and the lamppost near the train station. All that could be heard was the slight rustling of leafs blowing around. “That’s one guy you can’t fight yourself, where’s the other guy.” He scanned the ground from in front of his store. After a few moments he noticed what looked like the form of a pony, but something seemed off about it. He began to bristly walk over to the ragged form. As he drew closer, his heart beating in his ear, he could tell this guy had been through quite a lot. He was bruised and cut all over, and he had a bag over his head. “Hey buddy you ok?” Patches questioned the limp stallion, skidding to a stop and kneeling down to check on him. Now he was close he could see there was blood all around his head. “Oh, no,” He yelled jostling the poor guy, “are you ok say something.” He franticly ripped the bag off so he could see the damage. What he saw almost made him pass out. Where the stallions head should have been, there was nothing but what was left of a mutilate spine sticking out of a crimson stump. “Aaaaaahhh!!!” Patches screamed tumbling to his back scooting backward away from the monstrosity. With tears in his eyes he stood not facing the body. “I need to get help. Somepony wake up and get out here.” What was he saying? His heads gone no one can help that poor stallion. He turned and looks at the battered frame. He looked at the sickening neck stub. “I should cover that up.” He looked down at the bloody bag still in his grasp. This time something looked off about it. It was made of a thick hardy material, and it was around the same shape of a pony’s head. Where the eye should be two thick stitched x’s took their place. A long black line was sewn in where the mouth should be. The mere site of this sick representation of a head sickened him he threw I over the neck to conceal the disgusting site. He had done all he knew to do, “Time to call the cops.” _________________________________________________________________________________________________ In a Canterlot apartment building the loud ring of a cell phone rang in the room of sleeping Dexter Morgan . The strong grey stallion, with a short mane groggily began to come out of the dream world. He shuffled over to the night stand and grabbed his noisy phone. He looks at the number, his department of course “I swear if that woke Harrison up I’m gonna stab something.” Dexter sighed as he answers his phone. “Morgan? There better be a lot of blood.” > Chapter 2: The Promise > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blood and New Feelings Chapter 2: A Promise Dexter was flying through the cool autumn sky at the early dawn. The Early train wouldn’t have run for another hour, and Dexter didn’t have wings, so he had to hitch a ride. “Thanks for the ride Quinn.” Dexter murmured while he rummaged through his pack to triple check if he had all his crime scene equipment. “No problem Dex,” Detective Quinn repplied, he was one of the few Griffons in Dexter’s department. Quinn was a pretty well in shape so carrying a passenger was no problem for him. Quinn was wearing one of his many polos, this one being black with two white strips running down both sleeves, and his badge which was flapping in wind on its neck chain. “, but did you really have to wear that trench coat it’s kinda bothering my wings.” All Dexter was wearing under his sturdy light brown duster was a white t-shirt so he had to put it on to look a little formal for his job, but Dexter felt like being a smart-ass instead of saying that, “ It’s a duster, trench coats have hoods Quinn." “Smart-ass, I could drop you and nobody would know Dexter.” “Yeah right, you wouldn’t drop me. You enjoy my company too much.” This made Quinn chuckle, “Yeah what would I do without you, Dexter?” after a few moments of silence he thought he try to start up another topic to talk about. “So, Dexter you get that baby sitter of yours to come and watch Harrison.” Weird why does he care about that “Yeah, she got there a few minutes before you actually, kind of surprise she got there so fast.” “What’s her name again, Dissy?” Oh, I see where this going. “No, her name is Ditzy, why?” Dexter was getting a little irritated with all this probing. “You should introduce us, she’s pretty hot, you know minus the whole eye thing.” He said with a little smirk. “Quinn, don’t even think about it, I don’t want her to go from you to Harrison. I know how you are with girls.” “Aw, common man, help a brother out. Just…” Take a hint Quinn shut up. “All I’m asking for is you to introduce us.” Dexter decided Quinn needed to be quite for a little while “No, find another girl the fuck.” “Ok fine, jeeze man.” That was a little harsh “Sorry Quinn, I’m just tired you know.” “Yeah ok Dex.” Dexter was done with conversation so he decided to enjoy the view. The sun was just peeking over the horizon. Most of the cloudy sky was still dark but where it met the sun the cloud looked like bright burning embers. Nothing like a beautiful sunrise to get you in the mood for a bloody crime scene Looking down past Quinn’s wing the ground was still looked like it was still asleep. The forest was dark and Ponyville, their destination was now in site, the only activity that could be seen in the dimly lit town was at the Train station. There were red flashing emergency lights and mobile security lights illuminating what Dexter assumed was the crime scene. A still groggy Dexter Morgan hopped off Detective Quinn’s back and took in the site of his new project. As always there the scene of the crime was surrounded by a blockade of reporters, police, and shiny yellow tape. He turned back and thanked Quinn again with a nod. Quinn returned the gesture and walked over to a small group of policemares. Really Quinn, get some work done first When Dexter turned around he was met with a rather intense looking blonde mare, wearing a jean jacket and had a lieutenant badge pinned to the left chest pocket. She had sunglasses on top of her head, it pushed back the bangs of her long strait brown mane. “Hey Deb, what’s with the sunglasses.” Dexter kindly greeted his sister. “I came prepared, the sun comes up Dex.” Debra responded with a hint of annoyance in here voice. Ok too early for jest Dexter quickly forgot about trying to be nice to his sister, she seemed a little cranky so why try. “What do we got?” A question he had asked hundred of times before. The answer was usually the same word. “Body, well most of one,” Debra started, turning walking towards the yellow tape, Dexter followed. “, the head is gone and we can’t find it anywhere.” “So the killer took it with him?” Dexter assumed, flashing his laminated “badge” and ducked under the yellow tape. “Yeah. That’s fucking sick what is he gonna do with a head.” “I know what I’d do with it.” Cut in an all too familiar voice followed by a slightly disturbing, deep throated laugh. The owner of the laugh was a short, and had tan fur. He had a pair of glasses on his bald head, and a broad smile. The little guy was wearing a white collared shirt, not very smart for bloody crime scene, and latex hoof covers.His “mark”, as Dexter would say, was beaker filled with a green fluid, with a pair of safety goggles strung around it, and behind it all was microscope. Labtech “Masuka really you sicko. You couldn't just hold onto that one, fuck!” Debra scolded the small lab geek, while walking away to get away from him. “You guys just get to work.” “Dexter what’s up, ready to get to it?” Masuka tested Dexter, slapping his shoulder kind heartedly. “You betcha. Let’s take a look.” The pair of lab geeks went over the main event. The stallions body was bloody, beaten, and bruise. Not to mention his head had been replaced with a heavy beige sack. “ Jeeze this guy had one shitty night.” Masuka commented while kneeling down and plucking fibers and hairs from the body, putting them in evidence bags. “Yeah no kidding, Has anyone touched this?” Dexter asked, motioning toward the strange bag, while putting his latex hoof covers. “ Uh, I think it was that Patch Work guy. He found the body, he owns that shop over there.” “Patches? He found it?” Dexter now realized where he was. He looked around and there was the place where he got his duster ‘Jackets Galore’. The place look just like it did last time he was there. The small stone building looked exactly the same, its red clay shingles were still faded, and the sign with the shops name painted brightly on and still a little wop-sided. The only difference was the shaken shop keeper, with dried blood on his hooves, sitting against the wall being questioned by police. “You know him?” “Yeah we went out for drinks the other night.” Dexter explained with some concern in his eyes. " You could say we're friends." Detxter wasn't really sure if he was telling the truth on that last part. I should go check on him “Masuka can you handle this for now? I’m going to go see how he’s holding up.” “Yeah, go check on your bro.” “Thanks.” “Don’t take forever remember you’re the blood guy.” He took off his gloves, no reason to get them dirty yet, and put them back in his bag. He then weaved his way through the cops and ducked under the tape. As he approached the shop he could see there were tears on Patches face. Aw shit he’s crying I’m no good when it comes to comfort He got to cop questioning him and tapped him on the shoulder. “Oh, hey Dexter.” “Hey James, you care if I talk to him real quick?” He asked pointing down at Patches, he was staring at the dirt. He didn’t even know Dexter was there yet. “He’s my friend.” “Well I guess it’s okay. Give me some time to drink some coffee.” With that he walked away, leaving Dexter. “Hey Patches you okay man?” Patches looked up at Dexter. “Dexter why are you here? Oh, that’s right death’s your job.” You have no idea how right you are “Yeah I guess so.” Dexter agreed sitting in the dirt next to his friend. “Why would someone do this Dex, it makes no sense.” Dexter knew Patches need some form comfort, but the only type he could come up with was the truth. “Patches there are monsters in this world, some worse the others. They don't really need a reason to do things like this.” “Really where, if only I knew.” Anger now taking over Patches teary eyes. There’s one right next to you “It doesn’t matter where they are, all you need to know is some day they will all get what they disserve, the one who did that included.” Dexter proclaimed pointing towards the jumble of yellow tape and bodies. The certainty in Dexter’s words actually helped Patches, that thought made him feel a little at ease. He wiped eyes and stood up, as did Dexter. “Thanks you Dexter. I think I’ll be ok.” “Are you sure man? I just got here.” “Yeah go do your thing.” Dexter was about to go back to work when he heard Patches. “Dex?” “Yeah Patches?” “Promise me you guys will catch this son of a bitch.” “I can’t do that man he could be long gone for all we know. I’ll do my best though.” “Sorry I asked.” Patches sulked as he kicked up some dirt. “No it’s ok. How about you and me go get a drink once I’m done.” “No I think I’m just gonna stay here and try and help with the investigation.” Dexter saw the police stallion James drink his coffee, break time was over. As Dexter walked back to Crime scene he yelled to get his attention “James! Get back over there.” He put his coffee down a trotted past Dexter to Patches. Dexter slipped back under the tape. No I’m can’t promise we’ll catch him. I’ll do you one better, looks like I got my next kill. > Chapter 3: Let’s take a look > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blood and New Feelings Chapter 3: Let’s take a look. “Masuka quiet, I’m trying to concentrate here.” Dexter was trying to get samples from one of the smaller blood blots on the murder victim’s body, not sure if was his or the killer’s. Masuka had finished his work while Dexter was talking to Patches, so Masuka decided he would pester Dexter till he was done or he got smacked. Whichever came first. “I’m just saying man if the killer wanted a head he should a gotten a mare’s. It would make more sense. I mean who would want head from a guy.” The small scientist laughed with that deep throated, perverted sounding chuckle. Man why is his laugh so creepy? Dexter deposited the small drop onto a blood slide and pressed the two halves together. The little dot expanded out to almost the edges of the slide, “Almost got too much.” Dexter put it in an evidence bag and handed it to Masuka. Sample time was over. Dexter Stood and was about to start his analysis on what events lead to where the limp form now rested but then Masuka thought he needed to keep on with his jokes. “Maybe the Killers gay,” Masuka purposed. “, that would explain it.” Dexter looked up from the body with a slight smirk, “Masuka, quit the pervert stuff for a little while this guy just died ,and your using him as a joke prop.” “Okay Dex just for you.” Masuka bowed sarcastically. “Thank you.” Dexter sighed, shaking his head and getting back on task. Now that he was back to work something occurred to him, He hadn’t looked at his project as a whole yet. He had only looked at small sections recovering fibers and blood samples for lab work. Now that he was standing and away from the ground he could really take in the damage on this John Doe. He was a dark yellow color, it reminded Dexter of the color of grain. Dexter could tell that his tail was a muddy brown even when it was clean, free of dust and blood. His mark was just a simple group of generic flowers and a small gardening shovel. Maybe he was a florist The Damage done the body was almost absurd. He was covered in cuts and gashes, one in particular in his shoulder was much larger than the others, like something had been stuck in and ripped back out. The side of his chest was dented; some of his ribs were broken. One of his hooves was almost shattered. The bone was splintered and blood had leaked out of the hoof’s exposed bone marrow. How the hell did that happen, did killer smash it with something? Then there was the icing on the cake, the bloody neck stump which was now visible for all to see, Masuka must have taken the head sack off the body. The ragged meat was covered in coagulated blood. From what Dexter could tell the cut was clean until it reached the spine. The rest looked as though brute strength had been used to remove the head. The tear was uneven and sloppy with no indication that a tool had been used. Dexter was lost in all the possibilities of what could have been use on the victim. He didn’t even notice when his sister walked up next to him. “Dex what does the blood tell?” Dexter snapped away from his thoughts, “Huh? Oh well let me think for a moment.” “Fine but hurry before the locals wake up we need to get this out of here to spare them this site.” Dexter thought for a moment looking at all the trails and scuff marks on the ground, then over to the body, and back. “Okay I think I got it.” His voice became monotone, and his eyes became slightly distant. Our victim was walking down this street parallel with the train track towards ‘Jackets Galore’ when without warning he was push from behind making him tumble onto the dirt. He recovers and stands up quickly but the pony that pushed him is armed, something with a blunt end, like an ax. He is struck across the faces, is breaks his nose a send out blood flying out. See how the blood here is in a crescent shape, that’s from him swinging his head from the impact. He falls again but this time his attacker is on him and beats him and slashes at him with his weapon. Our victim sustains cuts, gashes, nothing too serious; most of them are defensive wounds. He is able to get back to his hooves and gain a little distance from his assailant. That may have been a big mistake. Our killer was strong enough to throw his weapon a few yards into our guy. The impact knocks him down for the last time, here where he now lays. The killer ripped out his weapon smashed the victim hoof to keep him from running, and ended it, taking his head with him and replacing it with that sack we found on the body. Now that Dexter story of death was it was time to go. Debra had the body taken away, and most of the police left with it but some stayed to keep ponies from tampering with the crime scene. Quinn had left, he gave a police mare a ride, so Dexter was stuck waiting for the train with Masuka. They sat on one of the bench on the boarding platform of the station. It was a little awkward neither of them want to talk about the murder so they sat in silence. After a few minutes the sun starting to take back the world, the train would be there soon and the two lab geeks could get there work done and go home for the day. Masuka was tired of the silence, “So, see any good Clop shows lately.” “Masuka just shut up.” Dexter demanded emotionlessly. > Chapter 4: Trains > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Blood and New Feelings Chapter 3: Trains Dexter sat alone in his on the early morning train to Canterlot, Masuka was somewhere behind him but he didn’t take the time to check were he had sat. With his bag in his lap and his head leaned up against the window, he was fighting to stay awake. As his eyes shut themselves he would snap them open, only for them to slowly close again. So tired why do ponies have to kill each other when I’m sleeping? Dexter was about to just give in the grogginess and take a nap when his he felt a buzzing coming from his one of his duster’s pockets. Dexter’s mind was a little fuzzy so it took him a moment to figure out what it was. What is that? Is there a bee in my pocket? Dexter sat up strait and reached in his pocket to retrieve the buzzer. He felt a smooth rectangular object. That was the source of the vibrations. At least it’s not a bee. He pulled out the small item and looked at it. It was his cell phone. The outer screen of the little flip phone was lit up with a familiar name on display. Ditzy? Hope Harrison is alright. He flipped open the phone and put it to his ear. “Hey Ditzy, what’s up?” Dexter answered in the kindest tone he could muster while trying to shake off sleep. “Uh, hey Dex I got a problem.” Ditzy answered through the phone. She sounded a little distraught. “Something wrong with Harrison?” Dexter yawned. “No there’s nothing wrong with him well kinda, can’t you hear him?” She answered a little confused. Dexter did hear something in the background but he couldn’t make it out. He tried to focus on only the phone but the train was noisy. There wasn’t much talking going on but the wheels on the tracks made quite a racket. He sat there for a few seconds then he heard what sounded like a little colt yelling, then he was able to make a few words. “My train!” Well that’s new. “Why is he yelling?” Dexter laughed in the phone. “It not funny, he’s like this for like thirty minutes. I’m getting a headache.” “Did you try looking for his toy train?” Dexter said this time holding in the laughter. “Do you think I’m stupid, of course I did!” Oh she’s actually a little mad. “Well he had it yesterday. Let me think for a sec.” “Take your time it’s not like a there’s a toddler screaming in my ear or anything.” Where was it hrmmm…. Oh yeah “Try looking in my room. He had it in there before I put him to bed.” After Dexter said that he heard what sounded like a very hard face-hoof followed by movement. “Uuhg, I so stupid it's right there at the foot of your bed.” Ditzy whined. “This is the only room I didn’t check.” Do not laugh “Harry I found you train” Ditzy chimed sweetly, the yelling then ceased. “Here you go buddy, you better be glad I can't smack you.” “Is that all you need?” Dexter chuckled “Yeah, bye Dex.” “Ok call me if,” Dexter heard the phone click. She hung up on me. She better not think her morning was worse than mine. I had to deal with dead stuff and blood . Dexter closed his phone a slipped it into his pocket. He was about to try and take that nap he wanted, but he heard the screeching of brakes and felt the train slowing down. He looked out the window and saw he had arrived at his destination; Canterlot. The beautiful city of white stone and pointed purple roofs was still not ready for the day. The streets Dexter could see only had one or two ponies on them. Looking at the skyline it was almost a pity so few were awake. The dawn sun cascaded over the buildings lighting them up making them look as though they were glowing. On the streets the shadow casts by the buildings made them dark as if they were not willing to let go of the night so easily. The sky seemed unsure as what it should do as well. One side stars were still visible; on the other side the sky was bright and warm. Dexter stopped looking over his home he could enjoy this sight most every day only the sun’s position opposite to where it was now. He grabbed his bag, slung it over his neck, and got up out his chair. As he walked he felt a hoof land roughly on his shoulder. He turned to see it was Masuka. He didn’t look like he got a nap either “Common man let’s get this done so we can get home.” Masuka sighed. “I don’t know about you but when I get home I’m going to pass out for a few days.” “Lucky I have a kid to look after. I can’t do that.” “Oh yeah… but look at the bright side you got a girl waiting for you at your house.” Masuka said nudging Dexter’s arm with his elbow. “She’s the baby sitter there is nothing going on.” Dexter denied as they got off the train. “So is she free then?” Masuka inquired while raising an eye brow. “Don’t even think about it.” Dexter knew he was kidding. “Ok man whatever you say but let’s hurry up and go.” Masuka said as he began to jog. “You think you can keep up shorty.” “Never under estimate the little ones Dexter you’ll regret it.” With that the two lab geeks starting running through the sleeping town of Canterlot the morning sun finally starting to take back the world.