Sherlock Sparkle 1

>You are Anonymous, and you are bound by metal cuffs in a dark stone cell.
>You are on your knees, and have been for at least an hour.
>In your head, you are counting.
>Counting the seconds until they come to end you.
>So far it's four thousand three hundred and sixty two.
>A bit more than an hour.
>Then... steps.
>You hear them, spaced apart evenly and very quick. Obviously these feet are in a hurry, quick little things that they are.
>You look up from your kneeling state and into the long, lantern lit hallway outside your cell.
>The man approaches you swiftly, and you can't help but smile.
"Mr. Holmes. Good evening. I expect Lestrade gave you the honors of speaking with me before my little spectacle is to take place."
>There is a long moment of silence.
>Then, Sherlock Holmes steps forward and grasps one of the bars with his hands, "Why didn't you run?" he asks. "You could have been gone by now, surely. You didn't have to let them throw you in there."
"I am a rather resourceful man, after all."
>"Indeed, so you simply wanted to be caught."
"Reading me like a book as always, Holmes."
>"Normally, this would precede that you have some sort of plan, but..." He pauses, glancing behind himself as if to make sure you're both alone, "You speak as if your fate has been sealed. Shall I assume that there is to be a hanging, then?"
>You smile wryly.
"The truth is, I'm tired Holmes."
>"Oh?"
"Don't get me wrong, it was delightful at first, playing games with you and your little friend. However, after around the third time I realized that there is no man in the King's country that could stand up to your intellect."
>"Charmed, really, but that can't be your only reason."
>You open your mouth to speak, you are interrupted by yet another set of foot steps. These steps are heavy and clumsy, but defined.
>You smile at Holmes.
"Well, I guess you'll never know now."
>"A shame."
"Quite."
>The heavy set man makes his way to the cell, and you and Sherlock Holmes lock eyes one last time.
>He won't be at the execution. He has no reason to watch you die, not like those hooligans out on the street before the gallows baying for blood.
>The heavy set man glares at you as he opens your cell, and unceremoniously hauls you to your feet.
>"Get movin'."
>The walk down the hallway is quiet, but when you reach the door at the end you hear the crowd outside.
>You are taken the rest of the way through the station.
>After a carriage drive you weren't awake for, you arrive at the gallows.
>The crowd from the station beat you there.
>They are parted in a path leading to the platform.
>You take a deep breath, and let the men start escorting you on your last walk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfrN12pI3jk
>The people's rage... amuses you.
>"I hope they leave you up there to rot!"
>"No grave stone for you murderer!"
>It's a sight, that's for sure. In your many times to a hanging, the people are usually booing the actions of the law, but this time...
>This time they know you deserve it.
>Even you know you deserve it, and it would be such a shame to let these people down.
>They throw vegetables at you, screaming and hollering that you're a murderer and a thief.
>Funny, you never recall doing any of that...
>At least not with your own hands.
>They spit at your feet and curse your name.
>You know that they have every right to be rude to you, to scream at you and wish you were never born.
>After all, you can't help your nature any more than they can. To deny what you had done, to deny what you had accomplished before this day, that would be the true insult.
>The entire time, you are smiling.
>Smiling because you know these people better than they will ever know themselves, and that has always been the best part of humanity.
>They are so simple.
>So easy to read and manipulate.
>At the same time, people can be surprising.
>You think about Sherlock and all your encounters with him.
>A chess game between two wolves in a society of sheep, only one wolf wasn't a meat eater.
>As you finally step onto the gallows, you take a deep breath of that fresh London air. You are guided to the center, facing the crowd, and a rope is tied around your neck.
>Nice and taut, they don't want your neck to be half snapped when you fall.
>You wouldn't like that much, either, it would be quite uncomfortable.
>The first guard, the butch man that came to retrieve you from your cell, steps in front of you, "This man, Anonymous Unknown the third, is to be hanged for crimes against the country of London, including but not limited to: Treason, murder, embezzlement, tax evasion..."
>One thing you can say about this place is that they never tire of their taxes. You laugh, and the guard falls silent, turning to glare at you.
>"Sod it," grumbles the guard, "Any last words?"
>You smirk.
"Why yes, quite a few in fact, would you mind?"
>The guard's glare never leaves his face, nor does he answer you.
"Tell me good sir, how many people have you hanged here?"
>"Several, what of it?"
>You grin.
"Well that's just hypocrisy at it's finest, is it not? Murder for murder. By that same logic, would you also not be required to steal from me and betray me?"
>The guard walks to the release of the hatch below your feet, and kicks it.
>He 's just mad because you were right.

>Manehatten, 1 year later
>You are Twilight Sparkle, and you are absolutely lost.
>The saddlebag weighing down your back doesn't exactly help, either.
>You take a moment to reflect that you should have taken Applejack up on her offer to come with you.
>"No," you had insisted, "I'll be just fine, that's what maps are for. You stay here and get your work done, there's a lot to do."
>Little did you know that this city defied every bit of logic you had ever stood for in your entire life. Streets weaved into more streets, and into more streets. names of places had obviously been changed since this map of yours had been created.
>If only there was something that could tell you were to go or where you were, that would make things so much easier.
>This place is so crowded with ponies and carriages that you get turned around at every corner.
>Finally you decide to give it up for the day.
>The pony you're looking for is probably home by now, anyways.
>You need to find a hotel that you can stay in.
>With a quick glance down the street you're on, you see just what you need on a corner a few blocks away.
>You start the long trek, weaving through the crowd of ponies walking down the sidewalk and apologizing whenever you run into someone.
>You're not used to the big city travel.
>You lived in Canterlot for a time, but Canterlot is an entirely different beast from this. Canterlot is where the elite hovel up and hoard their cash like a dragon, but Manehatten is where the industry happens.
>When ponies couldn't get any other transport they walked, and there are a lot of ponies in Manehatten.
>After what seems like an eternity, you finally arrive at the hotel.
>It's a quaint little place with no big brand name, just a sign that says "Hotel" above the front door.
>Walking inside, you get a good look.
>Apparently you're lucky. You've heard horror stories about some of the hotels in the big city, but this one doesn't look all grimy and brown like the ones you've heard descriptions of.
>A quick look around the hotel renders a lot of information for you.
>The carpet is a rough red color, but it's soft on the hooves, and the layout of the hotel itself is standard. Front desk is to the left as you walk in, and a hallway extends past that, leading to a set of stairs towards the second floor. The lobby is to your right, and consists of a breakfast area and three very large couches.
>"Can I help you?"
>You snap to attention, realizing what you were doing. You can feel blood rush to your face, "Uh... yes, I'm sorry, I was just... do you have a room available?"
>The Earth pony behind the counter is a very buff brown stallion. He could probably take someone down with a single hit. Judging by his size he goes to the gym often. He doesn't have broad shoulders, so it's probably not for Hoofball.
>His forearms, hocks, and quarters are larger than his mid body, so it's more than likely recreational lifting.
>You notice the counter looks a bit scratched... nervous ticks. Pen scratches by the look of the ink that's been left behind. He probably really likes hitting the gym, not the type to sit behind a desk all day.
>Involuntary job.
>Not everyp0ny ends up following their dreams.
>He sighs and nods, "We've got one room left, ten bits a night. You wanna use the toilet, use the one in your room, lobby's is clogged up. You got the money?"
"Oh, yes, right here, sir."
>"Second floor first door on your left."
>You pay the bits and he gives you a key. Taking a deep breath, you make your way down the hall, the key floating next to your head.
>You try not to hyperventilate as you head upstairs and right to your room.
>The room is nice at the split second you end up looking at it, but you immediately clamp your eyes shut.
>You are Twilight Sparkle, and you have a slight problem.
>These past few weeks you've been noticing the small things.
>At first it was great, but now you've been noticing things you don't want or need to know, like the stallion in a random hotel that would rather be weight lifting than doing his job.
>Or that Rarity occasionally gets... taken away by her passion for dresses.
>Or that Rainbow Dash is dating someone and doesn't want anyp0ny to know.
>You see these small things, normally things not worth noticing, and they fall together to form a larger picture in your mind.
>Like puzzle pieces falling into place.
>Like deduction.
>It doesn't make any sense, you're cutie mark has nothing to do with being a detective.
>Although... there was that one time on the Friendship Express, with the cake.
>Granted, it had been rather obvious, but maybe that was the start of this little problem of yours.
>You take a deep breath and open your eyes.
>Regardless of personal issues, it's time to get to work.
>You wouldn't want to meet your client empty-handed, after all.
--------
>The library in Ponyville is quiet. Quiet except for the rustling of pages turning under the influence of magic.
>You lay on your belly, frowning as you browse through the latest edition of 'Magical Mysteries'. A storm rages outside, but there's no thunder, only rain.
>With a deep sigh, you scribble down some notes.
>You think you feel a breeze on your ear.
>Without warning, the pages of the book start flipping on their own. You feel wind rushing through your mane, and it's all you can do to simply stand up without being carried away.
>You look around for an open window, but there is none.
>Standing above you is a dark and imposing figure.
>You can make out a mad grin on its face, but the other details escape you. Whatever the creature is, you have never seen it before in your life, and it sends a shiver down your spine.
>Nothing compared to the menace of this thing standing above you, not Discord's wicked plans, or whatever force had driven Luna off the brink of sanity.
>No...
>No, this is an entirely different beast.
-------
>Your eyes snap open and you draw in a sharp breath.
>You're still in the bed at the hotel.
>It's been a long time since you've had a nightmare like that.
>Then again, it's also been a long time since you've been separated from your friends like this.
>That, and you are apparently having issues with your mental capacity, and not in the way you had always worried about before now.
>You take a deep breath, and think a thought.
>A thought you would have never entertained before this moment.
"Maybe Rainbow is right," you mumble, "Maybe I AM too smart for my own good."
"AHHHHHHHH!"
>You stumble out of bed at the sound of a scream.
>It came from a mare.
>After a moment you regain yourself, and rush to your door, prying it open to peek out into the hallway and see what's happening.
>You look left, down the hall, and see a mare by a cart full of toiletries. Room service, obviously.
>That's not what gets your attention though.
>What really grabs you is the fact that she looks absolutely horrified. She's staring into a room on your side of the hallway, and as you walk to her you finally see what she's so frightened about.
>Blood is pooling around the door, and when you look inside there is a mare, laying completely still, on the ground, a knife covered in blood tucked under her left hoof.
>The mare that found her is crying, "I... I couldn't get the door open, and they wouldn't answer. I thought she wasn't here, but then... the blood, and... I bucked the door down."
>You can make out the clean cuts on her front legs before you start to get dizzy.
"Someone call the guard!"
>You rush downstairs, and are greeted by a very pissed off looking tenant, "What's all this screamin' about?"
"A de... a d... somep0ny is hurt!"
>You can't take it anymore.
>You can't breathe.
>Everything is going dark.
>You think you hear shouting, but you're not sure.
>The last thing you feel is the dulled hit of the floor as you fall.
------
>You are in a foul mood.
>You are being held in the hotel by the royal guard while Princess Celestia is on her way. The guards are talking amongst themselves about what happened, but you're not interested in what they have to say.
>What you are interested in is your current mental problem.
>Your current mental problem notcied something that mare had said to you about the door.
>All well and good that she kicked open the hotel door because she was worried someone might have been hurt, but there's one thing wrong with that.
>You hadn't heard it when she had kicked it.
>Presumably, someone kicking open a door would make a lot of noise.
>All three of you are seated in the lobby on seperate couches: You, the owner, and the maid. Two royal guards stand by the front door on post, stern looks on their faces.
>"Think it was a suicide?" asks one.
>"Looks like it," says the other.
>You look at the mare sitting across from you, shaking so much you would be able to mistake her for freezing under other conditions.
>She looks rightly traumatised, and you can't blame her.
>You passed out as well, you've never seen a dead body up that close before.
>Still, there's something nagging at the back of your mind about her.
>After what seems like forever, the door of the hotel swings open, and Princess Celestia slips in, ducking her head so she doesn't hit her horn.
>"Hello My Faithful Student."
>You smile. Just seeing her makes you feel better.
"Hello Princess."
>"Ma'am, would you like a report?" asks one guard.
>"Yes please."
>"You're student and the maid were the ones who discovered the body. We examined the scene and interviewed them, we believe it to be a suicide."
>You grit your teeth.
>Something isn't right.
>Yeah, they had spent a good few hours investigating, but it still doesn't sit right with you.
>Celestia sighs and shakes her head, "Such a shame. Do we know who she is?"
>The first guard shakes his head, "No, Princess. I'm afraid we couldn't find any identification."
>It's at this point that alarm klaxons start going off in your head.
>"I see, we'll have to find out then. Twilight, do you want to go? You don't have to meet Bloom anymore."
>You look at the guards.
>They look so sure of themselves, but...
"Wait, Princess."
>"What is it?"
"I... I..."
>She gives you a gentle look, that same one she always gave you as a filly.
>You take a deep breath.
"I don't think... this was a suicide. I think she was murdered."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLlt0cK4uA0
[spoiler]We Sherlock now.[/spoiler]