Doctor Whooves: A Thief at the Gala

DOCTOR WHOOVES

  A Thief at the Gala

  Copyright 2014 Simon Woodington

  Acknowledgements

  To the following for artwork: “At The Gala” by kishmond, Moon Vector by spiritofthwwolf, “Doctor Whooves” by hombre0, “Derpy Hooves” by regolithx, Vector TARDIS by CryptiK-Nathan, Starfield Texture by Qzma. Also thank you to all of my subscribers and readers at DeviantArt, FanFiction.net and PonyFiction.net!

  Table of Contents

  1 … Twilight’s Pardon

  2 … Sparkling Invitations

  3 … We Get Signal

  4 … Hoof and Claw

  5 … Carbon Fabrications

  6 … Whispered War

  7 … Uniconformity

  8 … Who’ll Be Best Pony?

  9 …. A White Heart

  About Simon Woodington

  Other Books

  Connect and Contact

  Twilight’s Pardon

  Azure Nocturne was no stranger to the graveyard shift. Indeed she preferred it to the daily irritations of Brazen Heart’s constant nagging and chatter. She was a dark, reddish-hued unicorn with a silver-white mane and tail of fine hair and flowing, glossy length. Unlike the average buff grunt in Luna’s employ, she had an air of grace uncommon to her station. Her hidden passion was the clarinet, but by the Royal Twins she was favored for her musical talents. Indeed her cutie mark was that of shimmering notes, indicating that her power revolved around the manipulation of sound.

  The Palace at night was boring, prime for reflection upon her favorite melodies. In six years since her promotion to palace guard, not a soul had been disturbed. Sleepwalkers and lost foals were a kind exception, and Azure was fond of them all. Criminals were a virtual unknown in Canterlot.

  Was it not so long ago that the Ponyville designer had made a spectacle of herself at the Gardens? Azure reflected on the event with fond amusement.

  Striding the halls long ago memorized, Azure trotted through the garden walkway on a stone path laid with artistically arranged pieces. She often fancied the workponyship that had gone into its making. Tonight the moon was especially bright, and for a moment she winced up at the mighty blue sphere in the heavens.

  “You’ve outdone yourself tonight, Princess,” Azure whispered as her vision cleared. The subtly colored surface of the moon was enhanced by the Princess Luna’s magic. “You’re in such good form. So joyous, my heart is lifted.”

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  Azure spun, revere shattered by the rasping moan of a filly reverberating down the hall to the gaping doors of the garden. Automatically she spun and galloped toward the source, slowing as she neared where she thought it had originated. She raised her head and began to mutter a chant to aid in her search.

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  “Ah!” Azure leaped, heart pounding. “What was that? Oh, you silly filly. Get your hooves on the ground. Where did it come from?”

  Azure clicked her hooves quickly but gently in chase until she arrived in an unfamiliar hallway. At twenty feet it ended with a seal door clearly marked ‘prohibited’. How many years had this been here and she did not know its every detail? Strange. Azure made a conscious effort to regulate her breathing. Thorough examination told her the door had not been disturbed, possibly not in many years. Something was most assuredly amiss, but she could not place a hoof on it.

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  Again? The sound was behind her, and she repeated her performance, this time regulating her speed so as not to frighten her quarry away. It paced her, several pony-lengths from her nose, and lead her in a circle right back to the sealed door. There she stood, catching her breath, glaring at the wordless door-ward.

  “You’re Azure Nocturne, aren’t you?” alighted a warm voice. “Is something the matter?”

  Azure knew precisely the pony who addressed her. Twilight Sparkle, a purple, almost lavender coated mare with a navy-blue and purple striped mane and tail. She was a unicorn, with the cutie mark of magic, one of Equestria’s greatest champions.

  “Ms. Sparkle. My humblest apologies. I did not wake you, did I?”

  “Twilight, please. Oh, no, of course not,” she demurred with a chuckle. “I was just studying … but that’s not important right now. Tell me what’s happening.”

  “Ah, well. I was chasing a disembodied voice. It sounded that of a mare in distress-”

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  “That one? Yes. It’s very strange alright. We had better alert Princess Luna,” she decided, beginning to turn around. As she did she bumped into something, and gave a little squeak.

  “Yes you had best do that, Twilight Sparkle,” remarked Luna with a slitted, superior grin.

  “Oh, you’re here …” she muttered, backing away from the slender yet formidable light-blue mare of the moon. She still makes me nervous! What power she has.

  “Why would we not be? Our sister will not be disturbed,” she declared, transparent mane swirling, glimmering with the stars that were her allies. “You will tell us.”

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  “That,” Twilight gasped, “is it. I’ve almost had it. It’s getting creepier.”

  “You have no tolerance for the dark, student of Celestia,” Luna remarked with the condescending arrogance that was her birthright. Twilight made eye contact with abrupt confidence.

  “I want to know the truth,” she declared stubbornly. “I am not afraid of the dark.”

  “Indeed,” she drawled. “I am sure that you do. Azure, wake Brazen Heart. Search the grounds. Be swift,” Luna ordered, and Twilight was impressed by the clarity and resolution in her eyes. “Twilight?”

  “I’m sorry,” she yawned. “I was so tired after that lecture on temporal magics … I was hoping Star Shifter’s notes would bore me to sleep … oh! I’m sorry.”

  “Star Shifter is not the entertainer, Twilight,” Luna chuckled modestly. “He is incomparable. He need not be both. Now you owe us a favor. Repay it. Assist us in putting an end to this mystery.”

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  Twilight tensed, eyes wide, body arcing. She sighed, and then rolled her eyes. “Oooh! What choice do I have? I’m not going to get any sleep with that sorrowful wailing going on!”

  “Sorrowful? Yes, I must agree. Come now, for the hunt is on!”

  Twilight noticed how quietly she spoke, compared to her usual dramatic tenor. She wondered if Luna was also ill at ease. Minutes became hours, but the sound did not cease whilst the search wore on.

  “Do not be ashamed, Twilight. We are grateful for your efforts,” Luna recited in an official tone with sincere meaning. “Nopony is perfect. Let us put our minds to alternatives.”

  Twilight was not satisfied with this. “Alternatives? This makes no sense! A mysterious voice-”

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  “-and we’re not even close to knowing anything about it. Ponyfeathers!”

  Azure had another idea, and received approval from Luna to offer the suggestion. “Twilight Sparkle. Do you know what echolocation is?”

  Twilight’s eyes whirled excitedly. “Ah, yes! A high pitched sound emitted from a single source and-”

  “Quite,” Luna interrupted seamlessly. “Azure, please hurry.”

  “Yes, Princess. Eh, I’ve taught myself how to use a magic version of echolocation to pinpoint audio sources. My sisters and I used to play hide-and-seek with it back home …” her voice drifted away as nostalgia wafted over her face. “Oh! With your power you could locate the source of that horrible voice.”

  “You think it will work?” Twilight requested, doing her best to ignore the voice, which for some reason made her skin crawl.

  “You are a much greater
practitioner of magic than I …”

  “I suppose all I can do is try. All right. What do I do?”

  “Oh, thank you Twilight. The trick behind is creating a tone with the same pitch as the … uh, pony you’re looking for.” Azure dipped her head so that her horn was even with her ears and closed her eyes. After a moment of concentration her horn began to radiate an aura with a rose hue. A strong, clear tone energy projected forward and immediate reverberated from the wall to her ears.

  Twilight shivered. It felt exactly like the haunting voice. “Owlicious would be proud. I can do that. I know I can.” As she focused, Azure described the emotion and mental state necessary to perform the spell. Twilight’s horn flashed to life.

  “Ah-huuuuh.”

  “Aagh!” Twilight groaned in frustration. “There it is again!”

  “Be careful, Twilight! It’s a delicate spell!” Azure warned her.

  “I know, I know. I just wish I could deduce the truth behind this mystery!” Instantly the purple rays striking out from her horn faded, replaced by a far more intense flare of pure light. Azure watched in alarm as Twilight’s erratic talent fixated on the unusual aspect of the spell.

  It is the sound by which the spell functions, Azure had explained, not minutes ago.

  “What is happening, Azure?” Luna cried, hunkered down against the force of Twilight’s magic.

  “I’m not sure, but that’s not my spell anymore!” Azure almost shouted over the overzealous energy.

  The every stone in the courtyard was lit with the frantic manifestation of the young mare’s incredible willpower. Luna grounded herself, prepared to take measures should things become dangerous.

  Well Tia, this elicits the most vibrant of memories, Luna reflected with irony. Just as she could no longer bear to look into the brilliant spectacle, there was a flash and it was over. Twilight collapsed.

  Luna gave a start, lowering her horn as a warning to the pair of intruders, heaped upon each other like loose clothing. A cloud had passed over the moon, obscuring them from direct moonlight. They cursed and groaned in the attempt at disentanglement.

  “Your scarf’s ‘round my leg!”

  “Can’t you tell your sleeve is over my head?” snapped back a muffled, very male baritone. “Now off with it!”

  “You’ll stretch it! Be careful!”

  As they bickered the moonlight returned, availing the viewers to much desired details. There were two ponies: One chestnut colored with a salt and pepper mane, the other a light blue with black mane in errant disarray, tail to match. The chestnut fellow bore a distinctive cutie mark, an anchor with snakes entwined symmetrically around the handle topped by wings. The latter’s cutie mark was hidden by a long pin striped nightgown.

  In the midst of tussling, the blue pony took notice of his surrounding and company. “Oh dear. Princess Luna. How embarrassing.”

  “Princess Luna?” exclaimed the greyish maned pony. Being once of the service brought him to an instant show of respect, standing at attention as quickly as he could manage. His companion rose to his hooves sluggishly.

  “At ease fellow,” Luna drawled officially.

  “Thank you Ma’am.”

  “Good evening Princess Luna. Peculiar encounter, wouldn’t you agree? Pardon me. I’m Forelock Holmes, and this is my assistant, Doctor John Trotson,” he stooped, inclining his head toward the pony who had already moved to examine Twilight Sparkle. “John?”

  “What?” he snapped irritably. “A moment, will you?”

  “Is she unharmed, Dr. Trotson?” Luna requested, voice surprisingly gentle.

  “Just unconscious. A little rest and she’ll recover,” he explained. “How did we get here?”

  “We were summoned by magic. Clearly the element of magic, greatest source in Equestria. To say it was an accident is an understatement. Twilight Sparkle here was performing an unpracticed spell, judging by the state of her exhaustion. Summoning us from Londun is no small feat. Luna practices no such magic. It was you, I see. What’s your name?”

  “Azure Nocturne. How did you—I taught Twilight an echolocation spell, nothing more.”

  “Just so,” Holmes chimed. “Twilight is an unpredictable mare. Wouldn’t you agree, Princess?”

  “Hmph. How would you know the nature of our magic?” Luna gaped. “It is our realm. Ours alone.”

  “Fah. Your power is indeed great, Princess, yet it is bound to the paradigms of the astral body that you govern. On the other hoof, Twilight Sparkle’s mastery of teleportation magic is widely known. Ah. but those are just the obvious facts. I can see that you’ve been up for four hours searching for your quarry. It is a pony, and yet it is not a pony. You haven’t seen this pony, because you haven’t given proper chase. Your hooves aren’t marked by galloping, but the masonry dust in your coats indicates that you have visited areas of the castle that aren’t swept out very often. Come on. Let’s have a chance at it.”

  “Forelock, we have a question,” Luna interrupted him. He stood with head parallel to his hindquarters.

  “Yes?”

  “Why are you wearing a scarf and nightgown?” she intoned, drawing attention to his curious mode of dress.

  Forelock flustered like a foal. “Oh. I was cold. Middle of autumn, you know.”

  So you’d rather not tell her you were re-enacting a crime scene in the middle of the night and that you couldn’t be bothered to be dressed standing in the middle of the street? Dr. Trotson thought with some amusement. Luna demonstrated no interest in pursuing the matter further. The pair began to leave.

  “Forelock! What about Twilight Sparkle?” Trotson reminded him.

  “She’s not dying, is she? Let her rest. Someone can remove her to her chambers, if you wish. You’re the Doctor, Doctor! Now come on! While the dew is still moist!” Forelock was off like cannon shot, unimpeded by his intellectually lackluster audience.

  “Let me take care of her,” Azure told John, crouching beside him. He negated at first.

  “I’m the physician. Forelock will be … ponyfeathers! Thank you, uh,” he paused, name hunting.

  “Azure Nocturne,” she answered sweetly. “You’re welcome.”

  It was not long before Forelock met the undisturbed, sealed door. There was something different this time. On the floor not inches away from the heavy wooden panel door was an officially sealed scroll. Forelock stooped and retrieved the rolled material, which he then presented to Luna.

  “Yes?” she asked, disaffected.

  “This is addressed to you, Princess. You were led to it. The voice has done its job,” Forelock enunciated the words clearly. “Let us inform the Princess Celestia.”

  A shimmer of sunset broke over the parapet, streaming into Luna’s eyes. She bowed her head, defeated.

  “Very well.”

  Sparkling Invitations