The rain finally stopped a few minutes before Fletcher made it to the city, so he ditched the door. A few of the townsfolk had already begun to reemerge into the streets and were returning to their usual activities. Fletcher approached a stallion in a suit that was standing with an equally well-dressed mare.

“Pardon me, Sir,” he said.

The stallion turned to him and gave him a look of horror and disgust. For a moment Fletcher thought his disguise had failed.

“Ugh, stay back, boy, you’re filthy!” the stallion yelled, thrusting out a hoof to keep him at bay.

Fletcher blinked. He looked down at himself and saw that his legs were covered in mud. Well of course they were. That’s what happens when you walk down muddy roads for several miles.

“What do you want?” he asked rather harshly.

“I’m sorry to bother you, Sir…” no I’m not, “but there’s been a rather terrible incident, recently.” Fletcher turned to show the bundle on his back. “This filly’s parents were killed a few hours ago. Can you tell me where the nearest orphanage is?”

“Oh, how dreadful!” the mare gasped.

“Mmm, indeed,” the stallion feigned concern. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid there aren’t any orphanages here in Canterlot, thank goodness. I believe you’ll find the closest one, in one of the little towns surrounding the area. However, if there really has been a murder in the area, you had best report it to the Royal Guard. Now, if you don’t mind we’ll be taking our leave, Sir. Come Tulip,” he said, before cantering away.

Fletcher growled as he watched them leave. In general, ponies were the nicest, but just like every other race, there were always a few rotten apples. It was taking every bit of self-control he had, to keep himself from tearing that snooty jerk a new page. Especially after that ‘thank goodness’ comment. What was that supposed to mean?

His thoughts were interrupted by a quiet mewling from his back. The filly was shifting in her sleep. He looked back at her for a moment. You’re right. Fletcher took in a deep breath, then let it out as he let his frustrations go. He had bigger problems. When the filly woke up, she would need milk, and if the nearest orphanage was as far away as the pony said it was, that was a problem.

The stallion had also made a pretty good point about reporting the murder. Someone would find the scene eventually. It would probably be best if it was the Royal Guard, rather than some mare or a foal. But then he’d have to tell them what happened to the gryphons.

...

He could try telling them he was just a passerby that found the scene as it was, and found the foal crying in the middle of it.

With a nod, Fletcher decided that was probably the best course of action. Hoping they could possibly help him with his first problem as well, Fletcher turned towards the castle, but not before stealthily smearing a bit of mud on the back of a certain pony’s suit.

I love magic.

------------------------------------------

Fletcher scaled the steps to the castle doors and approached the two guards stationed there. One of them held up a hoof to him.

“Please state your business, Sir,” he said with a stoic face.

“I need to report an incident to the Royal Guard.” Fletcher replied.

The guard nodded and held a door open. “Follow me please.”

Fletcher followed the guard inside and down the main hall. He led him up the stairs and down a corridor. Then he turned to a particular hall and pointed.

“You see where that guard is standing post?" he asked.

Looking down the hall, Fletcher saw another guard standing at the end. He looked back at his guide and nodded.

"The room behind him is the Office of the Royal Guard. Make your report with the Officers at the desk. They'll let you know if they need anything else from you, otherwise a guard will escort you back to front doors," he told him.

Fletcher gave him a quiet thank you and headed down the hall as the guard returned to his own post. He gave the other guard a weak smile when he gestured for him to enter the room. Inside were two officers sitting stoically behind the desk.

“Good afternoon, what brings you here today, Sir?” one of the officers asked politely.

“Good afternoon, Officer. I’m here to report the scene of several murders out on the south west road, about six or seven miles out.”

The Officers blinked. The one that had addressed him sat up even straighter and franticly fumbled for a quill.

“Sweet mother of hay bales,” he muttered as he jotted down what he’d heard so far. “Ahem*, please go on. Did you happen to recognize any of the victims?”

Fletcher shook his head and turned to show the foal. “No Sir, but this filly’s parents were among them.”

The guards ponies’ eyes grew wide. They turned to each other and shared a stern nod. They turned back to him and said, “Please come with us, the Princess will want to hear about this herself.”

Fletcher froze.

WHAT?! I can’t meet the Princess! If she finds out what I am, she’ll have me executed!

“Sir?”

Fletcher shook his head. “What?”

“Are you coming?”

It’s alright Fletcher, you can do this. You aren’t impersonating anyone, so there’s no way for her to clue in… I think. “Y-Yes, of course,” he chuckled nervously.

The guard turned to his colleague at the door and hoofed him the sheet of paper.
“Round up Delta squadron and investigate this site.”

The guard saluted and galloped off. The remaining guards proceeded to lead Fletcher up to the throne room.

-----------------------------------------

By the time they arrived before the throne room doors, Fletcher was quivering. The giant doors were pulled open. Fletcher's poor heart threatened to jump out of his throat when the Solar Princess looked up from the paperwork she was doing. To his added horror, he noticed that Princess Cadence was there as well. She must have been visiting. Oh goodie, I get to meet not one, but two Princesses who hate changelings. Lucky me.

One of the guards that had escorted him there, flew up to Celestia and whispered something in her ear. Fletcher could tell what he said because he watched the Princess’ eyes widened with shock before her concerned glance fell upon him.

“General Lock Heart tells me you have some very grave news indeed, my little pony. Please step forward. Tell us everything,” she said gently.

Fletcher tried his best to keep his legs from wobbling. It wasn’t working too well, and he got called out on it.

“Please be at ease, my good stallion. You have nothing to fear,” the Princess said with a soothing voice.

Ha! That’s what you think.

Then Fletcher felt a sudden tidal wave of love wash over him. It was strong love too. Not like that of lovers, but a powerful motherly love. Despite the horrifying situation, he couldn’t help but feel soothed as the love poured into him. Even his shaking legs had settled. He looked up at the Princess’ face and practically melted under her kind smile. He couldn’t believe it. No pony he had come across before, had ever felt this much love for a complete stranger. It just went to show how much the Princess really did care about her subjects...

...and how much Fletcher didn’t belong here!

Trying to get this over with as soon as possible, he approached the throne and cleared his throat.

“I was walking down the road when I found a carriage and several bodies strewn about in the mud. The carriage had a broken axle and its windows and doors were busted in. In the mud, just outside of the carriage, were a stallion and a mare.”

Fletcher continued with solemness in his voice. “The stallion had been shot, and the mare wasn’t breathing. Based on other evidence, my guess is that she… she was bludgeoned to death.” He paused.

“Please, continue at your leisure,” the Princess cooed.

“...There were five gryphons. They had masks and clubs, one had a crossbow. I think they were bandits. The strange part was, they had the pony couple surrounded, but they were already lying dead in the mud. Most of their beaks were broken. They seemed to have other injuries, but I stayed away from them, so I don’t know.”

Fletcher turned to show the sleeping filly on his back before he continued.

“I found her lying between her parents, crying. When I picked her up I discovered that the stallion was still alive, but he didn’t last very long.”

“Did he say what happened?” Cadence asked.

“He said the gryphons ambushed their carriage and were robbing them, when somepony came and beat them up. Then they took off after the rest of them, thinking the ponies were already dead.”

“My goodness! How fortunate for the foal that you had come along. Did the stallion say anything else? Who were they?”

Fletcher shook his head. “No, he just asked me to promise him to take care of his daughter. I told him I’d make sure she was taken care of.”

“What is her name?”

Fletcher shook his head again. “He wouldn’t tell me. He told me to give her a name. He seemed adamant that I take her as my own, no matter how I tried to tell him I couldn’t.”

“So you won’t be taking the foal then?” Cadence asked.

Fletcher swallowed and looked at the floor. “I-I can’t your Highness,” he responded sadly.

“Why not?” she asked, turning her head to the side.

“I… I just couldn’t…”

While Fletcher was telling his story, Celestia had been looking at his hooves. Something didn’t quite add up. He said that he stayed clear of the dead gryphons, but amongst the caked mud in his fur, she saw blood… and small shards of orange.

Something else had caught her attention. The pony had an odd scar over his eye. It wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary to have one cut, but to have two of them criss-crossing like that made it hard to imagine any sort of accident that could cause such a wound. Celestia looked up as the stallion continued.

“...so I dried her off, took the carriage door to shield us from the rain, and we walked here to find a place that would take care of her, but we came here first to report the... scene.”

Celestia smiled. “Thank you so much, my little pony, for the great deed you’ve done today. Before we continue to the matter of the foal, we need to follow some simple protocol. Since you are the only witness to come forward thus far, your word alone is all we have to go on. Because of this, sadly, it also makes you a prime suspect. But don’t worry,” she reassured him as the pony visibly tensed. “We simply need to conduct a lie detection test to clear your name. Surely you don’t mind, do you?”

On the outside Fletcher just smiled dumbly. Inside he was going into full scale panic. A lie detector spell?! Nah, of course I don’t mind. I’m already in the manticore’s den, why don’t I just cook my own broth for him to stew me in while I’m at it!

“U-um… n-no your Highness, I don’t mind, but are you sure that’s really necessary?” he quivered.

She gave him an understanding smile. “It’s just simple protocol. Don’t worry, there’s nothing to worry about.”

You keep saying that, but it isn’t getting any more reassuring. Putting himself in such a vulnerable situation was basically suicide, but he also knew that any hesitation on his part would make him look like he had something to hide.

“V-very well, your Highness. As you wish,” he muttered.

“Excellent! General Lock Heart, if you would act as scribe, please?”

The guard nodded. Picking up a quill and a scroll, he showed his ready.

“Very good, let us begin,” she said as she cast a clear bubble over the stallion and the filly.

Fletcher knew about lie detector spells. If the subject told the truth, the sphere would turn blue. If not, it would turn red. There wasn’t a spell in the world that could help him fool it.

“We’ll start simply,” the Princess continued. “What is your name?”

Thank goodness I’m not impersonating someone right now.

“F-Fletcher, your Highness,” he replied. As expected the sphere turned blue.

“Very good. Now, you’ve come here today to report the scene of multiple murders, as well as bring this foal to find safety and care, is that correct?”

“Yes, your Majesty,” he replied. Again the sphere turned blue.

“For the sake of removing you from the list of suspects, did you kill this filly’s parents, or cause them harm, either directly or indirectly?” she asked.

Fletcher froze. Not because he was worried about how to answer the question, but because he knew what was coming next.

“N-no, your Highness,” he answered as he started to quiver again. Again the sphere turned blue.

“I never doubted you,” she said with a smile. Then her expression turned slightly more serious. “Now, did you kill the gryphons?”

Author's Notes:

Dun Dun Duh

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