Some days…

The words, written in red, looked shallow and boring on the top of the scroll. It wasn’t at all how she had imagine she would start the story. She had read so much on the various literatures and this was the best she could come up with? And now she was so stuck up on those two words that she seemed unable to think of any better ones. She threw her quill away and rested her head on the table, putting her hands on top of her head in frustration. She sat like that for a while, until someone knocked on the door.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle?” one of the guards entered the room with their typical attitude; eyes closed as they spoke her name for some reason, standing straight and all of that nonsense. She was a person, not just a princess. She’d like them to relax a bit more. Made her uneasy, like something was going to happen. A moment of reflection made her realize that, when it came to her friends and her, that was usually the case, so maybe she should take the stick out of her ass. “You are… summoned… by Celestia…”

She raised her eyebrow at him, wondering what made him hesitate, before she remembered that she hadn’t gotten dressed yet. She had just started her “writer’s day” in what she had been sleeping in; a simple black t-shirt and red panties. Hastily she grabbed her tail to cover up her legs as best as possible. The guard turned on his heel and left the room. She had to laugh a little. He had to be new. She wouldn’t have imagined any of the Royal Guards to have reacted to that mild showing of skin.

Fifteen minutes later she was dressed and halfway to the throneroom. She’d have to leave the shower for later that day. Her hair might not be perfect, but she doubted it needed to be. She facepalmed and lit up her horn. Why was she taking the long route?

A flash of purple magic later and Princess Twilight Sparkle was in Celestia’s presence. Luna was just about to leave the room, giving her a polite “good morning” and bow as she left. Celestia looked up from a scroll and smiled to her.

“Twilight, I am glad you could come at such a short notice.”

“Of course, Princess Celestia,” she beamed back. “I am always 100% reliable.”

“I know you are,” the Sun Princess folded the scroll and handed it to her. Her smiled waned. “I want you to look into this. My guards can’t seem to make any sense of it, and Cadence has requested that I join her in the Empire post-haste.”

Twilight nodded and unfolded the scroll. A cold feeling ran down her spine. It was a report about a murder of one of Canterlot’s unicorn residents, and it included a photo. She recognized the man from the day before; she had met him in the streets and he had been so kind as to offer her a taste of his baked goods free of charge.

“Is something the matter?” Celestia sounded concerned and put a hand on Twilight’s shoulder. She shook her head.

“No, Princess, it just… seems so surreal.”

Her mentor nodded in agreement. “I trust you will clear in this in no time.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know you will.”

Celestia gave Twilight a kiss on the forehead before she teleported. Twilight didn’t want to dwell in the throneroom for very long and took the shortest route back to her room. The report was surprisingly short and sparse on details, amounting to little more than “stabbed to death” and “no suspects”. She was a bit disappointed; she had hoped for more to go on.

The young princess left the scroll on the table and headed towards her bathroom. She might as well take that shower while she made up some thoughts about what to do.

**

“No, Your Majesty.”

“I see. Well, thank you for your time anyway,” Twilight had decided to talk to the author of her report and had found him in the barracks. Alas, he apparently didn’t know anything beyond what he had put in the report. On her way out she glanced around to see if anyone were looking and stole with her one of the guards’ daggers. She had her magic, but just in case she’d rather have something more.

Once outside, she teleported herself to the gates leading out of Castle Canterlot and into the rest of the city. As usual, she received her fair share of greetings and polite bows from the people she passed by, so she moved into the alleys the moment she saw the opportunity for it. In there people usually shied away from the likes of her.

Maybe half an hour later she arrived at the house of the victim. He was a bachelor, from what she understood, and had little time for a social life. A lone soul, not easily missed. A perfect target. It made him harder to investigate. Perhaps his belongings could yield clues his body could not.

“Who goes there?” an authoritative voice addressed her as she closed the door behind her. She froze up. “Oh, Princess Sparkle. My apologies.”

One of the Royal Guards approached her. Why was he here? “Report,” she finally said, when it became clear he had no ill intentions for her.

“Nothing. No strange clothes, no blood, no signs of a visit, no nothing. Just one loner that won’t be coming home anymore. Why did you come here?” he gave her a suspicious glance.

“I saw nothing about his home in the report.”

“Fair enough. Celestia must’ve asked you to deal with this then,” Twilight nodded to what he said, surveying the room and the guard himself. When he was about to walk past her to leave, she put a hand on his shoulder. “Your Majesty?”

She wanted to press him on why he was there, but she never got the chance. He had a sheepish smile around his lips.

**

“Princess Sparkle!” members of the guard on their patrol through the city ran up to her. Her clothes were drenched in blood and her shirt was torn. She bleed from her nose and lips.

“He- he assaulted me! Tried to rape me!” she sobbed. Not loud enough to announce it to all of the city.

“Who did?”

“One… of the guards. I found him waiting for me in… in the murder victim’s house.”

“Clear out!” one of the guards shouted to the gathering crowd, before he addressed his fellows. “You two, check the house. I’ll take her Majesty back to the castle.”

**

Some days…

The words were still at the top of the empty scroll when she finally could return to her chambers. But this time they made her smile. She picked up her quill and dipped its tip in her red ink. She was ready to continue now.