The Blue Moon Brings Death part 1

A train whistle sounded, echoing through the valley. The train from Ponyville chugged merrily along the track, the wheels chugging musically. Clouds of steam rose from the smokestack o join the other white, fluffy clouds that artistically decorated the blue sky over the sea of red, orange and yellow leaves.

Inside one of the train's carriages, the passengers chatted happily.

"The Blue Moon Festival in Canterlot!" Rarity gushed, leaning out the window to watch the approaching royal city, set into the side of the mountain up ahead. "It's going to be just fabulous!"

"And it's your first Blue Moon Festival as a princess, Twi!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Princess Luna has asked me to help with the preparations and to help to lead the ceremony," Twilight said, looking up from the book that she'd been using as a study guide for the festival. According to the text, the Blue Moon Festival was a celebration over a thousand years old. It only happened once every four years and marked Princess Luna's defeat of the Dream Demons who'd been attempting to use the power of the blue moon to send all of Equestria into an eternal nightmare.

"Blue Moon parties are some of the best!" Rainbow Dash declared, floating over the group.

"They have to be, Dashie!" Pinkie Pie giggled, jumping up from behind her. "They only happen once every four years!"

"Yeah, but with Blue Moon Festivals, we get to stay up all night!" Dashie grinned.

"Right. Tradition states that we have to to ensure that the Dream Demons don't get us," Twilight said, flipping to the proper page of her book.

"And it's so we can eat cakes and play games and stuff!" Pinkie Pie declared, her smile broadening. The mere mention of enjoying some of her favorite things in the world with her friends made her even more excited than she already was.

"Oh, I'm so excited, I feel like cheering!" Fluttershy squeed. She took in a breath, and let out a quiet, but enthusiastic, "Yay!"

"I've never stayed up all night at the Blue Moon Festival before," Spike said, also leaning out the window. "But this year, I'm gonna do it! I'll stay up all night!" Twilight merely rolled her eyes with a smile.

It could be said that everypony in that carriage was happy and excited to be spending a festival together in the royal city.

That would, however, be inaccurate, as there was one passenger who was less than happy or excited.

"Refresh my memory. How did I get talked into this again?"

"Aw, don't be a sour Zap apple, Phil," Applejack said, turning to Phillip Finder. He was sitting by himself, opposite the group, with his hat pulled down over his eyes and a scowl on his face.

"Phil, you deserve to take some time off after helping Time Turner," Twilight said, looking up at their older friend. "And besides, you don't get out enough."

"Says the shut-in librarian," Phillip muttered.

Twilight frowned. The six had decided to invite their friend to Canterlot to join the festival. Phillip had initially refused to go, stating that he didn't care about festivals and parties (much to Pinkie's horror), and had only agreed to come along the trip after a lot of convincing. He'd barely spoken a word during the trip, and every attempt to cheer him up was moodily rebuffed.

"Didn't you once live in Canterlot?" Rarity asked.

"For ten months three years ago," Phillip replied.

"That must have been fabulous!" Rarity said, trying to bring Phillip into a conversation. "Living in the royal city, working alongside the rich and famous—"

"I hated it," Phillip interrupted, stunning Rarity into silence. "Canterlot is a gaudy, boring city filled with stupid, selfish, rich wankers who can't see past their own noses."

"Gaudy? Boring?" Rarity cried, horrified.

There was another piercing whistle, signaling that they were pulling into the station. The brakes screeched as the train slowed and halted next to the platform.

"Well, maybe this will change your opinion," Twilight said as the group began to disembark.

"I doubt it," Phillip muttered.

Twilight turned to reply, but before she could form her argument, she bumped into a wall, falling over. The wall stumbled back and let out a little grunt.

"We have really got to stop meeting like this," a male voice said with a laugh.

"Flash?" Twilight said in surprise, looking up to see an orange coated pegasus pony with an electric blue mane and smiling blue eyes. He was dressed in the golden armor of a Canterlot City Guard, but with a silver bar on both his shoulderplates, and extending a hoof to help her up. She took it and allowed him to help her to her hooves. "It's, er, good to see you again," she stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"I came out to meet you and escort you to the castle," Flash said. He smiled, but at the same time, he suddenly found his polished armored shoes very interesting.

Flash Sentry had been somepony that Twilight had somehow always managed to cross paths with whenever she went to the Crystal Empire, as he was one of the castle guards. What had started as momentary encounters had turned into brief conversations that started a...well...some sort of friendly relationship that neither of them could name.

Which didn't explain why either of them got so flustered when they were in each other's presence.

"No, what are you doing in Canterlot?" Twilight said, clearing her throat.

"Oh, I transferred to the City Guard here," Flash replied, looking up. "I completed my mandatory infantry duty, and my commander suggested that I try being an Investigator." He shrugged his shoulders, flourishing the silver bars. "Just finished training a couple weeks ago, and I was sent to the Canterlot City Guard—"

Flash paused, looking past Twilight to the stallion exiting the train, adjusting his trilby as he did so. As soon as Flash's eyes caught sight of the black magnifying glass on the stallion's flank, he snapped to attention and saluted. "Sergeant Finder, sir!"

Hearing his former rank being shouted, Phillip looked up in surprise and confusion. He examined the younger guard frozen in salute before him for a heartbeat before stepping forward. "Put your hoof down, private. In case you didn't hear, I retired years ago."

"Sorry, sir," Flash said, lowering his hoof and visibly relaxing somewhat, although he continued to look up at the older stallion with a surprised expression. "It's just that I heard a lot of rumors about you in the Investigation Academy."

Phillip raised an eyebrow. "What rumors?"

"They say that you could tell anything about anypony just by looking at them," Flash said. "That you were a super detective that could solve any crime in a day." He let out a little chuckle. "It seems a little far-fetched."

"You went to the Blue Pony Group concert last night, slept late, and got to headquarters just in time to catch up on your paperwork," Phillip said coolly.

Flash's eyes widened in shock and his jaw dropped down to his chest. "H-how did—?"

"You have a mark on your left foreleg; that's an entry mark for the Canterlot Night Light Club. And I noticed a poster advertising a performance last night on the wall there. You attended the concert and overslept: there's a smear of honey from your toast on your chest armor, you didn't brush your teeth, and your wings have the distinctive pattern of having been preened on the run. I also note the lines on your inner forelegs from resting them on the table edge, meaning that you do a lot of typing."

Flash stared at Phillip for a moment in astonishment, then gradually regained his voice. "That...is amazing."

Phillip blinked and tilted his head to the side. "You really think so?"

"Yeah, that's extraordinary, incredible, astonishing, and a whole bunch of other things that I can't think of right now," Flash replied.

"That's not what Guards usually say," Phillip said."

"What do Guards usually say?"

"The kindest I've ever gotten was 'Piss off.'"

Flash laughed. "Well, anyway, we'd better get going. I'm sure you all have a lot to do before the Blue Moon Festival."

The group made their way down the paved streets of inner Canterlot, passing by high-class ponies in the finest clothing and riding in fancy carriages, bordered on either side by stores hawking high-priced luxuries: fine cut jewelry, hoof-sewn silk clothing, restaurants where you paid enough to feed a small family for a meal that only took up half a plate. The royal castle loomed ahead, white and gold against the blue skies, forever reminding the city's inhabitants that Princess Celestia and Luna were watching over them. The girls and Spike chatted amiably, Flash proudly marched at the head of the group, but Phil walked at the back, not speaking or looking around.

"Princess Celestia will be waiting for you in the castle," Flash told as they reached the gates, where they were greeted by two Guards in full armor.

"Thank you, Flash," Twilight nodded.

"So, uh, I'll see you later? At the festival?" Flash said hopefully.

"Sure!" Twilight said. The mares behind her exchanged knowing glances.

But when they crossed the threshold, they noticed that Phillip wasn't with them. They turned to see him watching them leave. "I'm not royalty. I'm not supposed to be in the castle, remember?"

"Oh, right," Twilight said, cringing with embarrassment.

"It's okay. There's a hotel I know on the south side." He turned away, hailing a cab.

"We'll see you tomorrow!" Pinkie called after him. He nodded goodbye as the cab carried him off.

"Okay, girls," Twilight said. "We've got a lot to do tomorrow, so we'd better get some rest."

"Indeed," Rarity said with a grin. "You'll need to look your best for your Guard tomorrow."

"W-what?" Twilight stammered, blushing furiously. Her sputtering protests mixed with her friend's snickers as they headed inside the castle.

None of them noticed a discarded newspaper on the street, turned up to display a small headline:

"FIFTH MYSTERIOUS BURGLARY IN TWO WEEKS: INVESTIGATORS CLAIM NO CONNECTION."