Connecting the Dots (Patreon)

 Golden Bill and Scratch had both taken a much-needed bath in my Equestria Dreamscape. With essential hygiene and bonding completed the two had retired to the penthouse drawing room. 

  
 Golden Bill was lying on a divan while Scratch mixed up a Whiskey Sour for herself and an Old-Fashioned for the griffin. A couple minutes later the white unicorn mare came trotting over levitating a couple of tumblers. The griffin accepted the offered tumbler, took a long sip, closed her eyes and sighed. 

  
 “Sun and moon!” Thought the griffin. “That pony knows how to make a drink.” 

 Scratch climbed on to the divan with Golden Bill. She leaned against the griffin and took a sip of her drink, and then rolled on her back and look up at her.  

 
 “So.” Said Scratch in an eager voice. “Tell me what you found out on your trip! Was I right? I love it when I’m right!” 

  
 The griffin sighed and looked down at her. “Yes, Snacks you’re hunch was correct. I was able to verify from our sources in Canterlot that they were directly involved with Rainbow Dash winning the Princesses Cup in the Best Young Fliers Competition.  Also they appear to have a close connection to the Royal Court. Now could please that levitate my panniers over here?”

 
 Golden Bill took another sip of her drink as the unicorn brought the griffin’s leather panniers over to them. Setting her drink down on an end table, the griffin grabbed the panniers and unbuckled one of the pockets and retrieved a modest parcel wrapped in several layers of waxed paper. Inside were some government documents, newspaper clippings, and a couple photos.  Scratch eagerly snatched the items with her horn and began examining them.  The griffin spoke again.

 
 “Most of the newspaper articles you’ve probably have already read, but this collection gives a more concise picture. The photos are from this year’s Service to the Crown Day and the Best Young Fliers Competition.  Of interest you’ll notice they were in the Royal Box on parade day and with the Two Sisters for the Fliers Competition.”

 Scratch looked up at her. “Oh really? My, my interest in them just keeps growing more and more. What are the government papers?”

   Golden Bill grinned at her partner. “Ah! These I thought you’d find these most interesting! These are what official documents I could find associated with these three ponies. Since they all claim to have come from Manehattan I decided to check with our connections at City Hall. These are what our sources could uncover. By the way I need to return them soon” 

 Scratch began flipping eagerly through the papers. Golden Bill lied there and watched the white unicorn mare. As the minutes ticked by Scratch’s enthusiasm visibly began wane, finally she stopped and looked up at the griffin. 

 “Is this really all you could find? This? This is about the blandest collection of mundane facts I’ve seen. This isn’t interesting, it’s boring; it’s like someone randomly collected some information from a selection of other ponies.”

 
 “Yes.” Said the griffin. “That is what caught my attention. They are too boring, too average, and too predictable!  Why would any ponies this dull matter to the Royal Sisters. Why should they be sitting in the Royal Box for the Service to the Crown Day parade? Why should they keep the Royal Sisters company in Cloudsdale? What is so special about these dull ponies?” 

  
 Golden Bill finished her drink and then continued. “So then I started really examining the papers. Notice anything unusual about them Snacks?” Scratch stared at them for a second, and then she replied.
   “You say these papers came from the Manehattan City Hall, but these papers originated from the Canterlot Census Office?  You can see the seal up in the top right corner.” 

 “Yes.” Replied Golden Bill. “Also note that the papers are fresh and crisp, not old and tired like documents that have been sitting in a file for twenty years or more. When I asked the clerk at City Hall about that they told me they were replacements sent down from Canterlot recently because of some flooding in the Manehattan record offices which was odd.” 

 “Why? Said Scratch. “That kind of stuff happens all the time.” Golden Bill grinned at the mare. 

 “These records were stored on the fourth floor of City Hall and upon some searching by my source they discovered that these were only records that were damaged in this so-called flooding. Interesting isn’t it?” Golden Bill could see gears starting to turn in Scratch’s mind. She continued speaking. 

 “Their papers say they that all three attended Black Mane Elementary and Stronghoof High School. Both of those schools were closed several years ago and I could find no pony that remembers them attending or any class photos of them. Plus their school papers were new replacements sent from Canterlot to replace ones apparently ‘lost’ when the schools closed. That just sounded a bit too convenient to me.”

 
 “So the only living ponies who appear to have had any regular interaction with them are those from Ponyville. That started about a year ago when this unicorn mare named Petina showed up in Ponyville looking for a unicorn stallion named Baron who had arrived in Ponyville injured, with no memory of how he got there and get this no cutie mark. Both Baron and Petina lived for a while with Twilight Sparkle. Yes that pony. Then few weeks later all sorts of dark, strange things start happening around the town. There was an incident of ponies being abducted at Sweet Apple Acres, and in particular Applejack’s little sister apparently was among those abducted. It is hard to separate facts from wild speculation but apparently it was magical and messy.” 

 Golden Bill looked at her empty glass and then at Scratch. 

  
 “Would you be so kind as to make me another dear? The mare smiled and went to mix up another Old Fashioned. While she did this Golden Bill continued speaking. 

 “Then a month or so later there was a gigantic explosion near the site of the former Royal Castle in the Everfree Forest. The explosion destroyed a wide swath of the forest but when it was over all of the abducted ponies were saved.”

 
 Scratch returned from the bar with another drink for the griffin. Golden Bill accepted it and continued speaking. 

  
 “But here is the real fascinating part. The newspapers have reported that the explosion was the direct result of Princess Celestia’s battle magic neutralizing what was described as ‘an ancient threat to the realm’. However what has been quietly glossed over is the fact that Petina and Baron were directly involved with that incident.  Everypony involved with the event has sworn an oath of secrecy, but what is known is that Baron never returned from it. Instead a new character suddenly appears connected to Petina. A pegasus stallion named Sky Brush. A pegasus that initially could not fly, and for whom Princess Celestia personally assigned Rainbow Dash to be his personal flying instructor. Then to make certain he was receiving proper instruction Celestia had the flight evaluation officer for the Wonderbolts come down to Ponyville assess his progress.

   
 Scratch was enthusiasm was growing by the minute. Golden Bill took a sip and resumed her presentation.

 
 “It gets better. Within days of the incident in the Everfree Forest, Petina and Sky Brush took possession of a cottage on the outskirts of Ponyville. I have not verified the exact patron who bought them the cottage but the financial institute in Canterlot that handled the transaction is known for handling discreet financial matters involving the Royal Sisters. On top of that I have discovered that both Petina and Sky Brush were granted a twenty-four month stipends from the Royal Treasury.” 

 “So rumors are true about that!” Squealed Scratch. Golden Bill just smiled and nodded her head. Scratch could be so cute when she got worked up. 

 “Yes.” Said the griffin. “Petina and Sky Brush had not even finished moving into their new home when the last player in this drama arrived. Carousel. She is also from Manehattan. Much to everypony’s surprise in Ponyville she moved in with Petina and Sky Brush. Initially this was under the pretense that she was a boarder but the word on the streets of Ponyville is that entire household engaged in some type of three-way romantic affair. Although there are now rumors that Rainbow Dash has joined that merry little herd!” 

 Golden Bill finished her second drink and wrapped up her findings. 

 “Soon after settling in Carousel and Petina began their new exciting dance routines at a local tavern and started making a name for themselves. It was there that Rainbow Dash got the idea of hiring them to coach her for the competition. The other thing to note is that Petina, Sky Brush also ended up being involved in the battle out at Sweet Apple Acres last winter that resulted in Applejack’s little sister Applebloom being freed from the clutches of some foul presence that had possessed her during her abduction.” 

 The griffin concluded her presentation. 

 “So Scratch, do these sound like some ponies you’d like to meet?” 

  “Yes!” Squealed Scratch. 

 To be continued.