Twilight was in her study in her home in Ponyville. She was considered the greatest detective in all of Equestria, but recently, there weren't many cases that could challenge her intellect. Suddenly, her junior detective and adopted little brother, Spike, ran into her study yelling, "Twilight! We have to get to Canterlot!"
Twilight nearly jumped out of her chair from the surprise Spike yelling and asked him, "What's wrong Spike?"
Spike showed her the letter that had just come in. It read, "Detective Sparkle! We've received threats from the Change Gang that they're going to steal the Mural of Day and Night! It's a priceless work of art with immense historical value! I beg you, please come to the Equestrian Museum of Art in Canterlot to help investigate these heinous threats! Sincerely yours, Curator Chocolate Harmony."
Twilight stood up and said, "Well, if it's a heist of this level, it certainly is an important matter. Let's get our tickets and head to Canterlot Spike." before the two headed out the door and to the Ponyville Train Station.
When they arrived at the museum, the curator walked up to them, "Oh, thank goodness you're here detective!"
Twilight was a bit worried and asked, "Am I too late? Have the Change Gang already stolen the mural?"
The curator shook her head, "No, nothing yet. I'm just very nervous about this whole situation. The police say there's no possible way that the Change Gang could steal anything from the museum, let alone something so priceless, while they're on the job." she took off her glasses and held the bridge of her nose, "As if they forgot that the Change Gang are famous masters of disguise! They could already be in the museum even as we speak!"
"Which is precisely why I'm here Ms. Harmony." before going into the museum and looking at the famous mural. She hadn't seen the mural since she was a young girl, and it was nice to see it again. She was also appalled that someone would dare try to steal such a magnificent piece of art and history.
Suddenly, the lights went off, and a scream pierced the silence. When the lights came back on, the mural was gone, and the curator was on her knees crying, "No! We're too late!"
Spike was dumbfounded, "But how!? How could they have taken the mural and gotten away so fast!?"
"That's a very good question. One that I will find the answer to!" As Twilight took out her notebook and magnifying glass, she asked around, taking statements from security and museumgoers. Out of all of them, there was nothing useful, but the guard at the door confirmed nobody had entered or left when the lights went out, he had his flashlight to see, and would have been alerted to anyone being there.
Twilight thought for a moment, before seeing a piece of art that looked off center. She walked over to the painting and as she looked closer, she noticed there was an air duct behind it! "This must be how the thieves escaped!" before taking the vent off and crawling through it.
As Spike followed after her and they were crawling through the ducts, he said, "Now I know what a TV dinner feels like."
Twilight rolled her eyes and said, "Be serious Spike, we have to find the mural." As they came out of the other end, there was some green dust coating the floor, and she nodded, "Indeed, the thieves were members of the Change Gang. They always leave this green dust when they disguise themselves. I'll never understand why criminals such as them would dare to leave a calling card."
"Most criminals are stupid Twilight. And anyone willing to challenge your detective skills isn't too bright either."
"Don't flatter me Spike, we need to find the Change Gang in the museum."
As they walked out of the room, a security guard ran over to them, "Detective Twilight! We've got a situation! We know there's two Change Gang thugs in the museum, but we can't figure this out! All of our guards are accounted for, as are the school children who were brought here for a field trip. If they're all accounted for, that must mean someone was kidnapped and replaced by a Change Gang thug!"
"Don't worry sir, I'll find them." before taking out her magic magnifying glass and sprinkling some of the green dust on it. She noticed the souvenir salesman was in distress, she went over to ask him, "Is something the matter?"
"Oh, Detective Twilight. It's nothing that requires your skill, but one of the cameras I sell here has gone missing. I have no idea who would have stolen one of my cameras instead of just buying one... unless.. Ah! I think I know, perhaps one of those pesky gang members stole one in the chaos when the power went out."
Twilight wrote this down in her notebook and said, "Thank you sir, this just might help solve the case, and get your stolen camera back." before stepping away and looking around. As she did, she noticed a security guard with a camera.
Spike noticed it too and asked Twilight, "Twilight, what would a security guard be doing with a camera? He works here, he's not a tourist."
Twilight nodded, "A great deduction Spike, perhaps we should question him." before walking towards the guard. When the guard noticed them coming towards him, he dropped the camera and ran, causing Twilight to run after him yelling, "Security! I've located one of the thieves! He's disguised as a security guard!"
As the other guards saw Twilight chasing the fake guard, they joined in the chase and arrested him. Twilight used her magic magnifying glass to destroy the magical disguise. When she did, the arrested guard turned into a Changeling, who growled at her, "Dammit! How'd you know!?"
Twilight adjusted her glasses and said, "If I told you, you'd learn from your mistakes and become a better thief." before noticing a key on the Changeling's waistband. She took it off and said, "This must have something to do with the missing personal..." Before looking back to the Changeling and asked, "Where did you hide the guard you kidnapped?"
The Changeling spit at her and said, "Find out on your own! You're the great detective!"
Twilight grumbled when the Changeling spat at her but walked away. When she saw that one of the sarcophaguses on display was shaking, she ran over to it and noticed the lock. She used the key she found from the Changeling and opened it, revealing a guard, who after a bit of panting said, "Thank you detective. That was terrifying. I'm claustrophobic, there's nothing scarier than being confined in such a small space."
Twilight smiled, "Don't worry about it, I'm happy to help. But I must return to solving the case." As she walked around again, she noticed an odd piece of art. There were three statues, two of them holding bags of popcorn.
Spike read the plaque that said, "Statues of Two Great Playwrights. Apparently they shared a single bag of popcorn while watching a play together." he looked to Twilight and asked, "Twilight, do you mind if I-? before being handed the magic magnifying glass by Twilight. He smiled and looked at the three statues, more specifically, the two that had a bag of popcorn.
When the magnifying glass destroyed the second Changeling's disguise, he moped, "Darn it... I got so hungry, I can't believe I got caught like that..."
As the two Changelings were arrested and brought before the police, Twilight smiled at Spike, "You did good work back there. But the mystery's not over yet. We caught the thieves, but we still don't know what they did with the mural."
As the police had the two thieves cuffed, one officer said, "Tell the truth! Tell me, what did you do with the mural!?"
One of the Changelings snickered, "We don't know nuttin!"
As the second one said, "Yeah, like we'd tell you how we hid it in the museum!"
Twilight heard the second thief say that the mural was still in the museum and said, "That's it! The reason we can't find the mural is because it never left the building! That mural is massive, there's no possible way only two people could carry it out of the museum!"
Chocolate Harmony brightened up when she heard this news, "So that means the mural was never actually stolen! But then... where could they have hidden it?"
Twilight smiled, "I think I know exactly where it went." before walking up to the wall where the mural used to be, feeling the wall, they were curtains. "Pricelessly, here it is!" before ripping down the curtains, showing that the mural had been in the exact same place it always was, just hidden by curtains that had been vandalized by the Change Gang.
The first Changeling grumbled at his partner, "You idiot! You told them exactly what they needed! The boss will grill us for this!"
"Boss? You mean this wasn't a simple heist?"
"Now who's the idiot?! We're both keeping our mouths shut from now on!"
Twilight sighed, "Well, this case is officially closed. But there are even more questions waiting to be answered..."
And so, Twilight and Spike have solved the Case of the Missing Mural, and arrested two members of the Change Gang. But in their own foolishness, the culprits have revealed more about the Change Gang than even Twilight knows. Who is this mysterious boss the crooks spoke of?
To be continued...