Noire and Arils

Once the maroon pony got home after a long walk through Manehattan, a rotting feeling still slowly corroding through her, Arils closed the door behind her and flopped down onto her proper bed. In better straits she would’ve risked sleeping alongside Noire just to tease her, but a mixture of guilt and confusion were mingled in her gut, making any sort of cordial activity impossible.

Arils tried to turn her mind to stocks, as she often did when her head was too jumbled with ideas of Noire or other things in particular. Whenever somepony was metaphorically cock-blocking her, (whether as a kinky thing or just in general) thinking of where the prices would go up in business helped her cool down.

There is literally nothing sexy about stock market.

“Well you really bucked this one up, huh Arils?” She knew it wasn’t so bad, she could deal with both situations, but social drama was always a weakness of hers when it came to conflict.

Eventually she drifted off to sleep, although Noire only wished the same could be said for her. The detective was sitting up in bed pouring over some paperwork through wire-rimmed rectangular glasses. Her mind was still reeling with turmoil from that same day, but as she flicked off the light and put her work aside, folding up her glasses and levitating them over to her night-stand. She had a feeling that by tomorrow she’d be completely over it...

“Go home Noire.” The Chief growled at her as she trotted over to the scene, crashing into a carriage while her mind was elsewhere. “Having a grand total of one-hundred fifty five sick days won’t kill you.”

“But I’ve been saving them in case I ever find an important private case so I can solve it then steal your job!” She got an eyeroll and chuckle back, even though she wasn’t actually joking.

“Understood, but all the same a little birdie told me you weren’t doing so well...screw it, more of a little bat. No sensible bird knocks on somepony’s door at one in the morning.

“Either way, one day off won’t kill you. This is a big problem you’ve got here and you need to see to it.” Noire grumbled as she clocked out and started walking home. A sky-blue shape from above her did a u-turn and parked right in front of her.

“Hi Blue Jay...” Noire’s understudy ruffled her feathers before falling into step next to her.

“Is something wrong boss? Why’d you just clock out?”

“I’m taking the day off work, hopefully you can pick up the slack for me.” The detective answered before trotting ahead. Blue Jay considered her options, on one hoof, she didn’t like getting involved with her co-workers' problems. On the other, she liked Noire enough and felt they could talk (even if she secretly felt that her boss had a rod shoved so far up her flank you could limbo with it).

“Are you sick? You have seemed kind of distant.” She fluttered over, catching up to the grey mare, who continued onward.

“I’m fine Jay, just some social problems.”

“Oh, really? Well in that case I know someone that can help you! You know that forensic scientist that helps us out on some cases?” Noire did a half turn.

“Peppermint? How would she help me?”

“Nah, the short one, the little filly that really likes candy.” Blue Jay answered, holding her hoof a couple feet off the ground.

“Oxyde? Why would you want me to go see the doc for my problems?”

“Because it turns out that foal is qualified in psychology too. She helped me out on that one case with the waterfall by figuring out is several ponies were lying about the saddle we found.”

“Huh...that was a weird case all right. All right, I’ll pay her a visit. Thanks Jay!” She called back, a spring coming into her step. Not only would she get her problem solved, but she’d get to see Oxyde while she was at it.

“No problem!” The cerulean pegasus shouted, doubling over and flying backward toward the crime scene.

It was then that Noire realized she didn’t know where the doctor lived.

After a good bit of digging she finally found her friend’s apartment building. Noire wasn’t sure what she was expecting, probably a mansion of some kind...made out of candy, but it certainly wasn’t this.

She knocked on the door several times before cracking it open slightly, seeing the small pony happily snoozing on the table, her mane fanned out messily and a small puddle of drool forming next to her mouth.

Noire gave her a soft smile before realizing she had never seen Oxyde sleep and had automatically assumed she never did. She played with the idea of waking her up before finally stepping closer and gently shaking the scientist, she could always fall back asleep later.

The doctor murmured happily before stretching and rubbing her eyes, waving Noire off.

“No...geddoff. I’m comfortable...” She said softly before cracking open her eyes. A few blinks later, she looked around. “What--was I dead?”

“No, you were sleeping, quite a line of separation between the two.” Noire responded.

“What time is it?” Oxyde asked, yawning deeply and making Noire join her in the yawn.

“Around ten.” The detective answered, making Oxyde jump up.

“What!? I thought it was only for a few minutes! Why does sleeping take so long!?” She rushed over to the couch before jumping into it and bundling herself up. “Oh Celestia...why is it so COLD!?”

“It’s always a bit cold when you just wake up...when was the last time you slept?” Noire asked, her mental Arils adding Cold unless you wake up next to somepony amirite!?

“A-about a week? I think...I only sleep when I have nothing else to do or when I’m upset.” She answered, bundling herself up even more. Noire had to admit to herself that even though Oxyde acted much older than her age she still looked like an adorable little filly most of the time. “I need 50ccs of pure sugar STAT.” She mumbled from underneath her safeguard.

“Were you bored or upset then last night?” Noire asked, ignoring the sugar comment.

“None of your business...” Oxyde grumbled, burrowing into the sofa. Even though she wasn’t giving anything away, Noire was pretty sure she knew which one it was.

“All right...” She answered, noticing her breath fog up. “Speaking of which, why IS it so cold in here!? And why are you living in a one-bedroom apartment?” She looked around at all the tables in one corner. “Well...I guess you could say it’s a half-bedroom apart-”

“Yeah, yeah I heard.” The doctor muttered ,thinking about Arils pointing out the same thing.

“You make a whole lot of money don’t you? And the Chief helped you open up your own bank account...” Oxyde didn’t answer for several second before finally uttering a muffled sentence. “What was that?”

“I said I don’t know how to access my own bank account. I pay for this place in cash. Same goes for everything else.” Noire would’ve laughed if it weren’t so sad. It made sense though considering most of the filly’s diet could be found in a vending machine, even then though the little pony still had impeccable teeth...

“What about the costs of everything else, like doctors and dentists and whatnot?”

“I am my own doctor, dentist and on occasion chef. Turns out I can make cold cereal and maybe toast.” Oxyde blew on her hooves to warm them up. “Now what are you here for? Is this important? I already slept for eight hours, that’s eight hours wasted...”

“I came here to ask you for advice.” Noire said flatly as the doctor’s ears stayed flat against her head.

“You’re looking for the wrong pony. I gave your results to the flankbutt before I kicked her out.” Oxyde grumbled, still rolling around and trying to build up as much body heat as possible.

“You gave my what to whom?” Noire asked the filly, who rolled around to face her.

“I-uhh, sorry, I’m always a bit disoriented when I just wake up.” The filly said, looking into the detective’s face and trying her hardest not to sweat or chew on her hooves. Having the mentality of a ten year old didn’t help when it came to lying. “I thought you were someone else.”

Noire visibly relaxed. “That’s all right, everyone is kinda groggy at first. So can you help me?”

“Uhh, sure! Let me just thaw out for a second before we get started...”