怪談とポニー Ep2 - Factory Reset

Walking along the school corridor and entirely occupied by her thoughts, Misty Lagoon let the calling her high, concerned voice remain unnoticed for quite a while. Pinewatch High entered the home stretch, as Mane sisters would undoubtedly name it, before the summer holidays; however, while having fewer mandatory studies at school, the students were still loaded with additional preparations and extracurricular groups and clubs. It so fell out that Misty had some free time, thus escaping the busy and noisy lower floors of the school building, that she headed to the roof to ventilate and think in relative silence. In her thoughts, she constantly returned to what they discussed with the girls earlier.

“Hey! Miss Lagoon! I’m sorry, miss, wait, please. Could you devote me some time?!”

The filly was to repeat herself several times before it pierced through Misty’s reflections and made the unicorn girl wake and look over the shoulder inquiringly, finally noticing somepony hurrying to catch up with her. Misty Lagoon, the soon-to-be high school first-year student, while being pretty, wasn’t an example of school popularity, unless it came down to the jokes about the subject of her interests; therefore seeing somepony that eager to talk to her was a bit surprising. She found a few real friends only during the last year of middle school, communicating with the rest of the students mostly casually; Misty knew the approaching girl just visually, practically remembering about her only that she was a transfer student from Germane. This being said, Misty was equally interested in the reason that attracted the filly as the latter in Misty’s attention.

“Yes? Sorry, my thoughts overtook me a bit…” the unicorn girl smiled with the corner of her mouth. “How can I help you?”

“Good morning! Ahhh…” the earth filly took the breath; apparently, she spotted Misty maybe even on the lower floor and did her best not to lose, running all the way after. It was rather Misty’s absent pensiveness, which prevented her from paying attention to hurried following steps. “Sorry! I hope I haven’t disturbed you much… miss Lagoon.”

“Oh, it’s okay, I sank in my thoughts a bit,” Misty let out another friendly smile. “And… why so official?”

“I’ll attend high school in a year only, while you… Sorry, miss, where was my head!” the earth filly threw her hands up in embarrassment. “Let me introduce myself first! I’m Fluffy Folgen…”

Throwing the hair back from her sight, the filly habitually shook her cottony mane, which boasted a French bouffant from one side loosely covering her left eye and three braids from another reaching her thin shoulder. Misty took an appraising look at her miniature collocutor: the girl was easily smaller and thinner than Lacy. From the short colt-fashioned shirt with the simple red necktie usually leaving its intended place under the short thin sweater, when its owner ran around and climbed everywhere in pursuit for the news for their press club, to the narrow checkered pants with leather patching placed over the knees and crotch area, resembling the jockey pants. The latter were tucked into the high boots of light leather: apparently, the filly wasn’t attending any class today, preferring her favourite clothing to school uniform. Pinewatch was quite democratic about that matter, insisting on uniform usage only during obligatory classes and official events. For that particular student, that was indeed a blessing as the petite filly could look sloppy at the end of the day, which she entered on her scooter each morning, jumping off it right into her daily “journalist battle”. For example, the shortness of her shirt was intended, as through her adventures, it usually ended escaping from under the belt of her old-fashioned moto-pants, no matter how tight it was. Being longer, it would look messy, but in that case, the shirt and sweater barely revealed a stripe of the girl’s stomach, which didn’t bother her a iota looking almost as an intended kinky stroke to her image.

“…the last year mid-school student and a member of Pinewatch press club… transferred a year before from Germane,” catching Misty’s glance, she added after an awkward pause, while Misty did her best to guess what an amateur journalist could need from her. “It’s nice to meet you, miss Lagoon!”

“Well, introducing myself isn’t that necessary, I see,” chuckled Misty softly. “But you may freely call me Misty as I’m not too picky in that regard.” She leaned on the nearest windowsill looking at the younger girl with polite interest. “So, what did you need, Fluffy Folgen?”

“Ummm…” the earth filly hesitated, looking for better words and flushing lightly, her thin fingers fumbled with the photo camera strap on her shoulder. “Miss Lagoon… Oh, okay… Misty, it’s not a secret that you and your friends take a specific interest in everything that… errmmm… is one way or another beyond the commonly accepted laws of nature…”

“What, sorry?” Misty shook her pink mane lightly glancing puzzledly at Fluffy Folgen.

“I mean… In other words, you’re interested in everything… paranormal, right?” Fluffy added quieter, flushing desperately. “S-s-sorry if… I let myself a bit…” she stumbled, clinging to her camera and holding it almost like a shield. Misty couldn’t help pondering that something didn’t fit the image – as far as she remembered Fluffy, the girl was always vivid and mobile like a drop of mercury, let alone way less ceremonial.

“Maybe… Well, it’s pretty neutral for a hobby, isn’t it?” noticed Misty cautiously causing an understanding smile of her interlocutor. ‘I sincerely hope it’s not yet another joke plotted by the seniors, especially…’

“I have information which may be useful for you, miss… Misty,” Fluffy wasn’t going to give any time for doubts. “You and your friends perhaps…”

“But of course, I will ask for a small favour in return,” swaying her mane back again, she added with an apologetic smile before Misty could even say a word. “Information for information, let’s put it that way. Better even say, an opinion.”

‘Hmmm… It seems nopony is listening or watching us at the moment,’ Misty threw a glance left and right across the empty hallway. ‘Finding out what it is won’t hurt. Even if that’s some prank, I’d better prepare…’ she pursed her lips, pensively looking at the half-open door of an empty classroom.

“Okay!” she nodded in that direction, welcoming Fluffy for a more discrete talk. “I’d prefer some privacy if you don’t mind, Fluffy.”

“Naturl…ly!” the earth filly stumbled a bit.

Sliding the door open, Misty took a better look over the seemingly empty room; she wasn’t going to drop the possibility of a prank until proved otherwise. Spotting nopony hiding inside, Misty closed the door after them and dropped behind one of the desks gesturing her company to take the nearest one.

“I’m all ears, Fluffy,” sitting sideways, Misty glanced at the girl with a tiny smile. “Let’s start from that favour you mentioned. I prefer to be able to tell a person if I can fulfil their expectations before I made any promise in return.”

“Very reasonable!” nodded Fluffy; she preferred to nest on the edge of the desk instead, gently holding her camera.

For a very long moment, while the other girl pondered what to start with, Misty listened to the silence of the classroom.

“I can’t tell if you noticed,” finally started Fluffy, “but you’ve got quite a reputation within Pinewatch during these years, Misty. You are always calm, levelheaded, ready to help others, as long as they are ready to accept that help,” added the girl before Misty could verbalize her first thought ‘Yeah, quite a reputation of the loon!’, “yet keeping distance from most of the shenanigans and their starters, being close to those you chose yourself. At the same time hard-working and thoughtful… In other words, completely adequate, even if you suspect that others think otherwise.”

That tirade caught Misty slightly off guard and she watched Fluffy with inward shock trying her best not to show it too openly but quickly analyze her further steps instead.

“Of course, you can say that the interest in supernatural doesn’t entirely fit,” Fluffy let out a tiny smile; the girl visibly took herself in the hands as soon as she started explaining her request. “But… after some pondering and combining the parts, the public opinion concluded, that if you consider something worth taking a second look at, then there is must be some rational ground under it. Developing the idea further, you are now the semi-official publicly recognized Pinewatch paranormal expert. Don’t look at me like that, I’m simply telling you in brief what others think,” Fluffy shrugged while Misty inwardly facepalmed rolling her eyes.

“Your friends don’t look like dummies either,” Fluffy was continuing her analysis. “The Mane sisters both have quite a character… Yet you easily look like the leader of the four.”

“I… We never planned to have any leaders,” Misty Lagoon flushed. “The key point is we respect each other. We’re not some… squad, sorry.”

“Well,” the amateur reporter let out another smile shaking her fluffy mane. “It’s not a question of some artificial hierarchy… But, they always listen when you’re talking, right?”

“Were you spying on us?” Misty gazed suspiciously at her opponent.

“Maybe a little bit…” chuckled Fluffy nonchalantly only to become completely serious the next second. “Every student of Pinewatch is interesting to me in one way or another. That’s a professional interest. By the way,” she suddenly uttered, “have you noticed that the number of so-called jokes regarding your… no, I can’t call that hobby… regarding your passion dropped considerably during the recent days, almost down to zero.”

“I learned to pay them no attention anyway, so I don’t know. I’ll take your word on it,” Misty still couldn’t catch the actual course their talk was supposed to be heading.

“Rest assured, I’m telling as it is!” Fluffy nodded determinedly. “Which gives us a smart, coolheaded girl, who knows enough in her field of choice to discern the real thing from some flam. Not to mention that it significantly raised your shares across Pinewatch lately, it leads us directly to my request.”

“Finally!” Misty couldn’t hold a tiny sarcastic smile back.

“As I said,” the earth filly smiled mysteriously in return.

“I planned an article on urban legends for quite a while. The topic which never ceases to attract the readers!” Fluffy Folgen raised one eyebrow glancing at Misty intently, “So, the reawakened interest to Canterton High turned out a gift.”

Misty strained a little listening very attentively to what her fluffy-mane collocutor was going to tell.

“Everypony here knows something about Canterton High and the rumours roaming around that topic,” elaborated Fluffy; her eyes seemed to study the senior student thoroughly. “The place, if I may say so, also has quite a reputation – mostly scary and negative. Believing in these things or not, nopony would eagerly walk by the old school at night. And suddenly it becomes known that the building is going to be demolished, the park renovated and opened to visitors and so on along the lines. The place which couldn’t be successfully rebuilt or removed for nopony-knows-how-many-years already! Isn’t it fascinating?!”

“Perhaps…” Misty looked an epitome of restraint, causing a little smile on Fluffy’s face.

“So, naturally, I decided to devote a large portion of the article to the closest and most freshly spoken about… errmmm… place of interest.”

“And how are we – as if I properly understood you, Fluffy, you were talking about all four of us eventually – connected to all that?” Misty made a face of polite perplexity.

‘Careful, Misty!’ she warned herself. ‘You don’t want to frame any of your friends here, any of the involved in general. It was obvious that we managed to dodge the serious consequences in school… Why would miss Singularity behave as nothing ever happened if that wasn’t somehow important?’

‘Besides… I love what we with Fran have now. Don’t want her to be in trouble again! Even if some insignificant…’

“Let’s say I need an opinion of an… expert,” to Misty’s surprise, there wasn’t a tiny shadow of mischief in Fluffy’s expression. The earth filly nodded determinedly, automatically holding on to her camera again. “Judging by the talks, the school assumed that the “tough girls” either had been visiting Canterton High already or at least have a certain opinion regarding the subject. Anyway, those, whose attention was caught by the recent Canterton news, are guessing now if you have anything to tell on the matter. Your words in the article would heat it greatly, Misty. So, that’s my request exactly – to find out your opinion on Canterton High!” Fluffy looked at Misty almost pleadingly.

“How do you… they… called us?” Misty was unable to believe her ears.

“Tough girls!” repeated Fluffy Folgen with a smile. “These are the exact words I heard several times somewhere… at school’s “backstage”. Moreover, some of the students speculate if you being there was exactly the reason, why the object was finally considered safe and the long-abandoned works were recommenced.”

‘Oh my!’ Misty chilled inwardly. ‘I wonder what else they are… “speculating”!’ She did her best to savvy what to tell that petite clot of curiosity. ‘We definitely don’t need others to interfere in our life. Neither me nor Fran… Auntie Ana and girls as well!’

“I know about the whole Canterton related story and even studied the matter a little indeed,” drawled Misty watching her opponent fixedly. “That being said, I was quite surprised by the lack of valuable information in the libraries and archives… But you are right, Fluffy, saying that Canterton High had quite a reputation since about a few years after it was built.”

‘It’s strange that she wasn’t on her guard when I didn’t ask her to reveal her cards beforehand!’ Misty musingly tapped the edge of the desk while Fluffy nodded silently. ‘But I have no right to demand anything as I’m not going to tell the real state of things in entirety anyway. Sorry, Fluffy.’

“So, you need an opinion… and I don’t see anything preventing me from sharing it. Alas, I can’t give you more than that as we haven’t managed to visit the place personally,” with a tinted with regret smile, Misty glanced at the reporter-girl. “I wouldn’t mind though, as I found the place to be very interesting. At least from the historical point of view…”

“Oooooh!” Fluffy Folgen drawled visibly discouraged; the girl’s lips took a shape of the surprised and at the same time disappointed “o” – it looked as if she truly expected to hear how Misty with her friends roamed Canterton High grounds.

“As for any supernatural presence at the place,” Misty’s eyes slowly alternated between Fluffy’s hands and face, “it’s an open question still… I would like to see some evidence with my own eyes to make such a conclusion.”

“Hmmm… You are talking like a pro already,” chuckled Fluffy. “Expect anything, believe nothing… before you make sure, right?”

“Yeah, something along these lines.”

“But, the whole line of incidents, which pursued the school through its existence?” little miss Folgen wasn’t so easy to distract from the chosen course. “As far as I know there were enough victims of that place, including a few lethal cases… That’s… that’s not mentioning several persons going missing within its walls or after visiting the site.”

“Starting from the teacher mysteriously disappearing midterm from the supposedly closed school building after the studies,” nodded Misty Lagoon. “I read all the sources I managed to find, yes.”

“That first case shouts “Murder!” even after the entire thousand of years, to my mind,” Misty raised one eyebrow intently. “There were enough trails to conclude… But the mere fact of it being unsolved adds greatly to the general mystic image.”

“If you ask me, that’s some sort of the vicious circle, Fluffy,” the unicorn girl elaborated her idea further. “The reputation made the place an aim for all sorts of unsightly shenanigans; the latter became worse and worse with each case ending with somepony injured… and the reputation continued dropping correspondingly.”

“I can see your point here, miss… sorry, Misty,” Fluffy nodded slowly, shrugging a bit chilly with her arms around her shoulders.

“Exactly!” Misty was enforcing the impression. “To the point when the place became constantly chosen for the worst tricks down to the plain criminal ones. Which, in its turn, plunged the reputation of Canterton High, as a location at least, further down the gutter.”

“Most of the cases can be easily explained by the actual participants hurting each other or themselves,” the girl spread her hands, throwing a glance at Fluffy, who silently bit her lip thinking deeply. “Accidentally or purposely – the whole atmosphere there must have been contributing to that, especially at the periods Canterton High being abandoned and rebuilt. Just imagine the messed building at night…”

“Ugghhh!” Fluffy Folgen even shuddered. “But the incidents are mostly explained as the result of paranormal activity instead…” nonetheless, she recomposed fast enough to catch herself.

“I heard the place is in fairly poor state here and there,” Misty shrugged casually trying to remember fast all she could from Lacy parents’ stories. “Supposedly, that was the case each time some wide-scale works started. The large empty building, long corridors, unlocked windows, poorly maintained communications and broken walls… These kinds of structures tend to produce various sorts of sounds, downright creepy sometimes. Consider the darkness at the time when casual ghost-hunters usually pay their visits.”

“You think that…” Fluffy raised her eyes at Misty.

“I suppose ponies mostly scared themselves,” the latter nodded affirmatively. “You should never underestimate the atmosphere influence.”

“Dealing with places alike, where criminal element is undoubtedly present,” explained Misty Lagoon, “it’s always better to evaluate the most natural reasons of the incidents, brushing away the unfitting ones. Sometimes there is no supernatural where it seems to be present,” concluded she with a light, almost apologetic smile.

“But what about the delays in repairs?” miss Folgen even clenched to her camera in the strike of enthusiasm. “The latter lasted over several decades while seemingly they were ready to rebuild the school completely from the start. And then suddenly…”

“Well, I can only guess about the bureaucratic reasoning,” Misty smirked sarcastically. “I suppose that school wasn’t in top priorities when it came down to funding the works. Maybe they planned to rebuild it before and lately reconsidered in favour of complete removal and turning the school grounds into a park. Probably that appeared cheaper than maintaining a school in the area where it is hardly needed now. Considering the works resumed and stuff, I’d say even if there ever was a… ghost in Canterton High,” Misty chuckled lightly, “there is none at the moment.”

“It comes out quite reasoned and plausible when you dissect the phenomenon like that, Misty,” Fluffy Folgen let out a faint smile. “However, I don’t know if the readers are satisfied with the most natural explanation when it’s so tempting to take the supernatural into account.”

“Can I refer to your words directly?” she quickly shifted to the business aspect of their talk. “Quoting you in the article. Ask me, you truly sounded like a pro. And… even if your point of view looks a bit sceptical…” Fluffy bit her lip pensively, then brightened, so the shine of her eyes and smile seemingly lit her silver mane making its faint violet tint gleam in the sunrays. “Maybe… Maybe that even heats the interest to the problem!”

“Sure thing!” Misty felt slightly embarrassed, flushing at being compared to a professional. “I hope you can make something out of that, Fluffy, as I would never call my words here somewhat advanced analysis. I only ask to relay my words as close to the original as possible.”

“But of course!” the slender reporter threw her hands up with a jokingly offended expression. “I don’t even ask for a photo… as something tells me you would, unfortunately, opt out of that.”

“Yeah, I’d be happy if you let me out of the excessive publicity, Fluffy,” Misty tilted her head with a light smile. “As you can see, I’m way less of a valuable expert than expected by the Pinewatch herd.”

“Well, well… I still think you’re too modest…” the earth filly already took a notebook from her seemingly small but apparently spacious bag and scribbled there with the speed of the machinegun.

“Okay, now to your part of the deal!” waiting till the girl slowed down with the notes, Misty looked into Fluffy’s bright blue eyes, ready to catch any sign of a play. “What do you have for me?”

To her surprise (as Misty was still unsure of the seriousness of what was happening) the girl returned the glance without any hesitation or glimpses of insincerity; Fluffy even began sounding calmer and more serious than before.

‘It must be really important for her!’ glimpsed in Misty’s mind. ‘But what exactly… the information she wants to share or the mere fact of sharing it?’

“In my regular work, I’m mostly interested in Pinewatch related news,” started Flaunty Folgen pulling up the strap of her camera lightly, “in general city news – a bit less, as it’s hard to cover them better than the professionals do. Besides, that would exceed our club capabilities…”

Misty nodded understandingly, letting the girl continue.

“But regardless of that, I always check the pros’ headlines, not only from Canterlot but the nearest regions also. If something catches my eye try to find more information myself… or at least see how the real state of things is lit on paper.”

“That may be useful for professional growth,” added Fluffy with a shrug of her thin shoulders. “As becoming a pro is my ultimate goal.”

“Okay, back to the matter!” Fluffy Folgen swept her mane off her face. “Recently, I stumbled upon something that instantly reminded me about you. It’s located in your home area even, Misty. Have you ever heard about the old magical crystals refinery back in your city?” the girl looked at Misty Lagoon expectantly.

“M-maybe…” Misty felt a little dumbfounded by that low start. “You know, Fluffy, Baltimare is a heavily industrialized region, so we have plenty of factories in close vicinity. I can’t remember them all, but some of the places are indeed very old and work under the same ownership for generations.”

“So, I take your word on it, about the refinery. What’s with it exactly, Fluffy?” Misty scratched her nape musingly, ruffling the pink mane.

Instead of an answer, the reporter-filly slid off the desk and started digging in her bag focusedly; with a rustle, she finally found and took out a simple folded paper, spreading it on the table in front of the unicorn girl.

“I came across that article by pure accident brushing through the nearest regions’ news,” finally uttered Fluffy, giving Misty a minute to run through the page diagonally. “Frankly speaking, it’s mostly the photo that gained my attention at first,” she pointed at the single large image of an old industrial site amidst the forested high bank of the ocean bay. Some pegasus took time and effort to capture the factory from the birds-eye view; no wonder that the earth filly Fluffy was fascinated by a masterfully taken picture. “But then I took a read and… I even made this copy.”

The emotion appeared contagious and Misty returned to the copy page delving into reading it thoroughly; meanwhile, Fluffy resumed her story.

“It was mentioned in passing that the factory is very old, without an exaggeration – ancient. The same family runs it for centuries, but they never reported any troubles of… strange nature. Factory accidents were neither frequent. You see, the spirit of old-school management was always a thing there,” Fluffy Folgen smirked approvingly. “Thus they always were quite meticulous about safety, treating it not only like a matter of factory reputation, but actually caring about their employees.”

“… until one unholy day when things changed all of a sudden,” muttered Misty, not raising her eyes from the page. “That’s what is written here… In slightly different words, but still…”

“Exactly! Somehow it always gets down to this…”

“But I fail to see the connection,” Misty interrupted her reading staring at her collocutor. “Where’s the thing making you remember about me and my… interests? It looks like an article lighting the problems of a particular plant and its owner, which may finally lead to,” she checked the page, “yeah, to “shares drop and investors abandoning the ship after the disgruntled employees…”. By the look of it I can’t even tell if the author’s goal is to help the owner or rather the opposite by drawing attention to the problem,” chuckled she doubtfully.

“Well,” Fluffy stepped back to her desk, hands akimbo, “let’s say, it made something tingle in me. And I damn hope it was professional flair rising!” she smirked. “Otherwise, I’m wasting my time. Anyway, I started investigating on my own and found some interesting things, which reminded me of you then.”

“Hmm… I’m all ears. What, except the whole thing is happening in Baltimare?” Misty rested her chin on the fist, looking into Fluffy’s eyes.

“As I said, everything was quiet and dandy for ages, till the last but one owner decided to leave the business to his son,” started the petite girl nesting on the desk comfortably. “Nothing outstanding here, but give it time. He had two sons, a couple of years of birth difference. Different mothers!” with a dramatic pause, Fluffy gazed at her co-ed. “Needless to say that the colts were not particularly friendly towards each other when their father married again after the first boy mother’s death.”

“Yeah, that situation already screams troubles!” Misty nodded understandingly.

“Wait, wait…” Fluffy’s reporter soul couldn’t exist without condensing some tension. “The thing is that the old guy did it right, both by the reason and by the conscience. He didn’t deprive his younger son of a iota, compensating him financially with a surplus. However, he prudently decided to leave the actual factory to the older one who cared for the family business, unlike his brother interested mostly in cheap thrills.”

“The younger flushed everything and came for another bite…” semi-affirmatively dropped Misty with audible despise. “I still…”

“N-nope!” Fluffy’s lips spread in a wide content smile; she savoured the oncoming effect of her delayed revelation. “It’s waaay more interesting! After a few years, the younger brother comes and offers to buy the factory. And what’s more important he actually has funds for that, increasing his fortune. The latter, to be frank, became inscrutable for everypony knowing them.”

“The older brother declines the offer: the refinery is working like clockwork, everypony is satisfied, be them workers or customers or outer investors. Why should he refuse the family business feeding him, giving it into infamous hands with the questionable outcome?” Fluffy shrugged her narrow shoulders as if inwardly agreeing with the factory owner’s decision. “The whole butting lasts for a while, then the younger one drops his claims and leaves the factory alone. He is known to be running his own business at the moment, maybe finally reconsidered being a dolt, who knows.”

“Then exactly the problems started,” added she after a pause. “In brief, one accident resulting in severe injuries of the victim, a few less gruesome incidents, then another double death… two workers supposedly deceased in the hospital. Naturally, there was an employee who couldn’t take it and quit after the first accident, then a few left after that last tragedy. Needless to say that the atmosphere on the refinery became less trustful and friendly. Workers were and still are nervous and doubting, investors falter and so on…”

“Well, isn’t it natural to suspect the younger brother of some sabotage?” Misty raised her eyebrows inquiringly. “I would be surprised if the police involved didn’t do it first… Unless the common opinion is that he… cursed the factory instead,” she chuckled lightly.

“Oh, come on, Misty!” Fluffy threw her hands up in a jokingly pleading manner. “Don’t play a sceptic on me – I’m not one of those jerks mocking your passions!”

“The thing is – they found nothing criminal!” articulated she with all the seriousness. “No connections to the owner’s brother, direct or oblique, no physical traces of sabotage or intent wrecking. Nothing at all! The accidents looked, well… accidental…” the girl spread her hands. “Naturally, the authorities left the site, “advising” the owner to pay more attention to safety.”

“Errmmm…” Misty produced a wry smile of disbelief. “So they practically told him to… umm… buck off and deal with the things, right?”

“Yeah!” Fluffy nodded, seeing her reaction. “Needless to say, that wasn’t any calming news for the owner. But as far as I know, all inward attempts to investigate failed either, or better say, they brought no result as if there was no physical intrusion indeed. Still, there were a few minor but unpleasant incidents even after the official investigation. That’s what I could find,” concluded Fluffy.

“Currently, the factory is in limbo, despite still having contracts and working. The owner became desperate to found the source of the problem… Up to involving the unofficial aid, even amateur researchers,” the earth filly made an intended face. “But there are not so many volunteers, to be honest, due to the fame the place slowly gains. The owner isn’t prone to superstitious thoughts, but the actual witnesses of the past incidents tell that something “wasn’t entirely natural about them”.”

“That’s all I know, Misty!” Fluffy wiped the hands against her moto-pants in a symbolic gesture. “All that my cursory investigation delivered. I have one request in particular: if you’re interested in this case, Misty, please share your thoughts with me first, okay! The article on paranormal could get a continuation…” she winked.