Dark Steel

Chapters

1. An Unusual Case
2. With Unanticipated Clues
3. And Unexpected Results

1. An Unusual Case

“This place is a bucking dump!” As I surveyed the one-room rented office, the signs of decay jumped out at me. The cracked frosted glass in the office door reminded me of an old mare’s toothless sneer, the paint on the walls peeled, and the water-damaged floorboards beneath the window undulated like tides of Horseshoe Bay and were just as dark. My ear twitched to a soft scratching sound. Great. A family of mice subletting behind one of the bookcases. The list of issues was as long as the owner’s excuses for not getting them fixed.

On the other hoof, as long as I paid the rent, it was my dump. Not bad, since I’d given up my roach-infested apartment a few months ago. My office doubled as my living room, and a cot in the storage closet made for an adequate bedroom. A mini-fridge and a couple small appliances in the corner served as the kitchen. The bathroom was down the hall. And every couple days I could get a shower at the Young Mares & Colts Association down the street. All the comforts of home, plus a very short commute.

I leaned back in my chair and put my legs on the desk, kicking up some motes of dust which spun and danced like snowflakes in the stark sunlight. I watched in idle fascination as they played on an unseen current before my eyes went back to the office. Not only is it a dump, it’s a cluttered dump. It was one big trash can of old case files, reference material, and, well, trash.

Sometimes it’s hard to say if my office is also my home, or if my home is also my office. I let out a snort. It’s not like it bucking matters anyway.

My business is Discrete Discovery Private Investigators. Investigators. Plural. With me as the owner and sole employee. I laughed at the irony. It looks better to prospective clients if it sounds like there’s more than just me. If I could find somepony competent, I could even make it true.

Yes, I enjoy the work, but it’s been slow. And when it’s slow, I get bored. And when the boredom starts to drag on me… I glanced down at the open desk drawer catching sight of two shot glasses. “No, not today.”

I’m good as long as I get enough clients to pay the bills. Although, I can forget about ever getting rich at this. Then, that’s not why I do this job. Still, I need clients, and with the recent changeling invasion of Canterlot, those are probably gonna be in short supply. Ponies aren’t worried about cheating partners right now, and anypony who wandered off in the invasion doesn’t need a PI to find their way home again.

Usually, the universe just mocks me. Sometimes, it surprises me.

A knock at the door snapped me back to the present. It opened and a couple entered. He was a dark red unicorn. She a sky-blue pegasus. He let her enter first, and she silently mouthed “thank you” as she walked by. It was obvious that they were in love, surprisingly, with each other. I don’t see a lot of that in this line of work. It was… refreshing. Although, as if pulling a too full cart, they trudged into the office. They were burdened with a huge problem that weighed heavy on them. I’d figure that out soon enough.

Taking my hooves off the desk, I sat up straight while kicking the desk drawer closed.

“Good day, folks. My name is Dark Steel. Please have a seat.”

They plopped down in the two chairs positioned in front of my desk. The stallion scooted his chair closer to the mare. They were uncomfortable, nervous, and hiding something.

“Good afternoon,” he replied. “My name’s Quicksilver, and this is my wife Misty. We need some help. We’ve talked with some ponies we know, and your name came up several times.”

Most of my business came through referrals. I grinned as I said, “I’ll assume in a good way, or you probably wouldn’t be here. So, what can I do for you?”

Quicksilver replied, “We need you to find somepony. He’s been our employee…”

“And friend,” Misty interjected, touching her husband’s shoulder with a hoof.

He glanced over at her. “And a friend for almost two years.” He looked back at me. “We lost track of him during the recent invasion of the city, and we are hoping you might be able to track him down for us.”

So, a missing pony case. I prefer these to the more common surveillance case. Such cases typically were all about catching some pony in the act. You’d think getting paid to spend hours sitting on my rump would be great. It's not. While it meant more work, I enjoyed the cases that had to be figured out. A puzzle to solve. Something to do.

“I should be able to help with that. Of course, I’ll need all the particulars you have about him. Name, description, relatives, everything you know.” I picked up a pencil in my teeth and prepared to take notes on a pad of paper sitting on the desk.

Quicksilver continued, “His name is Tinker Cob. He’s a small earth pony with a brown and white skewbald coat. His cutie mark is a crossed hammer and paintbrush.”

“Well, that should make him pretty easy to spot.” I smirked at my little pun. This was looking good. A missing pony that is physically unique shouldn’t be too hard to find.

“Perhaps...” Quicksilver said hesitantly.

I narrowed my eyes a little as I regarded this stallion. You’ve got secrets in there somewhere, don’t you? What’re you hiding?

“He has an apartment close to where we live. Both of the addresses are here.” He levitated a sheet of paper and set it on my desk. I glanced down and skimmed the short lines of text. This pony knew how to summarize details.

“We don’t know about relatives, but about once a month he’d go to Ponyville to visit someone. He said it was family.”

“Okay. This doesn’t seem like it should be too difficult to track him down. I’ll check his apartment and then see if the Canterlot police know anything. Then a trip to Ponyville would be in order.”

“There’s… there’s one more thing we need to mention.” Quicksilver looked down at the desk. Misty stared at the floor.

Here it comes. There’s always a curve they throw you right at the end that turns a simple job into a major pain in the flank. It’s something more than just a lost employee. I tilted my head. “Yes? I’m listening.”

“Well, you see, it’s like this.” He glanced up at me. “Tinker happens to also be a changeling.”

My mind froze for a second. Did he really just say changeling?

“He happens to be… a what?” I was angry. I was “get the Tartarus out of my office” angry. “What the buck is this? Canterlot just barely survived a changeling invasion, and you say you want me to go find a changeling?”

I stood up and brought a hoof up to my forehead. “Wait, wait. This changeling was living with you for two years? Buck me. Did you know what he was? What are you playing at here?” I was on my hooftips, leaning over my desk like a predator ready to pounce. I jabbed at the air with a hoof to emphasize my points.

“Please...” the mare started. I turned to look at her. “You have to understand. He was our friend. We need to talk to him. We need to…” She grew silent as she softly sobbed. Quicksilver stood up, stepped next to her, and wrapped a foreleg around her to comfort her. Even I felt a twinge of compassion for her. Mares and their teary eyes. Oh well.

He continued, “We didn’t know he was a changeling until the attack. He said he wasn’t part of the invasion. He tried to defend the house. When the changelings broke inside, he came in and tried to protect us. They took him out. He was unconscious when we last saw him.” He glanced down at his wife. “It was bad. Really bad.”

“Then the magic wave came through and carried all the changelings out of the city, including Tinker. We never saw him again. They’ve established guards and checkpoints, so even if he tried to return, he wouldn’t be able to.”

I sat down. I’m not sure what to make of this. Clearly, they were serious about the request. This wasn’t a joke or prank. They were also emotionally invested in this Tinker Cob. But a changeling? Did they actually care about a changeling? I picked up my pencil and wrote “changeling” on my notes. Then I underlined it two times. Biting my lip, I added in a third line for good measure.

I dropped the pencil and held up my hooves defensively, glancing to the side for a moment. “So, let’s say for a minute that I believe any of this. I’m not saying I do, but let’s pretend.” When I take a missing pony case, it’s because I think there’s a chance of success. Lowering my legs, I looked back at the couple. “You want me to try and find a changeling. You have no idea where he might be. And he’s a changeling, so you have no idea what he might look like. You don’t even know if he wants to be found at all. Do I have that about right?”

Quicksilver paused for a moment before replying, “Everyone we talked to said you were the best. They said you’d take cases no one else would touch. They said you always came through.” He brought a hoof to his chest and looked at Misty. “That’s what we need right now.” He returned his gaze to me. “We have some money set aside. We know this could be expensive, but we need to try. We can’t just let it go. We can’t let him go without an explanation.”

Misty raised her head and was looking at me with the type of eyes that only mares and small foals can pull off. Wide, sad, and rapidly filling with tears. I couldn’t tell if it was honest emotion or intentional manipulation, but either way, she was good at it. Watching her a second longer, I decided she wasn’t faking it.

I glanced down at my notes on the desk. Do I really want to get involved in this? I read the underlined word ‘changeling’ again. Perhaps this is one case I need to walk away from. I looked back up at the couple.

“I think I’m going to regret getting involved in this. Scratch that. I know I’m going to regret this.” I paused and slumped back in the chair. Just how long should I look for something that can’t be found? “Okay, this is what I’ll do. I’ll give it two weeks. I’ll hit Ponyville first, and then some other towns. But if I haven’t found any leads after two weeks, I’m calling it. I’m not going to keep taking your money looking for something that can’t be found. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes!” both Quicksilver and Misty said in unison as they flashed me a grin.

“Thank you, Mr. Steel,” Misty added, wiping her eyes. “We have faith that you will do your very best to find Tinker. I have to believe he can be found. We just need somepony skilled enough to try.”

Once the couple had left, I grabbed my black felt fedora and headed for my first stop, the local precinct of the Canterlot police.

I sneered at the cityscape as I walked down the street. “Canterlot, the jewel of Equestria.” I’d seen that slogan in some tourist ad somewhere. What they don’t tell you is that every jewel has a setting under it that collects crud and dirt. That crud is where I spend most of my time. This setting could use a good cleaning.

As I neared my destination, I paused across the street from it and leaned against a wall. Peering under the brim of my hat, I regarded the precinct. I’d worked here for a lot of years. It had been a decent career. I might have even made it to retirement. Then I arrested some spoiled brat of a pony, a colt of some Canterlot elite couple. He got a slap on the wrist. I got a cardboard box to carry the things from my desk. If this place burned to the ground, I’d bring the marshmallows.

Though there was one pony here I was still friends with. I think, at least. I walked across the street, entered the building, and proceeded to the main squadroom. The place was an anthill, more crowded than I remembered with desks everywhere. It was never this chaotic when I was here. I made my way to one particular desk where a yellow unicorn mare sat.

“So, how’s my favorite police pony?” I grinned at her.

She looked up from the paperwork she was immersed in. “Steel…” She shook her head and returned to her work. And I thought windigoes were cold.

“Oh, come on, Citrine. Is that any way to treat an old friend?”

Without even a glance she said, “An old friend that only seems to show up when he wants something.” Instead of using her magic, she took the form she was working on in her hoof and slammed it down on the top of a pile in the out basket.

I leaned forward a bit against the desk. “Ah, come on. I mean, I just took you out to dinner a couple weeks ago, right?”

Her icy glare cut right through me. “That was two months ago, Steel.” She looked down again.

My brain squirmed like a worm on a hook. It couldn’t have been that long ago, could it? “Months? No, wait, are you sure?”

She let out a snort and slammed down another sheet of paper on the pile. Even the desk shook with fear under the assault.

I took a step back from the desk. “Okay, okay, perhaps I lost track of time a little. But you know how much I appreciate your help. Tell you what, we’ll go out again real soon. And this time we’ll go big, someplace with a band... and dancing.”

She glanced up from the desk with a faraway look in her eyes. “I do like dancing,” she said softly. The glare returned. “Do you even know how to dance?”

I put a hoof up to my chest. “Citrine, I’m hurt. I’m a very graceful pony.”

She snorted so loud that about half the room turned to look at us. Her ears drooped for a moment. She cleared her throat and sat up straight.

“Well, perhaps graceful is a bit much.” I put my leg back down. “But I promise I won’t step on your hooves.”

“Probably a one-trick pony,” she said, resting her chin on her hoof.

“I’ll have you know I’m pretty good at both the ponytrot as well as the Canterlot waltz. That’s two tricks.” I gave her a confident smile.

“If you say so. But I’m not waiting months. You hear me, Steel?”

I raised my forelegs. “Yes, I hear you. I absolutely hear you.”

She sighed and her voice softened, “Okay, what do you need this time?”

Seeing my opportunity, I jumped at the opening. “It’s a missing pony case. I wanted to see if you guys have anything on a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. I’d also like to check on my employers, just to make sure they’re legit. It’s a couple from Canterlot, Quicksilver and Mist Skimmer, aka, Misty.”

She wrote the names down on a pad of paper. “Okay, have a seat. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” She stood up and walked off.

“Thanks, Citrine,” I called after her.

I sat down in the chair next to her desk. I noticed a small picture frame on the corner closest to me and turned it around. It was a picture of the two of us on a vacation we took to Manehattan a couple years ago. I smiled at the memory and turned the picture back the way it had been.

We were different then, Citrine and I. We weren’t serious, at least I wasn’t. Had a lot of fun together. Sometimes I miss those days. Citrine was happier then. I think I was too.

After a few minutes, I heard Citrine returning. As she sat down, I noticed she held a manila folder with her magic.

I sat up in the chair. “So, did you find something?” I pointed at the file.

“There was nothing on this Tinker Cob. No record and no official contact with Canterlot police. But your other two ponies did pop up.” She opened the folder.

“Turns out they’re pretty well known researchers in Canterlot. He’s an alchemist, and she’s a botanist. Both their parents also live in Canterlot and are well-respected. These two are on file because of an incident a few years ago while they were still in school.” She paused as she read some of the text. “Another pony sabotaged a lab experiment, causing an explosion. Misty was injured, but Quicksilver was almost killed. The culprit was caught and the incident closed. They’ve had no interactions with the police since then.” She closed the file and set it down.

So, nothing on Tinker. “I guess it was too much to ask that the search would be easy. But it’s good to get the scoop on the other two.” I stood up, leaned over, and gave her a little peck on the cheek. “Thanks, Citrine, you’re the best.”

“And…?”

“And… this case will be over in a couple weeks. I’ll get in touch with you then, and we can go out to dinner.”

“And…?” Her hoof tapped on the desk.

“And… and dancing. Absolutely we’ll go someplace with dancing.”

“Okay then.” She smiled. I’ve missed that smile and the way light seemed to dance in her eyes.

“And I won’t forget. Thanks again, Citrine.”

With a nod, I turned and headed for the front door of the station. I felt pretty good. Perhaps I was even happy? It was hard to be sure as I don’t do happy very often. But Citrine has that effect on me. Sometimes I wonder if it could actually work between us. She’s a great filly. Perhaps... a family owned business with two employees...

As I stepped outside the station, I shed those thoughts like an old overcoat. Maybe in a couple weeks I could return to them, but right now, I had a case. That’s what I need to focus on, not some fantasy. Head in the game, Steel. Head in the game!

My next destination was the apartment where Tinker lived. I stopped for a minute to verify the address from the paper Quicksilver had given me and got moving.

The apartment building was like any of a dozen others in this part of Canterlot. Unremarkable and easily forgotten. They all looked the same, several stories tall, classic Canterlot white, with a grid of windows facing forward. Just two rows of white dominoes sitting edge-to-edge on both sides of the street. A small awning over the door and a sign with the name completed the package. I read the name and immediately forgot it. It was a name like any of dozens of others. Unremarkable and easily forgotten.

I walked through the door and into the long dark hallway typical of such buildings. The manager’s office was immediately inside the door.

“Good morning,” I said as I walked up to the open window.

“Renting, visiting, or investigating?” He looked up at me. “Investigating.” He looked back down. I wondered if he’d been a fellow gumhoof in a previous life.

I tossed a few bits down on the counter. It was easier when they didn’t make a fuss about privacy. “It’s a missing pony case. It’d be helpful if I could get a quick look at his room. His name is Tinker Cob. Apartment 305, I believe.”

He swept the bits off the counter and into a small cash box. Then he closed the window and came out the office door into the hallway. “Third floor.” I noticed he walked with just a bit of a limp in his right rear leg. Then I saw the scar. I wonder if there’s an interesting story behind that.

As we headed up the stairs, I tried to pump a little information out of the manager. “What type of a tenant is Tinker? Any problems?”

“I didn’t know much about him. He’s quiet, neat, and pays his rent on time. That’s really all I need to know. I give him a discount on the rent in exchange for some light maintenance work around the place. Tinker’s work is always first-rate. I wish I had a few more tenants like him.”

Once we got to the room, the manager unlocked the door and headed back to his office without comment. Terse and to the point. I could appreciate that.

I entered and immediately wondered if it was the correct room. I rechecked the front of the door. Yup, 305. It was a furnished apartment, but there were no other signs of life. I didn’t see anything that would suggest a pony actually lived here. Nothing on the shelves, and the table and counters were empty. No personal stuff at all other than a couple books on an end table by a chair. I’ve seen abandoned houses that looked more lived in. Although, I guess a changeling wouldn’t be expecting any visitors, so wouldn’t need to keep up appearances.

I looked in the bedroom. The bed was made, so I guess somepony slept here, at least occasionally. The bathroom was devoid of anything save for a couple grooming brushes and a toothbrush. I took a closer look at them. Yup, definitely used. Someone lives or lived here.

I went into the kitchen. The only things in the fridge were a couple apples and a container of grape juice. The drawers were all empty. I found one drinking glass in the cupboard over the sink. The trash can was empty.

I wonder how much physical food a changeling needs to eat in addition to feeding off love. Based on what I’ve found, it’s not very much. But then that’s the same amount I know about changelings--not very much, I mused.

I closed the self-locking door as I left and headed back downstairs.

“Thanks,” I said to the manager as I walked by, giving him a wave. It wasn’t that I was actually grateful. I’d paid him for his time. I wanted to make sure the manager saw me leave the building. It’s good to cover those bases.

My last stop for the day was the city hall to check for any public records on Tinker. Well, that was pointless, I fumed. I’d shot the whole day and had exactly the same information as when Quicksilver and Misty left my office. Yes, it’s the client’s time. But that doesn’t make it any easier to come up empty.

I went back to my apartment, or office, or whatever. I heated up some vegetable soup for dinner. Technically, I was on a case and could eat out on the client’s bits. But I’ll be eating on the road for the next week or two, so tonight I’d have a fancy home-cooked meal. Besides, it would save a few bits on my expense report. They’re a cute couple, Quicksilver and Misty. I’d only talked with them a few minutes, but I saw something between them. Something I might like to find for myself some day.

2. With Unanticipated Clues

A new case. A new morning. And the same old train to Ponyville. Quicksilver and Misty said Tinker went there once a month, so perhaps someone would know more about him. Maybe he was even there? Naw, if the case was that easy, I wouldn’t be the one to get it. I could almost feel the universe grinning maliciously at me.

I must have dozed off because the jerk of the train pulling into Ponyville snapped me awake. Traveling light, I grabbed my saddlebag and hat, and headed out. I threaded my way through the departing passengers and headed to the ticket office.

I tipped my hat to the employee. “Hey there, I wonder if you could help me.”

“Sure, if I can,” he replied, looking up from the papers in front of him.

“I’m trying to find a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. I understand he visits Ponyville on a regular basis. Have you ever seen him?”

“Well, I don’t know the name, but yeah, there’s a pony like that who comes through here every few weeks.” He put a hoof to his chin. “As I recall, he usually arrives on the first train from Canterlot on Friday, and leaves on the midday train Sunday. It’s kind of sad. He never has anyone waiting for him or seeing him off. He will sometimes arrive with some packages which he doesn’t have when he leaves, so he must be seeing someone here. But I’ve never seen anyone with him.”

Okay, this is interesting. “When was he last here?”

“Oh, let me see.” He idly glanced at a calendar on the wall beside him. “It’s been a few weeks. He’s probably due back soon.”

“Any idea where he goes when he gets off the train?”

He shook his head. “No. I’m usually busy helping passengers, so I don’t have time to look around. But it seems like he heads towards town. At least he’s not taking the road away from town. I’d have noticed since it runs just over there.” He pointed to the road clearly visible from the platform.

“Okay, thanks for your help. You have a good day.”

“And you too, sir.”

I headed towards the center of Ponyville. The streets were lined with an impressive variety of shops. Some were rather unusual, like “Quills and Sofas”. One-stop shopping with an interesting twist. The open areas were filled with vendor carts as ponies browsed and greeted each other. It looked like a nice place to live. Probably nicer than the “jewel of Equestria.”

As I moved through the street, I was suddenly blocked by an overly enthusiastic pink earth pony grinning at me. I stopped, restraining myself from rearing up in surprise.

“Hi. I’m Pinkie. What’s your name? You’re new in town. Are you moving here, or just visiting? If you’re moving here, then I’ll need to throw you a welcome party. I suppose I could also throw a ‘just visiting’ party too if you wanted.”

The seemingly boundless energy radiating off this pink pony was like a physical force that pushed me back a step. I swayed a moment as if actually struck.

“Oh, hi. I’m Dark Steel, and I’m afraid I’m just visiting for a couple hours. While a party would be fun, I don’t really have time for one. Sorry.” Somehow I felt that being rude or curt was not the correct approach here. Like most ponies, I have an inner voice that’s always whispering to me. Right now it was yelling, Do not make this pony sad!

“Oh…”Her smile faded and ears drooped. My inner voice screamed, You fool! “Can I at least give you a ‘no time for a just visiting party’ cupcake?” She reached into her mane and pulled out a vanilla cupcake with strawberry icing and held it out to me.

My eyes went wide in surprise. “How did… How did you know that’s my favorite flavor?”

A smile spread across her face. My inner voice exhaled in relief. I accepted the cupcake and took a bite. I closed my eyes and focused on the taste without distraction. How long had it been? I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had one. And never one like this. It was tender and moist, with a perfect ratio of icing to cake.

I opened my eyes again. “Thank you, Pinkie. I can honestly say that’s the best vanilla and strawberry cupcake I’ve had in, well, in years. Thank you.”

She was visibly vibrating with excitement. I’m not sure how that’s even possible. “I just knew you’d like it. I’ll let you be on your way, and good luck with finding Tinker.” She turned to leave.

“Wait! How did you know I am looking for Tinker Cob?”

“Pinkie Sense,” she replied as if that explained everything.

Pinkie Sense? What’s a Pinkie Sense? I’d seen hoof readers and fortune tellers at fairs, but they were all show and no substance.

Confused, I asked, “You know him?”

“Of course. I know everypony. But he makes me a little sad because he’s so sad. He’s never let me throw him a party.” Her smile faded and her ears drooped again. “But perhaps his friends in the Everfree Forest will throw him one. I wouldn’t be so sad if I knew he was getting a party there. Although mine would be better.”

“Everfree Forest? You’re saying he visits someone in the Everfree Forest when he comes to Ponyville?”

“Well, of course, silly. He’s not the type to hang out with anypony here in town.” Her smile had returned.

“What do you mean, type?”

“Oh, you know,” she said with a wink and turned to leave. “I gotta get back to work now.” And with that she bounded away.

I just stood there, my brain spinning like a foal on a carnival ride. I had the distinct feeling like I just had a glimpse of what it’s like to go crazy.

I snapped back to the present when I noticed a red mare wearing a pilot helmet watching me from across the street. I was still standing in the middle of the road, staring into the space vacated by the pink crazy. My mouth hung open, and the half-eaten cupcake rested in my hoof. I closed my mouth with an audible snap, then opened it again to pop in the rest of the cupcake. I started walking. I wasn’t going anywhere specific, I just needed to clear the crazy from my head.

I noticed a general dry goods store up ahead and decided to go in. These places can be a hub of information, and perhaps talking with somepony sane would help me refocus. As I walked in, an older earth pony mare behind the counter looked up.

“Good day, sir. Can I help you with anything?”

“Perhaps just a quick question, if you don’t mind?” I walked up to the counter.

“Sure,” she said with a pleasant smile.

I returned the smile. “I’m trying to find a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. Do you happen to know him, or ever see a pony like that around town?”

“Yes, I’ve seen him, although not recently. I never knew his name, he was kind of private and quiet. But he’d come in here every few weeks to pick up some things. Mostly they were camping supplies.” She pointed to a corner full of such merchandise. “Must have been a big campout though.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, almost every time he’d buy stuff, it would include one or two sleeping pads. Either somepony likes a lot of padding, or the group is growing all the time.”

I purchased a small bag of oat mix to be polite, thanked the mare, and went outside again. I snacked on it as I walked. Why would Tinker be buying camping supplies? And why so many sleeping pads? Was he meeting someone who was living in the Everfree Forest?

Each new clue raised new questions. And right now the questions were stacking up faster than the answers. But this is what I live for. The search, the clues, sifting the wheat from the chaff. This is why I solve the cases no one else can.

I spent the next couple hours fishing for clues from the shop owners and street vendors. I wasn’t catching much. While a few others recognized Tinker’s description, no one knew his name. And no one had seen him for several weeks. Although a couple ponies mentioned seeing him head in the direction of a local orchard named Sweet Apple Acres.

Much like my empty oat mix bag, the town had run out of clues, so I decided Sweet Apple Acres would be my next stop. I walked out of the community and after a while found myself strolling through a large orchard of apple trees. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in a while.

“Howdy. Nice hat.”

I startled and turned to see an orange earth pony mare wearing a Stetson hat. She was leaning against the fence with her forelegs crossed on the top rail. I had the impression she knew exactly what she’d done, perhaps even planned it.

“Oh, hi. Thanks. You have a really fine hat yourself.” She grinned and nodded once. “This your place?”

“Yes, sir. Sweet Apple Acres. Ya won’t find better apples in all Equestria.”

“That’s a pretty tall claim. Mind if I buy a couple to judge for myself?”

She tipped her head towards a basket of apples on the ground beside her.

“Applejack’s the name, but most folks just call me AJ. Help yourself.”

I hoofed her a few bits and selected two nice looking apples. One went in the saddle bag as I continued, “I’m Dark Steel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I took a big bite of the apple and chewed for a bit. “You know, I think that claim may not be so tall after all. This is one good apple.”

She smiled. “Well, thank ye kindly. It’s always good to see a pony enjoy our work. So, whatcha doing ‘round these parts, Mister Steel?”

I finished the last of my apple and smacked my lips. “I’m actually looking for somepony. He’s a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. A couple ponies in town remembered him heading this way.”

She tilted her head. “Yeah, I recall seein’ a pony like that a couple o’ times. I never got a chance to chat with him or get a name.”

A clue. I took a step forward. “Any idea where he went?”

“Not for certain, but I kinda had the impression he might be headin’ into the Everfree Forest. Don’t make a lick of sense goin’ in there, but that’s what it seemed like.”

“I see. I had another pony say she thought that’s where he went when he was in town.”

“Well, I wish ya luck with ya search. I gotta get back to work now. Y'all have a good day.”

“And you too, AJ. Thanks again for the apples. The best in all Equestria.” I grinned and tipped my fedora.

She tipped her hat in return and turned to walk off.

I continued down the road. It was peaceful, surrounded by green, and smelled of earth. Pretty much the exact opposite of Canterlot. This place really was a jewel. Too soon I encountered a fork where a path split off, heading into the forest.

I stood there for a while, looking into the darkness. Yes, I need to find Tinker, but notin there. Besides, there’s no indication he’d been in town for several weeks. Like a mouse realizing he’d stumbled into the cat’s bed, I made a hasty retreat from the edge of the forest. There were things far worse than a cat in there.

Once safely back in town, I decided to get a room and spend the night. It was late and the next destination could wait until morning.

As I reached the train platform early the next morning, I realized I had a problem. Which direction should I go? I had to visit every corner of Equestria, but where should I start?

As I considered this little problem, I noticed a mare with a young colt also waiting for the train. The colt was watching me and gave a tentative smile when I looked down at him.

“Hi there. Going on a trip?” I asked in my most kid-friendly voice. I probably sounded like an idiot.

The colt glanced at his mom, who said, “Don’t be rude, answer the nice stallion.” The colt turned back to me and nodded, “Uh-huh.”

“How fun. I’m going to go on a trip too, but I’m not sure which way I should go. North, south, west or east. Which would you choose?”

“West?” the colt answered tentatively.

“West? West. Yes, I think that’s an excellent choice. Thank you, you’ve been most helpful.”

I smiled at the colt, tipped my hat to the mare, and went to the ticket office to check the schedule and buy a ticket. As I walked away, I heard the colt say, “Did you see, mom? I helped him.”

“Yes, dear, I saw that.”

Cute kid. Glad he belongs to somepony else.

I don’t really do kids. I never know what to say. It’s like talking to a buffalo; we speak the same language, but don’t really understand each other. There was this case a few months ago. I located a kid, the victim of a foalnapping. Took me six hours to travel back to Canterlot and return him to his parents. He was overjoyed to be going home, thankful, and talked almost non-stop. The bonus I got for that case almost made up for those six hours with that colt. Almost.

3. And Unexpected Results

And thus began over a week of the most frustrating search I’ve ever been on. I’d try to hit one town per day, depending on travel times. Each town was the same. I’d talk to the employees at the train station and visit the local police station. I’d talk to any contacts I might have in that town. Always the same, “Have you seen a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob?” over and over until I was sick of it.

Much like a foal's pinwheel, I spun around Equestria. I used Canterlot as the center, started west, and worked clockwise around the circle. Tall Tale. Vanhoover. The Crystal Empire. Manehattan. Fillydelphia. Baltimare. Dodge City. And now Appleloosa. The last town on the circle would be Las Pegasus tomorrow.

I’d also skipped a few locations as too unlikely or not worth the trip. This included Cloudsdale, Rainbow Falls, and everything east of the Celestial Sea. I only had two weeks, and going to the far east would add at least two more weeks. There was no point in dragging this out.

I grumbled as I remembered how past clients reacted to paying for days with absolutely nothing to show for it. It’s like they don’t understand that most of a search is spent, well, searching. That’s why they call it a search. Because you search. It’s like how you always find something lost in the last place you look. Nothing happens until the last day when you finally find something. But I don’t think Quicksilver and Misty are that type of client. They understood the odds when they hired me. Or perhaps they hired me because they understood the odds.

Not sure what it is about those two. But I was honestly hoping to find something for them. I could still see that mare’s expression. Did it haunt me or encourage me? I just knew I didn’t want to disappoint her.

The train pulled into the Appleloosa station, and I wearily got off. Another town, another run through the dog and pony show. Not sure if I’m the dog or the pony. I walked up to the ticket agent and started the dance. I knew the steps by rote.

“Hi. I wonder if you could help me. I’m looking for a pony that may have come through here recently. He’s a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. Any chance you’ve seen him?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen him,” the agent replied.

Mindlessly, I started to turn away. “Okay, sorry to have bother… Wait! You what? You’ve seen him? When?”

“Well, let me think. It was early last week sometime. Came in on the same train you did. I noticed him ‘cause of his interesting coat. Ya sure don’t see many skewbald ponies, at least not around these parts. The engineer said something about picking him up mid-run.”

“Did you see where he went? Did he leave on a different train later?”

“I know he headed towards town. I haven’t seen him since.”

“You said he came in on the same train I just did. Was it the same engineer last week?”

“Yes. Same pony always does this run. The train’s in the station for another fifteen minutes, you can go talk to him if you want.” He pointed in the general direction of the engine.

“Thank you. I appreciate the information.” He gave me a single nod.

I trotted forward to the front of the train. The engineer was standing on the platform, leaning against a post. I slowed down as I approached him. He was an older earth pony stallion who still looked surprisingly fit.

“Excuse me. The ticket agent suggested I talk with you. He said you picked up a brown and white skewbald earth pony last week. Do you remember that?”

He turned and regarded me for a second. “Sure do. Was kind of strange. We were just south of Ghastly Gorge, and he was standing by the track with a hoof up. We were out in the middle of nothin’, so I figured I should stop in case he was in trouble. He didn’t look like he was doin’ too well.”

I perked up. “What do you mean? Was he injured?” Quicksilver and Misty had spoken of the beating he took inside the house, plus he was flung halfway across Equestria by that spell.

“Well, not on the outside as you could see. Before I was an engineer, I spent sixteen years in the E.U.P. Saw some action. I know that look. We’d call it spell shock. Ponies would get it when they were too close to a large area of effect spell. Not so close that it killed ‘em, but close enough for it to mess with ‘em. Distracted. Glassy-eyed. Difficulty thinking and talking. I don’t know what could have hit him out there by the Ghastly Gorge, but it was spell shock for sure.”

“Did you happen to see where he went when he got off the train?”

He shook his head. “Honestly, I was busy in the engine and didn’t even see him get off.”

“Okay, thanks for the info, that’s really helpful. You have a good run on your next stretch today. And thanks for your service in the E.U.P.” I backed up a couple steps.

“You’re welcome. You have a good day.”

I turned and started walking. Have a good day. Yes, perhaps I was, finally, having one of those. The pieces fit. Tinker was ejected from Canterlot and dropped somewhere around the Ghastly Gorge. That magic wave gave him a case of spell shock. He took the form he’s most familiar with and got a ride from the next passing train that brought him here.

But then what? Did he stay in town? Did he keep his form, or change to something else? If he changed, he could have slipped out on another train unnoticed. Too many questions and not enough answers for my tastes. On the other hoof, it was the first solid lead I’d had since this case started.

The next step was clear, get Quicksilver and Misty here, and fast. I found a bench in what qualifies as a park in Appleloosa. Nothing fancy, just a small grassy knoll with a few trees scattered about. It was time to see if I could get Quicksilver’s Dragon’s Fire mixture to work. I pulled out my notepad and wrote my message in the center of a page:

Q&M,
Lead found, Appleloosa asap.
DS.

That should be enough to get them here in a hurry.I pulled out the vial of blue liquid from my saddlebag. It was darker than a sky blue, more like a sapphire blue. Rather striking, actually. I thought back to the demo Quicksilver had done for me in the office. He’d explained every step of the process along with actually sending a message. The vial wasn’t full due to that test run, but he said there was enough left for five more messages. I only needed to send one.

I ripped the page from the notebook and set it on the bench beside me. With the stopper removed, I poured a small dash of the fluid onto the center of the page. The expected blue flame ignited and burned in a circle towards the edges of the page… and… stopped.

“Road apples. I didn’t use enough.” There sat the page with a big circle missing from the center. As I looked closer, I could see that the message was gone. So that’s why Quicksilver said to write in the center. Even if the page wasn’t fully consumed, the message would still be sent. I grinned, figuring he probably made the same mistake once or twice himself. He’s still one smart pony.

With the message sent, I put everything back into my saddlebag. If everything worked right, they could be here on the next train. If they missed that, then the morning one. So I had either a few hours, or half a day. It was time to get back to work. I’d start with the local sheriff’s office, then check a few stores where Tinker may have picked up supplies. On the chance he had any bits, I should check any inexpensive inns. Beyond that, I’m not sure. It’s hard to look for a pony who could literally be anypony in town. And that’s if he really was still in town.

The time dragged a bit, and I was having no luck with the dance. Nopony had seen a skewbald pony after the engineer and ticket agent. He may have changed form. But it was almost time for the train from Canterlot, so I headed back to the station. I got there just as the train pulled in. Good timing. Quicksilver and Misty were among the first to disembark.

I moved quickly to intercept them before they could wander off, and filled them in on what I’d discovered here in Appleloosa. I could see they were excited by the news. Neither of them could stand still.

“So what do we do now?” Misty asked.

“All I can suggest is you wander around the town to see if anyone looks familiar. If he wants to be found and sees you, perhaps he’ll make contact. Perhaps he’s taken a form of someone you’ll recognize. I know it’s a long shot, but sometimes, magic happens.”

I remained on the platform as Quicksilver and Misty turned to leave. After going a few paces, they stopped and looked back.

“Aren’t you coming?” Quicksilver asked.

“No. A third pony he doesn’t know would probably spook him. I’ll wait at that bar over there until you check in with me.” I pointed in the direction with my hoof. “I’ll head back to Canterlot either on the last train today, or the first one tomorrow. If this doesn’t pan out, I think we may be done.”

There’s no point in checking Las Pegasus if he got off here.

They briefly looked at each other and then continued on their way into town. I watched them until they were out of sight and headed across the street to the bar. Its location and menu made it the perfect place to wait for a train or relax after arriving on one.

I went inside. It looked like any of a hundred other bars I’ve seen in a dozen different towns. There was the clichéd long counter with stools, and along the opposite wall stood a queue of booths. The lights were low. Some might call it intimate. I called it hiding what a dump the place was. I selected a booth where I’d have a view of the entrance. I opened my saddlebag and pulled out a jumbled mess of receipts. I got nothing better to do, so I might as well get a jump on the expense report while I’m on the clock.

I really hate the paperwork. A secretary to handle all this would sure be nice. As I sorted through the pile, a waitress walked up. “What’ll you have, hun?”

I looked up. She was kind of cute in a traditional country-mare sort of way. Definitely too good for this dump. “How about a large apple juice, neat.”

“Sure thing.” She spun in place and walked off.

I tossed a few bits on the end of the table and got back to work. When she returned, she put down my drink and collected the money.

“Add a couple for yourself.”

“Thanks, hun,” she said with a smile.

As I watched her walk away, I briefly glanced at her flank. Citrine’s got a nice flank too. I shook my head with a snort and went back to sorting receipts.

After a couple hours and a refill on my drink, I had the receipts organized and the expense report completed up through that last drink. Everything was organized, but still on the table. I found my thoughts had drifted to Citrine again, and not just her flank.

I heard the door open and looked over to see three ponies enter. Quicksilver, Misty, and… Tinker. They actually found him! I raised a hoof to get their attention, and they walked over.

“I see you found him, it, whatever.” I shook my head. “I guess he didn’t change his form, or leave town.”

Tinker froze. “Who is that?”

“It’s okay,” Misty said, placing a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. We hired him to help find you.” She gave me a subtle wink. Still had a sense of humor even in the stress of all this. She’s one tough mare.

“We need someplace private to talk,” Quicksilver added.

I quickly put my papers back into the saddlebag and stood up. Raising a hoof, I waved to get the owner's attention and pointed at a door in the back. He nodded.

“Follow me.” I let them through the door into a small, dank room. There were barrels of spirits stacked against one wall. No windows illuminated the cramped space, but a single lamp hung over a table providing insufficient light. Several chairs surrounded the table. . I closed the door, and Quicksilver cast some spell on it. These unicorns, always casting a spell for this or a spell for that. To make my point, I reached out and locked the door with my hoof. See, it’s not really that hard.

“So, this is Tinker Cob,” I started slowly, not sure if I really believed it. I mean, a changeling...

“Yes, I am,” he replied.

“And you’re a changeling?”

Tinker raised his head a bit and closed his eyes. A flash of green magic that flared up around Tinker. Blinking away the afterimage revealed a changeling in our midst. Misty gasped softly and stiffened, but didn’t move. One tough mare.

I, on the other hand, startled at his appearance. The black color, wings, and fangs were unnerving. Self preservation instincts caused me to momentarily glance at the room’s single avenue of escape. It was just a reflex. I wasn’t really worried. I think...

“Well, buck me, you really are one.”

Quicksilver spoke softly, “Tinker, let’s not make this more complicated. Please change back.”

There was another flash of green magic, and the familiar brown and white skewbald earth pony stood there. I just shook my head and sat down in one of the chairs.

“Client privacy aside, no one would ever believe this even if I could talk about it.” And I wouldn’t dare talk about it unless I wanted to have a nice long chat with some head-doctor.

They selected chairs around the table and sat down.

Quicksilver got a serious look on his face and addressed Tinker, “Okay, Tinker. Spill it. We trusted you for so long, and now we feel like it was all a lie. But what’s done is done. From now on, only the truth. I hope we deserve at least that much.”

“Yes, you do.” He paused for a long time. Pauses always make me wonder. Are they collecting their thoughts, or preparing their lies? “I admit, I didn’t tell you everything about myself, but I have never lied to you. Fortunately, you never asked a question that I couldn’t answer truthfully.”

Quicksilver caught me trying to stifle a snicker. “Something funny?” he asked.

“Oh, nothing. I just had a stray thought that you need to remember to add ‘Are you a changeling?’ to your interview questions. Sorry.”

Quicksilver snorted once and glanced at Misty who just rolled her eyes. I guess I should stay away from stand-up comedy.

After a moment Tinker began to tell his story. Quicksilver and Misty sat up straight, ears forward and alert as they listened. This was it. This was why they hired me to find Tinker. This was the closure they sought, and they were going to soak in every word of it. As I listened to the story, there were a couple parts that stood out to me.

The first was that Tinker was part of a hive of changeling outcasts that lived in the Everfree Forest. That confirmed the facts I’d learned while in Ponyville, especially from that crazy pink pony. And that explained the sleeping pads. I thought briefly about that apple I got from the orange mare with the Stetson. Nice hat.

The other was that after Tinker’s expulsion from Canterlot, he had ended up in the Ghastly Gorge, and from there made his way to Appleloosa which is where he was hiding until we found him.

It was good to know the clues I’d picked up in my search were consistent with the changeling’s story. At least there were no obvious lies. I’ve seen ponies who would never lie tell some of the biggest lies you’ve ever heard. It’s like they saved up all their potential lies, and when the time was right, they would tell a doozie. When I was on the force, the assumption was: trust and verify. A few years as a PI changed that to: everyone lies. I think I liked the old days better.

Tinker finished his story. He momentarily locked eyes with Quicksilver and then with Misty. Then he sighed softly, slumped down in his chair, and lowered his head.

I ran a hoof through my mane. “Wow. I… I’m not sure what to make of all that. This whole situation is just so, so, I don’t know what it is. Part of my job is to separate the road apples from the truth. This all rings true, but I just don’t know what to do with it. I’m just glad I don’t have to write this up in a report for a client.” I shook my head several times, still considering the implications of all this. It thought back to the crazy pink pony I’d met in Ponyville. Perhaps she could use her Pinkie Sense to explain this in a way that would make more sense.

The three of them continued to talk. I’d occasionally ask a question, probing for any gaps in Tinker’s story. I wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything more going on, and verify that there was no risk to my clients. The fact that there was another changeling hive involved set off all sorts of alarms in my head. The inner voice would not shut up. But nothing seemed off with his story.

I also watched the dynamic between Quicksilver and Misty. The way they talked to each other, looked at each other, leaned together or shared a touch. This couple was harnessed together, hard. I usually ignored such romantic undertones. They didn’t even realize what they were doing. But seeing it right there in front of me made me wonder if others could also have that sort of relationship. If I could have that sort of relationship.

The meeting and the case seemed to conclude as the three of them decided to try and salvage whatever relationship they had. Two ponies and a changeling were going to try and be friends. It wasn’t the outcome I was expecting, but I think it’s probably the best anypony could have expected.

I asked, “So folks, what’s next?”

“I’m not sure,” Quicksilver replied. “We’ll spend the night here and figure that out tomorrow.”

“Okay then. I’m going to head out so I can catch the last train back to Canterlot. That will bring the case to a close on the tenth day. I’ll write up a full accounting, including all the expenses I had, and deliver that plus your leftover deposit in a few days.”

Quicksilver added, “When you do that accounting, please add an eleventh and twelfth day as a thank you for doing the impossible. I’m not sure Misty and I can express what you’ve done for us. Thank you.”

I bowed my head slightly. “And thank you. I didn’t think we were going to be able to pull this off. I hope whatever comes next works out for you, for all of you.” I stood up from the table. “Quicksilver, Misty, goodbye, and thanks again.” I turned towards Tinker. “Tinker, I truly hope you can find what you are looking for. I’ve never met any other changelings,” that I know of, “but you seem like a decent pony.”

He looked me in the eyes. “Thank you… Thank you for calling me a pony and not… and not something else,” Tinker said hesitantly.

I nodded, collected my things, and left the room. I walked over to where the owner was standing.

“Do we owe you anything for the use of the room?”

“Naw, no one else needed it.”

“Thanks.” I gave him a nod, tossed a couple bits on the counter anyway, and left the bar to head for the train.

I’d always considered love an old mare’s tale, and about as scary. They all probably start out with good intentions. Nopony gets married hoping for a trip through Tartarus. But every relationship I’ve seen was broken in some way. And when they hit bottom, that’s when they came to see me.

Why would I ever harness myself to some mare? Why would I restrict myself like that? All it would do is slow me down. But there was something very different with Quicksilver and Misty. Was it possible there was another side to this that I’ve just never had seen before? Did the harness really restrict them? Did it slow them down, or did it give them a strength they didn’t have alone? Was a harnessed team somehow more than just the sum of the ponies? Perhaps love could work, not ending up in court with a bunch of pictures I’d taken as evidence.

I thought back to the photo I’d seen on Citrine’s desk. Why did she have that there? Was it just a reminder of the past, or a wish for the future? And if there was something there, was I willing to to follow it and see where it led me?

“Buck it. Tomorrow I’m going to ask Citrine out to dinner. No, dinner and dancing. I’d really like to see that smile again.”

-- The End --