//------------------------------// // Chapter 14 - Small Progress // Story: 10 Days, 3 Adventures - Part 2 - "Manehattan Crime Story" // by TP Night //------------------------------// At lunch the following day, Rarity, Pinkie and Trixie all sat at a small table in the hotel restaurant, each with a bowl of soup and some bread. They were discussing the upcoming events of the day, and planning their next move. “Well, I say we simply go to the show as usual.” Rarity said. “That way, we don’t arise any suspicion. Just like we’re looking for them, they might be keeping us under watch as well, since they probably know that we’re on to them.” “You don’t know that they know, though.” Trixie injected, mouth full. “First of all, Trixie, mind your manners. Don’t speak with your mouth full. Secondly, No, I can’t know for sure, but I still do suspect it. I mean, so far there have been several reported incidents, and possible even more yet unnoticed ones, including me and Pinkie getting robbed at that spa a couple of days ago. The fact they have not been caught yet means that they are good at what they do, they’re careful and methodical, they plan ahead.” “True, but still, Trixie does not think we are being spied on, at least not here. Maybe when we were at the show and after-party, but not here. As you can clearly see, we are alone in the restaurant, so there can’t be any spies here.” “The chefs, the waiter, the cashier at the entrance, the door-holder-guy, the janitor, the room service, the bell boy, that window cleaner pegasus on the second floor...” Pinkie blurted out. She was going to continue, but Trixie stopped her. “Okay, fine, Trixie gets it! My point is, right now, in this instant, we’re safe and alone.” “Yeees...” Pinkie started, but trailed off. “Don’t mind Pinkie.” Rarity said. “She easily looses focus, unless it’s something baking or party-related.” “Baking? Party?!” Pinkie suddenly almost shouted. “No, Pinkie. I was just stating examples...” “Oh, okay. Never mind then.” Pinkie replied with a smile and focused on her soup instead. The lunch went on like this for another half hour or so, after which the three mares decided a short walk would be good, perhaps go and visit the police station and see if anything new had happened. While there, they could also have a short talk with Trixies grandfather Erlen Meyer, and ask if he had made any progress regarding the potion. Perhaps there was some way to counteract it, or detect who was using it, they thought. And if there was, Erlen was the most likely to find a solution. At least, so Trixie claimed. * * * Later, in the police station, they three mares were informed that Gun Point and Storm Feather were both out somewhere, investigating some recent crime. However, this one was not related to the Sisters, it was just some random break-in at an apartment. Some old mare had found her door broken open when she got home, So Gunny and Storm Feather were sent to check it. They decided to go downstairs to the labs and find Erlen while they waited for Gunny to return. On their way down, a young officer stopped them. “Hey, you can’t be down here, this is the C.S.I. lab, not a civilian waiting room.” Rarity gave the young officer a polite smile. “Oh, we are well aware. You see, we are here to meet Erlen Meyer, who is currently helping you with a case. This here is Erlens grandchild, and the two of us are in fact victims of the Zebra sisters’ latest crime, that Spa robbery I’m sure you’ve heard of by now.” “Sorry, still can’t let you pass unless my superior says so. Or if Erlen himself can verify your story.” “Well, go and get him then!” Trixie said in a stern tone. “Calm down miss.” The officer replied. “I’ll go ask him if he’s expecting any visits.” “Oh, he’s not expecting us, so that won’t work.” Rarity said. “Instead, ask him to just come along and see for himself that it’s us, or describe us to him, and he can verify it’s his grandchild and friends.” “Fine, fine... Wait here.” the officer said, and turned around, going back into the room he had come from when he stopped them. A couple of minutes later he came back again. “Go inside. He said he indeed knows you.” “Told you so.” Trixie said as they passed by, going in to the room. It was filled with chemistry equipment, some of which Rarity knew, and some she did not recognize. A lot of the stuff reminded her of one of the rooms in Twilights castle, which was partly used as a lab, and partly as a storage area for unsorted boxes. In the middle of the room, they found Erlen, now wearing a slightly over-sized lab coat and safety goggles while staring at a bottle of liquid and writing down something on a small notepad. “Hows’it goin’?” Pinkie asked in her usual exited voice. “Ah, young ones. It is going.. how you say.. ‘slow but good’, yez?” “So you are making progress?” Rarity inquired with a mild hint of curiosity. “Well, yez, but slowly. I have found a way which.. I am not sure yet, but, if I make thiz work, it will...” Erlen hesitated for a moment, trying to find the correct way to say it in Equestrian. “It will.. make ze transform backward.” “You mean, anypony who is transformed would transform back to their own shape? You’ve created some kind of ‘reversed” version of their potion?” “I have not created it yet. I am trying to as we speek. This here ist mein second attempt. Ze first attempt was not working.” “What happened with the first one?” Pinkie asked. “Instead of ze supposed effect, it became... volatile explozive. Luckily, I was only making very small amount, only enough to make bottle into tiny pieces and leave small burn on ze desk.” He said, pointing at a small black mark on the desk. “Nopony waz injured, only my pride.” Pinkie was staring at Erlens lab coat. “Why’re you wearing such a big coat?” “Only one available, I’m afraid. it ist modeled for ze Griphons, not for ponies. But, all coats in pony size was taken, only ze griphon had a spare one I could use.” “Well, a slightly big coat is better than no coat, in this situation.” Rarity smiled. “I suppose so, yez. Now, I muzt ask you to leave. I work better when I am alone. You go now, I have job to finish.” “Well, I can relate to that. Working alone allows for higher concentration.” Rarity gave an understanding look. “We’ll be off at once.” “See you later, Grandfather.” Trixie waved at Erlen as they left, and he nodded in reply, already deeply focused on his work again. * * * “So what now?” Trixie asked as they all left the station. Rarity glanced at a clock on the outer wall above the station doors. “We might as well get ready for the Fashion show. It starts in a couple of hours, and there’s really nothing else we can do before that.” “Agreed.” “Oh, and Trixie?” “Yes?” “I was wondering.. Perhaps you’d like to dress up today? wear a dress or something?” “Why would Trixie do that?” “Because most of the others will be dressed, and it is a social gathering of higher standards after all, not just some simple small-town event.” Trixie considered it for a moment. “Fine, Trixie agrees.” Rarity smiled, but Trixie added, “There is just one problem... Trixie owns no such clothing. I only have my mage hat and cape, and some winter clothes. I own no fancy dresses, since I so rarely needed any... I simply rented or borrowed on the few occasions when I did.” “Oh, not a problem at all, I have multiple ones, and you and I are the same size. More or less anyway, maybe a couple pounds difference at most. I’m sure my dresses would fit you perfectly, and I happen to have just the perfect one. A dark blue, almost midnight blue. relatively simple, thin silver linings. Sparkly material, it looks a bit like the evening sky just when the stars start becoming visible, but before it’s completely black.” “That would look amazing on you Trixie!” Pinkie gasped. “That.. does sound like it would look good on me.” Trixie said thoughtfully. “Trust me, Trixie.” Rarity smiled wider. “I’m a fashionista.” The three mares got back to the hotel, and started getting ready for the evening. Rarity and Trixie got their dresses and some make-up on, while Pinkie prepared herself for another evening with Petit.