C.M. Noire - Blur Out

C.M. Noire - Blur Out

The world is filled with truth to be denied.

Prologue

It was a day like any other. Sweets and I lounged listlessly in our one-room office tucked behind the clothespin factory just off Stirrup St. With no clients, I resigned myself to counting the passing carriages as their headlights cast long slitted shadows across the door. I’d open the blinds, but it was pointless, the air was still and warm.

Bloom paced around the room, echoing the clock as the time ticked by. Every few minutes, she’d pause by the window, stare through the cracks, sigh, and resume her plodding. We were the very best investigators in Ponyville, and we had nothing to do.

“Two weeks...” Sweets groaned into her desk and buried her head under her hooves.

I counted the seconds, she made it to five before she came up for air. That desk was none too fresh.

“Two weeks, and not a single case. It’s like the whole town’s buckled in and shut down.” Bloom complained as she stopped by the window for the umptheenth time.

I shrugged my shoulders and leaned back into the couch. “When DeeTee said she’d clean up the town...”

“I thought it was just nuthin’ but razz for the saps.” Bloom complained again. All this sittin’ around wasn’t doing her any favors.

“With her re-election coming up? You can bet it’s all ritz and glitz.”

“I wouldn’t mind some of those bits coming our way.”

The door to our office opened suddenly, stirring the air enough that my wings tingled. I looked up and found myself starin’ at the big cheese herself. She was dolled up good and proper with no accounting to the weather.

“Mayor...” Sweets rose from her seat and lifted the heavy overcoat off our guest. The magic deftly guided it to the coat rack, which creaked under the weight.

“Thank you.” She responded and turned to me. “Cutie Mark Crusade—”

“—Investigators” Bloom cut in, none too politely.

I raised an eyebrow, but the mayor didn’t even stop. She looked worse for wear under that coat. As much as I feel for the dames, my heart belonged to another.

“I need your help.”

“What’s this about Diamond Tiara? I don’t see what you need us for when you got this town all suited up and ready for your reelection.” Bloom was still hot over the name, and I could see she wasn’t too keen on lettin’ it go.

“Please, I don’t know what to do.” She dropped a photograph onto Sweet’s desk and looked about as scared enough to hide under it.

Sweets picked up the photo and cast a weary eye on it, but Bloom pressed the photo down to the desk in one motion and hid it under her hoof. “Bits first.”

I always figured Bloom would have it out with DeeTee eventually, they never did see eye to eye, but this was different, she was here looking for help. I was about to speak up, but I didn’t have to. A bag of bits clinked onto the desk, probably enough dough in that bag to bake quite a few cakes.

Bloom hardly paid the coins any mind. She just glared at the poor girl. I guess after six years and six more hooves in height wasn’t about to make things right.

“...Sorry?” DeeTee whispered, sinking down to about the height of a filly.

“Bloom.” I spoke up, “Leave the girl alone, she didn’t mean it, alright?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Bloom shrugged and released the photo from under her hoof. She pushed it in front of Sweets and made her way back to the window.

“So, what’s the story?” I looked to Sweets, curious as to what would drive a swanky girl like DeeTee to our little office.

“I think the story is, the mayor needs some better photographers. I can hardly make out the mark on this pony.” Sweets squinted at the photograph and set it down.

“That’s the long and short of it.” DeeTee sighed and slumped to the ground. “We found her this morning just outside June Juice off Julep Junction. She didn’t remember anything. I got my Bulls looking into it, but they haven’t found any clues.”

“So, her cutie mark?”

“Blurred.” DeeTee shook her head sadly. “If this gets out, I’m finished. I got a promise to keep it quiet from the chief, but they can’t do too much digging before the press catch wind of this.”

“Do we have the girls name?”

“Yeah. Her name’s Dinky.”

That stirred me up something fierce. I knew the girl, kind and hard-working. She was a slinger at the Juice, never spilled a drop. She was smart, but most of all, she worked to take care of her mom. But now...

“She can hardly cast a single thing, we got her to the hospital, but I don’t know what more to do for her.”

Bloom sighed. “Alright, we’ll do some lookin’, but we ain’t making any promises.”

“Please,” DeeTee pleaded, “just figure out what’s going on.”

“We’ll do our best. We’re the best in Ponyville after all.” I voiced my vote of confidence. If she appreciated it, I didn’t notice, she kept right on talkin’.

“Just, try to keep it quiet alright? The elections are in a week—”

That set Bloom off. She grabbed the coat off the rack and tossed it to DeeTee. “Scram. I’ve heard enough outta you. We’re not doing this for you, we’re doing it for Dinky.”

“Bloom...” Sweetie began, her magic gently adjusting the coat onto DeeTee’s shoulders. “We’ll do what we can, okay?”

“Fine.” Bloom huffed, clearly rebuffed.

I could see the beginning of the waterworks in DeeTee, and I was glad it wasn’t happening. We may not get along, but she wasn’t the bad sort. It’s just that her priorities weren’t always straight. When the door finally closed behind her, Bloom broke out into the biggest grin.

“We got a case!”

I shook my head. “You gotta be more honest, Bloom.”

“Hmph, I’m plenty honest.” Bloom retorted before picking up the photograph DeeTee left behind. “Blurred huh? I’d ask the Princesses, but I guess we can keep it quiet for now. Do some digging, see what we can find.”

Sweets and I shared a smile. Bloom might be tough, but she had a heart of gold in when it came down to it.

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