It was Friday morning and as usual, Whistle and Sparkleworks were having their weekly breakfast together. However, there was one difference today that was in the form of a friend that Whistle had decided to bring. Sitting at the table with her was Malty, she was in a little bit of a death stare with Sparkleworks who sat straight across from them. Whistle had thought that this would help both mares get along, and to prove Malty wasn’t Amethyst but she hadn’t brought up that little detail just yet. What she had brought up though, was probably best unsaid.
“So,” Whistle started, whistling faintly. “Has Amethyst showed up recently?”
Malty, who was enjoying a loaf of bread, gave a suspicious stare before shaking her head no. Sparkleworks shook her head as well while saying “Ain’t it funny we never see you two in the same place?”
Malty choked on a big chunk of bread she had just swallowed. “You have something to say to me?” she asked, spitting out crumbs.
Whistle shook her head to Sparkleworks who had pretended not to notice her as she said “I know you’re her. So please, stop all this masquerading”.
Malty laid her loaf of bread down and sat up, both she and Sparkleworks leaned in closer and soon they were almost face to face with each other. “I suppose the charade is up, then, is that what you want me to say?” Malty asked nearly spitting into Sparkleworks’ face.
“Yes!” shouted Sparkworks who had drew the attention of the diner. “I’d never forget a pony, let alone one such as you!”
“Well!” Malty bared her teeth and gripped the table’s edges. “Since I’m Amethyst I suppose it’s within my character to fight?”
Whistle was biting her hooves frantically as Sparkleworks’ eyes squinted, she had her own grip on the table’s edge and each could feel the others’ hatred being surged through the table. Sparkleworks’ blood was pumping and she patiently waited for the first blow. The diner’s tensen was high to the point most wanted to jump up and outright bolt while others just stared, some had even forgotten to chew and began choking while more than a few were frozen as their coffee endlessly poured.
Malty seemingly snorted steam and her eyes moved in an predatorily manner, a smile grew wide across her face just before she bursted out laughing. The once high tensen had ceased, now replaced by confused and puzzled stares and a few had jumped at their overflowing mugs and embarrassing mopped it up.
“You should see the look on your face!” Malty laughed. She fell back into her seat and held her chest tightly. “Honestly, liven up a little. All that anger would just hold you back”.
Sparkleworks’ mouth had dropped in disgust mixed with confusion and surprised all in the span of two seconds. She slowly sat back down while her eyes remained locked on Malty who laughed and bumped her elbow to Whistle’s.
“Your friend needs to relax. I don’t know what Amethyst did, but I’m sure if you could speak with her, she’d be sorry for it” Malty laughed some more before she lifted up her glass of water and proudly spoke “Let’s make a toast, to dear old Amethyst, for being the mare that made us all what we are today!”
Malty went to drink but stopped the glass at her lips when she noticed Sparkleworks’ suspicious glare. “Not thirsty?” she asked sitting back down.
“No, if you’re not Amethyst then why are you using her old nickname?” Sparkleworks asked.
Malty just shrugged. “I suppose it’s just a coincidence. Though to be honest my dear, I wonder why myself, that we resemble each other. Suppose another coincidence, unless of course I’m trying to pose as her” Sparkleworks raised an eyebrow and Malty just laughed once more. “I’m merely joking my dear, look, my eyes are not contacts”.
Malty pulled open her eyelid and after leaning in to be sure, Sparkleworks saw her yellow eyes were indeed real. She knew ponies with contact lenses and they all had a faint ring just around the contact’s edges, something she didn’t see in Malty’s eyes.
“There? Happy?” Malty asked. Releasing her eyelid she blinked a few times to readjust her eyesight.
“Still could be magically altered” Sparkleworks said under her breath, her forelegs crossed in an unpleased manner.
“So...” Whistle started. Bumping her hooves together she just wanted to move away from the current subject as it was starting to make her uncomfortable, as well as make the diner feel uneasy. “The food here is great, isn’t it?”
“Hm? Oh yes, just divine.” Malty politely answered. “If we had food other than bread.” A waitress had just then trotted passed the table and Malty took ahold of and spun her around. “My dearest friend, we would like to order now”.
Fifteen minutes had passed and the three mares had all but finished eating when their conversion had shifted to the recent events, mostly thanks to overhearing another group of friends who were talking about it.
“Yeah, terrible stuff. I can’t imagine why someone would kill..” spoke a dragon waitress who had took a few empty plates before walking off.
“I can, Edward was such a---well, I suppose even he didn’t deserve it. Even if it was his own doing” Malty spoke as she cut into the last piece of pancakes and shivered at the incredible taste.
Sparkleworks had just finished eating and was cleaning her mouth as she spoke “The witness couldn’t see what was going on, so we don’t know how it went”.
“Well, I suppose Tropical Dream was too much in shock and as such, blocked most of it out” stated Malty.
Sparkleworks suddenly dropped her glass which luckily landed perfectly on the table’s edge. “How did you know that? Star Catcher didn’t allow them to print---”
“How do you know?” Malty returned the question, her tongue sliding across the plate which had made Whistle feel quite awkward.
“I---huh?” Sparkleworks stuttered.
“Word gets around, one knows this and another knows that. All gossip, I should know as I’m the queen, always centered in them” Malty offered a slight giggle and sipped her last bit of water. “You say Star Catcher allows printing? Well, maybe she’ll have something to print when this pony is caught”.
A couple more minutes went on and Whistle couldn’t help but notice something was off about Malty. She seemed more, cheerful, Whistle thought. She watched as Malty stood up, pulled a waitress in an embrace and spoke “A toast, to this wonderful city! I know it had ups and downs, but, that’s life. It can’t be always happy, but when it is let’s cherish the moment, least it’d be our last on this joyous Earth”.
Surprisingly, most of the ponies cheered along with her. Sparkleworks thought it was normal, at the very least, since a murder recently took place and the culprit was still at large the ponies needed something to be happy about. She still believed it was Amethyst, and as far as she was concerned Malty was still a likely suspect in her books. As she watched Malty she thought her behavior became ever more suspicious.
Whistle found it extremely odd and out of character for Malty, the way she cuddled the waitress, the way her mannerisms seems more easy going and when the two for a fraction of an second resembled an romatic couple, Whistle was sure that this wasn’t the same Malty that she knew. By the time Whistle began coughing to get Malty’s attention she was nuzzling the waitress’ neck, Malty heard the fifth fake cough and with a blush she let the waitress go.
Trotting back to the table she checked her pocket watch before she took her hat that was seated beside Whistle, she bowed her head and said “Forgive me, I have a appointment to which I must attend. It was a pleasure” and left the diner without another word but she did gave the waitress a wink, who then blushed going behind the counter.
Whistle turned back in her seat and through the glass window she saw Malty tossing something tiny into her mouth, assuming it was a peppermint she facehooved suddenly. “I forgot to ask her..”
Sliding back down into her seat Sparkleworks had jumped over the table saying “OK, I believe you. There is no way in Tartarus that was Amethyst. She just acted out of her character, cheering and seemingly---” Sparkleworks rolled her eyes to the waitress and back to Whistle. “---she would rather die”.
“I told you,” returned Whistle. “remembered when Minty tried going to the North Pole?”
Sparkleworks went to say something in response but suddenly raised a curious eyebrow at Whistle. “You remember? We thought you had blocked that entire nig-oh CELESTIA!” she slammed her hooves and looked out of the window. “I should’ve asked to see her Cutie Mark!” Sparkleworks facehooved and immediately rubbed her forehead. “If only she wasn’t wearing that coat”.
As they were trotting home a few minutes later their conversion was still on how differently Malty had acted. “Did you noticed she spoke, normally, for once?” Sparkleworks had asked.
Whistle nodded before asking “Think she gave up trying to talk in that---what you call it speech?”
Sparkleworks gave a shrug. “Oh I don’t know, but Amethyst spoke with thou and thisth since me and Minty were foals”.
Sparkleworks came to a stop, a small smile grew on her face and then, along with Whistle, the two started laughing.
“Well, as long as she’s happy. I suppose I won’t need to learn how to speak it” Whistle laughed and giggled as she imagined how it fun would be to copy Malty.
Sparkleworks suddenly looked a little concerned. “Whistle, I know you trying to grow up is good and all but, are you happy?” she asked placing a hoof on Whistle’s shoulder. “Acting proper and all, to be honest, it’s like you’re turning into a different pony”.
Whistle tilted her head and did half of a shrug. “What do you mean?” she asked but before Sparkleworks could answer a third voice had spoken up.
“Guys! You won’t believe it!” it was Cotton Candy and stress was clear across her face.
“What’s up?” Sparkleworks asked, a terrible feeling had formed in the back of her gut.
Cotton Candy came to a screeching halt and, her voice very shaken, shouted “Another pony was found! Another murder!”