Limbo sat at her desk, tapping her hoof upon its oak surface as she idly perused the various newspaper articles laid out before her. They were all old articles related to cases that she was still looking into, mostly regarding the Ghost of Baltimare and the kidnappings, but she wasn't really reading them. Her remaining eye just lazily shifted between pictures and random paragraphs, glazed over and unfocused.
To clarify, she wasn't tired, just bored and impatient. Limbo couldn't get tired. Her brain ran on the necromancy spell keeping her alive, so it wasn't like she actually needed sleep, she just enjoyed sleeping. It was also the same reason why she drank coffee. The caffeine didn't actually do anything for her, but the addictive qualities of it still lingered from the days when her blood wasn't permanently curdled.
Limbo instinctively reached for her favorite coffee cup—one of her twenty favorite coffee cups—and took a sip. She immediately recoiled once the liquid hit her tongue, a disgusted grimace curling her lips. Her coffee had gone cold. There was almost nothing she despised more than cold coffee. Just having a cup of cooled brew sitting on her desk was like an affront on her person. There was no reason a cup of coffee should ever have to go cold in her presence, but here she was.
The detective glanced around, not spotting her eight-legged partner anywhere, so it looked like she'd have to get up and turn on the coffee pot herself if she wanted another cup. She dumped her cold coffee down the sink with a look on her face like she imagined was on the Ghost's face when they dumped her body in Horseshoe Bay, then switched on the coffee pot to wait for her second cup of the morning.
At that moment, Webber crawled out from the hall, entering the kitchen. Limbo cocked an eyebrow at him. "Oh, there you are. What, you sleep in this morning?"
Webber raised his front legs, baring his chelicerae aggressively.
"Geez, why are you such a grouch?" Limbo grumbled at his attitude. It was only then that she remembered exactly why, and offered an awkward and apologetic smile. "Oh, crap, right. Heh, sorry, bud. I kinda forgot. But, hey, congrats. Not many spiders can brag about managing to crawl their way out of a bathtub. You're like a super spider."
Webber just glared at her with his eight beady eyes, then crawled up onto the kitchen counter, glancing between the coffee pot and Limbo.
Limbo narrowed her eyes in paranoia. "I, uh... I'll handle it, thanks."
Webber didn't budge. Limbo was going to have to keep an eye on the coffee pot until it was ready to make sure the surly spider didn't tamper with it.
There was a loud and enthusiastic knock on the door suddenly, startling Limbo. She had a feeling she knew who that was, but wasn't expecting the knock to be so aggressive. She was about to go answer it, but shot a warning glare at Webber first. "Don't touch my coffee."
Limbo unlocked the door, but the moment she turned the handle, the door flung inwards, taking Limbo's hoof with it. Literally.
It was Samba that had arrived, trotting inside with an exaggerated gait and a wide, chipper grin. "Okay! I'm ready to start the day! Let's buckle down and solve some crimes!"
Limbo cast her a bemused stare, and the over-enthusiastic dancer's attention was drawn to the green hoof dangling from the door handle, and torn flesh and exposed bone of Limbo's right leg.
Samba grinned nervously. "Oh, uh, whoops. My bad."
Limbo rolled her eye and casually reattached the severed hoof. "Don't worry about it," she said somewhat disingenuously. "I'm just lucky it was you and not somepony else."
"How has nopony found out yet if you can be dismembered so easily? I mean, don't you fight ne'er-do-wells on a regular basis? Has a limb never come off in the middle of a tussle?"
Limbo stared weirdly at her. "'Ne'er-do-well'? 'Tussle'? Who's teaching you that outdated lingo?"
Samba shuffled her hooves awkwardly. "I, uh... might've rented a couple of those 'noir films' last night to brush up for today. Besides, weren't you the one who used that 'lingo' to hint at your profession the other night?"
"Those are movies, Samba. They aren't indicative of how things play out in real life."
"Says the mare who got herself decapitated trying to parkour after a perp."
Limbo didn't know whether to laugh or groan at her updated vocabulary, but opted to ignore it. "Anyway, to answer your question, I'm usually a lot more careful during serious confrontations. And I have some hoof-to-hoof combat training. You caught me off guard, that's all."
Samba shrugged, reapplying her eager grin. "Well, whatever, I just wanna get this show on the road!" She traipsed around the apartment like a young puppy exploring its new home, her sights eventually landing on Webber sitting on the kitchen counter. Samba hesitated for a moment, swallowing her apprehension before putting on a very forced grin. "Good morning, Webber!"
The spider just stared at her for a moment. He briefly turned to Limbo, who just gave him a shrug. Webber turned back to Samba momentarily, shimmying back a smidge in the face of her unnervingly optimistic smile. He then turned his back to her to return to monitoring the coffee pot and put some distance between the two of them.
"So, what's first on the agenda?" Samba asked eagerly, looking over the many newspapers laid out on Limbo's desk.
"You feeling okay?" Limbo asked with a suspicious gaze.
"Yeah, great!" she answered with perhaps more enthusiasm than necessary. "I'm pumped up to start my first day as your assistant!"
Limbo glanced toward the clock on the wall. "Okay, but you're an hour late."
Samba's grin disappeared as she, too, looked at the clock, which read ten after nine. "Uh, I thought you said nine."
"I said eight. And even if it was nine, that'd still make you ten minutes late."
"Oh. Sorry, I'm not used to getting up this early in general." Samba put on her peppy smile once more. "But I'm still rarin' to go! Just give me the low down!"
"Okay, seriously, what's gotten into you?" asked Limbo with a quirked brow. "I find it hard to believe that you're this invigorated in the morning."
Samba's façade faltered under Limbo's scrutiny. She let out a sigh, her demeanor falling more in line with how Limbo had come to recognize her: weary and subdued. "Sorry... The whole point of this was to try and be more motivated. I figured if I acted more like you, it might help me change my attitude."
"Alright... First of all, that's how you think I act? Second, and I'm no expert or anything, but I doubt the changes you're looking for are going to happen that quickly."
Samba gently twirled her mane with her hoof. "Yeah, yeah, I know... I just figured I'd give it a shot. Optimism isn't something that comes naturally to me much anymore."
Limbo could already see Samba starting to sink back into self-loathing. It was probably for the best to cut her some slack and try to lift the mood before storm clouds started forming in her apartment. "Tell you what: I'll overlook the fact you came in late this once. Being honest, I'm looking forward to working with somepony again. It might be fun." She wandered over to the kitchen. "Want some coffee?"
"Uh, I don't really like coffee."
Limbo stared silently at her. "Don't... Like... Coffee...?"
Samba shrugged. "It's too bitter. Even the smell in here is kinda off-putting if I'm being honest. No offense."
Limbo held a hoof to her chest, closing her eye and taking a long, deep breath. "Okay... Can I get you anything else, then?" she asked through clenched teeth.
"A cup of tea would be nice."
Limbo's eye twitched. "I'm sorry, I don't think this is going to work out."
"Huh?"
The zombie detective shook her head, blinking as though she had just snapped from a trance. "Oh, uh, sorry about that. Brain went on autopilot for a second there. But in all fairness, did you take me for the sort of person who has the stuff to make tea?"
"Uh, okay, how about just a glass of water, then?"
"I think I can manage that."
Limbo opened the cupboard to retrieve a cup. Samba noticed that there appeared to be no clear glasses at all. The only cups she could see were various coffee mugs. Limbo filled one with water from the tap and passed it to her guest before pouring some coffee for herself. Samba eyed the mug she'd been given. It felt a little strange to drink water from a mug, let alone one that read "World's Bestest Grandpa" on the side.
"So, in all seriousness," Samba started again, "what exactly am I going to be doing to help you?"
Limbo took a sip of her coffee and walked over to her desk as she thought it over. "Obviously, as you lack proper training, dealing with actual criminals might not be a good idea. You could get hurt." She glanced around at the newspapers and documents scattered all over the place in her apartment. "How are your organizational skills?"
"It took me ten minutes to find my mascara this morning, if that answers your question."
"Oookaaay..."
Samba watched as Limbo tapped her chin, trying to think of something for her to do. However, Samba didn't let her think too long, interjecting with a defeated sigh. "Alright, I get it. This was a bad idea. It was just an impulse during an emotional moment. You don't have to put yourself out for my sake, Limbo."
"No, no, hang on!" Limbo insisted. "I'm sure I can figure something out."
Samba waited quietly, but didn't look confident. She knew she didn't have any discernible skills that would be useful to a detective, but she felt like this was her only chance to do something meaningful with her life. She couldn't be sure if it would give her the confidence or motivation to be a good wife and mother, but it couldn't hurt. But what exactly could she do?
On the other side of the coin, Limbo wanted to do something for this mare who was willing to keep her secret, as well as make up for allowing her attacker to escape. She honestly felt like the future of Samba's family life hinged on whether or not she could help, and if there was anything she could do to help mend her relationship with her ex-husband, she wanted to try.
While scanning the apartment for any ideas, Limbo's sight eventually landed on the corkboard where her leads about the Ghost of Baltimare were pinned up. She stared at it for a few moments, humming in thought. While the case as a whole was perhaps a little too dangerous for somepony like Samba, that didn't mean she couldn't help. After all, the Ghost was one of the things Samba insisted on helping with yesterday. She couldn't be sure how much Samba would be able to help, but maybe she could at least tag along and get a feel for things.
"Okay, I think I've got something."
Samba's ears perked up.
"There's something I was planning on investigating today regarding the Ghost case, so maybe you can come with."
"Really? You don't think it'll be dangerous?"
"Nah, it's just gathering information. There was another kidnapping a few days ago, but I'd rather let the B.P.D. get their work done with it first before I move in. Mostly so I don't have to put up with their shenanigans, but it's not like they're going to bother doing anything with the info they gather from their investigations anyway," Limbo explained with a vindictive huff.
"So I'm just following you around?"
"Pretty much. You've gotta get a feel for investigating before you start getting directly involved. You'll just be my shadow for the time being, taking mental notes and whatnot. That cool?"
Maybe it wasn't exactly what Samba was hoping for, but she also didn't want to get in over her head. She hadn't really considered how dangerous it was being a detective until now, so maybe this was the best approach. So, Samba managed an agreeable smile at the suggestion. "Okay, that sounds doable."
"Great. But, if you're gonna accompany me on this case..." Limbo gestured to the corkboard. "You're gonna need a briefing."
Samba walked up to the board. "Okay, but you told me about the case the other night."
"I just gave you the bare minimum of information. It's clearly more complicated than that. Being a detective is about noticing patterns and trends." Limbo pointed to the various photos of the kidnap victims. "Do you see any patterns here?"
"Huh? You're quizzing me already?" Samba said nervously.
"Just answer the question. Take your time."
Samba gulped. She never did like pop quizzes. She didn't fancy herself somepony who performed well under pressure. Regardless, she tried her best.
There didn't appear to be any pattern to where the photos were pinned against the map of Baltimare—none that she could see anyway. But she did notice a common denominator in the photos themselves. "Uh, maybe it's a coincidence, but it looks like all the victims are unicorns."
Limbo grinned proudly. "Hey, you got it!"
Samba blinked. "Huh? I-I did?"
"Yup, that's what I was hoping you'd notice. See, that's one of the main points of my investigation, and what I ultimately believe will lead to me cracking the case."
"You think the Ghost is specifically targeting unicorns?"
"Not just any unicorns either. See, I've looked into each of these disappearances thoroughly, speaking with their friends and family, figuring out what they do for a living, where they were last seen. And I've found some connecting threads. Each of the victims are talented with magic to some degree, more so than your average unicorn. And each of them specialize in a different, though uncommon spell."
Limbo pointed to a photo of a young stallion, maybe twenty years old. "This guy knew a teleportation spell, though hadn't quite perfected it. According to his family, he could teleport short distances, like, maybe a couple dozen feet." She then pointed to a photo of a middle-aged mare. "This woman was a librarian, and she could create a duplicate of herself that she apparently used to organize the library she worked at more efficiently. And, of course, I mentioned my best friend Poe. Necromancy is not only uncommon and difficult to learn, but it's outright illegal."
"So, they were all magical prodigies, then? Well, if anything, that rules me out as potential target, so that's a relief," Samba commented.
"'Prodigy' might not be the best word," Limbo corrected. "They were talented, yes, but they weren't really remarkable ponies in any other sense. Those spells might be rare for even some skilled unicorn scholars to pull off, but none of the people shown here did anything noteworthy. They never attended Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, or did anything meaningful with their magic. They're just normal, run-of-the-mill citizens who happen to know one interesting spell."
"What does that tell us, then? What significance does that have?"
"Well, this is just a personal theory of mine, but it's the assumption I've been running on for a while. I think this points to the Ghost being a unicorn, and they're kidnapping these ponies in order to learn those spells for themselves."
"Really? So, they're trying to turn themselves into some kind of powerful sorcerer or something?"
"Again, that's just my speculation, but it's what makes the most sense given the evidence."
"Okay, so why did they kidnap Poe?"
Limbo was confused by the question. "What do you mean? Like I said, the necromancy spell."
"Yeah, but if you and Poe are the only ones who knew you were a zombie, how would the Ghost know that she knew that spell?"
Limbo scratched her chin. "Huh. That is a good question. But considering it was the Ghost who killed me in the first place, they've probably seen me out and about since then and put two and two together."
"But you'd think that would put a huge target on your back, right?" Samba presumed.
"Maybe they just haven't figured out how to kill a zombie. Movies would suggest destroying the brain, but this ain't a movie, so maybe they want to ensure they can kill me again before making a move. And I know Poe is too stubborn to tell them it is my brain."
"That seems like a lot of assumptions," Samba commented uneasily. "If I were in your position, I'd be super paranoid."
Limbo flicked a hoof nonchalantly. "I've got better things to worry about that protecting my own rotten hide. I can't sit around looking over my shoulder every ten minutes when I've got people to save and a criminal to apprehend."
Samba brushed a hoof through her mane, her eyes shifting to the floor dejectedly. "That just exemplifies the difference between you and me. I'm too pathetic to even properly raise a kid, and you're putting your all into saving a bunch of strangers without any regard for your own life."
"I don't have a life left to care about," Limbo corrected with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Like I told you the other night, I only need to hold on until I save Poe and the others. After that, I don't care what happens to me because I'm already dead. The only reason for me to keep going would be to not waste Poe's sacrifice."
Samba just stared silently. That was a surprisingly nihilistic outlook for somepony she'd taken as very optimistic. Maybe the two of them weren't as different as she first thought, but Samba still wouldn't exactly consider herself a martyr. Then again, if she were in Limbo's horseshoes, maybe she wouldn't care about her own well being either. Still, even a technically lifeless corpse like Limbo had more drive than she did. If even an iota of that could rub off on Samba, it would be a step towards her own comparatively meager goal of simply making herself a slightly better person.
"I can tell how important this case is to you," Samba said sympathetically. "I don't have any personal stakes in this, but maybe just helping out a friend will be satisfying enough." She took a deep breath, attempting to wear a determined smile without it looking forced. "So I'm gonna try my best to help in any way I can knowing how urgent this case is."
Limbo grinned back at her confidence. "Good to know. And it's even more urgent considering the mayoral election is coming up."
Samba cocked a puzzled eyebrow. "The election? What does that have to do with the Ghost?"
"The Ghost has no connection to the election, but the election is related to the case."
That only proved to confuse Samba further. "Is this some kind of riddle? If it is, I might need a minute to think about it."
Limbo shook her head. "See, the kidnappings started shortly after Mayor Highstrung was elected. Not a great look for Baltimare's new mayor to have this case hanging over his head since he made it into office. He's been desperate to have the case solved before the reelection, which is the only reason why the B.P.D. are even putting as much effort into it as they are. So this case isn't just a personal project for me, I'm actually under the direct employ of the mayor to look into it, although I was sure to tell him that he shouldn't get his hopes up that it'll be solved before the election."
"That's cool. I bet the mayor'll pay pretty handsomely if you do though."
"Maybe, but money doesn't mean a lot to me anymore. It pretty much just pays the rent and fuels my coffee addiction, and the only reason I leave the heat on in the apartment is for Webber's sake. But, hey, I need to pay you now too, so that might give me some extra incentive to get this solved lickety-split."
"No complaints here. So, you said there was something you were looking to investigate today, right? What was that exactly?"
"Well, on topic, we're heading over to town hall. I mentioned there was another kidnapping recently, so I need to head over there to check the citizen records for information on the victim."
"I've never been to town hall. I don't really pay attention to politics."
"Me neither, unless it's relevant to one of my cases. Anyway, we should head over there now. I'll introduce you to the mayor." Limbo downed the rest of her coffee, grabbed a wallet off her desk that she strapped to her leg, then headed to the kitchen to drop her and Samba's mugs in the sink. She gestured to the spider still sitting on the counter. "Come on, Webber, we're heading out."
Samba watched as Webber crawled onto Limbo's leg and up her neck. And she wished she hadn't been looking when Limbo lifted her eyepatch for Webber to wriggle into the empty eye socket.
Limbo headed for the door. "Let's go, Samba." She hesitated when she noticed how pale Samba's face had gotten. "You okay?"
"Uh, yeah..." she answered weakly, holding a hoof to her mouth. "Can I just, uh... use your bathroom first?"
***** ***** *****
Samba had never had much reason to go to the part of the city where town hall was located. Everything she needed was accessible downtown, and she only ever really went uptown to visit Rhapsody and Pirouette. So when she and Limbo arrived at town hall, Samba gazed at the surprisingly posh-looking building.
A short but wide set of stone steps lead up to the building itself, the structure made of dark, well-varnished mahogany. "Official" certainly would have been a word Samba used to describe it. It stuck out like a sore hoof in a city full of concrete, but perhaps that was the intent, or maybe town hall was just one of the older buildings in Baltimare.
Limbo lead Samba up the stairs and into the large building. The halls inside were even fancier than the exterior. With the walls painted royal blue, the plush, red carpet, and several oil paintings depicting Baltimare's past mayors and noteworthy citizens, Samba almost felt like she had just entered a king's castle rather than simply the mayor's office.
Thankfully, they didn't have to navigate the labyrinthian halls of the building for long, as Limbo knew exactly where to go, which was directly to the office of the mayor. She approached a thick, mahogany door and went right inside, Samba following closely behind. The room inside wasn't particularly large, and appeared to be a waiting room. It only possessed a couple of comfy chairs, a reception desk, and some filing cabinets. However, the walls could hardly be called walls. Instead they were surrounded by nothing but bookshelves, making the relatively small room look like a miniature library. On the back wall, to the right of the desk, was another door with a nameplate on it reading, "Mayor Highstrung." It didn't take a genius to determine that the mayor's actual office was beyond that door.
However, at present, nopony seemed to be present in the reception room. Samba looked around, but could only see books, books, and more books. Although, some papers had been left out on the desk, indicting that somepony had been there recently.
"Soooo... Do we just wait?" Samba inquired, unsure of the etiquette required.
"Gust, you here?" Limbo called.
Shortly after Limbo beckoned, Samba could hear somepony grumbling, as though straining themselves. After a moment, a figure fluttered up from behind the desk. It was a breezie: a miniscule, pony-like creature with antennae and broad wings like a butterfly, but translucent like very thin fabric. This particular breezie was female with a pale blue body, and voluminous, crimson mane and tail compared to the creature's diminutive size. She was flapping her glassy wings rather rigorously in order to fly up onto the desk while also carrying a short pencil. She dropped the pencil on the desk, barely even having to move her wings to stay airborne now without the extra weight, just showing how light breezies actually were.
The breezie let out a short huff, wiping the sweat from her forehead after her laborious task. "Sorry, I dropped my pencil," she said, her voice very high-pitched and with a very thick breezish accent. She gracefully touched down onto the desk, putting on a welcoming grin. "Good morning, Limbo."
"Morning," Limbo greeted back.
The breezie's attention shifted to the other mare in the room. "Is this one of your clients?"
"Technically, yes. But she's also acting as my assistant for the time being. Her name's Samba. Samba, this Bubble Gust, the mayor's secretary."
"Nice to meet you," Samba said with a friendly smile. She instinctively extended her hoof to shake with Bubble Gust, but the breezie just stared, the unicorn's hoof alone being bigger than Bubble Gust's entire body. Samba retracted her hoof, blushing with embarrassment. "Uh, sorry. I-I've never met a breezie before. H-How do we do introductions?"
"We say hi," Bubble Gust answered matter-of-factly.
"Oh. Hi."
"Hello."
"Is Mayor Highstrung in?" asked Limbo.
Gust rolled her eyes. "He is late this morning," she groaned. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder how that man became mayor in the first place."
"Well, he's been pretty stressed about the election lately, right? Maybe cut him some slack," Limbo suggested.
"Punctuality is the cornerstone of success, Detective," Gust huffed.
Limbo cast a sidelong glance at Samba.
The unicorn glanced around in confusion. "What?"
"Anyway, you know why I'm here, Gust," said Limbo. "I need information on Sizzle Conifer."
Bubble Gust nodded. "Ya, of course. One moment."
"Is that the name of the latest kidnapping victim?" Samba asked.
"Yup. Haven't been able to get any info other than the name," Limbo admitted. "The kidnapping hasn't even been made public yet, so aside from some speculative guesses, I'm mostly in the dark myself right now."
"Okay, so what are we hoping to get from this?"
"Anything that could be useful. Their job, address, relatives. We'll probably head out to locate the victim's family for more info after this."
"Alright."
Samba turned back to Bubble Gust. The breezie had pulled open one of the filing cabinets' drawers. There were countless folders and papers inside. Bubble Gust must have been intimately familiar with how they were organized to be able to locate the correct document so quickly, but Samba noticed that she struggled to pull the folder out from the tightly-packed drawer, only managing to get it out about an inch or so.
Samba leaned forward. "Um... Do you need any he—"
Limbo nudged her to cut her off, giving her a disapproving head shake. "Let her handle it," she whispered. "She can get kinda defensive if people patronize her just because she's small."
"I can hear you," the breezie interrupted.
Limbo cleared her throat awkwardly, but Bubble Gust just kept at her task.
Samba watched in silence as Bubble Gust fluttered up to the top of the filing cabinet. There appeared to be some sort of pulley system installed, made of small sticks, a spool, and some string. A plastic hook was tied to the end of the string, which Gust used to hook into a hole that had been punched into the folder she pulled out; all the other folders had similar holes for the same purpose. She then used a makeshift crank in the side of the spool to draw the string back and yank the folder out of the drawer and onto the top of the cabinet where she had full access to its contents.
"Wow, that's pretty impressive," Samba uttered quietly, in awe of the diminutive secretary's resourcefulness.
"Yeah, Bubble Gust is a wonder alright. In all honesty, the mayor wouldn't be where he is without her. She's practically the one running this place. Highstrung is kind of a quivering mess of nerves on his own."
"Tell me about it," Bubble Gust said with a groan as she returned to the desk with several pieces of paper. "I have been planning everything for the election: writing his speech, organizing meetings, even picking out which tie he should wear, like I am his mother. I swear, this city is being run by wimpy teenager."
At that moment, a pair of unicorn stallions entered the room. The first—his coat a buttery yellow, mane short, light brown, and frazzled, and a cutie mark depicting a rolled up scroll with a red ribbon that appeared to be tied a little too tightly—was the one who had opened the door. Or rather, he barged in, stumbling over his own hooves and nearly falling over in his haste. He managed to keep a grip on the cinnamon roll and paper cup of coffee held in his pale pink magic, though. The second stallion walked in casually behind him, his coat a light blue, while his mane and tail were thick, full-bodied and pure white with a single thin strip of red running down its length. His cutie mark appeared to be a maple leaf that had been cut out of a sheet of lined paper. Compared to the somewhat portly, yellow stallion, the blue unicorn's figure was much more slender and even somewhat effeminate. He also carried a cinnamon bun and coffee cup within his silver aura, munching on the pastry nonchalantly as his companion stumbled over to the desk.
Bubble Gust gave the yellow stallion a deadpan glare. "Nice of you to join me this morning, Mister Mayor," she sneered sarcastically.
"M-My apologies, Gust," he sniveled profusely. "My alarm clock never went off, my tie got caught in the door on the way out and nearly choked me, and we had to wait ten minutes for the bakery to finish a fresh batch of cinnamon buns."
Bubble Gust eyed up the pastry with a grimace. "What did I tell you about overloading on sweets? Do you think any of your supporters are going to be impressed that their mayor has gained twenty pounds since he was elected?" She gently slapped the floating bun, which was enough to prompt the whiny mayor to drop it on the desk. "I will have Leaf fetch you a bagel for your breakfast."
The mayor frowned, eyeing up the pastry longingly, but not having the guts to protest. "Of course... I'm sorry."
With that out of the way, Limbo saw her opportunity to interject. "Good morning, Mister Mayor."
Mayor Highstrung perked up a little upon realizing that Limbo was there, though not enough to manage a smile back. "Oh, Detective, you're here as well. Good, good. Have you received everything you need?"
Bubble Gust stomped a tiny hoof on the papers laid out on the desk. "I have them here. Some of us are on the ball this morning."
The mayor tugged on his gaudy, plaid necktie, clearing his throat awkwardly under his secretary's reprimanding tone. "Er, yes, of course."
"Oh, by the way..." Limbo gestured to Samba. "This is Samba. She's gonna be helping me on the case, so you'll probably be seeing more of her."
"Erm, yes, lovely to meet you," he greeted hurriedly. "But I'm afraid I've little time for pleasantries. I, uh..." He briefly looked to Bubble Gust, who was giving him the stink eye. "I have work that demands my attention, so I'll leave you to your investigation. If you need anything further, ask Leaf." He was about to slip through the door to his office, but paused, reaching back stealthily for the cinnamon bun on the desk when he thought Gust wasn't looking. However, he was quick to receive a disapproving slap, no doubt feeling similar to a mosquito bite, but getting the point across regardless, and he feebly slinked away into his office like a scorned puppy.
Samba stared at the door for a few moments. "He seems..."
"Scatterbrained? Indecisive? Submissive?" huffed Bubble Gust.
"I was going to say 'nice,' but that was just to be polite."
"I have a full list of words that could describe him, and none of them are appropriate traits for a person of his political standing."
"Guess he's just lucky to have had you as a campaign manager," Limbo commented. "I still don't get why you didn't run for mayor instead."
"Too much pressure. I operate better when I am not in the spotlight. I would rather work behind the scenes, even if it means that big baby has to be the face of this city." Gust touched down next to the abandoned cinnamon roll. "Well, at least he was kind enough to bring me breakfast. And lunch. And dessert. And an evening snack. And breakfast tomorrow if it is not too stale." She chomped a mouthful of the pastry, which to anypony else would have been less than a nibble seeing as the thing was likely five times her body weight.
"Sounds like he doesn't get much respect around here," Samba inferred.
"Hey, as long as the city doesn't burn down, who cares?" said Limbo with a shrug. "Things are running just fine. It's just the election that's got tensions running a little high right now."
"Ya, which means I am very busy myself," Gust stated, lifting up her pencil with a labored grunt like it was a log from a fallen tree. "So, like the mayor said, if you need anything else, ask Leaf. I am indisposed right now."
Samba tilted her head curiously. "Who is this Leaf anyway?"
"'Sup."
Samba turned around to the other stallion that had come in with the mayor, idly chewing his own breakfast. "Oh, hi."
The light blue unicorn offered his hoof to Samba. "Loose Leaf. A pleasure. Limbo said your name was Samba, right?"
Samba nodded with an amicable smile as she shook his hoof. "Mm-hm. It's nice to meet you, Loose Leaf."
"Just Leaf is fine."
"What do you do around here?" Samba asked with interest.
"He is our handsome errand boy," Gust chimed in with a playful bat of her eyelashes, doing away with any frustration that her boss had caused.
Leaf rubbed his neck awkwardly, blushing slightly. "Uh, yeah, what she said. I'm basically town hall's gopher, doing whatever odd jobs they need me to do while Gust and Mayor Highstrung handle the important stuff. I'm just here if anypony needs me, nothing more."
Limbo smirked knowingly. "Look at this guy, acting like he's just some random shmuck." She nudged Samba. "Leaf is actually the younger brother of Baltimare's own Mango Career."
"Come on, Limbo, did you have to tell her that?" Leaf groaned, his blush deepening.
Samba stared at the stallion incredulously. "What? Really? Mango Career? As in, inventor of the modern spellphone. That Mango Career?!"
"Well, technically he didn't invent it. His company just owns the intellectual, manufacturing, and distribution rights," Leaf corrected.
"Wow. I can't believe you're his brother," Samba uttered in awe. "You seem so... humble."
"Well, hey, not all multi-millionaires are bit-pinching narcissists. Mango does a lot of charity work with his money. But as much as I respect him, I'd like to differentiate myself from him if at all possible. I don't exactly want to simply be known as 'Mango Career's little brother' my whole life. I'll carve my own path and make a name for myself without his money to act as a safety net."
Samba observed the somewhat indignant look that had come across his face. "Sounds like this topic has come up before."
"More often than I'd like," he admitted with a sigh. "It's hard to introduce myself to somepony new without his name coming up and the topic suddenly shifting to people just asking questions about him." Leaf shot a disgruntled glower at Limbo, who just whistled innocently. He shook his head, offering another affable smile to Samba. "So, uh... Can we start over?" He once again extended a hoof. "It's nice to meet you, Samba."
"You too," she greeted back once more.
Leaf stared at her for a moment, his blush returning. "So, um... Maybe this is a little out of the blue, but I can't help but notice how beautiful you are, so I was just wondering..."
Now it was Samba's turn to blush as she caught onto what he was getting at. Her ears folded back apologetically. "Oh, uh, sorry. I'm... not exactly looking for a relationship. No offense, it's just that things are a little... complicated right now."
"That's fine, that's fine, I get it," Leaf breathed, a little disappointed, but managing to maintain his smile. He chuckled awkwardly. "So, much for starting over. That was probably an even worse start."
"I'm not judging you or anything," Samba assured him. "I'm flattered, really, but I've got a lot of things on my mind that would make a relationship kinda difficult."
"That's fair. I wasn't very smooth there anyway. I never really had much 'game.'"
"Oh, you have plenty of game, honey," Bubble Gust cooed from her desk.
"Uh, thanks..."
"If you ask me, you're dodging a bullet," Limbo interjected with a smirk. "I know I'd never be caught dead with somepony who drinks..." She shuddered in disgust, though clearly exaggerated. "...iced coffee. Bleugh."
Leaf challenged her smirk with one of his own. "Hey, don't get mad just because I have a more discerning palate. It wouldn't hurt to broaden your horizons with a little flavor." He goaded her further with a loud slurp of his iced coffee.
"Bitter is a flavor. The best flavor. And I'd rather burn my taste buds off with a scalding, black brew than put ice in my coffee. That's blasphemy in my opinion."
Samba glanced between the two uncomfortably as they exchanged verbal blows. "Do you guys usually argue like this?"
Leaf quirked an eyebrow. "Who's arguing?"
"Yeah, this is banter," Limbo added. "Sometimes it's just fun to fight about something trivial. Builds character."
"Oh, okay. Sorry, I guess I still don't know you two very well yet," Samba apologized with a slightly embarrassed giggle.
Leaf shrugged, taking another sip of coffee. "We'll have plenty of time to get to know each other, I'm sure. And don't worry, I don't plan on hitting on you anymore. I know how to take a hint," he laughed.
"Good to know," said Samba with a smile. However, her expression became a little more curious, yet apologetic. "Uh, and I know you said you don't want to talk about your brother, but I have another question."
He waved her concern off dismissively. "That's fine, go ahead."
"I read in the paper that Mango Career is running for mayor of Baltimare. Is that true?"
"Ya, and it is all the more reason why Mayor Highstrung is so... well, high strung," answered Bubble Gust.
"Yeah, the election is basically a foregone conclusion at this point," Limbo stated. "Career's already got a huge reputation and a ton of people who adore him. He's gonna get a butt load of votes regardless of his political stance. I'm not sure even somecreature as savvy as Bubble Gust can organize a campaign that can withstand a juggernaut like that."
"But I am going to try my darnedest. It might be an uphill battle, but I am going down swinging," Gust proclaimed valiantly.
"Okay, but that's not exactly what I was getting at," Samba corrected, looking back to Leaf. "Isn't it, like, a conflict of interest for you to be working here, Leaf? You know, considering you're working for the opposition."
Leaf rolled his eyes. "Look, I've got no stakes in this. I'm not involved in Mango's campaign, nor do I have any real interest in politics. A job's a job, and that's all this is. If he wants to pile more stuff on his already overflowing plate, he'll have to suffer the cramps that follow."
"Oh, well, that's fair, I guess. Sorry if it sounded like I was being presumptuous."
"Don't worry about it." Leaf glanced over to Limbo, who was looking over the papers Bubble Gust had laid out for her. "Anyway, I'm sure you and Limbo have more important stuff to do right now, so you shouldn't waste your time with me. I've got errands to run myself. Bagels to purchase and all that," he said as he turned back to the door to head out.
"Alright, we'll talk to you later, then," Samba bid him with a friendly wave. Once he was gone, she turned to Limbo. "You have everything you need, Limbo?"
Limbo's head jerked up suddenly. "Huh? Oh, uh, yeah. Just let me write down this address."
Samba cocked an eyebrow. Limbo looked a little confused about something.
"And your permit," Bubble Gust added, sliding a small piece of paper with the mayor's signature on it.
Limbo passed the permit and a small scrap of paper with the address on it to Samba for her to tuck into her spellphone sleeve. "C'mon, let's go."
Samba was a bit caught off guard by how brusquely Limbo brushed by, like she was distracted and in a hurry. She didn't even bother to say good bye to Bubble Gust, but Samba did so in her place, bidding the breezie goodbye before making to catch up to Limbo.
Outside town hall, Limbo had already made it a decent distance down the sidewalk, forcing Samba to pick up the pace. Once she was alongside the undead mare, she once again noticed the serious and contemplative expression on her face. Maybe she was just in "detective mode" now; with a lead to go off of, perhaps she was just focused on the task at hoof. Samba had noticed how driven Limbo tended to act and sound when discussing the Ghost case. Still, she was her partner for the time being, so Samba felt like she needed to be in the loop.
"So, where are we headed?" the unicorn asked, pulling out the scrap of paper with the address on it.
"Sizzle Conifer's parents' place."
"Okay." Again, Samba couldn't help but notice her to-the-point tone, speaking quickly and concisely. Unfortunately, their legs were moving just as quickly as Limbo's words. "Uh, is there a big rush? Cuz my legs are already getting worn out."
Limbo finally tore her eyes away from their path, slowing down and offering an apologetic look to her companion. "Oh, sorry. I was just a little hyper-focused there. Although, to be fair, legwork is a big part of being a detective. You gotta beef up those hamstrings if you wanna chase the truth."
"Easy for you to say. You don't need oxygen anymore," Samba said with a quiet puff as she slowed to a more reasonable pace. "What's the deal anyway? You seem... perturbed about something."
Limbo scratched her head. "Yeah, it's just... Sizzle Conifer is a kirin apparently."
"Is that weird?"
"Well, you managed to figure out yourself that all the Ghost's victims were unicorns, didn't you? I was operating on the assumption that they were after their spells."
"So? Kirins can use magic too, right?"
"But their magic is different than that of unicorns, from my understanding."
"I... don't think that really matters, does it? I'm pretty sure they can learn the same spells we can."
Limbo took a breath to level her head. "Okay, okay, you're probably right. My bad. I guess I just got a little concerned when it looked like the pattern might have been broken. I've been on this case so long now that I might actually panic if my leads turn out to be wrong."
"About that. I have a question I was meaning to ask earlier."
Limbo arched an eyebrow curiously. "Shoot."
"If the kidnapper just wants all these advanced spells, why not go after somepony like Princess Twilight?"
"Are you kidding?" Limbo chuckled. "First of all, Princess Twilight is one of the most powerful ponies in the world. Kidnapping her, or even the former princesses, is something only Equestria's greatest threats could accomplish. Second, like I mentioned earlier, all of the victims so far are pretty average, unremarkable people, save for the spells they know. My guess is that the Ghost is targeting them specifically because nopony is really going to notice that they're missing. If Princess Twilight suddenly vanished, every police precinct in the world would be looking for her, not to mention royal guards, The Wonderbolts, the whole kit and kaboodle. Equestria would declare a state of emergency. This is the easiest way for the Ghost to stay under the radar, relatively speaking. Even the B.P.D. doesn't really care about those people and are only putting as much effort in it as they are because it's simply their job."
"I'm really starting to feel like you're exaggerating about the police here. There's no way they can be that bad."
Limbo breathed a disgruntled huff through her nostrils. "Okay, maybe I'm just a teensy bit sour, but it was their attitude that made me resign. I mean, first thing I heard when I was screaming over my eye was, 'You okay?' followed by the casual slurping of soda."
"So what are we hoping to learn from Sizzle Conifer's parents?" Samba asked, mostly looking to change the subject.
"Mostly basic information. According to the citizen records, Mr. Conifer is a senior in high school and therefore lived with his parents and doesn't have a job. So we're just looking for anything else that might give us some clues. Where he was last seen, if they knew where he was or was headed at the time of his disappearance, and obviously if he knew any noteworthy spells."
"Is there any possibility that he was kidnapped by somepony other than the Ghost? Or if he just, like, disappeared some other way, like fell in the harbor, or ran away from home, or something?"
"Those possibilities always exist, yes. There have been a few other kidnappings since the Ghost starting spiriting people away, but they were never as thorough as the Ghost and tended to leave evidence behind and got caught pretty quick. Any serial kidnapper, murder, or what have you is gonna inspire copycats, but the information we get from his parents is gonna help us figure that stuff out."
"Okay, I think I'm starting to get the picture now."
Limbo turned to Samba, a little bit of genuine confidence on the unicorn's face. She smiled encouragingly. "Good. But just remember that you're only my assistant. Don't try and get in over your head or anything."
"I, uh... don't think I'd have the guts to chase down a criminal, in all honesty," she chuckled uneasily. "I was terrified just being a victim. Willingly going after somepony who wanted to hurt me is a little out of my comfort zone."
***** ***** *****
After a half an hour or so of walking, Limbo and Samba had arrived at a cul de sac in the suburbs at the north end of the city. Samba hadn't spent much time outside the hustle and bustle of the inner city, so she wasn't really accustomed to having such a clear view of the skyline or all of the foliage that was around; she usually only witnessed such sights when she visited the park, but the environment surrounding the suburbs felt more natural. On top of that, the buildings were much more modest, having wooden construction as opposed to the concrete and steel she was used to, and only two stories on average. Samba always felt like it'd be nice to live in a quaint little place like this with her family, but they never really had a enough money to comfortably afford a house, and that was certainly out of the question now that she was on her own.
Limbo glanced around at the houses surrounding them within the cul de sac. "Which one is it, Samba?"
The unicorn pulled out the address and compared it to their current location. They were on the correct street, she just needed to find the right house. She pointed to one on the right side. "There. One-O-six."
Limbo wasted no time walking up onto the spacious patio and knocking on the door. She turned to Samba briefly. "Okay, since you're new to this, you let me do the talking. You can just sit back and watch a professional at work. Oh, hand me that permit."
Samba did as she requested, passing the paper with Mayor Highstrung's signature to her, and they waited.
After a few moments, the door eventually opened. Behind it was a female kirin, her coat a dark, ashy grey. Like all kirin, her mane—a bright blue in color—wrapped around to her chest, and the distinct, reptilian scales on the center of her face and covering her back were a creamy white color. She greeted the two strangers on her patio with a curious, yet affable smile. "Hello. May I help you?"
"Good morning, Miss. Is this the residence of Sizzle Conifer?" Limbo inquired with a professional tone.
The kirin's eyes widened a little. "Oh, are you with the police?"
"Better." Limbo removed the wallet strapped to her leg, opening it to show the mare her badge, then passing her the permit. "I'm Limbo, private investigator. This is my assistant, Samba. I have permission from the mayor to investigate the disappearance of Sizzle Conifer. I assume this is where his parents live also."
"Oh, yes, I'm his mother, Ash Spruce. But the police have already talked to us about Sizzle. Is this necessary?"
"If you actually want your son to be saved, then yes," Limbo deadpanned.
Samba nudged her as an attempt to scold her poor bedside manner.
Limbo cleared her throat. "Anyway, can we come in? I have my own line of questions I'd like to ask."
"Certainly." Ash stepped aside, gesturing with an exaggerated flourish for them to enter. "Let me just fetch my husband."
While she trotted off, Limbo and Samba stepped into the porch to have a brief look around. While the house looked no different on the outside compared to the other nearby homes, the inside was laden with all kinds of exotic and tribal décor, likely keepsakes from their homeland. On top of that, the living room was practically a forest, with an assortment of potted plants growing—or rather, overgrowing—pretty much everywhere. It felt like they'd just walked into a hanging garden with how many vines and flowers where drooping down from the pots strung up on the ceiling.
Curiously, there were also a pair of mannequins in one corner adorned with fanciful clothing and elaborate headdresses that looked pretty out of place against the more tribal decorations. Surrounding the outfits were photos of what they presumed was a stage play and its actors, wearing similar getups to those on display.
With all the plant life, cloth and wooden keepsakes, and the costumes, it was a little concerning that the smell of smoke appeared to permeate throughout the house—odder still was the slightly peppery aroma it had.
The kirin mare returned, a very hospitable smile on her face. She gestured toward the dining room. "We were just getting ready for lunch. Have you two eaten yet?"
"I don't think that's necessary," Samba politely declined. However, her stomach chose that moment to loudly undermine her.
"Sounds like your tummy disagrees," Ash giggled.
Samba blushed with an embarrassed grin. "Uh, yeah, I was in a hurry this morning, so I might've skipped breakfast."
Ash pulled out a couple of chairs at the dining table for them. "Then have a seat. I'll get you some plates and brew you up something nice to drink."
Limbo grinned eagerly at the use of the word brew. "I like the sound of that."
"Rrraaaaagh!"
Limbo and Samba suddenly shot up from their chairs the moment they sat down.
"The hay was that?!" Limbo asked, standing on guard.
Ash didn't even flinch at the shout, still smiling as she gathered up dishes to set the table. "Oh, that was my husband. He's out back grilling portobello burgers for us."
"H-He didn't hurt himself, did he?" Samba asked worriedly.
"Of course not. He's grilling them with nirik fire."
Samba let her heart rate slow down again. "Oh, I see. Sorry, that was just unexpected."
"Sorry, you lost me. 'Nirik fire'? Wuzzat?" asked Limbo.
"Surely you know that kirin transform into nirik when we get angry," Ash presumed.
"I've heard about that," said Samba. "I've never witnessed it myself, but nirik have control over fire, right?"
"Well, nirik fire is different from normal fire, but in simple terms, yes."
"Oh. I guess that saves money on propane," said Limbo as she and Samba sat down again.
Shortly after that, Ash's husband came back from the barbeque. Contrary to the dark colors of his wife, his coat was a bright white and his mane a fiery orange, while his scales a dark brown. The two bands of his curved, red, branch-like horn were glowing, as he was carrying a few plates of large, freshly grilled mushroom caps and toasted buns with his magic. He placed the plates on the table, turning to his guests with the same affable smile as his wife.
"Ah, you must be the detectives Ash mentioned," he greeted in a rather whimsical voice. He bowed respectfully. "My name is Smoke Cedar. It is lovely to meet you, and a pleasure to host upstanding law enforcement officers in our home."
"Uh, you too, but I'm not actually a detective," Samba corrected. "Actually, this my first day working with Limbo as her assistant. I'm mostly here to learn."
Ash brought her guests their drinks, as well as a few more plates with an assortment of fixings for their burgers—lettuce, cheese, tomato, onions, and even a few different options for sauces. "Help yourselves."
Limbo and Samba graciously began assembling their lunches. Limbo took a moment to sniff both the mushroom patties and the toasted buns. "No offense, but they smell a little odd."
"That would be the nirik fires upon which they were cooked," Smoke informed. "You'll notice a distinct difference in flavor compared to food cooked over normal flames," he said with a rather elitist inflection.
Samba analyzed the burger in her hooves with interest, taking a curious bite. "Hm. That does taste interesting. Not like any burger I've ever had. Maybe a little spicier than I was expecting."
"Nirik fire adds a bit of kick to any meal," Ash stated as she zealously chomped into her own burger.
Samba's face began to flush red, and she started sucking in sharp puffs of air. "Uh, yeah, I'm noticing the kick. Actually, it feels like it's starting to kick harder. Haaaah..." At this point, Samba had begun to fan her tongue. She reached for the drink Ash had brought her and took a big gulp, which was surprisingly effective at suppressing the spiciness. "I-I might need some more of this drink if I'm gonna survive this meal."
"Don't be a wussh, Shamba," Limbo teased with a mouthful of burger.
Samba scowled at her nonchalant attitude. "That's easy for you to say. Your tongue has probably been numbed from all the scalding hot coffee."
"Speaking of which..." Limbo took a sip of her own drink, pursing her lips curiously. "Hmm... That's an odd flavor. What kind of coffee is this?" she asked as she took a second sip.
"Oh, it's not coffee. It's tea," Ash told her.
Limbo immediately sprayed the beverage across the table, coughing and gagging. "Tea?! What do I look like, some kinda hoity-toity aristocrat?! I thought I was getting coffee!"
"Limbo! What are you doing?!" Samba asked in a panic over her partner's behavior. She turned to their hosts, with deep apology in her eyes. "I'm so sorry. She's a super coffee nut. Please don't be offended."
Both Smoke and Ash barely bat an eyelash over her reaction, despite the fact that some of the food on the table was now damp with expelled tea. Smoke simply flicked a hoof dismissively. "Oh, perish the thought. Rotroot tea is an acquired taste for anycreature, even kirin. Her reaction was essentially what we were expecting."
"We apologize for not warning you, but it's always amusing to see people's reactions to their first taste," Ash laughed amusedly. "Although, I am quite impressed that you managed to endure it so well, Miss Samba."
Samba blushed bashfully. "Oh, well, my tongue was on fire for a second there. Thank Celestia this tea seems to be an effective fire suppressant." She took another sip of the tea to actually check the taste. "Mm, actually, it is good. But even if it wasn't, I'd at least have the courtesy to not spit it back out." She said as she cast a scornful glare at Limbo from the corner of her eye.
Limbo eyed up the tea in her cup. "You said this was rotroot tea, right?"
Smoke nodded. "That's correct. Made from the leaves of the rotroot plant. It is a special import from our homeland. You can't grow it around here."
"Yeah, yeah, I've heard about it," Limbo said, casting a sly smirk back at Samba. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but rotroot plants grow from the corpses of decaying animals, don't they?"
Samba halted mid sip, staring down into the dark brown liquid against her lips and in her mouth.
"That's right," Ash confirmed with a casual smile. "And you can tell which plants are top quality because the bodies will be swarming with maggots."
Samba slowly and shakily lowered her cup back down onto the table, the color having drained from her face. She saw the goading smirk on Limbo's face, as well as the pleasant smiles on her hosts' faces. Samba forced herself to swallow what was in her mouth, but had a feeling it wouldn't stay down there for very long once they left. Right now, the spicy burgers were looking like strawberry shortcake in comparison.
Limbo snickered, but gradually composed herself, daintily wiping her mouth with a napkin. "As educational as this conversation is, we do have business to address."
Ash Spruce nodded, her smile still persistent. "Of course. Ask anything you need."
"Your son disappeared three days ago, is that right?"
"That was the last we saw of him, yes," Smoke confirmed.
"Has anycreature been able to confirm his whereabouts around the time of his disappearance?"
"According to the police's investigation, he was spotted downtown apparently, near Trader's Street," said Ash.
Samba tensed up. "Uh, that's actually kinda close to where I live."
"That's what I thought," Limbo muttered. "I was pretty sure I saw some cops wandering around there aimlessly the other day. Knew there had to be a reason." She cast a cheery grin to Samba. "Good thing I decided to snoop around the area myself."
Samba blinked. "I thought you said you were just out for a walk."
"Pfft, a 'walk' for me is never as simple as just going for a leisurely stroll. I'm a detective, for Celestia's sake. Anyhoo, we have a general area where he might have been, but that's on the opposite side of the city from here. Any idea what he was doing out there?"
Ash held her head up proudly. "Oh, we was heading off to an audition. Our Sizzle is a performer of great repute."
"A performer? As in, like, an actor?" Limbo inferred.
"A stage performer, more specifically," answered Smoke.
"Oh, that's right," Samba interjected, recalling the photos and costumes they saw in the living room. "I heard that the theatre, stage plays, and musicals are very popular with kirin."
"'Popular'?" Ash chortled. "They are ingrained in our culture. Why, Smoke and I are veterans of the stage ourselves. Surely you've heard of the famous play Over Autumn Valleys."
"I don't even drink tea. You think I know plays?" Limbo deadpanned.
"It is one of the most critically acclaimed stage plays of the last twenty years, and my dear husband here played an integral role during its latest run. Anypony who knows the theatre knows the legend of Farmer Number Three," Ash proclaimed, holding her husband's hoof as he lifted his nose proudly.
"Uh-huh..." Limbo uttered, unimpressed, as she took another bite of her burger.
"Our dear boy has been vehemently following in our hoofsteps," Smoke informed them. "As the president of his school's drama club, he has both acted in and written his fair share of plays. And no role is outside of his consideration. He'll enthusiastically accept any part if it means bringing that character to life to the best of his ability, even female characters. In fact, it almost seems like he gets even more excited about playing female roles. Rather curious..."
"That sounds like a separate issue entirely and is none of our business," said Limbo dismissively, growing more and more bored by the proud parents' boasting. "Anyway, can we get back on track here?"
"Ah, yes. Um, where were we?" Ash pondered, tapping her chin.
"You said he was headed to an audition," Samba reminded her. "But I don't know of any theatres downtown. The closest thing is the pub I dance at."
"Oh, you're a dancer?" Ash said with interest. "What sort of dancing? Performance? Interpretive?"
Samba shrunk back, her cheeks tinging red with slight shame. "Uh, n-not exactly... I just dance to entertain the patrons. A-Anyway, the theatre was sold and repurposed into a bar. There hasn't been an actual theatre performance there in a couple of years."
"How did he learn about this 'audition'?" inquired Limbo.
"He said he met somepony on the way home from school one day who mentioned it to him," Smoke answered. "Unfortunately, he had neglected to give a description of the person before his disappearance, so not even the police have been able to narrow down any suspects."
"Big shocker," Limbo droned sarcastically. "But if he specifically said 'somepony,' that could at least be something we can work with, although I don't know exactly how much help it'll be given how many ponies live in Baltimare compared to other creatures, and bat and crystal ponies would have to be included in that sample as well."
"Maybe this is a pointless question, but did Sizzle have any enemies?" asked Samba.
"Oh, many," Ash declared confidently.
Limbo blinked, surprised by her answer. "Really?"
Smoke nodded. "Indeed. A lad of his talent has no doubt earned the ire of other aspiring stars. The kidnapper could very well be one of his envious peers, looking to claim the spotlight in his absence."
Limbo let out a exasperated huff through her nostrils. "If that were the case, I think even the B.P.D. could've found the culprit by now. I have one more question, and it has nothing to do with acting. At least, I sincerely hope it doesn't. Is your son talented with magic in any way?"
Both Ash and Smoke tilted their heads, puzzled by the question. "How do you mean?" asked the victim's mother.
"Does he know any complex spells? Something uncommon of the average spellcaster?"
Both of Sizzle's parents looked uncertain. "Not that we're aware," said Smoke.
"Sizzle has never shown much interest in magic," added Ash. "As near as I can tell, his magical aptitude is about on par with other kirin or unicorns. Just what you would typically expect: levitation and such. Oh, and nirik fire of course."
Limbo leaned on the table, her brow knitted in vexation. "Are you sure?"
Ash shrugged. "He was never a secretive boy. If he knew anything exemplary, he'd no doubt share it with the world."
"I see..."
Samba stared silently as Limbo grumbled under her breath. Eventually, the zombie mare pushed her chair back to stand up.
"Well, alright then. I think we have about as much info as we can hope for. Samba, we're leaving. Thank you for your cooperation, Mrs. Spruce, Mr. Cedar. I promise to find your son as quickly as I can manage."
Ash nodded courteously. "And we thank you for your aid. If you need anything else, just ask."
Limbo glanced down at the grub still remaining on the table, then started hastily assembling another burger. "I'll just take one more of these for the road," she insisted before heading for the door.
Samba got up to follow, giving her hosts a grateful, yet somewhat disingenuous grin. "Lovely meeting you, and thank you for lunch. It was... Uh..." She couldn't bring herself to finish her thought and just slipped out as quickly as she could manage.
Similarly to when they had left town hall, Limbo had already gotten a head start back down the street, forcing Samba to gallop up to her. Also similarly, Limbo appeared to be off in her own little world again, idly munching on her extra burger. If this really was like earlier, Samba could safely presume that she was mulling over the new information they'd just gathered.
"So, was any of that helpful?" Samba inquired curiously.
Limbo didn't respond.
"Limbo?"
The detective's head jerked up, snapped from her thoughts. "Hm? Mm..." She swallowed the mouthful of food. "Right, sorry, just thinking."
"Did that give us any clues at all?"
Limbo grimaced uncertainly. "That depends on what you mean by 'clue.' If you mean something that gets us closer to our goal, not exactly."
Samba sighed in disappointment. "This was pointless, then?"
"No, but it makes things more complicated."
"How so?"
"You heard what they said. Sizzle Conifer didn't know any extraordinary spells or anything. Even the B.P.D. and many of the city's citizens have managed to deduce the connection between the victims. That makes Sizzle Conifer an outlier."
"Maybe it wasn't the Ghost," Samba postulated. "You said there've been copycats, right?"
"That's a possibility, sure, but I highly doubt that that's the case. What we should be doing is not overcomplicating things by spitting out other possibilities, but asking ourselves why the Ghost would target Sizzle. What reason could they have to go after him specifically if he doesn't know any noteworthy spells?"
"Well, there's the nirik fire."
"Yeah, but how's a unicorn supposed to be able to copy that?"
"Maybe the kidnapper isn't a unicorn."
Limbo's ears perked up and her eyes widened. "Not a unicorn?"
Samba shrugged. "There's plenty of creatures out there that can use magic, right?"
Limbo pondered the notion with a thoughtful hum. "Now that you mention it, that's true. But according to his parents, he said 'somepony' when referring to the person who told him about the audition."
"A lot of people still use somepony instead of somecreature. Rolls off the tongue better. And who's to say that person was actually the kidnapper? Maybe they have associates. Or maybe they're unrelated to the kidnapper altogether and accidently gave Sizzle the wrong address. I know you said to ask why the kidnapper would do the things they did, but I feel like we should also explore other possibilities."
Limbo stared at Samba for a moment. She almost wanted to smirk with pride. Her first day as her assistant, and Samba was already starting to sound like a detective. "Alright, let's explore the idea that the Ghost may not be a unicorn. What creature would you suggest they are, then?"
Samba tapped a hoof to her chin as she thought about it. "Um... Well, we can probably rule out kirin since a kirin would probably already know how to use nirik fire."
"Other species can't copy a spell like that. Not unicorns, not changelings, not even alicorns. They could learn or devise similar spells, but if that were the case, why go after a kirin at all?"
"But who's to say there aren't creatures out there who can copy spells exclusive to other species' magic?"
"Well, it wouldn't be any of the creatures within the Allied Kingdoms of Equestria." Limbo took another big bite of her burger as she considered the situation. "Thish mide be shomefing that reguires a bid more reshearch. I'll loog indo id lader." She swallowed the mouthful, then grinned pleasantly as she licked her lips. "And maybe also look into seeing if you can buy grills that use nirik fire. This stuff is delish. It's gotta be a thing, right?"
Samba grimaced. "That's a hard pass from me. My mouth is still tingling."
Limbo smirked teasingly. "Then maybe I'll see if I can order some rotroot leaves. Maybe Leaf had a point about broadening my flavor horizons. It might be tea, but it ain't half bad. I mean, it grows from corpses, so it's kinda on brand for me."
Samba felt her stomach churn at just the thought. "Please don't."