//------------------------------//
// 3. And Unexpected Results 
// Story: Dark Steel 
// by bkc56 
//------------------------------//

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 --