//------------------------------// // 2. My Investigation // Story: Three of Diamonds // by Anzel //------------------------------// “He seems nice enough,” Soarin said to me. “All business, though. Of course that wasn’t the highlight of that show. I knew Sunny had a wandering eye but I didn’t expect you to as well,” he teased. “If he hadn’t pointed her out I wouldn’t have wandered! That is like putting a carrot in front of a rabbit. The rabbit can’t help it,” I protested. “Sure, sure… Hey, that looks like fun!” Soarin pointed to a bright pink tent with a giant ‘love advisor’ sign on it. I wrinkled my nose. “We don’t need love advice! We have tons of love! Buckets of love!” I looped my hooves around his neck and tugged him against me… and by that I mean I tugged myself up against him. The stallion laughed and started walking towards the tent while taking me for a mild drag. “Oh come on, I’m sure it will be silly. What’s the harm? What if it’s like a kissing booth? Pay a few bits, kiss a mare?” “You have two mares to kiss!” Soarin laughed and winked down at me. “Come on, Azurite, what are you afraid of?” That was a fair question. Sometimes I still felt like I wasn’t good enough for Soarin and Sunny. It was sort of like they’d just taken me in. That is why I always worked so hard to be a good marefriend. He was right, though, this was just some silly faire love advisor. I let go and got up to trot along beside him. “Fine, fine. If she says I’m your little sister, I’m going to punch her right in the snoot, though.” “No, you won’t.” “I might!” “I really don’t think so.” Soarin chuckled as he pushed the tent flap aside and wandered in. There was little arguing with that. I certainly wasn’t prone to punching and, when I was, I liked to let Soarin handle that sort of thing for me. Call me old fashioned or sexist or whatever, but I like a stallion that can fight for his mare… or mares, in our case. Although Sunny was better in a fight so maybe they could both just fight for me. While I figured out the dynamics in my head of who would fight whom I stepped through the flap after Soarin. My eyes fell on the love advisor. “It’s her!” I squeaked in surprise. The pink on pink on pink pegasus behind the little heart shaped table squealed in delight, “It’s her! It’s her! It’s her who?” “You!” I squeaked. “You who?” she replied. “Lovey Dovey!” I finally said, exasperated. “Don’t you remember me? I tried to be your client and you… you… well, you weren’t helpful!” Soarin’s head was tilted and he looked extremely confused. His eyes kept flicking from me to Lovey and back. Lovey Dovey’s wings flapped and she hovered just a bit. “What do you mean? You didn’t need any help! Your love lines were pretty clear and you’d already met your ponies. Did it not work out? It sure looks like it worked out. He’s a stud!” “Wait, love lines?” Soarin broke in as I sputtered and tried to refute the pink nightmare. “Isn’t that the stuff Sunny was always talking about? How do you know each other?” All I could do was nod and before I could come up with a reasonable explanation and/or white lie, there was a delighted squeal and a blur of pink as Lovey swooped in to hug the stallion. “Sunny Day and I are friends from way back! It wasn’t too terribly long ago that I was in the palace and met a grumpy guard who took me to see her because I forgot my pass. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve lost my pass again… hey, do you know how to get a new pass? Sunny would know… oh, yes, Sunny! Her love lines were a lot less tangled than they used to be.” Soarin looked suspicious but asked, “And you know Azurite, too? Are untangled love lines good?” “If you want to find true love, it is!” Lovey chirped, not hearing or just ignoring the first question. She then pointed at us. “You two have a very strong love line between you—” Her eyes lingered longer than made me comfortable as she then added, “The other one looks like it needs a little work.” “What?” Soarin asked in surprise. “What do you mean by that?” I slipped in between him and Lovey, putting a hoof over her mouth before she could respond. “Don’t worry about it. It was nice to see you again, Lovey. Drop in sometime or maybe don’t. Okay?” My hooves then found Soarin’s chest and I started to push him outside. At first he protested but then complied. “That will be fun! See you later,” Lovey replied, seeming completely unaware of the distress she may have caused. Once we were outside Soarin looked down at me. “What did she mean?” “I have no real idea. She is kind of crazy and I’ve met her before. Sunny buys into her stuff but I don’t. Come on, don’t pay it any attention and certainly don’t over think it. She’s just a silly faire love advisor. You said it was just for fun, okay? He still had a concerned look on his face but then he smiled. “Yeah you’re right. What does she know?” After a sigh of relief I replied, “Exactly. Now why don’t we just go… go back to… to—” “Back to what?” Soarin asked. “Yeah…” I said, my eyes locked. “Azurite?” Soarin asked with concern. He waved his hoof in front of my face. “Are you okay? Do we need to leave?” “Yeah…” I was fixated. “We need to leave?” His wings unfolded in preparation. My head shook. “No… but I need that.” I pointed and his eyes followed my hoof. Directly across the way was a ring toss booth and on the top of the prize shelf was a big stuffed pink unicorn pony plush about my size. It was staring at me with magnificently blue button eyes. I wandered over to booth, set my hooves on the rail, and peered up at the beautiful pony. “Hello there, little filly. Care to try a hoof at winning the grand prize?” the pony working the booth asked. He was some sort of unicorn or pegasus. I wasn’t really paying him any mind. “Yes,” I responded absently. Soarin had somehow gotten right beside me and was grinning. “You really want it, huh?” “Yes. She’s calling to me. Win it? Please?” Reaching deep into my toolbox I found the best pair of puppy eyes I could and locked them on the stallion. Bits immediately hit the table and Soarin said, “Bring me the rings.” ♦♦♦ “Don’t be mad. You won it!” I said cheerfully as we walked through the faire. The giant pink plush pony was resting on my back. Soarin grumbled, “I could have bought you your own pony for as many bits as I spent.” My ears wiggled. “I’m pretty sure slavery is illegal. Besides, didn’t you feel amazing when you finally got the ring on the bottle on the 83rd try? You’re a hero!” “I am a Wonderbolt, I was a hero before!” he said but a smile was creeping into his voice. “And I’m sure that really impressed the pegacorn behind the counter. To me you’re my stallionfriend that won me the biggest prize! Your valiant deed will be sung through the halls of the condo and you will be rewarded with sports-related favors.” “There is no such thing as a pegacorn! He was a unicorn wearing cardboard wings as a costume.” The big stallion leaned down to nuzzle me. “I’m glad you’re happy and I best hear lots of singing. You seem to be doing okay out here in the crowd.” “There aren’t a ton of ponies and they’re not crowding around me. Plus there are guards everywhere. The less I think about it the better.” I trotted along beside him and changed the subject. “Hey, do you want to go to that restaurant? The place where we had our first date? I can get drunk and this time when we get a hotel room you don’t have to be a gentlestallion!” Soarin’s cheeks turned bright red. “Since when do you say stuff like that?” “When you win me the biggest, softest pony plush in existence!” I looked around and then added, “And only to you and Sunny.” He laughed and replied, “Well, why don’t we go relive our first date, then?” “Yay!” I cheered as we headed off for an adventure in nostalgia. “We’re not actually going to stay the night though, right? We promised we’d be home.” Soarin shook his head. “No, we’ll just get a dirty look from the mare behind the counter and ask to pay hourly!” “Scandalous!” The stallion chuckled and continued on. Getting to the restaurant wasn’t too difficult. Most of the ponies were going the opposite direction towards the town’s center as the sun started to drift lower in the horizon. The further we got away from there the thinner the crowd got. Unfortunately it also became obvious that a lot of the shops and cafes were dark. We approached Haut-Savoir and it was looking pretty bleak. There wasn’t a single pony out front eating and all of the tables were bare. “I don’t see any lights on,” I said as I looked at the windows. “Yeah… there is a sign.” Once we were close enough to read it my ears pinned back. Soarin seemed pretty disappointed, too. It read very clearly, “Closed for the Summer Faire.” There would be no eating! No wine! Just empty tummies and sober Azurites. Soarin frowned. “To the hotel? We can relive that part. Assuming you’re still up to it without being drunk.” My tail flicked and I pointed. “To the hotel! Also, the plush has to sit in the bathroom. She’s not old enough to see that sort of thing.” The stallion looked at me curiously and then shrugged. “I can live with that.” Our trek over to the hotel was looking equally disappointing. “Oh, come on! How can you close a hotel?” I squeaked. “I guess they’re really serious about the summer faire. I’m sorry, Azurite, it was a great idea too. We can come back some other time though and take a trot down memory lane.” He said before patting me on the head. “True. Well… it is kind of getting dark. Why don’t we just go home?” I asked. “Are you sure? There is going to be a dance and fireworks,” Soarin replied. Quickly I shook my head. “No. I did well. I don’t want to be in a place where all of these ponies concentrate into one area. Why tempt fate? I pushed the limit and won. Besides, we already survived fireworks once. I’m ready if you’re ready.” The stallion’s wings spread and lightly flapped. “It seems weird to end on a slightly sad note but there is plenty of Saturday night left at home. Let’s get out of here, then.” With my new plush carefully hugged to my chest I let Soarin pick me up and fly me home. It had been nice to have a mostly normal day! ♦♦♦ “We should have gotten more funnel cakes,” Soarin said as I used my magic to unlock the door. “I’m not sure my body could survive another funnel cake that size. You’re just hungry because we didn’t get dinner. I’ll make you something,” I replied as the lock clicked and the door opened. We went inside and I headed to the kitchen to get started. The pink plush floated into one of the kitchen chairs while I got to work. After setting a pan on the stove I pooled some oil in it and dropped in bunch of broccoli and a little water. When I set the lid on it I noticed that Soarin was looking around curiously. “What?” I asked. He picked up a golden helmet from the entry table. I always left my armor at work. It was Sunny’s. “I guess she is home?” I hopped down off the stool I was using to reach the stove and nodded. “Guess so! Watch the broccoli, I’ll find her.” “Yeah,” Soarin replied, going to the pot to stir it. “I’ll be right back,” I told the pony plush and then went to check the bedroom for Sunny. She wasn’t there so I checked the bathroom. Nope. Under the bed? No. “Sunny?” I asked loudly. Soarin’s voice called, “I could have done that!” “She isn’t here!” I shouted again. “Why are we shouting? Just come back in here!” “OKAY!” I yelled as I walked into the kitchen, grinning. The stallion laughed and shook his head. “I wonder where she went. Should we make dinner for three?” I shook my head and replied, “No, make it for four. Don’t be rude to the new pony.” Soarin peered at me as if he was contemplating whether or not I was serious. Then he shrugged. “Alright but I get to eat anything she doesn’t… and hey, you started this meal. How did I get stuck cooking?” “You fell for ‘I’ll go find her.’ Be sure to put the black beans in there once the broccoli gets soft. Oh and sugar snap peas! I could deal with some sugar snap peas.’” “I see… I’ll remember this! We went from me being a hero and you singing my praises in the condo to me cooking for you and your new friend.” “If you wanted totally equality you should have either dated a stallion or been born a mare! Know your place, stud!” Soarin snorted and finished up the cooking while I set the table. Tonight we were having eastern unicorn noodles with snow peas, broccoli, black beans, and a surprise guest: carrots. It was one of my favorites. I set Sunny’s place but once the food was done we started to eat. “Have you named your new friend yet?” He asked me. “Mmmm… how about Soarinette, after you? Since you did bring her into our life.” “I am flattered, but how about not. My ego can only stand so much. Besides, having a puffy pink unicorn named after me will damage my street credibility.” While I munched on my noodles I considered the options. “How about Pink Pony?” His ears flicked and he nodded. “It is a bit obvious but honestly I like it. After all, what did you name your plants?” “Plant, Plant, and Plant. What’s your point?” Soarin grinned. “You are very literal with your naming of things. I’m not judging, I’m just pointing out a fact. So… Pink Pony? I nodded. “Pink Pony it is!” The sound of the door unlocking floated in from the living room. Soarin and I turned to look through the arch that separated it from the eat-in area. Sunny came in. She wasn’t in her armor and actually she looked pretty glammed up. Our eyes met and she blinked. “You two are home early. Did something happen at the faire? Are you okay, Azurite?” Soarin shook his head. “No, the faire was great. We just left early because most of the shops were closed and Azurite didn’t want to go to the dance. By the look of things it seems like you were home early, too.” Sunny looked at her helmet and then back at us. “I was, yes. The princess cut her event short after seeing how worn out the guards were. She sent us home early.” My nose wiggled. “So… you got dressed up to come to the faire but couldn’t find us?” Soarin cleared his throat lightly. “Azurite…” I looked at Soarin. “She got dressed up to come to the faire.” My marefriend’s cheeks flushed and she shook her head. “No, Azu, I didn’t. Taking a train after my day just wasn’t what I wanted to do. I got dressed up and went down to the Mare Contraire to relax.” “I see,” I said before turning back to the table. “Well, come sit down and eat. Soarin made dinner.” The unicorn came in and sat at her spot, staring at Pink Pony. “I see we have a guest.” “We do,” I replied. “Sunny, this is Pink Pony. Pink Pony, this is Sunny Day.” “Charmed,” Sunny said softly, her eyes staying focused on the plush. Soarin went to serve her but she waved a hoof. “I’m really sorry you went to the trouble of cooking. I actually ate, too. I just thought I’d sit and enjoy the company.” “Alright,” Soarin said, sitting back down. “They don’t serve food at the Mare Contraire,” I mumbled. Sunny shook her head with an almost guilty look on her face. “No, they don’t. I went there first and then went out for dinner.” “Alone?” Soarin pried. Sunny didn’t respond and I stared at her. “Sunny? You went alone right?” For a minute she just sat there looking at the table. Finally... she broke. “No! I wasn’t alone. I met somepony at the Contraire who’d I’d seen there once or twice before and we went out. We had drinks and dinner, then I came straight home.” “Another mare! Why a mare?” I squeaked, exasperated. “Sunny!” “It was just drinks and dinner!” she replied. “That is a date, Sunny! You picked up a mare and went out,” Soarin chimed in after looking at me. He was talking louder than I expected. Sunny’s ears folded down. “It may have been a date.” My head drooped a bit and then Soarin got really hot. His head shook. “Unacceptable. We had a deal.” He slipped off his chair and walked around the table to nose me. “I’m going over to the Wonderbolts’ dorm. If you need a place to stay you’re welcome and I think you should come.” “Soarin, wait…” I started but he was already halfway out the door. “Too angry right now,” he replied before disappearing and slamming the door behind him. That left me alone with Sunny and Pink Pony. Sunny looked extremely guilty and ashamed. Which is exactly how she should have looked! “Who was it?” I demanded. The mare blinked. “What does that matter?” “It matters to me! Who was she? Do I know her?” “I don’t think so. I met her before I met you. Her name is Velvet Step. She’s a ballet dancer and I’ll never see her again, I promise. It was just a stupid thing to do.” My magic wrapped around Pink Pony and I slipped off my chair. “We’re going to bed.” “Azu…” Sunny started. “You promised!” I spat back and hurried out of the room. Sunny could talk me out of being mad and I didn’t want that right now. I should have gone with Soarin. He probably thought I abandoned him because I caved. Now I was mad at Sunny and Soarin was mad at us both. Pink Pony and I curled up on one of the big pillows in the living room. Tears welled up in my eyes and I squeezed the plush tightly against me. Why a mare? Wasn’t I good enough? ♦♦♦ The next morning I was mad… all kinds of mad! Sunny, Soarin, and I had a great thing going. That should have been enough for Sunny and I was going to tell her that, too. She had to make this right. I got up and stormed into the bedroom. The bed was neat and made and lacking Sunny. She wasn’t in the bathroom or kitchen either. She wasn’t home at all. I guess she’d left sometime during the night. Her armor was curiously absent too. That probably meant she’d gone to stay at the palace. There were rooms there and no pony would question the house guard commander working on a Saturday. Considering we’d chosen to live in her condo, though, I was guessing she would be back. Of course with her being gone that just gave me more time to stew. I sat with Pink Pony in the living room switching between rage and doubt. I couldn’t understand why Sunny would have done something so foolish but I was going to put an end to it right away. There was a way out. She’d apologize to Soarin, he’d forgive her, and she’d never stray again. Of course I had to make certain she would have no temptation. That meant making sure the other mare knew her place and to back off. It was time to take action! The mare in question, Velvet Step, wouldn’t be too hard to find. Sunny had given me enough details even if she didn’t realize it. I’d been a city guard first and that meant having at least basic detective skills. Plus Sandy had taught me a lot. She was awesome at that sort of thing. Canterlot only had two ballets: the Canterlot Ballet which was semi-local and the Royal Ballet of Equestria which was world renowned. If Sunny had been with Velvet Step the night before it was far more likely Velvet was in the former rather than the latter. That was where I headed first. The Canterlot Ballet had a performance every Saturday and Sunday so I was guessing they’d be around practicing or getting ready for the show. It was also pretty early. I went to the stage door and knocked. It wasn’t long before it popped open and a pony stuck her head out. “Hello?” she asked. Alright, Azurite, you have to play this cool and professional. “Good afternoon, ma’am. My name is Warrant Officer Azurite. I’m with the Royal Guard. I’m looking for Velvet Step. I understand she performs here?” After I asked my question I levitated a little notebook and pencil out of my saddle bag.