Dark Steel

by bkc56

2. With Unanticipated Clues

A new case. A new morning. And the same old train to Ponyville. Quicksilver and Misty said Tinker went there once a month, so perhaps someone would know more about him. Maybe he was even there? Naw, if the case was that easy, I wouldn’t be the one to get it. I could almost feel the universe grinning maliciously at me.

I must have dozed off because the jerk of the train pulling into Ponyville snapped me awake. Traveling light, I grabbed my saddlebag and hat, and headed out. I threaded my way through the departing passengers and headed to the ticket office.

I tipped my hat to the employee. “Hey there, I wonder if you could help me.”

“Sure, if I can,” he replied, looking up from the papers in front of him.

“I’m trying to find a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. I understand he visits Ponyville on a regular basis. Have you ever seen him?”

“Well, I don’t know the name, but yeah, there’s a pony like that who comes through here every few weeks.” He put a hoof to his chin. “As I recall, he usually arrives on the first train from Canterlot on Friday, and leaves on the midday train Sunday. It’s kind of sad. He never has anyone waiting for him or seeing him off. He will sometimes arrive with some packages which he doesn’t have when he leaves, so he must be seeing someone here. But I’ve never seen anyone with him.”

Okay, this is interesting. “When was he last here?”

“Oh, let me see.” He idly glanced at a calendar on the wall beside him. “It’s been a few weeks. He’s probably due back soon.”

“Any idea where he goes when he gets off the train?”

He shook his head. “No. I’m usually busy helping passengers, so I don’t have time to look around. But it seems like he heads towards town. At least he’s not taking the road away from town. I’d have noticed since it runs just over there.” He pointed to the road clearly visible from the platform.

“Okay, thanks for your help. You have a good day.”

“And you too, sir.”

I headed towards the center of Ponyville. The streets were lined with an impressive variety of shops. Some were rather unusual, like “Quills and Sofas”. One-stop shopping with an interesting twist. The open areas were filled with vendor carts as ponies browsed and greeted each other. It looked like a nice place to live. Probably nicer than the “jewel of Equestria.”

As I moved through the street, I was suddenly blocked by an overly enthusiastic pink earth pony grinning at me. I stopped, restraining myself from rearing up in surprise.

“Hi. I’m Pinkie. What’s your name? You’re new in town. Are you moving here, or just visiting? If you’re moving here, then I’ll need to throw you a welcome party. I suppose I could also throw a ‘just visiting’ party too if you wanted.”

The seemingly boundless energy radiating off this pink pony was like a physical force that pushed me back a step. I swayed a moment as if actually struck.

“Oh, hi. I’m Dark Steel, and I’m afraid I’m just visiting for a couple hours. While a party would be fun, I don’t really have time for one. Sorry.” Somehow I felt that being rude or curt was not the correct approach here. Like most ponies, I have an inner voice that’s always whispering to me. Right now it was yelling, Do not make this pony sad!

“Oh…”Her smile faded and ears drooped. My inner voice screamed, You fool! “Can I at least give you a ‘no time for a just visiting party’ cupcake?” She reached into her mane and pulled out a vanilla cupcake with strawberry icing and held it out to me.

My eyes went wide in surprise. “How did… How did you know that’s my favorite flavor?”

A smile spread across her face. My inner voice exhaled in relief. I accepted the cupcake and took a bite. I closed my eyes and focused on the taste without distraction. How long had it been? I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had one. And never one like this. It was tender and moist, with a perfect ratio of icing to cake.

I opened my eyes again. “Thank you, Pinkie. I can honestly say that’s the best vanilla and strawberry cupcake I’ve had in, well, in years. Thank you.”

She was visibly vibrating with excitement. I’m not sure how that’s even possible. “I just knew you’d like it. I’ll let you be on your way, and good luck with finding Tinker.” She turned to leave.

“Wait! How did you know I am looking for Tinker Cob?”

“Pinkie Sense,” she replied as if that explained everything.

Pinkie Sense? What’s a Pinkie Sense? I’d seen hoof readers and fortune tellers at fairs, but they were all show and no substance.

Confused, I asked, “You know him?”

“Of course. I know everypony. But he makes me a little sad because he’s so sad. He’s never let me throw him a party.” Her smile faded and her ears drooped again. “But perhaps his friends in the Everfree Forest will throw him one. I wouldn’t be so sad if I knew he was getting a party there. Although mine would be better.”

“Everfree Forest? You’re saying he visits someone in the Everfree Forest when he comes to Ponyville?”

“Well, of course, silly. He’s not the type to hang out with anypony here in town.” Her smile had returned.

“What do you mean, type?”

“Oh, you know,” she said with a wink and turned to leave. “I gotta get back to work now.” And with that she bounded away.

I just stood there, my brain spinning like a foal on a carnival ride. I had the distinct feeling like I just had a glimpse of what it’s like to go crazy.

I snapped back to the present when I noticed a red mare wearing a pilot helmet watching me from across the street. I was still standing in the middle of the road, staring into the space vacated by the pink crazy. My mouth hung open, and the half-eaten cupcake rested in my hoof. I closed my mouth with an audible snap, then opened it again to pop in the rest of the cupcake. I started walking. I wasn’t going anywhere specific, I just needed to clear the crazy from my head.

I noticed a general dry goods store up ahead and decided to go in. These places can be a hub of information, and perhaps talking with somepony sane would help me refocus. As I walked in, an older earth pony mare behind the counter looked up.

“Good day, sir. Can I help you with anything?”

“Perhaps just a quick question, if you don’t mind?” I walked up to the counter.

“Sure,” she said with a pleasant smile.

I returned the smile. “I’m trying to find a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. Do you happen to know him, or ever see a pony like that around town?”

“Yes, I’ve seen him, although not recently. I never knew his name, he was kind of private and quiet. But he’d come in here every few weeks to pick up some things. Mostly they were camping supplies.” She pointed to a corner full of such merchandise. “Must have been a big campout though.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, almost every time he’d buy stuff, it would include one or two sleeping pads. Either somepony likes a lot of padding, or the group is growing all the time.”

I purchased a small bag of oat mix to be polite, thanked the mare, and went outside again. I snacked on it as I walked. Why would Tinker be buying camping supplies? And why so many sleeping pads? Was he meeting someone who was living in the Everfree Forest?

Each new clue raised new questions. And right now the questions were stacking up faster than the answers. But this is what I live for. The search, the clues, sifting the wheat from the chaff. This is why I solve the cases no one else can.

I spent the next couple hours fishing for clues from the shop owners and street vendors. I wasn’t catching much. While a few others recognized Tinker’s description, no one knew his name. And no one had seen him for several weeks. Although a couple ponies mentioned seeing him head in the direction of a local orchard named Sweet Apple Acres.

Much like my empty oat mix bag, the town had run out of clues, so I decided Sweet Apple Acres would be my next stop. I walked out of the community and after a while found myself strolling through a large orchard of apple trees. My stomach growled, reminding me that I hadn’t eaten in a while.

“Howdy. Nice hat.”

I startled and turned to see an orange earth pony mare wearing a Stetson hat. She was leaning against the fence with her forelegs crossed on the top rail. I had the impression she knew exactly what she’d done, perhaps even planned it.

“Oh, hi. Thanks. You have a really fine hat yourself.” She grinned and nodded once. “This your place?”

“Yes, sir. Sweet Apple Acres. Ya won’t find better apples in all Equestria.”

“That’s a pretty tall claim. Mind if I buy a couple to judge for myself?”

She tipped her head towards a basket of apples on the ground beside her.

“Applejack’s the name, but most folks just call me AJ. Help yourself.”

I hoofed her a few bits and selected two nice looking apples. One went in the saddle bag as I continued, “I’m Dark Steel. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I took a big bite of the apple and chewed for a bit. “You know, I think that claim may not be so tall after all. This is one good apple.”

She smiled. “Well, thank ye kindly. It’s always good to see a pony enjoy our work. So, whatcha doing ‘round these parts, Mister Steel?”

I finished the last of my apple and smacked my lips. “I’m actually looking for somepony. He’s a brown and white skewbald earth pony named Tinker Cob. A couple ponies in town remembered him heading this way.”

She tilted her head. “Yeah, I recall seein’ a pony like that a couple o’ times. I never got a chance to chat with him or get a name.”

A clue. I took a step forward. “Any idea where he went?”

“Not for certain, but I kinda had the impression he might be headin’ into the Everfree Forest. Don’t make a lick of sense goin’ in there, but that’s what it seemed like.”

“I see. I had another pony say she thought that’s where he went when he was in town.”

“Well, I wish ya luck with ya search. I gotta get back to work now. Y'all have a good day.”

“And you too, AJ. Thanks again for the apples. The best in all Equestria.” I grinned and tipped my fedora.

She tipped her hat in return and turned to walk off.

I continued down the road. It was peaceful, surrounded by green, and smelled of earth. Pretty much the exact opposite of Canterlot. This place really was a jewel. Too soon I encountered a fork where a path split off, heading into the forest.

I stood there for a while, looking into the darkness. Yes, I need to find Tinker, but not in there. Besides, there’s no indication he’d been in town for several weeks. Like a mouse realizing he’d stumbled into the cat’s bed, I made a hasty retreat from the edge of the forest. There were things far worse than a cat in there.

Once safely back in town, I decided to get a room and spend the night. It was late and the next destination could wait until morning.

---

As I reached the train platform early the next morning, I realized I had a problem. Which direction should I go? I had to visit every corner of Equestria, but where should I start?

As I considered this little problem, I noticed a mare with a young colt also waiting for the train. The colt was watching me and gave a tentative smile when I looked down at him.

“Hi there. Going on a trip?” I asked in my most kid-friendly voice. I probably sounded like an idiot.

The colt glanced at his mom, who said, “Don’t be rude, answer the nice stallion.” The colt turned back to me and nodded, “Uh-huh.”

“How fun. I’m going to go on a trip too, but I’m not sure which way I should go. North, south, west or east. Which would you choose?”

“West?” the colt answered tentatively.

“West? West. Yes, I think that’s an excellent choice. Thank you, you’ve been most helpful.”

I smiled at the colt, tipped my hat to the mare, and went to the ticket office to check the schedule and buy a ticket. As I walked away, I heard the colt say, “Did you see, mom? I helped him.”

“Yes, dear, I saw that.”

Cute kid. Glad he belongs to somepony else.

I don’t really do kids. I never know what to say. It’s like talking to a buffalo; we speak the same language, but don’t really understand each other. There was this case a few months ago. I located a kid, the victim of a foalnapping. Took me six hours to travel back to Canterlot and return him to his parents. He was overjoyed to be going home, thankful, and talked almost non-stop. The bonus I got for that case almost made up for those six hours with that colt. Almost.

Comments

[Nines]

“Hi. I’m Pinkie. What’s your name? You’re new in town. Are you moving here, or just visiting? If you’re moving here, then I’ll need to throw you a welcome party. I suppose I could also throw a ‘just visiting’ party too if you wanted.”

Ah, Pinkie. The one-pony-welcome-committee. Though... I thought Dark Steel has been to Ponyville before? He mentioned the "same old train to Ponyville." before.

My eyes went wide in surprise. “How did… How did you know that’s my favorite flavor?”

Pinkie Sense™

I do have a concern here... I don't recall Pinkie's intuition imparted her quite as much information as you've implied it does here. She does still have to get to know ponies before knowing their preferences. Otherwise, she wouldn't have made some of the mistakes she did in the past, like with Cranky Doodle. And I think I would've preferred if she'd have simply put two and two together the old fashioned way. Dark Steel looks like a gumhoof, right? And Pinkie is very aware of who comes in and out of Ponyville, right? If Tinker has failed to show up in a long time, she can make a reasonable guess as to why he's there. She may not be a bookish type, but she's still fairly clever.

I also feel she wouldn't be so easily discouraged just because someone doesn't want a party. Again, thinking of the Cranky Doodle episode. She's fairly persistent, and it'd take her a bit before she she'd get down.

Just my two cents. I'm still enjoying the story quite a bit.

Do you happen to know him, or ever see a pony like that around town.

Should end with a ?

She tilted her head. “Yeah, I recall seein’ a pony like that a couple o’ times. I never got a chance to chat with him or get a name.”

Oh, phew. Thank you. You don't overdo her accent here. Gosh, it drives me crazy when people do that. I can't read too much fiction featuring her prominently because people go out of their way to make her sound like a goofy hayseed.

It was fun seeing AJ and Pinkie, though I did feel like they could have been presented in a way that made them feel less like plot devices. Applejack could have been in the middle of bucking apple trees, or maybe Pinkie could have been delivering cakes or something. It's nice if supporting cast feel like they have their own lives and the MC is simply interrupting them. It gives the world more depth.

I'm also kind of surprised Dark Steel didn't at least go into the forest a little bit before turning back. Having him look into the woods and just go, "Nah," was a little disappointing. It felt like the narrative was building up to that.

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Okay! Another chapter down. I'm really curious to see how this ends. I think the first chapter was stronger, but I'm still enjoying the story so far. The detail about Tinker buying sleeping pads every time he goes to the store was very interesting. I wonder what he's doing?