My Little Teelo: Winter's Silence

by Ardwolf

Cold Case

In which our Heroine assuages a curiosity of long standing, and thereby recruits an ally.

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“That will be the detectives.” Teagan said. “Sun Hammer, they’re not going to react nearly as calmly as Matt did. Please don’t do anything to spook them, ok?”

“Will ye listen tae the lassie nou?” He snorted. “She hae nae faith in me! Like a wee mousie, lass. Ye hae me word.”

Matt made his call as Teagan went to let in the detectives.

“Hi.” She said to the man and woman at the door. “Come in, detectives. Thank you for coming, I really appreciate it.”

“It’s Christmas, Miss O’Gara.” Detective Long said unsmilingly. “You’d better have a very good reason for dragging us out here.”

“I do. Sun Hammer, a pony, is in the living room right now. I’m going to let him tell you why he’s here, because you won’t believe me if I told you. Um, he’s a little bit—touchy—so if you annoy him he’ll be all kinds of sarcastic.”

“A sarcastic pony.” Detective Nickels snorted. “Right. What’s it going to do, sulk at me? I actually watched an episode of that damned cartoon, Miss O’Gara.”

“Um, Sun Hammer’s not your typical pony, Detective. He’s a lot bigger, a lot more aggressive, and he’s Princess Celestia’s Champion of the Sun. They never showed him in the cartoon.” Teagan warned him.

“Is he dangerous?” Detective Long asked, eyes narrowing.

“Not if you don’t provoke him.” Teagan said. “He’s promised to be on his best behavior but please, please don’t ask him to do more than one or two stupid tricks to prove he’s a person, all right? Especially don’t ask him to count!”

“We’re always professional, Miss O’Gara.” Detective Nickels assured her.

“All right then, this way.” Teagan led them to the living room. Matt and Sun Hammer were discussing something, it sounded like politics from the brief exchange she caught.

“That’s a horse.” Detective Nickels said in spite of himself, staring at the scarred roan pony.

“Nae, A just be big boned, ye ken. Name’s Sun Hammer. Be ye the investigators?” Sun Hammer asked, breaking off his conversation with Matt.

Detective Nickels paused, but recovered nicely. Detective Long was staring, face expressionless.

“Yes, we are. I’m Detective John Nickels. This is my partner Detective Sarah Long. You’re from Equestria, I take it?”

“Aye. An A need yer help, so A dae. The Princess hae been ponynapped.”

Detective Long finally spoke.

“This occurred in Equestria?”

“Aye.” Sun Hammer nodded.

“Sir, Equestria is not in our jurisdiction. I’m not sure what you’d like us to do.” Detective Nickels said. “My condolences on her abduction, but surely your own authorities can handle the matter?”

“Nae. The Horns an the Royal Guard dinnae hae a clue, tis why Twilight Sparkle thought o’ Teelo. The lass told us about the way ye investigate crimes in your world. Impressed Princess Luna, so Teelo did, when thay was tryin’ tae figure whit Discord were aboot.”

“The ponies haven’t had any serious crimes in almost a thousand years.” Teagan explained. “So they don’t have any experience dealing with it.”

“Must be nice.” Detective Long commented, in spite of herself. Teagan was actually impressed how well the detectives were handling the situation. Of course they already knew about Equestria, but knowing about it and actually meeting Sun Hammer were very different things…

“We were hoping you could either give us some advice or recommend a private investigator that could go to Equestria and help in the investigation. Maybe training some of the Horns.” Teelo said. “I’m sure Princess Luna will be very generous to anyone willing to help.”

“Hmm. Obviously we can’t help you directly, Miss O’Gara. It’s not our jurisdiction and it would be illegal for us to moonlight. But I know someone who might be able to help you—and wouldn’t have a problem with working for ponies.”

“That be gladsome news, so it be!” Sun Hammer said happily.

“Not Evelyn Lewis.” Detective Long objected.

“This is right up her alley, Sarah. Besides, she’s forever riding our coattails, looking to pick up clients.”

“She’s a loon, John.” Detective Long objected.

“Tracking down a kidnapped magical princess, who just happens to be a pony?” He asked drily.

“A point.” The female detective admitted reluctantly.

“Can you call her now? We’re on something of a tight schedule.” Teagan said apologetically. “We need to leave for Equestria in about five hours.”

“Why the hurry?” Detective Nickels asked curiously.

“That’s when Subtle Dancer will open the bridge.” Teagan said. “He can’t keep it open very long, so we’ve got to be ready to jump when it opens. Can you call her please?”

“All right.” He allowed himself a tiny smile. “I’m going to enjoy letting someone else deal with this craziness.”

He took out his cell phone, looked up the number, then dialed.

“Miss Lewis? This is Detective John Nickels. I think I may have found a new client for you…”

The conversation lasted a couple of minutes, and ended with Detective Nickels giving her Teagan’s address and warning her that the investigation would probably take her out of the city. The girl grinned, contemplating how deceptive that completely true statement actually was.

He handed Teagan the phone and let her talk to the PI directly.

“Miss O’Gara? This is Evelyn Lewis. I understand you need my services?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Teagan said. “A friend of mine has been abducted. She’s actually kind of a big wheel in her own country, and her sister would be willing to pay you quite well to get her back.”

“I don’t have a passport, Miss O’Gara, and the only foreign language I speak is French—and not very fluently.” The PI’s voice was regretful.

“That won’t be a problem, Miss Lewis.” Teagan said, rolling her eyes. “You’ll be traveling via diplomatic transport both ways. They speak English there.”

“May I ask what country?”

“No, I’m sorry.” Teagan said. “Once we speak face to face you’ll be given the details, but this is a very sensitive issue. I know this sounds shady but Detective Nickels will vouch for me. This isn’t a prank and it isn’t illegal. But it is urgent, and it has to be kept confidential. My friend’s life could depend on it. If you do accept the case you’ll have to be ready to leave in about five hours.”

“How long will I be gone?” The PI asked warily.

“Until my friend is recovered—or we find out she can’t be.” Teagan’s voice was grim.

“It’s going to be expensive.” The PI warned. “Can your friend’s sister afford a possible six-figure bill?”

“Yes.” Teagan said with absolute certainty. “Believe me when I say money is not an object. The only thing that matters is getting her back. My friend and her sister are very rich, Miss Lewis.”

“It’s always about the money, isn’t it?” The voice on the other end of the phone said with a sigh. “I’m not promising to take your case, Miss O’Gara. But I’ll come and talk about it. If I accept I’ll be ready to travel as well.”

“If I were you I’d bring winter clothes meant for rough country, with one or two dresses for formal functions.”

“Formal functions?” The PI asked, surprised. “Like what?”

“You may have to interact with aristocrats, Miss Lewis. Can you do that?”

“What, you mean like barons and dukes? Those kind of aristocrats?” The PI sounded surprised.

“Exactly.”

“I’m not exactly used to working in high society, Miss O’Gara. Why me? Especially on Christmas day?”

“Because Detective Nickels recommended you, and we don’t have time to be choosy.” Teagan said. “We need an investigator who can think on her feet, adapt to strange situations, and knows how to find out things people may not want to tell her. Detective Nickels said this case would be right up your alley. Was he wrong?”

“I’m very good at what I do, Miss O’Gara.” The woman said coolly.

“Good. Then how long will it take you to get here?” Teagan asked.

“Give me an hour.” She said.

“We’ll expect you, Miss Lewis. Our departure window is incredibly narrow. We’ll have to leave with or without you.”

“I’ll be there.” She said. “Can I speak to Detective Nickels again?”

Teagan handed the phone back.

He listened for a minute or two.

“Miss O’Gara is not involved in anything illegal, to my knowledge, Miss Lewis. Furthermore, if this was a joke I wouldn’t have called you. The circumstances are—extraordinary, but then don’t you specialize in extraordinary cases?”

He listened.

“I’ve done what I can so I’m going home.” He said. “It’s Christmas, and my wife has dinner waiting. Good luck, Miss Lewis. You’re going to need it.”

He hung up.

“You’re her problem now, kid.” He said. “Sun Hammer, it was—fascinating—to meet you. I hope you find your princess, I really do. I wish I could do more to help.”

“A thank ye, Detective.” Sun Hammer said gravely. “Ye told us about this private investigator. A ne’er heard the laik! Dae ye hae so muckle trouble there be a regular job tae handle it?”

“Unfortunately.” He said. “Sounds like ponies are more law-abiding than humans.”

“Jalouse ye hae the richt o’ it.” Sun Hammer said, nodding. “Teelo an me, we’re nae so hide-bound as most ponies, but fer most pony folk life ain’t so chancy.”

Matt left when the detectives did, promising to be back after he picked up his gear.

That left the four of them staring at each other uncomfortably.

“Tell me about Equestria, Sun Hammer.” Teagan’s mother commanded quietly. “I have to know. Is it really that dangerous?”

The (mostly) calm and civil conversation that followed lasted another hour, interrupted by the doorbell.

I could really learn to hate that doorbell, Teagan thought to herself.

“Guess that’s the PI.” She said, rising.

Comments

[Mossy Mare]

I love reading Sun Hammer's lines. It's an exercise in context analysis; google translate doesn't do brogue.