It was a bright sunny day in city that knows how to keep its secrets.
Canterlot, Capital of Equestria, center of power and learning and, due to a weird bylaw, largest importer of artisianal cheez whiz North of the McIntosh Hills.
My name is Night Spinner, I'm a guardspony.
I knew she was trouble the moment she walked in my door. With eyes like a winter sky and a mane so curly her last three hair stylists must still be lost in there, she was the kind of mare that made you want to do things.
Seriously, the puppy dog eyes she could make would have been enough to convince the captain to steal the big C’s last cake slice.
“Ma’am, can help I you how?” I asked, wondering if I was suffering a stroke or just tongue tied.
I coughed, then managed to narrow my word count to something monosyllabic. “Name?”
“Inquiry,” she replied.
“You can make one, but I’m asking the questions right now,” I replied with a wave of my hoof.
“What's brought a nice mare like you, to a place like this at such an hour?” It was noon after all, the hour where all reasonable ponies are at lunch.
“I need your help, help getting back something stolen from me… something, precious,” she said, stepping closer to the desk with each breath, her tail switching like a cat's.
“Loss and prevention is down the hall, I'm a guard, I just guard stuff,” I explained as she popped her front hooves on the desk and tried to get eye level with me.
“You mean you won't help me? I'm going to need a guard to get it back,” she asked, giving me a double barreled blast of cuteness.
My will crumbled like an overbaked pie crust, which reminded me I hadn't eaten lunch yet.
“What was stolen ma'am?”
“That Sneaky, no good, thieving, plushie stealing, sneak-thief stole my favorite PLUSHIE!!!”
For a moment I thought I smelled smoke, but before I could respond she dropped back to the floor.
“Fortunately I know where the plushie is! I just need to get into the Gaslighters's Ball tonight and for that, I need an escort!” She declared, pointing her hoof at me.
“You think that there will be trouble without a guard?” I asked as she kept staring at me.
“Not if you show up!” she replied cheerily as she spun around and headed for the door.
“Carriage will be here at 630, wear a suit!” she called out before the only sound left in the room was the faint ecos of her hooves.
Later that evening I stepped down To the street to find a sky carriage waiting.
It was being pulled by a big fluffy pegasus wearing a cap, dark glasses and sporting a handlebar mustache.
The driver was a tall, lean pony also sporting an identical set of glasses and mustache. Made me wonder if they were related.
Then the door was opened and I saw her. The mare's mane was tamed with silver ribbons and her blue gown was so tight I could still make out her cutie mark.
I felt a growing pressure and then a blow to my head that folded me like a cheap deck chair.
When I came to, I found myself in the carriage and a small paramedic wearing a mustache and glasses was just finishing up.
He said that I would be fine and that I had only fainted.
As I sat there wondering if he was related to the other two, all the pieces fell into place.
“Ma’am, could I have a word?” I called out and she responded by taking the seat across from me.
“You very nearly had me fooled…but the triplets out there are too much of a coincidence… there was no theft.”
The mare’s face fell and she nodded her head. “I wanted you as a date for tonight… they suggested I give you a case.”
“Oh! Well… I mean I'll be happy to go with you.” I replied only to be suddenly pulled into a hug.
Some ponies walk in light, others in darkness. Me? Right now I’m a tomato. A very happy tomato.
