Bell, Book & Candle Shop (Storm Scout) [Concluded]

[Sunshine Swirl]

Sunshine Swirl arrived at the Bell, Book & Candle shop. It was decorated for the holiday like many of the shops along the narrow Canterlot cobblestone streets. A Jack-o’-lantern smiled at her from beside the string-cobweb strewn shop door. The shop window display showcased various old books, some lovely bells, and many scented black or orange candles.

Sunshine had known Esmeralda, the old unicorn mare that owned this shop, for years. Esmeralda wasn’t one to spook easily. When she stopped in to Sunshine Swirl's office claiming that her store was “Haunted”, Sunshine could scarcely believe it. Not one to turn down a mystery she told Esmeralda that she would come and investigate.

"There are no such things as Ghosts!" Sunshine told herself. "It’s scientifically impossible."

She was about to open the door when a blue pegasus stallion burst out of the shop. “GHOSTS!” he shouted. Grabbing her, he added, “Do not go in there!” His eyes were wide with fear. Before Sunshine could speak, the pegasus launched himself into the sky.

Sunshine walked in to find Esmeralda with her head down on the counter.

Sunshine asked, "Esmeralda, are you okay?”

Esmeralda raised her head, “Oh, I’ve been better, dearie. Just lost another customer because of that.” She pointed a hoof towards a bronze hoof-bell laying on the floor. “It started floating and ringing by itself.”

"And you’re sure there’s no unicorn colt prankster hiding somewhere?” Sunshine looked around the shop. There were plenty of places to hide. Shelves and trunks filled with candles, bells, and old books.

Esmeralda shook her head no, and swooshed her tail angrily.  "If only it were that simple."

Sunshine Swirl examined the bell. “Have you moved it since it floated?”

“No. It happened right before you arrived.”

Focusing her magic, Sunshine Swirl lightly stroked the bell looking for traces of the spell that had moved it. It definitely had an odd resonance to it… Similar to Levitation, but not the basic Levitation Spell taught in Magic Kindergarten. She ruled out Automation Magic, and Come to Life Magic as well.

Sunshine Swirl was stumped. Perhaps there really are ghosts?! She smiled nervously at Esmeralda. “This might take longer than I thought."

[Storm Scout]

(OoC: I'm new to this site, so I hope I'm not doing something wrong as I join this story. Glad to start RPing!  )

Canterlot... huh. This place was... well, rich, peaceful, sedated. A lot of ponies here seemed to be absolutely rolling in their bits, content with just living the high life every day. At first it hadn't really seemed like Storm's kind of city, too slow, too posh he'd thought... but after spending a bit of time here, he had started to feel the activity around here. Something was always going on; you just had to look closely. There wasn't much in the way of excitement around here particularly often, it seemed, but there were still plenty of new things to see, and Storm was all for experiencing new things...

Hence his presence in this quaint shop. Its mysterious title had been the thing to draw him in - well, that and the insane blue pegasus. He had wondered what the shop could possibly sell, though he didn't expect to be able to afford anything here. And, well... it turned out the title was pretty much the shop? Bells, books, candles. Huh. Well, none of those three items immediately took his fancy, but that was the point in browsing...

"Ghosts..." Storm considered the credibility of that screaming stallion. He wasn't sure he could believe the pegasus - certainly, he had a hard time taking the over-the-top reaction seriously - but he didn't want to just discredit the idea without seeing more of the story. The pair of mares there seemed to have more of an understanding of what was going on here than Storm did, so the logical path would be to go up and ask them.

Yep... easy... just, go up and ask them...

He tentatively planted each hoof onward until he was standing beside the light-cream-coated unicorn, and then cleared his throat. "Um, h- hi." Nice, he had managed to get that much out. She's cute, he'd thought to himself of the rose-maned unicorn, but he proceeded to chastise his brain for such a socially confident thought. "Uh, my name is Storm Scout." Now for the harder part - eye contact. He struggled for a moment, but soon managed to begin to look between the two mares, in a conversational if also oddly somewhat evasive manner. "What's, uh, what's this about... ghosts?" No, he could do better than that. "Um... how long have you had these 'ghosts'?"

[Sunshine Swirl]

Esmeralda smiled from behind the counter. "Welcome Storm Scout. I'm Esmeralda, owner of this little shop. So, you heard about my Ghost problem, dear? I'm afraid I may need to rename my shop to Bell, Book, Candle & Ghosts."

Sunshine Swirl seemed deep in thought when Storm Scout entered. She poked the bell on the ground tentatively with her hoof.  Then she looked up and considered the new arrival. He seemed like a nice pegasus, and had asked a good first question. "Storm Scout, I'm Sunshine Swirl. It's a pleasure to meet you. Maybe you can help us get to the bottom of this."


Esmeralda said, "In answer to your question Storm Scout, the problem started about three days ago. At first it was quite subtle. I would find a book on the floor instead of the shelf or a bell out of place. Young foals messing with the stock I thought. Then yesterday afternoon, three books wiggled around on the shelves then popped off like they were bucked. I saw it with my own eyes. That evening a bell floated off the shelf and started ringing. The customers thought it was me at first, but I wasn't using magic. Neither was the other unicorn in the shop at the time. Today we've had candles knocked down, books un-shelved, and moments ago, that bell rang by itself." She motioned to the bell on the floor next to Sunshine Swirl.

Sunshine added, "I've examined the bell and ruled out a the basic unicorn levitation spell, and several others. I don't think it's a prank either -- as there was no one else in the shop other than Esmeralda and a pegasus customer when it last happened. I've known Esmeralda for a long time, so I don't think she's doing this herself for publicity or as a prank."

Esmeralda chuckled. "Yes, Sunshine and I have known each other since she was a student in the magic academy. She and her husband rented the apartment upstairs after they married for a couple of years. Ah, those were good times back then. Well, trips down memory lane aside. What do you think this Haunting could be?"

[Storm Scout]

(OoC: Awesome art!)

Storm cleared his throat once again. There was no room for his manner of awkwardness here - both of these mares seemed perfectly friendly, and he ought to treat them in kind. "Um, right, thank you. Hello Esmerelda, Sunshine Swirl." So... ghosts... "Yes, perhaps I can help."

Well, he was indoors now, and he might be for some time. He looked over to the entrance for somewhere to hang up his cloak, and pulled it off with his teeth and his wings, revealing his sword-shaped cutie mark. Then he walked back over to the two unicorns.

Huh... husband? See, social confidence Storm, he thought to himself, it'll ruin you if you wear it outwardly. "Well... we know it's probably not unicorn magic," he began, "so... could it possibly be some other kind of magic?" He started to dart between examining the bell that had rung by itself, and his investigative companions. Investigation was sometimes in ruling out false possibilities. "Hmm, how about the unlikely one first... Esmerelda, have you perhaps had a rivalry with someone lately? Has it felt cold around here? Or can we just rule out a windigo right off the bat?" It wasn't really like a windigo could be hanging around here with nopony noticing.

He walked to the middle of the shop and splayed out his wings. Perhaps feeling the air currents could tell him a little about what was going on in this place, though that, too, seemed unlikely. He glanced to Sunshine. "Do you have any ideas, miss Swirl?" Perhaps they ought to just look for some more evidence for now.

[Sunshine Swirl]

"Some other kind of magic indeed. As I mentioned, it wasn't the Levitation Spell we learn in magical kindergarten. But what other than unicorns know levitation spells?" Sunshine Swirl tapped a hoof deep in thought.

Esmeralda took the opportunity to address Storm Scout's second question. "Well, I do sometimes trade in odd magical nicknacks, but I’m always very fair. I don’t think I’ve made any enemies. As far as Windigos, I don’t think...”

Sunshine Swirl suddenly shouted, “I have it!” Her eyes were wide, “It’s the Changelings. They have horns and do magic. Maybe they've come back to Canterlot!”

Esmeralda looked doubtful, “Changelings, Sunshine? It’s always Changelings for you.”

“And why are Changelings so unlikely? At least they’re real, unlike some old Hearth’s Warming Eve tale.” Sunshine replied.

Esmeralda’s ears flicked in annoyance. “Windigos ~are~ real. Be thankful you’ve never run into one.”

Sunshine raised her hoof to her mouth, “Shh. Do you hear that?” The sound of hoof falls came from somewhere. She whispered, “It must be invisible…"

Esmeralda pointed at the ceiling. “That’s Marigold, the tenant in the upstairs apartment. I can assure you she’s not a Changeling. Besides, why would the Changelings hang out in my old shop ringing bells? It just doesn’t make sense.”

Sunshine sighed. “I guess so.”

She turned and addressed Storm, “I think your approach of ruling things out is probably the best way to solve this mystery. So far we’ve ruled out a prank, a levitation spell, a come to life spell, a rival, Windigos and well, probably Changelings as well…”

Esmeralda leaned forward and in a hushed tone said, “Yes, but there is one thing we haven’t ruled out yet. A real ghost!"

[Storm Scout]

Well... the wind level seemed about normal for being inside a shop. Storm didn't really feel the tug of any unusual airflow. He refolded his wings and returned to the two unicorns.

He wasn't about to claim that he knew much about the majority of the different kinds of magic in Equestria, because that would be so very very false. In truth he was clueless, and was barely holding on understanding Sunshine's magic-babble. Levitation spell... okay, he knew that. But how did that leave the trace of its magic signature? How advanced or basic was it in the standard unicorn spell repertoire? Not a clue. "So... it might not be unicorn magic... probably... I guess... but it could be some other type of magic that could affect an object's movement?" Yes... this was a bit confusing. All he knew of magic was the weather, if that could really be considered a type of magic.

"Oh, alright. I figured a windigo was unlikely, so..." w-what, shouting! Oh... it was Sunshine. "Changelings? Uh, Esmerelda is right, I don't think changelings would bother with doing this - they feed on love, don't they?" Ringing bells and knocking a few things off the shelves wouldn't really carry a changeling to that goal.

So, Sunshine had summarised what they thought so far would not be the cause of these odd occurrences. "Okay, that is actually quite a lot of things we've ruled out." But, a real ghost? "Hm... sorry ladies, I've got nothing. I don't think we should put down the possibility that this could be an actual ghost, but of course we need to look at all other avenues as well." He looked down and tapped one front hoof against the other, thinking. Then he looked back to Sunshine, and said "Maybe we should take a look around the shop, and see if we can find anything unusual?"

[Sunshine Swirl]

Sunshine nodded. “Looking around for clues is a great suggestion. Let’s get started.” She began looking through the many shelves and displays that fill the shop.

Esmeralda puttered around behind the counter and produced a tea kettle. “I’ll start a pot of tea while the two of you look."

OOC:

SPOILER: Click to show

Storm Scout searches around the shop. There are nicknacks everywhere, mostly bells, books, candles, and things related to them such as candlestick holders, bookends, bookmarks, etc.

You do find several out of place things:
- A false eyelash: It looked like a caterpillar at first glance. Found beside a candle.
- A cupcake: Chocolate with vanilla oat swirl frosting. Found on a shelf.
- A foal’s toy rattle: It’s plastic in the shape of a bell. Found partially under a display.
- A hidden door: It’s behind a tapestry on the back wall of the shop. The door is locked.

Sunshine Swirl and Storm Scout spend several minutes searching the shop.

When the tea kettle started whistling, Esmeralda called out, “The tea is nearly ready. Would either of you like to join me? Sunshine? Storm? It is a bit nippy out this afternoon."

“I would love a cup of tea, thank you." Sunshine Swirl approached the counter floating several items in her horn’s magic aura. “I found several things that might be helpful. A suspiciously large horseshoe was resting against the wall over there. I also found this cryptic note on a folded piece of paper. Oh, and two books that might come be useful: The Weiserhoof Field Guide to Ghosts, and A Guide to Changeling Behavior and Customs.”

Esmeralda poured the tea and chuckled. “Well, that suspiciously large horseshoe was actually a wall decoration that must have fallen down. The note might be a clue, but I’m not sure either of those books will actually be helpful.”

Sunshine turned to Storm Scout. “Did you find anything unusual?"

[Storm Scout]

Okay, clues. False eyelash, cupcake, foal's toy rattle, and... a... hidden door? "Um... Wh..." A hidden door!? What business did a hidden door have being here? This wasn't a Daring Do story! Ugh... well, Storm would have to talk to Esmerelda about this. He wouldn't be able to get in without magic. Or, y'know, the key.

Storm was still baring his teeth in incredulity as he approached the counter to see about getting some tea and reconvene with his investigative colleague. "Yes... tea sounds nice, thank you. I'd rather leave my cup to cool a bit first, though." He eyed each of the items that Sunshine had found, and made a mental note of each one; large horseshoe (a decoration), note-paper, and the ghost and changeling books. Still with the changelings, huh? "Can you tell what the note-paper says?"

After that question was handled, in response to Sunshine he cried "Yeah I found some unusual stuff!" He hadn't taken any of the evidence he had found and brought them to the counter, however... "I left them all where they were and remembered the spots they were in, because I thought that maybe their locations could be evidence in themselves - also, you know, no magic to move all of them at once. I'll show you to each of them..." And he'd do that, quickly, announcing each of the first three as he came to them. If Sunshine wanted to levitate any of them over to the counter now then Storm wouldn't object.

As he finally came to the door though, he fixed eyes on Esmerelda, saying, "I'm going to have to ask you..." He held the tapestry out of the way with a wing. "What is THIS doing here? Did you know about this hidden door, Esmerelda?" As he watched for the shop-owner's reaction, he muttered "It does seem very much like it could be involved in those occurrences."

[Sunshine Swirl]

Esmeralda poured tea into two dainty china teacups, then ducked under the counter for a second and produced a pegasus-friendly tea mug. She poured tea in the mug as well.

Sunshine Swirl unfolded the crumpled note and looked at it for a few minutes. "I don't think it will help." She floated the note to Esmeralda with her magic.

Esmeralda grasped the note with her magic and examined it. "Well, I think it may come in handy, but not for the haunting..." She floated the rumpled note over to Storm Scout so he could look at it.

SPOILER: Click to show

6 cups grated carrots
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Mix ingredients and bake for 45-50 minutes at 175 degrees C.

Sunshine Swirl found a basket and began noting the locations of each potential clue then placing them into the basket. "Horseshoe, Note, False Eyelash, Cup Cake, Rattle... Hmmm."

That's when Storm Scout approached the hidden door. He fixed eyes on Esmerelda, saying, "I'm going to have to ask you..." He held the tapestry out of the way with a wing. "What is THIS doing here? Did you know about this hidden door, Esmerelda?"

Sunshine Swirl chuckled. "He discovered your backroom, Esme."

"I suppose I should explain that." Esmeralda set down her tea and trotted to the back of the shop next to Storm Scout. Her horn glowed for a moment, and three soft *clack* noises came from behind the door. It opened revealing a small room with several shelves and a desk.

Esmeralda stepped into the room and lit a lamp on the desk. "In my younger years I was an adventurer. Quelling angry beasts, exploring ruins and temples. During that time I found many curious objects. Some I sold, some I kept for sentimental reasons or to trade. I've been retired from adventuring for years, but I still trade other collectors when I come across interesting items.”

Storm Scout could see several boxes and trunks in the room. The shelves had various odds and ends: a snow globe showing Canterlot Castle under construction, a glass jar holding a dimly glowing stone, a broach, an amulet, a rack with vials containing various colored liquids, a bow and quiver of arrows. On the desk is a framed picture showing a very young looking Esmeralda in a cloak with the bow. In the picture with her are a young Drake, a Griffin, a Diamond Dog, a Pegasus, and a Zebra. Each wearing some type of armor and weapon.

Esmeralda sighed wistfully. “Those were the days.” She cleared her throat. "But I don’t think this room is the cause of our current problem. I haven’t been back here for weeks and nothing seems out of place. Traders in these types of goods are few and far between.”

She stepped out of the backroom and motioned for Storm Scout to follow. “Well then, let’s have that tea and see if Sunshine has discovered anything."

Sunshine Swirl had finished her tea and was reviewing the items in the basket. “Well, it seams the horseshoe and note are not helpful, one being a decoration, the other a recipe carelessly dropped. The false eyelash might be a clue, or perhaps it was just something lost by a customer…”

Esmeralda smiled and piped in, “That cupcake was supposed to be my lunch. I set it down when the last customer came in. If you’d like, we can split it three ways. It goes marvelously with tea.”

Sunshine Swirl crossed the cupcake off the evidence list. “That leaves this toy rattle.”

Esmeralda looked at it. “Why I recognize that. It’s a gift I gave to Marigold, the tenant upstairs. I got it for her new foal’s monthaversary a few weeks ago. I wonder how it got down here?"

[Storm Scout]

"Heh, wow..." Storm had cocked his head at the 'pegasus-friendly' tea cup, tracing out the handle with a feather. "I don't drink tea that often... I had no idea they made tea cups like that."

Right... the note-paper was just a recipe. That wouldn't help. A whole bunch of red herrings so far. It looked like the only helpful items they had found so far had been the books Sunshine had picked up... and the rattle, which could allude to something important!

Yes, onto the point at which Storm had pointed out the hidden door to the unicorns... "Huh... backroom?" And then Esmerelda unlocked the door with her magic, and showed him the room. Yeah, that part earlier where Storm had referred to Daring Do as a point of comparison for how ridiculous the hidden door had seemed? Scratch that. This room had just blown away his expectations.

"What." He was still. This new development was taking a bit of time to sink in. Give it a moment... geek-out in 3, 2, 1. "YOU WERE AN ADVENTURER!?" This... this was amazing! A real adventurer! "AAAAH!" He flapped his wings, raising up to stand on his back legs, and smooshed his face together with his front hooves. "Ephmerelba, why wub woo!" Sweet Celestia, an adventurer! This was awesome! Esmerelda was awesome!

In between dashing around to look at the trinkets and stuff, Storm was darting back to send incomprehensible pieces of speech at Esmerelda. Some of them seemed like they might've been questions. For example, "Thewhotheresaguyssinpictureohmygosh!?" or "Thsthsthssawesomewowowo." Quelling angry beasts... ruins and temple... look at all those cool things! Epecially the bow and quiver! The picture! That was Esmerelda... and were those other people in the picture her adventuring crew? He could do this! He could do adventuring stuff! Maybe! At a later date as he was presently settled on finding simpler employment first!

Aww... she wanted him to leave the backroom already? "Nooo! No, I have to... I have to look at everything in this room! I..." Uh... embarrassing... "I mean, uh, sure! Of course! Let's get tea!" Storm could, at least to himself, admit that if there was one thing he could comfortably geek out about, it was adventurers - not that he was an egghead or anything like that. He knew that this was a shop he would want to return to later.

"Mmhmm... cupcake... certainly would go well with the tea, thank you... adventurer..." Tea. Tea now. Maybe tea could help him feel a bit less embarrassed.

So basically, the rattle was currently their one plausible clue. Time to see if there was anything to this rattle. "Hm... do you guys think we ought to pay Marigold upstairs a visit and ask her if she's seen anything unusual lately? Though, I understand she might be very busy if she has a new foal about... well, additionally, the least we can do is return the rattle to her, of course."

[Sunshine Swirl]

(OOC: Back filing a bit of the conversation in the Bell, Book & Candle backroom.)

Esmeralda blushed profusely as Storm Scout made such a fuss over her being an adventurer. “Really, it was nothing like the adventure books by A.K. Yearling. Adventuring was filled with weeks and weeks of boring travel and many hours standing on the wrong side of ravines trying to figure out how to get everypony across. Most ruins are just that. And most treasures sold for not much more than the costs of our expeditions.”

She noticed Storm admiring her old bow. “Now that’s a tricky weapon for a pegasus, but I’ve run into a few who mastered the weapon. It’s much easier as a unicorn though. I could teach you if you’re interested. I taught a pegasus in our group and she did quite well with it.”

She added, “Of course we tried to avoid combat when possible. If a creature could speak, we’d always try that first. The only time we really had to use the weapons were against creatures like Tatzlwurms that only saw us as food.”

From the other room Sunshine Swirl called out, “Don’t get her started about the Tatzlwurm nest, or we’ll be stuck here all afternoon!”

Esmeralda chuckled, then leaned over conspiratorially to Storm and winked. “Ask me later,” she whispered.

Esmeralda reminisced a bit more with Storm about the good old days, then went back to the quest at hand.

Returning to the front of the shop, the three ponies enjoyed tea and vanilla oat swirl frosted cupcakes. Sunshine reviewed the clues, and Storm suggested following up with Marigold, the upstairs tenant, about the rattle.

Just then, something strange happened. Storm was the first to notice, it was like flying too close to a charged storm cloud, his mane bristled and the small pinfeathers in his wings buzzed as something, some intangible force, passed through him.

Esmeralda’s eyes grew large. “It’s back,” she said.

“I feel it too,” said Sunshine in a hushed voice.

A book jiggled on a shelf. A candle fell and rolled off a display table. On a shelf near the counter, a sky blue aura formed around a bell. It floated into the air in front of the three ponies and began to ring.

The two unicorns looked at one another. “It’s not me” they simultaneously said.

“A blue aura” Sunshine added.

Then, as quickly as it began, it ended. The bell dropped to the ground.

There were some hoof steps from above the shop.

Esmeralda looked up at the ceiling. “I hope Marigold is okay. I never thought to ask her if the haunting was effecting her too.”

Sunshine nodded. “Well, we can ask her. Let’s follow up on Storm Scout’s suggestion to visit Marigold. We can return the rattle and make sure she’s okay.”

“That sounds like a good plan,” said Esmeralda. “I’ll tend the store and the two of you can pay her a visit.”

Sunshine Swirl levitated the rattle out of the clue-basket and said, “That sounds good to me. Let’s go, Storm.”

She walked out the front door of the shop, made a left turn, and walked up a set of stairs on the side of the building. “That sky blue aura might be a clue. You probably know this, but everypony, well every unicorn’s magic is a slightly different hue. Mine’s purple, like my eyes. Esmeralda’s magic is green like hers. It’s common for eye and magic color to correspond.”

They stopped on a landing at the top of the stairs. There are a couple of large flowering potted plants on the landing. They smelled beautiful. The apartment door was in front of them.

Sunshine knocked on the door and called out, “Hello?”

In a moment the door opened. A yellow earth pony mare with leaf green mane and tail answered the door. Storm noticed that her cutie mark was a lovely deep orange marigold flower.

The mare glanced at the two ponies on her landing and said, “Yes?”

Sunshine said, “You must be, Marigold. We’re friends of Esmeralda. Do you have a moment to talk?”

Marigold seemed like a very easygoing pony. “Sure, why don’t you step inside? I wasn’t expecting guests, so please pardon the mess.”

Sunshine and Storm enter the apartment. It was anything but messy, in fact, it was rather immaculate. Clean, well maintained and tastefully decorated.

The apartment was a studio layout with a modest combined living room and kitchen area as well as two smaller rooms in back. It was filled with flowering plants of different types. There were several pictures on the walls. Some showed Ponyville and a younger Marigold with friends and one perhaps of her and her parents. On a small table by the door there was a picture of Marigold holding a tiny little foal and a proud unicorn stallion with his hoof lovingly resting on her shoulder.

[Storm Scout]

"Well, yes... I do know that the reality of the whole adventuring thing is a lot less, uh, whimsical as in the stories. But that fact kind of makes it more... y'know... badass?" Storm had no idea why Esmeralda seemed to feel like belittling her old career; he thought that she should be massively proud of having been a successful adventurer.

"The... the bow?" He could learn the bow? "Wow, you could teach me!? Well... yes, I'd be interested!" Storm was somewhat accustomed with wielding an armament without the use of unicorn levitation; he practised with a sword himself. He'd have to show Esmeralda that, sometime.

"Tatzlwurm nest..." As in... more that one of those things? "Y-Yes," he whispered back "I'll ask you later." Well... a real adventurer... Storm hadn't thought them to actually exist outside of tales. But to find that they were real? Delightful. He had fancied the occupation himself, but had thought it an unrealistic dream... until now. What a stroke of luck he'd had, to have wandered into this shop and encountered Esmeralda.

After they returned to tea, he started to experience a strange feeling. So this was the 'ghost' thing? Yes, it was similar to that certain energy in the air when nearing a storm cloud from a lateral angle. Of course... this felt a lot more ghostly than if it had just been the objects moving about, without this feeling accompanying.

And then the hoofsteps from up above. "I wonder... hmm... it might not be a coincidence that we're hearing Marigold walking around up there right after the 'ghost' thing happened again." Was Marigold linked to the 'ghost' thing? Or was she just another victim of it? Or was she simply not being affected at all? Hmm! "Okay... bye for now then, Esmeralda." Up, to see Marigold.

Storm followed Sunshine, thinking of various plausible explanations for the 'ghost' thing. "Oh, I see," he nodded. "Well, I'm quite sure that this coloured aura must mean we're dealing with a unicorn." A sky-blue aura... it showed them that it was most likely a unicorn that was causing this.

And soon they were entering Marigold's home. "H-Hello." The apartment sure was lovely. Storm was particularly interested in the picture showing Marigold, the unicorn stallion and their foal. Unicorn, eh? "Please, uh... pardon our impromptu presence. We're... we're trying to figure out some odd occurrences that Esmeralda has been having in her shop downstairs, and we thought we might need to spea with you, seeing as you are so close." Storm walked up to the picture to take a closer look. He was looking for eye colours. And unicorn horns, actually. He wasn't at first glance sure of whether or not their foal was a unicorn.

"Marigold, first of all, we'd like to return this rattle Esmeralda gave you. It got down in her shop somehow." Hoof shrug. "We were wondering if you've been noticing anything odd happening lately, around your home?" He felt he should describe the 'ghost' thing to her. "The strange occurrences that have been happening in Esmeralda's shop have taken the form of a strange feeling in the air, a few things moving around, and also bells being levitated into the air and rung. The, uh, bell that we've seen levitated seem to be surrounded by a sky-blue aura, so... you get the picture."

He was considering the possibility that Marigold's foal could be the cause of the 'ghost' thing, provided it was a unicorn of course. He had heard a rumour of some kind of magic surges happening sometimes... so... could losing the rattle have made their maybe-a-unicorn foal have magic surges? Hmm!

Best to see what Marigold told them first before building on his theories.

[Sunshine Swirl]

Marigold showed the two ponies into her apartment. She smiled at Storm Scout as he apologized for the the impromptu visit and said, “Oh, it’s no bother at all. I haven’t been getting out much, well with the new foal and all. I’m not from Canterlot originally, so I don’t have many friends close by. It’s honestly nice to have company.”

She listened to Storm explain the reason behind the visit.

Marigold looked concerned. “Oh, I hope I wasn’t being too loud. I’m not not accustomed to apartment life.” Chuckling she added, “Honestly, I was raised in farm country. It’s odd having so many ponies living right next to you.”

She noticed Storm looking at the picture. “That’s me, of course, with little Heavenly our foal, and my husband Strils. He has been away on a business trip to Fillydelphia.”

Storm noticed that the foal in the picture did indeed have bright sky blue eyes. The foal however, was all bundled up and wearing a bonnet, so it’s impossible to tell if she was a unicorn like her father, or an earth pony like her mother.

Sunshine Swirl spoke up. “Exactly how long has your husband been away on this trip?”

Marigold was a bit puzzled, “Just four days now. He’ll be back tomorrow. Did you need to speak with him?”

Sunshine Swirl shook her head no. “Oh, that’s not necessary.”

Storm Scout stepped forward and pulled the rattle out from under his wing. He presented the rattle to Marigold and explained where they found it.

Marigold’s eyes lit up at the sight of the rattle, “Thank you for finding it! Heavenly will be so excited to see this. She must have dropped it when we were in the shop downstairs visiting with Esmeralda on the day Strils left. Heavenly has been so fussy these last few days with her father away. On top if it, I thought I had misplaced her favorite toy. I have been looking everywhere for this.”

Marigold listened intently as Storm explained the odd happenings in the shop. “That does sound very spooky! And right before Nightmare Night too. Well, nothing much has been going on up here. It’s very quiet, just my plants and Heavenly. Well, Heavenly was fussing just a little bit ago. She has such cute little fits when she’s upset. Her little horn even lights up.”

She paused and leaned close to Sunshine Swirl. “Um, you’re a unicorn. Is it normal for their horns to light up like that?”

Sunshine smiled, “Yes, it’s perfectly normal. And I think we may have solved our mystery.”

Marigold said, “Oh, I’m happy I could help. I guess. Would you like to meet little Heavenly?” She motioned to one of the rooms off of the living room. “She’s in her playpen playing right now.”

Sunshine and Storm followed Marigold into the nursery. It was bright and cheery with a flower mural painted on one wall. There was a crib, dresser, and a playpen in the room. A mobile of the sun, moon and constellations hung above the crib. In the playpen was a snowy white little unicorn foal in a tiny pink jumper.

Marigold trotted over to the playpen with the rattle in her mouth. She leaned her head over the playpen and a delighted Heavenly grasped the rattle in both hooves. The little foal cooed and shook the bell shaped rattle. After each shake she squealed in delight.

Sunshine admired the room, “I like what you’ve done with the place Marigold. I had rented this apartment years ago when I was still in school. It wasn’t nearly as nice as it is now.”

Marigold smiled, “Why thank you. I did the painting and well, all of the planting. Strils helped a lot too.”

Sunshine turned towards Storm and said, “Well, Storm, I think we’re done here. Let’s go back and talk to Esmeralda.”

Addressing Marigold she added, “Thank you again for meeting with us and showing us your lovely apartment. Heavenly is an adorable foal and if you ever want to enroll her in magic school, please have Esmeralda contact me.”

Marigold showed Sunshine and Storm out and the two ponies trotted down the stairs and entered The Bell, Book and Candle shop.

Esmeralda had just made another pot of tea. “I can tell by the look on your faces that you found something. Did Marigold and her husband help out?”

Sunshine nodded, “Marigold, Heavenly, no Strils. He was on a business trip. And yes. I think we have solved the mystery. I’ll let Storm explain.”

Esmeralda offered the pegasus a fresh mug of tea and listened to his explanation.

“I see,” said Esmeralda. “So do you think it will happen again?”

Sunshine shook her head, “I don’t think so. Unicorn foals generally only have magic surges, well large ones, when they’re under stress. I think with her favorite toy and her father returning soon that you won’t see anymore.”

Esmeralda nodded. “Hmm, but why couldn’t you tell that it was a unicorn all along?”

“Well.” Sunshine considered, “Some young unicorns spontaneously pick up a little magic from watching adults but most learn to refine and control their magic in school. Magic is something you study and practice. It only happens when you intentionally choose to make it happen. A unicorn foal’s magic surge might look similar, but it’s a wild magical force, not a focused and intentional spell.That’s why I couldn’t identify it.”

Esmeralda said, “I see. Well. I want to thank you both for all of your help. I have a little something for each of you.”

“Oh, you don’t have too.” Sunshine protested.

“Nonsense. I might never have discovered what was going on without the two of you.” Esmeralda said.

She floated a book over to Sunshine Swirl. “Sunshine, I think you’ll find this book quite interesting.”

Sunshine smiled at the sight of the book and promptly read the title. “A Guide to Changeling Behavior and Customs.” She laughed, “Well, if I read this on Nightmare Night I may be too frightened to go to sleep!”

Esmeralda floated a small blue velvet pouch on a long black cord over to Storm Scout. “I’d like you to take this. You may need it if you go on an adventure someday. Inside is a small vial containing a powerful healing potion. If you wear this around your neck and are hurt, you can uncork the vial and drink it without needing to use hoof or wing. But be careful. You’ll want to set any broken bone, and remove any dart, quill, or arrow before drinking it. It heals as much as a week of pampered bed-rest in just a few minutes. It’s powerful magic, don’t use it for a cold or flu.”

Esmeralda took a sip of tea, then smiled. “Thank you both again."

She took a long breath, then spoke again. "Now, I think I owe someone a tale of a certain Tatzlwurm nest. It all started in the dusty frontier town of Dodge Junction. The sheriff there was concerned about a menace attacking travelers along the trade route to the Macintosh Hills. There were gold bits in it for the ponies who could make the trade route safe again. Well, my five adventuring friends and I could never turned down a town in need -- especially when gold was offered. Little did we know it was not a menace, but menaces..."

Sunshine Swirl poured everyone another round of tea. "I hope you weren't in a hurry Storm Scout..."

[Storm Scout]

It seemed that Marigold didn't get the picture when he had mentioned the sky-blue aura. She must've been... slightly more clueless about unicorn magic than Storm was, then. "Oh, noise isn't the problem here. If you want to know, we can here you walking around when we're downstairs, but that's not too... well... what I'm trying to say is... there's no need to go all ninja when you want to walk around your apartment."

Yes, the father was away, for four days. That and the loss of the rattle... there might've been something to his theory after all. Sky-blue eyes on the foal... but he couldn't tell if it was a unicorn or not.

"Oh, you're welcome," Storm said, smiling after he returned the rattle. And... the foal had little fits when she was upset, in which her horn lit up. Well, that was that wrapped up. Sunshine seemed to have figured it out as well, though her being a unicorn Storm supposed she had figured it out sooner than him.

They went into the nursery, and saw Heavenly. Unicorn, of course. Storm was starting to feel the satisfaction of having figured out a mystery before the big reveal. As Heavenly shook the rattle, Storm realised that the motion of ringing the bells downstairs was very much the same as that of shaking the rattle, the bells even being shaped like the foal's rattle. Huh. "Yes, we certainly are done here." And so, they returned to Esmeralda's shop.

It looked like it was for Storm to explain this to Esmeralda then. "Oh, it was the changelings actually. There's a whole hive of them in Marigold's nursery upstairs. She's trying to turn them good. Hope you don't mind having a few insects crawling around here in a few months." Poker face. Okay, no... "It was Marigold's foal, Heavenly - she was having magic surges. She was upset with her rattle lost and her father away in Fillydelphia for a business trip for the last four days, so that explains it. Should be fixed now that we've returned the rattle and her father is coming back soon, so... no more ghostly goings on around here now!" And then Sunshine explained how she hadn't been able to identify it as standard unicorn magic, which had been the one loose end that Storm had been unable to understand. So, case closed.

"A reward?" The pouch was certainly fancy. "Hm... healing potion!" Wow... that was quite a valuable reward. "Well... thank you very much, Esmerelda." And here came the Tatzlwurm tale. "Heh... no, I wasn't particularly busy. No particular job at the moment, so I'm not really keeping anypony waiting. No, I've plenty of time." Storm sat and settled down with the tea, to listen to Esmeralda's story.

[Sunshine Swirl]

Sunshine Swirls eyes went large at Storm Scout's "enhanced" explanation of the events in Marigold's apartment. For a moment she thought that the Foal Heavenly might actually be a changeling - it would explain the strong magic surge and... No, not changelings, shouldn't go there. It was just a foal unicorn with growing pains.

She poked Storm Scout with her elbow. "You're so bad."

He then told the ~real~ story.

Esmeralda told her Tatzlwurm story. Although Sunshine Swirl had heard it before, she felt this telling was even better than the last. The recklessness of her Zebra friend, the sharp wit of the Griffon, the indestructibility of the Drake. This time her pegasus friend played a larger part in story. Esmeralda must have tailored the story a bit for Storm Scout.

The stories from Esmeralda's adventuring days were sometimes like watching a movie. You kind of know that the main character makes it out alive (as Esmeralda is here telling the tale.) None the less, you're never quite sure how they'll make it out, and if they'll get the reward.

Once the story and tea was done, Sunshine needed to return to the Academy. Papers to grade, classes to plan. She was looking forward to the winter break.

Sunshine stood, "Esmeralda, thank you for the tea and tale. I really must be going now though."

She turned towards Storm Scout and bowed, "It was a pleasure to meet you Storm Scout. Perhaps I'll see you again. Are you living in Canterlot or just visiting?"