The Show Must Go On [Daisy&Tenor] [Dead]

[Tenor]

Maltese looked away from Pantomime's loving gaze, his stomach filling with metaphorical butterflies, his cheeks burning with a visible blush, and all the while he couldn't understand what he was feeling. Maltese had stayed over at various suspects homes in order to keep them safe, as most of his cases were rather dangerous, but he had never felt like this before. He was grasping at theories, all of them centered around the silvery mare that sat before him, her gleaming white hair accentuating how pure she was, while the bits of color in her mane declared that she was much more than just innocent.

She was much more than a pretty face as well. Pantomime was generous, intelligent, and Maltese would hang on every word that would escape from her pearly white muzzle. But why, oh why was Maltese feeling like this? He tried to push these thoughts into the back of his mind, nodding in response to his "partner's" compliance.

"I am...happy to hear that you feel that way." Maltese replied, slightly aggravated by a sudden plug that had stopped his speech for a moment or so. How was Pantomime doing this to him?! He swallowed whatever it was that was causing him to stumble in his speech, and headed back over to the table, looking over his extensive notes of everything that had happened today. He couldn't help but notice that the longest part was his description of Pantomime, and how it focused upon her elegant appearance and her stunning personality.

He couldn't help but quietly grit his teeth a little, his curiosity killing him at this point, as he could help being kept in suspense for so long. Tracking down this orange unicorn was nowhere near as exhilarating, or as nerve-wracking, as the mystery behind these strange feelings. To try and take it off his mind, he started to take notes, but this did nothing but remind Maltese of all the time he had just spent with Pantomime.

Maltese took a bite of the lone sandwich on the table, and a rather sizable one at that, chewing it and swallowing it down to try and quell the odd tingling in his stomach. Thankfully, it had temporarily calmed his stomach, and he couldn't help but smile in relief. Maltese tried to relieve the awkward tension between the duo, brought on by his own mysterious emotions, by making more small talk.

"I had no idea what I wanted to be when I was young. I thought I wanted to be the best magician in the world, I thought I wanted to be like my parents and become judges. But, eventually my sights fell on my current career, despite how lonely it can be sometimes. Still, I wouldn't want any other job in the world, and if I can keep you safe, and save the other actors before anything else happens, then it makes the solitude worth it." Maltese stated, his light-hearted smile turning into a straight line, his eyes sunk a little as he stared out of a nearby window and out into the streets of Canterlot. He chuckled a little, turning to Pantomime once more, an appreciative smile on his muzzle.

"Thank you for letting me stay the night, and for all of your help today Pantomime. In my line of business...it really means a lot." Maltese stated, his smile never fading, even as the butterflies came back, and the plug in his throat returned.

[Oopsie Daisy]

Pantomime couldn't help but feel a little concerned and confused at Maltese's sudden odd behaviour. Why did he suddenly look away from her like that? Did she do something wrong? Why was he suddenly acting so quiet, and almost shy? It wasn't like him at all. Her incredible fondness for him made her worry for his feelings, and she was tempted to ask.. but didn't want to impose. It just wasn't in her nature to be impolite.

She watched nervously as he walked away and looked at his notes without a word, wondering what he had written so far. Once again she wanted to ask him, but chose not to. Had she upset him? What did she say? ... Did ... did he ... like her? She mentally slapped herself, feeling silly for jumping to such conclusions. To all sorts of silly conclusions. She shook her head with silent disappointment, but still felt worried.

A wave of relief washed over her when he finally spoke. It was random and completely out of the blue.. but at least he was talking to her. She couldn't help bit smile, finding the idea of him wanting to be a magician adorable. "Awww, that's so sweet!" she said with a giggle. "I'm glad you stuck with that job too. Otherwise we probably wouldn't have even met." She suddenly realised what she said, and instantly felt embarrassed, a blush cursing her cheeks.

But.. she really WAS glad they had met. He made her feel so safe, so protected.. even if she had only met him that day. No one had ever made her feel that way before. No one took an interest in her like he did.. not personally. He was so sweet and charming, and seemed to genuinely care about her well-being. Was this what it felt like.. those descriptions of love and romance in her stories and plays? She then realised her heart was beating so hard and fast it hurt, as a swarm of butterflies invaded her already shaky stomach.

"Oh.. of c-course," she said, her voice breaking, making her cringe with embarrassment. She cleared her throat, swallowing the lump that had formed there back down, and re-composed herself with an elegant flick of her hair. "It's my pleasure." Once again, a warm and very fond smile filled her muzzle, and her violet eyes sparkled with appreciation. Gosh, he made her feel amazing.

[Tenor]

What was wrong with Pantomime? Maltese couldn't help but notice the subtle break in her voice, the silent shake of her head, the nervous clearing of her throat. Was it possible that she was suffering from the same feelings that seemed to pester and plague the black horned investigator? It certainly seemed like it, but he couldn't be one hundred percent sure. After all, she could still be feeling the side effects from shock. Then again, if she was feeling the same way, then this certainly wasn't caused by that orange lunatic.

Maltese paused, clearing his throat as he tried to think of something to pierce the silence. However, he was quickly interrupted by a soft chime at the bottom of the stairs. Maltese stayed quiet as he listened to the chimes, counting them silently in his head as he figured that it was simply an old, high pitched clock that he must have missed while walking up the stairs.

...9...10...11...

The soft chimes ceased, and silence filled the home once more. Maltese hadn't realized that it had gotten so late, and while it was usual for him to stay up late during investigations, he knew full well that Pantomime would need to get a good nights sleep if she wanted to do her very best tomorrow.

"It looks like the time has just flown past us, hasn't it? I'm sure you must be tired after everything that's happened...You should probably go to bed. After all, I don't want you to lose a night of sleep over this." Maltese stated, relieved that the lump in his throat had gone away with the chiming of the clock. Though, honestly, he wanted to spend more time with Pantomime, as she was a dazzling conversationalist, and was beautiful to boot. However, he couldn't let Pantomime's elegance distract him from the case at hand. After all, he was going to have to question a lot of ponies tomorrow, and he was sure that more than a few of them would lie to his face.

He would have to prepare questions for the interrogations, review over the evidence, what little there was, that he currently had at his disposal. Finally, he had to make sure that everypony would take the proper safety measures necessary to keep them out of harms way. It was most likely going to take him all night, but he had his coffee, and there was still quite a bit of food left over that he could snack on through the long hours.

[Oopsie Daisy]

The sudden chime of her grandfather clock downstairs made Pantomime shudder a little, for it had broken into the awkward silence and sounded a little creepy. 11 chimes? 11 o'clock? Already? Maltese was right.. time certainly HAD flown by.

"Mmm.. probably," she murmured quietly at his request of her heading to bed. But for once.. she had no desire to go to bed whatsoever. She wanted to stay awake, and she wanted to stay with him. But at the same time.. she realised he'd want her out of his mane to allow him to get on with his work without being distracted. Which was fair enough.

She stepped off the couch and stretched her petite body, before using her horn to summon her book and the remainder of her sandwich. Making a note to bring her empty tea mug tomorrow, she turned to Maltese with an almost fake smile, giving a little wave of her hoof. "You can just sleep on the couch in here, and feel free to use my blanket if you get cold." She shuffled her feet, before turning to leave. "Hope you sleep well, Maltese. Goodnight! And.. thanks for staying." Her voice softened, and she turned to smile at him once more before exiting the room.

Her bedroom was nice and cool since she had decided to leave the window open. Setting her plate and book on her bedside table, she closed the window with her horn, lit the candle on the table and turned her heater up a little. Everything she was doing was very half-hearted, and she just couldn't figure out why. Why was she suddenly feeling so gloomy and lazy all of a sudden? Why was the idea of waking up early and having to walk to the theatre tomorrow morning so depressing? She didn't want to have anything to do with it.. not after everything was going on. But she knew she had to, for Maltese needed to do his job. For the sake of the other performers, and the sake of her dreams..

Thinking about him again made her heart ache a little. He was only in the next room, but she found herself missing his company and presence. She didn't feel as safe, and at-home.. even though she was IN her home! Ugh, it made no sense. She snuggled into her golden and white dressing gown and climbed into bed, cuddling into her satin sheets. Her book floated upwards and opened itself up in front of her, and she continued to read it.. but again, it was very lazily done and she found herself skimming most of the words. With a frustrated sigh, she set it back down, and finished off her sandwich, before blowing out her candle and setting down for sleep. And, of course... she couldn't sleep...

ooc// TENOR, just a note.. I don't want him to go to sleep yet. I have little plans. x3

[Tenor]

“Yes, goodnight. Sleep well,” Maltese replied quietly, just watching as the monochromatic, yet vividly colorful Pantomime left him to his work. Silence consumed the study, only excluding the faint shuffling of Pantomime next door. The detective pony looked over his notes once more, underlining anything of importance, like his description of the victim, and the type of magic the orange unicorn, jokingly named OJ, had used. Of course, those were only two of the things Maltese underlined, but he couldn't help but take a few sips of the bitter coffee that sat across from him.

Of course, Maltese cared nothing for the taste, as it was only the heat from the beverage that he cared for. Of course, he wouldn't have asked for any sweeteners or sugar cubes, as he doubted that Pantomime would have any. She didn't really seem to be the type of pony who drank coffee, and yet she had a pot made for him. She was definitely good at thinking ahead, not to mention being a most considerate host. It was just one more reason why Maltese had appreciated their meeting. And, quite frankly, even if he hadn't been a private investigator, he would've still attended the show much too early, and would have still met Pantomime.

Now, Maltese Scale wasn't the kind of unicorn who believed in fate, chances, or luck. The world, this world that he lived, was shaped his decisions; much like Pantomime's world was shaped by her decisions. Everypony was the same as Maltese and Pantomime, and, in the end, all of these "worlds" connected, creating a perpetual machine that ran purely upon cause and effect. This could be said for Maltese's enigmatic feelings for Pantomime, but this mystery could surely wait until after the case at hand was solved.

Maltese set his quill down next to the pad of parchment, deciding that there was nothing else that he could write about now, as he had practically detailed the entire event from beginning to end. In the end, Maltese could only pray that the mare that he had left behind in the alley was all right, but they had left her with OJ…her chances didn’t seem likely, but it certainly wouldn’t be of any benefit to the opposing actor or actress, as the show would probably take measures to mourn the passing of the victim, and potentially postpone the show until a later date…but would that be so bad for the culprit?

Maltese started to tap on his chest with his front right hoof, his eyes closed as more theories came into his head, all of them trying to claw their way to the top, to be the absolute truth of the situation, but there was no real truth that could be ascertained at this point, so Maltese just decided to root out any potential questions he could ask the cast tomorrow morning.

[Oopsie Daisy]

Tossing, turning, grunting and moaning, Pantomime just could not settle down. Her mind was racing, the bed was itchy, and she was too cold. Her dressing gown was lying in a crumpled heap next to her bed, after she had thrown it off her after she had gotten too hot, as well as opened a window. And now, she was suffering for it. Typical. She got off the bed to close the window, before suddenly realising it was a nice night. All the stars were gleaming and the moon was enormous and ever so bright. It made her smile and relax a little.. especially when she could hear Maltese in the other room which made her smile even more. And once again, her heart jumped at the thought of him. Oy.

With a sigh, she started heading back to bed.. when she suddenly remembered she'd forgotten her hairbrush! One of her morning routines was to comb her mane and tail before heading out, and she always put it in the same place every night so she knew exactly where to pick it up in the morning. She slipped into her dressing gown and headed back to the study, opening the door and stopping when she saw Maltese. Oh, shoot.. why didn't she think before? He was doing hard work and needed to concentrate.. she sure hoped she hadn't interrupted..

"Heh, sorry, Maltese.." she said shyly, feeling foolish. "I-I forgot something." Her comb glowed with a sparkling light blue haze and flew towards her, levitating gracefully under her power. Even though she wanted to stay, she knew he needed to work and be left alone. "Sorry for disturbing you. Night." Once again she left him, sulking as she did so. Why did she miss him so much? It had made her little heart sing when she had gotten to see his handsome face again - even for a minute.

[Tenor]

Maltese could only open his green and blue eyes, shining in the dimly lit study, and watch as Pantomime masterfully lifted the brush over to her with just a simple blue aura of magic. This puzzled the grey stallion, who had imagined Pantomimes magic hue to be a silvery color. It also sparkled with tiny, white dots of light unlike his own magic, which had no sparkle or sheen of light to it at all. It reminded him of his little "nickname", Black Sheep. It was meant to be demeaning, but Maltese had seen truth to this label, going so far as to use it as the name of his detective agency.

She had started to stutter, much like he had moments before, and the sulk in her shoulders seemed to convey a negative feeling of sorts. Didn't she want to go to bed? Maltese followed quietly behind her, asking, "Are you having trouble going to sleep, Pantomime?"

He walked closer, and without realizing, his right shoulder brushed against her flank, and he quickly stepped away, feeling a little embarrassed by the accidental touch, especially to such a forbidden place on a mare's body. He cleared his throat quickly before stating calmly, "I'm sorry, I should've paid attention to where I was going. I didn't mean to bump into you."

Maltese readjusted his hat, gazing off to the side with an embarrassed look on his face, a blush forming across his silvery grey pelted cheeks. He couldn't help but admit that the contact had made these feelings of his a little stronger, but at the same time, it had made his self control jump into overdrive, even if he didn't know what it was he was trying to control.

Maltese looked back over to Pantomime after a few long, awkward moments, and stated, "Listen, I noticed that you've been acting rather...strangely since we came into your home. And I just have to wonder if you are alright."

Maltese was still utterly oblivious to Pantomime's thoughts, and simply couldn't figure out what it was that his body and emotions were trying to tell him. He couldn't interpret why he thought Pantomime looked so beautiful in that night gown of hers. He couldn't understand why her violet colored eyes were so mesmerizing, and yet it honestly didn't matter at the moment. This was simply just a weird feeling to Maltese, at least in his mind, and it was obvious that Pantomime was suffering from the same thing. Suffering, could it really be called that? No, that wouldn't be an appropriate word. It was much more like an experience more than anything.

[Oopsie Daisy]

Pantomime stopped suddenly when she heard Maltese follow her out of the room and speak to her. She turned back around to face him, smiling shyly as his sweet charming face came back into her view, instantly warming her cheeks up and causing her stomach to tie itself in a knot. "Uh.. actually yes, I am," she answered, deciding she might as well be honest with him. "I-I'm not entirely sure why though, it's strange.." Her smile became sheepish, as she realised she was mumbling and not making much sense at all.

She cleared her throat, and her eyes widened when she felt his shoulder suddenly brush against the cutie mark lying underneath her silken robe. It was such a delicate touch, but it sent shivers up her spine. She shuddered and giggled, suddenly longing for his touch again. "Oh, it's fine. Don't worry about it." The mare suddenly felt very awkward standing with her back to him in the middle of a tight hallway, and turned around to face him properly. For a couple of minutes, they just shuffled and stared at each other awkwardly, not entirely sure what to say.

His question caught her off guard. He had noticed? Well of course he had, she was obviously very upset about something.. and she just didn't know why. She was getting so frustrated and annoyed with herself. What was he doing to her? "I'm fine.." she mumbled, her ears flattening against her head. This time, she was lying.. or 'acting'. But she was sure he could see right through her..

Why had all her acting skills just blown up all of a sudden? Why couldn't she lie to him easily? It was like.. she didn't WANT to lie to him. She never wanted to lie to him. He was so wonderful. Her emotions seemed to explode within her, as she once again felt tears threatening to burst through her eyes. Biting them away, she realised what was going on. It was just like what she had read and acted out from her plays and stories.. but nothing compared to the real thing. It was everything she had ever dreamed and imagined... but so, so much more. Wow she was in trouble.

[Tenor]

It was obvious that Pantomime was lying to him, as her body betrayed her, showing him all the signs he needed to validate his claim. His strong sense of curiosity wanted him to press further, see what it was she was really trying to say. And yet, while Maltese knew there was something hidden beneath that little white lie, he decided not to follow through.

After all, everypony needed their secrets, and he had already proven that she couldn't have possibly been the one responsible. Maltese trotted up, seeing Pantomime's watering eyes, and sighing with a hint of sadness trudging across his breath, "You don't want to talk about it. That's fine. I might be a detective, but I know when to stop asking questions."

A white cloth, shrouded in a black aura, flew over to Pantomime and gently dabbed at her eyes, painlessly soaking in the water that had threatened to escape. He tucked the partially damp cloth into his hat, and looked to Pantomime once more, a small grin on his muzzle, before finally saying, "Don't try to force yourself to sleep, it will only stress you out more and more. Just try to think of things, ponies, places, anything that makes you happy. Focus on those, and I'm sure you'll sleep soundly."

Maltese turned back towards the study, the artifical light coming from the door sent his shadow looming over the hallway, the shade only growing larger and larger as Maltese got closer to the doorway. He stopped at the threshold, and craned his neck to give Pantomime a reassuring smile, "Sweet dreams,"

It was a simple, affectionate term, and Maltese felt so comfortable saying it, though he didn't know why. Regardless, it was too late to take it back now, and as he finally left the hallway and stood next to the light, overlooking his notes one last time, his shadow vanished from the tight hallway. As he read over OJ's description once more, he couldn't help but be reminded of another, similar unicorn that Lemony and he had encountered, back when Maltese was just a colt. Maltese repressed the memories for now, pushing them out as he focused solely on the investigation.

After all, nothing else mattered right now. There was only the mystery set out before him, the suspects, the evidence, and the one behind it all. These confusing feelings of his had no place here, and certainly had no right to butt in on this case. But fighting these thoughts and feelings were much harder than Maltese had anticipated, and he could only hope that they wouldn't cloud his mind to the truth.

[Oopsie Daisy]

He didn't ask questions. He didn't impose or make her tell him what's wrong. All he did was very gently dry her eyes with a cloth, with soothed and comforted her almost instantly. After he spoke, a calm and relaxed smile appeared on her lips. "Thanks Maltese, thanks for everything." Somehow, she was already feeling better. How did he have so much power over her?

She watched as he left, her heart melting a little when he wished her sweet dreams. It had been a while since anypony had said that to her. "Yeah. You too.." she mumbled softly, happily, as she turned to head back to her own room, still smiling. She hung her silken white robe on a hook on the inside of her door, before snuggling into her warm cosy bed. Still smiling. Maltese instantly filled her mind.. the way he looked, talked, acted.. how polite and sweet he was, how charming and kind he was.. how he made her feel completely safe and secure only by being there. He filled and haunted her head all through the night, causing her to sink into a deep and peaceful sleep. It had been a long time since she slept so soundly.

***

Sunlight shone right through the window, and kissed Pantomime's face in warm greeting. Her eyes and ears twitched, and she raised her head and yawned, stretching her back as she did so. Maltese was the first thing on her mind, but she decided not to wake him just yet. Instead she slipped into her white robe and slippers and made her way downstairs, bringing her mug with her as she did so. Her stomach was growling something fierce, and all she could think about was breakfast. Already she was planning what to make. A cheese omelette? Grass on toast? Honey porridge and banana peels? She licked her lips as she pictured all these delicious foods in her head, and checked the time as she passed the grandfather clock in the hallway. Ah, she had an hour before having to leave for the theatre, as always. Plenty of time.

[Tenor]

The morning sun was not unknown to the grey stallion, taking another sip from his fourth cup of coffee, having completely shirked the entirety of sleep. The way Maltese looked, his mane and pelt slightly greasy with sweat and the oils of his skin, he certainly wasn't ready to go out today. But it was fine, he still had an hour to clean himself up, and he certainly wouldn't need all that time to get ready.

He spied Pantomime walking out into the hallway, and said nothing to her as she walked down the stairs. Maltese stretched out a little, if only to prevent himself from cramping up later in the day, and headed over to the bathroom down at the end of the hall. As he left the study, Maltese quietly hoped that Pantomime wouldn't mind if he took a quick shower. He hung his hat down on the the elaborate doorknob on the bathroom, and quietly closed it behind him. The bathroom was covered in white and light blue tiles that reminded him of a chess board. He turned to the tub itself, and saw that the shower curtain was the same shade of blue as the tile, which impressed the black horned stallion a little.

It only took him a few minutes to finish cleaning himself, the warm water soothing him a little as he felt the dirt and grime wash off of his person. He exited the shower with his mane in a complete and utter mess, mainly due to the fact that he had failed to find a proper comb inside the bathroom. Regardless, Maltese simply put the black fedora back down on top of his head, and quietly made his way downstairs, making sure to bring all of the plates and mugs that Pantomime had brought up. He noticed Pantomime walking into the kitchen, and quietly walked around her as focused on making tea, doing his best not to disturb her as he quietly placed all the plates, and his now finished mug of coffee, into the sink. He had practically memorized the layout of Pantomime's home, if only to keep better watch of the place while Pantomime had slept.After all, it would've been a travesty if Maltese had gotten lost!

Maltese's tail brushed against Pantomime's as he walked over to the fine polished oak table and sat down on a decoratively designed wooden chair that was just a few feet away from the kitchen counter. As he waited for Pantomime to finish making her tea and breakfast, he softly whistled a sweet little tune that his father would always whistle when the old earth pony was relaxing. As he whistled, the black horned detective gently set his black fedora down onto the table, revealing his unkept mess of a mane for all to see.

[Oopsie Daisy]

She entered the kitchen and opened a drawer, pulling out a red and white chequered cloth, and using her magic she lightly placed it on and around the table, watching it dangle halfway from the ground. After making sure it was perfectly neat and there were no creases, she placed a jug on the table and filled it with water, placing a little bouquet of roses and marigolds into it. She had seen them at the market yesterday before going to the theatre (because she woke up very early that morning, and had plenty of time to go to the market and come back), and had forgotten about them until now. She took a step back to admire them. They were ever so pretty.

Humming to herself, she started busying herself with making a fresh cup of camomile tea, when Maltese suddenly entered the room. "Good morning!" she said, opening the cupboards and having a look at what was available for breakfast. She made a mental note to go to the store later, as Maltese put his dirty mug and plates into the sink. "Oh, thanks," she said as she started cleaning them. She shuddered as his tail brushed against her's, and she turned around to look at him as he whistled a happy little tune. When he took off his hat.. she gasped.. then burst out laughing.

"Wow, Maltese.. whatever happened to your mane?" she giggled. She then noticed he was slightly damp. "Oh, did you have a shower? Sorry I don't have any more brushes.." she cleared her throat, as she turned back to the counters. "So, what would you like for breakfast? Would you like a mug of coffee or anything?"

When she turned to look at him again - properly, this time - her heart skipped a beat and she suddenly felt weak at the knees. He had beautifully plagued her dreams for the entire night.. and now here he was, sitting before her, as real as day and as bright as the sun. It made her blush.. the mere thought of dreaming of him like some love-sick filly. But she couldn't help herself. Realising she was daydreaming, she snapped herself awake with a sudden shake of her head, realising she hadn't heard her answer. "I'm sorry.. what did you say?"

[Tenor]

Yellow marigolds and pink roses, it only made sense that Pantomime would've picked those flowers. After all, marigolds were a symbol of passion and creativity, while the pink roses represented appreciation and admiration. But passion and admiration...seemed rather far fetched for a mare like Pantomime. After all, she didn't like him that much.

A puzzled look ran across Maltese's face, the black horned stallion not really understanding why Pantomime was laughing at him. Sure, his hair was a bit unkept, but that didn't mean it was the funniest thing in the world. Maybe it was because it underplayed his smooth, sophisticated demeanor. Whatever it was, Maltese wasn't really fond of it, and absentmindedly ran a hoof through his pearly white mane, trying to push it down a little and keep it under control. Despite his lack of a come, the white mane on the back of his head was wavy, despite how short it was. And, almost instantly, he covered up his hair with his black fedora, as if trying to cover up his non-existant shame.

"Good morning to you as well Pantomime. You've done an excellent job setting up the table. It's very tidy and articulate." Maltese responded, pausing for only a moment when she asked him if he wanted anything for breakfast. He was already working on roughly four cups of coffee, so he certainly wouldn't need one of those, and the sandwich that Pantomime had left him, along with the salad and hay fries, were honestly enough nourishment for this grey stallion.

"I'm fine, thank you." Maltese replied, not really noticing the fact that Pantomime hadn't been paying attention to him. He lifted his hat only slightly, just so Pantomime wouldn't laugh at him again, and took out the notes he had made yesterday night. He silently reviewed them while Mimey was having her little daydream, but was quickly snapped into focus when she had apologized, and asked what the black horned stallion had just said.

"Hm? I just told you that I didn't need anything...are you sure you got enough sleep, Ms. Pantomime? I hope I certainly wasn't the cause, as I tried to be as quiet as possible." Maltese inquired, raising a brow as he looked at Pantomime quizzically, the oblivious detective not even realizing the emotions that plagued Pantomime at this time. He had failed to notice her earlier shudder, the random shake of her head while Maltese was reading over his notes. All of these had just flew right over his head, and Maltese could only wonder what was going on in Pantomime's head.

[Oopsie Daisy]

"Hm? Oh yes, I slept wonderfully!" Pantomime took a sip of her soothing tea and cleared her throat, letting the drink clear her clouded head. She needed to stop letting him get the better of her when he hadn't even done anything! "What about you, Maltese? Did you sleep alright on the couch last night?" she asked, hoping he had slept as well as she did.. as well as secretly hoped he had dreamt about her as well. It was a little pathetic, but she couldn't help how he made her feel.

Pouring herself a bowl of fresh honey porridge, she sat down at the table next to him, once again asking if he was sure he didn't want anything. She only wanted to be the finest host in his eyes, and she certainly didn't want him going hungry.. but then again, she didn't want to irritate him. So, after he answered, she got to work enjoying her oaty breakfast. Her tea cup was still half full, because she always liked making her tea last for as long as possible - as long as she finished it just before it got cold and disgusting.

After breakfast, she cleaned up and headed upstairs to get ready. She had a shower, dried off, then brushed and styled her mane and tail. The shampoo and conditioner she used were designed to keep her hair full and bouncy - as well as silky soft, which was why she used it. As she brushed it, it got softer and softer, and ever so light and thin. She applied mascara to her already thick lashes to add volume, then moisturised her white cheeks to make them look a little cleaner. Lastly, she put a couple of little bows in her mane, and packed her saddlebags for the day.

She looked at herself in the mirror, smiled, and decided she was ready for the day's dramas. She sure hoped she wouldn't see that orange unicorn again.. but at the same time, she knew she'd be safe as long as Maltese was around. Realising she had just sighed dreamily at the thought of him, she shook her head yet again. An actress should never get distracted before a performance! "Oh Pantomime.. you really need to stop daydreaming.." she said to herself, making her way downstairs.

"Come along, Maltese! We've got a lot of work to do. Are you all set?" she smiled at him, secretly terrified about going back to the theatre. But she knew they had to - for the sake of the actors and actresses. And as long as her knight in a fedora was there to keep her safe, she knew she'd be alright. As long as she stayed close to him - which wouldn't be difficult at all.

[Tenor]

Sleep? That was something he would do on his days off, just take a little nap, then sleep peacefully at night. But not here, not now, not when Maltese needed to stay awake. He couldn't let a moment slip by, for each moment in an investigation was crucial. He nodded in response to Pantomime's query, and replied soundly, "Yes, I slept soundly...though your couch upstairs has a lump in it, on the right side."

Sure, Maltese hadn't slept at all last night, but he had familiarized himself with the couch, just in case such a question would arise. After all, he didn't want his charge to be worried about his well being. She needed to concentrate on her acting, not on Maltese Scale's lack of rest. Besides, his mind was still clear, and he was in tip top shape.

Maltese didn't watch as Pantomime waltzed up the spiral stairs to go and take a shower, but just stared at the various ingredients for breakfast just sitting there. Scale wouldn't dare touch them, as he knew his cooking was sub par, at best. Maltese didn't feel peckish, so he simply patted his hair back, donned his black fedora, and decided to wait at the front door. He didn't have to wait for two long, as he heard the silvery mare trot down the stairs, mascara put on her eyelashes to make them appear fuller, but aside from that, nothing much had changed with Pantomime's looks.

Using as little make up as possible, it was something that Maltese admired somewhat, as most mares tended to use way to much make up, which ended up making them look like clowns. Of course, Pantomime was attractive without the makeup, but these tiny cosmetic changes did nothing for the detective, and he replied, "I'm ready. Let us be off then."

With a simple spell, the door gently opened up to the duo, revealing the now bustling streets of Canterlot, with ponies here and there rushing to get to work on time, while others just casually pranced by, as if they didn't have a care in the world. Maltese exited the home and left Pantomime to shut the door behind her. After all, it was her home. The grey stallion then silently walked down the path that had lead up to Pantomime's doorstep and waited patiently for her at the end of the path. Why did he need to rush, it wasn't like he needed to be there on time. He'd only go as fast as Pantomime, but would certainly help her out if she started to lag behind.