Pesky Potions and a Doki-Doki Daze! (Closed: Diomedes)

[Elderflower]

Squinting as the afternoon sun flashed off her golden armour, Sugar Star made a blind grasp for the buckles of her torso piece and tightened it a little. Normally the winged mare’s appearance was prim and proper to complete an image of the austere soldier before she dared to step outside of the REA barracks – she even felt a pinch of shame in her belly at her little display. But today wasn’t exactly a typical day for Specialist Sugar Star. Assuming a stance of rigidity, the pegasus folded her wings neatly against her sides and started up a brisk trot over the cobblestones, away from the clamour and chaos that had consumed the home base of the Royal Equestrian Army in Canterlot.

That morning had started off as any other: she and a fellow pegasus named Flicker Wing had been assigned the early patrol, which meantwaking up at the crack of dawn to circle above Canterlot and walk through its streets in order keep an eye on things and maintain the peace if need be. As they were making their way through the last leg of their ground routes, the two ponies had come across a traveling earth pony merchant peddling his wares. The stallion had a dusty little collection of potions he had vague knowledge of, most likely plucked out of some abandoned cache of magical goods, and as one would expect of her, Flicker Wing (the oddly-obsessed-with-anything-arcane pegasus) recognized each potion just by looking at the colour and density. A grey, viscous potion immediately caught the mare’s eye: it was a troublesome mixture, brewed by a unicorn potion master with quite the troublesome reputation himself. Though not malicious in its nature, in the wrong hooves the potion could cause quite a disturbance! So Flicker plucked the potion from the merchant (who was sincere when he admitted he had no idea the concoction was anything more than a “mischief brew”) and confiscated it.

The trouble came about when they returned to the base. Normally, a potion like Brewhoof’s Cackler’s Concoction would be stored someplace safe and out of reach. Unfortunately, before Flicker and Sugar could reach a vault, the potion had been dropped and began to wreak havoc. Inanimate objects came to life and began to zip around at whatever whims the bothersome brew had given them! It was only mildly irritating at first, but soon enough an ugly miasma with a musty odour began to spread from the spill and with it went the magic. Irritation was quickly becoming dangerous as the stinky miasma drew closer and closer to the armoury. Sugar Star was lucky enough to make it away from the jinx without a hitch, but Flicker’s helmet had come to life, zipped about, and knocked her on the head. She conked out immediately!

Long story short, after Sugar Star had gotten her friend to safety and reported the incident she was sent immediately to look for Special Agent Fletcher over at REIN. Unicorn magic had no effect on the potion’s miasma jinx, so she was assigned the task of seeking out the potion master who had crafted the pesky brew: Iosef Brewhoof. He was a wanted pony, anyhow, so it would be hitting two birds with one stone! But Sugar Star didn’t have a talent for finding ponies on the run, which is why she was sent to find Special Agent Fletcher.

The winged mare withheld a sigh as she passed through the doors of REIN headquarters, had a brief exchange with the first pony she came across (a taciturn older unicorn with her iron-grey mane pulled into a tight bun), and was led through a space that was as comfortable as it was imposing. It was the pristine quality of the stone pillars that reflected the pure, intimidating force of the law and seemed to loom over the pegasus. But the worn hardwood floors – the feel of it, the smell of the wood mingling with the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee – it just felt…cozy. Not to mention Sugar Star liked the soft sound her petite hooves made as they fell upon those floors!

Before she knew it, her arrival had been announced and the crotchety unicorn had left her to step forward and introduce hers-

Oh. Oh dear. Perhaps the day wasn’t a total loss after all. All of a sudden her annoyance, frustration, and worries were stomped on by a much more demanding emotion: giddiness!

Special Agent Fletcher looked exactly like the lead stallion in one of her favourite, sugary-sweet romance comics. Well, despite a slight difference in hue (Fletcher being blue, and the character Midnight Mystery being more of an indigo), they were identical.

The Specialist was no longer stressed out about her mission. In fact, she was quite ready for it to get underway, and quickly. It was the perfect setup! An unfortunate circumstance pushed together the adorable-but-capable-and-also-endearingly-quirky female lead and the mysterious, brooding stallion. At first, they wouldn’t get along, but as their shared struggles brought them together they would grow fond of one another, until a terrible misunderstanding caused them to hate each other briefly before they realized their mistakes at the last moment, with one of them saving the other and confessing their true, pure hearts. It would end with them gazing into each other’s eyes as sparkling rose petals whirled about them. It would be perfect.

And all of that passed through the REA Specialist’s mind in the mere blink of her pink eyes. Outwardly, the only notable change in her demeanour had been for a spark to shine in her previously glum eyes.

“Special Agent Fletcher,” she stated, pulling a tight salute in greeting, “My name is Sugar Star - I’m a Specialist in the Royal Equestrian Army and I was sent here because we need your help. A confiscated potion was spilled before it could be stored away, and it released a miasma that animates random objects and gives them minds of their own. Mischievous minds at that. It’s slowly nearing the armoury, and I’m sure I don’t have to explain what that means. So far the jinx and the objects it’s brought to life are all contained, but…we need to stop this, and soon. Unicorn magic doesn’t work: we need to find the stallion who brewed the potion. That’s where you come in. We need your help to locate Iosef Brewhoof, and we only have three days to do it.”

[Dio]

“Oh desk work, how I loathe thee..." Agent Fletcher chided his paperwork as he sipped on his coffee.

The brew was black as night, smelling strongly of hazelnuts with a hint of spice. Quaggan dark seemed to be the only brew that kept him going through the haze of criminal bookings, open source research, and account ledgers that required his attention for at minimum two hours a day. Of course, to Fletcher, two hours of the stuff was two hours too much.

Ennui was something that Fletcher had struggled with endlessly. Certainly, he had been presented with many cases that required actual hoofwork after getting out of the Guard, but in between always came the burden of documenting the exploits of both himself and whomever he had been instructed to bring in. This was one of those days.

“To yest’ Chepukha.” He muttered to himself in Stallian. Fletcher aptitude for his adopted tongue came with a fluency that would stymie most who were not language experts, but Fletcher had long ago stopped paying them mind. Language, like mathematics, was merely something he had a natural aptitude for. “If only there were something to get me out of this bloody office…”

As if on cue, the sound of a hoof rapping on his door drew his attention. “Come.”

The door opened, revealing the wrinkled face of a crotchety-looking steel-maned unicorn. She spoke in bored monotone. “Someone to see you, Fletcher.”

“Let him in, Jade. I’ll be with him in a minute.”

Without a further word, Jade trotted off, leaving only wide-eyed REA enlisted pony in her wake. The “him” turned out to be a “her.” Fletcher took a moment to study her. Definitely enlisted judging by the rank tabs and armor colors, probably fresh out of boot camp judging by her stiffness and over-formal stance. She paused for a split second before speaking and-- was she checking him out?

The sudden perkiness that seemed to overtake her confirmed this to be true. Fletcher barely cracked a smile. He still had it. Flattering to be certain, but he had to remain professional. He turned his thoughts back to the task on hoof. Was there some internal discipline issue that needed to be investigated? Normally, REA regulars didn’t come into REIN unless --

“Special Agent Fletcher, my name is Sugar Star. I’m a specialist in the Royal Equestrian Army and I was sent here because we need your help..."

And there was the rub. However green this one was and however petty her little problems were, she would get him out of his office. This was the break that Fletcher had been waiting for!

“... we need your help to locate Iosef Brewhoof, and we only have three days to do it.”

“I’m sorry, did you say Brewhoof?” Fletcher’s coffee cup was thankfully very nearly empty, so nothing splashed out when he rapidly dropped it on his desk. The detective looked down. Indeed, the documents he had just been reviewing had made copious mention of Brewhoof potions. As if Princess Celestia herself had ordained it, he would be doing his research and getting his hooves dirty with a fresh case at the same time.

“If it’s indeed a Brewhoof, Miss Sugar Star, we need to get going immediately,” he said. Fletcher stood up, throwing on his canvas aviator’s jacket over his tie and collar. With a sweep of his horn, his papers and notebook whisked themselves into his saddlebags, which then proceeded to perch themselves on his back. “Let’s head back to the scene of the incident. I’d like to take a look at things for myself first.”

[Elderflower]

Well, reality was already taking hold it seemed. This Special Agent Fletcher might look a lot like the stallion from her comics, but he certainly didn’t act like Midnight Mystery. Where was the brooding? The swirling of raven’s feathers to add the poignancy to his brooding? What a shame! Instead he displayed genuine emotion at the mention of Iosef Brewhoof, dropping his coffee mug like any average pony. Didn’t he know the female characters are supposed to be the average ponies that the handsome, brooding male leads fell for despite all odds? Ah well, at least his little smirk when she first entered the room was charming! This could still be a set-up that made their mission a little fun (at least for her sugary inner-monologue) instead of being strictly stressful what with the fate of the REA’s headquarters and more on their shoulders.

“I did say Brewhoof, sir!” she replied energetically, offering a little nod, “You’re ready quickly, I like it!”

Once Fletcher had magicked his bags into place, Sugar Star turned on the spot and started up a brisk pace back through the tall pillars of REIN’s hq. The sounds and smells combined with the hardwood floor had been strangely comforting during her entrance, but now that she knew the real business would be getting underway soon the winged mare found her pulse rushing despite the atmosphere.

They continued on in relative silence initially – the giddiness of her realization that she could potentially be living out one of her beloved comic stories was quickly dashed away by reality. Special Agent Fletcher’s speedy and concerned reaction really put things into perspective for the younger pegasus pony. She knew this was serious, but if an experienced professional was in such a rush to get going just at the mention of Brewhoof’s name it would mean nothing but trouble during their journey to find him. Now she wasn’t just concerned for her fellow soldiers back at the REA garrison – she was concerned for herself. She wasn’t exactly a blooded soldier, after all. In fact, her father often called her a summer foal – one who had only ever seen bounty and richness in life, and lacked experience that the trials of a harsh winter could give her. Even after the changeling invasion in Canterlot he continued to tell her she would learn one day.

Gulp. Yes. She was certainly growing more and more nervous. If this Brewhoof were a pegasus that would be a different story: Sugar Star lacked no confidence when it came to conflict in the skies. She was always a clever flier, and it was her personal point of pride that her aerial agility was particularly outstanding. But what did she know about potions? Ohhh…if only Flicker were awake! But then again, she wasn’t just sent to collect Special Agent Fletcher for no reason… In order to calm her fraying nerves, the specialist decided to chat with her new partner in (solving)crime.

“So, I take it you’re familiar with Brewhoof’s coloured past?” she ventured, casting her gaze sideways as they made their way over the cobbled streets, “You reacted so quickly…it doesn’t bode well. What little I know I heard from Flicker when we confiscated that pesky potion, but when it smashed…well, she got conked on the head by her own helmet.”

The young mare couldn’t help but shiver at the. The sound the impact had made had been so unsettling. The metal had rung coldly, the sound bouncing off of the walls around them, but Flicker’s head had made this dull thud that went right through Sugar Star. It was awful! She knew Flicker Wing would be okay – but she would come out of this all with one nasty bruise.