@Raven Rawne @Nightmare Season
Saffron frowned as Crystal left the room looking and sounding thoroughly displeased. He wished that he could have said something more to reassure her, but frankly he was finding it difficult enough to keep himself convinced at the moment. Chasing names and vague, unfounded cures to a bizarre product of nature wasn't exactly how he had envisioned his day going either. Even so; he had gone too far down the rabbit hole to not see it to its conclusion now. So with a short inhale and exhale to reassert himself, he turned to exit the building, giving an unsure goodbye to the fawning waitress. Hopefully Peony was correct and the effects would wear off gradually by itself over time.
Outside, the gleaming bodywork of the carriage still drew eyes from all over. Saffron was half expecting it to be overturned and on fire by now, but he supposed that the fairly burly looking stallions who pulled the contraption were enough of a deterrent against any petty vandalism. Crystal let Peony enter, then followed herself without giving so much as a second glance towards him, though her body language said it all. He wondered if this was the normal attitude for Crystal Ponies? He couldn't have been sure, but it was satisfactory enough for him to take it as the reason for her sudden agitations.
Come now Saffron... who are you trying to convince?
Shutting the door behind him with an affirmative *Click!*, the carriage set off, leaving the dusty, crowded streets behind.
--
It wasn't long before Saffron felt the carriage slow to halt, right on the border gate that separated the two districts. The grand and impressive wall felt equally as oppressive to his eyes. A solid reminder that he and all the other ponies of Middle Canterlot were different. Segregated. Not welcome within the 'world' of the wealthy unless they deemed it so. They didn't care what happened to them, so long as they stayed within their own divide of the city and didn't intrude on theirs. It was a curtain. A means for them to sweep the problems of the rest of Canterlot underneath a rug and not have to think about it.
And he hated it.
But now was not the time for an ideological critique. He'd have to keep focused, to show that their was at least one cool head working between them here, because Crystal had to take a few moments to seemingly calm herself down upon disembarking, and Peony seemed more concerned than ever about the status of the Blue Rose. He stayed with her momentarily, unable to really offer any advice but nevertheless hoping that putting on a calm face would ease her nerves. He didn't have to try for very long, because a rather out-of-breath looking mailpony soon appeared to deliver a letter to the young mare, who read it without hesitation.
"Richly Fabulous?" He snorted in disbelief at the name. "Please tell me that's not the flashy red Stallion with his eyes unwaveringly set on you? Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if he just fabricated some story about events so as to try and impress you. I'm not asking him for advice."
From the tone of her voice, Peony didn't seem all that thrilled about it either, but nonetheless she did as the letter instructed and went on ahead, with the promise of sending a carriage to pick the two of them up afterwards. She also insisted on leaving with them her "Flower", something that didn't really amuse Saffron. He wasn't sure what made him more uncomfortable; being seen traveling in the luxury carriage (which had just sped off with Peony), or finding himself now standing about without reason next to the small, unassuming flower pot at the edge of the district gates.
"Well... I'll just wait here then?" He said out to no one in particular.
Crystal, however, had no intention of simply waiting for Peony's carriage to return, and suggested that the two simply take some time to refresh and get a drink, to which the Stallion readily agreed. "That would be much obliged. If anything we could use a little distraction." He said as the two set off to find a nearby rest stop, Saffron levitating Peony's flower in front of him. "Funds have been tight lately, but it's not quite that bad yet." He tried to make it sound as joking as possible, but couldn't hide some level of concern from his voice. Crystal too seemed a bit disheartened, though more so with the cold reception she had been receiving thus far.
"Ha! I know some ponies who would do anything for a hoof-full of bits. I'm sure they'd kill to be in your position. Finding honest work is a bit of a rarity in these parts right now. That's why I've been traveling around; looking for inspiration mostly. But perhaps I'm just hoping the solution to all my problems will just... fall on top of my mane or something." He gave a sly look back towards the Crystal Pony. "Instead though, I've got myself all muddled up in a ludicrous situation with you and our Rose-absent acquaintance. I suppose if we do catch the thief I can write a book about it all. Might earn me a few bits on the side." He sniggered at his own joke, before adding; "I'd credit your involvement of course!"
It didn't take them long to find a suitable bar located not far from the gate, stood up against the imposing wall. They found themselves a table and ordered some refreshments, Saffron taking an iced tea as was to his liking. Before he could begin to enjoy it however, he noticed out of the corner of his eye a couple of guards chatting away next to a section of the wall. Unlike the gate guards, these wore considerably less ornate armor, and Saffron knew at once that they were of the Middle Canterlot division.
"Here. Mind this for one moment." He said to crystal, placing Peony's flower on the table next to her, and without waiting for a reply, trotted over to the two stationary stallions.
One of them noticed as he approached, then immediately greeted him with a welcoming expression. "Saffron Shadow! What brings you up this close to the wall? Normally you're looking for more ways to block it from sight." The guard chuckled, whilst his companion guard, also familiar with the Unicorn, added: "Still searching for your next big break?"
"Something like that." He replied, hoping that neither of them had noticed him traveling with Crystal. He didn't want them becoming too inquisitive. "Listen, I'm actually on the lookout for somepony. A... potential candidate I've had in mind for our next big production." He fabricated, quickly moving on before they could look too deeply. "The problem is that I don't really know his name. All I know is that he had a light brown coat with a bright orange mane. I don't suppose either of you have seen such a pony pass by recently?"
Saffron knew it was a long shot. The guards saw hundreds of ponies pass by ever day. They couldn't be expected to remember every face. Nonetheless, he'd hoped that they might remember something for him.
"Now that you mention it..." The orange stallion said, "There was a... rather odd acting Stallion who passed here just yesterday with that description. Wearing a black cloak. Couldn't really see his face, he kept his hood up, but his tail was definitely orange."
"Oh yeah. He was a weird one." The other guard said in agreement. "Said he had just come from across the wall in Upper Canterlot. Wanted to know directions to the Hay Filler, y'know that fancy restaurant near Saddlebucks. Not sure why he came all the way over to this part of the wall just to ask that. Why didn't he ask the gate guards when he came through or somepony along the road? This posting almost never gets inquires." He said with a slightly annoyed tone.
"Oh, and he had that Rose with him too."
"Oh yes.. some blue colored rose. No idea what that was about. I guess he was a gardener?"
Saffron fought back a shudder. He suddenly had a dreading suspicion that the reason the hooded Stallion was at this section of the wall was because he had, in fact, snuck over it.
"Or maybe he was an actor getting into part?" The orange guard laughed in jest. "He might be just the pony you're looking for Saffron!"
Saffron forced a laugh, but quickly gave his thanks and goodbye to the two. He ducked behind a couple of buildings on his way back so as to have the two guards lose sight of him, then made his way back to Crystal's table, taking a large gulp of his drink through a straw.
"It looks like our mysterious culprit has been busy." He said to Crystal, and relayed what he had learned from the guards to her.