I hold it an important matter the knowledge of the narrator’s identity, so I’ll put it this way. Me, Kara Bubbles, Bachelor of Arts, your average lecturer of those insomnia-remedy(失眠良药) courses, and an author, was to took my new post at a Manehattan press.

It happened when I was working on my weekly essay accompanied by the existing but limited comfort of my room. Zeus(宙斯) was thinking about honing his skills with rains that day. Delightful thing I don't have to work outdoors and, despite all that drizzling water, my inspiration was right on fire, words running out from the typewriter like a maxed out tap. After I'm done, my plan said I would be reading Charles Devils on my stomach next to the sizzling(滋滋作响) window , with a refined cup of refined cappuccino in hoof. I always have a plan for leisures, but never for work.

In the midst of my hardwork, I heard something, some music. Before I was able to identify the type of its instrument and the skill level of its player, the refrains(副歌) had already come.

Let me be there in there in your morning

Let me be there in your night

Let me change whatever is wrong

and make it right----

Let me take you through that wonderland that only two can share

All I ask you-- is let me be there

The player wasn't singing. Actually the song was in hoofstyle*. My consciousness could automatically fill out the lyrics with every beat and stress, probably owning to the delight of hearing a personal beloved song and acknowledging a fellow enthusiast of country music.

[Hoofstyle蹄弹: a pony counterpart of fingerstyles, to play a song only by the guitar without the player singing.]

That melody(旋律) was still going on. I looked up to the side, where the cadences were coming from. For a moment I thought Olivia Nightingale-John* was on that imaginary stage centered in the room exerting her wondrous voice as an invitation to a feast of country rhymes. Every pick was painting the world in wheat, every muffle radiating the mellow breath of a rural morn. I wanted to ask the notes where their demiurge(造物主) had come from. Is them hanging upon the cheek of clouds in a puppy day? Is them covering the darkwooden garnary's(谷仓) roof in the wintry dawns? Or is them an amiable(和蔼的) fellow on the other side of town with enough kindness to freshen the streets with improvised banjo beats?

[Olivia Nightingale-John: Olivia Newton-John, a classic country singer]

I was rendered(相当于made) a executionee with a black-outed heart, irresistently running the gauntlet(受拷打) of purging tinkles. Part of me decided that before these notes ends their heavenly journey in an earthly deathbed, I should be on my hooves amid the pilgrimage toward their very source.

They did come from next door, atop where a sign read Hooves Detective. Knocked I on the door, then the music slowed and melted down into the beat of a young Haylor Swift’s work as a consent to my entrance and thus presence. At the room’s centre was a desk, on it was a standing namecard naming the one starting this audio banquet—Doubt Hooves. This Doubt Hooves seated himself (or themself, since I wasn’t sure of his preferred pronoun) beside the window, sunken in this spontaneous overflow of musical feelings. He got a blonde-maned silver-furred build and a cutie mark of a lightning bolt inside a gilded magnifying glass, an average cool detective that triggers the fantasies of numerous teens and a pony whom I would fain refer to as winsome(迷马的):

Those flowing musical feelings had made his face too busy to mimic a different expression, but I could tell his features had the talent to assemble into a looks that was worthy of dominating the cover of some fashion magazine (I rarely read one of them though). It worried me that any minute that fair flaxen locks and tail would turn into an oriole(黄莺), retrieving the freedom of flight and taking with it all the blessings of Apolo(阿波罗，他给予了潘多拉音乐的天赋). His lustrous brown-and-caramel eyes, which seemed to me as an unintentional giveaway of his wanton wilful nature, were more of loyal companions actually, for at the encounter of wind, they move not unlike their blonde peers. That moment they just stayed still staring at an imaginary inner world and let the hooves and ears take the lead. Speaking of ears, they oscillated(摇摆) in an adorable fashion ,pandering hereward and thereward to this fair rhythm, or it was the rhythm pandering to the ears, I could not tell. Neither could I have the intention of getting too close. Because this Doubt Hooves was so like a refined oil painting, and one in progress. Distracting his attention from the music would be no different from pouring unto it all the wastes from a paintbox and ruinning this masterpiece, before it could be finished and reputed to the world and the artist themself.

I have some idea in mind, to sing along. But concurrent(共存的) with that idea was a Twilight-list of why such an action was improper. We had little mutual accquaintace(熟悉程度); A befitting conversation should start when both party is not in the middle of other things, and with some icebreaking introductions and blahblahblah-; I never was a good singer, NEVER. But those reasons still lost to the dictatorship of sensations(情感阶级专政).

So dim that spotlight, tell me things like

I— can’t take my eyes off of you

I’m no one special just another wide-eyed girl—

I was sculping my voice in a Michelangelo fashion. Then I stopped there, for Doubt started crooning(哼唱) too.

Who’s desperately in love with you

Give me a photograph, to hang on my wall

Superstar

After some following notes and muffles, we formed a peculiar but delightful rapport—we joined voices.

You played in bars, you played guitar

And I’m invisible and everyone knows WHO you are

And you’ll never see, sing me to sleep

Everynight on the radio——

I could make another paragraph about the semblance between Doubt’s voice and that of some Antiquity(古典时代) god, but that would be prolix(无聊过长). Still singing together gave me the feelings of a pilgrim that accidentally become fortunate enough to ride shotgun in the carriage with a real angel.

“Take a seat, mate, and you sing pretty good by the way.” Said Doubt, body and eyes turning toward my very direction.

“Glad to hear. I don’t remember if somepony ever called me that.” Said I, resting on the carpet.

“We all meet our somepony some day. Some in the pub, some in the streets. Me, I guess in the future.” He giggled(笑) a little.

So we kept on the banter(闲聊), introducing ourselves only until the middle of the whole conversation, and the topics included another Twilight-list of favorite country singers, emotional life, feelings about the celebrated Sherlock Holmeiz, and even ideologies. By the way, Doubt is an anarchist, which wasn’t a surprise since I had seen on the wall his photo with a cool undone-haired guy in sunglasses, both of them wearing rock’n roll accessories. Pretty intriguing that an anarchist would be a fan of country music, but let’s not judge somepony solely by their ideology, since a pony is a complexity of all things on earth.

After three rounds of tea and a couple of cookies, Doubt was informed his little bronze pocket watch that he should be on his detective mission. And suprisingly based on how little time we have known each other, he gave me a invitationing hoof. And I, suprisingly based on my unfinished weekly essay and my previous oath(发誓) that it be done today, agreed with readiness. From the hatstand he put on a deerstalker hat, tried on his trenchcoat but quickly found that the sweating weather discouraged such an outfit, before us two setting out.

Doubt, now my companion, a pronoun which I feel quite complacent(自满) to apply, explained that ‘twas but a simple task of lost cat tracking. It stirred me a little, for simple tasks best show the abilities of a upcoming great detective, they are to a detective as spelling is to an author, but create too little revenue for the already reputed detectives and their biographers, and for that cats are cute. We’re to find a ginger cat, average height, had a haughty and insolent soul.

Our target location was W 107th St, basically where the commisoner lived. I inquired a little about his mindmap, and on response to his ‘How do you think?’, I figured I need more details on the comissioner. According to his excellent expertise in the aspect of memory, the comissioner was a kirin young adult. I thought the density(密度) of cat hair on the owner’s body could unveil a thing or two, and he said except the end of the commissioner’s furred forehooves, few cat hair could be found.

“I think I have some ideas now.”, Said I, ” The cat isn’t so close to the owner as we might have anticipated”

“ You are making infers. I’m not too particular about that don’t-take-anything-for-granted thing but I been taught a lesson(受过教训) about it.”

“All right. But the owner feeding and touching the kitty with hooves were more or less the primary interaction between them. Other intamicies like cuddling(抱抱) was quite rare, this is true, isn’t it?”

Doubt nodded his approval, “That’s right. And look at that window up there. That’s my commissoner’s place.”

Before I could focus on my objective above, Doubt held me by the waist into his flight. I haven’t finished that 3 reps of “Wait!” when we reached the height.

“Is it that hard to at least notice me beforehoof !”

“Come on, check that out! Among these pair window panes, one has more dust trails than the other. What can you tell.”

“I see it had been open for quite a time and I GUESS the owner’s busy schedule and neglect had indulged(纵容) such a thing. It’s just what happens to all the missing cats out there. Hope the little fella is still safe. Besides, I thought you are gonna use the word DEDUCT.” I clutched on his hooves like I did a roller coaster’s safety handle.

“Deduction is indeed among my detective to-do list, but I still need more time, more achievements to be in the position to come up with a ‘science of deduction’ or something, though I do believe my professional skills are already enough. Let’s see where our little bad kid had gone.”

Near that window was a tall plenty-limbed tree. We simulated the routes of the missing cat, and traced among all the verdant leaves into a branch extending toward a nearby rooftop.

Before we proceed the chase onto that rooftop, I asked my companion to answer my curiosity, ”This seems a pretty easy job, like free gains to you. Why do you wait until now to start the job? It’s like half past 4.”

Doubt landed me on the roof floor and continued to a low-level flight when he answered “You gotta know your target. What do you expect of a cat’s opinon toward the daylight, the sun?”

I replied ”Biggest hater of late AMs and early PMs. Definitely Lunar over Celestia. And probably got detenioned by Lunar herself to stay until the afternoon to wake up because they runs about too much which makes a pain in the pants for the Princess of the Dreamrealms”

“You’re right, again. I’m thinking’bout a long-term partnership now. So that being said, the time when the cats are up and moving about would be—NOW!”

In the near distance a couple of furry little creatures were in their exuberant sports, one patting the tail of another, and our target was among them.

I called the little ginger friend by their name “Oscar!”. Oscar remained still, sitting on floor with their tail up scouting(侦测) any lurking danger.

I stepped further, they stood up. Before I decided on my next move, Oscar had jumped atop the rooftop cabin with some of their friends.

Just when I was left at my wit’s helpless end, I saw a golden bolt flashed into existence, capturing Oscar from behind and landing beside me. Of course it was Doubt, making a master ninja and veteran(老兵) Wonderbolt of himself. And Oscar went wild a little before ending into an expedient(权宜之计的) obidence.

To win some respect for myself, I insisted “You gotta admit my contribution of affecting Oscar’s position and distracting them.”

He said “Do you really want my partnership that much?”, being in his sassy(厚脸皮的) state.

“Tut. What can I say of you, you high school mean colt.”

As we descended(I subtly went for the stairs this time), between the review of this mission and the plan for the evening, Doubt said he wanna talk about the latter.

“Your new partner here can make omelets if you like.” Offered I my generousity.

“After all these trouble, let’s just dine out.”

“Oh! I so want some chesse Lau Nai Fa’s! They are my go-to every time!”

So we spent that evening with glutonious(美味的) milky toasts, and a couple of card games before we went back to our respective room and our respective life.

*作家卡拉泡泡向记者谈论他的侦探搭档*

疑云·胡弗斯，格里尔街112号C。是的，他就是我所认为最伟大的侦探*眼睛瞥向右上方*......噢不，也许不是最伟大，但至少是我个马最喜欢的咨询侦探......额，是最喜欢的私家侦探。起码在目前，他还是别去跟那个长鼻子自大狂竞争同一个赛道。

金黄鬃毛、银白皮肤、放大镜与闪电组成的可爱标记、自大嚣张的小嘴。我甚至怀疑他真正用于呼吸的器官是他左边牙齿的驻口，他必须时不时咧一下嘴，笑一笑，对周围的空气表达友善与欢迎，好让被引起注意的空气从那咧嘴咧出来的缺口进入，直迎那颗不太大的蛀牙，让他好好呼吸一番。你别说，这的确不是没有可能：他第一次见我，是咧嘴笑；他碰上水晶场的老友，是咧嘴笑；他望见街对面咖啡厅里的漂亮姑娘，还是咧嘴笑；他高谈塞拉斯提亚的私生活（为了符合我开明思想拥有者的身份，我就不加形容词了），模仿无序偷窥公主时说出“你有点太极端了”的样子，然后收获众马开怀笑声时，更是要咧嘴笑，甚至还要用两前蹄托着脑袋，展现在此般高难度动作下还能咧嘴笑的高超技艺。

说起来，他还挺漂亮。如果去正面欣赏一下他的双眼，那黑棕渐变到金黄的双眼，那会是让马情不自禁感叹，能与他共事一段时间，是多么的幸运，乃至于公主制反对派的首领都要念一句“感谢塞拉斯提亚”，那么漂亮一对眼，被他拿来朝上看事务所天花板的风扇有多少灰尘，朝右看坐在那旁的我朝他提出质疑，朝左看着空气似乎那里有面能反映出他脑里的各类案件材料的隐形魔法镜子，最后朝下，还带着俩耳朵一起朝下，坐起身盯着地板，吸收本次辩论失败的经验。这难道不跟观察一只好动的猫咪一样有趣吗？诶，不过我自己对他其实没有什么想法，但若仅仅因为自己现在和短期的将来没有与这马上床的想法，就吝啬地将完全适合这么一位美驹的赞美之词留在心底，最后受其他各种知识分子的奇异思想挤压而死，那可就不符合我进步马士的自封身份了。

还有一点令我琢磨不透。疑云是喜欢女孩子，条件又这么不错，却到现在都没有，年轻的女孩求我让一让位，让雄驹决定和谁远走高飞。*笑*

但如果一个侦探最大的本事只来自于ta的外表，那ta是远远无法成为我这位进步分子最喜欢的侦探的，而且那马的主业也无法超过“破案失败之后给委托马提供补偿”了。如果疑云真的这么做，那我出于对自由意志和警探界文明多元化的支持，肯定是会尊重他的选择，并且念于我们之间的交情，我也许不会不多照顾一下他的生意。

那天，我凭借一次严肃的、主要由零食与可乐支持的文学讨论的契机，询问疑云为何不像福尔莫嘶那样（他给了这位前辈四星的评分）多学习一些能用于侦探工作的知识，他眼里突然亮起了光，当起整个身体的发动机，将其从办公桌前躺椅上拉了起来，他咳嗽两声，从抽屉里挖出一张充满皱纹和黑点的纸张，随后的、那排练已久的演讲让我不禁想象他在天才独角兽学院读书时是不是也是这样像其他有角的同学发表自己新抄来的观点：“噢，...亲爱的观众名字，额我是说，亲爱的卡拉泡泡，正如你所见，我认为小马的待办清单就如同一个格斗电子游戏，你知道的，像真门快打、村头霸王那样，每一件任务都是一个角色，需要仔细地设计、平衡，一件占据马所有精力的任务就是一个op的弱智角色，他们跟其他角色的强度差距如同住在乌龟湾的有钱混蛋同我们的财富差距一样。倘若这么一个角色存在，玩家们就会每把该死的游戏都选上这家伙，就此剥夺其他角色上场展现武功的应有权利，又或是在自己临时制定的村规里禁掉他以宣布对其的神圣审判。那种时候，这角色除了提醒玩家制作组浪费了多少精力与比特，就不会有别的作用了。”

他在那张纸的下半部分打量上下，最终决定把他放回抽屉里。

“我打赌你接下来要向我介绍你的科学演绎法（Science of Deduction）。”在素材本上记录完之后，我说到,“不过你想到啥就说啥，这是你自由发挥的时候。你若是想我们甚至可以去楼下点两杯，让酒精激活你每一寸肌肤，然后讲出更加令人振奋的理论。”

那时我意识到疑云赌气的样子有些许可爱，也是那时我意识到我有点像个变态，我应该注重他智慧、机灵的一面。我记得他不依靠笔记引用了几桩过去的案件，比如墙上刻血字的毒杀，密室的宝藏失窃，传奇钻石被三方盗贼同一天盯上等等（最后那一个案子真的很精彩，马哈顿周末还刊登过改编于此的作品，可惜那篇直到今天都没有完结），随后给出自己的理论：“有时，那案子一眼看上去太神秘缥缈，以至于我这么厉害的侦探都有点竖蹄无策。但是，任何案情都会有成因，而任何成因都不会逃出坚毅好奇者的蹄心，多调查、多发掘，即使是水晶场最无能的笨蛋都能查出塞拉斯提亚的金库保险箱密码。但是疑云·胡弗斯的一项大优势在于，调查，这项同行警察与侦探工作者们需要耗费超多精力与资源的的过程，犹如吃掉一块水仙花三明治一样简单，因为认识、感激、仰慕我疑云·胡弗斯的，有水晶场、贝克咖啡厅、每晚在威尔斯桥下的冷风中努力入睡的小雄驹小雌驹......基本上是除了我喜欢的姑娘之外的所有马。*叹气*有了他们的帮助，我无论询问调查任何事，所需付出的成本不过只是小小点击一下的精力罢了。我称这为，科学点击法（the Science of the Click)！”

疑云走进房间了，这次是在现实里。

”抱歉，记者先生，小姐，或者非二元性别的记者朋友，如果你能容忍我的粗鲁，我和我的搭档现在需要离开，去回应新案子的呼唤了，祝您有美好的一天。”他向记者做了个摘帽子致敬的动作。

疑云打包好了我们查案需要的装备（这平时是我的工作），朝我挥挥蹄，他会在路上告诉我新案子的具体信息，至于我的采访就得等到下次了，也许我得讲得客观点，或者直接让疑云自己回答采访，只要保证稿费到我蹄子里就行。