The train rumbled to a stop and Penguin Holmes and Walrus Watson stepped off and stared at the Main Street of Unicornicopia. The streets were almost unrecognizable as such. They looked more like perfectly tended to gardens spanning from house to house. The main street was like a river of flowers, flowing down the road, with every house like an island adrift in the flora, leading down to Unicornicopia’s main town square. Where most towns would have a courthouse, Unicornicopia had a fountain of water, so crystal clear, you’d have to plunge in to be sure it was actually there. The sun was, of course, out and shining and a gentle breeze seemed to invigorate everything that had the pleasure of being perfectly touched by its cool touch.
Penguin Holmes shuddered in disgust.
“I change my mind, lets get out of here,” he said, and turned back to get on the train. Walrus Watson picked him up with a flipper. Holmes struggled and twisted, “Put me down! Right this instance! We’re leaving!”
“Now Holmes, you know as well as I that we need this case to keep our little place at Baker Street.” he said and Holmes stopped his tantrum, and Watson released his friend. “What was Ms. Equulues’ address again?”
“I really hate it when you pick me up like that.” Holmes said, sullenly.
“I’m sorry,” Watson said, genuinely.
“She lives on the main road,” said Holmes with a sigh, “It’s right over there, 334” He said, pointing to a house on the right side of the road.
Watson started for the house, but Holmes stopped him, “Wait,” Holmes looked around the town, “There’s something wrong here.”
“What is it?” Watson asked, trying to follow Holmes’ seeking gaze.
“I hate to admit it, but I was here a couple of years back. Don’t ask why, I hate to think about it. But, this street…” Holmes turned back to look up at Watson, “Watson, this is Main Street. There’s no one around.”
“Maybe, it’s tea time?” Watson put forth.
“No, even then we’d see children running around, playing and such. Lets get inside. As I much as I appreciate not seeing unicorn children frolicking, something is very wrong here.”
They made their way to Ms. Equulues’s door, doing their best not to trample down all the flowers, but overall failing miserably. Watson knocked on the door.
“One moment! One moment!” came a shrill voice from inside. The door opened to reveal Ms. Equulues, a squat little unicorn. She stood on her hind legs, and towered over Penguin Holmes and while she was not nearly as large as Walrus Watson, she was taller, not even counting in the horn that spiraled out of her forehead. Her fur was a light pink, touched with a bit of gray that came with age. She wore a housedress, probably her best for the expected company, and an apron. She was not the type of unicorn to go out very often. Those days had passed. Now she contented herself to baking and taking care of communal street/flower garden.
“Ms. Equulues? We’re-“ Watson started.
“Yes, yes. I know who you are. Come in, come in!” she said, a hint of fear in her voice as she moved away from the door.
Watson and Holmes shuffled their way in and Ms. Equulues continued, “Penguin Holmes and Watson I presume.”
Holmes politely nodded his head and opened his beak to speak but was cut off by their host.
“Well, I’ve got tea set up in the living room. I believe we should discuss things there, if there’s no objections.”
“None at all,” said Holmes, gesturing for her to lead the way.
The inside of the house was what you might expect of a unicorn home. It was large, yet not too large to be uncomfortable. The smell of baking things came from the kitchen and radiated throughout the house. They walked to the living room, where a small table was surrounded on three sides by 2 chairs and a couch. A fireplace was lit and crackling, merely adding to the overall feeling of warmth, but by no means the sole producer of the effect.
Penguin Holmes abhorred all of it. The coziness made him very ill at ease, and the over sweetness of scent of baked goods nearly made him gag. He controlled himself however and did, indeed, seem to perk up when he saw a tea set in the middle of the table and he had Watson help him into one of the chairs. Walrus sat himself on the couch. And Ms. Equulues, though it was rather difficult with horse legs, sat in the chair opposite of Holmes.
“Please have some tea and then we can talk about my dilemma. I’m just delighted that you two came,” Ms. Equulues said while pouring the tea into the cups, “I just don’t know what to make of it.”
“Excuse me,” Holmes started as Equulues placed the full tea cups on the table, “I couldn’t help notice that Main Street seemed a little more…deserted, than usual”
“Oh, that.” Ms. Equulues said, “Yes, that would be the curfew now in place. The mayor felt that Unicornicopia would be much safer with a curfew.”
Holmes looked to Watson, and then, with a smile, said to Ms. Equulues, “Seems kind of odd, Unicornicopia is possibly the safest place on the world. Everything is very stuff-“ Holmes checked himself before saying stuffy, “pristine. I can’t imagine that the crime rate is the city with a road of flower’s major concern.”
“Well, I don’t know about crime or ratings, but you can never be too safe is what I think, and the new mayor too. It’s his slogan. He built a new jail, as well. Just a precaution, mind you. But, like I said, you can never-“
“Be too safe,” Holmes finished for her, after taking a sip of tea, “Yes, well. Maybe he has a point, the mayor I mean.”
The three sipped at the tea that was perfectly perfect, and before Holmes or Watson had time to ask what the matter was Ms. Equulues began.
“Well, I suppose I should explain my little problem. See, I t all started about two weeks ago- or maybe it was three. Oh, the whole business is just so confusing. It was two, I’m sure of it. Anyways, it all started about two weeks ago, and I had just finished baking a blueberry pie and I had just laid it on the window sill to cool. And I turned around and when I came back to check on it was gone. Now, you can imagine my surprise when the pie I had baked suddenly vanished. I know it sounds bizarre but it happened. Just like that, too. I was looking at. I wasn’t. I turned around to look at is again. And boom, it was gone. Within minutes. And then the next day it happened again. And again. And again. So far two weeks have passed, a pie a day, and every single one of them has just vanished into thin air. I just don’t know what could have happened to them. ”
“So, you want me to find the thief?” Holmes asked, disappointed. He had been desperately hoping that something bad had finally happened in perfect land. Perhaps, not as bad as murder. But certainly worse than some stolen pies.
Ms. Equulues gasped, “Thief? Good heavens no! What would a thief have to do with my missing pies?”
Holmes was puzzled. He looked to Watson. Watson shrugged. He looked back to Ms. Equulues, “Well, isn’t it obvious? Someone has been stealing the pies. Pies don’t just vanish into thin air.”
Ms. Equulues stared into the fireplace as a look of horror slowly crept over her face, “Oh god, someone has been stealing…” She looked back to Holmes, “Well, we have to stop them!”
Holmes jumped at the suddenness of it, “Yes, that’s why you brought me here. I think. At least, that’s why I’m here now. Or something.”
”Well, I’m glad you’re here now, no matter what the reason was for me getting you,” she said with conviction, to which Holmes nodded. “Let me get you some more tea,” Equulues added while standing and walking to the kitchen.
“Watson,” Holmes whispered to his companion.
“Yes, Holmes?” Watson whispered back.
“Have I mentioned how much I don’t want to be here?”
“Yes, Holmes,” Watson replied.
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