By the time the train pulled into Baltimare's station, we had heard of no less than fifteen different family members of mine.
I had honestly tuned out after the first two as I knew they were all disguises used by my changeling brethren and had barely any relevance to them beyond that, but Celery had Palina's undivided attention.
At least it kept Celery talking about things other than Palina and me, effectively preventing her from asking us questions we wouldn't have answers to.
We filed out of the carriage once the train stopped and exited through the large station, which was much larger than the one in Hoofton, and onto the plaza before it.
An odd kind of statue was placed there, depicting an alicorn standing upright on its hind legs when you came from the station itself.
As you walked around it, the statue looked more like an earthpony in a similar pose, a unicorn, or a pegasus. It all depended on which of the four sides you were looking at it from.
While Canterlot had been largely empty due to the city-wide lockdown, and Hoofton largely had a number of merchants and residents out on the streets while I was there, Baltimare was packed full of residents, merchants, tourists, and the many students who lived on campus while studying there.
The crowds reminded me of the communal sleeping room back in the Hive, especially what with groups of pegasi flying overhead every so often at different heights; it was a lively place with conversations going on between groups of ponies going in all directions.
Celery motioned with her left forehoof to get our attention.
"The campus is over there," she explained to Palina and me. "Where did you say Palina's parents were waiting for her, Pearl?"
"I didn't say," I noted flatly, "but as far as Palina told me they're at the Mareiott near the campus."
"That's where we were staying, yes," Palina agreed with me.
"Off we go to the campus then," Celery decided, and motioned for Palina to walk up to her side. "Do you think you'll be doing a study course here in a year or two, Palina?"
"I don't know yet, it depends on my dad," the seapony answered while falling in line with Celery. "He's the one who has the final say in it."
I followed a pace or two behind them as we walked, wondering how I had somehow become the third wheel.
While Celery did not know about Palina's parents being abducted, perhaps she could tell there was something which was bothering her?
Engaging the other mare in conversation like this certainly helped her put her mind on something else, and especially once we got out of the crowds around the station, I could see Palina's gait relax as she walked beside Celery.
The small talk between the pair of them continued as we approached the university campus, but then Celery stopped before crossing the street which would get us through the main gate and instead motioned through it to one of the buildings up ahead.
"I'll be over there in the university library for the next hour, but will walk the campus grounds afterward to talk with some of my friends among the faculty," she listed.
She turned to face Palina and me both and motioned off to our right toward a larger building.
"The Marieott is in that direction," Celery explained. "I'm sure you two will be able to find it on your own."
Palina and I both gave a nod to that.
"I've stayed there with my parents, miss," Palina reminded Celery. "I'm sure I can lead Pearl there without issue."
"As I assumed," Celery responded with a smile. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Palina. Perhaps the next time it will be under better circumstances?"
Palina, for her part, dipped her head down a bit in a respectful bow. "Thank you for your generosity in letting me stay the night, miss Celery."
"Ah, well, I wouldn't turn down somepony who needs help without a good reason to," Celery warded off. "Just don't make a habit of it, hm?"
"I'm sure she won't," I suggested on Palina's behalf. "Come on, Palina. Let's hurry to the hotel."
"Take your time, Pearl. We'll need to take the train back at four-thirty, so there's no need to rush," Celery informed me.
Palina and I turned away from her and started off toward the hotel, leaving Celery to do her business at the campus.
With Celery no longer listening in to our conversations, I felt myself relax as well and nudged her with my shoulder as we walked down the street together.
"What floor were you all on when it happened? Can you see the window from here?" I asked.
"No, the window was at the back, looking in the direction of the harbour," Palina answered. "Second floor up, room 215."
I stared up at the hotel building as we approached it, and did a quick count of the windows per floor.
"There's six windows on this side, so let's assume six on the other. If there's one per room that makes twelve," I counted out loud.
"How did they get fifteen out of that?" I had to ask.
"Don't ask me," Palina shrugged.
"Well, not like it matters much. Let's see if we can make our way there first without being stopped at reception," I decided.
"Let me know if you see the clerk who was on duty that day," I pressed onto Palina. "I want to ask them some questions if they are working."
"Okay," she agreed. "Why do you want to go up to the room again? My parents aren't there anymore."
"I want to see if there's any evidence left up there which could help me figure out who's behind it," I explained as if there was any way to tell.
"Wouldn't they have cleaned the room by now? It's been over a week," Palina wondered in a sad tone.
She turned for the entrance to the hotel and I followed quickly behind.
"Even if they cleaned it, I know from staying at hotels that they miss certain spots under furniture unless they're really thorough," I noted as we walked into the hotel lobby.
"I'm betting on there being some hard resin left there. That stuff lasts for much longer than a week; my necklace is made of it, if you'd believe that," I tried to convince Palina.
Palina cast a glance at the pearl dangling from my neck, using that same motion to then look at the hotel's reception desk clerk as we walked past.
I didn't look myself and instead focused on acting like I belonged there and we were just on our way back to our rooms.
"Hey," I heard somepony call out from the direction of reception.
I ignored them and kept going for the staircase up ahead.
"Hey, you fillies, this is not a playground," the voice called out again, and I let out an annoyed snort. So much for that plan.
I turned to face the hotel clerk as they came running after us, and gave a sideways glance at Palina. Palina shook her head at me in return.
"Not them," she answered softly.
"No, it's fine," I told the clerk, trying to bluff my way past him. "Her parents are staying here. We're just coming back from checking out the campus."
"Okay, what are their names and room number?" the clerk demanded.
Palina lowered her head a bit.
"Delairea Odorata and Dominus Maris," she answered. "We were staying in room 215."
The clerk rolled his eyes at us.
"Maintenance locked down 215 for repairs over a week ago, nopony is staying in that room right now," he decided. "Nice try, but you're going to have to go back to school. I'm not letting you past just so you can harass our guests for an autograph."
"They locked the room for repairs?" I repeated, taking note of what the clerk said. "Do you know who we can talk to about that?"
"Didn't I tell you to go back to school?" the clerk sighed. "Why are you so interested in that room?"
"She was staying there with her parents over a week ago and might have lost something of value in there," I quickly explained, motioning at Palina.
I held up my necklace with my right forehoof so the clerk could see the resin pearl.
"I don't suppose you have found a necklace like mine in that room? It may be in your lost and found?" I tried.
The clerk stared at the pearl a moment, then at Palina who was doing a great job looking absolutely devastated, and then let out a sigh.
"You're lucky it's not too busy right now. Follow me to the reception desk," he grumbled. "A green gemstone like that must be worth a few bits. I can at least look for you."
We followed him to the reception desk where he told us to wait while he went into the office behind it.
I gently nudged Palina with my shoulder and smiled at her in an effort to help her feel better.
"Delilah and Dominic?" I repeated. "Your whole family loves their difficult names, don't they?"
"Delairea and Dominus," she corrected me. "Mom's named after a plant, like myself. Dad's name is supposedly a joke which he claims nopony here would get."
"Delairea and Dominus, sorry," I listed again, more for myself to remember them better than for her sake. "Well, your dad might be in for a surprise. I might know a few ponies who might know Latin."
"Latin?" Palina wondered.
"Your names are latin, no?" I pressed.
"Dad said they're old Equestrian, but he's the expert linguist. I'm just happy I can shorten my name to something pronounceable," she sighed.
"Huh," I responded in surprise. "Latin and old Equestrian must have common roots, then..."
"Nothing like that green gem of yours, ladies," the clerk interjected as he returned to the desk.
"Oh. Do you know who worked the desk the night the room was locked up?" I wondered.
"We don't give out personal details about our employees," the clerk stated in a monotone voice. "I'm sorry girls, I can't help you any further than this. If that gem has value, you might want to tell the guard about it? They can start an official investigation, but I can't do more than tell you we don't have it."
"Oh, okay... Well, thank you for looking anyway," I told them, then nudged Palina toward the exit.
We walked out of the hotel, and I looked around for a moment to catch my bearings.
"It's suspicious that the room was locked down the night your parents were taken," I mumbled, thinking hard about our next course of action. "Maybe we need to look for an alleyway nearby..."
Palina looked like she had given up hope, and I forced a smile on my face.
"Look, I can get up there and have a look around without having to go through reception," I emphasized, then leaned in to whisper as a pair of ponies passed us by. "If I can transform myself where nopony can see it, I can fly up there and back, with nopony being the wiser. I just need to..."
"Pearl?" a low voice wondered in surprise, cutting my sentence short. "That's Pearl, isn't it?"
I turned to face the new voice to see the red pegasus mare and brown unicorn stallion who had passed me just now having stopped to look at me instead, the latter of which was far too excited at having spotted me.
"Shush, Seafoam. You don't have to inform everypony in a five mile radius about it," the mare grumbled as she extended one of her red wings to cover her friend's face.
Her sharp blue eyes focused on me from under her darker red mane, and I could just tell they lingered on my necklace a moment.
"Why, I think you're right, it IS Pearl," she gasped, and pulled her wing back from her friend's face.
"I have an eye for faces," the stallion declared proudly with a flick of his short white tail.
As he looked at me from under a short white mane, I noticed his eyes were each a different colour; his left eye was a smart blue while his right was a deep brown tone instead.
"You wouldn't have recognized her if not for the necklace," the mare pointed out with a sigh. "She's a lot cuter this way, if you ask me."
"This way?" I repeated with some confusion.
"Ah, she doesn't recognize us," the mare realised. "I'm Flashfire, and that's Seafoam. It's been a few months since we last saw one another."
"Yeah, I wouldn't have imagined bumping into you out here, Pearl," Seafoam added. "Is the rest of the family all sorted, then?"
I couldn't place the pair of them. I was sure I would remember Seafoam given his enthusiasm, but my mind just drew blanks when I tried to recall where I could have seen them.
Flashfire noticed, and leaned in slightly.
"We last saw one another a few months ago near Hollow Shades," she whispered conspiratorially. "You helped us to, er, come to terms with... our relationship. Yes, let's put it that way for now."
"What's Hollow Shades?" Palina wondered.
"Oh, who's your friend?" Seafoam asked with renewed excitement. "Are you here to get a book signed as well?"
Things started to fall in place considering the hints Flashfire gave me. There were few ponies I knew from Hollow Shades, and I thought I could name them all if prompted.
But the Hive I had been taken to and transformed into a changeling at was also near Hollow Shades, and the question about the family made sense now as I had spent months trying to teach the other hatchlings to come to terms with our situation.
"Oh, right!" I exclaimed in surprise. "Yes, the family is all sorted. I'm staying at my cousin's place in Hoofton at the moment."
I motioned at Palina, who was looking ever more confused as our conversation went on.
"This is Palina, a friend of mine from Canterlot," I introduced the seapony without giving anything away.
It was one thing that Flashfire and Seafoam were family to me, but it was my family who had abducted her parents in the first place. I could not say for sure the pair of them weren't involved.
"Palina, these two are Flashfire and Seafoam, my very distant cousins from Hollow Shades," I introduced them to the seapony.
"Well, we weren't originally from there, but we were staying over for such a long time that we're considering it our home nonetheless," Flashfire chuckled.
"Cousins," Palina repeated flatly, looking at me with a clear question on her face.
I gave her a quick nod, but then turned my attention back to the pair of changelings before us.
"So, what brings you two here?" I had to ask.
"Oh, a famous writer is holding an unannounced book signing and we were in the neighbourhood, so we're going to get a signed copy of his books," Seafoam explained quickly. "I must confess I haven't read them yet, didn't even know about the author until today, but I used to collect merch back home and it could have resale value even here."
Flashfire smirked at her companion. "We won't have any if we don't hurry on to the bookstore. You are coming along, aren't you Pearl?"
"Hold up, who's the writer?" I wondered, a suspicion growing in the back of my mind.
"P. Overo, apparently he rarely makes public appearances," Flashfire explained. "That's why everypony has flocked to the store as quick they could. I'll bet there's a row halfway around the block."
P. Overo was Cubitus' pseudonym, I knew from my conversation with him while we were in the Canterlot dungeons.
"You know what, I think we'll join you, yes," I agreed. "Come on, Palina. You've got to meet this author."
Palina looked concerned and opened her mouth, but I just beamed a smile at her.
"Okay, we'll come along," she agreed reluctantly, casting me a questioning look.
Flashfire and Seafoam motioned toward the campus. "The bookstore is just over there, next to a small cafeteria. Let's see if we're lucky and the college students are all in class or something."
"I can't wait to get my hands on those books. Did you know their best work is Flight of the Pegasus which released over a decade ago?" Seafoam babbled.
"Hooves, dear," Flashfire corrected him.
"What did I say?" he asked her, mildly confused.
"Hands," she answered calmly.
"Oh, right. Hooves," he agreed with the correction.
Palina walked up right close to me and whispered her question. "They're like you?"
"Very much so," I agreed in a whisper.
"And we're following them because..." Palina started, leaving the question open.
I smirked sideways at her. "Because the author is a friend of mine. Somepony who may be able to help us to find your parents. Didn't you hear the clerk earlier?"
Palina shook her head at me.
"He said we wouldn't get past him to get an autograph, which means there's a chance somepony famous is staying at the hotel. I'm betting it's this very same author," I reasoned. "He may be our key to get up there."
Palina's face cleared up as she put one and two together.
I faced forward and spoke in a bit of a louder voice.
"So how long have you two been in Baltimare for?" I wondered of Flashfire.
"Well, Seafoam loves the sea and we're both from the East Coast back home, so I thought; why not go to the Equestrian equivalent since we're here?" she started, casting a glance back at Palina and myself.
"We took the wrong train thanks to misreading the signage, and ended up in Baltimare rather than Fillydelphia, which is where we wanted to go," she continued. "I must say, I like this town. It's got a youthful energy to it."
"So you settled here?" I inferred, ignoring that they didn't quite answer the 'when' of my question.
"Couple of months ago, yeah," Seafoam answered. "We've got an apartment near the harbour, overlooking the bay. It's lovely to see the sunrise over the water each morning."
"You think everything is lovely and exciting though," Flashfire chuckled. "The fresh air here is definitely a boon compared to the air quality back home."
"Well, home is where you find it," I added. "I'm living with Hammer for the moment, but I might find myself a different place to stay at eventually. I'm not sure Hoofton is for me."
"Oh, right, you were hanging out with those other three," Flashfire remembered as we crossed the street over toward a group of buildings directly opposite the campus. "Blaze, Burst, and Breeze, was it?"
"What about Breeze?" I wondered, but all it got me was a confused glance from the trio with me.
"Ah, I guess you had to have been there to get that joke," I pouted.
One of the buildings we were approaching had a few ponies sitting outside of it on the terrace, sipping drinks while chatting away, while the one next to it had a queue of ponies lined up in front of the doors.
Seafoam quickly jumped in line, and motioned for us to join him.
"Just seven ponies out here, lucky!" he exclaimed happily. "It's so much less crowded here than it would have been back home."
"But you don't know how many are in there," Flashfire pointed out to him.
The mare ahead of us turned her head to look back at us. "You here for the signing as well?"
"Oh yes," Seafoam answered eagerly. "I can't wait to see this guy."
"I've read all of his books, although Trouble in Yakyakistan was definitely not his best," the mare in the queue ahead of us noted. "What's your favourite?"
Seafoam obviously drew a blank, and Flashfire's frown made it clear neither of them actually knew what books they were looking for.
"Flight of the Pegasus," I called to the mare. "Can't go wrong with his first book, although I heard he's working on a new one?"
"You're right; the first was marvellous. Mystery on the Friendship Express and A Gryffon's Promise were great too, although I felt the first was too longwinded what with all of the twists and turns of its story," she remarked.
"Oh, please," the stallion in front of her said. "It was so obvious who did it from page three onward."
I chuckled slightly as the mare and stallion now started to debate the specifics of a book I had never read, but with a name like Mystery on the Friendship Express I could figure what it was about.
The line shuffled forward toward the entrance, even as other ponies walked up behind our little group.
"How do you know so much about this author, Pearl?" Palina wondered.
"Because I met him before," I answered her. "We talked a little bit about his work, and about why he doesn't do a lot of meetups with his fans."
"And you also met these two before," she listed, looking forward at Flashfire and Seafoam.
"I've met a lot of interesting ponies over the past year," I reflected. "I mostly just bump into them, it's not like I go looking for them. If anything, they go looking for me."
Palina gave a thoughtful nod to that.
"Like they're drawn to you somehow," she noticed.
"Yeah, well, I did take up the habit of wearing this necklace everywhere, so I'm easy to spot," I realised, reaching up with my left forehoof to touch my necklace again. "Maybe I should stop doing that so I could blend in more."
"Don't. It suits you," Flashfire decided, making us aware she had been listening in.
"Ah, but what if the wrong ponies go looking for me?" I sighed. "I'm too easy to spot with it."
"Few ponies would notice such details, I've found," Flashfire reassured me. "They'll more likely think it's some new fad and start asking their local jeweler to make one for them as well to join in."
"Soon enough everypony will be wearing green gemstones around their necks and you'll just be another background pony," she joked.
"Let's hope not," I groaned at the thought.