"This is really interesting," Tripwire said, after seeing the design.
"Why, whoever designed that really has an eye for style," Rarity said.
It was what appeared to be a "c" shape in a circle with two perpendicular lines crossing through it like a target.
"Am I the only one who thinks that looks like a logo?" Axle asked, receiving head shakes from everyone.
"Forget the logo," Twilight said, "Look at that number. What could it mean?"
At the bottom of the box was a number hastily scribbled: 395248.
"I'm going to look around the restaurant today," Trip said.
"We'll go with you," Twilight said, "Right?"
The rest of the mane 6 and Spike nodded in agreement.
"Okay," Trip said, "But keep a careful eye out. We've seen these strange ponies twice already, so be careful."
Later that day, the group walked out of the lab and into the restaurant, where they decided to split up.
Tripwire's first stop was the office. There, he scanned everything through his right eye.
'Interesting,' he thought. Nine of the cinder blocks were actually buttons, arranged like the number keys on a phone. Trip thought back to the number at the bottom of the box.
Twilight snuck backstage, where she saw two ponies with sunglasses on.
'Oh no,' she thought. However, from what she knew, neither of these ponies knew that she was involved with Tripwire and the others.
"Excuse me," she said, causing both ponies to jump.
"Oh... Princess..." One of them said.
"May I know what exactly is going on?" She asked, "What are you doing?"
"Well," the other replied, "What makes you ask?"
"I can answer that," a regal voice sounded behind them. The three ponies turned around to see Princess Luna approaching them. The two sunglassed ponies quickly bowed, but Luna didn't notice and turned to Twilight.
"One of my guards saw something and informed me of it." She then looked at the two ponies.
"You were trying to figure out the layout of something when a robot of some kind attacked."
"Indeed!" One of the ponies said, shocked, "A robotic alicorn!"
Twilight took a few steps back in shock, bumping into Tripwire.
The two sunglassed ponies glared at the half-metal pony.
"I apologize for intruding, but I couldn't help but overhear. Did you say, 'A robotic alicorn?'"
"Yes," one of the ponies said, "You don't know anything about it?"
"I was temporarily held hostage by CREATion years ago, but they scanned my brain and decoded the way to build an equine robot."
"You mean, you didn't try to attack us?" The pony asked.
"Who are you, anyway?" Trip asked.
"Here is not the best place to talk," the pony said.
"Then I say that we we go back to the lab," Twilight said, "Besides, it's nearly closing time."