//------------------------------// // Chapter 20 : Investigations Galore // Story: Friends With a Spy // by cakestealer //------------------------------// The day after the Gala, Octavia thought, would be an average one. That proved to be wrong. Very wrong. Octavia woke up and got ready for the day like any other. She came downstairs and said good morning to Vinyl and Derpy. “Any news about Brick?” Octavia asked. “Well, you see, they actually want us to go out and investigate this Project R.G.R. thing. They told us to go ask the one and only Princess Luna some questions first.” “Princess Luna!” Octavia exclaimed. “We get to meet the actual princess?” “Yep, and we get to ask her a bunch of questions too.” “Well, let’s hurry up! I mean she’s the actual Princess Luna! She raises the moon!” They ate their breakfast and got ready to make the march back up the hill to the castle. Once they were ready Octavia opened the door first as she was the most excited to meet Princess Luna. She stepped out into the morning air of Canterlot once more. Octavia excitedly raced up the road and turned around to see Vinyl and Derpy still walking out of their property. “You guys are taking way too long.” “Octavia you seem really excited to meet Princess Luna.” Vinyl said. “I don’t know why you guys aren’t.” “Well, I am pretty excited to see her but I mean you seem like you are about to explode.” “Well, I’ve never met one of the princesses before. We also saved her last night so that feels pretty good.” Vinyl made a confused face and asked, “Derpy do the princesses even know about P.O.N.E.?” “Yeah, the princesses know about the agency but they have to follow the same rules as everypony else.” Derpy replied. “Why do the rulers of equestria have to follow the same rules as everypony else?” “Well, if they told somepony and then the secret somehow got out then that would cause a big problem.” “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” They passed the restaurant that they had eaten at last night. The ponies out this early in the morning made Octavia wonder what they were doing. What are ponies doing out this early in the morning? Maybe they’re getting groceries because they didn’t have food for breakfast. Don’t be ridiculous Octavia they’re honestly probably just going to work. “Woah look at how cool the castle the looks from down here!” Vinyl said. “It looks so majestic in the morning like this.” Derpy added. They walked up the pathway to the castle where nopony else lingered. The guards ahead saw them and stood more tall. As they approached, the guards told them to state their business. “We’re here to talk to Princess Luna about the carrots.” “Oh, okay.” The guards said. Once they had gotten farther away from the watching guards Vinyl asked, “What do you mean talk to Luna about the carrots?” “That’s the code that I was told to use. Princess Luna couldn’t tell the guards to let ponies through who say they’re here to see her about the assassination or Project R.G.R., the guards would be pretty suspicious.” “Oh, yeah that makes sense.” Vinyl laughed. They approached the entrance but suddenly realised they didn’t know where to go. Derpy asked one of the guards where to go and he said, “Up the stairs to the right, go to the third floor, down the hall past the first two doors, and then you’re in the throne room hall thing. I don’t actually know what it’s called. I probably should know what it’s called considering I work here.” “I think it’s called a throne room.” Derpy told him. “Thanks for the directions!” The guard thanked her. Derpy and the other two followed the directions up the stairs and down the hall. They entered the throne room. Wow this is beautiful. Octavia thought. There was a long, smooth, red carpet leading to the throne. The windows were all colored glass depicting sunrises or sunsets over fields. Luna was there waiting for them with four guards by the throne. I can’t believe I’m meeting the actual Princess Luna. I never thought this would happen. Try not to embarrass yourself. Princess Luna dismissed the guards from the room. She waited for them to leave and then said, “Hello you three. Your names are Vinyl, Octavia, and Derpy am I correct?” “Yes.” Derpy said. “Well, thank you. I’ve been told that if it wasn’t for you three somepony would have assassinated me. Now, I hear you have some questions.” “Yes, we do have some questions. We’re trying to figure out what this Project R.G.R. thing is and we thought we would start by asking you a few things since they hired somebody to take you out.” Luna looked at them and said, “Ask away.” “Well, first off is, do you think anypony would have a grudge against you for any reason?” Derpy asked. “Well, I don’t think anypony would have a grudge against me, at least not that I know of off the top of my head. I highly doubt that one of the ponies I game against would hold a grudge to hire someone to kill me.” “Okay, do you know of any big construction projects using a lot of metal?” “The only things I can think of that would be using a lot of metal are the wind turbines and the building crews. However, I don’t think that there is any significant building projects using lots of metal going on right now.” “Can you think of any reason that somepony would want you dead?” “I have no reasoning for why somepony would want me dead. I just have some general ideas. I thought maybe they would want money, vulnerability of Equestria, or if I was dead they would start taking over as a political position.” On and on the questions went. Hours it seemed that Derpy would ask a question and Luna would stand and answer only to have the process repeated. Vinyl and Octavia stood there the whole time, waiting. Why exactly are we here if we aren’t doing anything? We’ve just stood here the whole time while Derpy’s done the talking. “Well, that’s all the questions.” Derpy said. “Octavia and Vinyl you haven’t said anything this whole time do you want to speak?” Before Vinyl could say anything Octavia burst out, “Princess Luna I’m sorry, this seems a little bit informal but I’ve wanted to meet you for a while now and I’m so excited to actually see you in person.” “That’s very humbling Octavia. Thank you for telling me that. If you want to ask me any questions you can.” “Is it hard to raise the moon?” Luna looked surprised at first but then smiled. “It took a lot of work at first but I’ve gotten used to it. I saw you play at the Gala last night. It is sort of like learning an instrument it’s challenging and doesn’t make sense at first but you learn how to get better over time.” “Do you and Celestia ever fight?” “Well, I did say you could ask any questions didn’t I. We used to not get along so well but after some help from a pony named Starlight Glimmer we’ve been doing better. We still have our small squabbles sometimes but everypony has those petty battles from time to time.” Vinyl smiled at Octavia apologetically. Octavia smiled back at Vinyl. “Vinyl do you have anything to say?” “I don’t know, like a personal question or one about the investigation?” “Either. Whatever you want to ask Vinyl.” “I guess I’ve kind of wanted to know what you do in your spare time?” “Well you see Vinyl, I don’t get much spare time. Usually I spend the nights helping ponies in need through their dreams and then in the day I sleep.” “Come on, there’s got to be something else you do.” “Just more work related things.” “If that's the case I’m gonna be your doctor now and recommend that you get some quality relaxation.” Princess Luna laughed and said, “Okay Vinyl I shall try to do that.” Vinyl, Octavia, and Derpy parted with Luna on almost friend like terms. They went back through the colorful castle and said goodbye to the kind guard who had told them the directions to the throne room. After they got back onto the cobbled road outside the castle grounds Vinyl decided to ask Derpy where they were going now. “Well, what are we doing now commander Derpy? Were we only meeting with Princess Luna?” “Nope, now we’re going to the metal shop.” Derpy said cheerily. “They’ve been selling a lot of metal recently, which the ponies at P.O.N.E. think may have to do with Project R.G.R.” “Why do they think it has to do with Project R.G.R.?” Vinyl asked. “I don't really know, it probably just seems suspicious to them that all this is happening at the same time that a strange amount of metal is being purchased. I mean that does sound kind of weird, don't you think?” “Yeah, I guess it is kind of weird to suddenly be selling that much metal.” They continued on past the dry bushes and vegetation that was around the city. It never rained in Canterlot so only plants that were taken care of by the ponies who owned them stayed green. The doors on all the buildings seemed almost identical. It seems all too representative that the doors on the buildings are the same. I could never guess what that symbolises. Maybe it represents hm… I wonder. Maybe, just maybe, it’s the ponies here who all copy the richest and most famous among them. “Is something on your mind Octavia?” Derpy asked. “Oh, uh… I was just thinking about the doors on the buildings.” Octavia awkwardly mumbled. “The doors on the buildings?” “Yes, the doors are all the same which made me think of how all the ponies here act the same and just follow the actions of the rich and famous.” “Wow! That’s really philosophical. Nice connecting of the dots Octavia.” “Thanks, I guess.” The metal shop was up ahead. The store’s windows gleamed with the sun shining off them. It seemed suspicious to Octavia. Surrounding the store were metal crates containing… metal. The store looked surprisingly well kept. There were no boards on the windows, no trash in the front, and it generally seemed clean and open for business. They walked into the store and saw just a pony at a counter and some decorations around the room. The mare smiled at them and welcomed them by asking what they need. “We’re here to ask you some questions about lots of metal purchases.” Derpy said. “Oh?” “We’ve been sent by the Royal Economic Committee to see what some large purchases of metal are about.” “Oh, yeah I’ve been selling some more metal than usual recently. What questions do you have?” “Well first, who have you been selling this metal to?” “Oh, just lots of different ponies.” “Did they tell you their names?” “Nope, just came in, ordered what they needed, bought it, and left.” “Okay, were these pieces of metal that they bought big or small?” “The metal they bought? Oh it ranged from really small pieces to sheets that were as big as this counter. Some also bought thick pieces.” “Just a wide range of shapes then?” Derpy asked. “Yep, just average purchases. Not like enough to make a building or something. I thought that nothing was really out of the ordinary, I was just selling more you know, like my business was growing.” “Did anything seem suspicious about the ponies who were buying from you?” “No, but something seems off about you three. Coming in here and asking all these weird questions. Maybe you should mind your own business. If you’re not going to buy something then you can leave.” “We’re sorry we didn’t mean to invade your privacy.” “Well you just came in and started asking questions about other customers and what they’re buying so I would say you’re invading my privacy quite a bit. Now get out!” Vinyl and Octavia ran out of the store with Derpy close on their tails. The mare inside yelled out, “Serves you right!” as they got out of there. Once they got a block away they stopped to catch their breath. “Okay, something is definitely suspicious about her.” Vinyl said, not realising that the mare, back at her store was calling someone to tell them that P.O.N.E. was onto them.