//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Secret Soldier // by computerneek //------------------------------// “Four three-” “Now hold that right there,” Applejack orders, a hoof flashing up in front of her.  “If you’re gonna be spoutin’ numbers at me, I’m gonna need a head of fresh air first.” Bonbon takes a step back from the door, taken aback by the response.  “Uhh…?” The farmer takes the opportunity to step out the door, closing it behind her, and down off the porch before looking back up at her visitor.  “Ya comin?” Bonbon shakes herself.  “Uh, yes. Sorry.” She trots down after the earth pony, who leads her out into the orchard. At an apparently random point, Applejack stops very suddenly, turning firmly to the cream mare.  “Now, what were ya saying?” She blinks.  “Uh, four three nine five?” Applejack nods.  “Like I thought, then.  Seven six two nine. What’cha got?” “Three one oh eight.  Um… Did you, by any chance, happen to be assigned to investigate Lyra at some point in the past?” An eyebrow raises.  “You got a problem with that?” She shakes her head.  “No. Um… Instead, that’s my current mission…  and she recently revealed a list of agents she’s spotted on her property…  Doing agency stuff.” She looks up. “She only showed me the recording for one- but I expect she’ll dig up the recordings for the others if I ask.” Blink.  “Knew it,” she states.  “Ah told ‘em when they ‘ave it to meh that Ah would be caught!  Then they ‘ad the audacity to tell me I wouldn’ be caught when Ah told ‘em of ‘er security fields!” Blink.  “Wait. You accepted a mission you knew would be a failure?” She shakes her head.  “Nah. While ‘ey were cookin’ my objections, I went an’ asked her if she could keep a secret.”  Shrug. “She said yes, so Ah did it.” Blink.  “What?” Sigh.  “Ya know, Element of Honesty an’ all?”  She angles her head downwards in an inquisitve stare.  “Can you keep a secret?” Nod. “Alright.  When Ah ‘investigated’ her, Ah used the front door.  Knocked all loud and proud. Shared some intel- she was a might bit surprised- and got an agreement.”  She smiles. “It’s thanks to that agreement Ah know we’re not being eavesdropped.” Bonbon gives her a level-lidded expression.  “She gave you some security spells.” She lets out a laugh.  “In a manner o’ speaking, sure.  See, she didn’t have any Ah could use- so she made ‘em.  Maintains ‘em, from time to time.” “...  On the entire farm.” “Yep.  Ah still think she should get together with Twilight, but she asked me ta keep it secret.”  Sigh. “Even from her.” “Four three nine five.” Nurse Redheart tilts her head slightly, raising an eyebrow momentarily.  “Can it wait?” Vinyl blinks.  “Uh, yes.” Nod.  “Tonight, then.” “Four three nine five.” Rainbow looks at the earth pony, and raises an eyebrow.  “Seven six two nine- what’s up?” “Thirty-one oh eight,” Applejack finishes.  “Bonbon’s one of ours- and assigned to Lyra.  Lyra dropped a list; Ah was on it.” She levels her eyes at the pegasus.  “She can keep a secret.” “Roger that.” “Four three nine five.” “Oh Hi, AJ!  Wanna come in, or is the porch good?” “Sure, thank you.”  Applejack accepts the offer, entering the building. “So, any particular reason for the Agency check?” Applejack smiles at the unicorn.  “Well, after Bonbon came waltzin’ out to me with them numbers, Ah was wonderin’.” “She’s Field Agent Sweetie Drops.”  She chuckles. “I caught her first Contact Agent; he was even worse than Stonehead was.” Blink.  “Wow. How’s the replacement?” “I made her a salad, but she didn’t take it.” She breaks out laughing, slapping her hoof on the floor for a few seconds.  “S-sorry. Ah take it she’s a keeper?” Nod.  “And starved.  She seemed afraid of my fields- apparently, they made it onto a report Malevolent Darkness made.” “Malevolent Darkness?” Nod.  “Her first one’s name.  I read him like a book.” Snicker.  “Right then.  How’d she do with the arrangement paperwork?” Chuckle.  “Stumbled her way through it, made sure Drops understood it, and stomped it into the floor.  She took it with her when she left- and, judging by what she said while she was still here, she was going to throw it away and then set fire to it.” Snort.  “So, which names did ya drop?” “Huh?  Oh, Vinyl, you, Fluttershy, Redheart, and Derpy,” she states.  “She went to Vinyl first- and it would seem she replaced Flutters with Rainbow.” Blink.  “Ahh. Is Vinyl aligned, or no?” Nod.  “Yep. We gonna correct her error, or no?” Shrug.  “I’m sure Rainbow’s got something figured out.  You getting Vinyl?” “Four- ah, gotcha!  Four three nine five.” Bonbon blinks; she’d let out a scream when the pegasus started talking behind her.  “Uhh… Seven six two nine. How?” Smirk.  “Three one oh eight.  I heard it from Applejack, of course.”  Snicker. “So, who’re you hunting for?” Blink.  “... I was looking for you, actually.” The upside-down pegasus tilts her head.  “That doesn’t sound right. She’d never put my name on a list like that.  You sure she said ‘Rainbow Dash’, and not, say…  Oh, somepony else? Oh well. Where’ ya headed next?” Blink.  “Uh…” Sigh, before she flips right-side-up.  “Whelp. If you have anything you need to tell me, go ahead and call me up.  Later, though- I’ve got a meeting to attend.” She rockets suddenly upwards and away, towards her cloud mansion. Blink.  “Wha…?” Knock, Knock “Who’s there?” “Four three nine five.” “Seven six two nine who?”  She opens the door. “Oh, hello Applejack. What brings you here?”  She gestures for the earth pony to enter. “Three one oh eight,” she states, entering.  “Congratulations, Vinyl, you’re an official member!” “A what?  Wait, when did that happen?” Snicker.  “When Lyra dropped your name.” “What?” “Yep.  She’s our leader.”  She grins at the unicorn.  “Yet we’re actually, legitimately trying to find out what she’s up to all the time.  Ah know, it’s a little weird.” “A little?” Snort.  “Or a lot.  Anyways, you’ll have a door to our meetin’ room in your panic room now.” “A what?” “Six one three seven.” “Wha-?  Come in, then.  Two one three nine.  What broke?” “Four one three nine.  I don’t know- but Command sent me to give this to you.”  He offers her a scroll. She takes it in her magic, unrolling it effortlessly.  “Thanks. That everything?” Nod.  “Yep. I’ll be on may way, then?” She scans quickly down the page, and re-rolls it.  “Uh, yep. Until later.” He nods, and leaves. She sighs, closing the gigantic door with a momentary burst of her magic before trotting back down the hallway.  A couple of turns and a staircase later, and she enters her bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her. She quickly scans the room, verifying the empty status, before trotting to the desk, unrolling the scroll again, and laying it on the desk for a more thorough read. Then she lets out a groan. They want another push at Lyra’s house- even though she’s confirmed there’s nothing funny going on there.  Though, she did do that confirming before Bonbon moved in…  Meh, not likely. It’s just as likely that she’ll be caught by Lyra’s fields.  They seem to have been upgraded since last time she poked at the place; nowadays, many of her captures are reporting they had no clue there was anything there until after it had subjugated them.  That’s a potential problem; she has the raw power to overcome almost anything- but the way Lyra built those fields, if she doesn’t feel them in time to desynchronize and block them before they lock on, she could have all the power in Equestria and still be rendered helpless. Which could be a problem.  Especially since she can’t even find them until after the activation sequence begins.