Cork and I sat in the crowd with patient glares on our faces. We sat through numerous performances all through the late morning and early afternoon. Among the highlights were the Yaks and their poetic soliloquies, changelings who could perform acrobatic feats, and some stand-up comedy from local pony pros. Though some of the humor was a bit lost on me.
“‘...do you want a pizza me?’ HA! Classic…” Corkscrew cheered as he repeated the most recent joke that was made onstage.
I didn’t find it very amusing, however. “Really? If you said that kind of stuff in Manehattan, you’d get beat up. Then again, you could get beat up for just about anything in Manehattan…”
“Aren’t there a lot of Bitalians in Manehattan? That’s probably why they don’t find it funny,” he replied. “So do you see anything that could give them away yet?”
Not even close. Everyone appeared normal for the most part. Gah. To find a shapeshifter in the middle of a crowded audience like this was going to be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Of course, the recent entry of the performer known only as ‘Spectacle’ forced my head to turn a little.
“None yet. But I have a feeling that we’re about to find out very soon.”
“What makes you say that, boss?”
I leaned over the table to whisper. “Think about it, Cork. A monster from an entirely different era would want to figure out how to adapt so it could live amongst us without issue. It’s a classic trick that even the changelings couldn’t figure out.”
“But what, if that’s the case, then how did they go extinct in the first place?” he asked with intrigue.
My answer was cryptic to avoid suspicion. “The history books won’t tell you this, but folks such as...you-know-who, were skilled in hunting down such beasts. It got to the point where no one was able to stand against him and his team.”
It took a second, but it looked like he figured it out. “Oh, Clover the--right. Anyway, do you think we should wait for Spectacle to take the stage?”
“It depends,” I replied as I scanned the room with my eyes, “It could very well be anypony in this crowd. We’ll just need to wait for any sudden or awkward movements. And be sure to keep track of everything you’ve seen. Write anything down so you don’t forget.”
The youngster had already used his wingtips to hold a pencil and write some things down. “I’m already on it, boss. If anything goes down, we’ll be ready. But first…” he put the pad down in front of me. “I need to use the bathroom real quick.”
I raised a brow. “Okay, but hurry back, alright? Don’t get distracted. The floor servers will often try to pelt you with drink offers so you make poor decisions.”
“Pfft,” he scoffed, and waved his hoof down at me, “Relax, bud. You act like somethin’ crazy’s gonna happen while I’m gone. Then again...you know what, I’ll just go.” And he flew off without another word.
All I could do was sigh, and pray that he’d return with no trouble.
Meanwhile…backstage...
“And if I do this...you promise you’ll reconnect me with my daughter, right?”
“Indubitably. Why would I try to deceive thee?”
“You shouldn’t. I could blow you to smithereens very easily if I wanted to.”
“Precisely. I need you more than you need me. Follow my orders and this will go smoothly.”
“The things I do…”
Eventually, Corkscrew returned with no signs of any damage. But I wanted to make sure that nothing was amiss.
“Was everything alright?” I asked as he sat down, “Nopony strange as you made your way there and back, yeah?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Nothing at all. Maybe the Bros. accidentally made an incorrect report. A false positive, ya feel?”
I folded my hooves, and sat back in my seat. “Don’t be careless.” While I didn’t want to lecture him, I wanted to make it clear on just how important our job was. “You know very well that we can’t just ignore a report. No matter how small it is.”
Cork let out quite the snide laugh. “Haha! Don’t sweat it, boss. I know that. Trust me. Besides, it’s been fun to watch these performances so far. And the complimentary nachos are dope.”
As much as I wanted to deny it...yes. Being here on a much more...relaxed mission was nice to say the least. For once, I was actually able to walk around a bustling casino without having to chase somepony down. Though I knew that that was likely going to change in the next twenty minutes.
“Maybe. But we need to focus. I believe we’re going to be on duty soon enough,” I mumbled.
Why? Because the new hire that Jackpot mentioned was scheduled to go onstage next: Spectacle.
The spotlights started to shift around in a triumphant, dramatic manner. Next, an announcer called out the individual’s name. “Fillies and gentlecolts...a professional that needs almost no introduction...SPECTACLE!”
Everyone in the crowd gazed in awe towards the stage, and cheered with anticipation. The red curtain opened up to reveal…
Nothing.
Absolutely nothing. Everyone in the audience including Cork and myself were stunned at this. The announcer did his best to try and diffuse the situation.
“Well that’s odd...er...can we get someone down there to help her?”
Meanwhile...in the studio’s hallways...
“What are you doing? Get out there now!”
“No, I refuse!”
“Then you leave me no choice. I’ll have to do this myself…”
“Boss,” Corkscrew shot me a look, “Should we go with Operation Maneuver 21A or 21B?”
Perfect. He was already on the same page as I. As they say, great minds do in fact think alike. “21B,” I said, “There’s no way I’d be able to pick up the slack. You can keep them entertained for far longer while I figure out what’s going on.”
I nodded. With our plan in motion, we got up from the table and went to our positions. I would head backstage to investigate why this ‘Spectacle’ character hadn’t gone on stage like they had been scheduled.
And Corkscrew? He was ready to take the stage.
“Yo, Las Pegasus!” he shouted once he got up there and took the microphone in one of his wings, “I’m not ‘Spectacle’ or whoever, but I’m here to give ya’ll a show you won’t ever forget!”
As I left to sneak onto the stage, I heard some of the audience members mutter amongst themselves.
“Who is he?”
“Isn’t that the guy that took severe burns to save us from an evil Kirin?”
“It is! That’s him!”
Well, he certainly had their attention. But things would only get crazier when he made a musical request.
“Yo, announcer/DJ!” he shouted up to the projector room at the other end of the theater, “Gimme a beat!”
This would either go amazingly or horribly.