//------------------------------//
// Exclusive Interview 
// Story: My Little Investigations: The Silent Dirge 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


April 9, 10:46 AM
Lincolt Center
Convention Floor
***


Well, the good news is that I didn't end up jinxing myself.  After leaving Fiddlesticks and her band, Pan was not hard to find.  He was standing by a table serving coffee while having a chat with Sapphire Shores.  Silenus was there as well, although he seemed to be rather distracted.  I walked up to them and cleared my throat.

"Um, I'm sorry.  Am I interrupting anything?" I asked.

Sapphire flashed me a warm smile. "Not at all, Tavi-doll.  I was just talking to Pan here about Vinyl's magnificent set last night."

"Yes, it waaas indeed something," said Pan with a sage nod. "Although one haaas to wonder why her performance ended so, abruuuptly."

"I'd like to know that myself," I said, folding my ears back and brushing my foreleg. "Vinyl's helping the tech crew look into it right now."

"W-wait wait wait," said Silenus. "Sh-she'sh shtill alive?"

Pan rolled his eyes. "Pay atteeention, you drunken soood.  Sapphire waaas just telling us thaaat."

"Oh, right.  I-I knew that," said Silenus.

I hate to jump to conclusions, but something tells me that Silenus isn't the sharpest tool in the shed.  At least when he's been drinking.  Speaking of which, who gets this drunk so early in the morning?  This poor fellow might  have a serious problem.  Ah well, it's not really my affair.  Besides, something more important just came to mind.

"Oh, forgive my manners, Mr. Pan.  I didn't introduce myself," I said, clearing my throat. "My name is..."

"Octaviaaa Melody, I presume?" said Pan, finishing my thought. "Chaaarmed to meet you."

Methinks my reputation precedes me.  Then again, I'm not exactly a small-time musician myself.

"Likewise," I said. "I must say, I'm greatly looking forward to your performance with Sapphire Shores.  It's sure to be like nothing I've ever heard before."

"Hmm.  I wouldn't saaay that," said Pan. "After aaalll, your friend Vinyl Scratch seemed to have the same idea we did."

"You mean with combining two different styles of music?"

"Precisely," said Pan, twirling his billy goat beard around the end of his finger. "It appears that great miiinds think alike."

"'Great' is not exactly how I'd describe Vinyl's mind.  'Insane' is more appropriate," I said. "But still, I will admit that her set last night was nothing short of a stroke of genius."

Pan bleated out a laugh. "Ms. Melody, even the greatest of minds can appear insaaane to everyone else.  Isn't that right, Silenus?"

"Huh, wha?" Silenus mumbled, still appearing to be distracted. "Shorry, Pan.  I kinda blanked there."

"Case in point," said Pan. "Silenus can actually be raaather insightful when he's sober."

"Mmm.  You don't say," I said. "I take it you've known him for a while?"

"Ever since I got staaarted as a minstrel," said Pan with a slight smirk. "It's actually amaaazing how he can get distracted by the slightest thing and yet still be able to follow me everywhere I go."

I, can't say that I'd be entirely comfortable with that.  But, to each his own, I suppose.  It might be a minstrel thing, now that I think about it.  After all, Lyra doesn't mind Bon-Bon following her around.

"You're lucky we're not at K-COLT right now, Pan," said Sapphire with a snicker. "I can just imagine Vinyl peppering you with embarrassing questions concerning your relationship with your friend there."

You would think that she was exaggerating, but you'd be wrong.  Vinyl has very little respect for the guests that come onto our radio show.  On the plus side, those that agree to be on the show know what they're getting into, so they have no reason to complain.  I can't say that I'm a big fan of this fact, but I certainly tolerate it a lot more than when the show first got started.

Pan chuckled at Sapphire's comment. "I say let her try.  You'll find that satyrs are veeery hard to embarrass."

I, couldn't say anything to that without sounding incredibly rude and prejudiced, so I decided to change the subject.  After all, there was a reason I wanted to speak with Pan in the first place.

"Um, actually, Sapphire told me that you saw something last night during Vinyl's set," I said.

Pan raised an eyebrow. "Why would you be interested in thaaat, Ms. Melody?" he inquired.

"Morbid curiosity," I said with a shrug. "Plus, I'm sure Vinyl would like to know that, too."

Pan furrowed his brow and twirled his billy goat beard around his finger. "There's not muuuch to tell, really.  All I saaaw was that Vinyl's partner left the stage before that horrible noise occurred.  Silenus caaan vouch for me on this one."

Silenus's ears perked up. "Huh?  Vouch for who on the what now?"

Pan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Silenus, would you miiind paying attention?  It's rude to ignore others in the middle of a conversaaation."

"Sorry," said Silenus, sounding slightly more sober. "I'm just trying to figure out what that shadow is."

"What shadow?" asked Sapphire.

"There's this shadow that's been floating around or something," said Silenus.

"Where?" asked Pan, folding his arms.

Silenus stared blankly at Pan. "Uuuuuuuh...  Crap, I forgot."

Pan sighed. "And this is why you shouldn't overinduuulge," he scolded. "Anyway, I was referring to what happened laaast night during the performance."

"Oh, rightrightright," said Silenus. "Yeah, we saw that Neon guy leave before everything went crazy."

I, honestly don't know why Pan needed Silenus to vouch for him.  He wasn't exactly helping his case any.  However, I didn't see any reason to doubt his word.  It still didn't make a lick of sense, though.  I figure that Neon himself will probably have the full story.

"Well, I'll be sure to let Vinyl know," I said. "Thank you, Mr. Pan."

"Merely a trifle, Ms. Meeelody," said Pan with a bow. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Sapphire and I haaave to discuss our performance."

"Right, of course," I said, returning his bow.  I was about to take my leave when something caught my attention.  It was Silenus, staring intently at something behind me.  I turned around to see what he was looking at, and I was quite surprised by what I saw.

A familiar silhouette was formed on the far wall.  It was the same form as the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well pony I met the night before.  What was she doing here?

"You see it too, huh?"

Silenus's words caused me to jump.  He really put me on the spot there.  I could feel the beads of sweat form on my brow as I tried to think of something to say.  Sapphire Shores is one thing; I trust her.  But I barely know Pan, and Silenus is, well, odd.  Yes, let's go with that.  Look, the point is I couldn't share this mystery with everyone here.  It might give the assailant some, incentive.

"Um, I-I don't know what you're talking about," I said.

Sapphire sighed. "Anypony ever tell you that you're a terrible liar, Tavi-doll?"

Am I really that much of an open book?  I let out a sigh of my own.

"I, just thought I saw something," I said. "It's probably just my mind playing tricks on me.  I've been pretty rattled since Vinyl's experience last night."

I wasn't sure if Sapphire believed me or not, but thankfully, she didn't call me out on it. "Maybe you need to unwind a bit before you snap, Tavi-doll."

"Th-thanks, but I'll be fine," I said. Besides, I can't afford to do that right now, I added mentally.

Silenus grunted. "Forgive me, madam.  I, jumped to conclusions."

"I-it's fine," I said. "I'd, better go check on Vinyl.  I'll see you later, I suppose."

With that, I hastily took my leave.  That was far too close.  I have to be more careful.  B-but not paranoid.  No, I can't jump at everything I see.  That won't help.  Let's be rational here.  I have Vinyl's support, and it seems that Mare-Do-Well pony isn't going anywhere anytime soon.  That means I'm safe, right?  I just, have to follow my own advice and be more subtle about the whole thing.  Yeah.

...

Actually, knowing me, that's easier said than done.  Like I said, it's in my nature to worry.  But that same worry is why I have to do this.  Oh Celestia, give me strength...