//------------------------------//
// At the Gala (O) 
// Story: My Little Investigations: Marehunter 
// by Metool Bard 
//------------------------------//


December 13, 7:20 PM
Canterlot Castle
West Garden
***


"Octy~!"

"What?"

"I'm bored~!"

I had to groan and roll my eyes. "Honestly, Vinyl.  We've only been here for twenty minutes."

"See?  Twenty minutes and I'm already bored out of my skull," Vinyl Scratch griped.

"Oh, just give it a chance," I said. "You've been to the Gala before.  You know it's not that bad."

Vinyl deadpanned. "Maybe you're not aware of this Tavi, but it's common knowledge that the Grand Galloping Gala sucks.  It sucks, it has always sucked, and it will continue to suck as long as these snooty ponies constantly act like they have massive forks shoved up their flanks."

I arched an eyebrow. "I've seen you come here on your own accord, Vinyl.  Why would you do that if it's so bad?"

"Well, duh!  It's to support your band!" said Vinyl. "You know I'm always down for that.  But since you guys aren't performing this year, I've got no reason to be here."

I massaged the bridge of my nose with my hoof. "First of all, it's called an ensemble, and you know it," I growled. "Secondly, while I am disappointed that my ensemble isn't performing this year, you must admit that Lyra has been doing a splendid job thus far."

"Yeah, Lyra's cool and all, but she's not my roommate," said Vinyl. "I don't have the same obligation to her that I have to you.  Thus, I still don't have a good reason to be here other than you forcing me to be here."

I will admit that Vinyl might have a point here, if only because her constant complaining is causing ponies to stare at us.  If this keeps up, it will indeed be a long night.

"Vinyl, for my sake, please stop acting like a child and behave yourself," I pleaded. "A little bit of high-class culture isn't going to hurt you."

Vinyl suddenly gripped her chest and fell to the ground. "Ooh~!  It hurts, Octy!  It hurts~!" she whined melodramatically.

Ugh, I walked right into that one. "Vinyl, I am begging you at this point.  I could've given my second ticket to the Gala to anypony, and I decided to give it to you.  Do not make me regret that decision, or there will be consequences when we get home."

"Yeah, refresh my memory, Octy.  Why did you give the ticket to me again?" asked Vinyl, getting to her feet. "You know I'm not into this prissy, froo-froo stuff."

"Because I wanted to spend this evening with somepony who's special to me," I said.

"And I guess Fred, BB, and Harpo didn't make the cut, huh?" said Vinyl. "Pfft, lucky them."

"They already had tickets to the Gala, Vinyl."

"Then what about Fiddlesticks?  She's your sister, isn't she?"

"I would've asked her if I knew where she was.  You know how she likes to travel around."

"So, you basically chose me because you had nopony else to give the ticket to."

"That and I'm apparently a glutton for punishment," I said with a sigh.

"Yep, you sure are," Vinyl chuckled.

I gave Vinyl a dirty look.  I'm used to her verbal jabs against me, but that one was uncalled for.  Vinyl got the message and immediately sobered up.

"Uh, yeah.  Sorry, Octy," she said sheepishly. "I'll, try to behave myself."

"You'll try," I parroted.

"That's the best I can offer you, Tavi," Vinyl said with a shrug. "Take it or leave it."

The sad thing is that this offer really is the best she can do.  Restraint isn't really something that comes naturally to Vinyl, after all.

"Alright, I'll take it," I said. "But don't do anything too crazy."

"Heh, no promises," said Vinyl with a wink.

I simply sighed and continued to walk around, seeing if there were any appetizing hors d'oeurves on offer.  We were just passing the special VIP lounge when Vinyl suddenly stopped.

"Oh, what now?" I groaned, turning to see what got her attention.

As it turns out, she was looking over at the table where the Wonderbolts were gathered.  I quickly figured out why, and I began to feel a sense of dread.

"Vinyl, don't," I hissed.

"What?" said Vinyl, giving me a cocky grin.

"You know what!" I whispered.

"Look, she probably doesn't want to be here any more than I do," said Vinyl. "If anything, I'd be cutting her a break."

I suppose that was a fair point, although the look on Vinyl's face didn't ease my worries.

"At least get her attention in a way that doesn't involve you making a scene," I said.

"Don't worry, I got this," said Vinyl, turning to the Wonderbolts' table and cupping her hooves over her mouth. "YO, SPITSHINE!"

That, was the exact opposite of what I just told her.  Sometimes, I don't even know why I bother.

"Nice going, Vinyl," I growled through gritted teeth. "Now everypony here thinks you're a boorish fool."

"And that changes stuff how, exactly?" said Vinyl with a laugh.

"I suppose it doesn't, does it?"

I swallowed as a third voice made its way into the conversation.  I slowly turned around to see who it was.  Sure enough, it was Spitfire, the captain of the Wonderbolts.  She flew right in front of us with her forelegs folded and a stern look on her face.

"You got that right," said Vinyl, still laughing about the whole thing. "Good to see ya, Spitshine.  I didn't know they were letting ratty old mules into the VIP lounge."

"Ha ha, very funny," said Spitfire sardonically.  Slowly, a small smile crossed her face as she landed and gave Vinyl a hug. "Didn't think I'd see you here, Scratch."

"Yeah, well.  I got dragged to this bore-fest by the ole ball and chain over here," said Vinyl, pointing at me.

"I see," said Spitfire with a giggle as she released Vinyl. "Hey, Octavia."

"Um, hello, Ms. Spitfire," I said.  Oddly enough, she didn't seem to be all that mad.  I honestly keep forgetting how easy-going and informal she is.

You might know about this if you follow our radio broadcast on K-COLT Radio, but if you don't, I suppose I should explain something.  Spitfire is actually one of Vinyl's oldest friends.  Actually, Spitfire was probably the only friend Vinyl had growing up.  Vinyl always had an abrasive personality, and you really need the patience of a saint to get along with her.  But once you have that, you come to realize that she is actually quite a sweetheart.  I suppose that's why Spitfire put up with her for all that time.  Heck, it's why I put up with her now.

"So, what's up, Vinyl?" asked Spitfire.

"Oh, you know.  The usual," said Vinyl with a shrug. "By the way, that air show we saw coming in was just as rad as ever."

"Well, we try," Spitfire chuckled. "Glad you enjoyed it, Vinyl."

"No prob," said Vinyl. "Hey, uh, Spitshine?  Just between you and me, are you as bored as I am right now?"

"Vinyl~!" I scolded.  Spitfire simply laughed.

"Don't sweat it, Octavia.  She actually has a point," she said. "I only tolerate this little shindig because it's a great place to mingle with fans like you guys.  That and the Wonderbolts are obligated to perform at the Gala every year."

"Sheesh, tough break," said Vinyl, taking Spitfire's hooves in her own and bowing her head. "You have my deepest condolences."

"Eh, it's not so bad," said Spitfire with a shrug.  She then looked over at the table where she was sitting and frowned. "Although I feel like you just made this night a bit longer for me."

I looked to the table and saw that one of the Wonderbolts was laughing hysterically.  The Wonderbolt in question actually looked very much like Spitfire.  Same yellow coat; same orange mane.  The only differences were that she was a bit smaller in build, and her mane didn't have the same fiery streak in it that Spitfire's did.

"Who's that?" asked Vinyl.

Spitfire sighed. "I really hoped I could go through life without you two crossing paths, but it seems my hoof has been forced," she said, turning to the table. "Hey, Blaze!  Get your act together and come over here!"

The laughing Wonderbolt straightened up and flew over to us, still giggling all the while.  Spitfire sighed and shook her head.

"C'mon, Blaze.  It really wasn't that funny," she growled.

"Oh, man.  She just, just— Ehahahaha," chuckled the Wonderbolt, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Yeah, yeah.  Yuk it up," said Spitfire, rolling her eyes before turning to me and Vinyl. "Guys, this here's my kid sister, Blaze."

"I can see the resemblance," said Vinyl, holding out her hoof. "I'm Vinyl Scratch.  Maybe you've heard of me."

"H-hang on," said Blaze, trying to contain herself. "I-I just gotta save that one for the archives."

Something tells me I don't want to know what that means.  Something else tells me that I'm about to find out, anyway.

"Okay, I'm good," said Blaze, taking a few deep breaths.  She looked up and immediately did a double take. "Whoa!  Who knew DJ P0N-3 was rocking this party?"

"Don't get too excited, Blaze.  She's not here to perform," said Spitfire.

Blaze's expression drooped. "Aw, ponyfeathers.  Maybe that would've actually made this Gala worthwhile."

"Hey, I'm right there with you, buddy," said Vinyl. "I'm only here because of Octy."

"Th-that would be me," I said, trying to steer this conversation into more appropriate territory. "I'm Octavia Melody, cellist for the Canterlot Ensemble.  It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Blaze."

"Nice to meet you, too," said Blaze with a smile. "I actually listen to your stuff on K-COLT all the time.  You guys are funny."

"We aim to please," said Vinyl. "So, you know that Spitshine and I used to hang out, right?"

"Pfft~.  Yeah," said Blaze, stifling another laugh. "Although I was not expecting you to call her out like that in front of everypony."

"That's because you don't know Vinyl Scratch like I do," I said.

Vinyl snickered. "Aw, lighten up, Tavi.  It's all in good fun."

"Maybe so, but you just gave my little sister some more ammunition to use against me," said Spitfire with a pout. "Thanks a lot, Vinyl."

"No problem," said Vinyl with a snarky grin.

"Wait, isn't Ms. Blaze a Wonderbolt?" I asked. "That means you outrank her, right?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't stop her from being a pain in the flank sometimes," said Spitfire. "Kid sisters are obnoxious like that."

"Hey!" Blaze snapped in mock indignation.

"Oh, c'mon.  You know as well as I do that it's true," said Spitfire with a snigger before turning back to us. "Anyway, that's why I was hoping you and Blaze wouldn't cross paths like this, Vinyl.  She's annoying enough without getting help from you."

Again, I was surprised that Spitfire was keeping her cool throughout the whole ordeal.  Then again, I've never really seen her get mad.  I suppose it's because I don't see her as often as other ponies do.

"Well, them's the breaks sometimes, Spitshine," said Vinyl with a shrug. "That being said, your little sister's pretty cool.  I bet she has plenty of awesomely embarrassing stories about you."

"Vinyl, don't you think she's been through enough?" I said.

"I don't!" chirped Blaze.

"W-well, you don't count!" I sputtered.

Spitfire let out a hearty laugh. "Heh, you guys are just as crazy as ever."

"Hey, you know you like it," said Vinyl with a smirk.

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Scratch," said Spitfire. "Anyways, we'd better get going.  You never know when somepony's gonna want a photo-op with us.  Later."

"Yeah, seeya," said Vinyl with a wave. "And it was nice to meetcha, Blaze."

"Same here," said Blaze with sinister smirk. "And hey, after the Gala, I'm still willing to share those embarrassing stories about my sister."

"Keep it up, Blaze, and I'll tell them about the dragon attack in Ponyville," said Spitfire, raising an eyebrow.

Blaze gulped. "Okay, shutting up now," she whimpered. "S-seeya."

She flew off back to the table.  Spitfire snickered and shook her head.

"She can dish it out, but she sure can't take it," she said before looking up. "Whoop!  Looks like they're starting the photo-ops already.  Gotta jet!"

With that, she took off like a shot.

"Well, that was fun," said Vinyl. "It's always nice to see ole Spitshine, even at a boring place like this."

"I, suppose," I said. "Come, let's head inside.  I want to hear more of Lyra."

"Sure, sure," said Vinyl.  There was a brief pause before she gave me a knowing smirk. "Say, Octy?"

I sighed. "What?"

"You're only here to listen to Lyra, aren't you?"

I shook my head. "Don't be ridiculous, Vinyl.  Unlike you, I love the Grand Galloping Gala.  I, for one, can appreciate the sophistication and prestige of this event."

"Yeah, right," said Vinyl, nudging me with her elbow. "You're not that snooty, Tavi.  I know you're not.  Maybe a real square like Symphony would like it here, but you have your snootiness limits."

"Vinyl, if you don't stop making me regret bringing you here, you're going to be sleeping on the couch for the next moon and a half," I warned.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but first you gotta throw 'em," said Vinyl in a singsong voice.

Ugh, she is so immature sometimes.  I need this like I need somepony ramming into me.

"Ammy!  Ammy, where are— oof!"

You know, I really should've seen this coming.  No sooner had I thought that than I was tackled to the ground by some random pony.

"Omigosh, are you alright?" asked the attacker, holding out her hoof to me. "I'm really really sorry.  I didn't see you there."

"Nngh, it's fine," I said, getting to my feet.  I saw that the pony who rammed into me was a grey pegasus with a lazy eye wearing a blue dress decorated with bubbles.  I've actually seen her a few times before.  She's Derpy Hooves; a mailmare by trade.  I get packages from her every so often, but that's the extent of our relationship.  Though what she's doing at the Grand Galloping Gala, I have no idea.

"Heya, Derpy," said Vinyl. "You looking for somepony?"

"Kinda," said Derpy, brushing the back of her head. "I came here with my daughter, but I wandered off and got lost.  If you see a pony named Amethyst Star, could you tell her that I'm outside looking for her?"

"Um, sure," I said. "But, why did you wander off?"

"I heard there were gonna be muffins here, so I'm trying to find them," said Derpy. "But all I found were a bunch of gross english muffins.  Blech~!"

I didn't have the heart to tell her that those were the muffins that were promised. "Well, good luck with your search, Ms. Hooves.  We'll let your daughter know you're here."

"Yeah, thanks," said Derpy with a salute before taking off into the air again.

"Y'know, I'm actually starting to get used to this," said Vinyl. "I wonder what other crazy stuff is gonna happen tonight."

"Probably a lot, considering that you're here," I said dryly.

Vinyl smirked. "Ah-ha."

I blinked in confusion. "Ah-ha what?"

"You brought me here so that you wouldn't get bored.  Admit it."

That was, actually somewhat true.  I like the Gala, but sometimes it can be a bit, dull.  I don't notice it as much when I'm performing, but when I'm simply another guest, I have to admit that Vinyl's claims are not entirely unfounded.  However, I refuse to give her the satisfaction of saying that to her face (and you won't tell her, either).

"Don't push it, Vinyl," I said, hiding my face so that she wouldn't see that I was blushing.

Vinyl seemed to catch on anyway and shrugged. "Whatever you say, Octy," she said as we made our way into the castle.