//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: Meet and Greet // Story: Changing Tune // by Eyeswirl the Weirded //------------------------------// "CRAP!!" Rare was the day that Sonata awoke first, but her exclamation startled both of her companions into jumping from their beds and blearily looking around before settling on the source of the outburst. "What," demanded Aria, irritation clear in her eyes "what's your problem now?!" Sitting on her bed, Sonata held her forehooves to her cheeks in horrified fashion. "We don't have any dresses!!" "Oh," muttered Adagio through a facehoof, "knew I was forgetting something." She saw Aria giving her a confused look. "For the party later tonight? Showing up naked probably won't do us any favors. Perhaps our benefactor can be of assistance here." She wasn't sure why that drew a little groan from Aria. What was the point of having allies if not to exploit what they had to offer? Blueblood himself was welcome to at least try to do the same with them any time. Really. --- A little later that day, the four of them stood in the palace wardrobe, a large room that seemed to be comprised almost entirely of dressers and cabinets. "So," summarized Blueblood, "you left the other world without taking anything with you?" Aria scoffed. "Duh, we weren't exactly loaded and nothing we had over there would have fit our bodies over here, even if we hadn't turned into ponies." "I see." He spoke at a considerably higher volume, "Well, it's certainly a shame you three have nothing to wear to the charity drive tonight." And then he waited, looking quite pleased with himself. He only grinned wider as the sirens looked around, perplexed. Raising an eyebrow, Aria opened her mouth and was immediately silenced when a cloud of black and white blurs rushed past them twice. When it was gone, she, Sonata, and Adagio were all wearing identical dresses save for color. Now garbed in a black tailcoat himself, Blueblood smirked. "Haha, I love doing that." While Adagio and Sonata looked themselves over, Aria couldn't help feeling just a little violated. "You, what, doing what? You have some kinda spell for dressing and undressing ponies?" Sonata's ears perked up. Chuckling, Blueblood shook his head. "Not quite. Certain members of the palace staff have been asked to outfit party guests on short notice so many times, they take pride in doing it this way now. Truth be told, all I probably had to do was whistle." Looking them over himself, he couldn't help finding the maids' choices in dress style to be oddly appropriate for these three. The dresses were svelt, tight-fitting, relatively shiny things, leaving the forelegs essentially bare while covering the hind legs almost entirely, trailing off a little in a long, pointed end under the tail that didn't quite touch the floor. Each was trimmed with light, thin ruffles of soft fabric, traced along the edges of the legholes and leading down to the tip at the end of the dress. Adagio's was purple with a lighter purple trim, Aria's was dark green with purple trim so dark it was nearly black, and Sonata's was maroon with soft pink trim. Aria wanted to complain about some aspect of what just happened, but when she looked at Adagio, she saw a hint of that lewd little oh-you-sneaky-bitch smile of hers. This quickly shifted Aria's priorities to a change of subject. "Uh, okay, so, dresses taken care of." She looked at Blueblood. "Who're we looking for at the shin-dig tonight? "Well..." --- It proved to be a long, somewhat stressful day periodically broken up by complete non-sequiturs as the four worked out exactly what they intended to do. They went over the full list of names of important ponies and distinguished between which held sway over the workings of the city, and some extent of the nation, and which were celebrities that could help move the hearts and minds of the masses with the right manipulations, to give them a push in the wrong direction, as Adagio put it. Eventually, it was time to set off. "Alright," began Blueblood as the four rode in the carriage to Fancy Pants' chateau, "I'd like to go over the general plan one more time." Predictably, Aria let out a sigh of irritation from the seat across from him, but he ignored it. "You all know what to say if somepony asks about your background?" Sitting next to Aria, Sonata recited what had been drilled into her in only around twenty minutes. Twenty-eight if one counts the time spent trying to wrangle derailed instruction back on track. "The heavy implication of disaster back home is a good deflector. Even if ponies want to know, it's a faux pas to pry for details on what is clearly a painful story. In fact, if we play it up in public, we won't have to share anything at all, those nearby more likely to glare the inquisitor into submission than encourage further prodding of details." Adagio loosed a sinister chuckle, but glancing to the seat next to him, Blueblood was almost certain he saw pride in her eyes. They moved to Aria as though issuing a command. "We act casual," she recited while crossing her forelegs, "stick close at first, then spread out as the party gets underway. From there," she couldn't help smiling just a little, "we talk, drink, have a good time, and see how many of the possible candidates discussed earlier we can snare." That the proud look was now directed her way sent a pleasant tingle through Aria's chest, but she hadn't forgotten her role, looking pointedly at Adagio. "And...?" "Ehm," Adagio blinked once, starting to blush, "and, none of us, under any circumstances, are to smile 'like the Queen of the Damned right after a mass suicide,' or laugh in the same way." Smiling, Sonata reached over to pat her shoulder. "Baby steps, Dagi." Puffing out her cheeks in a little pout, Adagio hmph'd and folded her forelegs. "I can't believe that in all the time we've been together, neither of you have ever said anything!" Aria shrugged, looking away. "We've, like, never had to worry about keepin' our cool under cover for a long time before, it's just never really mattered like it does now, y'know?" That, and I think the effort of saying it to your face might have shaved a few years off my life. Not doing it would have bit us in the long run, but still... Blueblood offered his 'date' a sympathetic smile. "I maintain that among the upper-crust of Canterlot, there are more than a few ponies who wear such expressions frequently." Not all the time, nor at such intensity, but still... "Few actually have valid reason to, but you'd likely not have drawn too much attention provided none out of six particular mares ever saw you." "But," sighed Adagio, "it's still better not to take the chance, to come across as nonthreatening as possible, most of all for myself." "At the same time," Sonata added cheerfully, "nopony will take you seriously if you just look like foreleg candy, so no need to act like a brainless hanger-on!" This made Adagio smile too, but before she could reply, the ponified sirens heard Blueblood say something under his breath while gazing out the window. "And praise Auntie for that." After a moment's silence, he turned back to them, looking the tiniest bit abashed. "Haha, sorry, you'll see when we get there. At which point...?" "We stick together for a bit," chirped Sonata. "spread out once things have gotten busy," continued Aria. "and make a point of leaving together so as to avoid appearing too accessible." Adagio finished with what she told herself would have to be her last fiendish chuckle for the evening. "The more hapless nobles we have competing for our attention, the more wealthy aristocrats there are eager to throw their resources at our hooves, the better our odds of destroying that play, the holiday, and the peace of Equestria along with it!" She paused, looking at Blueblood. "Speaking of which...?" "No news yet, I'm afraid, but I'll keep you posted. With any luck, an apparent interest from the royal family will speed things along." "Hm. Well, we'll cross that bridge later. For now-" "Party time!!" Sonata's fellow conspirators gave her unamused, inquisitive stares. She wilted under their gaze, smiling sheepishly. "Haha, I mean, completely tame, not-draw-too-much-attention-y party, time?" Aria would have placed bets on who was the most likely to make them look suspicious, but the only pony in the cab apart from herself and the two prime suspects was Blueblood. --- True to plan, the prince and his three guests walked in as a unit, and already heads were turning. However, this likely had less to do with his having brought three mares to the event and more to do with him having brought anypony at all, to his slight chagrin. Still, ponies were looking their way and whispering, and by the restrained smiles his co-conspirators wore, it seemed they relished the attention, even as they made a show of not holding their heads too high while vacantly looking around. Not wanting to waste any time, Blueblood led them straight to their host for the evening. There he is, thought Blueblood as they approached, Look at him. Smiling, waving, undue cheer exuding from his every tainted pore. I loathe you Fancy Pants. I loathe you with all of my being. "Ah, I say," Fancy Pants indeed said, "Blueblood, old boy, good to see you!" "Likewise." With ALL OF MY BEING. He was, as ever, surrounded by unthinking yes-ponies, though Blueblood honestly couldn't say to what degree he was aware of their nature. Also, Fleur De Lis. Just kind of there. Like always. Blueblood gestured to the trio. "I'd like you to meet Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk." For their part, they did a fine job of looking like ordinary fillies who were just happy to be here. Fancy nodded, smiling. "Pleased to make your acquaintances! Fancival, Ebeneezer Pants at your service, friends call me Fancy." Slightly annoyed that he wasn't kissing her hoof, Adagio hid it behind a smile rehearsed just hours before. Look as though you're apologizing for something or just made some kind of mistake, like the others coached you. She did, the grin coming out almost sheepish as the tiniest blush formed on her cheeks. "Charmed. My companions and I are new in town, so it means a lot that you would welcome us." She had to think humble thoughts to keep from smirking as she nodded to Blueblood. "We've already been blessed with the good fortune to have one pony show us such kindness, but," she added a measured giggle, "w-well, it's nice to see it in others, too." "Quite right," concurred Fancy, just loud enough that all those nearby would hear, "the spirit of benevolence is the heart of tonight's gathering, and I hope it will prove alive and well before the eve's end." "On that note," Blueblood added with an almost disinterested expression, "you can expect the usual stipend delivered within the next hour or so." Fancy smiled. "Crackerjack! Can always count on you to chip in when it counts, Prince Blueblood." Aria caught herself before she could ask how much he gave. Sonata, however, did not. "What's a stipend?" Aagh! Aria internally screamed, You could at least ask the right question, you dunce!! But, as ever, Adagio was there to cover for the slip-up, even remembering to make the new, practiced smile as she chuckled. "A regular payment, Sonata, I suspect our friend here-" she lightly nuzzled the side of Blueblood's face with her own, so quickly and casually that most of those who caught it didn't even react right away, "-is a regular donor to good causes." Mentally noting the few wide-eyed stares they were getting, Blueblood didn't really react to the fleeting embrace either, as though such a thing was already very common between them. "Indeed. I'll refrain from numbers, however." Fancy flashed him a knowing smile. "Afraid to intimidate potential givers?" Blueblood returned it. "No, no, just worried I'll reveal I've not been giving enough!" And then, Sonata noticed, a thing happened. Fancy and Mr. Blueblood started to laugh, the ponies standing near Fancy started to laugh a second later, and Adagio was doing this cute little giggle, way different from her normal thing! It sounded so warm, so voice-cuddly, that Sonata found herself giggling more with the eldest siren than the rich guys' joke. Aria didn't laugh at all, more than happy to maintain the 'cool, aloof' shtick Adagio had recommended for her, but she did form just a tiny smile. When the laughter started to die down, Fancy kept his winning smile. "Well, I shan't keep you, old boy, please enjoy the festivities!" Blueblood externally did the same. "Of course." I hope you fall in a hole and your horn snaps off. He led the sirens away, stopping at a mostly vacant spot near a marble column. "I'll procure beverages, please wait here." When he was gone, Aria looked at Adagio, but kept her voice down. "Not gonna lie, was holding my breath there." That she maintained the 'friendly' smile even as her voice took on a little edge served as a reminder of Adagio's true nature. "Your faith in my abilities is noted." EEK! "W-wait, I didn't mean it like-" "Relax. You figured out flying on the, er, fly, just leave looking soft and approachable to me. In the mean time, you two remember your roles?" "Eh, yea, I'm good." She and Adagio looked to Sonata, who was watching Blueblood visit the hors d'oeuvres table. A quick elbow to the ribs won her attention. "Ah, r-right!" Aria would play cool and hard-to-get, Sonata would be bubbly and talkative, both strategies geared toward making other ponies talk about themselves, to impress or to sate curiosity respectively. All of them knew what to do. Blueblood returned, levitating a little plate bearing four filled wineglasses. In hindsight, I could have asked one of the server ponies to get them for me. I bet Auntie would say it's better to be proactive anyway. Regardless, he spoke when all three of his guests held a glass. "Try not to react too much, but have you seen the eyes directed your way? I counted four nearly gawking at you on the way back alone." It was with a split-second shift of facial muscles that Adagio stopped herself from smirking, instead adopting an almost bashful grin as she fleetingly scanned the eyes that seemed to be directed at her group. "Yes, yes we have." She once again felt pride in her followers as they assumed their roles with natural fluidity, Sonata smiling and waving at some of those looking at her, Aria rolling her eyes and looking away. Adagio could almost see them both picking out targets already, though she herself would meet whoever Blueblood could find to introduce her to. --- A little later, Fancy Pants gathered the room's attention to deliver a short speech about benevolent nature, inspirational ponies, the spirit of generosity, and some other things that few, if any, of those present likely gave a damn about. Soliloquize about your virtues all you like, thought Adagio, but none of it lasts when things go wrong. When it was done, the many guests collectively seemed to breathe out a little, chatting and mingling with more energy than before. The four conspirators in the crowd (well, the four with the most ambitious goal) took this as their cue, Blueblood taking Adagio to make a few particular acquaintances, Sonata wandering off in no apparent direction, and Aria casually standing by the column, looking as though nothing in the room interested her beyond the refilled glass she swiveled in a hoof. Alone, the purple pegasus resisted the urge to smile about being able to spend most of this thing away from Blueblood. Adagio was more than welcome to keep him busy all night, or at least away from her. Judging by how he barely responded to anything she said today, the feeling was probably mutual. She did worry a little about Sonata, though, which at least made keeping a small frown of boredom easier. Looking around, she didn't see what she would never admit aloud was her favorite unicorn (it was a damn short list), but she did catch sight of a jazz band setting up on the far side of the room. This made her bored frown shift to an agitated scowl. "Why hello there!" Aria contained her reaction to simply turning her head just enough to catch sight of the speaker, a tall-ish, thin, beige unicorn with a short, blonde mane and white glasses. And some kind of stupid sweater. Remember, small statements, short answers to any questions, make them work to get every word out of you. Meanwhile, she'd hope Sonata didn't do anything stupid while working the opposite angle; talking a lot without really saying anything. "Yea?" He smiled. "My name is Trenderhoof, but you can call me Trend." She barely tilted her head enough to qualify it as a nod, her eyes going right back to her drink. Swish. Swish. The hard part was not smiling at all as she practically heard him looking at her in surprise. Even without her gem, she could almost feel his little sense of disappointment at losing her attention so soon, along with the momentum of his confidence as he readied the second attempt. "So, what brings you to the big drive tonight?" Not looking away from the glass she was lightly twirling around, she shrugged. "Here with friends." "Oh," he said with a little chuckle, "well, I'm here on my own. That's my style, intrepid reporter, braving the scene alone! I'm not a reporter, though, I'm more of a journalist!" He writes for someone, Aria noted, gets the word on something out somewhere. That could be useful. Adagio might want this guy for something. She granted him eye-contact, not missing the way he perked up a little when she did. Oh, good, and he's easy to read! "That right?" He brightened a little further. "Ohh, most certainly! You see, I go out into the world to find untapped greatness, the unnoticed, the unappreciated, the unduly obscure, and bring it to the limelight for everypony to embrace!" Aria kept her bored expression. "Mmhm. And?" "And, well," he answered with a little chuckle, "you strike me as a very interesting pony. What is your name, my lady?" She made him wait the better part of ten seconds as she slowly scanned the room for nothing whatsoever, as though internally debating whether to continue the conversation or just walk off without another word. "Aria Blaze." His grin held strong. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, Aria Blaze! Do you prefer 'Aria,' 'Miss Blaze,' just 'Blaze,' or 'Miss Aria'? Is there a preferred nickname?" Feeling only a little sadistic, the only answer she gave was a shrug, the motion so small she was worried she'd have to address him verbally to say she didn't care. Luckily, he ventured a guess, fear and desperation building in his eyes. "May I call you Miss Blaze?" A tiny smile was used to signal that his choice was acceptable, and it was written all over his face that that was what he was thinking as she gave him a subtle nod. Truth be told, she'd have given the same reaction to anything but maybe "Miss Aria," because somehow it sounded like "Miss Frilly Teacups" to her. "Wonderful," he exclaimed with renewed hope and vigor, "you know, your style reminds me a little of the Goth look, a movement by disaffected Manehattan fillies; shaded, but urban, composed on the outside, but untamed beneath! It doesn't see a lot of wear around these parts, which I feel is a travesty." Something about the light, airy, almost poetic way he spoke told Aria that deep down, this guy was a sissy. "It fits city life very well, you know? That repressed, hurting attitude bubbling under the stressful hum-drum of one's busy day, pain of the spirit cast aside and ignored before the go-go-go that is an urban living! But you, Miss Blaze, you wear it so keenly as to stand as the very embodiment of Goth! From the style of your dress, to the wear of your mane, to the chilling hold of your gaze, the very image of dark allure!" Aria gave him a little smile, but more because she was cracking a rib trying not to laugh than out of appreciation for the comment. Five minutes. Five minutes with the real Adagio and this guy would rethink everything he's ever known about 'dark allure.' That might actually get to happen. Once they didn't need him anymore (if at all) and could afford to let loose, she would pay good money to see her eat this sucker alive. But until then, she would have to hear him talk, let him get invested in her, and report to Adagio later. "But enough observation, what can you tell me of your sad, sullen song?" In a feat of perfect coincidence, she clenched her teeth a little and gave him a hard stare, which was roughly what he may have been hoping for. Keeping her lid on, she glanced away. "What's to tell?" This seemed to encourage him. "Ohh, so much said with so few words! You are a fascinating individual, Miss Blaze!" Somehow, she was starting to regret this.