Friends With a Spy

by cakestealer

Chapter 21 : The Hunt Continues

After being kicked out of the metal shop, Derpy had to make a plan.

Vinyl is right, something was off about that mare. The question is, what do we do about it?

“Okay, Vinyl and Octavia, I think we all can tell that there was some suspiciousness surrounding that mare. I think what we’re going to have to do is risky. I’ll let you decide if you want to join in.”

“What are we doing?” Vinyl asked.

“I was about to explain.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It's okay Vinyl. Anyway, what I think we’re going to have to do is break into the metal shop. At night whenever the mare closes up shop we’ll be able to get in and look for whatever it is we’re looking for.”

“That’s awesome! We get to break into somepony’s store!”

“Vinyl be quiet!” Octavia said. “We are outside in case you don't remember.”

“Oh, yeah, that would have been bad if somepony had heard me. I got to be more careful.”

“Vinyl we have to be silent and sneaky. Just because we’re breaking in doesn’t mean that you can destroy everything. In fact you shouldn't touch anything at all.”

“Okay, fine. I want do anything when we’re in the metal shop. Are we done interrogating ponies now?”

“Yep. That’s all the questioning for now. What do you guys want to do now?”

“We haven’t had lunch yet.” Octavia pointed out.

“I agree with her we should go get lunch.” Vinyl said.

With that, they went out to go get lunch. The place they went to was one Vinyl recommended, a pizza place that she had apparently gone to before. It had very small pizzas to huge ones that were about 3 horseshoes wide. They also had a bar in the back where a few stallions were sitting. They chose a table and sat down. It was a round wooden table that sat 4 ponies and had a napkin holder in the middle. Derpy looked around the restaurant and saw lots of pictures of pizza and happy ponies who had their pictures all put up on a wall. The brick walls and lighting gave the restaurant a homely feel. A mare came to their table to order their pizza and drinks. The only weird part was that the waitress was Cherry Charm.

“Cherry what are you doing here?” Derpy asked.

“This is where I work.” Cherry said.

“Oh, well you learn more every day I guess.”

“Can I have your guys’s order?”

“Oh, sure, I forgot. I think we’ll have the cheese and veggie pizza.”

“Okay, and for drinks?”

“I’ll have the cola.” Derpy said.

“I’ll have a fizzy raspberry.” Vinyl spoke up.

“I think I’m going to go with the carbonated lemonade.” Octavia lastly said.

“Okay I’ll go get those for you.” Cherry replied.

She smiled and walked away, came back with their drinks, and left to go wait for their pizza. Vinyl held her head in her hoof and leaned on the table. Octavia sat with a straight back waiting silently. Derpy decided to spark a conversation.

“What do you guys want to do after lunch?”

“I was thinking we would just go home.” Octavia said.

“What? No, let’s have fun!” Vinyl exclaimed. “We should go to the arcade!”

“The arcade?”

“Yeah, that place is fun. You get to play a bunch of games and get tickets that you can use to buy stuff with, like giant stuffed bears.”

“Vinyl I know how an arcade works. Contrary to what you seem to believe I do have fun.”

“Well, why don’t you want to go then?”

“I never said I didn’t want to go Vinyl.”

Derpy interrupted and asked, “We are going then?”

“Sure, I’m up for it.” Octavia replied.

Vinyl let out a cheer and suddenly remembered they were in a restaurant. She scrunched her head in and shrugged, clearly embarrassed. Octavia and Derpy both chuckled quietly, trying not to attract any more attention.

“Who knew you were so enthusiastic about arcades Vinyl?” Octavia whispered.

They all laughed about that one. After a while Cherry brought back their pizza and they dug in. The pizza was really good. Once they were done eating and had paid they all left the pizza parlor to go to the arcade.

That was delicious. Who knew pizza could be so good? We need to go back another time.

Once they started walking Octavia asked, “Vinyl do you actually know where the arcade is? I don’t want to wander around in circles for three hours.”

“Yeah, I know where it is. I just have to figure out how to get there from here.”

“Do think you’ll be able to get there from here Vinyl? Should we just stop and ask somepony for directions?”

“Nah, I got it Octy. I don’t think it’s too far from here.”

Since Vinyl said she knew what she was doing Derpy and Octavia kept following her. They walked down a hill and turned left. Vinyl then led them back up a different street. They slowly walked up a hill, dreading each and every moment. They passed buildings they had never seen before and streets they had never heard of. Finally Vinyl stopped and stared up at a fluorescent sign.

“We’re here.” Vinyl declared.

“Oh thank Celestia.” Octavia sighed.

“That took a while Vinyl. Remember how you said it wasn't too far from the pizza place?” Derpy added.

“Okay, I admit it was a little further than I remembered. That just makes it more exciting for us to finally get here.”

Vinyl ran inside and Derpy and Octavia followed. Immediately Derpy’s vision went insane. Her eyes had to adjust to the darkness inside the arcade. They traded some bits with an employee to get coins to use with the arcade machines. Derpy followed Octavia and Vinyl into the game room and all she could see was neon colors and darkness, as this room was even darker than the entrance. Once she could see again Derpy split off from Octavia and Vinyl to go play a machine. She went over to a fun looking game where you played as a square and had to avoid other squares coming down which got faster and faster.

Where do I put the coin in? I don’t see a slot here-oh wait here it is.

She put a coin into the machine and got ready to play. A button on the left to move left and a button on the right to move right. Derpy narrowed her eyebrows. The blocks started falling. Left, right, left again, farther left, back right. The speed increased and a bead of sweat dripped down the side of Derpy’s head. She sensitively pressed each button, making sure to keep track of her block, the closest blocks, and the next movements she should make. After playing for around five minutes, blocks hurling past her at the speed of a car, she finally got hit. Derpy anxiously waited for her score to appear. The machine lit up with flashing lights and proclaimed “High score!”

“Yes!” Derpy yelled out.

Derpy decided to go fix her mane, which was now in complete disarray after closely thrashing onto the buttons on the machine. She spotted what she thought was a restroom across the gaming room.

I hope they have mirrors.

Derpy passed ponies playing on different games.

Some of those games look pretty fun. I should go try them out after I fix my mane. Wow, who knew that there would be so many ponies here?

Derpy pushed open the door to the bathroom and it swung shut behind her. Luckily there was a mirror. Just before Derpy could start fixing her mane a sudden thud was heard behind her. Derpy whipped around to see a mare standing there who looked up and lunged at her. Derpy jumped to her right just in time. The mare grabbed the counter and flipped backwards onto it. She jumped down at Derpy with her hoof out revealing some sort of horseshoe with a device attached that crackled with electricity. Derpy again jumped out of the way just in time again. The mare punched a hole in the stall door and landed on the floor. Derpy tried to jump down and land on the mare but she rolled to the side right before Derpy did any damage. The mare grabbed Derpy’s leg with the hoof that didn’t have the horseshoe and flipped her backwards. Luckily Derpy was no stranger to hoof to hoof combat and landed successfully, only to look up and see the mare charging at her with the electric horseshoe flying at her face. Derpy ducked and pushed the mare’s legs making her fall forwards. Smashing into the sink her skull went. The mare fell onto the ground, knocked out.

Well that was unexpected. Great, what do I do about her body now? Is she even alive?

Derpy checked the mare’s pulse. She was still alive. Derpy pulled up a contact page for P.O.N.E. on her watch and explained what happened. Somepony instantly replied and said that they would send an agent to “take care of a delivery” and to just make sure to hide the mare’s body in a stall and make sure she didn’t wake up. Derpy watched the mare making sure she didn’t wake up and finally an agent came and took her away in a shipping box.

All I wanted to do was fix my mane.

Author's Note:

Well, NaPoWriMo ends the night after tomorrow. If you think I can do it please feel free to tell me so.