~Fillydelphia, 2 years ago~
A silhouette trotted across the streets of the city, harboring things that could be crucial to the national security of Equestria. The silhouette was cloaked, but it seemed to have magic powers. But, the pony was being followed.
"I know you're there! Give me the bag, and we both get out of this," a voice said to the silhouette. It seemed to be coming from a young mare, a young adult mare. The mare stepped out, revealing herself to be a pink unicorn with a wavy brunette mane and tail. She was wearing a skin-tight form of gear, including a few weapons.
"Why do you want this, agent?" the cloaked pony said to the young mare, on a mission to get the items in the bag.
"You know why," the mare said. "The things in that bag are crucial to Equestria's security basis. It's my mission to retrieve those items and return them to the right place. Now, hand. It. OVER!"
The silhouette tried to run, only to be stopped by multiple earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi, all dressed similar to the mare who had confronted her. Another pony, this time a stallion, grabbed the saddle bag off the mysterious figure, and the mare removed the pony's cloak. She looked down at a photograph, showing a unicorn mare with a turquoise mane, yellow body, and a cutie mark showing a sapphire over a magnifying glass. The mare looked up to the pony that was in the cloak, and saw the same pony.
"Yep, this is her, Agent Trace," the mare said to the stallion who removed the saddle bag. The earth pony stallion, Golden Trace, had a pale blue, almost grey, body color, with a golden mane that had brief spots of white, and a cutie mark of a traced pencil.
"Good. Sapphire Clue, you are under arrest by the Strategic Plan for Enforcement and Logic League for the burglary of national Equestrian data." Golden Trace said to the thief, sending her to a containment place before she could be properly detained in a facility. "Well, Agent Song, I don't know how we could have caught her without you,"
"It was nothing, just basic work, Trace." the agent mare said to the stallion. The mare, Lala Song, was a fellow agent from Ponyville, where she lived an average life when she wasn't on missions. "Listen, there's um, something I need to tell you."
"Sure, Lala. What is it?" her partner asked.
"Um, I'm leaving the agency, Trace," Lala said. "I just think I need to live a real average life. I can't do it here. I'm going back to Ponyville tomorrow morning. Um, this was my last case."
Golden Trace dropped his jaw in shock to his partner's news. "Lala, why didn't you tell me sooner? You didn't bother to tell me that you were quitting the agency?"
"Golden, I wanted to tell you, but I didn't want it to effect this case. I didn't want you to look at this any differently." Lala said reluctantly. "I'm sorry."
"Just, promise me one thing, Lala," Golden said. "Keep in touch with me, so I know you're safe. I don't want bad things happening to you. Promise?"
Lala nodded her head. "Of course."
~Ponyville, Present Day~
The sun had been up for about a half an hour over Ponyville before Lala had finally opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom on the third level of her home, which was also the music shop, Sweet Beats, which she co-owned and ran with her best friend, Melody Clef. Melody had been practically a sister to Lala, almost as if she was her long-lost twin. But, Lala already had two sisters, her older sister Torch, a member of the Ponytones, and her younger sister Tia, who was commonly wrecking havoc with the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Lala, however, lived with Melody, one of the few ponies (other than her family) who knew her past life in S.P.E.L.L. Melody understood that she wanted to keep it secret, so they agreed to not tell anyone but her family and her coltfriend, Noteworthy. When Lala had first told him, he was shocked, but Lala knew that he could be trusted with the secret. However, some of Lala's closest friends didn't even know the secret. One of her other best friends, Butterscotch Savoury, a member of the Lunar Guard, didn't know about Lala's past life. Lala wasn't surprised that Butterscotch didn't know, since she had only joined the Lunar Guard recently, and she wouldn't find out about S.P.E.L.L. for some time. Lala had decided to let Butterscotch find out her past for herself, since she would eventually.
Lala found the fresh smell of banana nut muffins from Sugarcube Corner, most likely the freshest batch Melody could get after Derpy did her usual morning muffin rampage. Lala came down the steps to the second level, the kitchen and living area, where Melody was keeping the muffins from Sugarcube Corner warm.
"Mmm. Mrs. Cake make a new batch when you got there this morning?" Lala asked.
"Actually, no," Melody said. "I got the first batch. Got there before Derpy's muffin-pocalypse began. Pinkie gave me these personally. Said that they were specifically for you. I know how much you love banana nut muffins, so Pinkie snagged these for me."
"Great. I'm starving." Lala said. She levitated a muffin with her blue magic grasp and took the wrapper off, then took a bite.
"So, how'd you sleep?" Melody asked.
"Terribly." Lala replied. "I had another S.P.E.L.L. dream. About that last case I worked before I left. I guess just this whole thing with what happened during that call the other night is what's been triggering it."
“What is it with this call that’s bugging you? I bet it’s just Golden Trace trying to get caught up with you.” Melody explained. “You never know.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” Lala said nervously. “I can almost assure you that he doesn’t want to just chat.”
“Well, whatever he wants, just be nice. We don’t need another first day back mishap.” Melody reminded. She was speaking of what happened Lala’s first day back to Ponyville after she left S.P.E.L.L. Lala didn’t like to be reminded of it, because she nearly killed her sister, Tia. Lala was fifteen at the time, and Tia was ten. Lala accidentally shot one of her arrows in her quiver and it nearly hit Tia, so after that, Lala kept her old S.P.E.L.L. gear in a safe where a limited few knew the code to unlock it.
She had a close circle of friends, some of which are either current or ex-S.P.E.L.L. agents. However, her closest friends barely even knew about S.P.E.L.L.; the only ones really knowing anything were Melody and Noteworthy. Melody had been there to see Lala be recruited for S.P.E.L.L., watching her board the train to leave. Once Lala had started her relationship with Noteworthy, they had made an agreement not to keep secrets from each other, which lead to her telling him about S.P.E.L.L. He wasn’t jealous when she told her about her ex-partner, Golden Trace, who was like a big brother to her. He had no reason to be jealous either, since Golden was five years older than the two of them.
Lala had been thinking so hard she didn’t even realize Melody had spoken to her again. “What was that?” Lala asked.
“I said, just relax. If anything, you could talk to Captain Atlantean about Butterscotch. I know you want to tell her.” Melody explained.
“I already have that scheduled, Mel.” Lala said. “I’m going to talk to him, and if he says no, I will eventually tell her myself.”
“Good luck.” Melody said, putting the leftover muffins away. “I’m gonna go down and set up. You want to help out today?”
Lala hadn’t worked in the store since Golden had called her. She wanted to accept, but she honestly couldn’t focus on her job when she had other matters weighing on her hooves. “I can’t,” she replied, “I have um, packing to do, since I will be in Canterlot overnight.”
“Okay,” Melody sighed. Melody had wished she would’ve said yes. Fortunately, there weren’t usually many customers in the shop, but every once and a while, there would be a pony or two who would come in. Melody made her way down to the shop to set up before opening. Melody had thought of the time she had spent worrying while Lala was away. This time was no different.
Lala didn’t go back to her room to pack. She immediately dashed out of the kitchen window and landed face-first on the ground below her. And, she didn’t even see Rainbow Dash walking by.
“Woah, you okay there, Lala?” Rainbow asked.
Lala, still face-down on the dirt road, replied, “I’m good.” It was muffled, so she wasn’t sure if Rainbow had heard her or not.
“Okay, if you say so,” Rainbow replied. She started trotting away, just as Lala was getting up. Lala began walking over to the Hay Burger. Sure, she loved hayburgers, but that wasn’t the reason she was headed over there. She had to meet a close friend, an ally. Once she arrived, she sat in a booth with none other that Butterscotch’s coltfriend, Audiofilly.
“You came alone, right?” Audio asked.
“Nobody but myself,” Lala answered.
“Good.”
“So, what is this about, Audio? S.P.E.L.L.? Butterscotch? Golden’s phone call?” Lala asked.
“The answer is D, all of the above.” he said. “First up, Butterscotch.”
“I really don’t want to have the whole ‘Butterscotch is going to know eventually so just let her find out naturally.’ talk again." Lala said.
"I'm not here to give you that speech, Lala. I'm here to tell you that I can't keep the charade up much longer around Butterscotch. You know as much as I do that we can't keep this up for much longer."
"I agree. That's why I'm going to talk to Cap. Atlantean when I head to Canterlot tomorrow."
"Can you handle him? He's pretty stubborn when it comes to his guards.”
“I dealt with a group of S.C.A.L.E. officers for over two weeks. I can handle a meeting with Atlantean.”
Audio rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to recall Lala’s case with a group of agents from the Strategic Center for Aid and Law Enforcement, or S.C.A.L.E. He assumed as much she was making a point, so he went along with her idea, and continued.
“What about Trace?” he asked, trying to change the subject.
“I’m meeting him for dinner tomorrow. Let’s hope he just wants to chat.” Lala answered, speaking with a concerned look. “The last thing I need is to be leaving my friends and family again for another life-or-death mission.”
As Lala said that, Audio’s hPhone beeped. Lala knew what that beep meant: a mission. Audio looked at his phone. “Lala…”
“You have a mission. You better get packed for Canterlot. Stop by my hotel if you have time.” Lala explained.
Audio nodded and waved his hoof as he said goodbye to his friend. Lala waved back, and purchased a hot chocolate to go. Once she received her order, she paid and left, walking back to Sweet Beats.
The next day, Lala had her bags packed for Canterlot and prepared to leave.
“Call me when you get there, Lala. ‘Kay?” Melody requested.
Lala giggled. “I will, Mel. Take good care of the store.”
Melody nodded her head and waved goodbye as Lala walked out the front door. as she was walking to the train station, she ran into Butterscotch.
“Lala, hey!” Butterscotch squealed with delight. “I’m free this afternoon, maybe we can hang out?”
Lala had to tell Butterscotch no, even though she wanted to say yes. “Sorry, Butterscotch, I can’t. I’m headed to Canterlot on business and I won’t be back until tomorrow. I’m sorry.”
Lala could see the disappointment in Butterscotch’s eyes. “Are you having some sort of secret rendezvous with Audio? He left for Canterlot last night. I saw you two yesterday at the Hay Burger. Is he cheating on me with you?”
“No, Butterscotch,” Lala assured. “We were just two friends talking, that’s all. He got a call while we were there to come to Canterlot ASAP. Important matters. And, as for me, well, I have tour details to handle.”
“Alrighty,” Butterscotch said. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”
“Yep, bye.” Lala and Butterscotch waved goodbye to each other before Lala made her way to the train station. The train arrived shortly after Lala, and she boarded the train.
hPhone in hoof, she thought out loud. “Atlantean, please say yes. And Golden, please don’t bring me back.”
And in that moment, Lala hoped her world would change for the better, not for the worse.
~Ponyville, two hours later~
Butterscotch had sat in Sugarcube Corner, drowning her sorrows in butterscotch candies. Mrs. Cake had made a deal with Butterscotch: In exchange for using Sugarcube Corner’s confectionary, she gave them some of the butterscotch candy to sell in the shop. Bon Bon had always told her that even she couldn’t make butterscotch candies like Butterscotch, and and considering that Bon Bon is the best confectioner in Ponyville, that is saying something. However, Butterscotch’s afternoon visit to the shop was anything but cheerful. Since she had a light caseload with the Lunar Guard, her alternate outlook was making some butterscotch.
She had wanted to spend time with her best friend in the world, Lala, since there was a time that for once neither of them were busy. Butterscotch had lived in Ponyville since she was five, when her parents and herself moved down from Cloudsdale. Lala had been Butterscotch's best friend since their days at Ponyville Schoolhouse, when they were always playing on the playground together. As they had gotten older, Lala had gotten discovered by a music producer in Canterlot, and was back and forth until Lala had decided to put her career on a lower level so she wouldn't be traveling back and forth between Ponyville and Canterlot for weeks on end. Since then, the two reconnected, and Butterscotch was worried that the career Lala had put on hold was coming back into the foreground.
"Having a rough day, Savoury?" a male stallion asked Butterscotch. She lifted her head. It was Noteworthy, Lala's coltfriend.
"More or less," Butterscotch had replied.
"Lemme guess- you ran into Lala this morning when she was on her way to the train station and she blew you off?"
"Is it that obvious?"
"No, Melly told me."
Butterscotch chuckled. She had randomly gotten the thought of Melody's nickname with a "S" in front of it.
"What?" Noteworthy asked as Butterscotch chuckled.
"Nothing."
"Anyway, Lala's just a busy mare. She always takes more than she can bite down on. She knows her way."
Butterscotch felt comfort in Noteworthy's words. "Thanks. Besides, what can go wrong with a simple tour meeting?"
Noteworthy smiled. He thought to himself, If only she knew how bad this really was...
~Canterlot, same time~
Lala had gotten off of the train in Canterlot, prepared to march her flank into Atlantean's office and make him give Butterscotch clearance level to know about S.P.E.L.L. She had made her way to the Canterlot base of the Lunar Guard, where she ran into Melody's sister Write. Her full name was Melody Write, but considering those two had both decided to go by their surname, Lala had always called her Write. The two looked nothing alike, however. Melody had green eyes, a blue coat, and a dark brown mane, Write had a similar look to Lala, with the exception that Write’s coat was a lighter shade of pink, her mane was straight, while Lala's had a bit of a wave to it, and her hair was cherry brown, while Lala's was more tannish-brown. Plus, the fact that Write always wore reading glasses was a significant difference.
"Lala Song, is that you?" Write asked as Lala arrived.
Lala nodded and waved. "Hi, Write."
"What's a busy mare like you doing here?"
"Speaking with Captain Atlantean," Lala said. "I have some- uh, matters- to discuss with him."
"You're right here, Lala. Don't go easy on him." Write replied. After having to send in multiple servants to clean up his office per week, Lala could see her frustration with him.
"Trust me, with our topic, there will be no going easy whatsoever," Lala chuckled.
Write nodded. "Go ahead. Good luck."
Lala smiled and thanked her as she was ushered towards Atlantean's office. When she arrived, Atlantean's office was cleaner than she had ever seen it. Write had sent in a servant to clean it fifteen minutes prior. She had seen Atlantean behind his desk.
"Hurry it up, Agent Song, I don't have all day." Atlantean said impatiently.
"It's Miss Song, Captain. I haven't been Agent Song for two years."
"You will always be Agent Song to me, Lala. So, you wished to speak with me?"
"Yes. I need you to give one of your guards clearance level to know about S.P.E.L.L."
"Which one?"
"One of your newer recruits. Butterscotch Savoury?"
"Oh. Miss Song, Miss Savoury must find out in time. I am not going to raise her clearance level just because you say I should."
"But, Captain, it wouldn't be an issue to do so. Butterscotch is one of the best members you have in this crap of a guard! She's been able to fully protect royalty, and she is skilled in intelligence and combat. What else do you need? A freaking smack to the head?"
"Miss Song, that is enough. You can argue all you want, but you are not going to yell in my office, and you certainly aren't going to talk back to me like that. Butterscotch is NOT getting her clearance level raised, end of story. This meeting is over. Gentlemen, please escort Miss Song out."
With that, the guards outside of Atlantean's office came in and escorted Lala out. Lala had said as she left, "Good day, Atlantean."
Lala had then walked out the door of the offices and later the base completely. She had went to her hotel, where she had the train station send her bags. She levitated them off of a luggage cart, signing in and getting her room key. When she arrived in the room, she had begun getting ready. She levitated a teal and silver dress out of her bag and got into it. It was an old design that Rarity had made for her, but she had never had a use for it. At least, until now. She had braided her mane and then tied it into a bun. She left her tail the same, just brushed it out. She had later taken out the bun and braid, and her hair seemed longer and more wavy than usual. She had put on makeup- a thing she only ever did when she performed, was on a date, or under covert operations- light eye shadow, eyeliner, and mascara. She had then put on a pair of silver studded earrings, ones Rarity had given to her a long time ago. Lala looked in the mirror, but she seemed to not recognize the reflection staring back at her. It was completely different, or at least seemed different to her. Lala was ready- ready for whatever was going to come her way.
~Ponyville, 18:00 hours~
Melody prepared to head to Vinyl Scratch and Octavia's house, since they had invited her to dinner. She was however interrupted by a knock on the front door of the store. She went downstairs into the shop to tell them that it was closed, only to find that it was Berry Punch. Berry was four years older than Melody, as Berry was 21 and Melody was only 17. What business would Berry Punch have at this hour, not to mention at a music store? Melody thought.
“Um, I’m sorry, Berry. The shop’s closed.” Melody said.
“I’m not in need of your shop’s services, I’m in need of your assistance.” Berry Punch replied.
“My assistance with what, might I ask?”
“Gathering Lala’s things.”
Melody was shocked at this. As she said that, she saw more ponies coming towards the house. Mares and stallions, mostly dressed in black. Melody knew what that had meant.
“Come on in, agents.”
~Canterlot, 19:00 hours~
Lala had left her hotel and made her way to Chez le Grande, one of Canterlot’s classiest restaurants. One thing she had to admit about Golden Trace was that had great taste in spots to speak. She walked in the door, and she was told a code to say to the host.
“Table for one?” the host asked in a thick accent. Lala thought he was probably from Prance.
“No,” Lala began with the code. “I would like to ask for a small table for two in the southwest corner of the restaurant. Candlelit, preferably.”
“Go ahead, Miss Song.” he whispered in her ear. “He’s expecting you.”
“Merci.” Lala replied. She remembered a whole class during her training that she had to take on foreign languages and cultures. She had learned to speak about 10 languages fluently in less than four months. French, the language of Prance, was one of her favorites.
Lala walked over to the candlelit table in the far southwest corner of the restaurant, where, of course, Golden Trace was waiting for her.
“You know, a stallion shouldn’t have to wait three months to hear from his friend.” Golden said to her.
“Excuse me if I’ve had nothing to say.” Lala replied. she sat in the empty chair that was across from Golden’s.
“That’s not why I wanted you to come to Canterlot, though.”
“Well, then? Why did you? Need a little Lala time? Miss me?”
“Yes and no.”
“What do you mean, ‘yes and no’?”
“Lala, remember that last case we worked before you left?”
“The information hack that Sapphire Clue caused? Of course I remember.”
“She escaped from prison.”
“What? You mean to tell me that somepony got A: out of their cell; B: past millions of bits worth of security; C: out of the most secretive prison in Equestria; and D: manage to get back to land? I’ve heard of commitment, but that’s just downright risky.”
“Exactly. And, that’s not the only problem we have on our hooves.”
“What else?”
“We think that she’s going deeper in intel this time. We think she’s headed for the Project Bion files.”
Lala dropped her jaw. Project Bion, a top secret S.P.E.L.L. project that is so covered up you have to be either a Level 7 or part of it just to know it exists. Lala was one of its prime members before she quit, but its purpose was why she wanted Butterscotch to know about S.P.E.L.L. so badly.
“Could you imagine if she got her hooves on those files? The results would be catastrophic!” Lala exclaimed.
“Exactly, which is why I called you. Since you were so highly involved in Project Bion, the agency wants you to come back in and help us with this.”
“What part of ‘I’m quitting the agency,’ did you not understand? You can call me for information, but I’m not going back into the field, Golden. You know that.”
“Lala. This isn’t a request. It’s an order directly from S.P.E.L.L. Director Flame will not be happy with you.”
“Who gives a flying feather? I can’t. I won’t.”
“Lala. You have to do this. No one else can. You are the only one who can do this.”
“What about you? You were involved in Project Bion too. Why don’t they ask you to run this?”
“Because I wasn’t as involved as you were. You had access to more information than anypony but the ones who founded it.”
“Golden, I-”
“Please, Lala.”
Lala thought it over. Could I do this? Would I do this? Why did it have to be me, Lala thought.
“Fine.” Lala said. “I’ll do it.”
“Perfect.” Golden replied.
“So, when do we start?”
“Immediately.”
And with those words, the two ponies went down a hole.
Lala had a thought.
What have I gotten myself into this time?
