The Secret Life of Lala Song

~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?