Symphony of Peril

Why anypony would try to harm Octavia and her fellow musicians only prodded her mind the more she thought about it. Twilight's initial observations only twisted things further, the end result seemingly harder to unravel than a tightly knitted bow. And even if Octavia was one of the more beloved members of the Royal Canterlot Orchestra, which wasn't saying much considering how the other musicians were categorized as either enigmatic or crude, it wasn't as though anypony she knew held an intense grudge against her.

Yet there she was, gazing down at the deep pit with a pale complexion. The Twilight Ball was hectic enough as it was and there were plenty of shady characters out and about. Some may have just been know troublemakers in Equestrian society. Though nasty ponies like Starlight Glimmer or the much less extreme Flim and Flam probably avoided such high profile events. And if the hearsay Octavia heard regarding Starlight's mysterious circumstances were anything to go by, her being involved was unlikely.

Octavia figured that keeping such names tucked in the back of her mind might prove useful.

"Are you okay, dear?" asked Rarity, out of breath. She trotted up to Octavia and patted her shoulder. "You're not hurt, right?"

Octavia nodded. "I'm okay," she said. "Just trying to recompose myself." She exhaled thrice and wiggled her forelegs. While the muscles throughout her body only marginally loosened, wasting time trying to relax would get her nowhere. With one more sigh escaping her lips, she brought her attention toward Rarity, the mare's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Did you see anypony suspicious watching us?"

Rarity rolled her shoulders. "To be fair, there were plenty of ruffians to go about," she answered. Approaching the broken stage, Rarity peered at the hole's bottom and then to the ceiling. She tapped her hoof on the floor for a moment, lips pursed. If her darting eyes were anything to go by, at least she had a knack for such situations.

Maybe pairing up with her would be for the best. Safety in numbers was an important saying if Octavia recalled correctly.

"Did you find anything?" asked Octavia.

Rarity lifted her hoof up. A moment later, she donned a glum and downcast expression, sighing. "Nothing," she whispered.

Octavia's throat tightened. That was the last word she wished to hear.

"However, maybe there's something related to what broke the stage."

Vinyl trotted up to Rarity, raising her hoof.

"Yes, dear?"

Clearing her throat, Vinyl adjusted her shades. "Well, there's probably something that connects to what broke the stage," she said.

Octavia bobbed her head. "Yes, that's true."

"And—and maybe following where the device is connected can lead us to the culprit?"

"That would also be true—for the most part," a familiar voice said.

Octavia turned toward the voice's source. A yellow pegasus with a fiery orange mane stood before her. While she had a somewhat hunched posture, her mere presence exuded a powerful aura that tickled Octavia's coat. Goggles hung around the mare's neck; she twiddled them in her hooves. A blue and yellow uniform covered almost all of her body with small openings for her eyes, muzzle, and wings.

The picture was crystal clear to Octavia. It was Spitfire, Captain of the Wonderbolts. While only gawking at their acrobatics once or twice in her mind, she was somewhat familiar with most of the members. Most of her interactions with the team came about during a concert some time ago, but while ponies had conflicting opinions about their character, she found them pleasant as they showed her around Manehattan.

Why Spitfire showed up was beyond Octavia's understanding. Only the Grand Galloping Gala was required of the Wonderbolts, after all. The tautened expression across her face, however, brought a chill to her spine. Normally, Spitfire always wore a calm or stern visage, never changing them even during the times she was furious or hiding something.

This third expression of hers, the grim frown she rarely donned, always spelt something serious. The last time she assumed such a face was during the Tirek incident, an event nopony wished to revisit.

"Spitfire?" Applejack blurted out. She cocked her head. "What are ya doin' here?"

"I heard the news about what happened," said Spitfire. "I saw Wind Rider hightailing it out of the scene before I arrived, so I think you have one of your suspects."

"Wind Rider?" Applejack blurted out. "Who in the hay is Wind Rider?"

"Rarity can explain what happened with him better than I can, but he was a former Wonderbolt and kicked out for poor behavior. Either way, I think catching up to him and questioning his involvement might be for the best. We don't know why he'd target Octavia or any of the Royal Canterlot Orchestra."

"That sounds too easy," said Apple Bloom, bouncing up and down with her muzzle scrunched. "There's gotta be more to it!"

"You're right." Spitfire ruffled her wings. "First of all, why would Wind Rider even be complicit in the crime? Furthermore, since he had to be working with others in order to pull it off, the rest of the suspects are still at large. Nopony else spotted any suspicious activity. Only the Wonderbolts and I saw Wind Rider fleeing the scene."

"But as you said, Wind Rider was a former Wonderbolt," said Vinyl as a matter of fact. She raised an eyebrow. "Why would he do something so shady?"

Rarity rubbed the back of her neck. She blushed and donned a sheepish smirk. "As Spitfire said, it's—a long story."

Vinyl tilted her head.

"Okay, maybe I was involved in an investigation of my own and Wind Rider was caught for sabotage."

"Well, I guess that explains his demeanor," said Octavia. "But that doesn't explain why he'd target me."

"Does he hate classical music or somethin'? asked Apple Bloom. She shrugged. "Can't think of any other reason."

Spitfire made her way toward the stage, her head swiveling about as her eyes darted back and forth. "Well, he doesn't listen to music often," she said. "At least from what I know of him."

"Any friends of his who'd think of this?" questioned Sweetie.

"Maybe, but who is the next question." Flapping her wings, Spitfire scrutinized the mechanism used to shatter the stage. "Looks like a hammer attached to some sort of arm was used. Clever, if a bit overly complicated for such an operation." However, as Spitfire continued examining the trap, she peeked further down the pit, almost as if somepony dropped their belongings in there. "I think I see what's going on."

Octavia quivered for a moment; she quickly turned toward Spitfire. "You do?" she asked.

"Yep. Much to your luck, there's a design flaw in this mechanism that can lead us to where the trap was activated." Spitfire fluttered away from the hole. With a faint smirk, she planted her hooves on the floor and then trotted back toward Octavia. "There's a long, linear bar that connects the switch to the mechanism. Understandable, since designing one that weaved its way around like a labyrinth would take too long to construct, especially for something that's likely temporary."

Blinking, Octavia then slowly nodded. Perhaps that rumor of Spitfire being the fourth or fifth biggest bookworm in Equestria had some weight after all. It was odd given how Octavia always imagined her as purely competitive or strict when it came to teaching cadets and conducting business. Maybe her arrival was what she needed to solve the puzzle.

"And how would that help?" asked Rarity.

"The thing is, there's a gap just wide enough to peek through and see what's on the other side. It seems to lead to some cavern covered in crystals."

"I know that place!" Applejack shouted. Her expression lit up and became brighter than the sun. "Twilight told me about it when she escaped with Princess Cadance during the Royal Wedding!"

"Well, it looks like we have a destination in mind," said Octavia. She glanced around the room, locking eyes with those before her for at least a second. "What's the plan?"

"I'll join you, darling," Rarity replied. She puffed her chest out and ruffled her brow. "I cannot allow such a crime to elude my eyes!"

"I'll join you as well," said Vinyl. "You're my friend, Tavi. I can't leave you hanging."

Applejack adjusted her hat; she nodded. "I'll take Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle back to Sweet Apple—"

"But I wanna go, too!" Apple Bloom whined, pressing her head to Applejack's chest. "Can I please join 'em?"

Scowling, Applejack shook her head. "No! It's too dangerous for y'all and you know it!"

Apple Bloom stepped back with drooping shoulders. Her head hung low as a sigh escaped her lips.

"Understood?"

A sigh left Apple Bloom's mouth. "Understood." She slowly nodded.

"I guess I'll join the investigation party," said Spitfire. She paused for a moment, lips pursed. "I'll let the other Wonderbolts know what's going on before we head out. They'll have some idea of where to search."

"Then it sounds like we have a plan," added Octavia. She forced a soft smile and trotted toward the ballroom's exit. A number of eyes locked onto her and those with her, all with perplexed or pale expressions, sometimes both. There was a tight uneasiness in the air as well, squeezing her legs as though it refused to let go. But as Octavia took a deep breath, the tension dissipating slightly, she kept her head held up high. "Let's do our best, everypony."

As Octavia arrived at the gardens just outside, everypony who spotted her wore the same expression as those inside. Blank stares, their lips pursed and cheeks tautened, characterized most of the looks Octavia received. Given how Twilight had spread the news to her friends and associates, chances were that they heard the news as well.

The gardens outside of Canterlot Castle always carried a fresh, rosy aroma regardless of where somepony found themselves. The flowers scattered about the fields, their petals in different colors of the rainbow, cleaned the air and cancelled out the repulsive perfumes Octavia cringed at. Why anypony would find such putrid stenches pleasing confused her. Willow Wisp's perfume was easily one of the worst her nostrils encountered.

Some of the perfumes the upper crust sprayed on their bodies were close in how abhorrent they were; their scents outweighing the flowers' the closer Octavia approached them. She brushed shoulders with a few passersby as well, many of them sneering or scowling the second after they collided with each other.

Octavia rolled her eyes. There was now a second reason for solving the mystery in a flash.

At least the sights were something to gawk at. Small lights akin to fireflies fluttered about the garden with most orbiting the central fountain. Said fountain featured a marble sculpture of Star Swirl the Bearded. The fountain struck her as odd considering this was technically Princess Celestia and Luna's castle, but perhaps they weren't the kind of ponies to remind the world of who they were. The same couldn't be said of most other palaces and mansions, for better or worse.

And standing out from the crowd were a few shrubs, all of them a bright green and overshadowed by the flora and decorations which surrounded them. Not one pony who trotted past even bothered to glance at them, their eyes affixed to the other sights or the tables adorned with food spread out across the garden.

Rarity wasn't any regular pony, however.

"There's a passage here that most ponies don't know about," said Rarity as she approached one of the shrubs. Extending her hoof out, she brushed it across the plant's leaves and nodded. The sound of rustling shrubs reached Octavia's ears. "It's the same one Twilight told me about during the Royal Wedding."

Vinyl arched an eyebrow and cocked her head.

"Why is it so secretive?" Rarity cocked her head. "Darling, it's merely hidden underneath this shrub. You'd have to know where and what the passage is in order to find it. Life is full of stunning surprises, you know. No matter where you look, there could be something hidden or obscure yearning to be found."

"But wouldn't sneaking into the bush seem—suspicious?" asked Vinyl. "They'd just disappear and we're supposed to accept they just sunk into the ground?"

"You make a fair point, Vinyl," Octavia added. She rubbed her muzzle. "Why anypony would place an entrance under there—to a cave of all places—doesn't make much sense."

"I heard the Royal Guard had somepony stationed there once," said Spitfire. She trotted up to the shrub. "In the distant past, I know Canterlot had an underground treasury, though it was moved somewhere else about a hundred years ago according to articles about it. I don't know if they're still guarding the entrance, and I bet it'd be paltry to the investigation at hoof." Pausing, she twiddled her goggles for a moment and pursed her lips. "I'll admit, it's pretty weird. You'd have to ask Captain Shining Armor or Princess Celestia about it, however. They know more about it than I do."

"Can we please stop whining about this?" Rarity muttered, brow sagging. She pushed the shrub out of the way. "We can't waste precious time."

"Agreed," said Octavia. "The more we question why the entrance would be here, the less likely it is we'll find any clues."

"Precisely!" Rarity motioned to the group. "Follow me, everypony. And watch your step."

Octavia nodded. Following Rarity's example and pushing the shrub away, its leaves poking her, she spotted a series of stairs descending into the world below. Unlike the rest of Canterlot castle, there was a certain gloominess in the steps' form. Chances were that it was due to the type of bedrock, though the chills escaping the cave's maw tightened her limbs nonetheless. The pitch black which shrouded much of the cavern only dried her throat further. Octavia loathed meandering without a clue as to where she was.

At least Vinyl was with her. She'd help; she always lent a helping hoof.

"Let's go," Octavia murmured under her breath. "This had better be simple."

One step onto the rough and uneven surface was enough for Octavia's legs to wiggle about. She grasped onto the nearest support in a heartbeat, a pebble jutting out of the left wall. The prospect of bashing her head against one of the steps was one she wished to avoid. Being accidentally knocked a while ago was another event she'd rather prevent. Embarrassment of any kind was the worst.

Her body shivered as though a blizzard swirled past her; it may as well have been the colder version of Tartarus.

"You okay, Tavi?" asked Vinyl.

"Not especially," said Octavia. Her teeth clacked, though her body ceased squirming. A bruise or gash across her foreleg was the last thing she wanted. "But I can do this. They're just pesky stairs, after all."

Shrugging, Vinyl then adjusted her shades. "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive." A deep breath left Octavia's lips. It wasn't as though turning back was an option. But her fleeing over something as meaningless as almost toppling over lacked common sense. One of her friends might've done so, though she panicked over rabbits and bees as well. "Okay, maybe I am a little nervous, though it's more to do with what's inside."

Vinyl cocked her head.

Sulking, Octavia sighed. "Okay, so I almost embarrassed myself." It never took more than a minute for Vinyl to piece together what truly swelled in Octavia's mind. Most of the time, such a trait was helpful, especially when they happened to work together. Other times, she wished Vinyl would just let her wiggle her way out of problems herself. The depths before her were an instance of the latter.

"Need help?" asked Spitfire. She nudged her hoof closer to Octavia. "C'mon, I'll help you get down safely."

Octavia wrapped her hoof around Spitfire's as instructed. Holding her breath, the pair slowly descended down the stairs, Vinyl following close behind with her horn lighting the way. Color seemed to fade as they trudged deeper into the depths of Canterlot and into what felt like a second world. The dimness of the place suggested as much, an undeniable clash with the vibrant and various colors of the surface.

And as Octavia and company continued following Rarity, she couldn't help but take her mind off of Spitfire. There was the tough as nails Captain of the Wonderbolts, a mare Octavia thought always shrieked orders at others and knocked ponies down a peg whenever they prodded her. Yet there she was, guiding Octavia down like a mother would and somehow maintaining that calm visage. Her smile lit the cavern as much as Vinyl's glowing horn did.

Maybe she wasn't the only one with a secret.

"We're here," said Rarity. "Through here is the passage to Canterlot Cave."

"And then what?" asked Vinyl. "Do you know where to go from here?"

Silence lingered. A moment later, Rarity gently kicked the air, sighing. "Well, I know it should be straight ahead. That's where the machine's arm was, right?"

"That's right," said Spitfire. "Unless the machine disappeared out of nowhere, it should be straight ahead."

"And what if there are forks in the road?" Rarity bit her lip. "What do we do then? I'd rather witness a crime against fashion than be trapped in such a ghastly place." She shivered; her mane swished about as a howling breeze rushed past the group. How wind even managed to reside in such an enclosed space lacked reason. Then again, magic had produced stranger things in the past. Octavia never bothered to question things at times. "We'd better hurry."

Everypony else nodded in unison. Catching up to Rarity, the group then noticed a wooden frame, their heads tilting in unison at the sight. A wooden sign drew their eyes a second later, the smooth frame gently swaying on the rope holding it up. Rust covered the nail affixing the rope to the rightmost wall. Approaching the sign, Octavia read the yellow words inscribed on the plank.

Gone to lunch.

Will be back in an hour.

-PA

P.S. Tell Windy to knock it off with the machine's controls. We don't want to screw this up immediately.

"The marker doesn't seem that old," said Spitfire as a matter of fact. "Less than ten years old from the looks of things, but it could still be new." She lifted the sign up, scrutinizing the plank before checking the opposite side. But not a single word or marking was inscribed on its back. "No fading or anything else that would indicate that. Furthermore, the wood feels freshly cut. There are zero signs of rotting anywhere. Somepony must've been here not too long ago."

"And how do you know this?" asked Vinyl, a bemused expression across her face. "I don't think I've met anypony who knows these things."

"I've done plenty of investigations in the past. As a Wonderbolt, you'll eventually learn things most ponies would call trivial. It's not as exciting as it sounds." Spitfire winced a tad; a bemused expression was painted across her face. "Trust me. If it's not interesting, it's either boring, smelly, or both."

"But how did anypony get here without drawing attention?" asked Octavia. She rubbed the top of her head. "Vinyl mentioned it before, so unless they sneaked into the gardens at midnight, I doubt they'd be able to crawl inside without raising suspicion."

"That's the most likely explanation. They'd be fools to try doing this in broad daylight, so sneaking into night was their only option. Even then, the fact that the gardens are heavily guarded means they should've been caught."

"Then perhaps they used some form of stealth," said Rarity, pressing her weight against a nearby wall. "Wouldn't be the first time somepony crept into Canterlot Castle."

Nodding, Spitfire let go of the sign. A harsh plopping sound split the air. "That's the only explanation I can think of. But then who are the ponies the sign addresses? Other than Windy possibly being Wind Rider, I don't know of anypony who goes by the initials 'PA.' Maybe there's somepony from Canterlot's upper crust I'm not recalling."

"I know some of the upper crust," said Rarity. "I deal with them as customers from time to time." She shuddered and winced. "It's—it's a memorable and sometimes appalling experience. And believe me, I'd know if somepony called themselves 'PA.'"

"Maybe it's a pseudonym," Octavia muttered. "Perhaps they used one in case anypony happened to stumble across this sign." She shrugged and tapped her hoof on the rough surface; clacks filled the air. "It's just as good of a guess as any. But whether it's a pseudonym or not, I doubt it'll get us much closer to solving the case."

"But at least we know it's not old," Vinyl added. The other three nodded in unison. "The writing and the wood itself must be a clue. I'm betting it's new."

The cave's dampness and the shallow puddles spread throughout the hallway should've washed away most of the writings after a short time. And with the wood's smooth texture, Octavia couldn't doubt Vinyl and Spitfire's words. She donned the slightest of smirks. Maybe it'd be smooth sailing from here.

Rarity stretched her forelegs, turning to face the frame. "Shall we press on?" she asked.

Octavia nodded. "We should. Let's be careful, everypony."

"Of course! I wouldn't want to ruin my marvelous complexion, dear."

Rarity trotted forward with Octavia, Vinyl, and Spitfire following close behind. The roaring waves grew louder as the group marched forward, almost deafening at some points. The terrain was oddly smoother as well. Perhaps the previous visitors tidied up the place before making their mark. There were some scratches along the cave's walls and floor, Octavia glancing at them for a second before catching up to the others. They looked like the work of pickaxes.

"Everypony, look!" Rarity shouted, her voice echoing throughout the cavern. "Aren't these just marvelous?"

Octavia's jaw dropped to the ground. Around her were a series of crystals, all of them wearing a spotless sheen bright enough to double as mirrors. At least every other square inch of the cave was adorned with one of these crystals; some were three times the size of ponies while others were as minuscule as a bread crumb. But even the smallest of the gems lit the area in a dazzling light as rainbows bounced around the room. And cutting through some of the floor was a narrow and winding river. A slight rustling sound reached Octavia's ears as the water whipped about its path.

Octavia's eyes sparkled and widened. The mere sight of this locale was a treasure.

"It's amazing!" Spitfire blurted out as she gawked at the scenery. Hovering above the ground, her body twirled around as she studied the cave's crystals. "I've heard stories about the underground, but who knew such a place could've been resting underneath Canterlot the whole time? It's as if we've discovered something new!"

Octavia faintly snickered; she blushed. "I'll admit, maybe they had a good reason to spend time here," she said. "I don't think such sights could ever get old."

Vinyl nodded in agreement, lips pursed.

"I'd swoon at the chance of using these crystals for one of my dresses," said Rarity. A glowing, aquamarine gemstone caught her attention. Approaching it, she tapped its face, shivering before stepping away from the giant crystal. "But stealing from such a wonderful sight would be disgusting."

"Focus on the mission," said Spitfire. "As beautiful as all of this is, we can't get too distracted for even a few seconds." She fluttered past Rarity, though she continued scanning the environment. "But don't stop looking around for anything that might help. There's probably some sort of clue waiting for us."

"And maybe we'll be able to figure out why they tried to hurt me," Octavia added.

Such a discovery was of the utmost importance, though second only to preventing the culprit from attempting to harm her or anypony else again. Crimes akin to what the culprit pulled were uncommon in Equestria, especially at such a major event like the Twilight Ball. But stranger things had happened in Equestrian history. Some of it was good; others not so much.

"I think I found something," said Vinyl. Over to Octavia's right, the DJ motioned a hoof toward the other three.

"What did you find?" asked Rarity. "Will it solve this mystery?"

Vinyl shook her head. She slowly extended her foreleg, pointing to a small tunnel to her right. Crystals surrounded the entrance. Every crack and jagged stone within the tunnel's entrance was clearly natural. But how anypony could squirm through such a passage seemed almost impossible at first glance.

Octavia arched an eyebrow at the sight. "Do you think we should explore this?" she questioned. She rubbed her muzzle, though her chest tightened. She'd rather avoid crawling into something horrifying; the fewer monsters to worry about, the better. "We'd have to go in one at a time."

"I'll venture forth on my own," said Vinyl. "You three can keep an eye out for me, okay?"

Octavia's chest tightened. "Are you sure? What if it's dangerous?"

"Relax, Tavi. If something comes up, I'll back off and let you all know." Vinyl gently waved her hoof. With a deep breath, she crouched down and crawled through the small niche in the ground. Rocks shuffled underneath her as she made her way through the passage, disappearing into the unknown seconds later. "Wish me luck!"

Octavia touched her lips, quivering. "I hope nothing bad happens."

"What could be in there, anyway?" Spitfire questioned. She approached Octavia with a smirk, though her cheeks were tautened. "I wouldn't worry too much. Besides, if Vinyl needs help, we'll rush in there and pull her out. She'll be safe no matter what happens."

"But I'm still unsure." Octavia twiddled her mane. A deep breath drew her gaze toward Spitfire's eyes. "You two can go ahead with searching the area, but I think I should stay here just in case."

"There doesn't seem to be anything else," Rarity muttered. Swishing her tail, she lifted up one of the smaller crystals and peeked under it, only to find air. "We're not straying too far off in case Vinyl needs our help, dear." She clacked her teeth. "I'm nervous, too. But we need to keep pressing forward." She raised her head, peering into Octavia's eyes. "And if you don't mind me asking, are you a bit frightened of places like this."

Octavia slowly nodded. Lying would get her nowhere, after all.

"Thought so. But don't forget that coming here was brave of you."

"Exactly," Spitfire added. "You're quite the amazing pony, Octavia."

With flushed cheeks, Octavia giggled for a brief moment. "Thanks, everypony." She brought her attention back to the small tunnel. "Anyway, let's hope Vinyl comes back with some good news. There's bound to be a clue hidden around here somewhere, right?"

A minute then passed by, but nopony uttered a peep.

Two minutes had flown by; nothing reached Octavia's ears.

Octavia wiped the sweat from her brow. Biting her lip, she turned to where Rarity and Spitfire stood. "Do you think we should follow her?" she asked.

"You can go ahead if it makes you feel comfortable," said Rarity. She approached Octavia and rubbed her back. The smooth, soft sensation loosened her muscles a tad; she could breathe freely once more. "Spitfire and I will continue keeping an eye out for things. We can't just leave this place unguarded, dear."

"Rarity makes a good point," Spitfire added. "But be careful down there. We'll still be here if you need anything."

"Okay." Nodding, Octavia crouched down and trudged toward the small niche. "I'll holler if I see anything, okay?"

"Understood." Spitfire ruffled her wings. "Good luck, Octavia."

Luck was only a fraction of what Octavia needed. Nevertheless, she feigned a smirk before slithering into the small hole. Bedrock rubbed against her coat as she descended further down the cave. And turning around was the last thing on her mind. Fear was one thing, cowardice was something entirely different.

First, checking up on Vinyl was the task at hoof. Anything she'd find pertaining to the mystery could wait for now.

The possibility of the two being connected also lingered in her mind. Octavia held her breath for a moment and scrunched her muzzle. She trudged at a slightly faster clip.

A rock slipped underneath her hoof.

Octavia shuddered for a moment; the exit was already before her, yet Vinyl was still missing from her sights.

Upon reaching the tunnel's end, Octavia slid down the pathway, her bottom landing on a cold but smooth surface. A thud echoed in the room, Octavia rubbing her aching back. Clenching her teeth, she pushed herself upright.

"You okay, Tavi?" asked Vinyl.

In a flash, Octavia brought her attention to Vinyl, not a scratch across her white coat nor a crack on her shades. "Vinyl!" she cried out. Octavia leaped toward her friend, enveloping her in a tight embrace. "You're okay!"

Vinyl chuckled for a moment. "Of course." She blushed, returning the favor. "I'd tell you if something bad happened, remember?"

"I know." The pair released each other from their hug; both of them wore radiant grins. "You were quiet for so long that I got worried." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry if I interrupted you or anything. I'm just relieved to see you unhurt."

Vinyl nodded. She then patted Octavia's shoulder. "No need to apologize. Besides, you need to check this out."

"Did you find something?"

"I did." Vinyl pointed to her left. "You should tell Spitfire and Rarity to come, too."

Octavia cocked her head. "Why? They're keeping tabs on the other side, remember?"

"I know. It's just—this is really important."

"If you insist." Clearing her throat, Octavia turned to face where the tunnel dropped her off. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, "Rarity! Spitfire! Come over here, please!" Octavia brought her focus back to where Vinyl stood. "Do you think that will do the trick?"

Vinyl bobbed her head once more.

"Good." Octavia paused, then turned to the locale Vinyl pointed at. "Now then, what do we have here?"

Upon gazing at what rested before her, Octavia immediately raised an eyebrow. It was a small wooden desk, its light brown color and flat surface more fitting for something she'd find at a store. A peculiar switch was perched atop it, stacks of papers over to the switch's right. Two candles flanked each side of the table; neither of them were lit and most of the wax had melted away. Crumbs from some kind of meal covered the left side of the table and a used napkin hid below it.

"So this was some sort of operation," said Octavia as a matter of fact. She swiped the topmost sheet of paper, familiar writings adorning the sheet in a red stationary. It was too bright to be blood, however, Octavia catching her breath at the observation. After all, using blood for their writings was just eccentric and creepy enough to turn her cheeks pale. "Alright, what do we have here?"

Log XXXVII

Three months have come and gone since I've put the plan into motion. Not much has been accomplished yet, but it's amazing what fools will do for money and a slice of revenge. I know of a few who've snooped on our plans in the past. I'll have to make sure they learn to stay away from us for good.

One of my clients already has lots of money, oddly. Why they'd need more is none of my concern. Either way, he wants Octavia to have a rotten time at this new event or something, so I'm complying. Why somepony not conforming to standards is such a big deal makes no sense. After all, I'm as strange as they come. Maybe it's my brilliant genius and how everypony thinks I'm bigger than life.

May as well catch some sleep now. Probably won't return to this cave until the day of the assignment. At least I have Windy helping out. But I can't remember for the life of me who the other assistants' names were. I'll learn them in due time—maybe.

These next few days are going to be very interesting.

-PA

A gasp escaped Octavia's throat, pupils shrunk. "Vinyl!"

Vinyl tilted her head and made eye contact with Octavia.

"There's something much worse going on! It looks like this 'PA' is scheming to do something awful."

"Huh?"

A second later, Rarity and Spitfire slid toward where Octavia and Vinyl stood. Both mares dusted themselves off and stood upright; the pair donned grim expressions as the approached the desk and scrutinized the evidence. For some reason, the crumbs were of particular note to Rarity, sniffing them for any hints of a scent.

Though all she did afterwards was cringe.

"What's the problem?" asked Spitfire. "You're not hurt, right?"

"We're fine," said Octavia. She and Vinyl nodded in unison. "But we'll need to find out who this 'PA' is as soon as possible."

"How come?"

"She's planning something much worse than making my life miserable," she said in a deep tone. With a downcast expression, Octavia sighed. "We should tell everypony else as soon as possible."

"Oh, no." Spitfire gulped. "I don't like the sound of this."

"It looks like we'll be investigating this for longer than I thought."

No matter how long they'd have to spend on the investigation, returning to the surface to assess all of the information was a must. Today wasn't going to be the only long day in Octavia's future after all. Plenty more were awaiting her with their own surprises, and she knew such days were unavoidable now.