An Equestrian Melody

Sometimes you meet the strangest ponies in the strangest of places, or the most unexpected of ponies in the most unexpected of places. I learned that thanks to my trip back to my hometown, Ponyville. On any normal occasion, I'd be overjoyed to once again see this great place...but this time I wasn't. I was actually quite on guard, worried that anypony at any moment would recognize me and everything would crash down.

I knew that Ponyville, for being such a small town, had quite a bit of followers of Celestia...including Princess Twilight Sparkle. Honestly, all I had to fear was how much anypony knew. I reminded myself that I was perfectly safe as long as pictures of the agency hadn't been spread around.

In some distance section of town, I heard a newspaper salesman stallion advertising the latest paper.

"Presumed terrorist group EQCEA still at large after breaking into the Canterlot High Class Prison to rescue a fellow agent. It is also presumed they were the ones who caused two explosions which burned the place to the ground. No deaths have been reported, and it seems the much beloved Magnum Opus has survived. She reports being violently attacked by two of the agents and left to die in the burning building, before the agents escaped from the burning building. Canterlot is currently under extreme lockdown until the criminals are captured," the stallion called out.

"My goodness...they're calling it a terrorist group now? And spreading all those lies?" I muttered to myself, frustrated beyond all belief...when I suddenly heard a pony calling out to me.

"Hey, over here!" she cried as I looked toward the origin of her voice, in a darker ally.

The pony was one whom I'd seen before, I could recognize Bon Bon anywhere. Why she wanted me in a dark ally...I didn't know, but I trusted her enough to follow her. Me and her had been decently close friends, at least until everything I knew in life changed.

When I arrived, she looked around before sitting on an old and dusty bench. I sat down with her, surprised that the bench was able to hold the weight of the both of us.

"I heard what happened...at the prison, I mean," she said.

"Yeah, seems like all of Ponyville has too," I responded.

"I take it you don't believe the stories, do you? Or at least the part where they say the explosions were acts of terrorism on behalf of EQCEA?" she questioned.

"Look, Bon Bon, I don't know what you're trying to pull here, but I gotta get going," I said, about to stand up.

"Wait, no! I can explain this, really...I can," she pleaded with me.

"Alright, start talking," I commanded as I stayed in my seat.

"You see, me and you ain't so different actually. I don't buy a single word that Celestia says, that her followers say, or that the media says. I know some of the truth, some of the things she's done...it's awful. It truly is, it's awful how many ponies she's used and hurt," Bon Bon stated solemnly.

"You're a smart cookie, not gonna lie. Takes a lot to see past her, evidently, judging by all these fools around here," I stated, looking back from the ally to all the ponies passing by. It really was something to think about how many of them bought into Celestia's garbage lies.

"Shoot, how much more blatant do I have to be? You were there, weren't you? You were at the prison that night, weren't you?" she asked.

"Alright, what kinda sick game you trying to play here?" I stammered.

"I told you, me and you ain't so different. You're Agent #59, and I am...was...Agent #4," she stated plainly and calmly.

"You...were?" I asked, shocked. Never would I of guessed that Bon Bon...worked in that agency.

"Yep. In normal everyday life, I was Bon Bon. When I was Agent #4, I was Sweetie Drops. Doctor Whooves, Agent #1, whatever you wanna call him, he recruited me early on. To be honest, at first...I didn't buy any of it. Even as the group grew...I still just had my doubts about everything, if Celestia really was a bad pony. And then Agent #13 came along. She had years of experience with Celestia's dark and twisted self...she really made me see the true light of everything," she stated before letting out a deep sigh.

"Agent #13? Never met or even heard of her," I stated aloud.

"Of course you haven't met her, and it's unlikely you've heard of her. Doctor Whooves, he just wants to forget that. He wants to forget anything ever happened there. Lots of bloodshed, sadly. Agent #2, Agent #3, Agent #5, and Agent #8 all...just gone in an instant once they reached us. Yet...they took them from us one by one, it was awful. Agent #6, Agent #9, and Agent #12 were all captured and later executed. We never found out what happened to Agent #7 and Agent #10. They got lost during the massive struggle that occurred. Needless to say, they probably ain't breathing today. Yet, part of me, part of me hopes those two escaped and managed to live normal lives. Agent #13 got it the worst...I just...oh...goodness, I just can't," she stammered, seeming to have a bit of a panic attack from thinking back.

"You alright?" I asked, putting a hoof on her shoulder.

"Yeah...I just...don't know. Everything that ended up going on back then...it was all horrible. I left soon after, I had friends...I had a life. I just couldn't deal with it anymore, especially once Doctor Whooves tried to forget it all. Hey, don't get me wrong...Doctor Whooves, he's got a good heart. He really does. He's troubled, after a whole life of this. He's seen a lot of pain, hurt, and death...that I suppose it ain't too bad that he just wants to forget it all. I have quite a bit of respect for him, actually...even if some parts of me don't. So tell me, who all is there now?" she asked,

"Well...Doctor Whooves and Derpy Hooves. There's a few agents currently missing, but we're sure they'll be fine and we'll locate them eventually. Then there's Candy Apples, Vinyl, and me," I stated.

"Ah, old Derpy. Loyal little pony, I'll give her that. Stuck with Doctor Whooves...even after everything that went down, real trooper she is. Tell me, did her rule of 'Kill Nopony' that she wanted after everything happened...did that ever get passed?" she asked.

"I assume, Doctor Whooves told me that we kill nopony," I responded.

"Good, good. I told you, that stallion...he's got a good heart. He has a way of looking past the darkness...see the light and potential in everything, even...even if there's darkness and evil all around us," she stated with yet another sigh.

We both sat in silence for a few moments, before she continued to speak.

"You, you know...I've...thought about returning to the agency, a few times. Really, I have. My mind is still scarred a bit, but I think...I think I feel somewhat better after all these years. I suppose back then, back then I blamed Doctor Whooves for a lot of it. When in reality...everypony would probably be alive if it weren't for Celestia. Maybe Agent #13 wouldn't of...wouldn't of...yeah," she stated.

"Pardon me, I know it's a touchy subject, but how did Doctor Whooves and Derpy feel about Agent #13?" I questioned.

"Oh, you're fine, don't worry. Derpy was always a kind soul, so she liked everypony. And Doctor Whooves, well, he liked Agent #13 a lot. Even with Derpy around, Doctor Whooves considered Agent #13 a bit of a 'second leader' to the agency. I suppose that's why her fate...hurt him the most, I think somehow it even hurt him more than it hurt me. Everypony he knew and trusted was just picked off, right there in front of him. I suppose I didn't help when I just up and left...but I couldn't take all of it anymore. I really just couldn't. One night, I left a note and just vanished in the middle of the night. I ended up in Ponyville, where I met some friends, old and new. I met Lyra, my best friend, and everything has been pretty good. Anyways...after that, it was just him and Derpy. Those two rebuilt the agency from the ground up. I've lurked from the shadows ever since, keeping up with news and stuff to see where you all go. I stopped for a bit, though, for a couple of years recently. I actually kinda wanted a break from it all, hearing about it even. My life, it is finally back to normal. I have friends, I have everything I've ever wanted. However, the other day...I heard about the 'terrorist' group...and I did some digging. That's how I knew about you, and so when I saw you here...it really was something. To talk to a genuine, living agent after all these years. To know that...after all that pain and suffering...our cause is still going strong," she stated with a smile.

"You know, Bon Bon, I...never would of suspected about your life. About everything that happened to you. Heck, I'd have never believed you...until I got roped into everything," I said with a chuckle.

"Heh, yeah. It's all so wild, everything about this is. So...what even brings you here?" she asked.

"Well, I came here for some supplies. Entire prison was rigged, actually, those freaks all knew we was gonna come and rescue Candy Apples. Luckily, every single one of us escaped. Derpy got a bit scratched up, but she's healing quick. All of Canterlot is locked down...so I had to come here to grab some supplies," I stated.

"Look, with everything that went down...it ain't safe for you here. I'll grab all the supplies you need, there won't be any risk for me. But...first you gotta promise to do something for me, alright?" she asked, looking at me.

"Yeah, sure, anything," I responded with a smile.

"I...wrote this letter a few days ago, I never expected to be able to send it...but now I can. It's a letter to him, a letter to Doctor Whooves. You read it over for me whilst I go grab those supplies you need, I'll even buy you a bigger saddlebag to carry everything. And then once I get back...make sure you deliver that letter to him. It's important for me," she said as she handed me the letter from her saddlebag.

"Alright, good luck," I said with a smile as she stood up to go buy the supplies I needed.

I sat for a few seconds, thinking back over everything that happened before letting out a sigh. I unfolded the letter and began to mentally read it.

"Dear Boss,

I'm writing this letter, but I don't know if I'll ever get the chance to get this to you. Let's cut to the chase: it's me. Agent 4, Sweetie Drops. I know you remember me, and I know you remember what I did all those years ago. I'm alive, and I've been doing pretty well. For a while, I kept up to date with what happened. I knew you and Agent #11 rebuilt the entire agency from the ground up. I really must applaud you two for all that, really. A couple of years ago though, I just stopped. I cut any ties I had left to hear anything about what happened. My life, it's been pretty good. Met a great friend called Lyra Heartstrings. Anyways, I heard about the incident at the prison. They're calling the explosions you all caused an act of terrorism, but I know better than that. We did some...stupid things in the past, that's for sure...but I know terrorism was too much for the EQCEA. I know we had standards, and I know how Celestia and her servants are. Anyways, boss, after everything...there's one reason I'm writing this letter. I know I have a life now, I have friends now, I have everything I've ever wanted in life...but yet, in a way, I still feel a bit empty. My life is great...but Celestia, she's still in control. I can't call my life perfect until I see that tyrant fall, and...well. I'll be upfront with you: in a way, I want to return to the agency. I want to help every last one of you bring down that ruthless dictator. I ran off in the dead of night like a coward back then...cause I blamed you. I blamed you for what happened to everypony. Especially after...Agent #13, after she just...I...yeah. I blamed you in a way, not gonna lie, but over the years...I've realized that all of it was Celestia's fault. I know me rejoining, I know it won't bring anypony back. But, it will stop Celestia from hurting anypony else. It will help to stop her ruthless dictatorship. Meet with me in Ponyville...any day will work. I'll be waiting everyday. Bring two agents with you, if you want. And...if it's any extra motivation: I did some researching, and I think I might know where one of your missing agents is now. She's safe, and she's alive. Look boss, please...please consider it.

Sincerely,

Special Agent #4: Sweetie Drops"

After looking through the letter, which took longer than I thought it had, Bon Bo-Sweetie Drops returned. There was a silent understanding between us as she handed me a new saddlebag and helped to load it up with the supplies. The night was fast approaching.

"Tomorrow, you give him that letter, alright?" Sweetie Drops asked as I stood up, ready to head back to base.

"I promise, Agent #4," I said with a smile and a wink, which also brought a smile to her face.

So, here I am, back at base. It's nighttime, and everypony is asleep. Tomorrow is the day that I give this letter to Doctor Whooves. Will he let Sweetie Drops return? I honestly don't know. I hope he does, it seems like she could benefit the whole agency. And I wonder what agent she knows is safe?

It's really late now, I should really get to sleep...but sleep will be hard. I'm anxious for tomorrow, and what it might bring.

This has been Octavia, signing off.