by G. M. Berrow
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Later that night, when Jazz Hoof had finally called “wrap” on the day, Pinkie Pie was pooped. She had never danced so much in her entire life! The pink pony had twirled, bounced, and four-stepped alongside Lyra and Bon Bon to Songbird’s “Crystal Heart” about a billion times. And they had to get up tomorrow and do it all again. How did Songbird and other pop stars manage such a wacky schedule all year long?
Pinkie was already itching to plan a relaxation party at the swimming hole with her friends back in Ponyville when this was all over. Rainbow Dash would bring the floaties, Applejack would bring her cooler full of cold apple cider, Fluttershy could make a picnic, Rarity would provide some pretty umbrellas, and Twilight would read them a story while they relaxed.
As Pinkie Pie trotted down from the stage and gathered her belongings, she kept her eye on Lyra and Bon Bon doing the same. They’d never finished telling Pinkie why they’d been following her! Pinkie waved to them.
But the pair was too busy whispering to each other to notice her flailing hoof motions. “Psst!” Pinkie Pie hissed, tossing a glittery party streamer toward them in a feeble attempt to get their attention. It arched over the sea of seats and landed perfectly, draped across Lyra’s horn. They spun around in surprise.
“Whoopsies! Sorry, Lyra.” Pinkie Pie grinned. “Didn’t mean to startle you. Perhaps I interrupted something?”
“No, no.” Lyra shook her head. “Of course not! We were just discussing what to, um… have for dinner.” Her darting eyes said otherwise. Ever since the incident with the ruined sets earlier, Pinkie’s suspicions had doubled: Lyra and Bon Bon were the only ponies who had been missing right before the act.
“Great!” Pinkie Pie replied, heading over. She put a hoof around each of them and grinned as she led them out of the Stables Center. “What are we having? I’m starving!”
The Manehattan night was warm. The sun was setting over the city, and ponies were rushing home from their office jobs. The streets were alive with excitement, and Pinkie’s heartbeat matched it. She was going to confront Lyra and Bon Bon!
They’d only trotted about a block when Lyra pointed to a diner with a neon sign of a knife and fork. “This place looks good, right?” Pinkie Pie recognized the restaurant. She’d eaten here back when Rarity was having her boutique opening. Her tummy rumbled in anticipation as she remembered the many stacks of delicious waffles slathered in syrup that she’d consumed that day.
The ponies slid into a booth and placed their orders for three hayburgers, fries, and chocolate milk shakes with sprinkles on top.
“Tell me, gals,” Pinkie Pie said through slurps of milk shake. “Why did you ruin Ritzy Rose’s sets and why did you frame Countess Coloratura for it?!”
“I was just about to ask the same thing,” somepony interrupted.
Lyra, Bon Bon, and Pinkie Pie looked up to see that Crownpiece was standing over their table, looking very annoyed. “I stayed down to inspect the storage room after everypony went back upstairs and I found these.” Crownpiece tossed a hoof-ful of peacock feathers from Ritzy Rose’s sets onto the table.
Bon Bon shrugged. “Some peacock feathers?”
“What does that prove?” asked Lyra through a mouthful of fries.
“Whoa.” Pinkie Pie’s eyes were as large as the plates on the table. “Are you guys actually birds? How have you been hiding this for so long? What’s it like to be a bird? Have you spoken to Fluttershy about this?!”
Crownpiece rolled her eyes. “You two were missing for hours, and then I find this evidence. You were the ponies who sabotaged everything!” She plucked a feather from the table and held it up to Lyra’s and Bon Bon’s faces. Pinkie Pie could now see that there were several mint-green tail hairs tangled in it.
They were undeniably from Lyra. Immediately, she went stiff and exchanged a funny look with Bon Bon. “You’ve got it all wrong. We are just here to support Songbird Serenade.”
“Not anymore, thanks to Pinkie Pie here spilling her suspicions earlier.” Crownpiece sighed with visible regret. “Lyra, Bon Bon… I’m really sorry about this, but I’ve already alerted Jazz Hoof and security that I’ve found the ponies responsible. You two won’t be allowed near the theater anymore.” Crownpiece turned on her hoof and looked back over her shoulder.
“I’ve worked too hard on this production to let anypony’s performance be ruined!” Then Crownpiece scurried off in a flash of silver and gold. Her mane billowed out behind her, leaving a cloud of glitter and scraps of paper from her files in her wake.
Pinkie Pie’s jaw was already practically in her hayburger from the shock of it all when Bon Bon blurted out, “Pinkie Pie—we’re secret agents!”
Lyra casually took a sip of her chocolate milk shake and then dropped the bomb. “We were on an undercover mission to save the Glammy Awards from monstrous doom.” She paused as Bon Bon pulled an envelope from her saddlebag and pushed it across the table. “But since our cover has been blown, now it looks as if you’re going to have to take over the investigation by yourself.
“Pinkie Pie, if you don’t find what we were looking for before the Glammy Awards, everypony will be in grave danger.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
With all the information from Lyra and Bon Bon rattling around in Pinkie Pie’s head like sprinkles in a can, she hightailed it to her hotel. Crownpiece already mistrusted Lyra and Bon Bon, and she seemed positive that they’d been at fault. But if Pinkie Pie could get Songbird to consider the other explanation, she could save the Glammy Awards from something bad. Something really, really bad! She had to find Songbird and talk to her—alone. She didn’t want to freak out any more ponies than she needed to. Songbird was the perfect one to keep a cool head in the face of impending disaster.
The pink pony bounced through the city streets, but her little hooves weren’t moving fast enough. Pinkie Pie pulled out her party whistle, which was pitched perfectly to be the most pleasant piercing noise on the planet. FWEEEE! It rang out into the street, and immediately a taxicab pulled up.
“Where to, miss?” said the bearded driver. He adjusted his newscolt cap and tipped it to her. “I’m heading uptown.”
“Perfect! Me too.” Pinkie Pie hopped in. “The Foal Seasons, please! And I’m in a hurry.”
“Everypony always is!”
Moments later, the taxicab came to a screeching halt. Pinkie tossed the driver some bits and thanked him. She made her way upstairs, trying to remember exactly which room belonged to Songbird Serenade. But Pinkie Pie didn’t need to search long, because two burly security guard Unicorns were stationed outside of it. Vinny had a long brown mane tied back and Whinnyfield had a short, curly dark mane. They both wore black suits and sunglasses. Pinkie Pie wondered if they were part of Lyra and Bon Bon’s secret agency, too.
“Step aside, gentlecolts! I’m here to speak with Songbird Serenade!” Pinkie Pie declared with a bow. She thought the extra flourish might show them how serious she was. But the stallions didn’t move. “Look, fellas. She knows me. The name’s Pinkie Pie? I’m her dancer? Oh, come on!”
The Unicorn with the curly mane just grunted in response.
“Pinkie!” Songbird flung open the door and pulled Pinkie Pie into the room. The luxurious suite was made up of several rooms decked out in lush fabrics of teal and red. A giant bouquet of flowers sat on the counter along with a range of various fruit baskets. Rarity would have been in heaven.
“I’m so sorry about that. Jazz Hoof demanded we all bring in our extra security and everything after the incident today.…” Songbird apologized as she led Pinkie over to the sofa. She began to pour two steaming mugs of hot cocoa. “I just feel so silly for accidentally causing all this extra drama with my last-minute whims and wild ideas! At least it’s all settled now and we can move on with the show.” She sighed with the weight of the world and took a sip of cocoa. “I still can’t believe it was Lyra and Bon Bon all along! They seemed so lovely.”
“But it was
n’t them!” Pinkie blurted out, nearly spitting hot cocoa onto Songbird’s face.
“Earlier, you said that they were the ones who ruined everything—”
“I know.” Pinkie put down her mug and hung her head. Her fluffy fuchsia mane started to go a little flat. “But actually, that’s why I’m here. I’ve made a huge mistake.”
Songbird stood up, aghast. “What do you mean?” There was nothing worse than wrongly accusing somepony who was innocent.
“Well . . .” Pinkie Pie took a deep breath and it all came tumbling out really fast. “See, Lyra and Bon Bon were acting super shady, and then they went missing right before all the sets were ruined, so I was sure they were trying to ruin the Glammys.…” Pinkie gave an embarrassed laugh. “But as it turns out, they were actually trying to save the Glammys, because they’re undercover agents for the Secret Monster Intelligence League of Equestria! This really scary monster was in this box-thingy that the secret agents use to trap the monsters and send them to the big baddie-monster jail, Tartarus! But this one ‘Pondora Box’ was stolen from Lyra and Bon Bon while they were bringing it to the secret hidequarters, but the magic tracker on it said that it was at the Stables Center, so basically—”
“Somepony’s plotting to ruin the Glammys with a stolen monster”—Songbird Serenade spoke very slowly, as if she couldn’t believe what was coming out of her own mouth—“trapped in a box?”
“Yep.” Pinkie Pie shrugged. “Pretty much.”
Songbird’s mind began to race with horrific visions of big bugbears and massive Manticores barreling across the stage, wreaking havoc during Daisy Chain’s sweet farm song and Sapphire Shore’s sassy melody. Not exactly the show they wanted to put on. They had to stop it—whatever “it” was.
“Sweet Luna . . .” Songbird began to pace back and forth in the massive room. It was a lot to take in. “What are we going to do?”
“Figure out who stole the box.” Pinkie Pie rubbed her hooves together. “And find it before it’s too late! Are you with me?”
Songbird nodded without hesitation, even though she felt nervous. She was no secret agent. But Songbird couldn’t just stand by and let anything happen. If she could save her colleagues and friends from a monster, there was no way she was going to stay in her comfort zone. “I’m with you.”
And with that, the two ponies began to devise a plan.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Over the next few days, Pinkie Pie and Songbird Serenade used every spare moment they had to search for clues that might lead them to information regarding the Pondora Box. They had little to go on except the fact that Lyra and Bon Bon were positive that it was somewhere in the Stables Center.
But as the Glammy Awards edged closer day by day, Pinkie Pie and Songbird Serenade still had nothing. They’d searched every inch of the theater, trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible. Luckily, everypony else was so wrapped up in the coming show that they hardly noticed the duo slinking around. Or if they did, they probably thought it was some other new, weird part of Songbird’s performance revamp.
In addition to the search, rehearsals had become even more intense. Each of the Pop Pony of the Year nominees (along with their entourages) were expected to put in extra hours of work. Along with all the last-minute choreography changes and costume fittings, there were also interviews with media outlets and magazines such as PegasUS Weekly, Mare Éclair, and Ponies. Everypony was overwhelmed.
When Jewel Tone requested an afternoon off to go swimming at the hotel pool, Jazz Hoof firmly denied her request. Everypony got the sense that Jazz Hoof was pushing them even harder than usual this year. Every day, he demanded more and more from the nominees, but nopony could figure out why. Every day, he ran around in his brightly colored jumpsuits, barking orders and being unsatisfied with most of what he saw.
One morning, Pinkie Pie was tying her bushy mane up into a bun in the dressing room when she overheard Ritzy Rose, Jewel Tone, and Moonlight Melody gossiping about him. They hadn’t noticed Pinkie Pie, so she slunk into a rack of costumes to watch and listen.
“I think Jazz Hoof is losing his mind ’cause they’re firing him after this year!” whispered Jewel Tone. “He’s trying to make a splash before he leaves. That’s why everything has to be perfect.”
“They are?” Moonlight Melody gasped, mid–lipstick application. “But he’s been the face of the Glammys since I was a filly!”
“Apparently, Countess Coloratura said something to the producers last year about his ideas being old and unoriginal. Even though that isn’t very nice, I sort of agree,” added Ritzy Rose. “Don’t you?”
“Oh yes.” Jewel Tone nodded in agreement. She used her magic to pin a star-shaped clip into her shiny teal mane and inspected herself in the lighted mirror. “Jazz Hoof is old news. He forced that whole Musical Menagerie theme on us and now he’s overdoing it again. No wonder I’ve never even come close to winning Pop Pony of the Year! It’s because my act is all over the place.…”
“It’s kind of crazy”—Moonlight gave a devious little chuckle—“that even though we don’t like Rara, maybe she did us all a favor?”
Ritzy Rose lowered her voice and raised her eyebrows. A tiny smile danced on her painted lips. “At least now we’re all thinking out of the box on that topic and we can guarantee that this year’s awards show is going to be epic, no matter what.” The three ponies cackled with laughter, even though it didn’t sound like a joke to Pinkie Pie. Then they trotted out of the room together.
Out of the box! Something pinged in Pinkie Pie’s head. Was it possible that Ritzy Rose could be referring to the stolen Pondora Box that Lyra and Bon Bon had been searching for? Ritzy did seem to have a nasty attitude from the start. Maybe she was the pony who was bent on ruining the awards.…
Pinkie Pie tore out of the dressing room to go find Songbird and report her most recent findings. But when Pinkie found her comrade, she was in deep conversation with Crownpiece. Pinkie Pie and Songbird had agreed not to reveal anything to the poor assistant because she was already so stressed out as it was.
The circles under Crownpiece’s eyes were getting darker every day and her golden mane was looking frizzier by the minute. Plus, Pinkie Pie was super-duper grateful that Crownpiece had contacted Rarity to make a couture dress for Songbird to wear before the big night. Pinkie didn’t want to risk overloading Crownpiece and messing that up.
“The gown should be delivered by tonight,” Crownpiece explained, barely looking up from writing in her notebook. “Rarity followed your requests perfectly. Chic, simple, and understated, with a pop of pink.” The assistant passed her boss a steaming cup of tea. “Drink this. Dandelion, good for your vocal cords.”
“You’re so organized, Crownpiece,” Songbird praised, gratefully taking a sip of the hot beverage. “I heard you’ve even been helping out the Glammy organizers. Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Honestly?” Crownpiece smirked. “No, probably not. If something is happening around here, you can bet I’ve had a hoof in it! Actually, that reminds me, I promised I’d help Jazz Hoof and the show producers with the ballot boxes.”
“Ballot boxes?” Pinkie interrupted. “Is that where ponies vote for their favorite singers?”
“Mmm-hmmm.” Crownpiece nodded. “The way it works is that each box must be enchanted by a Unicorn to correctly count the votes and keep it a secret locked inside until the big night. It takes a really long time and they need all the Unicorn power they can get, so I’ve got to gallop!” And then Crownpiece was off again.
“Speaking of boxes”—Pinkie Pie leaned in to Songbird and whispered—“I think I have a hot tip in the investigation.…”
“Really?” Songbird pushed her bangs away from her face to survey potential eavesdroppers. Daisy Chain and Sapphire Shores were nearby, talking about how “it was an honor just to be nominated for a Glammy, let alone win one.” A group of security ponies were helping themselves to coffee from the craft services table.
And Feather Bangs was busy practicing his acceptance speech to himself, blowing the “crowd” fake kisses and winking.
It was too risky here.
“Come on!” Songbird began to trot through the halls to put some distance between them, and Pinkie followed dutifully. When they were finally in the hallway behind the dressing rooms, she asked, “Okay, what do you have?”
Pinkie Pie paused for dramatic effect. “Ritzy Rose! I heard her mention the phrase ‘out of the box.’ You know… like a monster… coming out of a box?”
Pinkie Pie pulled out the worn, folded piece of paper that had been given to her by Lyra and Bon Bon. On it was a drawing of a silver box engraved with intricate crosshatch designs—the elusive Pondora Box. “Coincidence? I think not.”
A few stagehooves trotted past, pushing a cart carrying Ritzy Rose’s brand-new replacement sets. Pinkie and Songbird shot them smiles and waited till they were gone again.
“Ritzy Rose has been acting bitter ever since last year’s show,” Songbird recalled. “She thought for sure she was a horseshoe-in for at least one award. But then Countess Coloratura took home almost everything. She was pretty upset.”
DING! A bell went off in Pinkie’s head. She’d heard those ponies talking about Rara, too! Not to mention what they’d said about Jazz Hoof being fired from his job. Both ponies had reason to be mad at the Glammy Awards. There had to be some connection among Ritzy, Rara, or Jazz Hoof in all this.
Pinkie Pie wished she and Songbird had more time to try to understand what exactly was going on, to plot out the dots and their relation to one another.