Ponies dressed in black suits walked somberly by the twin graves, slowly paying their respects before moving on to their seats. The sky was dark and overcast, fitting considering the somber reason for gathering. Some ponies cried, some stared with blank, detached stares and far too many just watched with borderline indifference. One mare, dressed completely in black with a thick veil, sat in the front and watched in intense silence.

Normally the mare, known to her friends as Vinyl Scratch, though by many others as DJ-Pon3, was the epitome of excitement and energy. However, today she felt broken and beaten. She watched the tombstones, the ones that marked the empty graves of her parents, with an unwavering gaze. Even as the tears fell down her face, she refused to look away, as if scrutinizing the stones would make them disappear and her parents return.

Instead, the pastor droned on about how simple and short life could be, how the great always die young, how they were now in a better place. Vinyl didn't care, toning the pony out as she watched. Once the pastor finished, soft music began to fill the cemetery and one by one the ponies walked by her and gave their simple, practiced words of comfort. As if telling her how sorry they were could make the pain dampen or even disappear. A few of the less tactful ones even congratulated her on her fresh inheritance.

She longed to run at the grave stones, pound on them, to just say buck everypony else and make a scene beyond any before, though she forced herself to remain calm. Not for her sake, but for her parents. Their deaths were horrible and heartbreaking, she refused to make their final ceremony one to match. Once the final ponies finished their 'comforts', she quickly turned and trotted away, not caring when ponies called out to her. She'd done her duty, these ponies could go buck themselves if they thought she'd stick around at some morbid family get together.

She made her way to a small fountain, a damaged, ivy covered statue of a one winged pegasus dribbling a small trail of water from its mouth. She sat back against it and flung her veil to the ground, letting her neon blue mane free. She looked up at the statue. She even considered, for a moment, tearing off its other wing in her rage, but quickly abandoned the thought. She wondered if that was how it lost its first one. Instead, she dropped down, sat against the back of the fountain and sobbed. She wished she had been on that plane with them.

She didn't know how long she cried, but she was broken from the trance by a small bottle being pushed against her knees. “Here,” a woman's voice said.

Vinyl looked up to see another pony, wearing the same thick veil she had.

“What is it?” Vinyl asked, looking down at the bottle, before popping the cork and sniffing it. Just the smell made her cough as it assaulted her nose.

“It'll take the edge off,” the mare said. “Trust me, it makes it all hurt less. You'll need it before the day's done.”

“T-thanks, but I can handle it myself,” Vinyl mumbled, popping the cork back in. She wasn't going to get drunk and make a fool of herself on the day of her parents remembrance. At least, not until she got home.

“Oh, it's not for the funeral,” the mare said softly, before a small hoofgun with a silencer floated out from her veil, the end aimed at the unicorn. “It's for this. It may sting a b--”

“Drop it, Secretary,” another voice said from behind the black figure.

“0CT, of course,” the mare growled and slowly turned. Vinyl took the opportunity to dive to the left and throw the jar up, slamming it against the veiled pony's face. It shattered and drenched alcohol over her. The gun went off, embedding a bullet into fountain. “Mother bucking! Gahhh!” The mare shot wildly, getting off two shots before the gun was shot from her magical grip.

Vinyl looked up and saw an earth pony. It took her a few moments to recognize the mare, but it was definitely one of the members of the band. She still had her black bowtie on and her dark gray mane was combed back, undisturbed. A gun was held in her mouth, now missing one bullet.

The black garbed mare turned and growled. “Agent 0CT, I should have known. Just can't keep your hooves out of other pony's business, can you?”

“Don't move, Secretary. You're coming with me, like it or not.”

“I've told you before, my name isn't--”

“I said don't move!” the mare ordered, grinding a hoof into the ground. Vinyl stared up at the gray coated pony before finally scrambling behind her.

“What's going on? Who are you ponies?”

“Vinyl, I need you to listen to me and keep calm. There's a--” Agent 0CT let out a shriek as suddenly smoke filled the air, blocking her view of Secretary. She backed away and leveled the gun, but when the smoke was gone, so was the mare. “Damn it, she got away!”

“What's going on?” Vinyl asked again, looking around. “She pulled a gun on me, why would she—”

“There's no time for that,” the earth pony said before the gun disappeared into her tie, somehow, then she turned to Vinyl. “You need to come with me. Your life, and the lives of your parents, depends on it.”

“W-what? But my parents are--”

“Your parents are alive. Prisoners of the three doctors. You're going to need to help us if you ever want to see them again. Will you help us?”

“Who... who are you?”

“Octavia Melody, ma'am. Better known as agent 0CT, of the Equestrian Secret Service.”

“If I come, my parents will...”

“We can save them.”

“Then yes.” Vinyl held out her hoof. “I'll help.” Looking back, she'd realize that was the moment everything changed. Be it for good, or bad.