"You're job is to get in there and uncover the truth about that show." the owner of the Equestria Times demanded, "I don't care how you do it, I just want you in there! This latest episode was the last straw."
The large stallion, a grey pegasus with a mane to match his attitude, paused the moving screen that had been playing a newer episode and snorted.
"This franchise is making me sick," he turned to the younger stallion, placing his front hooves on the desk in front of him, "Scoop, you've been with us for a few months now, and yet you've prooved yourself to be an amazing reporter. You've gone up 'through the ranks' faster than even I did when I first started. That is why I want you to do this. I know your capabilities. Do anything to get in, even if you have to sleep with one of the actresses. Just. Get. In. There."
"You got it boss," Deep Scoop replied, patting his lucky camera he had received from his father for his tenth birthday. Sure it didn't work anymore, and he's gotten a new one to replace it, but yet he still carries it around with him, "I'm on it."
The last thing his boss had said before he had left stuck in his mind: "Even if you have to sleep with one of the actresses." For a reporter, that is a last ditch effort, and it usually works. Luckily, he hadn't needed to use such a diabolicle tactic so far in his career. So far.
Deep Scoop had grown up in a small, unknown town off to the western border of Equestria. If you had asked his parents, they would tell you he was born with a camera in his hoof. As he grew, his interest in telling things for how it was grew. He went through his lying phase quickly (or as he calls it now, his Yellow Journalism phase) and went right back to the truth. Growing up, he didn't have many friends. Or family at that matter. He was an only colt. But to him, that didn't matter. He would just go around, taking pictures of ponies doing everyday things, and posting them in the school newspaper. One day, he saw a filly he had his eye on since primary school, and took a picture. He later put this picture in the newspaper, asking her to go to a dance with him. She declined. Since then, he's never been good with mares.
After high school, Scoop moved away, going as far as Fillydelphia to go to college. He spent all his time studying, and none going to parties and meeting mares. Once, a mare with a turqoise mane and a cream colored coat asked him to the movies, he declined. He later found out, a few months later, that her name was Coco Pommel, when she was a special guest on the show. He immediatly regretted it.
Now, four months later, he was heading toward the same studios where the show was made. What will he find? What will he discover?
After arriving by train, I took a bus to the entrance of this land's most famous studio: MLP Productions. Scoop wrote in his notepad. The hospitality ofthe tour guides is undeniable, and almost impossible to not give in to decline. I watch the scenery pass until I see the main recording building for the show. The first phase of my plan is setting into action.
"And to your left," the smiling mare at the head of the tram announced over the intercom, "is the famed MLP Productions building, where they house, and record the everyday happenings of the show many of you have heard of, called Friendship is Magic."
Many of the tourists "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed, but Scoop stayed cmposed and jotted down everything said. As he was writing, the mare said something that made him look up.
"And at one thirty this afternoon, you will be able to see and meet the very ponies on the show! You have to make it there first though."
The tram seemed to jump in excitement at this announcement. Scoop looked at a silver watch on his foreleg and saw it was almost one o'clock. He raised his hoof and a press badge and said, "Ma'am, could you please stop the tram, I wish to get off."
The mare looked worried for a moment before regaining her cheerful face, "Please sir, sit back down and wait until the end of the tour to ask questions."
"Ma'am, I'm asking politely for you to stop the ride."
"And I'm asking you to take your seat and wait."
Scoop, having been in these situations before, thought of the most sickening thing he had ever seen (this being when he had reported in a recent mini-war against timber wolves, where he had seen his assistant get her leg ripped off and bleeding to death.) and forced himself to vomit using his tongue to rub against his uvula.
"I told you," he whiped his mouth, "to stop."
The tram stopped almost immeadiatly, and Scoop regained his composure. He smiled and spat on the floor, "thanks."
The mare tried to stop him before he hopped off the tram and trotted towards the studio, knowing the mare couldn't abandon her job.
"I-I'm sorry for the," she paused to take a breath of air, "disgusting interruption. We will clean that up on the next stop. Let's carry on."
Scoop left the scene behind him, and got closer to his objective. Looking at his watch, he saw it was 1:05, twenty-five minutes left. All he had to do was get to the building and wa-
A mare he had seen before trotted out of the studio carrying a tray of cups on her back. she was a cream color with a turquiose mane. Coco Pommel. Everything happning in his head at the moment washed away when he saw her. He didn't know much about her, other than the fact that she was trying to get into the fasion and design buisiness in college. But if that was so, why was she in his reporting class back then too? He decided it was time to get over his fear of relationships and approach her.
He picked up his pace and reached the studio just before she got back into the building. The mare seemed to notice him approaching and stoped to watch in curiosity. Coco looked at him as if she didn't recognize him. Even as he got closer, she kept that look.
"H-" he cleared his throat, "Hello Coco Pommel, Deep Scoop with the Equestria Times, mind answering few questions?"
The mare looked around and spoke in a hushed tone, "you should be careful where you say that. We don't like reporters around here."
"Coco?" a lighter pitched, but frustrated voice called from just beyond a wall, "who's that your talking to?"
"O-oh, n-no one," the timid mare replied, "just a littly filly who got lost from the tram."
"Well make sure she gets back to her parents," the voice came again, "we don't need any interferences."
"Yeah! H'yuck h'yuck!" A slightly stupid voice called also, before a smack could be heard.
"Quiet you idiot."
Coco sighed and looked back to Scoop, whispering, "I think I reember you. Didn't we go to college together?"
"Yeah, we did," He rubbed the back of his neck. "So why are you here?"
"Oh," the mare kicked the ground with a hoof, "I-I'm an intern. I'm observing the fasions of the show to help my company. You?"
"I'm trying to uncover what really goes on here," he stated, "I was actually wondering if you could help me."
"N-no, I can't do that." Coco looked away, "I'm sorry. I can't."
"Oh," things were looking grim. Next plan, "well how about you and I get something to drink."
"B-but I'm working, I can't just leave."
"Then after work. See you at seven," and with that, not leaving the timid mare time to decline, he set off. Now all he had to do was create a plan for getting into the studios.
