The remnants of the dawn silently faded away as bright rays of light from Celestia’s morning sun seeped into the stallion’s bedroom. Birds started to chirp outside of his window carefree and jubilantly. It could be heard all around Cloudsdale. Scoop looked up from his soft cloud pillow slowly and full of exhaustion. “Well, once again the sun is right on cue to ruin my sleep,” mumbled the pegasus.
Scoop was far from a morning pony; doing even the simplest of early exercises was an arduous task. As he attempted to climb out of bed, his back left hoof had gotten tangled in the blankets. This caused a humorously awkward series of events that made Scoop tumble to the ground and flail due to the shock. Due to his flailing, he kicked his pillow and various other cloud bedding, causing them to dissipate. “Great. Those were genuine cumulus…” he muttered angrily. “Oh well, at least it woke me up.” He then started his daily routine to get ready for work.
Skyline Scoop, or “Scoop,” for short, had a job at the prestigious Equestrian Times. Or, at least in his mind it was prestigious. In reality, it was a decently-known paper, but not much more than that. Scoop quickly made some toast and combed his curly dark brown mane. It was short and messy, so it took some time to fix, much to the pegasus’ dismay. While looking in the mirror to adjust his mane, he did manage to take a second to admire his image. Skyline was a rather tall pegasus stallion with a dark teal coat, and of course the aforementioned messy brown mane, as well as an average-size brown tail. His eyes were also a rich brown color.
On his flank was his cutie mark, which was a newspaper, signifying his journalistic talent. He had gained the mark during his foalhood, when he joined the school newspaper as a way of coming out of his shell, so to speak. After finding that he had a way with writing and communicating with interviewees, he landed a top spot on the school news team. After the conclusion of that school year, he earned his cutie mark after quite a bit of hard work and journalistic integrity.
After grabbing his now burnt toast in his mouth, he flew out the door with his supplies and breakfast in tow. He was a bit lucky in the sense that his cloud home was in a smaller, less crowded area of Cloudsdale, as he hated flying through crowds.
Scoop had just barely made it to work on time that day, which wasn’t unusual in the slightest for him. His clumsy way of life usually accounted for it. He was the lead writer of the local news section. He enjoyed his job; it put food on the table, and Scoop just had a knack for interviewing and writing. Usually the stories were written more like feature pieces. While this may seem unusual for local news, most days in the surrounding areas had very little confrontation. Most of the local stuff consisted of new businesses opening up, community events, and celebrations. But no matter what the subject was, Skyline Scoop did his job well, that’s for sure, even if it wasn’t the most exciting news.
Skyline headed to his desk to set up for the day when he spotted a note on his desk. It was from his boss, Printing Press. In bold lettering, it read, “Skyline Scoop, come to my office immediately. Your position here hangs in the balance.” It then showed the boss’ signature. Being that it was written on a pink piece of paper, Scoop feared for the worst. He hustled down to his boss’ office and knocked. The secretary glanced at him through her thick glasses, but she saw his slip, letting her know who he was. She used her unicorn magic to unlock Printing Press’ door. Skyline Scoop walked in, albeit shaking a bit.
“Mr. Scoop. I have something very important to talk to you about…”
“Please, Mr. Printing Press, let me keep my job!” Scoop pleaded. “It’s all I have! I promise I won’t be late again! I promise to work extra hours for less extra pay! Anything! I just need this job! I beg of you…”
“Hold it there, kid. You’re not getting fired; you’re one of my best reporters! Just keep calm,” Printing Press explained.
“But…why did you send a pink slip?” Scoop asked, being terribly confused.
“Was it pink? I’m sorry, that’s probably my color blindness. I meant to send a red one.”
Now that Scoop had settled his hysterics, he could see clearly again. He had forgotten how old his boss was, and the many difficulties he had with his eyesight. Printing Press was a dark green earth pony with a gray beard and mane and a fancy suit. Despite getting old in years, you could tell he was making the best of his life by his calm demeanor and fatherly attitude, as well as the vacation photos from his trips to the scenic area of the Gulf of Mexicolt.
“Now Skyline, I actually wanted to talk to you about a rather important job. You need to promise me that you won’t get to stressed and panic again, though. Do you promise?”
“I give you my word, sir,” said Scoop. This was one thing that he suffered from quite often. Skyline Scoop, while being a great reporter and generally good pony, suffered from extreme anxiety under deadlines and confrontations. He generally tried to keep on a good hoof with boss and colleagues, as well as getting his work done early to avoid being late. Most of this was from fear of losing his job, however. Fewer ponies are buying newspapers due to almost nothing unusual going on in the surrounding areas, and most other things just circulate in the towns through gossip. If the Equestrian Times were to lose a lot of business, Scoop feared his job would be first to go, being that he had the least seniority.
“That’s better. Sorry again for worrying you before, it wasn’t my intention,” said his boss apologetically. “Now, I specifically chose you for this job, but fear not, it shouldn’t be too difficult. I need you to cover a wedding in Canterlot. The ceremony will wed Princess Mi Amore Cadenza to the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor. I want you to get full coverage of the event. Every detail down to the names of the guests and the color of their tuxedos needs to be taken down. Can you handle it?”
Skyline Scoop froze for a bit in utter shock. He was finally getting his big break. He almost didn’t believe it. “Thank you so much, sir. But…why did you choose me of all ponies?”
“Not just anypony has the sheer talent that you possess. I’m confident in your skills. Not to mention, you’re a pegasus, so that saves me the trouble of buying a train ticket, you can just fly,” explained Printing Press. “Now, your press pass should be at the post office. Good luck, and remember, this is a once in a lifetime story; make it memorable!” Printing Press concluded as Scoop rushed out the door.
“I won’t let you down, boss!” Scoop said nervously to himself as he exited the Equestrian Times Headquarters. Now, Skyline Scoop couldn’t let his boss down. The Equestrian Times served all of Cloudsdale, Ponyville, and Canterlot. If he messed up, nearly everypony would know. Well, those who read the paper, anyway. Scoop soared quickly through Ponyville to get to the post office. If he were lucky, he would get there before they change shifts, causing a certain pegasus to be there…
Scoop opened the doors to be greeted by a long line. “This won’t be so bad. I at least made it on time…” Skyline Scoop thought to himself. After an hour of waiting for people to send their parcels, Skyline was finally next, and was greeted by a slender-framed unicorn behind the counter. “I’d like to…”
“Sorry, honey, my shift’s over. Derpy, would you mind serving this stallion?” the unicorn asked.
“Just great. I was so close, too,” Scoop muttered under his breath. Derpy Hooves, a gray-blue pegasus who worked in the mailroom, was a nice and gentle mare with big wall eyes. The only problem was that she was quite, well, derpy, and often messed up or lost parcels, based on his past experiences with her. Skyline didn’t exactly have time for mistakes.
“Hello and welcome to the Ponyville Post Office. I’m Derpy Hooves. How may I help you today, mister?” Derpy asked with her happy and blissful demeanor.
“Um, I was wondering if you have a Press Pass that was sent here from Canterlot. I’m here to pick it up. I’m Skyline Scoop of the Equestrian Times.”
“Oh, good thing you came when you did. I thought it was junk mail, so I threw it away.”
“Oh joy…”
“No worries, the garbage pony didn’t pick it up yet. I’ll be right back!” Derpy said with a happy smile. After ten additional minutes of waiting for her return, Derpy arrived with a box. “Here you go! I put it in a box to help stop the smell.”
“Thanks. I think. Anyway, I’ll be on my way. Have a nice day, Derpy!” Scoop said while departing with the package.
“Bye Mrs. Cake! Say hi to Mr. Cake for me! Oh, wait. You’re not Mrs. Cake. Sorry, mister!”
Despite being mistaken for a woman, all was going pretty well for Scoop. Surprisingly, the pass didn’t smell too bad. There it was, listing his name and publication with the official seal of Canterlot. Now he just needed to go to Canterlot. It would be rather late by the time he arrived, but included with the press pass was money for a hotel. “Huh. Mr. Printing Press sure is a generous pony.” Canterlot was in a mountainous area, but you could clearly see it from the Ponyville horizon. As Scoop got closer, he noticed a pinkish bubble surrounding the city. “I guess it’s on lockdown for the wedding. Maybe there will be lots of important ponies that shouldn’t get hurt?” Upon reaching Canterlot about an hour later, he was met at the gate by two guards.
“Halt. State your business here,” stated the stern guard on the right.
“I’m a reporter for the Equestrian Times sent to cover the wedding.”
“Do you have a pass?” said the guard on the left.
“Yes, sir, here you go.” Scoop flashed him the pass.
“This pass smells like a garbage pile, but you’re all clear to go in. Just be careful out there, guards may question you if you walk around too late,” warned one guard.
“Will do. Thanks, you two.” After getting over the embarrassment of the putrid press pass, he managed to find a decent hotel to stay at. Sadly it was pretty expensive, despite what the ads in the paper said. Maybe they increased the prices due to the wedding. “Oh well,” he muttered, “maybe I’ll get a pay raise to cover the costs after this story…”
He headed out into the pavilion to see six mares at a table. Being a news pony, he recognized them right away. They made up the “Bearers of the Elements of Harmony.” Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Twilight Sparkle, who represented Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Loyalty, Generosity, and Magic, respectively. It appeared that they had a dragon with them as well. Once again, Scoop recognized him, being that he interviewed him during the “Discord incident.” The dragon was Spike, Twilight Sparkle’s assistant. He figured now may be a good time for an interview with the group.
“Excuse me; is there any chance I can get an interview with any of you?” Scoop asked as he flew over to their table. Right before he could arrive at the table, the purple unicorn mare, Twilight Sparkle, stormed off. “Oh. I wasn’t the cause of that, was I?”
“Not in the slightest, sugar cube. She’s just been gettin’ the jitters ‘cause her brother’s gettin’ married. That’s all,” said the orange earth pony in a thick southern accent.
“I guess I can believe that coming from you, Applejack. You’re the Element of Honesty after all,” Scoop said reassuringly.
“Beg your pardon? I don’t reckon I introduced myself to you, umm…”
“Skyline Scoop’s the name. I’m a reporter for the Equestrian Times, so I need to keep up on the news and have a good memory. That being said, our paper ran an article on you all after both the Nightmare Moon and the Discord incidences.”
“Ah, thank you, partner. For a minute there I thought you were a spy or somethin’. Anyway, you said you wanted an interview?” asked Applejack.
“Yes, if that’s okay with you five. Now, did you say that Twilight’s brother was getting married? Are you worried not many ponies will show up due to the Royal Wedding on the same day?”
At this point Pinkie Pie, a pink earth pony mare with puffy hair, burst into a laughing fit. “Oh, you silly stallion, Twilight’s brother is Shining Armor, you know, Captain of the Royal Guard? He’s IN the Royal Wedding! Isn’t that funny?”
“Now, Pinkie, he likely didn’t know,” Rarity, a white unicorn mare with a beautiful purple mane, said with a sophisticated tone. “To be frank we only found out the other day. Can you believe it? We have all been friends for quite some time and yet we’re only finding out now that her brother is the Captain of the Royal Guard. You’d think that would be a nice conversation piece. You can quote that in your article if you want to.”
“Wow. So in other words your friend’s sister-in-law-to-be is royalty? I can see why she’s a bit nervous. Can I get some opinions from all of you as to how this whole experience has been so far?”
“Well, I for one love being in Canterlot, and I love weddings almost as much. Now, given that this is a wedding between a princess and my dear friend’s brother, I must say that I’m quite ecstatic. I was even given the opportunity to design all of our dresses! Now, all of Canterlot will see my designs and come to Carousel Boutique to buy my designer fashions, and all of Equestria will…” Rarity started before Applejack gave her a stern, disapproving look. “Well, maybe I got a bit ahead of myself. It was a bit uncouth of me to do so.”
“Don’t worry about it; you’re just excited from all of the possible outcomes. I get it. Applejack, what’s your opinion on the matter?”
“Well, I am a bit worried for Twilight’s sake. When she gets herself too worked up, she usually ends up hurt in some way. I just wish she’d lighten up a bit, ya know?”
“I definitely see where you’re coming from. It certainly is important to take care of your friends. You want to say something, Pinkie Pie?”
“I’m super-duper supremely over excited! I love weddings so so so so so much, especially the after parties! You know what else? I get to actually plan the after party! Do you believe it, Scoopy? Do you? Do you? Everypony’s going to be so excited!” exclaimed Pinkie, all in one breath, much to Scoop’s amazement.
“I see…” Scoop started. As one can assume, having an odd name such as Skyline Scoop can bring about quite a bit of taunting, especially during his grade school years. Naturally, he had heard many variations of his name, both endearing and antagonistic, but never had anyone called him “Scoopy.” It was quite new to him. Either way, he moved on with the interview.
“So, Rainbow Dash, I must first say that it is a pleasure to actually meet you. I’ve heard of your feats, such as the incident at the Best Young Flyers competition, being a resident of Cloudsdale myself. I must ask, how are you dealing with the wedding? Are you excited to be here as your friends?”
“I see I met a fan, huh? Well you’re in luck, pal. It just so happens that I get to perform another Sonic Rainboom at the wedding ceremony, as per Celestia’s request. It’s naturally going to be awesome. And yeah, I’m happy for Twilight’s brother and Princess Cadance also,” said Rainbow Dash in a bit of a cocky tone.
“Best of luck to you with the performance, Rainbow Dash.” Scoop said sincerely. “Now, Fluttershy, from what I know about you, you’re a bit shy, but do you think you can answer a few questions?”
“Um…I’m not sure…I get nervous under pressure…” Fluttershy said in a soft but timid voice before she let out a small squeak.
“Ah, come on now. There’s no need to be shy. Just relax, Fluttershy, and give it a try. Nothing bad will happen, I assure you,” Scoop said with a smile reassuringly. This was one thing about Scoop that made him a good reporter. He was quickly able to make the pony being interviewed comfortable with talking to him. To him his job was a blessing, but he couldn’t possibly enjoy it if the interviewee did not, so he honed his skills to be able to reassure the subject.
“Well, okay. I can try. I trust you,” Fluttershy said. “After all, you’re not one of those gossip magazines, right?”
“Oh, no, not at all. Those are hardly news outlets by my standards,” Scoop said with a chuckle. “Now, I want to know if you also have a part in the ceremony, and if so, what is it and how do you feel about it?”
“Well, Celestia suggested that I have some of my birds sing a song for the wedding. They’ve been training, but they’re still not on par as a group to what they need to be. But they’re going to be fine. I have a wonderful amount of faith in them. Did that answer your question? I didn’t mess up, did I?”
“Not at all, it was perfectly fine, Fluttershy. Anyway, thank you all. I shall return to my hotel now, but it was terrific talking to you all. I should probably start to craft some form of a story tonight. I’ll be on my way.” With that, Skyline slowly flew toward the hotel.
As he entered the lobby, he saw quite a few ponies around the desk arguing with the mare behind it. Cries of “What do you mean you have no more rooms?” and “I’ve planned this stay for weeks,” with a few cases of “I’m in the right mind to talk to the manager about this; you’ll be sorry!” rang through the hall. Tourists. They always had something to complain about, especially since these tourists were definitely upper class ponies. They obviously couldn’t fathom the fact that they came too late for a hotel room. As a journalist, Scoop decided to seize the opportunity to get some incite from the eyes of a tourist.
“Excuse me, ma’am, but could I possibly get a…”
“Ugh, just go away, you paparazzi scum, and get a real job. I have the nerve to report you to Celestia herself.”
“It’s Freedom of the Press, ma’am, and I’ll have you know I work for the highly-respected Equestrian T…you know what? Forget it; I’m done arguing with you.” With that, the angry unicorn mare snobbishly walked out the door. Being a member of the press, Scoop was used to such abuse, but still got quite angry about dealing with the likes of those kinds of ponies. “I think I should calm down,” he quietly said to himself. He approached the refreshment stand and gawked at the menu, particularly the prices. “Twenty bits for a mug of cider? Sheesh. And no free refills? Talk about pricey…” he said to himself. But, as always, his thirst made him cave in. “It’ll be worth it, Scoop. It’ll all be worth it…”
“I’d like to order a mug of cider, sir. Nothing special, I just need to ease my nerves.”
The vender greeted Scoop with a toothy grin and a friendly demeanor. He was a rather young unicorn stallion with a dark yellow coat and a blue mane that was styled as a pompadour. You could tell he came from a rather rich background, do to his fancy attire and his fancy hat and his fancy…well, everything. Even his cutie mark reeked of prosperity, being a golden chalice.
“Well, nice to see you today, sir. Your beverage is coming right up. My name is Golden Luxury. May I know your name by any chance?”
This was a surprise. Usually the upper class Canterlot ponies were a bit, well, snobbish. Needless to say, the surprise was a pleasant one. “The name’s Skyline Scoop. Would you like a tip with the payment, or…”
“Don’t worry about it, Mr. Scoop, it’s on the house. I saw the trouble that mare gave you on your way in. I’ll tell you, if I were you, I’d tell my father about her…”
“Your father?” Scoop asked inquisitively.
“Oh, how rude of me, my father owns this hotel. I just run the concession bar. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Skyline Scoop.”
“Ah, that explains a lot. Thanks for the free drink, by the way,” Scoop said.
“No problem. I’m guessing you’re a journalist of some sort by the press badge and notes you’re carrying. What brings you here, pleasure, business, visiting family? Oh, you must be here to cover the wedding! How has it been so far?” Golden Luxury asked quizzically as he slid the mug of cider to Scoop.
“Yep, I’m covering the wedding. I won’t lie; I’m a bit nervous about it. My boss specifically sent me for the coverage. Apparently we’re doing at least a five-page story on it, plus the centerspread. I’m prone to not coping well under stress, you know? One screw up and my job could reach its end. I still want to get a few more interesting bits before the night is over, as well, to spice up the story. Nothing too sensational, just for a bit of filler, really,” Scoop explained. He took a sip of the cider. The rich flavor of the carbonated sweet apple beverage engulfed him, sending him on a thrilling journey of sensational proportions. “I can see why you charge so much for this, it’s absolutely incredible. Best cup of cider I’ve had in a long time,” Scoop said with a smile.
“Thanks, Scoop. It’s a family recipe. Did you say you wanted some tidbits for your story? Well, in case you couldn’t tell, I’m rather talkative with the customers. It helps, in a way, because I get to hear a lot of the gossipy stuff before it becomes common knowledge and goes to the press, and oh is it a shocker. It’s about the bride herself,” said Golden in an unusually quiet voice.
Scoop took another heavenly sip of his cider. “What is it, exactly? You’ve sparked my interest.”
“Well, you didn’t hear it from me, but I’ve overheard a few mares talking about how Princess Cadance actually plans on replacing her bridesmaids. Word on the streets is that they were only interested in the position to be at a Royal Wedding with no hassle. Like I said, I cannot back this up, but it is certainly something to look into,” Golden revealed.
“Wow, that certainly is quite a claim. I’ll look into it, for sure. I wouldn’t want to tarnish any reputations, you know? I don’t want to get slammed with a libel lawsuit.”
“Perfectly understandable. The job comes first, right? Anyway, I’ll let you go now, if you wish. You’re going to need rest for tomorrow. It’s the big day!” Golden said.
“I suppose so.” Scoop quickly chugged the remaining small amount of cider, wiped his lips, and returned the hard wooden mug. “Thanks again for everything, Mr. Golden Luxury. I hope everything goes well for you,” he said before heading to the receptionist. He took out his press pass to see how badly they butchered his name. Surprisingly, it was spelled correctly. He smiled at this. Attached was his VIP pass that Printing Press preordered for him to ensure a hotel room. Now if only he fully paid for the room, as well. One hundred bits a night was by no means cheap, and that was what was left after Printing Press paid for some. After flashing the pass and paying the fee, Scoop trotted up the long stairwell, much to the dismay of the angry tourists who had arrived too late.
Skyline scanned his room. The windows were the first thing that caught his attention. Now, Canterlot is known for its ornate-styled designs and regal colors. The window was a stain glass piece from the classical era of Equestria. Skyline researched these when he covered an art show that moved through Ponyville. Due to the quality of the etchings, you could tell that it was a reproduction, but it certainly was high quality. The moonlight was shining through them and bathing the room in a luminous glow. Maybe it was Luna being a show-off. The room had a mini fridge, sink and stove combo made of only the finest materials. A purple decorated rug lined the floor. The bed was a king size, with a beautiful mountain of cloud pillows atop it. This must have been because he was a pegasus. You don’t see that kind of service in hotels in Ponyville or Manehattan, for example. Hung from the ceiling was an old-fashioned but beautifully adorned chandelier that added quite a bit of ambiance. Finally, on a small table, there lay a charming little typewriter for Scoop to use to write the piece.
Scoop left his notes and pass on the table as he examined the beautiful room once more. After doing so, he sat at the table with a pencil grasped firmly in his right wing and began to compile some form of a story out of his notes. He read over the transcript of his interviews, his experiences with the traveling that he jotted down, and finally the information that Golden Luxury had given him.
“Hmmm…I suppose I could try to find out more about this. After all, it does seem like an alarming claim. Maybe I can find the ex-bridesmaids and see what happened.”
Skyline Scoop took his notes, pencil, and press pass with him as he quietly flew down the hallway as to not disturb anypony who was trying to sleep. He waved to the receptionist on the way out, but she was sleeping. “It must be later than I thought.” He continued out the door to the streets of Canterlot. Unlike the same area in the daytime, the streets were desolate. Either way, he continued on his search for answers.
He crossed the street and continued east down a residential street. Once again, no one was there. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light came down as Scoop was cornered by a group of armor-clad pegasi. They were dark in color, and had menacing wings. They were the royal guards. Princess Luna’s specifically.
“Halt. You are in violation of curfew. I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with us,” said one of the guards in a monotone but demanding voice.
“I’m a reporter, sir. Is there any chance that you can let me continue? My pass is…”
“Is overwritten by the curfew. Canterlot is on lockdown, sir. We can’t take any chances. Please come with us, or we will use force.”
Needless to say, Skyline followed. He couldn’t risk being in a worse standing to the royals than he already was, and he definitely didn’t want to be considered an outlaw.
Because he was surrounded by very fast pegasi on all sides, the flight to the palace was short, not that Scoop had a choice in the matter. This was an interesting experience, albeit a nerve-racking one. Scoop had never been inside the castle. Of course, he was too stressed about his explanation to save his flank to worry about the décor.
“Our Princess will be in shortly. She’d like to have a word with you, bud. Grim, you keep watch while I bring the Princess in,” said one guard to another.
As the guard left Skyline became increasingly worried as the minutes passed. After a few more minutes of pondering, the guard returned, escorting a dark blue alicorn with a mane as flowing and beautiful as the pure night sky itself. It was Princess Luna. Skyline bowed in respect, as was custom when addressing royalty.
“What is the meaning of the gathering thou hast caused?” Luna said in a stern voice.
Skyline attempted to speak up, when a guard butted in. “We caught him sneaking around the residential part of Canterlot, your majesty.”
“Let me explain, please, your majesty.”
“Very well. I would like to hear the explanation of thou actions.”
“You see, your majesty, I’m a member of the press. I had no intentions of breaking a curfew. I didn’t even know one existed! I’ve been to Canterlot many times for news purposes and I never remember a curfew. Please forgive me,” Scoop said as he began to shed a tear.
“You say that thou art a member of the press? I assume that that is a press badge on the lanyard around the neck? I am guessing it includes photographic identification, correct?” said Princess Luna in a calm voice.
“Yes, your majesty. If you wish, I can show it to you,” Scoop said in a nervous voice.
“Thou seem nervous. I’d like to see it, yes.” Scoop gave the badge to Princess Luna. “What color art thou eyes, Mr. Scoop?” she asked in an inquisitive tone after careful observation.
“They’re brown, your majesty. Was the photo blurry?” Scoop asked.
“Do not fret, Mr. Scoop. Thou hast checked out perfectly. We apologize for any inconvenience we have brought onto thou. We’ve been extra careful with security as of late, with the threat against Canterlot and all. Now, did thou have a reason for being nervous? It made us quite suspicious.” Princess Luna asked with a now concerned tone of voice.
“To be honest, Princess, I get nervous when around figures of high authority. I would never want to displease royalty, especially when it could cost me my job. I hope you understand, Princess.”
“T’is perfectly acceptable, Mr. Scoop. Now, I’m just curious, but what did thou want to know when thou were wandering through the residential area? Pardon my curiosity.”
“It’s perfectly fine, your highness. Actually, I was looking for the bridesmaids, or rather, ex-bridesmaids, of Princess Cadance. There was a rumor that she had replaced them due to their inadequate reasons for being with her. Would you by any chance be able to back up this claim, or know where I can find the ex-bridesmaids? Even knowing their names would be helpful at this point. If you like, I can quote you anonymously,” Scoop said, trying to not offend the Princess.
“I, personally, have not paid much attention to her bridesmaids as of late, due to my duties of protecting the city at night. However, if you wish, I can get thou an audience with Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. Would thou like that?” Luna asked.
Scoop tried to remain calm, and only made a small grin. Inside, however, he was ecstatic. An audience with the bride-to-be, with a chance to interview her before the reception? It was too much to take in at once. Nonetheless, Scoop replied to the Princess in a professional manner. “I would very much appreciate it, your majesty.”
“Very well. Grim, thank you for watching the telescope for me while this went on. I shall return to my post, but I need thou to guide Mr. Scoop the room of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza,” she told her guard as he walked inside from the balcony. “I wish you luck in your endeavors, Mr. Scoop. Just don’t go out after curfew after this.”
The dark pegasus guard stood beside Skyline Scoop as he bowed before the Princess one last time before departing. It was a short flight due to the calm night air. Grim dropped Scoop at the door before retreating back to the castle. Skyline knocked on the door and waited for a response.
A few moments later a beautiful young alicorn opened the door. She had a colorful mane consisting of pinks, purples, and yellows, and had a pinkish coat. “I assume that you’re here for the interview? Let’s get it over with, then,” she said with a hint of cynicism. Scoop didn’t think much of this; he assumed it was due to the stress of the wedding. His conversational skills could possibly come in handy and make her more relaxed, or so he hoped.
“Hello Princess. Yes, I was the one that Princess Luna most likely informed you about. I just wanted to get your thoughts on the wedding, as well as dispel or confirm some rumors,”
“Rumors, did you say? Has someone been speaking ill of me?”
“Not exactly, Princess. I just wanted confirmation about you replacing your bridesmaids at seemingly the last available moment. I just wanted to…”
“I can assure you that the public does not need to know about that mishap. If you are going to ask such unimportant questions, then I don’t see why you’re here,” the Princess snapped at Scoop.
“I don’t mean to be frank, your highness, but I’ve been through quite a bit tonight and would like to have a concise interview without being ridiculed.” Scoop was surprised. He never thought he could muster up the nerve to argue with royalty. He wasn’t sure what got into him.
“Do you care to tell me about these troubles? If they’re truly as terrible as you say, perhaps I’ll reconsider.”
Skyline did not wish to be in a worse position with the Princess than he was currently, so he complied. “Well, at first I did not know that there was a curfew going on, since I had only recently arrived in the city. From there, I continued my search for ponies who could verify the bridesmaid scandal in the residential area. I was at that point stopped by Princess Luna’s guards, who then brought me to her chambers. She did a sort of inspection where she checked my press pass and I.D., and proceeded to ask me my eye color for whatever reason. She explained it was because the city is on strict lockdown after the threat, but due to me checking out, I was allowed to come see you as long as I no longer violate curfew.” Scoop then took a deep breath after that long-winded explanation.
“She made you verify your eye color? Is that what you said?” Cadance asked. Skyline took notice that her eyes had turned green for a second, but did not bring it up to not offend her, in case it was a medical condition.
“Yes, your majesty. I assume it has something to do with the threat against Canterlot, correct?” Scoop asked with his pencil grasped in his wing, ready to write.
“I assure you that the threat is no problem for you, Mr. Scoop. It just shows how…smart…the Princesses are getting. You are quite smart on the subject, as well, if I may say so. You better be careful; knowledge is a dangerous thing. Now, you certainly have been through a lot. To make it up to you, I’ll take away your stress.”
Suddenly her horn gave of a dark green glow. A ring of emerald fire surrounded Scoop. The smells of sulfur filled the air as Scoop felt gravity press down on his shoulders and drag him to the ground. He had been too shocked to say a word. Instead, he just stood there as long as he could, seemingly accepting his fate.
“Sometimes it’s best if those who know are sent away. That’s especially true if they’re not nobles. Simple stallions like you are much easier to silence.” Scoop started to fade to black and dissipate into the marble paneling. He blacked out soon after. His last hint of visibility showed the evil grin of his captor with her eyes shining a fierce shade of jade.
…
Scoop had woken up, seemingly in a cave-like area, but high on an alcove near the roof of it. There were structures abound. It was almost hive-like in appearance and format. “Clearly I was teleported, but where? Who am I kidding, at least I’m alive.”
From what he could see, odd creatures were swarming around the bottom of the cave. They looked almost pony-like in appearance, but looked equally insect-like. Confusion overtook Scoop. In all of his years traveling to different places: Canterlot, Ponyville, Cloudsdale, Appleloosa, Vanhoover, Manehattan…none of them had creatures like these. Scoop decided to fly down a bit closer while still keeping his distance. To his surprise, his pencil, badge, and notepad were still intact. He wanted to find out more about these creatures.
From where he was, he noticed one of the creatures bring in something odd. It was a live pony. He couldn’t make out the species, but it looked as though it lacked wings, so it was either a unicorn or an earth pony. Scoop could then only watch in horror as to what happened next. The group of strange creatures trapped the poor pony in a massive cocoon-like slimy structure. They then proceeded to swarm the cocoon and begin draining it. They attached themselves to it, giving the body less luster and seemingly consuming the life energy. The pony remained paralyzed, and the horrid creatures detached themselves. After, a few of them seemed to instantly shape-shift into the form of the pony and leave the area. It was something that even Equestria’s own horror movies couldn’t adequately capture. Scoop felt trapped.
“I need to get out of here before…” Scoop started before remembering a key detail. “The wedding!” Scoop began to silently sob after realizing that not only his life was in danger, but he could just as easily lose his job if he for some reason made it out alive. “Come on, Scoop. Stay strong. You can make it out of here…”
He continued to slowly make his way down the cliff without being noticed. One thing he noticed about these creatures was their blue green eyes that occasionally would glow green. They were large, and much more insect-like than pony-like. They were a bit unnerving, really. Then again, Skyline was never too fond of bugs, probably due to their scarcity in Cloudsdale, so maybe it was just that side of him coming out. Then the thought approached him. Both Princess Cadance and these creatures have green eyes. Due to their ability to shape shift and the fact that she teleported him here of all places led him to believe that she was an imposter. Like any journalist, he began to write down his findings:
Day of the Wedding:
These creatures are quite barbaric in nature. They are half equine, half insect in appearance. They have dark gray to black skin with large greenish blue eyes. Their heads are adorned with three horns and their wings resemble those of flies or beetles, complete with a chitin covering on their thorax. They seem to have large fangs from what I can see, which may point to the species being carnivorous. Despite this, their feeding habit seems more like that of spiders. As I am safe here, I still see the remains of the pony that was attacked by them. They seem to have trapped the pony in a mucous membrane. After their prey’s immobilization, they swarm the mucous cocoon and appear to suck all of the life force out of the prey inside. Probably the most remarkable thing about this species is the fact that they can alter their appearance to match that of somepony else flawlessly. Due to this, I shall call them, for reasons of simplicity,
Scoop needed to think of a clever name. Finally, after a bit of debate, he decided on one.
Cloppelgangers.
He smiled at his brilliant name for them.
Suddenly, the creatures appeared to be leaving the area for some reason. Taking advantage of the situation, Scoop flew down lower in order to find an exit, but also to see if the pony in the cocoon could be buried. After all, he deserved his last rights. Upon reaching the cocoon, he gazed into it and almost fainted at the site. The pony was still alive. Even more surprisingly, it was Golden Luxury. He appeared to be in pain.
“I’ll get you out of there, Golden. Hold on.”
With that, Scoop swiped his wing really fast in order to break the mucous membrane. It created a tear, and due to the pressure, the hole expanded and allowed for the liquids to pour out, as well as Golden. Skyline Scoop now saw how much damage the creatures had done. Golden Luxury was an empty husk of his former self. Where he once had a thick neck and a strong chin was now filled by a weak build and a gaunt face. His clothes were tattered and his horn was much limper than what he remembered.
“Golden? It’s me, Skyline Scoop, from the hotel last night. Did those things do this to you?” Scoop asked.
“Skyline Scoop? Is that you? Well, I never thought I’d see you again, or anypony for that matter,” said Golden. He tried to let out a small laugh, but instead could only cough. “Yes, these things did this to me. From what I’ve heard, they’re known as Changelings, and they’re quite dangerous.”
Skyline Scoop looked at his notes:
Cloppelgangers. Never mind, apparently they are known as Changelings.
“Are you going to be okay? You look pretty bad off, my friend.”
“I’d be more worried about you, Scoop. Let me tell you about these things. You may want to write this down.” Scoop got ready to write. “Now, these Changelings are a species that feed on love. Lately here, however, there has been a lack of it, so they have resorted to eating life force. I am a casualty of that, but I am lucky that you got to me when you did. If they had gone through with another feeding, I would have been done for. Once they found out that Equestria had a lot of love, they decided to swarm it from its capital city of Canterlot. We are currently not in Equestria. This is Changeling territory outside of our borders. Being a unicorn, they knew that I’d likely be able to teleport back and foil their plan, so they reduced my energy enough so that I can no longer perform magic spells. The time it would take me to recover would likely not be enough time before they make the final blow. For your own good, Scoop, you need to get out of here. Rumor has it that the Queen of the Changelings herself has already invaded Canterlot, disguised as Princess Cadance. I believe I heard a Changeling refer to her as ‘Queen Chrysalis.’ How did you even get in here, anyway, Scoop?”
Scoop stopped writing as Golden said that last sentence. Suddenly everything was becoming clearer. Who he thought was Cadance was actually the Changeling Queen, not just a normal Changeling as Scoop had once thought. He had also thought about Golden’s question, not wanting to leave him without an answer. “I had gone to Princess Cadance to see if the rumor you gave me was true. She was being pretty nasty, which from what I’ve heard, was unlike the princess. I mentioned everything I’d been through, and how I assumed it was because of the Canterlot threat. She seemed a bit more insidious when I mentioned eye color. In retrospect, it was probably due to her being a Changeling. I guess it was an ‘I knew too much’ situation.” Scoop then realized why Golden was here. “Golden, can you describe to me exactly how you came here?”
“Well, I received a note on my countertop at the hotel. It read something along the lines of: ‘You are currently needed by the royal guard outside the city limits.’ Now, I didn’t want to be in trouble, so I did it. I guess my demeanor allowed me to be naïve about the whole thing…it was an obvious trap. After going about thirty or so feet out of the force field surrounding Canterlot, I was swarmed by about four or five Changelings. I put up a fight, but they just wouldn’t stop…I blacked out afterwards, and woke up in a cocoon, with my life slowly being drained away.”
Scoop started to feel a sort of realization and, as a result, donned a downtrodden expression and, overcome with emotion, began to weep. “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have tried so hard to find that rumor. It wasn’t necessary. Now look. You’ve been injured because of my stupidity, I’m either going to die or lose my job, and we’re not even somewhere familiar. I should have just stuck with the basics…interviews with guests, wedding coverage, you know, nothing sensational,” Scoop said solemnly. “I let everypony down.”
“Scoop, I hate to be frank, but we have more important things to worry about. We can still get out of here alive. We can’t, however, if all you’re going to do is complain. We may as well sit here and rot. You gotta take action in life.” Golden let out a cough. “Come on, Scoop, you’re better than that.”
Golden’s stern tone was something that Scoop was not used to. That being said, it struck a chord in him. Maybe it was time to stop feeling sorry for myself, Scoop thought. His sorrow went through a swift change to ambition. “You’re right, Golden Luxury. After all, I’ve been in tough spots before. We can do this. By any chance, did you notice where the Changelings were flying off to? Maybe we could find an exit.”
“That’s the Scoop I remember. I believe they flew out toward that way,” said Golden as he pointed in off toward the distance. “It has the most light, so I’m assuming it’s the light from outside the hive.”
“That’s good to hear. Are you feeling up to walking? After all, you’ve gone through quite a bit.”
“I should be fine. If I need help, I’ll call you over. Fair deal?” Golden asked.
“No problem. Anything for a friend, right?” Scoop said in reply. The duo turned around to start their journey out of the hive.
On their way, Scoop took the time to write down some more of the hive’s appearance. If he got out of here alive, he’d definitely want this published.
The walls of this cave, or “hive” as it shall henceforth be referred to as, are dark gray-black, much like the skin of the Changelings. Green slimy substances ooze from the crevices. The stalactites are large in the hive, as are the stalagmites. It can sometimes give the appearance of the hive having fangs, at least in my opinion. There are small areas of water throughout the hive. This can be expected due to the Changelings needing some form of a water supply. Along with the puddles, a small river runs through the hive. Golden Luxury and I decided to follow it, as it would likely lead to safety. While following it, I noticed that there are no signs pointing to life living in the river. It was completely placid and void of biotic factors. There weren’t even any algae, which was surprising due to the dampness of the hive.
Scoop paused his writing as he and Golden gazed upon a sort of throne. The river ended at the foot of the tall structure, wrapping around the base of it like a moat. The thrown shined an iridescent emerald hue and had small bits of other gems emerging from it.
“Well. At least we know were the light was coming from. What do you say we head back the other way? The river more than likely ends here,” Scoop suggested.
“Hold on a minute, Scoop. Look at this: a photo, in here of all places.” Golden set the picture down on a tall stone so that Scoop could see it. On it was simply an image of what looked like a large female Changeling with the appearance of an alicorn and the sinister smile of a slithering snake. “I guess we can assume this is their queen? She does have a crown…of some sort.”
“That’s probably Chrysalis. It makes sense, too, as she was most likely the imposter taking Princess Cadance’s place. I’m worried for Canterlot. These creatures seem to be skilled in espionage, and not to mention their combative swarming skills. And I know this is neither the time nor place, but the Canterlot Informer is probably going to get the story much earlier than the Equestrian Times due to both my absence and the fact that the action’s going on in their home city.”
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t the fact that there’s, you know, governmental fallout and possible invasion of Equestria’s capital city drive everypony to panic and flee, journalists included?”
“Perhaps you’re right. Either way, we should probably get going. How’s your strength at the moment, Golden?” Scoop asked.
“Could be better, could be worse. I couldn’t help but notice, though, that you always seem worried about losing your job, Scoop. Yet, you seem like the type that’s the least likely to lose it. You have the ethic and morale for the most part, and the experience from what I can tell. Why are you so worried? I hope you don’t mind me asking.”
Scoop looked down at his hooves and sighed. He didn’t like telling other ponies this, but he figured he could trust Golden. He seemed like a nice stallion, and he had to get it off of his chest, anyway. “You see, Golden, I never had it easy growing up. My mother and father were very poor, especially after my father was fired from his weather factory job after breaking his hooves in an accident. I was ridiculed my whole childhood by my peers for my poor-quality supplies and clothes. My father eventually passed away, leaving my mother a grieving wreck. After I moved out and landed a job at the Equestrian Times, I’ve been worried about losing it because…” Scoop struggled to get the words out. “Because I’m afraid, Golden. I’m afraid to go back to being poor. Deathly afraid.” Scoop tried to regain his composure.
Golden was surprised. “Scoop, I-I’m sorry. I didn’t know. Look, let me reassure you. You’re something special for a reporter. It’s your gift, and it’ll get you places if you let it. You just need to remember that, Scoop. It’s what your parents would want.” Golden tried to bring out a smile in Scoop.
“Thanks, Golden. You’re right, I shouldn’t let my fear of poverty get in the way of what’s important. Let’s try to get out of this horrid place.”
That’s the Scoop I know. Hey, look over there!” Golden Luxury pointed to a small tunnel in the cave with light pouring through the entrance. “Pretty enticing, eh? What do you say; maybe the exit’s that way.”
“Nice find, Golden, let’s go see where it leads. I mean, we can’t be much worse off than we are now. If it leads to a dead end, we’ll just turn around.” Scoop proceeded to slowly fly over to the entrance. “Hey Golden? I think we should stop to get some water. I’m pretty thirsty, and there’s a river right here anyway. Do you want any?” Scoop asked.
“Sure. It’ll probably help in the long run. I have a canteen with me from when I was behind the counter at the hotel anyway. I’ll fill it up for both of us.”
“Wow, thanks Golden. I’m glad you’re starting to feel better.” Scoop noticed that Golden wasn’t looking, and was about to trip over a rock. Due to his condition, Scoop was worried. “Hey Golden, watch out for the…”
Golden tripped on the rock and fell face first into the ground. Scoop was worried and quickly rushed to his aid. His worry quickly turned to horror as he watched what happened next. Golden’s mane started to slowly fade away into ashes. His build shrunk and reduced to a gaunter skeletal version. His eyes changed form to become a hideous bug-like style. Insect-like wings emerged from the body, which had faded to dark gray-black. Had he really been fooled this entire time? Scoop couldn’t move; he was paralyzed by the purely shocking scene that he had just witnessed. The pony that he once thought was Golden Luxury was actually a Changeling.
The Changeling looked around frantically, seemingly wanting to carry out a mission for the hive. It let out a vile shriek while staring directly into Scoop’s awestruck eyes. The piercing noise echoed throughout the hive numerous times. A few seconds later, as if by a work of the devil, close to a hundred Changelings poured into the Throne Room. The swarm quickly surrounded Scoop, causing him to completely black out.
…
When he awoke, Scoop was restrained by a viscous glob of green…stuff…from the Changelings. He assumed it was mucous, but it was extremely difficult to move around in, which confused him as far as what to classify it as. He carefully observed his surroundings. On his left, there were two Changelings. On his right there were three. He couldn’t see the back of him due to his entrapment. To his front, he could only see himself. To be more specific, a Changeling disguised as him.
“I’ll just start off by saying that I pull off this form much better than you do, Scoop. I mean, really, look into the water by your feet. Gaze into it, Scoop. See the disheveled stallion that you have become,” the Changeling said.
Scoop looked at the water. His face was dreadfully bruised and battered. Dust was scattered into his already messy mane, which was also encrusted with rocks of various shapes and sizes. He had a black eye and a throbbing headache.
“I didn’t think Changelings were capable of speech, other than the queen. You seemed like savages to me,” Scoop said.
“And here I thought journalists were supposed to look at things with an open mind. Changelings rarely converse with each other by speaking, but we can pull off speech when necessary, usually in a pony disguise to trick gullible ponies like you,” said the Changeling in a mockingly condescending tone of voice. “The position of General in the Changeling ranks is usually given to a Changeling skilled in the arts of espionage and combat, like I am. Because of my position, I’m not willing to be belittled by somepony like you.”
“You sure do like to ramble. I bet your Queen put you as General in order to annoy any prisoner, correct?” Scoop said in a snarky tone, not knowing when to keep his mouth shut.
“Silence, inferior being,” the General commanded as he used his pegasus facade in order to swiftly strike Scoop with the tip of his wing. Scoop received a bad cut on his cheek for that; the feathers of a pegasus are extremely painful when they strike at full speed. Luckily, Scoop noticed that it created a small slit in the mucous membrane that he was engulfed in. Maybe he could use this to his advantage.
“Now, as you may be wondering, I feel I may as well tell you. It was so priceless seeing you believe that I was your friend. I’d say my performance was award worthy, myself. Giving you those phony pep talks, being buddy-buddy with you, letting you give me your full account of everything that went on, it was perfect. I mean, the disguise did happen to slip before we got you to the torture room, but this is more fun anyway,” said the pompous General.
Scoop, holding in a great amount of anger, managed to get a word out. “Hey, General. I’m not meaning to be intrusive, but why, exactly, did the Changeling army target me? I’m just a newspaper reporter. Why didn’t you guys go after somepony more important?” Scoop asked. If he planned this correctly, he could feasibly cut through the membrane, now that his wing was slightly exposed, while the General kept talking.
“Well, Scoop. In short, you were beginning to know too much. You were somehow able to get an audience with Luna, who clued you in to what was going on, and then proceeded to ask our Queen about…what are you doing?” The General stopped talking to see Scoop flailing his wings around awkwardly in a feeble attempt at escaping.
“Umm…” Scoop said, unable to think of an intelligent reply.
“You leave me no choice, now. It’s a pity, really.” The General then picked up Scoop’s notepad that he had everything written in and was dangling it over the river. “Of course, it’s always more fun to tease and torture our prisoners first. Oh, imagine the look on your mother’s face if she were to find out you blew it, that you lost your job because you were having a lapse of stupidity, and that you’re now back in poverty. Your father must be rolling in his grave.”
Scoop’s heart began to race as he saw the entire culmination of his work about to be destroyed, and knew that he could do nothing about it. His emotions flared inside his body. He was angry and depressed, defeated and hopeless. But he couldn’t just let all that he had worked for go away that quickly. Not without a fight. The “phony pep talks” helped after all: Scoop saw what was important. He’d lose everything if he didn’t act. Without thought, due to Scoop’s survival instincts, he went into a nervous breakdown, completely unaware of what he was doing for the next five or so minutes.
…
When he finally came to his senses, Scoop noticed a mass of Changelings lying around him with the General atop the pile. His notepad was lying unharmed next to the riverbank. The membrane was also no longer around him. “Was this my doing?” Scoop said under his breath. “I gotta get out of here…” Scoop darted down the side of the river in the opposite direction of the throne room. As he went, he saw even more unconscious Changelings. “I must be a superhero or something…” he thought as he continued toward a light at the end of a tunnel. At the end of the river, the large opening of the cave came into view. His notebook and press pass still in tow, Scoop flew at top speed for it, feeling on top of the world for once in his life. “If I did this to those Changelings, it’s only fair that I should save Canterlot.”
Scoop was actually amazed at what he saw: Canterlot was in a fairly reasonable distance from where he was. The General had lied about the hive being outside of Equestria’s borders after all. He continues on his journey back to Canterlot while taking mental notes on the events that had unfolded. Scoop noticed that the barrier was no longer surrounding Canterlot. He approached the ornate city, which looked like something had definitely gone on in its streets. He immediately noticed what looked like a yellow-coated unicorn stallion on a street.
“Get down, Changeling scum!” Scoop yelled as he rammed into the stallion.
“Okay. Who in their right mind…Scoop? Is that you? You look a bit battered,” the unicorn stallion asked before he was promptly slapped in the face. “What was that for?”
“Golden, it’s you! You’re not a Changeling! Oh, thank sweet Celestia you’re okay! You have no idea what I’ve been through. There were Changelings, and one of them was you, and then they captured me, and then I got super powers and defeated them, and now I’m here to save Canterlot, neigh, all of Equestria!”
“Scoop! Calm down. Shining Armor and Princess Cadance used their magic to propel the Changelings into the horizon from where they came. And you don’t have super powers,” Golden said calmly.
Scoop quickly went from having a heroic face to a sheepish grin. “Oh, that’s why they were all unconscious…” Scoop then started to regain his memory.
…
“Can you believe that he tried ramming us? Whoever threw that rock at him to knock him out, you’re getting a promotion. Wait, what’s that noise? Ah! All Changelings, evacuate! Incoming force field!”
…
“Oh, that’s what happened…” Scoop said under his breath. “Everypony’s okay, though, right?”
“Yes, everything after that went nicely. The after party is in a couple of hours, so until then, maybe you can get some interviews? I know how you get about your job,” said Golden Luxury.
“That’s the thing, Golden. I’m not in a huge rush. If it’s one thing that I learned during this whole experience, it’s that sometimes the care of others, and even yourself, is more important than a job. If I hadn’t been so quick to follow a rumor that wasn’t even necessary to the story, none of my hardships would have happened. But if anything, it was definitely a learning experience, I’ll tell you.”
“You’ve come a long way, Scoop. That’s for sure. I’m proud of you. What do you say, free cider for your troubles?” Golden said.
“Sure thing. Maybe you can finally give me the recipe?” Scoop said jokingly.
Golden laughed a bit. “Not even if you did become a superhero…”
“Let’s agree to not speak of that little thing again, shall we?” Scoop said with a sheepish laugh.
…
The after party was coming up, and after getting a quick interview with Shining Armor, Princess Cadance, and the heroic Twilight Sparkle, Scoop decided to enjoy the after party for a bit. He even hung loose, taking his own advice. “What do you say I play a little polka?” Scoop said picking up an old accordion that he found lying around. He played for a bit, getting a small amount of applause. It wasn’t often that he mingled with others off the job. As the night came to a close, he stared up at the moon lit sky filled with fireworks before going to his hotel room to write his story. When he arrived, he sat at the typewriter and started to transfer his finding.
“Wedding War. Royal Wedding Faced with Foreign Invasion,” Scoop said quietly while typing the headline.
…
“Skyline Scoop, you’re needed in my office. It’s quite important,” said the booming intercom at the Equestrian Times’ Headquarters. Scoop nonchalantly trotted up to his boss’ desk, for once thinking optimistically about the call’s nature. He greeted Mr. Printing Press before sitting down.
“Mr. Scoop, this issue of the paper has been the best-selling issue in the company’s history! Ponies everywhere are writing in with praise. You had it all: interviews with the bride, groom and all six of the important heroic mares, and a first-hoof account of the Changelings. It was thrilling, to say the least. I owe you so much gratitude after everything you went through. Our little paper is now on the map! No other paper in Equestria has this much coverage. Mr. Scoop, do you know what this means?”
Scoop blushed a bit; he was not used to this much praise. “What does it mean, sir?”
“My colt, it means your job is as secure as ever. Fear no more about being laid off or docked pay. Your position is as good as guaranteed! To add to that, I’m giving you double your pay for each story, as well as give you a plaque for Employee of the Year. Mr. Scoop? Are you okay?” Scoop had passed out from happiness, causing Printing Press to throw some water on him. This promptly woke him up.
“Mr. Printing Press, I am honored by your decision to do this. You have no idea what this means to me. I can assure you, that I’ll still work hard, although I may stick to smaller stuff for a while to calm down after this. That is, if you allow me to, sir.”
“Scoop, you’ve more than earned that. I’ll tell you what; take the rest of the day off, too. You’ll need rest after the things you’ve been through. I’ll tell you something, someone up there was right in giving you that cutie mark. You truly are a great journalist,” Printing Press said with a smile.
“Coming from you, sir, I’m honored. Thank you again,” Scoop said as he headed out the door. With that, he began his flight back to his house in Cloudsdale, smiling at the little things along the way. The flight was easier now that Scoop had regained some strength and had the weight of Equestria off of his shoulders. “I’m not afraid anymore, dad,” Scoop said quietly while staring at the puffy white cumulus formations.
