//------------------------------// // Agent Pink? // Story: Shadows into the Light // by Kagemoon //------------------------------// Three days had passed and the stallions stood in front of both the white princess of the sun Celestia and the dark blue princess of the moon Luna. The agents had simple saddle bags stuffed with a few personal belongings that hadn’t been moved to Ponyville ahead of them. “Now remember there will be no need to lie about your previous jobs, however do try to keep the fact you are Night Watch agents out of conversations,” Luna reminded them. “Agreed Luna,” Celtestia said with a smile toward her younger sister. “Although you are there to watch the Harmony Bearers in secret there is no reason you should make that the only thing you do in Ponyville. They don’t need constant surveillance, just somepony to watch out for them encase. Please try to live your own lives while there. Make friends, have fun.” The three nodded in understanding. “Well my little ponies, off you go. Everything you need to know about your new lives in Ponyville is in those papers,” Luna said. “Your first reports will be due in a week. Jotting Shadow knows a spell to send letters to me directly so drop them off with him. Jotting, no peeking.” “As a spy I will fight my urge to look through sealed documents, my Princess,” the unicorn joked. With one last bow the three departed for the train stations. “So where’s everyone living?” Lethe asked once they had settled into their first-class cabin. “Princess Luna made my day,” Hooves started. “The building she assigned me to is both my office and my home, now I can sleep in until last minute and retire to my room if things get slow. I’m quite pleased.” Unable to hold in his excitement Lethe spoke before JT could open his mouth. “I’ve got a nice apartment right in the middle of town. It’s perfect for me, top floor, big windows and a short flight to Ponyville hospital.” “Princess Luna set me up in a tree house right across from the library,” Jotting said with sigh. “It used to be a three story shop of some sort but now I got a mini mansion to myself.” “Aw I’ll keep you company Jotting,” Lethe said in a mock seductive voice. “I believe the country term is, you know my barn door don’t swing that way,” JT smirked. “I know. That reminds me though. I wonder how many stallions’ do in Ponyville.” “Like most of Equestria it’s an eight to one mare to stallion ratio. Given Ponyville has around one-thousand ponies and coltcuddlers are about two to four percent of the population I’d say your choices are slim,” Hooves remarked analytically. “Gee, thanks Doctor,” Lethe frowned. “Guess I’ll have to choose carefully then won’t I.” “So are you going to try to lure the bearers into your office Hooves?” JT asked. “No. I won’t take an active role in anything. If they need help then hopefully someone will suggest the new shrink in town. What about you JT? Lethe and I have jobs that have the potential to help us interact with the Bearers. You may be a somewhat famous author but the only bibliophile in the group isn’t a fan of fiction if I remember from our briefing.” Jotting frowned at the term somewhat famous. “I’m hoping just being a writer will get me closer to Twilight Sparkle. Books are books after all and it appears she loves them even if fiction isn’t her favorite. If anything I’ll be a conversation starter.” “Wait, you’re going to try to assimilate into their group?” Lethe asked in awe. “It’s what I do Lethe. Granted it’s usually subversive, but I’ve always been a fly on the wall as it were.” “That was with large racist groups, not six mares,” Hooves reminded his friend. “It would be more like getting into the inner circle of said groups right away.” “I’ve done that, twice as a matter of fact,” the unicorn said with a pompous smile. Lethe laughed. “How is it that a stallion that hates ponies is the best infiltrator?” “Short term stay and lies,” Hooves remarked. “To Special Agent Shadow life is a play. His time on stage is limited and his life a script. In other words it’s not Jotting Shadow that gets close to those groups, its whatever character he thought up for the occasions. I believe he will find this assignment among one of his most difficult because it will be himself trying to get close to the group and not a masquerade.” Jotting stared at the psychologist for a second before his eyes went wide and his lip began to quiver. “Uh Doctor, I think you broke our friend,” Lethe said waving his hoof in front of JT’s face only to get no response. “Oops,” the tan earth pony said. His analysis of his colleague’s work method had been spot on, but it seemed the unicorn never thought about the change in style he would need to implement to work the way he normally did. “Jotting, listen to me. Think of this as a challenge. Plus, remember Luna said to not say anything about our Night Watch positions. I’m a psychologist, Lethe is a castle medic, and you are an author. Those are our parts in this play. Everything is a little closer to the truth, and not complete fabrication that’s all.” JT’s eyes hinted at recognition, then formulation, finally realization. “You’re right Doctor. It’ll be different sure, but I’m up for it. Who knows, maybe I’ll really get in good with the Bearers and become real friends. That’ll make it easier to watch after them, right?” “Right,” Lethe cheered, glad to have his brooding friend back. “Oh hey guys we’re almost there. What do ya say we meet in town square at around seven after we get somewhat settled in and give ourselves a little tour around town.” Hooves thought for a moment. He had plenty of boxes filled with medical texts, notes, and personal items to unpack, but postponing the opening of his new practice would be fine to get to know the town better. “That sounds fine, Lethe.” Jotting agreed. The train came to a stop and the three piled out of their car into the bright glare of Celestia’s sun. Quick goodbyes were shared and the spilt for the rest of the day. Jotting had just passed town square when his vision was suddenly filled with pink. “Hello new friend,” A high pitched voice cheered from beyond the cotton candy colored veil. “Are you new in Ponville? How long are you staying? What’s your name? Where are you from? Oh, do you like parties?” Jotting took a few steps back and saw a pink-puffy permed haired pony hanging from a light post. Pinkie Pie, Element of Laugher. Jotting had shut down a group of uppity nobles who’s only stated goal was to get this one pony back for the ruckus she caused at the Grand Galloping Gala not long ago. “Um, hi, I’m Jotting Shadow. I’m moving to Ponyville. I’m from Canterlot, or Winninapolice originally. I like parties, kinda.” “Moving here, that’s great. My name is Pinkamenia Diane Pie, but you can call me Pinkie. Oh are you the new brain doctor, or the new nurse, or the writer.” JT was taken back. How in Luna’s full moon did the pink pony know so much? “Oh, I talked to the moving ponies yesterday. They told what kind of ponies were moving here so I could learn more about my new future friends,” she said as if reading his mind. “Why did the Night Watch not hire this pony?” JT wondered. “I’m the writer, the other stallions moving here are friends of mine from Canterlot though.” “That’s awesome,” Pinkie Pie shouted. “Friends all moving to Ponyville together, it’s so cool. Oh do you want me to show you where your new house is. I’ve already been there, and it’s by one of my bestest best friend’s house too. How did you get one of the tree houses, they’re like super expensive, and they all used to be shops. Yours hasn’t been one for a long time though, like ten years, way before I moved to Ponyville. Applejack, another of my bestest best friends, said it used to be a clock store, but the mare who ran it moved to Manehatten. That’s sad, but okay since there’s another clock shop in town, its run Tick Tock.” The pink pony was a stream about conscious thought vocalized. Jotting followed the bouncing Pinkie Pie through town until they reached a thick tree with a green door and windows jutting over its trunk. JT used the key Princess Luna had given him and unlock the door. Inside his things from Canterlot sat in the middle of the large main room, neatly boxed. “Thank you very much Pinkie,” Jotting said and turned to shake hooves with the Element of Laughter only to find her missing. Before for he could question where she had gone a squee came from the inside of the house. Jotting turned back around to see the pink party pony poking his moving boxes. “Oh, what’s in here?” she asked shaking a box twice her sized causing it to rattle loudly. “My standing lamps by the sound of it,” JT said. He let his magic flow through his horn and toward the box. With deft concentration the packing tape was disintegrated and the box levitated up revealing he had guessed right as five decorative lamps remained still on the ground.” “Wow that was amazing. I bet only Twilight could do that, but she could do it faster. Oopsie, sorry that was rude,” Pinkie said covering her mouth in embarrassment. Rarity’s social lessons taking some hold in her mind. JT’s laughed. “No harm in being compared to Celestia’s personal student,” he said he levitated the lamps into an out of the way corner. “You know Twilight?” Pinkie’s eyes flashed with interest. Truth, Jotting. Remember, you lie by omission not be design. “If you went to Celetsia’s School for Gifted Unicorns you knew of Twilight Sparkle. I saw her in the Canterlot library quite often, maybe spoke to her once or twice. Never anything serious.” Not a lie in the explanation. This isn’t so hard. “Yep, that sounds like Twilight. Oh, do you want to meet her, I mean see her again, I mean officially meet her? JT looked at the cityscape of boxes littering his room, but thought the better of telling her no. “Why not, unpacking can wait and it’s not every day you meet the Celestia’s personal student.” Pinkie suddenly burst out laughing. JT waited for her to calm down before she explained. “It’s funny. You’re going to be neighbors with her and you’ll get to see her every day. So it will be every day you can meet her.” JT chuckled and followed the bouncing pony outside. The library was barely twenty steps from JT’s front door. Pinkie threw the door open and hopped inside. “Twilight,” she shouted. “Oh you’re here too Dashie, good you can meet Twilight’s new neighbor too. Well you can meet him later at the party for him and the other ponies that just moved in today too, but here’s good too.” Pinkie said to the cyan colored rainbow maned pegasus lounging on a beanbag chair. “Pinkie slow down,” a velvet voice sounded from the kitchen of the library’s main room. A lavender unicorn came from around the corner with a glass of juice floating in a purple magic bubble in front of her. She saw JT and smiled. “Hello, you must be the author Pinkie said was moving in next door, next tree I mean,” she said with a smile. “Um… yeah. I’m Shadow. I mean JT. I mean,” Jotting took a deep breath. Here he was, three of his mission objectives in one room and he couldn’t act the way he was used to. It was maddening. “Sorry, I get flustered in social situations. I’m Jotting Shadow, but my friends call me JT.” He reached to shake Twilight’s hoof when a loud thump of a book hitting the floor came from behind him. “Wait, Jotting Shadow? You wrote the Hyperpony Saga and the Dark Dragon series.” “Um… yeah. I’m still kinda writing that one. Almost finished though,” Jotting rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “I thought you only read Daring Doo books, Rainbow,” Twilight teased. “Duh, Twilight I read other books between her releases. Jotting Shadow’s books are awesome too. They’re all bloody and action packed, and super cool.” “You here that JT? Dashie likes your books. What about you Twilight have you read them?” Pinkie pressed the purple pony. It was Twilight’s turn to rub her head in embarrassment. “Well… Spikes’ read the one about the dragon I think, but well I think it was a bit too… intense for me,” she admitted. “Aw, did the action make the Element of Magic scared?” Rainbow Dash teased. “No,” the unicorn shouted. “It was the… second chapter of the first book. Where the two farm ponies were… you know…” “Rutting,” Dash finished with malicious grin. Twilight “eeped” and hid her face behind her hooves. Rainbow Dash burst out laughing and rolled back and forth on the floor. “It’s not funny Rainbow Dash. I mean I’ve never read something as descriptive as an anatomy book. It’s… well… ug…” she turned toward Jotting. “I’m sorry, I’m sure you’re a great author, but I’m more of a researcher.” “Tell me about it,” Dash said between laughs. “You could use his book as research.” Twilights face reddened even more. Her eyes focused on the beanbag chair Rainbow had been sitting in. Twilight’s horn glowed and the chair floated in the air over the unaware pegasus. With a wicked smile the glow stopped and the beanbag fell on to Rainbow with a stratifying thump. While Twilight and Pinkie Pie laughed and Rainbow Dash fumed, Jotting found himself in an unusual mental state. He was having fun, he knew that, but at the same time he was uncomfortable with the group of mares being so energetic around him. This new territory of trying to find a way to connect with his targets, not just get his targets to connect to him, was befuddling to say the least. “Anyway Mr. Shadow,” Twilight addressed him after Rainbow had calmed down. Jotting held up a hoof to stop her from continuing. “Jotting, please, or JT.” The unicorn smiled, please to see the author wasn’t caught up in formalities like other’s she had met in the academic world. “JT then, I apologize again if anything I said out your works offended you.” Jotting laughed. “The only ponies that offend me when talking about my works are my editor and Censor Literature of Ponies Party, the anti-obscenity group.” “I’ve never hear of them?” Twilight said confessed. “Don’t read the papers much do ya egghead. They’re against, like everything in books. They even protested Daring Doo for being too violent,” Rainbow remarked with a smile that Jotting read as I know something you don’t know. “Oh well they sound like prudes then. Thank you for excepting my apologies JT. I take it since Pinkie brought you she’s already told you she’s planed a Welcome to Ponyville party.” “Yeah she—“Jotting turned to see that the pink pony had vanished again. “When did… how did…?” he stuttered, confused as to how she had left unnoticed past his well-trained senses. “That’s just Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash and Twilight said in unison. “Okay,” the still confused dark blue unicorn drawled. “She mentioned it, the party I mean. My friends and I will most definitely be attending. They moved here today as well.” “Hey yeah, Pinkie said a psycho and a nurse were moving in too,” said Dash. “It was psychologist, Rainbow,” Twilight corrected her with a sigh. “So why would three ponies be moving to from Canterlot at the same time?” “Work mostly,” Jotting said as nonchalantly as possible. “Hooves wanted to start a private practice, I need some time away from the big city, and Lethe can’t survive without us.” This no-real-lies thing isn’t so hard. Yeah it’s annoying. It feels like I’m endangering the mission, but not too bad. “Cool, well I got to go and clear some skies. Should have probably done it an hour ago, but the new Daring Doo book is really awesome. Oh yeah,” Dash trotted over to one of the libraries shelves and pulled out what Jotting recognized as Dark Dragon: The Rift. The first in the series. “Can you sign this? “Rainbow!” Twilgiht exclaimed. “That’s the library’s copy. You can’t mark in it.” “Aw come one Twi, aren’t you always gushing over you’re sighed magic book collection.” “Those are from my personal collection and from famous unicorns that died centuries ago,” the unicorn admonished. “That book is for everyone.” “Ug, fine,” Rainbow grumbled as she put the book back in on a randomly chosen shelf. “If I bring a copy to the party tonight will you sign it?” JT smiled. “Of course Miss. Dash, anything for a fan.” “Heh, that’s usually my line. Cool, though. Later.” With that the chromatic maned pegasus flew out a nearby open window and out of view. Twilight was mumbling as she replaced the book Rainbow had improperly shelved into its rightly place. “So how’s my brother doing?” she asked suddenly. “I’m sorry, who?” He knew who her brother was, but feigning ignorance was an automatic response. Twilight turned a knowing smiled spread across her face. “Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard. The Night Watch still works with them sometimes right?” The only thing that kept Jotting’s jaw from falling to the floor was pure, unadulterated shock.