//------------------------------// // Vanilla Mocha 02 // Story: Secret OC Origins Compilation // by Jeweled Pen //------------------------------// Mocha stared at the script before her, frowning. It wasn't... bad, per se. Well, no, it was horrible, as scripts went. The baseline was here. But they really had a ton of ad libing inserted throughout the script. Entire chunks of dialogue were boiled down to 'dramatic reveal of fatherhood placed here' and other place holders. In fact, the script was, to be blunt, a wreck. Under normal circumstances, she'd have tossed it aside and told them to get another director. But the pay was decent, she was allowed a lot of creative freedom and, in the end, the movie would practically be hers. She'd been trying her hoof at writing a movie for years, this would practically be the same thing. Sure, she wouldn't get all the profits from it, but it would have her name on it and all that control would more or less make it hers. Plus, she'd be getting paid to work on it. Rather than working on a script for free, only to have it thrown in her face after while she tried to find a producer. She licked her lips and started going over it with a pen, humming as she worked. Though, a second look made her realize something. She was pretty sure she'd read this story before. She frowned and started marking off lines, reading different scenes in different orders, before face hoofing. “How can these two be so full of energy, while being so... so... well, full of...” She shook her head again. While it wasn't exact, the general story followed, almost exactly, the second Daring Do movie. A few scenes were out of order, but how the scenes went were almost the same. Right down to where Daring finds out that her contact is actually the father of Dr. Caballeron. They just made it Daring's father instead. It didn't even make sense, since the pony had tried to kill the main character near the beginning. The ascension to alicornium at the end was also completely out of nowhere. She frowned and picked up her phone and dialed the number she had been given in the folder. “F&F productions,” a... very strange mare's voice answered. If she didn't know better, she'd have thought it was a stallion pretending to do a mare's voice. “Hello, this is Vanilla Mocha. Is Flim or Flam there? I need to--” “One moment, please. I'll direct your call.” There was really, really annoying elevator music playing for a few moments before a voice answered. “Mocha, baby! What's got you calling us so soon?” “It's about this script. Err, you wrote it, right? Is this Flim, or Flam?” “Flim, baby. And I wrote it myself. Now, I know it might need a bit of tuning, but that's what we hired you for. We heard you're one of the best in the business, we know you'll make it as good as you can.” She paused. “You really heard that about me?” “My brother and I wouldn't settle for anything less. Listen, any changes you want to make, just go ahead and do it. Completely rewrite the ending, beginning and middle if you want. My brother and I have complete and utter faith in you.” There was a pause as she looked at the script. “Well... I guess I... yeah. Complete control? No matter what I want?” “You can put Celestia eating the flag in it if you think it's good. Trust me, we believe in you, so don't let us down.” “I... I wouldn't do that. But, oh. Okay, I uhhh, I won't. Thanks. I'll get right on it.” “Good, thanks baby.” There was a click on the other end. She stared at the script again. Well, it was pretty bad. But she could fix it. She pulled out her type writer and got to work. A summary would do for now. She was starting to feel alive. This movie would be hers. All hers. She was even getting paid to make it, too. First thing she'd have to do was fix the lead. The character was so Daring Do it wasn't even funny. Why did it have to be in a temple, anyway? She licked her lips for a moment. Yeah, why would it have to be in a temple? Why couldn't it be some secret, high tech government facility? Maybe the main character was trying to stop a war. They didn't have to be doing this for their own kindness, either. Maybe they were hired. Mercenary. No, secret spy. Why a female lead, anyway? It was always with the princesses and the amazonian women and the guy was always the token flank who got rescued. Maybe this time the guy could be the hero. Actually, she knew just the stallion. A wicked grin formed on her lips. Oh, she knew exactly how to do this. Her magic flowed over the type writer, making it come alive as the tappy tap of the keys filled the room. She gripped her phone in another branch of her magic, dialing a quick number. “Hey, it's me. I have a job for you. I think you'll like it. Can you call Pl... Serena for me? Yeah. Meet me at Applebucks.” She hung up the phone and typed away. Before long a few pages were laid out and she picked them up in her magic, grinning from ear to ear. This was going to be perfect. She folded them up neatly before galloping out the door, only pausing to lock it behind herself. ------ There were two ponies waiting for her when she walked into the Applebucks. A blue unicorn stallion, with a light and dark blue striped mane. The other pony was a pegasus mare, with a blue coat and dark and light purple mane. She paused for a moment and wondered why all her friends were blue. She shook her head and trotted forward, grinning wide. “I have the greatest opportunity for you two,” she said, before gently rubbing noses with the unicorn. “You're going to love it.” The blue mare let out a sigh. “Blu wouldn't tell me anything, he just called me up and told me to meet you here. Luckily, I had nothing to do at the time.” She lightly examined a hoof. “Though I do have a spa trip in an hour.” Blu gave an apologetic smile. “Sorry.” “It's not his fault, it's mine,” Mocha said with a grin. “But, I'd like to offer you both jobs, acting jobs. Now, the pay isn't very good, but you'd be doing me a big, big favor.” The two stared at her for a moment. Blue coughed. “Hon, you know I love you, but I'm not really much for acting any more. You know it's... well, I'm--” “Please please please! You'll be the lead!” She took a deep breath. “I haven't even told you the best part. I will, more or less, be controlling everything. I'm doing work on the script and I'll be the director.” Serena stared for a moment. “Wait, you found a buyer for one of your scripts?” “No! These two brothers, they hired me specifically to help develop their movie. They're giving me complete artistic freedom. I can rewrite the script however I want, hire whoever I want, do whatever I want. It's like I'm making the movie myself, and they're paying for it.” Serena gave a little nod before examining her hoof. “I see. So you want your coltfriend to be the lead. What, pray tell, did you have in mind for me?” A wide grin formed on Mocha's lips. “I think you'll like this. You'll be the main villain.” She snorted. “Oh? What makes you think I'll like that role?” “Because the coolest villains always get the best uniforms, the coolest lines, half the time they get the biggest fan clubs, too. You'll be amazing. Dark, sexy, sarcastic. The kind of villain ponies love to hate.” Serena hummed for a moment and rubbed her chin. “And how much will I be getting paid again?” Mocha gulped and wrote down on a napkin, gulping nervously as she slid it forward. “A-a month.” The two looked at it for a moment, before turning to her. “Ummm, that's kind of low,” Blu said softly. “I know, I know. It's, well... it's a small company. Very little money, but it should keep you going. I'll give you a share of the profits? I'm sure I can work that out. You two are... well, good names in the field. Flim and Flam would be happy to have you.” Her friends shared a look, before leaning forward to whisper to each other. They then pulled back and smiled to her. “Well, for anypony else, I'd say no,” Blu said with a grin. “But for you? Yes.” “Eeeee! I knew you'd do it! Best coltfriend ever!” She leaned forward to give him a tight hug. She then looked to Serena. “And you?” “Unlike your coltfriend, I don't have to worry about getting cold glares everytime we go out if I turn you down,” Serena said with a smile, before sighing. “Buuuuuut. I did just get off a job so I have some savings put away. You are my best friend too, so... I'm in. But you owe me. And I can't spend years working on this.” “Yes! You two are the best! Now all I have to find are the extras. I'll be having auditions over the next week, are you two interested in helping?” Serena made a face and shook her head, though Blu gave a nod. “Sure. It could be interesting being on the opposite side of that conversation for once.” Mocha nodded. “Great! I'll go down and talk to the brothers, see what I can do about your contracts. I will make sure you two both get a percentage of the profits, my word is my bond.” The two gave a nod before smiling. “I haven't seen you this excited in a while,” Serena said with a grin. “These backers of yours must be something else if you're this excited.” “You have no idea. They're amazing, so full of energy. This movie is going to be amazing. Thanks for meeting with me, you two!” She gave them both a hug before starting towards the counter. “Wait, you're leaving already? You just got here!” Blu objected. “I'm sorry, hon. But I've got a ton of work today. I need to get ready for auditions, rent a place. I've already got an add that I need to drop off at the paper, as well as a few ponies I need to call in some favors from. Not to mention I still need to discuss some of the sets with Flim and Flam. It's going to be amazing,” she said before going to the counter and ordering her drink. A moment later she was galloping out the door. Serena gave Blu a teasing grin. “You do realize this means all romantic ventures for you are going to be cut off for the next few months, correct?” He turned scarlet. “That, that's none of your, it's, shut up.” His eyes lowered quickly and he squirmed in place. ------ Mocha practically slammed through the door, making it crash back against the wall. She didn't care, she was too excited. She galloped down the hall towards the main set. Then froze. She smelled smoke. There was definitely smoke. Odd smelling smoke, but smoke. She panicked and started galloping faster. “Flim? Flam? Is everything okay, what's--” She froze in place as she made it to the main stage. Three massage beds had been set up and the brothers were in two of them. There was a third stallion she didn't recognize in the third one. A few candles were around the room, giving it a gentle glow. The masseuses looked up in confusion. “Hmmm?” Flim asked, glancing up. “Oh! Miss Mocha, we were just talking about you.” “You were?” she asked softly, looking between them. “What about?” “This is Pennyworth,” Flim said, motioning to the stallion, who just waved. “He's a potential investor. We were just talking about the amazing directions you were taking this film.” She paused for a moment. “Investor?” She tried to keep her voice steady. “I actually came to talk with you. I've managed to get a few fairly high class actors on board, I just need to work out some things with their contract.” Flim groaned and got up. “Take five, dear,” he said to his masseuse before giving her a little wink. He then trotted over to Mocha with a grin. “Of course, of course. Let's give my brother a chance to talk with Mister Pennyworth alone.” He lead her off away, before scowling. “You need to warn us when you're coming over. This could have been very bad.” She paused and looked back. “My apologies, I just got so excited about everything. About these actors--” “High class, you say?” he interrupted. “Yes! One of them is a personal friend of mine. Serena Swift. Perhaps you've heard of her?” There was a momentary pause. “Wait... wasn't she the lead in--” “Eeyup. I've cast her as the main villain.” Flim's eyes seemed to have light up and she could almost see the money signs in his eyes. She tried ignoring it. He then paused. “Wait, the villain? Shouldn't she be the lead? She--” “No, no no. I have a very special character in mind for the lead. He's a--” “Wait, he?” “Yes, he. Rugged, charming, very attractive. Great actor. He'll be marvelous as the lead.” Flim rubbed his chin. “So, a real action star, huh? The kind mares could fall over themselves over?” Mocha managed to stifle the little burst of jealousy. He'd better not have mares falling over him if he knew what was good for him. She forced the smile anyway. “Of course.” “Yeah, I think we could go with that. That sounds great, actually. Any other changes you made?” “Oh. Yeah, now the lead is a secret agent working for Equestria against an evil group of vicious thestrals intent on over throwing the government.” “W-what?” he asked, staring at her. “The lead will be confident, strong and filled with zippy one liners, as well as have plenty of gadgets that are really cool.” He nodded. “Good merchandising deals on that...” he mumbled under his breath. “What?” “Nothing, nothing my dear!” he yelled boisterously. “Why, I believe we were right in choosing you! I'm just going to--” “Well, that's the important thing. Getting these two to work will require a... little extra bonus.” The smile began to slowly drip from his face like syrup. “How... big a bonus are we talking? Our budget isn't very large, you see.” “Well, I was discussing with them. They were looking for higher rates, but I think I could manage to get them if, say, they were offered an additional... seven percent of the profits generated by the movies, to--” “Done!” Flim said quickly, the grin returning to his face. “Really?” she asked, staring. She was certain she'd have had to negotiated lower, but he accepted it so fast. “Indeed. Top of the line actors, correct? We can't be cheap with them, no sirree! Why, if they'll be working so hard on this movie, it's only fair they get a share of the, ahem, profits.” “Oh, yes. O-of course. So seven percent each. That, really?” “Yes, yes. If you have faith in them, well, we're sure it'll work out in the end. Now go, go! I'm sure you have plenty of work to do. I need to get back with my brother and talk with these investors. I'm sure you have it all under control.” He started guiding her towards the door. “I, I guess I do. I ummm, I still have to, err, okay?” she said softly, trotting towards the door, confusion etched on her face. That was so easy. She then shrugged. They were probably just so dedicated to the project. She grinned. That was it. They were just ponies after making a good movie, they didn't care about the money at all. She paused as she realized she'd completely forgotten to talk with them about the sets. Oh well, she could do it later.