The Informant's Job

by Im a B O X

The Setup for a Meeting

When the morning sun shine finally grew, at the first signs of dawn, Write begrudgingly (and forcefully) woke up from her long night sleep, it wasn’t usual for her to wake up this early in the morning. And that was still something she had to work on, it just didn’t sit well with her, ever since yesterday her time was spent on merely working on figuring out this mysterious figure called ‘Formosa’, who was often mistakenly also referred to as 'Formoses', information was scarce on anything about that stallion, but she still had faith that she could learn something, jackshit really, before she would cross paths with them she was adamant about her goal to learn more and become better.

Raising and giving her wings a stretch, she had grown accustomed to the Canterlot scenery, not something she would wish to live the rest of her life in, but it did well to give the young mare some morning motive, in some form.

Another flip through the pages that she left on the table from her late last night research. She was still searching for spells, books, anything with the author (or at least any mention) of the name Formosa, and it was ticking on her patience that such a stallion even managed to get most of his life shrouded in obscurity, and it was something indeed, considering the fact that her entire life was centered on gathering and writing about information that most would not even consider useful, useful in a sense that it could be used in a consistent manner.

“BUCKING HELL!” She yelled, “WHY THE BUCK ARE YOU BUCKING GOOD AT THIS!? WHY?” She screamed, going into a little tantrum over the fact that someone was better at hiding information than she was, it never sat right with her, and even if she knew that there was a bigger dog on other corners (which she did). She threw books, flipped a table, and even considered lighting her entire complex on fire just to prove a point. Alas, she never went through with burning an entire apartment complex, living under a roof was still a top priority, and she didn’t want to lose the hard work she had spent just to stay dry only to end up bit less. So off to work she went once more, preparing to fly back to the Canterlot libraries for more information, maybe even speak to some nobles to gather information about this mystery stallion of hers, after which she might go find something to wear for their meeting. For now, the morning routine must be done, and more information could wait later, after all, she had more than enough time to find them, although she could see, no, feel, once the morning sun’s light started to shine brighter over her coat that her day was about turn into something she could look forward to, at least she hoped her guts were right this time.

---

Walking down the Canterlot streets, Formosa and Loose walked through the early morning hours. Barely any pony was out and about, but these two had to make a drop by to some old friends of Formosa, where they planned on dropping some valuable stuff for some future plans. After all of that, they had a meeting with a peculiar mare that Fancy Pants had recommended to him personally, although how that stallion managed to get into contact with him is still something that Formosa both commended and was woried about, since he was still trying to unfold who that stallion works his magic.

“A wonderful day, isn’t it Loose?”

“Shut up Moses, the name you gave me is one of the shittiest I’ve had the privilege to know and receive.”

“Hey, shut up James, I gave you a fucking name and a design for your disguise, have a little faith in my abilities, Loose Screws could have been a better alternative to toy with you, but I digress,” Moses retorted, “Besides, we got to blend in the crowd, Fancy Pants somehow managed to track my ass and give me a note, although I already knew what he had given to me,only ever comming with something interesting.”

“Hard to blend in when we’ve got fedoras on top of our heads and shades on our saddlebags to use,” James (his disguise, Loose Winger) retorted, “the only thing missing are suits, tie, and our guns, which by the way, tell me how the hell do you manage to walk around bare naked? Don’t like ponies have clothes or something, I know biology and stuff, but I really prefer clothes over coat.”

“Ho, ho, don’t tell me you planning on rutting some mare while we're here, Jeez, Loose, have some self-control,” Formosa said, a smirk working its way onto his face, keeping up his act.

“I’m serious here, I don’t like walking nude, even if I have plenty of fur covering my ass.” He said as he gave a deadpan look at the stallion he was talking to.

“Well, we could make a quick detour to a boutique I know, I think its close by in this parts of the city, I’m sure they could make a few accommodations.”

“And you expect me to believe you could not only pay but also remain an 'innocent-looking' stallion?” Loose said, clearly taken aback by the sheer amount of confidence of the stallion he was working with, as if a friend had just asked if he wanted to socialize, saying that he could ‘hook him up,’ or something.

“Who am I?” Formosa asked aloud, clear in confidence, “I am Formosa! I run a railway union that encapsulates continents worth and you expect me to be a poor sod who doesn’t make use of the craft he is most well versed in? Even without my human background, I still manage to impress as is.” He said, prideful at his accomplishments, regardless of form.

“What? No! Why the hell would you think I would?” Loose asked, but he noticed something from the reflection of a window, someone was following them but he was unsure of the possible intents, “actually, let’s cut the chatter and move a bit faster, I want to get something to cover my fur, and I assume that’s alright with you?” He asked, clearly uncomfortable walking nude despite the fur that he boast.

Formosa merely looked at the stallion beside him, giving a small smirk at the discreetness of his colleague, “Nice catch,” he whispered, “I guess that’s alright, but right now” –he did something with his magic and before Loose could ask, a map appeared out of nowhere onto Loose's back– “I have to ask you to go onto the place that I encircled on the map, that should be the place where the boutique should be at.” He said.

“I would really want to question how you did that, but the fact that you had much more time here, timeless practice probably,” –to that, he received a nod from the stallion beside him– “but I’m afraid I can’t let you go unattended to where ever you’re going, can’t break character and you know the rule of two still stands.”

Looking at his colleague, clearly pissed off from being unable to be left alone for a short while, he replied, “Don’t worry, I could handle myself, besides, it would be quicker if you stayed at the boutique and selected something to wear while I handled the delivery, I promise I’ll be there before you even try to buy whatever you have in mind, just tell them you are a friend of the entrepreneur, they’ll know what to do from there, just don't make things complicated.”

“And how do I know you’re going to be safe while we're separated, I’m supposed to act as your bodyguard and all that jazz.” Showing the hidden daggers underneath his wings, although he hasn’t mastered their full use to effectively wield them, he knew a fair bit on how to stab and throw them with decent precision right from the swing of a wing, but that's was all.

Giving a small chuck, all Formosa had to do was cast a spell that he was most well versed in, primarily a manifestation spell with other spell parts in the mix, drawing up three daggers and two of his favorite sidearm to show just a portion of what he could do with the horn he had on his forehead, although it strained him to some extent, it only ever happened when it was used it extensively, which never became the case for him. Once enough time passed, he withdrew what he had cast and found his companion wide-eyed and shocked at what he did. Chuckling once more at the fact that he still somehow knew how to cast those spells despite the times that had passed since their last use at all.

“Luck cuck,” was the reply, “Never thought I’d see the day you’d become a person with questionable to malicious intents, but guess after seeing that display, I’ll trust you and meet up at the boutique, after which we could find that mare that you told me about.”

“Sure, sure,” he said, a grin finally making his way to his face, the reward of his labor he shall harvest, “Stay safe, and to tell the mare the runs the place, ‘Sassy Saddles’ I think was her name, that her employer, a mare named ‘Rarity’, would expect some company in the near future, got it? And that's if you went ahead or something, but again, I digress."

“Yeah, see you at lunch?” He asked.

“Maybe, yeah, sure, just stay near the boutique, don’t get lost in the big city, I’ll bring the lunch and just stay put.”

Loose was about to protest, but he stopped himself and begrudgingly nodded at that remark. And with those final moments, they parted ways, with Formosa walking up towards the high parts of Canterlot while Loose went wherever the map led him. Although as fate would have it, Loose’s afternoon was about to get a little bit more interesting than what he would have hoped for.

---

After locking the door to her apartment, Write slowly made her way to the main street of Canterlot, she had a lot planned for today, but what she had in mind was to prepare herself for her first impression with the mystery stallion that Fancy gave to her, books could wait later. Extending her wings and preparing to leap off the edge of the building she was on, she watched as the streets started to slowly pick up traffic with the number of ponies slowly coming onto and wherever around Canterlot.

“Now, where was that boutique?” She mumbled to herself as she flew overhead. The sight of Canterlot from the skyline was always one that she enjoyed and wished to write about, she had initially wanted to become a journalist, but once Fancy Pants approached her and offered her a place in one of Canterlots Universities (with a recommendation from himself) she took the opportunity of better education in a whiff. “Hmm, is that the street?” she asked, trying to remember the name of the place of the boutique, “Hey! You, yes, you,” she pointed at a stallion at the sidewalk, “Do you know where the boutique that’s owned by the Element of Generosity is?” She asked.

“You mean ‘Canterlot Carousel’?” The stallion asked, “I think it’s just down the street up ahead, take a left turn after the first intersection from here, then go straight after that, you should find it pretty soon by then, hard to miss.” He clarified.

“Thanks!” She replied, tossing some bits to the stallion as she dashed towards her destination. It became a habit for Write to toss a tip to any pony that helped her, even if it was frowned by that pony in particular or was damaging her own financial situation, she didn’t care, and she would repeatedly say ‘it’s the thought that counts', despite the consequences it might entail, which only fueled her love to sprinkle spite every now and then.

Making her way downtown, the streets and corners she took towards the boutique proved to be a challenge within itself, and sooner, she founders herself landing onto the pavement and begging a trot as she tried to figure her way around the streets that she somehow managed to get herself lost in. Trotting onto another intersection, she faced upwards to see the street sign and figure out where in Celestia’s name she is in Canterlot, unbeknownst to her, she wasn’t looking ahead or around the corners of her path.

Suddenly looking straight ahead of her, she noticed a stallion right in front of her, but she was too late to stop her slow trot to avoid a collision with him.

“Oof!” Both said as a result of the collision, being accompanied by a soft ‘thud’ as they fell onto their flanks.

“Oh! Uh, sorry Ma’am,” the stallion apologized immediately, “Um… Here, let me help you up.” He said, while also extending a helping hoof to the mare that he had just bumped into.

“Ow, ow, oh, um, thank you,” Write said, “and no, I think I must be the one to apologize, it was my fault for not looking in my direction.” Feeling a bit of shame for her inability to avoid this easily avoidable experience.

The stallion, now looking around the streets after checking if the mare was hurt, replied in turn, “Oh no, please, I insist, it was my fault,” he said, showing a genuine smile to the mare he had just bumped into, “besides, it no big deal for me anyway, I was just looking my way around the city.” He then proceeded to trot in the opposite direction that Write had just gone through.

“Wait!” Write shouted, the stallion himself stopping in his tracks and looking back at the standing mare, “may I ask for your name and where you’re headed? I really need to find a place to buy some clothes for an important occasion.” She asked.

“Hmm…” The stallion was deep in thought, visibly debating whether or not to help this mare he had just met, “Loose Winger, and I guess it would be rude to disclose such simple matters to ponies like you,” he said, “follow me, a friend of mine made me a map of the city, I was headed for a boutique myself.”

“OH, THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!” Write pepped, clearly overjoyed that, unlike some nobles she had run into, this stallion was actually willing to help her.

“Yeah, yeah,” he said, “just around the corner I think.” A few moments passed as they walked towards the boutique, but the silence was broken when Loose spoke up, “So what’s your name?”

Looking at the stallion, Write gave him a cheeky response, “Hitting on mares now are we?” She received the expected response of shock, but she quickly made another reply following it, “but in all seriousness, my name is Write, Write Fountain.”

“I see,” Loose replied, regaining his composure, “Well, we better get going, I still need to accompany some pony and it's best I look dashing for the occasion, the same I would assume would be the case for you?”

“Yes, indeed.” Write replied once more.

The moment both ponies entered the boutique they parted ways inside, with Write saying her goodbyes and immediately searching for an attire to fit a professional look, while the other simply looked around the displays that seemed to intrigue him. Canterlot Carousel was fairly busy today, the manager of the entire place, Sassy (sometimes known as Savvy) Saddles, was attending to most of the other customers, ranging from nobles to the common pony of Canterlot, within the establishment, clearly overloaded with the job she was doing but was did so anyways with a job well-done nonetheless. A few minutes past and that was the entire ordeal, minutes turned to hours, and sooner rather than later, Write realized she hadn’t chosen anything to wear for her meeting, and it was nearing past midday, time was ticking by the second and she somehow suddenly found herself hyperventilating inside the mare’s bathroom.

“ohno,ohno,ohno…” She muttered, she still hadn’t found an attire and now her nervousness was making its way to the back of her spine, not a feeling anyone would enjoy for that particular manner. She mussed over and over again, clearly in denial of the fact that she still had plenty of things to do and worry about while having accomplished very little the same amount of time. Suddenly, she heard a knock from her little cubicle.

“Darling?” A voice began, “Are you alright in there? I was informed by Sassy Saddle that a mare went in here, dearie, and I was wondering if there’s anything you need or if you’re alright.”

Suddenly realizing who she was about to talk too, the voice was all too familiar that it became one of the voices that became synonymous with the word 'Generosity'. So she thought about her words, she had to speak with caution. Opening the door to her stall, she saw the all recognizable white fur of a pony of great privilege.

“Uh, um… No, I’m fine, thank you for asking, Ma’am.” She said she was more than embarrassed to admit that she clearly knew the pony infort of her.

“Oh! But darling, you simply look horrid,” Rarity (obviously) said, showing concern for the mare before her, “not to mention you were on the verge of tears,”

“But-”

“No but’s,” Rarity replied, not allowing a distressed customer to leave her shop in such a horrendous state, “come along long now dear, we still got plenty of things to do to fix you up. And it’s on me darling, so don’t worry about payment, just follow me to my private room, I'll make arrangements from there.” She said.

This brought a tear to Write, still incredibly perplexed at the mare’s generosity, “T-thank you, very much.” That was all she said.

“Oh darling, don’t think of it too hard, after all, I still have some plans that I need help with, and I think you’re the pony that could help me.”

Looking at the mare in her eyes, Rarity gave a soft smile to Write, who returned to gesture with another ‘thank you.’

Meanwhile, whilst all of this went down, Loose could only wait impatiently for the pony he was supposed to be guarding. Then, as if his request had been answered, the doors to the boutique swung wide open, and in came two pony figures, one with a top hat while the other had a fedora. He immediately recognized the pony wearing the fedora as ‘Formosa’ but he completely didn’t recognize the other pony.

“-and then he had to restock the entire bloody supply just because of that one… Never mind, we still have other matters to attend to.” Said Formosa, looking and waving in the direction of Loose.

In response, Loose trotted toward the newly arrived pair, he assumed introductions are underway.

“Ah, Loose Winger, I’d like you to meet another one of my workers, an informant like others, Fatt Hatt, Controller of Equestrian Rails. Fatt Hatt, meet Loose Wing, another one of my workers like you, he is new to the job and serves as my bodyguard as of the moment,” Formosa said, like introducing a friend to another.

“Oh please to meet you, just Hatt will do fine.” Fatt Hatt said, clearly trying to avoid the implications should he be called partially by name (like Filthy Rich). Extending his hoof, Hatt was expecting a hoof-shake with the new stallion.

“Loose, Loose Winger, Formosa never talked about you often, although he did speak highly of you in those small moments when you were mentioned, a great honor to meet someone like my employer.” He replied, returning the open gesture that Hatt gave,accepting the hoof-shake.

But before the two stallions could continue with the formalities, Formosa kicked in, “Oh please, both of you, drop the formalities and just call each other with casual names, just as I insist the both of you to call me ‘Moss’, besides, we came here to discuss future plans and pick up new attires for a meeting, you got the engine ready for departure, right Hatt?” He asked.

“Yes, it’s at the platform waiting with the coaches,” Hatt replied, “But I think buying an attire that fits the occasion is indeed most appropriate for what we are about to do.” Which he received a nod from Loose, but Moss simply gave them an indifferent look.

“You guys would definitely need a few touches and changes, I’m fine as is, and it’s on me anyway, so go nuts.” He said, gesturing the two to go and find what they wanted the most, which they did so.

And after around an hour of waiting and searching, Hatt and Loose managed to find some attires that they liked, something to cover at least some parts of their bodies, which Moss found quite amusing. Approaching the side of the counter where Sassy Saddles was still accommodating another pair of customers (mares, in particular, the boutique offers a wide range of selections, but like most things that Rarity does, she mostly specializes in mares wear), she noticed the stallion approach her and was prepared to tell him off should he cut the line, in the same manner that she had told to others like him, or at least that’s what she assumed and thought. And when the stallion had finally reached the counter (skipping the line entirely), the voice that spoke was one that she had been told to keep a keen watch on and one that demanded Rarity's attention if her connected guess was correct.

“ahm, ahm,” Formosa started, gaining the attention of not only the pair of mare’s that he had seemingly just cut in front of but also the mare that he was about to speak to, “Sassy Saddle, correct?” he asked, complete confidence in his face with an indifferent outlook.

Author's Note:

(The author's note will be divided into two sections today: Background while writing the story and a (lengthy) background story for the story itself, clear and summarizing what I aimed for this story.)

---

In case there is some confusion, I will clear some things up, this story in particular was written during most of the begging of the year and I left it for some time to accumulate some dust since I postponed its publishing. And considering the overall result of the first chapter, I was in reasonable shock at how well it performed, at least compared to my other stories (which isn't a high standard to go by).

---

That said, I still try and plan to improve as a writer, but with the narrative that I have seemed to give, I think it's appropriate that I try to give some background knowledge to the story moving forward.
This main story narrative is set not long after the coronation of Twilight as ruler of Equestria but not that far off in the future, maybe 3 months forwards or so.
but in this case, the Legion of doom had been recently defeated, and (I believe) there is a small gap between their defeat and Twilight's coronation, that is where this story starts.
but Twilight's coronation will be a chapter itself that will be planned later on as part of story progression and whatnot,

Story background wise, Humanity in this world, and humans in general, had already advanced our knowledge and technological pool by a really (really) long shot, with some of our crowning achievements being the discovery of a new state of matter known as "Farmece" and its different sub-forms that (generally) disregards the Law's of Physics but could be manipulated into other forms of matter, the conquest of some galaxies (sentient life was a bitch to deal with, but we persisted), and the creation (or more properly, replication) of life, and one of the crowning achievements being atomic manipulation (nanotech), with the next frontier being interdimensional travel, time manipulation, and the complete understanding of "Farmece" just as we have mastered Physics to its fullest potential, and more.
(note: "Farmece" means "Magic" in Romanian, which coincidentally also means "charm".)

Equus, and by extension Equestria, was the result of the plentiful planetary-sized experiments done by humanity to better understand how to wield "Farmece". With their ability and understandings at that point, they created plenty of worlds with varying differences, Equus being one of them and the most successful in harnessing the state of matter, even surpassing humanity in some aspects such as time manipulation or even atomic manipulation at an earlier time in their history, although in a smaller case, their system showed little growth, much to the dismay of most humans. And so far, Humanity has been observing and giving slight changes to the world of Equus, such as giving the ability to move the celestial masses to the two current rulers of Equestria, the leading nation of that world. But recent events are about to change those goals initially set as Equus as a whole enters what humanity would consider their equivalent to the "Renaissance".
The existence of Humanity as a whole and its worlds are mostly unknown to the majority, even to those in the galaxies that they created and explored, with the two Royal Sisters being the only ones knowing of the existence of this unknown group, but not the full story to be considered knowledgable, as they are only able to communicate a one-sided conversation with ponies, such as Sunburst in the previous chapter, serving as couriers at best.

Comments

[yonalkaru]

WOW, now that's is some good lore right there if im going to be honest, also since im not at all good at writing comments on stories all i can say is that, damn i wonder where this story is going and good job!!!