Ponywatching

by ThunderTempest

Prompt #195: Information

Relax. You make less mistakes if you’re relaxed. Keep you task in mind, and tailor everything you do towards it, but stay relaxed.
Such were the words of the pony’s trainer, once upon a time. They floated constantly at the forefront of her mind, along with the constant warning that if she was ever caught, nothing good would happen.

All around her, she could hear ponies talking, and she half-listened to all of them. The continued safety of her country rested on what information she could gather. Even small things, like which of the griffons were pushing for more land, could prove useful in the long run.

Rarity sighed, as she sipped her wine. The most annoying thing was that while she was effectively being paid to socialize, the shadowy figure that had asked for her assistance in this had more or less forbade her from explicitly pitching her fashion business. Still, she would be coming away with likely a few new ideas for her next line, though she had to admit that the idea of being involved in a ‘cladestine operation’ was immensely exciting.

“Miss Rarity!” came a voice, and Rarity turned to find a stallion approaching her, a monocole over one eye, and his mane well-groomed.

“Fancy Pants,” said Rarity, placing her wine glass down, “I did not expect to find you here.”

“Nor I you,” agreed the stallion, “last I heard from you, you were going up to the Crystal Empire to watch Rainbow Dash and the Wonderbolts.”

“I was indeed, but it appears that the show was cancelled. A wild storm rolled in from the north, and the Wonderbolts are basically dispersing it by themselves, keeping it at bay until more pegasi can arrive to help out.”

“Ah, I see,” said Fancy, “Still, it is good to see you. Your Canterlot Boutique is doing rather well for itself lately, no doubt in part to Miss Saddles.”

Rarity nodded. “She is no true designer. She is good at replicating a design well enough, but she doesn’t just have the same creative spark that could make her truly great. Still, she is an excellent salespony and manager, and I am glad to have found her.”

Fancy Pants nodded, and Rarity picked up her wine, taking another sip. For a few moments, the two enjoyed a companionable silence. After a while, Fancy Pants appeared to remember something, and he turned to Rarity.

“I was wondering if I may borrow a bit of your time, Rarity. In private. I have a rather sensitive matter that I would appreciate your advice on.”

Rarity thought for a moment. Surely it wouldn’t be that bad if she stepped away for a moment. It was still early in the night, after all.

“Of course,” said Rarity, smiling at Fancy Pants. The stallion lead the two of them into a side room, where Fancy Pants shut the door, and turned to face Rarity.

“Right,” he said, “who are you, and what have you done with Rarity?”

Rarity raised one delicate eyebrow.

“Darling, I have no idea what you are talking about,” said Rarity, her eyes flicking from side to side, examining the room.

“My monocle has a ‘See Truth’ enchantment on it, but of course, if you were Rarity, you would know this. She was the one who created it, as a birthday present two years ago.”

Rarity froze, and her disguise flickered out, revealing a changeling. The changeling that had been Rarity dove through a nearby window, and Fancy Pants sighed. Now he had to go and talk to the mare who ran the Intelligence division and tell her about the infiltration, and she would be insufferably smug at him the whole time.

Author's Note:

Written for Prompt #195: "Shenanigans and Skulduggery"

The prompt: That pony's a spy!