Why is the first step is the hardest? [Open, Canterlot]

[Blueblood]

As Double Take leaned in to give his pitch, Earth Writer felt as if the air was thickening, like a blanket soaked in grease to smother him. *Oh, Celestia, you're thick in it now.* He was in over his head now, and he knew it; every word out of the pegasus' mouth confirmed.

As he readied his reply, the unicorn couldn't keep the slight stammer out of his voice that came in with stress. "Th-that's quite an impressive claim for th-this... organization. There's a c-c-catch somewhere, I think?" The unicorn was actually pretty certain he knew what it was already. *I've been eating breakfast in a mafia hangout all this time!?*

Earth Writer's incipent journalist instincts were quickly overwhelmed by his desire to get out, but there really wasn't a graceful way of doing so. Getting put on a hit list would really ruin his day, which had started out so well...

And then a miracle happened. An owl flew right into the cafe, message attached. The unicorn snatched it up, giving the contents a quick look-over. "S-sorry to cut this interview short, Double-Take, but I-I have an interview with my commissioner. G'bye!" A bit quicker than would have been counted polite, Earth Writer dashed out of the cafe, heading at a good clip towards the train station.

He paused when he reached the station platform, huffing and puffing in an attempt to catch his breath. Looking around the station, he realized he had no way of recognizing Grey Matter on sight. *Hope the description I sent him was enough.*

[Cainiam]

Double Take sighed as the unicorn took off without even dropping his name. *That could have gone better.* He now sighed outwardly and stood up. He trotted back to the counter to find the owner had left a rather generous amount of money on the counter. A quick visual check gave Double Take a rough estimate that this would indeed be enough to "protect" the establishment from the dangers out there. He swept it up into a bag which he placed on his belt and took a step outside, inhaling a lungful of the thick slum air.

"Ahem," a pony coughed from the shadows.

Double Take spun around menacingly when he recognised the silhouette. "H-h-hammer! I, er, I got the money from the Bridge Cafe," Double stuttered as he handed the bag of bits to a hoof which reached out of the shadows.

"The Don'll be pleased. Now who was that unicorn you were talking to?"

"A potential recruit who turned me down."

"What's his name?"

"I... I, er, didn't get it."

"What? You can't tell an anonymous pony about this organisation! What were you thinking?"

"He left so fast and..." Double babbled but was silenced by a hoof around the face.

"Shut up! You're already on thin ice, Double. Find out this pony's name and where he lives. We can't have him spill his guts to the police now, can we?" Hammer replied threateningly.

"No, sir!" Double Take replied quickly and galloped off into the rough direction that the unicorn had left in.

[GreyMatter]

"Earth Writer? Is that you?" Called out Grey Matter, as he spots somepony similar to the description he was given.

[Blueblood]

(What does Gray Matter look like? And Cainam, I specifically said in an earlier post that the coffee shop wasn't Pony Joe's.)

An Earth Pony had come up to Earth Writer, calling him by name. The Unicorn could only assume this was his client. "Yes, that's me. I assume you are Grey Matter?" The meeting with Double Take was already receding in the writer's mind. This, at least, was honest work. After the commission check cleared, he'd never have to frequent that little grease dive again.

[GreyMatter]

(Grey is my OC, as a result, he is my avatar. So, that is what he looks like.)

"Yes, I am. Nice to finally meet you, Earth Writer. Do you mind if I stay with you for the time being? I hadn't really the time to arrange for lodgings here in Canterlot."

[Cainiam]

(OC: Damnation. I scanned the first post for a name for the cafe, saw Pony Joe's and figured that was it. Going to have to edit it to something generic, sorry.)

Double Take didn't have any clue where he was going. He scanned left and right as he galloped down street after street to the point where all the names were blurring together. This was not good. Hammer's threat still hung heavy in the air. Last pony to cross him took an express trip to the bottom of the ocean on a one-way ticket. Double Take was lucky that Hammer had taken a shine to him actually, very few ponies got a chance to fix their mistake before Hammer took charge personally. Double wished he had gotten a look at that letter that the unicorn had received. He didn't have a clue where he was going. Just when he was beginning to debate leaving town instead he spotted a tan flank turn a corner. Could it be? The pegasus galloped up to the corner and stopped abruptly. Slowly looking round the side he realised he had arrived at the train station. *His target was meeting somepony? This could potentially be very, very bad.*

A grey earth pony trotted around the corner and called out to the unicorn.

"Earth Writer? Is that you?"

*Earth Writer? A name. So who's he meeting?*

"Yes, that's me. I assume you are Grey Matter?"

*Both names? My lucky day. Now I just need to know where he lives.*

"Yes, I am. Nice to finally meet you, Earth Writer. Do you mind if I stay with you for the time being? I hadn't really the time to arrange for lodgings here in Canterlot."

*Perfect! Chances are they'll be heading back to Earth Writer's place as soon as possible. All I have to do is stick to the shadows and tail him. Celestia, I haven't done this in a while*

[Blueblood]

"Erm..." Earth writer self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck with his hoof. "I don't have a spare bed, really. It's pretty much the next step up from student lodgings, my place. If you don't mind the couch, I suppose." The unicorn shrugged. "I'd look into some hotels if you're gonna stay long."

He started off back to his street with the grey Earth Pony. "So, did you bring any notes with you, diaries, or is this all just gonna be dictation?" His thoughts were not completely gone yet from his disturbing meeting that lunchtime, but the writer wasn't exactly looking over his shoulder for anyone following him. After all, that would just be paranoid, wouldn't it?

[GreyMatter]

((Please, if you quote me, color correct. I cant add colors when I post via phone, otherwise it would be blue))

I wouldn't call it dictation, per sé. I will tell you about myself, until you know me as a friend I knew my whole life would. Then, you write my life story. If I dictated it, it may as well be an autobiography. I don't want that. I want somepony else's take on the life I led. Otherwise, it may end up being a lot of bragging. And I suppose I will need to get a hotel. Typically I'm just up here overnight, and I plan months in advance, to pick up my check from Equestria Daily, and take a quick tour"

(Also, my plan, and I ran this past ExtravagantEvil, is that Grey is a part owner of the newspaper, and occasionally comes by to pick up his check and see how things are. He has never stayed long enough to actually see what was wrong though, but that will change. Although Earth Writer knows none if this...)

[Cainiam]

(OOC: Oops. Sorry about that. I'll fix it now and make sure to keep that in mind.)

Double Take followed the two as they walked. Just close enough to be in earshot. He kept to large groups and jumped between different activities. One minute he was at a market stall, the next sat on a bench, then talking in a large crowd. In retrospect maybe he shouldn't have taken all of his lessons from that odd white cloaked pony.

I wouldn't call it dictation, per sé. I will tell you about myself, until you know me as a friend I knew my whole life would. Then, you write my life story.

*So he is a writer. I thought he was. Although I didn't take him for a biographer.*

to pick up my check from Equestria Daily

Double Take froze and did a namesake double take. *His friends a journalist? For Equestria Daily? The only paper that wouldn't accept the Don's money? Okay, okay, calm down Double. Find out where he lives, do a little intimidation tactics, and he should keep his mouth shut. Just keep following.*

[Blueblood]

(Sounds good to me)

Earth Writer nodded as he listened to Grey Matter's theory of Biography. It made sense that he would want an outside perspective; otherwise it would be autobiography. Still... "My writing style's rather research-heavy. After I get the story from you, I'll probably be interviewing others you've mentioned, visiting places, and reading through whatever papers you let me." He shrugged. "Of course, I guess that goes without saying, if you want quality in biography. Same as all non-fiction, really. I'll probably be putting an emphasis on place, because of my background. I happen to think one's surrounding environment quite important in shaping what circumstances they encounter, and ultimately use to build themselves."

A good conversation of literary theory was now quite on its way to occupying the full of the unicorn's mind, before it stopped short on a statement. "Equestria Daily? You work with them?"

[GreyMatter]

"Hmm? No, I'm part owner. They try to send my checks, but once every few months, I check in for a day to make sure things are up to par. Ironically, I don't get much time to read it these days, so busy with my business, and my fiance. Ah, but that is all part of the biography. Do you mind if I head down tomorrow to Equestria Daily? We can start on the biography the next day, but if I am to be here for a while, I should take a more complete look." Grey chuckled, "But. I suppose that should start with me actually taking the time to read the entire paper, eh?"

((OOC: I tried to reply 12 hours ago, but the site went down...))

[Cainiam]

"Hmm? No, I'm part owner. They try to send my checks, but once every few months, I check in for a day to make sure things are up to par."

Double Take's heart started beating again as he let out a rather loud sigh. *He's part owner, not a journalist. He's not going to write a story on us. Still. I need to find out where this stupid unicorn lives.* Double continued to follow the two of them through the maze of streets.

[ExtravagantEvil]

I gaze at my desk calender, taking a break from my aching head, as I had recently bashed it one as I typed a paper on the Wonderbolt's feud over who really dropped the soap...*sigh*

I notice a date circled in red pen.

*Today...what was it about today...Wait...WAIT!*

Celestia's Horn!

I bolt out of my chair and start opening windows and giving the dust a good dusting.

*The only real source of money we have is showing up today! Might as well make this place look decent...Wait...how about...*

I stand still in thought.

*I show him what really happened to this place...and maybe...we'll get even more people...*

*Or he'll shut this place down and I'll have to write advertisements for Pony Joe's fricking donuts again...*

Caught in the middle of 2 extremes, I take the position of the old Mudslinger Upton Sincolt and just decide to tell it like it is, sit down, and dig for some Ibuprophen, and get back to work on such pertinent work.

[Blueblood]

"I see..." Earth Writer could only shake his head in something like disbelief. *This has turned out to be a very peculiar day, simply packed with coincidences.*

He wasn't sure whether or not to reveal his new position, or just wait for it all to come out in the editor's office. Ultimately, he decided on the latter; his sister's artistic tendencies had given him a flair for the dramatic.

In the meantime, he continued his conversation. "I know the way to the office. I haven't read much more than the classifieds, lately. There's, um... how do I put this? Most of it is not interesting to me. The editor will probably explain more. Speaking of which, this seems to be the offices now."

[GreyMatter]

"I wasn't planning on dropping in until tomorrow...but what the hay! Why not? In fact, we got new editor since I was here last. I wonder if they took my office, seeing as how I never use it."

[Cainiam]

*You're kidding me, they're taking a detour. I didn't want to spend all day on this, but it looks like I haven't got a choice in the matter. Why couldn't he just have been loaded? It would have made my life a lot easier.* Double sighed again and trotted after to them to the EQD offices. *When they go inside, I'll try and track them by the windows. I hope they didn't opt for double glazing.*

[Blueblood]

(Was waiting for Evil to post; guess we didn't give him enough material.)

Earth Writer shrugged. "I wouldn't know, sir. What I saw of the offices looked a little shabby."

As soon as he said this, the unicorn realized he may as well have given the game away, so he upped his pace into the building, before Grey Matter could ask him the specifics of how he knew. That might have worked, if he hadn't made straight for Byline Buck's office without asking for directions...

[ExtravagantEvil]

(Thank you Rack, I was waiting for one of you to enter so i wouldn't have to restate my given monologue, I'd have posted sooner, but this is the first reliable posting computer I've been on.)

After the slam of Earth Writer through the door, it fades and all that remains is the faint echo of clicking and whirring of my type writer.

I peak my head over my cubicle, seeing who's bothering me as I work, and see it to be a Earth Writer.y

Hey! What are you doing back so soon Earth Writer? I just sent you out of here not even an hour ago to ;earn the world and you're back here? Either you've had a revelation about the pony condition and social affairs, or we have ourselves a failure to communicate!

I yell out as I set my piece to the side, not used to having to work with ponies that show up more than once annually to do their jobs.

[Blueblood]

"I..." The unicorn wasn't quite sure how to phrase things now. "Well, It's not really either of those. You'd never guess who I ran into into today." He paused for a moment. "Well, actually, you might. The name 'Grey Matter' ring any bells?"

[ExtravagantEvil]

[colour=#0000cd]...Darn...I know him. Listen New blood, I realized it a minute ago. Let's let him see this place as it really is.[/colour]

I say with a huff and a sigh as I collapse in my seat.

[GallientLighte]

Meanwhile outside EQD Offices.

"Why did I get stuck on patrol duty today? They could have at least let Onyx come with me, but nooooo. I'm surprised he hasn't suffocated under all the paperwork they make him do." Gallient mumbled to himself with a sigh.

"At least everything's been quiet so far." Looking up, he notices a figure move into the alley next to the EQD building.

"Now who would be sneaking around like that in the middle of the day?"

[Cainiam]

Double Take looked left and right before leaping up and fluttering to just below the top floor of the building. He hovered just below the window, so he was as close as possible while still being out of sight. If he closed his eyes and strained his ears, he could just make out speech.

"

[colour=#0000CD]Hey! What are you doing back so soon Earth Writer? I just sent you out of here not even an hour ago to learn the world and you're back here? Either you've had a revelation about the pony condition and social affairs, or we have ourselves a failure to communicate![/colour]

So he did work for EQD? Double Take was getting frustrated and confused by this constant bounce between working for and not. He hoped that hanging here for a little longer would give him some real proof.

[colour=#0000cd]Listen New blood,[/colour]

New Blood? That had to be proof. The guy's new. A brand new hot-shot journalist. Double Take sighed. He may have to take care of things after all. Now if only the darn pony would go home, then Hammer could take care of this... or at least throw a rookie at him.

[Blueblood]

(Sorry for letting this drop, guys).

Earth Writer nodded. "Well, at least you have something to show him that you're working on the problem." HE grinned as he went back to let in the businesspony. While in the doorway, Earth Writer spotted the officer on patrol. He seemed to be looking into something, so the unicorn only gave him a little wave before showing Grey Matter in. "Byline's ready for you."