Syko shifted nervously in his seat on the train. Here he was riding to Ponyville, going to meet Rarity, one of the Elements of Harmony. He still remembered how he chanced about this, after quite literally bumping into Fancypants, of all ponies...
----
Syko was walking through Canterlot, nose in the latest Daring Do novel, when he felt something hard in his way. His body kept trying to go, but the thing wouldn't budge. He looked up and dropped his book. He had just bumped into Fancypants!

"Ahhhh...", Syko started.

Fancypants smiled. "Ah, a stallion that knows where he's going. I like that! Say, what's your name, old chap?"

"S-Syko, sir."
"No need to go on with that 'sir' nonsense, Syko. Just Fancypants will do." Fancypants looked him over, noticing his Cutie Mark, a quill overlaying a camera."A journalist, eh? Well, Syko, how would you like an exclusive interview?"

Syko stared at Fancypants, jaw open. He then remembered himself. "O-of course, Fancypants!" He said as he levitated his quills and paper out of his saddlebag and stood up."So, Fancypants-"

Fancypants put a hoof on his shoulder. "Maybe we should do this over lunch, perhaps?"

Syko blushed sheepishly. "Oh, right."

----

"...afraid it was a cruel joke by my dear mother," Fancypants said, "and by the time I was old enough, I simply had no desire to try the things on!"

"Interesting," Syko said while scrawling down Fancypants' response, "thank you for your time."

"Anything else, Syko?"

"Well, there is one thing..."

"Come on now, out with it. Where's that fighting spirit from before? You've got to grab the bull by the horns!"

Syko took a breath, "Well I noticed that while following you, in a journaliatic sense, not like crazy stalker style, not saying that you'd be a terrible stalking target, I'm sure you have your share of mares stalking you-"

"And a very impressionable colt, if you recall," Fancypants chuckled softly.

"Of course, how could have I forgotten? Anyway during my journalistic exploits, I,noticed a mare tagging along, so naturally I checked to see if she was your marefriend, but that would be silly seeing as how you and Fleur De Lis have such a strong bond, not to mention how she hangs all over you, so I've been checking out sources on who the purple maned mare was, and the fashion editor from my magazine said it was Rarity, and I was like 'Rarity the Element of Harmony Rarity?' and she was like 'yeah' and I was like 'whoa' and then I bumped into you today and we hit it off so well and I was wondering if, because you know her already if-"

"I could set up a meeting with Rarity for you?" Fancypants intoned, "Should I tell her this is related to her various clothing lines, or her status as an Element of Harmony?"

Syko blushed. "I just think she's pretty."

Fancypants shook his head. "I can't very well tell her a journalist thinks she's pretty enough for an interview, although I suppose she'd appreciate the compliment."

"Did I just say that out loud?"

"I'm afraid you did, dear boy."

Syko shook his head. "Well, I meant to say as an Element of Harmony."

Fancypants lowered his head, motioning Syko to do the same. "You do realize there's an unofficial moratorium on those kinds of articles, mainly because they risk being read by Princess Celestia, whose ire no publication would want." Fancypants looked up, prompting Syko to do the same. "Which publication did you say you wrote for, again?"

"Playcolt"

Fancypants sucked his teeth. "You realize this would be a hard sell, right?"

Syko nodded, "All the pictures I would have of them would have no exposure. I'll even have them clothed if they so desire."

Fancypants looked up, "Rarity's a cultured mare," then looked at Syko, "I'll get you a meeting."

Syko looked in shock. He then proceeded to shake Fancypants' hoof with both hooves, "Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! My editor will love this! Not to say they wouldn't appreciate your interview any less, mind you, just that they'd LOVE an interview with an Element-"

"I know you must be excited, dear boy, but could I have my hoof back?"

Syko pulled away and blushed. "Sorry. I just get easily excited." Syko stood up and magicked a few bits out of his bag, which Fancypants gently nudged down with his own telekinesis. "...but my share.."

"Will be covered by me." Fancypants intoned gently as he pulled the full sum out of his saddlebag, as well as a generous tip. "I'll contact fair Rarity, and we'll be in touch."

----

"Next stop, Ponyville!"

Syko perked up at that. He gathered his saddlebags and waited at the door, subtly shifting to account for the motion of the train. The train slowed to a stop and the doors opened as he got off the train.

----

Rarity was waiting at the train stop for Fancypants' friend. He said he was a journalist from a gentlecolt's magazine whose journalistic integrity was top-notch. She looked out for his description of a stallion with a green mane, orange fur, and a cutie mark of a quill overlaying a camera. She spotted him.

"Yoo-hoo!" She called out, waving her hoof in the air, "Syko!"

The stallion who identified himself as such swung his head around, spotted Rarity and rushed up to her, taking her hoof in his, and kissed it. Rarity squealed at the attention. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Rarity."

"The pleasure is all mine, Syko. Why don't you come with me to my boutique and tell me about yourself along the way, as well as your article."

Syko drew a breath, "Well, as you know, I'm Syko and I'm a journalist for Playcolt, and I'd like to do a piece on the Elements of Harmony-"

"All of the Elements?" Rarity inquired.

"-well yes, that would be ideal, seeing as you come in a set, being six of you and all, and I'd really like to focus on the friendship aspect, seeing how the Elements are powered by friendship, and it'd be a powerful piece because adults don't really focus on friendship, at least not like you girls do, anyway, and you girls could set an example for ponies everywhere-"

"Uh-huh," Rarity cut him off, "we're here."

"Oh, this is Carousel Boutique? It's very pretty, it's nice to see the cauldron of creativity for all your dresses, you know, we use a lot of your dresses in our magazine, and stallions buy the dresses we feature for their marefriends because they see them in our publications-"

"You remind me of one of my friends," Rarity cut him off again, "A few ground rules before we enter my establishment."

Syko nodded.

"First, you do NOT mention the name of your publication in my store. Sweetie Belle, my sister, might get the wrong idea about me and think I'm one of your hussies, not to mention tell her friends and then we'll have a whole schoolhouse of rumors flying about. Got that?"

Syko nodded again.

"Second, if you want my friends to agree to this interview, you'll approach them with me and not by yourself. While I, as a mare of culture, understand that the pictorals in your magazine are as much a work of art as my dresses are, they might not see it that way, being Ponyvillians. They'll most likely imagine your magazine as common pornography and refuse on principle if encountered by you alone. Let me handle the convincing. Understand?"

Syko nodded once again.

"Third, any pictures you take of us will be fully clothed, so that any impressionable stallions don't get the wrong idea. I will provide the dresses. Are we in agreement?"

"Oh, of course, Rarity-"

"Then do please come in," Rarity said as she opened the door, "you'll stay in town as my personal guest."

"Y-you don't have to-"

Rarity put a hoof to Syko's lips, "But I insist. You can stay in the guest room."