Cameryn

1. An Interview by Cappuccino 

I entered the small, white, and sparsely furnished room, my head low and hooves dragging on the tile floor.

The interviews were never easy. Usually, it was somepony important telling about how they survived Hollyberry in a rags-to-riches story, but I was told that the filly I was speaking to today was still in rags.

Just great. Another sob story for Hollyberry Sentinel to publish. Our magazine was famous for their heart-wrenching interviews, the disease survivors, the grief-stricken mares and stallions, etc, etc.. I still couldn't believe I was doing the interview. I was only seventeen, a naive, simple intern, condemned to interview work again.

And today, I presumed, was no different. But it was going to be. If only I could tell the future, I would see the interview that would change my perspective on life.

I lifted my head to see a young mare about my age sitting upright and proud in her chair. She had a shiny light-yellow coat, a gorgeous tousled deep amber mane, an image of a strip of film on her flank, and to top it off, piercing blue eyes and a black fedora. She was beautiful, not what I would expect from a mare from the “rags” class. I turned around to see the brown door slowly shutting, and the chief editor Sindy calling back to me, “Good luck with that one, I can’t get anything out of her.”

I sighed as the door shut and I turned to look at the interviewee, still patiently sitting tall on her wooden chair. She appeared to be an intelligent young mare, a knowing half-smile on her face, a glint in her brilliant blue eyes. And not surprisingly, she was the first to speak.

“Hey. So, am I being interviewed here, or what?” the mare asked with a hint of confusion in a slightly charming and clear voice. I was rather dazed to hear her talk, for. it had been a full five minutes of complete and total awkward silence.

“Um, yes, I suppose we can begin now..”

“Heh, I guess so. Well, I’m Cameryn. The people in the paparazzi business call me Film Reel.”

I admit, I was shocked to hear that she was part of the paparazzi business. I expected a mare in her sort of class to be a scandalous trickster, always taking pictures of stars at their worst and exposing them to the world. But this Cameryn character was different. She was proper, poised, and humorous.

“Alright.. Are you important in this paparazzi business?” I asked, hesitantly, hoping I had not offended her.

“Me? Important?” Cameryn laughed, and continued, “Look, if you’re looking for somepony important, well, honey, you’ve got the wrong mare.”

“Wow, so you’re funny too, aren’t you?” I chuckled.

“No, sorry to say, I’m not. I’m no more important than you.. Oh, and I forgot to ask, what’s your name?”

I sighed. She probably wanted to know more about me than I did about her. “My name is Cappuccino. Now, onward with the question.. What is your role in the paparazzi community?” I sidetracked the conversation to avoid saying too much about myself.

“My role is pretty minor, I have to admit. All I do is take pictures for fashion magazines. Now tell me the truth, did you look at me in a different way when I told you about my job?”

I didn’t know what to say. I actually did look at her differently when she told me she was in the same business as those scandalous magazines all across Equestria that reveal too much about the lives of ponies who just want to be left alone. The best thing to do in this situation is lie.

“Um.. No.”

Her expression turned from normal to slightly bothered.

“Don’t lie to me.”

I sighed. She had me.

“Fine.. Yes. I.. I did,” I stuttered, nervous.

To my surprise, she smiled back.

“Good, just as long as we’re being honest here.. So, next question?”

I cleared my throat and continued.

“Alright, so do you have any family?”

“Well..” Cameryn sat up, a distant gaze in her blue eyes, “I did.” Her voice strained as she continued. “My mom died from an awful disease, and not soon after, my dad disappeared. The only family I have left is my baby sister, Faun. She’s so young, and I’m the only one left to take care of her. It’s hard sometimes.. You see, the Paparazzi business is not just about getting rich with the money. I know a few friends who haven’t quite figured that out yet. Sometimes, it’s about taking care of the ones you love. Do you think I like being treated like a scoundrel just for the sake of me and my baby sister?”

We both sat there in silence, until I said, “No.”

“Huh?”

“No. I think you do not deserve to be treated like this. I‘ve only known you for the past few minutes, and I already know you are better than that. Look, you‘re not one of them, and just in this short amount of time, you‘ve proven it.”

“I’m glad. At least you don’t think I’m a bad pony. Many people think I’m a dirty, lying, cheat, but all I do is take pictures of fashions and dresses and stuff like that. I get photographs for a few fashion magazines and that’s it, but most of my former friends have left me just for that.” she said afterwards. At least somepony agreed that she did not deserve to be shunned.

The entire time, my heart ached for Cameryn and Faun. Their lives must’ve been awful from the sound of it..

My thoughts were interrupted when a loud buzz sounded in the small room and echoed off of the white walls.

“Oh, that’s my pager,” Cameryn explained, as she snapped out of her distant stare, and pressed a small white box attached to her striking black hat.. “Boss colt wants me to get some inside photographs on this new model named.. Fluttershy, I think.. Well, I must get going,” she chuckled and began to stand up from her chair, and shook my hoof. It was a strong, firm shake. “I must say, it was a pleasure to meet you, Mister Cappuccino.”

Cameryn walked towards the door, and pulled it open. But before she left, I stopped her and gave her a small brown sack.

“Thank you.. But what’s this?” she inquired, examining the little cloth bag.

“It’s a just a little something that’ll help you and your sister pick back up.. Consider it a gift,” I clarified to her.

What happened next melted my hard heart.

She set the bag down, walked towards me, and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. I blushed.

“Thanks,” Cameryn almost cried as she spoke. “I.. I don’t know what else to say.”

After a few silent moments, she uttered another thank-you, turned, and slowly dragged herself out the door, but right before she was completely gone, I said, “Tell little Faun I said ‘Hi’.”

She smiled, and assured me, “I will,” then slowly walked away.

Never before had I met anypony so kind and polite, and all I had given her was a hoof-full of gold bits. She knew that my gift to her was small, but she deeply appreciated the thought. I felt very sorry for her, the things that she had gone through..

..It was odd, actually. It, in fact, was a sob story, but what made it different? Maybe it was the fact that this beautiful mare had no sympathy because of her profession, combined with the fact that she had herself and a baby sister to provide for.

It could also be that I could relate. I, myself, have often been condemned because of my profession at a well-known magazine company in Hollyberry. What a city. It was practically crawling with dislikable ponies, but I was not one of them.

Or maybe it was because I had almost looked down upon her myself. Never judge a book by its cover, I always say, but that day, I almost did. What a cruel and heartless thing to do to anypony!

“So, did you get anything on this filly?”

It was Sindy. Her quick, sharp voice immediately snapped me out of my trance, and I replied. “Yes, I do!”

I passed her my little yellow spiral notebook, as she quickly scanned its contents.

“Good,” she finally confirmed after a long pause. “This will do nicely on our next edition, Cappuccino. Keep up the good work.”

I sighed as I thought about what Cameryn said about how it’s not about getting rich with the money. “You’re right, Cameryn,” I murmured, “Some ponies still need to learn.”

It took me some time to realize that a young but wise mare had completely changed my perspective on how I look at everypony else, but once I did, I also realized it was for the better.

It’s amazing what just one talk with a pony you’d never expect to ever speak to can change so much.

~ Cappuccino

*end of Act 1*