Two-By-Four led the newcomer into the store and down the stairs. The unicorn was down there, as was a certain over-exuberant blue pony wearing a golden box on his back - a box with twelve multi-jointed arms sticking out, stretching through the air, performing a precarious culinary juggling act at dizzying speed.
"Hey, Square Root!" Two-By-Four hollered. "Think you can spare a dish or three?"
It took a few seconds for his voice to register. "Oh," Square Root replied. "Hmm...I'm still in the experimental phase, so I need to keep some samples for testing purposes. But..."
A few of the Manipulaticator's arms paused their tasks briefly, seized an empty plate, and then assembled a sumptuous-looking repast from his grand buffet of SCIENCE!: a generous portion of barbecue tofu on rice, garnished with broccoli (the one green vegetable The Professor couldn't stand). "I haven't gotten around to testing drinks yet," Square Root said as the arm offered the loaded plate to Cyclone, "but the faucet should be mostly safe if you need something..."
"I'll be honest, Square. The phrasing you just used... not making me feel any more comfortable about this." Tick Tock narrowed her eyes at the inventor. "It's not going to go crazy again, is it? I mean, you didn't make any other modifications behind my back, right?"
"You have more than enough potential. So tell me what is the one wish that would make your soul gem shine." -Mitt Romney, probablyHolding the plate in his hooves, Cyclone Black looked around at the conversing ponies. He felt a little out of place, not knowing any of them.
He trotted over to a table and put the showed a few... things out of the way before putting the plate down and seating himself by it.
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca Loquitur"Well, just the extra arms, but I designed it to be expandable," Square Root says. "And it's all thanks to you," he says, dreamily.
Two-By-Four wisely backs off up the stairs, but not before sneaking some grilled tofu and a plate of green beans.
Square Root abruptly snaps back into reality as he processes Tick Tock's whole statement. "There's nothing weird in any of it, I promise. I've been going strictly by the book, start to finish." He purses his lips as he chooses his words. "I just wanted to make sure it all tasted good before anyone bit into it. I mean, I know I tend to rush into things and that...well, that's why everyone's scared of the Manipulaticator..."
"Again, I just put the thing together. Pretty much all I'm good for." She glanced at Cyclone, the back to Square. "I'm still a bit unnerved by the fact that you decided to 'experiment' on a pony who you just met. At least ask him his name."
"You have more than enough potential. So tell me what is the one wish that would make your soul gem shine." -Mitt Romney, probablyCyclone Black picked up a broccoli and studied it apprehensively. For some reason when looking around the place, he didn't really know what to expect. He took a bite into the broccoli - slowly -, and swallowed.
His eyes beamed in surprise as he continued to eat.
"It's good! Fantastic even!" He exclaimed cheerily, and upon hearing what Tick Tock said he had to resist the sudden urge to facehoof. "How could I forget to introduce myself; it's the first lesson in Manners 101!" He said under his breath.
"I am Cyclone Black from... Well, never mind where I am from. Anyhow, the food was really good."
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca Loquitur"Well, I didn't mean to 'experiment' on him," Square Root says. "I learned my lesson on that last night. But Two-By-Four, you know...he pays the bills, and such." He glances backwards. "The Professor? Have you been nibbling at the blueberry cake?"
He returns his attention to Cyclone. "And I'm Square Root, from Oatsdale. It's...kinda a long story how I came to Trottingham..."
edited 2nd Aug '11 1:30:30 AM by Ryusui
"Right, right. Sorry if I seem a little overbearing today." She turned to Cyclone. "Tick Tock. So..." Tick Tock wracked her brain for something to say that didn't sound either weird or nosey. "What brings you to Trottingham?"
edited 2nd Aug '11 1:40:49 AM by Bindlestick
"You have more than enough potential. So tell me what is the one wish that would make your soul gem shine." -Mitt Romney, probablyWhat a casual conversation! Cyclone Black couldn't recall ever having such a casual conversation with anyone. It felt very... freeing to him. Though, when they brought up his reason for being there, he grew a little more cautious.
"I've..." He had to choose his words carefully; he didn't want anyone to know he was of noble blood. He didn't want anything to do with his old life anymore.
"Well, I stumbled over this village on my travels, of course!" He wasn't very good at lying, so it was obvious that there was something he wasn't telling the two ponies.
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca Loquitur"...Right." Tick Tock had asked the question with the intent of not sounding nosey. Judging by Cyclone's tone, she's failed. "So you just... travel, then." It was difficult to say if this was a question or a statment.
"You have more than enough potential. So tell me what is the one wish that would make your soul gem shine." -Mitt Romney, probably"Right!" Cyclone said with the cheesiest of reassuring smiles.
"That's right! I just... travel!" This statement was even less convincing, as nervous drops of sweat began running down Cyclone's forehead. Realizing this, Cyclone decided that it was time to take action! The oldest trick in the book; change of topic!
"Anyhow! You, what do you two do? You, Square Root must be a magnificent chef to have made such a great meal?" The smile on his face grew even more sheepish and nervous as he said that. True, the food was good, but it wasn't really 'magnificent'.
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca Loquitur"Well, no, actually," he says, grinning stupidly. "I'm an inventor. Tick Tock here helped me build my Manipulaticator - my lifelong dream," he says, turning around a bit to show off the multi-armed box. "Or thereabouts, anyway. Right now I'm...teaching it how to cook, so I can help with the cafe's grand re-opening." He indicates a stack of cookbooks with a gesture. "I've still got a ways to go, but I've tested all the recipes in three books and I haven't seen any problems so far..."
"Right." Cyclone nodded, though he had barely understood a word of what Square Root just said.
He didn't know how to best continue the conversation and felt rather awkward standing there with the two people he barely even knew, so he decided to improvise a little bit. "So... Nice weather we're having, eh?" It wasn't until after he had said this that he realized how stupid he must have sounded, seeing as the three of them were inside; and in a basement at that.
edited 4th Aug '11 8:23:52 AM by AustralAnima
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca LoquiturThe sound of hooves and wheels far preceded its source. The pace was slow and deliberate; the road was the road into Trottingham.
The caravan was composed of a few carts and wagons. Mixwell watched their approach from within the lead wagon, making his final preparations with a sigh. How many more times, he wondered, would he do this?
"Follow my lead," the pony pulling Mixwell's wagon called back to the rest of them. "Town hall first - we don't want another permit issue like what happened in North Chestnut." So the caravan wound in that direction.
edited 4th Aug '11 9:19:42 PM by TurnwaysFlip
Nobody will see through my disguise... this time..."Hm, yes... The air is always so clean and fresh when it rains." Cyclone said dreamily. "Especially during the autumn."
He stayed silent for a few seconds until he realized that he couldn't think of anything else to talk about, so he decided it would be best to end the conversation.
"Well, I should be going. I need to find a place to sleep for the night before darkness falls." He bowed once again to the two ponies. "Thank you very much for the food."
Vir Sapit Qui Pauca LoquiturCompass Rose trotted happily along, humming the tune that Quarter Note had played on his Violin earlier. He glance over the town from the hilltop had allowed her to get a good idea of the town, and she now knew exactly where she was headed. It helped that she had pretty much covered half the town the previous day, as well. She was almost skipping by the time she got close to the town hall; picking up new contracts always gave her a thrill, but she stopped dead as she rounded the corner to the front of the large building. There, smack dab in the middle of the road, was a large caravan.
"What the?" She asked to nopony in particular.
Birthright: an original web novel about Dragons, the Burdens of Leadership, and Mangoes.Two or three ponies climbed out of each wagon and cart. Mixwell ambled off to the side; they didn't all need to go in. They only needed a few permits to ply their various goods in the marketplace. Mixwell wasn't in charge of the medicine wagon, a position he worked very hard to maintain these days. Glancing around, he saw someone staring.
This worried him. Had they already presented themselves as suspicious in some way? He followed her gaze. Perhaps this area just didn't get much large traffic. Oh, he hoped that was it. He tried not to stare, but found himself not quite able to avert his eyes, feeling as though she was sizing him up, judging him, reading him like a book, whether she was actually looking at him or not.
Nobody will see through my disguise... this time...

"Food, huh?" Two-By-Four says, raising an eyebrow. "I think I know someone who can help with that. Come on in. I'm sure he could use a" - he nearly says 'guinea pig' - "taste tester."