"Oh, so are my bits not welcome here?" He scoffs. "Rarity, the most fabulous fashionista in ALL of Equestria, please! I do beg for your assistance! I beseech you to bedazzle me with a beautiful ballroom-style gown for my special some-pony." He pauses for a bit and taps his chin. "Or perhaps it was the daemon and the giant monstrous machine that's closed you down momentarily." He grins and narrows his eyes. "Well, I could just wait outside, I suppose. Or you could get it over with." His eyes lighten up and he waves a friendly wave to the foals.
*thunk, thunk* Ignoring the part of her brain that screamed and whined about how easy it would be to send a few pins Eight Star's way, she fights to retain her composure. *thunk, ting!* It would seem that she's been pumping pins into the same area for too long and almost bent one as she tried to force it through the small metal hedgehog that's been stabbed into the cloth. Maintaining a straight, stern poker-face, she looks to the scarlet unicorn. "What is it that you want?" She said, putting slightly too much stress into her voice. Every 't' was a paving slab being dropped.
He rolls his eyes. "An elegant ensemble, of course. I did step into Carousel Boutique, yes?" With a chuckle he roams around a bit. "You see, mine and hers anniversary is coming up soon, and it's been a good number of years since I've had a good enough dress maker nearby. So I thought it would be a good surprise to get her one. I've already got measurements, after all." He grins and looks her way. "Of course, I suppose I could take my business to Canterlot."
She takes a second to process Eight Star's words as the fillies sit in the middle, their heads batting backwards and forwards like watching a game of tennis. She scans his face for any signs of lying but seems only to find the constant air of smug he's been wearing since he trotted in. So yes, he did indeed mention some sort of special somepony there. She couldn't think of anypony that would subject themselves to that sort of contract. The thought raises the image of blood sacrifices and voodoo. Rarity couldn't quite imagine Eight Star's partner without imagining the ritual he performed to either create or summon her. The poker-face continues: "Fine. I'll take those measurements and I require the bits upfront. I'll have it done soon." The money is always useful. Anything to keep a customer from going to the competition in Canterlot. "Might I inquire to the purpose of the garment? It would aid in it's design."
"Oh Rarity..." his horn glowed orange for a moment and he swirled it in the air before him. A quick hop through the new orange ring as he had his pouches resting on his back. His horn changed to grey as he lifted a parchment and a bag of bits from one of the pouches. "Imagine a mare as beautiful as the starry sky, who is calm and sweet, and light of her feet." He looked around casually as he floated the parchment over to her. Pre-taken measurements, though the paper looked fairly old. As if somepony had dug it up from a victorian-era vault. "I believe she needs something closer to today's fashion for dancing dresses, but if it makes her reminisce with me about the old days, I'd be greatful."
Dark Shine looked at Tyro, before speaking. "They were talking about some kind of package I think... I dont know exactly what it was, but it seems it was important enough for this..."
A sudden thought strikes her. It makes her synapses twitch. Her spine would shudder if she wasn't maintaining such a rigid posture. It only translates into a slight hesitation before capturing the money and the measurements in her own magic. Eight Star would have to come back. The restraint of her sudden wishes to bash Eight Star against a table not only frightened her but was draining her fast. She had to get him out and figure out a way of letting him pick up the dress later without her being there. Maybe Sweetie Belle could make sure he takes it and leaves. Unless he asks whether she'd like to play a game...She'll have to come up with something that doesn't put her sister in the path of a magical maniac. "Come back in a few days." she said, still trying to brainstorm avoidance ideas, "Good bye." She shoos Eight Star away as hard as she possibly could in her head, willing him out the door with pure, desperate thought. Tyro continues to think. "All right...Why were they talking to you about a parcel though? They must have had a reason, right?"
He grins widely. "Excellent! I expect to be bedazzled, and not disappointed." He chuckled deeply and turned, flicking his mane and tail before showing himself out. So, the play had started, and he was the winner of the first act. At least, that's how he saw it. He wondered how the others were doing, and began trotting through town in search of something interesting. Perhaps he could turn this day around yet.
Dark Shine pointed to the amulet. "See this thing. It feeds of energy. Usually mine. I went and cleared the clouds. Apparently I "Intercepted" the parcel. Whatever is or was in the parcel must be important if they are willing to kill me though."
Rarity deflates as Eight Star exits. She flops backwards onto the floor, her rump taking the brunt while she takes a moment to recover her faculties. She had to find a way of avoiding him when he came to collect. If she saw him again at all between now and the day she dies, it would be too soon. She'd die from poker-face related injuries, probably. She looks over the measurements. "Wait, wait, wait!" Tyro said, his muzzle now coated in dirt. "It sounds like your suggesting that they're transporting something under cloud cover. It's the only link I can think of. Seems to make some sense, I guess as long as the weather patrol doesn't catch you. Or even rampaging ponies..." He begins to pace back and forth, frowning with thought. "We could try and bust some more clouds. See if we find something inside." Another ideas pops into his head, a little detail about that scarlet pony from before. "Maybe we can rope that red unicorn in too? I think I remember him mentioning something about prediction before running off. Maybe he can help us catch the right cloud."
Dark Shine tapped his chin. "Hmm... Red pony? Sure I guess. Lets go. Wait... Wasn't somepony else with us?"
Blizzard looked down at the Dragon with slight confusion at his continued mutterance of Slavery and Forced labor. Were all dragons so constrained? Were they considered slaves in this dimension? She thought it not bright to ask, seeing as it might be a touchy subject by the way he seemed to mutter about it a lot, but it was a disconcerning thought. Perhaps the ponies weren't as weak as they had thought. It took a mighty race to subject Dragons into servitude. "Well...When we will get to Princess Luna? I'm still eager to meet her." Blizzard asked, attempting to keep the conversation with the young dragon alive, despite how difficult it was due to his cynicism.
"We'll get there soon enough although I doubt she'll be happy to see us in the middle of the day." He said as he wonders towards the ticket office's front door. "Stay put for a second." Again, Titus was strapped down to a new flat-bed truck with ponies tying him down and securing him nervously. The machine he piloted had managed to crush solid metal with great ease, they were being careful not to meet the same fate. Sulphy and Blizzard then stepped onto the coach as they were sped towards Canterlot. Tyro screws half of his face up and he stares into the blackened ceiling with the effort of trying to recall. The heavy frown seemed more like he was enduring torture than simply remembering something. "That pony said something about a 'something of precog-whatsit', I think." Precognition? Precognate? Precognatialistism? Tyro wasn't sure if he was still speaking English currently. "It sounds like we can make a long search for anypony using clouds to smuggle something much shorter. Can you go find him and ask?"
Ambiance looked up into the sky. Unless she grew wings anytime soon, she probably wouldn't be able to help with "busting up the clouds". Not to mention, she had an aversion to high up places in general. Flying was always Silent Night's thing. Silent Night... The Princess frowned at the thought of her friend. What if the fox was right? What if her friends were really gone...? She shook her head vigorously, attempting to banish the thought, but to no avail. Trying her best to maintain her composure, she turned toward the others. "I...I can attempt to find the Warlock Eight Star. I believe that he and I are on friendly enough terms... I hope..." JUst before leaving, she turned toward Tyro. "The word you were looking for, by the way, was 'precognition.' You were correct the first time." With a smile, she headed into town in search of the crimson Warlock.
Eight Star was not that hard to find. He had wandered back into the market, and followed his nose as he hunted around to see if there was anything very good he could take back with him. He was smiling again, at least, and still wore his pouches. He was glad the general populace of Ponyville didn't exactly know of him. He was thinking though; perhaps it would've been better for him to have asked Fluttershy to get or make his dress. Ah, but he abolished the thought. Rarity was, after all, the leading fashionista in town. Though, if she failed to produce something wonderful... he would have more than words to speak.
Ambiance found Eight Star in short order. Apparently, he was still in the market, conculding whatever business he had there. How fortuitous! She began to make her way to him when her stomach growled something fierce. It seemed that her recent activity had worked up an appetite in her. She hung her head. I hadn't even had breakfast yet... Why was I in town in the first place again? Right...Archma- High Mage Twilight Sparkle. Taking one look back at Eight Star, she started heading toward the large treehouse. Perhaps she has something to eat while I ask her about getting home...
Tyro watches Ambience leave from the window, careful of the melted glass around the area. "Aaaaaand she's gone...All right then..." He pushes away from the window, facing Dark Shine. There was no way of knowing how long Ambience would be gone for. Him and Dark Shine should stay productive as possible. Even if they are sitting in a burned ruin with only a handle of leads to go on. "We need to think...So..." Tyro begins to pace, his tails acting as a vapour trail as he stalks backwards and forwards: "There's only one pony I know that would give out an actual gun over magic or a good hoof to the face: Cydonia. The last I heard, her father practically grounded her by keeping her locked up in the palace at Steam Peaks. She then escaped and hasn't been seen since. Maybe she's got a gang together and fitted them out with some stolen gear?" He looks to Dark Shine. "Am I making sense?"
"Heh...Yeah...I get that a lot..." Tyro halts, sitting down for the explanation of the long-ish version. "All right, Former Princess Cydonia was the fourth in line for the throne in her kingdoms capital, Steam Peaks. Steam Peaks is a city situated in the middle of four mountains and is effectively a gigantic factory. It doesn't export or import anything, which suggests it get's all it needs from the machines that pump shed-loads of steam into the atmosphere around it. Near constant cloud cover around this place throughout the year as a result. Anyway, one day Cydonia (being the spoiled brat that she is) decides that waiting for her turn in charge of Steam Peaks is taking too long and she's pretty sure that another attempt at removing her siblings from the equation will result in banishment. So, she decides Equestria would be better because there's only two obstacles. She tries to assassinate Celestia then slander Luna with the rumour that she would rule as a dictator. Long story short, Me and some very special ponies managed to foil those plans. Cydonia was banished by her father and must now smuggle weapons and steam gadgets out of Steam Peaks." He looks at Dark Shine, hopeful and expectant: "That make any sense?"
Dark Shine nods, taking in what was just said. "So, you think this package could have something to do with this, Cydonia?"
