The Steam Emperor and The Plastic Ponies - IC

Far away, far, far away, far from Canterlot, far from Ponyville, far from the Everfree Forest, so far that the tales of the goddesses who raise the sun and the moon are viewed merely as legend, exists Pineapple Village. Aside from the villages' prized pineapples, the villages' other claim to fame is the compound of the Turtle Sage, where ponies and others come from miles around to study the martial arts at his hooves. But the sleepy Pineapple Village won't remain sleepy for long...

----

The Sun hangs high in the sky and shines its warmth into Fountain Circle. In the center, a Fountain burbles and it shoots water into the air. Fillies and colts run and play as their parents watch over them. To one side of the circle, a bulletin board with various requests and announcements pinned to it stands.

If somepony were to look closely, pinned to the board is a particularly conspicous announcement. A town hall meeting at sundown to discuss the dire events that have threatened Pineapple Village.

Water....

The unicorn swished her hoof through the fountain gently, watching the ripples.

Water in a decorative sense.... so a lot of water around here.

She glanced around at the ponies walking through the square. What was the purpose of the fountain? Was it a blessing?

Masterweaver wrote:

She glanced around at the ponies walking through the square. What was the purpose of the fountain? Was it a blessing?

Are you asking rhetorically? If not, roll History or Perception

Question is rhetorical.

Ah, I'm finally here, the yellow pegasus thought to himself as he hovered a hundred feet above the town. He glance to the north-east, the direction of home, before rigorously shaking his head. No, I won't dwell on it, I made my choice and I can't back down now. I just need something to take my mind off of it. Where to start, I've only been here once before, years ago.

He looks down at the numerous ponies, probably at least a dozen, swirling around beneath him. It looked like chaos to him, like none of the ponies had any preplanned direction. What could all those ponies possible be doing at this time of the day, does no pony around here have any jobs? He never could quite grasp the reason for living in such a populated place, it just didn't make sense.

Oh well, might as well see how much more interesting life is compared to the farm. With an intake of breath to clear his mind, Golden Spike descended upon the village circle, swiftly stopping and hovering a few feet off of the ground.

Oh, I see, those were just foals, of course they'd be running around, he thought to himself with a small blush, now I feel silly. He then proceeded to do a quick three-sixty turn, in case he had missed anything else. Some sort of neat looking fountain quickly caught his eye.

"Hmm, I wonder how it works." he said aloud as he floated over to the centerpiece, "must use some sort of suction..." He remained oblivious to most of his surroundings as he kept circling the water fixture in a counter-clockwise manner.

A little way out of the village, at the foot of a short cliff, almost obscured by vegetation, there was a cave. It wasn't a massive cave, only stretching a few hundred metres back, but at the end of it, there was something exceedingly unusual. A metal statue stood, discoloured, battered and worn with age, a vaguely pony-like form, stood in a casual position. It exuded a sense of age - and that was the thing about the cave - it felt old, so old it was almost a physical presence. Stalactites and stalacmites covered the floor and ceiling, some even meeting in the middle. The cave could easily be older than a hundred thousand years, and even the statue was thousands at least.



Except they hadn't been here yesterday.


A walker in the woods surrounding the cave discovered it a few hours later, and ventured inside. When they reached the mystifying statue, they could make out some kind of slot on the side. Remembering the old tradition of putting coins in odd places like these for good luck, he slid a few bits in, then stepped back. A few moments later, he turned and left the cave, going home. Shortly afterwards, a soft clicking and whirring noise was heard, and a single eye, welded almost shut by time, opened with a blue gleam.

Well, this was it. The distillation stand was prepared, the oil of serpentine was slick and sparkled in the muggy air of the cavern, and the caravan wheels were dusted up and gleaming like they hadn't been rolling in dirt for weeks. The whole thing had rolled to the gates of the little town, after an unfortunate incident involving a smoke bomb, and it was spick and span- both in reputation and literally. Appropriately, Miracle Elixir (the one and only!) was going through the same spick, span and polish. She gathered a few bottles of water and semi-clean soap-like substances (guaranteed to be mostly harmless) and poured them over her head, dried off with a towel and neatly arranged her cap on her mane. Then she grabbed her satchel in her teeth, slung it over her shoulders and approached the door.

Miracle Elixir sighed. Then she readied a smile, got herself into the right frame of mind and burst out the door.

"GOOOOD MORNING..." -oh celestia what was the name there's a sign good- "...PINEAPPLE VILLAGE! Have I got a deal for you!"

[Persuasion check here to attract customers: 3+10=13]

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:
[Persuasion check here to attract customers]

OOC:http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm. Also, where are setting up?

Cardbo wrote:

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:
[Persuasion check here to attract customers]

OOC:http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm. Also, where are setting up?

OOC: At the gates of town. Isn't that in there?

Also, got a 13.

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:

Cardbo wrote:

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:
[Persuasion check here to attract customers]

OOC:http://www.wizards.com/dnd/dice/dice.htm. Also, where are setting up?

OOC: At the gates of town. Isn't that in there?

Also, got a 13.

OOC: Oh sorry. Missed that.

IC:While you were setting up, you didn't notice a few other ponies setting up stands next to and across from yours.

"Get your burritos here! Fresh bean burritoes! Made on the spot! Your choice of red or black beans!"

"Get your hotdogs* here! Your choice of toppings! Get'em while their hot!"

"FREESSHH fruit juice! Get your fresh fruit juice. Pineapple, pear, grape, raspberry and others!"

You get a ponies who stop by looking at your stall..and then pass by. A little foal comes by with a kitten on her back. "Miss, can you help my kitty?"

*Vegetarian hotdogs.

A meteoric rise to wealth this wasn't. But Elixir couldn't afford to be picky.

"Sure, filly-me-lass. What's wrong with the little guy?"

A for Appkes wrote:

A walker in the woods surrounding the cave discovered it a few hours later, and ventured inside. When they reached the mystifying statue, they could make out some kind of slot on the side. Remembering the old tradition of putting coins in odd places like these for good luck, he slid a few bits in, then stepped back. A few moments later, he turned and left the cave, going home. Shortly afterwards, a soft clicking and whirring noise was heard, and a single eye, welded almost shut by time, opened with a blue gleam.

The pony in front of you draws back when you open your eyes. It seems to be a little bit on the small size, and it seems to be lacking a QT mark.

It looks up at you. "Hey mister! Do you grant wishes?"

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:A meteoric rise to wealth this wasn't. But Elixir couldn't afford to be picky.

"Sure, filly-me-lass. What's wrong with the little guy?"

"He just lays around the house all day so he must be sick." To punctuate that last statement, the kitten gives a small yawn.

Cardbo wrote:

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:A meteoric rise to wealth this wasn't. But Elixir couldn't afford to be picky.

"Sure, filly-me-lass. What's wrong with the little guy?"

"He just lays around the house all day so he must be sick." To punctuate that last statement, the kitten gives a small yawn.

"Well, what I always say is: you can't go wrong with pouring herbs into something until it feels better." Miracle turns on her feet and hops into her caravan, then tosses out a few phials of premade potion she'd planned on selling- mild stuff, not really useful for any real wounds or tiredness, but a nice pick-me-up on about the level of aspirin. She walks out and looks the kid in the eye, readying another grin. "Kid, could you do me a favor in exchange for this? Could you walk around for a while and direct people over to my caravan, or tell your parents? I need a little business."

[Persuasion: 10+10=20]
[Heal: 8+14=22]

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:

Cardbo wrote:

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:A meteoric rise to wealth this wasn't. But Elixir couldn't afford to be picky.

"Sure, filly-me-lass. What's wrong with the little guy?"

"He just lays around the house all day so he must be sick." To punctuate that last statement, the kitten gives a small yawn.

"Well, what I always say is: you can't go wrong with pouring herbs into something until it feels better." Miracle turns on her feet and hops into her caravan, then tosses out a few phials of premade potion she'd planned on selling- mild stuff, not really useful for any real wounds or tiredness, but a nice pick-me-up on about the level of aspirin. She walks out and looks the kid in the eye, readying another grin. "Kid, could you do me a favor in exchange for this? Could you walk around for a while and direct people over to my caravan, or tell your parents? I need a little business."

[Persuasion: 10+10=20]
[Heal: 8+14=22]

"Sure!" The filly gives the potion to the kitten and he seems to perk up a little. He stretches a little and hops off her back and walks off into the crowd. She makes to dash off after the kitten, but pauses and says "Thank You!"

A few minutes later, that same filly comes up to XECA "Hey Lady! You seem pretty tired. My kitty was pretty tired and this other lady by the front gate gave her a potion that perked him right up!" There a kitten on her back with her paws on her head that mews at XECA. She also yellls at Golden Spike who's flying around "Hey Mister! There's a Lady at the front gate thats selling potions that can perk ponies up!"

She then dashes off to somepony else to repeat what she just said.

"Oh?" Golden Spike responds, turning around a moment later to see what little filly that voice belonged to, only to see no little filly around.

Hmm, I don't need any potions or anything, but I've got nothing else to do, might as well check it out.

With a small shrug to himself, Golden Spike flies up above the streets and heads toward the front gate of the town, intending to see who the pony is selling these perky potions.

SilentBelle wrote:"Oh?" Golden Spike responds, turning around a moment later to see what little filly that voice belonged to, only to see no little filly around.

Hmm, I don't need any potions or anything, but I've got nothing else to do, might as well check it out.

With a small shrug to himself, Golden Spike flies up above the streets and heads toward the front gate of the town, intending to see who the pony is selling these perky potions.

You arrive near the front gate. There's a number of vendors that have set up shop over here. There's a burrito stand, a sausage stand, a potion stand, a fruit juice stand. There seems to be a small crowd tha'ts gathering near the potion stand.

----

Miracle Elixir, a small crowd has gathered around your stand. Want to make a sales pitch?

Oh you better believe Miracle Elixir is going to make a sales pitch.

[Persuasion: 14+10=24]

Miracle calls out to the crowd, quieting them down, and begins to shill.

"Fillies and gentlecolts! You know as well as I do that sometimes things are just so bland, so dull, that you can't stand them. And out of the corners of your eyes you see so many higher pastimes you know that you were intended for!" She sighs, then pounds her hoof against a turnstile. "But they are out of reach. And why is this? Because you are cursed with a physical form that simply doesn't cut the mustard! You have no wings, no horn, no Earthen magics, perhaps; you are sickly and miss your opportunity, or unskilled and incapable of acting. Well, no more!"

Then she flourished her most attractive bottle. "See this: a bottle of Miracle Elixir's Patent Potency Potion! Capable of improving physical might by leaps and bounds, rejuvenating one's beneficent humors, and possibly curing appendicitis if I mix in the little green vials and get really lucky! Get it while it's excellent, folks!" Miracle Elixir grinned. "That is to say: get it, folks!"

GentlemanOtherwise wrote:Oh you better believe Miracle Elixir is going to make a sales pitch.

[Persuasion: 14+10=24]

Miracle calls out to the crowd, quieting them down, and begins to shill.

"Fillies and gentlecolts! You know as well as I do that sometimes things are just so bland, so dull, that you can't stand them. And out of the corners of your eyes you see so many higher pastimes you know that you were intended for!" She sighs, then pounds her hoof against a turnstile. "But they are out of reach. And why is this? Because you are cursed with a physical form that simply doesn't cut the mustard! You have no wings, no horn, no Earthen magics, perhaps; you are sickly and miss your opportunity, or unskilled and incapable of acting. Well, no more!"

Then she flourished her most attractive bottle. "See this: a bottle of Miracle Elixir's Patent Potency Potion! Capable of improving physical might by leaps and bounds, rejuvenating one's beneficent humors, and possibly curing appendicitis if I mix in the little green vials and get really lucky! Get it while it's excellent, folks!" Miracle Elixir grinned. "That is to say: get it, folks!"

Oh, wow, that sounds really promising. But wait, how does it work? I wonder if I can ask her to show me how she makes them after she's done selling. Golden Spike remains aloft, about twenty feet away, eager to see a pony willing to purchase her wares.

Cardbo wrote:

A for Appkes wrote:

A walker in the woods surrounding the cave discovered it a few hours later, and ventured inside. When they reached the mystifying statue, they could make out some kind of slot on the side. Remembering the old tradition of putting coins in odd places like these for good luck, he slid a few bits in, then stepped back. A few moments later, he turned and left the cave, going home. Shortly afterwards, a soft clicking and whirring noise was heard, and a single eye, welded almost shut by time, opened with a blue gleam.

The pony in front of you draws back when you open your eyes. It seems to be a little bit on the small size, and it seems to be lacking a QT mark.

It looks up at you. "Hey mister! Do you grant wishes?"

That was an introductiory post, nothing more - and it said that he LEFT the cave before whats-his=-cog turned on

Cardbo wrote:A few minutes later, that same filly comes up to XECA "Hey Lady! You seem pretty tired. My kitty was pretty tired and this other lady by the front gate gave her a potion that perked him right up!" There a kitten on her back with her paws on her head that mews at XECA. She also yellls at Golden Spike who's flying around "Hey Mister! There's a Lady at the front gate thats selling potions that can perk ponies up!"

She then dashes off to somepony else to repeat what she just said.

The unicorn jerked up at the little filly addressing her, before realizing that she had said something. About the animal on her back. And then she'd run off to another pony who, after a moment, had trotted away.

What language was this? It certainly wasn't one she spoke... actually, did she even know any tongue?

Wandering after the pony who had walked away, the unicorn searched her mind. Words, images, anything... nothing. Nothing in her head about where she was, how she came here... in fact, aside from a name, there was no knowledge at all. And even then she wasn't sure Xeca was a name. But... it was the only thing she could recall.

As she arrived at the front gates, she saw a pony making dramatic and wide gestures. What could they mean? Were the bottles before her special, somehow?

In the cave outside town, the whirring grew louder. The other eye, crusted with grime opened, and chunks of stalactite that had started to form all over the statue began to break off, clattering to the floor of the cavern. Joints clanked and squealed with rust and disuse, and a single, steel leg jerkily raised itself, creaking, and the robot took a step.

Five minutes of creaky, uncertain awakening later, the robot was confused. It remembered... Lots, it somehow knew, but it seemed like they were just... gone. Inaccessible. All it could remember was being told to wait. And time, lots of time, until it's power ran out. It had no idea why it had reactivated, but decided to set off, in search of things that knew what was happening. Still squealing and screeching, albeit slightly fainter, the robot set off towards where buildings could be seen, across the valley. Except - the buildings didn't look right. The hole in its memory meant he didn't know why, but its basic programming was objecting to the sight of the structures. Unnerved, it checked its internal clock, only to find it was jammed for some reason at "29/12/99999". The robot, confused even further, wondered what had caused it to malfunction so badly, as the weird buildings of the town drew near.

The crowd swells in and starts making demands for product. Miracle is making money at a fairly good rate, when a gasp is heard off to her left.

"The Sour Gang!"

Three ponies approach from the East. One of them, a green earth pony mare with a red mane, and apparently their leader, comes up to Miracle's stand, while the rest visit the other stands.

"I see you're new in town. I'm Sweet N Sour, and these are my associates, Shanghai Style and Garlic Sauce. We patrol the front gate and make sure nothing bad happens to anypony. All we ask, in return, is for some bits. Afterall, we're not doing this because we like you or anything"

Cardbo wrote:The crowd swells in and starts making demands for product. Miracle is making money at a fairly good rate, when a gasp is heard off to her left.

"The Sour Gang!"

Three ponies approach from the East. One of them, a green earth pony mare with a red mane, and apparently their leader, comes up to Miracle's stand, while the rest visit the other stands.

"I see you're new in town. I'm Sweet N Sour, and these are my associates, Shanghai Style and Garlic Sauce. We patrol the front gate and make sure nothing bad happens to anypony. All we ask, in return, is for some bits. Afterall, we're not doing this because we like you or anything"

Miracle sighs. "Seriously? You're honestly doing this? It is far too early in the day for these sorts of things." Then she grabs a bottle of her Enervation Elixir (with Nectarine Infusions!) and slides it over to the end of the table. She smiles, bright and clear. "But I'll hear you out. Have a drink, Sweetie- can I call you Sweetie? Let's talk shop. And I'm sure these kind ponies..." She gestures to the crowd, apparently cowed. "...won't mind listening while we have our little chat. And you wouldn't mind either. Would you, Sweetie? And can I speak to Sauce and Style?" She blinks and then chuckles. "Heh heh... you've got a little S thing going on, haven't you? With your names? Heh heh heh, ehhh."

[Persuasion- Natural 20+10=30]