private A Cultural Exchange 1x1 with Randimaxis

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

A smile spread across his face at the compliment, he knew he was pretty smart from all the time he spent in the archives, but to hear it from someone he considered actually smart really brightened his day. He took off after Silver still with a slight smile on his face, his robes flapping against his body as he did so, the material he wore wasn't made for running as it was a stiffer fabric made for holding enchantments. It also had a bit of air resistance as it was wrapped looser than normal. That plus his mostly sedentary life made chasing after the more fit mare a bit of a challenge, but he loved every moment of it. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Silver made a dash across the main yard, heading for the big factory-looking building with the smokeless smokestacks.  She didn't even slow down, but her horn gave a glow as she reached the doorway, and the double doors swung wide as she ran straight through them. 

 

Inside the place was a mechanic's dream!   Everywhere, there were gears and conveyor belts, pistons and levers, valves and gauges.  The belts had a line of crude-cut emeralds on one end, but on the other end they came out clean and ready for professional-grade cutting.  There were no other gems visible on the belts; only the emeralds seemed to be the only thing being handled here.

 

Silver booked her way through the factory floor, sliding over tables and under conveyors with practiced ease.  She displayed an agility that would normally be seen in an athlete, yet it was just a unicorn mare who was sprinting and passing hurdles like a champion.  She surged ahead, making her way to the front of the beltline.

 

At this end, there were several gigantic machines standing tall against the wall and stretching to the ceiling.  Each one had a large number on the front of it, and Silver was headed for number six... which was putting off a bit more steam than the others there, Illiad noticed.

 

Skidding to a stop, she gave a light kick to the left side of the hopper, and a panel on the front popped open.  Instantly, the front half of her body vanished into it... leaving Silver's shapely flank sticking up in the air as she worked.

 

"It's down here... oh, yes, yes, yes... hold on, I'm coming - don't you dare blow that pipe again, or so help me Celestia, I will cut your intake for a week, mister!"

 

Silver... was talking... to the machine.  Like a child.  It was fairly cute, all things considered.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Rather than attempt to follow Silver through the factory floor, no doubt it would prove disastrous if he tried. He watched her weave through and waited for her to stop. Having locked on to her emotional trail before he could find her within the factory. He moved far enough so that he could see where she was, then warped beside her in a safe spot. As machinery was not something he had much knowledge on he practiced the policies of 'Don't touch anything', and 'Keep quiet while I'm working.' Looking about as he waited for Silver to do what she rushed in to do, and keeping his eyes off her flank like any gentlecolt, he was rather impressed with the workings of the factory, somewhat surprised at the level of automation they managed to implement. He found it quite similar to the machinery that Carbon described in the Trojan mines. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Clanking and tapping could be heard issuing from inside Hopper #6 as Silver did whatever it was that her mechanically-adept mind did.  As she worked, the amount of steam the hopper was giving out began to taper off little by little.

 

"Theeeeeere you go... there's a good boy... niiiiiiiice and easy..."

 

Silver almost sounded like she was cooing at a baby, the way she was carrying on under the hopper's lid.  Then again, chances are good that she was probably the only one who worked on them, so of course they'd be her babies.

 

"Easy... eeeeeeasy... eeeeeasy..."

 

There was a tiny, controlled hiss of steam from inside, and a cloud of it billowed out from the hole Silver was in.  There was a giggle from inside.

 

"Oh, YOU!  That's quite enough of that, thank you.  I'll see you tomorrow, number six - sorry about being late today!"

 

She pulled herself from the hole; her mane was dripping wet, her coat coated with little beads of moisture, and her goggles were beaded with water droplets.  Her muzzle, however, wore that ear-to-ear grin, and she levitated a few tools out of the hopper before closing the hatch back up.

 

"Well... that was exciting, eh?  We made it with a few minutes to spare; last time I didn't make it in time, the hopper blew a pipe through the roof - about twelve stories straight up!  That took a couple of weeks to fix, but the steam valve release is still a hassle.  It's not the equipment - that's up to par - but the aquifer that the equipment gets fed from.  It occasionally has... surges of pressure, let's say... and I haven't managed to come up with a decently reactive compensation unit for... uhm..."

 

She blushed a bit.  "Sorry - I get a little technical sometimes; I know it's just tinkerer-stuff, but I can't help but share.  It's in my blood... well, not so much IN my actual bloodstream, but more like it has always been something my entire family line has had experience with."

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad turned to face her as she emerged from the machine. "I don't mind, I think it's cute actually. I was wondering though, what makes this one different from the others that it needs this maintenance regularly while the others I would guess do not? Forgive me if that question is obvious to you, I just don't have much experience with this sort of complex machinery." His current worry was that he didn't feel as smart as Silver was, he hoped there was something in him she could appreciate as much as he appreciated her intelligence. It didn't hurt that she was cute too, and while he didn't consider himself too handsome it made him a bit self conscious. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

"Oh - OH!  Actually, it has more to do with the pipes initial installment... almost 200 years ago.  The pipe leading to Hopper Six breaches a part of the aquifer that tends to stay colder than the rest, due to its depth inside the mountain.  As the miners dig deeper and deeper, it causes vibrations that... well, they shake some of the ice loose, and the air trapped inside that ice builds up near the pipe.  When the Hoppers run their typical workdays, the pipe heats up a bit, causing excess steam from below to start coming through the pipe and backing up in the release valve.  The other hoppers are juuuuuuust far enough away from the coldest part to avoid such issues, or at least the excess steam isn't enough to cause any problems.  Hopper Six is just a special snowflake, is all."

 

She reached up and gave the machine a gentle pat on its side.

 

"Silvah!"

 

From the doorway, Chuck List called out to the mare.  The stern look on his muzzle was seemingly set in stone, yet his emotions were fine and dandy; apparently, it was just a common look for him.

 

"Oh!  Excuse me a moment, Illiad... yes, Chuck?"

 

"Dat fix you did on doze lights da udder day?  Doze morons onna morning shift tripped over it - an' it's busted again.  Dunnit figure?  Think you can get dat thing onna straight-an'-narrow b'fore Lunch?"

 

Silver rolled her eyes, but smiled in good humour.  "Well, working down in the dark like that, I'd have thought they all had plenty of time to let their eyes adjust!"  Silver gave a giggle, but Chuck simply gave an impatient sigh.  "Okay, okay... I can get to that, Chuck.  Shouldn't be much of an issue... unless somepony sat on it, of course."

 

She turned back to Illiad.  "Well, I suppose I have to get to work now... but I THOROUGHLY enjoyed your company!  I do hope we'll get to speak again soon; good conversation is hard to find.... and speaking of which, if you wanted to ask Chuck about those questions you had earlier, he might have some answers.  And don't let him fool you; Chuck's a good guy, he just has to act tough so the other miners will listen to him.  Well, I have work to do - until next time!"

 

Silver smiled sunnily as she waved to the Trojan, exiting the factory.  Chuck watched her go, then turned back to face Illiad.  The look in his eye was hard, but Illiad didn't have to rely on looks alone to figure him out; Chuck's emotions were a chunk of curiosity with a dash of genuine interest thrown in, both covering the surface of what felt like a mix of acceptance and determination.

 

"Yeah... whasamatta witchoo?  Y'see somethin' green?"

 

He looked annoyed, but he wasn't annoyed; maybe he just didn't have good social skills?

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

What Illiad wanted to do was spend more time with Silver, but it seemed clear she wanted to focus on the work she had, perhaps they would meet up again later. In regards to Chuck, as much as Illiad wanted the answers to his questions, it wouldn't be proper to ask about one's employer when they had just met. He would likely have better luck with Knee Slapper when he next saw him. As nice a pony as Silver said Chuck actually was, Illiad wasn't quite in the mood to deal with one who acted and said the opposite of what they wanted as it showed they weren't truly interested. Illiad turned to face Chuck as he tried to walk the safest path through the factory.

 

With a sigh he decided he ought to at least give the stallion a chance as he really didn't have anything better to be doing today unless Silver was interested in talking to him again soon. He did his best to seem interested, but Chuck's tone and word choice were particularly off putting to him. He finally found a safe route that brought him to the entrance. "I'm not sure I entirely understand your statement. Would you mind clarifying?"

Edited January 25, 2016 by Illiad Easle

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck gave Iliad a bit of a curious look for a moment, then his eyebrows raised.

 

"... hunh, you honestly dunno.  Dat's a new one, but s'okay.  I simply t'ought dat you mighta been lookin' at me like you was 'cuz ya seen somethin' green in m'teeth or somethin' like dat."

 

The emotion was a ripple of surprise.  "Youze don' go ta deze kinda places much, m'iright?"  The Trojan may have expected scorn with the statement alone, but Chuck wasn't mocking him at all; he was apparently taken a bit aback that he knew something the unicorn didn't.

 

"Dat's arright - yer Dax's pen-pal buddy, ain'cha?  Yeah, I r'member youze from th' tunnel; toldja ta puddon a hard hat.  Ya did; good 'nuff fer me.  Dat kid really seems ta like ya, an' dat's okay wit' me.  So... yeah, yer arright."

 

Chuck reached back and clamped his mouth on a small wooden handle, pulling out a small clipboard connected to it with copper wiring.  It was an interesting little gadget that brought the clipboard into perfect view for the forepony.  As his eyes scanned its contents, Illiad was given a better opportunity to look Chuck over.

 

The stallion was an Earth Pony; no magic or flight for him.  But he didn't seem to mind, or even care - intently staring at that board and muttering to himself, Illiad could feel the low thrum of concentrated thinking coming off the simple gray workhorse.  He was a bit bigger than average, but nowhere NEAR as big as some of the others here.  From what horseflesh could be seen there were a number of old, shiny scars around his legs and back; scars that weren't just from falling off a scooter as a colt.  It was obvious that the forepony was good at his job, but there was an underlying look of one who actually EARNED their position, as opposed to those 'factory bureaucrats' who never saw a day of hard work in their lives; Chuck looked STURDY.  

 

And through it all, the stallion had simply read his notes, turning pages with a flick of his ear until he grunted some sort of affirmative, then after flicking the stick and sending all the turned pages back to their original folds, he put it away again in one of his belt pouches.  He looked back up at Illiad, then simply asked a question:

 

"Do da mares look bettah over dere, or what?  I mean, with loc'l-type outfits an' such - whadda doze ladies from Troy got dat's unique?  Izzit da clothes?  Izzit da jewl'ry?  Izzit dere accents?  I mean, I ain't no lech'r'nuthin'... but hey, a pretty mare's a t'inga byootee, m'iright?"

 

His accent sounded heavy Manehattan, perhaps?  All the same, his speech made sense; it was simply somewhat mingled together, but it wasn't indecipherable.  Besides, he had been correct - maybe a bit of a roguish feeling or two, but nothing lewd or lustful so much.  He was actually expressing an active interest, it seemed. 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

(I shudder at how clearly I can imagine his accent.)

 

Illiad contemplated Chuck's questions, he was certainly an odd sort, but he'd be right at home with the miners back in Troy. "I haven't been in this sort of factory before yes, it is certainly an impressive work of automation. And yes, I am Dax's exchange partner, Illiad Easle. As to the females back home, they come in all types and species, no accents or traits really unique to Troy, more like a mixture of everywhere else, creatures come to Troy from all parts of the world and they bring their cultures with them. I wouldn't consider Trojan fashion very special, it doesn't get much different from what I'm wearing now as the primary purpose is to keep the sand out of your coat, and fancy fabrics don't do that all that well. Jewelry is certainly something we do well, but that sort of thing doesn't matter to me. I care about what's inside, looks and accessories change and fade over time, but who someone is inside stays pretty constant, beauty does make the character all that more appealing though." Illiad was starting to warm up to Chuck, he seemed alright once he got past the accent.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck gave a grin.  "Yeah, y'got dat right!  O'course, dat don't 'splain what Da Boss sees in Vylia, tho'.  Dat one's a piece o' work - byoo-tee-FULL... but fulla so much venom, makes 'er eyes green!"

 

Chuck laughed heartily, but sighed as he finished.

 

"Well... gotta admit dat sheeza lookah, but ain't NO mare worth dat level o' grief.  You seen 'er pitch a fit?  Heck, I been workin' da mines fer a long time an' seen all sortsa stuff - but dat mare scares me, an' dat ain't easy ta do!"

 

He looked over Illiad for a moment.  "Yeeaaaahh... you got dat lookaboutcha - you might not look like a scrappah, but I'll betcher pretty tough, alla same.  Ya got dat lookaboutcha, like I sed.  Ya don' LOOK all dat tuff... but like ya sed, looks ain't ev'rything, right?"

 

His emotional state was mellow and light, yet he still looked a bit gruff.  Chances are, it was just the way he was - he seemed comfortable in his own skin; not at all bothered, nervous or agitated.  

 

"As fer Daxy, s'a good thing yer doin' fer dat kid - he's had it ruff 'round here; heck, he's had it rough all ovah, y'ask me.  'Bout time he got himself a buddy.  Yer a good fella ferdat!" 

 

He gave Illiad a clap on the back; it was strong, but not intended to hurt... not that it didn't hurt a bit, but there was no sense of painful intent from Chuck's emotions.

 

"Y'had lunch yet, huh?  Y'feel like grabbina munch?  Da Lunch Trailah's foodza lot bettah than ya t'ink.  Whaddya say?"

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Well, that showed what he thought of the Blackwaters, though it surprised him how open Chuck was being with someone he had just met. Illiad could have been a spy for the Blackwaters, but he wasn't. "I suppose beauty is relative, Mrs. Blackwater isn't really my type anyway. And I suppose I am pretty tough, my skill in magic compensates pretty well for my lack of body strength. I do hope I'm improving the lives of others with my presence, I'm glad to hear you think I'm doing something right." Illiad winced slightly when Chuck managed to strike a scar directly. He knew it wasn't intentional, but it hurt anyway. "Sure, I could use some food." Chuck was moving a bit back towards off putting with his comments towards his boss' wife, such lack of respect was surprising to him. Still, he was excited at the prospect of more food. 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck led Illiad over to the Lunch Trailer, where the aroma of freshly cooked straw dogs and corn fritters were thick in the air, but not unpleasantly so.  There were a few other ponies here already, and a few of them nodded or waved to Chuck, who returned greetings in kind.

 

They stepped up to the little window in front; behind the counter was a gaunt, haggard-looking pony who took one look at Chuck, and instantly went to the grill, plopping two straw dogs onto the hot surface.

 

"Hey dere, Grill!  Gimme a dubble onnat ordah, wouldja?"

 

The grill pony sighed, and put two more on to cook.  Chuck leaned against the side of the trailer, after moving out of the way of the window, and gave Illiad a curious look.

 

"So... whatcha like on yer straw dawg?  Mustard?  Ketchup?  Relish?  What kinda stuff you put on your... heck, you even HAD one b'fore?"

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad was intrigued by the smells of the area, and a bit surprised at the use of straw in food. Hay was far more nutritious, though a bit more costly to produce than straw, which came attached to the other crops like cereals and wheat. Perhaps they weren't using actual straw and just called it that.

 

He turned towards Chuck with a bit of a curious look on his face. "No, I can't say I have. It smells interesting though, Is it made with actual straw? Or is it hay instead?"

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

The forepony laughed.  

 

"Nah, dere hay, arrite - but back inna day, dey useta be straw; back when my Faddah was still a young buck, he hadda cart dat he useta pull to a lotta events around 'Questria.  Made 'em any kinda way youze can thinkit - all sortza erbs an' spices dat he could put tageddah t'make REALLY GOOD straw dawgs!  He was a bona-fidey GENIUS widdem; dat's why I gotta real appreciation for 'em."

 

He went to the window seemingly automatically; the grill pony put four 'straw' dogs in little paper bowls on the counter as if it was a well-rehearsed routine - chances are, it was.  Chuck got them on a battered and carved-on wooden tray, and brought them over to the side of the lunch trailer, where there was a cart full of bottles, shakers and jars.  

 

It was a bit messy, but the condiment cart wasn't nasty-looking; it seemed like somepony cleaned it each day, so the little drips and spills weren't so bad.  Chuck set the tray down, then turned and smiled over at Illiad.

 

"Hey, howzabout dis - you get two uvvum, but I get ta dress one up MY way for ya!  If ya don't like it, I'll getcha anuddah one.  Whaddya say?"

 

Chuck was grinning ear-to-ear, and the enthusiasm for these rolled and fried tubes in buns rolled off him in a steady but significant stream.  Apparently, if ANYPONY here was going to really introduce Illiad to food, then perhaps Chuck List could be the one to do it...

 

 

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad didn't see anything wrong with that arrangement. Given that he had no idea what would go good on a straw dog, he thought it best to let someone who knew what they were doing take care of it.

 

"Sure, that sounds like as good a place as any to start. I wouldn't know what one puts on a straw dog anyway."

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck grinned and his spirits climbed.  "See, DAT'S what I'm gonna show ya!  Arrite, look here -"

 

He made his way to one of the jars, where a small dipping ladle was.  From inside came a pungent, sweet smell, and Chuck pointed a hoof at it.  "Dat's RELISH; s'made outta diced pickles an' a bitta syrup - always get it as a base, 'cuz it can help hold it all tageddah..."  So said, he scooped the ladle and poured a fair-sized line of green, chunky and gooey-looking stuff along the length of the dog.

 

Next, he moved to a canister that had a sharp, onion-y scent.  "Dem's onions," Chuck said, "and dey go great widda relish, ya know.  Good veggie-tubble combo, if ya ask me."  With an available spoon, he put a neat line of chopped onions on the relish, giving the white chips a bed of green.

 

After this, he leaned over far enough to nudge a dented tin shaker closer, taking hold of it and shaking a light coat of what appeared to be a chunky white powder over the veggies already on it.  Once finished, he set down the shaker and stated, "Dat's Ground Goat Cheese - pretty popular 'round here when it comes ta dawgs."

 

He then moved over to a station on the cart with a seemingly heated container sitting on a metal plate; upon closer inspection, it had a very slight magical aura coming from it.  At any rate, it was putting off a bit of heat, and whatever was inside had a very hearty, delicious aroma that became evident when Chuck pulled the lid off of it.  He smirked back at the Trojan.  

 

"Dis is called CHILI; it's basically bean gravy wit some extra spices and such.  Always heated, 'cuz it just ain't the same widdout it!  Plus, it warms up the onions an' relish, and dat's a good thing!"  He laid a generous helping of chili along the dog, burying the relish and onions in a layer of bubbling bean goodness.

 

He then stepped over and pointed at a jar with what appeared to be shredded lettuce in it.  "Dat's Cold Slaw; s'magically treated ta stay cold while ya eat it, but it don't cool the chili off - it's Q-lynn-airee magic, I tell yaz!"  He spooned three large dollops onto the dog, eyeballing his own work.

 

With that, he turned and offered the prepared straw dog to Illiad.

 

"Arrite, dere ya go: one Chuck Supreme!  G'wan and try the uddah dawg first, the one widdout stuff onnit - get a feel for the taste of it b'fore you moddy-fie it!  Den, try dis one."

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad found the stack of condiments to be both an odd set of combinations and a bit overwhelming. At least there's no mushrooms, or it being dipped in tea. Illiad picked up the undecorated tube of grilled hay, "Ok, don't be offended if I don't like it." Illiad then tried a bite of the hay in bread. It was a bit bland and dry on it's own, likely it was meant to have condiments added to it. Illiad could taste a hint of the spices within, they were common spices in Troy, so he was used to higher concentrations of them than were present. In all, it was decent, it was food after all and pleasantly different from what he was used to. "It's different than what I expected, not bad though." Illiad idly wondered what the Blackwaters would think of him if they saw him here.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck lifted an eyebrow.

 

"Oh-HO, 'zat so?  Arrite - you tried dat one... now," he smiled broadly, "try DIS one!"

 

He motioned to the decorated dog.  All in all, it looked like there would be a number of flavors in it - and who knew?  Perhaps they would be good, all mashed together this way.  Besides, it did seem to mean a lot to the forepony that Illiad would actually take an interest in something he had quite a bit of knowledge about .

 

"Here - I ain't gonna stare down yer t'roat while ya eat it; I'm gonna make mine up right while you try yer foist bite o' the perfect dawg!"

 

With that, as promised, Chuck began to cover his two the same way he had done for the unicorn; the EXACT same way, in fact.

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis, 

 

Illiad set aside the rest of his plain dog, eyeing the decorated one with a bit of trepidation. He still considered the combination odd and wasn't too sure about the quantity. But he didn't want to be rude, so he carefully lifted it as to not spill the small pile of toppings and took a bite.

 

It was certainly an intense mix of flavors, the diversity of which made his tongue simply go 'huh,' and stop trying to process it. It wasn't an entirely unpleasant experience to be honest, just not the sort of thing he was used to or would honestly prefer. He continued to eat it as there was no point in letting it go to waste and his tongue was still on a temporary vacation from tasting things. Once finished he picked up the remainder of the plain dog and joined Chuck at the topping station.

 

"It was certainly an interesting combination, but I think it was a bit too intense for my tastes. No doubt if I had them more regularly I'd be able to appreciate it more." 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck gave Illiad a bit of a sidelong glance... then simply chuckled and shook his head.

 

"Eh, I suppose dey ain't fer ev'rypony, are dey?  Too bad - t'ought I woulda found ya somethin' good dere."

 

He shrugged non-chalantly, but the Empath in him could feel the little ripple of disappointment roll through Chuck.  Still, it didn't show on his muzzle, and it seemed as if he wouldn't hold a grudge, as there was no ire or wrath coming off him.  He finished gathering the condiments for his own dogs, then sat down and fairly wolfed them down himself; it was somewhat impressive that he didn't even spill a drop, especially when the forepony's own straw dogs were more loaded than Illiad's had been.

 

"So," he asked between biting, chewing and swallowing, "Whaddaya learned from the kid so far, eh?  Anything yet?"

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad looked slightly surprised at Chuck's line of questioning. "Well, I'd say I've learned a bit about him and his family as well as how this quarry works. He's an interesting kid, so different from the rest of his family. This quarry is an impressive work, I'm amazed that the mountain still has minerals to be mined after all this time, especially with how efficient you seem to be with extraction." 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

Chuck nodded at the unicorn's appraisal of Dax.  "He's a good kid.  Useta come down here alla time, even helped out inna mines - he's got a GREAT kick - but dat was b'fore The Boss found out."  He shook his head slowly.  "Sad stuff, dere."

 

Hearing about the mountain and extraction, however, brought a smile to the forepony's muzzle.  "Yeah, you'da t'ought dat it's gotta be t'rough by now... but it ain't.  Dis mountain was caused wenna meteorite struck da ground here, reeeeeeeeeally long time ago.  Da water built up unnerground releases inta da soil, an' dat shifts stuff around a lot ovah time... b'sides, we keep a decent rotation o' worksites an' blasting.  The blast loosens up da area around it, so's dere can be anuddah round of mining by da time we gat back to it."

 

Chuck stuffed about half of a straw dog into his mouth, chewed exactly three times, then swallowed as he pointed to the east.  "Always clockwise 'round da mountain - nevah countah; dat keeps ya away from da blasting."

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad knew enough about mountains to know that that was not how normal mountains worked, but was open minded enough to suppose that it could be true for this mountain, he had seen some pretty interesting things within it after all.

 

"Huh, that sure is an interesting situation you have with this mountain."

 

He decided not to ask about why Mr. Blackwater wouldn't want Dax helping in the mines, he was sure Mr. Blackwater would have a good reason for it.

 

"If you don't mind me asking, what do you think of Silver Studs?" (I hope I remembered her name right.)

[Randimaxis 8,652]

@@Illiad Easle

 

"Silvah?"

 

Chuck gave Illiad a curious look for a moment, then a slow smile crawled across his muzzle.

 

"Oh-ho-ho, I see... well, she's a good kid.  Smart as all get-out, y'know?  Seen her workin' on her machines an' such; got a knack fer 'em, so she kinda keeps da whole place runnin' in tip-top shape.  I never saw anypone as nutzo 'bout gears an' stuff as she is.  Gotta admit, she's got ME beat in brains - and she's bettah-lookin', DAT'S fer sure!"

 

Chuck laughed a bit, then settled down.  Taking another whopping bite from his straw dog, the forepony gave the question a little more serious thought.

 

"She's a workah - no lazybones in her skelly-ton, I know dat.  An' honest, she ain't got a lie inner whole body... DAT, I like even more.  She ain't the dizzy kinda mare, either - she's got 'er head on straight, even if it is kinda inna clouds, sometimes."

 

Chuck shrugged, but it was obvious he thought the mare was sweet.

 

"Sounds ta me like youze gotta soitan lady on yer mind, eh?  You just chattin' her up right now, or you gots wedding bells in the fewtcha?"

[Illiad Easle 3,135]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Illiad almost blushed at Chuck's question, but still gave a slight smile at the thought. "She certainly is smart, she reminds me of my good friend Clockwork in a way. He's really good at inventing stuff too. It doesn't hurt that she's one of the cutest mares I've ever had the pleasure to meet. I really enjoy talking to her, but I'm not sure she'd be interested in marrying me, I've only just met her. No doubt some other pony's caught her eye by now." Illiad sighed as he finished his un-decorated straw dog. "I suppose it's too early to really know at this point, but she is certainly the kind of mare I'd like to marry someday." He turned his attention back towards Chuck. "Sorry if any of that seemed a bit odd, this is an odd situation for me."

 

(Why do I get the feeling Silver would have just happened to overhear what I just said?)

Edited February 5, 2016 by Illiad Easle