Dastardly Deals
IC date: Autumn 71, 1007
OOC date: November 29, 2012
PCs: Stormdancer, Sodium-Fizz, Solar-Wind
NPCs:
GM: None

Another late-autumn day in the Harbour. For the most part anyways, there typicaly isn't a large pillar of disturbingly orange smoke rising from Portside. If one follow it to it's source one would find a campfire on a plot of land just of the boardwalk, and at the edges of that fire sits several clay pots - some sealed up and some open. And one spewing orange smoke. Next to the fire sits a mare, a grey pegasus garbed in a sorta-waistcoat and with a set of glasses set on her muzzle.

Sodium-Fizz threw another glance at her fire and nodded in satisfaction. Everything seemed to be going allright with it, though she'd have to move it away from the flames in a while to start cooling it off. Thus reasured she turned about again, burying her muzzle in her wings - appendages that looked like it would belong to a mare much larger in size - as she continued to preen.

A lightfooted mare on a mission makes her way along the boardwalk, with a rather odd pace- each step interspersed with a brief, fluttering flight, rather reminiscent of a wounded bird.

"C'mon, wings," Stormdancer complains back towards them, heading for the alchemist and her smoke. "I -know- ya can do better'n this!" No cloak for her today- Properly grown-out primaries and secondaries outnumber and obscure the remaining pinfeathers, though it still looks rather like she's in the middle of a moulting cycle.

Hearing a new voice up nearby Sodium-Fizz raised her head once more and craned it around to look at Stormdancer. Or in Soda's eyes. A potential customer! What few regular customers she'd had before the whole deal with the zombies and evil armies and alternate dimensions she'd more or less lost, though a few have been trickling back. Still, getting a few more wouldn't hurt. "Problems? I think I might know something that could help with that…"

Stormdancer erps in mid-flutter, aborting early- which causes her to land rather more heavily than she'd intended and clatter about gracelessly in recovery. She adopts a rather feline 'I meant to do that' pose, putting on a grin and finishing her approach on hoof instead. "Nothin' time an' trainin' won't fix, now! You, ah-" She twists around, pulling out a set of notes from her saddlebags with her wingtips. "'Miss Fizzy'?"

"Just Fizz works fine, but yes." The grey mare cocked her head to the side and eyeing Stormdancer. After a moment Sodium-Fizz waved her hoof next to the fire in a invitation, though it seems almost a reluctant one. "So, what do you want from me?" she asked. Definatly reluctant, kinda suspicious-sounding too. Her wings folded tightly against her back and the purple fabric of her waistcoat.

Stormdancer lays herself down a comfortable distance around the fire from the other pegasus- Far enough to be polite, close enough to not have to talk through the smoke. "Doin' some shoppin' fer m' boss," she explains, offering the notes- a list of magical ingredients that simply aren't available from the local wilds. "Could spend months crisscrossin' Equestria an' beyond huntin' 'em down, but figger I oughta see'f there's anypony what's a'ready got a line on 'em an' ain't gonna charge a wing 'n a leg, first."

A grey wing arced forward, snagging the list between the primaries and pulling it in for Sodium-Fizz to read through. Her brows knitted together as she did. "Hmh… No, no, no, I just used the last of it, no, no, that I have, no, no, yes but I need it, no, yes, yes…" Leting the list drop slightly she peered over her wing at Stormdancer. "What would your boss want this for anyway? A few of these things are rather rare and have few uses that I know off."

Stormdancer's feathers ruffle briefly against her sides, her expression falling in the face of such negativity. But she props it right back up as Fizz turns back to her! "Experimentin', she said," the blue mare chirps rather brightly. "I just do 'er heavy liftin' an' procurin' so she gets 'er more lab time." She knows nothing, yes'm!

Sodium-Fizz turned her eyes back to the list, seeming to think for a moment. "Hmh… is it that Rising-Chaos, one? I remember her saying something about having a laboratory about. One with alchemy equipment as well. Not that I'm convinced she knows what she's doing with these ingredients…" Soda cocked her head to the side before reaching over, handing the list back over. And snatching the orange smoking pot away from the flames deftly with a hoof. It looks like something she's practiced a lot.

"But never mind that, just selling some of my stock… That'd be easy money right there, without having to brew something." Fizz sighed. "I swear, if there's one more pony asking for a love potion I'll wringe their necks…"

Stormdancer gives the alchemist a nod as her employer's identified, tucking the papers back into her bags. "Well, she goes an' lights 'erself on fire, I'll be standin' there with water an' a blanket," she replies with a grin. It turns sly, though, as she adds: "Well, I -do- have a idea fer a lil' somethin' ta go on a sep'rate ticket…"

Sodium-Fizz raised an eyebrow before she turned about, tucking her muzzle back in one wing. A few moments later she pulled back with a wince, a grey secondary tuck in her mouth. One that went dipping into the orange-smoky clay pot. Turning her attention back to Stormdancer she asked, "And that would that be miss…?"

"Stormie!" she chirps right back, "O' Stormdancer if ya wanna be all formal-like." Her smile, so innocent! Her eyes- not -malicious-, per se, but they certainly don't have somepony's best interests in mind. "And… Speakin' hypothetical-like, could a mare such's yerself make a potion tha' could, say, turn a pink coat an' feathers ta a -really- 'ideous ooze green? One what wouldn' take long ta take effect, 'ard ta reverse, and still work right 'f delivered by splatterin' melon?" Bright, cheery grin! "- An' if sa, 'ow much extra ya think that mare might want ta ferget what she eve' made o' sold that kinda thing, especially ta who?"

Sodium-Fizz blinked, then raised an eyebrow. "That would be possible… though I would most likely require a bit of time to aquire the ingredients for something like that. I might have to fiddle a bit, long time since I made paint bombs… let alone dye bombs, so I might be a bit rusty…" A small smile crept onto Fizzy's muzzle. "Not that I'd ever do something like that, obviously… Though you've piqued my interest, so I might just have to make one to see if I can deliver it by melon, now. I expect I'll have it figured it in, oh… three days?"

"And then I'll have to dispose of it somewhere safe. I just hope I won't be distracted by something when I do becaus I'd forget everything 'bout it then. Twenty bits have a tendance to make me lose sight of just about everything, you know?" Fizzy could barely contain herself. This… thickled her fancy all the wrong ways. It was a chance to give in to her petty, mean spirited side for a bit without actualy hurting anypony. Too much, hopefuly.

Stormdancer fights to keep her grin from spreading to something rather more 'manic' than 'cheerful', and for the most part, succeeds. "Well, sure! 'magine somethin' like that windin' up 'n the wrong hooves could ruin somepony's day. But the fun've makin' it, well." She settles back, stretching a wing out to catch the heat of the fire.

Casually, she continues. "Yanno, bein' a fella pony o' science an' magics like m' Boss is, I reckon 'f ya -did- happen 'pon any've the other bits'n the list an' had a bit ta much ta keep 'n stock, Risin' wouldn' mind buyin' the extras off ya at, say, cost plus shippin' plus ten, 'f that's agreeable. 'less she's full up a'ready, but it's a bit've a -long- list, as ye've seen- I 'magine anythin' towards the end migh' take a month o' two ta even start lookin' for."

"Oh, us alchemists have our connections in the market. I can most likely procure a fair few of the things on the list," said Sodium-Fizz and nodded as she reached down, pulling the feather from the concoction it'd been resting in. Only to stick down the other half.

Stormdancer nods back. "An' I got a whole host a local bits ta scrounge up- Could mebbe save ya a trip 'f I knew some stuff ya needed, what with headin' out there anyways. Be willin' ta swap it fer cash o' kind, 'chever's easier."

Sodium-Fizz shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her muzzle. Even small, it looks kinda goofy. "No, I'm not really planing on heading on a trip… I've had enough off that for a while." A grey hoof came up, rubbing her bite-marked ear. "And… I kinda don't want to. I'll be sending a few letters and see what I can get ahold off. For the hypotethical dye mellon. I can get everything localy I'm sure."

Stormdancer turns one hoof skyward with a shrug and a smile. "Just a offe'. I kinda like hittin' th' woods out 'ere." Her expression turns wry. "'magine I'll like 'em even mo' when I don' gotta walk 'em. Ya get a list need's fillin' later an' wanna pass it off, reckon I can see what I can do for it." She tilts her head, looking at the pot curiously. "- An' what -do- ya got brewin' there, 'f ya don't mind sayin'?"

Sodium-Fizz nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Last time I went ingredients hunting I got chewed on my timberwolves… and I didn't have any potions with me. That was downright stupid." She sighed for herself before smiling her thin smile once more. "And it's preservatives. Pretty strong ones. Coat a fether in it and it'll last a hundred years, easy. I'm… making something…" Soda's voice trailed off and she blushed brightly.

A whilsting of air through the wings is heard coming from waaaay up high then heavy flapping as Solar-Wind airbrakes strongly before alighting in a jog as he makes his way down up one of the docks round portside. He neatly folds his wings letting his long primaries trail behind him as he jogs and slowly paces to a stop at the edge of the dockside area, right along the boardwalk. Solar streaches a little for the early morning and looks very happy, practically beaming, and bounding with energy the likes of which few have seen of the big guy.

Stormdancer's ears lay back in sympathy as she shares Sodium-Fizz's fire, just off the boardwalk. Business mostly dealt with, it's chatter time! As a pot with a feather in it billows orange smoke, making a nice little beacon to attract somepony's attention. "Timbe'wolves ain't a fun bunch," she replies with a small nod. "Get 'nough of 'em, chewed is th' lucky end've the scale." A little shake of her head, then she follows the change of topic with perking ears. "While still attached? 'f that includes fireproofin', reckon I know've 'least one pony who'd be innerested!"

Sodium-Fizz shook her head, her blush dying of a bit. "No, it more or less ruins it for flying. But that's not what it is for so no problem." Pulling the feather out of the pot she put it aside before spreading one of her wings, once more diving muzzle first into it only to pull back with another lose feather. A discared primary this time it seems. It gets the same treatment with the pot. "I just need these to last a long time."

"And…" she hazarded, "yes, Timberwolves arenot fun to run into… And I wouldn't say being chewed on is that fun. Timberwolves, zombies, feral dogs, rat wights and a hydra. Never fun."

"Though admitedly the hydra never really chewed on me, but still. Hanging with your arse out of it's mouth isn't fun."

Solar-Wind pads closer to inspect the source of the orange smoke. The Firepony of course curious just what is burning and it brought him from the skies to investigate the smoke. When he recognizes Sodium-Fizz he seems to put it together, nothing dangerous, (just yet) "Goodmorning Miss Fizz, what do we have all smoking this morning?" he asks for curiousity and duty sake all at the same time.

Stormdancer's jaw starts to drop through the list, though she manages to bring it back up with a clack and a shake of her head. "Ah, no 'ffense, Fizz? But there's some ponies who prob'ly ought stay'n towns 'less they can't 'elp it." Though, distraction and topic change ahoy! The firepony catches her gaze, and shamelessly, she doesn't even -try- to pull it free. "-Hel-lo…!"

Sodium-Fizz scoffed. "Only the zombies and timberwolves was outside town limits."

Turning slightly she smiled, giving Solar a small wave. Though she seems a bit more resigned than normal. "Hello Solar-Wind. It's a preservative. What brings you to my little corner of the port?"

Solar-Wind smiles and gazes to orange smoke, and nods, "preservitave, like that feirsome petrifacation formula, or something else?" he asks as he is always curious just what the Fiz is up to. "As for why, well, Fireguard instincts n' all that, where there's smoke there's fire, that and the color got me curious" he offers then looks over to Stormdancer, "Goodmorning Miss" he offers respectfully to her in response with a little bow his head, "Color of that variation is often generated by that of fuels or oils, and its consistancy was off-point with that sort of source" he offers scientificially, "It confused me to say the least" he's never really demonstrated his firepony prowess but there's obviously something there.

Stormdancer is torn. Interesting, if slightly gruesome, stories! Or eyecandy. A -hydra-. But those -wings-. Her twitching tail marks her indecision and -torment-! So she winds up splitting the difference, not-quite-leering at Solar, while asking in general (though probably -intended- for Fizzy): "So, wait. A hydra got inta town? When'd -that- 'appen?"

Sodium-Fizz shook her head. "No, it's jus preservatives. I don't want stone feathers, they'd make a lousy gift… As for the smoke, I'm going to say you'll see more of it over the comming months. Some of the things I make smoke, a lot."

Fizzy's head twitched to the side, letting her eye Stormdancer. Her ears' pinned back uncertainly. "It's… a long story. It's not here though, a little town called Greensdale. You'll need a map older than thousand and five to find it, though."

Solar-Wind nods a little, "chance ya could give me a heads up if ya plan on smoking stuff, and an estimate on color so I can keep a track of that" he asks, "I don't ever expect to see smoke, but it would be good to be forewarned some" the firepony asks softly then looks over to Stormdancer, "Is there something I may be of assistance with Miss?" he asks curious of her seemingly distracted gaze, curious or just puzzled.

Stormdancer slumps a bit with relief- Hydra attack wasn't here, everything's fine! And she smiles with just a -hint- of a predatory edge, honey oozes into her voice, softening out her accent as she makes Eyes at Solar. "Oh, if you're offering… I -could- stand to have a nice, strong stallion go flying with me in, say, a week~."

Sodium-Fizz shot Solar a glance. "Maybe I wi-…" Soda blinked. Then blinked again as she turned her head back to Stormdancer. Then right back to Solar-Wind.

Solar-Wind blinks some, watching her then looking back to Fizz, "Ahh, Its alright Fizz, twill keep me on my hooftips and all ready for duty" he comments lightly then glances back to Stormdancer, "ahh a week you say, hmm Alas I will be far from town in that time frame, I have some pressing business back home in Canterlot, and a bit of a wedding to plan" he smiles over to Fizz, ""little details to wrap up, things like that" he mentions softly. "I'm sure you'll find plenty of stallions whom are more than capable of providing a safe escort for your flight" he offers politely in return.

The blue mare pouts briefly, before laying her ears back and muttering, her voice droppping back to normal. "Weren't hopin' fer a -safe- sorta escort," she complains with another ruffle of her feathers. She looks away- then back- "Mebbe-" Then away again. "- Ne'ermind. My luck, yer pairin' with onna th' mares what's a'ready tried kickin' me'n th' face."

Sodium-Fizz flinched noticably, giving Solar-Wind a very odd stare. "Wait, what… Wedding?! You're getting married to… Oh, Plot-Twist?" She raised an eyebrow curiously. "Don't you think you two are going kinda… quick?"

Solar-Wind "Shh Shh, shhhh, quiet down, Nothing's official yet, I have much to plan out before that question occours, but planning first, and all, that I must discuss jewlery arrangements with our resident jewelery expert, Miss Blossom" he laughs some, "though her expertiese could be darn well dangerous" he smiles a little and does a little shrug, "sometimes things work out for the best, we just match up and, and we're happy together" he offers softly to fizz.

Now you see just why this big guy was so happy looking when he trotted up. Solar simply smiles, "I've had loves before, just this is so much more than that, and we share our feelings completely, we match, we mesh, we even think in similar trends" he laughs, "she can complete my sentances for that matter" the stallion looks as if on cloud 9 right now, and gets this all dreamy eyed look to him as he gazes towards the foothills of the mountains. "its complicated" he trails off

Stormdancer pops up to her hooves, going to clop Solar on the shoulder and talking a mile a minute. "Wellcongradulations'ngoodferya'nitsoun'slikeyergonnabereally'appy-" she nods over to the alchemist then, turning to leave. "-an'I'llseeya'nthreedaystagitth'stuffwetalked'boutbutIgottagetgoin'gotworktadoyannodon'lemmekeepyabothfromgoin'o'erallthisweddin'stuff."

Sodium-Fizz shot Stormdancer a glance. "I'd rather not," she said, sounding extremely… dubious… to the whole thing. "Solar's just being a bit… um… silly. Right? Right!"

Solar-Wind blinks trying to follow Stormdancer, "she get into the Blurdots or something?" he laughs, "regualr auctioneer pony here!" he laughs ,"Silly, couldn't be more serious there fizzy, I love her, she's my very special somepony, and thats all there is to that, who knows maybe even one day we'll have a family

Stormdancer trots on towards the market district, albeit a little stiffly, leaving Fizzy to her fate with a wave of a wing to the two ponies left behind. She certainly does -not- care to bask in the glow of somepony else's matrimonial bliss, no she does not!

Sodium-Fizz raised a hoof in Stormdancers direction as she left. She had no wish to be left with 'love'-crazy ponies either! As she turned around a corner Fizz sighed and glanced at Solar-Wind, her ears pinned back nervously. "Sure…"

Solar-Wind glances back to the fizz, "Fizz?" he asks, "are you ok?" he blushes some, "I errr, I shouldn't have brought this up with you, I, err, I didn't mean to offend if thats it" he murmurs a little looking akward now.

Sodium-Fizz sighed, her ears still pinned back, and looked away with a huff. Still looking nervous. And very much undecided. "I… just don't belive you're doing the right thing…" she said finaly. "You sound like a star-struck filly, I should know. There's enough of those hanging around my brother on a regular basis…"

Shaking her head the grey mare reached down and started plucked the grey feathers of the ground, tucking them safely away in her belt.

Solar-Wind nods slowly and sighs, "I'm not a young colt Fizz, this is something I'm getting into, I've gotten my hooves wet, been burned in the past, this is not just a passing thing" he offers, "I have fallen, but with good cause, we are like one together, she compliments me, and I her" he notes. "I've never found a more perfect match than her and myself" he sighs "yes I am elated to be with her, I wish to please her, and she strives the same for me" Solar sighs and sits down, he gulps some, "I, I realize you've had a rocky past, but not everypony is bound for that kind of suffering, some really do care about you" solar offers, "I care about you in more than my duty sense is concerned, I care about you as a friend, and while I respect your opinion regarding my future to-be, I" he sighs, "I just love her and see myself with her untill the day we pass"

"Fine, if you say so," said Sodium-Fizz, sounding rather unconvinced. "As long as you leave me out of it. I don't belive in star-struck… Well, you know. It's nothing that just happens. Just… spare me the gushy lovey-dovey happines and marrige planning. Marrige just creeps me out and… Well. Just be happy, I guess."

Solar-Wind looks down to his hooves and nods slowly, there's a hint of sadness in his voice as he replies to you, "I, I understand Sodium-Fizz" he gulps and nods, "I" sigh, "I'll be sure to keep you clear of such emotional subjects" he intones through his saddened voice. The stallion looks back to your brewing smoky preservitave pot and looks through the smoke to the base where the fire's held. He leans a little close so he can take a gentle sniff at the smoke, curious if he can disern the make up of it. "Differint subject" he offers politely, "This mix you have here, what exactly is causing the smoke, more over the ingredients?" he asks with pure firepony curiousity.

Sodium-Fizz nodded. "Thanks. As for this… It's the oranges." She nodded at the smoking pot, lifting it away from the fires, togehter with most of it's non-smoking mates.

Solar-Wind nods some, "its my primary profession since the 'spy' bit has been dropped more or less for whatever reason, I'm just back to my liflihood Fireguard job." he smiles, "Firepony curiousity going, I like to judge what the color is bred from, as not every fire generates the same color, it makes things interisting to determine. Like I said I thought it was either a fuel or Oil fire, due to the coloration" he offers, "There's a science to it"

Sodium-Fizz pulled a face. "I try to keep fires very un-smoky. It just makes a mess and makes it harder to keep track of what's going on with the actual concoctions. And some of them react badly to smoke. But really, asking 'what ingredient makes this colour' is more or less pointless. Coloured smoke is, for the most part, a result of Quintessence's Principle of Air/Essence Interactions. It means that under the right circumstances the alchemical essences that are mixed will react to air within the preperation vessel and produce a number off effects." A small smile was plastered over her muzzle at this point. Talking alchemy had always sent a shiver down her spine.

"In this case it's Vitriol's Axioms of Bleedoff Neutralization in action, too! When the unwanted essences boil to the surface they react to the air and produce a cloud of harmless smoke, it's colour an amalgmation indicative of the essence that's being neutralized."

Solar-Wind blinks, about 80percent just glazed his mind, he's heard of this and that, but the big stallion doesn't get most of that, "Sorry Fizz ya got me on most of that" he looks embarassed, "My schooling in the FireBirds Academy taught us various signs of fire, smoke of coursse being one of them, but cedar produces grey but tinged with more white and almost a purple haze to it besides its fragrance, Pine produces another tint, mixed woods another, a house fire for instance isn't just the building materrial, but the possesions as well, and yet another shade of smoke is involved, and a diferint scent, the scents also vary by territory and prime building material"

Sodium-Fizz giggles softly. "Well, lets settle on the fact your fire-fighting training is more or less useless when it comes to my potions smoking. There's no really consistance to it, it varies from potion to potion and how it's made. "

Solar-Wind nods some , "Ok, now next question, if I were ever to encounter a blaze of accidental outbreak from one of your potions" he gulps, "not sayng that you'd set one fizz, but in case of an accident, I'd presume each would have a differint means of putting it out right?" he asks with concern evident in his voice.

Sodium-Fizz sighed. "Knowing me, I'd most likely blow something up sooner or later… or actualy do it on purpose if I'm off my rocks." The grey mare ran a hoof through her mane as she leaned back. "But just about everything can be fought normaly, I supose. Though if you can I guess smothering the flames would be the -best-. Some of the things might react badly to water. And of course, there's acids too."

Solar-Wind cringes at the later's implacations, that of the acids, "ehh, well please do be careful Fizz, thats some dangerous stuff there" he comments, "but you know that of course, Just please be careful"

Sodium-Fizz nodded, picking her alchemy pots up gingerly and sealing them up, dropping them into a bag on the ground before tying it to her belt. A moment later she's doused the fires with a bucket of water. "I'll be careful Solar-Wind. I know what I'm doing.

Solar-Wind nods some and sits himself down for now, "Thanks Fizzy" he offers politely, "If ya ever need me, just put some smoke out, I won't be far behind" he laughs some and lays himself down looking out over the water with a content little smile on his muzzle.