A Search for Metals

Firework stepped onto the crowded street, looking at the stores nearest to her.

"Darn it," she muttered to herself, settling her saddle-bags of fireworks more firmly on her back. Firework walked down the rows of stalls, glancing at each one before moving on. Being slightly taller than most ponies came in handy here, as she could clearly see each store front. But no apothecary in sight!

Releasing a sigh, Firework's ears drooped slightly. It would seem her journey to Ponyville had been a waste of time after all.

Fireseeker said a thank you to the store owner as he tucked his newly purchased quills into his saddle bag. He always needed new quills, which was apparently a consequence of being a writer.

Stepping out the Quill's and Sofa shop, he took off into a low hover, heading down the street. Tugging at his bag strap with his mouth, he forgot to look where he was going. When he turned back to see where he was walking, his vision was filled by a white and orange unicorn.

Fireseeker let out a gasp of shock just before he knocked into her and ended up sprawling himself across the ground.

~~~OC: Logik~~~

Logik walked through Ponyville's market place as he wrote in a small journal that he was floating in front of him at the time. He was still in the process of researching a strange subject that his old teacher had suggested to him as a worthy research topic. Currently, the unicorn was attempting to find an alchemist or chemist, as he needed to obtain some less-common materials in order to experiment a few theories regarding said subject.

He stopped, an idea crossing his mind. He mulled it over for a few seconds, obviously thinking, but then took another step to resume walking. However, at that exact time, two ponies, a Unicorn and a Pegasus, fell right past him, barely missing him as they fell.

"Woah!"

The two ponies nearly hit the ground, but, more by instinct than by quick thought, Logik cast a simple levitation spell to slow their descent. They still fell, but only at half the speed, therefore landing on the ground more gently than they would have without the help. Logik looked over at the two, lowering his journal.

"A-are you two ok?"

"Oof!" Firework gasped as a blue Pegasus collided with her on the street. Her feet fell out from underneath her as her body tilted backwards, swiftly approaching the ground. Too panicked to cast a spell, she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

She felt a surge of magic flutter across her hairs as she fell, and once Firework connected with the ground, it was a lot less hard than what she had anticipated. She picked herself up, dusting her fur with her hoof as she looked for the Unicorn who helped her. Spotting one upon which she almost fell, she opened her mouth to apologize, but stopped when she saw the Pegasus still on the ground. Offering him a hoof, she asked, "Need a hoof up?"

Immediately after, she turned to the Unicorn, "Yes, I'm alright. Thank you for asking," she answered.

Grateful that he wasn't being hit or yelled at, Fireseeker took the hoof and got his hooves. Even more grateful for the help in falling, he looked over at the unicorn stallion who had helped and nodded with a smile.

"I'm ok, thanks," replied Fireseeker before speaking to the mare, very apologetically. "I'm so sorry about that. I didn't look where I was going and then you were there and I just...I didn't hurt you did I?"

"I'm ok, thanks,"

Logik nodded to the Pegasus as he said this, and soon after also nodded to the mare next to him, who repeated a similar thank you. "Not a problem..." The Pegasus then turned to the mare whom he had run into, and Logik closed his journal and put it into one of his saddlebags as the stallion spoke.

"I'm so sorry about that. I didn't look where I was going and then you were there and I just...I didn't hurt you did I?"

"No, no. I'm quite alright. I can't imagine that I could say the same if not for this Unicorn here. You should thank him as well. I would have been screaming my mane off at you had that actually HURT." Firework informed the Pegasus. Speaking of that Unicorn...

Turning back towards him, Firework introduced herself. "Hi! My name is Firework. Nice to meet you, despite the circumstances surround our meeting. What's your name?" She turned towards the Pegasus, asking the same question.

"Sorry," was all Fireseeker could mutter, looking down in shame and poking the ground with his hoof.

Well, at least she isn't screaming at you.

With that in mind, he looked towards the unicorn who had saved him from a near painful experience, wanting to know his name.

"No, no. I'm quite alright. I can't imagine that I could say the same if not for this Unicorn here. You should thank him as well. I would have been screaming my mane off at you had that actually HURT."

Logik smiled slightly at this. It was always nice to help somepony else in need. He found the mare to be somewhat...assertive, but nevertheless he had help drive away a bad situation, and he didn't regret that. The mare turned towards him once she finished scolding the pegasus.

"Hi! My name is Firework. Nice to meet you, despite the circumstances surround our meeting. What's your name?"

The pegasus next to her also turned to him, and he answered in a somewhat shy manner. "O-oh. Um, my name is...Logik. Yours?"

'Must be a shy pony,' Firework thought to herself. At least he wasn't shy enough to not help her. Perhaps these two ponies could help her find an apothecary, or similar shop in this town? She'd better ask them.

"I was wondering if either of you ponies could help me find an apothecary? Or shop near here that sells certain metals like strontium and copper?" Firework asked cheerily. The thought of finishing her new fireworks on time excited her.

She turned towards the Pegasus standing next to her, realizing she never caught his name. "And what's your name?" she asked.

On hearing this, Fireseeker perked up a little. Maybe he could redeem his mistake by helped Firework find the metals she needed. But first he needed to introduce himself...

"Name's Fireseeker, nice to, urm, bump into you," he said with a grin, risking the joke. "As for your shopping, I'm sure there must be some stall in the market that sells them...

He looked toward Logik questioningly. "Do you know anywhere?"

Metals... Why would this mare want such materials? Logik tried to remember if he had seen any stalls that might sell such items during his walk, but he couldn't recall noticing any.

"Do you know anywhere?"

"N-no, sorry. I've only recently arrived in Ponyville, I would not know of any such place..."

The Pegasus seemed like a jokester. Firework was glad she had forgiven him, as he had obviously not meant to 'bump into her,' as he had joked. Perhaps spending more time with these two would get her some friends in Ponyville, which may in turn help her firework business.

"Well, why don't we go look together?" Firework suggested cheerily. Suddenly seeming to wilt, she added "Unless you're too busy or don't want to." Firework was used to ponies skipping out on being with her. They probably thought she was schizophrenic or something, with her rapidly changing emotions.

Fireseeker nodded in agreement, happy to be on this Firework's good side. She seemed a little odd but he had met weirder ponies. He remembered the say he spent with Torna. Ah, fun times...

Anyway, spending time with ponies was always good. Especially after what Dr. Counsel had told him.

"Sure, I bet we can find somewhere that sells metals like that. There's usually a stall for everything."

"Well, why don't we go look together? Unless you're too busy or don't want to."

Logik thought about this for a moment, and then responded with a shrug. I don't have anything too important to do.

"I can join you two, I don't have any important business to attend to after all." He looked around at the various stalls around the trio. "So which way do we head first?"

"Let's head... THAT WAY!" The mare said excitedly, pointing her hoof towards Main Street.

Firework was overjoyed to be talking with ponies again. Usually it was just head into town, blow up some fireworks, and leave. While explosions were all fine and dandy to her, actually interaction with other ponies happened few and far between, making them all the more precious.

Firework skipped down the street, her firework bags bouncing slightly on her back. She did not look back to see if the ponies had followed her.

"So what do you two do for a living?" she asked.

Fireseeker trotted along side the both unicorns, watching Firework with great amusement. He could only think of one particular pink pony who was more eccentric and lively than the mare beside him.

As for Logik, he seemed like the quiet type, much like himself a few years ago. He seemed more reserved than actually shy and very cautious. Fireseeker could respect that, having been in his hooves.

To answer Firework's question, he replied, "Oh, I write. Nothing special really. I do stories for Pony Pulp Fiction, if you've ever heard of them...

"Let's head... THAT WAY!"

That mare is...quite overexcited... Logik followed her and Fireseeker as the three ponies went on their way to search for Firework's 'special metals'.

"So what do you two do for a living?"

Logik allowed Fireseeker to reply to the question first, discovering that the Pegasus was actually a writer. He had once tried his hoof in the writing profession, but it was not something he had grown familiar with. Once the Pegasus had answered, Logik replied to the question.

"I don't really have an actual job or profession, though I research and...invent, new styles and uses of spellcraft. If you are able to understand what I'm talking about..."

"Oh, I write. Nothing special really. I do stories for Pony Pulp Fiction, if you've ever heard of them..."

"Oh, I don't read much," Firework said, skipping along. "Unless it's about new firework-making techniques."

Fireseeker's happy disposition made it easier for Firework to keep up her own. After all, it's no fun if everypony is staring at you weirdly for simply skipping down the street.

"I don't really have an actual job or profession, though I research and...invent, new styles and uses of spellcraft. If you are able to understand what I'm talking about..."

"That sounds really interesting," Firework turned serious at this, pondering what the pony had said. "I don't suppose you have developed new styles of emitting light magically? I'm always looking for new things to add to my shows."

"I suppose I should have guessed that making firework's was your job," Fireseeker remarked, gesturing to her cutie mark. "Both that and your name kinda gives it away."

He couldn't help but wonder about how interesting it must be to make them, and literally watch your work fly up and explode above you for everypony to see. Although...

"Is it not slightly dangerous making fireworks? Ever accidentally blow your mane off or anything?" joked Fireseeker.

"That sounds really interesting. I don't suppose you have developed new styles of emitting light magically? I'm always looking for new things to add to my shows."

Logik pondered the mare's words. "That is...an interesting idea. I suppose I can help you improve your fireworks with a few different spells..." He thought about the action. That would be an intriguing new way to utililize magic...

"Is it not slightly dangerous making fireworks? Ever accidentally blow your mane off or anything?"

Logik grew somewhat worrysome at this comment. That does sound dangerous...

"No no no no no, I'm always very careful. My parents would kill me if something happened to my face," Firework exclaimed, absently touching a hoof to several strands of her mane near her head. "They're sticklers about looking good."

"Not to say it doesn't happen to others. I hear horror stories about it all the time. A lost wing, hoof, nose..." Firework trailed off, not wanting to think about the possible repercussions of her profession.

Fireseeker nodded and grimaced, while slightly edging away from Firework. He couldn't help but feel this mare was ever so slightly insane. Plus having heard what she'd said, he quite fancied keeping his hooves and wings firmly attached to his body.

Thankfully, he spotted a stall up ahead that had several metallic looking substances on it. Fireseeker pointed to it and spoke.

"How about over there? Are those the kind of things you're after?"

"No no no no no, I'm always very careful. My parents would kill me if something happened to my face, they're sticklers about looking good. Not to say it doesn't happen to others. I hear horror stories about it all the time. A lost wing, hoof, nose..."

Logik gulped a bit at this. Not audibly, but...well, it's the thought that counts. Helping this mare might not be the best idea ever after all... The Unicorn hoped that nothing bad would happen as long as Firework was nearby, but then he instantly felt bad for thinking in such a disrespectful manner.

"How about over there? Are those the kind of things you're after?"

Logik looked over at the stall that Fireseeker pointed at, spotting a variety of metals and minerals being displayed. That looks promising...

"Yes! I think that may be it!," Firework exclaimed, rushing over to the stand. She perused the different types, focusing mainly on strontium. She was looking forward to making more red fireworks. And they always worked best when you mixed the chemicals yourself.

"I need some strontium please. About 3 grams should do," Firework said to the stand-owner. After handing over the correct amount of bits, she carefully scooped the measured out 3g of strontium into her ingredient bag, and transferred it into her saddlebags.

Turning to the 2 ponies accompanying her, she said, "Thank you for helping me find this place!" Firework cried, rushing over to hug the pegasus.