|
|
Post by Mortar Retort on Nov 14, 2011 15:41:05 GMT -5
Retort hummed to himself, was Mute's response the atypical for the brew or was it flawed that it only enhanced sensory perception in the form of vibration response. He'll have to test on a larger control group later. It also was waning faster then he had expected, have to readjust its proportions. He scribbled more on the chalkboard.
"Just feeling the sound, no actual hearing? Curious, I wonder if you could read words through the vibrations, we'll try that next."
Retort then turned his attention to Puck - aura of indignation from the little pony's suggestion that they throw him into the brig for merely experimenting. This feeling turns quickly to sudden inspiration, that pony was onto something. We already knew she could sense loud noises with it, but yes, why not subtle ones. Wasn't as fun, but this was for science, and sadly, science wasn't always fun.
"By the goddess, brilliant! Puck, you clever pony." He plopped down on his haunches and thought, "But how to test that... I got it!"
Retort sprung up and quickly trotted into the back, emerging back after a short moment with a little matchbox sized item carried in is mouth. A box of pins and needles.
"Phins!" He spat the box out onto the counter, "Pins! We'll drop em on the ground at varying distances till you can't hear them, Mute." He then wrote what what he just said onto the chalkboard so that Mute could clearly read what they planned. Then asked her if she needed more of the potion, if the effects were beginning to subside. He slide another bottle over with a hoof.
"Puck, wish to help? Could use somepony to drop the needles. Want to help scientific pursuit?"
((Ooc: Sorry! Skyrim is like an evil siren calling me to drain my free time away))
|
|
|
|
Post by mutemover on Nov 14, 2011 18:32:41 GMT -5
Dropping those little things sounded... not very interesting. But, if it came with a chance to hear, Mute was all ears. She took the offered bottle of the potion, drank down a second helping, and waited for it to kick in.
While she was waiting, it occured to her that she might want to make friends with Puck; after all, the more ponies that were around, the better.
"Yeah, Puck, you should stay and help us test!" wrote the mime.
|
|
|
|
Post by puckbuckworth on Nov 15, 2011 8:56:09 GMT -5
The mood was tense, and thus the small pony was hesitant. It was rare to find a pony that actually WANTED to be a part of Retort's experiments. she had to be from out of town or something. Still, it was Puck's idea and this filly really wanted to gain the ability of hearing.
Puck nosed open the case of pins, taking a few between this teeth. He stood in the furthest opposite corner in the room and let one of the pins drop from his lip onto the floor, making the most quiet soft ping as it landed on the ground at his hooves.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mortar Retort on Nov 18, 2011 1:46:08 GMT -5
Retort smiled, pleased that Puck decided to join, it was as if he had won a little battle between the two. His reluctance to ever participate in his experiments and testing, finally succumb to the will of a mute little pony. It was delicious, like a fine apple cider. He watched with a wide grin as the pins were dropped by Puck.
"Careful now Puck, the tiniest rogue sound could completely destroy the results from this test. Why even talking may disrupt the tiny vibrations and sound waves emitted by those little pins, so be quiet."
Then there came this slowly building popping sound from one of the backroom, a few pops here and there, then more and more, faster and faster, crescendo in a dinning roar of popping and suddenly stopping, say for a few off handed pops here and there. Retort never flinched.
"Be right back!"
Retort turned tail and trotted into the back, disappearing for a minute behind a slamming door. He once again returned with a bowl of popcorn carried in his horn's magic. Giddily he pranced back to the front room and set it down on the counter beside the potions. Eagerly he took the first nipple of the deliciously popped snack.
"Ok, just tell us when you hear something. Oh!" He said between munching on mouth fulls of the treat. He wrote what he had just said on one line of the chalk board, then wrote an offer for any of the exploded corn to the others in the next line.
|
|
|
|
Post by mutemover on Nov 23, 2011 12:00:37 GMT -5
Feeling the fresh effects of the potion coursing in her veins, Mute was ready for round two... she hoped. Puck dropped a pin; upon hitting the ground, Mute felt a little twitch in the floor, almost like the feeling when a breeze is barely strong enough to tickle just one of the hairs in her mane.
Puck dropped a few more of the pins, and each time if felt similar; Mute started giggling. That little vibration was so tickly on her hooves, she just couldn't help it. After a fifth pin, Mute flapped her wings and rose up into the air, still giggling like a filly from the residual ticklish feeling.
She flipped open her notepad just as she saw Retort trot off to a back room. Some strange, rough bursts of air vibration in increasing intensity began assaulting her fur, emanating from the room that the alchemist had trotted into. It felt like a little bird or similar small creature was bumping into her, except all over.
She wrote down on the pad what she'd felt; then, as she saw Retort trotting back with some popcorn, she licked her lips hungrily. She fluttered down and placed the notebook on the counter, snatching up a mouthful of popcorn while she was at it.
Still chewing, she glided lazily around the store, enjoying the feeling of all the minute air vibrations on her wings. She could definitely get used to this.
|
|
|
|
Post by puckbuckworth on Nov 25, 2011 9:35:31 GMT -5
Puck dropped one last pin, then looked up at the two of them. Mortar busied himself with popping popcorn, and then eating said popcorn while Mute, enthralled by the sensations Retort's potions were giving her, began to swoon about and hover in mid air. Puck broke the supposed silence with a question, directed at the alchemist. "Dost thou think that perhaps thy little antics at the moment are not skewing the test results?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mortar Retort on Nov 29, 2011 17:19:29 GMT -5
”Who's the alchemist here?” Said Retort through crunching mouthfuls of popcorn, ”Call it rogue variables. These are to be used out there in the cold wilderness, all factors must be accounted for, including buttery popcorn. Here, have some.” He offered Puck the bowl wrapped within his magic, floating it right before his muzzle.
As he did that, he wrote a few squiggly lines onto the chalkboard so that Mute may see, ”Excellent, take it you picked up the minuet vibrations from your delighted reactions? But no recognizable, distinct sounds yet?” He turned then, to write some notes. In a moment of absent mindedness, he let the popcorn bowl go. It dropped dead to the ground with a thud, kernels of corn spilling onto the floor, though it still remained upright.
”Think that’ll do fo- Right.” He turned around, took up the chalk and board in his telekinesis and wrote. ”Believe that should be all for now, can’t risk you drinking another potion till this one passes through your body. They can be a teeny tiny bit toxic in large concentrations.” He then immediately glanced to Puck, who he knew would likely question that statement. ”Before you say it, there is a warning.” He pointed his hoof at a very, very tiny sign just below the register: “Warning: Potions can be lethally toxic in concentration. Do not drink more than the recommended amount per day. Consult your local alchemist for details.”
”This reminds me Puck,” Retort asked as he was trotting back over to his booklet of freshly written notes, glancing them over. ”Did you get in the paper my announcement for the public demonstration? I’m on the cusp here of some very major breakthroughs that I know ponies will want to see for themselves.
|
|
|
|
Post by puckbuckworth on Dec 2, 2011 10:39:33 GMT -5
Puck drilly shook his mane and snorted, letting loose the stray bits of popcorn that landed after the popcorn bowl crashed. "Thy wilderness must know something that I don't." He concluded with a shrug. "I hath already made the announcement upon the paper. This beith the first time I've heard from you in days though. ist thou truly prepared?"
|
|
|
|
Post by mutemover on Dec 4, 2011 21:00:50 GMT -5
Mute looked back at the chalkboard, and read what Mortar had written. A little disappointed, but still enthralled by the fading vibro-sense, Mute nodded appreciatively and went to gather up her scant belongings from the corner she'd placed them in. She thought she felt a tremor in the floor, one that had a familiar, steady rhythm. She turned and saw the other two speaking, and wondered whether or not she should comment. Deciding against it (it seemed like something between them), the yellow pegasus picked up her pad and wrote on it, tore off the sheet, and set it on the counter for the other two to see.
"Do either of you know where I might find a place to stay for a little while? If you don't, it's okay, I'm pretty good at finding a hidey-hole."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mortar Retort on Dec 7, 2011 16:10:41 GMT -5
Retort was taken back, aghast even, that Puck would say he wasn’t ready. What nonsense he thought, what absurdity! Why he had half a mind to slap one hoof up the side of Puck’s head, but he wouldn’t, that would be cruel and Retort wasn’t purposefully cruel. His giggled amusingly to himself for a moment however, imagining the scenario.
”That’s absurd, why do you think you haven’t seen from me in a few days? I’ve been busy working and collecting more materials – where I met this lovely pony right over here.” Gesturing with a tilt of his head towards Mute. ”I’ll be entirely ready for the demonstration. Have a whole list of wondrous alchemical brilliance to put on display. It’ll blow the manes off every pony around – I, uh… not literally. Well hopefully not literally! Hah! I’m going to cross one thing off…”
He then glanced over Mute’s note and smiled. ”Of course Mover!” This time, he was making sure she could see his lips. ”This is Canterlot after all, we’re hosting ponies from all over Equestria and further. So to answer your inquiry, yes, there’s a place to stay. Can’t have you sleeping in some alley to be accosted by the royal guards or the roving gangs of the moneyed! They’re the worse – all,” Juts his lower jaw out to mimic their speech. ”Yaaass eye jussss adhoreee myyy collection ahhh giant hatsss.”
Retort turns back to his cash register, slams his hoof on it and the tray pops out. Rummaging through it, he gathers up some bits for Mute and places them on the counter for her to take. Enough for at least a night and a good meal at one of the modest inns around town. ”Here you go my dear, I’d spare more if I could, but if this coming demonstration goes well – as I’m sure it will – I’ll be sure to properly compensate you for your time. If you need anything else later, please do come by, in fact I’ll be holding my demonstration day after next, love if you can attend! Oh and take this as well.” Trotting over to a shelf against the far wall, he rummages through the line of potions and bottles, speaking to himself as he does. He finds a little green vial with a cork painted orange on the top. With his horn magic he floats it over to Mute. ”Hummingbird, as I call it, will make you light as a griffin feather and as quick as well, as what it’s named after. Great if you ever need to get out of a jam. Just be careful you don’t slam into a wall or window – that would probably hurt.”
He then glanced to Puck sternly, ”Puck! My colt, mind doing me a tinsy-tiny favor and help Mover find a suitable place to rest up. You’re a royal scribe, sure you can get her a deal of sorts. Say she’s a VIP or something, you’re creative. I believe in you. I’d go myself, but I need to get these new formulas out of my skull and into a bottle before they flutter away.” He shot him a very, very begging smile.
|
|
|
|
Post by puckbuckworth on Dec 12, 2011 13:53:08 GMT -5
Puck gave a flat expression but a jagged nod at Retort's request. While Retort was being just as presumptuous as always, it was true that this pony now needed a place to stay. It'd be useless to argue that Puck hadn't the pull at the royal palace to get her a room there, but there were always hammocks and food at his Uncle obsidian's theater." Puck leaned his head slightly to the side, catching the eye of the pegasus and mouthed. "Follow me."
|
|
|
|
Post by mutemover on Dec 16, 2011 21:39:15 GMT -5
Mute thought about going to the demonstration... it might mean a few more bits in her purse, but she was still somewhat nervous about imbibing or even being near such materials, irrational as it might be.
Either way, she was losing valuable daylight, and she still needed to find some time to sleep. So, after taking the vial of 'Hummingbird', the yellow pegasus fluttered after Puck.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mortar Retort on Dec 29, 2011 3:56:48 GMT -5
Retort waved a hoof as they left, smiling with utter delight. "Bye you two! Don't be strangers- oh and buy something next time Puck! Big sale, yadda yadda, you know the spiel. Arrivederci, adieu, zai jian, etc..." He rounded the counter, trotting loudly as his hoofs kicked gleefully against the floor as the two moved their flanks out the door. He came to the door as it was swinging close, then slammed it shut and locked the latch. He turned around and plopped down on his flank as he clapped his forehooves together, almost manically. "Now to prepare!" He let out a shattering laugh, fez flinging off his head and rolls away on the ground.
He jumped to his hooves, horn glowing as it picked up his fez and slapped it back on top his mane and quickly slipped into his workshop in the back. There, before him, was a white linen covered table with peaks jutting out like snow covered mountains. On the walls were shelves littered with half completed projects, the corner of the room housed various alchemical instruments and devices on a rune-lined square table. Opposite that was a tinkering station with what appeared to be partially completed bombs amongst bottles and jars containing all manner of odd powders and volatile liquids.
Retort grabbed the linen sheet with his teeth and ripped it away to reveal... lunch. Nothing more. A plate with some radishes and flowers, with some dinner ware beside it and a vase with a single flower in it. Retort ate the single flower first, an appetizer of course. "Delicious!" He said between delighted munching. "First food, then... I prepare!"
|
|
