Post by Apple Bloom on Aug 29, 2013 10:07:26 GMT -5
With Seraphina's attention on Fluttershy she says, "Apology is not required Fluttershy. Courage is not about a lack of fear, true Courage is being afraid, and doing what is required of you." He voice spoken with soft wisdom. Looking around the inhabitants she says, "Perhaps... another size is required." Shaking her head as the Golden Dragon slowly starts to shrink down in size more to the size of a normal pony. Although she still looks the same she is now much smaller. She gives an Eye over at Spike as she says. "Indeed, Shadow Mane Neglected to tell me there was another Dragon in Ponyville. Have you lived here since hatching... Spike?" The Grey stallion shrugs as he says, "I only recently found out myself."
"Oh, um...o-okay then." Fluttershy takes another second or two to loosen up, but loosen up she does, which is quite a feat considering there's a dragon about. Still, she backpedals at least three feet...very slowly. And quietly. And she puts a wing around Spike.
Skyheart winds up releasing his wing from around Fluttershy when her reaction is to backpedal rather than simply hide. However, once the dragon is far less of a problem, he retreats back to a neutral standing position. He glances back at the two Seraphina has intimidated before looking back to her and Shadow Mane again. "So this is one of your prime actors, hmm? Who do you have for the princesses? Anypony yet? Granted, you /did/ just mention the stage so I'm sure Bardigan will be arriving any minute now." He chuckles.
Spike smiles quietly at Fluttershy, grateful for the reassuring wing. He looks over at the sleeping Sugar Rush. "He must be a really sound sleeper. An' probably having some really weird dreams, with all this going on. D'you ever have sounds that are going on around you end up in your dreams, like that?"
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a horse! No: it's a pegasus wearing a big feathered hat! Bardigan swoops down into the town square, making straight for the little gathering in the center of it. He skids to a halt, coming up behind Shadow Mane and peering at the dragon. "Shadow Mane!" he barks at the stallion in question. "You *didn't* tell me there'd be a *dragon* in the production!" He sounds like an irate prima donna. He trots right up to Seraphina and, glaring, looks her up and down before dropping into a gentlecolt's bow, sweeping off his hat. "Oh gold sand duchess of dragonkind," he says, playing up his smooth, deep lead male's. "Forgive me for not being the first to make you acquaintance on your arrival! What favorable winds have borne thee hither?"
The Dragoness Seraphina has altered her form so she roughly pony sized. As Bardigan comes up to her and then the formal is accepted and she bows her head as well. "Indeed, I would not miss a reenactment of the Defeat of Discord for anything. The Chance to play a villain? Indeed, I can scarcely imagine a greater crime, for I doth love the villains of the past and the lessons they teach. I would show thou my... costume, but It might scare the locals. Although I do believe that Shadow Mane, would make a most excellent Sombra..." She says looking to the grey Stallion who coughs some. "Absolutely not. We are going to have Ponies from the Crystal Empire here, I am too close in colorations. Bardigan, I strongly suggest using an illusion spell, that can be dropped quickly, a costume.... I would rather not be mobbed by Crystal Ponies..."
Marble finally strols out of the town hall, his mane a bit messed up, his tie loosened a bit, his eyes bloodshot. This is it... this is the time. He's had it, it's time! The Chancellor stumbles his way for the fountain in front of the square, pulls hilself up, then flies up toward the top over the edge, and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes.
Nightshade is actually about, and for once she's not actually doing anything sneaky or secretive. Today she's just...shopping for tomatoes. "You are certain these are from the Southern provinces?" she tells the merchant, "because they seem more...Southeast." Out of the corner of her eye she spots Marble's familiar silhouette, looking up at him in wonder. What in the world...?
"O-oh, um...yes, kind of, I-I suppose..." says Flutters to Spike, grateful for the distraction. "Do you think we should wake him up? I-I mean..." Her eyes drift back toward the dragonette.
Skyheart chuckles at Bardigan's entrance. "Show off," He says outloud, "But I guess that's why you're the stage pony, eh?" He says, laughing a bit. He waltzes past the dragon, "Pardon me, milady." and slings a hoof around Bardigan's shoulders, using the other to tap at his chest. "You need to see the new costume I got for the festival."
Twist emerges like a very sniffly shadow from the shadows. She's carrying a bucket of black goo with an acrid sting to it in her teeth, her neck trembling because the bucket is as big as she is and heavier. She does stop when Marble flies up onto the fountain. The bucket is put down, watery eyes behind purple glasses peer up at the stricken pegasus, and she gives her head a shake. One candy corn kernel falls out of her mane onto her hoof, and is flung with expert precision at the side of Marble's head. "HEY! Go to detokpbbbth already, buddy! You're bagin' da repbbbtht of upbbbth caddy gobblerpbbbth look bad!"
Spike mutters quietly to Fluttershy, he hopes too quietly for the other dragon to hear..."Well, I don't think she'd EAT him...I mean, I hope not...but anything could happen..."
Bardigan scratches his chin, looking skyward. "Crystal ponies *and* a production involving Sombra? Isn't a little... soon? I mean, for *them* at least..." He trails off as Skyheart comes up and throws his hoof around *Skyheart's* shoulder. "The new costume *you* got? You mean I wasted that pithy amount of my small fortune on the costume I got *for* you?" His attention is drawn, briefly, to Marble Memory, but... well, when you have a Chancellor like Marble, you really just become inured to the whole 'oddball' angle. Bardigan shrugs this off as another one of Marble's many incidents.
With a Solemn nod Seraphina says, "Indeed, but the story can also be a warning and a lesson. Any Crystal Ponies could come and tell of how things were. It would show their strength and bravery. If one does not learn the past Bardigan... you are doomed to repeat it. Care... will indeed be needed to handle it." Shadow says, "Wasn't my idea on the story of Sombra. Talk to mayor Mare if you think it's a bad Idea." Shadow Mane says.
Jonagold trots up to Shadow Mane "G'day. Shadow Mane, roight? Drum is yer the bloke in charge of this 'runny sauce' scream. Any need for jackos? I'm lookin' fer a yakka if the quid's roight."
Sugar_Rush starts to tip over. Further....further...THUD! He falls over and wakes up with a start "WHOWHATWHENWHERE...?" He looks around and blushes. "Err....hello, folks." He starts to get up slowly, obviously embarrassed.
Marble again opens his wings and leans forward, only to slip and fall down into the water below in a big splash, flailing! Marble's been known for clumsiness. He *BURSTS* out of the water, spitting some out of his mouth, soaked to the skin. Drip drip. "That's it...." Marble says, sounding exhausted. "That's it... I'm done. It's over..." He sounds a little crazed.
Nightshade has dropped the casual attitude and slipped through the crowd, padding right towards the fountain. "Ah...Mr. Memory, is something the matter?"
Nightshade wonders if he's missed a few medications.
As Jonagold comes up to him he was about to reply to him when he watches Marble take an unscheduled dip in the fountain. Shaking his head as he comes over to help the stallion. "Yeah I am in charge of preparation. These are the last couple of days for set up. Mostly all that is left is the seriously heavy lifting. Head to the road on the way to Canterlot, Talk to the Earth Pony Dust Cloud. He'll get you squared away on payment." he says coming over to try and help Marble out of the Fountain.
Twist picks up her bucket again, dragging it in steps over to the side of the faountain next to Marble. Setting the bucket down, she pokes Marble soundly in the nose with her hoof. "That'pbbbth right. Junkeepbbbth lige you who ca'dd candy repbbbthponpbbbthibly deed to gib it up. I'b glad you fidally hit bottom. It'pbbbth public dipbbbthplaypbbbth of pbbbthugar rupbbbth like thipbbbth that caupbbbth pbbbthtupid public depbbbthenthy lawth to be pabbbthed. I wapbbbth up till dawd all ober town lapbbbtht tibe tearig dowd 'pbbbbthugar ipbbbth banned' popbbbthterth before addypony pbbbthaw them."
Spike walks over to Sugar Rush, a bit slowly so as not to make any sudden moves around the other dragon. "Are you okay? You seemed like you'd been asleep a long ti..." He hears the splash and turns to see Marble losing his balance. And possibly his mind. "What is going *on* with everypony tonight?"
"Oh, Sugar Rush!" Fluttershy holds up a hoof in front of her muzzle, shushing the colt confectioner. "P-please, not too loud! The d-d-dragon is talking..."
Skyheart hears the splash and almost immediatly turns to see what's the matter. "I... think this might not be a normal episode, Bardigan... He wouldn't get his good vest THAT soaked in the fountain like that unless he really /did/ have a problem..." He heads over to the fountain to try and help the haggared stallion up. "Hey, Marble. Are you okay? What happened?"
Twist sighs grumpily, and pulls letters out of her tail, laying out subtitles. [That's right. Junkies like you who can't candy responsibly need to give it up. I'm glad you finally hit bottom. It's public displays of sugar rush like this that cause stupid public decency laws to be passed. I was up till dawn all over town last time tearing down 'Sugar Is Banned' posters before anypony saw them.]
A solemn nod is Bardigan's reply to Seraphina. "True, lady dragon, true. I am a big believer in the power of the old stories. And..." He leans on Skyheart like the other colt's an elbow rest, smirking as he touches a hoof to his chin. "I have been wanting to find an opportunity to put the Elements of Harmony back in the spotlight..." But then Skyheart slips away, and Bardigan flops over with a yelp. Because whoever expects their leg rest to suddenly move away like that?
Jonagold trots up to the soaked pegasus, a concerned expression on his face and a dire tone in his voice "Ya can't give up NOW, mate!" His expression softens into a smile and his tone becomes casual as he continues "I mean, ya just got in. Ye'll never learn to swim with a shonky attitude like that, fair-dinkum."
As Seraphina nods to Bardigan, "Indeed, and when the Crystal Ponies speak... It will remind them that while Sombra was defeated, his evil did not vanish. Evil is always there, you must be ever vigilant, and always ready for it's return." Shadow sighs out as he will say to Twist. Actually understanding as he says, "I think Marble is just... a touch clumsy is all."
Sugar_Rush nods to the small dragon, "Sorry, Spike. Afraid I've been feeling rather exhausted lately. I...just couldn't keep my eyes open." He reaches into a saddlebag and pulls out a paper sack. "Would you care for some rock crystal candy." He then turns to Fluttershy, "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting..." He then spots Seraphina. "Oh. Um. Hello, miss..." He offers some of the rock crystal candy to the new dragon.
Marble smiles appreciatively to all those who helped him out of the fountain. "Thank you... excuse me a moment..." Marble expands his wings again and takes flight above the town square, holding out a hoof. "Attention, Ponyville... I-I say! ATTENTION PONYVILLE... um... please? M-may I have Ponyville's attention... um... Ponyville?"
Nightshade walks closer and whispers: "You've had their attention for quite some time now." Indeed, it seems everypony in the area is gawking at Marble, wondering what sort of weirdness he's up to this time.
Spike watches Marble attentively, with a look of concern on his face. He fidgets with his hands, a little nervously. He's seen more than one total freak-out -- he lives with TWILIGHT, after all -- and he sees the tell-tale signs of another one.
Twist grimaces, putting her hoof over her face. "Thipbbbth ith pbbbtho hubiliadig." She shakes more candy corn out of her hair, flinging them at Marble one by one. Sure she can't clearly see him and her forelegs are like rubber bands, but this is candy so she's a dead shot and they fly like sling bullets. Besides, she just has to track the smell of bran and fling her kernels into his path. "I PBBBTHAID GED PBBBTHUB REHAB, YOU LUPBBBTH! I CADD TAGE THAT IDIOT PBBBTHANPBBBTHELOR IPBBBTHUIGG ADUDDER BRAN LOLLIPOP DEGREE!"
All the yelling all the shouting, all the mares and their toys, and the singing, and the crashing, and the noise, noise, noise, noise! It's just too much for Fluttershy, who puts her hooves over her ears to refocus. "S-Spike? Are you still there?"
As the golden serpentine Dragoness is offered the sweet, her eyes actually cross in delight. She'll accepted it greatly. "Thank you," Of course the dragoness will once more turn her attention directly to Spike as she says, "I will be staying at the Dancing Dragon's Inn. If you desire to speak..." The dragoness is very clear she wants Spike to approach her. "Shadow, I am going to head to the Inn and get some rest. Also If I am not mistaken, your parents arrive tomorrow you. Perhaps you should get some rest." As Shadow stays beside Marble as he nods, "Yeah after I hear what Marble says." Shadow for the moment stays where he is while the dragoness turns to Bardigan. " Bardigan, I'll stop but tomorrow to help you plan the stage acts. I may be able to help... recreate them more historically accurate."
Bardigan is standing by the fountain, amidst the knot of other concerned citizens standing around Marble. How to avert the oncoming catastrophe? Well, from what he's heard, there's only one thing that calms down Marble, but without the real thing, they need to improvise. Quickly. This is probably not going to work, but nothing ventured, nothing gained... "Marble," Bardigan says, "calm down. Your wife is here to see you." And then, from the Stage Magic Space(tm) that all actors like him are equipped with, he pulls out a little Vinyl Scratch hoof puppet. Waggle waggle.
Jonagold pats Marble on the shoulder "Allow me, mate." He reaches into his satchel and pulls out his trusty didjeridu, freshly polished, cleaned and bubble-gum free. He takes a DEEEEEEEP breath... And BLOWS! The result is somewhere between a flugel horn an a sonic-boom that causes several window-shutters to fall from their foundations. Looking around satisfied that he has now garnered everyone's attention, he nods to Memory "All your's, guv."
Sugar_Rush nods to the dragoness. "Um...I hope you enjoy them. Spike seems to like them, but...well, I'm afraid I know little about what dragons like in candies." He speaks in a respectful tone, but his body language belies his nervousness. His tail flicks about and the tips of his wings quiver a bit.
Marble is just crazy enough to fall for it, looking down at the hoof puppet of his wife. "We'll talk later, darling! I promise. I just gotta say this thing first and... we'll have a nice talk... okay?" He smiles at the puppet and then addresses the crowd. "It is with a heavy heart, and with a great deal of thought and it has come time to tender my resign-- WAAAAUUUGHHH!" Marble flails about and falls straight back into the water in the fountain, all thanks to a few candy corn kernels connecting with his left eyelash.
Jonagold says "Yer 'resin-wah'? That one o' them funny French words?"
Twist rears up and props her forehooves on the edge of the fountain! She has a plan! "Ogay!" she barks at Bardigan, "I god him dowd! He trupbbbthth you, pbbbtho wedd he pbbbthaddpbbbth up pbbbthove hith head id here!" Leaning around, she grabs her bucket of steaming, foul-smelling goo and hauls it up next to Bardigan. "Everthigg will dapbbbthte lige licoripbbbthe for a MONTH. He'll debber ead caddy aged. Problem pbbbtholved!"
Little hoof puppet CD Scratch appears next to Marble's head, hooves thrown over her felt muzzle. "Oh no, Marble!" she squeaks, "you look terrible! You should probably take the advice of your sweet, calming wife who loves you very much and go get plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluids!"
Nightshade peers at Bardigan, then at Marble, then at the puppet. Something strange has happened: she's at a loss for words. She...must take notes of this.
Bardigan glances down at Twist and her bucket of goop. He's not entirely sure what they're doing at this point. All he knows is that Marble's eyes are still locked on the puppet. And also he's damp with something that isn't water. "Well, I can't claim to be a doctor, and desperate times call for desperate measures," he says with a longsuffering sigh. The lengths they go through just to keep their Chancellor from going insane... "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, Chancellor," he says, and without waiting, quickly dunks Marble's head into the licorice and pulls it back up.
CD Scratch pops up on Bardigan's hoof again, hooves on her imaginary hips. "Marble Memory, you're filthy!" she squeaks. "As your wife who you generally listen to above all other ponies I am telling you to go home and get washed up! If you're a good stallion I'll let you fill out the paperwork for that gig I'm going to work in Vanhoofer this weekend!" Waggle waggle.
Marble flails as suddenly his face is plunged into the black void that is licorice. He flils more, then pulls away from the bucket and splashes right back into the water. It burns! It burns! Wait? WHY IS THE LICORICE BURNING?! After a moment the trying-to-no-longer-be-Chancellor splashes back up, gasping. "What is in that--" Marble blinks when CD Scratch addresses him. He blushes. His wife really loves him. "Y-yes darling!" Marble pulls himself out of the fountain.
Twist has been asked a question about candy! "Liquoripbbbth ipbbbth flavored frob da rood ob da liquoripbbbth pland, bud apbbbth everypody dothe the caddy that repbbbthultpbbbth tapbbbthtepbbbth like battery apbbbthid inpbbbbthted. Id by effordpbbbth to either mage liquoripbbbth edible or rid Equepbbbthtria of id forebber, I have dipbthtilled, nod da original liquoripbbbth, bud da horrible epbbbthenpbbbth id BECOBBPBBBTH wed mikpbbbthed into caddy. Ride dow, that chemigal ipbbbth biding itpbbbthelf do your mugupbbbth membranepbbbth WHIJJ WILL TEAJJ YOU DEBER TO OBERDOPBBBTHE IN PUBLIG ADD THREATEN BY CADDY BUPBBBTHINEPBBBTH AGAID! What if that dufupbbbth Chadpbbbthellor wapbbbth here?!"
CD Scratch doesn't give Marble any rest, chasing after him as he clambers out of the fountain, still clearly attached to Bardigan's hoof even though he's out of reach. "This is why you don't have breakdowns in public, Marble! No more Bran-o's (It's almost like real food!(tm)) for you, I think they're going to your head! Oh, and legalize candy again! And divert some funds to the Equestrian Thespian Alliteration Association because they're really nice ponies!"
Twist's beaming delight and hoof-waving joy in lecturing the whole world about candy immediately sink into shoulder-hunched resentment. Muttering under her breath, she lays out her subtitles. [Liquorice is flavored from the root of the liquorice plant, but as everypony knows the candy that results tastes like battery acid instead. In my efforts to either make liquorice edible or rid Equestria of it forever, I have distilled, not the original liquorice, but the horrible essence it BECOMES when mixed with candy. Right now, that chemical is binding itself to your mucus membranes WHICH WILL TEACH YOU NEVER TO OVERDOSE IN PUBLIC AND THREATEN MY CANDY BUSINESS AGAIN! What if that dufus Chancellor was here?!]
Bardigan watches CD Scratch go off on her husband, shaking his head. "This is why good communication is essential in a relationship," he says as an aside to the ranting Twist.
Marble bursts into tears and embraces CD Scratch weeping. "I quit! I resign! Effective immediately, darling, I'm no longer Chancellor of Ponyville! Are you happy for me? I did it for you! For us! I want to be happy, darling, happy!" And he pulls CD Scratch in and kisses her passionately, as he often does. Tongue and everything. Well, at least he made his announcement.
Derpy lands lightly at the end of her long shift, empty mailbags flapping. She happens to settle right in front of Marble Memory just as he's announcing his resignation to a puppet. One of Derpy's eyes rotates with due ceremony while the other plays hookey. She steps forward and reeeaches out to tap Marble on the shoulder. "But Chancellor Mar-ble! Worked so hardly to eleect!"
CD Scratch swoons, and does her best to wrap her tiny cloth hooves around Marble's neck. "Oh Marble, I don't care, as long as I'm with you!" she says, and her head is all but enveloped by Marble's own muzzle. Meanwhile, Bardigan is standing right next to them with a very, very concerned expression on his face.
Nightshade scribbles rapidly in her notebook as the scene unfolds. 'Must test new anxiety-reducing spells on Marbs for max effect' she writes.
Twist hops down off of the side of the fountain, nodding in satisfaction. "Odpbbbthe more caddy hapbbbth repbbbbthcued a lopbbbtht thoul." Reaching way up, she pats Bardigan on the shoulder with a flabby hoof. "You were a big help, pbbbthitipbbbthen. Loog udder your pillow when you ged hobe tonight. Twipbbbtht alwaypbbbth paypbbbth her debtpbbbth." Picking up the handle of the bucket again in her teeth, despite the shaking of her scrawny neck muscles she saunters away smugly into the night!
Bardigan glances back at Twist, trying to ignore the fact that his hoof is being violated. Oh sweet Luna the puppet does nothing why is this happening. "... You're welcome," he yelps in a strained voice, standing as still as possible. He wants to leave, but that would shatter poor Marble's happy illusion. Oh well, he can't be *that* long until he decides to go home. Yep. Not long at all...
FADE TO BLACK
"Oh, um...o-okay then." Fluttershy takes another second or two to loosen up, but loosen up she does, which is quite a feat considering there's a dragon about. Still, she backpedals at least three feet...very slowly. And quietly. And she puts a wing around Spike.
Skyheart winds up releasing his wing from around Fluttershy when her reaction is to backpedal rather than simply hide. However, once the dragon is far less of a problem, he retreats back to a neutral standing position. He glances back at the two Seraphina has intimidated before looking back to her and Shadow Mane again. "So this is one of your prime actors, hmm? Who do you have for the princesses? Anypony yet? Granted, you /did/ just mention the stage so I'm sure Bardigan will be arriving any minute now." He chuckles.
Spike smiles quietly at Fluttershy, grateful for the reassuring wing. He looks over at the sleeping Sugar Rush. "He must be a really sound sleeper. An' probably having some really weird dreams, with all this going on. D'you ever have sounds that are going on around you end up in your dreams, like that?"
Look, up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a horse! No: it's a pegasus wearing a big feathered hat! Bardigan swoops down into the town square, making straight for the little gathering in the center of it. He skids to a halt, coming up behind Shadow Mane and peering at the dragon. "Shadow Mane!" he barks at the stallion in question. "You *didn't* tell me there'd be a *dragon* in the production!" He sounds like an irate prima donna. He trots right up to Seraphina and, glaring, looks her up and down before dropping into a gentlecolt's bow, sweeping off his hat. "Oh gold sand duchess of dragonkind," he says, playing up his smooth, deep lead male's. "Forgive me for not being the first to make you acquaintance on your arrival! What favorable winds have borne thee hither?"
The Dragoness Seraphina has altered her form so she roughly pony sized. As Bardigan comes up to her and then the formal is accepted and she bows her head as well. "Indeed, I would not miss a reenactment of the Defeat of Discord for anything. The Chance to play a villain? Indeed, I can scarcely imagine a greater crime, for I doth love the villains of the past and the lessons they teach. I would show thou my... costume, but It might scare the locals. Although I do believe that Shadow Mane, would make a most excellent Sombra..." She says looking to the grey Stallion who coughs some. "Absolutely not. We are going to have Ponies from the Crystal Empire here, I am too close in colorations. Bardigan, I strongly suggest using an illusion spell, that can be dropped quickly, a costume.... I would rather not be mobbed by Crystal Ponies..."
Marble finally strols out of the town hall, his mane a bit messed up, his tie loosened a bit, his eyes bloodshot. This is it... this is the time. He's had it, it's time! The Chancellor stumbles his way for the fountain in front of the square, pulls hilself up, then flies up toward the top over the edge, and takes a deep breath, closing his eyes.
Nightshade is actually about, and for once she's not actually doing anything sneaky or secretive. Today she's just...shopping for tomatoes. "You are certain these are from the Southern provinces?" she tells the merchant, "because they seem more...Southeast." Out of the corner of her eye she spots Marble's familiar silhouette, looking up at him in wonder. What in the world...?
"O-oh, um...yes, kind of, I-I suppose..." says Flutters to Spike, grateful for the distraction. "Do you think we should wake him up? I-I mean..." Her eyes drift back toward the dragonette.
Skyheart chuckles at Bardigan's entrance. "Show off," He says outloud, "But I guess that's why you're the stage pony, eh?" He says, laughing a bit. He waltzes past the dragon, "Pardon me, milady." and slings a hoof around Bardigan's shoulders, using the other to tap at his chest. "You need to see the new costume I got for the festival."
Twist emerges like a very sniffly shadow from the shadows. She's carrying a bucket of black goo with an acrid sting to it in her teeth, her neck trembling because the bucket is as big as she is and heavier. She does stop when Marble flies up onto the fountain. The bucket is put down, watery eyes behind purple glasses peer up at the stricken pegasus, and she gives her head a shake. One candy corn kernel falls out of her mane onto her hoof, and is flung with expert precision at the side of Marble's head. "HEY! Go to detokpbbbth already, buddy! You're bagin' da repbbbtht of upbbbth caddy gobblerpbbbth look bad!"
Spike mutters quietly to Fluttershy, he hopes too quietly for the other dragon to hear..."Well, I don't think she'd EAT him...I mean, I hope not...but anything could happen..."
Bardigan scratches his chin, looking skyward. "Crystal ponies *and* a production involving Sombra? Isn't a little... soon? I mean, for *them* at least..." He trails off as Skyheart comes up and throws his hoof around *Skyheart's* shoulder. "The new costume *you* got? You mean I wasted that pithy amount of my small fortune on the costume I got *for* you?" His attention is drawn, briefly, to Marble Memory, but... well, when you have a Chancellor like Marble, you really just become inured to the whole 'oddball' angle. Bardigan shrugs this off as another one of Marble's many incidents.
With a Solemn nod Seraphina says, "Indeed, but the story can also be a warning and a lesson. Any Crystal Ponies could come and tell of how things were. It would show their strength and bravery. If one does not learn the past Bardigan... you are doomed to repeat it. Care... will indeed be needed to handle it." Shadow says, "Wasn't my idea on the story of Sombra. Talk to mayor Mare if you think it's a bad Idea." Shadow Mane says.
Jonagold trots up to Shadow Mane "G'day. Shadow Mane, roight? Drum is yer the bloke in charge of this 'runny sauce' scream. Any need for jackos? I'm lookin' fer a yakka if the quid's roight."
Sugar_Rush starts to tip over. Further....further...THUD! He falls over and wakes up with a start "WHOWHATWHENWHERE...?" He looks around and blushes. "Err....hello, folks." He starts to get up slowly, obviously embarrassed.
Marble again opens his wings and leans forward, only to slip and fall down into the water below in a big splash, flailing! Marble's been known for clumsiness. He *BURSTS* out of the water, spitting some out of his mouth, soaked to the skin. Drip drip. "That's it...." Marble says, sounding exhausted. "That's it... I'm done. It's over..." He sounds a little crazed.
Nightshade has dropped the casual attitude and slipped through the crowd, padding right towards the fountain. "Ah...Mr. Memory, is something the matter?"
Nightshade wonders if he's missed a few medications.
As Jonagold comes up to him he was about to reply to him when he watches Marble take an unscheduled dip in the fountain. Shaking his head as he comes over to help the stallion. "Yeah I am in charge of preparation. These are the last couple of days for set up. Mostly all that is left is the seriously heavy lifting. Head to the road on the way to Canterlot, Talk to the Earth Pony Dust Cloud. He'll get you squared away on payment." he says coming over to try and help Marble out of the Fountain.
Twist picks up her bucket again, dragging it in steps over to the side of the faountain next to Marble. Setting the bucket down, she pokes Marble soundly in the nose with her hoof. "That'pbbbth right. Junkeepbbbth lige you who ca'dd candy repbbbthponpbbbthibly deed to gib it up. I'b glad you fidally hit bottom. It'pbbbth public dipbbbthplaypbbbth of pbbbthugar rupbbbth like thipbbbth that caupbbbth pbbbthtupid public depbbbthenthy lawth to be pabbbthed. I wapbbbth up till dawd all ober town lapbbbtht tibe tearig dowd 'pbbbbthugar ipbbbth banned' popbbbthterth before addypony pbbbthaw them."
Spike walks over to Sugar Rush, a bit slowly so as not to make any sudden moves around the other dragon. "Are you okay? You seemed like you'd been asleep a long ti..." He hears the splash and turns to see Marble losing his balance. And possibly his mind. "What is going *on* with everypony tonight?"
"Oh, Sugar Rush!" Fluttershy holds up a hoof in front of her muzzle, shushing the colt confectioner. "P-please, not too loud! The d-d-dragon is talking..."
Skyheart hears the splash and almost immediatly turns to see what's the matter. "I... think this might not be a normal episode, Bardigan... He wouldn't get his good vest THAT soaked in the fountain like that unless he really /did/ have a problem..." He heads over to the fountain to try and help the haggared stallion up. "Hey, Marble. Are you okay? What happened?"
Twist sighs grumpily, and pulls letters out of her tail, laying out subtitles. [That's right. Junkies like you who can't candy responsibly need to give it up. I'm glad you finally hit bottom. It's public displays of sugar rush like this that cause stupid public decency laws to be passed. I was up till dawn all over town last time tearing down 'Sugar Is Banned' posters before anypony saw them.]
A solemn nod is Bardigan's reply to Seraphina. "True, lady dragon, true. I am a big believer in the power of the old stories. And..." He leans on Skyheart like the other colt's an elbow rest, smirking as he touches a hoof to his chin. "I have been wanting to find an opportunity to put the Elements of Harmony back in the spotlight..." But then Skyheart slips away, and Bardigan flops over with a yelp. Because whoever expects their leg rest to suddenly move away like that?
Jonagold trots up to the soaked pegasus, a concerned expression on his face and a dire tone in his voice "Ya can't give up NOW, mate!" His expression softens into a smile and his tone becomes casual as he continues "I mean, ya just got in. Ye'll never learn to swim with a shonky attitude like that, fair-dinkum."
As Seraphina nods to Bardigan, "Indeed, and when the Crystal Ponies speak... It will remind them that while Sombra was defeated, his evil did not vanish. Evil is always there, you must be ever vigilant, and always ready for it's return." Shadow sighs out as he will say to Twist. Actually understanding as he says, "I think Marble is just... a touch clumsy is all."
Sugar_Rush nods to the small dragon, "Sorry, Spike. Afraid I've been feeling rather exhausted lately. I...just couldn't keep my eyes open." He reaches into a saddlebag and pulls out a paper sack. "Would you care for some rock crystal candy." He then turns to Fluttershy, "I'm sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting..." He then spots Seraphina. "Oh. Um. Hello, miss..." He offers some of the rock crystal candy to the new dragon.
Marble smiles appreciatively to all those who helped him out of the fountain. "Thank you... excuse me a moment..." Marble expands his wings again and takes flight above the town square, holding out a hoof. "Attention, Ponyville... I-I say! ATTENTION PONYVILLE... um... please? M-may I have Ponyville's attention... um... Ponyville?"
Nightshade walks closer and whispers: "You've had their attention for quite some time now." Indeed, it seems everypony in the area is gawking at Marble, wondering what sort of weirdness he's up to this time.
Spike watches Marble attentively, with a look of concern on his face. He fidgets with his hands, a little nervously. He's seen more than one total freak-out -- he lives with TWILIGHT, after all -- and he sees the tell-tale signs of another one.
Twist grimaces, putting her hoof over her face. "Thipbbbth ith pbbbtho hubiliadig." She shakes more candy corn out of her hair, flinging them at Marble one by one. Sure she can't clearly see him and her forelegs are like rubber bands, but this is candy so she's a dead shot and they fly like sling bullets. Besides, she just has to track the smell of bran and fling her kernels into his path. "I PBBBTHAID GED PBBBTHUB REHAB, YOU LUPBBBTH! I CADD TAGE THAT IDIOT PBBBTHANPBBBTHELOR IPBBBTHUIGG ADUDDER BRAN LOLLIPOP DEGREE!"
All the yelling all the shouting, all the mares and their toys, and the singing, and the crashing, and the noise, noise, noise, noise! It's just too much for Fluttershy, who puts her hooves over her ears to refocus. "S-Spike? Are you still there?"
As the golden serpentine Dragoness is offered the sweet, her eyes actually cross in delight. She'll accepted it greatly. "Thank you," Of course the dragoness will once more turn her attention directly to Spike as she says, "I will be staying at the Dancing Dragon's Inn. If you desire to speak..." The dragoness is very clear she wants Spike to approach her. "Shadow, I am going to head to the Inn and get some rest. Also If I am not mistaken, your parents arrive tomorrow you. Perhaps you should get some rest." As Shadow stays beside Marble as he nods, "Yeah after I hear what Marble says." Shadow for the moment stays where he is while the dragoness turns to Bardigan. " Bardigan, I'll stop but tomorrow to help you plan the stage acts. I may be able to help... recreate them more historically accurate."
Bardigan is standing by the fountain, amidst the knot of other concerned citizens standing around Marble. How to avert the oncoming catastrophe? Well, from what he's heard, there's only one thing that calms down Marble, but without the real thing, they need to improvise. Quickly. This is probably not going to work, but nothing ventured, nothing gained... "Marble," Bardigan says, "calm down. Your wife is here to see you." And then, from the Stage Magic Space(tm) that all actors like him are equipped with, he pulls out a little Vinyl Scratch hoof puppet. Waggle waggle.
Jonagold pats Marble on the shoulder "Allow me, mate." He reaches into his satchel and pulls out his trusty didjeridu, freshly polished, cleaned and bubble-gum free. He takes a DEEEEEEEP breath... And BLOWS! The result is somewhere between a flugel horn an a sonic-boom that causes several window-shutters to fall from their foundations. Looking around satisfied that he has now garnered everyone's attention, he nods to Memory "All your's, guv."
Sugar_Rush nods to the dragoness. "Um...I hope you enjoy them. Spike seems to like them, but...well, I'm afraid I know little about what dragons like in candies." He speaks in a respectful tone, but his body language belies his nervousness. His tail flicks about and the tips of his wings quiver a bit.
Marble is just crazy enough to fall for it, looking down at the hoof puppet of his wife. "We'll talk later, darling! I promise. I just gotta say this thing first and... we'll have a nice talk... okay?" He smiles at the puppet and then addresses the crowd. "It is with a heavy heart, and with a great deal of thought and it has come time to tender my resign-- WAAAAUUUGHHH!" Marble flails about and falls straight back into the water in the fountain, all thanks to a few candy corn kernels connecting with his left eyelash.
Jonagold says "Yer 'resin-wah'? That one o' them funny French words?"
Twist rears up and props her forehooves on the edge of the fountain! She has a plan! "Ogay!" she barks at Bardigan, "I god him dowd! He trupbbbthth you, pbbbtho wedd he pbbbthaddpbbbth up pbbbthove hith head id here!" Leaning around, she grabs her bucket of steaming, foul-smelling goo and hauls it up next to Bardigan. "Everthigg will dapbbbthte lige licoripbbbthe for a MONTH. He'll debber ead caddy aged. Problem pbbbtholved!"
Little hoof puppet CD Scratch appears next to Marble's head, hooves thrown over her felt muzzle. "Oh no, Marble!" she squeaks, "you look terrible! You should probably take the advice of your sweet, calming wife who loves you very much and go get plenty of sleep and drink lots of fluids!"
Nightshade peers at Bardigan, then at Marble, then at the puppet. Something strange has happened: she's at a loss for words. She...must take notes of this.
Bardigan glances down at Twist and her bucket of goop. He's not entirely sure what they're doing at this point. All he knows is that Marble's eyes are still locked on the puppet. And also he's damp with something that isn't water. "Well, I can't claim to be a doctor, and desperate times call for desperate measures," he says with a longsuffering sigh. The lengths they go through just to keep their Chancellor from going insane... "This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, Chancellor," he says, and without waiting, quickly dunks Marble's head into the licorice and pulls it back up.
CD Scratch pops up on Bardigan's hoof again, hooves on her imaginary hips. "Marble Memory, you're filthy!" she squeaks. "As your wife who you generally listen to above all other ponies I am telling you to go home and get washed up! If you're a good stallion I'll let you fill out the paperwork for that gig I'm going to work in Vanhoofer this weekend!" Waggle waggle.
Marble flails as suddenly his face is plunged into the black void that is licorice. He flils more, then pulls away from the bucket and splashes right back into the water. It burns! It burns! Wait? WHY IS THE LICORICE BURNING?! After a moment the trying-to-no-longer-be-Chancellor splashes back up, gasping. "What is in that--" Marble blinks when CD Scratch addresses him. He blushes. His wife really loves him. "Y-yes darling!" Marble pulls himself out of the fountain.
Twist has been asked a question about candy! "Liquoripbbbth ipbbbth flavored frob da rood ob da liquoripbbbth pland, bud apbbbth everypody dothe the caddy that repbbbthultpbbbth tapbbbthtepbbbth like battery apbbbthid inpbbbbthted. Id by effordpbbbth to either mage liquoripbbbth edible or rid Equepbbbthtria of id forebber, I have dipbthtilled, nod da original liquoripbbbth, bud da horrible epbbbthenpbbbth id BECOBBPBBBTH wed mikpbbbthed into caddy. Ride dow, that chemigal ipbbbth biding itpbbbthelf do your mugupbbbth membranepbbbth WHIJJ WILL TEAJJ YOU DEBER TO OBERDOPBBBTHE IN PUBLIG ADD THREATEN BY CADDY BUPBBBTHINEPBBBTH AGAID! What if that dufupbbbth Chadpbbbthellor wapbbbth here?!"
CD Scratch doesn't give Marble any rest, chasing after him as he clambers out of the fountain, still clearly attached to Bardigan's hoof even though he's out of reach. "This is why you don't have breakdowns in public, Marble! No more Bran-o's (It's almost like real food!(tm)) for you, I think they're going to your head! Oh, and legalize candy again! And divert some funds to the Equestrian Thespian Alliteration Association because they're really nice ponies!"
Twist's beaming delight and hoof-waving joy in lecturing the whole world about candy immediately sink into shoulder-hunched resentment. Muttering under her breath, she lays out her subtitles. [Liquorice is flavored from the root of the liquorice plant, but as everypony knows the candy that results tastes like battery acid instead. In my efforts to either make liquorice edible or rid Equestria of it forever, I have distilled, not the original liquorice, but the horrible essence it BECOMES when mixed with candy. Right now, that chemical is binding itself to your mucus membranes WHICH WILL TEACH YOU NEVER TO OVERDOSE IN PUBLIC AND THREATEN MY CANDY BUSINESS AGAIN! What if that dufus Chancellor was here?!]
Bardigan watches CD Scratch go off on her husband, shaking his head. "This is why good communication is essential in a relationship," he says as an aside to the ranting Twist.
Marble bursts into tears and embraces CD Scratch weeping. "I quit! I resign! Effective immediately, darling, I'm no longer Chancellor of Ponyville! Are you happy for me? I did it for you! For us! I want to be happy, darling, happy!" And he pulls CD Scratch in and kisses her passionately, as he often does. Tongue and everything. Well, at least he made his announcement.
Derpy lands lightly at the end of her long shift, empty mailbags flapping. She happens to settle right in front of Marble Memory just as he's announcing his resignation to a puppet. One of Derpy's eyes rotates with due ceremony while the other plays hookey. She steps forward and reeeaches out to tap Marble on the shoulder. "But Chancellor Mar-ble! Worked so hardly to eleect!"
CD Scratch swoons, and does her best to wrap her tiny cloth hooves around Marble's neck. "Oh Marble, I don't care, as long as I'm with you!" she says, and her head is all but enveloped by Marble's own muzzle. Meanwhile, Bardigan is standing right next to them with a very, very concerned expression on his face.
Nightshade scribbles rapidly in her notebook as the scene unfolds. 'Must test new anxiety-reducing spells on Marbs for max effect' she writes.
Twist hops down off of the side of the fountain, nodding in satisfaction. "Odpbbbthe more caddy hapbbbth repbbbbthcued a lopbbbtht thoul." Reaching way up, she pats Bardigan on the shoulder with a flabby hoof. "You were a big help, pbbbthitipbbbthen. Loog udder your pillow when you ged hobe tonight. Twipbbbtht alwaypbbbth paypbbbth her debtpbbbth." Picking up the handle of the bucket again in her teeth, despite the shaking of her scrawny neck muscles she saunters away smugly into the night!
Bardigan glances back at Twist, trying to ignore the fact that his hoof is being violated. Oh sweet Luna the puppet does nothing why is this happening. "... You're welcome," he yelps in a strained voice, standing as still as possible. He wants to leave, but that would shatter poor Marble's happy illusion. Oh well, he can't be *that* long until he decides to go home. Yep. Not long at all...
FADE TO BLACK
