Welcome to Ponyville

The hairs on Geo's neck prickled at the colt's voice, "However, I'm not angry with you, if it was you, though I know I followed the same colt. Admittedly, I was at first, then I found out why you had done it. Those...orphans, I suppose they are. The you, assuming so, took my coins to pay for apples from Bic Macintosh to give to said orphans. I know what I saw, but I will leave following your next words, this I promise." He held up a hoof in a respectful gesture.

((Geo can be persistent when he wants to be.))

The small alabaster mare stepped out from the back room of the boutique, a set of red glasses adorning her visage and a measuring tape loosely hanging from her neck. She turned to face the ponies a bit excitedly, "Oh, Elusive, you didn't tell me we had a customer," the mare spoke as if customers were a rare occurance, "Welcome to Carousel Boutique, good sir, just in case dear Elusive here forgot to extend one to you. Is there anything I, or Elusive, can help you with?" she asked, her glasses and measuring tape already being carried off on a quick journey to the backroom, carried in the same glow as her horn.

Geo shook his head, another plan was hatching in his head, "No, no, I was just looking around, and was just leaving. Good day Miss Rarity and to you...Elusive." He turned towards the door and walked out.

Retracing his steps, he made his way back towards the farm, speaking with Big Mac, he was led up to a field where a majority of plants were drooping and some of them were black and shriveled and in the distance, he could see a few trees that were looking worse for the wear, "Hmmm... I'll get to work immediately, Big Mac, I'll come up to the farmhouse later today with my results."

Big Mac nodded and walked away.

"I've seen more talkative ponies..." He trailed off, again not wanting to speak ill of anypony.

Pulling a notepad and quill from his saddlebags, he walked out onto the field and began looking, his horn glowing with a soft light as he prodded the dirt with said magic, Aeration's good, so is moisture... He quickly scratched down some notes.


Geo got up from his belly, and looked up to the sky, gauging the time to be around 5 or so, he read back over the notes he had made. There was one note that bothered him, the one that he had circled and underlined several times. He gulped nervously and debated whether or not to tell the Apple family what he found. Deciding he would tell them, he dusted himself off and put the quill and parchment away in his saddlebags and set off back up to the farmhouse.

He was greeted by Applejack at the door, "Well, howdy there Mr. Terra-"

Geo held up a hoof cutting her off, "Please, just Geo."

"Well then Geo, what'd you find out there?" He could tell that she was nervous as it tinged her words.

"Well, for one, the plants are definitely sick." He said slowly, gauging his words carefully.

"Well, we all know that, but what with?" AJ said slightly impatiently.

"Well, that's what got me concerned, this isn't an ordinary sickness, due to my sensitivities to magic, I'm afraid to say that there is some sort of magic affecting your crops. But as to the origin of the magic, that I do not know."

Applejack stared at him in disbelief, "Anything you can do Geo?"

"The fortunate thing is that this magic seems to be spreading extremely slowly, so it would be safe to say that I have time to formulate a plan of action against this malady." Geo said quickly, wanting to get it off of his chest, "Can you keep the exact details quiet for the time being?"

AJ, "That I can do. Please hurry though, the affected crops are useless to us."

Geo nodded, "I have a meeting with the Ponyville blacksmith soon, then I'll go to the library and start researching." He walked towards the porch and walked down the few steps.

"You mean Miss Obsidian? And thank you for this Geo." AJ called out.

Geo looked back, "I guess so and it's my pleasure." He launched in to a light canter down the path back to Ponyville. Finding his way back to the shop, he walked in and looked around, "Uh... Miss Obsidian? It's me, Geo? I'm back." He said.

Ovsidian looked up to the door to her smithy, having heard the familiar jingle of the bell. Seeing who it was at the door she set down her gear, walking back over to the counter.

"Ah, Geo. Haven't forgotten about earlier," she replied, leaning over the counter a bit informally. "Judt as a forewarning, I've got to close up in the next half hour, so we had either best make this quick, or we discuss further on the way back to my home."

"It doesn't matter to me really either way, we can talk however long is necessary; I had a run in with the apparent Ponyville Pilferer on my way to City Hall." Geo shrugged nonchalantly, remembering some of the posters he had seen around town. "And what money I had is, well, gone."

Obsidian inhaled sharply in empathy, "Oooh...suupose I should've warned you about that one..." she grumbled loudly, "Well, to be fair, happens at least once to most newcomers to Ponyvil- OH! Oh, by the Celestial Sisters...suppose that means you've nowhere to bunk for the night, either."

Obsidian shifted about a bit, "Look, if you promise not to make a habit of it, I can let you rent out my guest bedroom for a bit, until you can afford your own place. Sound fair?"

"I appreciate the offer, but when in a new place, I prefer to sleep out of doors for a few nights to let my directional senses to acclimatize themselves to the area, then I feel comfortable enough to sleep indoors." Geo smiled and silently reminded himself to send a letter up to Canterlot and his father about him wanting to purchase a home in town. He reassured himself that his father would understand.

The mare shrugged, "Suit yourself, note that the pegasi have a steady rainfall planned for tomorrow night, so it had better be a good tree to hide under."

"On the other hoof, you're still without an income, not a bit on you, and apparently not lookin' to leave yet...so, if your magic is anything along the lines of what we discussed earlier today, we could set up an arrangement something along the lines of me payinv you for bringing in precious metals. Quantity, demand, and value will factor in, of course, but it's guarenteed payment for every 'shipment' you pull in, and a discount for me. Oh, and if a material gets low, I may make a request for that metal and toss in a few extra bits for restocking it. Seem fair?"

"I usually sleep up in trees anyways, and fair enough. All I would require is a small sample of the metal in question so I can attune my search spells to the specific metal, the sample could just be dust and I'd be able to find it."

"Alright, well, duely noted. In that case, show up somewhere around 10ish so I can take some time to set things up and I can get you those samples," Obsidian looked to the clock, noting the time, "Well, my filly's been home for a good half hour, best to go check on her right about now," Obsidian started closing up shop, locking up the backroom and shutting off the lights and walking towards the door, "Suppose I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Geo walked towards the door, "That you will." He smiled and walked out, intent on making his way to the library.

(Timeskip go!)

Obsidian grumbled, working away at a heating coil to be attached to a stove upon completion. With a fatigued grunt, she turned the 'closed/open' sign to display 'open'. She the calmly returned to her work, mentally counting down the minutes until Geo was supposed to arrive.

* * *

Rarity

The alabaster coloured mare stepped out from the back room, her mind already busy tending to dozens of concepts for dresses and other clothing. With barely a glance, she too turned the sign at the window to signify that the Carousel Boutique was open for business.

Geo came running through the door of Obsidian's shop, as soon as all four of his hooves were on the floor, he panted heavily, "S...Sorry. Up l...late r...reading."

Taking a deep breath, he struggled to get his mind back under control.

Obsidian chuckled softly, picking up a bucket of various unrefined ores, sans compounds and what she mentally labelled as 'monetary metals'. The bucket floated over to Geo in her crimson aura, "There you are," she commented, "Everything immediately necessary is sampled in that bucket. Looking forward to seeing the results. If you find anything else of use, feel free to snag that too. Just be wary of diamond dogs near the caves out west, good chunk of ponies have to be bought back by ransom if they're caught."

Geo took the bucket in his own forest green magical grip, a few of the dusts flew up and out of the bucket at his whim, his eyes narrowed as he sampled the magical resonance of each metal, he nodded repeatedly as he pulled out sample after sample.

Satisfied, he moved the bucket so that it floated next to him on his right, "Anything else of use. Check. I'm well aware of the diamond dogs out that ways, if I'm really lucky, I may meet an old friend of mine out that way. He helped me with a geology project when I was still developing my power."

Obsidian chuckled, "Quite the know-it-all, hmm?" she asked, barely giving the colt time to respond before continuing, "Ahh, I'm just messing with ya', see you later on, colt."

Geo chuckled as he turned for the door, "No, I wouldn't say I'm a know-it-all, I would say that I know enough." Not waiting for a reply, he walked out through the door and automatically started west as he knew that that area had some of the largest concentrations of metals that he was immediately aware of.

As he walked, he let his eyes droop for a moment, savoring the air of the world and the feel of the earth under his hooves. He loved it, he knew without a doubt in mind that this was where he belonged; all four hooves squarely on the ground.