72: EnDerpreneurship
“Good morning, Karyn.”
“What’d you do?”
Derpy put one of her front hooves in front of the other. “What do you mean?”
“You’re acting nervous around me. That usually means you have something to confess.”
“No…not at all.”
Karyn tapped her foot. “You’re not even making eye contact with me. And you’re stumbling. Come on, spill.”
“It’s really nothing. Honestly. You’re being crazy, Karyn.”
“Calling me by my name?! This must be huge. What was it? Did you do some cloud topiary so that when I look outside the window there’ll be a sculpture of me there? Did you hack the Internet again?”
“No, nothing as bad as that.”
Karyn brightened and pointed at Derpy. “A-ha! So you did do something!”
“Well, you remember last week you mentioned bringing Dinky here to Earth, which kind of implied that you wouldn’t have a problem with a pony other than me using the spell?”
“You brought Dinky? She said yes? Where is she?”
Derpy, shaken out of her dithering, finally started talking at her normal volume. “Not Dinky. Another pony entirely. But they’re not here now. See, I made another visit to Earth during the week.”
“Without coming to see me?”
“I figured that you weren’t expecting me, and that if I did stop in to say hi, I might scare you or freak you out, because you’d think there was some emergency. Plus Sunday is our scheduled day, and I wouldn’t want to break that streak.”
With Karyn’s parents out of the house, and a large lawn between the house and anyone else, it was unlikely that they would be overheard. Nonetheless, Karyn walked over and shut the window, as if wanting to trap Derpy so that she couldn’t escape. Which she wasn’t actually doing, of course, since Derpy could always magic herself back to Equestria.
“Let me see if I’ve got this. During the week—“
“Wednesday.”
“Wednesday, you came to Earth with another pony.”
“Wednesday night.”
Karyn nodded. “Wednesday night. Obviously you weren’t spotted, because I would have heard if someone had discovered a pegasus pony.”
“It was night, and I stayed invisible.”
Karyn knew this tactic of Derpy’s, giving out as little information as possible, as slowly as possible. She would just have to try to break through.
“Whom did you come with, and why did you bring them?”
Derpy tensed her lips. “You know Rainbow Dash? Rainbow hair, dashes everywhere?”
“Yes, hence the name. Rainbow Dash was with you? What for?”
“Do you remember when we went to the water park? As we finished, I mentioned that it was the kind of thing that ponies in general and pegasi in particular would really enjoy. Since then I mentioned it to a few and Rainbow Dash agreed. She thought that it might be exactly the kind of thing she would like to see built, maybe even do herself, but she wanted to see it before she made any decisions. Like I said, we went at night, so no one could see us. We couldn’t use any of the rides or anything, but she got an idea of what it was like even so. Well, technically we could have used the lazy river, but if I was going to sell Rainbow Dash on the idea, I didn’t think that the lazy river was the ride to show her.”
At last Derpy had broken through her nerves and told Karyn the point. “Is she going to have to make a lot of visits for research?”
“I don’t think so. Rainbow didn’t seem curious about Earth that much. And…well, yeah, that’s why.”
“Hmm.”
“What’s the matter?” asked Derpy quickly.
“Rainbow Dash doesn’t strike me as the kind of pony who would want to build and run a park. It’s a lot of work and making decisions. Doesn’t she want to get into the Wonderbolts? That’s all about discipline and listening to your superior. And doesn’t she like to take naps and have fun a lot? That’s not going to be an option if she’s running a water park.”
“Maybe, but Rainbow Dash is always looking for new things. The Wonderbolts, the weather patrol, being an element of harmony. She doesn’t settle in. She might get bored of the park or even not run it well and have to close, but she’s going to want to take the chance on it.”
Karyn nodded. “Are you like that?”
“Heck no! I only went for something new when I was forced to. Like when I wanted to make a friend because I was lonely.”
“I can understand. I think I’m like that too. I didn’t even think I was really agreeing to you as a friend. Of course, if I knew then, what I know now, I would have done the same thing.”
Derpy seemed to regain her nervousness. “So, you don’t like to be presented with new things, really?”
“Well, it’s not that I never want to try new things?”
“Oh, good!”
“Why?”
“Well,” Derpy laughed. “The thing is, that because Rainbow Dash, like I said, wasn’t too interested in Earth itself. But she does want to bring you in as a consultant.”
“Wha—?” Karyn began, but realized that she had no cause to be surprised. She was uniquely qualified, the logical choice for a pony who wanted to start a business, and besides, she still had the ability to say no. “Let’s head to Equestria. I want to talk to Rainbow and get the details.”
“Hop on.”
Karyn did, many questions circling around in her head. The details of what an Equestrian water park would look like, how the ponies would take it, and if Rainbow Dash had the attention span to deal with it. She was so deep in thought that it took a while for her to notice that Derpy was not going for a landing, but was cruising along with her wings spread, not pumping hard but letting the wind do the work.
“Do you know where you’re going?”
“Oh, yes. Even though she’s from Ponyville, Rainbow didn’t want to build the park here. Not enough ponies around. Particularly when she wants pegasi.”
Karyn brightened. “Great! So we’re finally going to get that Cloudsdale trip we’ve been talking about.”
“Ah. Well, no. Actually, she’s building it in Las Pegasus.”
“Of course. We’re never going to get out there. But how are we getting there.”
Derpy gave her wings a pump and turned around. “We’re on our way.”
“We’re flying from Ponyville to Las Pegasus?”
“Sure! Why not? It’s a nice day.”
Karyn was about to protest further, but clearly Derpy was implying that such a flight would not be a great distance. And she remembered Rainbow Dash reporting from both Las Pegasus and Baltimare in a single day, when Twilight’s premonition had required disaster-proofing Equestria. But still…
“We always have to take the train to go to Canterlot. Are you telling me that Las Pegasus is closer than Canterlot?”
“Sure it is! A lot closer.”
“OK, I guess. You know the land better than I do.” One more idea occurred to her. “Hang on. I’ve seen a map of Equestria. On that map, Ponyville and Canterlot were right on top of one another.”
“Who made that map? Was it a pegasus?”
“I don’t know. It wasn’t signed.”
Derpy nodded. “Probably was. Pegasus cartography is its own science. Our maps aren’t the same as unicorn or Earth pony maps. Remember, we’ve all got our sense of direction built in. Ours are more like relief maps, designed to tell us about the nature of the air in different places.”
Karyn nodded. Perhaps because her primary pony contact was Derpy, who led a relatively simple life, she had trouble thinking of pegasi being such a different culture than hers. Internally, she chided herself for ethnocentrism.
Soon enough, Derpy was swooping lower. The city of Las Pegasus was a hybrid of ground houses and cloud structures. Karyn asked about that, and Derpy explained that all three types of ponies had founded the city, but they had chosen the name Las Pegasus because it sounded cool. Once they had, other pegasi had assumed it was similar to Cloudsdale, expecting fully cloud-based architecture. Both the original settlers and the newcomers had combined to add in some cloud features.
“Is that where we’ll find Rainbow Dash?”
“Not likely. She’s building the park on the outside of town.”
Karyn had, while driving, idly wished her car could fly so she could escape traffic, as nearly everyone who drives does on occasion. Of course, when considering it rationally, she realized that if every car flew the problem would exist again, and accidents would be worse. What she wanted was to have the only flying car. As Derpy flew over the Earth pony and unicorn section of Las Pegasus, Karyn got to enjoy that feeling on a small scale.
She spotted Rainbow Dash by her distinctive mane on the horizon, and oversaw the building site. It was very rudimentary. No slide had been completed yet, only the beginning of the supports.
“Hey! Derpy, Karyn, over here!
They landed and exchanged hellos. Karyn began. “So, I hear that you’re planning to rip off an idea from Earth and take all the credit.”
Derpy was shocked, but Rainbow laughed at the joke. “I’m going to try, anyway. It’s hard work trying to build this thing.”
“I can imagine.”
“I wasn’t able to get too close when I visited Earth. Derpy was crazy about security.”
Karyn smiled at Derpy for that.
“But here’s a problem,” Rainbow Dash continued. “Whatever they built your slides out of, we don’t have here.”
“Oh, right. I think they’re fiberglass or plastic, something like that. How are you getting around that?”
“I’m building it out of metal. On the playgrounds we have for foals, that’s usually how we do the slides. But that’s going to make it heavier than what you have. I’ve had to pay a lot of bits to a lot of smart mathematical ponies to figure out how to support it.”
Derpy nodded. “But I know once you have it, ponies will want to ride it.”
“I think so too. The big advantage we’ll have is that all the regular slides get super hot in the sun. With all the water flowing, this one will be cool. Come on, let me show you the top.”
She flew straight up, either counting on Derpy to lift Karyn or not thinking about anyone who couldn’t fly. Derpy did put Karyn on her back again, and soon they were with Rainbow, watching her demonstrate the path of the slide.
“Hey, Rainbow,” asked Karyn. “Is this the only slide you’re going to have?”
“Well, isn’t that what the water park is?”
She looked at Derpy. The slide was Derpy’s favorite part, and clearly she had built it up the most. “Mainly, but there’s other stuff too.” She told her about the wave pool, the lazy river, and some of the other slides.
“Hang on, I’ve got to write all this down.”
Rainbow dashed off to get a piece of paper. While she was away, Derpy said, “Of course I knew all that, but I didn’t want Rainbow to try to build everything at once. I thought it would be better to see if we could build a slide, get some ponies to enjoy it, and then go from there.”
“Oh. I guess I kind-of shot that down.”
“Yeah.”
Karyn thought for a moment. “Well, we’re just going to have to explain to her why she should do that and convince her rationally.”
Rainbow returned, pencil in hoof. “OK, now, the lazy river, that doesn’t sound too fun, but the wave pool, tell me about that.”
“Before we get into all that,” said Derpy, “Karyn had some concerns.”
“Thanks for putting me on the spot. Well, I know this is going to take a lot of effort and time.”
Rainbow spread her wings taut. “You have no idea!”
“Right, so it might be better to just work hard on this slide, get it done, and start letting ponies ride it. That way, you can start making money, as well as getting feedback from your customers.”
“Ooh, good idea.”
“I know it can be tempting to want to design more, because that’s the fun part, but you’ve got to allot enough resources for the not-fun parts as well.”
Rainbow made more notes, but then closed her pad. “I guess you’re right. Which works out, since that’s how I was doing things to begin with. But once this is done, yeah, I want to stick to designing.”
She looked forlorn, so Karyn said, “Well, it’s not like we can’t do anything about design. Now, we’re on the edge of town, and I can see a lot of land out there. Do you think you’ll be able to expand the park there?”
“Probably. Nopony else is using it.”
“That’s good, so space isn’t a consideration. Also, everypony will be going on the rides naked, so you won’t need a changing room. That’ll save you one thing to build. Eventually you’ll want to include food as well. You might not even do that yourself. You could bring in someone like Pinkie Pie to add a bakery.”
“Ooh, I never even thought of that,” said Rainbow.
“And the one thing that’s most important. You have to keep the slide safe. No matter how tempting it is, don’t just pull out a section midway through and watch ponies go flying off of the ride.”
“Um, why would that be tempting? I’m not building this so ponies can get hurt. I’m building it so that they can have fun.”
Derpy chimed in. “Yeah, really. That was a weird thing to say.”
At that point, one of the ponies working on the base of the water slide called up to Rainbow, so she excused herself, leaving the two of them atop the slide.
Derpy was still looking askance at Karyn. “No, really. Why did you think that Rainbow was going to make the place dangerous.”
“The truth is, I don’t know much about these parks myself. Just because I’m a human, it doesn’t make me an expert. But there’s a simulation computer game about running parks that was rather popular. I used to play it, and I was just remembering some of the things I did.”
She gave a sheepish grin, and Derpy laughed. “OK, now I want to play that game!”
“The next time we go back to Earth, I’ll see if I can find it. It’s kind of an older game. But I sometimes think that all simulation games are an excuse to build and then destroy. That’s something you’ve got experience with, isn’t it?”
“What do you mean?”
Karyn winked. “Remember going to the beach? Spending all the time on the sandcastles only to smash them? There’s a reason that they call those kind of games ‘open sandbox’.”
Rainbow was finally making it back up to the top, when she turned and went back into the ramshackle trailer that she was using as an office.
“Looks like she forgot something.”
A moment later, Rainbow indeed came flying out, a small bag in hand. With her flying ability, it didn’t slow her down, though Karyn could see that she was listing to one side. She just knew how to compensate and arced up to the top of the slide.
“Here you go, Derpy.”
Derpy took the bag in hoof and bounced it up and down. She and Karyn heard the jingling of coins. Opening, the drawstring, she looked in. “Bits?”
“You’re the whole reason that I’m even getting this thing off the ground. You could have run with this yourself, but you let me do it. If it takes off, and I think it will, I’ll make back those bits and a lot more. Take those to start with, and if you need more, just let me know. Rainbow Dash has got your back!”
“I don’t really know how to say thank you for these.”
Karyn poked her. “I think you just did. See, everything worked out, even though you brought her to Earth without asking.”
Rainbow swooped. “Yeah, that’s another reason for the payment. I got to go to a whole nother world. How many pegasi can say that?!”
“One,” said Derpy.
Karyn raised her hand. “May I ask for an indulgence right now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I’m usually not that bad with heights, especially when Derpy’s flying me around. But right now, just standing up here on the platform, it’s starting to get to me. Normally when I’m on the water slide, I’m only this high up for a minute or so. For some reason, standing still this high up with no visual cues is messing with my equilibrium.”
“Oh, of course,” said Derpy. “Get on and I’ll take you down right away.” She gave Rainbow Dash a look that she hoped serve to explain that not everyone was as comfortable as they were in the air.
Rainbow waved to them. “You two go have fun, but be safe. I’m going to stay up here and get some more work done.”
To the sound of hammering and sawing, (and for some reason, Rainbow kept saying, “Drill, drill!”) Derpy lowered Karyn back to the ground. Once her feet were under her, she said, “Derpy, can I ask a question? Why is it Rainbow Dash who’s doing this. You’re just as able a pegasus as she is. Why not just ask her to finance it and help build?”
Derpy took a long look at the tower. “This isn’t what I want to spend my time on. Ponies like Rainbow can build big things like this, because they don’t believe that anything or anypony can stop them. I’m not that strong.”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up like that. You can do anything you put your mind to.”
“Yes, but it’s a question of knowing how much putting your mind can do. I came to terms with it a long time ago. No, I can’t build towers like this, but I can buy a house or save some money or raise a foal. Those are my towers.”
Whatever Karyn’s reaction to this sentiment, it would have to wait, as Rainbow Dash came streaking back with another bag in hand.
“No, Rainbow,” said Derpy. “What you’ve given me is enough.”
“This isn’t for you. This is for Karyn. All those ideas she gave me are sure to pay off eventually.”
Karyn was shocked. “No, I can’t take this.”
“Sure you can!” She flew off before Karyn had a chance to argue further.
“What am I supposed to do with bits? I can’t spend these on Earth. They’re gold, and that’s useful, but the same problem with Rarity’s diamonds exists here. I can’t show a source of income without saying where I got it.”
“You can buy things in Equestria.”
“You’re right. I’ve taken a lot of favors from you. The next train ticket can be on me. What are you going to buy with yours?”
Hefting the bag in her hoof, Derpy said, “I’m not going to spend it at all right now. If I ever get an unexpected windfall, I just hang onto it until I need it. Because just as many times as I have money with nothing to spend on, I have something to spend on and no money. So I try to match them up when I can.”
“That’s a lot more sensible than I would be. But I’ll do that. Can you keep these bits for me and hold them until I need them?”
“Sure. Sometime when it’s not a Sunday I’ll bring you back and you can put them in the Ponyville bank. Meanwhile let’s get home so I can at least secure it at home.”
Karyn mounted up, they said good-bye to Rainbow Dash, and once more they were cruising. Up in the air, Karyn said, “Why don’t you give me the bags for now? If you can do all the flying with your wings, I can do all the carrying with my hands,”
“Thanks. Here you go.” She passed them up, losing a little altitude but soon flapping her way up.
“Does seem a shame to not get anything out of all this money.” She jingled the bags.
Derpy flew silently for a mile or so, then said, “There is another reason. Maybe in a few years, Dinky will have trouble settling down. And maybe Rainbow Dash will think that she still owes me a favor. If the park does well, Dinky could have a situation to enter. Maybe.”
“That’s a good point. Everyone always tells me that that’s how I should be looking for work, but it’s a lot easier said than done.”
“I’ll see if Rainbow Dash wants to give you a spot too.”
“Oh, no!” said Karyn. “There’s no way I’m standing on top of one of those slides to work.”
“You could work at the food court.”
“The commute between universes would be terrible.”
They circled around one more time to see the structure. Karyn was always worried about Equestria becoming too Earthlike, but somehow she didn’t see ponies splashing on the slide as corrupting. Derpy’s view was bigger. She saw the expanding park as a wonderful project, a monument to the ingenuity of ponies. If she herself had a hoof in it, it was to her credit too.
Karyn turned her head as Derpy flew for home.
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Huzzah! New chapter!
Was a fun read as always.
Hope the slide takes off. Introducing new manufacturing of things like plastic could revolutionize things, but I can see that gobgoing awry as well.
Keep going!;)
Rainbow Dash is the Rollercoaster Tycoon.
I bet if Twilight were given a chance to study human materials, she'd be able to replicate them. And RTC is an awesome game. I love building coasters with 5+ gees and stuff like that.
*sigh* If I could travel to Equestria, I'm not sure that I could make myself come back to Earth, not for all the money in the world. I might come back for medical help though, if magic couldn't be used. I think that one of the best things about Equestria, is the job opportunities available to people, or ponies, with a minimal education. In the modern United States, and many other places, manual labor jobs are made less available by machinery. Eh, you know what, I'm probably just complaining without actually knowing anything, just forget what I said about Earth's job opportunities. I think I'd still want a job in Equestria though. Besides … ponies!
I can understand. I think I’m like that too. I didn’t even think I was really agreeing to you as a friend.
Extra space.
Ponies like Rainbow can build big things like this, because they don’t believe that anything or anypony can stop them.
Another extra space.
Oh god, I never built dinghy slides, I was so bad at making non-deadly ones.
Rainbow dashed off to get a piece of paper. While she was away, Derpy said, “Of course I
Rainbow flew off to get a scroll. ?
You might not even do that yourself. You could bring in someone like Pinkie Pie to add a bakery.”
You could bring in some pony...
Good old Roller Coaster Tycoon.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/VideoGameCrueltyPotential/SimulationGames
If you missed out on getting any of them from the GoG summer sale, shame on you.
Roller Coaster Tycoon? Roller Coaster Tycoon.
Oh.
Say, do you recall Mr. Bones' Wild Ride?
5613370 I want to get off Mr. Bones' Wild Ride.
3327538
I hope not. That could be dangerous