//------------------------------// // Fine print // Story: The Potion Shop // by Ashfur //------------------------------// "Alright, so with that in mind, we can allocate a few hundred bits a month from the new budget to the library fund, while still maintaining the agricultural funding… but we may have to cut a bit out of the public works fund unless I can convince a certain pony to only destroy half of town square every OTHER month With his experiments." "Have you considered simply asking for more from the crown, Silver Scroll?  I know Arca can be a bit of a cost sink, I'm sure I could-" Mayor Silver cut off Princess Celestia with a wave of his hoof.  "No, no, your majesty. I wouldn't want to impose on the treasury more than I need to.  Besides, that would probably only serve to encourage the colt." Celestia pondered that thought for a long moment before responding.  "I suppose you have a point, Silver. I must say, though, I can't think of any other politician who'd willingly turn down an offer of a budget increase from the Princess herself.  You make a fine mayor. If even half of the equestrian government were like you, I wouldn't need to worry about corruption and sw-" "GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR SILVER!"  Celestia was abruptly cut off as a very familiar, very loud alchemist pony burst into the conference room and slammed the door in her face.  Which was rather impressive, given that she had elected to sit as far from the door as she could to avoid such a situation. "Arcane!"  Silver didn't even bother checking on Celestia.  He knew she'd be fine, especially with Arca on the scene.  Unpredictable as he was, he still was one of the best medicine ponies in the world with his alchemy.  "How many times have I told you not to break down my door when you need to speak with me?" "Um… Fifty-five and a half times, not counting the two times I didn't realize you weren't in your office.  Why do you ask?" The orange pony tilted his head to the side, confused by what he felt was an out-of-place question.  "Are you trying to get obscure facts together for a trivia night or something?" "No, I need you to understand that- ugh, forget it."  Silver grabbed the flask from his saddlebags, unscrewed the top, and downed the contents in a single gulp.  He vaguely recalled a time when new visitors to the town thought it was filled with alcohol, but it was just a headache prevention potion created by, ironically, the number one source of headaches for the mayor.  Paperwork was a close second. "What do you want?" "I made you cookies!"  Arca levitated in a small tray of an admittedly delicious-smelling confection, moving it uncomfortably close to Silver.  "Try one! Take it. Eat it." Silver simply pushed the trau away with a hoof, looking at Arca skeptically.  He was expecting him to be holding a clipboard, as he often did for his 'surprise potion tests', but this time there were no papers or notes in sight.  "And the catch is…?" "Nothing!  No catch! Not at all!" "Yeah, I'm not eating those.  Too risky." "I'll try one." Both ponies looked over at Celestia as she stood up, none the worse for wear despite taking a door to the face.  "He may not compare to my personal chefs, but it's been an age since I've had one of his old recipes." Arca grinned wider than Silver thought possible for a brief second as Celestia gingerly took one of the confections and bit into it.  "He uses techniques mostly lost to time, and usually the potions he laces them with aren't harmful, so there isn't much issue. These are delicious, Arc- where'd he go? He was standing right there a moment ago." Celestia looked around, confused.  She had expected her old friend to stay there and tell her what he had done to the cookies. Instead, in the distance, the screaming started. Silver sighed, picking up the piece of paper hidden under the plate.  "You've been away too long, princess. It's not always the cookies that are the problem."  He showed her the paper. By eating these cookies, you hereby forgive Arcane Catalyst for accidentally pouring his new mane growth potion into the town well.  P.S. it really was an accident this time I swear. Celestia groaned.  "Oh, floof." Silver just sighed, shaking his head in defeat.  "Now, about that budget… I think Rainbow Falls is going to need a few extra bits to hire ANOTHER therapist from out of town for this incident.  I swear, they quit faster than we can find new ones…"