//------------------------------// // Chapter 1, Or Something... // Story: Mechanic Hearts And Postage Stamps // by Ebony Runwick //------------------------------// Ebony Runwick was a tan pegasus with red mane and tail, crimson tipped wings and a temper. She may be a richer pony, actually one of the richest in all of Equestria...but she was fiery and half changeling, which didn’t help her temper. “CIRCUIT!!!” She yelled, banging on the shed door that led to her friend’s underground laboratory/home. “Get your ugly mug out here! You need to come out and eat for Luna’s sake!” The stallion otherwise known as Circuit didn’t reply, his entire concentration focused on contraption in front of him. Circuit, full name Circuit Heart, was a dirty white colored stallion with a dark gray mane and green eyes. He was biologically an earth pony, but he had homemade wings attached to his back. Currently he was trying to create a mechanical horn in order to use magic, but so far everything had blown up in his face. Literally. He really didn’t know why Ebony, who was one of his best friends despite the fact that he’d never admit it, was freaking out on him. Sure, he hadn’t eaten in two days, but that was normal for him. The hybrid inhaled calmly before exhaling and, with a martial art move, broke down the door and walked into the small area that housed the steps down into the laboratory. “Oh Circuit~! Ebony is here for a visit!” She crooned with honey dripping from her voice and a smile plastered on her elegant features. “Don’t worry, I’ll pay for the door~!” Circuit let out a slightly horrified, yet a totally very manly screech; jerking his head away from his work before he could ruin all his hard work. “For Luna’s sake woman, can’t you see I’m working!? Food is not important at the moment!” The pegasus gave him a look, one of her signature looks that practically screamed, ‘Are you freaking kidding me?’ “Yeah, no, I’m not buying that bullspit and you know it Circuit. C'mon, we’re going outside for some food. Right now, hayburgers, you and me.” She grabbed him by the tail and began dragging him across the floor and to the stairs. “Do I have to drag you up the stairs, or are you going to walk?” The mare asked with a chuckle. The stallion let out a long suffering sigh, letting his head drop to the floor with a hollow thunk. He let her drag him across the floor for a bit before lifting his head. “Fine, I’ll walk.” He grumbled as he got to his hooves, yanking his tail from her grasp. “But, I’m only agreeing to this if I can order some spare parts while we’re out as well.” Ebony shrugged. “Fine by me, now come on. You need food, you look like you’re going to collapse right about now. Or do you need water for that..?” The mare snorted slightly in annoyance. “Ugh, pony needs are so confusing. I don’t think I’ll ever understand that half of me fully.” Circuit turned to narrow his eyes at her, giving her a, ‘do you really think I give a crap?’ look. The mare narrowed her ever changing green eyes. “Shush, you have no choice in this anymore.” With a curt nod she walked up the stairs and out through the hole in the shed they used to be a door. She turned towards a the small food joint known as the Hay Burger. The dirty white coated pony just rolled his eyes, falling silent as he followed after her. He knew better than to argue with her logic. After walking in silence for a few moments he finally broke it. “So exactly how long are you forcing me to hang out with you?” “Until I know that you’re not dehydrated and starving to death. I swear, if I have any doubts, I will take you to my infirmary and strap you to a hospital bed.” She looked back at him, giving him a look that told him she wasn’t kidding. They reached the Hay Burger, a smaller joint with good food and grease to behold. As they walked in, families and kids, as well as teens and adults alike all sat at tables eating the fan fair with gusto. Ebony walked straight up to the cashier and looked at the teenage pony manning the register. “Let’s see, four hay burgers no tomato, six hay fries, two drinks and…” The mare then turned to her friend. “What do you want again?” Circuit sighed and shook his head, his messy gray mane swaying with the movement. “I swear...I’ll never understand how you can eat so much and remain so thin.” He sighed again, scanning the menu. “I’ll just have a salad, no tomato or onion.” He narrowed his eyes slightly at the mare. “And don’t you dare try to tack anything else on there. Despite what you say, I am NOT too skinny and I DON’T need to eat more.” “Oh shush, you know you’re just gonna steal some of my hay fries when you think I’m not looking. Besides, I don’t have the regular metabolism of other ponies remember? And yes, you do need to eat more in my book. But, I guess I’ll have to resign myself to just this much.” She put a hoof up to her forehead in a feigned dramatic sigh before handing the cashier a hooful of bits. “I-I would never!” He huffed, a light blush spreading across his face. “You don’t know what you’re talking about…” The earth pony muttered the words as he grabbed his salad, not waiting for Ebony’s food to come out as he went to go find a table. He stabbed his fork into his meal, muttering grumpily to himself as he chewed the leafy vegetables. Ebony chuckled to herself as she grabbed her tray of food. She almost slipped up and levitated it with magic to the table but caught herself. How could a pegasus levitate something with magic? Remember the bit about her being half changeling? Yeah, that stuff screwed around with genetics and she can use magic. Stuff happened over the years and experiments boosted that. Though if she slipped up in public her cover would be blown clean through. The mare sat down and unwrapped her first hayburger, taking a bit out of it. But not before moving a bushel of hay fries in Circuit’s direction. The stallion ignored the hay fries for the time being, not wanting to admit that Ebony was right and he did in fact try and steal hers when she wasn’t looking. Instead, he munched on his salad, picking out all the little extra bits and eating those separate from the rest of the salad. “So….How is life?” He muttered, his lack of social skills and inability to make small talk showing through. The mare laughed at his sad remark of trying to spark a conversation, but she complied with one of her dearest friends. “It’s been alright, same as the rest of my thousand years of existence. What do you think anyway? How have your experiments been doing? If I remember correctly you’re trying to create a horn for yourself with the equipment in your lab?” The pegasus smiled and took another bite, finishing the first burger with a ladylike pat of her napkin to her lips. “Yep. So far...No breakthroughs yet. But I’m getting there! I just need a few extra parts I don’t have.” He spoke between bites, grimacing slightly as remembered all of his failed attempts so far. He was pretty sure he’d never get all the soot out of his lungs. “I know I’m close to a breakthrough though! I can feel it! Something big is going to happen soon, I just know it!” His voice grew slightly more animated as he spoke of his newest experiment, his green eyes sparkling. He loved talking about his various contraptions, it was his passion after all. The pegasus grinned at this, looking at her food before clearing her throat. “Well I’m glad, I know how much your experiments mean to you. After all, losing your foreleg to an accident didn’t even hinder you. That’s an impressive replacement I might add.” She nodded to his metal arm that the stallion had made himself. “Tch, of course it wouldn’t.” He scoffed, acting as though she’d just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. “The metal one is an improvement anyways. That old leg was just slowing me down.” He flexed said appendage, the metal hinges squeaking slightly in protest. He’d definitely need to oil it again soon. “It’s not perfect yet though, I still haven’t finished making all of the add ons. When I’m done with it, I won’t have to remove everything if I want to change parts. I’ll just be able to change it with a push of a button.” Her eyebrows raised in interest and she nodded. “Not bad, not bad at all. Once you have made a horn, there will be nothing to stop you will there Mr. Mad Scientist.” She let out a small laugh at that little jab, but it was all in good fun. Ebony had known this stallion for most of his life anyways, he was a good friend, even if he didn’t always show it. “I’m not a mad scientist! Yet…” A small little smile flitted across his face before he quickly squashed it down with his trademark grumpy look. Couldn’t be showing too much emotion now, he had to keep up appearances after all. “Don’t forget, we’re going to the hardware store after this. I have some specialty parts I still need to order if I want this horn thing to work.” “Alright alright, I needed to get some stuff anyway. You remember Chichina right? My adoptive sister? Ever since she’s gotten into astronomy and rocket science she’s been wanting to build a rocket to the moon.” She shook her head with a kind smile. “Teenagers these days, always the dreamers.” “The moon eh?” Circuit Heart chuckled softly, though he quickly masked it with a cough. “I’ll have to remember that. I have some experiments I’ve been meaning to run in a low gravity environment. You’ll have to let me know if she manages to get there.” He quickly shoveled the rest of his salad into his mouth, pushing the now empty dish away. “C’mon you, I wanna get going before the store closes.” Ebony finished her food, which was an impressive feat considering her size and rose to her hooves. “Well, what are we waiting for?”