Grey Hat

by Journeyman

\\E:\Users\GlowCloud\Videos\TremblingFear.avi

Author's Note:

Chapter written and produced by blazikenking

Iron Rose, Terra Hub, The Matrix

Personas Present:
~BraveLizard
~MechDemonHunter
~NancyTheTavernWrench
~SoupLadel
~VolTecha

SoupLadel: That really is how my soup helped Technia through high school.

BraveLizard: So we can partially thank your soup skills for stopping the Dratali?

SoupLadel: I suppose so. Say, where’s the jester?

MechDemonHunter: He got dragged to one of the few places in this section of space with no internet a few days ago. A family vacation, he says.

VolTecha: He should be coming back today. I honestly hope he does. We need our jester back.

SoupLadel: Understatement of the week.

VolTecha: Yeah. Anyways, how’s business?

SoupLadel: Souptacular! My whole restaurant is still smaller than most ponies’ living rooms, but I have plenty of faithful regulars. I aspire to making a soup buffet, but for now, I’m content with what I’ve got.

BraveLizard: I’ve heard that even though you ponies can eat meat, you don’t actually have the means to produce much of it.

SoupLadel: Yeah. What little meat I can get every couple years goes right to me. I’d love to get a consistent flow of actual meat, even if it’s only for a special once per week. It would certainly help business.

MechDemonHunter: But could you handle that kind of business?

VolTecha: Meat has its own cooking rules, and that means some of it may have to be cooked outside of the pot.

NancyTheTavernWrench: I have some advice for you, Soupy.

NancyTheTavernWrench: Before you expand to having meat, which I believe would draw huge crowds, I suggest getting more space and hiring some help.

SoupLadel: And why should I do that?

NancyTheTavernWrench: Take it from someone who runs a tavern. As skilled as I am at everything there, I can’t be everywhere at once. I’ve also been in popular hole-in-the-wall restaurants as big as yours, and when there’s a line, few people are really happy. Maybe you ponies are different though, and are content to wait in lines.

NancyTheTavernWrench: I suggest you expand your restaurant, whether by moving or expanding the place. After that, hire a couple employees. If you want to make the soup yourself, then make them the wait staff or something. Point is that if you want to expand one thing, then something else will have to expand too.

--KingBob has joined the chat--

SoupLadel: Thanks Nancy. Hey, the jester is back!

KingBob: I’m back, everyone. What’s happened since I was gone?

MechDemonHunter: Nancy just gave business advice to Soupy. You missed it by 8 seconds.

KingBob: Thank goodness. That sounds boring.

BraveLizard: I think I can set you up with some good meat sources Soupy. We’ll talk it over in another room.

>BraveLizard has invited SoupLadel to a personal chatroom.

KingBob: Remember: use protection!

VolTecha: Silence, peasant.

>BraveLizard has invited NancyTheTavernWrench to a personal chatroom.

KingBob: AND NOW IT’S GETTING EVEN BETTER!

MechDemonHunter: Shut up, Bob.

VolTecha: Say, how’s that theatric combat gig working out, Chase?

MechDemonHunter: I underestimated everyone. The gear you gave me works just fine and gets perfect marks on the tech specs, but I need to improve my skills.

VolTecha: Can we see some video footage of you in action?

>MechDemonHunter
Transmitting to #CHAT:
Posting includes 20 MB of attached files

KingBob: And then nobody did anything. Video time!

VolTecha: So far as I can tell, you have the weapon down cold in practice. It’s more how you move on stage that needs work.

MechDemonHunter: Advise me.

VolTecha: Try coming in from a dark area with the eyes glowing. Sound intimidating. Show no weaknesses. When you’re up close for melee, switch to the gun function unexpectedly and fire right there. Also, let me finish those little cars. I should be done testing them by the end of the week. I’ll use the same proxy on Avol to send them to you.

MechDemonHunter: Thanks. Those should help me quite nicely.

VolTecha: And once they're done, I'll make duplicates for the robot.

KingBob: I KNEW YOU'D MAKE A ROBOT!

VolTecha: And I’m still not going to send it after you. You wouldn’t be worth the effort.

SoupLadel: I have a question for everyone here.

MechDemonHunter: Hm?

SoupLadel: Who wants to come to Avol to see the sights and try some soup of mine? I'm thinking the last week of July.

VolTecha: I can't. I'll probably be working on something during that time.

KingBob: Is there a catch of some kind?

MechDemonHunter: There's a quiet time for theatric combat around then. I'll be able to make it.

SoupLadel: No catch. You'll just have to stay at a hotel. A hotel built and run by ponies. Ponies that use magic with ease. Magic that you will never be able to have.

KingBob: I find these conditions mostly acceptable. I'll tell you if I can make it closer to the day.

SoupLadel: Excellent.

MechDemonHunter: What about Nancy and the lizard?

NancyTheTavernWrench: I'll be able to make it. I already agreed to it and will be bringing some drinks from my tavern, and my motorcycle. If they allow me to do that.

BraveLizard: I won't be able to make it. I am a busy sapient life form.

KingBob: If you're so busy, what are you doing here?

BraveLizard: There's this little thing called multitasking, and I happen to be quite proficient at it.

VolTecha: I just checked my calendar and I definitely won't be able to make it.

SoupLadel: Aw. And we all wanted to know just what you are, VolT. Oh well. I think I'll invite Technia to come over. It's been a while since I last saw her. I hope she's still in Ponyville.

VolTecha: You do that. I'll just work on Chase's little cars for now.

--VolTecha has left the chat--

Comments

[Schismatism]

Hah! And this chapter comes right after I comment on the last one... well, at least that almost confirms that yes, VolTecha is Technia. So yay. (I can imagine why she doesn't wanna give herself away, though - especially since she's on Shadownet.)

I'll have to admit, that meat thing confused me for a few seconds before I realized, 'Oh, right, this is the Avol universe, a-derp'. And hmm... theatrical combat. I bet VolTecha's earning quite a stack of creds from supplying that particular artform.