Manehattan construction, as seen by four kirin

by publiq

1SSRS + 2 moons, 23 dawns

1SSRS + 2 moons, 23 dawns

Today was the project sign-off day for us. Last week, we sent a telegram to Ponyville that our work should be ready in about five days including clean-up. The ponies evidently wanted to see our handiwork as soon as we completed it, as they did not wait for the cleanup days. As it turns out, the orange missionary is the matriarch-in-training in charge of the store. She did not bring her yellow flying companion. Instead, she was accompanied by a white unicorn whose mane alternated from violet to ultramarine as the lighting made its subtle changes.

We greeted one another on the sidewalk, the intended vantage point to view our hard work on the storefront. Budget Bill even chose to arrive from his office across town to support Katiti in her client meeting.

“Howdy. I suppose you all remember me, Applejack,” the orange one said.

Applejack wore her signature stetson. The hat that set her apart from every other archaic-colored earth pony.

She continued, “this here’s my friend Rarity. She’s here to inspect the plans for interior design.”

Rarity gave a compliment rather than introducing herself.

“Such purity of form! Those brushed metal panels? They simulate kirin scales. That pearlescent ceramic apple over the entrance? So perfectly centered, simply divine! Oh! Is that a temporary day spa inside? What a lovely mineral mud bath I see.”

“Well, I,” Applejack stammered, “I never. A mud bath in a city. Perhaps the ponies here are alright, after all.”

Before any of us kirin could invite our guests to join us, Katiti stepped in to block their path.

“Kirin mineral baths are toxic for ponies,” she cautioned. Bill nodded to encourage her to continue her warning.

“I briefly studied alchemical engineering before finding my love of project management. You don’t want what’s in those pits. They love cadmium and capsaicin.”

“The what and the what? Cowpox and Calgary?” A befuddled Applejack stuttered.

“I think those are the reagents from Twilight’s lab that Spike likes to drink. Our striped colleague is right: those chemicals make the bath no place for a pony. They must use them to grow those lovely scales.”

Applejack retreated, reached into her saddlebag, pulled out a strange rainbow-striped apple, then squinted and held it up between her face and the wall, as is to measure it on an imaginary shelf.

“May I have a bite?” I asked.

“I dunno, sugar cube, raw zap apples are mighty dangerous. We keep ‘em for zap apple jam and a few jars of special cider extract.”

“Darling, these kirin eat like Spike. Cadmium mud baths? They can handle a zap apple.”

“Rarity, I know it might seem strange to ya’, but toxicity isn’t the only reason not t’ go feeding other creatures zap apples. Have you seen what happens when one of these gets indigestion? The whole place’ll burn down.”

“One slice, not an entire apple?” I offered.

“I suppose,” Applejack acquiesced. “You are the fruit consultant, after all.”

Rarity pulled out a knife and levitated a small slice in front of my face. I bit down on the oddly savory—

“BOY HOWDY!”

Boy howdy is right! That zap apple flickered me into a nirik as soon as its juices hit my tongue. Absolutely delicious, but far too dangerous. Far, far too dangerous. Dangerous and strong. When it comes to unintentional flare-ups, at least anger feels bad. My tongue stuck slightly out to savor the flavor. I now had some carbonization to scrub off during the cleanup days.

The Equestrian ponies (and zebra, who apparently are not Equestrian) took my conflagration as their cue to retreat for private discussion.

At least as of when I wrote this, our construction felt like a success, even if I did not have the fruity input I expected to give. After I finish writing and the ponies (and zebra) finish their discussions, we’ve agreed to show them how kirins adapted buckball to play with griffins.

Project status: Complete for our part. Rose and Winter will depart on tomorrow’s train to return home. Pumpkin and I will stay to detoxify and clean the lot in preparation for the concrete floor installation. Once I lower my quill, Rarity has generously volunteered to make a sealed copy of this log for Autumn Blaze and Rain Shine to verify.

Romance status: The future is still unwritten. We’ll have more room to spread out now that only two of us can share the three beds.

Buckball status: After tonight, exhibition season is over. Perhaps Pumpkin and I could play a more-traditional match in the earth pony role before we depart if we can find willing unicorns to play along.

Comments

[new55]

That was a interesting story.