Twilight and the gang go to Manehattan and meet some... interesting new people.
Its the height of the Technical Era, and the Equestria is making strides in mechanics and science.
That doesn't mean things don't break every now and then.
Which is why we find our Mane Cast in middle class Manehattan, in search of one who is toted as "The Best Mechanic This Side of Appleoosa". But when they find him, things quickly get...out of hand.
My first fic, so be gentle. Constructive criticism appreciated. Also, art credit where it is due. Don't know who made it, but it sure as heck wasn't me.
Ponyville was quiet, save for the usual bustle of business at the market. The sun touched everything around the small town, from the home of the reclusive Doctor Whooves to the sprawling expanses of trees that was Sweet Apple Acres. Included in this ray of Celestia's sun was Golden Oaks Library, where one purple haired alicorn girl was currently staring at an object that had caused her much grief.
Oh, for buck's sake, why won't you work?!, thought Twilight Sparkle as she eyed the machine in front of her with a malice that could've stoned Discord. The machine in question was a pair of goggles that acted like high-powered binoculars, able to make one see for miles. At least, that's how they were supposed to work. Currently, they had no sight and emitted a high pitched squeaking noise that Twilight could not find for the life of her.
It had been about ten years since the lavender haired princess had been coronated, and with her guidance, Equestria had stepped into a great epoch of scientific and technological advancement, appropriately referred to as the Technical Age. She and a devout group of scientists had made numerous strides, such as the creation of the cell phone, handheld video games, advanced weaponry, and the like.
That is not to say that things always worked, per se.
Which was why Twilight found herself in her current predicament. Irritation clung onto her like tree sap as she sighed in defeat, using her horn to levitate the goggles back onto their pedestal. She quietly walked through the Library, which she had opted to stay in to keep close to her friends, in search for something to distract her. The shelves were lined to the brim with books, but she had read most of them already. She almost called out to Spike, but with a pang of sadness, she remembered that he was currently away on certain unmentionable dragon stuff, as he so eloquently put it. She finally found the day's newspaper, so she grabbed it and began fingering through it in search of the funnies, or possibly a Gabby Gums article. You could never be too sure. Her violet eyes finally stopped their roam when she spotted an article with a picture of a man in a hooded jacket, holding an oversized wrench over his right shoulder. As she read, a smile began to creep along her features. Suddenly, she flung the paper onto her desk and ran out of the library. She had a trip to plan.
"Y'all wanna go where, Sugarcube?" Applejack was the first of the other five to speak when Twilight finished her tale. The princess had found her friends at Sugarcube Corner, all having a lunch date. While she was upset that she seemed to have not been invited, Pinkie was quick to say that she had been sent an invite by mail. A blush crept on to the studious one's cheeks as she realized that she hadn't checked her mail in some time. Always working on some new project, or away on Canterlot political business.
Twilight turned to her blonde haired friend. "Manehattan! There's this guy there; the paper toted him as 'one of the best mechanics of the age'!" she exclaimed with almost child-like excitement, "I just wanted you girls to come with me, so that we could see the sights together!"
"It sounds like fun!" yelled Pinkie Pie, who somehow already had bags packed with her.
"I think it sounds marvelous! So many upper class people to see in the city..." Rarity mused, slightly pouting in thought.
"I-I guess that it sounds... nice," muttered Fluttershy, who promptly hid her face in the neck of her sweater.
"Sounds awesome, I'm in," Rainbow Dash said, flying circles around the other girls.
"...I guess I could always pay a visit to Aunt and Uncle Orange," Applejack assented.
"Its settled then!" exclaimed Twilight as she went to go grab her bags.
They were on the train to Manehattan, chasing the sunlight. The six friends had lapsed into silence due to a lack of subjects to talk about. The forests changed to deserts as time passed. The grand expanse of sand left them all room to think. In this time, Twilight had only one thought on her mind:
Tinker Tock... Who are you, exactly?
The train squealed to a stop, and the six took their first steps into Manehattan.
"Its... amazing!" said Twilight in something like awe. The others were similarly struck, save for Applejack, who had seen it at a young age.
That's not to say it wasn't beautiful to her. Dusk was settling on the city, casting a fiery glow onto the streets, which was aided further by the streetlamps littered about the cobblestone roadways. All around was the hustle and bustle of people doing the things people do at dusk. The Statue of Harmony stood proud in the distance, its flame shaped crystal casting its prismatic shine in the dying light. All in all, it was an awe-inspiring scene.
Twilight took the map from her backpack, which she had worn specifically to hide her wings, and quickly located the shop.
"Alright girls, the workshop should be on this side of town," she said as she pointed to a place on the right side of the map. Applejack visibly shuddered.
"You OK, AJ?" asked Rainbow Dash, concern sparking in her cyan eyes.
"Ah'm fine. It's just... Aunt and Uncle Orange always told me that that part of town was rotten," said the farm-girl, nervously picking at a rolled up sleeve on her work shirt.
Oh, come now, it can't be that bad, can it?" inquired Rarity as she straightened her dress for the umpteenth time.
"Ah wouldn't know. Never been."
"Look, we'll figure this out on the way. We need to get to the shop before it closes," said Twilight as she put the map back into her bag.
"Alright. Lets go!" said Rainbow, already ready to move.
This conversation between Rainbow and Twilight had gone on for the better part of an hour. Unable to find a taxi, the six had been forced to walk all the way to the Workshop. Manehattan was beautiful and all, but given that two sentence conversation for a long enough time, anything would lose its magic. Even Pinkie had started to twitch in annoyance. Finally, Rarity had had enough.
"Would you two please be so kind as to stop that? The rest of us are trying to not lose our marbles!"
Twilight stared at the blued eyed woman, shocked by her uncharacteristic outburst. RD chose to harrumph, looking at anything but the clear blue eyes of the fashionista.
"Um... is that the place?" asked Fluttershy, pointing at a two story brick and mortar building with three interlocked gears painted on the door. The sign above the door advertised the Tick Tock Workshop.
"THAT'S IT!" yelled Twilight as she sprinted towards the building as fast as her uniform would allow. The others followed shortly after.
One beat passed.
Two.
Pinkie took the initiative and walked in, yelling a loud, "Heeellllloooooo~!" as she did so. Twilight calmly walked in, facepalming at Pinkie's sheer... Pinkie-ness. She rung the bell at the Service window.
No response. The girls took the time to survey their surroundings. The walls were the same brick and mortar as the outside, and the floor and ceiling were wood. There was a painting on a fixture on the left wall, a beautifully captured artpiece of a lush garden that seemed to add personality to the otherwise barren waiting room, save for a few comfy looking chairs.
The door to the right of the Service Window seemed to open of its own volition. The girls looked to it as they heard the sound of rolling wheels coming in their direction. Out of the shadows came a person in a gray hoodie, his hood up, back to them, rolling in on a backwards faced swivel chair. He was crossing the threshold of the door...
Only for the frame of said door to catch on one of the chair's wheels, sending him sprawling. He grunted as he picked himself and the chair up, asking if they would kindly wait as he tried that again, all the while muttering about how it "wasn't quite right yet". He slunk back into the shadows again and repeated the procedure two more times, both with the same result.
Is this guy for real?, thought Twilight and the others.
The man dusted himself off and pushed his hood back, revealing chocolate brown hair that framed deep emerald eyes, which were subsequently covered by square, wire framed glasses. He looked at the girls, a cocky smile plastered on his face.
"Greetings. I'm Tinker Tock. How may I be of assistance?"
Tinker stood stock still, his emerald eyes alight with mischief, as he waited for the girls around him to respond. Twilight was the first to snap out of her reverie caused by the man's rather unique entrance, so she spoke first.
"Hello, I'm Twilight Sparkle, and these are my friends;"
"Pinkie Pie," The party girl bounced happily, her baby blue eyes darting here and there.
"Applejack," The farmer tipped her Stetson in the mechanic's direction.
"Rarity," A curtsey was offered by the lady in white.
"Rainbow Dash," The speedster flew a quick circle around the room.
"And Fluttershy," Fluttershy merely squeaked and hid behind her long pink hair.
Tinker eyed the girls thoughtfully, all mirth suddenly replaced by cold fascination. The cocky smile on his face was replaced by a determined scowl. He stroked his chin thoughtfully as he pulled a cigarette from the pocket of his hoodie and lit it with a lighter found similarly.
"So... what is it you ladies want? I can tell you're not from around these parts. Your eyes, they're too innocent." said the tinkerer as he pulled a long drag from his little coffin nail, blowing out smoke from his nose.
"Well, I... we... I'm sorry, could you please put that out? The smell is just, blegh," asked Twilight as she fanned smoke away from her personal bubble. The scent of tobacco was one thing she couldn't stand.
Tinker flicked the cigarette into the room behind the Service Window. "Suit yourself. Where are you from anyway?"
Pinkie's eyes lit up at the question as she responded, "We live in Ponyville, the sun-shiniest place in Equestria!"
The mechanic's eyes quickly filled up with an impish glee, and his mouth turned upward and released a sardonic chuckle. "Ponyville!? That quaint little piece of nowhere?" He laughed again.
Rainbow Dash immediately took to the offensive, flying up to his face and saying, "What exactly are you trying to say, bub?" She put up her fists and shadow-boxed, daring Tinker to say something else. Applejack was similarly unamused.
Tinker held up his hands in mock surrender, "I didn't mean anything by it, just that you're all probably much too naïve. Probably can't even hold your liquor."
"Licorice?" asked Pinkie, confused.
"No, liquor. As in hard cider, whiskey, beer, et cetera." said the mechanic, his eyes swimming at the thought of that place...
"Is that a challenge?" snarled Rainbow Dash.
"Only if you want it to be, Prism Girl."
"Look, we're straying way off topic here. I need you to look at this," she said, pulling the goggles from her bag, "they're supposed to work like binoculars, but stronger. Currently though, they leave me blind and emit a weird whirring noise."
Tinker looked over the headpiece quizzically. "This... this is new tech. Something I've never worked with here. It should be interesting..."
"Will you work on it?" asked the lavender eyed princess hopefully. The others crossed their fingers, hoping that all of this time and aggravation wouldn't be a waste.
"...Indeed I will. It'll take time though. You got a map?" Twilight nodded, pulling her map out once more.
"I'd suggest staying here while I work," He pointed at a corner shop not far from the Workshop, "That's the shop of a really close friend of mine, and it's one of the safest places in this part of the city."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Tock. Should we meet you back here for payment?" asked Rarity.
"Please, call me Tinker. And no, meet me here in about an hour and a half." He pointed to another shop a little ways away from his friend's shop. "That's the Staggered Stallion. We'll discuss payment there, maybe have a few drinks." A little fire danced in his eyes as he said this. The friends began to leave, when Tinker called out, "Wait up!"
They all turned around as the mechanic pulled another gray hoodie from Celestia knows where, saying, "Here, Twilight. This should keep those wings of yours inconspicuous, Your Highness."
Twilight fidgeted in the hoodie as she walked. Sure, it hid her wings more efficiently, but it also smelled slightly of smoke. Why does he have to smoke?!, she asked herself. Her parents had always detested smoking, and they had instilled this same belief in their daughter.
"So... what'd you gals think of Mr. Mechanical?" asked Rainbow Dash nonchalantly, wearing an uncharacteristically thoughtful look on her face.
Applejack was the first to voice her opinion. "By every mean a Manehattanite, but not one I've ever been used to. He really kinda rubs the wrong way."
"He seems cool! Except for when he's all frowny and thoughtful. Maybe a party could cheer him up!" said Pinkie in her usual energetic way.
"I thought he was charming in his own way," said Rarity, "but his clothes were so drab. He would look so dapper in a nice suit!"
"He seems... nice..." said Fluttershy with a small smile.
Twilight was about to respond when they suddenly noticed that they had reached their destination. The Six friends found themselves in front of a building, similar in build with Tinker's, but with stars swirled all around it. Rarity knocked, and a slightly flighty voiced answered from inside.
"Please do come in~!" At this, The others entered the shop, and what they saw astonished them.
It was an amazing sight. Telescopes and windchimes dotted the building in equal measures, and with a sunroof replacing her normal roof, the girl in front of them had full view of the stars. The girl in question wore a gray blazer over a blue t-shirt and black pants. Her hair was a faded purple in color, and would've fallen to the small of her back had it not been for the fact that she held it aloft in a ponytail. Her eyes were a deep purple in color, and her gaze held a sort of childlike wonder. She was also a Pegasus, indicated by the fact that she was currently hovering down from the third level of the building to greet the girls.
"Hello, I'm Lunar Glow, expert Astrologist and horoscoper."
"Astrologist?" asked Twilight.
"Horoscoper?! Oooh, do me, do me!" exclaimed Pinkie.
The purple eyed nodded as she asked, "Okay, what's your sign?" The party girl gave her a confused look, then pulled a stop sign from Celestia knows where. The astrologist giggled, then said, "No, silly, your birth sign!"
"Oh, okay! I'm a Sagittarius!"
Lunar nodded, then flew up a few feet to her bookshelf. She picked up a book with an eye on it, then flipped through the pages quickly. She stopped mid-flip when she found what she was looking for, hovering her way to the ground as she said, "Alright, here we are. Ms..."
"Pinkie Pie!"
"Ms. Pie, under your sign for this month, it is predicted that one of your friends will be going through a great change in their family soon. Keep them close, and be there for them as the changes occur. Also, stay away from the color chartreuse by any means necessary."
The familiarities had long since passed. In the time they had spent, Lunar got to know the six quite personally. Twilight compared star palcement notes with the girl, though the studious one found the astrologist's seemingly vacant stare and whimsical vocal pattern quite irritating while they talked the finer points of the placemnt of Cancer in the sky this month.
Pinkie had no such qualms as she openly talked about her Pinkie Sense, Lunar listening with rapt attention. The others were similarly friendly. All too soon, an hour and a half passed.
"We must be going, Lunar," said Twilight, "We promised Tinker we'd meet him at the Staggered Stallion soon."
Lunar Glow had other ideas. "I'll come with you! I've been meaning to talk with Tinker for a while now..."
Pinkie was ecstatic, practically yelling, "Abos-positi-lutel-yes! Come on!" She bolted through the door. No, literally through, as in left a Pinkie sized hole in the door. Twilight blushed in embarassment, but Lunar just went on her merry way.
Oh, boy, thought Twilight nervously as the group stepped into the stark existential horror that was The Staggered Stallion. Everywhere was music, people, and spirits. Lunar walked through the massive crowd like a pro, unintentionally leaving the other six stumbling and, well, staggering behind her.
"Jeez, could she wait up!?" cried Rainbow Dash, who was about two seconds from punching someone. When they had finally made it through the crowd, the group found Lunar speaking with the bartender, a cream colored unicorn with a red head of hair, like an old friend.
"...So then, I told the dude, 'Ey! Yous betta get offa my bar, or I'll call da cops!', an' ya know what he said?" the barkeep yelled over his patrons and beats.
"What's that?" asked Glow, just as loudly.
"He has the nerve ta look me dead in the eyes and says, 'I'm the conductor of the Poop train!', then he jumps off da bar an' starts runnin' through the streets like a right nutjob. I swear, the kinds a people you- Oh, heyo! New blood! Name's Amber Brew," he cried, finally noticing the girls. "What'll it be?" Twilight facepalmed, just wondering how crazy this place really was.
"We're looking for Tinker Tock; have you seen him!?" yelled Pinkie Pie, who was jumping up and down, as per the norm.
"Chain-Smoke, eh?" said Amber as he began wiping out a glass with his neon green magic, "Think I saw him walk down datta way." He pointed in the direction of the outdoor patio. "He was reeeal quiet too; kinda not like 'im."
Applejack tipped her hat to the man, saying, "Much obliged, Mr. Brew."
"Oh, please, call me Amber, Ms...?"
"Name's Applejack!" said the farm girl. She then proceeded to introduce her other friend's ending with Twilight.
"Oi... that's one a Tinker's jackets, ain't it?" asked Amber as he set down his cup.
Twilight looked a bit shocked at his guess but nodded. "How'd you know?"
Brew's chestnut eyes sparkled with mirth as he said, "I could smell the smoke from here. I swear, the guy smokes more than a factory stack." The group shared a laugh before the seven, including Lunar, walked towards the spot that the amiable bartender had pointed them to. After a bit of searching, they spotted the mechanic sitting at a lone booth, a cigarette in his mouth and his face obscured by his hood. He swirled a small glass of amber liquid in his grip. Lunar sat down next to him, keeping a little space in between them. The others all crowded into the seat across from the pair. The mechanic did not seem to notice, as he just kept swirling his drink.
"Uh... Tinker?" asked Twilight, hoping to break the silence in the group. The emerald eyed metal worker shifted his gaze from his drink to the purple Alicorn in front of him.
"Can I help you?" he said with no real emotion in his tone. Twilight looked at him oddly.
"You... told us to meet you here, remember? The binocu-goggles?" she reminded him. Tinker only turned his attention back to his glass. Lunar's face contorted into an expression of worry.
She said, "Are you felling okay, Tink?"
"Hmph... I feel fine. More than fine, even," he said with a dark chuckle, "Just wondering when you were going to pay me, Ms. Unicorn." This statement took the whole group aback.
"Oh, how rude, Mr. Tinker! I thought you were at least better than that," said Rarity.
"...Hmph," he said, "Thinking; that's where you went wrong, Little Miss!"
All around, stares of confusion and frustration were shared. Maybe he was drunk? He did have a glass of scotch in his hand. As they silently pondered, they heard a loud gasp come from behind them. They all turned around to see... Tinker, with a cigarette and a shot glass, staring at their booth. "I... see," he said, "I understand."
"Uh-oh," muttered the Tinker they were sitting with, "Seems I've been a bad stallion." The standing Tinker lightly set his drink on the table nearest him, it landing on the table with a small clink, and then he turned to face the doppelganger. A sardonic grin stretched his features, and he offered his hand to the other.
"Indeed you have, Rapture," replied Tinker, "I would ask that you drop the act; this may get confusing for those not in the know." Just as he said, the six ladies surrounding the two Tinkers had masks of pure confusion pasted on their faces...
...Which were quickly swapped for looks of surprise, fear, and disgust as the changeling known as Rapture appeared in the spot the black- hooded Tinker had been sitting, materializing in a burst of green magic. He had eyes like Queen Chrysalis, save for the fact that they were a shade more purple. He kept his pseudo-Tinker attire, and his scowl was quickly replaced with a trickster's grin. The girls jumped out of their seats, each of them ready for a brawl.
Before things could get out of hand though, Tinker stepped in to play mediator. "Woah, woah!" he cried out, "Hold on! Don't vaporize him! I haven't gotten his rent money yet!" This comment threw the Six for a loop.
Rent? they thought, This guy is his roommate?
Twilight was the first to speak. "So... you are saying that you are giving... room and board to a changeling?"
"Yes."
"Are you out of your mind!?"
Tinker sighed, bunching up the sleeves of his jacket and looking to Amber Brew, who looked over and gave the engineer a knowing nod.
"Look, how about I explain this over a few drinks, on me?
The group was seated at the same booth where Rapture had tricked them. The aforementioned changeling had a look of apprehension scrawled on his face as Tinker swirled his cognac around in its glass, and the girls, sans Lunar and Fluttershy, leveled untrusting gazes at him when they were not focused on the engineer.
"Alright," said Tock finally, "I'm going to tell you a tale, and you'll keep quiet while I tell it, aye? Aye. Now, this was all after that fancy wedding, the one where a whole horde of changelings was forcefully flung from Canterlot's streets by a magnificent orb of magical energy. Now, you would think that this would hurdle them all back to the Changeling Viles, right? Not quite." He paused to take a sip from his glass, smacking his lips before continuing. "This little bug here lands smack dab in the middle of my workshop, pushing quite forcefully through several layers of solid brick. Now, not one to push away someone so obviously in need of aid, I took him in, nursed his wounds- and trust me, face-planting brick will leave a few bruises- then heard his story. The guy's not half bad, once you get to know him a little."
Rapture winked at the machinist, a faux blush forming across his cheeks. "Ah, Tock, you flatter me!" he cooed, throwing his arm over Tinker's shoulder. Tinker responded by removing the arm both promptly and placidly.
"As I was saying," resumed the engineer, "Rapture has been living with me for quite a bit now. He pays his way, helps me when I need his help, and is generally obnoxious when I need him to stay out of my way."
"Awww, I didn't know you cared!"
"...Shut up, Rapture."
All of this was a bit much for Twilight and her friends to wrap their heads around too quickly. They listened to the two men banter for a short while. Fluttershy piped up first, surprisingly.
"Well," she started, "I think that it's lovely that Tinker is giving Rapture a chance to redeem himself." Slowly, all of the others began to nod, almost reluctantly, as if they were not quite sure they believed Rapture's story. Rapture, as a changeling, could feel their hesitation to believe him and Tock. He understood it, so he said nothing of it. They would come around... eventually.
"So, since we're here, let's get down to business." Tinker placed his hands on the table, a fresh cigarette now in his lips. "You wanted repairs to those fancy goggles, correct?"
"Yes," replied Sparkle, "I was hoping that you might have a fresh perspective on what might be wrong with it." Seeing as how the two eggheads were talking business, the others decided to talk amongst themselves. As they all talked, Amber Brew approached the table, leaving drinks for all. He, too, eventually joined in the banter.
Some Time Later...
"...And that's why ya never let a hockey player borrow ya spanner set." Brew smiled as he finished his story, leading to uproarious laughter from the- now well soused- group.
"Ah, man, that one never gets old," said Tinker.
"A true classic, by all accounts," piped Rapture.
"Well, this has been quite a grand time and all, but wouldn't you say it's time we started looking for a place to stay? I daresay it's too late to catch a train back to Ponyville," quipped Rarity, her crimson blush contrasting with her alabaster-like complexion.
"Y... you could alwaysh shtay at my plache..." stuttered Lunar, who had never quite learned to hold her liquor.
"Look, I think I'm the most sober out of all of us," said Rapture, who, thanks to his insectoid body, was all but immune to the effects of alcohol, "I'll get everyone to the workshop, and we can all sleep this off there."
Little did they know, someone was watching in the shadows... waiting for people like these to come out and... play...
