Identifying a Pegasus's Problem

15 June 2015

19:37 Ruzeth waits patiently at his stall for customers to come. The makeshift stand was obviously built by hoof, and put to shame by several of the vendors around him, though he made do with what he had. Up top, a sign read Ruzeth's potions and cures and down the rails were a couple of Zebrican masks. A number of glass vials and flasks littered the sides of the counter, placed seemingly haphazardly, each labeled with its use. The morning had been busy, but now that everypony was at work, things had slowed in pace as he awaits his next customer.

19:40 < Inky> (\o/)

19:41 Seaward_Skies is half-dozing, leaning up against a low fall, his eyelids drooping low over unfocused eyes. He stands like that for a while as the market gets busier, then slacks off again, before he stands up with a little start and looks around, blinking. He spots the stall Inky had told him about, adorned with exotic masks, and wanders over, looking in at

19:41 < Seaward_Skies> the young zebra. "Mornin'. Or...afternoon, no' sure which... Anyways, are you Ruzeth?" he asks, his soft lilting accent showing more strongly in his sleepy state.

19:47 Ruzeth consulting his notes of potions that he had to make for a couple clients at the time that the stallion lazily made his way over to his stand, going over how much time it would take to make each of them and when that would mean he'd have to close up when he hears Seaward_Skies speak. His gaze turns across his stand, to see the tired looking pony and gives him quite the smile. "Yes~ That'd be me~" He takes in the sight of the stallion and begins to frown. "You look a little...out of it. I take it you're here for something to pep you up?"

19:48 < -> Tihan|AFK is now known as Tihan

19:49 Seaward_Skies smiles back at the younger stallion and shrugs, scrubbing at a sleep-gummed eye. "Uh... Aye, sort of. Bit short term, but it might help me make my point a little clearer... Coffee doesnae seem t'be cuttin' it..." He reaches back and rummages in his saddlebag. "How much for a pick-me-up?"

19:52 Ruzeth raddles off a reasonable price and smiles at the stallion, hoofing over a shimmering green potion. "Drink this, still...things like this are really only a stop gap...Have you not been sleeping well? I"ve got something for that if that'd be your root ailment."

19:56 Seaward_Skies hoofs over the bits and picks up the potion, squinting at it for a moment before he shrugs, trusting Inky's word about the colt and downing the potion as quickly as he can. "Hmm, it's got a bit of an aftertaste..." he says, before he shudders and opens his eyes wide, the perk-up potion sending a shock through his veins. "Wow... That's strong

19:56 < Seaward_Skies> stuff... But no, no I've been sleeping fine, but I've just been.. tired lately. Not sure why. But Inky said you could help me out, so..."

20:04 Ruzeth taps his hoof on the table as he waits for the stallion to drink it, used to teh skepticism he got from some ponies. He can tail as Seaward_Skies perks up, his eyes coming alive and his body tensing back up as his energy is restored. "Well...most things that are good for you dont have the best flavor." He then listens to the pony's tale calmly, though the mention of the batpony changes his dimeanor. He seems to transition to glowing with excitement, his body bouncing in his stool and his tail titching and jingling around. "Oooh! You know Inky? Any friend of Inky's is a friend of mine! So...anything change in your routine in the last couple of months?"

20:08 Seaward_Skies can't help but grin as the zebra starts showing his more colt-ish side, practically dancing about in excitement. "Hehe, aye, I know Inky. And she was very complimentary about you." He pauses as the zebra ask about his routine, frowning a little as he tries to think about anything that might have changed, besides the obvious. "Well... The only

20:08 < Seaward_Skies> thing that's changed is I have a new fillyfriend... We've had a could of, uh...late nights, but I've been sleeping better lately, and I can't think how that would make me this tired anyway."

20:11 < Inky> (these RPs are so fun! :D )

20:13 Ruzeth gives a coltish giggle at the mention of 'late nights' and shakes his head. "Well...hmmm havnt started a new job, or...huh, how were you feeling around this time last year? This isnt a seasonabl thing for you is it? What about your mood. Have you been feeling yourself lately?"

20:15 Seaward_Skies shakes his head slowly. "Last year I was fine. And trust me, if I was getting this tired, it would come up. The Navy doesn't take kindly to petty officers falling asleep on duty..." He shrugs again. "I've just been feeling...drained. I guess that's all I can say about it."

20:15 < Inky> (Ruzeth wouldn't know anything about changelings though, would he?)

20:18 < Ruzeth> (No I dont think so. I mean he heard silly rumors about the canterlot attack, but its not something that would come to mind.)

20:18 < Ruzeth> (But we have other things we can do!)

20:20 Ruzeth screws his muzzle into a look of concentration, trying to figure out a way to help the stallion when thoughts of Inky come to his mind. "Hmmm....Um Mr....Uh...What did you say you're name was? Would you mind stepping behind the stand here? I want to take a look at your chakras real fast...maybe something is imbalanced."

20:21 < Ruzeth> (Gonna call the magic nodes chakras because why not :P Borrowing from other ideas)

20:22 < Inky> (is he better at that now 'n stuff?)

20:22 < Inky> (when is the Subira thing supposedly taking place, anyway? :o )

20:22 Seaward_Skies chuckles nervously, rubbing the back of his neck as he steps around and into the stand. "Uh, Skies. Seaward Skies. You can call me either or, whichever you prefer. You really think that...chakras are the answer? I thought they were just superstition..."

20:23 < Inky> (previously Ruzeth needed to light some fancy incense and stuff to get into the right frame of mind)

20:24 < Ruzeth> (I think this happened after Subira...maybe)

20:24 < Ruzeth> (He'll still have to do some prep work.)

20:25 < Inky> (we can wrangle that, I think, we just might need to do a little wrangling! That sounds good though)

20:26 < Seaward_Skies> (So... Is this supposed to be canon?)

20:26 < Ruzeth> (I thought it would be)

20:26 < Seaward_Skies> (That's cool, just making sure)

20:27 Ruzeth watches the stallion trot around his stand, revealing that the zebra had been standing on a half a foot tall step the entire time. He leans forward and hangs a closed sign on the front of his stand before turning to face Seaward_Skies. On the back side tehre were even more vials and a cart half full of assorted items. He digs into it and pulls out a small stick of incense and a tray setting it down. "Chakra's are real!" He scoffs tunring his head away and snorting. "Where do you think your magic comes from you silly pony?"

20:30 Seaward_Skies glances down at the stool but doesn't say anything, instead turning his head to look at the racks and the nicknacks, wondering what most of them were actually used for. He wrinkles his nose at the smell of incense and waves a hoof in front of his face. "I never thought it was chakras. They always said that we just...had it. Like it was in our

20:30 < Seaward_Skies> blood. Flight instructors, I mean, at school."

20:34 Ruzeth rolls his eyes and takes a seat down next to the incense and gestures for the other pony to do the same. The dirt was a little worn in spots, givning Seaward_Skies some indication that he'd done this sort of thing before. "Come. sit and relax for me." He commands in a soft voice. His hooves fumble with a firestarter until the stick catches alight and begins to put out a deep pugnant scent.

20:35 < -> Inky is now known as Aldric

20:37 Seaward_Skies lifts a brow as the zebra takes on a more authoritive manner, and nods gently as he obeys and takes a seat and a deep breath, sitting opposite Ruzeth and trying to let his muscles go limp. "So... How exactly do you do this?"

20:43 Ruzeth turns to give the stallion a stern gaze and puts a hoff ot his mouth to silence him before saying. "Shush. Breathe deep of the fumes and let your mind go free. I think you'll find it easier if you close your eyes and take long deep breaths." The zebra watches for a moment to see if Seaward would obey. The longer he breathed the fumes, the hazier his mind would become to the ouside world, but he'd also begin to feel at ease and have more of an internal clarity

20:47 Seaward_Skies sighs and nods again as the zebra pulls his hoof away, sitting back on his haunches and letting his forelegs stabilise his position, without putting too much weight on them, simply letting them rest lightly on the packed dirt floor. The heady scent of incense fills his nose but he tries to ignore it, and soon it seems to fill his mind as well,

20:47 < Seaward_Skies> turning it inward and seeming to slowly remove him from time and space, retreating into a little bubble the encapsulates him and only him, both created from and containing himself. He sways gently, completely relaxed now, his breath coming slow, deep and steady, almost as though he were sleeping.

20:58 Ruzeth nods his head, satisfied with the way the stallion seems to take it, finally letting himself be one with himself and then sits back once more, closing his eyes as well, and letting the scent slowly bring him to clarity. His mind retreats inside himself, first becoming one with his body, and then progressing further becomes one with the universe itself, bringing him in harmony with the energies. Finally, after several minutes that seem like only seconds, the zebra opens his eyes and scoots forward, laying a hoof on the pony's shoulder and giving him a glimpse of the stallion's energies.

21:01 Seaward_Skies is almost completely unaware of the colt's touch. In the physical, he doesn't notice it at all. He only feels a vague presence, an intruder in the world that previously had contained only him. It makes him tense by the slightest amount, somewhat defensively, but he doesn't sense any ill will, and soon the intruder becomes a guest within his

21:01 < Seaward_Skies> realm. He lets the zebra look and feel relaxing again.

21:09 Ruzeth comes up across the 'barrier' as he reaches out to the stallion and pauses for a second, 'knocking' gently till it drops and lets him in. The young colt might appear as a visage in Seaward_Skies's thoughts though it hardly acknowledges him as he goes hard to work exploring Seaward_Skies's chackra's. The stallion's hooves poke and prod all around him, sending strange senstations as they seem to extend past his flesh into his energy beyond, perhaps sending a chilly sensation into the pegasus as he works.

21:13 Seaward_Skies shivers gently, the mental 'chill' translating to synaesthetic chills in his joints and nodes and vice versa as hoof and mind conspire to inspect him, body and mind, inside and out. He only relaxes, letting the zebra work, some dim part of him recognising an expertise belied by the colt's young age.

21:15 < Seaward_Skies> (This is my accompaniment to this scene: https://soundcloud.com/birdfeeder/jurassic-park-theme-1000-slower )

21:15 < BurpyHooves> [ Jurassic Park Theme (1000% Slower) by birdfeeder | Free Listening ... ]

21:16 < Aldric> (oh, I remember that!)

21:25 Ruzeth frowns as he drifts from energy spot to energy spot, trying to identify the cause of the apparent lack of magic running through the stallion's body. There was nothing exceptionally obvious except that the node in the pony's heart was clearly the weakest and the others were trying to suppliment it. Finally the zebra sighs and pulls, though before he does, he becons the pegasus out of his slumber.

21:27 Seaward_Skies slowly drifts out from his own mind, or it seems slow to him, at least. He gradually becomes aware of the material world again, first the smell of incense, then the sound of ponies walking and talking nearby, and finally the strange stiffness in his limbs. He rolls his neck slowly, blinking, trying to get used to the feeling of...dullness in

21:27 < Seaward_Skies> his mind. "Huh. That was...interesting..."

21:30 < Aldric> (I wonder if Ruzeth ever practiced this stuff on Lucent)

21:31 < Seaward_Skies> (It seems like it could be very sensual, if done right)

21:31 < Aldric> (heh... I dunno, maybe! Hadn't really considered that kind of use)

21:32 < Seaward_Skies> (Hey, not even in a sexual way, just... Sheer intimacy)

21:33 < Aldric> (ah, that sort of thing)

21:33 < Aldric> (//shrug, I'd imagined it before as without the mind-touching thing, but maybe Ruzeth learned some new tricks!)

21:34 < Aldric> (an idea percolating was that Ruzeth was curious about how unicorns were wired + wanted to make sure Lucent's magic was okay)

21:37 Ruzeth is frowning at Seaward_Skies as the pegasus opens his eyes, and his look did not look like a happy one. "Well...whatever it is...it's eating away at your heart chakra. Thats where 'love' magic and other such emotional strengths tend to come from. I have no clue what would do that though...Perhaps you're coming down with something? I could create a temporary remedy to keep you perked up...but you'll risk burnout..." the zebra says grimly.

21:39 Seaward_Skies sighs and looks down, lifting a hoof to press to his chest, as if he might be able to feel the chakra, and whatever it is that's eating away at it. "Burnout... That doesn't really sound all that fun..." he says softly. "You think this could be some kind of...chakra parasite?"

21:40 < Aldric> (Inky knows what burnout is like! :O )

21:48 Ruzeth reaches up to rest his hoof on Skies's hoof and says, "Maybe, maybe some sort of parasite is eating away at it...but I dont know how I'd be able to locate it...not without having to shadow you for a while or something...it could be anywhere you usually go..."

21:49 Ruzeth Ruzeth shakes his head, "ANd magical burnout is terrible...its sort of like what you're feeling like now, but more intense...and with a parasite like that...who knows if you'd recover..."

21:50 Seaward_Skies sighs again and nods, giving the zebra a tight, thin-lipped smile. "Well... I guess now I've got a better idea of what the problem is. But I'm not sure if I'm any closer to a solution." He lifts a hoof and places it on the colt's shoulder as well. "But thank you, Ruzeth. You did what you could, and I'm grateful for it."

22:00 Ruzeth folds his ears down despite the stallion's thanks and sighs, looking down at the ground. "I dont feel like I've helped much at all...this is all beyond what I know...Still if you would be interested in those potions I coudl get them...but I wouldnt use them for more than a month..." He says sounding a tad forlorn.

22:01 Seaward_Skies smiles a little wider, rubbing his shoulder gently. "You've given me an idea what to look for. That's more than I had before I saw you. And I suppose I could buy a little stock of potions, and save them for when I really need them, right?"

22:08 Ruzeth gets back to his feet slowly, though his energy seems to be a bit drained. "Yes...I suppose I could fix you up a stock. I'll have to make it though, it'll be a little more specialized for what we know...How many days worth did you want?" When Seaward_Skies answers he rattles off a price that may seem a bit steep, but was actually a discounted 'friend' rate.

22:11 Seaward_Skies pats his saddlebags, wincing a little at the price, but one thing he's learned on his travels is that potions rarely come cheap. Those that do tend not to work as advertised. "I can stretch to that," he says, hoofing over the bits. "How long will it take you to make the potions?"

22:22 Ruzeth gives a faint smile when the stallion agrees to his price and nods. "Good good, I can have a weeks worth in..." The zebra stops to consult his sheet and then things about it. "Ahhh, well yours is more important than some of these...I'll get you a weeks worth by tomorrow morning, and then the rest of them will be in a couple days." He says with a grin.

22:23 Seaward_Skies stands properly and takes his hoof from the colt's shoulder, holding it out to shake. "All right, that sounds like a solid plan to me. Thanks again, Ruzeth. I'll be sure to tell Inky how helpful you were," he says with a genuine smile.

22:25 Ruzeth takes the hoof and gives it a firm shake, before brightening up once again at the mention of the mare. "Oh will you? But...I didnt really fix you at all...Still I guess that'll be alright. Tell her I say hi, and that I wish she'd stop by more often."

22:26 Seaward_Skies nods back to him. "I will. And like I said, even if you didn't fix me up, you've done more than enough." He stepds back, glancing up at the sky and sighing. "Well, I have to be going... Hopefully I'll see you around sometime."

22:27 < Aldric> (something else to talk about at the bar, eh?)

22:27 < Aldric> (if... that timing even works out xP)

22:30 Ruzeth gives a nod and waves at the stallion as he heads out towards teh crowd. The zebra stops to consider his task list for the evening and decides perhaps its time to pack up. If Seaward_Skies turned around now, he'd see the little colt hard at work loading stuff into his cart to stash for the night.

22:30 < Seaward_Skies> (And scene, I think)

22:35 < Aldric> (woo, more canon things!)

22:36 < Seaward_Skies> (Woo!)