[Open] The greatest treasures?

[Kahoot]

"Miss Fluttershy? Who's that?" The mare questions with a confused expression, hopping on rocks to get across a stream, in the distance cave comes into view. You can already tell it's most likely the mare's based on the decorations surrounding it, many carpets and signs posted about as well as fairy lights hanging along the entrance where vines are growing over the opening of the cave. It overall looks like a place you'd find some sort of witch.

 

"Most ponies don't understand the difference between being pathetic and powerful... Most are pathetic due to the fact they claim they can do so much but in reality, they can barely grasp the concept of potion making, let alone magic... I can name quite a handful of unicorns I am far better at magic than them." Sioux grins excitedly as she feels the dirt grow a bit muddier, letting her know that she should slow down before she either slips or bumps into her home as well as one of her signs.

 

"My name? Oh, it means Little Snakes... Quite fitting most would call me a snake since I tend to slither my way around problems as well as look adorable when in reality I am horrible... At least, that's what I've heard most say. It also matches my eyes in a way, some old hag once said my eyes remind her of an albino snake..." Sioux pushes the vines that hang over her cave out of the way, "After you, m'lady~"

[Switchback]

"Fluttershy is a pegasus who lives on the outskirts of Ponyville, very nice mare so I hear. Element of kindness, and the first pony to go to when you need a petsitter, or even a pet in the first place. Always thought about heading over to see about a pet, but I'm always far too busy sadly." he laments, looking up as the cave comes into view, noting how everything was reasonably laid out it made him wonder how much trial and error went into it.

"Well for her it's more that she is a braggart. I personally dislike ponies who unironically call themselves great. It really makes them look too big for their boots and sets a standard they can not follow up on." He says as he makes sure to have a bit of a slip on the mud while he tries to slow down with her, not falling over but becoming very close to doing so. In the agency, it was widely known that he was one of the best agents for keeping cover, for how easily he could switch from bookish clutz to pony of action.

"Little snakes? Sounds kind of cute. Besides, not all snakes are deadly, and quite a lot of the poisonous ones hold the cure to their own poison within them." he notes, being a bit of a booknerd there "And nah. I know ponies, and you are not horrible. Quirky? Yes. Unique? Most certainly. But in no way horrible, misunderstood perhaps. Even by yourself I would wager." He says, keeping pace again "Not actually seen your eyes yet, so I can't comment on their quality." He says as he looks through into the cave, entering with a retort of "Is it still brains before beauty?" he jokes, making sure to retort with something that still complimented Sioux.

[Kahoot]

Sioux blushes and lets out a girly giggle that is much different than her usual cackle and such, "Oh my~! Mister Coltson you sure know how to flatter a mare~" Sioux teases with a toothy grin and trots inside after him happily, "While I may not be able to see you, I am sure you are much nicer looking than I, most are, hehe~!" Sioux seems to constantly put herself down for her strange looks as well as disability, yet always keeps her usual smile and laughs after every insult to herself.

 

"Blah, ever since those elements of harmony came about, everything has been going bonkers! Chaos, war, weddings being ruined, all this crazy stuff~!" She sings, with a slight glare. The mare immediately puts down her bag as well as place her false antlers onto a shelf on the wall where skulls and other antlers were propped up. Sioux pulls the book from her bag and places it on a stand over another book in braille which seemed to be worn out.

 

Sioux disappears behind a curtain for a second before returning with a man that is much better tamed than before, a crimson red headband pushed back her mane and made it seem much longer than it does when it's pushed forward to cover her eyes. Her eyes are glossed over and hazy, though, just as Sioux said they resembled the blood red eyes of an albino snake... They even held a similar shape. "While I may not be able to see, my hair tends to tickle and poke my eyes... Then they itch and burn and it's no fun for anyone~!"

 

[Switchback]

He chuckles with a bow "Well I certainly try my best~" he smirks "Ah nah I'm not very nice looking. Got a look of a pony twice my age, and the fashion sense of my grandpa. And I think once again that your look adds a very exotic allure. Don't think it's that repulsive at all." he comments, battling the endless war to keep her from insulting herself.

"It happened before those elements as well. Just disasters without heroes don't get as well documented. A story without main characters is rather dull after all. I think it all mostly goes down to coincidence. When the world gets heroes, then more often than not, things that go wrong can be attributed to the ponies who stop it." he shrugs, watching her place down her antlers on what he could only assume to be her antler display stand. With some very interesting other ones. He kind of wanted to wear one.

He looked around, noticing she had vanished, relieved when she reappeared an interesting new look as well, evidently she felt more comfortable with her eyes when nopony else could see them. He studies her eyes briefly, finding them rather cool to look at. "I see, and that's why you keep rubbing them? Here, try this." He removes his sunglasses, feeling sad that he was parting with them he slowly places them over her eyes "Then when your hair does go over your eyes, it will hit the glass instead."

[Kahoot]

The mare smiles at him, shaking her head and sighing, "No way~ You probably look a lot more handsome than you think, beauty is in the eye of the beholder..." Sioux holds in a giggle, "Although, for me... Beauty is in the... Pfft!" She could barely finish her sentence before she burst into a fit of laughter, "I-I'm sorry... I'm positive you look a lot better than you make out but thank you for the compliment~!" She sings cheerfully, trotting over to her desk.

 

The mare blinks a few times, happy for once that she is blind and can't see the stallion's reaction to her eyes, she frowns a bit, something that is peculiar since the entire time she has been extremely cheerful and constantly beaming. The mare blinks a few times as she feels something on her face, "Huh?" She reaches up and makes up they're some type of glasses, while she is flattered that he cared, she didn't want them. "No need, keep them... If you've been wearing these since we first met, then they must mean something to you... I can just buy my own or put a blindfold over my eyes... By the way, if you're thirsty or hungry, there is a large thing that resembles a wardrobe, it actually has food in it." 

 

Sioux picks up eyedrops from her desk, placing them in each eye, noticeably the red seems to change a lighter shade, this meaning her eyes previously were irritated. After she allows the eyedrops to settle in, she goes to her book stand and flips through the pages, running her hooves over the braille as she searches for the potions she would be making.

[Switchback]

He grins as she says something that he wondered perhaps resonated with her, even if she did not point it out. Beauty being in the eye of the beholder. "I guess it is. But even so, I do look very boring. Whole suit and specs look that drives oh so many mares crazy for me." he jokes, leaning against the wall as he watches her trotting about.

He shakes his head with a smile "Oh no, they are just provided by work. They keep trying to persuade me to go outside. I can just requisition new ones, and that gives me the added benefit of making my superiors shake their heads and tut. Nothing more fun than making my bosses tut." he looks across at the wardrobe thing, nodding "It's alright, I don't need to eat your food. You paid for all of that yourself. Besides, never eat from your date's plate on the first date." he jokes with a laugh, barely able to finish the joke.

He watches her putting in her eyedrops, wincing at it; he could take a hit from a bugbear and shrug it off, but eyedrops? They were a special kind of evil. He shakes his head as he goes back to quietly watching the processes that Sioux was going through.

[Kahoot]

Sioux shakes her head, "Meh, they're missing out on quite the gentleman if I do say so myself~" The mare coos with a grin and shrugs. Sioux hums quietly to herself as she finds a page that speaks of a potion to make things more clear, especially words. She trots over to her cauldron and remembers to do the opposite, although, she doesn't know how when there are specific ingredients. That's when a light bulb pretty much appears on the top of her head, the mare goes back to the book and flips the pages to find a potion that makes thing unclear, the opposite of what they want.

 

"It'll be funny to see me walk about with sunglasses, hehe~ I think I may just wear a blindfold, it's more mysterious and cool looking!" Sioux giggles and sways back and forth happily, although, she freezes at his last statement about 'never eat from your date's plate on the first date.' She thinks over his choice of words for a moment and can't help but swoon slightly, she has never heard such words before, nor received so many compliments in one day... Let alone made conversation with somepony as well as invite anyone to her own home.

 

"Ah, so you believe this is some sort of date, hmm?" She says as she carries her book stand near her cauldron before swiftly beginning to fill the large pot with water and all sorts of weird substances.

[Switchback]

He can't help but laugh at her suggestion others are missing out on him "Easy tigress." he grins, still calmly leaning against the wall as he watches her work. It was incredible how fast she could read braille, but it was her reading language he guessed it was like his magic based reading.

 

"If you want." he laughs "But it also hides your cool eyes. Which is a downside definitely." he says as he starts to wander around the cave, looking at everything there, still kind of wanting to wear some antlers before the end of the day.

 

Her next statement caught him off guard, as he laughs "Oh heavens no. That was just a joke, I am not that easy to get on a date." he chuckles a bit longer before watching her start brewing.

[Kahoot]

 

"The mare shakes her head once more and chuckles, "I don't think I need to be easy... You're the one flirting and spewing compliments here and there." Sioux smiles and grabs a jar of what seemed to be shriveled up mushrooms, although, they were glowing. She drops three into the cauldron before placing back the jar and pouring in another vile of some weird green slime. 
 

"Meh, my eyes aren't cool... There are plenty of ponies with red eyes... I just so happen to be blind is all, mine just look more glossy and flat colored." She grabs a large stick and uses it to stir the contents of the cauldron, scrunching up her nose at the smell and sticking her tongue out, "Nasty..." She mutters and pulls the stick out, tapping the bit of slime that hung from the end back into the pot before setting the stick to the side.

 

"Not easy to get on a date?! Oh no, I think my confidence has dialed down..." Sioux jokes and giggles, grabbing a glass bowl and pouring the slimy contents from the cauldron into the bowl using her trusty spoon, "Hmm... Mental note, before we part ways, I will get you a date with a mare~!" Sioux cackles in a way that would resemble an evil villain, although, she had no ill intention. 

 

"One potion down, this is the clarity potion... Although I took your advice and did the opposite, this means I put the ingredients for a potion that makes things unclear, the opposite~"

 

[Switchback]

"What can I say? I enjoy complimenting others. Makes me feel good to see others feeling good." he smiles happily. "And your eyes are cool; red eyes are cool. Doesn't matter if plenty of ponies have them; they are still just as cool." he decides, nodding as he gags slightly as well from the smell of the mixture. "Yeah you're right there..."

 

He laughs at her decision to take his statement as a challenge. "No you really don't need to. Besides, we don't have that long, and love potions don't count either." he says quickly, wanting to shut down that possibility before it became one. "Bet I could set you up with a stallion though."

 

"Opposite potion, got it. Suppose I should test it yeah? Don't want to risk it not working and have the only pony to fix it being the one affected."

[Kahoot]

"Thanks... I suppose everyone has their own opinion and finds different things cool, attractive, blah, blah blah..." Sioux shakes her head and coughs a bit, quickly shutting the cauldron before mixing the contents she poured into the glass bowl, adding what seemed to look like sugar but had a more crystal appearance. The mare sets aside the spoon and puts a bit of the liquid into two cups, the smell slowly became a more sweet type of scent... Which was already a good sign since most potions that are meant to have a positive effect usually have a very alluring and sweet smell to them.

 

"Me with a stallion? Oh lord, you must be pulling my leg, not in a million years will you see me having a stallion head over hooves for me... Jeez, the last time I spoke to a stallion he thought I was some sort of demon and started to recite prayers and shoo me away with a bat~!" Sioux giggled even if she felt the opposite of how she portrayed herself, "None the less... Don't even bother... It's a waste of time..." Her tone becomes more quiet and calm than usual, her smile disappearing and her eyes closing.

 

"Here, don't drink too much... Only a swig, the more you drink the stronger the effect." She gives the cup to the stallion, giving him a small smile of reassurance.

[Switchback]

He smells the very odd difference in the potion scent from when it was brewing, which was probably a good sign, he hoped. He couldn't help but laugh at her description of the last stallion to notice her, shaking his head. "A society where Changelings are accepted just fine, but have sharp teeth and suddenly you are spooky? Strange times." he comments with a smile, hoping to raise her mood a bit.

 

He takes the cup, steadying his nerves as he raises it "Well here goes nothing. To my health." he says as he takes a quick swig of the potion.

[Kahoot]

The mare dismisses his statement with a shrug, rubbing her snout and seeming to remain calmer and gentler than usual, it did make the cave very boring and quiet compared to before... But the sadness did allow the mare to properly find the next potion whilst the stallion drinks the potion.

 

The taste was rather sweet and resembled that of cotton candy before turning into a sweet taste with small hints of iron, kinda like when you bite your tongue and can taste the iron in your blood. Sioux walked over to her book and put her hoof on the braille, reading it carefully, "It says to immediately think of what you want to clarify... The more you use the effects, the less clear things will become..." Sioux trots back over the stallion and waits patiently, hoping it wouldn't cause him any more harm than needed... By that, she means that if he feels the slightest pain just to get the potion to work, so be it.

 

[Switchback]

He nods, starting off easy he thinks about glass, wanting to test that it was working before they took it out. He focuses on it, thinking carefully he finds that more often his eyes get drawn to the glass containers around, and the lens of his glasses. He grins as he looks back to Sioux "Guess what? The potion is working exactly as you wanted it to. Miss jinxed, you just overcame your curse." he says with a broad grin "This is brilliant, should work perfectly."

[Kahoot]

Sioux grins excitedly, hopping around in a circle, "EEEEK~!" She screams happily, trying to get her excitement out all at once before slowly beginning to calm down. She trots in place and cheers, "Yay~!" Sioux finally uses all her energy and sits down, "Finally... I am not a failure~!" Sioux giggles as she sways back and forth with a grin.

 

"Now, you need the potion, I can't see so it won't work well with me... You have more information on this bell so if you need to, drink a bit more... Just be careful, the side effects were feeling kinda numb in the face if you drink more than 8 ounces."

[Switchback]

He can't help but watch her as she celebrated what he supposed was probably one of the first times in her life she felt happy with what she made, staring with a smile at her little happy hoppy trot.

 

"No more than eight ounces. Right." he takes another swig of it, nodding as that felt about right, picturing brass in his mind he turns around "Okay then, are you ready to get moving?" he asks with a smile

[Kahoot]

Sioux settles down and cheerfully nods with excitement, "I am so happy~!" She sings and twirls in place before hurrying over to her book, "I am ready but... Do you still want me to make a speed enhancer? It's not necessary but it can provide much help!" Sioux states, going over to her bag and slinging it over her back, getting ready for if he may pass on the suggestion. She removes the headband from her mane, her mane fluffing up before falling into her face again as if it was natural.

 

The mare pours the contents left in the bowl back into the cauldron to be safe, the last thing she wants is for the wrong hooves to get on the substance.

[Switchback]

"We should be good without the speed potion; I can't see much brass in the forest, in fact I'm getting the feeling its only in one place. I get the feeling there is a tree that has fallen but is leaning in the top of a tree that has been split by lightning. Ring any bells?" he asks her, smiling as he watches her mane poof in that rather cute way, shaking his head as he focuses on the area again.

[Kahoot]

Sioux frowns and shakes her head, "I can't see, duh~ Even if I did pass it, which I most likely have, I wouldn't know." The mare sighs and shrugs, "I don't know... Maybe it's more North-East near Cloudsdale, a lot of storms happen around Cloudsdale, especially closer to the Everfree Forest." Sioux rubs her snout and smiles, "I think we should start there..." 

 

She puts an umbrella within her bag as well as eyedrops considering her eyes lately have grown quite irritated, although, she remembers her idea from earlier and wraps a cloth around her eyes so her mane doesn't poke at them.

[Switchback]

He nods "Oh yeah, sorry I forgot. But yeah, let's head up that way. I'm sure when we get closer the potion will be more helpful. Lead on~" he smiles happily, glad to be making progress now, especially since the day also included helping Sioux with her problem. This operation, at least to him, was a total success.

[Kahoot]

The young mare lets out a sigh, adjusting her bag on her shoulders and heading out of her cave, not before locking up a few critical ingredients and rare items, of course, the last thing she wants is for those to get lost or stolen. Sioux slowly begins to lead the way, heading to the right of her home which would surely lead to Cloudsdale. "Coltson, why exactly are you looking for this item? If it causes silence, what use could it hold aside from... Well, silencing the vicinity around it?"

 

As the mare maneuver around rocks and roots sticking up from the ground, her ears perk up to listen closely to the stallion's movements as well as his answer to her question. The mare found it a bit odd that a pony wouldn't question her if they got a chance to speak to her while she is in a good mood, most researchers do... What pony would trust Sioux to guide them through the forest, let alone go inside her own home?! Sioux found it barely believable but remembered this is a big world full of stranger ponies.

[Switchback]

"Why am I looking for it? Well partly to prove it does exist. But also so I can lock it away in my safe so no other pony could use it for ill meaning purposes." he explains as he trots along with her.

 

As he looks around, the route starts to feel familiar under his hooves, due to the fact he never walked it before, he assumed it to be the potion, letting himself follow the line he calls to Sioux "Hey, follow me I think I've got something."

[Kahoot]

Sioux gives a strange expression to the stallion, but none the less, she follows him, listening out for his hooves as he trots. The mare lets out a sigh and smiles slightly, trotting forward in the direction of the Stallion, "Where are we going?" She asks gently, listening out so she doesn't miss where he may be heading, she surely doesn't want to get split up from the stallion.

 

The environment slowly grows colder and more dead looking, plants shriveled up and even a few knocked over trees that overlap, rocks and boulders spewed about... It almost looked as if a giant monster came crashing through for the sole purpose of screwing the area up.

[Switchback]

"Where are we going? No clue~" he laughs slightly at the situation "Just following my nose, or rather your potion. This place is already starting to look right as well. Bit ruined but oh well." he says as he keeps trotting through the wrecked path, also whistling every so often to check he still had sound.

[Kahoot]

Sioux notices how his voice seemed a lot more quiet than usual, as well as his hooves. She began to panic, if the sound did cancel out, she would get lost... Well, she would be split up with him considering she won't be able to hear the stallion, "Coltson, your voice and hooves are becoming quieter..." She says with a frown, trotting closer to the stallion to test out whether it what just distance between them or if they were actually getting closer. Noticeably, there are a few burnt trees and patches of dirt, meaning lightning had struck around this area, another sign they were getting closer.