Neoniie

Flux started to acknowledge Sketch Navy's introduction when Colton landed suddenly on the table. The pegasus looked rather dazed as he greeted her and her company. Flux was shocked for a moment, wondering how on Equestria Colton had managed to propel himself onto their table. She was not sure how she should respond to this, as a pegasus had never crashed onto her table before. Deciding to take it is well as she could, Flux slipped out of her seat and offered Colton a hoof up. "Hello Colton, what an...odd way to make an entrance. I suppose you were the pegasus I saw earlier." Turning her head toward Harmony, she introduced Colton in a more formal manner. "This is Colton. I mentioned him earlier." Some inner voice wondered how crazy she must seem for taking the situation so normally. She also noticed that Stetch Navy had shied away, no doubt startled by the sudden appearance of a pegasus on the table. "Don't be uneasy, Colton usually arrives much more sedately," she said, not quite sure if those were the best words to use in soothing the other unicorn's fear.

Neon was literally bouncing up and down excitedly in the growing line of ponies waiting for entry to the convention floor. He had been waiting all month for PonyCon to begin. It had dominated his thoughts and worked a very strong motivator and/or threat for his parents to use. The yellow earth pony's parents had finally decided that he was old enough to attend on his own and had sent him off on the train to Trottingham last night. The colt had slept for most of the trip, being awoken by the train stewardess when the train pulled in at Trottingham Station. Now that he was here, he could barely contain his excitement for much longer. He nosed through his saddlebags, withdrawing the registration papers he had ordered by Pegasus Mail last month. Holding them firmly between his lips, Neon reached the front of the line. "Registration papers, please." A slightly tired looking unicorn stood before him, giving a yawn once he finished his highly-rehearsed gretting. Neon placed them carefully upon the table between himself and the unicorn, eyes alight with excitement. The unicorn turned his back, writing down the ticket numbers and checking off several boxes. He levitated a lanyard around Neon's neck. Attached to the fabric was a card displayer the words PonyCon - Attendee. Neon thanked the unicorn and continued his bouncy movement into the convention building itself. Barely holding in a very girly squee of excitement, the earth pony looked at the stalls and booths set up all around him. Ohmigosh, where should I go first? Should I get some new editions of Spectacular Spiderstallion or check out the rules for the costume contest? Artist's Stables or a Celebrity Panel? With his mention of the costume contest, Neon quickly rooted through his saddlebag again, ensuring that his costume/superhero garb was still inside it. Checking the map and schedule he was given along with the attendance bagde, Neon trotted forward slowly. Well, registration for the costume contest doesn't start until 11:00, so I guess I could check out the Artist's Stables first. This is gonna be so awesome! WIth his destination in mind, Neon bounced off toward the back of the convention hall.

"Going together?" Dr. Scalpel repeated the phrase questioningly, as though he was unsure if he had heard it correctly. "Well, good to see you branching out, Flux. I would have never expected you of all ponies to go to the Gala." The white unicorn quickly began something along the lines of 'All the greatest names in science throughout all of Equestria and beyond will be there', but let the matter drop. Her father would merely smile and block out his daughter's explanation. Not that Flux particularly wanted to disabuse her father of such a notion. She was starting to make more social connection and found herself to rather enjoy such connections. With a satisfied look, she allowed her father to continue. "You know, Flux wasn't much of a social filly. Preferred books to ponies most of the time. Her mother and I tried our hardest, but she never took to anypony. Too bad you weren't around back then, Colton." Dr. Scalpel said. After a moment, he realized something. "When you say going together, do you mean together?" He spoke as though the idea had not crossed his mind until that point. Flux sputtered slightly, unsure how to answer her father. The thought had not crossed Flux's mind either and she wondered if that was indeed what had occurred. Perhaps...this is that strange concern I felt around this pony. Maybe... Flux lapsed into silent consideration, sinking off into her thoughts.

(I apologize for posting out of order, but I figured it would be weird to have Flux just standing at the door after Sweet Symphony's question.) Flux was surprised slightly by the sudden appearance of a charcoal stallion. In a clear, practiced voice he spoke, “Welcome to the Jam and Cream! Please excuse our appearance at the moment, we are undergoing some renovations. Please take a seat anywhere you like, and feel free to give a hollar if you need anything. Would you like a menu, or a glass of water?” The white mare considered the offer quickly, scanning the shop for a seat. "I wouldn't mind a menu," she decided, much of her usual confidence returning to her voice. Flux strode the rest of the way into the store and elected to sit by a window that gave a wide view of the street outside. Unfurling her scarf and placing it into her saddlebag, she cast her gaze pensively to the lightly snow-dusted streets outside. A detail of the stallions welcome floated to the front of her mind. Renovations? Perhaps they are a relatively new establishment after all. Allowing her thoughts to wander toward her more recent experiments, Flux hummed absentmindedly, producing a tune sung to her by her mother as a child. I must be getting sentimental, revisting this section of the city, Flux thought. She shook her head slightly at the thought, but kept a smile on her muzzle. Flux wondered breifly who the pegasus was, but the thought vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Quantum Flux looked down at her cutie mark as it was mentioned in the conversation, the details of its appearance flooding back to her. "Well, it was several years ago, while I was still attending Canterlot School of Magic. We had an essay due the next day on a topic of our choice. The problem I had was being unable to find a topic that interested me. I had gone through every book my parents had provided for me and still couldn't find the topic that felt right. I had almost given up hope, when an idea hit me like lightning." "I was a relatively weak magic user and so I wondered if there was a way to create magic-like effects without the drain of actual magic. I remembered a piece of information I'd read about how certain colours could be produced by combining several liquids. After a few test runs at home, I managed to finish the essay just before I had to dash off to class. I brought the liquids with me, so that I could demonstrate it live. However, I picked up one of the more...explosive chemicals in my rush. Let's just say that there was alot of black smoke created by my demostration. When the smoke had cleared, I saw that I had discovered my very own cutie mark." When she finished, the unicorn motioned toward the mark slightly with her muzzle. "It's what started my interest in science," Flux said proudly, loving being able to talk about her work. As she took a bite of her alfalfa sandwich, the dark blue unicorn she had noticed earlier trotted over shyly. His gaze was cast downward as he lifted up the sketch. Flux looked at it casually, not having much of an eye for art but knowing talent when she saw it. Since he had addressed Harmony, Flux decided she should let the filly speak first.

Neon Stargazer nearly cantered out of the small kitchen that took up about a quarter of his family's Manehatten apartment. He had just finished unpacking the last of his belongings and had been forced to endure both a gruelling first day at school and an agonizingly slow dinner. He was almost vibrating with excitement, unable to contain both his apprehension and his joy. For tonight was the night that Nighthoof, Defender of the Weak, would be revealed to all of Manehatten under the shadow of Luna's wonderful night. Nighthoof hadn't had much of a job to do in the peaceful city of Filydelphia, where Neon and his family used to live. But, here in Manehatten, he would become the scourge of the scary, the bane of the bad, the terror of the terrible, and the defeater of the dastardly! However, a quick look at the pile of papers on his bedside table reminded Neon that even the colt moonlighting as a totally awesome superhero had to get their work done. This is so...not awesome, Neon thought with a bored sigh. If I don't do it though, my dad will totally ground me. Ugh, why can't Nighthoof be the destroyer of homework too? As Neon managed to finish his schoolwork, the moon started to reach the peak of its nightly arc. It's now or never, let's do this! Running over to his closet, Neon fished around for the box that contained his superhero costume. He hid it near the back so that nopony could find it, even if they did manage to brave the horror of his closet. Triumphantly, he withdrew a black cape, eye mask, and a uniform that covered the entirety of his yellow body – complete with a fake cutie mark that matched his eyewear. He put on the dark costume quickly, leaving the whites of his chocolate brown eyes as the only source of illumination. Once he'd finished tying a knot on his cape so that it lay correctly upon his shoulders, he jumped atop the botton of the windowpane. With one last look at his room, Nighthoof slipped out the window of the apartment and out onto the roof of Manehatten. The colt superhero only had one thing on his mind: Let's find some ponies to save!

Quantum Flux trotted down the familiar stone streets of student district. Since taking up apprenticeship under her mentor Torvus, Flux had been busy with her studies & experiments and had neglecting revisting the district that had been her former home. However, her search for a certain book had lead her back to the Canterlot University's library. She had planned on making it a short trip, but caught up in nostalgia, the scientist pony decided to have a look around. There had been quite a bit of development since Flux had lived here and she enjoyed looking at the differences between her memories and the present. As she turned a corner into the streets that were usually lined with shops and eaterys, a small store front caught her eye. Jam and Cream, she thought, running the name through her mind. I don't believe I've seen this particular shop before. Trotting closer to the window display, she read the information signs. Hmm, I did neglect having breakfast before leaving and I doubt Torvus would mind me being out for a bit longer. Celestia knows, he's probably still asleep. Making her decision, Flux stepped up to the twin doors of the Jam & Cream, pushing them open tentatively with a magical glow. The sign declared that the shop was indeed open, but the lack of customers made Flux question whether it truly was. Spotting a pegasus pony sitting by the window, she dismissed such silly worries. "Hello?" she said, a note of timidness still in her voice.

"Oh," Flux said, not having realized that she had spoken her thoughts aloud. "Colton is a friend of mine. A pegasus pony with a blue mane and white coat. We met only a few days ago at a shop called 'The Perfect Fit'. He's a traveller, doing odd jobs mostly." Flux racked her mind for some less superficial details of the pegasus. "He's staying with myself and Torvus in the old clock tower. Torvus is my tutor, despite being more of a gear pony than a scientist. I thought that I'd seen him a few moments ago." While she explained, she abandoned her quest to identify the pegasus who had a striking resemblance to her friend. However, she couldn't help but notice that the dark blue unicorn who had entered earlier was casting odd glances toward Harmony, to which Harmony responded in kind. Flux couldn't help but smile slightly at the confidence shown by the young pony.

"Really? Well, I have to say I'm quite flattered. I wasn't aware that I was so renowned," Dr. Scalpel replied with a chuckle. Flux could tell that both Colton and Gladwin were feeling rather nervous. She knew that many ponies - and apparently griffin's as well - felt uncomfortable in hospitals. Personally, she couldn't relate, as much of her younger fillyhood had been spent around her father's profession. However, she did attempt to take their minds off their worry. "So," Flux said, clearing her throat slightly. "Perhaps we could discuss the tour?" It may not have been the best topic, but Flux supposed that it was better to talk about something they were familiar with. Dr. Scalpel seemed quite interested in the subject as well. He spoke with his head still focused ahead. "A tour? I suppose that Flux was planning on showing you around Canterlot then. Interesting, I would have thought at least one of you would be from Canterlot. Clearly Gladwin isn't but Colton as well? How did you end up in Canterlot?"

Welp, in the way of contests, I understand most cons have a costume/cosplay contest. That might be cool (I'mtotallynotsuggestingthisbecauseIwanttoputNeoninhisNighthoofoutfit,nope). There could also be some sort of drawing contest for the artistically inclined, separated into different age brackets so everypony (and non-pony) would be able to participate. Lotto draws for art works or comic issues could be fun too. *goes to look up Comic Con events* There could be an artist's alley for the more timid artists and panels for the more famous ones; opinion panels or Q&A as well. On a sillier note, maybe some sort of karaoke thing towards the end of one of the days. Which reminds me, would this be separated into days like the Nightmare Night event was or just one continuous thread?

My newest OC, Neon Stargazer, is a big fan of heroes, and fancies himself one - the awesome and mysterious Nighthoof! I could definately see him attending to something like this, and enjoying comics for that matter, so count me in if this ever takes off.

Flux stepped aside, allowing her father to give both Colton and Gladwin a quick preliminary examination. Dr. Scalpel trotted toward Colton first, he being the closest to the medical unicorn. He shook the pegasus' hoof with enthusiasm, listening with a smile to his introduction. "Pleasure to meet you, Colton. Though, as usual, I do wish it had been under better circumstances. I'd love to hear how you two met, but I should probably get a look at whatever that brace is keeping in place." The doctor trotted behind Colton, untying the splint quickly with his magic to get a look at Colton's injury. "Oh my, this is quite serious indeed," the stallion's voice became grave for a moment, before quicking up a more reassuring tone. "However, Flux seems to have done well in keeping it still. We'll definately be able to fix you up." Then, he turned to the Gladwin. Carefully taking the griffin's talon, he looked intently at the injury. "And a pleasure to meet you as well, Gladwin. It's refreshing to see an more relaxed non-pony around these parts. Canterlot can seem a bit stuffy at times," he chuckled as he spoke. After a few more moments of inspection, he released the talon. "I'm not exactly a griffin aficionado, but I'm certain that I can fix you up as well." Then, the stallion turned to face his daughter. "Flux, do could you tell Nurse Penyton that I'll take both patients, please?" Flux nodded and trotted over to the red pegasus at the desk once again. Dr. Scalpel continued, "Okay, this way please, lads," he gestured to a pair of glass doors behind the main counter.

Flux nodded, not wanting to press the subject with the young pegasus. She trotted over to one of the round wooden tables in the middle of the room, taking a seat as Harmony had suggested. She pondered Harmony's words, wondering what exactly Flux could say to start up a conversation with the foal about herself. Flux had always found talking about herself to be a difficult task, but she gave it a go either way. "Well, I'm not the most interesting pony," Flux admitted with a slightly laugh. "My mother is an earth pony astronomer named Comet Flare. My father is a doctor here in Canterlot made Dr. Scalpel Flux. We used to live in Fillydelphia, but it was only for the first few years for my foalhood, so I don't remember much of it. What I do remember is how apprehensive I was about moving to a new place. I didn't fit in that well with all the other Canterlot-born ponies, but I made due. Once I'd gotten my cutie mark, I stopped minding what other ponies thought of me and focused wholeheartedly on my studies. I've basically been following my calling ever since." Once the summary was complete, Flux caught a glimpse of a blue mane from the corner of her eye. Is that... "Colton?" she wondered aloud. The unicorn hadn't heard anypony come in, but she suppose that she could chalk that up to her inattentiveness to minor details when engaged in conversation. As she watched the blue-maned pegasus, trying to get a better glimpse at the stallion, the bell above the door dinged as another pony entered the Cafe. She didn't recognize the pony and thus decided not to stare, lest she seem to be a pony with prying eyes.

"Perhaps," Flux answered with griffin's comment with a ponderous tone. "I didn't explore it very closely that first time, so it's possible that there are many more secrets in that strange passageway. What I've wondered is who liberated those documents from me." Colton's words brought her out of her inquisitive state. Her ears drooped slightly as she realized how her rather flip attitude toward her parents would have seemed. Flux could not imagine what it would be like to grow up without knowing who or even where your birth parents were. There you go again, a sharper part of her mind insisted. You are never this affected by ponies, what has gotten into you? She pawed at the ground slightly, trying to come up with any words to say into the growing silence. Luckily, the arrival of a grey unicorn in a glaringly white doctor's coat prevented Flux from needing to think of an appropriate response. "Why hello there, Flux! It's been quite a while." The stallion smiled widely as he spoke. Before Flux could answer, the unicorn noticed Gladwin and Colton. "Oh, I suppose you two are the patients then. Welcome to Canterlot Medical Centre, I'm Dr. Scalpel Flux." He held out his hoof politely toward the two flying creatures. "To be honest Flux, of all the things, I never expected to have you bringing in a pegasus and a griffin to be treated."

Flux's eyes widened slightly at the young pony's order. She was surprised that the foal would have such an appetite. Then again, exercise does tend to produce a need for some food. Flux had been halfway to pulling out a few bits to pay for the food, when Harmony's father stepped in. With a small bow of the head, she silently thanked the stallion. She hummed slightly to herself as the counter-mare trotted off behind the corner of the shop. After a few minutes, a question lit up in her mind. "So," she said, turning to Harmony as she spoke. "Did you two move here for a specific reason? It's not everyday that pegasi move to Canterlot." Flux tried to word the question carefully, not wanting to accidentally offend the two flying ponies.

(No problem, ) Flux considered the young foal as she waited for the attention of the counter-mare to turn to her. She had to admire the pony's outgoing and sociable nature, something that Flux herself had lacked in her youth. Strangely, a thought flitted into her mind. She remembered her insistance as a filly that she wanted to have siblings, like most of the other ponies in her class. Flux had felt isolated as a child by her rather odd interests in a world of magic. The young filly had been certain that a new member of kin would eliminate this barrier. Quite strange, she pondered, for a thought like that to appear at such a seemingly unrelated time. "Can I get'cha something?" The voice quickly brought Flux out of her rumination. Slightly surprised by the suddeness of the question, she stuttered briefly before pulling her thoughts together. "Um...yes. I would like an alfalfa sandwich with a brownie on the side." The counter-mare nodded, noting the order on a pad of paper. "And for you?" The mare now addressed Harmony, a slightly bemused look on the pony's face as she looked between the pegasus and the unicorn. She must assume that we're related, Flux realized. However, our lack of similarities is likely what is confusing her. Flux smiled subtlely at the idea.

"I am," Flux admitted, unconsciously making a small nervous gesture. She wasn't used to being asked about her parents and was therefore unprepared for such interest. "It does feel rather odd, coming in here with some injuries and having them treated by my father." Though, she added mentally, it has been quite some time since the occurrance of such a thing. Seeing the interest she piqued in Gladwin with her mention of the secret passageway, she decided to fill the griffin in on the situation. "Several years ago, when I was studying at the Canterlot University, I stumbled upon a small passageway between two bookcases. I had been searching for an important text to make use of in an upcoming magical history test, The Historical Historian's Handbook for Historic Happenings by name. I happened to stumble into the wall and reveal an old passageway. When I inspected it, I discovered several old books and notes pertaining to their contents. I brought them out of the passage, hoping to learn more later. However, they disappeared quite mysteriously the next day." Once she finished the abridged version of her tale, she returned her attention to Colton's concern. "I'm certain that you'll both be in tip-top shape by tomorrow. Not that I like to brag, by my father is not called one of the best doctors in Equestria without cause." Again, the unicorn looked a bit embarassed as she spoke of her parents.

Flux listened to the music, swaying slightly to the song. She was never interested in the arts as a foal, but she did know an excellent performer when she saw one. They are quite harmonious, Flux thought, laughing inwardly at the irony of her phrasing. She took a quick sip of her latte just before the song ended, placing it carefully on a nearby railing before joining in the praise of the Cafe audience. Harmony practically bounced as she approached Flux. The unicorn laughed slightly, unable to prevent a playful amusement with the energy that Harmony seemed to radiate. Picking up her latte once more, she answered the foal's question. "Well, there are a few fruit smoothies and juices along with some sweets. I think I saw a few sandwiches as well." She skipped over some of the other items on the menu, assuming that they would be quite strange for a young pony.

'Well, even so, such an ideal is quite admirable." Flux gave a dip of her muzzle as she acknowledged Gladwin's words. It reminded her of her mother's attitude toward life in general. Flux had a tendancy to worry about possibilities and assume that the worst would come of a situation. Some would call her a pessimist, but she merely called herself prepared. Her mother had always balanced out this trait in her, reminding the white unicorn that the best could come of situations as well. For a country-born earth pony, Flux thought with a smile, my mother was one of the wisest ponies I have ever met. Redirecting her attention to the conversation at hand, Flux listened intently as Colton described his idea. She nodded in agreement. "It would be lovely, as long as you feel healed enough to do so. There are a few places that I could share as well, more or less hidden places that I have stumbled upon. That passage way I mentioned earlier, for instance." She thought of seeing Canterlot, a city with which she was familiar, from a whole new angle. Flying must be an excellent experience, she thought. She lapsed into silence after that, trying to recall the steps of a spell for equine levitation she had once encountered during her studies and assessing whether its difficulty would be to great.

Flux smiled bemusedly at the young foal's enthusiasm. She followed the multi-coloured pegasus into the Cafe, taking in its interior as she trotted through the door. It too was wooden, with a counter near the rear of the building. A dozen or so tables were scattered throughout the main floor of the restaurant. A young unicorn mare sat by a piano in the left corner, singing along to a tune that Flux did not recognize. Several couples and gagles of friends sat in the booths that lined the sides of the Cafe, filling the room with a layer of excited speech. Flux trotted slowly toward the counter, examining the menu. She decided upon the creme latte and ordered it from the stallion manning the counter. As she extracted the correct change from her saddlebags, Flux searched the room for Harmony and her father, not wanting to loose the two pegasi.

Flux smiled as she heard Gladwin describe his adventures in Equestria. She had always wanted to travel and learn about the different ideas found among the distinct groups of pony and griffinkind. She wondered whether Gladwin had any insights into such topics. After a moment of deliberation, she decided to enquired about it. "You must learn many new philosophies on your travels. care to share a few?" She also listened closely to his explaination of how he managed to injure himself so badly. Remembering a lesson from the University about how mositure from clouds makes the air cooler, she nodded in understanding. The earth-bound unicorn had always wondered about the sensation of flying, being the inquisitive pony that she was, and had always bemoaned her inability to investigate it. She laughed at little at Gladwin's admittance, finding yet another similarity between Colton and Gladwin. "Interesting, Colton is here for similar reasons. Canterlot is a rather important place to ponykind, so a visit here is an excellent idea for a mapmaker such as yourself.I was actually going to give Colton here a tour, but unfortunately, complications arose." She indicated Colton's injury as she spoke.

Flux paused for a moment to consider the pegasus' offer. She wasn't in a particularly huge rush, since she had managed to start her errands early and she was rather hungry, even though she really did need to get back to finalizing that theory of hers. A few minutes of deliberation and her decision was made. "I would love to," Flux said. She turned the corner quickly, ensuring that her directions had been accurate. After a quick look, she spotted the Prancing Pony. It was a small establishment nestled between two marble buildings. It was made of fine oak, giving it a more homely feeling than the cold stone surrounding it. A sign displaying a silhouette of an earth pony with the words Prancing Pony Cafe was situated in the centre of the roof. A soft singing could be heard drifting through the open doors of the cafe. A chalkboard with several food choices and prices held the doors in their open position.

A place to get a bite at? Flux wondered quietly, her muzzle scrunched slightly in thought. With a small "ah!" the unicorn decided on an acceptable venue. "Well, there's a place that a friend of mine once mentioned. The "Prancing Pony Cafe", I believe. It's a newer cafe, so it shouldn't be overly crowded." The white-coated unicorn was thankful for that, not exactly comfortable with crowded spaces. "It's pretty close, too. Just around the corner here, if I remember correctly." Flux indicated the next corner with a flick of her tail as she spoke.

Flux nodded as the pegasus introduced herself. "Harmony, what an lovely name." Flux wasn't much a pony for compliments, but her Canterlot upbringing insisted upon proper ettiquite at all times. "I was just passing by when I saw you clearing a few of the clouds. For a pegasus so young, you are quite talented." Flux felt some of the sunlight let in by Harmony brush her face and smiled slightly. The unicorn had always loved a sunny day, despite her usual confinement to her workplace during such days. "Forgive me if this sounds rude, but are you two new here? I've never seen ponies like yourselves around before and with a coat as vibrant as yours, I doubt I would forget you." Flux purposely left out her rather antisocial tendancies while she was out and about. It was only curiousity that managed to drive her to interact with other ponies, that or a shared enthusiasm for her favourite subject: science.

Flux listened intently to the grifffin's story. She had always been quite intrigued by the advanced technologies of their civilization and had been planning to visit Aquellia for quite some time now. Then, the Gladwin's occupation registered in her mind. "A mapmaker, you say? Interesting. I suppose that, like Colton, you must also be something of a traveller." She nodded slightly as she spoke, a mere bobbing of the head. After a brief moment, Flux caught her impoloiteness. "Oh, forgive me, I nearly forgot to introduce myself! Quantum Flux is my name, though Flux is quite alright." She gave a small dip of her muzzle as she introduced herself. Another part of the griffin's words floated to her mind, "It is interesting to note that the griffin's think so highly of our Centre here. You would think that news of ponyfolk would not usually pass Aquellian borders."