[Manehattan] St. Maresons School [Open]

[Blueblood]

(Figured I'd give a bump to this thread)

"[colour=#996699]Ah.[/colour]" Psmith levitated the clipboard Wordplay indicated towards himself, scanning the list. "[colour=#996699]Very well! Let us take a quick tour of this domicile, and see if we cannot locate a humble nook fit for giving hospitality.[/colour]"

The room Psmith eventually selected for himself was not a dorm, but a study, such as are reserved for the private use of senior students to do schoolwork. It was comfortably furnished, though it lacked a proper bed. "[colour=#996699]No matter,[/colour]" the colt had commented. "[colour=#996699]We Psmiths are old campaigners. Give us a room, a tolerably cushioned couch, a warm stove for the making of tea, and we are content to rough it. This, though[/colour]," His magic lit up a bar running through the middle of the large window. "[colour=#996699]It shall have to go.[/colour]" With a wrench of his neck, it came out, leaving an unobstructed view of the back garden.

"[colour=#996699]There we are. Now, I have tea things in my crate, if you will allow me to treat you, we make ourselves cozy in this abode of wrath.[/colour]" It didn't take long, and soon Psmith had a pot steaming, and five cups ready to pour the beverage into, with bread and butter besides. The unicorn doled out the victuals with the manner of a monarch distributing largess among his subjects.

"[colour=#996699]Now that we are comfortably apportioned, comrades, let us give thought to the social campaign we are to conduct.[/colour]" He leaned back to more comfortably discourse. "[colour=#996699]As our native guide has pointed out, it would be for the good of the school if we were to ignore its cliqued social norms. It is, however, worth considering that the establishment has ways of making things pretty hot for those who blithely disregard it. On the other hand, we have ourselves an advantage in that all of us are only here for one more year, which insulates us from any long-term recriminations.[/colour]

[colour=#996699]"I propose, as a first move, confusion to the enemy. We must take for ourselves a role not yet cast in this school drama. To this end, I am going found a Socialist Society, into which you all are cordially invited. Having established this club, we may move forward in our twofold goal. The first, is to establish ourselves as equally comrades to all groups, a net drawing in all kinds, this stance of principle to be incorporated into our founding charter, which I shall draft this evening. The second, of course, is to implement the Great Public Umbrella scheme, joint brainchild of comrade Wordplay and myself.[/colour]" He indicated his fellow social theorist with a toast of his teacup, before taking a sip.

"[colour=#996699]Does this strike you,[/colour]" He asked the company, "[colour=#996699]As a sound proposition? In your capacity as Socialists, you may serve as ambassador to each of your chosen activities, and participate as fully as you wish, provided you scorn not the company of any others. Hospitality is our watch-word. Without hospitality, where are we? In isolation and depression, comrades; let it never be so![/colour]"

[FermataTheBasse]

Wordplay rolled her eyes at Psmith's choice of room. [colour=#40e0d0]"You do realize you've picked one of the studies, right? Your floor mates aren't going to be pleased with this." [/colour][colour=#000000]She supposed he wouldn't really know, and it would be amusing to see how others reacted to Psmith and how he reacted in turn to them. If it went anything like her meeting with own Psmith he'd be the most popular colt in school by the end of the month. So she reclined on one of the room's couches, accepted her tea and bread with the grace of a subject bowing and paying homage to their monarch. [/colour]

[colour=#000000]She heard out Psmith with a casual smile. Sure, the idea was likely not going to work, but she was going to be gone in a year anyways. She raised her cup to Psmith's with an extra flounce. [/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]"I'm in, of course. And I can try to get some of my friends into this madness too."[/colour]

[osprey77]

((ooc: sorry for the delay, was grounded for a week.))

As Thes was due to swing by and pick her up any moment now, Heart declined the tour, but smiled to herself at the thought of the group of students, and just what sort of impact they would have on the school. [colour=#4b0082]“Celestia help them,”[/colour] Heart murmured, smiling, [colour=#4b0082]“they’ll turn this place upside down.”[/colour]

The twins followed Psmith and Wordplay into the study-cum-dorm and watched proceedings in a kind of dazed awe. Fictoria leaned over, whispering to her sister out of the corner of her mouth, [colour=#006400]“How long do you think it will take for him to realize what he’s just done?[/colour]”

Beats was unable to stop a small giggle from escaping, but composed herself in time to accept tea with a polite, [colour=#8b4513]“Thank you.”[/colour]

Ria simply nodded, then listened to the campaigner outline his infiltration strategy. She bit her lip. She wasn’t anti-social, contrary to most stereotypes of authors and homeschooled ponies, and there was something about this colt that made turning him down rather like kicking a very happy terrier puppy—you just couldn’t, even if you knew he would forgive you a second later. [colour=#006400]“Sounds…interesting. Though, besides administrative help for the choir, I’m not sure if I’ll be involved in many other outside groups. Well, I might as well give it a shot.”[/colour]

Beats was fairly bouncing.[colour=#8b4513] “Count me in! It shouldn’t be too hard, it just means being everybody’s friend!”[/colour]

Her more cynical sister, remembering Wordplay’s description of the social scene, couldn’t help muttering, [colour=#006400]“Which may be the hardest part of all.”[/colour]

[Blueblood]

((OOC: That's alright, sis. Got other OOC stuff to discuss; check the discussion thread))

More and more, Pmsith felt that Wordplay was a lucky find as a friendly native. It was very rare that he found someone who played along to his mannerisms. Usually they were just tolerated, or simply overlooked, like a pile of clothes on the floor of a colt's room. Though, impeccably dressed as he was, it was extremely unlikely that this particular colt had ever been so sartorially careless.

"[colour=#996699]So they might be, Comrade Wordplay, but if they wished to reserve this cozy nook for themselves, they should have come down on an earlier train. In any case, they are always welcome to visit. Save for our private moments of thought and meditation, we Psmiths keep an open-door policy, hence the fifth cup.[/colour]"

Irregardless of the opinions of the soon-arriving boarders at Clopham, it seemed that Psmith had rallied the troops present. He clapped his hooves together once, falling back into his couch with a pleased smile. "[colour=#996699]Excellent! Our alliance is cemented. I shall talk to the schoolmaster about getting the official recognition set, with member's badges if I can get some. One oughtn't to leave the pageantry out of things, it lets ponies act poetry as well as write and rap it. Once you have finished your tea, we may recommence our reconnoiter.[/colour]" He waved a hoof deprecatingly as he leant back, clearly indicating that he was in no hurry.

[FermataTheBasse]

Wordplay couldn't help but laugh, out loud, in her usual unladylike manner. Psmith was insane, in the best most affectionate connotation of the word she could possibly muster up. It was his style, so genuine yet so seemingly done to annoy. She was still only half sure that he was being serious, that's how good he was. She was still smiling, even when she recovered from her laugh. [colour=#40e0d0]"Ehehehe, alright Psmith. This is now your room. Expect your entire floor to throw you a housewarming. By locking the door to the public restroom so you can't use it." [/colour][colour=#000000]The problem with having the house lounge as your room being that you had no private bathroom, of course. She shot a look at Ria, one that both sympathetically agreed and politely challenged, eyebrow ever so slightly raised. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"Hard, but worth it?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay waved a hoof dismissively at some invisible pony.[/colour][colour=#40e0d0] "Probably not. But it's worth a shot, right? Ya'll have me, if nothing else." [/colour]

[colour=#000000]Wordplay took her tea quickly, virtually chugging it down. It was her style of drinking, the drink in question be damned if it was 'supposed' to be drunk in a different manner. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"Obviously I will be writing our radio adverts."[/colour]

[osprey77]

Ria received the teacup with a tad of hesitancy. She was normally a coffee drinker, of the sort that filled a mug, waited for the brew to cool, then downed it in great, admittedly un-ladylike gulps. She’d tried tea once or twice, but hadn’t really found it suited to her tastes. Nevertheless, she took a few polite sips, then, when the eyes of her fellow students were not on her, she down the rest in a swallow, grateful that the cup had been small. She tilted her head as Wordplay described the reception Smith would be likely to get.[colour=#006400] “That’s not too bad, so long as you know how to pick a lock.”[/colour]

Beats smiled at her twin, remembering when their little brother, Thunder Flash, went through a stage where he was constantly accidentally locking himself into one room or another. The entire family was now skilled at undoing simple locks. Beats giggled.[colour=#8b4513] “If it comes to that, we could give you a few pointers.” [/colour] She, too, soon finished her tea, standing up. [colour=#8b4513]“Where to next?” [/colour]she asked, one back hoof subconsciously tapping out a rhythm, as it usually did when she was excited, happy, or had just had sugar/caffeine.

[colour=#006400]Oh, Celestia[/colour], Ria moaned internally, [colour=#006400]we forgot to ask if the tea was decaf.[/colour] Ria was all the more grateful that the cups had been small—both she and her sister were susceptible to the smallest amounts of caffeine after ten o’clock in the morning. Ria silently counted the rhythm Beats was tapping, comparing it with her sister’s eager descriptions of swing-dance steps. [colour=#006400]One, two, one-two-three, one, two, one-two-three. Hm, either eight-count circle or whip.[/colour]

[Blueblood]

Psmith patted an inside pocket of his blazer. "[colour=#996699]Worry not, Comrade Wordplay, I had already secured the keys while leaving the clipboard in the House-master's office, both to the bathroom and this study. The cry goes 'round the castle walls, 'Psmith has stymied us! We must attempt a direct assault!' I don't anticipate, though, any further troubles until the small hours of the night, which gives us plenty of of time to locate our classes, and for me to take preparatory measures.[/colour]"

He smiled benignly upon his guests as they finished their tea. Obviously, being used to the bustle of the cities of the Strand, one could not expect them to take tea in the Canterlot manner. You were allowed a break in work for tea there, and naturally the citizens had evolved methods of drawing out the respite, which suited Psmith to the ground.

Nevertheless, he aimed to match pace with his guests. One mustn't aggravate one's company by lingering over-much over food and drink; they might begin to pay attention to the sounds a pony makes while eating, and those are rarely pleasant to hear.

Thankfully, conversation served to drown out such noise. "[colour=#996699]Radio adverts... yes, that would seem to be your specialty. Delegation, that is the key; I leave advertisements in your capable hooves, Comrade Wordplay. Ah, you are finished, Comrade Beats? Toes tapping, eager to be off? Quite the right spirit, keep it up. If you will bring your class schedules, we shall conclude our exploratory expedition of this bastion of academia.[/colour]"

He made certain to lock the door behind him as they departed, marking "[colour=#996699]W. B. Psmith[/colour]" on the door in chalk. "[colour=#996699]To cement the claim.[/colour]" He explained. There was no window into the room, so one couldn't tell what was behind the door when it was shut.

[FermataTheBasse]

Wordplay was a bit surprised. [colour=#40e0d0]"Lock picking? Theft? You three have hardly been here one morning and you're already making trouble for yourselves." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay supposed that many people assumed that she was a delinquent, a troublemaker because she was a rapper. But she was quite the respectful young mare, she'd engage her teachers in snappy banter but that was about the extent of it. If anything, she was the innocent girl of the four gathered in this room. And she was the one who'd been here for four years. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"I can tell that this is going to be an interesting year." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay supposed that there was always good time for a change to be made, even if it was essentially for the worse.[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Wordplay began nodding her head, tilted slightly to one side, to the beat of Beat's hoof. It was as subconscious a response for her to want to rap to a beat as it was for ponies to breathe. She restrained herself with some difficulty, but she took good mental notes on the wit that her head was currently tossing around, most of it sarcastic jibes at Psmith. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"You do realize I was kidding about the radio adverts, Psmith? I could do it, in theory, but it would not be a good idea. One, our 'revolution' is localized to this school, not all of Manehattan. And two, I do have a rep to maintain." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay followed after the others, the last filly out, still trotting along to Beat's beat versus her own cadence.[/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]"First period for me is open. Normally I'd spend this time trolling around in the band room, but if you guys have other ideas..." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay levitated the chalk away the moment Psmith was done with it, moved it back to the door to write her own little message under his name.[/colour] 'The Lord of all he Talks In The General Direction of'. It needed to be put onto two lines of writing, so long it was and so big- though neat- Wordplay's writing was. [colour=#40e0d0]"To cement your ego." [/colour][colour=#000000]She explained with a smirk.[/colour]

[osprey77]

Beats blushed. [colour=#8b4513]“I-I didn’t mean like that…only if they…you know, locked the, um…”[/colour]

Ria couldn’t help commenting on Wordplay’s second assessment. [colour=#006400]“Something tells me interesting won’t be the half of it.”[/colour] She appeared to be lost in her own thoughts for a moment, then came out of them long enough to say, [colour=#006400]“Beats and I better reserve our room in Coltsfoot, but that shouldn’t take too long. We can meet up with you guys pretty quickly, if you don’t want to wait.”[/colour]

Coltsfoot Commons was the mirror image of the domicile they had just left, including clipboard for room assignments. However, it was not as empty—in fact, the twins were the last of the boarders to arrive. As such was the case, they had to make do with what rooms were left, and couldn’t room together, as they had originally planned.

Beat’s roommate didn’t bat an eye when the excitable filly poked her head in only long enough to say, [colour=#8b4513]“Hi! I’m your roommate Swing Beat, but right now I’m exploring the school. Bye!”[/colour]

Ria’s roommate looked up from deskwork long enough to slowly look the writer up and down, as if trying to gauge how the year would go. Ria exhibited similar caution. [colour=#006400]“I hate to introduce myself and run,” [/colour]she started slowly, [colour=#006400]“but my sister and friends are waiting. Just wanted to let you know that I’m your roommate, Fictoria.”[/colour] The other filly nodded silently, and Ria back out, a little uncertain.

Rejoining the others outside, Ria sighed. [colour=#006400]“Well, thank goodness that’s over. Sometime on our exploration, can we stop by the library?”[/colour]

[Blueblood]

"[colour=#996699]Theft, Comrade Wordplay?[/colour]" A look of pained reproach came into Psmith's face as he regarded Wordplay's through his eyeglass. "[colour=#996699]Every pupil has the right to the key to his own domicile; how else to ensure a moment of privacy? One could hardly have moments of quiet study and reflection if at any moment some blighter might walk in and start talking about himself. The bathroom key as well merits not this censure, it is merely the practical side of Socialism: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. The house-master's ability to collect keys is world-renown, my need to secure the passage you have remarked already. Lock-picking, as well, is only one of those skills necessary to a smooth domestic life, such as plumbing. I fancy we leave the courts without a stain upon our characters![/colour]"

He settled back in poise as they departed the room, as if to say 'I rest my case.'

The colt waved departure to his fellow-defendants, merely remarking that he would meet them outside. He did raise an ironical eyebrow at his companion's addendum. "[colour=#996699]I should think 'ballast' the more appropriate term. My ego resembles more a balloon than any terrestrial structure, floating high above the sordid realities. I anticipate your next remark, Comrade, shall be that I am sustained by no visible support than my own hot air. Wit I do not mind; it spices the conversation, but I should wish for cleverer satire from my close friends.[/colour]"

This conversation brought them fully outside, and it was no long wait before Beats and Ria rejoined them. The library was duly added to their itinerary, and they set off. "[colour=#996699]My first period is entirely occupied with Civics, a class fortunately situated at no great distance from our domicile. The other three are spread with greater ease over the course of the week. I anticipate a certain degree of keenness in our Civics master, but at least our afternoons shall belong to ourselves.[/colour]"

(OOC: At what point do you want to skip ahead to Psmith's confrontation with his floormates?)

[FermataTheBasse]

((I don't know, I hadn't even considered such a move. Who plays the floormates though?))

Wordplay rolled her eyes greatly, an exaggerated flick right up to Celestia's sun. [colour=#40e0d0]"Shall I remind you that you were the one who put yourself in a position to be locked out of your own restroom in the first place? How does the moral go? That no bad deed goes unpunished? Or is it good?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay wasn't really sure of what she was trying to reference here, so she shrugged and let the comparison go. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"You get what I'm saying? Your theft is not justified in that it was made necessary by an action of your own doing." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay magically put her shades back over her eye as they exited.[/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]"Bye Beats, bye Ria." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay waved them off when they departed. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"Hm. Let me think about that for a moment. Could you say that your ego, along with your head, graces the clouds with it's presence? Being that it is not of this earth... Oh. Perhaps you are alien to our ways. You're an alien, your touch so strange, your words perhaps a different language, which is why they fly over the heads of others. Or perhaps they fly over the heads of others because they, like your ego, are airborne?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay's stride ended just as Beats and Ria returned, with no change in her own impeccable flow she welcomed them back[/colour]:

[colour=#40e0d0]"Hey you two. What classes do you two take now?"[/colour]

[osprey77]

[colour=#8b4513]“I think it was originally ‘no bad deed’ but that musical—I forget its name*—turned the phrase on its ear and made it ‘no good deed,”[/colour] Swing Beat offered, before following her sister inside.

Resuming the conversation once more, it was Fictoria’s turn to answer the question.[colour=#006400] “Civics, same as Psmith.”[/colour]

Beats grinned. [colour=#8b4513]“World History for me!”[/colour]

It didn’t take long to reach one of the academic buildings, though, if Ria didn’t miss her guess, they’d ended up in the science area. What tipped her off? Oh, nothing much, just the start charts, diagrams of life cycles, the odd self-made volcano… Suddenly, they heard the sound of someone else approaching. [colour=#006400]“Hello?” [/colour]Ria asked, tentatively.

((*Not true, just didn't know how it would be 'pony-fied'))

[Blueblood]

"[colour=#996699]You admit the necessity at least.[/colour]" Psmith pointed out. "[colour=#996699]Mine is, of course, a pragmatic claim; that I have more need for it than the bravos who should otherwise claim it for their nefarious purposes. Still, there may well be something in what you say, necessity not having the highest claim on a pony's honor and all that.[/colour]" He conceded indulgently, speculating, "[colour=#996699]Do you think it leaves a blot upon the newly formed Socialist Society's Eustachion? You do have a say in that, and much there is to be said for your point of view. Very well, when the house-master returns, so shall the key, along with certain admonishments onto the advisability of securing public property from private indulgences.[/colour]"

You had to say this for Psmith, having an ego that floated like a hot-air balloon did allow him to receive with equanimity most wit at his expense, being above sordid cares and all that. He smiled at Wordplay's inventiveness upon the theme, remarking as Beats and Ria returned. "[colour=#996699]You see, therefore, the importance of ballast; of a private and confidential friend to relate to me the happenings at ground level. Stick by me, Comrade Wordplay, or we are undone.[/colour]"

The Social Studies building, though it would be the first stop for Psmith and the two sisters on the morrow, was on the far side of the science building. The quartet, therefore, arrived at the science building first. Added to one side, rather spoiling the symmetry of the building, a newly-erected observatory marked it as the home of the Astronomy course, at the very least. "[colour=#996699]I wonder if any of the teachers are at home. Strange how we think of places like this as their 'home,' they must live like other ponies, though I haven't seen evidence of it myself. Perhaps they fear that, seeing them in a personal light, their official majesty is somewhat tarnished.[/colour]"

[SanguineSoul]

Out of the science building came a rather sleek and elegant Pegasus, her form slender and graceful, shoulders just a bit more built up than the rest of her, evidence of her joy of flying. Unfortunately, the effect was rather spoiled by her somewhat tangled mane and tail, and the packets of paper that were poking their way out of her simple saddlebags. Seeing the students, she gave them a friendly smile and a wave, before trotting over to them. For the first few steps her she was still in the shadow of the building, and she appeared to be the softest shade of pastel blue that had ever existed, but when she stepped out into the sunlight there seemed to be a flash, and the actual pure-white of her coat was evident, almost painfully so.

"Hello there!" Alabaster called out, trotting up to the small group. "You all must be students here. Probably new ones, by the way you're exploring the campus. Or maybe an older student showing some newer ones around, to get their bearings? Anyways, I hadn't actually been expecting students to come out this far, or I would've put on something more formal. Or maybe not, I didn't pack any of that... maybe I'll have to go shopping for something soon. I wonder if there are any boutiques that are open late?" It wasn't that she spoke incredibly fast, and you couldn't quite call it rambling, as there seemed to be some vague hint of a coherent thought she was following beneath everything else. But it came close. "Are you here for the science building? Or perhaps the observatory? I have to admit, it's nice, but it still feels too 'sterile' to me. That'll change in time, of course. No better way to make a place feel comfortable than to stay overnight in it, for a week."

[FermataTheBasse]

[colour=#40e0d0]"I shall be glad to ground you, Psmith. Time out, two hours in your room. Whoops, I mean your house lounge." [/colour]Wordplay rolled her eyes, but she was smiling happily all the same. It was strange, meeting someone who was so extremely diametric to her in many ways yet still finding that person a perfect match for her wit with his own, different as their methods of expression were. [colour=#40e0d0]"I suppose it would behoove me to hang out in Civics, then. Sorry Beats, unless you think we should evenly distribute the manpower of our group, as we intend to evenly distribute everything else in existence." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay turned her head toward Alabaster as she called out, as Ria noticed.[/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]"The uh, second one. Professor...?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay hadn't seen this particular teacher around before, and Wordplay was well acquainted with most of the teacher stallions and mares on the campus, because she was considered a good conversationalist and easy to talk to for students and faculty alike. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]​"Honestly, I'm not sure how we ended up here. We were just trotting." [/colour]

[SanguineSoul]

"Truly now?" Alabaster asked, giving Wordplay a friendly smile. "I've often found that your hooves can take you to many an interesting place when you're not paying attention." Taking a step to the side and turning slightly, she eyed the science building behind her over her shoulder. "Then again, this location isn't terribly interesting, unless you love science. They have some nifty experiments in there, though nothing terribly attention-grabbing. Now, the new telescope that was just built here..." Her eyes seemed to get misty for a brief moment. "That one is a beauty. One of the biggest in Equestria." Alabaster leaned in closer to Wordplay, as if letting the younger pony in on a secret. "And I heard that it took ten unicorns months to make the lenses perfectly clear." Straightening up, she graced the unicorn with another radiant smile. "Can't wait for tonight, personally. The weather's supposed to be clear and the night sky should be brilliant through that telescope."

For a few moments, Alabaster seemed lost in thought. Then she shook herself and looked at the group of ponies, as if remembering they were there again. "Oh now, where are my manners? My name is Alabaster Moonwing." She eyed each pony in turn, her gaze leaving just before it became uncomfortable. "As for you, I expect I'll learn your names quickly enough if I happen to have you in any of my classes." Her demeanor had gone from friendly, if somewhat scatterbrained pony to aloof and cool professor in a moment, and then she chuckled, and was back to her previous self, smiling and shaking her head. "This may seem to be an... odd... request, but if you ponies aren't busy, might I tag along? I haven't gotten used to finding my way around this place just yet. Well, except for the observatory... a royal decree couldn't keep me away from there."

[FermataTheBasse]

Wordplay resisted letting her eyes glaze over during Alabaster's tirade on the new telescope, just to make a point. It wasn't that she didn't care for academia, it was just that it was hard to listen to other ponies talk about it. Wordplay preferred doing the experiments herself, figuring it out on her own, that was why she was still enrolled into lab classes even though it wasn't strictly necessary for her graduation or especially necessary for her chosen career. [colour=#40e0d0]"Uh, well that's interesting...?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay gave an exaggerated lean back in response to Alabaster's leaning it. She wasn't really big on personal space of anything, she just thought it was a funny manner of response. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"Students allowed to use that telescope, or is it too important as I assume?" [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay smiled as she made eye contact with Alabaster.[/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]"Sorry about that teach, you get used to me quickly. My name's Wordplay, this is Psmith, Beats, Ria..." [/colour][colour=#000000]She pointed each of them out as she said their names. [/colour][colour=#40e0d0]"Doubt I'm going to be in your class, however... Hm. Why not? If it's alright with you guys? Since all of you are new, I might as well show every single one of you around, yeah?"[/colour]

[osprey77]

[colour=#984807]“I don’t mind!” [/colour][colour=#000000]Beats chirped, and gave the professor a smile that rivaled her own. If there was a member of the new Socialist club as keen on being friendly as Psmith was, it’d be Beats. [/colour]

[colour=#000000] [/colour]

[colour=#000000]Fictoria listened to Alabaster, her head on one side a little as she digested the near-monologue. [/colour][colour=#00b050]“Well, Psmith, it would appear that we’ve found the astronomy professor.” [/colour]Ria hesitated, wondering if she should jump in before Psmith for her greeting, but grimaced internally at the thought, knowing it would come out forced and artificial. [colour=#00b050]*Celestia above, I’ve already let him get under my skin!*[/colour][colour=#000000][/colour]

[Blueblood]

Psmith's verbosity had a tendency to overwhelm most of his conversational partners, but whenever he did listen, he appreciated most ponies who stimulated him intellectually. This Wordplay did, at first argumentatively, and now playfully. He responded in kind. "[colour=#996699]Ah, so my occupation is finally acknowledged as legitimate? I am glad to hear, Comrade Wordplay, that I have at least as much right to my study as a jailbird to his cell. It gives me, at any rate, a legal leg to stand on. Moving on to the question of distribution of company, I feel I may trust your discretion, though I should like for Comrade Beats to at least have one familiar face around on the first day of class, as a kind of moral support.[/colour]"

The group, having arrived at the building, now encountered one of the teachers, a Pegasus of a brilliant white coloring. Psmith greeted her with a stately bow, but found, to his mixed amusement, that she was quite capable of not letting him get in a word edgewise. Definitely a mare of science, in so far as she reserved her mental focus for her special discipline. Not, perhaps, reaching to the highest state of the balanced philosophic mind, he thought, but no doubt one of the sorts that makes the world go round.

"[colour=#996699]We have no objections to you joining us, Comrade Moonwing. You don't mind the 'Comrade' do you? Tomorrow, of course, Comrade Ria and I shall be under your authority, but for today, we are alike strangers in a strange land, conducted by our native guide.[/colour]"

As they started off again, the colt put another question towards the teacher. "[colour=#996699]I wonder, is it very usual for telescopes to be put in the middle of a city? There were a few in Canterlot, particularly at the University, but mainly they were on the outskirts of the main thoroughfares. As I was given to understand, the prevalence of lights in the city tend to obscure the ones in the night sky.[/colour]" Psmith may not have been the most academic of ponies, but he could generally retain enough information relevant to any subject to engage most anyone in a conversation on that subject. It was more or less part of his special talent of fostering sociability through talk.

[SanguineSoul]

"Students are allowed, yes," Alabaster replied, her face lighting up at the prospect of another pony being interested in her passion. "They have to be accompanied by a professor, but I highly doubt that that'll be a problem. I'm practically half snow-owl, myself, I think you'll find."

Hearing the agreements from the group, Alabaster nodded, a smile on her face. "Great. A trip around campus to familiarize myself should help wonders in the coming semester. And it's always better to have a guide, and a group to talk with." Turning her head a bit, she gave Psmith a somewhat inquisitive, puzzled look. "Comrade... comrade... now where have I heard that word before? Ha!" Suddenly her eyes lit up and she reared up a bit, her hooves hitting the ground with two quick thumps. "Comrade, that's, and I may be wrong here, but that's the term that those who follow the philosophy of... socialism... use to refer to one another as equals, yes?" Without waiting for an immediate response, she continued talking. "If I'm right, then don't worry, I don't mind. As for the location of the telescope, yes, it is a bit unusual. Most large telescopes, and even small ones, tend to be built out in the countryside, near a city but not in it. However, I've heard that St. Maresons spared no expense with this particular telescope. It has several filters that can be placed on it, specifically to pull out the 'noise' caused by the city. True, this will skew the observations somewhat, but a simple calculation should account for that."

[FermataTheBasse]

Wordplay's eyes remained well to the ceiling, as Psmith had as usual twisted her words to his advantage. She sensed it wasn't intentional on his part, but a consequence of his... whatever the heck he was supposed to have. [colour=#40e0d0]"Well I think I could accompany Beats around. Sound good Beats? You'll be exposed to me for longer than might be safe for your health, but I'm sure you'll be alright." [/colour]

Wordplay began to lead the group off again, this time taking them toward the ancient former town hall of Manehattan- back when it had been a little village and ponies had worn white powdered wigs for some absurd reason- where most of the more formal classes like civics were hosted. Her trot was easy, slow, classes wouldn't be starting for at least another hour if not more. Plenty of time to grow to further despise Psmith, in an affectionate way of course. [colour=#40e0d0]"Oh, don't you know teach? The four of us are socialists, through and through." [/colour][colour=#000000]Wordplay shot a look at Beats and Ria, mouthed:[/colour]

[colour=#40e0d0]Go along with it.[/colour]

[osprey77]

((ooc: Sorry I keep disappearing guys, senior year is taking a lot out of me. Thanks for not getting to upset, I’ll do my best to keep posting, though I apologize now if my posts are not the best...))

Beats grinned at Wordplay. [colour=#8b4513]“I don’t mind, it should be fun!”[/colour]

Ria, who couldn’t resist an opportunity to tease her sister in a light-hearted manner, muttered under her breath, [colour=#006400]“You may want to worry about your exposure to her. I she starts talking about swing dance too much, feel free to cut her off.”[/colour]

Beats affected a mock offended look, then grinned again. [colour=#8b4513]“Yeah, I do tend to ramble about that…”[/colour]

Ria and Beats both caught the look, and nodded sagely, Beats biting the inside of her lip to keep from screaming with laughter, Ria just wondering what in the name of Celestia this would all come to in the end.

When the girls were faced with the new building, they blinked at the contrast with the science building. [colour=#006400]Well,[/colour] Ria thought, [colour=#006400]at least the variety keeps thing interesting...[/colour]

[Blueblood]

(*Edit* Fermata just posted that she's going on indefinite hiatus; we'll have to continue this thread without her)

The town hall was built very much in the classical style, with a white marble facade and impressive Pegasopolian columns. What one felt about it rather depended on whether one preferred stark, clear artistic styles to rich and gorgeous ones. Psmith held little preference, his artistic taste in architecture was almost thoroughly devoid of buds. He spared the building little more thought than to fix its location for later.

Much more interesting to him were the ponies he was walking with. He continued on his conversation, grateful for Wordplay's contribution and slow walking pace. "[colour=#996699]Yes, it is true. We are founding a new society. The status quo, of cliques and conflicting hierarchies, strikes us as paltry and pointless. I myself have never seen any logical reason why the chorus should not be on speaking terms with ghost-hunting club, and dropping new students into the bewildering layout of cafeteria table alliances, to my mind, qualifies as cruelty to animals. The situation is one big demand for revolution, and we, hard-headed economists all, supply.[/colour]"

He listed politely to Alabaster's answer of his own question, nodding sagely. "[colour=#996699]Yes, investment in the sciences is gratifying to see. I should think the department was able to touch the board for the necessary doubloons because of the return of Princess Luna. No doubt the telescope is dedicated to her. Quite the right spirit, we like to see it. Socialists we may be, but state ownership and production need not preclude the persistence of princesses.[/colour]"