An accidental meeting (Andifferous, TheQueenOfMars)

[Andifferous]

Dusty smiled and nodded. "Well... it probably would have been a disaster had you not come down to help." he said helping to get things organized. He was very careful about it, still touching everything as if it might explode at any second, which given the product and its owner, it just might. "I don't know how you managed to get enough rest out of that short time you were asleep though."

[TheQueenOfMars]

"I didn't....I just downed an energy drink to keep me alert enough not to kill anyone!" Ember burst out laughing, obviously joking as she would walk over to Dusty, grinning. "You're funny...and cute. That's a good thing in my book.....and you're really good company.....and caring....I figured I faceplanted the floor when I fell asleep, but being put back in my bed was a nice gesture....so, thanks.....i'm starting to really like you. You're kinder to me than most ponies are...." A deep blush would spread across her cheeks as she quickly turned away from the stallion, trying to hurry as she put things in various places while attempting not to step on Razzle who lay sleeping between the two.

[Andifferous]

Dusty smiled a little, blushing heavily. "Y'know not many ponies say that sort of stuff about me..." he said. "I mean... yeah I get the occasional thanks or smile but nobody really compliments me." He looked away, biting his lip. "And I should be thanking you, you gave me a place to stay for the night, and a couple of nice meals.... by the way I got a bite to eat from the pantry... but I mean, why wouldn't I be nice to you?" he asked,

[TheQueenOfMars]

"No worries. Got plenty of food...." Ember smiled, still blushing softly. "Well, because I almost killed you, I made a gigantic fool of myself..........i don't know what else to add besides the fact that me having a crush on you probably would make you turn away as well......." Her eyes would suddenly widen as her ears flattened, realizing what had just been said. "Umm...ignore that last bit. Yeah, me almost killing you would make you not like me....most ponies don't take kindly to near-death experiences..."

[Andifferous]

Dusty blinked, not sure if he properly understood what she had just said. "you... I... what?" he asked, shaking his head, a blush rising across his muzzle. "You like me?" He asked hesitantly. Not that he was opposed to the idea, just.... well nopnony had ever said anything like that to him before. "I never said I didn't like you, That whole thing was a complete accident!"

[TheQueenOfMars]

"Y-yeah........" Ember would begin staring at anything and everything except for Dusty as she blushed deeper, rubbing the back of her neck and mane. "I do....and..well, you didn't say it but other ponies have given off that vibe...even though it was an accident and all, they usually just storm off or yell at me...you're the only one who's been....well, as kind and as forgiving as you...and wait...." the mare's eyes would widen in shock as she tilted her head. "Does that mean...you...do like me?"

[Andifferous]

"Well... Maybe?" Dusty said, blushing a bit. He glanced away, biting his lip a little. "I mean I DO like you, but we really just met." He said, "no that doesn't sound right." he muttered, sitting down. "Um..." He thought hard, trying to think of how to phrase it. "I mean um... I'd like to get to know you more?"

[TheQueenOfMars]

"I'd love that!!" Ember would exclaim, ears suddenly flattening as she realized her over-enthusiastic response and chuckled nervously. "Err....I'd like that a lot too. You're a wonderful pony to spend time with...I was hoping you could spend some more time with me....unless you've somewhere to be, that is.." Ember would give a soft smile, knowing it would be wrong to keep Dusty any longer than he needed to stay. He had his own job so-to-speak and needed to earn a living. "If you need to head out, I can at least offer a meal for the road..err, skies.."

[Andifferous]

Dusty blushed a bit at her exclamation, before nodding a little bit. "Well, as much as I'm embarrassed to admit it, I really don't have any plans." He rubbed the back of his head, ears flicking back a little. "I was kind on my way into the city to try and find work and all that." He explained. "So I guess I happily accept whatever invitation you're willing to give."

[TheQueenOfMars]

"Well, I could always use another pair of hooves around the shop if you're okay with that. i have a fairly large order I need to work on and fill before noon tomorrow, and seeing as how you preformed today under pressure, I think you'll do fine. Heck, I'll even give you a cut of the profits." Ember would smile wide before hearing her stomach rumble. "Ah, right, hungry at all?"

[Andifferous]

"That actually sounds like it would be good." he said, perking up a little for a moment. "Oh um... but you better give me some sort of training on what is what and all that first." he mentioned, seeming a touch apprehensive. "Oh and dinner sounds goo too." He admitted with a chuckle.

[TheQueenOfMars]

"Wonderful! Can't think well on an empty stomach and if you can't think well, things get dangerous." Giving a grin, Ember would make her way from the shop back inside her house and into the kitchen, motioning for Dusty to follow her as she started whipping up a meal for the two of them. "Now, dusty since you're gonna be working with explosives, you need to know how they work....POP QUIZ!" Ember would exclaim, chuckling. "What goes into making a firework? I wanna see if you have a basic knowledge of how these babies are made."

[Andifferous]

Dusty jumped back a little as she shouted pop quiz, eyes wide ."I um... sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal?" he asked, thinking back to an adventure story he had read ages ago that had to do with primitive fireworks at one point. "Though to be honest I haven't a clue."

[TheQueenOfMars]

"Well you have some of the ingreedients, but that's not enough." The mare would, holding up a large spherical shell which had been purposely sectioned as a display. turning around she would bring it over to the stallion smiling. "There are a few parts of a firework. The mortar tube which holds the shell, the shell itself, fuses, lift charge, blast charge and stars. The stars are what give the firework its design." She would smile widely as she spoke. "There are actually three fuses. The main, the side and the time delay. When the main fuse is lit, that lights the side and time delay fuse." She would pause, seeing the slight look of confusion on Dusty's face as she spoke and chuckled.

Pointing to the display shell, she'd being to slowly explain. Underneath all this paper is a fuse running along the side of the shell. It's housed at this cylindrical bottom part which contains the lift charge. Ince the burning fuse reaches this part, the lift charge sends it into the sky while simultaneously the time-delay fuse inside the main part of the shell burns away. This time delay fuse is housed in a tube of gunpowder, as seen here." She'd point to the sectioned tube which contained the gunpowder and fuse inside. "This explosion is what will propel these stars outward once the gunpowder surrounding them ignites due to the pressurized explosion. The stars are a mix of highly explosive materials and colour derived from different chemicals........you following me so far?" She'd raise her eyebrow, hoping she didn't lose the pegasus mid-explanation.

[Andifferous]

Dusty listened to what she was saying, looking back and forth between her and the demonstration piece. "I... I think I get the general gist of it..." He said slowly. "So this part sends it up, and this part is what makes the explosion?" He asked, pointing to the lift charge and the explosive charges respectively. He still seemed largely unsure, part of his mind saying working with explosives like this was a bad idea.

[TheQueenOfMars]

Ember just stared at the pegasus, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah we're gonna need hooves-on training. You have the idea, but you have that look like I'm speaking another language. Good thing you're gonna be helping me fill this order!" ember would set the display firework down as she walked over to the kitchen, getting back to preparing dinner for the two. "You'll get the hang of things in no time. We have a pretty large amount of fireworks to make, so you'll have plenty of time to learn."

[Andifferous]

"Well I hope so." Dusty said nodding hesitantly. "Though is it really a good idea to have somepony with no experience making something as dangerous as fireworks?" He asked, sounding unsure about it. "I mean I'll help in any way I can, I'm just a little wary of messing up."

[TheQueenOfMars]

"If I didn't trust you I wouldn't have you helping me...besides, you'll have a few duds to piece together...." Ember would smile as the smell of food filled the air and a soft hum would escape her lips. "You'll do fine, Dusty....besides, you managed to help me figure out that problem earlier.....you'll be able to help me easily." About half an hour would pass before the unicorn would bring two large plates of food to the table, grinning widely as she set them down, hopping onto the couch. "Dig in!"

[Andifferous]

"Well if you insist." He said, still a touch unsure. "At least you have some faith in me." He looked around the shop and at the demonstration models a bit more while she cooked, trying to study it a bit more closely. "Thanks, this looks great!" He said, smiling and joining her on the couch. "So, um... how did you come to own this little shop?" he asked, trying to make small talk.

[TheQueenOfMars]

Well, Actually...this whole place...shop and all used to belong to a wise old Stallion named Cobalt Comet. He was the past owner of this shop when I was just a filly." She would give a soft smile, the memories flooding back like a river. "I was his apprentice and he was my teacher. I learned everything I know now from him...and I stayed by him til his last day...." Ember's eyes lowered, glancing at the note from Cobalt on the wall which she had specially mounted shortly after he had passed. "He was one of the kindest stallions I had ever met....and he always said I'd go on to do great things.....I just wish he were here to see..."

[Andifferous]

Dusty looked at her, seeing the slight sadness on her face. Gently he reached out with a hoof and rubbed at her back in a comforting manner. "I'm sure he'd be proud of how far you've come and what you've accomplished, right?" He said with a smile. "He must have had a lot of faith in you to trust you with his home."

[TheQueenOfMars]

Hearing Dusty's words would bring a slight smile to her face as well as tears to her usually bright eyes. The note had mentioned cobalt leaving Ember his shop and house so as to flourish and excel in what she already did wonderfully. It was still a somber reminder that one of the few ponies she really connected with was now gone and she was left in his shoes trying to fill them. "Y-yeah...he almost didn't give me the job, but something changed his mind....he used to talk about the spark I had as a filly......how it grew and shone...." Wiping a tear from her cheek, Ember would finish her plate, reclining on the couch as she stared off into the room, still able to hear the stallion's voice clear as day.

[Andifferous]

And now she was crying. "Oh jeez.... I'm really sorry." he said, blushing hard ."I really, really didn't mean to make you cry." he looked at her closely, watching as she seemed to be lost in thought. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you at all, if I brought back sad memories... well it wasn't on purpose, I promise."

[TheQueenOfMars]

"H-huh? Oh, no...it's fine, really." Ember would look at Dusty as she was brought out of her daze. Smiling at the pegasus, tears still slowly streaming down her cheeks as she gave a reassuring nod. "Don't worry, hun. It's a bittersweet memory, but those weren't tears of sadness....more like tears of.....well...joy. Joy coming from the fact that I was able to learn all I could from a pony like him." She would give a soft chuckle, wiping the tears from her eyes as she placed her hoof atop Dusty's shoulder. "I promise you didn't upset me."

Looking at the pegasus next to her, Ember would yawn softly, realizing how late it had gotten. "Aw, jeez...should probably get to sleep...feel free to use my room again. I'll nap down here on the couch." She'd smile before taking both ponies' plates out to the sink and washing them.

[Andifferous]

"Wait, that's your bedroom?" He asked, blinking a bit as he came along to help her with the dishes. "I thought that was a spare bedroom." He shook his head a bit, "I couldn't do that... you can have your room and I'll take the couch. I'm bumming off of you after all, its only fair." He said, giving her a blunt smile that said he wasn't going to take no for an answer.