A Deal for Distribution (Rose/High Bar/Mayor Rich)

[Aisede]

Rose perked up at this, a sudden energy filling her being. "Oh, perhaps I may join you!?" Accompanying this sudden outburst was a spontaneous transformation. Now, supporting herself with two forelegs against the table, was a miniaturized Rose Compass. "I do not believe I ever got to actually be a foal."

 

She beamed at the two ponies, for once acting her apparent age. Rose could not remember the last time she reverted to her juvenile self, but it felt good. Refreshing, even. Perhaps she should find a way to turn Aloe into a foal as well, and the two could play?

[SteelEagle]

Yeah, she knew the friendship trails among the rich and famous. She didn't pay attention at all whatsoever to the friendships of the normal trotting herd because her purpose was high in the sky. She couldn't afford the dirt on her hooves as is, let alone whatever was going on with the simple ponies of town. She would be more than happy to get to know the Mayor better, personally and otherwise. That meant better business. "I'll have to take you up on that soon enough, Miss Mayor. If your daughter is a fifth as smart as you then I am sure we'll get along really well," she said with a raise of her glass, finishing it off as she went to start her soup.

 

And saw what Rose did. She held the last bit of milk in her mouth for a bit and gave Rose quite the bug-eyed look. What in the wide wide world of Equestria was she capable of and why was she wasting her time on stupid potions? It asked a lot of questions and the majority of answers were quite terrible. Still, she finished her milk in a gulp and then started to work on the soup, laughing nervously as she began. "Uhh. Maybe in the future, Miss Compass, but I think for now we'll keep this relationship very friendly but focused on business. Don't want to about mussing up that side of things before the first bit rolls across the counter, right?"

[Blueblood]

"Glad to hear it, and I can assure you that she is."  Spoiled beamed at High Bar, delicately passing over the question of whether Diamond was any *smarter* than one-fifth of the Mayor's own intelligence.  Some of her little one's recent decisions had put her much in doubt in that one respect.

 

But to her daughter's credit, she never sprung surprises like Rose did at the meal table.  After the whole business with the strawberry milk, this only confirmed Rose with the label of 'eccentric' in Spoiled's mind.  No worse, the alchemist changeling was undoubtedly competent in her domain, but perhaps heedlessly enthusiastic in her social one.  "My, my, you're full of surprises, Rose.  It is rather a pity you missed on the joys of foalhood, but perhaps we may not be the best to be remedial with that experience?  Diamond is rather close to growing up, you know."

[Aisede]

Well, that put a damper on the mood, didn't it? Guilt welled in the changeling as she seamlessly returned to her appropriate age, calmly folding one hoof over the other while offering the two an apologetic smile- mainly the foal, the poor thing. Maybe she went a little overboard...

 

"My apologies, miss Bar, Mayor Rich." She nodded to each in turn, uncertain how to salvage what little dignity she had left. Perhaps she should ask Aloe to tutor her on social etiquette? Or bother Twilight over how to make friends... Hah. Right. "You're right, of course. Both of you."

 

Despite herself, she still managed to smile. "I'm afraid I'm not quite as adept at socializing as I am my own craft. Please forgive my outburst."

 

 

[SteelEagle]

Now that everything was back in its proper place, she waved her hoof dismissively. "Eh, it isn't a big deal. We all get enthusiastic from time to time. I mean, heh, I went full tilt earlier, right?" She said as she continued to eat and drink. It was good to move on from something awkward. You didn't want to dwell on it, but you could make light of it. "I guess now we just need the Mayor to do something a little tilted, right?" She said with a smile, hiding behind her drink.

 

She was doing the math. There was a lot of work that would be needed to make the arrangement work. She didn't have to do most of it, but her father always told her about the necessity of understanding the logistics of business. If you rushed her she may not be able to spell the word when frazzled, but she tried to understand the importance of it. Who needed what and when, how, why, and what she needed to be doing when all that was happening to make sure she wasn't linked to it. It was a little sad to think that her mind was sharpened like a dagger for this sort of skullduggery yet she couldn't tell you one thing about that rugby game she was forced to attend recently. Funny how sponge-like the brain could be when forced to absorb absurdity!

 

She burped.
"Oh!" She brought a hoof to her mouth, "excuse me," she said with a catch in her throat. "So, Mayor Rich. When am I coming over?"

[Blueblood]

 

Mayor rich directed a look of mock severity at the suggestion that she do something "tilted."  "Nothing of the sort is required!  I think we have all had quite enough of such things for today."  She did follow the phrase up quickly with a smile, though, so she wasn't mad.  Just glad that all the rigmarole seemed done with, and that she could finish her sandwich in relative peace.

 

Now on to more pleasant business, planning play dates!  "I believe Saturday would be a good day, if you have no other plans.  The day should be sunny and warm, so you can bring a swimsuit for the pool I have in the back, if you like."  She remarked to High Bar, sitting back with the last few sips of wine.

[Aisede]

Her apology delivered, Rose largely felt as though she had become a third wheel in this conversation. Opting to allow the two to map out their own future events, she turned to her own food and focused on it for awhile, cleaning off over a quarter of her plate with just her own thoughts for company.

 

That's not to say she didn't still enjoy herself just a little. Those last few sips, coincidentally, would taste like something completely different each time until it was gone. The last sip was literally grape juice, just as the cherry on top. Surely that wasn't crossing any lines, right?

 

Hmm... Will Albedo ever have as much social grace as the good Mayor? 

[SteelEagle]

Saturday it was. Her weekend was normally very busy as she was supposed to use spell-song to report to her father, but she knew that he would be pleased with the reasons for her slight derailment. Making friends and influencing ponies was part of the job after all, and making the right friends and influencing the right type of pony would be why she would become great at it. She would need to unpack her swimsuit. She hadn't seen much need for it so far and even back in Manehattan it wasn't as if she was swimming around some sunny beaches. The most swimming she had done was floundering around some pools. That would be repeated again, this time with some warm country air making the swim more honest than it would otherwise be. Plus. she could force her bodyguard to come around. Make him make small talk with the parents. Awkward! "It's a date then. I'll bring...cookies?" She offered with less confidence than she gave off, which wasn't a lot considering how minor it was.

 

As she went ahead to finish her meal, the filly couldn't help but be charmed by the changing flavors of her drink. She wasn't going to be upset as she had been before. After all, she wasn't being caught off guard! It just made her wonder why this mare wasn't selling herself at a high price for just about any purpose. That was what really talented ponies did, right? The search for profit, the search for power, these were universal. Everypony sought them out even as they claimed otherwise. That was a fact of life. So why limit herself to the works she had committed now? It would need to be understood further. For now, she smiled. "Thanks for that. I'm pretty partial to grape juice myself!" She said as she started to finish up her meal. It had been a good time but now she had plans for friends and profits and that was enough to tell her pappa that today had been more than a little successful.

[Blueblood]

 

"Cookies will be fine."  Spoiled Rich smiled indulgently at High Bar, even though she herself didn't have so high an expectation of the treat level that she would bring to the table.  How good were her family's baked goods, really?  Or would she just order a dozen from Sugar Cube Corner, just like practically everypony else in this town?

 

That remained to be seen.  Right now, it was seeming that both the business and the lunch part of this business lunch was wrapping up.  "Well, I want to thank you both for showing up, and I am glad we were able to get so much done right now.  But, the life of the Mayor is ever busy, and Rose, I'm sure you have your own commitments on your time, so I won't impose upon it any longer."  She drew out her purse, laying out bits to pay the bill.  "I will see you on Saturday, then, Miss High Bar.  For now, have a good day."

[Aisede]

Rose was saddened by the news, but she understood that both individuals had matters they must attend to. Summoning a smile she wasn't completely feeling, she trotted over to offer the filly a hoof. "Next time I may simulate a real drink, but until then, it has been a pleasure ~"

 

She'd wait a moment- just incase her peers wished to exchange any more pleasantries- before addressing Spoiled directly. "Oh, Mayor, I'd like to speak with you before you leave. If you don't mind."

 

There were two subjects on her mind, one perhaps less relevant than the other. 

[SteelEagle]

High Bar raised her now empty glass to the Mayor. "I'll see you then," she said as she bade the Mayor goodbye. It had been a good meeting and now she had an activity lined up. A good day. Soon she could shake off this façade and go home and be herself. For now though, a bit more of the mask. "Well, we'll have to see Miss Rose. I'll have my people take in the first test order at your earliest convenience and we'll see how this shakes out, alright?" She said as she finished her food. The Mayor was covering the bill which was awfully nice of her and High Bar would cover the tip, liberally splashing the table with shiny gold bits. "Good day, the both of you," she said politely. In a few moments she was out of their manes and soon was out of the restaurant.

 

Once home she still had work to day. Encrypted messages were sent to some, coded messages to others. Routes were planned, capable end state facilitators identified, and handlers selected. A lot of it, High Bar just nodded along to. She always did have trouble grasping some of the more confusing logistical challenges of her father's job and despite being alongside him in sound and spirit if not hearth and home, she still had trouble grasping it. All that mattered was when the meeting was ended and she could finally allow the liquid spell to dissipate. When it finally did so she leaned backed and stretched, cracking her back and yawning. She was excited to still have time to explore the town and unwind a little without all the pressure being on her. Except, of course, when she looked out her window and noticed it was pitch black outside. With a heavy sigh she banished the thoughts of fun away and slid into her bed, burying herself where no one could see her.

(EXIT)

[Blueblood]

Waving goodbye to High Bar, Spoiled turned back to the alchemist.  "Yes, Rose, what is it?"  Some last-minute bit of business?  A new product recommendation?  A more personal note?  Well, she was willing to indulge the changeling this request.  Or, at any rate, completely failed to come up with any good reason not to.

[Aisede]

"Two things." Rose paused, a good portion of that casual 'grace' she exhibited earlier melting away to reveal a much more timid creature. She shuffled her hooves, then took the seat the filly had just vacated.

 

Looking the mare right in the eyes, she spoke in a frank tone. "First: please be honest with me. How do you think that interaction went? The social aspects. I... It has been a very long time since I conducted business in any cordial manner. Business such as this, at any rate. I fear I may have come off as... Strange."

[Blueblood]

Looking at her now, Spoiled Rich had to remind herself just how much Rose had to 'front' in social situations.  Indeed, such was probably second nature to her kind, whatever attempts at authenticity were made.  But she could hardly doubt the genuineness of the changeling's question.  As for herself, well.  She wasn't a mare that sugarcoated things, though here she wouldn't go out of her way to offend.

 

"That depends.  Do you think you appeared stranger than you actually are, when compared to most ponies?  In a long-standing relationship, a pony would likely find that out about you sooner or later, so it is rather up to you when you let them know.  There are advantages and disadvantages to early openness."

[Aisede]

Snorting, Rose waved off the mere motion. "Oh, I know I'm strange. What normal pony sets out on a multi-century crusade to cure mortality? But I meant in other ways. There's an underlying wariness in that filly, and a sliver of fear as well. I worry that I frighten her in my... Erratic behavior."

 

Sighing, she began idly transmuting the scraps left on the plate in front of her. First into an inanimate colorless cube, then some writhing tentacle- then any random thing that came to mind. All of it mundane by her standards, and easily replicated by any potion she made. 

[Blueblood]

 

'Erratic Behavior?'  That was one way of putting it.  Spoiled felt her eyes wander towards the plate, where some... frankly disturbing transformations were taking place.  "You know, I think that's a valid concern.  Really, I think the best you can do is to ensure that there's nothing surprising about you."  She pointed at the tentacle.  "The fact you do such things idly, without thinking consciously about them, is what creeps out some ponies.  And even comparatively sweet gestures, like the strawberry milk, are good things to offer, but not so good if they're not expected, as we saw.  I guess what I'm saying is, you need to do some ground work before you can really relax yourself like that."

[Aisede]

Rose paused, looking up from the plate of rainbow-shifting corals. 

 

"So I should broadcast my intentions before engaging in any strange activities?" She had a thoughtful look about her, pushing the plate away with a sigh. Then she chuckled, a rueful sound. "Ah... I was raised up by a pony that didn't love me, servants that barely tolerated me, then lived in isolation for over a century. It shouldn't be a surprise that I'm this socially inept."

 

Straightening up, she adopted a more professional façade. "Thank you, Spoiled. I'll... Try to tone it down. Think about my actions before committing to them." Or she will try, at the least. 

 

[Blueblood]

 

"I'm not saying anypony can blame you for any missteps, considering the starting hoof you were dealt in life."  Spoiled brushed a hoof through her mane, glancing out the window in a reminiscent manner.  "There are many ponies whose current station and lifestyle are quite the contrast to that in which they were born."  She didn't often spare a thought to the old dairy farm where a young filly dreamed of a life that did not in any way include rural labor.  Let nopony say she had not accomplished her goals.

 

"Also.... you mentioned a second question?"

[Aisede]

"Ah yes." Here, Rose found her smile returning. "You've been a great help to me, Spoiled. I would like to show my gratitude, and I can't help but notice that you've seemed rather stressed lately. How would you like to visit the spa sometime? On me."

 

Perhaps the invitation didn't come out quite as gracefully as she'd like, but the offer was still out there. There wasn't much else she could do for the mare that wasn't business related, and this felt just formal enough that a mare like Spoiled could accept without feeling uncomfortable. 

[Blueblood]

 

Spoiled was, of course, a regular client at Aloe and Lotus' spa, but as the wife of a businesspony, she knew that any opportunity to enjoy a thing at a lower cost was an opportunity not to be missed.  "Why, thank you, I definitely see myself taking advantage of it."  A thought, memory rather, tickled at her mind.  "Ah, and it is with miss Aloe that you are starting your own family, is it not?"

[Aisede]

Rose perked up at this, beaming. "It is! My little Albedo hatched just recently, and our two eggs are no doubt a short while away themselves. Not to mention..." Her smile softened, and she failed to suppress a giggle. "We're both expecting. I do wonder how our pony foals with fair, especially with changeling siblings."

 

A rapidly growing family, but Rose would probably wait awhile before expanding it any more. She wasn't going to raise her children as a queen, but a mother. A doting mother, at that. 

[Blueblood]

 

There was a look of impressed surprise on Spoiled's face as Rose recounted recent family-growing events.  "Quite the brood you're getting for yourself.  Five is considerably more foals than I would feel equal to myself."  Suddenly, a flash of concern ran across her face.  "Hold on, expecting?  And you took a glass of wine?"  Maybe changeling biology was different, but that was certainly not advisable for a pregnant mare!

[Aisede]

Unfortunately, Rose had never anticipated her particular pending status. She'd run a few tests, obviously, but she was largely in the dark when it came to how her changeling body was handling a pony foal.

 

She wasn't concerned, though. If anything went wrong, she could fix it. After all, she had all the time in the world. 

 

"Yes?" She blinked, still caught off-guard by the mare's reaction. "It was just one glass. My body should purge the alcohol before it even reaches the foal..."

[Blueblood]

 

Spoiled was visibly unconvinced, but not to the point where she would push the issue.  "All right, I hope for both your sake and that of your foal that you are correct..."  Inwardly, the Mayor made a mental note to serve only juice, milk, and water at all future lunches with Rose for the time being.

"Well, if that is all, I really must return to town hall.  The Mayor's work is never done.  I hope to do this again sometime, with or without arranging a meeting with our little business partner.  Good afternoon!"  And with that, she took her own leave, her headspace already returning to the stack of paperwork that had no doubt spawned in her inbox during her absence...