[Canterlot] Royal Duties

[Teh_Brawler]

Scales outstretched his arms, still not opening his eyes, and felt soft fur mixed with dirt and mud. He instantly wrapped his arms round the object, and held on for dear life. As Mudbug came to a stop, he clenched to her fur, and opened one eye and asked hesitantly, "...Is it over?"

Astron stood up slowly, and shook off. He wasn't injured in any way, though he felt terribly embarrassed. Trying to hide the red blush across his muzzle, he walked over to the brown unicorn who had adeptly dodged him. "I'm terribly sorry about that. I really need to talk to someone about the roads here," he apologized. "You are alright, I hope?" He looked back over to Mudbug, and continued. "As for the running, we were heading to the tourist district in a, eherm, competitive manner." Astron couldn't help but blush again from the silliness of the situation.

[MudBug]

After making sure was safe on her back, she reassured the dragon with a gentle nudge of her nose to the overgrown lizard's spines and a small smile on her muzzle.

"Yeah, it's over, Scales." Muddy said, still smiling her her eyes turned to the scene before her.

Eyeing the brown unicorn and the prince as he stood himself up and looked a little rosey in the cheek, hiding her own smile under a concerned look as she trotted over to the two. Or more so, Astron, to make sure her friend was still in one piece. He looked alright but she was still concerned...and curious as she stood by his side and let her lavender eyes roam over the unicorn.

Going a little pink from embarassment herself, the earth filly let out a faint chuckle under her breath and raised a hoof to playfully nudge the white unicorn's shoulder.

"Gotta admit though, if you haven't tripped up, you would've had me for sure."

Some light humor to break the akwardness, but it didn't dampen her blush at all till she looked back to the frizzy haired colt standing before them and raised her eyebrows. A small friendly smile slowly appearing to her muzzle.

"So whaddya call yourself? Those were some pretty quick moves back there."

[Kopony]

Taken aback by the filly's inspection, Klank's face began to contort and twist in an embarrassing way as he became noticeably nervous while he tried to form what seemed to be a sentence. "Uhm...call...uh...me for all intents and purposes...oh, just look at the mess I made!" He said before swiftly spinning around and trying to collect something nonexistent off the ground, looking back at the filly several times in the process. He sighed and took a deep breath quickly afterward, then he released the collected air in one exasperated sentence. "My name is Klank Decog, I work with machines and mechanical products, I have lived in Canterlot my whole life and-" He took another gulp of air before continuing, "-I know these streets like the back of my hoove, but you seemed like you were doing something fun so I decided to follow. Phew!" He finished with his head at the ground before barely whispering one final question. "What's your name?" He said with a falling off voice.

[Teh_Brawler]

Astron looked on at Klank, unsure of how to handle the situation. While it was true that the unicorn had somewhat forced himself into the situation, he was rather flustered, and it wasn't as if he had done anything truly wrong. Astron smiled, watching the situation unfold. He then spoke up, "Well, Klank, it is surely nice to meet you. I am Astron Orion Cavalus, the dragon is my attendant, Scales, and this is Mudbug." He motioned to the filly upon saying this, and continued "Now, you mentioned working with machines? Why don't you walk with us and tell us about it."

Scales jumped off Mudbug's back, and murmured, "Thanks, Muddy." He then began to walk along with the group, deciding that it would be safer to stay on the ground.

[MudBug]

Watching the colt act...rather strangely, her ears straightened up atop her head in a curious manner as he told his name and looked rather skittish, to say the least. But it didn't diminish that smile on her muzzle, it did grow a tad humored when she watched poor bedraggled Scales slide onto the ground and take foot instead of riding any of them. However she politely hid her humor by biting slightly into her bottom lip. Didn't want to embarass the dragon after all.

Looking back to Astron and Klank she beamed a little through her dirt caked forelock and pawed one hoof at the ground in a small exciteable greeting gesture.

"Nice to meet'ya, Klank."

Machines? They didn't have a lot of machines in Ponyville, if you discounted ovens and record players and lighting, though some of that was magic powered par electricity, or whatever they called it. But that didn't stop her from listening on closely as they walked, interested in what work went into machinery.

"Isn't it a little dangerous working with something that could fry you at any moment? I mean I get told a lot of horror stories about machinery."

Mostly the foal stories mares tell their little ones to keep them -off- machinery, but it did make her wonder.

[Kopony]

Klank was still flustered but managed to get a sentence out for the filly and colt's question. "Uhm...yes, I work with machines. They are dangerous if you don't handle them with proper care." He clopped at the ground in a greeting in return to the filly's greeting. Staring at the ground as they began walking, mainly at his hooves, Klank continued with his response to the machine question, "It's very common for everypony to think machines are deadly when they don't know how to operate them. It's actually very safe for even a young foal to use a complex machine if they read the instructions." He had a slight bounce to his step as he began to cheer up more, talking about something that interested him so. He picked his head up in shock, he had a few questions for them as well, "May I ask for your name miss, and what you two do, by any chance?" It was obvious that he was completely oblivious to Astron's royal status, implying he didn't know much about the royal palace of Princess Celestia nor about her family.

[Teh_Brawler]

(OOC: I technically already introduced Mudbug, Kopony )

Astron continued walking, making sure he didn't miss the first museum. As Mudbug and Klank began to talk, his mind wandered back to Stalliongrad. He knew the routine of such things, and it probably wouldn't be too much, but the fact that his Aunt had called him to tell him about it made him worry. Was there a chance that it could blow out of proportion?

Astron shook his head. No, if there was, Celestia would have sent him immediately. He knew that everything would go alright. He looked up and continued on. As if on cue, the museum came into sight. He looked back, and called out, "We're nearly there; the museum is in sight."

[MudBug]

This guy was a little shakey wasn't he? Walking along with the young stallions, she couldn't help but offer a small nod to Klang as he answered her question. She supposed that was right. She really didn't know that much about machinery and that made her just the tiniest bit tentative of them.

When asked of her own profession, the filly beamed quite happily and shook some of the dried muck out of her mane proudly.

"If you couldn't already tell by my name, I am a mud child, you name it, mud piles, mud fights, mud slides, I am a big fan of mud, soooooo eventually I sort of got into a semi-landscaping business, semi-dirt selling business...I know lots of rare types of sediment in mud."

Glancing to Astron, her eyes cast to the museum as she let out the smallest whistle. of appreciation under her breath. That was a fine looking building.

"Nice, some of these buildings are bigger than districts in Ponyville."

[Kopony]

"So...you like to...get dirty, miss Mudbug?" Klank asked with a disgusted look on his face, he had always kept things from getting dirty, but to have made acquaintance with some who likes to get dirty, a filly no less, was slightly maddening for the young colt. It then dawned on him that she could very well be a helpful asset to him in the future, so he decided to ask her a simple question, "Do you find any...you know, metals in that sediment?" He asked as calmly as he could, keeping his head turned away from her with a noticeable fluster in his cheeks, despite his pelt color. "I mean...if you find metals, do you think I could, uhm, use them for my machines...I mean, if it's alright with you?"

It was after that question that Klank's mind shot back to the colt's stated, realizing immediately that they were headed to the museum. "Uhm, isn't there anywhere else we could go, I mean, the museum is so old and they hardly ever update their exhibits..." Klank chattered on about the faults of the museum, as if he would do anything in his power to keep them from going there. He seemed less flustered about being around Mudbug as he was about going to the museum, which seemed to be on good terms with everypony.

[OOC]

[Teh_Brawler]

The museum of Equestrian History was indeed a beautiful building. Commissioned by Celestia herself and built to help educate ponies on the events of Equestria, both positive and negative, it was a stunning example of how knowledge could help a country develop. It was made of solid white marble, and had a spiraling of windows that matched the progression of floors inside the building; the building itself was shaped like a stadium.

Astron was pleased to just be looking at the museum itself. He felt the architecture was a piece of art, and loved the mere sight of it.

However, at Klank's request, Astron instantly felt a little put off. The pony had just acted very rudely, and it didn't match Astron's personality and upbringing at all. He turned around, and raised an eyebrow at Klank disapprovingly.

"I'm sorry, but, are you truly doing what I think you're doing? If I am correct, you're complaining about the choice of destination? Why in Equestria would you do that? Ms. Mudbug requested to come here before you even showed up, and you suddenly appear out of nowhere, completely unaware of what we're doing, and decide to join us. However, when you do find out, you complain? Sir, you are being terribly rude to Ms. Mudbug, and to me."

[MudBug]

The earth pony was in slight awe that she didn't exactly hear Klank's question at first, her ears didn't work till she realised there was some tension in the air, glancing sideways at both unicorns the muddy filly arched a brow at the pair and especially at Astron. She'd never seen him look so...offended, maybe? And she could understand why, but maybe the museum just wasn't this colt's thing?

Creasing her brow in thought she tried to speak over the prince's words but when she couldn't get a word in edgewise she rose her voice, just a little before smiling sweetly at her friend.

"Your highness, I don't mind, really, I don't want goin' to this place to be an inconveniance to our new buddy."

She said, whilst motioning towards Klank. With absoloutely no idea that she'd dropped the bomb.

[Kopony]

Klank wasn't sure how to respond but he understood that Astron and Mudbug were on their way there long before he had showed up. He forced a smile while he weakly and hesitantly mumbled, "I...must be thinking of the wrong place then. W-we can definitely go." All the while Klank had his head facing the ground, he had taken his love for machinery too far as a foal and managed to destroy and exhibit almost as soon as he had obtained his cutie mark while his instructor and classmates had been on a field trip there. Needless to say, they had his mark on record and as far as the security was concerned in Klank's mind, he was a menace.

He scrapped at the ground with his hove, trying to think of a way to 'hang out' with his new found friends. His eyes shifted back and forth as he pondered various possibilities, whatever he came up with would have to hide his cutie mark as that's the only form of record they have that applies to Klank, his mane was short cut when he was a foal and he never carried his bag around because it had been too large for him at the time. "I-i don't mean to bore you with life stories, but do you remember that exhibit that was up for a very short period of time several years ago?" He hoped he didn't have to explain any further than that.

[Teh_Brawler]

(So sorry, guys. This week has been crazy.)

Astron's angry glare lessened slightly as the situation unfolded. It seemed like there was more going on than first told. He snorted a tad, letting out the frustration, and replied to Mudbug, "Well, let's let this unfold first. I feel like this may be more easily solved if we all speak our minds." Astron then turned to Klank, and continued. "Now, to reply to your question, no, I'm not familiar with said exhibit, but your mention of it leads me to believe that there's more to this than a lack of interest in the museum. Why don't you tell me what's really going on, and we can decide a route from there?"

Scales sighed to himself. Joy, another long story.

[Kopony]

"Not to bore you with the details." Klank continued, "But, I had a falling out with the museum, having accidentally demolished a priceless mechanism when all I was attempting to do was get it working." He sighed deeply, flinging his front hooves away into the air, making a mocking face that was intended to resemble a security guard, "You aren't supposed to be looking into the exhibit like that!" During his next sentence of mockery he somehow managed to get his eyes to go in opposite directions, "I don't care if you found a button, it does nothing!" Klank let go of the mockery to finish his story. "...The guard tried to snag me but rather than gripping me he pushed me headlong into the machine, causing it to fall to scrap. I was told that I was a nuisance and that I was forbidden to enter the museum again." He shyly backed up, clipping his back hove repeatedly on the ground behind him.

[MudBug]

Listening to the story, Muddy couldn't help but blink as the story ended and offer Astron a sideways glance and chewed her bottom lip ever so slightly. If ever there was a reason not to go somewhere, that was one hell of a reason.

And soon she felt a slight pang of guilt in her chest at actually wanting to go, jeez the poor guy, she'd been banned from places because she was too dirty. But this guy? She rose a hoof to rub akwardly at her neck before looking to Klank with a small smile.

"Hey, it's okay, I'm new so any place would be a treat really...besides I really know how it feels to get kicked out of places."

[Teh_Brawler]

Astron felt his anger leave as the real truth came out. "Now, that wasn't so bad," He replied. "If you had told us that from the beginning, we could have worked to help you out." He smiled, glad that the situation was under control. "As for your barring, I can handle that. I am confident that they won't object to you coming as my guest."

About that point, they reached the museum in it's bright alabaster glory. There was a gray earth pony in a ticket box, selling entrance tickets to the museum. Astron walked up, and requested, "Four tickets to the museum, my good man."

The pony let his shock and awe at seeing the prince die down, and printed out four tickets. Astron handed the appropriate amount of gold to him, and turned towards the other two ponies and Scales, tickets in hoof. "There we go," he finished, handing one to each of them.

[Kopony]

Klank gulped when he noticed something had been amiss here. "D-didn't you request 4 tickets? I am only counting three there." He backed away from the door as the feeling of nausea set over him. "I knew it, even after all these years, they still have my face posted on the banned list." After composing himself slightly he trotted over to a nearby bench and promptly laid on it. "You three go on ahead, it's alright. Really it is." He said with a forced smile, waving his foot towards the main area of the museum.

[MudBug]

There was a smile that split the muddy earth pony's lips as she looked over the glorious entrance to the museum, polished marble podiums, clean looking insides....made her feel just the tiniest bit on edge as she self conciously rolled her eyes down to look at her hooves. But all the same, as long as her new comrades didn't mind, she was happy.

Recieving a ticket, she smiled faintly towards Astron and couldn't help but find a faint blush briefly flitting over her cheeks that was fleeting and hushed as the other unicorn began to act out worriedly. The heck?

Blinking at the other, she glanced to the two before moving towards Klank and trying to offer a small smile and a nudge to the colt.

"Hey it's okay, you'll be with us, trust me, it'll be just fine, Astron wouldn't lie and tell you it was if it wasn't."

Even just meeting the prince, something she was still reeling from ever-so-slightly, she had a sure feeling of trust in the white unicorn and offered a small smile over her shoulder. Tail flicking absently before she looked back to Klank to see if his panic attack had subsided.

[Kopony]

Klank slowly stood up, he hadn't been good at hiding his emotions around others and Mudbug's reassurance seemed to quell them as they had noticeably died down. "I trust you Mudbug. B-but why do we only have three tickets? Surely Astron's assistant doesn't get in for free?" He said shaking his head, his mane bouncing back and forth as he did. "Everypony has to have a ticket, even if that everypony isn't a...pony?" Turning their head to Astron, Klank was indirectly asking him for some type of confirmation on this strange event.