OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
Player Name: Scott
Player Journal:![[profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
vk_zicak
Age: 21
Contact:![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
zicak
Characters Played: Patchouli Knowledge (weekwizard)
IN CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Spark Sprocket
Canon: My Little Pony: FiM / Original
OU/AU/OC: Canon OC
Canon Point: Post-Season 3
History: Spark was born in the bustling city of San Josneigh, the self-proclaimed technology capital of Equestria. Sure, that title could be debated, but there's no denying that a lot of technological marvels came out of the city. Both his parents worked there for that reason, building and maintaining machines used all over Equestria so it was no surprise that young Spark took an early liking to technology and science as a whole, taking it up as a hobby as early as elementary school. It served him well, giving him something to do and supplementing his studies in other subjects. This was also how he trained with unicorn magic; using levitation to manipulate tools and make minute movements for fine details. He thought himself a prodigy in both mechanics and magic, a fact that, by all accounts, seemed to be true. Until he was enrolled in a formal magic course.
While Spark was good with levitation of small objects, he wasn't all that great at... well, just about anything else. Conjuration, transmutation, illusion... just about everything else he proved to be only middling, if not outright poor, at doing. The worst of all was when it came to anything strenuous; he just couldn't control it. It wasn't for a lack of magical strength, as he could do things like lift large, heavy objects several feet off the ground, but he could never get the hang of properly compensating for the power that was needed, always overshooting it, ending up with throwing said large, heavy object several feet into the air and through a wall or two when he intended on moving it three inches in the opposite direction.
This was about when he ran into problems in his hobby, as well. He was starting to not just build things from others' schematics, but design and create his own work. He always had grandiose ideas, full of complicated, detailed systems that would work together to do whatever he wanted a machine to do, be it make breakfast or mow the lawn or take out the trash or do something that would let him get out of chores, and for the most part they were mechanically sound... save for the amount of energy needed to get it all to run. Steam and coal power weren't good enough. Electricity wasn't good enough (and also came with the limitation of a plug of subpar batteries), so many of his designs went unbuilt and unfinished. That is, until that fateful day with the aforementioned large, heavy object in magic class and the incident with the building. Spark was helping to clean up the mess after school when he got to thinking: magic did this. Magic was powerful, but hard to control. His designs were well-regulated and precise, but needed more power. Could these two be used to solve each other?
And so began a project. One to combine his learned discipline with his natural ability, to solve the weakness in both by catering to each other's strength, a technology vastly unexplored in Equestria. It took a good few years of research and development, all by himself. He dropped his schooling to see the project through, but eventually, he succeeded in not only creating the solution to his problem, but discovering his cutie mark, as well, even if it was several years later than the average pony. The result? What he dubbed the Magitech Battery, a device that could take magic, store it, and output it into whatever needed it. Of course, being the first of its kind, it had its flaws and quirks, but it worked for what he needed it to do. He could finish building his inventions now that he had something that could power them, but now that that goal had been met, how was he to sustain it? These things were expensive to make, and the ponies in San Josneigh who had enough income to afford what he made were few and far between, and of those even fewer would stop to look at the crazy, untested, and possibly dangerous ideas of some colt who hadn't even finished proper schooling. But this didn't phase him. If he couldn't sell here, he'll move somewhere else. Somewhere where the population had a lot more money to spend, and were more accepting of magic in machines. So, he used the last of his money to buy a cart to hold all his belongings and hitched a ride to Canterlot. Surely the rich and fancy ponies of the capital would be willing to try what he had, right?
As it turns out, he was at least partially right. He enjoyed moderate success peddling on the streets of Canterlot, but his money didn't come from the big, fancy things he enjoyed building so much, but rather simple toys and knick-knacks made from spare parts, sold to fillies and colts and the occasional mare or stallion that enjoyed such frivolous things. It was enough to get by and continue his business, but he wasn't living the high life.
However, the streets of Canterlot served another purpose. It was the capital. The seat of political power. The center of Equestria. Rumors and gossip of the state of the kingdom were plentiful, and when there's no gossip, there's always something going on. He was able to hear word of Nightmare Moon's revival and defeat by some ponies wielding ancient magic. He lived through Discord's temporary reign, his odd magitech creations enabling him to blend in to the chaos until he was returned to stone. He saw news of his fellow machinists, the Flim-Flam brothers, suffer defeat at the hands of a bunch of farmers in Ponyville. (Apparently they overclocked their cider machine. Serves them right for rejecting his Magitech Battery. Wouldn't have had a problem with that.) He was even there for the royal wedding; he couldn't get in himself, but it was hard to miss the news and the media coverage, or the subsequent changeling invasion. Canterlot was certainly an interesting place to live and keep up with the latest in news. Though, he did consider heading out to the Crystal Empire when it appeared again, hoping to find a new market, but those plans were eventually interrupted by an explosion of rainbows and he was somewhere else.
Personality: Spark is a problem solver, above all else. Where somepony may come across an obstacle and decide to go around it, Spark will see it and try to devise a way over it. Or under it. Or through it. Or diagonally-through-across-above-under it. He likes to analyze problems, look at every piece and cause closely in order to learn why and how it is what it is and then figure out the best way around it. Of course, “Best” doesn't mean “easiest” or “most efficient”, but rather “most interesting”. He will happily forego an easier solution if a new and untested one comes to mind, even if figuring it out actually takes more time than the execution. Bonus points if it's flashy and complicated. For instance, why just make a toaster to toast bread and then take it out and put jam on it when you can make a high-powered toaster that's timed exactly so that when it pops, the toast flies up in an exact manner so that gets shot with jam from a cannon, the force of which propels it onto a plate on the table? It's elegant, precise, and really damn satisfying to get the physics right on.
Of course, this sort of problem solving means that there are failures along the way, as well. Many failures, in fact. Many, many failures. While they are disappointing, Spark does not let it get him down, instead pressing on to find a better solution or design. It takes a lot of determination to not give up, and Spark has a lot of determination. A stubborn amount of it, to be exact. He won't give up easily on anything. Even if nothing he tries works, he only gives up if the task is physically impossible (and even then, he'll try a bit more) or if he simply passes out working on it, at which point he'll let it go for a few days before coming back to it with a fresh mind. As such, he always has a lot of projects in the works, all written down in various notebooks and pieces of scrap paper about his cart.
Further on that note, he is, in fact, rather well-organized, both in mind and in possessions, but it's that sort of chaotic order that looks to any normal pony to be a mess. However, he does know exactly where anything is in his cart at any given time, and can even recall its position while not even near it. As such, however, he doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with his stuff without his permission, and when he's not there, that cart of his is kept under firm lock & key. Woe be to anypony who dare mess with his 'organized' cart.
And don't think anypony can get away with it, either. He has a keen eye for detail, developed when designing parts and systems for machines. It ties into everything: his problem solving, his working methods, his memory... all stem from his ability to notice every detail of an object he's looking at, be it do double-check a schematic to see how it works, to look over a broken machine to see where the point of failure is, or just to read somepony's expression in a conversation. In his experience, it's always been those details that have held the key to problems. Those details and how they interact with other details. This leads him to be something of a perfectionist when it comes to most things, never wanting to settle with mundane or subpar, only going for the best he can do, and then some.
Strengths: His attention and dedication to detail gives him an incredible willpower when it comes to overcoming obstacles, technical or otherwise, never giving up on a task if he knows he can do it better, looking over every inch to find faults and imperfections. It has also led him to train his dexterity in both hoof and horn to be able to execute those fine changes to delicate machinery.
As for his magic ability, he can manipulate small things with ease: tools, parts, wires, pencils... things like that he has no trouble levitating with fine motor control and using them effectively, even when using three or four things at a time.
Weaknesses: ...However, one he gets beyond around 40 lbs or so, he starts to lose that control, unable to apply his usual minute forces to move objects, and ends up putting far more magic than he needs to to compensate. It isn't so bad at around 40-80 lbs, but beyond that it is advisable to not come within a good dozen yards of him. As for other forms of magic, similar applies. He can make small barriers for welding protection and whatever flying shrapnel he can make, but anything bigger than a personal shield ends up backfiring horribly. Same with lasers. Pinpoint good, weaponized bad. And conjuration and alteration... yeah no he just outright sucks at those no matter how small the spell.
Going back to the mental, that same determination forms his follies. While he can spot details, sometimes he loses sight of the bigger picture and why he was doing things in the first place. For instance, he will spend a lot of time perfecting a flamethrower, getting it to emit a massive, scorching flame, before remembering that its purpose is to toast bread in a larger breakfast-making contraption. He also won't be rushed. He works at his own pace, and his own pace only, which is often slow by other ponies' standards. He doesn't like working under time constraints, and any attempts to hold him to one will result in him saying "it'll be done when it's done." There's actually a term for that among some of his regular commissioners, originating from a time where he spent a week perfecting a valve in a steam pipe system when he said he'd get in done in a few hours, earning the phenomenon the title of "Valve Time".
Possessions: A re-purposed food cart full of tools, scrap, folders of schematics, components, merchandise to sell, and Celestia knows what else. It appears to be steam-powered, but really that's just leftovers from a failed experiment so he just pulls the thing. Or it gets pulled by his special brand of magic. It's not in the best of conditions, with the paint obviously peeling away from the roof and the wood polish fading from the sides. The moving parts, like the wheels and axle, are much newer and kept in better condition, meaning it rolls well, but it ain't pretty to look at.
Pony/Animal Type: Unicorn.
Cutie Mark:Two equal-sized, interlocking gears: One bronze, with looped wires coming out of it, and one ruby, glowing with a magic aura.
Pony Picture: Sans cutie mark because fuck if I can actually draw that.
SAMPLES
First Person: [The scroll comes to life to show a new face in Ponyville, one slightly dirty and smudged here and there with grime, mane tied back with an equally dirty bandana. He looks slightly confused, as is normal for somepony who just got transported here in a rainbow explosion. Also a bit annoyed.]
So, Ponyville, huh? I've gotta stay in a farm town, now? Great... I was doing just fine in Canterlot, you know. Maybe not a millionare, but it was enough. Is this about the Magi-battery explosion? Because I told the court that wasn't my fault. I told them they couldn't throw the battery away. It gets tossed around on the way to the junkyard and ends up leaking. I made them rechargeable for a reason!
[There's a moment as he takes a breath, realizing that he's talking to a scroll to ponies who probably don't have any idea what he's talking about.]
Guess there's no point in arguing with mysterious rainbow explosions, huh? Oh well. Gotta make do with what I've got here. So hey! Name's Spark Sprocket, Equestria's leading (and only) expert in the field of magitechnology! The power of magic and the reliability of a machine, all in one and accessible to everypony out there, not just unicorns! If you're interested, just look around town for my cart. Hard to miss all the way out here.
[The scroll pans over to provide a shot of said cart. It's... definitely a thing. It looks to be heavily modified, with wires and tubes and gizmos attached to it every which way. They look to be well-maintained and new, in some placed, but the same can't be said for the paint job and the wooden structure, which is well-worn over the years. It's clear where his priorities lie.]
So just step on up and I'll show you what I've got to sell. I can also do commission work or repairs, magitech or otherwise.
Third Person: So Spark had been moved to Ponyville. He had never lived in such a rural area before, butit shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? If things got bad then he can just hop on a train and go back to Canterlot. ...Or at least, that's what he thought. As he wandered the streets of Ponyville, cart in tow, he began to fee a sneaking suspicios that something was wrong. Something more than just that rainbow thing. He thought he was up to date on everything from listening to the talk of the street in Canterlot, but here he heard of different things. not just local gossip, but stuff that he should have seen on the front page of a newspaper. Nightmare Moon's return just a week ago? Strange ponies showing up out of nowhere for the past six months? Acts of vandalism at a Canterlot Gala? How had he missed all this? Curious, Spark finds a newspaper stand and picks one up, as well as a copy of Hoovesweek. Might be a tabloid, but there were interesting things in there from time to time.
The newspaper only served to further his unease, confirming the gossip and rumors. what was going on? He should have seen this all happen in Canterlot. Hoovesweek was odd, as well. It seemed a lot more... virile than previous issues. And the dates... That wasn't the date he had left on. It was several months after that. Facts weren't lining up. This was a problem. Fortunately, Spark was not the sort of pony to back down from a problem. Something's up and he's going to figure it out. But how? He'll need to to a hold of a newspaper archive. Compare them to those he had in his cart. Also have to ask around, throw a few bits here and there; dig more into the rumors, Maybe find one of these outsider ponies if possible. In spite of the situation, Spark can't help but grin. Serious or not, this was to be a grand puzzle to figure out, and he loved puzzles. At the least, it'd give him something to do other than his work out here in the boondocks.
Player Name: Scott
Player Journal:
vk_zicakAge: 21
Contact:
Characters Played: Patchouli Knowledge (
weekwizard)IN CHARACTER INFORMATION
Name: Spark Sprocket
Canon: My Little Pony: FiM / Original
OU/AU/OC: Canon OC
Canon Point: Post-Season 3
History: Spark was born in the bustling city of San Josneigh, the self-proclaimed technology capital of Equestria. Sure, that title could be debated, but there's no denying that a lot of technological marvels came out of the city. Both his parents worked there for that reason, building and maintaining machines used all over Equestria so it was no surprise that young Spark took an early liking to technology and science as a whole, taking it up as a hobby as early as elementary school. It served him well, giving him something to do and supplementing his studies in other subjects. This was also how he trained with unicorn magic; using levitation to manipulate tools and make minute movements for fine details. He thought himself a prodigy in both mechanics and magic, a fact that, by all accounts, seemed to be true. Until he was enrolled in a formal magic course.
While Spark was good with levitation of small objects, he wasn't all that great at... well, just about anything else. Conjuration, transmutation, illusion... just about everything else he proved to be only middling, if not outright poor, at doing. The worst of all was when it came to anything strenuous; he just couldn't control it. It wasn't for a lack of magical strength, as he could do things like lift large, heavy objects several feet off the ground, but he could never get the hang of properly compensating for the power that was needed, always overshooting it, ending up with throwing said large, heavy object several feet into the air and through a wall or two when he intended on moving it three inches in the opposite direction.
This was about when he ran into problems in his hobby, as well. He was starting to not just build things from others' schematics, but design and create his own work. He always had grandiose ideas, full of complicated, detailed systems that would work together to do whatever he wanted a machine to do, be it make breakfast or mow the lawn or take out the trash or do something that would let him get out of chores, and for the most part they were mechanically sound... save for the amount of energy needed to get it all to run. Steam and coal power weren't good enough. Electricity wasn't good enough (and also came with the limitation of a plug of subpar batteries), so many of his designs went unbuilt and unfinished. That is, until that fateful day with the aforementioned large, heavy object in magic class and the incident with the building. Spark was helping to clean up the mess after school when he got to thinking: magic did this. Magic was powerful, but hard to control. His designs were well-regulated and precise, but needed more power. Could these two be used to solve each other?
And so began a project. One to combine his learned discipline with his natural ability, to solve the weakness in both by catering to each other's strength, a technology vastly unexplored in Equestria. It took a good few years of research and development, all by himself. He dropped his schooling to see the project through, but eventually, he succeeded in not only creating the solution to his problem, but discovering his cutie mark, as well, even if it was several years later than the average pony. The result? What he dubbed the Magitech Battery, a device that could take magic, store it, and output it into whatever needed it. Of course, being the first of its kind, it had its flaws and quirks, but it worked for what he needed it to do. He could finish building his inventions now that he had something that could power them, but now that that goal had been met, how was he to sustain it? These things were expensive to make, and the ponies in San Josneigh who had enough income to afford what he made were few and far between, and of those even fewer would stop to look at the crazy, untested, and possibly dangerous ideas of some colt who hadn't even finished proper schooling. But this didn't phase him. If he couldn't sell here, he'll move somewhere else. Somewhere where the population had a lot more money to spend, and were more accepting of magic in machines. So, he used the last of his money to buy a cart to hold all his belongings and hitched a ride to Canterlot. Surely the rich and fancy ponies of the capital would be willing to try what he had, right?
As it turns out, he was at least partially right. He enjoyed moderate success peddling on the streets of Canterlot, but his money didn't come from the big, fancy things he enjoyed building so much, but rather simple toys and knick-knacks made from spare parts, sold to fillies and colts and the occasional mare or stallion that enjoyed such frivolous things. It was enough to get by and continue his business, but he wasn't living the high life.
However, the streets of Canterlot served another purpose. It was the capital. The seat of political power. The center of Equestria. Rumors and gossip of the state of the kingdom were plentiful, and when there's no gossip, there's always something going on. He was able to hear word of Nightmare Moon's revival and defeat by some ponies wielding ancient magic. He lived through Discord's temporary reign, his odd magitech creations enabling him to blend in to the chaos until he was returned to stone. He saw news of his fellow machinists, the Flim-Flam brothers, suffer defeat at the hands of a bunch of farmers in Ponyville. (Apparently they overclocked their cider machine. Serves them right for rejecting his Magitech Battery. Wouldn't have had a problem with that.) He was even there for the royal wedding; he couldn't get in himself, but it was hard to miss the news and the media coverage, or the subsequent changeling invasion. Canterlot was certainly an interesting place to live and keep up with the latest in news. Though, he did consider heading out to the Crystal Empire when it appeared again, hoping to find a new market, but those plans were eventually interrupted by an explosion of rainbows and he was somewhere else.
Personality: Spark is a problem solver, above all else. Where somepony may come across an obstacle and decide to go around it, Spark will see it and try to devise a way over it. Or under it. Or through it. Or diagonally-through-across-above-under it. He likes to analyze problems, look at every piece and cause closely in order to learn why and how it is what it is and then figure out the best way around it. Of course, “Best” doesn't mean “easiest” or “most efficient”, but rather “most interesting”. He will happily forego an easier solution if a new and untested one comes to mind, even if figuring it out actually takes more time than the execution. Bonus points if it's flashy and complicated. For instance, why just make a toaster to toast bread and then take it out and put jam on it when you can make a high-powered toaster that's timed exactly so that when it pops, the toast flies up in an exact manner so that gets shot with jam from a cannon, the force of which propels it onto a plate on the table? It's elegant, precise, and really damn satisfying to get the physics right on.
Of course, this sort of problem solving means that there are failures along the way, as well. Many failures, in fact. Many, many failures. While they are disappointing, Spark does not let it get him down, instead pressing on to find a better solution or design. It takes a lot of determination to not give up, and Spark has a lot of determination. A stubborn amount of it, to be exact. He won't give up easily on anything. Even if nothing he tries works, he only gives up if the task is physically impossible (and even then, he'll try a bit more) or if he simply passes out working on it, at which point he'll let it go for a few days before coming back to it with a fresh mind. As such, he always has a lot of projects in the works, all written down in various notebooks and pieces of scrap paper about his cart.
Further on that note, he is, in fact, rather well-organized, both in mind and in possessions, but it's that sort of chaotic order that looks to any normal pony to be a mess. However, he does know exactly where anything is in his cart at any given time, and can even recall its position while not even near it. As such, however, he doesn't take kindly to anyone messing with his stuff without his permission, and when he's not there, that cart of his is kept under firm lock & key. Woe be to anypony who dare mess with his 'organized' cart.
And don't think anypony can get away with it, either. He has a keen eye for detail, developed when designing parts and systems for machines. It ties into everything: his problem solving, his working methods, his memory... all stem from his ability to notice every detail of an object he's looking at, be it do double-check a schematic to see how it works, to look over a broken machine to see where the point of failure is, or just to read somepony's expression in a conversation. In his experience, it's always been those details that have held the key to problems. Those details and how they interact with other details. This leads him to be something of a perfectionist when it comes to most things, never wanting to settle with mundane or subpar, only going for the best he can do, and then some.
Strengths: His attention and dedication to detail gives him an incredible willpower when it comes to overcoming obstacles, technical or otherwise, never giving up on a task if he knows he can do it better, looking over every inch to find faults and imperfections. It has also led him to train his dexterity in both hoof and horn to be able to execute those fine changes to delicate machinery.
As for his magic ability, he can manipulate small things with ease: tools, parts, wires, pencils... things like that he has no trouble levitating with fine motor control and using them effectively, even when using three or four things at a time.
Weaknesses: ...However, one he gets beyond around 40 lbs or so, he starts to lose that control, unable to apply his usual minute forces to move objects, and ends up putting far more magic than he needs to to compensate. It isn't so bad at around 40-80 lbs, but beyond that it is advisable to not come within a good dozen yards of him. As for other forms of magic, similar applies. He can make small barriers for welding protection and whatever flying shrapnel he can make, but anything bigger than a personal shield ends up backfiring horribly. Same with lasers. Pinpoint good, weaponized bad. And conjuration and alteration... yeah no he just outright sucks at those no matter how small the spell.
Going back to the mental, that same determination forms his follies. While he can spot details, sometimes he loses sight of the bigger picture and why he was doing things in the first place. For instance, he will spend a lot of time perfecting a flamethrower, getting it to emit a massive, scorching flame, before remembering that its purpose is to toast bread in a larger breakfast-making contraption. He also won't be rushed. He works at his own pace, and his own pace only, which is often slow by other ponies' standards. He doesn't like working under time constraints, and any attempts to hold him to one will result in him saying "it'll be done when it's done." There's actually a term for that among some of his regular commissioners, originating from a time where he spent a week perfecting a valve in a steam pipe system when he said he'd get in done in a few hours, earning the phenomenon the title of "Valve Time".
Possessions: A re-purposed food cart full of tools, scrap, folders of schematics, components, merchandise to sell, and Celestia knows what else. It appears to be steam-powered, but really that's just leftovers from a failed experiment so he just pulls the thing. Or it gets pulled by his special brand of magic. It's not in the best of conditions, with the paint obviously peeling away from the roof and the wood polish fading from the sides. The moving parts, like the wheels and axle, are much newer and kept in better condition, meaning it rolls well, but it ain't pretty to look at.
Pony/Animal Type: Unicorn.
Cutie Mark:Two equal-sized, interlocking gears: One bronze, with looped wires coming out of it, and one ruby, glowing with a magic aura.
Pony Picture: Sans cutie mark because fuck if I can actually draw that.
SAMPLES
First Person: [The scroll comes to life to show a new face in Ponyville, one slightly dirty and smudged here and there with grime, mane tied back with an equally dirty bandana. He looks slightly confused, as is normal for somepony who just got transported here in a rainbow explosion. Also a bit annoyed.]
So, Ponyville, huh? I've gotta stay in a farm town, now? Great... I was doing just fine in Canterlot, you know. Maybe not a millionare, but it was enough. Is this about the Magi-battery explosion? Because I told the court that wasn't my fault. I told them they couldn't throw the battery away. It gets tossed around on the way to the junkyard and ends up leaking. I made them rechargeable for a reason!
[There's a moment as he takes a breath, realizing that he's talking to a scroll to ponies who probably don't have any idea what he's talking about.]
Guess there's no point in arguing with mysterious rainbow explosions, huh? Oh well. Gotta make do with what I've got here. So hey! Name's Spark Sprocket, Equestria's leading (and only) expert in the field of magitechnology! The power of magic and the reliability of a machine, all in one and accessible to everypony out there, not just unicorns! If you're interested, just look around town for my cart. Hard to miss all the way out here.
[The scroll pans over to provide a shot of said cart. It's... definitely a thing. It looks to be heavily modified, with wires and tubes and gizmos attached to it every which way. They look to be well-maintained and new, in some placed, but the same can't be said for the paint job and the wooden structure, which is well-worn over the years. It's clear where his priorities lie.]
So just step on up and I'll show you what I've got to sell. I can also do commission work or repairs, magitech or otherwise.
Third Person: So Spark had been moved to Ponyville. He had never lived in such a rural area before, butit shouldn't be too much of a problem, right? If things got bad then he can just hop on a train and go back to Canterlot. ...Or at least, that's what he thought. As he wandered the streets of Ponyville, cart in tow, he began to fee a sneaking suspicios that something was wrong. Something more than just that rainbow thing. He thought he was up to date on everything from listening to the talk of the street in Canterlot, but here he heard of different things. not just local gossip, but stuff that he should have seen on the front page of a newspaper. Nightmare Moon's return just a week ago? Strange ponies showing up out of nowhere for the past six months? Acts of vandalism at a Canterlot Gala? How had he missed all this? Curious, Spark finds a newspaper stand and picks one up, as well as a copy of Hoovesweek. Might be a tabloid, but there were interesting things in there from time to time.
The newspaper only served to further his unease, confirming the gossip and rumors. what was going on? He should have seen this all happen in Canterlot. Hoovesweek was odd, as well. It seemed a lot more... virile than previous issues. And the dates... That wasn't the date he had left on. It was several months after that. Facts weren't lining up. This was a problem. Fortunately, Spark was not the sort of pony to back down from a problem. Something's up and he's going to figure it out. But how? He'll need to to a hold of a newspaper archive. Compare them to those he had in his cart. Also have to ask around, throw a few bits here and there; dig more into the rumors, Maybe find one of these outsider ponies if possible. In spite of the situation, Spark can't help but grin. Serious or not, this was to be a grand puzzle to figure out, and he loved puzzles. At the least, it'd give him something to do other than his work out here in the boondocks.
