Searching For Inspiration (CableZ)

[Tartan Lassie]

 

   The wind whipped at Witch Hazel’s mane. She hated that. What was the point of her washing and styling her mane every morning if the weather was just going to muss it up anyway? What were the weather ponies doing? Then again, what had been the point of doing her mane this morning anyway? She wasn’t performing today and even if she had been asked to, she doubted she would have. Sighing, she thought back to her last performance. What a disaster. Since the fall, she hadn’t left the training tent for longer than it took to eat meals, or grab a few hours sleep. They hadn't been in Ponyville long and Witch Hazel was desperate to move on, forget about this stupid town. Maybe once they left, she could get back on the swings...


    She shook her head and picked up her pace little. The mare trotted into town, her long legs carrying her gracefully through the streets. She flicked her tail a little, bandaged, as usual down to a tuft. She was slightly annoyed to have been ushered out of the training tent this morning by Ring Leader. He insisted that she go and visit Quip Crack. Yes, of course she’d heard of Quip, what performer hadn’t?  She was surprised to find out that Quip lived in Ponyville but assumed he must be a traveller like herself. Witch Hazel didn't really want to visit such a legend, but Ring Leader said she was never going to get over this problem if she didn’t get some inspiration. Inspiration, she thought scornfully, why do I need somepony else to inspire me? I inspire myself…


    Despite all this, when the trapeze artist did finally reach the park in Ponyville she couldn’t restrain the little surge of excitement that came with seeing the infamous Quip Crack’s cart for the first time. It was colourful, almost garish although faded. It had an antique feel to it and made all the ponies nearby smile just to look at it. How very Prance, thought Witch Hazel, though not unkindly. She approached the door slowly, not quite sure what to do, now that she was actually here. She stood outside for a moment, staring at the cheerful paint, before finally raising a hoof to knock on the wooden door.. She wasn’t really sure what to expect…

[CableZ]

There was a silence as the knock echoed through what sounded like an empty cart, certainly didn't sound very big on the inside in fact it sounded like it looked. However under the ground curiously there seemed to be a series of taps and odd sounds. It was as surreal as it was almost predictable when you knocked on the threshold of this particular cart.

After a series of taps, clunks and other various odd noises there approached a series of taps as if hooves were walking along wood. The hoofsteps seemed to go beneath Witch Hazel and past her until they came to a stop, then the seemed to be coming...up? All of a sudden, a square of the earth opened up, a trap door made of dirt opened up and out climbed a masked pony with a smile on. Looking around for a moment, Quip spotted the knocker on his door and approached her as the trap door slowly dropped down thanks to gravity, where it became a solid bit of earth once more.

After that strange entrance, Quip built some momentum and did a few cart wheels before landing with a flip and some flourish in front of the mare. He giggled for a moment before quickly walking around her inspecting her in what felt and looked like fast forward.

"Lemme guess, you fell. While you're injured you've been told to come see me, for something" Quip giggled at nothing. "You're the 6th this month...You know fame is not what you think. Fame is not having millions of ponies adore you, fame is not having everyone know you name...fame, is simply a big distraction" Quip laughed as he went into a one hoofed front hand stand while still talking. "Ooooh but you're different, you don't wanna be here, you think you're fine, you'd be training if you could. You certainly don't need some pony in a mask telling you how to perform, why...you're the best!" Quip laughed as he narrated the situation, doing a quick flip before landing back on his hooves. "If you don't wanna be hear, Theres not much I can do." He laughed

[Tartan Lassie]

    There was an echo. An echo that made it sound as if the cart was actually empty. It echoed for a moment before fading away. Witch Hazel cocked her head slightly, considering leaving. Wait, what was that sound? Was there somepony inside? She pressed her ear against the door, but the sound didn’t seem to get any louder. But wait… No, that couldn’t be right. She knelt down slowly and, sure enough, the sound seemed to be coming from underground. But the sound was moving. Tap, tap, tap, tap, right under her feet. The mare’s eyes moved with the sound following it to a trap door. In the ground. That’s right. A hole in the ground that the legendary Quip Crack was now emerging from.


    Witch Hazel wasn’t going to deny it, he cast an impressive figure. He was slim and strong, like her, although he was quite a bit taller. His face turned towards her and he began to approach her. While a little in awe, Witch Hazel wouldn’t deny that she was a little intimidated. She had always found masks a little creepy; despite her frequent close proximity to them. And Quip’s mask was known far and wide for having never been removed. The rumours surrounding the mystery all added up to make the mask quite a scary feature for the mare. However, she was a brave mare and was used to unusual looking ponies and she held her ground as the beige stallion cart-wheeled enthusiastically towards her, finishing with a beautiful flourish at her feet. She opened her mouth to greet him however, he spoke first and began circling her. He spoke fast, predicting why she was here.


    Disturbed by his accuracy, Witch Hazel had to concentrate to keep up with what he was saying. She frowned. The sixth this month? That annoyed her. She didn’t like doing the same thing as others but she couldn’t do anything as Quip launched into philosophical ideas that she Witch Hazel didn’t really understand. She was fascinated and irritated at the same time by the way the blank metal eye plates seemed to see right into her mind and she had to restrain the urge to use her legs to cover her body in an attempt to feel less exposed. She had been about to interrupt when Quip said something that caught her attention. She was different. Yes, yes I am different. She was pleased that the performing legend had noticed it so soon into their meeting. She soon wished he hadn’t said it though, for she felt she was being mocked. Was he laughing her? His last sentence halted her retort though.


    Thankful that he was finally standing still, although still laughing, Witch Hazel finally spoke. “Um… Yes. For the most part. I am Flyte. You, -ahem- may have heard of me.” She flicked her tail, haughtily and continued. “And you must be the famous Quip Crack. Most comical of comedians and most daring of daredevils, is that correct?” She cleared her throat a little. “I must say, I am very impressed.” She bowed a little. She may be embarrassed, but that didn’t change Quip Crack status in Flyte’s world. “You were only wrong about one thing. I did fall, but I wasn’t really injured. Just a scratch. No, Ring Leader sent me because I haven’t been able to pull off a new trick. The one I fell whilst performing. He thinks I’m…” She rolled her eyes as she fumbled for the right word. “…obsessive.” She sighed. “But it’s not that I don’t want to be here. I mean, I’m honoured to meet you. You’re very well known…” She trailed off, wondering if he was right, should she be here?

[CableZ]

Quip had to laugh at her words, shaking his head he began lazily cart wheeling around the mare in a slower pace. As he went around like a wheel he laughed softly, his movement was flawless if not a little unnatural. One odd thing of note, his hat stayed on his head the entire time...huh.

"Oh well known, well..schmoam?...Foam?" Quip rubbed his chin slightly "ANYWAY, being well known has nothing to do with it!" he chuckled before kicking off and kicking off the ground and doing a triple back flip to land on the roof of his cart.

"I'd still be doing this even if I was homeless back in Manehatten, I don't care if people see...ok well thats a lie I do care" He laughed hopping back down. "I want people to watch, but I don't care if they know who I am and I certainly don't care if I get payed."

Quip turned around and walked inside his cart, opening the door to the large living room that was the interior of the magical cart. Turning and inviting her in with a wave of his hoof. The interior was much like a a pleasant home, it was quite large and had a homely feel to it. In the center was a seating area comprised of a large cushiony sofa and a lazy chair centered around a nice coffee table, all topped off by being near a large fire place. There was a door leading to a kitchen ahead of them, along with a set of stairs nestled into a corner to the left that came back on itself as they went up to the second floor. In on corner on the right was a desk covered in papers and blueprints of various tricks and traps.

Walking through into the kitchen, Quip returned a millisecond after walking into the kitchen with a tray of juice and app slices. Placing the tray on the coffee table and back flipping onto his lazy chair, Quip poured himself some juice.

"So you got a spanner in yer works eh...nyeeeeh" Quip spoke like an Italian mobster for a moment. "Why do you do what you do?"

[Tartan Lassie]

    Quip Crack was laughing at her again. Witch Hazel felt her eyes narrow slightly but was still impressed with his slow cartwheels around her. She felt it took incredible talent to maintain such perfect cartwheels whilst still going at such a slow pace. She was also rather bewildered at his words. The remarkable stallion in front of her did not seem pleased by her proclamation of his fame. Neither did he seem displaced, just fairly indifferent. As he left off of his cart, she had to agree with his statement. Flyte had to admit she would probably keep performing even if nopony knew who she was. She was only vaguely irritated that Quip hadn’t recognised her, but she hadn’t truly expected him to.


    “I understand, but-” Flyte was cut off as the masked pony turned and opened the door to his cart beckoning her in after him. She shook her head and sighed; did she have any choice other than to follow him? She hopped in the door, closing it gently behind her. When she turned back around she was stopped dead in her tracks. She was now standing in a large and comfortable-looking lounge area. She spluttered to herself for a moment. “But we- This is- How do- ?” She lapsed into silence as Quip Crack disappeared into a room beyond this one. Another room? How?! Witch Hazel shook her head, putting it down to magic, as she often did when she couldn’t understand something. Now out of the wind, the mare began to fix her mane, take it out of its windswept state. She was admiring the designs on Quip Crack’s table when he returned. In her eyes, it was the mark of great talent to be able to study your tricks on paper as well as in practice.


    The stallion placed some refreshments on the coffee table in the centre of the room and took a seat, pouring himself some juice with all familiarity. Witch Hazel suddenly felt rather shy. She went and sat down on the very edge of the couch, tapping her hooves together nervously. I am in Quip Crack’s house. His famous house. And he’s just sitting there, drinking juice! Flyte was struggling to contain the excitement bubbling under her irritation. Quip Crack finally spoke. He asked the question she had been expecting and his voice made a smile tug at the edges of her mouth. “Well, I’m a trape- Oh.” She had been expecting him to ask what it was she did, but he hadn’t. Why do I do what I do? “Because it’s my-” She stopped again, hesitating. Gazing at the smiling mask, Flyte suspected that Quip Crack would be disappointed with an answer like “It’s my special talent.” She sensed he wanted more from her and she was rather hoping to impress him.


    “Well, because…” She began slowly. “Because… I enjoy what I do.” Frowning at the floor a little, she continued. “I enjoy impressing people and showing off my talents. I love it when they cheer. It makes them happy.” Looking at him again, Witch Hazel decided this was a stallion she could give the honest answer to. “And because I like proving that I can do what others can’t. I enjoy a challenge and I enjoy the feeling of success after having really worked for something. The thrill of the danger, too. It’s exhilarating…” Realising she was rambling a little and speaking very passionately, she trailed off wondering if that was the answer he had been looking for.

[CableZ]

Quip giggled and he began juggling around 7 of the apple pieces at once, he did this as he listened to the mare speak. Raising an eyebrow at the site of her sat so far away from his, he shrugged it off as she continued speaking. Laughing at her last words, he threw each of the pieces into the air so that they fell in a line straight through his mask and into his mouth...somehow. With a little clap of his hooves as he swallowed the last piece, he looked quickly back at the mare.

"HA! Well proving yourself only works if you can do the trick," That comment might have seemed a little mean but he was just messing around. "We aren't all the same you know, performers that is." He cleared his throat slightly as the swallowing 7 pieces of apple all at once was pretty stupid. "For example, I never practice my tricks," He chuckled, realizing that this statement was a little none descript. "Lemme show you."

Standing up on the seat, Quip leaned over the arm rest and pulled a lever. Doing quick jump forward, he landed on the rising foot rest as it shot up. This launched him into the air where he then proceed to do a pirouetting back flip over the chair to land right in front of his desk, immediately rooting through his papers, he found what he was looking for. Quickly trotting back over to the couch, he sat down on the couch near Witch Hazel, laying the paper on the coffee table. The paper detailed out a trap that seemed to use a very large harpoon cannon from a fishing ship, it also showed a launch platform that had a little pony stood on it. It basically showed the little pony being launches toward the canon as many harpoons were shot toward him, showing that he would have to dodge him. Unlike most plans she would have seen, there was no clear pattern in the harpoons or any sort of plan to his tricks.

"You see...I'm not going to practice doing this...just gonna do it," Another vague comment. "Now I'm gonna practice flipping, I'm gonna practice being launched and all that nonsense," Quip sounded bored when talking about the practicing and safety sides. "When it comes to doing it, I'm just gonna do it!" He giggled as he shot his arms out to the side excitedly. "Why I hear you rattling around in your head, because its more exciting that way, its real...to an extent," Quip chuckled. "The reason I'm still alive is I do nothing but practice my technique, so that this part," He taped along the part of the diagram where it said he was going to be dodging the harpoons. "I am my best, moral is that when you master the technique...the moves become all that little less difficult" He laughed as he stood up to go and retrieve his juice from the coffee table, pressing the foot rest of the seat down as he did so. "I can't say practicing a trick helps me...as I don't do it, however I know what works for me, because I'm me, and no one knows me like me," He hopped back onto his seat, turning in mid air to land facing her as he laid down on the seat "Get me?"

[Tartan Lassie]

    For an Earth Pony, Quip Crack makes use of a lot of unusual magic, thought Witch Hazel as she watched, and clearly saw him, devour 7 slices of apple. At least, she saw him put them to his mouth and then they vanished, but he was definitely still wearing his mask. Witch Hazel was only intrigued further. He laughed again before speaking and Witch Hazel began to realise that this was something she would probably have to get used to, if she was going to spend any more time with him. She was surprised to hear him claim to never have practiced his tricks. Flyte had heard plenty of performers claim to have natural talent and to never prepare for shows and such, but she had never believed any of it, believing it to be made up in order to impress. On the other hoof, Quip Crack seemed willing to help and she couldn’t think why he would lie to her.


    Perhaps sensing her confusion, he stood up to explain. She watched him spring-flip over the chair and grab some paper from the pile on his desk that the mare had just been looking at. She stared at the footrest for a moment, vaguely wondering if the entire house was rigged with tricks like that and glancing around where she was sitting, nervously, hoping she wouldn’t be launched sky-high without warning. However, he trotted back over to her without incident and sat down next to her. Witch Hazel was still trying to suppress the obsessive fan nature that she thought she’d have gotten over by now, considering her own minor fame. But Quip Crack is sitting right next to me!!

    Gazing at the plan he had placed on the table, Flyte was taken aback at how dangerous it seemed. “Harpoons?” She mouthed, staring wide-eyed at it. She struggled to hide her shock as he informed how he wasn’t going to practise it. She listened carefully as he tried to explain what he meant and almost felt like she should take notice. His voice, she noticed was almost an act in itself. She found it very pleasing to listen to. It had a warm and friendly tone to it, the kind of voice that sort of wraps itself around you in a familiar way although she was sure she’d never heard it before. Blinking a little she focussed on what the appealing voice was actually saying.


    She felt like she partly understood what he was getting at. “Technique… not trick…” She repeated quietly to herself following his hoof with her eyes along the page. She felt rather like she’d been transported back to when she was still in training as she tried to comprehend what he was saying. Eventually, she decided he must be advising her to try this idea; practice the technique, and the trick will be easier. That is, until he added that this was what worked for him, but might not be what worked for her. He moved away from her, still talking and she noticed him push the footrest back down. Flyte glanced around, wondering if anything else was going to flip. When nothing happened she looked back to him, feeling slightly strained. “So… You think I should attempt this trick I’m struggling with… without practicing it?” She asked, hesitantly, hoping that this was, in fact, what she was suppose to take away from his advice. The blue mare bit her lip before speaking nervously. “But what if that doesn’t work? What if I still can’t get the trick right? I mean, I don’t see why I haven’t got it yet, it’s reasonably simple. I just haven’t been able to get it yet… How do I practice the technique?” She drew a breath and gazed hopefully at Quip Crack, hoping he could help explain further.

[CableZ]

Quip shook his head making a serious of sounds that sounded like 'no' but he spoke them too quickly for it to be sure. Placing his glass down and reposition himself on the seat so he was leaning on the arm rest while looking at the mare, he tried to figured out how to say it.

"I'm saying that method works for me, its how I'm able to do my own tricks but I can't speak for you," He repositioned himself again, this time sitting back and slumping into the big coushy seat. "Technique is vital for any performer, without it we're just ponies trying to flip about who end up slamming their faces into various things." He laughed.

Reaching forward and picking up his glass once more, he was taking a hearty gulp of his drink when she asked how to practice technique. Because of this he spurted the drink out in surprise, even making the sound yet somehow it was still going through his mask?He went into a slight coughing fit so when he finally spoke again, he was almost out of breath.

"What?! You don't even know how to practice technique, no wonder you can't do the trick," He hit his chest slightly to try and calm his cough. "technique is your ability to do your moves, flips and spins and all that stuff, its how well you can do that," Quip was surprisingly serious, it seemed this sort of thing was actually an interest point of his "You practice these things by working on your balance and control, you take gymnastics, do yoga, or any of that...polarities nonsense," He rattled off some of the stuff that he had found aid in, made you wonder how he had any time to work on making new tricks. "When you are able to do the moves, you can apply that to any trick so it doesn't matter what you're doing. How do you think I have the confidence to not practice? It's because I'm confident in my own ability to actually be able to do it without practice." He smiled as he got up and went to grab a cloth, coming back to wipe down the juice that was all over the place.

"If you practice how to do one routine lots, sure you get good at that routine but you're not good at the other aspects. If you practice the technique, you can be good at any routine!" With a giggle he turned to look at the mare, hoping that he had made enough sense, he hated repeating himself.

[Tartan Lassie]

    Witch Hazel realised immediately that she hadn’t understood what Quip Crack had been attempting to convey. She had been right in thinking that he wouldn’t be able to tell her what method worked for him and just that not practicing tricks always worked for him. She was disappointed about this but hadn’t really expected any different. There were always going to be things that are specific to each performer. It was what kept you unique.


    However, she wasn’t prepared for his shock at her lack of understanding of technique. He has slopped drink all over the table and somewhere at the back of Witch Hazel’s mind she wanted to touch the mouth of Quip Crack’s mask, find out how it worked. Forefront of her mind though, was shame at her mistake. She flushed all up her neck to her cheeks and her ears burned with embarrassment. His tone changed and became more serious. He began again and Flyte listened carefully to his deeper explanation. She nodded along as her spoke, wanting to understand, to enthuse him. Realisation slowly dawned on her as he spoke about the difference between technique and routine. She finally understood as he wiped up the spilled juice. She had been doing things in reverse order to what Quip Crack was instructing.


    Flyte jumped up, excited with this revelation. “So, I’ve been too focused on the routine. I should have been concentrating on the moves within it!” Flyte bounced a little before laughing a little at the stallion looking at her. She rubbed the back of her neck and laughed nervously. “Eh-heh… Thank you so much, Mr Crack!” She was smiling widely and sat back down on the sofa. “I’m uh… sorry I didn’t understand sooner. I must sound like such an amateur.” Flyte was still very aware of her earlier embarrassment, which was only enhanced by how high regard she held this stallion in and how desperate she had been for him to be impressed by her. It seemed she still had lots to learn from this stallion. Quip Crack definitely hadn’t been like what she was expecting, although she had never really been sure what to expect. He was eccentric, passionate and just plain unusual. In Flyte’s eyes these were all attractive features, and he certainly seemed to know what he was talking about.

[CableZ]

Quip laughed as he threw the cloth toward the kitchen door, turned back to the mare as the clothe did a loop de loop and cured around the door. Wiping his hooves together, Quip cracked his nonexistent knuckles and giggled at her words.

"Oh please, I'm the most amateurish performer you're ever going to meet." Quip laughed as he made a little gesture with his head signaling for her to follow. "The only difference between me and anyone else, is I'm an amateur with style!" He laughed as he walked on his back two hooves, sliding along the floor and holding his other arms out like a smooth son of a gun. "Come on, lets go see some of my tricks and I'll show you what to do." He chuckled as he dropped down to all fours and headed back out of the cart.

Outside of the cart in the flat clearing of the park that it was parked on, there was a showcase of assorted death traps and trick contraptions. Where they had come from was irrelevant and besides the point so don't ask! Quip admired some of his more 'out there' ideas, the tornado of nails that he surfed in was an amusing one if not simply because his surf board was stilled full of holes. As he wandered around between his various contraptions, looking quite nostalgic...under the mask that is.

"Ahhh memories...wait I don't remember this one." He said with a raised eyebrow looking at a catapult. "I wonder why...ONE WAY TO FIND OUT!!"

With a happy giggle Quip leapt into the bucket area where one would load boulders or whatever, sitting comfortabley as he reached for the lever to fire the thing. As soon as he pulled the wooden lever, the tension built up in the catapult was unleashed and shot Quip forward. It wasn't until around the half way point of being launched forward that Quip realized the problem. The catapult arm didn't stop at any point and instead just slammed Quip into the ground with an almighty thud.

The momentum drove Quip forward into the dirt as he skid along the ground, digging into the dirt as he did so. However he began rolling along the ground and managed to kick up onto his back knee's, power sliding along the dirt. He came to a stop in front of Witch Hazel, holding his arms out and swaying from side to side with dizzyness and a possible concussion.

"You see?...style!...uuuugh" He moaned as he got up and tried to get his balance as he clutched his spinning head.

[Tartan Lassie]

    Quip Crack seemed to laugh off her self-insult. He countered it with a joke about his own amateurism. Flyte rolled her eyes, although not when he was looking. As if he was an amateur. He himself had said that six ponies this month had sought him out for advice. Amateurs just don’t get that kind of attention. He does definitely have style though, she thought as she watched him slide towards the door. She followed after his smooth movements, laughing light heartedly. She wondered if this stallion gave all the ponies that came to him this kind of treatment. Or was it genuinely because he thought she was different?


    Outside, the wind had dropped a little to Flyte’s delight. There was a platform next to Quip Crack’s cart that Flyte was ninety-eight percent sure hadn’t been there before. She shook her head, vaguely wondering what lever had activated that trick. Laid out all over the platform were contraptions, equipment for certain tricks of this performer. Flyte trotted behind Quip Crack weaving through the gadgets, wondering what some of them did and gazing with horror at some when she realised. Flyte herself was no stranger to danger. She frequently preformed feats of daring. But these things looked like actual death traps! There was no way a pony could attempt these and survive. But Quip Crack who appeared to be examining everything claimed he had used these all in the past.


    She turned to ask him a question only to see him leaping into a catapult. “Oh Luna!” Flyte cried and leapt away from what she’d been looking at. She galloped towards him as he pulled the lever. Flyte’s fast calculations of the contraption showed her that there was no kind of restraint on the machine. By the time she reached the thing though, it was too late. The beige shape was launched into the… ground. The mare was forced to stop her rescue mission as Quip Crack came to her. He skidded firmly to a stop in front of her, swaying and looking rather muddy around the hooves. Even in this possibly concussed state, he managed to come up with a quick quip.


    “Yes…” sighed Flyte, laughing quietly, but rather hysterically. “You definitely have style. I don’t know what, but… Definitely a style…” She put a hoof on his shoulder, trying to steady him. “Are you alright?” she asked nervously, looking him over. He appeared to be rather dizzy and was moaning softly. She focussed her deep green eyes on the plates where his eyes must be, attempting to see through them, make sure he was seeing straight. All she could see though was her own reflection. She frowned and decided to base her opinion on whether he could stand straight. “That was really dangerous! What was it supposed to do?” She hoped it wasn’t an insulting question. Quip Crack seemed to be pretty laid back.

[CableZ]

Shaking his head from side to side, the sound of a penny in a jar rattling around as he did so. Kicking off the ground with his front hooves, he bounced up and landed on all fours. Seeming to have gained his balance back, Quip turned back to look at the catapult, chuckling at the trail of dirt he'd kicked up as he was sliding along. Walking past the little trench that had formed from Quip's date with the ground, he approached the large catapult to have a closer look with what was fundamentally wrong with the thing.

Quip remember that he had gotten the thing as a flat pack sort of thing from a large store that specialized in performing equipment, problem was there was a piece missing, isn't there always? He'd never bothered to complain when it had slammed his testing melon into the ground, frankly because he thought it was pretty funny. At that moment a light bulb flashed over Quip's head, falling down and bonking him on the noggin.

Rushing inside, Quip dashed out with a bowel of fruit and an oddly shaped fished bowel on his back. In a blur, Quip quickly reset the catapult like it was nothing and dumped the fruit into the launching bucket before putting the fishbowl down in front of the catapult. On closer inspection it wasn't actually a fishbowl, it was a glass juicer but it seemed to have a large glass bowl around it with a open top. As Quip rushed to grab the handle it became apparent what he was going to do, sure enough with a tug there was an almighty thud as the catapult began its launch. As predicted the fruit was hurled into the juicing bowel and there was an almighty juice implosion, spraying the area with juice of all types.

After the commotion had settled, Quip walked over to the bowel and inspected the contents. Within the bowel was a purple liquid with no bits or any fruit pieces within in, picking it up tentatively. Drinking from it healthily, he wiped some of the juice from his mouth and looking over to Fylte.

"Mmmmmmmm, it makes the best juice!" He giggled. "I bought it as a catapult but after a missing part I turned it into a powerful juicer, it makes the best...well juice" He chuckled.

Realizing he'd gotten pretty distracted, he laughed as he threw the bowel over his shoulder and wiped his hooves. Walking over to her and looking around, Quip didn't know really where to start. There were tricks and contraptions all over the place, he didn't know which one she would be interested in.

"Soooo....any of them catch your eye?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

[Tartan Lassie]

    Flyte watched Quip Crack bounced back up onto his hooves, seemingly okay. She breathed a sigh of relief. This masked stallion seemed unfazed by anything, even severe accidents. Flyte shuddered at the thought of the spear cannon. He did genuinely seem uninjured though, not just faking it to seem tougher. Somehow that’s not his style, thought Flyte. She watched him as he examined the death-trap, apparently trying to figure out what was wrong with it. Before she could mention the missing restraint she had noticed earlier, Quip Crack’s face had lit up and he’d galloped inside.


    Flyte made to take a step after him but almost before she’d even moved the beige pony was out of the cart again and running back towards the broken catapult. He was carrying a heap of different and juicy looking fruits and… was that a fish bowl? Did Quip Crack have some goldfish? If so, what had he done with them to be carrying it empty? He plopped the fruit down into the bucket. But what was he doing with that fish bowl? He hadn’t put it in the bucket, but had placed it near the front of the catapult, almost on top of the start of his own striation in the dirt. As he darted back to lever, Flyte approached the fishbowl wonderingly. She stood back a little, looking into it.

“Oh! It’s a ju-” Splat!!


    Flyte blinked and suddenly the surrounding area was covered in sweet-smelling juice. Flyte blinked the purple liquid out of her eyes. “What just… ?” She asked, spluttering incoherently. As she wiped her eyes, she saw Quip Crack drinking the newly created juice and laughing triumphantly. Apparently, this dangerous contraption made perfect juice. Flyte just gaped for a moment before licking her mouth and tasting the juice. She grinned. “Well, this juice is pretty good!” She began laughing and shook herself vigorously, like a wet dog, in an attempt to clean herself up a bit. Most of the juice came off quickly since it was still wet and Flyte wasn’t too sticky.


    Quip explained about the missing part and laughing heartily, tossed the juicer carelessly over his shoulder. Flyte shook her head. Quip’s antics were truly entertaining. No wonder everypony loved him. A stallion that can make you laugh is a stallion worth keeping.  Her mother had always said. Flyte thought this was true. Wait, wait. He's not my stallion to keep! She was gazing happily at Quip when she realised that he’d asked if anything had caught her eye. For a moment, Flyte was sure that he’d clocked her staring at him, since he himself had definitely caught her eye today and her ears burned. Frantically, she glanced over to the other contraptions, trying to decide on one. She took a few steps towards them. “Um… How about that one?” She pointed randomly. The contraption she had gestured to seemed relatively simple. It was a big wheel with hoof-restraints on it. Perhaps a dizz-a-tron? Thought Flyte curiously. But wait; there are some little daggers here next to it… Hold on! “Is this… Is this a wheel of death? A knife-thrower act?” Flyte asked, once again shocked. Does this stallion know no limits?!

[CableZ]

Quip giggled as Witch Hazel was covered in juice, thinking that he might need to tone down the tension in the catapult next time. As she walked over to the large wheel with the metallic restraints, Quip chuckled at the memories of that particular piece of kit.

"It certainly is a wheel of death, it was one of the first tricks I was able to buy when I started making more money. I never liked that it was more about the pony throwing the knives so I instead modified that tennis ball launcher to do it for me." He pointed at said tennis ball launcher that was close by the wheel.

"I don't really use it anymore frankly, in fact I don't use most of this stuff. I prefer to continually make new stuff...probably a bad business plan if I thought about it but luckily I never think about it!" Quip giggled to himself before walking up to the wheel and giving it a quick spin. As it span around, Quip thought back to some of his older shows. He made a mental note to look back through his trick books later in the day, maybe past Quip had some ideas that future Quip had forgotten.

"What about you? What do you specialize in, what goes on at your circus?" Quip seemed rather excitable when he mentioned the circus, even stepping between his feet in an excited manner.

Quip never passed up the chance to visit a local circus when they were in town, not only was it great for ideas but there are few better places to have fun than at a circus! Sadly Equestria was a little sparse on the circus front, of sure there were a few and the place was practically bursting at the seams with performers. However in terms of performer to circus ratio, it was a little one sided. Quip had often toyed with the idea of starting his own circus, however he was often put off with the business side that had to be accounted for. Quip would often roll into a town with his cart, park it up somewhere and just sit around for a few months. He of course did shows, many of them free to whoever turned up. The jester was popular enough that he got more than a few offers and requests to perform at places which is where he got the majority of his income from.

His most recent large performance was in the desert continent to the south east in the little nation of Deerham, but that was a few months ago. Now that he thought about it he really should look through the stacks of letters he had to pick out a few pieces of work. That was neither here nor there however and right now he was having fun with a fellow performer.

[Tartan Lassie]

    Flyte listened in stunned silence as Quip spoke about his Wheel of Death. She looked carefully at it, noticing all the dents that proved it was well-used and grimacing when some of the dents definitely appeared to be where the pony would actually be strapped. She couldn’t believe that Quip had actually used a modified tennis ball launcher, something he would have no control over. It seemed that every time Quip Crack spoke, he further amazed her with some terrifying feat. Flyte was a trapeze artist. This was a dangerous job in itself as one fall could be fatal. She had even worked with fire and such but none of this compared with the experience Quip seemed to have under his belt. There seemed to be nothing this stallion wouldn’t risk.


    She watched the wheel spin as Quip Crack spoke about business plans. Even with the widest stretch of imagination, Flyte couldn’t imagine Quip Crack behind a desk doing fractions or something like that. To be honest, she could barely imagine him standing still for longer than ten seconds. “Always breaking new ground, huh?” She asked, smiling. 

    Flyte’s smile grew immensely when he asked what it was she did. She was honoured to be asked by Quip Crack to tell him about her own skills. He even seemed genuinely excited at the thought. “Well… my circus, hmm…” Flyte could easily talk for hours about what she did, but her circus? She wasn’t really sure how to answer that. “I don’t really think I have a circus to call my own. I’ve been a part of many different circuses. None of them feel quite right for me. I’ve been part of circuses themed around fire, animals, nature… everything. I’m beginning to think I should just go back to the very first circus I joined, the ponies who trained me up.” They did say there was always a place for me there, she thought. “But anyway, the circus I’m with now, the Cirque d’Illusion. The Circus of Illusion. They specialise in smoke and mirrors acts. I’ve not really found a way to fit this into my own acts yet, they just tell me toss a load of glitter around.” Flyte giggled as she remembered this.



    The deep blue mare worried slightly about talking about her own special talent. She had a habit of not stopping talking about her special talent. But he had asked what she did. Flyte put on her best show smile and made a dramatic gesture. “But I, I am a trapeze artist. I have done similar things, such as the tightrope and some ground acrobatics, but I really specialise in the aerial circus.” Flyte took a breath, getting excited just at the thought of flying through the air. “Throughout my career I have performed Static Trapeze, Flying Trapeze, Prench Trapeze and so on, but I truly shine at Swinging Trapeze. I think I’m best at it because it’s so similar to Flying Trapeze, but I don’t have to rely on other ponies to achieve it. I use the momentum of my own swings and not somepony else’s. Usually the tricks are performed on the peaks of the swing and involve dynamic movements that require precise timing.” Flyte covered her mouth, realising she had gotten so wrapped up in her ranting, she’d practically forgotten who she was speaking to. “Sorry… You, eh, probably know all that.” She had flushed all up her neck and prayed to Luna that her dark colouring was hiding any pink sheen. Oh Celestia, you were even using your hooves to imitate the tricks just there, Witch Hazel.
Flyte was very embarrassed over her impassioned speech. She was also worried that Quip my disapprove of her preference of solo performances. She knew he had a partner of his own.