An Unpredictable Night (Azure/Mwenye)

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         The moon was high and the stars were out in a full frontal show tonight, lighting up the entire area that is known as Canterlot. Unfortunately for one poor soul, that was exactly what he didn't want while he looked about. Azure came to Canterlot today to make a purchase that he had hoped would help with his hind left leg. However, he would have to do so looking.....errr...slightly ridiculous. 

          The moonlight had been especially powerful tonight. Every color on a flower or a storefront could be made out almost as if it were daylight. There was no hiding anything tonight from the public eye. Azure had the misfortune of stumbling into several paint cans that were left over form painting his home just an hour before arriving in Canterlot. His front right leg had the misfortune of stumbling into the mahogany paint can, and his left front found it's way into the yellow paint can. 

        Down the street comes a blue and.....dark red....and..yellow pegasus? Oh well, it wouldn't deter him. Azure decided if this was to be his misfortune he might as well have some fun with it. He disliked the way stupid rich ponies determined fashion and cliches and whatever nonsense they associate themselves with, so why not walk down the streets looking like he came out of a crayon factory? What he didn't know however, was that half of his tail had dipped into a bucket of tan paint. 

         He walked into a clothing store, making his way to the back where some socks were hoping to find what it was he came for. He at least had the decency to make sure the paint had dried before walking in, and the looks he was receiving were worth the risk. There were a few times he wanted to laugh but didn't, wanting to get what he needed and get out. Alright....where are the socks at...?

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The Carnival had just finished setting up on a terrace just outside of Canterlot. It was late, that was obvious by the sounds of crickets and the chill air as Mwenye stepped out of her freshly set up tent. She started for her cart, not too far away, when she overheard a conversation between Poppy (The snack-stand salespony) and Big Top (The owner of the Carnival). They were talking about Canterlot, and how beautiful it was from their little setup.

Mwenye pondered for a moment and rushed to her cart to gather her bits. Quite a bit for a Carnival Worker, as she'd been saving up. She poked her head out of the cart and allowed her ears to wiggle to listen for anyone nearby. Hearing no one, she darted toward the road she remembered coming in on, and followed it toward the sound of the city.

She walked into a clothing store, knowing Tiny Dancer would love a dress, or even a pair of socks. She loved wearing socks for one reason or another. However, Mwenye suddenly stopped in her tracks, looking toward the ground. How would she tell if she was grabbing a good color or not?

Her ears wiggled as she heard someone nearby. Light steps... Not an Earth Pony. She moved closer, and caught a scent of feathers. Either they were wearing a boa, or this was a Pegasus. She approached slowly and cleared her throat quietly, hoping to get his attention without startling him too much. _{"Um... Excuse me? I'm... Looking to get a friend of mine some socks... But I need some help... Advice, I guess. Would you mind helping me out?"} She asked, gesturing not too far away from where the two stood, where there were a few shelves worth of socks.

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          Azure had just wanted to try on a pair of heat therapeutic socks, seeing if he had liked the feel of them. Color could be debated, but first he had to find them. Just as he was about to pick his way through the store in search of the socks, he hears somepony asking him a question. Wait, did he by Block The Ads"> process that right? They were asking him a question? With how ridiculous he looked?

         He was going to ask if she had taken a look at him until he looked at her eyes, seeing the zebra's eyes looked rather faded. Mentally berating himself, he clears his throat as he turns to her. I'd be happy to help out ma'am. Would it be alright if I asked what by Block The Ads"> your name was? My name is Azure. He figured if he was going to help her out it might be best for her to know his name and vice versa. 

       Azure had no idea where to even looked. He had grown so used to just being walked down a hallway until he reached the Supply closet and was given equipment that actually searching for such things were alien to him. He debated on asking for help, but with how he looked he might get asked to leave the premises or they might walk the other way. So do you know what colors and style of socks your friend likes? I'd hate to make a suggestion just to find out your friend liked the complete opposite. Azure begins to walk through the store at a slow pace. He was curious to see if the zebra could hear his hoofsteps and follow behind or beside him.

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The Pony was willing to help her! Plus one friendship point for this pone. She smiled as he introduced himself, and let a low nod, almost a bow. "I am Madame Mwenye Kuwaona Dunia. Though, off the clock I just go as Mwenye." She said with a grin.

She shook her head slightly to let her man fall into a better position before nodding to his question. "She likes the color purple, and she likes Owls. If I can find her any combination of the two, she'll probably be happy." She said with a smile. "I can find an owl easily enough, it'd just take some time... But she absolutely hates the color green, so If I get Green Owl socks? I don't wanna know what she'd do to me."

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   Azure turns back around as he sees the zebra named Mwenye nod. If she got any lower it would have looked as if she bowed. He hated the sight of seeing anyone bow. Take away all the metal and regalia that signified royalty and they were just another pony. However, it wasn't everyday that two immortal beings ruled your country. Immortality wasn't invincibility though, the Canterlot raid by the Changelings proved that much. 

       So all we have to do is avoid the green socks and your friend won't be upset. Though... truth be told this is the first time I've been here so I'm not sure if they would have the purple socks with owls on them. But we can see if they do! Worst case scenario, we can go to a store that would have a stuffed owl for purchase and sew the owl's face onto the socks. The plan seemed to at least offer options and creativity. 

     Now the only problem was to locate the darned section of socks so they can begin their search. Looking up, he sees several signs listing where clothes could be located. A sign seemed to point towards a back corner of the store that had been labeled "Socks". Ah! They're right over here, follow me Mwenye. Azure begins heading off that way, brushing his tail across the ground in sweeping manners to allow her to hear where he walks and follow behind. 

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Mwenye nods and chuckles. "Hey, some purple socks and then some Owl Socks would work. Mix and Match!" She said as she started following Azure, mrring slightly at him brushing the tail on the floor to make sound for her to follow, but doesn't say anything.

When they stop, she gently feels around until she finds the shelf, running her hooves along the socks. "Too rough... Too small... too tickly..." She said, hmming again. "Something soft, but not too warm is what we need..." She said, running her hoof along one other before smiling widely. "THIS MATERIAL!" She shouts, holding up the set of Super Hideous, Neon Green socks! "Let me guess, I'm not going to be lucky enough for this to be the right color, am I."

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          "Hey, some purple socks and then some Owl Socks would work. Mix and Match!" the mare exclaimed, giving Azure a slight smile. It would at least make sure they only had to shop at the clothing store and not have to go find a place that sells arts and crafts. Though on the subtle mrring noise, Azure stops brushing his tail across the ground. Uh... suppose.... I should probably just trust she knows where to walk eheh.

           "Too rough... Too small... too tickly, something soft, but not too warm is what we need..." Azure watches the mare's hoof run across the different socks curiously, wondering if she'd be able to find it. "THIS MATERIAL!" It was the vividly bright neon green socks that she so desperately didn't want to stumble upon. Fate would have it that the socks directly beneath that pair had been the purple she was looking for, causing Azure to feel slightly bad for her. She was close, but some cruel shelf stocker had placed the green on top. If only color had feeling to it. "Let me guess, I'm not going to be lucky enough for this to be the right color, am I."

            "Unfortunately... no, no you weren't. However, the pair of socks underneath the the ones you pulled up were purple! Now, all we have to do is find some socks with owls on them and your friend will have the greatest pair of mix matched socks to have ever been created on Celestia's and Luna's land."

             However, Azure was willing to bet those green socks would look good on another pony he knew. That was a gift for another time. Winter would be upon them before long enough and he'd have plenty of time to save up bits for that. In the meantime... wait, they made socks with other animals on them? Not just colored socks? Equestria just seemed to get stranger and stranger to him. It doesn't take long for him to find the animal socks section... just... behind where he was standing. Sure enough, designs of animals and an assortment of colors were sewn into the hoof wear.  Hey, got some animal socks over here!

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Mwenye smiled and pulled the incorrectly colored socks away and put them on a different hook while she grabbed the ones he said were purple. She had to trust him at this point. The material seemed just a /little/ rougher, but all in all was a good material. She chuckled at his claim for Tiny Dancer having the best mix-matched socks ever.

Her ears twitched at the sound of his hoofsteps moving away from her. Had he decided to go about his own business? Had he seen someone he knows to greet them? Had he 'Hey, got some animal socks over here' He was looking for the animal socks, of course! She walked toward the voice and walked right through the center of a display of... it felt like ties. She came out on the far end with a tie around her head like a headband, and a few on her back... She cleared her throat and smiled nervously. "Here?"

She reached up and felt the socks. The animal print on them had a different feel from the rest of the sock. She gently felt the patterns. _{"Dog... Cat.... Cat... Dragon...} Hydra? Really? _Owl...OWL!" She smiled widely and pulled those socks down and put them with the other pair. "Yes! Tiny Dancer down... Now I need something for Bigtop, Poppy, Acro, and Easy Squeezy~ _{Squeezy did seem to need tools to maintain Allegro....}"

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    Azure watched with a smile as the blind mare found the owl made socks. He began looking around him as she did so, wondering if they had such a thing as therapeutic socks here. If they didn't have them here, where in the name of the stars would they be found at? Another thought had begun to occur to him as he kept turning his head slowly, golden eyes taking in the sights around him.

      Would the guard allow me to wear these socks while in uniform? Will they even let me patrol if they knew about this? I mean... it's nothing serious, nothing that a little heat therapy over time couldn't fix. It might even be a lifetime issue that can be subdued by this but... still... I can't help but wonder.

       Tools? Allegro? Uhm... well I'm sure the store sells some needles and such but if this is for something else more... mechanical, we could go find a store that'd sell that. I'd be happy to help, I uh.... just need to find a pair of socks myself if that's okay with you?

     Azure stood up from his sitting position, beginning to once more walk around the socks section of the store. Just as he was about to get frustrated with the store's lack of being able to properly sort out it's items, he notices what he had been looking for. Absolutely rubber like smooth socks that generated a consistent source of warmth. They were of a grey color which would match his armor. He decided he was going to wear his set of Night Guard armor a night ago and this would not only help him keep warm but would hopefully help his legs out tremendously. He took a seat, pulling the smooth fabric over his legs and patiently waited. It didn't take long as the heat began to seep into his hind leg, giving him a smile.

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Mwenye nodded. "Yep. Allegro. It's Squeezies Concertina. _{That's a fancy way of saying small accordian.} So any music shop would probably have it." She said with a little smile, gently laying the socks on the counter before her ears twitched toward Azures voice.

"No it's not okay! You're helping /me/" Mwenye said with an obvious joking tone to her voice as she followed Azure. She assured the shopkeeper she'd be back for the socks soon. She stood by as she heard him sit down, and shuffle with something.

After a few moments of silence, she cleared her throat. "Did you find something you like?" She asked, not trying to rush him, but actually curious if he had found something to wear.

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     "Squeezies Concertina?" Azure asked with a slight chuckle. "Heh, at the very least, it's a funny fancy way of saying it. But an accordian, jeez, haven't heard one of those things since I was a foal. I'd love to help you with that! Do you by chance know what tools we'd be looking for to help fix his accordian?"

       Azure knew next ti nothing on the parts that went into fixing any musical instrument. But give it to him and let him sit down with it for sometime, take it apart and put it back together again and he could fix just about anything. Out on the field, you may not be called a medic, a carpenter, a blacksmith, or a cook but you had better figure it out and by the time your service is up, you're all of the above and then some. 

      Azure smiles over at the teasing mare before standing up, walking in a small circle. He had to be as silent on his hooves as he was in his armor. The materials of the socks couldn't give him away to any would be criminals that would be listening out or looking about for him. To his pleasure, just because the socks were rubber smooth didn't mean they sounded of rubber, they were virtually mufflers, keeping his hoofsteps nearly quiet, much more quiet than when he'd walk around on his own hooves.

     "I do believe I have. These should be keeping me feeling good for the time being. Now I've just got to figure out how to wear it with my armor. Ready to check out?" Azure asks as he takes a seat, grudgingly taking off the socks and folds them back up, looking to Mwenye after taking the lead again.

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"I have no idea~!" Mwenye announced proudly at being asked what tools could be used on the concertina. "But I'm sure the people at the music store could help me out." She said, thinking for a moment. "Though, knowing we're in Canterlot, we'll have to be careful. We can't get something only a Unicorn would be able to use. Squeezy doesn't have the horn for it." She pointed out with a small chuckle.

Then he mentioned wearing socks with Armor, and she thought for a moment, blinking a few times. "Wait, Armor? Are you some sort of... guard or something?" Mwenye asked, looking a little apprehensive now as she slowly made her way to the front to pay for the sockies.

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            "Heheh, yea, I get ya. We'll find something Squeezy will be able to use." Azure said as he stood behind Mwenye, allowing her to checkout first. What he would be able to do with magic should he had been born a unicorn instead. He didn't understand why unicorns didn't forever discover new methods of magic and became contempt after awhile. Unicorns however, are in prime position to make a fortune. Should one figure out how to make transportation via teleportation portals or something for all to use by simply walking through it, they'd be filthy rich. Not that Azure would trust it whatsoever, but keeping a mind open as to what was out there entertained him. Cloudsdale was an entire town made of clouds, so why not make extensions that might eventually cover a large portion of Equestria? Well... to a degree.

             Azure blinked, lost in his train of thought and looked to Mwenye as she finished paying, placing his socks up on the counter to purchase. "I am a guard. I'm off shift right now, figured this would be the best time to go and find me a pair of socks. Ponyville doesn't have any stores that go as in depth as stores here in Canterlot go into." Azure says, pulling out his bits and listening to the pony behind the register.

           "Oh, the paint on me? Yea, might help if I was a batpony. Dark house and I stepped into some open paint cans that we're using to paint the rooms of our house with. Helluva fun time... yea it's going to be a pain to wash this out later on but I never would have made it before closing time had I tried to wash it out before coming here... heheh alright, you have a goodnight too, thank you!" Azure says as he begins to head on out, looking to Mwenye. 

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Mwenye's face twisted slightly as Azure spoke, saying he was a guard. Carnies and Guards didn't usually get along. Something about the Guards being uptight, and Carnies dancing around the edges of the law like it was a game. Mwenye shrugged, however, and just turned and headed toward the door slowly, giving him time to catch up. She paused as she got outside, thinking once again. _{"This is the clothing store. The record store is right across the street, and the instruments are 18 paces to the right from there..."}

She started walking again, her ears twitching rapidly as she crossed the street. She stopped suddenly, allowing a cart to go past, nearly brushing her nose as she did. Then, of course, she continued walking. Making it to the other side of the street, she turned and took a deep breath. She meticulously counted out her steps as she moved up the street, and paused on step 18. She turned once again, and made her way up a step and opened the door to the store, holding it open for Azure, if he had followed.