"I was thinking more along the lines of square-footage but I guess that will," Beamer commented before murmuring to himself. "Though only one window will make for pretty poor ventilation. And those curtains will definitely have to go. Don't want a repeat of Las Pegasus."

The earth-pony sat like that for quite a few moments, his brow furled in deep thought. Finally he sighed in defeat. "Yeah I guess I'll take a single. Also do you allow smoking?"

"Only when I cook" Wordsmith grinned, sipping his ice water, giving him a gentle but stern look when he started talking about removing the curtains and "repeats".

"Do you need anything, a place to store stuff?" he asked, "Safe... stuff?"

"Nah almost everything I own is right here," Beamer declined as he patted his saddlebags on the stool next to him. As the observation he just made hit him it was Beamer's turn to wearily rest his head on the bar. "Everything else is tagged and bagged by the royal offices by now. Do they even know how long it took to assemble that kind of gear?"

"Maybe" Wordsmith shrugged, "I couldn't tell you."

He pat the green stallion's shoulder, "I traveled light myself when I came to Ponyville, so I know what it's like to leave a good chunk of things behind."
Granted it was willingly, and he wasn't shipped to Ponyville via 3rd rate post... but he could try to be sympathetic... right?

Poor Beamer, the least he could do was try to cheer the poor stallion up.

The earth pony lifted his off the table, "Well it's not a total loss." He pulled a scroll out of his bag and rolled it open revealing a rather detailed map of Equis. "I have a map marking my travels. This will just be a good excuse the go back and visit some old places. I'll just catch the first train out of... this... town..."

Beamer trailed off has he became acutely aware of anklet around his leg. "Right. Now I get it. Trying to limit me. Dang it. Excuse me for a second."

The green stallion swiveled around on his stool so he was facing away from his host. "CURSE YOU RUNCIPLE SPOON!" he cried out shaking a hoof angrily at the ceiling.

Wordsmith snickered, he really shouldn't have but... he couldn't help it.

"R-Runcible Spoon?" he stifled his laughter, or tried to, "fellow mad scientist?" There HAD to be a story here.  He could feel it.

"Hrm?" Beamer grunted spinning back around. "Fellow mad scientist? Nope. He's just my nemesis. I'm required to have one and blame a majority of my misfortunes on him by guild rules. Also, how'd you know I'm a practitioner of science!?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 01:12, Thu 09 July 2015.

"Seems logical" Wordsmith chuckled, lightly amused by the stallion's antics.

"Let's get you a room" he motioned to the stairs leading up to the second floor, before rummaging behind the bar for a brass key

"Alright," Beamer agreed and fell into step behind the blue stallion. "One more question: is the building grounded against electrical strikes?".

"..." Wordsmith looked to Beamer, "It has a lightning rod if that's what you mean." he said warily and warningly.

How many times would he have to say "no shenanigans" to Beamer.

In reply to Wordsmith (msg # 26):

"Even better!" Beamer grinned. "Does room and board include access to the lighting rod too? I might need it to charge something."

The green pony continued in what he thought was a whisper but instead a normal indoor speaking voice. "I'll do it right this time too and the Secret Board of Shadowy Figures will not stop me!"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Thu 09 July 2015.

As Wordsmith was negotiating with his new tennant, hoofsteps were heard outside moments before the front door to the establishment opened in haste.

An out-of-breath brown stallion with a darker brown mane and tail stood propped on his hind legs, bracing himself against both sides of the doorframe with his forehooves.

"Pardon me.... .. Gentlecolts...." he had clearly been traveling at a gallop.  He forced himself to catch his breath as he dropped back to all fours, but remained in the doorway.

"Neither of you happened to see anything out of the ordinary did you?"  He waggled forelegs in "hoof-quotes" around the phrase "out of the ordinary."

Wordsmith levitated over a pitcher of cool water and a large mug to the Doctor, offering him a drink to refresh himself, "Define... out of the ordinary..." he chuckled and gave a grin.

At least he didn't point a hoof at Beamer with a giant flashing sign and arrow.

Beamer froze staring like a deer in headlights at the Doctor as he burst through the door. A moment passed and the green stallion's brain rebooted itself at which point he started to panic. Thinking quickly he hid behind Wordsmith.

"Horseshoes. They found me. I don't know how. But they found me. You should probably get ready to run for it."

"That's his line" Wordsmith chuckled.

While he had only been in Ponyville a couple of months he had met with and spoken to this Doctor stallion. Amazed by the travels he had been on (having shared a couple of adventures with the portly blue stallion.

"You've nothing to worry about from the Doctor, Beamer." Wordsmith said, still holding the pitcher of water for the brown stallion

The Doctor played off Wordsmith’s kind words in defense of him toward Beamer, instead choosing to focus on the Taverkeeper’s initial question.

”Oh…. Just, odd little things like....  Equicidal garbage cans… Inexplicable gaps in short-term memory… Statues that muck about on their own… Inordinate numbers of shadows…..”  He cast his eyes toward the ceiling as he rattled off his list effortlessly.

”…. You know…. The usual.”

The portly tavern-keeper shook his head, "Nope.  Nothing like the usual."

"Calm down and sit down" Wordsmith pointed at Beamer then to a point on the floor, "You're -fine- Beamer.  Relax."

Beamer looked back and forth between the Doctor and Wordsmith. "You mean he's not with the Librarians?"

The stallion visibly relaxed. "Oh thank Celestia. I though this might have been Manehattan all over again."

"Goodness, no..." the Doctor replied to the question of whether or not he was a librarian.  "I've had some unfortunate experiences in a libray before...  He tapped his chin with a hoof.  "... Several Libraries, in fact.... Wonder why that is... hmmm..."

"... But no.  I am not a Librarian.  Though, I have been named a Curator on more than one occasion, interestingly enough..."

Pansy approached the Quill and Anvil at a light trot, carrying a basket full of greenery and blooms.  She slowed as she approached and saw the doors were wide open.  Did something happen?  Why would they be open, and at this time of day?  "Wordsmith?"  The tan pony poked her head hesitantly in the doorway, purple mane falling into her face.

She spotted him right away along with the Doctor and another pony she didn't recognize.  But she didn't enter the building much further than the doorway, hesitant to interrupt.  "I brought those herbs you wanted for your kitchen.  But I can come back later, if you're busy..."

"Busy, no no.  Just helping a pony get on his hooves, like you helped me" Wordsmith blushed as the mare appeared, cheeks warm and turning a little purple through his blue fur, "And I don't know if you've met The Doctor or not." he nodded to the other pony present.

Trotting over to Pansy he smiled, "Thanks, your herbs are gonna go great in my cooking, I couldn't ask for a better supply" he pressed his shoulder to hers in a gentle, friendly gesture

Beamer turned his head as the new mare strolled in with a basket of herbs. He studied her as she exchanged pleasantries with his generous host.

"She'll work," the inventor muttered to himself. He ambled over to her and introduced himself. "Salutations! I'm Beamer. Would you like to be my guinea pi- I mean assistant?"
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 22:14, Fri 31 July 2015.

"Oh, that would be why I didn't recognize your guest,"  Pansy said with a glance toward Beamer.  "Who in Ponyville doesn't know the Doctor?  Oh, I also brought flowers for the tables.  I thought they might freshen up the place, but I realize now you probably don't have that many vases."

She was about to say more when Beamer came up and introduced himself.  The gardening pony looked a little startled at how forward he was.  "Nice to meet you, Beamer.  I'm Pansy.  Um, assistant?  Assistant for what?"  She glanced at the other two ponies in the room, confused.

"Oh I can get some vases" Wordsmith smiled, "Oh! I bet I could talk to Cheerilee, set up some kinda art project, and let the foals design vases and display them" he grinned wide and dorkily.

He poked Beamer with his right-back leg, "Beamer... this is Pansy, she helped me when I first got to Ponyville." he said in a tone that translated to 'I like her, behave'

"For SCIENCE!" Beamer answered the mare. His voice boomed and echoed a bit at the utterance of the word "science" and he held a hoof menacingly in the air for effect. "Think about it," the stallion continued as he shifted so he was standing next to Pansy. "Unlocking the mysteries of the universe, crafting new tools to help, not just ponykind, but allkind. Of course there will be the occasional creation of a monstrosity against all things natural, but that's what meat shield- I mean guinea pi- I mean assistants are for. But most importantly, laser teeth. Laser teeth as far as the eye can see."

As Beamer concluded he waved his hoof off over an imaginary horizon.