Season 1

Episode 3

Part 1

Thieves & Spices

If anypony has ever had a bucket of water dumped on them once they've lacked the ability to hear their name screamed countless times while they slept... they should know its not the most comfortable feeling in Equestria. It was colder than winter ice, and dunked across the length of his body. And even then he was STILL asleep!... but only for a short amount of time until every nerve in the poor stallion's body shot into existance.

"AHH!", Umek sprung off the bed, airborne and crossing nearly half the room until he landed flat on his snout, ears down, and some of his bed blankets draped over him. The foal let out a hard groan, "Good morning!"

"Yes, I've been trying to hear you say that for twenty minutes now!", Archerine strayed away from the soaked bed, striding to Umekile, and setting the now empty bucket beside him, "Since you're awake- I have an important task for you. Of the moderate kind~"

"Ugh well I'll be sure to try my most moderately~", Umek rose, his horn glowing, and wrapping up all the stray sheets, before plopping them back on the bed in a messy pile he'd clean up later. The colt rubbed his eyes, and shook himself free of excess water. His short, bristled tail whipped out and aside, drippling the last bit of water most uncomfortably onto the nice carpet, "So Archie-"

"ArcherINE... do not call me that!"

"Right, right, sorry.", the young unicorn trotted after him, then slowly paced down the narrow stairway behind his alchemist mentor, "What hazzardous activity have you planned out for me today~?", he asked as they made it to the second floor, then down the much wider set of stairs, "Explosives? Medicine? Explosive medicines~?"

"No no don't be ridiculous~ I'd never trust you with that material again! Give it a year... or two.", The older master shook his head, his hoof coming up, rubbing his goatie as they set down at the bottom floor, "Now stand perfectly still while I hand you a large sum of money."

Umekile stopped in place, his eyes shooting open. Very shortly after he rounded back to the stairs, "Well I'm going to wake up now. Nice try, Dream Archerine~"

Thwack! A hard sac of cash banged on the colt's head, stunning him for a moment as it was very heavy. At least the bag didn't rip at the seams when it touched the blade.

"Ow!"

"Hardly a dream~... I need you to run into the next town over. The caravan's established in Ponyville-miserable little place it is. Mostly farmland... well established wooden wall~"

"Yeah~", Umekile rubbed the back of his head with both his hooves, "Hard to miss, since I can look out over the edge of the palace and see it over the edge of the City.", the younger unicorn stood, his horn glinting when sunlight poured through the shop windows, reflecting the rays to random places on the walls and shelves, "So why aren't they coming here?"

Archerine was fiddling through a few philes of medicinal-grade concoctions which were so neatly stacked on the shelves at the bottom of the stairway, "Well the traders will be going South at the end of the week... So they refuse to come north to Canterlot this Season, they do not like to backtrack, or so I presume.", Archie turned and smiles, settling one of the philes into a small satchel, and handing it to his young apprentice.

"Just in case you happen to need a letter written... or conjure some infection~", a small duster rose up and began brushing down the shelves and whatnot off to the side, "I expect you outside the city walls by evening.", added the older unicorn, strolling across his shop, to the front door, flipping the sign to OPEN IN ONE HOUR... one of an assortment of signs he happened to have, "Don't travel alone; even the path to the next town over can be riddled with bandits and such vile hooligans.", Archie shuddered, "Here's a list of the assortment I most desire."

Umek gently levitated the small smidgen of paper over, "What are these? All Medicinal spices?"

His mentor was already behind his counter, dusting it off and humming to himself, breaking only to talk, "Mostly... Some are stimulants, and others... Well~ Best save your interest in the expensive products for much later.", he tapped his hoof on the counter, "Be mindful, and try to stay out of trouble?, the tone changed to a more concerned one, but never did Archerine last too long, "If you're robbed don't bother coming back until you can pay me back all that money!"

The young stallion lifted his hoof, leaning back with a sheepish smile, "Boy oh boy, Archie... you sure know where to set your standards.", he actually believed the older unicorn showed some passion for anything other than his alchemy for once.

"Standards that may or may not cost me a fortune in this business.", his voice growing more stern, "Go pack your things... I want you out by nine in preparation for your journey... I expect you to be gone no longer than three nights! Besides... the longer you stay the more money you cost me~", he looked aside, his eyes shut and twitching a bit.

"... So I can take a few of my things, right?"

"If you must. Make it quick."

"You're the best!", Umekile announced, chuckling and flouncing back up the stairs... he knew the perfect thing to take for this long trip, so full of solitude and peace! No more of Celestia's bickerings or Archie to wake up him TOO early! Oh wait... one thing was for sure.

Umekile would have to tell Celestia before he left!

End Part One

Hiya Everypony, sorry this takes me so long, it's quite a demanding storyline indeed. But I will be quick so I can head out and off to bed. This next episode will be a 4 parter, no real reason other than there will be too much to crunch into 3 parts. Therefore it's just to lighten the load per chapter I pump out. Sorry about that ^^;

Read and Review, this chapter is something like a preview.

~Collaboriter