My Little Adventure

Episode Six: Little Cities Part Two

It's late twilight when we get to Hex's.

I look to Leaf, "I hope he's not upset with us being so late."

Leaf sighs, "He will be."

A bell chimes as Leaf opens the entrance door and I walk in cautiously behind her.

"Who in the-" I hear yell from an unknown area.

"Who do you think you are coming into my shop-" a burly colt stomps down from a flight of stairs.
"Not even FIVE MINUTES from closing." He reaches the floor level and looks at Leaf up and down.

"Ah- I don't wanna hear it." He says and turns back around.

"Awe Hex, come on!" Leaf says after him. Hex turns his head and flicks an ear up at her.

"So- I was thinking.." Leaf starts.

His ears go back down, "Well stop thinkin' and get on with it. Or I'm goin' to bed and callin' the police to say I heard a strange noise downstairs."

"But your sign still says you're open?" I blurt out, and Hex looks to me red faced and sweaty.

"We're CLOSED!" He yells at me so close I could feel his hot breath hit my snout.

"Whoah, whoah, whoah. Hex," Leaf gets between us. "She doesn't live around here- give her a break. I just need a set of rune stones, anything you've got will be fine."

Hex mutters to himself and stomps away. "I'll leave as soon as I get them, I'm sorry about coming in so late!" Leaf yells out, leaning over the checkout counter.

Leaf looks to me, and I'm feeling awkward as ever.

Hex is a scary guy.

"He has to work on his yelling. It probably scared you, huh?" She smiles at me softly, "Sorry about that. It's not your fault though, he's just mad 'cause he forgot to turn the sign over." She chuckles and I smile.

Leaf turns back over the counter and looks out for Hex. "He's not a bad pony though, just a little grumpy."

I wander and look around the shop while Hex is off finding the set of runes. His shop reminds me a lot of the one we visited in Hollow Shades, but it seems most of the magic items Hex sells are for divination and fate magic. Unlike the one Chance runs with her father which was all about healing magic and herbalism. There are also a lot of magical household items, most of which I had to read the labels to know what their purposes were. There were a bunch of things though, that seemed to be really useful and needed.

"Magic is so cool."

"Ya really think that, huh?" I turn to see Hex looking at me. I was shocked, and frightened of what might come out of Hex next.

"Well for a Pegasus, I have some beginner potion working books if you wanna look into 'em." He nods over to a pretty bare bookshelf, but I look with excitement. I practically flew to the shelf with how fast I ran.

"HEY!" Hex booms out at me, and I stop dead, and stiffly turn to face him.

"ALWAYS-" He pokes his hoof out at me, "read the precautions."

I smile at him and thank him for the advice. Turning back to face the shelf of books, Hex leaves to check out Leaf and her runes.

I draw my hoof over the binds of the books; reading them down.

Tarot and You! By: Misty Clover & Opal Light

How to Make Miracles (the complete instructional to non-unicornian magic) By: J. Yipsy & Orion Yule

Picture Perfect Potions~ A beginners guide to perfecting potion-work! By: A.C. Lyre
I pull this book out, and flip to the first page and begin reading the introduction.

"Hey Q, are you about ready?" Leaf says, walking up to me along with Hex.

"Oh, actually can I-" I start but Hex interrupts me.

"No, no way." Hex turns and starts toward the stairway, "I'm not making anymore sales tonight. So just take it, it's been there for moons anyhow. Don't you see all that dust on your hooves? You're filthy."

Leaf looks over and smiles to me. "Are you sure?" I ask.

"Ah, I'm goin' to bed. Get out of my shop." Hex doesn't turn back around and goes up the stairs.

Leaf and I both exit the store quietly, and I flipped the open sign to closed before shutting the shop door.

The nighttime city air is a lot warmer than I expected it to be, and the Fillydelphia streetlights kept the city alive and moving as the sun sets and the moon rises.

"So I'm thinking we should get a hotel for the night. Is that okay with you?" Leaf says looking around the street, then over to me.

I tuck the potion-working book into one of my bags from Mystic and Tolly's shop. "Yeah, I don't mind. Where are you thinking?" I ask as we start down the pavement, getting off from the street Hex's store is on.

"I'm not picky, somewhere cheap?" Leaf says

"Is there a Mareiott?" I say this, and Leaf looks over to me.

"Uh, Q. I said cheap," she chuckles warily at me.

I look at her deviously, "Oh I know, trust me. Let's go."