In a goshdarned reptile zoo

[chaotic_scribbles]

"...." The shared look of confusion-slash-un-amusement on Scribble and Sugar Spoon's faces was very similar. They each shared a look.

"....You know," Scribble shifted his attention to his coffee, addressing his old friend rather calmly at the moment. "I'm beginning to wonder if drugs weren't used at all during the trip we've been on." It wouldn't be out of the question, given how little they knew about the Doctor.

"But," Before Sugar Spoon could say something. "I'm pretty sure I'm clean. ...Eighty-five percent sure."

He sipped his coffee, not even bothering with the embarrassed changeling as he thought.

"Rayberry...." He sighed. "If we're going to look anywhere, I guess that would be a good place to start. Considering what Hunter just said."

"What did I say." The reporter asked blankly, downing his coffee before the Diamond Dog could offer an answer.

Alrighty then, moving on...

[sharpwit]

Sharp Wit is a stallion who disliked many things. He disliked stupid people. He disliked ponies who insisted that tea was better than coffee. He even had a certain dislike for simple words such as "moist" and "ooze". But the one thing that Sharp disliked the most was being caught off guard.
In the millisecond that Sharp spent reacting to the kelpie's trick, his yelp of surprise reached an octave range that most mares in the entertainment industry would be jealous of. He frantically looked behind him, his normally sleek grey feathers ruffled up in panic, before he realized his aquatic aggressor was right behind him, cackling away.
It took a second for the Inspector to realize what had happened, but once he had, he was amazed. It seemed as if Riptide was there- and yet it took all of his concentration to even catch a glimpse of her. It seemed that the more he tried to focus on her, the more her image sort of slipped away- like a camera lens trying to adjust to an image, but never quite capturing it. "This is spectacular, Agent Noise!" he exclaimed happily. "She'd have to be wearing a klaxon siren to be noticed!"
He suddenly realized that the entire group's eyes were on him in a mixture in amusement and alarm. He quickly felt the back of his neck heat up in embarrassment. "What?!" he asked defensively. "I don;t like being sneaked up on, alright?!"

What a fascinating conversation. No, really!

[zervziel]

As interesting and happily uneventful as meeting ponies from Scribble's past was, Isop/Fabled Tales found himself feeling the double edge of not having the Doctor around to create havoc as boredom set in. He could do nothing to help himself as he grew more and more bored with the conversation.

Normally he'd butt in, but finally Scribble thought to ask if anyone had heard of the magician's toybox.

His hopes of actually doing something crashed around him as the Sugar Spoon pony had no idea what Scribble was talking about. As it was Isop was on the verge of drifting off into sleep only for Hunter Stompson to drop the title "Great Kelpie Hunt."

"Wha-what!? Kelpie?! where!?" He cried as he forced himself back to full alert. Last thing he needed was for one of those nightmarish monstrosities to catch him off guard. It was bad enough he was sure he'd be visiting the city of Vol Oros in his nightmares!

Now truly awakened and ready, he found himself looking around for the threat only to see stumped and confused expressions at his outburst on everybody around him.

"Heh, sorry." He said with blush, hoping his red fur would hide it. "Bad experience."

Mistah Leary, he is Dead

[multaekappae]

 Sugar Spoon tilted her head, "Hmm, 'Magician's Toybox' ? Isn't that something Agate Crystal used to ... no, that was the 'Little Gray Cells'..." She grabbed a nearby chair and sat down, frowning, "I know that was something some writer said about... what was it Argyle Cotton Voile talked about...?"

Hunter glanced at the proprietor as he sipped his drink. "What, you mean the 'Mind Palance' ?"

"Yes!" Sugar smiled, then frowned again, "And... no. That's not it. I know I've heard that term before though... something about the planet Ares." She sighed, closing her eyes and tilting her head back. "... something about the Aresian Chronicles? Or... Mareinheight 451, or..."

The earth pony's eyes snapped open and she leaned forward, speaking in a low voice "Where do you get your ideas from, Mr. Rayberry? It's all here, "she tapped the side of her head, "My... magician's toybox, I'll never starve for ideas here." Her hoof slapped the top of the table, "Hah!"

"Not bad, Mrs. Spoon." the reported drawled, "But he wasn't talking about his head. Brad Rayberry's office is famous for being littered with curios, models, artifacts, and curiosities of various sizes shapes and colors."

Sugar Spoon looked over, seeming to notice the unicorn for the first time, "Do I know you?"

The reported shifted in his seat, leaning back, "Not sure. 'Fear and Loathing in Los Pegasus', 'The Curse of Pono', 'Better than Clop', 'The Great Kelpie Hunt' ..."

Spoon's eyes widened for a moment, "I thought you were dead."

"I get that a lot."

The mare turned back to Scribble, "Please tell me you haven't started using heavy drugs."