Like a dog trying to hide under a couch, all Star would find of Hay when she came looking for him would be his back end sticking out from the pile he'd begun to excavate, the sound of her voice though encouraging him to scramble back out from under the junk so as to address her. He escaped the collection of stuff and things with a few hoofuls of of scrap and a strap in his mouth attached to something still hidden, a few smal tugs being given to try and pull it free but no success being had before he decided to give up for the moment.

"Contacts?" Hay spoke once his mouth was free, him tilting his head a little and then tapping his chin, "Uhmmm... Nnnnope, none that I can think of. Well, I guess the ponies at the junkyard know my face at least since I go there to scrounge for stuff sometimes, but most of what I use is just recycled from old projects that didn't pan out. I do remember getting some help for the original design of my Thought Theater too, though the pony that helped me out I think moved away a while ago and since then I kind of hammer and cut stuff out into the shapes I need myself as best I can. It... Sometimes works?" he gave a slightly forced smile since even he knew that this often times led to some "interesting" designs. Then again, sometimes it worked out just fantastically, like with Bubo, but that was a very special and lucky result that he doubted he'd ever truly recreate ever again, "Should we, like, try and find these kinds of ponies?" He asked, wondering if this was another one of Star's ideas for bettering the shop. It would be useful to get parts that actually fit what he needed instead of just reusing old parts and pieces.

"I dunno how we'd start... I don't really talk to many ponies outside of the ones that come to the shop since I'm usually keeping myself busy with stuff." Bubo landed nearby on the pile Hay had been searching, the bird seeming to be glancing around at the room as if trying to think of the next place to search for what he was looking for.

"Oh, Bubo! You wouldn't happen to know any blacksmiths or carpenters, would you?" Bubo, at Hay's question, gave him a blank stare before taking back off to check another corner of the shop, Hay then turning back to Star and taking the strap he'd tugged on earlier back into his mouth, "I guesh he doeshn't know eiter." Giving another few tugs, an old looking camrea was pulled free from the junk, it sliding out and to Hay's hooves.

Hay of course hadn't forgotten that Star was acting as an assistant around the shop now, but what he hadn't realized was just how much that job entailed. So far he just thought she'd be helping him in the shop, lending a hoof when he needed one while tinkering with his machine and cleaning up the majority of the mess that might result since she'd already taken to tidying up. Everything else though, well, his lack of business sense meant that half of the things she was responsible for would very rarely ever even cross his mind to begin with. Networking, advertising... ugh, it flew right over his head, making him more than happy to let Star worry about it since she knew what she was doing.

Meanwhile, with the strap, Haywire had looped it over his head so as to allow the camera to dangle from his neck then sat himself down and held a hoof underneath it like a bowl. "Nope, just a regular camera with some adjustments. My full version didn't survive the first photo," he answered, the bottom part of the camera then suddenly opening up and letting its innards dump out in a hanging mass. It didn't reach Hay's hoof, but what did was a roll of measuring tape that fell loose from the camera and neatly into his hoof.

"Ha! I knew I left it in here!" cheered the inventor, him then using his other hoof to shove everything back inside the camera where it remained. For now. "... It's an old camera," Hay added as if to explain it all away before hopping back up to his hooves and glancing about for his smaller assistant.

"I guess Bubo is still looking for the plans, but all I need now is a notepad and we can get the measuring and pictures out of the way. You really sound like you know your stuff about these kinds of things, Star," he complimented, doing a full and slow spin on the spot with hopes that he would happen to spot some writing materials, "Have you ever been an assistant for a shop like mine before? And how in the world did they manage without you?" he gave her a chance to respond to his questions before asking another quick one, "Also, have you seen my journals around? I think they either got buried or might have gotten organized when I wasn't looking. Maybe I left them in my other camera..."

Had she told him? He didn't think so... Then again, he probably had his head in a toaster or something at the time so who knows. Desk. Got it.

"Thanks!" he said as he accepted the materials, him flipping though the pages in search of a good spot to start jotting down some new notes while keeping his ears angled towards Star to listen to what she was saying. Halfway through he'd decided on a page and had set the journal down next to him then looked back to Star with an attentive smile up until she had turned the question back his way.

"Oh, I didn't build it, I just fixed it up," he began to explain, "I've been in Canterlot for a few years now and when I had first shown up and really started looking for a space to set up a shop I couldn't find anything I could afford with how pricey the city can be. This building was actually falling apart and was scheduled for destruction before I happened to come across it. Used to be a warehouse I believe and stored... Barrels of something... they were never entirely clear about it but I do remember them saying that the previous owners had lost their business or got bought then shut down or some such and that caused the building to be ignored for so long that it had become too expensive to fix up. Anyway, I was lucky enough to bump into the right people who I guess got stuck with it by then and who happened to be overseeing everything that day and they figured it would be cheaper for them to just let me give them whatever bits I had at the time and drop it on me than to go through with removing it. I think I payed less than fifty bits for the whole place.

"I spent a while fixing it up myself with what i could get afterwards, and I think I did a pretty okay job patching all the holes and the like!" Over Hay's shoulder was a clear view of Bubo gliding through the air in his quest for the schematics only to have his flight cut short by a small piece of debris falling onto him from above. The bird was knocked off balance and flapped erratically for a few seconds until managing an emergency landing on a shelf holding up what looked like an old tesla coil left "stored" out of the way. Having regained control of himself, Bubo gave a shake of his head then continued onwards.

"What do you think? Oh, and we can start the measurements now if you're ready," Hay unrolled the measuring tape a bit, holding it up as if it was proof of his claim.

"Alrighty then!" Hay closed his notepad on top of his pencil to save his spot then scooped it up in his hoof. He put the measuring tape between his teeth so as to free up enough hooves to walk then made his way closer to Star so as to set it all right back down onto the floor. At her nervous question Hay removed the tape to make way for an ensuring grin.

"I promise!" he started his measurements, recording how long Star's legs were first just so he'd have a base to start with before shrinking it down to fit Jazz's wife's height, "It's stayed stable for as long as I've been here, and after all the stuff my inventions have done to it I'm confident it could take anything and still be standing!... Inspected... like, by who?" While his promise was true, genuine and - in his opinion - sound, his response to her second question could have very easily caused anypony to continue questioning the building's integrity.

Regardless, he kept up his smile until he had to start measuring the circumference of the mare's legs. His smile went from being it's usual gleaming self to becoming a little unsure with his work now requiring to actually touch Star a little, this making him feel nervous just as he had many times before. The reason why was still slipping right past him, but he hoped she didn't mind.

"Um... I-is that going to be another one of those c-contacts we'll need?" he asked, hoping to keep them both talking and maybe prevent Star from noticing his current awkwardness that was resurfacing, "Somepony to come and- Oh!" Welp! Accidentally dropping the tape, Hay snatched it back up with a short and nervous laugh in a vain hope that he'd somehow become lighting fast and done so before the mare could see, "... Somepony to come and look around?"

Hay was too caught up in his nervous work to notice the slow start to Star's most recent panic attack, her sudden departure causing Hay's mane to blow in her direction with him leaning that way as well and having his notepad flip through several pages. He jumped back a bit in surprise once he was able, the stallion then blinking and staring at the door she'd darted out of. He attempted to follow, however Star's height over him and panicked state meant he stood little chance in catching up with her. Outside he could only look off in the direction he was sure she'd disappeared in and plop back down onto his rear in confusion.

... Did he do something wrong? He did something wrong didn't he... Maybe she didn't like how he was measuring her? That didn't seem like the case since she hadn't objected until the very end there. But then again he hadn't fumbled until the very end too. Hmm...Or maybe it was something else?

Inside, Bubo returned to where he'd last seen the ponies of Tech Tock, a thin binder of papers weighing him down as he made his way down to the floor. Nearly toppling over upon landing, he dropped the binder onto the floor then fell to the ground himself where he rolled over onto his back, claws up in the air and wings spread out next to him. For a few seconds he rested until eventually cracking his eyes back open to notice that he was suddenly alone in the shop, the bird hopping back up onto his claws and then tossing his view around to see where they had gone.

... Or maybe it was that thing they were talking about? Hay was still running through theories, too deep in his thoughts on trying to figure out the problem and how to fix it to notice Bubo flapping his way outside and in his direction. Contacts, right? Had she run off to find contacts? Maybe? Carpenter, blacksmith and inspector, right? She seemed mostly interested in the inspector towards the end there so maybe she'd gone off to find one. He hoped so... Thinking back she seemed a little worked up just before leaving and just running off in the middle of things didn't seem like her... He could try to help by looking for a carpenter or something while she's gone since he couldn't finish his measuring without her anywho.

Shrugging and hoping things were okay, Hay started off in a sprint in the direction Star had gone hoping he could get lucky and maybe find her somewhere along the way and both check to see if she was alright and ask her what had happened. He left before Bubo could reach him, leaving the bird with only more and more questions as he hovered in place and watched his creator rush off to who knows where.

Hay felt lucky to have found Star after she'd sprinted off, the rate she'd been going on her exit having made him think she'd possibly been long gone already. He understandable was greatly concerned when he finally saw how she was acting, her panic attack - which Hay now had recognized as being one - once again scaring the stallion as she ignored his attempts to catch her attention. He was a bit lost on how to help, especially since this time she didn't have the bedroom of the workshop to calm down and was instead stuck out here in the street. He didn't even have any hot cocoa to give her this time, and instead was stuck with just shifting his weight between his hooves and hoping she would acknowledge him and let him know what he could do. At the very least they could rest assured that she didn't have to worry about having made any kind of scene. Haywire wouldn't have cared either way, but the workshop's antics had done a fine job of keeping these particular streets so close to his home rather vacant.

Hay waited, head drooping a little as Star began to calm down as he again worried he'd done something wrong or said something that had set her off. his ears immediately perked up when Star finally spoke, and he felt better knowing her attack was passing, but what she said managed to make those same ears pin back. Her reason for the attack, feeling in danger of having the workshop falling down around her, made him want to assure her that the idea was in his mind far fetched. All the stories and experiences he could relay involving the many many times his home had been rocked or shaken or downright bombarded by his inventions in his opinion was a testament to the sturdiness of the building, but even he could recognize that it could also be seen as even more reason to doubt its remaining integrity. Therefore, Hay kept it to himself for the moment, deciding to wait for a better more calm and relaxed moment to bring it up if the need were to arise, such a moment maybe even being soon to come with her next question.

A place that served cold tea? ... Tea could be served cold? Hay always thought that was a hot drink. Except iced tea, obviously, but he always had assumed that was just a different kind of drink all together. Was he just ignorant when it came to tea? He would be the first to admit that he knew little when it came to fancier stuff like that so it wouldn't be a stretch if he was just completely off.

"Uhhh..." He glanced around as if his goggles would suddenly allow him the ability to see through buildings and across great distances so that he could find a place that suited their needs. He recalled something being nearby... A few blocks was it? He had a sandwich there once, or so his memory was telling him, though the name of the place was being stubborn when he tried to pull it from the back of his brain.

"I think there's a cafe around here. Or, well, a few blocks away, but I think they sell tea? What was it called... Something about a parsnip? Or was it a daisy? A blue owl? Gah... Oh, wait, no! I think they went with a Prench name. Lah... La Floor... Lah Fleuyer Roooj?," butchering the language he didn't speak, anypony who actually knew or at least was a bit familiar with how Prench was supposed to be pronounced could have deciphered the name as being "La Fleur Rouge".

"I think that's what it was. I didn't ask for any when I went there myself, but cafes have tea, right? We could go check there, and hey, if they can't help us, we can go pick some up at a shop now that we have a few bits and make it ourselves, yeah?" he grinned, trying to sound cheerful and get Star's spirits up again. They had just gotten a job after all, should be smiles and excitement, or so Haywire felt and was sticking to as he took a step closer to the mare, "You okay to go or do you wanna relax for a few minutes? Or would you like me to go pick some up for you? Just say the word and I'm off! Or, I guess, just say the word then hoof me the bits and THEN I'm off!"

"Ten bits, got it!" with a sound not too different from that of a bullet wizzing by, Haywire was off, down the street and around the corner in a mere moment like a pro sprinter. The door to his own workshop, finally closed and secure as part of Bubo's never ending attempts to tidy things up, hardly slowing him down as it was burst back open. Bubo, having been flying just past at the time, was blown into a spin, the blur that was the pony that ahd created him zipping by almost too quickly for Bubo to even catch sight of as he tried to flap his way back into a stable flight path.

Haywire wasted no time in storming the bedroom, his being on a mission to retrieve the bits quickly and expedite the process of obtaining tea for Star encouraging a hasty and focused retrieval. Dropping down onto his belly beside the bed, Hay tossed himself into a short combat roll and disappeared underneath, Bubo entering shortly after to the sounds of rummaging. A spare pillow lacking a case was ejected from beneath the bed much to Bubo's confusion, followed by an old alarm clock, two candles still in their packaging, a notebook, two wisks, and a pair of earmuffs until finally there was the sound of a short and excited gasp.

"I've found e-!" Hay's voice was cut short as the entire bed jolted, Bubo raising a wing in a wince and giving a small chirp. A few moments passing before Haywire, this time a little slower and more clumsy, rolled back out from under the bed. His legs were a little wobbly as he stood back up and swayed from side to side while trying not to fall over. Hay's eyes were rolling behind his goggles from his attempt to stand up while still beneath the bed, though he did indeed have a small pouch between his teeth, one that was then shaken like a dog with a toy as he tried to rid himself of his dizziness. Once capable of seeing straight, he dropped the pouch onto the matress, Hay counting out ten bits from the pouch then slipping it back beneath the bed. He then trotted his way back into the main area of the workshop - Bubo perching onto his shoulder as he passed through the bedroom  doorway - retrieved his saddle bags, secured the money within and then was off once more, the front door slamming shut behind him as he and Bubo, still clinging on, galloped back down the street.

Zooming his way back up to Star, Hay stopped with a small screech of his hooves, Bubo being flung into the air due to not being able to ignore momentum as well as Haywire but recovering quickly due to being pretty used to it by now.

"I found e-" Once again cut off, Haywire ran out of breath before he could finish, his body being fed up with his current shenanigans and demanding an intake of oxygen. After a couple of gasps, Hay was able to finish.

"I got em." He gave his body a short twist to jangle the coins in his bags as Bubo hovered down to land on Star's shoulder, a grin decorating Hay's face as he noticed Star's smile having returned. Upon hearing the correct pronunciation of the name for the cafe he'd mentioned, the inventor tilted his head and tried to wrap his mind around the tongue gymnastics Star had managed to pull off in order to say it right. He decided he'd just stick with the translated name, though not technically what the place was called it would prevent him from maiming the appropriate one and sounding silly.

Giving an enthusiastic nod when Star informed him that she was ready for them to find the Red Flower, Hay spun on his hooves. "Alrighty! Should be just down this way if I remember right!" he claimed, trotting a short distance before spinning on his hooves again.

"I remembered wrong, that's the direction to where I tested my bush of Wier Roses. Flower names mixed me up. It's actually this way!" failing to immediately back-peddle from the new direction, Haywire seemed to actually know where he was headed now, a short time spent walking proving this as they neared the cafe they were looking for.

The outside of the building was done up in the usual classy canterlot style, no expense being spared in their attempts to appear as rich and important as possible despite being a walk in establishment that didn't require reservations and the like. A few tables were available outside for those that liked open air dining, though most today seemed to prefer the shade indoors as only a single pair of ponies were chatting it up outside as they watched the hoof traffic pass by. Indoors the atmosphere was going for a cozy feel with dark gray stone walls heavily decorated with paintings, plants, plates and so on. In a few spots there were wooden dividers with ornately carved pillars to add to the aesthetic and keep the building from being one large room. The tables, currently occupied by a modest few parties, had comfortable looking pillows for sitting and the table cloths were a complimenting combo of colors beneath the establishments warm lighting.

Seeing Star, Haywire, and an increasingly motionless Bubo approaching, one of the stallions working there broke away in order to greet and assist them.

"Welcome to La Fleur Rouge," he said, nailing the pronunciation as one who said the name many times every day would and smiling in a friendly manner, "party of twoOOoOOWAH!?"

Noticing goggles, orange goggles no less, the waiter stumbled in his practiced routine, him holding a hoof up as if to try and ward something off.

"Please," he pleaded, "Our ovens are working fine, we don't need any improvements made to the desk bell, our waiters and waitresses can do their jobs without rocket skates and we are not interested in any kind of robotic assistance!"

"... Oh yeah..." Hay said, looking up a bit with a small smile and reminiscent shade to his features.