Miscellaneous Dinky

[Derpy]

More Dinky logs!! She wants to get all caught up in time for her birthday on Monday.

We'll start with a follow-up to one of the smaller developments from Luna's wish-granting extravaganza last Winter Solstice. It may have been a throw-away line, but it affected Dinky's life a good deal...

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FLASHBACK
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After Gilda flies off, Windrunner trots forward towards the Princess, his gait stiff and favoring his hind right leg. When he arrives in front of Luna, the pegasus bows deeply. "Good evening, your Highness. Happy hearth's Warming and Happy Solstice to you."

Dinky finally shows up. It's blustery, at least from her point of view, so she's wrapped in -two- old rags that barely qualify as blankets this time.

Luna extends a foreleg, pointing the hoof and its gleaming silver shoe right at Windrunner's nose, barely an inch from it. She does have to crouch down a little, since Rarity's fainting couch has her elevated. "I thank thee, and wish thee all good fortune as well. Solstice is my night of all nights, and I give presents - like so." Her horn flashes, and a pile of warm woolen knit clothing as tall as a princess appears over Dinky, burying her in snugly comfort in a variety of colors and bedecked with little jewels. Luna's eyes never leave Windrunner, however. "What is THINE wish?"

Luna may have just stolen all of Sweetie Belle's winter wardrobe, but princesses can do what they like.

<OOC> Luna is a loose canon princess who doesn't play by the rules!

Mercy gives a concerned look as she sees Windrunner in difficulty with his leg and makes a quick mental note. And if Enigma doesn't start breathing he's going to hyperventilate before he ever gets to speak to the Princess! She can't help but giggle as the Princess gives a raggedy and cold little filly some warm clothing and more!

Dinky coughs--first loudly, then quietly, as if she's subsided, and then -very- loudly. The pile of woolen goods quivers like a gigantic sundae probably wouldn't.

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END FLASHBACK
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[Derpy]

Ponyville Square
#=#=#=#=#=# PONYVILLE SQUARE #=#=#=#=#=#

At the heart of Ponyville stands a proud and massive pavillion known as Town Hall. Around it lies the town square, a well-kept ring decorated with tall banners and the occasional picturesque bush. A fountain sits before the entrance to the hall with a joyous, reared-up earth pony statue as its ornament. Various municipal officials have pitched colorful, conical tents in the square from which they run their operations. The town square is lined along one side by a stream crossed by a broad stone bridge, while on its other sides it's surrounded by a combination of commercial establishments and some of the oldest houses in Ponyville. The mood here is generally cheerful but officious.


Nimbus_Dawning's eyes widen further as some kind of weird /creature/ encircles her and... chocolate happens. What? o.o The poor expat is unused to the oft-stange goings-on in Ponyville, and it shows.

<OOC> Dusk says, "Heya, Dinky!"
<OOC> Starfire humms.~~Who comes around when it's rain-ing dairy de-lights, everyone knows its Dink-Keyyyyyy!

Discord spins like a laughing pinwheel while the candy-pink cloud above drenches Nimbus and Starfire alike in chocolate rain. He catches his breath with a satisfied sigh, then conjures-up a tea cup, and beckons the tempest in. It darts, shrinks, and then, with a gentlemanly slurp, Discord downs it one sip. "Ah," he relishes.

<OOC> Dusk sings along.. o/~ Dinnnn-keeeeey!
<OOC> Dinky

Starfire is glad she carries a funnel everywhere, for just this soft of emergency.

<OOC> You say, "-Please- tell me it's not raining dairy delights."
<OOC> Starfire says, "chocolate downpour."
<OOC> You say, "Riiight. Well, I'm gonna go take shelter before this stuff inflames my innards and kills me. Dairy rain is pretty much one of my worst nightmares. Seeya!"


Ponyville Market
/\/\/\/\/\/\---PONYVILLE MARKET---/\/\/\/\/\/\

This is the business center of Ponyville! Seldom quiet but usually peaceful, this minor mercantile hub combines aspects of the bustling and the bucolic. A multitude of colors and patterns make it visually busy. Carts brimming with baskets, charming stands and ornate tents with pennants are used to sell wares here. The most common products on sale are vegetables and fruits, such as carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, apples, and even pineapples. Sweet treats like tarts and cupcakes can also be found, as can non-edible items like books or cookware.
The marketplace is more than just a place of business, however. It's a common area for the community! Anypony who wanders through Ponyville is likely to pass through here, which makes it a good place to look for friends new and old. It's not unheard of to see painters at work or sportsponies at play here, as the market is a great place for communal activity. Even gentle animals like rabbits and ducks are known to find its lively atmosphere welcoming. Don't you?

[ Buildings: <Pe>rfumes and Periapts, <V>arnishing <A>ct, Loom and <Spi>ndle, ]
[ S and S <Me>adery, <L>ight <H>ouse, <Par>lour of Mysteries, ]
[ <Pu>rple Wafer, Cafe <T>obiano, <Su>garcube Corner, ]
[ <C>arousel Boutique ]
[ Roads: <M>aple Street ]
[ Areas: Ponyville <S>quare, <H>illy Pond, Sweet <A>pple Acres ]
[ Players: Sweetie_Belle ]
[ Sleepers: Red_Velvet ]


The door to the boutique closes rather rapidly behind Sweetie. Actually, it looks more like she was pushed out. "I said I was sorry!" she calls back, but her sister's already gone to fix whatever mess Sweetie Belle has caused. She doesn't seem too upset about it, she's still thrilled about some upcoming things, and now... well she's got to trod about in what's left of the snow to go home or maybe to the clubhouse or to get a milk shake or to... so! many! choices! She sits right there and thinks about them. Also worth noting, she's wearing her little white and pink puffy sweater and a matching knit hat.

Dinky happens to be marching some or other--possibly home from her afterschool wanderings, possibly to a shop, such as the Meadery, possibly to the Basement or even to the train station. There's no telling. She also doesn't seem particularly talkative today, nor particularly healthy or unhealthy. What is worth noting, perhaps, is that she happens to be wearing the exact same white and pink sweater and matching knit hat. Which brings to mind certain questions... such as just where the bulk of Sweetie's collection of winter clothes vanished to last Solstice. No doubt she and her sister had to improvise new ones in a hurry.

Chances are, Sweetie doesn't notice they match really. She's a little flighty, of course, but probably simply isn't thinking about it. She gives a bright grin and a wave of her hoof to the only other pony around. "Hi," she says in that all too chipper voice of her's. It's about that point she notices the similarities and, instead of getting angry, she giggles, "We match!"

Dinky turns, ready to dismiss or find some excuse to slip away. But she notices a little quicker than her counterpart. Her eyes change from annoyance to astonishment... and then to dismay as one hoof rises to her hat. "@&$+~," she swears. "Oh, Luna, are you kidding me?" Way to be personable, Dinky.

Sweetie, probably as per usual, gasps softly at the language and then forgets about it. She does look behind her a moment to see if Luna is there, making a joke. She's heard the princess has an excellent sense of humor. Seeing nopony there, she looks back to Dinky, her head canting to the side and she simply gives a confused, "What?"

Dinky looks past the white filly in exasperation. She sighs and pulls off her hat. "You're right. We match. I @&$@%@ -knew- this was too good to be true." Stumbling forward, Dinky glances between Sweetie's clothes, her face, and her sister's home. "Last Winter Solstice. Did you happen to lose anything? Just all of a sudden that you can't explain?"

She blinks a few times. "I lose lots of things," Sweetie admits. "Mom gets mad at me when it's something important, but eventually I get forgiven. Sometimes I lose something that's Rarity's too," she says, and moves over to Dinky, "Oh, you mean like...what you're wearing?" She sits down and thinks back, "Yeah, I think a few of those went missing. Rarity had to whip me up some new ones. It gets chilly out."

Dinky sighs. "A few. Right. Sweetie Belle, you don't... you don't really keep great track of what you own, do you?" She waves toward the boutique. "I was just walking along out by the Square, on the solstice, and Princess Luna was over there holding court or whatever she does on her big day. There was someone in front of her telling her about how she didn't need anything herself, could Luna please help the poor, yadda yadda, when Luna looks my way, sees me walking in the wind and cold with just my old wrap on, and Blam, a huge pile of soft wool and silk clothes comes tumbling down on me. -Poom-. I'm buried."

"My sister is a workaholic who makes like a million dresses a week," Sweetie says. "And she thinks its cute to dress me up so," she shrugs. Seems like it makes sense to her. She listens to the story and then says, "So Princess Luna raided my closet?" say says, trying to piece things together.

Dinky blows steam from half her mouth. "Looks that way. And here I thought she just conjured them up from, whatever. First real bounty of anything I ever had, even if I didn't earn it." Her ear flicks northward, the direction of her very humble home. "Well. I guess you'll want 'em back."

"No," she says after a few moments of consideration. She's a pure soul, and she doesn't want to take from those in need, even if it did get magically hijacked. "I mean, this is the cleanest my closet's been in ages! I mean, Rarity had to remake a few outfits, and a coat and all for me. But, you know, it's all re-made." Sweetie's got no use for them, or rather she suspects Dinky does. Dinky's just lucky she's not singing about it yet. There is a bit of a hum going though, and a little bit of swaying.

Dinky is actually moved. She seems to feel the hum and the magic in the air. "Huh," she says, a little stunned, especially given how she and the CMC have historically failed to get along. "Okay then. That, um. That's really nice of you to do." She too sways a little.

Honestly, Sweetie Belle doesn't have problems with anypony, except maybe her sister when she gets all huffy, but lately things have been gold there so she's in a great mood. "Just don't tell my parents," she says. "They'll make me sort out my closet again. I keep telling them I have too many clothes!" She sort of rolls her eyes up a bit, then looks around again. She's not sure what else to say to Dinky.

Dinky wrinkles her nose in a suppressed chuckle at that. "Pheh. Sure. I won't tell." She pauses, also unsure. Then, with the ghost of a shrug occupying one shoulder, she turns back to where she was going. "Anyway. Seeya."

Oh, Dinky probably would like to escape, but Sweetie has nopony to talk to. "Uhm, so where are you going?" she asks, starting to follow Dinky after a few steps. "Oh, did you finish that report at school? I had to read that book, the Something of.. Something. It had a red cover. I think it was a bit long. I hope the report doesn't have to be too good on it. I mean, I wrote up my last one super good, but then didn't get a report writing cutie mark and that was disappointing.." She /can/ go on for a while.

Dinky looks back, stopping in her tracks. She does seem to want to escape, true. But... well, this one did just do her a good turn. "The Timberwolf of Basketville? Yeah, I read that one. It wasn't that long once I got into it. You know... wondering what's gonna happen next." She snorts.

Sweetie_Belle is just being chipper. "I think that's the one. There's a Timberwolf in it and, I don't know, it's long enough for me. I want to go out and do other things, you know? Try to get my cutie mark, or hang out with my sister or something." She looks around, "Though I guess some of the Crusading will be stopped since Apple Bloom's leaving on an adventure or something. I wonder how she talked Miss Cheerilee into not failing her while she's gone."

Dinky is dumbfounded by that one. "You mean... all the chatter in school, that's for real?" She shakes her head in disapproval. "Guess she'll have to retake fourth grade. Hope it's worth it to her. Anyway, yeah... you may as well hit the books while she's gone."

Sweetie_Belle furrows her brow, "I think reading them would be better, might hurt my hoof if I hit them." She nods a bit, "But yes, she's going on some grand adventure. Without us. And she apparently is getting an airship? I don't even know. I'm still trying to help her think of a good name for it. I'm leaning toward Air Scooter."

Dinky blinks and stares and blinks again. "...an airship. Right, okay. So, I guess I'll just prepare to send Applejack my condolences. Weird." She flicks her tail and starts walking off. "Good luck with the report. Here's a hint: it wasn't really a timberwolf."

After a moment, Sweetie seems to get it. Dinky's escaping. "Oh, well, alright then. See you at school tomorrow." She blinks a little at the book spoiler. She's really got to read that book soon. Preferably before writing up something.

Sweetie_Belle has disconnected.

[Derpy]

While Dinky was born at the end of April, Derpy was born at its inception. She was away celebrating with family in Hoofington this year, but Dinky had her own plans for April Foals Day...

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Solar Eclipse's Chambers
The quarters of Prince Solar Eclipse might not be what one would expect of a royal bloodline. Sure, the room is nice, but it's not what one might call opulent. The room itself is situated at the bottom of Luna's tower. As such, the room is a somewhat odd, round shaped room. Along one wall, taking up a quarter of the wallspace of the room, is a set of bookshelves, packed with quite a few books. There's a few cushions laid about in the floor there as well, and a small fireplace nearby (But, of course, not too nearby as to accidentally catch any books on fire). Along the opposite wall is a desk with an old, dusty tome or two on it. Near that is a set of <shelves> with a few odd items and knickknacks on them for those that might care to <look> at them. Also, near the shelves is an armor stand that, while Eclipse isn't wearing it, has a set of armor sized for him.

The room's ceiling is high, actually, and has a loft that takes up half the circle. A circle staircase leads up to the loft area, which simply has his bed, and a way out onto a small balcony that looks out into the courtyard. During the day, the room has enough sunlight to brighten it up, but at night, a few luminescent blue crystals glow, giving the room an odd, eerie effect that makes it seem bathed in moonlight bright enough to read by.

[ Exits: <B>ack to the Palace ]
[ Players: Solar_Eclipse ]
[ Sleepers: Dynamite_Rave ]

PUB >> Princess Pollyapple IS ON THE MOON! WOO!
PUB >> Princess Luna notes Pollyapple is NOT on the moon.
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "WE WERE."
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "DERPYMOMMY WAS NICE AND SENT US THERE THEN EB WAS MEAN AND THREW US OUT."
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple WOO!
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "He took us back!"
PUB >> MarbleWing used to have an item on a muck that could literally send folks into orbit. X-D
PUB >> The Mist Minion Firefly says, "POW ZOOM!"

Since Twilight's Alicornification, Eclipse has hit the books a bit more. He was hoping he had the blood to do that, but no, it was Twilight. His destiny is probably dumb, or stupid. He's /totally/ not jealous. Well, maybe a little. Tonight finds him sitting at his desk. He normally reads a bit before bed, but the book is closed as he's read it a hundred times already. He angles his head back a bit, staring at the ceiling.

Knockity knock knock! A cheery rap comes at the door, and only two seconds pass before the door cracks open and a pair of mostly familiar amber eyes peer through. "Eclipse? Prince, you in here?" It's Dinky's voice... but it doesn't sound quite right, somehow. "What's up? Hope it's a good time, although, really, when you're as cool as we are, what isn't a good time?"

His eyes turn and soon he manages to look over to the somewhat cheerful Dinky. Of course he's still sort of bonelessly flopped back in the chair, making the pose all the more sillier, "I'm here," he says, cheering up a bit. He rolls himself out onto the floor and his horn glows, opening the door more to let her in fully, "Come on in."

PUB >> Princess Luna tries to become more popular. She faceclings somepony, since that is what the 'cool' ponies are apparently doing.
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple IS COOL! WOW! XD
PUB >> Princess Luna says, "NOT THEE. THE HARLEQUIN."
PUB >> The Mist Minion Firefly has never seena cool anything facecling.
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "Aw "
PUB >> Derpy stands there with a huge alicorn clinging to her face, apparently unfazed. Her eyes are probably revolving, but one can't tell with a Luna in the way.
PUB >> Princess Luna is somehow able to balance. It's an alicorn thing.
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "STrange ponies are ~very~ strange."
PUB >> Derpy starts walking off to the post office, her princess bobbing. Is time for shift!
PUB >> Maple Memory dives in Derpy's way, taking a snowball meant for her.
PUB >> MarbleWing says, "stop giving it away Maple! Marble would /never/ be that brave!"

Dinky jerks short when she see's Eclipse flopping around like that. She hurries forward. "Eclipse? What's wrong? You get hit with something? You look like a ton of soup, or whatever. I was wondering if you wanted to do something fun! 'Cause alicorns know it's been a long time."

Solar_Eclipse grins a bit, "I was just being silly. I guess it has been a while. We should probably hang out more, huh? I'm sorry, I've just been trying to get better at, well, everything." He looks around, "Mmm, sure, something fun... something fun..." he ponders a bit, rubbing at his chin, "Oh, uh, when was your birthday, by the way?"

Dinky looks briskly around the room. "Better at everything, huh? Sounds like a plan! I mean, who hasn't got room for improvement? Not me!" She glances at the stack of books and the discarded one, and then goes over to scan the titles. "Huh. This is some pretty heavy spellcasting here. You think you're up to it?" Dinky flashes a supportive grin. "My birthday? End of the month. You wanna go invite people?"

Solar_Eclipse mmms, "Maybe we could. Who do you want at your party?" he asks. He looks around a bit, "And am I up for it? I don't know. Probably not," he says. "I'm good at shadows, but I wonder if that means I stink at everything else, you know?" He shrugs, "Dumb thing to think about I guess." He ponders again, "Want to see a new trick?" he asks after a few moments, looking left and right. "It might be a little... uh," he ponders the words and decides on "Creepy," with a pinning back of his ears.

Dinky hurries over to Eclipse and starts gently rubbing his back when he starts putting himself down. "Aww, that's &$^@ and you know it. You're terrific at, like, so many things it wouldn't even be funny, except you're a great comedian, too! Too much?" She runs her hooves down his back. "Sure! Creepy's one of the things you do best, so let's see it!" She swishes her tail in the air.

Solar_Eclipse thinks for another moment, he's doing that a lot tonight, "Alright." His horn glows a moment and the weird crystals that make light in his room dim. The shadows start to lengthen, thicken and pool along one wall until it looks like an inky sort of mess, but then it just feels open. "Mmm, ok, ah, come with me," he says, walking toward the spot on the wall.

[ Exits: <B>ack to the Palace ]
[ Players: Solar_Eclipse ]

Dinky slips down onto all fours and watches in awe as the lights dim and the shadows play. She looks to and fro in excitement. "Is that a hole? Did you just make a hole in the wall??" She heads for it, peering in if she can. "That's great! Oh, and as for my party, the more the merrier. Why not invite everypony we know? If they don't all want to come, that's fine--we'll have fun with whoever!"

"Not a hole, not...well sort of a hole," he says. "Oh, we could. Want to have your thing in the palace?" Eclipse asks after a few moments, "Big banquet room, could ask Aunt Celestia to find a good cake maker. She knows all the best." He then steps through the inky part of the wall, vanishing through it simply as if he walked into the shadows.

"Sure! Sounds like fun. Never got a birthday party in anyplace like a palace! And yeah, if I'm hitting double digits, gotta have a good cake! I dunno about you, but I'm getting excited." Then the prince steps through the hole and she gasps, bringing a hoof to her mouth. Dinky gives a hint of a shrug and leaps through after him.

He wasn't wrong, the trick is creepy. There's a few moments of darkness, and the temperature is cool, like a spring night, but as if it's the middle of the night. There's a few odd images too, shadows bunching and moving and, for some reason an odd, colorswapped version of Luna and of Dinky herself. The viewing is brief, as there's no more than a hooffull of seconds before stepping out the other side. You are now in a room, a big one, like his in the palace, only warm wood walls instead of stone, candles instead of glowing crystals and those are snuffed out at the moment and, well, emptiness. The desk is empty, the shelves are empty, and it seems like there's a small layer of dust on things, as if it hasn't been used in a while. Eclipse is now next to a window that looks out onto a balcony, now simply illuminated by the moonlight. As you step free of the wall, the odd hole seems to vanish to normal shadows.

Dinky passes through in wonderment. "What's going on here?" she says in a hush. "I've seen awesome, but this puts the 'awesome' in 'awesome'." She steps into the empty room and brushes her tail and forehoof over a few things. "What is this, some kind of shadow world where nopony lives here? Whatever it is, it's some neat trick!"

"Mmm?" Eclipse says. "Shadow world? No. I mean briefly yes, but no, this is home. Dawning Estates," he says. "And this is my room, or was. I guess there's not much use for it. I guess I should be glad mom didn't make it into something else." Out the window is, well, an estate. Big manor house, a few rooms light up lay across the way, the grounds look clean, well kept and there's even an involved topiary in the front depicting a sun that looks a bit like Celestia's cutie mark. "I had a room a ways off, so nopony should come by here."

Dinky's gasp becomes a permanently gaping mouth. "Your home? Oh, gosh! You're showing me your home? That's terrific, Prince! I love it!" She hurries to the window and stares out. "Wow. These are the grounds of a sun-loving family, huh? Nice topiary. So these are the folks who like to pretend you're not around, huh?" She barely blinks.

Solar_Eclipse opens the door to the balcony and steps out, wind whipping thorugh his mane, making a mess of it. "Yeah, my home," he says. "You love it?" He seems surprised, usually his friend is more grumpy, not that he minds. "Yeah, sunloving. I guess that's a good word. And it's just my mom, so," he shrugs, " Well and the various servants and all."

"Huh," says Dinky. "Just your mom lives here? That's pretty impressive. I mean, I'd like to see the -rest- of the estate, if she's got all this. Talk about your rich folks, huh?" She stands at the balcony's edge next to Eclipse. "But yeah, it's great. And look how far we came! You teleported me without teleporting!" This is followed by a laugh, and then a little kiss Dinky offers Solar Eclipse on the base of the neck.

"Yes, I thought it was a neat trick. My, um, my shadow taught it to me," he explains. At the sudden kiss, he blinks, seeming to radiate more heat as if he's blushing hard. Hooves fidget a little and he grins a bit goofily before looking over. "So, yeah, I mean, I was thinking we could go somewhere, if you wanted. After your birthday. Anywhere. It's not always precise, but I can get us pretty close."

Dinky lifts her head, but squeezes Eclipse's shoulders with one hoof. She laughs for no obvious reason. "Your shadow teaches you things? Wow! That's wonderful. You got a real gem this time." She scuffs lightly at her own shadow. "Wonder if mine could teach me anything. Heh!" She releases him. "Yeah! I mean, when you've got a friend who can #&$*% -teleport-, how can you say no? You can't. I'd love to take a trip once I'm ten! Got anyplace in mind?"

Solar_Eclipse shakes his head, "Your birthday," he says. "You get to decide." He cocks his head a bit, watching a moment, "You ok? You seem, mm, energetic tonight is all." It's his way of saying "Wow you're in a good mood." He looks to her shadow a moment, "Well, she might could, if you could talk to her. Or you could teach her something."

Dinky is examining her shadow with newfound wonder. "Huh? Oh, uh." She chuckles self-consciously. "Yeah, I just woke up on the right side of the bed this morning, I guess. I haven't felt this way in... like, years, I guess!" She pauses in thought. "I don't know if I -ever- have, honestly." This is followed by a tremendous laugh at the weirdness and marvelousness of it all, and Dinky hops onto the balcony wall, balancing carefully. "You know, I wouldn't mind going far, far away! You any good at tracking, Eclipse? We could track down my grandpa! I only met him once, if that--even that wasn't clear! Wow... what a night. What a place." She smiles at her companion. "What an awesome prince you are."

Eclipse looks down a moment. Probably not able to see it too well, but his shadow sort of shrugs to him before he looks back, "Yeah, a great place," he says with little enthusiasm. "You know those walls in there were my world for a long time. This view was the only way to see out of it. Well, I mean I got to go down to eat, but for the most part, the room." A figure steps out onto another balcony, a ways away and stares off. It's a bright, white pony, long blond mane, blazing sun cutie mark, though at the distance it can't be seen. Eclipse sort of ducks down a little bit.

Dinky falls still, but not still. If you look closely, you'll see that she's shaking. She goes back to the inner room and looks around charily. "I'm really sorry, Eclipse. I mean, I -did- know that, but... I guess I just got excited. Yeah. I wish you'd had more freedom. But at least you've got tons of it now, right? All the freedom in the world! So I guess you just had to earn it." She goes and stands next to the ducking Eclipse, perhaps taking his gesture as shame or sadness. "But I'm sorry," she whispers.

Solar_Eclipse blinks a bit and looks over, "No, I mean it's ok," he says, whispering. "I just...that's my mom over there," he says and then sighs, "It's cool, I've got a nice place to live, and my grandmother and aunt want me there and, uh, you. Right?" He says, "What more could I ask for." He starts to make his way back into the room, thinking on his last words and realizes he's been stupid lately for being jealous.

Dinky peeks through the slats in the railing until she spots the light figure. She's glued to the railing now. "Your mom. Huh. Wow, I'm getting to know so know about you. Beats history or science, am I right?" With an effort, she looks back at Eclipse and smiles tenderly. "Of course I do. You're one of the biggest lights in my life. My best friend. You know that, right? You're the best friend I ever had, and I... I just... I may know a lot of words, but I just don't know how to thank you enough."

Solar_Eclipse moves back in close after a moment. "That's her, yeah. Rosey Dawn" he explains. "I think I was originally going to be called Daybreak or Sunflare or something like that," he admits with a chuckle. And he smiles as she says nice things to him, then leans in to bump noses affectionatly, "I want to be around more," he admits, "I think maybe we should hang out after school and stuff." He hmms, "Though I guess we should be getting back now. This place makes me just a little sad now."

Dinky is glad to bump noses with her true, true friend. She lingers a little long. "I'd like that," she responds to his suggestion of being around more. Then she looks once again at the prince's mother. "You were gonna be Sunflare, huh?" This makes Sinky giggle. "Can you imagine? I'm gonna start calling you Flare, just 'cause it's a hoot." But if he's sad, she's glad to go. "Sure! Don't want to make you itchy or anything. Let's head on back. Byebye, Rosey Dawn!" She says this last while waving, far too quietly for her to hear.

"We can come back some other time. Maybe even meet my mom," He offers. He once more summons up the shadows to draw them through and back to the room. "Though don't hold her attitude against me," he says and then slips on through, bringing them both back home for the night.

Dinky nods and refocuses, and then leaps through the shadow portal after Eclipse. "Sounds good to me! Don't worry, Prince. I'll always cut you plenty of slack." The last sound audible from the moonlit balcony is Dinky's slightly unhinged giggle.

[Derpy]

If this last log seemed to good to be true? Are very astute. Will follow up later. But in meantime? Meet newest nerd-extraordinaire in Ponyville school, QUASAR!

=========================

Schoolhouse
+ - * / % = ^^^ SCHOOLHOUSE ^^^ = % / * - +

Ponyville's youth are served by a one-room schoolhouse at the end of a fenced path, surrounded by low grass and lazy trees. A sign with an emblem of a book and two cooperating foals sits out front; a flag flies from a nearby pole, and a playground can be found on the other side. The schoolhouse is brick red, with round, red shingles and a bell tower on top.
On the inside, the schoolhouse is unremarkable. The floor and ceiling are brown, the walls a pinkish brown with curtained windows and pictures. Modest bookshelves line the room's edges, along with a globe and telescope. Between them, nine desks sit in a square. A stylized chalkboard, easel, and teacher's desk sit at the head of the room.

[ Exits: <B>ack Outside! ]
[ Sleepers: Moldavite ]
[ Contents: Amazing Bureaucrat Badge, Gold Star Sticker ]

Quasar has arrived.

The class hasn't emptied out yet, but Dinky seems about ready to split. Miss Cheerilee lingers at her desk organizing the construction paper creations the class made today, a little puzzled over some. A couple groups of friends are chatting as they take their sweet time in departing. Dinky seems distracted and a little peeved... but what else is new?

Settled in his seat near the front is Quasar, nervously looking over his shoulder to ensure that Tiara and Silver Spoon leaves before he does. He has been spending more and more days tucked in the classroom, being the last pony out. Bonk. A paperball ricochets off his head as a smug looking earth stallion trots out, throwing up a hoof bump to his buddies. He has not made very many friends after he ruined the last grading curve on the science and math exams with perfect scores. With a sigh, the nerd pushes his glasses up his nose, then slips into his heavy book filled saddlebags as he starts for the door.

Well, those two finally mosey on out, yes, and so do the other tittering group, though the Free Pony Press crowd lingers. The Cutie Mark Crusaders were gone like a shot at the ringing of the bell, of course. Dinky, carrying her poorly fastened rucksack and wrapped in her raggedy old wrap against the frigid early spring, happens to reach the door at the same moment as Quasar. She gives him a look, and then a second look. But she doesn't say anything. Dinky does not well extend the hoof of friendship, as certain individuals would put it.

Dinky is a little surprised to have someone, anyone, holding the door for her. She looks once again at the nerd, now downright perplexed. Stepping aside to let Featherweight pass, she takes the burden of the door. "All right, what's this about?" she asks quietly. Because holding doors for fillies you never talk to is always about something.

".. Huh? Whatcha mean?" Quasar asks as he lets go of the door, then ducks his head as he steps outside into the spring air, giving a bit of a shiver. He left his scarf at home. Aw. ".. I was just being nice.." He says in a murmur as he drags himself forward, teetering to one side with the saddlebags weighing down his shoulder.

Dinky hesitates a moment to leave the door open for the colt and then steps through, walking unevenly more or less near Quasar. There's plenty of sun today, but there are some sharp breezes. She shivers. "Huh. Well, thanks. Guess you finally realized you could use some friends, or whatever," she mutters.

"No. I know no one wants to be my friend. It's alright. I have accepted my position on the social ladder which is at the far bottom." Quasar says softly as he chews the inside of his lip. "Princess Luna sent me a letter and asked me to try and be your friend, and Solar Eclipse but I did not wish to .. annoy you.. or.. you know.." He says in almost a whisper.

This is enough to get Dinky to stop short. She sits on the brittle grass, letting her rucksack slide and lump up. The remaining foals pass them by without a glance. "Bottom of the ladder with me, huh? Fine with me--plenty of room here. But seriously? Luna's writing -letters- about me?" She exhales in a pronouncedly annoyed fashion, looking off into the distance. "So she wants you and me to be buds? You'd think she'd tell me, or something."

Quasar gives a pause as he glances over his shoulder to her. "Well, it's just that she and I have been having discussions together about the history of constellations because I enjoy the story of Perseus and Andromeda. I let her know that I was having trouble fitting in and she said that you are Prince Eclipse's betrothed and that out of all the ponies, I would have a higher success rate with you than some of the others." He scuffs his hoof. "I don't know how you are at the bottom of the ladder if you are marrying Prince Eclipse. I am sure that is a great honor and I am deeply humbled to be speaking with you now." He says in a trembly, nervous voice.

Dinky takes in this stream of text with an open mouth and wide, somewhat horrified eyes. Her seat wriggles awkwardly, crushing splinters of frosty grass. "Wait, wait. Wait. Marrying? Betrothed. Um." Her eyes are wider still, and even more horrified. "You... Luna told you I'm going to be -marrying- Eclipse?! Is this... is this an April Foals thing? Because that was yesterday."

Quasar stares blankly at her for a few moments, before his eyes slowly blink. ".. No, she.. wrote it here.." He tugs his letter out of his saddlebag and opens it up before her, pointing to the remark.

Dinky grabs the letter spitefully and throws it open, scanning quickly. Her eyes move down the page, left and right... and back up again, rereading. Dinky tenses her leg and then scuffs the ground fiercely. "Unbelievable. Unbe-@$^#~*-lievable. Yeah, this is from her, all right. Nopony else'd say 'wean thee off gently'. Or... or be brave enough to call Nightmare Moon a terrible and selfish crime, really." She sits down, stunned, shaking her head a little.

Quasar carefully draws the letter back and rolls it up slowly, then secures it with the royal wax seal. He hugs it to him. It's his most favorite letter in the world. "Oh. I.. I'm sorry if.. yeah.. so.. I'm sorry.. I didn't know." He says in a soft, nervous voice as he slides it into his bad. "I'll leave you alone.. I just.. I didn't mean any harm." Hopefully she won't punch him in the face. He can't afford to tell his mother about another pair of glasses.

Dinky is breathing slowly and with labor. She shakes again and looks at Quasar. "Yeah. Yeah, I think you'd better." After a moment more, she seizes up her rucksack and swings it over her back. Books fly out since she failed to secure it well enough. Stamping in anger, she starting picking them up.

There is a soft gentle glow of silver as Quasar helps her pick up the books, gently lifting them one by one before they float before her in a straight, organized manner, from smallest to largest stacked together for optimal space saving efficiency.

Dinky looks over to the nerd in surprise. She was using her teeth to pick up the books--looks like Dinky doesn't have any levitation, if her magic's come in at all. She looks at Quasar, gives her sack a rebellious shake, and flips it closed. "Thanks," she grunts as she trudges off.

Sweat drips down Quasar's brow though at the exertion of the magic. If anything, he looks as if he may just pass out. Coming from two overachieving, rich and important parents, he has to exert himself in everything just to make them 'sort of' proud. ".. G.. Goodbye Dinky. I'm /so/ sorry that I.. I messed things up." He says in a trembling voice.

Dinky doesn't look back, but she flicks her tail dismissively. Her voice comes sailing back dryly on the wind, hard to make out in nuance or inflection. "Whatever," it says. And that's Dinky Doo. Betcha can't wait to meet the prince, huh?

Bonk! Another paperball hits him in the side of the head. "Good job dweeb, not even Dinky wants to be friends with you!" Laughs a trio of younger jock colts as they high hoof each other before heading off. Quasar adjusts his glasses and then starts down the opposite path for home, his head dropped down between his shoulders as he tilts to one side from the heavy bags.

[...And after an introductory OOC conversation...]

<OOC> Nightshade says, "Ah, hello, Ms. Doo."
<OOC> You say, "Hey there. I just learned I'm engaged to be married even though I'm nine. So."
<OOC> Quasar also found out that not even Dinky will be my friend. ;(
<OOC> You say, "So basically, we're having a love-fest."
<OOC> Nightshade says, "Engaged?"
<OOC> Dinky shows Nightshade a letter from Luna to Quasar:
board=forumrp&action=display&thread=519
<OOC> Nightshade says, "I skimmed through that but I'll have to read it closely."
<OOC> You say, "Apparently I'm Solar Eclipse's betrothed. No one mentioned that to -me.-"
<OOC> Quasar says, "Can I be the usher?"
<OOC> Nightshade says, "Ah, well"
<OOC> Nightshade has been trying to sort that out through the proper, covert channels
<OOC> Nightshade goes in detail her theory that it is all a ploy by the nobles to create a separate power base from that around Twilight.
<OOC> You say, "Oh, great. So I'm not only powerless, I'm a pawn."
<OOC> You say, "Sure, you can usher, Quasar. Knock yourself out."
<OOC> Quasar says, "Yay! Now maybe somepony will like me "
<OOC> You say, "And on that note, I'm out."
<OOC> You say, "It was nice meeting you, Queasy."
<OOC> Quasar says, "Thank you!"

[Derpy]

And then? Dinky happened upon this heartfelt exchange between Quasar and Daybloom the teacher, played by Nightshade.

=========================

Schoolhouse
+ - * / % = ^^^ SCHOOLHOUSE ^^^ = % / * - +

Ponyville's youth are served by a one-room schoolhouse at the end of a fenced path, surrounded by low grass and lazy trees. A sign with an emblem of a book and two cooperating foals sits out front; a flag flies from a nearby pole, and a playground can be found on the other side. The schoolhouse is brick red, with round, red shingles and a bell tower on top.
On the inside, the schoolhouse is unremarkable. The floor and ceiling are brown, the walls a pinkish brown with curtained windows and pictures. Modest bookshelves line the room's edges, along with a globe and telescope. Between them, nine desks sit in a square. A stylized chalkboard, easel, and teacher's desk sit at the head of the room.

[ Exits: <B>ack Outside! ]
[ Players: Quasar, Nightshade ]
[ Sleepers: Moldavite ]
[ Contents: Amazing Bureaucrat Badge, Gold Star Sticker ]


<OOC> Quasar says, "Dinky! Science fair time!"
<OOC> You say, "Oh, great. This is a nightmare, right?"
<OOC> Quasar
<OOC> You say, "You know, the kind where you suddenly realize something was due five days ago and you forgot it completely?"
<OOC> Nightshade says, "You should have been more diligent Ms. Doo "
<OOC> Nightshade shall also retrieve the log.

Quasar shrugs his shoulders upwards. "They wouldn't read it anyways." He says softly with frustration in his voice. "They don't care at all. None of them do. I did the project for you and Miss Cheerilee.. I was hoping that if it won, then maybe Twilight Sparkle would want to see it."

"You're already one of the top contenders in the whole school," Daybloom reveals, hoping that will spur him. "And you also have to remember, this fair is about the school coming together to celebrate knowledge. How can we do that if we keep it to ourselves, or make it inaccessible?" She takes a breath, switching fully to a collegiate mode of speaking just for Quasar. "We have to trust in our fellows that they can be moved by truth. That's how knowledge i passed on...that's how we teach each other what's important in life."

"It's not inaccessible. It's right there.. in the room. But they think it's stupid. And it wouldn't be over their head if they /tried/ to learn about it instead of just rolling their eyes and calling me a nerd bomber." Quasar says with a soft sigh as he stares at the ground, digging into it with a hoof here and there. "They'd rather have a dumb volcano blow up and make a mess than try to understand the awesome idea of space travel and star charting."

Dinky is lying over at the edge of the wood chips, her notebook and textbook sprawled before her, doing her homework. Her ears are pert, but otherwise there's no sign she's been listened until now. But now, without looking at the other two, she speaks. "You're going to regional with it, right?"

"But not everypony /can/ understand," Daybloom advises. "Not everypony is as smart as you are. You need to approach them at the level they're comfortable with, slowly bring them up." She turns and glances at Dinky; where had she come from?

"Well, they could understand if they applied themselves instead of rolling their eyes and looking bored. It's not like it all just came to me one day. I studied for a year and I put two months of effort into this project. I was working on it before I moved here and it's not my fault that I'm no longer in the gifted class in Fillydelphia but I'm here in Ponyville. I can't just put a year of research down the toilet because these ponies don't care about science or math." Quasar says with a frown on his face. "And I can't redo the entire project either just so I can dumb it down for them." Dinky's voice causes his ears to perk upwards. "There's a regionals?"

Dinky is noticeably annoyed at the fact she has to look up. "Yeah, I think. I mean, I think last year Miss Cheerilee was talking about if I came up with something good I might go to Hoofington with it. Like I want to go back there." She grunts. Dinky's entry in this year's fair was a dopey, so-what presentation on the strength of magnetized horseshoes. It satisfied the bare requirements of the assignment, but really nothing more. "But yeah, your thing was probably good enough that they won't understand it there, either." She looks back to her book.

Daybloom sighs as Quasar persists in his mode of thinking. A different approach is needed. "How about this," she says. "You can edit your project to meet the parameters of the assignment or I hold it back from entering the competition. How's that sound?" If persuasion will not convince him, then perhaps authority will.

There is a visible frown upon Quasar's face, looking as if he is about to start crying. He looks to Dinky for help, then back to the teacher. "No. I.. I'm not going to change my project." He pauses, ears flatten. "How about this. If Dinky looks at my project and my equations and she can tell you that she makes sense of it, then you have to accept it. Dinky is apart of the class and your argument is that the class won't understand it because they aren't smart enough, right? Then I elect Dinky to be the voice of the student body."

Dinky's sigh is a colossal thing ejected from the very base of her being. She flips several pages at once and glares at Quasar. "So now you're bringing me into this," she surmises, her mouth a tight line across her snout.

Daybloom smiles that sweet, gentle smile that she's so well known for. "You're forgetting who marks your projects and writes your report card, Quasar," she tells him. "And besides, Dinky is not your typical student, either."

Staring down at the other teacher, Quasar's mind works quickly, furiously. He looks to Dinky again, then back to Daybloom. He starts to look and feel helpless. "I'm not going to change it. To change it would be to sacrifice my integrity. I shouldn't have to. It's not /fair/. I worked on this for a year." He says, his eyes growing wet. ".. this is my entire life. M.. my mother will be upset."

Dinky can't let that go. "Your -entire life?-" She stirs and gets up, forming divots in the wood chips. "Your entire life is about this one science fair project?" Confrontationally she stands facing him, disgusted and confused before she decides what to say next. "Alicorns. Maybe you -shouldn't- go to regionals with it. I mean, I'm the kind of pony that everyone tells to get a life, but, dude. Get a Life."

Daybloom doesn't let her smile fade, oh no. She's quite confident that she has the upper hand her. "I'm sure your mother would /love/ to learn how her son is disobeying his teacher." She lets Dinky have her say, thinknig that she does have a point. Still, can't let the students do discipline for you. "That's enough Dinky, thank you."

The young pony is crippled with anxiety as tears slide down his cheeks and he starts to cry openly.

Dinky watches his distress and tears with a stern, conflicted face. She looks to Daybloom, and shrugs at her final words, returning to her work and former prostrate position.

Daybloom frowns, wondering if she's miscalculated somehow. For this case, at least, she knows what to do as well. "Quasar, you don't have to throw away your old project, you just have to make one that fits the requirements. You can use your original paper for something...something bigger and better than a science fair."

Of course she miscalculated! Do you know who his mother is? Madame, yes, MADAME Torch Light. Head of Equestrian Historical Chamber and Commerce. She is widely known to being a royal #$#@!. Ice Cold. She won't let him eat candy! She gives you the look and you know that you're going to die in ten seconds! He usually wets himself and passes out in four of those seconds. Her staff fears her, but raves of her dedication! He is /terrified/. As he cries, he starts to hiccup, then hyperventilate.

Dinky is -trying- to ignore this nimrod, but this is getting ridiculous. She glares over in disbelief at all the blubbering, walks to Quasar, and stands before him, slightly off to the side. "Seriously. What is your deal? Daybloom just -said- what you can do, and if I can slap together a good enough project in two days then why the &@*#^ can't you?"

"Watch your language, Dinky Doo!" Daybloom suddenly commands, snapping right back into a disciplinary mode. Looking at Quasar again she smiles sweetly and pats him on the withers. "As I said before, I know somepony who can help you devise a project in short notice, somepony who has been studying rockets since before you were born. If you want his help, that is."

"Why should I have to!?" Quasar finally lets his emotions out as he yells at Dinky. "Why should I have to create a 'dumb' project so that the /dumb/ students can understand it? Why should I create a stupid volcano, or use /small/ words so these /dumb/ students can understand? That's what you're saying, right Miss Daybloom? That your students are too stupid to understand my project because only a student like Dinky or I can understand it? Well you know what? You're a real /stupid/ teacher if you think that your students don't have the intellect or ability to apply themselves to learning higher math and science. Go ahead, give me an F. I don't care. I shouldn't have to create a second project when I already worked hard on /this/ one. Science is about rewarding those who try hard to change the world and to make better sense of it. Not to see who can create the best volcano, or create a potato battery," he says through his tears. "You don't know what kind of pressure is put on me from everyone to be the best and to be smart and to be locked in a room to study all day. Then to go to school and have these ponies make fun of me and throw things at me and push me in the mud. And I can't even feel proud about this? My one thing that I /love/? You're gonna make do another one instead of show my peers what makes me happy? Who cares if they won't like it or understand it! This is my life! It's what I want to do when I grow up. I want to do science and do stars and present my findings to Princess Luna so she'll be proud of me." He chokes out. "I can't take my dumb second project to regionals because that'd be cheating to take the first one! I'm not a cheater."

<OOC> Quasar says, "Poor lil Quasar finally popped "

When the teacher chastises Dinky, she huffs and moves off, not caring anymore. But once again the kid draws her attention, like it or not, and this time he keeps it. Wide-eyed, Dinky stares with a low posture--it's hard to know how to react to this kind of explosive rant. "Huh. Yeah. Sure. You tell 'em, kid." By them, Dinky presumably means more than just Daybloom herself. "If you do get an F, don't sweat it too much. Not like it'd really mean anything."

Daybloom has about 5 seconds to figure out what to say to Quasar before he (probably) scampers off crying somewhere. She does it in 3. Taking a deep breath, she looks at Quasar with tender sympathy and begins to speak. "Quasar, you need to understand: most ponies aren't as smart as you and will never be. All of us are born with talents and abilities that nopony else has. You're smart, Quasar, maybe the smartest pony in your class, and that makes you unique. But that's precisely the point: your uniqueness means than nopony else has the same drive, the same vision, as you. That's part of my job, Quasar, as a teacher: I have to make sure /everypony/ is able to learn. If you try to pass your original project, then nopony will understand it; nopony will /learn/. But, if you do as I say and make the edits you need to do, then /everypony/ will learn, /everypony/ will absorb something new, something wondrous, about space and space travel. They'll do it at a slower pace, of course, but they'll still do it. The question is, Quasar, is this: will you help me teach your fellow students?"

"I don't /care/ about them. They call me Nerdbomber. Queasy Quasar. Fat kid. Bare Butt. Blank Flank. Why should I care if they understand my project? They don't even want to take the time to understand /me/." Quasar says with words that should hit like a boxing glove. He will never be good in sports. Will never get a cute girlfriend like Sweetie Belle. He'll never be looked up to be his student body as anything other than a social pariah. All his pride is wrapped up in academics. He continues to tremble, but he holds his ground. "If I pass my original project, it will go to regionals, then other students who /care/ about academics and are just as smart as me will understand it, and they will like me, and they will want to know me and I'll want to know them because FINALLY somepony will understand /me/ and /like me/ and.. and they won't think I'm a nerd."

Dinky nods slowly. She backs away, glancing with a hopeful look at Daybloom. "See you later," she whispers, so quietly it's more of an impression, and it's not clear whether it's to Quasar or Daybloom. She gathers up her books and walks away.

Quasar pages, "Aw." to you.
You page, "Good luck, pariah." to Quasar.
In a page-pose to you, Quasar grins. 'I think I'm growing on you."
You page, "You're growing on something, all right." to Quasar.

Nightshade glances at Dinky as she leaves, wondering what exactly is going through her mind. But that's for later; she has to deal with Quasar. "I understand if you want to socialize with other ponies of your peer group," she says, "but I cannot bend the rules of the science fair just to accommodate your project. You /have/ to follow the parameters, either way, in order to get full marks. That is what the school wants, and that is what I want. You do want full marks, correct?"

Daybloom glances at Dinky as she leaves, wondering what exactly is going through her mind. But that's for later; she has to deal with Quasar. "I understand if you want to socialize with other ponies of your peer group," she says, "but I cannot bend the rules of the science fair just to accommodate your project. You /have/ to follow the parameters, either way, in order to get full marks. That is what the school wants, and that is what I want. You do want full marks, correct?"

"And I did follow the assignment parameters. I just /exceeded them/. Do you not think I know how to read a syllabus? Usually I am the one writing them for my science teachers. I did everything that was required and more. I'm not /stupid/." Quasar says as he shakes his head, glancing over his shoulder after Dinky. Aw. There is a longing in his eyes. Chewing his lip, he turns and walks away from the teacher with a shake of his head.

Quasar pages, "The truth is, she wants him to redo it because she won't understand it " to you.
You page-pose, "Dinky smirks. :]" to Quasar
In a page-pose to you, Quasar grins.

[Derpy]

And now, Dinky's Solar Eclipse thread and her Quasar thread collide! It started with this follow-up from the previous scene:

==============================


<OOC> Quasar says, "Hi!"
<OOC> You say, "Hey. Have anything in mind?"
<OOC> Quasar says, "Is Dinky's birthday something publically known coming up?"
<OOC> You say, "Hmm. It's possible my mother's been blabbing about it, or you might have heard it from Eclipse."
<OOC> Quasar says, "Eclipse and Quasar aren't friends yet. Quasar kinda screwed it up with his low esteem. At least he finally got his way and Daybloom caved after begging and crying."
<OOC> Quasar says, "Shall I set or do you want to?"
<OOC> You say, "It might be nice to shake things up by going somewhere other than the schoolhouse. Maybe we could involve someone else."

[ So we went to Ponyville Square! ]

==============================

[Derpy]

No school today, and it's just as well, because it finally feels like spring. Who'd want to spend six hours cooped up when the weather seems to be begging young souls to romp and play? Of course, Dinky doesn't exactly go in for romping or playing. She's just trudging along, dragging her overheavy rucksack, wearing her gauzy old wrap. But at least she isn't shivering. In fact, she seems more or less content, doing her homework on the grassy patch across from the library.

PUB >> Match_Maker starts singing every Pinkie Pie song ever, all at once from dozens of mouths all over her body. Countless mouths all chanting refrains of whimsical merriment in a cacophonous unison to drive mad the mind of men!
PUB >> Dinky has shut down the PUB channel until Match Maker can be exorcized.

At least in school Quasar would be able to sit still and learn new things. But, when he has a day off, he finds himself at a loss. His mother kicked him out of the house today, told him to get some fresh air. After trudging about the market place and running into a cross eyed winged pony babbling about birthdays, he found himself in a craft store and picking out a gift. As he spies Dinky, he heads over to her with a package wrapped with a bow, then quietly clears his throat. "Uh, Dinky?"

Skyheart is relaxing by a tree for the time being. He has himself surrounded by papers, roses, and his dove sitting patiently by the writing materials. He's working on finally writing some things.

Dinky looks up from the picture she's loosely scrawling--it's part of the assignment, so don't get the idea anything creative is happening. She sees Quasar and hesitates. Fortunately, the crayon she's holding in her mouth spares her from any kind of well-defined facial expression. "What is it?" she asks.

Quasar shifts his hooves slightly, then reaches into his bag to pluck out the wrapped package and lays it down. "Um.. I.. j-just wanted to say Happy Birthday and.. um.. give you a present." He scuffs his hoof into the ground in a worried, circle manner. ".. that's all." He nearly whispers, "I know I wouldn't be invited to your party with your friends but I thought that it'd be nice anyways." Chewing his inside cheek, he lifts his shoulders upwards.

Firefly is still in the market, apparently she forgot to buy some things and thus had remained here.

Dinky ignores the quiet individuals scattered around the market. She grimaces and sets down her crayon, eying the package. A few seconds' staring is apportioned out. "You know my birthday isn't until the end of the month, right?"

Skyheart keep to himself for the time being. However, this includes neglecting his wayward dove. Orpheus is starting to relax but look around carefully and flies over to a random stand to bug somepony. This happens to be Firefly.

".. my mother says that early is the new on-time and that if I'm on-time then I am considered to be late." Quasar says softly as he scuffs the ground. "That and .. your mother was really happy about it and was putting up posters all across town. So, I thought since.. I just.. " He sighs and nudges it to her. "Just, here."

From somewhere aside, a new voice is heard. "What do YOU mean, 12 bits for a cherry? Do you know who I am!>!>! as a mare is seen with her forehooves on a cart top and her head over the back of it as she hovered over it. "I should pound thee flat!

Dinky glances scowling off to the side. She swings her attention back to Quasar. "What kind of nonsense is that? If early is on-time then it can't really... I mean, who's to say how early something--if you do something early, then it's on-time so it's not early after all so it's late, right?" She tilts her head in perplexity. "Thanks for the late present, I guess. But--you're kidding. Posters?? My dumb-ass mom is putting up -posters- about my -birthday?!-"

"Your mom isn't stupid, she's nice! My mother wouldn't even have a party for me for my birthday. She tells me that parties are just ways for retailers to make money off of you easier." Quasar says with a furrow of his brows. "You're lucky to have a nice mom like that who really pays attention to you and cares about your happiness." He bites his bottom lip.

Skyheart remains oblivious as Orpheus stays by the cherry stand, landing and picking at one of them not really caring about the shopkeeper's high price or what it would cost Sky to make up for it.

Well, soon enough that isn't an issue really, as there is a flash of light and a whoosh of wind, and within heartbeats a another flash lands before the cart, with an entire tree. A cherry tree. She hangs a sign on it, "Free cherries, U-pick. Then Firefly turns towards the open market, walking as id nothing had happened.

Dinky stands up in concern. But there's little she can do just now. "Posters," she repeats. She hesitantly pulls the box closer. "I dunno. Sounds like your mom has a head on her shoulders." She glances with vague irritation at the... new... tree? -Was- that tree there before? "Yeah, I've heard it before. Believe me, there's a -lot- more to happiness than just caring."

"My mom does have a head on her shoulders but she also.." Quasar trails off a bit then lets out a sigh as he shrugs his shoulders a bit. "It's not a big deal. Just.. happy birthday." He whispers quietly as he stares at the ground.

Dinky nods in acknowledgement. She keeps coolly staring. "You... aren't expecting me to open it now, are you?"

Skyheart is snapped out of his trance by a large cherry tree crashing into somewhere. He stares at it for a bit watching his dove happily pick at them. "Um.... Was that tree always there...?"

Eclipse is trying to make good on his word. He's staying later, after school and just randomly popping in to hang out with Dinky. He currently wanders into the square, ears perked up, just looking for her. Seeing her, and the new pony, he strides over, giving a little smile. "Hi."

Quasar looks over at the new tree, then back to Dinky before he shakes his head. "No, you um.. don't have to open it now." He says as he stares at the large present with the bowtie on it. At the sound of Eclipse's voice, he turns his attention over to him, then immediately drops down into a proper bow.

Dinky looks slightly relieved, but still quite awkward before the new student. She then frowns as he bows, wondering what in the world he's thinking... but then realizes. "Oh. Hey, prince. How's it going. You met Quasar, yet?" She jerks a forehoof his way.

"Oh, yeah, a bit. Yesterday," Eclipse replies, blinking at the bow, "Uh, you don't have to do all that to me. Especially every time we see each other. That'll get confusing, and you'll probably end up tipping over again," he says, in what he hopes is a light and friendly tease.

"But you are Royal Prince Solar Eclipse, grandson of Princess Luna of the night. If I do not bow to you it would be disrespectful." Quasar mumbles into his hooves from his tipped over formation on the ground, keeping his eyes away. "I'm sorry about my behavior yesterday. I wish to ask for your forgiveness."

Dinky looks with mild skepticism between the two colts. "Uh... am I s'posed to be bowing to you whenever I see you?" she asks the prince. "Seriously, are you giving me a pass on this? I mean, 'cause I do respect Luna, even if she is kind of random weird."

"What? No," Eclipse says, "I just told him he didn't have to do it. He's just..." He blinks a bit, "Forgiveness? Wow, uh, it's ok," he says, "And yeah I'm all of those things, but it's ok. The bowing stuff kind of gets old fast. Plus it doesn't really look comfortable for you, really." He then looks to Dinky, "Mmm, I don't know that I could ever see you bowing and all that," he says, grinning brightly.

As he continues to stay bowed forward, Quasar starts to feel sheepish and embarrassed. He's just .. what? He's just an idiot? He's just a stupid nerd? He's just a fool? His ears wilt back against his skull as he slowly pushes himself back up and then stares down at the ground, circling a hoof.

Dinky almost half grins at Eclipse for a moment before she frowns again, and then goes mostly blank. She also scuffs the ground, her tongue's tip hugging her lips. It's true, she doesn't want to bow. Welcome to Awkwardfest: Spring Edition!

Eclipse's eyes dart from one to the other. "What?" he asks, brows furrowing. "What'd I say?" He tries to think back over his conversation. He didn't think he was /that/ unfunny. "Anyways, I came by to, hang out. Do stuff. I guess if you guys are busy, I can go do other stuff," he suggests, not sure what /else/ to do. If he's making things weird, he can go.

"No, we aren't busy. I was just dropping off a birthday present for Dinky. I'll go. I don't want to be a bother." Quasar says as he starts to inch away from the pair. "I'm sorry for being a bother."

Dinky is tempted to say she's sorry for being a bother and she'll go too, but she's not and she won't. "Well, I mean, I -was- doing my homework..." She gestures to the picture and fill-in-the-blanks she was working on. "But I mean, it's actually kind of funny watching you guys interact, so if you want to hang out, whatever," she tells them both. She taps the present once.

Solar_Eclipse just flicks his ears back. Ok, so maybe he is getting a little flustered with all this. "You can stay, Quasar. It's ok. Really. Not a bother. At all." He doesn't normally have to work so very, very hard for friendship and all that. "I'm glad to be of some amusement, then," he says with a dry tone.

"I.. I just.. I don't want to interrupt if you two are.. going to have.. ah.. quality time.. together." Quasar says softly in a weak, helpless voice as he scuffs the ground again. "I .. I know you two are.. you know.. and I'd be just in the way and awkward."

Dinky is looking more and more awkward. She takes a step forward but doesn't follow through. "Quality time? What?" She looks at Eclipse. "What does he mean by that?" Back to Queasy. "You know? You don't know. You think you know but you don't know. Even -I- don't know." Now flustered herself, Dinky backs up and stands next to the prince. "We -do- need to talk," she mutters.

Solar_Eclipse leans in more and more as Quasar gets a bit more mumbly. "What? Quality time?" He blinks twice and adds, "What?" He seems to be just a tad lost. As Dinky asks her question, he shrugs and says "I haven't had an idea of what was going on since I got into this conversation," he says. "I come in, try to be funny, everything gets weird and I'm confused." His ears perk a moment, "Oh, um, well alright." He's not learned that when a filly says "We need to talk" it's rarely good.

"Well, that you two are kinda a thing.. you are, right? Like Luna said?" Quasar is now looking more and more uncomfortable the more Dinky is starting to get wired up and upset. "I'm sorry, I'm just not doing anything right I guess. I'll just.. I'll shut up and go." He says as he sighs heavily, cursing himself inwardly as he starts to head off.

Dinky scuffs the ground, and who knows what that signifies. Her right ear eases forward and flicks back. "Yeah. Okay, Quasar. See you at school." Even though it's sitting right beside her, she doesn't remember to thank him for the present. She then turns to Eclipse. "Did you know we were a 'thing'?"

"You don't have to.. I mean..." Eclipse sighs, "I guess I'll see you later." He's going to have to figure this whole thing out at some point. Things eventually start to make sense, right? He soon looks over to Dinky, "A thing?" he asks, "We're ponies. I guess ponies are a thing, right?" He cocks his head a bit, "I guess what I mean is, what do you mean?"

Things make sense? Search me. Could be, I guess. Dinky waits until Quasar is out of earshot and then speaks softly, so the usual random souls around the square don't overhear. "What do I mean? What I mean is, Quasar showed me a letter Luna had written him, where she calls me your 'betrothed'." She lets that sink in. "Did you know we were betrothed, Solar?"

"Hm?" Eclipse asks, head tilting. "Be-what-now?" Ok, Eclipse, time to use that brain for something besides a list of various shadow spells and, for some reason, storage for a variety of hoity-toity ballroom dance style moves. "Oh, Betrothed. I didn't, no," He says, trying to remember if he's heard anything to that, deciding that he hasn't. "Wouldn't they have to go through my mother for that sort of thing? I honestly didn't think they did that anymore."

Dinky stares, face slightly twisted at how lightly he's treating this. "Beats me! I mean, no, you don't, not if you're a @$#*&$ princess of Equestria!" She looks to either side, hoping nopony's heard her. "Is that all you have to say? You and me, we're... I don't even know how to feel about it except I want to yell. Here I thought we were doing our own thing, being kids, maybe bucking expectations or whatever, and now it turns out we're not free at all. We're supposed to be married someday. Here I am, nine years old, and I'm engaged to be married! And nopony even thinks to TELL me!!" Too late to keep a lid on this one--anyone in the Square will have heard that.

"What do you want me to say?" Eclipse says. "Look, here's the thing, does it matter? I mean, I guess string tugging aside, we are what we are. We're here. And, quite honestly, Dinky, when has any pony told you what you could and couldn't do? Maybe something like that'll happen, maybe it won't," he says, "But for now, eh," he shrugs. He sits down, "I mean, if you want, I can tell Grandma Luna that you have no want for all that stuff and see if she can get it all cancelled, or something. If it'd make you happy?"

Dinky is full of steam. "I don't know," she hisses, stamping. "I don't know--what business do I have saying what I want? Like I ever knew best." She stares into the distant sky as she paces, or perhaps it would be better to say she casts her gaze, as she's not stable enough to stare. "But who does Luna think she is. I mean who. Does." She doesn't finish, lost in thought, chewing her lip angrily.

"A princess," Eclipse says, "And one who hasn't been around in like a thousand years. Maybe it's what they did way back when, and she doesn't realize it's not a thing now. Or... maybe it is a thing? I don't know." He stares down a moment, "I'm not sure what to say. I guess I'm being weird about this. Should I be madder?" he asks. " I mean, I'm not big on a few things, but I just figured when I got old enough I'd get to decide and I don't really see that as changed."

Dinky is back to good old staring now. "Oh. You think? So you're fine with just shrugging it off and being like, whatever. If I want to marry someone else, or #$*&$ -nopony-, I'll just beg her lenience when I'm older and done? Pow?" She sits down and sulks. "Just hanging over us. Just hanging. I mean, sure, she's nice, -probably- she'd change her mind, but do you ever know? What if she -doesn't?- What if you fall in love with someone else and you want to marry her and you're like, don't sweat it, and then when the time comes, you're denied? I mean, heartbreak! @$*~~#!! Do you really want to worry about that for the next, like, eight years??"

Solar_Eclipse blinks slowly, "I guess? I don't know. I mean, you know, I do like you a lot," he says. He gets quiet a long moment, then shrugs, "But if it looms that much, I'll go talk to her when I can. Ask her to call things off. I figure she meant well but didn't think about all the things it means."

Dinky hesitates. Eventually, she nods--but stops. "No. No, not your worry. I'll write her a letter." She licks her lips. "Yeah. I'll write her a letter." She says it like she's just vowed to lay Luna in her grave. Her eyes are yellower than amber at times like these. "But as for you, yeah. I like you too. Tell me. Did we... did we, like -go- somewhere the other night? And... like, did I tell you about my birthday? How it's coming up? Because to be perfectly honest, I remember, like, mere shreds of that night. I think I was either poisoned or bewitched."

Solar_Eclipse's ears lay back. "Oh, no, I'll do it. It bothers you a lot and I guess it's sort of my fault. I'll approach her about it soon. Promise." He x's over his heart. "Huh? Yeah, we did. You don't remember huh?" He seems perhaps a bit sad by this a moment, then says, "Well that's no good. You did seem a bit different," he notes. "I guess it really wasn't too important, though. But now I'm worried about you being poisoned or something."

Dinky is worried and confused now. "Yeah. I mean, it was April Foals Day, and Discord's roaming the land again these days, and I don't care what the Ponyville Express prints, I don't trust that @#&^. So I've got a hunch it might've been him. But seriously, what did I do? What did -we- do? I'm not gonna be able to relax until I know."

"Oh, well maybe so," Eclipse notes, sitting down and putting on a thoughtful look. He says, "Oh, we just took a trip. I was mostly showing off my shadow-travel magic is all. And offered you a trip for your birthday. Somewhere, wherever you want. That's all, it wasn't huge, I guess."

"Shadow travel magic. Check. So, like, better than teleporting? I remember something scary about shadows, so yeah, that sounds about right." An ear flattens and flicks up. "Um. But we did -go- somewhere, right? I mean, I remember leaving your tiny room," says Dinky.

"Shadow magic, yeah," Eclipse says. "Step in one shadow, and out another. I can sort of pull them together and take a kind of short cut through... um...," he looks over, 'Nevermind, it's just my weird, creepy stuff." He shifts his weight, "Yeah, we went to my other tiny room. At my old place."

Dinky's jaw hangs. "Oh," she says at last. "What, your sunny, sun-themed place? Man. I must've been a monster. Did we leave the place intact?"

Solar_Eclipse shakes his head, "You seemed happy," he admits. "That's all. And the place is fine. I was just showing you was all." He scuffs a hoof against the ground, "Anyway, like I said," he notes, looking away, "No biggie, right? Just some dumb ol' room."

"I seemed happy?" Dinky stares in confusion at the cloudy sky, vaguely toward Canterlot. Her tail switches a couple of times, with a sizable interval between. She turns back to Eclipse. "Well, @^&."

"You seemed happy," he confirms. "I thought it was just because I was around," Eclipse jokes, blinking a bit at her reaction. "Cause, I'm so funny and all?" He wrinkles his nose, and once more remembers he doesn't have a laughter cutie mark. "Right, anyway, I wouldn't worry much on it."

Dinky wrinkles her own face in a sense that suggests a little faint humor may be getting through. "Must've been hopped up on something," she concludes. "I mean, you are funny, but." Another faint split-second smirk. "Right. Well, thanks for the trip. Sorry I don't remember it. At least you had a good time, right?"

"It's ok, I'm more creepy than funny, right?" Eclipse shrugs. "A good time? I don't know, I guess so. I mean, I thought you were enjoying it too but I guess it's just some weird magic thing. I mean I guess I should've thought that."

Dinky looks somehow guilty now. She pulls the mysterious box from Quasar closer. "I dunno. Maybe. But no, I mean... no, you're not creepy." Still, Dinky doesn't make eye contact. And she doesn't elucidate.

Solar_Eclipse looks over. "No, it's ok, I mean I guess I decided a while back there's no fighting it. I am what I am." He shrugs, sitting down. "What's that?" he asks, looking over at the box, figuring they could both use a bit of a distraction right about now.

Dinky takes a couple half-steps until she's sitting down, almost touching the prince in the process but falling shy of a hug. "Yeah. Fine, you're creepy, but whatever. I mean, it's the shadows that're creepy--you just do your thing with them. Anyway." She regards the box. "Yeah, that's from Quasar. Apparently my ~mom's~ been telling everything that breathes about my birthday, even putting up -posters-...and he heard. So that's my early birthday present from the local nerd."

"He seems to have trouble with social things. I'm not great with the whole bowing every two steps. I assume he'll figure out that its inconvienent." Eclipse says with a sigh. "Seems nice otherwise, though." He chuckles "Posters? That's kind of sweet, really. Your mom wants you to have a good birthday. We should all be so lucky," he says, maybe a bit wistfully. His guardians are a mother that doesn't seem to care for him, and a all powerful grandmother who occasionally betrothes him without him knowing, so he's got weird issues too.

Dinky blows an unhesitating raspberry. "Yeah. Believe me, I've heard -enough- about how lucky I am to have a retarded mom who cares about me and wants me to be happy. If she had even the first slightest idea how to -do- it, it might be worth something." Her hoof slides along the no-longer-frozen ground and she picks up more dirt than she expected, and peers at it. "Pah. Yeah. I'm guessing half the town shows up and there won't even be room in our hovel and it'll be a crazy mess, and it's no sure bet if -I'm- gonna be there at this rate."

"Mmm, remind me to show you my mom sometime," Eclipse says, then adds, "Again." He sort of looks off a few long moments, "Well, maybe you should tell her how you want it?" he offers. He gets a look on his face, schemeing a bit, it seems, probably already trying to figure out how to bend space-time and make the house big enough for the party.

"Again?" echoes Dinky. She blinks and stares without focus. After a while, she sighs and returns to reality. "I'm an April fool, all right. Born at the end of the month, though, not the beginning like mom. Did you know that was -her- birthday? She put up balloons and nets and everything she could tack up all over the house. If I got whacked by Discord it's probably 'cause I had to get -out- of there." Dinky grits her teeth. Grinds them for a moment, even. "How I want it," she says. "No clue. Do I -have- to have a party?"

Solar_Eclipse smiles, "I suppose not," he says. "But you should probably talk to her about it, huh? Or not, whatever." He sighs and stands back up, "I'll have to find you a really good present, won't I? I mean I guess I'm already being shown up because I haven't seen the flyers."

Dinky shrugs one shoulder a little too carelessly. "Whatever. I mean, you already gave me a slamming pair of shades, so I think we're cool." She stands and packs away her homework--she's no longer in that place, mentally. "Actually, maybe you could find me a good place for the party, if I have to have a party. There's no -way- everyone she wants to come is gonna fit into our shack on the hill."

"I offered to see if you could have it in the palace," he notes, then sighs, "Right before we went on the awesome trip you don't remember." Eclipse slouches, "Right. Anyways, I'll see what I can do. I mean I guess I could try to bring every pony to the palace with the shadow portal thingie." Something on that scale will probably wear him out pretty fast, but he doesn't mention it just yet.

Dinky opens her mouth as she fastens her sack. "That... sounds hard, and kind of..." She waves a hoof. "You know, out there. We should probably do something in town. Wonder if you could rent out the Basement for the night. Or day. Whatever."

Solar_Eclipse suggests, "Or Sugar Cube Corner." Of course that would get a certain pink, party pony involved which may or may not be awesome. "And I still should get you something right? I mean I guess the shades were lame." He was trying /so hard/. "I'm just bad at gifts."

Dinky shakes her head. "No need. Stuff's no good for me, I just break it." She shudders momentarily. "Tell you what. Write me a poem, I might like that. For extra credit? Say it over a bass beat to the whole crowd. That'll be good for a laugh or two." Of he treads, her betrothed by her side. Just another bitter afternoon with Dinky Doo.

"Are you sure you don't just want Dyna to do something like that? It was more his thing. I'm the creepy pony that reads books." He looks over and smiles, "But I'll come up with something. I think. Maybe." Probably.

Dinky grins evilly. "I'll invite Dynamite and make him read books aloud. How about that?" She swishes her tail with satisfaction.

Solar_Eclipse smirks amusedly. "There's the Dinky I know and love," he says. "Though I think Dyna's too busy hanging out with the new Princess to give me any mind now."

Dinky snorts. "Yeah, yeah. Bigshot librarian. We'll make him come around, don't worry." She gives Eclipse a little peck on the jaw as they walk.

Solar_Eclipse blushes a bit and blinks a few times. What were they talking about. Oh right, "Well, maybe. If he's like super busy then that's ok too. Just glad he found what he wanted to be, right? Anyways, we'll have to get something planned soon. It'll be a nice party. Something you'll like a lot."

Dinky nods vacantly. "I'm sure. Believe me, just getting through it'll be enough." They walk on until reaching the northern edge of town--and there they part. Until next time.

Solar_Eclipse has disconnected.

[Derpy]

And for the record? Here's the letter that Dinky wrote to Princess Luna.

=============================

On the back of an insipid school worksheet and folded sloppily into an oversized gray envelope is written the following letter:

"Luna.

I was going to start this with 'Who do you think you are?' but that would be a bucking DUMB question, wouldn't it? So I'll get to the point.

Solar Eclipse and I are BETROTHED?? Are you -kidding- me? Nine years old and I'm engaged to be married. And you don't even think to -tell- me? I mean, he's cool about the whole thing, he's all 'She's been away a thousand years, cut her some slack," but seriously. Can you even comprehend what kind of illusions this smashes for me? I mean, free will, hello! I know you're big on the whole destiny thing but come on. This cracker is destined to unite with this slice of cheese and sate the royal appetite. My cutie mark is destined to appear and be a can opener or something and then I'm set for life, no more mysteries, what do you want. Dinky and Prince Eclipse are getting along okay? Brilliant. They are destined to wed and bear many miserable foals. It hurts. It hurts to be toyed with. Destiny is a ncessary evil if that. I don't want it as an extracurricular and I don't want it on my breakfast cereal.

I -like- hanging out with him. I like getting to know him. I like chilling with him. Now it's all covered with this shroud, like a big blue star-speckled curtain, and I can't breathe. See if I keep coming over to visit now. Seriously, see if I do. I have no clue, myself.

-Dinky

P.S. I'm turning ten on the 30th. Never thought I'd make it this long. Chances are I'll have gotten over this by then and won't still be mad at you, so you might as well come. If I'm still mad, I'll shoot you a note and let you know, and you'll probably crash the party anyway. Take care."

[Derpy]

And some time later came the response to that letter...

============================

S and S Meadery
You stand now inside the warm and welcoming customer service area of S&S Meadery. The room is decorated in soft earth tones; the oak walls and support beams, while lacking any kind of paint, are sanded to a smooth, pleasing texture. The same can be said for the long counter that stretches almost the length of the wall opposite the front door, behind which stand four bottle racks spaced evenly. The outer two racks have between them a pair of square windows, with simple diamond cut panes in them. Between the middle racks, positioned in the exact center of the long counter, are a pair of framed pictures. One of the owner, Sky Blue, and the other of Salsa Verde, her Very Special Somepony and the delight of her heart.

[ Exits: <O>ut to Seed Street ]
[ Sleepers: Freestone, Mr_Chuckles ]
[ Contents: A Sky Blue-Shaped Hole in the Wall, ]
[ A Sky Blue-Shaped Hole in the Desk ]

PUB >> Dinky is at the S&S Meadery, waiting to have whatever semblance of routine she manages to conjure for herself cruelly shattered in at least three ways.

Luna has arrived.
<OOC> You say, "Aaaand there's one."
<OOC> Luna says, "KABOOM!"

Bardigan has arrived.

Dinky is sitting at the bar, filling in for an errant Salsa who can be heard laughing and babbling about her latest innovations in the kitchen. The last customers left some time ago, but the evening rush has yet to arrive, as the sun is still up for now. She's trying to do her homework, but her mind is preoccupied, not to mention invaded by the aromas sifting in from Salsa's work station. Half of them make Dinky wrinkle in irritation, while the other half are kind of decent, though she wouldn't tell Salsa that.

Blue light flashes from the window in the mead fermenting area, followed by a thump and a splash. Seconds later, the door between that room and the customer service area opens, and a mead barrel walks in with Luna's mead-covered backside and mead-covered hooves sticking out from under it. 'SHLRRRRRRRKLRRKLRRK' it goes, then "One moment, foal Dinky Doo. Teleporting inside a distant building is sometimes imprecise." SHHHHHHHHLRRRRRRRK. Slowly, the trail of spilled mead she's left behind her shrinks, sucked back up the princess and into the barrel.

Bardigan pokes his head into the meadery, fluttering around the doorway. Something about the pure, undiluted smell of alcohol has a strange effect on him, which he usually only indulges going to one of Equestria's so-secret-everypony-knows-about-them speakeasies. He flutters inside by the tips of his wings which buzz like a hummingbird's to support the weight, holding an empty bottle. "Ah ha!" he says quietly, upon seeing it's mostly empty. His fluttering is a bit unsteady, and the sight of a mead barrel impersonating Princess Luna distracts him so much that he flies into the bar and flops head over hooves behind it. "That's funny," he mumbles on the floor. "My moon sense wasn't tingling."

Dinky leaps onto the bar at the first flashing splash of blue. Her eyes are wide from that point until further noted. A few of the other barrels sputter in sympathy as their brother is profaned, and one starts leaking--Sky has them all connected somehow. Dinky leaps onto a stool and stares at what comes through the door. She blinks. "Are you... wow. Just wow. Eclipse 'ports here all the time, and that never..." She swallows and leaps to the floor. "...And now it's princess-flavored," she remarks, seeing the spilled mead regathered. "Guess we could pass that one off as a limited edition or something. Wow, Your Highness. It's just good there aren't any... customers... right now." She turns to see Bardigan come in and tumble headlong over the bar. This is where her eyes narrow. "Hi there, Mr. Bardigan," she says dryly, trying not to wince.

"Of course there is a customer," Luna barrel answers solemnly. "It would be an abuse of our power to drink this shopkeeper's goods and not pay for them, all the worse because that abuse would be so petty. Make a note, and present the bill to Firefly or Nettleglum." *SHHHHKKKKKKKKKKT!* The sucking noise returns even louder, and the mead crawls up Luna's flanks, leaving them not merely dry but pristine. When the last bit of mead retreats up into the barrel, the slurping stops - replaced immediately by a loud crunching of wood and creaking of badly abused iron nails.

Dinky is back to staring. By posing ahead of Bardigan, she's trying to pretend he doesn't exist. "You're... eating the barrel," she observes unnecessarily. "You... you know that isn't normal, right, princess? I don't even..." She looks around between the notes Salsa and Sky Blue left for her, knowing they'll more marginally more comprehensible than her mother's lovingly crafted charts. "I don't even think I have a transaction code for that."

In the middle of the noise Bardigan flops back up, holding himself up by the forehooves on the bartop, his hat fallen to the floor. "Oh my land," he whispers, "she's actually here." Pause. "And I'm *naked.*" He grabs his hat (incidentally, the one gifted to him by Luna) and puts it back on his head, where it hangs askew off one ear. "That's better." Then he glances at the empty bottle in his hoof. "Unless it's just... no, it was only half full." He peers at Dinky with a somewhat unfocused gaze when the Princess finishes the mead and starts on the barrel. "Don't worry, I only do it when Diamond's not home."

PUB >> Dinky says, "Hey Sky? Luna broke one of your fermenting barrels."
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue says, "... this... means... war."
PUB >> Dinky says, "Theoretically she's paying for it."
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue gives Auntie Luna a hug. <3
PUB >> Dinky is guessing you could charge double and she'd never know.

CRUNCH CRUNCH METAL SHRIEK CRUNCH. Luna's face soon pokes through a hole in the side of the barrel, both of which appear to be dry of any and all mead. She rips off a section bigger than her head, chews it down and swallows it in seconds, then does the same thing again. That gives her a nice, big gap to look down at Dinky through with her usual solemn princessly expression. "We are aware that few ponies have our advantages, and are forced to much more restricted diets. The metal bindings in this barrel would harm thy delicate organs, and thou would find the oak difficult to chew - a shame, as it is in fact quite good for thee, and the taste of a fermenting barrel is difficult to match." Her lecture on proper nutrition delivered, she tears off another section and eats it. Bardigan... who's Bardigan? She sees no Bardigan.

PUB >> Like, Totally Regal Luna says, "We did NOT break thy fermenting barrel. We drank it and are now eating it. Obviously, one would be a travesty, and the other a joy."
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue says, "WHY ARE Y'ALL EATIN' MAH BARREL? D:"
PUB >> Like, Totally Regal Luna says, "Because it has been soaked in mead for months."
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue says, "Wood costs money D:"
PUB >> Like, Totally Regal Luna says, "We have plenty of that."
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue says, "Oh! Okay, then. "

Dinky looks confused on a few points. She scrawls down a quick note for later and shoves it into her pile of receipts. "Uh... so, like an ice cream cone, then. Yeah, I had a bad experience with one of those once. Glad you like the oak. I'll let Sky know. So, uh..." She glances at Bardigan and half-grimaces. "Um... yeah. Looks like you're not getting lucky with royalty today, Mr B. Anyway, my mom's on a mail run. Or are you looking for a drink?"

PUB >> Like, Totally Regal Luna has lots and lots of money. If Dinky had insisted on immediate payment, she'd have teleported some dragon's treasure into your sales office.
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue
PUB >> Junior Miner, Sky Blue says, "Ah have a sales office? "
PUB >> Daring_Do sighs.

Bardigan peers at Dinky again out of the corner of his eyes. "Not lucky? Excuse me, but do *you* have one of *these*?" he says, parting his mane enough that Dinky can see the moon mark still attached loosely to his forehead. "Had a few close calls, but it's stickier than I thought it would be." He looks at the empty bottle. "I *was.* For later I mean." He glances up at the Princess. "But that sort of depends now."

PUB >> Dinky says, "I'm guessing she means Salsa's junk closet with the little shelves we keep the inventories on."
PUB >> King Dusk of Awesome says, "Insist on one of those too."

Luna rips off another big chunk and grinds it down like an oversized potato chip while Bardigan and Dinky talks. Despite not so much as glancing at Bardigan, when he finishes is exactly when she swallows and resumes talking to Dinky. "We received a letter from thee, dear foal Dinky Doo. We found the level of ire it expressed quite surprising, and to respect the depth of that emotion thought it best to speak to thee on the topic in person."

Dinky sighs. She reaches out and lightly plonks her hoof on Bardigan's moon mark. "My mom has one of those. She keeps it in her vanity next to one of grandma's feathers and some other junk. Anyway." Dinky draws out a bottle of blackberry melomel, ready for Bardigan in case he feels like loosening his purse. She then has no choice but to turn to Luna. "Oh. Did I put a lot of ire into that? Sorry. I don't know my place." She climbs back onto one of the stools used by patrons for this conversation, and holds her head up toward Luna rather stubbornly.

Bardigan looks between Luna and Dinky, leaning back onto the bar with a pensive expression. Good thing he has the hat on; it helps the atmosphere. He perks his ears. "Maybe I will have that drink," he murmurs, but seeing as nopony is paying attention to him, and there are no other ponies here, what is he to do but watch and learn a new story?

Luna suddenly smiles, although it's a thin, wry expression on that cold face. "Certainly true. It is a great virtue of thine. We do not understand the strength or nature of thy objection. Does it seem like a compulsion? It is not. We will be ill-inclined to cancel it, but thou shall not be forced to appear at the altar, or prevented from marrying differently if thou love another. Do thou object to Solar himself? We thought the two of thee, separated by thy powrful blood from the common foals, would be well suited. Have discussions of marriage become impolite or mortifying in the time we were gone? We see..." She stops, shaking her head. "As thou see, we grope to close this curious gap of understandings."

Dinky listens with a certain type of patience, though it's not the type that motivates goats to name their children Patience or the sort that conveys the message you have all the time in the world to explain. Dinky's ears extend fully, and their contortion saves her from exploding in anger or even interrupting, though she wants to. When Luna gropes verbally, Dinky steps in. "Not a compulsion, huh? See, I thought I knew the word 'betrothed', but I looked it up in like five dictionaries just to be sure. 'Engaged to be married', 'given in promise of marriage'. I looked up 'engaged' too. It's not an option. It's a promise. It's something you're gonna do. So, yeah, I'm confused. Or I was." She shakes her head in confusion. "No, I am. What do you mean, powerful blood?" She glances at Bardigan, all jaunty in his noir hat, and when she looks back at Luna, it's a whisper: "How did you know?"

Bardigan lays a few bits down on the bar and serves himself up some of that mead. That done, he flutters over the bar and settles down on a stool once again, nursing the drink but keeping one ear turned to the talk. This *does* sound serious.

Luna stares back down at Dinky with aquamarine eyes so calm as to be alien, interested but uncomprehending. "It is a promise indeed, an arrangement of something expected to happen. In some times and places it was enforced, but thy princesses have never approved of unwilling marriages. This arrangement is not an unbreakable one, yet we would have it so, and thus shall begin the preparations now that chances are best it will work out as the years turn. As for thy blood, one needs but exchange a single sentence with thy mother to know the greatness in thy family, and one sentence with thee to know it does not water through the generations. If the foals around thee do not see what we see, blame the blindness of youth, not any secrecy of thy blood's power."
While she talks to Dinky, Luna's eyes don't flicker even a moment towards Bardigan. Her shadow is another matter. It ripples on the floor, and blue-green eyes with slit pupils open up on a leaner, more pointed face than Luna's. The shadow oozes over to the counter and up it, and with Nightmare Moon's velvet voice murmurs to Bardigan, "How does it feel, Bardigan? Does it hurt when she looks through you, when she doesn't see you at all, sees only a fantasy of your feelings and discards the real you as worthless?"

Dinky listens carefully, in tension. She shivers a little as Luna explains. "A promise isn't just expected. It's intended. That means you intend for me to marry--oh, whatever. Why am I quibbling. Fine. Fine." She leaps from the stool and starts pacing. "If you want me to marry your grandson, whatever. He's nice. I like him. He likes me, I think. Not like I'll fall in love with anyone, so I mean we don't have to worry about that. And yeah. Blindness of youth. Sure. I think I know what you mean, I feel half blind most of the time." She looks back and adds, "But no, talking about marriage is fine. Usually just not for nine-year-olds, that's all." She glances at the rippling shadow and freezes with her maw open.

Bardigan's eyes immediately start tracing the path of the shadow over the floor when it stretches his way. He leans back, the blackness of the shadow just enhanced by his hat's special character. He stares for a long moment. "I never said you were worthless," he mutters, but he can't quite meet Nightmare's gaze. When did his slight headache get so sharp? "Look, I shot for the moon and I *missed*, all right? I get that. I still don't quite understand, but I hoped I was making progress." He hmfs and sips his drink. "Even if you said nothing to me, I'd still be here. I *am* still here. Listening. It's good. Hearing your voice."

Luna nods solemnly, the remains of Sky Blue's barrel rattling around her head. "Arranged marriages are decided much earlier than marriages of love, in the hopes that love has time to bloom. We are glad that we are no longer in dispute over this issue. We shall see thee again-" While she's talking to Derpy, her shadow is whispering to Bardigan. Its voice is sly, teasing, but also affectionate and without anger. "Are you sure you aimed at the moon? Or did you just aim at the nearest prin-" At this point, the two conversations suddenly merge. Luna barks, "I DID NOT MAKE THEE TO FEED HIM ANSWERS." She whirls around, wings extending and blasting fragments of barrel all over the walls and floor. Her shadow is whipped back into place, squeaking in pain, and she takes two steps towards the wall (the remains of the barrel still rattling around on her head) and disappears in a blue flash.

Dinky whips around in shock when Luna's explanation is cut short by... whatever that was. She'll chalk it up to age and remnants of insanity. "No longer in dispute?" she shoots back, raising her voice to match Luna's. "What, just bec--" Whoops. There she goes. And it looked like that hurt. Dinky takes a step toward the blue flash before realizing that Luna is gone. She looks back at Bardigan, her face twisted into something like sympathy.

The effects are predictable: Bardigan goes flying, the drink slips, and he manages to kick his hat off before it lands in a puddle. "Ow," he says, on his back on the floor, staring at the ceiling. A few moments of silence linger before his chest shakes-but not with tears. He's chuckling. He sits up on his elbows and looks at Dinky. "Looks like my bad luck with royalty rubbed off on you," he says, smiling. It's not a very sincere smile though, all crooked and shaky as it is. "Sorry about that."

<OOC> Luna did not whip Bardigan, but... well, she'll chalk it up to 'accidental side effect of yanking on a shadow that was wrapped around him and semi-solid.'
<OOC> Bardigan chalked it up to: Being in the way of a shouting Princess.

Dinky goes over to Bardigan, trembling. She gets her hat and puts it on his head, shaking it to make sure it's clean. "Yeah? I dunno. -I'm- gonna be marrying a prince. What have -you- got?" Harsh, Dinky. But she appears to need a channel for letting out her anger.

"The frustrated wrath of a pony who's grappled with monsters from the refuse piles of creation, could roll the Moon over my house, and refuses to talk to me except through a shadow of herself." Bardigan stands up, smiling appreciatively as Dinky retrieves the hat. His chest is still stained with mead, though. "Really, though, our issues are not *so* different. Heartache feels the same whatever the reason."

Dinky tries to untangle that line, though its essence is clear. "Does it? I don't know, I feel like I've had more flavors of heartache that Salsa has sauces." On cue, Salsa Verde bursts out maniacally laughing from two rooms away. "So what turned her off to you, anyway? I thought she really liked you for a while."

"Oh, she still does," Bardigan says with a little nod. "Just like she likes you. It's there, if you know how to look. I'm learning, slowly. I think that's what all this is. I hope so, anyway," he adds, looking distantly away for a moment before his gaze snaps back to Dinky. "So. Arranged marriages. If I had a bit for every play I've written about those." He squints and glances to the side. "Oh, wait. I do."

Dinky looks confused as she goes to the bar and pushes the bottle of blackberry melomel toward Bardigan. "Wait. So... how many is that? Like, one?" Her ear twitches.

"Many ones, actually," Bardigan amends as he picks up the bottle again, but suddenly doesn't seem interested in it. At least he already paid. "And still more whenever one shows. Royalties are a wonderful thing." He sucks on his lower lip for a moment. "They never really ended well, those stories," he murmurs, "but that was usually because of a lack of communication. Or a willful ignorance of one or more parties involved."

Dinky settles in at the bar. She sweeps the bits into the register and makes a note or two about what's happened. The smell of something green and vegetable drifts in from the kitchen where Salsa experiments. "Willful ignorance? Why would you be, like, willful...ly ignorant?" It's a new concept to the filly. "Are you saying arranged marriage can work?"

"It can. Anything can," Bardigan says with an almost childish conviction. "It just depends on where the heart of the ponies involved lies. Love is a choice, Dinky. It's yours to make or not. Love is not always happy." He smiles and jerks his head to the spot where Luna once stood. "Love is not always what you want. Love is a *choice.* But it's only made easier when everypony involved is willing to listen. When a pony is willfully ignorant, it's because they want to see something happen regardless of what other ponies want, and ignore evidence to the contrary to simply *force* it to happen." Now, at last, he sips. "I should know."

Dinky listens more than she lets on, continuing to busy herself with taking care of the mess Luna left. "You should know? How? You used to be willful... willfully ignorant?"

"Still am, some days. I think we all commit that little crime every now and then." Bardigan shrugs. "I was willfully ignorant when I barged into Luna's chambers one night, certain I could make a fairy tale come true if I just followed the rules of my old stories. I refused to admit that I didn't know the first thing about her, that I had no chance of standing up to the great ponies she's known. So I've ended up in a very strange place. *Sometimes,* Dinky, willful ignorance can be a good thing. Twist it around a little and you get faith. I have faith that I can still add to Luna's happiness, in spite of what you just saw."

Dinky listens in shock from the meadery floor, holding a broom in her mouth. Her eyes are sour, her neck turned. "You thought a fairy tale could come true," she repeats. "So... you wanted her to fall in love with you? Maybe marry you? Make you a prince?"

Bardigan recoils just a bit from Dinky's stare. "For so long, I stared up at the Moon, sang to it, wondered about it, made merry under it. Made *stories* under it. And then the Mare in the Moon became a Mare in fact, and I knew I just *had* to see her. To let her know that I really did sit there and sing for her at night. I didn't want to be a prince, Dinky. I wanted to see if maybe, just... *maybe*... she'd sing back to me a little." He smiles, broadly. "She did. Not quite in the way I expected. She wasn't the Mare in the Moon, not entirely. She's a mare, too. And so are you." He gestures vaguely with his bottle. "Well, you *will* be. You and I both know there's more to you than just what some intended marriage says."

Dinky may be a mare in the making, but she doesn't get quite what Bardigan is saying. She looks up at the wafting green smoke, a poor substitute for a moonlit sky. The sun is setting outside the windows. "Yeah. Cause I'm a filly and she's millennia old, but we're both female. So I know all her secrets, all that're important, anyway. And you can beg and pay, but I'll never tell." There no smugness in Dinky's voice, only irony. Shrewdly, she sweeps up the barrel fragments into a dustpan. "If there's more to me, I guess I'm willfully ignorant of it." Just like that, she's added the expression to her vocabulary.

"I didn't mean it quite like *that,*" the playwright mutters, somewhat flustered. "I meant that you are your own mare. And you have choices to make, which are your own and nopony else's. But please, don't be willfully ignorant of yourself. You have a lot of important things to say, and you should listen."

"How come?" asks Dinky. "I thought sometimes it was good to be willfully ignorant." She doesn't look at Bardigan as she dumps the fragments into a rubbish bin.

Bardigan smirks. "That doesn't mean you shouldn't note dissenting opinions first. It's complicated, Dinky. *You* are complicated. Everypony's complicated! I'm sorry, but there's no easy answer to this kind of thing. It must be taken one step at a time. Just... remember you have ponies who are willing to hear you out. And if you don't... I'd be glad to be one."

Dinky tilts her head and flicks her tail, looking distantly at Bardigan. "No easy answer? I'm sorry--was there a question?" It's true she's complicated. Too much, just this moment.

Bardigan downs the rest of his drink (there's not much left) in one go. He peers back at Dinky as the glass comes back down on the bartop. "There always is. A pony who stops asking questions is willfully - blissfully - ignorant indeed."

Dinky sighs with a sputter. "Thanks," she mutters. "I'll think about that. Lot to think about. Sometimes I -wish- I didn't have any #&$ questions." She returns to the bar and seats herself as before, in anticipation of the dinner crowd. "You ever think about marrying my mom, instead of floozing your life away on Luna?"

Bardigan raises an eyebrow. "Are you asking why I haven't married her?"

Dinky raises an equally adept eyebrow. "Just asking, like, if it's a thing that could happen. If I should brace myself," she replies.

Bardigan looks down at the bar again. "... Probably not," he mutters. "She's a very fine mare, Dinky. And there's nothing wrong with her. Which is why I couldn't pull her into this."

Dinky heaves a deliberate sigh. "Pull her into this?" she asks, stretching out each word. "As if... you're a -this?-" She gestures to where Luna vanished, and the room still smells of princess. "And Luna's a this? What... you think Luna'd be jealous? She'd probably be glad if you got attached to someone and were out of her hair. And she likes my mom, for some reason."

"I noticed," Bardigan returns. "Before all this happened, she was unrepentantly convinced your mother and I were already, ah, attached. I wonder if she still is." He sighs, not quite as deliberately. "I do wonder, sometimes. If she means for me to find another. Something about what she said right before... but she still speaks to me." He twirls the glass on the bartop. "So many questions."

Dinky wipes the bar perfunctorily and goes about trying to figure out how to bill for mead by the barrel, let alone billing for barrels. "She probably doesn't know what she wants either. Did you hear her? Arguing with her own shadow. Pff." Yeah. Dinky would never do that. She casts a warning glare at her shadow just in case, though.

"Well, her shadow at least can talk back. If it didn't, I'd be a little more worried." Bardigan finds that he can smile at that.

Dinky smiles sourly. "Yeah. Funny thing, that. Anyway. See you at my party?"

"Of course," Bardigan says without hesitation. "Did you make a list?"

"A list? Of what?" asks the oblivious filly.

"What you want."

Dinky looks confused. "Uhh... no? I mean... isn't it supposed to be a surprise if I get gifts, anyway?"

Bardigan smirks. "Then you're just asking for the surprise, not the gift. But I'll try to at least make it a good one."

Dinky gives a hoot of hollow laughter. "You're a nice guy, Mr. B."

"As are you, Dinky. Hats off." Tip.

Dinky shrugs it off and goes back to ask Salsa just how much a mead barrel costs, anyway.

[Derpy]

And here's the latest of Dinky's excursions to the mysterious camp on the edge of Everfree Forest, where she studies, at Luna's behest, from the 'earth pony witch' who dwells there...

=================================

Tejene's Camp
Apparently somepony has taken up residence at the very edge of the WhiteTail Wood, just at the very border to the danger zone that is the Everfree Forest. In a small natural nook between the forests a campsite has been set. There is a low split-rail type fence erected around the perimeter. It stands barely to the shoulder of most ponies and with a broad enough gap between the rails that most anything which cannot jump over could slip through.

Upon the top of every other post sits a gourd of some type or hangs a mask of carved wood, each painted in earthy tones and stark but appealing patterns though the masks may prove a bit frightening toward younger ponies. The area inside the fence is mostly grassy and flat while directly opposite the fence, the darkness of the forest looms. A flock of a dozen or so black-and-white speckled Guineafowl hens cluck about, pecking at this or that and occasionally scratching baths into the dust.

The camp itself appears primarily nomadic in nature. Lighting is provided by torches set into fence posts. Living space is broken up into a handful of rectangular wood-bottomed safari type tents. They are constructed of heavy khaki colored canvas material that smells as it has been treated with some type of natural oil, stiff wooden posts, rope, and heavy wooden stakes. Each tent has a different mask hanging at its front as well, one private tent where the resident zebra sleeps, another for food preparation, a third for storage and other things, a wooden table, chuck box and fire pit outside. The whole assembly seems quite compact, low-impact, relatively comfortable, and portable enough that it could all be packed into the smallish conestoga wagon which sits outside the fence gate and hauled away in a day or two.

[ Exits: [O]ut into the [Woods] ]
[ Sleepers: Tejene

It's been a long journey, from first morning's light through the deep forest. Perhaps the zebra is not paying attention, perhaps he is so used to being followed through the forest when he travels that he pays no mind. If not by ponies, by timberwolves, birds, and everything else that moves. Tejene stops at a seemingly random, but otherwise deeply considered location within the forest where a small shaft of light snakes between the thick tree coverage and begins unpacking his supplies. Notably there's a spot with all the foliage already cleared away, bare dirt a rare sight in the thick foliage. Whatever he has been doing has been planned, he unwraps a small pack of supplies at that spot, the centerpiece being an ornate brass burner in which he lights a few coals. Even just setting up his ritual the chanting has already begun, a soft hymn in his native language.

Dinky, of course, has been skulking along behind. He's used to being followed, after all, though maybe not by creatures with this kind of purpose. She's wearing her brown wool wrap, since the Everfree is outside the jurisdiction of Winter Wrap-Up and isn't warmed up yet, some snow still on the ground. She sits not too far from Tejene's bare spot and burner. Maybe he notices the sound her haunches make against the hard ground. Or maybe he just happens to turn her way and there she is, watching, eyes as hard as the weather. Her pack sits half closed beside her.

It is once the coals are lit that the zebra actually pays attention to the little filly's lack of stealth. Tejene has brought a few masks with him as well, one of which is small as if he'd been expecting a tagalong. He sets four masks out on the ground in the points of the compass, the fifth and smallest one he takes and brings over to Dinky. Without a word he uses it to cut a circle into the dirt and snow around her then sets it inside the circle, for her forehooves to hold up. He draws a large bag of ground stone from his pack, cuts a circle around his own setup, and fills the circle with stone dust. The same is done for Dinky's, except this time he speaks to her. "Be still. Hold your mask and remain in the circle, and you will be safe." The chanting resumes, though now becoming more energetic and it seems that things... in the forest. They begin to take notice. Eyes crop up in the darkness, shadows shift and weave. Tejene positions himself inside his circle and begins opening small vials of stuff for the burner.

Dinky keeps staring as the zebra acknowledges and nears her, but she gets a little meeker in her bearings when he gets close. She fumbles with the mask momentarily before realizing what's expected of her. With a bit of turning to orient it correctly, Dinky puts the mask over her face. She can be heard breathing against it, and against the rising sense of menace and potency. She doesn't say a word... just reaches out for the line of stone dust and touches it lightly, barely disturbing its contents. Then she withdraws her hoof.

Everything in place so far at least. The chant seems to shift gears, away from what could've been considered a lullaby of repetitive soothing words and into something that sounds much.. darker. Tejene draws the last bit of preparation, not a mask but a headdress, from his supplies and places it upon his head. It is festooned with exotic feathers, wooden beads, odd gems, stones and what may well be the teeth of the Zebrican equivalent of a Timberwolf. Once the heat can be seen rising from the burner his voice grows loud and deep, no longer chanting but now commanding something. Completely incomprehensible to the filly's ears but powerful none the less. Two vials of something are poured onto the burner. The first is a dust which produces bright white light, the second is a thicker powder that falls out in a clump and immediately begins producing masssive amounts of thick dark purple smoke. In a moment, the blanket of midnight fills the clearing and the only light remaining is coming from the burner. More chanting, shortly thereafter what looks like droplets of water begin to rise from the ground, turquoise and gleaming. Magic, clean and simple.

Dinky's expression can't be read behind the mask, of course, but the way she tilts her head to behold the smoke and light, and later the rising droplets, suggests timidity. She shifts a little as things grow hot. What snow lies nearby is starting to melt, adding moisture to the water, or magical water, already rising. An etheral sound, like a faintly shifting musical note, is audible from on high. Dinky is otherwise still.

What arranges in the smoke and light at first appears to be vaguely avian at first. It coalesces into a glob opposite Tejene, shadows creeping up from the ground and taking shape. The little globs of light are drawn to it, splitting into what look like markings and giving the shadows a bit of a shimmer. The zebra changes tone, the pitch of his voice sounding almost as if he is scolding. No longer chanting, he speaks directly to the gathered darkness which slowly forms up into a rather large Bird of Paradise. It seems to be a spirit of some kind, pecking around. The zebra actually yells at it, sending it away. The bird congeals into a blob, scatters on the ground, and the shadows form again. This time something much less benign grows from the ground, with four legs now, an odd stance, then a defined torso, broad shoulders, a short tail, and a large predator's skull. Dark jaws hang open and it inhales, drawing up the ambient magic. Eyes of turquoise light up in it's head, tribal markings begin to appear scattered along it's body. The beast forms completely, then places it's nose to the ground and stalks toward Dinky. It stops however at the line of stone dust in the ground as if it cannot cross, looks long and hard at the mask, huffs once, and turns to regard the zebra instead.

PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "While we were in our kitchen, meditatin', we pondered: what would Sky Blue do if she got ahold of the Alicorn Amulet? Our first thought? EAT IT."
PUB >> Princess Pollyapple says, "Even our brain has little hope fer Sky's intelligence."

Dinky watches in stillness while it all happens. She steps forward slightly when the bird of paradise forms. Wind swirls outside the dome of purple darkness and mystical light. She doesn't pass the edge of her circle, however. That much she noted well. Then comes a fearsome creature which approaches her personally. Dinky stands tall, the mask slipping for a moment before she rebalances it. Something seems to... pass between her and the turquoise-eyed beast. When it huffs, she snorts.

When the beast comes face to face with the zebra, he too stands tall. On four hooves, proud and strong. A few more words and the white stripes of Tejene's body illuminate as if by blacklight. A command is barked out and in startling abruptness the cloud of purple congeals into a dome around the gathered party and transforms. Stars form inside the surface, the night sky of a foreign land. Something hits it from the outside, magic pulses to that spot and whatever leapt upon it yelps and is catapaulted into the surrounding forest. Strong magic indeed. The beast looks at Tejene, breathes in deeply, and speaks. The voice is deep and rumbling, like distant thunder but it forms words in the zebra's native tongue. For a moment the two converse, first like cautious enemies and then like old friends.

The conversation seems meaningful. The beast raises one paw toward the zebra and places it up against the magic field in which the zebra stands. Tejene raises a hoof and touches the shield in the same place, the pair then speak the same words in chorus and the stone dust marking both circles bursts into bright turquoise light. That around Dinky remains in place but the one around the zebra burns away like gunpowder. Zebra and beast stand there a moment, hoof to paw, before embracing like old friends. They both chant for a moment in lyrical unison, the contents of the burner also turn turquise. When the pair break the embrace they bow to one another, say a few quiet words, and the light in the burner goes out. Everything goes pitch black for a moment save the light of the turquise magic and the illumination of Tejene's stripes. Then the zebra darkens, the turquoise compacts into a single point, solidifies, and drops to the ground. A moment later the purple smoke clears and the ritual is complete, only what appears to be a small sparkling gem now lies on the ground. Life in the Everfree returns to normal.

That was amazing. Mind-bendingly amazing. Through it all, Dinky is more or less motionless and never again lets her mask slip or comes to to the boundary drawn for her. When it's finally over, she exhales a chary breath and then clears her throat. So." But snappy words fail the acerbic filly this time. She cautiously lowers her mask, revealing a face taut with tension and ears perked well up and out.

Tejene immediately and with great purpose begins rolling up his equipment. The burner is actually now stone cold. He collects the masks, but directs Dinky to hang onto hers if just by motion alone. "That" he speaks while working, "is an old friend of mine. He is the keeper of the boundray between light and dark in my homeland." Swiftly, he rolls up his pack. "Quickly, rub your circle into the earth and pack up your things, we should leave this place with great haste." With good reason, whatever it was that bounced off the magic shield is on it's way back and can be heard trotting through the woods from some distance away.

Dinky shakes once and gets to it, understand the concept of haste if not quite the reason. She rubs the circle away using two hooves at once. "'Kay," she utters. She holds the edge of the mask in her mouth, dragging it with her. Once she's eliminated the circle, she grabs her pack and helps, or tries to help, Tejene pack up the burner. She also points her tail toward the gem. "Should we, um... take that with us?"

"Indeed" is all he says at that, taking the gem and rolling it into his things. In a moment Tejene has his pack set and assists Dinky with hers. He does however pause, as if he'd forgotten something. He draws out what appears to be a large fresh fish, recently caught but no longer flopping, from a paper wrap. "This will distract the predators until we are clear. Come." Everything packed and set, pack secured, he heads toward home at a brisk trot. "I will explain on the walk home, we should have time before darkness comes as long as we keep moving." The fish is tossed lightly into the brush, and they're off. "There are things in this forest even I wish not to meet in the dark."

Dinky glances back awkwardly at the fish, her eyes concerned. She turns back to trot along with the zebra, having little trouble keeping up. Apparently her energy was pent up. "I know. It's tough keeping hidden, and I think this is the deepest I ever came in. At least the way to Luna's Castle is kind of... like... feared." She looks this way and that as they go, aware that the presence of a larger companion makes her more endangered, but in a way, safer. Anything hostile might attack him before her. "So... wow. You're powerful. That was a -lot- of stuff you did back there. I mean, just the way it looked, let alone... the barrier guy and however far -he- had to come."

Tejene simply keeps moving. "It is not a safe place for small ponies or large, I know how to keep safe but certain beasts will not be avoided if they wish not to be." He ducks vines and steers around the sinking sands, among other hazards of the forest. "It has to do with who I am." He pauses just long enough to motion toward his cutie mark. "The tree of flame, with leaves above and roots below. What is seen and unseen. I walk the line between the light and darkness, what is here and not, this world and the next. It is my gift." Moving again. "Distance is of no concern to him, as he may leap between this world an the next with ease." Whatever it was that was tailing them seems to have paused back at the clearing which they departed. Effective distractions. "I have no power of my own, you must understand. The magic is not mine any more than health belongs to a doctor. I simply.." he struggles with words a moment, "speak to it."

Dinky clears her throat again, more quietly. "Trees and roots. Right. You walk the line, huh? And that line..." She trips over a root and catches herself, wincing but making little noise. "So... if you have no power, you just speak... wow. Then you know where the power is. Seems to that's like having power in itself." She catches up, her breath coming quickly.

"It is all relative, I think. From what I understand about unicorns they have magic within. I suppose I do as well, or what I do would have no sway over the magic of the land." Tejene sighs a little, and almost shrugs while walking. "Magic is strange, even to those well practiced. I suppose you could say I have great power, but from my perspective the power is not my own." It may also be of interest that Dinky of all ponies is the very first to whom he's ever revealed the meaning of his cutie mark.

Dinky's voice is getting less awed and bolder the further they go. But she's still very much interested, and very much in student mode rather than pissant mode or any of her other rather destructive modes. "Okay. Well, that was still @*$ amazing and I appreciate it. I mean, I know I didn't mention I was dropping by, but thanks for not freaking out when I showed up. It'd been a while, you know?" She sits down, then stands up to keep walking, realizing it still isn't quite safe. "Wow. The keeper of the boundary between light and dark. Like... like a zebra's stripes." Dinky isn't sure she should have said that. "So... was he ever alive?"

"I knew you were going to follow me, well in advance actually. In fact, you were the reason for the journey." Yes, he did just say that. Maybe he's just humble, or refuses to admit it. One way or the other, Tejene never does seem to let onto the full extent of his ability. "In this land, Celestia provides the day, the sun. Luna provides the darkness, the night, and the moon. In my homeland, he is the keeper between the light and dark. He rules the twilight hours and keeps order between the day and night. He also escorts passing souls to the next land. I am not sure if he ever lived, or if he is alive now or pure spirit. He is far older than I, but was.. present. On the day of my birth." This hints at something deeper, but he speaks no further of it. "He finds you interesting, and sees your need. You seem caught between light and dark."

Dinky licks her dry lips. She hurries ahead, crushing stray blades of grass that have seen fit to grow despite the heavy cover. "Hold on. You knew I was -going- to follow? How could you possibly know that? Or, I mean, if something told you... how could -it- even know? That's crazy. I didn't tell anyone."

"Magic is a strange companion indeed." Finally the dense forest begins to break a little and the light of day, the blue sky can be seen through the cover of the treetops. They're nearing the edge. Tejene just smiles a bit, slowing to a casual trot as most of the danger of the forest has passed. "Perhaps the magic knew before you knew. As I had not planned to take a trip to the deep forest, to visit the Guardian until I learned that you planned to follow me. Perhaps.." another pause for effect, "it was magic working within you. Regardless, it was a good trip and we've left with a gift."

Dinky frowns. "Yeah, now I'm just creeped. Because honestly? If that's how magic works within me, I'd rather it didn't." She canters for the open sky with relief. "Like a @&#+$ shadow," she murmurs. "Anyway, you think I'm caught between light and dark?" She has to think about that. "Yeah maybe. Maybe I'll be caught here forever, like a fly in a flytrap. I dunno if I want that guy thinking about me, though. What gift? Oh, the gem thing? Yeah, what is that?"

"Not caught between light and dark." Tejene laughs a little. "That's my job." He shoots a bright smile toward Dinky. "I asked him what he made of you while we talked. We spoke of many things, as we have much to share. However he left me with the gift. However I am not sure what it is, what it will do, or how it works. All I know is that it is for you, and that we will both know when the time is right for you to claim it." Well THAT helps. It's like straight answers cost a thousand bits and all you've got is five bits and a stick of gum. "Were it up to me to make a guess, I think that you are closer to your magic than you or anypony else knows."

Dinky isn't too displeased with the straightness of Tejene's answers, actually. She just has a lot of questions and isn't brave enough to ask them all. She keeps walking ahead until Tejene's camp comes in sight--only then does she relax a bit more. "For me. Huuuh." The child mulls this over. "So you asked what he thought of me, and he said... I was interesting? What... what would he have done if I'd let my mask down, or stepped out of that circle?" An ear twitches.

"You aren't a zebra, or a practitioner of my type of magic, and we do not know how stable your magic may or may not be. The shield was for your protection, mine, and his as well. In fact the first spirit that arrived, what you saw as a bird, was in fact extremely dangerous. Were it not for the shield, it could have brought great harm to us both." The bird? Really. Zebras are crazy. "I allowed my shield to come down when the spell was complete and the area was sealed, so I could then greet my friend but only after it was sealed and he had arrived. That type of magic is one step from forbidden in many cultures." Tejene sighs a little. "Spirits sometimes speak in riddles as I sometimes speak in rhyme. He gave me advice which I may use to help you, and he left the gift as well. You, little filly, are not the only one frustrated by this mystery tonight." Finally, camp. The pair are greeted by Rafiki, the enormous Zebrican buzzard, and Tejene sets his pack inside his tent for now.

Dinky sighs with great relief once she's within the camp's borders. "I... heh, well. I may be frustrated if I'm really this predictable, but aside from that it was pretty awesome. So you really thought -my- magic could hurt the guardian? Even though I can't really -do- any magic? Kinda putting a lot of faith in me, huh?" She unslings her pack and takes out a book and quill, and prepares herself to write. "I can spend the night here, can't I? 'Cause I need to rest after that, and I... well, it's kind of cool out here, right now." It's cold, yes, but that's not all she means.

"I would not say predictable. I learned that you intended to follow me on a trip to the forest to see the Guardian. I was not aware that I intended such a trip, but I thought about it and it made sense. It is.. difficult to explain. One of the curses of my gift. Sometimes I get messages through magic that make no sense, though that one worked out well." Tejene stirs his fire some and feeds it a log of dense hardwood for the night. "Do not be so sure that I am a perfect master of what magic I wield. If your magic were to react badly with mine, or the Guardian's, we would have known about it the moment the spell was complete. Before then, the shield was there to protect you from whatever else might have arrived before him. It is complex, but it is better to be safe when facing the unknown." He unpacks, placing his empty vials, burner, and things to be dealt with in the morning and stowing the gem among his other magic items for now. "Of course you may stay, I need to rest as well."

Dinky creeps over to the tent and unzips it. She pauses at the entrance. "So. The shields were for crazy bird monsters or whatever, but you were still taking a risk, huh. 'Cause my magic might've been bad flavored. And, I mean, there's something to that, I guess. 'Cause whatever my magic is, it might be something like yours. Walking that boundary... talking to... whoever. Across the other side." She shivers suddenly. "Cool you guys are friends, I guess. Does the Guardian have a name? Or he's just the Guardian? And... and what was that pecking bird thing, anyway?"

Tejene seems to laugh just a little. "His name cannot be spoken in this language, and it should not be spoken outside of need. Although words themselves hold no real power, they may inspire it. So I shall not speak his true name here, out loud." He yawns lightly, stretching and putting masks up in their places. "There is a long lesson to be learned about the bird of paradise, about how what appears harmless may not always be and how sometimes what seems unfriendly may actually be trying to help. Remember what you saw, that the beautiul bird was foe and the ravenous beast was friend. Ask me about it another time, and I will tell you a story. For now though perhaps we should both retire, as the hour grows late."

Dinky puts up her own mask with the others. She seems a little reluctant to let it go. "Okay," she agrees. "Some other time, sure. And yeah, I don't need to know his name." She walks over to the tent again. "Anyway, yeah. Don't need to tell -me- that the pretty ones aren't always the good ones. But I wonder..." She slips inside the tent, bringing her book and bookbag with her. "I wonder what all this about. What that guy... Mr. Secretname... what's he's got in mind for me." She swallows, though at least now she's out of the cold.

Tejene takes the small mask down again and puts it with Dinky's things. "This one is for you, it took many hours to carve and you will learn it's meaning in time." He extinguishes the torches and Rafiki can be heard roosting atop the tent. "The Guardian has many things to keep after, your fate is not his to decide. I asked him only for advice as a friend, as I trust his wisdom. The gift was his and his alone. I am sure if you tell your Princesses about him they may not believe you, or will think him an ancient legend of my tribe. I would advise you not to pressure the issue with anyone refuses to believe you about him, or attempt to contact him without knowing how to do so properly. I only speak to him because he allows it, but you would be best suited not to fear or worry about him or his intentions." With things tidied up he prepares himself for bed. "Your fate is not his to decide, nor is it mine."

Dinky takes the mask, putting its cord around her neck and letting it swing. She tightens her lips and nods. Her glance darts to Rafiki briefly. "Okay. Don't press the issue--check. I know how to keep my mouth shut." Speaking of keeping her mouth shut, she inhibits herself from saying a few other things that seem to tempt her. Instead, she spreads out the sleeping bag she sees is still waiting for her, snuggles inside it, and settles for a stark "Good night."

Tejene adds one final thought before bed. "I am not saying to not discuss what you have seen today. Just know that not all ponies will accept that you have met the keeper of the twilight hours, or that he even exists. He is unknown for the most part outside my homeland." For what few questions he answers, the zebra is certainly good at generating more. "Sleep well, young filly."

That he is. But for now nothing burns to be answered in Dinky's heart. She simply nods and tilts her book on her chest and puts her pen in her mouth, writing until Tejene puts out the light, at which point she snuggles up and lets the world between Tejene has painted color her dreams.

<OOC> Tejene says, "Lovely scene, thing! Most of that was entirely off the cuff, but I like it. I presume you logged?"
<OOC> Dinky nods. Thanks! It was time to advance this track in Dinky's life.
<OOC> Tejene says, "In the meantime we can think about what that mask means, and what the gift will turn out to be. Now I'm going to scoot the char back to camp. Since we're still in dark everfree. XD"
<OOC> You say, "If enough weird things happen to the kid, something's sure to snap sooner or later."
<OOC> You say, "Good night!"
<OOC> Tejene says, "Good night!"

Tejene heads off towards the Far Everfree Forest.

[Derpy]

Final-ly? Dinky desperate enough for one last life consult and one last birthday invite.

=======================

Nettie's Abode
*lightning crackle*
Fallfallow Place, a tottering old manor house, atmospheric with creaks and settling groans, and the occasional mournful howl from the woods. Cracked windows and sagging roof-beams can't quite hide the elegance of bygone days, but they don't do much for the ambiance. Within, heavy velvet draperies leave much of the light supplied by fitful candelabras, and disconcerting portraits of ponies in somber attire stare from the walls-- did that one blink? Medieval torture implements glint on all sides, cold iron and mottled wood; a guillotine cutting produce in the kitchen, an iron maiden for a coat-closet, and the rack, piled high with cushions, as a comfy sofa. The corridors cant away at unsettling angles, dusty and gloom-cloaked, with odd echoes drifting back. Heavy orb-webs festoon the corners, occupied by fat, fuzzy-dark spiders, and bats twitch and yawn from the rafters. Shadows caper strangely underhoof and along the walls, displaying an impish will all their own.

[ Exits: <B>ack outside, To the <G>arden ]
[ Players: Nettleglum ]
[ Contents: Chas ]

Today is less rainy than yesterday, though hardly warmer. It's left the near Everfree smelling nice, a fact Dinky Doo is hoping will ward off some of the nastier creatures. Anyway, she's been putting off this trip for too long, and it can't wait anymore. She has two gauzy old wraps on together with the most modest wool cap in Sweetie's Belle's former collection, which is only slightly gaudy on the shrimpy filly's head. Dinky pauses at the edge of Nettleglum's estate, takes a deep breath, and treks clumsily for the door.

One side of the house, the side facing Miss Doo, is a touch damp with springtime. This is the half that's on the Ponyville side of the divide. Midway through the portion of the leaning old manor house where abouts Nettie's living room must be, the border of the Everfree forest cuts across the property line, and that back half is bathed in dark, sullen clouds and spattering rain. Fitful lightnings play about the turrets towards that side of the house. Funny stuff, Everfree weather. The porch creaks under Dinky's approach, and there's a needlessly suspicious welcome mat in front of the door, the sort of mat with hinges on it and a painted 'x' to show a pony where to stand. Nettie is very concerned that the local Foal Scouts are kept agile.

Dinky eyes the crackling clouds with apprehension. She seems actually glad to mount the rickety porch, prancing up the stairs and breathing in the scent. But then the welcome mat reifies the frown she'd been working on. She walks to one side of it, peering down, and then tentatively taps the X, retracting her hoof quickly.

*Creeeeak* Seems solid, but then, Dinky hasn't rung the doorbell. We're spared the bleak prospect of Miss Derpy wondering where here daughter has disappeared to by the door abruptly, and loudly, slamming open apparently on its own accord. The house /inhales/, small gnats and desiccated leaves forming a brisk cloud around Dinky for a moment. The open doorway gapes into a black opening that's far more chill than the early springtime outside.

To be fair, Derpy is probably wondering where her daughter has disappeared to even now, as she typically does several times a day. Dinky certainly didn't mention she was coming -here- after school. Dinky ducks away from the gnats and tries to resist the suction of the house, but then reconsiders her stance and decides to leap for it. Landing in the dark foyer, she takes a look around. "Hey... uh... hello?" she calls weakly into the emptiness while she waits for her eyes to adjust.

*Ka-THOOM... Thoom... thoom... ooom...* The square of outside light is cut off as the door slams shut behind Miss Doo. This is surprising only if you've never read, seen, or listened to a single ghost story, right? The echo is cavernous and almost drowns out the sounds of bolts being thrust home, of locks turning. Wow. Nettie's got a good security system, or... something. There's a drawing flicker somewhere down the hall, the fireplace in the parlour a hazy reddish gleam that generates no warmth and precious little illumination. Furnishings seem to scuttle as the shadows dance around them.

Surprising it may not be, but Dinky still leaps forward with a surge of adrenaline. She scrambles to find new footing as she turns and cants her ears to the sound of pending imprisonment. A wobbly frown and panicky eyes cover her face. She darts away from the shadows as she hurries down the hall. "Sorry! Sorry, sorry, I'll go if you want me to!"

"Wharf!" replies a voice that is either not Nettleglum or Nettleglum after swallowing a live sea urchin. Really, that could go either way. In this case it's followed up by another cheerful bark in the dusky gloom of the parlour. Out of place sort of cheery puppy-sounding noise. Well. That's not Nettie, that's got to be Chas, the flytrap that thinks it's a puppy that thinks it's a kitten. He's waggling at Dinky, happy to have a visitor, lolling a prehensile tongue at her and making little fruity yips and burbles. Yay, pony.

Dinky arrives in the parlour with a stunned look. She hurries inside, only to find the shadows just as prevalent here, and possibly more textured, if slightly less ambulatory. The plant beast troubles her. "Oh, right," she mumbles, keeping well away. "That thing. Hey, uh... you been fed yet? What do you -eat-, anyway?" She feels her wrap pointlessly, knowing there's nothing edible in it. And then looks around the room for something whose nature she doesn't know. Plant food? Potential exits? Things foals were not meant to see? Nettie herself would do, of course.

Chas /liiiiiicks/. The tongue has a shocking reach, an acrid smell like cookies left to moulder in a dish-drain, and leaves a track along Dinky's cheek that would not shame a banana slug. "Oh, how dear, he likes you." Nettleglum's deadpan voice, behind Dinky. Nettie herself is there, too, and she shambles into the foreground and lays a stiff hoof on the flytrap as it pants joyfully. Happy, happy, happy. Seriously, it's like someone grew a puppy with tendrils. And no face. "Miss Dinky, this is a surprise. Are you here selling foal scout cookies, dear? You did stand on the welcome mat, right?"

Dinky winces and makes a squealy moan or a moany squeal before she knows what's happened. She backpedals away from the tongue despite having no idea how much distance is needed. But there's the mistress of the manor. Trying to catch her breath, Dinky replies. "Uh... no. No, I tapped it. I couldn't join the foal scouts, they'd probably beat me up. I mean, I could bring you some of my mom's failed muffins if you want... they kind of look like cookies." Blink. "Do... have you got a napkin, or something? Your thing licked me, and it's, like, eating through my face."

"Chas wouldn't harm a fly, dear..." Which may not be the best evolutionary step for a flytrap, but, hey. "Would you, Chas, my sweetums? Would you?" Creepier than Nettie's monotone is listening to her pour out soppy endearments in it. Brr. None the less, she understands Miss Dinky probably cares about her appearance, as many fillies her age do, and that slimy trail Chas left is somewhat off-center. She will work on his aim. Nettie thrusts a scrap of grey lace hanky at the unicorn foal and gestures her to take a seat on the couch with the lurid red upholstery and the sharply clawed feet and the deep, cavernous pillows that yaw wide. "Do make yourself comfortable, dear. What might I do for you?"

Dinky takes the hanky and uses its sparse fabric as economically as possible to clean off the goo. It'd be easier if she had levitation at her disposal. She hurries around the plant ad swiftly hops onto the couch, upon which she finds herself nigh enveloped in a pillow. Given the context, Dinky shrieks. Her head finds its way out, though, and this addresses Nettie. "So, uh. Sorry to bother you. It's just that, um." Decision point, Dinky. Gotta choose! "Well, it's just, I mean... I'm having a birthday party at the end of the month and... I thought you might want to come?" Nettleglum may indeed have seen the numerous posters with Dinky's disgruntled face plastered all over town advertising this party in broken language, if she's set hoof in Ponyville recently.

Nettleglum has, but merely assumed they were posters offering a reward for her capture dead or alive. After all, she was young herself... once? Possibly? "How splendid, I would be delighted to attend, dear, should my duties to her majesty leave me free at that time. Shall I bring any refreshments? Lemonade? Scones?" She looms in close and suggests, in all innocence, "Mother's Petit fours?" Lightning crescendos outside, flickering a ghastly aura through the thick curtains and grimy windows. Oh, that can't be a good portent at all.

Dinky leers at the lightning, puzzled. She tries to speak, but has to draw breath a second time. "Uh... we've got the scones covered, but sure, those petit fours sound good. I mean, if it's... not a big hassle or whatever." Some part of Dinky's subconscious apparently wants this party to be a disaster. Interesting. "I mean, you only turn ten once, right? Heh." She tries to climb further out of her cream-colored pillow, but finds folds previously undiscovered and ends up sinking further in. "Don't suppose you remember your tenth birthday, do you?"

It is just possible, for the sake of argument, that somewhere in the deep recesses of that overstuffed couch, there may be at least one other pony who has not yet managed to make their way to the surface. It is, we'll put forward for the proposition, just possible a clutching and desperate hoof, struggling upwards, lightly brushes against Dinky's tail as she, too, subsides into the upholstery, either in mute plea or as a 'welcome aboard'. Perhaps, just perhaps, whomever is down there in the couch cushions sinks back into an eddy of fabric and is gone again. Who's to say? "Not at all, dear, delighted to help. Her majesty adores them, and I seldom get a chance to show them off. Please board up any mouse-holes or small cracks in the wainscoting before I bring them. If one of them gets into the walls it will keep you awake for weeks, dear." Nettie lurches a short way off and returns with a pot of what seems to be mercifully ordinary tea, and she pours Dinky a cup. "Oh, like yesterday, dear. Those happy halcyon days..."

Dinky struggles anew at what she may or may not have imagined, and finds herself suddenly thrusting against a stiff seam and flying out from the cushion and off the couch in a very uncouth manner. She barely catches herself with a hoof against the floor, minimizing the impact of cracking her face on the wood. "EoouW!" she cries. The hapless filly gets up, rubbing her jaw. "Uh... sorry. I may know a lot of words for my age, but I don't know 'wainscoting' or 'halcyon'. And if we've gotta board up the cracks, our house may end up made of nothing but boards." That sounded more absurdist in Dinky's head. She reaches for the tea, hoping it'll somehow ease her pain.

Nettleglum's good china is more crack than cup, and apparently holds together by sheer willpower, but it does not leak. The tea is an innocent minty sort of blend that's all the poorer given Nettie cannot grow Drakestongue in this climate. She slides a plate of tea biscuits into reach and Chas instantly nicks one with a tendril, and noms on it like the cookie monster, jaws spraying a fine patina of crumbs everywhere. "Chas, you naughty dear thing, those are for Miss Dinky," Nettie drones in a taxidermy tone. "Youth can be a trying time, my dear, but there will come a day when fond nostalgia will tint these years with a soft glow. Ten is but a few years-- you have so much living and dying still ahead to look forward to, as well..."

Dinky wrinkles up her face in horror--whether it's the spray of crumbs, the source thereof, the tea itself, or just the lack of meaningful communication isn't clear. "Dying to look forward to?" she retorts. "What's to look forward to dying? Isn't that, basically, the end? And what do I have to be proud of myself for, anyway? What've I done with my life?" It seems the sudden jaw pain has put Dinky in a poor temper and let out strange thoughts that aren't fully percolated yet.

Sipping at her own tea with a stiff movement, Nettie sets the cup back down. "Oh, dear, the end? Miss Dinky, from what her majesty tells me, you of all ponies should know better than that. We are all traveling along a great journey, my dear, and there are many stops along the way, but never does the journey cease. You are but beginning your own, and what you have done ere now is not what you will do in the years ahead..."

Dinky shudders. She drinks from her cup, clutching it in both forehooves, and shudders again. A few drops spray from her mouth as she replies, "'s why I said 'basically'. All right, then, what's this great journey all about? 'Cause apparently Luna's been blabbing to--" She catches herself and takes a calming breath. Another sip of tea. "All right. Sorry. I'm just scared, is all. Luna said you might know how I can, like, find myself. She probably told you she thinks I'm supposed to grow up to be a necromancer. And I--I don't even have any idea how to do it. I've gone to Dusk, I've gone to Tejene and he summoned his gatekeeper friend on the border of life and death, I even got the local weaver to do a freaking therapy session on me in my dreams. And I still don't know what I'm all about or even if Luna's right in the first place."

"If her majesty has judged your power, she has done so correctly, dear. Make no mistake about that. She cannot err." Nettie's faith in Luna is akin to the certainty most ponies have about the sun rising in the morning. She rises creakily, and shambles to one velvet-cloaked window with the grace of a praying mantis. A headless one. Pushing aside the drapery, there's a grimy square of rain-spattered glass looking out over misty headstones and mossy-green statuary of the most mournful sort. Vines slither between the plots. "Ponies are ponies, dear, no matter where upon the journey they are. You must treat them as you would anypony. They are your friends, your family. They have been your ancestors and descendants. A kind word, an attention to their wants, a chance to share, these are all things anypony craves, no matter where they are in this existence."

Dinky isn't so sure about that. Her movements matching her tentativity, she claims a tea biscuit and seats herself on an arm of the engulfing couch, hoping it's sturdier. "I dunno... even Luna didn't seem too sure about the whole thing. I mean, I don't think she really expected me to react to the things I..." What is Nettie doig? Dinky leans forward and stares out the window. "I don't have any descendants," she points out reasonable. "But yeah, sure, I get you. A kind word and all that." She looks seriously at Nettie. "But, I mean... if someone's dead and they're still around, doesn't that mean... something? Like, something's not done yet?" She crunches the biscuit, dodging Chas's attempts to snatch it.

Chas whimpers a little like a puppy, but then becomes distracted by trying to pick up some crumbs with one thorny tendril, an operation akin to a hippopotamus trying to pick up a pea. Nettie lets the curtain drop /just/ as something that is neither plant nor animal slouches in grey profusion across the window glass. No more than a tenth of a second glance provides enough worry for months of checking under the bed at night. "Oh, there are all sorts of reasons to delay retirement, dear. Aunt Lucrezia always said they weren't going to budge her until she got Granny Tangle's recipe for pralines. But really, you have some very interesting notions of this journey. You sleep at night, I suppose, as many ponies do? Upside down from manacles, in the usual way? Some of them sleep out there, too, but it's much the same, just a chance to rest, to slow down and dream, to think upon the coming nights. There is no... finished, dear. At least, not so far as I have ever known. There is always more to do in t
At least, not so far as I have ever known. There is always more to do in this existence."

Dinky rears back from the sight of the gray pane across the windowpane, slipping from the sofa's arm into its smothering depths again. Drat. She struggles and manages with effort to pull herself halfway up onto the armrest, and clings there, panting. "Uh. Upside-down? Manacles? No, I sleep on a box of broken springs and torn up foam covered in, like, a dozen kinds of faded rags. So..." She scratches her head and slips again, falling out of sight for a few seconds. When she emerges, it's from the sofa's skirt, coat rumpled. "I don't get it. Retirement... like ghosts leaving for another place? Coming nights? So if the journey's got no end, then what comes after you stop haunting the world? Endless night when you're already a kicked bucket doesn't sound very..." She swallows. "Well, very anything."

Nettleglum is already shambling back towards her sofa, pausing only to bestow a stiff scritch to Chas' pod along the way, with a purring result. She picks up her tea, the china chattering like bare teeth. "Oh, dear. I'm afraid I'm not equipped to answer such deep philosophical questions on the meaning of life and afterlife, Miss Dinky. Perhaps our purpose is simply to be there for one another. Perhaps there is a loftier aim in mind. Her majesty doubtless would know more than I. I am content to travel along the journey and share what I can of it with anypony who wishes. But to treat the dead as being different, or less than anypony else, because they have reached a different part of their journey-- well. That is as silly as treating a pony different because of the colour of their mane, or how many eyes they have, or what sort of lunch they ate, isn't it?"

Dinky watches Nettie treat her strangest of pets with affection and what the rare bird is saying actually gets through to her. She scratches her head and takes a few breaths. "Yeah, I guess. But, I mean... ponies are different. For whatever reasons. Dead, alive, dumb, dweeby, cool, whatever. We're different--shouldn't we be treated different? Or what's the point of, like, judgment faculties at all?"

Nettleglum nods, a creaking noise. "I am not speaking of likes, or dislikes, dear. Surely you have friends who you value the company of more than others, and family. I am speaking of giving everypony that chance, of getting to know them as they are. If you look away from a pony because you think them odd, you may never learn to see what there is beneath them. The surface, that is. Not the epidermal layer and subcutaneous fat. Their personal essence. It is easy enough to see the physical details with chloroform and a scalpel."
Nettleglum lifts the kettle. "More tea?"

Dinky wrinkles her face in disgust. But she pauses before speaking. "Uh. Right. Yeah, sure, I could take more tea. No chloroform, please." She crosses to the window and tries to peek outside. "So it's about giving chances. Someone can fail all the way to Palamine, but you give 'em a chance. Spooks, dorks... dummies..." She trails off a bit.

Whatever that... thing was that was outside seems to be gone. Possibly it's waiting for you at home? Outside, the rain falls amid the slick, slate and granite headstones, puddling in the decorative curls of the urns. Such a charming sight. Nettie pours out more tea and the hot, minty steam rises up, making a mournful, empty-eyed face before it dissipates. "And yourself, dear. Or do I mistake that you, as much as anypony else, want a chance of your own?"

Dinky goes over to the tea and watches it as if its steam, rather than leavings, could tell her future. "I feel like I've had chances," she mutters. "And they've all been @$*%& ones. I dunno, I feel like I had plenty of chances to earn a good life a long time ago, and I blew it, and now?" Her eyes grow distant. "Just kinda watching things play out."
Nettleglum did not know Miss Dinky knew ancient Grawlix. Her accent is a little off, that may have been an '#' and not an '&'. She almost seems amused in her expressionless stiffness. "The journey continues, Miss Dinky, dear. There are always new chances, for you as much as for them," she creaks a hoof out the window. "Perhaps you will have a chance to give some of them a chance they have been waiting for?"

Dinky looks again out at the gray green tableau, staring doubtfully. "Chance to do what? Talk?" she mutters. "Really don't know how I could help them... but, whatever. You want me to hang out in your family graveyard, I can. Want me to just set up a tent out there?" She's pretty good at speaking with dripping irony and hopeful sincerity at the same time. So never say Dinky isn't skilled at anything.

Nettleglum's neck makes the sort of racheting noises usually associated with a carriage lift. "You would be welcome as a guest here in the manor house, whenever you like. I believe you said you favoured broken springs and rags for sleeping accommodations. Would a bed of nails do?" Nettie is skilled at hospitality. She puts hospitalization first, or... something like that. "However, unless I am mistaken, there is still magic her majesty expects you to learn. Perhaps, dear, you have studies yet to finish. You need not worry. They are not going anywhere very far. I'm certain some of them are as curious to meet you as you may be to meet them..." That's probably meant to sound welcoming and not like the before credits warning in a horror movie.

Dinky is stunned at the invitation. She stands and thinks, trying not to look too much at the dusty old parlour. "They're not going far, that's for sure," she rejoins. "Or do you mean my schoolwork? I mean, I can't really drop out of school. Where would that leave me? Anyway." She sips up her remaining tea and thinks it over, still lost in the conceptual headlights. "Yeah. Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a bed here. Got anything soft? Nails kind of hurt, if you know what I mean." She means that they kind of hurt.

How odd. Miss Mint Julep seemed disinclined to sleep on a bed of nails during her visit as well. ._. She had no idea ponies preferred softer mattresses. "Oh. Oh, yes, certainly, soft. Velvet lined? Well, we'll dig something up, I'm sure." Careful, that's probably literal. "I'm sure we can find something you will feel comfortable with. Chas, I can see, already likes you immensely." Chas likes pretty much everypony, but it's the thought that counts. He makes happy whurrfling noises and bounces his terra-cotta planter up and down, thumping. He'd be glad to see you, if, y'know, he had eyes or anything.

Dinky look at the strange monstrosity of the vegetable kingdom and actually smiles, a little, in the corner. "Yeah. Real sweetheart. But, uh." She eyes the door. "I should probably be going. My birthday's coming up, and I've got... like... planning to do." Scheming, she means. "And, well, no offense, but this place kinda seems like the sort of thing you oughta take in small doses."

Nettleglum lurches to her hooves to show the foal out. "I understand, dear. Not everypony can live in such opulence, and it's best not to spoil your taste for the ordinary. Don't worry, you'll soon see it's all very ordinary. I put my horseshoes on three legs and a pseudopodia at a time, just like anypony else. But by all means, please let your mother know you are welcome to stay over at anytime. I look forward to your party, dear-- Mother's Petit Fours, was it? Oh, dear. I'll need a pound of fine Germaneigh chocolates and five cups of Strontium 238. Shopping, shopping. Well, I've a few days time." She leads Dinky to the front door, which is inexplicably open of its own accord, and gently ushers her through it. No sooner is the unicorn foal outside than the door /SLAMS/ shut with enough force to rattle teeth. Bats flitter crazily around the porch before the rainy, Everfree-forest silence returns.

Dinky wrinkles her brow in a couple directions at once. She stumbles a little bit backwards toward the door. "Sure. Sure, I'll let her... know. Strontium? Horseshoes??" There's a lot Dinky's not used to, all right. She lets Nettie escort her out, the details of the dark hall escaping her. "Just make sure they're safe for, you know. Eating." And then the door again. Dinky winces, ducking her head from the bats and slipping on the welcome mat.

<OOC> Nettleglum thinks we're good there, thanks.
<OOC> You say, "Very well. It was disturbing as always!"
<OOC> Nettleglum tries her best, dear.