open Casual stroll

[Denim&Venöm 18,127]

 

 

"It might be weird, but as long as the export remains popular and prosperous then it must also be very appealing to others. Besides, some weird occurrences are good after all. It keeps things from growing dull."

 

"Indeed it does. It could be argued that that's what they're their for. That's alot of repetition for one line of thought." 

 

 

 

"Might I ask, could you perhaps give me an example of these odd things? Perhaps I have heard of some of them."

 

"Hmm. Boy were to start. Well, the food for one would be a good place. Many cultures are carnivorous, eating meat to supplement their need for protein. In order to fit in, and possibly catch onto a market niche, Neighponese food scientists developed... wait for it... Tofu! A synthetic, soft, chewy, white, protein substance, that tastes like whatever meat you want it. Goes pretty well when served with other things.

 

But it doesn't end there. Believe it or not, some neighpon follow the old cultural traditions of their ancestors and actually eat meat. Seafood of course. The fishing industry is huge in Neighpon. Older tribes believed it was a way of maintaining balance and integration with the ecosystem by inserting themselves on the predatory chain. And they eat it raw too. Shrimp, squid, octopus, crayfish, lobster, tuna, trout, if it comes from the sea and doesn't talk, it's edible. Course it has to be done so sparingly. Pony stomachs can't handle too much. To work around this, a unique system of preparation combining raw sea meats with rice, rice wrap shells, various vegetable and ethnic spices. It is now known, as sushi. And quite a few sushi style restaurants have opened up. More popular w/ griffons, diamond dogs & dragons, but a few have opened up in Equestria proper and since there still open, a few ponies are giving those a try too.  

 

Speaking of the sauces,  we've managed to come up with quite a few exotic flavors. There's soy sauce, bitter and super salty. One of our biggest exports. Teriyaki, usually paired with meat, a very tangy flavor, and wasabi. Ridiculously spicy. 

 

What else we got. Ink. Yes ink. Neighponese actually eat ink. Not the kind used on quills or fabrics. Octopus ink. It's also a high source of protein and antioxidants. Tastes pretty decent too. We've made ink sauces, ink dips, ink cheese, ink milk, ink bread, ink ice cream, so on and so forth.  

 

And we have come up with a food that has revolutionized the lives of collegiates the world over. We've managed to dry out and process foods for reasons of storage and transport. They can be eaten as is though it isn't very tasty or texturable. But! When you pour boiling hot water into them, add some flavored seasoning, seal, and wait 3 minutes, you get an instantly cooked and ready dish. Like magic! The most popular of these. An egg noodle style dish, commonly known as ramen. 

 

And all of these and more can come prepared in custom style fancy lunch boxes called bentos. Oh and we eat all this with chop sticks. Pairs of sticks you hold and pinch with at the base of the wrist.

 

And that my friend, was just the food."  

[Espurr 449]

@@Blitz Boom, 

"Well, I actually just moved here. I thought the country life would be a lot more calm than the big city life that I've lived before. From the looks of things, this actually might be kind of peaceful." Star said with a smile as she looked around at the surrounding mountains that the little town was nestled in. "Your place sounds... kind of neat too."
 

[Randimaxis 8,652]

The black & green stallion jumped, being taken completely by surprise.  Startled, he hopped into the air, his legs wheeled freely for a moment, then he zipped behind a nearby tree.

 

After a moment, his muzzle s-l-o-w-l-y came out from behind the trunk, eyes scanning over Blitz.  The emerald green eyes shined in the light, but in the shade of the oak he almost disappeared... almost.

 

"Uhm... hiya."  The words were soft & low, almost whispers on the wind.

 

He stayed behind the tree, yet he didn't run away... he just seemed very nervous.  

 

"I'm... uhm... I'm Dax.  Dax Bl-... uh, yeah.  Just... Dax."

 

The stallion watched her, apparently waiting to gauge her reaction.

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Denim&Venom,

 

Briar raised his eyebrows slightly and got an ever wider smile as he heard about the food.

 

"Ponies that eats fish? Far have I travelled, but to hear of a place where ponies eats the bounty of the sea like I do is a first."

 

Generally speaking, ponies ate vegetarian with a few forages into sugary and alcoholic substances, and meat was considered something only beasts, savages and mad ponies would ever touch. Well, that and Griffins, Dragons and a few others, but there was a good deal who would count those under savages, and for now he was trying to focus on the Pony aspect of things.

 

In any case, with the Ponies vegetarian diet and him not having noticed anything going against that for the long time he had travelled, the notion that there were those who went against that, even in small portions, was quite amusing to him, and it gave him a little tinge further towards actually giving it a go and visit Neighpon when the time arrived.

 

"It's a good source of proteins most certainly, and rather delicious be it cooked or raised raw from a pool of water, but considering everything I had not thought it a practise being used outside perhaps a Griffin or Dragon society. Pony ones I associate more with vegetables and other, non-meaty products, and frankly I had not thought that ponies could even manage any amount of meat at this point. But the more you learn after all.

 

I am not sure about Tofu, but one should try everything at least once after all, so if I get the chance at some point I will keep the name in mind and try what it can offer, amongst other things. A few of your dishes that sounds like they could be quite delicious."

 

Granted, he was not much for sauce, but he would try it if it was at least and make his own opinion from there.

 

"Though, and I hope this will not be taken the wrong way, but are there any physical difference between a Neighpony and say a general Equestrian? I don't try to bring any offence, but with the slightly carnivorous diet I could see it having some effect, depending on how long it have been a practise of course."

 

__________________________________________________

 

 

@@Espurr,

 

"Not much happens here that I see. Days pass, ponies follow routines and everything is order and simple. Things doesn't twitch or turn out of nowhere and there is this odd peace over it all."

 

Omen tilted her head from left to right a few times.

 

"It's confusing."

 

She was used to more instability and shifting grounds. Nothing settling, nothing staying the same and everything in constant movement. To see it still like this made it easier sure, but it was also alien to her. Like it would be for any pony who would try and traverse her home in the shades.

 

"Is the big city lesser? Uneven and uncertain? Or just full of noise?"

[Denim&Venöm 18,127]

 

 

"Ponies that eats fish? Far have I travelled, but to hear of a place where ponies eats the bounty of the sea like I do is a first."

 

"Oh you'll fit right in with a sushi bar then."  

 

 

 

"It's a good source of proteins most certainly, and rather delicious be it cooked or raised raw from a pool of water, but considering everything I had not thought it a practise being used outside perhaps a Griffin or Dragon society. Pony ones I associate more with vegetables and other, non-meaty products, and frankly I had not thought that ponies could even manage any amount of meat at this point. But the more you learn after all.

 

"I guess you learned something to day. And knowing is half the battle. R.I. Joe!" 

 

 

 

I am not sure about Tofu, but one should try everything at least once after all, so if I get the chance at some point I will keep the name in mind and try what it can offer, amongst other things. A few of your dishes that sounds like they could be quite delicious."

 

"One of these days I should take you to Hinyhana."  

 

 

 

"Though, and I hope this will not be taken the wrong way, but are there any physical difference between a Neighpony and say a general Equestrian? I don't try to bring any offence, but with the slightly carnivorous diet I could see it having some effect, depending on how long it have been a practise of course."  

 

 

"Hmm, not really. I guess the first thing noticed would be the eyes. They're narrower and slanted in comparison to most ponies. Neighponese tend to be smaller and leaner than average.  As far as citizenship and population go, Neighpon does have a higher ratio of non pony residents to ponies than the rest of Equestria. There's the River Otters, the Raccoon Dogs, the Kappa, the Nekojin, the Okami, quite a few dragons, though they're pretty different than Equestrian ones, the Kirin, and quite a few other minorities. And oh yeah, the Kitsune! Oh the Kitsune. "

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Denim&Venom,

 

"Eyes comes in many forms I hear, so to me it sounds like a nation of generally normal ponies in a diverse mixture of cultures and beings. Quite the fascinating setting I would say."

 

*The more the merrier* was an old expression, but one that he fully hoped were the cases wherever he had travelled through the years. Not just as in large groups of ponies hanging out, but multiple races mingling and living in the same general areas. It made for a far more flavourful experience when he could observe what sort of harmony (or in some cases disharmony) that happened in the area, and really, when was it a bad thing to speak with many different races at a time?

 

"You seem a little more emotional about the Kitsune though than of the others you mentioned. Is there something special about that particular race?"

 

_________________________________________________

 

 

@@Randimaxis,

 

Blitz had her hooves in front of her muzzle and a giggle was heard behind it. She liked this new pony, he was fun to watch.

 

"Hehe. Hey there Dax. Hold on, just need to-"

 

She interrupted herself and focused her energy into getting out of the bush she was currently halfway stuck in. It took a minute or so, but eventually she had gotten out and started to shake the worst of the twigs, leaves and so forth that had gotten stuck in her coat, mane, bulbous tail and metallic wings.

 

After she looked a bit less like she was roleplaying a tree, Blitz bounced a few steps closer to Dax. She couldn't do it as long or as high up as Pinkie Pie because the wings were still a little heavy, but short distance like this? No problem at all to do a version just a little closer to the ground.

 

"Y'know, you can come out and play. I'm not gonna set fire to you or anything."

 

The grin on her face looked reassuring enough,  but as other ponies that knew her better would say in this situation *Better check if she have matches*

Edited August 15, 2015 by Blitz Boom

[Randimaxis 8,652]

Dax blinked.  Play?  She wants to... play?  With ME?

 

He slowly ambled out from behind the tree.  He warily made his way to Blitz and, after looking her over (mostly because of her rather... unique... appearance), He tried a smile.  It came across as more of a weak grin, but it was the best he could do.

 

"Uhm... play?  I'm not entirely sure what you mean... but, uhm..."

 

He noticed the twigs & other debris still ensconced within her coat, mane & tail.  He lifted an eyebrow.

 

"Why were you chasing... a spring?"

 

He wondered silently about the blackened patches on her coat.  Being from a mining family, he suspected it might be gunpowder but he was a bit too taken aback by her to ask.

[Denim&Venöm 18,127]

"Eyes comes in many forms I hear, so to me it sounds like a nation of generally normal ponies in a diverse mixture of cultures and beings. Quite the fascinating setting I would say."

"Ah. see Nieghpon isn't so bad!"

"You seem a little more emotional about the Kitsune though than of the others you mentioned. Is there something special about that particular race?"

"Oh you notcied? Well there's plenty fo reason to be. Kitsune are believed to have been around as long as Neighpon itself. Pranksters, tricksters, stuntsters, perfomers and daredevil extrodenares. Plenty of legends on them pu.lling pranks on some of history's most important figures. Examples include Neighbunaga, unifier of the feudal tribes, Maresashi, the gretest swordsmare in history, Orochi Yamato, the 8 headed dragonlord, even the  regal sisters theselves. Heck, there's an argument to be made that the reason Neighpon got off light durign Discords reign, was because the Kitsune matched him in a battle of shenanigans. Yeah, he knew who he was dealing with."

 

"But it's all for good reasons. Kitsune rarley prank for malevelonce sake. It's usually done to take one off guard, to make them alert and aware to the world around them, make them ready for the unexpected. Cause if a kitsune doesn't prank you, something else down the lien will do worse. "

 

But tht ain't all. In acordance with such feats, Kitsune are matsers of disguise. Changelings can learn a few tricks, and proably have. Kits can disguise themselvs as living creatures, like ponies, but also inanimate objects, or simply camoflogew into their surroundings. Legend has it that  for that prank on Celestia, one of the ancient Kit, Bai Mian Xi, managed to disguise herself as the sun, and totally throw sunbutt off her game."

 

"What else are Kitsune capable off? Well, legend also says they have magic. They can castlighting, cold and fire, They also have the power of oragami, control and manipulation over paper, which is alot more useful than it sounds. And they can transform their bodies into globes of light and traverse the lands."

 

"Even without magic, they are powerful predators, fast, agile and dextrous. And on top of being physically capable and mentally cunning, they are... quite the lookers too., if I do say so myself."

 

"Yeah, nothing beats beign a Kitsune ."

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Randimaxis,

 

"Cause springs are the best parts there is for just about Anything."

 

Blitz bounced a little where she stood, getting a wider grin over her face.

 

"Rockets launchers, traps, new wing tests, trampolines, water guns and more more more. never enough springs for all the things to be made. Though i hoped for a smaller one a bit. This one's too big for the landmine..."

 

She got a moody look over her for a second before she perked up again from her small descend, She didn't like when she had to delay things, but the landmine was really more of a side business anyway, and she was still missing some other pieces for that too, so it was okay. She still had plenty of stuff to use this one on.

 

"But I bet it'll fit right into the party popper. Not even rusty or anything."

 

It was really a mystery to her why so many of the springs she found was in such a perfectly good condition. Sure, she mostly took apart mechanical things ponies threw out to get to them, but it wasn't that much she saw something Too broken to be fixed, and rusty? That was like, 1 out of every 27 thing or so she found, which wasn't much.

 

"Hehe, the possibilities are fun when you make stuff. Do you make stuff too Dax? Something with shiny stones?"

 

_________________________________________

 

 

@@Denim&Venom,

 

"That's quite the resume they have. A mysterious race of shapeshifting pranksters would be quite amusing to meet for sure, although it also sounds like some that would be smart to stay on the good side off, especially if the magic and fire part is true. I wouldn't like them finding me annoying enough to test the flammability of my kind after all."

 

Briar chuckled slightly as he tried to imagine how these Kitsune would be like to meet. Fascinating more than likely, confusing potentially, an experience worth it most definitely. And this was just one of the races that lived there after all. Give it some time in the country and he might learn something intriguing about the others as well that would be quite spectacular.

 

"I wonder if... Ah, but I have asked so much already with giving little in return. Perhaps I should pause myself for a spell and ask if you had some questions of your own Priestess? It would be rude if I simply keep this one sided without offer"

[Randimaxis 8,652]

"Well, I... don't exactly make things with gems; I..."

 

How do I tell her how I got my cutie mark?  That would put me as one of the Blackwaters!  What to say, what to say...

 

"... I mine them."  Well, it wasn't exactly a lie; he had mined with the others, even if only for a bit.  "To be exact, I mine emeralds.  I just sorta have a sixth sense about 'em, y'know?  It's my fam-"

 

DON'T SAY 'FAMILY'!

 

"... fam-il-i-arity with 'em that gave me my cutie mark.  Uhm..."

 

He ran a nervous hoof through his wild mane.  He wasn't sure what to say.  It was becoming more and more obvious she was a bit crazy; crazy was better than mean, though - and she didn't seem mean at all.  He had to try to say something smart.  Something witty.  Something cool.

 

"... so, landmines?  Is there a big demand... for... those?" 

 

Oh, yeah - REALLY cool.  Nice one, dummy, he thought.

[Denim&Venöm 18,127]

 

 

"That's quite the resume they have. A mysterious race of shapeshifting pranksters would be quite amusing to meet for sure, although it also sounds like some that would be smart to stay on the good side off, especially if the magic and fire part is true. I wouldn't like them finding me annoying enough to test the flammability of my kind after all."

 

"Oh no we wouldn't incinerate you. We've got more class then that! We'd just punk the ever living buck out of you until you convincingly started acting otheriwse. So far, your tone is optimistic and your report a polit one. Your safe for now."

 

 

 

"I wonder if... Ah, but I have asked so much already with giving little in return. Perhaps I should pause myself for a spell and ask if you had some questions of your own Priestess? It would be rude if I simply keep this one sided without offer"

 

Oh no please, do finish that thought. Don't quit until your curiosity is satitiated. As the saying goes, "Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back."

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Denim&Venom,

 

"If that is your want, then very well. The question was nothing big though, it was simply about how they're generally accepted in your society as not all are as... Shall we say *Open* as you might hope towards pranksters in the longer run, no matter then intentions.

 

Well, That, an your mention of Discord having met with them. It is a minor point of interest as well really, but I just learned about him a few days ago, and with what I did hear it makes me slightly curious about stories including him."

 

Perhaps a bit of an understatement considering how Discord was basically the first sliver of hope for a solution to his problems he had ever met, but it could also be argued that the impact of the information would decide on how much his curiosity was piqued, so with no real information about things at this given point in time it was fair to say that it might not be that much of an understatement. Then again, he might just be over-thinking a pointless part of things here again.

 

_______________________________________

 

 

@@Randimaxis,

 

"No idea, I just make it for fun. Though, filling it with crackling fireworks and itching powder really takes a lot of time."

 

Blitz had heard what generally went into a normal landmine, and she wasn't going to go That road. She just wanted to make a prank version where you stepped on it, then all of a sudden there'd be a lot of popping and you'd be all itchy, perhaps even coloured differently if she could get that in there somewhere later.

 

"Butbutbut, you're a miner that mines for Emeralds? What're those? Like the shiny rock on your flank? Are they good for something or just Really expensive? I found some clear ones in the forest once after exploding a little part of a mountain that wasn't for much good, so not sure, but miss Rarity said she liked them at least. She haves shiny gems on her flank too."

 

The range of being hyper rose and fell a little whilst Blitz moved a few steps closer to Dax with big eyes focused on him. He was a bit squirmish and nervous, sure, but she liked that in new friends. It was too adorable to stay away from, and it drew her near like a moth to a flame. Or a muffin to Stormy, though she wasn't gonna bite Dax.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

Dax watched Blitz inch closer and closer to him, yet he had the feeling that he didn't have to run... well, not yet, anyway.

 

"Yeah, they're gems.  They can be expensive, but only the pure ones; pleanty of fakes to be had, don'cha know?"  He was pleased that he was being asked about a subject he was well-informed on.  He actually began to relax.

 

"I'm not exactly an expert on all gemstones, but if there's anything to be known about emeralds, I can tell ya.  And who... who is this Rarity you're talking about?  Is she your sister, or something?"

 

Dax was thrilled; this was the most he'd spoken to anypony in a long, long time.  He was beginning to catch a little bit of Blitz's energy, and was both alarmed and amused to find himself flicking his tail and ears in response to the waves of excitement that seemed to flow from Blitz.

 

Dax felt accepted for the first time in a loooooooong time.

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@A Canadian Fritter,

 

it would be a simple action of pick up and deliver, with the merchant having 4 orders ready more or less as Midnight would come back each time until the 16 regulars had been fed, at which point he would come back to a more relaxed looking unicorn with his gil in a bag on the counter as promised.

 

"And that's all of 'em. I can't thank you enough for the help lad, but I can at least pay you what I owe you and give you praise for helping me out here. Took a while to get sorted in town and I'd hate to have my regulars going hungry, or to have it sitting on my reputation that there's days when the food just ain't coming out. Can't have that sort with a small business after all."

 

He grinned at Midnight before his small window for talking was over and the next batch of food was ready for the waiting customers. With him back at work and getting small talk out with the ponies approaching as usual, Midnight wouldn't be likely to get much more talking going with this pony, but it was likely okay. He had worked hard for his gil after all, so he might have something to use it on rather than hang around and chat with his short term boss. Well that or wander around. It was a lovely day after all.

 

_____________________________________

 

@@Randimaxis,

 

"No, Rarity is this pretty mare that haves a sort of clothes shop in Ponyville. She haves three shiny stones as her cutie mark, kinda like the ones I found, but sharp.

 

And I don't think that I have any sisters, but it would be cool. Perhaps they'd come find me and we could go off on adventures"

 

Blitz spaced out for a bit and seemed frozen with a half-massive grin on her face and open mouth before she snapped out of it again and looked back at Dax with  bounce in her hooves.

 

"Hehe. buuuut, you said you know a lot about shiny stones? Or wait, Emeralds I meant, right. Do you know how to crush them? I sort of tried but it didn't really get me anywhere and I wanted to see if it could be mixed with a rocket for some glitter in the sky."

 

She bounced a few steps closer and went into a whisper for fun, though her voice rose to more normal levels slowy during what she said.

 

"And how can you see if a stone is pure? Colour? Clarity? Hardness? Light? Weight?"

[Randimaxis 8,652]

Dax grit his teeth into a smile as Blitz's words grew to a fevered pitch right in his ear, but he stayed put.  He then considered her question, stroking his goatee for a moment while he thought.

 

"Well... a stone's purity can usually be seen, yeah - but it's more than just clarity.  Sometimes impurities can only really come out after it gets re-cut.  Y'see, an emerald can be nearly any shade of green, but the ones that have the deepest shade can be worth more than the lighter ones, and..."

 

Blitz watched as Dax began to wax poetic almost on the subject of emeralds.  While he spoke, he didn't seem nervous at all - in fact, he came across as both confident and competent.  The combination of the two gave him a sort-of charisma that he obviously didn't normally carry with him.  It was fascinating to watch.

 

"... which of course means there's something wrong in the makeup of the emerald itself.  Now, this can be worked on to a degree, but most of the time, these are the ones we usually grind up for powder, as the more pure gems can actually be detrimental to powderize - y'like that word?  'Powderize'?  We used to powderize only the cheapest ones, so that..."

 

He wasn't being smug at all; it was more like he was finally getting to tell somepony about something he knew, and knew well.  Plus, it seemed like Dax never really got the chance to do this very often.  This was hardly the shy pony from mere moments before - this was somepony who knew his oats when it came to emeralds, and he finally had a reason to talk about them.

 

"... then we have to treat them in an acid-based formula, to get the excess grime off, y'know?  After that comes the polishing, and that's not just something anypony can take lightly!  There's a precise method for it, and it's part of the reason we have to take such great care when we do such - don't wanna devalue the gem, right?  So, when they come into the workshop, we have to..."

 

Boy, he sure could talk.  Maybe he just never really had anypony to talk to before?  Gee, that would be quite a lonely life, wouldn't it?  Dax seemed like a good egg; he had a nice smile now that it was on his face, he wasn't at all stupid, he seemed like he could be a good friend if he was given a chance... and judging by the amount of talking he was doing, he apparently needed that chance.

 

"... with dynamite, of course.  So, that's about all you need to know about emeralds!  Didja catch all that?"

 

He looked at Blitz with a warm, eager smile on his face, waiting for his question to be answered.

[P-Jay 1,987]

"Cake? No. I never had much of a sweet tooth, and the things of this age tends to be far more than it was back then. Mundane topics in general however, that can be something of worth when you spend enough centuries sealed in crystal. You would be surprised how much have changed really."

 

They began to reach the door to the outside when she stopped, looked over at a painting on the wall of a simple, grassy field and smirked slightly further before opening the door and taking the first step forward through the open door.

 

_________________________________________

 

Last looked at Caliber with an eye like frozen stone, silent whilst he finished what he had to say about that and then letting it hang in the air as the seconds ticked by before finally opening her muzzle.

 

"...Fine then, but I'm not letting you throw your sorry flank run into the maw before we know something about it or how not to be taken. I'm not loosing anypony to that thing again without a fighting chance."

 

Truth be told she didn't mind the company, and frankly, it might help to have a full set of fresh eyes looking on things, but her stubborn self just wasn't gonna make a backflip and scream *"Really?* with glitter in her eyes. It wasn't her style, and if she seemed to eager she was gonna play off like a lunie, and from what she had seen this town had enough that strained normality as it was.

 

cubus remained quiet, wondering what she could be planning. "yes, yes, im sure." he said airily. 

 

that bit about being in crystal was interesting, though...

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

caliber grinned. "of course. but a the same time...when im around, theres always a fighting chance." he laughed.

 

caliber liked this mare. she seeded strong, independent, willing to slice someone up at a moments notice...on a quest to vanquish some monster made out of unfathomably evil substance...

 

seemed like she was fun.

[Espurr 449]

 

@@Blitz Boom, 

 

"The city has a routine," Star said with a grin at Omen. "You just wouldn't normally see it. Sure, it seems like a crazy mess with ponies rushing around and ponies yelling at other ponies and there was that one incident where those animals escaped that downtown lab, but there's a pattern to the city. Sometimes you're a bit uncertain as what could happen next, but if you live there for a few years, then you start to see the pattern. Maybe you should visit it sometime." Star assumed maybe Omen would have an easier time getting there since she mentioned living between worlds or something.

 

 

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Blitz had taken a few steps back and looked at Dax when it was that he began the long, detailed talk about Emeralds. A few times she tilted her head slightly from one side to the other, sometimes her eyes were drawn elsewhere for a few seconds, but she did her best to stay focused on what he was saying until he asked her if she had gotten all of it.

 

"Sorta. Deep colour is good, cutting it makes it better, cheap ones gets powderised for some reason, something with acid and polishing and then fun times with dynamite. Oh, and something about letting ponies that know what they're doing play with it so it doesn't get bad."

 

She was roughly certain she got the big points in this, though a few things miiiiight have slipped her mind in the bigger sense of things. Not because she thought it was boring or anything, but she had a fleeting mind sometimes, so it happened that a few pieces got filtered away now and again if her mind went a-wandering.

 

"You really know A Lot about emeralds and stuff with them. Is it something you got started on Really early or is it like the Apple's and you learned from your parents? Cause it sounds a bit like when I asked Apple Bloom about the farm and she had a whole lot to say about that too."

 

The urge was there to ask about something else, but she wouldn't try. The mayor, Stormy and Pinkie had made her promise to never play with, use or accidentally make and storage acid, so even if she was curious as to how it was used with gems, she wasn't gonna ask. She got curious easy and she didn't want to sorta forget her promise on this.

 

___________________________________

 

 

@@Espurr,

 

"Perhaps."

 

Omen thought about what she heard. A sort of orderly chaos was the imagery she got here,a long with some very outdated views on how a big city might look mixed with Ponyville, which looked rather weird in her head, but she didn't know.better anyway. Might be that, might not. Like Star said, perhaps she would have to see sometimes.

 

"But if the big city have a pattern and a point, then why move here? If you understand things, why go into uncertainty?"

 

_____________________________________

 

 

@,

 

When they reached the outside, Vivid took a few, deep breaths of the fresh air without stopping her slow wandering forward. Fresh air hadn't been abundant where she had been, even before the imprisonment, and though she knew the interesting part of getting a whiff of fresh air wasn't a sensation that would last for long, it did for now at least. She'd have to find a more lasting thing soon though..

 

"This is starting to get a little one sided, don't you think Cubus? I mean after all, talking with a tree-stump could get pretty much the same results, and the stump likely won't be as judging as you seem to be. I mean, I have not brought you any harm, have I?"

 

She slowed down and looked over the mostly harvested field of corn for a bit before beginning to turn around to face Cubus with the words lingering in the air. Though she didn't have any real interest in hurting this pony, she had intentionally let her sentence be phrased so that the word *yet* could be picked up after *harm* if you listened to it, mostly for fun. If he wasn't gonna trust her, she might as well entertain herself a little with by poking to that fire with stuff like this.

 

________________________________

 

 

@,

 

"I guess I can tug you around and protect you then."

 

Last grinned slightly at Caliber while he had a hearty laugh at things.

 

She hadn't really thought that she was gonna end up chasing this thing down at any point, much less with anypony else, but she was slowly starting to warm up to the idea now that she was faced with Caliber more or less getting the ball rolling on that.

 

He was a bit of an odd sort, but he had some fighting spirit and from what she had seen so far, wasn't one to back down when the going when tough. She liked that in a pony, it showed some backbone she could admire, and considering everything he would likely gonna end up showing her some physical prowess to go along with that, if at no other place then the tournament.

 

The feeling of wanting a spar shivered through her again, and it was getting harder to resist. She couldn't help it really. When faced with a strong and confident fighter she just had to test them, and this guy wasn't just the power he was the guts and the spirit too. A good catch to have around really the more she thought about it.

[Randimaxis 8,652]

"Sorta. Deep colour is good, cutting it makes it better, cheap ones gets powderised for some reason, something with acid and polishing and then fun times with dynamite. Oh, and something about letting ponies that know what they're doing play with it so it doesn't get bad."

 

Well, she got the gist of it, and that's FAR more attention than most other ponies at the mines ever paid to me, he thought.  Perhaps I really have a chance at making a real, honest-to-goodness friend!  He was absolutely giddy inside, and his hopes were as high as Cloudsdale - maybe even higher.

 

"Yeah, that's it!  Well, it's close enough, anyway... but still, I'm glad to see I'm not boring you!"

 

"You really know A Lot about emeralds and stuff with them."

 

His smile stretched from ear to ear; he had never smiled so broadly in all his life... he also blushed a little bit - he did have some modesty, after all.

 

"Is it something you got started on really early or is it like the Apple's and you learned from your parents? Cause it sounds a bit like when I asked Apple Bloom about the farm and she had a whole lot to say about that too."

 

"Well, yeah!  We Blackwaters have always been good with mining and emeralds, and we-"

 

WHAT.  DID.  YOU.  JUST.  SAY!?

 

His eyes went wide, and his mouth snapped shut with the realization of what had just come out of it.

 

"... uhm..."

 

DUMMY!  DUMMY!  DUMMY!  Now she KNOWS!  Now here comes the judging!  The scorn!  Oh, you big fool of a foal!

 

Dax stood there with a massive, wide-eyed and worried look on his face, waiting to see what would come next.

[Blitz Boom 4,585]

@@Randimaxis,

 

Blitz looked at Dax in silence for a second, then started giggling.

 

"Hehe, that's a funny look. Sorta like the time I said to the mayor I had a new fireworks I wanted to show. She started to look a lot like that too."

 

Blitz recalled that day vividly. Not because there was any yelling cause she told her that it was outside town this time so she wasn't breaking her promise, but because of that fleeting moment just before she said that when Mayor mare had started to look real worried too. Not sure why, though it miiiiight have something to do with the whole *Prank war* and, well, the confetti bomb... The prototype anyway.

 

"Anyway, Blackwater huh? Dax Blackwater... Hehe, sounds nice. And it's cool that you all do the same thing, sorta like the Apples, or the Cakes and the bakery. I bet it's right fun to have a family to do things with."

[Randimaxis 8,652]

"Hehe, that's a funny look. Sorta like the time I said to the mayor I had a new fireworks I wanted to show. She started to look a lot like that too."

 

Dax blinked.  And blinked again.  Then one more time, just to be sure.

 

She... doesn't know.  She doesn't know?  That's... wonderful!  BY CELESTIA THAT IS THE BEST NEWS EVER!

 

"Anyway, Blackwater huh? Dax Blackwater... Hehe, sounds nice. And it's cool that you all do the same thing, sorta like the Apples, or the Cakes and the bakery. I bet it's right fun to have a family to do things with."

 

Dax began laughing... just a giggle at first, then growing louder and happier, until his eyes streamed with tears and he sounded quite mad.  He suddenly grabbed Blitz in a genuine hug, and said "BLITZ, WILL YOU PLEASE BE MY FRIEND!?" loud enough that the yell scattered a few birds close to the forest's edge.  He spun her around in a circle, laughing his fool head off.

 

Dax Blackwater had finally found someone he knew wouldn't judge him.

[P-Jay 1,987]

When they reached the outside, Vivid took a few, deep breaths of the fresh air without stopping her slow wandering forward. Fresh air hadn't been abundant where she had been, even before the imprisonment, and though she knew the interesting part of getting a whiff of fresh air wasn't a sensation that would last for long, it did for now at least. She'd have to find a more lasting thing soon though..

 

"This is starting to get a little one sided, don't you think Cubus? I mean after all, talking with a tree-stump could get pretty much the same results, and the stump likely won't be as judging as you seem to be. I mean, I have not brought you any harm, have I?"

 

She slowed down and looked over the mostly harvested field of corn for a bit before beginning to turn around to face Cubus with the words lingering in the air. Though she didn't have any real interest in hurting this pony, she had intentionally let her sentence be phrased so that the word *yet* could be picked up after *harm* if you listened to it, mostly for fun. If he wasn't gonna trust her, she might as well entertain herself a little with by poking to that fire with stuff like this.

 

________________________________

 

"I guess I can tug you around and protect you then."

 

Last grinned slightly at Caliber while he had a hearty laugh at things.

 

She hadn't really thought that she was gonna end up chasing this thing down at any point, much less with anypony else, but she was slowly starting to warm up to the idea now that she was faced with Caliber more or less getting the ball rolling on that.

 

He was a bit of an odd sort, but he had some fighting spirit and from what she had seen so far, wasn't one to back down when the going when tough. She liked that in a pony, it showed some backbone she could admire, and considering everything he would likely gonna end up showing her some physical prowess to go along with that, if at no other place then the tournament.

 

The feeling of wanting a spar shivered through her again, and it was getting harder to resist. She couldn't help it really. When faced with a strong and confident fighter she just had to test them, and this guy wasn't just the power he was the guts and the spirit too. A good catch to have around really the more she thought about it.

 

cubus managed a small smile. "its just that i dont find you interesting enough to converse with, is all..." he wanted to see if he could get under her skin...maybe agitate her enough to leave him alone. after all, he was missing his daily meditation.

 

------------------------------------------------------------

 

caliber was now beaming at her. "i can just tell we're gonna make quite the dynamic team, you and i." he said, "and we'll be sure to take down that monster." 

 

he twitched a little when she said 'protect you'. 

Edited August 12, 2015 by PeytonJay

[Love Doctor Blaze 536]

Blaze was trotting around pnyville market. He was looking for some groceries, and possibly some new saddlebags since his were pretty worn out. As he trotted around he noticed that there was no saddlebag to be bought anywere. "Damn, i was really hoping i didn't have to carry it on my back" Said Blaze with about 3 kilos lettuce on his back

[Denim&Venöm 18,127]

 

 

"If that is your want, then very well. The question was nothing big though, it was simply about how they're generally accepted in your society as not all are as... Shall we say *Open* as you might hope towards pranksters in the longer run, no matter then intentions.  

 

Well, That, an your mention of Discord having met with them. It is a minor point of interest as well really, but I just learned about him a few days ago, and with what I did hear it makes me slightly curious about stories including him."  

 

"Well, I guess the reason Kitsune are so accepted is because they're not exactly the most common or publicly visible folk. A good number of kitsune wonder the world in disguise, serving their purpose in life undetected, for entire lifespans, even raising families while under guise.  In Neighpon, it's because they're viewed as something between an elusive species and divine spirits. By definition, as Kami. In Equestria, it's because herd folk tend to have a bias towards apex predators, especially sapient ones."

[Melke 160]

"Nyaa~"

 

Melke yawned as he awoke from his nap, stretching his mouth open and exposing some sharp fangs. He then remembered where he was: on a branch of a tall tree. After a bit of stretching and warming up, he leapt from branch to branch and then landed gracefully on all fours. He looked around and listened carefully for any forms of movement and then started to walk among the leaves, deeper into the forest.

 

Hm... I guess I best start heading back to Zecora's, time got away from me as I watched that lively town nearby. I rather not draw unwanted attention to myself. The last time a pony saw me... they thought I was some pony's lost cat or something.

 

He then stopped for a bit and then took a glance at a black gemstone that hung around his neck. It was as dark as ever and glistening with a dark shine. The cat sighed as he looked at it and then continued on his way.

 

Just as dark as ever, if I don't find a way to unleash this built up taint from my gem, there is not telling what might happen if my power goes out of control. This... Equestria really lacks in the ambient magic that I need to help purify it, their magic seems to be self contained instead. *sigh* There is another way... I would normally try not to do any reckless negative spells but if things get desperate, I might have to make an exception.

Edited August 13, 2015 by Negativa_Melke