open Life in the Big City...State (Open)

[skbl17 199]

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11:19 AM local time, near Port Impala International Seaport

 

As Celestia's sun rose over the horizon, a large boat approached land. The boat could have easily been mistaken for a navy vessel, but it was but a cruise ship. The ship was carrying a few hundred tourists; most of whom were only making this port of call a brief stopover before sailing on to other pastures.

 

For some of them, however, this wasn't a stopover. This was their destination.

 

"We are now approaching Port Impala, where the local time is 11:19 in the morning. Please have your passports and identification ready to present to the Border and Customs Agency officer upon disembarking. Information on connections, local accommodations, and ground transportation are available in the main terminal. Thank you for sailing with Solar Cruises, and stay safe on the remainder of your journey."

 

Port Impala: a tropical city-state nestled a few hundred miles southeast of Equestria. Located on the well-developed Hoofnea Peninsula, the bustling city has all the characteristics as a tropical paradise: hot, humid, lined with beaches, and of course, filled with tourists. Of course, that's not all to the city-state; behind the touristy "tropical" exterior lies a more cosmopolitan, business- and commerce-oriented city with its own attractions, including museums, opera houses, theaters, and stadiums. Finally, there's the more gritty and festive side, found in the city-state's many residential districts. During major sporting events, such as hoofball championships, and national festivals it is the residential areas that really come alive.

 

Of course, there were no major festivals or sporting events going on today.

 

As the cruise ship entered its dock at the seaport, the passengers stepped off the boat to enter the large terminal. One of those passengers was a certain brown unicorn. He wasn't just there as a tourist, but was also there to study.

 

"So this is Port Impala," Compass Meridian said. "This place isn't half bad."

 

Even though he was talking to himself, he soon found himself face-to-face with a peach-colored unicorn mare. "I know right? This city has plenty to offer, whether you're just going to spend time on the beach, go downtown, visit the parks...."

 

The mare turned slightly to her left, where Compass - and a few of the other disembarking visitors, who had stopped to see what the commotion was all about - gasped.

 

Are those....wings?

 

"...or study. Welcome to the Commonwealth of Port Impala! I'm Bright Idea, the mayor. Nice to meet you."

[FancyHorse 1,208]

The seasoned stallion sat upon one of the chair near the port rail, his head simply bobbing about as his music played on. From portable WalkPony cassette player and into the head phones his surroundings played out in mute as the melody unfolded.

(Track : Shine a Light - The C90's [Flight Facilities remix] )

 

Time moved so quick for himself. No longer would his former youth flow with time. Time more moved ahead and occasionally waited for him up catch up.

 

He chuckled at the thought.

 

Pausing now to hear the intercom he halted his music

 

..

 

Time to get going. Now with his sling pouch by his side he adjusted his beret now joining the amassed crowd as they each lined to exit.

 

Even above the music he couldn't ignore the gasping awe of the crowd as each tried to gather a glimpse of the rare mayor alicorn ahead of them. But his interest didn't last. He's seen plenty upon plenty of more phenomenal sights, besides he a full paradise beyond the agasped crowd.

Edited August 7, 2015 by IllusivePony

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

"I had been on this ship for a long time.  I hadn't really been keeping track of time, but I could tell it was around noon and we were getting closer.  I could see the beaches, the palm trees, the exotic-looking fauna and flora in so many bright colors.  I could feel the moist heat, a huge change from the milder climate in Baltimare.  It was subtle at first, then it hit me like a charging buffalo.  Beyond all of that, there-"

 

At the sound of the announcement that it was time to get off, Fantasy Moon closed her journal.  Her pen and journal were levitated to her saddlebags and she headed for the crowds getting off the ship.  She saw that a lot of passengers were crowded around someone or somepony, but she didn't want to hold up the others, so she only had a split second to glimpse at an allicorn mare.  Wait, an ALLICORN mare?!  Here?!  She would've let curiosity take over, but the crowds and the matter of getting past Border and Customs first made her decide it was best to confirm what she saw later.

[FancyHorse 1,208]

Along the lines one by one Quarbari reached to the Border and Customs. With passport and identification ready he presents them. The mare at duty examines then carefully giving casual nods.

 

"From Dry to humid?" She asks, inquiring on Saddle Arabia's climate.

 

"Just looking for a getaway." He replies smiling.

 

"Have a good day." She says and allows him to pass.

[skbl17 199]

"Mayor? But the only alicorns I know of are royalty."
 
He had just stepped off the ship, and Compass Meridian's already face-to-face with an interesting find: an alicorn. Apparently though, she wasn't a princess, queen, or anything, but a...mayor? Admittedly, there were a few other students and tourists who also found this interesting. Not everypony did; a few other visitors and returning residents simply walked by and paid no heed to the commotion.
 
Bright Idea laughed, which did calm the gathered crowd down a little bit. "Well, things work a little differently here in Port Impala. For one, this isn't a hereditary monarchy, but a republic. There are elections for almost every position, from dog catchers all the way up to my position of Mayor. However, I only serve at the pleasure of the city legislature - the Commonwealth Assembly - and have many constitutional limits on my power. If I lose the confidence of the legislature, or the citizens decide to recall me from office, I'd have to step down automatically or call new elections."
 
To say Compass was surprised would be an understatement. Constitution? Recall? Legislature? They didn't have any of that in Equestria, because it wasn't necessary for the three princesses.
 
"Where's your bodyguards? Security detail? I don't know how safe it is to be out randomly greeting visitors without having tight security."
 
Bright Idea didn't answer. Instead, she turned around and made some kind of gesture with her right hoof. Seconds later, a dozen or so uniformed police officers emerged from behind counters, benches, and one even descended from the terminal ceiling. They looked like regular police officers. but the color of their uniforms looked darker than those of the regular police officers.
 
"I don't have a 'guard' per se, but the city's police department has a special forces division that's tasked with protecting government officials. On my first day in office, I asked the police chief to abolish the division, but gosh...he's almost like a nagging mother sometimes. He insisted I have personal guards, 300 of them in fact!
 
"We compromised. I'd have a 'guard', but for top officials, not just me, and their numbers would be limited to 40. That way, I'd have a large amount of freedom to meet visitors and mingle with residents, like I'm doing right now."
 
Compass still had other questions, but he spotted a pony holding a sign that read, "UPI study abroad students." Sure enough, he could hear his study abroad director beckoning the students to move along. Aw man, Compass thought. And just when I had more questions.
 
"Study abroad?" Bright Idea asked.
 
"Yes." The unicorn responded. "I'm with a group of students who are here to study in Port Impala this semester. We're not just here to visit the city."

 

"I see...well, if you have any other questions, you can look them up in an encyclopedia, or if you see me again, we could talk about it. You should also come watch a Commonwealth Assembly debate at some point during the semester."

 

"I'll do that, and thanks!" Yeah, the debate would probably be boring, but Compass had never seen a national legislature before, and the Princesses never have to defend their decisions and policies before a legislature filled with common folk. It would be something, at least.

 

The study abroad director began to look impatient, so Compass hurried along. As he waved back to the mayor, he still had many questions, but one thing was for sure: at least he wouldn't be completely bored.

Edited August 8, 2015 by skbl17

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

The lines and examining of passports and identification was nothing new to Fantasy Moon.  Open your passport to the page your basic info is in, answer truthfully about what you're bringing in (of course, she brought nothing that would raise a fuss), some more giving of info and making sure your documents aren't fake, and you're in.  And of course, there was the bit of small talk if the worker is in a friendly mood.  

 

"You're in, miss," the tired-looking mare checking her documents said whilst shoving the documents into their owner's hooves, sighing none too quietly and scowling at her and the rest of the line she was in.

 

Past the gate, the visiting mare had no words.  Just a bewildered expression and a pair of crumpled documents glowing with the magic she was using to levitate them.  What did I do wrong?

Edited August 8, 2015 by Akari of Duskshire

[FancyHorse 1,208]

The large crowds, a mix of tourists, residents and also the bustling of aggressive business of cab/shuttle coaches. Quarbari payed no mind. He always preferred in his own abilities.

 

Moving along past the busy commerce of transport Quarbari makes his way down the side street heading his way toward the city limits.

[skbl17 199]

Going through immigration wasn't too difficult. The immigration officials checking passports and identification were quick, if a bit tired. It was late morning, so maybe they were just waiting for their lunch break. Right?

 

After picking up his luggage, Compass Meridian walked past some retail shops, waiting areas, and a bank of new "television monitors" before leaving the port terminal. As soon as he walked outside, it felt like walking into a sauna! For starters, it was definitely the wet season; the humidity was off the charts, and the temperature wasn't getting any cooler. Sure, back in southern Equestria humidity was a problem in the summer, but it was never like this!

 

At the very least, the shuttle was already loading at curbside. The bus looked nice and modern on the outside. Unfortunately, as Compass got on, some of the other students were already complaining to the driver about the lack of AC...er, lack of an active AC, that is. The radio was on, but none of the students really cared about that.

 

"It's hot and humid, and it ain't gettin' any colder!"

 

"Agreed. Mr. Driver, would it be too much to ask you to turn on the AC?"

 

"I don't know how much more of this humidity I can take.."

 

As the bus pulled away from the terminal, the driver could only turn around and look at his passengers with a look of disgust. "Look, I know you all are new here, so let me tell you one thing. This is a tropical city and it's the middle of summer - of course it will be hot and humid in the afternoon! Also, I'm not using no buckin' AC. Y'all will use paper fans like Celestia intended!"

 

There was a collective groan. Some of the students took mental notes to - if they ever meet her in person - ask Princess Celestia whether she really intended for paper fans to be a thing.

 

Looking out one of the windows, Compass decided to use some of his magic to see where they were. Closing his eyes and concentrating, his magic silently scanned the city-state before creating a mental map of the place, buildings and addresses included.

 

Size wise, Port Impala's fairly large for a city, about 304.1 square miles, he thought as he scanned his mental map. Let's see...we're heading 2.12 degrees south of east...still 4.4 miles from the university. Beaches, obviously. Nearest international border...Grand Hoofea...20.61 miles away from our current location. This city apparently has a subway system, that's cool. Mayor's office is 5.432 miles away.

 

Soon, his magic faded away as Compass reopened his eyes. There was too much information to take in; he wouldn't be able to finish before they got to the university! He settled on looking at the city's surroundings.

 

Well, Port Impala was a city, all right. There were skyscrapers not too far away, probably the downtown area. The highrises seemed to go on a fair distance; it's no Manehattan, but this city is definitely no slouch in the size department. There was a market nearby; ponies were selling wares, food, and souvenirs. The sign said, "Seaside Bazaar". Hmmm...sounds a bit exotic. The houses seemed stereotypically tropical, but they looked as if they were solidly built.

 

What really piqued Compass's interest was the tall radio tower placed behind the skyscrapers.

 

Wonder what broadcasts from there, Compass thought. Maybe some of that new "television" stuff he'd heard about came from there.

Edited August 8, 2015 by skbl17

[FancyHorse 1,208]

No stranger to the heat was this stallion. He simply let out his big grin. Its quiet exhilarating to come about to these new places, like feeling like the young colt you use to be. But he wasn't getting very far. Just coming in behind him row upon row of shuttle cabs passed along. As quickly to flag down he raised his hoof in signal.

 

One of the small cabs came forward.

 

"Eh friend. Take you into the city?", the driver asks to his second added passenger, the original one giving a slight disgruntled groan.

 

"What's a good place for a bite?" The Arabian asked.

 

"Check the Bazaar, ill get ya there." The driver said.

 

The trip didn't seem too consuming. It certainly would've took longer on hoof. With a small collection of bits the Arabian departed.

 

The Bazaar was at its bustle per usual. Dock workers rummaging about. Mongers at their simple stands. A restaurant just by long line of merchants appealed to the stallion.

 

"King Crab" the large crab sign displayed.

 

Quarbari new at most the majority of ponies around him were herbivore. Some do at times take a try to the more carnivorous.

 

And it was more common the most ponies think actually. Quarbari recalled a time in ancient times, the tribe nomads called the Shatite feasted upon small game and insects for the harsh yet short famine of the ninth era of Arabia.

 

Entering in the stench of many frying vegetables and some meats flowing to his nostrils. Perhaps he'll have something classic. Fried seaweed.

 

As such he approached to the counter. A gruff youthful stallion awaited.

 

"Hey like, how can I help you? Got some good sale on like new coconut smoothies." The tan coated colt spoke in a careless accent.

 

"Just fried seaweed thank you." Was the reply followed by 5 bits placed before him.

 

"M'kay. Hey guys need some seaweed." He called out to the chefs at the grills and utensils.

 

Quarbari then took seat at a window table watching out the view side to the port and sea.

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

After taking time to exchange her money for the local currency, Fantasy Moon scanned the crowds on the other side to see if there indeed was an allicorn mare like she thought she saw.  After some "Excuse me"s and dodging of ponies and others who had reasons to rush, she got close enough were, past the gates and the starstruck crowds, she could see the peach-colored allicorn mare greeting disembarking passengers.  Horn?  Check.  Wings?  Check.  She had heard that this city state had a mayor, but an allicorn was the last pony she expected to be mayor.

 

Are there other allicorns here?  Are they like the Royal Sisters, sharing the same position?  Do they hold different positions of power?  Is she the only one?  So many questions she wanted to ask, but she was on the other side of the gates and the allicorn seemed awfully busy anyways.  Being a bother was no way she wanted to introduce herself to anyone, much less the mayor.

 

Taking a few brochures, she boarded a bus headed for the city.  She was told it would be sometime before her room was ready (apparently the last customer made a huge mess of it), so she decided to use this time to search for a place to eat and to familiarize herself with the place.  After all, it was noon and she hadn't ate anything ever since breakfast (and that was pretty light, almost a snack).  Plus, a walk would be good enough of a work-out for a spell that seemed to run on stamina.

 

By Starswirl the Bearded, it's hot!  *sigh*  I best get used to this.  It's nothing new and it shouldn't be too hard to do.  Perhaps the nights are cooler?  Maybe a bit?  A vocal few on the bus were less than hopeful and optimistic, but she paid them no heed.  Instead on the whole trip down to the city, she tried to read the brochures.  

 

Seaside Bazaar seems like a good place to start.  I could probably get at least a glimpse of the culture there.  And hopefully it provides local dining.  Perhaps even a place for study and research?  No, the downtown seems more likely to have such a place.  Looking forward to an actual meal and the prospect of getting lost for a bit, she leaned against the window of the bus and looked out.  A new sight never ceased to amaze her, at least in her mind.  Until she got off when the bus stopped at the Bazaar, she gazed out intently at the land and cityscape, hoping she remembers enough to write and draw it all down later.

 

I wish you were here and not so busy, Mom and Dad.  You both would've been thrilled.  I promise to take you out here in the future.  It all seems so wonderful already. 

[FancyHorse 1,208]

What felt like a loft hour of caught in the usual day dream was only a few minutes. Sat before him was a steaming plate of the fried seaweed. Said to have a, rather salty taste yet still sounding rather appetizing.

 

Carefully taking a piece he lifts it to his maw. The salt was immense and strong. But quite the flavor to it.

[skbl17 199]

After what seemed like an eternity, the bus finally arrived at the exchange students' destination: the University of Port Impala's Exchange Hall. While it's usually important to be careful with luggage, the students - and indeed, some of the supervising staff - were anything but careful; they just wanted to get out of the heat and humidity.

 

Every student checked in at the hall's lobby, a large, open area with connections to the surrounding halls leading to the study areas, lounges, and the dorm rooms themselves.

 

Compass unlocked the door to his room, set down his luggage, and took in the surroundings. There were two beds, but one of them would be unoccupied - his to-be-roommate pulled out of the exchange program at the last minute. In the back was a door leading to the restroom, shared with the dorm room next door. There was a desk with a chair and a lamp, two wardrobes, a mirror, a sink, a large window, and two nightstands, also with lamps on them. It seemed more like a hotel room than a dorm room.

 

There was also a television. It didn't seem as large as the seaport monitors, maybe 24 inches? Bulky too.

 

Looking out the window, Compass noticed that there was a building thunderstorm to the northeast. He couldn't use his magic to determine how fast an object was moving, but it didn't take magic to know that it wouldn't be long before it hit the city. It would probably be cooler after it passes, so maybe he could get some exploring done later...if time allows.

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

Wandering around through the hustle and bustle of the Bazaar, Fantasy Moon saw various items being sold at differing prices.  Some looked familiar (especially merchandise that appeared to be made by a zebra's hooves, at least to her eyes), others seemed quite exotic and almost unrecognizable.  Some looked newly crafted and possessed an exquisite luster, others appeared to be humble with an antique elegance.  Some were actually live creatures and they were acting pretty antsy, to the annoyance, puzzlement, or alarm of merchants and customers alike.  

 

Was that... thunder?  Her ears twitched at the sound.  It was very faint, barely heard above the loud, wildly varying sounds of words and hoofsteps, but she could not tell if it was really what she heard or if it was just something that sounded like thunder.  It made her stop for a moment, trying to pick up on it again.  But she didn't hear it again.  It might've been her imagination, it might've been she heard something similar to it, it might've drowned in the sea of noise.  

 

It must be my ears.  Am I trying to deny something?  I can't tell.  I can't tell.  She looked around for a place to not only eat, but also to clear her head.  On the bus ride, she read about a few restaurants in the area and the nearest one to her was "King Crab".  The name of the restaurant alone seemed to suggest seafood, but the menus outside listed vegetarian options and the prices looked reasonable to her, so she went on in.

 

The pony at the counter greeted her.  "Looks like a nasty storm brewin', eh?"

 

She glanced outside.  She couldn't see it.  "Storm?"

 

"Yeah, a storm.  It's been in the forecast for days now.  Should be comin' in a bit."

 

"A bit?"

 

"Didn't watch the forecast?  Gotta watch out, because there's lots of storms here.  Hurricanes, too.  But it's not too bad once you get used to it."

 

He laughed at the end of it.  In contrast, Fantasy just nodded with an expression that barely showed surprise.  Oh dear, so that was thunder I heard?!  "A bit" could only mean a few hours, right?

 

 

"Now what can I get ya?"  

Edited August 9, 2015 by Akari of Duskshire

[FancyHorse 1,208]

Quarbari's ears perked as another distant rumble commenced. Slowly and surely a drizzle of rain began to fall. Just only the first part of the storm.

 

The Arabian smiled softly, storms themselves are quiet rare. Soft rain was generally the norm and only occurred in the northern plains of Saddle Arabia.

 

Gently munching on a piece of the fried seaweed he simple sat continuing to watch as the rain progressively intensified.

[skbl17 199]

12:41 PM local time

 

The rain's really coming down.

 

As the raindrops continued to strike the window, all Compass Meridian could think about was the way weather worked in Port Impala. He recalls reading about a theory - "climatological sovereignty" - in which every individual country can decide how weather should work: naturally, or artificially? Port Impala was a mix of both: there were weather schedules, but tropical thundershowers were also a fact of life, especially during the summer months.

 

This storm was just a bit too violent to be an artificial work, so it was probably just one of those natural thunderstorms.

 

Okay, enough about the weather, there's nothing I can do about it. I wonder what's on TV?

 

Finding a small remote control on one of the nightstands, Compass picked it up with his magic before using it to turn the TV set on. After a brief burst of static on the screen, the TV complied. Flicking through the channels, he didn't seem to find anything of interest.

 

"Let's see...hoofball, debate, soap opera, another soap opera, commercial about some big event, drama, dra-WAIT!" 

 

Not wasting another second, Compass flipped the TV back to the channel that had the commercial. Would it be something big? Something new? Something exciting?

 

'...and so, for the low ticket price of =L= 9.95, you can come and see all kinds of never-before-seen feats of acrobatics! Not just your regular leaps or spins, but all kinds of crazy tricks! If you get hungry, there will also be food! Come to the Seabreeze Arena this Sunday for Cirque du Monde! It will be an event you'll never forget!'

 

Tomorrow! First weekend in Port Impala and something exciting is already happening! Of course, it wasn't free, so Compass probably wouldn't make it. He was practically broke enough as is, and he wouldn't be able to get much money during the semester. The little money he had was "for emergencies only", and wasn't to be overtly spent on "frivolous stuff".

 

Darn.

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

@,

For a mare who didn't see this much rain very often, it was a rather pretty sight. She probably would've stayed out there to wait for it if she wasn't so hungry and in possession of books. Her saddlebags weren't waterproof and neither were her books, that's for sure.

Seated near what appeared to be an Arabian, Fantasy Moon gazed outside the window. Amusingly to her, the streets seemed to be clearing a bit quickly as ponies and others rushed under any kind of cover to escape the silver curtains of rain. Some even ran into the King Crab, leaving a wet trail leading up to the counter, despite the urging of the workers there for them to dry off at the welcome mat before making a mess.

This IS a tropical region. Storms are usually the norm in those kind of regions, assuming no pony decides to control the weather. This definitely doesn't look controlled. Oh well, I've seen worse.

Faintly smiling and pulling out her travel journal and pen, the latter became enveloped in a sky blue magic as she began to write.

"Beyond all of that, there was the city, with skyscrapers in the distance rivaled only perhaps by Manehatten. Or perhaps by the clock tower in Baltimare. I couldn't tell from the Seaside Bazaar, where I decided to stop at a place called "King Crab" to eat (no, I'm still very much vegetarian) and escape a massive downpour. I would not find out today, since it had been a long ride and I didn't plan to go far today. I saw a few old bookstores and other interesting shops and cafe, so I'm definitely coming to this part again. I am going to be here for a while, so I think I can take my time. Some-"

"Wait, stop! Slow down!"

All Fantasy heard was an employee shouting, a surprised yelp, and a loud crash as the pony slid into a stand that held bags of potato chips that were to be sold. The stand clattered to the ground, a few of the bags split open, and the soaked, rather well-dressed mare was slumped against the wall, slightly bruised, trying to get up.  Fantasy Moon could only watch in surprise until she got up to help.

"Oh my."

Edited August 9, 2015 by Akari of Duskshire

[FancyHorse 1,208]

Trickle of rain multiplied by 11. Or some odd reference like that. The down pour was quite exciting whilst implying a relaxing demeanor. It was until once more Quarbari was pulled from his day dream hearing the yelp of the mare.

 

@@Akari of Duskshire

 

By unison he and the stranger arose, Quarbari approaching swiftly.

 

"Are you alright miss?" He asks in concern offering his hoof to assist her.

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

@,

"Y-Yes. Thank you, sir," the pegasus mare said with a more upper-class accent, taking the stranger's hoof and getting up, through stumbling a bit. She had on cloth flats that, like herself, were thoroughly soaked. The stand next to her glowed blue as it was stood up by Fantasy Moon's magic. While another customer and an employee sorted through the intact bags and bags and chips that had to be thrown away, she couldn't help but notice the accent and the clothes, which were simple but clearly expensive. At the moment though, her clothes weren't what mattered.

The unicorn came up to the two strangers. She looked over at the pegasus with a gentle, concerned face. Then she heard,"Come on you two, help her," and she saw the manager following two employees (the manager a zebra and the employees another zebra and an earth pony).

She assumed a more proper posture, which was hard on her bruised forelegs. "I assure you, I'm okay. I-I'll be out of everypony's coat in a few seconds. You two and every pony have nothing to worry about!"

The employees hesitated at her words before the manager urged them on. Fantasy shook her head and stepped back next to the Arabian stranger to allow the employees to take over.

The unicorn spoke softly. "I know. But please... don't push yourself."

Edited August 9, 2015 by Akari of Duskshire

[FancyHorse 1,208]

@@Akari of Duskshire

 

Quarbari have just a nod. He wasn't going to insist his help. A respect to independence. He turned to the assisting mare with a smile.

 

"That was very kind of miss." He says.

 

Feeling the situation eased he then turns and returning back toward his seat to finish his meal.

Edited August 9, 2015 by IllusivePony

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

@, 

 

Fantasy Moon met the stallion's smile with a blink and a slight head tilt.  "Ah... you too," she replied.  Compliments outside of the job were warm and somewhat rare.

 

Confident that the mare was in safe hooves (though she protested more until the patient manager calmed her down) and seeing that other customers and employees were already finishing up with cleaning up the area, she too went back to her seat.  In near no time at all, her fruit salad did arrive.  Along with the usual greens, there were chopped up papayas, dragon fruits, mangoes, and a few other fruits that were grown in the region.

 

Dragon fruits...  what are they, exactly?  I've never tasted one of these before.  Well, first time for everything.  Using a fork to pick up some greens and a piece of dragon fruit, she ate them up and assessed the taste.  Not bad...  Sweet, but very little flavor.  The texture though, that is definitely good.  Not "five-star" like they say, but this is alright.  

 

Meanwhile, the pegasus mare had gotten dried up and her bruises treated.  In time, the trail of water was cleaned up, the potato chip stand back to good condition (sans several potato chip bags that had split open and had to be thrown away), and the few helpful customers and employees went back to what they were doing.  But the manager and the pegasus mare were sweet and they had something for the ones who helped.

 

A waiter came up to the Arabian customer.  "We just wanted to thank you and everypony for helping out with the situation there.  She's all good and well and you and the other two customers who helped gets a complimentary dessert!"  He gave him a fruit parfait, said,"Enjoy!" and trotted off.

[FancyHorse 1,208]

@@Akari of Duskshire

 

Quarbari was surprised. His humbleness urged him to decline but perhaps it would be rude. Taking the parfait he smiled.

 

"Thank you. May the stars bless you." He says happily in thanks.

 

He was yet to finish his meal. With the parfait aside he returned to eating the salty goodness.

 

"Quite the generous ponies." He thought to himself

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

Finding the rest of the salad delicious and having not yet satisfied her hunger, Fantasy Moon was halfway done with her meal.  She looked out the window to see that the rain was still coming down hard.  At least the streets seemed clearer now.  Perhaps the rest of the walk would be cooler and a bit quieter?  She certainly hoped so.

 

She had some food in her mouth when a waitress came to her table.  "So, the manager and the pegasus you all helped out sends you their deepest thanks.  Oh, and a complimentary dessert!  Enjoy!"  Having a stuffed mouth, Fantasy just nodded with a small smile and she walked away.

 

I do appreciate it.  I would appreciate it even more if you didn't choose the time when my mouth is full to come talk to me.  How do places manage to do that?  She looked over the parfait, a few layers of mango puree and vanilla yogurt.  For the most part simple, really.  She set it aside for the time being.

 

So delightful of them.  And it's good to hear she's alright.  Guess that saying was proved wrong for the time being after all. 

 

Laughing a little in delight to herself, she went back to the devouring of the fruit salad.  Proper devouring, of course.

[FancyHorse 1,208]

The rain continued to pour. Still with its rhythmic enticement. The salt taste remaining after the seaweed was devoured. Perhaps he should socialize. Turning about in his seat he faced to see the neighboring mare.

 

@@Akari of Duskshire

"Marhaban (hello). I do feel we haven't met." He says, thinking that's best to start.

[Akari of Duskshire 581]

@,

 

"Mmf?"  Fantasy Moon covered her mouth almost reflexively.  ...Was the saying "You're more likely to be saved in the country than the city" or "Ponies will always talk to you when your mouth is full"?  After quickly chewing up the food in her mouth and swallowing, she put her hoof down and faced the stallion.

 

"Wasn't it a bit ago?"  Marhaban?  That's...  By Starswirl the Bearded, what does mean again?

[FancyHorse 1,208]

@@Akari of Duskshire

Quarbari smirked trying not to chuckle at her full mouth and expression.

"We'll I ment by properly introduced." He smiles giving a sight hearty laugh.

 

"I am Quarbari. " he says. "Many stars bless you Miss...?" He asks inquiring about her name at the end. Always a pleasure to meet new ponies about.