private A Cultural Exchange 1x1 with SapphireSnow

[Illiad Easle 2,970]

This thread has been closed for inactivity. The contents are preserved below.

 

OOC thread: https://mlpforums.co...tural-exchange/

@

(To start, a bit of World building. If you have read Five Score it is only slightly different from the premise.)

It had been a few years since the spawn of Tartarus had attacked. The Trojan Empire had managed to hold them off but Equestria did not fare as well. In a particularly fierce battle Discord suddenly turned against his reforming, throwing an immobilized Celestia to her death. It was then that the Empire pushed it's offensive, managing to defeat the spawn and seal the gates again. Their leader, Consul Illiad Easle fought Discord himself and in an attack that had 1 in 8000 odds of success, he managed to kill Discord at the expense of his own life. The divine smiled upon his sacrifice and returned him to life as an alicorn. (Partly to replace the now missing Celestia and partly because he did more to deserve it that Twilight ever did.) Under his guidance the two nations were united once more and there was peace in the land.

 

Selena Diamond was not what you would consider to be an average pony. Firstly she had the appearance of a crystal pony, she shined in the moonlight as if she were made of diamonds. The second was that she was the daughter of the Alicorn Illiad. Despite this, she only wanted to be normal, to be accepted by the community. She wanted a friend, a true friend that wasn't after power. When she stumbled across a flier advertising a cultural exchange as a program to bring the two nations closer together she jumped at the chance to possibly make a new friend.

She submitted her description and in a few days time she was paired with a Unicorn. She was given her mailing address and instructed to introduce herself via letter. With a smile on her face she quickly wrote out a letter, hoping to make a worthwhile first impression.

 

Good evening Miss Snow,

 

My name is Selena Diamond and I was selected to be your pairing in the cultural exchange. To tell you a bit about myself, I am an adult Gem Pony living in Troy, Troy. I have a white diamond coat and a shortish silvery mane and tail. My mark is a set of balance scales and I work as a sort of judge here in Troy. It is fulfilling work when I can put bad creatures behind bars for their crimes, but I find it more rewarding when I get to free someone completely innocent. I always try to see the good in everyone and thus I really like it when their goodness shines brightly. I look forward to hearing about you and I can't wait to show you around.

 

-Selena Diamond

 

With the letter taken care of she ensured that it would go out on the next mail run to Equestria. She went back to her life, eagerly awaiting a response.

 

(You receive a notification from the Cultural Exchange program stating your acceptance and informing you that you have been paired with Selena Diamond, a Gem Pony whose age is simply listed as Adult in the neighboring nation of Troy, it instructs you to watch for a letter from her and to respond in kind when it arrives. You receive Selena's letter the very next day.)(Questions can be asked in quotations or in the OOC thread linked above.)

Edited December 22, 2015 by Illiad Easle

[Morning Glory 177]

Sapphire had started the day with her normal routine: Breakfast, study, lunch, study, so on and so forth, until the study part of her day was interrupted with a knocking at her door. She looked up from her book, wondering who it could possibly be. 

 

It struck her then that she had a letter coming. She had almost forgotten about the exchange, seeing as the day before she had been so busy. She jumped up and quickly went to the door. Upon opening it, she found herself facing a Mail pony, his saddle bag chuck full of letters. He was levitating one neatly sealed letter in front of him.

 

"Miss. Snow?" he questioned in a deep voice. 

 

Sapphire nodded. "That's me." she said. 

 

The Mail pony handed over her letter with a friendly smile and was on his way. Sapphire swung the door shut and brought the letter over to her desk. She looked at the front then flipped it over to the back where she carefully peeled it open and begun reading the contents.

 

A few minutes passed. As she read, she could get the feel for this pony. She seemed formal; she had a strong belief in justice. Sapphire liked her already, and was anxious to meet her. She pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and began writing her friend-to-be back. 

 

Dear Selena, 

 

Sapphire began to write then decided against it. She wasn't sure if the pony would mind being addressed by her first name or not. She went the safer route and started with:

 

To the Lovely Miss. Diamond:

 

This is Sapphire Snow, writing to you to let you know I've received your kind letter. I have been looking forward to this exchange for quite some time, and I'm happy to be paired up with some pony like yourself. To tell you a bit more about myself: I'm still a young pony, I'm 19 years old. I'm from the Crystal Mountains that reside by the more well known Crystal City. I left home as a young filly to pursue my studies. I've already received my cutie mark, a lotus. I acquired it at a young age while attending an alchemy class in the Crystal City. My talent is specific to alchemy with different plants, though I seem to excel with aquatic plants. As for my appearance, I've attached a picture of myself to this letter. 

 

I'm extremely excited to have the chance to visit. I'm looking forward to meeting you very soon. 

 

-Sapphire Snow

 

 

Sapphire read over the letter, happy with the final draft as she sealed it with care. She put the letter out to be sent and received within the next day. She welcomed this new change in her life. She was looking forward to it. 

 

@@Illiad Easle, 

Edited December 2, 2015 by SapphireSnow

[Illiad Easle 2,970]

@,

 

When Selena received Sapphire's response, she was at a loss as to how to reply. Eventually it came to her and she started writing.

 

Good Evening Miss Snow,

 

It is interesting to hear from someone so far north, I haven't been up in crystal territory in a long time, not since a few months after it returned. It will be interesting to see how much the area has changed since I was last there. I've moved around quite a bit in my life, but here in Troy is the first place I've really been able to call home, I've lived here ever since Discord and the spawn were defeated. I suppose it's nice having a place to call home but sometimes I really miss the adventure I used to have, I'm sure this will help change things up in my life. If you don't mind me asking, what kinds of things can you do with your alchemy? Do you do transmutations or more like potions? I would return the favor with a picture but cameras don't like me all that much, I always end up directing light directly into it so you can't see me in a photograph, I'll see if I can get someone to draw me so I can send it to you.

 

I am similarly excited to meet you, I can't wait for this to get underway.

 

-Selena Diamond.

[Morning Glory 177]

Upon receiving her second response, Sapphire thought it best to start arranging travel plans. 

 

Selena Diamond: 

 

It's different from when I visited as a filly, that much is for sure. It isn't different in a bad way though, just not as it was before. As for my alchemy, well.. 

 

Sapphire paused writing, unsure how she should phrase what she does exactly. She decided to keep it safe. After all, all alchemists have their experimental secrets.

 

Most of my Alchemy is health related. I've been enlisted by a special members group that helps find cures for things like the Reins and the Spurs. Besides that, I do dabble in some elemental manipulation. 

 

I bet you have many stories to tell from you being a judge, and I can't wait to be able to hear them. When would you like to make travel plans? I'm completely available from today, onward.

 

-Sapphire Snow

 

@@Illiad Easle,

[Illiad Easle 2,970]

@,

 

Selena was surprised at how forward Sapphire was, when her dad participated in a similar cultural exchange back when he was still a unicorn they exchanged letters for a few weeks before the actual exchange began. But Selena was excited to finally meet the one who could be her first real friend other than her dad. She didn't want to keep Sapphire waiting long so she went quickly to write her reply.

 

Evening Sapphire Snow,

 

Your alchemy sounds quite interesting, have you ever worked with gems? more specifically diamonds? If not that's okay, I am just fascinated with the kinds of magics that work with gemstones, I think you'll understand why when we meet in person. It is good work you're doing in trying to cure diseases, it's probably far more interesting than siting around judging while they come and go judging you right back. It isn't easy being a judge, especially when the public disagrees with your decisions despite the evidence agreeing with you. There are a few stories I can tell you when we meet, I can't share them by letter for privacy reasons and similarly I will have to ask that you not share them either when I tell you. But you seem trustworthy enough I won't worry too much about it.

 

As for travel plans the first decision is where we go first, either I come to visit you and you show me around for a week, or you come visit me and I will do the showing. I have no strong feelings either way, I just need advance notice so I can move court dates around. Most likely you will have to sit in for a court session or two as it is unlikely that I will be able to clear two entire weeks from my schedule.

 

-Selena Diamond