open A Touch of Elegance (1 x 1 RP with Sapphire Snow)

[Script Dangles 231]

It's always sunny in Ponyville!

 

That, of course, is the tagline they write on all the literature that they give you at the travel agency:  About two dozen little glossy fold-ups that advertise places like Sugarcube Corner and Sweet Apple Acres.  All these touristy places that maybe Princess Celestia gave a sidelong look on her way through town at some point or time, where they give you hour-long tours that always end in kitchy gift shops where you can buy spring water at six bits a bottle.  About two dozen fold-ups, when all you want is a map and a list of a few good restaurants and hotels.  She caught herself wondering if maybe they even had that many to choose from.  After all...it wasn't exactly Canterlot she was traveling to.

 

The truth of the matter was...Morning Glory wasn't even exactly sure why she was going to Ponyville.  It had all come about in the strangest way that a pony could imagine.  It had been an evening just like any other.  She'd been tending the Royal Garden, working with an especially obstinate dusk orchid that seemed to delight in refusing to bloom along with its brothers and sisters, preferring to stay shut tight like a newborn foal wrapped in a swaddle of its blankets.  She'd been humming a song to herself, misting it carefully with a fine spray bottle.  After all, while orchids -- even dusk orchids -- don't like having wet feet, they love nurturing moisture every bit as much as any other flower.

 

"Glory," the voice had come from over her shoulder.  She remembered almost jumping.

 

She turned around and saw Green Thumb, the mare in charge of all the gardens, standing there with a big smile on her face.  As ever, the verdant-coated pony had on her floppy hat and her saddlebags embroidered with the icon of a pattern of seedlings that matched her cutie mark exactly.  She was perhaps twice her age.  In her hoof was a small rectangle of papers.  "Glory, I have good news for you, she'd said.  She was, she supposed, her boss, even though she never treated her like that.  She treated her more like she was her grandmother, as kind and gentle with her as she was the hedges and flower beds.  "You're going to Ponyville."

 

She must've seen the expression on her face.  "You should get your things together," she said, cocking her head in such a way that Glory could tell she understood what she had to've been feeling.  "You're leaving tomorrow morning.  The Princess' orders."

 

And that had been that.  She'd helped her pack her bags in silence.

 

That had been eight and a half hours ago.

 

And now, Morning Glory felt the train beginning to come to a slow, the syncopated sound of the wheels on their tracks losing their staccato tempo, the world outside becoming less and less a blur of motion and increasingly resolving itself into recognizable shapes.  Through her window, sunshine streamed into the traincar.  Through its transparency, she could she beautiful and lush trees lining the foothills that eventually rose up into snow-capped mountains.  Green grass carpeted the world, wildflowers like riots of color where they sprung up next to berry bushes or in wide and low copses of nature.  The day's new light seemed to kiss it all with a warm glow that made the dew-touched everything twinkle and shimmer like a fresh and new fairyland.

 

It's always sunny in Ponyville!

 

Morning Glory couldn't help but smile.  Maybe there was something to that literature, after all.

 

Outside the window, she could see a train platform come into view.  Standing upon it were two figures.  One was a matronly-looking mare, proper and refined.  She wore bifocals jauntily at rest at the tip of her muzzle, a shock of a white mane blowing in the breeze.  Next to her was a powerful looking roan stallion.  She couldn't yet see either of their cutie marks from her distance.

 

She could, however, see the sign the stallion held:  Ms. Morning Glory, in big black letters.  A smiley face drawn beneath it, in the scrawl of a child.  It was charming, after a fashion, and in spite of herself, she felt a smile rising to her face.

 

She didn't know why she was there yet.

 

But -- just maybe -- it might not be so bad, after all.

[Morning Glory 177]

The train slowed to a halt as it arrived next to the platform. There was a bustle as every pony gathered their carry-ons and moved towards the exit. Morning Glory wasn't in a rush, unlike some other ponies, she didn't have a dead line to meet, so she sat patiently in her seat until the crowd dwindled. 

 

When only a few ponies were left on the cart, undoubtedly they shared her thoughts on waiting, she stood, grabbing the small set of saddle bags she carried with her and went to find her luggage. 

 

When she stepped off, she saw the ponies from before standing off to the side. Her name written on the sign, it was obvious they were there for her. There were still several ponies grabbing their luggage from the storage cart so she thought it best to greet the ponies who she had kept waiting. Morning walked over to them, a friendly smile on her face as she said:

 

"Hello, my name is Morning Glory, I see you're here for me." she said, gesturing to the sign. "I apologize for my lateness, there was a bit of a crowd on the train.." She thought it best to apologize, since it couldn't be the most exciting time standing on a platform, waiting for somepony to arrive you had never met before. 

 

She did her best to put on a brave face, but she was in fact very shy, she was never one to take the initiative in conversations, but in this case, she didn't have a choice. 

[Script Dangles 231]

"Hello, my name is Morning Glory, I see you're here for me." she said, gesturing to the sign. "I apologize for my lateness, there was a bit of a crowd on the train.." She thought it best to apologize, since it couldn't be the most exciting time standing on a platform, waiting for somepony to arrive you had never met before.

 

She did her best to put on a brave face, but she was in fact very shy, she was never one to take the initiative in conversations, but in this case, she didn't have a choice.

 

The older pony returned her smile.  "Morning Glory," she repeated her.  "It's so nice to finally meet you."

 

She extended her hoof.  The pony next to her, she saw, had some kind of a piece of furniture on wheels for a cutie mark.  He produced a rolling flat of wood, which he pushed in her direction.  "And not a moment too soon, either," he chuckled.  "Because--"

 

The mare shot him a withering glance that silenced him immediately.  "Can I take your bags, Ms. Glory?" he finally managed.

 

She looked back at Glory, her smile undimmed.  "I trust you have had a good trip?"

[Morning Glory 177]

"I wouldn't mind carrying my own, it isn't a problem." She said politely. She didn't want to impose any more than she felt she already had. After all, she had yet to find out the purpose of this trip, she might be intruding. 

 

Morning nodded shyly at the mare's question as she shook her hoof. 

"The trip was lovely, very scenic. I was able to see parts of Equestria I'd never seen before. The ponies that I shared the cart with were quiet, so the ride was peaceful as well." 

 

"I hope I didn't keep you two waiting very long." She shyly brushed her hoof against the ground.

[Script Dangles 231]

"I wouldn't mind carrying my own, it isn't a problem." She said politely. She didn't want to impose any more than she felt she already had. After all, she had yet to find out the purpose of this trip, she might be intruding. 

 

"Oh," he said, perhaps a little surprise.  It didn't take him too long to shoot her a smile.  "Okay, Ms. Glory.  Whatever you like!"

 

Morning nodded shyly at the mare's question as she shook her hoof. 

"The trip was lovely, very scenic. I was able to see parts of Equestria I'd never seen before. The ponies that I shared the cart with were quiet, so the ride was peaceful as well." 

 

"That's good to hear," the mare replied.  "But where are my manners?  I'm Mayor Mare," she explained.  "This is Brisk Porter.  Brisk, if she doesn't need any help with her luggage, you can go now."

 

The stallion nodded.  "It was nice to meet you Ms. Glory."  He had a lopsided way of only smiling with half of his mouth that seemed kind of charming in an unkempt way.  "Welcome to Ponyville!" he said before pushing his wheeled flat along.

 

"I hope I didn't keep you two waiting very long." She shyly brushed her hoof against the ground.

 

She smiled broadly.  "Hardly!" she said.  "No, you're only a few minutes behind.  It's not a problem at all!  Especially seeing as how you're going to be the one to solve our, ah..." she paused, trying to find the right words.  "...big problem."  She sounded a bit nervous, the way she'd said it.

 

She waited to see how Morning Glory might respond to the comment.

 

She couldn't know that she had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

[Morning Glory 177]

"That's good to hear," the mare replied.  "But where are my manners?  I'm Mayor Mare," she explained.  "This is Brisk Porter.  Brisk, if she doesn't need any help with her luggage, you can go now."

 

The stallion nodded.  "It was nice to meet you Ms. Glory."  He had a lopsided way of only smiling with half of his mouth that seemed kind of charming in an unkempt way.  

 

"Yes, it a pleasure to meet you both." Morning gave a bright smile to the stallion as he took his leave. 

 

"Welcome to Ponyville!" he said before pushing his wheeled flat along.

 

"And thank you~" She tacked on. 

 

"I hope I didn't keep you two waiting very long." She shyly brushed her hoof against the ground.

 

She smiled broadly.  "Hardly!" she said.  "No, you're only a few minutes behind.  It's not a problem at all!  Especially seeing as how you're going to be the one to solve our, ah..." she paused, trying to find the right words.  "...big problem."  She sounded a bit nervous, the way she'd said it.

 

She waited to see how Morning Glory might respond to the comment.

 

She couldn't know that she had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

 

So this was it, she'd finally, hopefully, find out what her purpose was here.

 

"Well yes.. I'm hoping to be of service to you, however.." she paused. 

 

"Celestia hasn't informed me with what I'm suppose to be doing exactly.. I'm hoping maybe you could explain?"

[Script Dangles 231]

She waited to see how Morning Glory might respond to the comment.

 

She couldn't know that she had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.

 

So this was it, she'd finally, hopefully, find out what her purpose was here.

 

"Well yes.. I'm hoping to be of service to you, however.." she paused.

 

Mayor Mare seemed to get a bit of panic in her blue eyes at just that much.  "Yes?"

 

"Celestia hasn't informed me with what I'm suppose to be doing exactly.. I'm hoping maybe you could explain?"

 

She watched her blink.  Once.  Twice.

 

Yes.  She was panicking.

 

To her credit, the Mayor was doing a pretty good job of not betraying it.  "I see," she said, starting off of the platform, leading Glory with her.  In the distance, in the direction they were heading, she could see the vague outline of structures, the motions of ponies wandering backwards and forwards.  Ponyville proper awaited.  "As you know, we're very rapidly coming up on Hearts and Hooves Day.  Traditionally, we hold a large festival in town square where all the town's couples -- together and prospective -- get together to celebrate the magic of love.  We decorate the square with flowers and ribbons and the children pass out bouquets to all the mares.  It truly is a wonderful celebration -- one of the things we take great pride in, here."

 

"This year," she explained, "some of the members of our community's planning committee decided to change things up, slightly.  We're going to hold the festival at night, you see.  They felt it would be a nice touch, adding a bit of romance to the occasion.  We've even invited Princess Luna to attend.  But you see," she made a little face, "we're having a terrible time with our evening flowers.  Our beds of night orchids just will not cooperate, it seems.  They won't bloom when the moon rises.  They just sort of...sit there."

 

The Mayor sighed.  "Fortunately," she said, "Princess Twilight lives in Ponyville.  She agreed to ask Princess Celestia if she'd send one of her best gardeners to help us with our little dilemma.  You're who she sent," she smiled.  "So I have every bit of faith that you'll be able to help us make this the best Hearts and Hooves Day Ponyville has ever seen!"

 

The Mayor was grinning ear to ear as she said it.  Glory might have too...except she could only hear two words out of her sentence, as if echoing on and on and on....

 

Night orchids.

[Morning Glory 177]

The Mayor sighed.  "Fortunately," she said, "Princess Twilight lives in Ponyville.  She agreed to ask Princess Celestia if she'd send one of her best gardeners to help us with our little dilemma.  You're who she sent," she smiled.  "So I have every bit of faith that you'll be able to help us make this the best Hearts and Hooves Day Ponyville has ever seen!"

 

The Mayor was grinning ear to ear as she said it.  Glory might have too...except she could only hear two words out of her sentence, as if echoing on and on and on....

 

Night orchids.

 

Morning let out a sigh of relief as she levitated her luggage while they walked. Night orchids. This was something she could most definitely handle. And better yet- She'd be in Ponyville celebrating Hearts and Hooves Day. She had heard of it before, considered attending a few times, but never actually got around to it. This was her opportune moment. 

 

"You don't have to worry anymore, Miss. Mare. Your Night Orchids are in good hooves now, I'll be sure to have them beautiful and blooming like you've never seen them before." She said with the utmost confidence. 

 

She now knew why Princess Celestia had chosen her. This was her specialty- among all of the garden ponies, only she specialized in these types of flowers. She felt useful for once. 

 

Morning had a smile on her face as Ponyville came into view.

 

[Script Dangles 231]

Morning let out a sigh of relief as she levitated her luggage while they walked. Night orchids. This was something she could most definitely handle. And better yet- She'd be in Ponyville celebrating Hearts and Hooves Day. She had heard of it before, considered attending a few times, but never actually got around to it. This was her opportune moment.

 

As she walked alongside the Mayor, she remembered the stubborn Night Orchids in the Royal Garden.  Of all of the nocturnally-active plants in Equestria, they were easily the most temperamental.  Sometimes it seemed as if each flower had a personality of its own.  Many times, they could be accommodating and easily convinced to bloom as nature intended them to.  Others -- like the ones she'd left behind in Canterlot to Green Thumb's care -- would fight you tooth and hoof, content to sleep the entire day away like a lazy pegasus, drifting along on a cloud.  She could easily imagine why it was that the Mayor was having trouble with the flowers.

 

"You don't have to worry anymore, Miss. Mare. Your Night Orchids are in good hooves now, I'll be sure to have them beautiful and blooming like you've never seen them before." She said with the utmost confidence. 

 

She now knew why Princess Celestia had chosen her. This was her specialty- among all of the garden ponies, only she specialized in these types of flowers. She felt useful for once.

 

"Oh, that's wonderful to hear, my dear!" the Mayor replied.  She could almost hear the concern melt away from her voice as she said it.  "This event is so important to our community...and I have to admit, I'm been worrying my hooves to the quick.  It just wouldn't be a proper Hearts and Hooves Day without flowers everywhere!"

 

Morning had a smile on her face as Ponyville came into view.

 

The two mares passed the corner of the building, and it was almost as if Morning could feel her eyes widen at the sight in front of her.  Rising from the ground was a great circular structure, something like a gazebo, or a carousel.  It had three tiers to it, walkways circling each one, supported by timber beams.  It came to a slender peak, upon which a flag rippled in a gentle breeze.  It was old and elegant, beautiful in the way that historical buildings could be.  It seemed to tell the town's story just by its being, history laden in its smooth wood and dappled mortar.

 

The whole of the town seemed to be constructed all around the edifice in great vague circles.  Buildings rounded it like campers about a fire, each one different in its own individual way.  They had gorgeous thatched roofs with moss and patina growing upon them, their facades a uniformed off-white.  She saw a horseshoe shop next to what looked like a music store.  Next to that, she saw a candy shoppe with somebody selling apples out of a cart in front of it.  Everything was built with the exposed framework of timbers, giving the place a sense of an old world sensibility.  Across each of the streets lined by the buildings, pennants hung, dancing gently in the breeze.  Tapestries hung from tall poles at different points, each one portraying one of Equestria's princesses in a lovely, hand-drawn painting.  She thought she smelled caramel apples in the air.

 

The two of them were approaching a stone fountain, water jetting up from near its center, where the sculpture of a lovely armored mare reared back on her hind legs.  The proud pony frozen in granite, the water splashed down merrily all about her.  "Morning Glory," the Mayor said, nodding in the direction of the town, "this is Ponyville."

 

Morning Glory was not unaccustomed to opulence.  After all, she was born in Canterlot, of all places.  Yet the town seemed to have a particular, specific charm all unto itself.  She heard the laughter of foals and fillies at play, somewhere in the town square.

 

It was one of the most beautiful places she'd ever seen in her life.