open Friendship strikes in the Crystal Empire! (SOL/adv, open, drop-in/drop-out)

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

The cherry mare nodded respectfully to her angered companion. Been a while since she invited somepony new upstairs. As to the other mare...

 

"It's called The Guild of Masters of Crystal, but we just call it the Guild. Other trades disbanded their organisations, willingly or under external pressure, but my trade pretty much requires keeping it. Keeping the trade secret away from uninitiated is the main goal, but in these hard times, having a structured environment for all the shops in the city to come together and discuss matters is important if the Empire is to remain Crystal. Thankfully the Princess passed an Act on just that, so there won't be any Equestrian buildings in here anytime soon..." - The mare seemed nearly offended by a thought of seeing a house of brick and mortar under the shadow of the Palace.

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

"Hmm.... Interesting. This place does have alot of history and stuff, so I'll like living here. Better than an old small town in the middle of nowhere. Heh." she said to Crystal Clear and then looked at Ember closely and looked her over, spotting her cutie mark. "Interesting cutie mark, cool." she said calmly.  

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.

 

"Hmm...?" As she stopped eating again and swallowed this time. "My butt mark? Oh I'm a blacksmith, I run the Skyfallen in Canterlot. Though the embers will be very cold when I get back home. But... I am also a very powerful pyromancer, so that will be no issue." She seemed very proud of her skills and job.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal nodded out of politeness at the unicorn's remark, and mentaly braced for something nasty when she asked about the other unicorn's Cutie Mark so... bluntly.

 

She raised her eyebrows at the reply. It was actually interesting! "A Master of Metal? I thought real ones are extinct by now, replaced by those awful machines and whatnot. Good to know some ponies still know the value of honest work of a skilled individual. I thought the Empire is the last bastion of traditional trades.If you wouldn't mind, I'd gladly have a chat on our respective trades. Maybe I'll even learn something new, who knows."

 

The cherry mare had a pleasant smile on her features as she respectfully nodded to the blacksmith with her teacup before taking a sip.

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

The Mare seemed to like how proud she was, pride in work was always a good thing in her mind. "Now you may be wondering what mine is...." she points a hoof down to her cutie mark, it apppeared to be some sort of 8 pointed star, not the symbol of chaos but something different. "I don't really know what it means still...I think it has to do with something related with protection though." 

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.,  

 

"You'd be surprised how much work I still have these days, heck I do almost everything from smithing amour for nobles to making keys for doors, you name it I've built it when it comes to metal." She said in a rather happy tone. Looking to the other mare. "Well I hope you figure out what your make means, that sounds really sucky not knowing what it means." She then went back to eating.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal seemed to have caught a river of a topic, and cheered up instantly. "I know right? it's just so great when a client comes to you and asks for something totally different from the usual fair! Like, when the Palace ordered to build the Crystal Express, the whole Guild was suddenly hitting the books on the subject. It was so exciting, making something entirely new..." She leaned towards the blacksmith and said in a quieter tone: "I made the doors and windows, and we all put our Shop marks under the plow on the front."

 

The crystal mare leaned back in her seat, smiling. "I love my job."

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

The Mare smiled at Ember. "Thank you...." she said warmly. "I think we are all starting to be friends, we should do this everyday.' she said to both of them, now she was in a more of a happier mood, The Mare wanted to hug them both honestly, and she put her previous thoughts of Ember aside entirely. 

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.,  

 

"That is cool about the plow there Crystal, fancy having all the craftponies names on that thing, I would of blazed my name in the side of the engine like a signature I'd want everyone to know I made it. But that's just me and I don't build trains." She giggled. "Well you are more than welcome mare who has a silly name." Sticking her tongue out in a rather childish manner, but there was no malice behind her actions merely play.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.

 

The crystal pony observed as the mood of their gathering suddenly improved. Although the offer from "the Mare" was rather...

 

She looked down at her plates. Only tea was left, but Crystal got her fill for now. She adressed the blacksmith. "Normally that's what we would do, you know. But the order specified that the Royal Crest was the only allowed emblem on the train. But we couldn't just let it go without the makers stamp, it's a Guild law to sign ones work. So we kinda bent the rules..."

 

She looked up at a clock on a wall and said, thinking. "I kinda like the meet up idea, but I'm a bit of a workaholic so... maybe pick some later hour than today?  I guess we could crash at my place, but don't expect fancy quinine - I'm a terrible cook."

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

The Mare sighed at Ember's remark, she liked that Ember wasn't being harsh on her anymore though, and got a bit closer to her, she is starting to trust Ember, then she looked at Crystal Clear. "We should do that, sounds great. So you own a shop? I'm guessing you have Crystals for sale."  

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

"I'm up for what ever I mean I am on holiday I have no time schedul but 'have fun' written in my diary for the next 2 weeks So sure, and I don't mind cooking I mean I can eat just about anything so yeah you'll have not complaints from me if we end up eating." Ember just nodded to The Mare's comments but hurried to finish of the food she had been neglecting. 

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal shook her head at M's remark. "Not really, no. Crystals are raw materials from which I create finished products, like this table.  Speaking if which,  I need to make more shot glasses... I have only one."

 

She rest her elbows on  the table and thought about something,  staring at her tea.

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

The Mare nodded and she could see that Crystal Clear was thinking about something, but she didn't want to ask because it might seem like a weird thing to ask. "Do any of you know where a good hotel is or if there are houses for sale?" she asks, her mind now fixitating on her previous goal.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.

 

"Well I don't live here so I have no idea about the houses and such but I am staying at a rather nice hotel, it is a bit more on the pricey side of things, but I am staying in a more up market room so they may have something less expensive if money is a issue." Trying to help with at least short term living.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal shook her head off whatever she was thinking about and glanced at both her companions. She recalled the question as the blacksmith told M about the place she stays in. The crystal mare nodded, and chipped in.

 

"Northern Star is on the pricier end, yes, but if I recall correctly, they do have some three star rooms too. The whole hotel business exploded because of the Games, and with a steady flow of guests and visitors, they seem to be doing fine. I mean, mostly the higher end ones, since we seem to be becoming a sort of season attraction for the rich ponies who don't like winter. Or love winter, depends on the current season. Now you can meet the former." She looked up at M, trying to assess her budget but drawing a blank. "Now I don't know what price range we're looking at, so it would help of you told me what you're looking for in a hotel. And as far as houses go, you should check in the Palace. The new laws make it that the State controls the exchange of real state and farm land, to avoid waking up with a huge Manehattan-Style tower where a modest house once stood. The ponies put their sale offers there too, so it's all in one place. That's how I bought mine."

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@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Raven Rawne,

 

The Mare nodded. "Well I'm looking for a rather a rather cheap and small hotel or house. I am just one mare afterall. I think thats all i'd need for now. But I could live with one of you for the time being until we figure this out, is that alright with you?" she asks them both. She doesn't really need a large, or overpriced house or hotel room, thats a waste of money in her view.

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.

 

"Ur roommate...? Um I'm not sure hotels actually allow for that sort of thing without paying for your board, I mean I know how that works at home, I can't say if the Empire is the same." She was being honest and trying to hide the fact that she did not want a roommate at least not yet and not some mare she hardly knew.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy, @@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal listened to them both as she thought about a place that would meet the criteria. She concurred with the blacksmith. "Yeah, our hotel rules are the same as down South alright. I think I know a place you could rest your head until you find a house to buy. By the way, I can help you with renovating it. So there's a cheaper hotel by the Library,  nowadays usually used by scholars who want to study our ancient tomes. It's called "the Golden Scroll". You have a map so I can show you?"

 

Crystal sipped the last of her tea before it went cold. 

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@@Raven Rawne,@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

She frowned and then sighed. "Alright Ember." and she turned to Crystal Clear. "Indeed I do. I appreciate your willingness to renovate a place for me." she pulled a map out of her bag, it was a rather well kept map and handed it to Crystal Clear. "Whats it like there, is it nice?" she asks.

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Moon Dancer.,

 

She took the map into er hooves and folded the way she wouldsee only theSouth east quarter of the city, and pointed the spot. It already had a printed marker there, since the Legend offered info on most important landmarks anyway. "So here's the Great Library, and the "Golden Scroll" is the next building to the left, when you face the library from the street. If you don't mind self important scholary types, yeah, it should be fine for a short stay. Three Stars, but well kept from what I gathered when I paid a visit there."

She flipped the map to the North East quarter and pointed to another spot, this time at the outskirts. "Aaand this is my shop here, "Sapphire Rose". Let's just say that when you find an offer for a house to buy, it's better to have somepony who knows these things at hoof, unless you want to toss a coin and wish you won't buy a money sink."

 

Crystal Clear glanced at the clock on the wall. "Hmm, seems I should be going soon, got work to do today..." She adresed both mares. "So what do you think, wanna see my place tomorrow?"

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne, @@Moon Dancer.

 

"Well I was planning to see it today, but there is plenty of time for me to push that objective back a day, I do want to go poke fun at some guards at the place and see if they react, I heard they are not alllowed to move." She giggled at the thought. "I plan to get quite lude to get a responce from them."

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@@Raven Rawne,@@Mentis Soliloquy,

 

The Mare thanked Crystal Clear and took the map back and put it in her bag and then got up. "Well, I'll see your place tomorrow, I think I have places to check out. Take care, you 2. And be careful while doing that, Ember." she thought about hugging them, but she thought that would be weird. She threw her trash out, and departed the restaurant and headed outside, wandering aimlessly for a bit and then looking for properties for sale. 

[Raven Rawne 1,374]

@@Mentis Soliloquy,@@Moon Dancer.,

 

Crystal was a bit surprised at how quickly M packed up to leave, and managed to toss a quick "I'll be availible from three PM, I need to work earlier okay?". She then looked at the remaining mare with a sigh. "What a curious case, that one. Now I would advise against messing with the guards, buuut I thik I won't persuade you out of it. Just keep in mind they have those things called jails, and they're not fun places to be so don't go overboard, okay? Wouldn't want to wake up to a bored guard knocking at my doors asking me to buy you out..."(@@Pripyat Pony, ) She looked around for a waitress to pay the bill. "Huh, could've sworn she was somewhere around... You paid for yours? Think Ill look for her rather than wait, unless you don't feel like taking your gambit just yet."

[Mentis Soliloquy 3,024]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I'll just wait, I'm in not rush to do anything for the moment that includes paying for my food, the waitress will come say hi soon enough, I am gonna relax if I can help it at all times." She sat back in her seat with a content sign, she told herself when she first started this holiday to be as lazy as possible for two weeks.