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The Dream of a Filly (RP)


Victoria Everglade

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@Astral Flame

Natural Order smiled back and waved the filly goodbye. "See ya in the morning then!" She stood in her doorstep for a bit to see where Astral was going, but when she lost the batpony from her sight, the mare became suddenly aware that she was, in fact, alone in the Everfree Forest. At night. And it was so eerily quiet all around. Her ears dropped as she closed the doors and put the bar on them, then closed the windows and took stock of her tiny mobile home. "I hope nothing nasty comes my way..." - she said to nopony in particular, and tried to catch some sleep.

She didn't hear Astral coming in the night, having the pillow over her head as she slept, with both the crossbow and the axe within reach. She herself was in the corner by the stove, the spot she always picked when feeling she's in dangerous territory.

The mare woke up slowly, the last remains of sleep slowly letting go of her mind. Suddeny, she lifted her head with a start, dropping the pillow on the wooden floor and looking around like she didn't know where she was. With a sigh, she remembered, and stood up as quietly as she could, then stretched her body to to ease the tension from sleeping all curled up in a corner. With no other way to look around, Natural decded to open the windows - one at the time, only slightly at first. It was past sunrise, the sun was already up and it seemed the coast was safe, so she unloched the door and carefully stepped outside.

"Astral? Are you there?" - she looked around but couldn't see her yet.

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@Raven Rawne

Astral was nearly asleep by morning, though she had done her best to stay awake. Her cute fluffy little ears flicker as she heard the voice of the mare she had promised to protect and she looks up from her resting spot and nods "Yeah I'm here miss Natural, and it would seem the tanning process is nearly complete too" she says with a soft smile and gets up. She then walks over to Natural and looks at her "I should be able to do the rest of the leather work inside the wagon, unless you want to use the sunlight to gather more herbs and such from the forest right now?"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The voice came from the side and as Natural looked that way, sure enough Astral showed up from that direction. The mare smiled reassuringly and replied.  "Well I should go and get my hat and basket for once, and I'm pretty sure some breakfast wouldn't hurt either. Need some help packing up? You look rather tired if I may say so..."

She looked around with a hoof raised,  looking for something,  then went to the nearby bushes. "Riiiight, that's the spot." Natural Order picked up the abandoned hat, dusted it off and put on her head. "That's more like it. Now there did I..." A short search resulted with her finding the basket and returning to the wagon with it.  She put it by the entrance and pouts slightly. "Hmm, not as much as I'd like,  but considering what happened yesterday, I'd rather leave empty hooved." The mare looked at Astral - "So, breakfast?"

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles and stretches a little "B-breakfast would be lovely, nothing too rich if you please" she says as she picks up her leather and stretches once more. Once she saw the mare in her hat in the light, she smiles "Y-you look r-really nice in your hat, and well in general, now that I see you in the light" she says blushing a little but kept her smile "So, after breakfast, do a little more foraging around the forest, then  head off?" she asks, then looks over to her as she entered the wagon "Also, if you need help with anyone back h-home, I-I can m-maybe try to...to ease things along"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural nodded and thought for a moment, but was interrupted by Astral's comment. She shook her head, smiling. "Everypony says it's ridiculous looking, but I like it. And besides, most of the time I'm the only pony around so they can stick their opinions... Ahem, I'll uhh, get to work." She headed back inside the wagon and soon enough, there werenoises of putting things aside and general fishing for stashed things.

She heard the filly ask from outside and paused for a moment, then replied back: "Not sure about the foraging, and I'll skip the fire part of breakfast too, so that we won't have any more guests coming, if you catch my meaning." She was about to reach for another jar with salad ingredients when Astral spoke up again. Natural stood for a moment, notsure how to reply, then turned around and walked out to pojke her head out of the wagon and look at her companion. She gave her a concerned look. "i don't know what you were thinking but, i'm not running away from anything, I like my lifestyle. The wagon is a bit crammed but thewhole Equestria is my home! I can't sit straight for a week in a tavern, not to mention for a whole life in one house? No siree, I need my space." She brghtened up talking about her life however, and cheerfully pointed a foreleg at the filly. "Set the table, I'll get the dishes. Be right back." When the mare was about to turn back inside the wagon, she stopped. "That was a joke, table takes too much space. I'll get things ready in a sec, although I am kinda out of fresh fruit. Just salad stuff, hay and some herbs I picked lately. Anything sounds okay?"

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@Raven Rawne

Astral giggles "O-oh no, I never meant for it to sound like I was saying you were running away, I j-just meant back at my h-home in Hollow Shades" she says softly before giggling once more "I d-do kind of like the idea of being a nomad trader l-like you, but my destiny is to be a Night guard, well m-my destiny and dream" she says as she finds somewhere to put her leather and nods "Skipping the fire is a good idea, though most of the larger predatory creatures only come out at night, it's still better safe than sorry" she says as she sits down and stretches. 

As Astral waited for her breakfast, she smiles "Some salad and hay is fine thank you" she says before taking out some leather and inspecting it to see if there were any defects, which thankfully there wasn't and she soon then begun to cut it up with her leatherworking tools.

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural nodded and went back inside. She put two bowls on a crate and reached for a few jars and containers with separate ingredients, and put some of their contents in each bowl. Once satisfied with the mix, she tucked away the foodstuffs and looked around for wooden spoons. "Where did I... right, one broke last week. So they're probably... yup." The mare reached on one of the topmost shelves and brought down a few tied up wooden utensils. Finally more or less finished in the "kitchen", she took one bowl in her teeth and the other balanced on fop of her foreleg like a waitress. Coming out was tricky with a salad bowl in her eyes but truth be told,  she knew where the steps were anyway.  Natural approached Astral and gave her one bowl,  then sat next to her and put the other on her lap.

"There's also water in the barrel if you're interested.  Enough for a few days anyway. Where did you learn to work with leather anyway? When I was your age my best skill was picking flowers and herbs for aunt. And only a few types that I knew."

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles as she flicks her ears "Well mama and papa had all these books around, and I learned to read early" she says with a smile and goes to get some water to drink "There really isn't that much to do back home, and so I learned leather-working as a trade to help mama and papa, you might not believe it, but then again, as you've been there, leather is almost a commodity back home" she says and drinks some of the water and begun to eat "This is actually quite good, thank you Natural" she says and looks around the wagon with a soft smile "Another thing though, If I have any excess leather from anything, feel free to sell it"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural Order cocked her head at the filly. "It's your hard won leather, why wouldn't you sell it and keep the bits? Surely there's something you'd like to buy for that. Or at least keep the money for future needs."

She was rather quick with her salad, apparently used to eating fast and hitting the road in the morning. That, and she skipped supper last evening. Already halfway done, Natural took another sweep of her surroundings before adressing Astral. "So, after we pack you up and leave the forest, wanna head straight to Canterlot or do we stop by someplace along the road? Normally I take two days to reach the capital from over here, mainly because I spend the night at the foot of the mountain to rest a bit before the way up. Pulling a wagon up that slope is rather tiring to be honest."

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles "Well I believe in equal share, I mean you are offering your home to me, and it would seem only fair to allow you to have an equal share, at least for now" she says with a smile "As for either getting to Canterlot, it is probably best for us to make a stop along the way, perhaps pick up some supplies along the way and such" she flickers her ears and begins to prepare a small area for her leatherworking.

About ten minutes in, she smiles "you wouldn't mind if I take a nap, would you?" she asks as she stretches a bit "No used trying to protect you if I'm beat, right?" she asks with a chuckle and lays down a little."I can also pull the wagon at some times if you'd like? I may not look it, but I am pretty strong"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The mint mare emptied her bowl and looed inside of it to make sure of it. With a slight pout at her unfortunate discovery, she refocused her attention to Astral, and nodded. "Could be done, but we'll have to get a spot in the inn anyway for as long as we stay, so no need to stock up." She then got up and gathered the plates to clean them up with some water before putting them back where they belong. She sometimes glanced at the wotking filly, still finding it hard to believe she can actually do all those things on her own.

Natural perked her ears at the inquiry. "Sure thing, you were up all night, makes sense you feel tired. You know where's the pillow, and the other things are in the corner next to the stove. Not the softest bedding but, I grew to like it that way, to be honest." As her companiongot ready for that nap, she tossed another offer, and Natural couldn't hel but raise a curious eyebrow. "The harness is a wee too big for you I'm afraid. Besides, Canterlot isn't that far away, I'll get us there, no worries."

She left the batpony to have her rest inside the illusive safety of the wagon. now it was her time to "take watch", and Natural picked a spot by the stairs to sit down. Her crossbow within hoof reach, axe on the other side - she reasoned that the foliage was too thick around the clearing for her to see any danger in time to take the shot. Still somehow she wasn't too concerned with her wherabouts in the moment. Instead, she took off her hat and took out a small pouch of tobacco that was strapped within, and then a pipe that found it's resting place between the hat's folded sides. The mare methodically loaded the pipe and then put the hat back on, with the pouch hidden inside, but didn't have matches on her to light it. With a slight grunt, Natural went back to the wagon, making sure not to wake up Astral. A quick sweep provided her with the necessary firestarter and she sat back in her spot, indulging her vice in slow puffs.

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@Raven Rawne

Astral stirred slightly in her sleep, but not due to Natural going through the wagon, but the scent of tobacco, as her father would enjoy a smoke on a pipe every now and then, and the scent reminded her of him. "Daddy" she whispers softly in her sleep and curls up, curling her tail around herself.

About three hours later, Astral yawned and stretches as she woke up "Mm that was the best sleep I've had in a while" she says sleepily and rubs her eyes with her forehooves and calls out "Miss Natural? Ma'am?" she calls out, trying to find the the mare who had taken her in "Miss Natural I am awake now and ready to set off if you are" she says, as she begins to sharpen the blades on her hoofblades.

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The mare enjoyed her smoke uninterrupted. it helped her set her mind at ease, consideing where she was. There was also the issue of going to Canterlot, so she had time to set some rudimentary plans, count her expenses, that sort of thing. As the tobacco urned entirely, Natural Order cleaned the pipe and put it back into the hat's fold. Astral haven't woken up yet, so she had to do something to pass the time, and quetly too.

After some back and forth, the mint mare decided to gather up some branches tfor thefire this evening - they will be out on the road, with no firewood nearby, and she didn't have much stocked up. Natural carefully picked up her axe and walked around the wagon to pick up whatever she could find.

She heard Astral calling out from the wagon some time later. She had a nice stack of more or less prepped branches for the fire, even if most were damp, so it was er cue to get back. "I'm here, just went to gather some firewood for the evening. Slept well?" Natural Order approached from the front of the wagon and set aside her axe and firewood, then looked up into the small patch of clear sky that was fisible in the clearing. "I guess that's as good time to go as any, yeah. Let's pack up and get this show on he road then, yes? I for once wouldn't mind leaving the Everfree, it's never a pleasant trip for me."

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles as she sees Natural walk back into the wagon "Best sleep I've had in a while, thank you, oh and you can smoke around me, my papa smoked a pipe every now and then, so it kind of reminds me of home, it helped me to sleep a bit too I think" she says, covering a cute little yawn with her forehoof. "So, where are we headed off to?" she asks, checking out her leatherworking tools to make sure that they were still in working condition, "Hmm I hope they have a tannery there, I need to repair my tools or get new ones" she says with a soft smile.

While she waited for a reply, she begun to make the measurements she needed for her hoofblade gloves and her armor. "Hmm I've got more than enough leather, and then maybe..." she looks up at the mare "I could even make you something if you'd like"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The mint mare took the opportunity to store her gathered firewood, simply by tying it up with one of the short ropes she had and putting it all deep in the wagon. Now they had some less free space in there but, she wasn't concerned.  Natural replied to the inquiry.  "Once we get clear of three forest proper, we can either go through Ponyville or aim straight for the road to Canterlot. I have enough supplied for this short trip, but if you need anything,  Ponyville will have it way cheaper.  Like those tools you mentioned, for example."

She walked outside and decided to put the bulky crossbow back on it's resting place at the front, but stopped to look at Astral's leather. "Hmm, seems sturdy. Who knew monsters could be a source of quality leather? Maybe they'll buy any scraps you'll end up with in Ponyville too. Or at least take them for a discount to fix your tools... So, I'm ready to go. Wanna get into the wagon and work inside or stash your stuff and walk with me?  Oh and I guess we should stop by your place?  To grab all that's useful or can be sold?"

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles and thinks for a moment "I suppose stopping off at Ponyville is a plausible thought, sell off the excess, get new tools and materials that I need," she says and then thinks "Plus. it might give me a chance to see if anypony there knew of my parents and if they did, if they could tell me what happened to them" she says as she puts her things away "And a nice walk with you would be well...nice" she says as she stretches and gets up "Ready?"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural simply nodded, and went to the back of the wagon to check everything one last time - whether the wondow shutters were closed, and everything was tied down inside. Finally, she closed the doors too and went back to put the harnes on. "Now I'm ready. Just give me a sec to turn around, figures best route will be the way I came in. Sure you don't want to take anything from the place you lived in?"

She took a deep breath, and started rocking the wagon back and forth, easing it from the grip of soft soil after being parked for the night. Soon, the petite mare was fine manouvering it to make a 180 degrees tur, even if it took like, twenty back and forths to do so. But it was clear she had ample practice, making the whole thing look like she was moving her tail, not a heavy, two axle wagon.

"Feels good to finally leave... I wouldn't even consider walking into the Forest if the bits weren't so good but, whatever. Let's get you to Canterlot, and we'll worry about the harder part of your plan later." She took a step forward and rocked the wagon a few times, then started walking for real, back where she came from, and then to Ponyville.

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@Raven Rawne

As Astral helped Natural get the wagon out of the dirt, she sighs with some relief "Too true there miss Natural, I'll be glad to leave this forsaken place and never return unless necessary" she says as she then puts on her hoof claws and armor, beginning to walk alongside Natural and smiles,s wishing her tail a little "So uhm..what is it like in Ponyville? A-are the ponies there nice and f-friendly? O-or are they like the stories I was told? Close minded and scared of anyone different?" she asks somewhat shyly, she was happy to leave the forest and to have a job protecting Natural, but she was however still a little frightened of other ponies that she didn't know, mainly due to the stories she was told back in Hollow Shades.

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The mare thought fir a moment about her reply, then looked at the filly with a reassuring smile. She seemed to be about to pat her head but apparently decided against it. "It can be a bit weird at times, and I guess I should warn you about Pinkie Pie - if she's in town, there no way we'll avoid her greeting you into Ponyville... but no worries,  she's just easily excitable,  from what I've heard. Other than that,  it's just another Equestrian town.  A bit on the sidelines of things, no major roads crossing it. I like staying there for a few days when I want to feel some civilisation every now and then." She directed the wagon to avoid bumping into some tangled roots that would be hard to traverse. "And honestly, I don't think they'll react in any special way towards you. With curiosity maybe, not many thestrals leave Hollow Shades, or other enclaves for that matter."

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@Raven Rawne

Astral smiles and nods "That is true indeed, but I suppose it is because of the stigma that most have towards my kind" she says softly, walking alongside Natural "Though it is nice to know that not all ponies hold that towards my kind anymore" she says and looks around, in all honesty, she wasn't that used to the sunlight, and tries to shield her eyes using her mane, but of course it was a little bit too short to do the job properly.

"So miss Natural, does being a traveling salesmare run in your family? Or is it more like..you're the black sheep of the family?" she asks with a giggle "And sorry if that was a little personal, but I feel if I'm going to be working for you, it would be best for us to get to know each other, wouldn't you say so?" she asks as she looks back towards the forest and sighs in relief.

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

The mint mare kept a watchful eye on her surroundings as they walked, her head slowly panning to the sides with practiced ease. They might have been clear of the Forest proper, but ponies said things sometimes crept out of it anyway. That, and there was no path to follow, just a grassy patch of unused land. No wonder nopony wanted to farm it.

She glanced at the filly and nodded at her inquiry. "I don't mind you asking, no worries." After a slight pause to gather her thoughts, Natural contined. "My parents work in a smeltery in Tall Tale. Mom's an office clerk and dad a forepony. Honest jobs, but I guess I'm not cut for a nine to five arrangement... So I looked for some other kind of job. One that wouldn't tie me down to a desk or make me toil for most of the day, every day. Aaaaand that's how I ended up like this. Doing whatever I want, whenever I want. Gather stuff for sale, do odd jobs, make use of the crossbow every now and then..."

She looked up at the sky, and it brightened her expresion somewhat. "Wouldn't want it any other way, but, yeah, sometimes it gets lonely on the trail. And mom frets every time I don't write at least once per month. She gave me the crossbow as a parting gift before I took off for the first time, you see. Ah, there's the road up ahead, Ponyville should be just on the other side of those hills."

They contined, undisturbed by nypony else, towards the dirt path leading through the fields that started to pop up just now.

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@Raven Rawne

Astral nodded to the mare's explanation "Honestly, I'm right there with you, having to either slave away for others or be stuck behind a desk sounds extremely boring and not very rewarding, but for me, it kind of runs in my family to be in the night Guard, and I suppose that my armor and hoofblades were my parting gifts from my parents before they disappeared, well that and the skills and talents I possess" she says as she too keep a wary eye of their surroundings, with a sigh she flicks her ears "Your parents sound very nice though, I'm sure that given the chance, they could probably become friends with mine" she says with an almost filly like giggle.

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural Order cocked an eyebrow. "Could be so, yes. I planned to visit home in a month or two, in fact. Guess you might have a chance to see for yourself."

She fell silent for a moment, appraetnly thinking about something as they finally set hoof on the dirt road they were headed to. Now it was just a matter of minutes before they clear the hills and see Ponyville proper. The mint mare finally spoke up, pouting slightly. "I did some math and, I guess I can afford to stay like, three days in Canterlot before I run too low on bits. We'll have to rent a room or park outside the city walls, you see. So I'd rather take the room in some cheap locale. And since Ponyville isn't exactly far from it, I can't think of anything I could ferry for sale. The herbs I have from the Forest won't amount to much, even if I find an Alchemist od Apothecary that will buy them. Wanted to dry them up and sell back home, you see... Anyideas on how to earn some bits while we try and net you that audiion with the Princess? Cause it might not exactly be an easy feat."

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@Raven Rawne

Astral thinks for a moment, "Well there's the left over leather we could sell that, plus some of the extra pieces of the manticore I decided to keep just in case, most normal ponies may not want those parts, but if there's anyone interested in potions or whatnot, maybe they could be useful to them" she says and smiles, sighing in relief to fully leave the forest behind "I could also maybe offer my services to ponies, like do oddjobs or what not, that should help us raise enough bits to keep us  going"

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@Goddess Sunset Shimmer

Natural Order bobbed her head side to side,  as if weighting her options. "Weeell the leather was supposed to buy you a discount on those tools..." She glanced at the filly. "Just exactly what parts did you keep then? I'm not very familiar with Canterlot, it's expensive to stay in and I never had good deals there, but I can ask the innkeeper or some other ponies I know if they have an idea who could shell some cash for those things."

She saw a few pony figures out in the Orchard further away. A peek onto the Sun confirmed it was... eight AM? Something like that.  Still early, but around the time ponies started work. "Seems we'll be one if the first customers today. There's a leatherworking workshop on the outskirts, I bought their leather bags and such a few times. I reckon that'll be our first stop."

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