private A Cultural Exchange 1x1 with Drago Ryder

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

OOC Thread

@@Drago Ryder

Siren Song was used to receiving many letters in every mail run, being part of one of the most popular acapela groups in Equis had its perks. Though today she found herself on a break. The next tour wouldn't start for a while yet, and the group had just finished a recent tour up in Northern Equestria to end a long season of tours. Collectively the group had decided to take a break for a season, let each go their ways for a bit, stretch their metaphorical, and literal in some cases, wings and rest up for the next one. Thus when she found the flyer for the cultural exchange she discovered exactly what she could spend her break time on. And when the response to her application came so swiftly after she had sent it, it was sure in her mind that it was the perfect thing to do.

She quickly set to work writing a letter of introduction as her acceptance said, to find out about one Maia, a griffon.

Good evening Miss Maia

My name is Siren Song and I was selected to be your pairing in the cultural exchange. To tell you a bit about myself, I am a 21 year old unicorn from, and currently residing in, Deltrot of Troy. I have an amber coat with a short silver mane and tail. My mark is a silver sharp eighth note, representing my talent in singing the especially high notes in my group. I don't know if you've heard of them, but I am one of the singers of HexComb. While they're decently known in Equestria, I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't as well known among griffons. Speaking of which, I can't say I've had the pleasure of meeting too many griffons in my travels, and I would be thrilled to make your acquaintance. I look forward to hearing about you and your home town, and I can't wait to show you around my own home. It's not biggest or most famous place on Equis, but there's no place I'd rather be!

-Siren Song

With the letter taken care of she ensured that it would go out on the next mail run to Equestria. She then 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 Siren Song, a 21 year old Unicorn in the nation of Troy. It instructs you to watch for a letter from her and to respond in kind when it arrives. You receive Siren's letter the very next day.)(Questions can be asked in quotations or in the OOC thread)

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

While Maia may have spent the better part of the last few years travelling around Equestria, she would not complain about the fact that she had finally managed to keep herself rooted in the city of  Vanhoover. If anything, it helped her spend more time on her music and actually make friends that saw her for more than just a meal ticket. Having said that, she was rather curious about a cultural exhance program being advertised and applied almost immediately. The speed of the response took her by surprise, but she quickly brushed it off in order to write her own letter.

Good Evening Miss Song,

After reading over your letter, I am glad that I was paired up with someone like you. If anything, we do share some similar interests. Either way, I am twenty years of age and, as you already know, a gryphon. As far as appearances go, I suppose you could say that I stand out in most instances. My fur is a light brown with a chesnut coloration on my ventral side. Along with this, the fur on the midsection of my wings and ends of my ears have a light blonde tinge due to an accident that occured when I was younger. The tip of my tail is also white, but that is from genetics. As for my occupation, I am a musician, though I am just starting to get off the ground. Your home sounds lovely, and I look forward to meeting you soon.

-Maia

With the message taken care of, the gryphon had it sent out as soon as possible and could barely contain her excitement. She had actually heard a bit of music by HexComb, but she figured that it would be best to not mention such a thing until she had met Siren Song. She probably had a few rabid fans, and the last thing Maia wanted was to make the singer uncomfortable. 

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Drago Ryder

(I based HexComb on Pentatonix, so if you want to reference a song by HexComb, you can just reference Pentatonix. The only real difference is that HexComb has six singers.)

Siren didn't know why she was so excited to be receiving a letter for once. Honestly it was a new experience for her, or rather an experience that had staled long ago that she had finally rediscovered.

Soon enough her patience was rewarded as her cousin, a mail-carrier, brought the mail right on schedule.

She had him wait just a bit as she quickly read the letter, then quicker wrote a response, in order to get the same carrier to deliver it.

Evening Miss Maia,

To put it simply you sound like a wonderful (The letter is marked over a few times, clearly confused at the proper pronoun) griphon. I haven't heard of many griffon musicians, those around here are more typically in the military or sculptors than our kind of artist, but I'm sure we'll get along quite nicely.

To ask you a few questions, do you mind that I call you Miss Maia? Or would you prefer that I call you something else? For instance, and I know you do it to be formal and polite, but I would prefer if you called me Siren rather than Song, we're supposed to be friends after all.

Anyway, I suppose I ought to tell you a bit about my home so you know a bit about what to expect when you come over here, Deltrot is a walled city built around an oasis in the San Palomino desert, it is very arid outside the walls, but inside the weather team and the oasis itself help maintain a livable and comfortable climate, though it still gets pretty warm during the day, which is why pretty much all the citizens of Deltrot, and Troy as a whole, live the nocturnal lifestyle, to take advantage of the cooler night temperatures to be out and about.

So another question about you, where are you living? And what's it like? While I've traveled to a fair number of places in the music group, I've never really had the opportunity to be much of a tourist before, and I'm really excited to see another city without being the center of attention.

I look forward to your response!

~Siren Song

She sheepishly apologized to her cousin the mail-carrier before passing him the letter she so hastily wrote, then returned to reorganizing her house. If she was going to be hosting a guest, she needed her house to be ready for an extra living space.

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

It didn’t take long for Maia to look over the new letter and thought for a moment as to what the best response might be. She didn’t exactly want to sound too formal, considering the nature of the program she had signed up for. Grabbing a quill, she quickly wrote her own letter. 

Good Evening Siren

Thank you for the compliment. To be perfectly honest, I don’t think there are many musicians of my kind, period. Either way, you can just call me Maia. The addition of the prefix just makes it sound a lot more formal than what I’m used to. I’ll be sure to take your own preferances into account as well.

As for your home, it sounds wonderful. If all of this turns out well, which it seems to be, then I can’t wait to visit. As for my own home, I live in the city of Vanhoover, even if it is on the outskirts. The city itself is rather large, yet still somehow maintains the feel of a small town. It also has a rather deep history in terms of music, among other aspects of the local culture. It may be a bit colder than what you’re used to, but I doubt that would be a problem. There are a few places that I’m sure you’d like, but it would be best if we talk about those later. After all, I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun, now would I?”

-Maia

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Drago Ryder

This time when the mailcarrier dropped off the mail to Siren, he simply placed the letters in a neat bundle by her door, knocked, and sped to the next house.

Siren was surprised to see this stunt pulled, raising an eyebrow at said cousin of hers, but she didn't hold it against him, she had kept him waiting a bit the last time.

Evening Maia,

Duly noted as well, given you are so respectful my way I'm happy to return the favor. I think I may have been to Vanhoover once before, but that would have been as part of a tour, can't say I've been there as a tourist, or really seen anything except one of the music halls, so I am thrilled to have the chance to really get to know what you've described as a wonderful music town. Thank you though for warning me about the cold, as Deltrot is in the desert, it will be quite the shift for me to come over there, I'll prepare some warm clothing for my stay.

I supose the big question is whether I go over there first, or you come over here? I'd prefer the latter, if we time it just right I could be performing on the very last day of the exchange, first concert of the tour is here in Deltrot anyway.

But if you want to come here before going to your side then I'm sure we can make some arrangements.

In either case I look forward to getting to know you even more!

~Siren Song

[Drago Ryder 639]

After Maia looked over the letter, she immediately knew what her response would be. After all, her schedule was free as far as she was aware, so it was obvious what would be best for the both of them. That, and it would take time to prepare herself to deal with the heat of the desert. After reading what might very well be the last letter she would use at this point in time, she quickly mailed it off.

Evening Siren

Considering the size of the city, I am not surprised that you have visited it in the past. With that in mind, it would probably be more convenient for the both of us if you were to come here first. I’ll be sure to have a room ready for your timely arrival, and I do not believe that there is much else that you will need in order to prepare. I look forward to seeing you soon.

- Maia

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Drago Ryder

Siren Song was thrilled that it had managed to get this far. Her cousin had commented that he had tried one of these things before, but that it never moved past the letter phase, but now it looked like she was going to get to actually meet this griphon, and for once she might not get swarmed by fans to actually see the world as a tourist.

She packed her bags with all she thought she would need, a stylish, yet practical and warm, jacket that a friend of her cousin had recommended, and a nice scarf, because who could go without a scarf?

She was all ready to go when she had a moment of hesitation, what if it all went wrong? She knew more than anyone what could go wrong, and she didn't know exactly how far the griffon could be trusted, sure she seemed nice enough on paper, but she also knew far too well how quickly things could change.

She let out a sigh, really it wasn't anything to worry about right?

She decided to send out one last letter, it should arrive the day before she makes it all the way to Vanhoover, especially by Equestrian train.

Tickets bought, itinerary set, she sent out one last letter

Evening Maia,

By the time you get this letter I will be on my way to Vanhoover, I should be arriving at about noon the day after you get this letter, so Tuesday just in case it arrives early, or late. Don't worry, I won't hold it against you if I wait a bit at the train station.

I am so excited to meet you in person, and to see all the wonderful things you have planned for me!

~Siren Song

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

 

Maia felt a small smile spread across her beak, pleased that things were going as well as they were. “Now that I think about it, I should probably take her to some of the lesser known locations to avoid tourists. The last thing I want is for her to get mobbed.” With that thought in mind, the gryphon remembered that it had been some time since she had cleaned her home, and immediately set about to do so. Knowing her, she would probably get to the train station an hour prior to her new friend’s arrival, so that wasn’t exactly something that she needed to worry about.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@

Siren was excited, on the inside of course, on the outside she kept the cool, intriguing demeanor that had defined her in the group. Much like her namesake from the tales of old fisherponies, she attracted the gaze of most in the cabin of the train car, even with her traveling coat trying to hide her.

She was though blessed by the fact that none dared approach her personally, though more than enough notes had been passed to her via the trains attendants, more than half of them from the passengers themselves.

It wasn't long though before she arrived exactly 45 minutes later than expected, at Vanhoover's train station, she set about, amongst the gasps and whispers of those on the platform wondering if they had correctly identified her, to find her chestnut feathered exchange companion. Inwardly giddy from excitement, outwardly a chilled disinterest to any and all who did not match the description she was looking for. She hoped she could either find her, or be found by her quickly, as the crowd was definitely not going to disperse itself.

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

(Sorry for the delay. Life is being a pain right now.)

Maia sighed as she traversed the rather crowded train station. She had only gotten there minutes prior thanks to her alarm not working, though sleepig in had certainly helped to relieve some stress. Thankfully, it seemed that her guest had yet to arrive, so that was something to be thankful for. After a bit of looking, however, she noticed a unicorn that seemed to match the description Siren Song gave her. Slowly approaching, she figured ti would be best to at least ask. “Hello. You wouldn’t happen to be Siren Song, would you?” A gentle smile then played across her beak, ignoring the crowd around them.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Drago Ryder

(Don't worry, I understand.)

Siren looked up at the griffon that had addressed her, and quickly noticed that she may in fact be the one she had been looking for. Outwardly she maintained her neutral expression, but even that couldn't prevent Maia from noticing just a hint of relief on the unicorn's face.

She nodded, "Indeed, 'tis I" Her voice was soft and melodious, a very even tone but with perfect inflection. Clearly she was a master of her voice. "I do suppose you are Maia correct? If it is no both to you... shall we make our way onward? I'd like to be out of the public eye as soon as I possibly can."

Maia could see that a number of ponies at the station were now taking interest in them.

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

Maia gave a light nod as she noticed the attention being aimed at them. “That would be for the best.” She was honestly glad that she was able to find the pony she would be spending time with during her stay in the cultual exhange program. The gryphon then began to move towards the door, being careful to not stir the forming mob any more than it already was. 

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@@Drago Ryder

As they passed through the door to the outside world Siren gave a light sigh, barely audible to Maia, as her expression softened a substantial amount. "Between you and me," she whispered, "as much as I typically enjoy being in a crowd that knows me, I much prefer it when I'm not alone. To have all those eyes directed only at me?" she shuddered "That's why I don't sing the solos."

She gave a light chuckle as a genuine smile came to her face, her voice reaching normal volume, "It's good to finally meet you in the... well feathers I suppose? I hope I didn't keep you waiting long." Her voice was a bit different than the one in the train station, much more relaxed, cheerful. Without looking the voice would have sounded like a completely different pony from the one she just met.

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

Maia nodded in understanding and couldn’t help but smile as well. “I know what you mean. Stage fright is the bane of any performer.” Of course, that waa assuming that her behavior stemmed from such a thing. If that were the case, it was relatively easy to mitigate with enough practice. Either way,  now was not the time for such things, as the singer’s visit was of a different nature.

 

While she was a bit caught off guard by the change in Siren’s voice, the gryphon quickly recovered. ”It’s good to meet you as well.Thankfully, the wait was more than worth it.” In all honesty, Maia would probably do anything for a friend, within reason of course. “ Either way, I figured it would be best for you to get settled first before we do anything too outlandish, Was there anything specific you wanted to do here?” Vanhoover was a rather large coty, and there was bound to be things that she missed when she tried to come up with activities for them to do. At this point, she was just winging everything, pun not intended.

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

Siren nodded as they continued, "Yes, I'd rather not be carrying these bags all day."

She looked pensive in response to her question, "Well, the only time I've been in this city I really only saw my hotel room, and the concert hall. Really I never got to know much about what this city really has to offer outside of that..."

She turned to her host with a smile, "I suppose that's what my life gets me, a quick glimpse of everything without really any time to enjoy any of it. Like an endless buffet where you only have time to sniff each dish as it wizzes by." Her point emphasized by the motion of her hoof.

She stared into the middle distance and sighed before regaining her focus and turning back to her host, "Sorry, I guess I'm happy with whatever you think would be interesting or fun. Though I suppose the purpose of the exchange is to really learn about each other no? In that case, were you born here in Vanhoover?" While the question may have seemed like smalltalk, she seemed genuinely interested in the response.

[Drago Ryder 639]

Maia nodded in understaning, only able to imagine the daily life Siren might lead. In all honesty, she doubted that she could keep up with such a thing. When she was asked about her place of birth, however, she couldn’t help but let a light giggle escape her lips. “No, though it certainly has come to feel like home. I actually moved here from Griffonstone a few years back, though that was more out of curiosity than anything else.” She might have already asked this, but it would do well to get some additional information. “Were you born in Deltrot?”

 

(Sorry for the delay. Just got done with exams.)

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

Siren looked unsure how to respond, "Well, thereabouts. I was actually born in a desert cavern a few miles outside of Detrot. It's apparently 'tradition' in my family to have offspring in caves."

She smiled sheepishly as she looked back at Maia, "I guess that's hardly what you were expecting was it? But in the interest of conversation, why'd you move out of Griffonstone? I've been to a few of the griffon kingdoms and they all seemed like great places to live."

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

 

(Sorry for the delay. The holdiays were a bit much this year for me.)

Maia tilted her head slightly in curiosity, though she didn’t say anything else about the topic of Siren’s birth. It was odd, but also understandable that differnt cultures would practice such an event differently. It wasn’t until the topic of her old home that she was brought out of her thoughts. “They were rather nice, but I suppose you could say that I was a but curious about the world. I visit a few times due to family and friends, so it’s not like I hated it there.” 

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

(No worries, they were a bit chaotic on my end too)

Siren nodded in acceptance, "Sounds reasonable enough, glad to hear you didn't leave on poor terms." She looked up and around at the city they were walking through, "So... where else have you gone? Or did you start your world tour here in Vanhoover?"

To be honest, she was rather enjoying the casual conversation, it was a nice change of pace from the scripted interviews and the rushed talking of the stage staff and fans.

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

Maia paused slightly before giving a light chuckle. “I haven’t actually gone on any tours as of late. I just perform around the city, if anything.” She didn’t really see any point in lying about her non-success in music, though she was happy with what she had. “Granted, I have been to a few other towns, but I’m not exactly that famous.”

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

(I was beginning to worry)

Siren looked confused, then seemed to realize something and smiled, chuckling melodically. "Sorry, I meant world tour more to mean a tour of the world, not like a concert tour. HexComb's not even popular enough to pull off a world tour, especially not in Cervidas." She mentioned the continent across Eternity's sea from Equestria with a bit of... frustration? Disappointment? something in between.

She shook her head to clear out whatever was occupying her mind about it, "Anyway, other towns you say? I would guess you like this one the best of them all?"

[Drago Ryder 639]

@Illiad Easle

 

(Sorry, Life is being a pain, but I’ll try to be more active.)

 

If Maia had noticed Siren’s change in emotion when she spoke of Cervidas, it was not brought up, It was none of her business anyway, though her inital words did send a light blush across her cheeks, The gryphon then gave a light nod. “Yeah, that makes more sense now that I think about it. Either way, I suppose you could say that.” It was kind of in between that niche median between small town and bustling metropolis, something that she was quite comfortable with. “Where was the most interesting place you’ve been?”

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

(I was starting to think you'd never return! Don't worry, I've been busy too.)

Siren seemed impressed by the question, and immediately grew a ponderous look. "That is a good question. Interesting places..."

She shrugged before responding, "Well, over all I'd say the most interesting place I've been was Archback Mountain, that's where the Global Council meets as well as being a center point for the Children of the Moon, the Free Zebras, and a bit of the Fastar Thestrals. In Troy I think DelPhi is the most interesting, it's a sort of magical hub, especially for nature magics. In Equestria, well, I really liked Manehatten," She looked over at Maia, "But I'm sure at the end of this trip Vanhoover will beat it out by far!"

[Drago Ryder 639]

Maia was honestly a bit surprised by the revelation of Siren’s experiance with the world, and felt a smile grace her beak. While she might not pester the singer for tales of her journeys, the fact that she had travelled much more than the gryphon still remained. “Well, I certainly hope it does. After all, that wouldn’t exactly make me a good host if it did.” 

[Illiad Easle 2,973]

@Drago Ryder

Siren simply nodded as she kept looking about the city. "Soo..." She looked back over at her host, "I'd hate to play the part of the foal in the back of the carriage but..." she smiled a bit sheepishly, "Is your house much further? These bags are starting to get a bit heavy."