Fandom MLP - Age of Exploration (Discord Chat Available)

[Dreamweaver]

Cyan Hide
It was a fairly calm spring day in Equestria. No crazy threats from ancient beings, no wars happening, no Trixie dying... nothing! It had been about a week since Trixie had been cured of her disease and now she was just beginning to get back into the swing of things. Her magic had more-or-less returned to normal and while still physically weak and a little pale, she was able to at least move around. Healing magic everyday helped.

Trixie was just in the middle of baking some cookies when a knock came from the door! She walked over to answer the door and immediately stopped and stared. Then she turned back inside and yelled, "Starlight! The purple magic pony is here! Not the Twilight one!" and then just wandered away. Aurora just rubbed her eyes tiredly. There was a time when she would have punished a unicorn for that level of disrespect but she didn't really care anymore. "... Glad to see you're doing better, Trixie. Remind me not to save you next time." Aurora said with a roll of her eyes.

 

[Cyan Hide]

Dreamweaver

Starlight teleported into the gap that Trixie had left by wandering off. Her mane was a mess and there was still a toothbrush in her mouth, which she took out, before swallowing. "Hi! Princess Aurora! I am so sorry! I had no idea you were coming! Please, come in!" She stepped to the side as she magiced her toothbrush away and replaced it with a comb, which she used to comb her hair as she was talking to the Princess of Magic.

"So, how can we help you? Did you just pop by to check on Trixie?"

 

[Dreamweaver]

Cyan Hide
"Do I need to check on Trixie when she has you looking after her?" Aurora asked with a little arched eyebrow and a smile. "Trixie will be just fine, I sense nothing wrong with her. No... I'm actually here to speak with you. Would you mind taking a walk with me? Once you're ready to go of course." Aurora said with a small grin as Starlight brushed her hair.

"I can wait here while you get ready, assuming you don't have plans today!"

 

[Cyan Hide]

Dreamweaver

Starlight teleported the comb away once she was finished, and chuckled. "Plans? Pssssh, Nah. Do I look like a pony who had plans today? But I am ready to go. Just let me go tell Trix."

Starlight walked into the kitchen where Trixie was making cookies. "Wow, they smell great! Anyway, Princess Aurora has asked me to go on a walk with her. I'm not sure why but it must be important. Please save some of those cookies for when I get back." Pecking her wife on the cheek and giving her a hug and a squeeze from behind, Starlight returned to Aurora. "I'm all ready, unless we need saddlebags or anything."

 

[Dumbledoof]

Dreamweaver
It was a calm afternoon, bordering on settling into the beginning of the night as the day rolled by. Ponies were either beginning to pack up from their various jobs, or heading out to their jobs now for the night shift. Which is actually a thing in Equestria... because it's definitely not a safe world at night. Crooks like to steal things during the night, sneak into places they're not meant to be. Somepony has to protect life and property!

During this more quiet afternoon, there was a certain star-flecked rabbit bouncing around... and running into practically everything. Case in point when she hopped straight into a tree.

"Ow! Ugh, who put these trees everywhere!?" She practically screamed, lurching backwards from where she faceplanted into the bark, holding her nose with a paw and glaring. Particularly glaring at that tree. These stupid things were everywhere! Don't ponies have any sense of courtesy towards the blind to not plant them!?

Of course, that's just frustration and the newly acquired pain in her nose talking. Grumbling under her breath, she pointedly went around, holding out a paw to touch the bark so she didn't trip over it. No, instead she tripped over a bloody rock and landed on her chin with a loud, long suffering sigh. She hated cities. She really, really did.

Deciding to just call it quits, she managed to prop her back against the tree and folded her arms, ears laying low in annoyance.

 

[Dreamweaver]

Cyan Hide
Trixie looked over at Starlight with a little frown, and then shook her head. "... What, no! You didn't even help with the cookies. They are for me and the kids." followed by a whole lot of grumbling and mumbling. She would save Starlight some cookies, though... she always did. Even if she said she wouldn't.

"You won't need saddlebags, we aren't going on a field trip." Once they were outside, Aurora closed the door behind them and just started wandering. She figured going around Ponyville lake would be long enough for them to discuss this. Once they were a good distance from the house she spoke up, "... So, I came to see one of your magic shows. Interesting stuff! Do you enjoy doing that kind of stage performance?"

Dumbledoof
Luna was watching all of this with an equal amount of humour and disappointment. It was hilarious to see one of her creations failing so amazingly, but it also kind of hurt to know she had made such a... flawed creature. She kind of figured after hundreds of years, Solustris would get used to not having eyes! But, uh... apparently not. She was still tripping over everything in her vicinity.

Once the rabbit had settle down against the tree, Luna finally made herself known! Solustris would notice a very familiar coolness surrounding her as Luna coalesced beside her, the shadows beginning to take shape to form the night goddess. She stared down at Solustris and absently prodded the bunny with her hoof.

"... I should have given you eyes. You haven't learned to sense your surroundings through magic yet?" She said with a little frown. To be truthful, she just kind of forgot to give Solustris eyes. By the time she got around to making the rabbit, who was the last Constellation Creature to be created, she was sort of worn out and not trying very hard.

 

[Dumbledoof]

Dreamweaver
She had only managed to really use one of her senses; feeling disturbances in the air. They could be incredibly small and she'd still be able to pinpoint exactly where it had happened through the fine tactile hairs on her body. There was a huge amount of them, too, making her especially sensitive to movement. Inanimate objects were, uh... much more difficult to detect.

Solustris was quick to react to the presence of Princess Luna. She scrambled up to her paws almost immediately, blind eyes widening, and immediately stooping into a deep bow. "M-Mother Moon! It's an honor to have you here w-with me!" There was a bit of nervousness in her eyes. Oh no, did they overhear her bitching about not having vision!?

Damage control time! "I-I'm fine without my eyes! And, um, no... no, not... really." She glanced up at them, her eyes... just barely missing the mark, looking somewhere off to the left of Luna's face. "I'm... you can sense your surroundings with magic?"

 

[Cyan Hide]

Dreamweaver


Starlight followed Aurora, still very curious about what the Princess of Magic could want to talk to her and her alone about. They walked in silence for at least a full minute before Aurora finally spoke, asking her about the magic shows. That was a...strange topic to bring up.

"First of all, I'm flattered and I hope you enjoyed it! Secondly, yes. I do enjoy it. It's hard work, the prep is stressful and I always get very nervous but once it starts going, I hit my stride, and it is just so gratifying to see all those people you're making happy with your magic. Real happiness. Real smiles. Plus it's Trixie's dream and I like being there to support her every step of the way."

 

[Dreamweaver]

Dumbledoof
Luna wasn't expecting that level of respect, but she appreciated it. She nudged Solustris gently with her hoof to get the little bunny to stop bowing, and chuckled gently at her reaction. "I appreciate the bow but it is unnecessary. And are you really fine without your eyes?"

Luna sat down on the ground and absently lifted Solustris up, letting the bunny sit on her legs instead of the ground. "Of course you can sense your surroundings with magic, Solustris. Certain types of magic make it easier of course. Some blind earth ponies can feel their way around with vibrations from the planet, for example."

Cyan Hide
Aurora had been pretty much expecting that answer. Of course Starlight was happy with it, otherwise she probably wouldn't be doing it. Although Aurora had to wonder if Starlight really enjoyed it, or if she just enjoyed seeing Trixie enjoy it.

"I see. Well it's nice to see powerful Weavers like yourselves doing something with magic that is lighthearted and entertaining. But... I didn't come here to discuss magic tricks, I came here to discuss real magic." Aurora paused for a moment and looked over at Starlight, "I am going to be opening a school, above Canterlot. I am thinking the 'Academy of the Arcane Arts' or something like that for a name. My idea is to take the most promising students from Celestia's... school... and allow them entrance. Maybe 20 students a year at most. And I would like yourself and Trixie to head the Arcane department!"

"... That's why I came to you first. I don't know if Trixie would want to do that."

 

[Cyan Hide]

Dreamweaver


When Aurora said 'real magic', Starlight's curiosity was piqued, but alarm bells were going off in her head. She continued to listen to the rest of the offer, and then stopped dead in her tracks. Her ears were down and she looked hesitant, deep in thought, and slightly sad. "That sounds wonderful. I love that idea so much, and I'd love to be a part of it. Actually, it's possibly my dream job. I've always wanted to be a teacher. I would be so honored to take this job. But I'm not sure if Trixie would give up the shows for it. I could talk to her but....I wouldn't want it to come between us, and I don't know how I feel yet about us working apart. I....I want this job so much....What should I do?"

 

[Dumbledoof]

Dreamweaver
Of course Solustris would show deep respect to Luna! They were her mother, and even if they didn't give her working eyes, that still demanded respect! They had given her life, pretty much. She was even immortalized up in the stars via her constellation. One of the last that Luna had done.

An adorable squeak came from the little rabbit when Luna lifted her up, setting them on their leg like a filly. She wasn't about to object to it! "I'm... alive, aren't I? So my eyes haven't been too bad... I just break my nose against rocks and stuff a lot. Nothing I can't handle!" She pat her chest like a tiny warrior! "So yes, I'm fine! You don't need to worry about me!"

The mention of vibrations made her think. "Well... I can feel vibrations when something is moving. Even if they're tiny. If you decided to talk some feet away softly, I'd know you're there from the movement in the air."

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide
Rarity had a cyan shawl around her waist and a tight-purple tank top dotted with a few sapphires on her chest as she set up an elaborate lounging chair on the side of the lake with Applejack. She looked up to her friend, eyes shared by a wide-brimmed black summer-hat with a cyan ribbon wrapped around it in an ornate bow.
"Ah, there we go, I've also set up YOUR chair for you darling~"
She casually motioned with her hoof as she fell back into her own seat. Nearby was another rather nice chair...albeit with an extremely unpleasant looking cat hogging it, staring down Applejack with it's cold, empty eyes.

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

Applejack looked up, having dug out a firepit and lined it with stones, as well as filled it with kindling, firewood and logs in preparation for when it got cold later She washed her hooves in the lake and dried them off on her own coat before returning to Rarity. "Thanks, Rarity. An' the fire's built too. That's all the hard work done for the moment. Now we can jes' relax."

Applejack approached her chair, held her hood out for Opalescance and when the varmint latched itself onto her foreleg, she moved away from the chair and placed it on the ground, before returning to her chair and sitting down. Her hoof was fine. Years of apple bucking had conditioned her hooves to be as tough as leather armor.

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide

Opalescence swore a blood-oath against all of Applejack's children in the language of cats and sulked over to find a nice warm rock. Rarity beamed to her friend, reaching over. Her hooves were soft and delicate as they ran over AJ's own.
"Thank you very much for that hard-work darling. You're making this quite a pleasant day! It has been far too long since it was simply the two of us spending time together. You simply MUST tell me how things have been!"

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

Applejack chuckled. "Well, 'more of the same' would be a cop-out but it's the truth. Without Granny, and with Applebloom off adventuring, Ah've had to double down on the farm. So that's basically been my life. It's actually so nice to finally get some time off to sit back an' enjoy some peace and quiet. What about you? Yer still running that boutique empire, right? An' how's Sweetie Belle?"

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide

"Tied in the basement making more dresses. Oh she's well, off pursuing her singing career. Though really Applejack this entire orchard all on your own? That's FAR too much for any pony to handle, even one as industrious as yourself! You really ought to see about making some foals of your own to put to work."
She mentioned completely casually. That's what farm ponies did she figured!...Mostly because that IS what old Earth Ponies used to do!

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

"Well, it's not just me. Big Mac's still helping too, and if the farm gets really busy, we call in some other Apple family members to help out. But, uh..." Applejack blushes. "Never really thought about datin' before. Never found the right stallion, I guess. At the very least, it'd get another pair of hooves at the farm, foals or no. But farming families, especially fruit farming families, don't tend to fraternize."

 

[Avedon]

Dreamweaver
"Have you considered somepony from outside fruit-farms? Such as...now I know you may think them beneath you: vegetable farming ponies?"
Rarity tapped her hooves together carefully, poking into a delicate age-old rivalry between different breeds of lowly dirt-horses.

 

[Cyan Hide]

Applejack leaned back and put her hoof to her chin. "They're not beneath us. That ain't it. It's just a very different style of farming. I may as well start thinking about gardeners or livestock farmers. Well, at least ah know they'd be able to work hard. That'd be the most important thing I'd look for. They'd need to keep up. Have you found a stallion yet? Any advice you could give me?"

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide
Rarity blushes and reached up to flick her hair a bit dismissively.
"Ah you may recall I have not had the greatest track-record of fleeting infatuations."
She lets out a dainty cough into her hoof that sounds something like "Bluemud"
"I have not yet but I DO have a great many deal of admirers!~....I assume. Secret ones."

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

Applejack grins and tuts as she looks over, chuckling. "Why, that was almost 15 years ago, Rarity! Looks like ah'm not the one who's been a bit too busy for the singles scene. What'dya say? When we git back to Ponyville, we should both start looking. Maybe even set up a double-date."

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide
Rarity tips her hat down slightly to try and hide her burning cheeks but soon lifts it and nods with a flash of confidence!
"Very well! Who shall find the eligible bachelors for us then?"

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

Applejack grinned seeing Rarity so flustered and bashful. It was very unusual for her, and was cute to see her so vulnerable. But of course she pulled the strength to get her confidence back. Applejack wouldn't admit it but when it came to mental strength, there was no pony she knew stronger than Rarity. However, the challenge of finding 'eligible bachelors', whatever the hay those long words meant, wasn't exactly Applejack's area of expertise. Twilight, Dash, Fluttershy and Starlight were all in relationships, but same-sex relationships. They might not be the best experts on finding some single colts. That's when Applejack had an interesting idea.

"We both know each other well enough after all this time. How about this? You find me a match, and I find you a match. We go on a date, and see if it works."

 

[Avedon]

Cyan Hide
Rarity mulled that over, becoming intrigued by the challenge. She certainly had her own personal tastes and they were very different from Applejack's. While she COULD simply get any block-headed stallion that would at least be palatable to her earth-pony friend, she wouldn't settle for that. She would have to find someone who could at least impress Rarity herself as well! Her friend deserved no less!
"Ah I think I can find just the perfect stallion for you. Someone suited for your ah, rigorous life-style I suppose? If nothing else I am certain I can at least find someone you can have a single pleasant dinner with!

 

[Cyan Hide]

Avedon

"Mhmm. And I am sure ah could find you a stallion from Middle Canterlot, or Manehattan. Somepony who's fancy without being pompous or rude. A Gentlecolt, in other words. Jes' leave it to me."