[Ponyville] After School Plans [Closed - by invite only]

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze stood outside of the school, giving a soft sigh. The young earth filly with the green coat and the orange-and-purple mane wasn't a big fan of waiting, or of school, or of anything like that. And today had been the first day of school, going about as well as she could have expected - slowly, boringly. Just the same as back home, except that everyone had really strange accents. She was looking forward to going home and cooking up a whole bunch of fresh carrot dishes to bring in for show and tell tomorrow! In her mind, she went over the ingredients she needed, and tried to remember if they had enough. She was pretty sure they didn't need anything from the store - she usually stayed on top of that.

She glanced up at the sky, marking the movement of the sun. At least it was a nice, sunny day - warm, with everything seeming especially green. Her brother, Carrot Fields, was in the main square selling carrots today. Oh, why couldn't she have gone to sell carrots and pickled carrots and carrot curry and carrot pie and carrot bread and carrot cupcakes with him instead of having to sit there in school being bored all day? She let out a soft sigh. And he was very good at being late... she was tempted to go to the market square and join him there, with the hustle and bustle of ponies heading home for dinner and needing a few last-minute ingredients, but ... for all she knew, he'd gone off to mail a package or something, and they'd end up missing each other, and then he'd get all worried about her and blame her. She wasn't a little foal anymore!

She scraped her hoof along the ground and picked up a little stone, and started bouncing it off the tip of her hoof, counting how many times she could do it. Five times... twelve times... fifteen times... thirteen times... She impressed herself when she managed a really good streak that got her all the way up to forty-two times! But then the next one she screwed up after only eight times.

"Ach, come on, me brae!" she grumbled to herself. "When'll ye pop by already? Oi dinnae have all even!"

[Dubstep]

The School, Latin, Educateus Imprisonateus, or something like that, either way our megalomaniac master of mischief, Dark Core, was not a fan at all; yet still, every day after school was closed, he would slink his way from tree to tree and bush to bush to snatch a book or two to whisk them away back to his lair at the bog; it wasn't that he didn't like to know or learn things, just the fact that schools held bad memories for him due to the harsh teasing back in Stalliongrad.

Ever closer Dark Core skulked until reaching an open window, "Muwehehehehe, the foals NEVER close THIS window, it's almost as if they WANT me taking their books and supplies heh." he said with a smug grin as he started to climb in the window, "Like taking candy from a WAHAGH! OW!" the villain exclaimed as the window slammed shut around his midsection, "GAH AND BLAST! I'M STUCK!" he shouted as he tried to loosen it with magic, but it didn't budge, "Blast blast blast blast! I'm gonna be stuck here all bloody night..." Dark flailed around in the window, thinking MAYBE someone will come and help him; but with his reputation as a villain, it was doubtful.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze looked up at the sound of a clatter just around the corner. She would have discounted the noise, quiet as it was, except that it was immediately followed by angry muttering and yelling. She glanced around to make sure her brother wasn't there, and then stepped around the corner to investigate. It was easy enough to follow the frustrated cries, and she found a black rear-end with a red tail hanging out of a window, scrabbling at the wall, obviously stuck.

Purple Haze stared up for a moment, taking in the situation, his position, and trying not to giggle. "Oye!" she finally said, "Ye know, there is a door just round th' corner, roit?" She hopped up, resting her forehooves on the wall as she looked at how he was stuck with a cocked head, one hoof against the wall, the other curled in front of her chest. "Ye need a tug tae help ye get out, then?"

[Dubstep]

Dark struggled a little more as he heard a filly's voice ring out to him, "A door...A DOOR! What a novel idea, yes, and get caught by the various ponies I'm trying to avoid? No thanks....and yes, a little help would be very much appreciated." he stated to the filly as she smirked at his predicament, "Well? Don't just stand there snickering! Get me outta here!....Gah...sorry, I didn't mean to be snippy; please get me outta here? I'm getting light headed from the lack of blood flow heh." the villain said with an apologetic expression on his face as he fell limp; though in the angle he was in the window, he couldn't see the pony talking to him.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze looked up at the colt's situation, stuck there, her head tilted to the side. She got down, circled round him, and hopped up against the wall on the other side, one hoof curled before her, again, as she examined the situation. "Oi'm workin' on it, keep yer hooves on," she said patiently. "An' th' bullies are already all gone. Ye could always get sommat tae keep watch for ye, or leave th'same time as th' teacher! Dinnae have tae sneak out a window tae avoid folks, jes ken tae slip by at th' right time!" She nodded to herself, coming to a solution. "Besides, imagine if they came 'pun ye now, roit? Brace yerself, this moit hurt just a tetch!"

She reached her head up, grabbed hold of his tail near the base, jumped up, so she'd drop a few inches before yanking on his tail with all her weight, hauling him bodily from the window. She let out an *OOF* as she landed on the ground, and thus had no air left for another 'oof' as the bigger foal landed atop her and knocked the rest of her air out.

[Dubstep]

Dark hung their in the window, somewhat patiently, as the filly walked around him, scouting out the situation at hoof, "Right right, sorry...I'm not worried about bullies since I wasn't sneaking out..." the colt confessed as he felt a grab at the base of his tail; bracing himself as the girl said, Dark was soon yanked out from his windowy prison and sent toppling onto, what he expected to be the hard ground, but instead it was rather soft; looking down he saw what he had landed on and quickly jumped off, "Oh jeez! Hey are you okay? I'm so sorry!" he stated as he helped his rescuer up and dusted her off, "I, uhm...sorry heh...Thanks for the save though; you alright?"

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze got up to her hooves slowly and carefully, feeling a bit sore from that landing. "Nay, nay be havering like 'at, Oi cannae fault ye fer fallin' when Oi was tuggin yer tail lik'at."

She looked over the colt appraisingly, a small smile spreading across her face. He was kinda cute, though the colors didn't quite seem like him. "Nay gaen tae avoid bullies? An' sneakin' intae school? Come tae think of it, Oi dinnae remember seein' ye in class... though Oi'm new here. What're ye about?"

While she was talking, she checked her backpack. Her books were all right, but her snack bag had gotten crushed. She pulled it out, and looked sadly at the remnants of the garlic-roasted carrot sticks she had carefully tucked away for the walk home. "Awww..."

[Dubstep]

Dusting himself off and readjusting his cape, Dark brushed his mane out of his face to get a better look at his rescuer, he smiled when he noticed she was about his age, normally it would have been a smile that meant that if something went wrong, at least they're around his age and he could get away easier...But this was different, his stomach felt like it was doing flips and his heart skipped a beat.

Blushing a bit when the filly smiled at him, Dark shuffled his hooves a bit, "Well uhm, I'm not from around town actually, I uhh, live out a ways heh..." he said nervously before noticing the girl's smashed snack, "Ooh...Oh jeez, I'm so sorry..." Dark apologized as his head hung low; glancing at the snack his stomach grumbled a little bit "They look and smell so good too...Oh I forgot to introduce myself, my name's, uhm, Dark Core, it's heh, nice to meet you." the 'villain' said as he smiled shyly at the filly.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze smiled and set her saddlebags down, offering the little sack of carrots. "Woi, thankee! Oi made 'em moiself, an' there's a bunch more back home, sae nae a worry. Just was a lil' snack fer th' walk... quite a long walk, an' me big brae was supposed tae be here a while ago, though now Oi'm glad he dinnae get here on time, cause Oi kin meet ye! Here, we kin share 'em!" She ducked her head to take one of the smaller pieces and drew back, chewing happily.

"Dark Core? Ach, Thet's a wierd name. Wot kind of parent names their foal Dark Core? Thet's nae good. Ye need a better name then that! Hrmmmm... with those hints a red in yer mane, it's ... a mite loik th' sun peekin' out after a full bhoona black night. So ye should be Dawn! Nae, nae, cannae have that, too girly, an' yer nae girly. Somethin' stronger, then... Dawn Justice! Nay, that's silly, an' still tae girly. Silvered Dawn? Nae, too artsy-fartsy... " she rubbed a forehoof over her chin, eyes narrowed as the lil' foal tried to figure out a better name for him. "Oh!" she said, as an afterthought, "An' Oi'm Purple Haze!"

[Dubstep]

Dark smiled as he levitated over a piece; taking a bite of the snack he nodded, "Mmm, these are really good!" he said smacking his lips a little bit, "Tis a great change of pace from all the apples I've eaten as of late; in fact really anything would be a good change of pace heheh." the dyed colt said with a chuckle before getting another bite.

Dark flinched lightly as the filly ambled off his first name unwittingly and bit his lip when she called it girly, "Guh, Dawn's not, too girly of a name...Right? I mean, I'm sure there's plenty of Dawns out there that are pretty strong and such..." he said, trying not to sound too suspicious; after all, villains NEVER reveal their true identity right off the bat, "I like that name." he said referring to Purple's name with a smile, "Err, uhm, you said your brother's supposed to come get you eh? If you want I can, ah, hang out with you til he gets here."

[Bramble Rose]

Purple haze nodded. "Aye, aye, ye kin have roit strong Dawn types, s'good name. But jus' needs a mite extra tae really make it pop, y'ken? But Oi'm glad ye loik it!" she said merrily, completely misunderstanding his last comment. "then oi'll call ye Dawn as a nickname!"

She smiled happily, feeling a giddy leap inside as he complimented her food. "Oi'm glad ye loik 'em, an' ye're welcome tae 'em! Oi've a roit plenty back home! Made 'em moiself, Oi did! An' a bunch a other things, too!" She walked with him back round front the school, hoping her brother would show up soon ... but now with a bit of hope that it wouldn't be *too* soon! "Oi'd love tae share 'em with ye, an' ye sound loik ye could bear a good feed, aye lad?"

[Dubstep]

Dark flinched internally when she decided to nickname him Dawn, but rather than flip out, he would try to remember to be nice; after having met Cat a while ago, he learned that maybe friends weren't SO horrible, so maybe he could be friends with Purple, but still, better to play it safe, "Errm, yeah, that's just.....peachy..." he said hiding a grimace; he really disdained his name, the taunting he got for it combined with his scrawny build when he was younger made him twitch.

"Heh, that sounds pretty good; it'd be a great change from nothing but apples!' the villain said with a nod as he followed the filly, "Plus things always taste better cooked heheh, don't know how to cook much myself, not that I've much to cook heheh." he said with a bit of a chuckle; it was true, all he had mostly was apples or the occasional other fruit or vegetable that was tossed at him when he got caught in mischief.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze smiled happily and gave a little hop up into the air with excitement. "Hurra! Oi'm rether new tae these parts, sae Oi'm glad tae make a friend roit quick loik this! Oi'm ginnae be whippin' up a storm a'cookin', anyhoo, fer Show n' Tell tamarrae, an' Oi'll be roit glad fer sommat other than me brae tae tell me wot's bonnie an' wot's scuppers, specially a fit lad loik yerself!"

She smiled happily and gave a lil' nuzzle at Dark Core's cheek, already teeming with excitement over having someone new to cook for!

[brianblackberry]

It was a busy day for Carrot Fields at the marketplace - he had sold a lot of carrots, and there was a rush on the stand just before he left, with the older ponies getting out of work, and then the younger ponies coming by after school. Which, of course, was a signal for him that he was late. And Purple Haze was going to complain about him being late, again. She always did - he could probably recite her rant pretty easily by now.

"Oi'm nae a wee bairn nae more, big brae!" she'd say. "Oi kin walk home by meself! Nae loik th' school yard's somehow safer!" And he had to admit, he used to run around all by himself when he was her age. But he didn't know how he'd be able to handle it if she got hurt on his watch. He was her big brother! He was supposed to take care of her! And he couldn't deny that the walk home together with her was rather special to him...

The day was rather hot, and his mess of bright red mane was sagging down over his long face, the grey earth pony plodding along tiredly as he pulled the mostly empty cart, just a few stray carrots left in the baskets lining it. But he was finally reaching the schoolyard. Maybe he could distract Purple Haze from scolding him by letting her know that every single one of her special carrot dishes that she'd prepared had sold.

Who... who the heck... was that with his sister?! Who wears a cape? And why... why was she nuzzling at him! Some little cape-wearing colt wearing a cape was making time with his little sister?! He'd... He was going to ... Why that little!

Deep breaths. No. He wasn't going to overreact. He took another deep breath, then carefully called, through gritted teeth, "Oye! Purple! Toim tae go home!" There. That was nice and normal. He didn't make a scene.

[Dubstep]

"That sounds splendid, Purple, thanks! I'd be happy to taste test for you." he said with a nod, smiling lightly from the sudden nuzzle, "I guess I'm sorta newish around town too heheh...I don't come by very often really...tend to stay home most of the time and" as Dark was talking, his sentence was cut off by another voice, one that the tone of he was used to, one of disdain or annoyance; looking over, Dark gulped lightly, "I uh....guess that's your brother huh?" he asked Purple while thinking to himself, 'Oh geeze...this guy looks like he could snap me in half...don't run...running would make you suspicious you foal, just stay calm, you didn't do anything other than try to break into the school....but he doesn't know that....oh geeze am I gonna die here?' taking a deep breath Dark's ear flicked, "I should ah...probably go, don't want him getting mad at you or something."

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze laughed and tilted her head to the side, looking over at Dark Core. "Nae, ye dinnae need tae worry bout that, Dawn! Woi would he be mad at me fer sharin' a meal wit' a hungry foal? Moi big brae's a generous sort, an' he'd ne'er turn away somepony in need!"

She ran forward happily, her saddlebags bouncing on her back, to press her shoulder against Carrot's, and give him a pony hug with a happy little noise to see him. "Oi missed ye, big brae! An ye're late, but this toim it's all good, oi made a new friend!" She turned and led him expectantly back to Dark Core, a bright smile on her face and a prance to her step. "This lad's a one wot cares 'bout learnin', 'e's named Dark Core, but he's more a Dawn, innit he? An' 'e said Oi could call him Dawn! If'n it's allight with ye, Oi asked 'im tae come back tae th' farm wit' us so 'e could get his tummy full fer a change. 'ookit him, 'e needs a meal, sure enough! A bit of a fry-up'll do him roit good!"

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Field noticed that Purple was considerably more cheerful than usual. Normally if he was this late, he would hear another lecture about how he was babying her, and that she was a big pony now and could walk home alone. To see her so bright, to have her nuzzle up next to him so sweetly surprised him. He couldn't help but smile; seeing his little sister so happy always brightened his day a little bit more.

It was the reason for her happiness that gave him pause. Although his sister's affectionate happiness managed to calm Carrot some, he still regarded the oddly dressed dark colt with suspicion. Not that he was dangerous or malevolent looking - rather, he looked goofy with that cloak, but that Purple seemed so awfully chummy with this colt...

Dark Core? Wae sort of a pony name is Dark Core? Carrot thought to himself, although Purple said his name was also Dawn. With that charcoal-colored coat, Carrot couldn't understand why he'd be a dawn, unless these were made-up names the colt was using, as some sort of foalish game.

Carrot would have liked to dismiss him, but Purple wanted the weird colt to come home for dinner. The stallion couldn't trust any colt around his sister. He wasn't that far out of being a young colt himself. He knew what they were like. Still, how could he say no to his sister, her being so happy to have made a friend in this new place? And that heart-melting smile she gave him ... he supposed he did owe it to her, with being late and all. Carrot sighed. She *always* got him to take care of the little wounded critters she found to take home and feed. The colt did look a bit thin.

"Aye Purple, he can come along fer dinner. Oi dinnae think any could resister yer tasty carrot nibbles, anyway!" Carrot gave her a reassuring wink before turning around to look at Dark Core. His expression became resigned, but held a note of warning for the colt, "ye coming, then?"

[Dubstep]

Dark sat quietly near by as the two talked, it seemed to him that Purple's older brother was far from trusting of him, but Dark, being a villain, couldn't blame him; after all, had it not been for him trying to be nicer, he probably would have ran off long ago, but as to not raise suspicion, seated he remained. 'I'm not THAT thin...am I? I mean, I'm not stocky by any means...hmm' the master mind pondered to himself as he listened in on the two's conversation 'I mean sure, I could stand to gain a little, maybe, but I'm not sickly looking...hmm' his thoughts however were interrupted by Carrot, who, after some thinking, decided to allow Dark to come along; nervously he hopped to his feet and nodded, "Er, uhm, yeah, sure, yes, that's ah, great heh." he stammered out, the look he got made it glaringly obvious that he wasn't truly welcome, but, one never turns down a free meal.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze led the way down the road - she knew the way as surely as her brae, by this point. She chattered near-nonstop about the sorts of dishes she might want to make - carrot potatoe casserole, or carrot pizza with ... garlic sauce? noooo ... white sauce? noooo... oh! Ranch dill! That'll be bonnie! And a carrot pot pie, of course. And more garlic-roasted spicy carrot fries, cause those were ALWAYS good. But she wanted to make something new, and ooohhh, what could she make?

She was *completely* blind to the dark looks Carrot was sending Dark Core, or the nervousness that Dark Core himself was showing. Dawn just must be nervous about meeting new people, she knew, that would be it - and the best way to take care of that was by feeding him, just like her dam and grand-dam had shown her! And for Carrot...

"What's t' matter, brae?" she asked lightly. "Ye're two burrs in th' yoke an' no mistake. What's got ye pullin' a crooked furrow t'day? Market was nae bad, was it?"

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields felt a mixed set of emotions the entire trip back home to the farm. He was very happy to see his little sister so excited. Well ... she was always at least somewhat excited about something, but today she was especially so, rattling off about what she was going to make for dinner, though it sounded enough to feed her whole class instead of just this one colt. It always warmed his heart some to hear her plan with such enthusiasm, he swore she was going to be some sort of great chef someday and not just another farmer.

Just ... why did the reason for her joy have to be some older colt!? Gads ... well, sae long as this ned dinnae try sommat wit' her, Carrot thought to himself, remembering some of his own awkward and less than successful attempts at physical romance when he was a young colt. That train of embarrassing nostalgic memories was broken by Purple's questioning of his apparent mood.

"Nae, Oi'm aight, Purple, we did aight t'day. Got a roit busy ah 'em roit when Oi was ginnae close up." Carrot just looked straight ahead towards their farm coming into view, as if his thoughts were elsewhere. "Oh! Yer treats did helfy! Dinnae have a crumb left a'em! They were doss like, but Oi ken tae that. Ye're stuff's allaes a braw bit a nibbles." He looked back down at Purple and gave a brief smile. Looking back more grimly at their erstwhile companion trailing along, his tone changed, "Sorry Oi was late, Purple, but ye ken why Oi have ye wait, roit? Oi just worry bout ye. Oi'm yer brae, s'me job tae keep ye safe!" He didn't know if Dark Core heard that or not, not that it bugged Carrot in the least if it did.

[Dubstep]

Trailing along at a small distance behind, Dark's stomach grumbled at the sound of all the different goodies Purple talked about fixing, it had been a few weeks since the villain had gotten to eat anything other than apples and the occasional meal that Cat brought over. His hunger was ALMOST enough to stave off his knowledge that his new friend's brother seemed to hold a great deal of ill will towards him, not that he was unused to that sort of thing, ponies feared him, obviously, perhaps his villainous reputation was spreading faster than he realized! Or perhaps Carrot just thought he was a bothersome little kid who was hanging around his sister. No, no, must be the evil.

Listening into the two's conversation as their farm neared, Dark pondered to himself, 'Bah, keep her safe? From what? All the foals in town are much too wishy washy to even so much as drop an insult at someone else, let alone harm someone.' doing his best to ignore the harsh look Carrot had thrown his way, Dark glanced around at the farm, it seemed to be a rather nice place; though, really, just about anywhere was nicer than Froggy Bottom Bog.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze talked the whole way back to the farm, half of the conversation being about food ... she headed straight to the kitchen upon arriving home, starting to gather together the pots and pans she would need. "Dawn, ye'll fill these pots up wit' water, aye? An' Carrot, Oi'll be needin' ye tae head on out tae th' family patch an' get us a nice big bushelfull of carrots!

While Carrot was still in earshot, she started off asking Dark Core, "So, while we get ready tae cook up those carrots me brae'll be takin' by, why dinnae ye tell me all 'bout the studies that had ye comin' back tae th' schoolhouse tae get those books? Oi'd be right interested in that, Oi would! Are ye intae any sports? Oi love hoofball! Quite a bit a fun, roit?"

But as her older brother passed beyond earshot, she grinned a bit to Dark Core and gave him a wink. "Then, Dawn, 'afore he comes back, ye kin tell me why ye're bein' so mysterious an' jumpy! Oi'm a sight more curious bout that, see if Oi'm nae! Oi don't want ye scared a me!" She gave a little nuzzle to his cheek in passing. "We're friends now, aren't we?"

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields sighed. It was a good thing that the farm started out well, considering how many stay critters and ponies they seemed to feed thanks to his sister's generosity. As much as Carrot's business side groaned about that fact, deep down he was very proud of her tender heart. Actually, he was proud of her for a lot of things - her enthusiasm, her cooking skills, her sales ability, her athleticism, even if he often had a hard time telling her so. Maybe he was just worrying that she was growing up too fast. Ach, Carrot! Ye're becomin' yer sire, Luna forbid!

With that scary though running through his head, Carrot turned towards his sister and guest, "A'ight, Purple, Oi'll get us a few dozen carrots fer ye and yer ... friend, an' yer class tamorrae, a'ight." He gave her a warm smile before turning towards her goofy friend with the cloak and giving him a very brief but stern look. He'd better behave himself around his little sister. Then he turned and headed out the door. I dinnae unnerstand what it is wi' him an' that cape. Th' neighbor foal an' her friends wear lil' capes when playin' their games in th' fields, but innae he a mite old fer such foal games? Oi know they're jus' foals, but Purple'd have me tail if'n oi tol' her that... an' he's nay much older tha' she... oi. Why'd th' ol' man choose me tae take care of her? Oi've nae got th' nerves fer this.

Still ... Carrot would try and be nice, for his sister. He didn't want to be too much like his sire, who was openly critical of every single one of his friends, although Carrot got the worst of it all. If he ever had foals ... he'd never be like that.

Looking over the carrots in their personal plot, he began pulling out a few of the best ones, If Oi e'er have foals. First Oi'd have tae meet a filly who'd put up wi' me. At least for the time being the stallion's mind was off the weird colt.

[Dubstep]

Dark nodded lightly as Purple pulled out a couple pots; carrying them over to the faucet, he started filling them up as she asked he brother to trot out and gather up some ingredients from their garden, 'Hmph, how dare he give me such a look, foal knows not who I am! Why if I wasn't such a kind villain I'd show him what for I'd...' his thoughts, however, were cut short by his new friend's questioning, "Well, I uhm don't play very many sports and..." once more he was cut short as Purple changed her questions to ones more difficult to answer, "Wait uhm..." Dark sighed but smiled lightly at the sudden nuzzle, "Well...I suppose it can't hurt. But you can't tell anyone...I was sneaking in to steal a few books. Seeing as I don't go to school, and don't ever plan on it, I must appropriate the knowledge I need to further my ambitions one way or another. And if that means nabbing a couple books. So be it, that's what villains do after all! Heheheheh." Dark stated with a cackle, most would think he was playing a game, something a child would normal do, but little did they know that the little mastermind really was vying for global conquest, and it mattered not who stood in his way. At least, so he thinks.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze stopped and looked over at Dark Core, a confused expression on her face. "Ache, now, why would ye be gain tae do that? Roit bonnie colt ye are, Oi cannae imagine ye bein' mean! Wot's th' point of it?" She bundled about the kitchen, then, collecting up her bowls and mixing spoons and whatnot, starting to dump flour and sugar in, and other esoteric ingredients.

"An' woi ye nae jes go tae school? If'n ye wannae learn, it *is* free, ye know. Ye dinnae have tae steal what people give ye free! That'd be loik if'n Oi offered ye some carrot cake, then ye pushed me down, said ye dinnae want it, then snuck round behind moi back tae steal it! Woi go tae sae much trouble?"