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

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields tossed the last of the carrots he picked towards the dark coated unicorn colt, "there, that should be enough for whatever bonnie dishes Purple is coming up with; good thing carrots grow fast!" The gray stallion trotted back towards the house, listening to the odd colts ramblings about his fascinations about old raids on villages from so long ago in pony history. In Carrot's mind it was simply a sad tale of times long past when ponies would fight each other over petty differences, but he could appreciate the love of history.

Carrot's ears perked up a little when the colt asked about the REA. Did he want to join? He just didn't seem the type who would fit in well; Carrot wasn't sure why, it was just a hunch of his. "Aye, OI was in fer a year, part of th’ service program most go through. Oi needed th’ bits tae buy th’ farm here. Made my sire happy, too, so there’s that. " As Carrot approached up to the back door, he turned around and snickered, "It was roitdull sometimes, hie up fer quiet border duty at night an’ standing around in the cold. Nae too bad though, Oi had th’ stars and th’ Mare in the Moon tae keep me company."

He took a glance down at their hooves - both of them were a bit muddy from trotting around the wet fields, though Carrot still couldn't figure out what the white smudges are. Sighing, he grabbed up the hose from next to the door. “Ach, we’re a roit mess. Purple will be roit upset with us!” He turned the hose on low, and rinsed his hooves off. “Here, ye’ve some muck on yer hooves, an’ on yer face too!”

[Dubstep]

Dark caught the last of the carrots in the bucket rather easily; a sigh of relief escaping him as he heard they finally had enough of the veggies. Soon enough he could get a good meal and make a quick escape, he was rather surprised though, everything seemed to be going on without much of a hitch so far! Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all, sure the was the set back of being unable to take the school books, and the interruption of his evil deeds for the day, but free food! Who in their right mind would pass up a free meal? Especially when he rarely ate anything aside from apples. As he followed Carrot back to the house, only partly listening to him talk about his days in the REA since they didn't seem to involve any secrets, which wasn't a big surprise, Dark pondered on what Purple was going to fix for dinner, maybe some kind of casserole? A sort of stew or soup?

Dark's hungry pondering was whisked away as Carrot brought up the muck on his hooves and his face. Wait...his face? Reaching up with the joint of a hoof, Dark rubbed his face a bit and looked, "Oh horseapples..." the colt said under his breath, looking at the smear of dye he rubbed from his snout and cursing his luck. What could he do? If he ran away with some excuse, it'd be really suspicious and he'd miss out on food! But if he stayed, his identity would be revealed, the horrid white and blonde he had been cursed with would shine though, how awfully unevil! But a free meal! That was too good to pass up, "A...argh alright!" quickly grabbing the hose, Dark reached over and turned the water on faster and aimed it at himself, "GAH COLD COLD!" he shouted, not expecting it to be THAT cold for such a warm day! After a short amount of time, the colt turned the water off and stood in a puddle of murky black and red dye along with the mud he rinsed off, shivering, "Like...ice water..." now soaking wet, Dark shook his pelt and mane dry, which were pale white and golden blonde, such an embarrassment to villains everywhere.

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields watched with a perplexed expression as the water washed away the black and red dye from the strange unicorn colt. Faith and begorrah! This colt is weirder than I thought! He wears makeup over his entire body?! After the shivering unicorn put the hose back down, Carrot picked up the end with his teeth - he was more than just a little curious, if not mischievous. Was there more? He turned on the hose once again with his hoof and sprayed the still quivering colt to see if the white and goldenrod too would wash off, but it was quickly apparent this was his true color.

"Ye sure are a roit odd one, that ye are," Carrot chuckled as he pointed the hose at his own hooves, cleaning the last of the dirt off of them before turning it off. "Oi've a mite of it myself, though. When Oi was just a little older than ye, Oi had dyed me mane an' tail black, jus' loik th' metal music crowd Oi hung with in secondary. Boy, was my sire red! He dyed my flank red!" Carrot let out a soft laugh. It hadn't seemed funny at the time, but looking back ... Carrot turned towards the house and opened the door, "So what's yer mind fer wearin' dye, then? What's yer scene? Ach! And dinnae forget the bucket of carrots!"

[Dubstep]

Dark sputtered and flailed as Carrot sprayed him, "GAH GLUB PFTHACK!" eye twitching angrily, the colt took a deep breath and counted to ten...Okay twenty, and calmed himself down. A smidgen at the very least. He couldn't get TOO angry, lest he risk losing a meal. Or worse. Either way, Dark forced out a chuckle of his own, attempting to show humour at his own misfortune, "Ahem. I bet that was interesting times...I've never been big on heavier music. I prefer melancholic music or arias." he said as he double checked his hooves, yup, mud free and sadly dye free as well. Why does everything seem to go wrong?

"My....scene? No scene. I just hate looking like this. It doesn't suit me, it's not who am and not who I want to be." the colt replied matter of factally. Though more than likely, it didn't make an sense to the older stallion; but Dark felt no need to explain himself, it was none of HIS business after all. 'Ugh, white and blonde, it's so...blech...why me...' he thought to himself, levitating the bucket behind him as he followed Carrot back into the house.

[brianblackberry]

As Carrot Fields opened the door that led back into the kitchen, he looked back briefly, "Arias? Innae that opera music? Well, that makes a sight more sense why ye dress wi' the cape an' all. Ye want tae be a singer or composer?" The cape finally started to make sense in Carrot's mind. At least as somepony into opera, his dye job and cape made the unicorn colt a little bit less weird. A little bit.

Carrot pointed towards a small stone fireplace, "ye kin dry off a mite there, an' we dinnae want ye catchin' yer death, aye?" He grinned. " White and blond isn't bad, ye kin always be an opera actor who plays the dashing hero!" Carrot Fields picked up the bucket of carrots with his mouth and walked into the kitchen, feeling a bit more calm and bemused than before. He had even forgotten about the kissing incident earlier, the colt was just coming off more humorous than dangerous to his sister, and was finally starting to fit into Carrot's view of the world. And for Carrot, like all farmer folk, hospitality was a matter of pride.

[Dubstep]

Shaking himself off a bit more before stepping into the home Dark rolled his eyes a little, "No no no. It has nothing to do with singing or composing. Oh, thanks." the colt didn't need to be told twice to warm up by a fireplace; at least he wouldn't be sopping wet for much longer, "Ahem, as I was saying, it doesn't have anything to do with that, the cape is a statement. I just enjoy darker, melancholy music. Ones that show the depressing side of life you see." he said as though it were a perfectly normal thing, but, then again, Dark Core was far from 'normal', down right strange was more like it.

Sputtering a little bit, the villain shuddered, "Ugh. No, never. HISSSS. That has to be the worst role in any play or opera, or, hay, even in real life." Dark said shaking his head, saying he could be a hero was like taking a knife between his ribs and twisting it. In fact he probably would have almost preferred that! "That's why I dye my pelt, the horrible notion of ME being a, bluh, hero of any sort makes my skin crawl and my stomach churn. Not for me, nuh uh. Nooooo thanks." he said spinning around to dry the rest of himself by the fire.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze heard the indistinct voices and trotted out of the kitchen, an apron tied round her neck and a few splatters already decorating it. "Aye, wonderful!" she chirped, "Ye're -" She stopped mid-sentence as she saw Dark Core, blinking in surprise. She rubbed at her eyes, then looked again. "Wow, ye're a tall drink, ye are... how'd ye change colors, then? These colors suit ye much better!" She circled round Dark Core, eyeing him with wide eyes. It was hard to believe this was the same pony! But there was that same cutie mark, and that same look in the eyes, and he came back in with her big brae! And he was so handsome!

She looked up to Carrot, then, and smiled. "ye're lookin' much better too, big brae!" She pulled a plate off of her back and put it down between them - it had a wrapped tortilla there, drenched in a white sauce, and cut in half to show the steaming orange mash in the center, full of pureed carrots, melted cheese, and a few special spices. "Oi've got a new dish Oi've *just* invented! Oi'm nae sure tae call it a carrochanga or a chimicarrot... or what! Carrot Ranch Chimichanga? Oi dinnae know! But Oi'd loik ye both tae try it an' give me yer honest opinion! Oi'd gotta make it extra-special!"

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields smirked and gave a soft chuckle at Dark Core's overreaction. Those thespian types, always so melodramatic. The strange colt no doubt wanted all the dark roles cause they were more dramatic. But he was a good worker, too, so Carrot could let a little strangeness fly. He had his own moments as a foal. Carrot looked over at the colt's flank, trying to interpret his cutie mark in the context of an actor, but he couldn't quite make the connection. No big deal - lots of ponies had quite loose interpretations of their cutie marks. Carrot was unsure about asking ... he didn't want to pry, he'd rather the colt freely share of his own volition. Besides, he might make a *presentation* of it.

Before the earth stallion could contemplate on this anymore his little sister came trotting in, happy as ever. "Aye, giddae, Purple! Oi see ye've been busy in th' kitchen as usual!" He glanced back and Dark Core, then grinned wider. "Aye, roit? These are his true colors! Under all th' makeup he's a dashing knight, innit he?" That was a tongue in cheek statement, of course, and Carrot figured the little stage villain wouldn't like it, but that just made it all the funnier.

The smell from the plate was helping to lighten his mood - it was a new dish, but he could already tell it'd be a winner. It looked and smelled so delicious! She was a wizard in the kitchen; he couldn't figure out how she could come up with so many recipes with carrots! "Aye, oi'm hungrier jes' lookin' at it, Sis!" He wanted to chow down right now, but if there was one thing his family emphasized, it was hospitality. "Dawn gets first pick, of course - he is our guest!"

[Dubstep]

Dark growled to himself, he hated his natural colours, and here these two were, complimenting the hues he was cursed with. Was the humiliation really worth the food? For a moment, he decided it wasn't, that he was just going to grab his cape and make his escape, but upon seeing the meal that Purple had prepared, the looks, the smells, and oh he could only imagine the taste! A twitch came to his eye when Carrot called him a knight. A knight? Of all things, a knight? Why not just slap his face? "Hrrrngh. I am NOT a knight. Nor would I ever BE a knight. The thought of it makes my stomach crawl. The very idea is simply detestable!" he nearly spat, grinding his teeth.

"Ahem, indeed, everything looks delicious!" he said with a nod, attempting to regain some semblance of composure, it wouldn't be long, he could eat, get his cape, and get out. Save himself anymore embarrassment today, and get back to his lair before anyone else saw him. With his stomach grumbling lightly from hunger, Dark proceeded to get himself a plate of the warm food, with how good it looked, he was sure that it was going to taste amazing. And with a bite into it, he was right, "Mmm! This is delicious Purple, much kudos!"

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze was confused at Dawn's objection to the idea of being a brave and noble knight, but was easily distracted by praise to her food. Her face lit up with delight, and she pranced in place excitedly. "Oooo, really?" she squealed. "It's not tae much cheese? Oi was worried bout th' cheese. Or maybe nae enough sauce?" She sniffed nervously at the plate, all eager to please. "Ooooo, Oi'm sae glad ye loik it!"

Then she turned to Carrot, barely waiting for an answer. "Now ye, big brae! Ye've gotta try it, too!" She seized up the plate with the other carrot ranch chimichanga in her teeth and pushed it eagerly towards her brother!

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields smiled at his little sister's infectious enthusiasm. He was so proud of her, even if he didn't share that fact nearly as often as he should. He took the plate from her and set in. No surprise - the chimichanga was a favor explosion! Her food was as rich as it was varied, but most importantly it was also always good. Well, almost always good. The carrot flambe had been ... a disaster. But they'd fixed the roof, and the rug, and in this case, the experiment was a grand success!

Carrot brought his head up from the plate, his tongue lapping up the cheese around his muzzle. "Aye, a fine meal as usual, purple!" He ruffled her mane playfully in approval. "Th' cheese an' sauce is spot on! Oi suppose we have sommat new fer th' stand, if'n we kin figure out how tae keep them warm an' fresh!"

He looked over to Dark Core, then, glad to see him enjoying the meal as well. And being in a good mood, he couldn't help but joke around with his guest a bit. "An' glad Oi am tae see yer lil' white knight enjoying ye food so much, k Purple! How did ye two meet, anyway?" He glanced over to Dawn to see his reaction. "Ye dinnae hie tae her school, do ye? Ye just lost on yer way tae the theater or sommat?"

[Dubstep]

Dark savoured his meal as long as he could. Partly out of the delight at the flavour, but more out of attempting to avoid any extended lengths of conversation. He knew it would either end up embarrassing or badly. He just couldn't seem to catch a break today. Getting caught trying to enter the school, almost getting killed (possibly) by an angry older brother, getting his dye washed off. And then the taunting. Oh the taunting. Even if it was supposedly lighthearted, it still irked him. If only he had some kind of hoofhold in Equestria ANYWHERE, then he'd get more respect...And probably more good food like this.

Swallowing another bite of his food, Dark finally spoke up again, "I was ent...Exiting the school through the window, as a shortcut of sorts. Not a huge one. Even smaller when you get caught in a window." the colt was bruxing his teeth, white knight, white knight. OH how he hated the sound of that.

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze was, of course, glad that her brother liked her cooking - but he was her brother, he was required to like it! He seemed to think she couldn't cut carrot sticks without making them tastier! She was worried, however, about Dawn's reaction. He was eating very slowly, almost reluctantly, and his jaw seemed set ... he seemed almost ... upset!

"If'n ye dinnae loik it," she said, nervous, a little sad, looking up to the colt with big eyes, "Ye dinnae need tae eat it all... Oi've some other nibbles ye kin eat instead... did Oi put too much spices in? Is th' garlic tae strong? Oi dinnae use enough sauce, is that it?"

It never occured to her that he'd be grinding his teeth about anything else - after all, he said he wanted to help ponies, and that's what knights did!

[Dubstep]

Dark glanced over at Purple and stammered a bit shaking his head, "Huh? Oh! No no, it's very good! I'm savouring it, it's been a few days since I had a good meal and I wanted to make it last, just have a...bit of a headache is all." he said rubbing his head, he wasn't about to say that the headache was her brother though, that would cause a whole 'nother level level of trouble Dark just didn't have the time, nor patience, to deal with, "It is really good, I promise!" he said with a nod, taking a big bite for emphasis.

"I've just had a long day is all. Getting stuck in a window and all that. Not accustomed to farm work either. All adds up. I'll probably take a nice long nap when I get home." he said as he went back to eating, a nap sounded nice, but it also meant he could sneak back to the school and grab the books he had planed on earlier as well.

[brianblackberry]

Carrot didn't say he liked Purple's food just cause he was her brother - he truly was impressed at how often her experiments turned out for the best. She didn't have that cutie mark they were both proud of for nothing! He was quite glad that the colt responded well to Purple's worry - though whether he was honest, or putting on his theater act, Carrot wasn't sure. But he was polite to Purple, and that was all that really mattered. Besides, why wouldn't he like it? It was delicious!

He did have to chuckle softly at Dawn's comments on farm work. "Aye Dawn, it's nae th' fancy knowhow of th' theater, but it's good solid work an' needs a keen mind all th' same!" Carrot gave Dawn a good ol' whap on the back, partly out of camaraderie, partly to remind him how strong Purple's "big brae" was. "An' th' solid work will do ye good! A bit more, maybe ye'll nae be caught inna window again!"

Carrot was rather curious about the colt's home - Purple was worried he was by himself, but Carrot had to admit that despite it all, he hoped Dawn was from someplace rather distant. He still didn't trust Dawn around his sister. And he didn't think that the colt went to Purple's school, despite being the right age for it. "An' where's ye home? Have a family there?"

[Bramble Rose]

Purple Haze smiled brightly at Dawn's words, feeling great relief. She wanted her dishes to be perfect! "Oh, wonderful! I mean, not wonderful! That's bad! But I know just the thing to help, but I'm glad you like the chimicarrotchangas!" Her words hurried over each other, stumbling to get out of her mouth, and then she headed off swiftly towards the kitchen.

"Thank you, Dawn!" She smiled brightly back at him. "I'll be right back, promise!"

She hurried into the kitchen, and started mixing up her birch-bark and carrot brew - a bit bitter, but add a touch of sugar, and it should be acceptable. And Carrot sounded like he was happy making small talk, which was rather unlike him, but she was glad he was opening up to Dawn!

[Dubstep]

Dark winced at the sudden thwap on his back, forcefully swallowing his mouthful of chiimicarrotchanga, the colt coughed a couple times before laughing halfheartedly, "Ahehe. Yes. Perhaps not. Or perhaps I should just use a door the next time." he said putting on a false grin. This playing nice thing was getting old fast, but Dark nodded as Purple headed out of the room. He really DID have a headache at this point, so any help with that would come as a great relief.

Finishing up what was left on his plate with a big bite before responding to Carrot before nodding towards one direction noncommittally, "Oh, out, that, way." he gestured vaguely, "Yes I suppose I do have some family there. Yes." it was only half a lie really. He did consider his pet frog to be family, though others might not think the same way, Colonel Croaky was a valuable asset to his lair. A villain is nothing without an evil pet after all. Plus he doubled as a Colonel, that was a plus.

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields just gave a friendly smile, "Aye, Oi dinnae realize ye had such a takin' tae learnin'! A roit lil' scholar ye are." Carrot took another large bit out of his chiimicarrotchanga as he eyed the colt more closely. "Ye are lookin' a a mite under th' weather. Oi hope was nae workin' outside. Oi'd hate tae think Oi was responsible fer a guest gettin' sick!"

Carrot gave a raised eyebrow at Dawn's vague notion to where he lived. He pointed generally in the directly of the Everfree, which only made Carrot more suspicious, and curious, about where the unicorn actually lived. "So ... In your town, out there ... What's th' name again? Is that where yer somepony special lives?"

[Bramble Rose]

Purple hummed happily in the kitchen, the spoon clinkity-clacking against the sides of the pan as she heated up the brew, the soft noises sounding back to the living room where the two colts sat talking. She loved taking care of strays and she loved cooking for ponies, so taking care of somepony she could cook for was just perfect! Not that she was happy that Dawn had a headache, but she'd help as much as she could. she wet down a rag and laid it across the ice block in the ice chest, and then went back to stirring the warming mixture on the stove, her humming mixing in with the soft kitcheny noises in an odd sort of domestic music.

[Dubstep]

"Ah, no no. Just a...long day really. Nothing to be concerned with." the colt said with a bit of a sigh, the food was quite filling and tasty, of course he could always go for more, but he was so close to freedom he could taste it. Or maybe that was just the aftertaste of the chimicarrotchangas? Either way, the smell of whatever next delight Purple was fixing in the kitchen kept Dark waiting, may as well get his time's worth of food after all.

"Huh? Oh in...my town? Oh. No. No, she, lives in Ponyville, actually. It's a bit of a ways out, but not so bad. I come around now and then, so I get to see her when I do." Dark smiled an actually sincere smile when talking about Cat, one of the few things that could really make him smile that easily. That and really good food, "Ahem. But yes, she lives in Ponyville, I live out that way." he gestures vaguely once again, not once mentioning the name of any town.

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields cocked his head, raising one eyebrow; why was Dawn being so utterly vague about where he was from? Whereever it was, it wasn't Ponyville, which made Carrot even more suspicious about why this colt was in the Ponyville primary schoolhouse. "Well, ye're certainly a wee skimpy on th' details, lad! What's th' name of the town ye live in?" Perhaps it was one of the nearby small hamlets that dotted the hills around Ponyville, since he said visited his fillyfriend in town, but Carrot suspected it was something else, else why would the colt keep avoiding such a simple question?

Of course, all of this circled back in Carrot's mind to Purple telling him that Dawn was found trapped in the window at the school. There was certainly more to this tale then he was letting on. "Your little fillyfriend sounds nice, does she go the primary schoolhouse? Oi dinnae see any other pony there when oi picked Purple up, its a wee bit strange ye were caught in the window like she said. Were ye going in or coming out?" Carrot normally wasn't for prying too much into the business of other ponies, but this was someone who his sister had an interest in, which in Carrot's mind meant all bets were off when it come to finding out all he could.

[Bramble Rose]

With the tea on the stove to heat up, Purple Haze stepped over to the ice box and retrieved the cloth, then stepped out into the main room. With a cheery smile, she pranced up to Dark Core and laid it lightly across his forehead, settling the chill rag carefully into place. "There ... I'll have something for your headache shortly," she crooned gently, "but I hope this helps a little bit!" She gave a little kiss to his forehead, like she did with every hurt animal she tried to help, and then hurried back to the kitchen.

[Dubstep]

Dark gritted his teeth, he couldn't avoid the questions for long. But how was he supposed to keep the location of his secret lair, well, a secret? If he goes around telling everypony, then it's just not a secret anymore. Then it's just a liar! He had to think fast. He couldn't just tell him he lived in the bog, and he couldn't just make up some place! He might ask what it was like there, and other nosy useless questions that Dark really didn't want to have to answer, "I live...er...ah well it doesn't matter right? I mean home is where the heart is or something like that right? Right." he said, deeply hoping he could deter him off that course of questioning. He didn't so much mind answering questions about Cat, even though it was extremely awkward for him, it wouldn't reveal anything that could compromise his villainy!

"Oh she is nice, but she doesn't go to school anymore...As for...the schoolhouse? I was going in. Before you ask, it was for a shortcut, it cuts my travel time down to go through there and I got yelled at the last time I climbed it. Something about being a bad influence or getting myself hurt or something, so I've cut through since." of course he left out the other reason he went into the school house. He was SO sure telling Carrot that he snuck in to steal books would go over OH so well. A chill went through the colt as he felt Purple put the icy cold rag onto his forehead, it did feel nice though, "Ahh. Thank you, Purple, much appreciated!"

[brianblackberry]

Carrot Fields watched proudly as his sister laid the cold rag across their erstwhile guest's brow, but cringed when she gave him a kiss, even if it wasn't supposed to mean anything; this was still his baby sister after all! Carrot knew how older colts were! This colt, of course, was worse than most; it was obvious to even the most derpy of ponies that Dawn was trying to hide something, being as vague as possible with his answers. "Home is where th' heart is, aye, also where th' family is. Oi'd wager yer family lives with ye ... where was it ye said ye live again? Oi'm a right loss wi' names." If Carrot couldn't just get him to just say it by asking, maybe using a roundabout way would work.

And when the colt actually gave real answers to any question, the strangeness of the answers made Carrot even more curious. "Wait ... wait, wait, wait ... ye were trapped in the windows because ye popped in tae literally go through the school and dinnae want tae go round th' schoolhouse?" That didn't make a lick of sense to Carrot; it wasn't as if the schoolhouse was large or anything. Something wasn't right here, not at all. "An' gettin' stuck sure dinnae save ye any time; where were ye goin' in such a rush, anyway?"

[Dubstep]

"Aahh...well. I don't USUALLY get stuck, you see. It just so happened this time that my luck took a turn for the misfortunate side, and the window closed down on me. Probably would have still been stuck if Purple hadn't helped me, come to think." Dark said with a small shrug. This guy was persistent! And as nosy as a bloodhound on a trail. He had to figure out SOME way to get him off the subject of where he lived. At least for long enough for him to get dessert, "I was heading too...Canterlot. To go see someone about...a thing. So where are you and Purple from originally?" the quick question was all the colt could come up with, he dearly hoped that steering the conversation onto Carrot would be enough to get away with yet again avoiding the question, 'Oh Discord please let that work...'