Stalliongrad The Visitor From Ponyville [Private]

[DerpRavener]

Red had made himself a lunch for the day, on the idea that it would make it easier to cover for 'Spring Breeze' wouldn't be visibly eating. A few different thoughts ran through her head, her wondering how necessary it was or if there was an alternative, but on reflection she realized it was the most robust solution. He'd need to eat, and given her lack of funds if they purchased anything on the way. And while she'd be happy to go without, it was better not to take the chance of being identified regardless of how likely it was or wasn't. She just nodded.

With that, they were finally ready to go. 'Spring Breeze' opened the door and stepped out, breathing in the morning air for a moment. Then she gave an experimental flap of her wings to test the air, before jumping into the air, and beat her wings to hover in place. From her new vantage point, she looked down at Red with a faint smile. “Alright, let's get going.”

[RedCedar]

Red secured his saddlebag into place and then smiled, watching Spring Breeze take to the air and hover just above and in front of him. He smiled up to her, watching a moment, before starting off down the street. "How does it feel to stretch your wings again?" he asked.

As they traveled down the streets, past some of the smaller industrial areas on the way to the bridges across the river into the island in the middle that looked significantly more pristine and clean, he looked up and said, "You might want to lift yourself up a bit more and take a good look around. It's nice enough to see the river from the bridge but up there will be spectacular."

[DerpRavener]

'Spring Breeze' flapped her wings lazily, easily keeping herself in the air. She'd never been an especially bad flier, it was just something she'd never really prioritized. There were few enough places she would patrol in the hive where flying was a significant asset. “It's kinda nice,” she said, “though to be honest, I've always felt a bit more secure on the ground.” As that begged the question of why she chose a pegasus disguise, she continued though it took her a moment to word it right. While Stalliongrad didn't seem to be an especially paranoid city, saying the wrong thing could still land her in a world of hurt. “Don't get me wrong, I like having wings. They open up all sorts of options when you're moving around, especially for getting in or out of a fight. It's just not something I've ever needed to focus on. And...I guess until now I've felt a little exposed if I'm in the air when I don't need to be.” She was feeling fairly comfortable with it at the moment thought, flying about Stalliongrad with a smile on her face. She had to assume Red's presence made the difference.

At Red's suggestion she left him for a moment, rising higher up to get a view of the city from above. The city was much more impressive to 'Spring Breeze' from her new vantage point. It was lost among the buildings from the ground, but from this height she felt she could see the whole of it, the river winding amongst the city, nestled amongst the buildings which were gathered around it in partial rings. As somepony who'd never seen an Equestrian city from this angle, the collection of colours and shapes, and the sheer size of it being visible all at once left her in awe. “It's beautiful...” she said to nopony in particular. After a few moments of hovering she remembered herself, and flew back down to Red. While she doubted anything else would top what she just saw, but she was still looking forward to seeing the rest.

[RedCedar]

Red nodded, listening to Spring Breeze as he walked and she flew. He had actually never questioned why she had chosen to disguise herself as a pegasus. Changelings could all fly, so unless one was trying to disguise itself as a specific pony, it made sense to be a pegasus in case they had to fly while disguised as some average citizen. However, while it may have been the Earth Pony in him talking, he could certainly understand how staying on the ground would feel more secure. As much as he had sometimes envied pegasi through his life for being able to soar through the skies, if something were to happen to a pegasus while they were airborne, it could be a long and terrifying trip down, with a very unpleasant sudden stop at the end.

Right now, though, Spring Breeze definitely looked to be enjoying herself as she flew along, and that was what mattered to him at the moment. Red waited, just on the bridge at one end where he was in the open could be easily spotted from the air, as she left his side to take in the view from high above. He watched with a smile as Spring lifted herself high up to take a look at the sight of Stalliongrad from above. He could see the way she looked one direction, then another, telling him she was indeed immersing herself in the whole scene up there. He watched as she looped her way back down again to where he was standing at the edge of the massive bridge over the river. "So," he asked, "What did you think?"

[DerpRavener]

"So, what did you think?"

'Spring Breeze' flew back down to a low hover next to Red before she replied. “It was...amazing. I've never seen anything quite like that, they way the buildings all mesh together, and the city spreads out over the landscape...” She trailed off. The city had an undeniable beauty to it, at least in her opinion, though she couldn't quite think the words to describe how she felt about it. She was still processing the sight, in fact. “One thing's for certain though,” she added, with a big smile, “I am definitely have to spend more days in the air.”

She'd had her fill of the view for the moment however, though she expected to fly back up periodically around the city, and was ready to move on to the next location. After a moment to remember the names, she asked, “So, Rasya district next?”

[RedCedar]

Red smiled. He'd seen some views like that on the occasions he'd been in one of the towers in the city centre, but it was probably nothing like the panorama she was able to get by hovering high above under her own power, and she certainly seemed to have been taken by the sight of it laid out in all directions in front of her.

"It must have been something," he remarked, "I've never seen you almost speechless like that." He had also never seen her seeming so relaxed. Ever since he'd known her, she looked like she was always in a state of worry and stress. Turned out there was a good reason for that, of course, but now she finally looked like she was enjoying life rather than being fearful all the time. All in all, that may have been the first time Red had thought anyone else might consider Stalliongrad as a vacation destination.

“So, Rasya district next?” she asked.

Red nodded. "Just have to cross one more bridge north," he said, leading the way through the downtown of Stalliongrad where Spring Breeze could get a closer look at the buildings she'd seen from up above, pointing out the few of interest he knew a little about, like the city hall, and a few of the more historical buildings around, before coming to another great bridge across the river, leading to a clean, almost village-like area with few tall buildings.

[DerpRavener]

As they moved through the city, Red pointed out some of it's more important or famous buildings, and little tidbits of information that he knew about them. Though 'Spring Breeze' listened with interest, she was only partially paying attention. The importance of most of them was lost on her, and aside from location which she remembered reflexively in case she needed it later, she likely wouldn't remember any of it within a day or two. The conversation was still pleasant, though.

As they crossed the bridge, and made their way into Rasya. 'Spring Breeze' flew a meandering path over Red, flitting around the various shops which made up most of the area. It seemed to her a more colourful and personal area than the rest of the city, and in some ways reminded her of Ponyville. While she'd been enjoying the space provided by the more impersonal attitude of Stalliongrad, it was still a nice little diversion.

Moving past a little coffee shop, 'Spring Breeze' paused for a moment. Flying down to hover next to Red, she asked, “Say, you want to grab a drink while we're in the area?” Drinks were something even she could afford at the moment, and something she would enjoy. She also admitted to herself that she wouldn't mind taking a break for a moment, even if she otherwise insisted she could keep going. It was barely noticeable, but she was breathing a little harder that usual. She didn't normally fly this much.

[RedCedar]

Red trotted happily through the streets as Spring Breeze fluttered above him. Coming to this part of town and seeing all the small shops and their unique wares was a favourite pastime of his, just to go window shopping and pony watching even if he wasn't out to buy anything. Having someone he could share it with, though, was a rare treat, and he was glad to see her enjoying it. He also hoped, in the back of his mind, that it might inspire her into thinking about some endeavour of her own, even if that might have to wait until it was decided whether or not she would be able to stay.

Red pushed that thought out of his mind as Spring asked, “Say, you want to grab a drink while we're in the area?”

Looking up to her with a smile, he took only about a half a second to contemplate before deciding an iced tea would hit the spot right about now. "Sure" he said cheerfully, turning to follow her to the coffee shop they had just passed.

As they waited in line, Red looked over to her again. "So, what do you think so far? See anything you like?"

[DerpRavener]

'Spring Breeze' fluttered down to a landing next to Red as they got into line. She was enjoying flying, but she figured it would probably for both her and the other ponies to just be flapping her wings while waiting there.

"So, what do you think so far? See anything you like?"

“Well you know I'm not much for shopping, although,” she pointed a hoof at a table, on which some large and foamy drink she didn't recognize sat before a pair of ponies, “that intrigues me a bit.”

'Spring Breeze' looked around, across all the shops and just generally taking in the atmosphere. “It's nice, though,” she continued. “Seems very friendly. Reminds me of Ponyville in a few ways.” She smiled a bit. “I like it. It's a good way to take a break from the busier parts of the city. I don't remember anything like this back...where I came from.” Though it took her a beat to think of the words, she was thinking she might be able to talk about it if she was careful.

[RedCedar]

Red peered over at the table Spring Breeze had pointed to, and at the drink the pair of ponies seemed about to enjoy together. "That's a milkshake," he explained discreetly. "Very cool, very sweet and very tasty. I prefer chocolate, myself."

“I don't remember anything like this back...where I came from.”

Red nodded a little as she explained one of the differences between her home and his. "I guess a lot of ponies were concerned with a job that benefited your whole town, were they?" he asked, trying to approach the subject with some carefully chosen words of his own used to replace others. "I mean, instead of some going off and doing something of their own choosing or design, like opening a shop?" He looked back to her curiously as they were about to approach the counter.

[DerpRavener]

'Spring Breeze' just nodded at Red's explanation of the drink. Personally, she didn't think he needed to keep it so quiet, as she didn't think it that unreasonable that a pony from one of the more remote parts of the nation wouldn't know what it was. She trusted Red's judgement though, and it wouldn't be worth making an issue of anyways. Either way, she knew what she'd be getting when they finally arrived at the counter.

Catching on to what she was doing, Red asked a carefully worded question about how changelings chose or were chosen for work.

'Spring Breeze's head tilted to the side as she considered. He wasn't wrong, though she didn't think he quite had the full picture either. “That's...one way to put it, yeah. I'd always thought of it as there being a number of jobs which needed to be done, and generally not much room for going your own way.” She casually waved a hoof. “It's not as bad as it sounds. Generally jobs were given to the pony who would do it best, and passion is a big part of doing something well. So most of the time a pony got something they at least wouldn't mind doing long term. I was happy with my role.” There was one thing she had to concede however, “but yeah, there isn't the same sort of independence you see in most of Equestria. Each pony was thought to know what they did, and had some leeway in how they went about it, but there wasn't much beyond that.”

At this point 'Spring Breeze' noticed a gap in the line, and realized that it had been their turn for a couple moments. She'd been absorbed enough in the conversation that it had slipped her mind. With a start she walked up to the counter. “Hi, uhh...I'll have a chocolate milkshake?”

[RedCedar]

Red nodded, listening to her description of everyday employment in a changeling hive. Her description of it pretty much fit with how he had imagined it would be. They really did do everything for the hive, all their lives. Nothing necessarily wrong with that approach, he guessed, but it did seem to lack variety in experiences.

Red waited as the pony behind the counter prepared Spring Breeze's milkshake, thinking over what she had said. Another question almost immediately came to mind, but it could wait until they were seated out of the way at a table.

Once she had her drink, he ordered his iced tea, and then followed her to a table where they could take a little break among the bustle of the crowds around them. After sitting down and taking a sip, he continued. "So, tell me then, where you were from, was there anything like art or cultural displays or... anything that was just for aesthetics?" he asked, looking genuinely curious.

[DerpRavener]

"So, tell me then, where you were from, was there anything like art or cultural displays or... anything that was just for aesthetics?"

'Spring Breeze' rolled the question around in her head as she gingerly carried the drink over to a table. It wasn't something she thought about that often, doubly so back when she was a part of the hive. She took a sip, blinking a bit at the flavour and temperature, before getting back to the question at hoof. “Just for aesthetics? Not really, no, or at least nothing I can remember.” She shrugged. “There wouldn't be much point to that really. I mean, I don't think anypony would stop you if you weren't neglecting your other duties, but usually there were more important things which got in the way.”

She took a sip, and thought a bit more. “There are architects. They can make something beautiful as long as that doesn't impede it's function. Anypony with one of those kinds of jobs could do that, really.” She paused for a moment, reminiscing. “There was also a library of sorts. Plenty of things that needed keeping on record. Most of it was just information, but you could find the odd myth or story in there, when they were useful. I used to spend some time in there, in between patrols.” She took another sip of her drink, finding the flavour odd, but pleasant once she got used to it.

[RedCedar]

Red sipped his drink thoughtfully as he listened to Spring Breeze describe, at least a little, life in a hive. There was more he wanted to ask, but wasn't sure if it would be best in a crowded cafe. As it was, though, it gave him some food for thought. He had hoped, by this trip to the city's boutiques and artisans, to perhaps stir a little imagination in her and give her a new direction. Being mostly concerned with her own survival, however, would be about as overriding a priority as working for the benefit of the hive, no matter what he showed her.

Still, the prospect of a changeling artist, perhaps, would be a unique one in Equestria, no doubt about it.

"So," he said after another sip, "Not being a big shopper aside, is there anything that intrigues you we might be able to find here?"

[DerpRavener]

'Spring Breeze' at first thought Red had asked her the same thing again, and opened her mouth to question it but she realized the wording seemed off. She rolled it around in her head a bit, teasing out exactly what he'd asked. Basically, he wanted to know if there was something she would be interested in even without coming here, that they could find.

'Spring Breeze' looked out onto the street, staring at the various shops which lined it as she considered her answer. She was a mare of simple simple desires and limited means, so while she was open to trying a lot of things there wasn't really much she was actively looking for or hoping to find.

Struggling to think of anything, she tried approaching the question from a different angle. Thinking about what she remembered from the hive and what she saw in Equestria, particularly Ponyville, she eventually arrived at an answer. “...Music,” she said, “if I had to pick one thing I've been curious about since I left, it would be music.” She scratched the back of her head with a hoof. “Not that I'd have anywhere to keep something though, and I'm not even sure what we could find.”

[RedCedar]

Red considered Spring Breeze's answer a moment. Well, it stood to reason that if she came from somewhere where art and culture were almost non-existent, music could be something of great interest. "Music, hmm?" he repeated, sipping on his drink for a moment, then said, "I think there's a few places around here we could find something to satisfy that."

He rolled over in his mind some of the places in this part of town he could take her, when another thought occurred to him. "I guess you must have heard some music in Ponyville. Is there any particular kind you like?" he asked. "I mean, we can go through my record collection tonight as well, if you like."

[DerpRavener]

"I guess you must have heard some music in Ponyville. Is there any particular kind you like? I mean, we can go through my record collection tonight as well, if you like."

Despite her interest, 'Spring Breeze' didn't really know enough about music to really answer any questions about it. “Uhh...fast...things? I haven't really listened to enough to have that answer.” She'd only really gotten bits and pieces anyways, having only stopped to listen on a whim and never made it a priority. She hadn't developed much in the way of knowledge in that regard.

'Spring Breeze' liked the sound of the second idea much better, at least as a starting point. “It might be best to start with your collection, yeah.” She nodded to herself, as she took another sip. “It's good place to start, but I'm also kinda curious what music you listen to.”

Taking another drink, 'Spring Breeze' hit the bottom of the glass. Before she knew it, she'd finished her drink. She was just a little sad to have none left, as she'd been enjoying it even though it was very small in the grand scheme of things. Besides, she had enough to keep her attention. Looking over at Red she asked, “so, ready get going in a few minutes?”

[RedCedar]

Red smirked a little at Spring Breeze's answer. Well, fast... things was a place to start, he guessed. He wasn't smirking as though he were making fun of her, or at least trying not to look that way, only amused by the innocence of her answer, as though it had come from a child.

“It's good place to start, but I'm also kinda curious what music you listen to.”

Red nodded again. "Well, usually, I like my music fast and loud." he said. "But, really, I like a lot of different types of music and what I like to listen to depends on my mood at the time, usually. Maybe I'll like something slow and quiet sometimes. Or less drums and more piano, or something else." he said, taking another sip of his iced tea. "It's kind of hard to explain different types without listening to a lot of different things and seeing what you like, but, we can do that tonight."

Red reached the end of his own drink soon enough, and then nodded. "Ready when you are," he said, standing up again.

[DerpRavener]

Red described the various types of music he listened to, under differing circumstances. Or at least he tried to, though his explanation fell a bit flat, and 'Spring Breeze' didn't really know what he was talking about half the time. In the end he had to explain that it really wasn't something that could just be described, at least not to somepony as inexperienced as herself, and that the best thing to do would just be to show her when the returned home in the evening. To that she could only nod, as she expected a practical demonstration to be the only way she could really understand, in the end.

With their drinks finished, it was good time to get moving. 'Spring Breeze' took to the air again, hovering a short distance above Red as they walked.

Still considering the discussion at the coffee shop, 'Spring Breeze' was partly talking to Red and partly thinking aloud as they went. “To listen to music, I'd need a record player and at least one record,” she said, before thinking and adding, “or I guess an instrument though I can't see that happening any time soon.” She looked down at Red for confirmation of the next thought. “Even if we found something, wouldn't I have to leave it here anyways? I mean, how would I get it back home, and where would I keep it?”

[RedCedar]

Red looked up to Spring Breeze as she spoke her thoughts out loud, and nodded. "Well, I mostly thought we could take a look together while we're here." he said. "There are music shops all over Equestria. I'm sure you could find a record shop or one that sells instruments much closer to Ponyville than here."

As he trotted down the street, however, something about her words stuck in his mind, as well as the fact that she didn't have much in the way of an income, if at all. "Uhm, can I ask you something?" he says, looking back to her again. "Where exactly do you live in Ponyville? Do you have any sort of real home?" he asked, looking somewhat concerned.

[DerpRavener]

Red explained that their search here would be more browsing and getting 'Spring Breeze' familiar with the items, there was sure to be a similar store in or around Ponyville which would be much more convenient for any purchases. That was a lot more reasonable, to the point where she wondered why she hadn't thought of it herself. Come to think of it, she was sure she'd seen such a store somewhere around Ponyville. “That solves some problems,” she said aloud, “then it's just a question of funds and where to keep everything.”

"Uhm, can I ask you something? Where exactly do you live in Ponyville? Do you have any sort of real home?"

'Spring Breeze' looked over at Red, noting his worry but not entirely understanding his concern. She tried to be reassuring, though without knowing the problem she couldn't be sure if she was actually addressing it. “Sure I have a place to stay,” she said with a frown. “It guess it's technically not actually IN Ponyville but nearby, in the forest,” she had to admit, “but really, finding some place out of the way and overlooked is the only way to make sure I don't get unwanted attention.” She hovered on the spot for a moment, and scratched her chin. “On second thought, it might be more of a safehouse or a hidey-hole, but it's still a fine place to stay.” She kept flying and looked over at Red again. “Say, what would a 'real home' be anyways?”

[RedCedar]

Red frowned a little. If she had to ask what a real home was, chances were she was not living in the best conditions. Under the circumstances, that might not be surprising, but that was little consolation when it was his friend who was living rough. Looking up at her, he said, "I mean someplace secure with four sturdy walls that's warm and dry and has a bed and running water in it." Trotting along beside her, he looked up at her over and over, after checking where he was going, the concern evident on his face.

[DerpRavener]

"I mean someplace secure with four sturdy walls that's warm and dry and has a bed and running water in it."

Red was looking at her with concern, and as 'Spring Breeze' only had vague ideas about why that was it set her a little on edge. Alright, so maybe she didn't live quite the way many Equestrians did, but she couldn't expect to be comfortable and she was adapted to that. She'd lived through worse.

She pushed that thought to the back of her mind for now, and focused on her response. She had to think for a moment before replying, remembering the details of the abandoned house. “The walls are all pretty sturdy last I checked, I wouldn't be staying there if they wouldn't hold up, it keeps the wind out and it's dry except for that one corner.” She scratched the back of her head with a hoof. “I guess it doesn't really have running water though, I've been using a nearby stream,” she admitted.

She looked around, trying to find a music store in the vicinity in a hope to change the subject, though she didn't see any just at the moment.

[RedCedar]

Red sighed a little, as it sounded about as bad as he imagined. Looking back up at her, noting he seemed to have made her feel uneasy, he said, "I understand why you live someplace like that. I just don't think you deserve to. I hope we can change that for you, soon." He walked along in silence for a few moments before turning a corner, and then smiling. "Here we are," he said.

Turning into the first shop door around the corner led into a neatly laid out record shop. Discs were stored in raised racks in the middle while phonographs for sale were displayed in cases on the edges. From somewhere in the shop, some slow jazz was playing for the customers. "This is the place I come to when I want something new to listen to," he explained to Spring Breeze.

[DerpRavener]

"I understand why you live someplace like that. I just don't think you deserve to. I hope we can change that for you, soon."

'Spring Breeze's mouth became a thin line. While she could certainly appreciate the Equestrian way of life, and she was slowly coming around to the idea that she could and should improve her situation, she still intuitively resisted the idea that she was suffering unnecessarily. On the other hoof, she appreciated the sentiment, and she did have to admit she was enjoying Equestrian life while she'd been here. “Yeah,” she eventually agreed, “hopefully.”

Moments later they arrived at the record store. 'Spring Breeze' fluttered down to the ground, and followed Red in through the door. The first thing that greeted them as they entered the store was gentle, smooth music playing quietly in the background. 'Spring Breeze' stopped to listen for a moment, moving her head to the music though it wasn't her favourite of what she'd heard. She nudged Red, and keeping her voice down to not attract too much attention to herself she asked, “not my most favorite but it seems like a good place to start, where would I find music like this?”