Conor Colton

Hey, ERROR57noname. I've given your app a read and I think some revisions need to be made if Swift is going to be accepted into WoE RP.

First of all though, I want to say that a lot of Swift's character aspects sadly can't be accepted into WoE like the talking to spirits and the theme of things such as the dead or grave digging. If you wanted to have him keep these abilities then I'd suggest putting him in for the Free For All RP section we have here. If you're set on wanting him in WoE though then some changes definitely need to be made, so please bear with me on this

One thing that really, really has to go is the references to drugs. That's the one elephant in the room I'd like to get out of here right away. Such material isn't accepted for WoE RP, not even in the 18+ section I'm sorry to say; but given it doesn't seem to be a large part of the character I'm sure the change could be easily made.

The next thing I'd like to address is his talent. The concept of a pony being able to talk to the dead and keep an inventory of the dead doesn't look like it would fit into WoE, at all. So I'm sorry to say but his talent and his profession would have to be drastically altered to fit into WoE and have him be accepted into it, and themes of death and talking to the souls of the departed would have to be taken out.

Again though I'll remind you that if you wanted these supernatural abilities to remain intact you could move this character into the Free For All RP section of Canterlot. Any references to drugs have to go though.

The thing with WoE is that you have to stop and ask, "Would a pony like this be in the show?" and then use that as a basis for an acceptable character

These are only the larger issues and if you'd be willing to change those we could work on the smaller problems until he's ready for WoE. I hope this has helped and please let me know if you have any questions or need anything

Sterling could practically feel every synapse in his brain and every fiber of his being prompting him to sigh upon hearing a familiar voice behind him, but for the sake of being professional, and more importantly not to make a complete mule of himself, he held it back. He merely turned to Radiant, keeping all thoughts of their last encounter out of his head. The stallion rationalized the situation out; sure he expected her to take a jab at him already but he wasn't about to retort back and stoop down to her level. He simply nodded at her, standing upright and composing himself.

"[colour=#8b4513]It does look that way, ma'am.[/colour]" he replied in accordance with her first statement. He'd be lying if he said that her second comment didn't touch a nerve, and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't got off to the best start with Radiant. If this were any other pony and in any other situation he'd be quick to give them a piece of his mind, and actually stand up for himself. However for now, he was being graded on his performance and how he fell in line with standard protocol. So he put on a brave face internally, sucked up his pride and remembered where he was. This was the REA, and backtalk or idle annoying habits would just get him kicked out, or worse. The stallion decided instead to look for positives in this situation. Maybe him and Radiant could see eye to eye at one point, and maybe put all this nonsense behind them. Or maybe she'd just turn out to be one of 'those ponies'. Either way, Sterling made it known he was ready.

"[colour=#8b4513]Private Sterling Silver reporting for duty and ready for inspection, ma'am.[/colour]" he nodded, as he caught a glimpse of various other guard ponies on the other side of the room snickering at Sterling's apparent situation; Sterling didn't let it get to him though, and kept in mind that this whole situation could be turned around, and just be used as an opportunity to improve, both on his performance as a guard and not being seen as an incompetent stallion.

It was a bright and sunny day in the city of Canterlot, and a armor clad stallion was making his way down one of the many various well paved streets. The pony sported a grin of anticipation as he made his way to the nearby city barracks. The pony went by Sterling Silver and he was as excited as ever to start work today. The entire few weeks had been leading up to this day, a day where the young aspiring guard could attempt to prove himself; today Sterling was assigned to be paired with a superior, and assessed on his performance in his patrols. This was clearly a time to shine, or attempt to anyway.

His usual morning jog to work had become a slight sprint, his eagerness seemingly overwhelming him. A lot of Sterling's fellow soldiers saw it was odd that a pony would be so excited over something so seemingly monotonous and repetitive as patrolling the city but Sterling only saw it as an opportunity to improve. His expectations for today were pushed even further by a single fact, that he didn't know which superior he would be paired with. His mind wandered on the possibilities, and what high ranking official he could hope to show his worth to.

With a slightly farther run Sterling found himself at the barracks, heading to receive his assignment for the day. He passed idly by his friends and other trainees, watching them be equally as happy as he was for, a reason he could honestly not figure out. He rarely walked into work to see such an array of happy faces. He shrugged lightly, thinking there was just some joke that he was a bit late on; besides he couldn't be worrying about them right now, he had an assignment to collect. Sterling promptly approached his locker, opening it in great anticipation to reveal a sheet of paper with an official REA seal. This was it, his assignment.

"[colour=#8b4513]Oh this is going to be soo great![/colour]" he muttered whilst levitating the paper out, "[colour=#8b4513]Let's see...[/colour]" he pondered as he began to read. All the needed information was there, and he read it aloud to himself, "[colour=#8b4513]Private due for inspection: Silver, Sterling....Time of inspection...today...Superior officer performing inspec-...[/colour]" he stopped himself, gulping, guessing what all his friends were laughing and smiling about now.

"[colour=#8b4513]Superior officer performing inspection...Steel, Radiant.[/colour]" instantly memories of his first day on the job started coming back to him, and how unprofessional he must have seemed...he only hoped that the past wouldn't play into this inspection. Regardless, he stood, speechless. The metaphorical sound of glass breaking in his mind.

Colton jumped slightly at Sage's 'ouch', turning around to make sure everything was okay but getting a large chunk of hail on his own muzzle, "[colour=#40e0d0]Ow! Dang it![/colour]" he yelped, shaking his snout in response. He would have suggested they pick up the pace, had Sage not already ran past him. With a quick sigh and a few flaps of his wings he began to gallop next to her, with Sparks taking cover deeper in his master's mane. The stallion found himself more out of breath than usual, which was a tad concerning for his health but he pushed on regardless, eventually making his way to run along side the sprinting mare, "[colour=#40e0d0]Yeah remember I said how the storm was clearing up?[/colour]" he asked, half joking and half beating himself up for it, "[colour=#40e0d0]One thing we've learned today, not all Pegasus can predict weather.[/colour]"

With a bit more sprinting the two of them came finally came across the library. A few more treads in the quickly forming mud later Colton reached forwards and briskly opened the door, holding it for his apparent partner in this adventure. The stallion then shook himself to dry off, apologizing to a nearby library assistant shortly there after before turning back to Sage, "[colour=#40e0d0]Okay...well we're here, so we better get looking. If you want to ask at the desk I could start having a look around for anything we could use or a place to read.[/colour]" he stated, then mumbling, "[colour=#40e0d0]Been a while, here's hoping the staff know how to keep things in the right order.[/colour]" the pegasus remarked before slowly walking through whatever areas he could, from A to Z.

He assumed Sage would have better luck at the desk but he thought it didn't hurt to be thorough, and it seemed to him that the library assistants would likely take a shine to Sage more quickly, considering she probably didn't get their welcome mat wet.

Well, this was it. Lunch time. Sterling often associated the mad rush for lunch in the school hallways to be similar to that of a raging stampede, when he didn't have food on the mind of course. The dull silver skinned young man made his way out of a nearby office, nodding at the teacher inside before closing the door. He would have been at gym class at this time, but he had some important business to take care of, and business he was more than happy to get out of the way. The aspiring student had just secured a part time job at the local police station! Given the profession ran in the family there was a lot of pestering (Or rather, begging) aimed at his father earlier today but he finally secured what he wanted, and walked out of the room labelled 'careers adviser' with a huge smile on his face. Along with said huge smile was an also very distinct rumbling in his stomach, so he promptly made his way to the lunch hall with the rest of his fellow students.

He held a backpack close to himself, occasionally lifting a hand to brush some of his brown and creamy coloured hair out of his vision, due to the hustle and bustle of early lunch time. On the way into the cafeteria he noticed a person, seemingly in great distress at...whatever it was. The individual wasn't a complete stranger to Sterling though, he had come across him various times during gym class, 'Soarin' if he remembered correctly. He was about to ask what was wrong before noticing the seemingly endless line in front of himself and Soarin. With a small gulp he spoke up to the panicking athlete next to him, "[colour=#8b4513]Don't worry, man. I'm sure there'll be...something left.[/colour]" he said, hoping to reassure both Soarin and himself. Whether that worked at all was up for debate. So he stood, waiting for a bit longer before eventually getting himself some food and wondering where he was going to sit. Sooo many choices.

Meanwhile, in the school library. A young, dark skinned and red haired individual was reading through a series of books on astrology. The spectacle wearing boy was seemingly on edge, flicking through page after page, taking note after note; painstakingly cramming every solitary piece of information into his head as he could whilst repeating a few words to himself. "Have to study. Need to study. Too much goofing off. Need to get this done." over and over again, expecting the few sentences to be engraved in his very brain by the end of this. This individual was known as Darkest Dawn, and yes, he is incredibly panicky.

This seemingly endless cycle of worry was broken by a loud ringing noise in Dawn's ears. Not due to him finally breaking down but from a nearby bell. Lunchtime. He winced and promptly took as much as he could into one handful and whatever else he could fit into his large black backpack, running quickly out of the nearest exit, giving his regards to the assistant inside, "[colour=#b22222]Sorry Miss Cheerilee. I'll return these soon! Promise![/colour]" he shouted in desperation before joining the rest of the student body in the lunch hall. He saw Soarin on his way there, running like a bat out of Tartarus and thinking, "[colour=#b22222]He does this every lunch time...[/colour]" and bumping into a few students, to which he quickly apologized to before getting his food. He thankfully spotted an equally familiar and friendly face nearby, Sterling Silver. He walked over to his relatively new but still trustworthy friend, knowing the young aspiring officer would comment on how bad he currently looked, so he simply said..

"[colour=#b22222]Hey, Sterling...don't you say a word. I know. Let's just get our lunch.[/colour]" he remarked, Sterling merely nodding; as if they've done this whole routine before.

Hey again, BroadwayPony

I'm liking the changes you've made, considerably better than they were before! However there's still some aspects that could be improved on and those shouldn't be too hard

Going from the top of the app, first of all I'm confused at the occupation you put down. The rest of the app suggests she works in a jewelry store but that occupation says she's part of the weather team Just a little inconsistency that can be easily fixed.

Another thing I'd like to talk about is how you presented her socially. We get a lot of shy ponies here who were shunned by others when they were younger for seemingly no reason in apps so it's a rather heavily used trope sometimes, and I'd suggest adding a bit of spice or something unique that gives her more character than simply being shy because everypony was mean to her when she was younger ('Cause then we'd just have an Equestria full of jerks ), I'll leave that little bit of uniqueness for you to figure out, after all she's your character. I also do like how you've given her a bit of an arc, with her getting better and better at being social as she's gotten older so, yay for that

Aside from that, there are a few parts where the grammar could be improved, and if you just give it a quick read over again it should be clear were changes need to be made; and it wouldn't hurt to put a little line between each segment, y'know to make it more visually appealing

All in all though I'd say it's a good improvement, and with a few more we could have Sunbeam approved in no time

If there's anything else you need, just let me know.

Sweet!

I'll check in every now and then but if you can post in this thread to let me know when the changes are made that'd be great

Hey there, BroadwayPony.

I gave your app a little read and whilst I think it has the solid basis for a character I do believe there's some aspects that could be improved on.

Formatting aside the first thing I want to say is that we can't exactly have you using Rarity as a character in your character's back story. It'd be a fun thing to do, no question but it just upsets show canon and the whole World Of Equestria RP style we have going on. I'd suggest using a different form of inspiration for her first bit of jewelry made, like her mother or father? Certainly makes it a lot more believable than them simply being a force against her freedom.

On the subject of her history, I would lean away from the parents having passed away, since it doesn't seem to really add or take away anything from her character. I'd suggest that you'd keep her parents alive still, and perhaps passed down a jewelry shop for her that she could call her own and forge a decent living out of that.

Also, the fact that she had no friends when she was younger was seemingly glossed over. If you're set on her not being too socially active when she was younger then I'd suggest coming up with a reason. I like how she is kind to school foals and fillies, however it too seems like a trait that's been glossed over. It seems a lot more like being nice for the sake of being nice to give her some positive qualities, if you were to include a reason more than her past experiences that would help.

Finally I have one more issue concerning her personality. You've stated what her talents are and what her drives are, though you haven't really given her much identifiable character traits. A fear of spiders is certainly a good start though it feels rather added in at the last second to give more character. My suggestion would be to have her history relate to her attitude. If she had to deal with a lot of difficulties in her own business then it gave her a stronger worth ethic, if she constantly sees new faces every day then she's become gradually more social and easy going, or even something as simple as her being friendly and easy going, saying she's a good pony to rely on and has become dependable over time due to her own independence, but that's all entirely suggestive and I encourage you to find more examples of these sorts of things on your own.

Another small gripe, and this one is easily fixed is the formatting as well. I'll have to ask that you space everything out more so it looks more presentable, which is as easy as making only the headings like 'Cutie Mark' and 'History' in bold text and putting a line between each section of the app.

The app is off to a good start, make no mistake about that, but I hope we can work together to make Sunbeam even better!

Yes.

Bellosh is talking some sense here, surely it wouldn't be too hard to implement.

Here's a couple little enrolled student for this idea, if you would have them of course.

[colour=#8b4513]Sterling Silver [/colour]-- Group (Unknown, but tends to hang out with jocks more so than anybody else) An aspiring kid with ambitions of becoming a police officer, and with a spirit to constantly try and improve himself.

Darkest Dawn -- Group (Nerds) A relatively shy person with interests in astronomy and psychology.

Hope these are satisfactory

Colton had to smile with a small, slightly embarrassed chuckle as Sage referred to his profession as 'brave'. He quickly made a passing, fleeting motion with his hooves to idly pass the compliment on without seeming egotistical or big headed, "[colour=#40e0d0]Well, rest assured you hired the right pony.[/colour]" he replied with a hint of ambiguity in his statement. Despite his initial want to pass on the compliment as if it was nothing Colton did take some pride in that praise; he couldn't remember the last time somepony referred to him as an adventurer again...and honestly it felt pretty good. The pegasus continued walking, not entirely minding the small rainfall that patted down on his head from above, flattening his mane slightly over his eyes and drenching his bird companion. Colton regretted not packing an umbrella at this point, and made a mental note to not make the mistake again.

Regardless, they continued on there way. The navigation wasn't exactly an issue, since the pegasus knew most of the streets they were traversing...at least he hoped. So with his mind not worried on that he began to speculate over his client. He'd admit right then and there that she didn't seem the adventuring type, yet the same thing could have been said to the stallion roughly a year ago. She also seemed eager to not appear as useless or that she was slowing them down, and seemed to carry a determination about her to get out of her more comfortable surroundings and to face an world that for all they knew would be nothing like they anticipated; which was in itself an admirable quality for a budding adventurer to have.

This realization over his client's character made Colton all the more comfortable over this job. She didn't seem like the type to either stab him in the back or to boss him around, which for Colton and Sparks was a win-win situation. Given the simplicity of the job as well he didn't feel they were in any immediate threat or difficulties, but with Sage seemingly relishing the chance for both the pegasus kept himself cautious should an event like that arise; for now though their biggest enemy was catching a cold.

Colton then took a break from his own thoughts and speculation, relying on his own knowledge and absent mind to lead the way to the library. The silence between the two became all the more prevalent so he opted to try and keep the conversation going, "[colour=#40e0d0]So, does any of your family know about this adventure thing? I ask 'cause it seems a bit odd for a restaurant working pony to suddenly want to be out there in search of some special herb. Hope that's not too intrusive though.[/colour]" he stated over the sound of heavy rain patting against them as they trudged through some swiftly forming mud, "[colour=#40e0d0]May be in for more rain than I imagined.[/colour]"

If you are still taking guests, Sterling Silver here would be up for attending

The stallion wondered how Bebe would react to how he had presented himself this evening. In fact him taking of his helmet was a challenge in enough itself for him, as he wondered how Bebe would react, and more importantly whether she would be shallow or genuine under the circumstances. Thankfully though things seemed to be going off without a hitch, and Sterling was more than pleased to decide on where this date was going to be had. He didn't know how to respond to Bebe seemingly letting him make all the decisions but he remained calm and simply answered her.

"[colour=#8b4513]Well, lucky me.[/colour]" he remarked with another earnest smile before walking over to the mare's side and admiring her attire once again. He thought for a moment on where this night should take them, and what place would be ideal for a mare like Bebe to enjoy. The stallion thought further on the subject, but found himself distracted by the distant lights of bustling city they were in. But that's when it hit him. He remembered what he told himself earlier, that whatever will happen will happen, and figured he should try and be adventurous for occasion. He thought than rather simply going for dinner and then leaving it at that, that he would literally throw them at the Canterlot nightlife and simply enjoy the grand spectacle that was the city, even for just one night. If there was anything specific he could think on it whilst they were enjoying themselves anyway.

This is when Sterling started to get very excited. He had the whole city to explore. No worrying about his job for tonight, nor his training or his constant improvement of himself...tonight was just a night for him, and Bebe. With that, he offered the mare to hold his armor clad hoof and began making his way to the restaurant he had reserved seats at. He didn't say anything specifically to Bebe in an attempt to not let the evening be bogged down by formalities or any such thing. Tonight was a night for romance, and enjoyment, and Sterling intended to keep it that way. "[colour=#8b4513]Then just follow me, let's go enjoy the night, shall we?[/colour]" he stated confidently to Bebe as they made their way down the street.

The pegasus smiled as Sage shook his hoof in acceptance of their arrangement. With a readjustment of his seating position he stood up promptly, eager to get going. He was close to walking out in, for all he knew, abysmal weather. His better judgement, and pet bird both got the best of him though as each tugged in the opposite direction from the door. He poked his head outside, expecting a secondary shower for today but only felt a light drizzle on his mane. With another pleased grin he walked over to Sage once more, "[colour=#40e0d0]Storm's clearing up nicely, Miss Leaf.[/colour]" he remarked with a nudge of his head towards the door.

"[colour=#40e0d0]With your permission, I suggest we start our little adventure now.[/colour]" the stallion advised, as he hoped his own words would be wrong in the end. He didn't want a little adventure at all, he wanted a memorable, exciting adventure! One he could pass down year after year, wandering listener after wandering listener, the type of tale that would ring in his mind whenever the phrase 'adventure' was uttered to him. He knew fine rightly it could have been wishful thinking but he honestly didn't care.

He held the door for the mare, keeping a professional attitude and exiting the establishment. He looked around, and checked to make sure he had all the personal items he needed. He looked in his saddlebags and checked numerous things, such as spare cash, camping equipment and navigational tools. Thankfully he had all he needed but none of that was needed right now, so he made way to the Canterlot Royal Library, "[colour=#40e0d0]So, Miss Leaf, is there anything else you'd like to prepare or should we head straight to our destination?[/colour]"

The pegasus nodded in response to Sage, wiping his mouth to get rid of any excess food before continuing on, "[colour=#40e0d0]Understandable, an unfinished job can be a frustrating thing.[/colour]" he stated, finishing off the sandwich and internally taking stock of all the things he would need. He held a hood up, as a way of indicating 'just a second' and turned towards his saddlebags, rustling through them and taking note of any and all items in there. He also took this time to put the whole situation into perspective, making sure he knew where they were going to head first. Happy with what he had, he turned to Sage once again to confirm the plan of action.

He took a breath, rubbing the back of his head and began, "[colour=#40e0d0]Okay, so here's what we're looking at. We have an old piece of paper with a seal on it. First thing we should do is check either the Royal or University library, and see if they have anything relating to this on record. From there we decide what to do next; if any ponies are still kicking that have this family seal, we go and contact them about this herb, maybe arrange a trade off or something...[/colour]" he started, idly taking an apple from his saddlebag and biting into it casually before continuing.

"[colour=#40e0d0]Worst case scenario, we find out where this seal comes from but nopony's still around with that seal. If that's the case then we find everything in these libraries that we can about that seal, then get the paper to an analyst who can tell us how old the paper is, and not damage it in anyway. I can give a rough estimate but we may need an exact one. After that, we find a location from all of these sources, and look there.[/colour]" the pegasus continued, tossing the apple up and down nonchalantly.

"[colour=#40e0d0]Then we find your herb. You get your recipe, we get our fee and we all live happily ever after and all that good stuff.[/colour]" he smiled, extending a hoof towards her, "[colour=#40e0d0]Deal?[/colour]"

(Don't worry about it)

Sterling continued to compose himself as he waited, wondering what this night would hold. His mind tended to wander when he was a bit nervous and this was no exception. He imagined almost every possible outcome for tonight, even down to what Bebe was going to wear and what sort of makeup she was going to have and just when exactly she would meet up with him. Most ponies would have called it crazy to over think a situation such as this but Sterling preferred to have all his bases covered.

It was then he began to wonder if he did look presentable or not. Armor was nice and formfitting of course but was it too formal? Could Sterling not let the job go for one night? He certainly hoped he could but that remained to be seen. Regardless, he wondered how tonight would play out. Would the two of them enjoy the sights or just each other's company? Or both? Would Sterling fall for this mare even more than he already had? Would he get to see where she lived? Would they kiss?

That last question stuck out in Sterling's mind the same way a young foal would. He chuckled slightly and came to what he interpreted as an adult conclusion, "[colour=#8b4513]Whatever will happen, will happen.[/colour]" he thought.

His ears perked up as he heard a familiar sounding voice approaching him, and calling out his name. He smiled beneath his helmet and turned towards Bebe. It was then that the stallion felt a compulsion to see her in her fullness, so with a quick and gentle motion of his hooves, he removed his helmet and strapped it to a piece of his armor, smiling for the mare to see.

"[colour=#8b4513]Hey Bebe![/colour]" the stallion greeted, impressed by what Bebe had wore and how she looked, then again, she was a model, "[colour=#8b4513]You look very nice this evening, Bebe. Absolutely gorgeous.[/colour]" he remarked with inherent sincerity, "[colour=#8b4513]Glad you could make it.[/colour]" Sterling continued, lifting a hoof for her, "[colour=#8b4513]Shall we head to dinner or did you have a particular place in mind?[/colour]" he inquired, seemingly excited.

Dawn was rather puzzled by Asteria's demeanor, he had seemingly never came across with a mare with her mannerisms. It was strange of course, but also rather fascinating. The pegasus always had an interest in sociology and physiology and would have loved to pick this mare's brain, had they the time. For now, he would have to settle to getting to know each other on a strictly conversational level; a fact he didn't mind but he wouldn't have objected to more.

Upon hearing her response to his question though he had to wonder, just what was it she was doing here. He didn't want to instantly assume rival astronomers, a phrase he still found hard to believe but when his credentials and credibility was called into question, he knew he couldn't stand idly by at that. With a slight halt in his walk he reached into his saddlebags and pulled out a card, one with information on the front and the Canterlot University insignia on the back. Holding it up for Asteria he remarked, "[colour=#b22222]I hope this would suffice. Darkest Dawn, owner and lead cosmologist at the Ponyville Observatory. Registered partner of the University of Canterlot.[/colour]" he read aloud as he pointed to a picture of himself on the card.

"[colour=#b22222]Now, is there anything you can tell me about your visit now?[/colour]" he questioned, wondering why he was doing this. Something about this mare just seemed strange. Maybe it was her colour scheme, or her seemingly sophisticated attitude, or maybe Dawn was just taking an opportunity to get to know her better.

Colton nodded at Gerrard's instructions, replying after each one, "Right, right, and right! Let's get to work!" he stated eagerly, flying forwards and beginning to space out the pipes and fasten them accordingly. He had to wonder though how he was getting along with his apparent co-workers.

Firstly there was Gerrard, and Colton was all over the place in regards to him. He initially came off as a bit strong and maybe a bit big headed to the pegasus' tastes. Colton attributed that to either his Canterlot University air of snootiness or maybe the heat out here had gotten to him. "[colour=#40e0d0]Or maybe he's just peeved about not being in Canterlot.[/colour]" he thought. However, Colton tended to give ponies, and or griffons the benefit of the doubt. Some would argue too much but the pegasus didn't see a problem with it. Though, honestly, Gerrard's seemingly invasive attitude was getting to him, and he seemed he always just wanted to be the center of attention. Colton had this idea that ponies, and or griffons have an outer layer though. The persona they put on for the public but usually there's something a lot more relatable, and or likable underneath. He just hoped he could find that in Gerrard...and hoped Telki had as much patience as he did.

Speaking of which, as he worked he began to wonder about Telki. She seemed nice, most certainly, but she had some suspicious air about her; not even given the fact that she appeared out of nowhere in a 'Ghost Town' but just by her general mannerisms. She seemed a tad dismissive to him, and tended to bring up topics or things she had done in the past at seemingly just the right times. Then again, maybe she was a better conversationalist than him. Either way, he had to wonder two things. One was what this mare was capable of. And two, would she do what she was capable of, "[colour=#40e0d0]Well...she seems nice. Though Gerrard must be getting on her nerves by now...eh, I'm sure it'll be fin-[/colour]" Colton was whispering to himself before hearing a large clanging noise, causing him to jump and turn around, with seemingly everything being normal.

"[colour=#40e0d0]...I don't know what just happened...I'm not gonna ask...I'll just get back to work...y'all have fun with, whatever that was.[/colour]" Colton turned back, chuckling slightly.

Sterling nodded to Night Watcher, recollecting his intended patrol path and replying, "[colour=#8b4513]Yes, Sergeant.[/colour]" it was then that Sterling was slightly confused on what happened next. He knew what he had to do, and where he had to go but in terms of whether or not he should it at this very moment was called into question in his mind. He had heard horror stories in the past about military discipline, and even though he usually brushed it off, when he was in the thick of it it was hard to see reason, even when blatantly in front of him.

Upon hearing Radiant say there were ready to embark though, it kicked Sterling's mind back into order, past all the worries and anxiousness to get his military mind going strong. He put his best hoof forward and started patrolling, keeping himself presentable and authoritative at all times. Honestly, he felt pretty good.

As Sage removed herself from the table, Colton puzzled over this peculiar herb. He had never come across anything such as it, not even a plant that resembled it. Despite it's simplistic structure it had various distinct factors that stood out to the pegasus as new and exciting. Perhaps this is why he took on the job on such an impulse in the first place; the image of the herb almost jutted out to him and Sparks, like a light in the darkness to put them back on the right path to their adventuring lifestyle. It was rare for Colton to consider such reasons upon taking up a job, it usually just involved money or a favour, but maybe his dry spell of his profession just led him to such levels of contemplation.

He saw Sage come back and smiled pleasantly at her, nodding his head in approval, "[colour=#40e0d0]Thank you very much, Miss Leaf. This looks delicious.[/colour]" Colton replied, taking the first bite, surprised at how good it was for just a simple sandwich. He pondered to himself, "[colour=#40e0d0]If Sage here can make something this tasty from a sunflower and cucumber...or whoever made it...then why would she want this herb? Could it be for a collectors item? No no, of course not...she wants to make something from it, something unique and new...something that'll really draw in those customers...not a bad idea I have to say.[/colour]" Colton concluded in his head, feeling all the more excited about this adventure. He continued contemplating as he ate, and upon finishing quickly and wiping his mouth with a nearby napkin. He didn't always have napkins on hand but he felt it was nice to have table manners at least.

There was still some things Colton sought clarification for though, so upon putting his plate to one side he rested his head on a hoof and began to inquire, "[colour=#40e0d0]So, Miss Leaf. From the way you've replied I'm guessing you want to come on this adventure too. That's fine with us, you would know this herb better than us but I have to ask, why do you want this herb? Is it something personal to complete this recipe or are you looking to draw a lot of ponies in with a new dish or what?[/colour]" the white pegasus inquired.

Oh I am sooooooooo looking forward to this

The fact that something like this exists is a testament to awesomeness

Dawn was rather surprised by this mare. Not because of her cowl or her seemingly stoic appearance, but more so her appearance itself. It's strange to say but in all his years, the pegasus had never actually come across another pony that was...well, coloured like him. It took him a moment to compose himself in order to reply but he eventually did.

"[colour=#b22222]That's quite lucky, I was just heading there actually, you can follow me if you would like.[/colour]" Dawn stated, about to turn back to his destination but not before introducing himself first, "[colour=#b22222]The honor is all mine, Asteria. My name is Darkest Dawn.[/colour]" he nodded, then turning towards the astronomy department. Dawn then began to wonder about this mare; who was she? What was her purpose here? How did Dawn never notice a pony with her colour scheme before? She certainly was interesting, if not questionable.

The pegasus put aside such ill mannered thoughts however and opted to give the unicorn the benefit of the doubt; as he wished someponies would give him sometimes. He could see himself relating to this pony, which made him feel slightly better about this trip. In being in such an improved mood, Dawn sparked up some idle conversation as he led the way, "[colour=#b22222]So, what brings you to the university, Asteria?[/colour]"

Colton nodded response after Sage replied, "[colour=#40e0d0]Understandable, a lot of ponies make the same mistakes of focusing on the one particular thing when trying to look something up. I wouldn't worry about it though, the fact that you actually came across a recipe this old is pretty incredible on it's own.[/colour]" the white pegasus commented, making sure he didn't miss anything on the poster before putting it to one side. His thorough analysis of the parchment was nothing he hadn't done before, in fact it was relatively easy at this point, though he still tried to retain a sense of modesty and not boast about being able to read a piece of paper.

Whilst waiting for a reply, Colton's mind drifted. He imagined what would come of this seemingly simple assignment. In his time as an adventurer Colton knew that things usually weren't as simple as they seemed, so his mind wandered with willful abandon, imagining what could happen next. The research would of course be the next course of action but past that, the pegasus had no clue. He imagined what this adventure would lead him to; possible new sights and sounds, locations unparalleled in their scope and magnificence, ponies he had never met...or maybe just some dark dreary cave with a shriveled up old herb. Naturally, he held onto his first instincts, with an excited smile. Before continuing he noticed Sage had that look about her again, and wasn't far off from what Colton was going through. Both had a seemingly large want to break free of the monotony of day after day existence, and actually to get out there and experience Equestria for what it truly was.

Regardless of idle fancies, Colton replied once more, "[colour=#40e0d0]That sounds like a good plan. Adventures are great but a soggy and sniffling start probably isn't ideal.[/colour]" he grinned slightly, being greeted with the offer of free food. Of course, Sparks' eyes lit up like Canterlot skies on Hearth's Warming Eve but Colton kept himself a bit more contained, despite his love of food, "[colour=#40e0d0]Thanks, Miss Leaf. That's very generous of you.[/colour]" the pegasus retorted, looking at the menu, "[colour=#40e0d0]For now I'll have a sunflower and cucumber sandwich, please. Though if you guys have anything that can be taken on the road like biscuits or something that'd be great for this job. And I would suggest getting yourself something filling as well if you already haven't today, we're in for hopefully quite the adventure.[/colour]" Colton nodded, smiling once more.

"[colour=#40e0d0]Sure, I'd be able to have a look at that recipe and see if I can spot anything.[/colour]" Colton replied, smiling slightly, "[colour=#40e0d0]And the name's Colton.[/colour]" he stated, before looking into one of his saddlebags for anything that could help him in reading whatever was on that recipe. The stallion couldn't help but chuckle at Sage's response though. He didn't know if he was ever called 'Mister Colton' before; it seemed odd and overly formal to him. He made a mental note to tell Sage it was just Colton, and no need for formalities, if it ever came up again.

As the mare made her way back to the kitchen, the pegasus prodded the sparrow with a hoof, inquiring to him about the whole situation, "[colour=#40e0d0]So, what you think, buddy? Good job or what?[/colour]" he questioned, to which the little avian friend nodded happily in approval, making Colton chuckle slightly once more, "[colour=#40e0d0]And another thing...is it just me or does Miss Leaf seem like she wants to come along on this little expedition? She had that look of excitement about her when adventure came into it all...you think she'd be okay to tag along? I mean, I wouldn't mind.[/colour]" the white stallion pondered, Sparks merely shrugging, feeling impartial about the situation.

When Sage came back with the recipe, Colton took out his trusty adventurer's journal, flicking through to see if he could recognize or cross reference anything between the two items. He carefully examined the recipe, running his hoof over various symbols and what looked to be instructions, completely unable to make sense of all of it though. Letting out a few audible 'hmm's and taking a sip of blueberry juice every now and then, the stallion began to voice his analysis.

"[colour=#40e0d0]Well, I can't find anything in my journal that matches exactly to these markings and symbols...but I know I've seen something similar to them. I'm not exactly an expert but these symbols here-" he stated as he laid the parchment down and pointed it out, "It means great cook, or some form of culinary masterpiece. The rest of these symbols could relate to various ingredients, like this one here would be some sort of flower, and a botanist could easily tell you which one. But then we have this one-[/colour]" the stallion continued, pointing to another, "[colour=#40e0d0]That would be your herb, and there's only gibberish instructions next to it...but, it isn't as hopeless as it may seem...[/colour]" Colton stated, continuing on, taking a breath and yet another sip, "[colour=#40e0d0]I've seen this form of parchment before, and right here, in the bottom right, that's likely a personal seal by whoever made this.[/colour]" the pegasus pointed out, pointing to a pot and spoon shaped marking.

"[colour=#40e0d0]The paper obviously came from a long time ago but if we were to say check for this seal in any libraries around we could find somepony's family or group that would bear this seal, then we could see where that group was situated in relation to the time in which this parchment was made, which should be easy enough to determine. Looking at it now I'd say it goes back three, maybe four generations. Wherever that seal was all that time ago, is likely where we'll find your herb, Miss Leaf.[/colour]" the stallion proudly concluded, "That sound alright?"

Colton observed Sage's response, and to his surprise she had both a look of regret and at the same time, wonderment about her. He was tempted to raise an eyebrow but kept it down for politeness' sake. There was something about that sense of wonderment he noticed though...it seemed vaguely, familiar to him. He had no clue as to why but it was clear that that was contemplation for another time, and that there was more pressing matters to attend to right now. Colton did have to wonder if his previous reaction of surprise and suspicion was well placed or not, or polite for that matter. So for now, he was going to give Sage the benefit of the doubt, on account of she seemed nice.

Now he was faced with what he figured as a possible employer, so he looked as professional as he could have been...which wasn't very much. He considered himself to be good at what he did but he never called himself a 'professional adventurer' or anything similar. Regardless, "[colour=#40e0d0]Yeah, I was considering taking it on. Me and Sparks here-[/colour]" Colton started as Sparks plopped down onto the table and bowed slightly before returning to Colton's shoulder, "[colour=#40e0d0]As I was saying, me and Sparks were in the neighborhood looking for some work...sadly the job center had nothing so we found one of your posters, and figured it'd be a good opportunity for some...well, adventure.[/colour]" the stallion replied, no longer covering the poster but crossing his hooves on the table. Now was the time for business.

"[colour=#40e0d0]We're kinda unsure on where to start though. The poster itself isn't very damaged but we can't get much off of it other than the reward and the actual herb itself...[/colour]" Colton continued, thinking. "[colour=#40e0d0]Well, she obviously put up the posters for a reason, so she must know something about it more than it just exists...I think a bit of help is needed.[/colour]" he concluded before clearing his throat, "[colour=#40e0d0]We would very much like to take up this job for you, Miss Leaf. If there's any assistance you could provide us with it would be greatly appreciated.[/colour]"