Solaria

Cadence smiled as Martini seemed to loosen a bit more with each passing moment; the unicorn's growing ease around both the princess and her husband was actually noticeable and gave the alicorn a warm feeling of satisfaction. It was always nice to show ponies that she was one of them, just... with a longer lifespan. As a barsmare Martini seemed to have caught on to this a little more quickly than most, which was a rather pleasant surprise.

"[colour=#ee82ee]If we ever need a good drink, I just might[/colour]," Cadence shot right back at Shining Armor. "[colour=#ee82ee]She is rather talented[/colour]."

With that she took a large quaff of her eruption, squeezing her eyes shut and wiggling slightly at the warmth before grinning. She still had some work to do if she was going to match even her husband's tolerance, as being a pony of almost pure magic apparently had no bearing on one's ability to keep their head after too many drinks. Oh well, best to let him keep his victories.

"[colour=#ee82ee]My father taught me[/colour]," Cadence repeated, turning her attention back to their "guest," a rather ironic term to use really. "[colour=#ee82ee]He would always say that a perfect glass of wine could wash away the troubles of the day. I'm mostly inclined to agree with him now, though when I was little I couldn't stand the aftertastes. I can't count the number of days that I spent in the vineyard, walking with him and learning the differences between each plant and how each could be coaxed to contribute their own unique flavor to create what he called the 'symphony of life in liquid form,' if I remember correctly[/colour]." She blushed slightly. "[colour=#ee82ee]My father thought very highly of the art[/colour]."

The alicorn took a moment to sip at her drink, mulling over her thoughts while staring into her rippling reflection. It had been a long time. She would have liked to walk the vineyards again.

"[colour=#ee82ee]As for my education, I thought it would never end. Manners, dancing, social niceties, dinner etiquette, how to dress, not to mention the history of Equestria since the Coming of the Sun and Moon and everything in between. It's a lot to learn[/colour]," she laughed, waving a dismissive hoof. "[colour=#ee82ee]And not a lot of it interesting, especially when talking over such nice drinks. So I guess instead I'll ask what your favorite activities outside of mixing drinks are[/colour]," Cadence returned, genuinely interested in the pony before her.

Derpy shook her head in response to the question about decorations.

"Nope! We made sure the house was all ready for you guys before you even got here. I didn't even know it was done yet, but it wasn't hard!" she explained, catching a bubble on the tip of her nose and wrinkling her muzzle. "But it sure is great to see so many friends coming to the party with us!"

When Mojo started to play his song, Derpy watched Jubilee dance through the air. It was almost mesmerizing to see the other pegasus float so gracefully that she didn't notice an odd twitching for a few moments. What was that? With a curious glance over her shoulder, the mailmare discovered that it was her flank bopping in time to the beat! Well, if her cutie mark was dancing, that meant she should be too right? She landed next to Mojo and started singing at the top of her lungs, albeit a bit off-key.

Glad Tidings was swaying happily in time with the beat, enjoying the compliments on her hard work until she was asked directly about Holiday House and its current state.

"Oh no, not on my own. Derpy helped quite a bit! My house has endless ways to get through it, but her flight just makes things easier and faster to move on the outside. She's such a good holiday assistant." In a tiny burst of holiday cheer, she tapped a hoof against one of her jingle bangles to make it ring. "Are you enjoying the party so far? Can I get you some punch or cookies?"

Derpy nearly dropped to the snow in excitement when a newly-arrived pegasus called her name, since her legs almost forgot how to stand. It happened that way sometimes. Joy could just override everything you know.

"I sure did!" she tittered, ruffling her feathers in pleasure before trotting forward. "Did you see the bubbles? Those were my idea! They make bubbly snow! Do you like it?"

Meanwhile in the background, Glad Tidings was more than happy to walk right up to her guests as they introduced each other.

"Welcome welcome one and all, to Holiday House now stand in awe!" she sang, the lights on the house and in the trees blinking and flashing in time with her voice. "Tinsel here and garlands there, Hearth's Warming spirit is everywhere! We sing we dance we laugh and cheer, cuz who doesn't love this time of year? 'No pony of course!' comes the blanket cry, certainly not you, nor him, nor I," she continued, pointing out a few ponies in the crowd during the verse. "Now tie your scarves, tug on your boots, cut loose Ponyville, no pony will give a hoot! Give in they should, and certainly will, for Holiday House will fit the bill! A modern marvel, this home of mine, built to fit the day and time! Harmony Day, Hearth's Warming, Summer Sun, and that's only the start of the fun! Now get ready folks, for the main attraction..."

She turned and yelled at the top of her lungs at the twinkling mansion behind her, evergreen mane and tail wiggling in excitement as the jingle bells woven into them jangled with mirth.

"HOLIDAY HOUSE! LIGHTS, CAMERA, AAAAAAAAAAAAAACTIOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!"

In an instant the home made the previous decorations look like a smattering of pale stars across the night sky to the blazing sun of a display it put on now. Wreathes shone like beacons to the heavens, strings of lights were liquid fire in the night. Overall, Glad Tidings was very proud that all the work she'd put in this month had paid off.

"Again, welcome friends!" she said happily, turning back to the group after her little performance. "Would you like some eggnog? Chestnuts? They were roasted over an open fire!"

(Apologies for the delayed response, but I also want to mention this was more of a fun little thing right before Christmas rather than a full on thread. It was to test the waters for full-on threads involving Glad Tidings and her customizable home for different holidays, so let me know!)

It was time! Hearth's Warming was only a few days away, and Glad Tidings wasn't about to miss a single moment of the celebration. All month she'd been working on her traveling home, the Holiday House, making sure that it was fit and proper for only the best wintry celebration Ponyville had seen to date! Almost as if a tribute in and of itself, the modular home was the biggest it had ever been, roughly the size of a mansion with its multiple floors reaching for the stars above.

Its cherry red owner flitted about in the field in which the party site was located, somewhat near the edge of the Everfree Forest. Ever vigilant, the holiday pony had set up a wide perimeter of holiday sparklers and trees brimming to the tinsel with lights! No creature of the dark would even think twice about crashing this party. The tents were in place, the snow was shoveled to a manageable level, and a pathway had been cleared right to Holiday House's front stoop.

In all honesty, Glad wasn't entirely sure how the house was standing, but it was best not to question it. After all, 5 rooms more on the second story were easily supported by the kitchen and dining room below and the ball room above, right? It was simple Hearth's Warming science! With a wide grin the earth pony trotted toward the front door and looked high above to the roof.

"How's everything looking up there, Derpy?!" she called in a jingly voice full of bubbly excitement.

"It's so pretty!" came the response as the familiar blue-grey pegasus hovered about the central bell tower. "There's lights and caramel apples and snow! I love snow!" she cried, her wings fluttering in her glee.

"Me too!" Glad Tidings trilled, bouncing in place until she stopped for a moment with a look of confusion on her face. "Derpy, is that... is that a bubble machine?" she asked, pointing a hoof at the large contraption set on the slope of the roof.

"You know what they are?!" the pegasus squealed, practically hugging herself. "You're so smart! I thought if I added bubbles to the snow, we would have snowy bubbles! Or bubbly snow! It would be my two most favorite things in one!"

"That... is such a great idea," Glad Tidings murmured to herself with a completely serious face. "Derpy's a genius." With a resolute smile that could light up its own palace, the cheermeister tugged a wreath over her head like an evergreen necklace and waved a hoof to her friend above. "Okay Derpy, let them have it!" she shouted.

With a happy nod Derpy flew backwards, orienting herself, then flew directly at the giant golden bell that resided at the top of Holiday House and struck it forcefully with her hooves. The resulting explosive cacophony of ringing sound cascaded outward and over a snowbound Ponyville, the main bell having set off the rows and rows of smaller chimes in the tower below to create a wonderfully upbeat melody that carried to the farthest reaches of town.

Her job accomplished, the mailmare took a very confused and meandering path to downward to land awkwardly next to her friend, with eyes only slightly crossed. After all, big bells were disorienting that close!

"We're ready!" they called together, their happy voices joining the uplifting melody that swung through the cold air.

Destiny sat back a bit, brushing a stray tendril of mane from her face as she settled to listen to Gerrard reminisce a bit. She'd expected this, after all. That's what old friends did. Comment on the present, then venture into the past. It was almost cyclical. Good to know the griffon wasn't atypical after these years. She hadn't actually known that he had been heckled as a fledgling in Canterlot, but it made sense. That's almost all she heard about creatures with childhood time spent in the capitol, though she'd personally seen very little of it. Maybe she just didn't care enough for it to notice it.

"I never really had any issues," the unicorn said flatly, draining the rest of her tea and setting it aside. "In my experience griffons are a bit more 'might makes right,' and I've never been lacking in their general concept of power. After all, what is technology when it can be torn asunder by a simple focused thought? Minds that fuel magic are like the mechanical marvels of your kind: precise, finely-tuned. But no living being can attain such a symbiosis with a construct as they can with their own mind, something that is part of themselves. In other words, a small display of magical prowess goes a long way, even if it's ultimately a light show."

As if to make a point, the mare stared at the wrench in her friend's claws as her irises were lost to a surging red-violet of magical effervescence. Her horn thrummed with steady light and power, which in turn levitated the tool and rotated it slowly in the air.

"If I may," she murmured, focusing on her work.

After a few moments glimmering lines appeared throughout the metal. They were very fine, nearly unnoticeable, until Destiny made them glow more brightly.

"Imperfections," she mentioned in a neutral tone. "Everything has them, even masterworks. Enough stress on the weakest point, and an entire system collapses, as I'm sure you well know. The mind, however, has natural ways to keep functioning even when damaged or in distress. Many machines have a tendency to simply stop working. Don't worry, I'm not going to snap apart your nice wrench to make a point," she laughed, releasing her hold on it and dropping back to its owner. "To be succinct... No, I did not have those problems."

Mjölna stared with some interest as a pegasus stallion trotted his way over to them, inquiring about Mount Naskralar. The way he spoke about it, however, made it sound more as a foal's school trip rather than a venture into the darker parts of Equestria, where monstrous things roamed. Did he not realize what resided there?

"Aye, we travel unto the mountain to seek its keeper. But this is not a journey for the careless, friend. Why do you seek the fangs of ice and fire? Knowledge? Treasure? Adventure? All fine goals, but hazardous to the unwary. We may yet allow you to accompany us if your intent is clear and your courage strong."

Meanwhile at the bar Destiny regarded Miasma with a mildly arched brow, a smile on her shadowed muzzle.

"I do know her, somewhat," she admitted, taking a sip of her drink before returning her gaze to the gryphon's. "We used to be... friends. But we've since grown apart. As you can see she has a much more direct approach to things, which is what partially caused the split. She's more than capable however."

[colour=#daa520]Ohhh.. Suddenly I understand the flutterscotch thing now.[/colour]

Destiny watched somewhat impassively as Gerrard took a quick gulp of his tea, which promptly ended up in the flickering flames. Embarrassment, followed by a cover action. Her mind would often flick through things she'd read or learned when situations relevant to them occurred in day-to-day life. She hardly acted on such trivial things however, and didn't mention her observation. They simply had differing views of the same subject, after all.

"You can't mean to tell me that you're constantly in demand to create entire water supply systems. I could understand upgrading the efficiency of possibly outdated standing methods, but at some point you can't fix what just isn't broken. And it's not every other day that a new settlement appears either," she added, lifting her cup of tea with her aura and taking a delicate sip.

"I'm afraid my word wouldn't do much to sway the mayor from his usual habits, either," the unicorn explained. "I'm considered a bit of a recluse out here, since I don't venture much into Stalliongrad proper. I'm just the REA mage that everypony knows lives here, but hardly sees even when off-duty. I could make mention the next time I'm out his way though."

The mare wasn't entirely sure how she felt about suddenly happening upon Gerrard again after all this time. After all, they'd both changed quite a bit hadn't they? He was a proud engineer who traveled all over, and she was a student and servant of her country. His familiar demeanor with her seemed to transcend all of that in his mind, to which Destiny continued to acquiesce for the time being. After all, friendship had saved their home time and again at the hooves of the Element Bearers. Surely they'd find some common ground soon enough as they spoke with each other.

[colour=#daa520]Small question: If Kun was smart enough as a child to build Afla, why did he need Afla to take care of him? Was it more of a butler role?[/colour]

Haha yes, best of luck Sturmm. Destiny awaits!

Destiny watched closely as the griffon dried off, the barest of recognitions dawning in her mind. It had been a long time, but she did remember Gerrard. It was no wonder that it was so difficult however. She'd only been in the Badlands a comparatively short time out of her entire life. It was fairly wonderful to see such an old friend though.

"Well, now that you're dripping and cold in my house you do look a bit more familiar," the mare teased gently, running a cloth over the floor before sending it flying out of the room to the laundry. "Here, have some warm tea. It should help."

The china behind her had finished swirling about and was now hovering as two steaming mugs of tea, one of which sat itself in the air directly before Gerrard.

"It's possible of course," she continued in thread with her companion's statement about the piping. "Our network has been so resilient for years that our maintenance crew could easily have become lax in their inspections. Although if they weren't," she gave a coy smile, "wouldn't you be out of a job? That's how Equestria works!"

Destiny sipped slowly at her own hibiscus tea, savoring the sweet flavor. She had been planning on taking a steaming bath to remove the chill from her body after walking home, but sitting in front of the fire with a ghost of the past was almost as warm and twice as interesting.

"Surprised?" she echoed. "It's almost normalcy in this district. The further from the warehouses and factories you go, the more personalized the architecture becomes. Besides, I've always liked this style. How did you learn so much about heating systems anyway, coming from a desert?"

Thanks Trilo! I'll probably be close to finishing her tonight, if not done.

Roleplay Type: Mane

Name: Glad Tidings

Sex: Female

Age: Mare

Species: Earth Pony

Eye colour: Emerald

Coat: Bright Cherry

Mane/Tail: She has a fairly straight mane and tail of Evergreen, though she's known to weave baubles and trinkets into them in a seemingly random fashion.

Physique: On the softer side due to holiday treats and sweets!

Residence: The Holiday House, her traveling home. This collapsible marvel goes everywhere with Glad Tidings, and gets bigger and better every year. The residence's decorations always reflect the closest upcoming major holiday, and it has become so grand and time-consuming that when its owner isn't out spreading joy, baking, or playing games, she's working on Holiday House. The guests and their happiness that fill it are completely worth it though!

Occupation: Professional Cheermeister (And salespony of various trinkets and baked goods). In fact, Holiday House more often than not has a shop on a lower floor.

Cutie Mark: A sprig of holly with two ripe berries.

History:

Glad Tidings's childhood home was always filled with love and laughter. Her mother would spend the days baking delicious goods that filled the kitchen with wondrous smells, while her father would go out and chop wood as a lumberjack. Holidays were major events for the family, from the mountains of grains and fruit for the Autumn Harvest to the cheeses, wines, and festives jams and cakes of Hearth's Warming. Glad memorized as much as she could about the traditions, hoping to have her own home just like that one day.

As she grew, the mare took more active parts in celebratory preparations, from baking to decorating. It wasn't until the year that Glad was allowed to run an entire Hearth's Warming Eve dinner event for her extended family that she got her cutie mark. Her love of ponykind coming together in exuberance and harmony each season, all exemplified by the symbol of the simple plant on her flank.

Since that day, the earth pony labored to find a way to spread the joy she felt during these special times with everypony she could. Her family came through again, this time helping her build the very first incarnation of Holiday House. With her new home in tow, the mare left to fulfill her self-appointed mission. She makes a point of visiting her family often, to both celebrate and show them the newest additions to her "mobile" home. Even they are starting to wonder how she gets it around.

Character Summary:

Glad Tidings is a very happy and extroverted pony who delights in spreading wonder and joy, and has the energy to back it up. Whether her seemingly-inexhaustible supply of cheer and hyperactivity is the result of holiday sweets or something else is still the subject of debate, but most don't care. It's hard to bother questioning how a pony is in three different places at once when it involves baking cookies, decoration, and caroling!

Glad's big personality and constant fun-seeking can occasionally get on more reserved creatures' nerves. She realizes this and is apologetic, but she just can't contain her nearly constant bubbling entertainment with Equestria and everything in it. If asked to leave she'll politely do so, moving on to the next area with fanfare! It's for this reason, not to mention her extremely active imagination, that Holiday House is perfect for Glad Tidings. Its modular nature makes it just as random as she is. Nothing warms this mare's heart like a smile on a face AND a heart.

Mjölna had almost answered this newcomer, Destiny, when another mare showed up and offered more blunt and foreboding monologue. It was also a tad more condescending, but Miasma seemed like she could handle herself. The earthpony didn't want to embarrass her even further by making her own comment on the situation. Instead, she shook Destiny's hoof and nodded grimly.

"Aye, what you both say is true," she said slowly, turning the words over in her mouth to try and speak more modernly. "Naskralar is indeed a fearsome creature. Anypony in their right minds would stay leagues from the beast. But I did say that only the bravest of heart should accompany me, and you three approached me. Obviously Hairless over there can swing her big rock around, I guess... Miasma, you have a keen mind and stout courage. And anger, I like it," she added, patting the griffon reassuringly. "But that just leaves you, Destiny. Why should we bring you into a valorous journey fraught with danger? Book smarts only get so far in the lands of dragons."

Without a word, Destiny inclined her head as her horn began to glow beneath her hood. A small, shimmering orb appeared over Mjölna's mug, quickly growing in size. Inside, the bewildered sandy-maned mare could only sense emptiness, a void. In the blink of an eye, the spell was over and the mead was nowhere to be seen.

"A pocket dimension. One of the many spells in my repertoire. I'll go fetch you another drink," the dark-coated mare chuckled, trotting off to the bar.

With an arched brow, Mjölna turned back to her original associate.

"Be ye sure you will hold to your one unicorn rule?"

Destiny was prepared to defend herself should the griffon come at her, but he only moved to brush himself clean and lower his goggles. As he revealed more of his face, the mare was struck even more with the familiarity about him. It wasn't until he mentioned her name with such certainty that she relaxed even a bit. Was that why he struck such a chord in her memory? Destiny prided herself on her sharp mind, but she was drawing a blank.

To be fair, she couldn't remember much, if anything, about the Badlands, but Gerrard obviously did. They'd even been friends if she was reading him right. She could at least give him the benefit of the doubt. Her localized snowstorm lost cohesion and momentum, falling lifelessly to the frozen ground.

"That's quite a memory you have," she said amiably, allowing herself a small smile. "It's been a long time. I'll gladly tell you about how everything has been, but let's get out of the cold first. You don't look like you're enjoying it."

Before leaving, the unicorn turned toward the mess of half-buried pipes and directed her heating spell over the jumble before feeding it a great deal more power. The orb blossomed, expanding exponentially and turning nearly all the snow nearby to harmless steam, which revealed the metalwork underneath.

"Don't worry," she added, recalling her magic as it shrank once more. "I didn't produce enough heat to effect the pipes and crack them. That should just buy us enough time to talk and let you warm up a little."

With that the shrouded pony turned and led the way up the hill, twisting and turning through some of the more recent houses until she came to a secluded residence near the white-capped woods. The dark stone of the home stood starkly against its bleak background, but the torches crackling in their braziers helped to soften the image... a little.

After opening the heavyset oak door and allowing Gerrard inside, Destiny hung her immaculate cloak on the rack. Her minor repulsion enchantment had done the trick, there wasn't a speck of powder on the garment. She then showed the way to her study, a cozy room with a roaring hearth that blazed into life at the spark of her horn. High-backed leather chairs stood facing the fire, with an intricate rug covering most of the stained wood flooring. Scrolls and books where everywhere, but it was much more comfortable than the blizzard roaring outside the frozen window. All in all, the house looked more like a gothic castle than a place to live, but it was home.

"So, you were hired to come and check our piping?" the mare led, absentmindedly levitating tea cups and saucers through the air behind her. "Was it really that bad?"

A cloaked and cowled figure fought its way slowly through the snow, an orb of fiery red energy floating steadily through the turbulent air before it. The ambient glow from the spell cast a fair amount of light into the unicorn's hood, for that's what it obviously was all things considered. Destiny was returning home after a long day spent in the library, researching the existence of a possible Discordian relic in Equestria's Heartland. Most of the documentation on the subject was grey and vague at best, and it seemed like nothing more than an old mare's tale. Though, after all, wasn't that how most ancient magicks avoided detection in the first place? She'd return tomorrow and look further into the subject, but for the time being a warm hearth and soothing cocoa were foremost in her mind.

The snow was especially blustery, and the mare's conjured heating spell didn't do much aside from keeping her warm and providing a small bit of extra visibility. When she started to pass the water main like she always did on this particular path home, she stopped to admire the city from her vantage point. Stalliongrad: austere in an unforgiving landscape, but prosperous nonetheless. The ponies here were hardy and warm in spite of their harsh home. It was always rather impressive. The architecture was pleasant to look at as well.

As she started to move on however, she noticed a large black shape moving along the snow below her raised pathway. Watching in curiosity, the unicorn looked on as the figure seemed to inspect the piping about it before pulling a large, heavy wrench from its pack. Without hesitation it plunged it into the snow, right where the water main should be. A vandal! If that pipe was punctured it would not only deprive many ponies of water, it would also spill out and cause a large freeze that would effect the other flows around it!

"Hey!" she snapped out in her best military tone, her horn glowing brightly as the snow around the intruder swirled and lifted into a tight, shimmering vortex. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked, the icy veil parting to allow her entrance into her magical cage.

Her eyes roved the other creature now that she could see it up close, and it appeared to be a well-built male griffon behind protective goggles. There was something vaguely familiar about him, but Destiny couldn't quite place it. It wasn't that all griffons looked alike either, because she had quite an eye for detail. Either way, she waited sternly for her answer, a disproving look on her face as her spell orbited lazily about her head, occasionally casting a fiery glow across her shadowed features.

Why do you change your username so often?

Spontaneity. I greatly enjoy lots of cool things at once, and my imagination often gets the better of me. The same thing happens in games where I can change the look of my character.

Cystralhearts, who was Soulscapes?

An introspective me.

Cadence trotted through the hallways of Canterlot Castle, a knit woolen cap sitting at a jaunty angle over her forehead while shades adorned her muzzle. The stares she got from nobles and the like were promptly ignored, while her attendant Solstice Glimmer trotted dutifully along behind the princess, a stony look on her face. After the ordeal in the Crystal Kingdom, the pink alicorn was busier than ever managing both the Canterlot Royal Public Relations and her duties in the north. Needless to say the older ponies on the board just couldn't or wouldn't relocate, and mail between the two areas was more than a little difficult. Thus Cadence had resolved to simply travel between the two, and ever since her last letter had taken a strange liking to the trappings of Hot Trot Alley visitors.

Upon reaching her chambers, the princess found two things waiting for her: what looked like a napkin, and a letter. Levitating her cap and sunglasses onto a bureau, Cadence sat in front of her desk and inspected the tiny tattered square. It WAS a napkin. With writing. And toast crumbs.

"Trying too hard..." she murmured, seeing that the letter was from Wordplay. "Well, I thought I was pretty sizzling. Oh well!"

She opened the letter, her eyes scanning from side to side as she read the rest of the other mare's correspondence. When she read the parting words, the pony's brows furrowed a little. Her penpal was truly determined on that bit, wasn't she? That was alright, part of royal perks was the ability to delegate!

"Solstice," she called to the unicorn in the doorway, nodding toward a sheaf of parchment and a quill. "I'm going to dictate something to you, and I want you to put your own... delicate charm into it," she finished blandly, knowing that her attendant was rather good at saying just the right thing in a non-intrusive way.

"Dear Wordplay," the alicorn began, with Solstice magicking the quill along in the background. "Thank you for your napkin. I bet that toast was delicious. As far as singing in any official setting, I've done so once or twice, although I'm not really sure about my husband. He has been on the REA's Stallions of the Year calendar cover for several seasons though, so I bet he could sing anything and still be fawned over."

"For inspiration, love obviously plays into it but I really enjoy seeing happiness in the smiles of everypony. I guess I'll have to see what I can work out with Shining Armor. In the meantime, have fun with your music!" She turned to Solstice Glimmer. "Did you get all of that?"

"Of course," was the response as the unicorn mare slid a doodle of Shining Armor using Cadence as a hoofball out of sight. "Just adding the finishing touches."

Dear Wordplay,

I've sung once or twice, but never for anything formal or scheduled. Shining Armor isn't musically-inclined, with his split duties as Captain and Emissary to the Crystal Kingdom taking much of his time. Love is always prevalent for me, and I'm sure it will come to you in time. Never stop chasing your dreams!

Sincerely Yours,

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza

Crystal Kingdom Emissary and Councilor of the Canterlot Royal Public Relations Department

Without another word, Solstice Glimmer slid her hasty drawing in with the letter and tied it off without another thought. After all, she figured Wordplay could deserve a little chuckle.

"It's almost time for dinner, Your Highness," the mare intoned. "Shall we head downstairs?"

"I'd love to," Cadence answered, starting to follow her friend out the door before stopping and staring at the napkin one more time. Trying too hard... With a shrug and a self-confident smirk, the princess levitated her woolen cap and shades back into place before strutting out of the room. She wasn't trying hard to be cool, she simply was.

"I'm keeping them," she whispered to no pony, closing her bed chamber doors behind her with a soft snick.

Mjölna calmly sipped at her mead, smiling idly at the griffon's reaction. She hadn't much expected a fierce leonic avian in a business suit to answer her call, but she wasn't complaining. After all, she'd heard good things about how Miasma's kind reacted to hardship: by giving their antagonists even more hardship than they'd received themselves. It was a good way to deal with problems in the pony's opinion. The mare did however give a flat look at the first question.

"I would use two hooves, of course," she chuckled, thunking her mug back down. "A mere handle won't stop me from tasting the nectar of the gods!"

She was trying to find how best to explain the power of a wyrm when the question was answered for her by a calm, quiet voice from a corner booth.

"A wyrm is a beast of a dragon," a hooded figure explained in its feminine voice, eyes glittering darkly from beneath it's cloak. "All dragons are long-lived, with some dating back to Celestia and Luna's ascension to the throne. Whereas you might fear a fully-grown dragon, and rightly so, wyrms are the oldest and most intelligent of them all. Imagine a creature of impenetrable hide that is capable of melting solid stone or steel simply by opening its maw, coupled with an impossibly sharp mind. Not to mention dragons never really stop growing."

The pony, for that's what it could be presumed she was, stood and trotted over to the pair before lowering her hood and revealing herself to be a tall unicorn of dark purplish hues. Her focused gaze moved from Miasma to Mjölna and back again.

"That is of course, unless you were expressing disbelief in the fact that we might be facing a wyrm in general. In which case I hope it's true, because that's the reason I'll be coming with you. Those creatures have vast hoards of not only treasure but knowledge as well, and I would see what Naskralar's keeper keeps hidden away in his mind and scrolls."

The unicorn extended a hoof.

"I'm Destiny. A pleasure to meet you both."

[colour=#0000ff]Philarity needs moar coffee.[/colour]

Mjölna smiled idly at Miasma's comment.

"There is nothing else here aside from the inn. What provisions we take with us will be at the grace of our wonderful host." She indicated a gnarled old stallion with a lazy eye who was standing with a snarl at anypony who came close. "At best, we garner a pair of bedrolls and some meat and water, perhaps a lantern or two. What is likely? We venture forth with scant sustenance and rely on our strength and vigor to see us through our quest."

She hoisted her stein at the griffon and took a long draught before clunking it down with a sigh. She slowly wiped the back of a hoof across her muzzle to clear any droplets and shook her mane slightly in the tingling aftermath of the drink.

"As I said, it is not a journey for the faint of heart. But who among these ponies can say they bested an ancient, full-grown wyrm?" She clapped Miasma on the shoulder. "No pony, or griffon, save us can make such a boast when we're through. Come friend, enjoy one of your last warm nights for quite a while."

The earthpony slammed down a few more bits on the counter, endured a screech from the innkeeper, and returned with two full mugs.

Cadence gave the smallest of quirks to her eyebrows as Martini revealed even more about herself, though she said nothing. After all, if the mare wanted to share she was more than welcome to. The duty to be accessible kind of came with the crown. Well.... her crown anyway. It was a self-imposed crusade to be friends with as many of her subjects as she could. She nudged her shoulder against Shining Armor at his playful quip, but her eyes were all for the barsmare when she announced that she would meet the princess's request.

"[colour=#ee82ee]We'll get to the Stallianoya later, dear[/colour]," she murmured in a sideways whisper, her attention locked on the floating bottles and glassware.

Martini hadn't fudged any of the truth about herself, and put on quite a display that showcased what had to be years of development on telekinetic control and precision. Cadence could see why tourists would keep coming back if they got a presentation like this every time. It was mesmerizing. When the amaretto was set ablaze and poured into the drinks, she let out a small squeal of surprise and delight before turning to the concoction her husband held before her. Thinking for just a moment, she squeezed her eyes shut and blew out the flames.

"[colour=#ee82ee]Now, Martini[/colour]," she said quietly, a mischievous glint in her gaze. "[colour=#ee82ee]I think it's only fair that you get to join us, even for a short while. We'll call it a royally-influenced break[/colour]." As she spoke Cadence focused heavily, extending her senses into the small cellar from which her first glass of wine had originated. "[colour=#ee82ee]No... no...[/colour]" she muttered, flitting from bottle to bottle. "[colour=#ee82ee]There[/colour]!"

With a hint of glee the alicorn retrieved several different vintages and brought them hovering into the air before the trio. Just to double-check, she uncorked a few to make sure she had selected the right flavors. After all, it had been years since she'd done this. She of course didn't question that she was allowed to do this either, after all Martini had already mentioned that she was only filling in so these weren't her personal stores. If the owner got a little frazzled she could always offer a little gold from the royal coffers to compensate. But, being the princess of love and passion, it never came to that...

"[colour=#ee82ee]My father taught me this long ago[/colour]," the rose mare explained, retrieving the nicest wine glass she could find and causing the 4 bottles she'd selected to orbit it like it was a tiny crystalline moon. "[colour=#ee82ee]Hopefully I still know the technique[/colour]." With that, she began to sing ever so softly, her voice all but lost to the music of the club as she tilted the Itailian vintage first, prompting a small cascade of deep ruby liquid to spill into the waiting Bordeaux below. "[colour=#ee82ee]Frutto della vite, frutto della vite, meraviglioso mix di sapore [/colour][colour=#ee82ee]divino[/colour]," she trilled, adding the Everfree Sauvignon now. "[colour=#ee82ee]Tenete il vostro cuore al disegno vero amore[/colour]," she at last tilted the Marelia Syrah and Hasufel Malbec, their colors blending with the others into a waterfall of sparkling cerise as their maestro's voice rose and fell in gentle lilts. "[colour=#ee82ee]Il lavello alla tentazione, frutto della vite...[/colour]"

At the conclusion of her small song, the four bottles were swirling above the glass in a glittering vortex of aroma and motion before settling gracefully all at once on the countertop. Cadence's horn glowed for just a moment, and the mixed wine she had produced pulsed with an inner light. Her song wasn't actually a spell or an incantation, it was just something her father sung while he made it all those years ago. It brought back warm memories and thoughts, which in turn touched her inherent alicorn magic, something deeper and a lot more soulbound than what unicorns usually commanded. General magic was a tool of the mind, whereas Cadence's strongest powers lay within her heart. But they knew that. She lifted her own Eruption in salute.

"[colour=#ee82ee]To new friends and fun?[/colour]" she questioned, a smile on her face.

While Mjölna waited for a response from the diminuative stallion before her, a rather abrupt voice sounded from behind them. The mare's ear flicked slightly, the speaker sounded as though was very business-oriented and would do whatever necessary to get what they wanted. Admirable, but those were personalities to be wary around. She turned to look directly at the new guest as two laminated cards were flicked to the table.

"Miasma," she echoed, rolling the name around in her mouth. "A fine determination you have. However, I have not any bits nor coin with which to pay you. The journey is merely for those seeking glory and wishing to make their ancestors proud, with the great opportunity for treasure as we forge onward. You woud of course be welcome to anything you find in the dragon's lair, but this is not a paid journey. For it to be so would undermine mine own confidence in retrieving the scales."

A hoof idly traced along her hammer's etched designs as she spoke, her mind already deep in long-forgotten tunnels and caves while meeting ancient dragons in heated combat. It was foolhardy to go seeking battle with some of the deadliest creatures known to ponykind, but Mjölna liked to be frank with her own imagination. Negotiations would likely be met with fire. Lots and lots of fire.

"What say you, sister of the skies? Is that 'bottom line' enough for you?" the earthpony asked with a grin.

[colour=#0000ff]Yay. Your little pony made it. The party escort bot should be along soon with your confetti. Please assume the party escort reception position.[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff][/colour]

[colour=#0000ff][identity scan confirmed. Lauren Faust detected.][/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Hello, Mrs. Faust. It's been quite a long time, hasn't it?[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Your implied request of a definition: [/colour][colour=#0000ff]http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Roleplaying%20Cross%20Over[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Relevant section of Canterlot: [/colour][colour=#0000ff]http://www.canterlot.com/forum/227-equestria-crossovers-rp/[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Though it's far from my place to question your authority, gaps in provided data compel me to put forward these queries. For curiosity. Yes. Curiosity.[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Why does this pony enjoy daily terror sessions?[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Do ponies such as this simply build up an immunity to poisonous berries and other malevolent plantlife? How did he spend his nights after ingesting such cruel, evil things?[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]Why hasn't he fallen to predators yet? This could be useful data for other strong-willed, illogical ponies.[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]And one more question that is irrelevant to current strains of conversation, though I'm quite sure you can answer it: How do snowflakes, in all of their uniqueness, not melt under the blaze of their own glory?[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]I understand. Your time is limited. Mine is not. Ignore these other deluded, sad little ponies. They've simply never been as brave as yours. Show them the truth by the light of your courage.[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff]I'll support you.[/colour]

[colour=#0000ff][/colour]