GingerbreadSpy

Tawny jumped when the bird flew in through the window. "AH!" He backed up a few feet and didn't seem to calm down until Monochrome started speaking to it and about it. "Oh, uh, your pet. Right. Uh, hi." He waved a hoof at the large, black bird, but he was eyeing it in a way that suggested he wasn't entirely sure if the bird was going to bite him or not. "Nice... bird." He smiled at it. "I like birds." Small, unintimidating birds, of course, but if this one was friendly, he'd like it, too.

"I haven't heard any rumors or anything about this area, if that's what you're wondering," Honeydew said. She took a few quick glances around, then placed her hooves on the stand. This time, she wasn't towering over the filly but leaning close to her as if to tell her a secret. "But between you and me, I think something's up. This town seems a little... TOO peaceful. My reporter instincts are telling me something is wrong. Do you feel it? It's in the air." She paused for dramatic effect and waved a hoof. "Wrongness."

Donut Joe gave a little cringe at the squealing but smiled a little. Hey, that had to be a good sign, right? He frowned a little when she complimented his mane back. He tried to glance at his mane, then he glanced back at her with a questioning look. "Seriously?" He didn't think he had even run his mane through with a comb that morning. Sure, he had taken a shower; his mane was definitely clean. But handsome? Get outta town. So, maybe she really was just trying to be nice and friendly. He tried not to look as disappointed as he felt. Ah well. Better luck next time, I guess. "Yeah, uh, thanks." Awkward pause. "So, how much yous wanting for the red hots?"

Honeydew gave Valen a long look as he introduced himself, narrowing her eyes. Her reporter instincts were telling her something was off about him, but she didn't know what. Too young to be a Mare in Black. Doesn't have the hooves of a Starmane. Changeling, maybe? Parasprite puppet? Judging by the fashion sense, she's definitely under some form of mind control. These were the thoughts running through the young mare's head while her suspicious gaze was focused on him. "Never heard of you," she said. "But then, I don't keep up with fashion." She turned her head up dismissively before looking at him again. "I'm Honeydew, ace journalist for The Daily Turnip. It is the best newspaper in Equestria because it is the ONLY newspaper that reports the truth, whether anypony thinks so or not. Nice accent, by the way. Do all fashion models talk like they're from Germaney?" She paused. "Strike that, I'll find out soon enough, I'm sure. So, it looks like we'll be rooming together. Good. I think it's only fair to warn you that my snore is loud enough to scare off bears. I suggest ear muffs, unfashionable ones."

Cinnabar Star started to nod her head, but then paused, frowning a moment. "Well, yeah, I don't see how anypony else could live my life." She paused again, looking perhaps a little offended. "I don't think my friends are persuading me to move out and to find a special somepony. My friends aren't bossy at all!" She stomped a hoof on the ground and sat in a manner that was straight and rigid. "As a matter of fact, I'm not just finding a special somepony because somepony is telling me to find a special somepony. That would be weird! I want a special somepony to share my life with, my dreams with, and I kinda need a stallion if I'm going to have ten, no, twenty adorable baby foals in the future! Or maybe I'll settle for fifteen." She stopped ranting a second to think about it, then glanced sharply at the doctor. "But the point is, ah, the point is..." She trailed off, apparently having lost her train of thought. "Well, I don't know what the point is, but I know my friends are the best friends I could ever have, and I don't appreciate somepony who doesn't even know them telling me they're bossy! Hmph!"

*Pout*

*LOL* Well, that might be very, ah, interesting. But I was thinking of keeping it in the grain with just having a few mares up for auction, and then having ponies (if mares want to bid, I'm sure that'd be fine, too, it's for charity) bid on them. Might be a different story if you're having him pose as female, though. That could be interesting. *lol*

Indeed. Carbon copies are quite boring. I usually avoid that sort of thing through a "bits and pieces" method myself. I'm usually not inspired by one source but a multitude of sources. lol

You have until number 6 to make up your mind.

YAY! Rarity! She would be perfect for this RP, wouldn't she? LOL

I love reading character development type stuff. I would've never guessed one of your characters was inspired by South Park. LOL... I'd say that was weird, but I've been inspired by some odd things myself.

I can't remember where I've seen this, but since the dating RPs seem to be popular, I thought maybe this would be an interesting idea. Basically, we'll get a small number of mares who are willing to go on a date with somepony they don't know, and then there'll be an auction where different stallions bid on each mare in order to win a date with her. Of course, the proceeds go to some charity or another in Equestria (I can't think of anything specific, but there are charities in Equestria if Sweet and Elite is an episode to be believed. LOL). I think we'll limit the number of mares to six for now. If there's a lot of ponies signing up to participate in the bidding, though, I might raise that number. So, in this RP, I will be testing out my new character, Sweets Galore as one of the mares up at the auction. Mares up for Bidding: 1. Sweets Galore 2. Coral Gem 3. Rarity 4. Derpy Hooves 5. 6. Ponies Bidding for a Date: Dr. Spin Tale Serendipity (maybe)

"I'm doing great, thank you." What a friendly zebra! Moon Walker always loved meeting new faces. He considered Zecora's request. Well, he was on break, and he certainly didn't want to leave the zebra hanging after he had so graciously offered to help her if she needed it. It wouldn't be impossible; maybe just a quick tour. "Well, I think I can give you a little tour if you'd like. Is there anything in particular you would like to see, Miss, ah..." He paused, realizing he hadn't asked for her name.

Honeydew cast another suspicious glance at Watermelon Gush. "Strange? Why, yes, I have. I wouldn't be here if there wasn't anything unusual going on. I mean, look at this place. It's nothing like Manehattan, there's nothing to do here. If I wanted that, I'd go visit my parents." She rolled her eyes. Then, she narrowed them. "Why do you want to know? You don't have anything to hide, do you, Watermelon Gush, IF that's your REAL name." She paused a second before taking in the filly's appearance and giving a huff. "No, nevermind. That's stupid. That's obviously your real name... unless you're in disguise, in which case, I must say, excellent costume work."

Cinnabar opened her mouth to speak without a second thought, then paused to give it some thought. "Uhh..." She rubbed at her head with her hoof. "Gee, I don't really know. Why do you think it's really important?" She looked at Heart Healer with slightly widened, expectant eyes. "Are you thinking that I shouldn't move out? Because I mean, nopony can live with their parents forever."

"That sounds... gross," Tawny said, uncertainly. Whatever the creature was, it didn't look like there was anything of that sort in the coffee shop. He smiled a little at the waitress. "My name's Tawny. It's nice to meet you, Miss Monochrome." He frowned a little, noting her hooves. "Gee, uh... I hope I don't sound rude, but shouldn't you wash your hooves before you work in a shop like this? It'd be terrible if somepony got sick." He looked down, hoping he hadn't made her angry.

Have you tried looking at Rarity's fabulous application? It has some good tips there. You can find some help in the rules and extras at the top of the site, too. QuickLime's character guide blog also has some great information. I'm not an RP helper staff, but as a general guideline, the WoE roleplay tries to stays with the tone of the show (from what I've read). So, you know, it's kind of like we never really see characters going through horrible tragedies in the show. As it is, just from a writing prospective, tragic back stories aren't a good substitute for character development, dimension, and depth. The other thing is, ah... We don't see any priests in the show, either. I'm not even really sure there's really that much of a religion in Equestria. There are soldiers, though (the Royal Equestrian Army; the ponies in golden armor) So, I think you can maybe work with that part.

Roleplay Type: Mane RP Name: Mugsy Sex: Male Age: Adult Species: Diamond Dog Eye colour: Green Coat: Mugsy has light brown fur with a dark muzzle and dark ears. He has a curly tail. He typically wears the usual diamond dog vest and collar, but he adds a little something to his outfit by also wearing a small, gray fedora. Physique: Mugsy is short, squat, and fat. Residence: Diamond Dog Camp Occupation: "Professional Services"/Wise Guy/Jack of All Trades/Legitimate Businessdog History: Mugsy had a fairly standard puppyhood. He had a loving, nurturing mother, a hard-working father, three sisters, and one brother. Of course, his father spent most of his days mining, and his mother spoiled the youngest puppy (not him) like nobody would believe, but still... Standard. As a pup, he was free to romp and play with little cares in the world, save for a few lessons on life in the diamond dog camp. As he got older, the lessons increased, and a pressure was put on him to choose how he would contribute to the diamond dog way of life. Would he be a miner, a guard dog, part of a clean-up crew, or what? His options were limited, and none were all that appealing. Mugsy didn't know what to do with his life, and so for a while in his adolescence, he chose to do nothing. This got him the label of slacker, which bothered him as much as it would bother any diamond dog. There had to be more to life than the limited options set before him. He just didn't know what. Later, the answer came to him. There he was, wandering around the camp, when he stumbled upon a pup younger than him. Diamond dog camps are full of tunnels, which become easier to navigate once a dog gets used to them, but for a pup without supervision, it can be next to impossible especially upon wandering out of scent range. The pup was lost, and Mugsy was able to help him find his way home. The pup's mother was pleased that Mugsy had been so kind to escort her son back to her, so she rewarded him with a tiny speck of a gem. It wasn't much, but it got Mugsy to thinking. Diamond dogs needed help with all sorts of tasks, even if it's just finding their way around. There was a huge hole in the market just waiting to be filled. Maybe, just maybe, he could be the dog to fill it. And so, Mugsy found himself doing all sorts of "favors" for the other diamond dogs in the camp. Sentimental item lost? Nope, found! Need help getting together with that special someone? No prob! Need an excuse to get out of a day's work? Mugsy's got it covered. His operation started small at first but has since expanded by a lot, thanks to word of mouth and Mugsy's ability to network with other dogs. Part of his business's success is due to his ability to "pull some strings" and "get into contact with his connections." Nowadays, Mugsy looks for opportunities to make more connections, expand his business, and bolster his reputation (which has been declining since when he first started his business up). He also likes to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Character Summary: Mugsy is the kind of dog most can't help but like at the outset. He's friendly, a great talker, sympathetic, full of compliments, and tells some of the best stories. And it's not at all a ruse, Mugsy simply loves to mingle and schmooze with others. His business of doing favors for others also has its roots in a sincere desire to want to help others out. This doesn't mean that Mugsy's gradually declining reputation isn't his own doing, however. He's never been particularly concerned with socially acceptable behavior and important rules, preferring to do things his own way and think outside the box. The other thing is some customers have walked away unsatisfied with the jobs he's done for them. This may have something to do with the fact that Mugsy is a dog of his word... his exact words. If there is a way he can scrounge up more profit as a result of mincing someone else's words, he'll do it. He's also rather fond of contracts with very, very fine print. The other thing that doesn't help matters is that Mugsy is very aware that the "exact words" issue can get him out of trouble and get him more gems as a result. So, he has a tendency to speak in a vague, quasi-cryptic manner. He isn't aware that sometimes when he says things a certain way, it comes off as sounding more sinister than it is. All in all, it's really no wonder his reputation is declining. When Mugsy isn't running his business (and he almost always is, even when it isn't immediately obvious), he enjoys playing cards, eating new (and sometimes, unusual) foods, telling stories, and decorating his "office." So far, he has managed to avoid getting into too much trouble, but it's only a matter of time before he talks and schmoozes his way into it, one way or another. At heart, Mugsy is a good dog, even if he is a shady character. He is, at the very least, trustworthy to his family and his closest friends.

Donut Joe beamed with pride at the young mare complimenting his donuts in such a manner. It was strange; he never forgot a face, but he couldn't quite remember hers. Maybe she came in when one of the assistants he hired to help him with his 24-hour shop were there. He paused a moment when she referred to herself as smelling like the sweetest chocolate pony, and then told him he was sweet. His cheeks flushed a little, as he tried to figure out what this meant. Was she... flirting with him? It wasn't that nopony ever flirted with him. It just didn't happen very often, and when it did, it usually didn't go anywhere. He didn't exactly have mares banging down his door, after all, probably the opposite of that, in fact. It was possible she flirted with all of her customers. It was a great tactic to make customers feel appreciated and special, and it helped with making a sale, too. It wasn't a tactic he employed himself since it usually wasn't something that was as appreciated, but he knew enough about it. He watched as she appeared to practically dance towards a slanted table. Maybe this time was different. Only one way to find out. Play it cool-like, Joe. Don't go makin'-a fool of yourself. Say somethin' nice to the nice mare, for Celestia's sake. He started to open his mouth to give her a compliment in turn but quickly closed it when she turned back to ask him how many red hots he needed. His thoughts went through an immediate halt, and it took a moment for him to come up with a response. "Uh, three small bags, I think. If I has any extras, I can always eat the rest." He lapsed into a short silence as his brain once again refused to cooperate with him. What's da matta with yous, Joe? You just goin' to stand there like some namby-pamby schoolcolt? You gotta be confident. Fillies dig confidence. "Ya know, that's a really nice..." He looked her up and down, his brain grasping frantically for something that made sense and wouldn't sound creepy at all. "Uh, mane, yous got there, Sweet Surprise." He went through a short pause. "I really like it." Another pause. "It's nice... uh, you go to the stylist down the street or somethin'?" Donut Joe smiled, and he actually managed to pass himself off, there at the end, with some confidence. But inside, he felt a hoof to his own face was in order. Smooth, Joe. Real smooth.

Honeydew stiffened a bit, then stared at Watermelon Gush for a long time. She seemed to be considering her words very carefully, and the suspicious look she possessed, which had softened somewhat as their conversation had continued, was back full-force. She had forgotten that most ponies weren't aware of their own oppression by their "beloved" princesses. She needed to be careful. The filly could have been some kind of undercover spy for the princess, after all. She wouldn't put anything past her. "Yes. That's exactly what that means," she said slowly. She tilted her head up ever so slightly, indicating a dismissal of the topic and question as being silly and unimportant. "Anyway, I still have some investigating to be doing. I think I'm going to take this big, round, delicious watermelon and head out."

Tawny felt a little comforted by the young mare's patience and gentleness with him, and he seemed to relax a little. He was still casting nervous glances in various directions, and he cringed every time he heard thunder. He blinked at Monochrome. "Parasprites?" He wasn't sure what they are, but they sounded scary. Anything that was accompanied with the word "infestation" couldn't be a good thing. His eyes widened a bit. "What are those?"

"Don't worry?" Tawny's eyes darted left and right. "Don't worry?! You want me to not worry with all those gigantic dark clouds out there full of lightning, school may or may not be cancelled, and MY MOTHER MIGHT FIND OUT I'VE BEEN HERE?!" Thunder sounded outside, and Tawny gave a whimper. He really didn't like storms. He scrambled out from under the table and looked around wildly. His hooves were moving seemingly without volition. "How can you talk about playtpi at a time like this?!" Suddenly, he stopped and stiffened. He turned back to the waitress, eyes wide. "Wait, are those things here? How did they get in Cloudsdale? Why doesn't anypony else know? AH! I don't want to be poisoned by a platypus!" He spread his wings and flew upright, searching the ground for any poisonous platypus. Perhaps there was a good reason why his mother didn't like her son having coffee.

Tawny developed a bit of a guilty look at Monochrome's mention of him being a colt, drinking espresso, and having permission. He didn't have permission at all! He sweated a little and took a quick couple of gulps of the espresso in front of him. He shot her another nervous grin. Then, he glanced outside, noticing the dark clouds. He looked back at the pegasus waitress with even wider eyes than before. "A storm is scheduled for today?! WHAT?! B-but, but... I have school! I can't stick around! What if I get reported absent, and then my mother will find out, and then she'll be wondering where I was and she'll figure out that I was here when I wasn't supposed to be here and then I'll never get to drink anything coffee-related ever again and I'll be grounded for THE REST OF MY LIFE!" It was all said so fast that he had scarcely taken a breath. He took in a great, deep one now. He swigged down the rest of the espresso, his wings flapping open, he flew towards the door as fast as he could. With not even a good-bye, he left. Then, the thunder, lightning, and rain started. The sand-coloured pegasus bolted back through the door and hid behind the waitress, looking soaked and shaking with fear. "Aaaaaah! I hate lightning! What am I going to do? What am I going to DO?!" He darted out from behind the waitress, hiding underneath a table and covering his eyes. "I'm doooooomed!"

Donut Joe blinked a little when the young mare came out from behind the counter. "You mean you don't know whos I am?" There was some disappointment there, but then a smile as he realized that maybe she was just new and had the potential to be a new customer. More business was always a good thing. He stomped a hoof on the ground and puffed out his chest. "I'm Donut Joe, and I run the best donut shop in Canterlot, if not all of Equestria. You oughtta stop by sometime and try some of my donuts." He noticed the distinct smell of chocolate in the air and grinned. "Heeeeeey, yous been making some chocolate or somethin'? It sure smells good in here. Ha! Maybe I'll have to pick up some chocolate, too. But first, I need those red hots. Think yous can help me out, Sweet Surprise?" He turned back to the display case. "There's just so much candy here; I don't know where to look!"