osprey77

Beats had started pacing in an attempt to burn nervous energy, and as so often happened to her, she slipped into a particular rhythm pattern, which gave her pacing an odd sort of half-skip impression. [colour=#8b4513]*1-2-3—1-2-3—1—2*[/colour] Her nervous tic was interrupted by a call from around the corner. Swing beat froze, then turned to see Darkness coming towards her. She smiled at him, but could feel her blush beginning. [colour=#8b4513]“H-Hey, Darkness!”[/colour] Beats felt herself losing he battle with her nerves, but pushed gamely on anyway. [colour=#8b4513]“I forgot to ask you last night—what are your hobbies, the things you like to do?” [/colour]It wasn’t just a trite conversation opener, she wanted to get a feel for which sites around town he’d be the most interested in. Ria had been scanning the library, noting the two or three ponies, mostly studying, from what she could see of the books they’d picked out, when Cloud came in. [colour=#006400]“Cloud!” [/colour]Ria responded in that tone of voice that seems to be used only in libraries and churches,[colour=#006400] “I’m doing very well. How about you?”[/colour]

For the two sisters, one at the table and one on the dance floor, the evening ended far too soon. The next morning, Ria began her shift at the library. Today she’d be working until lunch, but at least that left the rest of the day with Cloud…Ria blushed to herself as she readied the front desk for the library to open. It was a weekday, so there weren’t likely to be many ponies in and out. So long as she didn’t ignore anyone who needed her help, she should have plenty of time for Cloud, if he came early. Meanwhile, across town, Beats waited semi-nervously in front of their parents’ café/bakery, where she’d told Darkness to meet her. She alternated thinking about all the things in town she wanted to show him, and remembering the last part of last night…For all his insistence that this was his first time swing dancing, he was remarkably advanced. True, he wasn’t always the one leading, but the two of them stayed in sync the whole time, meaning he was staying with the beat of the actual song, which most students at the Coltlyle Club couldn’t exactly say…

((ooc: I think it’s about time we wrapped up this scene with a kind of time-skip and moved on to the next morning. What do you think?)) Suddenly, Ria found it very hard to meet Cloud’s gaze. It wasn’t like she was trying purposefully to be coquettish, but her brain had been seriously scrambled at this point. Fictoria had always prized herself based on her common sense and ability to stay level headed, but now she felt anything but calm. For one thing, she had long ago decided not to be the kind of pony that was concerned about looks and perception, mostly because she assessed herself as not being pretty. She knew she wasn’t ugly, but she didn’t think anything about her stood out (in a good way) enough to be noticed. But now, to have Cloud so insistent…it threw Ria for a loop, to say the least. The best thing she could think of to do was change the subject—and fast. [colour=#006400]“Hey Cloud, when you stop by the library tomorrow, could you bring a copy of your book? I’d be interested in reading it…”[/colour] By contrast, while Ria was feeling completely out of her element, Swing beat had just entered hers. She paused only a second to get the count, smiling at Darkness while silently determining if the song called for an eight-beat step pattern or a six-beat step pattern. As soon as she heard the eighth beat, she started dancing with Darkness, beaming ecstatically. [colour=#8b4513]*Best. Night. [/colour][colour=#8b4513]Ever! [/colour][colour=#8b4513]*[/colour]

When Ria ‘snapped back to reality’ and realized that she, too, had leaned in, she sat back quickly, hastily adjusting her glasses. She brightened a bit at Cloud’s response. [colour=#006400]“That’s great! It really is a neat little place.” [/colour]As he went on, her blush grew. To her knowledge, nopony had ever commented on her name before—except maybe a ‘that’s appropriate’ when they found out she was a writer. [colour=#006400]“T-Thank you.”[/colour] A compliment like that deserved one in return, but her brain was so scrambled, she couldn’t think of one! She was an author without words—never a comfortable situation. [colour=#006400]“I-Is Cloud short for something? Or is it…?” [/colour]She trailed off, feeling extremely clumsy and awkward. Swing Beat felt momentarily deflated by Darkness’s less-than-enthusiastic response, but blamed herself for being too forward too soon. At his next question though, her normal good humor returned. [colour=#8b4513]“That’s a dangerous question to ask me here! Come on! The free-dance period is going to start!”[/colour] As if on cue, the band struck up, and a few waiting couples eased their way onto the dance floor. Beats took a few steps in that direction then paused, looking back at the Pegasus. [colour=#8b4513]“You want to?”[/colour]

((ooc: sorry this is late, but we were out of town for the weekend for a speech and debate tournament)) [colour=#006400]“It most certainly is,”[/colour] Ria agreed, thinking of the library that had been her retreat of choice for as long as she could remember. [colour=#006400]“And now that I think about it, it was where I got my cutie mark…”[/colour] She let her voice trail off as she thought about the day where her interest in stories had shifted from a passive to active role, but her little moment of ‘zoning out’ didn’t last long. [colour=#006400]“Sorry, I tend to lose focus sometimes. I’m trying to work on it. Were you planning to drop by the library tomorrow?”[/colour] Fictoria had noticed the comment about him losing his parents, but didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t sound cheesy or forced. All of a sudden, she found herself very much concerned with how she came across, and what he would think about what she said…she hadn’t felt this way since…well, to her knowledge she hadn’t ever felt this way. It would’ve made for something very interesting to think about…if she hadn’t been so preoccupied with worrying about what Cloud thought of her. Swing Beat listened to Darkness’s short—if fractured—personal description, and found herself wanting—really wanting—to be sure he enjoyed himself during his stay in Baltimare. Perhaps it was the way he kept looking around, as if the sight of so many ponies gathered together in one spot, enjoying themselves and each other’s company, was foreign to him. [colour=#8b4513]“If you want,”[/colour] Beats blurted out in a rush before she could lose her nerve, [colour=#8b4513]“I could show you around Baltimare tomorrow.” [/colour]Her hind hoof began tapping nervously, and suddenly she couldn’t meet his gaze, as if startled by her own boldness. [colour=#8b4513]*Even if it’s not exactly like I asked him out…*[/colour]

Relieved that her enthusiasm hadn’t scared Cloud off, Ria listened to his assessment of his own work. [colour=#006400]“What I’ve come across time and again is that if the love story is a subplot in the book—perhaps a key sub-plot but not the main plot—it’s easier to write without being cheesy. But the moment it becomes the most important story in the book…” [/colour]she shook her head slowly. [colour=#006400]“…that’s when I mess it up.” [/colour]She sat back, head tilted to one side, as if suddenly thinking about something. [colour=#006400]“Although, Golden Words, one of the other ‘budding authors’ I meet once a month for breakfast with doesn’t seem to have the same problem, though her romance works are usually comedies…You know, the ones that poke fun at clichés, and a general lack of common sense? Fun to read, but I’m not very good at comedy, either.”[/colour] Fictoria was about to object to the assertion they’d be ‘running the library,’ then she remembered the attitude of the other ponies she worked with. [colour=#006400]“Yes, it would be! It’s not that big, but it’s got a great selection. The architecture is interesting, too, though it's got nothing on the Canterlot library. I went there once on a school trip. That was amazing. Have you ever seen it, Cloud?”[/colour] Beats followed Darkness to the table, wanting to give her hooves a brief rest.[colour=#8b4513] “Sure you can! Most everypony does, eventually.” [/colour]When asked what she did in her free time, Swing Beat paused for a moment. [colour=#8b4513]“Read some of my sister’s work and giver her feedback, help my parents at the café, make sure Thunder Flash doesn’t destroy the house, go window shopping with my friends….”[/colour] Her thoughtful expression evaporated, replaced by her usual enthusiastic smile. [colour=#8b4513]“In short, I live life! there’s a lot of fun stuff to do a round town—I grew up here, and I’m still finding things I’ve never seen before! How about you, Darkness? What do you do in Canterlot?”[/colour]

Ria perked up. [colour=#006400]“Come to think of it, we are still short a person on the front desk—we’ve all been adjusting our shifts to try and cover for it, but it’s been hard. It’d be great to have another set of hooves on board. It’s a great atmosphere, too.” [/colour] At the mention of Cloud’s literary aspirations, Ria sat forward eagerly. [colour=#006400]“No kidding? How would you classify your style? I do mostly character-driven fantasy, but I’ve dabbled in historical fiction and realistic fiction as well. I’ve tried romance, but it comes across as a bit cheesy…I really don’t know what I’m supposed to do with it, I suppose.” [/colour]She caught herself rambling and blushed nervously, self-consciously adjusting her glasses. [colour=#006400]*Geez, Ria. Let’s try NOT to make a total fool of yourself in the first five minutes…Okay?*[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]“Canterlot? Wow, that’s far! It’s nice to meet you, Darkness.”[/colour] At the compliment, Swing Beat’s attention was suddenly riveted on her hooves. [colour=#8b4513]“N-No, I just come here a lot….I want to be a teacher one day, but…” [/colour]As she trailed off, she shifted her wait, subconsciously revealing her cutie mark—a harmonica and drum. There was no doubt, Beats was a pony with swing dance in her soul. She glanced shyly back up at Darkness, her face slightly flushed as well. [colour=#8b4513]“Are you planning to stay for the free-dance period? No charge for students, and the band they’ve got for tonight is really good!”[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]*Please say[/colour] ‘yes’[colour=#8b4513]!*[/colour]

Ria nodded, smiling, her sour mood evaporating now that she was no longer stewing on her own perceived inadequacies. [colour=#00b050]“Oddly enough, my sister got me here with a similar argument.” [/colour]At his question, she nervously adjusted her glasses, preparing herself for the usual response to her answer—something along the lines of ‘good luck with that’. [colour=#00b050]“Right now I work at the local library, but I’m working on some story ideas I hope to see published. What about you, Cloud?” [/colour] She hoped the shift in topic would prevent the typical brush-off, or even outright condescension. She didn’t want Cloud to think badly of her, to assume, like everypony else did, that she was in it for the fame. Beats grinned at her partner, a tall pegasus stallion with a dark coat highlighted by striking red patches. For the most part, he seemed to know the steps, though she caught herself taking the lead sometimes. She noticed his ever-widening grin, and decided to take the initiative and start a conversation. [colour=#984807]“I’m Swing Beat!” [/colour] There was a brief pause as both the step sequence and the lesson ended, and Beats stepped sideways quickly to allow the band access to the stage at the edge of the dance floor. Once the band was set up, the free-dance period would begin. Beats usually tried to stay, but would Fictoria object…? Glancing back over at her sister, Beats saw her in conversation with another male pegasus, and she smiled to herself. [colour=#984807]*Finally! It’s about time you opened up, sister.*[/colour] Turning back to her last dance partner, she said[colour=#ff66ff], [/colour][colour=#984807]“I don’t think we’ve met before. Is this your first lesson?”[/colour]

ERk..sorry. Usually I don't assume...and this is precisely the reason why.

((ooc: just a heads up, Ria’s alone at the table. Beats is in the middle of her lesson)) Ria looked up quickly at the cobalt blue pegasus when he spoke, blinking owlishly a few times behind her glasses. To say that Ria had limited experience with colts would be a hyperbole of massive proportions.[colour=#006400] “N-Not at all,”[/colour] she managed at last. [colour=#006400]“I’m Fictoria, but most ponies just call me Ria.”[/colour] She glanced down at her glass of water before admitting, [colour=#006400]“You’re not the only one. My sister badgered me into taking lessons, but I’m quite out of my element here. I’ve been coming for two weeks, and I’m still lost.”[/colour]

Here it is: http://www.canterlot.com/topic/13599-baltimare-love-in-the-coltlyle-clup-closed/ My general thought for the first meetings was that AshCloud's chacter would join Ria at her table, and QueenChrysalis747 could have her character be Swing Beat's dance partner, since the teacher makes all the ponies dancing the guy's part keep switching partners and going around the circle. Make sense?

Fictoria was not in the best of moods. She was not a naturally grumpy unicorn, but her good humor had its limits. As she sipped her water, she frowned a bit, trying to tune out the din of the intermediate dance lesson going on behind her. [colour=#006400]*[/colour][colour=#8b4513]’It’ll be fun!’ [/colour][colour=#006400]She says.[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]‘And besides,’ [/colour][colour=#006400]she says,[/colour][colour=#8b4513] ‘the colts and stallions are[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]so[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]cute and polite! You’ll love it!’ [/colour][colour=#006400]And she neglects to mention that most of them are coming here with their marefriends, and all fillies and mares outnumber them almost five to one. If this is her grand scheme to get me to find my special somepony, I don’t think much of her strategy.*[/colour][colour=#006400] [/colour] Fictoria, or ‘Ria,’ as most ponies knew her, cast a baleful glance over to where her twin sister, Swing Beat, stood on the dance floor, listening intently to the teacher. Ria had to admit, the setting suited her sister, whose coat was a gleaming honey-brown, nearly the same colour as the dance floor. Her flowing, royal-blue mane and tail, with their silver and gold accents echoed similar colours throughout the club, and both mare and room seemed to belong to a different era—one where swing dance and its sub-culture where much more prevalent. Ria, on the other hand, with her coat a lighter shade of tan, and rumpled, forest-green mane and tail, not to mention her glasses, felt she belonged more in the local bookstore or library then anyplace so…Her thought trailed off, and the author in her was frustrated that she couldn’t select the perfect adjective to describe this place. Swing Beat, or ‘Beats’ stole a brief glance over at her sister, and her heart plummeted as she noticed her twin was still sitting at a small able by herself, instead of trying to engage the other students from her beginner class in conversation as they waited for the free-dance period that would follow the ongoing intermediate lesson. As the teacher began to call out the last step sequence of the lesson, Beats silently begged her sister: [colour=#8b4513]*Oh, Ria. Can’t you just let yourself enjoy something besides a book for once? Just try…* [/colour]

Alright then. Give me a second, and I'll get the thread started. Link in a moment!

Is this a character with an accepted app? Or were you thinking we should run the RP in the free-for-all section? Or are you waiting for the app to be accepted? (either way is fine, I just wanted to know...)

Alrighty then, waiting it is...

It appears there's a slgiht delay...AshCloud is still working on a character app. We can either wait for it to be approved, or we can run the thread in the free-for-all section. Preference?

[colour=#222222]Oh, and Penumbra's still absent, as far as I know, so it should be just the three of us. I'll try to get an intro post up by tomorrow morning.[/colour]

All right, the slot is yours! I'll send AshCloud a message to make sure, but I think we've got everyone now! (As soon as I know everyone's on board, we can move ahead with the RP.)

I'm torn. I mean, my characters are pretty much highchoolers...I guess I could make them a little older, just for this RP. If they're, say, the pony equivalent of college students, would that work? If it does, the one remaining spot would be Swing Beats's special somepony--are you interested in that slot?

I have...personal reasons for not wanting to go there...For one thing, I like to challenge myself as a writer, and writing a simple, date-type romance story is a challenge, for me.

I was thinking date-type. I mean, i know I said I left it open, but I do NOT want it going...certain places (especially THOSE certain places). Does that answer your question?

Sorry about dropping off the face of the planet, but I'm back now! And still interested, if you are...

Okay! I understand.

((ooc: Sorry I keep disappearing guys, senior year is taking a lot out of me. Thanks for not getting to upset, I’ll do my best to keep posting, though I apologize now if my posts are not the best...)) Beats grinned at Wordplay. [colour=#8b4513]“I don’t mind, it should be fun!”[/colour] Ria, who couldn’t resist an opportunity to tease her sister in a light-hearted manner, muttered under her breath, [colour=#006400]“You may want to worry about your exposure to her. I she starts talking about swing dance too much, feel free to cut her off.”[/colour] Beats affected a mock offended look, then grinned again. [colour=#8b4513]“Yeah, I do tend to ramble about that…”[/colour] Ria and Beats both caught the look, and nodded sagely, Beats biting the inside of her lip to keep from screaming with laughter, Ria just wondering what in the name of Celestia this would all come to in the end. When the girls were faced with the new building, they blinked at the contrast with the science building. [colour=#006400]Well,[/colour] Ria thought, [colour=#006400]at least the variety keeps thing interesting...[/colour]

*bump*