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Blueblood

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Everything posted by Blueblood

  1. "A cupid in pony form?" Sky's eyes brightened, as the introverted and somewhat day-dreamy stallion came to a rare state of full and sharp attention. "I'm sure you must have seen quite a few sweet stories in your time. Be happy to swap sappy love stories, if you're interested; it's one of the subjects I love writing songs about!" Not to mention, he always loved to tell the story about how he and Windy met, though he couldn't remember if it was his turn or her turn to buttonhole perfect strangers with their love story. "A local tour would be great, too." He nodded in agreement with Windy, beginning to clean off his plate and drain his cup of tea. "I actually know a thing or two about crystals, at least the kind they use for sound synthesis and resonance. It's gotten a lot easier for me to build my instruments since the crystal trade opened up between the Empire and Equestria. It's everything else about your hometown that you'll have to point out."
  2. It was indeed a rare day that Shining Armor was the last to wake up of his family; oftentimes habit alone had him up at reville, sometimes he even did a personal troop inspection at turnout if he was up early enough to dress for it. But, last night had been a bit tiring with paperwork and other matters, and just by coincidence that happened to be the day that Flurry was so excited to wake up. The stallion stirred amidst the sheets, at first groggily concerned about the empty bed, though smells of varying degrees of appetizingness from the kitchen was enough to clue him in of what was likely going on. The burnt toast left by the bedside, too. *So my little Fluffalump is starting her lessons today with cooking?* Rather incautiously, he took a bite of the charcoaled bread; in Shiny's defense, he hadn't had his coffee yet. *Ech... probably best used as grill fuel for later.* He was a good enough dad, though, to refrain from commenting once he heard the returning footsteps of his daughter. Sitting up, he smiled at Flurry Heart as he slipped out of bed, running a hoof through his mane to smooth it down. "Ah, good morning Flurry! Excited for today?"
  3. Hello and welcome! Friendly neighborhood admin here. Feel free to ask questions about getting started with RP, or if you just want to chat.
  4. Kahz chuckled at the reaction provoked, stealing another kiss on Yù's cheek. "Same, I have to say~ But just like that, it wouldn't do to push you if its really too far out of your comfort zone. I just think both are things everyone should be able to enjoy, you know?" Allusions to the parallel would finish out the meal to the check and breathmints, though an evening of sake and song was Kahz' idea of a good time; if Yù wanted to join him on stage. "The Karaoke bar's in the back; we can do a duet if you're not comfortable alone... otherwise, got any requests for me?"
  5. Was it possible to escape one's past? Many ponies throughout history seemed to think so, though the ones that made it into the history books self-evidently failed to truly do so. You'd have to go fast, stay hidden, and not live long enough for it to catch. Spoiled Rich didn't count any of those three things among her future ambitions, so perhaps Niilaavin had a point there. At least, though, she could leave her name behind, perhaps her species as well. That begged the idea of what it was like to actually be a sphinx. And given that she had a wealth of knowledge that she was literally resting upon... "I'd like to know more of your ways. As a sphinx, how do you see the world differently than most ponies? And, if I may ask, what was it about me that reminded me so much of your own kind?" She chuckled at that, "No doubt that last would be a mere recitation of my best features, but I can tell you right now, young cat, there is no female of any species that will not enjoy that!"
  6. Spoiled listen to Niil's lament for lost times with more attention and sympathy than most would have thought her capable of. It must really be love between them, and she trusted that Cadence herself would assent. "I won't lie, there's a part of me that wants to say that there's a bright side in being able to make a clean break... but I'm not yet sitting on the opposite end of an unbridgeable gulf between myself and my past." She may well be about to leap across it, though, if the fortune-teller's words and previews meant anything. The thought was less pleasant than the sound of her new name and title in her mouth. "RaSha Jizara... I won't lie, it sounds even better than Mayor Rich. A much more prestigious position. It may be a while before I'm able to convince other people to use it for me, though. Perhaps, if that alchemist ever figures out that transformation..." She left off, not wanting to cruelly raise an unfulfillable hope.
  7. Hello, just as a note, for moderated RP zones, such as World of Equestria or A New Generation, we don't allow more than the canon alicorns in character apps. That includes backstory NPC's.
  8. Okay... now Tarot's behavior was really starting to get on Spoiled's nerves. Unreasonable overcharges, tasteless laughing, and as for this little 'on the house show'... The mayor watched through the whole thing with a flat expression, giving the the fortune-teller mare a look that would have pickled a ripe watermelon. "I don't know what that was all about; it had the air of something our resident princess would contrive to persuade a pony to change their ways, though I'm hanged if I can tell what that was supposed to show me, except that perhaps I'm making the right decision." It seemed that she wasn't in the mood to be rebuked from her current course of action right now, and this whole experience was just the sort of thing that would motivate some retaliatory red tape in giving the license Tarot had just signed for. Petty, perhaps, but mares in this town had to realize just what consquences upcharging city officials just because you thought they could afford it would being! Nevertheless, she did not lose her temper, just becoming frostily polite as she took her leave. Which, as Tarot might be able to tell, meant that nerves had been struck for Spoiled. "In any case, it was so delightful to welcome you back to town once again, madame. I trust that your future enterprise here will meet with the success that it deserves."
  9. Spoiled ears were by no means so sensitive as a sphinx's, but Niil had put enough emphasis on the difference in tone and pronunciation for her to know that Rasha and RaSha were not the same thing. The latter, closer, and more intimate, seemed to warm her even against the cooler air of higher altitudes and latitudes. "I don't know if what I hear or feel is your heart, or the pounding of my own. It's been so long since anyone made me feel like this." She smiled back, unafraid of his crescent eyes and sharpened teeth. This sphinx, this large loving cat... was presenting himself as hers, in a way, giving himself in such a way that she couldn't help but reciprocate, regardless of what bounds or bonds it broke. She snorted a bit at the first suggestion of a name. "Niilrasha is the sort of thing the tabloids call couples. Not that I expect we'll be able to prevent that..." If she did end up moving out with him to the frontier, though, it was unlikely the paparazzi would follow them. Though she suspected the big cat had his own ways of discouraging hangers-on! "Jizara..." She rolled the name on her tongue like a rich floral tea. It was certainly a regal sounding name, and she was touched by the act of affection it represented. "You are... a long way from your birth family, aren't you?" She'd known about him being encased in stone for millennia, but the full weight of what that would actually mean was only now starting to be made clear to her. "It's a lovely name, and I would be proud to bear it." Not the only thing she would be proud to bear, if she was being honest, but that would have to wait to see if she could receive a new body to go with her sphinx name.
  10. It was true enough, perhaps, that Spoiled's decision was pre-made. And really, what was the talk about hardships supposed to do? What did Tarot think her life had now, if not the hardships of scarcely existent family? Perhaps this source of discontent is why the mirror may not have left the intended impression upon Mayor Rich's mind. What she saw there was a magnificent beast, a matriarch of many, any of which could and one of which would grow up to be the queen that Diamond Tiara didn't seem to want to be. The attempted lesson only made her sigh wistfully, and reinforce her convictions. "Having more is one of the reasons I desire this change. Filthy certainly won't give me any more foals..." Sweeping the curtain back down with her hooves, she stared the fortune teller dead in those glowing green eyes. And they were glowing, of that she was certain now! "Extortion," She said, cooly, "As well as price discrimination, are valid reasons to revoke a business license."
  11. "Another name? Hm..." Spoiled lapsed into silence for a while at the suggestion. It wasn't as if she hadn't considered the matter, but in her experience, it was often hard to get a name one chose for oneself to stick, if everypony already knew you by a former name. And if she was being honest with herself, one of the reasons she'd been so quick to marry Filthy Rich in the first place was to have an easily-acceptable way to change the context of her name. "What name would you think best suits me, say, in your own language?" She did have to blush at Niilaavin's compliment, and by this point, she was far distant enough from her old life and anypony who knew of it that she felt more comfortable opening up. "Charmer~ Well, if you want to know what I really think, I think you're a handsome but rather impertinent young male trying to court a married mare... and doing a most excellent job of it, I must say." She had to be open with herself first of all about what was going on. This was a tryst, an affair; even if the intimacy did not go beyond emotional it was outside the bounds of monogamous practice. But as she'd had little enough of it within said bounds... well. Niil had been sharp enough to sport the opportunity, and Spoiled was now more than willing to indulge.
  12. It was quite true what Tarot was saying. Spoiled Rich wanted to choose her family to fit her ambitions. She had always wanted that; her driving ambition took pride of place in her heart. It wasn't that she didn't love, or at least hadn't loved, Filthy and Diamond, but what she most wanted to get them was a place beside her once she reached a position equal to her self-estimation. Failing that, she had at least wanted to push Diamond Tiara up to the top of society. But when her daughter spurned her ambitions for her... She wanted another. And there was only one way now she could get what she wanted. The sphinx on the card didn't even rouse her suspicion; for all she knew that was a regular part of the deck. "A trade of all one has... for all one could ever want." Spoiled looked up at the ceiling thoughtfully, before saying, "I'm trying to find the catch, but I'm not seeing it. It's just an expensive but profitable trade." Thus a mare decided to toss her origins and prior life aside. The mere suggestion that her parents could share in some prophetic powers elicited only a snort from her. "I hardly think my destiny lies in their expectations. Had they shown a little more faith and affection, perhaps I would have been more content in their world." She stood up, frowning thoughtfully. "Well, no need to rush, I suppose... but if I do what I want, I'm not sure they would ever understand, no matter what I say or how I behave when they visit."
  13. "Well, it's good to know we won't be interrupted by robbers out here." Spoiled said decisively, before softly smiling, giving the an almost undectable nuzzle to the back of Niil's neck. "Not that I feel unsafe with you around. Quite the opposite, in fact." Niilaavin was certainly the kind of large, strapping male that a mare would crowd against in an uncertain space for comfort; Spoiled hadn't ever let herself get into a situation she felt unequal to, standing strong and independent, commanding her own course and future. She'd always thought that doing otherwise would make her feel weak and awful, placing herself in the power of another, but the way Niil treated her... respect and deference from one who could easily lord it over her if he wanted to... she liked it. Perhaps this what some ponies meant when they said she could stand to be a little more feminine. Though... if she hadn't been acting like that before, was that something Niil would find attractive about her, if she caught his attention before admitting that part of herself? *Ugh... I do not miss this mind game aspect of courtship, whatever else was exciting and better when I was young.* Well, if the sphinx didn't give an indication either way, she was a grown up mare who could just straight up ask what he saw in her. At least clearing up in her own mind that she was thinking about him like that now, that she would allow herself to go down this road, removed some inner ambiguity. She did have to give a little smirk at the mention of her name, though. "Honestly, you might ask what kind of mother would name their filly that if their last name was 'Milk'... well, I'm sure you can imagine. And you'd be right." Her smile was tight at the lips, and did not reach her eyes.
  14. The paperwork was simple, perfunctory even. Mayor Rich had made genuine efforts towards keeping her campaign promise not to tie down Ponyville's entrepreneurs with red tape. Especially when she was interested in their services. It was perhaps a negative stereotype that mares of her age and class paid too much attention to astrology, crystal-gazing, and other such 'superstitious' rituals, but Spoiled herself could never articulate the difference between them and legitimate wizardry... other than the fact that they were the sorts of magic non-unicorns could do. Perhaps that accounted for the stigma, one tribe trying to monopolize non-physical power and the prestige associated with it. Spoiled could certainly believe that of other ponies, even if most around her seemed too naive for that... The first part of Tarot's reading confirmed to her that she was either a genuine psychic, or just sufficiently good at observation and deduction to be worth listening to. "I would hope I hadn't made it too obvious, but... well. Things certainly haven't been the easiest lately." The fact that she was in for a rough time no matter which way the chips fell was not exactly shockingly original as an insight, but at least she wasn't being dishonest. "I wouldn't engage in an exit unless I felt that I had a place to go, at this point..." From the way Spoiled was talking, Tarot might guess that she was already having someone else in mind. A new life to start after severing ties to the old one. The last card, though, that was a surprise, not a pleasant one, but still good to know. "What? After all this time, they dare darken my door again-" The outburst came out suddenly, speaking of bad blood between her and the house she grew up in. She cut herself off, snorting. "Huff, all I'll say about that is... I want you to picture in your mind the sort of mother who, having 'Milk' as her last name, decides to call her daughter 'Spoiled.' I'm not giving their feelings any more consideration now than they gave me while I was growing up." For anyone who, having problems with Spoiled's attitude or behavior, wondered just how a mare could get that way, that little glimpse into her early home life was about as good an explanation as they were likely to get, straight from the horse's mouth.
  15. As one who by nature and profession wore proverbial masks of moods in public, Spoiled Rich knew and respected fake smiles when she saw them. She couldn't bring herself to strip the mask off any mare of a certain age; especially not when she felt they could do her some favors. "Oh? I might be interested in learning what other little ways you've found to resist the tyrannies of time." Spoiled would say with a smile and a nod. Following her down to the library, Spoiled tilted her head ot one side. "No, now that I think about it, we don't have any historical designation in Ponyville for buildings. Yet, anyway; it is the sort of thing that we ought to start getting around to, given the number of now famous mares that call this town home. Not to mention the Palace, and the Friendship school... still, I won't pretend that the lack of any such designation wasn't a an ease to our development over the years. At the end of the day, sometimes you have to tear down the old to build anything new. Of course, when one gets older, one is no longer entranced with such revolutionary notions to a large extent..." She sighed, as they came to the desk where they would be signed. "Not that such measures ever cease to be necessary. On that note, actually, I would like a reading once we finish here." Not that Spoiled would have said she believed any of this mumbo-jumbo. Of course not. But there was something she wanted, something that she couldn't quite bring herself to pursue, just because of what she'd have to tear down to get it. All she needed was just a little push from outside, no matter how silly it might be...
  16. Niilaavin's description of the territory began to invoke Spoiled's land-development mentality, and she keenly honed in on the mental image, asessing it as she would land on the margins of town, open for municipal purchase. "I daresay the Crystal Empire would be glad enough for a friendly garrison on their border, considering what the alternatives might be if the land remains open. Frankly, I have to admit I'm a little surprised that there isn't some kind of fronteir settlement there already; more marginal land has been settled before, and the fact it is beyond the current reach of tax collectors is attractive to a certain kind of pony... or griffon. Or whatever other species might settle in. Though, isolation might account for why it hasn't been reached yet... or occupied by bandits. Nothing close by convenient to steal." Still, she had to admit overall it sounded like a promising start for a settlement, and as for a campsite- "Oh? A pristine hot spring? You do know how to treat a mare, I must say~" The wistful tone in his voice not escaping her notice, and in truth it made her miss the tme when her family was gathered together happily... But the ache she felt was not the mere pang of a temporary separation, but nostalgia over an unrecoverable past. When had that barrier between her and Filth arisen? How many times did she have to come home to an empty manor, or stay in her office late, to drift apart from the father of her daughter? However many it was, she realized now that she was past that number. Not a pleasant thought, just as well she wasn't alone when she had it...
  17. "Hm, yes, I can imagine keeping up a house like this would be quite the effort." Spoiled Rich had to admit, looking around the place. Impressive as it all was, the manor was still mostly wood, not the most durable of materials. There had probably been no brick kilns or stone quarries set up, and certainly nopony built their domiciles with concrete in the old days. Spoiled, for her part, was willing to chalk up a point for modernity internally, but kept the observation to herself. On beign offered a tour, she gave a shrug and a smile. "Well, I don't see why not. I'm not in any hurry to get back." It wasn't as if returning to the office any earlier would make the end of the workday come any faster. And even if it had... returning home was less and less an attractive prospect these days. Sparing a glance up at the portrait, she gave a dutiful chuckle at Tarot's joke about bad mane days, a little too absorbed in her own imagined version of such a picture of herself to note such details as devil horns. "And that, madam, is why we never should neglect our beauty sleep or self care! I don't think I should have aged half so well without constant effort to keep up appearances!" Laughing lightly, she followed her hostess up the hallway. "Apple Bloom? Ah, so that little... filly is working on your house's restoration?" There wasn't exactly the best of feelings between Spoiled and the younger mare, though that was honestly the last of the Apple family that she'd reckon she'd had any bad blood with. Applejack had proven a staunch political ally, and Spoiled herself had subsidized the poor mare's hospital bill after the sporting accident. Insurance companies could be so stingy these days... "As for a good maid, I got mine from a Canterlot placement agency. There's not much in the way of a market for maids in towns like this, so you have to import them from a city with a good density of servants. The best are trained in the great houses, and later go into service on their own once the lord or lady of the manor can no longer afford the indefinite extension of their staff. I have some contacts that I can make inquiries of, but supplies are a little more constrained these days. Prince Blueblood's staff used to be the one that usually shed excess maids, but not so much these days, now that he's started having foals, not to mention the sphinx that lives with him!"
  18. As the windowlight dispelled her irrational impressions, Spoiled let herself relax, observing the interior. While her own home was of a significantly more modern style of architecture and furnishing, she could recognize and feel communion with a fellow moneyed mare. But this money was old money, aged over the generations until it soaked into the bones of the ponies with it, setting them apart in status and comportment... Or so at least her inner snobbishness would remark. The rest of her couldn't help but notice that despite the aged grandeur of the manor before her, there was a general ill-kept atmosphere about the place, and Tarot was, in the end, using it as a a shopfront, just like any of the other petit bourgious in town, so the mayor resolved to not be overawed. She stood to the side, politely listening to Tarot's family history as she took a seat. "So you've come home... to pick up the family business, it sounds like?" She pursed her lips as the purpose of her visit was inquired, "Oh, well, I don't want to inconvenience you, but for tax and registry purposes all business operations do need to file with town hall, and we haven't gotten any of your papers, you know. I suppose you'd not have any way of knowing beforehand, so you're not in trouble or in arrears of fees, but if you intend to keep up shop here, I will need you to fill out and sign a few things..."
  19. Sky Sailing would get up to scoot out a chair for Crystal Rain, like a gentlecolt, smiling a bit at his wife's joke. "We know perfectly well that, even then, you wouldn't take a bite without syrup!" Once all were seated again, he'd chime in to the introductions, "And my name's Sky Sailing. I'm a musician and recording artist; Windy and I work together a lot, as you might guess." It was a natural complimenting of talents, one of the many reasons they worked so well together. "We're taking a short vacation up to the Crystal Empire, first to take a break, and then maybe to scout out for a new show here. Mostly its just to relax and meet new ponies, though! So what do you do?"
  20. The fact that the sight of the mare opening the door was a frame-for-frame remake of a horror film opening that she remembered from one of her early dates with Filthy was not going to faze Spoiled Rich. No, she wasn't going to be creeped out or let that bias her in any way. Nope. Steeling herself against any remaining foalish fears, Spoiled cleared her throat. "No, no, I grew up on the Dairy farm down the river; I came up to Ponyville after marrying my husband, Filthy Rich." She passed this over casually, though it was always a little awkward and painful for her to discuss her agricultural background. As an earth pony with higher aspirations than getting her hooves dirty making food, her familiar past was a frank embarrassment to her. There was a reason to this day she had never taken Diamond to visit her grandparents.
  21. As the Mayor of Ponyville, Spoiled Rich would of course keep up on major developments in the town, and the return of Tarot Spell had been one of them. There were few families in town whose presence and promince equalled that of the Spells; as a matter of fact, the Riches and the Apples may well be the only other two. Up until recently, however, the old manor had been host to matriarchs rather more reclusive than the current occupant; none of the Spells had weighed in or commented on the last election, for instance. But now that the house was occupied, and open for business, Spoiled felt it incumbent on herself to pay a visit, establish relations, one prominent mare to another. Whether or not she believed in such things as fare or fortune telling were besides the point; much like election promises, really: statements about the future meant to secure a result in the present, whether it be the transfer of funds or the casting of votes. After allowing Tarot time enough to settle in, therefore, Mayor Rich would pay her a visit during her afternoon rounds, stepping up smartly in her mayoral dress, tapping on the front door to indicate her presence.
  22. Hey there! Friendly neighborhood admin here. If you want to get started with RP here, a good way to do so would be to post a character profile on this board: https://www.canterlot.com/forum/416-character-applications/ Using this Format: Most of our folks hang out in this Discord server, if you want some real-time chat as well: https://discord.gg/TM5Ew6vw
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