Boss_Hoss1

Candy found several more empty web traps with her stick as the Proessor spoke.

She perked her ears and turned to him with an interested look. "Oh Professor, When you say the dragon repellant failed.. In what way did it fail?"

Candy smiles deviously "Did it simply fail in driving away the dragon, or fail as in "drew it like a magnet"?.."

She rubbed her forehooves together "Ohh my job could be so much easier sometimes if I could lure a wayward dragon into a trap instead of having to fly for my life through my trap ahead of one..."

She hmms "Speaking of traps, do you have anything that can cut these webs up? I really dont want to come back every day to make sure no one gets stuck."

Shanna nickered happily to herself, very happy that he wants to try different places to eat with her. The next date was already going to be epic fun!

She watched him hanging on every word as she told him about eclipses and her mother's warnings.

Shanna nodded quickly when he got the hint about the Nightmare. She saw him look at her wonderingly, then got a determined look.

She smiled warmly at him. "I can guess you would think it a boon for me if she had won. Well, it would be for a while, untill the food ran out. Nothng would grow but mushrooms."

Shanna finished her sandwich "I can live with only having short times to see the stars, besides, I met a Nightmare worshipper before. Those... they scare me." she shuddered.

Shanna nodd "Yes, that's the usual kind of Eclipse we see. But... There are ancient records of the shadow of the moon blacking out the sun, with only a firey crown visible of the sun. Can you imagine how amazing and scary that would look?" she finished with a smile.

Shanna went wide eyed as the plate slammed down before her, making her give a Fluttershy squeak.

She smoothed her feathers back down, and picked up the sandwich and inspects it critically. "At least it looks good..." and takes a bite.

She munched on it carefully and swallowed, her face suddenly looking much happier. "Ohhh this is great! Too bad this is the last out of him. Maybe next time we can go someplace that specializes in these? Make a fun time of touring the city by restauraunt?"

She smiles at him, glad to see he isnt' dismissive of the subject and actually seems interested "I would love to see an eclipse, either a full eclipse of the moon or the sun. It's okay if this is all new to you, admittedly there are ponies who even question why our job exists since the Princesses raise and lower the sun and moon and stars, but Mother tracked and quietly issued warnings of the star alignment that released..." She looks around, then whispers "you-know-who".

She sits back up and winks at Bull Dozer "We do not know if the warnings were heeded but we like to think they helped the Princess somehow."

Candy nickered happily "A nice coincidence then, I prefer that inn when I'm traveling in the area."

She watched and stirred the leaves aside as they were blown, tracing the outline of the web, then off to the side she sees something amber "No trapped ponies, but are those the mushrooms you need?"

She set down and held the stick aside "if those arent enough, there are probably more under other clumps of web or in the gully."

As she poked under the next pile of leaves, she watched the professor and the mushrooms "What do you teach at the University?

Shanna finished her stretch, and stifled a giggle at the reaction it had on her date. She thought about doing that more often for him since she enjoyed his lovely blond mane and adoring eyes over a sexy blush...

She thought her answer out carefully since she didnt want to embarrass him after he fumbled on the word. "Oh believe me it would be more convenient during the day, but Celestia puts the stars out for the daytime."

Shanna sighs dreamily "There isnt much anypony without a full fledged observatory can do in the daytime. I would just love to see an eclipse sometime, but those are rare since the moon and the sun are hardly ever up at the same time. My Mother got to see one caused by a comet before we were born."

Shanna smiled pleasently as she was led to a booth, then set the bouquet on the table so she could sit when the hunky stallion let her sit first "Why thank you Bull Dozer."

She watched wide-eyed as the restauraunt owner came up, looking like a stock character from a stage play in Cloudsdale park. One of her ears lopped down for a moment in concern when the owner said he would "dust off" the grill and try to remember how to do one. *...Oh dear, I hope it works... * she thought.

Her ear went back up as Bull Dozer smiled reassuringly at her. She looked up at the waiter/owner/cook " I cant' wait to try one! I'm sure it will be fine, sir."

She smiled and looked back at Bull Dozer dreamily. then realized he just asked her about the weather patrol.

"Oh yes! Feel free to let me know if you have any questions at any point." She daintily nibbled one of the damaged flowers "Anyway, we get a general schedule for the week of what the weather should be and when, and usually handle the area from Canterlot to the edge of the Everfree. We get rotated around a lot since we can only do the morning shift because we have Astronomy fieldwork at night."

She nibbled some more and shrugged "Oh I should have asked for something to drink... Anyway, some weeks we help on weather over the plains and into Fillydelphia, Manehattan, Whitetail Woods, and all the little vllages too small to have a name on the map. Basically , here, there, everywhere some weeks."

She sat up and stretched her wings a bit, trying to make it a somewhat elegant move "Oh excuse me.." she smiled.

Here's a recipie I just found I plan to make soon, but should be perfect for any fan of the Apple family;

APPLE BUTTER BARS

1 (18.25 oz.) package butter cake mix (or substitute with yellow cake mix).

1 stick unsalted butter, melted.

1 jumbo egg

2 1/2 cups apple butter.

1 cup oatmeal (are you crazy? )

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

1/2 cup brown sugar.

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted.

3/4 cup pecan halves.

13 x 9 inch pan, greased with cooking spray (or butter, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use a spoon to mix together the cake mix, 1 stick of melted butter, and 1 egg.

Once thouroughly mixed, pat the mixture into the pan.

Spread 2 cups of the apple butter over the mixture (keeping back the remaining 1/2 cup for later)

Smooth out the apple butter with a spatula.

Stir together the oatmeal, cinnamon and brown sugar. Then mix in the remaining apple butter and remaining melted butter.

Spread the oatmeal mixture over the cake mixture. If it looks dry, swirl together your bottom apple butter layer a bit.

Sprinkle pecans over the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until mixture is set.

Cool for an hour before slicing.

When I make this, I will take pictures and submit it to the other thread showing recipies in action...

Hoss and Shanna looked around as they carried the 3' long yellow painted oaken box between them and their luggage in their saddlebags.

Setting it down for a moment, they looked to Aqua. Shanna asked "Before we can eat, is there a small cart we can rent to push or pull? This telescope can be tricky to move around groundside."

Hoss streeeetched his wings in relief at setting the box down for a moment, and took a deep breath. "This sea air is amazing! Neither of us have had fish before, but if other ponies eat it fine, we are willing to try it."

Shanna suddenly felt an itch along her spine, like she was being watched...

Shanna followed along, the bouquet tucked in the crook of a wing. She smiled as she walked just a little behind him enjoying being near him.

She slowed and stopped as she took in the sight of the run-down restauraunt with a touch of concern, but willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

After all, that one place she and her brother ate at in Rockwington was literally a hole in the wall but had great food... "Oh my, is that a train car? I imagine that saves time on construction, huh?"

Smiling, she shook her mane and followed him in "Great grass sandwiches? If you recommend it, it must be great food. I've heard of Filly Cheesehay melts. Do they have those here?"

Candy nods and picks up her bolas, rewinding them into coils and putting them in her vest pockets. She picked up a long stick in her fetlock and started hovering and poking into drifts of leaves.

She smiled at the professor, turquoise eyes shining happily "I'm Candy Catch-em, the Critter Wrangler! I live in Northern Solstice Heights where all the artisans and working ponies live that support Canterlot proper, well the outskirts of it anyway. I have a nice spread there were I treat injured critters or hold dangerous ones until I can return them to uninhabited areas."

She buffs her free forehoof on her vest and winks "I also find and talk exotic critters into coming to live in the various gardens of Canterlot. It took me months to find the legendary Buzzing Buzzards."

She smiled "As for where I'm staying. I am staying overnight in Ponyville, at the "Prancing Pony inn".

She gasped as her stick stuck. "Here's a web. can you blow the leaves away please?"

(ooc; and mushrooms will be found soon )

The twins were relaxing as they sipped their sodas, waiting for more guests.

Just then a pale green unicorn came down the steps. the twins stood up, with shanna waving "Hello Survey! How are you doing?"

Hoss heard more noise at the street entrance and clopped up to look "Oh! It looks like somepony else is here! It's.. it's Dj-Pon3!"

He bounced on his hooves several times, then went up the steps "Does anypony need help with the equipment?"

Shanna clooped over to the bottom of the stairs "Yes, let me know if I need to help too."

Candy dove in, ready to land and tie the bolas together when the Professor stood up from the leaves and let the beast have it.

She skidded to a landing and watched, holding her breath in anticipation.

Suddenly the spider shrank down to normal size, including the egg sack she had just seen on it's back.

Candy got down low to look at the spider. "Now you arent' so tough!"

Before the spider could get away, she scooped it into a paper bag. "I'll let this thing loose on the other side of the forest where it wont be able to find more of those flowers. First though, I think we had better make a quick search to make sure it had not caught anypony and left them wrapped up."

Shanna stood up quickly and smiled "Any time? Good! I cant wait to see where we go."

She ohhed and craned her neck forward as the burly stallion rummaged in his locker, then pulled out a bouquet!

She bounced on her hooves even as he apologized for the state of the flowers. "Ooh that so sweet of you!" and leaned in to take them with her mouth as well, accidentally brushing her lips with his.

Shanna had turned red and giggled shyly as she transferred the flowers to her pastern.

When she stopped blushing, she dusted them off with a wingtip "It's okay, I'll just eat the damaged ones, Bull Dozer."

She smiled and looked at him with wide dreamy eyes "So where to first? Lead on, handsome."

Shanna blushed and giggled at the praise. "M-my pleasure."

She turned her head to preen a wing to settle herself down, sure that move made her look cute as well, then spoke to the handsome blond-maned stallion.

"A lot of time, weather control is just that, moving clouds around. How you space them determines if you get a pleasant partly-cloudy day, or a rainstorm. Other times, bad weather occurs by mistake or forms by itself over the Everfree Forest or over the oceans. Weather other ponies has to hide from is what we brave to put it right again."

She tactfully does not mention one reason Cutie Marks are painted on part of their helmets is in case a Weather Pony is downed somewhere where it takes awhile to be found and identified...

Shanna shivered her wings at that thought, then tries to get her mind back on more pleasant things. "I would love to tell you more about my work over dinner. Is there anything else you do before we go?"

The spider hissed and moved closer, it's fangs clattering together as it crept up on the elderly pegasus.

Suddenly, a red and white blur whizzed through the air and wrapped several front legs together. The bola balls clacked together, painted red and white as they bound the spider's legs.

Candy screamed "Hurry Professor!", then grabbed another set of bolas and started spinning them around, whipping her head in a circle.

The spider struggled, trying to free its legs as the next set came flying it's way...

Varies between 1 and 3 depending on the weather. The Milky Way is amazing out here.

I thought it was supposed to switch over to VR-only by season 8? "Dont just watch a brony, Be one of the background bronies! Free Luna or Celestia web genie GF if you pre-order now"...

Shanna had looked away from his leg at the now flattened building, then back to him as he brushed the injury off as nothing. His smile reassured her anyway as he then asked her to follow him.

She trotted along behind him and looked around at the inside of the shed as he pointed the features out. "So it works a lot like the Weather Patrol locker rooms at the weather factory. Fascinating! We sometimes have to visit the factory for one reason or another."

Seeing him remove his helmet and hang it up, she unfastened hers and nestled it and her goggles back in her saddlebag.

She blushed pleasently as he asked her to put the band-aid on him. "Oh, Certainly!"

Shanna took the band aid and sat down beside him, talking to distract herself from handling such a nice, powerful leg and that strong smell of stallion sweat making her back tingle pleasently.

"..Bucking buildings down must be as exhiliarating as bucking a hailstorm apart and coming out the other side in one piece, as you can tell from my helmet... Ah, there we go. Nice and neat."

The spider hissed menacingly and rose up higher on it's eight legs to look down on the Professor, hissing like a steam kettle. It's pedipalps seemed to rub together in front of it' fanged mouth like a cheesy stage play villan rubbing hooves together in feindish glee.

Suddenly it screeched as air hit it in the face, distracting it. It turned and rubbed dust off it's many eyes, revealing a silken egg case riding on it's back...

Down below, Candy examined the crevice, looking like the spider had been digging away at it, enlarging it for a winter nest.

She suddenly heard hissing and shrieking like she had never heard before.

Quickly, she jumped out and looked around to make sure it was not behind her. She then heard his voice above apologizing to something "Professor?..PROFESSOR!" and flew up above the rim of the gully and gasped "Oh NO! Get back!"

She quickly reached for the boas with her mouth and started spinning them, wondering why the professor had not tried the spray yet.

Manowar "Heart of Steel" and "Hail and Kill" then random play if I'm still alive that long.

Shanna leaned forward, watching as the crashing stopped, but the creaking and groaning increased.

"OOoh Hurry!" She did not dare charge in since they might collide at the doorway if he's just showing off.

Her ears caught a loud snap and then galloping.

Bull Dozer finally appeared at the doorway, a piece of wood bouncing off his head and falling back inside as he thundered out.

Shanna stared in admiration "Y-yeah. That's a very good thing!"

She looked him over from hoof to ear, eyes shining, then noticed one of his hind hooves was scratched up above the hoof itself. "Oh my! Are you all right?"

Shanna put her goggles back down and sat down at a safe distance.

She watched as Bull Doer trotted inside, his huge frame moving like a well-oiled machine.

The Pegasus mare got a silly smile on her face as she imagined him inside moving and bucking like a wild mustang. Her wings rose and trembled for a moment before she blushed and made them smooth back down.

Shanna oohed as she heard wood being smashed and cracking.

"It's not as fast as a tornado, but fun!"

Suddenly she stood up as the building sagged, then slowly began to fall in "Ohhh! Hurry Bull Dozer!"

Madam Bistro gasped in horror, actually going white for a moment! Her mind raced * This is the last thing we need to happen when we're trying to make him see reason! *

She swifty went into action with a damp towel, blotting up the remaining coffee. "Oh my goodness! Are you all right, Mr. Rockefilly? Please sit down and let me remove that shoelace. THORN! Willow tea with lemon drops, STAT!"

Bistro gave a pleading glance over her shoulder at the others to help smooth things over.

She mouthed "I'll explain later.." silently toward Louise and the others.

"I am afraid that was a prank by a certain little filly, sir. Please, allow me to put you at ease in this, the best place in town. We will completely understand if you wish to reconvene this discussion later, perhaps a dinner. We wish to be very receptive of new ideas, but we must be able to discuss it freely before we bite ,er "accept"..."

Just then, the russet donkey charged up and slid a glass across the table, sliding to a perfect stop before Max.

"That is one of the specialties I picked up in my travels. it will help ease any aches, and the candy melted in keeps it from being bitter. Let me know if you wish to retire to a comfy room for a while."

She forced her tail to keep from quivering as she thought *Oh Celestia, have we got a manticore by the tail or what?!... *

Candy flew at 6' off the ground, above the undergrowth as they headed for the gully and the bleating.

"I'd welcome more help, but time is of the essense and I've handled worse.."

An image flashed in her mind, of an insane griffon diving at her. It's expression of murder and hate turning to horror as it's wings were pinned by her bolas...

Candy shuddered and shook her head to clear it "I..ah, The Peryton is named Skye. He watches over the travelers of this woods, but he may be avoiding this stretch for a while because of the race, otherwise the spider might have been chased off into the Everfree... Ah! There!"

She stopped in midair and lowered herself down to where a whitetail doe was struggling in a web stretched across the gully. "Shhh, shhh, I'm here to help! Keep quiet or you'll call the monster!"

The doe gasped and nodded, going quiet.

Candy reached into her vest and pulled out a silver flask. "When in doubt, dissolve!"

She sprinkled the srong drink on the webs, dissolving the sticky adhesives. Instantly, the doe sprang away and fled down the gully.

Candy looked around "It must have decided this was a good place to hunt after it was led in here. Keep your eyes open."

As she checked a hollow in the gully, something silently rose behind the professor, in the shadows...

The twins were busy watching the arguing match, their heads again swinging from side to side as they stared.

Shanna mused "It must be like haggling for her..."

Suddenly the train stopped quickly, banging them into each other, their heads rattling against each other dizzily.

Hoss sat up, his eyes derping for a moment "Hoo boy, now I know why we fly wherever we go. These enchanted pulling trains can stop faster than we can..."

Shanna shook her head to clear it. "At least it keeps the pullers safe."

As they disembarked, she thought she heard a voice she knew but could not quite place it...