PedestrianWolf

[colour=#696969]"Well, I guess I really liked those little chocolate wafer-cookies with the minty taste. Those were delectable!" [/colour]the unicorn stallion said in answer to her question. [colour=#8b4513]"Oh, thank you!" [/colour]Snickerdoodle replied. The wafer cookies themselves were fairly easy to make, but the mint chocolate coating was a bit more tricky. The chocolate wouldn't temper correctly in humid weather, so she only made them in the cooler months of fall and winter. She shook hooves with Pocket Change after the third try. It was clear that he was more than just tired, he was quite schnockered too. [colour=#696969]"Looks like there was some excitement tonight! Nasty weather, but we sure got an interesting group of ponies to help clean up the mess. A few Wonderbolts and even Miss Rainbow Dash to lend a hoof."[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"Yeah, when weather like this blows in, every pegasus in the area is expected to lend a hoof, even if they aren't usually weather patrol. I'm pretty certain Miss Dash usually does this sort of thing, and I'm sure having the Wonderbolts[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]helping out was a morale booster for some ponies."[/colour] And it was true that the conversations in the bar were fascinating. Pocket Change may not have been 'eez-dropping' as he said, but Snickerdoodle sure was. She had been listening to the aqua maned Wonderbolt at the bar hit on the bartender for the past hour or so. Misty Morning, was it? The name was familiar, even though she hadn't seen her perform with the team. And to think, she had been worried about embarrassing herself in front of the elite flying squad members, when here was one flirting absolutely shamelessly with every pretty mare she sat next to! And poor Rainbow Dash, accused of being in love with Soarin'. She loudly denied it of course. Sometimes protesting too much meant you were hiding the truth, and sometimes it meant that you were just sick and tired of the rumors. [colour=#696969]"Wonder if it's legal for an subordinate to date her superior officer?"[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"That I can answer with a definite No. They usually frown on that sort of thing in the workplace. Can lead to trouble and ponies feelings getting hurt."[/colour] Just then a red pegasus in REA gear entered the bar. Approaching the both of them, she apologized and said, [colour=#800000]"I'm here for Mister Pocket Change."[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"OooOoh, busted!" [/colour]Snickerdoodle laughed. [colour=#8b4513]"I guess they had to send the cavalry in after you!"[/colour] She patted him on the hoof and smiled lopsidedly at him. [colour=#8b4513]"It's been nice talking with you. Look me up when you're sober, okay? You know where to find me."[/colour] Then raising her right hoof in a smart salute, she turned to the red REA mare and said, [colour=#8b4513]"Take 'im away, officer!"[/colour]

(This is going to be long, sorry.) Snickerdoodle flopped on a cloud that was floating over some farm fields outside of town. She was still a little twitchy from her adrenaline fueled flight from the Ponyville spa. Now she took a moment to catch her breath and try to calm her nerves. Had she panicked? Yes, definitely. Was the panic necessary? Well… maybe. She ran through the events leading up to her 'escape' in her head. A stallion, in armor, carrying a sword, looking anxious, check. It wasn't REA armor, or Royal Guard, she would have recognized that. So, maybe he was a private guard for somepony? Or a military enthusiast? Perhaps even an adventurer mercenary for hire? Okay, now she was just being silly. And while the brown stallion had been armed, he wasn't waving the sword around, or threatening anyone that she could remember. He was just asking after a red mare. Something about… strawberries? She wasn't sure. But in any case, he hadn't tried to hurt her, or even really noticed her. So her panicked rush out the door was most likely completely unnecessary. Now Snickerdoodle was starting to feel bad. She had probably broken something in her rush to get outside, she remembered hearing a crack as she blew through the door. That made her feel even worse. But before she could completely drown in self-pity, she noticed a shadow pass overhead. Turning to look, she saw the silhouette of a griffon against the late spring sky. As it came closer, the shadow gained colour and form, and revealed itself to be a familiar face to her. It was her old flight instructor from summer camp, Derecho. He had praised her skill in the obstacle courses, and the one who recommended she try out for the Wonderbolts Academy. He had also taught her brother, and as far as she knew, he kept up correspondence with him while he was away on maneuvers in the REA. The leopard-spotted griffon landed on the cloud next to the custard coloured mare. [colour=#696969]"Hey kid, what is shaking? Why are you out here all alone, wandering lonely as a cloud, as they say?"[/colour] Derecho always called his former students 'kid', partly because they were always younger than he was, and partly because he couldn't remember their names all the time. [colour=#8b4513]"Oh, hi, Mr Derecho, sir. I'm um… oh, this is kind of embarrassing, really."[/colour] Snickerdoodle trailed off and looked away, down towards the well tended fields below. [colour=#696969]"What happened this time? It can't be your cutie mark, you are no blank flank anymore. Did you hit the cider a little to hard, again?"[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]Oh Celestia, save me,[/colour] she thought. [colour=#8b4513]He knows about the bar incident and the Wonderbolts.[/colour] Her face burned red, but she managed to stammer out, [colour=#8b4513]"Oh, um, no, nothing like that. I, um, was at the Ponyville spa, and, um, I kinda… panicked and ran away."[/colour] The griffon turned his head quizzically. [colour=#696969]"Ran away? From a spa? Did they threaten you with the hoof files and the curry combs?"[/colour] Snickerdoodle laughed weakly at his joke. [colour=#8b4513]"No, no. There was this pegasus stallion, you see, who came in wearing armor and carrying a sword. He looked nervous, which made me nervous. Then he started asking about this red mare and strawberries, and I just got overwhelmed and ran out as fast as I could. It's kind of silly, actually."[/colour] [colour=#696969]"Humph"[/colour] chuffed the griffon. [colour=#696969]"Well, I can see how you might be frightened by something like that. But to run away? Seems a bit excessive."[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"Yeah…"[/colour] Snickerdoodle's ears drooped and she looked down at her hooves. Derecho's expression softened a little. [colour=#696969]"Why don't we go back together, yes? If that scary stallion is still there, I can hold him off with my very manliness."[/colour] As he was speaking, he stood on his hind legs and flexed his foretalons, spreading his wings behind him to look most impressive. [colour=#8b4513]"I, um, you really don't have to do that,"[/colour] Snickerdoodle said, a little worried now. [colour=#696969]"Don't be ridiculous! Of course I can escort you back to Ponyville spa. It is least I could do. Your brother would want me to look after his little sister in his absence."[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"Ugh. I am NOT his 'little' sister. He's only fifteen minutes older than I am,"[/colour] she responded with scorn. Although, to be fair, he was taller and more muscular than she was. Still, it was the principle of the thing. Derecho smiled and lightly cuffed her shoulder. [colour=#696969]"There we go, that is the spunky girl I remember from flight camp. Come, let us go back to Ponyville. A trip to the spa sounds nice. Maybe I will sit in the sauna, and follow it up with mineral bath. Good for the feathers, you know."[/colour] .oOo. .oOo. .oOo. As they approached the spa, Snickerdoodle saw that she had indeed broken something on her way out. The door frame was cracked at the hinge, causing the door to hang oddly. [colour=#8b4513]"Oh dear, I'm afraid I may have done that,"[/colour] she sighed. [colour=#696969]"What, this?"[/colour] Derecho answered, looking at the door and the splintered frame. [colour=#696969]"It is not so bad. Easy fix. Just remove door, and put new wood in place of broken part. Simple."[/colour] Snickerdoodle looked agape at the griffon. [colour=#696969]"I build obstacle courses for racing. You think I do not know which end of hammer to pound nails with?"[/colour] he asked, smirking. [colour=#696969]"Come. We go inside, you apologize for breaking the door, and we get our spa treatments, yes?"[/colour] The custard pegasus mare took a deep breath, and walked through the door as the griffon held it open for her. There was only one stallion in the waiting area, a dark blue pegasus. [colour=#696969]"That him?"[/colour] Derecho asked, nodding his head towards the napping stallion. [colour=#8b4513]"No, this guy was brown, and wearing armor. I don't see him around, maybe he's in the back?"[/colour] Snickerdoodle was starting to get nervous again, despite having the griffon with her. [colour=#696969]"Relax, everything will be okey-dokey,"[/colour] the griffon assured her. He guided her to a chaise, and sat down on the floor in front of her. [colour=#696969]"We will wait for spa ponies to come out. You will see."[/colour] (No more breaking stuff, I promise!)

Do y'all mind if I introduce my young stallion Durham Red to the thread? He lives in Appleloosa now, but his family is from Fillydelphia. His mother would totally sign him up for speed dating.

Fuchsia Blooms had closed her shop for an hour while she went out to run errands in Canterlot's town square. As she trotted along, she heard sweet music coming from up the street. She perked her ears and moved closer to the sound floating in the air. Canterlot didn't often have buskers, but when they did come, they were of high quality. As Fuchsia approached the street corner, she saw that the music was coming from a cello being played expertly by a grey mare with a dark mane and serious eyes. The bow drew across the strings, and the vibrations resonated in the deep cavity of the instrument, creating a warm and vibrant melody that danced across the square, drawing ponies in. There were already a couple standing around, enjoying the performance. Fuchsia stood next to a brown unicorn stallion, who appeared enraptured by the sound. She smiled at him, and turned back towards the cello player. When the tune ended, she took a step closer to the grey earth mare and complimented her on her skill. [colour=#800080]"That was lovely, my dear. You must practice quite a lot." [/colour] Noticing the tip jar with a sign that read "college money" in front of it, she dropped two gold bits in. She also took a pink rose from the flower basket on her back, and dropped it in the cello case next to the tip jar. It added a touch of elegance, which many Canterlot citizens appreciated. Figuring she had a little time to spare, Fuchsia stepped back next to the brown stallion and waited for the cellist to start playing again. She wanted to listen awhile longer before continuing on her errands.

My first non-pony character! Derecho Griffon // Male // Adult Falcon / leopard griffon, flight instructor in Cloudsdale. http://www.canterlot...-griffon-ready/

Fuchsia Blooms looked around, certain that there must be other mares from Canterlot at the gathering. But she didn't see any faces she recognized. No, wait, over by the candy cart she had just left was a girl she had seen before. She worked in a sweet shop in Canterlot. Fuchsia had seen her behind the counter, but had never bought anything from her. Maybe if they got to know each other this weekend, then she would have a good excuse to visit her shop when they got back to the city. Then a familiar voice boomed over the crowd. Fuchsia looked, then looked again. No, it couldn't be. But it was! Princess Luna and Princess Cadence were both in attendance. She mentally cursed herself for not bringing any night-blooming jasmine. Never mind, too late to get any now. She looked at the flower arrangements on the tables, and sighed. Stargazer lilies would have to do. Using her magic, Fuchsia called a white rose and a purple speckled white lily to her from the bowl on the table. Same as before, she cast a spell to subtly enhance the floral scents of each bloom. Then she trotted over to where the two princesses stood, the flowers enveloped in a pink aura floating in front of her. Dropping her head in a bow, but keeping her eyes on the royal mares, Fuchsia addressed them in a formal Canterlot tone. [colour=#800080]"Pardon me, your majesties, but allow me to express what a pleasure it is to have you in attendance at this event. It would be an honor if you would accept these humble gifts from me, and my sincerest wishes that you both enjoy your time here."[/colour] Raising her head, Fuchsia offered the white rose to Cadence, and the speckled lily to Luna. She smiled warmly at the two princesses, and hoped fervently that she hadn't somehow overstepped her bounds.

Fuchsia giggled as Bramble Rose attempted to be dashing with his magic hat, and nearly fell on his snout in the process. She hid her smile behind her hoof, then dropped into a little curtsey. [colour=#808080]"I shall be pleased to show off this city to you, m'lady!"[/colour] [colour=#800080]"I'd be delighted." [/colour]Despite having grown up in Canterlot, she was sure there were parts of the city she hadn't seen yet. And Bramble was doing his best to be charming. It was kind of adorable. The filly in the grey coat nearly jumped a little when Fuchsia addressed her. She must have been absorbed in smelling the roses and hadn't heard the shopkeeper approach. She mumbled something about looking for flowers for a friend, then out of the blue sky asked, [colour=#FFCC33]"Anyways, what was that stallion over there? I can tell he was quite interested in magic, and I was curious, since I am a magician myself."[/colour] [colour=#800080]"Oh, him? He's the delivery pony. He was just bringing me a shipment of tulips and iris for the shop. But I think he studies the genetics of magic in unicorns, not stage magic." [/colour] Fuchsia was pretty sure that's what the filly meant by being a magician. She had seen magic tricks performed at parties when she was younger, and she knew that the illusions were different from the spells she could cast. However, if the magician was also a unicorn, they could use both spells and illusions at the same time. It was highly entertaining, regardless of how it was done. Bringing the conversation back around, she asked, [colour=#800080]"What sort of flowers were you looking at for your friend?"[/colour]

Snickerdoodle turned around quick when she heard that one of the Princesses would be in charge of operations, and giving a speech to the assembly. It wasn't completely unheard of for them to visit Cloudsdale, but never the weather factory. She didn't want to miss this! Scurrying back towards the group of volunteers, she saw an older green pegasus stallion with a mouth full of her cookies. [colour=#008000]"Danka fraulien! You must give me dee recipe for dees delightful baked vonders! Are you on mein team? Dee rainbow colouring team?"[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"Uhm, you're welcome? I, uh, don't have a recipe written down. I learned to bake from my Nana Noctilucentia, from Itaily. Well, Trottingham now, but..." [/colour]Snickerdoodle trailed off as her head suddenly started pounding. She stopped and took a few deep breaths to calm herself before continuing. Darn sinuses, why did they have to clog so badly, anyway? Maybe it was the altitude. Or the barometric pressure. No matter, just get through the morning, and maybe try to take a nap at lunchtime. [colour=#8b4513]"Oh, yes! I'm in rainbows today. Well, I'm in rainbows every day, actually. But I think I'm the only one of the regulars who made it in."[/colour] And a good thing, too, since she was sure she saw Derpy's name on the roster for colour mixing. Snickerdoodle knew from previous run-ins with the blonde mare that she could be trouble. Not malicious, just clumsy. And that could be dangerous around the dye vats. Somepony was going to have to keep an eye on her to make sure nothing got damaged too badly.[colour=#8b4513] [/colour]

Thanks, Mojo and Jane! That's not a bad idea. I will edit to reflect his opinion of living with ponies (spoiler; he likes it). Okay, I think this one is ready for review!

Thanks Mojo! I've edited the cutie mark, what other parts need a little beefing up?

This is an interesting idea. Posting so as to keep an eye on the thread; I may request a ROC or file an app for someone else's later.

Griffons are different from ponies. Is there anything else this application might need before I mark it ready?

Snickerdoodle secretly hated it when ponies shortened her name. Her mother hadn't named her Snickers, or Doodle, or anything like that. Yes, her full name was four syllables long, and a bit of a mouthful (much like her cookies!) but it still annoyed her. She never said anything about it though, because it would be rude, and she already didn't have that many friends. It wouldn't do to alienate the ponies she had to work with on a daily basis. Really, it was probably just the sinus headache making her extra grumpy today. She clamped her teeth together in a forced smile, and vowed to get through the day with as much grace as possible. She was almost immediately aurally assaulted by a blue pony with a violently red mane. [colour=#498995]"Hey there, Doodle-bird...(cut for length)" [/colour] Snickerdoodle winced a little, then mustered up a smile. [colour=#8b4513]"Good morning, Whirligig. Yeah, this flu is terrible. I'm sorry that your mum is still out sick. I'm surprised they haven't called my mother out of retirement today, but they usually only need her for snowstorms."[/colour] Was it her imagination, or did Whirligig look a little, flushed? It might have just been the red of her mane reflecting on her cheeks, but there was something in her eyes, too. Something that said, "I'm patient Zero". She hoped that Whirly-bird, as she sometimes referred to herself, wasn't in rainbows today. The last thing she needed was to get re-infected. [colour=#8b4513]"Well, I gotta go to my workstation now. I hope that we have enough volunteers to get everything up and running smoothly today. See you later!"[/colour] Snickerdoodle followed the signs that pointed towards her department, and kept an eye out for any ponies who were also heading in that direction.

Fuchsia's mouth watered as she smelled the chocolates at Bon Bon's candy cart. [colour=#00ff00]"Well, I'd just be pleased as punch ta help you, missus...?"[/colour] [colour=#800080]"Oh! My name is Fuchsia Blooms. I'm a florist by trade, here for Marecon, like everypony else. Three bits, was it?"[/colour] Fuchsia removed three coins from her purse and hoofed them over to Bon Bon. [colour=#00ff00]"Can't say I've seen you around these parts. Where'd you come from?"[/colour] [colour=#800080]"I'm from Canterlot. I have a shop there, myself. I brought some of my flowers to decorate the tables, but I didn't think to try selling them here. It seems you have been successful so far, though. I do hope that you will be able to get away from the cart for awhile this weekend and enjoy the rest of the party!"[/colour] Fuchsia smiled broadly at the candy mare, then returned to the main hall with her sampler bag of treats to see who else was here. Surely she might see some of her Canterlot neighbors among the crowd.

Roleplay Type: World of Equestria Mane RP Name: Derecho Sex: Male Age: Adult Species: Griffon Eye colour: Ice blue Coat: Dark burnished gold, fading to a cream white underbelly Mane/Tail: Charcoal grey feathers with black tips Physique: Derecho is a lean mean flying machine. His slender frame is deceptively strong, and his wings are the streamlined wings of a falcon, not the broad wings of an eagle. Residence: Cloudsdale Occupation: Flight Instructor Cutie Mark: None, but he does have black rosettes splashed across each flank History: He was hatched to loving parents who live in the learning district of Stalliongrad, Chenya. His father is a librarian, and his mother worked in a department store over in the merchant district while he was still a fledgeling. Derecho has an older brother, Lyosha, who is a skilled painter and has a studio in the artisan district of Stalliongrad. Growing up in a middle class family, he didn't always get the fancy toys or expensive trips that some of his schoolmates had, but he never lacked for the necessities of life. He excelled in school, and often spent his afternoons in the library where his father worked, beak buried in a book. His true passion, though, was flight. His body was built for speed, and he tested it every chance he got. He often participated in races with the other griffon fledgelings and pegasi colts in school. They competed in speed and dexterity, creating ever more complex obstacle courses for themselves. While he did not have the stamina of his broader winged fellows, he more than made up for it with agility and sheer speed. Character Summary: Based on his skills in creating and competing in obstacle courses, Derecho decided to become a flight instructor. He enrolled in as many flight courses and camps as he could afford, to study the techniques of other teachers. As soon as he got his certification, he took up permanent residence in Cloudsdale, and started teaching the pegasi foals there the tricks of flight mastery. He has a reputation for being tough, but fair, and many parents feel confident in sending their offspring to learn from him. He's not the sort to belittle or berate his students, preferring to build their confidence with positive reinforcement. However, if any of his students are slacking off, he will challenge them to bring up their performance. Derecho is a friendly sort of guy. He is always more than happy to lend a helping claw when he can. He is not a pushover, though, and won't accept any less than 100% from anyone works with. He has earned the respect of many of his students and their parents this way. In his off hours, Derecho still likes to curl up with a good book. He's even written a few himself. Mainly flight training manuals, but he has written a few Daring Do fan-fics, as well. He doesn't share those with anyone, though, out of embarrassment and fear of damaging his reputation. He also writes letters often, keeping up correspondence with several of his former students who have gone on to join the REA. He loves to hear about their exploits and adventures in the military outposts. He visits his family in Stalliongrad as often as he can, and sometimes poses for paintings in his brother Lyosha's studio. He has one hanging on his living room wall, of himself in full armor and a classic military pose. That, and the letters from his former students, is as close to military life as he has ever gotten, and he is fine with that. ​ Since he was raised in a city founded by ponies, and currently lives in a pegasus city, sometimes Derecho is asked if he misses his own kind. To be honest, he's never really thought about it that way. Growing up, most of his friends and classmates were ponies. The majority of his students are also ponies, although many griffon parents prefer to send their fledgelings to a griffon for flight instruction. To him, ponies are just people, not much different from himself. Sure, they eat funny food sometimes, and don't appreciate the finer things like swallowing a fish whole while it squirms down your gullet. But pony-folk are just folk to him. Some ponies can find him a bit intimidating, and he will take advantage of that with new students. Eventually though, they learn that he is not a fearsome predator, and they get along just fine.

Fuchsia Blooms saw the unicorn blush, and immediately felt that she had overstepped her bounds with that last question somehow. Well, no matter. Bramble Rose answered her anyway, and confirmed her suspicions that he had a bit of the wanderlust in his blood after all. [colour=#800080]"Someday I would love to take a trip to the Gallopocus Islands. Especially to visit the gardens there. It sounds so lovely!"[/colour] She looked up at the clock. Still mid-morning. [colour=#800080]"Yes, lunch would be fine. Say, around 1:00? I should be able to close up for a little while then."[/colour] Fuchsia came out from behind the counter and walked over towards the display cases in front. [colour=#800080]"It was nice to meet you, Bramble Rose. I will see you again later this afternoon. Have a good morning!" [/colour]she said brightly. Turning towards the newcomer to the shop, she asked, [colour=#800080]"Hello young lady! Is there anything I can help you find today?"[/colour]

Before Bramble could answer her query, Fuchsia noticed the door swing open as a new customer walked in. Not wanting to seem rude, she smiled and nodded at the newcomer from behind the counter. [colour=#800080]"Hello, and welcome! I'll be with you in a few moments, feel free to look around in the meantime."[/colour] Noticing that the filly in the grey coat started sniffing at the roses, she turned her attention back to the unicorn stallion in front of her.

Fuchsia Blooms unloaded her baskets of flowers on the nearby tables, and with the assistance of one of the con helpers, arranged them nicely as centerpieces. Other ponies came in with more treats to share, and soon the table was filled with lovely things to eat. The scent of chocolates floated through the air. Fuchsia turned and saw that somepony had set up a stand just outside the hall, selling candies. As a business owner herself, she knew that one had to take advantage of every possible sales opportunity. However, she had made the decision to relax this weekend, and not try to make her bits back by spending the whole con trying to sell her wares. Instead, she opted to make nice floral arrangements, and stick her business cards in each one, in case anypony wanted to know where the lovely flowers had come from. Fuchsia decided to try a few of the salesmare's confections, and trotted towards the door. As she passed the registration desk, she saw that the green pegasus behind the table was looking a little frazzled. She paused a moment, then using a simple spell, she summoned a white carnation with blush pink tips on each petal from one of the table arrangements. She added a second spell, which subtly enhanced the scent of the flower. Then she walked over to the green mare. [colour=#800080]"Hello again! I just wanted to thank you for the hard work you've done putting this event together. I'm sure all of the attendees appreciate it, very much."[/colour] Offering up the carnation, Fuchsia asked, [colour=#800080]"May I tuck this into your mane? I think it would look lovely against your dark hair."[/colour] After giving the flower to miss QuickLime, she turned towards the door and the candy cart. Looking over the selection, she decided to just get a few. After all, it was highly likely that she could get more later, and she didn't want to spoil her appetite right away, since there were so many other delicious things available inside. [colour=#800080]"Oh my, these look so inviting! May I have the six bonbon sampler, please?"[/colour]

Snickerdoodle hauled herself out of bed that morning feeling better, but still had a bit of a sinus headache and a small cough. Curse her coworkers anyway for giving her a case of the feather flu. However, she knew that work had to go on, and the factory would be desperate for help, especially anyone with experience. Mixing rainbows could be tricky, if one didn't know what they were doing. She put on her colour spattered coveralls, and grabbed her jacket and hardhat on her way out the door. She also grabbed a big pink bakery box full of cookies for the assembled volunteers. They had been baked last week, before everypony had gotten sick, so they weren't fresh, but they were safe to share. Arriving at the gates of the weather factory, Snickerdoodle looked over the assembled volunteers. Ooh, this was going to be interesting. She passed by the crowds and walked up to Sugar Apple. [colour=#8b4513]"Hey Sugar, I made it. I've got cookies for everypony, too. Guaranteed plague-free," [/colour]she joked.[colour=#8b4513] "I'll just leave them in the break room next to the coffee machine."[/colour] After dropping off the pink box loaded with treats, she trotted back to the assembly out front, ready to get her instructions for the day. She hoped that whomever she would be working with in colour mixing would be nice, or at least be competent.

Fuchsia Blooms was on the edge of her seat. Who knew that actual archaeology could be as exciting as it was in the adventure books? She was sure it would be mostly digging around and not finding much, but Dr Merlot made it sound so enticing. She nodded in agreement when he mentioned reading adventure stories that sparked his imagination. As a filly, she never dug any holes in the yard that weren't intended for a seed or a bulb planting. But she had found a ring that her mother had lost while pulling weeds in the vegetable patch, so she understood the thrill of discovering buried treasure. And then Dr Merlot mentioned that his next expedition was to Unyasi, the land of the zebras! Fuchsia hadn't heard anything about the country, except the few things she read in books about the rare flowers and magical herbs that grew there. Heck, she had never even gone to Manehattan, much less across the sea. She hoped he would get a rich backer or two, so he could travel there and bring back all kinds of artifacts to display in the Canterlot museum. In fact, the panel was so interesting, she completely forgot about the annoying blue pegasus stallion and the spell she had cast on him...

Snickerdoodle smiled and sighed as the barmare topped off her cocoa with a healthy glug of peppermint schnapps. She swirled the mug a little to more evenly distribute the liquor in the drink, then took a sip. She shivered as the heat flowed into her mouth and down her throat, followed by the cool tingle of the mint. She nodded as Martini told her that she was correct in thinking her brother was a officer, of a sort. And smiled when she mentioned that the other officers loved their rank being recognized. Snickerdoodle wasn't sure that Slingshot made a big deal about being a Staff Sargent, but maybe it was more important when he was among other military ponies than when he was with his family. [colour=#8b4513]"Princess Cadence has been here, really? Wow. I'm not surprised she has that effect on many of the REA ponies. She is the princess of love, after all."[/colour] She giggled a bit when Martini waxed romantic about Prince Shining Armor's good looks. He certainly was handsome, she didn't doubt that. But he was way out of her league, married or not, so she didn't think too much about it. In the meantime, the white unicorn stallion had gotten his coffee and taken a sip before addressing her again. [colour=#4b0082]"Knew a gal who works in the 'Weather Factory' and when we used to be together, she would bring home these wonderful little cookies a particular talented pony would make for everyone. Said she would make them for holidays, birthdays and any days in between. I'm guessing she is you."[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]"Oh, yes, that's me all right. I love baking cookies, and sharing them whenever I have an opportunity or an excuse to do so. It's how I got my cutie mark, after all. I sometimes wondered why there were never any left over after I brought a couple dozen in to the factory. I suppose that ponies were saving some to bring home. I'm glad you liked them. Did you have a favorite?"[/colour] The custard coloured pegasus mare stuck one hoof out to the unicorn stallion. [colour=#8b4513]"Pleased to meet you Pocket Change. I'm Snickerdoodle, which I guess you already knew."[/colour] She returned his weary smile. He looked about as tired as she felt. Glancing at the clock behind the bar, she noticed how late, or more appropriately, early it was. [colour=#8b4513]"Oh dear, is it really that time? I am never going to make it home now, I'd pass out and crash before I got halfway there.[/colour] [colour=#8b4513]Excuse me, miss Martini? Did I hear you say you had rooms available here? I think I might need one."[/colour] She made plans to sleep as late as she was allowed, then fly back to Cloudsdale to visit her parents, and see if her father would come help her with her waterlogged house.

Snickerdoodle will be back, after she's calmed down from her scare earlier. She will undoubtedly feel really badly about damaging the door in her panic. Do try to be gentle with her.