Elderflower

Roleplay Type: World of Equestria

Name: Sugar Star

Sex: Female

Age: Young Mare

Species: Pegasus

Eye colour: Tickle me Pink

Coat: Sugar’s coat is thick, healthy, and soft to the touch. Its hue is a warm sunglow gold.

Mane/Tail: Straight and voluminous vanilla yellow with streaks of very pale cream. Star usually keeps her mane in a loose fishtail braid or ponytail to keep it from her eyes.

Physique: Very athletic and toned but still quite feminine.

Residence: The REA barracks in Canterlot.

Occupation: Specialist in the Royal Equestrian Army.

Cutie Mark: A shooting star with a pink tail that takes the shape of a wing.

As a filly, Sugar Star and her mother were both very confident about the filly’s cutie mark being related to one of her many talents: beauty, baking, dance, or pageantry. When she was young, Star was an absolute whiz in these subjects. She didn’t start off that way, however. She was very much her daddy’s little filly, and she loved to roughhouse and play with him outdoors. But her mother saw that her Star had natural good looks and grace (much like herself) and decided to see if she’d be interested in something she herself had dabbled in when she was a youngster. At first, Star wasn’t interested; pageants, dancing, makeup, and dresses? No way! She laughed her mother off and then flew right outdoors to race other fillies and colts her age. Eventually, though, because she loved her mother and wanted to make her smile, Sugar Star donned a pageant gown – just to try it on.

She loved it. In fact, she adored it. Her mother was happy, she was happy, and her father could only laugh at the whole situation. For a few years, Sugar Star indulged in pageants and performing. She was quite good, and gave a lot of lovely young fillies a race for their bits! And most importantly, she was happy. Well, happy but for one concern – all the fillies and colts her age were getting their cutie marks, and even though she felt certain she would get hers during a dance recital or a shopping spree with her mum, her flank remained bare.

It happened during a dance recital. Sugar’s dance class was performing its last number, wowing the crowd as per usual and wearing huge smiles while they did it. Their costumes and set design for this show were particularly good, and the parents in attendance were going wild with their cameras! One parent, however, got a little too excited, and backed right up into the table holding the five-tier cake that had been custom ordered to celebrate the last dance recital of the year. The small commotion that was caused by the cake artist and the parent drew Star’s eye for a moment, but everything settled down quickly. The filly just so happened to turn her gaze back to the cake when she noticed that one of the table’s legs was shaking. It was all about to come down!

Sugar Star, knowing how important that cake was to the artist and to all of the dance students and their parents, leapt from the stage with a lunge and a few flaps of her wings, then made the aerial dash towards the back of the auditorium. Things, however, were not that simple. Decorations and strings of lights made the space between the stage and the cake very difficult to maneuver through, and Star made a show of great agility in navigating through the obstacles. There were many confused “Ooooo’s” and “Aaahhh’s” as parents who weren’t sure if this was all part of the show watched the filly darting through the décor. More clear than any voice present, though, was her mother’s distinctive “AAAHHH!” of confusion and worry!

Finally, Star made it through the decorations and had a clear path to the cake! She dove, flying swiftly, and made it just in time. Well, just in time for the cake to topple onto her. She didn’t quite make it in time to save the cake, and she was sorely disappointed. The cake artist was in tears! But when her mother came and helped her scrape away clumps of moist cake and sugary frosting, what she found beneath the mess made up for her failures that day: she had earned her cutie mark! Finally it all made sense! Sugar Star had always admired her father’s heroic work in the REA, but when she got swept up in her mother’s frou frou lifestyle she had forgotten all about that! From that day on, Sugar knew without a doubt that she wanted to dedicate her life to making Equestria and the world a better place, and it would be her wings that carried her towards her dream!

History: Sugar Star was born to two pegasi in Canterlot: high-ranking stallion in the Royal Equestrian Army and a doting housewife and nurse. Though she loved rough housing and playing with her father, Star had a stint where she indulged in a more feminine lifestyle with her mother that distracted her from her fascination and admiration for her father’s military work. Once her cutie mark appeared, however, Sugar Star devoted herself to training and preparing to join the REA. The only feminine art she didn’t brush aside was dance. That helped her in the long run, too, since it gave her a looseness and fluidity while flying that really enhanced her agility!

Alongside dance classes, she spent her time as a filly going to flight camps, speed camps, camps that focused on fancy wingwork – you name it, she enrolled in it! She pushed herself for years, until she was finally old enough to join the Royal Equestrian Army and follow in her father’s hoofsteps. She knows that in some ways she disappointed both her father and her mother. A military lifestyle meant she had less time to share with her mother bonding over ribbons and makeup, and though her father was glad to spend more time with his daughter, he knew better than most the difficulties of being in the REA. It wasn’t that he believed she didn’t have the stuff - he simply preferred the idea of his daughter living a happy, carefree life with more opportunities for him to spoil her.

Since she joined the REA as a private, Sugar Star has worked her way up to the Specialist rank. Though it’s been a tough journey so far, she’s relished every moment of it, knowing that all of her toil brings her closer to her father in many ways. Getting to follow in her father’s hoofsteps and do him proud while protecting Equestria and its citizens has kept her happy as a clam. She wants to continue to climb ranks within the REA in her life and continue to push herself as a nimble flyer. It’s a pretty simple goal, but it’s one that’s very dear to her heart!

Character Summary: Sugar Star isn’t exactly a tough nut to crack: she’s bubbly, sweet, has a bit of a playful/mischievous streak, and thinks the world is full of friends waiting to be made. Both on and off duty she is full of smiles and kindness and is always eager to help everypony to the best of her abilities.  And if there’s nothing she can do, or if she is the cause of somepony’s hurt, well...consider her heartbroken. But not a crybaby - never a crybaby! She grew out of that pretty quickly in basic, and nowadays she only sheds a tear when somepony around her is really hurting (she saves tears over her own problems for the privacy of her room). Her empathetic nature doesn’t allow her to just brush off another’s pain, but instead drives her towards feeling it. It’s the main reason she was so eager to join the REA and she continues to dedicate herself to it. She wants to do some real good in her life!

As a soldier Sugar is very professional and capable. She’s good at what she does, knows how to take control of a situation, and knows how to tackle a problem. She knows when to follow orders and when to ask questions, she’s resourceful, decisive, and possesses a good heaping helping of leadership skills (when a situation calls for them, anyways). And of course she’s got the athleticism to match as well: agility in the skies and on the ground, great hoof-to-hoof skills, and proficiency with swords and knives. The only quality she’s really lacking is confidence. Fearlessness? No problem - she can work past her emotions in order to perform her duties. But confidence? That’s a whole other can of worms.

Sugar’s ultimate goal with anything in her life is to help others as much as she can. Any kind of failure hits her hard and has a terrible snowball effect. If she feels she has failed at one little thing she starts second-guessing herself like crazy. She’s very hard on herself, and the worst part about it all is that she’s prone to just bottling all of that uncertainty up.

Another very important side of Sugar Star is the fanfilly in her. She’s always had a love for graphic novels and comics, which was a major influence on her love of hero stories and heroism in general! She sees her father as a kind of superhero and is terribly proud of him because of that. She’s actually quite a huge geek and always compares the ponies she meets to the character types found in her favourite romance and coming-of-age comics! Of course, most ponies end up being compared to Sailor Mare characters since it’s her #1 favourite comic series of all time!

Sugar Star herself is a lot like the female leads in these stories. She has no real experience with romance, she can be very timid and bashful despite being almost painfully friendly, and she blushes at just about everything! Unlike most of those characters, though, she’s outgoing and definitely not a doormat. She is, after all, a soldier - meaning she’s one tough cookie!

Some of her talents outside of flight and combat include dancing, baking/cooking, makeup and hairstyling, and knitting!

Luna stared out the window of the train, watching as fierce winds laden with heavy snowflakes whirled around outside. It seemed as though the weather outdoors was reflecting her mood, although that might be hyperbole. The princess sighed and pulled her gaze away from the storm, looking idly around her personal train car for some sort of distraction. It shouldn’t be long before the train arrived in the Crystal Empire and she could see Cadence, but she was feeling quite restless all the same. The Princess of Love had been having troubling nightmares lately, and her aunt, the Guardian of Dreams, felt that she should approach her about it. She could have spoken to the new ruler of the Crystal Empire within the dreamscape, but Luna felt as though this was an opportunity not just to help Cadence, but also to spend some quality time with her as well.

The Princess couldn’t settle on what to distract herself with. Her restlessness was tempting her to leap from the car and fly the rest of the way to the Crystal Empire, but she knew better than to hop right into to wailing blizzards of the north – that would be dangerous even for a princess who lived with two hooves in the æther. Unable to decide on what to do, Luna turned back to the window and was met with quite a shock! Just as the scenery turned from violent wintry storms to a balmy summer paradise, a strange jolt of arcane energy seemed to rustle her heart. She had just passed through the magical barrier that protected the Crystal Empire, and what impressive magic it was! It had been some time since Luna had felt such an unfamiliar and powerful surge of energy.

Before long, the train slowed to a stop and Luna stepped out of her car, nodding to the two members of the Lunar Guard who had accompanied her. Already, she found herself smiling at the radiant beauty of the crystal ponies and crystal structures surrounding her, and this was merely the train station! With eagerness in her stride, the lunar Princess began to trot forward through the gate, aiming to reach the castle as quickly as possible.

That goal was proving to be a difficult one to meet without temptation. As soon as Luna reached the sprawling crystal metropolis, she felt sorely tempted to move leisurely and take in the sights. Everything here twinkled and sparkled! The atmosphere was unlike anything she had ever seen, and the ponies whose gazes she was drawing with her presence (and the presence of her rather eye-catching guards) were equally as stunning as their city. Nonetheless, despite temptation, Luna kept her teal eyes trained on road signs and swiftly made way to the castle.

Once there, she resisted the urge to gape and gawk at the massive, glittering spires. Such remarkable beauty! And surely the craftsmanship that had gone into it was even more remarkable than the structure itself. Luna cast a glance backwards, then, and smiled as she noticed the slack-jawed expressions on the faces of her guards. It was so unusual to see such normally stern faces so swept up in the beauty of the Crystal Empire, but their expressions were reflecting their Princess’s own reaction perfectly.

Soon enough, she was upon the castle entrance, which was flanked by guards. She dipped her head respectfully and then approached one of them, making sure to show manners and graciousness as opposed to simply charging in and throwing around her obvious authority (which was announced by her regalia, her size, her combination of horn and wings, and the ethereal quality of her undulating mane and tail).

[colour=#6699ff]“Good afternoon, sir,”[/colour] she said politely, dipping her head to the blue crystalline stallion, [colour=#6699ff]“I am Princess Luna, the aunt of your Princess Cadence. She was not expecting me, but could you please inform her of my arrival? If you don’t mind, I shall wait here in the foyer.”[/colour]

The guard nodded, and after allowing the Princess and her guard to step into the foyer he followed after and went off in the direction Cadence was to be found, no doubt. Luna’s spirits, which were much higher than they were back in the blizzard, were still steadily rising as she took in the outstanding beauty of the crystal castle. Colour and light came to life here in a way that Luna had never seen anywhere else in Equestria. The light that came from the sun bounced off of every surface and painted every inch of the world inside the castle that wasn’t made of crystal with the pale, reflected hues of the tall walls and decorations. What a wondrous kingdom Cadence lives in!

El was just enjoying her first sip of rich, spicy tea when a clamour at the door grabbed her attention. It seemed as though her stubborn attitude had paid off! The mare who entered seemed to be a victim of the damp weather, and after swallowing the delicious, hot tea the wispy unicorn placed the mug she was using on the counter and then trotted to the storefront to greet the stranger.

[colour=#ffa07a]“Hello there,”[/colour] El replied, bowing her head forward in greeting before offering the mare a generous smile, [colour=#ffa07a]“The weather is certainly foul today, but the brunt of the storm isn’t supposed to hit until the clouds pass over Canterlot, thankfully.”[/colour]

Elderflower blushed slightly and nodded, but before she could make a proper answer, the energetic mare was speaking again. My! She certainly moved fast!

[colour=#ffa07a]“It’s lovely to meet you, Velvet!” [/colour]the pink-maned mare finally said in reply, beaming, [colour=#ffa07a]“This is my shop, The Elder Tree Teahouse – and my name is Elderflower. That smell would be a fresh pot of my homemade masala chai tea. Would you care for a cup? It’s quite tasty, and certain to warm you up on a day like today. There are other things on my menu, however, if you would prefer something less heady.”[/colour]

El grabbed one of the nearest table menus with her magic, then, and floated the small card embraced by pale golden light towards Velvet so she might have a look. The mare looked Velvet up and down, then, noticing that she and her things were quite wet – no surprise, considering the nasty weather out there!

[colour=#ffa07a]“And if you’d like, I could fetch you a towel for your mane, and for anything in your bags that might be damp so you could lay them out. I wouldn’t want you to catch cold-”[/colour]

Something struck her, then, and for a moment she considered the name, the purple hues, and the shape of Velvet’s bangs (which were still fairly telling, despite being damp).

[colour=#ffa07a]“You don’t happen to mean of the Sparkle family as in…the newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle, do you?”[/colour]

It simply couldn’t be true! Well, it could – apparently the new Princess had grown up here in Canterlot, at least that was what a few of her customers had said. Still, it simply seemed unreal, the idea of meeting a relative to royalty. El had gotten one brief, clear view of Princess Twilight Sparkle during her public coronation in Canterlot (for everypony in the gilded city had been granted a day off) and from that brief memory the tea-loving unicorn could certainly see there being a family tie with Velvet here!

Once Lume had gotten past the smitten and busybody qualities of the pale stallion, he found himself surprisingly pleased at having a little company. Perhaps he was a little more socially deprived than he cared to admit, travelling on his own so much.

[colour=#800000]“I see. Rather impressive, I suppose I understand why you are smitten.”[/colour] he said with a nod once the stranger had explained this “Applejack’s” role in protecting Equestria. Appearances were quite deceiving! The mare look like your typical country bumpkin, not a savior of ponykind. Well, that was his fault for judging the mare by her appearance. He should know better than most not to do that, considering the amount of ponies who met him and felt nothing but fear at his dark, towering physical presence.

[colour=#800000]“Pocket Change, is it?”[/colour] Lume said, extending a hoof to shake, [colour=#800000]“Nice to meet you, and there’s no need to worry about rambling. I do not mind – it certainly passes the time. As for my career – I’m an artist. A sculptor, more specifically. I use lightning in a controlled environment to create large pieces of sand glass. There’s a little more to it, but I’d rather not bore you with the details. I’m currently traveling, seeking inspiration – it gets a little tiresome, being cooped up in my studio all the time.”[/colour]

The pegasus found himself with a lopsided grin then, [colour=#800000]“And it seems this was my turn to ramble at you. Has your work brought you anywhere interesting?”[/colour]

When Luna was comfortably settled at her station for the evening, she offered up a nod that suggested the line could move forward. The backdrop for the photos this evening had a simple elegance to it, one that was befitting of an atmosphere that aimed for a casual meeting with the Princess of the Night. Well, as casual as one could get at the REA Ball. There was a false wall behind the plush, red square of carpet that she was standing upon, one that mimicked the grand and decorated hall they were standing in. The artist who had put this together, however, went for a style that held more painterly qualities than a simple recreation of the reality of the place. In the photos, the slight whimsy of the painter’s style would make it appear as though one had met their Princess in a dream, or a world steeped with arcane mysticism. The photos would be quite lovely!

Luna smiled when she saw the familiar face of one of her Lunar Guard – a very good first visitor for the night. Seeing Night Watcher helped calm the butterflies somewhat, as she felt much more at ease addressing her as opposed to a more unfamiliar face.

[colour=#6699ff]“Good evening, Staff Sergeant Night Watcher,”[/colour] she said, her smile growing as her gaze lingered on the shiny new commemorative badge she wore, [colour=#6699ff]“It’s a little odd, seeing you out of armour – but you look quite sharp tonight. Would you care for a photo?”[/colour]

Once she had finished speaking, however, Luna’s eye was caught by something quite peculiar. By sheer luck, she managed to catch Cadence’s entrance into the foyer. Something seemed off, however, for the Princess of Love was considerably unadorned and had taken great pains to enter unnoticed. Luna wasn’t sure how successfully an alicorn and beloved Princess could hide herself in a crowd, but she was concerned for Cadence. Why wasn’t she dressed? That alone would make her stand out here, where members of the REA and their loved ones were dressed in their finest. On top of that, this night was put together to celebrate the Royal Equestrian Amy – which meant Shining Armour. Shouldn’t she be dressed and at his side?

[colour=#6699ff]“My apologies, Night Watcher,”[/colour] she said quietly, bowing her head to the staff sergeant. She then turned to Colonel Ironwing and leaned in close for a private word. This was not something she wanted to be made public. Thankfully, the volume of chatter and music drifting in from the dance were loud enough that she felt she would not be overheard.

[colour=#6699ff]“I’m not certain if you spotted it, but I think Cadence may have just entered the foyer and she seems...severely underdressed. I am concerned, but if I leave my post it would draw too much attention. If there is anything you could do to help me, I would be exceedingly grateful, Colonel.”[/colour]

Luna righted herself once more, keeping here expression serene as she smiled at Night Watcher. She felt bad, to ask this of Colonel Ironwing. This night’s pomp was all thanks to him, and she would be happier having him enjoy it without a hitch. All the same, however, she was concerned for the young Princess Cadence and felt a little helpless being attached to her post. If the Colonel could help her, she would make sure her gratitude was made known to him.

[colour=#6699ff]“Now, where were we?”[/colour] she asked the Staff Sergeant.

[colour=#4b0082]

Luna had gone from a light touch of self-indulgence and pride to a complete and utter loss for words. She had hoped to dazzle Rarity, yes, but she certainly did not except the unicorn to fall to the ground in such an excessive display of…gratitude? Humility? Prostration? She wasn't really sure, to be honest! The Princess of the Night could do little more than stare down at the mare who could not seem to stop kissing her shoes. For one so concerned with appearances, this was quite a surprising display!

[colour=#6699ff]“You are quite welcome, Rarity, but I would not have chosen you if you were unworthy…”[/colour]

The Princess tried to speak over the fashionista’s display, but she found herself trailing off. Something in her throat was overtaking decorum and bubbling up, up, and out until -

[colour=#6699ff]“Heh.”[/colour]

The seal had been broken. It started small and quiet, but Luna’s giggling quickly grew into full-stomached laughter. It was very unbefitting of a princess, such a silly display, but she simply couldn’t help herself! There was something about seeing a fashionista and lady such as Rarity flung to the ground in an overdramatic display that Luna couldn’t help but laugh at. And laugh she did! She laughed and laughed until her vision blurred with tears and the muscles in her stomach ached, until she was no longer even aware of what Rarity was doing.

Finally, though, something clicked and Luna became a little more aware of what exactly was happening. And yet, instead of feeling dread at her own shocking display, the Princess of the Night felt…light. Cheerful, even! She finally calmed down, getting her giggling under control, and then straightened her posture once again. It was obvious just how much she had relaxed, however, and no matter what she did she couldn’t quell her smile into something more quiet and princess-like.

She finally took a step back from Rarity, lifting a long leg to cover another small giggle with her silver-shoed hoof (the shoe now quite smudged from Rarity’s kisses!).

[colour=#6699ff]“I do apologize,”[/colour] she finally said, placing her hoof on the ground again as she collected herself, [colour=#6699ff]“How unbecoming of me!”[/colour]

Luna wanted to continue their discussion along and discuss the matter of payment, but there was a growing concern that what she would say might just send the unicorn into another fit (and consequently put her into another fit). She considered for a moment whether or not she should just end their conversation for now, but quickly decided that she was being silly. The Princess herself was beginning to overreact and make a melodrama of the situation!

With another small chuckle at herself, this time, Luna smiled down at Rarity.

[colour=#6699ff]“Shall we move on, then? Perhaps we should step outside into the main garden to enjoy the breeze a little better.”[/colour]

The Princess took the initiative to step outside without waiting for the unicorn’s response, then, for she felt that getting into the more open area of the gardens would at least help to calm down her giggling attitude! Perhaps then the two could proceed normally!

Of course! :3c Just let me know when you figure it out~

Nope! There's just this.

I'll try to include pets. If they don't show up in the pic it's because they turned out looking like abominations~

And if you are feeling up to it, her pet silver fox Chrome

Pet fox named Chrome? That seems...wrong.

Grats!!

Hi and welcome to Canterlot! I hope you have a blast and feel totally welcome! And don't forget to check out Rarity's Simply Fabulous Application Form - it's simply fabulous!

Princess Luna reporting in! I need to try and learn how to be funny before my turn comes..!

Oh! A hedgehog! Though she had never seen a hedgehog quite so large, or blue, or one that stood on two legs…well, she could see the resemblance at least. He had the quills!

[colour=#ffa07a]“Well, Sonic, the feeling is mutual. It is very nice to meet you! And you as well, Bowie. And it is quite a lovely day, so please follow me to the garden.”[/colour]

With a warm smile, El turned on her hooves and strolled over to the garden door, which began to glow with gentle golden light and slide open. Warm sunlight flooded into the teahouse through the garden doors and the mare’s smile only widened as she stepped into its warmth. Such a lovely day, indeed! Instinctively the wisp of a unicorn began to hum, stepping from the stairs onto the lush green grass as balmy winds rustled the branches of her elder tree overhead. She stopped near the tables that were sheltered by the shade of the tree this early in the morning and finally turned to face the customers, beaming.

[colour=#ffa07a]“Sit wherever you would like – there is a menu on each table. Nopony else is here yet, so you may take your time to choose and I will stay out here until you do. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. The menu is quite small as I prefer to cycle through different selections rather than offer them all year-round – it’s a little easier to manage.”[/colour]

Blue darted out from inside the teahouse, then, reaching out with his legs to grab hold of the tip of her horn and perch there, peering at Sonic quite intently. No doubt he was curious about the stranger, too. And then something else occurred to Elderflower…

[colour=#ffa07a]“Oh, excuse me Bowie, sir…did you say Granseal? Is that in Equestria?”[/colour] El asked, tilting her head inquisitively,[colour=#ffa07a] “I don’t believe I’ve heard of it.”[/colour]

[colour=#4B0082]

It seemed as though Luna had sorely misjudged the pale mare. She felt a profound mixture of humility and respect while Rarity spoke; as one who was often saddened by those who misjudged creates such as her spiders, she should have known better than to assume that a pony who carried herself with daintiness and applied herself to fashion would be a stereotypical priss, for lack of a better word. As though a spell had been cast, the Princess felt much more at ease and followed Rarity into the centre of the little haven.

[colour=#6699ff]“I am glad you feel that way,”[/colour] she said softly, a large, natural smile breaking the cool nobility she often strived to carry herself with. And how could she not smile? She had already been in such a fine mood, and to know the arachnids she held so dear and felt such pride for were being properly respected made her positively glow. Sophronia too, though she could not smile, appeared to be quite chuffed as she tapped her extended leg.

[colour=#4b0082]

Luna nodded, the last traces of her generous smile lingering as she looked towards the sassy white cat, [colour=#6699ff]“Well, Opalescence, it is nice to meet you,”[/colour] she said, formality sneaking back into her tone before addressing Rarity, [colour=#6699ff]“I will inform the mare assigned to look after the two of you that Opalescence is no mere house pet and to treat her with utmost respect. Now,”[/colour]

The princess turned back towards the silks, eager to finally discuss them.[colour=#6699ff] “The reason I brought you here to Canterlot, and more specifically to my gardens, is because I am very fond of this fabric. Rather than merely commissioning you and dropped off the materials, I hoped coming here would spark inspiration for your creativity that reflects upon my personal taste in aesthetics. This is one of the places in Equestria where so many things that I find visually pleasing are gathered together: the webs, the moonlight, and the flowers…the only thing missing would be the aurora, though we would have to travel far beyond Canterlot to see them.”[/colour]

The faintest traces of a grin flashed across Luna’s expression before she fell back into nobility once more, [colour=#6699ff]“At least that would be the case were I not Princess of the Night.”[/colour]

And at that, Luna’s horn began to glow and rivers of coloured light burst forth to swirl around the walls of the dome – the northern lights come to life in a Canterlot garden. Effervescent streams of pinks, purples, and greens danced about the inner walls, lighting the spiders’ webs and the flowers and the silks in turn for a few brief moments before the princess released her arcane grip. She understood very well that this was more than a little showy, but she had done enough light research about Rarity to understand that she loved things that shone and sparkled. Luna was hoping something with a bit of pizzazz could really spark some enthusiasm for the mare, if it wasn’t already there.

[colour=#6699ff]“Do you have any questions before I address access to materials and payment?”[/colour] she asked, eager to see if she had successfully tickled Rarity’s creativity.

Eee thanks guys.

Hi there and welcome to Canterlot! It's cool your into slam poetry - s'good stuff! :3c

Can't wait for this to take off! :3c

The sun was beginning to slip away, wearily seeking respite from a day of relentless shining. The rich hues of dusk stretched across the sky, casting gold and orange lights upon the room of the Princess of the Night. Luna yawned, her wings stretched as far as they would reach as she tried to shrug the sleepiness out of her body. She had decided that tonight she would dedicate herself solely to dream-wandering in order to perform her duty as their guardian and keeper. Most days, she would simply open a second set of eyelids or a third eye of a sort in order to monitor things while she went about the rest of her duties. This sort of multitasking was a skill she had built over countless centuries of practice and was something she prided herself on. She could be receiving reports from her personal guards and soothing the night terrors of a foal in Cloudsdale, or giving a formal address while willing songbirds and flowers to come to life in the sweet dreams of a new mother – all without the slightest bit of strain. It was a bit of a personal indulgence for her, then, to take an evening to throw herself fully into her duties, to personally reach out to her subjects and let them know she was the steadfast guardian of their precious dreams.

She stepped out into the humid air, catching the eye of one of her guards and offering him a solemn nod before thrusting herself skyward in a fluid, elegant leap. Almost immediately she felt an unburdened sense of freedom. The thick summer air swept over her as she caught a thermal and rode it up, up into the sky! The golden touch of the sunset was slowly being overtaken by the inky darkness of night, with stars speckling the heavens as they came to life. The Princess of the Night effortlessly tilted her body with her wings and legs in order to ride each thermal and wind that would lift her higher, flapping occasionally for further thrust. How easy it was to fly high on such a hot evening!

Eventually she reached a stray wisp of cloud with a burning red underside (thanks to the last light of day). Luna flew in circles around it, willing it to pull together more tightly and densely until it became the perfect perch. Satisfied, she touched down on the fluffy surface and immediately stepped out of her silver shoes. The faint blue touch of her magical aura then lifted her necklace and tiara away from her body to rest next to the shoes. For this evening, though she would still appear as the Princess adorned with her royal fineries in the astral world, she could at least perform her duties free of adornment in the physical world. Smiling peacefully, Luna folded her legs and wriggled until she was perfectly comfortable and closed her eyes, taking a few peaceful breaths.

She opened the eyes within her and felt something in her heart and mind unlock. Almost immediately she was surrounded by streams and swirls of visions. Those early to bed were already dreaming, and those dreams were like rivers that left the dreamer and flowed straight into her. She could see them all at once and yet individually, an arcane ability that she alone had mastered. She began to hum a soft, lilting melody as she peered in on the dreams of every sleeping Equestrian. The lullaby was one she had written millennia ago which had resonance within the æther. It began to gently percolate through the minds of her dreamers, soothing them and bringing the Princess’s warmth to their thoughts.

For the most part, only the youngest foals and the oldest mares and stallions were asleep at this early hour. The dreams were full of such contrasting emotions – eagerness to grow and to explore, a desire to make new friends, and pure youthful enthusiasm clashed with the slightly more melancholy twinges of nostalgia and loneliness often found in old age. Each of these dreams was precious to Luna, and she made sure they all met with the gentle touch of her astral hoof.

Her lullaby wasn’t just a spell for soothing, though - the Guardian of Dreams also used it as a second set of eyes. It integrated itself into the dreams of her subjects, and when an accidental occurred out of order she knew that something was not right. After a few moments of steeping herself in the minds of her subjects, a dissonant note began to ring and her curiosity was piqued. A nightmare, but not the harmless sort that would simply pass – it was something a little more worrisome to the Guardian of Dreams. The tune of this accidental was familiar to her, one that she had certainly heard before. Without hesitation, her astral project dove headfirst into the mental current that was quaking with fear and immediately stumbled on a bright orange filly with a purple mane. It seemed as though Scootaloo was having yet another nightmare.

[colour=#6699ff]“Hello again young Scootaloo,”[/colour] she said softly, so as not to spook the little one.

Roleplay Type

World of Equestria

Name

Ryx

Sex

Female

Age

Young adult

Species

Griffon

Eye Colour

Antique gold. Though Ryx’s eyes are that of a raptor, the more subdued tone and the warmth easily seen within them takes away from the sharpness often associated with griffons. Locking eyes with her has a tendency to leave one reassured – a useful trait to have for a friendly bird!

Coat

Her fur and feathers are a uniform jet black which fades to charcoal around the extremities. Though black is often associated with shadows, her coat has a slight golden tint that has a subtle flash in direct light. This takes away any associations with fear or darkness and is instead reminiscent of warmth – the same warmth found in her eyes! On top of that, Ryx is blessed with a natural gloss and fluffiness to her coat, and though she puts little effort into its maintenance she constantly looks primped.

Mane/Tail

Though she is a griffon, Ryx certainly has a mane! Because of the fluffiness of her coat, the feathers around her neck are so thick that they almost give her something of a lion’s mane! Things are not much different near her bottom, where thick tufts of fur stick out horizontally to create the illusion of a second wide, stubby tail atop her actual tail.

Physique

Ryx is extremely handsome and has a thick, muscular figure that is a little larger than your typical griff. Add the natural thickness of her coat and she makes quite the tank! It’s no surprise, then, that she is often mistaken for a male. To compensate for her sheer girth, her wings are also larger than average and very muscular. It takes a lot to keep such a heavy creature aloft!

Despite her size, however, Ryx is surprisingly agile. Her movements both on land and in the air have a natural fluidity that seems more than a little out of place considering her size. One would think upon looking at her that she’d be the type to deal with power and building heavy momentum for charging in a straight line. But appearances can be deceptive, and this griff is living proof!

One of the few luxuries this big bird indulges in is gold jewelry. Her right ear is pierced with studs, rings, and a band while her left sports one elaborate cuff. In much the same style, the ridges of her wings are adorned with cuffs and bands. She wears a thick, gold-plated band on each of her avian forelegs as well, and though the amount of jewelry she wears is a little flashy she manages to make it all seem natural.

Residence

She lives with her family in one of the rare permanent fishing settlements in Clopton Shores. Because of her job, however, Ryx typically lives all over.

Occupation

Ryx has one official job and one unofficial. Because of her friendly, easygoing charisma she has a knack for making friends wherever she goes, despite being a very large and intimidating griffon. She uses this to the best of her abilities, flying to communities all over Equestria and settling in for extended visits. While there, she takes observational notes on the ponies and the places they come from in order to send reports back to Talonopolis. She is something of a freelance anthropologist and more often than not she collects this information for business-savvy griffons looking for ideal places to extend their trades. During her more relaxed periods, she compiles this information into volumes for further documentation to be kept in Aquellian libraries.

That is Ryx’s official job – the one that brings in the bits. Her unofficial job (and the one she vastly prefers) is adventuring and exploration! Ryx loves nothing more than to fly into uncharted territories, discovering the wonders and dangers of the world. Sometimes there will be valuable and mysterious treasures, other times the treasure is simply the beauty of the natural world untouched by industry. Every adventure, without fail, brings her joy. She keeps record of these adventures the same way she does with her official job, compiling her notes into volumes and scribing copies for libraries. Though they aren’t as valuable to griffon society, she hopes that at least some of her feathered brethren appreciate her efforts and read her journals!

Cutie Mark

Not Applicable.

History

Ryx is an only child to two fishing griffons of Lower Aquellia. In the early stages of their relationship, both of her parents were miners living near Talonopolis. During one of their vacations they flew south to Clopton Shores in order to check out the ocean, and after a few short days they realized that was where they wanted to live. In a matter of weeks they had left their mine work and found a home in one of the few permanent fishing villages in Aquellia and they haven’t looked back since.

Discovering their love of the ocean somewhat late in their lives helped invigorate a very forward and upfront passion for the sea, a trait that was instilled in their daughter. As a little grifflet, Ryx was always playing in the ocean and doing her best to help her parents fish. When she aged enough to learn how to fly, she found untold joy in soaring over the vast waters. Every day that she grew stronger she flew a little longer over the rolling waves, despite her parents’ worries and their pleas for her to fly safely and responsibly. They were terrified she’d become exhausted and fall right into the unforgiving ocean! Ryx, however, was much too enchanted to listen. It seemed inexplicably wonderful, the prospect of the world being so large that the horizons were just about empty. She would fly until all around her was just bright blue water – no landmark in sight. How big the world seemed! It inspired a hunger to see every inch of Equestria and beyond, and she promised herself that she would see as much of it as she could fit into a lifetime.

Ryx spent all of her time up until she was old enough to be independent helping her parents fish, learning how to read and write, and adventuring as far around Aquellia as she was allowed. She stumbled upon many smaller griffon settlements during her youth, and her eagerness and friendly attitude helped her to make friends wherever she went. She always came home with interesting stories, which her parents encouraged her to write down. It eventually became a force of habit, and when she became an adult she made friends in Talonopolis who encouraged her to make a useful living from her charm!

And that’s exactly what she did. She started work almost immediately, rushing off to say goodbye to her parents and pick up a few of her things. Since then, Ryx has lived on her own wherever she travels. She visits her parents occasionally, whenever she feels drawn to the ocean again, and that is when she takes the time to compile her volumes of notes and journals.

So far, though, Ryx has only had a handful of adventures…something she desperately wants to change.

Character Summary

Ryx is an oozing puddle of kindness. She views everyone she meets as a potential friend and treats them as such. This makes her an unconventional griffon to some, being something of a large and fluffy plushie as opposed to a sharp and threatening raptorial beastie. That hardly bothers her, however; Ryx’s passions are family, flying, exploration, adventure, and the ocean! She's very much a product of community-driven ocean-side life - a stark contrast to the usual industrious and sharp-edged griffon culture. Unless something comes between her and those precious things of hers, she is guaranteed to be totally calm.

Calm seems to be a perpetual state for the black gryphon, in truth. Despite being athletic and an adventurer, she loves to indulge in relaxation. The feline side of her seems to be very strong, especially on hot days. For Ryx, there’s nothing quite like finding a large, dark rock on a warm day and simply lounging on it for hours on end. Sunbathing, cat napping, writing – there are plenty of things for a sloth-infected griffon to do on a rock! The only way that situation could improve would be if it were a rock sitting on the ocean shore.

There are a few small passions she has that she keeps to herself as well, many of which she has picked up in her travels. Some of these include: a love of making pretzels from a green pegasus stallion in Corralwood Corral, a somewhat natural talent for percussion from a yellow musician mare in Baltimare, and an absolute obsession for the game of hide and seek from a group of fillies in Trottingham, and an ability to “whittle” with her talons from a carpenter stallion in Appleloosa!

Ryx is just an easygoing griff, all in all. She’s not hard to please, she’s friendly and encouraging, and she’s totally relaxed. She lacks a sense of competition, leaning more towards teamwork and cooperation rather than trying to play at “king on the mountain.” Or queen! One last, important thing: she loves sweets!

Welcome to Canterlot! Where everything's made up and the points don't matter!

Or is that Whose Line is it Anyways?

In any case, welcome! I hope you have lots of fun and make friends~ :3c