A Midnight's Reprieve[Attn: Pyro]

[IceStorm]

~~~Medo~~~

 

 

Well, this night hadn't exactly gone like Medo had envisioned it. A night that was planned to challenge her shy side and trying to make herself a few friends, but that proved to be a lot more difficult than she was expecting. The Empress being at the gardens was something that she really wasn't she was expecting either. She wasn't upset, but it made it to where her confidence was a bit stricken already. Then the mare that ran out of the ballroom talking about caribou and then the others that she found through the park. I guess it wasn't as bad as she thought that it had been. She didn't leave with many more friends that she would be able to spend a lot of time with, but she had made a few.

 

And that's where she was now, standing in front of the Canterlot Cafe for tea with a mare that she had met in the park. The circumstances of their meeting that they had could have been much better, considering she approached Miss Sunrise after hearing and watching a pony she cared for not return feelings quite as strongly for her as she did. She felt like she needed to at least help make somepony's night better. So far she hadn't been able to help the empress, or the mare that had left the ballroom so she hoped that she would be able to help at least one pony tonight.

 

"Alrighty, here we are at the Cafe. I've spent many nights here studying for different exams and the like for the semester that I've been here. It seems that this is a common place for students of the like, and everything here is pretty good. It's as good a place as any to get a drink and unwind from a long night," Medo spoke with a Sunrise.

[PyroBlaze]

This night had been a bit of a mess in the end. The gala itself had been perfectly wonderful, she had thouroughly enjoyed her dance with Silver. It was the point when she essentially was blinded by jealousy and probably ruined her chances of Silver accepting her feelings that things went downhill. 

 

She was supposed to be moving past that right now though. Sunrise gazed at the cafe Medo had led her to, taking in the decor for a moment before her new friend spoke. 

 

"It looks lovely, Medo." Sunrise replied, giving the other unicorn a smile before heading over to find a table for them. "Thank you for taking me here, a distraction is likely just what I need right now."

[IceStorm]

~~~Medo~~~

 

To see the mare that she was with being so troubled by what happened earlier made Medo nod when she suggested that the distraction was just what she needed right now. It was true that the distraction would help ease what she had been through but this was meant as more than just a simple distraction. Perhaps leaning into more of the start of a friendship? Of course there was no telling when they would actually see each other again after tonight. She had no idea if this pony was actually a native of Canterlot or not, and she certainly wasn't. In fact here within the next couple of weeks she was going to be heading back to Neighpon to be with her family for the upcoming Neighponese holidays. This was also partially because the semester at the university was currently over and the university itself pretty much closed. There was almost nopony there, and aside from a few patrons, the cafe showed that the college was out for the semester as well.

 

"Well this is most certainly the place to do it. It's usually a bit busier, but with the college on leave, and with the Gala I suppose it was a bit of hamper on business. IF what I've read about the Gala is to be believed anyway. I didn't overly enjoy myself that much. I mainly went to try to make a few friends for while I'm in Equestria. I know very few ponies here so it makes life here a little lonely at times," she told the mare as she led them to a booth.

[PyroBlaze]

Sunrise blinked a little at Medo's words, following the other unicorn to a booth and taking a seat at the table. The designer frowned in thought, mentally going through her list of those she knew around Canterlot. 

 

"You are only here for school? Where do you live, if you don't mind?" Sunrise asked, watching Medo for a moment before he continued. "I do not know many ponies around Canterlot either unfortunately, especially outside of fashion circles. I live in Manehatten, you see."

[IceStorm]

~~~Medo~~~

 

"Yes, I actually arrived earlier this year. My homeland is in Ryushima, a not so small island in the land of Neighpon. It's a relatively peacful island for the most part, but just like everywhere it has it's dangers. Mostly being storms and invasions from the coast. Being an island makes it a bit harder to defend so I've been told. I'm from a farming villages that's located more in the center of the island. My family's farm provides a lot of the food for the island, one of four major farms in the area," Medo smiled as she sat at the booth across from her new friend. "Manehatten? I can't say that I've heard of it, but prior to coming here, I had never heard of Baltimare or any of the other places my train stopped through on the way here before getting here. The culture here is much different than at home. Everything is so much faster." She finished as she waited for a pony to come and greet them.

[PyroBlaze]

"Ryushima? Perhaps I should visit you there if I ever actually get around to taking the trip to Neighpon. I certainly want to take the trip, but actually doing it is another matter entirely." Sunrise said, giggling slightly. "Fast? Just you wait until you see Manehatten. I could not compare the cities very well, seeing as I've only been to them on brief trips, but my home city is certainly busy."

 

"If you want something slower though, perhaps Ponyville would be a good place to stop. It's smaller, and therefore probably slower, than here." She added, stopping herself so she could smile over at the waiter that approached them. Nodding to Medo, she let her new friend go first while she tried to decide what to have. 

[IceStorm]

 

When the mare in front of her told her that if she thought this was fast, that she should see Manehatten. That she couldn't not compare the cities, but Manehatten pretty much never stopped. The more she heard of it, the more it sounded like a place that she definitely didn't want to be. Being an herbalist by nature, she already prefered things to be slow and timid. Perhaps she would have to check out this Ponyville that the mare spoke of. She said that it was small town and probably a bit slower paces, which would be more towards what she's used to. Alas though, she remembered passing through Ponyville on the Way to Canterlot and wouldn't really do her too much good to stay there rather than here. It was a good day and a half train ride away, and that just simply feasible with her classes.

 

When she spoke about possibly visiting her whenever she decided to make the trip to Neighpon, she smiled. She added that she certaingly wanted to make the trip, but at the moment haven't been able to do so. "I understand completely. The only reason I'm here is because of a scholarship that was bestowed upon me. I don't have any idea where I got it from, or how, but it pays for my travel here and my classes. Which is good because I'd never be able to afford a trip like that on my own. It's a four day sail just to get from Baltimare to Ryushima, and about three days by train from here to the harbor. Of course, if you do every come to visit, you'll have to let me know so that I can meed you in the port city. Jikan-tekina Teien is closer to the center of the island and easy to miss if you've never been to the island," she spoke as the waiter came over to her. "I'd like a fresh brew of hot black tea with a hint of red clover please," she smiled to the waiter before looking back to her friend.

[PyroBlaze]

Sunrise hummed slightly as Medo spoke about how long it took to get here and how a scholarship was paying for it all. 

 

"Well, that is wonderful that you have such an opportunity. I was never offered such scholarships during my schooling. A partial one, but I had to pay for the rest." Sunrise said, smiling as Medo told her to let her know when she decided to head over. "Oh, of course darling. I wouldn't know what to do with myself over there, a guide would be perfect."

 

"I shall take an espresso if you would, my good stallion." She said to the waiter after Medo had placed her own order. The fashionista smiled warmly to the male as he nodded and headed off to get their drinks. 

 

"Speaking of guides, I would be delighted to show you the sights in Manehatten if you ever find yourself in the city. Perhaps we could even see a show!" Sunrise offered, smiling back over at her friend. "Of course, that means I shall make you a dress to mark the occasion."

[IceStorm]

 

"Well, to be completely honest it wasn't something that I was ever really expecting. I had an apprenticeship at home for my alchemy. Most of it dealt with herbs and medicine. I can make a lot of different natural remedies with very little to no ill side effects as long as you are completely aware of what your herbs can actually do in the right quantities," she explained. "Then that came in the mail, and everything kinda changed and got put on hold for a bit. I'm putting a lot of effort into my studies so that I can get home as quickly as I can. It's not that I don't like it here, but it's not my home... if you get what I mean," Medo added.

 

She then heard her new friend talk about how she really wouldn't know what to do with herself over there and that a guide would be perfect. "Well, in the event that you ever find yourself on Ryushima, I would be more than happy to show you around. And if I ever find myself in Manehatten, I'll make sure to seek you out as well. It sounds like a place I could easily get lost in if I'm not careful," she finished as their waiter took their orders and went back to start preparing them. When she heard the comment of her making a dress, she perked up a bit. "Oh! I used to know a pony back at home that used to make dresses for the village. They weren't anything special or ornate, but they were quite delicate and soft. She made my dress that I'm wearing now," Medo smiled showing a bit of her dress. "It's called Shimmersilk, and it's usually very expensive, but she makes it from scratch."

[PyroBlaze]

"Well, at least it was a pleasant surprise. I completely understand being homesick, especially this far from your home. I used to get homesick while in college too, and I was still in the same city!" Sunrise replied, giggling a bit as she smiled at Medo. The designer's ears perked up a bit at the talk of another dressmaker and shimmersilk. 

 

"Ah yes, I heard about shimmersilk during the gala. That qilin was quite enamored with it." Sunrise smiled as she examined the dress, giving a small nod as she finished. "It is quite a lovely design, your friend appears to be a talented designer. Perhaps I should send another dress along with you so she may study it. Who knows, she may find something she would want to incorporate into her own works."

[IceStorm]

 

"I wouldn't really know, honestly. For the most part I was in the gardens. I never really made it into the ballroom. I had intended to go in, but I got caught up in the show with the Phoenixes and then when they decided to go crazy and have a battle of wills, everything kinda fell apart. I don't know why that other pony kept insisting that ponies got hurt though. I was there so I'm certain I'd know if anypony was hurt or not, and I don't remember any being hurt," she said with a sigh as the waiter brought them their first round of drinks. "Thank you," she said taking a sip of her tea.

 

"But yeah, it's a bit of a struggle to be here and away from my family for so long, but I suppose it's worth it as long as I do well. I don't know who is footing the bill, but one thing I do know is that I do not want to disappoint them. They must have seen something in me that I don't yet see, and I don't want to be the one to fail somepony I don't even know yet," she replied to Sunrises first comment about being homesick. There was no denying any bit of it. She wanted to be home with her family. She was exceptionally lonely here in Canterlot. She held mainly to her studies in hope that she can finish them and get home to her sister as soon as possible that was probably going crazy without her there. When she mentioned about her possibly taking something back for her seamstress to work on in her home village, she nodded. "I'm sure Miss Hieka would love to see a few things from the fashion world that Equestria is in. It would give her something to work with for sure!" she smiled taking a sip of her tea.

[PyroBlaze]

"Thank you." Sunrise said, taking her drink from the waiter before going back to listening to Medo. The unicorn nodded as her friend spoke of not wanting to disappoint anyone. 

 

"Perfectly understandable, wanting to keep whoever is paying for your schooling happy. What I've found though, is that it is sometimes better to make sure you are happy first. After all, all the money in the world won't make you happy if you hate what you're doing. Not that it sounds like you dislike your schooling, it was just an example." Sunrise said, giving another small nod before taking a sip of her drink. 

 

"As for dresses, I have some in my hotel room you could take with you. I was not quite sure which to wear to the Gala until it was time to go, so I brought multiple dresses along." She added, smiling slightly as she remembered the near-panic she was in before the Gala trying to decide in time.

[IceStorm]

 

Medo gave her new friend a nod when she mentioned that while it was nice to make sure that the pony that was footing her bill was happy, it was also important to make sure that she was happy first. In most circumstances she would agree, and even then she did here to an extent. But turning down something like this would not only bring dishonor to her, but her entire family. And failing at the chance that she was given would be even worse. That would dishonor her family for generations. When she said that all the money in the world meant nothing if you didn't enjoy what you were doing though, and she nodded to that statement. "Indeed, which is why I'm happy that the area that they want me to focus on in the college is the area where my talent already is. I love making medicines and helping ponies when and where I can," she smiled

 

when she mentioned that she had a few dresses in her hotel room that she could take with her back home, Medo's smile widened a bit and gave another gentle nod, taking a sip of her tea. "I would love that, and I will definitely make sure that I get them to Sasaki when I get home. I'm sure she'll be able to learn a lot from them!" she told her.

 

After a couple moments, something that the mare had said a few moments ago had peaked her interest. She mentioned that they could go see a show together. It made her wonder what the cultures and the like for those were over here in Equestria. Not that she had been to any real shows in her home town to compare them to, but still. "So, you mentioned of going to see a show if I were to come to Manehatten, what kind of shows are there?"

[PyroBlaze]

"Well, helping ponies is certainly a goal I can get behind. I commend you for wanting to do that as your career. I like helping ponies too, but to do so as a career would probably be too much for me to handle." Sunrise said, nodding a bit and smiling as her friend continued talking. 

 

"We shall retrieve them once we are finished here then." Sunrise replied, taking a sip of her own drink as the two fell into a momentary silence. When Medo spoke again, the fiery unicorn made a small questioning noise before realizing what she said. 

 

"Ah, the shows. Well, it would depend on when you come to visit, but there are all sorts of shows that go through the city from musicals to children's stories to adapted books. There was even a three part show once about a stallion exploring the galaxy and meeting all sorts of fascinating creatures." Clearly, the unicorn enjoyed watching the shows that came through on occasion, and was eager to share the experience with her new friend. 

[IceStorm]

 

 

When Medo heard her new friend mention that they would retrieve the dresses when they were finished her, she smiled gently. her smile grew even more once again when she said that helping ponies was definitely a goal that she could get behind and that she commended her for wanting to do that as a career. that she liked helping others too, but to do it for a career would likely be too much for her to handle. Medo gave her a nod. This life wasn't easy and a pony had to be dedicated to it or it wasn't going to be something that would end up working for them. That's not to say that they were a bad pony. Just not meant to help everypony else all the time. "I can understand that. I guess it's easier for me since I grew up in a small farming village. When you grow up knowing everypony around you, you want to do your best to help everyone. I guess that mindset follows a pony to a big city as well," Medo commented.

 

As Sunrise started talking about the shows and what types were there, Medo paid close attention. Musicals and children stories was a common type of show back in her home, but she couldn't help but wonder how the stories over here differed from the stories back home. Still, Sunrise told her that most of the time it really depended on when she came, and that sometimes there was even adapted books made into a show. "Huh, that all sounds neat. I would very much be interested in seeing some of these shows. I am curious to learn more of the cultures over here, so seeing what books tend to be adapted, and the different children's tales and the like would be quite interesting. I'll have to make sure that I plan a stop there when I get back from home. Perhaps I can make sure to get on a ship that will be porting there instead of Baltimare. I think it adds a day or two to the trip, but I don't mind," she smiled.