A chilly day in Canterlot (open) (walk right on in)

[DreamWanderer]

It was a rather chilly morning outside. Heart Shield had woken up in his small townhouse along the narrow streets of Canterlot. He had one last day off of guard duty before he would have to go back, and he decided to make the most of it. Rising from bed he stretched his legs and arched his back to try to loosen his stiff muscles up a little. Glancing at his window which had a little early morning frost on it. It appeared it had gotten a little chilly over the night. Walking across the cold wooden floor he looked out of what parts of the window he could see. He could see ponies walking about on the street below clad in warmer clothing. Determined to not let the cold morning waste away his day, he grabbed his blue scarf from the rack, and wrapped it around his neck pulling his ponytail up to lay over top the scarf. Trodding down the stairs he opened the door to his house, and stepped out. Heart Shield was immediately meet with the crisp and chilly air, Shivering a little he turned and walked down the street. There wasn't tons of ponies out, most where staying in warm areas for as long as they could, but Heart shield decided to just enjoy the day. He didn't have an real destination in his aimless wandering of the streets, He just liked exploring and meeting new ponies. He walked the street many of times as a guard, but It was nice to do so at his own leisure. 

 

  Walking down the street he took time to look at all the shops along the way, seeing what he could get into for the day. It was rather cold out this morning, Heart Shield could see the steam from his breath as he plodded along down the street. "Maybe a little warmth from the cold would be good." He thought to himself, as a small cafe on the corner of the street caught his eye. He decided this would be a great way to get to know some ponies, and possibly even make some friends. The cafe had a fancy sign hanging from above the cafes windows, He could see ponies inside sitting down at tables doing various things, Reading newspapers, chatting with each other, and enjoying warm drinks. Crossing the street he pushed the glass door open with his hoof, a small bell hung in front of the door rang as he entered. It seems this was a popular spot to be this cold morning. Walking over to the counter he glanced at the menu, "A nice warm drink would hit the spot." He said to himself as he looked through the list on the menu. It seemed the place was a little busy at the moment, so he had a little time to decide. The cafe was nice and warm inside, Over on the right a large stone Fireplace crackled away over the chatter of other ponies.    

 

Spoiler

 

[dragonofruin]

This morning would find Yuna comfortably settled in one of Canterlot's cafes. She'd had enough money saved for herself to try it while she was visiting Canterlot, a city that she'd come to consider as a place that she could indulge herself in when she had the extra bits to do so; she deserved it, didn't she? With the coming of the autumn season, she'd taken advantage of a returning flavor and purchased for herself a pumpkin spice-flavored coffee. As long as it was sweet, she could handle drinking coffee well enough, and it went so well with the cool crispness of the weather outside- something that always managed to make her feel more awake and alive than any other season.

 

Currently, however, the pegasus was zoning out as she sat alone in a booth, something that she'd had the opportunity to snag for herself, and her dark eyes had a faraway look in them as she stared out the window she was sitting next to. Yuna was only vaguely aware of the warmth of her coffee through the foam cup that she lightly gripped between both forehooves as they rest on the table. A silent, still pose of somepony who didn't seem all that interested in engaging anypony else around her, who seemed to have something or nothing on her mind while her attention wandered. She would eventually be snapped out of her reverie by the silvery ring of the bell over the door as a two-tone stallion entered, drawing Yuna back to the cafe around her and prompting her to glance over to see who'd come in now. Naturally, nopony she knew- and it wasn't like she was expecting anypony either- but the new sound and movement was just enough to catch her attention for the briefest time.

 

Yuna fidgeted a little in her seat, getting herself comfortable again and lifted her cup carefully to her lips, sipping at her coffee. Her wings were adjusted beneath her warm shawl, refolding against her sides as she fussed over a little restlessness now that she was made aware of her surroundings by that little bell. It was warm her, and she was comfortable, so she wasn't all that willing to just get up and leave yet. Even if it was rather busy in here.. and she had nothing else to do but drink her coffee.. The zony took the opportunity to let her eyes wander over the other cafe visitors, including the newest arrival, with curiosity.

 

[*scoots right on in here*]

[DreamWanderer]

Entering the cafe Heart Shield felt the rush of warm air surround him, The cold morning air retreating back out into the street as the door closed. walking over to the counter and having a look at the menu, He gazed over the list looking for something that sounds good. Heart Shield wasn't a coffee pony but he did like Hot Chocolate. After a few minutes he decided on having a Caramel hot chocolate with a fancy swirl of peanut butter and dark chocolate on a topping of whipped cream. Upon placing his order he hoofed over some bits, and the mare behind the counter went to work on his order. Waiting for his order Heart Shield glanced around the room looking for a place to sit. There was stools at the counter, but they where all taken, tables and chairs also where placed around the fireplace, and there was booths along the window. Both which seemed rather packed. Looking around Heart Shield contemplated where to sit, There was seating outside too, but it was far to cold for that. 

 

Glancing over his shoulder to the booths on his left he saw one booth in which sat a striped pastel colored pegasus with dark magenta eyes. She looked familiar He thought to himself, He had seen Her around Canterlot every once in awhile. He searched his memory to remember where he has seen her before. Just then the mare behind the counter brought up his order. "Thank, you so much."  He politely said as the mare returned to her duties. Looking around there where still no seats empty, Looking to the nearly empty booth Heart Shield figured he would at least try to be social. He hated to intrude upon someponies privacy, but it didn't look like he had much choice, That is unless he wanted to stand all the time. Picking up his cup he trotted over towards the booth occupied by the one pony. She seemed to having something on her mind as she sat and stared out the window next to the booth. "Good morning Ms. Seems a little busy in here isn't it? Would you mind if i shared this booth with you?" He asked in soft voice a smile on his face, Trying to be polite as possible. 
 

[dragonofruin]

Her attention wavered, close to zoning out to whatever idle thoughts tended to drift through her mind, though movement in the corner of her eye drew her back. A glance over told her that the new arrival had finally found and ordered what he'd wanted, and appeared to be on his way over, heading in her direction. Thinking that he might be picking out a seat near her, Yuna hastily looked away to avoid looking like she'd been staring at him. It was rude, and occasionally some ponies were testy about it.

 

Yuna didn't realize she'd misjudged the stallion's intent until she'd heard an unfamiliar voice. The zony looked up, hesitant, and a look around the cafe reminded her that it was still rather busy. She was the only pony with a claim to some seats that wasn't taken by any companions. Well.. as often as she was short-tempered and rude with some ponies, depending on what sort of day she was having, she didn't want to look like a jerk.

 

"Uh, su-sure, I won't mind! I guess you can." Yuna finally found her voice and gestured to the seat across from the one she was occupying. Better across, than sitting next to a complete stranger. Now that somepony was there, she felt a little awkward; she didn't socialize with ponies often outside of her fortunetelling act, or if she was purchasing something. Or asking for directions if she really needed them. She took another sip of her hot coffee while she waited for the pony to join her in her booth. Yuna didn't really know what to say in the way of conversation except for the usual talk about the weather. "So, uh.. it's rather chilly this morning, isn't it?"

[DreamWanderer]

Asking permission to sit in the booth the mare gestured to the seat across from her, "Why thank you". He said Sliding in across from her, and sitting just on the end of the booth. Sorry if bother you ms, I figured i would sit here since all the seats are taken. I'd gladly move if I'm bother you tho." Heart Shield said trying to explain himself. He thought it would be rude to get to close to her and invade her personal space. Setting his cup down he glanced out the window than back down at his cup taking a sip from it. The pony still seemed to be lost in thought, before she broke her silence once again to comment on the weather. "It sure is a little cold out there indeed' He replied in sort of a shy response, not knowing what to say himself.

 

It was rather warm inside from the fireplace over on the other side of the shop, Looking down at his scarf around his neck, He slid it off and placed on the seat next to him. "Sorry for not introducing myself earlier, my names Heart Shield." He said realizing he hadn't introduced himself to this pony, What was her name anyway? "I think I have seen you in Canterlot before, You from around here?" He asked trying to strike up conversation as he sat sipping at his hot chocolate.     

[dragonofruin]

Yuna shrugged and dismissed his apology with a little gesture of her hoof. "It's fine, really. This place is pretty packed, and it'd be greedy of me to try to keep this booth all to myself when ponies need to sit down." Socializing with ponies might be strange for her, even awkward, but she'd feel bad if she shooed him off, or anypony off, just to hog a booth. It wasn't the kind of pony she was.

 

"I'm Yuna," the zony replied. "I'm not from here, no. I come to Canterlot just to explore the place, maybe buy myself a few nice things with the bits I'd saved up from fortunetelling.. It's my talent," she clarified with a shrug of her shoulder. "I'm actually from Baltimare. I uh, do a lot of traveling because of my job." Being given something to talk about, Yuna took advantage of what she could say without feeling like she had to hunt for it. It was as good a conversation as she could manage as any. And after she'd uttered the word job, Yuna had to seriously consider if fortunetelling was good enough to be classified as a job, even if most might consider it merely entertainment. A hobby? She mentally shrugged, uncertain. Whether it was a job, or not, Yuna used her talent and fortunetelling to do her best to help ponies. To help them avoid trouble or danger, to recognize when some ill might be about to befall them or their loved ones.. There was a long list.

 

"So, uh.. Heart Shield, I'm guessing you live in Canterlot?"

[DreamWanderer]

Having sat down, Heart Shield felt a little easier knowing this pony didn't mind him being here. Relaxing back in his seat holding his drink, he glanced out the window, then back to the pony on the other side as she introduced herself. "Well, Its nice to you Yuna." He replied. The pony had also remarked that she was fortuneteller, "Fortuneteller eh? I bet you see all kinds of ponies" Heart Shield replied as he sipped on his drink "Never met one before until now" He added as the pony went on to explain where she was from. "Ah your from Baltimare, Its a big old city isn't it? One of these days i might get out to visit it." He said as he sat and thought about what it might be like there. 

 

14 hours ago, dragonofruin said:

"So, uh.. Heart Shield, I'm guessing you live in Canterlot?"

"Oh, yeh I live just up the street a little ways. I'm from Ponyville originally, But i moved here when i joined the guard" Despite living in Canterlot for awhile now, Heart Shield was still a little new to Canterlot himself, There was always something new to see. There was a bit of a silence as He sat kind of blankly staring out the window at the street outside as he thought of something else to say. "You must have seen quite a bit of Equestria in your travels!" He said as wondered what it must be like to be constantly traveling around.     

[dragonofruin]

Yuna offered Heart Shield a smile to be friendly and nodded to his question. "I do, quite a few. Some ponies treat what I do as a joke, an act. Entertainment. Something to distract them with while I take their bits, or whatever," the zony shook her head and rolled her eyes. "It partially.. is entertainment, and while some ponies who claim to be fortune tellers might do that.. I don't. My talent is precognition; sometimes, I can get a good enough read on somepony that I'll know what's going on or what might happen.. and I use it to try to help ponies," Yuna thought to explain.

 

Falling silent, she listened. A local to Canterlot, but originally from Ponyville. She'd been there just before she first came to Canterlot, and it was rather pleasant for a small country town. The kind of place that she might like to live, if she ever thought to find somewhere to stay. Currently Yuna didn't know if any place could feel like home to her, or if she might find something that would keep her in place.

 

"You're with the Royal Guard?" Yuna asked, a detail snagging at her attention; it'd taken her a few seconds to register that he'd said the guard. It was certainly an interesting thing to find out, if only because she'd never run into or conversed with one. She noticed his brief moment of silent and took another sip of her coffee while he looked out the window, of which she gave a cursory glance out onto the street. "Yeah, I've certainly seen a lot of Equestria, but mostly small towns and the like. I haven't dared to try the big cities." Not after her life growing up in Baltimare.

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield sat as he listened to Yuna talk about the ponies she has met, sipping at his hot chocolate. When he first approached this pony she seemed a bit shy. She seemed nice enough now, He thought to himself as he sat in a relaxed position on the booth, slightly glancing across the booth out the window while also paying attention to her. He heard how most ponies view fortunetelling as a joke or entertainment, and how some might actually do that. "It's a shame that some ponies view your work as a joke, without knowing your true intentions." He said trying to word it without it sounding like he was trying to be unkind or anything. "Actually out of interest if you don't mind, perhaps maybe you could tell my fortune sometime? I never seen a fortune teller before. I would be willing to throw some bits your way."  He asked out of curiosity realizing he has never been to a fortune teller before. 

 

Shortly after asking the question, The mare asked him if you was with the Royal Guard. "Ahh yes, I'm with the Royal Guard. I joined a few years back. As a foal I always kind of had a fascination with them. When i got old enough to join i moved from my parents home in ponyville to join up, and now here i am." Heart Shield replied as he thought about it only being a few years back. He was still a rather young stallion. "I don't blame you for not trying the big cities, They seem like such a rush all the time. I prefer more quite towns myself, Canterlot is probably as big of a town as i would want to live in, But i wouldn't mind visiting a larger city for a day." He thought to himself as he glanced back down at his drink again. 

[dragonofruin]

Yuna sighed softly and made a noise in her throat, appreciating the stranger's sympathy. Her coffee had been on its way up to her lips for another sip when his next question came, a request, and she lowered it back to the table, her ears perked. "I don't normally do any fortunetelling without my cart or some of the things in which I use to divine the events in somepony's life, but.. I suppose I could manage something while we're here."

 

The zony slid her cup carefully aside with both hooves and laid them flat on the table's wooden surface, focusing her dark gaze fully upon Heart Shield across from her as he spoke of the Royal Guard. How they'd been his goal. It wouldn't be difficult for anypony to guess that he might have hopes to move up in the guard, whatever it might entail, but would it happen? She quietly took a slow, deep breath, hoping that, perhaps, her talent might whisper something to her about this stallion. "Yeah, Canterlot's about as much as I can manage on a good day if the rich ponies don't rile me up," Yuna commented as she eyed the pony, trying to allow herself to relax.

 

The Royal Guard. There were few possibilities in so peaceful a kingdom as Equestria, and what she could gather about Heart Shield so far was that he seemed to be a kind pony, a hard worker. Loyal, determined. "I feel that.. your future certainly holds good things for you. You won't do so badly in the Guard that you might get demoted, or cast out. Your heart's in the right place and you always do well.. though there may be no chance of a promotion anytime soon. The lack of any real conflict would make it difficult to make it, though.. even then, the future can always change. It's never one fixed thing. One little decision is all that it takes."

 

Yuna paused as she thought. There were a couple of other things she was getting stronger feelings about now than the others, especially with what she'd just now told him. Distant, but.. "In time, it's possible you'll be able to make captain of the guard one day. Even though you're kind, you have the leadership skills that may come of great use to you, and to others as one. Perhaps your skills will come to be of use to you, because I feel you may eventually come face to face with a threat, something dangerous. I don't know when. Only that you will. At Canterlot Castle."

[DreamWanderer]

Heart Shield sat and listened to Yuna's predictions about him as he lightly held on to his cup. He was relieved that she said he would do well, but a threat? at the castle!? The thought of that made him a little anxious. Having finished her fortune telling he reached down for his bag of bits. "Thanks so much, I do believe I promised some bits for you" He said as he dug out some bits and slid them across the table. "Here, how does 20 bits sound to you?" He asked as he returned to sipping on his hot chocolate.

 

Sitting there in silence for a moment he thought about the things that she had said some more. "Well I'm certainly happy that you said i will do well. You also said that I will come face to face with a threat?" He asked in curiosity as he thought about it. "Well what ever it is, I will do my best to be prepared for it, and i will do what i must." He added as he remembered her saying it would take place at the castle. "This Threat will be at the castle? That will certainly make me a little jumpy until it happens." He chuckled a little bit to himself. "I should let you get back to your coffee now." He said relaxing back in his seat to sip at his drink again.

[dragonofruin]

Yuna was left momentarily speechless by the amount that he was offering her. She usually charged much, much less than that for predictions and fortunes told in order to sell her gimmick to any interested ponies, especially those that might not want to pay too much for what they saw as a little entertainment. Her eyes stared down at the little pile of gold coins, teetering between happily accepting the amount he was so willingly giving and hesitating on taking so much. She didn't want to look greedy.

 

"You- You don't need to!" she stuttered and chuckled nervously. "I mean, this is so kind of you to offer- to offer this much!" This occasion was one where she couldn't help but stumble over her words as she fought through her mixed feelings and what she was picking up around Heart Shield.

 

"I.. I think so. If it's not a threat, it's at least something.. dangerous?" Her brow furrowed and she rubbed her cheek with one white hoof. "This is sort of one of those cases where it really is kind of foggy." Yuna dropped her hoof and shrugged helplessly, eyeballing the bits again as she dragged her cup back over. "I don't feel as if you're in any real danger, but.. as I've said, anything can change. It wouldn't hurt to stay on guard." Her lips twitched towards a not-quite-smile and she sipped at what was left of her coffee. It'd cooled a bit, and she had thoughts to buy another despite how much the caffeine threatened to keep her awake when it was time for her to sleep.

[DreamWanderer]

After pushing over the bits to Yuna, Heart Shield observed the sort of bashful response she had given to taking the bits. "Oh its alright, Take it i insist, you have earned it" He said with a soft smile as he looked down to see there wasn't much of his Hot Chocolate left in the bottom of the cup. Drinking the rest of it down in one last swallow. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get something else or finally let this pony have some time to herself "Not sure if i should get myself another drink, or let you be. Sorry if i had been any bit of a bother to you. Its certainly been nice chatting to you Ms Yuna, and thank you for letting me sit here for awhile." He said as he prepared to get up from the booth, Reaching down and pickup his scarf to wrap it back around his neck. "I'll make sure to remember what you told me, And please if you have any trouble with anypony here in Canterlot just let me know, I'm always around somewhere". Heart Shield said in a soft tone of voice as he slid himself to the end of the booth to go get rid of the cup.  

[dragonofruin]

The zony bit her lower lip and finally relented as Heart Shield gave her the okay, her hooves moving to scoop the coins towards her. One of her hooves dipped to pull up her bit purse and she opened it to deposit her twenty bits into by sliding them in off the table's edge. "Thank you," she said, trying to put as much gratitude into her voice as she possibly could. She wasn't dirt poor, but.. she and her mother had always been poor, and all she had was a wagon to live in. Yuna always tried to make what money she could, and on occasion, treated herself to something nice. She hadn't been expecting to make this much, if anything at all in Canterlot, so it was a pleasant gain.

 

Her dark eyes shot up towards Heart Shield when he shifted in his seat, sounding intent on leaving. "Oh, no, no!  You haven't been a bother to me at all!" Yuna insisted. "It's.. actually been rather pleasant to just have a casual conversation with another pony. Most wouldn't give me the time of day, at least in Canterlot; it's not exactly the friendliest place after all. Nice, but not.. friendly." She shrugged, her wing twitching with the movement. If he did intend on leaving so soon..

 

"I'll keep that in mind. It was nice talking to you, Heart Shield."

[DreamWanderer]

Sliding off the booth and standing back up on his hooves Heart Shield adjusted the scarf around his neck as the mare slid the bits into her bag. "You're welcome Ms Yuna, its yours to enjoy" He said softly as he stretched his legs after have been sitting for awhile. He had planned on spending the rest of his day wandering around Canterlot on his day off. Hearing her speak how Canterlot can not be so friendly he had to agree with her on that. "Yeh i can see what you mean about some ponies around, some are not so talkative are they?" He said with a smile. Glancing out the window he looked at the street outside. What else could he get in to today? "Forgive me for running off on you, I have just been aimlessly wandering about today. Today's my last day off before i go back to guarding. I figured i would take my time off to explore around Canterlot at my leisure." He said as he picked his empty cup off the table.