Sugar-frosted Sonnet in the cool woodland clearing (Private, Icy)

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

Sugar's smile started to return a bit and grow the more that Gloomy spoke. She wasn't entirely sure how much of a help she truly was, but lifting a pony's spirits definitely counted for something. Given how ponies here were reacting to Gloomy she must be a lot happier now than when she was here before, and she could only imagine why that could be. She didn't want to be presumptuous though. That would leave a bad taste in everypony's mouth and would be most unbecoming. "Indeed, just a little more. I'm still completely shocked, and I'm honestly getting more excited to find out what I can do with it! Besides, with you by my side, what could go wrong?" she smiled, looking at Alphabittle as he spoke.

 

She nodded to his words of wisdom, and being able to get work right away meant that she would be able to lessen the strain that she would put on Gloomy from moving in with her. After all, everything just doubled. She supposed right now that the biggest thing would be food consumption since electricity was sparse here, but still good to help contribute! The last thing that she wanted ponies to think that she was lazy! "That sounds perfect. Just tell me when I can start, and what I need to do. Though since you offered to look over these crystals what can you tell me about them? Are any of them strong enough to be made into their own jewels? That would be exciting and something fun to try at home! No two crystals would ever be made the same way, so that means every piece would be unique!"

 

[Blueblood]

There it was!  That sweet, sparkly smile that lit up Gloomy's formerly... gloomy world.  She didn't want to see it disappear again.  "Even if things do go awry in a hurry, I'll still be with you, no need to worry."  Giving that one last bit of reassurance with a pat to her marefriend's hoof, she gave a smile to Alphabittle too, who was certainly helping in the 'cheer up Sugar Moonlight' mission.

 

"Well, I'll let you settle in for a day or two; just moved in, I understand?  Say, next Monday.  I'll need the time to look over these,"  He raised the crystals in his hoof, "To give you more details.  For now... they feel about as dense as clay, and slightly malleable, though I'd have to see if they retain that over time or grow more rigid.  Suppleness is a good sign for polishing into gems, but cutting might not be the most efficient way to do it.  I'll need a few days on my workbench to say for sure."

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

 

Sugar smiled and then nodded to Alphabittle. Of course it would be a bit before he could have some answers. It was rather... Presumptuous... Was that the right word..? To think that even a master of crystals could tell everything about a crystal that never existed before from a glance. Though if he could then that would have been quite the feat for sure! And next Monday would be a perfect time for her to start the new job. Even if it was just see helping serve tea and looking pretty doing it. She presumed that it might have more with it now that she could make crystals, but only time would tell. Sugar would give Alphabittle a nod before confirming, "Monday it is then!"

 

Sugar would then turn her attention back to Gloomy. The pretty unicorn's smile warmed her heart, and feeling Gloomy's hoof on her own made all sorts of feelings wash over her. She finally remembered that they had tea and scones after everything had went crazy with the revelation of the new magic. She took a sip of the tea and smiled. "This is quite tasty. I can see why it's you're favorite. And knowing that you're going to be by my side the whole way... I feel like I could take on anything," she said with a warm smile biting into the scone. "Mmm!" She sounded, closing her eyes and making them sparkle from her eyeliner. The wide blissful smile completed the look for the mare that was now enjoying her tasty treat.

[Blueblood]

Gloomy Sonnet had once heard that a good sign for a long-term relationship is how well you could stand watching your partner eat.  And if this breakfast was any indication, she could happily sit across from Sugar every morning for years to come.  And that would likely be the case, if they began working in the same place now.  "I'm glad you like it."  She replied, softly, a little smitten once more at that sparkling, blissful expression as she sipped her own tea.

 

"Do you want to know something?"  She asked after a bit and a bite, once the warm feelings had worked their way through her system.  "Gloomy Sonnet... isn't the name I was born with.  I took it after I got my talent... but I was called Onyx, when I was a little filly.  I wonder if I should go back to that name... its going to be hard for me now to write sonnets that are gloomy!"

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

 

Sugar had to give pause at the query that Gloomy had presented to her. Apparently Gloomy was a name that she took after she got her talent, but her real name was Onyx. Given all of the events that had just transpired... There might have been some symbolism there and it made even more sense to how they hit it off so quickly. Still, that didn't do anything for the answer that Gloomy was expecting. Of course there was no real second thought to get answer either. There was only one correct one.

 

"I think both Gloomy Sonnet and Onyx are beautiful names, but as for which one you choose to go by..." She started placing a good on Gloomy's chest. "That answer can only come from here. All I know is, whether your name is Gloomy, or Onyx, or any other name you decide to go by... That's not going to change the way that I feel about you and it shouldn't for anypony else either. After all, it's what's in the heart that matters most. That's why the saying is 'hoof to heart'," she smiled, making the motion. 

[Blueblood]

As Sugar placed her hoof on Gloomy/Onyx's chest, she felt a warmth blossom in her heart.  She wasn't sure if this was more magic, or just love.  Perhaps there really wasn't a difference; perhaps the magic of ponies came from love.  Love of friends, family, significant others, the land itself...  It appealed to the poet in her to think so, anyway.  "Your words I do feel and know in my bones; I just think you go well with beautiful stones."  They held hooves for a bit there, before the unicorn returned to her breakfast, fearing it would get cold.

 

"I'll probably keep Gloomy as a stage name, for now; I just don't want to be confined when I perform, creatively."  She sipped her tea, then topped it off from the pot.  "Speaking of branching out... do you think there will be calls for unicorn or pegasus actors in earth pony movies?  I saw that the posters in the theater were empty when I visited.  They must be making a lot of new ones in a hurry..."

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

 

Sugar nodded contently as she heard Onyx respond. She had meant what she said, it didn't matter what a ponies name was, all that mattered what was inside. Sure, it was important. It identifies the inside, but it can be changed on a whim if something comes up, like situations like this, that might call for a change. She watched as Onyx sipped at her tea, doing the same and returning to get breakfast before it got cold. 

 

When Onyx mentioned the movie idea, Sugar paused. "You know, I hadn't thought of that, but it's likely! The posters that were originally in the theater were a little bit um... unsuitable for the changing times. One of them was about a magical water breathing unicorn that would attack ponies in the ocean before dragging them down and turning them into more pony-napping water monsters. I imagine special effects would be improved a lot with actual magic in the productions though! It's something I briefly considered before, but acting and modeling are too completely different monsters. For modeling, all I have to do is give a little attitude and maybe a little bit of sway and I have the audience's attention..." she started.

 

"Acting requires me to try to memorize lines, reactions, lighting, and adding enough emotion to make it believable all while making sure the lines can still be heard. I was actually at an audition when I was younger but got cold hooves and backed out. Though with you next to me, I could probably give it a shot again! If it doesn't work for me I can at least cheer you on!" she smiled.

[Blueblood]

Onyx blinked as she listened to the plot synopsis of one of the canceled flicks.  "Oh... I... suppose that wouldn't be seen as nice..."  She paused, thinking through it.  "Though... honestly, I kind of still want to see it now?  If its crazy wrong about unicorns, I could laugh at it, and if its scary... we could hold each other."  She blushed a bit at the suggestion, but the idea for a date later... if they were ever back in a town showing movies, would be a good one.

 

Given that it was now her opportunity to offer encouragement, Gloomy reached out a hoof towards Sugar's chest in turn.  "I think you have the courage and skill buried deep inside, if you'll look to find it.  I'll be there with you all the way."  She smiled a bit wider, a playful twinkle in her eye, "If no other part you play, you can at least scream while dragged away!"

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

 

Sugar was a little bit surprised that Onyx would have wanted to see a movie that she would have considered degrading in her hooves, but she couldn't fault her logic. "Well, I mean we already know it's wrong one way, though I'm pretty sure that water breathing wouldn't be something that would be incredibly hard once we unlocked everyone's full potential again. Now that would be interesting! To be able to safely explore the under water parts of Equestria to!? Think of all the history we could find!" Sugar said, excited at the idea. 

 

When Onyx spoke about the acting, and time her that she had the skill and courage to try in h her heart. She was probably right, but she knew that her courage was mostly sitting in front of her. She'd have get with her, though the playful jab made her jaw drop a bit before smirking. "You're probably right... But if that's the part I get I'll make sure you're character gets pulled with me. After all... I might get hungry after the show," she giggled before licking Onyx's nose. 

[Blueblood]

Gloomy pictured a deep dive, if she could breathe water.  Down in the cool, dark depths, able to swim in an environment that actually mirrored the somber places she had gone to only in her poetry... "I would not weep to seek my muse in the deep..."  She nodded along, thinking more of art than of any social sciences.  She was happy, though, to see Sugar so excited.  "I only wish I could tell you where the spellbooks were to be found, that would free us from just dry ground."

 

Sugar's lick caused Onyx's face to scrunch, but not unpleasantly.  She had to smile at that, cracking a bit of a joke, "And here I though that it was pegasi who swooped down to devour poor helpless unicorns~"  She had to give a laugh at their old prejudices.  "Though, that would make a nice sequel, wouldn't it?  Sky Hunters versus the Sea Corns?"

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

Sugar couldn't help but laugh a bit herself, both at the thought of the sequel and the joke that Onyx made about the pegasi being the ones that were supposed to be the devouring ones. Not laugh as in to laugh off the idea, but laugh as in she thought the concept of that movie would be hilarious given what they know now. It would be so painfully wrong about everything that it would almost be like one of those cheese b-rated horror movies that were jump scares more than anything else. Now that she thought about it, Horns also kinda fit that bill. Sure, ponies didn't know it was fake at first, but looking back and watching it now, it would definitely fit in that genre. "Oh don't worry, I wouldn't devour just any unicorn," she said, leaning in to give Onyx a nuzzle. "Only one has earned that privilege so far," she laughed. 

 

"As far as the movie and the spell books go, the movie sounds hillarious, and depending on how we like horns... I don't know maybe we should pitch the concept? I mean it could always be made as parody entertainment to make fun of the old ways. I like the idea though. And those spellbooks we'll just have to find together. once we figure out a plausible place to start looking. There's a lot of Equestria that was lost to time if the old stories are to be believed. Cities, libraries, artifacts... I'm sure a lot of it would make great muse, even just thinking about what was, and what there might have been magic wise could be grounds for endless creation. I just don't have any ideas where to start looking for anything of the past, and I don't really know of anypony that might. Outside of Sunny and her father, no pony believed many of the old stories. We all thought they were myths, so we never gave them much merit. As such, most of the information that they contained were lost to time," Sugar spoke in thought. 

[Blueblood]

The mention of her being granted 'devourment privileges' was stirring warm and gushy feelings all up in the unicorn mare, and only her training as a poet and public performer kept her from stammering as she replied, "Well, in that case, I hope to have a good dinner ready for you tonight~"

 

"Hey, get a room you two!"  the other customer called out half-jokingly, reminding Onyx sharply that they were not alone in the tea shop.

"Eep!"  She cried out in sudden realization and embarrassment, sinking her head muzzle deep into her own scarf as her already flushed face deepened its ruby tones.  "Your words are making my heart race; perhaps we should seek a more private space?"  

 

In the hopes of cooling herself down, she took in more tea, which was still a little too hot to calm her, darn it.  "Well, ah, there's rumors about hidden ruins deep in the woods here.  I don't know how much remains, but if traces of the old Equestria could be anywhere, maybe we should start close to home?"  Gloomy hoped the more sober subject would steer the flirty mare in front of her away from anything that would cause further exposure in public.  This just wasn't the sort of place one could do that sort of thing!

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

Sugar blushed a bit herself as one of the other customers took the liberty to remind them that they weren't alone here. The offer from Onyx to seek a more private space for the two of them was a very tempting offer.  Enough that she shifted slightly in her seat. Still, she was happy at the moment that the topic shifted, less she lose a bit more of her self control and make more jokes. That wouldn't be a good thing after all, to paint earth ponies in that kind of light. For most, this would be their second interaction with an earth pony. A select few, their third. Aside from the ones that actually lived in Maretime Bay now. 

 

As it was, Onyx mentioned something about the ruins deeper within the forest. She didn't know how much was still there, but anything that could be from old Equestria anywhere, the best place to start would be close to home. "That sounds like a good idea. We should make that a plan for a weekend in the future then. Perhaps we can find another that could help as well. Maybe a Pegasus for some of those hard to reach places? Hard telling what all has survived there as well. Would be nice to have a flyer that could scout ahead," Sugar spoke. 

[Blueblood]

Sugar Moonlight was probably not going to set a new stereotype for earth ponies... but if the next hornless visitor to Bridlewood started cracking remarks like that, the reputation was probably going to stick.  Although... Onyx wasn't sure if it had just been her own mood, or the effect of magic loss, but she had never seen relationships blossom between unicorns as quickly as the one between her and Sugar had.  It was interesting to think about....

 

"Sounds like a good idea.  Hopefully an adventurous visitor arrives soon."  The unicorn nodded, finishing her tea with a satisfied sigh.  "Ah... that's a lot better.  Well, the stuff's in the house, breakfast is in us, and it looks like you've got a job here!  That leaves you the rest of today and the weekend with me... was there anything you wanted to do or see?"

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

It seemed that Onyx liked the idea of adding a pegasi to their group for checking out the ruins. Sure it might cut into some of their private time during the adventure, but there was no guarantee they would be able to do anything like that on the road anyway. For all they knew, nothing would be safe enough for things like that there, and untill they knew how loud they could get... Maybe a roll in the ruins wouldn't be the best thing. 

 

As Onyx finished her tea, Sugar would do the same. When Onyx went over everything, the job, the house, breakfast, she asked what she wanted to do now. She paused a bit. "Well, I know very little about Bridlewood, so why don't you show me around the city? You know the sights and sounds here. Then after that," she leaned in and whispered. "We can go back to the house and finish what we started," she said seductively, very low so that only Onyx could hear so they didn't disturb the other customers here. 

[Blueblood]

The low and sultry promise Sugar gave Onyx caused her dark grey face to redden deeply, and she had to clear her throat to remain inconspicuous.  "Right, right then... I'll, uh, show you the orchards first!"  Hoping she didn't seem in too much of a hurry, she left a tip for Alphabittle on the table before scooting off and out the door.

 

After a bit of quick trotting in the open air, the unicorn found herself a little calmer, sighing deeply with a smile.  "Once cooled by the forest breeze, one has a mood to see some trees."  Sugar might or might not have eyes for the scenery as she followed Gloomy, but the orchards were well worth a glance, even away from a mare one was seriously crushing on.  Unlike Earth Pony agriculture, there was no disciplined ordering of rows of plants; rather, much like the housing in Bridlewood, it was more than existing trees seemed to have been magically changed to fruit bearing ones.  An enormous chestnut, for instance, was currently heavy with apples of a bluish-purple color, alongside the nuts it naturally bore.

"When you see what was done when we used to have magic, that makes the loss feel all the more tragic."  Gloomy reflected, transferring her familiar thoughts to the newcomer.  "In one sense ignorance was bliss, if you didn't know what you would miss.  But as we all found in that thrilling hour, it was in knowledge remembered we found the true power."  Unsure if her thoughts were coming through in rhyme, Onyx switched back to prose.  "If friendship and magic are so connected, then memory must play a large part.  If I forgot about you, we wouldn't be friends anymore; I would need to remember who you were to me to continue a relationship."

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

Sugar could tell that she was starting to get Onyx a bit worked up so she knew that she would have to dial it back some to allow the mare to keep her composure. Herself as well for that matter. If she kept pressing buttons like this it was only a matter of time before her own body started to react. Considering that they were still in public, she didn't want things to get too out of control. The mention of going to the orchards, Sugar nodded. She wasn't surprised at all to find out that some of the larger attractions here in The Bridelwood Forest was different tree formations. Honestly... with how old some trees could get and some of the ways that they grew, trees were going to be quite unique and look very pretty.

 

The two of them stood up and started making their way outside. Sugar followed Onyx as she left a tip for Alphabittle and the cool air hit them as they opened the door. That was one thing that she could definitely get used to. The air smelled so much more crisp here than it did back in Maretime Bay. It wasn't bad there, but there was always the undertone of salty brine from the ocean. Here, there was a bit of that damp foliage smell, but it was still quite refreshing. As they walked and came up to the orchard though... the first thing that Sugar noticed... was that the trees were bearing apples... and chestnuts? She was no botanist herself, but that's what they looked like. "Wow.... these are beautiful..." she spoke before she heard Onyx say that these trees had been created back when they had magic. Looking at them now, you could see why losing it would have been such a morale drop. It made sense. All the beauty that it could make and then for it to suddenly be gone? She'd be upset too!

 

She then made a very good point that she had never considered before. If magic was based on Friendship, then that meant it required friendships and relationships to prosper. Should they some how wake up and their memories were erased or had some sort of amnesia or something or another, then they wouldn't have friendship anymore. And if they didn't have friendship, then with everything that's been presented, they wouldn't have magic. It really drove home the fact of how fragile everything actually is. "Well, I for one hope that you do continue to remember me. For if you did not, I would be one very sad pony. Honestly... that's kind of a nightmare of mine actually. One I've actually had before as a filly. I woke up and I was at school and my mom and all my friends not only didn't know who I was, they acted like I didn't even exist. That's a feeling I never want to actually feel," she told Onyx as they walked through the orchard. 

[Blueblood]

Hearing Sugar speak of her nightmare caused Gloomy to draw closer to her, eventually pressing right up against her side for comfort, tail intertwined.  "I promise I will not, as long as my mind remains whole, you will have pride of place within it.  Memory, the key to persistence through time, the only way a relationship could grow... like these trees."  The last line was poetry of a kind, even though it didn't rhyme.  Perhaps soon Gloomy Sonnet would be writing in a new meter.

 

For all that, though, Onyx didn't feel like lingering in the gloom for long, and she directed them to a spot past the orchard, a glade where the sun shone brighter than usual.  This was where the flowers grew, those that needed the sunlight normally taken up by the canopy.  Sugar would even be able to see Izzy's tree house from here; not exactly a surprise that the unicorn was occupying one of the brighter pieces of real estate.  "Hm, nopony else here?  I would have thought that we'd meet someone on a picnic."

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

Sugar felt Onyx pull her close and lean into her side as she spoke about her nightmares. She also heard the pony say that so as long as her mind remained whole, she would never have to worry about anything like that. It was reassuring for sure. She noted that memory was the key to relationships and that it helped them grow, much like the trees. Sugar smiled a bit, looking around them. "And just like the trees all look after one another, no matter their types, it's long past time ponies do the same. I can definitely say that I have a beautiful mare to look after myself," she said giving Onyx a nuzzle. 

 

As they progressed into the forest and past the orchard, they came to a brighter area of the forest. The sun was peering through the canopy with ease and it spread along the forest floor. When she heard Onyx mention that there wasn't anypony else here, she smiled a bit and gave her a nuzzle. "While I would love to meet more of the locals, perhaps it was fate that we were able to make it out here alone," she said, giving a second nuzzle. 

[Blueblood]

Some years ago, Gloomy Sonnet would actually wonder if the trees really did look out for each other, or if each of them were locked in a silent, slow, and deadly battle for water, earth and sunlight.  And maybe, in the future, when her mood was down, she might return to those thoughts once more.  But right now?  In the light of the glade, as the sun sparkled over Sugar Moonlight's mane and coat, Onyx believed the best of the world, returning her marefriend's nuzzle.

 

"Hm, yes, fate..."  The unicorn mare wasn't sure how long they would be alone, but in this one, perfect moment, she honestly was starting to not care.  Or even notice the world around her, for that matter.  All that mattered was the beautiful earth pony in front of her, just within kissing range.  Those glamourous lips called for her own, and she moved in to answer, simultaneously lifting the long edge of her scarf up to drape around the back of Sugar's neck...

 

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

 

In that one moment, when Sugar felt the scarf wrap around her, and the press of Onyx's lips to hers... Nothing else mattered. The calm rustle of the leaves in the canopy of the trees as the wind blew was the only sounds present, and it added an extra bit of serenity to the moment. Sugar returned the kiss, gently yet full of passion. She knew that they probably still couldn't go too far right now. Just because they were alone now didn't mean they would be for long, and the fact that Onyx was surprised that no pony else was here meant that it probably wouldn't be long. 

 

When the kiss broke, Sugar smiled warmly, tucking her head under Onyx's chin in a loving embrace. "Bridlewood is indeed quite beautiful. It is full of so many wonders and has the potential to unlock so many more. But with that said, even with at it's beauty... It still pails in comparison to you," Sugar complimented.

[Blueblood]

There are few perfect moments that a pony experiences in their life, and this, for Onyx, was one of them.  It felt like embers of warmth kindled sometime before in her heart finally blazed to life, driving away the last of a gloomy fog that had settled over her soul.  Were Sugar Moonlight able to see her aura, it would be glowing brighter than ever before.

 

Even poets could be lost for words, or feel that silence was the best punctuation to a scene.  Onyx would feel this way... but that compliment from her marefriend deserved reciprocation.  "I feel a little guilty then, because I seem to have stolen away the most beautiful thing about Maretime Bay while I roamed."  She held her position, letting Sugar nuzzle into her neck, before leaning down to whisper, "But if that's how you really feel... perhaps we should be headed back home~"

[IceStorm]

~~~Sugar Moonlight~~~

 

 

The nuzzling continued between the two of them for a few moments. She heard Onyx speak about how she felt guilty then, in response to Sugar's statement that she was the most beautiful thing Bridlewood... By saying that she had stolen the most beautiful thing out of Maretime Bay. The statement made her shift a bit where she was, but not as much as the whisper to her made her do. She immediately gave Onyx a sultry look. "Oh that is definitely how I feel. But then again, it's hard to not feel that way, and your words and your beauty send shivers down my spine. I think heading home would be quite fun for us, so as long as we remember to lock the door," she smirked, planting a kiss on Onyx's cheek. She dare not kiss her on the lips at the moment, or make it home they won't.

[Blueblood]

"Of the words that shiver down my spine, the strongest are these... you are mine."  Onyx had to end with a whisper on that kiss to her cheek, for much the same reason the kiss was restricted to that area!  Matters would broaden soon enough, but the pair of them needed to get out of the public view!  

 

Thankfully, her treehouse was not far, and she managed to lead Sugar there without incident, barging through the door with somewhat less than poetic elegance.  It... would be considerably later in the day before either were out and about again!