The Heart of an Adventurer (Phil the Time Wizard and SteelEagle) [ENDED]

[SteelEagle]

"Now this looks like some kind of complicated trap right out of a Daring Do book,"

How true were these words. It appeared as if the entire strategy of these series of traps was to emulate, if poorly, the 'disabled Daring-Do' adventures as Pathfinder called them with only a small hint of bitterness. What was with all of the disabled pegasi media? Jealous Earth ponies and unicorns, thats what. You didn't see near as many 'hornless unicorns' or 'hoofless earth pony' stuff as you saw disabled pegasi.

"Hmm, so, if we step wrong, the floor will probably open up and drop us in a pool beneath," Snow said, as she looked around the room. "Something might come out of those holes as well should we mess up..."

Yep, pretty standard punishment. The feeling of cool air as opposed to feeling the edges of one's feathers singe from heat was one of a few differences abound in this event, along with the fact that the holes here were larger and theatrical than what they should have been. usually, arrows were shout out of what amounted to pinprick sized holes in the wall. They didn't need anything except the rod and head, seeing as they weren't going to be stabilized for accuracy or distance. But still, better that they try a little than not at all.

"I would assume the puzzle has something to do with the shapes on the tiles or maybe the colors? What does our expert adventurer think?"

Pathfinder smiled. Oh, the things I think!

"Well geez, I dunno. I already stepped on this one and if my experience tells me anything, some of these will only activate once I pull my hoof off. I don't know what its on. It could be anything. Heck, I'm just too afraid to even look down. Besides, I've been shot in the wing with an arrow before and it isn't fun!" Pathfinder laughed as she extended her left wing out, the one that had been cut through by an arrow many months ago in a ruin in Painted Pinto.

"Nope, Snowy, I think I have to trust in my wonderful date to save me from a horrible, horrible fate."

[RarityDash]

"Well geez, I dunno. I already stepped on this one and if my experience tells me anything, some of these will only activate once I pull my hoof off. I don't know what its on. It could be anything. Heck, I'm just too afraid to even look down. Besides, I've been shot in the wing with an arrow before and it isn't fun! Nope, Snowy, I think I have to trust in my wonderful date to save me from a horrible, horrible fate."

Snowfall nodded. She was a little surprised to hear Pathfinder say she was afraid, especially consider this trap was likely pretty harmless, all things consider, but arrows to the wing would cause some painful memories she supposed. She seriously doubted arrows would come out of the holes at the side here though. Then again, perhaps Pathfinder was playing for her. Snowfall had been perfectly ready to let Pathfinder show off to save face from the previous obstacle, but apparently Pathfinder had other ideas. Her date apparently wanted to see Snowfall figure this one out herself. Snowfall figured she'd give it a try.

In the Daring Do book that in all likelihood had inspired this trap, the trick had been in the symbols on the tiles. They had all had animal shapes on them, and the answer had been to move between the tiles bearing the rat's image, as it was the only non-predator. Daring Do had realized that pattern and managed to proceed. Here, the symbols were not animals. The solution was of course then going to be different.

Here the symbols on the tiles seemed to be a set of geometric shapes; circles, half circles, triangles, squares, stars with various numbers of points. Snow wasn't sure what the pattern was. She'd have liked to know what kind of tile Pathfinder was standing on. Well, it was early on, so trial and error seemed like a good way to go.

"Okay... I think I'll try something," Snowfall said with a gulp, pretty sure she'd get it wrong at first. Stepping forward, Snowfall decided to take a firm step onto one of the triangles...

Sure enough, the holes in the walls closest to them opened up. Rather than arrows or anything potentially dangerous appearing, however, a number of spouts appeared to shoot some ice cold, highly pressurized water at them. With the force and pressure, while it wasn't overwhelmingly painful, it did kind of sting. Snowfall gave a small cry and them jumped back, alarmed. The water spouts returned to the wall

"Well, that didn't work..." she said with a sigh, ready to try something else. Before she did, she glanced toward Pathfinder to see how she had reacted.

[SteelEagle]

Sprouts of water were one of the least dangerous possibilities in the entire world of adventuring to have been shooting out at the conclusion of a failed trap. As the sprouts opened up, Pathfinder jumped back- after all, the trap was already activated! Still, small streams of water cracked against her form as she jumped back towards the start location. The pain was there, but miniscule in her experience. After the sprouts vanished into the wall, she looked at what she had stepped on- a half-circle.

The experience was a good one. Snowy had made her move and while both were wet, they had learned well enough. Besides, if she could have flown then this trap would have been easy peezy. She felt no sense of implied danger by a ground trap tagging her. It was a ground trap. She was a pegasi. DUH.

"Well Snowy, we know half-circles and triangles are bad news. If this was a real ruin, we'd have loose rocks and stuff to use to throw on the ground to see what happens. That's what I'd do if my wings were broken and I had to go on the ground. But since this place is just so freakin' fake, there aren't any rocks to use! Darn!...oooh, lemme see your tail, Snowy," Pathfinder demanded rather than asked, grabbing Snowy's tail and flipping her around until her rear faced the trap. She then whipped the tail harmlessly against one of the half-circles, and soon the sprouts came out.

"Awesome! We can use our tails! We hafta whip them kinda hard, but this way we can test them out without putting our faces out there to get all wet. Our tails are wet and heavy enough to do it, Snowy!"

[RarityDash]

"Well Snowy, we know half-circles and triangles are bad news. If this was a real ruin, we'd have loose rocks and stuff to use to throw on the ground to see what happens. That's what I'd do if my wings were broken and I had to go on the ground. But since this place is just so freakin' fake, there aren't any rocks to use! Darn!...oooh, lemme see your tail, Snowy."

Snowfall was a little surprised and a little embarrassed to suddenly be grabbed by the tail and whipped around until she was flank first. When she thought about it, did make sense though. Their tails certainly gave them a safe range to test various tiles. It made total sense.

"Awesome! We can use our tails! We hafta whip them kinda hard, but this way we can test them out without putting our faces out there to get all wet. Our tails are wet and heavy enough to do it, Snowy!"

Snow smiled to the other pegasus. "Sounds like a plan!" she started, before whipping her tail hard into the ground. It hit an eight pointed star. The water spouts returned instantly and began to fire their pressurized water once more.

"Guess that one's no good too..." she said as she quickly pulled her tail back to keep it from getting too wet. Then, once the water spray stopped, she opted to try again. This time, she went for the full circle nearest her.

Her tail hit the symbol hard and then pulled back. Nothing. "Ah, I think the circles will work..." Snowfall started with a nod. She stepped onto the circle tile fully and sure enough, no water jets appeared. Satisfied, Snow immediately tried jumping to the next nearest circle. The water jets did appear this time, and as her face filled with pressurized water, Snowfall stepped onto a nearby square tile, which only increased the number of water jets, until it was like an entire wall of hard water was on her. Snowfall backed up quickly until she was back at the start.

Okay, so apparently the pattern was more complicated than just all circles. of course it would be. She gave a sigh as she stood there in front of Pathfinder, dripping wet from head to toe, her typically light and wavy mane complete flat, straight and completely saturated. At that moment, she really didn't have to say anything, she felt it all spoke for itself.

[SteelEagle]

Snowy could be a relatively silly pony, but Pathfinder couldn't blame her for the outcome here. It was a pretty simple and common error for a first time adventure to believe that each and every trap had only a single point of sneakiness to it and once conquered, the trap followed. She had been a victim of that line of thought more than a few times, a lesson re-learned many, many times. So dspite the fact that Snowy had more or less taken a shower of cold water wasn't her fault. It was still pretty funny.

Pathfinder laughed.

"Well, at least you've taken a shower today. Very nice look there, Snow-Snow," Pathfinder said sweetly as she ruffled the businessmare's damp mane. Pathfinder resolved to help her date with that issue after this trap. For the time being though she was content with solving the riddle of the puzzle in front of her, being more comfortable with solving this mystery than dealing with anypony's mane. Pathfinder gazed down at the tiles, bathed in light.

So there was more to it than just the patterns on the tiles, as one could expect. The design of the trap was forgiving but sneaky, which gave Pathfinder a thrill otherwise left for a real trap. Red and Blue lights went horizontally- the first row was red, the second blue, pattern repeated until the end. Pathfinder nodded.

"It's red circles, Snowy. Gotta avoid blue ones. Ya ready, Snowy Snowy Mc...Snowy?"

[RarityDash]

"Well, at least you've taken a shower today. Very nice look there, Snow-Snow,"

Getting doused with many cold, somewhat painful jets of pressurized water was worth it to see Pathfinder smile and laugh as she did. It made Snowfall smile as well. It was great to see her spirited and enjoying herself once more.

"It's red circles, Snowy. Gotta avoid blue ones. Ya ready, Snowy Snowy Mc...Snowy?"

Snowfall nodded. That made sense. Of course the colors would be relevant. For this sort of trap, they would have to be. The designer wouldn't just tack the color component on if it didn't meant anything.

"Aha, how careless of me. That makes perfect sense," Snowfall said with a laugh. "You really do know your stuff, Pathfinder."

She smiled at the other pegasus fondly before stepping forward again. "Now then... let's make sure you're right..."

Snowfall stepped on the nearest red circle. It was safe as suspected. She then jumped over the blue tiles to the next. Her mounting anxiety was dismissed when Pathfinder proved to be right. No water jets showed themselves. Snow nodded. She started to jump from red circle to circle, a feat which became increasingly harder as the number of red circles decreased with each new interval. Still, somehow she managed, and eventually she found herself on the other side.

She turned back and smiled. "Okay, your turn!" she called back to Pathfinder, ready to see the other in action.

[SteelEagle]

Pathfinder watched Snowy as she pensively leapt from proper tile to proper tile. They weren't jumps of great difficulty but by this stage in the date, they had both become somewhat winded. The relatively easy, quick jumps took on the character of something fiercer, but luckily Snowy had made it across without too much of an issue. A little workout never hurt anypony, and today the two had certainly done some work! She finished her jump over to the safe side and implored the adventurer to follow.

"Okay, your turn!"

Pathfinder nodded and hopped onto the first red circle, then the next, taking her time to make sure every jump was accurate. Failure...was probably an option, since it was just water but she didn't feel like acknowledging the soft, safe reality. It was lava and this was dangerous! After a few more hops she made her way across successfully, proudly stomping past her date, tongue extended.

"Well Snowy, at least this was just a fake test! I like your look," Pathfinder said with a smile.

[RarityDash]

"Well Snowy, at least this was just a fake test! I like your look."

Pathfinder said as she passed by, extending her tongue. Snowfall had to giggle.

"Heh. Yeah. I somehow doubt a waterlogged mane is all I'd have come away with in a real test," she said, still laughed. "And I suppose I do look pretty good with my mane straight, even if I am rather fond of my natural wave..."

Snowfall gave a small sigh as she stared ahead. "But that, that felt like the end. If this was a Daring Do book, a trap like that would be the last one before Daring Do reached what she sought..." She gave a steady nod and stepped ahead. "I don't expect there will be much more in store for us when it comes to this course."

[SteelEagle]

"Heh. Yeah. I somehow doubt a waterlogged mane is all I'd have come away with in a real test," she said, still laughed. "And I suppose I do look pretty good with my mane straight, even if I am rather fond of my natural wave..."

It was very true. They both would have been trouble in a real test but then again a real test of this type was often ancient and full of mechanical flaws and in need of repair. Plus, they could fly and there would be all sorts of ways to test it, so maybe they would have gotten past a real test with even better results. Not even a wet mane? Well, maybe this was the better result then. And she was right in thinking that her natural wave was cute, but a wet mane was commin in Pathfinder's travel and indicated you were out doing stuff.`She nodded along to her internal dialogue before she gave it voice.

"Well, in a real adventure, we'd be flying or using rocks or generally taking our time as much as possible. It's been what, an hour in here? A real adventure would take maybe four hours to reach this far. And your mane looks good either way- is it possible for it not to look great?- but I just have a personal preference the rough and tumble, down and dirty type of manes 'cause then ya know they were doing something. Well, or they're unclean. But you're not so it isn't a possibility," Pathfinder rambled, shaking her own wet mane like a wildly happy mutt.

"But that, that felt like the end. If this was a Daring Do book, a trap like that would be the last one before Daring Do reached what she sought...I don't expect there will be much more in store for us when it comes to this course."

Pathfinder bit her lip. Well, that line of thought was very accurate for the first few books but as the character got older, the traps became even more intense as they became less predictable. So if this was like that, maybe at any moment-

- The lights at the end of the path shot on, revealing a large exit sign.

"Well, I guess you're right! It was fun though, right?" Pathfinder asked her date with only a hint of disappointment, trotting towards the exit.

[RarityDash]

"Well, in a real adventure, we'd be flying or using rocks or generally taking our time as much as possible. It's been what, an hour in here? A real adventure would take maybe four hours to reach this far. And your mane looks good either way- is it possible for it not to look great?- but I just have a personal preference the rough and tumble, down and dirty type of manes 'cause then ya know they were doing something. Well, or they're unclean. But you're not so it isn't a possibility."

Snowfall nodded and laughed. Pathfinder had a point. There weren't any silly rules they'd have to adhere to on an adventure, which would make things easier in a way, even if the risks were greater. It was an interesting exchange really. Pathfinder's compliments were also of interest to Snowfall, making her blush. How sweet of this pony.

"Thanks. You look pretty cute like that yourself," Snowfall returned the compliment, smiling and giggling as she stepped ahead.

"Well, I guess you're right! It was fun though, right?"

Pathfinder said this as the exit sign came into view. Snowfall gave a nod. "It was a lot of fun. It was the sort of thing I'd never get to do normally. I know it's a poor facsimile of one of your actual adventurers, but parts of it, to me really did make me feel like I was on some kind of adventure." Snowfall giggled again before adding. "Though maybe part of that's because I had such an amazing, genuine adventurer going through it all with me!"

Snowfall continued through the exit, which seemed to lead into an open area setup with refreshment stands of all sorts. Snow nodded. As much fun as the course had been, seeing a definite end was kind of a good thing. She wasn't used to so much physical activity. She could definitely stand to drink something at the least.

"You want anything?" Snow asked her date, as she stepped toward one of the vendors.

[SteelEagle]

"Thanks. You look pretty cute like that yourself,"

Pathfinder wasn't prone to feelings of attraction based pride, seeing as she rarely dealt with other ponies in such a manner and even when it was a possibility, she took little effort usually to preen herself properly to fit the mold of somepony attractive. Snowy's compliment was taken well therefore, and she gave a small bow in response, mostly to cover her rising blush.

"It was a lot of fun. It was the sort of thing I'd never get to do normally. I know it's a poor facsimile of one of your actual adventurers, but parts of it, to me really did make me feel like I was on some kind of adventure. Though maybe part of that's because I had such an amazing, genuine adventurer going through it all with me!"

While it may have been a poor facsimile of a real adventure, it was exactly the sort of thing that a young version of herself would have jumped at the chance of doing, the adventure being much more about how one felt than the reality of the situation. It was fun and exciting, fake or not, so she couldn't fault anyone for having fun on it. And she also couldn't find fault with enjoying it more with an awesome possum pony adventurer such as Pathfinder. Heck, she had more fun adventuring because of her love of Daring Do!

"You want anything?"

Pathfinder shook her head.

"No, Snowy, I'm fine! I had lots of fun and I'm totally still full! Do you want to do anything? Whatcha wanna do now?" Pathfinder asked, trotting around without any real direction, poking her snout into the various stalls.

[RarityDash]

"No, Snowy, I'm fine! I had lots of fun and I'm totally still full! Do you want to do anything? Whatcha wanna do now?"

Snowfall wasn't surprised. Pathfinder was a professional after all. She had surely trained herself to survive in the field with as little stops as possible. She wouldn't need anything quite yet. Snow on the other hand, had worked up quite a sweat, and though her forced shower had been refreshing in its own way, she was pretty thirsty.

"I'm not sure," she said with a smile. "But I think I will get some water to drink. We can sit and decide if we want to do anything else tonight."

Snowfall stepped toward the vendor stand and pulled a couple bits from her designer saddle bag, which after the sand pit and pressurized shower probably wouldn't ever look the same. Snow returned with a tall glass of water and moved to sit at one of the small tables nearby. She smiled back toward Pathfinder.

"I don't really know much about what else is in this town," Snowfall said as she began to think, taking a sip of her water as she did. "But we could probably find some way to amuse ourselves if we try."

[SteelEagle]

"I'm not sure. But I think I will get some water to drink. We can sit and decide if we want to do anything else tonight."

Pathfinder found this an excellent idea, since water was one thing she was never full of and that was water. Well, sometimes she was waterlogged but that was a whole different thing that drinking water. Being waterlogged never helped anypony.

"Sounds like a dandy idea, Snowy!" Pathfinder then chortled as she bounded over to a seat nearby with an umbrella shielding them from the increasingly aggressive sun. It wasn't too hot yet, but it wouldn't be long before ponies started to scramble to find any shade they could. Such was the nature of this part of the land.

"I don't really know much about what else is in this town. But we could probably find some way to amuse ourselves if we try."

Pathfinder smiled and nodded, ears perked up and tail spasming with joy.

"Oh, there sure are! You see all of those mines nearby?" She said with a wide grin and hopeful smile, implying everything that any adventurer could ever promise.

[RarityDash]

"Sounds like a dandy idea, Snowy!"

Pathfinder said cheerfully as she followed Snowfall to the table. Snow grinned at her date and then quickly downed half of her water.

"Oh, there sure are! You see all of those mines nearby?"

Snowfall had to laugh at this little insight. Pathfinder could be so amusing.

"I suppose what qualifies as a choice tourist spot differs a little for somepony like you, Pathfinder," Snow said, still giggling. "For most ponies, this course is the only touristy thing in this entire town... yet top choice for you would probably be some dilapidated, abandoned mine deep in the ridge."

She smiled wide before adding. "But that's kind of what makes you so amazing." She laughed and then gave a small sigh. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have it in me to risk some potentially dangerous mine. At least not tonight."

[SteelEagle]

"I suppose what qualifies as a choice tourist spot differs a little for somepony like you, Pathfinder. For most ponies, this course is the only touristy thing in this entire town... yet top choice for you would probably be some dilapidated, abandoned mine deep in the ridge. But that's kind of what makes you so amazing. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have it in me to risk some potentially dangerous mine. At least not tonight."

Snowy was right, as usual. Pathfinder was starting to believe that she was rarely wrong and if she was wrong it was due more to a lack of information than any sort of collapse of logic. Pathfinder knew her idea of fun was different from others, seeing as how she willingly sought out ruins and danger while other ponies were content with a stroll in the park or a nice lunch. That involved too much sitting and general lazing about about for her, and you never did find anything worthwhile in a sandwich anyway. But still, she knew how dangerous a ruin could be and why it was such a turn-off naturally for others. But for her it was a wild world of extreme fun in the worst possible locations.

That is why Snowy looking at in a positive light really hit Pathfinder hard. Was she gonna do it? No. But she understood Pathfinder and that was worth any amount of half-cocked adventures. Or even a few fully cocked ones, she sometimes couldn't argue against that.

"Oh, I understand. I'll still have to back to where those mutants are and see if I ca retrieve some stuff, but that might be a bit...err, advanced for you, Snowy. Besides, as good as you are in an adventure, I think I'd like to see you more in your element. That would be quite the thrill, err, quite a, uhh...what's the word...it'd be cool, is what I mean. I guess, heh,..uhh, and I'm not as amazing as you, like not nearly! You're really smart and own a big business and you are still able to do lots of cool physical stuff and still look really cute I mean geez you're just, wow, uhh, all the good..." Pathfinder said, trailing off into gibberish by the end as her face grew flush and her speech lost any manner of meaning or pattern.

[RarityDash]

"Oh, I understand. I'll still have to back to where those mutants are and see if I ca retrieve some stuff, but that might be a bit...err, advanced for you, Snowy. Besides, as good as you are in an adventure, I think I'd like to see you more in your element. That would be quite the thrill, err, quite a, uhh...what's the word...it'd be cool, is what I mean. I guess, heh,..uhh, and I'm not as amazing as you, like not nearly! You're really smart and own a big business and you are still able to do lots of cool physical stuff and still look really cute I mean geez you're just, wow, uhh, all the good..."

Snowfall blushed. She was no stranger to praise, but like everything else from this pony it seemed so earnest. She could read any number of glowing newspaper articles profiling her, but never did it leave her with this kind of deep overwhelming warmth.

"It's kind of hard for me to think of myself as somepony all that amazing, especially next to somepony so confident, self-assured and talented," Snowfall said, trying to find a confident voice in her flustered voice. "But thank you. That's very sweet of you to say."

Snowfall choked down another sip of a water before giving a nod. Pathfinder was planning to go back to her adventure with the race of mutants in the coming days. Snowfall laughed just thinking that; it still hardly seemed like something real to her. She also said she wanted to see Snow in her element. Interesting. Snowfall wasn't sure how that would go. She carried herself quite differently when connecting business. Would Pathfinder even like that side of her? Would Pathfinder and the rest of her social life even be compatible? Snowfall wasn't even sure she cared at this point.

"Well, when it comes to my own itinerary, tomorrow morning I'm taking an airship to Manehattan where I'll be for a week. After that, I'm supposed to meet a business partner of mine in Appleloosa to go over some details for that railroad project. I'm not sure how long I'll be out there really, but after all that is through I imagine I'll return to Stalliongrad, if you really do want to see me in my own element as you say," Snowfall explained in a gentle voice. "I can just imagine showing you around at a high society function." Snowfall giggled loudly. "I wonder how you'd look in a glamorous designer dress...."

[SteelEagle]

"It's kind of hard for me to think of myself as somepony all that amazing, especially next to somepony so confident, self-assured and talented. But thank you. That's very sweet of you to say."

Snowy was an insanely smart pony, so why she couldn't see it was beyond Pathfinder. One of them owned a super large and important corporation that served ponies nationwide in ways that they didn't know and in ways so vital that were they to understand it would signal that something bad had just taken place. One of them was well-educated and heeled in an important family, a lifetime of societal debt paid in interest through the sheer power of good that was her corporation. Despite her high education and power, she still maintained a physical form free of great defection and a smile that didn't deseive. Pathfinder had met more than a few businessmares and stallions who failed that alone. Her attitude was beyond admirable as well. Pathfinder tore through her mind wildly in an effort to find a flaw and came out empty. She had spent so long trying to commit power to the first part of the sentence that she didn't really react to Snowy's compliments of the adventure. All Pathfinder could do when she realized was blush and look away.

"Wow, well, uhh, coming from you that means a lot, Snowy," Pathfinder murmured as she played with her tail, the strands of it still caked from the fake quicksand.

"Well, when it comes to my own itinerary, tomorrow morning I'm taking an airship to Manehattan where I'll be for a week. After that, I'm supposed to meet a business partner of mine in Appleloosa to go over some details for that railroad project. I'm not sure how long I'll be out there really, but after all that is through I imagine I'll return to Stalliongrad, if you really do want to see me in my own element as you say, I can just imagine showing you around at a high society function. I wonder how you'd look in a glamorous designer dress...."

Pathfinder laughed, tipping her hat over her face to cover her rising blush. She didn't know her blush could have arisen any further than it already had but there she was, giggling like a schoolfilly. What was it about Snowy showing her off at some function like a prize in a dress designed for her that made the prospect so maddeningly attractive? She wasn't sure but her wings shot out as she beamed back.

"Well, you know, don't make promises that you can't keep Snowy. Never had a dress before, actually. Plus, only high society gatherings I've been to I've had to infiltrate, hehe. It'll be good to go through the front door...I'll miss you, though. Do you have an address I can send letters to?" Pathfinder asked, nearly pleading with her eyes.

[RarityDash]

"Wow, well, uhh, coming from you that means a lot, Snowy."

Pathfinder said, blushing. She was cute when she was flustered. Well, to be fair she was cute most of the time. Her words were sincere though. To Snowfall, Pathfinder was easily the more amazing of them. Her own life had been dictated to her from the beginning. Even after she got control of the company, she still lived in her father's shadow. She had wealth, power, even beauty she supposed, but she wasn't sure of herself or the direction she had taken her life. To her, somepony living so freely and confidently was the truly amazing one.

"Well, you know, don't make promises that you can't keep Snowy. Never had a dress before, actually. Plus, only high society gatherings I've been to I've had to infiltrate, hehe. It'll be good to go through the front door...I'll miss you, though. Do you have an address I can send letters to?"

Snowfall just laughed. "Well, there's a first time for everything. I'm sure you'll look lovely in the right dress," she said with a fond smile, already picturing it vividly.

Her smile softened slightly at the rest. "Of course... after a day like today, it would be hard for me to be away with you so long without contact."

Snowfall reached into her bag and pulled out a damp quill pen and equally damp business card. "My company address in Stalliongrad is printed on the front of this card," she said before turning the card over and writing on it. "On the back I'll place my home address. Use whichever you please. I'll also include the addresses for the NSI branch offices in Manehattan, Fillydelphia and Talonopolis so that you might contact me easily when I'm on business trips."

[SteelEagle]

Pathfinder took the business card and inspected it critically, taking in every piece of information contained before turning it over and inspecting her personal information with just as much conviction. She nodded intently as she stuffed the business card into her saddlebag.

"Well, that's certainly good to have. Expect letters, Snowy. Maybe not in any sort of specific time frame, but I'll try to manage at least one or two a month. At least. I can write a lot but I'm usually nowhere near a post office location. As for me, hmm...I don;t really have a house or anything, so maybe...yeah, just send it to the Cloudsdale Orphanage? That way when I make my bi-weekly trip there I can catch up!" Pathfinder said, the plan coming together even as she spoke. Luckily, she was good at throwing things together and having it work in some small ways.

She sighed and looked at Snowy before shaking her head and giving a small laugh, looking away and taking off her hat.

"Well, I guess...this is it. I had lots of fun tonight, Snowy. I, uhh, told you what I thought...earlier...ya know with the stuff I said. Heehehehehehe...umm, I'm gonna go ahead and...leave you to go ahead and get ready for your trip...and I need to go ahead and solve mysteries. I guess. Umm..." Pathfinder said, her right hoof rubbing her left shoulder reservedly, not sure what one does at the end of a date.

"Well..." She gave Snowy a quick peck on the lips before jumping back in some manner of personal shock.

"Bye!"

Pathfinder launched herself as fast as she could, completely immature and childish in her handling of the affair. She smiled wider and wider as she flew away, becoming more content with what she was feeling for Snowy- which almost equaled her excitement at seeing those mutants again!

Almost.

(Pathfinder exits)

[RarityDash]

"Well, that's certainly good to have. Expect letters, Snowy. Maybe not in any sort of specific time frame, but I'll try to manage at least one or two a month. At least. I can write a lot but I'm usually nowhere near a post office location. As for me, hmm...I don;t really have a house or anything, so maybe...yeah, just send it to the Cloudsdale Orphanage? That way when I make my bi-weekly trip there I can catch up!"

"Got it. Expect the first letter soon!" Snowfall said and nodded. Cloudsdale Orphanage it is then. She wondered if the mail ponies would notice the continued correspondence between such a facility and her business and or home. She giggled a little at the thought. Letters every month from Pathfinder already excited her though. That would definitely be something to look forward to.

"Well, I guess...this is it. I had lots of fun tonight, Snowy. I, uhh, told you what I thought...earlier...ya know with the stuff I said. Heehehehehehe...umm, I'm gonna go ahead and...leave you to go ahead and get ready for your trip...and I need to go ahead and solve mysteries. I guess. Umm..."

Snow smiled and blushed. Pathfinder's flustered awkwardness was just infectious, especially when Snowfall was pretty sure she felt about the same. It just made her feel really warm.

"Well... Bye!"

With those little words, Pathfinder place a quick kiss at her lips and then flew quickly away. Snowfall was left with a deep blush on her face, not at first what to think. Then all of a sudden it became increasingly obvious what to think. She was infatuated with this other pony already. She was everything Snowfall had wanted. The matchmaker had outdone herself. Snowfall in that moment could not be more delighted, more optimistic about what the future held.

"Good bye," she said to nopony, smiling as she did. "My love."

Looking downward, Snowfall finished her water and then slowly stood. She had things to do and places to be. Perhaps more importantly, she had letters to write. That simple thought made her smile only widen.

END.