Lunastice

[no_vampires_plz]

As Twilight leads the little foal down the path, the character of the woods around them changes. The trees are bigger, the brambles thicker, and the few plants that are still growing look considerably more... exotic than what one generally sees around Milliways. The most noticeable change, though, is in the weather. The thin layer of snow and frost on the ground is replaced by thick snowdrifts that crunch under their hooves, and the leaden sky of a Scottish winter gives way to a clear dark blue. The setting sun makes the snow gleam gold and pink as the trees thin out and give way to rolling hills.

"Alright. If anyone asks, your name is Sharp Tack and you're a friend of the family visiting from Canterlot."

Comments

[basic_powers]

"Well....I'll take the ones that're left if there's going to be a new batch coming out soon." Tyler admits. If nothing else he can just end up eating the gingerbread stars and custard later tonight as a snack. He's going to rummage out one of the bigger coins from the lantern shop and set it onto the counter.

[nponyc]

The pink pony cants her head as she catches a glimpse of the stones glittering inside the bag. "Ooh, are those opals?? You should show those to Rarity, she'd love them. Ooh, or Spike!"

"Eh, no thanks," remarks the dragon as he passes by, balancing platter piled so high with baked goods that he's barely visible. "Opals give me heartburn."

[basic_powers]

"I already ran into Rarity, she's getting one for making some stuff for my friend Jewel and a shawl for my mom for Hearth's Warming." Tyler replies, tugging the bag shut again, before looking at Spike toddling away with his plate.

[no_vampires_plz]

He's toddling toward one of the picnic tables set up nearby. At this table is also seated a rather familiar purple pony.

"Hey, 'Sharp Tack'!" Twilight waves to Tyler. "Come on over, I saved you a seat."

[basic_powers]

"Oh! Hey, thanks Twilight!" Tyler's just going to grab up his plate and carefully walk over to the table to sit down. "Mhmmm...eggplant."

[no_vampires_plz]

Twilight, for her part, has what appears to be some sort of to-go box, which is still shut, and a cup of cocoa she's nursing. "So what do you think of Ponyville so far?" she inquires.

(Spike doesn't say anything. He's too busy plowing his way through a mountain of moon pies.)

[basic_powers]

"It's really nice here, and so far every pony I've met has been really polite and kind." Tyler grins, after swallowing a mouthful of tasty, garlicky disks. "I got into a snowball fight with a pegasus and some other ponies, and there's a nice unicorn named Rarity who's fixing up a shawl for my friend and another one for my mom."

[no_vampires_plz]

"That's Rarity for you," says Twilight. "When the six of us went to the Grand Galloping Gala last spring, she custom-made dresses for all of us. And last month she made us all these nice winter capes, see?" She angles her head toward the star-spangled, wool-lined blue cape she's wearing and has totally been wearing through the whole thread even though the narration didn't mention it shut up.

[basic_powers]

"Oh that's really neat..." And now..well...he didn't exactly get dressed for coming here all that well, so while he's bolting down all the good warm food, Twilight might notice him shivering a bit.

"What's in the take-out box?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Just some snacks for later, when we're stargazing," says Twilight. "You're lucky Mr. Cake let me double the order when I went to pick it up, otherwise we'd have to split one serving between the two of us."

[basic_powers]

"Mhmm..I grabbed a bunch of gingerbread stars for later too..." Some of which ARE going into the little sack around his neck....he didn't realize he was going to eat so much though and still be hungry. "I'll pay you back later for it, okay?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that," says Twilight. "You're my guest here."

[basic_powers]

"Okay...Thanks for letting me visit for Lunastice." He still feels like it though. "You ever wanna visit I'll try and do the same for you okay?"

[no_vampires_plz]

"Oh!" Twilight blinks in surprise; the thought had honestly not occurred to her. "You think that's feasible in your world?"

[basic_powers]

"If I'm careful about it, yeah, I've done it before." Tyler replies, looking to see where Spike is in his meal before continuing. "I'd have to let Cecil and Julie know about it, but they'd be okay with it."

And he's been pretty much working the carte blanche on Milliways with the Ministry of Extraordinary Defense.

[no_vampires_plz]

"I'd have to do some research first," says Twilight, stroking her chin thoughtfully. "Do you know of any books that would be good for studying your local customs?"

[basic_powers]

"None off the top of my head, but I think there's some guidebooks that Bar's been giving me for teaching non-humans about Amercian human culture..."Tyler replies, now thoughtfully eyeing the buffet again. "I think the biggest concern might be clothing for appropriate times and places though, that's the biggest hurdle I've run into at least."

[no_vampires_plz]

"So you have to wear clothes all the time?"

[basic_powers]

"Yeah, and there's different clothes for boys and girls...there's people who make a stink about different colors that're supposed to be worn by either but they're kinda jerks." Tyler replies. "And clothes you're supposed to wear under the clothes everyone sees."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Doesn't that get uncomfortable?"

[basic_powers]

"...not really? Some of it's clothes meant to kept a body warm, or to protect certain body parts, but I could be a little biased since I've grown up with it." Tyler answers after thinking a moment. "And that's just the clothing in America's culture...if you travelled to another country the natives there would have their own set of clothing rules for either gender."

[no_vampires_plz]

"Well, that much is obvious," says Twilight. "But still, your species sure does like to make things complicated, doesn't it?"

Spike surfaces from his supper to look quizzically at the two ponies. "Wht r yh tlkin' abhht?" he mumbles around a mouthful of gingerbread and icing sugar.

[basic_powers]

"Talking to Twilight about some story ideas I had, and asking about some topics that might give me some new ideas for building the world." Tyler replies, "I'm going to go get another plate..."

[no_vampires_plz]

Oh, sure. Leave Twilight with the nosey dragon hatchling asking questions she can't adequately answer.

...oh, wait, nevermind, Spike is just going back to eating.

[basic_powers]

If it sounds boring enough, people don't ask questions. Very simple plan that.

The second time through the buffer, Tyler's loading his plate up as heavily as he can carry with his mouth... Lots more of the eggplant, but even more fresh moon cakes.

"Mhmmm."