In Changelingia (West Equestria), Brie gains the support of a Changeling queen for his endeavors. Spark is doing his best to help an ill Wolf spiritual leader.
In Free Equestria (East Equestria), Iron is trying to intimidate a group of criminal griffin interlopers. Fantasy Play is helping to shut down an Anarchist press. Silver is helping his new household. Amber Sunset is walking through the city, and Dark Star has just finished helping the orphans.
2415 replies and 50 files omitted.
>>137120"Hope you come back!" She says, and waves to Amber
>>137121With a wave goodbye Amber heads outside. Once out of sight she bonks her head with a hoof, making her eyes spin around in a comical manner.
"Being this hungry makes me really addled. She probably thought there was something wrong with me…" she mutters as her stomach growls.
>>137122Amber does have some time, though perhaps not as much time as she would prefer, given the short length of the Lunch break.
>>137123Amber returns to the clothing store, trying to focus on such practical matters as scheduling her now-limited time and how to be a good hostess, and NOT on trivial considerations like plump, practically jiggling hips.
>>137124Amber now has a new way of measuring chairs as she sees them. She returns to the store.
[1d2 = 2] >>137125Once Amber enters the store she makes a cursory check of the shelves, though the stock likely has not changed much. During this process she reaches back and inspects her hip with a hoof. Although it doesn't jut out visibly the hip bone can be felt, and though earth pony shapeliness is still evident her figure is considerably leaner than just one year ago. At no point did she, nor is she likely to, match the contours of Salty Mixer, but the exchange dredged up a vague wistfulness that Amber doesn't quite understand yet is left to ruminate on.
>>137126Amber will also be waiting for something to happen such as a customer coming.
>>137119He smiles, and motions with a hoof for her to turn in her seat away from him so he can see what he's doing.
>>137126>>137128All of pic related
For several reasons>>137129She pulls her lips up, but turns around, to face her hair to him
[1d4 = 1]
ANIG
[1d2 = 1]
NI
[1d2 = 2]
OY
[1d2 = 2]
GN
[1d2 = 1]
AN
>>137126>>137128Back near the end of the room, placing a few shirts on the shelves, stands a male griffin with white feathers and a brighter yellow coat wearing a white dress shirt with a black bow tie. He looks to be rather young, and has focused his attention on his work.
High Sewn watches Amber as she enters the shop. It's a few minutes until the formal start of the afternoon shift.
>>137132Amber approaches the griffon.
"Hello! Are you looking to buy something?" >>137130He takes her mane in his magical grasp, along with the bands, and quickly gets to putting it up in a ponytail.
"My daughter liked having her mane in ponytail, too. When she lived with me she asked me to help her many times while we talked about life and how things had been."
She can feel him left go once her mane has been put up.
"And there."
>>137133He turns his head around, momentarily expressing confusion but then narrowing his eyes.
High Sewn remarks:
""Amber, this is Guy. He works for the full afternoon shift. You did not happen to see him yesterday, but you will be working alongside him in the afternoon."
>>137134She slowly turns back to him
"What is her name?" She asks, rather cautiously
>>137135Amber answers,
"Oh, I didn't know. I thought it was just me and High Sewn. That's okay though, I'm sure we'll work great together!" She beams a cheerful smile at the new acquaintance.
>>137133He looks back to her, but with no smile nor warmth. He must be only a little older than Amber. He looks rather sharp with with a well groomed tuft of feathers.
High Sewn:
"It'll be you two on the afternoon shift. It's busier anyways. I expect he will close he shop, at least for now."
>>137137If the griffon is unfriendly Amber is ignorant of it. Instead, she remarks,
"It's good to have help, especially on my first day!" >>137135"White Light. She is scientist and researcher on, uh...Practical Application of Magic and Magic Theory if I remember correctly, though I do not think you two would have met. Did you?"
>>137138"Indeed. Be careful, as there tend to be more customers and they are wealthier."
>>137139"I don't... think I've heard that name. That wouldn't have been my department. I've been in the universities all of my adult life."
>>137140"I will! I might be a simple farmpony, but I'm sure I can make a good impression!" she says as she grins confidently.
"I'd better get in my position, they might be coming any minute." >>137141"You'll have to be more than a farm pony to make a good impression." High Sewn remarks.
It's not long at all before a white unicorn stallion in a blue suit enters the store. Lunch break isn't even over yet.
>>137140The older unicorn shrugs.
"I figured as much, but you never know. You would be surprised how small this world can be at times."
>>137143"Where did she study?" She asks
>>137142Amber happily trots up to the soigné stallion.
"Hello sir, how can we help you today?" >>137141He looks down at her, eyeing her in a strange way
"Well hello. I need a dress. A mare's dress. Not for me... of course. But I need a nice one, one that just about any mare would count themselves blessed to receive."
>>137147"Heh, she better. Well show me what you've got."
He starts to follow Amber, trailing behind her.
>>137148Amber leads the stallion back to where the good dress racks are kept, practically jittery with excitement. When they get there she stands ready to unhook and display any particular clothing that he selects.
>>137149"So... What's the top item here?" he asks
>>137150Is he talking about the most expensive/luxurious article of clothing or is he pointing to a particular piece high above them?
>>137153"Heh heh, yeah" He sounds a little nervous, or anxious
>>137154Amber has to take a moment to check the price tags on each of the several dresses, and they still don't fail to astound her. However, she quickly recovers and proudly points to the very best of the lot.
Okay, I have to sleep now...
>>137144"Canterlot University," he replies. "I heard she was very excited when they accepted her application."
>>137158"That's a very good school. I would bet she was excited. So she does... magic research?"
>>137175Silver nods.
"In way, yes. Or at least she she did. Before Equestria was...annexed...she worked for Her Majesty's research division, before and during war. She researched new spells for our army's unicorns, helped to invent Luna Nova magic rifle, and was working on project about something called 'magic-nuclear reactor'. I am still not entirely sure what it is, exactly."
>>137199"Oh, Magic-nuclear reaction is... nevermind. That is rather neat. Where... is she now?" She turns her eyes away, and then back "If you know."
>>137218His eyes seem to lose their sparkle at the question, and his ears lower just slightly.
"I...I do not know. I hope with all my heart she is okay, as well as her two brothers, but I have not heard from them at all since War came to end."
>>137219She sits there in silence, with a breath in and out during the pause. Then, she takes her right hoof, and gently starts to pet Silver's fur.
>>137221He looks over at her, curious about the action. The unicorn relaxes a little, his ears perking back up and a small smile once again on his face. His fur is very soft and warm, thick and fluffy. It's like petting a fluffy dog almost.
>>137222"Did you come to Baltimare during the White Emigration out of Severyana?" She asks
>>137223He shakes his head.
"No, actually. I only came here last week. Before that I lived near Manehattan. It was ages before then that I lived in Severyana."
>>137224"Manehattan..." She looks down and off to the side. After a pause, she looks back to Silver "And... is fighting cults and the undead a new thing for you?"
>>137225He shakes his forehoof a little.
"Sort of yes, sort of no. I have dealt with skeletons and cultists before, but not like I have faced here."
>>137226She twists her mouth, and her left ear flops down and then back up.
"How so?"
>>137227"Well, when I faced undead before, it was usually scattered, small groups of skeletons and like - leftover experiments from necromancers. I had never faced such high concentration of such powerful undead before. And as for cultists...I have never seen or faced anything as grisly as that before or since."