>>155408Veneer and Mustard don't follow all of the way, Instead they wait for Dahlia, who tries to talk to someone at the front of the church
>>155409What does that pony at the front look like?
>>155410She sees the priestess - beige mare with an orange mane - and a white filly with red and black mane. There is an additional stallion, green with black mane. Dahlia is trying to talk to who she can
>>155411Then it's not a personal friend, but ponies at the church she would want to talk to anyway. She walks up without hesitation to stand next to Dahlia, smiling at the ponies present.
>>155412Amber hears enough of the conversation to understand what it's about. It's about asking for money.
>>155413It must be the church that's asking for money, then, which isn't surprising.
>>155414No. It's Dahlia, asking for help. She is politely declined, and backs off after not very long. The church staff do seem to know her, so it's not like she's approaching strangers. She walks forward to join her children.
>>155415This catches Amber by surprise and makes her concerned, but she'll have time to think about it later. She tries to make it less obvious she overheard them and moves back to Dahlia's children.
>>155416None of the three take any time to speak to other church goers, or at least, no more time than what was used by Dahlia to speak to the church staff.
Dahlia
"Alright, let's go." She says
>>155417It's a bit disappointing as Amber wanted to talk to either churchgoers or staff herself, but she doesn't raise any objections.
"Where are we headed?" she asks softly.
>>155418Daylight Dahlia turns to face Amber, forcing a smile. Unlike Veneer, she did not wear make up, nor make any special effort to look pretty. Just as well, as tears would have her make up run down her face. Though she looks tired and strained, she doesn’t look older than forty. Some of what remains of her natural beauty can be seen under her long black dress. Her black hat sits on her back, and her long brown mane flows down both sides of her neck.
She says to Amber,
“Normally, we would go back home for lunch.”
She makes a wider smile showing teeth.
“But as you are your guest, I suppose we can do something a bit different, if you like.”
>>155419Altogether, not unattractive for a mare who has raised at least two children to adulthood.
"Oh, uh, nothing would make me happier than having lunch with you at your place," she tentatively says. She couldn't with a right conscience ask to take her somewhere when they are financially strained. Though, she had planned to treat Mustard to a meal, which she'll need to plan for another time.
>>155420Now is probably the time if Amber wishes to quickly talk to ponies at the church.
She gives a warmer smile
“It would be lovely to have you.”
>>155421She quickly excuses herself and goes to talk to the head churchmare, if she is indeed still there.
>>155422The beige mare priestess, the white filly who sang, and a green unicorn stallion, are all available, at least if Amber asserts herself to speak.
>>155423Normally Amber would want to speak with the priestess, but it's music.
"Those are beautiful old melodies. Where did you learn them?" she asks the filly with a smile.
>>155424The filly has an auburn mane and a very light grey coat. She is sitting down, with her tail wrapped around her hindquarters. She looks over to Amber without evident emotion.
“I learned them when I was a filly.” She say. “From the church.”
>>155426Best guess? 14.
“Yes” she says, smiling though somewhat awkwardly
“They came down from generations before. I’m happy to sing them.”
>>155428She smiles, and her tail pulls around to behind her
“Thank you.”
Amber turns to talk with the priestess, if she's not too busy.
"Your sermon was wonderful," she remarks with heartfelt emotion.
>>155430This isn’t immediately possible, as she has a small group of ponies around her. But after maybe half a minute, Amber can force her way in.
She turns to Amber, and smiles warmly.
“Thank you.”
She looks somewhat young, though certainly no younger than 40, and older than Dahliah
>>155432“Yes. This cathedral was built to be the head of the South Baltimare Parish about a hundred abs ten years ago. It’s named for Saint Christopher, and is designed in the Neo-Classical style, which was very popular for government buildings at the time.”
>>155435“Well, no. I’m the priestess of this Cathedral. The Overseer is Tranquil Will. There are many other ponies who help as well in various ways.”
>>155436"That's good to hear. Although I just moved into Baltimare, I'm not part of this parish because I live in the East Side. But I'm a new friend of that very nice family there," she nods over to Dahlia and her children.
>>155437“Oh, that’s nice. It’s always good to establish yourself when moving to a new location; make new friends. That side doesn’t have a cathedral, but the overseer is Serene Soul.”
She looks over to the family.
“Yes. I know them and their situation. I am glad you are there to support them as a friend.”
>>155439>>155441She asks,
“Are you anticipating a betrothal?”
>>155443She smiles,
“Well then, may the blessings of love and friendship be upon you. Act with kindness, generosity, loyalty, in laughter and with friendship, and you will surely be rewarded in kind. Cadence would be pleased.”
>>155444"Thank you ma'am, I'll do so. Have a wonderful day." She takes her leave with a grin and rejoins her coltfriend's family.
>>155445Daylight Dahlia evidently spoke a few words to some other attendee, Veneer stands and waits, while Mustard Trim looks to her with a smile.
>>155446"Sorry to keep y'all waiting, I wanted to get a blessing for us. I'm ready to go now," she says to Mustard warmly.
>>155447Dahlia, who seems to hear this, smiles.
Mustard Trim smiles widely
“Okay. Let’s go.”
>>155448She follows them, probably back to their house.
>>155449The family leaves the cathedral, walking as before
Dahlia has questions about what Amber’s family is like and what Amber is doing in Baltimare.
Amber can also ask questions or intimate conversation, naturally.
>>155450"Well, I've got a sister a few years older than me and who's married, and a younger brother just entering his teens, so I'm right in between. My pa's the son of a lawyer, but he married my ma and they've lived on the farm ever since. As for what I'm doing here, the harvest last year wasn't too good so I went over here to help out. I've already got a couple of jobs, one as a helper in a clothing store and another as a hostess at the restaurant Mustard works at, that's how we met." She could go into greater detail if requested.
"What do you fer work, Mrs. Dahlia?" she asks.
>>155451She seems both impressed and surprised by Amber’s claim of family in the petite bourgeois. She states:
“You have
two jobs?! That’s great. It’s great that you are helping to support your family.”
She answers Amber:
“I work in the factory for the Milkwood typewriter company” she says.
>>155452Better than being a mere
peasant, at least, albeit a friendly one.
"It's hard work, but I'm settling in. I'm just surprised at how expensive so many things are in the city. You really need to watch your purse."'I haven't seen a typewriter in person, but I've heard of them. They're the machines that go clickety-clack and print words instead of needing to hoof- or mouth-write them, right?"
>>155453“It’s gotten much worse since they switched the currency. Baltimare was always more expensive than the towns and country. It got worse during the War when you couldn’t buy anything. But it’s so much worse in the last few months. At least you can buy most things again.”
“Yes, that’s what they are. You can type things up on them, like an office setting. Veneer knows more about their use, I think. I put the interlaid of the machine into the frame, and screw them into place.”
>>155455“Yes. That’s why I’ve had my foals take jobs. So we can all do our part to make it together.”
She smiles and looks forward. She looks to be flattered.
“Well, a little. I’ve done jobs at various parts of the assembly. Setting the hammers and strike elements, screwing in the frames… I wouldn’t say I could make one, but I know a bit now. Much more than I knew two years ago, for sure.”
>>155456"I can only imagine how many ponies have to work on so many different parts for so many machines. It's quite dizzying." Other than that, she has nothing else to add.
>>155457Dahlia describes a little about the factory and about her work. But the bottom line is that she’s an assembly line shift worker, who seems to be pleased to be talking about it.
Veneer, with a little prodding from Dahlia, says a few things about her job as a telephone operator.
>>155458"So you're telling me you connect thousands of different telephones to each other? Are you able to listen in on all of them?" Amber asks, a little concerned about the privacy implications.
>>155459Veneer:
“…. No. Only for the building I work at. I work for Dominion Mining. I only hear the first part of the call, ask who they are looking for, then place the wire in the right part of the switch board.”
>>155461“We don’t mine anything there. It’s the Equestrian company headquarters. There are mines further south for bauxite, tin, and things. Companies contract for ore and we send it to them. It’s a lot of phone calls from mines in the south, mills in the city, mills in Manehattan and Fillydelphia, calls from across the ocean, and calls on things insurance, transportation, electricity use abs so forth.”
>>155462"Sounds really busy. You've got an important job then," she says with a chipper smile.
>>155463This gets a small smile from Veneer. This is actually an improvement, as at times she sounds almost defensive when describing her work. Dahlia, by contrast, is always happy to share.
The ponies arrive home
>>155464Amber is content to let Dahlia and Veneer enter first, as she'll enter just in front of Mustard. She wipes her hooves off before entering and waits in the entrance hallway.
>>155465Dahlia abs Veneer indeed enter first. Mustard looks back to Amber as he walks in. Mustard Trim has been mostly silent and non-talkative (certainly relative to Dahlia) during the entire excursion, though judging from facial expressions he’s been in better spirits than either his mother or sister.
>>155466It's easy to guess why he's in such high spirits today, and Amber gives him a brief nuzzle as they enter, provided the others aren't looking. She stands in the hallway, wondering where she should go next.
>>155467Mustard Trim closes his eyes, smiles, and rubs his snout to the end of hers.
The rowhouse has a stairway on the right when you enter, a living room on the left, a dining room in the back left, and a kitchen in the back right. Veneer goes upstairs, snd Dahlia goes left and around, evidently to the kitchen. Mustard Trim starts upstairs.
>>155468The upstairs has bedrooms which are probably off-limits, so instead she goes to the kitchen.
"Want some help?" she asks Dahlia.
>>155469“Yes.” Dahlia says. “Do you cook?”
As a rule, Dahlia’s tone is nicer when speaking to Amber than when speaking to either of her two foals. Sometimes the tone is forced other times its genuine. Now, it’s a genuine happiness.
>>155470"Um…I know a little." Although she's helped her mother at times, Amber has never really cooked anything on her own, not that her family has been able to prepare complex dishes. She hopes she isn't assigned anything too complicated, because being able to cook is an important criterion for marriageable mares.
>>155471“Well, can you help chop vegetables?” She asks.
The kitchen is around a sort of corner behind a first floor bathroom. It isn’t very big at all, with a small pantry, a stove that looks to be gas, and just enough counter space for a mare abs a filly to work.
>>155472That she can do.
"Sure!" As she carefully chops the vegetables, she remarks,
"What a delightful cozy house! When I start a family, I hope to have a place like this, too."
>>155473Dahlia first looks through a set of items in the refrigerator, and the cabinets, trying to figure out what to cook.
“Maybe a salad. Would a soup take too long? How about corn?”
Amber is indeed hoofed one, two, three, four cobs of corn.
“It’s uh… it’s a nice house for a family, yes.” She looks up and over to Amber
“What would you want when you start a family? I mean houses, locations and such. Would you remain in the city?”
>>155474"Corn is nice.""Uh…" She never gave such matters much thought. She always assumed growing up that she would stay in the countryside and be introduced to some stallion with a farm.
"I'm flexible," she says with a nervous smile.
>>155475Look at this corn. It’s on the cob.
“Flexible is good” she says.
She places water in a pot, places it on the stove, and starts to boil it.
[1d3 = 3]
>>155477“Yeah… yes you do.” She takes a moment, staring at the water, as if waiting for it to boil.
“Where are you living?” She asks
>>155479“East of center. My older daughter works there. Stays there. I’m not sure I like that area very much. It’s kind of shady abs dangerous. Do you feel safe there?”
>>155481“My daughter goes there at night.” She says, and a beat passes. “What about you?”
>>155482"So do I, when I get back from work." She purses her lips, unsure of what to say.
"But I know how to take care of myself."
>>155483“What do you mean by that?” She asks inquisitively
>>155485She places the salt shaker she was holding down, moves a step back and away from the counter, and turns facing Amber. She raises an eyebrow.
"How, exactly?"
>>155397Frizzle waves as they move outside. Mala follows alongside, on the other side of Silver. A black car slows down, and allows them to cross the road
"Okay." White Orchid says. "Thanks. It's really helpful to have somepony take me out some times. Somepony big and strong and caring. Like you."
>>155486"With my hooves, you know." She also leans in, as if in confidence.
"I also have my pa's old army knife."
>>155486Silver smiles at the colt.
"It is my pleasure. You really think I am all of those things?"
>>155489The two stop on the road, on the side opposite the diner. The little colt looks up towards Silver
“Well… yes. Like grandpa.”
>>155491In a "deleted scene" for Amber's paper chase questline, Dark Denizen talks to Amber about going home with stallions she meets at the club, and offers her a derringer pistol, for if or when she decides "no," and a roll of condoms for if or when decides "yes."She looks at Amber for several moments, and leans against the counter.
"Your father was in the army?"
>>155493HISS!
Solar Night was in the office of Varsity Blues, head of admissions, asking about Jim Haskins University’s commitment to diversity, and saying he had a question about a friend of his.
>>155494what was the last thing said?
>>155495This is the last post to Solar Night
>>154051 →Solar Night asked if they could expedite admissions after Varisty Blues assured them that they totally care about Bat Ponies and Zebras and have for five whole years now
>>155496Whats on the Coinage in Equestria?
>>155497Old bits? Princess Celestia, with a smaller number minted with Princess Twilight, or Princess Luna and Princess Celestia both.
Occupation notes I can't remember, but most likely two horseshoes that are opposed to each other
>>155498Yes. I really wanted to put it in, but Amber didn't seem to want to stick around after she came backShe just nods with a grave expression, saying nothing. She turns around, looks at the water, and says "Oh. It's boiling" and takes the hopefully husked corn cobs and places them in
>>155499Amber really didn't want to stick around, for various reasonsThey are indeed husked! Amber hoofs them to her.
>>155497I am proud to say that I found my description of Occuptation Paper Currency:
>>139264 →There's a number of patterns of intersecting lines along the back that could only be guessed to be some kind of anti-counterfeiting measure. That or they really didn't want the piece of paper to be plain. Everything is in red ink. Over these lines in the center, are two horseshoes opposed to each other, and to each side are big red "50"s. And in red text, at the top in the red band around the sides of the bill is:
"New Mareland Military Authority"
Below that:
"In
Circulation Set
In
East Equestria
Fifty Bits"
>>155500lol, very good reasons, but I missed that sceneShe takes them, and places them into the water
Mustard Trim walks into the kitchen
"Hey Amber"
>>155502Mustard can see the filly's ears perk up and point to him when she hears his voice, even before she turns to him with a grin.
"Hello Mustard!"
>>155501>>155499>>155496Im Assuming i have some Celestia Coin"Could our good friend Princess celestia help in anyway?"
>>155490Silver smiles at him.
"D'awwwww. I would hug you, if not for your aversion to physical contact."
>>155503He slowly walks up to her, looking like he wants to rub against her, or at least hug her
"What are you up to?" he asks
>>155504He laughs
"Princess Celestia hasn't helped in years"
Probably, though Dark Star is most likely paid mostly in occupation notes>>155505"Oh" He says, and looks down. The black car backs up and moves next to the two of them
>>155506"Oh, here, let us not block this vehicle's path, son."
>>155506The close quarters of the kitchen aids in this, as she intentionally rubs shoulders with him while opening a cupboard, looking for something.
"Making lunch! We're having corn on the cob."