>>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."