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>>156377Silver motions for White Orchid to stay near him as he continues to speak to the nun.
"I need you to find Mint Marine and ensure his safety. I also need you to find someone to get Sister Marery and bring her here urgently."
>>156378She looks very strangely at Silver
“Is this related to the police visit?”
After lingering a few moments, she moves off.
It’s a minute or so later that Mother Marery comes trotting in at a fast pace.
“Goodness. What happened?!”
>>156379"You know restaurant just couple of blocks from here?" Before continuing, Silver comes closer and speaks at a lower volume to avoid eavesdroppers. Marery might be able to tell from his movements that he's limping where he wasn't before. "I took White Orchid out for hayburgers there and as we were leaving we were jumped by three gangsters. They tried to foalnap Orchid, and after myself, Mala, and friend of mine who works at restaurant beat them one of them revealed they worked for
Bargain Strength before they ran off."
>>156380From Amber’s right, an interloper. A yellow-brown hoof appears in her field of view, and hovers over Amber’s last remaining cracker. It lingers there for a second, then a second more, as if the lack of violent reply to its presence is proof of its acceptance. It slowly moves down, picks up the cracker, and at a slow speed, withdraws.
Daylight Dahlia continues looking into Amber’s eyes. She has a somber look.
“Indeed, you must be very careful here. You should always have somepony with you when you go out, preferably a stallion, and don’t drink alcohol.”
>>156381She gasps, and listens intently as Silver speaks. When he is done, she sighs.
“I’m not surprised this has happened. I have to wonder if they’ve been stalking the orphanage, waiting for them to leave, or if it was happenstance.”
>>156383"It may not be safe for them here, not at least until Bargain Strength calls off this ponyhunt."
>>156382Amber really has no choice but to accept that Mustard is a growing boy, even if she really wanted that cracker. Whenever she makes that fortune she'll just have to serve extra food to satisfy his considerable appetite.
"I am indeed lucky to have Mustard around, I needn't worry," she replies with a fond look at her coltfriend.
>>156385Love often requires sacrifice. Either that or its proof that he’s selfish and she should dump him, or something.
Mustard Trim is around about average stallion height, or slightly taller, while probably below average mass. It’s hard to say if he’s going to grow more. All of that food definitely hasn’t been going to fat or muscle, that’s for sure.
Daylight Dahlia is definitely an above average sized mare, though she’s a little smaller than Mustard Trim. In terms of coat and a few superficial marks of appearance, she doesn’t look much like Mustard at all. If anything, Amber looks more like Mustard’s relative than her. Her frame, however - the tall, lanky appearance, the way the legs are shaped - strongly resembles Mustard without even adjusting for differences in sex.
As Amber smiles at Mustard Trim, he looks back with a frightened “Oh Celestia I just got caught stealing the cracker” expression, with surprised eyes, and a cracker in his mouth.
Dahlia gives a soft smile, the first she’s given in several minutes of conversation, and says
“Yes, I think we are lucky to have each other.”
>>156384“Well, I don’t know if they will want to invade the orphanage to do it. Then again, they’ve done it before… Are you suggesting we ask the police to guard them?”
>>156386"I...do not know. Possibly. If there is somewhere else they could stay in meantime, that would also be option."
>>156388"Well, with how I was involved in protecting him, it may been good idea for me to watch over White Orchid, at least for now. If you can get in contact with him, Dark Star could watch over Mint Marine."
>>156389“Could you do that? Are you sure he would be safe with you?”
>>156391“You’re not married, are you? Do you have a house? And would you be able to watch him continuously?”
>>156392"I am not married, but I am in relationship with someone I am living with in my own house."
>>156393She stares at Silver, and blinks
“That’s… not really the sort of living arrangement we want to be teaching our foals…”
>>156394"She did not have any other place to live, I promise you."
>>156396Silver tilts his head at her.
>>156386Recently I've been listening to the old radio plays "The Shadow," which would be concurrent to this time. I recommend it if you want inspiration for your own radio plays. The tapes I have even have vintage wartime commercials!Mustard must take after his father more, though she does have the same body shape, she thinks to herself.
Amber returns her smile warmly. For all her scolding, smothering and small-mindedness, she's not a bad mare.
>>156397“Just… nevermind. How can you assure his safety?”
>>156400"There are two creatures in our household who are able to protect him, myself and Mala. In addition, our house is in good neighborhood outside of their general influence."
>>156399Probably shouldDahlia starts asking Amber questions about her musical instrument. She asks Mustard about his lessons in history class, abs she asks the two about what they’ve studied together. This continues through the end of dinner.
>>156401“Okay, that’s good. You want to take one or both of them fit the next few days?” She asks
>>156402"It's called a mandolin.""It's used a bunch for older music, but the design is less than two-hundred years old. It came from the lute which is much older.""Well, no, it's not exactly played much these days, but it's a stringed instrument and can be used in place of a guitar or banjo. It's a little higher-pitched than the guitar and it isn't as loud as a banjo."Amber is glad they actually took the time to study together. She enjoys the rest of her soup and, when finished, places the spoon in the bowl with a satisfied look.
>>156402"I would love to take them both for few days, but I do not know if they want to live together under same room even for short time."
>>156403In her ignorance, Dahlia asks Amber about the violin, whether she can play it, and how the mandolin compares.
Mustard Trim scrapes against the side of the bowl for soup. When they are done, he caries his bowl to the kitchen.
>>156404“They can get over it” she answers
>>156405Silver is a little taken aback.
"Uh...okay. I suppose they should get their things ready."
>>156405"No, you use your hoof to pluck the strings of a mandolin while you use a bow to play a violin, so I don't know how to play it. Maybe one day I'll learn though.""The way you make chords–complex sounds in music–is different too. With a guitar or mandolin the string will vibrate a bit after you pluck it, so you use that time to pluck more strings for the chord. I don't think that's how it works with a violin.""Thank you, ma'am, for this delicious dinner. I'm much obliged."With a smile on her face she follows Mustard with her own bowl.
>>156407She nods along, seeming to understand at least a portion of what Amber says about the Mandolin.
“You’re welcome, Ms. Sunset.”
Mustard goes along with Amber into the relative privacy of the kitchen. He remarks,
“For s couple minutes, it was like having my sister over for dinner.”
>>156406“… Yes. Let me talk to them, and have them get their things.”
The other nun comes down with Mint Marine
>>156409“They don’t agree” he says. “And she won’t back down. So… yes.”
>>156411“That, and she just prefers to be out more. She has her own set of friends abs places she goes. She likes the city, while Mother hates it. But yes. That’s how it is every day.”
>>156412"And you, what's your take on things?" she asks curiously, making sure Dahlia doesn't overhear. Does he take after his mother or sister more?
>>156413“If I could go back to how things were. To Blackwater. I would.”
>>156415“I mean, I can go to Blackwater, but I can’t
go back. Go back to how things were.” He looks down with a pouting expression for a few seconds. But it doesn’t take long for him to look up into Amber’s eyes, and smile.
“I think I’ll move back there when I start a family of my own.”
>>156416She looks melancholic as well for those few seconds. Not even the Elements of Harmony were enough to put things back to the way they were. What he says does reassure her.
"Going to a lovely, beautiful little town with a family sounds like the best idea," she concurs.
>>156417“I think that’s what I’ll do. After I’m out of school, I’ll take up a job installing millwork in new homes. And then I’ll move back to Blackwater, raise a family on the shoreline. Get a boat if I can.”
>>156408Silver smiles at the colt, if a bit sadly.
"Hello Mint."
>>156419“I don’t know. Probably it does. It will depend on what exactly I do to make a living. If I do what I think I will do, which UD finishing the interiors of new and renovated houses and hotels, then I think I will work around Baltimare. But I might work at a lumber mill. I might start my own business, or go to college. I am not sure. I do know that I would like my foals to grow up in a place like Blackwater. I would like to grow old there.”
>>156420Mint Marine looks up at Silver
“Hello. You’re back.”
>>156421"So, uh..."
Silver rubs the back of his neck, and looks to Marery to explain.
>>156423“I don’t think you’ve told me much about your goals. Why don’t you tell me more about them.”
He leans against a counter as he asks this
>>156422Marery first talks to White Orchid, and asks his side of the story. This is all of the explanation that Mint Marine needs. Then Marery says,
"We think you might be in danger. The both of you. So we are going to have you stay with him, and perhaps a friend of his for at least the next day or so. You should be safer there with him, Please pack your things."
White Orchid actually seems just a little excited by this, while Mint Marine is in shock from what he was just told.
>>156424Her doubtful expression is replaced by a smile.
"Sure. Well, my folks are still on the farm. Problem is, whether it's the quality of weather control's gone down, or Papa being unable to work, or some other reason, we've been getting worse harvests. I have to work here to send them back money to buy bare necessities. Whether I make it working in a clothing store, or doing odd tasks for ponies, it's gotta be done.""Music…hmmm, it's a passion of mine. What I know is from my Ma, and although I can play I ain't a professional. I can practice and practice on my own time so I can perform at different venues and make a living that way, or I could scrimp and save to study at a real music school and get recognized. I'm not sure which I should strive for more.""Family, I hadn't thought about enough even though I'm getting to the age where I need to be thinking about it.
Starting a family ain't easy, and I don't know if I could work and raise foals at the same time. But it is awful important, and it's a blessing to have foals with a truly deserving husband." Her gaze melts with love during this last part.
>>156425"Do not worry, little ones, you will not be in danger for long, I will make sure of it."
>>156426He smiles,
"Yeah. Good luck on your hunt for the right husband, Amber. I hope you find him."
He reaches in, places his foreleg over Amber's head, and ruffles her mane, disheveling it. Before Amber is done fixing her mane, he continues.
"I definitely understand helping your parents. That's why I'm working now. It's why my sister is working. I have no allowance of my own, and I have to help pay for things like groceries and the bank note. So good luck with that.
I can see how you love music. You seem pretty good at it, although I'm not a great judge of it. I can imagine you could probably play at bars or clubs, or at church, or even just at get togethers. If you were
really good, and I mean a real class above, you could play for the opera, or for those jingles they put in the chewing gum ads on the radio. Whatever you do, I think you should keep practicing and playing in private. The more you do it, the better you'll get, I think. I liked my little private shows. It makes me feel special, having your music all to myself, but I'm sure you would want to share it.
Why wouldn't you have thought about family? Didn't your parents ask you to return with a fiancé, or something. Anyways, I'm not sure why you would think you would need to work and rise foals at the same time. Are you planning to do it alone? My mother does not recommend that. You should raise foals while a husband works to pay for you all. At least that's how it should work, if the prices don't go up too high."
>>156427Both foals look up to Silver
Mint Marine:
"So... sleep over at your place?"
White Orchid:
"I've never been there."