Turnabout was fair play and Fung Shui knocked Merriweather off-balance with his forward approach.  She actually physically stumbled and needed a second to correct her stride, but thankfully didn't trip over her own hooves.  Well now... that really was a surprise!  She smirked a bit to find the Kirin coming at a situation without his usual air of distanced manners.  Personally, she liked the direct approach better.

"Do about it?" she asked with a raise of her brow.  "Well... that depends on how you want to take it.  There's a big difference between letting a mare down easy or giving her a bouquet, after all.  What do you want to do about it?"

Fung got quiet again as he contemplated Merriweather's advice.  Like everything the mare did, it was to the point, but that didn't make her question any easier to answer.  The only things he could think to do at all were Neighponese cultural creations, and they weren't suitable to something like this.  Everything was spinning around, uncertain and hard to grasp.
"I don't know.  In general I would be uncertain of how to proceed, but Loose Leaf is...eclectic.  I doubt the typical bouquet and chocolate approach they write about in Equestrian romance novels would work."

Tossing his head in frustration, Fung let out a dull sigh.
"I am not even certain I should take any action.  My own feelings are a mystery to me.  These dilemmas must be why things are arranged in Neighpon.  So much simpler."

"I thought it had something to do with clans and dowries..." Merriweather observed with an absentminded lift of gaze in contemplation.  She really had no clue about Neighponese culture and figured it was best to keep her ignorance to herself, lest she accidentally insult her companion.

"I'm probably not the best Pony to give advice on romance, to be honest.  Just... take it easy and make sure you know what you're getting into before you take any action.  Rushing into something only causes problems."  she knew that particular lesson from personal experience.  "Besides, you'd break so many young mares' hearts if you went and got into a relationship all a sudden... a few stallions too, last I heard."

Fung could have spent the entirety of their run explaining the intricacies of Neighponese marriage and courtship, but really, there was no point.  It probably didn't interest her, and even Fung thought it needlessly convoluted sometimes.  Except at times like these, where he had only his own feelings to guide him.  Of course, there was also that little thing Merriweather had added at the end of her advice.

If eyes were like spears, Merriweather would have two of them going right through her head, coming right out of Fung's grape purple face.
"S-s-s-stallions!?  They....they do that here?"

In all honesty, Merriweather was surprised that Fung Shui was so surprised.  She glanced over her shoulder at them as they rounded a corner in their route, taking them along the length of the river that ran through Ponyville's eastern end.  Rarity's Boutique was within eyesight off in the distance.

"Hmm?  Of course they do."  she blinked, not understanding the Kirin's confusion.  "Admittedly it's not as common as stallion-and-mare, or mare-and-mare, but what do you expect from a population that's mostly female?  Why?  Does it not happen with Kirin?"

If it hadn't been rude, Fung would probably have just slowed down intentionally so he could avoid Merriweather's follow up question to his gaff.  Naturally, it is, so Fung had to eat his words along with a portion of his hoof.
"Not...well, I suppose yes, but rarely openly.  It is severely frowned upon.  Some smaller villages have run Stallions out for doing...that.  It would certainly be more difficult for them to hold a prestigious job.  Though, I can recall one or two figures from history who were alleged to have that sort of disposition."
His expression doesn't color him convinced.

Merriweather considered the new information for a quiet moment and then simply gave a soft 'hmm' in reply, acknowledging without judging.  One could always trust the cafe matron to be understanding about things -- the fact that she was always so level headed was a boon to those who knew her.

"Different strokes for different folks, I suppose." she commented as they continued along, taking a wide turn past one of the bridges.  They passed along Hayseed, the elderly groundskeeper, and Merriweather tossed her head in friendly greeting to him as they went.  "It doesn't really matter since Loose Leaf is certainly no stallion.  Do you ever think about dating though?  I mean, you essentially work two jobs... I'm sure it's hard to find the time to do so even if you wanted to.  Stop me if I'm prying." she added that last part almost as an afterthought when she realized she was going on.  Something about her tone made it seem that she wasn't entirely asking just about Fung Shui alone though.

If anything, Fung not only didn't mind the direction the conversation had turned, he was grateful for it.  There were simply some topics that his 'conservative' upbringing made a bit uncomfortable to talk about in such a carefree country.  He mimicked Merriweather's friendly nod towards Hayseed when he passed by just behind.
"In all honesty, it had been on my mind recently.  Back in Neighpon, I would most certainly be married already, considering my social standing, but this position abroad has made marriage arrangements difficult for my parents.  A few more years and it will be very difficult to find a suitable bride."

Fung sighs in frustration as he tries to collect his thoughts.
"But then, you're talking about 'dating'.  I have tried to wrap my head around Equestrian courtship, but they are so different from how I have been taught.  Even if I were not so busy with my duties, I don't even know where or how I would begin."

"Well, generally you start with a friendly hello.  It's just a matter of finding somepony you feel you like and asking to get to know them better.  Though you should make the romantic implications pretty clear just to make sure nothing is misunderstood." Merriweather explained.  As the path looped along to approach another bridge leading back along toward town, she changed route just a bit and sped up quite a lot.  It was always her own little challenge to leap the river rather than use the bridge -- thankfully it wasn't very big, so she managed to clear it safely and land on the other side without breaking stride.  The first time she'd tried it, she'd nearly ended up in the drink.

"Assuming you're even interested in dating, that is." she added on the other side.

Once again, Fung did something that was rather uncharacteristic of himself: he rolled his eyes.  It seemed Fung was getting a lot of time out of his skin thanks to this conversation.
"Oh yes, such a simple matter!  Why, I could think of nothing simpler!"
As if to make a point, Fung cleared the river with ease and alighted alongside Merriweather, moving forward a few steps as if addressing some other pony and beginning a short pantomime.

"Hello Loose Leaf, it's quite a lovely day, do you not agree?  If you are not busy, I would like to get to know you better so I may determine if we are a compatible match for marriage."
Fung turns back to Merriweather and holds a hoof up to his left eye.
"This is where I'll be bruised the next day."

The green Unicorn laughed brightly over Fung Shui's little display.  He was in rare form... while his sarcasm was something she'd seen plenty of, he usually didn't go to such lengths.  At least not without having Pinkie Pie around driving him up the nearest wall.

"Well who ever said anything about marriage?"  she giggled, shaking her head.  "You can go on dates and not have it be anything serious.  Some Ponies just like to explore their options and see what works for them."

Merriweather's giggling earned her a bit of a glare from Fung, but only a bit of one.  He knew he was acting a bit of a fool today, so he'd give her the satisfaction of a laugh at his expense.
"Some ponies might, but I will not fool myself.  Pursuing a relationship for any reason other than marriage does a disservice to your partner, and your ancestors."

Fung held up a hoof before Merriweather could retort, intent on stopping her before she tried to point out how ridiculous that sounded.
"Yes, I know.  If you do not enter the Manticore's cave, you will not get its cub.  I am going to have to take a chance at some point if I am serious about this."
The Kirin's expression turned a bit speculative as a thought occurred to him.
"You were part of a successful courtship, yes Merriweather?  Is that where your insight comes from?"

At first Merriweather thought that Fung was returning some of her jabbing in kind, but then she realized she'd never told him about her romantic history.  She was so accustomed to hearing furtive whispers about the scandal that she almost thought there wasn't anypony who didn't know all the details.  It left her grimacing softly.

"I'd hardly call it successful..." she muttered and gave a shake of her head.  "I'm just speaking on cultural norms, not personal experience.  Take it with a grain of salt if you like."

Fung shot Merriweather a quizzical look at her muttering, genuinely confused at how she seemed to view whatever relationship resulted in Meadow Lark.
"Unsuccessful?  How so?  You have Meadow Lark, do you not?  He's a fine young colt, for certain!  Why, I know many mothers in Neighpon who would wish their sons as lively as Meadow Lark.  That colt has a bright future, I would stake my antlers on it."

The Kirin was a bit concerned at Merriweather's grimace, not only because it was positively unsettling, but also because it was characteristic of her.  At least, not in the time he'd known her.
"I am sorry if I brought up sour memories, Merriweather.  I do not pretend to know the circumstances behind his Father's absence, but I can say that I believe Meadow Lark has a devoted Mother.  Which is all a young colt can ask for."
He continued on for a few steps before he suddenly spoke up again.
"And dance lessons.  A devoted Mother and dance lessons."
Was that a smirk?  Oh, oh yeah, that was a smirk.

Fung's reassurances were enough to put a bit of a smile back on Merriweather's face, giving way to that same simmering sort of pleasantness she usually wore.  It was indeed rare to see her look upset over anything -- even when angered, she tended to have a solid poker face.  It was only the really personal things that had barbs deep enough to get under her skin.

"Believe it or not, but that means a lot coming from you."  she smiled as they continued along both in pace and conversation.  She figured it was only fair to give him some clarity on the topic though.  "Remember how I said there were certain relationships that were uncommon compared to others?  Well... the one with Meadow Lark's father is the rarest sort, to be honest.  You sometimes find single parents around, but it's usually because of one of the two passing on early, or just adoption.  I never married.  Meadow Lark's father, Songbird... he wasn't really ready to be a parent.  Neither was I, but he had a lot greater option to leave.  And when we found out I had become pregnant, he did just that."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:58, Sun 21 Oct 2012.

"...WHAAAAT!?
The echo of Fung's sudden outburst was accompanied by the sound of the windows on several homes cracking, and something akin to the boom of distant thunder.
"What sort of craven, honorless barbarian would abandon a-"
Fung cut's his rant short when he caught Merriweather's eye, and then the angry glares of the other nearby ponies.  He bowed a quick apology, and picked up his pace a bit.

"I am sorry to speak ill of your son's Father, but I should hope I never meet this "Songbird" in need of a favor.  For a stallion like that, I'd not spare a hoof nor a bit."
From the steam coming off his antlers, Fung clearly has a lot more to say on the subject.  Sometimes decorum is just to spare the ears of the listener.

"Relax -- I said a lot worse than that when it first happened."  It was actually very difficult for Merriweather to stifle laughter over Fung's reaction.  She'd never seen him get so worked up over anything.  Even Pinkie Pie didn't rile him like that.

"When it happened, there was a big scandal about the whole thing.  At least, as far as I was concerned.  I retired from the Royal Guard and moved out of Canterlot since it got to be too much to deal with, and to ensure that Meadow Lark had a better lifestyle to grow up in." she explained.  "Songbird... not so much.  Honestly, it was practically expected of him and nopony batted an eye for the most part.  He's a musician... a rather popular one at that.  I heard he'll be performing at a charity event in Canterlot coming up."

It had been a long time since Merriweather spoke openly on her romantic history and, surprisingly, she found it easier than she recalled.  Perhaps it was because she trusted Fung, or maybe time really did help to heal all wounds.  "So, you can see why I said I'm not exactly successful in relationships.  Songbird and I just really weren't meant to be... it's not as though I pine after him or anything.  Looking back on it now, I can see how stupid we both were getting involved with each other.  It was a fling... but flings can have some pretty severe consequences." her mention of taking things slow seemed to have a lot more gravity to it in that regard.  "Still, I am grateful for Meadow Lark.  He admittedly was a surprise, but I can't imagine my life without him."

Fung listened to Merriweather's story with a somber look, the boiling anger he'd been restraining slowly simmering away as she described the turns of her life.  It was something of a cautionary tale, perhaps, but her final thoughts moved Fung to speak again.
"When you speak it aloud, I can see why you may believe it to have been unsuccessful.  But you place too much blame upon yourself.  Yes, perhaps it was a mistake to become involved with Songbird, but that is akin to saying that the move that lost a game was the move that started it."

The more he spoke, the more resolute and confident Fung sounded, and before long, his posture denoted it too.  He was practically marching alongside Merriweather, entirely unconsciously.
"Sometimes life presents us with tests of character.  When Songbird dissolved your relationship, he showed his true character.  For all his fame and easy life, his character is corrupt, and he suffers for it on some level.  You, on the other hoof, took responsibility and made the necessary sacrifices to care for your colt.  Forgive my assumptions, but I believe you came out the richer."

Merriweather felt a sense of reassurance from Fung's words, though it was really more of a reminder in her case than a new understanding.  She'd come to terms with matters over the years and was at ease in her lifestyle.  She had a home, a family, a successful business, and plenty of friends in Ponyville.  While it had been a few bad decisions in her youth that caused her a lot of strife, they ultimately brought her far more blessings than she'd ever had.

"Things may have turned out well in the end, but I guess we have different outlooks on the matter.  I'd always wanted to be a mother, but I assumed that I'd be a wife too when that time rolled around... but I'm not a very romantic Pony.  Single mothers aren't exactly in high demand on the dating scene, and even before I met Songbird, I wasn't very popular with stallions." Merriweather laughed idly at the memory, though there was a sense of wistfulness in her voice.  For as upright and straight-laced as she always was, she had a sense of romanticism in her that very few knew about.  It was part of what led her into the relationship with Songbird in the first place.  "Ponies saw me in armor, or covered in scars, and it did more to inspire worry than attraction.  The reason Songbird originally sought after me was because he saw me as a challenge.  So in that regard, you should take advantage of how desirable you are around town if you're going to get involved in dating.  You've already got a head start."

By that time in their jog, the two had nearly reached a complete circuit of their route and were nearing the string of businesses and homes that surrounded Ponyville's marketplace.  Even as they drew close to the cafe, Merriweather had slowed their pace down not only to cool off, but to prolong their conversation a bit.  She enjoyed chatting with the somewhat uptight Kirin, after all.  They didn't get as much chance to hang out together as she would have liked.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:40, Wed 24 Oct 2012.

Fung wordlessly matched her slower pace, taking in what she said with a bit more care this time around.  There wasn't much he could think to say in response.  She was wrong, of course; Fung may not know it for a fact, but he was certain Merriweather would be popular enough if she would put just herself out as available.  In fact, Fung rather doubted she was unpopular with the Stallions before she met Songbird.  If a performer as popular as him was attracted to her, there was probably one or two of her fellow guardsmen who pined after her.

He outright scoffed at her praise of his desirable quality around town, as if she'd just fed him a piece of raw seaweed.
"If I must rely on my physical appeal to find a 'special somepony', then I am doing something wrong."
As the cafe approached between the marketplace stalls, Fung shot another of his grins, dripping with smugness.
"And don't short sell your own demand, Merriweather.  Were you a few years younger, or I a few years older, I would be asking Loose Leaf for advice about you"

Fung meant well in his ways and Merriweather knew it... which was why it was playfulness that spawned her reply rather than umbrage.  "Did you just call me old?" she shot back at him with a sharp tone.  However, she was distracted as a very distinct scent hit her nose.  She lifted her snout up a bit to sniff at the air curiously to confirm it.

"Okonomiyaki sauce?  Ooh... I hope the girls didn't grab the wrong sauce jar by accident." she mused at the distinct, tangy aroma that particular blend of seasoned condiment had.

Fung actually cringed a bit at her initial response before he realized she was only teasing him.  It hadn't occured to him that what he'd said could be taken as an indirect insult.
"Well, perhaps, indirectly.  Not that I meant insult, one's age is something to be proud of.  N-not to say that it applies to you of course..."
His poor attempt at recovery just trailed off once he figured it was beyond saving.

When Merriweather mentioned Okononmiyaki sauce, Fung turned his own nose to the air and sniffed, detecting the smell as well.
"How odd.  What could they be making?"

Merriweather let her flat stare dig into Fung as he clumsily tried to salvage himself until he got the clue to just let it go.  One could only dig their own grave so deep, after all.  For such a graceful person, the Kirin sure could stumble all over himself easily enough.

"Well, one way to find out." she gave a nod of her head to gesture them along to the scent's point of origin.  She'd been gone from the cafe for too long anyway... besides, now she wanted something cool to drink after the jog.

--> Merriweather exits to the Summer Song Cafe

Though Fung was essentially done at the Cafe, he was curious as to what was being cooked that it required Okonomiyaki sauce.  It wasn't a common sauce used in Equestria.  Plus, after this whole conversation about love and dating and Loose Leaf...

Yeah, he just wanted an excuse to talk to Loose Leaf again.  Probably not the best idea, considering his rare form this morning, but that never really occured to him.  Instead of thinking things through, he jogged along behind Merriweather towards the cafe.

-->Exit to Summer Song Cafe

This message was last edited by the GM at 02:53, Tue 23 June 2015.