The Residential District of town is where all the Ponies live.  Those who do not run a shop out of their own home have housing properties along the outer rim of Ponyville.  Homes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and many span further out from the heart of town if the owner wants some peace and quiet.  In order to keep the peace, businesses aren't allowed to intrude on the Residential District and bother citizens at home.
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:36, Sat 14 Apr 2012.

<-- Enter with Quick Buck from Town Hall

True to her word, Red Tape didn't live far from Town Hall at all.  Just across the bridge and a quick trot down the road, in fact.  One could question how good it was for her health to always be living in the literal shadow of her place of work though.  The tawny mare looked taxed enough as it was already.  Her home was quite modest -- a simple woodwork and thatch cottage like any other one would find in town, though the rose bushes that lined her window looked like they were in dire need of attention.

"Ah... just wait out here for a bit, okay?  I'll be down in a minute." Red Tape excused herself as she slid into her home backward, smiling shyly the whole way.  The door was shut before Quick Buck could get a look inside and he could hear a frantic tromping of hooves as Red Tape galloped full-tilt upstairs to make herself presentable.

"Sure thing. I'll just wait right-" *click* "-here." Quick tilted his head in bemusement as he heard Red Tape loudly scramble up the stairs. Was it something that he had said? He shrugged, best not think too hard on it.

With nothing else to do, Quick sat down on the front stoop and waited. From where he sat he could still easily see the Town Hall spire. He remembered when he and Rook first got the idea to open up a game shop here in Ponyville. (Well he was the one with the idea, but Rook helped shape it into something feasible.) The whole family had pitched in to help finance the store.

His thoughts then drifted to Red Tape herself. She had helped navigate them through the twisting rigmarole that was the Ponyville property laws when they'd applied back then. Even got them a decent rate. He remembered her being surprisingly kind and patient, especially for a bureaucrat. Even back then, he'd liked her and he thought she pretty, her simple beauty shining out even under the weight of all that litigation. Probably the only reason he didn't keep a closer relationship with her beyond as an acquaintance was that she never seemed to have time. Probably the only commodity money couldn't buy. Well, that and love.

Quick frowned; he was getting philosophical again.

He dragged his thoughts back to the present and gave a glance to the closed door behind him. He'd noticed how skittish Red was on the way here, if her furtive glances and somewhat stiff gait meant anything. He couldn't tell if it was just work catching up to her or if him asking her out had just thrown her off. Probably both, he thought. Maybe if things go well tonight he could get her a coupon or something for a visit to the local spa as a gift later. It looked like she was in dire need of it.

...

Probably not the best way to present it. He made a mental note to be more tactful about it when he broached the subject later...

Upstairs, Red Tape was in a right tizzy.

While she lacked the magical ability to make objects hover around, she sure did a good job of faking it as she tore her closet apart with remarkable swiftness, filling the air with bits of different outfits here and there.  Too many choices, not enough time!  Skirt?  No, too casual.  Saddle?  Way too forward.  Scarf?  Not forward enough.  The flustered Earth Pony sorted through her clothes hurriedly.  She pulled out various items only to have them discarded a moment later.  Collar?  No.  Kilt?  Why did she even have that?  Bit and bridle?!  The mare blushed darkly and shoved that back into the closet out of sight.

"Hoo... okay, calm down.  Breathe.  Just breathe." the mare tried to get her heart rate back under control.  She cantered nervously in place for a moment despite herself as she slowly eased and gave a long sigh.  First things first -- she snatched up a hoof comb and went about taking down her mane for a much-needed brushing.  It had a calming effect and she gradually eased herself back into her proper wits by the time she'd gotten her mane and tail both straightened.  She was about to habitually return them to a bun but stopped herself mid-gesture, instead deciding to leave them down for once.

While it took more than 'just a minute', Red Tape's front door soon opened back up to allow the mare to slip outside.  She looked quite improved to be frank -- her mane and tail were no longer frazzled, instead brushed down into their naturally wavy state.  Her usual cravat had been replaced instead by a simple lace shawl draped about her shoulders and pinned in place with a brooch.  To top it all off, she'd even put on make-up; a modest dusting and just a bit of color about her eyes, but it really did wonders in ridding her of the more obvious signs of work-weariness.

"Sorry about the wait..." she apologized softly with a bashful smile, looking quite self-conscious as she shuffled her hooves in place.

Entering from Ava's Treehouse

Ava and Poppy continued ambling their way up the road back into Ponyville from Whitetail Woods.

"How was school today, Poppy?"

"It was pretty good."

"Did you make any new friends?"

"Maybe. Xing Ming, Featherweight, and Ink Well seemed really nice, but I didn't get to talk to them very much - I'm hoping I'll see them again tonight. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were pretty nice to me, but..."

"Something bothering you, Sis?"

"Well, they were nice to me, but some of the others say that they pick on foals who don't have cutie marks yet, and that isn't right. I'll wait and see for myself, but..."

"I know you'll make the right decision, Poppy," Ava assured her. She waved a hoof at Red Tape and Quick Buck as they approached.
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:13, Tue 08 May 2012.

Quick's ears perked as he heard the door unlock behind him. He turned around to see Red Tape slide back out the door. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of the refreshed mare. If he'd though that she looked cute while still frazzled earlier, now she was, well... wow. He fought down the urge to whistle. Instead he smiled and said, "No problem." He gave a nod towards her, "It was definitely worth the wait."

Quick sidled up next to Red Tape, ready to escort her to dinner when he saw a pair of ponies waving to them a distance further down the road. He waved back after recognized them. Specifically, the filly Poppy. Although not a regular customer, she'd visited the game shop often enough for him to be able to identify her from a crowd. (The way the filly dressed helped tremendously in that regard as well. She sure loved her bright colors.) That meant the mare standing next to her would be her older sister, Ava. Aside from the familial resemblance, those two were nigh inseparable when out and about ever since they moved in not too long ago.

"Hello there!" he called out in greeting.

Red Tape blushed demurely over the compliment and tried to hide any further nervous energy before it could well up in her chest a second time.  There was a degree of distraction from her thoughts as Ava and Poppy appeared down the road, waving in their ever-friendly manner.

"Oh..." the mare gave a sound that was half gasp, half mumble and waved back.  Quick was close enough to catch the brief flicker of sadness that went over Red Tape's eyes, but she hid it away behind a smile swiftly enough.  "Hello girls~!"

"Hi, Quick Buck; hi, Red Tape," Poppy called.

Ava smiled - seeing Poppy's usual cheerful friendly self coming back after a few weeks'marked absence lifted a weight from her shoulders and a shadow from her heart. "Good afternoon," she grinned. "Excited about the moon-raising tonight?"

After exchanging pleasantries with the pair, the two sisters continued on their way to the big event, laughing and giggling all the way.

-->To Moon Raising
This message was last edited by the player at 14:42, Wed 09 May 2012.

"Yep, but first I'm treating this young lady to dinner," he said, tilting his head at the mare standing next to him. "We'll probably see you at the festivities later, though."

Quick waved goodbye to the sisters as they continued on. He turned his head to Red Tape and motioned her to follow him. "Well, the night is young. We should get going too."

To Ponyville Business District with Red Tape--->

Red Tape watched the sisters go, too distracted by their presence to even blush over Quick Buck's compliment.  Still, they were laughing... it was a good sign, she hoped.  The mare kept a stiff upper lip as she trotted after her date, not wanting to let herself get weighed down with heavy thoughts on such a nice evening.

--> Exit to Business District with Quick Buck

From Ponyville Town Square

Scoots slowly made her way down the street, head bowed and for all the world looking like a filly that was going to get quite the talking to once she got home. However, the reality of the situation was much different. She was charged, her body coiled with tense energy as her fight or flight response kicked in, flooding her small body with adrenaline that would fuel her escape. The rain slicker hood covered her face and allowed her to watch for the signs that she was nearing her objective. Once they reached it and Merriweather was in place it would be time to act.

<-- Entering from Town Square

While they walked, Merriweather's gaze was up at the houses they passed.  She knew the area fairly well but didn't realize the little Pegasus had lived around that particular lane.  She spied the signs and name plates over various homes to try and figure out which one they were headed off to.  Hopefully she could have a brief chat with the filly's parents before it got too late in the evening.

Scootaloo's breathing kicked up a notch when she noticed the sign that proclaimed it as the home of Blueberry Baskets. This was it. Just as they passed the fence she pushed her leg back and deftly unhooked the wagon from its anchoring point on her scooter. She knew that she would regret what she would have to do next but she would regret getting caught so much more. Taking a breath to steady her nerves she hooked her rear hoof under the wagon and with a mighty kick flipped it over so it smacked into Merriweather. At the same time she ripped off the easily visible rain slicker and tossed it at the mare behind her.

"I'M SORRY!" She cried as she powered her wings to their full power, rocketing off down the alley that they were in the middle of passing. Taking the second opening she shot off down it before veering sharply to the left and down another street, wings beating furiously as she fled. One two three four five now! She cut right down another alley and headed it, vanishing into the dark as she made her escape.

To Next Planned Area of Delta Gamma--->

Had it been a few years earlier, Merriweather's reflexes would have been sharp enough to toss up a force field before the wagon got anywhere near her.  Soldiers were trained to be ready for anything and they could leap into action in a heartbeat.  But as she had been fussing over lately, motherhood and relatively easy living in Ponyville had taken some of her edge off.  She wasn't as fast as she used to be and she had a few extra pounds that had snuck up on her even if she did carry them well.  The Unicorn had traded in a lot of her soldiering ways for motherly ones, and it ended up in Scootaloo's favor just for that moment.

But oh, was she in for it later...

Merriweather's gaze had been up at the nearby house when Scootaloo kicked her wagon free.  The noise drew her head around sharply just in time for the metal rider to be bucked up, striking her squarely in the face so hard that the underside was indented with her features.  Scootaloo had all the time she needed to make her getaway since Merriweather had been knocked back on her flank by the surprise attack and, even after the wagon fell away to clatter noisily on the ground, was too dazed to immediately leap to action.  By the time she got her wits back the filly was long gone.

"Sc-Scootaloo!  Ow..." she cried out far too late.  The mare winced as she realized her nose was bleeding and gingerly felt it with her hoof -- not broken, at least.  No chipped teeth either, thankfully.  Despite the aches, Merriweather was more concerned about the escaped Pegasus.  What would possess her to do such a thing?  The mare's first instinct was to try and chase her down, but tracking in the rain wasn't going to happen.  She had no other choice but to sigh, gather the abandoned wagon, helmets, and slicker with her magic, and turn to head home in total confusion.

--> Merriweather exits, ending Day 2.

<-- Enter from Summer Song Cafe

Merriweather trotted quietly along the cobblestone streets with Fung Shui in her wake, idly casting her gaze about the area like she always did.  The mare waved hello to passing Ponies she knew but otherwise remained on task as she lit her horn.  Her wavy mane and tail both shimmered as she focused her magic and swiftly bound them each up into thick braids to keep them out of the way during her jog.  Merriweather was actually a tad proud of her hair, all in all... back when she'd been a filly, she'd worn it long as well.  She'd only cut it down short for the sake of her career since long hair and armor didn't mix, but now that she was out of the military, she'd not wasted any time letting her mane and tail both grow out again.

"So, Mister Shui, I see you're still as much a ladies' man as ever.  You're not going to be a distraction for my new waitress, are you?" she asked her companion as she finished binding back her mane, giving him a playful smile.

Enter from Summer Song Cafe

The sound of an exasperated sigh erupted from over Merriweather's shoulder as Fung caught up to her.  Of all the things he'd had to deal with since moving to Ponyville, the ridiculous ratio of mares to stallions was probably the worst.  It isn't like he could blame them; his status as an Ambassador, his exotic appearance, and his good looks made him something of a catch even back in Neighpon.  However, whereas in Neighpon suitors would approach in a polite and forthright manner, mares in Ponyville seemed to operate on mob mentalities.  It was simply by the grace of Celestia that he hadn't been mobbed during his first 3 months.

Needless to say, dealing with his fanmares was one of Fung's least favorite things to do, so finding out he had one at Merriweather's cafe was not happy news.
"Honestly Merriweather, this nonsense is never ending.  Who is it this time?  Do you need me to talk to her?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:50, Sat 06 Oct 2012.

Merriweather herself was well aware of how bad things could get for Fung Shui sometimes.  She'd actually been approached by a trio of mares who proclaimed themselves a part of his fan club -- one had looked absolutely terrified, but still managed to give the Unicorn a 'back off' sort of threat at her cohorts' urgings.  The rumor went that Merriweather had been trying to get into Fung Shui's good graces by getting him exotic tea at her cafe.  Frankly, she'd been impressed the fillies had the nerve to confront her like that without fainting.  She was expecting them to make a reappearance any time now since she'd begun jogging with their 'precious Fung Shui'.

"You can't tell?  Loose Leaf barely batted an eye when the Princess showed up, but you arrive and she's suddenly falling all over herself.  And her breakfast."  the matron said airily as she took a few moments to stretch out her limbs and back in preparation for the jog.

Fung grumbled and stretched alongside her as he contemplated her response.  He started with his rear legs, popping some of the small kinks he'd accumulated while sitting in Merri's cafe.
"Mmhm, yes.  I see."
A few moments of silence passed between Fung and Merriweather, but it was broken by the sudden sound of Fung violently catching a clue.  It sounded remarkably like Fung slipping in mid stretch while shouting "NANI!?" and landing quite solidly on his snout.

He recovered quickly, or rather he scrambled to his feet quickly, and seemed torn between trying to look calm or disbelieving.
"You think SHE is...She can't be!  She is tolerant certainly, but even I can tell she finds my mannerisms grating!  I've offended her on multiple occasions!"

For all of Fung Shui's ravings, Merriweather remained quite bemused and simply gave an idle shrug of her shoulders in return.  "Oh?  Perhaps I'm just seeing things then."  she mused, though it was apparent she didn't buy her own statement for a second.

"Shall we get going?" the Unicorn asked before she turned and set off at a modest gallop down the road, stepping high to make sure she got a good stride.  Merriweather often left Fung Shui having to play catch up... most likely given how easily she could knock him off balance.  She had a knack for reading Ponies and always seemed to know just what sort of idle remark would get a rise out of him.

Today, it seemed, Fung wasn't concerning himself with catching up alongside Merriweather; he was content to follow closely behind her, galloping with a distracted gait.  And it was all the old veteran's fault.  She always did seem to take some strange joy in throwing Fung off balance, and she'd done so in strides today.  It wasn't so much the idea that Loose Leaf might be admiring him.  Fung was used to that sort of attention, and he was used to dealing with it.  In fact, many of his students had been part of this 'fan club', and had actually performed better after he'd spoken with them about it.  No, it wasn't that Loose Leaf might be admiring him.

It was that it didn't bother him.

Now that, that was new.  Oh, he'd been amused by admirers in the past, even endeared, but their affections always made him feel uncomfortable.  However, when he thought about the same attention coming from Loose Leaf; little chocolates on Hearts and Hooves day, bouquets of flowers delivered to his Studio...well, it sounded outlandish and out of character.  In fact, if she did so something of the sort, he'd probably suspect some ulterior motive.  But it didn't make him uncomfortable.  And he had absolutely no idea what that meant.

In sudden spurt of speed, a small burst of wind, Fung caught up to Merriweather and did something very out of character.  He got direct.
"So what do I do about this?"

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.