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?"