As Silva came along with her, Applejack gave her a glance, then trotted along to enter comfortably.  "Howdy, Miss Shai.  Ah was just wantin' ta' make sure ya'll were alright.  Ah spotted ya' crossin' the square." She chimed lightly.

With the same panicked, awkward smile, Shai Ni's eyes dart around between the three guests in her clinic as she says, "Alright?  Why would I not be alright?  I am fine.  Perfectly fine.  Nothing wrong at all.  I most certainly have not done anything strange with your brother, Miss Applejack.  Ahahahahahahahaha.  That would be silly."  Descending into an inward spiral of madness eerily similar to that of Twilight Sparkle, the tiny unicorn mare looks around desperately for a change of subject before she floats over her bowl of rice candies and asks, "Does anypony want some rice candies?  They are absolutely delicious!"

"Thank you, but no...I have a figure to mind, Miss Shai." The skinny griffon noted with a light nod.  She took a couple of steps back, not wanting to imagine what too much indulging would do to her beautiful form.  It was a good thing she was getting so much walking and exercising in...

Applejack gave Shai a bit of a stunned look at her frantic denials, and a sheepish look up to her brother before giving a shrug of  her shoulders. "Err... Awright..." She stepped over at the offered basket, and took one treat with her mouth, nibbling it down. "Ah could use the energy for the contest."

Frankly, Big Mac felt that Shai Ni had enough rice for one day... but he took one of the treats all the same.  He still didn't think they really tasted like anything at all, but if he was going to propose growing a rice crop on the farm then it was best he start familiarizing himself with the products.  This was going to take some research... perhaps the library would be a good idea...

"You're really gonna enter then?" he asked his little sister with a quirked brow.

Rather thankful for the subject change, Shai Ni floats the bowl back to the desk and begins to retreat into the back of her shop in order to prepare the needles she has just used for use again, but only manages to get halfway there before mention of the contest catches her attention.  She stops and ponders what sort of contest they are talking about, having a vague memory of some sort of event being mentioned in the past.  Something about... somepony... contest... Miss Rainbow Dash... aha!

Shai Ni turns around to face everypony again with a much more natural, pleasant expression on her face as she says, "I think that is a wonderful idea.  I had considered entering as well."

It seems that, despite her previous behavior, she still has not quite gathered what it is to be a Special Somepony.  "I have wanted to be more involved in the festivities in Ponyville.  This seems like a wonderful opportunity."

"It'd be a marvelous test of physical capabilities, and a good way to make friends.  If you still want to enter, I don't see why you shouldn't do so now." Silva nodded at Shai Ni and took a step forward, feeling more comfortable now that the food was hidden.

"I'm Silva, by the way." She forced down the urge to extend one set of talons at the pony, though.  She seemed like a spaz enough without pointy things pointed her way...

Applejack glanced briefly between Shai and Big Macintosh as Shai spoke about entering the contest. Was Shai serious, or did she just not get the situation. "Err.. Awright..." she added, after Silva's encouragement that she enter. "Ah guess that's  okay. Ah just wish ah knew where Rainbow was."

Realizing she has not made proper introductions with the new arrival, Shai Ni bows her head politely and replies, "I am Shai Ni, of Shanghay."  She stands back upright before giving Silva a pleasant smile and saying, "I perform acupuncture treatments and provide medicines to those who need them."

"Ah haven't noticed her 'round town yet.  S'pose she's layin' low until th'contest?" the red stallion suggested.  Of course, when Shai Ni proposed that she was going to enter as well, he couldn't help but give her a confused sort of look.  She wanted to date him, right?  Was she hedging her bets in case things didn't work out between them?

"Maybe she's planning something special.  When she was a filly, she'd always do things as spectacularly as possible.  It wouldn't be a good contest if she didn't make a grand entrance and do everything with the perfect amount of 'awesome'." Silva smiled, remembering all too well the little filly who never gave up and never settled for simple and ordinary.

Applejack chucked at the thought. "Heh..  yer' right about that, Silva. She's always been pretty awesome.." Applejack admitted, with just a hint of a glow in her cheeks. "Guess all ah can do is wait 'till she's ready to show up."

Noticing both the confused look from Big Macintosh and Applejack's blush, Shai Ni ponders if she is thinking of a 'Special Somepony' in the correct way.  Tilting her head to the left, she asks, "Should I not enter?  Am I misunderstanding something?"

"D'pends on how y'understand it, Miss Shai." Big Macintosh drawled as he shrugged his yoked shoulders.  "Th'contest is so that Rainbow Dash can find somepony t'start datin' and be her Special Somepony.  If y'happen t'be interested, then y'got every right t'join in." of course, as he said that, he cast his sister a pondering glance.

"Why would I not want to be her Special Somepony?  It sounds so-" Shai Ni begins to reply before she finally processes the entire statement - and its implications.  "Wait.  It is accompanied with dating... dating is supposed to be a romantic activity... romantic activities are supposed to be done with... oh.  Oh."

Shai blushes brightly once again, but manages NOT to let her horn glow (with much effort!) as she says, "I... do not think I will be entering after all."

The farmpony didn't really say anything,  despite her brother's look.  But as Shai seemed to figure things out, she raised a hoof to fuss with her hap, her own shade darkening a touch. "Ehe.. Yup. That's what it's all about.  Ah think she's bein' foalish with this, ya can't hold a contest ta' pick a Special Somepony..."

"Ah don't wanna see'er get hurt, like this..." Applejack wasn't the best with her truth-dodging, really. "And... uhh..."

"It's not the worst way to find a special somepony, Applejack.  After all, the best pony would win in a contest like that, and Rainbow Dash would hardly be hurt if that pony did win." Silva still would enter, of course, but her suspicions were confirmed. "Just try not to worry about it, okay?  The kind of pony that will win the contest wouldn't hurt her, right?"

She gave Applejack a careful and soft pat on the back to avoid pricking her.

"She'd be upset if someopony entered just to test themselves and happened to win! Or if the winner wasn't interested in the prize..  or..." She stomped a hoof lightly, "Ahem... I... uhh.. gotta keep an eye out..." She trotted along to one of the windows of Shai's shop, glancing out into the square anxiously.

Silva just tried to look understanding without being amused.  She could sense passion about a subject, and she didn't want to deny it.  Maybe she could motivate Applejack to perform a little bit better so that this contest would go closer and closer to how it should...

The thought did amuse her a little, though.

Applejack was a good Pony... she cared deeply about her friends and always worked hard to make sure they were taken care of.  In that respect, one could easily see her entrance into the competition as her just looking out after Rainbow Dash as she claimed.  After all, an athletic mare like her could easily cull the unsuitable contestants.

But, then again, Big Mac also knew his little sister a lot better than most.  And she was a terrible liar.

"Ah think we should be gettin' along then.  Ain't right t'be crowdin' up Miss Shai Ni's space like we are." the stallion spoke up before he looked to the diminutive Unicorn.  "Ah'm much obliged for all th'help so far.  Ah'll be sure t'look into what's needed for growin' rice first thing.  How much d'Ah owe y'for Granny's treatment, and when should we expect y'for another visit?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:58, Wed 24 Oct 2012.

Applejack kept watch out the window until Big Macintosh suggested they leave. Trotting back over, she gave him a glance. "Rice? Huh.. Could be somethin' interesting since we ain't done it before." she couldn't help a curious glance at Shai Ni..  Applejack suspected it had been her idea...

While not the most romantically wise, Shai Ni is no stranger to embarrassment when talking about others due to certain matters.  That, combined with Applejack's inability to lie in any sort of convincing manner whatsoever, give Shai enough of a hint to see that there is more than just wanting to keep Rainbow Dash out of trouble going on.

Another reason to stay out of the competition.

She smiles a bit when Big Macintosh mentions looking into growing rice, and then thinks about how to word her reply when Applejack chimes in about the rice and looks at her.  This, obviously, causes her to give a sheepish grin and glance to the side as if to say, 'who, me?  You must be joking.'  It seems that Shai Ni is about on par with Applejack for lies and misdirection.

Clearing her throat politely, she says with a slight blush, "All I require for payment for this treatment is... making me happy on the date."  Honestly, Shai Ni would be happy to give treatments for free if she didn't have to worry about expenses.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:06, Thu 25 Oct 2012.

Silva just observed with concealed amusement.  There were a lot of things here to be amused with.

As Shai and Big Macintosh discussed payment for. what exactly? Applejack had been our of the loop on that one. But perhaps more awkwardly... Shai's words... "Ehe...  ah'm sure ya'll will have a great time..." Applejack lightly facehoofed. "Err... not that it's any a' my business..." 

Aplejack just kept on blushing, and glanced along to the bemused Silva. "C'mon, let's  clear out, we're crowdin' the place up..."

Silva bowed lightly to Big Macintosh and Shai Ni. "Have a good day."

She led the way out slowly, waiting for Applejack.