An Evening in Ponyville

Intermittent clouds plodded across the evening sky of Ponyville, indicating that some Pegasi were invariably destined for some place beyond view. The final peachy rays of a setting sun glanced back at these Pegasi and painted their silhouettes golden. Ponies with idle minds and hoofs strolled along the dirt and cobble streets, forever passing rows of small businesses and never stopping to buy.

Victoria lay on a bench and trailed these ponies with bright eyes. If it were not made clear by their violet depths that something profound occupied her mind, this was much accounted for by the knitting which her hoofs meticulously and mechanically conducted. The resulting fabric was knotted; and it was supposed, as in literature, that each knot deliberately resembled an entry into a cryptic assembly of thoughts.

She had bought a little box of delicate pastries from the local bakery. These sweets now accompanied her on the bench, and whenever she appeared to hesitate in her work, she would steal a bit of cream onto her hoof and taste it. So she continued, synthesizing this catalog with her eyes upon the passersby and her brow furrowed, alone for the time being.

Thunderclap walked down the streets of Ponyville, enjoying the cool evening air, and the beautiful sunset. He kept his gaze low, however, the sight of weather ponies bringing up too many painful memories. Ignoring any odd looks from ponies, the pegasus continued on, his appearance a little bit worse after he became homeless once again.

A familiar sight came into the corner of his, catching his attention. A small grin came across his face, as he walked towards the bench. "Well, well, well." He said, "Look who it is. Victoria, I believe it was? Looks like you are the one lost in thought. What a role reversal we have here." He continued, standing over the mare.

Her attention was presently diverted to the pegasus. "'Tis advantageous to think in one's own behalf, as opposed to one's detriment," Victoria retorted with a repressed scowl, having identified her antagonist prior to his approach. Immediately upon surveying the now rather husky stallion, however, a smirk settled upon her lips.

The sight of his condition thoroughly satisfied Victoria, and even as he stood over her, she returned a confident expression reflecting this pleasure. Apparently, Thunderclap had discovered her role in the fiasco, even though she had never directly proven her ruinous motives to him.

"Isn't 'zat so true for you, loveless little Thunderclap? You look as 'zough you could enjoy a treat. Have one, will you?" She produced a slice of sponge cake from the box, void of topping, and sardonically extended it to him.

Thunderclap eyed the piece of cake hungrily, his mouth beginning to salivate. The cake did look good, and he had barely anything to eat all day. He grabbed the piece of cake, muttered a quit "thank you" and ate it. It tasted divine. He composed himself before continuing the conversation.

"Loveless Thunderclap, eh?" He said, stepping closer. "Well, you know what they say, tis better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." Thunder's grin grew even more. "And what about you? What problems are swimming around in that pretty little head of yours." He said, trying to be pleasant and keep open hostilities to a minimum. Still though, a conversation like this is just like open warfare with smiles and hellos.

"My dear," the mare was quick to interject. "'Ze domain of my mind shall not entertain problems; only solutions. Nor do 'zey swim, for I do find my devices to be quite concrete."

Her knitting pins embedded yet another knot in her work. Evident was that this knot represented something particularly significant, for she readjusted her gaze once more to oversee its completion. Her speech, by contrast, proceeded without interruption. "Say, by whom were such lovely lines composed? Ah, 'twas a poet who surrounded himself with but foolish romantics."

After characteristic diversion, however, she decided it appropriate to answer. That which she selected to divulge, however, left little opportunity for speculation. "I think about my own dear one. He is bold and consequential; but more 'zan 'zat, he is extraordinarily moderate. An effect of this quality, should it be labeled as such, is that he now faces a considerable dilemna. You see me now as I do my part in his behalf, quite simply."

"Aye, the romantics may be foolish, blinded by love. Love is not a terrible thing, if you do not let it cloud your judgement." He said, noticing the knot made in the knitting. "Am i causing distress, or is it a lack of talent?" He thought. "Probably both. Not that it matters to me."

"So, your dear one is in a spot of trouble? A lover perhaps? What is love, but a selfish emotion. Filled with pitfalls, perils, heartaches and heart breaks." He said. "But what do I know of love? You are truly the expert in this field, are you not?"

Victoria replied with a resentful glare. "Open a book for once, and perhaps you shall then understand why mares knit. 'Tis no dainty garment 'zat you see in my hooves."

The glare passed momentarily, after which she resumed her work. "You cry contradiction, dear brother, because you perceive so little. Hark! The difference 'zat shall forever distinguish myself from the likes of you exists within objective thinking. The bondage which I share with this stallion shall only yield its advantages in time. It is strategically favorable--do you understand?--for my lover to be mine. Meanwhile, it is in fact the direct result of your having compromised for love 'zat you stand before me without meal or bed."

"'Tis not expertise which applies, but merely common sense," she concluded, adding with spiteful merriment, "which is why your hardships are such a spectacle!"

It was another market crawl for Lori and she loved every moment. Being out in the ambiance of other ponies and not one bit of silence in her mind gave her a level of comfort that couldn't be achieved while on the job. That was not to say she was uncomfortable counseling, as she enjoyed her work, but everypony needed their time away.

As she always had, Lori aquired a few sweets on her pass through the market and trotted over to her regular seat on a bench as she always did on such days. In her admiration of the immediate atmosphere around her though, she discovered all too late that her bench was occupied in her direct approach.

Oh bugger. Nopony usually sits here... Her intent to make use of the bench was already fairly obvious, but she looked about for any other seat that would suffice. While the bench had more than enough space to accommodate several ponies she would hate to interrupt the conversation between-

Is that....sponge cake? She smiled a little more and continued her approach to the bench. Oh come on Lori, you know your not just sitting down because of that. You need to meet other ponies. Plus these two look innocently interesting enough. Perhaps its about time to make friends and not patients.

She sat down comfortably, being oblivious in her acknowledgement of the other two for the time being and set down her unlabeled sweets next to her for all to see. There was no mistaking the package's origin, but what was inside was to be explored.

Lori stole a glance at Vicky's knitting, smiling her potential entrance to the conversation. "Lovely knit. Passing a message or making something new?" She had read enough books to know what else such a knit could mean.

Thunder eyed the new arrival. "Good someone to diffuse the tension. Open hostilities won't help raid my reputation with the locals." He though, and smiled warmly at the pony. "Why, hello. My name is Thunderclap. And what may I call you?" He asked, offering a hoof to shake.

"Why Vicky, stop being so greedy. Free up some bench space for the rest of us, eh?" He said, chuckling. "Can't we all just be a big happy group?" He said, trying to diffuse any tension while still annoying Victoria.

Victoria observed the mare through the peripheries of her vision. She deduced that the mare was carrying with her a pretty assemblage of sweets. She supposed that the mare had also fancied the pastries which currently lay beside her upon the bench. Only when Lorenza sat, however, did she express awareness of her.

Rising from her piece, Victoria returned a sharp and gracious smile to the mare. It was as if to suggest that she and her comprehending mind were warmly welcomed. "Ah, 'ze answer is perhaps both and so much more, dear sister! A monumental task awaits, if you will understand--one which requires careful consideration." Victoria replied mirthfully.

Her smile persisted, even while she actively ignored the stallion. She would not compromise in the interest of peace, for she had long ago determined it inconceivable to yield entirely at the insistence of any other. No, she would instead remain on the offensive.

Upon recognizing that the stallion had taken the liberty of condensing her name, she twitched her brow. "Do not call me 'zat," She snapped, instantly feigning gravity. "I do not know you well, and I wish you would not solicit me so. I have spared you a slice of sponge cake because you look famished; do not impose, gentle vagrant."

Lori took a moment to let them both speak to her. In that time, she was able to gather enough of the going ons between them to get an idea of their relationship.

Well, looks like i stepped into something. Deary me. She pivoted to more directly address the two. She chose to ignore their banter toward eachother and start with introductions.

"Ah, Hullo." She spoke with the slight Canterlot accent in her. "Lorenza Counsel. But you can just call me Lori." She nodded to them both, ending with Vicky. "Mind I ask your acquaintance as well hun?"

Thunderclap raised an eyebrow. "My apologies, dear, i had n clue you were so defensive about the use of your name." He said. a smirk then crossed his face. "Oh really, you gave me something because I was in need. Why Victoria, you do have a heart after all." he said.

Thunder than turned his attention to the newcomer. "Well, as I have said, you may cal me Thunderclap. Lori, huh, thats a nice name." He said. "And what brings you here?"

She returned a rather expressionless stare. It had not and never would be an objective of hers to explore the domain which lay beneath her bosom. To have a heart was, by her assertions, an utterly irrelevant qualification. His comment therefore, laden with sneer and sarcasm, affected her not.

By contrast, his persistence rendered her visibly perturbed. With a breath, she made as if to speak; but as the stallion reintroduced himself out of either malice or ignorance of context, the mare retreated once again to her needles and proceeded to knit with additional ferocity.

"Victoria; how d'you do," she murmured rhetorically, her words mitigated in the shadows of Thunderclap's whilst she buried her eyes in her fabric.

Lori heard Thunder introduce himself yet again before hearing Victoria properly introduce herself. The air between the two seemed heavy already with tension. Thunder dripped with his sarcasm and Vicky was buried in her knitting. There definitely was something she walked in on here.

"...Well..." Her unease of the situation was obvious, if not somewhat intentional. Perhaps she could help remedy this. "...How about some bear claws?"

She pushed her box of pastries a bit down the bench and opened it to reveal various doughnuts. Perhaps a trade could be in order for a sample of that sponge cake.

Thunderclap looked over and eyed the doughnuts. He felt drool build up inside his mouth. His stomach growled loudly. He blushed in embarrassment and looked slightly away. "Um, I wouldn't mind a bear claw. Or anything else you have in there." He said, hungrily. "I'm quite famished." He said, laughing slightly.

"Sorry if our encounter has made you uncomfortable Lori. Please, tell me abut yourself." He said, trying to make her feel more comfortable. He did not want to make enemies of everypony, after all.

Had there been some darkness over her, it passed, quite subtly, as she stopped
to admire her stitches. Tuning wholly into her surroundings at last, Victoria
donned her most ebullient facade. Her eyes, meanwhile, drifted indulgently over
the features of the mare in a deliberate indication of fancy.

"You excite my tastes, dear sister," Victoria rejoined; supposedly in reference to the pastries, but with all too much ambiguity to tell. "Oui, please do not mind our bickering. And," she added emphatically, recalling to mind the apparent interest in the contents of her own cake box, "Do pleasure me by sharing in some of my own delights." She selected one of Lorenza's treats and gripped it delicately between her lips.

Then, in her merriment, Victoria reached forward and gently tickled the chin of Thunderclap. This was, of course, a gesture within which malice could only be detected by the stallion and herself.

Lori beckoned to them both to take a treat. All words considered, she could not help but grow somewhat flushed in the face at Victoria's ambiguity. She giggled and wasted little time in taking up a wax square worth of sponge cake for herself.

"Why thank you. Your cake looks lovely." She was already sampling it before she gave much chance to address Thunder. Licking her hoof clean, she smiled to him. "I'm just a simple pony new to this town. There are many i have yet to meet still, and oh so many interesting ponies."

A grin crossed Thunderclap's face. "Why thank you for your kindness Miss Counsel. You are far to kind to me. I apologize that I don't have anything to give you in return." He said, taking a bear claw. "Therefore, I shall be in your debt." He said, remembering his father's words about paying one's dues. "I'm not hard to find, being so big, so if ever you need a favour, just call on me."

"I too, am new to this town." Thunderclap said, ignoring Victoria's tickling of his chin. He was not about to give her the satisfaction of getting a response out of him. Still though, Victoria was confusing pony. She held ill wind against him for no apparent reason. Still, the inner workings of a pony's mind was not his strong suit. "Perhaps we should discover this town together?" He suggested, in a friendly tone of voice.

Lori smiled but shook her head. "I am quite alright. I have gotten a feel for the town, just not its residents. Though my line of work does allow me to meet new ponies and get to know them. What do ponies such as yourselves do here in this lovely town?"

Thunder frowned slightly, almost unnoticeably. "Well, for me, I like to help out ponies. Also, I love to go bowling, the bowling alley is quite fun." He said, completely ignoring Vicky, partly out of spite and partly out of disinterest. "But there are tons of fun stuff you could do. My personal recommendation is the library. It has quite a collection."

Assuming a more accommodating posture, Victoria glanced conspicuously at Lorenza Counsel's cutie mark, and methodically supposed that the mare might appreciate an allusion to the Ponyville community.

"I frequent 'zis cozy town and busy myself with its occupants. Such lovely individuals as 'zis one -" Victoria very subtly nodded in the direction of Thunderclap. "- are like bundles of fascination just waiting to be discovered." She colored her tone as she spoke; her hoofs, gesturing with delicate emphasis. The very curls of her velvet mane bounced in the practiced maneuver.

"Now, I do intend to be off soon. 'Zere remain errands to attend to -- and hath time ever tarried for a mare? If you would care to join me, do; otherwise, bonne soirée!"

At last, she rose, deposited her knitting piece, clutched her pastry box by the ribbon, and endeavored to smile at the two with her cakes suspended beneath her clenched teeth.

oh hey guys whats going on ?