Looking for a new book

Sauvignon was back in town from his usual work. He was not working today. All he wants is a good book to read. So he headed up to the library hoping to find just that.

"Ah so many books and so little time"

He said to himself as he walked along the countless shelves filled with books. He knelled down to look at the ones on the lower shelf looking for a good detective novel to read. Finding one he had not read yet. He happily held his new find and went to the checkout booth.

Thunderclap walked the rows of bookshelves of the library. Although his home had quite the large collection of books, he enjoyed going to the library. Besides, it usually has a wider variety of books available, as well as some rarer literature.

Thunder went to his favourite section and picked out a novel. A fantastic adventure. The book promised adventures, heros, knights, fearsome dragons, and lovely damsels in distress. He smiled and took in to the check out, where he accidentally bumped into another pegasus. "Excuse me, my apologies." He said.

"OH my, Don't worry no harm done"
He shook his mane a bit and picked up his book that had fallen.
"I have not seen you here before. The name is Cabernet Sauvignon GranViña you may call me Sauvignon"
He checked out his book from the checkout booth.
"Nothing better than a great read! doncha think!"

Thunder smiled weakly at the pony. "I am pleased to meet you Sauvignon." He said, the name coming easy to him given his fluency in different tongues. "My name is Thunderclap. You can just call me that." He replied, his name seeming far less fancy when compared to the other pony's.

Thunder looked at his book. "Oh yes, I agree. reading is one of my favourite pastimes. It really eats up my time when I'm not working." He said, especially since his social life was almost non existent.

"Ah yes work takes up much of our precious lives. I certainly hope that you are working on something of your liking?"
Sauvignon smiled and was about to go on his way but stopped.
"Say, considering you just checked out a book. It appears to me you are about to relax someplace to enjoy some exciting literature. Now if you are not to busy would you consider accompanying me to my château. I will let you sample my latest creation!"

Thunder looked somewhat shocked at the invitation. He had been in Canterlot for three weeks now and barely anypony gave him a single thought, let alone an invitation anywhere. Thunder was a little shaky on the subject, remembering what happened last time a pegasus invited him into his home. Still, he was raised to be polite.

"I would be most honoured to accompany you." Thunder said, bowing his head slightly. "It is about time I got out of the house." He said, and smiled.

"Ah you work at home I see. Well So do I. And it gets rather lonely sometimes. MY place is a bit away from town . I hope that is no trouble. I have to tend to the vineyards you see. That seems to take up a large expanse of land you see. So i cannot exactly have that in town."

He explained as he walked. He had lived here for years but he was not known for walking around town. He mostly kept to himself unless he needed a book. If something else needed tending he would send someone else.

Thunder chuckled. "Well, I'm pretty sure I can handle the fly over to your place. I've handled a lot worse, I can assure you." He said with a smile. The mention of vineyards caught Thunder's attention. He was no stranger to working with the land, being a farmer himself for most of his life.

He walked alongside Sauvignon, sliding his new book into his saddle bags. "I would love to see your place. I am quite a pony of the land."

Sauvignon smiled. Finally someone who understood him. Most ponies were to fancy to understand him. Now here was someone who understood land. "I'm glad we understand each other. A pony of the land you say heh. What do you tend to? If you don't mind me asking"

They walked along forgetting about the 'Flying to your place' part at least for now.

Thunder smiled. "Well, I don't work on a farm anymore, but I used to tend to a wide variety of crops. Mostly grains, but also the odd other things." He said.

Thunder stretched out his wings, eager to fly, but it seemed that the other pony would have none of it. He shrugged slightly and continued walking.

"We'll it seems it would be much after to fly like you said. I think we should. The faster we arrive the faster we can relax I believe"
With that Sauvignon spread his wings and lifter of the ground. He was not a fast flyer but he most certainly has style. He went higher and higher untill he was high enough to point out his place.
"You see all those vineyards on the side if the hills. Those my friend are the GranViña vineyards and at the back there is my home"

Thunderclap grinned as he saw Sauvignon lift into the sky. Unlike the fancy pegasus, Thunderclap was a fast flyer. A pretty fair flyer, if he did say so himself. He stretched out his wings and shot into the air at blistering speeds. He quickly sped past Sauvignon and hovered in the air. He loved flying, it was one thing that made him feel free.

"Lead the way." He said, "I cannot find my way without you."

"Of course if course!" Sauvignon said as he flew over the rooftops of the homes in town. Rey flew over several shops also. Sauvignon was not going very fast but it looked like he was trotting in mid air as he flew. Once he was at the right angle all he did was make a few adjustments and he dived. His wings making him glide over the sky in the precise direction he wanted. He did little flapping of his wings if any. And suddenly folding his wings back for the dive at a surprisingly high speed. He opened up his wings once more at a pocket of hit air and lifted up like a helium ballon set free. And finally landed right outside his home. It was a great big Chateâu with big oak trees in front. A long gate separated his home from his vineyards. Well here we are. Make yourself at home"

Thunderclap landed in front of the chateau and took in the sites. "Well, it is very lovely. Reminds me of where I grew up. Of course, grains are a little different than grapes." He said and chuckled. "Its also a lot more wide open than were I live. Don't get me wrong, it is a nice place, but it can get a little bit cramped."

Thunder stretched his wings and followed Sauvignon, not wanting to enter the chateau first. Even though he was told to make himself at home, he was still a guest and wanted to show respect to his host.

"Well I have lived here all my life but I admit being inside town does get a bit crowded and i do enjoy out here much better."

He walked in. Inside the floor was well polished but not in such a way to make it slippery to the hooves. The hall was well lit in a warm orange hew. There were several paintings on the walls of the previous owners of the famous GranViña Vineyards and of course the wines they sold all over Equestria.

"Welcome Master Viña.... oh a visitor. Welcome welcome" The Butler said as he greeted them both. He was an older colt all black with bright silver mane with a bottle cutiemark.

"We will just be heading to the reading room Glass Shine just bring us some of the new stuff. We are just going to be reading." Sauvignon said with a smile.

Thunder followed Sauvignon in, keeping his mouth shut in order to avoid accidentally breaking some sort of obscure social rule. He had only been living with the social elite for a little while, and did not quite know all of the nuances of social interaction. He bowed his head slightly when the butler approached them, trying to show some respect.

He followed quietly behind the other pegasus, the paintings lining the halls reminding him of his home. I guess any family with a lineage like this would have a hall of paintings.

Sauvignon walked though the halls. and reached teh "Reading Roon" it was a circular room with lamps illuminating reading places. Books all throughout the shelf being ready to be read.

"Well this is my reading room. Make yourself at home and look for a good place to read. Glass Shine will bring us some drinks in a minute. Oh and if you like a smoke feel free i have extra pipes if you like. I have several different flavors of tobacco if you like to try. Now if you don't smoke its perfectly alright. I will not be offended." Sauvignon said as he looked though his pipe-rack and picked up his favorite pipe.

Thunder sat down on what seemed a comfortable looking chair. "This is very nice, thank you. I will have some of the wine. As for smoking, well, I've never actually tried it. Only person who smoked in my house was my father. I can see him now, in his old recliner, smoking his pipe, and tuning his violin." He said and sighed, his mind going back to a simpler time. "So I'm not sure I will smoke. Maybe I'll try later."

"That's quite alright" Sauvignon said as he puffed on his pipe. "My father was like that too. I admit At first i didn't want the responsibility of this place. But.." He paused to puff his pipe again. "Its our family's legacy it would be rather ungrateful of me to throw everything away after so much work. Besides I do enjoy tending the grapes and making the wine. So I suppose its more than family duty that keeps me here."

Glass Shine walked in with a platter with a bottle of wine and two glasses.
"Master Vina the wine has arrived"

"Thank you Glass Shine.. feel free to get some for yourself" Sauvignon told him. Glass shine only nodded and walked away backwards taking the platter but leaving the wine and now filled glasses behind.

"This is the most recent batch from our new grapes. You are the first outside the vineyards to try it."

Thunderclap smiled. "Well, I am very honoured that you would offer me this then." Thunder said, taking one of the glasses and taking a sip. He let it sit in his mouth for a second or two before swallowing it. "Now, I don't know much about wine, sadly. But I can say that this is very, very good." He said, taking another sip.

Thunder relaxed on one chair. "Yes, I know what you mean. I too work in the family business. I have my whole life, in a way. Right now I work for my grandfather. He is a retired general, and is currently a adviser for the military as well as the Royal Guard." Thunderclap said, taking another sip of wine.

"That must be an interesting job. I don't know much about royal Guards or military tactics. Its a whole different world from what I have read. It seems that life has been good to you." He smiles as he sipped from his wine.

"I normally don't have visitors however you seemed like someone that was not as.. how should I put it, Arrogant and Vain. So I had no doubt you would be an interesting person to talk to."

"That must be an interesting job. I don't know much about royal Guards or military tactics. Its a whole different world from what I have read. It seems that life has been good to you." He smiles as he sipped from his wine.

"I normally don't have visitors however you seemed like someone that was not as.. how should I put it, Arrogant and Vain. So I had no doubt you would be an interesting person to talk to."


(my apologies i didn't realize DD was logged in and just posted using her name)

Thunder laughed. "Oh, life has been anything but nice to me until lately. Life is a cruel mistress." He said, taking another sip of wine. "But it is an interesting job, and grandfather is very obsessed with teaching me, especially since he could not get my father into the family business."

Thunder put his wine glass down. "The day I become arrogant and vain is the day my family disowns me. We are very proud, but only of what we have achieved, not because of status." He said.