Returning home and back to square one (open to all)

It was a day like any other...Pleasant, warm, peaceful...

"Boooring...." Said Shala moments after she got off the train. Deep inside her, she had kinda hoped that she would see her old friends again. See those ponies that gave her the best years of her life. But here she was, at a station with not a single pony she recognized. Anyone anticipating her return couldn't have been late. Heck her train was late, a detail she gave the conductor much trouble about, spouting off how she was the time table manager in Canterlot for the train logistics. Of course that didn't really go far.

A pony from behind excused himself as he tried to pass by. Shala sighed and waddled aside, her added weight in her grown belly slowing her down considerably. The source of her troubles and turbulence in her life lately. Things were not working out as she tried to hide it, but everything fell through. Now....Here she was.

She muttered something under her breath as the pony passed by. It was just shy of noon and Shala had a lot of work and moving around she did not look forward too. First she needed a permanent place to stay. Then a job. Maybe the tavern would take her back...She grumbled at how hard it would be on her to be in front of all those bottles of liquor and not have a single sip. Why did life have a way of mocking her?

With a huge sigh and grumble, Shala pulled her weight and rolling suit case behind her with her tail into the town center, looking for a hotel or real estate agency.

Ebony was a slip of a creature. She was often reminded of this by the landlady of her flat in the centre of Canterlot. Her mum badgered her about it to no end, attempting to shove various Prench pastries into her mouth at every turn whenever she visited the LeBrun estate.

It wasn't that she was conscious about her weight. Quote the opposite, actually. She just didn't care enough about eating to even consider being overweight someday. As it was, she was barely eating enough to be able to run properly, and that was where she conceded to needing sustenance. If she was too tired to run, it was time to find a salad or a large bowl of soup, or maybe even takeout Neighponese (that was an after-case treat).

They told her it was unhealthy. When Zefarin did it, she poked fun at his cake-munching tendencies to change the subject. Anypony else was ignored. They thought she had an eating disorder.

They were wrong.

She knew her own mind. She didn't mind food. She liked it, as a matter of fact, provided it wouldn't make her sick or hinder her performance. There were just more important things to do than eating or sleeping, and it was a tried and proved hypothesis that digesting slowed her mind. So, no eating on a case. Not a lot of sleeping, either. She slept on the couch more often than she did in her own bed as a result.

Speaking of cases, it was a nice change in daily scheduling that she wasn't working. Her crew had all but shoved her out of the NSY building, and Rin had threatened to get Mummy involved if Ebony didn't get out of Canterlot for at least a week. So there she was, with a small case trailing behind her in a blur of navy magic and the large black coat swirling around her thin frame, standing in the centre of town and deciding that she best find somewhere quiet to think for a while, looking like an oddly-proportioned, huge bat.

How dreadful.

Shala had very little patience latey. Actually she never was one for patience, but lately her hormones haven't been doing her favors and she REALLY wasn't too patient. She had enough of a sharp glare to turn away a few ponies that she wanted to get a few answers out of.

"These ponies troting around like nothing is wrong....Pfffttt.....Celestia, I could really go for some chocolate...." She grumbled. Her hooves were already starting to ache a bit. Was she really going to have to deal with this for another few months? How did fat ponies handle this?

Shala was about ready to smash something until she finally found a pony that didn't yield to her approach from a mile away. Some dusty old looking batty pony.

"Hey you! Newbie Goth Pony! Where is a real estate agent!? Sucker has moved since I was last here. My hooves are killing me and I need a damn place to live or I am going to strangle a Ursa Major with an anaconda!"

Oh Shala, always quick to make friends....

What? He looks smart. So he probably knows what I want and how to get it.

She, Shala, She.

Bleh. Unimportant details....

Ebony, always paying attention to everything, had indeed noticed the slightly overweight mare standing in the middle of the street and looking about ready to explode with spite. She had just deemed the unicorn unimportant until she was directly addressed by her.

Now, she was definitely paying attention, and the amusement she was portraying was somewhere in the negative thirties. The Lady (and how she abhorred the title, but it made Mummy and Zefarin happy when she used it) tilted her head, scrutinising the pony for a moment, before huffing a sigh.

'Resorting to petty insults. In my experience, that hardly helps matters when one is lost. But you, you have a bit of an issue with others. Hate to be reminded about your past. Tsk. Dramatic talents do tend to bring the worst out in ponies.

'I have an internal clock on the wall in my head - rather nice, always knowing when you'll be getting somewhere, or how long it'll take to get home if you go down this street instead of that, but, oh, it bothers you? Must be pretty extensive. Failure to compartmentalise has brought about a sense of loathing for it. You hate looking in mirrors if you'll get a glimpse of the cutie mark on your flanks. Newcomer to Ponyville... No, returning after a long time away. Native Manehattenite, but you weren't there: repressed memories you're rather not think about. You're homeless and looking for lodging. Hmm. Can't help you with the real estate office, I'm from Canterlot and I have no interest in leaving my work and my city for longer than is absolutely necessary.'

She looked down at her navy scarf. 'Not sure colour is a thing with goths, last I checked. Nice use of creative imagery, by the way. I don't believe I've ever seen a pony of your weight and stature wrestle an anaconda into stretching itself out enough to get around the throat of an Ursa Major, but it might be fascinating to watch. Hmm, the possibilities with that experiment...'

She trailed off, thinking pensively.

'Later. I hope I've been of no help. Afternoon!'

.....This....pony....

Every word that was spoken only pushed Shala's expression that much further into fury. Eye twitching, she began to ground her hooves against the earth. Word after word hit closer and closer to home. Reminders of things past that she had spent a very good long time overcoming and bettering herself on. That dull ache of a clock ticking in her head seemed to be coming back.

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

It took her four minutes and thirty seven seconds to walk here from the train station, another fourty one seconds since she spotted this pony. He talked a lot. A whole lot. Lots of time talking. There was one pony whom she claimed to love that she didn't mind hearing talk a lot. Her time with him let her, for once in her live, enjoy some intellect that she had aspired to have as a foal. She was reminded of what crushed that dream though as this here batty emo mare was reciting it like it was some scientific poetry.

Shala seethed through her teeth and looked about ready to snap this pony in half. A small part of her felt like it was a short little trip down memory lane, reminding her of how far she had come since-

I don't care! I wanna slap up this pony something fierce!

Oh fine. Shala was ready to burst while she would like to think she normally had something witty to say, fury had all but numbed her verbal creativity. It didn't help that she had very little to say other than a few select words.

"I'm....IM NOT FAT YOU EMO BATTY LOOKING TWIG PONY!" And with that, Shala got violent, throwing a punch at the face of the first pony she had seen since she arrived as a stranger in the town that was once her most beloved home among friends. Good job Shala.

Screw dem ponies. I want my chocolate.

I'm sure you do...

Ebony saw the punch coming from a mile away. It didn't stop her from being surprised when the mare's hoof came careening towards her face.

She ducked just fast enough that the blow clipped the top of her head, hitting mostly curls rather than her actual skull. It still hurt, but she paid it no mind, instead staring at her attacker with a curious expression on her face.

'I didn't call you fat,' she said, frowning. 'I just merely pointed out that it'd be interesting to see somepony of your weight and stature turning an anaconda into something vaguely resembling a piece of stretchy confectionary. Taffy, I believe, is the right comparison? That was what you were imagining, correct? Biologically, it'd be impossible, but I haven't factored in magical abilities yet, so it could very well happen, which was why I suggested to myself an experiment.'

She dropped her suitcase for a moment before sticking her hoof into her coat and extracting an id card.

'I'm off-duty and in a different city, but I've been reminded that I can very well arrest ponies who try to punch me,' she said, waving the warrant card around haphazardly before tucking it back into her coat. 'But I won't, because I don't particularly care what you do or don't do. Unless you've murdered somepony, stolen something valuable, or assaulted somepony else violently. Have you murdered anypony?' she asked, looming over the unicorn for a moment.

'No,' she answered herself thoughtfully. 'Not yet, at least.'

She peered at the mare with narrowed verdigris eyes.

'I have been called batty before, in both an animalistic and mentally-damaged context, so I can give you that. 'Emo' would imply that I self-harm, dye my hair black, like the colour hot pink as an accent, and listen to a certain style of abhorrent music. Pah. I am a violinist, you understand, and we have very particular tastes. You are aware the word 'emo' stands for 'emotional,' correct? An acquaintance of mine called me a machine and an automaton in a fit. My father thought I was sociopathic until I was tested, but I still have similar tendencies, so I can assure you that I am far from emotional. Besides,' she said, sniffing, 'I've never dyed my mane in my life, and this is a genuine femme 'Milford' Belstaff peacoat, thank you very much.'

The grey unicorn leered at the seething mare before running a quick hoof through her head and over the throbbing lump, tousling the curls back into an acceptable state of sophisticated dishevelment.

((would you mind If I jumped in?))

(not at all. Let me finish my next post first.)

((Okay! thank you!))

Shala was hardly listening to Ebony. Rather she was infatuated with trying to hit her with a hoof in a buring rage as she fumed and let out those bottled up emotions. This was not something new to Shala and she had gotten into the routine of dealing with her circumstances and handling them better. But her most recent situation was still fresh, having moved away from home, dealing with her hormones and....unplanned future that was growing in her. She always was a fighter, and now she had a chance to punch out a pony. It wouldn't make her feel better, but it would make the anger go away.

Just as this mare stopped to reach in her bad, Shala had her. She wound up for a big smash in her face, make that clock stop ticking, and......

...Horseapples

Shala blinked at the card, her anger suddenly diminishing into surprise.

"Your...wait, what? What!?...What?! Some idiot made you a cop?"

Her surprise was quickly turning to a nervous and shifty attitude.

"Uuuhhh....No, no haven't killed, robbed, beaten, tortured, or assualted...put in comas...uh....Nope."

Shala leaned back a bit and started to turn. "Ummm...Guess you should go enjoy some doughnuts and monologues at the cafe, fat brain." She added the last bit of her frustration before poorly trying to slink off. It might have worked better if she didn't insist on insulting her.

I don't do subtle!

And you wonder why you get in trouble so much.

Fonzemi was just enjoying a little extra change in his pocket (after a particularly generous client tipped him for a expedient ride to Ponyville) as he bounced down the street. Whoever the strangely piratical mare was, she certainly had money to spare. It always helps when the passanger in questions 'suggests' that you keep them a little hush hush.

Calico Blastsides grumbled. If she wasn't so damnably generous, she would still have a few bits in her pocket. But that coachpony did do an exceptional job, and it would be bad form to not pay a workpony for services rendered; now if she was robbing him, that would be a entirely different matter. Now, she wondered,  if I was a horrendous no-good monster of a mare, who would know where I stashed one of my latest conquests? She made her way in the opposite direction of her driver.

Fonzemi, on the other hand, was ready to have a good day. Out of the city for the time being, he would probably have to go back tomorrow, but that left him the whole day to loaf about and...

Down the street, a fight had broken out between two mares, both quite opposites in the stature department.

The zebra stared at the spectacle. " Aye now..." He started as he quickly made his way toward the conflict. Before he could intervene (prepared to do some slugging of his own.) the pudgier mare turned and started away by the black mare who was practically skin and bones.

He didn't hear what was being said until he got pretty close.

"Ummm...Guess you should go enjoy some doughnuts and monologues at the cafe, fat brain."

As he stopped, he looked at the black one, then the yellowed one. Making eye contact with the black mare, he simply shrugged at her and turned to follow the other one. The black one in the coat would probably be fine.

"Uh. Aye. Dude." Fonzemi mustered tentatively as he followed behind. "Yo aight? I don' know wat 'appened between you and Slender ovah there, but... uh..." His Whoever this mare was, she certainly could not be described as a happy camper. "Who tooka leak in yo haystack? Other than creepy over there." He laughed richly, hoping to diffuse the mare.

'Well, I'm a little more than a run-of-the-mill copper, thank you very much,' Ebony said, sniffing again. 'I do have a reputation and a success rate in the 95th percentile for Serious Crimes. I run a division.' Then she looked down on herself and quirked her head. 'What makes you think I enjoy doughnuts? Nasty things, far too sugary. I much prefer beignets, if you must know, and only on occasion. It's too much effort to find them often.'

She stopped for a moment and squinted at the mare before letting out an elated 'ah.'

'There's always something,' she muttered, turning to face the mare's retreating figure. 'How far along are you now? Seven-point-three months or so? Accidental, I'm assuming, or you wouldn't be homeless and alone. Deepest condolences.' She didn't look very sorry.

Ebony spared a quick glance to the approaching ponies before pulling her askew scarf back into place and straightening.

'I'm not creepy,' she huffed, even though she was quite sure she wasn't supposed to be eavesdropping (Zefarin would know something like that, damn him).

Shala didn't give Ebony much more than a glance. She didn't really want to spend anymore time around a pony involved with the law, even though she technically was clean now.

Oh! Oh! Tell them its because I hate her too!

...And Shala wanted to leave because she hated her.

Hah!

But mostly because Shala had enough problems with the law before.

You suck.

"I swear If you say one more thing I'll split your hooves with a blunt axe! And not in a quick and pleasant way!" Shala barked back at Ebony. She had always been a snappy mare, but lately its been rather easy to irritate her. One could only wonder why.

Probably because I can't drink anymore because of this darn lump in my belly!

Shala began to walk away, getting distance from the mare, but heard another voice catch up to her. At first she was a little releived that this pony sounded like he was sympathising, but then he just HAD to ask what was pissing her off. And that only did one thing for her.

It pisses me off!

It mildly aggrivated Shala.

Can I get a new narrator?

No. Shala talked over her shoulder to the new arrival. "I got plenty of problems and piss on my haystack. And I don't need a pony listing them off to me like some kind of- Zebra!" Shala had turned her head by now and saw the pony in question. She had never seen a zebra in person before and it caught her off guard.

"Whoa...Your a zebra? Do you, like, have a black mom and white dad? Oh wait, you didn't speak in rhyme, does that mean your a punk who tattooed himself?" Shala asked rather bluntly, her frustrated behavior having been set aside for some mild rude curiosity.

"Whoa...Your a zebra? Do you, like, have a black mom and white dad? Oh wait, you didn't speak in rhyme, does that mean your a punk who tattooed himself?"

Fonzemi stared at the bitc- Not very nice pony for a long time. "Dayum." He said, more to himself than this who-ever next to him. "You is good."

He took a very deep breath and made the widest smile he could. "No. I, like, have a Zebra mom and a Zebra Dad." He spoke really slowly and made sure to enunciate every word. After he finished his sentence he nodded his head and continued smiling at the mare. "Does that make sense? Did ah confuse ya? Wait one sec I thinks ah can explain a different way."

He brought up his hooves. "This hoof: Is a daddy zebra." He indicated his left hoof. "This hoof: is a mommy zebra." He indicated his right hoof. He continued to explain using his two hoof puppets "Once upon ah tame, a mommy zebra and a daddy zebra had a little fun, and a lot of drinks, and nine months latah I popped out!" His smile somehow grew wider. "And that is how a zebra is born."

"Naw little miss Needs-a-class-in-Sex-Ed, Wha can ah do t' help you today." His smile dropped faster than the bass at a crappy dubstep concert, leaving only a very amused zebra.


Meanwhile...

Ebony did not get a few strides before a particularly grumpy stallion (who certainly was not looking where he was going) accidentally barreled into the investigator.

The stallion wore a ratty grey justacorps, heavily patched by an assortment of different fabrics. Around his neck was a maroon neckerchief and on his head a grey cavalier's hat with a maroon ostrich ploom. Around his shoulder there was a black leather baldric that held the battered hilt of a saber. he had a neat mustache and a light beard. His right ear was pierced twice with gold hoops, while the other ear was scared. Another scar ran down the length of his jaw.

"By the Pike's Twinkle!" The thoroughly nautical pony's face instantly brightened into a toothy smile. "My deepest consolation Mademoiselle. I had my head up in the clouds and I allowed myself to bump into some black angel! My, aren't the Fates funny things." He smiled as he offered her a hoof in assistance.

(Skipping Calla by her request. It think she is out so carry on with a reply.)

Shala continued to watch the zebra and his puppet show with a sharp distrustful fascination. She winced slightly at his little insult to her, but she carried on with her expression, starring at him like some curious anomaly of a third world country that almost rivaled that of the Canterlot Elite.

"So....I guess you are new here. In our culture we don't do that whole puppet thing, ya know? We just talk like normal ponies. Like right now. And I understand if ya can't talk quickly yet but with practice you might be able to keep up. Now do you know where I can find a place to stay? Or some chocolate? Wow, I just got a huuuge chocolate craving all of a sudden..."

Shala spoke brisky, being rather 'matter of fact' and almost sincere if it were not for the content of what she was saying. Was she trying to be offensive.

I dunno. Do zebras get offended or have duels instead?

Shala clearly was not having a good day and bowling over everypony in her wake.

"So....I guess you are new here. In our culture we don't do that whole puppet thing, ya know? We just talk like normal ponies. Like right now. And I understand if ya can't talk quickly yet but with practice you might be able to keep up. Now do you know where I can find a place to stay? Or some chocolate? Wow, I just got a huuuge chocolate craving all of a sudden..."

His fake smile suddenly broke into something slightly more genuine. How did he not get it before? Silly Fonzemi, you really must get better at identifying these sorts of ponies.

"Oooh So yous jus a a angry antisocialite, nawt a ignorant tub of bigotry." He ruffled his short mane apologetically. Of course she was just being rude, she was from Manehattan! Everything was excused. It was a little odd to get the usual Angry Manehattanite this far from the Big Apple, but the world works in mysterious ways.

He tapped his chin, thinking. "I got a place on the edgah town that rents cheap, not too shabby compared to what we used to in Manehattan, amiright? I... eh... I don know if ya need any mo' chocolate knowutimsayin?" he made a exaggerated look of pain directed at her belly.

"Aye dawg, Iz all good." He playfully punched his fellow Manehattanite's arm. "Where you from in the Big Apple anyway? Lower east side? Up near the Bay Street Markets?"

"Man... and tah thank I was almost ready to punch ya in yo no good racist jelly gut..." He mused aloud to himself. He didn't so much see himself as a masochist, hanging around ponies such as this, more of a challenge! How long does it take for him to regret ever leaving his bed in the morning? So far he was holding on hope, but who knew? It was part of the game he played with rude strangers. How far was he willing to help those he hated?

Shala deadpanned for a moment before her face twisted into confusion before glaring at him in examination. She wasn't entirely sure if she was being played or if this zebra was that weird. Then again this pony was from her fellow home town and had an understanding of what kind of upbringing a lower class pony went through.

Tapping her chin, she finally made up her mind and smirked. "Downtown south city....And I'm not FAT!" She wacked him firmly in the chest with her hoof, but it was more of a painful friendly hit than anything. If Shala could ever be friendly...Maybe she has been getting too weak and tired lately.

Wanna find out?

No...Shala was already happy that at least ONE pony here could relate to her in some way. Maybe he would be much more reasonable than the other creepy bat emo stick up the butt pony.

"I like me some chocolate is all. You better not punch me one bit, or I'll return the favor ten fold and make you into a nice rug. You got a place you can have me stay the night? Hope its not your bed. I rather pay to avoid that..." Despite her aggressive words, they sounded a little less threatening than earlier. Almost like banter.

Weiss had been sitting eating her own lunch at a nearby restaurant, having had a dandelion sandwich. Her experience as a teacher had gotten her to listen out when others were speaking and she had about enough of this one.

I think I ought to step in on this one before it gets out of hand.

She walked between the two, looking directly at the Zebra incredibly upset as she spoke up about this but keeping her cool somewhat. "It doesn't seem as though you should be picking on your pregnant girlfriend, she happens to have general hormonal cravings, and it is absolutely abhorrent that you would joke about punching her unborn child, do you have any realization as to what kind of harm that could do?" The orange mare had enough of this nonsense, and looked to the unicorn.  

She looked with genuine concern at the strong mare that she saw before her. "Listen if you are happening to be looking for a place to stay, you are welcome to stay with me he seems to be rather sarcastic as it is..." She counted out a few bits from a bag she had been keeping in her mane, and left a substantial tip for her lunch on the table, gently speaking to the mare again "It really would be no trouble, I've got the place rented for the next few years and it has a spare bedroom, I prefer not to live anywhere too dingy but it just happened to be the one that met my specifications." She paused for a moment before remembering courtesy, and saying with a weak smile, "And if you'd really like some chocolate Miss, I'd be happy to I have plenty of money I don't really worry about finances if you care to get some."

Certainly, though she does seem to have a strong will about her, but this guy...

She was still quite, upset with the Zebra however, and didn't back down from him now that she had made her offer, "Listen, I realize you might think you're being funny, or amusing with this sort of behavior but it is beyond detestable you imbecile!" She was practically shouting at him in a shrill and direct tone before she calmed herself.

"Downtown south city....And I'm not FAT!"

Fonzemi winced at the strike, but welcomed it. 'good' he thought 'exchange of blows is a good thing. Probably most of the crab-factor was coming from that black chick that almost made her go off her rocker.

"Ey man, I got a friend from Downtown South! He's... in jail fo petty larceny but... whatever dawg."

"I like me some chocolate is all. You better not punch me one bit, or I'll return the favor ten fold and make you into a nice rug. You got a place you can have me stay the night? Hope its not your bed. I rather pay to avoid that..."

"No worries here, sister. Ah aint got much in the-"

"It doesn't seem as though you should be picking on your pregnant girlfriend,"
"Oh we're not-"
"She happens to have general hormonal cravings,"
"Oh wow I didn't-"
"and it is absolutely abhorrent that you would joke about punching her unborn child,"
"Dude ah was jokin-"
"Do you have any realization as to what kind of harm that could do?"
"Oooh. " the Zebra's eyes widened in recognition. He looked over at the mare, who seemed awfully touchy about

"Oooh." He said again. He started to chuckle a little bit. "Ah am so sorry. Oh harmony that is ridiculous. I di'nt even... Wow. Jus wow." He started to laugh, more at himself than anypony in particular.

"Listen, I realize you might think you're being funny, or amusing with this sort of behavior but it is beyond detestable you imbecile!"

"Dude. Jus chill. Aight Dawg? Nobody is goin to be punchin any babies today. An' while I do fand a great many thangs hilarious, beatin on a unborn kid aint ona them." He addressed Shala. "Unless, yo aint actually with a baby... which would be really uncomfo'table, but ah die-gress." He returned his attention to the Ponyvillian. "Look, we don' even know eachother, aight? Hi. Name's Fonzemi, but most call me Fonz. I was jus tryin to help this mare heyah find a place to stay."

"Listen if you are happening to be looking for a place to stay, you are welcome to stay with me he seems to be rather sarcastic as it is... It really would be no trouble, I've got the place rented for the next few years and it has a spare bedroom, I prefer not to live anywhere too dingy but it just happened to be the one that met my specifications."

"Nice! I was goin t' offer my place but iz a lil' dingy, I mean ah keep the place clean but it hardly is as much room as ya'er make you're place sound, an I aint even goin' tah be there for most of the week, so ya'd mostly get the place to yourself." He nodded at the teacher. "Sounds like she's got a better deal though, if ya asked me." Fonzemi spoke coolly and calmly, whatever this pony's beef was, he certainly did not want to aggravate it.

Shala found herself slightly blushing red in the face. Did somepony just call her and this zebra here a couple? The thought made her stomach curdle a little and quickly shook her head in reaction. Though there was plenty more conversation going on. As the orange mare berreted the zebra, she had to giggle a bit to herself. It entertained her a bit to see things play out like this. It was delectable.

She had to admit that this Zebra did fit her kind of crew atitude. Where she was from, she was at the near bottom of the poverty line. The rough and carefree language this zebra had reflected some of that to her.

Shala had to bite her lip and scrunchy up her face a bit as the orange mare defended her and spelled out her hormonal pregnancy to this zebra. Something about her, how technical she was, her wordiness, her....orangeness, reminded her of something in her that made her long for something.

I don't long for orange...But there is something....'Smarty' about that pony...

What surprised her the most was in the end of all this roller coaster of drama and watching that she was ultimately offered a place to stay by two ponies. Looking between them both, she had to smirk and chuckle. It honestly made her look adorab-

I'm NOT adorable!

It took her a moment to realize that it was her turn to speak. Eyeing the now introduced zebra, Fonzemi, and then the orange mare, she spoke.

"...The name is Time Table..." Best that she used the recent legal name the state gave her for precautionary. "But you can call me Shala." Though Shala was known to throw caution to the wind and stick it to the Princess.

"At least somepony other than myself gets out of Manehatten. Even one as funny looking as you, Fozzy." She turned her attention to the orange mare, really considering her offer. It sounded like a pretty good chance for her to offload onto some pony before she got too far in her pregnancy. She kinda needed it.

"Thats a mighty fine sounding deal you got there, Tangerine. I don't ever say no to chocolate and money!" Shala smiled, though somehow managed to look a little too happy. Though something about her just.....got her attention...Other than the orange.

Weiss paused after hearing them both and cringed quite obviously at the joke to her color, "My name is Weiss." She stated flatly, then sounding it out, to make sure they understood that it was in fact pronounced Vice.

So it seems I was wrong about the couple thing then but then that seems to mean she's alone well better deal with this Fonzemi fellow...

She took a moment to turn to the Zebra, "Fonzemi then, I'm sorry I have been around quite a bit and to many times have I seen actual spats like this between more intimate pairings and had I simply assessed it more coolly I likely wouldn't have snapped so quickly." She sighed an apologetic but irked tone in her voice, her horn glowed as she pushed her glasses up her face a look of concern coming over it and slight annoyance as she turned to the pregnant mare.

"Miss Shala then I presume as I'm assuming you'd rather me not call you Time, speaking of which I have lost track of it." She paused as she wondered this having noted her, but spoke up again a slight cheerfulness but anger in her tone now. "You are welcome to stay with me as long as you like, I don't believe I'm terribly stocked on chocolate, but we may stop to get some on the way to my home here in Ponyville."

Hmm, she seems to have something about her, she's certainly a bold one, maybe I should apologize further to this Fonzemi fellow..

She gave a look at the Zebra again, and gave a calm smile. "If you'd like Fonzemi, I'd be happy to have you tag along if I could get you anything from the grocer I still feel rather bad about snapping at you I implore you to allow me to make it up to you." It did honestly bother her, she was generally calmer but seeing a pregnant mare be what she was assuming a bit quickly to be harassment by the father of her child she had jumped to action a bit to quickly and this had made her feel foolish.

She checked her tail for bits quickly with her magic, and nodded to herself when she felt they were there and smiled at them both. "If it is settled then shall we head out, where to first?"

The Zebra was as pleased as punch. Fonzemi inwardly beamed that he had been able to defuse two angry mares in one day. Neither seemed to be too bad. Most ponies weren't after they took a second to breathe, but most other ponies don't breathe much themselves, Fonz mused to himself as he listened politely.

Fonzemi did not believe in magic, or rather, that it had anything to do with friendship, but his motto was 'Networking is Useful". Not that he had such a cold, calculated view on the world, but when one helps somebody, somebody will help them. And maybe Fonz throws away some money or favors that are never returned, but he didn't really mind that. Besides, he enjoyed company when he could get it.

"At least somepony other than myself gets out of Manehatten. Even one as funny looking as you, Fozzy."

His name being mangled terribly was not such a new thing, so Fonz did not mind it. "Ya tend tah get around when you drive for a carriage company." He explained. "And usually ya don' run into any asses from the City." he grinned, in jest, at Shala. "Usually. But sometimes, small town ponies gets ah liddle... worked up inn'er own way." He turned his gaze to Weiss.

"Fonzemi then, I'm sorry I have been around quite a bit and to many times have I seen actual spats like this between more intimate pairings and had I simply assessed it more coolly I likely wouldn't have snapped so quickly."

"Psch!" He waved a hoof, absolving Weiss of all sins. "Ain't no thang. ah was jus joking is all! Jus' water under th' bridge, Dawg." He was slightly amused by the almost classical annoyance that crossed the mare's face. He was also slightly amused at Shala's readiness to accept assistance, but then again, this was a story he knew all too well. Single, soon to be mother, with practically nothing. Aint the world a funny place? thought Fonzemi.

"If you'd like Fonzemi, I'd be happy to have you tag along if I could get you anything from the grocer I still feel rather bad about snapping at you I implore you to allow me to make it up to you."

"Aw thanks, dude." Fonz scratched the back of his neck. "Yeh, I'll tag along. I don' really need anythin but ah can always do with the company." He fell in with the two.

Shala had to snicker at Weiss's reaction to her being called. Now she KNEW that bothered her. And it would most defiantly continue, much to Weiss's dismay.

It amused Shala even more as she apologized to Fonz about her behavior. She could have swore there was some Canterlot mannerisms in there somewhere. While Weiss faced Fonz, she mocked a funny face and blabbered her mouth in poor imitation of her, only to switch back just as attention was returned to her.

Shala opened her mouth to address being called 'Time' but her eyes went wide and froze at the mention of....the time...

The...the time....

Tick, tock, tick, tock...

"T-t-the t-time?" Her eye twitched, then her head and hoof.

Tick, tock, tick, tock...The clock in her mind taunted.

Her horn sparked a few times, Shala winced with it.

"...Its fourty seven minutes and twenty seven seconds past noon!" She barked suddenly, before feeling herself weak and wobbly on the legs. She wavered and began to stumble but managed to land on her rump. Head hanging down, she looked like she had suddenly missed a full nights sleep.

"...D-don't....don't do that....No...no time..." She mumbled, cringing a bit and holding her head.

He certainly had an accent, but no more then any she had encountered in her travel,

He at least seems to be reasonable I must say...

Weiss had immediately picked up on the unicorn mocking behind her feeling the motions, she was making and noting shadows and movements but she refrained from saying anything about it she had dealt with this sort of thing many times. However when she snapped at the mention of time, with such a precise and obviously accurate answer of the time without any for her to know it, but she looked absolutely nerve wracked by this.

Oh dear, I seem to have struck a nerve unintentionally...

She spoke sincerely, quite concerned. "I do apologize, I hadn't any premonition that you would have any such reaction, I will not mention it again." However as Weiss consoled the mare, she did instantly notice the image of a grandfather clock in her cutie mark, realizing that her special talent must be time but obviously had issues with it but had such an acute sense of the time. "Are you going to be alright Miss Shala?"

((Sorry for the short post! I didn't want to keep you two waiting))
"T-t-the t-time?"

"...Its fourty seven minutes and twenty seven seconds past noon!"

Fonz looked upon the mare with a curious expression. "Uh. Nice. ThanksOkay." He watched as Shala swayed, and started to stumble. Grabbing a hoof, he tried to keep her on four hooves, but ended up landing on his plot next to her.

"Woo! Now thas some excitement." He laughed as he rubbed his rump as he joined Weiss in query. "Yo Shala, you goin't live? You got all woozy there a sec. How ya feelin?"