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Post by zasknu on Oct 15, 2011 0:35:49 GMT -5
The young mare took another half-step back from the group, clearly terrified that they were again turning their attention to her. Their warm, friendly smiles and words of encouragement did little to avail her fears. "This is more contact than I have had in months... I shouldn't have tried to talk to these ponies". The sad thing was, this probably was the most time she had spent in the company of others in maybe half a year. Aestella turned back the pages of her memory, skimming through the last few years of her life inside the clock tower. She was comforted when she thought of the hourly chimes, the constant grinding of gears. The tower's quiet and predictability were always there for her, keeping her safe and secure... and alone. Oh, the loneliness. The feeling crept back into her mind, gnawing away at the thin and flimsy walls of peace that she had constructed around her soul. "I can't go back to that... it would never do to fall back in that hole again..." She shuddered and closer her eyes. Slowly, she gave a nod to the proprietor and pusher herself forward, taking a few steps towards the Pegasus with the tea kettle. As she moved forward, Aestella muttered to herself, repeating her simple request vocally and mentally as if stopping would cause the words to vanish from her mind forever. Stopping close to the zebra pegasus, she stared down at her hooves and asked in a voice just higher than a whisper, "M-may I have another cup of tea, madam?" Never raising her head, she waited in grim silence for an answer, her eyes now wide open in fright when she realized that the individual she was now addressing probably knew that Aestella had been staring at her.
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Post by thepatriot on Oct 15, 2011 17:24:13 GMT -5
Quillson watched as Aestella approached Kuruka about her tea. Hopefully the extremely shy pony would be able to socialize in a stronger fashion from here. Turning back to Apple Cider and Nimble, Quill hoped to continue talking over the previous discussion.
"So I know Apple Cider here said that she had been away during these events, but what about you Nimble? Do you have any details on the celebration afterwards?"
He bent down, sifting through the various texts and newspapers looking for one more recent. If he could just clarify the details on this subject, maybe he'd finally get that story he'd wanted.
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Post by applecider on Oct 18, 2011 14:28:33 GMT -5
Apple Cider watched as Aestella walked up to Kuruka and asked for some tea with a smile. she was happy the timid pony was starting to open up to other. She then drew her attention back to the talk about what was happening just outside of Hoofington. It worried her that her hometown could be threatened, especially her family the lived there. Her mind began to contemplate moving them to Hoofington, but she knew they wouldn't want them to leave the homestad unless absolutely necessary.
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Post by kuruka on Oct 19, 2011 9:51:37 GMT -5
Kuruka grinned at Aestella, trying not to show too much relief that the filly had evidently decided to associate with her despite her abnormalities. "Please, call me Kuruka." she replied, pouring the warm tea into a cup and handing it to Aestella. "I am not old enough to be called madam yet and Captain would only do for soldiers under me." Kuruka glanced at Aestella's drawing, but could only see a gray smudge on the paper. She decided to keep to the subject. "You would not happen to know of an attack on Hoofton, would you, Aestella? Inventors could work quite closely with the military, no?" Kuruka hoped she had guessed right in the pony's talent. Unless Aestella was simply an artist... but that would not match her cutie mark at all...
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Post by watcher on Oct 19, 2011 12:37:32 GMT -5
Nimble shakes his head at Quillson's question. "Sorry Quillson, I don't have much to go on. I was still trying to set up shop, and I haven't really gotten out much since I finished. I do know that the music was very loud, and I had several ponies ask if they could use my bathroom." He looks over at Aestella and Kuruka, hoping the two get along well.
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Post by zasknu on Oct 19, 2011 15:23:17 GMT -5
Nervously, Aestella accept the cup of tea from Kuruka and took a sip and the zebra continued to speak. "Kuruka, that's her name, I'll have to make a note of that so I don't for-" her thoughts were interrupted, however, when the mare in question mentioned something about an attack on the town she had just walked into. Wide eyed terror spread across her face as she began to choke and gasp on the tea she was drinking. Fortunately, she managed to swallow the drink before she did something she would have regretted. Shaking, she looked up at Kuruka with disbelief;
"An a-attack? Here? W-when did that happen?" She shook her head, clearing her mind and composing herself. "N-no... I haven't heard about anything of the sort." Wanting to quickly get away from any thought of potentially getting caught up in any kind of physical confrontation, she tried to talk more about the second part of Kuruka's question. "As for working for the military... I guess I could ... take commissions. But I've never made anything to cause harm before."
Grimacing at the concept of making weapons, she looked down at her hooves and turned her thoughts inward again. "I couldn't do anything like that... could I? I guess... being helpful would be good, but how could I live with myself knowing that I've intentionally caused harm to others..." Glancing back up at Kuruka, Aestella had a sudden thought that maybe she could at least apologize for staring earlier. In a voice just barely audible she whispered, "S-sorry for staring at you earlier... I just... really like your wings."
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Post by thepatriot on Oct 19, 2011 18:06:03 GMT -5
Well, it would appear that nopony here knew just what had occurred with that attack in the forest. Apple Cider had just returned from the sound of it, and Nimble must have been here when things happened. The other two appeared newcomers in town, like himself. He was about to bring up this fact to Nimble, and ask if he knew of anypony else in town who might be able to help when he saw the pony's attention taken back to Aestella.
Thinking it best to drop the matter among these ponies, Quill took a step back from the group. He looked through the rest of the clippings and records that Nimble had taken out for him, but wasn't able to find anything on the subject.
He pondered leaving for now, bidding farewell to these new acquiantances when he looked back to the window. If anything the snow had begun to fall harder and faster. No sense in wandering across town to the inn in that mess. He looked around at the rest of the group, making sure they were all part of their conversation. Which, it seemed like they were. Quillson slowly stepped back from the group and turned back towards the rows of shelves that made up Nimble's store.
He walked quietly between the makeshift hallways of written knowledge, eventually stopping at the far end of the store from the conversing group. Slowly he untied his bags from his back, letting them fall to the floor at his side with a soft thud. He set to work pulling his typewriter from the folds of cloth, placing it gingerly on the floor before himself. He sat, staring at the blank roll of paper attached to the device. Gradually he let his mind slip away into its rapid thoughts, his hooves typing away at the piece of machinery.
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Post by applecider on Oct 19, 2011 19:50:05 GMT -5
"Well it looks like the storm outside is kicking up a fuss. Guess we're gonna be hunkered down her fer a while. I hope ya don' mind, Nimble." With that Apple Cider decided to check the other shelves of the bookstore, hoping to find something to pass her time.
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Post by kuruka on Oct 20, 2011 15:30:57 GMT -5
Kuruka's first notion to apologize and smooth over frightening poor Aestella evaporated at the mare's last remark. Her wings? Kuruka's attentive expression darkened and she pinned the offensive appendages even harder against her back, causing them to rub against each other and the grain of her pelt. She was fully aware that her nostrils had flared. She found it difficult to speak, afraid she might say something harmful. Breath, Kuruka, breath and count to ten.What had the young mare said? Kuruka scanned her memory, allowing the conversation to flow through her mind. That's right. Aestella liked her wings. Forcing herself to relax, Kuruka finally opened her mouth. "Ah, th-th-thank you." It was too much. All the questions, the memories, Aestella reminding her too much of her filly sister, Amali... "I must leave now. It was pleasant meeting you all. Thank you for your hospitality, Nimble." Kuruka glanced outside. The others were right about the storm "kicking up a fuss." But Kuruka would be able to warm up again back home. She heaved the door open, grit her teeth against the onslaught, and shoved her way through the storm even though the wind brought tears. Or was that because she was weak enough to mourn her circumstance and actually feel sorry for herself? Step by miserable step, Kuruka at last opened her own door and collapsed in front of the fire, too exhausted to pull herself to bed. Memories and doubts crowded her dreams. (Kuruka out. Sorry for the drama guys, gotta prep for another RP I'm creating. )
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Post by watcher on Oct 22, 2011 9:47:12 GMT -5
Nimble's ears twitched as he heard Kuruka say his goodbyes, but as he turned to say goodbye, the door opened and she stepped out. "Goodb.... Well, okay then. I really need to get better at that." He continued to look around, smiling as he saw almost everypony browsing his shelves, except for Aestella. The poor filly had been talking with Kuruka until she left, he hoped the shy pony would be okay.
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Post by zasknu on Oct 22, 2011 10:47:52 GMT -5
After the door to Textual Treasures shut following Kuruka's sudden departure, Aestella stood still, simple staring at the place Kuruka used to be with her standard, blank, tired expression. She could feel her ears drop with her sadness, even while she tried her best not to let any of it show. Slowly, she turned and walked back to her spot behind the bookcase. "And she left... was that my fault? It must have been... I must have upset her, oh Aestella how could you be so cruel! I should just sit in the back until the snow let's up a bit..." That thought, she makes it back behind the bookcase, where she sits down, and stares at her work. It was coming along well, all things told. Her sketches of Kuruka's wings came out fine, and her early sketches of a mechanical pair looked like they might work without being too unwieldy. Unfortunately, she could get her mind back on her work, all she could think about was how hurt Kuruka had been when Aestella tried to talk to her.
With a shudder, Aestella took off her watch from her left forehoof, and floated it up to the side of her head, tying it into her hair next to her left ear. The watches ticking calmed her down a little, just enough to get her mind off of her feelings. Taking a tight hold of this small amount of clarity with her teeth, she allowed it to drag her into a state of undemonstrativeness. As she listened to her watch, she readied her quill again and continued to sketch her plans for the strange project before her. Gears and cogs, pipes and pole, strings and pulleys all appeared on the parchment, lining up in ways to detail how each wing might bend and fold to allow true flight. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that she could always try talking to some of the others, but the rest of her mind smothered the thought under a pile of doubt causing her to remain behind the bookcase, alone. After all, talking to anypony else would probably just make them leave.
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Post by thepatriot on Oct 22, 2011 17:22:42 GMT -5
Quillson's mind jolted back to reality when the door swung open across the shop. The quick breeze launched in and lifted up a few of his papers into the air, scattering them about him. Quillson quickly jumped up, throwing himself at the papers to prevent them from getting away. By the time he'd managed to control the escaping paperwork, it would seem Kuruka had already left.
He wondered why she'd left, but was pretty sure it couldn't have been too serious. The other ponies in the store didn't seem too thrown about by her departure, so Quill considered it best to keep to himself. He continued typing away at his typewriter. He'd have to rework his thoughts, where the chilled breeze threw him off a bit.
From the corner of his eye he noticed Aestella working her way back into the bookshelves. She looked upset. Oh no, hopefully she and Kuruka didn't have some sort of argument. It even looked like Aestella was hiding behind the shelves...
Quill stepped up from his writings, making his way quietly over towards the shy unicorn. "Is everything all right over here Aestella? You look a little upset. Did you want to talk about it at all?" He smiled softly, hoping to comfort her with his actions.
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Post by applecider on Oct 22, 2011 17:50:40 GMT -5
Apple Cider saw Kuruka suddenly turn and disappear out the door, sending in a chilling wind. "Now what got that one so up and out of here in a hurry?" Apple Cider could only shurg, hoping that it wasn't anything too serious. She then saw Aestella trying to hide behind a bookcase. "Hey there, are ya ok?" She then saw the drawings that Aestella was making. "You made these? Oh mah stars! These are amazin'! I never seen any contraptions like these."
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Post by watcher on Oct 22, 2011 18:46:42 GMT -5
Nimble's heart sank, as he watched Aestella walk back toward the bookshelves, looking fairly disappointed. He tried to follow, but saw everypony else going behind already, so decided to say what he had to from where he stood. "Come now, Aestella. I'm sure Kuruka had a reason to leave, she is the new militia captain after all. Please come on out from behind there, if only to show us you're alright."
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Post by zasknu on Oct 22, 2011 22:42:41 GMT -5
Aestella jumped at the sound of everypony suddenly talking to her, especially the attention that her sketches were attracting. Rather quickly, she used her magic to roll up the scroll she had been sketching on and wraps it in a purple ribbon so it wouldn't open again. "Oh no! I can't let them see this, it would never do and will show them all that I'm the reason Kuruka left!" Floating the scroll in front of her, she turns to face the group, wide eyed in fright. She opened her mouth to respond to their various comments and questions but froze, unsure of how to respond.
After a brief, awkward pause, she managed to start with "I'm... alright, I suppose... just a little uncomfortable, nothing worth talking about... really. And this?" She floats the scroll back into her saddlebags, "It's n-nothing, really. Just an idea that popped into my head, I'm sorry if it disturbed you..." She put her saddlebags back on and backed out from behind the bookcase, turning and walking slowly over to Nimble Mind. "Might as well ask about the town... maybe get some answers then I can leave and stop bothering these ponies with my foalishness..." She stopped a few paces from Nimble, staring at her hooves. "I'm s-sorry... I'm fine, truly. I don't suppose you could tell me... who I should talk to about taking up residence here in town, if.. it's not too much to ask..." Glancing up, she waited for the proprietor to respond to her bothersome inquiries.
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