Come in, dear Mare, and feel at Home (private)

[danielalaverne]

Come in, dear mare, and feel at home / You who has neither hay nor home. (Bercolt Breech's Midwinter Legend)

If this were a story, it would probably start with 'It was a cold and freezing morning in Appleloosa'-, the delivery Pegasus mused in thoughts, silently as they just were. The short grown and mahogany colored pony had quite some work behind her already, and her home was drawing her back, almost magically. It was almost noon!

Her pet bird, seemingly always accompanying here, chirped surprised as she stopped in her flight and landed, yet Morrow was simply pausing to look over her delivery list and see how much was left in the small red tin wagon she kept pulling. Why yes, she pulled it behind herself, even in mid-air, where it should drop, but Pegasi knew how to avoid that. It wasn't anything she even needed to think about.

Aside of the ordered deliveries she had sold some products extra, but she was still good in plan and indeed almost done with her work for now. After her first delivery to places around Appleloosa, she had brought products to shops inside Appleloosa (only the bakery she had visited earlier), and now finally the greatest tour, all other ponies' homes. She just was serving houses along Saddle Lane and knew her own home in promising closeness.

Morrow Rose had been up since the earliest morning and the last few houses she delivered to she was happy to have Singasong with her, so somepony - somebird, rather, could see she would not mix up anything on the last distance.

Compared with the earliest morning there were quite some more ponies around now, no surprise, though the chats and conversations blurred for her by now. Some ponies were probably just up and awake by now, but Morrow felt she deserved a good nap and once she had her delivery route finished she mobilized what she had left on energy to get home quickly.

The wagon was placed quickly and just as fast - at least in her opinion, actually she got pretty slow already by now - she was out of the harness and and brought a last few left over delivery products into her shop. Here a bottle of milk, there some boxes with eggs, they would sell nicely in the afternoon.

Once the sign was out that the shop would be Closed till 2 pm, Morrow already dragged herself into her room. She threw her hat aside and slipped under her bed covers, exhausted, but with a good feeling of having her work done good. Singasing chirped something, but it wasn't really the black bird's alerted voice, so it blurred nicely into a dream for the Pegasus.

Morrow Rose was all alone, yet was she really alone, she wasn't too sure herself and the pitch black darkness around her didn't really help her, she only felt more alone, as there were no sounds nor warmth. It was neither warm nor cold and darkness stretched into all directions... even lacking a ground it was as if she was floating in a dark ocean.

Wait, what was that? A light came closer to her and the more it illuminated around her, she could actually see again. The light, it was a star shaped lampion - a paper lantern, spend warmth and light enough, light to make her see that she was sitting on a boat, atop a pitch black liquid, maybe a lake, and with a just a dark sky above.

Then out of sudden flames filled the sky, from one side, burning hot fire spread above and across; from the other edge came ice, cold, yet almost refreshing compared with the fire's heat and neatly organized with ice flowers in all shapes.

Morrow held her little lantern close, not sure where the boat was going, nor what the clash above her meant... Slowly a chirping sound mixed itself into the scenery and Morrow Rose woke up, with a gasp sitting upright in her bed. Breathing in and out heavily, the Pegasus quickly forgot most of her dream, or nightmare, and with a sigh of relief noticed that it was Singasong chirping, what woke her up. Morrow yawned, and was just about to stretch her wings-

There was another pony in her bed! "..." The pegasus starred at the other mare, a Unicorn in blue shades with a blond mane hanging kinda ruffled over her forehead; that was when realization hit her: It was Willowisp, of course, the pony she just met earlier today and invited to stay at her place. A blush hushed over the Pegasus' face. How could she have been so thoughtless.

With a just as sudden movement as when she woke up, Willo was sitting on her haunches and starring at Morrow, apparently just as surprised. Before Morrow could say anything, the other pony slowly inched away from her and fell backwards off the bed.

Morrow quickly leaned over and looked down, a bit concerned, but once she saw the other mare unharmed, also with a smirk sneaking on her muzzle, "Are you okay down there?"

[eclipse]

It had been a long time since Willo had gotten good, restful sleep of any kind; she'd had trouble getting to sleep for the longest time after she'd left Canterlot, and even when she did she usually woke up uncomfortable because of dreams she could barely remember. She was always running from something, and it left her feeling really tired when she woke up; she'd thought it had to do with how she didn't have a home but it had just gotten worse after settling down at the swamp. She wasn't sure why but she'd assumed she just wasn't supposed to be sleeping well.

However, last night had been absolutely amazing; she was feeling rested and warm. She had dreamed again, but this time it was a dream that she felt good about; there was warmth and comfort and safety she had felt while sleeping that she hadn't felt in ages. She couldn't really remember the dream very well, but she remembered a rich warm color and downy feathers around her; it had made her so happy. She wished she could remember the rest of it; she tried her best to fall back asleep but ended up waking up anyway.

As she opened her eyes the first thing she saw was a warmly colored pony with wings; her feathers were lightly brushing the other pony, and she could've sworn that she was still dreaming. After a few moments the pony got up and stretched, and Willo realized she couldn't be dreaming and sat up... Wait, what is this pony doing in my bed. She blushed bright red, moving to get out of the bed only to fall on the floor with a thud. She groaned weakly.

... Oh... she thought quietly as she managed to shake the sopor out of her mind and remembering what had happened the preceding night; she'd helped this pony... Morrow Rose, and she'd been allowed to sleep at her house, and... had the other pony gone to sleep in the same bed as her? "Fine..." she squeaked out when the other pony asked if she was all right, blushing but staying right where she was. It was embarrassing lying on the floor on her back like this but she wanted to be sure that she was awake before moving again.

[danielalaverne]

Quickly Morrow jumped off the bed and landed elegantly, with a soft thud, on the floor below; of course a good deal off Willo, she didn't wanted to scare the Unicorn, nor risk falling onto her. Both ponies got quite so much of their share of adventure already this day.

"Sorry about waking you up like that, Willo. My bad, kinda, I just fell asleep where I was when I got home. I usually do so around noon; oh, the forces of habit", she chuckled a bit sheepishly, an honest smile on her muzzle.

Now, that this was out of the world, oh yes! The Pegasus leaned over to the Unicorn and hold out a front hoof, "Here, let me help you up; only fair after I scared you off the bed like that." Waiting for the other mare to react to her offer, she thought about what to do next.

It wasn't quite 2 pm yet, if her intuition was right, so usually she could allow herself to nap some more or have lunch. Now, that question to be answered wasn't hers alone anymore as she had a guest and a good host always considered their guests wishes first. Yet another wisdom her mother had given her along on her way through life.

Morrow didn't have coffee and bagels anymore, yet there were enough other meals left in her house, just not oven fresh, but still rather new, it wasn't as of she would keep stale food around. Now, that should do-

"You wanna nap some more while a make some lunch- That is, if you'd like some lunch now. I'd feel like having some apple fries, but whatever you feel like, I'm sure I'll have some of it." That didn't go quite as smooth as she hoped for, but she didn't make a major fool out of herself; clearly she didn't have a pony over at her place often enough, considering how nervous she got. That in mind, she felt like adding something, "You got some good sleep there? I sure hope so."

[eclipse]

Willo closed her eyes for a few seconds, making sure that everything was oriented. "No, I think I'll stay here on the floor forever. Maybe raise a family," she said dryly with her eyes still shut; this was why she wasn't a fan of waking up. She opened them again and looked around; still in the small room above Morrow's shop. Still flat on her back in that embarrassing position showing off her belly to the pegasus. Still hot in the face for being stupid enough to fall out of bed. "Thanks," she said, taking the other pony's hoof and getting back up onto her own.

She yawned and looked at the bed for a few seconds before checking the clock. "It's about time for me to get up anyway, I've slept plenty," she said to herself more than to Morrow, still largely unused to being around another pony. She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts but still largely confused as to what she could do. She didn't really have any idea what she could do around Appleoosa; she didn't know the area, didn't know ponies in the area, and didn't know who to talk to.

Then again, it probably wouldn't be the best idea to talk to some of the ponies around here about the cult without any context anyway; Morrow was even suspicious of them and she seemed a lot more open minded. She'd heard stories about the Apple Family's stubborn streak, and they were the ones who had founded the frontier town; she wouldn't be surprised if somepony tried to jail her when she explained that she was a part of a cult, even if they didn't know anything about it.

She turned around when the other pony mentioned food, her tummy grumbling softly. She'd just woken up, and it was time for breakfast of some sort, she knew that much. "Oh, apple fries are fine," she said absentmindedly. They weren't really her favorite; she tended to find apple products too sweet, but when in Roan... She shrugged. "I really just ought to get some food in on me," she said, smiling with a trace of amusement.

She yawned again, trying to remember her dream again. Something with feathers...? "I slept amazingly," she said, a pleasured sigh creeping into her voice. "It's been a long time since I had such a nice... sleep." she almost said dream, but decided that would just bring up more questions from the curious little pegasus she wasn't quite ready to answer. She sat down, rubbing her eyes with her hooves.

[danielalaverne]

Morrow found herself chuckling amused, and that shortly after the sudden awakening and falling-off-bed event, who would have seen that coming, that Willo pony got herself a sense of humor, too. With a glad smile the delivery Pegasus noticed how the Unicorn may had been though quite some hard times, but still knew how to lighten up the atmosphere; that, or distract from the embarrassing position she was in.

Time to change that! "No problem; after all you are my guest and the floor isn't the nicest sight of my place-", she said, with all honesty, after she helped up the other pony. Despite the slight wit in her words, kind of reacting to the humorist side Willo suddenly did show, it was mostly just the least she could do: Be helpful. Be fair. Be a good host. That's what ponies were supposed to do, weren't they...

Of course, she knew it wasn't always like that, in fact she had witnessed herself more than one time what ponies were capable of, yet she still felt like holding up and following her own ideals there, if anything she were a good example. For some ponies even a reminded that not all in life was bad.

Even though some days a pony could feel all alone, exposed to the world and- Didn't she just dream something like that? A bit absentmindedly, yet guided by routine she refilled her pet birds food and water bowls. Seeds and various berries, were they still fresh? Morrow leaned in and smelled at a berry, some kind of black berry, funny enough. Yes, that'll do good, fresh as the morning!

In the past she also tried to get some bugs or worms for Singasong, and when she was a little chick the bird indeed took any food her Pegasus offered her, but with the time the black bird developed in interest to hunt at least some food on her own. Morrow fully understood, after all just being pampered was no fun either, just as working too much.

Stepping aside her pet bird landed next to her bowls and after a chirp that probably anypony but Morrow would not understand as a thank, the black bird started to enjoy her meal. Meal, right, Morrow meant to do something! Still sometimes a boat and a lantern popped up in her mind, how curious.

"So, apple fries are fine? But, really, if you want something else- It's not easy to find something not-apple here, and Celestia beware to mention pears around here, but-", she chuckled lightly. Wait, was it even okay to mention the princess like that around a Cultist? Oh, well, a thought came to her, to easy her sudden worry, Willo wasn't even that political or cultical, as she mentioned herself, she was just friends with them.

"I'm glad to hear that", she said while looking through the kitchen area's shelves and cup boards. Where was the oil again? Of course anywhere, but where she saw it last. This was one of the reasons why she kept her place that tidy and neat, otherwise she would be completely lost. Besides, it was a small enough place already, a but chaos and she could not move anymore. "I could tell how tired you were, the more you deserved some really good sleep." Ah there! Apple oil, what else.

While the apple fries were sizzling in the just as apple-flavored oil, filling the room with a sweet smell, the mahogany Pegasus prepared some dandelion and borage leaves in a pot. She considered for a moment to look for some candied borage blooms as dessert and with that in mind almost missed to look after the fries. On the spur of the moment the waved Willo to come over and passed a great wooden spoon to her, "Please stir the greens, will you?"

[eclipse]

Willo blinked for a few moments before responding to the other pony handing her the spoon; she wouldn't have thought that the other pony would want her to help. She tended to prefer doing things alone, especially when it was something she knew she was good at. Wait, was Morrow good at cooking, or did she just do it because she had to? She shrugged and picked up the spoon with her horn.

She stirred the green mixture slowly, not entirely sure what she was making. "I've never tried this before, how is it?" she said after a few moments, changing the direction she was stirring in. "I mean I'm sure it's better than grass off the side of the road, but what's it taste like?"

She yawned a little and kept stirring, trying to come up with something else to keep her mind occupied. She was still awake but she wasn't very busy, and when she wasn't busy her mind tended to wander... this time it was to the dream, but she still couldn't remember anything about it so it was just frustrating her.

"So, what's the rest of your day look like?" she asked the little pegasus distantly, running over the bits of the dream in her mind. Maybe the little pony here was in it? She did think she was still dreaming when she woke up... but... She gave up again, tossing down the spoon where it clattered on the floor.

"Oh! Sorry!" she said loudly, the sound waking her from her reverie. "I wasn't thinking... I'll get back to stirring," she said as she started stirring again. Stupid stupid stupid... you shouldn't keep your head in the stars Willo, you always lose track.

[danielalaverne]

It took Morrow a moment to realize what she had just done. Actually, it was by now at least the second time that she hoofed some work to Willo, just like that as if they'd been some sort of team or best friends, since forever. Of course she shared such familiarity with Singasong and old friends, like AC, or, well, her family; so where did it come from now? Of course, great minds think alike! That sounded right.

Still- "Thanks for helping me, it really is much easier that way. Shared work is half work." That in mind, she put a hoof to her muzzle and whistled, prompting Singasong to fly over to her Pegasus. It didn't really occur to the delivery Pegasus that it might look curious to other ponies, especially without pets, as she simply nodded to a shelf with spices and the black bird, getting the nod right, grabbed a pepper shaker to fly over the pot with greens and sprinkle some of the black spice in it.

"Thanks, dear!", she patted her pet bird carefully, who was now watching, apparently curious, what the ponies were doing there. "Oh right", Morrow turned back to the Unicorn with her, "Young dandelion tastes like spinach, and borage, somewhat, too, well, more like borecole?" Thoughtful she tapped a hoof against her chin, just to get back to the apple fries in time, "They have very own flavors; nothing like grass..." Oh dear, she had nothing but grass for a while? To imagine this did happen in Equestria...

"It's a rather calm day, I could show you aroun-" Clatter? What was that now? Oh- "Heh, don't you worry, that happens to the best chefs, I bet, and neither of us are those-"

The mahogany Pegasus quickly dived in to grab the wooden spoon from the floor as she felt herself lifted into the air along with the cooking utensil. Just as quickly as before, she reacted and let got, landing safely on all hooves. "You were just thinking too much that moment, no worries. Besides, I think that has cooked enough, thanks again for your great help."

Morrow turned off the one stove, then the other, a confident smile on her face: Lunchtime!

[eclipse]

She quietly went back to stirring, looking at the mixture curiously. Borecole & spinach? Seemed a little unusual of a mixture to her. Then again, she hadn't been much of a cook; she tended to eat her greens fresh or just cold on some bread, even when she was buying food. It was quicker and easier, and she'd gotten used to it. Willo supposed that she'd see how it tasted, since she was making lunch.

Willo chuckled dryly at the other pony's remark. "Thinking too much is pretty much all I do," she said with a wry smile. "I might as well have a thinking cutie mark instead of this lightmaking one." she wiggled her flank, showing off the little eclipse; for all the teasing she was making, she was rather proud of her mark and of her skill with the talent it represented, and she couldn't imagine living without it. She giggled a little at the thought.

The other pony said it'd cooked enough and turned off the burners; Willo blinked for a few seconds and looked at her beaming face. Lunchtime already? Hadn't the pony started making the food only a few minutes ago? She must've lost track while she had been helping; it didn't seem like it had been long enough for the food to cook yet. She smiled back at the other pony awkwardly.

She should make herself useful... She started looking around for some sort of plate to help the other pony prepare the food. After opening a couple drawers, she found what she was looking for and magicked some plates out for the pony to put the food on; she wasn't sure how to put it on a plate so she left that to Morrow, waiting patiently.

"So," she said lightly after a few moments, filled with curiosity and trying to figure out something they could actually talk about. "I know about why you're here. How about your Cutie Mark?" She'd thought about it a little while stirring, and had decided that she'd like to get to know Morrow better. Talking about cutie mark stories was always a great way to learn more about the pony, and not just because it told you their special talent. "You can tell me over b-.. lunch."

[danielalaverne]

Morrow quickly joined in with an amused chuckling, "Just how would the cutie mark of a pony who's special talent is thinking even look like-", just to add with a more serious tone to her voice, "Besides, enough ponies just think - all the time - now, what you can do is a nice talent, plus pretty helpful for somepomy with a work-schedule like me-" So much about serious, the mahogany Pegasus was just too much in a good mood right now and she felt the day would continue just like that.

Now, for lunch- Morrow tried some of the greens and fries, wonderful, the kitchen work was really much easier with more than a pony and a bird being involved. Out of habit, the delivery Pegasus was just about to look for plates as she noticed Willo was already busy with that chore. We sure do form a great team, funny, isn't it? Hm- Oh, silly! Drinks.

It wasn't quite easy to serve food with a scoop or a pan-grip in one's muzzle, but just as balancing a cup on your hoof, practice came with the time. There, that looked just nice. Just a borage blossom on each meal, edible and decoration - something she had learned from her mother - and et voilà! For drinks she got some apple juice, as it was inevitable in Appleloosa, besides, it was a rather nice, mild, naturally cloudy drink.

"Brunch?", she suggested, while sitting down on a pillow. Oh, a story? She loved to listen to the stories ponies had to tell her, why not give her own tale to it, after all she had done so before, when she helped the Unicorn to get out of her shell.

"My cutie mark?", she looked down at her flank and the sun beamed back at her. She had always been quite happy about it, wasn't it just such a beautiful sight? Even at a rainy and cloudy day she still had a morning sun with her. "It's not an too exciting story - funny, we both have partially visible suns in our cutie marks!" Now, that was a funny coincidence!

"We were still living at the dockside of Manehattan when... Why do all my stories start like that? Anyhoof, my mother already had her flower shop, just not as big as now, and we had a nice little house, with a nice little garden, some flowers, some chicken, you know- We were there all, grandparents, parents, my baby sister...

I was always up really early and when I was little I kinda used to, uh, greet the sun and wake up everypony with a loud yell", her voice went to a good deal more silent then, "I-might-still-do-that-occasionally", just to return to the normal volume after that moment, "So, that morning when there was a loud thud in the garden and the chicken woke up and cried, everypony thought I did it somehow-

I was sent out and found this giant- would you believe me there are giant nuts with a brown pelt that bear some white nut mark and milk inside? Kookoonut, or something exotic like that. It was there, in pieces, dropped into the garden, whatever silly Pegasus must have lost it above us, it took me quite a while to calm the chicken and rooster and funny enough, they even loved that nut-mark-something...

Totally motivated I continued and fed the birds, tended to our flowers, sold half the nut to a neighbor, fought a dragon - well, actually not - and did quite some house hold chores before the sun was up. Then as I was home, sleepy, my mum asked me why I did this all, I replied that I like mornings and - bam! - et voilá, there was this pretty sun! Now, how did you get your cutie mark?"

[eclipse]

"Brunch," Willo replied, chuckling a little at the pony's simple solution. She sat down in the same spot she'd sat at last night and watched the pony prepare their food; a little touch of the greens Willo had been stirring... what had she called it? Borage? and some apple fries, which looked rather rich for something made with apples. She smiled at the other pony as she set the plates down, waiting to take a bite.

She quietly sipped her drink, making a little face when she tasted more apples - she really wouldn't want to stay here for too long if all of their food was this sweet. The other pony had sat down and was starting to tell her cutie mark story; Willo blinked a little about what the pony had noticed about her mark, completely caught by surprise. She'd never thought of that; Willo had always thought the moon was more important than the sun.

She listened quietly, taking a few bites of her food in between sentences. It wasn't bad; the greens were much better than the fries but the oil had softened some of the overripe sweetness she'd come to expect from apples. It sounded like the other pony had had a pretty interesting life, so far, at least compared to Willo; she supposed Manehattan would be more busy than Canterlot but still.

"What a fun way to get a cutie mark," she commented lightly, giggling a little and finishing off her drink. She hadn't expected a story quite like that, that was for certain. "Certainly - oh, mine?" she blinked as the other pony asked her what her cutie mark story was. She hadn't thought about it in a very long time, and it wasn't all that interesting to her. "Well... okay, here's how I got my mark," she said finally, once she'd figured out exactly how to word everything.

"When I was little I always was really fascinated by light, especially moonlight, but I never really knew why; there was just something enchanting about the way it danced across the surface and the way the colors were affected. I never thought it was important to me, though.

"One time, though, I was up later than usual because I had decided to sneak out for some reason. And while I was out, the light changed all of a sudden; the moon had turned red. I was curious about what had happened, so I asked the moonlight what had happened - and then I understood what it was! I knew what the light was trying to say to me - that there was more light behind it than usual and the reflection was hotter because of it.

"I ended staying up all night, just talking to the moon and the stars and even the candle I had used. When my parents woke up the next morning they pointed out that I had gotten my cutie mark - this little eclipse," she concluded, smiling absently. "Not all that interesting, I know, but I'm happy with my talent."

[danielalaverne]

Listening just as quiet and curious as the other pony did, Morrow eagerly paid attention to each and every word of Willo's cutie mark story. She just enjoyed it so much to listen to stories, especially this kind, as it gave away so much interesting details about another pony; besides it was always a good way to start a conversation.

Quietly she ate from her brunch - just as with that word, she always sis work with what she had and tried to make the best of it, and hay, there were breakfast and brunch! - while listening to the Unicorn. She had a feeling the meal turned out to be rather good, and the Unicorn with her had enjoyed it just as much, apparently.

Except for the face she made about the apple juice, but that was Appleloosa for you. Morrow made a mental note to check if she still had some not apple flavored drinks around somewhere, as they were not exactly forbidden, but more expensive here - and a little frowned about by the Apples.

Now the story, that was quiet interesting and the delivery Pegasus did her best to imagine the sparkling and rich castle-city of royalty, nobility, and just as much sciences - as magic - and high culture; and as well once home to the mare sitting across the table from her, if someone as nice as Willo could be from there, maybe the capital city wasn't but all snobby, as some said.

"That was a really beautiful story, Willo, really, not as much involuntary comedy as what I did see that one morning", she giggling about herself, "But really, that was - nice to listen to, and interesting. You got a pretty good and useful talent, too - as much as I enjoy the dim morning lights or even earlier, a little lantern is always nice then.

So, the moon spoke to you? And here I was hesitating to mention that I greet the sun - you were asleep when I did so earlier." There, it was out and not mumbled and here and now she could not hope for ponies to mildly annoyed smile, like her foalhood neighbors - no, it was either way that Willo understood or... why wouldn't she?

"It's curious, we both left home before dawn, both have at least one of the royal sister's sky lights in our marks, both had a talk with parents the next morning, both talk with a light in the sky..." The mahogany pony looked quite puzzled, then shrugged and smiled again, "Who knows why it is like that, probably only the sun and moon, do, if even..."

Singasong was meanwhile back at her place, the blackbird listening interested to the interesting rows of sounds her Pegasus and that other pony made; the four-legged-one's made funny sounds, but a bird could get an idea what they wanted with some training.

Morrow had some more of her meal, before she continued, "So, you like lanterns and the moon, that's pretty nice, but what else do you like- I mean things not directly related to your special talent? Just curious, since I have noticed plenty ponies act as if they only have their one big talent... For example I have a little garden behind the house. I likely have no green hoof like my mother, but I still enjoy it." She smiled encouragingly at the other pony.

[eclipse]

"I know it's kind of silly but I understand them; it's not quite talking but still," Willo said, laughing lightly at herself; she'd found it makes thing easier when you pretend to take things lightly, regardless of how you really feel about them. Nonetheless, it made her glad when the other pony admitted to doing something similar by greeting the sun. "The sun's too loud," she said. "He hurts my eyes. He's okay when he's waking up or going to bed, but..." she shrugged.

Willo just quietly nodded when the other pony noted the similarities. She hadn't really thought of it, of course; she tended to ignore little things like that, mostly because she wasn't used to spending her time with other ponies. It was kind of surprising that this little pegasus and she had so much in common, though; wasn't it just chance that they had met at all? She just smiled at the other pony's comment on the sun & moon. "Maybe we should ask them," she teased.

She quietly finished the borage off her plate, partially lost in thought. She still wasn't sure what exactly she was waiting for, but she felt something coming and she knew she should just be patient. There was something about this mare.... Willo tended to trust her instincts, and she didn't want to change that now. She quietly munched a few more apple fries, wondering what it was that had her so fascinated.

"Oh, uh, other interests?" she said; she hadn't expected that question. It took her a few seconds to think of what she liked to do. "Well, I like taking long walks... It's something I picked up after I left Canterlot. Before I left I used to read philosophy books, although I haven't done so since... so hard to find a good copy of Neightzsche or Aristrotle!" she tapped her hoof against her chin, looking for anything she'd missed.

"I can't really think of anything else," she said apologetically, smiling weakly. "I'm not very interesting, I know. Kind of a one-trick pony." she finished her meal quietly, stewing over the fact that she couldn't come up with any interests. Was she really that bland? She didn't feel like it... But if so why did she really only have her special talent?

[danielalaverne]

"I don't really think it sounds silly-", Morrow said, but for now continued with her meal, before it could get cold - actually colder - while listening interested to Willo. She was quite relieved to get such a positive reaction though, as she hoped for the Unicorn apparently understood her just fine. She just doubted herself...

"I guess there is something about that", the Pegasus added with another look at her won cutie mark, pink as the morning sun often enough was, it was such a soothing and calm, fresh yet warm light. "I just love mornings, not alone the dawn, but also the time before... it's somewhat enchanted, I swear."

That said, Morrow finished her meal, eating it off the plate as Earth ponies and Pegasi usually did, they could just not levitate their food. In thoughts she hoped the Unicorn across the table would understand she could not just be as tidy now as a magic user.

Licking some borage off her muzzle, she looked up again and nodded, with a wide smile, "You know for sure I would ask them, and I bet you wouldn't hesitate either."

The delivery Pegasus sipped from her apple juice and relaxed a bit on her sitting pillow while listening to the Unicorn telling more about herself. Morrow was just glad the other mare opened up more, despite all her self-doubts, but didn't she know them as well? "Really, I think you are a mighty interesting pony, why do you think I would ask you all this otherwise. Also, nice-

Plenty of ponies forget that there is more than just the special talent. Just because it's average and daily for us, it's not less meaningful. Like my gardening work, or how I was told I make great tea or coffee-", she interrupted her own train of thoughts as a realization hit her, "If you don't feel like apple juice, I also have milk. Silly me, I have it around me all day!"

With a hoof point at a shelf, hanging at one of the walls, she added, "If you feel like some brain food though, I have some books, poetry, like Breech, or maybe you prefer authors like Marks or Haygel?" She stretched her wings a bit and smiled content. Things were actually all pretty nice, just, what made her think something was making it all completely different and more meaningful?

[eclipse]

"There's just something about when the world's still sleeping that just gets to you," Willo agreed quietly. "It's like that time is just made for you, when you're out in it; it's the perfect place to be." she'd always enjoyed that time, and the morning still felt like that time for her largely. Besides, the colors were really beautiful during that time... it was a shame the sun couldn't be like that all the time.

She laughed at the other pony's comment about not being afraid to ask the sun & moon. She hadn't really thought of treating the moon to her more mundane problems before, but she did think that the idea might be interesting to try... "Perhaps I will," she said, pondering it a little bit in her head. She really should try asking the moon, see what she'd get. Even if it's just her own ideas.

She blinked a little; she hadn't expected the other pony to find her interesting at all. She really didn't feel like she had anything other than her special talent, even if she had read a lot when she was younger. Even her walks felt more like they were her trying to keep in touch with the moonlight than they were a hobby all there own. "You do make great tea," she commented cheerily.

"Oh, no, that's fine," she said hastily when the other pony offered to get her some milk. She wasn't ever really sure about milk; it always made her feel like she was a filly again. She loved the taste but it wasn't something she ever got because it felt a little indulgent; she smiled weakly at the other pony. "I'll just have some water or something."

"You have some books?" she said, her ears perking up. "Those last two, what do they write about? I've heard of Haygel, he was a philosopher, right? But I don't think I've ever heard of Marks before." She floated over a couple of the books that Morrow had pointed to, flipping through them quickly. She hadn't read a good philosophy book in a long time, and it was something she'd missed dearly.

[danielalaverne]

Morrow nodded quietly, not adding a reply until a few moments later and it was almost as if she relived the memories of this day's morning in her mind. Which color did the earliest sun have again, what stars did she see before, where there any clouds and how cold had it been? All those impressions. "You said that really nice there- It is almost a timeless moment, and yet so short, and sometimes it misses another pony to share it with." After another thought, she added, "Somepony who understands-"

The delivery Pegasus knew when she head a honest compliment and as well to appreciate it, now- Willo would just need to see there was more about herself, but 'not very interesting'. It was just not fair when ponies ended up thinking of themselves as not that interesting or worth it.

"Thanks, I'm glad you like it!", she replied just as happily, "And you- you are great in listening and understanding, that's something, too." Maybe with being able to listen to a body of the sky, there came some patience to listen to anypony else as well. At least, there she was, something she was good in that was not part of her cutie mark. Morrow smiled content.

"Sure, one water's coming", the mahogany Pegasus got up and on the search for water and glass in her little kitchen area, while the Unicorn looked through her books. Morrow's parents always put much emphasis on a good education for their foals, something that was not always obvious in Manehattan, especially the rich party goer scene.

"I sure do- Dialectics, history, socio-economy- Oh yes, both were philosophers, Haygel influenced Marks-", and it was a kind of lecture she kept up from her time in Manehattan, when the books were not only an interesting read for her, but also part to show the world what she stood for. She knew better now not to rub things under other ponies' muzzles, but that didn't change her believes.

Eventually Morrow returned - Singasong made an amused chirping sound from her place - with a tissue draped over one front leg, like a waitress, and on the other front hoof- nope! She couldn't stay up long enough on her hind legs to pull that stunt. Giggling about herself she grabbed a little dish with her mouth, carrying a class full with softly sparkling water and a slice of lemon at the rim. That was the last of those citrus fruits she found in her kitchen, but it sure looked neat now.