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Post by gingersnap on Jan 14, 2012 1:41:46 GMT -5
Through the cold wind, a young chocolate brown mare trudged through the snow. Her mane and tail seemed like icicles in the icy wind. Stupid snow. Useless stuff. Her hoof slipped on the ice forming under the powdered snow. She saw a small village peak over the horizon as she peered through the cold darkening sky. Thank Celestia! Warmth! With a renewed sense of hope she plowed on. The pack she carried seemed to be increasing in weight steadily through this trip and her back was starting whine in protest.
As she approached the now looming shadows of Hoofington. Her heart dropped a bit in sadness. The lamps on the street seemed as though they hadn't been touched by anypony in quite awhile. Nearly all the windows were darkened. Her steps muffled by the snow still seemed to echo among the empty buildings.
Come on, GingerSnap, nopony would mind you staying the night. She muttered under her breath. She passed the Cafe but all windows were dark. Finally she came to one of the older buildings. One that looked like it hadn't been inhabited for a long time. Gratefully she took a step in, glad to be out of the biting wind.
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 2:42:30 GMT -5
"PONY!" Was blurted out before Ginger Snap, and before her very eyes, appeared a rather exstatic looking mutt-face! That is -- A Diamond Dog! Amethyst eyes gleamed with excitement, maw stretched back in a wide grin which, more than likely, would appear to be nothing short of terrifying. How would Ginger Snap react to his greeting? Hit him? Scream? Faint?
Well. No matter how she reacted, The Diamond Dog -- Zircon was his name -- Made a quick attempt to hastily pull the pony inside, before snapping the doors shut behind her.
"Miss Pony must come in!" He insisted, "Is very cold outside! Yes? Very cold. Kind, sweet pony mustn't be outside in such cold-- In fact!" He paused in his lightning-fast rambling, picking up a fur-covered blanket at his feet, holding it up with an excited grin, "Kind, sweet, lovely pony would like my blanket, yes? Is very warm, very soft!"
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Post by gingersnap on Jan 28, 2012 2:57:12 GMT -5
GingerSnap was indeed extremely startled to be greeted by anypony let alone a creature she had only heard of in story. Greeting one in the dark. A small yelp escaped the little pony's mouth before she could stop herself.
As the Diamond dog slammed the door shut she began to panic slightlyI-I-um-yes-I'm sorry for intr-The blanket thrust so eagerly in her face was a bit more of a temptation than her fear. Already the heat in the small home was melting the ice in her mane and making her even colder. Shrugging off her pack she gratefully took the blanket. T-t-thank you, Missst-t-er Dog? She attempted to smile as her teeth chattered.
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 4:25:55 GMT -5
"No intrusion!" Zircon said, as he stepped back, sat on his haunches, and stared unnervingly at Ginger Snap with a tail wagging behind him, "I do not live here.. Nopony lives here! Just like warmth, same as you." Zircon nodded, tugging his tailed vest around himself a bit more, as he had relinquished his blanket, and the cold which had drifted in from outside was now beginning to settle in.
"Kind, pretty pony can call me.. 'Zee'. Yes! Zee is fine." He paused, leaning in and tilting his head at her, "Kind pony has name, yes? Is stranger to farm town as well! Yes?" He asked, claws rapping in time against the floorboards of the abandoned home.
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Post by gingersnap on Jan 28, 2012 4:50:02 GMT -5
My name is GingerSnap!Pleasure to meet you, Zee! She exclaimed a bit to loudly after the warmth had officially reached her bones. She eyed the Diamond Dog with a bit of confusion. I thought Diamond Dogs lived underground, Zee?
Looking around the dark home she spotted a wood stove in the corner covered in dust from neglect. She shrugged off the blanket and nudged it towards him. Thank you, but if we are to last the cold we might as well light ourselves a proper fire.
Reaching into her bag she clinked the glass bottles around until her eyes lit up. She pulled from it a bottle filled with only a couple petals with a strange orange glow to them. Zee would you mind finding us some dry wood?Her green eyes glinting with mischievousness.
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 5:54:50 GMT -5
"I know," Zee replied with a chuckle, ears twitching as his tail and grin died down, but remained as they were still, "I am not a normal dog! No, no.. Not mean, and spiteful, like dogs!" Zircon lifted a paw, placing it to his chest in a motion of sincerity, "I forgive ponies, wish to help ponies, yes! This is why I am here. To help ponies, restore the bond of friendship! Heh, eh.. Yes. But you are not wanting to hear about this."
Standing, Zee turned to the wood stove, tail picking up in a wag once more as he thought of the idea of an actual stove working.
Looking back to Ginger Snap at her request, he could most definitely catch the mischevious hint in her eyes.. Oh yes, it was nearly always present in his own, when he was making a "business deal"! It was unmistakeable. But, without missing a beat, he turned and walked further into the house, to search for any wood that he could scavenge. "Of course, Ginger Pony! Warm is good.. We warm, and we talk!"
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Post by gingersnap on Jan 28, 2012 16:15:56 GMT -5
GingerSnap nodded her headOnce we get some warmth and light into this darkness then we can talk. She uncorked the bottle and peered into it giving it a sniff.These should still be fresh... How long ago had she come across the Dragon Flower? Being an Earth Pony with no magic or flight was a bit of a nuisance, as normally should would have to be put in harm's way to obtain what she wanted. Her leg gave twinge as she remembered the encounter.
She trotted over and kicked the rusted door open. She empty the petals into the center belly of the stove and sat back the cold starting to creep up again. Well I'm glad at least to have company in this cold, though a Diamond Dog wasn't what I was expecting!
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 16:32:29 GMT -5
After drifting to a back room in the home, which he hadn't yet discovered since hunkering down in the abandoned home just a few hours before Ginger Snap had, Zircon's nose came across a faintly woody smell, and even the faint scent of kerosene. Hurrah! Warmth at last.
Following his nose to a cellar door, he flipped back an old, rat-chewed rug and gladly tossed open the cellar door, decending down into the depths - And darkness. He couldn't see a thing..
"Must be wood here.. Yes--" He paused, mid-chuckle, pulling back the left side of his vest, to retrieve a small sliver of white crystal. Tapping a claw against it gently, his eyes squinted as the crystal suddenly lit up, enchanting by his own paws with a light-by-touch enchantment. It provided at least a small measure of light, to which he could see..
...Jars! Preservatives! Ratty old blankets in the corner which had also been chewed to beyond and back, and shelves lined with old, dust-covered jars of preservatives, jams, things of that sort. And right in the corner across from the blankets was a small pile of quartered wood, as well as a tiny tin canister of kerosene.
"..SUCCESS!" He shouted in joy, cackling as he stepped forward and retrieved the wood and kerosene, tucking the lighted crystal into the inner vest pocket once more, "Found wood, found 'Icky Pony Food', found strong-smelling fuel, Ginger Pony!"
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Post by sonofifrit on Jan 28, 2012 16:54:10 GMT -5
Meanwhile outside a grey earth pony with a white mane and no tail was busy pulling a cart towards his shop. The cart was filled with Various mechanical parts and on top was a steam engine. Needless to say it was a heavy load. "uuurgh! Come on....just a little farther." Farther and farther he went as he was close to a large garage door at his store, as he reached for the door he heard a snapping sound behind him. He turned around and saw that the cart broke and it started rolling backwards gaining speed down the hill he lived on. His eyes went wide as he chased after it. "No no no!" without hesitation he grabbed onto the cart to try and stop it. He went through the town trying to bring the cart to a stop until a large rock blocked the way.
The cart breaks as he goes flying towards an abandoned house. "WHOOOOA!!!!" he hits the wall of the building face first and collapses on the ground seeing stars.
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Post by gingersnap on Jan 28, 2012 17:12:59 GMT -5
That's gre-!What in Equestria?! Ginger Snap turned to address Zee as a large bang against the house shuddered the building sending dust cascading down across the floor board, pony and canine.
Her hers laid flat as she got a look of concern on her face Zee? What do you think that was? Her eyes fixated on the door, her heart pounding waiting for some unspeakable monster to break through at any moment.
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 17:22:37 GMT -5
As the pony BANGED into the side of the abandoned house, Zee gave a sharp 'gerk--!' and dropped the wood, though was able to luckily catch the small tin canister of kerosene before it dropped and spilled.
A soft growl stifled in the back of his throat, amethyst eyes glaring softly in the direction of the thump. He hoped it wasn't the townspeople coming to rat them out, or worse yet, boot them out of town! That'd wash his scheme right down the outhouse..
Before entering the room Ginger was in, he quickly scooped up the wood once more, and placed on a curious expression rather than his glare, stepping into the room to dump the meager wood pile by the wood stove, placing the kerosene beside it.
"I don't know, Ginger-Pony. Zee will look, yes?" he flashed a grin to her, stepping forward to peel the door open, slip outside, closing the door behind him as he dunked himself into the snow and burrowed through it, eyes and ears above the snow as he moved. It was cold, but he'd be out of sight in case any of the local ponies decided to come investigate themselves.
Within moments, he found the source of the bang -- Zircon blinked several times, tail poking above the snow as it began to wag. Hmm.. This could be a new opportunity, Zircon thought!
Without a word, Zircon popped above the snow, aiming to snatch Gear up from the snow while he was disoriented, toss the pony over one shoulder, before dashing back into the house, kicking the door shut behind him.
"Pony!"
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Post by sonofifrit on Jan 28, 2012 17:33:25 GMT -5
Gear was out like a light. The crash left him unconsious as Zircon brought him in. His he was fidgeting a little bit and mumbling to himself. "no.....no sis I don't wanna feed grandma hay fries while she's in the bathtub.....I.... I don't...." all that was left was incoherent mumbling as he then fell silent.
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Post by gingersnap on Jan 28, 2012 17:39:37 GMT -5
Ginger's ear perked back up as she let out a sigh a of relief. Quickly she grabbed some wood that Zee and placed it over the petals. Gently she tipped the Kerosene onto one of the petals. Zee, keep back a bit unless you want to loss some fur.
With that she stepped back herself and blew hard into the belly of the wood stove and bright flame wooshed out of the stove as Ginger kicked the door shut.
Set him down next to the stove. She smiled as heat began radiating from the unused stove. I guess this town isn't as abandoned as we thought.
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Post by Zircon on Jan 28, 2012 17:50:28 GMT -5
Perking his ears up a bit, he just now got to noticing the petals. He tilted his head, pulling the pony off of his shoulder to peer at him, brow scrunching downward somewhat as the pony began to mutter.
And then, as the flames whooshed out of the stove, Zircon seemed genuinely surprised, blinking several times at the stove as he asked, "This is nice trick, pony! But you have no horn, how do you make the fire go WOOSH, then?" He asked, staring at Ginger as he laid Gear down in front of the stove, but not too close. He then took a seat, himself, beside the unconscious pony, going to repeatedly poke Gear until the pony decided to wake up.
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Post by sonofifrit on Jan 28, 2012 18:06:36 GMT -5
Gear layed quietly near the stove as he embraced the warmth. He began dreaming of his family, of his dream to fly, and his memories of Fillydelphia. A smile could easily be seen on his face. And then of course he felt Zircon poking him. "Miiiiiirrr..." he groaned as he shooed his paw away. It continued again and he slowly started stirring. He groaned as he got up. "ugh... What? Where am I?"
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