My Little Pony XX: Appletastic Treats

[Aotrs Commander]

....run a pbp game I can get in on. Please?
I'll... hmm. Be very grateful?

I'm afraid I must decline, despite for the first time in about ten years, only having one RPG group to handle (we combined our two groups). What time I'm now not spending preppng converted module after converted module I'm either now spending on wargaming, or even theoretically actually getting around to writing my own quests again.

(Also, pbp would probably play havoc with my perfectionist preparation DMing style; not too mention all my legions of modifications and house-rules would be a tad...cumbersome...to give out. I tend to run 3.5 with most of the bells and whistles (though by FAR not all of them!))

But, Lixie, in the remote chance you should, by some strange, freakish fortune end up around Derby, I'm sure I could find a slot for you...



Actually, on that note, that brings me to a point perhaps worth mentioning in passing, that at the start of October (1st and 2nd, I think it is), I'm running a demo game at the World Wargames convention in Derby ¹, with all of that tank-y, Red Alerty stuff I've been periodically posting. (And why I'm hoping to acquire some pony for pictures of the taking of for humourous purposes.) Which I mention in the extraordinary remote chance anyone is in the vicinity of and interested.

Bonus spite sources: Reliance on idiot groups to clear instances, level discrepancies being the major factor in most combats, endlessly long walks, uninspired palletswapped enemies, combat that I might as well get a robot to perform on my behalf. It is everything I hate in video games.

Not bets fond of MMORPGs myself, though for me, it mainly stems from the fact that I a) don't play computer games to against people, I play 'em to go through the story or curb-stomp the computer or both (if I want a challenge against a person, I play a wargame) and b) I am both extremely tight and fickle, and I am not about to pay for any game that requires any kind of investment beyond the initial purchase (expansions nonwithstanding), sinc eI almost invariably get 1/2-2/3 of the way through and then it sits fallow for months to years before I finally get around to finishing it. (I have more unfinished JRPGs than finished ones...) Bioware games tend to be th exception (though I've barely touched DA:Awakening and DA2), and I'm more likely to finish RTS.



Also, Pony Season 2! Huzzah! Just hope the trolls keep off youtube long enough for me to watch any, or it's going to be a looong pony-less year. (They haven't shown the second half of season 1 yet of Boomerang, at this rate the (eventual) DVD will come out faster...



¹Cunningly disguised of course. Plausible deniability keeps the general populace from knowing of the stalking unatural horror that walks among them, plus I don't have to deal with the journalists whose stupidity outweighs their cowardice...

[Grif]

I was bored and watching Suited for Success again and right before the fashion show for Hoity Toity, weird name for a pony it seems like his parents new exactly how he would grow up just like Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara and a lot of other ponies... How does that work?, anyways I noticed this in the background:

Spoiler

Show

It seems a bit lazy using the same two ponies three times each when there has been countless number of onscreen background characters used before, so why use just two? Probably been brought up before but oh well.

I probably shouldn't be looking for random background characters an duplicates in the first place, but like 20 seconds later in another crowd scene, I see 5 6 Colgates, 5 6 Doctors, 3 pink and yellow ponies that look like fluttershy (sort of), a 3 hornless Lyras... The list of duplicates just goes on and on.
It was 5 doctors and colgates but I saw another pair in the back, I really need to stop looking for these kinda things.

Heh, talk about coincidence. I was re-watching Suited for Success myself. Though more for spotting bloopers that the animators accidentally left in. Boy, there were a lot of those, even to my untrained eye.

[Titanium Fox]

Yeah the second one is more understandable because it is such a large scene that to have unique ponies in each slot would be crazy.

Looking at the picture again, There are ten ponies there besides Hoity Toity, 6 are Colgate/Derpy and on second look there are two Lyras also one on each side of Hoity Toity. So ten ponies, three are Colgate, three are Derpy, two are Lyra, leaving only two other unique designs that are as far as I know unnamed. That's just getting lazy.
ETA: Correction there are 11 ponies there is what looks like another Lyra behind the far right Colgate.

Got nothing better to do today so I guess I'll give Fall-Weather Friends a rewatch now.

Honestly I can't say I'm surprised. The whole point of the background ponies there is to give the feeling of a crowd; we're not meant to focus on them. And it worked, didn't it? I mean, we're just noticing now the level of recycling they got away with there. I really don't have an issue with this. They're far from the first show to do this, and they'll be far from the last.

Heh, talk about coincidence. I was re-watching Suited for Success myself. Though more for spotting bloopers that the animators accidentally left in. Boy, there were a lot of those, even to my untrained eye.

Ooh! Like what?

[Gamerlord]

Just wanted everyone to know that on the day s2 premieres, I will be temporarily cutting off communications with the thread until I get to see the episode.
I predict the threads will kick into overdrive during the first few episodes, and then one of two things will happen:
1.After the two-parter we resume our standard slice of life stories, the thread slows down somewhat.
2. This season turns out to be very plot-heavy with all sorts of twists and we stay in overdrive.

[Titanium Fox]

My cake was featured on EqD HOLY BUCK. *Bounnnnnce*

EDIT: By the way, Trixie, if you're reading this? I can't seem to get steam to work on my laptop suddenly. You have AIM or MSN per chance?

[Irbis]

Yay! New thread!

Just wanted everyone to know that on the day s2 premieres, I will be temporarily cutting off communications with the thread until I get to see the episode.
I predict the threads will kick into overdrive during the first few episodes, and then one of two things will happen:
1.After the two-parter we resume our standard slice of life stories, the thread slows down somewhat.
2. This season turns out to be very plot-heavy with all sorts of twists and we stay in overdrive.

Well, spoilers now are fair game, but...

Yeah, I agree, I'd like to preemptively repeat my request from past season to keep all after-episode stuff spoilered until after HD version premieres. No, we're not interested in the episode's quality/opinion, either, not in any witty-spoily oneliners, too, until we see it ourselves

[Kris Strife]

My cake was featured on EqD HOLY BUCK. *Bounnnnnce*

EDIT: By the way, Trixie, if you're reading this? I can't seem to get steam to work on my laptop suddenly. You have AIM or MSN per chance?

Add me on MSN too! [email protected]

Also, I hope you get Steam working again so we can get on CO again.

[Kairaven]

I am just trying to wrap my head around the fact that it's been almost a year of ponies.

That and apparently the threads moves slower when the season is on.

But it's going to be on Saturday instead of Friday, which means it should be easier for every pony to find the time to watch and less time needed to avoid thread spoilers. It will be Saturday morning for me, so I'll wake up, get breakfast, and watch the episode then come on the thread. Instead of it being on while I was at work and I had to avoid all forums until I get home.

I am sure more Spoiler tag drama will occur.

Basically I have my pony episode day schedule planned already.

[Irbis]

But it's going to be on Saturday instead of Friday, which means it should be easier for every pony to find the time to watch and less time needed to avoid thread spoilers. It will be Saturday morning for me, so I'll wake up, get breakfast, and watch the episode then come on the thread. Instead of it being on while I was at work and I had to avoid all forums until I get home.

*coughs*

Points to tiny, insignificant place called *whole rest of the world*

I wish anyone remembered we exist, too...

[Kairaven]

*coughs*

Points to tiny, insignificant place called *whole rest of the world*

I wish anyone remembered we exist, too...

It will be Saturday for them too, afternoon or night. Asian bronies can go to bed early and catch up on Sunday morning, Eurobrony might have to occupy themselves for teh afternoon. Even if they are on some mid Pacific Island, it would likely be early morning Saturday when the episode airs. Being that it's Saturday, the chances of some pony uploading high quality versions of eipsodes sooner is also higher.

[Titanium Fox]

I am just trying to wrap my head around the fact that it's been almost a year of ponies.

That and apparently the threads moves slower when the season is on.

But it's going to be on Saturday instead of Friday, which means it should be easier for every pony to find the time to watch and less time needed to avoid thread spoilers. It will be Saturday morning for me, so I'll wake up, get breakfast, and watch the episode then come on the thread. Instead of it being on while I was at work and I had to avoid all forums until I get home.

I am sure more Spoiler tag drama will occur.

Basically I have my pony episode day schedule planned already.

Unfortunately that Saturday is the day of a Rocky Votalato concert I have tickets too. I'll just catch it on Youtube the day after, if the times coincide.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

I'm saying it now: my goal for this next season is to get away with watching at least ONE episode live when it airs.

[Kindablue]

And now ponies started a philosophical debate. Go ponies!

To be honest, that never was a problem for me. I guess I am the thing that reacts to outside influences and decides what to do. I don't separate myself from my "self", so to speak. However, I did have two completely unrelated reasons to be nihilistic.

Spoiler

Show

1) Scale. And I mean SCALE. I'm just a grain of sand on the beach, which in itself just flies through the void with no other beach in sight. No matter what I do, I can never understand one cell of my own body, not to mention changing the world.

2) Leading from that, nothing I do can ever be correct. I don't know anything. Will me choosing this career/company to work for over that one lead to me being more happy? Or even more rich? Will this bike last longer then that one? In which shop should I buy the bike? Should I pass it and get some shoes instead? Will me talking to this person via butterfly effect lead me away from meeting somebody else, who I otherwise would have fallen in love with and married? Is the world real? What is the world? How can I make the world a better place, if all I have is a distorted image of some aspects of a fraction of it?

Then I said: buck that. If nothing matters, because no matter what I think I'll be wrong, I can just choose what I think and be as wrong as if I'd taken any other option. I choose to think the world is the amalgamation of all the incomplete pieces each person sees. Therefore, to make the world better, you just make everybody happier. It doesn't matter that I can't get everybody or think of everything. I can just work on a little patch around me, it will make my primitive primate brain happy, and the world for people around me a little better. Then, satisfied, I continued to procrastinate (or just do the job I like despite getting less money then I'm "supposed" to by this point in life.). While being nice to people, therefore "making" the "world" a better place.

We're definitely talking about two different things here. I mean that there's no real separation between you and the world. You're so much a part of it--every thought and action you have is so much a reaction to it--that you don't really get any more control than a skin cell on your left foot gets in deciding which protein it makes today. And yeah, even if true, buck that.

This season couldn't come fast enough if this is all we have to talk about.

Well, spoilers now are fair game, but...

Yeah, I agree, I'd like to preemptively repeat my request from past season to keep all after-episode stuff spoilered until after HD version premieres. No, we're not interested in the episode's quality/opinion, either, not in any witty-spoily oneliners, too, until we see it ourselves

I'll keep that in mind.

[Thanqol]

This season couldn't come fast enough if this is all we have to talk about.

Yeah, the timing is kinda perfect if the conversation topics are down to WoW and nihilism.

[Trixie]

It will be Saturday for them too, afternoon or night. Asian bronies can go to bed early and catch up on Sunday morning, Eurobrony might have to occupy themselves for teh afternoon. Even if they are on some mid Pacific Island, it would likely be early morning Saturday when the episode airs. Being that it's Saturday, the chances of some pony uploading high quality versions of eipsodes sooner is also higher.

That assumes episodes will somehow be available, seeing we have no access to US TV. The earliest I seen was 2 hours for horrible 240p tvrip, if you want to watch it like intended in HD we're looking at 24-36 hours minimum.

Only thing that is going for us, that's in weekend, so there might be someone with time to burn, especially for bragging rights on ED.

[Kairaven]

Think of it this way.

How many new bronies did we assimilate during the summer?? Just going by you tube channels alone, there are now triple the numbers of people posting pony episodes. The chances are higher that the episodes to net process will be done faster with better qualities.

[Gamerlord]

That assumes episodes will somehow be available, seeing we have no access to US TV. The earliest I seen was 2 hours for horrible 240p tvrip, if you want to watch it like intended in HD we're looking at 24-36 hours minimum.

Only thing that is going for us, that's in weekend, so there might be someone with time to burn, especially for bragging rights on ED.

Don't forget people sometimes stream the episodes live.

[Raz_Fox]

Everypony, please see this. IT. IS. CONFIRMED.

...

I apologize if anyone's windows were just shattered by my fangirly squeal of pure elation and ebullience.

Just wanted everyone to know that on the day s2 premieres, I will be temporarily cutting off communications with the thread until I get to see the episode.
I predict the threads will kick into overdrive during the first few episodes, and then one of two things will happen:
1.After the two-parter we resume our standard slice of life stories, the thread slows down somewhat.
2. This season turns out to be very plot-heavy with all sorts of twists and we stay in overdrive.
3. PONYSANITY CONSUMES US ALL

I'll take option 3, Gamer.

*coughs*

Points to tiny, insignificant place called *whole rest of the world*

I wish anyone remembered we exist, too...

Whole rest of the world, whole rest of the world... that's in California, right?

[Kairaven]

Don't forget people sometimes stream the episodes live.

Trixie and Irbis both only watch ponies in HD quality, and stream doesn't achieve that level yet.

But now I am sure we have triple (or more) the amount of Bronies with Hub HD. it use to be that most of them can't rip the HD quality because of the air time (when people are at work), so most of them perform the rip when it is being shown on weekend reruns, which is usually a day or later. Now that it's is shown on weekend, that process should be faster. Call it wishful thinking, but I think we are better prepared this season for pony sharing than last season.

[Gamerlord]

I'll take option 3, Gamer.

Always the optimist.
Wait, or is it always the cynic?
...Is ponysanity good or bad?
Or is it just "Good,bad, we're the guys with the ponies."

[MCerberus]

I'd just like to say something about the omigosh .gif
Blinking pony hypnotizes me.

[Trixie]

BTW, per question, yes I do.

How many new bronies did we assimilate during the summer?? Just going by you tube channels alone, there are now triple the numbers of people posting pony episodes. The chances are higher that the episodes to net process will be done faster with better qualities.

...I wish, but S1 efforts do not make me exactly optimistic. Number of people means nothing, they need to have specialistic skills first. Making good 1080p picture, heck, even quasi-HD takes a lot of experience. Just look at Apple/iTunes MLP encodes - botched, every single one of them, despite their crew.

Plus, you can't beat laws of physics.

Don't forget people sometimes stream the episodes live.

...in video channels of 20-50 people? Plus, these tend to be done using poor upload speed of contributor making in 360p at best, 120p at worst, and some people just can't watch something in poor quality. There's no point at all. I know I watched 2 episodes months after their release, purely due to mangled sound in them.

I'm not saying it will be all bad, but there's no reason to be optimistic just yet.

[EsperDerek]

Alright, I refuse to let the possible death of my good computer stop me from writing, no matter what the threats may be! And to prove that I am not giving up, I hereby present, in honor of the fact that the series will be starting in September:

Midnight and Shimmer's Guide to Dating, Preview #2

Spoiler

Show

Alright, so dinner had been a disaster. There was no getting around that, but it was still early in the evening, and there was plenty of time to turn the date around.

And this? This couldn't fail.

A beautiful summers evening, the stars already starting to twinkle in the sky. The soothing, almost hypnotic sounds of Lyra's harp, as she played for the small audience that had gathered quietly for this outdoor recital.

It was going so well that Midnight didn't even mind the fact that she was almost assuredly getting grass stains on her dress. The stress of the disastrous dinner was starting to evaporate into the night air, and she felt a gentle weight start to press against her side, felt Shimmer's head lean up against her own.

"This is so nice..." Shimmer whispered, looking adoringly up at the lime-green performer up on stage. Midnight felt her cheeks flush with delight. She knew Shimmer absolutely loved Lyra (to the point where if Midnight was a different pony, she might be jealous!), so when Midnight had learned that she was putting on a concert on the night of their date, she had pulled out all of the stops to get tickets.

And it was worth the camping trip! Midnight turned her head, to look at the lovely pegasus who was her company. Yes, this was the perfect moment, it was exactly what Midnight had hoped for, and so, she leaned in, intent on kissing the cheek that was presenting itself to her...

"Hark, my beloved!"

Midnight flinched back, and looked around fearfully, a chill running down her spine. Ponies around her looked about in irritation, trying to find the source of the noise that had interrupted the atmosphere that had been so carefully constructed.

No, it couldn't be him. He was safely back at Canterlot, far, far, far away from her.

Even if was him, surely he wasn't there for her. She would pretend that she had never heard that voice. She snuggled closer to Shimmer, who smiled, having not been distracted from the music by that voice. Shimmer turned to look at her, delight sparkling in her eyes, and that chill down Midnight's spine was replaced with a delightful tingle. They began to lean forwards, their lips about to meet...

"Ah, my beloved! I have found you once again!"

The moment evaporated as quickly as it had began, as that voice repeated itself, closer now. The two slowly looked up at the pony who had so rudely interrupted them, and Midnight let out a despairing sigh.

He really was the spitting image of his father. Midnight knew ponies took after their parents, she was proof at that, but Prince Blueblood II looked so much like his father that Midnight was privately convinced that he had simply, one day, budded off of his father in some sort of strange form of mitosis. It would certainly explain a few things.

"What are you doing here?" Midnight hissed quietly, poor Shimmer looking confusedly between her and the intruder into their privacy. Blueblood flashed a dazzling smile, that might have enraptured young mares that didn't know any better.

"Why, I have come to this...delightful little town...to enjoy this music, of course! My father thought it would be a good chance to spent time with my fiancee, and here I find you, in the hooves of another mare! How scandalous!"

They were starting to get more of an audience at this point, as pony eyes turned towards the drama that was starting to unfurl in their midst. Midnight felt her eyebrow twitch, a slight headache forming behind her eyes.

"Fiancee? Midnight, what's going on? What is he talking about?" Shimmer asked, the confusion evident in her voice. Midnight had to head this off at the pass, before it got any worse, before Shimmer got the wrong idea.

She sprung to her feet, as quickly as her dress would allow her.

"Blueblood, you are not my fiancee! We met twice, after the Gala, and that was because your father kept shoving you into my path! I don't know what ideas he's been feeding you, but it's not going to happen! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to spend some time with my marefriend."

Blueblood blinked, and looked between the standing, seething Midnight, and the sitting Shimmer, who was blushing ever so slightly as Midnight's rather loud exclamation that they were lovers.

"Marefriend? You are attempting to tell me that this is not some form of youthful experimentation? Princess Midnight, you cannot be telling me that you are a fillyfo-"

He was cut off immediately.

"You use that term, and I will force-feed you my bustle. I'm not sure which part of this dress is the bustle, so it might take a few attempts!" Midnight yelled, anger clear and rising in her voice. Anypony around her, thinking about it later, would have sworn that for the briefest of moments, Midnight's eyes went from blue to green. Blueblood (The Second) took a step back, and it looked for a moment that he had given up.

Instead, however, he turned from the seething Princess, to Shimmer, who was still sitting down, casting an almost scornful gaze upon her.

"You, filly. What can you possibly have to offer her?" Shimmer blinked at the question, and took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"Well, I'm a writer..." She began, and Blueblood scoffed.

"A writer? How...plebeian. You are looking at Prince Blueblood (The Second), of the illustrious Blueblood line. I can trace my lineage back a thousand years!"

"Midnight doesn't seem to be too impressed by that..." Shimmer quirked a smile, looking a tad more confident. "She seems to like my writing an awful lot, though."

Midnight blushed furiously, and stepped to move closer to Shimmer, to show her support.

Unfortunately, at the same time, her confidence building, Shimmer had elected to start to stand as well. Her hoof came down on a part of Midnight's dress.

Now, Midnight had never been especially graceful. Oh, sure, she could move properly as long as she put her mind to it, but it didn't' come naturally to her. She was, in fact, prone to tripping, bouncing her head off things, and just general klutziness. But even she couldn't hope to match Shimmer in the four-left-hoof department. Their relationship had, in fact, started when they had literally crashed right into one another!

And so, the end result of this particular moment of dual-klutz was a sickening tear of fabric, and Shimmer being sent stumbling to the ground, her legs somehow getting bound in the strip of silk that she had accidentally torn from Midnight's dress. She began to struggle, only making it worse.

Midnight stooped to help her, only to hear a scornful laugh behind her.

"You're thinking of choosing that graceless pegasus?" Midnight's eye twitched painfully, and she whirled on Blueblood II, painfully poking his chest with a hoof.

"Shimmer has more grace and dignity tied up than you do ever! Get this through your thick head, Prince. You are not my fiancee! I am not, and I repeat, not interested in you!"

With that, she turned back to Shimmer, starting to help untangle the struggling pegasus, looking apologetically at her. Blueblood was quiet for a long moment.

"Ah, I understand..." He began, and Midnight blinked. Had she finally gotten through his thick skull? Did he finally get it?

"Of course! How silly of me. Of course you are not interested in me! You are Princess Midnight! Daughter of one of the rulers of Equestria! Heir to the Throne of the Night! You must be impressed! Yes, I understand now! I must undertake some grave Quest for the hoof of my Lady!"

Midnight and Shimmer just looked at him, neither knowing what to say. He flashed them another smile.

"Fear not, Lady Midnight! For I, Prince Blueblood The Second, shall complete a task that will impress you so much, it shall send you spiraling into my waiting hooves!"

The two simply blinked, stunned. With one last flourish, the noblepony dove through the crowd, heading out on his grand Quest.

Midnight let out a sigh, as she finished untangling Shimmer, and helped her up.

"I'm really sorry about that, I...didn't expect..." She murmured, looking unhappy. This was going so well, and now...

"It's alright, you couldn't have...eep..." Shimmer trailed off, her eyes widening. Midnight blinked, and began to look around, and soon determined why.

Everypony was looking at them. Not just the audience, but Lyra up on stage, irritation clearly etched upon her face, her hooves no longer playing upon that harp.

Midnight let out a nervous chuckle.

"Uhm...Encore?"

[Kris Strife]

Alright, I refuse to let the possible death of my good computer stop me from writing, no matter what the threats may be! And to prove that I am not giving up, I hereby present, in honor of the fact that the series will be starting in September:

Midnight and Shimmer's Guide to Dating, Preview #2

Spoiler

Show

Alright, so dinner had been a disaster. There was no getting around that, but it was still early in the evening, and there was plenty of time to turn the date around.

And this? This couldn't fail.

A beautiful summers evening, the stars already starting to twinkle in the sky. The soothing, almost hypnotic sounds of Lyra's harp, as she played for the small audience that had gathered quietly for this outdoor recital.

It was going so well that Midnight didn't even mind the fact that she was almost assuredly getting grass stains on her dress. The stress of the disastrous dinner was starting to evaporate into the night air, and she felt a gentle weight start to press against her side, felt Shimmer's head lean up against her own.

"This is so nice..." Shimmer whispered, looking adoringly up at the lime-green performer up on stage. Midnight felt her cheeks flush with delight. She knew Shimmer absolutely loved Lyra (to the point where if Midnight was a different pony, she might be jealous!), so when Midnight had learned that she was putting on a concert on the night of their date, she had pulled out all of the stops to get tickets.

And it was worth the camping trip! Midnight turned her head, to look at the lovely pegasus who was her company. Yes, this was the perfect moment, it was exactly what Midnight had hoped for, and so, she leaned in, intent on kissing the cheek that was presenting itself to her...

"Hark, my beloved!"

Midnight flinched back, and looked around fearfully, a chill running down her spine. Ponies around her looked about in irritation, trying to find the source of the noise that had interrupted the atmosphere that had been so carefully constructed.

No, it couldn't be him. He was safely back at Canterlot, far, far, far away from her.

Even if was him, surely he wasn't there for her. She would pretend that she had never heard that voice. She snuggled closer to Shimmer, who smiled, having not been distracted from the music by that voice. Shimmer turned to look at her, delight sparkling in her eyes, and that chill down Midnight's spine was replaced with a delightful tingle. They began to lean forwards, their lips about to meet...

"Ah, my beloved! I have found you once again!"

The moment evaporated as quickly as it had began, as that voice repeated itself, closer now. The two slowly looked up at the pony who had so rudely interrupted them, and Midnight let out a despairing sigh.

He really was the spitting image of his father. Midnight knew ponies took after their parents, she was proof at that, but Prince Blueblood II looked so much like his father that Midnight was privately convinced that he had simply, one day, budded off of his father in some sort of strange form of mitosis. It would certainly explain a few things.

"What are you doing here?" Midnight hissed quietly, poor Shimmer looking confusedly between her and the intruder into their privacy. Blueblood flashed a dazzling smile, that might have enraptured young mares that didn't know any better.

"Why, I have come to this...delightful little town...to enjoy this music, of course! My father thought it would be a good chance to spent time with my fiancee, and here I find you, in the arms of another mare! How scandalous!"

They were starting to get more of an audience at this point, as pony eyes turned towards the drama that was starting to unfurl in their midst. Midnight felt her eyebrow twitch, a slight headache forming behind her eyes.

"Fiancee? Midnight, what's going on? What is he talking about?" Shimmer asked, the confusion evident in her voice. Midnight had to head this off at the pass, before it got any worse, before Shimmer got the wrong idea.

She sprung to her feet, as quickly as her dress would allow her.

"Blueblood, you are not my fiancee! We met twice, after the Gala, and that was because your father kept shoving you into my path! I don't know what ideas he's been feeding you, but it's not going to happen! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to spend some time with my marefriend."

Blueblood blinked, and looked between the standing, seething Midnight, and the sitting Shimmer, who was blushing ever so slightly as Midnight's rather loud exclamation that they were lovers.

"Marefriend? You are attempting to tell me that this is not some form of youthful experimentation? Princess Midnight, you cannot be telling me that you are a fillyfo-"

He was cut off immediately.

"You use that term, and I will force-feed you my bustle. I'm not sure which part of this dress is the bustle, so it might take a few attempts!" Midnight yelled, anger clear and rising in her voice. Anypony around her, thinking about it later, would have sworn that for the briefest of moments, Midnight's eyes went from blue to green. Blueblood (The Second) took a step back, and it looked for a moment that he had given up.

Instead, however, he turned from the seething Princess, to Shimmer, who was still sitting down, casting an almost scornful gaze upon her.

"You, filly. What can you possibly have to offer her?" Shimmer blinked at the question, and took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"Well, I'm a writer..." She began, and Blueblood scoffed.

"A writer? How...plebeian. You are looking at Prince Blueblood (The Second), of the illustrious Blueblood line. I can trace my lineage back a thousand years!"

"Midnight doesn't seem to be too impressed by that..." Shimmer quirked a smile, looking a tad more confident. "She seems to like my writing an awful lot, though."

Midnight blushed furiously, and stepped to move closer to Shimmer, to show her support.

Unfortunately, at the same time, her confidence building, Shimmer had elected to start to stand as well. Her hoof came down on a part of Midnight's dress.

Now, Midnight had never been especially graceful. Oh, sure, she could move properly as long as she put her mind to it, but it didn't' come naturally to her. She was, in fact, prone to tripping, bouncing her head off things, and just general klutziness. But even she couldn't hope to match Shimmer in the four-left-hoof department. Their relationship had, in fact, started when they had literally crashed right into one another!

And so, the end result of this particular moment of dual-klutz was a sickening tear of fabric, Shimmer sent tripping to the ground, her legs somehow getting bound in the strip of silk that she had accidentally torn from Midnight's dress. She began to struggle, only making it worse.

Midnight stooped to help her, only to hear a scornful laugh behind her.

"You're thinking of choosing that graceless pegasus?" Midnight's eye twitched painfully, and she whirled on Blueblood II, painfully poking his chest with a hoof.

"Shimmer has more grace and dignity tied up than you do ever! Get this through your thick head, Prince. You are not my fiancee! I am not, and I repeat, not interested in you!"

With that, she turned back to Shimmer, starting to help untangle the struggling pegasus, looking apologetically at her. Blueblood was quiet for a long moment.

"Ah, I understand..." He began, and Midnight blinked. Had she finally gotten through his thick skull? Did he finally understand?

"Of course! How silly of me. Of course you are not interested in me! You are Princess Midnight! Daughter of one of the rulers of Equestria! Heir to the Throne of the Night! You must be impressed! Yes, I understand now! I must undertake some grave Quest for the hoof of my Lady!"

Midnight and Shimmer just looked at him, neither knowing what to say. He flashed them another smile.

"Fear not, Lady Midnight! For I, Prince Blueblood The Second, shall complete a task that will impress you so much, it shall send you spiraling into my waiting hooves!"

The two simply blinked, stunned. With one last flourish, the noblepony dove through the crowd, heading out on his grand Quest.

Midnight let out a sigh, as she finished untangling Shimmer, and helped her up.

"I'm really sorry about that, I...didn't expect..." She murmured, looking unhappy. This was going so well, and now...

"It's alright, you couldn't have...eep..." Shimmer trailed off, her eyes widening. Midnight blinked, and began to look around, and soon determined why.

Everypony was looking at them. Not just the audience, but Lyra up on stage, irritation clearly etched upon her face, her hooves no longer playing upon that harp.

Midnight let out a nervous chuckle.

"Uhm...Encore?"

I really want to know what happened over dinner.

[Trixie]

Alright, I refuse to let the possible death of my good computer stop me from writing, no matter what the threats may be!

Maybe try writing in the other place, too?

Honestly I can't say I'm surprised. The whole point of the background ponies there is to give the feeling of a crowd; we're not meant to focus on them. And it worked, didn't it? I mean, we're just noticing now the level of recycling they got away with there. I really don't have an issue with this. They're far from the first show to do this, and they'll be far from the last.

...but they are also the one in which avoiding it is the easiest

Especially when it takes such levels as 26 Derpys in one episode, or 3 Soarens in only episode he is supporting character with his own lines.

[Capt. Ido Nos]

Twe.... twenty six Derpy's? :'D

Wait, was this supposed to be a bad thing?

[Titanium Fox]

Maybe try writing in the other place, too?



...but they are also the one in which avoiding it is the easiest

Especially when it takes such levels as 26 Derpys in one episode, or 3 Soarens in only episode he is supporting character with his own lines.

SO. MUCH. DERP!

[Gamerlord]

Alright, I refuse to let the possible death of my good computer stop me from writing, no matter what the threats may be! And to prove that I am not giving up, I hereby present, in honor of the fact that the series will be starting in September:

Midnight and Shimmer's Guide to Dating, Preview #2

Spoiler

Show

Alright, so dinner had been a disaster. There was no getting around that, but it was still early in the evening, and there was plenty of time to turn the date around.

And this? This couldn't fail.

A beautiful summers evening, the stars already starting to twinkle in the sky. The soothing, almost hypnotic sounds of Lyra's harp, as she played for the small audience that had gathered quietly for this outdoor recital.

It was going so well that Midnight didn't even mind the fact that she was almost assuredly getting grass stains on her dress. The stress of the disastrous dinner was starting to evaporate into the night air, and she felt a gentle weight start to press against her side, felt Shimmer's head lean up against her own.

"This is so nice..." Shimmer whispered, looking adoringly up at the lime-green performer up on stage. Midnight felt her cheeks flush with delight. She knew Shimmer absolutely loved Lyra (to the point where if Midnight was a different pony, she might be jealous!), so when Midnight had learned that she was putting on a concert on the night of their date, she had pulled out all of the stops to get tickets.

And it was worth the camping trip! Midnight turned her head, to look at the lovely pegasus who was her company. Yes, this was the perfect moment, it was exactly what Midnight had hoped for, and so, she leaned in, intent on kissing the cheek that was presenting itself to her...

"Hark, my beloved!"

Midnight flinched back, and looked around fearfully, a chill running down her spine. Ponies around her looked about in irritation, trying to find the source of the noise that had interrupted the atmosphere that had been so carefully constructed.

No, it couldn't be him. He was safely back at Canterlot, far, far, far away from her.

Even if was him, surely he wasn't there for her. She would pretend that she had never heard that voice. She snuggled closer to Shimmer, who smiled, having not been distracted from the music by that voice. Shimmer turned to look at her, delight sparkling in her eyes, and that chill down Midnight's spine was replaced with a delightful tingle. They began to lean forwards, their lips about to meet...

"Ah, my beloved! I have found you once again!"

The moment evaporated as quickly as it had began, as that voice repeated itself, closer now. The two slowly looked up at the pony who had so rudely interrupted them, and Midnight let out a despairing sigh.

He really was the spitting image of his father. Midnight knew ponies took after their parents, she was proof at that, but Prince Blueblood II looked so much like his father that Midnight was privately convinced that he had simply, one day, budded off of his father in some sort of strange form of mitosis. It would certainly explain a few things.

"What are you doing here?" Midnight hissed quietly, poor Shimmer looking confusedly between her and the intruder into their privacy. Blueblood flashed a dazzling smile, that might have enraptured young mares that didn't know any better.

"Why, I have come to this...delightful little town...to enjoy this music, of course! My father thought it would be a good chance to spent time with my fiancee, and here I find you, in the arms of another mare! How scandalous!"

They were starting to get more of an audience at this point, as pony eyes turned towards the drama that was starting to unfurl in their midst. Midnight felt her eyebrow twitch, a slight headache forming behind her eyes.

"Fiancee? Midnight, what's going on? What is he talking about?" Shimmer asked, the confusion evident in her voice. Midnight had to head this off at the pass, before it got any worse, before Shimmer got the wrong idea.

She sprung to her feet, as quickly as her dress would allow her.

"Blueblood, you are not my fiancee! We met twice, after the Gala, and that was because your father kept shoving you into my path! I don't know what ideas he's been feeding you, but it's not going to happen! Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to spend some time with my marefriend."

Blueblood blinked, and looked between the standing, seething Midnight, and the sitting Shimmer, who was blushing ever so slightly as Midnight's rather loud exclamation that they were lovers.

"Marefriend? You are attempting to tell me that this is not some form of youthful experimentation? Princess Midnight, you cannot be telling me that you are a fillyfo-"

He was cut off immediately.

"You use that term, and I will force-feed you my bustle. I'm not sure which part of this dress is the bustle, so it might take a few attempts!" Midnight yelled, anger clear and rising in her voice. Anypony around her, thinking about it later, would have sworn that for the briefest of moments, Midnight's eyes went from blue to green. Blueblood (The Second) took a step back, and it looked for a moment that he had given up.

Instead, however, he turned from the seething Princess, to Shimmer, who was still sitting down, casting an almost scornful gaze upon her.

"You, filly. What can you possibly have to offer her?" Shimmer blinked at the question, and took a moment to collect her thoughts.

"Well, I'm a writer..." She began, and Blueblood scoffed.

"A writer? How...plebeian. You are looking at Prince Blueblood (The Second), of the illustrious Blueblood line. I can trace my lineage back a thousand years!"

"Midnight doesn't seem to be too impressed by that..." Shimmer quirked a smile, looking a tad more confident. "She seems to like my writing an awful lot, though."

Midnight blushed furiously, and stepped to move closer to Shimmer, to show her support.

Unfortunately, at the same time, her confidence building, Shimmer had elected to start to stand as well. Her hoof came down on a part of Midnight's dress.

Now, Midnight had never been especially graceful. Oh, sure, she could move properly as long as she put her mind to it, but it didn't' come naturally to her. She was, in fact, prone to tripping, bouncing her head off things, and just general klutziness. But even she couldn't hope to match Shimmer in the four-left-hoof department. Their relationship had, in fact, started when they had literally crashed right into one another!

And so, the end result of this particular moment of dual-klutz was a sickening tear of fabric, Shimmer sent tripping to the ground, her legs somehow getting bound in the strip of silk that she had accidentally torn from Midnight's dress. She began to struggle, only making it worse.

Midnight stooped to help her, only to hear a scornful laugh behind her.

"You're thinking of choosing that graceless pegasus?" Midnight's eye twitched painfully, and she whirled on Blueblood II, painfully poking his chest with a hoof.

"Shimmer has more grace and dignity tied up than you do ever! Get this through your thick head, Prince. You are not my fiancee! I am not, and I repeat, not interested in you!"

With that, she turned back to Shimmer, starting to help untangle the struggling pegasus, looking apologetically at her. Blueblood was quiet for a long moment.

"Ah, I understand..." He began, and Midnight blinked. Had she finally gotten through his thick skull? Did he finally understand?

"Of course! How silly of me. Of course you are not interested in me! You are Princess Midnight! Daughter of one of the rulers of Equestria! Heir to the Throne of the Night! You must be impressed! Yes, I understand now! I must undertake some grave Quest for the hoof of my Lady!"

Midnight and Shimmer just looked at him, neither knowing what to say. He flashed them another smile.

"Fear not, Lady Midnight! For I, Prince Blueblood The Second, shall complete a task that will impress you so much, it shall send you spiraling into my waiting hooves!"

The two simply blinked, stunned. With one last flourish, the noblepony dove through the crowd, heading out on his grand Quest.

Midnight let out a sigh, as she finished untangling Shimmer, and helped her up.

"I'm really sorry about that, I...didn't expect..." She murmured, looking unhappy. This was going so well, and now...

"It's alright, you couldn't have...eep..." Shimmer trailed off, her eyes widening. Midnight blinked, and began to look around, and soon determined why.

Everypony was looking at them. Not just the audience, but Lyra up on stage, irritation clearly etched upon her face, her hooves no longer playing upon that harp.

Midnight let out a nervous chuckle.

"Uhm...Encore?"

It's great. I'm curious, is Prince Zapp Brannigan Blueblood the Second going to be a recurring character in this fic, or just one shot?
Also, don't tease me about past scenes Esper, now I really want to know what happened at dinner!

[Kris Strife]

On a related note, I was wondering what a bustle was, and after looking it up on Wikipedia, I don't think a pony dress would actually have one.

[Trixie]

Why not?