Boss_Hoss1

(OOC: thanks for posting the link )

An orange foal with a spiky teal-blue mane looked around at the amazing sights.

Snails was bouncing around happily as he enjoyed the fair. His parents had been eager to go and had decided that it was too big an event to simply leave their foal in Ponyville with a babysitter. He had already been on some fun rides with his parents and having the time of his life.

Suddenly, Snails spotted an arcade tent, with the latest mechanical games. "Oh Boy! They gots "Snail Wars"! Kin ah stay here fer a few games?"

(OOC: Before anyone asks, the earliest arcade games I remember seeing had actual mechanical parts instead of tv screens, like the steampunk arcade games in at least one Legend of Zelda video game. )

The unicorns looked at each other, then back at Snails. His mother ran a hoof through her blue mane and put her sun hat back on "Well hon, we are kinda wore out, doncha' know. We're going to go to the hospitality tent and sit down fer a spell. It would only be a short time."

His peach colored father, with a Wonderbolts ballcap nodded "Shes right son, it's an awfully big fair and we dont' want to lose track of ya."

Snails eyes went wide and pleading "Pleeeze? Ah will only be at th' arcade an' nowhere else. Dont' ferget, ya put pictures of yerselves with our names and addreses in my saddlebags in case ah got lost. Why go to all thet trouble and not trust me once?"

His parents glanced uneasily at each other, remembering the Ursa incident.

Snail groveled "Pleeeeeeze? Ah'll be boincin' off the walls of the rest tent waiting ta get back here."

They looked at each other again, then back down at snails "Do ya remember what to do if you get lost?"

He crossed his heart with an orange hoof "Ah go ta the nearest Clop or Guard an' tell 'em I'm lost and show them yer pictures. Thet or ah go ta the base of th' parachute tower ride since it's the tallest thing in the fair and everpony can see it."

The parents looked at each other again, Snails' mother already wilting from the exertion of the morning.

With a sigh, they reluctantly nod.

The father ahemed "Okay son, just stay right at the arcade. we'll be a couple booths down at the Hospitality tent. When yer done, come right on over, okay? If yer still playing, we'll come in and continue resting up with ya. Here's a few bits, and be careful, there might be pickpockets."

Snails whooped and hugged his parents, then bounced happily into the arcade.

15 minutes later, he had played his last bit and stepped out of the arcade, then saw a mango blur heading for a unicorn colt about his age.

Snails yelled "Hay! Look out!" and stared trotting over to help out for the inevitable collision...

Could I have some input from the mods on the ideas about what shamans can or cannot do (even if he's not up to it yet)

I figure from Zecora's abilities, all herd animals from "wild" areas have a shaman or similar if they have a Chieftan in charge of the herd.

hmmm, it is strange that I cant recall seeing them in class, but they were conspicuously there in the herd of foals when cheerilee called everyone to class in "CutiePox" then let the class have a break celebrating that one of the CMCs FINALYY got her cutie mark and would be less of a distraction after that day... ;P

Caramel Bistro spared a glance toward Braeburn and WillowWisp to see how things were going, then smiled as the huge pony enjoys the first bite and even thanked her.

She nods "Help yourself, Boxer. There will be plenty for all. Say, if you and your friend need a job, I'll be expanding my place into a hotel and I'll need ponies who can build or carry heavy loads."

her attention was momentarily taken by the ruckus as the band took a break and one of the young mares made a play for one of the audience, a dapper looking stallion while the Doc filled in for the band.

She smiled and shook her head in wonder "My first hoe-down and so much silliness is happening. I wonder if all hoe-downs are like this..."

Snails trotted out of the schoolhouse only half paying attention to what was going on around him.

He sat down under a tree and thought about one of the class activities this week, which is giving Hearts an Hooves valentines.

His mind raced with thoughts of all the fillies laughing at a skinny beanpole colt like him handing any of them a valentine, even that awesome Sunrise Beach, or, or...

Snails suddenly heard an angry filly yelling "Blank Flank" and looked up, seeing Silver Spoon glaring at Haywire. Heck, she's cute and all but she would definitely laugh at him if he did that.

The orange colt clopped a hoof on the ground to make some noise "Hay Silver Spoon, I'm sure she didnt' mean it, eh."

PonyParty! Yay!

*earperks* finally got around to checking on this. Sounds fun! ^_^ Mind if I keep tabs on this for Snails?

Hmmmm, now that you mentioned it, I've wanted to put Gale in Bistro's Grand Opening for awhile. I have another Appleloosan character I want to apply (her brother), though right now I've been filling out (and have writer's block on) another one entirely. Maybe I could have Gale enter the inn and have her brother jion later once he get's accepted?

Sounds good to me.

I think the tech fits in nicely at different levels, They only have the tech levels they need for a given problem. since they can get around just fine without a car and there's no real road infrastructure to give cars an advantage, thee are none invented. (though they seem to have a 'speedy' enchantment on wagons to make them faster when a pony team pulls it

They are herbivores and would tend to be conservative on developing or improving tech. only taking jumps when it is something that earth ponies need to do when there arent pegas or unis to do it for them. essentially a tech based on matching what can already be done by a pony type but for convenience sake. I can see the hospital needing a generator or unicorn initiated power plant in the basement to run life saving devices since I imagine unicorns who are powerful in healing magic are a comparative rarity. (no pun intended)

Another example, Trains seem to be recent since moving freight by wagon trains take a while and trains on rails would have helped (train puller ponies unite! ) but having a mechanized train engine puling would seem to be safer and still be faster. (whether the train is conventional steam or unicorn powered magitech steam is up for debate)

Name: Lightning Horn

Sex: male

Age: young adult bull

Species: Buffalo

Pelt Color: tan

Mane/Tail/Markings Color & Style: black horns, wooly tan hide and cream underbelly. Mystic tribal markings painted on his cheeks and flanks.

Eye Color: One of the signs of his Shaman heritage is his heterochromia; right brown, left blue.

Cutie Mark: None, the tribal lightning bolts are painted on.

Physique: Front heavy and muscular, currently more like a shaggy bull than a buffalo until he gets his full adult growth.

Origin: Appleoosa

Roleplay Type: Mane

Occupation: Shaman in training, Pony Relations envoy

Motivation: Working to ensure Ponies and Buffalo live in harmony, and to improve his shaman abilities

Likes: (optional) Being treated with respect, friendly ponies, earth magic, pony technology. Dislikes: (optional) Disrespectful or dismissive ponies, not too fond of griffons either.

Character Summary: The son of the Appaloosa Buffalo herd's shaman, Rolling Thunder, Lightning Horn is expected to eventualy take his father's role in the future.

Because his father feels he is too easy-going, and says so often, he is increasingly worried he might not be able to do as well as his father and hopes his mission to work with the ponies will give him some insight and perspective on if he is truely worthy of continuing his family legacy. In hopes of making him a bold and daring buffalo, as well as finding out more about Earth pony magic in food growing, his father has agreed to let him go to Appleoosa.

In the meantime, he is studying hard at the arts of communing with the ancestors and being a source of spiritual guidance for members of the herd, herbalisim and healing arts in the same manner the zebras do, using the plants and some minerals of the desert in medicines and minor potions and other shaman skills based on the desert. He is currently able to find water and navigate in the desert, day or night.

One day he hopes to learn his father serets in how to make land stable for stampedes or to make it slipery and dangerous for invaders such as Diamond Dogs or other menaces

Curious about the ponies and their use of earth magic to make food grow, Lightning agreed when his father asked him to act as a go-between agreed to let him visit and study the ponies and promote goodwill between the two "herds" to prevent more "misunderstandings". He has since discovered and become infatuated with pony machines and devices, since they seem like magic to him, with many even running on magic.

Snails blushed all the more as Miz Martini suggested telling Sunrise it was all his idea and putting in a word about how harming he was to Sunrise.

He giggled goofily for a moment before he could speak. Sunrise is such an awesome athelete and so speedy, and he was still so clumsy with these long grasshopper legs of his, and he wasnt' smooth like Captain Quirt by any means.. Oh well it couldnt' hurt of her mom said good things about him to her, right?

"Uhh yuh! O-our teacher is Miz Cheerilee. I.."

He swallowed and blushed to the point he nearly glowed "Ah would like you tellin' Sunrise it was my idea. Thank ya very much Miz Martini!"

Snails giggles as Brazil Nut pats his teal mane in passing, then turns to Applejack. "Ah kin have them all?! SU-WEEET! Thanks a whole lot Miz AJ!"

He scoops them into his candy bucket and bounces off happily, looking for his friends "HAY SNIPS! SCOOTS! EVERPONY! Ah gots Candy Apples ta share!"

(Snails scampers out of the thread)

Two of my threads are dragging from too many players who had to drop out, "Bistro's Grand Opening" and "Night of the Comet".

I have end points in mind for them, Bistro's is now closer but if anypony wants to have their character housed in a bed and breakfast for other threads, that would be a good thread to start out in to get established.

"Night of the Comet" is a setup for a treasure hunt for crystals fallen from a comet. If anypony wants to be comet watchers and hatch plots for the next thread to snatch magic crystals, this would be a good thread to pop in on.

Be wared, the (in)famous Flim Flam brothers have just arrived and their money senses are a'tingling...

The Skybright twins stood and bowed their thanks to the unicorn. Hoss smiled "Thank you kindly for the offer, sir. We already have a spot picked out on top of that mesa near town. it's closer to what the mathemiticians in Canterlot calculated for the prime spot for the camera, and we have a great view in case any of the sparkles in the tail fall down."

Shanna nodded "But you are welcome to come to the mesa with us. The more the merrier for a comet viewing. Maybe some of the town ponies unable to make the trip can use your observation deck."

-----------

The smooth faced unicorn, Flim looked at his mustached twin and fanned his face with his straw hat He spoke in a confidential tone to Flam "Ah yes, Appleoosa, where the streets are dusty and the heat immense. Fortunately we had a few good barrels of cider to drink on our long and arduous journy, dear brother!"

He rubbed his hooves together, scheming... "Hopefully we've beaten the news of that brouhaha in Ponyville.

Perhaps if we can keep the con just a little more subtle, get our horns sunk in deep so to speak, where they trust us so they might discount anything anypony has to say that would.. heh, heh, "upset the apple cart..." he finished, elbowing Flam.

He scanned the streets looking for the next big thing. perhaps the Cider con could work again?

Flim began speaking but suddenly stopped, seeing a flash of yellow "Pardon me dear brother, but did I not hear there was an orchard in this very town? I... Say, isnt' that..."

He sat upright "Flam! Look over there! Does that bright yellow cart bear the markings of the Royal Canterlot Observatory? Are you thinking what I am thinking?..."

I've been wondering when we'd see our first Buffalo character (I assume this is the first, I've never seen one before). I look forward to seeing him around.

I kind lost the race on that but I dont mind. I started on mine before I got sick and I had to set it aside for the illness. i'll post mine once Flim and Flam show up in the approved folder.

Hoss and Shanna watch this process with awe as their telesope is repaired before their eyes, with far more dramatic effects than a quick zap by a unicorn artificer.

Finally the telescope body is presented to them with a scorch mark.

The twins look to each other for a moment and talk to themselves rapidly as if they were one pony thinking aloud.

"Should we leave it like that? The Artificer who usually handles it might be upset at us not waiting for him when he sees the mark."

"I think it adds character, and it will eventually polish out from normal cleaning."

"Right, and it's evidence of the Hydra attack. Very well, it stays."

The twins turn back to Klondike, speaking one sentence in parts. "It will be fine just as it is, We'll see to putting the lens elements back in ourselves. We left them in the cart for safekeeping since nothing needed done with them."

Arrtax, are you sure you arent actually Discord?

(as far as name that frame" anyway)

What is there to doin Stalliongrad? it kinda got lost in the shuffle for me when they reorganized what section of Equestira is RPed where... Is thee a cliff notes handy?

Feel free to check out all the threads I hve going. most are open to everyone. (especially since some ponies have dropped out of the thread or vanished from Canterlot altogether)

You could use the search function and do an advanced one where you only search for the word Open and only in RP forums.

How does that work? des it search titles or that new list of keywords we're supposed to add? (and how does that keyword thing work on threads that already existed before the new search system?)

Before PeaBea could answer Snails, Haywire went all hyper and was sending a flood of questions to the Wonderbolts.

Snails giggled and left his seat since Cheerilee was outside "Umm Haywire, I think th' wonderbotls need a chance ta anwer ya when ya as questions."

Since he was already up he turned to the wonderbolts and trotted right up to Spitfire "I-isnt that right Miz Spitfire? Wow! Yer even bigger face ta face and all..!"

The orange colt blushed and had a silly grin when he saw how close he was to Spitfire.

"i...um...Kin ya sign my drawin here?"

It would be interesting to see The Amazing and Awesome Brambleberry in an adventure RP with her.

Hoss' eyes were derping much less now as he took the asprin and the glass of water and downed the asprin.

"Thank you everypony."

Shanna helped her brother up onto his hooves where he wobbled for a moment. "I should be good for tonight. I really dont want to miss it!"

Shanna pulled over a chair "Please sit down Hoss." and turned to the others "Thank you all. Our work tonight is very important. The Royal Canterlot Observatory has placed their trust in us to make sure we make the best observations in this, the best spot in all Equestria, to see it."

She looked around, then spoke again "Also, If any of the trailing sparkles fall to the ground, we are to plot the locations for study or they might be lost to the sands forever. Would that not be exciting, to see a piece of comet up close?"

Speakng as someone who is an Agent Orange baby and had associated problems in school over the years, I wished I had a Derpy Hooves to look up to back then. Somepony who was as silly, clumsy, and ditzy as me who never gives up.

I find nothing negative about our fandom's favorite little muffin wether she's just a ditz or.. special like me.

(My other issues have been minimized with lots of help and practice over the years, but number dislexia is still a problem for me)

Hoss neighed eagerly as he loaded up with snowballs.

He listened eagerly to Gilda's peptalk and planning session (or lack of planning) glad to get a chance to listen to one of the Junior Flyers from the year before he and Shanna attended, One of those that all the other students talked about, the other being Rainbow Dash, also from that previous year.

"Im ready! Let's go!"

Meanwhile, Shanna neighed eagerly "Which group would you like for me to be in, Lady Lanceguard? If I'm in the offense, I believe I'm strong enough to catch falling ponies if I have to."

Pinkie pie did do a letter in "Baby Cakes", just not on-screen. there was a voiceover of her writing it as she cleaned up from the battle with the babies before the Cakes came home. ^_^ That had to be a WTF moment for Celestia "Pinkie pie? Responsibility? Is this the same pony here?"