Maidens of Manehattan (Closed: Message For Entry)

[Blueblood]

Amby wasn't quite sure what photo-genic meant, but she knew when she was being called cute!  Not to mention, the nickname 'Jackles' for her mother just made her giggle.  "Ah, yeah!  I could be a plushie so that everypony can hug me just like momma does!"  A little confused in the concept, but she got the main gist of it alright!  Though, her mind was quickly on to the next thought as soon as Glitter asked, "Oh oh oh!  I wanna see your dresses!  Auntie Rarity told me about your pretty dresses!"  Her fillyish enthusiasm would soon lead her to bound after her cousin eagerly, wanting to spend some quality time with a fellow sartorial enthusiast!

 

Mosely watched the two of them indulgently, holding in a sigh until he heard the door close behind them.  "It's good to see the young ones so happy."  He said, after a bit, turning an unmasked face of weary worry on Applejack.  "Things haven't been easy lately in this city.  I'm sad to say, one of the main reasons for our paucity of visits to our mutual cousins is that it just hasn't been safe recently to travel downtown!  Just this past fortnight, one of our business partners was ponynapped and held for ransom!"

 

Cara looked up from the camera, sympathetic to her husband.  Makeup did a better job to hide the worry lines on her face, but their existence could be easily deduced.  "I don't know what this city has come to!  I mean, there was always some crime, the Mafia and all that sort of riff-raff.  But they've never been so... hm, how can I say it?  So targeting of citizens rather than establishments?  Something must have happened in the underworld of Manehattan, but I can't say I know any more than that."

[SteelEagle]

Sometimes Applejack didn't know how seriously to take the protestations of danger and concern from her aunt and uncle. Cityfolk of the upper crust could sometimes be scared by the darndest of things by her reckoning and she was half-inclined to believe that no short measure of concern could come from the smallest of trivial matters, like an exceptionally dusty street or a particularly boisterous Broncs resident. Suffice it is to say that Applejack did not start off highly concerned, but ponynapping did raise the stakes a bit. Sure it was a big city and all, and as such crime wasn't some sort of unknown creature threatening to burst out of the shadows on some unsuspecting ponyfolk. Could just be the rural in her talking, but cities seemed dangerous in comparison. But the fact it was somepony close to them was scary no matter what, so much so it made her visibly shiver. It made her do a bit of thinking and pull bits of information from across her memory.

 

She had been a member of the Twilight Guard- still was, even if her pregnancies and injuries had combined to make the position moot for her- and had actually helped 'walk the beat' so to speak in Manehattan once. Surely she had some friends she could call on to learn more? Something about some foreign country also tickled the back of her brain, but that could just be the dissolving stint that had been placed there to help keep her neck in position during recovery. She shook her head. "Ponynapping? Sweet sunrise thats no good. What's gettin' inta tha younger ponies these days? Ah swear, Ah think its them instant letter services. Too much time talkin', not enough time listenin'," she took off her hat and swept her mane back. "Is he safe now? Hopefully they didn't pay that ransom. Them criminals don't deserve no reward for such bad behavior," she replied, no doubt somewhat arrogantly. She knew she was privileged with her class of friends and family that even if she was ponynapped she'd be safe before lunch, but she still couldn't fathom actually rewarding ponynapping.

 

While Applejack wrestled with criminality, Moonlight skipped towards her room nodding to Ambrosia. "Ooooh do I! Like, I think Rarity should totally open another Manehattan shop just for me cause, like, I could totally keep that place open by myself. Hehehe, just ask my dad!" She said, giggling as she opened the door. It was a large, expansive room decorated like any entirely too neat older teenage filly. Her makeup was certainly not laying around her desk, her bed was absolutely made, and her clothes were well-hung and organized and never would she dare have clothes hangars out on the ground. And a table in the corner adorned with various cups and magazines, next to a bookshelf of memories and books and likewise. Her walls had famous popstars and- before she quickly covered it up- posters of a more exciting nature. "Take a seat at the table Amby! Ooh, want some tea?"

[Blueblood]

Ambrosia was starry-eyed as she took in her adored older cousin's room.  Moonlight Glitter had made an impression on the little filly, and would likely be promoted in her eyes to 'glorified relative', future mentor in the world of modeling, should her cuteness career veer in that direction.  Which it probably shouldn't; it would be most unfair to show up a fellow clan member on the stage, after all!  

"Ooh, ooh, I love tea!  Especially apple cinnamon, I serve it at all the tea parties I have with Pwincess Twilight!"  The little unicorn giggled with delight, clearly as pleased to be sharing a cup with her cousin as with the sovereign ruler of Equestria.  After all, her mama's close friends were all honorary aunts anyway, so this would be another lovely day with family!

 

~~

 

Elsewhere, her family was having, if not a more enjoyable tete-a-tete over tea and tea-like beverages, at least an interesting one.  Like most city mares of a... certain age, Cara had a certain relish for gossip, even (or especially) if said gossip was of a salacious, scandalous, or dangerous matter.  Leaning over her unspilled orangey beverage, she spilled the metaphorical tea like a clumsy waitress.  "Well!  Funny you should mention the ransom business.  See, the guard advised actually gathering the money, so they could use the payment as an opportunity to spring a sting operation and arrest the scoundrels.  But do you know what happened when they day came?"  She paused, savoring the moment of anticipation.  "They somehow got clean away with the cash, despite the whole building being surrounded by cops!  Now, I would never dream suggesting that any member of the force was taking bribes from criminals, but you must admit the whole thing looks quite suspicious, don't you agree?"

 

Mosely snorted, with the air of a stallion who'd made up his mind on the subject.  "I would go so far as to say that somepony was definitely, ahem, 'on the take', as the street patois goes.  I can only be thankful that poor Branchward escaped safe and sound.  As for younger ponies these days... well.  All I can say is, I'm quite pleased to see that you're keeping your own safe from corrupting influences as much as possible.  Such a sweet filly, little Ambrosia.  Has quite a cosmopolitan taste for fruits of quality, eh?"

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack had to admit, she didn’t see a bunch of bribery coming into the picture. Cops and guards, you could trust them more than most and Applejack trusted most more than she should as is. Wasn’t Ponyville’s brand new sheriff a Manehattan officer? Huh. Was that linked? Probably not. But they were right that it was a different breed of trouble. She wasn’t gonna pretend that the Mafia was some sort of null issue for the city, but from what she understood over the years they did indeed have their own codes of conduct that made them less of a menace for the normal ponyfolk. She listened as she set her suitcase down and unpacked her rodeo gear, her mind racing.

 

“Well, Ah’ll be. Can’t say Ah reckoned it could get quite that bad that tha lawponies are on tha take. Don’t quite know if Ah’ve ever heard of such a thing! I’ll definitely have ta take a trot down ta tha Guard and talk ta some folks there. Maybe they know more,” she said as she turned around to place her lasso on the dresser, though it certainly gave her a more actionable vibe than before. “Wring some answers outta somepony, somehow,” she said as she finished unpacking, both her suitcase and what this new criminality could mean for Manehattan.

At least the other subject was more fun. “Well, Ambrosia has been raised by a mare with fine taste herself,” Applejack said proudly, “why, Rainbow has the best palette in town!” She let out a loud guffaw, clearly the master comedienne. “When you have a family that makes tha best Apples and tha best Oranges in tha world, it ain’t hard ta teach a filly right and wrong. Wish Zap Apple felt the same sometimes- colts are a whole different bushel, right?” She said before a pregnant pause hit her and told her she had just put her hoof in her mouth. “Anyhoof, she’s real happy ta be seein’ y’all!” Applejack said quickly to try and stampede over what she had just said.

 

 

Oh, tea with Twilight. It was a cool experience. She didn’t have it as often as she would have wished, but Twilight did try to keep up with her students and she was, at least in some manner, a bit interested in how one of her little experiments worked out. Still, all that closeness had helped her learn that for all of Twilight’s immensity and greatness, her tea taste was pretty basic. 

“Oh, well, Princess Twiggies is pretty cool, but I mean, like, Earl Grey?” She rolled her eyes playfully. “I mean, Earl Grey is totally alright and all but I mean, like, Earl Grey, my filly?” She laughed as she displayed her tea set. “Princess Twilight Sparkle may be the strongest and bestest pony in Equestria- after family- but Amby, I’ve got her flank tanned when it comes to tea.” 

 

Her tea set was custom and expensive. Eight square compartments arranged in a semi-circle at the center of the table, and each one had its own special cup alongside smaller compartments. These compartments contained freshly ground tea leaves or full leaves, each one magically sealed to preserve the ingredients. Underneath the tea table was a mortar and pestle, while the very middle held a vein of magically contained and boiled water that with a spigot could be sent into any one of the compartments and the cups therein. 
“I have like fifty flavors of teas! I frickin’ love tea like oh my stars. I like to take a trot on the wild side and pick one at random!”

As for the flavors, she currently had Black Tea, Earl Grey, Green Tea, Chai Tea, and Matcha- but also Pai Mu Tan, Assam Mangalam Black Tea, and Lumbini to name just a few, with most other flavors kept underneath the table in their own little compartments, sans cups! Moonlight’s horn lit up as she spun the center around until it landed on Pai Mu Tan. “Oooh, Amby, I think you’re gonna LOVE this!” She said as she started the system up. She got the cup, picked out the already grounded leaves, put the cup back with the leaves, closed it, and then activated the water.
“Okay, like, it’ll take like just a few seconds and then you’ll this chime and then boom, you have some of the most bitchin’ tea in the whole WORLD just ready for you. Pretty rad, right?” She said as she vanished into her closet, looking for something cute to show off.

[Blueblood]

Ambrosia's wide, admiring eyes grew to match the saucers in size as they, and the rest of the tea set, emerged in the unfolding of that great flower of feminine civilization.  Without exaggeration, it was the fanciest tea set she'd ever set her eyes on, exceeding even the finest china at home.  Not that there was much; though Applejack would likely award her with a matching set once she finished her lessons with Twilight... say, in ten years or so.   

 

All the little packets of loose-leaf unfolded like some Saddle Arabian merchant's wares before her, promising exotic and luxurious delights.  "Oh-Kay, Glitter!"  She assented, in absolute trust of her older cousin as the sommelier of leaf water selected her beverage base.  Soon enough, the alchemy of Long Guo was working its magic, as aromatic steam arose from the prepared cup, causing the little filly to sit bolt upright in anticipation.  "Bitching tea... Bitching!"  She repeated with all the juvenile enthusiasm that was sure to cause parental trouble for them both down the road.

 

The chime sounded, and she activated her horn, delicately lifting the cover as Twilight trained her, lifting the cup, letting it cool as she blew over the top, taking her first sip.... and making a face.  This was... not like her favorite tea.  Not a single apple, or any kind of fruit at all was in evidence!  Caffeinated tea of any kind was, as a matter of fact, new to hear.  New, and not entirely pleasant; that sort of thing is an acquired taste she had yet to acquire.  "Mmm..."  She tried her best to put a game face on it, but her next "...bitching."   Was definitely less enthusiastic.

 

~~~

 

Mosely and Cara snapped a look at each other, not sure whether to be amused, horrified, or ashamed by Applejack's proposal for a direct approach.  Certainly, it never occurred to either of them to walk into so... disreputable a place as a Manehattan Municipal Guard station!  Not that they'd be there as anything but concerned citizens, but there was something... unsavory about the place.  At least to the upper class of ponies in this town, who had as little to do with them as possible.  If either of them were sufficiently suspicious, that might have raised a few vermilion banners, but in some respects, the Oranges were as congenially trusting as the Apples, just for a different set of ponies.

 

In either case, they were glad enough to change the subject to offspring, tittering at their country cousin's little joke in turn, and quick to oil over any waters she thought she may have troubled.  "Oh, we know well enough!  Though, I'm not so sure the change has been so much between a colt and filly, as it has been between a foal comfortable in their skin, and one that wasn't."  Mosely swiftly reassured AJ, with Cara ringing in support.

 

"Indeed, there's quite a few ponies in this town that don't quite... fit, you know?  It's not something we're unfamiliar with, though I do have to say it was most fortunate that Prince Blueblood- Or, Princess Bluebelle, was Valen's primary influence when he was navigating that difficult decision.  I can't help but think that they were a much healthier influence than might have been found in SoHoof, don't you?"

[SteelEagle]

 

She heard the filly’s less than excited add-on at the end and held in a giggle. Okay, maybe she should watch her language a scosche around the filly. She did think that Amby would come to love the tea, though. Unlike the trusty but rather rustic in-your-face teas that Ambrosia was used to,  Pai Mu Tan was a different animal. It was mellow, and sophisticated, a bright mix of herbal and fruit flavours. It was a mild, refined tea with gentle undertones of fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts followed by a sweet aftertaste. It didn’t hit you up front, but Moonlight knew that if Ambrosia kept on drinking it that her exultations would go from false positives to something a bit more on the snout. “Hehe, it can be kind of, like, an acquired taste but let it sit for a while- it’ll make your mouth hum and buzz and it is super tasty,” she said as she got dressed in her closet.

 

A few moments later, she came out, stepping like a model to show off her dress. It was a beautiful mulberry silk qipao- certainly unique for a Rarity For You Design piece, no doubt? It was a bit tight though that was the intent and red, with a mix of floral patterns intermingled with strange looking eastern dragons. The cut was very flattering, showing off a bit more leg than normal, a bit more chest fluff than others, and all together certainly a very friendly dress. “So, whatcha think, Amby?” She said as she turned in place, using her magic to hold her tea and toasting Ambrosia before taking a sip and striking a pose. “Like, I think I look so freakin’ choice right now!” She giggled. “I got this from some of my new friends in town!”

 

 

Applejack was happy that the Oranges walked so briskly through the gaping hole in good manners she had made without dragging her across the mud like she probably deserved. She let out a laugh, imagining all the ways it could have gone. “Well, ya can say that again. ‘Course Ah’m not sure how much of Bluebelle’s influence was felt in that accent she now has, but better than others. Come to think of it, seems like all tha stallions are becomin’ mares. Watch out, Mosely,” she offered with a wink.

 

“All seriousness though, she’s a real hoot ta have at tha school, Very popular. Ah mean, she always would been popular, but she’s so outgoin’ now. Have to rope her in ta stop her from running amok with her friendmakin’ sometimes. Her little crush on Remington though, oh nelly. When he finds out all that’s goin’ on, that’ll be something ta see. How’s she doin’ here in tha family business? Truth be told, Ah can’t get Ambrosia to care a lick ‘bout it, seems like them fashionista types don’t wanna get their pretty little hooves dirty. And they do have pretty little hooves, so Ah guess it makes sense,” she said as she looked around. She was done unpacking.

“Thanks again for all this. Y’all planning on comin’ ta tha rodeo?”

[Blueblood]

Though still a little skeptical, Ambrosia kept blowing over and sipping the 'bitching' tea, deciding to take her older cousin's word about the tea being good.  After all, she was older and older ponies knew more things and it was the job of younger ponies to learn them.  That's what mama said, and mama always had things to teach her, because she was older than Amby.  QED!

 

And if any further proof was needed, Moonlight Glitter came out of the closet wearing a beautiful dress of a sort that Amby had never seen before!  "Wow..."  The little filly's eyes were wide, sparkling scarlet with amazement at the tight, elegant, vibrant silk dress.  "It's.... incredimazing!"  She giggled at her new word, clopping her hooves and taking another sip of the tea.  Mmm, yeah, this Pai Mu Tan was actually pretty good.  It was all good, Manehattan was... awesome, as blue mama would say!  "Can I meet your friend too?"

 

~~~***~~~

 

"Oh, I shouldn't think there's any worry of that."  Mosely chuckled at Applejack's little joke, missing the somewhat bemused look his wife was shooting him.  Was he wrong to not be worried?  Well, he'd probably find out come his next anniversary with Cara...  "As for Moonlight, it's good to hear she's making lots of friends, and Remington's a fine young colt.  I can't say she's shown any more interest than Ambrosia in the business, though...."

He made to sigh in regret, but Cara cut him off, "I wouldn't be so sure about that, dear.  She actually knows quite a bit about pricing, refrigeration, and shipping costs.  I caught a glimpse of some figures in the margin of her school notes.  I daresay she pays more attention than you think at what we're saying at the dinner table.  It's just not part of her self-image right now to be a fruit merchant.  Young folks can be like that, suppressing parts of who they really are to keep up what they think they are."  She smiled over to Applejack.  "I think you might know a thing or two about that, hm?"

 

"Oh?  Well, that's good to hear.  Hopefully she shows a little more obvious enthusiasm at the rodeo!  One of us, sadly, will have to stay behind to take a business meeting; the aforementioned kidnapping threw our schedule clear out of whack.  I don't suppose you had anypony in town who might be interested in the free ticket?"

[SteelEagle]

Ambrosia was very Manehattan-like in so many ways. Unlike ponies in Ponyville who wanted to often hide their heads when the prospect of other nations came up- not because of any dislike, it was just a quiet town that was now changing- Ambrosia was very excited to meet and taste the flavors of the world. That was cool, because Moonlight also wanted to meet and taste the flavors of the world! She twirled and struck a pose. “Oh, you totally can! Oh my, like, she would totally eat you up. Nom nom nom,” she said, each nom a small kiss on the filly’s forehead followed by a giggle from the older filly. “I’ll be right back, okay? Stay cool and stay tubular!” She offered with a smile as she trotted out of the room.

 

Applejack detected something in Cara’s bemused expression, but couldn’t put her hoof on it. Once the subject changed, however, she grasped a bit more. She was happy to hear that Moonlight kept up with the fundamentals of the business. Before the change, she had always been a smart and studious pony and that never really went away. Her accent and mannerisms could hide that- Applejack wasn’t saying valley fillies were dumb, but she wasn’t going to lie and say they didn’t have the appearance- but Moonlight was a smart filly.

 

“Yeah, Ah’ve seen that too. She used to ask a lot of questions ‘bout tha operations of Sweet Apple Acres. She may not have a feel for farm work much, but she seems ta have an interest in business. Ah’ve seen how happy she is ta work on clothes and fashion with Rares and all, but Ah know whatever she ends up doing it’ll be business related. Maybe she’ll sell Orange-scented dresses,” Applejack guffawed loudly, though she did nod somewhat sheepishly at Cara. “Ya can say that again. Ah still am mighty grateful y’all did that for me. And ya ain’t even asked for somethin’ in return. True family always comes through.”

 

It was why she wasn’t going to be disappointed that Mosely couldn’t make it to the rodeo. She understood how important business was, and with everything else going on she wasn’t prepared to make a fuss., Before she could say just that-

“A free ticket?!” Moonlight said as she pronked into the room. She hadn’t heard anything else and it had been by luck that she had even heard free ticket, lost as she was in Sapphire Shore’s newest pop hit. “Could I have it?! My friend Yu would LOVE the rodeo!”

[Blueblood]

Ambrosia giggled at her twirling cousin.  In her younger days (literally two months ago) she might have genuinely worried that Moonlight's friend might actually eat her up, but she'd learned since then that grown-ups sometimes did silly talk.  After all, Yu couldn't possibly eat her, unless she was a dragon of some kind.  Or part dragon.  But that was silly!  Just like her cousin's words.  "Hehe, tubular!"  She sipped the tea again.  Well, Moonlight wasn't silly about one thing, this Pie Moo Moo Tan tea was really starting to grow on her!

 

Mosely was pleased and surprised to hear that his daughter's business interest was so expansive.  "Hm... what do you think, my dear, would it be a good idea to bring her along to a shareholder meeting, sometime?  I'd worried she'd find it terribly dull, but if she does have an interest, it would be a good opportunity for her to practice her natural charm.  And those would be good connections to make regardless of what career she chose."  Though he was far from a farm pony, the roots of an Orange were still in the earth, and he was as concerned as AJ would be to see that family carried on their legacy.  Or, at the very least, to flourish where they were planted.

 

But that was right, what AJ said, family always came through, even in the most minor things!  "Oh, certainly!  It'd be such a shame to let the ticket go to waste, and I don't think you've ever introduced us to your friend... Yu?"  Cara smiled, though the name rolled off a little awkwardly from her tongue.  Didn't sound like a pony name...

[SteelEagle]

 

Moonlight pronked in place once and then smiled, wide a true. “Thank you! Thank you! I'm stoked to the max! I need to get ready! Oh! Oh! And you can meet her tomorrow! She is totally rad!” She giggled as she started prancing off. As she trailed off, she could be heard clear as day. “Oh, that’s totally bitchin’!” She said as she pronked back into her room. “Amby, like, I’m gonna take Yu to the rodeo so you like totally meet her there!”

“Hey! Don’t be saying that in front of Ambrosia,” Applejack protested, though Moonlight was far too gone to stop. And her objection, fierce as it was, wasn’t breathlessly pushed. She heard worse things from Rainbow. 

She turned back to the Oranges and cocked an eyebrow. “She knows tha rodeo is tomorrow, right?” She smiled and shook her head. Fillies, they were a hoof-full.

Applejack allowed her thoughts to wander back onto more exciting subjects: The family business. She didn’t know if she counted as the ‘dear’ that Mosely was referring to, but she certainly had an opinion on it. As far as she was concerned, their children needed to be brought up in the business in any manner that they would be suited to. No doubt their personal wishes and destinies may take them in other directions, but the family as a whole and the legacy of their names meant that they owed it to the past and future to give the present their honest day’s work. 

“Well, Ah reckon that’s a swell idea! Who knows whether it’ll tickle her fancy, but it will help her learn an’ it ain’t like she ever forgot tha lessons y’all taught her before. Why, maybe she’ll take to it like a fish in water,” she beamed at the thought of at least one of their progeny excelling in the family business.

With all that squared away, she stretched. The small snack had been nice, but after all that travel a real meal would be nice soon. And then they could relax and rest and prepare for a very big day tomorrow. Assuming nothing came up, of course.

[Blueblood]

"The dates may well have slipped her mind.  I just hope she's not upset that she'll have to wake up early to pick up her friend!"  Cara smiled indulgently, having long since given up trying to convince Moonlight to moderate language.  "I'll just go ahead and see to dinner, shall I?"  Getting up to leave Mosely with AJ to herd the guests down once the dinner bell rung, she made her way down to the kitchen to check on their cook's progress.

 

Mosely peeked around the corner, spying Amby cheering at the news that she was going to meet a new friend, smiling at the sight of a young filly so eager and happy.  "Absolutely charming, if I hadn't said so before... I do hope this won't be her last visit!"  He nodded at his niece's assessment of the advisability of bringing family into the business.  "Well, whether she takes to it or not, the experience will be valuable... I'll just wait until matters are more stable, it wouldn't be fair to introduce her during a period of upheaval."  A brief sigh, and a flash of worry that seemed to age his face by 10 years were the only clue he let slip about how business was in the wake of the incident with his business partner.  There was probably something more than the kidnapping going on, but wild horses would not have dragged it out of him in front of a guest.

 

During dinner, he would make sure to keep topics to the social, touching only on business if it was solely to do with Sweet Apple Acres.  AJ might not have noticed that if they hadn't just been talking about it; Ambrosia certainly didn't.  She only asked about her new friend, apparently a somewhat recent arrival from... either Long Guo or Long Kong, one of the long places.  She was one of the Qilin, living above a row of shops and restaurants at the edge of Longtown, one of the more colorful immigrant communities of Maenhattan, and one calculated to appeal to the aesthetic taste of Moonlight Glitter, which was probably how the two came to meet.

 

"Well then, I don't mind a little trip down there to pick her up; we'll just have to make sure to turn in early to wake up on time to pick her up, alright?"  Cara asked sweetly, knowing both Moonlight and Ambrosia would want beauty sleep time.

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack beamed at Mosely’s happiness with Ambrosia. All ponyfolk should be happy with Ambrosia as she was about as perfect a little filly as had ever existed in the history of the world, but it was always good and right to see others appreciate her even half as much as Applejack knew she deserved. “You betcha. She seems ta like Manehattan a good bit so far, so Ah reckon she’ll want ta visit here more often,” she said happily, knowing better than to press about business matters once she saw the weariness on his face.

 

Once they had all been brought forward for dinner, Applejack kept that look in mind as she made social talk with her family. If Ambrosia wasn’t around, maybe Moonlight, she may have been a bit more insistent on figuring out what laid the foundation for Mosely’s concern. Instead, she answered and expounded on the farm. Sweet Apple Acres was doing well, though truth was its recent success had less to do with her than it ever had. Rainbow was...contributing to say the least, while Big Mac and his wife took to the farm with more aplomb than ever before. Apple Bloom, pups and all, worked hard and was skilled, while her kids certainly did their chores. Unless Ambrosia had something she needed to do, because Ambrosia was an important filly with important tasks.

 

Moonlight was all talk though. She talked a lot about her cool new friend. It was clear that she had a certain fascination with the Qilin, not least of which was because she had tales and mannerisms that were so far removed from what Moonlight was used to. She was smart and had a super cool family and lots of fun friends. “I’m SO excited to bring her, like, oh my Twilight you have no idea, like, she got me some radical new choice outfits and I have been TOTALLY struggling to pay her back and this is, like, sooooo gnarly and she is gonna be absolutely CHOICE and-” she continued for some time, at the same excitement level, for almost everything.
School? “The School of Friendship is totally awesome! A few weeks ago, I did a trust fall with a dragon! How cool is that?!”
Fashion?” “RARITY! Like, how could I not totally eat up all that knowledge? She is like a full-course meal, TOTALLY gonna take over her Manehattan boutique! Well, maybe, like, just part-time.”
Cheerleading? “Like, I thought it would be fun, but I wasn’t prepared for this one routine and I totally BIT IT. Barf me out, that was embarrassing! Not cool, felt like a total ditzy joanie. But I mean, Smolder is pretty helpful! Bee tee dubs, that’s the dragon I did, like, the trust fall with!”
Dancing? “I have, like, sixteen offers for a dance and it feels like I’m totally bad to the bone ‘cause, like, all these colts and some fillies and I’m like, ‘woah there, like, take a saddleride to the other side of the room’, ‘cause I’ve only got eyes for like five of them and I gotta be picky so like don’t be grody because fillies don’t like it when you are being totally too needy but also like don’t ignore me because, like, I wanna know that you think I’m hotter than the sun so give me some attention but, like, also-”
Her family? “But I’m happy to be here! The School is totally awesome, but this house is my home and my home is the bomb."

She talked so much that she almost didn’t hear about what time they needed to get up. She groaned a little, but stuffed it quick. She wanted her beauty sleep, sure, but despite all the other changes in her life she had always remained fairly well-mannered when it came to the wishes of her parents. “Grody. But okay! I’ll be up early and bright eyes and bushy tailed!” She twirled over in her seat to Ambrosia. “I’m gonna TOTALLY give you a bushy tail in the morning! It’s a lot of fun!” She said as she got out of her seat.
“That was a rad dinner! Thanks mom!” She said happily as she trotted off- her dinner barely touched, though just when she got out of eyesight the dinner was picked up in magic and pulled after her.

A lull.
“She like that every dinner?”

 

Once back in her room, Moonlight trotted over to her desk and pulled out a scroll. She was a subscriber to Equestria Relay Communications, a mail service that allowed rapid communications. Subscribers were given a certain number of smaller scrolls every month made from Everfree-sourced wood, with their chosen name on it. She wrote a message and and activated a mark on the paper, which told ERC that it is ready to be sent. It was then teleported to an ERC center, scanned for security, and sent to its recipient.

The recipient this time was Yu: "You'll never believe it but I have an extra ticket to the rodeo tomorrow! My cuz Applejack is gonna compete and I am gonna snatch you up early tomorrow! You'll meet my family and girl I've said so many great things about you! We'll totally discuss business too.

See ya tomorrow! Toots and fruits.

Your Top Mare,
Moonlight Glitter

PS- You are gonna meet the cutest filly ever tomorrow. Prepare your heart."

[Blueblood]

Abrosia, during the meal, would sometimes babble a bit, chiming in an "Uh-huh!"  Whenever her mama spoke, or putting in a nice word for her family.  "Unca Mac is real strong, and Auntie Bloom came home with cousins!"  Cousins that were not quite ponies, but as mama said, "Apples is apples, whatever color or shape they come in!"

 

For the most part, though, she was content to let her attention be fully wrapt with her cousin; Moonlight was glorious in Amby's eyes, and she hung on the young mare's every word... even if she understood about half of them.  But having a bushy tail sounded fun!  "Oooh, like Auntie Pinkie Pie!  She's fun, though I can't bounce as much as she does.  It makes my hoofsies hurt after a while, but I can make it all the way to bed, see?"  And with pride and eagerness to show off to an adored older cousin, she managed to pronk all the way up the stairs and into bed, conveniently tuckering herself out for a good night's beauty rest.   Wasn't she such a clever little filly?

Meanwhile,  at the table, Mosley only chuckled as he wiped his lips and got off his seat.  "Well, she's always the chatty sort, but having guests puts her in... fine form, shall we say?"

 

 

Meanwhile, across the city...

 

The flash and ding of an ERC receiver pinged some 10 decibels louder than recommendeded by doctors, though the lazy sleeper didn't stir until the teleported scroll dropped onto her head.  "Mrngh... "  The vermilion-scaled kirin fumbled in the dark, blowing a gust of flame to light a lamp by her bunk.  Even in the dim illumination, the glitter-gel ink shone, signifying the sender as good as any signature.  "Heh...  Up with the moonlight, as usual..."  This was going to disrupt her plans for the day catastrophically, as did most things when one's plans were to do, if not absolutely nothing, as close to that as could be done in a big city.

Still, even though it would cost her some lost sleep, she figured that her first real friend among the locals in this city deserved a prompt reply, so she dashed one off quick in her own inimitable style,

"Thanks for the buzz on your cuz, I'll bee at our usual meeting place and make sure my boss doesn't hive a fit about my unexpected day off.  He wants me to be a busy buzzy little worker, but as long as we keep the honey coming in, it'll keep my neck-tar off the chopping block.

Your friend,

Yu Hu Mi.

 

P.S.  You gonna talk business while bringing in a filly too cute for this world?  I'll keep my heart when you get one!  Save the shop talk for more grown-up ears."

[SteelEagle]

The morning came much too slowly for Applejack. The night before a rodeo or other competition used to come easily to her, so sure was she of her abilities and endurance. She never had to worry about putting on a bad performance or fouling up her appearance and becoming a laughingstock. She was less sure now. She knew even at her best there were those that were better than she had been, and now she was far from her peak. Her waking world had come to terms with that and she took it in good cheer, but once the night came she harbored concerns and worries that stuck deep into her subconscious. 

When she did finally wake up- earlier than others- she quickly got ready. Farm work, guard work, family work- none of it afforded a mare a lot of time to make herself ready for the day and even half-awake as she was she went about prepping for the day with a single-mindedness that saw her ready and raring to go, rodeo gear readied, in the early morn’. 

 

Moonlight lagged. She had stayed up later than others, playing and giggling and enjoying time with her  cousin. When she did sleep, she slept like a log- deep, unbothered sleep. She woke up in the mid-morning and then she took her time. She had to dress the part but in order to dress the part she had to smell the part and in order to smell the part she had to clean up for the part. She took a long shower with various lotions, potions, products and ointments. She then took her team brushing and styling, then picked out her wardrobe- which, well, at least today was rather simple. She called it ‘rural chic’, with a gemstone-lined hat and a pink and purple ruffled saddle. Very ‘settler’ pony, save for how clearly more expensive it was. She adjusted this, adjusted that, used some of the saddle’s hidden pockets to hide some things, re-did her mane, and giggled mischievously as she imagined at all the silliness she was going to get into with Ambrosia.

 

She would try and help Ambrosia, who in turn would be helped by Applejack. An older filly and her mama fussin’ over her was likely not too dissimilar from Sweet Apple Acres (where, despite her protests otherwise, Applejack constantly referred to Apple Bloom as an older filly as teasing never dies). Applejack also made sure to help cook breakfast. She was up early enough to get something started, but when the Oranges were up and going she slid into being a cooking aid who had Apple pancakes as an aside to whatever the Oranges wanted otherwise.

[Blueblood]

Mosely would have just finished his own morning routine by the time Applejack was all geared up, patting a few drops of cologne around his neck.  "I say, Cousin, would you be alright if I took you along ahead of the others to the rodeo?  I have the carriage waiting, and its not far from the conference center I'll be holding today's meeting in."  He made the remark off-handedly enough, though he was pretty aware that Applejack would take the opportunity to ask him questions he was disinclined to answer in front of the little ones.

 

Speaking of which, Ambrosia was just peachy right now, for lack of any apple-related colloqialism for being fine and dandy!  Breakfast was at once familiarly hearty with the pancakes, and refreshingly exotic, as Cara showed how she preferred hers topped with marmalade and butter!  "It's a bit of an indulgence with so many grains, but this is a happy occasion to feast with family, isn't it Amby!"

"Feast with Family!"  She echoed in a rousing cheer, raising her spoon in a toast before pulling another warm and delicious bite into her mouth.

 

Mosely stopped by the breakfast table to kiss his wife goodbye, as they'd spend the day apart, sadly.  "Do have fun at the rodeo!"  He called out, before leading Applejack to the carriage outside.

 

 

The remaining three, Cara, Moonlight, and Ambrosia, would have to call a cab after breakfast, and washing up any sticky faces.  "Cabbie, take us to... what was it again, Moonlight?  'Zhao Long's Diner', or 'Long Zhao's cafe'?"

[SteelEagle]

 

Applejack certainly had no problems with that idea, not one bit. In fact, she did want to get Mosely one on one and probe a bit deeper. She understood the need for discretion in front of the family at large, but if she was gonna bust her rump talking to the guards and getting them in the case then she needed to know just what was going on. “Well, that sounds like a mighty fine idea,” she said as she finished her breakfast, making sure to clean her plate before she left. Then she packed up and got ready to leave. “See ya at tha rodeo, y’all. Ambrosia,” she said, leaning down to nuzzle her daughter as was custom and required by law, “be a good filly an’ listen to what tha Oranges say, okay?” She finished with three kisses when she had planned on only one, trotting out the door quickly afterwards to Mosely.

 

Once in the carriage, she took a big breath and started massaging her legs. There would be time to get limber, but she needed she needed that extra bit if planned on getting even a single ribbon. Once they were a block away, she started talking. “Thanks for this. I know it ain’t been tha best of times. What’s tha full story? I need ta know ta help.”

 

 

Moonlight enjoyed the hay out of breakfast. Apples and Oranges- name a more iconic breakfast duo. Her mom was in a great mood and Ambrosia was totally awesome and she could pound the food down! Gnarly. She would have to introduce Amby to the food of Yu’s people, they made some killer meals and Ambrosia would have a ball. Breakfast done, she washed up and helped Amby and both were helped by Cara who in turn was helped with dishes by Moonlight. There was a lot of helping, and some of it was even actually helpful.

 

Soon, they too were on their way out and about, with Moonlight’s cute designer saddlebag and perfect ten out of ten outfit accompanied by a ten out of ten mom and a ten out of ten cousin. They were thirty for thirty out here! “Diner, you got that one! That place has, like, the best fried rice I’ve ever had it is totally mouth watering. And their language is so...exotic! Totally cool, like, very unique and cultural and all that jazz,” she said, tail wagging in the cab as she was quite excited about the prospect of how epic this day was going to be.

[Blueblood]

"O-kay mama!"  Applejack hardly had to ask the best filly in the world to be merely good, but Ambrosia knew already how important it was for her to ask.  It was an official way of saying that she wanted her to listen to Auntie and Uncle just like she did to mama and... other mama.  Cara would have complete confidence in her obedience, even if Mama was temporarily on the other side of town.

 

As for the side of town that Moonlight was leading them to?  It was a most colorful side of town, almost a town within a town.  'Little Long Guo', it was called by the locals, as immigrants from the land of qilin and longma had more or less moved in and made it a little slice of home, marking a red gate over the street of entrance with messages of welcome... which were the last bit of Equestrian writing one saw before all the signs, windows, and sandwhich-boards worn by street advertizers turned into that funny script that was picture writing that wasn't actually pictures.  Coming from a small town that didn't even have a Long Guo restaurant yet, the sights, colors, and smells were so new as to be honestly overwhelming for the little filly, and she unconsciously drifted back towards the knees and practically underneath Auntie Cara.  "Uhh... where is Yu?"  

 

It would take Moonlight to point out which of the many signs actually said, "Zhao Long's Diner", as there was about half a dozen to each block.  And even that sign led around the corner and down a basement flight of steps into a dive, which was frankly a relief for the overstimulated little filly.  Though the alley was a might grimy on the way in, the restaurant itself was spotless, showing the care that only a small proprietor with a fierce pride in their small business could show, a kind of agressive and militant tidiness.  All that had to come from the one making all the chopping and frying noises in the back, however, as the only being actually in sight was a qilin of a bright scarlet coat, but lazy disposition, half asleep on top of one of the tables.  

"Mph, g'way, don't serve breakfast here- Oh, whoa."  She lifted her head, blinking the sleep out of her eyes.  "Well, Moonlight, you're up late for after sunrise.  But I guess you had to accompany the little sunbeam you told me about, based off the beam in your face?"  This close up, the party could see she was also tattooed, heavily, from the back of her hindleg up to the nape of her neck in an intricate design of water-dragons, flowing rivers, and pearls, all matched to the style of her cutie mark.  

 

~~~

 

Meanwhile, Mosely had taken Applejack to the carriage, brow furrowed in worry as he recounted what had been troubling him in the privacy of a soundproof transport.  "I wish I could say for certain what it was, precisely.  It's not one thing, but rather many little things, not troubling in themselves, but all adding up to something... I just can't work out the sum.  Look here,"  He pulled out what looked like a warehouse inventory manifest.  "For the past 8 months or more, the inventory and deliveries of blood oranges and honeybells haven't synced up.  Sometimes the warehouse shows fewer crates than the ships unloaded, sometimes more.  Some loss is usually expected, but this is much more than we've seen in the past decade.

"Also, recently, the Teamster's Union has been... restless.  Making more demands.  I pride myself on never having underpaid a worker, and I'm normally quite amenable to any collective bargaining, but if they're asking as much for security as their own salaries, well!  Either there's a scam in the works, or some trouble brewing on the outside, but none of them will tell me what the trouble is if its not a scam, which is worrying, wouldn't you say? 

 

"And its on top of all of that where the whole kidnapping of my business partner came in with it, along with the ransom money disappearing!"  The older stallion harumphed abstractedly, lost in business concerns for a while.  After a bit, he spoke again.  "Of course, its a funny coincidence he should get snatched like that right before an audit of the books.  Might want to cover the absence of funds to the tune of millions of bits, you know?  So that's what this meeting is.  I'm bringing every lawyer and accountant I can trust to the hotel, and we're going to lead a general assault upon the C-Suite.  I might not know what its all about, but I know funny business when I smell it, as much as blue mold on a bad orange!"

[SteelEagle]

Moonlight had to keep herself leashed to her mother and cousin as they penetrated deep into Little Long Guo. She had found Ponyville to be a wonderful small town but she had to admit that no matter what else changed, one thing that never changed was how wondrous she found the bits and pieces of Manehattan that felt like stepping into other worlds, other nations. The script was exotic and the language had a flowing, poetic nature to it. She was a filly with a passion for new experiences and she couldn’t help but find the whole Long Guo culture fascinating. A part of her knew that, at least to some extent, there was a facade of in-authenticity to some of it. But even in the strange marriage there were insights to be gleaned, and she was happy as a clam (were clams happy?) to be able to find just the right qilin to learn it alongside.

 

She took the lead as they moved deeper, only a little offput by the grim of the streets. It was a difference from Ponyville. Ponies always spoke about dirty hooves in the country and clean, gleaming city streets, but the mud and the dirt came off a little easier than some of the dirtier aspects of the cities once you got into the off-main Still, her excitement precluded any negativity and soon she was pleased to be in front of the diner. “Here we go! They make some killer meals. I’ll totally take you here!” She said to the pair as she pushed open the door and trotted in.

 

And there was the qilin of the hour! Yu cut an absolutely stunning figure and she was smart and fun to be around. Plus, she cared a lot for her friends and family, and that really spoke to Moonlight on a personal level. She took such risks for them! Who couldn’t just adore a creature like that? “Hey Yu!” She said, bouncing over and giving Yu an extremely friendly hug. “Oh, don’t you know it! Burnin’ candles at every end, but it’s gonna be, like, totally worth it! Mom, this is Yu! Yu! Mom! Amby, this is Yu! Yu! Amby!” She said, happily leading the grand meeting of four fine fillies. “Mom, isn’t this place totally rad? Like, look at how beautiful this interior is! It’s so sweet!”

 

 

Applejack handled Sweet Apple Acres’ business end. She wasn’t a corporate mare, so once you started to talk any of that finance hoity toity stuff she was as lost as a pig at a grffon’s barbeque. But she knew her manifests and her inventories and her logistics as well as anypony else in the fruit business. A few things started to stink when she looked it over, and her mind started to race. 
“Well, that there is theft. Ah’m sure you thought of that. Ah mean, yer right that you should expect some loss, but this is consistent. It ain’t even tha amount. You’d reckon that at least sometimes you’d have losses of just small satchels of fruit, or have somepony miscount by a few bins, not whole crates. Some bad fruit, sure. A broken crate here or there, yeah. But whole crates goin’ missin’ this often, that don’t make a lick of sense naturally. An’ tryin’ ta add on more later- Ah reckon when lookin’ at it monthly the numbers don’t look that off. But you look at it daily or weekly ya see how stinkin’ this is,” she said as she started to ruminate on what followed.

 

She never had to deal with unions. Most businesses she dealt with were family owned, after all. But she could only reckon that if a lot was being asked for and just as much silence was being kept then somepony was scared. “Well...shoot, that’s strange. Figurin’ if it involves them docks an’ they want security...you said somethin’ about tha criminal element getting’ kind of bolder. If yer workers are scared, maybe they have a good reason. What sorta security they thinkin’ of hirin’? Ain’t aware of needin’ ta pay the police or Guards for extra patrols if crime is ahoof,” Applejack asked, the gears slowly turning but finding little common ground just yet. After all, the idea of private security was uncommon to the extreme outside of Equestria’s biggest cities.

 

She would try and think on it more later, but for now she was lost in the bigger and more dramatic story- was he really implicating his partner in something sinister? “Well, Ah’d love ta see that. Ah think it don’t sound as fun as assaultin’ tha suite with a rootin' tootin' posse, but Ah reckon we can’t have it all,” she smiled to lighten the mood, but her eyes had a gleam, the smile and attempt at humor deflating as she started to flow between anger and concern. “So, you think he is part of somethin’, huh? What’s his name?” She leaned back into the seat and sighed. “Well, heck. Missing fruit and a lot of it, dock troubles, potentially evil business partner. Ah’m sorry Ah didn’t know this sooner. Woulda come up here and whooped some flank. Can’t have ya be in this mess, not mah family,” she shook her head and looked out. “Ah have a guard Ah can talk ta. If you can’t trust tha police, ya can trust tha Guards.”