Something worth thinking about (open)

(Sorry, I was really busy yesterday)

Cloud trotted off to the kitchen and retrieved the jar of cookies, bringing it to the chairs and offering cookies to the others. She put it on the coffee table and grabbed one herself.

"I hope you don't mind that it is, again, a Creator tale," she said. "You still up for it?"

In regards to both their questions, she grimaced.

"I'm the Prima Ballerina of the Royal Canterlot Ballet," she confessed. "I was trying to escape... well, that, when I left Canterlot. I figured most ponies wouldn't know me here, but that's not the case, is it?"

"Why must they be so noisy and chaotic?" Paradise asked, still watching the appalling scene, "Surely there are more respectful ways to gain your favour."

She then bit into a biscuit, reacting with noticeable surprise on how sweet it was. She had not been able to partake in such luxuries for years, so she relished it now, closing her eyes and letting her only experience the texture and favour of the bite extensively, before swallowing it.

Star hungrily bit into a cookie, "Thanks Cloud." she said through a mouthful of cookie.
"Anyways, you're a Prime Ballerina?" she asked with a confused expression.
sadly, she wasn't very knowledgeable in the area of dancing. Her focus was more on the stars....

She greedily snatched another cookie and munched on it quietly, as if somepony was going to take it away from her.

"The Prima Ballerina," Cloud agreed. "Of course there are better ways to earn respect, Paradise, but this is irrational Equestria. Ponies aren't rational."

She sighed as she glared at the crowd outside. The outside ponies were starting to disperse, slowly but surely.

"I'm sorry I am the cause for your delays," she apologized again. "I hope you didn't have to urgently be somewhere."

The frustration of being found here was maddening. One would think a ballerina wouldn't get so much attention, but Cloud had unintentionally made a name for herself. She was due back in Canterlot often for shows and rehearsals, but she tried to avoid the royal capitol with all of her might.

"What is Neighpon like?" she asked Paradise. "What does it look like? How much would I prefer to be there?"

Paradise frowned, still not seeing how one could end up coming to the conclusion that screaming at venerated ponies was the best course of action. She took another bite of her biscuit (she was still on her first one), and thought about Cloud's question.

"It's home," she began simply, "So I may view it more brightly than most. But it's more...quiet there, apart from the occasional festival, which is when it gets loud. But most of the time, it's peaceful."

She sighed.

"Of course, that's peacetime; at peace, Neighpon is the most beautiful home a pony could ask for. But sometimes the base desires of pony defeat the higher thought the Faith tries to teach us, and ponies go to war. Have you ever been in a war, friends? Be thankful if you have not. My home went through a particularly bad one ten years back. I was...just getting started in my service to the Faith. Us priests and maidens had to take care of the wounded and try to keep some semblance of good in a time of utter evil."

Paradise looked sad. "If I recall correctly, the conflict was over whether Neighpon should open its doors to the other nations. It was between those who felt that my home needed to trade with countries like yours, and those who felt that Neighpon would be spoiled by Equestria's decadence." She winced. "I do not mean to offend. The traders won, and now ponies can come and go as they please. But I do hope that my home will retain its serenity it has when it is at peace."

She masked her troubled feelings with a smile. "So, the answer to your question is; at its best, beautiful enough to kill for."

Star was stunned, she froze mid-bite.

"Wow. I've never been in a war, that sounds awful. How old were you? If it was ten years ago you must've been little." Star managed to say.

A war? Star hoped she would never have to participate in one, and she felt terrible for Paradise.

"Wow," Cloud said in response. "I've never been in a war myself, but one of my friends is a crystal pony. She had to endure slavery under King Sombra, and it may have really damaged her. She's not... normal."

Shaking her head to rid herself of thoughts of Rosella, she nibbled on another biscuit.

"Maybe I'll go visit Neighpon, then. Cherry could take me. She's the Neghponese dancer in the ballet."

"Well, the war lasted for two years, so...Fifteen? When it began?" She smiled. "Why, do I look that young?" She took another bite of her biscuit. "It was a while ago. Though some of the scars remain..." She breathed. "...you learn to deal with them. As long as you keep believing in goodness, truth and beauty, you can keep going when life seems hard."

"I did say I had stories that were too sad to tell," she continued, sighing, "The war has most of them, if not all. It's not something I like dwelling on. Too many mistakes were made."

She fell silent after that, thinking.

"Right," Star said, "sorry for intruding."

"I have always wanted to go see a show in Canterlot," she began, turning to Cloud, "but I've always been far to busy to go anywhere when I'm there. I hope next time I go home, I'll be able to see one."

The last stragglers finally gave up, seeing that Cloud wasn't leaving any time soon, and Cloud sighed with relief.

"You're welcome to stay," she offered, "but the crowd has left. Thank you for your patience. It was nice meeting both of you. Do you have to go?"

Meeting the two mares in a time of crisis was a good sign. Her first friends in Ponyville were amazing, and her hope for the town was rekindled.

Finishing her one and only biscuit, Paradise brushed herself off. "I am not needed anywhere at the moment, but I do not wish to stay beyond my hospitality. But I will go with my host friend Cloud, if she still wishes to give me a place to rest."

Star nodded and devoured her last cookie.

"Yeh, sure. Come along!" she said happily, "See ya later Cloud Dancer! Perhaps you could get me a backstage pass to one of your shows."

She walked out the door, waving goodbye to Cloud and motioning for Paradise to follow.

"It's a bit messy, I'll clean up though." she added

Cloud waved them off.

"I'll get it. It's the least I could do," she said, sweeping up the crumbs with her wings and tail and picking up the jar. "Thank you so much for your company. I hope to see you soon."

She grinned at Star.

"Send me a letter when you're in Canterlot. I'll find you."

After bowing to Cloud, Paradise brushed herself off and started following Star.

Sensing that conversation might be a good way to fill in the silence, she said, "So how do you spend your days, Star? Are your nights spent looking at the skies, like your name suggests? Or am I mistaken in my assumption?"

It was becoming evening at this time, and the sun was making its final resistance against the embrace of the night. The stars, as it were, were rising from their daily rest, to provide their light for the following hours.

"Are the stars really that small, or are they just so very far away?" Paradise wondered out loud, "There have been so many nights when I thought about it, just looking up at them."

Star chuckled a bit as she walked, "well, yes. I do, and I rarely get rest because of it." she replied, gazing up at the rising night.

"And no, the stars are not that small. They only look so little because they are so far away. Millions of light years away."

Star laughed lightly, "if you'd like, before you go to bed that is, you could look through my telescope at them."

They walked along at a leisurely pace, and Star approached her apartment building.

((Question, is this thread sorta over? Like, should I start a new one in the Ponyville houses?))

((No, I'm out. Nice RPing with you ponies))

(Kindly make a thread in Ponyville houses, Butterfly.)

((Will do!))


Here's the link ^.^
https://mlp-fim-oc-rp.rpg-board.net/t1865-star-s-house