Breakfast And Exposition
IC date: Autumn 32, 1007
OOC date: October 21, 2012
PCs: Manyara, Snowfield
NPCs: None
GM: None

While Ruby Blossom aggros half of Horseshoe Base down in the lab, Snowfield has decided to let the other ponies work out their problems between themselves. She woke up mere minutes ago and right now would love to get something into her stomach before engaging in the typical shenanigans of everyday social interaction, so a quick trip to the cafeteria was in order. "Weird alfalfagus again," the little unicorn comments to herself with a sigh as she moves a few leaves of Wintersong foliage to a plate and floats it to a table.

The slim Abada makes her way into the cafeteria not long after Snowfield settles down. At first glance she's looking as collected and together as always, though a closer look might show that she is seeming a bit… tired. Maybe a little strained. She heads to get herself a plate as well, perusing the 'selection' before picking out a few leaves with a small sigh.

Snowfield slowly chews her own greens as she stares absentmindedly off into space. Through sheer coincidence that particular part of space happens to be occupied by the abada, although the unicorn is not actually looking at Manyara.

Manyara blinks and glances back over her shoulder as she notices the stare, giving a faint chuckle and, after a moment's pause, heading for the table. "This seat taken?"

"Hmm? Oh, no, feel free," Snowfield says as she gestures vaguely at the seat across from her. "I was just having breakfast."

Manyara sets her plate down, settling onto the seat and picking up a leaf to munch herself, eyeing her for a moment. "Either you aren't awake yet, or you're deep in thought."

"Can't it be both?" Snowfield says as she pulls her own plate towards her a few inches to give Manyara a bit more room on the tabletop. "There are an awful lot of things to think about of late."

Manyara chuckles. "Well, I suppose it could, sure. Yes… there have been indeed." She chews a leaf thoughtfully. "This has been quite an… odd experience."

"'Odd' doesn't come close to describing it," the unicorn agrees. "It's so strange to be relied upon here. Everypony needs to contribute something, you can't just lurk outside of society and poke your nose in when the mood strikes you." She magics another leaf of plant into her mouth. "At least I still have plenty of alone time collecting food from the forest."

Manyara nods. "I'm used to being… relied on, in a way. But not quite in this fashion." She frowns faintly. "And not quite so… directly." She idly tears one of the leaves into quarters, chewing on one bit while rearranging the others on her plate absent-mindedly. "This is a very strange feeling for me… all of it."

Snowfield hrms thoughtfully with half of a leaf sticking out of her mouth. "You've looked out of sorts since we've been here, yes. Feeling out of place in the world? I imagine this land doesn't need a Wishmaster who grants double-edged wishes."

Manyara smirks wryly. "You don't know the half of it," she mutters, twitching an ear. "This world could use a Wishmaster, I'm sure. They need something to believe in, hope for… futures. It's what we're here for, in a way…" she shakes her head, sighing. "This world certainly may need a Wishmaster, but… it would seem I am not it."

"Of course you aren't," Snowfield says matter of factly. "You're not from this world, how could you possibly be its wishmaster? Undoubtedly there is some manner of mirror-you fulfilling that purpose already." She sticks another leaf in her mouth. "I don't have to worry about that, of course," she continues, talking and chewing at the same time. "My circumstances in our own world are so extraordinary there's no way I could be lurking in this one as well."

Manyara chuckles. "Yes, my dear, but you did not find yourself suddenly without your magical abilities upon arriving in this place." She chews on a leaf quarter and gets to work tearing up another. "I'm sure there is another of my position here," she admits slowly after a moment, looking a bit uneasy at the thought. "It's not that that was a surprise to me. Don't get me wrong, I have no delusions of being 'sent here to save this world with my powers' or what-not. Fate doesn't quite work like that, I'm afraid. But I hadn't really considered… this."

"No, I suppose I didn't have all of my magic ripped from my grasp," Snowfield admits. "Instead I had mortality thrust upon me for the first time in four hundred years. And not just any mortality, I have a time limit." The tiny unicorn points at Manyara with some sort of plant stalk as she adds, "You have no idea how disconcerting it is to know the exact date of your death." She proceeds to take a bite out of the aforementioned stalk.

Manyara smiles faintly over at her. "You'd be surprised. Though I do imagine it's a rather odd feeling." She tilts an ear. "I can relate to the mortality, though. That's what this is, you know." She taps a hoof idly. "It's been a great many years since I've felt it." Almost as an afterthought she adds, "You have ways to work around that timing, however. And in this world I doubt it applies, if we are to somehow be here that long. Luna being so distracted with… other things. I doubt she keeps to that duty at all here."

Snowfield thinks about that for a moment. "You might be right… since I only have the one year, I think it's up to the Bone Mistress to actually come and reap me when my time is over. Since she's in the other world I don't think she can reach me here." She pauses and gives Manyara a strange look. "What does Princess Luna have to do with that, though?"

Manyara blinks and chuckles. "Oh, right. I apologize, sometimes I forget you don't know everything." Her tone is amused, although friendly; it is clear she means this more as teasing compliment than insult. "Luna keeps track of the stars, you see. And that's where the Bone Mistress takes the departed. Checks and balances, I suppose, make sure everything is in its proper place. With Luna not keeping track properly, I imagine this world's Bone Mistress may have gotten a little… slack. In fact, I can all but guarantee it, what with all this fear of the roaming dead approaching."

The unicorn's strange expression turns to one of doubtfulness. "If you say so," she says in the tone of one who knows when she's being fed a load of ponyfeathers but isn't going to press the subject. "Regardless of whether or not somepony out there is doing their assigned reaping tasks, I still know that the time is slipping away… if that makes any sense?"

Manyara nods. "It does. It's an odd feeling after not having to even think of it for so long - I know, trust me." She rests a leg on the table, chin on her hoof. "But is it really such a terrible feeling? To have your time moving again? Different, certainly. But when you set aside any sort of arbitrary time limit… did you really wish to stay as you were forever?" She eyes her appraisingly, gaze rather thoughtful.

"I had gotten used to it," Snowfield said. "It wasn't even a thing I thought about anymore. I just lived from day to day, year to year in the forest. Every so often I'd go into town and the faces would be different. Every few decades I'd move to some other arctic town's outskirts for a change of scenery, but aside from that everything was static." She stares down at her half-eaten plate of greens. "The last few seasons have been… out of the ordinary."

Manyara nods. "I understand. It's been a long time of the same thing. But changes happen, dear. It doesn't have to be a bad thing. Perhaps it could even be a good thing." She gives a small shrug. "…Though if, when we get back home, after a bit of time, you feel like it is not," she offers slowly, "you do have options."

Snowfield says, "I don't think that stunt with the Windigo's Kiss would work a second time. That was a perfect storm of coincidences. No, there are no viable ways to put things back the way they were." She gives the abada a serious look as if to add 'so don't push it' to the end. "Really, I'm just not used to being so… cold. I don't know if it's the sands moving or just how unnatural this world is, but I feel so cold when I go outside."

Manyara nods again, obligingly dropping the subject. "It is unnaturally cold here. This is a world that hasn't seen a day's warmth in centuries. It's likely a good bit colder than anything even you're used to."

"Considering that Celestia is apparently trapped beneath the horizon, I imagine the other side of the world must be a parched desert," Snowfield muses. "Perhaps everypony carry a boat across the ice until they hit ocean and sail away to warmer pastures."

Manyara can't help but giggle a bit at the mental image. "Perhaps. Though I imagine eternal day has its downsides as well." She tilts her head. "It's a possible solution I suppose if nothing else will work, but I doubt it'd be so simple."

"It never is," Snowfield responds melodramatically. "If all Equestria's problems could be solved by sailing somewhere new, well, the ferry industry would be booming." She quiets for a moment and perks her ears up. "It sounds like whatever trouble they got themselves into down in the lab has resolved itself. I don't here Winter Solstice or Solar Wind bellowing."

Manyara listens for a moment herself, nodding. "That sounded like quite the commotion. Any idea what it was about?" She asks, sounding mildly curious. It wasn't big enough to set off any alarms, one way or another, but there certainly had been a bit of a stir.

Snowfield shakes her head. "I haven't the foggiest," she answers. "The commotion woke me up and when I poked my head in there was a dogpile in the middle of the room. I decided it wasn't worth the trouble of investigating and came to get breakfast instead." She sighs at her plate. "I was never a fan of alfalfa in the first place."

Manyara chuckles a bit, shooting her an amused glance. "It serves its purpose. But I will admit, I could really go for something sweeter right now. Or tea. I would really like some tea. Maybe a nice cayentine for dessert."

Snowfield makes a face at the request for sweets. She's never cared for them. "If you want to sate your sweet tooth, I think that group who found that abandoned hive brought back some nectar. I remember hearing somepony talking about some kind of rock candy."

Manyara perks her ears a bit. "Really? Now that's interesting." She ponders this for a moment or two. "Perhaps I'll look into it." Maybe a nice treat would lift some spirits around here, at least.

"I'll leave that to you," Snowfield says as she pushes her plate away and stands up. "Since the fighting seems to have died down I'll go see what happened in the lab."

Manyara nods, standing as well. "Alright. Come find me if you need me for anything. Or just want some company on one of your walks." She pauses for a moment. "…Of if this ends up being an amusing enough story to share."

"I'll keep you informed," Snowfield says with a wave of her hoof as she departs the cafeteria and turns a corner out of sight.