//------------------------------// // Getting to know you // Story: A royal Respite // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// Getting to know you School had ended none too soon, and the teenage ponies all galloped out of their classes as quickly as they could. Celeste and Lunette followed the six other fillies to the ice cream shop, trotting along the streets of Coltonville. As they walked along, Bright Eyes noticed that the two girls seemed to stare around at everything in wonder, as if they had never seen anything like Coltonville before. "Hey, Starlight?" The uncertain mare asked the group's leader. "You see how those two are reacting to everything? It's like they've never seen a regular town before!" "They probably never have, Bright Eyes." Starlight whispered back."Remember... Equestria is a backward, old world country. They've probably never seen indoor plumbing before, let alone modern conveniences!" Bright Eyes shook her mane, well aware that her friend was oversimplifying things. Still, she followed her and the others towards the ice cream shop. "Hey girls, I just remembered... I promised my mom I'd watch my sisters tonight!" Melody told the others. "I'm afraid I'll have to skip out on sundaes. See you all tomorrow!" "I'm gonna have to take a rain check too, girls!" Clover agreed. "I have ballet practice tonight, and Madame Perjuant wouldn't be very happy if I missed again!" "Well girls, looks like it'll just be us six!" Starlight replied, waving to the other two fillies and they trotted away. "Bye you two!, See you both tomorrow!" The six remaining mares trotted into the ice cream shop, and Starlight changed into her work apron. Celeste and Lunette looked around at the shop in wonder- taking in the ice cream cone-shaped entrance, the checkered floor, and the round spinning stools at the counter. "Wow, this place is so amazing!" Celeste replied, taking a seat by the others. "Do you and your friends really get to spend your free time here?" "Yep, this is our number one hangout spot!" Bon Bon replied with a laugh. "Mostly cause Starlight works here.... that and the chocolate shakes are sooo delicious!" Starlight put a chocolate sundae in front of each of them, and Bon Bon was the first to greedily dig in. "Wow your friend doth certainly hath an appetite!" Lunette exclaimed, watching the filly devour the sundae. "That's Bon Bon for ya!" Sweetheart said with a chuckle. "She wants to be a fashion model some day, yet she keeps eating like there's no tomorrow!" "I'm sorry girls, I just can't help it!" The yellow filly replied with a grin. "This stuff tastes so good! I'll just have to diet a little extra harder tomorrow!" "So tell me, Celeste." Bright Eyes asked, looking the siblings over curiously. "Where in Equestria are you two from? Manehatten? Los Pegasus?" "Canterlot betih our place of dwelling." Lunette replied firmly, as Starlight put her sundae down in front of her. "What my sister means is, we lived in Canterlot during our last school year." The white earth pony added with a nervous grin. "Our family actually is originally from Trottingham, and currently lives in Manehatten." "I see." Bright Eyes replied skeptically. She had known that Equestria was a bit old fashioned and rustic, but the blue sister's accent was just a bit too much old world charm. "And what do your parents do for a living?" "They were into politics, working for the Equestrian government's bureaucracy." Celeste replied, before her sister could. "But they passed away some time ago." "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!" Sweetheart replied sadly. as Sweetheart put her strawberry shake down. "That must be so hard for you!" "We doth manage." Lunette replied, glaring at her sister. "So what do you two do for fun?" Bon Bon asked curiously. The two sisters thought quickly for a few moments, before one finally spoke up. "My sister enjoys gazing at the stars." Celeste told them. "While I enjoy paining the morning sky!" "So she's an astronomer, and you're a painter?" Starlight whinnied. "That's so cool! you'll have to paint a picture of all of us sometime!" Lunette looked around at the four other fillies. "Tellest us, what dost thou enjoy doing with thy spare time?" "Well, I want to be an environmentalist!" Bright Eyes declared. "I want to help protect our environment from pollution and development!" "Such a noble cause, to devote oneself to!" Lunette replied approvingly."For this world is now being contaminated by ponykind's waste far too much than it was before!" "You really think so?" Bright Eyes whinnied, dropping a bit of her suspicion. "Lunette, would you like to help Patch and Clover and I at the lake cleanup next week?" "I would loveth to!" Lunette replied, smiling for the first time since she had met the girls. "Anything to help protect our beautiful planet!" "So what do your parents do for a living, Starlight?" Celeste asked her, as the pink earth pony put a malt in front of her. "Well, my mom owns the beauty salon next door, along with this malt shop.That's why I work here." Starlight's ears drooped. "As for my dad, well... he's not around here anymore." "Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that!" The white earth pony replied, looking over at Lunette. "It can be hard when a pony's loved ones are so far away." At the other pony's words, Starlight thought for a moment. "Say, Celeste... if you're not doing anything, why don't you come over this Wednesday, and we can do each others manes next door at the salon!" "What?" Celeste whinnied in surprise. "You really want me to come?" "Sure! Bon Bon and Melody will be there!" Starlight replied with a grin. "We can do earth others manes, get facials, and gossip about boys!" "It'll be a lot of fun!" Bon Bon replied. "Okay... sure! I'd love to come!" The white earth pony agreed. As the three fillies giggled at one end of the counter, Lunette, Bright Eyes, and Patch watched them from the other end, shaking their heads in disgust. "Girly girls" Lunette sighed. "Tell me about it!" Patch and Bright Eyes replied in unison, rolling their eyes. ... "Okay, girls! Time for me to close up for the night!" Starlight told them. "See you all tomorrow at school!" As Starlight closed up the shop, each of the girls said their goodbyes, and trotted off towards their houses. As the two Equestrian sister began to walk away, Sweetheart and Bon Bon came galloping up to them. "Hey, girls? Didn't you two say you were staying over on the east side of town?" Bon Bon asked them. "Yea, that beith correct." Lunette replied. "Why do ye asketh?" "We live over in that part of town, too!" Sweetheart replied. "We'll walk over to your place with you!" "Sure, we would love the company!" Celeste replied, as the four fillies trotted off together. "So, Sweetheart... you said you wanted to be a doctor?" Celeste asked the filly. "Oh, yeah! I always volunteer at the local hospital!" The gentle filly grinned. "I come from a family of nurses from Equestria, and I always love helping ponies!" "Tis a noble calling, to be in the medical profession!" Lunette said admiringly. "Thou hast chosen well in thine profession, methinks!" "Why thank you, Lunette!" Sweetheart replied. "If you two ever want to volunteer, let me know!" "So, what's it like where you two are from?" Bon Bon asked curiously. "They have any good food there?" "We doth hath many fine dishes, fair Bon Bon." Lunette told her. "Why dost thou asketh?" "Well... just in case I ever, you know, model there!" Bon Bon asked nervously, munching on a cookie. "I'd like to know if I'd be eating anything weird!" Both Lunette and Celeste burst out laughing at that. "We think you'll find the food there mostly similar to your own diet here, my friend." Celeste told her. "Except that odd substance you call 'meat'..." "Hey, look what the mule dragged in!" A male voice called out, causing the four mares to look around in confusion. Behind them, they saw three of the colts from class earlier that day; Teddy, Lancer, and Ace- two of whom seemed to have their eyes on the two mares present. "Ugh! You guys!" Sweetheart chided. "You shouldn't sneak up on us like that!" "Aw come on, Sweetheart!" The blue pony put his hoof around her neck. "Ya know ya love it when I do that!" The two laughed and giggled as they talked to each other, and the two Equestrian sisters could clearly tell they were a couple. They did wonder though, what such a gentle pony like Sweetheart, could see in such an uncouth brute such as Teddy... The pony couple continued to tease each other, while Ace walked up towards Celeste. "Hello there, little filly! My name's Ace, the school's top sports pony." He threw his long, silky mane back over his shoulder. "N-nice to meet you..." Celeste stammered out sheepishly, trying to hide her deep red blush. "I'm Celeste!" "Sister... what art thou DOING!?!" Lunette asked in shock. "Hey, I'm Lancer." The other one shyly said to Lunette. "You're really pretty." Lunette nodded, desperately looking around for any means of escape. "Say, would you two like to join us at the roller rink this Saturday?" Ace told them, as Celeste stared into his eyes dreamily. "We could teach you how to skate!" "That would be lovely!" Celeste replied dreamily. "Pick us up at five!" "SISTER!" Lunette replied scandalized, as Lancer smiled warmly at her. "You can't just-" "Great!" Lancer replied, as the three colts trotted away. "See you there!" "See ya later, Sweetheart!" Teddy called, following the other two away. "You get ready too on Saturday, we'll make it a triple date!" "Sure, Teddy!" Sweetheart replied with a grin. "See you later!" "Sweetheart, don't you think Starlight and Bright eyes will be jealous?" Bon Bon whispered to her friend. "The colts they like messing around with foreign fillies, and all." "Well, they really aren't dating them right now, are they? " Sweetheart whispered back. "Those two couples are always breaking up and getting back together! And besides, it's not like they're marrying them or anything..." .... "Well, this is where we are staying." Celeste told them, as they stopped in front of a two story townhouse. "We'll see the two of you tomorrow!" "Have a good night, girls!" Bon Bon and Sweetheart whinnied. "See ya both tomorrow!" After they had left, the two fillies trotted into the house, and Lunette slammed the door. "Well, today went well, didn't it?" Celeste whinnied with a smile on her face. "We made a whole bunch of new friends, and I even got us both a date! Not bad for our first day in school, don't you think?" "CELESTIA! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMNED MIND?!?" The younger sister yelled. "We both have life bond partners back home, you can't just lead those boys on like that!" "As I recall, my dear sister, my lifemate cares more about his visions for Equestria than he does me. And yours has become something of a crabby old gnome." Getting a can of cola out of the fridge, Celestia popped the tab, and sat down on the couch. "Who says we can't have some fun in our old age?" "But you... but I... but we..." Luna tried to sputter out. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I want to watch some PTV." Celestia picked up the remote. "Po-ny Hammer's new music video is supposed to be on tonight." She turned the television on, as a pony in baggy pants blasted out. "Ya can't hoof this!" The solar princess tapped her hoof along with the beat. "I can't believe this is my responsible older sister I'm talking to! I don't even know why I agreed to come along with you, on this journey into youthful folly!" Luna snorted, as she trotted her way up the stairs to bed. "Goodnight, my dear Celestia! I certainly hope thy head is clear by the time the morning cometh!"