Twin-Sun Shimmer

by Kydopony

Chapter 6 - Sun's Dinner And A Book

Chapter 6 - Sun's Dinner And A Book

You enter a restaurant right behind Silver Smith and his family, the atmosphere somewhat fancy. You can see that while most of the ponies inside are wearing clothes, nopony seems to be wearing clothes quite as fancy as what you and the Silver family are wearing.

"Good afternoon." The pony at the front desk greets. "A table for four I presume?"

"Five this time." Silver Smith responds.

"Very good monsieur Smith." The pony beckons another to him. "Take our guests to their seats."

"Follow me." The waiter takes you all to a table sat in the middle of the room and we are given five menus. "And what can I get you all to drink?"

"Waters all around." Silver Smith answers. "And I would like a glass of cider."

"I'll take a cider as well." Silver Sales announces.

"Apple juice." Silver Shade proclaims.

After You and Polished Silver decide water is enough for the two of you, the waiter sets off to get your drinks. After which you begin to look around and notice other ponies staring. "Is it normal for everypony to stare at us like this?" You ask.

"Don't worry too much about it." Silver Sales says. "We aren't just here to eat but also to let the ponies know we are in town."

You look to Silver Sales. "Is that why you wanted me to wear the dress?"

"That, and I do think you look lovely in it." You give a small blush and look away. "If you're uncomfortable with this we can go back to the house, we can leaves these clothes at home and go somewhere else to eat."

You shake your head vigorously. "No. I don't want to ruin things for you like that."

"Perhaps you can go to the ladies room and remove your own clothes before we eat?" Silver Smith offers.

"No." Silver Sales argues. "That would single her out from the rest of us and would only make the problem worse."

Silver Smith put his hoof to his chin in thought. "Perhaps we should have discussed our plans with you before we had left. I do apologize for putting you in this situation. To make it up to you, how about we find ourselves a nice shop in town when we are done eating and I'll let you buy anything you want, within reason of course."

"Do we get to buy anything too?" Silver Shade asks.

Silver Smith gives a nod. "Within reason, yes." Silver Shade gives a large grin at this news.

"What's all of this for anyway?" You ask.

"Every year we come down to ponyville to sell less fortunate ponies cheaper jewelry the rich ponies would never except. We polish them and make them as pretty as possible so the less fortunate feel like it's something like what rich ponies buy. This way, ponies who normally can't afford it can buy our merchandise."

"Why do you sell bad jewelry to ponies?"

"It's not that it's bad. Rich ponies like to buy things most ponies can't. You make something pretty expensive enough and rich ponies will buy it to feel superior to others. Every now and then you take what is too low of quality for them and reduce the price and ponies with less feel like they bought something normally reserved for the rich. Of course some ponies prefer our products to have utility, which is where my wife comes in."

Silver Sales gives a smile before embracing Polished Silver in a hug. "I'm good with enchanting, but my daughter will soon be better than me."

Polished Silver gives a blush and a shrug. "I'm still learning."

The waiter comes back and serves you and the Silver Family your drinks before taking your orders.

---

After paying the bill Silver Smith walks up to the front desk with us close behind. The pony at the desk gives Silver Smith a coupon book. "20 25% off coupons each for any one meal at our restaurant as usual."

Silver Smith gives the pony a nod. "Thank you my good stallion." As you and the Silver family walk down the road Silver Smith asks. "Anypony have an idea of where we should go?"

"Can we go to the toy store?" Silver Shade asks.

"I'd rather go to a book store." Offers Polished Silver.

Silver Smith looks your way. "Where do you want to go?"

"A book store sounds nice." You answer.

"Aaaawwww." Silver Shade cries.

Silver Smith picks up Silver Shade in his magic and places him on his back. "If you want to go to the toy store that badly, I'll take you while your mother takes the girls to the book store."

Silver Shade gives his father a hug. "I love you dad."

"I love you too son." Silver Smith gives his wife a kiss. "Do you want to meet back at the house or at the town center?"

"I'll meet you back at the house my sweet." Answers Silver Sales.

"As you wish my sunflower."

---

"Welcome to Ginger Treat's Books and Snacks." The mare at the counter welcomes as you enter the store, Silver Sales and Polished Silver already inside. "We are having a sale, buy two books get one free."

Silver Sales turns around to address you and Polished Silver. "The two of you go ahead and look around and find some books you like, and you can get some snacks too if you want." Silver Sales looks to Polished Silver. "And if I catch you fighting you'll be leaving with nothing."

You split up from the others and search through one end of the book section as Polished Silver searches the other. You see many books in the fiction isle ranging from high fantasy to science fiction and even some pokemon books that remind you of the cards Silver Shade seemed so interested in. You see a fantasy book depicting a giant fire breathing wolf, a what looks like a sea pony with a horn surrounded by a sphere of water, and a dragon pony hybrid standing on two hooves and wielding a lance in it's two claws. It's wings seem to be that of a pegasus and it is covered in high tech armor. With your interest peaked, you look at the title reading Monster Team Alpha. Book in hoof you then move to non-fiction.

In the non-fiction section you find books about athletes and how to become an athlete, books about history and historical artifacts, and books about all kinds of skills you can learn.

An employee walks your way. "Can I help you with anything ma'am." He asks.

You give some thought before asking your question. "Do you have anything that can teach me how to read a map?"

"Follow me." The employee walks to another isle of the non-fiction section before pulling out a book. "I think you could make use of this book." He gives you a book on camping for beginners. "It'll give you plenty of information on how to read a map and even how to make your own compass, which will be quite essential for any map."

"Thank you, but do you have anything more direct?"

The employee turns back around to search through the books again and pulls out a book on map reading and navigation. "This book will teach you everything you need to know about the more advanced stuff."

You look down to the book and ponder on whether or not you need anything else. "I think this is all I need, thanks for the help."

"Very well ma'am, have a good day."

"You too."

As you walk up to the counter you see Silver Sales talking to Ginger Treat. "Did you find everything you need?" Asks Ginger Treat.

"I think so." You answer as you give her the books you want.

Polished Silver walks over to give her own finds to the sales pony.

"Does anypony want to get a snack for later?" Silver Sales asks. You pick up a bag of taffy and show it to Silver Sales as Polished Silver takes a bag of chips. "Put them on the counter. And I'll take a three extra bags of taffy for me, my husband, and my son."

As Silver Sales pays for the books and snacks you see something that catches your eye. "What's that?" You ask, pointing a hoof at said item.

"This?" Ginger Treat asks bringing the item closer into view. Laying on the counter is a metal medallion with a purple six sided star engraved into it, a twine string strung through a hole at the end of one of the stars points. "It's just a hearths warming ornament. The symbol represents magic. We are throwing them away to make way for new products so you can have it for free if you really want it."

"Thank you ma'am." You thank her as you pick up the ornament to take a closer look at it.

Silver Sales opens the bag now containing your books in front of you. "Lets put that away until later." You put the ornament in the bag and follow Silver Sales home, Polished Silver close behind.

---

Back at the Silver's home Silver Smith and Silver Shade are already home. Silver Shade is playing with a pegasus guard toy you presume to be new while Silver Smith looks up from a book he is reading before coming your way.

"Did you girls find anything interesting." Silver Smith asks.

"Fantasy and romance books." Polished Silver announces.

You pull the ornament out of the bag. "I found this."

Silver Smith looks over the item. "Is this a hearths warming ornament?"

You put the ornament around your neck. "I got it as a symbol of my new policy."

"Policy?" Silver Smith asks before he remembers. "Oh I suppose you took our talk seriously then didn't you? Do you have this policy of yours written on a paper I could see?"

"Yes." You answer as you hoof him said paper.

He looks over your policy before giving a nod of approval. "I like it, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave most of the protecting to the adults for now." He looks over your ornament again before giving back your policy. "Would you mind if I spruce up that amulet of yours? Something with such a meaning behind it deserves better than twine."

Author's Note:

Twin-Sun gets a new ornament to wear around her neck in commemoration of her new policy. The power of hearths warming completes you.