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Post by wanderingmagus on Jul 19, 2014 2:53:41 GMT
The aristocrat gave the slightest of shrugs. "I would not presume to know what intentions the Sun Princess might have in any situation. Still, sometimes what may seem one way to some may seem quite different to others, if you take my meaning. But in any case, what is your opinion on the most recent political movements? I hear that my old friend Sir Green Strokes's misguided followers were on the rise again. I had thought we had all learned our lessons years ago, but I suppose some habits are hard to break. And what do you think of Her Majesty Princess Sparkle's policies and competence so far? I do not doubt that She certainly has the knowledge, but as they say, wisdom cannot be fully learned from books."
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Post by laserbolt on Jul 19, 2014 14:29:42 GMT
Earl put a hoof to his chin in thought for a moment, trying to figure out a way to calculate what he was going to say. "Well... I usually try to stay out of the political landscape, myself. But as far as Princess Sparkle's performance thus far, I would have to say she'll do a fine job. Although, a lot of strange things seem to happen when she's around. After the Changeling Invasion, I had a bunker constructed in Remedies' basement." He quickly brushed some crumbs off of his vest, and continued. "At first I thought I was being paranoid, but it turns out, it wasn't such a bad idea. My sister and I were able to avoid the whole 'Tirek' thing that happened last month."
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Post by Asterian Starfall on Jul 19, 2014 17:26:34 GMT
"Thank you, my good stallion," said the alabaster unicorn, bowing deeply as he began to walk towards the grand doors. The sounds of peaceful music began to grow in his ears like a crescendo, only the band was probably in the middle of the part as he thought it. I wonder how Fancy has been... Isn't he still with Fleur? I should ask him. But even if he's not- Stop it. You did not come here to fraternize.
The stallion walked through the front door, looking around at the awe-inspiring interior that was the Pants Manor.
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Post by wanderingmagus on Jul 20, 2014 2:35:59 GMT
Lord Fancy nodded to Earl, then smiled as he saw Asterian enter.
"Ah, and here is another of our guests! Welcome, Ambassador Starfall!"
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Post by Asterian Starfall on Jul 20, 2014 20:23:19 GMT
Starfall looked up to spot Fancy as soon as his voice rang out. "Lord Fancy, my friend! It is so good to see you!" He walked up to Fancy and tipped at a phantom hat brim. "My Celestia... The griffons are growing more and more restless by the day... It is nice to finally be back in familiar lands."
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Post by wanderingmagus on Jul 22, 2014 2:37:57 GMT
Lord Fancy bowed. "It is my pleasure, Ambassador. I know how political disputes can wear on even the strongest stallions with time. Please, help yourself to some hors d'oeuvres, the House Chefs assured me they put every effort into ensuring the taste will be magnificent tonight. Although," he grinned, "They also say the same at every dinner party. Ah, here is Blood Blade. I'm sure both of you have met him before?"
The grey-coated pegasus butler bowed deeply. "Good evening, Master, milords. Would milords like a drink?"
"A glass of Apple Family Cider for myself, I think. Would either of you gentlecolts like a glass, or perhaps something else? We have more of that tea you spoke of earlier, Mr. Grey."
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Post by Asterian Starfall on Jul 22, 2014 14:01:36 GMT
"Err, perhaps a glass of Canterlot Pride, if that is no trouble."
The unicorn turned back to the noble with a tired look on his face, "Not like this. The Griffons are on the brink of war against the Changelings, and they're asking me if Equestria would be willing to 'join for honor and glory'. I understand they have a rich military history, but it comes to a point where waging war for lands is simply idiotic—I consider that point to be 'at all' myself... Anyway, it was just endless pleading with me to assure Equestria's alliance with them; they offered access to exotic goods and a large sum of gold at one point...
I will give them one thing: they are persistent."
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Post by laserbolt on Jul 23, 2014 12:00:04 GMT
Earl listened quietly to the conversation, only nodding slightly when asked if he wanted some of the tea. This was the part of these gatherings he wasn't very good at. He considered Fancy Pants a friend, so it was usually very easy to talk to him. However, he never knew what to say to the other guests, so he usually kept quiet, for fear of looking or sounding stupid.
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Post by wanderingmagus on Jul 25, 2014 1:54:22 GMT
The aristocrat nodded grimly. "In this era of distrust, it's a wonder the Windigoes don't come roaring down out of the North. But enough of such depressing matters. How is your family doing? I've heard good things about your father's little hobby. And I think the new charity was a wonderful idea, though I was surprised when your family declined a donation from the Pants Foundation. Ah, thank you, Bloodblade."
The butler bowed deeply, passing out the chosen drinks. Lord Fancy lifted his glass.
"To success, and to world peace, hmm? And to fewer bureaucratic headaches!"
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Post by laserbolt on Jul 29, 2014 12:45:11 GMT
Earl raised his teacup in response, smiling weakly. He still didn't say anything, and he didn't plan to for a bit.
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Post by Asterian Starfall on Jul 29, 2014 15:06:50 GMT
(( Going to assume Fancy was talking to me. To be honest, I was not expecting this... ))
Starfall raised his wine glass, saying, "I don't wish for world peace, but rather, for the Father to give capacity for it. To learning the discipline needed for peace!" With those words, he took a small sip from his glass before answering Fancy's questions.
"My family is doing well, thank you for asking. My parents are always interested in what news comes from afar, but I fear for my dad. He keeps changing his hobbies... Something about 'finding himself'. I do not know about that—I'll attribute that to youth—but mother says, and I quote: 'If another one of your father's contraptions breaks something else in the house, I am going to lose it!'"
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Post by wanderingmagus on Jul 31, 2014 3:11:09 GMT
Lord Fancy took a sip of his cider, swirling the precious fluid around his mouth and savoring the taste before swallowing politely and sighing.
"It is a sentiment not unfamiliar to me; I have had moments when flights of fancy come to mind, but I tend to brush them off as nonsensical or unfeasibly complicated. Though it may seem so to those of more limited means, even the accumulated wealth of my family is not infinite. On the other hoof, my great-grandfather's little 'project' continues to receive funding from its private trust, so I suppose I shouldn't be one to talk about unfeasibility or nonsensicality. It should be interesting to see whether it ever sees use in the future, although I do hope that such a mass evacuation should prove unnecessary for a long while yet."
Ah, yes, the long-rumored underground city that was supposedly sitting somewhere deep beneath one of the artificial mountains on the vast Pants Estate. Lord Fancy Pants the First wasn't exactly the most sane of stallions, as the story goes, and his successors were slightly on the paranoid side as well, and at some point work had begun on building what amounted to a bomb shelter big enough to house half of Equestria, with room for expansion should the need arise. Tabloids called it "Orod Khazad", but most discounted such a fanciful name on the grounds of it being even more ridiculous than the idea itself.
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Post by laserbolt on Aug 1, 2014 1:34:54 GMT
Earl kept playing the quiet game by himself, trying very hard not to interject. And oh, how he wanted to interject! The Orod Khazad had always fascinated him, since his father always fed him stories about, among other things, this ghost city beneath the Manor, where hundreds of ponies died during its construction. Tales of ghosts, lone diamond dog assassins, and tatzlwurm hideaways always filled his head when he heard about it. As much as he wanted to say something about any of that, all he felt brave enough to venture was, "How much did the tunnels cost, anyway? Three generations of digging can't be cheap."
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