Clanadian Pony
"Got any three's?"
"Nope." Techi responds. "Go fish."
Feather glares at her harshly, skeptical of Techi's response. Techi keeps a straight face, confused on why the mean look. She cracks, and rolls her eyes. "Fine." She sighs, and hands over her only three.
Feather takes it. "Any fours?"
Techi shakes her head.
Feather reaches for a card from the pile they had spread out. It was a mess; there were cards mixed in with scraps of food and other random utensils lying out in the kitchen. It wasn't anything new, though. Ever since Martha moved out, nopony uses it anymore. Even then, she rarely touched the space except for the occasional snack with a game of cards.
A four is revealed, and Feather shows it to Techi before putting it in her hand.
"Uh uh! If I gotta play this right, then so do you!" Techi says warningly.
Feather raises an eyebrow, but Techi keeps a stern look on her. Feather sighs, and reaches for the Vodka placed on the end of the counter. She takes a swig. "Got any Queens?"
"Go fish."
"I swear, if I get a Queen…"
"You'll be drunk come lunch time!" Techi smirks, and slides a card in her direction.
Feather picks it up hesitantly.
"Thief… THIEF!" A voice sounds from down the hall.
Feather and Techi perk up just in time to see Cupie dashing into the kitchen. She grasps a pair of scissors from the drawer, and takes cover behind Techi.
"Cupie, it's a card. We're supposed to pick them up, it's part of the-"
But before Techi could finish her sentence, a light goes on down the hall, and she backs behind the counter, followed by Feather.
"Cupie." Feather whispers. "Who's here?"
"I-it's a thief!"
"SHHH!" Both Pegesi warn.
Cupie goes on in a hush tone. "There's somepony in Martha's room. Somepony I've never seen before. I think she wants to rob us."
Feather narrows her eyes. "But how do you know she a-"
"Hello? Who's there?"
The three freeze, and huddle closer together. No one makes a sound, until a unicorn pokes her head around the corner. Cupie screams, and Techi goes into a fighting stance.
"Wah!"
The unicorn falls to the ground, and places her hooves over her head in fear.
"Quite a vicious thief Cupie." Feather notes. "What's your name, oh dangerous one?"
The unicorn peeks up from the floor. Feather was standing over her, and even Techi drops her guard to help her up.
"W-what are you doing! She's a thief!"
"What is going on with all the yelling?" Thiala grunts, rubbing her eyes as she enters from the other hall. "It's six in the morning. Some ponies are trying to sleep here."
"Maybe I'm at the wrong complex…" The unicorn sighs.
"Damn right you are!" Cupie intervenes, looking proud with herself. "Thinking you can get away with stealing from our home… well think again!"
"Cupie! She's not a thief." Feather informs. "I'm sorry… you must be Melody, is that right?"
"You know this chick Feather?" Techi questions.
"Now wait a minute…" Cupie ponders to herself.
"Cupie, could you wake Kandi? Tell her our new roommate has moved in."
Episode 1
Melody and Harmony
Clantopia is a valley offset to the east of Ponyvill, towards Canterlot. The sub-urban culture is home to several hundred ponies, including the Clanadian Ponies living at the center of town.
The complex, better known as Clan, is owned as rented by a young unicorn known as Cupie. She inherited Clantopia's most luxurious apartments when her parents left to expand their fortune in Canterlot.
Name: Cupie (Cyoo-pee)
Cutie mark: Cupid bow and arrow
Cupie is 13. Her base is a light Salmon-pink color, and her long curly mane and tail are the color of lemons. Her nose and hooves fade into a lighter lavender, and her eyes are a medium brown. The bow of her cutie mark is gold, and the heart-shaped arrow tipped is a dark maroon.
(General Zoi's Pony Creator Code)
2S2S000100FE9C9CFEC4C412201491E00UN1837000000001Y0 FEFF4DFF7FFF0Q107F3FCC004CB2
Though Cupie had some troubles keeping the family business in line at the age of nine, she had some help from her earth-pony friend Kandi, who she'd met in school.
Name: Kandi
Cutie mark: Fork and knife
Kandi is cotton-candy blue in color, and her medium-length white mane and tail have a pink tint to them. Her eyes are magenta, and her crossed fork-and-knife cutie mark is black. She's 13 years old.
(General Zoi's Pony Creator Code)
2S2S000004ADFEFCFEFEFE00001FE4AF0UN1837000000002T0 FEDEDEFF7FFF1I107F3FCC004CB2
With Kandi's support, Cupie was able to make all the necessary repairs to the apartments. The two started living in the main building where Cupie's parents lived. She set up 'for rent' posters across Clanadia, but it wasn't until a business pony named Martha came looking for a home, and offered ways to improve business in exchange for a place to live. The three lived together for a few months, all profiting from the business Martha was bringing in. It was seemingly flawless until the complaints came in. They were all centered around one consistent problem…
Name: Thiala (Thee-al-ah)
Cutie mark: Theatre masks
Thiala is a pale-white pony with a long, straightened black mane and short straightened tail. She has a thick dark indigo streak running through her mane, and her eyes are a meek black. She's 19, and has the cutie mark of two theatre masks; one smiling, which is a royal-purple, and one frowning, dark indigo in color.
(General Zoi's Pony Creator Code)
2S2S000000FEFEFEFFC49D00201000000UN1837108000001T1 00000000047F05107F3FCC004CB2
Several ponies had problems with Thiala. Not just her roommates, but her neighbors too complained of her attitude towards them. She had been reported breaking things in the lobby, hogging the TV from her roommates, among other things. The residence were threatening to move somewhere else if the problem wasn't resolved, so Cupie made the decision to move the troubled earth-pony in with them. Thiala was pleased with how much nicer the room was then the rest of the complex, and spread the word (or, bragged, that is) to a pegesi she knew who was living in the complex…
Name: Techi (Teh-kee)
Cutie mark: Computer mouse
Her bright-scarlet colored body tones nicely against her short, messy neon-green mane and tail. Her eyes are black, like her bracelets and earring. She is 23 years old, with white-computer-mouse cutie mark.
(General Zoi's Pony Creator Code)
2S2S000020FE0000FFC49D00000000000UN183720000000300 15FE00FF7FFF2W107F3FCC004CB2
Techi was involved in Clantopia's theatrical company, like the actress Thiala. Once she learned of the better quality room, she put in a request to be moved up. At first Cupie and Kandi said they didn't want anypony else moving in, but Martha convinced them it would be alright; there were open beds, and they could tack on an enormous up charge. Techi accepted the additional cost, and moved into the room across from Thiala. The two brought their manager, Feather, home with them a few weeks later.
Name: Feather
She's 15 years old, her base color is jet-black and her shoulder-length mane and tail take the color of a bright, cherry red. Her eyes are dark grey, and her silver collar has a brick-red gem engraved in the center.
Feather stayed a few weeks before being asked to leave, to which she simply replied 'no'. Cupie didn't know how to respond; especially since Feather was such a neutral type. She didn't argue, or fuss… she wasn't hyper like Kandi, and not as opinionated as Martha. She minded her business, and didn't bother with anypony else unless bothered first, and even then was very short with conversation. Come the month's end, she paid rent and Cupie deemed it alright for her to stay. After all, Feather had a way of keeping Thiala in check, some how.
"And Martha moved out about a week ago to find 'new business opportunities'." Cupie explains. "I knew we would be getting a new resident, but I didn't know how quickly."
"And here I thought you all knew I was coming." Melody notes. "I was knocking on the door for the longest time… finally I climbed in through a window and only bought the important stuff with me. Then when you came in and started yelling at me- well, I kinda got the impression you were all just very… eh, unwelcoming."
"But it was all a misunderstanding." Feather clarifies. "You're more than welcome here, Melody."
"So hey- what about you?" Techi prompts. "We told you about us, so, what brings you here? And how do you know Feather?"
"I think we should probably get Melody a key before bombarding her with questions." Cupie suggests. She stands from the table, and Melody does as well.
Name: Melody
Cutie Mark: Microphone
Melody's a 19 year old unicorn. Her base color is goldish, and she has a long dark-brown mane and tail. Her eyes are a vibrant blue, and her microphone cutie mark is a light sliverish.
(General Zoi's Pony Creator Code)
2S2S000200A391464F341802401001EFEUN1837000000002F0 4F2600FF7FFF0G107F3FCC004CB2
"I'd be happy to share with you how I came to be here once I get my things situated. Is that alright?"
"I'm done." Thiala states, as if she were a child being forced to sit through some lecture. She trots back into her room and shuts the door, passing Kandi on the way.
"Sorry it took me so long. I had to- ohmygosh!"
Kandi fake-collapses on the ground, and Cupie and Melody give her a strange look.
"Kandi, stand up."
"M-M-M-Melody the unicorn! Is here! Eeeee!"
"WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT THE SCREAMING?!" Thiala shouts.
Kandi ignores her though, and continues to squeal in excitement. She trounces around Melody frantically. "Oh my gosh what are you doing here at Clan this is too cool I must be dreaming oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my GOSH!"
"Whoa there kiddo! Let's let her get settled in before we start asking her questions." Techi warns.
"Settled… in…? You mean she's living… here… with… US?" Kandi exasperates, and falls to the floor again. Techi rolls her eyes, and Cupie leads Melody outside.
Techi picks Kandi up off the floor. "Somepony's hyper this morning. Excited we'll be getting a new roommate?"
"Excited? That's an understatement!" Kandi claims, and begins bouncing again. "I'm SUPER fantastically extra-doubly TRIPLE mega hugely excited times TEN!"
"She has good reason." Feather comments. "Melody's a local celebrity from Ponyvill. She's a traveling singer who-"
"Who has totally the most AMAZINGNESS voice ever and she's super cool and my idol and I LOVE HER!" Kandi interrupts.
"…she's quite the hit." Feather finishes, and takes a sip of her coffee."
"So we have a pop star moving in with us?" Techi clarifies. "SWEET!"
"FANTASTIC!" Kandi chimes.
"SHUT, UP!" Thiala groans, and the Kandi and Techi cringe.
Techi and Feather gave Melody a hand bringing her things in; being able to fly was a huge help in taking things to the upper level. Kandi helped too by going through all Melody's things to 'make sure they weren't booby trapped', which really meant she was just admiring them. Closely. Melody didn't mind though. She was flattered by Kandi's excitement, and goes on to explain that the reason she'd moved was to spread her fame.
"That being said, I don't want to come off as self-centered or anything." Melody explains.
"Have you met Thiala?" Techi chuckles.
"Um… the one that lives down there?" Melody questions, looking down the hallway past the kitchen.
"Don't worry about her, she's just jealous that she's not the only performer living here."
"She performs?" Melody asks. "Well, she certainly is… eh…"
"Dramatic?" Feather offers.
"Just a little bit." Melody nods.
"Enough of that, though. Let me give you a tour of the place. You already found your room last night, but there's still plenty to show!"
"I call dibs showing her around Clantopia!" Kandi bursts, following Cupie and Melody into the lobby.
Techi flips over the hand of cards in front of Feather. "Queen of spades." She smirks. "Take a drink."
"That's your hand idiot." Feather says, and gets up.
Techi watches her leave to her room, and shut the door. "What? No round two? We could play doubles. I'll buy better Vodka! Feather, come on!"
"I think she's done." Thiala notes, and steps into the kitchen. She picks up the bottle and finishes what's left.
Techi steps away from Feathers door, and watches Thiala toss the bottle in a pile of cans at the corner of the kitchen. "What's wrong with you? Can't handle a new starlet popping up in town?"
"What's wrong is I can't fall back asleep with all the ruckus you all have been causing. I'll have you know I have a big audition later this afternoon."
"And drinking is going to help you with that how?" Techi challenges.
"You're exaggerating!" Thiala snuffs. "There was hardly any left. Just enough to help me get to sleep, I'd say. Now if you don't mind…"
Techi shrugs. "Well I guess if Feather's done playing, I should be all set."
"Thank you." She sasses, and shuts her bedroom door.
"You know, Melody wasn't wrong about you being unwelcoming." Techi notes, and heads back into the kitchen. She packs up the cards, and turns around to find a young foul placed in front of the door.
"Melody here?"
"Aw!" Techi smiles. "Are you one of her fans?"
The turquoise colored foul shakes her head. "Not really."
"Oh. Well… why are you looking for her then?"
The young unicorn begins trotting through the complex, looking around as she does. "Big sissy wants me to move in with her. She said to give it a try."
"Uh huh." She scratches her head. "Well, I'm not sure when she'll be back. So you just go ahead and, uh, hang out here I guess."
The young foul had a short wavy mane and tail, alternating from navy-blue to seaweed colored green. Her eyes are bright-blue like Melody's. She trots along the kitchen, and makes a face at the pile of garbage sprawled across the counters and sink. She moves on down the hallways.
"Mel?"
She peers inside. Feather looks at her. "Can I help you?"
"Not really. Not unless you know where my sissy is."
"Oh. Um, no I don't sweetie. What does she look like?" Feather questions. She stands from her bed and places her notebook on her pillow.
"No, it's fine. I don't really want to find her anyway."
The foul speeds away when Feather tries to approach her, and is out the door by the time she can even make it into the living room.
"Well that was… peculiar." Feather comments to herself, and retreats to her room.
Melody returned home a little before nightfall. Kandi and Cupie had gotten caught up in chatter with some of their friends around Clantopia, and Melody, ironically feeling left out of a conversation about her, left.
"Oh. It's you." Thiala snorts. Without any other acknowledgement, she gets up, leaving her cup of coffee on the table, and heads towards her room.
Melody's about to say something, but stops herself. She sighs, and walks towards her room.
"Hey Melody." Techi greets. "You happen to see a queen of clubs lying around anywhere? I think Feather may have hid it."
"Sorry, can't say I have." She shrugs.
"Let me know." Techi says, wobbling about a little. Clearly she was a bit tipsy, Melody figured. "Oh! There was something I was going to tell you- something important."
"Yes…?" Melody asks, politely keeping her patients.
"There was some kid here looking for you. One of your fans- no wait, siblings."
"Siblings?" Melody questions. She gasps. "Harmony! Oh, shit! I totally forgot- Techi, where is she?"
"I think she's around here somewhere. Hey, while you're looking for her, you think you could keep an eye out for a queen of clubs? I'm pretty sure Feather hid it from me."
Melody ignores Techi's comment though, and rushes into her room. "Harmony? Oh, where are you?"
"Looking for this?" Feather asks, carrying a collapsed foul on her back.
"Oh my god- Harmony!" Melody gasps, and rushes to her.
Harmony blinks a couple times. "Hey Mel." She yawns. "Feather and I were playing tag. I lost."
Feather leans over and sets the younger unicorn down on Melody's bed.
"She was quite stubborn about coming here." Feather explains. "I wouldn't be so expecting of her to want to stay."
"Thank you, Feather." Melody nods, and Feather shuts the door as she leaves. "Harmony." Melody runs a hoof over the foul's hair. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when I said I would be, but that doesn't give you permission to cause trouble for my new roommates."
"So what?" Harmony mutters, still half-asleep. "Who cares what they think. You'll just be moving in a couple months anyway. And you'll take me away from all my friends. Why make new friends Mel? Why?"
"I have a reputation to keep." Melody explains. "And even if we do move again, we can always come back and visit. Just because we go away doesn't mean we have to go away from the ponies we meet as well."
"So you mean we can go back and visit Rubi and Emmy?" Harmony perks up a little.
Melody cringes. "I-I'm sorry hun. Ponyville's off limits."
"It's not fair." Harmony groans. "It's not FAIR!"
"You'll make new friends!"
"I don't wanna!"
"The ponies here are nice."
"The ponies in Ponyvill were nice! They were nice, and you left! You kidnapped me and made me come with you! I don't wanna be here!" Harmony shouts, and begins to cry loudly.
"Harmony please! You know we can't go back! I'm sorry, but we- we can't." Melody sniffles. "And that's final."
"You're so mean!" Harmony declares, and races out the door. Melody doesn't go after her; after all, Feather was in all likelihood right about her not wanting to stay.
Thiala comes home later that night, greeted by Feather and Techi.
"So?"
Thiala smirks. "What do you mean so. As if it's even a question."
"You got in?" Feather asks, raising an eyebrow.
Thiala flips her hair, and trots past with her head held high. "Well of course I did! Did you expect any less?"
"Excellent." Feather smiles. "This could be the big break we've been waiting for."
"And we know Melody too." Techi reminds. "With these kinds of connections, there's no WAY they can say no!"
"Hush." Feather warns. "Let's not get too excited now. This is just one more step. Until we know for sure…"
"Yeah yeah, I know. Keep it on the down low."
Feather nods.
"Now if you girls will excuse me, I have to be on my way to bed." Thiala pushes past them, towards her room. "I have rehearsal first thing in the morning."
"Don't mess this one up, Thiala. If I hear even one of your cast-mates say anything other then you being a dazzling performer…"
"Don't you worry Feather. They'll love me. I mean, it is me." Thiala boasts.
"I'm talking about that snarky attitude of yours." Feather smites. "I swear to god if you screw this up for us-"
"Alright." Thiala says. "I'll handle it. You and Techi have your own things to worry about now, don't you?"
She flicks her head down the hall, signaling towards Melody's room.
"We'll work it out." Techi assures her.
"Let's all get some sleep." Feather suggests, and nopony disagrees. They each head into their separate rooms, and the lights go out.
A/N:
Well hello, everypony. This is Feather; writer and editor. Thanks for joining me and the Clanadian Ponies on our adventure, and I hope to see your continued support. If you'd like to get a better idea of who we are, you can check out our article in the Foal Free Press here:
kittyhallows:dot:blogpot:dot:com
(Replacing the :dot: with a .)
Or, paste our pony codes under the 'advanced' section in General Zoi's 'Pony Creator', which you can find here;
generalzoi:dot:deviantart:dot:com
(Again, :dot: = .)
I post chapters weekly, and I would love to hear from you all.
-Feather