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 Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:43 pm
Kolum, the oldest and possibly wisest pony in the land, cared for a great deal of the world. She "owned" what was probably the largest settlement of land overseen by a single pony. While it's true, there were many ponies that took care of her gardens and ponds, they were as much hers as they could be, it was where she lived.
She never asked for help, but something about Kolum's presence was calming and many ponies would spend entire days on her land, tending to the garden, feeding the fishes, harvesting fruit off of trees... There seemed to be an endless amount of things to do, and this "little" part of the world was commonly referred to as "Kolum's Courtyard."
She spent much of her time in her house- a rather large building with a seemingly endless amount of guest rooms; Kolum never closed her doors to anybody. Any pony that wished to stay was welcome to.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:12 pm
 Yes, indeed, many ponies flocked to Kolum's Courtyard. It was quiet and peaceful -- it was almost as if a impenetrable bubble of calm had encircled the land in it's entirety.
Who wouldn't enjoy that?
But while other ponies offered help without being asked, there were some ponies that weren't quite so apt to assist. Some respected the land, took care of it, treated it like it was a privilege and not a right to be there.
And then there were others, like Mollypop, who liked to traipse through with heavy hooves. Who liked to eat the flowering buds off of blossoming vegetables and would, perhaps, spend most of the afternoon knocking pebbles into the pond just to scare the fish.
A smirk, or at least as much of a smirk as his muzzle could wear, was firmly planted across his face. And as Pop kicked one last sizable rock into the water, watching it plop with a very satisfying ripple, he decided that the fish probably hated him.
It amused him. Greatly.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:28 pm
 On this particular day, Kolum was settled behind the cat tails that occupied the northernmost shore of the pond. She had been content to simply watch the baby fish as they zig-zagged in and out, this way and that, manuvering around the cat tails.
It had been a rather quiet day- up until the moment she heart the unmistakable sound of stones being dumped into the pond.
Though her colouring was usually noticable, the cat tails were thick enough that she was rather well hidden and she moved just enough that she could peer through the tall stalks to see just who it was that was disturbing the fish.
Ah. Mollypop.
Of course. Not everybody was quite so content keeping out of mischief, Mollypop included. Kolum, however, was a very tolerant pony. She had, after all, "raised" a good number of the inhabitants of the world.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 9:51 pm
Each time a stone skipped across the surface and then dropped below, the fish would scatter. All in unison and all in the same direction. It was as if they all operated with the same mind, just split into a hundred different bodies.
Kinda creepy, if you ask me.
But before Pop could toss every last rock lining the shore into the water, he realized that tormenting the fish was very straining work. After all, he had to raise his hoof each time, pick the perfect pebble, position it, aim, and then exert enough energy to send it flying into the lake.
It was only natural for him to work up an appetite, was it not?
From his perch at the edge of the water, he could easily stride in any direction (save for straight ahead, that was into the pond!) to find food. Fruit to the left, soft grass to the right... It was like a buffet, just waiting for him to devour it. And he would, of course.
Food made him happy. Not happy enough to lose the chip on his shoulder, but happy enough that he wouldn't cause any trouble while he ate. It was just a shame he couldn't will the food to come to him, rather than having to go to it instead.
Laziness, or food? It was a tough call... but after a moment, he turned to move in slow, easy strides along the water's edge. Moving towards a small patch of grass that practically had his named scrawled all over it.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:10 pm
Kolum let out a little sigh as she settled back down, she took a few seconds to stare into the water again, watching the little fish, but found herself feeling the slightest bit uneasy.
She wiggled forward the slightest bit and stretched her front legs out as far as she could as she stood onto her rear legs. A small noise escaped her as she stretched and then finally stood upright.
She had no doubt the little troll-eared pony heard her and would have been rather surprised if he hadn't.
Without wasting another second, Kolum trotted with long, even strides towards Mollypop, she appeared as if she would walk right past him but paused when she was just a step or two away.
"I see you have had your fun." she nodded towards the pond and the fish that had returned to where they were before any stones were thrown.
"Going for lunch?" she inquired. As per the usual, Kolum's voice was direct, not assertive but she was clearly very sure of herself and each word seemed as if it had been carefully thought out.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 10:43 pm
Ah, indeed, Mollypop did hear movement. His large ears twitched and swiveled in the direction in which it had come -- first the subtle rustling of grasses, and then a more vocal noise?
Though his head didn't follow suit, to search with his eyes for the source, he could probably guess who it was making them. There weren't many options, after all...
It didn't take long for the source, however, to find him instead. And despite his skewed vision, thanks to his shaggy blue mane, he could see very plainly the other pony in front of him.
She was very pretty, wings and crown and full curls in her tail and her mane. And while Pop thought it might have been expected of him to duck and bow and show some respect, instead he merely canted his head and peered at Kolum evenly -- like an equal, rather than a subject.
"So I have," he replied casually. Which he promptly followed up with, "You're not joining me, are you?"
Not an invite, exactly, but spoken as if he might've liked to enjoy his lunch alone and without the small talk company usually meant. Just not in so many words. After all, Mollypop was blunt -- but he wasn't stupid.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:03 pm
There was, in fact, very little that Kolum did not notice when it came to behaviour. The truth was she much prefered being treated like an equal, not royalty, and so she appreciated the lack of a bow, regardless of whatever the intent may have been.
She took the particular wording to mean that Mollypop did not wish for company and replied with a short shake of her head, "No. I would do nothing to impose myself."
Her eyes gazed across the pond to the patch of grass he seemed to be heading to. A smile softened her eyes and she turned back towards Mollypop. "Do enjoy. That is a favourite spot of mine."
Kolum nodded a silent "goodbye" to Mollypop and continued on the path she had initially intended to go. So as not to bother the other pony, she would have her lunch in the apple grove; it had been some time since she treated herself to it anyway.
She had always been a pony of little words, chosing, instead, to say only what was needed to be said.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:20 pm
In the time he'd spent alive after Seraphim created him (from a troll of all things, though it might have explained his ... interesting personality), Mollypop had encountered many ponies. None of which he'd taken a particular liking to, but he'd interacted with quite a few.
The ones that stuck out in his mind the most were a little younger in age than him -- and were awfully annoying. Dolci giggled at him far too much; Fyora spoke so fast sometimes her words melted together; nothing Twizzle said ever made any sense. Pop tended to avoid them, at all costs, whenever he could.
But Kolum, on the other hand seemed to be a pony of his own sort. Not in appearance, of course, but in demeanor. Her replies weren't long and hyper and spoken in a sing-song tone. It was more than one-word, which he was guilty of from time to time, but not more than what was necessary.
Mollypop quite liked that, actually.
He offered a small nod of his head as she moved past him, craning his neck further to watch her as she stepped away. He wouldn't say he was intrigued, exactly, but he was curious. Curious enough, in fact, to pretend that the small breeze blowing past him was plenty to carry his hoof-steps in her direction rather than towards Kolum's "favorite spot" for grass munching.
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Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:50 pm
As Kolum trotted towards the apple grove she swayed her tail the slightest bit; A habit of hers that she has had for as long as she can remember- and that is quite a long time, mind you.
Her mane bounced delicately over her eyes and heavy, feathered wings with each step she took. She tended to always keep her wings folded against her back and though she could fly with them she had never been spotted in the air by any other ponies- any ponies other than Seraphim, that is.
Her steps were deliberate, light, hardly bothering the ground she walked on though she never thought about how her hooves might trample the grass.
Kolum's behaviour was not learned, but rather the result of having been alone in the world for many years before Seraphim came along and began making ponies to inhabit the lands. Still, it tended to perpetuate the idea that she was some sort of royalty, as she was so reserved.
It was only a short distance from the pond to the grove. The pond was in the middle of the Courtyard with everything else occupying this area placed around it.
There were a dozen or so trees in three lines, not too many- enough.
Lilac and golden eyes glanced about the grove and, upon spotting a nearby basket nearly overflowing with apples, Kolum trotted over and dipped as if to pick one. Instead of grabbing an apple, however, she peered back, "Did you decide you'd rather have apples for lunch?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 8:07 pm
Stopping short, in mid-step, Mollypop peered back at the eyes that settled on him. For a moment, he felt like he'd been caught in the act -- but the act of what, exactly?
Following her? That wasn't so bad, was it? Really? If anything, it should've been a compliment. Pop had previously had every intention of munching on grass all by himself, purposely keeping himself away from what could only prove to be awkward and full of the dreaded small talk. And now... well... apparently, that didn't matter so much.
It was a backwards sort of unvoiced compliment. Or at least, in Mollypop's mind it was.
"Seems that way, doesn't it?" His voice was steady, and minus the usual hint of sarcasm that would've followed a statement like that. He went even further to step in closer, still leaving a wide enough birth between himself and the lovely lady to not be considered overly friendly.
His eyes settled on the basket, sliding over each of the apples, and he couldn't help it when his tongue licked at his lips. They looked delicious. Much better than grass.
"There enough?"
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 2:33 pm
Amusement made Kolum's eyes sparkle when Mollypop froze. It had always been a hobby of hers- Pony-watching. Each pony, with their unique personalities, interested the tall, purple pony.
She lowered her head into a nod and used single hoof to tip the basket, causing the apples to roll outward towards Mollypop.
"I don't bite."
Her voice held a hint of playfulness, as if she were teasing the other pony.
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Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 5:28 pm
Pop's thin, poof-tipped tail swished back and forth lazily. Though it was short, and looked very much like a rat's tail, it was a good indicator of his mood. When he was angry, it stuck straight up. When he was calm, it poked out from his spine and rarely moved. And when he was mostly happy... it waved back and forth like a clock pendulum.
Rather than replying with something just as playful, Mollypop instead peered at the apples. They were perfect and shiny and the closer a few of them rolled, the fresh crisp smell hit his nostrils. Definitely delicious.
Shifting on his tufted hooves, he hesitated for a brief moment. Wasn't it polite to let the lady eat first? He wasn't sure, since it was obvious she was offering them to him...
..and after cocking his head at her, he decided that ladies first was a silly rule. Bending quickly, he chomped the closest apple in half, mashing the sweet fruit between his teeth.
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Posted: Wed Sep 02, 2009 1:50 pm
A soft laugh escaped Kolum as she took a step towards the apples she had knocked over. She dipped her head down, more interested, at the moment, in food than the pony accompanying her.
Not that she was ignoring him, she had no desire to disturb his lunch and she really was hungry, herself.
Small talk could be done in between apples, she thought, if both parties were willing. That said, though, Kolum wasn't sure how much there was to say, and whether or not she even wanted to say it.
She "hmm"ed quietly as she chewed carefully on an apple, her eyes heaven-bound, scouring the sky.
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