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Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2012 9:59 am
Why was she doing this?
Dainty Delta was almost at the front of the line, and the closer she got, the more her stomach tied itself into knots. She could hear the delighted screams of the phonies already on the tilt-a-whirl ride, as well as the mechanical whirr of the ride's gears as it kicked into overdrive. Over those sounds, she could hear the beating of her own heart, far too fast and frightened. Oh, gosh. It had been such a nice day so far at the amusement park! She got to buy a caramel apple! And see a nice light show! Why was she ruining it now by going on this -- this --
Delta took a deep breath. She was still too small to go on the really scary rides, the big roller coasters that dipped and swerved and looked positively terrifying. This tilt-a-whirl ride was deemed safe for little fillies like her, so it couldn't be that bad, right? Plenty of colts and fillies had trotted out of the ride looking happy and healthy and downright delighted.
And, besides, she'd promised herself after she read those books that C.C. gave her that she'd try to be a little more outgoing. She'd be fine! Really. She set her jaw and gulped and tried to believe it.
"Alright, next group up!" said the park attendant.
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 10:41 am
 The line was long and Mandrake Blossom's patience thin. She was never the most patient sort, but having to wait for something exciting and fun like this just made it worse. She shuffled in place, hopped on her hooves, mumbled and grumbled, chewed her lip, and tried to do anything that could possibly pass the time even if it meant eavesdropping on other people's and phony's conversations or humming whatever songs popped into her head. Fortunately for her, it didn't take too much longer for the next group to be called and that was her, behind another filly. This one was a unicorn, green and purple. If she were colored the opposite, Mandrake might've likened her to a plum or grape. The two fillies were lead into the tilt-a-whirl and Mandrake was grinning so hard her face hurt, now that she was finally able to enjoy the stupid ride. It wasn't anything like going through a haunted house, but it was thrilling in its own way. "Hi," she blurted quickly while wrapping her hooves around the safety handle, "You okay? You look kinda shakey." It was easy to see the other foal wasn't too keen on this ride, or what was to come, but Mandrake had learned it was nicer to ask that sort of thing instead of outright accusing someone of being scared. That usually lead to arguments and those weren't any fun.
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Posted: Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:19 pm
Ohgosh, she was going to have to go onto the ride now. Ohgosh. Oh, gosh. Delta took in a wavery breath and tried to steady herself. She thought about Due North, about how calm and collected he always seemed to be, and tried to pretend she was him.
"You okay? You look kinda shaky."
A voice popped through Delta's thoughts, and the delicate-looking phony opened her eyes to see another filly beside her, one with the most amazing coloring she'd ever seen -- dark with dazzlingly bright eyes, and a gorgeous streaked mane. It made Dainty forget for a moment that she was supposed to speak, and when she did, there was a soft 'oh!' that preceded her speech, making her seem even shakier than she seemed previously.
"I-- oh, I just get, uhm, a little easily scared by these rides..." She said as the last few phonies in their group found their places. Delta put her hooves on the safety bar, gently nudging them, as though making sure it was really locked into place. "Have you been on before? Is it fun?"
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Posted: Fri Nov 23, 2012 10:24 pm
"You're scared of this?" Mandrake blurted, a little rudely. In response, she puffed her cheeks out and glanced around their seating area and the few other foals who were going on this ride with them. She flapped her hooves a little, gently knocking and tapping against the metal bar. "It just spins, y'know? I mean, you saw it, right? Waiting in line?" Mandrake eyed the other filly skeptically before grinning and nudging her leg with the tip of a hoof. "It'll be fine! Look how excited the babies are," lifting one leg, she pointed towards another of the seat pods to show Delta a few phonies even younger than them giggling and shrieking with excitement and anticipation.
A dull, internal click sounded from the center of the ride, then a subtle whirring of gears and cogs. Their seats jerked slightly beneath them and slowly, ever so slowly, the ride began to turn. Mandrake chuckled and braced herself, sparing an occasional glance towards Delta.
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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:08 am
"Well, uhm... yes... or... no?" Delta wriggled uncomfortably in her seat, her eyelids fluttering as she dropped her gaze. As Mandrake pointed out the babies that entered the ride more cheerily than she did, Delta flushed and smiled a tiny incredulous smile. "Oh, gosh, you're right..."
She was being silly! Even North would agree, probably, being so easily shaken by a simple little ride. She could picture him, smiling and shaking his head at her. Delta's smile grew slightly, albeit unsurely, as she peeked back over at Mandrake. She seemed so relaxed...
Just a simple little ride.
A... a simple little ride that was starting. Delta fought to keep the smile on her face as she braced herself against the seat, her joints locked and her body frozen. She wouldn't dare show any more fear, not as she could hear the babbens a few seats over laughing so loudly. The seats began to move, jerkily at first and then much more smoothly, round and around and -- and gaining speed! They were whirling about now, and Delta's main was spilling over her face and from side to side, and, strangely, her smile was growing! She let out a high-pitched cry as the speed increased again, one that sounded suspiciously like a giggle.
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Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2013 11:18 am
Each complete spin of the ride resulted in a growing momentum. The metal floor their seats were latched upon spun independently while they, tucked safely behind a bar and seated on cushions, were spun in the opposite direction at a much faster speed. The babbens were giggling, the other young filly at her side was shrieking, and Mandrake was hunched over the bar with a mischievous grin when Delta's cry came out. It did sound a little like a laugh, and from what she could tell at least one corner of her mouth was raised in amusement even if there was still lingering fear in the phony.
Mandrake took the opportunity of their raising speed to lean back from the safety bar and lift her front legs up above her head. Her mane was whirled all around, slapping messily into her face and covering her eyes. She didn't care. All that mattered was the slight feeling of weightlessness for a few seconds at a time.
"WOOOOHOOHOO!"
At the ride's peak in speed, it was difficult for Mandrake to lift her head up from the cushion behind her, just as any other phony would find it difficult to adjust from their current position. That only lasted a few short seconds before there was a metallic click and the ride seemed to go in reverse, taking its time to slow down until it reached a calm pace and, eventually, locked into place. By that point, Mandrake allowed herself to dramatically fall forward against the safety bar. The speed had given her a bit of a head rush, which would no doubt become an ache later (or maybe soon). Still, she managed a steep grin and giggled from the bar, looking up at Delta beside her with an extremely messy mane all frizzed up and fluffy.
"See?" she confirmed haughtily, certain the filly would have no trouble in the future.
Then, through their giggling, one of the younger phonies spit something up. Maybe a little too fast for them.
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Posted: Thu Jan 17, 2013 3:03 pm
"That... that was... that -- that..." Dainty Delta babbled as the ride came to a stop, her cheeks aching from grinning and squealing, her mane streaked across her face. "That was really fun!"
How could she have been so worried? She hardly noticed the young 'uns now, spit-up or no, as Delta practically melted from the chair to the ground. She tried to stand up straight, but her legs refused to support her, shaky. She knew she should be worried about the sudden lack of coordination, but the adrenaline was still pumping through her, and she couldn't keep the smile off her face. She tried to walk toward the exit, but the ground swam away from her, and her hooves all seemed to want to go in different directions.
"Ohgosh, no, that's not -- this isn't right ..." Delta squeaked, still giggling, as she bumped into another seat, and then into Mandrake, as she fumbled for the way out. "Oh, gosh", I'm sorry --"
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:27 pm
"Of course it was!" Mandrake flicked her tail affirmatively and gave the ground a one hoofed stomp for good measure.
Once they all started filing out, it was a little more wobbly than she thought it would be but the little earth filly kept herself on the proper path. The workers and surrounding parents offered assistance to the little ones down the stairs, but Mandrake jumped down the three tiny steps and landed firmly with a resounding "WOO!" and an accompanying head rush.
One that was made worse by a rough bump in the behind by a fumbling Delta. At the contact, Mandrake let out a muted "oof" and was pushed forward off her front hooves, planting her nose and chin in a small mud puddle nearby. Rump skyward, all she could do for a few seconds was blink in disbelief and a quickly waning euphoria while Delta's giggles turned into "gosh"es and whispers of concern.
"Wh--" she burbled, finally pushing back to to a stand. Mandrake whirled around to face Dainty Delta, excitement from the ride giving way to frustration and embarrassment shown with a quick glare. Mud was caked around her lips and dribbling down her chin, looking like a complete mustache and beard ensemble, but it just tickled and annoyed the little filly who was none the wiser of her appearance outside of feeling stupid. "WATCH IT!" Mandrake cried, voice breaking slightly, volume unchained and screechy.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 12:49 pm
"Oh-- oh my gosh!" Delta exclaimed as Mandrake went face-first into the puddle, and she attempted to rush forward and help. Her hooves slid around like they were on ice instead of on the ground, and she didn't so much go to Mandrake as go to the area generally to Mandrake's right, her head swimming and her smile still firmly planted on her face.
As the other filly looked up at her, her face clearly showing signs of embarrassment and exasperation, Delta tried her hard to stammer out her usual brand of apologies. Only, with her head so floaty and the world spinning off its axis, all she could do was laugh further, spurred onward by the mudbeard Mandrake was sporting. Her laughter unsteadied her further, and the muddy ground gave under her fumbling feet, and she went down in a nearby puddle, all giggles and mud-splashes.
"I'm -- I'm sorry--" she gasped helplessly. "I'm not laughing at -- at you -- I swear. I'm -- it's just --" Delta lifted a hoof and tried to explain by drawing a similar mud-mustache on herself, but her dizzy lack of coordination made her draw a streak across one cheek, then a dot on her nose, then a smear beneath her eye. Her own failure at explaining catapulted her into a new burst of giggles, and she succumbed to it, tears of laughter in her eyes.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:15 pm
Continued laughter from Delta and her stuttering voice only served to further confuse Mandrake, which gave way to further irritation. The filly grumbled, seething as she glared, waiting for some sort of explanation. Instead, at least, there was an apology -- but she was still laughing!
"Yes you are!" Mandrake accused, refusing to sit or relax, "You're laughing right in my face!" A rowdy snort as given before Delta dipped her hooves in mud after collapsing and brought them to her own face, smearing the gunk all around. This stopped what could have gone into a full bucking and screaming fit, confusing Mandrake so she shut her mouth and could only watch in a perplexed stupor. Each time a hoof ran over part of Delta's face, the smear looked like it was trying to make something but with her laughter it made everything too clumsy to be coherent. Eventually the result was similar to half a handle bar mustache, a partial goatee, and football streaks under her eyes.
"Heh... hehe..." she took a small step back, relaxing her posture a bit while trying to hold back her chuckles but it was too much. "HAHAHA NO WAY! You -- you look ridiculous!" With another muddy splat, Mandrake fell on her side back into the mud puddle, back legs kicking in the air. "Is -- is that what -- what I -- look like!?"
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:29 pm
Normally, this would have been Delta's kryptonite. She was laughing boisterously, she was dirty, and she was absolutely acting like a fool in public, where people could see. And she was making Mandrake angrier at her rather than soothing the other filly! But there was nothing to be done for it. The laughter, once started, refused to leave her. And when Mandrake started laughing, herself, flopping back down into the muddle and sending further splotches of dirt onto the both of them, it only grew.
"Omigosh, I can't stop-- we b-both look so silly-- " Delta managed out between her laughs, gasping for breath. Her eyes overflowed, sending tears of mirth streaking down her face, and then she finally manged to get a hold of herself, drawing in a ragged breath. The world finally managed to stop spinning, and the waves of laughter died down to faint giggles. Delta passed a hoof over her face to wipe away the wetness, but all she succeeded in doing was smearing the mud over more of her cheek than before. Delta gave Mandrake a shaky smile, still giggling. "I'm sorry! I really am. It was all just so -- so ridiculous, like you said." She looked down at all the mud, still smiling. "We're both such a mess now!"
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:20 pm
It took a good few minutes for their laughter to subside, and by the time it began Mandrake's sides and cheeks were sore. Her hoofs, rump, and side were coated with mud, not to mention all that she'd gotten in her hair and the messy not-beard was still present. Some of the surrounding youngin's were watching and giggling as well, wanting to join in the muddy chucklefest, but it was nearing dinner time and their families needed to get home.
Finally, when Mandrake's own laughter was giving way more to silent wheezes than actual sounds, Delta began to calm enough that she could speak and Mandrake attempted to stifle her giggles enough that she'd be able to as well. "Aaahhaha... No, it's okay!" another few short giggles left her, "I'm sorry I got mad, I thought you were laughing 'cause I fell -- not 'cause I looked silly!" At that, Mandrake raised a hoof and attempted to do the same but instead of cleaning she only succeeded in smearing the mud across her face and getting some into her mouth. Seated on her rump, she flailed her front hoofs and blew raspberries to get the taste out -- which of course only made her look sillier.
"Thbbbttthh -- BLECK!"
The filly got up on all fours once more, examining the damage she had done to herself since she couldn't see the mud all over her face. "They probably won't let us onto anymore rides like this, huh? Guess we should head home." but a realization hit her, something she found incredibly strange, "But -- oh! I dunno your name! I'm Mandrake Blossom but you can just call me Mandrake, okay?" How was it they managed to have so much fun with each other and hadn't even introduced themselves?!
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 3:32 pm
"Oh, no!" squealed Delta, laughing again as she put up one hoof to shield herself from Mandrake's raspberries. Her abdomen ached, and her mouth felt like it might just fall off if she held a smile any longer.
"I think you're right..." she said, looking up at the other amusement park rides and their much-cleaner patrons. They were certainly the odd-ones-out, the envy of other playful foals and the horror of the germaphobes. Delta at least had the presence of mind to politely look away when one mare turned her nose up at them, but she couldn't find it in herself to check her aching smile. She was having far too much of a good time to worry about what others thought. "I think we're probably banned until we're mud-free. And, oh, you're right! Miss Mandrake Blossom, it's been really really fun. I'm Dainty Delta. Do you think maybe you might, uhm, be interested in coming back sometime together? When we're both clean again? M-maybe we could ride a roller coaster next time."
A roller coaster! What on earth was she thinking? An hour ago, the thought would have frightened her into a dead faint. But, still, the tilt-a-whirl had been so fun, and then the mud -- maybe amusement parks were just more fun with a friend.
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Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2013 4:25 pm
Unlike her companion, Mandrake flat out ignored the surrounding looks -- either willfully or so caught up in their now positive energy that it didn't even occur to her. When Delta got up too and realized the same thing she did, Mandrake cringed a little at the addition of "miss", not to mention her whole name being used when she just told the other filly to shorten it, but she didn't feel it was worth it to get uppity again over something like that. She could just correct Delta some other time.
"Psh!" was her first response, and for a moment Mandrake turned away dismissively, but only a second later did she smirk and look back to her new friend, "Of course! I'm sure we don't live too far away. Maybe our parents even know each other!" The suggestion of a roller coaster made Mandrake grin even harder. For a scaredy cat, this filly was certainly getting adventurous! Maybe she'd be able to do the haunted house after successfully grappling the loop-de-loops on the rail cars. "Roller coaster sounds awesome. See ya then, Delta! Wash behind your ears~" with that parting tease, Mandrake stepped away from the puddle and the two fillies parted ways, taking their own routes back home through the amusement park.E N D
Dainty Delta Mandrake Blossom // Laughter
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