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 Posted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 1:38 pm
 In his life Valiant trusts several things to be absolute truth. His mother Total Party Kill is unbeatable. His mother Spica is a lovely angel. His sister Frag Doll might be part banshee. And lastly, his sister Lady Faire has impeccable taste. So if Lady Faire tells him that there’s an absolutely lovely mare he must meet, then Valiant will trust her word.
The occasion called for his full regalia, from a polished pauldron to fluttering cape, a bouquet of wildflowers ready to be presented as he knocked at Moth-Drop’s door. After all, it was only polite for the gentleman to escort the lady across town.
Lady Faire had set up everything. The first meeting (after talking both of the phony’s ears off about each other), where they would have dinner together, exactly how Valiant should dress and what he should and shouldn’t say. Which was silly. Valiant was a perfect gentleman, even if he’s never gone on one singular date in his whole life.
He’s positive it can’t be that difficult.
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Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2014 11:08 pm
Moth-Drops was never certain how she got into these kinds of situations. One minute she was buying flowers at the market (her Actias liked mostly tree leaves, but they did appreciate the occasional moonflower) and bumping into this really fancy alicorn, and the next she'd been set up on a date with her brother. She had to admit, the mare had certainly talked him up a fair piece. She'd gone on at length about his appearance, but what had really caught Moth's ear was that he was noble. If his sister was to be believed (and Moth had no reason to doubt that she was), the stallion she was about to meet was a really sincere, caring guy- and going out with him for dinner would probably be really refreshing and fun.
As she heard the knock on her door, the pegasus went over herself once more in the white-framed mirror of her cottage's little entrance hallway. A simple white dress, edged with lace, and her hair pulled up with little daisy barrettes. She hoped it gave off more of a lighthearted, breezy innocence than "I am a child"- she'd often worried if simplicity came off as immaturity. But then, did it really matter how it came off? After all, she liked it, and that was what mattered. Putting a smile on, she opened her door-
So that was her date.
His mane was possibly longer than Lady Faire's, and he was impressively- impeccably- groomed. The family resemblance was obvious; something in their bearings and regality was both indescribable and completely inescapable. It... a tiny voice inside Moth squeaked something about how it would be completely obvious how one could be completely smitten.
But she hadn't mentioned how shiny he'd be! Moth-Drops couldn't help but shrink into herself a bit. Possibly- just possibly- she let out the tiniest of "eep!"s. But this was ridiculous- she had no reason to be scared! This was going to be a nice date!
"A-are you Valiant? Oh gosh, that's silly of me to ask- I mean, who else could you be, you look exactly like Lady Faire said and I can't imagine who else would be at my door with flowers- Which oh thank you, they're lovely!" she stammered by means of introduction. "I'm- I'm Moth-Drops, but I bet she told you that, right? You can call me Moth, most everybody does." She smiled wider and flushed, hoping she wasn't tripping over her own tongue too much. "Um. If- if you wouldn't mind waiting a second, I'd like to put these in water so that they don't wilt- feel free to step inside, I'll just be a second!"
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Sun Mar 02, 2014 8:45 pm
One look as the cottage door opened and Valiant was assured that this whole dating affair would not be difficult at all. How could it be, when the door opened up to such a vision? A lovely maiden in a white dress and a flower in her hair, could he have asked for anything more? No, he could not have, so when she spoke in such a beautiful, delicate voice it was only a boon to the beauty she already possessed. His sister had assured him he would be met with a lady with all the grace and poise of a lady of the court and later Valiant must praise her for her tastes, because she was spot-on.
A shame his attempt to bow his head and kiss the back of her hoof was foiled by the need to put the flowers into water, Valiant correcting himself with a slight tinge to his cheeks from where he had begun to lower before her for the gentlemanly act.
"No, of course my dear lady. Ah, yes I am Valiant, I mean, of course put the waters into flower- I mean, the flowers into water-" Oh yes, he was a gentleman indeed. Brave, stern, noble, fumbling over his words like a mere schoolfoal. She was enchanting to watch, like a ripple of breeze making night blooms dance. Apparently this fact turned his ability to vocalize into utter mush. Perhaps she was an enchantress- a good one, of course, her demeanor was gentle and Valiant knew a villainous phony when he saw one, and she was nowhere near such.
"I will wait at the door, it is no bother to me, I assure you. I would not intrude into the home of a lady," maybe slightly out of fear of managing to bungle that up and accidentally break something, his mind was a bit out of sorts at the moment, "It would be rude of me." She was the loveliest creature he had ever laid eyes on, but she was still a stranger to him, and lord willing he could manage to make a good impression on her. Goodness knows his sister will probably execute him at dawn if he managed to frighten or turn away the dear Lady Moth.
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 4:33 pm
"Oh, you wouldn't be any intrusion at all!" she said, giggling a little. "But if you want to wait outside, I'll be right there!" Fiddling around in the cabinet under the sink, she found a cut-glass vase. It only took a moment to fill it and add flowers; the arrangement looked lovely as she put it on her kitchen table. She smiled at them; they really were a sweet gesture. Not old-fashioned, but timeless. Taking a very brief moment to sweep a few loose strands of hair behind her ears, she rejoined Valiant at the doorway. "All right- now that those are away, let's be off! I have to tell you- I've really been looking forward to this ever since your sister helped set it up. She's such a sweetheart! So, Sir Valiant, where are we headed?" She smiled winsomely up at the alicorn; she knew that it was superficial, yes, but she did like that he was taller than she was. A girl was allowed to appreciate handsomeness!
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:43 pm
Nevertheless, a gentlestallion would not intrude on the home of a lovely young maiden with no chaperone present, though her reassurance of his being welcome was as wonderful to hear as her gentle bell-chime giggle. For reasons beyond his grasp of comprehending sometimes he managed to offend some mares, even though he always conducted himself in the height of classic chivalry.
“I have been in anticipation as well, I must admit.” Was it too early to compliment? Better err on the side of caution; lest he face his sister’s wrath for spoiling her efforts, much less his own shame for ruining what could be a very lovely evening. “I have made reservations for us- it is a rather smaller place, but has a wonderful garden for outdoor seating.” And the night was wonderful for it, no breeze to be felt and warm still from the day.
“Not too far as well, we would not need to fly there.” Lady Faire had stressed the importance that he should not put a lady in a position that would muss her hair, and Valiant felt rather proud of himself for finding such a lovely little diner so close to where Moth-Drops lived.
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Posted: Sat Oct 18, 2014 10:54 pm
"It sounds lovely- I love outdoor dining. It's always so nice as the stars are coming out and the night bugs are humming their song- ooh, and the fireflies dance with each other, that's always wonderful." Moth bit her lower lip as she found herself talking about insects again. She hoped her date wasn't too grossed out by insects; after all, they were her life's calling. "Shall we head out, then, if you'll lead the way?" she said, sidling next to her date.
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:19 am
"Of course, dear lady." The stallion bowed his head towards Moth, one wing sweeping out to gesture into the night before tucking back against his side. It was a short walk as he had promised, not going into Phony City proper, but instead taking smaller streets around until the stone-and-brick building was in sight. Probably not the most modern looking place, but that was how Valiant liked it. And, he hoped, how Moth would as well. The restaurant was not only conveniently placed, but uniquely beautiful at night- out in the garden, where the open-back landscape had them sitting practically on the edge of the forest, where a little stream trickled past. While the stream itself was hard to see at night, the real view was in the thick blanket of dancing lights. The fireflies were out in full this time of year, with the rains from winter gone and the temperature so warm.
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 9:44 am
"Oh, how charming!" Moth-drops cooed, watching the fireflies wink in and out. Everything about this place was amazing. She couldn't keep her eyes in one place for long as the hostess led them to their table, and it took her a minute to remember to look at the menu. She peeked out from behind it as she considered her order, watching Valiant's expression and reactions. "This place is perfect, Valiant! I didn't even know it was back here. How'd you find out about it?"
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Mon Oct 20, 2014 2:53 pm
The pegasus before him was so exquisite- oh the fireflies and the flowers of the garden certainly were lovely, but Moth-Drops held his attention captive. Which was rather impressive, considering how, ah, swiftly Valiant could be distracted at times. Being a princly phony required being able to address any issue with snap decisions! Or, possibly, it stemmed from a lifetime of his not-so-ladylike sister throwing him off of nagging her about dresses and etiquette by pointing out some issue to be resolved.
"Oh? Erm- well my sister Lady Faire helped me." It was really the most simple way of describing what had actually been a day-long endeavor of Valiant not understanding why this restaurant wasn't okay an Lady Faire proceeding to give a fully annotated list on why it was all wrong for this date. Of course they spent all evening going from establishment to establishment until night fell and they happened to walk into this wonderful place to finally eat something- and lo and behold they were treated to the same lovely night activity as this night. He wasn't as keen on explaining the long version, it made his sister sound a mite too harsh and it made him sound... well, silly. He couldn't tell a good restaurant from a bad one, apparently.
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Posted: Tue Oct 21, 2014 12:28 am
"Aww, it's sweet of you to let her help. She's so enthusiastic about everything, isn't she!" Gosh, his hair was shiny. Moth found that she needed a sip of water. Carefully putting down her glass, she nipped the inside of her cheek as she thought for a moment. She didn't want to pepper her date with questions, but she did want to get to know him a bit better. Maybe even a lot better. "So, I guess this is the part of the date where small talk happens? I'm sorry, I'm a little clumsy at this. Lady Faire told me all about your character, but not about you- and it's you I really want to get to know better." She also wanted very badly to fall into his arms- he looked so warm and solid in the low lights- but propriety and manners said no. "What's your favorite thing to do when you've got the time? I mean anything- not necessarily what you do for a living, but the thing that makes you the happiest." That was a solid enough question for pre-dinner conversation, right?
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Sat Nov 01, 2014 2:23 pm
Moth was adorable. There was no resisting a non-judgmental smile at her slightly-rambling clarifications. Like a sweet little honeybee fluttering around a flower, unsure of how to perch on it before finally settling down on the petals. The question itself was easy enough to answer, gray-blue eyes lighting up at the subject.
"My passion lies in protection- I knew that from when I was very young. It's a bit of a story, but I was at a fair with Lady when I noticed a pair of fillies being disturbed by a noisy brigand. I was overwhelmed by the need to step in and put a stop to the hoodlum, and immediately did so. I'm a little embarrassed to say that the fair guard had to step in and rescue me as well, I was still only a little colt, but they commended me for my valor and gifted me a medal." The stallion was beaming at that point, chest puffed and wings still folded, but held tensely, bristling with energy. Valiant could have very easily rambled on for hours on the subject, but he wrangled himself under control instead, settling back down in his seat.
"Though in my adult life I have learned a better way of keeping others safe is to help them learn to protect themselves. While I do love being able to rescue, there it is wonderful to teach others how to as well." Scaramouche Fandango (Basically the ren fair in-character guard gave Valiant a pin for dealing with the situation while remaining in-character. Of course Valiant never realized there was an in-character to be, he's just like that to begin with. He was very, very deeply honored to be given a medal.)
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Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:23 am
Moth's eyes got big and round as Valiant spoke; that such a big strong fellow was so good and kind was just beautiful. As he swelled with clearly justified pride, Moth felt a little tug in the pit of her stomach. There was something just so honest and clear and appealing about his passion; while he might be tall and muscular, it was clear his greatest and strongest attribute was his heart.
Unfortunately, their waiter interrupted them, asking for their dinner orders. Moth had been immediately interested in a fancy salad that promised a garnish of edible flowers and butter lettuce. It might be kind of stereotypical, but she was one of those people who did genuinely love lettuces.
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:27 pm
All of that bristling energy of Valiant's popped like a bubble when the waiter approached, wide blinking eyes confused for a second why someone was talking to them- until he remembered that yes, they were at a restaurant and yes, the waiter was supposed to be here. He hadn't even thought about what to eat- so he simply asked for the house special. Gentlemanly as he appeared to be, he'd honestly eat just about anything put down in front of him. He was the antithesis of a picky eater.
"What is it that you love? You got to hear me ramble on, your turn now." Valiant finally had the opportunity to say as soon as the waiter was gone, a rather wicked little smile on his face. Fair's fair that it was the lady's turn to spill her passion out to share.
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Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 7:36 pm
Normally, Moth found it difficult to open up about her passion for invertebrates- most phonies liked small animals, but suddenly when you start talking about the ones with lots of legs and no backbones, they freaked out. But there was something about Valiant that put her at ease- she didn't feel like he'd judge her for her interests. "Insects," she said happily. "They're very important for our ecosystems to remain healthy and vital, and so I work on promoting healthy pollinator populations. It goes hand in hand with my gardening; everything in my yard is pollinated by butterflies or moths. Mostly moths- butterflies already have a good reputation- they are bigger, usually, and flashier and more colorful most of the time- but the moths I think are also beautiful, if you take the time to look. It's actually kind of funny- the records say my father's name is Sunshine Sparkles but my favorite things all come out at night, and that my mother's name is Sugar Skull but I'm more interested in making sure that things stay alive. And they're such wonderful things, too- why, without our pollinating insects, we wouldn't have flowers or vegetables or fruits or grasses!" She chuckled sheepishly- she'd been ensnared in her own excitement. "Sorry- I sometimes get carried away when I talk about insects. I just get so excited about them- you know how it is when you have something you really care about though, right?"
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Scaramouche Fandango Crew
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Posted: Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:00 pm
A pox on anyone that has every tried to call gray a dull color, because Moth's eyes lit up like gleaming silver when she spoke. It was captivating, and Valiant could not do anything to suppress his smile as she spoke. She seemed so dainty, demure and petite, but when she spoke she looked as strong as iron and ready to take on the most ferocious beast Phony Land had to offer.
"Well, it's a very good subject to be passionate about. Maybe on title alone our passions sound very different, but I think they're rather alike. I love to protect other phonies, friends and acquaintances and strangers and even those I might dislike, and you protect growing things- both gardens and insects." He paused for a moment, murmuring a thank you as their waiter returned with their meals. "It doesn't seem so different, does it?" Valiant wondered if maybe that was why he was drawn to her- they both had a protective, nurturing passion.
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