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Plot: Equestria is slowly working towards Hearth's Warming Eve, the Mane Cast are preparing to put on a play for it in fact. But far from Ponyville, in Manehatten, the town Applejack once stayed at in her fillyhood, another group prepares to set out on an adventure. For various reasons, each seeks to make it to Ponyville as soon as possible. Realizing they're all going the same way anyhow, the four band together to travel safely in numbers. However, with sudden rough weather on it's way, will they survive this trip alive?

My Characters:

Name: Sherlock
Age: Adult
Personality: Sherlock is polite and kind, and doesn't like being in the way, but has a tency bit of an ego when it comes to his special talent and doesn't like being told he's wrong. Still, he's a nice guy to know.
Appearence: http://fav.me/d4j2xlx
History: An aspiring writer living in Manehatten. Seeking to write his first major book, Sherlock decides his topic shall be the brave heroines who saved Equestria on two seperate occasions. Thus he joins the group to meet the mane cast in person and get their first hand story for his book.
Cutie Mark: A Magnifying glass. He's good at seeing small details others miss and linking them together.

Name: Ladybug
Age: Filly
Personality: Ladybug is pretty shy like her big sis, but more adventurous and outwardly brave (unlike Fluttershy, whose bravery surfaces when her friends are in danger). She does share her big sis' Fluttershy's "Mama Bear" mentality towards her friends, but it's yet to be seen if the Stare is a genetic trait.
Appearence: http://fav.me/d4j2utk
History: Fluttershy's baby sister who lives in Manehatten with their sister. She loves her big sister and joins the group to get to see her for the holidays, and maybe earn a Cutie Mark while she's at it.
Cutie Mark: She hasn't earned hers yet.

My characters:

Name: Frost [ Don't call him Frosty! Or do.
It annoys him and might make some fun conflict. *shrug* ]
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Cutie Mark: Frost! 8] [such as one of these:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/roddh/79513140/ ]
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Age: Big Mac's age
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Gender: Male
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Species: Pegasus
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Occupation: From the snowflake department in Cloudsdale.
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Personality: VERY out-going, yet modest. Not a show-off,
but likes to entertain with ice art [which he's very good at].
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Special Talent: His ice art I recon.
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Appearance: [on the right]

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Name: Swamp Oak [Swampy/Swamps]
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Cutie Mark: Lilly pad with flower [such as:
http://www.wen.ncsu.edu/stories/images/ ... %20pad.JPG ]
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Age: Big Mac's age
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Gender: Male
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Species: Land Pony
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Occupation: Takes care of animals [much like FlutterShy],
but from deeper in the forest.
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Personality: Chatty, but not many to talk to. He'll ramble to his
animal friends for a long time before realizing they don't reply.
Also somewhat fidgety.
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Special Talent: Doctoring sick animals. Especially the exotic types.
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Appearance: [on the left]


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Excellent! Now how do we want to start?

OOC: Should I start or should you?

OOC: Well the PM said that the chars haven't even met yet,
so I guess we're in Manehatten and so I know how to start.
So as to not waste a post, I can start a bit.

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Frost weaved among the other ponies as he took some money here and answered questions there. His little ice figures were selling fairly well, and made a pony proud. His helper and dearest friend, Swamps, was handling the sculptures with care, and telling stories about each one to the little ponies that stopped to stare. He laughed as he watched him, glad for his help for the little ponies wanted one to run home and tell their parents about. The current one Swamps was holding was of a pegasus pony. Contained in a "forever frozen" dome, the ice pony was reared up on it's hind legs, mane and tail billowing around her, wings proudly extended, as the sun glistened off the lightening bolt cutie mark on her flank. This little ice pony was told to be a hero to all in her home town of Ponyville. Swooping and dodging dangerous obstacles in order to save those who were in mortal peril with her amazing speed. The little pony pulled gently on one of Frost's wings and asked if she could have it, handing him what looked like the right amount. He took the currency and counted it. A little short. "Just right. All yours, hun." He said with a smile. The little pony jumped up and down gleefully as Swamps packaged it carefully, and dropped it lightly in one of her saddlebags. As the little pony ran off to show her parents and friends her new find in great excitement, Frost turned to his friend. "Am I grateful you're an even greater storyteller than I, Swamps." He shook himself free of some fallen snow, his scarf fluttering in the breeze and his wings stretched wide. "It's nothing really." Swamps replied. "It's nice to help a friend for the holidays. Especially when I'm finished with my business in Manehatten anyway." He readjusted his earmuffs as another filly approached them.

Sherlock slowly walked through his home town of Manehatten, thinking over his latest prospect of a book. Equestria had been threatened with utter destruction on at least two occasions in recent memory, once by Nightmare Moon and then by the Spirit of Disharmony Discord. Sherlock gave a shiver at the memory of the latter. He didn't remember much of it, as like 99% of Equestria, he'd been driven insane until Discord's defeat, but what he did remember involved being tormented by living books and he still had nightmares.

But it wasn't that which his book was going to be about, instead, his book was going to be about the six brave ponies who had saved all of Equestria on two occasions. But there was a slight problem with that, few in Manehatten knew much about it or had been to Ponyville to meet them, thus he'd have to put in some hoof work to get some information. He had been fortunate enough to interview the aunt and uncle of one of them who lived here in Manehatten. While a good source of information on one of the six, it wasn't enough.

As he walked, he saw a young filly looking at an ice statue on it's way home. The young filly tripped and nearly lost the little statue, only for a light green aura to surround it and it to be caught in mid air. Sherlock slowly lowered the statue back into it's owner's hooves, undamaged. Even in the protective packaging, a fall would've been enough to destroy it for sure. "You'd best be more careful, wouldn't want to lose it, would you?" he asked, giving a smile. He then noticed who the statue was of. "Child, if I may ask, where did you get this statue?" he asked, getting the information he sought, he bowed. "Alright, carry on, and be very careful," he advised, before heading on in the directions given, hoping to find more information.

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Ladybug shivered in the cold as she watched the ice workings in process. The statues were so pretty, and the story too. They involved a friend of her older sister, who she'd had the prilivage to meet once or twice. She liked the rainbow haired pegasus, but she liked her shy and sweet sibling more. They just got along better.

Finally, Ladybug managed to get over her family's characteristic shyness and approached Swamp, shacking like a leaf both from her nerves and the cold. The little filly softly nudged the older pony and she looked up at him. "E-excuse me, s-sir..." she said in a meek, shy little voice as she shook. "D-do you know any stories about another Pegasus from Ponyville? A y-yellow one with a pink mane?" she asked, looking up, trying not to look too nervious, and failing miserably. The freezing cold didn't help the tiny Pegasus stop shaking, especially considering she presently didn't have a scarf or coat or anything.

Swamps almost dropped a small figure of two dancing ponies when he was suddenly addressed by a small shivering filly. "Oh heavens. Why are you not properly bundled up, little one?" But before she could even answer, he set down the figures and took a spare scarf out of his left side pouch and wrapped it snuggly around her neck. "Now. You say a second pegasus? You must mean Fluttershy of course!" He craned hid head around the foldout shelves behind him, stocked half full of the icey figures. Perched on top at the edge, sat a small pagasus figure. It's delicate and shy features were etched perfectly in her shy face. "There we are." He had Frost hover higher to reach it for him. After thanking his friend, he took the figure in hoof and said. "This is one of the greatest ponies I have ever known. Shy and quiet, and yet she bravely saved her friends from a very large and very fierce dragon!"

Swamps tried her name, "Ladybug. Well isn't that fitting for a pretty little thing. I like ladybugs myself. But you'd like to hear the story of Fluttershy putting a huge and fierce red dragon in it's place, so I shall resist rambling." He chuckled and thought a moment. A filly and colt noticed he was starting a grand tale, so they edged closer to him from their guardians. "It started one morning when the sky over Ponyville started getting very dark. It was a cloud of smoke, hovering over the town like a black ocean. Ponies and animals alike started to cough at the smell as it invaded their systems. Seeing their distress, the Princess sent her six loyalist, and bravest subjects, to take care of the situation. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, AppleJack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy. The climb was steep, the obstacles many, all were scared. When they reached the top, Twilight Sparkle confronted the fearsome beast. Telling him that where he decided to nap was hurting the town of humble ponies below, and she asked of him to leave. The dragon of course did not show any concern. Instead, each pony went in to try and convince him in their own way. Rarity tried to flatter it. And Pinkie Pie tried to get on his good side by making him smile. But Rainbow Dash had had enough. With a mighty kick of her hooves, she kicked the dragon! Making him angry, the dragon roared at the ponies, sending them all crashing back in a heap against a large boulder. It was Fluttershy who had enough. At the sight of her hurt friends, even though she was so afraid, she stood against the dragon. Not with violence, but with a stern sense of reasoning. 'HOW DARE YOU!' She bellowed at the dragon! 'How DARE you hurt MY FRIENDS!' The dragon hurt by Rainbow's sense of persuasion was upset, and shared his annoyance with the brave Fluttershy. With a hard yet gentle tone, she told the dragon to pack up and leave. That he would be fine, as long as he left the town of Ponyville in peace. He hesitated not a moment, but left right away. The brave Fluttershy's actions and words spoken out of concern for her companions were noble and true, and hit the dragon hard." Swamps stopped a moment to look at the looks of the young ponies. A few more had accumulated during his story, and he glanced up at Frost, who gave him the look of "Aren't you over doing it?" again but with a smile. Swamps just smiled back. If it was for the amusement of the little fillies and colts, why not.

Little Ladybug blushed when called pretty, giving a shy look. She then listened intently, hanging on every word with an upmost curiousity. She tried imagining her big sis doing that, it wasn't easy, even for the powerful imagination of a little filly. Sure, she'd seen Fluttershy's protective side come out, whenever somepony purposefully hurt her in her older sister's prescence, but imagining her doing it with a dragon? It was just so unreal!

At the end, she smiled wide. "That's really cool..." she said, that's when one of the colts blinked.

"Hey, you look kinda like that statue," said the colt, noticing the simularities between her and Fluttershy.

Ladybug blushed, looking nervious. "Um... Yes... I suppose I do..." she said, glad the statue was just ice and not painted.

"Yeah, and I've seen pictures of Fluttershy too in my momma's magazines, she was a model or something, you look a lot like her," said a filly.

Ladybug sighed nerviously. "Um... Well... Yes..." she said, then sighed, realizing hiding it was just making her MORE the center of attention. "... Well you see... She's kind of... My big sister..." she said in a voice as shy and meek as a filly's could be. "I just don't like attention that much, even if I love my big sis a lot... That's why I didn't say anything..."

Poor little Ladybug looked like she was on the verge of tears. "I-I'm sorry," she said, apologectically, shaking with nervious fear. "I didn't mean to cause you trouble mister... I just wanted to hear some stories about my big sister, she's too shy to tell me herself, and Auntie Dashie always brags so much it's hard to tell if she's telling the truth." she explained, starting to cry. "I'm sorry I made a mess of things! I was just curious!" she sobbed, feeling like she'd messed up big time and this whole thing was her own fault.

OOC: By Auntie Dash, she doesn't mean she's related to Rainbow too, just like how some kids call close family friends aunt and uncle.

Swamps gently nosed the small filly. "Hey there now, Ladybug. Don't you worry none." Setting figures in boxes, Frost added, "Yea, no harm done. In fact it might even help my sales some." Both males smiled hopefully, when it suddenly occured to Swamps, "Actually, I'm glad you told us, cause I know your sister. We work together doctoring animals once in a while. When I told her I was headed for Manehatten, she wondered if I'd run into you. She gave me a letter to give you about how excited she is to see you and your parents." Reaching over his shoulder into his sidebags once more, he searched for the said letter scroll, and upon finding it, pulled it out and gave it to the little filly.

"Really?!" asked the little filly, jumping high into the air and taking the letter, reading it joyfully. "Thank you! That means so much!" she repeated, over and over, jumpping happily. "It's so nice to hear from my big sister again!"

"Um, excuse me," said Sherlock, standing nearby. "Sorry to intrude, I know you just closed, but I was wondering if perhaps I could get some help with something," he inquired. "My name is Sherlock, I'm an author you see. I was told you know a bit about the heroes from Ponyville that saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon and Discord," he explained, thoughtfully. "I'm a writter, well about to be one. I'm planning out my first book, you see. And the subject are those six heroines. I've already found the orange Earth Pony, Applejack's aunt and uncle here in Manehatten, but they were only able to tell me so much. I need more information to write my novel, I was hoping perhaps you could help me."

OOC: Seen the new episode yet? Asking to make sure it's ok to refrence it.

OOC: Yea. That's why I'm replying a bit late actually. Had to wait for it to be posted so I could watch it cause I don't have Hub. ^^;

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Swamps laughed, and was about to reply to the excited filly, when a stranger approached them. He looked at Frost, frozen from packing for a moment to look over the newcomer. His friend rested a figure in a now full box before walking over to them. "In what way?" The pegasus asked with confidence, "'Sherlock' is it? We have to pack up now, and I'm sure little Ladybug here would like to get out of the cold, so why not meet us at the local cafe to talk? I'm sure Swamps here would love to entertain your curiosity about the 6 heroines and their adventures." The earth pony nodded in agreement at that. Placing a hoof gently on Ladybug's head to ruffle her main slightly.

Ladybug giggled a little when her mane was ruffled.

Sherlock nodded. "That sounds fine to me," he said, politely and kindly. "But how about I help you pack up then? I've got nothing better to do until we can all go to the cafe together, so I might as well help. That and it's the season for it afterall."

Ladybug nodded. "Momma says we're supposed to always help each other, especially in the Hearth's Warming season," she said, smiling cutely. "She says if we fight and are mean to each other, the Windigo will come back..." she said, shivering at the mention of the boogeymen of the season.

Sherlock smiled warmly at the filly's mention of the old story. "It's fine, little one. The Windigo aren't coming back so long as we ponies keep our friendships alive. And I'm sure even if they did, your big sister and her friends would kick their flanks," he said, getting the little Filly to smile and nod. He then looked up to the two adult ponies. "So, may I help pack up then?"

OOC: Ah, I see.