The sun creeps across the skies, a rooster crowing in the background of her window, dark irises opening with a begrudging yawn. The mare drags herself from the bed, pale blue magic remaking the bed, soft clicks against the hardwood floor.
Nox never cared much for the mornings, though it was supposed in her blood, dark coffee grounds steeped in boiling water to sit. It was her turn to tend to the fields, make sure the berries were ready to harvest by the end of the month. Raising the cup to her snout, the scent roused the unicorn completely, downing the black liquid in one scalding gulp.
"Alright. Enough stalling." A determined glint flares up in her eyes. If she finished early, she could meet up with Ruby and Zephyr, whom would be waiting for their group date. No way in Equestria was she going to miss this, not with the invitation from these two ponies from Canterlot, though what they wanted with her was beyond her knowledge.
Shaking her head, Nox slipped on her silver bracelet over her left front leg, the color glinting against the smokey gray of her coat, black clouded all over her coat like a brewing storm. A simple gift, and one she cherished from her brother. With the cane clippers in the grip of her magic, Nox walked out to meet the kiss of the morning sun, hoofs sinking into rich and fertile earth. Trotting deeper into her family's land, Nox eventually came upon the lush crops, filled with low rows of strawberries and creeping grapevines.
Her duty today? Prune back the old vines of the grapes, make certain that the new roots had a chance to mature before baring any fruit. Then to cut away the density of the strawberry leaves, to prevent mildew and rotting leaves.
It was a long job, and, while she would not be working alone, the task was still daunting to any pony. "Noxxy!" Turning her head away from the vines she had begun to walk to, she was met with emerald green eyes. A deep golden coat seemed to glow under the risen sun, blinding Nox momentarily as her elder brother made his way over.
A pegasus with a good word as any, her brother who had stated he would help her this morning so she could catch her group date with the new Canterlot ponies. "Got a set of spare scissors?" His rumbling voice echoed through her, and a gentle smile tugged her muzzle up to show a set of teeth.
"Sorbet!" Scissors dropped for now, Nox dashed over to her brother, nuzzling into the deep plum of his mane, truly excited now. With his help, she would make the group date for certain. "You made it. I thought you said something came up?" Hoof rubbing the back of his head, Sorbet cleared his throat, an embarrassed blush burning under his fur. "I may have changed it for later, after all, tis' not often just any pony get to meet up with those Canterlot ponies. Now come on, we still have quite a ways to get pruning."
Nodding, Nox handed over another pair of scissors, her magic once again seizing her own clips, searching through the vines on the newly grown grapevines. Many canes were snipped away, placed into a bag to be used for compost later, while new vines bore heavy grapes, not quite ready to be picked yet. Though there were a few vines saved for those ponies preferring sour grapes.
Any leaves that were starting to wilt were taken away from the strawberries, and her mouth watered at the sight of them all, almost as big as her own hooves. Not that, that was all that big, Nox was a bit short for her age.
"Go on then, you gotta' go meet up with those Canterlot ponies before they get impatient. They've no patience growing up there, not unless the Princesses will it." Nuzzling her once more, Sorbet turned hoof to leave, letting Nox's eyes rest on the strawberry sorbet desert on his flank. For a moment, it made her pause.
After all, what sort of pony would take interest in a grown unicorn with no cutie mark? Not that it mattered anyway, she was happy without it. A home, a family, and her friends. What else could she possibly need? Or want for that matter?
The invitation hadn't been a formal one, Ruby had actually just approached her, painted coat a splatter of deep mahogany and brown, her head lowered as she looked down at her. It had been intimidating at first, until Zephyr nosed his way into Ruby's place. Forest green eyes gentle as he introduced himself, as Ruby had watched on in what appeared to be a stunned silence. At first, Nox thought she had unintentionally intruded on something, a lover's quarrel perhaps.
Until Zephyr explained that Ruby had a keen eye for magic, not really her talent per say, as the artistic Cutie Mark showed, with paint brushes and pencils, a smear of rainbow paint behind it. Just a little trick. Which apparently meant that Nox had a good deal of magic. Not either pony had stated anything on her lacking, Cutie Mark either.
Perhaps this made her a little too eager to meet them back at the small restaurant in town. Nox had been called Blank Flank for years, and, it was strange not to get a stunned stare or two during the first introduction between ponies. Zephyr and Ruby seemed more interested in the supposed great deal of magic she had rather than her not there Cutie Mark. Regardless, maybe she should dress more for the occasion? A single silver bracelet wasn't exactly much to show to the Canterlot ponies. Ruby and Zephyr had, had clothes after all.
But clothing itself was strange, and while there was money she had saved, that was going towards her own Cafe. To buy an outfit would set her back just a little. Which would mean a little more to get back...
Then again, if she could somehow figure out where they worked, maybe she could find a way to get into Canterlot. An open job actually, not a way in, since it was just money you needed for that. Ruby was clearly an artist of some sort, though Nox had not been able to get a good look at Zephyr's Cutie Mark, it having been partially hidden under his wing.
Though she had been able to spot the edge of a shield. Perhaps a part of a guard? Guarding Ruby? There were so many possibilities about these ponies, and Nox wanted to learn about them. Even if it turned out to be a joke.
But maybe, it wasn't one.
Author's Note
The next few chapters will just be introductory chapters, the story will pick up from there, so don't worry too much~
