Giving Thanks For Loved Ones [Anonymous]

[neighfeni]

[The last few days have been interesting, to say the least, but this morning, when Ponyville awoke to find itself normal once more, sans a few ponies, it seemed, everyone (and we do mean everyone) would find small baskets at their doors. There's no sign of who might have left them, beyond a personalized note to each that was hoof-typed. Inside the baskets? Treats and goodies: cookies, candies, foods...if the mysterious benefactor knew preferences, those were there. In each instance, there's also a hoof-made scarf for the coming cold, in a variety of colors, all with cutie marks sewn in (if those weren't present, flowers or designs were instead).

For a select few, there are more personalized baskets, and those get to meet the mystery mare later in the day:]

To Ako: Ako's favorite donuts, cherries and mango pieces dipped in chocolate, cupcakes, some music related items, and a gold double-eighth note charm.
To Applejack: Cookies, Nephenee's own apple cider, lots of tasty foods, a voucher for hangout and lunch, Neph's treat, and a charm of an apple.
To Arcee: Lots of fishes, a nice kitty sweater, cookies, and a motorcycle charm.
To Bertie: Bitter candies, some of her shortbread cookies he likes so much, a nice blue tie, and a bee charm.
To Cadence: Teas, cookies, and a winged heart charm.
To Cirno: All her favorite goodies, some school supplies, things for her room, and a snowflake charm.
To Coco: Fashion books, flowers, cookies, and a needle and thread charm. She also get's Kreutzer's bow charm, and a small Kreutzer plushie.
To Dante: Fresh, chocolate-dipped strawberries, voucher for pizza and booze outing, and a charm of his dual pistols.
To Fluttershy (OU): Animal supplies, knitting books and supplies, some cookies, and a butterfly charm.
To Gwen: TEAS, some beauty supplies, and a boxing glove charm .
To Lethe: Fishies, whatever treats Lethe might like, stuff for her room in the upcoming house, and a bell charm.
To MayTwi: Teas, books, chocolates, coupons for hugs, and a star charm, like the stars in her Mark.
To Minato: Coffees, food prep items from Neighpon, some weapon care supplies, stuff for the house, and an engraved charm of the Fool card.
To Patchy: Teas, cookies, BOOKS, and a book charm with her sigil engraved on it.
To Rainbow Dash (AU): Cookies, Daring Do books, and stuff for the new house, along with a charm of her cutie mark .
To Virgil: Teas, books, cookies, and a charm of his sword.
To Yayoi: Pony science texts, teas and noshings from Neighpon, and a charm shaped like a plesiosaur.

All charms come along with a lance charm.

~~~

Before they meet up for their run, Morgan's going to find that there's a knocking on his window...
Yes. His window. On the third floor.
Not many here that can do that, so he can probably guess who it is.

~~~

[To one other...well, it requires some more work, and a visual:

The scroll opens, but no one is to be seen. Rather, you can see for miles outside of Ponyville, atop this hill, and she shifts the scroll to show a basket of goodies. Cookies, chocolates, books on many subjects, and a note.

Dear Cálice,

Today is a day for giving thanks, and I've given all the folks I'm thankful for baskets. But I realized you need one too, so here's a basket to show I care about you too. No matter what you've done, I believe everypony needs a friend, and I want to be one to you.

Please enjoy these, especially the books. I know how much you enjoy knowledge.

Love,
A friend

She's not dumb enough to sign it and risk putting her friends and family in danger, but she still wants to give Cálice something...who knows, maybe it'll make a difference to the alicorn.]

Comments

[morganknight]

"We can manage our time," Morgan said with a huff and an arch toss of his mane. "Besides, I think a lot of our students would be tickled pink if we were a little late for class because we got carried away. Most people seem to approve of us, I think!"

[neighfeni]

"Oh yeah, Ah can jus' see it now."

Turning to the side, still holding tight onto him, she used a hoof to gesture. "Ah come into the classroom, hair all ruffled, fur a mess, hopin' to get to lookin' decent 'forehand, an' Minato's there. Jus' looks blankly at me...an' then does this."

Neph held her hoof up like Minato did in what had to be the pony version of a thumbs-up, or at least his interpretation. And then she went back to giggling, turning red from the image.

[morganknight]

Yep, that was it exactly. Morgan nodded in vigorous agreement. "Heck, I could ambush you right outside the classroom and I'd probably get cheers when you staggered in the door all weak-kneed."

[neighfeni]

"Oh, well, that gives me an idea for a lesson!"

With her free hoof, Nephenee ruffled her hair a bit until it was fairly disheveled, adopting a look like she figured she had after a smooching session, and wobbled a little. "Uh...m-mornin', y'all..." It might have been good he was basically attached at the hip, since the teetering was a bit erratic, "today's..lesson is..how to fight..after ya get attacked by...k-kisses..."

And, in the grand tradition of overacting like her boyfriend, she let go of Morgan, flopping onto her back, like she'd fainted. "Don't fall over..like this..." For good measure, she might have even added a little leg twitch.

[morganknight]

Morgan couldn't believe she'd actually do it, but boy did he enjoy imagining it -- for all of a second. "I had better administer resuscitation techniques!" he said, and pounced on Neph like his butt was spring-loaded to pin her down.

[neighfeni]

"Ah'm fainted, not dyin'!" Not that she was really protesting, but hey, who was she to deny him his fun. So she made it even more silly, lolling her head back, sprawling her hooves (as much as she could while being pinned, anyhow)...before a question came to her.

She opened an eye from her flopped out position, trying hard not to smile, "So you're gonna use CPR -- Cute Pony Resuscitation?"

[morganknight]

"I'm not too good at it, so this might just knock you out even more." Was there ever any doubt what would happen? Very few things in life were more predictable or inevitable than Morgan wrapping his forelegs around her and kissing her right there on the floor.

[neighfeni]

"Oh, like ya ain't tryin'!" The squeak was happily silenced by the smooching, and, well, he wouldn't be getting much else of her during, or for a few moments after, as the mare was half-catatonic and blissed out. Morgan was very distracting like that, and of course, had succeeded (or was it failed?) in the Cute Pony Resuscitation!

[morganknight]

He'd totally succeeded, and after kissing her into semi-oblivion, he slid his forelegs around her and with a gentle roll pulled her on top of him for better snuggling opportunities. "Whaddya suppose the class would do if they came in and saw THIS in the middle of the classroom floor, hmm?"

[neighfeni]

Give her a moment, Mage. Semi-oblivion is right.

"Woo..." Okay, there was a few neurons still in there. "...Looked for a moment, an'...either cheer or..skitter off an' leave us be." What do you mean, 'or', Neph? They'd do both! But that did, sadly, make her realize she had to finish making rounds...well, a few more minutes couldn't hurt.

"Ya know...that picnic idea o'yours...ain't a bad idea...get all snuggly an' make sure we..got the area all to ourselves..."

[morganknight]

"I tend to have good ideas, because I know the fundamental core of every good idea." Morgan resisted the urge to toss her into the air playfully just because he could. "You and me together."

[neighfeni]

Why resist it, Morgan? You know she'd squeak happily like a dork if you did!

"Well, it wouldn't...be much o'a idea without both o'us there. Otherwise, it'd jus' be...one o'us sittin' 'round like a bump onna log. Not very romantic..."

Looking up at him, she pressed a kiss to his jaw. "Hmm...how 'bout, after Ah make rounds, Ah make us a quick picnic lunch? Not too much o'one, since the Thanksgivin' stuff's tonight, but jus' a nice thing with the two o'us? Celebrate me bein' back in my body with yummy food." Annnd maybe a bunch of kisses and snuggles. Maybe!

[morganknight]

Because she was still a bit dazed, and he didn't think she'd appreciate being lobbed in the air while she wasn't totally with it. Now, once she had her wits all about her...

"Neph, you have the best ideas. Food and time with you? What else does a Knight need to be happy, honestly?" And speaking of her having her wits back... yep, he suddenly brought all four legs up between her and him, then gently but powerfully tossed her upwards!

[neighfeni]

"Whee!" Up she went, and sure enough, there was the now-familiar squeal! Laughter filled the air as Neph landed back in his awaiting hooves, and she clung to his neck, working to get her giggles under control.

"N-not sure...any...normal holi..day dishes ya...like best?"

[morganknight]

Because they were just totally goofballs, now, Morgan rolled her over to pin her on the ground beneath him again. "Ham, but that's out," he mused. "How about a quiche?"

[neighfeni]

"Hmm...Ah'll hafta see 'bout findin' a recipe. Ah dunno if Ah've ever made what ya'd consider one..."

Completely unaware of anything weird about being underneath the Mage, Nephenee thought for a moment. "What's it like? Maybe Ah've made it an' it's called somethin' different my way."

[morganknight]

"Pastry shell, custard filling made out of eggs and milk," he said, wondering absently why she'd stopped roughhousing with him. "Cheese can get involved too, that's always tasty."

[neighfeni]

He'd gotten her wondering if she'd made it or even had it, is why. "Ah don't think Ah've ever made one o'them. If it's got cheese, reckon it ain't sweet like a tart or somethin'...do ya put other stuff in it, too?"

Yep, he'd gotten her very curious.

[morganknight]

"Well, uh, bacon is not really an option," Morgan said, a bit sheepishly. "Spinach is, though!"

[neighfeni]

"Ah do like spinach! Maybe mushrooms an' tomatoes?" She was, admittedly, guessing at what might be good in one. But those were good in omelets...this was sort of similar...ish.

[morganknight]

"I think we're getting out of quiche territory with those." Morgan shrugged, because Neph, what did you think he honestly knew about food definitions? All he knew was what tasted good! "But that doesn't mean it couldn't be good."

[neighfeni]

"Hey, you're the one who's had 'em, Ah'm jus' guessin'!"

Heck if she knew, either!

"Ah can look for recipes while Ah'm out droppin' off stuff, though, an' ask around. Reckon somepony can help me out."

She playfully prodded his muzzle, just because she could. "Anythin' else ya might like? 'Cause as much as Ah wanna lay here with ya, Ah do hafta give myself 'nuff time to make stuff after Ah'm done deliverin'."

[morganknight]

"Who says I'm letting you get away?" She was, after all, still trapped beneath him. Not that he would, or COULD, keep her if she really wanted to go, but he could make it hard for her to want that. So he lowered his head to kiss her neck with a grin.

[neighfeni]

"Ah-!" Any protest was cut off by an involuntary, rather pleased nicker, as blood rushed to her face. He could keep her there if he did things like THAT, for sure, because there wasn't a single thought in her head right now. So the country girl just laid there, suddenly dizzy from the hormonal surge.

[morganknight]

He wasn't going to do anything worse. Then again, he wasn't exactly going to stop either. He had her, very literally, exactly where he wanted her.