[PRP] All About Apples (Apple Tini x Pomme)

[belloblossom]

Apple Tini had only moved once in her life so far. A homebody by nature, preferring to stick to one place and take root, she'd left her hometown of Harvest Town when she'd cut ties with her family. They couldn't accept that while she loved apples, she couldn't see herself as another farmer. They didn't understand that her attempts to improve or modernize the typical apple weren't hate crimes against her heritage, but her way of expressing herself. Tini had gotten tired of trying to explain it to them and so, she'd packed her bag and bits and moved to Dream Valley. Creatures of all sorts could make a life for themselves in the neutral territory and Tini was determined to do the same. She set up as a bartender to one of the local bars and began to settle in, mixing apples in with the drinks she specialized in. It didn't quite feel like home initially, but when she bumped into a pretty grey mare with a fiery personality, it started to. And then it had abruptly ended when Smol Fuse took off and Tini was left with two baskets to look after. Managing two baskets and a job and then two foals and a job! It took up such a chunk of Tini's lives that by the time that her daughters had grown and moved onto lives of their own, Tini was in need of a vacation. Something to liven her up again, but what?

That's when she heard about it. There was a new bakery that had opened, owned by two Dullahan. That was interesting enough on its own, but the kicker was that it was a bakery centered around apples. Apple Tini packed up her bags and caught the next train the following day. When she'd arrived, settling into a BnB in the pleasant town, she scoured the streets before she found herself standing in front of the bakery.

"Apulosi." She said to herself and inhaled. The sweet smell of apples and fresh pastries mixed in her nose and she walked right in. She headed straight to the counter and pulled a small pouch full of bits from her saddlebag. It sagged with the bits that were inside. She placed it on the counter and announced. "I'll take one of every apple-related product you've got." She couldn't immediately see anypony behind the counter, but surely that would be enough to get the attention of one of the workers, right? @houllow

 

[houllow]

"Sure, gimmie a second." A voice came from the counter, though there wasn't a pony behind it. In fact there wasn't a pony anywhere within the main area, but the voice was loud and clear and quite friendly. There was no visible speakers on the wall, so no music was being piped into the store, nor was there a way for someone to use an intercom to announce. There were also no cameras, so just where was the voice coming from?

A large red apple, abnormally sized and carved much in the way of a Halloween pumpkin, sat nearby. Perhaps that was wear the noise was coming from? Had it been set up as a silly sort of decoration to fit the other fantastic apple items that were placed about the store? Most of the shelves were set to look like apples, or apple trees, and even the floor had apple shaped rugs. It was safe to say that whomever owned this place really, really loved apples.

There had been a humming, like someone unaware their microphone was on and they were simply enjoying themselves, but that stopped as the voice spoke again. "I'll be out in a moment, feel free to browse and try the samples."

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Apple Tini looked around in confusion, trying to figure out where the source of the noise was coming from, when she spotted the large carved apple. It was impossibly large, surely bigger than anything her parents could have grown. She stepped towards it and reached out a hoof as though to touch it, but left it up to point. It did have a certain charm to it and she wondered if it was a product for sale. Still... She felt weird about taking it off the counter, when it seemed to fit so well with the rest of the bakery.

"Is this carved apple for sale too? I'd be happy to buy it too; it's got a certain whimsical charm." She asked towards the back of the store, lowering her hoof and continuing to look around. She spotted one sample tray that held what looked to be samples of a sliced up apple tart, in small square portions. Taking a piece for herself, she tried it and her eyes closed, letting out a hum of contentment as she swallowed. Opening her eyes she grinned and turned back towards the counter. "Okay so make that one of everything, except for the apple tarts, which I will take two of. You certainly have an affinity for apples. I'm rather partial to them myself. My family were apple farmers, but I'm seeking something a bit less traditional. I'm gonna be the mare that re-invents the apple to something wonderful. Or at least find a new way to use one that hasn't been thought of yet."

She swished her mane, wondering when the pony was going to appear and turned back around to examine the interior design with a happy smile.
"It's a delight to meet a fellow apple enthusiast, at any rate." She remarked, glancing behind her to make sure that no one was coming in behind her. She wouldn't want to leave her bits just laying there where anypony could grab them, after all. She didn't mind buying apple products with her hard earned bits, but stealing was certainly something she wouldn't abide by. @houllow

 

[houllow]

There was a pause, before the sound of laughter came at the end of all the conversation. It was merry, just like everything else, and was followed by the louder sound of a door opening near the back of the shop. Out from the storage area came a massive stallion - massive was not an understatement - and balanced on his back were several items. His head was quite clearly missing, but wasn't that the whole point of a Dullahan anyway? This newcomer into his shop certainly wouldn't be surprised to see Pomme like this considering many ponies flocked here just for that very reason.

The headless horse moved in with his load, and he paused as he reached the counter. The entire body turned to look in the direction that the Earth mare was standing in, and it seemed as though he was thinking of something. Eventually the items were offloaded carefully on to the counter - it looked like more food - and he reached for the massive apple. "While I'm pleased to know you like it, I'm afraid I can't sell my head to you."

Sure enough, small tendrils of smoke were wisping from inside the apple, the same sort and color that thrummed happily from Pomme's neck. "I can, however, make you one if you'd like since you seem really interested in all I have to offer." The apple seemed to smile wider as Pomme spoke, and the Dullahan stood huge and quite pleased that someone was shopping today. The novelty of him and his cousin had worn off, not that it was a bad thing at all. They had loyal customers now who stopped in to get their daily baked goods, and it was always nice when someone new came by to see what all the buzz was about.

"I'm Pomme by the way, the owner of this fine establishment. Normally you'd see a tiny mare walking around here too but my cousin has the day off so it's just me. Sorry I wasn't able to properly greet you when you came in." His head had been there so it wasn't like he hadn't seen this Earth mare come in and move around; he'd been able to watch and even talk with her. "You say you want two of the tarts, and one of everything else? Do you....have a way of carrying it all out with you?" From the looks of her she didn't seem to, but Pomme didn't know most ponies about the area and what they were capable of.

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

At first, Tini had wondered if she'd said something rude. In the laughter that followed, she frowned a little, unsure what to make of the encounter, before she realized what had been said. Backing up quickly in surprise, as though the apple would jump off the counter at her, she stared at it from afar, before composing herself.

"My apologies, I didn't realize." She replied sheepishly, feeling very foolish. Peering at the stallion without a head, or rather... without a head attached to his body and then back to the apple on the counter, she shifted her weight. "I hope I don't sound entirely ignorant when I ask, um, where am I meant to look?" She asked, her eyes flitting between the smoke coming from the neck of the stallion and the apple on the counter.

When he went onto offer to make one for herself, her smile returned.
"I may take you up on that offer, though I fear it would brown and soften as many carved fruits are wont to do when they're cut and I would be sorry to lose such a delightful souvenir in such a way." She informed him. As he went on to introduce himself, she smiled and shook her head. "It's not a problem. I've worked in a similar setting to this, so I can sympathize with not being able to be everywhere at once. It's no hair off my mane either way." She explained. "It's nice to meet you, Pomme. My name is Apple Tini." She introduced herself in turn.

At his next inquiry, she paused and looked at her saddlebags with a frown.
"Hm... perhaps not." She reflected, the wheels in her mind turning, before she turned back to the stallion, still not quite knowing where the equivalent of his eyes would be. She settled to look at the apple, which at least, had a face. "That was my error. Well... I suppose I'd like to purchase whatever I can fit into my bags here today and then I'll have to come back tomorrow to gather the rest, when I have better means of carrying them." She replied with a smile. "I am determined to try everything here. It's rare to find an establishment that seems to cater exactly to my interests-Ah, if only I could stay here forever." She said with a laugh. @houllow

 

[houllow]

Oh ho, Pomme was really enjoying this one! There was something about her manners and how she carried herself that was rather endearing and called to mind his sweet cousin, not that there was any sort of comparison to be had in anything other than enjoyment. It was refreshing to have somepony ask where they needed to look rather than just stare blindly, though. Pomme had never been the sort to care about stares anyway, due his excessively social nature, but there was something nice about an honest pony who didn't wish to offend. "No need to say sorry and no need to worry. I can't speak for all Dullahan when I tell you were to look when talking to us, but looking at my head is probably the best bet. Think of it like interacting with a deaf pony who has an interpreter with them - you wouldn't look at the interpreter while you speak, right? Or when they respond? Sort of the same deal, really." It was more than a little different though in the fact that his voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time, plus the apple was just sitting on the counter while the body moved around a bit.

"If you're curious about it, when Dullahan come of age our heads split from our bodies. Some ponies, the more brave ones as my cousin likes to say, carry them around with them. Others, like me and her, transfer our minds into objects and store our heads in special family vaults." Pomme's body was moving again, and he placed things on the shelf without any issue. Hopefully this newcomer didn't think him rude to want to keep working while talking, but being a Dullahan meant being able to effortlessly multi-task. (To Pomme, anyway). "I don't even remember what my eye color is." That was an honest and silly admission, so Pomme moved on with the conversation.

There was no need to comment on her want of a giant apple, or lack of in this case, as it was obvious for many reasons. His was indeed maintained by magic and since this fine mare was an Earth pony he doubted she would have the magical means to keep it from rotting. Her comments about not being able to carry everything out did garner his sympathy, so Pomme pressed on that. "I'd be more than happy to help you take home everything today, if you really wanted to do that. Not that I'm complaining, Ms. Apple Tini, as I'd be more than delighted to see you again tomorrow." A hoof pointed towards the front of the store, where quite a large cart was resting. Clearly it had been made for Dullahans and would certainly be able to carry many, many items. "Seeing and hearing the disappointment on your face makes me want to see you smile more, so if something as simple as carrying a load for you will do that I don't mind. Plus, you seem to really like apples and would be buying one of each item from here. How could I refuse to help anyone so wonderful?"

@belloblossom

 

[belloblossom]

Apple Tini nodded when the stallion explained that looking to his... "head" was the best bet.
"That's certainly a good explanation for it. Thanks, I'll endeavor to keep that in mind." She said, taking a final passing glance at the large body, with smoke tendrils lingering out of the neck, before it rested on the carved apple. She resisted the urge to ask if the apple had always been the stallion's head. Were Dullahans just born with random objects as their heads? Did they ever misplace their head, if their body was off gallivanting elsewhere?

Gives new meaning to the phrase, 'don't lose your head.' Tini thought, until Pomme went on to answer some of the questions she'd been asking herself. She subconsciously raised a hoof to her neck as she imagined her own head splitting away from her neck. She managed to suppress a shudder. To not remember what her own eye color was... or even what she looked like? She couldn't imagine it. Still, not wanting to be impolite, she offered Pomme's head a small smile. "Well, I'm sure it was a perfectly lovely hue. Though the green core of the apple is certainly a delightful color on its own." She supplied.

When he went on to offer to help her take everything home, she practically beamed at him, turning her gaze to the cart as it was gestured to. Her face did fall a little, however, as she remembered that her home wasn't in town. Hefting a sigh, she regained her smile and turned back to look at Pomme.
"I would be grateful for the help, but alas, I'm not a local. My home is in Everville - I took the train to come here... While I am staying in a Bed and Breakfast nearby, I'm not sure I'd be able to take everything home, perhaps even with two trips." She frowned a little and considered. "I suppose I got to caught up in my excitement... It's not every day I find another apple enthusiast like this. Hmm..." Her tail swished behind her in thought and she smiled. "Well, I came here for a vacation. If you truly don't mind me coming by frequently among the next few days... I can extend my stay, so that way I'll be able to try everything, but I wouldn't have to worry about carrying everything out with me - or burying my room in apple goodies." She added with a a light chuckle.

Moving forward and standing towards the counter again, she nodded in decisiveness to Pomme, looking him in the carved eye.
"Well then, considering this, perhaps you could just recommend to me your three most popular items and I'll start from there today?" She suggested, her smile ever present. @houllow

(Sorry for the delayed reply! I'm still interested in this RP if you are!)