Meat n' Greet

[cityship]

The rest of the crew assembled on the Observation Deck to meet the latest editions to their numbers. After the revelation that their worlds are gone, many of them are even more eager to see people they knew from home.

Several people are set up near the doors to provide the new people with omnicoms and comm rings. New crew-mates might see a tall man in green armor and snake girl among their number. There are also several authoritative-looking figures ready to introduce themselves.

There's a lot to tell the new people. It's going to be a lot to take in.

[ooc: Only new characters and Command Staff can start new threads for introductions, to limit the number of threads. Everyone else, just tag in and have your guys greet the newbies.]

Comments

[appletastic]

Ben would see Applejack's face transition from wary curiosity, disbelief, and...finally, quiet despair. Her ears drooped, hat dipping to cover her eyes.

"...it's true? All of it? No more Equestria? Then...what happened to the other ponies?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"The land is gone, but the people hopefully remain. There's thousands of people down in the pods, so them waking up is a possibility." said Ben softly. "If anything, you have people here to help you out as much as you need it."

[appletastic]

Hopefully wasn't good enough, Applejack thought with a painful clench of her heart. "And we can't just buck 'em out?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"If it were that easy, a lot of us would have tried." said Ben, sighing. "So far, it all depends on Stacy to wake them up."

[appletastic]

"And Stacy's this thing's name? The one talking in our heads?"

Applejack didn't like that part, not at all. She huffed. "Just how much control does this Stacy think she has over us, anyway?"

No, she doesn't care if Stacy is in fact listening.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"The name of the ship yes, and the one who's piloting us everywhere," replied Ben.

"She doesn't have control over us, but tends to prevent fights. Recently she's regained control over a fairly dangerous aspect of her AI. But we're allowed to live as we want to in the city or wherever we want to live."

[appletastic]

"Gotcha. I just won't fight. I ain't a city gal, though---got anywhere else to live? With some grass, maybe? And a place to plant trees?"

Apple trees, preferably, but anything will do at this point.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Wellllll we have the hydroponics," said Ben. "Full of natural stuff like grass and trees and such. There's a few flourishing fruit trees near my mana tree."

[appletastic]

"Fruit trees?"

Applejack noticeably perked up. Oh, if she could just spend some time with the fruit trees! Everything would feel so much better.

"They wouldn't happen to have apples by any chance, would they?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Yeah there's apples there," replied Ben. "At least three or four. Not many, but it's a good start."

[appletastic]

"Yee-haw!" Applejack cheered, hopping up on her hind legs to wave her hooves proudly. "So long as we've got apples, we're okay. Do ya think they'd let me farm a right proper orchard?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"I don't see why not, since we're in the process of using everything to stretch our food supplies. We could use an experienced farmer," said Ben, grinning. "I think we have building supplies too, so we could probably work out some home for you there too."

[appletastic]

"I'd sure like that," Applejack smiled at him. "It's not much, but I'll do what I can to keep everypony fed. Ah...so just what are we supposed to eat around here anyway, if there ain't enough fruit?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"There's fresh fruit and veggies we're growing, but there's ah, a nutrient paste that the cafeteria has," said Ben, grimacing. "It doesn't look like much but it's apparently all right to eat."

[appletastic]

"Nutrient paste? Is that like good old slop?" Applejack wondered. Farms thrived on their slop.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, pretty much. I'm kind of just being polite," laughed Ben.

[appletastic]

"Aww, well that doesn't sound so bad! Can't live on a farm if you're not ready to eat slop every once in a while."

But this, Applejack did not yet know, would be the blandest slop she ever tasted. That would not be fun. "So what do you do with yourself around here, Ben?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"I really don't do much of anything beyond spend time in the library, tending to my plants and just driving around," replied Ben. "It's a big ship so there's always something to do mind you."

[appletastic]

"I've seen some of it. Bit fancy for my tastes, but it'll do to get us through the war, right?"

That was what Applejack needed to focus on. Getting through the war. "I'd like to see your plants sometime, if you don't mind. I've always been interested in 'em."

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Yeah it really is. And you're right, I'd like to show you the plants I have. This one mana tree I have is pretty neat. It's making all of the other plants thrive." added Ben.

[appletastic]

"Now what's mana?" Applejack had to ask. That was another one of those fancy words she hadn't heard before.

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Mana's life energy, sort of what people would call magic. It's the energy of the universe, and everyone uses it in their own way, either just living day to do, or casting magic." explained Ben. "My cousin Gwen uses it a lot.

[appletastic]

"Oh, magic! I gotcha." Applejack would never truly understand it, but at least she knew what it was.

"Well I'm glad you found your family. Seen any others?"

[bears-omnitrix.livejournal.com]

"Just me, Gwen and my son-from-the-future Devlin. It's a little complex on that one, but he's adopted. And from the future too." added Ben, just to be thorough.

[appletastic]

"So...wait. You adopted a son in the future, and now he's here? How in the hay---I guess time makes just as much sense as anything else here: none at all."

Oh, this was going to give her a headache.