"Shiny," Taffy said, setting the hamper down and pushing it open with her nose. She pulled the blanket out and carefully positioned it so that they'd have some shade, then sat down and took a look around. "Real shiny."
Arcana sat down and looked around the park. She always liked being around flora and fauna, it was always relaxing to her, but then she heard a strange noise, it was her stomach growling.
Taffy grinned at the noise. "Ya don't have t' stand on ceremony ya know; we bought this food t' eat, so let's get to it!"
"Ah'm not picky." Taffy replied. "Jus' make whatever you think's best; Ah trust your judgement." Whilst Arcana was doing the sandwiches, Taffy pulled out the salad and the quiche.
Arcana just kept the sandwiches simple and delicious. Making them with care, then she sliced the french style bread after the sandwiches were made and cut.
Taffy picked up one of the sandwiches in her hooves and took a bite. "This 's real good, Arcana," She declared, smiling. As she ate, she looked around the park at all the other ponies, going about their business and enjoying themselves.
Arcana ate her sandwich. "Thanks," she responded to Taffy, glad she's enjoying her sandwich as well. She looked around the area enjoyed the serenity of the park and the ponies enjoying it.
"So, have ya got any long term plans?" Taffy asked, looking at Arcana and finishing her sandwich. "Ah mean, besides seeing Celestia and trying to lift this curse of yours, 'course. But after that? Where do you see Future Arcana?"
Arcana thought of the best way to say this. "I almost never make plans, but I want to see where my music career takes me, you know?" she said smiling. "I also want to be a parent someday," she said this a little more withdrawn.
Taffy grinned. "Which one?" she asked, playfully, before adding, "Ah'm sorry, that was a bit insensitive; Ah suppose this curse of yours does affect that particular life goal. Is that one of the reasons you're so keen to be rid of it?"
Taffy shrugged. "Oh Don't know; the actual childbirth would be painful, sure, but I can't imagine many feelings would rival having brought an actual life into the world."
"You'd hope," Taffy said, grinning crookedly. "Ah'm not really sure what Ah wanna do either really," She said, looking out over the park. "Ah mean, travellin's nice an' all, but it is tirin'. An' while I love fixin' things, I think the happiest I've ever been was workin' in Dad's saloon, meeting all the folk and hearing their tales." She laughed. "An' it's not like there was ever a lack of things t' be fixed there anyway." She nodded. "Yeah, maybe I'll open my own saloon someday." She looked at arcana with sudden realization. "You could play there! That'd be shiny, definitely bring in custom." She smiled at the image.
Arcana looked at Taffy before giving her answer, "I would like that." It would be a great way to open a new saloon." Arcana sliced the quiche before serving it to both of them, She dove right in to her food.
Taffy watched in mild amusement as Arcana demolished her quiche; she had no idea how she'd worked up such an appetite during their time at the spa. "What about the sort term then; how many more of these concerts have you got lined up?"
Arcana swallowed her food before she answered that question. "Tomorrow's my last concert of this tour. After that, I'm free to do what I wish, but I'm supposed to write some new songs," she said.
Taffy nodded. "Ah've always wondered how you ponies do that; do ya write the lyrics first, or the melody?"
Arcana responded with, "The short answer is yes. Every songwriter has their own method, but I tend to write my lyrics first."
Taffy nodded "Well, Ah've found that some ponies pay more attention to a song's lyrics than it's melody, and vice versa, so I guess it makes sense that something similar happens with the song writers."
