Scene #1697: Snakes and Unicorns

Owner	Pose
Ainsley	Ainsley has had an emotional crisis as of late. She really does not know if she should keep fighting to clear up the problem in Aztlan, after what someone had told her at some point. But she didn't invite a friend over to talk about that, she just wanted to show her friend around this wonderful home. Starting with an invitation to check out the kitchen. A kitchen that smells like apple pastries. The lizard girl has been cooking, and she timed it so that a visitor would arrive when the pastries were almost done, the soft-voiced lizard girl pulling the tray out of a magically-powered oven and placing it on a rack set up so it doesn't scorch the countertop or anything like that. Curiously enough, the door would be left unlocked for Twilight to open and enter, since the lizard woman is pretty comfortable with the level of safety in her home.
Twilight Sparkle	Twilight Sparkle arrives right on time. Even though the door is unlocked, she still knocks a forehoof against it politely. She waits for the door to be answered, or an invitation to be extended. Then, she steps inside. "Hello Ainsley!" she says happily, the little pony wearing her usual saddlebags for a trip. Spike has come along as well, and is of course riding on Twilight's back. "Hiya Ainsley!" the little dragon calls when he sees the lizard girl. Then, both Spike and Twilight sniff at the air, arching their necks forward. "Mmmmm...it smells delicious in here!" Twilight says happily, then trots toward the kitchen where Ainsley is cooking.
Ainsley	"Come on in!" Ainsley would call from the kitchen, busy making sure that her snacks are being cooked properly. Once Spike and Twilight enter the kitchen, they'd smell the more subtle scents of spices that have gone into making the pastries. The lizard girl is carefully applying a glaze to the pastries one at a time with a brush, busy with this task. She gestures at them to come in with a wave of one hand. This is probably the first time they've seen how TALL that Ainsley has become more recently. She's over six feet tall! Towering over them, in comparison. She turns to open a drawer, and pulls out a carefully-carved gemstone, something picked up locally, and steps over to place it in Spike's hands. "Hello, both of you. I'm sorry for neglecting you two. My work preoccupies my mind so much that I forget to relax sometimes. I hope you can forgive that." She smiles at them softly, the inhuman features displaying a very human level of apology in that look, especially in her eyes. The kitchen is flower-themed. Everything is decorated with flower paintings or pictures, and there are a few vases here and there. Some of the cooking utensils seem to have handles with different flower designs on them as well, and even the handles to some of the cupboards look plant-like. It's all pastel-colored as well, making it very easy on the eyes.
Twilight Sparkle	Twilight blinks as she sees the tall Ainsley, then smiles. "Oh my! You had quite a growth spurt since I last saw you!" Twilight says with a smile. Spike blinks in surprise as he is given a gemstone. He holds it, looking at it carefully, his eyes sparkling. "Thank you, Ainsley!" he says. But, rather than eat it, he remembers Rarity's gift to him. He smiles happily at Ainsley, then hangs on to the gem. Twilight shakes her head at Ainsley and smiles. "It is alright. We have many friends, all over the place. We understand that sometimes that means we don't see friends for a while." she says as she watches Ainsley cook. "We are just glad we got to see you again."
Ainsley	Ainsley brightens up when her height is pointed out, giving a couple of nods in reply. She then steps over to pull up a chair from the dining area and sit on it so she can more comfortably address her two friends. As the pastries cool, she gives the both of them that same serene smile, evidently content just to have them around. "How has everything been at Equestria lately?" she wonders, "I haven't been able to visit."
Twilight Sparkle	Spike looks back to his gem when Ainsley sits down, then back to Ainsley. "It's really okay for me to eat this?" he asks, eyes wide. After all, his friends from outside of Equestria rarely give such gifts, since gems are apparently hard to find in other worlds. Twilight Sparkle giggles softly at Spike, then smiles to Ainsley. "Equestria has been peaceful for quite a while now. I'm beginning to wonder if Nightmare Moon is even still around. Jinxel and Bramble Patch are still there, and even came to Ponyville a few days ago, but neither caused any trouble. Of course, I wouldn't expect Jinxel to cause trouble without orders from Nightmare Moon, but it was a bit of a surprise that Bramble was so peaceful. Grumpy, but peaceful. Even when the CMC tried to capture her in order to gain their cutie marks." Twilight seats herself on her haunches, and Spike hops up onto her head. "How are you doing? I heard there were a few troublesome situations, but it sounds like they have been mostly resolved."
Ainsley	Ainsley watches Spike's wonder with a brighter smile. "Of course. I did pick out that gem knowing you eat them, Spike. That's why I invited both of you over, after all. Take your time, though." She holds up one slender index finger in a scholarly way. "This whole area is full of crystals and gems, so it's easy to find them. It's why I live here. Gems are great for magical research." She looks to Twilight, and that's when the smile fades. She looks down at the floor. "I wish that were true." She looks up at Twilight. "It seems as if every crisis I end up involved in trying to stop is neverending. The Abstractum crisis, Solomon Island, and even Aztlan are still ongoing. It's difficult, Twilight. It really is." Her brow creases with sorrow. "I don't know what to do anymore."
Twilight Sparkle	Twilight's ears splay when Ainsley's brow creases. "It is the nature of the Multiverse, I am afraid." she says, shaking her head. "Very few crisis are easily solved. If they were, then I suspect this war would be over already." She smiles softly to Ainsley. "But, you must not blame yourself for the ongoing conflict, regardless of the situation." she says, then pauses. "...unless you are trying to instigate problems." she adds with a giggle. "Just remember, you always have your friends to talk to, and to ask for help. Spike and I will always be there for you. All you have to do is ask." Twilight raises a hoof after that and gives a dismising motion. "But, we do not have to talk about those things if you do not want to. All of those pasteries smell wonderful!" Twilight says, smiling brightly.