Any particular reason you'd expect him to be in civil service?

That's exactly what I think. Fortunately RD hasn't noticed yet, because when she does she's not leaving Twilight alone until every book gets signed.

@Whatshis: Is that from one of the cards, or something from an earlier generation?

edited 16th Aug '12 8:23:18 AM by JapaneseTeeth

@JT: From her Blind Bag collector card.

@JT I believe that it's from her blind bag card.

Also, what kind of pen name would Twilight Velvet use? I like the idea of a pony literally using "Nom de Plume" as a pen name, for double dosage of literal meaning and the fact that it sounds like a pony name anyway.

@JT: I imagine Mr Sparkle has a government job or something of some kind.

Of course, it's entirely possible that Equestria (or at least Canterlot) has some kind of Gifted Education programme going on and Twi managed to score high enough to get into the Academy to do the Egg Test.

And I can only imagine what Dashie would say if she knew Mrs Sparkle wrote the Daring Do series, or funnier still, if it turns out that Mrs Sparkle was an adventurer herself and the Daring Do series is an exaggerated novelization of some of her exploits

Well the fact that Shining Armour was able to marry a princess is some evidence, Twilight can easily get a shot at being in what seems to be the most prestigious academy in Canterlot. I just get the feeling that they're high on the totem pole.

How would the wing thing work then?

And I am also of the opinion that Twilight's family is somewhat high up on the social ladder.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:32:29 AM by crowlover

Cadence might "be in exile" or be a political refugee in Equestria (at least Legally, Celestia probably invited her to stay or something), and since there doesn't seem to be anypony except the most snobbish ponies to object, she can date and marry whoever she pleases :V

Shiny probably worked hard to get into Officer course and then get promoted to a Captain of the Guard just so he could bring his rank/title up enough to shut up the scandalized nobles.

@Crow: She might have had a pegasus companion who had that happen to her on their travels. It'd be even funnier if that same companion was Mrs Dash Cue the obvious music

edited 16th Aug '12 8:35:01 AM by AceOfScarabs

Good morning, Equestria!

It's pouring rain over here. Thanks, Dashie — we needed it.

I think Cadence must be a direct relative of Celestia and Luna.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:34:40 AM by condottiera

@Badwolf: Shiny probably achieved that through his own merit, being the highest ranking military officer we have seen in the show. Besides, Celestia is probably chill enough that she would have let them marry even if he was just a common constable.

'ninja'd

edited 16th Aug '12 8:35:22 AM by Mio

I like Shiny as a nickname for Shining Armor. I used to just type SA.

Hmm... "Constable" was always a horse pun waiting to happen, wasn't it?

edited 16th Aug '12 8:36:35 AM by condottiera

Could the Crystal Kingdom be the one laid low by the Love Poison? It might have been an ancient kingdom that predated Equestrian times after all, and would tie into Twi's research on H&H day.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:38:01 AM by AceOfScarabs

Hey, have any of youse seen these? They were selling em at Comic Con.

So wanted to buy one.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:39:12 AM by condottiera

I should like a Luna Hoodie :3 A simple dark blue affair with her cutie mark emblazoned on it. Simple, ambiguous, and yet any brony worth their herd would know what the hoodie is referring to.

They were selling em for all the mane 6, but none for any side characters.

There was lots of epic brony bonding. I gave so many brohoofs.

Plus, a high-five from a guy who was wearing that exact same t-shirt◊ as me.

I love wearing geeky t-shirts. They attract like-minded people.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:44:30 AM by condottiera

I got exactly one geeky shirt (a Kyubey "TRUST ME" T-shirt), I should scour the market for a subtle pony-themed t-shirt (Something with a stylish cutie mark?)

edited 16th Aug '12 8:46:53 AM by AceOfScarabs

Celestia really seems like the top to care more about merit than status, so I doubt SA's position as Captain of the Guard has much to do with his parentage. He earned that position.

Also, the idea of Twilight's mother writing the Daring Do series under a penname is endlessly amusing to me.

Welovefine has a bunch t-shirts that are just plain colors with a cutie mark. They have them for the mane six, Derpy, Twist, Octavia, and possible a few others.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:52:29 AM by JapaneseTeeth

My vote still stands for Nom de Plume being a great pony pen name.

Shiny definitely earned his position. He strikes me as being very much like Twi and sees his rank as a job.

@JT: really? I'll need to loan someone's credit card to buy one :D

I wonder what happens if we set the activation of the Elements of Harmony to the Getter Team's Stoner Sunshine theme.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:50:14 AM by AceOfScarabs

Chicago has a lot of love for Doctor Whooves. He was on lots of t-shirts.

I also got my picture taken in a replica of the TARDIS.

Ha, that totally works.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:50:37 AM by condottiera

@Ace Well, that would be because his rank is his job.

It's All There in the Manual (NY Times ad◊, back of the Royal Pony Wedding DVD, "A Canterlot Wedding" episode synopses) that Cadance is Celestia's niece—probably like with Blueblood, but not as far removed (since Cadance does have wings)

That cements my that the Three Tribes are comprised of survivors from the Crystal Kingdom, and Celestia totally had a relative from that area in Pre-Equestrian times.

They announced their engagement in the New York Times? We hardly even have to pretend they're real anymore. Hasbro, I can almost forgive you for Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:52:40 AM by condottiera

@Ace: Just search for "cutie mark" on the site and most of the shirts will come up.

edited 16th Aug '12 8:57:44 AM by JapaneseTeeth

@Ace: I prefer to think that the Crystal Kingdom developed separately from the Three Tribes/Equestria. If they have a common ancestor it probably goes back further then just Pre-Equestria.