>>144471"You might have to be on couch tonight, unless you can convince someone here to let you bunk up with them. Tomorrow I will see about getting you proper bed or cot to sleep on."
He shifts his weight slightly from side to side on the couch.
"It is pretty comfy couch, though."
>>144417A change in this scene from what was previously stated:
The
alleged ponies are now at "The Watering Hole," rather than at Cauldron's apartment.
All the same, White Sands looks over the seriously wounded Iron
>>144472She continues
"Your task is fairly straight forward. Go to the second floor, down the long hallway to Investigations. Go past that to the evidence room. There, a pony named Red Scabbard will meet you, and you will give him a slip of paper. He will return an object to you, and you leave."
>>144473"Uh, alright"
He presses down on the couch himself
"I hope this works with my chest."
>>144474HehSaid stallion didn't utter a word as he slowly walked towards the main entrance, ready to simply sit down and let Cauldron find them: Even though he didn't want to be a nuisance to anypony else right now, he understood he needed the treatment to get back to work as soon as he was able.
(It would not sting this bad if Sands left me to that bull's mercy,) he told himself, kicking himself while he's down in the dumps.
>>144474She mentally makes a note of it.
"Oh, that sounds pretty easy. I can definitely do that."Phew, for a moment I thought she wanted me to kill somepony like in a crime novella. This doesn't sound wrong at all.
>>144474"As long as you do not roll over onto your chest, it should be okay. If there is anything I can do to help, as well, let me know."
>>144475Sands is not finished, trying to cover and hide her wounds, going inside, and going to the driver of the truck.
After a minute or so, a big grey diamond dog appears, looming over the bed of the truck and looking down on Iron
>>144476She smiles in her strange kind of way again, saying
"Heh.
Not so easy. That area is for detectives only. And the less any pony we can name is involved, the better. Here. You may need this."
She opens her left wing to pull out a device that even Amber can recognize: a short, grey steel barrel, a grey revolving cylinder, and a wood gripped handle that is swept back. A gun.
>>144477"Uh, sure." He says
"When I think of something."
>>144478Iron simply stared at the dog vacantly, mostly to focus on anything else that wasn't the catastrophe he's now in.
He didn't make any effort to hide his own bandaged wounds, or even make a single move, waiting for Sands to get ready to go into the Hole.
>>144478"So...remember what I asked you, and you said to wait until we were in private?"
>>144480"Uh...."
>>144479The diamond dog tosses down some sort of cover onto Iron, perhaps blocking his field of vision. With that high pitched voice, he says
"Cover yourself, and come inside."
>>144478Her eyes widen at the sight of this hardware. She doesn't reach out to take it.
"Um, I'd prefer to sneak in if I could..."
>>144481Peculiar to see such a contrast between the voice and the body, as well as their instant cooperation. One of Cauldron's friends?
The stallion nodded slowly, draping the cover onto his back and adjusting it to fit on his head as well. He had to force his hair down for it, however.
Without a word, the wounded Native shabbled inside where the dog told him to go.
>>144482[1d3 = 3]>>144483"Ha! If you can manage it, then do it. But I think it will be easier if you were, say, going to the police station for the purpose of turning in evidence from a recent shooting. And if you needed to speak with a certain detective. Or even if you just need to turn in an illegal firearm."
>>144484The Diamond Dog walks ahead of Iron, who evidently pulls himself out of the back of the truck and into the bar. There is a moderate crowd of ponies at this time of day. Not that many, but a few.
"Go to the room upstairs."
>>144485Iron did as directed without question, wearily walking towards the stairs to see just what was waiting for him there.
Did Cauldron have any dog friends? He should probably ask that when he gets there... after explaining what happened to him.
>>144485She breathes a sigh of relief, even laughing involuntarily a bit.
"Oh, thank Celestia...you're right, that's a much smarter way to go about it."
>>144487Her expression becomes more serious
“But if hardly a subtle way to enter. These weapons are illegal for civilian possession, at least in most cases, anywhere in Baltimare. When you try to enter, they will search you. Or at least, they should search you, if they know what is good for them. And when they know you have that on you, you will be the most interesting thing in the building at that time.”
>>144485>>144482“You don’t have any more faith in me than the police do, do you?”
>>144486The Diamond Dog leads Iron upstairs, and leaves. Then hire Sands, with serious expression and serious sounds enters.
Behind her, comes Black Cauldron clopping up the stairs
“Iron! Are you hurt?!”
>>144488The bigger unicorn gives him a look of utter confusion.
"What? No, no, it is just that I have not really known anypony who was, well, homosexual before, at least that I know of. It has always been this distant, exotic thing and I am bit curious to hear what it is like from somepony who is actually homosexual."
>>144488"Yeah..." Iron muttered, averting his gaze and instead looking at this room's wooden floor. He soon found himself lost himself in thought at just how many events did these floorboards ever got to witness above them, like spectators in a sparring area...
>>144490She moves past Sands, and around Iron, looking at him
"You got stabbed again? And
shot?! Iron, what did you do?"
>>144489"Don't you understand? I didn't do it. I've never.. done it. I.. I wanted to. I tried to. There was some.. touching. I would have done it, if things were different, but... no. I've never done it."
>>144491She nods, with a comparatively normal smile
"And now you are beginning to understand."
>>144492"...Ooooooh, okay that I did not know. Why did you not?"
>>144492Amber still looks slightly uneasy but she nods.
"I should be able to do it. And you want this errand done...now?"
>>144492"I tried to run an... errand for a mademare," Iron vaguely answered, not daring to look at Cauldron in the eyes. "It... did not go well."
Deep down, his heart tore itself apart at seeing the mare trot up to him, looking at him all over. All this worry he's causing her and nothing to show for it...
>>144493"Well, the police showing up, for one. Also it was... well, I was not... it didn't quite make it in."
>>144494"I assure you, this is time sensitive for us. Now, or tomorrow day time, but it must be soon."
>>144495"Ugh.
Iron. Look at you. You are torn to bits. Again. And for what?"
>>144496"'Make it in?' What did not make it in?"
>>144496Iron couldn't help but blush slightly, feeling just the tiniest bit ashamed to reveal just what he was up to.
"I w-was trying to get you the supply route you need for your potion selling business," he hesitantly admitted, the remains of his bravado completely shredded by this point.
>>144497He blinks
"Do I have to say it?"
>>144498"What? How did that get you
shot?"
>>144499"And the same for me as well." She says
>>144500"It was the payment for the errand," Iron mumbled, shrinking a bit during his confession.
>>144500She gingerly picks up the revolver by the cylinder and puts it beneath her cloak.
"Where do I need to head to? Is there anything else I need?"
>>144500Silver puts a hoof over his heart.
"I promise I will not tell anypony else."
>>144501"Getting shot was payment?!" She says in strong disbelief
>>144502"This paper"
She hoofs Amber a small paper
"And know you need Red Scabbard, If you can get them to suggest the name and not you, it is better."
>>144503"What? No. I'll let you imagine."
>>144504"Uh...you did not make it into club?"
>>144504"No!" Iron quickly replied, eyes widening at the misunderstanding as fast as a heavily injured pony could do before waving his forelegs in absolute denial. "I could not complete the errand just yet!"
>>144505"I did." He answers
>>144506She pauses for a moment
"Hoebuck... Oh.
that. Perhaps. And perhaps they will wonder whose jurisdiction it belongs under. Look. The most important thing is
which detective responds to take it to the evidence room. It
must be Red Scabbard."
>>144508"Okay...then what did not make it in?"
Silver tilts his head at the smaller stallion.
>>144507"Then what happened?!' She asks
>>144510He blinks
>>144509"Pegasus. Dark red color, black mane. He'll be in a Baltimare Police uniform."
>>144512"Then there shall be no problem." She says
>>144511Silver looks fairly clueless. He looks at Clip, slowly figuring it out.
"Is...is
it small? And that is not what could get in?"
He whispers to him.
"You know, your
stallionhood?"
>>144515"Oh. So...your tailhole, then?"
>>144511"I-I beat up many birds in North Point," Iron finally admitted, ears drooping at the reminder "t-then I got into a fight with a minotaur."
>>144516She nods curtly, her face resuming a neutral expression, and her fangs hanging out from under her lips
>>144518"Why?" She asks
"Ugh, all the same, it's dangerous. Very dangerous."
>>144517"You could say that."
>>144519"Oh. What kind of preparation did you and your partner do before you tried it?"
>>144519"I was trying to scare a gang into being cordial with the Waterfront Gang," Iron confessed, now starting to fiddle the wood with the tip of his hoof. "T-That was the errand."
>>144520"Do you normally ask these kinds of extremely private questions to strangers?"
>>144521"Yes. Straight back, if somepony does not meet you first."
>>144522She shakes her head
"A
gang?"
>>144523Amber thanks her, asks for directions to get to the police station, makes sure he has the paper and revolver and sets out.
>>144523"...sort of. Sorry. Social situations are not my speciality."
>>144523"Yeah..." Iron muttered, twiddling his hooves while looking down at the ground. "The... Pasta family, that moved into North Point."
>>144524"It'll be on traveler street, right across 19th street from the Courthouse, the DA's Office, and the Jail. Near the river. In fact, if you went further down 19th street, you'd cross the river. Look for the Courthouse, it'll be on the corner opposite."
>>144528Night~"Oh, right," Iron muttered, taking a moment to remember the actual gang's name. "The... Gino...vici Family, I think they were."
He wasn't completely sure that was their name, but he was gonna roll with it regardless.
>>144528He smiles back.
"At least I did not turn you
completely against me."
>>144527Amber thanks her and finally sets out.
>>144529She looks at him in grim expression for a moment, before asking
"You were going to take on a whole gang.
By yourself?"
>>144530"No..." He says
>>144533"So, how about other questions, then? What was your life like, back in New Mareland? Both before and after Black Hooves."
>>144533Iron kept looking downcast with ears drooped to its fullest extent. "It was working," he muttered, trying to muster some sort of defense before immediately crumbing "...until I passed out."
>>144538"Uh huh. Ginovicci. That's one of the Manehattan gangs, isn't it?"
>>144539"I think so," Iron answered with a nod. "I have been told they have started to move into the place at a rapid pace."
>>144540She moves back, and then shakes her head
"Who approved this?!"
>>144541"Uh..." Iron muttered, now feeling quite unsure about revealing such a thing, considering the circumstances. "Am I supposed to tell you right here, right now?"
>>144542"Well, I would have to wonder. It'll be hard to keep this contained to one pony. And this could affect all of us."
>>144543Iron paused for a moment. Was he really going to blurt out such a big piece of information that might get Germane into trouble if any police authorities ever find out? Judging by Cauldron's questioning, she didn't seem to know which mademare would do such a thing, and that could very well be a red flag signalling she was some sort of undercover cop.
He needed something that could plausibly tell him this wasn't an elaborate scheme to get the police involved and get Germane into even more trouble.
"...I said it was a mademare," he replied, soon composing himself to see just what Cauldron would say.
>>144544"A mademare doesn't have the authority to start a war." She replies
>>144545"Oh," Iron muttered, soon scratching his head. "Then I guess it was not approved by anypony."
>>144547Iron nodded, obviously agreeing with Cauldron's assessment, before slowly shrinking down, feeling his self-consciousness crawling back at the reminder.
>>144548"Did you... tell them who sent you? Or who you were?" She asks, with an air of uncertainty. She moves her muzzle down, taking a close look at Iron's now mostly clotted wounds
>>144549"Nothing more than saying I am from the Waterfront Gang," Iron explained as Cauldron inspected his bruises, stabs, slices and bullet wounds covered in bandages "and here to... eh, display power... 'greet' them and not to mess with us."
The stallion sighed softly. "I have not killed anypony," he added.
>>144550"That's all it takes!" She almost yells
"And good. Let's take you to that veterinarian."
>>144551Iron shrunk even further at the pseudoyelling before groggily standing up, ready to be taken to the doctor pony.
"I feel like I have been played for some reason," he muttered in disbelief, not quite sure what to think after Cauldron revealed that his actions may have caused the start of a war. It might also be because he'd rather believe his loss was supposed to happen eventually rather than failing the wishes of the mademare that led him there.
Nontheless, the stallion was ready to slowly shamble towards the veterinarian and get himself patched up in order to be at his strongest state once this mess goes down: He'll have to make up for everypony that counted on him or die trying.
>>144552"Okay. First, put this back on," She gives him the same coat.
"And we're taking you to the vet."
As she turns around, she takes notice of, and takes a good long look at White Sands, who stands behind her, also bloodied up
>>144553Iron, of course, doesn't want to explain that he inadvertedly dragged the other mare into this mess to the point of injuring herself for him. It gaped the already open wound wide open.
Thus, he simply stayed silent, slowly putting on the coat before following Cauldron's lead while keeping his head and gaze down at the floor.
>>144554"Was she your partner in all of this?" Black Caludron asks
>>144555"...yes," Iron muttered before sighing softly.
>>144556"Well, she'll have to be sewn up too. Come on, let's go."
"You have very nice parents, Makade."
>>144557Iron nodded again, cloak fully put on before glancing at Sands, wondering if she'll do so.
>>144558Makade sits on the couch in a half scrunched expression, taking a moment before replying
"I'm glad you think so."
The doctor slowly eases up, and talks to Petal, who talks to him about, evidently, the availability of tea. Tea is served on the table before them - and between the Doctor, Makade, and Petal. Ply Press has retreated to the kitchen. Waabishki sits besides a couch, looking anxious and not focusing on anycreature in the room.
Giant flakes of snow hit against the window, and silently bounce off.
>>144559Sands shrugs, and puts on a blanket. Black Cauldron and White Sands exchange a long glass, but this interaction is entirely wordless.
The group goes downstairs, and to a cart, which slowly takes them some number of blocks
>>144560While Iron didn't quite like the cold atmosphere around all three, he didn't quite have the guts to start a conversation until some time had passed as the three sat on the cart: It's too early to be happy, and there's work to be done in the near future that required his utmost attention.
>>144561They arrive
It's a familiar building, and Iron is greeted by a familiar orange unicorn
"So soon?" The unicorn says
>>144562"...yes," Iron muttered tiredly.
.
>>144563“Well, let’s see. There’s a stab wound right here. And here. And here.... That’s a set of stitches from... some other operation? And here we have a set of bird shot? I think. You’re lucky to have not drowned on your own blood. Here, let me take your blood pressure.” He places a ring around Iron’s let, and does some kind of test
“Wow. You’ve lost a lot of blood. Can’t say I’m surprised, but I am surprised you’re still conscious after that. Here let me put in an IV.”
He stick s needle into Iron’s leg. It’s kind of painful and intrusive, but it’s frankly far from the most intrusive thing that’s happened to Iron all day. He also takes a needle and removes blood. Over the course of the next several minutes, Iron permitting, he adds plasma, then dried blood, then cleans wounds, then carefully runs stitches through them, and then bandages them.
“You’ve also been punched a lot. That’ll bruise.”
Cauldron points s hoof at White Sands
“Her too”
>>144564White Sands, hiding in a corner, reveals herself
"Oh. You're hit pretty bad."
He comes up to her, and gets very close, looking at her
"You'll need stitches. And maybe plasma. What's your blood type?"
"I don't think I need blood" She says
>>144565>>144564Iron didn't dare object to anything with his mood dampened massively by his shortcomings.
However, Sands' statement did spike his curiosity, surprised at such an alien concept after what she had went through.
>>144566White Sands
“I don’t like needles. I’ll take morphine though, morphine is good. And stitches.”
The doctor is confused, and again recommends blood, but backs off. Sands does not allow much touching besides cleaning of wounds, stitching, and bandaging.
He returns to Iron
“I’m not done with you.”
He takes a knife and forceps, and evidently makes a task out of pulling pellets out of Iron. This has some pain and further blood loss, but Iron is receiving a packet of blood, and has morphine. This takes a while. Black Cauldron has left and returned.
>>144567Iron grunted softly for every piece of lead pulled out, yet he didn't move much at all as to not inconvenience the doctor.
>>144568“And... good enough, I think” he says, after tying in a stitch
“Don’t put too much strain on these.”
>>144569Iron simply replied with a short, curt nod in response, yet he knew deep down it's going to be strained by tomorrow.
>>144570Black Cauldron pays money to the Doctor in front of Iron
>>144571Iron looks away from the payment slightly, rubbing his foreleg with the other with a hint of shame.
(Did not even cover the medicine pony expenses,) he muttered in self-loathing.
>>144572Black Cauldron comes up to Iron, looks back to White Sabds with skepticism, and says
“Well, I can try more of my potions on you. At least. Time to go back.”
She thinks to herself, I forgot to ask how much I would get paid for it! Well, no matter, I'm sure it'll be enough for this tiny thing.
>>144573"Yes..." Iron muttered in defeat, allowing himself to be led back to wherever and properly confront his feelings about this failed operation.
>>144574a couple hours maybe. I’m a bit distracted at the moment, so it’s hard to do a big scene-setting reply>>144575Iron and White Sands - White Sands only with resistance from Cauldron - are taken back to Black Cauldron’s apartment
>>144576Iron was still extremely bummed out when they arrived, simply following along with absolute silence right behind Cauldron with a grimace.
>>144577Black Cauldron places Iron on the couch (the sand one he slept on a couple nights ago).
“Well? How do you feel now?”
She pulls out a vile
“May as well spend a couple of these.”
>>144578"...tired," Iron muttered as he made himself comfortable on the couch with a small frown. Although his heart yearned to have Cauldron console him in these dark times, he felt he wasn't worthy of such affection after what he had just done.
He blinked slowly as the zebra mare got around to fetch the vials, softly chewing his lower lip, as he was conflicted between sleeping it off now or drinking it to get back to action as fast as he could in order to get back into the fray.
>>144579“Not proud? I suppose you shouldn’t be. Nearly got yourself killed. Dragged her into this. May have dragged all of us into this...”
>>144580Iron simply exhaled as he slowly lowered his chin to the cushion, staring ahead vacantly while his lip chewing intensified.
>>144581“Here. Take this”
She hoods him a vial, and a second vial. She reluctantly extends one to White Sands as well.
>>144582Iron stared at it for a few awkward seconds, keeping his chewing up as he decided whether to actually take it or not.
"...are you sure?" he mumbled to Cauldron from down at the cushion.
>>144584Iron frowned softly, staring deep into the vial with a conflicted look to it: Is now really the time for second guessing oneself?
(Why do I get this feeling I cannot take it?) he questioned himself. (Why am I not strengthening myself back to my peak?)
Was he afraid of something...? He couldn't quite understand it yet.
>>144585"Iron? Are you alright? I know you're not alright but.."
>>144586"Uh..." Iron trailed off, stopping his lip biting as he kept staring at the vial Cauldron was offering for
him...Has he really done enough to warrant his recovery at her hooves? Has all his past deeds allowed him to rest here after potentially putting her and her family in danger? Putting Sands in danger? Hurting both of them in such unprecedented ways? Why shouldn't he be banished for his mistakes?
His features softened considerably at this barrage of self-doubt as his frame sunk deeper into the cushioning.
>>144587“Iron? I’m worried for you...”
>>144588"I... should not," Iron finally concluded as he shook his laid head.
No. There is no way he was going to become some sort of...
leech to her, to Sands or anypony. He
shouldn't be helped in such a way. He wasn't worth the effort. He'll recover with the bare minimum. No way he'll stoop so low as to drain the zebra he's grown to love out of her hard-earned resources.
>>144589“Iron? You’re hurt. I’m worried. Take it. Why won’t you take it?”
There is a fear and sadness in her voice. Her eyes water
>>144590Iron's eyes widened considerably, almost... confused at the sudden well of tears Cauldron was exhibiting at an alarming rate. "I... I can let my body heal by itself," he tried to excuse himself, still lying on the cushions, yet deep down he was still debating on whether he should actually do it.
This... this can't be right. Why is she crying right now? She should be angry, disappointed, anything
but crying.
(...I do not understand,) he thought to himself, perplexed at the display.
>>144591“Iron...”
She leans in, and hugs him, of tries to, rather, by placing her forelegs over him and resting her muzzle over his fur. Her coat is more coarse, and her legs former than White Sands.
>>144592Iron tries his best to face the somewhat hugging Cauldron with an astonished look on his face, ears finally spiking up in surpirse. "...why?" he simply asked in disbelief, failing to understand her motives to actually comfort him.
>>144594"B-but I made your life harder," Iron shakily replied in further disbelief. "Y-you may have to fight in a war
I caused. I-It does not make sense..."
His eyes quivered lightly ambivalently between hope and despair by this point.
>>144595"I know.." She says, placing her muzzle a little more firmly on his fur. She tries to wrap her legs around him, having some presence of mind to avoid the recent wounds
>>144596"T-then why?" Iron repeated with the faintest tinge of a snarl on his tone. "W-why do you subject yourself to me?"
It doesn't make sense! I
failed her. I should've died right when that big bull took me down and spared her this foolishness. Why in the gods is she
still with me?! The
one thing he was good at
failed him!
On and on he kept beating himself up in his head, as if the notion of him being cared for without some sort of return was criminal in his eyes. His breathing started to shake softly as his body started to tremble a bit like a wounded dog used to sleeping on the streets.
>>144597"You would have done it for me"
Is her simple, unhesitating answer
>>144598At first, Iron stared at Cauldron, practically dumbfounded at her answer before it truly started to sink in: He would.
He would actually fight in a war she created, he would've healed her after every battle, no matter how stupid were the reasons. He would give her a place to stay in an unforgiving, unknown landscape if she needed to... because he saw the potential in her. He saw something to cherish... to love
The stallion's ears drooped once again and closed his eyes shut, sniffling unintentionally. "I-I..." he stammered out, voice practically quivering.
>>144599For the moment, Black Cauldron merely stands over Iron in silence, still truing to wrap her forelegs around him, and place her muzzle into his back. He can hear her breath, with a sudden inhale that sounds almost, though not quite, like a sniffle. She shifts her body around, and digs a hoof underneath him.
>>144600Iron decided to properly connect the hug, shuffling his body gently so he was laid on his back rather than his stomach before firmly yet carefully wrapping his forelegs around her crest.
He didn't say much of anything aside from sporadic sniffling for a while, riding through the emotional wave barreling through his debilitated system.
>>144601The shifting of position helps Black Cauldron greatly, who moves in to almost lay on Iron, wrapping her forelegs around, still standing on her hindlegs. Iron manages his legs around, feeling her coarse and firm, yet very much receptive
>>144602Iron's heartbeat rose in intensity at the encroaching mass of coarse, firm coat that Cauldron brushed against his own, feeling himself blush the tiniest bit at the position as he inadvertedly hugged her tighter.
"Y-you are a silly zebra, you know that?" Iron croaked out with a small, thankful smile on his features before sniffling softly.
>>144603"Heh" She gives a small giggle, though it sounds as if she is near crying. Her coat carries little smell, but Iron can make out a trace of a flower smell.
>>144604Without further ado, Iron finally leans up a bit so that his head was neatly nestled next to hers, nuzzling her crest tenderly. "Thank you," he softly whispers in her ear, stroking her withers lovingly. "I do not know where I would be without you."
>>144605"Heh heh." She seems a little calmer, and tries to turn her head and eyes to meet his, although she's so close, there isn't the room to move her head completely. Still, he can see her blue eyes looking back at him
"I have some ideas. Probably cut up and wounded. Mauled by a tiger and a shotgun."
She smiles
>>144606Iron couldn't help but chuckle slightly himself at the many routes he may have taken, nuzzling her cheek. "You were not supposed to answer that," he amusedly replied with his own, far warmer smile than before.
>>144607"And you were not supposed to get yourself cut up again" She says, smiling and moving a bit at the muzzling. Her voice sounds more playful.
>>144608Iron held back another chuckle at the response. "What can I say?" he answered with his own mischievous tone. "The cuts come to me naturally."
>>144609"You find them. That is for sure." She says, with a moderately soft tone
>>144610"You know what else I am good at finding?" Iron followed up with a smirk. "Lots of stripes... mostly because they find me first."
>>144612Iron simply taps at Cauldron's side, particularly at her stripes on her coat.
>>144613"Oh. Hehe. I guess I did find you."
>>144614Iron stifled another chuckle at her reply. "Yeah," he replied with a calmer smile, setting his hooves a bit further into her back, just past her withers. "You do not mind if we stay like this for a while, right?"
>>144615She looks back, and then into Iron's eyes
"Heh. You.. you should take those potions." She says
>>144616"I really should," Iron agreed with a nod, soon looking to the sides to see where they were set.
>>144617She picks them up and produces them with a hoof, after having previously set them on the couch
>>144618Iron's response was to rest his head against the cushion, lightly open his mouth with a playful look and gesturing her with his head to pour them into it.
>>144619She smiles and goes along with this.
"Careful"
She pops the first vial open, and pours it into his mouth. Then the second. Both times she makes sure Iron does not choke on it.
>>144620Iron patiently allows Cauldron to slowly pour it into his mouth, swallowing the contents in a series of calculated gulps until they both go down with a serene look on his face, waiting to feel its rejuvenating effects.
[2d8+2 = 16]<Healz
>>144621Iron can feel it working through him, making breathing easier, and releasing pain on his chest. He feels much better
>>144622In response, Iron took one big, deep breath, puffing his chest up a bit, before calmly exhaling it out again. "That... does feel better," he admitted softly with a relaxed smile.
>>144623She pulls back a bit, looking down at Iron and trying to gauge the effects of the potion.
"You look better"
She says
>>144624"I also feel better," Iron added with a more powerful smile, revitalized almost to the extent of a common non-Earth stallion. "So much better, in fact, that I can lift you up right now."
>>144625Her expression is one of surprise
"...What?"
>>144626"You know," Iron followed up with a sort of sheepish smile "something a heavily wounded stallion cannot do. Like lift a pony up."
(I feel that was a bit out of left field...) he thought to himself, licking the back of his teeth.
>>144628Iron snickered softly, ruffling Cauldron's mane playfully. "You are not supposed to take it too seriously," he explained amusedly before the passionate fire in his eyes were threatening to light up again "unless you want me to."
>>144629She pulls her lips back in a smile at the ruffling of the mane, again moving her head.
"i bet you couldn't do it." She says
>>144630The spark was cast, and the flames rose up in Iron's pupils, shining with confidence. "It is on," he declared.
Without even standing up, Iron soon got into position, sneaking his hindlegs underneath her lower portion while sliding his forelegs below her withers and onto her chest. "I suggest you stand on top of me for this one," he added with a smile.
>>144631Her expression is of surprise, but hints at a smile as she jumps up, her hind legs over Iron
>>144632He soon placed his forehooves onto her coarse chest while his hindhooves rested on her hopefully toned, strong belly.
"Alright," he uttered, soon checking just how stretched his limbs were, wondering if he could try to prop her up now or ask her to take her legs off the cushions before doing anything else.
>>144633Iron can pull his hooves in and under her. She is ready
>>144634Seeing everything in place, Iron slowly stretches his legs upwards, pushing against the zebra's body to slowly lift her off the ground.
>>144635"Woah" She looks around, surprised by the lift, but also excited, smiling. Her body holds firm as she is slowly lifted up into the air
>>144636Iron continued driving Cauldron's ascent until his legs were fully stretched, allowing her to almost feel like's she's hovering in the air. All the while, he wore a content smile as she watched the zebra's excited smile, taking his time to admire the beautiful toned mare over him with a confident gaze.
>>144637She smiles, looking down at Iron.
This is indeed one of the closer views Iron has had of her. She is neither exceptionally thin nor fat. She feels muscular at the touch, though it doesn't especially reflect in her appearance. Her tail is long with straight, black hair, that seems thin, perhaps because of a tie a third of the way down the length.
>>144638Cauldron would see quite the similar body below her, only bulkier and a bit bigger than hers. There were certainly outlines of his musculature on his legs, however, which were currently highlighted by the act of pulling her upwards. As a sidenote, his poofy mane definitely needs some combing.
"Enjoying the view?" Iron playfully asked the mare above him.
>>144560Spark steps over a bit closer to Waabishki.
"Are you not enjoying yourself here?"
>>144640“Wah.” Sparks words seem to break Waabishki out of a trance.
“Oh. This is nice. I like the heat. I’m just worried, is all.”
>>144642“Yes...” she looks down towards the maroon colored carpet.
“About Miskobag”
>>144643"It might not be easy, but this will give him much more of a chance at life than if we did nothing. And we will be with him through the struggle, and that will, more than magic and medicine, be what helps him no matter the outcome."
>>144644“I know... but... he is more than just a mentor. He is a pillar of our remaining culture. A library of knowledge that we can’t afford to lose.”
>>144645"Even all the magic ponies had did not stop death by age, disease, and war. We gave it our best shot, but not everything can be fixed. So if we fail, then the best course of action is for us to learn to be the pillar and library in his stead."
>>144646“Yes... I know... I need more time.” She says, looking away from Spark
>>144647"This is the best shot at more time."
>>144648“I know...” she says
“But I don’t even know what’s wrong with him. I am worried what they will say. Or if they even know.”
>>144649"If they don't know, then we will just be back to where we were before, not knowing. And if they give us bad news, then being here to learn it is better than not understanding and feeling powerless."
>>144650Her breathing is heavy.
“I already feel powerless.”
>>144651"Even those with the most power feel that way. We simply can't control everything. What we do have power over is our response to that which is is out of control. Fear and despair will only consume your ability to control even that. The power you have right now is the ability to keep his perception positive and that he is loved. The magic of friendship tends to work wonders for the ill."
>>144652Her breathing eases, and she blinks, while looking forward, and then back up to Spark.
“You are right. I know.”
>>144653"Feeling well enough to join the rest? I believe they are having something to eat."
>>144654“I don’t know if I trust pony food, but... sure.”
>>144655"These ponies raises a wolf. I'm sure they have something more appealing to you."
>>144639"Woah, heh heh." She looks down at Iron, her mane hanging off to her right side, and then in the room around her. She extends her legs out, as if in flight, or suspended in water.
>>144656"They raised
Makade. But I'll see. Maybe they will surprise me."
>>144534"Well... I grew up with my family around New Freeside. My mother worked in a sewing machine factory. Or used to, anyways. Hasn't for a while. My father was a trucker, and in the Union for it. I went to Coltlumbus Primary School, and then later to Blight High School. I didn't do sports, but I spent a lot of time around in town."
>>144657Iron couldn't help but giggle as well, wondering just what Cauldron was feeling being suspended by his sturdy legs as her head scanned the room around her. The fact the zebra was posing like pegasus pony made this all the more endearing to the native.
However, there is
one tiny question propping up in his head: What was Sands doing during all of this?
>>144659White Sands, it seems, never left the room. She started off sitting down near a chair on the opposite side of the room, but has since crept slightly closer. She's completely quite, and only noticeable by sight. She seems to take interest in the interactions between Iron and Black Cauldron.
>>144660Iron smiled sheepishly at Sands' way for a second before looking back up at Cauldron's hovering form, beaming in both pride, excitement and wonder. "How does it feel up there?" he amusedly called out from below.
>>144661Sands has a wide eyed expression, like she's been caught, or something. But it doesn't matter, as she lays low to the ground and does not say anything.
"Like laying on a rock, haha" She says. She smiles, looking straight forward and at the window of her apartment.
>>144662insert lewd joke hereIron decides not to pay attention at Sands' seemingly pertified frame, feeling her curiosity might turn into some sort of exploratory phase with him later.
He had to wonder if she wished for the same treatment...
"I have been told my name is a rock, too," Iron quipped to Cauldron with a playful, warm smile.
>>144663"What?" Cauldron says, moving her legs down, and moving her head down in genuine puzzlement.
>>144664"Is iron not a rock?" the native asked, now puzzled himself.
>>144665She twists her lips in genuine confusion for a moment, before bursting out laughing
"Bahaha. No, that's a metal."
>>144666Iron scrunched his snout in surprise for a second, almost astonished to see his joke had landed so cleanly.
Only after Cauldron explained why it was so funny did he burst out laughing himself, blushing lightly. "I have been telling the joke wrong all this time?" he questioned gleefully, beaming. "How
ironic!"
>>144667Black Cauldron scrunches. But Iron's pun is so bad as to evoke a response from White Sands, who quickly pulls out from her position next to the couch, and sits upright. This makes a sound that is heard by Black Cauldron, who moves her head to look at White Sands.
"Have you been there the whole time?"
She says
>>144668Iron's attention was once more turned towards Sands, wondering what just happened to he with curiosity flowing through his gaze. "It was not
that bad, was it?" he offered towards the unicorn mare, holding back a proud smirk.
>>144658"What was it like in New Freeside?"
>>144669>>144670"Maybe I shouldn't really say this without having lived, well, anywhere else. But.. Not good. They closed down the sewing machine factory. That, and so many others. The trucking company nearly went other, and resisted the unions. Immigrants still came in from the griffin lands. Not the ponylands, but the griffin lands. Evidently things are worse still there. And many of the locals didn't like them. Distrust of the colonial government... The town looked almost rundown."
>>144669White Sands pulls further back still, scrunching and defensive. She says nothing.
>>144671Iron's happy demeanor soon mellowed out at the response, somehow feeling responsible for how Sands is feeling right now. "...did I do something wrong?" he asked the unicorn with concern. The native might have done something bad and he needed to make sure if it was something he could fix later on.
>>144671"That is unfortunate to hear. It sounds worse than living in St. Petershoof as foal. I suppose that is why you took up political stance?"
>>144672She turns her dark green eyes up towards Iron.
"No." She says plainly, her first word since arriving, and perhaps even before then.
>>144673"Among many reasons." He says