>>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