Iron got his ass beat and has pissed off a whole criminal syndicate, Amber is doing some shady shit at the police station, Silver is making friends, and Spark is enjoying Whinnysotan hospitality.
>>146402He gives the almost-mythical creature a light squeeze, before releasing her.
"What do you call it then?"
>>146403She has an awkward smile, and perhaps something of a blush
"Heh, well, in many places and times, it is a way to grow extra food where you cannot plant so many different varieties in the fields. It is a tool of life. And even for the nobles, it is a way of showing the family's refinement and elegance."
>>146403>>146404She's exotic to be sure. With her scales, strange horn, cloven hooves and leonine tail she is not like any pony of Equestria. And yet she's there and lets him hug her.
>>146404Silver scratches his chin.
"Hmm...refinement and elegance. They are not often used to describe me, but I think I like them."
>>146406"Yes, they are essential to any noble family... Not that we ever were among them."
She looks behind herself and over the bay, towards the big dark clouds that have briefly dimmed the sun.
"Of course... this little property here isn't really big enough for a full-sized garden."
>>146407"That will have to be goal in near future. Getting you property large enough for garden, rock garden, and pagoda. Then we could really call ourselves family of nobles."
>>146341"Well, there is this stallion.. He's not a stallion, but he will come in the form of a grey stallion with a black mane... I moved to the city during the War to take a job at a factory, The factory... well, it reorganized after the War. There was this stallion in it I took a fancy to. I had one date, nothing serious at all, but... There was this member of the garrison. A changeling drone. He took a fancy to me, apparently. He would come in his insect form and... I pushed him away of course. But he started appearing like the stallion I knew, taking his body. I actually fell for it once. He gave me a kiss. A
Changeling kiss. Celestia, it was miserable. But... he hasn't stopped. Not at all."
>>146408"But there are other houses to either side. And a road and water on the other two sides." She says, plainly
>>146410"What, you would not want to live in large manor estate in quiet outskirts of city?"
>>146409"Has he followed you off of the job before?"
>>146411"Well, yes."
>>146412"Yes. Many times. To my home, to my friends, to the grocer..."
>>146413"I see. Make yourself comfortable here. You can stay the night."
>>146414"I saw him earlier. I think he has changed strategy. Now he is trying to get me in trouble with the garrison... Thank you."
She moves into the room, looking around uncertainly. She gasps and takes a step back when she sees Makade
"A wolf!"
She says this louder than is really comfortable for a house full of sleeping ponies.
>>146413Silver nods.
"That is fair. We should talk sometime about ways to make you more comfortable here. I notice your room is still as it was when we first moved in. Perhaps we could find furniture and decorations to make it more like home?"
>>146415"It's alright. He is a guest here as well. But let's slow down. What do you mean you saw him earlier? Where?"
>>146417"Oh, alright then" She says, looking at Makade, who, to his credit, is not currently aiming a loaded long gun at her, or at least, is hiding it.
She looks back to Spark
"On the street. As a part of a unit of Changelings. They were looking for me. Probably for...
love extraction. They may have been looking for me even without his involvement. And with him I trust them less."
>>146416"Well, I clean up after myself. What kinds of decorations? Plants? Maybe religious icons?"
>>146418"It's alright. Just relax on the couch. I'm going to talk with the other guest briefly."
Spark trots over to Makade and whispers.
"We got a problem."
>>146418"Those are good choices, but it is whatever you wish to have in your room to make it yours."
>>146419For her to go over to the couch requires her to move through the dining room, past Makade, through the kitchen, and into the living room. Makade at the very least turns around to watch her as she goes, never turning his back to her
"What is it?" He says
>>146420Her long, lion-like tail swings back and forth in the air, and she again smiles in a wide, toothy expression.
"Yes. I need to find something."
>>146421"That is actually good idea for us to do tomorrow Khoi, if you are still up for date. We can go shopping for things to decorate your room with."
>>146421"Well, regardless of her being a spy or not, she confirmed that she is being pursued by a patrol and she saw them a bit further down the road. We are going to have some company."
>>146423"When did she supposedly see this patrol?"
>>146422"Oh, that's a nice idea. Perhaps we can do that after work."
>>146424Silver nods again, and looks over to Jubilosa if she's still in the vicinity.
"Speaking of..."
>>146425Jubilosa has run off, evidently
>>146426"Huh. I wonder where she went to..."
Silver goes inside the house to look for his Jubee, mindful to wipe his dirty hooves on a doormat if available.
>>146424"She said down the road. She has been being stalked and they have been messing with her with their shapeshifting. Even if her story isn't to be believed, there is still most likely a patrol coming for us now."
>>146427No proper doormat exists, but the wood of the patio will do. While Paper Clipping can be found on the first level, there is no sign of Jubilosa down stairs in the Livingroom, kitchen or dining room.
>>146428He pulls up the rifle, which evidently he kept just out of sight below the counter
"Then I will be prepared."
>>146429She must be upstairs, then.Silver checks their bedroom.
>>146431Silver gives the door a polite knock.
>>146434"Uh.... okay." She says. Silver, presumably, opens the door to Jubilosa carefully trying to take care of feathers on her left wing in front of the mirror
>>146435"Ah, getting ready for our date too, I see?"
Silver steps toward the shower and starts to get it ready.
>>146436"Yes. Almost too late now..." She says, using something like a pick, going through feathers.
Turing one knob turns on the heat, and then another the cold water. The water pours.
>>146437"We still have time, do not worry my Jubee. We will get there in time and enjoy fancy dinner."
He steps into the shower, enjoying the sensation of the steady stream of water hitting his coat, quickly getting his mane and coat wet and drippy.
"Ahh...I love showers."
>>146438She looks back to him, and closes her beak tightly. At Silver's words, she asks herself
"Do I need another one?"
>>146439Hearing her, Silver replies.
"I do not think it is nessecary. You took shower this morning after our 'fun'. I am showering because I was helping with garden and got dirty."
But since he has her attention, he gets a mischevous grin on his face and he decides to entertain his griffon with a little show. He turns away from her, moving his tail aside and shaking his rump from side to side. His family jewels are on full-on display for Jubilosa, if she cares to look.
>>146440She smiles
"Heh. Best to save that for later tonight." She says, and picks at more feathers.
>>146441"Consider this your appetizer. I have one more gift for you when time comes, if you can be patient until after our date."
Silver resumes showering, using soap, shampoo, and conditioner to get his coat, mane, and tail nice and clean.
>>146442"I'll wait" She says. She spends much of her time cleaning fathers and caring for her claws, as well as applying some sort of perfume.
>>146443At the same time, Silver spends the time rincing out his thick coat, making sure that no shampoo and such is left. Once he's finally done, he steps out to dry himself off with a towel.
>>146444Silver starts to dry off, but there's a lot of fluff to dry. Jubilosa has left the bathroom.
>>146445Indeed there is, but he gets it dry. Once he does, he goes into the bedroom to put on the suit he bought.
>>146447"Well, let me put it this way. If there are more... 'colt cuddlers' in the Baltimare elite, they are well motivated to find them, regardless of whether that motive is to seek Justice. And the same with arms traffickers. I think that is a good thing."
>>146446Jubilosa sits on the bed, with Khoi behind her trying to fix the feathers on her head.
>>146448"You really think so?" she asks, and looks briefly behind her to make sure Red Scabbard has gotten past.
>>146448Silver smiles at the sight, and lets them be as he puts the suit on.
>>146449Scabbard runs and moves into the hallway behind them. Soon enough Amber and Sunnyside Meadows have turned a corner, and are completely out of line of sight.
"Well, I don't really know. But I believe that when it comes to ponies, you tend to get out of them the result you let them know you expected and prepared for. Believe they will do good, and they are more likely to do good. Start with distrust, and what you feared will come to pass."
An entire group of new officers has entered the room through the front entryway and have joined the fray.
>>146450She carefully and slowly puts on the new dress Silver bought for her, going before mirror and admiring it.
>>146451Amber had been arguing for and against either side, neither with much sincerity, but something in Sunnyside's words and kindly tone moves her to want to agree with him.
"You're right, I suppose I should think the better of ponies I meet." The new group catches her eye and she watches them intently to see what happens.