>>157310Silver nods in agreement.
"I think so as well."
>>157308"And I to you," she says, nuzzling him back.
>>157311"That sounds pretty neat. What are you going to do in the mean time?"
>>157312"Amber, can you tell me again what it is you want?" He asks
>>157313"Colts may have to bunk up in others' bedrooms for couple of nights, once I get chance to ask everyone's opinions."
>>157314“Well, okay.” He says. “I guess that’ll work.”
>>157315"I hope so. It is only temporary situation, one which I am about to fix. Does anyone need anything while I am out? I know Jubilosa needs alcohol...oh!"
Silver looks down at White Orchid.
"Would you like me to get any food or snacks for while you are here?"
>>157316Paper Clipping:
“We’re getting low on codeine.”
Jubilosa:
“Make sure we have wine.”
White Orchid isn’t there. Oh wait… There he is. He walks up and sits in front of Silver:
“Can we get pizza? Oh. And chips? What about gummy worms? Gunny bears? Oh, and can we get soda?”
Paper Clipping:
“Oh, and we need hard alcohol.”
>>157317Silver nods to all of these, and calls out to the kitchen where he saw Mint Marine head towards.
"What about you, Mint? Want any foods or snacks?"
>>157313She looks dreamily into his eyes.
"I want to live here in Baltimare, to enjoy the music and sights here, to have a little adventure, but most of all to be with you."
>>157318Mint Marine moves up
“Snacks? Like sugar pop cereal? Or cheese puffs?”
Paper Clipping:
“Are there any condoms? I mean I haven’t gone through every drawer in the house or anything but… are there any condond?”
Jubilosa:
“What.”
Mint Marine:
“Oh. What about those little sweets. The specialized candy.”
White Orchid:
“Salt water taffy!”
Ming Marine:
“Oh! I want salt water taffy!”
White Orchid
“What are condoms?”
Mint Marine:
“Chocolate!”
White Orchid:
“I didn’t even think of chocolate”
Paper Clipping:
“Can I have chocolate too? Oh. And some of those wheat wafers? Is that a thing here? I hope that’s a thing here.”
Mint Marine:
“Please can I have some taffy?
Silver now has three colts sitting in front of him, looking up at him with big, pleading eyes. Also a confused Griffin.
>>157319It’s immediately apparent from his expression that he has mixed feelings about Amber’s response
“What do you mean by enjoying the music and adventure?”
>>157320Silver's partkekShe grins and presses her nose harder into Mustard's until their snouts scrunch.
"Hearing the beautiful music out here in the world and learning to play it. And adventure…I had a dream the other night, about being asked to retrieve an ancient faraway tablet. I don't know if it's real but looking for such things would be such a thrill!"
>>157320Silver has a hard time keeping up with the trio. He almost feels dizzy listening to them, but he answers all of them.
"Yes, I will get you three plenty of sweets and snacks. I will get you some...
things, Clip," he gives him an exasperated look, likely related to how he'll now have to explain to White Orchid what condoms are, "and I will tell you later, Orchid."
>>157321Mustard’s nose is scrunched in, and he smiles awkwardly. He seems to understand Amber’s meaning.
“Well… I guess I liked the last place we heard music. That was nice… A tablet? What? You mean like going to the jungle, or something?”
>>157322The three colts, two almost-pubescents and one legally-an-adult, all sit around Silver. All three, especially Clip, are non-repentant.
Mint Marine
“Taffy”
Paper Clipping:
“Codeine. And gummy bears”
White Orchid:
“Chocolate.”
>>157324“I…. Don’t think think it’s works like that. If there were money lying around, wouldn’t other ponies have already gone out and found it?”
>>157325Silver probably misses Khoi right now. Jubilosa speaks up.
“You probably should.”
>>157326Maybe, but I don't think she'd be willing to buy condoms. Silver decides to heed Jubilosa's advice, grabs a paper and pencil if available, and writes down everything the three colts say.
>>157327“But like, how are you going to find money? And where are you going to find it?”
>>157328This is dangerous, as all three start to remember all forms of junk food. Fortunately Paper Clipping doesn’t know enough about alcohol, sex, and drugs to ask for specific things, even as his requests indicates he wants all three. It becomes increasingly obvious that all three colts are making a wish list of things they’ve never had but want, like Mint Marine’s request for a speciality candy that he can’t name.
>>157330“But…” he looks away, and then back
“Like, is this about money?”
>>157329Silver is going to need to find a job just to cover this list alone. Figuring that the teenaged, young adult Paper Clipping may need an outlet for his sex drive, jots down on the list to find out if there's such thing as an adult-oriented store that may have things to satisfy his urges. He also helps the colts by adding various candies he can think onto the list.
>>157332He has a frowning expression
“Is excitement really something a little filly should be looking for?”
>>157333Well, Silver has a list now. An expensive list, but a list
>>157334She grins, wagging her tail,
"Yes, I think so, it's the best time to look for it."
>>157334"Alright then, I will see what I can do while I am out."
Silver heads upstairs to gather his equipment such as his armor and weapons, along the way knocking on the bathroom door that Mala presumably is using to wash himself.
>>157335"Why is that?" he asks
>>157336Mala opens the door of the bathroom not long after to peer out
>>157338"Do you really want that with me?" He asks explicitly
>>157339"Yes, I do, so much!" she exclaims, peering deep into his eyes.
>>157337"I am going to go and deal with Bargain Strength, get him to leave these colts alone. I need you to stay here, be stallion of house while I am gone. Protect these people in case something happens."
>>157340His expression is rather serious by comparison. He does
not appear lost in romanticism. Not like he was some minutes ago.
"Amber, why did you hesitate when I asked you if you would be okay with sex when you were fertile?"
>>157341Mala tilts his head
"I've fought these gang members before. Not these same ones obviously, but their soldiers. I can keep the house. I still have their Hi-Power and the No. 2... But do you really think that you should do this alone?"
>>157343"I asked if you wanted to become pregnant. And you didn't say 'no,' but your answer was no."
>>157342Silver sighs.
"No, but I am not sure how much of choice I have. I know some friends I have fought beside before, if they are free to help me I do not know. And I trust you more than anyone to keep these people safe. There may also be ways to get them to stop without resorting to violence."
>>157345"The Society just let them come to us, defended a few blocks of territory, and they stopped trying to attack us, mostly." he says
>>157347"And it's not because you know that if you have foals with me, then you are stuck with me and I with you?" He asks, eyebrow raised and with a sarcastic tone of voice
>>157349"You say that... but when I bring up something solid and something serious, something that would actually tie you to me, you hesitate."
>>157351"It's not too hasty to see how serious you are" He answers
>>157346"It is good tactic, but us adventurers do not always have that liberty. Like I said, there may be ways to deal with this without violence, or ways to commit surgical strike that does not require turning half of Baltimare into warzone."
>>157354"Is this
really about not wanting foals yet?"
>>157353"But are you sure you would want to go alone, into their lair, while they are expecting you, and you are injured? They could just walk up behind you, or set a trap. They could capture you and make you tell them where the colts are..."
>>157356"With
me?" He's had a skeptical tone the whole conversation
>>157355"I know, but it is not guaranteed to go wrong. I will be fine, trust me. It is not my first rodeo."
>>157358"Okay..." Mala says, lowering his head
>>157359Silver pets his friend through the door.