1680 replies and 29 files omitted.
>>161527“Nothing’s wrong.” White Orchid says, smiling
>>161528"Alright. When you two are finished, you need to clean oven top. I can help with that, show you two how to do so."
Silver starts mopping the floors.
>>161531White Orchid:
“Okay”
There is water all over the floor, and pieces of broken plate
>>161532Silver works to soak up the water, and picks up any pieces of broken plate he comes upon and throws them away.
>>161533And so, Silver starts cleaning up the kitchen. Mint Marine and White Orchid move the plates to the sink, starting to soak them.
>>161437Did she seem to be offended last time?
>>161534"I know Clip is adult, but it may be good idea in future to have someone who knows what to do be supervising. Clip is still young and learning, just like you two."
>>161537"The griffin didn't say anything..." White Orchid remarks
>>161536>>161437"I Got the Water."
He Says as he carefully walks over
>>161539Tricky holds out a hoof to take some water.
>>161538"Hmm...anyways, for future those plates are not safe for oven. We have cast iron pots that are, if you want to cook."
>>161541She takes it, and takes a sip. Sorrel moves her head up, looks around, and then she reaches out a hoof for a cup.
>>161542Mint Marine:
"Okay..."
White Orchid:
"We can cook in the oven?"
>>161543"Well, maybe with help until you get more experienced with cooking. But yes. What you could have done was use cast iron pan on stovetop to melt candies."
>>161544White Orchid nods
"Okay, I'll remember that."
>>161545"What you could have done was melt chocolate, and then dip other candies in that."
>>161546White Orchid's ears twitch
"... Oh... heh heh..."
>>161547"Just remember to have adult supervision next time. You could have caused serious fire, or worse, gotten hurt."
Silver continues to clean.
>>161548"Okay, Mr. Sword." White Orchid answers
The floor is slowly cleaned, and the counters cleaned up. The plates will take a long time to soak.
>>161549"'Mr. Sword'? You can just call me Silver, little ones."
He looks at the work they did.
"Alright, now to just let them soak. Go ahead and have fun, colts. Just...try not to burn down house, this time."
He smiles at them, making it clear it's half a joke.
>>161543Dark Night passes the other glass to her
>>161550“Okay.”
White Orchid moves his tail side to side, as does Mint Marine.
The ponies finish picking the items up.
>>161551Sorrel takes it, and leans the glass. Tricky moves her hoof to hold it up so as to keep it from spilling. Both mares take drinks from the glasses.
>>161552When finished, Silver goes up to Khoi's room.
>>161552"Is There anything else you girls need?"
>>161558>>161376"Hey. you're here."
Amber hears, and then presumably sees, Erich standing next to her on the platform.
>>161559Amber turns with surprise, albeit pleasant surprise. "You're here. How did you make it?"
>>161560“Snuck away from those bastards after the one started shooting. Is the train here?”
>>161561"Not yet, but in about twenty minutes. I was lucky to get away by automobile, and I don't think I was followed. Do you have a ticket?"
>>161562“So that’s where the car went” he looks a little displeased.
“No, I don’t have one.”
>>161563"It's in front. I don't want to hold onto it, no doubt they know it's gone and will be looking for it."
>>161564“Oh we’ll add that to the list of problems. Whatever, in twenty minutes we’ll be done with this place. Helder snuck out with me. I don’t know who else made it
>>161565"I'm glad you two made it out, at least. Haven't you money with which to buy a ticket?"
>>161566Erich
“No, I think I can sneak along.”
Helder:
“Yes, I have money,” he answers
>>161567Amber asks Erich, "Isn't it better to have a ticket? If you're found you'll attract less suspicion."
>>161568“Well yeah, but it’s just being on a train without a ticket.” He pauses. “Did they ask for a name when you bought the ticket?”
>>161570“Well then I’ll buy a ticket. Helder, can I borrow some money?”
Erich owes Amber probably at least a hundred fractal guilders.
Helder groans, rolls his eyes, and pulls money out of his pocket, giving it to Erich.
Helder comments:
“I wonder how they knew where we were. And if we are safe as soon as we leave Katerin, or if they will come for us anywhere in the Empire.”
>>161571"They must have seen us leave the palace and followed, or possibly even planted a spy in Helm's company…I don't think we'll be safe until we leave the Empire. Griffenheim is a railroad hub and they might telegraph an alert for us there," Amber answers in a low voice.
>>161572Helder nods
"It's a good thing you are wearing that's servants uniform. Maybe that will knock them off our trail. I would not be surprised if they check trains at the border." He says
>>161573"If I'm lucky they think I'm a cook who got scared and ran away. We can't be too careful, though."
>>161574"Alright... Train to Griffinhiem, then to Hellquill..." Helder says, looking down
>>161575"I'm glad you were able to afford tickets. Otherwise I would have to play more music, and the griffons around here are especially stingy."
>>161576"Oh, that's most everywhere, really." He says. "Is that our train?"
A steam engine pulling a number of green coach cars pulls into the station, with its loud chugging sounds, and releasing steam that is caught by some of the cover over the platform, slowly covering the platform in a fog.
>>161577"It should be, it's on time. Do you think we should be seated together, or apart so we're harder to distinguish?"
>>161578“Nearish. Let’s not lose sight of each other.”
He is silent for some seconds.
“Speaking of which… Is that Helm?” He looks over to the right on the platform.
And then from out of the fog created by the locomotive steam, Amber sees Helm walking towards them.
“Hello.” He starts
>>161579"Helm, how on Griffonia…."
Amber blinks. "You went right up to the police to talk with them. Why are you not in their clutches?"
>>161580"Things got a bit tense, yes, but you'd be amazed at how reasonable griffins can be if given the right incentives." He says
>>161581"What did you offer them?" If griffons could raise eyebrows, Amber would be doing that now.
>>161582"Well, with a few calm words I offered a carrot and a stick. You know how susceptible to incentives public servants are,
especially around here."
>>161583There is no way he got away from a high-priority police raid
that easily, especially not after shots were fired.
"What did you offer? And how many of your guests were taken into custody?" Amber asks politely but grimly.
>>161584"Money to start, and promised favors. My family still carries weight around here after all. As for the others, I don't know how many because I could not see all. Weisner I know was taken, as was Kurzer Schnabel. I couldn't do everything, not with bullets flying. The professor was also taken. But he's a Yale resident, they will simply send him back."
>>161585"It was wise for us to take our leave, then. What happened with Mason? I saw him with a gun before I left."
>>161586"He retreated and was pursued. Things got silent quickly. Maybe he was shot, maybe he surrendered. Or maybe he slipped away. The officers that followed him did not come back to me."
>>161587"Just because you were released doesn't mean you aren't being watched, possibly to lead authorities to other 'persons of interest.' It's too risky for us to be seen with you."
>>161588He opens his mouth in offense.
“Well I could say the same of you, couldn’t I? Aren’t we all going to the same destination? We have more resources and protection together.”
>>161589"The difference being that Erich, Helder and I all snuck out without the police knowing. You were allowed to leave so they may be following you this very moment. They are just as capable of arresting four of us as they can arrest one."
>>161590“And you’re sure none of you are being followed how?” He says, turning his head.
>>161591"No, I can't say for sure…I just think it's less likely," Amber replies.
>>161592Helm is definitely offended, but it’s Amber's move
>>161593"Nonetheless…you did take a major risk by harboring us and it cost you. We owe you for that and the only way I can think of repaying you is by bringing you along with us."
>>161553The lights are on and the door is open. Khoi lays down on her belly, her body fairly elongated along the bed. Her tail and it’s long brown hair extends across the bed, while her mane is still up. She had taken her dress off, and Silver can see the shiny copper-colored scales that extend across her back. She is evidently wearing a beige underwear that almost blends into her natural colors. Her forelegs extend in front of her and her hooves are off of the bed. Her horn lights up, as she uses her magic to comb her mane with a black comb. Her exirsssion is completely neutral as she watches Silver enter the room.
>>161594“Thank you” he says, easing up.
“I still miss those statues…”
>>161595Silver smiles at the small, lithe kirin, appreciating her shiny copper scales, short golden fur, and dark floof. The underwear is odd to the Severyanan, who has always slept in the nude, but he pays no mind to it.
"This is proof, that dress would be nothing without your beauty, Khoi."
He steps inside the room, and closes the door behind him (unless she says something).
>>161597She definitely widens her eyes and moves her head back. She curls her tail.
>>161598"So, are you ready to be swept off to cuddleland? Or do you not wish too?"
>>161599Khoi lowers her ears halfway-down, has a small smile that shows her fangs, and moves her forelegs closer to her body.
“Eh heh…”
>>161600He smiles wider at the display, and almost lets out an involuntary d'awwww. He takes it as a "yes", and begins to undress himself from his suit, down to the nude. Perhaps the kirin may find it to be extraordinarily lewd to be undressing himself in front of a young mare, considering she is currently wearing underwear. Perhaps she considers it normal as wearing no clothes is their natural state. Silver does not know, all that is known is that he seems to consider it normal and pays it no mind as he dresses down, giving Khoi an unobstructed view of his extraordinary floof and large frame, which may be a little intimidating in this context and situation even if he remains in a friendly disposition.
>>161601The Kirin is definitely intimidated, or otherwise scared, curling her tail close to her as she lowers her head to the bed. She watches Silver as he undresses.
>>161602As he drops his pants and steps out of them, the now-fully undressed unicorn stands before her in all of his nude glory. Thank goodness he has the willpower to keep certain body parts tucked away, for the sheer floofiness of Silver uncontained by his suit is already enough for the poor kirin. She's already seen him naked before, but in the current context it feels just slightly different. From the dark grey dorsal stripe running down his back to the cutie mark of a sword in mid-swing, she is more acutely aware right now of certain details of his person.
The naked floofy unicorn, once undressed, now trots over to her bed, sitting down on it and causing her to feel it shift slightly from his muscular weight. He smiles kindly at the scared kirin.
"There is no need to be afraid. I do not bite." He mutters under his breath "much...".
>>161604She turns her head, but keeps it low. She looks up to him, but hasn’t warmed up to the situation much at all.
>>161605Silver decides to go slow, and warm her up just a little more before proceding.
"It is lovely underwear you are wearing. Did you buy it along with your dress?"
>>161606“Yes.” Her legs are tucked under her
>>161607"Is it normal in Ngua Nam to wear underwear to bed? Or is it just comfortable to wear?"
Silver is still sitting up on the bed, turned slightly towards Khoi. She still can't see anything inappropriate, thank goodness.
>>161608“It’s for the dress…” she says meekly
>>161609"Ah, okay then. Is it comfortable, though? It looks nice."
>>161610“Yes…” she says, still glued to the bed
>>161611He looks down at the kirin's copper-colored scales.
"Do you polish your scales? They look very shiny."
>>161613Silver tilts his head at the kirin, giving her a confused look.
"...are you genuinely that afraid of me?"
>>161614She blinks, and looks up at Silver with her magenta eyes
>>161615Silver gives her a small smile, and reaches out a forehoof to her.
"I would never do anything to hurt you, Khoi, or violate your trust and honor. You do not need to fear me. Come, sit with me."
>>161616She raises her head up, and moves her forelegs out. She blinks, and then offers her hoof to Silver.
>>161617Silver takes it in his own, and gently helps her into a sitting position. With a bit of adjustment in their sitting positions, the pair is now sitting next to each other, the naked unicorn and the kirin in underwear. He gives her a warm smile.
"See? I do not bite."
He looks over at the comb she was using to groom her mane, and points to it.
"Would you like me to comb your mane? I have some experience taking care of female hair."
>>161618“Okay…” she says, looking down at the comb
>>161619Silver nods, and takes the comb. He positions himself to sit behind Khoi for the best view of his work, and begins to comb through her hair. Whatever she may have expected him to be like, he is surprisingly gentle with her in how he attempts to keep from hurting her, only using enough strength to work out any tangles he finds. The amount of work and care she put in already makes his job especially easy, but still. Khoi can feel that he's doing a good job on her.
>>161620There are no tangoes to be found. Khoi combed out all of them before the date, and then any that developed during the date while waiting on Silver to come upstairs. Her mane is long and wavy, though it appears to have been curled artificially for the date.
>>161621"Hmm...wait just moment, Khoi."
Silver gets up and out of the bed, leaving the room for just a minute before returning with a brush in his possession. With a "Here we go," Silver returns back to his sitting position behind Khoi, and begins to brush her mane. More than detangling, the brushing does a better job at massaging her scalp, letting him idly brush away as he spends time with Khoi on the bed.
As he brushes, he speaks to the kirin. "I imagine this is all very new to you, and somewhat scary. Maybe even not exactly what you thought relationship would be like?"
>>161622The Kirin is brushie brushiedSilver’s brushing has the effect of undoing the curls, and straightening out her mane.
“Relationship?”
>>161624Hmm...perhaps they can re-add the curls later on, if Khoi wishes.
"You know, this fledgling thing that has formed between us as of late, only now truly blooming from our date tonight. Relationship. I do not know what you expected, but something tells me this is at least slightly different from that."
>>161625"What?" She seems surprised, but then speaks,
"I wouldn't say there is anything now. I have made no vows to you nor you to me. You have made no promise. This is... well, like a test."
>>161627"Well, that is certainly one way to describe this." Silver lets out a fairly hearty chuckle. "What are you testing? What relationship would be like? What
we would be like?"
>>161628"Have I not been clear? Marriage. Husband and wife. Mother and father of children, together in a household."
>>161629"I know of all of that already. But is there anything else you are testing? There is more to relationships than
just marriage and foal-rearing."
>>161630"It is a test of entering into those two types of relationships. What other relationships would I be testing?"
>>161631Silver leans over to look at her face as he continues the brushie brushies.
"Well, what do you think keeps marriages and relationships together when mare is already pregnant, or after both partners have become barren?"
>>161632"Duty. Duty of each to the other, by nature, spirit, and law."
>>161633"Well, yes. But it is also this. These moments of talking with each other, doing things together, and enjoying each others company that keeps marriages together. Or, at least, it is what keeps us from having miserable relationships."
>>161634She blinks, and her lips close
"What do you mean?"