|
Post by Becka on Mar 13, 2013 16:25:37 GMT -5
[Continued from Broken and Together: eventidemlprpg.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=argen&action=display&thread=157]Luna didn't bother to check behind her for the injured stallions as she walked down the street. The bottom of her cloak rippled as she moved, showing her unadorned midnight blue hooves, but no pony seemed to notice. Or if they did they were too embarrassed or scared to speak to the princess. It didn't take long to reach the Tower, and when Luna found the room Twilight had put Zecora in she poked her head in and spoke softly. "Fluttershy? We have another patient for you."
|
|
|
Post by Person on Mar 13, 2013 20:00:47 GMT -5
Silent Storm walked nervously behind the Ruler of the Nighttime, shooting Turnkey constant worried glances to see if he was worsening or getting better with time and travel. He wished he could've grabbed a cloak to hide himself as Luna did when he'd hurried out of his house with a more freshly-injured Key. With his visage quite open and exposed, he thought more than just the three mares would be giggling and shoving and felt rather self-conscious, but the small band got to the tower without incident.
Gawking up in wonder as they entered the marvel of equestrian engineering, Sil wondered how many construction pegasi it must've taken to build such a place, or rather palace. Despite having lived in the city for several years now, there was still much of the city the young pegasus had yet to see, Neighathorn Tower included. He had always been a little scared of somepony doing or saying something less than kind to him in such a public place with hundreds of ponies. At least in the hospital room there had only been a couple dozen or so, but that had still been rather hard for him.
After they ascended and them halted at a door where Sil assumed this Fluttershy pony was, along with another named Zecora were staying. He really hoped they'd like Turnkey and him, and wished neither had a fear of dragons. He shook off the thoughts, reprimanding himself for worrying much too much and waited quietly to follow if Luna entered.
|
|
Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
|
Post by Kiernan on Mar 13, 2013 23:05:50 GMT -5
Usutora was quick to follow the princess of the night. Every time Sil would look back at him, he gave a slight smile, or, at least, as slight a smile as one can give with a swollen face. It was likely that he still felt guilty about breaking his nose in the first place, and he didn't want to have Kai see his new friend in such a state.
Upon arrival at the tower, Usu let his eye go wide. He had expected a tall tower, but this was more like a city hall that just happened to have a tower rising out of the top. The fortifications were stunning, with battlements at all four corners of the top, while the tower itself peaked in a spire. If he strained his neck and good eye, he could barely make out the detail on a few of the murder holes spiraling around the outside stonework. It was built like a fortress, impregnable to breach. He made a mental note to look around for something to steal while he was in there, just so he could have the pleasure of breaking in.
Upon arriving at the room where Fluttershy was supposed to be, he poked his head in. He knew what he was looking for: pink mane and tail, yellow pelt, and butterflies. Green eyes, if he remembered correctly...
Kai, having been inside Neighathorn tower once before, was not so easily impressed by the architecture. Granted, it was stunning stuff, but it was more of an experience the first time than following times.
Since going to the infirmary required entry, it was mandatory that he keep his hood up at all times. Not only did he want to make sure Luna didn't remember him, he wanted to make sure Usu and Sil didn't recognize him, either. Of course, if Usu saw him, it wasn't much of a problem, because he knew to keep his mouth shut, but Sil might say something, and that was not a risk he could take, lest Fluttershy's memories of him be triggered. He wasn't yet ready to explain himself to her, but he still needed to see her. So into the building he went, trying his best to look as if he belonged there, while simultaneously trying to remain inconspicuous.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on Mar 15, 2013 9:18:07 GMT -5
The gentle fragrance of fresh daisies hung in the air and the buzz of a lazy fly was heard from somewhere. Fluttershy had opened one of the tower windows facing the warming summer sun, and a slight breeze washed over her curtain of soft pink mane. The mare was busy tending to the still dizzy Zecora, handing the zebra a newly brewed cup of tea on her bed as the door behind her opened. She turned turned to face her royal highness Princess Luna.
"Princess Luna!" The pegsus exclaimed with surprise, bowing respectfully on her knee. She didn't have to ask what had brought her there, for the next second more ponies followed through the door. She took the dragon winged pony for her patient, eyeing him from the bottom and up, mumbling an "oh" in awe of the sight, but it didn't add up. The creature - whatever he was - didn't look injured. Then Fluttershy caught glimpse of the unicorn.
"Oh my!" With his face and stature the stallion looked like something out of The Hunchback of Notre Dam. Fluttershy took a few steps forward to meet her visitors in the doorway in order to swiftly look over his injuries. She wasn't sure she could patch up his nose, but she had to do something about the numerous bruises. "Please sit down," she inquired while motioning towards a free bed. She hurried to grab some saline and pads from a shelf. "Whatever did you do?"
|
|
Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
|
Post by Kiernan on Mar 15, 2013 10:52:22 GMT -5
Usu did as he was told, and jumped onto the bed. Or rather, he clambered into it, being too sore to actually jump. "(Well, it started out when I was kicked in the face, so we went to the hospital, but that turned into an all-out brawl and they beat me to a pulp and threw me out onto the pavement and,)" he stopped. If not even he could understand what he was saying, how could he hope for somepony else to do so?
He turned to look at the two standing in the doorway, hoping that at least Sil could explain what had happened. After all, nopony else could.
Kai, seeing which room they had entered, entered the adjacent room. A barrack, he assumed, seeing the bunk beds, footlockers, three guards presumably on their break, seeing as they were sitting at a table playing cards, but most notably the sign on the door that read: Barracks. "Don't mind me," he said, waving a hoof at the guards, who just went back to their gambling as Kai pressed his ear up against the stone wall that separated the barrack from the infirmary.
|
|
|
Post by Person on Mar 15, 2013 16:34:25 GMT -5
When the trio plodded in, Fluttershy didn't seem to be anything but vaguely interested in him, and Silent Storm liked that just fine. When she spoke, he could only just make out what she said, but thankfully it was a quiet place with its only current inhabitants the five of them and the zebra in bed that he could see. The guilt over all that happened weighed down on the pegasus a little more each time Turnkey pronounced another garbled word.
When Key stopped trying to explain and gave Sil a look that couldn't mean anything but help, he hesitated. Explaining the situation would require telling his mostly harmful part in it. After a moment of standing silently, not meeting Key's gaze, he looked back at the assorted group of ponies and sighed. Friends work both ways, they help you, you help them, even if it costs you a little dignity or embarrassment.
Sil audibly cleared his throat to gather the attention of the others then tentatively began with, "I c-can explain, but i-it's sort of a long story."
"This morning after I came b-back into my cottage from tending my back garden, I noticed that m-my dagger--" Sil raised his front left hoof, displaying the tool's hilt extending from the sheath strapped to his leg, "-- that I left at a friend's house the night before and the paper I hadn't picked up f-from the porch yet were siting o-on my coffee table."
"While I w-was looking at them, more than a little c-confused, one of the floorboards creaked quite l-loudly from behind me, and I was f-frightened. Without really thinking or l-looking back, I kicked out with my hind legs, hit someone in the m-muzzle, and it turned out to not be to be an a-attacker or robber but instead Turnkey here." Sil pointed with his snout at the beaten-up unicorn.
"We got to a h-hospital as soon as we could, and when we got there, he went to the receptionist and I went to sit down in the waiting area. I eventually sat next to the foal's p-play area, then started playing with Raindrip, a young colt, while I-I waited for Key to return."
"After a w-while of playing, his mother returned from her appointment and said some things that were... l-less than k-kind." Sil paused, purposefully leaving out the exact words, and despite all his will, a couple of tears obscured his vision as he remembered, "I left without a chance t-to say goodbye to Raindrip, and sat outside. I heard a commotion inside, heard Turnkey shout something about me being h-his friend at Drip's mother and a couple of seconds later, Turnkey came c-crashing out the front and landed next to me, looking about as good as he does now."
"We were trying to find s-somepony that could help, but I got pushed into a fountain b-by some mares and Princess Luna here found us while I was r-recovering. She said you could help, so we came h-here."
Sil finally concluded his speech of sorts, then looked to Fluttershy with wide eyes and asked, "Can you help?"
|
|
|
Post by Becka on Mar 15, 2013 18:03:11 GMT -5
As she listened to the stallion's story, Luna's heart swelled for him. She was no stranger to the unwelcoming stares of strangers, although none would ever dare to put a hoof on the princess.
As he spoke her name she remembered her cloak, and pushed the hood back over her horn before shaking her mane out. It flowed around her like the sky at midnight.
She nodded to Silent Storm. "You are a good friend." Then she turned to Usu, "as are you, for defending your friend."
Then she stepped back to let Fluttershy work.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on Mar 16, 2013 4:16:02 GMT -5
The pegasus stood before the beat-up stallion with pad in hoof, ready to attack him with saline and TLC, but she couldn't make out a word he said. Poor thing. He looked at the dragon-winged pony as if he wanted to ask him something, and for a split second Fluttershy stood agape, wondering if he was to blame for these injures.
Oh! He spoke. Well, the strange draconian pony was probably more pony than dragon then. Not that Fluttershy minded much - there were plenty of Dragons who could talk, and even so she respected all creatures, beast and pony alike.
"Oh dear." Sounded like it had all been an unfortunate accident, although Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder what the unicorn had been doing sneaking around in the dragonpony's house. But she could tell they were friends. It sounded like something the hot-headed Rainbow Dash could have done.
She nodded in confirmation to Sil as he told her about their trip to the hospital. She wondered why they hadn't gotten Turnkey the help he needed there as she washed his swollen face. "This might sting a little," she said apologetically as she tenderly padded his lip, supposedly split. It didn't take long before she had to switch pads, and she hurriedly fetched the trashbin to dispose of the blood-drenched wad. She almost dropped it on the way back.
"N-no!" Name-calling and physical violence? Fluttershy's heart might as well have been put in a vice. She was left speechless until Princess Luna had praised the two. "That's awful! Please, have a seat ..." off-center in the room was a table on which the vase of daises stood along with a steaming hot kettle. "There's some tea if, um, if you'd like a cup." Fluttershy delivered the trashbin at the foot of Turnkey's bed, turning her attention back to him. "I think I'm going to need some water and paper towels ... please try to relax and I will be back in a sec, okay?"
|
|
Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
|
Post by Kiernan on Mar 16, 2013 17:13:31 GMT -5
Usutora leaned back in the bed. He felt so much better now than when he had been in the hospital. Then again, he wasn't beeing beaten to a bloody pulp, so that might have something to do with it. Still, since he couldn't talk, he would just have to wait for Fluttershy to return. He really wanted some tea, though...
Kai listened to Sil's story, and chuckled a bit. He was never going to Let Usu live that one down. Walking into a hospital in slight pain, walking out even worse. Hilarious. He did feel a twinge of sorrow for Sil, though. Granted, Sil was probably used to that kind of treatment, but he shouldn't have been. It was a crazy world out there...
Speaking of the world being crazy, another guard walked into the room at just that moment. Granted, this wasn't all that crazy, considering it was a barrack, and the guard who had entered was just coming to his break. The crazy part was that the guard who entered was the same as the one from the train last night. And since Kai had to have his hood down in order to press his ear to the wall...
"You!" squeaked the guard. "You're the one from the train station last night!" He scowled, marching over to Kai while the other three guards just watched from the table. One even stood up. "I'm to take you in for questioning. You're under arrest for suspect behaviour. Come with me."
"In a moment," said Kai, taking his ear away from the wall, since Fluttershy had left. "I will go in for questioning, but there are a few things that need to be taken care of, first."
"No, now," demanded the guard, grabbing Kai's cloak at the neck. A huge mistake on his part...
|
|
|
Post by Person on Mar 16, 2013 18:45:38 GMT -5
"B-but..." Silent Storm stammered at Luna's praise. He just sighed and put his head in his hooves. At the offer, Sil got up and poured himself a small cup of tea, leaving enough in he kettle for another cup or two if anypony else wanted one. He blew over the surface of the hot liquid and took a sip. It was and herbal blend that he hadn't tried before, but it was very good. He glanced from the tea to Fluttershy as she worked on fixing up Turnkey then went to get some more things to help. The princess was right, she is a good nurse.
"But all this is my fault," Sil said, looking to Luna, the eldest in the room, for an answer, "the broken nose, the fight, everything. How in Equestria can I be a good friend?"
|
|
|
Post by Becka on Mar 17, 2013 10:39:12 GMT -5
Despite Luna's initial resistance to bringing Twilight and her friends to Whinnyopolis to help in the fight against an older sister Luna had known nothing about, she was glad Fluttershy was there to help. And it would give the little pegasus something to do to keep her mind off their failure and the creation of the dark veil. Luna knew all six friends were feeling horrible about it.
The dragon pony, however, seemed to need something to keep his mind off what had happened, for it was clear the guilt still gnawed at him.
"Accidents happen. You had no malice towards your friend when you broke his nose, and he doesn't seem to hold any animosity towards you for that, nor for the fight at the hospital. So why should you hold animosity towards yourself?"
She leaned down and spoke softly. "Trust us, we know a bit about having to forgive our self."
|
|
Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
|
Post by Kiernan on Mar 17, 2013 14:10:49 GMT -5
Usu couldn't agree more with the princess. He was also quite glad to hear that he wasn't the only one that thought so. "(Yeah, you're a great friend,)" he said, though if he hadn't known what he had said, he could never have comprehended it. "(You'd never have kicked me if you knew I was back there. Why would I have even been back there to begin with?)"
He was glad the last sentence was unintelligible, too, else it might be answered.
Kai was now behind the guard, his neck in the crook of Kai's foreleg. Softly, he whispered into the guard's ear, "I told you I would go back with you. Hay, you could question me here and now, I don't give a flying buck. But if you want me to leave, you're going to have to wait until my absence doesn't mean injury for somepony else. Got it?"
His response, a nod from the guard, who was starting to turn blue, was all he needed.
"Good. Now, release my cloak."
|
|
|
Post by Person on Mar 17, 2013 21:32:31 GMT -5
Silent Storm heard the soft, kind words and a sad little smile pushed its way onto his snout. "Thank you, p-princess." He said, placing the now empty tea cup on the small table in the room. "Just so y-you know, my name's Silent S-Storm. If you'd like, you can call me Sil or Storm, but not Stormy, please. That one's reserved."
Sil plodded over to the window on the far side of the room, between a couple of vacant beds. He gazed out over the town, bustling with life and business. Far into the distance, he saw his cottage, and watched as a mailpony flew by, placing several letters into his mailbox, and a package on his doorstep. A box? He didn't get packages very often, what could it be?
His eyes moved from the buildings to the sky. The moon still hid the Sun's light behind its large white disk. He looked behind him at Luna, but quickly whipped his head back around. He didn't want her to think he thought she was responsible. It can't have been her, the moon was for the night, that's what made the night as beautiful as it was. Causing an eclipse and taking all of that wonder away couldn't have been her doing. He refused to believe it.
|
|
|
Post by Nightbow on Mar 19, 2013 2:52:05 GMT -5
Fluttershy had successfully located a plastic bucket. She held it in her jaws by the handle and tried to move as fast as she could without spilling the warm water it contained. She clasped a bundle up paper towels between her right hoof and leg, nothing short of a three-legged spectacle.
She didn't pay attention to the scraping of chairs that came from the open doorway beyond Zecora's, but dived as lissom as she could back to where she belonged - the abandoned barracks next door. The soldiers that resided here were probably still at the forest border.
Fluttershy placed the bucket on the floor and started to divide the paper - she didn't want to get the entire clump in her hoof at once. "I'm going to start by washing off your face," she informed Turnkey, looking for an okay in his almost swollen-shut eyes. She dipped a towel in the water and squeezed most of it out before wetting his nose with it. "Does this hurt?" She needed to check just how bad his condition was.
|
|
Kiernan
Member
Tua Culpa, Culpa Mea
Posts: 384
|
Post by Kiernan on Mar 19, 2013 9:29:43 GMT -5
When his eye locked with the mare's he felt something warm in his chest. he gave the go ahead for her to begin with a nod, the only mode of communication he could muster at this point. And when she brought the paper towel to his face, her hoof was so soft. When she asked if it hurt, he shook his head no. Why? It had stung when it made initial contact, so why was he lying? He left those thoughts alone for the moment, and just sat there, taking his treatment.
Kai had gone back to pressing his ear to the wall, much to the dismay of the guard. Just in time, apparently, too, because Fluttershy seemed to have only just returned.
"Is this going to take a long time?" asked the guard, quite miffed that he had to stand there and wait.
"I'll let you know when I'm done," growled Akaitora. "Hay, I'll come find you, if you want, you can go make a sandwich, or something, but, SHHH!!"
|
|