private "All that Shines" (1x1 RP between Platinum Gear and Raven Rawne)

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"I sure do" she says then bellows "HEY BOYS! I'M OVER HERE! YOU WANT ME! YOU'LL HAVE TO FIGHT US! AND I PROMISE YOU! I'M NO PRISSY! I'M A KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE HIGHEST RANKING!" she bellows out to the raiders and smirks "and now we wait" she says as she readies herself for the rush of ponies and minotaurs to come at her. She could tell a few houses and the inn were destroyed "And of course once we win, we'll pay for the town to be rebuilt, this is my fault after all, so I've got to take responsibility" she says 

 

The leader of the raiders barks orders "GO GET HER MEN! WE'VE GOT THEM OUTNUMBERED 13 to 2!"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear said to herself sarcastically. "What a great idea, our tutors would be sooo proud..." She didn't have much time to get sour before a hail of bullets flied her way. She kneeled and hud behind her shield, feeling as it gets peppered with a few shots. "Why I'm always marked for death?!" She shouted with anger and rose up, drove her shield into the ground using small spikes at the bottom and started throwing javelins as the ponies discarded their spent powder weapons and charged it. The minotaur weren't so eager, five of them walking towards them and one - the leader by the look of it, stood and watched. They were just so sure of themselves that Crys felt insulted. 

 

The first javelin hit the buckler and was wasted, but the second took the raider sqarely in the chest. He was out of the fight. 12 to 2. Third one grazed the thigh of a stallion and he collapsed,  but could still fight. Fourth and fifth weren't lucky either - one was avoided by a really quick raider and another struck a shield. 

 

The ponies were mere metres away when Crys took up her shield and counter charged the nearest one, and they connected with a very unpleasant sound. She didn't have the time to reach for her saber so she just hit his jaw with her fist and he collapsed. A cursory glance was enough to tell he had a broken jaw and his arm bent the wrong way from slamming her shield. The mare reached for her blade and looked at Clare - she already took down two. Crys ducked an axe aimed at her head and it glanced off her shoulder pad. She didn't see the attacker bur guessing where he was, she pivoted and slammed her shield in his chest, then thrust into another attacker who wanted to knock her head with a poleaxe. The stallion staggered but his momentum impaled him all the way to the hilt, so she let go of the saber and gave him a good uppercut punch in the jaw, knocking him unconscious and falling on the grass. Again without a weapon, Crys blocked the axepony with her shield.  Fortunately, the axe glanced off rather than bite in the shield. Using the opening in his guard, as he singed the axe for another strike, she reached for her hammer and drove the spiky eng in his side, piercing his leather jacket. The pony yelped and nearly dropped his great axe, but managed to drive another blow into the shield,  this time connecting and making a big dent in the wood.  It wasn't destroyed, not yet, but a few more blows and it was gone. Thus time the pony knew better and body slammed her as he brought up the axe, seeing his companion picking up the poleaxe off their fallen comrade. Crystal Clear knew somepony was creeping behind her but had to finish the one in front of her first. She nearly lost balance but didn't fall, and as the stallion got ready for another strike she sidestepped and bachelor his injured side with her shield,  then drove her hammer 's flat end into his leather helmet. Two blows were enough to take him out of the fight. Since she knew some pony was behind her she turned with her shield raised, just in time to block a who handed war mace of a minotaur.  Her shield in splinters, Crystal lost her balance and collapsed, a giant shape looming over her to deliver the death blow.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Clare shouts as she charges  the minotaur and unsheathing Dragon Sword, as she does a soft song could be heard in the wind, it was one that the raiders knew well and feared, as Clare swung to lop the minotaur who was standing above her lover's head off, she sung the song as well.

 

"Prime your guns and whet your blades;
My fury now will be dealt in spades
We'll strike them fast, before night fades
And bring them down, this cursed brigade

We've come too far to let this go;
I'll live up here or die below
Make sure the guns are primed to blow;
Our moment thrives in this tableau"

 

As she then was getting ready to rush the leader, she was feeling slightly overwhelmed, when the innkeeper, Dustyhooves and any colt and stallion that was there had taken up any sort of weapon they could find and they begun with their own song:

 

"Here we come, on the run, our coal fires are burning

Here we come, fife and drum, propellers in the dawn
Here we come, on the run, our coal fires are burning
Here we come, fife and drum, under the radar we crept on!"

 

This boosted Clare's confidence and she goes straight for the leader, the blood of the fallen glistening and gleaming on the blade of her new favorite sword, the only thing known to take a minotaur down in one go. She charges him "YOU! I WILL KILL YOU IN ONE SWING!" she barks at him, pure anger burning in her eyes, and anyone who knew her well enough, knew to stay clear of her when her eyes were like that. Just as she neared him, she heard a voice "I will aid you" and it sounded like the mage, and all of a sudden the Dragon Sword's blade was engulfed in a magical flame.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal was lying on the blood soaked grass, by the pony who took her blade in his gut. Her visor was opened by the force of the blow and she tried to catch her breath as she saw the minotaur take his time to end her. She heard a familiar voice yelling and soon after a strange thing happenned: she saw a flash by his neck, he stammered and collapsed, his head cut clean off. The mare blinked in surprise but she saw another giant figure approaching,  this time with a great sword. The minotaur was clad in a padded jack and leather armour with studs. The mare rolled over and yanked her blade free from the nearby corpse, stood up and strapped her hammer back to her belt.  She heard something strange. A song?  But... how? The minotaur also heard it and looked around, spooked. She decided to take the opportunity. She charged in and as the bull struck downwards with enough force to split her in half,  she connected their bladed and pirouetted to his side, then cut a deep wound under his knee. She saw Clare rushing the leader and the locals rising up, but she couldn't help.  She has to butcher this cow first...

 

The song was booming all around and the locals joined I'm the chorus,  but Crystal Clear was in no mood for singing. She danced around the minotaur,  or at least tried in her heavy armor. A few times the greatsword was too close for comfort, even cutting her cape off her back, but the mare managed to avoid the giant blade and target his legs and gut - the parts with least muscle and easiest access to major arteries.  The bull was red from rage and bleeding freely when he slipped on one of the bodies.  Crystal used the opening to finish the fight and sliced his throat, which resulted in a red shower. No time for celebrations,  she ran towards the other mare who was fighting the last minotaurs.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

By the end of the two songs, it was just Clare and the leader of the minotaur raiders. She grins as she could tell that both songs spooked him as well as the sight of her fiery blade coated in the blood of his comrades. "This is for thinking you could take the town without consequence!" she slashes his left arm off.

 

"Fu.." he says as he feels the flames burn his wound "AARGH!"

 

"And this for harming and scaring innocent ponies!" she barks as she slashes at his right leg, lopping it off in an instant, he then tumbles back and falls onto his back, as he tries to stand back up, Clare grins wickedly "This is for thinking I'd go without a fight" she lops his other leg off and smirks then goes about chopping his other arm off, The flame of the blade cauterized the wounds instantly making it so he wouldn't bleed to death. "This is for the pain and suffering you've caused over the years" she says, stabbing his chest, and to his surprise it went right through his armor effortlessly, and it was right next to his heart. 

 

"I...I give..Uncle, I surrender!" he stutters

 

"Too late" she says "And this is just because I fucking despise your race" she says as she spits in his face, letting it sink in for a moment before effortlessly decapitating him. She notices that there were a few raider stragglers, she lifted up his head, shoved it on a pike and yells "LET THIS BE A LESSON TO MINOTAURS AND TRAITORS OF THE KINGDOM! I WILL END YOU WITHOUT BREAKING A SWEAT!" she says as she plants the spike at the entrance to the town as a warning.

 

She then goes back to the bodies, "Townsfolk, loot the bodies to your heart's content, but I must see the mayor or whoever is in charge of this town" she says to everypony before she goes to the leader's body to find any evidence of ties to the Minotaur kingdom or were they just after a high ransom.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear finished another minotaur on her way to Clarissa, since the townsponies were trying to put up a fight against him. Panting a bit and covered in blood, she opened her visor and took in the scene. Two minotaur were still alive, and Clare was butchering their leader.  She decided to wrap up the emergency and lend a hand against the remaining invaders.

 

Once there were no hostiles to fight, Crystal Clear walked over to Clarissa who was looking for evidence on the minotaur leader.  Seeing what she did to him, the crystal mare had to hold her breakfast in. Looking away from the carcass, she took off her helmet and leaned on a nearby wall, panting.  "*huff* What have you done to him? I've never thought you could be so... so..." There were no words for that. Suddenly weak as the adrenaline rush ended,  she sat and rest her back against the same wall, still holding to her blade for dear life. Crys saw as the ponies walked aimlessly on the battlefield.  She was a bit surprised to see the stallions, apparently they heard the battle and returned from the sea.

 

Remembering what they taught in the Academy, she gave herself a look over for injuries. She didn't see anything or felt any pain,  so that was good.  She could tell more after a bath. Feeling a bit better, she got up and walked to Clare. She was by that awful limbless carcass.

 

Trying to save some face,  she started flamboyantly. "That was fun, best fight in months..." She caught herself seeing the glare of everypony. "Ermm, right,  so now what? You found anything?  We need to look for their ship before nightfall, more stuff to turn into coin for the rebuilding effort... Hey you there! Send a boat both sides if the coast and look for a minotaur longship or any other vessel. Don't come aboard, just find it and report back, got it? Now go!" She ordered a few fisher ponies who really wanted to be someplace else to scout the shore. "What a mess..." She allowed herself a well educated observation as she noticed broken doors,  animal pens and other property damage. She didn't see any casualties but it didn't mean there weren't any. She sighed and sat on a nearby bench. "I'm too sober for this shit..."

 

-------------

 

Once Clarissa asked about local leadership, the townsfolk looked at each other, but none stepped forward.  Finally an older mare replied. "We're a small village, and our representative to the Lord died at sea a few months back. We haven't decided who would be the new one... The Lord is... difficult at best and nopony wants to go to him." She was holding her dress nervously, since she spoke Ill of the local noble. "A-anything regarding the village goes through the Lord anyway, so you'll be best to talk to him directly,  yes." She nodded as to confirm her words to herself, and other ponies nodded in agreement.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare growls lightly "I showed him and any other traitors what happens to traitors to the Kingdom" she says, spitting on the corpse then sighs before turning to the elderly mare "Who is this Lord of yours? Is he trustworthy, as I was going to give a letter to my father to allow the pony into the treasury to take what they need to rebuild everything" she says then looks to the stallions "I appreciate the aid you've all given us, rest assured that your bravery and loyalty will be rewarded and remembered" she says with a small smiles "If anypony has lost any loved ones during this terrible event, let me know and I will approach father to arrange for them to have a proper burial" she says, wiping some tears from her eyes. "Screw the local Lord, I'll just go to father and ask him to send our best builders over here, i am sure that the countess can do the same with her father as well" she mentions and finds a table from the inn and sits at it "I will be taking names of ponies who have lost houses and loved ones"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

The locals looked at each other with apprehension, neither willing to speak first about the Lord.  At last the same mare mustered the courage.  "I uhh, wouldn't consider him as such." Some of the ponies left the circle around the princess to find their families and see to their belongings.

 

The princesses proclamation was met with nods and a few thank yous, but the crowd was thinning fast as everypony  wanted to lend a hand in cleanup. The mare who became a sort of speaker for the community said with some relief.  "That would best, I think. In behalf of our community, I'd like to thank you for your kindness. We thought they would raze our homes and hurt us all..." Her voice trailed off. She remained by the princess to answer her queries and help while everypony else scattered to their duties.

 

"Give them some time, your highness. Let them check on their families and belongings.  If I may,  it would be best if you stayed with us until tomorrow,  to ease the tension and organise the folks. We all look up to you in this hour of trial..."

 

-------------------

 

Crystal Clear sat on her bench for a bit, looking as Clarissa rallied the villagers. When she heard her mention the countess, that is the crystal mare,  she waved from her spot and hollered "I'll help alright!" and looked at the ponies passing her. None spoke to her, and she saw a mixture of fear, awe, relief,  grief and anger on their faces. She could tell dome blamed her and her companion for what happened, and they would be right, in a way... She shook her head and flexed her arms, then wiped her blade in her gambeson and sheathed it securely,  then got up. Leaving her helmet on the bench, she walked to the battlefield to clean up her mess.

 

A few stallions were looting the corpses,  but this was too much for their stomachs.  Crystal walked to the closest one and patted him on the back to get his attention. "It's alright,  I also hate looting the bodies.  You can never get used to this stuff... would you be so nice and bring our cart from the road? We left it a couple minutes walk along the road. Thanks." The stallion nodded, relieved he now had a good excuse to get away from the bodies. Crystal Clear saw Dusty wandering between the fallen and she gave him a wave. The stallion waved back but she saw blood on his sleeve.  Could be a wound. The mare walked to the nearest corpse and liberated it from valuables,  useful items and anything that could be turned into coin...

 

She was unsatisfied with the state of affairs,  so she asked two other stallions to move the looted bodies into one place, so they could be later taken care of. All the loot was also dumped in one place to avoid missing anything in the blood soaked grass. The smashed tower shield also landed there, since the steel on it was still worth a fair bit. All in all, cleaning up the field tool half an hour or so, and resulted in two big piles. Satisfied with the result, Crystal Clear walked back into the village where she found her cart secured and the oxen tied to a nearby post. She tossed her helmet on the back of their cart and saw Clare writing losses of a long queue of ponies. The mare sighed deeply and walked to the shore - her scouts haven't yet returned. With no idea what to do next, she walked back to Clare and gave her a report. "Battlefield is cleaned up. We piled up the loot and bodies outside the village. I advise burning them to avoid disease... The fisherponies haven't returned yet so we have no Intel on the enemy vessel. I could lend a hand somewhere, but I don't know where to start... ideas?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare nods "burning is a good idea, though even then it's too good for those traitorous bastards, for the brave ponies who fought against them, yes they deserve a warriors burial, but those traitors, if it were up to me, I'd find somewhere far from town to throw them to the vultures" she says in a tone that said she was disgusted with the traitors before she finds something, it had the royal seal of the Minotaur king "I'm not even going to open this, I'll send this with the list to father, he will make the right decision" she says and sighs, looking at the inn, it was completely destroyed. She goes over to the cart, "Well this is an emergency" she says to herself as she gets out her emergency stash then goes to the Innkeeper "I take full responsability for what has happened here, and I truly am sorry that this lovely little town was dragged into this horrid affair" she says holding out the large bag of bits "This should cover the costs of rebuilding the inn and then some, I know it can't truly repay you for the damage done and everything, but it's all I can think of for now.." the she got a thought "this town is pretty vulnerable, I'll have the Knights Riders sent out some of their best to make sure this sort of thing doesn't happen again"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

 Crystal Clear looked at her marefriend with concern. She never saw her so... She didn't have the words for that, but she didn't like it. The mare just stood and watched as Clarissa handed the coin and made some more promises.

 

This was getting our of control.

 

Crystal Clear walked over to the mare, grabbed her by the hand and unceremoniously led into the stables.  Well, what was left of it. How could a small crew wreck a village like that?

 

Once they were out of sight she put her hands on Clare's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. With a deep sigh she started. "Look, I know you feel guilty and all but before the sun is down you'll erect a fortress here and award land and titles to every villager. Snap out of it Clare, we didn't know we were followed and you couldn't prevent it. Now look at me. LOOK. AT. ME.  Get something flammable and burn the corpses.  Piss on them of you feel so inclined but get them out of the way. Don't give me that stare, I'm doing it for your own good.  Go there and cool down I say. Chop the carcasses with your sword, get drunk, bang somepony, whatever works. If you want me I can take it from here but stop promising them more and more, this is going nowhere. We will do our best to rebuild and recompensate their loss you hear me? But in a proper manner. Finish that list and then burn the traitors, and once you can think straight again, come back and we will continue our work here."

 

She hugged the other mare and kissed her, then said. "I love you and you know I do this for you. So don't be a stubborn mule and let me help you okay? Now go finish that list."

 

Crystal let go of Clare and watched her next moves. 

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare looked at her love and hugged her close, sobbing into her mane "I just..I just want them to be happy and well protected, I f-fell like I failed them as their Princess" she says, still sobbing into her mane for at least a good ten minutes before she sighs and nods "I k-know you're right, " she says and sighs "I just hate having this feeling that I've failed them" she says before kissing her cheek then goes to help with the corpses.

 

Meanwhile Dusty was there "She means well, and Ah can understand how she feels, if anything were ter happen ter mah family, I'd feel responsible"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear held the sobbing mare close. She was on the verge of tearing up herself,  but she had to be strong for Clare. "I know,  I know..." She said patting her head and caressing her mane. "You are a great princess and you know why? Because you care. Any other noble would loot the corpses and be on their way but not you. But you have to see that you can't overdo it, or you post a garrison by every hut you visit.  This wasn't your fault you hear me?"

 

They stood like that for a small eternity, at last Clare regained some composure and went to burn the corpses. "That's it girl,  erase them with the flames." She said as her love turned to go. That's when she saw Dustyhoof , but his presence made no difference. Crystal Clear leaned on a wooden pillar and slid down on it into a sitting position, like she didn't have the strength to stand. "This is just beyond me... I know I need to keep it cool for Clare, but I just feel the accusation in the villagers eyes. They blame us for what happened.  You blame us. Yet we didn't know there was another attempt at Clarissa... I just want to lock myself in the wine cellar and never come out, you know? I want to run from responsibility, dump it on somepony else's lap and run." She gesticulated in exaggerated fashion,  leary distressed by the whole affair. "But there's nopony to clean up thus mess so I have to mare up and just do it... How's your arm and your family?  Anypony else hurt?"

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"We;re fine and Ah wouldn't worry about  the accusations, the ponies are just scared and frightened, once everything settles down, they'll forget about it and remember how you two protected the village by yourselves" he says, leaning on a support beam and closes his eyes "Ah can't speak fer everypony, but ah can tell you that mah family and I are very grateful for what you've done for us"

 

He smiles softly "Ah don't know what would have happen if ya didn't come to rescue us., I do know that mah family holds their loyalty to the King and your family very seriously, if ya were here and weren't Knights, then they would have protected ya with their lives"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crys looked at him inquisitive,  trying to notice any hint of a lie. She found none. "Thanks. Truth be told I need to step up my game or Clare and her ancient minotaur knife will save the day on their own. Almost got a huge war mace to the head back there..." The mare batted her ears and coked her head in surprise. "So, if we were clad in pretty dresses and didn't know how to hold the iron you would fight and die in our stead?" She shook her head. "Heroes get fancy graves Dusty, if none would live to tell the tale, then we would be in trouble. Don't underestimate the value of your lives. In such scenarios information is more important than impaling a raider or two. Just my two bits darling." She smiled at him to soften the blow to his honorable mindset.

 

A stallion ran into the stables, fisherpony by the look of him. He took a moment to catch his breath and said in an agitated voice. "Countess, we found the ship! It's a cog,  no longer than three our boats. We saw it in a small bay West from here, in the direction from Opal. It was anchored and we saw ponies on board, but didn't dare come closer to take a headcount." The mare rose to her hooves, approached the stallion and patted him on the shoulder while congratulating. "Good job, I'll think of a way to seize it. Now go to your family, I'm sure they were worried by your absence." The pony nodded and left, and Clare waved at Dusty to follow him. "Come, let's see how your sister-in-law plays with fire. And remind me to take a look at your arm."

 

The pair left the stables and walked in the direction of a collumn of smoke.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare was solemnly  watching as she watches the corpses burn, she couldn't bring herself to watch the bodies of the innocent burn "They deserved better" she says to herself not knowing that Crys or Dusty were there watching her. "I have failed as their Princess" she then looks to the sky "And I have failed you mother" she says softly, just then she feels a gentle hand on her shoulder to see her future brother in law smiling at her.

 

"No, you didn't fail. You heard the cries for help and you came to the aide of the town, you didn't just shrug it off and went on your way, you came and saved us, yes some of us died, yes some of our houses were ruined, but try thinking more on the positive. You saved many lives today, many innocent little lives" he says, putting more force into the words saved and little, known of her love for the foals "you saved many families and made sure that the little ones still had their mothers and fathers to take care of them" he says with a soft and warm smile.

 

Clare just broke down at that, she hugs him and cries into his mane, he simply just held her and stroked her mane "It's okay big sister, and I know, that your mother would be very proud of you" he says then looks to Crys "the same goes to you countess, you saved a lot of lives today as well"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal and Dusty walked outside the village and saw Clarissa  staring at the funeral pyre of their enemies. Ponies erected another one for their loved ones, but placed the deceased respectfully. A few families were standing nearby, and Crys keenly noticed that there weren't many bodies in there. Most probably the fact that stallions were at sea saved them from getting slaughtered before the mares arrived. A small consolation seeing all those tears.

 

She walked towards Clare but the stablecolt  reached her first. Truth be told, she got jealous that he got to comfort her but, well, she wouldn't separate them just to stroke her ego. The crystal mare nodded at Dusty when he mentioned her, but her mind was occupied with other matters. That ship would fetch good coin, and maybe further Intel... She paced back and forth,  stroking her chin and pondering how to seize it. Keeping herself occupied was her best coping mechanism, aside from drinking that is, and getting hammered like an old anvil was out of the question.

 

She gave her love all the time she needed to recuperate, and once she let the stallion go, Crys waved at her. "We need to talk, come with me."

 

She led her marefriend on a short walk outside the village. "There's one more matter we need to take care of, and I think you'll like it. They found the ship our would-be captors arrived. It's anchored nearby and crewed by ponies, maybe a privateer or simple pirate but it's a pony vessel. Confiscating it will give a huge financial boon to the rebuilding effort,  you'll have the opportunity to vent on a few more traitors and maybe they will have some more Intel.  So, what do you say? We get them at nightfall?" She nudged her marefriend playfully with her hip, trying to pick her mind out of the doom and gloom she dragged herself into, but seeing it didn't work, she just hugged her tight and said nothing.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"T-thank you little brother, I needed that" she says to him with a soft nuzzle and a kiss to the cheek before letting go of him to let him go back to his duties,  She then follows her marefriend and nods "They found the ship?" she asks then smiles "you are right, not only would we boost the possibility of getting materials here quicker, we would take out the possibility of more raids...for the time being" she says and hugs her "These traitors make me sick, but we ought to get some backup, just in case as we don't fully know what we would be facing"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal rolled her eyes and sighed,  still hugging her love. "I'm asking you out on a battle date and you extend the invitation to a guard detatchment?" She poured and continued. "Fine, we'll go back to the inn and you'll write a letter for miss Hooves to deliver. Pegasus guards should arrive before sunrise so you could lead the raid. I'll just... stand on shore and cheer for you, or something." She let go of the other mare and walked her back to the inn. "Come on, let's not waste any more of the mailmare's time. I saw her around somewhere."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare giggles and pulls her in "Well then, why didn't you just say so" she says, kissing her deeply before letting go of her, "We will still need to prepare, no point rushing into something being little prepared" she says and holds her hand "Plus I'm kinda hungry" she says and looks to her "How romantic, lopping off enemy heads" she says with a dry smirk then kisses her again "Come on, I'm starving. We'll eat and plan then we'll go raid that ship"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal blushed profundly at the sudden kiss, and replied in a sheepish manner. "I uhh, just wanted to take your mind off the worries, and... kinda overdid it, maybe?" Thankfully Clare changed the topic and the mare listened, nodding, but another rhetoric jab required some kind of riposte. Once their lips parted,  Crys pouted and replied, somewhat hurt. "You missed the point! Fighting back to back is rather special, but think of the after party!" She made a wide gesture with her free hand, as if showing her the world. 'Once we dump the bodies overboard,  it's just you and me on a boat under a million stars. Maybe we could even spend the rest of the night there..." She winked knowingly as they approached the village. "Okay, let's get rid of that plate and raid our wagon for chow. No point thinning their supplies, right? You write the letters and we take a nap before the raid." She looked at her blood smeared armor.  "Guhh, I wish I had the time to clean it properly..."

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne, 

 

Clare closed her eyes and a big smile crosses her face "Alright, you bought me" she says and holds her close "you and me, fighting back to back, then spending the night on the ship, under the stars" she says "That does sound nice and romantic, then we can also discuss our future together" she says, kissing her as they go to the cart "bread and cheese" she says with a chuckle and she cuts off a large chunk of the Swiss cheese and gives it to Crys with some bread and sauce "here you go love, I'll go find miss hooves" 

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

Crystal Clear grinned like mad when Clarissa bought her idea. She nudged her and said. "Nice save huh?"

 

The mare was less pleased once she was holding her ration. She made a pretty funny face as she mocked disgust. "I swear if I never eat that stuff again it will be too soon..." Seeing Clare leaving to find the mailmare, the crystal pony laid her meal and took off her dirty armor, till she was dressed just in a pair of charcosl breeches and a white shirt, with her crystal heart necklace proudly on display. 'Ah, much better." She combed her mane in shape with her fingers and retired her ponytail,  and only then did she start eating.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

 @@Raven Rawne,

 

 

A couple minutes later, Clare returns "Did you really think I'd let you eat just rations?" she says with a giggle as she gives her some fresh fish and meat from the inn and some cider "Here you go love, enjoy" she says as she begins to eat her own meal and sighing softly "Remember that time we were deployed to across the ocean and we got stuck in the middle of the sea for day on end with nothing but our rations for food and water and only ourselves for entertainment?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Orange Sparks

 

She looked at the laden mare with a dose of surprise. "I thought we were supposed to stay away from their stockpiles.  They didn't look like coin eating types..." Still, she shrugged and accepted the food and cut a slice of fish with her dagger.

 

She nearly spat out at the memory,  but managed to swallow and only then burst in laughter. "Oooh come on! How could I forget? We could die there and I shined the whole time! Now that I think of it we made some serious research on my crystal form... Who would have thought that you could see... mmph?" She looked questioninly at Clare who was holding her hand over her mouth. A pretty obvious cue to shut up.

[Sphinx-Ara 3,550]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Clare smiles and sees little Rose Petal holding a small stuffed kitten in her arms. She kneels down and pets her on the head "I hope you kept to your promise and let your parents know that you would be coming to see us sweetie, because remember, a Princess is only good if she keeps her promises" she says as she scoops up the little filly and hugs her "And who is this little cutie? Are you going to introduce me to your friend dear?"

 

She looks at Crystal "Oh come on, you know I give in too easily to the little ones"