private The Mute And the Outcasted (1x1 With The Ceberus)

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"O...Oh..." Maple said flustered by the sudden mentioning of them knowing "Very observant of you... I thought I was doing ok with hiding that... guess not..." Maple continued her brushing motion, so it easy to tell it was something she did when she was nervous, perhaps something picked up from her mother. "Sorry..."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

"Sorry?" Midnight asked chuckling "There's nothing to be sorry about." She didn't say anything else, giving time to Maple and Speechless to collect their thoughts. Speechless felt embarrassed for knowing he was so easy to read, though he wasn't that surprised that his parents had noticed it, since they were his parents, and he knew they knew more about him, than he knew they knew.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Well if you think it's alright then I guess there really isn't anything to be sorry about." Maple looked at speechless and smiled "I think he's one of few who actually does see me for more than just a defender of Equestria... He sees me as I am." Her words had carried weight with them she meant what she said

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless smiled back at Maple, and made small unintentional agreeing movements when she talked about him seeing more than her status. He would have 'said' something, but taking the notebook out and writing something would have, broken the moment so to speak, and his expression and such told a lot already. Both Crimson and Midnight were smiling and neither of them said anything, but Midnight whispered something to Crimson, so quietly that it was almost unnoticeable.

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Well... I'll treat him nicely. It's not often someone like Speechless comes into my life... I've only had one pony act like he does to me. And that's my brother." Maple said looking first at Crimson and then to Speechless. "Sorry if I made things awkward though..."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless replied again with mostly expressions, and when Maple had finished, Midnight spoke kindly "Oh, you didn't make anything awkward, we just didn't want to interrupt you." "And though it shouldn't matter, know that we don't have anything against you two being together." Crimson then added "And we will keep this between us, so you can keep it secret as long as you see fit."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Thanks that makes me feel better." Maple replied pretty relieved "I'm not sure what I would've thought had you not wanted it. You don't mind however so, thank you." Maple was starting to get lost in thought again, she was trying to think of something the two could do since it was still sorta early in the night

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Midnight and Crimson responded with a friendly smile, noticing that Maple seemed thoughtful, so they didn't say anything, and instead just continued eating. Speechless wasn't yet fully comfortable being open about his feelings in front of his parents, but that was only because they were his parents, it felt odd. He also tried to come up with something to do. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple chucked a bit "I'm not used to stuff like this. I've got no idea what normal ponies do to just 'have fun' I'm so busy around this time." She said to Speechless parent's as she ran out of Ideas of stuff to do. "Do you two know anything?" She again got nervous she wasn't sure how they'd respond to what she'd just said but Combat is the only thing she excelled in and she'd rarely just spent time with someone.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless couldn't come up with anything either, he didn't know what even not-normal ponies did for fun. Midnight seemed thoughtful for a moment "I don't know what 'normal' ponies do, but we used to go for a walk, to small events, eat together, really anything like that and just, talk." 

Edited October 23, 2017 by The Cerberus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple nodded to each of the suggestions "Maybe we could go to a small event. I heard the trade... The thing, was near canterlot this time of year... It's the thing where you trade items to ponies for other things. Mom told me that She almost had to move here for an agreement to get Rainbow dash a sighed book. So she didn't have a necessarily 'good' experience, but everything worked out in the end I guess."

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless also seemed to be aright with the suggestions , and he knew what event Maple was talking about. Midnight looked surprised "Really? I knew there was some crazy trades, but that sounds pretty extreme." "But that could be one option, I have heard there is also a night trade, never been there though, so I don't know for sure." she smiled "Though it's between you two to decide where you go."

Edited October 23, 2017 by The Cerberus

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple looked at speechless silently asking if that sounds like something he'd want to do she had a friendly aura about the question too so she didn't mind if he didn't want to go especially if he knew what happened involving the story she just mentioned but she'd gone once or twice and found some neat stuff those times.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless just nodded with a smile, he had never been in the trading-event, but he had some stuff he wanted to get rid off, and he needed something to decorate his house in the Everfree, nothing super special, but something more than picture of his parents. 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple stood up and stretched "So it's a plan then?" She said sarcastically. "Well. Thank you for the food." She said to Midnight and Crimson "Also thanks for allowing me to stay while I was hurt. I know it's not exactly something ponies says no to but mom taught me to thank even the smallest of things. you two have a good rest of the evening and I'll make sure Speechless is safe." She lastly opened the door after grabbing the dress rarity made her, in case she wanted to wear it.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless drank some chocolate milk and then also got up, thanking his parents with polite gesture and some noises. Midnight replied to Maple "You're welcome, and feel free to come knock to our door if you ever need anything, we're always glad to help." Speechless followed Maple.  

[Maple Bat 3,568]

After speechless had left Maple smiled "Hope you're bringing some bits because you'll need quite a few to get something good from the Trade market, There's all kinds of different stuff there I'm sure you'll find something you'll want there." Maple chucked "Though perhaps you've already got something in mind? Well, whatever it is you may want it'll probably be there. Let's not waste much time since it won't be around forever." Maple added as she took off heading to the building's exit.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless closed door and smiled at Maple, and after she said about the bits and such, he took out his notebook and wrote, catching up with Maple, "Actually, now that you mentioned it, I need to do a quick visit at my place before we go to the market." "I need to get bits, and I also have some stuff I could try to exchange."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Oh sure that's not a problem, I always carry mine with me..." Maple started to say after she read the text "Well, those that mom and dad don't need at least. I just kinda don't trust them just sitting out in my house, but it's mostly because I never know when I might need them, You on the other hoof, I'm guessing you don't normally need them huh?" Maple chuckled as she walked outside.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

It took a second for Speechless to fully understand what Mable had just said,but when he understood that she meant the bits, he wrote, following close to Maple, "Not really, I always carry few bits with me just in case, but I never bring more than that until I know I will need them." 

[Maple Bat 3,568]

"Oh, Huh... That makes a lot more sense but no one's gonna mess with the captain of the night guard... Well and live to tell about it at least... Well... Minus those few changelings..." Maple shrugged "I shouldn't need to worry about them trying to kidnap me with you here." Maple covered her snout with her wing Crap I didn't mean to say that.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

Speechless reacted with mixed feelings, he was slightly shocked that that would be something maple had to worry about, but he also felt sorry for her about it, and it also in a way made sense, since replacing captain of enemy army would be a tactical advantage, and considering that even he knew that, regardless of not having any knowledge about those things, it was certain that changelings knew it too. 

He could tell from Maple covering her snout that she said something she didn't meant to, but he didn't see why she wouldn't want to tell it. He wrote, "So they do it frequently enough for you to worry about it constantly?" "You can be honest about it with me."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple tensed up when she read the response to it but she decided to be honest and with a nod Maple told him "I can barely walk a street and not be armed because of the risk of a changeling showing up. To be honest I think they only attack when I'm alone... Seeing as I haven't been attacked by a changeling since we met. Still, I'm scared they're planning something." Maple started to feel bad, I mean this fear of hers had basically been seen as irrational by ponies before hand but it was true she was a highly sought after pony when it came to changelings. Which could have led to her being so distant from others.

[Catpone Cerberus 23,599]

It was now visible that Speechless felt sorry for Maple, sure she had told earlier about the risk of somepony being replaced so changelings could get close to her, but he didn't imagine it being so bad that she couldn't be alone unarmed. He wrote a reply, but before showing it to Maple, he checked that there was nopony around, and hugged Maple, hoping that it would comfort her even a little, and after that, he showed what he had written, "I can't imagine how it feels." "I haven't lived the safest life either but" smudge "If I can help in any way, please tell me."

[Maple Bat 3,568]

Maple smiled for once somepony didn't feel scared or leave her alone because of the risks of changelings even knowing both of them now where at a huge risk "T... Thanks." Maple managed to say. "I... Just needed someone to walk with... maybe then I can stop worrying about these changelings but ever since we left those tunnels I've been unarmed and nothing bad has happened to me thanks to you. You've done more than enough to help..." Right now Maple was a too focused on thanking him to really understand why the smudge was there.