//------------------------------//
// An Exchange of Preparation 
// Story: A Cultural Exchange 
// by Illiad_Easle 
//------------------------------//

Illiad's expression looked relieved as he turned to Dax, the excuse he had prepped earlier ready to go. "Glad to see you're awake, you took a nasty spill but Selena was able to patch you up quick and assured us you'd be okay so we didn't go get Ziggy. As to whether you missed something, what's the last thing you remember?"  

Dax scratched his head a bit, his thoughts fuzzy and thick.

"We'd... come inside the Pony Express office to... to see Taps about... about..."

She took the moment to give the Cooler Pack a little push towards him.  The sight of it triggered the memory, and to the Empathic, it felt as if Dax's pilot light finally caught.

"OH!  Oh yeah!  We were here to ask if Taps had anything that would be a good gift for a mailpony, right?  Is this it?"

Dax looked over the pack for a moment before giving Illiad and Taps a glance.

"What is it?"

Illiad nodded with a smile, "Oh good you didn't miss much at all. This is, apparently, a cooler pack. By my understanding it's basically the opposite of a jacket, cooling rather than warming by using water that can also be drunk. Rather useful I would say." 

Though he seemed a bit confused, Dax shook his head to clear the cobwebs, then gave a smile, tentative at first, but growing as he spoke.

"Okay... yeah, hey!  This'll work PERFECTLY, won't it Illiad?  We'll take it!"  He reached for it... then stopped and looked at Taps.  "It IS okay to take it, isn't it?"

Taps waved it away.  "Yes, do - all yours, Dax."

He seemed quite happy to have found something unique... yet Taps herself seemed happier still; she'd found a friend, after all, it seemed... just in the most unlikely of places.  She grinned at the two of them.  "Thanks so much, Taps - you're great!"

The pegasus mare chuckled softly.  "No, no... I'm just me.  You're welcome, Daxter - make sure to send a postcard from Troy when you get there," she looked to Illiad, "and make it a scenic one - I might wish to imagine myself there, someday."

Illiad's smile quirked, "Well, Troy isn't all that scenic being a desert, but I think we'll be able to find something to pique your interest."

Dax nodded.  "And how!  C'mon, Illiad - I haven't even packed for the trip!  We could head down to the camp and-... say... you haven't even seen my room in the manor, have you?  You feel like helping me pack?"

As he spoke, he headed for the door, lost in his conversation with his best friend; he did give Taps a wave as he departed.  A wave she returned with a touch of disappointment and a dash of hope for the future... and a smile for Illiad Easle.

Illiad turned back towards Dax as they started moving, "I guess I haven't seen your room yet, I'd be happy to help you get started before dinner, though there'll be plenty of time to finish packing before we leave tomorrow, especially considering how many of the ponies here want to talk to me before we leave. Nonetheless, I'll follow where ever you want to go."

Dax grinned and headed for the manor.

It was certainly interesting to see how Dax seemingly shrugged off whatever it was that Taps/Steel Wheels had done to him; he just rolled on as if nothing had happened out of the ordinary.  It gave pause to wonder if Taps had ever used that on anypony else...

However, there seemed to be no ill effects, and one would assume that Taps knew a little something about her charges, so it was fairly safe to assume he wouldn't suffer any harm from it.

As they reached the manor, they arrived just in time for Vylia's opulent carriage to roll into view; she had apparently been out and was now home.  A number of packages were stacked and bound to the roof, looking as if they wouldn't budge on anything less than a hydra attack.  The twins were unhooking themselves from the contraption as Illiad and Dax walked up, and they both smiled at the pair.

"Greetings!" said Call, smiling broadly at the Trojan.

"Salutations!" said Beck, happy to see them both.

Illiad smiled and waved at the pair as he approached with Dax, "And a good day to you two, all is well in the outside world I presume?"

He took a moment to inspect the pile of boxes as he passed, perhaps it was a habit from his younger days when his parents would come home with boxes, but he was interested in where they boxes had come from. Way back when it would indicate if it was something cool or something mundane. 

Illiad got his response, but not from the butlers.

"As well as can be on a shopping trip!"

The mistress of the manor, Vylia Blackwater, leaped lightly out of the carriage and landed on her freshly-manicured hooves.  She sauntered up to the four of them, smiling coquettishly.

"I'm sure you're wondering what all this is about, hmmm?  Well, news has reached my lovely ears about QUITE a step up in the world, all thanks to my husband, a fair princess..." She leaned in on Illiad, nothing but sweetness and reined-in excitement in her emotional makeup.  "... and a certain Trojan hero."

The twins nodded; they'd obviously heard this already, yet there was some excitement in them as well.

"So, as a token of utter goodwill and to extend a hoof to those who may be in need, I have worked my way through a number of shops in Canterlot and brought ALL of these gifts as a gesture toward the ponies - and other residents - of Troy!  I simply INSIST that these things return with you when you head to Troy... BOTH of you..."

A roll of motherly concern rippled from the mare as she looked to her young son, so much a stallion like his father was, yet with even MORE potential than both of his parents combined, in her personal opinion.  She'd miss him fiercely, but she wasn't about to restrict him, either.

"Now, you won't have a thing to worry about - each and every single thing you see here is bought and paid for with my own bits, so there should be no worries about passing customs.  Especially since I know a few officials who can fast-track parcels through customs, as long as the paperwork is complete.  Which, of course, it is, dearie."

She gave that 'I-know-things-you-don't' smile, then stepped lightly over to her assistants.

"Beck, Call... get these on the buckboard wagon for tomorrow; I daresay they'll be unmolested 'til morning, eh?"

They nodded in unison, then turned and headed to the garage stall around the side.  Before they left sight, however, they both waved back at the unicorn and the earth pony.  Dax waved back, of course.

Turning back to Illiad, she lifted an eyebrow.  "Now, I know you'll simply try to wiggle out of this generosity, dearie - so I'll have you know that the postal processing fees are already paid, the correct paperwork in transit, and should be cleared by customs by the time you two head off."

She stepped up to come muzzle to muzzle with Illiad, a quirky yet serious look in her eyes.

"And I simply will NOT take a refusal of my gifts to the citizens of Troy; it would be rude, dearie."

It was her emotions that gave her away; she'd discovered about Luther's deal and was excited that the quarry would soon be, effectively, its own entity.  She was making the first gesture toward Troy - it was sort of jumping the gun, but a bold move all the same.

The boxes that were neatly stacked around were far more copious than originally estimated; there were a LOT more than he'd thought there were.  They were fine and fancy-looking, and they seemed to be clothing boxes for the most part; however, there were a few parcels that were bigger than the others - though it didn't seem like they were as glamorous as the other containers.

"These are... er, well..."

She seemed a bit embarrassed by what she was going to say; there was a LOT of Dax in that gesture.

"... they're towels."

Dax Blackwater gave his mother the oddest of looks.

"Stop that, Daxter; your face will freeze that way."

Dax stopped instantly; well-trained, to be sure.

Vylia turned back to face Illiad.  "Now, whatever you might think I'm implying, simply hear me out.  I could send any countless number of nic-nacks, decorations, and other pretty but useless things... OR, as I've chosen to do, I am sending them the most durable cloth in all of Canterlot, specifically woven to withstand nearly any rough treatment.  Rather well-proportioned and pre-measured rectangles of excellent cloth that a good Trojan seamstress could certainly get rather creative with, hmmm? The larger boxes," she pointed, "are bolts of that same material; I simply figured there should be enough for almost everypony to get at least one."

She looked at the pile of boxes, then grinned sheepishly - a perfect match for Dax's own.  There was no doubt this was the Blackwater stallion's mother; they were more alike than they might have known.

"This is simply the shipment I brought home; there will be a few more on the train itself, I promise you - these were, essentially, the samples."

Towels?

Illiad's expression at the news was rather strange. It seemed to be a mix of surprise and awe, as well as a good deal of confusion and the slightest bit of fear. "Um... I don't know what to say, thank you, though, I'm sure we'll be able to figure out a good way to get it distributed."

His face shifted to a confused pondering as he wondered what had possessed Vylia into thinking Canterlot had a better robe fabric than Troy did, but furthermore he wondered what had given her the idea that this sort of thing would be easy to gift to an entire nation. Well, I'll just pass it on to Midget, I'm sure he'll have a good idea on how to use this to our political advantage. The demonstration as physical evidence to my success in foreign affairs should be a great boon to our cause.

He gave a smile and a nod, content with that thought, "I'm sure the citizens of Troy will appreciate the gesture." 

"Certainly - of COURSE they will!"

She almost sounded as if she were trying to convince herself more than him, but she didn't falter; far be it for Vylia Blackwater to lose face with her generosity - however 'eccentric' her gestures were.

Dax shook his head.  "Mother... this is... it's a great idea.  I bet the Trojans could make some good robes or tents from it."

Robes might be a bit thick for towel material... but tents might be an idea; if they were as thick as she claimed, they'd keep out the chill at night, and the sand as well.  It wasn't a bad idea - just a strange one.  Though she had to have a few marks for making her gift utilitarian.

Of course, HOW utilitarian was still left to be seen.

Dax motioned towards the manor discretely, then gave his mother a grin.  "Illiad and I should go on inside; we don't want to be in the way."

She gave them both a motherly once-over, then smiled sweetly.

"Yes, yes - of course.  DO make sure to show for supper tonight; I would like to give you a proper send-off, Illiad.  It would only be proper for such an esteemed guest of the Blackwater family!"

Dax took the cue and began heading for the doors, as he did, he spoke sotto voce to his Trojan friend.

"I think we dodged a fireball on that one; she would've had us hauling boxes, too."

Illiad shrugged, "I'm not sure that would happen, though to be honest, I wouldn't mind too much to be asked to help out. Let's just get inside before she has the chance to change her mind, you won't want to feel rushed when you pack for this trip or you might just forget something important." 

They made their way into the elegant manor, taking the large grand staircase and making their way through the halls until finally stopping outside of what simply appeared to be another room in this rather regal estate.  The door was closed, but Dax gave a bit of a conspiratorial grin as he ran his hoof along the top of the doorframe, stretching up onto his back hooves to reach.

A key fell, but Dax deftly caught it before it hit the floor.  He unlocked the door, carefully returning the key to its' hiding place before entering the room.  As he crossed the threshold, he motioned with a hoof.

"Welcome to Chez Dax, Illiad!"

It was actually rather large; there was enough space in here that one of the quarry sheds could fit inside without even touching the walls!  It seemed as though his room had been specifically tailored to have FAR more space than normal.  There was a comfy-looking bed with a canopy, a rather nice dresser and wardrobe, even a couch with coffee table and chairs to entertain company.  At the far end of the room, Illiad could also see what appeared to be a small fountain, water chuckling away softly in the background, and the shelves lining the room were covered with books of all kinds.

However, when Illiad looked up, he was taken by surprise.

The ceiling was about the equivalent of two stories above their heads; it was lit up with stars and constellations.  LITERALLY lit up; Illiad could see them twinkle as he looked.  There were galaxies and nebulae, and... well, it was almost a perfect rendition of the Equestrian night sky.  It was the work of either a master of the constellation arts... or somepony determined enough to do this job well.  Dax stepped up next to him, also looking skyward.

"It's magic paint; not cheap, either.  I got Mother to help me, and I painted it all by hoof.  Each constellation is 100% accurate in spacing and positioning... at least, according to the midnight sky from the roof.  I kept adding to it as I grew up, but..."  He sighed.  "... well, I sorta moved to the woods, and I haven't slept in this room ever since.  Not that it's bad - it's a great room - but, well..."

He shrugged, but the unicorn got the feeling there was more to that statement.

"Anyway, I was just gonna grab a few things from here for the trip... but maybe I should ask you what kind of clothing would be best for Troy's climate?"

It took a few moments for Illiad to actually look away from the artwork of the ceiling, it was immersive to the point where he was moving his head back and forth to gauge the apparent depth of the painted sky.

"Oh? Oh!" he looked away from the ceiling and back towards Dax with a bit of an embarrassed expression, "Sorry, it's just your room is so much more amazing than I've ever had. It really is impressive and with the level of detail I'm surprised your mark isn't in astronomy or painting. Anyway..."

He spared another look at the ceiling before turning back towards Dax, "General Trojan climate would dictate a level of clothing similar to mine, it get's decently cold at night, not quite as cold as it gets here at night but it's quite the contrast from the heat of the day, especially during the summer. We'll be up and about during the night anyway, so we'll probably get you a Trojan robe to keep you warm and so you won't stand out so much when I'm showing you around."

A nostalgic smile came to his face, "Getting a robe was the first thing Swift had me do when he was showing me around after I first arrived, it really helped with the sense of community and belonging. You know, I wonder if he would want to give you the same tour he gave me?"

He shook his head to refocus himself, "Anyway, the basics of clothing then is something that covers that is also light and not too warm. That's to both keep the sand off of you and to keep you from overheating while out on the dunes. Oh, if you have shoes... well, I guess you won't be around long enough for that to really matter anyway so don't worry about that."

Dax rummaged around in his dresser and wardrobe, occasionally yanking out this robe or that shirt... but eventually, his pace slowed.  The emotion coming from him was one of introspection, and the look on his muzzle matched it as he looked around the wardrobe door at his best friend.

"Y'know... this will be the first time I've ever gone ANYWHERE, really... maybe I should just take a bunch of bits, and buy clothes there?  This way, I'd KNOW I'd have what I needed, right?  Still... it just feels weird to know I won't be here for a whole week; I don't think I've spent THAT much time away from my family in my entire life.  It's... kinda disconcerting."

The smile that followed was one of Dax's better ones.  "But that won't get me down - heck, I'm all sorts of excited for seeing Troy!  I mean, it'll be great to actually have room to think for myself; it's hard to do when you're me."

He chuckled, then looked back at the ceiling.

"Yeah, it was a project for a long time... but I did it because... well..."

The blush on his face gave it away; he did it for Luna, of course.  Not that she'd ever see it, but the stallion's mood was practically singing it - any Empathic could tell it was a labor of affection, and Illiad knew that Dax only had eyes for ONE mare.

Dax didn't say anything else about it - he was already digging around in a trunk, his flank in the air.

"I think I have a stash of bits here somewhere..."

Illiad's eye was drawn to a small table next to the canopy bed; on it, there was a multi-fold picture frame.  Three sides showed, and there were photographs in all three.  

The first was a picture of Luther and Vylia, only slightly younger, and locked in an embrace.  Both of their eyes were closed, and Luther was affectionately nuzzling his wife lovingly.  He almost appeared to be smiling...

The second was a small family portrait of Dax, Luther, Vylia and Oglevy, looking regal and calm - something that must have taken a miracle to achieve with the naughty colt in attendance.

The third was of a Dax Blackwater that looked about as old as Oglevy currently was... and a blue stallion standing next to him, a hoof around his shoulders.  The older stallion looked carefree, happy-go-lucky, and concerned for nothing more in the world than the little colt in the circle of his foreleg.

Illiad’s smile quirked at the thought of the love this family had within it, it reminded him of his own family really, even if this one was a bit less open with their emotions. 

Dax kept rummaging, oblivious to Illiad's gaze.

Illiad nodded as he sat down near the center of the room to get a good vantage of everything within it, "I suppose bringing bits to buy clothes would work well enough, that just leaves getting into Troy when we arrive and a simple cloak will cover that need well enough. The only things I can think of that you'd need to bring with you would be toiletries like your toothbrush and such, also something to do on the train in case we run out of things to talk about because the scenery for the majority of the trip will be just flat sandy wasteland, especially after we switch trains at Dodge."

Dax pulled himself from the wardrobe and shook off a few rogue bits of clothing before chuckling and gathering them together, placing them back where they belonged.

"Okay, toothbrush, comb, and deodorant... maybe soap?  Sure - soap, too.  Maybe I could bring a few books to pass the time... though I may decide to talk a mile a minute the whole way, too!"  He laughed about it, the young stallion in perfect harmony with himself at that moment.

"Since I'm just bringing bits, I guess we can skip this part..."

All the same, he took another moment to stare up at his hoofdiwork on the ceiling above.  "... I can hardly wait to see the stars in Troy; I'll bet they're just as beautiful as they are here."

Illiad looked back up at the stars, "They're certainly different, though some of the same constellations can still be seen."

They gazed on for a moment... then Dax gave a start and looked over at Illiad.

"Wait... who else WERE we supposed to see today?"

Illiad looked contemplative at the question of who they had left to see, "Well, we're expected at dinner, and then your father want's to see me before I go to sleep tonight. At which point we'll meet up with Silver to do that shared dream. Tomorrow morning both Oglevy and Slapper wanted to talk to me before we left. I think that's all the obligations we have left tonight then." 

"Wow."

That said, the young stallion grew quiet for a moment.  The emotion coming from him was a tad melancholy... but not actually sad.

"Illiad," he said, "you originally just came here for my benefit... but since you've been here, you've made a LOT of friends.  The foreponies like you - even Redd, I think - Silver adores you, and Ziggy..."  he laughed, "well, she likes EVERYPONY, so that's no surprise."

"But seriously, a lot of the folks here really like you... even my family, and we don't agree on very much when it comes to other folks, y'know?  Father doesn't like ANYPONY but us... and you.  That's actually more of an accomplishment than you know, Illiad."

He looked at the Trojan with a question in his eyes.

"How do you do it?  I mean, could you maybe give ME some pointers for when we go to Troy?  I mean, I don't wanna see you do so well here, then I go to your home and end up embarrassing you or anything like that... I just hope I do even half as well there as you've done here!"

He stood up and paced a bit while he spoke.

"I wanna make all sorts of new friends... and I wanna see the stars... and the desert... and the changelings... and the observatory... and the concert..."

He realized that he was simply listing off things he was looking forward to and that it didn't leave much room for conversation if he didn't stop talking for a moment.  He stopped and turned to face Illiad once again. 

"Wow... I guess I'm just excited, is all."

Another patented Dax-brand sheepish grin; adorable.

Illiad looked over at Dax with a smile, "You really are worried, aren't you? Well, like I said earlier, you don't need to be so worried about potentially embarrassing me. As to making friends, to be honest, I don't really know how I ended up so lucky as to actually befriend as many as I did. But I'll tell you what I do know about friend making as I guess we'll see if that works for you. In my case, most want to be around me because I make them feel good, I provide an emotional benefit in a relationship because I'm empathic and thus want to see those around me feeling positive. My insight allows me to know when it's good to talk or when it's better to just listen. As to you, you don't have that same insight nor are you able to provide that emotional benefit on the same level I am, despite that you've managed to make friends before and you've befriended me. My advice to you in Troy is to be just as curious and interested in what others have to say as you were with me and in the letters. At least my friends would greatly appreciate it if you seemed to genuinely care about them and what they have to say."

Illiad thought for a moment before he shrugged, "There isn't really a clear-cut formula to making a friend I guess. But I believe in you, don't worry so much and you'll do just fine. Your excitement will really work to your benefit really, so long as you don't get talking about it so much that you forget to listen as well." 

Dax gave a slight grin.

"Just be myself huh?  Heh, funny... that's exactly the kind of advice I'd expect from you.  Thanks, Illiad - I'm really glad to have met you."

He trotted close enough to give the unicorn a quick squeeze of a hug before stepping back and regarding the room again.

"Okay, I guess we're done here - and long before I thought we'd be.  So now, I guess the question would be as simple as 'what do we do 'til dinner?'  You have any ideas?"

It had been an entire week at this quarry - had they seen everything already?

Illiad looked around for some sign of the time, since lunch they'd been to Taps' toured the garden, then spent another long while at Taps', he thought, and felt, that it should be pretty close to dinner time anyway. "There isn't much time left before it is actually dinner time right? Perhaps we could set up wherever we want to do our thing tonight so it's all ready when we are? Just throwing out ideas here."

He couldn't think of anything at the quarry he still wanted to see, everything he had heard about he had seen to his heart's content. He supposed now was really the time to relax a bit before they entered the new crazy excitement that would be Dax's time in Troy. 

Dax grinned.  

"Yeah, we could do that... hey, where ARE we gonna have this big sleepover?  I mean, we'd need a place where the three of us could lie down safely, right?  Uhm..."  

He paced a moment, then his face lit up.

"Hey... why not right here?"  He motioned with a hoof to his own room.  "There's plenty of room, and I've got more than enough pillows and blankets for everypony.  Plus, we'd be safe in the manor, I'm SURE of that.  And, if we wanted to, we could even grab some snacks from the kitchen, eh?"

He seemed rather pleased with the idea; Illiad could feel the grin Dax's heart was currently giving off.

"Whaddya think?  We could have it in my room... unless... wait, what about using the Garden?  OH!"

His smile redoubled.

"The Garden WOULD be a nice place, too!  Quiet, pretty, secluded... and we'd be able to see SO many stars from there!  I could grab some of my spare camping gear, and we'd be able to say or do whatever we wanted there!"

Dax turned to his friend.  "Well?  Either of those sound good?  Got somewhere else in mind?"

Illiad looked contemplative, "While the garden would typically have been my pick, it's a bit overgrown to be the perfect spot. Were it well tended I would choose it in a heartbeat. However, I think right here would be the most comfortable option, it's warm as well as very close to where we need to be in the morning, and the easy access to food is a good plus."

He looked back up at the stars in the ceiling, "Besides, I really like these stars you've painted. I can see the night sky any night but I'll only really have tonight to enjoy your hard work up there."

Dax blushed and simply said, "Awww... it's just what I wanted to do", but internally his heart leaped at such praise from the Trojan.

The two of them set about preparing the room; Dax eventually insisted that they have a palette in the middle of the room, made of blankets and pillows, where they could just all lie together with enough space to stretch out and not accidentally bump each other in the night.

Of course, there was always the possibility that Silver wouldn't want to wander far from Illiad's side tonight... but that was for later.

When the single >DING< rang throughout the house, Dax smiled and looked up from the pillow-fort he was fashioning from spares.

"That would be dinner; shall we, my good stallion?"

He pulled himself to his full height, with a haughty expression on his muzzle to match, affecting a small, smug smile.  Eerily enough, Illiad could see both Luther and Vylia clearly reflected in the lad.  When he came into his own, he would be quite the stallion... and if he still had any of his current charms, he might not have as many issues finding a special somepony as he assumed he might have.

The form he had been wearing when he first met Selena was a ghost on his features that Illiad could see overlapping his young appearance.  He was physically older than he acted and thought, and that might be hard to cope with in the real world... but the potential was certainly there.

Dax let loose a goofy grin; with luck, he'd have that grin all the way into his twilight years... maybe beyond.

Illiad was curious at the sound of the ding, he didn't think he had heard it before. At Dax's move towards a more regal pose, Illiad too straightened himself out, quickly smoothing his robe wherever possible and doing a little to straighten his tousled mane, a casualty of all the moving blankets and pillows against his coat.

Illiad adopted the accent he had worn when he first arrived, and that he realized he had dropped soon after his first encounters with those he thought to use it on. "Well, lead the way, my complimentary compatriot."

Dinner went well enough.

Vylia greeted them both warmly, and Oglevy was well-mannered and actually did a fair job of adding to the light conversation.  The pegasus matriarch asked the Trojan much about his stay here, and Dax pitched in about a number of things Illiad had already mentioned.  

Though little Oglevy was a wee bit jealous, he was more fascinated with the stories of what they would be seeing - and he did have a secret little hope that his big brother would bring him back some sort of gift.  Illiad was fairly sure Dax would have presents for everyone; he was just that kind of pony.

Through all of this, Luther sat quietly at his end of the table, chewing and sipping at his own plateful of food reservedly.  At first, it almost seemed as if the elder Blackwater was being completely ignored... but then, without any word or motion across the table, Vylia stood up and, still gabbing away, gathered a small bowlful of soup and brought it to Luther, setting it next to him.

She returned to her seat without even looking in Luther's direction, and he simply pulled the soup to him and began eating... but the senses of an Empathic pick up far more than any normal pony ever would.  The love that radiated between them was like sitting between two warm pizza ovens in a cool kitchen; it was the hearth of their love that kept the home fires alive.

After a bit, Dax also pitched in and replaced his father's drink when it ran down to empty; he didn't even seem to mind - neither of them had.  It was simply... accepted.  He was very much a part of this family - Luther simply wasn't much for socializing.  His loved ones knew this about him, respected it, and still found ways to include him in their lives... even with his busy work schedule.

The Blackwaters had an exceedingly strange and complex relationship with each other... but after a week around these individuals, and seeing how they interacted with each other and their world, it was certain that it was just as strong as Illiad's with his own family - it was just a gemstone of a different color.

Seeing the Blackwaters together and happy, it felt like the brightest shade of lovely emerald green he'd ever experienced.

Once things finished up, Vylia and Oglevy cleared the table and Dax began handling washing the dishes.  Before Illiad could join them, however, Luther moved up next to the Trojan.

"My office.  Please."

With those three simple words spoken, he turned and headed for his study.  Dax glanced over his shoulder, took in what he saw, and nodded an understanding nod at his friend, then he turned back to washing dishes, humming that silly little song again.

Illiad made his way promptly, yet casually, to Luther's office just as soon as he had finished eating as well. He knew what Luther would have to say would be serious, given he actually said please at the end. That or he had actually gotten used to the idea of Illiad as a friend before even Illiad had.

Nonetheless, Illiad found himself at the doors to the blackwater office once again. And with a short, yet firm, knock, again taking care not to leave any mark on the doors in the process, he announced his presence.

He had a few ideas as to what Luther wanted to speak about, likely some last minute concerns about Dax in Troy, perhaps an offer to help cover expenses. He only hoped it would be something so positive while preparing for the possibility of bad news.

Instead of the usual greeting of 'enter', the door opened, and Luther himself was standing there.

"Come in," he said softly.

Once inside, he slowly and carefully closed the door, then turned to Illiad.

"Three things."

This said, he made his way to the balcony again... but stopped half way, looking back at the Trojan.  Carefully, he lifted his hoof and motioned for Illiad to accompany him.  He made his way out onto the marble-topped balcony floor.

The railing that surrounded it was simple; it had enough strength to withstand leaning on, yet it was minimalist to allow a fuller view of the quarry below... and oh, what a view.

Luna's shroud had set peacefully over the quarry yard and left it both moonlight-pristine and mysterious.  The way the sheds were arranged in neat rows, the central location of the Gem Refinery made it a focal point, the Pony Express office still as unassuming as ever, yet more picturesque from up here.

Prettier still was the fact that, from here, Illiad could see over the tall iron wall that surrounded the entire grounds - and beyond.  They were far enough up that the air was sweet and crisp, and the eye saw more detail and color.  The mountain path that spilled out from the front gates ran ever onward toward the distance, rising up and vanishing around the bend.

Where the road vanished, the proud spires of Canterlot stood tall into the night air - visible even from this distance, yet clear as a bell from Luther's balcony.  No wonder he liked to be here... he could see EVERYTHING from this perch, and the view of it all was fantastic.  Even the star-strewn sky seemed somehow closer, impossibly just a bit more within reach.

"First, I expect you to take care of my son.  I will not make threats, as that demeans us both.  Instead, I have an account prepared for Daxter's use; it will be placed in your capable hooves - but he is free to spend what he wants to.  Handle it as you see fit."

He took a moment to look out across the yard; Illiad could almost paint a picture of the dark and dour stallion here, the stars behind him, the depth of emotion in his eyes that betrayed the stone-cold expression on his face.  His eyes, though not the same color as Dax's, seemed just as expressive.

"Second, as my quarry will be a protectorate soon, I wish to foster goodwill with those who might want our emeralds; to this end, I am sending you with a small chest of Blackwater emeralds - at no cost - for you to use as you see fit.  This was...difficult... to clear with customs, but I have gotten permission for such.  Do with them what you will, as long as they make their way into Trojan pockets; if we end up opening trade with Troy, this will help get the demand started early."

It was a savvy business plan, to be sure.  Luther was taking a loss for simply giving away fine Blackwater emeralds... but it was also quite a mark of generosity on his part, too.

"Third, I have seen both my workers and my family benefit from your presence.  Including me.  So, I wish to let you benefit from ours.  I want to make a campaign contribution, but I wish to receive no attention for it; this is not for fame."

His mouth remained in a frown, but his eyebrows lifted softly, and all the severity flowed out of his features.  It was the kindest face he'd ever seen on the elder Blackwater.

"It is for YOU; I have seen what you have done within my family - I think Troy needs that for their populace if there is ever to be REAL peace.  YOU are my choice for the job - and I have faith that you CAN do it, and do it well."

He turned his navy blue eyes onto the Empathic, and it was easy to read him emotionally - there was no lying in Luther.

"I want to back that faith with bits - as much as you need.  I will gladly be a sponsor for you... and you will bring Troy the balance it needs, I am sure of it."

Illiad's face grew serious as he listened to what the Blackwater stallion had to say, "Your family has certainly done a great deal for me already, at this rate I may never be able to fully repay your kindness and generosity. I only hope I will be able to leave as good an impression on Dax as he has left on me."

He sighed, "I do have a question, though. This account for Dax, is it a bank account? It would be difficult to access in any timely manner from Troy so we would either need to take the money before we leave or use it to repay on his return. I won't bother in trying to say it isn't necessary, I do appreciate your willingness to help me cover my end of the exchange."

He looked out towards Canterlot, "I'll see what I can do to distribute your and your wife's gifts, I hope they are well received, and I have every confidence in Midget's ability to sort through political actions. And as to your contribution," he gave a slight smile, "The council will know who it came from and so will any of the populous who ask. It wouldn't be right to hide who donations come from, especially since one runner a century or two ago decided to abuse the anonymous donor system to finance his campaign with his own money while making it look like a number of citizens actually supported him, but I digress. The maximum I am allowed to receive per individual is $2500 Trojan dollars, or about... 3000 bits? It fluctuates a bit week to week, you could get around that limit by, no wait... As a foreign non-allied donor the limit is a bit higher, and by country so as to prevent a foreign country from effectively buying the election. As you'll be listed as a new protectorate in Troy despite you not actually being one yet your limit would be no more than a total of $100,000 Trojan dollars. How much of that limit you choose to donate by yourself I will leave to you. Again, I sincerely appreciate the gesture."

Luther blinked when presented with the fact of account accessibility, but it didn't stop him for long.

"Very well - a chest of bits should do; there will be enough for Daxter.  I will have it secured with your things on the train."

He listened to Illiad's words about the possible contribution, then nodded when all was said.

"Illiad, I do not wish the contribution information hidden - I simply do not wish it openly advertised.  My wife would want differently, but this is MY quarry, and I do not wish to be seen as politically ambitious.  If I can stay neutral, I shall... but please keep me informed, should things change for the worse."

He looked out into the quarry yard again, his eyes bright and thoughtful.

"I will make the fullest contribution I am able to make toward your campaign.  As I said, Troy needs balance - and you will bring that to them, I have no doubt.  I want to help, and this is a way to do that.  And Silver's inventions.  And the emeralds.  And the Cloud Diamond.  And... and..."

He closed his eyes and sighed, then spoke softly, which was quite unlike the rumble-voiced stallion.

"... what you have brought to my child's heart, I can never repay YOU for.  And you have shown me that there ARE others worth my trust - a VERY difficult thing to earn, especially after what I have experienced.  And you have managed to make my Vylia smile.  And my colt... it shocked me that he is no longer giving you trouble.  That is also amazing to me."

He opened his navy blue eyes and locked them on Illiad's own.

"If I had you as a friend when I was young, I would be a different stallion today - but Daxter will have the chance I did not.  He needs to grow up... but on his own timetable.  I tried too hard with my Harcourt, and he left us... my fault.  I know this.  Yet..."

He looked down and away, shame writ large on his muzzle.

"I love my children - all of them - and I have fought hard to give them all they could need.  But I cannot give them what they want - and they want their freedom.  Even Oglevy has shown signs of such.  And this is not a bad thing.  But Daxter... he is the only hope I have for passing my quarry onto.  Oglevy is very smart - too smart for his own good, and too rambunctious to settle for staying here.  Harcourt has left, and I have not seen him in a decade.  Daxter is the ONLY one who would be the best choice for leaving my quarry to... yet he has not reached the age where he understands this."

"Please, Illiad Easle... if my son shows even the slightest interest in this quarry, please help foster that.  I won't ask you to steer him to this - that is manipulation - but if you can, try to support anything he says about assuming responsibility for the Blackwater Quarry.  Keep in mind, it is all we have... and I would wish nothing better than for my son to have his own happy family here, one day."

Luther looked drained after all this talking - it was quite a lot for the usually short-spoken earth pony, and Illiad could feel the relief at Luther's simply speaking his mind to somepony.  He turned to face out into the yard again.

"I will never be able to repay you for what you have brought to my home... but I shall do my utmost to express my gratitude."

He grew quiet, yet he didn't shoe Illiad off, either... he simply stood there, staring majestically out over his quarry, his property, his home.  It would be a fitting way to remember the dour yet deep stallion who ran this amazing place.

Illiad kept his regular slight smile, "I'm glad I was able to make such an impact. Since neither of us feels we can repay the debt to the other I suppose we can consider each other even then, no need to any worry of indebtedness. I'll be sure you're donation is properly noted and only revealed to those that ask, as you wish, your quarry stands in a position to do quite a bit of good for Troy, hopefully when the time comes Troy will be able to do good for the quarry."

He sighed, "And, I'll be sure to see what I can do for Dax. I agree he is one of the best ponies to take over the quarry after you, and I have no doubt he'll accept the responsibility when the time comes, the question now is whether he'll be ready for the responsibility when it comes. Nonetheless, I'll say what I can."

He turned away from the balcony, excitement building for what was coming next, "If that is all?"

Though there was a tiny spark of lonely melancholy that struck within him, the sense of gratitude he felt toward the Trojan was far larger... and more pressing, as well.  Luther gave a slight nod, then looked back out over the quarry again.

"That is all.  Thank you, Illiad."

Though he looked alone in his vigil, he was used to such from life - all Illiad could truly do was try to ensure that Dax didn't end up as alone and hardened as Luther Blackwater had become due to life.

With that, Illiad quickly made his way out of the office and back to Dax's room. Hopefully, Dax would be waiting there for him, but if not he could always go looking for him. Then they could go collect Silver together and the last night shared dream could begin.

Illiad's smile grew as he walked through the house, though it faltered for a moment as he remembered he'd have to talk about IT as well. He shook his head, hopefully, what he had to say wouldn't detract from their enjoyment of the evening.