"How did you, I mean... I (unknown) for sure you (unknown) (unknown, maybe part of the first word?) be able to read." Twilight was rambling energetically as they went, seeming excited and confused in equal measure. "But, here you are. You must have so many questions."
He did, but he was operating with a dulled and cracked blade in this battle. It was not one he was ready for, yet, there he was. "I not read yet. Can read my speak." He felt like a buffoon, speaking like a child in the new language. It was an accomplishment, he knew. Picking up a language was never a small feat. That fact did little to make him feel eloquent as he strung together basic nouns and verbs like a damned cave man.
"Read your... oh! You have a (unknown) (unknown) of your own! I'd (unknown) to see it! Can you (unknown) me?" She was facing him, a quill hovering beside her, and a paper not far from it. Where both had come from, he couldn't say, just blame it on the powerful horse's innate magic.
He put the pieces together. Why would he be offered a paper after, clumsily, speaking of languages? Right, she wanted to see his language. There was little harm in that. He took the paper from the air and it ceased glowing softly with her magic. When he took the quill, she released that as well. At least she gave him room to hold and use it properly.
"(unknown)... It is nice to meet you." she prompted, rolling a hoof excitedly and not sounding like she was greeting him at all.
Was she a bored noble eager to be amused, or a scholar of strange things, maybe even languages? In either event, he wrote. He had worked with a quill before. For documents with that special touch, knowing how to use a proper quill was just mandatory for proper nobles. A little calligraphy was called for when making decrees that commanded respect. So he made his English greeting for her, embellished with stylish markers and dignified in all the ways his speech currently was not.
Twilight's ears perked up as she looked over the result. "Your (unknown) is pretty." She gave a firm nod as the paper began to glow, lifted up and pulled closer. "(unknown) I keep this?" When he didn't refuse her, the paper vanished, puff, simply banished from the world to wherever she wanted it, he assumed. "Thank you."
Her power, divine or profane, was terrifying. Of course, that made it all the more important that he not flinch. "Is what you want?"
She started. "I have (unknown) many questions!" She looked to a door and it opened, glowing with her power. "This way." She led him into the room where the ruins of his ship resided. One great portion was still there in a vague shape of what his vessel once was. Most of it was in small organized piles. "We (unknown) all we (unknown). Can you (unknown) me what this is?" She pointed at a piece.
He knew what it was. It was a motherboard, a circuit from the deep innards of his ship. Could he say what that specific circuit did? No. He was a warrior and a noble, not a technician. Moreover, he hadn't yet learned the word for 'circuit', if they even had circuits to begin with. He stared at it, struggling to find even a single word to start with. "Make work." Smooth. He colored with shame.
"(unknown), yes... Can you be more (unknown)?" She looked at him with hope shining in her eyes.
His right fist balled tightly. "Learning speak."
"Yes yes, right..." She trailed off, looking disappointed. "I (unknown), I (unknown) (unknown) you." Her pout turned into an unsure smile. "You're (unknown) very (unknown)."
"He can't (unknown) you." The reptile had arrived. "Poor (unknown) (unknown) learning. Talk simple." He looked bored, as if he was saying what he thought was obvious.
Twilight snorted at him. "Spike, I'm (unknown) to be a (unknown) (unknown)."
"Good, (unknown) with (unknown) you talk." He crossed his arms and gave her a stern look.
Who was the master, and who was the pet? Laud suddenly wasn't entirely sure.
"Fine fine." She rolled her eyes and turned back to me. "I talk small word."
On one level, by God above, being spoken to like that by a noble, of any species, made him want to scream in fury... On the other, he really did kind of need small words. Dignity. He had to hold onto dignity. "Thank you. I learn more word, speak better."
Spike's expression brightened. "See? Stop (unknown) to (unknown) him. (unknown)."
"Patience." Spike turned to Laud. "It's alright. Learning a language isn't easy. Hey, are you hungry?"
Laud accepted the offer, which Spike assumed was partially to get away from Twilight's technical queries. "Well, as a courteous host, I will now get Laud something to eat."
Twilight could see what was happening and frowned. "Have fun," she said with mildly grit teeth, but she didn't stop the two males from making good their escape.
Spike led the way with a smile. "Maud is teaching you, right?"
"Yes," he replied, keeping pace with him easily. Spike's smaller footing may even have been slow for him, though Spike couldn't be sure.
"She is good pony." Spike couldn't help but giggle ever so faintly. Speaking like that was funny. "A little..." Uh oh, what was a simple word for stoic. "Not... smile or frown?" He made each expression as he said the word, then adopted a mask of neutrality. "This."
"What word for that?"
Oh thank Celestia. "Stoic." He pointed at his neutral face. "Stoic. That is good word for Maud. Good pony."
Laud didn't seem to argue either sentiment.
When they arrived in the kitchen, Spike got to putting together a sandwich when he paused. "What do you eat?"
Laud lifted his shoulders, then frowned. "Not learn words." He came closer and began to look around. He started picking out foods. Eggs, sugar, flour. He didn't pick a single gemstone. Good, Spike wouldn't have competition there. He also didn't select a single flower of any variety.
He found the lone fish in the ice box and put it beside the eggs. Cheese and milk were apparently also on his edible list. "What word?" He pointed to the eggs.
And an impromptu language lesson began as Spike called out the name of each thing as he pointed to it, going over kitchen vocabulary. Laud came back to some things more than once. Spike didn't find that too odd and played along. "Now, we eat." He put the extra things away and made some cheese omelettes.
Just to test, he put a few of those flowers that weren't picked beside the eggs, where they could be decorative, or edible, to see if Laud tried any.
Laud sat at the table where the food was placed. "Thank you."
Spike hopped up across from him at the small dining-room table and nodded. "You're welcome. Time to eat!" Laud looked confused. "Eat," repeated Spike, leaving off the other words.
"I learn more words," spoke Laud, though it sounded more like a swear, an oath. He seemed so very determined to get past it. He was also hungry, the way he eyed the food, but he didn't attack right away. He said a few words in an alien tongue, hands clasped and head lowered. Only after that strange ritual did he begin to eat. "Eggs good," he said in compliment. "You good..."
"Cook," provided Spike with a smile. He noticed Laud did not touch the flowers. Oh well. He made a mental note to scratch that off the human diet. "Thanks." He reached over and grabbed a shaker. Laud looked at him curiously. Curiosity turned to shock when Spike shook it and dusted his food with some ruby dust and granules, still shining and sparkling.
"You eat rock?" His voice sounded incredulous, to say nothing of his expression.
"It's a dragon thing." Spike saw Laud looked confused. He hiked a thumb at himself. "Dragon. Rawr." Spike wriggled his claws a moment before returning to eating.
Laud let it drop and focused on his own, soon finished, meal.
Spike hopped free of his chair and got to cleaning up the plates.
"Thank you."
Laud sure seemed to say that a lot. Spike nodded. "No problem." He took the plates over to the sink. "So... What do... not with Maud?"
Laud seemed to consider that. "See pony." And off he went, walking determinedly.
Spike had to admit, the guy sure did seem to have that, determination that was. He wondered what pony it was that Laud wanted to see. Twilight? That seemed unlikely. It was just then that he started to get worried. What if some pony that didn't understand the situation started hassling Laud and being a jerk?
He left the dishes behind and went dashing after the human. He would play foalsitter. Celestia knew he'd done it enough with Twilight at times.
Laud strode with large even steps out of the castle. Twilight was his host, but also overwhelming to be around. He had to focus on destroying that weakness. "When they understand, I can move forward," he spoke in English. "They have so much to learn." Sure, they may also want to teach him a thing or two, but he wasn't going to start using heathenous magic.
Besides, the gate far above the world was, in theory, being fitted for eventual travel. The world of horses had to be prepared to be a part of the universal community, or be crushed by houses far less inclined to civility than House Hawkwood. Maybe they could become vassals of his house? That would be nice. He would gladly oversee them and look after their needs. "It is a noble's duty," he proclaimed to no one as he hiked towards town.