//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Getting To Know You (Scruffy & Dazzle) // Story: Stranger in the Forest: Side Stories // by TrixterCat //------------------------------// “So.” “Mmhm.” “That’s the toilet.” “Jes.” “…” “…” “It’s big.” “I big.” “But I’m not.” “Mhm.” “Look at it. It’s like a yawning gate to the abyss.” “Uh…” “Just looking at it makes me think I’m going to fall in to a bottomless chasm from which no pony returns.” “It just toilet.” “But how am I supposed to use it?” “I not know. Not get toilet thinking poni need use it later.” “…” “…” “…Do you have a step ladder?” “…Strawberry?” “Yes?” “What you do?” “I’m watering the plants.” “I see that…but…vhat is that?” “Umm… A cloud?” “Cloud...” “Yes.” “…Where get?” “Uhh, the sky? Where else would you get a cloud from?” “…Uhhuh.” “What?” “…” “…” “You take cloud…and brink down…to water blants?” “Yeees? They seemed to be a bit parched. You need to water them regularly if you want to keep them tasty.” “…” “…” “Next time, juse water can.” Nom “And not eat my flower.” “Aww.” “You have your own sauna?!” “Jes. I not tell you?” “Maybe? I might have missed it. But never mind that, you have a sauna! In your own home!” “Mjany have own in home. I remmemmber hear one time that there more sauna than my kind live here.” “That’s insane.” “We like sauna.” “Can we go in then?” “Huh?” “Pretty please? All that roughing up we did left my shoulders a bit sore, and a warm sauna would be perfect for them.” “Hmm, it bit eerly, but I plan use it today anyway.” “Thanks Scruffy, you’re the best!” ******************** “…Scruffy…you are the worst…” “It not my fault you come there.” “…It was so hot… …I feel like I’m melting…” “Take cold shoower.” “I took one already… I’m still melting… …How can you survive that heat…” “Hmh, kould be more hot, but then not sit long.” “You are crazy…” “And you wet.” “…I’m too tired to dry up… …My limbs feel like noodles…” “I not help you take wash. I not help you d-drai.” “You are mean…” “Next time, listen when say I go baath alone.” Click Clickclack Click Clickclack “Would you stop that?” “Hm? Oh, sorry.” … … … Click Clickclack “Hrmmh. What is it even that you are doing?” “It uh…thing to sholve… Need think hart, uhh…” “A puzzle?” “I think that word, yes.” “And why are you constantly clicking what I assume is some kind of a pen?” “I think.” “Can your thinking not involve clicking it?” “Sorry. Click when not know what do.” “I figured. Maybe you should take a walk then? Get some fresh air and let your mind rest for a minute.” “No no, I close, get it soon. Need think little…” … … … Click Clickclack “Gah!” It was the soft singing of birds and the smell of morning dew that woke up Sergeant Strawberry Dazzle the next morning. The serene darkness brought a smile to the mare’s muzzle as she lazily rolled on to her stomach. After all, it was with unfortunate frequency that a military pony had to wake up to their superior officer frowning and barking orders at them the moment one was foolish enough to open their eyes (or not open, as the case may be), so Dazzle delighted in these calm and quiet mornings. One of the better perks of taking as many assignments away from the hubbub of the big city as Dazzle did. The mare’s ears stood fully up, pivoting in every direction, listening for noises inside the house. A rumbling snore could be heard from the opposite side of the house, indicating that her charge was still soundly asleep. Thank Luna for that, she thought to herself. She had caused an unfortunate amount of ruckus last night when she had to visit the little fillies room and nodded off sitting on the toilet. While she avoided the lifelong embarrassment of falling halfway in to the toilet and getting her butt stuck and then having to call Scruffy for help, she had nonetheless made quite a lot of clattering with her madly swinging hooves. When she sheepishly tiptoed back to the bed she had been given, the constant snoring that had started the moment the elder stallion had hit his bed was absent, and Dazzle had been afraid she had disrupted his sleep. He hadn’t gotten out of his bad at least, as far as she was aware. Silently, the mare got out of the princess sized bed and began to do some stretches. It was early morning, and Celestia’s sun was only starting its climb up the sky, but it gave Dazzle a perfect opportunity to get some exercise. A good trot and a flight would get the blood flowing. On the other side of the portal, of course, as there had been quite clear instructions not to wander off in to the nearby town and draw unwarranted attention from others of Scruffy’s kind. And while there, she could even take a pegasus shower in the clouds, as she had no idea of her charge’s sleep schedule, nor did she want to fiddle with the unfamiliar and oversized shower. With her stretching done, Dazzle sneaked her way out, and trotted to the Everfree forest for her morning workout, but not before taking note of some tracks outside the house that had not been there yesterday. “Good morning!” It was with great confusion that the bleary eyed, shambling mound known as Scruffy observed the overly chipper pony sitting in the middle of his living room, polishing what seemed to be a set of armor. “Urgh,” he replied. “Not a morning pony, I see,” the pony replied back with a chuckle. Deciding that some questions were better left unanswered for now, the mass of underpowered testosterone shuffled its way in to the kitchen to produce a cup of coffee. He really should not, he thought, since the doctor had stated that it might lead to some health problems down the line, but it was one of those mornings that he simply did not give a damn. A cup of tea was nice, and he was making good progress on switching to it, but it simply did not start his day the same way. Once he had produced a cup of the life giving nectar, along with his magic amulet, he turned back towards the pony, who seemed to be just about finished with her maintenance. He curiously looked on as she applied the final polish and adjustments to the various bits and bobs of her barding with a trained hoof, bringing back some old memories from his own time in the military service. He did not say anything, allowing Dazzle to focus on her task while he simply observed. Once she was finished, she glanced at Scruffy with an amused smirk, and placed the helm upon her head as she sat ramrod straight, stoic face and all. “Sergeant Strawberry Dazzle reporting for duty, sir!” she enthusiastically gestured with her wing. Scruffy had to place his cup down so that he did not accidentally spill anything on himself as he chuckled. “Goot morning,” Scruffy greeted back. “Ready for a new day?” the mare asked as she began to collect her scattered equipment. Scruffy took another sip of his coffee, turning to look outside the open window. It was bright and warm with just enough wind to make the leaves rustle and the wind chimes sing, but in the background where it was not constant. The weather forecast had promised clear skies as far as the eye can see, and there were no chores that needed to be done. A perfect kind of day, something he had been longing for a long time. And for once… “Yes.” ...he felt like he could have it.