//------------------------------// // Sssettling In // Story: A Marty Stu invades the Multiverse (Chess Game of the Gods) // by Keairan //------------------------------// We all went inside to talk, and to keep the reunion a little more private. A lot of crying, a bit of laughter, and a lot of hugging followed. “So... Wild. Are you hungry?” I asked after a while. He looked over at me, then replied. “Yes, Marty. I’m starving in fact. The tavern has very nice hay fries.” I slightly shuddered. “That sounds like a lovely idea. What do you think, Violet?” Violet missed my shudder, and said. “Sure. That sounds like a lovely idea.” I guess I’ll just wait until later and use the horn when we return. Maybe they’ll have some decent ale at the tavern. They walked on ahead, I slithered behind them, dreading the coming ‘meal.’ Those things are barely decent as a pony, let alone as any other species. We reached the tavern soon enough. Typical Bavarian architecture, along with a mug on the signboard out front of the establishment. I’m liking my chances for a decent brew even more. I know where a decent amount of what I make is going if I’m correct. We ‘stepped’ inside and took a seat. A mare that looked to be a waitress approached our table. “Welcome. I’m Brewers Yeast, and I’ll be taking care of you this evening. What’ll you fiiine folks be -gulp- having.” She obviously noticed me, her eyes going wide. Wild and Violet looked over at her, and replied. “Two orders of hay fries, and two waters.” I smiled up at her as disarmingly as I could, and asked “What brews do you serve in this fine establishment?” Having gotten over her discomfort, she answered “We have the house ale, a pilsner, and two varieties of stouts. One is local, and the other is imported.” Looking around, she leaned in close and said “Just between you and me, the local stout is awful, and the pilsner is basically water. The imported stout is a little bit more expensive, but it’s good, and so’s the house ale.” Somewhat hungry, I decided for something a little more filling. “I’ll have the imported stout then, nothing else.” Wild looked at me, curious. “Aren’t you hungry? You asked me about dinner.” I nodded. “I am, but I was planning on having dinner in. Ponies... in my experience, don’t like my dining habits.” Wild looked at me, and then to Violet in confusion. “He eats meat, brother, and can only eat meat.” She finally answered, quietly. “You eat meat?” He asked, a little louder than I would’ve liked. “Yes, and I think only meat beyond little morsels of other food.” I replied, evenly. “Wait, you think? How can you not know what you should eat, you’re an adult?” He said, again louder than I would’ve liked. “Look, I’ll explain later. Lets just enjoy the food and company for now.” I said with some finality. “Or beer, in my case.” “Marty, don’t overindulge, please. I know you said it helps with your nightmares, but you said you have no clue how you act while drunk, and you’re a little heavy to drag home.” Violet stated with a little concern. “Yes mum.” I replied cheekily. Wild laughed at this. “That’s my sister, trying to keep a stallion from having a few brews. You wouldn’t have too many, right?” “Naw, I’m positive I wouldn’t have more than I can handle. I know my stopping point.” I stayed drunk for fifty years straight. I like to think I know how much I can handle. With that, the food arrived, which Violet and Wild promptly dug into. A heavenly smelling beer was placed in front of me. “Ah beer, the basis of every civilization everywhere... at least for humans.” Violet shook her head at me, and Wild looked at me, curious. I mouthed ‘later’ to him, at which he nodded. The rest of the meal went smoothly, and I only downed three pints of stout. The waitress returned, and told us our damage. “Three bits a mug for the stout, and four bits per hay fries plate brings your total to seventeen bits.” I reached into my armor, pulling out my bit pouch, and gave the goodmare twenty bits. “A tip for excellent service, my good mare.” I said as I handed it over. She picked up the bits, and placed them in one of two small satchels on her shoulder. She smiled at me, then said “You folks come back now.” We got up, and walked out the door, heading to Violet’s house. I picked up the conversation, and asked her “How did you not know about that tavern?” “It slipped my mind Marty, sorry. Plus, it’s not like they serve meat there. Steel Link is a vegetarian, too, you know. We don’t exactly see any gryphons around here either.” “True, true.” We ‘walked’ onward, arriving back at her home without incident. A bundle was on the doorstep, filled with my kilt and shirt. “Hey, my clothes!” I said, a little excited. “I wonder how these will fit?” I said as we walked into the house. “Isn’t it a little bit weird for a stallion to be excited over clothing?” Wild asked. “I’m a human, and humans wear clothes as a matter of course. I feel naked and vulnerable if I’m not wearing anything.” Wild looked at my armor, then at my face. “Doesn’t your armor count?” “Yes, but it gets pretty uncomfortable to wear all the time. It’s contoured to my measurements exactly, but those are my human measurements, and it chafes even then.” I continued with “On this body, the area at where my waist would normally be is a little loose.” “So you said that you would explain most everything back at the bar.” Wild replied. “Sure. We should probably take a seat. This will take a while.” ***** After one of my somewhat long-winded explanations, answering any questions that Wild had, and Violet clarifying some of my statements, Wild left the building. “I’m going to go ahead and make myself a meal. I’m really hungry now.” I said to Violet. “That’s fine. I’ll go practice while you eat.” She replied evenly. “Works for me.” I blew into my horn, summoning a table and food for me. Violet practiced in the background. She’s good. Very good, in fact. A lot better than me. Then again, I’m not a pony with a mark for music. Sure, marks only come for things one is good at, but it seems to imbue some extra competence at their special talent. I finished eating, and got up from the table, watching as the table and chair left the same way they came. It’s nice to not have to clean up and all, but there’s nothing quite like cooking a meal for yourself and others. “Hey Violet, you getting tired?” I asked calmly. “Yeah, I’m fairly tired. Want to go to bed?” She returned. “I doubt I’d ask otherwise.” I said, a little cheekily. She smiled at that, then put her violin away in her case. We walked up to her room, get ready to sleep, then went to bed. ***** Two days passed without any comment. Violet and I got up, got ready for the day, ate together, and then I went out to the forge to work with Steel Link while she practiced, or ran a few errands. My time at the forge was a bit of a struggle, while my mind knew what I needed to do, and I could make my muscles do it, they were by no means used to pounding at iron all day long. At the end of the two days, Steel link commented on that fact. “Yer a good smith, but you have no endurance.” “Yeah. I didn’t do any smithing for a long time, and my muscles atrophied. Traveling around isn’t exactly conducive to keeping up those specific muscles.” Not total truth there, but not a lie either. “That makes sense. Keep it up, boyo. You’ll put that muscle back on in no time.” He said, confidently. “I’m sure I will.” I smiled inwardly at his calling me a boy. We finished out the day, and I headed home to Violet’s house. Along the way, I noted a fairly nice looking airship on the outskirts of town. How odd. I wonder who’s airship that is. Probably not important. I got to the house, and didn’t hear any music coming out of it. That’s odd, Violet’s almost always practicing during this time of day. Maybe she has company over. I reached out to the door, and opened it, going inside.