//------------------------------// // Chapter Six // Story: Clipped Wings // by Desrium //------------------------------// Chapter Six On this winding road, who knows where it goes? The only thing one can do is follow it. Falcon Wing's eyelids parted slowly, seeing the shadows cast by the early morning sun through a window behind him. Eight squares created by the shadow of the window frame. He was upstairs, laying on the magically restored, polished golden floor in the house. He blinked a few times then yawned. "When did I end up on the floor... flaming Celestia will there ever be a time where my memory works as it's supposed to?" he thought. He stirred himself into the beginning movements required to stand up but found himself anchored to the floor by the strong grip of a smitten earth pony mare. She may have been asleep, but Alana's hug was as sure as steel. Falcon did not know what to make of that. Had she felt like it, she probably could have squeezed the air out of his lungs. "Alana?" Falcon said in a gentle voice, hoping to coax the caramel mare awake. "Hmm?" she hummed drowsily, but before Falcon Wing could advance she pulled him closer to herself and attempted to bury her muzzle into his mane. Attempted because he still had his overcoat on, hood still draped over his head. "Well this is... awkward," he mumbled. Alana mumbled something herself in her half-sleep state, as incoherent as it was, nipped his hood and pulled it back. She then proceeded to nibble on the red colt's ear. Right then, time for plan "DJ Pon3 and his Golden Pipes". He pulled down his Pipeye and cycled over to the radio. Dialed in on the broadcast's frequency. "-- oooooooood morning Equestria!" the deep voice of the DJ boomed in the room. Alana gasped and Falcon flicked her chin with his now freed ear. He shut off the broadcast. "And a very good morning to you, Alana. Had a nice sleep?" Falcon Wing said flatly, pushing the goggles back up. The mare yawned and replied, "You and your timing, mister hero, you can't ever catch DJ Pon3 on time can you?" She paused then added in a teasing tone "This is the closest we've ever gotten, hmm?" "I... suppose so... you don't intend on getting any closer than this though, right? I mean, not that it isn't nice... getting hugged rather than getting shot at or tossed by crazy unicorns or being nearly eaten by plants but... still..." She tightened her grip around him suddenly, tugging him very close and then nuzzling his cheek. "I slept very well, thank you for asking," she said, her voice muffled in his fur. "Not the question I wanted answered..." Falcon said, though he was honestly enjoying the affection. It was also confirmed: if Alana so wished she could constrict the red colt with a hug. He was glad he took that bath last night. He was sure Alana was thankful for that as well. "Well that's enough of that I think," the caramel mare said, releasing the wingless pegasus and getting to her hooves. "we've got a whole day ahead of us, places to go and ponies to see! Come on Falcon, quit laying around!" Falcon rolled over and gave her a bewildered look. "I was going to tell you that!" he said. "And it looks like I beat you to it!" Alana responded with a smug expression. "And yet, there you are, still on the floor. Don't you want to get to Glyphmark?" Falcon Wing shook his head as he stood. There really was no winning this. He looked around the room, seeing that they must have rested their bags against a nearby wall. His bags were leaning against hers. "Well... that's just peachy," he thought as he slipped them onto his back and fixed his coat so that it fell fell over them properly. Before leaving Ponyville, the two stopped by the market place. There were only Hellhounds there, doing their business and moving goods around. It made Falcon question why the town was still called Ponyville on his Pipeye's map. "Two caps!" Alana shot at the gray pelted merchant, who slid the caps back to the caramel mare over their stall's counter and rasped "Fow' Cahps!" "Three caps!" Alana fired off again, sliding the sparkle cola caps back to the Hellhound and skillfully flipping one extra one out from her saddlebag. The Hellhound growled. "Fine, three cahps and zee paypercleep. It weel make my neckless complete" It just occurred to him that the merchant Alana was bartering with was a female. He did his best to contain his surprise. "Hmm..." Alana replied, making her exaggerated contemplative face. "Deal!" she announced, pulling out a small red paper clip and dropping it with the three bottle caps. A strange smile appeared on the Hellhound's muzzle and she hoisted the basket of freshly grown fruits and vegetables onto the counter. Alana took the basket in her mouth and mumbled her thanks through the thatch handle. She then began departing the square. "Thank you ma'am," Falcon chimed in after being silent for the whole exchange which took several minutes to reach this point. He watched as the Hellhound hummed and twisted the paperclip around in her long, intimidating claws until it formed a backwards S, which she stuck onto a crude rope on her neck. "Some necklace you have there," the red colt commented. "Yoo like, pon'ee?" The paperclip was almost invisible in her dark gray coat. "Sure," Falcon said with an uncomfortable smile. "Zee ess is foar Sharpie!" said the Hellhound merchant. "... I see..." Falcon Wing responded. "... I have to go now..." he added, gesturing with a hoof to the mare as she walked off. "have a nice day... and stuff," He turned and galloped after Alana before the merchant could reply. Alana mumbled something through the basket handle when he caught up. "Excuse me?" Falcon asked. She stopped and rested the basket on the ground. "Oh hey, Falcon, nice of you to catch up!" she repeated, picking up the basket and walking again after. "Oh, yeah well... you know how it goes. Hellhounds and paperclips... compelling stuff!" the red colt replied. Alana mumbled something in response, and it became clear that this was fast becoming a problem. They stopped at the bridge to ration their supplies, dividing the food evenly between each other and storing it in their bags. Then they had their breakfast, apples that were actually grown rather than packaged more than two centuries ago. "Equestria's agriculture is recovering but we still use bottle caps to buy things with. From what I read, back before the war ponies used things called bits as money," Falcon Wing mused before taking the last few bites out of the apple, leaving the core in a hoof. "How long do you think it'd be until the nation's economy is based on something... less scrap metal-y?" he mumbled with apple chunks still in his mouth. "I don't know, mister hero, but as long as they can keep getting us food like this then I'll keep collecting them where I can!" "Shouldn't we just get jobs?" Falcon Wing asked, getting a laugh out of the caramel mare. "Silly little pegasus, did you think we were just wandering around aimlessly? We are on a job! We need to get to Glyphmark, or did you forget?" "I did not forget, and who are you calling little!?" Falcon Wing retorted quickly, stamping his fore hoof down and splatting the apple core underneath it. "You sure showed that apple who's boss, mister hero," Alana said with a grin. "... Just start walking" Falcon replied, pulling his hood further over his face with his un-appled hoof as he stood up.