//------------------------------// // 87 // Story: My Little Fortress: Dawnpick // by Paaaad //------------------------------// Stiletto is at the trade depot, reading a letter. Next to her is a large coffer. "Elend, wirklich?" Flux wanders into the trade depot, intending to shop some. When he notices Stiletto, though, he smiles and walks over to her. Stiletto smiles at Flux and opens a wing for him. "Hello meine freundlichsten Liebe." "Hello Stiletto, my Beautiful One. How are you today?" "Umm, I do not know the midpony word for this feeling, verwirrt is the word I would use though." "Verwirrt?" Flux notices the large coffer. "Uh... did your family send you something again?" "Yes they did, money, to buy a house." Flux looks a bit confused. "To buy a house? But... you have an apartment?" Stiletto sighs and nods. "Yes, a very large and well furnished apartment. My parents refer to it as 'Below my station' among other things." Flux is obviously not getting it. "So they say you have to have a house? Um... but I don't think there are any houses to be bought?" "They sent enough money for me to have one built. I guess I should find a place for it." Flux raises an eye at the coffer, then looks back to Stiletto. "Um, ya. There's not a whole lot of room within the walls any more." "Yes, but there is the hill nearby. I will need to remove the current occupants first though." "Uh, current occupants?" "Honey Badger ponies, three or maybe four of them. The coffer has the money in it, three million bits, do you think that will be enough?" Flux's jaw drops."Three... million?!" "Yes, It think that is how much these platinum bard are worth." Flux sits down roughly as the full force of Stiletto's status hits him, looking slightly dazed. Stiletto puts the letter down and picks up Flux in her forelegs. "I guess I should have explained more about my family." Flux nods dumbly. "My mother is a top ranked military official and my father is a diplomat, and I told about my great Uncle, Challenger Longshanks." Flux nods again, still looking a bit overwhelmed. Stiletto hugs Flux close. "There is nothing for you to worry about though. You can come and live with me when it is done." Flux seems to return to his senses as Stiletto holds him, able to lay aside his worries, at least for a moment, in her loving embrace. "Um... really?" "Of course. You and Glyph and Kat too." Flux thinks for a few moments when Stiletto mentions Glyph and Kat, considering Stiletto's culture and odd rules for love. "Um... Stiletto?" "Yes Flux?" "You, uh, said that ponies earn loves for doing amazing things? What... what happens if a pony falls in love with more than they've earned?" Stiletto looks a bit surprised "Oh, umm, that has never really happened. The system is somewhat set up so that does not happen." "Um... never?" "Well, Iceberg did technically go over, but then he earned one for being such a skilled lover. And then he invented a new type of bath." Flux looks down, deep in troubling thought. Stiletto tilts her head. "What is wrong meine freundlichsten Liebe?" Flux keeps his gaze down, feebly trying to deflect the question. "Um... just thinking..." Stiletto isn’t letting him off that easily. "Thinking what?" Flux looks back up to Stiletto, looking deep into her eyes and feeling immensely conflicted. “...Um..." Stiletto sighs heavily "You're doubting yourself again, are you not?" "Um... maybe? I'm, uh... just having to... accept my, um, limitations..." Stiletto looks confused. "What limitations... wait, did you finally get another Liebe? You should have three by my count." Flux looks shocked. "Wha... three? What?" "Yes, one for your kindness, one for your life saving traps, and one for you. Did I miss one?" Flux simply looks dumbfounded and disbelieving. Stiletto kisses Flux on the cheek. At the kiss, he progresses from shock to mild panic, still having trouble processing what Stiletto has just said. She nuzzles his mane. "So what were you worried about?" "But, I'm not... I'm just... Three?!" "Yes three." "But... I don't... I'm not..." "You do not what?" Flux takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to at least say a full sentence. Stiletto smiles and cradles Flux in her forelegs. "Take your time." Flux does, and the combination of focusing on breathing and being held by Stiletto eventually calms his nerves. "I haven't done anything great. Anypony could have made the traps, and... and kindness shouldn't be so exceptional..." "You think too little of your achievements. When I first arrived, not one pony would even get near me, never mind try to talk to me. You though, you made me feel beautiful again." Flux blushes. "Your kindness is truly exceptional, it made me love you like a madmare. The amazing traps you created have saved countless lives, again excellence, and your musical skill will most assuredly earn another Liebe for you." Flux looks a bit overwhelmed, but doesn't argue with Stiletto. Instead, he gently nuzzles her as emotional tears begin to well up. Stiletto nuzzles Flux and kisses his tears. "Now tell me what it is that brought you to think about this so hard?" "Um... Kat." Stiletto smiles "She is lovely, is she not?" "Um, yes. She's also so... bold. She's so daring, brave... unstoppable." Stiletto grins impishly and whispers, "Unstoppable? You have already 'tested her endurance'?" Flux blushes furiously, and stammers for a few moments before calming down enough to answer her. "Um, no. We've uh, barely... kissed." Stiletto hides them both in her wings. "Like this?" She kisses Flux softly on the lips. "Or like this?" She tightens her embrace and kisses Flux deeply. Flux kisses Stiletto back, warm and safe behind her wings. Once the kiss eventually breaks, he again blushes. "Um, like... this." He gives Stiletto a peck on the cheek, just like he had with Kat. Stiletto giggles. "Oh, play kisses. She will 'warm up' to you very quickly, I would wager many bits on that fact." "Um, she says I'm... nice." "That is an understatement if I have ever heard one." Flux smiles, looking lovingly into Stiletto's eyes. "You, my Beautiful One, are a flatterer." Stiletto nuzzles Flux closely, a wide smile on her face all the while. "I speak as close to the truth as I can, mein..." she concentrates a moment, "My most kind love."