Airship Mauled

by Darkonshadows

Chapter thirty seven, Tundra Tourney Tussle: Step five.

-Tundra Tourney day four, Paprika-

“Help… me…” Branches whined in my hooves, but I thought I was helping him.

I mean, who didn’t want to be helped to a big hug? Plus I wanted to win the tournament for Arizona and Velvet, I was so angry at Mr. Deer that I needed to get my frustration out with love.

Not too long after Arizona became paralyzed and that was a bad thing, also apparently the mean pony who paralyzed her was part of an organization that hurt my loves friend. I don’t think I like this GODLESS organization very much, their name alone sounded pretty mean.

“Okay two minutes have passed.” The match caller stated.

“I… for… feit…” Branches got out while stuck in my snuggling grip, with his legs flailing. He was so scrawny, but somewhat cuddly.

I’m surprised he made it this far. Oh well, guess he was out of the tournament now, but loves wanted me to win it and I would absolutely try my best.

-Match caller-

“Winner by forfeit, again… Paprika ‘The Demon’ Paca!” I blinked and saw the reindeer was now on the ground gasping and taking in huge gulps of air, I looked at the path in the snow leading towards the medical tents.

Specifically the one Arizona Arid and Velvet Deer were sharing, hopefully they’d survive her.

I shook my head and had to call the next matchup as soon as it was hoofed over to me.

“Matchup, Shocking ‘Vicious Volts’ Awe versus Clause ‘Deep Freeze’ Deer.” This was going to be an interesting one, I can already tell.

-Medical tent, Paprika-

I popped up with a little white hat with a red cross on it and looked to Tinsel who has been helping Velvet with a book.

I hopped up to the two beds and looked to Arizona who was still in the same frozen state she had been in at the end of her fight, her eyes could still move and she was breathing at least.

I’m sure they’d be okay, I came back as quickly as I could to watch over them. Velvet eventually looked up from the book and noticed me.

“Oh Paprika, have you finished your fights for the day?” Nodding to Velvet excitedly, I was proud of my efforts to hug things today and Velvet was actually smiling in my direction for once!

It was a bit sad that I wouldn’t get to fight either Arizona or Velvet in the competition, but I could fight them anytime I wanted when they were better. My loves were always fun to play with and they even liked my existence, which was a bonus in my eyes.

I still wondered why dad suggested that I eventually learn to wrestle with both of them in bed together, that would just hurt them to do right now.

Sometimes I don’t think I would ever understand my father, but he was generally quite wise at times even if mommy chastised him for telling me to do something so weird. Silly papa, beds weren’t for wrestling in even if it sounded like fun, they’re made for sleeping!

“That’s good… could you do me a small favor that Tinsel can’t take care of for me?” Moving over to Velvet, I leaned in close and flicked an ear. Her wish was my mission… or was it command? Whatever, I’d do it for Velvet! “Can you go get us some food? Soup for Arizona at least, she can’t open her mouth wide enough to bite anything. You might even have to rub her neck to get her to swallow.”

I can do that!

I looked to Tinsel and he continued to help with the book and caring for Velvet’s damaged floof. Tinsel had managed to get all the blood stains out of Velvet’s fur. The little miracle worker, he was taking good care of her!

Tinsel looked up at me and motioned for me to go ahead and that he was watching my family for me. He shouldn’t discount himself, because he was family too!

Looking to Arizona, her fur slightly blackened a bit from when she was struck with a massive amount of lightning, she just rolled her eyes at me and gave me the barest of nods.

All her muscles were so locked up that she couldn’t hardly even nod at me. Maybe I should learn massage or get some ice sprites that know… oh, I can get some ice sprite masseuses from the Spritely Spa. Velvet really loves those reindeer pampering guys!

I ran out to go find some stuff to make soup… a nice gazpacho soup for Velvet, a warm hearty vegetable soup for Arizona and some hot grilled cheese sandwiches for all sounds really good for today’s dinner.

I hope the Spritely Spa sprites don’t run from me, I could use their help… maybe…

I turned around and ran back into the tent and motioned several things at Tinsel, he looked at me curiously as I had left only a few seconds ago.

Tinsel nodded, clapped his limbs together and hit my face with a slightly chilly breeze, then made a go on motion. I wonder what he just did and would it make the ice sprites come help Arizona?

Well okay, I was on my way to bring back food and help for cow love.

I had to be a breadwinner today and not forget how to get back to the medical tent!

Wait… where do reindeer sell bread around here? Oh well, I’ll figure something out.

-Velvet-

“I hope she doesn’t cause problems going out to get food for us.” In answer to my statement, all Arizona could do was vaguely nod imperceptibly. If you weren’t looking for it, you almost wouldn’t see the movements and it was hard when you only had the use of your right eye and Arizona was directly to my left. “I mean she is going to simply ask one of the medical professionals to send someone out for food right?”

Oh my left eye was perfectly fine, it’s just that the bandages had to cover a portion of my face and required wrapping over my left eye to do so.

Arizona seemed to shrug with her eyes and then looked to the ceiling of the tent.

-Reindeer bakery, Rein, Soufflé-

Something came up to the counter at a blazing speed and once I saw who it was, I ducked under the counter cowering.

As any reindeer knows, everyone learns to avoid the alpaca with the purple eyes, brightly colored blonde fur and that creepy overly cheerful disposition. Everyone except for the fawns that is, they loved her for some weird reason.

I am Soufflé and seeing the demon alpaca in the bakery was making me a bit hysterical. She looked over the counter at me with her long neck and tilted her head curiously.

“What do you want?” I tried not to make any sudden movements, apparently that’s a signal for her to hug you into submission. Running only made things worse and even then she might hug you anyway if you were sitting still.

Having bravely asked my question, all while sobbing and being a cowering wreck of a young reindeer doe. She calmly sat a picnic basket with a pink heart on the counter.

She pointed at a loaf of bread, some cheese and the cinnamon rolls, then pulled out a piece of paper.

I was a bit curious as why she wasn’t terrorizing anyone or going on one of her hug rampages, I got up and carefully approached the piece of paper. I kept my eyes on the smiling creature on the other side of the counter.

I looked the paper over. She was grocery shopping, this was almost too… I want to say normal and absolutely tame for her. Still, I rung up the food items she wanted, she paid for it and gave me a quick near rib breaking squeeze and then pointed at the vegetables on her list.

“Down the street to the left… can’t miss it...” I groaned out audibly as she shot out of the shop in a flash, taking the picnic basket with her.

I was surprised I came out of that alright and it hadn’t been all too bad actually.

“Agh… my cabbages!” The traveling cabbage selling pony down the street next to the grocers didn’t sound so lucky though.

What was his name again? I think it was Cabbage Patching.

-Spritely Spa, Paprika-

I ran into the spa and smiled as all the sprites just froze and I made several gestures to them, I wanted their help to fix cow love’s muscles.

Waiting patiently for them to huddle together to talk to each other, I was a little worried they wouldn’t help me. One of the ice sprites came over to me and sniffed at me and then squeaked something to the other sprites.

It wasn’t long before they gathered and I now had a lot of ice sprites riding on my back!

-Medical tent a short time later -

I had gotten everything I needed to make a good meal… now if only I could cook good food like mommy did. I could get close enough and wasn’t too bad at least, I don’t think either of my loves know how to make food and I could do that for them!

Let’s start with the soups, they’re easy and then go for the grilled cheeses last so that they are still warm when we’re ready to eat.

-Velvet-

It appears Paprika has decided to cook for us again, hopefully she wasn’t about to do something dangerous. I actually trusted her to be safe with cooking.

Thankfully among the three of us she actually had some cooking skills as part of her survival skillset as a nomadic alpaca and she wasn’t exactly entirely bad at it. She was just above completely mediocre, if I were to compare her skills to Kuril… yeah, there was actually no accurate comparison for Kuril’s cooking.

Paprika could have gotten someone to help her with this though. I swear, she wants to do everything for us by herself and while it was sweet, it could lead to disaster if Paprika didn’t pace herself.

I looked over to Arizona who seemed to be sighing audibly and happily as a number of ice sprites crawled on top of her and were trying to loosen up her muscles.

Paprika had the brilliant idea to hire the Spritely Spa ice sprites to help her with her locked up muscles and they were slowly working movement back into the front half of Arizona’s body. Their work was progressing at a snail’s pace and if they could at least get Arizona’s jaw working, then that was one less problem for us to worry about.

I just rested, with Tinsel accommodating my needs by turning the pages in the book I was reading, as the wonderful smells of vegetable soup filled the small tent.

“Excuse me, but what do you think you’re doing in… here… I’ll come back later.” The reindeer doctor abandoned the tent as soon as he saw Paprika chopping up vegetables and was cooking something.

-Match caller-

“Winner by multiple grievous injuries, Clause ‘Deep Freeze’ Deer.” I watched as Clause denied the medics help and he limped away from that fight leaving his opponent worse off than he currently was.

Shocking Awe had two broken wings, three broken legs, the rear half of his body had been frozen solid and he looked to have a concussion. Even then, that maniac was still grinning up a storm and looked to be enjoying the pain he was in.

Arizona Arid had weakened Shocking down by quite a bit and then Clause had swooped in to finish him off.

Clause hadn’t finished that fight without taking some nasty hits himself, as was evident by his limping. I think he’d be at a slight disadvantage tomorrow.

“That was the last match for the day, come back tomorrow for the final match folks!” The entire area where they fought was wrecked with scorch marks and ice sticking up all over the place, those two had really gone at it out here.

-Paprika-

“I feel a lot better even if I can only currently move my jaw, you guys do good work.” The sprites blushed at Arizona’s praise and looked bashful. “Might even be able to walk again soon with some more help. I think that’s going to take a lot of work though, given how much effort it took to even loosen up the muscles in my jaw.”

I was about ready to serve dinner, the vegetable soup for Arizona needed to simmer. The gazpacho pot was out in the snow chilling down for Velvet and I was going to start making homemade grilled cheese sandwiches.

“Ahem…” It was Clause. I turned to glare at him and moved in front of Velvet while fluffing up like pufferfish, I was warning him off to keep him from hurting my loves. “Cute... so you are to be my opponent tomorrow. You don’t look like much, but I could be wrong. You look like a master fluffmancer and yet you won all your matches by cuddling your opponents into submission. Just so you know, that will not work with me!”

He turned and left. I quickly deflated down and went to move the soup off the heat, then I started making the grilled sandwiches and piling them all on a plate to be carried to my healing loves.

-Clause-

“Ho-ho-ho… I don’t think you’re going to win tomorrow son, not this one.” I grunted at the sound of his voice.

“I don’t need your opinion father, by tomorrow I will be ready to fight her and will ultimately squander my daughter’s chances at getting the key.” I made my way to get some medical help, I would even ask politely for it and would pay respect to whatever advice they had to give me when it came to my health. I was still going to fight tomorrow. “In fact, my daughter will not get a hold of the key while I can still stand strong.”

“You know... you just don’t like the idea that she may be the key keeper for the reindeer.” The ghost of my past stated.

I didn’t have a response to that.

-Tundra Tourney day five, medical tent, Velvet-

The angry look on Paprika’s face didn’t suit her in the slightest and she’d be facing Clause in the final fight. I had to change that look back to the smile I know and… fine… I loved Paprika! You can give me a break about it now, okay conscience?

“Paprika…” No matter how quiet I said that, Paprika’s ears immediately perked up and I saw those heart shaped pupils in her eyes as she turned to me with a smile. “Come over here please.”

She did so.

“Get your face closer.” Having listened to me again, I sat up and carefully put my forehead against hers and stared my one eye into hers. “Paprika, I want to apologize to you. You’ve given me nothing but love and I’ve thrown that in your face numerous times. Please don’t go into this fight angry, he doesn’t deserve it. I'll give you some real incentive to win… I love you Paprika.”

I turned my head, planted my lips upon hers and thrust my tongue into Paprika's mouth, it was already opening from the shock of my declaration.

Author's Note:

Next up, Paprika does some things.

Step five: Acceptance.

Comments

[Fireeaters]

Lol, she's not greiving the loss of a loved one, she just admitted to loving someone, so the keubler-ross (however you spell that) model of grief doesn't apply. To paraphrase that one disney movie set in canada, "stop telling everyone [she's] dead!"

[Booster Spice]

Claus was being particularly vindictive because he was perfectly capable of taking that pegasus out in the first shot, especially with how carefully he has been observing opponants and what knowledge he has.

I would suspect that Claus standard starting method for dealing with fluffmancers, given he knows of then after stating their designation, is to suffuse the area or bombard them with supercooled freezing fog and rain or slush mixture, s that their fluff attracts the drops by capillary and then by the contact causes it to flash freeze, clagging up the fluff to an ever increasing depth, usually turning the fluffmancer into a Pycrete encased Alpaca.

I would hope that Paprikas extensive encounter with various ocean crossings have taught her waterproofing and clog rejecting methods. Especially if such ejected chunks of fur reinforced supercooled ice can be aimed at speed and with precision. Give your opponant their attack back. Twicefold.

No calls on this though. Too many variables to even be able to call a fight style.

[Shadowshame]

“Get your face closer.” Having listened to me again, I sat up and carefully put my forehead against hers and stared my one eye into hers. “Paprika, I want to apologize to you. You’ve given me nothing but love and I’ve thrown that in your face numerous times. Please don’t go into this fight angry, he doesn’t deserve it. I'll give you some real incentive to win… I love you Paprika.”

And thus velvet has fallen for her hug hungry captor and has completely fallen victim to her Stockholm syndrome

[The Scarlett Mare]

I still wondered why dad suggested that I eventually learn to wrestle with both of them in bed together, that would just hurt them to do right now.

That sounds like something her father would say
Hm

[The Scarlett Mare]

“Agh… my cabbages!” The traveling cabbage selling pony down the street next to the grocers didn’t sound so lucky though.

The cabbage guy for a story so long seems appropriate
Canterlot
Manehattan
Heck even Fright Night Grotto
You did a really good job with that detail
Amongst many other things, one of them was giving other characters more space by forcibly, if temporarily, removing the main character, though she was a light in my life and I'll totally kill you for that, or just gravely injure you...

I miss Jade .-.