The mind is a strange thing. Even against logic or reason it may cause reactions on a whim. Perhaps a gut feeling, or maybe a simple reminder to a past stimulus.
Either way the smile automatically twitched at Toxic’s face as a familiar gryphoness rounded the corner was genuine, the nervous pang in his chest vanishing on seeing her wave cheerily as she approached. No hesitation, no glance to his chest at the ever-present amulet, just a happy reaction to seeing him.
The fact such a thing was more surprising than not was a dark blemish in the back of Toxic’s mind, but the current company certainly aided in banishing it. It was a positive trait, being self-aware of one’s emotions, but that certainly came with a bit of discomfort.
Said discomfort was knowing that this gryphoness had caught his complete attention, and Toxic didn’t want that to change.
Admitting that I’m starved in a social sense is the first step, I suppose. How long has it been since I’ve let myself relax? A lunch here and there; Varti and Hammer, that’s about it. Celestia and Luna are sort of half and half.
But this sort of thing? An attractive gryphoness who doesn’t seem to care about the usual hang ups? Who still wants to get to know me even after seeing what I deal with, what it does to me? How rare is that?
And those fluffy feath-
“So! Where are we going?” Gelliana asked cheerfully, seeming to smile a bit wider as two blue ears immediately perked up, Toxic quite aware of his dopey grin at a certain previous thought.
“To the land of culinary wonders!” he exclaimed as they walked along. “Otherwise known as a rentable kitchen!”
Gelliana’s curious head tilt was another adorable checkmark on the list in Toxic’s mind, the pony chuckling.
“You pay a fee for a totally stocked kitchen, time and supplies to bake what you want. Sooooo I thought we could have a baking contest! I-hmmm.” Toxic then remembered a rather crucial detail. “I know I said we could split this cost, but since it’s a surprise, I’d like to change that for this date.”
“Oh? Does that mean you’re already planning a third date?” Gelliana exclaimed with a rather sly grin. “I know you’re rather fearless, but I’m surprised!”
Toxic felt the neurons in his brain short-circuit, nearly tripping over his hooves as he stammered for a reply.
“I…ah…erm…”
The cheerful giggling at his side apparently meant his reaction was well-received, a feathery shoulder nudging his own.
“That’s fine, Toxic.”
“I, ok,” he then glared at the gryphoness good-naturedly. “Is this payback for my cheekiness on our first date?”
“No! Of course not! I’d neeeeeeeever do something like that!”
The fact Gelliana was struggling to not burst out laughing didn’t really add much weight behind those words, not that Toxic minded at all.
The building they went to was the pinnacle of industrial plainness; stark metal and stone that would ordinarily be an eyesore in the more rustic Tall Tale setting. However, the dozens of food sculptures surrounding and decorating the building certainly advertised its fun intentions.
“So, this place furnishes ingredients, and you can just experiment! I thought for our date we could make something with only a general recipe, and see whose turned out better?” Toxic explained, Gelliana eagerly examining a few of the statues.
“That sounds great!”
The two were greeted into the cream-colored reception area and shown to one of a dozen doors, Toxic walking in first and gesturing to the area behind him.
“Tada!”
Gelliana couldn’t help but look around in genuine surprise. The fully furnished kitchen was sparkling clean, and the counters were brimming with ingredients.
“Soooo? What do you think?”
The gryphoness could only blink for a few moments as she collected her thoughts.
“It’s…well, it’s a lot!” she finally stated, Toxic chuckling.
“Yeah, it’s a bit overwhelming,” he admitted, shyly looking down to his hooves for a moment. “It was a worry of mine. I didn’t want to have a huge extravagant thing, but thought it’d be a fun idea.”
“I suppose it’d have been a bit trickier to experiment with ingredients at our own kitchens, and would have taken a bit more planning too,” Gelly admitted. “So, I think this’ll be fun!”
Toxic trotted over to the pile of ingredients, his expression softening as he gestured to it.
“And as a side note, we just can’t be too wasteful in terms of taking stuff from the containers,” he explained. “The raw leftover ingredients are sterilized with magic and used for charity baking projects. It’s one of the reasons I like this place; very little actual waste.”
Two violet eyes softened at that, Gelliana’s demeanor shifting ever so slightly as she nodded.
“I think that’s really nice; I didn’t think about that.”
A stray thought then cemented itself into Toxic’s mind, the stallion knowing he had to address it sometime.
Hmm. Maybe start things first.
“So, want to get started?” he suggested. “I was thinking a dessert? Maybe not a pie, but something fruity?”
“How about turnovers?”
Toxic nodded in agreement, trotting over to gesture to the ovens.
“Turnovers it is! The only numbers on the instructions is the oven temperature. After that, it just tells us the ingredients and they’re out of order,” he then cast a glance towards the grinning gryphoness. “You’ve never baked those before…right?”
“Nope! So, we’re both on equal terms assuming you haven’t,” Gelliana countered.
“Certainly not here. Then ovens are pre-heating!”
After setting the correct temperature, Toxic trotted over to his date and sat down looking at the curious gryphoness with a flutter of nerves.
What is he up to?
“Gelliana, before we delve into things, I just wanted to thank you,” Toxic said softly.
“Hmm?”
Between the fun date idea and the playful teasing, Gelliana was certain her heart was going to zip out of her chest.
“For not asking about this,” the stallion whispered, prodding the amulet on his chest. “I know you must be curious but the fact you didn’t ask about it when we first met or on our first date, that means quite a bit.”
NO TEARING UP! If I do that every time he is sincere, I’m going to be a mess.
“S-sure,” Gelly replied, “It just didn’t seem right to do so. Yeah, I’m curious, but that’d be like asking a gryphon why they didn’t have two wings. It’s just rude.”
Toxic let out a huff at that, and Gelliana saw the figurative gleam of an edge, a sharper side to the pony.
“You’d be surprised how many individuals don’t realize that,” he replied, “so, thank you. And I would like to tell you so it’s out of the way, if that’s alright. It’s rather anticlimactic, or perhaps I’m just jaded to it all.” The stallion then gestured to the ovens. “I mean, those still have to heat up, even if it may take less time to make everything. I know it’s not the happiest thing, but…” he couldn’t help but smile gently. “Sad or not, it’s part of me.”
“No, I’d-I’d very much like to hear about it, about you,” Gelliana replied, settling down on her haunches.
“It’s rather simple, honestly. The Oakbark incident happened when I was a young colt- didn’t even have my cutie mark, but I was a late bloomer in that sense,” Toxic explained. “The industrial plant exploded. Safety regulations ignored, too much of certain chemicals; it all mixed into a magical slurry that vaporized and suffocated the entire town. Well, almost all of it.”
Toxic poked at the amulet, using his hoof to pull back a bit of fur on the side of his neck and exposed a small, flat blue crystal attached to the skin that glowed the same color as the gem in the necklace.
“Apparently, my vocal cords were the only part of me not immune to the gas. I don’t know the rhyme or reason, but it changed them to vibrate differently. Now, it causes anycreature within earshot to have near immediate headaches or actual hearing damage if they listen to me long enough. Youngsters can actually hear my voice for a few minutes before it begins to hurt, but that’s for a very specific age range. I have it all written down, but something about causing parts of the inner ear to vibrate; gryphons and hippogriffs have it worse off due to their more sensitive ears. The amulet mutes the vibrations and translates it into this less-emotional voice. And that’s really it,” he explained. “Surgery and stuff can’t correct it, oddly enough. My body reverts the changes; something to do with the magical aspects of whatever I breathed in. But hey, I got a cool looking necklace out of all of it and a cutie mark.”
Gelliana didn’t miss the barely-concealed pain in Toxic’s eyes. The fact he was able to joke about it all was definitely a sign of his strength. A few of his explanations seemed almost wrote- as though saying it from a script…
He must have had to explain it so many times, and now has learned to deal with it with a bit of humor.
Or perhaps a way to cope.
“I know you must have told that story a hundred times, but thank you,” Gelliana said, reaching over to give Toxic’s shoulder a pat. “I like knowing about you.”
Ok that sounded a bit lame-wait, is he blushing?!
Lame or not, the stallion was clearly a tad flustered, something Gelliana was quickly learning to enjoy.
“Erm…I…turnover time?” he suggested, the poor stallion scrambling for words as Gelly giggled.
“Turnover time it is.”
Thankfully, the ovens chimed for being pre-heated, giving some sort of further interruption as the two dove into their projects. With just bare-bones recipe as their guide, the conversations quickly had them in stitches from even what started as a simple question.
“Apples or cherry?” Toxic whispered as their recipes began to come together.
“Go bold. Go apple.”
“You just heard that from a slogan!”
“Did not!”
“I know that’s a slogan somewhere! Maybe a rejected slogan, but one nonetheless!”
“It is not that bad!”
“And how are apples bold?”
“Well considering you grabbed the smallest, most blue apples I’ve seen, I’d say it’s bold!”
And indeed, Toxic was holding a large jar of blueberries, his left eye twitching as Gelliana gasped for air.
“You sabotaged me!”
“I did nothing of the sort!”
“You berry much crossed the line!”
At that, Gelliana was in tears as the stallion struggled to catch his own breath. It had been a horrible pun, but he liked making creatures laugh.
Especially her.
While Gelliana’s humor defenses were down, Toxic deployed something he had been wanting to do since their first date. Of course, he did want to make sure. He knew how nicknames could be a negative instead of fun thing to joke about.
“Hey, Gelly?” he asked. “How do you feel about your nickname? I mean, I assume you’ve heard every joke there is…”
The gryphoness snorted, rolling her eyes at that.
“Oh, yeah. I mean, I really don’t mind. It’s my name, after all. Some guys have used some not-so-repeatable jokes, but most are just kinda…I dunno, old after a while,” she admitted, then smiling at the stallion. “But when I like the creature making the joke, that makes it rather fun if it’s new.”
“Soooooo no hard feelings on nickname jokes?” Toxic double checked, Gelliana giggling.
“No hard feelings. If it’s one I’ve heard before, you won’t get much more than a roll of the eyes. Then again, I haven’t really had that many jokes after growing up.”
“Huh. Well, good to know.”
“…you totally thought of one, didn’t you?”
Toxic shook his head innocently, but the completely cheeky grin likely negated that gesture.
“NOPE!”
“Uh huh….”
They busied about making their turnovers before Toxic pounced.
“Hey, I think you’re missing a crucial ingredient!” he called out, tossing a suspiciously-unmarked jar over to the gryphoness.
“Hmm?” she asked, looking at the item and opening it. “Peanut butter?”
“I mean, it goes great with-”
He really should have taken the eye-twitch as a sign, in hindsight.
*PAFT!*
A handful of blueberries bounced Toxic’s face, Gelliana glaring at him with a mischievous and playful smirk, the gryphoness stabbing a talon his way.
“YOU DID NOT!”
Toxic retaliated with a few raspberries of his own, ducking behind the counter.
“It’s a perfect match! How can I compete with such a potential suitor, if not for a turnover, than for your heart!”
“Do you have ANY idea how many times I’ve heard jokes about that?”
“That means I just have to try harder to come up with new ones!”
Gelliana couldn’t help but giggle, Toxic poking his head above the counter to see that the coast was now clear.
“In all honestly, Toxic, that was a new way to put it,” she admitted with a smile. “So, well done. No wonder you asked! I think…when…you….”
Her voice trailed off as the cheeky unicorn proudly stood at attention, going above and beyond what she thought possible for the joke. The peanut butter jar had been located and levitated back, Toxic securing the item upside-down on his horn proudly as the oily substance trickled down his face.
“Now we’re a perfect match!” he proclaimed.
From how Gelliana immediately doubled over with gasping laughs, Toxic figured the thorough shower after the date would be totally worth it.
The mirth in her violet eyes was testament enough for that. When was the last time he could be this silly and have it be appreciated?
Far too long. And if a jar on my head gets her to laugh, then I guess I’m a jarhead for good!
Their recipes finally concluded with only a few, left-over giggles and a conversation about the superior type of fruit pasty (to which they agreed it largely depended on the desert), then sticking their creations into the oven.
“Soooo now we wait?” Gelliana asked as her date nodded.
“Yep! I guess we can clean up and just chat while they cook?”
“I think you need to clean up. That was some dedication to the joke.”
As Toxic stuck his head under a faucet, the unicorn grinned at the amused gryphoness.
“Well, I apparently had past competition to come up with that one, and for the future.”
“Ooooh no.”
Gelliana couldn’t help but smile as they continued to clean. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been on a date and not been preoccupied with something. In terms of gryphons, there had always been, unfortunately, an ulterior motive for their temporary kindness.
And it’s a wonder I don’t have trust issues. Ugh.
But Toxic? He seemed sincere. A bit nervous and definitely over-thinking things a bit but it was in a considerate manner. He clearly thought the jokes about her shorter name were a sensitive subject, to which she could appreciate.
But I like when you’re relaxed, Toxic. Just that goofy grin.
And the fact his heartbeat still is faster when looking at me…
A bit of tender warmth continued to stir in Gelliana’s chest, a thought threatening to make a bit of dampness come to her eyes.
After all you’ve seen, you still don’t have that edge that many gryphons have, or ponies too for that matter.
She had to stop herself from being too excited. There was still a question, a very important matter she had to bring up, and the thought rightfully made the warmth in her breast ice over. Gelliana truly didn’t think Toxic would be one of those creatures, but she couldn’t ignore the possibility.
I guess how we met kind of added a level of trust. I’m not sure the intricacies of it, but I’d have to guess this job of his plays a big part of it.
Managing to shut her mind off for a moment, Gelliana went back to sorting the left-over materials, simply enjoying the company of her date.
The bonus of having eagle vision was not missing when his gaze flickered over to her, nor when an automatic smile twitched at his features when she met his own eyes with hers.
As they tidied up the counter, the stallion found himself actually relaxed, his mind not dwelling on anything else other than the time spent with the lovely gryphoness nearby. He knew his gaze drifted over to her a few times, but that wasn’t what a gentlestallion did; gawking like a star-struck colt, at least as much as he could consciously control.
Toxic wasn’t about to lie to anyone (including himself,) that he found Gelliana to be absolutely gorgeous. There was quite a list in terms of why, and while physical attraction was an essential part of a relationship he couldn’t help but see something else. There was another layer grafted to the gryphoness, something Toxic couldn’t separate.
You saw me at one of my worst times, pulled me out of a nightmare. You saw the worst my job had to offer and what it did to me.
And yet here you are.
“Toxic?”
Gelliana’s soft voice snapped the stallion back to reality, the pony managing an awkward grin. “Hmm?”
The gryphoness was at his side, gesturing to some soda bottles.
“You’ve been staring at those for a minute.”
Toxic’s attempt to pick up one of the bottles sent them rolling about, the pony letting out a huff.
“Sorry, I-”
*PSSSSSST!*
One of the bottles fell off the counter and smacked into a protruding edge. The plastic ruptured, releasing the gas and liquid with a loud hiss.
The kitchen faded into memory, and Toxic felt his horn sparking with a shielding spell on instinct.
The long corridor was lit with emergency lights, the sound of rupturing pipes echoing in his ears. A toxic red cloud burst from one of the glass-lined rooms with a loud hiss-
“Toxic?”
A set of reassuring claws on his shoulder made the stallion come back to reality, his sides heaving as a powerful shielding spell sputtered out. Two violet eyes looked into his, Toxic’s heartbeat slowing as a bit of sweat dotted his frame.
“Sorry,” he whispered in embarrassment, green eyes looking at the floor. “Just a memory. Job and such,” he said lamely.
Gelliana was quiet for a time, sitting down next to the stallion.
“Can you do me a favor, Toxic?” she asked, softly.
His ears still pinned back the stallion glanced over to her curiously.
“Never say you’re sorry for that,” Gelliana replied, her violet gaze fierce and sharp despite the gentle tone of her voice. “Not for what you’ve seen and been through.”
What?
Toxic’s head whipped over to stare at her, Gelliana’s gaze meeting his own with a steady assurance. A lump rose up in the stallion’s throat, her words punching through to reach the sincere parts of his heart.
Nobody has ever said that to me, not outside of a very well-paid therapist and the Princess’s.
“Why?” he managed to croak out, the word somehow making the gryphoness’s ears stand on end. “Forgive me, Gelly, but I don’t really understand,” Toxic admitted. “I’m not a broken pony by any means, but I deal with a lot of stuff and have rough patches. Are you saying you’re ok with that? Jumping at a hissing soda bottle? A laundry list of other challenges?”
Her head tilted slightly, the gryphoness looking somewhat confused as she smiled.
“I’m here, aren’t I?” Gelly replied. “And I saw what you deal with. I’m not so naïve to think a pony can come out of such a thing unscathed. I’m amazed you’re still you after all of that. I…” her words drifted off, claws tapping against the ground. “I’m just happy Marigold was wrong. That they were all wrong. I had a feeling they were.”
“Huh?”
Gelliana winced, looking away briefly.
“Your nickname. The…cold one. My best friend told me about it before we even met,” Gelliana explained. “And I didn’t talk to her for a full day afterwards because of how mad I was at her being so judgemental. And now seeing what you go through, it would make me even more furious,” she growled.
She looked up to see the stallion’s eyes watering, Toxic not able to form words as he stared in shock. Her cheeks warmed, a bit of embarrassment flooding through the gryphoness’s frame.
“Sorry. I’ve been on the receiving end of rumors, so it’s a bit of a sore spot,” she admitted. “Even moreso now that I know how wrong they are for you.”
Toxic was speechless for a few more moments, finally able to shrug his shoulders.
“I don’t really know what to say other than ‘thank you.’”
Gelliana simply smiled back, fluttery warmth flooding her chest as an increasingly-familiar heartbeat sped up slightly, something she quickly was starting to adore every time Toxic looked into her eyes.
“I know this probably goes a lot deeper than most second dates, but I did have a question of my own,” Gelly said softly, which prompted a soft huff from Toxic.
“I think this is a unique case, and I know what you mean though,” he replied. “Seeing somepony at their worst, and the fact you’re still here after seeing what I deal with…I’m still trying to process it, quite frankly.”
“You’re not the only one trying to figure stuff out.”
“Huh?”
Gelliana waved at him with a set of claws, now avoiding his gaze as her feathers fluffed with embarrassment. “You asked ‘why?’, Toxic?” she whispered. “That’s what I want to know, but about myself.”
Seeing his perplexed look, the gryphoness let out a frustrated breath, wings then sagging along with her ears. “Look, based on how we met, I feel like I can trust you, at least more than others I’ve just met,” she admitted. “So, I’m asking you this not because I think it’s your intention, but because not asking has burned me in the past.”
“I mean, I agree with the trusting thing, but still don’t follow,” Toxic admitted, patiently listening.
“Did you ask me on a date or two just because I’m a gryphon?”
The pony stared in absolute surprise, only able to reply with. “Huh? Just because you’re a gryphon? No, of course not. Admittedly I think that’s a plus in my book, but not for some of the…uh, ‘common’ reasons.”
Gelliana could feel her eyes narrow in suspicion, even if she didn’t want to appear as such.
I trust you, Toxic. Please don’t be like the others.
Please.
“Common reasons?” she asked, pleasantly surprised to see Toxic not flustered or struggling to explain himself, his heartbeat remaining steady.
“Well, yeah. You probably know the reasons I’m talking about; am I right?” he asked. “Dating a gryphon as some sort of relationship-bucket-list. And I mean that in the least-intimate way possible, or…” he then frowned. “In a much more intimate way than most. I’ve talked to more than one individual who has a checklist to have a one-night stand with some other species. Those are the reasons I am not referring to.”
Gelliana felt a weight lift from her shoulders, one that she hadn’t even realized had been pressing down with increased strength. “I’ve had a few dates admit to just that,” she whispered. “As some sort of challenge. They just wanted to say they dated a gryphon. Or wanted to go a lot further than a kiss just to say they had done it. They didn’t care about me other than the fact I had feathers.”
“Well, I look forward to continuing to prove that is not my intention.”
The simple phrasing made Gelliana’s heart melt. No abrupt refuting, no denying, only ‘I want to prove you wrong.’ She could feel a lump in her throat rising to her eyes, but the gryphoness continued. “Other gryphons were the worst though,” she said. “I can’t count the number of times they thought it’d be fun to have a ‘toy’ to come home to. Being a runt raises a lot of issues I would have rather avoided.”
Gelly didn’t miss the narrowing of Toxic’s eyes at her ‘toy’ remark, and the slight twitch of his mouth in aggravation.
Wait. Did I just hear him growl?
….huh.
“They enjoyed the fact I was a physical pushover, and that was on top of gryphons usually not being very pleasant. Growing up in Equestria gave me a higher standard for social interactions it would seem.” She glanced over to Toxic, the stallion still sitting next to her, now slightly facing the gryphoness. “So, yeah. I guess it comes down to if those are your intentions in any way, I just want to know now instead of finding out later,” she said, ears drooping. “I don’t think they are, but I….”
I don’t want to get hurt again.
Gelliana could feel a few hot tears force their way out of her eyes, the emotional gryphoness wishing her feelings about all of this weren’t so close to the surface.
“Can I give you a hug?”
The amulet muted some of his tone, but the genuine care still came through Toxic’s voice, and Gelly nodded once. The simple embrace made the gryphoness melt, not able to stem the tears even the slightest anymore as she hugged the stallion back, resting her head tentatively on his shoulder.
“Y’know, I imagined something a tad more romantic for our first hug,” Toxic whispered. “Maybe a dinner on a hill? Candles?”
Gelliana couldn’t help but half-laugh, half-sniffle at that.
“A-aren’t you the romantic,” she teased.
“Oh, you have no idea. Just you wait. And I promise no PB and J jokes during such times.”
Wait.
The fact Toxic pulled back and grinned at her made Gelliana’s feathers poof out, her past memories and sorrows shoved to the side.
He’s not joking?
Please don’t be joking.
And then he pulled her closer again, but not so tight as to impose the gesture any longer than she wanted.
“Gelly, I know that whatever I say will leave a bit of doubt, at least for now,” Toxic said softly. “But for what it’s worth, I don’t have those intentions for what we have started here, I promise you that.” He paused briefly, and Gelliana was now thoroughly convinced he was perfect hugging height. “When I said you being a gryphon is a plus, can I explain why?”
She nodded, getting a bit of guilty pleasure that Toxic seemed to rest his head ever so slightly against hers, unintentional or not.
“I know this is painting gryphons with a broad brush, so I acknowledge that. But most ponies would have run screaming from that control room. Everypony there froze or lost their lunch. But you didn’t, most gryphons, I imagine, wouldn’t. I appreciate that about you in particular, because you’re still…you. The gryphons and creatures I’ve met who wouldn’t flinch at that sight have lost a part of themselves. You don’t seem to have that coldness, if that makes sense. Gryphons are just tougher than ponies in many ways. And I find that rather attractive.”
“That makes sense,” Gelliana replied, feeling her own heart beating like a drum.
That’s what I thought about you. You still have your ‘soul’, even after seeing so much.
“I mean, and then there’s the fur and feathers, the ‘fierce warrior princess’ look, if we’re going for positive physical characteristics…”
Gelliana let out a soft *eep*, feeling Toxic’s sides shudder with a chuckle.
“You know, you are hugging me tighter.”
She let him go with a glare, emotionally-sensitive feathers fully puffed out as Toxic smiled back.
“You did that on purpose!” she accused him with a very anemic pout.
“Of course I did. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t being truthful. Fur, feathers, eyes, it’s rude to stare though,” the stallion admitted, a playful glint in his green eyes not making it easier for Gelliana to smooth her feathers down.
As she sputtered, the stallion winced slightly, still smiling however.
“Too much?”
“A b-bit…” she admitted, even though the gryphoness was not about to complain at any further remarks.
“Well, you did ask.”
Well, he’s got me there.
Note to self. Make him be the one flustered next time when I tell him what is so blasted attractive....
….next time?
“S-so, does that mean you’d want to have a third date?” Gelliana asked tentatively, the ghost of her stutter entering her speech.
“I’d very much like that,” Toxic replied. “As well as a fourth, fifth, all the way up to and beyond double digit dates, if you’d like. I don’t mean to be too presumptuous though.”
DO NOT CRY.
You already lost it once. But you are NOT making this easy on me, Toxic. You have no idea how close to the chest this is for me.
“I’d l-like that very much,” Gelliana managed to say. “So, are we officially dating then?”
The sincere and excited smile that spread across the stallion’s face made that increasing warmth in Gelliana’s chest ignite into an inferno.
“I’d certainly like that, if you would,” he replied. “I think the whole ‘special somepony’ or ‘somegriff’ label in this case may be after a few more dates if that’s ok. But I’d very much like to go on as many dates as you’d be interested in.”
If these two are any indicator, that’s a lot of dates.
“I’d really like that,” Gelliana said softly.
A loud *DING* made them both jump, the oven signaling their creations were done. Toxic levitated his items out as Gelliana snagged her, the unicorn then gesturing to the steaming desserts.
“A hopefully-yummy treat to celebrate?” he suggested, the gryphoness all-smiles.
“My talons are crossed!”
After the turnovers cooled, each eyed their creations curiously. They seemed to look normal, if not a bit messy.
“Well, nothing to do but try them?” Toxic suggested, levitating one of his own as Gelly did the same for hers.
“Now I’m nervous,” she muttered. “Oh, this could taste horrible.”
“I’ll be the gentlecolt and go first?”
“You’re already a gentlecolt, but thank you.”
Gelly was rewarded by an embarrassed mumble, making a mental note to do that much more often. It was pretty clear that consistent compliments were an alien thing to the stallion in question.
That’s something I’ve seen a lot, sadly. Well, I’ll gladly change that!
Taking a large bite of his apple creation, Toxic chewed thoughtfully.
“Hmmmmm.”
“So how is it?” she asked.
The pony’s eyes widened in horror, the stallion promptly delivering his mouth’s contents to the trash can with a shudder.
“Egg,” he whispered. “So much egg. It’s all egg!”
Gelliana couldn’t help but giggle at the now indignant look on Toxic’s face, the stallion taking another bite from a different area.
“But this one is fine! Ugh, I must not have mixed it well enough,” he grumbled.
Reaching over to snag a bite, Gelliana grinned, shrugging her wings.
“Dunno what you’re talking about, this taste great!” she chirped, taking another large beakful.
Her expression fell, her date promptly chuckling.
“Oh, I see you found the egg.”
“Bleeeeeeeeeh,” the gryphoness likewise removed the offensive mouthful into the trash can as well, then eying her own creation warily. “Well, here it goes!”
A blissful hum left the gryphoness’s beak, Gelly eagerly downing half the pastry.
“Oh, I tooootally hit the mark on these,” she sighed, not able to resist a giggle as Toxic pouted.
“Could I have-”
He caught the turnover tossed his way, the unicorn taking a few bites and nodding.
“Ok, you win by a long shot. That’s awesome!” he agreed. “Ooooh, it’s actually a bit tart? That’s new!”
“I added a bit of lime and some other things to go with the sugar. I’d say it turned out well!” Gelly replied. “I may have to try this at home since it turned out…so…well…”
Her words drifted off as her date assaulted her with the most sincerely sad puppy eyes she had ever seen, the unicorn’s ears lying flat as his green eyes darted over to her pile of pastries, lower lip quivering slightly.
“Yes, you can have another. Just stop with the eyes!”
“Yay!”
Toxic was back to a full-on smug grin as he downed another turnover, Gelliana grumbling under her breath.
That worked far, FAR too well.
…lets hope he doesn’t find out how well that works for a while.
“Seriously though, these are great. I crown you the turnover queen!” Toxic proclaimed. “I’ll work on making a crown. Or maybe baking one?”
“Please no.”
Toxic opened his mouth, and then promptly shut it with a nod.
“Yeah, maybe not baking it,” he agreed.
After bagging up the edible turnovers, Gelliana turned to Toxic after looking around, sighing happily as they sat near the entrance to the kitchen.
“That was a lot of fun, Toxic,” she said softly as her shyer side decided to be a bit more dominant, ironically. “So, for our next date, want me to plan that?”
Toxic nodded, the stallion’s eyes widening at her words. The gryphoness didn’t miss how his heartbeat raced, especially at her last words.
“I look forward to it,” he replied softly, looking a tad nervous.
Oooooh. I can make a guess.
“Y’know, if you want to give me a hug, I won’t bite you.”
The stallion’s face immediately flushed, the pony shrugging his shoulders.
“I…erm…”
Setting down the turnovers, Gelly took a step forward and looked up slightly at the stallion, her own feathers fluffed as two green eyes widened in surprise.
“Can I give you a hug?” she asked, “Now that I’m not a mess and about to cry?”
On seeing Toxic nod, Gelly promptly wrapped up her date in her arms, letting out a happy breath as Toxic returned the gesture.
Perfect. Hugging. Height.
There weren’t too many times when Gelliana could say her small stature was a bonus in terms of being a gryphon, but this, this was definitely one of them. The crook of Toxic’s shoulder and neck was just at the right height to rest on and enjoy.
I’ve forgotten how much I’ve needed this. It’s not the same getting a hug from Marigold…obviously.
And now I can actually enjoy it.
It was an almost imperceptible gesture, but Gelliana’s heard skipped a beat when Toxic let himself relax a bit, removing the last remnants of nervous stiffness his gesture had held. He pressed
Maybe I’m not the only one who needed a hug.
“I’m going to take a guess and say you’re not a hugger?” she ventured to ask, her heart dropping slightly as she voiced her question.
“Not in a casual sense, usually at least,” he admitted. But before the words could sink in, his grip around the gryphoness tightened slightly. “But you don’t count for that. You obviously needed a hug earlier,” the stallion paused, “And I like you. So, I therefore like hugging you.”
Now the gryphoness definitely felt Toxic lean into her embrace, seeming to fully accept the gesture as his voice dropped to a near whisper. “Quite a bit, actually.”
Gelly couldn’t hold back a slight sniff at that. The fact that Toxic was continually willing to show the vulnerable side she had glimpsed in that alleyway and earlier today meant quite a bit.
“I’m g-glad,” she admitted.
“Is somecreature a hugger?”
“Not willy-nilly, but I don’t mind it.”
She could feel the stallion smile, face muscles tensing as he let out an amused huff.
“Would a lack of hugs be a deal breaker?”
“Totally.”
Toxic gave her another squeeze, the pair separating as the stallion smiled.
“Well, duly noted then,” he replied. “But, well, I’m not that used to it. So, I apologize if I’m a bit hesitant at first.”
“Considering the unique way we started off, Toxic, I’d say taking thing slow isn’t a bad idea?”
His ears perked up at that, the unicorn nodding in agreement.
“I was going to mention something like that. I agree.”
Toxic apparently having pre-paid for the event, they meandered back down the street towards Gelliana’s shop, the stallion appearing rather thoughtful.
“Bit for your thoughts?” Gelliana asked.
“Just how we met. I find it interesting, because it got rid of a lot of the usual awkwardness a first and second date would have,” Toxic mused as Gelly nodded in agreement.
“I agree with you there. We still don’t know each other well, but it was an introduction that just added a bit of trust.”
Her gaze flickered over to Toxic, a bit of nervousness making the gryphoness’s chest tight. To her absolute joy, emerald-green eyes met her own, the stallion smiling slightly.
“And that’s something that’s hard to earn at times,” he admitted softly. “And I admit, for me that is a sore spot. But it’s not for a lack of wanting.”
Gelliana reached over to give his shoulder a friendly nudge, finding it was her chance to steer Toxic’s thoughts in a better direction.
“Well, can you trust me to show up for a third date?” she asked cheerily.
Toxic immediately smiled, nodding with a laugh at that.
“Of course.”
“Then I’d say we’re doing pretty well.”
As they paused outside her shop, Gelliana felt her feathers fluff, ears flicking back briefly.
“Look, Toxic,” she asked, the stallion listening attentively. “You’re not the only one who has been burned in terms of trust. So, I get it, at least in part. Slow and steady?”
Toxic met her gaze, expression that of pensive thought before nodding once.
“I like that idea,” he admitted. “And thank you, Gelly.”
He picked up a set of her claws, the gryphoness feeling her feathers poof out even further at the gesture.
“So, how about tomorrow?”
“T-tomorrow works, same time?” she squeaked, the stallion clearly enjoying her easily flustered nature.
“I’ll be here. Lunch and then whatever you come up with?”
“S-sounds good!
Gelliana’s heart nearly was thudding out of her chest as Toxic met her gaze…and smiled.
“See you then.”
And then he was off, leaving a completely melted gryphoness at her shop. No nerves, no wonderings of ‘what if’ buzzed through Gelliana’s mind. Only the happy glow of spending time with somepony she cared about.
And I most certainly care about him.
Trotting down the street happily, Toxic then began to slow his pace, letting his mind wander. To say the date went fantastically was an understatement.
She is truly ok with me. My challenges, everything.
He could hear Varti’s voice shouting in his ears already ‘She’s a keeper!’
Well, my friend, you were right at least. The fact she didn’t shy away after seeing what I went through, wanting to help; that speaks volumes.
The fact she was ok with taking things slow was another point for the gryphoness. No pressuring, just kind understanding.
Almost like she just wants me to be comfortable.
There’s a new revelation, you dense unicorn.
Toxic let out a huff at that.
I’ve never had someone know what I go through and be so accepting of it all. The job itself, the knowledge it does affect me. Most show at least a level of discomfort. I guess that is what is throwing me off more than anything.
As far as things to be puzzled about, Toxic would certainly have no complaints if this was the biggest one in his mind. He did want to talk to her more about it; and he was pretty sure he now had a way of phrasing it all.
But for now, he could only smile at recalling their date and the peanut-butter fiasco.
And she has a sense of humor similar to mine. I can make her laugh!
Her laugh was, to say the least, a pleasant sound. Almost an elevated sort of giggle that seemed to always carry with it a sincere, bubbly mirth.
And those eyes. I don’t know what it is, but wow.
Thankfully, Toxic’s attention was shifted before he could go into a stupor. A familiar pony was walking along the street, grumbling into an ever-present crystal communicator on his ear.
“Yes, the left pile of materials. And…oh?” Wire Strip asked, the brown unicorn blowing his long yellow mane out of his eyes. “So, the contract is still on but delayed? Eh, good enough.”
Toxic had to suppress a laugh as the other pony massaged his temple with a groan. He didn’t know Wire Strip extremely well, more of a casual friend who was five years his senior. They had hayburgers every now and again and it was nice to have a friendly acquaintance. Wire was a fantastic lead technician for the royal guard, specifically for the hazardous decontamination equipment Toxic usually interacted with. In terms of his personal life, it never really came up in conversation, as it often didn’t for casual stallion friends.
Some would say Wire was somewhat off-beat, but Toxic enjoyed such an observation. The other unicorn was one of the few who didn’t judge him; probably because he had his own quirks here and there. So, who was Toxic to judge?
I still have no idea why he fixes machines. The pony is a master strategist. I still can’t believe he beat me in chess in ten moves.
Repeatedly.
Wire Strip had certainly proven that his mind wasn’t the only thing that was sharp. The technician had saved two families when the Windigo threat was still being mopped up months ago. That was good enough for Toxic, and the pony had always been there to help during a disaster.
“Do I have to tell you how dangerous some of those products are if mixed? It doesn’t matter if it looks ‘fine’, you need to always read the-yes, the label is on the container! Don’t…do I have to tell you not to lick them? No? Ok, good. Yes, you’re still doing fine. So, repeat back what I said? Good. I’ll call you later.”
Noticing Toxic out of the corner of his eye, Wire waved a tired hoof at the pony. “Oh, hey there Toxic. How goes it?”
“Just returning from a pleasant outing, so pretty well. How about yourself?” Toxic asked. “Trouble with the crew?”
Wire let out a groan at that, nodding in exasperation.
“It’s more like a daycare center. Don’t poke the pretty-looking liquid, and so forth. I’m having to supervise the delivery some equipment and chemicals for decommissioning. So, with the Royal Guard breathing down my neck, the last thing I want is my crew to look incompetent.”
“Hence the instructions to not lick hazardous chemicals?”
“Precisely,” Wire groaned. “I’ve got a few more calls to make and pick up an order in this city; but maybe we could catch up over some hayburgers later? Assuming you didn’t stuff yourself during what I assume was a date judging by that grin you had earlier? Last I checked, you don’t live in Tall Tale.”
Toxic chuckled, nodding in agreement.
“Well, you’d be right. And that sounds good, so how about at five?”
“Aye, I can do that. There’s an eatery on Fifth and Horsehaven Avenue that I hear is fantastic, see you then?”
“See you then; take care Wire.”
“You too, Toxic.”
The unicorns went their separate ways for now, Toxic not able to keep a smile off his face.
A date and catching up with a friend.
I’m one lucky stallion.
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Great chapter, and the development of thses two is excellent. Keep it up!
So adorable. Can’t wait for the next chapter!
TOY!!!! I'm now eager to have a few feather dusters.
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Change it to 'that'.
It should be either: "not that Toxic minded", or "but Toxic didn't mind at all". Personally I'd go with the former.
Toxic, you are worse than my father, and that's saying a lot. Kudos for that.
Aaaaaand here comes the thing I was looking for. Also change that to 'defenses'.
Good one. That's actually a good one I haven't thought of yet. *sigh* What am I doing with my life, trying to come up with bad puns...?
I'm curious, did Toxic actually throw edible raspberries, or did he send Gelly's way a raspberry with his mouth?
Wow. Toxic just went from 0 to 100 in like, 2 seconds flat. That's 20% cooler than I thought was possible.
Well, I was just about to ask if Toxic had any PTSD from his job. Guess I don't have to. I was very much hoping that I had to.
That should be 'surprise', and yeah, I think this line (and the ones before that) show that Toxic isn't the only one who's been hurt, as well as the fact that both of them are very mature in terms of dealing with relationships. Nice way of showing it, Rad.
To be honest, I'm both surprised and infuriated that there are individuals like that out there in Equestria (who deserve to be called sons of b****es), but then this is a universe where ponies try to kill their leader. Why am I surprised, I don't know. Being infuriated though? Let's just say I am very touchy about the subject, having both witnessed and subjected to sexual violence in my lifetime. I can relate to Gelly's trust issues; it's something I went through, too.
Here's the funny thing: I was listening to this while reading this line, and as I got to the 'burned' part, the song went: You mess with me? You'd better not or you might get burned~
Just like how I smile whenever I think about this story and its two prequels.
Everyone deals with stupid people on the other end of the line at some point. Just basic life going on, nice. That part where he said "do I have to tell you not to lick them?" gave me an amused smile.
Once again, excellent chapter. You certainly did load this one with plenty of fluff and bad puns. You may have to up the fluff, though, because I didn't get to use my defibrillator I brought in case I had a cardiac arrest from Acute Adorableness Poisoning.
I loved the banter between Gelly(Jelly?) and Toxic, you made my day(or night, it's 2:50 in the morning here)! The character of the two individuals were expertly shown through their words and actions, and I love how these two complete each other. It's like looking at two long-lost puzzle pieces fitting together; where were they in each other's lives until all this time?
This time I kinda went overboard with my Grammar Nazi personality, so do forgive me for that. It's just that these things tend to irk both me and my editor.
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I'm still surprised by how complex they're becoming. Things are cropping up that I didn't consider at first. ONWARDS!
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Yeaaaaah. Gryphon's, male or female, aren't known for their tact, romance or kindness. A reason for the daggers reveals itself. And obviously Toxic picked up on the not-so-hidden subtext of such a 'name'.
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Oh, there will be more fluff. This is the foundation of fluff.
And no apologies necessary for the grammar-nazi-edits! I am bound to miss more than a few things, so thank you for pointing them out!
Physical ones, but I suppose BOTH is a possibility!
Well, you can ask away and I can send you a PM if you'd like!
But yeah, he does. He hides it very well, and as has been hinted at, he has a very well-paid therapist. Without spoilers, I'll just say thing; nobody really talks about how being the 'hero' takes its toll. Even a mountain can be cut in half by a trickle of water, and Toxic is clearly starting to crack.
I wanted things to be more natural with these two. Adorable, but they already have a trusting foundation just to how they met.
All I will say is that I'm sorry that you've had to experience some of the worst humanity has to offer, and I hope you are doing much better. I tend to hint at these topics in stories simply due to it being ignored. Obviously it's said in an always-negative context, as it should be, but I feel like ignoring it happens...that's just not right. Fair warning; there are hints of such matters later on, and has real-world references per se.
That said, all that evil needs to do to win is for good ponies to do nothing.
....and that doesn't sound like it has a place in this story, now does it?
In Gelly's case- now you know one of the many reasons for daggers. Nothing has happened past words or the like, but better safe than sorry.
And at least Toxic gets points for growling!
That's the dynamic I'm working towards. Not the same, but complementing each other. Perhaps not without bumps in the road, but just crossed paths at the right place and time. My goal with all my stories are to depict healthy relationships. Not perfect ones (because there isn't such a thing,) but to contrast the oodles of just....bad dynamics that are shown and can be damaging. The world has enough negative garbage to sift through. Happy fluffy things are so much better.
Thank you for all your comments! I always love reading through in-depth feedback like that
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Well, then I'm definitely keeping this defibrillator by my side. I'll hail the fluff until the end, even if it ends in me getting dragged to the hospital ER.
Well, who wouldn't, given that Toxic has seen stuff that nopony ever deserves to? Just seeing one instance of what we saw in Chapter 4 is enough to leave an individual scarred, and to think that he's been through dozens of this... *shudder* At least he's got a tough-looking fluffy gryphon to hold him when he falls!
Oh, I am doing better. Years of not thinking about the incident does—very rarely—work. But now you know one of the ways of unlocking the worst side of me. You just need to tap in the right spot for that.
But, on a brighter note, at least Gelly can look after herself, right? She's got her daggers, and now she's got Toxic Shield. So now she has daggers and a shield. Can't think of a better combination for that when it comes to self-defense. Speaking of which, got any Shield-related puns? Toxic could also work as pun material, but then that would make the humors too dark.
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*Looks at story outline*
....yeah, you're gonna need it. I'm laying foundation for fluff- this isn't even THE fluff!
Yeah, he's been through the wringer. I recently added another layer to his past, as I'm trying to keep this as 'realistic' as possible. It's....well, feelings. Lots of feelings. I like tackling complex topics in these stories too, such as there being a problem, and the right answer isn't a good one.
Oh, so much fluff. Toxic had no idea that fluffy feathers were his thing.
I am glad to hear you're doing better I did want to give the fair warning though. It's not a constant topic, but it IS there at times.
Hmmm. Shield puns. I'll have to see. And that's a good point; daggers and shield. And Gelly is a firecracker- she just hasn't had a chance to show it yet!
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You know, before finding this series, my definition of fluff was very limited. Like, some hugging, some kissing maybe? I don't know, I definitely wasn't the romance expert. But now? Oh boy, you have no idea what you've opened my eyes to... And to think that what I've seen so far isn't THE fluff... *shudders in giddy anticipation* Can't wait. Let's see if the next chapter makes me finally attach the defibrillator to my (clinically dead) body!
A firecracker, hmm? She certainly has the potential to be, given her dynamic with Toxic so far! And Toxic is going to be the spark of flame that will light that firecracker and launch it into the sky, where it will light itself up for that spark of flame to see. At least that's what I hope.
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I have fully embraced the fact I write romance. SOOOOO that's a thing! Glad I could....help?
The next chapter...hmmmm. It very well may. But we're still in the winding-up portion of things.
It'll be fun for sure. Both are still somewhat unsure about being around the other. Once they're comfortable (at least moreso,) that's when things get interesting.
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Best. Reaction. Ever.
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Thank you~
Nice date
This story just got about 120% fluffier. I am entirely okay with that.
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Onward and upwards!
By the end I imagine we will have enough fluff to cushion our galaxy
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Or two.
Hmmm i hope that comment about his voice damageing the hearing of griffons and hippogryphs much more severely was not foreshadowing.
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I cannot spoil for good or ill. Not unless you take the red pill.
So reading through this, I think what's been bugging me through most of the story is that when he's not on the job, Toxic just doesn't really feel like a guy who went through the stuff he did. He goes through the narrative motions like the trauma flashes when they spilled something in the kitchen, but the actual personality under it doesn't feel like someone who's carried that weight. Honestly...he kind of just feels like Nacreous or Shifting but with a different backstory hook.
Those two pulled off the breezy Hugh Grant romcom act because their traumas were so much more abstract, and they had centuries to acclimate and construct a front. Toxic hasn't had that. His big formative memory was watching almost everyone he ever knew melt into a greasy puddle, he got a mark of destiny that will forever remind him of the worst day of his life every time he so much as wipes himself at the toilet, then dedicated said life to sloshing around in more acid and/or pony goo, and it's all quite a bit more fresh and visceral. He's believable when he's on the job, and he's even believable when he talks about it. But he doesn't really act in everyday life like someone who's carried that weight that early and continuously. Nacreous and Shifting showed pretty early on that their experiences skewed their perspectives on a very fundamental level. Toxic has dramatic shaky-cam relapses every once in a while, but doesn't really seem like he's grown to habitually see the world any differently in between them. His perspective during the lab attack was pretty much on point, but it disappears the moment he's done having his breakdown after. We're told the background characters think he's this cold distant iceberg, but he hasn't really acted that way at all to anyone -- his social behavior has been not just well adjusted, but so open even to total strangers that it's difficult to think how he'd have gotten that reputation, even with the robo voice.
I think maybe the most jarring part was when we heard he's had these relentless recurring nightmares his whole life about accidentally murdering his loved ones with some uncaught contaminant...and then he just walks up and asks a girl out no probs. It's been all fluff ever since with barely a hiccup. He even talks like he's spent a lot of time thinking about what he wants in a girlfriend and what he wants a relationship to mean, when we're still trying to figure out what happened to this massive existential burden that would have precluded one entirely. It really seems like that would have been one of the ways that skewed perspective would manifest, and then it just kinda ghosted out.
I dunno, that's just my thoughts on all this. I realize you probably have future plans with most of this, too. I think the problem I'm running into is that Toxic's story seems to be manifesting more as a thing that he occasionally encounters or might get inconveniently dropped on Gelliana later, rather than one that defines him throughout and changes how he sees things on an everyday basis.
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You raise some very, very good points. Thank you for the in-depth feedback. Honestly, I agree with you. In the back of my mind I think there was something saying 'this is familiar' i.e, as you said, Toxic starting to turn into a similar character as Nacreous/Shifting. I certainly think that going forward I'll need to adjust how things are portrayed. Thankfully, the story is still barely getting started if you can believe it!
First off, I completely agree the weight of his job drifted to the wayside. While I do have some events coming up that indicate how his views have shifted, I don't think that completely covers it.
I do think I failed in clarifying a few things though, and that's 100% on me, but can be remedied.
- I realize I haven't really mentioned Toxic's main job. He has been called on dozens, if not more of these high-risk high-priority missions, but he does have a part time/main job of inspecting labs and the like. If I had put that in there, perhaps scant interactions showing he's not a 100% emotionless monster, that may have mitigated things slightly.
- For the Iceberg nickname, and what I failed to clarify, is that primarily references when he's on the job. I.e, seeing him emotionless when he's working = creatures don't want to even go close to him outside of that.
How would you see the burden he carries manifest habitually? Genuinely curious. I have quite a few ideas, but would greatly appreciate what you, the reader, would expect to see when dealing with that sort of thing. I agree that it appears to have fallen by the wayside, becoming more of an annoyance rather than an intrinsic part of the character. And that, I think, needs to be fixed.
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Thanks for taking criticism well You started a PM and we can continue there rather than clutter the comments.
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I'm always looking to improve! I absolutely love feedback, even if it's things I didn't do well, so thank you And sounds good!
I see you changed the cover art right there! Got a nice, creepy look to it!
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Yup! I thought it was time to upgrade from the really bland picture. Had to decide whether to go for a fluffy cover art, or a bit more sinister.
This is a very good story, with a very good writer.
But this chapter gives me one single complaint. Isn't even a complaint, considering it is majorly outweighed by all the good things in the chapter.
No Icait?
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Oh, she's returning the next chapter. Intended to have her in this one, but it just ran too long.
Got that feeling that next chapter gonna get sad, my man out here living it up and is about to get slapped with the life sucks stick.
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yeap, they are adorable. And his voice is worse for griffons? yeh, that is tooootally not relevant for the plot, sooner or later
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Well, gryphons, hippogriffs, anyone with 'better' hearing.
the lamer it is, the better it is
you reeeally like hugs, don't you?
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I enjoy writing fluffy adorableness, yes
*squints suspiciously*
Hmmm…
He’s gonna be important later isn’t he…
Also I could be wrong but we’ve had quite a few lovely fluff chapters here so it’s about time something goes sideways.
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Hey, Toxic has to keep track of the few friends he has!