Unknown Frontier
My Little Pony Roleplay => Ponyville => Topic started by: Nivalia on June 07, 2017, 09:06:11 pm
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Nivalia saw her expression and she knew, "Hey, I'll hang around with you for the night. We can crash at my place afterward. I really appreciate the assistance, Tinder. You're always welcome to stop by my place whenever. I... have few friends with the same amount of trust that I have for you. You've always been there for us, for me. For now, I'm with you tonight." Wherever Tinder went, whenever at what time, Nivalia stayed by her side. She wanted to take care of her friends too.
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Tinder follows her out, the smile not leaving her face, "And I'll be with you whenever you need me." She lets out a small yawn as Niv locks up, not really wanting to go home, "I'll do my best, me and sleep don't exactly get along most night." She laughs a little and scratches at the ground, trying to think of a reason to avoid going home.
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Nivalia couldn't help but tear up at Tinder's honesty and glee. To see her friend this happy always warms her heart, "I know you won't Tinder. I'm so proud to have you as my friend. I'll be with you by your side if you ever need anything. Now head on home, get some sleep and sleep in tomorrow; you got the day off. In fact..." Nivalia yawns again as she leads Tinder through the store to the front, "I'll probably take the day off tomorrow too. All this running around and paperwork has me tuckered out." As she locks up the store behind them, she gives Tinder a lighter hug.
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Tinder nods and stands up, making her way to the door, "Yeah.. I'll try." She goes to walk away before quickly turning around and hugging Niv again, flinching a little as she causes herself pain, "Thank you... For everything." She takes a second before letting her go and backing off a bit, "I promise, I won't let you down." A small smile crossing her face as she speaks.
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"Daw, Tinder you look exhausted." Nivalia gets up and stretches, letting out a yawn herself, "Ugh, I seem to be out of it as well. I can never get how paperwork can be so tiresome. Still, the day is done and we both can go home." She trots over to her office door and opens it for her. "Get some rest dear, I know I will."
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Tinder sits back down next to Niv, still beaming, "Yeah, everything is fine out there. Nothing to report on my end, it's been nice and quiet, no trouble from any customers. I'm just hoping my magic didn't do anything that I didn't notice, it's been on the fritz all day." She lets out a small chuckle and looks down, yawning a small bit.
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Nivalia returns the hug in full, overjoyed at her friend's excitement. "I know you won't disappoint, dear. Now, the change will happen in the next few weeks, so there isn't any immediate changes. For now, just keep doing what you're doing. Has everything been well today? I haven't had a chance to really get out there and check myself."
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Tinders eyes light up as she hears this, "Really?" She hops out of her chair and quickly moves over to Niv, hugging her tight, not caring what pain it brings to herself. "Thank you, thank you.. I promise I'll train them the best I can, I won't let you down.." She releases Niv from the hug and takes a step back, beaming from ear to ear. She never thought something like this would happen to someone like her, she can't believe she ended up with friends like this.
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Nivalia gives Tinder a sympathetic look, knowing Tinder's worry about her job. "Well, the guards will be handling the... grunt work of security. So, you won't be needed for that," her serious tone shifts as a smile appears on her face, "which is why... you're getting a promotion! You're going to be my Chief Security Advisor. You'll just train the new guards their routes and what to look out for."
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Tinder walks in and closes the door behind her, sitting down in the chair farthest from Niv, offices are too formal for her.. She listens intently as Niv talks, getting more nervous as she hears talk of guards joining. When her job is brought into question a few large sparks appear, her mind going through all the possibilities, "You won't need me anymore after you have guards..."
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"Yes, Tinder. Please, take a seat." She puts away several folders in a cabinet before taking a sigh of relief, "I've sorted out several legal documents to protect The Herbiary and it's employees. No one can come at us with any of that. I'll have to venture back into Canterlot to visit the Lunar Guard in regards to our arrangement with them. Anyone stupid enough to attack one of our facilities will be seen as vandalizing property of Luna herself. Once that is sorted, I can have a guard stationed at my shops to help keep watch over us. Which brings me to address your position with the company."
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Tinder went about her day on high alert, every sound making her suspect that something's wrong. She needs to protect Niv and her co-workers, no matter what. As for her magic, it never did come back to full force, it would be functional for a few minutes before sparking again. She just needs more rest, at least that's what she's telling herself. As her name is said she glances up and drops what she's doing, slightly worried something has happened as she heads to the office. She takes a deep breath as she knocks a couple times, opening the door and glancing in, "You needed me?"
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The rest of the day went without a hitch. Nivalia was finishing filling out the last of her forms, closing the last envelope addressed to another recipient across the nation. She knew things wouldn't end with just rumors and the occasional threat. Someone would go after her, her business, her very right as an Equestrian citizen. The changeling stamps another envelope. She was going to be ready, to protect herself, The Herbiary, and her friends. She's come too far, sacrificed too much to have a single incident ruin it all. To hay with that. Nivalia takes a gulp of water and sighs; the day was done, and now she could relax. Her hoof presses on the communication channel, "Tinder, can you come to the office please?"
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Tinder hugs her tight, "You've been there for me since we met, this is the least I can do.." She lets go after a second and smiles, "Don't you worry about me, you have work to do. I'm sure it'll calm down eventually.." She gives Niv another quick hug before heading back into the store, ready to start her work day. She knows it'll be harder without her magic, but she'll make do.
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Nivalia doesn't say a word, instead, gives Tinder a hug. "Thanks Tinder for being here for me." Letting go, she wipes away a tear and takes a deep breath. "That's such a huge relief. Now I just have to sort out more of the legal aspects of the business. For now though, I have to get things finished in the office. As for you, just take things easy today. I don't want you sparking any more magic than you're doing now. Did you need anything for that, dear?"
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Tinder jumps slightly as Niv touches her shoulder, she hadn't been paying attention to her, Niv was the one person she hadn't been watching. She takes a few deep breaths to try to calm down, but by the look of her magic it doesn't seem to be working. This is going much better then she thought, and she's glad of that. As the workers approach Tinder stands and moves out of their way, letting them talk and hug it out, not wanting to ruin their moment. When they all walk out Tinder moves back to Niv and smiles at her, "I told you it would be fine.." She wishes she could believe these words herself, her magic is still constantly malfunction, draining her energy little by little.
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Nivalia waits for the crowd to calm down, "So, there it is. I, have never intended to harm any of you in any way. If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them to explain the situation." The group of workers were quiet, albeit some murmuring in between them. They don't appear hostile, rather more confused then anything. The changeling looks over to Tinder and approaches her, placing a hoof on her shoulder to calm her down.
One of her more trusted coworkers, Blueberry, steps forward, "So... most of us want to know... Do we still get paid?" Nivalia stood in utter confusion at it. "Oh, and if it will affect our benefits, stocks, days off or anything like that?"
"Uh... y-yes, you still get paid; no, it won't affect your benefits or days off." Nivalia watched her employees immediately calm down, rather surprised that this was the major concern. "So... no one cares that I'm a changeling?"
One of the cleaning staff calls out, "Niv, The Herbiary is the best place to work at! You could be a goat and we'd still work here. Was that it?"
"Well, part of it." Nivalia brushes back some of her mane, revealing her scar. Some of her employees gasp in shock as she explains, "I was found out over in Canterlot. There was a mob and... this happened. By association, you all do realize some ponies may target you?"
"You have the best health insurance!" the worker replies.
The mare was silent for a moment looking over to the group, "Alright then, I guess that's it. Thanks guys for being so understanding. That's about it, the day begins!" The Herbiary's employees cheer and begin to disperse to their stations. All but five familiar mares; Blueberry, Raspberry, Wild Berry, Blackberry, and Strawberry. Their expressions are still serious, catching Nivalia off guard.
Wild Berry steps forward, "We have a question Niv. We wanted to ask you personally." She looks over to the others before continuing, "Everything that we've done over the years. Starting from the small corner shop all the way to here. Was all of it... real? Our... get togethers' and... We know changelings feed off of love. Was all that just for-"
"No." Nivalia shakes her head as tears roll down her eyes, "It's not; it never was that. I had found amazing friends and was so afraid to lose them because of what I am. But all of the experiences we've had, all of it was real. I would never do anything to hurt any of you." The Berry Sisters all had tears in their eyes, Wild Berry in particular. She slowly walks up to Nivalia, and wraps her hoofs around her; the others follow and embrace her as well. A moment of silence passes before they let go and give her some space. "Thank you all, it means so much to me." The girls nod and leave her and Tinder to finish their work. Nivalia just stands there, catching her breath.
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Tinder moves in closer to Niv as she starts her announcement, trying to be ready for anything. She's on the defensive right now, if anyone tries anything she knows she needs to act quickly. Her eyes dart from employee to employee, gauging everyone's reaction, making sure none of them are going to do anything stupid. She seems to have lost all control of her magic by now, the stress of the situation causing constant sparks to fly off.
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A small crowd gathered at the field, forming a semi circle around the owner. Once everyone was settled in, Nivalia have one last look over before starting. "Good morning everyone! I'm sorry for calling you up here on such short notice." She pauses, avoiding eye contact with them; taking a deep breath, she musters the courage to continue. "I have some serious news to tell you. It's a very... personal matter." The mare takes a deep breath, "I'm... A changeling."
At first it was quiet, until one of the workers call out. "Seriously?" Nivalia rolls her eyes and transform in front of them. A wave pig gasps emerges as her employees sit there in shock and awe.
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A job that usually took Tinder about 15 minutes took her full half an hour this morning,her lack of magic seriously slowing her down. When she hears the announcement she takes a deep breath, she knows this will be hard for Niv, she needs to be there. She finishes up and heads out to the field, sitting next to Niv, ready to support her when needed.
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Nivalia went to her office and started her morning routine; counting the safe, filing the papers, checking her laboratory, and scheduling the day ahead. By the time she was done, it was half an hour until opening, and the other workers started to arrive. They all showed up; uncommon, but frequent enough to not be surprising. The intercom goes off as they finish clocking in, "Hey everyone, it's Niv, could I have you all meet in the field next to the warehouse, I have an announcement to make. Nivalia was already outside, waiting for the group to show up so she could deliver the news. The mare had to admit, she was nervous; part of her was scared, but she knew it had to be done.
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Tinder nods a few times, "Hey, you can choose anything now, you can go wild." Tinder flashes her a soft smile, hoping humour might help the situation. As soon as they enter Tinder wanders off to do her checks, checking all the doors, windows, even the vents. Making sure noone has broken in, and that they can't even if they try. She goes through every item on her mental check list, making sure the store is safe.
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"Yea I was considering a unicorn; it gives me a chance to be more liberal with my magic usage. Plus I gotta change things up anyway. I'm only ever a certain disguise for a few years before changing." The two finally get to the shop, early enough with some time before opening. Nivalia pull out her keys and opens the door. "Alright, Tinder, just do the usual inspection of the property while I get my paperwork ready."
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"I won't get hurt, I promise. I know how to take care of myself. And I won't let you get hurt either. " Tinder smiles softly over at Niv, wanting her to know she's there no matter what. "Hm? What do you mean more practical? Like, are you going to try unicorn so you can use your magic freely?" She lets out a tiny yawn as the walk, her magic malfunction like this must take a toll on her, but she's doing the best she can to hide it.
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"Tinder, it just gives me peace of mind," Nivalia says, "Besides, it's not just here. My shop in Canterlot is getting more as well; the warehouses will be under the protection of Lunar Guard, so that's at least one less thing to worry about." She remains silent for a few minutes before looking back at her. "A pony I met in Canterlot put her life on the line to protect me and she got hurt. I... I'm not strong enough to handle having another close friend of mine hurt." Her eyes glance over to her horn, "Please Tinder, just take care of yourself too." Her tone does pick up when she remembers something else, "I was thinking... about changing my appearance again. Something more practical, but I haven't narrowed it down."
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Tinder sticks close to her side as they walk, her ears on a swivel, keeping watching for anything that could be trouble. "Hey now, I can handle it, don't worry. No need in you hiring more security, I can take care of anything that comes our way, promise. Once my magic is working again, I will be able to handle anything." Her horn hasn't stopped sparking since they left the house, she felt safe there. Now that they are out in the open she's more worried, worried about not being able to protect Niv. All this stress leaving her magic out of her control.
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"Well I'll hold you to that, Tinder." Nivalia replies with a smile. It felt good to know that she had some ponies staying by her side despite who, or what she was. After some time, the two head out and make their way to The Herbiary. The day itself was overcast, but warm enough to not need any outerwear. Nivalia herself was still wearing her hood; even in her current earth pony form, she had to remain out of sight from anyone who would suspect her of anything. Regardless, she felt much safer with Tinder by her side. "So Tinder, in terms of security from now on I'l have to make arrangements to make sure you're not doing it all by yourself. It's not that I lack confidence in your abilities, it's just a matter of it being a numbers game. The las thing I want is for you to have to defend yourself against the possibility of multiple attackers... or a mob, those are the worst."
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Tinder smiles at Niv as she speaks, happy she could help even if it was only a little. She looks at the plate as it's pushed back to her, trying once more to pick up her fork with her magic to no avail. She lets out a sigh as she realises her magic isn't getting better, grabbing the fork and picking at her food. She never was a big eater. "You don't need to use your products on me, no need to waste them.. and don't worry, I'll be there for you when you tell them, I promise."
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"Oh, thank you Tinder, for everything. I'm glad I have a friend as great as you." She smiles when she's offered food, "No I'm fine dear, I still got my own plate to finish. If anything you need to gather up your strength. You may be physically fine, but I know your magic has been shorting out over there." She pats Tinder's shoulder, "I got something at work that can take care of that. So for now, eat up. I don't any of this delicious food go to waste. After that, we'll head to The Herbiary and I'll break the news to them. At that point we'll see where things go."
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Tinder holds her as long as Niv needs, only letting go when she does. She pulls her chair over close and sits down, "I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. And your workers know you for who you are, they love you, they know your personality. None of that will change, they will still love you. And I'll be by your side, no matter what." She pushes her plate close to Niv, offering her food since she's not planning on eating it, not wanting to risk using her magic again. "Eat up, you need your strength."
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Once Nivalia feels Tinder hugging her, she returns it back ten fold. Tinder would feel a warm, tingling sensation throughout her body, strong enough to block whatever pain she would feel from her injuries. She would go on crying for a short time before calming down and letting go. "Thank you sweetie, I really appreciate it." She wipes off her tears with her hoof and catches her breath, "I've had to come back here to Ponyville to lay low, but word is getting around and I'm afraid it may affect business at The Herbiary. I have to... I have to go there and tell my workers what's going on, who I really am. They've been with me this whole time and they don't even know. But they deserve to; I'm just worried about how they make take the news."
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Tinder moves her chair closer as Niv stares to talk, knowing something is wrong. As she listens her heart shatters for her friend, no one should have to face something like that. She stands up out of her chair and moves over, pulling Niv into a tight hug, wishing she could do more right now. "I'm sorry... That shouldn't of never happened to you." She rubs her back lightly to try to comfort her in this hard time. She knows if Niv hugs back it's going to hurt, but she doesn't care anymore, her friend needs her.
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"I uh..." Nivalia plays around with her food before looking back up at Tinder. "Well, you know about my secret. About what I really am, being a changeling and all. I was at Canterlot with a few friends; we went to a small festival being held at the town square." She breaks her gaze away from her, "One thing led to another and... I got found out. My disguise broke and..." Nivalia paused for quite some time, trying to fight back some tears, though a couple manage to trickle down her face. "There was mob and..." She raises her hoof to her mane and lifts some of it up. On the side of her head was a small scar, a couple of inches in length. The changeling drops it back down before continuing, "They tried to kill me, Tinder. They kept... they kept yelling 'Squash the bug!' and I was so scared." By now she didn't even bother fighting it back, instead just started crying. "They thought I stole some things but I didn't! But they didn't care, they just thought I was some monster that needed to be slain."
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Tinder absent mindedly scratches her wounds under her bag as Niv talks, something seems off.. "No need to go easy on me, I'm a-okay. I can handle a full day of work." She looks over at Niv, a look of concern in her eyes, "Yeah? What is it?" There are so many options floating through her head, is Niv okay, did something happen at the store, is she being fired? Little sparks jump off of her horn as she thinks though the many options.
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"That's a good thing," Nivalia replies, "Monsters and demons can do terrible things to a pony I can imagine. I'm just glad you two are safe and sound." She takes a deep breath before putting her fork down, "I know we have work today, but don't worry about doing actual work. I know you've had a rough time and I don't want to push you too hard. Plus..." Nivalia pauses and takes a deep breath, "I need to talk to you about something, to all the workers at The Herbiary in fact."
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Tinder doesn't even bother to attempt lifting the fork again, she doesn't want to embarrass herself anymore then she already has. "I'm fine, don't worry about me. Nothing even touched me."
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"Yea, I've had a few times where I thought the same thing." Nivalia pours herself some orange juice before taking another bite of her pancakes, "But a tough one. Plus, he had you backing him up. Still, I do worry about him sometimes." She notices Tinder's struggle to levitate her fork, "How are you feeling, Tinder? Going through something like that I can imagine putting quite the strain on you."
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Tinder pulls out the chair in front of her plate and sits down, attempting to levitate her fork but it only makes it a few inches before clattering back onto the plate. She lets out a light sigh as she rubs her head, how long is her magic going to be out for? "That was sweet of him.. I wish I could thank him. I'm glad he's safe too, I thought I had lost him for a while."
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Nivalia sets the two plates down onto the table and takes a seat, besides the two plates of pancakes, there was orange juice, fruit, and other morning sweets to eat. "Oh, yea, he carried you over here from the camp. I guess he didn't want to wake you up so he just came here, plopped you down, and clocked out for the night. He called me sometime after you two got here to let me know." The changeling levitates a fork over to Tinder's plate before digging into her own meal. "I'm just glad you two are safe from the whole ordeal."
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Tinder glances to the water as it's set down next to her, slowly sitting up and stretching. "How did I even get here? The last thing I remember is talking to Ebony at the camp." Her horn sparks and sputters a few times as she tries to make some ice cubes for the water, an attempt that doesn't seem to be working out. She rubs her head a bit as she thinks, she must have really done a number on her magic yesterday. Giving up on the water she just leaves it there and heads for the kitchen.
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"Hi sweetie! It's Niv. Your breakfast should be ready in a few minutes." A glass of water floats out of the kitchen and lands gently next to the unicorn. "Take a drink of water and stay there. Ebony told me you two had quite an adventure yesterday. Were at his place right now." Nivalia finishes up her second plate of pancakes and drizzles it with some syrup. "He left a couple of hours ago to get some work done. He didn't want to leave you alone, so he called me over to be here when you wake up. Just take your time and meet me in the kitchen when you're ready."
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Due to her pure exhaustion, Tinder actually slept pretty soundly. This is the most rest she's gotten in a while, and she certainly needed it. She finally starts to stir as Niv is cooking, still groggy and half asleep as she looks around the room she's in, this isn't where she fell asleep and it certainly isn't her house. She reaches back, making sure her bag and pills are still there, popping a few into her mouth as she tries to piece everything together, taking in the room, any photos around, and the smell of food. Taking a moment to collect her thoughts before she calls out, "hello?"
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A mare cloaked in a dark hood trots across the streets of Ponyville. Her breath, calm; eyes scanning around for any oddities. The early morning mist still fills the air. She knows the routes, the building to search for, and in no time finds a familiar dwelling. Her hoof gently knocks on the door, steady hoofsteps follow before the door slowly swings open.
She is met with a weary Noctral, sorting only a sleeping blindfolded wrapped over his forehead. "Hey, come on in. Thanks for showing up so early." He turns around and heads back inside. The mare follows, shutting the door behind her and locking it. The interior was modest, yet spacious; a clean space that was sparsely lit. The stallion makes his way to the kitchen and turns on a small light in the corner. Turning around, he pulls up a chair by the nearby table as his guest approaches. She sits down and pulls back her hood. Her striking, jade green eyes pierce the darkness. The earth pony follows with a warm smile to her old friend. "It's good to see you, Niv. It's been some time."
"It has," she nods, "So, what's up? You sounded exhausted over the phone. Rough day at work?"
"Yea, operation into the Everfree didn't go exactly as planned." His eyes glance over to his brace, "We fought more of those demons, one actually dragged me into Tartarus."
"What!?" Nivalia gasps before being shushed by her friend. "You... you we're actually there?"
"It's... as one might expect." Ebony leans back on his seat, stretching back his wings, "Hellfire, brimstone, and monsters abound. The whole thing was just... surreal. Thankfully we had backup from Equinox to support us." His eyes break contact with her gaze, "One didn't make it. It..." Coldsteel pauses, a little longer than usual before continuing. "Wasn't easy, but we made it out with what we were looking for. A unicorn named Asher also helped us out. And, of course..." He nods over to the living room, "Your best employee. I tell ya Niv, your shop's security is in good hooves."
"How is she?"
"She's alright, a bit drained so don't push her too hard today." Ebony looks over to the darkness of his living room, "Fox found one heck of a friend. She's been with us through a lot."
Nivalia looks over in the same direction, "Yea, she's a tough one I'll give her that. So, any news I need to tell her?"
Ebony shakes his head, "No, just let her know I went to the library. I have food stocked and everything so you two eat up before you leave."
"Of course, Captain," Niv jokingly replies. Ebony rolls his eyes and gets up, slowly pacing through the living room to his bed upstairs. The changeling follows, but sleeps on the recliner next to the orange unicorn. A couple of hours later, Coldsteel would head out with the book and leather jacket. Before Tinder would wake up, Nivalia would awake to start cooking breakfast.