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[Dsarker]

"I will! I will! I will!"

[JaxtalMK2]

I laugh more, before pulling Friesden into a hug. "It's nice to see you so exited. Like I said, show me you can be responsible, and I'll get you one." I nuzzle her a bit. "Guess I should figure out what you're gonna need to take care of it."

[Dsarker]

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you so much almost-dad!"

[JaxtalMK2]

"It's no problem malyutka..." His voice drops, to the point where even held in his hooves Friesden can barely hear him. _{"Anything... for my daughter..."}

[Dsarker]

Friesden doesn't say anything else, just hugging her almost-dad tight.


((Scene end))

[Khenal]

Few ponies would willingly spend their day off digging through the archives in the keep, and likely fewer still would be doing so because of Jaxler.  I, however, am... not most ponies.  I dig through tomes, looking for everything I can get my hooves on about the happenings of the year 228.  Each book is opened to the month of Opal and then quickly replaced.

"Come on... there has to be something about where Jaxler came from... some record of the attack he suffered..."

I continue my search, and eventually find a record of the attack.

"...Oh no..."

[TALLPANZER]

Stiletto is at the trade depot, reading a letter. Next to her is a large coffer. "Elend, wirklich?"

Flux wanders into the trade depot, intending to shop some. When he notices Stiletto, though, he smiles and walks over to her.

Stiletto smiles at Flux and opens a wing for him. "Hello meine freundlichsten Liebe."

"Hello Stiletto, my Beautiful One. How are you today?"

"Umm, I do not know the midpony word for this feeling, verwirrt is the word I would use though."

"Verwirrt?" Flux notices the large coffer. "Uh... did your family send you something again?"

"Yes they did, money, to buy a house."

Flux looks a bit confused. "To buy a house? But... you have an apartment?"

Stiletto sighs and nods. "Yes, a very large and well furnished apartment. My parents refer to it as 'Below my station' among other things."

Flux is obviously not getting it. "So they say you have to have a house? Um... but I don't think there are any houses to be bought?"

"They sent enough money for me to have one built. I guess I should find a place for it."

Flux raises an eye at the coffer, then looks back to Stiletto. "Um, ya. There's not a whole lot of room within the walls any more."

"Yes, but there is the hill nearby. I will need to remove the current occupants first though."

"Uh, current occupants?"

"Honey Badger ponies, three or maybe four of them. The coffer has the money in it, three million bits, do you think that will be enough?"

Flux's jaw drops."Three... million?!"

"Yes, It think that is how much these platinum bard are worth."

Flux sits down roughly as the full force of Stiletto's status hits him, looking slightly dazed.

Stiletto puts the letter down and picks up Flux in her forelegs. "I guess I should have explained more about my family."

Flux nods dumbly.

"My mother is a top ranked military official and my father is a diplomat, and I told about my great Uncle, Challenger Longshanks."

Flux nods again, still looking a bit overwhelmed.

Stiletto hugs Flux close. "There is nothing for you to worry about though. You can come and live with me when it is done."

Flux seems to return to his senses as Stiletto holds him, able to lay aside his worries, at least for a moment, in her loving embrace.  "Um... really?"

"Of course.  You and Glyph and Kat too."

Flux thinks for a few moments when Stiletto mentions Glyph and Kat, considering Stiletto's culture and odd rules for love.

"Um... Stiletto?"

"Yes Flux?"

"You, uh, said that ponies earn loves for doing amazing things?  What... what happens if a pony falls in love with more than they've earned?"

Stiletto looks a bit surprised "Oh, umm, that has never really happened. The system is somewhat set up so that does not happen."

"Um... never?"

"Well, Iceberg did technically go over, but then he earned one for being such a skilled lover.  And then he invented a new type of bath."

Flux looks down, deep in troubling thought.

Stiletto tilts her head. "What is wrong meine freundlichsten Liebe?"

Flux keeps his gaze down, feebly trying to deflect the question.  "Um... just thinking..."

Stiletto isn’t letting him off that easily. "Thinking what?"

Flux looks back up to Stiletto, looking deep into her eyes and feeling immensely conflicted. “...Um..."

Stiletto sighs heavily "You're doubting yourself again, are you not?"

"Um... maybe? I'm, uh... just having to... accept my, um, limitations..."

Stiletto looks confused. "What limitations... wait, did you finally get another Liebe? You should have three by my count."

Flux looks shocked.  "Wha... three? What?"

"Yes, one for your kindness, one for your life saving traps, and one for you. Did I miss one?"

Flux simply looks dumbfounded and disbelieving.

Stiletto kisses Flux on the cheek.

At the kiss, he progresses from shock to mild panic, still having trouble processing what Stiletto has just said.

She nuzzles his mane. "So what were you worried about?"

"But, I'm not... I'm just... Three?!"

"Yes three."

"But... I don't... I'm not..."

"You do not what?"

Flux takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself enough to at least say a full sentence.

Stiletto smiles and cradles Flux in her forelegs.   "Take your time."

Flux does, and the combination of focusing on breathing and being held by Stiletto eventually calms his nerves.  "I haven't done anything great. Anypony could have made the traps, and... and kindness shouldn't be so exceptional..."

"You think too little of your achievements. When I first arrived, not one pony would even get near me, never mind try to talk to me. You though, you made me feel beautiful again."

Flux blushes.

"Your kindness is truly exceptional, it made me love you like a madmare. The amazing traps you created have saved countless lives, again excellence, and your musical skill will most assuredly earn another Liebe for you."

Flux looks a bit overwhelmed, but doesn't argue with Stiletto. Instead, he gently nuzzles her as emotional tears begin to well up.

Stiletto nuzzles Flux and kisses his tears. "Now tell me what it is that brought you to think about this so hard?"

"Um... Kat."

Stiletto smiles "She is lovely, is she not?"

"Um, yes. She's also so... bold. She's so daring, brave... unstoppable."

Stiletto grins impishly and whispers, "Unstoppable? You have already 'tested her endurance'?"

Flux blushes furiously, and stammers for a few moments before calming down enough to answer her. "Um, no. We've uh, barely... kissed."

Stiletto hides them both in her wings. "Like this?" She kisses Flux softly on the lips. "Or like this?" She tightens her embrace and kisses Flux deeply.

Flux kisses Stiletto back, warm and safe behind her wings. Once the kiss eventually breaks, he again blushes.

"Um, like... this."  He gives Stiletto a peck on the cheek, just like he had with Kat.

Stiletto giggles. "Oh, play kisses. She will 'warm up' to you very quickly, I would wager many bits on that fact."

"Um, she says I'm... nice."

"That is an understatement if I have ever heard one."

Flux smiles, looking lovingly into Stiletto's eyes.  "You, my Beautiful One, are a flatterer."

Stiletto nuzzles Flux closely, a wide smile on her face all the while. "I speak as close to the truth as I can, mein..." she concentrates a moment, "My most kind love."

[jaxler]

Few ponies would willingly spend their day off digging through the archives in the keep, and likely fewer still would be doing so because of Jaxler.  I, however, am... not most ponies.  I dig through tomes, looking for everything I can get my hooves on about the happenings of the year 228.  Each book is opened to the month of Opal and then quickly replaced.

"Come on... there has to be something about where Jaxler came from... some record of the attack he suffered..."

I continue my search, and eventually find a record of the attack.

"...Oh no..."

19th of opal, 228

After decades years of steady decay the nation of Topoireneis crumbled to its end. 

Sense the beginning of recorded history Topoireneis had been at war with the neighboring Domidian civilizations, neither side gaining an edge on the other until alicorn / Pegasus wars during which the country’s military was nearly annihilated (more than 60% of the population were pegasus ponies). After Topoireneis military was crippled the Domidians began to start winning battles and eventually started to claim land. Even with a crippled military the country was able to effectively slow down the Domidian’s onslaught. After decades of slow destruction the Domidians war machine finally reached Topoireneis’s capital (and only surviving) city. The city was seen as impenetrable, mainly because of its great wall which ascended into the very havens. The Domidians tried to capture the city for 7 years before they finally realized they couldn’t breach the great city with their meager forces, so they hired mercenaries. The mercenary group they hired was comprised of alicorns and known as the “die dämonischen Engel” and was renowned for their legendary mastery of pyromancy. With their help the Domidians were capable of taking the city's wall after months of sieging. With wall captured the city was practically defenseless.  As opposed to going house to house and sacking the city the Domidians asked the die dämonischen Engel to destroy the city in quickest way possible.  The die dämonischen Engel then decided to test an experimental spell that required the group to channel their power. The spell effectively harvested the very essence of the sun and rained hell fire upon the city and the very town cooked inside its own wall. Thus ending Topoireneis.

Due to the Domidian’s normal brutality there are virtually no survivors of the civilization.

[Khenal]

I stare at the page, dumbstruck.  The obliteration of an entire nation, reduced to a simple report. 

'It's no wonder he didn't want to talk about it, and hates alicorns... I need to talk to him!'

I rush outside to search for Jaxler.  I don't know what I'll say to him, but I know I need to talk to him.

[jaxler]

Jaxler was in the meeting hall drinking some booze, when he saw a frantic looking stallion come in and start walking toward him.

"Hay Flux, what's the mater?"

[Khenal]

I had almost calmed down by the time I found Jaxler.  As I approach him, however, I start thinking about what must have happened to him.  Tears start to form as I imagine what it'd be like to witness everypony I love be burnt to cinders.  The loss, the pain... I collapse in front of him, crying my eyes out and sobbing incoherent words at Jaxler.

[jaxler]

Jaxler was shocked to see Flux collapse in front of him. "TELL ME WHO DID THIS. If somepony hurt you I'll beat the living crap out em"

[Khenal]

Through my sobs, I manage out a single word.

"T-T-Top-po-poiren-n-neis..."

[jaxler]

Jaxler tilted his head in confusion.

"What?"

[Khenal]

'Pull it together, Flux!  How do you expect to help him when you're dissolved into a puddle of tears?'

I take a few moments to try to calm myself, or at least to speak clearly.  I stand and sniffle, rubbing my face to try to remove the tears.  They don't stop flowing, but they at least slow.

"I... I was l-looking through th-the archives to t-try to find out what h-h-happened to you.  O-Opal 19, 228: The F-Fall of T-T-Topoireneis..."