Here you go, Darren. Enjoy.
Tracks
He stared in disbelief for a bit, then cleared his throat.“Roxy, you need to rest a little bit. You look like you’ve worn yourself to the bone. Especially considering that you’re putting several bags of bits in with the food.”
She tilted her head, having a closer look at the bags. Ohhhh. She removed a quarter of the bags which were the bits, and set them on the counter.
“I’m sorry, sensei, I seemed to have worn myself out cleaning the house today and I got distracted. . ” She put all the bags from the food into one bag, to be put into the cabinet in case of use.
“It’s okay, Roxy. Tell you what, why don’t you go into the shed out back. There’s a natural hot spring in there, so the waters should be nice and pleasantly hot. There’s also some incense you can light to help relax a bit.”
“I’ll take care of these.” He nodded his head towards the bags of bits, which he had stacked into one pile. “You go on ahead and relax, okay?”
Finishes homework, stacks it all up. Cleaned the house, mowed the lawn, polished the silverware, mopped the floor. did laundry, folded laundry all in a lonely day. She layed on her bed and sighed heavily. Welp, it took a lot of work but her selfless deeds were done. Phew.
Grim walked in, carrying several bags heavy with bits, setting a couple down on the floor near the door.
“Roxy, you there? I need a little help with these bags.” He’d have asked Veritaxus, his metallic dragonoid for help, but she was busy far to the south.She got up slowly. Legs a bit shakey but she could certainly help. She did these tasks without being asked to, and with no hopes of reward for herself except perhaps a smile from her sensei. She walked out and wobbled downstairs.
“Alright, I’ll go get’m. ” She carried a few in her teeth, and the rest floated behind her. She set them down and immediately began putting them into the nice clean polished shelves. “This goes here, and this goes into e food cabinet . .. fridge, fridge, fridge… Ooooh~ .. . wait, no, cabinet. “
He stared in disbelief for a bit, then cleared his throat.
“Roxy, you need to rest a little bit. You look like you’ve worn yourself to the bone. Especially considering that you’re putting several bags of bits in with the food.”
Finishes homework, stacks it all up. Cleaned the house, mowed the lawn, polished the silverware, mopped the floor. did laundry, folded laundry all in a lonely day. She layed on her bed and sighed heavily. Welp, it took a lot of work but her selfless deeds were done. Phew.
Grim walked in, carrying several bags heavy with bits, setting a couple down on the floor near the door.
“Roxy, you there? I need a little help with these bags.” He’d have asked Veritaxus, his metallic dragonoid for help, but she was busy far to the south.
*Doesn’t leave room all day.*
“Roxy! Did you do your training exercises today?” He had just entered the house, setting down the gear he had set up outside for her to practice with, which was still in immaculate condition. If she had trained, they would be nothing but piles of ash at most, and slightly singed at the very least.
*depressed sigh*
“… . . “
Not hearing a response, he headed upstairs and knocked on her door.
“Roxy? You in there?”
*Doesn’t leave room all day.*
“Roxy! Did you do your training exercises today?” He had just entered the house, setting down the gear he had set up outside for her to practice with, which was still in immaculate condition. If she had trained, they would be nothing but piles of ash at most, and slightly singed at the very least.
“And my efforts are not in vain, as you already feel better. And I am proud of you. Despite the fact that all I have to do to distract you is show you a gem or a shiny gold coin, you’ve just proven that you have a distinct eye for detail. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to tell the difference between gold and Fool’s Gold at just a glance.”He hugged her close, gently squeezing her in reassurance.
“Never think that I’m not proud of you, Roxy. At times I may be disappointed, but I’m never not proud of you.”
She shrugged off the ‘despite the fact’ bit and let him give her a hug.
“I do disappoint you .. but you’re proud of me anyway?” she asked quietly, nuzzling her face into his chest for a moment before letting go. He was proud of her? “Um, um. What ice cream is your favorite, sensei?” she smiled just a tad and walked with him.
He thought for a moment, then said, “Well, it’s a toss-up between Rocky Road, Mint Chocolate Chip, Neapolitan, and chocolate and peanut butter. What about you?”
He gently kissed her, right on the cheek.“Stop moping about not fully completing the test. You achieved more on your first try than most of my previous pupils achieved on their fiftieth. And some of my pupils were dragons.”
He kissed her again, softly whispering in her ear.
“And I do mean that you would have picked the right one. The only time I lie is when I comfort those who are about to die, or when I need to prevent innocents from coming to harm.”
” -!!!”
She felt her cheeks heat up at the touch of the kiss. She remained quiet and glanced away as he explained. “I… I did well but, I wanted to complete it so you could be proud of me.” better than some of the other students? even dragons? Dragons were some of the wisest of all creatures!
She closed her eyes tighter and felt his lips against her cheek, his hot breath on her ear.
She blushed and tried to flail him away to get some distance between them.
“Y-You’re just trying to cheer me up!” she said that, but she did feel a bit better.
“And my efforts are not in vain, as you already feel better. And I am proud of you. Despite the fact that all I have to do to distract you is show you a gem or a shiny gold coin, you’ve just proven that you have a distinct eye for detail. I wouldn’t be surprised if you were able to tell the difference between gold and Fool’s Gold at just a glance.”
He hugged her close, gently squeezing her in reassurance.
“Never think that I’m not proud of you, Roxy. At times I may be disappointed, but I’m never not proud of you.”
He frowned softly, walking along with her on their way to Ponyville. He knew she didn’t consider her achievement today, that being that she had gotten down to one fake where most of his previous pupils had not even gotten it down to fifteen.He thought to himself for a moment, then nodded softly, as if confirming something.
“Hey Roxy, look at me real quick.”
She had been thinking if he truly meant she would’ve picked the right one. he could read her mind, so he may or may not have known. This is why she hated time limits and hard decisions! When grim called her name, she paused in her walking. After another sigh she looked up at him. “Yes, sensei?”
He gently kissed her, right on the cheek.
“Stop moping about not fully completing the test. You achieved more on your first try than most of my previous pupils achieved on their fiftieth. And some of my pupils were dragons.”
He kissed her again, softly whispering in her ear.
“And I do mean that you would have picked the right one. The only time I lie is when I comfort those who are about to die, or when I need to prevent innocents from coming to harm.”
“Roxy, there’s no need for you to be upset. If I had given you three more seconds you’d have pointed out which one was real. Most ponies who go through what you just did barely make it to the half-way mark. You made it so very close to the end. That is, in and of itself, a victory, not a failure.”He stood next to her and nuzzled her. “I’m proud of you for getting that far, Roxy. Now, let’s go get that ice cream, huh?”
Three seconds more wouldn’t have made a difference! The time limit had gone off and she hadn’t performed the task that had been given to her. With a heavy sigh she took her coat and walked outside with him, to go get ice-cream.
” … . . “
He frowned softly, walking along with her on their way to Ponyville. He knew she didn’t consider her achievement today, that being that she had gotten down to one fake where most of his previous pupils had not even gotten it down to fifteen.
He thought to himself for a moment, then nodded softly, as if confirming something.
“Hey Roxy, look at me real quick.”
He smiled softly and the meadow around them faded back into her room.“You did much better than I thought you would Roxy. If you had had a few more seconds, you’d have guessed correctly. Now, let’s go get some ice cream.” He chuckled softly and held open the door to her room, waiting for her to get up and follow him.
Her ears drooped. A few more seconds wasn’t good enough. She still lost. She rose to her hooves and slowly trotted out the door, head hanging low. She gave out a heavy sigh. She should be at least grateful he’d get her ice cream …or spend time with her when he didn’t have to.
” … . “
“Roxy, there’s no need for you to be upset. If I had given you three more seconds you’d have pointed out which one was real. Most ponies who go through what you just did barely make it to the half-way mark. You made it so very close to the end. That is, in and of itself, a victory, not a failure.”
He stood next to her and nuzzled her. “I’m proud of you for getting that far, Roxy. Now, let’s go get that ice cream, huh?”
“You’re doing very well, Roxy. Only two more copies left. Can you find the real me in the next fifty seconds?”They scooted closer to each other, close enough that they were shoulder to shoulder.
She put her hood down and watched carefully. She nearly had a minute. . it was difficult. . they could pass off for twins! No, of course the last one wouldn’t have any differences in appearance! The clock was ticking closer and closer. Her gut, she had to listen to her gut. She took a moment and closed her eyes. Where did she feel the connection to? The left, or the right? The only one that made her feel giddy and happy, who gave her butterflies. . the stubborn but kind teacher. Her hoof raised slowly. Yes, she could feel it! That warm connection! “I. . I feel that, you are t-“
BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZTTTTTTT!
She jumped and opened her eyes. The timer had run out. She dropped her hoof. Damnit.
He smiled softly and the meadow around them faded back into her room.
“You did much better than I thought you would Roxy. If you had had a few more seconds, you’d have guessed correctly. Now, let’s go get some ice cream.” He chuckled softly and held open the door to her room, waiting for her to get up and follow him.
The one she pointed to faded away and the others shuffled closer to fill the gap.“Only four total, and one out of three is the real deal. One minute, ten seconds.”
She actually had to think carefully now. She was close, but she was pressed for time. She gulped and observed them quietly. She softly landed on her hooves and sat in front of them. No magic, no tricks. She had to do this of her own wits! “There was never a gem here on his uniform!” it was a tiny broach on the collar of his shirt, same color, barely visible. She pointed to the fake and dismissed it. Three. Shit. She bit her hoof nervously.
“You’re doing very well, Roxy. Only two more copies left. Can you find the real me in the next fifty seconds?”
They scooted closer to each other, close enough that they were shoulder to shoulder.
“You’re doing very good, Roxy. In order to help save time, we’ll line up.”
The last five lined up, and only one of them was the real Grim.
“Two minutes, fifteen seconds. You can do this, Roxy.”
She was glad he was at least helping, sort of. Now seeing them all in a line helped. She didn’t have time but she had to study them! The hair, the look, everything about them. They definitely looked alike. But every one of them had to have something that was noticeably different. She went to lift her hood, but she didn’t. She was taking her time but she didn’t have much of it. She pointed to the middle, finally. “No.”
The one she pointed to faded away and the others shuffled closer to fill the gap.
“Only four total, and one out of three is the real deal. One minute, ten seconds.”
One by one, the eight fakes she pointed out disappeared, leaving only a small handful of them left.“Eleven down, nine to go. Three minutes and fifty seconds to go.”
If she kept this pace up, she might actually do this! She was feeling chipper, but didn’t let it distract her! She kept in the air, listening for any differences. When that didn’t work, she relied on her sight. She studied them for a minute and pointed out two of them. “You two.” she said, shortening out her count outs to save time. Seven of them. These were much more difficult, and he might be trying to make it harder! She wouldn’t give up and use magic, no. She reached out and began to touch them. The hair, shoulder, clothes. She pointed to three. “You , you and you. ” Her gut was telling her she was getting close. Hmmm . . Now there was four of them left, and only about two-ish minutes to figure it out. Oh hell.
“You’re doing very good, Roxy. In order to help save time, we’ll line up.”
The last five lined up, and only one of them was the real Grim.
“Two minutes, fifteen seconds. You can do this, Roxy.”
