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1[22:50] * Butter_Cup in a corner booth near the bar, the leggy, curvy mare wearing only a leather amulet set with a blood red gem that grants her the perfectly preened wings furled at her sides. Other than that, nothing covers her beautiful form. A small saddlebag reminiscent of a purse from the old world lies on the table in front of her and she has an old Comarepolitan magazine propped up in her magic before her.
2[22:50] <Butter_Cup> sits in a corner booth*
3[22:55] <Iradanus> The door to the Tavern opens out to what looks like a blown-out building of some kind overlooking a broad, open clearing, and in comes a behemoth of a zebra stallion. He is wearing what looks to be Zebrican armor of some sort with very thick and very ornate plating, the chestpiece's emblem displaying a black bird-of-prey with two halo-encircled heads. A matching helm shields his head and...
4[22:55] <Iradanus> ...most of his face, leaving only his muzzle and his eyes free. Said armor is layered is mostly obscured by a leather cloak and a broad duster. A shortsword scabbard is at the right of his waist along with a hip quiver filled with javelins. Despite this ages-old, ancient look, he has a SWAT riot shield slid across his back with a set of relatively modern (Wasteland-era speaking...) saddlebags as w
5[22:55] <Iradanus> ell. Upon entering the bar area, he halts and starts to lift up, then seems to think better of it and settles back down on all fours. The large zebra appears not to notice Butter_Cup as he makes for the bar counter.
6[22:58] * Butter_Cup flicks an ear when Iradanus opens the tavern door, but she doesn't turn to look right away. Instead she reaches out with her mind to get a picture of who is coming before letting them know she's realized they're there, but she can't detect anyone else's thoughts. Not that this is strange, there are plenty of things she can't read the mind of. The apparent alicorn turns her head to look at the stallion and the smile she'd been preparing falters for the briefest of moments before it's right back in place. "Habari za jioni," (Good evening) she calls to the stallion in well-practiced zebra, her voice soft and inviting as she does not want to spook him.
7[23:02] * Iradanus turns his head to face Butter_Cup as she speaks, and he starts opening his mouth to greet her in turn but instead pauses and stares for a good few seconds with an expression of shock. Then, as if pointing something out, he says in a deep tone befitting of someone of his stature, "(... you have a horn /and/ wings.)"
8[23:06] * Butter_Cup ruffles her wings as Iradanus stares at her, the mare not needing to read his mind to have an idea of what's coming. She's had wings for years now, after all. "(Indeed I do,)" she replies with a giggle and swish of her tail. "(And you have stripes and muscles. Many, many muscles.)" She giggles again. "(But while you are certainly a zebra, I am not what you think I am. I am no alicorn, I promise.)"
9[23:09] * Iradanus frowns, glances down and then nods as if in acceptance of his rather pointlessly if humorously obvious words. Eyes back on Butter_Cup, he squints his eyes as if peering at her amulet. "(Is... that an enchanted gem?)"
10[23:11] * Butter_Cup lifts up her amulet toward Iradanus and nods to him with a smile. "(Yes, it is. My sister is a talented alchemist and made this trinket for me. It grants me my wings. Without it I am but a simple unicorn.)" She chuckles. "(And before you ask, yes, she is a zebra. Technically we are adoptive sisters, but that matters little to us.)"
11[23:13] * Iradanus nods with a soft 'ah.' "(That is how you know our language, then? It's rare to find a pony who can speak our language, and you do it very well.)" Bringing a hoof up to his chestpiece, he inclines his head to her. "(I am Iradanus.)"
12[23:15] * Butter_Cup nods to Iradanus once more. "(That is correct.)" She smiles at him and ruffles her wings. "(And thank you! I do try to be well spoken.)" She giggles and inclines his head back to the stallion. "(I am Butter Cup, but feel free to call me Butter. A pleasure to meet you.)"
13[23:18] * Iradanus sets his hoof back down and nods to Butter_Cup, taking a second to look around as he asks her, "(This is the Tavern, I'm guessing. Is it normally this empty?)"
14[23:20] * Butter_Cup cants her head at Iradanus. "(You are guessing? You have heard of the place but never been here yourself?)" She hmms. "(Interesting! I think this is the first I have heard of that. But yes, this is the Tavern, otherwise known as the Cafe of Broken Dreams, but we mostly just call it the tavern.)" She chuckles. "(It can be quite lively in here from time to time, but yes. It can also be quite quiet.)"
15[23:23] * Butter_Cup cants her head at Iradanus. "(You are guessing? You have heard of the place but never been here yourself?)" She hmms. "(Interesting! I think this is the first I have heard of that. But yes, this is the Tavern, otherwise known as the Cafe of Broken Dreams, but we mostly just call it the tavern.)" She chuckles. "(It can be quite lively in here from time to time, but yes. It can also be quite quiet.)"
16[23:26] * Iradanus nods to Butter_Cup in response. "(You would be correct. Some of my, uh, friends found this place before and told me about it. This is my first time here. It's... surprisingly warm.)" He tugs at his cloak and duster at that before motioning to her. "(May I join you?)"
17[23:29] * Butter_Cup ah's at Iradanus and swishes her tail. "(Welcome, then! And please, feel free to have a seat. Take off some of your gear. It is safe here and I doubt a little mare like me could hurt a stallion like you even if I wanted to.)" She pats the booth next to her with a wing. "(Who are your friends and from when and where do you come?)"
18[23:30] <Butter_Cup> She giggles and pats...*
19[23:37] * Iradanus lightly inclines his head to Butter_Cup as he approaches, reaching up to loosen his cloak and duster. "(Are you sure you have enough room? I would feel more comfortable sitting across from you. As for my friends, well... there's Triss. Griffiness about yea high,)" He motions to indicate a rather short height, "(and there's also Corvo. Male griffin. As from when and where, we are from...
20[23:37] * Iradanus ...Bethoovesda- an inland city in Foalida- and we're...)" He glances up in thought, "(around a century after the world as we knew it ended. Give or take six months.)"
21[23:40] * Butter_Cup smiles warmly at Iradanus and wingshrugs. "(I do not mind being in close proximity to a handsome stallion, but if you would be more comfortable across from me, then by all means. Make yourself at home.)" She tucks her magazine into her bag and props her head up on her chin. "(I do not recognize either of those names... hm. Perhaps I should come down here more often.)" She chuckles.
22[23:40] <Butter_Cup> her chin up on her hooves*
23[23:46] * Iradanus cracks a light smile to Butter_Cup for a moment. "(You honor me with your kind words, Butter, but I would prefer to sit across from you,)" he says to her as he removes his cloak and duster and sets them on the backrest before sitting down. His armor indeed has the scaled but modernized look of a suit made for the New Legion of the wartime era, but as imposing as it looks on the stallion, it...
24[23:46] * Iradanus ...seems to have been adjusted (albeit skillfully so) to fit someone of his size and stature. The burly zebra seats himself and removes his helmet to set it aside, revealing a rather short buzz-cut suffering from a major case of chronic helmet mane "(If I may ask, how did you come to have a zebra sister? It is a strange situation, but... these are strange times. And what is it that you do?)"
25[23:52] * Butter_Cup smiles back at Iradanus and swishes her tail. "(I only speak the truth, Iradanus)" She giggles softly at him and looks him up and down for a moment before answering him, "(I met her and the rest of my family here, in the tavern. We all live here now. As for myself, well, I am a people-pony, a practitioner of medicine, a salesmare, and a designer of amulet-based illusory clothing. What about yourself? I do believe Bethoovesda is in Foalida, yet you wear the armor of the Legion... strange times indeed.)"
26Session Time: Tue Sep 20 00:00:00 2016
27[00:06] * Iradanus inclines his head lightly to Butter_Cup again before saying, "( I don't know when or where you originally hail from, but whether doctor or nurse, a pony such as you would be valued. The illusion clothing is... new to me, though.)" At her last words, he glances down and momentarily cocks his head as if in acknowledgement. "(The armor was stored as contraband in a police armory. Moreover, the...
28[00:06] * Iradanus ...original wearer was a legate. I know not of whom it belonged to before, but it matters not. The New Legion was but a puppet to a false caesar.)" He turns to reveal his right shoulder, where this is a roughly sanded off portion where a crest would have been. "(I only wear it because I would rather it not fall into the wrong hooves or the wrong hands. And...)" He sighs and sits normally...
29[00:06] * Iradanus ...again, "(I cannot deny that it is well-crafted armor. Nor can I deny that it holds meaning to me. As for myself, I am... part of a scavenging team for our town.)" His last words come with some hesitation
30[00:06] <Iradanus> *.
31[00:13] * Butter_Cup listens to Iradanus with her ears perked forward with intent interest. Her eyes flick to his shoulder when he points to the crest and she lets out a little, relieved sigh. "(I am glad to hear you say that about the Legion. I have had encounters with their number before and they were not pleasant ones. One nearly murdered my sister for having some... connection to the stars or some such.)" She shakes her head. "(Another shot her upon seeing her glyph mark. So I am quite relieved you are not only not among their number, but do not share their beliefs.)" She smiles at him and swishes her tail. "(But yes, I agree. The armor is not at fault. If it is a powerful tool, it should be used. It would be a waste otherwise.)" She cants her head a little. "(You do not seem certain of your last words, though.)"
32[00:22] * Iradanus frowns briefly before saying to Butter_Cup, "(It is something that I am conflicted with, but it is nothing you should worry about. I am at heart a servicebuck. Whether I wield my sword or a plow, I render myself to the people.)" He then continues to frown at her. "(But this talk of the Legion... when are you from, Butter?)"
33[00:24] <Butter_Cup> "(I am from a little over two hundred years after the bombs. A hundred or so years in your future," Butter replies to Iradanus before reaching across the table to put a wing gently on his shoulder, eyes full of caring and concern. "(Would you like to talk about it? I know we just met, but I would like to help if I can.)"
34[00:32] * Iradanus looks Butter_Cup in the eye with some hesitation and then lets out a deep sigh that turns into a nicker. Given by the way he grimaces afterward, it is likely unintentional. "(... it is nearing two months since the Steel Rangers requested scavenging teams. Up until then, I was a menial laborer at our town's Foundry. I may be able to do the work of two or three people, perhaps, but it is...
35[00:32] * Iradanus ...unskilled work. I desired something more. Something more fitting of the shield that is my glyphmark.)" He pauses and lets out a soft sigh. "(I'm starting off with my blade untempered. I'm sorry. I should start at the beginning.)"
36[00:35] * Butter_Cup smiles warmly at Iradanus when he looks her in the eye. It's a genuine smile, a caring smile. She could fake that if she wanted to, but she isn't. As the stallon speaks, she cants her head a little in confusion, then furls her wing back at her side and nods. "(Please do. I understand the desire for something more. The need to be fulfilled, but I do need context.)"
37[00:55] * Iradanus flattens and purses his lip as he thinks, then lets out a sigh as he says to Butter_Cup, "(I said that this armor holds meaning to me. What I mean by that, is that I wholly revere the Legion of old- the Legion before that of the false caesar whose name I shall not expend the energy to speak. The Old Legion changed with the times, but never changed at heart. Fortitude in labors and dangers,...
38[00:55] * Iradanus ...temperance in foregoing pleasures, sapience in the choice between good and evil, and justice in giving all people their dues. My parents are archivists in the Stable that shielded us and then the town that spread forth from it. The stories of their valor and their caution against what they became during The Great War that destroyed us all shaped my life. As I grew in foalhood, I lacked...
39[00:55] * Iradanus ...skill with most technologies I would require in order to provide for the Steel Rangers that liberated us, but I found worth in the ways of the old. I honed my mind, body, and spirit in the values of the old Legion, the old Empire. Silver- the shield and the sword. Crimson- the blood and the fire. Black- which hides and which reveals. I earned the stalwart shield that is my glyphmark when...
40[00:55] * Iradanus ...through my training, I was able to protect a fellow Foundry worker from a collapsing roof. One of my proudest moments, to be sure. But at times- many, I admit- I feel ashamed. My mark is both gift and curse. I cannot... I cannot comprehend or hope to use any of the new technologies that have since graced the prewar times. Nor can I hope to use the tools of modern warfare. I cannot operate...
41[00:55] * Iradanus ...a firearm or magical energy weapon to save my life- or another's. I just... cannot. And this is... at odds with the Steel Rangers, our saviors. They seek to acquire technology of the Old World- electronics, advanced weaponry- and to service it, as many are in the Foundry. Even with my new calling in life- to protect and to serve- nothing changed. Until just under two months ago, when the...
42[00:55] * Iradanus ...Steel Rangers called for scavenging teams to assist their recovery efforts."
43[01:06] * Butter_Cup once more listens to Iradanus intently. Her eyes stay on his and her ears perk forward to take in his every word. If it weren't for the slight swell of her chest and the rise and fall of her body from breathing, she might appear to be a statue. An exceptionally carved, beautiful statue, but a statue nonetheless. When he finishes, she lets out a soft sigh and lowers her gaze to the table for a moment to take all this in, then lifts her gaze back to his face, still smiling invitingly. "(I do not know anything about the old legion, but from what you describe they are not a bad model to follow.)" She stretches a hoof across the table to him, inviting him to take it simply by her motion and body language. "(But I can relate with you to a point. I have an energy pistol of my own, but I am no good with it. I have never been able to truly figure out just how to use it properly. I am good enough that I will not injure anyone I do not intend to, but I am not the mare you would call upon if you need a sharpshooter.)" She chuckles. "(But the Steel Rangers saved you, did they? That is interesting... in my time, there is a bit of a... duality with their order. Both want to preserve and recover old technologies, but one side wants to do so without regard to the lives of those outside their order, while the other wants to use what they find to rebuild the world and protect those that still reside in it. This is a new occurance, though, and prior to it I have not heard of anyone speak of their order with such... reverance. Normally distaste, dislike, or even hatred.)"
44[01:14] * Iradanus looks across to Butter_Cup, and after a few seconds' hesitation, he takes her hoof in his. Despite the worn and chipped portions of his armor, he holds it gently as if the suit were an extension of himself. He cracks a thin if wan smile at her short tale of her pistol. "(The medic of our team is much the same way. The only reason he's managed to injure and kill some mutants it through sheer...
45[01:14] * Iradanus ...luck and volume of fire, in my opinion. But... perhaps it is a good thing that he is so reluctant to bring hurt. There is some merit to that.)" He inhales softly before continuing. "(I will not lie. The Old Legion went through many transformations in customs and mannerisms. Many would look upon their practices of thousands of years ago and label them as barbaric. I would too. But people...
46[01:14] * Iradanus ...change. What matters is, the Old Legion were more than just soldiers and servants of the state. They were an idea, an inspiration. To me, at least. But as for the Steel Rangers... what do you know of our virtues? Zebra virtues, of the Ties that Bind?)"
47[01:17] * Butter_Cup smiles a little more when Iradanus takes her hoof and she curls her fetlock around his. "(Perhaps it is a medic thing, then, as I too am more inclined to heal injury than cause it.)" She cants her head a little and her ears perk forward once more. "(This is the first I have ever heard of anything like that.)"
48[01:35] * Iradanus nods and then says to Butter_Cup, "(It seems each people has their own set of values and virtues. Ponies speak of the Six Cardinal Virtues. Griffins have the Sacred Contract. Zebras have the Bloodborn Oath. The Holy Zebrican Empire was founded on the ideals of mutual responsibility between one another, ideals that date back to when all of our people lived and died in fear of the wild unknown...
49[01:35] * Iradanus ...and its monstrosities, before we found and mastered our magics. We put our trust and faith in one another and banded together to eke out the means to survive and later thrive. We depended on one another to keep each other safe, secure, and sated in those trying times, back when our continuation as a species was not guaranteed. You /are/ your brother's keeper. There is a saying- 'blood is...
50[01:35] * Iradanus ...thicker than water.' The entire saying is, 'the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.' From that Bloodborn Vow between families was born a band, then a camp, then a tribe, then a collective, then a Legion. Then an Empire. It is a common theme among our peoples. A friendship, a contract, a vow. We are stronger when we act together. Our strides grow longer, our wisdom...
51[01:35] * Iradanus ...greater, our brilliance brighter. We just view it in different... lenses.)" He shifts a little in his seat. "(Before the Rangers, an Oligarchy ruled our Stable, later our town. They ruled not through respect and responsibility but by fear and intimidation. There is a keen difference between being a servant and being a slave in our vocabulary, and we were slaves. The Steel Rangers were...
52[01:35] * Iradanus ...truly our liberators. And they restored that sacred Oath. They provide for us, so long as we provide for them. That is how I see it, at least. They... in my eyes, embody the Old Legion. Fortitude in their combat prowess. Temperance in forsaking further bloodlust. Sapience in taking us in rather than casting us out. And justice in providing us access to the food and water we were pitifully...
53[01:35] * Iradanus ...rationed for so long. That is why I wished to serve them. That is why I... want to be seen as more than a mere laborer, or a striped savage, or a Legion fanatic.)" He sighs softly. "( But things don't always turn out as we hope.)"
54[01:41] * Butter_Cup is all eyes and ears for Iradanus once more as he talks. When he mentions being a slave, though, she squeezes his fetlock and flutters her wings, but doesn't comment. She doesn't speak until he finishes and when he does, she once more has to take a moment to gather her thoughts. "(First of all, I just want to say that I am glad you are out of that situation, even if I am a little surprised that at the arrangement you describe with the Rangers. Different times, I suppose.)" She smiles at him. "(So you look up to the Rangers for what they are, what they represent, and what they do.)" She squeezes his fetlock again. "(And are perhaps now feeling a touch disillusioned from a lack of acknowledgement of what you do for them?)"
55[02:10] * Iradanus inhales softly and curls his hoof inward, unintentionally squeezing Butter_Cup's hoof in turn. "(I thank you. And that... is... part of it. I believed that as part of a scavenging team, even if I could not provide the means to operate or repair any valuable technology we may find, I could at least protect and serve the people who did. And I believed that maybe that could get me to be seen as...
56[02:10] * Iradanus ...someone more than just a technologically illiterate brute.)" He frowns. "(And maybe I am, but... the signs aren't there. I've seen dissent in the ranks of the Steel Rangers, even if in minority. And after seeing one of them punished by their Star Paladin, I... know not whether she is just another fearmongering oligarch in power armor or if there is a nobler side to her. I want to believe....
57[02:10] * Iradanus ...But that cruel smile as she judged his sentence... that was a smile I'd seen too many times. Then there is the lack of acknowledgement of my actions from the Knight in charge of our team- and indeed all scavenging teams. I've tried to learn beyond my crude mannerisms and... and in his presence, I try to act as other Rangers do. But it seems he favors Triss instead. He even allows her to...
58[02:10] * Iradanus ...embrace him! A personal gesture! Platonic it was, but...)" He lets out a sigh. "(I try not to envy. But I fear I am. The most I've gotten was an... offhoof reply of permission to use this armor. Maybe the Knight didn't know of the importance. Maybe he didn't care. I know not, and I try not to let my mind wander. Yet it does.)" His eyes are downcast for a few seconds before they return to...
59[02:10] * Iradanus ...Butter_Cup's. "(And then there is the team itself. My longest friend and our original medic had to take her leave in order to take care of her ill parents. I can only wish her the best. But those who are left, I... surely they value me. I see their smiles. I've heard their jokes, their praises. Yet how little they ask of me when I eventually tried to reach out to them. And how little they...
60[02:11] * Iradanus ...ask of what we've done and what we are to do. And even in their praise, I feel... inadequate. My home may be in the heat of battle, but there is only one other person with me now. Before, my longest friend as well. Now, only Triss.  And she can disappear and disengage seemingly at will. I cannot. This armor, a burden- my gift, once again my curse. My ranged ability is lacking compared to...
61[02:11] * Iradanus ...the others. Modern warfare has shifted into keeping the enemy at leg's length and avoiding injury and death while inflicting it. And I can no longer charge into battle and marry steel with flesh when armor-piercing rounds have long existed. Even the mutants! I have trained /years/ for this physique and still train! And yet they can pull me down, pick me up, and cast me aside as if a...
62[02:11] * Iradanus ...foal's doll. Lately, my moral choices and my limitations in combat have caused harm and almost got our new medic killed. And my outmatched strength and dependence on armor caused my team to come to my rescue more than once. I...)" He sighs deeply and falls quiet for a few seconds. "(I feel like I don't belong. My heart isn't in my actions anymore. The Steel Rangers, clad in armor and...
63[02:11] * Iradanus ...saving us from our tormentors... are they the Legion I view them as, and can I or do I even wish to join their ranks? And my team... is it truly /my/ team? And this... this is why I told them and have been considering... maybe it would be best to hang up the helm and render my service to a town in need of help. I feel older than thesis young body should be.)"
64[02:16] * Butter_Cup reaches out to put a wing over her and Iradanus's clasped hooves and smiles softly at him as he speaks. She does nothing further, simply watches and listens to what he has to say. When he finishes, though, she simply asks, "(Iradanus, I would like to hug you myself. May I?)"
65[02:19] * Iradanus looks at Butter_Cup for a good while. Then he glances downward, nods, and withdraws his hoof before shifting out of the booth. He then trots the short distance to her side as if to make it easier for her to reach.
66[02:21] * Butter_Cup stands up on her side of the booth as Iradanus makes his way over, then rears up to plant her hooves on his shoulders. She says nothing, simply smiles at him with that warm, caring expression of hers, then leans in and wraps her forelegs and wings around his broad shoulders to give him a firm hug.
67[02:26] * Iradanus inhales and sighs out softly and somewhat shakily. Then he reaches up a hoof and carefully tucks it around Butter_Cup's shoulder.
68[02:33] * Butter_Cup lets out a little sigh when Iradanus hugs her back, flicks her tail, then speaks softly, "(You are a good stallion, Iradanus. I want you to know that. Anyone or anything that does not recognize or appreciate that is foalish at best.)" She nuzzles into his armored neck, then pulls back and looks him in the eye. "(That being said, you may not want to hear this but I feel I need to say it: I think you are perhaps a little too idealistic and have unrealistic expectations. You have compared the Rangers to the Old Legion, this romanticized version of old ideals that, I will admit, are quite admirable to uphold. But people are people, Iradanus, and there will always be bad ones. Nothing is ever perfect and people make mistakes. These Rangers sound like they are far kinder and more noble than some I have heard of, but to hold them up to the standards of an idealogy they have no part of is a bit unfair, would you not say?"
69[02:36] <Butter_Cup> say?)"*
70[02:38] * Iradanus sighs deeply to Butter_Cup's words. His remaining forehoof against the floor twitches... and then relaxes. "(You honor me with your words again, Butter. Thank you.)" And then another deep sigh. "(My heart wants to rebel against your words, but my mind knows. I have known it for some time. Maybe I just needed someone else to say it for me. You're right.)"
71[02:44] * Butter_Cup smiles softly at Iradanus and nods. "(Honor you may words may do, but your actions are what make me say them about you.)" She chuckles and gives him a squeeze. "(It is good you recognize that as it means you can move forward. But your heart is not wrong either, Iradanus. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having expectations, even high ones, of people. What they need to be is realistic. You say that this knight has not acknowledged your contributions directly, so I have to ask... why does he appear to favor your friend, Triss? Does she take credit for what your group accomplishes? And if so, why have you not put a stop to that?)"
72[02:44] <Butter_Cup> my words may do*
73[02:56] * Iradanus 's lip tucks upward as if he tries to put up a light smile to Butter_Cup but his heart is not completely in it. He does, however, not lightly to her words. At her questions, though, he opens his mouth, then closes it to think. After a few seconds, he then says to her, "(No, she does not take credit for what we do. But she does do almost all of the talking when we meet with the Knight before...
74[02:56] * Iradanus ...and after each assignment. I admit that... my attempts to gain personal favor with the Knight are mainly with simple phrases or that I will see to it that the task he lays out is completed. I am a zebra. One who openly reveres the Old Legion. I walk a fine line, and my Equestrian is good but not as great as... Triss. And I was slow to realize the impact she had on the Knight. The embrace...
75[02:56] * Iradanus ...I spoke of, it was only during the last time we met. That was when I realized how much further she is than me. But... it is true she has much to speak for herself. That town I spoke briefly about, she was the one who brokered a deal between them and the Steel Rangers. I could never hope to do that. Not without months of learning and practicing. And I have so many skills to hone and not...
76[02:56] * Iradanus ...all the time in the world to spend on all of them.)" He inhales deeply. "(I spoke to them, the rest of the team. We had just found an old friend of Corvo, the male griffin I spoke of earlier. She seems to be an apt survivor. And a sniper. And a demolitions expert. So I decided that when we came to break, I tried to convey my problems. to them. I thought I would feel vindicated and...
77[02:56] * Iradanus ...maybe... relieved, knowing that there was some...pony with them who could take my place. A pony whose skills were more aligned with what was needed in the present day. I felt like I could leave when the task was completed, resign from my position, and help out at the town. But... instead I feel guilty. Regretful. I've made mistakes- big ones that almost cost unnecessary lives and...
78[02:56] * Iradanus ...certainly caused unnecessary suffering. Am I making an even bigger mistake?"
79[03:05] * Butter_Cup ah's at Iradanus and nods in understanding when he explains the situation with Triss and Ripcord (though she doesn't know his name!). "(That does make sense, then. You said that he handles all of the scavenging teams, yes? Perhaps he is just busy. From the sounds of it, you have not tried to speak with him much yourself, so perhaps he thinks more of you than you know simply because he has not had opportunity to express it. I would suggest trying. Your Equestrian may not be the best, but clearly not speaking at all is not helping. Perhaps you can find someone to translate for you if need be.)" She pauses, then smiles at him and switches to her own native tongue. "Or perhaps I can help you hone your command of this language." The mare strokes the stallion with her wings and goes back to zebra. "(In any case, the fact that you feel badly about the possibility of leaving tells me that your heart is once again rebelling... and as I said before, your heart is not necessarily wrong and everyone makes mistakes. I can tell you are being hard on yourself over what happened, but whatever it was I can say with full confidence that I think you should forgive yourself for it. Because I do not believe you could have done something so terrible as to be unforgivable.)"
80[03:23] * Iradanus lets out a soft sigh to Butter_Cup. "(Yes, that's right. And... maybe you're right. But nobody in my team now understands the Zebra language. Xiu, my friend, she is far too busy tending to her parents. Then...) working on my Equestrian seems to be the best option." He lets out another sigh when she strokes him with her wings. "I feel like I'm abandoning them. Deserting them. It feels wrong....
81[03:23] * Iradanus ...Did they honestly not notice my problems with them?" He frowns to her words. "Well, I promised... /we/ promised a raider we held captive safety so she would give us information we could use to attack the rest of them and also save another squad. When we finished off the rest of them, we learned the raiders had been cannibals. They ate all but two squad members. And one of the survivors,...
82[03:23] * Iradanus ...Jet Stream... she wanted vengeance. I should have listened to her. I tried to play the moral, just Old Legionary when I should have held my friend's needs for... for justice higher than my own wantings to be seen as more than what the posters say." He lets out a sharp breath. "Now she's depressed. Because even if Triss also wanted the raider to live too, Corvo didn't. And Xiu and Spark...
83[03:23] * Iradanus ...decided to avoid the situation. And who was going to argue with a giant zebra stallion in heavy armor standing right next to them?" He sighs. "Then way later, I thought I saw a heavily armed hostile inside a barricaded building, alerted them, then tried to break in and flank them. They were a just group of survivors, and our medic nearly got killed in the fight. I didn't even think of...
84[03:23] * Iradanus ...checking the godsdamn front door." He lets out another sigh.
85[03:50] * Butter_Cup nods to Iradanus and scoots up to the edge of the edge of the booth to be right next to him, forelegs still wrapped around the burly buck. "Equestrian it is, but do not hesitate to switch back to your native tongue if you feel the need." She listens to the tail about the raider, smiles a little wider, then chuckles. "And my statement still stands. First of all, I would say that choosing not to murder someone in cold blood, especially after promising them safe passage, is a thing to be proud of. It does not /matter/ what she did or who she was. That is not something you can control, nor is it your responsibility." She hardens her expression at him. "Nor can you blame yourself for the state she this Jet Stream is in. It sounds like she went through a lot. Her team, her friends... killed and eaten. What would vengeance have gotten her? Perhaps a bit of vindication, but it would not erase what happened. What she went through. I am no psychiatrist, my friend, but it sounds to me like there is a very good chance she would have fallen into depression regardless of what you did. And even if your decision did make her worse than she would have been if you had killed the raider, the fact of the matter is that she would be /dead/ without you. You saved her. You fought off raiders for her. There are very few people in the world that would put their lives on the line for someone like that. You should be /proud/." She nuzzles the stallion briefly. "As for your friends... it is entirely possible they did not know. You just now told them how you feel. I would give them a chance to change. I think your heart is telling you the same thing."
86[03:58] * Iradanus stares at Butter_Cup for a good, long time. Then he lets out a deep exhale of breath, eyes downcast. "Agh, I... I didn't think about not giving them time to try to make up for it. I was so strong in... I felt so strongly about all of this that I did not view that as a... as something I could do." He lets out another sharp jet of breath. "... thank you, Butter. The spirits are fickle things,...
87[03:58] * Iradanus ...but... if this meeting was fated, it came at the right time and with the right pony."
88[04:00] * Butter_Cup smiles at Iradanus and cups his chin in a wing to guide his gaze back up to her. "You are welcome, Iradanus, but please look at me."
89[04:02] * Iradanus raises his gaze to meet Butter_Cup's, his gray eyes opaque but steely.
90[04:04] * Butter_Cup 's smile warms as she looks into Iradanus's eyes with her soft green pools. "If you, right now, are scolding yourself for another mistake, stop. You are clearly willing to forgive them for what they have done. They will forgive you in turn. Now all you have to do is forgive yourself and move forward. You cannot do that if you are always looking behind you. The past is the past. Do not forget it, but do not let it control your future, either."
91[04:08] * Iradanus 's mouth hangs ever so slightly agape from her words. "You are... you are right," he says quietly to Butter_Cup. Drawing in a slow breath, he gives her a stout nod. "(The fires of our history have much to teach us- but only watch and learn. Try to sift through the ashes while the fire still rises, and you can only be burned.)"
92[04:10] * Butter_Cup perks up her ears a little and beams at Iradanus. "(Is that an adage from the Old Legion?)"
93[04:12] * Iradanus nods lightly to Butter_Cup. "Words from Caesar Raj'M'Kora. The last caesar in my eyes."
94[04:14] * Butter_Cup smiles at Iradanus and nods firmly to him. "I like the sound of this Old Legion. I think I would have gotten along quite well with it." She chuckles and swishes her tail.
95[04:15] * Iradanus smiles lightly to Butter_Cup and nods in turn. This time, he doesn't drop the smile.
96[18:12] * Butter_Cup giggles brightly at Iradanus and swishes her tail when he smiles at her. "It seems you are feeling better, yes? I am glad. I am quite fond of helping others." She gives him another small nuzzle, then sits back a little. "Is there anything else you would like to talk about in that vein? If not, you should remove your armor for a little while. Relax a little. Perhaps share a drink with me if you would like."
97[18:15] * Iradanus nods to Butter_Cup. "I am, yes. And thank you. I respect that in any person." As she pulls back, he answers, "I... /do/ have to think of how to adjust my approach to combat, but that is for another time. For now... maybe a drink would do me good. I could get one for you, but I don't know anything about mixed drinks if you prefer those."
98[18:18] * Butter_Cup smiles and nods to Iradanus. "That sounds like a conversation you should have with your friends. Fighting is not my thing, I am afraid, so I am none too useful when it comes to that." She chuckles and flicks her tail, then slips out of the booth and brushes alongside the stallion. "I do not drink alcohol much, but when I do I tend to enjoy sake. However, I will have whatever you are having and I will also fetch it. Meanwhile, you can get more comfortable and relax. I insist!"
99[18:21] * Iradanus maintains his light smile to Butter_Cup, though he does bear a slightly puzzled look- a little from her drink of choice and more so as she brushes alongside him. "Sake? I have heard of that from my friend, but I have never seen it myself." He cocks his head momentarily in acknowledgement. "I will, though to be honest, I rarely take off the armor. Only to wash."
100[18:25] * Butter_Cup stops a few feet behind Iradanus and looks at him over her shoulder, the mare's curvy form and luscious rump on full display to him. Her tail does keep her decent, however, even as it swishes and she giggles at the stallion's puzzled look. "Is something the matter with being naked?"
101[18:28] <Iradanus> Despite Butter_Cup's beauty, the stallion manages to keep his gaze on her face in complete and utter defiance of his hormones. He answers, "Well, it's good exercise and it helps to be prepared. Had I not had my shield with me on that fateful day, I would not have earned my glyphmark. And my supervisor and I would likely be dead"
102[18:31] * Butter_Cup hms at Iradanus and her tail swishes a little harder. The stallion might even swear her hips sway a little with it. "True, quite true, but this place is safe, I promise you. You have more to fear from boredom, lack of exercise, and overindulging than anything else." She giggles at him and flutters her wings. "Would you not be more comfortable without all that weight on your shoulders?"
103[18:34] * Iradanus cants his head slightly and glances away as if in thought. "I don't know the exact words, but it is a comforting kind of weight," he says to Butter_Cup. "I know this place is safe, but at the same time... I'm used to its presence."
104[18:36] * Butter_Cup turns back to Iradanus and smiles at him. "Ah, I see. In that case, would you be willing to do it for me? To be frank, part of why I am asking you all this is because I was hoping to sit with you when I returned with our drinks and get a much warmer, nicer hug without all that metal in the way."
105[18:39] * Iradanus looks at Butter_Cup for a few seconds. "Ah! Well, with what you have done to help me, that is something I can do." He inclines his head toward her and proceeds to start removing his armor. It looks like it's going to take a while... it's no automated T-51d.
106[18:41] * Butter_Cup beams at Iradanus and flutters her wings. "Thank you, my friend. I do appreciate it. I am a very affectionate pony and do enjoy the company of others, both physically and otherwise." She grins a little at him. "Especially when they are as in shape and handsome as you."
107[18:43] * Iradanus nods to Butter_Cup, then chuckles softly to her as he continues to remove his plating. "Don't make me say it a third time, Butter." He pauses. "Or was it a fourth...? Either way, you've honored me much already."
108[18:44] * Butter_Cup laughs softly at Iradanus. "If that is your way of saying I am a flatterer, you are wrong. I am complimenting you. You are an attactive stallion." She swishes her tail. "Would you like some help with that? I am not very strong, but my magic is deft."
109[18:49] * Iradanus looks over to Butter_Cup. Still smiling softly, he says, "Thank you. I do hope you have someone in your life. You are both an attractive and generous mare." He focuses back on tediously removing his armor. "... that may be for the best. Alone, even with my familiarity, it takes... a good fifteen, twenty minutes to remove it all."
110[18:51] * Butter_Cup beams at Iradanus. "Thank you! And I do, actually. I have two fiances, in fact, both of them actual alicorns. Everpure, my mare, and Aloysius, my stallion." She turns toward the bar. "Let me grab our drinks and then I will help. Would you like to try sake, or would you rather something else?"
111[18:53] * Iradanus looks up and stares at Butter_Cup. "I, uh... sure, yes, I'll try some, please." He furrows his brow. "/Actual/ alicorns, you said?"
112[18:59] * Butter_Cup smiles at Iradanus over her shoulder and nods. "Indeed. They have natural horns and wings, unlike myself, and if you think I am attractive you should see Everpure. She is positively gorgeous. And Aloysius? He is quite fit, much like you, and both of them are a mixture of adorable sweetness, good hearts, and minds as beautiful as their bodies." She trots behind the bar and fetches a metal tokkuri from beneath the counter. "I take it you do not know how alicorns like them came to be?" she asks while she simultaneously grabs a bottle of sake in her magic and places the flask on a hotplate with her magic, then pours the liquid into it.
113[19:02] * Iradanus 's left foreleg looks to be almost free by now as he 'ah's to Butter_Cup. "I don't. I thought the only alicorns were the pony princesses. I don't know what happened to them, though most say they are dead. I guess there's more to that, then."
114[19:06] * Butter_Cup trots back over to Iradanus while the sake warms and uses her magic to help free his leg. "They were at one time, but are no longer the only ones of their kind. Celestia and Luna did indeed die during the war, but their legacy lives on in another way. There was a project developed by Equestria to create more alicorns with a chemical known as IMP, or the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion." Once she gets his leg free, she takes a moment to study how he is getting out of his gear, then helps him with the next piece. "From what I understand it basically fused ponies of all three races together into alicorns. I am not sure if this was how it was intended to work... but that is how it ended up working. There is a much longer story to it than all that, but it would be better if you heard it from someone like Everpure than from I. She lived through it, I did not." She smiles at the stallion and swishes her tail. "What about yourself, Iradanus? Is there a special someone in your life?"
115[19:13] * Iradanus nods as Butter_Cup finishes her abridged tale... thankfully without very enthusiastic walks involved. "Well I am glad you have someone like her- and your other fiance- in your life," he says, then nods again as she helps him with his armor. "Yes, like that. Bottom to top. As for myself, no. I actually did fake it for a while to keep more irritable people away from my close friend, but in my...
116[19:13] * Iradanus ...opinion, I have better things to focus on for the time being. I am doing something beyond simple manual labor at the Foundry for the first time in my life, and I must focus on improvement of self. A Legionary believes in service above self. I too believe that."
117[19:16] * Butter_Cup bumps her nose gently into Iradanus's exposed foreleg. "Thank you." She smiles at him, then goes back to work getting his armor off. Her magic is not particularly powerful, but it is as agile and deft as she made it out to be. "You make it sound as if being in a relationship is selfish an unworthy, my friend, but I do not think that is what you mean."
118[19:20] * Iradanus and Butter_Cup are making much better progress now. Much like his mane, his fur is matted down and unkempt from being stuck under all that armor for so long. "It is not, but... it is like... it isn't the right time is what I mean to say. That I have to focus on other things, especially the needs of others, before I can think about settling down."
119[23:27] * Butter_Cup chuckles at Iradanus as they work at disrobing him. "Ah, yes, that I can respect. It was not until I came here that I truly felt the desire to... settle down, as you put it. Prior to this place I lived in Manehatten, in Tenpony Tower. It is a relic of the world lost to balefire, but if you ask anyone in charge they will tell you nothing has changed. They have convinced themselves they are the epitome of wasteland culture and everything else is more or less beneath them. They shunned outsiders and even refused to give them water despite it being produced freely and in more than sufficient amounts for their own needs. I did not enjoy the place despite it being my home." She smiles at him, then turns and heads back over behind the bar. "The sake should be warm by now. Anyway, that was part of the reason I felt no need to truly settle down while I was there." She gets out two insulated cups, then trots back to the table where Iradanus is. "The other is that I am, frankly, a very promiscuous mare. I enjoy meeting people. I enjoy talking to them, getting to know them, and I discovered quickly in my youth that people were much more friendly when someone with my... looks... was nice to them." She pours them both a glass of warm sake and grins at Iradanus. "If I flirted with them. Slept with them. Most people have sex simply to procreate or for pure enjoyment, but I have said for years now that I can find out more about a person after twenty minutes in bed than in twenty days of normal conversation. I find it tends to cut out the middlemare, so to speak. If all they want is my body, they will get that... but I will have a good idea of what truly lies in their heart after that. Thus, I will be able to decide whether I like them or not and should continue speaking with them or whether I would be wasting my time." She giggles at the stallion and flutters her eyelids at him. "Plus it /is/ a fun and pleasant act in and of itself. I will not lie and say I do not enjoy it."
120[23:36] * Iradanus listens to Butter_Cup's personal story as they free his second foreleg. "I see. Mostly. I don't know what... 'epitome' or 'promiscus' mean. What made you decide to settle down here and become engaged, then?" He sniffs softly as she pours the sake and sits down to start working on his hindleg armor. "Hm. Is that some kind of hot juice or soda?"
121[23:41] * Butter_Cup giggles at Iradanus. "Ah, yes. Well, I suppose we can consider this a lesson in Equestrian. Epitome means mfano. Promiscuous means wapenzi." She looks down at the sake, blinks, then looks back up at the stallion and chuckles. "Not exactly, my friend. Sake is a wine made from rice. As for me, I did not decide to settle down so much as it just sort of... happened. I enjoyed their company and they mine, so we kept spending more and more time together until we decided that we did not want to be apart."
122[23:47] * Iradanus 'ah's quietly in understanding and nods to Butter_Cup. "Thank you. The... sake, though, I didn't expect that. Most wines or beers smelled bitter or sharp. As for you, Butter, I'm glad you were able to find good company. You are a good mare. You deserve as such. Hm... I cannot judge how you lived your life, especially when it is so similar to that of Triss." He furrows his brow in thought. "I...
123[23:47] * Iradanus ...think it would be good for you to meet. I... should ask, though. What exactly is the object your cutie-mark depicts? It is very similar to a pendant that she wears."
124[23:51] * Butter_Cup swishes her tail and offers Iradanus one of the glasses of sake in her cream colored magic.. "Indeed. That is one reason I like it. I wish it were not quite as strong as it is so I could drink more of it, but alas. More than two or three glasses and I am rather inebriated." She pauses, figures he doesn't know that word, then adds, "Mlevi, that is." She smiles at the stallion. "And thank you as well. I like to think I am in good company now." She floats her own sake up to take a sip, then goes back to helping the stallion disrobe. "I do enjoy meeting new people, so I would welcome that. As for my cutie mark..." she smirks at him and raises a brow. "Have you been looking at my flank, hm?"
125[23:54] * Iradanus does, in fact, look at Butter_Cup with some confusion before she translates the word and nods in understanding. He accepts the glass and raises it for a sip but pauses at her question. "Earlier, yes. I didn't want to bring it up then."
126[23:59] * Butter_Cup giggles at Iradanus and swishes her tail. "Why not? I do not mind." She works her magic around his armor, unbuckling and unstrapping and removing the plates. "As for what it represents... well, it is a masquerade mask." She pauses in her work, lets her magic fade, then lets out a little sigh. "It represents my ability to be deceptive and deceitful, should I choose to, but I assure you, my friend, that I have not said a single untrue word to you since we met. I rarely use my talent."
127Session Time: Wed Sep 21 00:00:00 2016
128[00:03] * Iradanus notes Butter_Cup's change in demeanor and asks her, "It is a gift and a curse, then?"
129[00:09] * Butter_Cup looks up at Iradanus and chuckles softly at him. "Yes... you could say that. Many people immediately distrust me when they find out what my talent is. Or at least they did. This place seems to bring in more understanding people... but back in Tenpony? My reputation was ruined by a stallion who lied to me about his marital status. I knew he was married, but he told me that he was in an open relationship. Not knowing there was anything to hide, I made no effort to do so. I forgot a pair of socks in his bedroom. His wife found them and tracked me down. I was not hard to find because, again, I was not hiding. She was angry and quite influential in the tower. I panicked under her anger and convinced her that I had just made a delivery to her home and my socks must have fallen out of my bags. She believed it... until I got my cutie mark. Then she knew. And told everyone that I seduced her husband with my silver tongue and sleazy talent." She snorts. "Not long after, I was politely told I was no longer a citizen of Tenpony Tower and asked to leave."
130[00:12] * Iradanus listens to Butter_Cup speak, and he sets his sake aside as his hindlegs are finally free. His chestpiece is far quicker to remove by itself, coming off with but a few buckles and tugging on the stallion's part. He sets it down gently but still quite heavily with the other parts and then says to her, "I believe you wanted a warmer hug."
131[00:14] * Butter_Cup 's smile returns at Iradanus and she nods before sliding into the booth beside him and leaning into his large, warm, muscular frame. "That I did..." She snakes one wing around his back while the other wraps around his front and she nuzzles into his chest.
132[00:20] * Iradanus brings a foreleg across Butter_Cup's shoulder to give her a one-legged hug. His fur is, like the rest of his fur and his mane, matted down and in somewhat of a state of disarray. It is coarse and unkempt, more than likely thanks to the lack of shampoo or conditioner. But he is at least warm. "The advice and guidance you gave felt genuine to me, and all you ask in return is a proper hug. I...
133[00:20] * Iradanus ...see no deception in that."
134[00:24] * Butter_Cup looks up at Iradanus with her cheek pressed into his chest and smiles. "Thank you, my friend." She wiggles in a little closer to him and runs a hoof along his broad, barrel-chested form. "I do enjoy the presence and warmth of another person against me. It is comforting... especially when said person is built like you are... and has your temperament. It makes me feel warm and safe."
135[00:29] * Iradanus nods and keeps the hug tame and one-legged for now. "And I'm glad you have two lovers who can do that for you. I must ask, though, your... promiscuous nature." He pronounces the word a little slowly. "These days, do you enjoy moments like this more than the sex itself? I'm just curious."
136[00:32] * Butter_Cup chuckles at Iradanus. "I have more than just two people who do that for me. I have friends here. Family. So yes, I do sometimes enjoy moments like this more than sex. It varies. Sometimes sex with my loves is just so... intimate. We connect on a deep level and knowing that they are gaining as much pleasure from me as I am from them makes it absolutely wonderful." She giggles and wiggles into him, then grins a little and looks up at him with just her eyes. "May I ask why you are curious?"
137[00:40] * Iradanus answers Butter_Cup, "There are some who have... fawned over me, is the word Xiu used. A good number of them were just for sex. I had no desire for that. I honestly can't say I do even now. But some, I'm sure, were merely interested. I ask ahead in the future when I am satisfied with where I am with myself and with others, but can a relationship be sustained purely through moments like these?"
138[00:43] * Butter_Cup 's grin widens at Iradanus. "Ah... and here I was thinking you were hoping for a closer look at my flanks." She giggles and winks at him. "I think it is possible, though, yes. Difficult to be sure, but possible. For most people, sexual satisfaction is a biological need that must be fulfilled, just like eating, drinking, breathing. We are not meant to be alone. For people like that, no, moments like this will likely not be enough."
139[00:49] * Iradanus nods lightly to Butter_Cup's words, then says, "Something tells me you would enjoy speaking with Triss. You both have very similar... um... acts, motions. Words, too. With her pendant, it may even be fated." He at last reaches to the sake and takes a sip, smacking his lips afterward. "I didn't expect it to be so sweet. Hm." Setting it aside again and looking down at Butter_Cup, he then says,...
140[00:49] * Iradanus ..."I figured as much. I do agree that we are not meant to be solitary. We are all social peoples at heart. I can't help but feel my values differ in how it is expressed, though."
141[00:51] * Butter_Cup laughs softly at Iradanus and nuzzles into his neck. "Perhaps it is. I am definitely looking forward to meeting her." She swishes her tail and trails a hoof down his chest, but stops just short of his stomach. "What do you mean, your values differ?"
142[00:54] * Iradanus grimaces briefly before answering, "I've always found it difficult to get aroused." He glances down at her hoof and then back at Butter_Cup. "Female, male. Large, small. I can't really remember myself ever feeling the way that other people describe it, and I can't remember really missing it. That is why I asked that question."
143[00:57] * Butter_Cup rubs Iradanus's chest a little more and smile softly at him. "I see. Well, perhaps you are one of the people that do not need sex. Or perhaps you simply have not met the proper person yet." She cants her head a little. "Does this mean that you have never had sex before, my friend? Or perhaps even achieved orgasm?"
144[01:01] * Iradanus cants his head momentarily in response to Butter_Cup's musings.  "I thought it to be the first, but... the second is also possible too." He pauses to take another sip of sake. "And yes to the first. I... do not know what you mean by the second, though."
145[01:05] * Butter_Cup gasps softly at Iradanus and widens her eyes. "You do not know...? Oh my, my friend... that in and of itself may be part of the... well, I would not call it a problem, exactly. I think issue is a better word." She blinks. "Oh, wait... I am sorry! Equestrian. An orgasm is a kilele. A..." she scrunches her nose, then switches to zebra. "(A release of sexual tension that is quite pleasureable and, in stallions, causes them to ejaculate sperm.)"
146[01:08] * Iradanus is starting to go for another sip of sake, but at Butter_Cup's expression of shock, he sighs and nods. "Yes. My friends express the same thing when they hear that." As she tries to explain what an 'orgasm' is, even when she switches language, he just ends up looking horribly, horribly confused holding that sake glass.
147[01:10] * Butter_Cup blinks at Iradanus when switching to zebra does not help. "Ah... so it was not a language barrier. My apologies if I offended, my friend. It is just... surprising. So... then do you not know how foals are formed?"
148[01:12] * Iradanus sets down his glass before answering Butter_Cup, "Well, yes, I do know that. But... 'sexual tension,' you said? Is that what you were meaning to say? I thought the act was supposed to be... enjoyable. Aside from immoral cases."
149[01:14] * Butter_Cup giggles softly at Iradanus. "Oh. Oh, I am sorry once more. I went too clinical on you. Yes, it is quite enjoyable. It is one of the most enjoyable actions there is. The pleasure builds and builds and builds until you cannot hold it in anymore, then explodes out of you all at once. It is quite intense and many people call it a release."
150[01:16] * Iradanus 'ah's in understanding now that Butter_Cup explains it differently. "Now I see why most people enjoy it if it is how you put it." He furrows his brow. "Is that why such a thing as masturbation exists?"
151[01:18] * Butter_Cup nods against Iradanus's chest and swishes her tail. "In part, at least. It also helps to fill that need. It is not the same as having sex, but masturbation does tend to take the edge off."
152[01:19] * Iradanus cants his head in response to Butter_Cup's words. "The... 'edge?' What does that phrase mean? I've heard it from people who say that is why they take smoking breaks at the Foundry."
153[01:22] * Butter_Cup hmms and thinks for a moment before explaining to Iradanus, "It means to partially satisfy a need, basically. For example, if you were hungry but unable to eat a full meal, you might eat a small snack in order to ease the hunger pains in your stomach until you can. That would be taking the edge off your hunger. Dulling it."
154[01:23] * Iradanus nods lightly as Butter_Cup explains. "I see... and thank you for being so patient with me. This is all very new to me."
155[01:25] * Butter_Cup smiles warmly at Iradanus and nuzzles his neck. "You are most welcome. It is the least I could do for my friend." She giggles and swishes her tail around to brush it against his side. "In fact... I could help you experience an orgasm for yourself, if you would like."
156[01:26] * Iradanus nods lightly at first at Butter_Cup, then stares at her. "... but don't you have two lovers?" he asks.
157[01:28] * Butter_Cup giggles at Iradanus. "I do. And I also said that I /am/ promiscuous and I /enjoy/ getting to know others via sex. Present tense, my friend. Our relationship is what is called open. We are not monogamous." She pauses, then adds to clarify for the zebra's somewhat weak Equestrian, "We are not mke mmoja."
158[01:31] * Iradanus ah's quietly. He says to Butter_Cup, "I understand, I understand. Again, it seems you and Triss really would enjoy meeting one another... but anyway, your offer, I... I don't know. You are sure such an act wouldn't upset them?"
159[01:34] * Butter_Cup giggles softly at Iradanus and trails her hoof down to his stomach. "Absolutely certain. You see, one of the properties of alicorns, of the ones created by the Impelled Metamorphosis Potion, is telepathy. Green alicorns can read pony minds and communicate mentally. Blues can turn invisible. Purples teleport. Everpure is a green and we share a mental link with one another as well as Aloysius. Both of them are wishing me a good time as we speak." Assuming Aloysius would actually do that.
160[01:36] * Butter_Cup adds to Iradanus, "In fact, Aloysius is offering to come down right now, meet you, and assure you that it is perfectly fine."