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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 1:14:34 GMT -5
Watermark shrugged, "Yes." He answered mysteriously. "But back on topic, waiting around isn't going to get you anywhere. You're not getting any younger. Phalanx will always be there, your opportunity to maximize your potential won't. Your fixation won't do you any good." He said sagely, "Just think about it is all I'm saying."
He filled Hoplite's mug with fresh cider from another side of the barrel, "This one's hot and has cinnamon in it." He said, hoofing it back over. He filled his own mug with the same cider and took a small sip, his ears seemed to redden a bit but he seemed to be throughly enjoying his drink.
"Yes, ponies can get to be that old, not just alicorns." He said in response to Hoplite's earlier question. "Don't see why any would want to. Living a thousand years means seeing a whole lot of loved ones pass away." He shrugged again. "Gale's not young either, though she sure looks like it. She's not a thousand mind you, but she doesn't look a day over thirty and her real age is far above that. Though I'll dare not tell you lest she sends the Rainlock Security Forces after me."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:19:22 GMT -5
Hoplite took the mug with a curt nod, taking it in hoof and sipping lightly at it, still certain it was in every way better than the cider he had tried before. Hoplite couldn't quite figure out a proper way to respond to Watermark, instead choosing to shrug and sip at his drink. "Suppose so," he practically muttered.
Seemed Watermark was right back at it, his very presence seeming to threaten to uproot him and Phalanx from their comfort zones and throw them in random directions. He didn't care if he didn't become a legend, he wasn't just going to get up and abandon Phalanx. Least of all if separating from her meant he couldn't see her unless he was on leave.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 1:27:45 GMT -5
The cider was indeed hot, but it also carried the spicyness of the cinnamon within it and the combination of flavors was delicious. Even with all of the snow out Hoplite felt extremely warm, the sensation reminded him of sitting curled up in a blanket in front of a fire with a mug of cocoa. At least that what it must have felt like in his head. This cider was obviously made with much love and care, something that added a great deal to it. Though he couldn't see it, his ears were reddening, much like Watermark's. Watermark seemed just every bit as comfortable. Of course, he was always comfortable in the cold for some reason, despite being half zebra and supposedly coming from a hot environment. Must be hard being related to ponies like Gale Rainlock and Red Charge. Big shoes to fill, a lot must be expected from him and he was certainly doing his best to fulfill those, it seemed. At least he seemed livelier and less tired than before. "I'm glad we got that win today, the Drill Instructors would have made life miserable for all of us if you hadn't gotten that in. You have to deal with them during training, I have to deal with them after and they're much less reserved with me." He shot another grin at Hoplite.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:32:33 GMT -5
Hoplite turned to Watermark with a raised eyebrow, "Sooo they pelt rocks at you, bash your ribcage in, expect you to run for miles *and* expect miracles? And that attitude got them that rank, huh?" he asked, jokingly. Revelling in the warm sensation the cider brought, he kept sipping away at the drink, not wanting to chug it down if only to savour the taste that much longer.
"Soo, might I a-...actually, nevermind, probably wouldn't do any good to ask a magician about their tricks," he waved away the thought, having tried moments ago to make idle conversation yet realizing halfway through that this particular subject wasn't one worth pursuing.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 1:35:35 GMT -5
"You know what," Watermark said, "You caught me in a good mood. You get one question, be sure to ask wisely." He winked at the earth pony, sipping from his own cider more. It was obvious that this wasn't everyday cider, from the fact that Watermark, like Hoplite was sipping at it very slowly, wanting to savor it. Watermark sure had a knack for getting exquisite stuff.
"So one question, ask away."
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:41:14 GMT -5
Hoplite pondered on the question for what felt like quite a bit of time, gauging just exactly what would be most worth it to ask. Dozens upon dozens of potential questions passed by his mind, yet he took quite a bit of time sifting through them to try and determine the best one.
Finally he found one, probably not the best of the bunch but it was worth asking away. "Between conjuring and maintaining the ice shield, the occasional snowfall, the dozens of ice golems, a legion ice 'diamond dogs' , 'aquaporting', *all* at once...well, I've gotta wonder. How do you manage?"
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 1:43:32 GMT -5
"I'm hyperactive." Watermark grinned, "You had so many questions you could ask and you picked that one?" He chuckled, "Tell you what," He said, scooting over a bit, "I'll give you another one," He said quietly, "But only if it's a good one and only if you won't tell anyone else the answer." He sipped again from his cider.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:47:01 GMT -5
Hoplite blinked confusedly. That wasn't quite the answer he had in mind, but then again Watermark was rather adept at defying expectations. So on his mind went yet again, scrambling for a decent question.
A thought crossed his mind, yet how was he going to word this as a single question? He wanted to know for sure if anything was going on beyond the shield, yet that would've been at least two questions; one for if anything was happening, and another for what was happening. He racked his brain fruitlessly for what felt like a good minute before finally, he had one.
"What aren't you telling me?" he finally asked.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 1:54:46 GMT -5
Watermark looked offended, "That's hardly a fair question, there's a great many deal of things I don't tell you." The pony said and began to count, "For one, that I was so absent minded this morning I showered twice, it happens. For another that sometimes I get so bored I like to make tiny armies of ice ponies and have them fight each other, another is that I really can't stand crickets, I get it, not all my jokes are funny but sheesh!" The unicorn laughed. Seeing the unicorn emptied his cup he went to a third faucet on the barrel, "Now this one's the real kicker, Zap Apple Cider. Had to wrestle that one out of Gale's private reserves. She has a couple dozens of barrels of that though, she shouldn't be so stingy." Though Watermark seemed to move around Hoplite's question, Hoplite could tell that if he got Watermark in the right mood, he could get him to give away the information. In fact, it seemed the happier Watermark was, the closer he was to telling.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 1:59:04 GMT -5
Hoplite groaned inwardly, yet again Watermark defied expectations - and maybe even dashed a hope or two - in his usual manner. He could only hope that by the time the day is done, if he could stand long enough, he might hope to find out from Watermark just exactly what was going on.
Hoplite took the mug in hoof curiously. Zap Apple Cider was something he hadn't quite heard of before. He'd heard of Zap Apple Jam - Long Haul once did a transporting job for a pony named Filthy Rich who sold the stuff - but never of cider like that. Tossing caution to the wind, he took a swing of the stuff, hoping it didn't have too much of the 'sting' Watermark implied it had.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 2:01:42 GMT -5
However it did, Hoplite suddenly felt as though something was kicking his stomach from the inside... but it felt good. Suddenly he was full of energy and flavor. The stuff was delicious beyond any expectations and he felt vigor spreading through his body just from drinking it. He felt like a nuclear reactor radiating heat, like he could take on the Ice Queen herself and melt her frozen heart and all at once it went away, leaving a taste for more.
"Oh yes, they rarely make cider out of Zap apples but when they do..." Watermark took a sip and looked just as comical as Hoplite felt as he perked up completely and then relaxed back in his seat with a very contented sigh.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 2:07:02 GMT -5
Hoplite looked to the stuff in confusion and amazement. He hadn't imagined a single sip of cider would give him such energy and vigour, nevermind that it stole it away mere moments later. "When they do, it kicks you in the stomach and tells you to take on the world! Theeeen it just kinda fades...huh," Hoplite remarked, partly to himself and partly to Watermark.
"Wait, you said something about making tiny armies, right? As in, like, *full* armies of hundreds, if not thousands of tiny sculptures?" he asked lightly. He had never actually seen Zap Apples, nevermind checking in the Everfree Forest to try and confirm the rumour, so he was absolutely lost when it came down to the stories he had heard of the stuff, so trying to make conversation about Watermark's earlier rant seemed much more preferable.
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 2:09:55 GMT -5
"Sometimes, sometimes, if I'm really bored, I make castles too and dragons. It's a hobby." Watermark said, conjuring up such an ice pony in the shape of Hoplite and having it walk on the table, hopping on Hoplite's shoulder and saluting him.
"It's frustrating because I'm just as good a tactician as I am." He said, "I lose just as often as I win." He shrugged again grinning with the hint of a chuckle. "You like playing with toy soldiers?"
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Post by Deleted on Aug 11, 2013 2:18:41 GMT -5
Hoplite blinked in confusion and awe for the second time that night, finding himself looking with a warm grin to the tiny ice-y version of himself, walking along the table and eventualyl standing at attention on his shoulder.
"You like playing with toy soldiers?" he heard the zebracorn ask, pulling him out of his entrancement with the tiny sculpture on his shoulder. Hoplite nodded once, "Used to do that a lot when I was young. Our dad made two sets of tiny, wooden sculptures. He made one white set and one grey set of about thirty little soldiers. There were ten earth ponies, ten unicorns, and ten pegasi, all with little weapons and shields you could change. Phalanx and I made a game out of them, and we'd often play for hours changing up what gear the ponies carried, what spells the unicorns had, etcetera. Never was a good strategist, though..." he remarked, looking idly to the sculpture before continuing, "Phalanx had a very curious strategy, which always bested mine. She seemed to constantly adapt her tactic, but it mostly involved using the unicorn pieces to either flank or rush my own. Just to make things easier, we didn't come up with any rules for magic, so for the sake of convenience the unicorns were usually our ranged units. She'd find any hole in my defences and poke at it, causing me to panic and basically leaving a wide enough opening for her to win outright, 'bout the only tactic that ever worked with me was turtle-ing up my units and pelting hers with range. We were young, though, can't say we were brilliant military strategists when we were still in school."
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Post by Red Charge on Aug 11, 2013 2:26:13 GMT -5
Watermark nodded, "Sounds like fun." He said, "I spent most of my childhood learning how to lift boulders with both my mind and my hooves." He said, but did not expand. The Hoplite on Hoplite's shoulder climbed up to Hoplite's snout, seemingly not bound by laws of gravity, it curled up on it and was staring at Watermark.
"What was it like growing up as a regular pony on the farm?" He asked, taking another sip of zap cider and perking up again, eyes focused on Hoplite's, "Must have been fun, being close with your family, having dinners together, playing in the fields..."
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