Morning Watchmen

[Cryoshock]

Up and at'em they say. Early morning, in the middle of a frosted breeze. It was a bitter cold up in the North, especially during this time of year. You got used to it, though... it took quite some time living in Stalliongrad, or of course... being born in such a place. He was a rather proud Private, 1st Class. He worked hard for such a meager ranking, and though he might not have been the mightiest, he was certainly not the weakest. He learned to accept that.

He had minutes ago transferred from his shift along the Eastern Wall, and retreated from the bitter cold and into one of the watchtowers. It wasn't terribly better. Ten degrees warmer; it was the lack of icy wind that made it worth the while. Hunkered down beside a Strong, wooden round table shoved into the corner. Plopping his rear upon cold stone which by now... was simply just a floor. Huffing and blowing his chestmane out of his sight so that he may open a small book. Nothing more than a history novel... poetry, journals.. short stories about that of the older era's of Equestria in which Stalliongrad had... by all consideration-Far better days. Much of it reflected the Equitarian Empire and what these recordings DID know of it. Perhaps he'd been over a few of them as is. But they still fascinated him.

He was dressed in light Leather... with some Iron cuplings along the shoulders. And much of him was dressed in a light cloak down his back and over his hindquarter. His horn was long, going from marine blue to light, frost blue-white at the very tip. He carried at his side a shortsword... mostly used when he could not use more offensive magic. And because it served an official, legitimate appearance that he carry a weapon, not just his spells. Sometimes he did carry a basic spellbook... mostly to refresh his memory when he couldn't quite think up something creative. And reading always did train the brain and make one's spellcraft more efficient.

His sanded gold eyes scanned the book and his ears would twitch every-so often. His puffy mane, and wrists plumes. He had another ten minutes until he would have to rush back out and pace the walls again.

With all the conflict, the rumors, the unrest... anyone needed to find a form of comfort. A casual relaxation was valued when the world was churning up in flames.

[King Tidal Wave]

"That's your idea of taking a break? Reading a book?"

Standing in front of the table was a female, young-adult pegasus, dressed in guard's uniform. Dark orange pelt, brown mane and tail that were kept short, and a pair of blue eyes peering at the unicorn and his book. It was Sky Shifter.

Friends might have been too strong a word. But the two had shared enough shifts to know each-other. And that was enough for Sky Shifter to call Cryoshock by abbreviation, whether it annoyed him or not.

"Seriously, Cry, you need a better hobby. Stalliongrad ponies don't sit around with their nose in a paperback. They brave the unknown, battle the elements, combat with the worst monsters the world can throw at them," the pegasus spoke, flailing a hoof around in the air for added emphasis.

"If you wanted to be a librarian, I'm sure they got lots of jobs open in Canterlot."

[Cryoshock]

It took him a moment until he chose to indulge her teasing and quell those accusations, "You know this would be a much more legitimate conversation if I hadn't already done those things the rest of this last week." Pulling his head back and snapping the book shut, "Why? Are you lonely doing those things all by yourself?" As his poofy mane was stiff in the cold it still had the energy to flow over to the far side of his head when he turned to meet her.

He could not stifle a subtle laugh, "Well its hard braving the unknown when you're stationed on the outer wall. Unless that counts waiting for something to come marching up to the front gate." He gave her a wide grin. The small book slipped up under his cape and into one of his small compartments, "Besides it's not like I'm reading a book about fairies and white knights.." He gave a hard clearing of his throat and rose onto his hooves, "they're historical accounts... Maybe some of them poems but there's nothing wrong with being literate." As if mocking her but only out of playful spite.

His tail flicked side to side, it wasn't terribly lengthy but it wasn't short. He didn't like having it stout. He preferred having something to fluff agaisnt his bare coat for some warmth. That and... Well he found that the length he had was the best representation. His fetlock slipped across the cold floor as he stretched his legs and gave an in-place trot to waken himself.

For her the nicknames were, well.. Likewise, "Humor me, Sky!..." He chuckled, "What does a Stalliongrad Pony do with fifteen minutes to himself?"

[King Tidal Wave]

"Okay, first off, using 'I already did those things this week' as an excuse makes you sound like an old fart. Second, reading poems makes you sound like a sissy. So now you sound like an old fart and a sissy," Sky Shifter responded.

"And there's tons of things a Stalliongrad pony can do in fifteen minutes. You can polish your sword, or practice hitting things with it. You could play cards, arm wrestle, go for a jog. Anything but reading."

[Cryoshock]

His horn glowed again, the straps to his sheathe coming undone as he drew his blade and tilted it, giving her a wide view, and showing her the glint it had, "Sharpened and polished it when I woke up." He gave her a challenging smirk, "I do believe I took a few jabs at one if the training posts with it... It cut through them finely." With a magical swing he could exert much more momentus force than if he held it in his mouth anyway.

"I can't say I'm the best hoof wrestler this side of Stalliongrad.." Looking up to the ceiling and recalling t he many times he did lose to the more brutal warriors. He was acceptional amongst his fellow mages however... Though at the moment it didn't show he was far more rough cut. He gave a swift, though not sloppy concealment of his blade once again and scoffed, "Folly!... Come on then. Shall I shuffle a deck of cards for the teasing little lady or does she think she can have a go at me?" 

The elbow of his forelimb banged down securely onto the wooden table and he looked over at her, "If I win you have to memorize a lovely poem." Thus giving her a more rugged grin, "Since you're so high strung about me being a sissy... It shouldn't be a problem, now.. Should it?" They'd known eachother long enough for them to taunt one another... In Stalliongrad you normally had fun that way.

he could read later if she wanted him to get active so badly.

[King Tidal Wave]

"But if I win, you have to recite one of your poems in front of the whole tavern," the pegasus said, grinning evilly.

"I'll even let you pick whether you want to do cards or arm wrestling. Just remember which of us is the sissy unicorn. Cards are probably more in your favor."

[Cryoshock]

He turned to eye her down, shutting one of his eyes and taking a lean forward, "Arm wrestling it is.." As his horn glowed and cleared his other loose items on the table. Quill included. They had gone through basic together... But he couldn't recall if they'd arm wrestled before... But he knew he did with plenty of others at the time. He still did. What witht he turn of recent events not so much... This was actually a fun bet, "Any poem? Deal.." His eyes rolled quite sharply with a wide, confident grin, "Now stop trying to Intimidate me! Be a mare and have a seat. Best two out of three~"

He gave her a very nasty sneer in return. Cryoshock wasn't a very timid stallion... He stuck to his guns and did his best to bolster confidence in himself and some beside him when they were receptive. He was usually the Merry unicorn of the bunch... Not afraid to drink too much, and certainly unafraid of brawling for the fun of it. His chest heaved in and he unleashed a hefty sigh, "unless you're more scared then me?~..." That northern accent drawled to her.

[King Tidal Wave]

"I'm just terrified the sissy unicorn's gonna beat me," Sky Shifter teased, sitting and putting her elbow down right across from Cryoshock's. "Gonna look forward to hearing that poem," the pegasus grinned, clasping her hoof around Cryoshock's in a tight lock.

Sky Shifter gained the advantage moments after the two had started, pressing Cryoshock's hoof away from the center. The advance only continued, getting Cryoshock's hoof closer and closer to the table before she finally slammed it down once it was most of the way there.

"Told you cards were more in your favor," Sky stated, releasing Cryoshock and shaking her hoof. "C'mon, I get to embarrass you one more time."

[Cryoshock]

OOC: Hmmm..

===

His eyes fell sharply on the table... That was utter crabapples. Undeniable. He had a hard time believing it just happened as he lifted his hoof quite idly and shook it himself. Before she felt her chairleg give out from under her, breaking as his horn gave a very sore glow, "No. That's fair enough. You won your day.." His bright eyes a little paler now but he was not terribly beaten, he gave her a smirk, "I outta freeze that smirk on your face so you can give it to me more often, Sky."

Humility was a healthy thing, and he didn't prank her like that in bad taste.. It was more of a friendly way of telling one to courtily buck themselves, "I'll be sure to rehearse." 

[King Tidal Wave]

Sky Shifter hadn't been expecting her seat to fall out from under her, and landed squarely on her rump after Cryoshock broke the chairleg. "Hey!"

The pegasus picked herself up and glared at the blue unicorn. "What the heck! You're just gonna give up? What kind of Stalliongrad pony chickens out like that?"

After bucking the broken chair to the side, Sky Shifter walked over to another part of the room to get another chair. "You said two out of three," she said, dragging it over. "And we're gonna do two out of three."

[Cryoshock]

His nostrils parted and he gave a strong puff, "The Kind of Stalliongrad Pony who's smart enough to know when he's beaten. Why?.. There's a difference between senseless, and courage. One's embarrassing. The other's ballsy.", he chuckled, picking his hoof up, "But just so I can see that pretty smile after that celestially awful glare, FINE..." and rested it back on the table, "I suppose I did get a little flustered there."

"Though I must say I did think you'd rob me of the amusement uh that working... Didn't think you'd actually land on your hind. Was it a soft landing?", as he couldn't help but hold back a playful grin. So he was destined to lose here. Big whoop.

[King Tidal Wave]

"You're not the kind of pony who know's when he's beaten. You're the kind who gives up too easy," Sky Shifter said, sitting back down in the new chair. "And as nice as it is for you to show some concern for my flank, its your own I'd be worried about." Her tone seemed a lot less light-hearted now, more like she was continuing the teasing just for the sake of continuing it. If anything there was a tinge of irritation there.

The two ponies locked hoofs again and round two began. For several seconds the twos' forelegs remained in place, each seeming to exert equal pressure on the other. The stalemate seemed to drag out, until suddenly Sky Shifter gained the advantage, almost managing to pin Cryoshock before he stopped her. But he couldn't keep up his defense at this angle, and soon the pegasus had his hoof flat on the table. Two for two.

"There. Now you can go back to your stupid poems," she said, getting up from her chair. "Just make sure you pick something good for your recital."

[Cryoshock]

The moment they released he gave an inward hiss as he shook his hoof gently, "you're just a regular little hercula." He muttered, narrowing an eye at his wrist before setting it down, "Not funny." He muttered, rolling his eyes. Knowing full well what she'd meant... And he didn't much like the sound of that. Rising onto his hooves and drawing his sword for quick inspection as it was about time to return to shift. Thus joining her, "Alright so the chair was a bit of dick move.. It's early morning and I get upset easier!" He chuckled. Bowing his head til it sank below her own, having to peer up with playful, submissive eyes.

"Shall I remember two poems and recite one to you privately?..." He didn't know why that was such a bad thing, honestly... Literature was swell.. But cracking a skull open was still far more invigorating, "Haha.. Or would you rather have me do something far more humiliating?." Imagining that he'd have to shave himself down and streak across town for instance... "Or.." As he took a firm stride ahead of her, picking himself up to a full gait, "Both."

[King Tidal Wave]

"Stop trying to be a kiss-flank," Sky Shifter said, gently shoving the unicorn aside. The irritation was gone from her voice now. The puppy eyes had probably lightened the mood.

"You gotta learn to stop being a sore loser, morning or not. Otherwise ponies are not gonna want to hang out with you." The pegasus walked over to put on her helmet and other equipment she had taken off at the beginning of her break. "Then you really will have to become a librarian. Move to Canterlot where you can get paid to be lonely all day."

After fastening the last of her straps, she trotted over to the door leading back out onto the wall. "I gotta relieve Sparky. I'm on cycle today. Catch ya later Cry." A blast of frigid air hit Cryoshock from the open door, not subsiding until it had finally swung shut.

Now he was alone. Cryoshock still had a few minutes until his break was up, not that it was gonna kill anyone if he decided to head back early.

[Cryoshock]

"Calling it one of my bad days.", as he tipped his head to her. And squinted as the wind broke into the room, actually frosting the tips and ends of his mane before his horn gave a soft, icy-blue glow, containing what heat was left on the inside of the room and making her goodbye a little more pleasant, "I'm too rugged to be a librarian.. You'd think if anypony kept badgering me about not finding a book I'd give them quite a throttling.", nodding as she left, "Oh Tell Sparx if he wants a nice run at the tavern tonight, he best find me this time. Practically turned the city upside down looking for his static flank."

"And you're welcome to join us if you're feeling like taking on a dozen pints.. And a half." The door slammed on him and he grunted, snorting as he magically gathered up his wears and slung on a good sized set of furs and light leather armors. His dark brown cape following suit. Resheathing his sword, "Bloody Librarian... I'm not that literate.", he gave a raspy chuckle. Without Sky there to speak with him the atmosphere had become rather boring... maybe heading back to post wouldn't be such a foul idea.

Yes... back out into the cold he went, taking the opposite door and taking a heavy-set, slow trot down the snow-capped stone wall, calling out to the usual ensemble of guards, "Whoever wants out of the cold. Now's your chance. Fifteen minutes!~", as the first blast of icy air slashed at him and he tucked his head down, and striding down the length of the outer wall.