Post-Game Recovery (Ponyville, after Iron Pony)

[Blueblood]

The thing about pain is, most ponies don't actually remember it that well. They remember being in pain, but the actual sensation never comes to recollection; so that whatever pain they go through at the moment is always the worst they can remember, no matter how slight the injury.

"Oww!" Flying Brick as the last splinter was removed from her side, the largest by far. She'd broken legs on some of her stunts before, and she would have sworn it didn't hurt as bad as that one-inch sliver of wood. She'd gotten it, along with about a dozen others and assorted bruises, at the Barrel Weave event of the Iron Pony in a rather ignominious Disqualification due to a collision with the last barrel. Thus, the brick-red earth pony mare was altogether feeling low in body and mind.

She'd walked here as fast as she could without too much pain; had the two ponies she'd been talking to followed her? She hadn't particularly noticed; come to that, she hadn't even checked for fellow-sufferers in the tent. Now that the slivers had been removed, she brought her head up and looked around.

[Gears9333]

Loki growled in pain as he felt his head being wrapped up after taking a barrel to the head. He wasn't used to being knocked out even if it was just a freak accsident. He looked around at the other ponies wondering who was the dead pony that sent him to the medical tent. He was pretty lucky seeing some of the other ponies had it worse. He looked over seeming an earth pony laying in the bed next to him still getting splinters pulled out. "It's a shame a pony like you ended up in a place like this. Some ponies just don't have any class hurting a flower like you. You wouldn't have happened to have seen the pony that did this would you? I will be sure he learns griffons dont tend to let this kind of thing slide so easy." he said sitting up a bit with a grown head still ringing a bit. "So much for my chances at winning this thing." he rubbed his head softly.

[Blueblood]

There was was something inherently humorous in the idea of calling Flying Brick a flower. She was very much an urban pony, and by no means a delicate one. "Ha ha- ouch!" She laughed vigorously, but that was not a good idea with bruised ribs. "You're a bit of a toff, ain't you? As for the pony who did this, well, you are looking at her."

She gave a more muted chuckle, but the laughter was not unmixed with regret. "One misstep, and I ran smack into that barrel. Cost me the race, it did." She turned her head, slowly, to get a better look at the pony who spoke to her.

Only, he was not a pony. The mare's eyes widened, with surprise and a little delight. "Another griffon! I suppose they'd be attracted by the contest, but you're only the second I've seen in Equestria!"

[Gears9333]

Loki couldn't help but have a little pride in himself when she saw him. "Well well, a pretty little thing like you must be something if you could send a barrel at my head hard enough to knock me out." He said with a laugh. He smirked having an idea brewing in his mind "It is to bad though, because of you I am out of the games. I don't hold gruges though but it would be nice to have SOMEONE to make me feel better about coming all this way for nothing. Maybe on a night out on the town or something, my treat ofcorse." He said with a devilish smirk. "I don't know if I could go on with my injurys if I have no one looking after me." He said laying back into bed milking his minor injury as if he was dieing.

[Blueblood]

Flying Brick was staring at Loki in confusion, trying to piece together her response and his rejoinder. "I think we may have misunderstood each other. I though you had asked who had done this to me. I don't think I knocked the barrel that far to reach you, and I know I didn't get knocked off the track, because I had clambered on top of it and barrel-walked across the finish line." She nodded with decision, adding, "Always stick the landing, even if you collapse in the routine."

She was so wrapped up in justifying her philosophy of performance that she missed the fact that the griffon was practically asking her out. She only caught the last sentence, and laughed a little. "Well, make sure it isn't me. The last thing I looked after was a fern, and it died. Never had the knack for being a caretaker."

[Gears9333]

The griffon laughed " I guess that's why I don't remember seeing you go up. I must have been out before you got here. I wouldn't let a pretty little thing like you pass my eye without at lest saying hello. I guess I'll have to find that pony after all. If I'm lucky it will be a mare as breath taking as you." He said then leaned on his side to get more comfortable. " So you have a name doll face or is their no name for something so beautiful." he said laying on thick. "I'm Loki. I would give you my last name but I would like to have the ring first." he said joking with his winning smile. " You know this would be really embarrassing if I found out you had a coltfriend so any time you want to let me know that would be great. The last thing I need is another sneak attack to the head." He laughed .

[Blueblood]

Even bricks are only so dense. By now it had hit home that she was being hit on, and the realization caused Flying Brick to sit up, and give a much closer look at the griffon. She'd always liked the look of them; there'd been a few living on her street back in Stalliongrad. All the same, his approach was a little flawed; anypony (or griffon) who called Flying Brick a 'delicate flower' was probably the sort that would say that to any mare.

Hence, why her response was laughter. "Haha, Oh, I don't have what they call a 'special somepony,' though I might hit myself if you don't lay off the flattery. My name's Flying Brick, of Stalliongrad." She spoke the name with a civic pride, whipping her short mane behind her ears with the flick of her head. "I came here to represent my city at the games. How did you come here?"

[Gears9333]

Loki couldn't help but laugh a bit at the way she responded to him hitting on her "Oh come on ever mare deserves to be reminded they are special every now and then. I am just reminding you now." He seemed a bit confused "Flying Brick? That's some name you got there doll face. I don't think i have ever seen a brick fly so you must be more special then I thought." He listened to her for a moment then fell back in his bed and sighed "I came here on a stretcher." He said with a small laugh " I came from Canterlot to help a friend of mine drum up so business for his shop. I figured if I entered with his shop as a sponsor or something I could draw some ponies to him. Hell i didn't even have to win just show up really. The perks about being a griffon is everyone will notice you. I was bound to get at lest some people interested but that shot was killed when that stay barrel hit me. I can't race seeing double and the compaction will be over before they let me back in." He glanced over at her then picked himself off the bed again "Anyway you don't want to her about my problems. I don't think I have ever met a pony from Stalliongrad. Do they all talk the way you do? You seem to have this whole knight thing going on. The last time I heard someone say they where someone of someplace was in an old midevil film."

[Blueblood]

Loki may not have been particularly apt in his compliments of the athlete, but it seemed his heart was in the right place. Having ended her day with a DQ, and facing the prospect of walking away from the games with no kind of recognition whatsoever, Flying Brick was feeling decidedly sub-standard. It was no bad thing, therefore, to be thought of as special by a griffon.

Even if he was kind of goofy.

"Never been to a construction site, I see." She laughed at his comments on her name. She flexed one of her forehooves, showing off its strength and flexibility. "These will get me to whatever perch your wings will; nopony expects that, anymore than a flying brick."

She stayed quiet to listen to his story, stretching a little while some bandages were applied. "I can't speak for that; Nopony I met in Stalliongrad had to explain that they were from Stalliongrad, you know." She laughed a little. "A knight! Ha, catch me in plumes in armor, no, none of that."

The bandages were quickly done, and the earth pony hopped down, wincing a little as the wrappings rubbed the scrapes. "You feel up to walking yet? I can't stand staying still for long."

[Gears9333]

Loki laughed a bit " If I had my head on right I would challenge you on that but then again I would love to see them in action." he said with a smirk before pulling himself from the bed." I don't know you might look rather good as a royal guard." he said taking two steps before almost falling over. He gripped the bed feeling light headed "Wow I really thought I was fine." he said holding his head for a moment before smiling at her " How about we just lean on each other and we will be able to have a better chance of getting out of this place." he said opening his wing for her to get comfortable if she did choose to take his offer on walking together.

[Blueblood]

Flying Brick did have to snort at the idea of being a Royal Guard. "Stalliongrad is not part of Equestria; I couldn't join if I wanted to. The city guard is not so..." She snickered. "Pretty. Still, I prefer steel to gold any day. If nothing else works out..." She shrugged. She probably wouldn't in any case, not being one to stand discipline.

The mare looked at Loki sideways after his suggestion that they lean together as they walked, not sure if we was really dizzy or just looking for an excuse to cozy up to her. He did seem genuine enough, and it would probably be mean to call him out on it.

"Just as far as the ranking postings, if it's as bad as all that." She said decisively, as she ducked under his wing. "You start, I should not want to drag you by the wing."

[Gears9333]

Loki smirked and closed his wing a bit pulling her closer " Just trying to make sure you don't fall." He said starting the walk her from the medical tent. "How about we go a little father then the ranking posting. Since we are both out of the game we can head out a bit feather. I'm sure I can hold you up for a bit. Unless you want to head home. I wouldn't want you to walk around all day in pain. Flying might not be a good idea for me but I can at lest walk you to your place or were ever you are staying." He said as they walked by a mint green earth pony. Loki couldn't help but watch her walk by smirking a bit as the pony blushed seeing his eyes wonder her. She walked a bit faster covering her face embarrassed.

[Blueblood]

Well, that settled one thing. He was definitely looking for an excuse to cozy up to her. "Oy, bird, you are lucky I am taking pity on you for injuries!" The laugh Flying Brick gave at the end, however, probably indicated she wasn't going to add to them anytime soon.

"It's only bruises and scrapes, if you want to go beyond the rank boards, my hooves are fine for it!" She threw her head back with unconcern as they exited the tent, remarking as if in passing. "I just wanted to see how I did, you know?"

She snorted a laugh quite loudly as she caught Loki checking out another mare. "An incorrigible griffon, you are! Ma warned me about the ones like you..." She shook her head playfully before settling on a more serious expression. They'd arrived at the ranking boards, and the brick-colored mare couldn't conceal a certain anxiety about how well her efforts went over-

"Oh, not bad!" Well, there was a pleasant surprise! Second place for the tug-of-war event, and third for the obstacle course and cloud diving! The last was perhaps most impressive, as she had been the highest-placing non-pegasus on the diving board.