[Canterlot] A Budding Friendship (Private; PM for potential invite)

[moonshineTheleocat]

It was a wonderful evening, that was soon to turn over into a more exciting night! Java had already planned and scheduled this one day well in advanced for himself. A day of reckoning, partying, and a moment to relax and possibly wake up face first in the dirt in the middle of a forest! A night out with a friend from his days as a young colt when he originally lived in Manehattan. Oh yes! It was quite a distance away, but also a perfect option to not damage a well set and ironed out reputation in canter-lot! While not entirely favorable, and leaving Java known as that crazy pony on the side of the cliff, it was still a reputation he would like to keep with the nobles so no pony would bother him with gangly business opportunities! Nor associate him with his already inherited, but self-loath and detached status of nobility.

Though, well before he began his preparations, he had decided to try and bring along a new acquaintance. And though the pony may have broken into his home... and possibly damaged years of hard work. Some renovations he had done with his own two hooves, the pony did prove to be quite a useful acquaintance! Not quite a friend just yet, but an acquaintance! But an acquaintance at such a high level that Java is actually now willing to reach out a hoof of friendship to this... home wrecking pony. In fact, he had even decided to ask the same very pony over, sending a paid train ticket to Canterlot as good courtesy! so he could then proceed to extend an offer to have the pony join Java on his night time shenanigans! After a minor grudge had been settled of course.

The pony sat in a large plush pillow, on the lofted platform in the center of his house. A coffee mug was resting on the low rise table next to him. His right hoof was moving around his other fore leg in slow delicate movements. And in doing so, he was wrapping around a white bandage around it, making sure that it was tight, but not tight enough that it completely limited all motion. The very motion was well practiced, and the look he held on his face was the sort one would have when remembering good days from way back. The other hoof had already been completely wrapped and ready. Once he finished, he took the time to look up to admire his own home after the well needed repairs.

If one were to describe his home's main-room with one adjective, it would be unorthodox. Uncanny, would only be a terrible understatement.

The flooring had been finished with a white outdoors marble, that had the mortar carefully sealed for what chaos was soon to come. Tearing through the flooring in the center of the room was what appeared to have been a small pond, where it's main source of water had been coming from a stream of water fed through the side of the house by a screened grate. This stream first treckles down a granite construction of black and white speckled of square blocks, that was surrounded by a large variety of evergreen plants in fertile soil just slightly below the layering of tile. The stream then flows into a moat that runs around the room in a squared spiral pattern before it finally meats the pond. Over the top of this moat was a layer of heavy duty glass to keep ponies, and other items from stepping inside the water.

Bookshelves were scattered around. The ones in the center of the room surrounding the pond had a much sturdier look behind them. Perhaps this was due to the fact that these bookshelves were also part of an elaborate construction of a loft supporting a table and a few large pillows. Connecting to this lofted platform where walkways that ran across the many other bookshelves. A few small shelves hung from the ceiling, and requires one to literally walk across the many other bookshelves.

What wasn't intended to be walking space had became patches of more fertile soil, holding more evergreen shrubbery. In some places of the walls, were modified tubing that had originally been used as plumbing, became interesting methods of decoration. Painted, and reshaped to become a sconces lighting, that also held smaller plants.

Decorating the walls were a large variety of imagery and prose. Poems that the pony loved were framed and hung on the walls. Paintings and other forms of artwork were also hunged up, non-from any real famous artist, but the pony adored them anyways. Nerdy posters of comic heroes, and some real classics were also among them.

The only sane construction for a home, would be the stairwell leading up to the second floor, and down to the basement level. The doors leading to the kitchen, and outside.

The pony rolled back on the pillow till he was completely lying on his back and looking out of a window that had given him a clear view of Canterlot's castle. Any-moment now and his company would be arriving. He knew he didn't have to open the door for the pony though. He had literally told the pony to go ahead and let himself in when ever he pleased, as the door was normally unlocked when Java was inside.

"Huh.... I wonder if he actually knows how..." he began. His chin hoof raising up to rub at his chin as he begins to contemplate the other ponies ability. "Nah... of course he does... maybe?"

[Zeig]

 

Inkbrand wasn't sure how he felt about this.

 

Any of this, really. Sure, he'd been expecting some anger, hatred, maybe some consternation on the part of the other stallion when they'd first…met. And mainly because of the circumstances of their first meeting. Breaking and entering a pony's home to escape the Canterlot guard wasn't exactly a socially accepted way of making the introductions. But hay, he'd been desperate, the window had been left open for the nice cool breeze, and it'd been and easy enough thing to slip inside and make himself at home.

 

Suffice to say, JavaSun had not been pleased.

 

If anything, Inkbrand had expected to have to full a fast one to slip back out the way he came, before the other stallion altered the guards. But instead, JavaSun had seen a bit perplexed and curious, and Inkbrand could admit he'd felt similar regarding some of the things he'd spied around the stallion's home. Of all things to happen, Inkbrand hadn't been expected a strange sort of camaraderie and acquaintanceship to crop up between the two of them, reinforced by repeat visits to secure new items or gadgets through and for the Thieves Guild.

 

None of it had been expected. But Inkbrand was still surprised that he could continue to be surprised by the other stallion.

 

Which was why he was currently trotting over the rooftops of Canterlot, careful to keep his hoof steps light and soundless as he slipped over rafters and along the walls. The grey stallion had almost thrown away the ticket and invitation he'd received in the mail - and how the buck had JavaSun found out where to send it? - suspicious as all Tartarus. After all, Inkbrand had always been the one to initiate their visits, not the other way around, and always purely on business. This extended overture of something as quaint as 'friendship' settled somewhat sourly in Inkbrand's mouth, like a particularly ripe lemon.

 

Unfortunately, more times than not, cats weren't the only ones often put in danger's way because of curiosity.

 

A misstep had him sliding down the roof a bit, and Inkbrand caught himself with a silent curse. Ah well, he was on top of his destination anyways. Ambling over to the side a bit, the tattoo-clad stallion caught sight of the window sill he was targeting - and more importantly, a faint silhouette cast sideways by the riding moon on the opposing side of the home. With a practiced ease that would easily suggest to anypony that he'd performed the same move countless of times, Inkbrand dropped half of his body downwards, appearing upside down outside of the window and potentially startling the pony that was holding vigil.

 

Unlikely, given the pony in question.

 

"You know, I've never had a stallion ask me to drop by for a house call before," Inkbrand said in greeting, pushing open the window with one foreleg. The tattoo-clad stallion quickly hoisted himself indoors by simply rolling over, hanging from the top of the window as if he were performing a pull-up before dropping onto the platform below. Inkbrand nudged the window back closed with his flank, sending a slightly sardonic look towards the other stallion as he did so. "Can't really say you're my type."

 

Inkbrand dropped down to the lower floor, legs spread to brace for landing with a soft grunt. As if he owned the home himself, the grey stallion slowly moved around, eyes flicking around the familiar - and strange - sights. The small waterfall was pleasant enough, but the outrageous contrast of plant life and marble taking up the space of the floor always sent a weird vibe down his spine. It was like Java was trying too hard to be eccentric and out there - the stallion's strange home may as well be a Cantelrot exhibit in and of itself.

 

Still, all Inkbrand really cared about was what he was able to bring out of that home. Preferably himself, included.

 

"So?" the grey Earth Pony finally questioned, idly flicking a leafy plant with one hoof, "care to let 'ol Inkbrand in on your fun? I wasn't actually suppose to…visit the shops here so soon after leaving."

 

[moonshineTheleocat]

Leo smiled to the small quip that the stallion let out, and offered a wave with one of his wrapped hoofs for him to come in. "Oh please. I may be into stallions more than mares. But I hadn't even thought of you as an option," He was chuckling at this and slowly sat up to lean on the table next to him. Though he was curious why the stallion decided to act like a zebra ninja out of the blue.

He'd watch him drop down to the ground and land on the ground. As far as eccentricities went with the stallion, he did pretended occasionally to be daft, but only when nobles were around him so he could avoid talking with family "friends". And friends would be an overt and strong word that Java would use to describe them. However, when it came to natural behavior, there were some eccentricities that remained inherently strong outside of his professional behavior. Especially his own reasoning skills, which may over complicate things further than it has to be. His home wasn't originally meant to look insane. Java just found it's incredibly outrageous and busy design to be more comforting than large open space with simple designs. It allowed his mind wonder, and provided a decent escape from the stress of life.

"So?"the grey Earth Pony finally questioned, idly flicking a leafy plant with one hoof, "care to let 'ol Inkbrand in on your fun? I wasn't actually suppose to…visit the shops here so soon after leaving."

"AH,"Java hummed to himself. He now rose to his hooves after sliding his head underneath the table, and drawing out a new pair of boxing gloves. And dropped them to his feet. “Welp! I would like to invite you to come with me to go partying with a long time friend of mine down in manehatten. He runs a club over that way, and there will be plenty of fillies for ya,” the pony chimed happily as he now bucked the new pair over the railing, and down to the ground below.

“But... my pride is a bit... unnecessarystrong than it really should be. The day you broke in... I could truthfully careless what your intentions were, but I am afraid I hadn't been able to quite sit still with myself that day. Bluntly put, I have a grudge with you. And I don't understand the reason why,” The pony tapped his chin, as if he couldn't quite understand what was entirely wrong with it. The pony really didn't even understand his own reasoning. The other pony didn't break anything. While he may have broken into his house, he hadn't really stolen anything. And while Inkbrand had grew into one of his most frequented customers, his trust for him hadn't actually improved much.

After releasing a sigh, he put his hoof on the ground and slid out another box, and popped it open with a tap of his hoof. Inside the box was another pair of gloves, those these were more worn the new pair. And was also covered in a good amount of dust. There had been tears here and there from it's last fights, from Celestia knows how long.

“But... as a good way to remove all bad blood between two stallions... I invite you to a friendly duel. I take care of a grudge, and other stress I picked up in the month. And then... we go partying down in Manehatten. You get free drinks. Introduced to some fillies... maybe get lucky. It sounds odd... I realize that. But look at it this way, the fillies in Manehatten love bad colts,” Java held a grin now, “though I am sure your Casanova nature probably wouldn't need the nextra boon of a cut cheek or something.”

Once he was finished, he plucked up his gloves and tossed them into the air. He streatched out his head head to allow them to land securely behind his neck before he hopped over the railing and landed down on the main floor below. “So what say you?”

[Zeig]

 

JavaSun had invited him to his home to first, beat the tar out of him (very politely and respectfully, by the way), then take him out partying in Manehatten at a club his friend owned?

 

Inkbrand had to take a few moments to process the string of words and sentences coming out of the brown stallion's mouth. When he finally did, it fell on him to stare rather incredulously at said stallion, hoof frozen mid-air against the leafy plant. The little tidbit of information regarding JavaSun's preferences in dates was only vaguely registered in Inkbrand's mind, so focused was he on everything else.

 

Seriously, what a weird thing to hold a grudge over, and what a weird way to settle it. Inkbrand could have understood JavaSun feeling some residual anger if he'd broken and trashed the place when he'd paid his first impromptu visit - but if he had seriously felt offended enough to insist on settling the matter, why had their acquaintanceship sparked up in the first place? It seemed to make more sense that the stallion would have simply kicked him out of his home that very night, since it was obvious Inkbrand's bit of breaking and entering had bothered him immensely. At this point, the grey stallion honestly couldn't tell if JavaSun was simply eccentric or just bat-rot mad.

 

The ideas behind the stallion's reasonings weren't something Inkbrand particularly cared to explore, and in all honesty, he was starting to question his relationship with this fellow. But, as his golden eyes settled on the tossed boxing gloves laying innocently on the floor, Inkbrand felt more than made his body go utterly still, poised and focused.

 

Buck. He wanted a fight?

 

"A friendly little duel, huh?" Inkbrand questioned lightly, though the sneer was clear on both his face and his voice, "over a little break-in that happened months ago? You say pride - sounds more like a little filly's whining to me." The tattoo-clad stallion strolled forward a bit, pace practiced and careful as he moved in a small circle around JavaSun, coming up on the discarded gloves. Without glancing down at them, Inkbrand passed them by, giving them a flick of his tail to get them out of the way as his gaze settled sharply onto the brown stallion across from him.

 

Buck yeah.

 

"A fight, then," he said finally, turning to face the other head-on, "since you can't get over it yourself. No gloves though," he added after a moment, giving the boxing gloves JavaSun donned a derisive glance, "no tools, no weapons. Bodies only, bare-hoofed." Pausing, Inkbrand turned his gaze around where they stood, eyes stopping over the plants, glass, and bookcases they were nearby, along with various other oddities. "Anything broken or damaged is your loss," Inkbrand clarified. He thought it would have been obvious, given the other stallion's insistence on a fight in the middle of his home, but a pony could never be certain.

 

Terms laid out, Inkbrand returned to his ready stance, weight pushed back in preparation to stand on his hind legs. He didn't say anymore, and simply stared down the other male, sharp grin flashing across his face like a bolt of lightning.

 

[moonshineTheleocat]

The reasons Java had for such a grudge were odd to say at best. Breaking and entering his home was one thing. Even though that Java rarely ever locked his own front door when he was inside his home. The full part of it was the lack of interest in actually taking anything from inside his home. Pride can extend to a lot of things, from self-esteem, to how you believe you've worked hard for your nice things. And for a common thief to break in your house, look around, turn up his nose, and leave... it feels almost insulting to a pony who absolutely loves building his own legacy, than to live in the light of anothers.

Java hummed to himself as he listened to the terms being laid out. He had a hoof reaching up to undo each button of his vest all the while he heard him continue to speak. Once the buttons were undone, he causally removed the article of clothing and tossed it behind himself. It hit the water in the center of the room with a splash and slowly sunk down to the bottom.

“Oh, don't worry about breaking anything. I can fix it later. Besides, I was planning on swapping out the paint job anyways. Bloody walls will be enough of a reason. Typically I'd have something like this upstairs in the shop. But... enough injuries happen up there daily, and power tools don't make it the safest place in the world.” The pony hummed as he now slid his own personal pair of gloves out of sight. He watched the pony continue to circle around him. “But, let me add onto the rules. The fight stops when either party surrenders, vocally, by signal, or tap out. The fight stops when either party is unconscious. Or severe injury.” He hadn't bothered to actually turn his body to watch the stallion's pacing. He just held his ground and allowed his eyes to follow him instead.

Once the other stallion came to a hault. He'd watch him take a stance. His eyes actually taking a moment to observe it, along with his body's own muscular structure. Then his eyes flicked up to his facial expression, intent on locking in on the eyes. Though the smile he captured did cause a light chuckle to leave the stallion.

Without taking a stance just quite yet, the stallion shifted a small amount of his weight onto his hind legs, but kept his current resting stance over all balanced. He raised up a hoof, and beckoned to the other. A gesture for Inkbrand to come at him. “Oh come off the smile already. What do you plan on doing, seducing me after this?”

[Zeig]

 

Son of a Diamond Dog, this stallion was going to eat dirt.

 

"Didn't I just tell you you aren't my type?" Inkbrand sneered at the brown colored stallion, continuing his slow circling around the other. "Do you take every smile in your direction as a come on? You're kind of desperate, aren't you." Apparently, JavaSun didn't want to start this off, instead content to stare him down while keeping his stance.

 

Well. That suited Inkbrand just fine - he'd always been the aggressor, anyways.

 

Quick as thought, Inkbrand had bunched up his hind legs and flung himself at the other stallion - a quick leap that JavaSun nonetheless dodged, prepared for it. The grey Earth Pony caught himself short from slamming headfirst into the wall, quickly whirling around to face back towards his opponent as he approached again. This time though, he steadily moved forward to close in on the other, darting in for a quick blow. His hoof met a raised foreleg, and Inkbrand was quick to swing forward his other hoof against the stallion's unprotected stomach, even though the hit allowed Java Sun to land a blow to his exposed face. Inkbrand quickly broke away from the other, shaking his head lightly, even as the grin widened on his face.

 

JavaSun, he noted, kept his front hooves up most of the time to protect his face, and gave short, jabbing motions instead of punches. Almost like a boxer it seemed - and hadn't JavaSun first presented some boxing gloves for this little duel? Huh, figured the stallion would try to coordinate a fighting style that he had obvious experience in. Inkbrand himself favored powerful, full-swing punches over short jabs and thrusts, but the latter style was faster, while the former slower. Power versus speed, crippling blows versus glancing ones.

 

But, before all of that, Inkbrand had experience, a near lifetime of working his body to the limit. JavaSun, presumably cooped up in his home and with his tinkering, couldn't match that no matter what sort of fighting style he had.

 

With a large exhale of breath, Inkbrand suddenly launched himself at JavaSun again, head on, attempting to pin the other against the wall. JavaSun caught him in the middle however, leaving the two seemingly embraced in a strange dance as the grey Earth Pony attempt to expend some strength and loom over the other. "Of course," he panted, continuing from his previous train of thought as if there had been on interruption at all, "I suppose a guy like you would be. Don't get many pretty mares - oops! Sorry, stallions - up here visiting, do you." Buck, the guy had some muscle underneath his fur. "Have to beg for them to drop by and see you, huh."

 

Snarling low in his throat, Inkbrand suddenly ended their deadlock with a sweep of his hind leg, slamming hard against the indent of Java's own leg to make him buckle downwards. Almost immediately afterwards though, Inkbrand felt the air lift from his legs as Java used their interlocked hooves and momentum to swing him nearly straight into the air and onto his back, slamming the air out of his lungs. "Buck me," Inkbrand wheezed, groggily shaking his head again from the hard impact, and just in time to see a brown hoof descending straight towards his face. The tattoo-clad stallion rolled away just in time and quickly regained his hooves, eyes sharper than before.

 

Bucking enough of this.

 

Without giving the other a chance to regain his balance, Inkbrand launched himself towards Java yet again. This time though, with his head parallel to the ground and forelegs outstretched, the grey stallion rammed straight into Java's stomach, using force and momentum to propel the two of them a good ways away until they toppled over. Inkbrand quickly gained a dominant position on top of the other pony, and was vaguely aware of books and papers scattering every which way, but was focused intently on the stallion beneath him as he reared back a foreleg, prepared to beat that smug grin straight off of Java's face.

 

[moonshineTheleocat]

Java had been giggling to himself throughout the entire durration of the fight. It had been some decent amount of time since the last time he had gotten into a friendly sparing match, competitive or just for fun. Oh how it reminded him of the good ole days back in Canterlot's Academy, when he joined the boxing team as a way of releasing stress from bullies. He hadn't realized he'd enjoy the sport so much, he originally found it as a means of gaining some kind of respect. And now here he was, grinning from ear to ear as he and an acquaintance traded blows in his own home.

Java heard all of the comments, but it did make him laugh a bit harder. He could easily admit that the pony was right. It was the truth after all. A roast in the middle of the fight, but it just sounded so fun! Java was slightly introverted in some way, and did have a problem expressing himself. But, rather than admitting, he already processed up a few quick retorts just to get back at the pony. Though he did find himself now pinned down to the ground. He continued to laugh while shielding himself with his forehooves by rocking back and forth to stop the blows.

He did make a few notes about the other. He went for the bold! He was quite reckless, and would rather end it quickly than to draw it out. Or at least make the other hurt more than he did. He might not have been able to swing as fast, but those blows hit like a bukin bulldozer when they did land. Heck, even his own arms were beginning to get sore from the bombardment. He was more like an MMA fighter. The sort who'd get you down on the ground for the leverage, or to keep you from moving. But, Java was quite happy with the other stallion's reckless behavior. He had a tendency of putting to much power behind the blows, along with reach that it just made them all look so simple to parry after a while. Through his wiggling he had been able to pull a leg free, and display quite the amazing feet of flexibility.

“Well! If you want me to buck you, you'll have to ask nicely~” Java chimed playfully as he swung his free hind leg out and around, catching it just under his opponents arm while he was in mid swing. Though he had to drop his guard and take a rather punishing blow straight to the nose and jaw, he did use his now free hoof to lock up with his leg, to prevent Inkbrand from throwing off his reversal. Now he was on top!

“But, you didn't have to come way up here! You did anyways, so... would you like a kiss,”

He placed a hoof down under the other stallion's jaw to hold it still while he reared back with his other. He had been a little more kinder about this punch though. Instead of using the toe like he had been for body shots, he'd give him the entire underside of his hoof. So it may hurt more, but it's not as likely to destroy the stallion's face. By the time he landed one heavy punch, he leaned down in the middle of the stallion's recovery, and planted a firm kiss right on his lips. It was far from romantic, but he allowed the contact last long enough just for the other stallion to recognize it.

The moment Java broke the kiss, was the same moment he hurled himself off to the side, and landed with a roll back up to his feet. He rose back up, giving his hoofs a quick hump against each other as he watched Inkbrand get back to his feet. Now he was bouncing about on his hind hooves, deciding to change up his game from defense to attack, after taking two full steps back.

“Aw... was that your first kiss, Casonova? Were you just as disappointed as I was. I was curious why you had such a hard time with the mares, but now I see why. You got the noise, but no spark~,” he allowed the other to charge him. Well that was till the unexpected happened. The other pony seemed to take to the air this time, swinging his leg wide. Now suddenly confused, the pony quickly ducked down while throwing his arms up to protect himself. The blow hit hard enough to completely tear through the pony's blcok and throw him off balanced, but after lowering himself down he was able to make a quick recovery, even though he had been rattled, and left dizzy. A fair blow it was.

He rose back up to his feet, taking a few more blows to the side. He took another quick step back, to avoid a swing, and stepped inwards, appearing to be sliding along the ground rather fast this time. He through an arm out to force a swing away from him and to get his opponent to open himself up. And following up in a fluid motion, he through one heavy upper cut aiming right underneath the other's ribs. This time he went ahead and added all of his weight and power, along with the momentum he built up. After contact, he'd follow with another, even though the other pony didn't seem to be giving up. He had taken another few solid blows to the head in the process. After the second one landed, he gave the pony's chest a few hard slugs to force what air he had left out before taking a step back to get some room between the two.

Java now began to feel like absolute garbage. He was still giggling to himself, having the time of his life. But his body was screaming out in agony, and his head was practically swimming around with a shaky environment, fuzzy vision, and even a screaming migrane.

“Well, if that was your first kiss. I'd invite you to the hay. You have a good body after all, but I am sure you are no better there," he taunted, getting his hooves ready for another flurry against an assault.

[Zeig]

 

Buck.

 

He'd been just throwing taunts around before, but this stallion really was desperate, wasn't he.

 

Inkbrand spat a blood-tinged wad of spit into the pond, the sound loud and harsh as he wiped a foreleg across his mouth. Bucking gross. The grey stallion was now seriously starting to have doubts about this entire thing. Not about his ability to win the fight - JavaSun was good, but not good enough. His obvious boxing style was powerful for a short confrontation, but wouldn't last a prolonged fight. And nor was Inkbrand worried about getting out of here after this was all through - he'd broken in easily enough the first time, breaking out would hardly be a challenge.

 

The brown stallion was, just, seriously off his rocker. And into other stallions, to boot.

 

It was that same sense of wrongness that Inkbrand had felt earlier, that he was now feeling again as he circled around the other. That strange feeling he'd gotten when he'd taken his first look at the eccentric atmosphere and decoration of JavaSun's home was back in full force as he narrowed his golden gaze on the other male. It was like the other Earth Pony was simply trying to hard to appear unflappable and a cool cucumber, trying to give Inkbrand the sense that he was in control every step of the way. Sort of like the way a B-rated comic book villain would laugh maniacally while lightning crackled behind him, showy and over-the-top and too forced.

 

He had been just joking before, but Inkbrand was now starting to seriously wonder if JavaSun was lonely enough to call out for a friend - or something else.

 

"You're pretty persistent for somepony so disappointed," Inkbrand snapped, clutching one foreleg around his stomach. Buck, that uppercut to his ribs had hurt. And he was pretty sure that stinging across his forehead, right underneath his headband, meant a cut was forming. But JavaSun hadn't gotten away scot free, and unlike the brown stallion that was starting to show signs of fatigue and potential knock-out injuries, Inkbrand was still going strong. Mostly strong. "How many times do I have to say that you're not my type before you get the message?"

 

Without waiting for a response, Inkbrand launched himself at the other again, feigning off to the side this time while swinging for the other's head. The move seemed to catch JavaSun off guard, allowing Inkbrand to strike a hard blow to his head while sweeping a hindleg under the other to knock him onto his stomach. Quick as thought, the grey Earth Pony had pounced, landing at an angle on the other's back. One foreleg swiftly pressed itself against Java's neck, using superior strength to keep the stallion pinned as Inkbrand paused for a moment to catch his breath, panting lightly.

 

"So for the last time," Inkbrand half-whispered, half-hissed into the other's ear, "don't even think about getting your playtime off with me." His tone portrayed the taunting back-forth their previous insults had, but there was an undercurrent of seriousness threading Inkbrand's voice as he kept the other stallion pinned for a good moment longer, before applying pressure on Java's neck to push himself upwards, climbing up and off of the other Earth Pony.

 

A brief moment of silenced passed, before Inkbrand dimly felt something trickle down his face.

 

Ow.

 

With a scowl, Inkbrand wiped a foreleg against his forehead, unsurprised to find a small smear of blood staining it. As the adrenaline of the fight slowly started to bleed away, Inkbrand became more aware of his senses, such as his body asking him what the buck he thought he was doing. The tattoo-clad took a quick glance around the room, taking in the scattered books and papers and some broken glass, before turning his gaze back onto the other stallion, watching impassively as he got back onto his hooves.

 

[moonshineTheleocat]

Java couldn't help but to find his guard now suddenly dropping from fatigue, and the expression of his opponent. Oh how priceless it looked.

“Nah, it's just funny to see you angry,” Java gagged under the choke hold, before it was released. His hooves began to shake a bit as his own adrenaline began to kick in. Though it was a bit late to boot. His head was practically swimming now, and were starting to show the first signs of a possible concussion. The lack of oxygen only amplified it more, sending the dark brown stallion nearly into unconsciousness.

Once the pressure was released, the pony stopped laughing and gasped heavily for air as he rolled around onto his stomach. His vision had literally to dark for his liking, and he already had a hard time focusing on what was near him. He started to slowly push himself back up to his hooves, but he could already feel his hooves violently shake under his weight. Then came the stars. Yup, now was a good time to go ahead and call it.

The pony gave the ground a couple of taps with his right forehoof to show his submission. His other hoof quickly reaching up to catch hold of a bookshelf to hoist him up. Java was admittedly tough. But more so by genes, family rough housing, and his own shenanigans when he isn't being watched by other ponies. So he could barely notice his own head injuries till he found blood dripping down to the floor.

“Mmm... yup... I... think I got a concussion... or somethin,” he chuckled to himself, though this time his tone was going back to his old one as the fun ended.

While still leaning on the bookshelf, he rolled onto his back, throwing up his other hoof to use the shelf as a way to hold himself up on his hind hooves. “Annnd... it's called spite, my good friend,” Java chuckled, now pushing himself off of the shelf once he felt he got his bounds. He landed back on all hooves, and slowly began to trot up the stairs, leading to his loft, then down a walkway to a door leading to his kitchen. Yes... friend, he thought to himself. His bad blood with the pony was in fact erased like he had thought. Now he was perfectly willing to open the doors.

“By the looks of things, I'd say it worked well,” he laughed to himself, though a bit groggily. He made a mental note to himself to grab one of the potions from his medical compartment upstairs to clear up his head before it got any-worse.

“Right... something to clean these cuts up... ice and... some dressing,” he hummed to himself as he raised up a hoof and pushed the door open and disappeared inside the next room.

---

After a small while, he came back, balancing a tray holding two large bowls of water, two cartons of salt, two rags, and a previously opened large box of bandage wrappings, along with gauze. He placed it on the table above the pond in the main room.

“This will help stop any infections... and stop the bleeding. It may sting a little bit.”

Oddly enough, the pony seemed to have been through this many times before. This was made quite evident as he tore open a carton of salt, and dumped the entire box into one of the bowls.

While he stirred he used the rag to stir around the water, he began to chuckle some. Maybe it was the concussion causing him to speak nonsense? Maybe he was actually deciding to open up? Or maybe the concussion was causing the pony to open up? “That was fun... needed that. Some of those high class business and noble ponies really make you want to bite their throat out some times when you are working under-contract. Get's stressful and annoying real fast. Specially when you deal with seven or six of them in a single week. Now...did you really think I am that desperate? Nah. Maybe lonely, because I choose too. But not desperate for a special pony. I've been knowin ur straight. You advertise it like a sells pitch.”

He then tossed flicked the cloth up into the air, and allowed it to land flat on his face. Oh how lovely the stinging feeling of salt in his woulds felt! The cool water slowing down the bleeding! And the absolutely searing burning feeling later from the same very salt! How he didn't miss it. But it was something he got accustomed to after constantly injuring himself in his own lab.

He raised up a mirror to his jaws, and opened wide. He tilted the mirror about while he ran his tongue along his teeth to check for any damages. None so far, not even a chipped or loose tooth. Though he did notice he had several cuts and gashes along his lips and tongue. Ah well, a swig of salt water would fix that.

“Now you... my little pony,” he exclaimed, groggily flicking his bloody rag at Inkbrand, “look desperate.”

[Zeig]

 

And he was still, bucking, laughing.

 

All the playfulness from the taunts and insults disappeared from Inkbrand's features, instead set to a stone-cold intensity that remained on his face, despite the obvious winding down of the fight. In fact, it almost seemed as if the grey Earth Pony was gearing up for another attack, even as he remained still and silent, simply boring his sharp golden gaze at the brown stallion. JavaSun kept talking, shrugging off everything as if it had been one giant joke to him, and Inkbrand continued to stare, not rising to the last of the taunts as the other stallion slowly made his way up the stairs to presumably get some medical supplies.

 

Buck, he was annoyed.

 

And not in a, "that dude has got a pretty good punch, I think I need salt and a beer" way, but in a seriously, no-question annoyed way. Inkbrand honestly couldn't tell if it was all fabricated or if the Earth Pony seriously was off his rocker, but he was quickly getting an impression of the brown stallion being just as conceited as the Canterlot nobles sleeping around them, in his own way. That he had seriously traveled to Canterlot near the middle of the night, for the apparent sole purpose of giving the brown stallion a chance to try and prove a mental dominance over him was…annoying. More than bucking annoying.

 

Even after the other Earth Pony had disappeared up the stairs, Inkbrand remained where he was, only moving far enough to edge towards the pond, raising a hoof to rub at his jaw. His mouth, usually stretched in a wide or mocking grin, was clamped firmly down in a line, neither smiling or frowning. The tattoo-clad stallion slowly took off his golden headband, not bothering to wait for JavaSun to return, and dipped it into the cool water, carefully pressing it against the gash on his forehead. That was going to leave a gash.

 

Inkbrand continued to stoically and methodically clean off his cut with his headband, though he did glance sharply up when JavaSun returned with some supplies, most notably some salt, clean water, and rags. The grey Earth Pony ignored everything else, even the gauze, and swiped up a rag as soon as it had been deposited, dipping it in the newly created salt water and gingerly pressing it to his cut with a light hiss. JavaSun's words washed over him in nonsensical waves, but Inkbrand ignored them all as he set the rag down and readjusted his headband over the cut, even after the other stallion had stopped talking. In fact, it was a good minute or so after JavaSun had shut the buck up that Inkbrand turned to look him in the eye, golden eyes burning.

 

He sure hoped that the other stallion had gotten over his little grudge, because he sure as buck had a new one to worry about now.

"I'm not your little pony," Inkbrand rasped, voice pitched low and hoarse from the fight. There was a strange, low roaring in his ears, like an oncoming train that simultaneously set every nerve in his body on edge and dulled everything else except the silhouette in front of him. "Next time you call me up because you're feeling desperate, you'd better be bucking prepared to bite the dust."

 

JavaSun might have said something in response, but if he did, Inkbrand had already tuned him out, turning to make his way back up the stairs. The window remained as it had been when he'd first showed up, and without any further word, Inkbrand hoisted himself up and out, returning to the rooftops of Canterlot. The tattoo-clad pony paused where he stood, and had to release a pent-up breath of air that misted in the night, reveling in the slightly chilly winds that buffeted his sore body.

 

Buck, he hurt. He needed to grab some supplies and gauze from the Guild, wrap up his ribs.

 

With a light flick of his tail, Inkbrand turned his head and spat one more time, the viscous wad landing against the edge of the rooftop he was standing on, before turning his body around and heading off across the city, slowly but surely disappearing into the night.

 

[[ Exit ]]

 

[moonshineTheleocat]

The pony had no real intention for mental dominance, nor did he actually enjoy the thought of trying to mentally break someone. Java doesn't even care for the Nobles of canterlot, even though he himself is one unwillingly by birth. He only had the time of his life that night. The pony simply missed the less stressful days of his career. And when time was much less precious. The boxing? It was still all fun and games to the stallion. Maybe not to the other, who seemed to have been left quite fired up at the end... even after he won. He offered the gloves, which would have made injuries less prevalent, but they were denied and consequences were applied. Least Java did not intend on serious harm, other wise he would have aimed for more fragile areas with the point of his hoof.

It did confuse Java however. Did the stallion wanted to loose? Or was it something else? Maybe he had pushed the insults and taunts a bit to far. Then again, he only decided to match the intensity and target that the other pony had. It would be a sad day if he lost his favorite and generally regularly visiting customer.

Java watched with a curious look as Inkbrand displayed his distaste with him. This time he seemed to have dropped his jovial nature. Though there wasn't a look of concern, but a tinge of interest behind his gaze. Whether or not that he was truly off his rocker is still a mystery, but it almost seems that the pony was content at this point.

"Desperate," Java thought to himself curiously. He couldn't really find any way to describe himself as desperate for attention or visitors. Which, could be quite well vouched for given by his main rooms design. A lot of nerdy and dorky content was in display, not to mention some occasional photos of Java with some other ponies. Some figurines for Obilites and Ogres, a very popular pen and paper game among the nerd crowd. And a couple of notes for the same game lying on the ground, trapped in plain view under several note books. Each one detailed past events of the current session Java had planed with his own set of friends, and general plans. Some diabolical, some not so much.

When the pony finished wrapping his bandages, he looked up once more to catch the pony he chose to call “friend” leave through the window. With a smirk, the pony slowly pushed himself up to his hooves, and limped up to the open portal. He glanced outside to watch him stock off in the night. He had no problem spotting him out on the roof tops, given that the pony himself was actually more active outside at night then he was in the day. Usually, leaving all of his own free time, and activities scheduled in the most off ours of late night, and early mornings.

Once he had completely lost sight of Inkbrand, his gaze then drifted down to his hoof which had been sitting on the sill. He moved it just slightly, and allowed the natural light of the outside world to reveal to himself a row of several small holes.

A smirked crease the ponies lips. “Well, hopefully he comes back. Maybe not friendly of course... Kinda pushed it to far I suppose.” he sighed to himself as he now looked up to the top of the sill, seeing another row of holes... but they weren't quite as deep.

“Maybe I am not a friend of his... not what I intended... but oh well... he left too soon. Guess there won't be any night time shenanigan for him...”

With that, the pony closed his window, and pulled a small latch. A gentle click was all that was made, but it was enough to tell the pony that it had been secured in place. He proceeded to lock up the rest of the house, before sauntering up to a small dial in his stairwell. A quick glance to the clock gave him all the information he needed to dial in a combination. Once he was satisfied, he waited till the clock's minute hand moved once more before finally pressing down on the dial.

It slowly seeped into the wall, creating a metallic clicking noise as it went in. Click, click, click, it toned the further it went. Once it stopped, the pony released it, letting it quickly pop back in place. The soft shrieking of metal told the pony that the rest of the locks had been engaged. All that he had to do now, was simply lock the door, and head out to sweet Manehatten.

"Shame he lacks a sense of humor."

[[end?]]