The very night of the day you sent your application, you hear a loud knock on the front door of your residence. Taking a peek out a nearby window, you spy a well-built, crimson unicorn stallion whose frame could rival that of Shining Armor himself. His long, unkempt mane and tail are as black as a crow's feathers and just as glossy. His cold, emerald green eyes almost seem to burn a hole in your front door as he maintains a steely, unblinking gaze. He wears the expression of grim determination, as a warroir who has seen far too many battles would. Strapped to his sides are a pair of saddlebags, emblazoned with the logo of I.S.B.E., Inc., a red heart with the letters, "ISBE" stenciled on it. Glancing now to his flank, you can plainly see that his Cutie Mark is a tower shield with a long spear standing behind it. Suddenly, his deep voice breaks the relative silence. Pronouncing your name perfectly, he announces, "Lady Scire, I am Phalanx, your I.S.B.E. Certified Personal Interpreter, Bodyguard, and Companion. If you would, please, open the door so that I may meet you face to face."
Scire jumped at his voice. This wasn't exactly what she'd expected when she wrote "companion". He was...almost scary. In the corner of her mind, the contrast between the stallion's fearsome appearance and the heart on his saddlebags struck her as amusing. She certainly wouldn't point that out to HIM, though. She trotted quickly over to the door and opened it, not eager at all to keep him waiting. She looked up at his intimidating form and smiled nervously, gesturing for him to come inside, staying far to the side so he wouldn't brush against her, accidentally or otherwise.
Phalanx flashed a quick, and oddly broad, smile before stepping inside. As much care as Scire took to avoid bumping into him, he took just as much care to avoid bumping into her. After stepping fully into her residence, he turned toward her and bowed. "I detect fear. Do not fear me, please. My primary objective is your protection, and I will let nothing stop me from completing that objective." He added, "While in your employ, use me as you will. I am here to serve and protect."
With a look of both relief and doubt, she closed the door behind him, then turned to him and nodded at his first statement. She listened and watched silently as he spoke once more. In your employ, at your will, blah blah blah. He still made her a bit nervous, but now that she knew that he was not hostile outright, she relaxed a bit. She imagined that group of ponies who constantly searched for her, the ones to whom she had foolishly revealed her talent, coming into her house (which they had not found...yet) and opening the door to stand face to face with this guy, and smiled, almost laughed. She nodded enthusiastically at his words, and trotted over to another room, which she usually used for storing all her things, and motioned for him to follow with her head. Everything she wasn't using (which wasn't much, to be honest) was already packed up and ready to go in case she had to leave quickly, something which she hoped would never come to pass. She could move it all to the side of the room, or perhaps a closet or something, and he could sleep on the spare bed she had in here, although she doubted that EITHER of her beds was big enough for this muscular stallion. She frowned, looking from Phalanx to the bed, and tried to think of a solution. Perhaps he could sleep on the sofa if he didn't like this bed...? Oh, but even that was to small for him...she paced back and forth. Perhaps...perhaps she could put both mattresses, the one from her bed and the one from this smaller one, on the floor next to each other! That would certainly be big enough, and she could use the sofa. She held up a hoof as if to say, "Just a moment," and dashed into her room. She begain tearing the covers off, and then dragging the mattress into the other room.
Phalanx's steely gaze followed Scire as she paced back and forth, but he made no move to assist her. However, when she began dragging the mattress into the other room, he took a few steps forward. "Would you like my assistance? I could move that mattress for you so you do not risk injury."
Scire smiled gratefully, and stepped back from the mattress. She wasn't exactly a powerhouse, so she was already exhausted after simply removing the mattress from the bed.
Phalanx nodded, seeming to get the message. He hefted the mattress upon his back with minimal effort, then turned his head toward Scire. "Where would you like me to place this?"
Scire trotted into the storage room. She removed the mattress from the smaller bed in here, and put it on the floor, raising small puffs of dust. Oh, dear...I should probably have cleaned in here. She pointed next to the mattress she had just moved, attempting to indicate that this was where she wanted it. Then she pointed to him, and then gestured to the room in general. Of course, at some point I'll have to sweep it out. All this dust can't be good for anypony's lungs.
Phalanx nodded once more, then walked over to the spot that Scire indicated. When he arrived, he placed the mattress on the floor, taking care to avoid his charge and not kick up too much dust. "Very well. That assignment is completed." After she gestured to the room in general, the stallion turned his head, seeming to examine the entire room. Then, he stared straight forward for a few moments, a cold expression on his face. When he finished that, he turned back toward Scire. "If you wish for me to clean this area, I will."
That assignment is completed? Scire found it odd that her new assistant spoke so peculiarly. Perhaps he had once been in the military? But even they didn't talk this weird...hmm. Ah well, who was she to pry? After this processed through her brain in a few seconds, he offered to clean the room. At first she almost refused. Then she thought, why else have an assistant? Then she was about to accept, when she realized that she didn't really have anything to do anyways, and that the reason she'd hired him was for protection, assistance AND companionship. And if she had had friends for any significant amount of time before now, she would never have made them clean their own guest room. She shook her head, and pointed towards him, then towards the bed, attempting to indicate that this was where he could sleep. Then, sensing that this might not make sense, she pointed to his saddlebags and then to the floor, indicating that he could unpack here. Well... Jeez, sometimes it wasn't easy being mute.
Phalanx kept his steely gaze locked on Scire the entire time that she was trying to "explain" herself and what she wanted done. When she had finished, he responded, "You are mute." It didn't sound so much like an observation as it sounded like a command. Maintaining his cool demeanor, he added, "Do not worry. I will compensate by reading your facial cues and sens-" He suddenly stopped himself and hissed; the sound that came forth sounded like air coming out of a rubber tire. After a second or two, he stopped and simply stated, "I will compensate." After a low breath, he glanced toward the mattress, then the spot she indicated on the floor. "The mattress is to be used for myself and you have also indicated that I may place my saddlebags on the floor. Is this an approximate assumption?"
Scire, slightly nonplussed by the...odd...behaviour that her new assistant was displaying, managed to nod in response to his question. At least he'd understood what she'd meant. At first she'd been slightly offended and a little bit confused, but she HAD forgotten to put that she was mute on the sheet. If there's been a space for it...but anyways. She took the comment as a simple statement of fact. In fact, she hadn't thought much of any of what he was saying until he'd suddenly stopped and hissed. Normal ponies didn't hiss. Especially THAT kind of hissing. And then he restarted the sentence, omitting what he'd been about to say. Something was up here... Outwardly, all she did was frown and give him an odd look.
Phalanx's expression suddenly turned to one of concern. "Have I...have I done something wrong? Why do you frown so?" Then, her returned to his "normal" demeanor. "If you wish to express any complaints, please add them to the comment sheet which I have brought with me."
Scire tilted her head at Phalanx. He hadn't done anything wrong, per se. He was just acting very weird... which, while slightly worrying, was not wrong. She smiled encouragingly at him, and patted the bed, indicating that he should make himself comfortable and settle in, and then went out to prepare the couch for her own use. As she lifted, carried, spread, and tucked sheets and blankets, she smiled a bit to herself. It'd been a while since she'd enjoyed the company of another pony for this long, much less had one living in her home with her.
(Bumpitty bump?) Scire finished making the couch up into a bed, and patted it, testing its softness. She wondered how her guest was doing with the unpacking and peeked into his room to see, the fact that this might be rude only occurring to her immediately after she did it. After all, she was used to living alone.
As Scire peered into the room, she would notice that Phalanx didn't seem to be getting ready for bed at all. Sure, his saddlebags were on the floor and his mattress appeared to be made up for him, but it all seemed...off. He seemed more to be pacing back and forth, occasionally glancing at the windows and door. He even glanced back and surely saw Scire, but if he did, he made no indication of such.
Scire slipped back into the main room of the house, wondering what on earth was with him. Perhaps he was simply...eccentric. Ah, well...she could bear with his quirks if he could bear with hers. She smirked to herself. She busied herself with preparing some food she'd picked up from the market that morning. That was one task she would like him to do for her from now on...she couldn't bear going out amongst all those ponies. It was so HARD not to make physical contact with them, and avoid talking with them, or them talking to her...ESPECIALLY Pinkie Pie, who hadn't really figured out she was mute even though they'd had several VERY LONG, one-sided conversations. She finished making up two sandwiches after 5 or 10 minutes, and went back to Phalanx's room, carrying one plate in her mouth. She poked her head around the doorframe before walking the rest of the way into the doorway. Then she stood there, just kind of...hoping he noticed her. She couldn't tap his shoulder or say "hey, lunch is ready," after all.
The crimson unicorn just happened to turn in her direction and quickly took note of the sandwiches, and again Scire could hear that odd hissing noise. After a moment, he approached her. He tilted his head slightly and spoke. "I can take that plate for you if you wish. One cannot masticate if one's mouth is already preoccupied with holding an object. It is impossible to take in nourishment if-". That odd hissing again. "Allow me to take that." In an uncharacteristic move, he gently clamped down on the plate with his mouth and just as gently tugged it.
Scire let go of the plate, a mildly pained expression on her face; he thought they were for her? That was what she thought he'd said, but...she wasn't really a big words pony. She decided she'd have to just hope he'd figure it out, and took one from the plate after releasing her hold on it. She sat and held it in her hoof, taking a small bite and chewing while she watched him intently. Everything she did was done very quietly. In fact, really the only source of noise in this house was her hooves when she walked, and then any noises Phalanx made or any noises from outdoors, such as crickets. She waited for him to set the plate down and take one for himself, making a little nod with her head towards the plate in an attempt to get him to do so.
