Heartburn was about to speak, but then she stopped herself and frowned. "My apologies," She said as if she had just failed some great test. "I...cannot say I am familiar with the spell. I'm not much of a ritualist pony myself."
Two Hearts? Wonderful... "I...Aspect Binding...? Severed replied. Remembering the spell she had on her mini-computer, she added, "I possess a ritual for sending a soul directly to Sandro, but regretably, I have no ritual for Binding Aspects. "However, it sounds easy enough to learn. If you know where I could obtain such a ritual, and I have a feeling you do, Highness, then point us in the proper direction and your...Two Hearts will obtain it straightaway."
King Midas stared down with scrutiny, processing the information. He shuffled his shoulders a little and pulled out a pen, mumbling lightly. "No, but willing to try." "Second question, Two Hearts! What methods do you have to assist the wounded?!" He readied his pen and smiled lightly.
Heartburn perked up at this question. Finally, somewhere her talents could be appreciated! "Before the untimely destruction of the world, I, myself, was an accomplished doctor. Many ponies looked up to me for healing and advice alike. I still have many of my spells with me in my tablet right now. My specialty is a particularly powerful anesthetic that could put this entire room to sleep! How's THAT for assisting the wounded?"
I send them to Sandro, for their final reward... "I have a healing spell or two. Despite my devotion to the Deity of Death, even I know that a life can be taken too soon."
The king nodded in approval and scribbled as he muttered out-loud. "Capable. Very." He cleared his throat and looked up, speaking again in the same shrill voice as before. "Third question, Two Hearts! Similarly, what methods would you have to kill the monsters in the Paradise of Nature?!"
Severed snickered slightly. As talented as her counterpart was with the healing arts, Severed was likewise talented in Death Magic. "As I've said before, Highness, I an completely and utterly devoted to Sandro. While we cannot use our abilities...'williy-nilly', I am quite capable of showing my foes The End, with a vast array of spells dedicated to the singular purpose of extinguishing life." Her horn glowed with Dark Purple energy and her eyes took on a purplish tint. "I could offer a demostration if you wish... In the name of Sandro, of course." She was on a roll now. "Life itself is but a dream. Those who dedicate themselves to the Deity to Death know that one must Awaken to truly reap the benefits of existence." "Awaken, mortals! Cast off your weak, your wretched, your unclean mortal shells and give yourself to The End! For Death is the one true constant, the one thing that will always be, and always was!" "Awaken!" [size=+1]"Awaken!"[/size] She was now standing on her hind legs, front hooves outstretched toward the heavens, awaiting Sandro's embrace. After a few moments of Sandro not appearing before her to take her to the afterlife, she calmed down and returned to all fours. She blushed slightly. [size=-2]"I am utterly devoted to Sandro. It can be...unsettling to the unchosen... My apologies."[/size]
Heartburn took a nervous sideways glance at Severed Heart. Note to self, she thought, Do not piss off followers of Sandro. Regaining her posture, Heartburn levitated her bone saw off her side and held it in front of her. "Anesthetic combined with my saw. Quick, clean, and effective." Heartburn then scowled before saying, "Not so effective against armor, though. You can tell by the fact that the end of the saw is broken off. Heartburn returned the saw to her side.
The guards were holding their rifles a little more protectively when Severed Heart began her rant, and the king just stared at her like it was another damn day. When Heartburn spoke, his eyes drifted to her as he leaned his face into one of his hands as his elbow rested on the arm of the seat. He mumbles something to himself quietly as he shifts and lifts the pen and paper. Finally the word "Yes" was heard from his mouth as the motion of him making a check mark was easily noticed. He looked back to the ponies before him and grinned. "Equally deadly and protective! Welcome to Iron Gate, Two Hearts! Because of your talents, I will place you two in the old aspect lab! There, you will be given home, rations, and an assistant! Tell me, Two Hearts, what kind of assistant would you prefer?! Colt? Mare? Or diamond dog?!"
Heartburn didn't take a moment to think about the answer. "A mare, if you will, please." She said. "Stallions tend to be rather misunderstanding on a lady's judgement. Diamond dogs..." Heartburn paused to think of a word that wouldn't offend the king. "Let's just say we don't always agree on the same terms."
"Heh, be good to get away from the smell of mangy fur." Mary mutters as trots up to Driller. She treats herself with a disinterested and unimpressed face for Driller to see. She was making sure that he knew she wouldn't be messed with. "So, what do you do?" she enquires.
Inferno shrugged as she flew over, before landing on the other side of Driller. "When can we get started?"
The Death mage considered her options for a few moments. ”I mean no offense, Highness, but I partially agree with Lady Heartburn. Admittedly, my experience with Diamond Dogs is limited, and if I must be with anyone, I would prefer one of my kind. Surely you understand. Am I to assume that since you continue to refer to us as Two Hearts, that we are considered a singular entity? If that is the case, I am not opposed to Lady Heartburn’s suggestion of a female assistant.” Severed bowed slightly as she concluded her statement. ”Begging Your Highness’s pardon, but how will our assistant be…assisting us?”
King Midas waves his hand-paw. "No worries, ponies! Your King understands that mares can be as picky as diamond dog women! Hah-hah-haa!" His laugh was shrill again, like cutting a chalk-board. He grinned then and looked aside, turning to the guard at the side. "Bring Two Hearts to their new home at the old lab!" Then he turned and looked at the guard on the other side. "Go fetch one of the mares awaiting orders! They shall be assigned to assist in ANY MANNER Two Hearts requires! Now, you are all dismissed!" The one guard heads out of the building, as the other approaches Two Hearts. "Got anything we need to pick up back at the welcome house?" Meanwhile... Driller cleared his throat and spoke in a very dominant tone. "I am the master assistant to the master of the armory! I also train members of the guard on proper handling of weaponry! Soon as we get the map from the master of the armory, you can start as soon as you are able! As long as it is finished by his deadline, there are no set hours to work! Now, after me, ladies!" As he turns around, he almost runs his nose right into Silver's. The turn was unexpected for the just-now-arriving silver unicorn. Driller stopped his head just an inch away before both of them would receed in reaction. He shouts; "You shouldn't sneak up on a pony like that!" After the rest leave and Silver has the chance to get in and re-collect, the diamond dog behind the counter shrugs. "Welcome to Iron Gate..."
Any manner, you say? Hmm... Severed rubs her chin at the thought. Looking to the other guard who approached them, the mage replies, "Um, no. I don't believe I do. At the moment, I'm extremely interested at seeing our living arrangements. Lead on!" She grinned at the thought of having a roof over her head for the first time in what seemed like ages.
Heartburn shrugged. "I have nothing of value that I don't keep with me anyways. In agreement with Shattered, I'll take a nice living space now."
Severed grimaced and narrowed her eyes at Heartburn. Did she just call me...Shattered...? I sincerely hope it doesn't become a thing... I'm not changing my name again.
The guard takes a loose grip of his weapon and shoulders it, waving his other hand. "Okay pony ladies. It might be messy, but it has a roof." The guard leads Two Hearts across the town and over to an area near the other make-shift walls of Iron Gate. A building that's been left with little more than its first floor intact is there. It looks like it may have once been a school house with red brick walls and grated windows, all of which were not in clean condition. A large plank of wood rests near the only door that wasn't barricaded and the sign has has "DO NOT ENTER BY ORDER OF THE KING" scrawled on it in two languages. A pony guard is lounging by the door, a big cow-pony hat covering his face. Heartburn can faintly hear the familiar sounds of heavy breathing... the guard was asleep. The diamond dog guard grimaces and just walks on past him. "This building is where you can stay." He wasn't kidding. It was messy, it looked like they had taken a lot of salvaged things and stuffed them in this building. "We have many relics of the past here. Anything we could find that would work for Magic Batteries. The first thing we need to figure out, really, is the battery engine. We have a moving platform (pick-up truck) that can take one at the garage. Uhh, but I dunno about blankets, or rooms in here. I know there's indoor restrooms here, but no plumbing, so I wouldn't do that." He clears his throat, remembering that they are mares. "We're gonna send your assistant over later. You two can look around here as you want. Should be something for you magic ponies here. Might be some batteries scattered around, too. Just don't help much without the working equipment, right?"
"Yes, thank you kindly." Heartburn took a look around the room and shook her head in disappointment. "The state of this room is unacceptable! This will simply not do!" She proceeded to pick up and straighten out items in the room, beginning by sorting them into piles of usage, occasionally muttering to herself "an odd sort of thing to have," or "never seen that before." During a moment of distraction, Heartburn said (to nopony in particular) "So, if we have no working bathrooms in this place, where are we supposed to go..." She trailed off as she once again became engrossed in her work.
