The Multi-Dimensional OC Bar

"Um... belly massages." Ician chuckles nervously. "I'm afraid I can't picture a huge ice dragon rolling over for a pony to massage his belly."

"It happens around twice a week... three or four if he's feeling down.." she says. "I don't think you will ever see that ..picture since he doesn't trust anyone else.."

"Really, I'm surprised he even managed to trust anypony at all." Ician says, then his expression wilts a little. "Reminds me of... well, myself."

"Ohh, don't be like that.." She says and slowly places her hoof on his. "At least you're a pony and can fit into society..."

He sighs, but doesn't brush her hoof away. "No, it's my job to be suspicious and distrustful. When you're a tactician you learn to see threats on all sides so when one really comes you'll be expecting it." He takes a sip. "As for fitting into society, well... that's half true, at best." He smiles. "I can make whole conversations grind to a halt by opening my mouth. Or I can increase the awkwardness in the air tenfold." Chuckling, he adds, "It's almost a skill."

"Yeah... almost.." she sips her tea with her free hoof. "I'm sure that if you can try better, you can be a normal pony."

"As far as 'normal' goes, anyway." He smiles gently. "You know, looking back on my disbelief that you were friends with a dragon... I suppose I'm in no position to judge." He glances down at his cloaked right leg. "Right, Theria?"

The green snake uncoils itself from the leg and slithers up onto the table. It flicks its tongue at Arianwyn.

"I've a little experience with reptiles myself." Ician says. "As you no doubt know... unless I haven't shown you, before now." He frowns briefly. "Strange... it's almost as if things are slipping through the gaps in my memory..."

Arianwyn starts slowly and gently rubbing Ician's hoof. "I like reptiles of all sorts... and.. to be honest.." she blushes "..I kinda like you too, Ician."

"Oh. Um." Ician blushes. "Well, I... To be honest, actually, you see, I..."

Ician takes a deep breath and looks down on the tabletop. "Honestly, I'm afraid of love. I'm afraid of love because I'm afraid that I could lose it at any moment. And that fear... it's what holds me back. I can't love because I can't control or predict how things will turn out, whether for better or for worse..."

He sighs heavily. "I'm a strategist. I have the need to know or control everything. Because only then can I outmanoeuvre the enemy." He stares at Arianwyn. "But I can't outmanoeuvre fate. And that's why I'm so scared."

Arianwyn pats his hoof. "I understand your fear and concern. Personally, I'm afraid of love aswell." she says quietly.

"So... I hope you'll understand when I tell you that I'm not ready for love." Ician pulls his hoof away reluctantly. "Not yet. Not until... I don't know when. Eventually." He looks Arianwyn straight in the eye. "But I can be a friend. And if you ever need me, I'll be there. It might become something more, one day, but... that day is not today." Ician sighs. "I'm sorry, Arianwyn."

"It's okay.." she says, sipping the tea. "I guess it would also be kinda weird if an officer of Royal Guard was to be together with a mare that usually sleeps in caves.." she adds, slightly giggling.

"Oh, please." Ician scoffs. "True love knows no boundaries, social, physical or otherwise." He pauses, and then adds slowly, "Only psychological..."

"Well, I guess the closest I have to true love right now is Frost, and yes, we have kissed before." Arianwyn says, blushing.

"Oh, really?" Ician leans in, grinning. "I don't suppose his mouth is one of those 'warm spots' you were talking about..."

"It was kinda warm..." Arianwyn says. "But I ended up being covered in his saliva. Ugh."

Ician laughs. "In hindsight, that should have been expected." Gently, he pats his snake's head. "See, if you were willing to kiss a snake then saliva won't be a problem."

The snake opens its mouth in a yawn, revealing its sharp, poison-tipped fangs.

"Or, at least," Ician says cheerfully, "not your biggest problem."

"I may be weird, but I wouldn't kiss a creature that can't talk and doesn't love me back.. but then again, if I think about it, I might've been covered in something else if I decided to do that with Frost..." She says and slightly looks away.

Ician rolls his eyes. "Of course I don't kiss my snake either. It was a joke." He pauses. "Or maybe it wasn't obvious enough. Was it obvious enough? I suppose not. I have to brush up on my jokes." He stares forward in deep contemplation. "I'd better find that big book of jokes again. Where did I leave it?"

"...it was pretty obvious, yeah." she says, slightly yawning. "Getting slightly tired, heh.."

Ician blinks. "You know... after all that I'm pretty tired, too." He yawns. "Being in the Bar really takes it out of you sometimes." He rolls his eyes. "Especially when Paladin and Harmony are around."

"Those two kinda make me jealous that I'm not in a relationship.." Arianwyn says, sipping her tea.

"Speak for yourself." Ician sighs, and takes a small sip of water. He opens his mouth, as if planning to say more, but promptly closes it, shakes his head, and goes back to staring at his drink.

"You never know." Arianwyn says. "Perhaps something will happen and us two might even become a pair."

"... Perhaps." Ician shrugs. "Who can say? Certainly not I. I cannot claim to be well versed in the art of love." He looks down. "Nor can I claim to be particularly inclined towards it... yet."