Relax, Step Back, Enjoy [Dated] (Private)

[Steel Strike]

Dec 7th

Steel climbed to the top of a small hill, with a tree at the top. He took a deep breath, the frosty breath appearing in front of his face.  The view away from the city was plain but elegant. The plains covered  in tall grass. Frost had wiped out much of the flowers, but the grasses remained. He looked back to Megs. She was dresses up for the cold, coat covering her...coat. "Gotta see the view Megs." he said looking back to the view. It was a beautiful sunrise,  the golden light playing across the land, leaving shadows across it. He sat down next to the tree.

[Sassaflash]

Mega simply followed Steel through the park, keeping the hood of her coat over her head to remain better hidden from those who wanted to find her out and about. Looking over the view like she was told, a large smile appeared on her muzzle despite the freezing temperatures that also caused little white puffs of breath in front of her. "It really ith beautiful Theelie." She replied, sitting down under the tree with him.

[Steel Strike]

Steel nodded. "It is." he said giving another sigh.He enjoyed the view immensley. He lightly nuzzled Megs. "This is one of my favorite spots in the city." he said, watching as a snowflake gently made its way on top of Megs muzzle. "Did your parents ever tell you the story, of the first snowflake?" he asked curiously.

[Sassaflash]

Mega crossed her eyes lightly to watch the snowflake melt on her muzzle, turning to Steel after hearing what he had asked her. She shook her head lightly after a moment. "I don't think tho, I wonder what it ith though." She replied sincerely.

[Steel Strike]

Steel looked to her. "Well, as the story goes, over a thousand years ago, Winter wasnt as we knew it. Snow didnt fall in gentle clumps, it came only in Blizzards. And ponies didnt go outside usually, and they despised winter." he said painting the picture.

[Sassaflash]

Mega listened closely to what was being said, expression showing her surprise at the thought of winter being such a bad time of year. "Only in blizzards...? That does sound kind of bad..." She replied with a frown, keeping her ears open to await the continuing story.

[Steel Strike]

Steel nodded. " No one liked Winter. And each year, the princesses went to a different city, to celebrate the beggining of Spring. And the local school foals would offer inventions to the Princesses, to symbolize new ideas and rebirth. One year, the celebration was to be held in Cloudsdale, and there, was a little foal named Snowdrop." he said spinning the narrative.

[Sassaflash]

"Thnowdrop..." Mega said quietly while listening to the story continuing on, leaning into Steel a bit and closing her eyes to relax. "That'th thuch a cute name. What did the do?" She asked curiously, very interested in the story,

[Steel Strike]

Steel nodded. "Snowdrop had been blind her entire life. And the day before the ceremony she had nothing to give to the princesses. It was supposed to be a group project, but no one wanted to work with her, because of her blindess. So, the night before, she sat out in the cold, wishing she could hear the stars twinkles, so that she could make a wish. Instead, she  heard the snow, twinkling like the stars. So she took a clump of hardened snow, and crafted the first snowflake a small, irregular, thing." he said nuzzling her again.

[Sassaflash]

Mega continued to stick close to Steel while keeping her full attention on his words, nuzzling him in return as she took it all in. "That thoundth tho thweet. The had nothing big to give, but that didn't matter at all, becauthe it ith the thought that countth." She replied. "And I'm glad that the wath around now..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel smiled. He wished alot of things were different. "Anyways. She gave the first ever snowflake, saying Winter was so sad that no one liked it. And the princesses agreed. And the next year the snow fell gently, and everypony enjoyed it. And she earned her cutie mark, which was a snowflake. And the art has been passed down from generation to generation, until this very day. Where the cardinal rule is, no two snowflakes can be alike.~" he said and pressed his nose to hers in an eskimo kiss of sorts.

[Sassaflash]

Mega's smile grew ever so slightly as she gently pressed her nose against his in return, closing her eyes while doing so. She slowly wrapped her forelegs around the stallion with her, resting her head on his shoulder. "That ith thuch a thweet thory..." She replied quietly, bringing her tail up over her bare lower half in an attempt at staying warmer in the cold air.

[Steel Strike]

Steel agreed. "We need more sweet stories to tell." he said then shivered. He looked to Megs. "As much as I love the cold, I think we should probably head to town. I know a small cafe where we can get some decent hot chocolate." he said, feeling the warm sensation on his lips already.

[Sassaflash]

Mega gave Steel a frown at the suggestion that given. "Are you thure that'th okay...?" She asked nervously, her feelings on going to such a public place clear in her eyes. "What if thomepony theeth me...? They might try to turn me in... Or a griffon might thee me..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel nodded. "They would. If it wasnt so cold out." he said and pulled a hat, and a flank cover. He quickly slipped them on, covering Megs exposed parts. "There we are. To anyone else, your just a mare trying to keep warm." he said with a smile, giving her a quick kiss then trotting down the path.

[Sassaflash]

"I don't know..." Mega replied in a nervous tone of voice while slowly following Steel anyway, keeping her head slightly low while trying not to pull attention to herself. "I thill don't like going into anywhere crowded..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel flashed a smile. "Trust me. I wouldnt let anything happen to you." he said not mentioning the times where something had happened. He led her from the winding path to the streets. He was always slightly ahead, eager to reach there destination.

[Sassaflash]

"Okay..." Mega replied in just as quiet of a voice as before, slowly bringing up a hoof to pull the hat just a little further over her eyes to help hide herself. She fell silent after a moment, simply following along with Steel as a soft sigh left her.

[Steel Strike]

Steel quickly turned down a hardly noticed side street. He went into a small cafe, with only two or three ponies in sight. He looked to the mare at the counter. "Ill have some Hot Cocoa with some caramel mixed in." he asked with  a smile.

[Sassaflash]

Mega kept her head down while moving into the cafe with Steel. "I'll juth have a plain cocoa, I gueth..." She said with a soft sigh, shifting ever so slightly on her hooves. She didn't seem to be comfortable at all.

[Steel Strike]

Steel collected Megs over to a two seated booth. He sat opposite of her and noticed her fidgety-ness. "Whats up Megs?" he asked, adding "You seem....nervous." he said concerned.

[Sassaflash]

Mega sat down at the table once their orders had come, resting her cheek on her hoof. "I told you I didn't want to come here... Thomepony will recognize me from the potherth...I know it..." She replied in a quiet tone of voice, her fear showing clearly. "My luck hath alwayth been bad..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel takes her hooves. "Megs. Dont worry. You know non-combatants are as apart of the rebellion as the fighters. Isnt that right Magnolia?" he asked loudly to the mare at the register. A smile cracked on her face and cracked a laugh. "Yes, something like that." she said cleaning some cups. Steel cracked a smile of her own. "We have plenty of places like this around the city. Where the rebellion comes and goes. And usually a stationed fighter in each one." he said, pointing to one of the ponies in the corner. He wore a large  coat, not unsual for the weather. "I promised I wouldnt put you in harms way, and I wont." he said smiling.

[Sassaflash]

Mega sighed lightly as she simply kept her expression the same, resting at the table. "If you thay tho." She replied, taking her mug of cocoa and having a slow sip of it. "I juth get tho nervouth..."

With a sigh, she placed her mug back down on the table, keeping her head low due to the nearby window.

[Steel Strike]

Steel frowned lightly. "Look Megs. I know Ive been busy...And Im sorry that I havent been spending that much time with you.  I hope you can forgive me." he said. "So thats why Ive taken today to totally be with you. And I can insure this is the safest place possible." he said, his paranoia showing through.

[Sassaflash]

"I know you have important thingth to do... I'm not mad at you or anything..." Mega replied in the same somber tone as before. "I juth don't like how when I thaid I didn't feel comfortable coming here...you made me anyway... You could have at leath thaid your planth about it..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel sighed. "I should have told you before...But...I....I just wanted you to feel normal. I know dating me isnt going to be easy. And Ive already have an amazingly terrible record at keeping you safe. I wanted you to be free and feel like you can roam about...Instead of being trapped in my home all the time." he sais with a deep sigh.

[Sassaflash]

"I love you Theelie...I really do..." Mega replied softly while looking down at her mug of cocoa. "Ath long ath I'm on their moth wanted lith...I'll never be able to feel normal again... It ithn't anything you have done... I...don't want to be in any crowdth..."

[Steel Strike]

"I know your on their wanted list, but Your also on my most wanted list." he joked adding. "And from now on I just want to keep you safe. I love you too, and if I lost you....I dont know what'd I'd do." he said. He looked away. " I just wanted to prove Im still here for you. And that Ill do what it takes to keep you safe."

[Sassaflash]

"By taking me to thomewhere I thaid I didn't want to go to without telling me why firtht...?" Mega asked with another sigh, keeping her eyes on the warm cocoa in front of her. "I know that you care...there are thingth you wouldn't have done if you didn't... I...juth don't feel thafe here..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel felt terrible. He just wanted a day where they could relax. And he failed miserably. He took a sip of his cocoa. "If you want...theres an entrance to the underground here..." he said looking miserably into his cup.

[Sassaflash]

"I'm thorry I ruined the thpethial day..." Mega said, nearly silent as she continued to stare at her cocoa. "It'th all my fault... You're juth trying to make something really nithe for me...and I methed it up..."

Falling silent after the last few words left her, she watched as a small drip fell into her cocoa from her chin.

[Steel Strike]

"No no no no. I should be sorry. Forcing you out of your comfort zone. That is my mistake. You have a right to be nervous above ground. Please....Dont cry." he took her hoof. " I still dont regret the day we met. I still love you. If you dont feel comfortable above ground we can stay underground until we manage things top side. As long as your happy Im happy..." he said holding back tears.

[Sassaflash]

Mega looked up at Steel as soon as his hoof touched hers, revealing just how tear-filled her eyes were from her own feelings of guilt. "I...never regretted that day either... I'll alwayth love you, Theelie..." She replied softly, slowly turning to hide herself behind her mane. "I juth...I juth feel that it'th all my fault that we can't juth have a normal life... I'm wanted...I'm the one in danger..."

[Steel Strike]

Steel chuckled while breaking into tears. "Im the co-leader of the rebellion. If anything Im putting you in danger." he began. "They raided me once before I started it.  And even though I came out clean, I suspect they arent that stupid." he said wiping away some tears. "Nothing is your fault, Megs. Except  for being a brilliant inventor, fighting for the right reasons." he said another tear slipping down his face.

[Sassaflash]

"The wanted pothers don't help though, Theelie." Mega replied simply, wiping away her own tears as she tried to calm herself down after the moment. "And I don't care if I'm in danger...ath long ath I have you around to protect me."

[Steel Strike]

Steel sighed remembering his track record. "Do you still trust me enough to stay here?" he asked politely. "I-I dont want to keep you against your will."

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