---

Various ponies were on the streets of Ponyville, the sun shining brightly down on them all as they either went to buy groceries, chat with friends, grab a bite to eat, or what have you.

However, the group currently heading to the market for groceries themselves were met with hushed whispers, wary glances, and many a mutter.

“...Why th’ hell are these drongos still lookin’ at me so weirdly? They should be used t’ me by this point, or maybe they’re all jus’ bloody racists!” Tora asked Vinyl and Octavia with her voice raised and a pointed glare at the townsfolk near the end.

Vinyl shrugged. “Try not to let it bother you, Torry. They just don’t know sexy when they see it.”

“Still haven’t forgiven ya fer tryin’ t’ eat me out near th’ end o’ yer heat,” Tora dryly remarked with a flat stare leveled on the unicorn.

“What? You’re sexy, I was in heat, I’m into mares too...why wouldn’t I go after you?” Vinyl asked.

“An’ I’m straight as a fuckin’ arrow,” Tora replied with narrowed eyes. “I ain’t into sheilas, at all.”

Vinyl shrugged her shoulders again. “A’ight. For what it’s worth, I am sorry I spooked you with the act.”

“Jus’...don’t ever do it again, or I’ll kick ya in th’ gooch,” Tora said warningly, taking a step away from Vinyl as they walked. “With steel-toed boots, too.”

Vinyl winced. “Point taken.”

“Ahem,” Octavia cleared her throat, bringing their attention to her. “Let’s not discuss sexual matters in public, shall we? We’re out here for groceries.”

The tigress grumbled and huffed, “Th’ root rat started it…’s not m’ fault, y’ bloody banjo-player.”

Octavia sent Tora a fierce glare at that, making Tora pointedly look away. “I’m sorry,” Octavia said in both a cold and sing-song tone, coupled with a chilling smile. “What was that, Tora?”

“Uh, yer better than any banjo player could eva be?” Tora said as more of a question than an actual statement.

Octavia nodded primly. “That’s what I thought.” She turned her head to Vinyl. “Vinyl, you have the shopping list, yes?”

Vinyl’s horn flared to life, and a scrap of paper appeared in her grasp. “Right here.”

“Good. You and Tora go get the...meat and its seasonings as well as the rest of the food, and I’ll go get those cupcakes you’ve wanted to try, Tora,” Octavia told them.

“Ah! Y-y’ don’t need t’ get such sweet tucker fer me, Tavi! I, uh...I don’t...mix well with suga, i-if’n I’m being honest,” Tora said sheepishly, a light flush peeking through her fur.

Octavia blinked, and both her and Vinyl stopped to take a look at the tigress.

“But you were saying Pinkie’s cupcakes looked good for the past month you’ve been here. Why would you not want them?” Vinyl asked.

“Y-yeah, well...th’ last time I ate anythin’ sweet, I, uh, I kiiinda...destroyedanancientdigsiteworthhundredsofthousandsofbitsinasugarrush-inducedrampage,” Tora blurted out, covering her face with her paws.

Vinyl and Octavia looked at each other for a brief moment, then back to Tora.

“Are you sure it was sugar? Sounds more like a drug to me,” Vinyl asked.

“I-” Tora paused and looked up in thought...then her back stiffened and her eyes narrowed in absolute fury. “...When I find that ‘Kaiden’ dickhead again, I’m gonna rip ‘is fuckin’ nuts off an’ shove ‘em up ‘is own arse fer drugging me with that sweet roll.”

“So shall I get those cupcakes for you, then?” Octavia asked, trying to divert the Abyssinian’s anger, or at least distract her from it.

“...Sure, but make sure t’ strap me down when I eat ‘em, jus’ in case I do go bonkas, y’know?” Tora said with a shrug of her shoulders and a sheepish smile on her face.

“We’ll keep it in mind,” Vinyl said before they stopped at an intersection in the road. “Well, meat and stuff is this way, so why don’t we split up here?” Vinyl asked Octavia.

The cellist nodded. “Yes, that sounds good.” Smiling she started to walk off to the right, in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. “I’ll see you two soon!” She called back as she walked away.

“A’ight, so, let’s go get us some tucker, eh?” Tora said with a light pat to her toned stomach. “I am gettin’ hungry, after all.”

Vinyl nodded. “Yeah, let’s.” With that, the two made their way down the left street, a comfortable silence falling over them. Though it was made slightly uncomfortable by the looks and mutters of the townsfolk, they still enjoyed the companionable silence to an extent.

“...How th’ fuck d’you stand these drongos’ xenophobia? I woulda taken a knife an’ made ‘em all cark it in their sleep if’n I’d been livin’ in this town fer more than a week,” Tora suddenly asked Vinyl, fixing a glare on the latest pony to give her a look.

“They’ll get used to you, don’t worry,” Vinyl said, waving it off.

“But I won’t get used t’ them staring,” Tora countered with a glare at a stallion that she’d caught looking at her with barely-concealed contempt in his eyes, who flinched and trotted off trying to look as nonplussed as possible...if his tail weren’t between his hindlegs. “‘specially not when some o’ them are absolute dickheads an’ tryin’ t’ hide it.”

“Not what I meant,” Vinyl said, shaking her head. “I meant they’ll get used to you and probably stop staring after a while,”

“I know wot y’ fuckin’ said,” Tora glared at the unicorn mare. “I’m just sayin’ that, at th’ mo, I can’t stand th’ fact that they even feel th’ need t’ stare at me like some kinda freak!”

Vinyl shrugged. “Monsters are popping up all over, and most ponies have never seen an Abyssinian.” She looked to the bone-laden Gabe. “Gabe doesn’t help your case much in their eyes either, I bet.”

“Tch, Gabe is jus’ fine, thank y’ very much! Jus’ plate ‘im in gold an’ they wouldn’t fuckin’ complain!” the tigress protested with an affectionate pat to Gabe’s barrel.

Vinyl rolled her eyes, smiling and bumping her hip into Tora’s leg. “Hey, I never said I had a problem with it. Gabe looks plenty cool to me. ‘Sides,” She shot Tora a smirk. “I’m just saying you’ll have to get used to it. There’s no other way. You just have to take it in stride.”

“Might as well jus’ stay inside an’ veg, since I ain’t gonna put up with this shite,” Tora mumbled, ears flattened in irritation.

“We’ll be fine, Torry,” Vinyl assured. “Just relax.”

“You try t’ be relaxed when y’ can feel dozens of peepers on y’ makin’ ya feel like yer suffocatin’!” Tora spat, swiping at Vinyl’s head.

Vinyl chuckled ducking under the swing. “I’m a DJ, Torry. Being up in front of that many eyes is kinda my thing.” She patted her side. “Come on, we’re almost to the butchery.”

“Still surprised that y’ ponies have a meats place, since you’re all, y’know, herbis,” Tora remarked as she slapped Vinyl’s hoof away.

“And I told you before, we’ve had griffons here enough that we managed to get one,” Vinyl replied, giving Tora an amused look. “You really like repeatin’ yourself or somethin’ Torry?” Vinyl teased.

“I can claw your ears an’ take a notch or two out of ‘em, if’n ya’d like,” Tora said all-too-sweetly, claws audibly unsheathing.

Vinyl laughed. “Alright, alright.” She sped up, gesturing for Tora to do the same. “Come on! I wanna see if the fishery got any good fish after we get you your meat!”

“...Yer lucky that y’ like meat like me, ya dag,” Tora huffed with her arms crossed over her chest. “Jus’ lead th’ way, y’ dumb tiny equine.”

“Love you too!” Vinyl shot back, still grinning.

“Fuck off,” Tora shoved the DJ with a scowl that completely failed to get anywhere near her eyes.

Vinyl only laughed, and they kept going along the street. Soon enough, they reached the butchery, which most ponies, Tora noted, were avoiding like a naked man on the street with a sign saying ‘Love yourself.’ Sausages, ham, chicken legs and many deluxe and prime cut meats were on display on the store’s front, with many windows behind it and above it, with the ones behind the display only, well, displaying, more. The white stucco and wooden frames gave the entire building a very old style, gothic feel.

A small sign stuck out from above the door with the words, ‘Curtis Butchery’ on it.

“Still as beautiful as th’ first time I saw it,” Tora breathed, eyes glittering and mouth drooling as she took in the sight of all of the wonderful, delicious meat.

Vinyl rolled her eyes. “I guess. Could use more chrome if you ask me. I’ll be out here. Much as I don’t mind meat, fish is more my thing.”

“Fuckin’ wimp,” Tora rolled her eyes, but nonetheless walked in with a content sigh as the scent of dozens of different kinds of meat flooded her nose. “Aaahh...afternoon, Curtis!”

“Afternoon, Tora,” greets the burly Griffon from across the room. Many more displays of meat line the shop, from glass cases to racks. The Griffon in question, with the head of a raven and body of a lion, stands behind the counter as always, muscles almost as imposing as a Minotaur’s. He looks her over. “Where’s that armor of yours? You seemed so attached before.”

“Th’ new digs? Yeah, had t’ put ‘em away cuz th’ drongos out there was getting all skittish an’ shite ‘bout me wearin’ some beastie’s flayed and tanned hide,” Tora shrugged, tugging at the collar of her simple mesh top that covered her chest bindings and fur.

“Ponies always have been a skittish species,” Curtis shrugged. “Here for your groceries? We have some new meats thanks to monster hunters like you.” He gestured with a claw to a familiar, greyish red meat, one Tora had back at Durin’s home.

Tora’s eyes glistened in delight as she just managed to restrain herself from pressing her face against the main display case in favor of merely drinking in the sight of the succulent meat, “Ooooh, it looks so fuckin’ ace! How much dosh does it cost?”

“One hundred twenty-eight bits,” he answered automatically, brown eyes looking at her in amusement. “For one hundred grams, that is.”

Tora reached for her coin pouch and dug around in it, eventually fishing out twenty-four five-bit coins and three regular bits and placing them on the counter, “There, now gimme, please!”

Curtis chuckled. “Alright, alright.” Walking over to that end of the counter, he unlocked the case and pulled out one hundred grams of the new monster meat, bagging it up and handing it to her. “Don’t eat it all in one day.” He said with a smirk on his beak.

She politely snatched it from his claws with a giddy little meow-like giggle, “Oooh, I’m gonna enjoy diggin’ into this tucker! Thanks, mate! Now, time fer th’ usual.”

She was already fishing the required payment out of her pouch as she spoke.

Curtis chuckled once more. “You almost forgot about the usual, didn’t you?” He teased, walking around the counter and grabbing the assorted meats she usually got.

“Neva, mate,” Tora swiftly denied his accusation, placing the last bit on the counter. “I put in an extra bit just fer th’ excellent service, birdie.”

Curtis only grinned as he placed the meat on the counter and bagged them up. “My wife and I appreciate it, kitty.”

“Eh, fuck ya, too, y’ dag,” Tora shot back, taking the bag of meat and carefully hoisting it over her shoulder. “Hope th’ ankle-biter comes out an angel.”

“Same here,” Cutris replied, smiling. “I’ll make sure to tell the wife you wished us well.” He waved a talon. “See you later, Tora.”

“Try not t’ let th’ missus break yer pelvis due to th’ hormones!” the tigress waved goodbye to him over her shoulder as she left the butchery in a rather good mood.

When she did exit, her ears twitched as she caught a very...interesting, conversation.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, V?” came a stallion’s voice.

“It was a last minute decision, dude, you know how I and Tavi get,” Vinyl’s voice replied.

“You were gone for four days, right before we had a co-op!” the stallion pressed. Tora turned her view to the left and found a grayish blue stallion with a wild black mane and shades talking to Vinyl. Even with the shades, Tora could see the concern in his eyes.

He frowned, taking his shades off with his magic and looking Vinyl in the eyes. “I only just got back, and you’re here. I was worried as Tartarus!”

“Dude, chill!” Vinyl gestured to herself. “I’m fine! Don’t be a drag!”

“Uh, hey, Vin,” Tora hesitantly cut in, walking up to her DJ friend with a glance at the stallion. “Who, uh...who’s the bloke?”

Said bloke blinked, looking Tora over. “An Abyssinian?” He looked to Vinyl. “Do you know her?”

Vinyl sighed, facehoofing. “Yes, she’s living with me and Tavi now. It’s a long story, dude.”

“Tavi an’ I, Vin. Proper grammar is only a good thing t’ have,” Tora corrected the DJ with a playful smirk.

“Buck off, Tora,” Vinyl snapped, before looking back to the stallion. “Look, Neon, everything’s fine, and I’m kinda busy getting groceries right now. Can we please hold off on all this?”

“Not until I get an explanation, no,” the stallion shot back, frowning.

“Oh my Celestia, I just told you I’m busy!” Vinyl growled.

“I think I deserve at least a small explanation, V!” Neon countered, pushing his muzzle to hers.

She pushed right back. “And I said later!”

A thunderous boom from off to the side silenced the two’s arguing - as well as anyone else’s conversations in a solid kilometer radius.

“A’ight, so,” Tora breathed out in exasperation, one hand keeping Gabe aimed at the sky while the other pinched the bridge of her nose. “How’s about we not get physical an’ have a burl when I can tell th’ bloke that y’ wanted me t’ show ya ‘round Whitetail with Octavia, since y’ were worried about beasties attackin’ y’ two on yer little romantic moonlit getaway, hmm?”

Vinyl, whose ears were pinned to her head, frowned, and almost made to retort, but stopped short and sighed, giving a small smile to Tora. “Thanks, Tora.”

---

“So...you guys hired...Tora, right?” Neon began, then looked to the feline for confirmation.

“Yeah, Tora Katt. Pleased t’ meetcha, Neo,” Tora gave the stallion a little nod in affirmation.

He nodded. “Right, right, same.” He looked to Vinyl, who was sitting across from him with Tora. “So you hired her to protect you and Tavi out in Whitetail, and then…?”

“We got caught in a cave and had to hide out for two days or so. Were too many monsters,” Vinyl shrugged, like it was all no big deal.

“That, an’ they was havin’ a naughty whenever I wasn’t around,” Tora ‘helpfully’ supplied. “It’s kinda why she didn’t wanna explain herself t’ ya, mate. She don’t pry int’ your sex life, now does she?”

Neon rolled his eyes. “You kiddin’? She asks me how many mares I rutt each time I’m in town.”

“...I am so vindicated in callin’ ya a root rat, Vin,” Tora gave Vinyl a flat stare, slowly shaking her head in disappointment.

Vinyl sighed, resting a cheek on her hoof. “Neon used to help me with my heats, and we had a thing for each other once, but, well…”

“We decided to stay friends,” Neon finished. “I have a herd to take care of now, too, so I can’t really just go and rutt Vinyl when she needs it like we used to.” He sighed, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. “Still, you should have just told me in advance you had plans with Tavi.”

“They’d approached me less than a minute after I got off th’ train from Canterlot, so they apparently had decided t’ go on a fuckin’ whim. Th’ thought o’ tellin’ ya they was gonna go off an’ fuck like bunnies prolly slipped their minds,” Tora shrugged, hiking her legs up on the table.

Neon sighed again, looking up at Vinyl. “I really wish you’d told me all this beforehoof.”

“Sorry, okay? It slipped my mind,” Vinyl retorted, laying back in her seat.

Then, Tora blinked twice, as if only just realizing something, “Wait a fuck, y’ have a harem, Neo?”

“We call ‘em herds, but yeah, I do,” He quirked a brow at the tigress. “Why?”

“Jus’...surprised that th’ rumors I heard back in th’ Lucky Country were deadset. Plus, it’s...kinda weird, considerin’ m’ people mate fer life with one partner. Culture clash, I guess,” Tora replied, looking away from the stallion awkwardly.

“I forgot that some of the other species do that,” Vinyl said, humming. “Come to think of it, it’s only us and the Dragons who herd or hoard.”

“Some Minos do it, ‘s why I called it a ‘harem’, cuz...that’s wot they call it,” Tora replied with a small shrug. “But yeah, we mate fer life, an’ anyone who tries t’ make a move on our mates gets clawed or worse.”

“Huh,” Neon and Vinyl uttered.

“Didn’t know that,” Neon finished.

“A-anyways, we got th’ misunderstandin’ all cleared up, now?” Tora quickly changed the subject. “Cuz I can still get Gabe out an’-”

“Nope!” Neon replied hurriedly, waving his hooves.

“Y-Yeah, I think we’re good, Tora,” Vinyl added, putting a hoof on Tora’s paw, which had reached for Gabe. “No need to pull him out, we’re good.” She looked to Neon. “Right, Neon?”

“T-Totally!” Neon nodded vigorously.

“Ace! So, back t’ gettin’ tucker, eh, Vin?” Tora said with a gesture to the bagged meat she’d set on the table...which was in the sun and heat, which was a big no-no for raw, uncooked meat.

Vinyl seemed to notice this. “Uhh...Torry? How long has your meat been in the sun like that?” The mare asked, looking away from the meat to the tigress.

“...FUCK!” Tora abruptly yelled as she snatched her meat up and turned to face the direction the Scratch residence was in, looking over her shoulder at the two ponies. “I’ll see y’ later, Vin! Gotta gets th’ meats t’ the freezer!”

With that, the tigress ran as fast as her feline legs could carry her back home with her meat in tow.

Vinyl sighed, shaking her head. “Freakin’ clutz.”

“You’re one to talk,” Neon shot back, smirking at her.

“Buck off, Neon.”

---

I slammed my hand down on the lever nearby, sighing in relief only when the mine’s door closed with a solid thunk of stone on tin. Running a hand down my face, I could only groan as I felt the toll of the past few weeks hit me.

While I had finally gotten a break in terms of acquiring gold and platinum and silver, the same couldn’t be said for my attempts to stay hidden. From what I recalled, more than twenty-five times this week alone I’d almost gotten caught on my above-ground excursions to try and locate certain dungeons or structures. Monster activity in the mines had hiked up too, on top of a few search parties that had stumbled into some of my shafts, forcing me to block off at least seven of them.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m starting to think Tora gave them too much info…” I’d have to ask her next time I saw her. I didn’t look forward to it. She’d seemed to genuinely want to help, so I didn’t want to think she’d betrayed me, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised she didn’t really have any obligations to me other than me saving her life a few times.

Letting out a deep sigh, I walked to my storeroom to drop off my haul. “With any luck things’ll go better for me soon…”

---

Things were...well, better wasn’t right, but neither was bad. Either way, Tora was uncertain as could be. In front of her was a positively massive cake. A frilly one, with pink and white and gold frosting. It wasn’t layered, though. No, it was simply one large, circular slab of cake.

Tora could swear it hadn’t been in the living room of Vinyl and Octavia’s home when she left. But, it was most certainly blocking her way to the kitchen to put the meat away. That, and the candles were quite close to being fire hazards.

“...A’ight, whoever left th’ cake here like a creeper! I’m gonna go around th’ cake and put m’ meats in th’ fridge. Y’ pop up outta nowhere or even outta th’ cake, an’ I’m liable t’ react with a crossbow bolt t’ yer head on reflex!” Tora loudly announced, tightening her grip on the meat bags as she wiggled her lower half and tensed up for a leap over the cake.

Tora did not expect the cake to suddenly move. Nor did she expect to see it vibrate. Or blow raspberries, for that matter. Either way, it was moving slowly towards her. Almost as if it wouldn’t let her go without eating it.

“Y’ wanna smell rotting meat of all kinds? If not, then get th’ fuck outta th’ damn way. I’m not gonna eat a fuckin’ high-sugar cake an’ have a sugar rush or get diabetes,” Tora said sternly, chuffing as she tapped a paw impatiently on the floor.

“Sorry Torry!” a somewhat familiar bubbly voice said from behind her. Tora whirled around, claws unsheathed as her instincts took over with the intent to blind or fillet whoever thought it was a good idea to sneak up on and surprise a tigress.

Who she saw was the party pony herself, Pinkie Pie, all smiles as usual. “Fluffle was really insistent that I bake a cake around her, and she can’t get out. Asked me to put her in here, too. She uh…” Pinkie rubbed her neck. “Kiiinda needs help getting out, but…” Raspberries issued from the cake. “...She wants you to eat her out.” Pinkie blinked. “Huh, that came out dirtier than I thought.” She shrugged. “Ah well.”

Tora stared at Pinkie, then glanced back at the Fluffle-cake, and back at Pinkie, “...This was a bad idea, on multiple levels.”

Then, Tora went back the way she came, intent on going in through a window that led to the kitchen rather than risk becoming a diabetic.

Pinkie looked to the Fluffle-cake. “I think you just got rejected, Fluffle.”

Fluffle-cake, in response, seemed to slowly moisten.

It was a sad day for many when the house nearly flooded from the action.

Next Chapter: 16 - Intermission: Within The White (Edited...again) Estimated time remaining: 2 Hours, 42 Minutes