Author's Note

Editor. Don't be mad. When you make revisions I'll update the whole thing. I just want to get as much out as soon as possible... sorta.

As to Everyone Else. Who thinks a ship is gonna happen or just cuddle parties?

What about a hug?

{Ă}{}{}{ The following morning {}{}{Ă}

In his room, Baso, who had asked enough questions that he was surprised his hosts head didn't spin off, did his daily stretching. Laying flat on the floor, naked, legs splayed out as his chest was pressed against the floor. He groaned out in slight pain at having pulled something from the fight with the raider, before rising up, breathing in then lowering himself down once more.

On a chair set in the corner was his armor, and his kanabo leaned up against its side. He glanced at it as he lifted up once more before bringing his legs together, and standing up slowly, before moving towards his clothes set on the bed, dressing himself. The low grumble of his belly made itself noticeable which caused him to pat his belly.

“Calm now.. You’ll get filled after training.” He chuckled lightly before moving to his armor, fitting the pieces on, and rolling his shoulders, feeling everything fall back to its usual spots. His eyes glanced to the kanabo, before taking it by the handle and hoisting it over his shoulder. With a glance around the room, he looked to what might possibly be his new life, before making for the door, opening it and taking a step.

As he stepped out however, a pony in gold armor looked to him before yelping, and pointing a crude spear at him in something along the lines of borderline adorable fearsomeness. Baso looked to the pony, before grabbing the base of the spears end, and twisted it, simply snapping the point off of the wooden pole, before shaking a finger and shaking his head.

“Little pony… it's not nice pointing toothpicks at those bigger than you… unless you plan to kill,” His soft voice hardening only slightly at the end, before crouching down, getting face to face with the guard. “And I have no quarrel with you… Now I only ask.. Care to go for a run?”

{Ă}{}{ Elsewhere in the castle, 1 hour later }{}{Ă}

The guard panted, leaning against a pillar as he looked to the large bipedal… demon really. His mind raced at how something like that still had the energy of a constant run, let alone keeping pace with his full gallop. The guard had to admit, although it seemed scary, there was that soft side it showed instead of trying to threaten him like other races had done if he had been startled.

As the guard was lost in his own thought, Baso squatted, his Kanabo vertical as he stretched, feeling the slight strain coming and going, before looking back to the guard, who was practically panting and nearly drenched in sweat while he only felt warmed up. His brow furrowed slightly at the thought that if this was what the guards were, then maybe he could suggest daily training to Celestia.

A commotion sounded at the end of the hall ahead both of them, dragging both of their gazes to see, to Baso, a large bull on its hind legs, holding a pony in a some strange frilly outfit. The large bull like creature was shouting, and the pony, who was upside down, was shivering and her eyes watered.

Baso made his way, his weapon held over his shoulder, before stopping right behind the smaller bull creature, and tapping his shoulder.

“I’d put the pony down, boy.. And calm down. They are hosts and it’s not wise to abuse the hospitality,” He says as the bull turns around, his face contorted in his anger still before going blank, and looking up at Baso, who wore his mask, its features turned into a permanent snarl.

The bull stared at the strange newcomer, his eyes keeping their anger, “If this stupid pony had been paying attention then she wouldn’t have tripped me.” He drops the pony, who proceeds to scamper behind Baso.

Baso quirked his brow, before shaking his head lightly, “Anger doesn’t solve all of your issues, and only being aggressive will only make situations worse. Calm down and apologize for terrorizing the pony.”

“Pfft.. like that’ll happen.” The bull snorted before shoving the bigger man. “Only the weak protect the weak and wear silly things to look scary.”

Baso, at being shoved, closed his eyes and laughed lightly, before opening his eyes and looking to the bull, and tilting his head. “I’ll give you one chance to apologize. Otherwise there might be a slight problem…” Baso’s rolled his shoulders slightly, and stared down the bull, hoping that it would agree and things would pass.

“Apologize? Are you trying to make me laugh? If anything you should step back before I teach you about manners and not getting involved in other-taurs fights,” The bull stepped back and lifted his hands, getting into a strange fight stance to Baso.

“Have it your way then…”

{Ă}{}{ The hospital section of the Castle }{}{Ă}

Baso sat in the waiting room, having only a slight bruise on his shoulder and arm, sitting in a cross legged position with a small platter next to him on a chair, a pot of tea and a teacup next to him.

The door opens from the exit, and Celestia walks in slowly, her head peaking in first before seeing Baso, and quickly moving towards him, a scowl on her face.

“I heard about the incident, and about some of the damage. Care to explain?” Her tone, stressed and irritated, as she sat in one of the long seats, looking to him expectantly.

“This will sound childish but it’s the honest truth.. He started it.” He looked up to her, before chuckling lightly, before looking towards the intensive care set of doors, grimacing slightly before diving into the set of events. “... and I ended up lifting him up, crushing the air out of him, and then sitting on him… I didn’t realize I possibly broke his spine and broke at least half of his ribs. Us humans are at least a little more durable.”

Celestia only stared at him as he unravelled what she had heard for the most part, before looking towards the same set of doors worriedly. Suddenly the doors opened with a doctor pony, who walked over to the pair, levitating a clipboard and nodding his head to the princess, before looking to the strange masked creature.

“Sir.. Just to let you know there is a possibility of a full recovery.. And as the patient asked me to tell you,” The doctor coughed lightly before looking a little more serious, “ ‘Next time I will be the victor. I will not be humiliated in such a fashion once again.’ He also started rambling about other things such as ‘Stupid ponies’ afterwards.” He shook his head lightly.

Celestia’s face at the news softened before she looked down to the floor, shaking her head lightly. “ Hopefully the Minotaur Ambassador will overlook this as just a big misunderstanding or an accident.” She looked up to Baso. “If worst comes to worse then the Ambassador will challenge you to single combat. Best case is he brushes this off.”

Baso nodded his head lightly, before grabbing the pot of tea, and poured himself a cup, before lifting his mask slightly and sipping it, wiggling his shoulders in delight at the feeling of the warm liquid filling him with its calming flavor. He closed his eyes, breathing out slowly before nodding his head, before looking to the princess.

Celestia raised a brow at the ‘human’ looking to her, “Yes?” she asked curiously.

“Tea?” Baso asked innocently, obviously derailing the situation, and holding up the pot slightly. Celestia blinked for a few seconds, before her horn popped, and a cup appeared out of nowhere.

“I suppose..” She accepted as Baso filled her cup, then setting it back down on the platter…

{Ă}{}{ That evening. The gardens }{}{Ă}

Baso kept pace with the Princess, looking at all the plants and few animals that he happened to spot as they walked a path that, as Celestia had stated, circumnavigated the gardens. As Baso stopped to look at a particular set of flowers, which had midnight purple centers to light blue edges, his belly let out the loudest growl it had made, causing Celestia to yelp in surprise. Baso looked to her before laughing lightly, and patting his belly before making a shushing noise.

“T-That was your stomach?!” Celestia nearly squeaked out, her eyes staring at his large gut, then to him just to catch him nodding and shrugging lightly.

“I haven’t exactly had anything to eat today given the action of today,” Baso stated, amused but his stomach protested again. “It’d be nice to have something with meat and vegetables… lots of it preferably.”

Celestia blinked before nodding slowly, and walking forward once more, a little faster, “ Let's head to the dining hall, then I’ll have the chefs prepare the food.” She glanced back curiously as he started following, and a thought crept into her head.
How soft is that belly? She looks forward once more before blinking and shaking her head, wondering where in the Tartarus that thought came to be.

As he followed, he glanced to her wings, and a thought entered his head, thinking back to how the hawk had felt soft to the touch.. That is when it wasn’t trying to bite him. He shook his head lightly and put that thought for later, thinking to what kind of food he’d receive.