Canterlot Academy Trials

Meanwhile, deeper in the cave…

Rufus had followed Uziel to a small grotto where she sat down with her arms folded. “...you saved me back there. Why?” she asked with a pouty sort of expression on her face.

Confused, Rufus rubbed the side of his head. “...Why? I dunno, just cuz? It’s what any self-respecting so-and-so should do for somebody else.”

“...I see. So what do you want?” she asked bluntly, causing Rufus to further react in confusion.

“...Say what?”

“Nobody does something like that just because they want to,” Uziel went on, asserting what she knew about people who acted for their own self-interest. “I guess you’re looking for a piece of my ass--”

But Rufus cut her off, “Hold on. It’s just what any good individual would do. I’m not selfish like most yaks who just do stuff for recognition.” Then he quickly changed the subject. “...Look, before you jump to conclusions, there’s actually something I’m kinda interested in.”

“Oh yeah?” Uzi replied as she undressed, removing her armor from her body, “What exactly?”

“Your weapons and stuff,” the yak went on, “We yaks take pride in our forges and it seems you guys have one of your own here. Do you actually get all of your materials from this cave?”

“...yeah, we do,” she replied slowly, not expecting to meet a fellow weapon’s enthusiast. “Iron, silver, gold in some rare instances too.” She then flexed her tiny green hands, “We’re basically like the dwarves you hear about in folktales. Our hands have an insane level of durability which allows us to do a lot with them.”

“For real? No shit, we’re the same way,” Rufus proclaimed as he looked at the various rocks around the grotto. “Yaks have a special kind of jawline that allows us to hold tools and other weapons.” He held up his stubby hooves and stretched them, “These things aren’t exactly made for holding stuff. So we’ve adapted in our own ways.”

“...That’s surprising,” Uziel muttered in awe, amazed at how in-tune he was with the concept of weaponry. “What sort of stuff do you guys tend to make then? Knives? Spears? Maces?”

“Scythes actually,” Rufus replied as he put his upper hooves behind his head in a casual manner as he leaned against the side of the rock wall. “Scythes are actually meant for farming, but it turns out they’re really great weapons too.”

Uziel’s eyes went wide as she glanced at him. Scythes weren’t very commons since not many people knew how to wield them in combat. But the fact that a yak of all people apparently knew how to use one…well let’s say it piqued her interest.

“...think I could see you use one sometime?” she asked, “I’d love for some pointers on how those work.”

“Oh sure,” Rufus agreed with a smile, “In fact, when we’re done, you should come with us back to Equestria. There’s a whole lot of stuff out there that you might like.”

“...A goblin…like me…?” she muttered nervously with a slight blush upon her freckled cheeks. “...would I fit in? Would they like me over there?”

“They will,” Rufus assured her with a sincere tone of voice, “And if they don’t, they’ll have to deal with me…the Intercontinental King of Grappling!”

His boasting somehow caused Uziel’s chest to thump. Her pointed goblin ears pricked up as she clutched her chest. “Hrrk…” The feeling to her was completely alien and indescribable. ‘...what is this?’ she thought to herself, ‘...why do I feel an overwhelming sense of…attraction to this bull guy?’

Having lived in isolation for so long without any male goblins, this was the first time Uziel could say she felt anything significant towards anyone else. Rufus’ confident, yet well-meaning demeanor was something she could get behind.

“...something wrong?” the yak bull asked, breaking her concentration.

“...N-nothing!” she quickly changed the subject as she undid the tie in her ponytail, “Just…need to let my hair down is all.”

When she did that, her head of purple hair fell down past her bottom half. A long, flowing set of violet locks that looked well-kept for goblin standards.

“...” Being a yak, who valued one’s mane/hair, Rufus was in awe at what he saw. “...damn.”

“...w-what?” she muttered nervously, “Do I got something on my face? Why you staring, cowboy?”

He simply chuckled and shook his head. “Nothing…I just like gals with long hair is all.”

“...” Unable to figure out how to respond, she simply hissed, then coughed. “ACK! Ahem…r-really?”

“...Yeah. I mean, I guess I find you attractive and kinda wanna get to know you better, Uzi. If that’s okay with you that is.”

The goblin girl simply nodded profusely as she scooched over next to him. “...Take me…to Equestria, please. I wanna see it all…with you.”

Rufus smiled as he brought her in close and patted her on the head. “Of course. We’ll go there together. With all of my friends too. They’ll be happy to show you around.”

“...I’d like that. Spots seems nice,” she added, complimenting Jun Fang’s careful treatment of her injured sister. “...He’s certainly going to be getting a nice reward from Sariel for his help.”

“...oh? What kind?” Rufus asked curiously, only to get a smug smirk from the long-haired goblin.

“C’mon. You already know.”