Part 44: Back To Basics
By Firefly
Twilight lay quietly over the barrel as Christoph hummed, lifting each of her hooves in turn and checking the fit and finish of her boots, "Hm..." Christoph studied the hoof closely for a long moment, furrowing his brows as he considered the leather and the slight tear where leather attached to the hoof itself.
"These'r temporary right?" He asked Sophie who was lying quite comfortably on the provided couch. Twilight stomped once in response earning her a playful slap on the ass from the man, "Didn' ask you, Twilight." He cast his gaze back to Sophie.
She looked up and nodded, "Yes." She held up Twilight's actual pair of boots, "These need punching out before she gets into them."
Christoph let go of Twilight's hoof, letting it settle back down the ground before lifting the other, "Well, Punchin' them out an' refreshin' those will take a day. But with th' frayin' along the edges of this loaner pair, Ah'd recommend keeping her away from anythin' too strenuous. Yer just askin' for trouble with a tear along the seam like tha'. We don' need another Silvermane."
Twilight let out an indignant snort.
~As if I'd be reckless enough to break my ankle like Silvermane did. I used to be a pony you know. I'm not some newbie. Even if I kind of feel like it.~
Christoph lifted Twilight's hoof a bit higher, which was rather uncomfortable considering she was strapped to the padded barrel, "Oh ah'm sorry. Did y'just snort in MY shop?" He asked with a raise of his eyebrow.
Twilight squirmed slightly and looked down.
Christoph dropped her hoof and chuckled, giving her a pat on the back with his shovel-sized hands, "Well don' worry too much. I can take a snort're two. Just be careful doin' that around the other staff. They might not like y'nearly as much as I do." He cast Twilight a playful wink and wheeled his stool around, reaching out to take the tall boots from Sophie. He studied them closely and smiled.
"Great care has gone inta these." He looked to Twilight when he said this before setting them down and lifting up one of her hooves again, laying it in his lap as he unlaced the boot and slid it off her foot, exposing a bare sole he couldn't help but trace a finger down making Twilight squirm and let out a muffled laugh from behind her bit.
Christoph scooped up a tape measure, taking a few measurements, and comparing them to the boots in need of work. He nodded, "Wee bit wider. An' perhaps some new hardware, it's gettin' a bit tarnished."
Twilight looked over her shoulder, casting him an almost sad look at the mention of replacing any of the hardware.
He met her gaze for a long moment and looked over at Sophie, "She been behavin' today?"
Sophie nodded, "For the most part. Perhaps a bit stubborn, but such things are to be expected and anticipated."
He looked back to Twilight, "Well, fer well-behaved ponies I might have a way to simply clean up the tarnishin' instead of replacin' hardware. Gotta keep em all original after all."
Twilight's gaze could be described as appreciative in that moment before she turned back around, laying her chin on the specially built chin rest contently as Christoph re-laced her into her temporary hooves. He flicked a release, letting the straps slide off Twilight and placing a hand on her back to make sure she didn't stumble backward when she got up.
"She's all yers, Sophie. Y'can pick up her boots this evenin' and they'll be ready fer tomorrow."
Sophie sighed dramatically and nodded, climbing to her feet and stretching her arms over her head, "Mmm. Lovely. Thank you Christoph dear. I'm sure Twilight here will appreciate what you're doing...right?"
~Alright. It's been ten years since I've whinnied...let's give this a go.~
Twilight let out...a whinny that sounded more like she was blowing her nose bringing a few giggles from Sophie and a chuckle from Christoph, "Seems like Twilight needs to find her voice again. Nice try though my dear."
Sophie snapped her fingers, "Twilight, Heel."
Knowing that particular command, Twilight moved over, falling into line just behind and to the right of Sophie.
"Least there's still a brain between those ears." Christoph said, smiling as he studied Twilight's conformation, noting a few minor corrections to be made in her hooves. He was, after all, a blacksmith but also a pediatrist with a specialty in orthotics.
"Well then, if yer done. Get outta my shop so I can work." He waved the two away.
Sophie nodded, "Do have a good day Christoph. Come along Twilight, we've the need to find the trainer I'm supposed to pawn you off on."
~All this is roleplaying. But the way she talks, what role am I playing, the inconvenience? Hmph.~
Sophie walked off, Twilight following as best as she could. Refinding her center of gravity, trying to determine how high she could lift her legs currently until she got comfortable.
She followed Sophie along through the barn, all the way to the back and through a set of barn-style double doors that opened up into a room where they kept the 'regular' exercise equipment. It was a large room with a glass back wall and a door that led to an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The scent of chlorine hung faintly in the air along with that 'gym smell'.
Currently, the gym was quite empty. It usually was during the day, with grooms and staff often choosing to use it in the evenings after their tasks were done for the day or in the morning before their tasks began. There was one exception though.
In the far back corner, on one of a half-dozen futuristic-looking treadmills was a young man that Twilight recognized. His blonde mane pulled back in a thick plait, his blue-green eyes staring at the screen that reflected the point-of-view of a horse pulling a cart as he jogged on the treadmill.
~Jogging at a decent pace. You're doing well Buttons.~
