Shopping again

Icarus needed to shop. That much was certain. Running out of food was NOT a good thing.

So, That was why He was out and about now within the many Stalls... With a startling narrow focus.

"ARTICHOKES! GET YER ARTICHOKES!"

"SWEET POTATOES! SWEET POTATOES HERE!"

"APPLES! A BIT A BUNCH! FRESH FROM SWEET APPLE ACRES!"

It seemed like each stall only sold one item. Weird.

Shala grumbled as she walked down the market place. She had enough of a headache with her horn being wrapped up and in a cast from the hospital. Her flask was empty and no alcohol was a big no no on her list. It was natural for her to drink when her head was aching. She just needed to find where to get said alcohol now.

Problem was, she couldn't remember. Last time she was rather...intoxicated. And matters were not helped by the fact she shied away from crowds of ponies. It made going through the market near impossible, having to duck into alleys when thickets of ponies passed by.

Oh how much I wish i had a drink. Least then I could forget about crowds.

Iccy paused a bit passing by a Stall, filled with many kinds of liquor.

'Maybe I should get Shala a bottle... I haven't seen her in a while.'

So, Buying a bottle of whiskey, (and likely overcharged for it,) he looked around some more, hanging near the edges of the crowd.

Shala waited for another group to disperse before moving on. She was just about to force herself to ask a pony when she saw one with a bottle of her desire. Quickly, she trotted over to the pony, eyes on the bottle.

"Hey! Where did you get that? I-....Oh Hi Iccy!" She looked up and recognized the pony. Looking at the bottle and back to him, she was confused. "...I...never knew you had it in you Iccy." She smiled big. "Have you been holding out on me?"

Iccy blushed a little, and levitated the bottle over. "F-Funnily e-enough, I-I was going t-to give t-this to y-you." He said, placing it in her bag.

... And then he noticed her horn. "S-Shala, W-What happened?"

Shala did not even give him the chance to put it in her bag. She reached up with her hooves to grab the bottle, unable to use magic, and rolled onto her back to take a sizable drink from it. She let out a gasp of satisfaction before corking it again and stowed the bottle away.

"Iccy, your an angel." She said before giving him a lazy hug.

Her eyes rolled up to her forehead at the mention of her horn. "Oh, well, I got into a scuffle with one of Night's 'old friends' at the tavern. If you think this is bad, you should see the other pony." *hic*

Iccy nodded. "A-Are y-you okay, t-though?" He asked, looking at the cast. "I-IT doesn't hurt t-too much, d-does it?"

Shala waved a hoof at him. "Nah. Not much anymore. Doctor said no magic and all that nonsense for a while. And his pain killers suck. Whisky, though, does the trick." She smiled proudly for her 'better' substitute.

Icarus still worried. "S-Still... I-I'm s-sorry. I s-should have been t-there." He said, lowering his head a bit.

Shala frowned as Iccy's drop in mood. She wouldn't have any of that. Not from Iccy.

"Iccy! Chin up. I'm okay. I have had worse..." She knew she had worse, and had yet to ever share it.

She took out her bottle and began to drink from it again before holding it out to Iccy. "Have some of this and you will be smiling."

Iccy smiled softly and shook his head. "I g-got that f-for you. I-It's y-yours." he said, nodding.

He smiled and gave a slight hug. "T-Thank you..."

Shala was a bit surprised but happy to accept a hug. "Just keep a smile for me....Now have you heard of this business with the..." She looked around her for any unwanted ears listening. "...with the Free Fall gang?"

Icarus was Conflicted between frowning and keeping the smile for Shala. "I-I h-have... I... I w-won't let them hurt m-my f-friends... W-Well, H-Hurt them a-any m-more." he amended, glancing at her horn. "... I-I am s-sorry... I-I..."

Shala put on a smile, though it was not as honest a smile as she could. She loved Iccy but didn't really see him as a type to fight and defend. At least not physically.

"Iccy, don't worry. Ill be fine. You don't need to protect me."

Iccy sighed slightly, before perking back up. "E-Even If I d-don't need t-too, I-I'll still do m-my b-best." He said, smiling.

Shala gave him an honest smile and put a hoof on his shoulder. "Oh Iccy, you are too kind. Sometimes i swear your after my heart." She said before turning and walking away. "I'm going to get out of this crowded street. I don't like it busy."

Icarus started trotting toward Shala. "C-Can I c-come with? I c-can shop l-later..." he said, still somewhat worried about Shala. "M-Maybe D-Drink a g-glass w-with you?"

Shala smiled over her shoulder and waved a tail for him to come with. It may not have been the most appropriate gesture, but it was easier to do.

"Heh. Iccy, you know me too well. I'll stop anything for a drink." She noted a cluster of ponies approaching and quickly put Iccy between them and herself, her smile faltering a little.

Iccy smiled When Shala waved him over, blushing a bit. He knew she meant nothing by it, (probably,) But he still was happy for it.

His smile DID falter when he realized that she was shying away from the small crowd. "S-Shala?"

Shala did not answer at first, waiting for the crowd to go by before forcing a smile. "Lets find some place more quiet. Something on your mind?"

Icarus blinked before sighing. "Y-Your p-place a-alright?" he asked, dropping the issue.

Shala didn't know about going home just yet. With the gang possibly being out looking for them, she prefered to not be in predictable places. "We could, but i don't want those gang ponies sneaking up on us. Maybe some other place....Then again all the liquor is at my house...Might be worth considering."

Icarus blinked a bit, and lowered his voice. "M-Maybe... M-Maybe t-the Library?" He offered, nodding. "I-I c-could meet y-you t-there, a-and b-bring m-more d-drinks...?"

Shala thought to herself. The library was a bit too quiet for her. She wanted to be noisy still. And that purple mare was so technical about everything.

"How about the bowling alley?" She beamed. Shala had yet to go there since she had arrived in town.

Icarus nodded a bit. The Bowling Alley wouldn't be too busy, but it was busy enough. "A-Alright! B-Bowling Alley it I-Is!" And, to be fair, Iccy hadn't bowled since he was a little one. This would be fun!