Iccy's Flying Machine, Mk 10, Test 1

Icarus's abrupt leaving surprised Indigo and now Intel was making their presence unwanted. He'd already botched this meeting trying to legitimize Lori to Shala, the only thing to do now is to go all the way. So he slammed the door before Intel could exit. "Intel, you know as well or more than I do that Shala needs help before she dies of liver cirrhosis ."

The writing paused upstairs when the door was slammed, but then picked back up.

Intel was genuinely surprised when Indigo prevented him from leaving. "Indigo, what-"

When Indigo said his piece, Intel was silent for a very long while. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and quiet. "So, this was the solution you came up with?"

He frowned. "Now? Of all times? Did it have to be-"

He turned around. "Now? Why does almost every time we meet, we can't just...be? Happy for once, without needing alcohol to do it? Couldn't we have just congratulated Icarus without this sort of melodrama?" The questions were ones of confusion at the sudden shift of tone in the atmosphere.

Intel was confused. And he felt extremely unsettled.

Lori visably winced at the topic was so bluntly thrown out in front of everyone, right in front of Shala. The party she had been invited to was now an uncomfortable discussion of an intervention with the recipient present. She could see Shala was already beginning to build with anger in her narrow eyed stare at them.

"Excuse me, gentlecolts, but this is a willing and supportive process....Nor is it the place to discuss it...I should be leaving I think..." She got up from her seat, giving Shala a soft look. "...I'm sorry that-"

Shala grunted and turned her face away from Lori before trotting toward the other two. She did not look happy.

"You don't like my drinking? So what? You expect me to get better all on my own without it? I deserved this break, and I ain't stopping. You don't even know." She barked, her flask soon whipping out to give herself a swig in spite.

Indigo bared his teeth. "You think I want our meetings to happen like this? Do you know what I intended to do Intel? Do you think I wanted to cause melodrama? It started when Icarus left the room for no damn reason and you made it clear we weren't welcome here anymore."

He abruptly got off the couch and advanced on Intel. The more he ranted the angrier he got. "Do you want to know what I've been trying to do? I intended to continue to talk to Shala until she at the very least stopped staring daggers at Lori or the conversation naturally drifted to something else then when it was time to leave I'd give everypony an aside, most especially you, to apologize for whatever wording I had to use to get her to understand. But neither of you couldn't sit in discomfort for more than a minute before running away. Hell, everything I said wasn't even bad. Ever been camping with your dad and he suddenly openly stated that you were a mistake for everyone to hear? You think I just left in a huff or gave a shitty excuse to excuse myself? No, I sat and waited for those old farts to change the damn topic." His nostrils let out an involuntary snort of steam. "What did I specifically say that caused the both of you walk out? What? Tell me. What did I say to make you both forget common fucking courtesy?"

Aaaaaaand at that very moment, a loud knocking came at the Door. "Heeeeelllooo! Doo Delivery! Got a Letter Here for Icarus Gear!" A voice rang out from the other side of the door, Oblivious to the heated Argument inside. Icarus, of course, couldn't hear anypony downstairs, Save for Dull mumbles, So He didn't know this newcomer had something for him.

Two forces wrestled for control over Intel's mind. One part wanted to shout back at these two, to point out their irrationality, their unfairness. It wanted to unload all of its stress onto these two, because it could hardly take it any more. The other part wanted to leave. Not just this 'party', but Ponyville and all its inhabitants, and go somewhere else, somewhere that was preferably not a Celestia-damned asylum. And leave without a word or care.

Both sides have had enough. He turned to the door, not facing any of the others. He so wanted to speak in a confident voice. He really wanted to have the command of the room, to get to a desired peace. He really wanted to. But the simple fact of the matter was that this was not a situation that he could be confident in.

So when the knocking started, he muttered, "The host has retired to his quarters. It is time for his guests to leave."

Forcing open the door, he did so, ignoring the postcolt.

Lori was heading to the door, but she slowed her pace, listening in on the exchange. There was so very much to draw from different ponies here, especially when they were at their worst. She wanted to be out of there, but what she cataloged here would probably come in use for later when, as she felt, they would inevitably end up at least seeing her once.

Lori was the first out the door, where she smiled and nodded to the mailpony. "Oh, he is a bit busy at the moment. Maybe you could leave it inside the door?"

Shala looked between Indi and Intel. She thought she was only going to get more furious, but now she was not so sure. While anger was still dominant, she was not a target anymore. All the words being thrown around, the reasons, the causes, it was a little too much for her to sort through at the moment. It only frustrated her more that this was all about her and yet not directed at her.

"I'll tell you when i have a problem!" She shouted at them both. A look to Intel as he left spoke of betrayal. Intel never had bothered to question her on these matters, yet he was here having this conversation with Indi like it was a well known fact to them all.

Shala stormed over to the door, not wanting to be trapped in this room with all these ponies. "If you got something to tell me, Intel, you better tell me soon." She yelled at Intel as he saw him leaving outside.

Lori stepped aside as Shala passed by, having lingered outside still. She watched them both go before looking to Indigo.

I may be seeing these ponies sooner than I thought.

Indigo raced out the door to follow Intel but didn't go any further than the doorway. "Yeah just walk away from me! If I was a dragon you'd be eaten by now!" With a few angry breathes he walked back inside and quickly came back out with his own opened soda and Lori's unopened one. Though he didn't show anymore hostility his was still greatly annoyed. "You still want this or should I put it back?"

Poor Daffy just stood there, so he gingerly left the package inside, and HIGHTAILED IT out of there. He no longer wanted to be near that house, with those ponies. He'd return if needed, but not anytime sooner.

Lori looked to the soda and then back to Indi. "I think I will pass." She said through the door. "I should probably get going now."

Before she left, with a great amount of care and attempt to be discreet, she slipped her business card onto the counter inside the door before leaving.