Silly Plots 2: Electric Boogaloo

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"So if you're not a prince, I guess you don't need a knight to fight for you," Iknika says, pouting. "But I'm sure you'll live up to whatever it is they expect you to do. Were any of those humans who could turn into loxodons too?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

"B-b-but you can still fight for me! I do technically hold the highest office possible in a foreign nation. And I have badges of office!" he says, showing her his shiny gold bracers that he has under his robes.
At the question he opens his mouth, closes it, and ponders.
"I actually have no idea."

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"I'm just a knight in training, though. Will you accept the service of one as humble as I?" Iknika asks, her voice not sounding humble in the least bit.

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac wraps an arm around Iknika’s shoulders. He crouches down just a little to make sure he’s on her level.
”Of course! You shall be my closest guard of all my service.” he assures her.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"Then I'll be honoured to lift my axe in your defence... or whatever it is I end up using," Iknika says, bowing.

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac smiles, going to take Iknika’s hand and kiss it, because he thinks that’s what you’re supposed to do with the oath of a fancy lady.
”I’ll hold you to that, you know.”

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika blushes when her hand's kissed, but she grins and soldiers through it.

"A knight never breaks her word. But I think there's still a lot for me to see here."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac shrugs.
”Well, it’s not a very big town. Oh, well you can get a good look of the monastery from here.” he says, pointing back where they came from. Indeed, the black stone building sits quietly on the white stone cliffs. It’s facade is full of arches and curves, but remains seeming simple and elegant.
”They have a pool! And we could get lunch in town.”

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"A pool? I didn't pack a swimsuit," Iknika says, her ears twitching. "But a lunch sounds great."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

"Well, I could get you one. There's a few people here who could conjure up some clothes as long as it's only going to be used once. But follow me!" he says, and leads her to a very stereotypical ramen shop off the town square, complete with a bar and stools. Isaac will sit at the low half of the bar clearly designed for small people, and not the 3+ meter tall loxodons. The cook, another huge fellow in a clean apron and a short little white hat, greets them as they come in.
"Ira- oh, hello Chosen. " he says, realizing after one syllable he needs to look down at his guests.
"What can I get for you and this sweet girl you've brought me?" he says kindly, kneeling down to get down to eye level.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Low end of the bar or not, Iknika still feels very small here.

"Uh, hi. I've never eaten noodles like that before, so why don't you just pick what you like, Isaac?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

"How about we split a mushroom bowl, 'Bo?" Isaac asks, and the chef lumbers into the back.
"You know, I haven't really spent much time here when I'm not...big. I hope it's not too weird for you." he says, picking up on some of Iknika's discomfort.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika's ears twitch.

"I'm used to being in places for bigger people, but not this big. Don't worry about it, though. I'll be fine."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

”Well, ok. Because you can tell me if it was a problem. I wouldn’t ever want to make you uncomfortable, so you gotta tell me.” Isaac will try to snag Iknika’s hand. ”Okay?”

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika blushes and looks to the side.

"Well... it is a little intimidating. I'm used to being small whenever I leave the colony, but this is even more so. I hate how small we goblins are, sometimes."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac puts an arm around Iknika, which is easier because her stool just slid over to him with her on it.
"Don't hate what you are, Iknika. As someone who's been at least...six different things, what you really are is what is best. And that's why I can be big, and also really big. You're there to protect me, but I can still be there to hold you up when things are a little too big."

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika blinks when her stool suddenly slides, then grins awkwardly.

"You do know how to make me feel better, don't you? It would look a little silly if you carried me around all the time, though."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac chuckles.
”Well, not like this at least! But when I’m big you can ask whenever you want. And I’m getting closer to changing at will, I promise.” he assures her.

Presently the chef produces an enormous bowl of ramen with veggies and mushrooms. A full place setting is provided for them to divvy it up as they wish.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"So I won't have to poke you in the knee for you to transform?" Iknika asks, as she peers over at the bowl. "This smells good. And it has mushrooms in it."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

”Well you can just yank my tail. But uh, yeah. You don’t know chopsticks right?” he asks, pouring them littler bowls.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika takes a pair of chopsticks into her hand. She looks greatly relieve that Isaac brought it up first.

"I have no idea how to use them, no. How do you eat with a pair of sticks?"

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac laughs.
”Well for you, you don’t and use the spoon instead, because nobody learns how to use chopsticks on the first try. But you do it like this.” Isaac masterfully demonstrates the use of the utensil on a large bite of the noodles, smiling proudly at her.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"My, now you can use those to eat? There's no end to your talents," Iknika says, fake-swooning as she gets to eating with a spoon.

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

The cook really knows his stuff. It's a good mix, though whether or not Iknika likes it will hinge on whether or not Iknika enjoys soup and noodles.
"So, uh, yeah, that's most of the town. It's a nice place, right?" he asks, not sure what to talk about.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika seems to enjoy the soup a great deal. She grins up at Isaac, with a full set of teeth this time.

"Oh, it's great. And the people here are really nice. I really need to show you Underside, though."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

Isaac grins at her back. "It's a date." he says confidently in her ear, leaning close to her. Their movie-date had gone pretty well. Although he was starting to suspect that Iknika can't appreciate proper quality.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

Iknika leans pretty close too, narrowing her eyes playfully.

"So it is. Just be ready for a lot of small, loud people."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

"Well, you've been putting up with a lot of quiet, huge ones. All's even, right?" he asks her teasingly.

[Morty]

[Elephant Rock]

"I suppose so." Iknika purses her lips. "They could be big and loud, right? So I shouldn't complain."

[Deathkeeper]

[Elephant Rock]

"I'll do my best to make sure you have nothing to complain about today." he assures her.
This seems like the kind of line where he'd go for a kiss. And he wants to, but he doesn't know how to actually go and do that, so other than being really close to Iknika when he says it he's not sure what other signals he ought to give.