/mlpol/ - My Little Politics


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OjnA7
?
No.262568
262569 262572 262576

A small ship with half sails raised drifted along a river in a speed that barely caused any ripples to disturbe the surface. Six stalllions stood at the rails of the ship. One leaned his body on the rails at the sternof the ship while peering into the water, another was standing at the bow, holding a hoof over his eyes to cover from the sun, two were standing a bit from eachother at at the port of the ship, also scanning the water, and the last two stallion were also on lookout duty was they stood by the railing on the starboard side of the ship.

One of these stallion on the starbaord side of the ship, the one near the stern of the ship, inched closer to the other. As he got close, the other stallion noticed his approach and smiled.

”Have you seen that guy,” the stallion who had gotten closer whispered.

The other stallion moved up next to him.

”No. What? What do you mean?” he mumbled back.

The other stallion nodded towards the back of the boat so that his brown mane bounced up and down from his forehead.

”The guy wiht a black and yellow cloak. Look at the top of his head, his horn,” the red stallion said quietly.

He turned his blue head and looked at the back at the ship.

A couple of meters away, were four ponies sitting on a wooden box placed on the stern of the ship. The blue stallion could see a pegasi mare was sprawled out on the box. A bit infornt of her laid a slingshot with an extra loop next to the holder of projectiles, for the ponies hooves, and a bag with rope loop attach to it that was clearly filled with rocks the sizes of hooves and they seemed to have rather sharp edges.

She was partly covered from view for the blue stallion as there was a brown earth pony stallion sitting on his haunches on the edge of the box. He had grey hairs in his backlicked brown and black striped mane and his face was crinkled. He didn't have much fat and it showed as his muscled were well defined if not huge in size. Since he was sitting on his haunches the stallion could see that he wore horseshoes on his backlegs.

To the port side of him sat another earth pony stallion. He was grey with a white mane, however, he looked young. This stallion was larger than the previous one. The grey stallion had almost twice as big hooves as the other. He had a bbit of belly though. He had his front hooves crossed which revealed that he was wearing horseshoes that were much thicker than the what the other erath pony had worn.

In front of these ponies laid the three differnent pairs of armor: One was light leather armor that had holds for wings, one a was a chainmail armor with a few plates, and hte last one was this huge metal monstrosity.

The last pony on the box sat on deck and leaned his back on the box while staring out into the water on the starboard side. He wore a black cloak with a yellow lightning bolt comming from his hood onto the cloak's back before splitting off into many smaller onces towards the hems of the cloak. He had the hoodie on his head so that it rested on the base of his blue horn. Yellow threads were attached to the hem of his hood that dangled from it like the threads at the end of a rug.

While wasn't as strong as the other two stallions, he didn't look look boney.

The blue stallion looked about the stallion's horn but he couldn't see anything strange about it until the unicorn shifted on his head and bang of his black mane that previously covered the based ofhis horn from the blue stallion's view fell out of place. Behind it, was a flat, black ring around the horn with metallic buds attach to the ring and circling the horn.

”Hehe,” the blue stallion panted out. ”What is that?”

”I don't know. It looks ridiculous and you know what the best par-”

A green stallion head wearing a purple hat that was a loose as beanie but which top became to a point which rested behind his head popped up in between them with scowl on its features.

”Don't you have better things to do?” the green stallion asked.

The two of them gasped as they veered their heads around to find green crinkled-forehead stallion with a pipe in his mouth that let off a trail off of smoke from its end.

”Captain,” shouted the red one.

This caused the green stallion to growl at him.

”If you don't check for swamp serpents, I'll use you as bait if one appears. Now, Harvest, get back to your station,” he said in low tone

They both nodded and mumbled out, ”Yes, captain.” Then the red sallion walked back to his station.

The captain, who stilled looked crossed began to take careful steps towards the four ponies at back of the ship. When he passed te boom he by habit ducked under it but realised afterwards that it was silly of him to do so since they were moved forward by half-sail.

He passed a large barrel of small boulders and a circular leather lifebouy that was hanging on a hook nailed to the boom.

As he stepped over a plank on deck that he knew creaked terribly, he arrived at the four passengers at the back.

He walked up to the brown earth pony stallion and made a gesture towards the two crewponies that he had talked to.

”Sorry about those two. They can be a bit much to deal with sometimes,” he said quietly while he grinned and scratched the back of his neck.

”I'm sorry, what?” the brown stallion whispered back.

Anonymous
OjnA7
?
No.262569
262570
>>262568

”Oh. Ah, it was nothing.” He waved his hoof in the air. ”Anyway, I'm grateful that you are keeping quiet here in the back.”

”Well, of course. While I have never actually seen a Swamp Serpent before, I have heard of them. They're suppose to be quiet terrifying aren't they?”

The blue unicorn glanced in the black cloak glanced at the green stallion with one eye underneath the hood. The pink pegasus mare was laying on her side and gave the green stallion a looks from time to time that were soft enough to be called a glare. The grey chubby-strong stallion had shifted in his seat and was now looking in the direction of the captain.

”Yeah, I heard they have a huge pipe as their mouth and that they suck out your internal organs with it,” he said.

The green pegasuss stallion lowered his wing in the air.

”Ssshhh, please.”

The grey stallion closed his mouth in an instant.

”Aight, sorry.”

The green stallion gave him a nod that stopped in the lowest position while closing his eyes.

”You have heard correctly though.” The green older stallion smacked his lip as he shook his head.

The pink mare suddenly gave the green stallion all her atttention but she looked at him sideways while giving him a scrutinzing glare. The grey stallion nodded while inhaling and outhaling. The stallion in the black claok twirled around so fast that his hood fell off him revealing two wide purple eyes. The brown stallion only nodded and scratched his chin.

The green stallion turned to the side and revealed the back of one of his fron legs. Near the body where the limb was attached, where there was suppose to be a muscle, a crater in the flesh in the flesh was with only a few muscle fibers left around it.

The pink mare pulled back and put a hoof to her mouth as she stared at the wound. The grey stallion clenched his teeth while breathing through them. The blue stallion panted as his whole body jerked. The brown older stallion got a pitying look and nodded.

”This was back when I was about your age,” the green stallion gestured towards the blue stallion how looked a bit paler than before. ”In fact, it was not an adult either. Fortunetly. Otherwise, I wouldn't be standing here today.” He chewed on his pipe.

The pink mare seemed to realized that she was holding her hoof up to her mouth so she removed it and began to look away with an annoyed look on her face.

”I had a similar experince with a Tombrose once,” the brown stallion said as he leaned back to reveal his bely more.

The green stallion nodded with closed eyes.

The brown stallion brought his hooves to his stomach and then pushed them against his fur before parting them. The fur were pushed to each side and uncovering patch of just skin with a few areas of it being deeper into the flesh.

The captain looked surprised, the other two stallion leaned forward to see what he was showing, and the pink mare leaned on his shoulder with her hooves as she peeked over to see.

She gasped when she saw the wound and her eyes got wide.

”It had captured one of my comrades in its mouth and was melting him. I cut its flower cacoon open and winded up getting some acid spill upon me,” he said with somber and distant eyes.

”Did you manage to save him?” asked the cpatain.

”Yes, he survived but he lived the rest of his days as a... walking corpse. One of his hooves had melted away completely. Only because of the healing magic of private and now captain Needle were he able to survive that. But it was all very cruesome. I can still remember vividly how his brunt body looked like after he fell out of the dead Tombrose.” The brown stallion let the surrounding fur of the patch fall back and cover his large scar.

”You never told me about this?” said the pink mare while pouting at him.

The brown stallion chuckled.

”It never crossed my mind. The wound has healed and it was long ago. I never thought that it was important,” he said while smiling. ”But your concern is heartwarming, Featherfly.”

A shade of pink appeared on her cheeks but she stilll looked a bit crossed about it.

”Well, next time just tell me even if you think it's not important. I like to help you, you know,” she said before she sunk back onto her haunches.

”I see, however, I have had no need for any help with this so you need not worry.” He look back at her.

”Well,” -She looked to the side.- ”you should let me worry a little bit about you,” she mumbled.

The brown stallion snorted and shook his head before he turned back to the green stallion who had smiled fonddly at them during their exchange.

”Well.” His smile on his face fell and he got a more somber expression on his face instead. ”I suppose that you in the Vangaurd deals a lot with Tombroses, huh?”

”Yes.” The brown stallion's smile also faltered. ”I have fought many in my lifetime as part of the Vangaurd. How about you? Have you ever seen one?”

”Not until recently, with that blasted Tartarus gate opening up outside of Flottsam harbour. Now I see them everytime I come home visiting the family. Dead ones of course. I am not daft enough to traverse outside the wall.”

”Yes, that's advisable,” the brown stallion said.

There was a bit of silence as the green stallion looked off onto the many croaked roots that could be seen along the edges of the swamp river.

He clicked his tongue and scratch the back of his green neck.

Anonymous
OjnA7
?
No.262570
262571
>>262569

”I hope you don't take this te wrong way but.” He sighed briefly. ”I would never have done this if that letter I got wasn't from the princess. You see, we don't normally take this route because it is inhabited by Swamp Serpents even if it is a quicker route.” He noticed how they were looking at him questiongly. ”What I'm trying to say is that, I know that you must take this route to get to Flottsam before the siege begin, I have just a hard time seening how four ponies can make difference,” he said.

”Well, yes. I can see what you mean. I'm grateful that you did take us in the end. For the matter of what we can do, well... I have killed numerous monsters from Tartarus myself and the experince I have from my years in the oders can be of help to others on the battlefield,” the brown stallion said while making a circular motion with his hoof.

The green stallion nodded.

”I can get that. It's the same here on the boat. I still have to show my colts what to do sometimes. So having someone expericne like yourself-” He gestured towards the brown stallion. ”-is probably to everyone's benefit. But I mean aren't there are vanguard veterans there laready?”

”Yes, you are right. We are going to meet up with them before the fight to discuss our strategy for the comming battle. But,” he continued before he could be interupted. ”Celestia might have bit too romanticised view of us and our capabilites due to past events only she is old enough to remember. However, my team is a strong one. I took extra care picking these. Well, at least two of them.”

The brown stallion gestured towards the pink mare behind him.

”This is Featherfly. She has been with me since she was a filly. I have trained her ever since,” the brown stallion said.

Featherfly looked up and gave the captain a forced smile befroe resuming to look elsewhere.

The green captain gave her a nod.

”This-” The brown stallion gestured towards the grey stallion besides him. ”-is Sir Anvil. I found him in a village called ponyville last year. When I saw him win a tug-o-war against two other stallions by himself, I knew I had to rrecruit him.”

The grey stallion nodded approvingly.

”Yes, at times I which that I didn't take that bet or won that tug-o-war if I knew it would result in me becoming part of the vangaurd,” he said before he end with one of his eyes.

The green stallion grinned and the brown stallion, however, looked more serious.

”Yes, I'm sorry about that. But Equestria if not the world needs ponies like you to fight against the Tartarus hordes. Iwoouldn't have if I-”

”Look. It's fine.” He shook his head chuckling a bit. ”I have already told you that I have forgiven you and besides if I didn't fight to protect my wife and son, what kind of stallion would I be?”

”Exactly, a stallion got to do what he has to.” The green stallion grinned approvingly at Anvil.

The brown stallion still looked a bit worried.

”Well, regardless. I took now pleasure in seperating you from your family and home, Anvil. I want-”

”Argh.” The grey stallion looked annoyed for a second before his face soften. ”You're worrying too much Dune Can. This is what has to be done and it is a worthy cause to be part of afterall. I'll just make sure to come back home in one piece. And how knows, my wife might finally start to appriciate me if she has to wait for me a while.” He blinked.

The green stallion chuckled throatly but still managed to remeber to restrain himself not to let it sound to loud. The Dune Can had a small smile on his lips as he shook his head.

”Right.” The green stallion was struck by realistion. ”Where are my manners? My name is Captain-” He tilted the tip of his hat with hoof. ”-Plank Walk.” I was considering about keelhaul there fore moment, which should I have gone with?

”I haven't presented myself either,” said the blue stallion. As their gazes fell on him, he pulled back a bit. ”Well, uhh. I'm Starfeller.”

”Pleasure to meet you, Starfeller,” said Plank Walk.

”Thanks.” After a short pause. ”The same.”

The greeen stallion looked at his cloak for a while before he said, ”You know. I have always been wondering why some of you mages wear either plain cloaks in on color or unique cloaks, such as youself.”

”Oh. That is how the ranking works within the mage guild. The mono-colored robes you see are apprentice robes, unicorns who have yet to graduate, while the tailor made ones are for those who have,” Starfeller answered.

”Oh, so you have graduated?” asked the captain.

”Mm-mm.” Starfeller nodded.

”I was there when it happend. I had heard about there being several unicorns graduating at the same time so I took a detour to see if there were anyone intresting that I could recruit. It turns out there was and I'm glad I did as I did.” He nodded towards Starfeller which eyes were downcast yet he nodded back. ”You should have seen his magic prowers. It was a sight to behold.”

”Hmpf,” Featherfly let out as she looked away, a bit crossed. Nopony seemed to have heard her though, with the excpetion of Anvil who smirked at her.

Starfeller had an empty look on his face as he stared into the floor.

Plank gave Starfeller a sideways glance before he smiled again.

”So how do they decide upon them designs for them robes?” Plank asked. ”I guess since yours is new that is why it looks so nice. I saw a mare with a dark blue one with wips of clouds along it and stuff in Flottsam when I was there last. Ya, know why they made yours with lightning bolts?”

Anonymous
OjnA7
?
No.262571
262572
>>262570

Starfeller had pulled up his head in a swoop during Plank's talk.

”Really? About that before, that mare in robes in Flottsam, was she a yellow mare with a green mane?” he asked.

”Yes, indeed. You know her?”

”Yes, uhh... She used to be my master. Her name is Downpour. In the mage guild, after one has finished the elementary courses one is paired up with a master. And she used to be mine.” Starfeller bit his underlips as he looked at the faric of his cloak.

Featherfly looked at him with wide eyes. He didn't notice this.

Starfeller rubbed the fabric betweeen his hooves.

”Anyway. You see-” He flipped the fabric of his back so it revealed the side of his flank. You're already making the joke, aren't you? On his flank was a white lightningbolt that took two sharp turns in direction before ending. ”-it depends on your cutie mark.”

Plank nodded.

”I don't know if you know, since you're and earth pony, but-” Began Starrfeller again.

”But a unicorn's special talent is connected with the magic he can use,” finished Dune Can. Starfeller gave him a surprised look. ”Yes, from my years working side by side with Needle, you pick up a few things about what unicorns can and cannot do.”

”Mm-mm, exactly. There are some spells that all unicorns can doe with ease, such as a leviation of small things.” Starfeller's horn began to glow blue and the hem of his cloak was lifted up and dropped back over his back again. ”But some more advanced spells, is harder for a unicorn without special talent in it to manage, they can with a lot of work but in the end it is futile in comparision to somepony who is proficient with that type of spell or spell category.”

”So you're talented in lighting magic, I take it?” Plank said.

”Yes, and my talent is depending, on who you ask verstile or narrow. My master has a talent for a broader spectrum of air related magic. That is how it works. Some unicorns, called Astromages, have proficiency in all types of magic. They're called astromages because their cutie marks are always related to something in space,”

”Well, okay then,” said Anvil as he had a grin on his face. ”It is good to know that ah can read your unicorns' marks to see what magic you can. So next time a unicorns offers to cure baldness with magic, ah can tell if he is trying to swindel me or not.”

Plank, Anvil, and Dune Can laughed but the captain quickly put a feather to his lips and began to shush them.

The other two looked at him surprized in the begining before realiztion hit and they quickly shut up.

”Sorry,” Plank said.

”No no no. You're right. We should be more careful,” said Dune Can.

Anvil nodded. Starfeller returned to looking out at the lanscape they passed by.

They were silent for a moment before Starfeller broke the silence.

”What's that?” Starfeller asked as he pointed out into the waters.

Plank looked in the direction he was pointing and gasped.

”Oh no,” he whispered.

On the bottom near the otherside of the river was a pile of purple gleaming black cylinders with eretic black hairs sticking out from them.

The cylinders suddenly parted and each shot out, out of sight.

Plank looked over at the crewstallions from before, who again stood next to each other talking.

”You idiots! You're suppose to be on the look out,” Plank shouted at them and they turned around towards him with scared expressions. ”Get off the edges We're under attack!”

”From what? A Swamp Serpent?” asked Dune Can.

”Yes, an adult one from th- Watch out!”

Dune Can threw his front hoof around Featherfly's body and then rolled forward.

A loud crack of wood was heard and when Dune Can looked behind him he could see a hole in the deck just infornt of the box he had been sitting on before and red pipe, kind of like needle the size of a spear, lodge in this hole.

The spear's other end was attached to one of the Swamp Serpent who consisted of many black cylinders with ertic hairs on and it attached itself to the head cylinder by surrounding one of itsends like a con of hard boney matter. Purple fins were attached to the cylinders within intervals; each cylinder had three pairs of black legs under them, making it kind of looking like a centiped; and on top of each cylinder was a pair of red bulbs.

Dune Can was back on his hooves, he lunged forward, twisted around, and then bucked the swamp Serpent's head in the side. The serpent pulled to the side, pulling out its spear out the floor of the ship in the process, but then end up coming close to where Anvil stood. He reared up and smacked it twice with his front hooves as he let his weight carry him to the floor again.

The sea serpent sunk back int othe water again. Fortunetly the ship had more than one floor so water was not starting to flood the boat due to it.

Featherfly flew forward and grabbed her bag of rocks and her slingshot. As she passed Starfeller, who had frozen on the spot, she whispered in to his ears, ”Don't wet yourself.” As he turned towards her in shock, she flew up into the air backwards while stretching out her tongue towards him. His eyes immediately became dark which was a look that she mirror the instant he got it. He turned away and moved from the edge of the ship. Pah! Mares, AmIriteguys?

Anvil was trying to put on his armor when Dune Can stoppd him.

”Don't waste time! And besides, if you fall off board, you don't want that on you,” Dune Can.

”Right,” Anvil said and dropped them back onto the floor.

”Hey, you!” shouted Plank at the two earth ponies. ” I got a barrel of boulders over hear. Have any of you ever bucked a boulder before?”

The two of them rushed towards the middle of the ship after the green pegasus, joining up with the rest of the crew around the barrel.
Anonymous
OjnA7
?
No.262572
>>262571

From the air, Featherfly could see the silhouette of the Swamp Serpent snake under the hull of the ship.

”Featherfly, we need you to be our-” began Dune Can.

”It's following us but I don't think it's doing anything yet,” Featherfly said.

She hanged the bag with rock around her neck by the rope loop that was attached to it, opened the bag, and then started to load her slingshot.

As she did this, she noticed that Starfeller had yet to join the others at the middle of the ship. He walked slowly towards them as small jolts of lightning jump from the tip of his horn onto a button on the ring at the base of his horn before another jolt of lightning jumped to the next button. This small electrical charges seemed to circle around the horn in increased speed and get thicker as well.

”Hey, you! If you don't wanna die, get to the others so they can protect your weak ass,” she shouted at him as she held both her hooves around he mouth to do so.

Starfeller didn't look up nor did he increase his pace.

”I can't. I'm focusing on my spell,” he answered her back.

”Well, then. Don't blame me if you get killed.”

”Featherfly, focus. What is the Swamp Serpent doing?” Dune Can shouted up to her while he and the others picked up boulders from the barrel.

Featherfly looked down.

”Its spinning or spiraling rather,” she shouted back.

”Which way is it spining?” asked Plank.

”To the left.”

”Then it will jump up on starboard's side. We should-”

Water splashed onto deck as the serpent jumped arcoss it with its head. Its body came to drag itself across board between Starfeller and the rest. It had wrapped its body once around the ship

Anvil moved first and grabbed hold of a big boulder between his hooves tossed it at the body. Upon impact, almost the entire cylinder the boulder hit was squashed, blood splattered around them, and wierd purple gas came out ffrom the ends of the adjecent cylinders.

Featherfly began to fire away wit hher sharp rocks which destoryed many of te creatures red bulbs and dug deep into its flesh.

The two adjecent cylinders to the piece that Anvil had broken dislocated themselves from the the broken piece and then dragged them and the rest of the piece they were attach to to each other before attaching themselves to each other, as if the broken piece had never been part of the serpent.

”What the fuck?!” Anvil shouted.

”You didn't know?” asked captain Plank.

Suddenly the ponies on the ship had to take a step to the side to get back their balance as the floor was tilted.

”It is trying to bring the ship down with it,” said the captain Plank. ”Hold on to something!”

They were all jerked towards the otherside as the ship tilted back with momentum.

As the ship began to rock, Featherfly was shooting frock afterrock into the beast, while the other ponies who couldn't fly had manged to grab something to hold onto with the exception of Starfeller who was rolling across the floor with each tilt of the boat.

A thick beam of lightning was now spining around his horn connected to the tip and to the buttons on the ring.

A nasty jerk of the ship had him flying and in the next moment he was smashed off the ship by the suddenly rising deck on the portside.

The air from his lungs escaped him but his spell did not discharge though. As he flew above the surface of the water he could see the large fin on the end of the serpent's tail.

He sweeped his head downwards and a loud crackle was heard as a pillar of light hit the waters. Jolts of electricity began to jump around on the surface and around the body of the serpent for a second.

Bubbles concealed him as he pierced the surface. He was sinking and he gasped for air but instead water filled his lungs. He was exhausted but he tried to dogpaddle to the surface.

He wasn't sure if he would make it or not but when he had only a bit more to go, a pink pegasus mare dove down. She grabbed hold of his shoulder and pulled him towards the surface.

He gaped wide as he inhaled and exhale large amounts of air. He still held onto the mare's shoulder unti lhe had gathered himself.

”Ow!” they both shouted as ajolt of electicity jumped from his horn onto him.

”What're you doing?” the mare narrowed her eyes at him.

”It's the aftermath of the spell I did. Usually my ring picks up the small discharges after a loded lightningstrike like that one but now that I'm all wet, it's- Ow!” Another strand of electicity danced over their bodies.

”Thanks anyway. If you hadn't come, I probably would have drowned there,” said Starfeller.

She continued to swim towards the ship for a bit before twirling around to face him. Their eyes meet.

”Don't mention it. Afterall, did the same thing, didn't you?” she said.

”Well, not really. All I did was act in self-preservation. If that saved anyone, then that's good but I can't take any cred for that.”

Featherfly tilted her head forward as she seem to be elsewhere while she swimmed. Then she nodded to herself.

”Sorry about earlier,” she mumbled. ”You seem alright.” She glanced at him.

He stifled a giggled and smiled at her.

A bit of pink appear on her cheeks before she turned towards the hull of the ship they had arrived at.

”Hello!” she up towards the ponies onboard. ”A litttle bit help here!”

They get them back on deck by using the lifebouy and some rope drag them up. The swamp serpent then goes into its second form which is splitting intojust those cylindrical pieces. It does this to get off the ship quicker since it is afraid of getting hit by another lightning strke. And that is where it should have enede but I can't do anymore right now.

>>262568
Ah, the subject was suppose to be sliding by not the name but who really cares?

Anonymous
IV2iQ
?
No.262576
>>262568
Interesting.

;