This week, in "Occupied Equestria":
Wondering through through the Changeling lands at night on the road between Bales and Whinnyapolis, Onyx, Brie, and Spark have stumbled upon a set of farm ponies trying to hide their cattle in the forest, away from their changeling occupiers. While rescuing a cow, Onyx and Brie have taken heavy damage, and so they followed them to the cabin of a local woodspony. But they found the woodspony and a farmer replaced by changelings, and after a skirmish are alone and wounded in the cabin in the woods.
Over in Baltimare, Dark Star has decided to give up his life as Dark Star, the Earth Pony farm colt, to become Tyrel Jackson, or "Gold Chains," a zebra and aspiring rap artist. Through the magic of Valmorification, it is possible. Iron is freaking out after possibly having received a message from God herself. That, and his usual social awkwardness. Silver is cashing out on a long standing set of projects, and is readying himself for the next phase
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>>110510He shakes his head.
"More like a... guard, but not affiliated with the city."
>>110512"For..."
He sighs.
"...remember how you mentioned the docks job was in conjunction with the gang here?"
(Will she get the hint?)
>>110513"You mean she is member of gang you are member of?"
>>110514"I would not say I am part of it, but yes."
Iron glances at Skies.
"I was partnered with her for my first job."
>>110515Silver looks a little dumbfounded. "
That was what had you worried?"
>>110515Skies has a look something to the effect of
it fucking figures >>110516Iron looks a bit surprised.
"...yes?"
>>110518"I suppose I should ask: what exactly does she do for gang?"
>>110517Iron can't help but get a bit nervous over her expression.
>>110519"I said she was a grunt."
>>110521"Guard stuff and following orders. Basically she is at the bottom of the hierarchy."
Iron is getting a bit suspicious over Silver's questioning.
>>110522Silver nods. "Okay then. If we are willing to give you chance even if you are member of gang, then why would we not give her chance?"
>>110523I expected Skies to be asking this, honestly. I guess she seems to be happy for him.
Or she still believes he's lying.>>110524Iron blinks.
"I did a one time thing with them. She is a little more compromised into doing her 'job' from circumstances."
>>110523I'm back. Last I remember, I was trying to communicate to changelings.
>>110525Now he shakes his head. "Same difference. It is obvious you like her, and I doubt you would if she was member of gang out of malevolent reasons. I am only disappointed that you did not trust us enough to simply tell us truth."
>>110525>>110526The two changelings look at him puzzled, then look st each other. Finally, Blue Eyes responds
With a hole ridden leg places to his wounded torso, he says
“Sieben Uhr einunddreißig”
Then, Blue Green speaks up,
“Fünf Zweiundneunzig”
Then they speak together, slightly delayed and over each other, but nearly simultaneously
“Von Apis und Nackter Fang“
>>110527She shakes her head in a statement that she does not agree with Silver, but otherwise says nothing
>>110528>>110527Iron deadpans at Silver.
"I do not know about you and the other two, but my relationship between you three is not as strong as you think it is, specially with Skies."
He glances at the pegasus pony.
"Am I wrong?"
I am quite surprised. Mayhaps she'll accept Cauldron's services.Hopefully her loyalty to the gang is waning due to the stress of being caged and losing the progress she had. >>110529Skies nods, looking strangely pleased at this statement, and this is the first time she has looked pleased in a while in the conversation
>>110529Silver gives him a dead serious look. "You have said it yourself: you have not made serious attempt to make it so. Dark Star and I have been trying our hardest to get to know you and make attempt to befriend you, even if you yourself appear to not show much of interest in reciprocating. And I imagine even Blue Skies would agree that you two
not getting into petty, foalish fights every time you are in same room would be better than not."
>>110528"Umm... that's a lot of words... and pretty hard to say too..."
Spark thinks for a moment.
"How about you are Seb and Fun Von Fang? Those are good names."
Spark smiles.
>>110532They look a little unsure. Then again, it’s a captive audience, so Spark can do what he wants
>>110530He, understandably, is a bit surprised, but Silver's retort seems to put him off a little.
>>110531Iron seems to be slightly disturbed.
"Forced friendships are not good for anypony, Silver. A pony needs time and experiences with eachother form such a thing. It is not going to magically be established by some speech about the importance of it or trust or anything."
He inhales.
"Sometimes, it is important to be cautious on who to be friends with, no matter how trustworthy they seem."
>>110535The look on Silver's face suggests some criticism he would make, if he were not intimately familar with how such endeavors are futile. Instead, he remains silent.
>>110534Spark knows it isn't the best idea, but he figures it is one of the only ways he can progress the conversion with laguage barrier.
"Spark."
He points to himself.
"Seb, Fun."
He points to them.
"Friends."
He holds a hoof out to them.
>>110535Skies giggles, then says darkly
“Forced Friendships not good for anyone? Hehehe. Ground Pony,
do you know where you are? You are in Equestria. Not your mother’s cooch, not some empty forest, and not the griffin lands.
Equestria. A land where Friendship is so central to society’s conception of its own welfare they appointed a new Czar just to personally intervene into pony’s lives to make sure they had friendship whether they like it or not. Friendship is non-negotiable.”
>>110536Onyx can go interact with them if he likes
>>110538Skies gives a stare
No. Make the losing attack. Did when you attack, you slowly grind down their will to resist>>110539They recoil for a moment. After they realize that Spark is not going to stab them, Blue-Green Fun gets his snout closer to it, and starts sniffing, before pulling away. Then Blue Eyes Seb comes closer, and starts to sniff the hoof
>>110541>Like tooHe would like to leave, but he guessed he can see what's going on.
He gets up and walks into the room.
"How goes it Spark?"
>>110538>>110540Iron can't help but chuckle at how melodramatic Skies is being due to his statements.
"I admit I do not, but from my first experiences it does not sound like what you have described it."
He chuckles some more.
"I did not even hear two ponies doing a big musical number outside."
>>110543“Did you think it would be your
last experience?”
She comes closer to him, and whispers carefully yet menacingly into his ear
”Not even in death, does the ride end”>>110539Onyx comes towards the room, and asks “how’s it going, Spark?”
>>110542 >>110541Why are they always so cute?
>>110542He sees changelings curious about Spark's hoof.
"Ok. How are the ponies?"
>>110541>>110543It doesn't seem like Silver wants to get into an argument about friendship, of all things.
>>110545"Alive, no thanks to them"
He gestures at the bugs.
"Any progress so far?"
>>110547"The bat didn't feel like translating, so I am trying to comuncate the best I can."
>>110547>>110545The insectoid creatures move back a couple steps. They seem to be afraid of Onyx, even with his dulled coat and alcohol smell
>>110544Iron openly laughs after she does this.
"I suppose it never will be. You are the one who lived here longer, so I will not question it."
He decides to go for a big ol' hug on Skies since she took the liberty of getting so close to him preaching about her friendship.
"Alright, alright. I will give you a nice big scoop of friendship for you, since it seems so vital to you, boss."
>>110546Skies shakes her head
“Friendship isn’t always easy. But it is always worth fighting for”
>>110550Oh fuck
Poner is surprise hugged, with more than a little surprise in her expression
She is soft, with varied bone, muscle and feather underneath, and an overly smooth coat and silky mane. She smells like coconut and passion fruit
>>110549Awwwww.
Spark remains there with his hoof out.
"It's ok."
>>110551While true, it doesn't appear to change much about his decision or demeanor.
>>110549Onyx grunts at the bugs
>>110548"Of course he didn't, drag us out here then don't work. Anything I can do?"
>>110551He holds pose for a bit, letting Skies get accostumed to being hugged by the mean stallion after her threat.
"You seem surprised, boss. You were not expecting suddenly getting hugged, were you?"
He chuckles some more.
"But I am staying here for a long time so I might as well get used to expressing affection like this with everypony, since it is the law of the land here and all."
>>110554"Just make sure they don't escape. I might have to feed them later and that will leave me down and you to keep them from the others."
>>110556Onyx looks shocked at Sparks idea
"No, they'll feed off of me. Not you."
>>110553Though still in an Iron grip, skies starts laughing
“Pffft! Fuck Friendship. I
still haven’t figured out why Equestrians value it over more practical things like flying”
>>110555Ever had one of those moment where you just think to yourself “fuck... I actually didn’t have any kind of contingency plan for this eventuality... I was really not expecting it to happen, now I’m kind of just stuck in it”? Because Blue Skies is having one of those moments right now.
Her body feels as if it were made to be like a pillow, or a child’s teddy bear. There is something strangely huggable about her
>>110554>>110552The changelings move away a little fearfully at the grunt, but then creep closer to the extended hoof, leveling and stretching their snouts out until they almost make contact with the foreleg, slightly sniffing it
>>110557The shimmer off of Onyx’s coat is in the belly of the Blue-Green eyed drone Spark has named “Fun”
>>110558The attempt only gets a sad, tired sigh out of the pony.
>>110557"In case you haven't noticed, you are the strong one here. If you go down, they can waltz over me. Besides, I have a soft spot for them, so they will hopefully get a better fill off of me and not kill me in the process. I hope at least."
>>110558Spark remains calm.
>>110560"Fine, but I don't like this plan."
>>110558Onyx glares at that particular bug
>>110559>>110558Iron chuckles some more at her unresponsive nature, huggling some more.
But then he hears Skies' nasty comment, eliciting a big tsk tsk from him.
"Now now, Skies. That is not friendly to do. You are hurting Silver's feelings."
He does a little squeeze on her, just to feel some more of the softness as well as makeshift friendship torture for her transgression.
"Say sorry to Silver, Skies."
He grins some more.
"Or was your speech about friendship being important in Equestria all false?"