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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>>109107In Silver's verbal Irony, Blue Skies finds herself in a position where, while not expecting or hoping for sincere jealousy, finds herself disappointed to confirm its absence
"So why are you here?"
>>109105And thus, he does so
>>109108He scans the area from the door, hoping to find an old stallion drowning their anything.
>>109108Silver orders a whiskey from Glass for himself, and one for Blue. His confusion about why she's disappointed is slightly apparent. "I finished that job you gave me. Came here looking for drink, since most shops are now closed." He looks again at Dark Star. "I can barely recognize him."
>>109110>His confusion about why she's disappointed is slightly apparentThis sinks into her for a moment as she sits in silence
"So you did...." Another moment
"He thinks it will help him infiltrate"
>>109111Silver might not know exactly why she would be upset at a lack of jealousy, but that doesn't mean he won't try to comfort her. He throws a foreleg around her in a hug.
>>109109And now, he can see, of all ponies, Silver. Also the bitchy blue pony that Star was dating
>>109112The hair is finer than before, carefully washed and set, and with a venir of softness. Her emotional state is not changed
[1d20+3 = 12]>>109116Sense Motive:
Why is she upset that I am not jealous of her? He strokes her soft hair while that question stews in his mind, and as he looks at Blue's silent form for answers.
>>109114Iron glances to the sides, clearly troubled.
(Oh no. Not
her. The last thing I want is her to blackmail me with this information.)
He looks at Silver.
(But Silver could help out. He is old, so perhaps he suffered something similar to my predicament.)
After mulling it over, he inhales deeply and sighing before taking the leap.
(I am
not going to cower. You can do this, Iron. Come on!)
He straightens his postures, keeps his head high and walks over to the two ponies present, sitting
>>109115It's a roundabout way of trying to confirm how strong you feel for her.Silver can hear heavy hoofsteps to the side, seeing Iron sit at the side available at a respectable distance.
He says nothing for now.
>>109117Jealousy is a crude proxy for love, and Skies wants to be the mare everypony chases.
Especially because of their history
\r
>>109119So, she thinks... "Ohhhhhhhh." Silver very audibly understands. He's...not entirely sure how to correct that assumption Blue has in her mind, with the present company. He just hopes she can understand that the lack of jealousy isn't directed at where she might think it is.
>>109119Silver glances over at Iron. "Oh, hello Iron. Good to see you are still alive. Give me minute, here."
>>109120Iron nods, not too preoccupied with the mare he currently is consoling.
(I thought that was Star's job.)
>>109126Iron's a pro at it. He threw spaghetti at Cauldron and ran like a squid trying to escape a predator
>>109125I don't know. Maybe I misread Silver's dialogue
>>109128You're not wrong. He's a fighter, not a talker.
If confessions were done with wrestling, he would've nailed it day 1.
Sorry about disappearing, what'd I miss?
>>109131Not much. I healed Brie and now I'm trying to solve how to wake the colt up.
>>109132Onyx slowly walks over towards the colt, looking at him with what seems to be compassion
"Damned bugs, I don't know why the princesses haven't just given the order to kill them all."
>>109130Eh, just ignore it. It's been a trait of her thus far that virtually any line said to her that can be taken as an insult, is taken as an insult. Let's move on
>>109129>implying wrestling and nailing were not viable options>>109131Um... what
>>109132 said
Spark made a 20 on a heal roll for Onyx and a 19 for Brie
>>109133His eyes are open, and he looks strangely petrified
>>109134This doesn't feel right just leaving her like that. Dammit.>>109121Silver turns to Iron. "...anyways...where have you been? Nopony has seen you all day."
>>109134What?
I am going to take that to heart, mister. Any consequences for it are now your responsibility!
>>109135Iron's ears perk up, looking at the possibly wise Silver.
"I have been... around."
(He does not need to know that yet.)
"What about you?"
>>109134Onyx tries waving the bottle of vodka around under Ruby's snoot, hoping that the smell will snap the colt out of it.
>>109136And yet, Iron will suffer them
>>109137It does not wake him
>>109136"I blew up many undead, fed giant bird, and now have some Bits to my name, to name just few things."
>>109139Forgot to add: Silver manages to say all these with a straight face.
>>109138He tries dripping some in the colt's mouth
"This has worked before..."
>>109140>>109139Iron nods approvingly.
"So you actually went back there and cleared it all out. Color me impressed. Did you hacked and slashed everything with your trusty sword?"
(Succees detected. Confidence rating increasing,)
>>109142"Little bit. I used rifle and SMG to avoid getting mauled to death in most cases, though there was one undead I used my sword on." He grabs the whiskey he ordered from Glass. "You want drink? It is on me."
>>109141Some response. Coughing, almost gagging
>>109143Remembering how Onyx got paralyzed by one of the monster's bite, he can excuse it.
He looks at the glass a little apprehensively, but ultimately nods.
(It would be disrespectful to decline.)
"And you fed a 'giant bird' as you say? What was that all about?"
>>109144Onyx panics a moment before akwardly petting the colt
"Hold in there, you'll be fine. Just wake up, the bugs are gone.."
>>109146Coughing, more coughing. He might be awaking finally
>>109145"I used some bait to draw undead out of catacombs. As it turns out, it attracted more than just that. This giant falcon (I think they are named "Rocs") came for bait, and got into fight with mummy and armored ghast."
>>109148Iron blinks a bit, somewhat confused.
"That was quite lucky of you. The foes you mentioned sound rather tough. The last one sounds like if it were me but undead."
He chuckles a little bit.
>>109147"Come on little guy, you can pull through"
Onyx shakes him a bit, forgetting to be gentle, and boops the snoot.
>>109149"It almost was." Silver smiles, takes a drink, and remembers to order Iron a light beer. "Speaking of, that suit of armor you own, does it come with gauntlets which improve your unarmed strikes?"
>>109150The face scrunches up, and the eyes narrow to attention in clear offense. His mouth opens in a silent "reeeee"
>>109152"Haha! Gotcha!"
He repeats the offense, booping the snoot once again.
>>109151Iron nods.
"It does not improve them at all, in all honestly. It just covers my hoof in metal and not much else. The spiked ones I got at least punctured, but I fail to see their use compared to my raw hooves."
He ponders for a second.
"Albweit I think there is a way to do something to them that the elders once told me that I do not remember."
>>109152Just in case.He glances wearily at the offered drink.
(I hope I do not have to much to drink to.)
>>109155"I do not know what that would be. Hmm...do you think I could get some measurements of your hooves sometime, after I get some measuring tape? I have idea on something that might help you deal just little bit more damage with hooves."