Welcome back to the Latest Thread of Occupied Equestria
Onyx, Spark and Brie settle down for the night in a cabin in the woods along with a set of recently rescued ponies, saved from Changeling cocoons, as well as the changelings who sought to take them captive, who are themselves locked away as captives.
In Baltimare, Silver, Dark Star, Iron, and now Midnight Lily do their last preparations before seeking to take on a creature smuggling operation in a port-side neighborhood
2477 replies and 190 files omitted.
>>111151".... i uh,Don't have enough to cover all of it. would you take the coins. Could we set up a Tab. ..Perhaps i could work the rest off?"
>>111154“It is against office policy to sell large items on credit”
Well shit. I guess you could say he's becoming a shooting star.
Does anypony want to play tonight?
>>111168Heyo GMo.
I hope Silver is still here to blend his face with his eyes from all of that
Intense blush action >>111039>>111037The Zebra is exuberant, but also stressed
"That's... quite a lot of potions. I will see what I can do"
>>111173While Iron's face is covered in hooves and redness, he can't help but be supportive.
"I know you can do it. You are a natural at this."
Is Silver kill again?
>>111174"D'aww... Thanks"
She looks back over at the red pony
"Are you okay Iron? Are you coming down with a fever?"
>>111176Iron fumbles a bit, trying to peek his head out in an attempt of faux confidence.
"No, a little bit too hot in here."
>>111179The look Silver is giving Iron is a pretty indicator of how cute he must look right now.
>>111179"Did you eat something spicy?" She asks, still concerned
>>111180I can just see Silver's oversized eyes. I think even Skies would want to be here for this
>>111180>>111181Iron coughs, trying to regain his composure by peeking a bit further out from his hoof fort, starting the process of its dismantlement.
"Oh, no. Nothing like that. It is simply a bit more hot than usual by all the ponies around."
He coughs again.
(Aside from almost all of my thoughts being leaked by the old stallion.)
"I assume you will be back to your home soon?"
>>111183"Ah, to be young and in love again..."
>>111183"Maybe? I'm checking up on a situation"
>>111183>>111185Skies would be all over this. I wish I had made her come >>111185>>111186Iron cocks his head, breaking him from his trance of shyness to a more professional and serious demeanor.
"You mean a 'side-job' situation?"
>>111187"If that's-" her eyes dart over to Silver, standing wingding eyed off to the side, "-what you want to call it, then sure"
>>111188Iron nods.
"Alright."
He closes in on Cauldron's ear to whisper to her.
"If you need any help, I will wait outside and send off Silver."
>>111187>>111188>>111189Silver shakes off his starry-eyed appearance. "Hmm? Job?"
>>111189"Help with what? The situation?"
>>111192She has a grave look upon her face
"It's more of a... development. We may need you later"
>>111193He nods again.
"Got it."
With that, positions have been reversed back to normal, smiling.
"Alright, I will wait for you at your place when your situation checking is over."
>>111190He looks to Silver.
"We can go back now. The deal has been sealed and we will get those potions in about a day."
He proceeds to stand up.
"We should go back and tell the others."
>>111194"Not necessarily a day..."
>>111194"I suppose we will have to do with what potions we have for now."
>>111195Iron nods.
"I understand. It is quite the large order. Perfection takes some time, after all."
He smiles.
>>111197"it's not just that. The potions you are asking for are illegal, and require ingredients that are sometimes rare and in anycase hard to assemble"
>>111196He turns to Silver, a bit disheartened by Silver's gloomy mood.
"Seems like it. Do not worry, for your bits will be given back in gold. Metaphorically speaking, of course."
He pats Silver on the head, trying to cheer him up.
"Are you ready?"
>>111198Iron's brain skids to a halt, just after saying to Silver these things.
"Oh. I see the problem."
He frowns slightly.
"I think there will not be an issue. Of course, if you need help, I can assist."
>>111199Now the look on Silver's face suggests he
really hopes he'll be able to make back the Bits spent in this venture. "Yes. Oh, wait, one more thing."
>>111198Silver turns to Cauldron, keeping his voice low enough that it won't carry through the rest of the bar. "You would not happen to know anything about 33 Hoebuck, yes? Over in Redheart District?"
>>111202"We just went to Redheart last night. 33 Hoebuck... what is that near?"
>>111205On the one hand, I do want to simply go and let Cauldron have the money. On the other, I am indeed taking advantage of Silver.Darn you morality! Lemme have my satisfied Cauldron with money!Iron, feeling slightly guilty, turns around.
"Which ones would cause you the most trouble?"
>>111203"There is hostel there owned by griffon named Stormfeather Maakie, which used to be asylum and home for wayward mares before it was shut down. There is also old Northern Orthodox church nearby that has since been converted to Temple of Boreas."
>>111206"The healing potion is the simplest potion in terms of the number of ingredients and availability. You can use common household items like mint or rubbing alcohol, and boiling water is hot enough for it. Some of the ingredients can be switched out for other ingredients. And if you are found possessing it, you might get questioned for unlicensed practice of medicine, but possession and sale is not illegal per se. Invisibility is the worst. It requires ingredients like sulfur, body parts from magical beats, part of the process requires more heat than just boiling point, and getting caught with just one vial of it is a year in jail. It doesn't help that some of the sellers of the ingredients know what is going on, so you have to be discrete. Pass without a Trace I am less familiar with. I would have to consult my books"
>>111207"Oh, which church?"
>>111209Iron nods, a bit hearbroken about taking away 1800 bits out of the order to make sure the order is done at least today or tomorrow.
"What if those last ones were taken out? The Invisibility potions?"
He lands his hooves on the table softly, fighting the urge to simply wave his line of conversation off just to let her keep the money.
>>111210"Church of the Sacred Heart, I believe. Or at least that is what it used to be known." Silver tilts his head in Cauldron's direction. "You and Iron did not happen to get mugged near there, last night? Iron mentioned he almost died because of muggers."
>>111211Iron shrugs, then suddenly remembers the barred off church.
"Wait. You are actually right. We
did get mugged there."
Pass Without a Trace
>The subject or subjects can move through any type of terrain and leave neither footprints nor scent. Tracking the subjects is impossible by nonmagical means.Why would anyone use this potion except if they were trying to commit a crime and get away with it? I don't think it's necessary for hunting
>>111210"Well, the invisibility might be done tomorrow if I can find associates who already have the ingredients assembled or are selling them, or it may take longer. I can't tell you right now. As for the healing potions, I have some that are ready right now, and I could certainly produce all of them by tomorrow, provided I am not taken up by other things. The pass without a trace, as I said, I would have to consult my books for"
>>111211>>111212The Zebra's eyes go wide, and she is silent for a moment
"YES! That's it! We were mugged there last night, right next to the church! There were a pair of griffins! Iron beat them off with a stretch of rebar, and he got hurt in the process!"
>>111212>>111214This most certainly gets Silver's attention. "That sounds right. From what I know, it has substantial griffon population that is hostile to others, and has grown lawless in recent years. You would not happen to know anything about that area? Iron and I are helping friend with task to put end to trafficking of ponies, griffons, zebras, and others that is going on in that region." He looks over at Iron and pats him on the shoulder. "Look at you, protecting yourself and your marefriend, like big strong hero."
>>111214>Potion talk"Hm. Focus on producing the health potions, then the reduce person potions. After that, if you cannot find the ponies necessary for the last two sets by toworrow, simply give the appropriate money back along with the potions."
Good thing Pass without trace is cheaper than most.>MuggingHe nods, suddenly realizing those griffons would spread word of him around the neighborhood.
(Now
I may have to disguise myself. Great.)
>>111215"Yes, it's a bad neighborhood. Not even the Baltimare syndicates..." she kind of cuts herself off here
"It's very dangerous. I think there are immigrant gangs there. It was super foggy last night, but it seems pretty clear tonight, at least so far."
>Marefriend"Woah. 'hol up"
>>111216>An illegal potion being cheaper than a legal potionD'awww. It's cute that you think that
"Reduce person..." she says that slowly, then raises an eyebrow at Iron, wondering what bizarre intent he must have to want a literal half dozen of those
"I'll see what I can do"
>>111217Черт. Either lack of fog will work to our advantage, or our disadvantage... "Excuse me, I thought you two were already item from how Iron talked. I apologise if that is not case."
He catches that line she almost spoke. He gives her a questioning look. "Baltimare syndicates? So, now there are
four factions fighting for control over city?"
>>111217>>111215SILVER, YOU BIG OAF!I mean, it costs 50 GP in the SRD. Doesn't sound that hard to make at home if it costs so low tbh.
Iron nods.
"Alrigh-"
But then Silver
had to slip his tongue even further, making him frozen solid as the pats met tense muscles.
(Did he
really just say that? For Gods' sakes, I would have been better with Skies of all ponies... Actually, no. We would have had a three-way battle... Hell, even the bat was better than this.)
He slowly cranes his head, looking at Silver with disbelief, as if to say 'Are you trying to boycott me here?'
>>111217"Woah. 'hol up"
>F>>111155"If i Get the items unenchanted could i come bak later when i get the money and have them enchanted?"
>>111219In the SRD. This is not the SRD, this is my campaign. And it is only logical to think about the way in which legal restrictions on a good would affect its price
>>111218Her eyes widen, she moves back ever so slightly, and her ears fall down
"Uh... What? Something about factions?"
>>111220"Well, mostly likely, but the enchantment process itself could take some time"
Although I think I over charged Dark Star for his magical Colt revolvers.... >>111221I was kinda banking on the SRD for the money calculations. This means the potion would've cost even more, meaning Silver would have to fork up even more money. Trying to help a fellow PC out, mang. Nothing more than that.
>>111221Silver seems somewhat oblivious to her change in demeanor, or else doesn't care. "Well, you have Black Hooves, Communists, and Waterfront Gang. Unless they are just another name for one of those three, then Baltimare syndicates would make four."
>>111221Yea i only have one enchantment on eachCould i take out a loan from the blackhooves would that be possible?
>>111223She is silent
>>111224That sounds like a Skies question
Well... maybe He should be refunded a bit[/i]
>>111223>>111225Seeing his would be marefriend, he decides to help Cauldron out.
"She might have simply made a mistake, like how I calculated the value of all these potions. Cut her some slack."
>>111226Marefriend in trouble, he
>>111225>>111226"...Eh...okay?" Silver waves it off as if it was nothing. "So, anything else about 33 Hoebuck, or those immigrant gangs? You know, besides that they are made up of griffons."
>>111225"I'll buy the mundane items now. and i'll be back in a hour or 2 to get them enchanted."
>>111228“They are more diverse than that. There are all kinds of creatures there”
>>111229Under the normal rules, that wouldn’t be possible because if the amount of time it takes to enchant something >>111230"I have heard of zebras and other Severyanan ponies like myself in that region, yes. Any others you know of?"
>>111231She is silent for a moment
“Well... you may be surprised by the kinds of creatures that are out there”
>>111233"I'll be back later."
He heads towards the door
>>111233Iron nods at Cauldron's info, knowing Silver may have soured the conversation by quite a bit due to his nosiness.
>>111228He looks at Silver, exaggeratedly moving his head to the entrance.
"I think it is time to go, Silver."
>>111233>>111235The look on his face is almost a challenge. But with Iron telling him to hurry, he leaves it at that. He instead offers a hoofshake to Cauldron with a smile. "It has been pleasure, Ms. Cauldron. It looks like what Iron said about you was no exaggeration. If this potion thing works out, do you know where I might find you later for more?"
>>111236She moves out her hoof, and is in stunned silence for a moment
“Well... I am usually here if I am available at all”
>>111234“Alright. I shall see you later”
>>111237Silver nods as he shakes her hoof. "Great! If this works out, I think I will be getting potions from you from now on."
>>111238“Hehe, Thank you”
The zebra has a smile on her face as Silver shakes her hoof
>>111238>>111237This exchange softens his small frown by a bit.
"Alright, let us go."
He walks off with Silver next to him to outside the tavern, taking this time to whisper to him.
"Next time, do not start interrogations with my partner as the target. Stick to buying potions."
>>111240Silver looks at him very oddly. "I would not exactly call it interrogation."
>>111241Iron deadpans at him, frown apparent on his face.
"I do not care for technicalities. Do
not do it again."
>>111242He lets out a sigh in response. "My friend, I have been in this world for 68 years, and in that time I have found that information, any information, is vital, especially if you are in area you barely know. I did not mean anything negative in my line of questioning, I simply discovered that she knew things which I did not which could not only make this job that much easier, but my own life in Baltimare easier.
"But, fine, if you do not want me asking Cauldron questions from now on, then so be it."
>>111243Iron simply shakes his head at this bad guilt trip attempt.
"You are a stranger to her, so do
not pry into things she does not want to share with you. If you really wanted to know, you could have asked me to ask her and waited for my response later."
As they both go outside, he points his head towards the general direction of the other bar the winged group is probably at.
"Now go back. I want to talk with Cauldron for a bit longer."
>>111246The horned pony sees a few faults in that logic, but it's not like he has much better to do than head back, so he does so.
>>111247Iron exhales through his nostrils strongly.
(Nosy pony. He could have blown my cover and tarnish her trust on me.)
>>111239With a hearty sigh, he reenters the tavern to begin a more open conversation with Cauldron.
>>111239Once Silver arrives back at the Tavern, he seeks out Skies. "You know, more time I spend with Iron, more I come to understand why you two come to blows all time."
>>111249She is already looking at Iron as he returns, with a morbid curiosity at the evident argument that took place some feet over, and her mouth still hangs partly open in strange wonder as to what is going on. She says nothing for the instant moment, and waits for Iron to speak
>>111250Her plain expression assumes a partially triumphant grin, and she watches Silver enter in silent revelry of the information Silver gave her. When he comes next to her, she asks
"Did you get your potions?"
\r
>>111251Iron sits back down again, rubbing his temples.
"Good grief. Sorry about that, he can be a bit nosy sometimes."
He looks a little concerned.
"Are you alright?"
>>111253She nods silently
"Who was he, and what did he want?"
>>111252"No, sadly. Due to difficulty of order they will be ready tomorrow. It will not with tonight, I know, but it is better than nothing." Silver sits down in a nearby chair. "It turns out Iron and Cauldron were almost mugged right in front of 33 Hoebuck last night, but I was unable to properly ask her questions about it before Iron got upset and forced us out early."
>>111255"It figures. Are we up for tonight or no?"
>>111256"Once Dark Star and Iron return? I do not see why not."
>>111254"Silver Sword. An old somewhat retired unicorn mercenary. He mainly wanted the potions for an upcoming mission at the place we got mugged. That is why he was being nosy when he realized this."
He inhales.
"Lives at the other tavern you showed me after the first one got searched by the cops. You can probably find him around there hanging out with another Earth Pony and a Pegasus named Dark Star and Blue Skies respectively. A lonely pony, follows harmonic values, uses a longsword and a rifle from what I can see."
>>111258“Oh... so he wouldn’t report us to the police, would he? Or would he?”
>>111257Fucking hell I need to force myself to complete part 5. I write a sentence, stated at the use of the passive voice in the sentence, then tried to rearrange the sentence for several minutes before giving up >>111259Iron shakes his head.
"No, he needs the potions. I was not expecting him to start pressing you for answers, though."
>>111260Oh whoops. Forgot it was a greatsword. Chalk it up to Iron being a native. >>111261“That’s alright.... I’ve never received an order like that before. I’ll see if I can manage it”
>>111263Iron nods and lightly hugs Cauldron to reassure her.
"I know you can manage."
>>111264"Well, I will try. I hope I am able to tomorrow"
>>111265Iron smiles, letting her go, but his coat remains next to hers, touching.
(Ah~ I needed that.)
He
is a bit interested in that fourth faction she didn't want to say, as well as the unknown species.
Can I ask Cauldron about it, or is it not defined yet? >>111266She moves away slightly to orient herself more so she faces Iron
"And let's hope the situation does not deteriorate"
>>111267His dreamy gaze is dispelled as he is reminded of the situation.
(Wait a minute. I should ask about this situation to see if it is linked with the mission.)
"Before I leave, what situation are we dealing with?"
>>111268*are we going to deal with?"
>>111268"Seems to be the penetration of new gangs, from Manehattan"
>>111270Iron turns grim.
"Oh, the remnants of them are coming here after that law they passed. I assume they are discussing what territories should be given between the gangs?"
>>111271"
Discussing giving up territories?"
She tilts her head, partly closes her right eye with a raised cheek, and generally looks at Iron with severe confusion
>>111272Iron shrugs.
"I was assuming they did not have power to try and take over, since they were practically expelled without much warning."
He wraps a foreleg around Cauldron, determined.
"In any case, I will come help whenever you need me. Simply say the word and I will come running."
He smiles confidently.
"We are the unbeatable duo, after all."
>>111273Cauldron seems a little less certain, as her tail twists back down, and a little around her left leg. She tilts her head upwards a little
"Well... we'll see how things go. I imagine you have something planned for tonight - an tomorrow - with your male... friends? there"
>>111274Iron nods, removing himself from her, a tiny blush on his face.
"Yes. When it is over, I will meet you up at your place. Sounds good?"
>>111276"Alright. Do you even have a place to stay?"
>>111277Iron smiles sheepishly.
"I can... always sleep on the ground?"