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>>122330He turns, and narrows his blue eyes at Spark
"What do you want?"
>>122329Ruby's rather long brown mane comes down from his part, covering his face, as Onyx sees a smile underneath the mess of hair.
The grey pegasus Ruby has named "Mutey" recoils his head a little back and down as he closes his eyes, which are soon covered by his darker grey hair. His head pops back up when the hoof pulls away
At first, it barely lights, with a wind nearly blowing the match out. But it catches under one of the softer, dead branches, and a new wind - slowed by the depth of the pit, blows air into it, and a grey-white smoke comes out, before red flames spray up
>>122331"wew, that'll help us get a little warm"
Onyx sits down, watching the fire carefully
>>122331"Here on Zu Lang's orders. He needs to stop the terrorist attacks and I was sent to interrogate the prisoner and find the remaining suspects."
>>122332As the fire rises, it goes closer to the big branch on top, which starts to crackle and pop as the moisture boils and bursts out
Wesley comes, and sits down next to Onyx, and Ruby joins on the other side, at little further away
"Wish I brought Marshmallows..."
>>122333Spark met the Lieutenant maybe 30 yards from the mill, and the sound of a loud, rock crushing machine pervades over all. But he must of heard Spark, for the almost snarling expression on his mouth fades to something calmer yet more concerned. He asks no questions about Spark's identity, at least yet anyways
"And what did you find?"
>>122334Onyx chuckles
"No use worrying about it now. i say we just stay warm."
>>122336At this point, somepony walks up to him. Rather, some creature. It's a Changeling, a Changeling drone. Adult sized, with no disguise nor pretense of being anything other, and a fur coat. With his blue green eyes, he lowers an eyebrow and asks
"What are you doing?"
It's said like a question born from genuine curiosity rather than an accusation of wrong doing
"This is an active mining zone"
>>122335"The prisoner seems ready to point out his comrades. I just need your approval to get an escort and bring him back to find the guilty party."
>>122338He is silent for a moment
"I'll see..."
He starts walking towards the mine
>>122337"Well an associate of mine is talking to some of the higher ups, and I was left to take care of the foals, and it's cold."
Onyx hopes there isn't too much malace in his voice.
>>122340"Foals?"
Ruby pulls back, to the side, and slightly behind Onyx, while Wesley almost indifferently walks forward, before a small purple bat pony rushes past and towards the Drone.
The drone looks back to Onyx
"I see... This isn't the best of all places for foals"
>>122341"I agree, but they're here. So I will try to make them comfortable while they are."
>>122342"This is the middle of an active mine" he repeats
>>122343"I don't see any mining happening around, but If you need me to I'll move."
>>122344He blinks. Then walks off.
>>122345"Good enough"
He headcounts the foals again, just to be safe.
>>122346Kerr runs off in the direction of the Drone, while Wesley sits, tilts his head towards the receding drone, then back to Onyx when Onyx makes more noise. But Ruby pokes his head up around Onyx, then jumps out
"Yay! You made that big, mean old Changeling go away!"
Ruby hugs Onyx
>>122347"Oh, it was nothing"
Onyx akwardly accepts the hug, watching the chngeling foals.
Kerr defeatedly comes back, and lays down across from the fire.... The small, pitiful fire that is already partly burning out, and has only just blackened the big live branch
Wesley says something to Onyx in parasite, and then Kerr says something back to both of them in a sarcastic tone of voice, but that's also in parasite, so you couldn't understand him even if you wanted to understand him, which you certainly don't with that tone of voice. Ruby stands up, and walks back a pace, frightened by the language of the foals he thought were mute
>>122349Onyx gently pets Ruby
"Don't worry, they won't bite. I don't like that tone though... Maybe we should move into the wagon."
>>122350Ruby is pet, but he still has a look of concern on his face, as he doesn't seem to buy onyx's lie about the hatchlings not biting
"Yeah... we can do that"
Ruby stands behind and beside Onyx, looking past him towards Wesley in a way much like he did with the guard. Wesley frowns as he looks back at Ruby, and then hangs his head and looks down. Kerr stands next to his brother, narrowing his eyes and half snarling at Ruby.
>>122351"oh, pay no attention to the one. The other one wants to be your friend still."
Onyx marches up the wagon, opens it up, and gestures the goals inside.
>>122352Wesley and Kerr watch as Onyx goes off, followed by ruby who trots alongside him
When Ruby opens the door, he finds.... A big brown Earth pony laying down inside. And another one.... This one is grey. They look up at him
>>122353Uh.... I seem to have made an error in my math...
WHAT
>>122354The two stallions look up at Onyx, one with a formal blanket, the other with a coat used as a blanket, and both with some bandages or other on them, laying on each respective side of the carriage couches. They look up to Onyx silently, and blink
>>122356I wasn't aware the wagon was occupied...
Onyx slowly shuts the door.
"Uh... New plan?"
>>122357"Yes?" Ruby asks
The other two foals, close together, are still separated, further away on the other side of Onyx
>>122358"I'm... Not quite sure. I'm kinda used to being cold, but I don't know about you"
>>122359"If.... If I could just get a coat..."
>>122360"Of course."
He slowly opens the door again, looking for a free coat.
>>122361Well.... there is the one that is covering the grey earth pony
>>122365Yes! There is a smaller coat, fluffy and faux fur, fit for a colt. Wesley and Kerr are already wearing jackets of their own
>>122366Wew! Onyx quickly grabs is and presents it to the colt.
>>122367Ruby lights up, and his tail goes high before wagging back and forth
"Yay!"
He grabs the coat out of Onyx's hooves, covering himself in it, fumbling around underneath the coat, until eventually, a leg pops out, then his little head sticks out through it
>>122368Fuck, muh heart
"There ya go"
Onyx slowly shuts the door again, Wondering how long they'll be there.
>>122369Spark has since come back down, now near the mill
Ruby asks,
"So, what we doin' up here?"
Ruby looks around, not turning his head, but turning his whole body in a little circle as he stands in place
"This ain't the state fair"
>>122370Sorry that I disappeared. I'll be free tomorrow.
>>122378Reeeee No boop!
Um... what does Silver do now?
>>122379Can you give me a refresher on Silver's surroundings/situation?
>>122380>>122381Yay! Hi edge pone
Iron has gone down towards one of two doors, and has kicked it open, and gone inside
>>122383Dark Star follows him inside