Along the shores of Baltimare Harbor, in the halls of old 33 Hoebuck, our heroes have discovered a dark secret. What started as a mundane mission to stop illegal immigrant smuggling has uncovered something far more horrific - a cult from Griffonia. The party has successfully challenged and defeated many of the cultists and hired criminals, but in the process, has nearly died themselves. Now, low on health, they must both recover and put an end to the evils in 33 Hoebuck once and for all - before it puts an end to them first.
Way up north, in the Iron Range of Whinnysota, the ponies their inquire into exact who or what is damaging so many machines. Investigating and following leads, they may unveil the faults and problems of the Haysabi Iron Mine, and gain favor with Changeling authorities.
Damn it, I missed 123,000
1710 replies and 23 files omitted.
>>123271"Sounds like he needs an intervention. We are going to go talk to him and find out what we are looking at in terms of his debt."
>>123273"so we have to make him stop gambling but what about his debts, couldn't he get hurt?"
>>123274"Yes, he certainly could. These are not the ponies at the bank he owes money to. Though I wouldn't want to owe money to them either"
>>123275"Well I may not be one of those fancy College ponys what with a degree and all, but I'm mighty good at punchin stuff, so I aint scared"
>>123276Calmly, he nods
"You may need to be, to help this poor fellow"
>>123277"Oh dear... we better hurry Father. Where might we find this poor pony?"
>>123278"He's on 14 Carnival"
He answers with concern
"Of course I don't like to give addresses of church goers, but he needs help I can't give"
>>123278>>123279"Don't worry Mr. Rays, we'll save him!"
>:3*stamps my hoof firmly*
>>123279"Thank you Father. And may Celestia's will be that we succeed."
She looks over to Adrian
>>123280"Let's get going. We have to hurry."
She gallops out the door.
>>123280>>123281"May you protect this lost foal, separated from the herd"
>>123282"Thank you sir, we wont let you down!"
*gallops after her*
>>123283>>123281Travelling down the street, through a commercial area, and branching off to a new, grid-patterned street, the buildings are closer together. despite being only a few decades old they look worn out, sometimes with decaying or chipped paint. Other times the houses are brick. Sometimes there is a yard, sometimes only a brick patio, but usually there is a small, green curtilage around the house.
34 Carnival is a small, rectangular house with a steep, tin roof, and a wooden exterior painted in a weathered red. The small patch of grass surrounding is high, though not quite up to the elevated, grey painted wooden porch. A black door stands between two low windows
>>123281“You never told me ur dad ran the church”
:3
>>123284Sunny cautiously approaches the house.
>>123285"Oh, not my father silly."
She giggles.
"He is just called Father. He leads the church like a father would."
>>123286No contact from within. Further off in the distance, there is the sound of a barking dog. But the house is silent, save maybe for a slight wind from the northwest, moving around the right side of the house
>>123286"oh..."
*hangs his head in shame*
"Jeez I musta made myself look pretty stupid back there, why do you hang out with me"
>>123288Let us hope Adrian can make up for looking stupid by doing something cool later
>>123288"No. You are perfect Adrian. I just didn't explain it to you in my rush. That was my fault."
She hugs him.
"And I hang out with you because you are the pony I can trust the most. Now, let's save this pony and then I will make it up to you."
She smiles.
>>123287She turns back to the house and tries the door.
"I hope we aren't too late."
>>123291She knocks for good messure.
"Hello? Is anypony there?"
>>123291"tap on it a few times, lets see if he answers"
>>123293Once more she knocks.
"Three Leaf Clover? This is Sunny Rays. I'm from the church. I want to make sure you are doing ok."
>>123293"Can you look around the house and see if he has another way in? I have to know if he is home."
>>123295For a moment, nothing.
But then..... There is a sound of a lock coming undone, and then the door cracks open, held from opening by a door chain. Through the cracked opening a blue eye looks out
"What is it? Everything's fine"
\r
>>123296"Mr. Clover, I have heard about your situation. We want to help. We are going to make sure nopony hurts you while we find a way to get you out of your debt."
>>123297He seems to move around, moving his head to where the other eye looks out, looking another direction
"You say it's.... it's the church who sent you?"
>>123298"Yes. Father Caldera is worried about you."
>>123299"Well then.... who else is out there?"
>>123300"Just my friend. He is going to make sure no pony hurts you. I'm going to plan a way to get you out of this trouble. Nopony should have to fear like this."
>>123301Kek
>>123303A pause for a moment. Then the eye moves away, and there is the sound of still another lock being undone
The door opens quickly, though only most of the way. revealing a grey earth pony stallion
"Get in. Hurry!"
>>123304Sunny hurries inside along with Adrian.
>>123305*scoots in quickly behind her*
"bein a bit overcautious aren't you?"
>>123305When Adrian (presumably) comes inside, he immediately looks around outsidde, closes the door, and proceeds to deadbolt the door, lock the standard lock, and slide in the door chain.
The room is not terribly large, with a coffee table, a couch, a love seat, a small table that seems to be a sort of dining table pressed up behind the love seat, and to the left of that is a sort of kitchen area. There are paper bags on the coffee table, a couple articles of clothing on the floor, a pervasive smell of cigarettes, and pots on the stove
The grey earth pony stallion has a black shirt that covers only his forehalf, and a three leaf clover cutie mark
"Okay... What is it you want? Be quiet about it though"
>>123306"No" He says, not quiet looking back before going to the love seat, leaving the main couch for Adrian and Sunny Rays
>>123307"We want to help you Clover. Just who are you in debt to?"
>>123308"Oh uh..."
He pulls his lips up, exposing his teeth in an awkward smile
"Certain.... ponies. Mostly they are ponies, anyways...."
>>123309"tell us more man we can help"
>>123309"There is no judgement for past deeds if you repent from them Clover. You don't have to hide it. If you are honest, then we can help you."
>>123311>>123310"I kind of.... borrowed some bits from the mafia. And then borrowed some more bits from the mafia. And sort of haven't paid it back."
>>123312"See I aint so good at math but that don't sound like a good idea"
>>123313>>123314Rubbing the back of his neck
"A few hundred bits... And I'm already past an extension...."
>>123315"That's alot, why'd ya do it?"
>>123316"Well ya see there's this place down on Arabian Avenue that's got this back room where there's blackjack tables. I'd go there once a week but last march - I started winning. And I mean like, big winnings. A hundred bits a night. The mare's would come up to me. I found a rhythm to it. I could guess what card the dealer'd pull next. You shoulda' seen me then. Now I don't know if they changed somethin' but I didn't quite pull it off in the late spring. One of the tables was different. I don't know if they were doin' something sneaky. But I wasn't quite winning like I was before. But, let me tell you, I wasn't losing either. More modest gains, you know. I had some expenses too, back then, you know. So I did it some more, and well, I still had my groove. Then came september. Oh.... September. One night and it was gone. So I tried again. Didn't quite work. Borrowed some money. This was about the time I told Father Caldera and he said I had a gambling problem. I tried to explain to him 'no, I don't have a gambling problem, I have a losing problem, and I didn't have this before.' So I went to a new place because I think they rigged something there, and what do you know. I lose more! So I borrowed more and tried again. And I had a great night! And another great night! And then.... lost more. Anyways it's been a couple months and I am completely out of money and then some"
>>123317"Any ideas Sunny?"
*looks over at the mare, sad he can't punch this problem away*
>>123317"Gambling can ruin a pony's life Clover. You need to be wiser with how you use what Celestia gifts you."
>>123318"Well, I think we are going to have to confront the mafia. We can only offer so much, but hopefully with some talk and some muscle, we can get them to forget the debt. It won't be worth the trouble."
>>123320"So... what do you think Clover?"
>>123321"Anything that'll keep them away from me"
He says
>>123322"Then I will just need one thing in return."
>>123321>>123318"Well it's uh.... It's Nickel and Dime I owe money to. On 74 Old Cross."
>>123323He looks up, concerned
"If it's money, I don't have it"
>>123324"Ok see that's something I can punch >:3"
>>123319"Yes... talk"
>_><_< >>123325"Just so long as I'm not the one getting punched"
He turns his head somewhat
>>123324"I am going to need you to go to the church and apologize to the Father."
>>123326>>123327"Yes a good idea, you need to repent!"
*whispers* "did I say that right?"
>>123328>>123327His muzzle is tight together in a scrunch
"Mmmm - Mmmm"
>>123330*gets annoyed at his hesitation*
"Stamps both hooves on the floor and spreads my wings wide"
"REPENT SINNER, WE HAVE COME TO SAVE YOU BUT CELESTIA HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES IF YOU DO NOT REPENT YOU WILL BE IN AS MUCH TROUBLE IN LESS THAN A FORTNIGHT, YOUR SOUL DAMNED AND YOUR LIFE IN TATTERS! REPENT! REPENT!"
>>123330"The Father is experienced in helping ponies change their lives and getting back on their hooves. Celestia believes in second chances and so do we. If you don't do this, you will wind back in this same situation, but we won't be able to help the next time."
>>123331Gah!
He falls down to the ground, tries to inch back, places his head against the ground and places both forelegs over his face
"Alright! Alright! I repent! I repent!"
And a visit from Best pony for the GET >>123335>>123334Well, he's sulking on the floor now. Fallen under the weight of his own vice.
BLUE SKIES IS BEST PONY AND SHE WILL LET YOU KNOW IT >>123336*leans over and whispers*
"I read that in the book I gave you, I dunno what most of those words mean maybe you should say something" >>123336Sunny walks over.
"It will be ok Clover. Just go to church and we will make it all better."
>>123337She pats his head.
>>123338"I'll do it! I'll do it!"
He is still cowing on the floor, occasionally trembling
>>123339"Good. Then there is nothing to worry about."
>>123337"Ready to go Adrian?"
*begins to head to the door*
"We should hunt these guys down and persuade them to stop being dicks"
>>123342"Just... make them keep away. Solve it. Please."
>>123342"First we have to offer to solve it the peaceful way. Though something tells me that they won't be so rational."
She follows Adrian out the door.
>>123344"Peace means having a bigger stick than the other guy, but I'll follow your lead."
*cracks his neck*
>>123344>>123345They go out, and are on their way. Despite the changes in buildings they are not very far from Sunny Ray's house. Yet they go further still, through the center of town past commercial district, into an area of shops to 74 Old Cross. They come into what seems to be a restaurant and bar
>>123346Rapscallion?
>>123348*I put my hoof out to stop Sunny*
"Hey promise me if it gets bad you'll get out fast, I don't want anything happening to you"
>>123348"Hmm... do you think he meant this place?"
Sunny heads closer to the restaurant.
>>123350It's not a bad establishment. There is a new sign over the door, the Fall Harvest, and a dark brown lacquer over the exterior. Going inside, there is a bar off to the left and seating over to the right
>>123351She looks around for somepony that looks to be the boss, most likely surrounded by some goons.
>>123353>>123352No one immediate, instead a mare of a whiteish color and orange mane comes up in a black jacket.
"Can I serve you today?"
I am being ignored and I do not like it
>>123354"Not now, but thank you. We are looking for somepony."
>>123355What? What's wrong?
>>123349I PUT MY HOOF OUT TO STOP SUNNY AND HAVE A FUCKING MOMENT BEFORE SHE WALKED INTO THE GOD DAMN BUILDING
>>123355I'm sorry. I missed that post. I honestly didn't mean to.
>>123349"I promise Adrian."
She kisses his cheek.
"Just promise me you will be careful if you do have to fight."
>>123361*blush*
"Aw shucks u know I can kick a bull through a wall..."
*he paws the dirt*
>>123362"These ponies might have guns though. They aren't in it for honor either. Don't let them make a move."
She steps closer.
>>123363"Nothin will happen to me I promise, I'll kick the guns out their hands and knock em over with a gust of my mighty wings"
*he puffs himself up as he says this and spreads his wings out*
>>123364She giggles.
"Alright big guy. If you say so."
She smiles and stares into his eyes for a moment.
>>123365*he bites his lower lip and stares down at her*
"You remember when we were kids and I couldn't fly and I wasn't good at school stuff and the other kids would make fun of me, so you told em off and stuff?"
>>123366"Of course. What about it though?"
>>123367*breathes deep, he can smell her she's so close*
"I started getting strong then, because I always wanted to be the one who protected you"
>>123368She blushes.
"You always have, haven't you? If I didn't know better, I would have guessed Celestia herself sent you."
>>123371*takes a step closer*
"I aint one of them smart stallions what can talk with pretty words, but I've always cared about you, I just always wanted to be good enough for you"