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
1760 replies and 25 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?"