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Occupied Equestria - Aftermath
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125000
125003 125017 126133
It looks like thinks are concluding in both the North, and in Baltimare
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125003
>>125000
The GM might underestimate our ability to prolong
Spark's last action was to observe the situation where he is in relation to the scene.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125004
125007 125010
>>125001 →
Undertoe is still holding the lever action
Khoi has a gun, but it's burned. Looks like a loss
Jubilosa has the third rifle
White Sands has SIlver's own rifle

"Well, you might still want to go to the hospital. Just... before they show up"

>>124997 →
He would see Drie, the Lieutenant, getting up, looking like a giant, lanky, frozen and mummified deer corpse. He would see Brie fighting Zu Lang, who likewise looks like a giant, skinny stallion corpse with black, oily eyes. He would see concerned drones fleeing, and keeping their distance, while one continues to shoot at the alleged Owlbear monster

>>124992 →
He smiles. He almost has a blush


Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125005
125006
I don't have a link to Onyx, but... Roll Initiative
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125006
125008 125016
>>125005
Bout time
[1d20 = 16]

Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125007
125008
>>125004
Iron nods at Sands before walking over to Jubilosa first.
"I am here to take away your metal," he proclaims, somewhat tired "...please."
5eUV8
?
No.125008
125009
[1d20+5 = 13]
>>125007
She squints an eyebrow, but offers the rifle

>>125006
Rolling
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125009
125011
>>125008
Iron takes it. "Thank you for your cooperation," he offers with a nod as he saunters off to Undertoe next, relaying the same, somewhat pitiful demand.
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125010
125011
>>125004
Well... things certainly took a turn. Spark can't see Onyx from his position?
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125011
125012 125015
>>125009
Her eyes are stronger, almost glaring

>>125010
Spark can see everything from his position
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125012
125013
>>125011
Iron sighs, blood-stained coat on himself. "Look, if you are caught with a gun, the police may panic," he explains "so it is better for me to take it because I am practically no threat."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125013
125018
>>125012
"The police..."
She looks at him strongly, but gives him the rifle
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125015
125016
>>125011
Well then, he heads to Onyx to aid his assault on the monsters.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125016
125019
>>125006
>>125015
Onyx wins initiative, unless Spark wants to jump in
Anonymous
wucBo
?
No.125017
125020
>>125000
Brie was bited for a little, unless I missed my guess

Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125018
125022
>>125013
Iron takes it as well before going towards Khoi.
"Hey, Khoi," he calls out before going to a low volume talk "We are leaving now. Come with me."
8Fb4F
?
No.125019
125020
[1d20 = 16]
>>125016
I suppose it won't hurt to jump in... unless I get targeted.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125020
125021 125024 125044
>>125017
Yes. He nips the edge of Brie's legs and shoulder. It's not a great contact, and Brie is lucky to get the shorter fang, but there is some force to the bite. Brie takes 4 damage

Roll fortitude save

Brie can also attack next, as he is in single combat with the creature

>>125019
Spark and Onyx are tied for first, Spark is probably first
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125021
125024 125030
>>125020
I'm pretty sure Spark has 12 or more Dex, so yes.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125022
125023
>>125018
"What? There are things here"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125023
125025
>>125022
"Things?" Iron asks tiredly
8Fb4F
?
No.125024
125025
[1d20+3 = 17]
>>125020
>>125021
Well then, Spark goes for the monster Onyx was targeting and casts Scorching Ray.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125025
125026 125028
>>125023
"Well, things are going on, still. These creatures need help, and Jubilosa is burned..."

>>125024
Hit
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125026
125027
>>125025
Iron nods. "I understand," he retorts before sighing softly "I still need to go, so when you are done, meet me at The Watering Hole."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125027
125029
>>125026
"Oh... okay"
She seems confused, and somewhat concerned, but she nods
8Fb4F
?
No.125028
125030
[4d6 = 15]
>>125025
Rolling damage
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125029
125030
>>125027
Iron turns towards Sands before craning his head back. "I will find somepony to treat me as soon as possible, so take your time." With that, he trots back to Sands, giving her a nod of readiness.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125030
125031 125032
>>125021
>>125028
It burns, catching fire well, almost like dry wood

Onyx's turn

>>125029
She nods to him

"Now where are we going?"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125031
125033
>>125030
"The Watering Hole," Iron responds "we will find somepony who can help in there."
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125032
125033
>>125030
Onyx rushes, aiming his halberd as he charges
[1d20+12 = 29]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125033
125034 125038
>>125031
"Oh, okay. What does the unicorn want?"

>>125032
Hit
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125034
125035
>>125033
"The unicorn?" Iron asks, confused and eyes somewhat drowsy
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125035
125036
>>125034
"Yeah, the grey one"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125036
125037 125039
>>125035
"Oh, just leave his rifle here," he responds.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125037
125040
>>125036
She shrugs, and goes with Iron
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125038
125041
>>125033
Damage
[1d10+6 = 8]

[1d6 = 1]

Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125039
125040
>>125036
Silver looks at Iron.

"You ready?"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125040
125042
>>125039
>>125037
"Ready for what?" Iron asks, confused
5eUV8
?
No.125041
125043 125047
[1d20+5 = 21]
[1d20+7 = 12]
>>125038
He is hit, and damaged

But he swipes back, and bites back at the coal pony with the cloven hooves that extend from the lanky, burning body like the branches of a dead and burning tree
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125042
125045
>>125040
"I will take that as 'yes'. Come on, there is something we need to do with Maakie, and you still need to get key from his person."
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125043
125046
>>125041
Hit hit
wucBo
?
No.125044
125046 125050
[1d20+4 = 14]
[1d20+6 = 15]
>>125020
Can Brie attack with his sword with one hand, while throwing his last knife with the other?
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125045
125047 125048
>>125042
Iron blinks softly. "I am sorry, but I think the drug is wearing off, so I must decline your request unless you want a dead pony to carry instead," he offers to Silver. "I will entrust you with my share until I can come to fetch it at that tavern you stay at, if that is alright with you."
5eUV8
?
No.125046
125049 125051
[3d4+7 = 14]
>>125043
He is swiped, and nipped with buck teeth

Roll fortitude

>>125044
Yes. He can.

I still need a fortitude save


Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125047
125048
>>125045
Silver silently curses under his breath, and looks to Iron.

"Very well, then..."

>>125041
Silver looks at White Sands.

"If you are going with Iron, may I have my rifle back?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125048
125052 125054
>>125047
"It's in the other room" she says

>>125045
She whispers to Iron
"Other share?"
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125049
125064
>>125046
[1d20+5 = 7]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125050
>>125044
The second hits, the first does not
wucBo
?
No.125051
125055 125056
[1d20+3 = 11]
>>125046
My bad
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125052
125053 125055
>>125048
Iron whispers back
"Just in case there is one from the group I worked for in the first place."
before returning to normal conversation. "Alright, let us go."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125053
>>125052
"Oh. Alright"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125054
125055
>>125048
Silver nods, grabs his rifle from the other room, and goes back to where they left Maakie.
5eUV8
?
No.125055
125056 125057 125059 125061
[1d20+5 = 16]
>>125051
Brie feels fine

But he tries to bite at Brie again

>>125054
Silver walks into the hallway. He walks over the dress vest Maakie was carrying. He steps over the double barreled shotgun the Zebra dropped. He steps over first the dead zebra whose brains were shotout, then the Zebra who was stabbed and probably bled out. Then he finds Maakie

>>125052
They go
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125056
>>125055
>>125051
I think that fails to land

Brie's turn
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125057
125058 125059
>>125055
Silver makes sure to grab the shotgun, at trots over to Maakie.

"Boek is dead."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125058
125060
>>125057
He is conscious, and looks over first to Undertoe, staring at her. Then Silver says his line, and he looks up to Silver. He tries to hold a grimace, though it starts to fall. He breathes heavily, in then out, and his beak opens
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125059
125067 125072
>>125057
>>125055
Iron stops as soon as he was about to go out the door, before turning back towards the hallyway to begin with and finally to Sands. "...on second thought," he starts off in a whisper only Sands could hear "I do not even trust the old pony..." With that, he does a big 180 and goes back in a wobble towards Silver's last known location. "We will have to hide the guns for the time being, so be sure to be on the lookout."
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125060
125062 125067
>>125058
"I figured you would give your thoughts on that."

Silver searches Maakie's person for a key.
8Fb4F
?
No.125061
125062
[1d20+3 = 19]
>>125055
Another fire spell attack.
5eUV8
?
No.125062
125063 125065
>>125060
Maakie is more or less naked without the vest, though he has a tie, which has nothing in it. His hat fell off

He takes a ragged breath, and looks back over to Undertoe
"How could you? I thought you-"
She shuts him up by kicking him. Kicking him in a vulnerable area
"Ugh!"
He turns over, and winces in pain

>>125061
Hit
\r
8Fb4F
?
No.125063
125064
[4d6 = 10]
>>125062
More damage
5eUV8
?
No.125064
>>125049
>>125063
The tree-like stag goes up in flame

He falls over, screeching in a bizarre way, like an imitation of the voice of some foreign language
\r
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125065
125066 125067
>>125062
Silver looks inside the hat.

"I suppose I should ask same, why you would turn to supporting these Maarists."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125066
125068 125070
>>125065
The hat only has a handkerchief

"Ugh"
He pulls his rear limbs together as he winces in pain. It's a few seconds, but he responds to Silver

"I was not born into wealth or power. Just the chick of a simple hatter, well beneath the wealthy of the wealthiest city on the planet. I had to work to get where I am... where I was. Hard. I did my military service with the Republican Navy. I fought in skirmishes against pirates. I distinguished myself and achieved the rank of officer without an aristocratic title. I worked in entrepôt and found I had a knack for making deals, and got to work with ship captains from Hippogriffia to Nimbusia to Olenia. You want to criticize my methods? Dealing in smuggling, trafficking? I did nothing the wealthiest merchants didn't do. They smuggle and step on those beneath them, who were not clever and lucky enough. But I made my own luck. I did nothing they did not do, at least until I came to Equestria. Your land of Harmony. That's when I started to learn from the Equestrians. You say you want to welcome in creatures from all realms, and extend friendship to them. But when they come they are poor, and like so many sheep for fleecing. So your aristocrats and industrialists exploit them. I participated in this, yes, but it is little different. I play the same game as them. I supported Maarists? What of the Princesses, who ignored ships filled with immigrants, and who let those without papers live and work in Equestria - paying back their smugglers, and making more want to come here. Did they not help the process? Did they not bring in so many more to become victims to gangs, to crowded factories, to tenements, gangs and religious groups the public finds unsavory?

I did not ask to be born into this world, which plays this game. Do not blame me for playing it well."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125067
>>125059
She nods

He finds Silver talking to Maakie on the second level (he would basically have to walk near this, leaving). See >>125060 >>125062 >>125065 >>125066


Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125068
125069
>>125066
Silver ponders where he might have kept his key, or where Blue might have left his vest, if she didn't take it with her.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125069
125070
>>125068
Silver walked over the vest as he came down the hall (>>125055)

Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125070
125071
>>125069
Then Silver goes over and checks it.

>>125066
"I believe there are key differences between what you say and what I have seen here."
5eUV8
?
No.125071
125072
>>125070
"Maybe in a few ways, but it's the same in principle. Do what you can to get ahead."

Silver checks the vest, and has some results, mostly in the inner pockets:

A closed paper note
A somewhat ornate derringer pistol
A Nova Griffonian Passport
Bullets to his Magnum - 6
New Mareland Currency - Bits: 150
Imperial Currency - Crowns: 20
Two cigars
A ring
A dry-cleaners ticket
A flip lighter, looks golden
A Kris (Maarite) Dagger
A Golden Stopwatch

And yes, a Key ring
\r
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125072
125073 125075
>>125071
"As somepony who got ahead today by not foalnapping people, using them as slave labor, sacrificing them to resident chaos deity who lives in your attic, skinning them and turning their hides into fur coats and leather book covers, and then feeding remains to your gnolls...I beg to differ."

He takes everything he can find.

>>125059
Silver notices Iron.

"Ah, good, you are back! Mind helping me drag our 'friend' down to garbage chute, or are you just here for safe key?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125073
125074 125076
>>125072
"We also salvaged their emotions to be regurgitated as a love drug for Equestrians - They sorely want it. Are you condemning me for being resourceful and efficient?"

Silver takes it all, evidently

Mala ducks out
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125074
125077 125259
>>125073
"I am condemning you for your sociopathy, lack of empathy, and your lack of moral code. No matter what arguments you might make in favor of 'getting ahead', know this: it still did not do you any good in end. We are still standing. You are not."

Silver lets Mala go, if he so chooses.
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125075
125076 125077
>>125072
Iron simply nods, opting to walk besides him and grabbing Maakie with his mouth to help drag
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125076
125077
>>125075
>>125073
Silver helps Iron drag Maakie along.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125077
125078 125079
>>125074
"So it is. Then I will take pride in lasting longer than many others. Competition, old role models. Your Princesses and Elements. Life is not a game anyone walks away alive from"

When he finishes, he returns to scowling at Undertoe

Mala was hiding behind Silver, not leaving

>>125076
>>125075
Mala:
"At the center of this hallway, the stairwell leads down to the basement, then follow the tunnel"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125078
125080 125084
>>125077
Silver smiles at Mala, and follows his directions.
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125079
125080
>>125077
Iron nods tiredly, hoping Sands knows where to hide guns while he does some dirty work for Silver.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125080
125081
>>125078
>>125079
Mala walks down
"I don't think police will have come down here yet..."

Undertoe follows in the rear, kicking Maakie again before he is picked up, causing him to howl in pain

As they are carrying him down the stairs, Maakie turns his head back, trying to speak to the creatures

He speaks to Mala
"You. I know you your name is.... what was it... was it Tireja? Ah! Mala Mata, that's it!"
Mala moves forward, out of view though.
He speaks to Iron
"How much are they paying you? I can do better"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125081
125082
>>125080
Iron simply shakes his head. "I would have considered it if you did not struggle before, beaked one," he responds "negotiation time is over."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125082
125083
>>125081
"heheh, never be afraid to seize an opportunity. Do you know what I am offering here? Name a price. Name it! I'll double it!"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125083
125084
>>125082
Iron does not respond, clearly sour from his previous encounter with the griffon.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125084
125085 125086
>>125083
Iron can't feel the pain, but he can feel something is off, where he has been shot

>>125078
>>125083
Undertoe punches him

They carry him down like a pig on a Barbeque, down the stairs, then into the tunnel, down the tunnel and cutting through the boiler room where different griffins are still tied up or lie dead on the floor, then through the hallway and into the old, very old stone room where Jubilosa and Loputu were found. On the wall, there is the garbage chute
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125085
125086 125088
>>125084
Lightly scratching his shot area with his hoof, Iron turns to Silver, expecting him to send the other.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125086
125087 125088 125089
>>125084
>>125085
Silver opens the garbage chute door, and motions Iron to help him prop Maakie against it.

"I will do you one favor, Maakie: I will reunite you with many of your dear old friends."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125087
125089 125091
>>125086
Iron does so
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125088
125090 125091
>>125086
>>125085
"Wait! Three thousand. Three thousand bits!"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125089
125090
>>125087
>>125086
There's a definite odor when the door is opened - not pleasant
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125090
125092
>>125088
>>125089
Scruching his snout at the stench, he simply shakes his head.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125091
125092
>>125087
>>125088
Silver gets a grin across the length of his face.

"No deal."

With Iron's help, Silver shoves the griffon into the chute.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125092
125093 125094
>>125091
>>125090
He is propped up by Iron, Undertoe tries to place her claws to have a part in shoving him in, and is pressed and shoved face first by Silver
"Wait! No! - Ahhh!"
He falls down, head first yelling into the chute, with a smash and rustle of moving bones, followed by a second smash and rustle as the rest of his body meets the pile

He is seen no more
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125093
125094 125095
>>125092
Silver looks down into the chute.

"I hope you and your friends can get reacquinted. You will have plenty of time to chat."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125094
125096
>>125093
>>125092
Iron simply looks down, blinking softly before turning to Silver. "I suppose now is the time for this safe you were talking about, right?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125095
125096 125259
>>125093
Silver can see bones and skulls, and the griffin, face first and squirming trying to readjust himself. His white feathers and the white bones make it easier to see in the darkness, but there is no light in that putrid chute but what slips past Silver's head from the room. When he closes it, it will be pure, stuffy blackness
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125096
125097 125098
>>125095
And with that one final sight, Silver slowly closes the chute, leaving Maakie in the pitch black nothingness.

>>125094
Silver gives Iron the keys he got from Maakie's vest.

"Here you go."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125097
125099
>>125096
Undertoe goes over, and gives her own glance. But she moves her head back, almost vomits by what she sees behind it. It closes down noisily
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125098
125099
>>125096
Iron tries to pick up the key, but can't seem to stick it to his hoof before looking at Silver somewhat sheepishly.

Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125099
125100 125101
>>125097
"Yes, sorry for not giving advance warning. There is reason why I thought of putting him down there."

>>125098
Silver holds the keyring up to his mouth.

"Here, use your mouth. I can not join you, I am afraid. I need to do something first."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125100
125101
>>125099
Iron does so, lazily letting the keyring hang on his tongue. He proceeds to trot back where he thought that safe was.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125101
125102 125106
>>125099
"Ugh!"
She is thoroughly disgusted and shivers
"There are many good reasons"

>>125100
Through the hallway into the stairwell, up four floors, to the top floor, and into the old office
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125102
125103
>>125101
Silver nods, and motions for her to follow him.

"Come, we need to get something for Johann, and that Skynavian mare we rescued."

He makes his way back towards where they found Zwolf, to get a couple vials of changeling honey.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125103
125104
>>125102
To the end of the room, on what is now the right.

Mala peels off to the left, to his old room

Undertoe enters the location with the cells and the smashed cocoons
"What is this place?"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125104
125105 125107
>>125103
"This is where they 'salvaged emotions' of those they captured. We rescued Meadows in this very room. We need to give Johann and that Skynavian mare their emotions back."

Silver looks around for a couple vials of changeling honey.
5eUV8
?
No.125105
[1d2 = 1]
>>125104
"I see"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125106
125107
>>125101
Iron can't but smile with the keyring to the mouth as he stares at the safe.
"I will beat you, metal box!" he proclaims before looking at the key then back at the safe, wondering how this works.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125107
125108 125109
>>125106
It's hard to say. There seems to be a key hole in the front, maybe?

This office is strangely nice and well lit for this floor

>>125104
There is one tube, remaining on the table
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125108
125110
>>125107
"Hm..." Iron ponder as he inspects one random key before trying it on the hole.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125109
125110
>>125107
Assuming Silver still has one in his bags, this is just what the doctor ordered. He collects it and leaves, looking in Mala's room to see what he's doing.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125110
125111 125112
>>125109
Mala has grabbed a bag, and has packed up a blanket, some medicine, some kind of personal effect, like a locket, and has closed one of the cabinet doors.

He looks back to Silver

>>125108
There are six keys
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125111
125113
>>125110
Silver steps backwards slightly in embarassment.

"Oh! Uh...collecting your possessions? I am sorry. Take whatever time you need, Mala."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125112
125114
>>125110
Iron tries the first key from the keyring.
5eUV8
?
No.125113
125115
[1d6 = 1]
>>125111
"Yes..."
He looks up at Silver
"Can I stay with you?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125114
125118
>>125112
It does not work
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125115
125116
>>125113
Silver smiles at him.

"Of course you can, Mala."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125116
125117
NAT-200212-HYENA7811-1581685038855_17043c65f0c_large.jpg
>>125115
He opens his mouth in joy, and rushes forward in what seems to be a hug
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125117
125119
>>125116
Silver braces himself for impact, but opens his forelegs to accept it.
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125118
125120
>>125114
Iron looks at the key, seeing the key for a bit before shrugging and trying the second one.
5eUV8
?
No.125119
125122
[1d5 = 2]
>>125117
The fluffy gnoll hugs him. He has a sort of dog-like odor to him. But he seems happy, very happy


Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125120
125121
>>125118
This one also does not succeed
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125121
125124
>>125120
Iron squints his eyes at the safe being so stubborn before huffing and trying the third key.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125122
125123
>>125119
D'awww. The floofy unicorn hugs Mala back.
5eUV8
?
No.125123
125126
[1d4 = 3]
>>125122
The gnoll is hugged, fluffy in some areas and course haired in most others. He doesn't seem to have been injured or burned in any of the battles, though he has some blood on him
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125124
125125
>>125121
This one almost seems to work.... but it doesn't
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125125
125128
>>125124
Iron grits his teeth as he almost tears through the keyhole and tries the fourth key.
"...you better work, fourth metal shape..."
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125126
125127
>>125123
Silver pets the gnoll on the top of his head, right between the ears.

"We should get back to others, if you are done collecting your possessions."
5eUV8
?
No.125127
125129
[1d3 = 1]
>>125126
"Alright..."

He turns his head towards the area where Silver entered the basement. That first room, where they found Khoi Lua

"Should I go see them a last time?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125128
125130
>>125125
Key number four does not work either
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125129
125131
>>125127
"It is your choice. I am not sure what they will say, but I am right behind you."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125130
125132 125134
>>125128
Grinding his teeth in frustration, Iron takes out the fourth key and looks at it intently. "...I will not forget your betrayal, stupid metal thing."
With that, he turns his head to the fifth key. "You better open it or you will be next," he promises with venomous tone.
Thus, he tries the fifth key.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125131
125133
>>125129
He looks over there, and starts to frown
"Nothing nice, I am sure. I probably shouldn't..."
5eUV8
?
No.125132
[1d2 = 2]
>>125130
The betrayal is noted
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125133
125134
>>125131
Silver pats and rubs Mala's back.

"If that is your choice, then I will support it."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125134
125135 125136
>>125130
Click

It works!

Opening the safe, inside are
a number of papers that seem to be legal contracts,
A deed
Bond papers
A paper note with some numbers written on it
An envelope with some photographs in it
a vial of what looks like changeling honey,
gemstones
a small marble idol
more than one stack of Equestrian bank notes
some foreign currency
a bracelet
and a pink potion

>>125133
He wags his tail, and moves as Silver pats him

"No point in saying goodbye..."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125135
125137
>>125134
Iron's eyes shimmer in surprise at all the potential money in the safe, quickly picking the gemstones, marble idol, the Equestrian Bank Notes and the bracelet in a greedy rush of energy and placing them on the desk not so far from him.
After that, he decides to check the deed out of curiosity.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125136
125137
>>125134
Silver pets Mala some more, and then motions for him to join.

"Alright. The others need us."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125137
125138 125139
>>125135
Looks like a house on the waterfront on the north shore of the bay

>>125136
"Okay... but... I... can I ask you another thing?"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125138
125140
>>125137
Iron shifts it aside to instead check on these Bond papers he's looking at.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125139
125141
>>125137
"Of course, Mala."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125140
125142
>>125138
Corporate bond papers and New Mareland national war bond papers. Payable to bearer.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125141
125143
>>125139
"Well, there's"
He looks down, and starts to play with his paws, pressing them one against the other. He does not make eye contact with Silver
"There are the bodies of griffins in the boiler room. And in the closet upstairs. And on the floor upstairs in the central atrium. And in the hallway in the other building. And up in the hallway... There are many of them. So many of them. If I could just... drag one away and hide it from the police for thirty minutes..."
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125142
125144
>>125140
Scratching his head at the things, he sets them ontop of the deed before looking at the paper with the numbers.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125143
125144
>>125141
"Oh..." He thinks for a moment, and looks around to see if anyone is watching.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125144
125145 125146
>>125143
Undertoe is outside, but not in the room

>>125142
Small, ripped paper

15 32 63 07 85 19
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125145
125147
>>125144
Scratching his head even further, he turns over to the famed photographs.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125146
125147
>>125144
Silver keeps his voice low at a whisper.

"Three conditions: they have to be dead, you can not get found out, and you promise to make this your last of this particular meal."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125147
125148 125150
>>125145
There is one free floating black and white photograph. A griffin, female, with a hat topped with a flower carries an umbrella.

But the envelope shows something different. A Pony shakes hooves with a different pony, both in suits. Two cars meet, showing more ponies. Another photographs shows a pink mare doing something with a stallion. Another one shows the same pink mare and the same stallion.... well, it shows them doing things together

>>125146
He starts to light up, and smile
"What do you mean by 'last of this particular meal'?"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125148
125149
>>125147
He thinks for a second, then waves it off.

"Nevermind. Just make sure they're dead, and that you do not get caught."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125149
125153
>>125148
"Sure thing!"
Unless Silver stops him, he bounds on out of there
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125150
125151
>>125147
Iron squints at the nasty, humming softly.
"I wonder why would a safe carry these kind of paintings," he muses before placing them on the other info pieces before looking intently at the changeling honey with a pensive expression.
"...what is that?" he wonders out loud as he pokes the vial.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125151
125152
>>125150
A pink jelly
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125152
125154
>>125151
Blinking softly, he places it inbetween the valuables and the info, unsure of what is its use before turning towards the pink potion instead.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125153
125154
>>125149
Silver just shakes his head, collects Undertoe, and heads back to rejoin the group.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125154
125155 125158
>>125153
"Well he was off in a hurry" says Undertoe
But her effort to smile fails, and she turn dower again

>>125152
A bottle of glass with a kind of "crystal" structure, a heart shaped glass stopper, a pink liquid that seems less viscous than the pink jelly before, and no label but a singular "9" on the front
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125155
125156
>>125154
Placing the pink potion in the middle portion, he finally decides to skim these legal contracts.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125156
125157
>>125155
A contract for horseshoes, another for hats. One for iron and one for leather. And several shipping manifests and contracts
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125157
125159
>>125156
Blinking softly, he plants them on the information table.
Having checked all the contents, Iron turns back to the whole loot, wondering what works best for him.
(If only I had anypony knowledgable to sort out the value of these things...) he thinks to himself
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125158
125159
>>125154
Silver smiles at her, instead.

"Thank you for all of your help, Undertoe."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125159
125160 125161
knapsack-problem.png
>>125157
Ah, the good old Knapsack problem

Or are you talking about other loot?

>>125158
"Huh, if anything I should have helped more"
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125160
125162
>>125159
Pondering for a bit, he splits the obviously valuable stuff he first out of the safe, knowing *they* had good value, before looking at the information, vials, documents and bonds, unsure of their purpose save from somewhat informed guesses.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125161
125162
>>125159
"Nonsense. You were invaluable."

I think it's time for me to hit the hay. Goodnight!
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125162
125163
>>125160
Some glass, and mostly paper

>>125161
Goodnight, little pony
Anonymous
SOqd+
?
No.125163
125243
>>125162
Alright, time to turn on Iron's mind on the mysterious items!
[1d20+1 = 8]
<Int Check
Anonymous
JLh2B
?
No.125164
125165
Brie assess the situation and decides he doesn't like the odds, given what he's seen. I assume that the Lwetiko (lang wetiko) has been attacked by others by this point?
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125165
125166
>>125164
No, he has not been. They have instead attacked a different Wetiko and successfully killed it with fire, although not before it was able to bite and swipe at Onyx, hurting him

Zu Lang is bleeding from several wounds and looks pretty wounded, but he's not quite out yet.

It's Brie's turn, and he may either attack or disengage
Anonymous
JLh2B
?
No.125166
125167
>>125165
Are there allies assembled?
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125167
125168 125170
>>125166
Spark and Onyx are present, yes.

The Changeling drones are still afraid to stick around and attack
JLh2B
?
No.125168
125169
[1d20+6 = 20]
>>125167
"50 gold to whoever can set this on fire!" Brie says, drop/tossing the bomb to the ground between him and the wetiko. Rolling for accuracy. (BAB applied)
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125169
125170 125171 125172
>>125168
And that is done. Does brie take another action with his turn?

The dynamite pack is thrown and lands decently near Spark and Onyx
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125170
125173 125175 125185
>>125167
Hello.
>>125169
Oh...
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125171
125173 125175
>>125169
Yippee....
JLh2B
?
No.125172
125173 125174 125179
[1d20+6 = 7]
>>125169
Hell yeah he does! Time for murder! Brie engages the wetiko.
"At first, I was impressed, but the surprise has faded. Lets see what you're made of!"
5eUV8
?
No.125173
125174
[1d20+5 = 20]
>>125171
>>125170
Well it's not lit

>>125172
Brie lunges forward, tries to stab it, but hits it, and falls to the ground near it

It attacks
5eUV8
?
No.125174
[1d4+3 = 4]
>>125172
>>125173
And it bites at him...
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125175
125176
>>125171
>>125170
I would advise Onyx and or Spark to engage
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125176
125177
>>125175
Oh, oh! Onyx slashes at the thing with his trusty halberd
[1d20+12 = 27]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125177
125178
>>125176
Hit
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125178
125179 125185
>>125177
Damage
[1d10+6 = 8]

[1d6 = 4]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125179
125180
>>125172
>>125178
Onyx stabs into the creature in what would be, were this a pony, his barrel. He slices upwards, meeting two wounds where brie had stabbed him. Somethat that resembles a blue internal organ pokes out, and there is red-purple blood - but not much, as it has a quality more akin to frozen meet. Zu Lang lets out a shriek that sounds like a pony one the other side of a valley - a distant, echoing quality.

It collapses, evidently dead... er
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125180
125181 125190
>>125179
"What from the bowels of Tartarus is that?" Brie exclaims. "No time like the present, I guess."
Brie moves to cut off the creature's head.

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125181
125182
>>125180
This is probably a good idea

Brie cuts down into thick, leathery flesh, but cuts it off despite the increased resistance. The head is much larger than a normal head, and the eyes are perhaps not "healed," but it's as if the substance is self-sealing from the wound
E801c
?
No.125182
125183 125185
[1d20-2 = -5]
>>125181
Brie would like to roll an investigation check, in an attempt to understand what he's seeing
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125183
125184
>>125182
Brie can't really tell what the hell it is.

The best guess is a decapitated head of a giant stallion, laid down over permafrost for a month. Dead, but it's too cold to decay.
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125184
125185
>>125183
Alright. Has the head been cut from Drie's body? If not, Brie would like to do that as well

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125185
125186 125187 125190
>>125182
>>125178
>>125170
The wind picked up long ago, but now a very light snow starts to fall, blown around in the wind.

The Owlbear turns around, to start to leave. Drie's guard has flown away, leaving behind his carbine. The rifle is all that remains of a guard previously perched on the edge of the pit.

But then....

From out of the Pit, a head pokes up. Two black eyes on a frosted, black and purple chitin head. It's a changleing, albeit a giant one with discolored purplish chitin, and something in the creature's proportions makes it look more like a praying mantis than a Changeling drone.

"Major?"
It calls out, with an echoing voice, that sounds distant, as if it had been carried on the wind

>>125184
Not yet...
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125186
125188
>>125185
Fug
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125187
125188 125193
>>125185
"shit"
Onyx raises his halberd, stomping at the ground
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125188
125189
>>125187
>>125186
The creature is currently in the pit, evidently standing on its hind legs. That doesn't preclude it from leaving
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125189
125190
>>125188
Brie picks up the bomb. "Spark, would you be so kind?"
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125190
125191 125201
>>125180
"Well... I suppose we ought to take advantage of the situation and get out of..."
>>125185
"Well then..."
>>125189
He nods and lights the fuse.
E801c
?
No.125191
125201
[1d20+6 = 12]
>>125190
Rolling to lob the bomb at the new threat's feet(?)
5eUV8
?
No.125192
[1d3 = 1]
The creature now calls out,

"Snow Sprinter?"
The creature calls out in a mare's oice, like a mare looking for her fillie. What sounds so weird about it is that it sounds like the voice is coming from across the forest and echoing through trees. Not 100 feet away.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125193
125195
>>125187
Roll Will Save
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125195
125197 125201
>>125193
Oh boy....
[1d20+1 = 19]

Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125196
>>125194
Gawd, I sure hope that wasn't the damage for a bomb that size
5eUV8
?
No.125197
125199
>>125195
A cacophany of strange whispers fly on teh wind, surrounding Onyx. Strangely feminine in sound, they fly by, louder then quieter, some sounding like "get," "come" or other ponish words, some sounding foreign of a dialect Onyx has never heard.

Through all of this, Onyx stands strong
\r
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125199
>>125197
You fools! Your sweet siren song can not attract a >4 cha idiot such as Onyx!
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125201
125202
>>125195
>>125191
>>125190
The bomb falls down just short of the precipice, and after a couple seconds, explodes, with a giant BOOM sending dirt and snow flying through the air, as well as the lone rifle. The wave is visible in the air and disrupts the path of falling snow through a wide radius.

The mantis-Wetiko is not visible, having evidently fallen back into the pit
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125202
125203 125204
>>125201
"I'm not betting that will be the last of it." Brie says, and retrieves his daggers from Lang's body while he has the chance.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125203
>>125202
At least two found, on or near Lang
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125204
125205 125206
>>125202
"Heh, I doubt we're that lucky"
Onyx slowly advances towards the pit
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125205
125207
>>125204
Now, changelings peer in, to look from a distance

Looking into the pit, there's the creature. It's a Changeling drone alright, but much larger, even if its legs are no wider. It's eyes are black, and its chitin distorted a purple color. But it is alive, pressing, trying to get up, a half-cut wing twitching
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125206
>>125204
"Yeah, my thinking exactly." Brie readies both knives, expecting this thing to rear its ugly head.
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125207
125208
>>125205
Onyx charges while it is still reeling, his halberd aimed like a lance.
[1d20+12 = 21]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125208
125209 125210
>>125207
This is not straight forward, as it is down inside the mine while teh ponies above it. Of course going into the mine is not particularly difficult, given the presence of the ramp nearby, but it takes just a little bit longer
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125209
125212
>>125208
But can he still charge at the bug?
Shimmering Spark
8Fb4F
?
No.125210
>>125208
Then maybe I should resolve my final Ray first?
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125211
"Shit. We're gonna have to go down there after it aren't we?" Brie sighs, realizing that presenting a head and saying "There's more, we just didn't bother" won't fly with the queen.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125212
125213 125214 125216
The creature, one eye bleeding a black goo, tries to get up. One of the limbs is visibly shorter. It's been partly severed. But it places it on the ground, pulling itself up

>>125209
Not before it has the chance to maybe respond

Roll initiative

Actually, everyone, roll initiative
8Fb4F
?
No.125213
125215 125226
[1d20 = 12]
>>125212

Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125214
>>125212
[1d20 = 20]

5eUV8
?
No.125215
[1d20+5 = 20]
>>125213
Add Dex score
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125216
>>125212
[1d20+3 = 20]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125217
125218
Onyx
Changeling Wetiko
Brie
Spark
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125218
125219
>>125217
Onyx does little tacticle stabbing with the halberd
[1d20+12 = 29]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125219
125220
>>125218
Hit
Anonymous
SwbeM
?
No.125220
125221 125229
>>125219
The halberd frosts over the wound a bit
[1d10+6 = 11]

[1d6 = 3]

5eUV8
?
No.125221
125222
[1d20+5 = 8]
[1d20+5 = 12]
>>125220
The halberd stabs into the creature, like crushing through the shell of a beetle. The inside has a frozen quality

But it still stands. It swipes at Onyx with a broken, hoofless leg, and then tries to bite
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125222
125223
Brie's turn

>>125221
The broken leg would have hit, if there were a hoof at the end of it. But it doesn't and neither do its fangs make contact
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125223
>>125222
Double daggers, por favor
[1d20+8 = 14]

[1d20+8 = 23]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125224
125225
One hits the hide.... but bounces off of it, flinging down into the mine

The other dagger lands
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125225
125226 125229
>>125224
[1d4+1 = 2]

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125226
125227
>>125225
It stabs into the hide, not quite knocking it down

>>125213
Spark's turn
8Fb4F
?
No.125227
125228 125229
[1d20+3 = 17]
>>125226
Final Scorching Ray. Hope this is the last monster.
5eUV8
?
No.125228
[4d6 = 17]
>>125227
Hit
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125229
>>125227
>>125225
>>125220
The creature, partly exploded, stabbed, and stabbed again, catches fire around its chest, a fire that spreads through out its body. It burns, with a smell strangely similar to burning wood. It falls over, to the ground
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125230
125231
"Anypony else planning on mutating into a abomination?" Brie calls out, visibly frustrated.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125231
125232
>>125230
Changeling drones, pretty much entirely all in flight, come closer, looking over the scene. The Owlbear has left, and the creatures are dead. The buzzing sounds like a swarm of bees, or hornets
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125232
125233
>>125231
Brie retrieves the one dagger he can be assumed to be able to find, and would like to take this creature's head as well
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125233
125234
>>125232
The bodies of Drie and the Low level drone present a difficulty. They are partly burned
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125234
125235
>>125233
Meaning?
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125235
125236
>>125234
Only that the heads are damaged, with features partly burned. They can be severed
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125236
125237
>>125235
Brie will take his time cutting off the heads, to serve as evidence
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125237
125238
>>125236
The head of the drone is severed. It's tougher around the edges, but softer on the inside. The head of Drie has a leathery exterior that is easier to cut through, but a harder interior. Both are severed. Blood is red, then purple, then blue, but in all cases thick and not forthcoming
Anonymous
E801c
?
No.125238
125239 125240
>>125237
"Distasteful, but not unwarranted. This will do I hope."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125239
125240
>>125238
And so it is

Drones start coming in, closer, looking at the bodies, and the scene of the action. So too do ponies in the pt, slowly wondering back after teh gunfire has ceased
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125240
125241
>>125238
>>125239
Brie finds that, as time passes, the body of Zu Lang slowly transforms back into the body of a decapitated changeling drone, bleeding blue blood and wearing a white fur coat
Anonymous
vDbg2
?
No.125241
125242
>>125240
Well that's a relief. They don't appear to be regenerating

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125242
>>125241
Nope. He's dead. The drones come in closer
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125243
125264
>>125163
Iron really can't tell very much about these items, either what they are or how valuable they are.

But Iron can discern two things. Ponies only put things in safes either because it's something they have that they are afraid of being stolen, or it's some secret they must hide that they cannot destroy. Either way, it means it must be valuable, at least to someone. But Iron also knows that while an item may be valuable to someone, it can only be valuable to Iron if he can figure out how to use it.
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125244
125245
Brie takes a deep breath, after having acquired the 2-3 heads of the,... wetikos, he guesses, that's what they were called.
"ALRIGHT, WHO IN THE FUCK KNEW ABOUT THIS?!"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125245
125246
>>125244
A few of the drones, buzzing around, move back a few feet
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125246
125247
>>125245
Brie looks up and to the right, not at anypony in particular. "Yes, you're right."
He then focuses his attention on the drones.
"Jemand sollte anfangen zu reden. Ich suche keine Köpfe, ich habe diese, aber ich brauche Antworten. Jetzt!"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125247
125248
>>125246
A black dog pops out from underneath the carriage that Brie bought, which is in the mine, and another dog pops out from behind a tree. So too do two stallions come out of the breakroom trailer, a drone out of the office, and a few more stallions from behind a piece of equipment, now that the gunfire has ceased. Drones haven't answered Brie's question yet, but a couple land down, far away. One particular one dives down and comes kind of close to Brie. It's Drie's guard and medic, who is trying to recover his carbine, which he dropped.
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125248
125249
>>125247
"Niemand? Niemand." He sighs and wipes some blood from his forehead. "Jetzt verdammte Hunde?" he mutters. "Ich gehe nicht, bis ich einige Antworten bekomme. Du." he says, pointing a hoof at the medic.

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125249
125250
>>125248
The drone lands down, and uses magic to pick up the carbine. He looks over with his big (lliteral) bug eyes at Brie, silent for a moment, when Brie speaks to him
"Eh... In diesen drei Fällen gab es seit einiger Zeit einige "Unregelmäßigkeiten" in der Nacht"
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125250
125251
>>125249
"Ich könnte mir vorstellen. Wurde etwas darüber beobachtet, was ... dies verursacht haben könnte?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125251
125252
>>125250
Wings falls down a bit, and after he starts speaking, he looks down, before looking up again
"Wir wissen nicht wirklich warum. Es begann nicht lange nachdem wir hier angekommen waren. Wir glauben, dass es etwas mit einem Stamm der Ersten Völker nördlich von hier zu tun hat, gegen den wir gekämpft haben, als wir versucht haben, die Region zu sichern. Entweder taten es ihre vergifteten Pfeile oder sie verfluchten sie. Vielleicht war es der Wald selbst ... Wir wissen es nicht"
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125252
125253
>>125251
"Das ist ganz in Ordnung, das wird nicht erwartet. Die Königin wird jedoch eine vollständige Nachbesprechung wünschen. Wie früh können Sie einen zusammenfassenden Bericht erstellen? Dies kann ohne Angst oder Androhung von Repressalien durchgeführt werden, wie ich genug gesehen habe, um aussagen zu können, ohne eine Fledermaus zu implizieren?"
Yes, I'm thinking that while everyone does the 'everypony' thing, Brie will do the same, except with bat Xp

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125253
125254
>>125252
"Ich kann ... Ich kann jemanden dazu bringen, so schnell wie möglich einen Bericht zu schreiben. Ich weiß nicht, wie glücklich die Königin sein wird, aber sie könnte sich mehr darum kümmern, das Erz wieder auf Kurs zu bringen"
Is Brie secretly a Bat nationalist?
Anonymous
vDQfy
?
No.125254
125255
>>125253
Brie is a pure opportunist, who unfortunately is having to manufacture his opportunity.
"Das war ihr Hauptanliegen, ja. Unabhängig von den Anomalien bin ich sicher, dass sie zufrieden sein wird dass die Dinge zu einem Anschein von Normalität zurückkehren können."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125255
125256
>>125254
He nods, and then volunteers the following:
"Es beginnt normalerweise nachts, nicht die meisten Nächte, aber manchmal. Wir denken, Stress verursacht es, aber wir wollten es nicht genau testen. Einige Arbeiter hatten nachts Pech, andere hatten sie gesehen. Also haben wir die Arbeiter vor ein paar Monaten ersetzt. Die Arbeiter hatten Angst und waren sowieso nicht produktiv oder vertrauenswürdig. Wir haben sie nachts an die Box gebracht, um zu verhindern, dass sie viel Schaden anrichten oder verloren gehen, aber manchmal haben sie die Maschinen angegriffen, weil die Maschinen sie tagsüber frustriert haben. Die Maschinen haben das Schlimmste davon."
Anonymous
DJ9BD
?
No.125256
125257
>>125255
Brie thinks long and hard before answering, his hoof at his chin pensively. After a lengthy pause he replies "

227/5000
Waren sie völlig wild oder gab es eine Möglichkeit, sie zu kontrollieren? Ich meine, sie schienen sich auf die Maschinen zu konzentrieren, nicht wahr? Ist es möglich, dass diese Wildheit beurteilt werden könnte? Oder ist es zu früh, um eine solche Entscheidung zu treffen?

For the record, I meant 'judged' to be 'directed'

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125257
125258
>>125256
He nods, and answers, now clearly calmed down
"Wir haben es nie gewagt, unsere Kommandeure zu kontrollieren. Aber nein, die Drohne war unkontrollierbar, obwohl sie abgelenkt werden konnte. Ein vierter starb an Wunden, nachdem er sich wieder in eine Drohne verwandelt hatte. Ich glaube, es war sowohl von den First Nations als auch von Kugeln, die in Dämonenform auf ihn geschossen wurden."

"Deflected" is "distracted"
Anonymous
DJ9BD
?
No.125258
125260
>>125257
Brie nods thoughtfully. "Sehr gut. Vielen Dank, dass Sie sich meinen Fragen gestellt haben. Darf ich deinen Namen haben?"

Spirit of a Sardonic Economist
y0ssL
?
No.125259
125260
I looked up "wetiko" and found a bunch of moaning anthropologists. The way you use the concept is much better, reminds me of OFF

>>125074
"Might is right." –Silver Sword, 10XX

>>125095
Kek, good riddance
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125260
125490
>>125258
He nods, and touches his cap, though he does not fully tilt it or remove it
"Ich bin Drohne vierunddreißig von Lacenia und Schwarzer Flügel. Mein späterer Name ist Fultoni"

>>125259
Indeedd

And thank you
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125261
125262
Alright, so Silver was returning to the rest of the party.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125262
125307
>>125261
Silver walks through the upper hallway of the second floor, past the lone zebra corpse and a blood trail and Maakie’s gun and saber, over to the stairwell. The area is pretty empty, even as their are distant noises.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125263
125264
Meanwhile, Iron's still mumbling to himself about these accursed items, obviously storing the ones that hold immediate value in his eyes.
Please don't make me go through the list again. It's so far away from the 50 post limit
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125264
125265
>>125263
This is the response: >>125243

Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125265
125266
>>125264
Ah cool
Iron, not sure how to use these items in the first place aside from pawning them off to Cauldron for her to sell off somehow, simply looks around for a convenient container to put all these things in.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125266
125267
>>125265
It’ll fit in a saddle bag, but unless he has one, none are immediately present
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125267
125268
>>125266
Iron hums softly.
(Maybe I can stuff them in my clothes?) he ponders to himself as he gazes on.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125268
125269 125270
>>125267
There is the adjacent set of rooms, after all. But if folded, it could probably fit on his back or in a pocket. (He’s covered in more than a little blood, though)
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125269
125270 125271
>>125268
If I do a search roll, is there a chance to find a saddlebag handy?
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125270
125272
>>125268
>>125269
I'll go with a yes.
[1d20+1 = 2]
<Search roll for saddlebag
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125271
>>125269
Perhaps
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125272
125273
>>125270
Iron trots forth, and trips and falls into the desk
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125273
125274
>>125272
Iron's jaw hits the desk in mild annoyance, shaking off his head before actually going to look for a saddlebag.
[1d20+1 = 10]
<Search roll (again)
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125274
125275
>>125273
There’s like a white robe in the closet, a couple formal business suits (stripped pattern), some towels in the bathroom, and a briefcase (which does not have a shoulder strap)
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125275
125276
>>125274
Iron decides to inspect the white robe, wondering how thick it was as he takes it out of the closet and extending it to its fullest on the floor.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125276
>>125275
It is made of cotton, seems like it would be reasonably warm in cold weather, and offers zero armored protection. It’s it seems like it would fit on Iron, but is intended to be loose on the wearer. It will cover down to approximately a few inches above Iron’s knee, and over everything from Iron’s shoulder to tail. A mare might be able to wear it, though it would be obviously oversized
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125277
125278
Humming softly, Iron takes the marble statue, placing it on top of the inside of the coat.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125278
125279
>>125277
And so he does so
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125279
125280
>>125278
With that, he tries to close it to see how it looks like.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125280
125281
>>125279
The marble griffin is rather small, maybe ~15 cm or less in height. It is covered completely by the robe, though the bulge is visible
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125281
125282
>>125280
Seeing the potentially most difficult thing to store, he'll go on to place the notes, bits and foreign currency inside as well, making sure it can still be closed by the top, akin to a bindle.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125282
125283
>>125281
This is doable, it looks almost like a towel. The papers have to be bent and crinkled to make this happen, unless they are carefully rolled, or if the robe is folded in a rectangle. The robe is pretty large when rolled or filed up
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125283
125284
>>125282
Making sure the fold is in a rectangle with his hooves in order not to break the items inside, he then proceeds to place all of the money item group inside the white robe, closing it once more.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125284
125285
>>125283
What are all of the items Iron takes? (List). And does not take
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125285
125286
>>125284
The gemstones, Equestrian Bank Notes, the idol, and the bracelet first, to try it out.
He does not take the rest.
For now.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125286
125287
>>125285
This is easily wrapped inside of a bath robe, though it is awkward to carry and could unravel
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125287
125288
>>125286
Iron then proceeds to look in the bathroom, wondering if there could be a long stick of wood inside.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125288
125289
>>125287
A detachable metal towel hanger rail, and a plunder (hiding behind a wooden door)

This is a rather nice and large bathroom. The bathtub is basically a hot tub, and the shower is rather large as well
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125289
125290
>>125288
Iron inspects the length of both rail and plunger handle, humming softly as does so.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125290
125291
>>125289
Neither is as long as a meter, the plunger handle being the longer of the two.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125291
125292
>>125290
Looking between the two, Iron finally decides to pick up with his mouth the plunger handle, assuming the plunger itself will make haste in removing itself.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125292
125293
>>125291
It needs to be pulled off, but it seems possible with enough effort
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125293
125294
>>125292
Huffing with the plunger still in his mouth, Iron tries to do so.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125294
125295
>>125293
And.... it’s torn off. A ~.92 meter long wooden stick remains
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125295
125296
>>125294
Bringing it back to the extended, closed robe, Iron grabs the tips of the robe, tying it up to the long, wooden stick.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125296
125297
>>125295
It’s a short stick and a long robe, but this is more or less doable, if ungraceful
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125297
125298
>>125296
Iron then tests it by pulling it up with his mouth and shaking it slightly.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125298
125299
>>125297
Hmmm....

Roll die for tying
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125299
125300
>>125298
[1d20+2 = 12]
<Use Rope
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125300
125301
>>125299
It holds, mostly. But don’t go too hard on it either.

Iron may now waltz Matilda
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125301
125302
>>125300
Iron proceeds to lay down the home-made equipment and undress himself, loosening the leather belt under it to slide the handle through the belt and fasten it so as to free the mouth.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125302
125303
>>125301
The bag is still in an awkward position, running up against his side. Unless iron puts the belt around his neck, and tries to have the pole go upward
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125303
125304
>>125302
Iron proceeds to move the belt about, up to his neck as to try out the position.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125304
125305
>>125303
It kind of hurts. Or would, but iron feels great right now. If iron stops suddenly, the bag will hit the back of his head, but otherwise it works
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125305
125306
>>125304
Beaming with pride, Iron proceeds to pick up the briefcase, stuffing all the info stuff he got into it and closing it, leaving him with the two fluids on the table.
Anonymous
1DFCM
?
No.125306
125310
>>125305
It is stuffed, and locks
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125307
125308
>>125262
Hmm...I wonder if that leads to garbage chute...

Silver heads up the stairwell, and seeks out Johann.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125308
125309
>>125307
Johann is standing, evidently in an argument with one of the cultists
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125309
125312
>>125308
Silver trots up to listen.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125310
125311
>>125306
Looking back at his rock pouch, Iron pulls it off from it and dumps the rocks on the floor, replacing it with the potions.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125311
>>125310
The rocks pile down onto the floor, making definite thuds. The potions fit nicely

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125312
125314
>>125309
The argument seems to be over legal jurisdiction, and what crimes if any he could be charged with. Another two cultists listen intently. The cultist is very insistent that he hasn't been caught doing anything actually illegal, and that of course an Imperial has no jurisdiction over him.

An upset griffin pushes through the crowd to come over to curse at him. This is ended swiftly when Johann pulls a gun on her, and levels it right at her head. "What was that about the Imperial Inquisition?"

Ritual daggers litter the floor
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125313
125315
With the potions in the pouch, Iron reattaches it to the belt on his neck, finally ready to take out the stuff.
He starts to wonder where he could find Sands, walking over to the towels to inspect them.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125314
125315
>>125312
Silver calls firmly out to them both.

"Enough."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125315
125316 125319
>>125313
White, cotton

>>125314
He pulls up a wing, and shields himself with it, with some offense on his expression
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125316
125317
>>125315
Just in case, Iron drapes them over himself and proceeds to walk out the safe room, wondering where could Sands be.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125317
125318
>>125316
She was last seen in the Chapel, third floor administrative building
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125318
125320
>>125317
With that clue popping in his head, Iron decides to head there in order to relay the news and maybe put the towels to good use.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125319
125321
>>125315
Silver first addresses the captured cultists.

"You may not be under jurisdiciton of good Inquisitor, here, but you are underneath our jurisdiction. If you are innocent, you will be fine..."

He looks towards the sewn up sacrifices.

"...but as it is, you will have uphill battle to disprove your guilt."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125320
125324
>>125318
Iron notices a difficulty while heading out.

Inside the atrium of the dorm hall, there are several police officers. Both blue uniform, and green uniform
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125321
125322
>>125319
They are quieted, some humbled, some staying strong

Johann speaks to Silver
"Were there Imperial subjects?"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125322
125323
>>125321
Silver nods.

"Those you saw in atrium we had either captured or killed. They will most likely be transfered into Imperial custody."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125323
125325
>>125322
Now he smiles
"That, they will be"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125324
125326
>>125320
Iron doesn't like that, indeed.
He backtracks by a bit, looking for any exit avenues to go around them.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125325
125331
>>125323
"Now, I have something to speak with you about quickly."

With a motion of his head, he urges Johann to follow him slightly away from the captives.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125326
125327
>>125324
Down to the basement, through the tunnel. Or around, through the second floor entry (this might be more open and visible from the first level)
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125327
125328
>>125326
Iron obviously goes through the basement route, hoping no more police are stationed in there yet.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125328
125329
>>125327
Down through the tunel, up to the second floor, through the hallway where there is now only one zebra and no Maakie, and then to the stairs into the chapel
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125329
125330
>>125328
Iron slowly and carefully walks up the stairs, hoping to find Sands up there, ready to plan out the strategy to take these things out of the area.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125330
125332
>>125329
Sands is back in the chapel, looking kind of stunned, still wearing a robe almost like a blanket
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125331
125334
>>125325
He nods
"Very well"

And follows Silver
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125332
125333
>>125330
Iron breathes a sigh of relief, thankful.
"Alright, I am back from the extra payment," Iron informs quietly for her sake "How is the situation?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125333
125335
>>125332
"They are still holding them back. Something something legal jurisdiction whatever. The unicorn popped out for a while but he's back now"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125334
125336
>>125331
Silver stops some distance away from the captives.

"You were held captive here, yes? Can you recall if you were drained during your imprisonment here? I noticed you look rather off."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125335
125336 125339
>>125333
Nodding, Iron hums softly as he lets the briefcase on the ground and opens it, as well as the now newly labelled potion pouch, opening their contents. "Could you take a look at these and tell me if they are worth anything?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125336
125337 125338 125339
>>125334
"By one of those Changelings? Yes. Yes I was"

>>125335
She takes out the contracts
"Legal documents, I'm not sure who this is of interest for. TThis is another legal document" holding up the deed

She puts those down, and pulls up the jelly. Her face lights up a bit
"This. This is.... better keep this"
She takes it, then pulls up the last one
"And what do we have here"
She looks at it more
"Maybe a love potion? It's marked with a heart"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125337
125339
>>125336
Silver produces a vial of changeling jelly, offering it to Johann.

"I went downstairs and got this for you. It should restore some of your energy."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125338
125339 125340
>>125336
Iron is a bit baffled by the mention of a love potion. "...you mean there could be an actual potion to induce love of all things?" he asks incredulously
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125339
125340 125342
>>125336
>>125335
She picks up the bonds
"These are securities, payable to bearer. Similar to money"

Then she looks through the photos
"One of these, I recognize in the City Council"

>>125337
"Hmmm"
He examines the vial of jelly
"Alright"

He slowly pulls off the cap, then lets it fall into his mouth, swallowing it

He waits a moment then his breathing picks up. His eyes become a brighter yellow-green, and his coat a deeper, brighter yellow
"That's... I feel better. Much better already"

>>125338
She shrugs, then smiles in a nigh devious way
"If not love, then a close enough substitute for it"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125340
125341 125342
>>125339
Silver smiles, and pats Johann's shoulder.

"That is good to hear. I am going to finish checking on things before police arrive."

>>125338
>>125339
Silver then trots up to Iron and Sands.

"Find anything interesting in that safe?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125341
125344
>>125340
He pulls away a bit, as if not expecting pats, but seems to accept them. He nods, with a minor smile
"Very well. And I will try to investigate what I can here"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125342
125343 125344
>>125340
>>125339
Iron looks back to Silver, kitted in the most hobo-esque looking getup ever of the most improvised bindle possible tightened by a leather belt on his neck, as well as a suitcase and pouch. Funnily enough, he's naked now, too.
"I am currently looking into it," he responds before turning to Sands into more of a whisper.
"Why would a group like this have a picture of this 'Cee-tea Counc-eel' in their safe mating with a mare?
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125343
125345
>>125342
She whispers back
"It wasn't the city council member who was mating with the mare... But these are embarrassing or incriminating photos"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125344
125345 125347
>>125341
>>125342
Silver looks to the documents Iron has pulled out.

"Do you mind if I have quick look for anything interesting in those?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125345
125346 125347
>>125344
Iron nods once, assuming he's here to look at deeds and legal documents, separating them out of the briefcase and into the floor for Silver's magic to grab a hold of.
>>125343
Iron turns to Sands with a confused expression, wondering how could a stallion mating a mare be embarrassing.

Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125346
125353
>>125345
Silver nods, takes them in his magic, and looks over the documents.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125347
125348
>>125344
Sands just moves aside, as if claiming no control over the documents

>>125345
She shrugs
"I don't know who that is"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125348
125349 125353 125354
>>125347
With a shrug of his own, Iron closes the briefcase with everything inside except for the legal documents and deed while also closing the pouch.
"Is there a clear exit to take off with this stuff plus the weapons?" Iron asks in a whisper
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125349
125350
>>125348
Silver's eyes light up at the deed, and looks over to Iron.

"So...I understand if you decline, but...may I keep this deed? It would be huge favor you would be doing for me."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125350
125351
>>125349
Iron shrugs.
"Keep it, if you feel it will do you good," he answers dismissively.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125351
125352 125356
>>125350
The unicorn smiles wide, and he hugs Iron right then and there.

"Thank you, Iron!"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125352
125354 125355
>>125351
Iron briefly glances at Silver in mild worry, wondering what's gotten to the old coot as he briefly glances at Silver.
"...I know I am currently standing upright, but I would rather not coat half of your being with my blood," he comments awkwardly.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125353
125355
>>125348
"I don't know. There might be one by the waterline"

>>125346
Documents include:

Contracts. Specifically, these are freight shipping contracts,
contracts for the sale of horseshoes, contracts for the sale of hats,
and for the purchase of steel ingots and leather

A deed, looks like to a single family residence on the north bay

Photographs - Blackmail, at least three distinct victims

New Mareland treasury bonds - payable to bearer
Blue Car Motorworks bond - payable to bearer
Hayston Engineering bond - payable to bearer
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125354
125356 125358 125361
>>125348
>>125352
"There might be an exit by the waterline. I don't know how well guarded that is though"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125355
>>125352
Silver chuckles, and releases him.

"I do not mind. Not first time somepony has bled on me. But truly, thank you!"

He motions to the bonds.

"Do you want to keep these?"

>>125353
Silver blushes at the rather explicit nature of the blackmail photos. He makes a note to perhaps seek out the subjects sometime.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125356
125357
>>125354
>>125351

Iron simply nods at Silver for his offer, having given him the deed before suddenly his torch lights up, looking at the old pony. "Do you mind keeping the tavern room rented for Khoi to bunk into as well?" he asks to the old pony.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125357
125358
>>125356
Silver nods.

"Sure. I was going to give her some money as well for whatever she would need."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125358
125360
>>125357
Iron nods once more, taking the bonds straight into the suitcase before looking at Sands.
>>125354
"Are you ready to go?" he asks her in a whisper.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125360
125362
>>125358
"Where are we going?"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125361
125365
>>125354
Silver gathers the rest of the documents, and goes to Loputu and the Skynavian mare, pulling his second flask of changeling honey out.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125362
125363
>>125360
"The Watering Hole," he answers "unless you have a better idea in mind."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125363
125364
>>125362
She shrugs

When she looks over to where silver is going,
Yeah. Let's go"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125364
125367
>>125363
With a nod in return, Iron starts the small trek where Sands previously mentioned was maybe clear, by the waterline, asking Sands to lead to scout out the area and avoid surprise guard encounters.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125365
125366
>>125361
The mare looks up
"Huh?"

She looks exactly like White Sands
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125366
125367
>>125365
So that's where Zwolf got her disguise from...

Silver uncorks the vial, and gives it to her.

"Here, take this."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125367
125368 125369
>>125364
Down stairs, through to the main stairwell, down to the tunnel, through the boiler room, through the hall and through the storage room, past through where the garbage chute is, then into a little area with three doors
"I know at least this far" she says

>>125366
Loputu says something to her

She might need to be physically fed it, like a foal
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125368
125370
>>125367
If that is the case, then Silver does so, using his magic to scoop the honey out of the vial and into the mare's mouth.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125369
125370
>>125367
Iron points to the middle door, quietly asking Sands to take a listen through and maybe peek through any cracks for further information.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125370
125371 125372
>>125368
She licks it, almost like peanut butter, slowly lapping it up. As she does so, her eyes slowly become a deeper, darker green. Her fur almost becomes fluffy. A purer white, and less grey. But it's her mane most of all that shows the difference, gaining a vibrant pink color. She stands up

>>125369
She places her head against the door, looks up right, then moves to attention, and gets up

"There's some creature there, alright"

Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125371
125373
>>125370
Silver looks at her as she stands up.

"Feel any better?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125372
125373
>>125370
Iron hums softly before asking Sands to look to the two other doors at the sides as he instintively looks for some cover in case the creature decides to come in for whatever reason.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125373
125374 125375
>>125371
She stares at him for a moment, but then nods. The movements of her head, up and down, are fast paced, knocking her pink mane about

>>125372
She goes, opens the door to the left, looks in, and about, then closes it and goes to the door on the right, which she does not bother to open, but looks at with disgust

She turns to him
"I don't know"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125374
125376
>>125373
"What is your name?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125375
125376
>>125373
Humming softly, Iron checks the leftmost door for himself, wondering if it's the right path to go to.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125376
125377 125378
>>125375
It dead ends into what seems to be something like an apartment

>>125374
As if she's struggling to speak,
"My name is... Keskööpäike"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125377
125379
>>125376
Iron then proceeds to look into the rightmost door instead.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125378
125379
>>125376
Silver puts a hoof over his chest.

"My name is Silver Sword. We are here to rescue you."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125379
125380 125381
>>125377
Sands goes up, and places a leg on the door
"If there is a way out from undergound, it's forward"

>>125378
She looks at him, and a little down. She's really skinny, and it's difficult to tell if that's natural, she's starved, or a little of both. Then she looks back up at him, as if straining

Loputu speaks to her
"Ta ütleb, et on siin, et sind päästa. Tema nimi on Silver Sword"

Her face lights up, and she has a big smile. Then she whomps Silver, hugged him
"Thank you, thank you... Ma arvasin, et suren siin"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125380
125381 125382 125383
>>125379
Silver is a little surprised by the sudden hug, but he quickly recovers to hug her back. He flashes a thankful smile behind her at Loputu.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125381
>>125379
>>125380
"What happened? How were you captured?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125382
125383
>>125380
Iron huffs slightly before going to the middle door and peeking through to see what they could be potentially dealing with.
5eUV8
?
No.125383
125384 125385
>>125380
Loputu himself smiles awkwardly, and she pulls herself back, also smiling in an awkward way. She visibly has tears on her face

Loputu:
"Ta tahab teada, kuidas sa siia tulid"

Through a relay, she relates the following:
"I was in Cubria, in Frostbell when I wanted to leave. I heard Equestria had better wages than Bakara.... I contracted to leave. The government did not want me to leave. So I had to hide. I came here. But they said I owed them money, and I had to work chained at a table twelve hours a day. There were monsters that would hit us, and threaten to eat us alive... such horrible things. One night they dragged me before a black vile creature, that drained away much of my soul. I was placed in a cocoon for I do not know how long. Then they burst me out, and took me up here to wait"

>>125382
A strange voice
"Schwarzefeder? Is that you? Let us out! Some ponies trapped us in these cages"
\r
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125384
125386
>>125383
Raising an eyebrow in curiosity at the loaded statement, Iron opens it even the tiniest bit to maybe see if this creature's telling the truth.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125385
125386
>>125383
Silver nods, sadly.

"I am sorry to hear. It is over, now. Those behind this have been captured or killed. Once police arrive to remove those we captured, you will be free.

"You say you were looking to resettle here in Equestria? I assume you will need money for food and lodging in meantime?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125386
125387 125388
>>125384
Iron opens the door to see a cage filled with two creatures. Two creatures that look like that cackling, wild creature that Silver fought in the sanctuary
"Hey! You're another pony! What are you doing here?" calls the androgynous voice

>>125385
"Oh.."

Loputu speaks to her, and she talks back in her language
"She thinks she will"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125387
125389
>>125386
Silver starts counting out Bit notes for a short bit, eventually handing her a stack of 500.

"Here, take it."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125388
125391
>>125386
Iron blinks in mild surprise at the two gnolls, blinking softly.
"I was actually just heading out," Iron responds, poised as his usually grey coat took a brown-ish red hue by this point "do you know where is the exit from here?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125389
125390
>>125387
She looks at it, and blinks
"Thank you..."
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125390
125391
>>125389
Silver nods and smiles at her.

"It is not too terribly much, but it will cover food and lodging for while."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125391
125392 125394
>>125390
She tilts her head
"I do not know place"

>>125388
"Hehehehehe

Sure. If you let us out"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125392
125393
>>125391
"You do not know place? Like place to stay?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125393
125395
>>125392
"No, I mean... Equestria"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125394
125396
>>125391
Iron snorts softly as he starts walking along the corridor, looking ahead.
"Hm... How do I know you know the way?" he asks tentatively as he scans the area ahaed.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125395
125396
>>125393
"Oh. Hmm..."

Silver looks to Loputu.

"Could you please translate for me, since she speaks Skynavian fluently? I want to know what she means."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125396
125397 125398
>>125394
At the end is a doorway opening to a stairway
"I'll show you the way alright!"
"Then why did you ask us?"

>>125395
"s-sure"
He asks her, and she speaks back
"She says she is not familiar with Equestria and is unsure how well she could survive on her own"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125397
125399
>>125396
"Ohhhhh. Well, if she so chooses, she can stay with me."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125398
125399
>>125396
Iron hums before shaking his head.
"I do not seem that convinced you know the layout, considering you have not evacuated yet," he informs "since right now the poh-lee-ce is right above us, cuffing anypony that even resembles a cultist."
He puts on a confident look. "I can get scot free, but you..." he cranes his head from side to side tentatively "...might be seen as cultists and either throw you in a nicer metal cage or make you an example to the public."
With that explanation set, Iron turns to the two gnolls. "So if I even want to think about getting you two out, I need something more than promises."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125399
125400 125401
>>125397
Loputu is silent at this for a moment, and scrunches, but then he speaks, and relays the information to her

"She says thank you, and she will consider it"

>>125398
She pulls against the bars, rattling them
"I can promise you if you don't let us out I'll tear you to pieces!"

The male is a bit more pleading
"We were locked in here. We'll make it worth your while if you just let us out"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125400
125402 125404
>>125399
Iron hums softly before pointing to the corridor ahead. "Tell me what is right outside this corridor, and if you are accurate, I will let you go."
He turns to Sands, beckoning her to go check while the dogs answers.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125401
125402
>>125399
Silver is confused at Loputu's reaction, but he nods to her.

"Whatever you decide, we will help you."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125402
125403
>>125400
Female: "Let us go, and maybe I'll tell you what's down the corridor"

Male: "Water. It's water"

>>125401
"She says okay, and she is grateful"
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125403
125515
>>125402
Silver gets up, and looks to the two Skynavians.

"I am going to check up on others. Stay safe, you two."

Floof is sleepy. Floof thinks he's going to bed.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125404
125406
>>125400
She looks down the stairs
"I.... Think I see water?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125406
125408 125410
>>125404
Iron hums softly, appreciative at the male hyena but distrusting of the female hyena still.
He turns his head to the first one. "So, how can I take your word your potential marefriend is not going to claw at me the moment I open these doors?"
5eUV8
?
No.125407
[1d3 = 1]

5eUV8
?
No.125408
125409
>>125406
"Yeah yeah, what's going on? Are you with the Waterfront Gang?"

"I'll claw at you if you won't open this cage!"

\r
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125409
125411
>>125408
Sense Motive to figure out their feelings and truthfulness!
[1d20+2 = 17]
<Sense Motive!
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125410
125412
>>125406
"Yeah yeah, what's going on? Are you with the Waterfront Gang?"

"Marefriend?! Do I look like any damn mare. I could take your concept of a marefriend and rip her to pieces!"
5eUV8
?
No.125411
125412
>>125409
The female seems to be very much forthright in her expression of her opinion that she could rip a pony to pieces. She also seems to be generally in a bad mood.

The male is a bit fuzzier. He seems afraid, very much wants to get out of there, and does not seem to have any immediate motive to harm Iron. However, he doesn't look like he could restrain the female, nor does he seem entirely willing.

It's a strange case of reverse sexual di-morphism. She's bigger and more muscular than he is
\r
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125412
125413
>>125411
>>125410
Iron hums softly, looking rather confused at the sight of more powerfully built females than males before shrugging and looking at whatever is holding these gnolls inside the cage.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125413
125414
>>125412
The gnolls themselves are fairly injured, showing signs of cutting flesh wounds in he female, and a bullet wound in the male, as well as bleeding from evident bite marks on all four legs on both subjects. There is broken and chewed up rope on the floor. The cage itself seems to have a lock to it
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125414
125415
>>125413
Motioning Sands back and to brandish a weapon just in case, Iron prepares his head-crushing thighs in anticipation for the ensuing lock breaking.
"Alright, you can lead us to the exit and you can go scot free afterwards to do your own thing," he comments in preparation.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125415
125416
>>125414
"Iron?" Sands says
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125416
125417
>>125415
Iron looks at Sands expectantly, wondering what she'd want to say first before doing it.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125417
125418
>>125416
She comes up close to him, and whispers with irritation into his ear
Why are you helping them? These guys are assholes.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125418
125419
>>125417
Iron raises an eyebrow, wondering what else she has to say.

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125419
125420
>>125418
They were Maakie.... ugh, the 'well dressed griffin's' biggest enforcers. It's bad enough the unicorn already let the runt go"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125420
125421
>>125419
This sours Iron's expression quite a lot, as he was previously considering they were little less than scared and confused guards stuck inside the cage, eager to get this behind them.
"Is that so..." Iron mutters in dismay before shaking his head and relaxing his muscles, looking at the two gnolls in the cage for a good five seconds before starting to walk away from the two, not wanting to do anything with them.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125421
125422
>>125420
The female shouts to him
"Hey! You from the gang! The police will be looking for you too. I know they will. That's why you are looking to sneak out back instead of walking through the street"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125422
125423 125424
>>125421
Iron simply chuckles before looking back at her.
"I have friends in high places," he informs the hyena "so whatever snitching you may try will yield you nothing but disappointment, big mare."
His face turns dark, as he raises a foreleg.
"and your demise, as well, if you try."
[1d20+9 = 19]
<Intimidate
5eUV8
?
No.125423
125424
[1d20+9 = 18]
>>125422
Opposed
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125424
125425
>>125422
>>125423
Perhaps if Iron had met her under different circumstances, her inner will would have won out. But as it is, she is stabbed, cut, only recently out of ties, locked in a cage, and she sees enemies coming from a direction from which she should expect friendly reinforcements.

As such, she folds, remaining silent and standing there. But her ears fall down
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125425
125426
>>125424
Hearing no retort from the hyena makes his lower his foreleg as he beckons Sands with his head, moving further into the corridor and leaving the two gnolls behind.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125426
125427
>>125425
Male:
"Come on! Don't leave us here! We can make it worth your while! Listen! I know the location of a wreck!..."

It's a bit harder to hear down the corridor as Iron goes into a stairwell tunnel that looks more like those catacombs under the vacant lot where the zombies were, than it looks like the rest of the building. Down at the bottom, is a particularly black room
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125427
125428
>>125426
(Only option is down...) he thinks to himself as he follows the directions towards the particularly dark room, looking at Sands to maybe see if she had magic sticks or light.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125428
125429
>>125427
"Let me light something..."

She takes a piece of the robe she is wearing, places it on the ground, places another piece in her teeth, and tugs, ripping a sleeve right off. She holds it in air with magic, pulls out a lighter from a belt pocket, and..
"click" lights it on fire

"The light won't last long"

Iron can see a room, not very large with high, arched ceiling, made of white stone. Most of it is water, with a ledge wide enough for two ponies. There is a small row boat, white with a red strip on the top of the side, up beside the ledge like it is a pier, with a rope lazily placed around a stake. At the end of the room is a circular tunnel with no lighting, with water at the bottom, and ig enough for the boat to travel through. The water doesn't look very deep, but it's almost opaque
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125429
125430
>>125428
Humming softly, Iron presuposes that they could either leave right now through the boat or travel the tunnels and maybe find a marehole to get out of the potential sewer system.
He relays his thought process to Sands, wondering what she'd think would work best.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125430
125431
>>125429
"There's only one way out" she says
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125431
125432
>>125430
"The floating wood thing there?" Iron asks
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125432
125433
>>125431
"No. Through the tunnel. Either way. Either that, or it's back upstairs"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125433
125434
>>125432
Nodding, he starts the trek through the tunnel, letting Sands lead on.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125434
125435
>>125433
Sands looks down into the opaque, muddy looking water of unknown depth that stretches between the edge of the dry area and the beginning of the tunnel, which itself is partly submerged in the same water.
"I think it's only appropriate that you go first on this, big stallion"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125435
125436
>>125434
Bonds can't help but look at the water in mild worry as he glances back at Sands. "Can you even hold what I have on me?" he asks as he starts to put down the suitcase and belt with both bindle and pouch still attached somewhat.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125436
125437
>>125435
She looks at him with a curious expression
"I don't... know. Why do you ask?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125437
125438
>>125436
"Just in case," Iron responds before sinking his right hoof into the water.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125438
125439
>>125437
Iron plops down and "splash" the front of his muzzle goes into the water, and the top of his face is splashed and wet. But when Iron rights himself he finds that he can rather easily keep his head above water - infact, much of his head didn't get wet in the first place. Once he gets into the water, no longer angled down into it by his hind legs being on a higher platform, he finds it's two feet deep if even that. Iron can keep his barrel above water.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125439
125440
>>125438
To ensure nothing funny was going to happen, Iron goes on a little trip to the beginning of the tunnel and back, reassuring Sands he'll come back as he does it, as well as asking her to keep her guard up.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125440
125441
>>125439
She winces
“The Fire is about to die....”

Iron can feel things under the water. Sometimes it is sand, sometimes it is decaying plant matter, and once he feels something press against him and dart, like a fish. Once or twice he feels something harder and sharper, like some artificial object

But iron makes his way forward. The water in the room is perhaps two feet, and the tunnel is no deeper, perhaps even a little higher. At the end, he can see a hold through where there were bars, and an opening to what looks like the harbor bay. Moonlight sleeps through the end, maybe 40 meters away
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125441
125442
>>125440
Having done his thing, Iron decides to pick up the stuff once more and beckons Sands forwards, muffled talk about light up ahead.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125442
125443
>>125441
As he does so, the light dies, and it goes black
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125443
125444 125445
>>125442
Unafraid, Iron trods forth in search of the moonlight at the end of the tunnel.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125444
125445
>>125443
But before that, he hoofs over a towel for her to use as fuel for her flame trick.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125445
125446 125447
>>125444
>>125443
Sands takes a towel, and lights it up, trying to hold it in magic aura to prevent it from burning her

For that matter, she uses a towel, rather than a robe, to make the initial fire
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125446
125447
>>125445
Nodding, Iron trudges onwards towards the light he'd seen before with all the baggage on him.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125447
125448
>>125445
>>125446
Iron goes forward, down the tunnel, and to the entrance, where it exits out into Horseshoe Bay. To the right he can see the lights of Locust point and the passenger terminal there, as well as the lights of so many piers, houses and factories. Beyond that are the more scattered lights of the Southern shore, and its dark forests. To the left he can see the outline of the peninsula, with so many houses along the shore, the hills and houses above that, and at the very end, protruding into the bay, the lighthouse. In the bay are a pair of ships, probably freighters, and the lights of a few pleasure craft.

But what would interest him most is the boat that is just off shore, maybe a thousand feet if that. A vessel perhaps 90 feet in length, that looks almost military, with green stripes. It has a light, which it is shining forward, presumably over at the buildings of Hoebuck

Beneath Iron, there are some rocks before it becomes dee
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125448
125449
>>125447
Making sure to tell Sands to extinguish the flame, Iron softly retreats back into the drain, watching the boat while hidden in the darkness for any movements on the magic light or any ponies jumping out of it.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125449
125450
>>125448
It's moving forward at snail's pace. there are indeed ponies on deck, Pegasi. They are ooking back over at Hoebuck
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125450
125451
>>125449
Iron hums softly as he sees it move before picking up a rock from below him and flinging it towards the water away from the drain and into the sea to see their reaction.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125451
125452
>>125450
It looks like one of them looks down at he splash, and remains looking, before turning away after seeing nothing
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125452
125453
>>125451
Iron hums softly as he aims at the light itself with another rock after taking out and placing his baggage to the edge of the drain, as far away from any potential light soruces and water as possible, bucking the rock.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125453
125454
>>125452
He's attacking the search light on the ship?
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125454
125455
>>125453
Pfft. No. He's just 'convincing' it to shut off or look away for a bit.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125455
125456
>>125454
If he's going to try to destroy a search light on the deck of a patrol vessel, he's going to need to do an attack roll with some severe range penalty
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125456
125457
>>125455
Alright.
I'll do a roll with normal mod, then you decide the negative mod.
[1d20+10 = 18]
<Ranged Attack Mod
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125457
125458
>>125456
Miss. The rock lands pretty the ship, hitting the side, and bouncing off with a big "thunk"

There is yelling on the ship, and some pegasi reach for rifles and what appear to be submachine guns
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125458
125459
>>125457
Iron proceeds to become as small as possible, looking at what they'll do, beckoning Sands to keep quiet and hide as well.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125459
125460
>>125458
"Possible Sniper! Check the rooftops! Guns at the ready!"

A few of them get closer down on the ship, one of them mans a very, very large gun that is bolted down to the ship, and the light is moved to focus on what seem to be buildings to the left/North. All of them stand at more ready positions, clutching rifles, carbines, and submachine guns
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125460
125461
>>125459
Iron looks back to Sands, whispering to her.
"What does that mean?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125461
125462
>>125460
"They think your rock was someone shooting at them. Tell me. Were there hornet nests back in that jungle where you came from? Did you plop your ass right up next to them, and buck them? Because these ponies can fly, and their bullets will sting a hell of a lot harder than any hornet"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125462
125463
>>125461
"Oh," Iron lets out "They will probably calm down if they do not find anyone to sting, then."
With that, Iron keeps his gaze on the boat, wondering what they'll do now.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125463
125464
>>125462
It does seem to calm down after the passage of perhaps a minute with no further loud sounds. They start to stand up from their positions in cover. Though the light maintains an interest on the high points, it drifts down on a few occasions lower, though not yet as low as the waterline or seawall
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125464
125465
>>125463
Seeing their new patrol pattern makes Iron a bit more hopeful that they could slink on through the guards' gaze.
Donning on the equipment once more, he looks at the potential paths at his dispostal from the storm drain.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125465
125466
>>125464
Iron can see a few, although admittedly only a few. The water before him becomes deep quickly, perhaps six or seven feet, and eventually dropping off further. To the right are some rocks that lead up to the land. To the left is an open walkway next to a seawall.

Further over, to the left, a few hundred meters away, is a small pier and a very small yacht. To the right, further away, is what looks like a factory that comes closer to the water, with a smaller concrete pier up against the water, and a narrower stretch of grass between the building and the seawall
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125466
125467
>>125465
Iron fixes his gaze, pointing Sands towards it, before glancing back at the boat, wondering if it's going the opposite direction.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125467
125468
>>125466
They are sort of going the same direction, although the boat is basically holding position. She looks concerned
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125468
125469
>>125467
Humming softly, he ponders on how to divert their course, turning to Sands.
"Any ideas to drive away the boat?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125469
125470
>>125468
"That boat is staying there all night, or at least until there is something more interesting in some different part of the bay"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125470
125471
>>125469
Sensing this'll mean the boat will essentially stay there until he manages to feign an actual sniper shot on the other side of the factory, he shakes his head before licking his lips, measuring the distance to jump.
He looks at Sands, wondering if she'd have objections to this course of action.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125471
125472
>>125470
"What are we going to do when we get up top though?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125472
125473
>>125471
"It would still be to get out of the scene and into the Watering Hole," he responds "Do you think they may be waiting up there?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125473
125474
>>125472
"No, I'm talking about what happens when we get to ground level. We'd be even closer to the building than we are now, and we'd be out in the open... Or at least, we might be"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125474
125475
>>125473
"What about the left path, then?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125475
125476
>>125474
”It’s much better because we’d be against a grey background rather than standing on open ground, and they won’t be looking quite as intensely... but it basically amounts to just walking out in the open, right in front of them”
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125476
125477
>>125475
Hearing Sands' words, Iron them proceeds to aim his body to the left of him.
"Alright, I will trust your advice," he responds, looking at the different trajectory he could take.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125477
125478
>>125476
It’s basically a concrete pathway between the water and the seawall. It doesn’t extend all the way to the neighboring property - there are more rocks - but it goes a significant proportion of that distance. The most disturbing thing is that it is completely exposed with no cover unless iron changes his mind about not wanting to get wet. At least the grey seawall isn’t really that different in color from iron’s coat, of Sand’s snow white
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125478
125479 125481
>>125477
After looking at it for a bit, Iron decides to nod and turns to Sands. "We will go that way, then," he concludes before hopping down to the leftmost pathway.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125479
125480 125481
>>125478
There is no stealth on that path. The one and in it way to remain undetected is to hope that nopony happens to catch them moving out of the corner of their eye, and look directly at them. At least the small waves and action of the water cover sounds
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125480
125482
>>125479
Breathing softly, Iron slowly walks the path with the baggage on him in the hopes of finally getting out of the police's gaze, into Cauldron's hooves and treated enough for him to rest up and be fine the next day.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125481
125483
>>125478
>>125479
“I’m... not going to risk it.”
She throws off her robe onto the ground, appearing almost naked besides a tie and the belt, carrying the rifles. She looks into the water, dips a hoof in
“If it weren’t for customs... there’s no way I’d ever get in water that cold.”
She moves more of her for legs, then more, then all four hooves are submerged. She goes in a little more and... slips into her side, falling into the water, thankfully without too much of a splash.”

“Gahuhuhhuh!”
Her head pops up, then she places it back down closer to the water”

“I’ll... I’ll swim alongside you”
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125482
125483
>>125480
Roll luck
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125483
125484
>>125482
>>125481
[1d20 = 11]
<Luck
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125484
125485
>>125483
Hmmm.... he could traverse at least the second half.

Roll another
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125485
125486
>>125484
[1d20 = 2]
<Luck pls don't do dis
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125486
125487
>>125485
The sound of talking, and the light is definitely being lowered
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125487
125488
>>125486
Iron, afraid of being spotted, decides to slink downwards into the water to avoid being spotted.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125488
125489
>>125487
Iron dives into the water, two feet at a time to reduce the splash.

Iron doesn’t entirely understand what Sands was complaining about, as the water is well above freezing. Still, it is very cold, at least as much as the water from the lake in his dream, and colder than all but the high mountain streams. It’s terrible color, being brown and opaque, not much visible past the first foot, and the silt-filled water has a disgusting smell of salt, dead plant matter, and a hint of petrol. Iron down few through what seems to be Sand’s tail. She has dived her head down
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125489
125491
>>125488
Breathing in deeply, Iron sinks his head just like Sands, waiting for that damn light to go away.
Anonymous
exzfJ
?
No.125490
125491
>>125260
Brie thinks for a moment. "Danke Fultoni. Sie waren außerordentlich hilfreich. Eine letzte Frage. Mit Lang und ... habe ich schon seinen Namen vergessen, mit ihnen tot, wer befehligt den Gendarm?"

Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125491
125492 125555
>>125489
Iron pulls down the briefcase under the water, and possibly his bathrobes bag as well

>>125490

“Das sollte sein ... Drohne zweihundert siebenundachtzig von Yaria und Lepitus, auch bekannt als Macrurus. Er sollte die Polizeistation sein.“


Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125492
125493
>>125491
Iron also stops his movement until that blasted light goes away.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125493
125494
>>125492
roll swim
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125494
125495
>>125493
[1d20+10 = 15]
<Swim
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125495
125496
>>125494
Iron pulls himself down, under the water as the light shines above. It sorts of hurts to keep his eyes open in the water, but necessary. Iron likewise pulls the bag down, under the water. He can feel movement, she the hair in his face pulls away. Sands is swimming forward
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125496
125497
>>125495
Seeing Sands go onwards makes Iron feel like he should, too, thinking the guards somehow saw him right there. Ergo he follows her.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125497
125498
>>125496
Another swim roll
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125498
125499 125500 125501
>>125497
[1d20+10 = 23]
<Swim
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125499
125502
>>125498
He moves forward some distance hard to tell how far
9fGuh
?
No.125500
125502
[1d2 = 2]
>>125498

Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125501
125502
>>125498
There is no light lighting up the water above Iron
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125502
125503
>>125501
>>125500
>>125499
Iron slowly but surely peeks his eyes out to survey the situation.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125503
125504
>>125502
There is a light nearby in the water. He can’t tell what Sands is doing, but he thinks he sees her horn for a moment
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125504
125505
>>125503
He continues to swim with his eyes over the water, being sure to keep an eye out at light as he navigates along the concrete pathway in the water.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125505
125506
>>125504
The light starts to move down
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125506
125507
>>125505
Iron sinks his head back down inside the water slowly, just in case, swimming along the concrete pathway still.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125507
125508
>>125506
Iron is nearing what would be the end of the seawall. It’s still some ways to go before they get to the yacht and the pier. Sands seems to mostly stay underwater, though her horn pokes out of the water often. Once, she is seen sticking her muzzle up, and breathing. The bag and the briefcase are more than a bit of hinderance, popping up out of the water with Iron

Roll more se
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125508
125509
>>125507
I assume that last word is 'swim'
[1d20+10 = 27]
<Swim
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125509
125510
>>125508
Alright, Iron pulls the briefcase and the bag away, off the property. Iron now has an opportunity to hide behind obstacles - the back of a boat, wooden piers, and larger rocks near the shore
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125510
125511
>>125509
Iron chooses to hide under the wooden piers, knowing such a place should provide a decent amount of cover.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125511
125512
>>125510
Sands pops up, under the pier, with a loud, sucking gasp

Her full head and wet mane are visible now
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125512
125513
>>125511
Iron slinks up the water up to the head, quickly inspecting if the boat was still nearby.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125513
125514
>>125512
The cutter is a little further away now, both because Iron has moved further north, and because the boat had gone further south. But it’s still nearby, and it’s still hanging around
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125514
125516
>>125513
Iron turns to Sands. "Alright, I think we have lost them," hw whispers, now surveying the paths available. "Do you see any routes that might be feasible to walk on?"
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125515
125522
>>125403
She nods

Loputu: “Alright”
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125516
125517
>>125514
She doesn’t exactly whisper

“No, but there’s bound to be stairs or a ramp somewhere”
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125517
125518
>>125516
Nodding, Iron starts to look for them.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125518
125519
>>125517
Stairs, a little further down
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125519
125520
>>125518
Iron dogpaddles towards the stairs, intent on finally getting towards the Watering Hole.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125520
125521
>>125519
She follows
“Careful, there will be police on the street as well

In front of iron, and somewhat to the left, is a two story building with an external walkway and a metal roof, looks like a set of shops. There is grass, disturbed ground, sand and a cart-trailer. There is another smaller rectangular building to the right, perhaps shops. All of the buildings are closed, with only a single light on outside the shops
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125521
125523
>>125520
Iron ponders as to which direction he should go in order to make progress in his quest to reach the Watering Hole.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125522
125525
>>125515
Silver checks up on Khoi and Jubilosa.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125523
125524
>>125521
To the left, he’s back on Hoebuck street towards 33 Hoebuck. To the right, the road eventually dead ends, but roads cut across the grid and links it to other streets
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125524
125526
>>125523
Iron opts to go to the right, looking for any streets that may lead him to his main objective, sticking to the shadows.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125525
125527
>>125522
Khoi is moving around checking bodies. Jubilosa is sitting down, leaning her back against the wall and hanging her head
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125526
125528
>>125524
Before he crosses, there is still the matter of the road being closed down. Iron is barely a block away from the four police carts and a truck outside of 33 Hoebuck
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125527
125529
>>125525
Silver decides to go check up on Jubilosa first.

"Hey. Is everything alright?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125528
125529
>>125526
Iron stops and surveys the landscape for any viable distractions.
9fGuh
?
No.125529
125530 125531
>>125527
“Aside from the cult sacrifices, mass grave, evil sorcerer, getting stabbed, being exploded, being 5000 kilometers from home, the dark gods and representatives of multiple fascist governments? It’s fine. It’s fine”

>>125528
Distractions are harder to come by. Across the street is a warehouse. On this side are a set of small commercial buildings, and row houses further down the street. It looks like a street does cross, a block or so up
\r
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125530
125532
>>125529
Silver looks up at her.

"Would you like hug?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125531
125532
>>125529
Iron looks about for a small projectile to buck, looking at the furthest of the row houses.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125532
125533 125534
>>125530
She picks her head up, and looks at him
“Hugging strangers isn’t often done where I am from....”

>>125531
Breaking windows further the right and north is possible, though that would bring police officers that are to the south of Iron even closer
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125533
125535
>>125532
Huffing in mild annoyance, he instead decides to look at the inside of the nearest shop to the right, wondering if they might be able to transport him along the street without being seen.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125534
125535
>>125532
"Oh. I thought we had at least gone to acquintance stage...nevermind then."
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125535
125536 125539
>>125533
The buildings are not uniform in shape or distance from the street. It looks like hugging closer to the buildings may make it harder to see him from the street

Sands leans in
“Iron? I don’t have the robe. I can’t hide the guns”

>>125534
“Well...”
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125536
125537
>>125535
"Anyways, about your troubles...you will need some money, yes? For food, lodging, and eventually travel to Aquiliea?"
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125537
125538 125540
>>125536
“Most likely, I think. Yes”
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125538
125541
>>125537
Silver nods, goes through his bags for a few seconds, and pulls out 500 Bits worth of notes for her.

"Here."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125539
>>125535
Iron passes the rest of the towels, hoping they will do enough.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125540
>>125537
Silver seems a little upset at Jubilosa's claim of them being strangers, but he's trying to hide it behind a smile.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125541
125542 125543
>>125538
She is covered in towels. She looks up at him in acknowledgement of the pitiful sight. A pony on the streets at night, covered in bath towels. The outlines of the long guns can kind of be seen under the towels

>>125538
“I don’t know if I can accept that much...” she says
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125542
125544
>>125541
He continues to hold it out for her.

"Please, I insist. It is least I could do to help you."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125543
125544
>>125541
Figuring it'll have to do, Iron beckons Sands to move along the edges of the buildings, doing their best to look like dishelved hobos, since they've been drenching themselves in dirty, polluted water.
Anonymous
9fGuh
?
No.125544
125545 125546
>>125542
The griffin looks up, right at Silver with her yellow eyes, forms a wrinkled smile, seems to develop tears... then leans over, and hugs the pony

>>125543
That, they are. It feels cold, and Sands complains

Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125545
125547
>>125544
In both a caring gesture as well as to further sell the scene, he drapes a foreleg around her shoulders as they walk, hopefully giving Sands some heat through body contact as they exit the police scene.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125546
125547
>>125544
Silver smiles, and hugs his griffon friend back."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125547
125548 125694
>>125546
For the second time that night, the griffin is hugged. This time, she cries into SIlver's floof, and not Khoi's

>>125545
And so he does. He stumbles forward carrying a bag on a stick, a briefcase, covered in bandages, and with a leg over the unicorn's shoulder. Sands is covered in towels, and has the outlines of something big and long over her back. Both are soaking wet. It's past 1:00 AM, and they are roaming the streets, carefully hugging the right side of the road for several blocks, until, when it seems clear, they dash over to the right side, and down a road that cuts westward deeper into town
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125548
125549
>>125547
Huffing softly as his time is running out acording to himself, he tries to think possible ways to reach the Watering Hole in one piece with all his stuff.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125549
125550
>>125548
Well... He has vague memories of when he walked to near here from Black Cauldron's apartment, and he kind of remembers the round about walk from the Eastside tavern

Probably a wisdom roll
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125550
125551
>>125549
[1d20+2 = 16]
<Wisdom check
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125551
125552
>>125550
He realizes he just has to walk to a certain street before he's on familiar territory, and he can keep walking thereafter
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125552
125553
>>125551
With the path set on his mind, Iron starts moving once more towards his goal before this drug leaves his body.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125553
>>125552
But does the suspicious looking pair get harassed by either criminal elements or the police? I need a pair of luck rolls
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125554
125557
[1d20 = 1]
<Luck
[1d20 = 6]
<Roll
Anonymous
P5T1S
?
No.125555
125556
>>125491
"Nochmals vielen Dank Fultoni"
Brie sets out to speak to this Macrurus.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125556
125560
>>125555
Damn it, I missed the opportunity to shitpost on quads

Brie goes down the road, passing by Zu Lang's corpse and a pair of Gendarme drones scurrying forward. He goes up the hill to the town, where a pair of ponies, looks like a mare and a stallion, look over in curiosity at the scene before them. On the road a drone yells "Curfew begins soon, off the roads unless you have business" at ponies on the road, who trot about at pace. Going into the Police station, a couple drones rush in, as a earth pony mare secretary has a look of concern
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125557
125558
>>125554
As Sands and Iron walk through the neighborhoods, past drunken walkers, loud conversations in groups, dead-looking trees and and dimly lit streets, they turn the corner to see a patrolling stallion who, through Iron's limited interactions with the city, he can recognize as a police officer, in dark blue uniform and cap. They try to walk past him, but he stares at them, before turning around and speaking to them
"Where are you two off to?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125558
125559
>>125557
Iron blinks slowly, half-lidded eyes looking towards the officer.
"I was planning to go to the bar," he answers somewhat tiredly "after all the walking around I had to do."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125559
125561
>>125558
The officer pulls out a baton, stretches it, and pokes the briefcase
“A briefcase and a billet. And”
He looks over to Sands
“Towels?”
Then back to Iron
“Now where are you coming from?”
Anonymous
ZUJOu
?
No.125560
125562
>>125556
"Hello again. I'm looking for Macrurus." Brie smiles disingenuously politely.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125561
125562
>>125559
Iron blinks once more, sighing softly. "I am coming from..." he pauses, blinking tiredly before pointing at a random direction, as he isn't knowledgable of street names. "there?"
Iron proceeds to shake his head a bit. "We are trying to get by with what we can find, sir," he continues "we are covered in dirty water and it is freezing out here, I can have a drink after a good haul at the docks."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125562
125563 125566
>>125560
The mare is kind of confused, but says to Brie
"He - he should be upstairs right now. There is some sort of emergency"

>>125561
"'A good haul,' you say? Because you have the briefcase of a business professional, the billet of a homeless person, you have a mare with you, and you're covered in seawater. All of that seems more than a little off to me. You didn't happen to, oh, I don't know, snatch that briefcase off a businessman and jump in the water to evade capture, did you?"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125563
125564
>>125562
Brie opens his mouth to respond for a moment, but ends up staring slack-jawed at the secretary. He closes his mouth and begins heading up the stairs unceremoniously.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125564
125565
>>125563
No one stops to question Brie in this moment, not for a lack of people present. A pony rushes past him down the stairs, A drone rushes upwards. It's whitewash walls, tile floors, and wooden stairs up to the second level, where a set of offices split off of a room. A room directly ahead has two drones rush into it, wearing field grey and white fur
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125565
125567
>>125564
"Beruhigen Sie sich" Brie says, continuing toward the most official looking room/office/whatever.

Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125566
125567
>>125562
Iron shakes his head. "I have not," he answers truthfully "I found it floating on the water under the docks, finding nothing aside from a few papers that looked brownish. I had to get a little dirty in order to take it, which is why I am soaked."
He pauses slightly, glancing over at Sands to help out with his testimony before returning his gaze to the officer.
[1d20+1 = 2]
<Bluff roll
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125567
125568 125570
>>125565
Brie moves down the hall, and at the end finds an office with glass walls and blinds on a corner. It's definitely the biggest.

Inside is a big, wooden desk (no fancy veneer though), with a black leather chair, windows on two walls, filing cabinets and a big, white flag with some kind of black and green markings on it. But there is nocreature in this room

>>125566
"Uh huh. I'm going to have to do a search for stolen goods or weapons. You're free to go if nothing is found."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125568
125569
>>125567
Iron looks suspiciously at the 'officer', considering that being searched like that is justifiably a reason to protest.
"On what authority do you base your ability to 'search' ponies like it is your privilege?" he demands "How can I trust a random pony to look at my stuff and get away with taking the stuff I've found just because he is dressed in a particular way?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125569
125571
>>125568
He raises an eyebrow
“Hoof it over”
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125570
125572
>>125567
Brie takes a seat (in the obvious power chair) and waits.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125571
125572
>>125569
Iron simply stares at the officer questioningly instead, untrusting of this 'officer' pony.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125572
125573 125574
>>125571
And he pulls the briefcase out of Iron’s muzzle

>>125570
He may do so, but nothing happens at minimum for a few minutes
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125573
125575 125576 125578
>>125572
Oh yeah?
[1d20+10 = 14]
<Strength Check
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125574
125575
>>125572
That's fine
5eUV8
?
No.125575
125576 125579
[1d20+3 = 19]
[1d3 = 3]
>>125574
A drone rushes in, and pulls something off the desk in front of Brie. It takes a moment, but when he pulls away he slows down, and looks back at Brie
“Are you looking for Zu Lang?”

>>125573
Iron doesn’t have ten strength. Maybe 7

The pony pulls back the on the briefcase, then Sabds yells
“Are you with the fascists?”
Irritated, he responds
“No!”
Sands growls to Iron “stop it, you’ll piss him off”
Then she yells to him,
“Then who are you with?”
“Baltimare PD, what does it look like?”
5eUV8
?
No.125576
125577
[1d20+7 = 11]
>>125573
>>125575
The stallion succeeds, and pulls away the Briefcase

Sands
"It'... we're with the Resistance"
5eUV8
?
No.125577
125578
[1d20 = 3]
>>125576

Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125578
125589
>>125573
>>125577
He pulls away the briefcase, and looks back to White Sands
"There was a drop off of something. Information, we think, but we don't know what. We didn't open it. It was thrown in the water and we dove in to retrieve it. We were going to deliver it to the PON. Please don't mind my friend here. He's an Anarchist, if you didn't already know"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125579
125580 125581
>>125575
"No, I have him right here." He says gesturing to one of the heads. "I'm waiting for Marcrurus."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125580
>>125579
He looks concerned
"O..... Kay. He's in his office right now"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125581
125582
>>125579
"And I'll need that file you just nabbed." He smiles disingenuously again.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125582
125583
>>125581
He looks back at Brie
"Who are you?"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125583
125584
>>125582
"I'm the bat that the Queen sent to put things right around here. And you are?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125584
125585
>>125583
He stands up straight, and answers,
"Drohne Vier Zwei Drei Von Yaria und Lepitus"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125585
125586
>>125584
"Sehr gut vier zwei drei, die Datei?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125586
125587
>>125585
Still standing straight, a green glow encapsulates the file, and brings it through the air closer to Brie

Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125587
125588
>>125586
"Vielen Dank. Ich hätte es ignoriert, aber ich interessiere mich immer für Dinge, die andere schnell unter meinem Snoot herausholen."
He begins to look the file over.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125588
125590
>>125587
He starts to move back, away and out of the room. But he stops, and stands there, still looking at Brie

The file concerns orders of Love acquisition from the areas of Haysabi and the Onibwe Nation. It looks like the area can substitute its love quota for a certain amount of Taconite above its Taconite Quota
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125589
125591
>>125578
Iron keeps quiet, still looking at the officer in moderate suspicion.
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125590
125591
>>125588
Brie closes the file and hands it over, while making a mental note of "Taconite?" and then resumes a only mildly irritated posture.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125591
125592 125593
>>125590
"Macrurus is in his office..."
He takes the file, and leaves the room, with a kind of uncertainty

>>125589
The officer opens the Briefcase, and looks in
Sands: "We weren't sure who we could trust"
He looks through the documents in the Briefcase
"You don't want to help the Fascists, do you?"
He peers through more
Sands: "And that's it"

He closes the briefcase, and places it down on the ground, next to Iron
"Have a nice night"

He walks off
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125592
125594
>>125591
Brie sits in contemplation wondering not entirely but moderately, how long is this Macrurus going to make me wait?
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125593
125594
>>125591
Iron lets out a small breath once the officer got out of earshot before picking the bag up, looking appreciatedly at Sands before nodding at her, beckoning her to keep moving, lest they get stopped again for the night.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125594
125595 125596
>>125592
Brie is there, waiting longer. Longer and longer, several minutes. And several minutes more pass when a drone comes in,
"Someone said you were looking for me?"

>>125593
Another dice roll...
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125595
125597
>>125594
[1d20 = 12]

Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125596
125597
>>125594
"Ah yes. You must be Macrurus?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125597
125598 125599
>>125595
Iron walks down a main thoroughfare, but finds it: The Watering Hole. Even well past 1 AM, it is still busy, though the patrons look even more drunk at this time

>>125596
He blinks
"Yes. Who are you?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125598
125600 125601
>>125597
Breathing softly, he attempts to enter the establishment to find a table in order to lure Cauldron in.
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125599
125600
>>125597
"Brie Achtzig-Sechs. A pleasure. Congratulations on your promotion by the way." Cordially, Brie stands to greet the drone.
5eUV8
?
No.125600
125604
[1d2 = 2]
>>125598
THE DICE GODS SHALL DECIDE TABLE AVAILABILITY AT A RESTAURANT

>>125599
He offers a hoof to shake
"Thank you"
He too, has an uncertain expression
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125601
125602
>>125598
It's pretty crowded, but there is a seat at the bar

Sands:
"Alright.... we're here. Now what do we do?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125602
125603
>>125601
"We wait," Iron concludes, hoping Cauldron herself isn't too spooked off by the appearance of a sudden unicorn mare on his side.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125603
125605
>>125602
It's hard to say how long passes, but the overworked bartender does not get to Iron before he hears
"What happened?"
From behind
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125604
125606
>>125600
Brie accepts the hoof-shake, silently thinking 'ah, someone around here has manners'.
"I'm preparing a debrief for the Queen regarding the situation here. First and foremost, I would like to know if you have any pertinent information that you feel should be included. In particular I'm looking to address what preventative measures might have avoided this situation. For example, there are some drones who noticed changes in Lang and his associates, but seemed,... shall we say,... reluctant to make an issue out of it. Additionally, I'm interested in any compounds or substances that Lang may have come into contact with that may have caused his and their transformations."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125605
125606 125607
>>125603
Iron turns his head around to ensure it's the zebra he's looking for.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125606
125607 125608 125611
>>125604
"Oh..." He starts to almost frown. "For preventative measures... communication occurs only between equals. Hierarchy is not conducive to honesty... Don't tell the queen I said that, though. As for where it came from... I'm assuming you're talking about what happened in the mine. We never figured it out. I think they suffered nerve damage that affected their shape-shifting from this paralysis poison the natives put on their arrows. But I would hardly be a surprise if it were something more directly supernatural, like a curse. The ponies can do that, at least we think some of them can, and we have no idea what the natives can do"

>>125605
Indeed it is, none other than the Zebra mare. She's larger than White Sands, and definitely more muscular and less.... skinny
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125607
125608
>>125605
>>125606
"What happened to you?"
She looks him up and down
"You look pretty bad"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125608
125609
>>125606
>>125607
"Room. Now," Iron requests tiredly "Much to discuss."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125609
125610
>>125608
"Upstairs or... do we need to go to my apartment? Do we have time?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125610
125612
>>125609
"Do not know," Iron responds, unsure himself how long he has "upstairs for now."
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125611
125612
>>125606
Brie waves his hoof at the mention of "Don't tell the Queen I said that", but thinks deeply as the drone continues.
"Appreciating that hierarchies have a necessary rigidity to their structure, are you saying there is no room for potentially essential info to be offered by lower ranking drones? As for the rest, it seems fairly obvious that something caused a very drastic and significant change in your former officers, and I have a hard time buying the story of curses or 'poison tipped' anything, especially given the testimony of the prisoner who was thoroughly,... interrogated. No, I think they found something, and their transformation was a consequence of that."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125612
125613 125615
>>125610
"Okay..."
She trots off
"Alright, come along Iron."
She nudges through a crowd of ponies, going towards the wooden stairs. Ponies talk loudly and some song plays from what is more likely a radio than a live band, and the walls are a dark brown exposed wood. She walks upstairs, tries to open a door, notices it is locked, goes onto a second, opening it, and looking inside, slams it shut with a "sorry," then goes onto a third, which she opens and goes inside. There's a bed and a nightstand.
"What is it?" She says

>>125611
"It's always in the best interest of anyling to tell a superior what they want to hear, rather than what is true, and that is all I will say about that. I don't think Zu Lang even fully understood what was happening to his own body, but he was dead set that any damage to equipment was caused by rebels, and would hear of nothing else. As for whether they found something... I cannot speak to that. They lead expeditions into the northern forests, through the forest that belonged to the old mining company and into Onibwe lands. We know it didn't go entirely well for them, and several drones were killed, and all three were injured. This happened in multiple encounters over at least a week, and we first noticed things were off after that. But that was not very long after they were assigned here. For all we know, their.... condition started before they were transferred here. The ponies think, or thought, that the creatures were forest demons. And many drones think the forest itself cursed them."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125613
125614
>>125612
Iron places the briefcase and makeshift bindle on the floor, opening them up to reveal the massive haul he's got from the Hoebuck incident.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125614
125616
>>125613
She looks down at it
"Iron... what's going on? And who the hell is she?"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125615
125617
>>125612
>anyling
*puts that away for later use*
Brie nods thoughtfully, having mixed feelings about Macrurus' response.
"I see. So what you're effectively telling me - and I say this without criticism - is that if measures are to be taken to attempt to avoid a situation such as this in the future, the orders will have to be ratified by your superiors. Is that accurate?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125616
125619
>>125614
"I got this from a bunch of crazy religious folk that worshipped something along the lines of a God of Death," Iron explains, displaying a hoof towards Sands "which enslaved all sorts of creatures like her into doing some sort of..." he trails off, hoping Sands would illustate Cauldron the troubles she went through
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125617
125618
>>125615
"If they are codified and reported, yes. If it's just a change in practice, then no"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125618
125619
>>125617
"Noted. What records are there of the previous expeditions, the ones that met with injury, death, and catastrophe?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125619
125620 125621
>>125616
"Oh...."
She looks at him, with a look of thorough confusion
"What if they come back for revenge?"

>>125618
"Injuries and casualties are necessarily written down. They are probably in the file cabinets behind you. But really, I can't promise that much else would have been written down and reported"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125620
125622
>>125619
"To be perfectly honest, I'm more interested in a geographical map than any other documentation." He says, looking at the file cabinets.
"Oh,... what's 'Taconite'?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125621
125622
>>125619
Iron shakes his head.
"Two of their leaders are dead, the last one is trapped in a shaft filled with dead slave corpses and the rest are being arrested en masse," he informs "thankfully I managed to get away before they found me hauling all this stuff."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125622
125623 125624
>>125620
"There's a big one in the conference room"
He looks at Brie almost strangely
"It's a low quality Iron ore. It's what we mine here"

>>125621
"Well... will anyone be looking for you?"
Anonymous
0B6DO
?
No.125623
125625
>>125622
"Excellent. And the conference room is this way?" Brie says, heading out of the room.
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125624
125625
>>125622
Iron shrugs.
"Probably not. I did not do much aside from bashing a few heads and maybe leave two dog-looking creatures that were enforcers to the slaver in a cage," he informs.
The native blinks tiredly before looking back at Cauldron. "...do you have a healing potion on you right now?" he asks
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125625
125626
>>125623
"Yes" Assuming Brie is headed to his right, down a hallway he hasn't been down before
"That room, right there."
Just a couple rooms down is a room with a massive wooden table, and wooden chairs (not fancier leather)

On the wall is a massive map, at least 10 feet wide and 6 feet tall
"That's pre-war, with some markings on it"

Brie is looking at a map of the Haysabi region. The town of Blackwood is a little south and west of the center, and is marked with the two pits of the mine. To the immediate north are some more marked ore bearing areas, but no mines north of the north pit. The town and mines are on a streak of hills, which continue south and west with more marked towns and mines. There is a rectangle on the map that takes up most of it, which excludes the western mines.
"That's the jurisdiction of the Gendarme here"
To the south is grassland and famrland, past a set of woods south of the town. To the east and especially north are many lakes. Dozens of individual lakes. A river runs through just west of center in a wavy shape, interlocking with many of the lakes and missing others. There is another town on the map within the rectangle, kind of south and east of center, named Defago, which is on teh river. To the north of Blackwood is another pit, a lake near by, and then miles and miles of forest. Dense forest. Going further north, there is a marking of "Onibwe Nation" which goes far north, further even that the massive, pink line on the map, the southern side of which is labelled "Equestria," and the Northern side labelled "Crystal Empire." The rectangle ends at this line. There is a railroad running through the rectangle diagonally, crossing the river and going through Blackwood. South of the Rectangle, and taking a turn east, the river meats up with another river around about Whinnyapolis, and the city of Riverside right across the otherside of a different river that runs across the bottom of the map. The railroad too, goes to this city, and on the opposite side of the map goes off with the mark "To the Crystal City."

Though there are some hills, these seem to be very low. There is little farmland within the jurisdiction, and no mountains

>>125624
She shakes her head
"On me? Right now? No"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125626
125627
>>125625
Iron blinks tiredly before looking at all the things on the floor. "Is there a way to carry all this stuff back to your apartment in order to sell it off later? Maybe keep it here while I stay in here for a day or two?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125627
125628
>>125626
She looks down at what Iron has taken
"That's... that's quite a haul you got there. You might be able to stay in this room. Normally the owner only lets creatures rent it out for an hour, but I have privileges here. I think I could find a way to hide it and take it to my apartment, yes"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125628
125629
>>125627
Iron nods. "If you could haul it off there, I would be grateful," he answers before blinking once tiredly, looking at the bed "the mare can stay with me, considering she does not have anywhere else to go, unless you got a better idea."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125629
125630
>>125628
She twists her lips a bit
"Maybe she needs a shelter?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125630
125631
>>125629
Iron cocks his head, confused. "This place is a shelter," he answers before looking around in case his eyes were failing him.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125631
125632
>>125630
"Okay.... Who is she exactly, and why are you leading her here?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125632
125633
>>125631
"This is Sands," he answers "a unicorn mare that previously was a slave to the now wiped out cult." He pauses, blinking softly "I lead her here because firstly, she helped me take some metal powder shooters that could be useful for either selling or your use," the native explains as he beckons Sands to display dem gunz "and secondly, she may prove useful for our... future venture, if you know what I mean."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125633
125634
>>125632
"I see" She looks at Sands
Sands pulls off the towels, and shows the two surviving rifles
"Oh, you got guns?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125634
125635
>>125633
Iron nods some more, confirming her statement.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125635
125636
>>125634
"Well... sounds like you had one hell of a night..." She says
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125636
125637
>>125635
Iron nods some more. "It was quite the heart booster," he joked with a strained smile, still hurt from all the activities before walking towards her and gives her a nice, little hug with a foreleg.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125637
125638
>>125636
The zebra smiles, and hugs him back
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125638
125639
>>125637
After holding it for a couple of seconds and the slightest nuzzling, he breaks the hug with a content smile. "Heh, I must have lost quite a lot of blood to be hugging you without warning."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125639
125640
>>125638
She smiles with a squiggly expression
"Do you need a medical doctor?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125640
125641
>>125639
Iron simply nods again.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125641
125642
>>125640
"Alright... do I have to take you to that one doctor again?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125642
125643
>>125641
Iron nods again before humming softly. "But I want to ensure the stuff is secured first, so I can wait."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125643
125644
>>125642
"Well.... Maybe we could keep in here? We may want a chest, or something"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125644
125645
>>125643
Iron nods again. "Specially big enough for those long explodey tubes," he comments.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125645
125646
>>125644
"Oh... Let's just put it under the bed for now, lock the door"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125646
125647
>>125645
Iron cranes his neck in mild distrust. "I do not know, I would hate this place gets raided by the police again like 4 moons ago."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125647
125648
>>125646
"That is always the risk, yes. But if it stays here, that risk will remain"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125648
125649
>>125647
Iron hums softly before shaking his head.
"All of this is going towards and be stored in your apartment first," he explains "then I can safely get treatment.'
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125649
125650
>>125648
"All... Alright. Better go, then"

Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125650
125651
>>125649
With a nod, he puts on all the stuff back on, as well as aid Sands with the towels to cover her up.
"Let us not waste time, then," he proclaims before heading out with all of the stuffs.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125651
125652
>>125650
She still looks very weird, covered in those towels
"Alright. Keep it all low. Follow me"
They go down stairs, through the crowd of ponies and diamond dogs, and to the street
"It'll be much quicker if we take a taxi. Less likely to be searched as well
It takes a minute or so, but she manages to hail one, which pulls over
"Alright, put it in"

She speaks to the driver
"Just a few items here... please don't mind the water, I'll give you an extra tip"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125652
125653
>>125651
Iron puts the stuff in, as instructed.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125653
125654
>>125652
"Please, don't mind it"
But who does Iron sit by?
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125654
125655
>>125653
Humming softly at the conundrum in store, Iron decides to...
sit by Cauldron
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125655
125656
>>125654
"Here you go, little one. You can sit upfront"
The driver stares at Cauldron
"We'll pay extra, they couldn't help getting wet"

As Iron gets in, she gets in next to him.
"Just take me to the corner of Chesterfield and Chincoteague"
She smiles to him
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125656
125657
>>125655
Iron can't help but sheepishly smile back with a little blush on his face as the ride starts.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125657
125658
>>125656
It's a bit of a ride as she places her hoof down on the seat next to him. Iron has ridden in one of these things before, but they are driven with reckless abandon, with more speed and acceleration than he'd really like, and more than one sudden stop to not hit pedestrians crossing the street.

The vehicle arrives at the corner as they get out and Cauldron gives the order "follow me"
A block or so to an apartment building, going through the front door and up a flight to where Cauldron's apartment is. She unlocks the door, and lets the ponies inside
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125658
125659
>>125657
Iron needs to resist the urge to jump on the couch and have a long, restful nap, shaking his head as he looks for a suitable place to leave the stuffs.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125659
125660
>>125658
"Even in my apartment, it's best that it be hidden. Let me take these to a closet"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125660
125661
>>125659
With a nod, Iron passes all of the stuffs to her, beckoning Sands to do so as well.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125661
125662
>>125660
She takes it, and goes to the back. Sands likewise takes off the towels, and hoofs over the guns
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125662
125663
>>125661
Iron huffs before leaning over to Sands, rubbing coats with her slightly, while whispering to her. "Hey, where do you want to sleep for the night?" he asks
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125663
125664
>>125662
She smiles back at him, deviously
"Next to you, of course"

Their wet fur rubs
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125664
125665
>>125663
Iron can't help but blush lightly, smiling. "Oh yeah?" he asks, mischievously looking at her "Even if I go as far as sleeping on the grass?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125665
125666
>>125664
She frowns a little
"Can't we get like a hotel room or something? Like a nice one?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125666
125667
>>125665
Iron can't help but chuckle at the answer before nuzzling her on the neck.
"Sure thing, Sands," he agrees "I definitely can spare some coin for it."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125667
125668
>>125666
She is nuzzled, and she nuzzles him back
"Is this that Zebra you told me about? The one you thought you had to try to date?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125668
125669
>>125667
Iron nods.
"She is the zebra, yes," he answers "took me in, showed me the ropes and all that."
He proceeds to gently kiss the nape of her neck before continuing. "You are not going to act jealous knowing that, right?"
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125669
125670
1577956__safe_artist-colon-skitter_edit_oc_oc-colon-anon_oc-colon-filly anon_oc only_absurd res_age regression_angry_cute_female_filly_floppy ears_frow.jpeg
>>125668
She doesn't say anything in response
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125670
125671
>>125669
Iron can't help but smile at her slowly rising competitive nature before shaking his head. "Now all I need is a little checkup to ensure I do not fall over alseep forever and wash off this nasty smelling water," he explains to her "not to mention yours as well."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125671
125672
>>125670
Black Cauldron comes into the room
"Barring an official police search, or the secret police, these things should be fine. You say you need a doctor?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125672
125673
>>125671
Turning to Cauldron, coats brushing with Sands, he nods in the affirmative.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125673
125674
>>125672
"Well... Time to take you to the vet"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125674
125675
>>125673
Iron nods again, obviously enthusiastic about the visit to finally relaxing without the threat of dying in his sleep. "Lead the way," he proclaims.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125675
125676
>>125674
The ponies travel down the street, assuming Iron doesn't start feeling dizzy, util they get to he back door of a building. Cauldron knocks on it, and a yellowish unicorn stallion opens the door
"My friend needs help"
She says
"You again?" The stallion looks at Iron. "I'm getting Deja Vu"

He welcomes Iron inside, to a room with a table, a picture of the internal anatomy of a dog on the wall, and a few sinks and Cabinets

"Alright, let me just do some tests here..."
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125676
125677
>>125675
Nodding, Iron lets the stallion do the testings, eyes heavy.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125677
125678
>>125676
"Alright, let me check your heart rate... Damn, that's high. And blood pressure... pretty low, not a good sign. And your pupils.... are way too large. Looks like you've already had some medical care here. Alright... Let me see if I can find blood. Is anypony here an elligible donor"

Cauldron:
"I'm not sure we would match, given our different.... ethnic backgrounds"

White Sands
"I.... I can't really give blood"

He then says
"Alright, let me just stake a sample"
He picks Iron with a needle
"And let me acquire a matching batch"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125678
125679
>>125677
Iron looks like he didn't even felt the sting from the needle, still looking aimlessly forwards.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125679
125680
>>125678
He leaves for maybe five minutes. Not terribly long at all, considering that he just went and found a half liter of pony blood
"Alright, let's place in the IV"
He does so
"And... You're high right now, aren't you? Well let's take those bandages off any seal these wounds"

He cuts some bandages off with scissors, looks at wounds, and covering areas in iodine and sewing stitches.
"Tell me if you feel too much pain, we have anesthetics."

He disinfects, stitches, and tries to replace lost blood, before bandaging Iron and adding a splint on one leg that makes it awkward to walk, or so it likely would when Iron tests it
"Alright, not too much pressure on your left foreleg, or your third left rib, or your back on the right side just three inches above your midsection. I don't know what you did, but it looks like you got hurt very badly, and it also looks like you've had pretty extensive treatment before you came here"

He looks to Cauldron
"And the money"
She counts out bills, and starts to pay him
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125680
125681
>>125679
Iron's face contorts into one of mild guilt at seeing Cauldron pay the doctor the bills, trying his best to look at the expenses.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125681
125682
>>125680
She looks back to him with a definite "You owe me" expression, and he can be sure he will know

"Alright, that should be all"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125682
125683
>>125681
Iron nods weakily, rubbing his crest in mild discomfort at the look, but ultimately isn't worried as his haul will be more than enough to cover it.
He trots over to Cauldron, hoping she'd recite the number she had to pay.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125683
125684
>>125682
"150 Bits" She says. The stallion says to Iron,
"Oh, and uh, drink this" He offers him a vial
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125684
125685
>>125683
Nodding, Iron drinks the whole vial in one gulp.
(Thank goodness the number sounds low,) he thinks to himself, considering he had that kind of money already.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125685
125686
>>125684
Cauldron:
"Alright.... Where to now?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125686
125687
>>125685
Iron hums softly, wondering what to do next. "For now, I need to ensure Sands has a place to sleep for the time being," he explains "and considering how heavy I feel currently, I might have to stay at the same place, too."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125687
125688
>>125686
"Oh... Alright" she says
"I'll.... see you tomorrow?"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125688
125689
>>125687
Iron nods before hugging the zebra tightly once more. "Thank you, Cauldron," he says heartily, lightly squeezing her "It means a lot."
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125689
125690
>>125688
She is squeezed. Not the softest pony.... creature he's squeezed today, but she hugs back
"I'll see you tomorrow"
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125690
125691
>>125689
With a final, gentle nuzzle for Cauldron, Iron lets go and beckons Sands to follow him, wondering where he could find this 'hoh-tell'.
Anonymous
5eUV8
?
No.125691
125692
>>125690
And now, to find one
Anonymous
InxGd
?
No.125692
>>125691
Iron hums softly, having adjusted his belt back to his waist. Perhaps there's somepony that could heed said call.
Silver "The Floof" Sword
nmXJl
?
No.125694
125695
>>125547
Silver is always there for his friends, and as for Jubilosa...

"I am glad to count you among my friends."