Up in the North, the ponies have successfully found who, or rather, what was damaging the mine. But their quest is not over, as they go to look for the source of the trouble. In Baltimare, Iron, Silver, and Dark Star enjoy the fruits of defeating the cultists, while Midnight herds the remaining rescues.
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1803 replies and 52 files omitted.
>>126999 →Who is Midnight speaking to?
Mala frowns
"I have to be... alone?"
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>>127001>whoAll of them in range
"No, you do not Mala. Just come with me."
the tired mare gives him a warm smile
>>127002He follows the pony at her heel, even as he is around her size
>>127003Midnight leads him to the room, and opens the door to see what the room is like.
>>127004This room is more or less the same layout, even as it looks lived in. There is a shirt on the floor, and the covers are pulled down on the bed, which looks disrupted
>>127005Midnight turns around and nods towards the bed
"You may have it Mala"
She smiles, but her eyelids are drooping at this point.
>>127006He gets up, and jumps in the bed, looking back to midnight while panting
There is a muffled sound coming from the dresser
>>127007Midnight turns towards the dresser and slowly steps towards it.
>>127008It sounds... almost like talking, or something moving inside it
>>127009Midnight wonders if she's ever gonna get to sleep as she opens it
>>127010Inside, is an unholy abomination like none she has ever seen before...
"Hello, will you donate to my patreon?"
It's like a spoon did some sort of unholy ritual that included being raped by a fork, and this was the result
>>127013One at the very end of the room
Mala looks concerned
>>127014Hi pony!
Undertoe and Johann are inside the second part of the tavern, evidently wanting rooms
>>127015Midnight picks it up, marches to the window, and just fucking yeets that thing into the street
"By
LUNA is there anything else I have to do before I sleep?"
>>127016Before she tosses it out, Mala offers:
"I can eat it, if you definitely need it destroyed"
But there does not seem to be anything else
>>127015Dark Star walks over to Johann.
>>127017She still tosses it
"It can be somepony else's problem."
She steps over and pets Mala some
"But rest for now, you need sleep. And I will be right here if you need me."
>>127018He looks over
"There you are. Dark Star, right?"
>>127019Mala lays down, looking up at Midnight
>>127020"There, now just rest little one."
Midnight begins to hum as she pets him.
>>127021He rolls over ontp his side, kind of sprawling out. His belly is clearly distended
He licks his nose in a "mlem"
>>127022"D'awwwwwww, just relax. Midnight will take care of you"
She continues to hum and pet, gently rocking side to side as her eyelids droop lower and lower.
>>127020"That's Correct,yes. Are you having a nice time? How do you like the tavern?"
>>127023His ear twitches, and a hind leg scratches against the bed. He sticks out his tongue again in a sort of blep. He lets out a sighing whimper
>>127024“It is not too bad, no. That griffin is quite the charmer” he smiles in a sort of mischevious way
“Even if she is rather obstinate”
He relaxes his pose somewhat
“It is not very different from the taverns in Griffienhiem, although it’s a little bigger”
>>127025Midnight chuckles a bit before her eyes shut and she's asleep on the ground beside the pet, very softly snoring.
>>127026The floor is kind of hard and cold... but after everything, it may as well be soft feathers.
>>127024"I must say, it is a
much better time than I was having hanging upside down in that dark room"
>>127029EEEEEEEEEEEEE
Alright, Brie may execute his plan
>>127031The plan is,... excuse me.
"The plan is, we make up to the mining site all ready and carefully, and then stab whatever rears at us! Then we take very careful notes and compile it all together! Then, we take those compiled notes and place them in a professional-looking clear plastic binder!"
>>127032"Hopefully nothing too big will need stabbing this time around."
>>127032"I'll keep my stabbing at a distance and leave the notes to you two."
>>127033>>127034"Splendid! If there's no further adieu then,...." He seems eager to get this business over with.
>>127032Seb and Fun come out of the carriage. or they seem to at least, as big Saint Bernard dogs.
Brie may take note that while Zu Lang and Drie probably did not write down their exact misadventures, there are definite records of at least casualty reports
>>127035It's Ado reeeeeeeeeeOnyx stands ready to follow.
>>127036And why didn't... fuck, what was his name. You're gonna make me go back and read what his name was even though after this its never going to come up again aren't you?
>>127035Spark nods and follows the stab crazy bat.
>>127038In any case, yes, Brie would have wanted to see those reports to glean anything he might about what will be necessary to stab, before going to stab
>>127038Macrurus is the name of Zu Lang's replacement
I think he did mention it?>>127040Looking into the reports, Brie can see that the garisson did indeed report a number of Killed in action deaths in July - it says against "hold outs to changling rule," a death to wounds in August, and two deaths there after, one from being "crushed by mining equipment," and one from illness. Four drones have been sent back to Winnyapolis for wounds, two in July, and two in the fall and winter. One of those moved for wounds in July came back, the other was discharged. One of the serious wounds in september was reported as "from a chainsaw" and resulted in the drone being discharged.
>>127041>>127040Reports sent back suggest as follows:
A native tribe that predates the Crystal Empire resides in the northern parts of Headwater County. After being beaten into submission by the Equestrian, and later Crystal empires, it used the opportunity to declare independence and venture South during the war. Wanting to clear the woods of any possible bitter-enders or rebels, the garrison ventured to the north, encountering the natives. The engagements were bloody and inconclusive, but resulted in the garrison staying around the Iron mines while the natives withdrew to the North. Zu Lang, naturally, suspected that rebels, runaways, bitter-enders, or poachers are living in the forest wilds, although this cannot be confirmed. Interestingly, there is no accusation - even by Zu Lang - that the natives are aligned with any faction
>>127042Do you mean the open pit mines where most of the action so far has taken place?
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>>127043No, I mean the site that appears to be the site from which complications started to emerge with Lang and Drie
>>127044Assuming you mean the exact area where
Brie watched them transform, that would be on the roadway that runs beside the open pit mine beside the railroad tracks, and between Blackwood and the Taconite mill
>>127045No, I mean that Brie's whole purpose of talking to Macrurus was to try and determine where Lang and co might have turned 'funny' and then investigate that location. I had assumed it might be in some way indicated on the map
>>127046Unfortunately, it is not indicated on the map
A helpful drone may offer speculation
>>127047Brie wants to talk to the medical drone he talked to earlier. He seemed like he would have noticed the change sooner anyway, and might be able to more readily differentiate the mission that might have caused the change.
Back,Had to deal with corona buisness>>127025"Yeah shes quite the Griffion. What was she being obstinate about?"
>>127027Who's this Johann? >>127049YesDon't get infected>>127048Translated into Ponish, he says as follows:
"The first time we think they ever turned was on July 29. We don't know the trigger, we think it was stress, but it would only happen at Night. We never found the trigger, actually. Exactly how and when they got... 'infected,' I do not know. But if you think the natives had something to do with it, then the first drone was infected on the 21st, Zu Lang on the 22, and Drie and the second drone on the 24th. These occurred in a sortie up to Lake Headwater in the center and eastern part of the district, then in a sortie up north from there to where the camp was located. But really, if you think there was something else going on... some forest spirit, some poisonous creature or parasite... or ancient magic, I cannot say for certain. But I think it is a good bet it occurred in a grid of a few square miles with Lake Headwater and the river as it's eastern boundary. I can tell you they didn't report anything extraordinary. But I didn't go with them, and I'm not sure they would have told me if they did. Their wounds looked like mundane cuts, even though not all of them came back"
>>127049"Certain points of the history and destiny of the Griffonian Empire. Then again, she is far from the only one. There are many more who must be brought to heal to bring about the resurrection of the Empire"
>>127051"Whether the loss of the Palladium was the true cause of the decline of the Griffonian Empire. Whether New Mareland had any right to invade Hellsword and the Host. Whether it has any right to administer it. The role of the River Ponies. The validity of democracy as a form of government. Not much disagreement on a few of the break away states though, or of the dangers posed by liberals."
>>127052"Well i might not know much about foreign politics. But Democracy Would never be used to truly aid Anypony."