/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>127259
Great, Silver grabs Khoi and Keskoo. Keskoo isn't going to be living in the same house as Silver, Khoi, and Jubilosa, but he has other ideas in mind for her. He also makes sure to visit Mala so he can reassure him that Silver hasn't forgotten about him and his promise to take him out for food. He just has a couple things to do first.

>>127260
She's a dead ringer for White Sands, minus the darker eyes, no evidence of burns, ruffled and disheveled mane and fur, and a general silence. Snow white with long flowing desire red mane and tail, emerald eyes. She is found sleeping on her belly on the floor in one room near the window. Khoi is in the same room, sleeping on her belly in bed with Meadows, who is on her side, and "cuddling" Khoi

>>127261
After silently squeeing over the adorable sight of Khoi and Meadows, Silver gently shakes Keskoo and Khoi awake.

>>127257
"Indeed," was all Iron could say as he embraced the unicorn once more, beaming despite the mental weight on his mind that is drowsiness.
"...I sure hope that changeling is alright," he muses aimlessly, probably daydreaming "I would have totally given it a hug to see if they were as cold as the elders taught me."

>>127262
Khoi opens her eyes instantly, as if she had been laying there awake, and raises her head. Keskoo takes more of a shake, and looks around before looking up to Silver with a "what." Khoi is delicate enough to get out of bed without waking Meadows. She covers Meadows with the blanket after she gets up. In all of this time, Khoi does not speak without being spoken to, and Keskoo says nothing beyond her initial bout of confusion

>>127263
She is like a pillow or stuffed animal when grabbed

She gives Iron a skeptical look

>>127264
He urges them to follow him out of the room, where he talks to them.

"Sorry to wake you, but I am getting ready to leave. I have solutions, or at least potential solutions, for housing for both of you, if you are interested."

>>127264
Iron sighs gently, encompassing himself in pillowy-flesh goodness. "Smooth, cool chitin..." he mumbles some more "I wonder if someday they would not have to resort to disguising themselves to get that love they need to survive with. I bet they do not need it."

>>127265
Khoi nods
"Yes, very much so"

Keskoo has some hesitance to her
"Are you from government? Is this I get assistance?" she asks, often putting her hoof in the air as if afraid to step forward

>>127266
She narrows her eyes
"What are you implying?"

>>127267
Iron, being too busy with coddling himself with unicorn fluff, just continues on. "Sure, the power to turn into anyone can spook anyone out," he ponders "but is it not tiring for them to simply be someone who they are not all the time?"

>>127267
He smiles awkwardly at Keskoo.

"Sort of. I will find place for you to stay, both of you. Go by my cart outside. I will be there in second, I will just leave note for Meadows explaining where you two went for when she gets up."

>>127268
"You don't need to trouble yourself with that"
She pets him

>>127269
"Oh... okay"
She starts to goes outside

Khoi:
"I need to talk to you in private"

>>127270
"But I do want to," Iron counters, somewhat frustrated as he huffs dejectedly in unicorn fluff "There is all sorts of over the top stories of how changelings can do this or that from elders to these concrete jungle dwellers, and I cannot help but wonder incessantly abou them, specially after losing the chance I will most likely ever get to meet one."

>>127270
Silver nods to her, as Keskoo goes outside.

>>127271
She pets him again
"I know. They said that they make the most magical honey. Just a taste will send anypony into escatasy they say. Like the feeling of falling in love for the first time, all in a jelly form."
She pets one more time, for the last time
"And they say that they can shapeshift into the most beautiful of mares, and are experienced enough to perform the most pleasurable of sex acts. If only you can cow them into not biting afterwards..."
Her petting has slowed down, and she misses the beat, not petting Iron
"But do not worry. If you didn't get the chance to see her, she did not get the chance to be captured. To be crushed like a bloodsucking tick... or kept as a honey bee... Be happy for her"

>>127272
When Keskoo goes away, she whispers to him
"Who is she exactly? Was she.... replaced by the Kuhimo? What happened to the Kuhimo?"

>>127273
He whispers back.

"I believe that is pony she got disguise from. I do not know what happened to her, other than Iron took her with him."

>>127253
Equestria at War really deserves a lot of attention even as popular as it is already. The EaW community is also less cancerous than the broader "brony" fandom. Do you think it's a good idea to attract people here by mentioning we have a whole DnD campaign built around EaW?

>>127274
Silent for a moment, she breaths in, then breathes out. Her magenta eyes are wide in fear
"That is dangerous. I saw what it did to the poor mare, to the griffin.... to that pony. We can't let her do it again"

>>127275
Sure. I haven't really talked to EaW people about the campaign, but others may as well know of the love letter to the mod here

>>127276
"Hmm...yes, but it is...difficult. It is possible she is still with Iron. Perhaps she has settled on him as source of food?"

>>127277
"I don't know... Should we be worried for him?"

>>127278
"I do not know. Naturally, I am worried for anypony in that position. But...this is Iron, we are talking about. You may not know him personally, but if anypony would be alright in this situation, it would be Iron."

>>127279
"He.... is very strong... But I do not know. The legends of the Kumiho never end well for the stallion..."
She looks worried

>>127280
He pats her shoulder.

"I will look for him when I get chance, see how he is doing. Now, let me make note for Meadows, then we will leave for new housing."

>>127281
She nods, with a worried look

>>127282
He makes a note for Meadows explaining what's what, and leaves it in her room. He also motions for Khoi to go out to the cart while he does a checkup on Mala.

>>127283
Midnight is sprawled out on the floor in the room that belonged to Onyx. Mala has migrated to laying up next to Midnight at her feet. Unlike Khoi or Jubilosa, Mala is definitely still asleep

>>127284
Silver smiles at the sight, and decides to make a note for him, too, so he doesn't have to wake up. He writes in the note that he left to take care of some of the rescues' housing problems, and that he'll be back for lunch to take Mala out to eat.

After he's done, he returns to the cart and to the small party he's gathered.

>>127285
He growls, and smacks his mouth, before batting a leg, and stretching his legs out. His stomach makes various sounds, and he places a leg over Midnight. Midnight is snoring. Loudly.

Keskoo stands near the cart, sometimes moving around as if she has difficulty staying on her feet. Jubilosa sits, shakes her wings, and tries to preen a feather or two. Khoi stands still, almost perfectly so

>>127286
Silver joins them, and starts to hitch himself to the cart.

"Ready to go?"

>>127287
Jubilosa comes up next to Iron
"Sure"

Khoi walks forward, slightly behind
"Yes"

Keskoo is less certain, and stays towards the back
"I will follow"

>>127288
Silver nods to them, and leads the way to the waterfront house.

>>127289
Silver goes along his way. Up Arabian Avenue through Eastside. Past Cowtown and its wharf where the warehouses at Blackbriar road are sectioned off. Silver turns onto the road that follows alongside the harbor bay, and onto the peninsula. For a while, Silver passes rowhouses that become newer and nicer the further north he goes, then to so many lots of small single family houses with little to yards, and finally he is on the road itself.

Silver is on the interior side of the peninsula, which rises with a small hill along its length, preventing any view of the ocean. But looking into the harbor over houses, Silver can see, off in the distance, houses, a cannery, and thick forest on the opposite side of Horseshoe Bay in the Darrien. Closer, he can see the small peninsula that has formed around the exit of the Hayseed River - Locust Promintory, and ontop of it, Fort Magnus at the end, the immigration facility and the passenger terminal. An ocean liner that must have been interned in the bay for so long as Ocean raiders swarmed the seas now has smoke coming out of its three stacks. Just down from Locust Promintory, Silver can see the Red Heart Neighborhood, including the Skynavian enclave that juts out into the water slightly, factories, then the wharf and warehouses of Red Heart, then even 33 Hoebuck itself, and closer to the Northside of the bay. Just past there begins Cowtown, which stretches along the water with small docks for yachts and fishing boats, some houses, the Curwhinny Mansion, and later more industrial buildings like the refinery, before ending in docks and a smoldering area, and finally wrapping around closer to Silver's position. Beyond these things, beyond the harbor, Silver can see a few buildings, like the Insurance building, the headquarters of the Tall Sails Shipping Company, sticking out onto the horizon.

Silver passes houses, a boardwalk with restaurants, then past a bay side park with a Ferris wheel, before entering still another area. To the left there are streets, houses, and commercial buildings, and the same to the right, although the buildings are further apart, and the line of development is thin. The top of the hill is lined with houses at some points, and covered in deciduous trees, or even grass, at others. Silver sees that he has entered "Cherry Hill," and though Silver may assume that it is a part of Baltimare, given that he hasn't seen a sign saying "now leaving Baltimare," it feels very different. Single family homes, more green, and absolutely no sign of shelling. At one point, Silver has to stop on the road for passing children crossing to an elementary school on the other side, and he can note the absence of any zebra colts or griffin chicks, although the percentage of unicorns and especially pegasi is much higher. To his right are mostly houses and occasional restaurants along the water, though Silver may note a long stretching park that has pegasi colts at play, with the bay beyond it.

Then Silver reaches his destination

>>127290
Silver wonders at how strange this neighborhood is compared to those they just passed.

"It certainly is very...protected, here. Unlike much of rest of city."

Silver trots up to their destination, looking at its exterior.

>>127290
>>127291
Now Silver comes to the spot itself.

The road Silver is on follows alongside the waterfront, never more than 200 feet away if that. To the right is the water, and the road is not far above sea level at all, at least at hightide (which of course it is now), and to the right the land rises many feet sharply up the peninsula.

The lot is long and kind of narrow, stretching out to the water. There is exposed sand at points, but mostly it is covered in grass, although Silver sees a plot that was clearly intended to be a small garden, though it is not planted. The sides of the lot are marked by a stone wall that is no more than 3 feet tall and not really effective as a wall. There is a small driveway, entirely dirt, that goes to the house, and something like a place to park.

The house is located on stilts or columns that elevate it above the ground the equivalent of one floor. The area underneath the house is sectioned in by a lattice wood pattern that lets you see through, except on the left side, where there is space that would allow for an automobile, a cart..... maybe a boat to go through. To the right is a solid area underneath the house where there is a room for some purpose, and also on the right is a stairway leading up to a door.

The house itself is tall and appears to be a square or rectangular shape. It's two stories, although a triangular roof and it's placement on stilts make it look taller than three stories. The walls jetty out over the latice structure on the sides, and silver can see glass windows with drapes adorning the flat walls of the building. It is a brown color, and seems to be stucco or perhaps covered in a stone facade that gives it that color. Looking through the lattice framework, Silver can see that there is a staircase on the other side, and he can likewise see waves splashing against the shore just a hundred and fifty feet away

>>127294
Thanks!

Moment of truth: Silver unlocks the front door, and enters into the house proper.

>>127295
It is worth mentioning that there is a window on the area between the triangular halves of the roof, and the roof is covered in reddish terracotta

Silver climbs the stairs, tries more than one key, then opens the door to look inside

Hardwood floors, and a big staircase going up on the right, with some open area going up to the second floor. The darker colors of the floor contrast against soft tones on the walls, a white with pinkish hues. There is a painting of s light house to the right, s well as a coat hanger. To the left is wall that runs much of the length of the first floor, broken up by a door and an arch way, before what Silver can see is a kind of bar, and then an open area with a dining table. To the right of the wall is a large open area that is something like a living room, with coaches, something that may be a pool table under the stairs, a shelf made to look natural and made of branches, fancy rocks, a couple model ships. There is even a stuffed Tiger.

Upstairs, there is a railing and a hall that goes to the left, before coming to a hallway in the center that is just right of the wall with the wall on the second floor in the same place as that on the right, thus with the hallway over hanging into the open area. There are large windows letting in natural light into this area. Upstairs, Silver can see at least three doors. At the far end of the first level, glass lines most of the wall, letting him see a balcony with wooden railing, and the bay.

>>127296
I know right?

>>127273
Iron stills his heads on Sands' tuft, listening intently as the hoof pets on. "...is that all they are known for?" he asks gently in mild disbelief as his ears fold "Simply being either a source of a drug or sexual fantasy fuel?" The native tuckers himself further into her tuft, shaking his head as his breathing becomes slightly strained. "...so those foals..." he starts, solemn "...they were but sickening toys for him to exploit without mercy."

>>127298
Her ears swivels, and she lifts her head to look back to him
"What?"

>>127299
"...would you believe me if I told you I already met two changeling foals not too long ago in an underground house cavern filled with restraints and cages of a 'poh-lee-tea-cian'?" Iron asks tentatively, stirken with mild grief now that he realizes the foals' actual purposes inside there. "...I had hoped it was not something so... depraved... and disgusting."

>>127300
She sits upright, with both ears upright
"That's terrible! .... What happened to them?"

>>127301
"I believe they were sent back to the changeling lands," Iron surmises, head softly removing itself from her tuft, revealing a solemn, contemplating look from how his tired eyes were half-lidded and ears folded. "...I thought that... I could not make up my mind about changelings until I actually met some...ling to relay their species to me from their point of view." He looks up to Sands with a saddened, but hopeful look. "I know it is dangerous, as they would no doubt be hostile to me from what I am, but I am tired of hearing these... stupid weaklings in this concrete town trying to jam what the chitinous folk are into me." The last words were left in a state of mild frustration, exhaling harshly, looking sideways "Deathly afraid of something they may as well not know about in the slightest."

>>127302
She looks at him, and moves her head forward as she asks
"What were the legends your elders told you?"

>>127303
Iron glances towards Sands.
"Cold-hearted beings whose sole method to survive is to drain love from others by disguising themselves into something that the target can love," he responds, mildly upset "Mainly introduced it as a story about a colt that hastily married some random filly that popped up in the forest one day, ending in either physical or emotional death, maybe even with their heart ripped out depending on the elder." The native huffs remembering the story. "I bet not even one of them has actually met one, and have been panicking like the ponies here do because some young colt came back and told such a story to the tribe once or twice."

>>127304
"That's.... more true than false, I suppose. But who can really say if they met one or not? If she is doing her job correctly, they wouldn't even know they met her at all."
She smiles at Iron

>>127305
Iron pouts softly, looking at Sands. "But I want to meet one so I can actually dispel the truth from the myth," he answers dejectedly "maybe find something they can proudly parade it around without being called monsters for the action." That's when his eyes widened, imaginative mind turning itself on, as Iron looks up to the ceiling "Maybe they're innate silk masters, or they always know how one is feeling at all times, or actually prudes of the highest magnitude!" he proclaims before deflating slightly. "But all the distrust between changelings and ponies only filters out the bad..."

>>127306
She places her hoof back on Iron
"All these are silly thoughts. Don't trouble yourself with it. Why did you even bring it up, anyways? These drugs must have messed with your mind. Think of the future instead"

>>127307
Iron sighs, laying down in mild disappointment. "I would like to meet one..." he mutters softly before stretching himself on the bed belly down, grunting lightly. "Discovery is fun."

>>127308
She pets him again
"For all you know, you may have"