/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>131808
He tilts his head
"There were coats back in the building or they could be bought from stores. I could go get one..."

>>131809
"Well, that isn't how it is here. Not everypony knows everypony. But knowing the right ponies... that's very valuable."

Amber looks puzzled. "How do I know who the right ponies to know are? I did meet an acolyte at St. Eligius but for the most part everypony is a little distant."

>>131811
"Saint Eligius... Yes, I've heard of them. Might have met them, I am not sure. You will know once you know them. Or maybe before. Ponies here do tend to be distant. It's not like a small town. Too big. They don't all come from the same place, and they aren't going to the same place."

>>131813
"Oh yeah, there are plenty. There's Tallend Tavern, Gurando's Giros, and many other restaurants out there. Night clubs... There's the the carnival on the pier, the zoo, the old fort... many things. And that's besides the fun you can make on your own."

>>131814
"Oh wow, thank you! You know a lot about all these different places." Amber smiles.

>>131815
"Well, I've only really just come to know them, but I've learned a lot since then. I'm a quick learner."

>>131817
She smiles a bit more
"Shortcuts? Secret passages? What are you talking about?"

>>131819
"Sorta. There are some alleyways that cut through. Many of the older buildings especially have things like inner courtyards that you can go through and cut across the block. A few buildings you can cut through inside, just walking through doors, and some of them are abandoned now because of damage."

>>131821
"I'm... getting to know more"

>>131822
"I guess we're in the same boat then." She inadvertently chuckles at the unintentional wordplay. "I'm Amber, by the way. Amber Sunset."

>>131823
She pauses for a moment, and then another moment, seeming to not answer.

Then she blinks
"Golden Rays"

>>131824
Amber is wearing a beaming smile. "That's such a lovely name! You're blessed to have one like that."

>>131825
She blushes, and shows teeth in her smile
"Thanks"

>>131826
Amber gestures out to sea. "Do a lot of ponies go fishing? I do know that a lot of freighters come through Baltimare."

>>131827
"I don't really know. I know there are some ponies around here who go fishing, and many more griffins as well, but I don't really know how many."

>>131828
Amber nods. "I have time to visit a couple more places before the day is up and I have to go to work tomorrow.
Is there someplace you especially recommend?

>>131829
"What do you like? What are you in the mood for?"

>>131830
Amber blinks, frowning. "I…don't really know? Adventure? Maybe meeting other ponies, or a place with music?" She blushes slightly. "I like exploring the world, but I'm not very good at charting my own course."

>>131831
"Oh yeah, there are several nice nightclubs you can go to. There's dancing, and bands play music there. There's also stallions. The Coconut Cove, for instance."

>>131832
"Do you know how I can get there, and when they're open?" She looks at the dock's boards with mild embarrassment. "Also, I don't have any money on me."

>>131833
"Well, the 'no money' thing is a problem. But they are open much of the day, and play their best music late at night. They are on Prance avenue, just a few blocks south of the public gardens.

Amber frowns when 'late at night' is mentioned. "I have to be in bed early, but I'll keep that in mind when I have more free time. What about a place where I don't have to spend money to have a good time?"

>>131835
"Haha! Oh. You're serious, well... go to a bar, I think a lot of the mares get stallions to buy their drinks for them. Actually that'll probably work at the night clubs. There isn't always an entry fee. Uh... the zoo has a low admission cost, same with other public stuff like the fort... There is some beach front as well, that's generally free."

Amber reddens a bit more. "Yes…erm, well, I don't know if I would meet the right sort of ponies in a bar and, well, it's a little late to go to the zoo today. Maybe there's an interesting landmark I could visit around here?"

>>131837
"Well, there's the mansion, the old fort, the lighthouse, the shot tower... There's the picture shows! And some of the restaurants have live music"

>>131838
Amber resumes her smile as she exclaims, "That's swell!" She pauses for a second before continuing: "The mansion and the old fort sound particularly interesting, what can you tell me about them?"

>>131839
"Well, the mansion I've never been to. The fort I went to a few years ago with a school group. There's walls and cannons and an old battle and well... it's more of a colt thing. The city keeps some of these old buildings around for some reason."

>>131841
"Well, both are along the water here. One is just up the road, actually, and the fort is on that small peninsula down there. There are some other houses from important people, they just aren't right here on the water."

Amber grins. "Thank you, I hope I find something interesting. When can I find you here at the dock, if, you know, you want to meet up again sometime?"

>>131843
"Meet up somewhere...? Oh, I don't know, maybe about sunset, Or, you can come to Curio's Corner on Westhaven."

>>131845
"Sort of. It's several blocks"

Alright, I have to sleep now

>>131846
"Not too far, then. Thank you, Golden, and have a great day!" Amber smiles broadly and waves goodbye, then trots to a place where she can move up the waterfront without too much obstruction. Once there she takes a swig of water from her canteen.

Alright, that's perfect timing.

>>131846
Are we good to play today?

>>131851
Maybe

Ponies?

Is anypony here today?

>>131861
This pony is here.

>>131856
>>131866
Hi pony!
Silver's last post is >>131810

>>131851
Yes

>>131847
A roadway follows along the waterfront. It's not directly by the waterfront, as there are plots on the water, and buildings often obscure the view of the bay, but it does follow along perhaps a hundred yards or less from the water.

>>131810
"Alright then, could you go get one please?"

>>131868
"Uh, okay" Mala slowly walks off. Silver is left alone with Maakie

>>131869
Silver looks over to Maakie, and speaks to him after a couple moments of silence.

"I do not suppose you could answer question for me?"

>>131870
Through little can be read from his beak, his eyes are slightly narrowed.
"And that question is?"

>>131871
"Your former servant, Undertow, do you happen to know what happened to her friend when she was captured?"

>>131872
He blinks
"Friend?"

>>131873
Silver sighs sadly in response.

"I suppose that gives answer. She was with friend in college when they were ambushed and captured at night, and they were separated when they were brought here."

>>131874
He pulls the thin lips behind his beak back in what must be a smile, and his eyes light up
"You are talking about the hippogriff, right? Red, dolphin necklace?"

>>131875
Silver's ears perk up slightly, and he nods in affirmation.

>>131876
"Heheh. She told you her name was 'Undertoe' and she was a... college student?"

>>131877
"Along those lines, yes. I suppose you have different story?"

>>131878
He rocks slightly, back and forth, with as a big of a smile as his limited face muscles will allow. He looks a bit like a school child, filled with glee at the idea of being the sole member of a group privy to a secret.
"You have no idea who she is, do you?"
His smile has a slightly maniacal bend to it

>>131879
Silver seems to show only mild concern at the display of insanity in front of him.

"I suppose not, outside of what she told us. You are not going to say she is serial murdering psychopath, are you?"

>>131880
Some of the feathers around his head and neck seem to stand up
"Well, that I am less sure about. It's kind of a matter of perspective, really. But no."

>>131881
Silver leans against a nearby wall, if it's available. Otherwise he just stands and looks at Maakie.

"Well, you have certainly roused my interest. Please, enlighten me."

>>131882
The cement facade of the fishing gear shop is readily available to lean against. He slowly shakes his head
"You have no idea..." He looks past Silver
"She came after me. Tried to hunt me. To track us... to shut us down. But I was more clever. I fought her, and I won. She was from your government. Your old pony government, before the Colonials took over. Did you think that you were first hired guns the government sent after me? No... They've been after me for many years. They made a raid five years ago. Didn't think to search the walled off places, at least at first. But they became wise to me. They knew more than they would let the public know. More than they would let me know. They nearly got me, when they sent her. But... Well, I don't think even she knew I was there on that boat, when she tried to follow me. I learned quite a lot from my time fighting pirates. She didn't really have any lead over me. So we fought, claw to claw. And I won, because I was stronger. She came close to ending me that day. The closest any creature had come since a pirate spared me while I was an ensign. And like how that pirate spared me, I spared her, in a way."

>>131883
Silver's eyes widen a bit at this information.

"That would explain things, yes. So, why is it you had her tied up in your own private room in fortress?"

>>131884
"Yes. It was like a punishment at first, for the audacity of trying to hunt me. But I came to know her better. More... personally."

>>131885
"Yes, that I had assumed as much, what with us finding her in your own private quarters. But I am curious as to what lengths your relationship went to while, if you would oblige."

>>131886
"Lengths? Do you not realize? I love her. I love her in a way I have not loved any creature since grade school. I bought her the necklace, and would let her out on the streets sometimes. It hurt me so to see... to see her with you... you all."

>>131887
This one actually does hit Silver right in his heart.

"Oh...that is, uh..." He searches for a word to describe it, but comes up short. "...fuck."

>>131888
He winces, and resumes staring at Silver
"She had such a charm to her..." He forms a few small tears
"And she betrays me!"

>>131889
"She seems to have not thought same of you..."

He looks down, ears folding on his head.

"I know we put you inside that chute, but...I am sorry."

>>131890
A tear moves down and is absorbed into the feathers on his face. He has an unbelieving expression, and stares back at Silver

>>131891
"I know what words I could offer are meaningless and empty to you, but they are all I can offer to you. I am sorry."

>>131892
"Then I will take that." He says, almost plainly

>>131893
He looks up at him.

"Would you want me to look for her, ask her about why?"

>>131894
He sighs
"I don't know. I thought she loved me too."

>>131895
"What is her name, if it is not Undertoe?"

>>131896
"After I captured her, she told me her name was Serene Cenote. I would think later that it was a beautiful name, Serene Cenote." He looks down to the gravel between Horseman Avenue and the loading area behind the stores. "For all I know, she told her real name to you."

>>131897
"It is indeed beautiful name...would you like to talk about her? What was it about her that made you fall in love?"

>>131898
"I... don't know. Can you say what it is in the griffin... uh, mare you love that makes you love them? It defies words. When she placed her claw on my cheek and looked into my eyes with her own, purple gems. The smile on her face... I even... I even came to love how close she came. How I did not even know she found me, that she was on the boat hunting me. She was smart as well as beautiful. Clever."

>>131899
"...you truly did love her..."

He looks down, seriously considering looking for her and getting some answers.

>>131900
"Yes. Yes I did." His eyes move around, eventually to the ground

>>131901
Silver looks up at him.

"Are you certain you do not want me to go look for her?"

>>131902
"What are you going to do with me?" He asks

>>131903
He looks in surprise of the question.

"Get you safely to this safehouse of yours, then let you go."

>>131904
"And why would you do that?"

>>131905
"Because I believe in second chances, and I am hoping, perhaps naively, that you will not be involved in anything like 33 Hoebuck again. Stick with smuggling goods, it is far more respectable profession than trafficking."

>>131906
"So you say. I will trust you for now..."

Mala walks back, carrying a long, black cloak
"I think this will do" he says

>>131907
Silver looks over to Mala, and smiles.

"Ah, good! Give it to Maakie, he is one who will be needing it."

>>131908
Mala goes towards Maakie, but stops a little distance away. He extends out the coat hanging over his extended left foreleg, and Maakie grabs it as if snatching it with his own right claw, while Maakie stares at Mala. Maakie places the coat over himself as Mala walks backwards away from him.

Maakie:
"Shall we go now?"

>>131909
Silver nods to Maakie, and attempts to hail a taxi.

>>131910
This is easy enough, as a taxi stops to pick them up. The driver says nothing about Maakie, covered in his long, black coat. Mala sits away from a Maakie, and is the one to tell the the driver the destination. It’s a location on the far side of the city

>>131911
Silver sits in silece for the ride there, unless one of the passengers was to say something.

>>131912
Mala does not. Nor does Maakie. Mala does, however, look over to Silver, never actually saying anything. It’s a surprisingly long trip, cutting through downtown, then through town houses on the southwest side, then denser and denser tree formations, then alongside a grand river, until the site is finally reached. The fare is 12 bits, which is the highest Silver has yet had

>>131913
He pays the fare, and asks the driver if he can wait for a minute or two since they'll need a ride elsewhere.

>>131914
He obliges

Silver finds himself next to a lot with a grassy ditch, a dirt road and a culvert, and a wooden fence that goes up perhaps four feet or so feet in height and does not let you view through the other side. There is a gate with a visible lock, and over the fence the metal roof of a small house, as well as several bare-limb deciduous trees are visible. Mala steps out next to Silver

>>131915
Silver looks out at the property.

"I must say, this is very well out of way."

>>131867
Where did we last leave off? I think I had figured out that the monster threat was minimal to occur in the forest.

>>131923
Sparks last post is >>131655

Monsters are always a threat

>>131924
"I could offer guns, food, barricades and walls, of which I'm sure we can get, but those alone won't be enough. What I offer is friendship."

>>131925
“Friendship..”
He pulls his lips back, showing sharp, white canines, and raises his head up slightly, then away down to his right, and around in a clockwise circle until his head finally comes back to Spark
“How?!”

>>131926
"By meeting with the ponies to the east of course."

>>131867
Amber heads north along this roadway to the mansion.