In Changelingia (West Equestria), Brie gains the support of a Changeling queen for his endeavors. Spark is doing his best to help an ill Wolf spiritual leader.
In Free Equestria (East Equestria), Iron is trying to intimidate a group of criminal griffin interlopers. Fantasy Play is helping to shut down an Anarchist press. Silver is helping his new household. Amber Sunset is walking through the city, and Dark Star has just finished helping the orphans.
2365 replies and 51 files omitted.
>>133780Mala is the first to finish eating, licking the plate repeatedly, then his lips, and then sitting up. Jubilosa takes a little longer, eating the stroganoff and then the alligator meat with her fork. Khoi is still eating, picking up strands of noodles, and then using her spoon to pick up mushrooms. She doesn’t pick up cream, but she doesn’t push it off the noodles either.
>>133781To be considerate, Silver waits for Khoi to finish before getting up. He turns to Jubilosa and Mala.
"So, what did you two think?"
>>133782Mala nods, with his triangle ears now pointing towards Silver as he smiles. Jubilosa
“Hehe, what is this stuff called again? Is this from your homeland?”
Khoi is silent until at least Jubilosa is finished speaking
Do you smell what the Iron's cooking?
Iron softly exhales from his snout, stabilizing his breath after his small skirmish against the two weapon-wielding griffin mafiosos back at the pier.
(We might be here for a while,) he muses.
>>133800No... But Iron can smell salt water and cigarettesA fast but light "clop clop clop," and then:
"What the hell was the that?" White Sands sounds a little frustrated
"You made them pull weapons on you."
She turns her head to the side, then quickly turns it back
"Be grateful they didn't have submachine guns."
>>133801Good. Because he's a terrible cook.Iron turns to Sands, ears drooped and puckered lips at the truthful accusation.
"I might need to practice goading them into hoof fights," he admits in a low tone, realizing the circumstances he's in "the coat shredders, "suh-ma-chin" guns, really hurt last time I got hit by them."
Glancing at the planks his hooves currently perched themselves on for a bit, he glances up at the mare once more. "...Should I directly challenge them to a hoof fight from the getgo?"
>>133802Shee blinks, and her entire body seems to ease up as tension fades away
"That's most likely better than vague threats. Insults will make them angry. They will make them want to hurt you. Threats, however, may just make them fear you. And every creature, no matter what it is, is at its most dangerous when it is afraid."
She moves along again, past Iron
"Hoof fights... who knows. You'll have your most success with the bigger ones, the ones who think they're most likely to win in a fight against you. But successful hoof fight challenges are definitely the safest way to do this."
She looks back to him from past him
"Then again, the whole point of this operation
is scare them away... so you can't really ever completely remove the danger from it."
>>133806Iron nods, somewhat understanding the balance explained to him and being reminded specifically what he had to do to those griffons.
"So I should find bulkier individuals whose main course of action is to fight barehoof," he answers "so that they choose to fight with it even with threats."
Nodding to himself, the native smacks his lips, thinking up the remainder of his plan. "If I recall correctly, there was a famous griffin in this area. They must have a bulky guard on him to dissuade any sort of goading towards him. He might be a good target to scare by beating up those protecting him."
>>133807She moves directly in front of him
"He'll have a guard or two or three for sure. They'll need to be beat up... To send a message. What worries me is if they have hitgriffs. Professional killers. Those griffins could be far deadlier..." she looks down, then back up
"Challenging the bigger ones to a fight, or otherwise provoking them... that's a good move. But the smaller griffins, well, they won't want to attack you without weapons." Then she looks to Iron with her head tilted away.
"Maybe they could be lured into a trap. They could think they are going after an easier target."
>>133809Iron hums softly, glancing at the probably smaller griffons behind Sands.
"What sort of traps would they be attracted to?" he asks out loud before looking back at Sands. "Perhaps we could try to stand up to the civilian ponies that may have suffered from any aggressive tactics aimed at them in order to scare them into complacency instead. They're essentially the easier target, although I do not recall hearing any complaints about them."
>>133811"Trying to stop whatever they are doing will definitely do it, that's for sure. If they don't know what they're fighting they won't be prepared.
But, if that doesn't work, their attempts to teach an obnoxious unicorn mare a lesson could go horribly wrong."
>>133812Iron's snout scrunches slightly, having the faintest feeling of dread from her last sentence, blinking softly in response.
"...D-did you just-"
Then as suddenly as the apprehension appeared, it dissipates from the bigger plan in motion, spiking his ears up.
"Oh! I see! That sounds like a good idea, actually. Specially if said mare has some injuries on her. But where could that happen?"
>>133814"Where ever the griffins are, we go to them. Or if you are willing to take more time, whatever it is they value, we go to that and threaten it. Either way, let them not know what is coming."
>>133815"Find the griffins," Iron repeats, confirming the first option to be more fool-proof before glancing around the area "...where were those places, again?"
>>133816"Well, evidently they have a location operating hear around the piers. They are trying to operate a fishing company, or something. But they'll want to have businesses as fronts, and as places to congregate... There's probably a restaurant or a bar or something somewhere around here they like to congregate too."
>>133818"Sounds to me we'll stick around these piers for a while," Iron responds with a nod "unless we get hungry for... feathers?"
He wore a small, sheepish smile as he glances, finding it mildly difficult to keep the hidden meaning flowing along smoothly.
>>133819"Heh" She briefly smiles, but returns to a serious expression.
"One more thing. We're not in Baltimare anymore. Police will probably still respond to gunshots, and always be careful of witnesses, but if they find us, they aren't going to assume we're involved in gang violence, or that we are potential thieves. They are going to see a poor, innocent mare, and her stallion - admittedly a slightly scarier looking stallion, but a pony stallion nevertheless. And when they look at our adversaries, they will see big, mean griffins with foreign accents, questionable paperwork - Interlopers in land that in their eyes, belongs to ponies. And they will make their own conclusions as to what happened, who was the aggressor, and who the victim."
>>133821"I understand," Iron answers with a nod "so keep the gang talk to only key moments and do it subtly so only the gangsters hear the threats."
>>133822"Well, don't be afraid of the police if you can't outrun them. No need to dive into salt water this time, for instance..." she narrows her eyes a little at these words
"But as for the gangsters, it's a delicate balance to make them want to hurt you, without making them think they need to destroy you."
>>133823Iron nods once more, licking his lips softly as he look to his naked form, hide hopefully covering whatever scars he may have gotten these past few days.
"...considering somepony else will activate their drive to hurt, I do not think it will be necessary for me to do much..."
As soon as that thought crosses his head, his eyes widened and, with a small excited hop and renewed vigor, he quickly turns to Sands. "I know! I will stutter on purpose so my threats are not as deep as they usually would."
>>133824He'll need a long coat for that, as he is quite scarred. Hopefully hair will cover what time has not yet.
She nods
"Stuttering. That sounds like a clever trick. Make your enemies think that you are already afraid of them. They won't feel as threatened."
>>133825"Great!" Iron exclaims, getting excited to execute their plan before inhaling deeply, composing himself in order not to be blinded by the raw anticipation of battle "Let us commence our plans, then: Find griffons, the mare goads them and the stallion comes out the moment they take action. Like fishing... birds in a... pond."
The native took a second to process his last statement before chuckling softly at his raw attempt at a simile.
>>133827A malign smile comes across her face
"A plan well executed is always a pleasure to behold."
>>133829Iron nods a couple of times excitedly, clearly agreeing about it more due to it meaning more battling, before starting his quest to find more griffons on this pier first and foremost, hoping to test out their new plan's effectiveness to further their own ends.
>>133830>>133831Iron's griffdar snout points towards a set of buildings further down on the water front. It looks like a two story office building, plus a larger building that resembles a warehouse and goes directly to the water
>>133832Ears flicking towards the building, Iron starts to slowly turn his head as well. "I feel griffons over there," he tells Sands in a hushed manner "Scout ahead to see if you can find any. I will follow you as inconspicuously as I can."
>>133787"Stroganoff! It is indeed from my homeland of Severyana. It is nothing considered fancy, or eaten by tsars, but it is tasty, and quite cheap."
>>133833The first building is two stories, brick with a flat roof, and a white sign saying “Salty’s Seashore” on it. There’s a couple windows on the first floor with the blinds down, and a simple door.
>>133850https://youtu.be/ELsc0btFgRIShe is silent for a moment
“Huh. That’s pretty neat. Nice of you to share.”
>>133851Silver smiles at Jubilosa, then looks to Khoi when she gets close to finishing.
"What about you? What did you think?"
>>133851Iron's hooves clip clops in attempted inconspicuousness towards it, letting Sands go in front of him as she's more knowledgeable about the place and charismatic than he is.
He would keep an eye out for any griffon activity he could spot on his approach while he quickly cranes his neck towards the mare taking point.
"When you think you have spotted a good opportunity to start the scenario, whisper "Honeybee," he asks.
>>133853With a glow of her yellow-green magic, she toggles the door knob.
"It's unlocked"
She twists the door knob, and goes through into the room.
[1d20+7 = 22]>>133852Jubilosa smiles back
"Is... Is nice." Khoi says, smiling awkwardly
>>133854Iron couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, feeling strange around this area built yet unguarded. He opted to keep his snout shut for the time being, content with simply looking around for anything worth paying attention to: Danger or curiosity apply.
[1d20+2 = 12]<Spot Check
>>133854"Are you sure? You will not hurt my feelings if you did not like it."
>>133853>>133854>>133855She goes inside for a minute. Then another minute. Then another. Then the door opens:
Female voice that isn't Sands:
"Ms..."
Sands:
"Heron"
Female:
"Ms. Heron, we are closed and we have nothing to do with any 'illegal dumping.'"
Sands, sounding very angry
"Do not give me that talk pretty feathers, you dumped something that poisoned my dog and I know it. Pay the medical bills or I will have the city council investigate. I use the same tailor as the mayor; I have connections."
As she opens the door and steps back out, she turns her head to give a slightly worried grin to Iron. She does not say the code
>>133856"It's... it's nice, but where are the chopsticks, and why are there animal products?"
Jubilosa
"Also... I don't want to sound rude but... Where's the wine?"
>>133857Figuring there wasn't anything worth in there from how she didn't say the code to spring him into action, the stallion simply remains quiet, opting instead to remain vigilant yet passive for any attempts on her life until the mare currently kicking Sands out lets her walk off the premises.
>>133858She turns her head in
"No, I'm telling you. I'm telling you we have the dog outside. No. You listen here. No. Your negligence poisoned my dog. I am not leaving. You poisoned my poor, poor Honeybee."
>>133859(Huh, guess she really thinks this is a good target,) Iron thought to himself before approaching the scene, ready to put on his macho act to back up his mare in need.
With a careful nudge inside the door alongside Sands, Iron puts up a disdained yet weak scowl.
"Y-you two better take responsibility for o-our dog," Iron stutters out, making sure to up his usually pitch to sound even more pathetic yet with anger clear in his voice "s-she meant everything t-to us. Y-you cannot g-get away from this."
>>133860I absolutely love Civ 6 and especially its sound track. Every song has so much character to itSometimes I like to match areas of the occupied world to civ themes. I would give Baltimare the England theme, because that music has a feeling of reserved granduer, but also a feeling of age, of sorrow, and the feeling that the best days are behind you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG_AZky2Xkc
I would give the Northern areas, like Bales-Whinnysota, the America theme, because of the youthful optimism and belief and in progress, because the Northern areas seem historically younger and they are more obviously American in inspiration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRv501x6WP0
I would give the German theme to the Griffonian Empire, because that song sounds like an outright funeral dirge, like the death of that culture is a fiat accompli. It also for some reason sounds like you're moving over snow covered streets in a very old city, buying candy at Christmas time. It has a majesty to it, in addition to resignation to fate https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTHmPOzWxzg
>>133861Now, Iron can see what is in the room. There is a female griffin there. She's further back. But in the fore, trying to push Sands out, are two very large griffin males. Both have darker brown feathers. Both do not look like they are interested in messing around, and both say nothing. They are not brandishing weapons and don't seem to be threatening any violence at all, but the message is clearly "get out and never come back."
Their eyes meet Iron's
>>133863(It will work as an excuse,) Iron thinks to himself before his brow furrows in further anger. "H-hey! What are you doing with her?!" the stallion cries out in shock, partly because the shoving may actually hit her in her burn marks and the opportunity to strike rises "You are not allowed to do that! She is recovering! H-how dare you treat a hurt, grieving mare in such a manner?!"
For now, Iron is content with simply adding extra weight to push out by stepping inside as well in order for the male griffins to escalate further.
>>133864[1d20 = 1]One of them raises an eyebrow at the new pony, who is twice the size of the mare being pushed out.
The other one speaks. Though even these few words betray that Ponish is not his first language, his deep voice is clear:
"
Get Out"
>>133864>>133865And one of the griffins walks right into Sands, causing her to yelp, "Ah-oo"
>>133857He starts off answering Jubilosa:
"...Дерьмо. I forgot to buy wine. I will have to go get some more."
He then turn to Khoi:
"I apologize for such difference in cultures, Khoi. I believe chopsticks are unique to Nugua Nam, or to kirin cultures in general. We use forks, knifes, and spoons. And for sour cream, it is tasty and does not hurt cows. Is there issue in your culture around consuming animal products?"
>>133865>>133866Iron scowls grows further at the insistent griffon, yet his forelegs softly tremble to give the appearance he really doesn't want to fight.
That was, until the male griffin currently trying to shoo off Snads dares to
dramatically ram into her, quickly stepping over and shoving the griffon off his mare to avoid her getting actually hurt. "H-hey! Leave her alone, y-you beaked chicken!"
>>133867"In the Great Vehicle, we do not like to consume products from animals and things that feel. Only plants. And I'm not sure if any Kirin culture eats meat, anywhere."
>>133868This prompts them to look at him angrily, and shove back with significant force
[1d20+3 = 10]Roll balanceAnd Roll Initiative
>>133869He bows slightly towards her.
"I apologize. We do not have beliefs about consumtion of animal products in Celestialism. I will keep your beliefs in mind in future."
>>133870Iron is shoved so hard, he falls backwards, onto his legs
Big Griff A
[1d20+2 = 14]Big Griff B
[1d20+2 = 6]White Sands tries to scurry backwards, through the doorway
>>133870>>133872As Iron falls back, one of the griffins takes a swing at him
Iron's turn after that. He is in the prone position.
[1d20+6 = 9]>>133871"That's alright..." She looks down. "I am shaken in my beliefs now...."
>>133873With a yelp and a tumble, Iron quickly scrambles to get back up after that claw tried to swipe his coat out from down below signalled him it was time to bonk some heads.
>>133874The claw swipes at him, but does not reach him in his state on the ground. As he gets up, the two griffins each swing at him
[1d20+6 = 22][1d20+6 = 17] >>133873He looks sadly at her.
"That is not really alright...is there anything I might do to help?"
>>133874>>133875https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRTIFbJZ_R8Iron gets the whammy...
He pis punched, both times around the chest and shoulders.
[1d3+3 = 6][1d3+3 = 6]>>133876Looking down:
"I don't know... But I think I am alone in this."
Jubilosa is distressed by this, but can say nothing
>>133877With a force, loud huff as he stood up, the pony grits his teeth before finally landing his first punch at the slower of the two griffons, hoping to take him down before he did any more punching to him, meaning he'd put all his might onto this attack.
[1d20+5 = 18]<Power Attack Non-lethal Melee Strike (+5 damage for -5 to hit bonus)
>>133879With a solid connect to the griffon's chest, Iron delivers the payload.
[1d3+10 = 12]<Damage
>>133877"It is your choice...but you do not have to. We are all here for you."
He looks to Jubilosa and Mala.
>>133880Iron strikes the bird creature right in the chest...
He looks astonished at this power. But he punches back.
[1d3+6 = 7]And then, so does his colleague
[1d3+6 = 7]>>133881"But..."
She moves her eyes up, towards Silver and Jubilosa
"You don't know of the Vehicle to Awakening."
>>133882>>133880They take their swings at Iron, and manage to miss magnificently
>>133882"That is true...but you could teach us about it."
>>133885>>133883Iron exhales, bruises starting to show on his coat and his breath starts getting slightly labored.
Hoping to quickly dispatch the now wounded griffguard, he opts for a more accurate strike to finish him off.
[1d20+8 = 28]<Power Attack Nonlethal Melee Strike (+2 damage for -2 to hit)
>>133887"Not if I don't know it myself..."
>>133888https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atxYe-nOa9wIron punches the griffin right in the beak, knocking him backwards, up into the air, and over a counter some 15 feet or so behind him, causing him to fall over with a crash
>>133889"Uh...hmm..."
He falters a little bit before deciding to take a step back in the discussion.
"What is causing this crisis of faith you are having?"
>>133891The other griffin takes a moment to look back, and then swings at Iron
[1d20+3 = 14] >>133889With a quick huff as he turns to the other griffon, he powers up his punch to the same level as his first strike, hoping to have that same power that last buck of his had.
[1d20+5 = 15]<Power Attack Nonlethal Unarmed Strike (+5 for -5)
>>133891She takes a moment
"Violence. You are not supposed to take life, or to harm another creature, except in self defense. Above all else, you are never to hate. And the experience in that building... was different."
>>133893>>133892He moves - barely - out of the way of Iron's attack, before landing his own
[1d3+3 = 4] >>133894Thanking the gods the battle was ending shortly, he actually starts his trip attempt to minimize further damage.
[1d20+10 = 29]<Melee Touch Attack
>>133894Silver nods in understanding.
"Seeing what they did made you hate them."
>>133895He places his hoof right under the legs of the Griffin
Opposed strength check:
[1d20+3 = 9]>>133896"And made me harm them" she adds
>>133898The griffin is knocked down onto the ground. White Sands lopes past Iron, around the downed griffin
>>133897"Yes. And you are afraid this has tainted you...if I assume correctly."
>>133899Iron now goes for a quick strike on the downed griffon thanks to his maneuver, mainly bonking him on the back as payback for the beatdown he received as he stood up.
[1d20+10 = 12]<Extra Melee Strike.
>>133900"I am afraid I don't regret it." She answers
>>133901He hits him in the chest
>>133886[White Buddhist just gets off the phone with guy who pretends to convert, just to end with a 9/11 joke]
White Budhhist:
"Okay, next caller"
Caller:
"Yeah, I need help. I just had a tragedy"
White Buddhist:
"What is it?"
Caller:
"Yeah. I lost my uncle in 9/11"
White Buddhist:
"9/11"
Caller:
"Yeah. 9/11. At least he died doing what he loved. He was flying a plane."
White Buddhist:
"My... My condolences"
>>133903He is hit, but tries to get up. Iron has an attack of opportunity
>>133904[1d20 = 3]<AoOB(Attack of Opportunistic Bonking)
>>133905Hit. Absent exceptional damage, he makes yet another wing at Iron
[1d20+6 = 11] >>133902"Ah. That I know."
He lets out a sad sigh.
"I do not know how your culture and religion work. I wish I did, so that I might be more able to help you. So, knowing that...do you feel you did right thing?"
>>133906>>133905But Iron pulls back, out of the way of the swing
>>133907She blinks
"Yes."
>>133905>>133908[1d3+5 = 6]<BONK!
Barely slipping under the griffon's attack after his quick strike at his leg, Iron prepares a potent strike with malicious intent, daring to smile softly as he does it.
[1d20+7 = 14]<You know what's here already, right (+3 to -3)
>>133909His maliciously intended hit lands
>>133910[1d3+8 = 10]<Come on,bby, let it be last bonk
>>133911He is hit in the head, and falls down, knocked out.
The female griffin is very much intimidated, and is moving towards a door in the back, towards the left side of the room. White Sands is moving towards her
>>133913Iron moves along with her, gazing upon the intimidated griffiness, attempting to freeze her in place through his sheer presence.
[1d20+9 = 10]<Intimidate Roll
>>133914*poof*
Iron activates fluff mode, poofing up. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to intimidate her much
>>133915Iron's can't help but look deadpan in shame at his uncharacteristic fluff he's not used to have due to his tropical origins.
(Guess my coat grew real quick with this coat...)
Nonetheless, the stallion moves towards her anyways, hoping she wouldn't simply run away, considering he has no intention of bashing the female griffin out of principle.
>>133908Silver nods.
"Life is more than black and white. In between are many shades of gray, and what we call each shade may be different depending on who you are. It is good you are worried. Taking another life is dreadful thing. But sometimes it is right thing. You helped to save countless lives, and bring peace to countless more. For that, your conscious should be clear."
>>133918"If that is so..." she says with a pause
"Then why couldn't I fightback home?"
>>133916The griffin moves the door knob and tries to open it to run.
White Sands lacks Iron's delicacy, and charges to tackle her
[1d20+2 = 8][1d20+2 = 13]