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.
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>>138125"...okay. That is little odd."
He looks up at Pear, smiling a little.
"Well, you
did say you wanted to be able to talk with cultist."
>>138126She smiles back, though it’s awkward more than mischievous.
“Yes. I did.”
>>138127"So, uh...are you alright? Are you hurt?"
>>138125Amber shakes her head as if the odd creature was just a mirage.
Don't those wings get cold?In any case, she trots back to High Sewn with a pensive expression on her face.
"Is there anything else that can be done?" >>138128“Oh, I’m alright. They didn’t get you... did they?”
>>138129“Well, it’s at about the end of your shift, anyways.” High Sewn answers. “We should at least be able to reopen by tomorrow.”
>>138130Silver shakes his head.
"I got lucky, and they did not so much as touch me."
>>138130Amber seems to regain some cheer.
"Okay! See you tomorrow, Miss Sewn!" >>138131“Heh. That was kind of impressive there.”
She smiles looking up at him, and then looks back down at the two griffins.
>>138132She doesn’t say anything, but moves her left hoof up, and waves it up and down to Amber.
>>138133She'll head over to the restaurant she visited earlier.
>>138133He smiles and blushes for just a second.
"Heh."
He quickly recovers, turns to the female griffon, and gives her a firm shake on the shoulder.
"Wake up."
>>138134Amber walks over the that area, not many blocks away, and finds the restaraunt. They are open, but - unsurprisingly - have no greeter at the door.
>>138135She is shaken a couple times. Then her eyes come open, two purple spheres.
>>138136Amber walks in, looking for either the mare from earlier or anypony who looks to be in charge.
>>138136"So,
now are you and your partner ready to talk?"
>>138137Amber walks in, and after going only slightly further back into the restaurant, sees Salt Mixer behind the bar. While her most distinct feature is obscured behind hardwood, her dark grey coat and comparatively square muzzle are unmistakable.
“Hello. You’re back” she says, when Amber approaches
>>138138The female looks at Silver.
“There is nothing to say” - are her first words to him, in some sort of foreign accent that is not easily placed, but evidently from the northern portion of the Griffonian continent.
>>138139"Hello! My shift at the store just ended and I was wondering if I'm hired to work here. I can start right now," she says, smiling eagerly.
>>138139"Two Maarists are in former Maarist hideout. I think there is something to be said about that."
>>138140"Oh. Uh... Let me get the owner" she says
>>138141"What makes you think we are Maarists?" she says
>>138143Amber's going to wait patiently.
>>138143"I may not speak your language..."
He points to her companion.
"...but I know when Maar's name is invoked."
>>138144She returns through a side door
"The owner... seems kind of busy. I'm technically operating manager, technically, so... why not on a provisional basis? I have permission to do that"
>>138145She narrows her eyes
"What do you want?"
>>138147And thus Amber begins her role as a greeter
At least I think that's what she signed up for. Salt Mixer walks out to show Amber where to stand, how to communicate with wait staff, gives advice on who to reject, how to respond, and so forth.
>>138148Hostess, actually, but it's much of the same thing. Amber thus starts with aplomb.
>>138146"To start, what is it you and your compatriot are doing here?"
>>138152"I am not certain you are in position to be asking questions, but very well, I will indulge you. My partner is expert on occult, religion, and language. She does not get many opportunities to study Maarism, she requested to come and study this place."
He sits down in front of the griffon.
"Now, explain yourself."
I have to sleep now...>>138153She takes a pause, blinking, having evidently not expected this answer
>>138153“We noticed intruders into our temple, and we heard you here.” She answers.
>>138162"Why were you here in first place?"
>>138170“Because they offered asylum to those from the old lands, and to those in need in any land, and because so many were our friends.”
>>138171Silver briefly lowers his head to them.
"I apologise for that."
>>138172“As you should!”
She winces, and let’s out a breath
“You have destroyed our livelihood and much more!”
>>138173"Just as cultists here destroyed lives of thousands?"
>>138174“Thousands?! Where do you get ‘thousands’?! Are you so used to the mass numbers your regime kills that only ‘thousands’ register?”
>>138175"Should I bring you to garbage chute full of corpses of sacrificial victims?"
>>138178She starts to shake her head
“No, the gnolls-“
But she stops shaking her head, and stops speaking, shutting her beak abruptly.
>>138179"Yes, they started feeding corpses to their gnolls two years ago. Already knew that."
He raises his eyebrow at her.
"So, you knew about that, but did not know about chute. I suppose you two are recent arrivals, then."
>>138180“He came to Baltimare five years ago, I think. I came here four years ago, lured by your Princess’s talk of harmony and Union. I found poverty, isolation and exploitation. I joined the Society eighteen months ago. I do not know what you speak of when you talk of corpses.”
>>138181Silver frowns, his ears drooping slightly.
"Hmm. I keep hearing this story from those who come to this land. What happened?"
>>138182"I came here from Cloudbury 1008, when Kerenskai's government was teetering. All the money I had saved was gone not long after arrival. I lived in a dingy and crowded apartment at first. I did not speak the language. There were not so many jobs as advertised. I thought I got lucky after two weeks, starting a job as a seamstress in a factory. But the pay, which would have been high for Cloudbury, did not cover so much more than expenses. The hours were long, ten hours or more a day, and six days sometimes. A roommate left with my possessions, and ponies in gangs would be harsh in collecting any debts. Then after five months my claw slipped and was cut by a machine. I was out of work for more than a week, my claw was swollen and in pain for a month after that. I went back to work at the factory but was fired not long after, either for the mistake or my slow pace with a swollen claw. After that I was unemployed, and finally found work as a maid. But the maid work, though fine on its own was part time and intermittent. I could not earn much. I had to move several times. I did not have friends or family. I thought I would return to Cloudbury when The War broke out, but then I was afraid to travel and besides there were rumors wages would go up. Then I found the Society."
>>138183"That is...terrible! Why is it this keeps happening?"
>>138184“It was and it is. You have to thank your misplaced faith in your princesses, kings, and gods who cannot deliver.”
>>138185He frowns a little more, but his ears don't droop with them.
"Our Princesses are still ponies. Not everything that happens in Equestria is because of them. If it was case, I am certain you would not have had so many troubles."
>>138186“Whether they lack power or do not care, it is the same outcome for us.” She answers
>>138187"But why this? Why join Boek in causing so much suffering on those who were exactly as you were when you came to this land?"
>>138188“Boek offered housing, jobs, and food! He offered community. He offered a connection to something grander. He offered a way out, and a way up.” She stares for a moment, and says almost under her breath “I didn’t hire a smuggler...”