1560 replies and 7 files omitted.
>>140673>>140674There is a cacophony of shattered glass, bullets, and automatic bullets flying. Sure enough, a pony falls down on the roof, and is enveloped in green flame, to reveal a black insectoid equiform creature. Silver can see the enemy standing up, aiming their rifles, and returning fire. The machine gun swivels on its tripod, aiming towards their ambushers.
The rifleling on the left side fires his rifle
[1d7 = 6][1d20+3 = 6]Then a rifle pony in Silver's support section
[1d4 = 4][1d20 = 4]Then the enemy Machine Gun:
[1d7 = 1][1d20 = 12]Then a rifle creature on the right
[1d7 = 7][1d20+3 = 20]Then one of Silver's rifle ponies in the Master Bedroom
[1d20+2 = 10]Then Silver [1d20+10 = 11]>>140675Silver aims down his rifle's sights once again to take out the enemy machinegunner.
>>140675>>140676>>140675Silver takes aim at the machine gunner, looking at him down his sights after cycling the bolt. Silver's already wounded him before. Aim.
click. Silver can see the bullet hit behind the Machine gunner. But the machine gunner isn't kneeling idly. He moves the machine gun up, points it towards Silver, and
clack clack clack clackSilver can see little holes forming in the wall around the window, and below the window. Small splinters of wood enter the air. He can hear bullets wiz past him. And he can hear glass shattering in the kitchen behind him
Meanwhile, the light machine gunner next to Silver has flinched, pressing his gun forward, and causing the front bipod to move off the end of the table, and dropping the gun down on the table.
Elsewhere, SIlver's rifle ponies shoot back
[1d20+2 = 15][1d20+2 = 17][1d20+2 = 5] >>140670>>140677The gunner in the bathroom makes another hit, as does the Corporal in the Master Bedroom.
[2d8 = 14][2d8 = 6] >>140678Silver's section successfully hits and downs two of the riflelings on the right side.
But an enemy rifleman shoots back, hitting the Corporal
[2d8 = 7]And a rifleling shoots back
[1d7 = 7][1d20+2 = 19] >>140679The assistant machine gunner fires another shot
[1d20+2 = 11] >>140680>>140679>>140676And misses
A second shot hits the Corporal
[2d8 = 13] >>140681>>140679>>140676The Corporal is downed, having downed one enemy himself
>>140676Does Silver take evasive action?
>>140683Silver uses his magic to realign the LMG on the table. He shouts over the cacophany of bullets.
"THIS IS WHY I SAID TO TARGET MACHINEGUN!"
>>140684The Changeling on the far left takes a shot up towards the one of the rifleponies in the Master Bedroom
[1d20+2 = 4]That same pony shoots again, at the enemy assistant machine gunner
The Machine gunner continues firing, seeing no reason to take his decrepit hooves off the trigger
[1d3 = 1][1d20 = 6]Then a riflepony in the other section fires again
[1d20 = 11]Then the captured Changeling Machine Gun bursts all it's worth
[1d20 = 6]And now it's Silver's turn
>>140685>>140684"What?!" Silver's light machine gunner yells back, trying to stand back up.
Bullet's crack and snap, pieces of debris fly in the dining room and in the Master Bedroom. The Changeling machine gun rips to add it's own terrifying symphony of battle.
Nothing seems to hit it's intended target
[1d20+10 = 26]>>140685>>140686"TAKE THAT FUCKER OUT!"
Silver stands and quickly pops off another shot at the changeling on the machinegun.
>>140688A small mount of paint flakes fall down from bullet holes above Silver, falling on his mane
Silver hits
>>140673The riflepony in the bathroom fires
[1d20+2 = 12]Then a riflepony in the other section
[1d20-2 = 14]Then the riflepony in the bedroom
[1d2 = 2][1d20+2 = 9]Then the last surviving enemy rifleling on the right
[1d20+3 = 12]Then the light machine gunner, who has just had his machine gun placed in position
[1d20 = 4] [1d20 = 16] [1d20 = 20] [1d20 = 15][1d20 = 4] [1d20 = 20] [1d20 = 13] [1d20 = 1][1d20 = 18] [1d20 = 19] [1d20 = 12] [1d20 = 5][1d20 = 3] [1d20 = 10] [1d20 = 15] >>140691>>140690There is another cacophony of bullets
The enemy machine gunner -already bleeding from two hits - is hit twice in the torso, then once in the limb, falling down
[1d4 = 1][1d4 = 4][1d4 = 4][1d4 = 1] >>140690>>140692And the machine gun itself is hit once in the jacket, causing an eruption of steam from the gun
Still, the rifleling on the left takes aim and shoots, this time at the light machine gunner
[1d20+3 = 6]And then the pony in the Master Bedroom fires his rifle
[1d20+2 = 15]Then the riflepony in the other section
[1d20-2 = 5]Silver's turn
>>140693Bullets miss, save for the shot of the riflepony in the master bedroom, who hits the enemy assistant machine gunner
[2d8 = 7] [1d20+10 = 21]>>140693Silver aims for rifleling on the left, and fires his rifle.
>>140696>>140695>>140694Silver makes a strong hit, causing blood to fly. The assistant machine gunner is hit as well, several times. He says
"Drücken sie-" then coughs "für unsere Kameraden!"
He tries to move through the steam towards the operating post of the machine gun
[1d2 = 1][1d20+2 = 7]A pony in another section fires a shot at the lone rifleling on the right
[1d20 = 5] >>140697One of Silver's rifleponies shoots at the assistant machine gunner, but misses. He's moved himself into position, to fire the machine gun
[1d20 = 10]The lone rifleling on the right fires a shot toward's Silver's machine gunner
[1d20+3 = 5]Silver's assistant machine gunner, meanwhile, has heard the click of the light machine gun, and knows it is out of ammunition. He uses his magic to pull out the empty magazine, levitate a new one, and place it into the magazine well.
>>140698The rifleling on the left takes another shot
[1d20+3 = 15]The rifle pony in the master bedroom shoots
[1d20+2 = 22]And a pony in the other section shoots
[1d20 = 16] >>140699The rifleling on the left does not shoot for nothing. He hits the earth pony holding the light machine gun, before the latter can cock the gun.
[2d8 = 7]The assistant machine gunner has moved the body of his superior aside, and looks up from over the steaming and soon to be warped barrel at Silver's position, ready to return fire at Silver's section. But it is not to be. The pony who stood next to the now dead corporal of C Squad's machine gun section, has landed his second rifle shot on the assistant machine gunner. with a splatter of blood, he falls backwards, landing on the legs of the machine gunner, and slowly degenerating into a black drone, one who still wears the uniform of an Equestrian truck loader.
The other section lands a shot on the lone rifleling on the right
[2d8 = 15]Silver's turn >>140700>>140696The light machine gunner is hit, but not downed. He cocks his gun.
The lone rifleling on the right is shot through the chest, splattering blue blood on the concrete roof. He collapses with only one hit.
The last drone on the roof is the rifleling on the left, who changes his form right there in plain view, and spreading his wings
[1d20+10 = 11]>>140700>>140701With a rallying shout, Silver fires a shot at the exposed changeling.
"ДЛЯ ПРИНЦЕСС!"
>>140702Silver's misses wide, going far above and into the green fields beyond the town.
The drone, lone survivor of the top, bleeds profusely onto the roof with his blue and purple tinted blood. He jumps up onto the edge, spreads his wings, and swiftly jumps off the roof of the building, disappearing from sight. A drone elsewhere on the roof twitches.
Silver has fired two rifle shots at Captain Forrester. One shot into the Church tower. Two at a drone who came outside of the church and killed a member of his platoon. And now, five shots at the position on the roof. Silver's rifle magazine is now empty.
From the bedroom, Silver can hear a "Wooo!" and then from another "Take that you damn cockroaches! Wooo!"
>>140703"Alright...good fighting, soldiers! Take breather, patch your wounds, and celebrate this victory! There will be plenty more where this came from!"
Silver goes to check on the downed corporal.
>>140704The corporal has been shot in the neck and the chest plate. His blood now covers part of the bedroom floor, and his submachine gun still lies on the top of the dresser. He has no pulse now.
>>140704The riflepony in the bathroom, the pony in the secondary bedroom, and from the assistant machine gunner cheer.
"We whooped them!"
"Serves them right"
"Hope the boys on the front are doing as well"
A weaker smile comes from the squad machine gunner, who holds onto his wound. A less enthusiastic response comes from the pony who stood next to the corporal. He remains silent.
>>140705Silver closes the corporal's eyes, and offers him a prayer to Celestia, that his soul may be guided swiftly to the heavenly gates of Elysium. He looks at the pony who stood next to the corporal, and places a forehoof on his shoulder.
"Are you okay, son?"
>>140706The corporal is still not a pretty sight, especially with so much of his blood on the floor. But he looks just a little better.
The private is silent for a moment. But he answers Silver
“We got ‘em”
>>140707"That is not what I asked, soldier."
He looks sadly at the private.
"Death is not pretty or nice. Trust me, I know. But to see it so close, it is something entirely more horrifying."
>>140708“I know. This is my first time seeing it. Sister died of TB when I was little, but I didn’t see that.... I’ll be alright.... He was a good pony.”
>>140709He smiles, though it's tinged with sadness.
"That he was. He gave his all to protect us. We will make sure his body is treated with respect, before he is sent back home."
>>140710He gives a small smile, and nods
"That, he did. We will."
>>140640"Let us go with that," Iron confirmed with a nod, hoping Koptis was in that list.
>>140711"Good lad, Private. Now, can you go check on other group of soldiers, see if everything is alright over there? I think I will need to help patch our machinegunner up."
>>140712"Well..." She looks behind herself, then back towards Iron.
"They like to use the dining room in the back. We don't normally use it during most business hours, and... Well, they like to use the dining room in the back."
>>140715he nods, halfway managing a smile
"Yes sir."
>>140716"Off you go. Take somepony with you if you feel unsafe on your own."
>>140717He scrunches for a moment, but he leaves
>>140716"How come?" Iron would ask as he tested the seat's comfiness.
>>140719There's some cushion to it. It's on the fluffier side, as seat cushions go.
"Preference.... I guess. They do their own thing."
>>140718Once he's gone, Silver goes over to the machinegunner. He smiles at him.
"Alright, show me where bullet touched you."
>>140721He too, scrunches
He's shot through the chest, next to the left shoulder, low on the body
>>140722Is the assistant machinegunner still here?
>>140724He turns to the assistant machinegunner.
"Can you see if they have any alcohol here? Preferrably something strong."
>>140720(Most likely they prefer it for their secrecy,) Iron concluded, having confirmed the comfortable nature of these cushions wasn't the issue.
"What are they like?" the native asked.
>>140726"Some are....
firmer. Some, more nice."
>>140725The assistant machine gunner goes over, and looks though a cabinet
"These are shot to pieces"
Then another. He pulls out a decorated bottle.
"Here we go. Brandy."
>>140727"Thank you."
Silver takes it, and offers it to the machinegunner.
"Here. Take only small drink, to dull pain."
While he does so, he investigates the wound. Is it all the way through, or is the bullet still inside? Is the wound bleeding profusely?
>>140728He takes a sip. Then another sip. Then another, much longer sip.
It looks like the bullet is still inside. There is much blood, although less than you may think from looking at the wound
>>140727"Are they currently here'" Iron proceeded to ask.
>>140731"I am curious about them in general," Iron offered the waitress. "I am quite fond of other species."
>>140732"Well... I'll leave you to that."
She has a half-smile, which is better than the last several exchanges
>>140733A round of applause, ladies and gentlecolts!"Do not forget the water, please," Iron would remind the waitress before turning to Sands, awaiting the moment of privacy in order to start their eventual talk together.
>>140734"And your chardonnay " Sands adds. The waiter says "Right." And walks away. Sands watches her as she goes, before turning to Iron.
>>140729"Do not take too much, you will affect your aim."
He continues to examine it for a couple seconds, before he looks up at the machinegunner.
"Alright, here is what I can do. I can either try to pull bullet out with my magic now, which will hurt like hell but let it start to heal properly, or I can just patch you up until our medical officer is up again and can take proper look."
>>140736"Uh... how good are you with that?" He asks
>>140735"I feel like they are definitely coming to meet us anytime now," Iron commented in a half-whisper. "What do you think?"
>>140738"Do they know it's us yet? If we move now, they won't know."
>>140739"So we go directly to their table and kick their flanks there?" Iron would ask instead in a hushed manner.
>>140740"Uh... I don't know" She answers
>>140741"I see. What about table hopping to scout them out instead? See what sort of battle we have in store."
>>140742"If they don't know what we look like, we should try to find them first."
>>140743"Then let us commence our execution," Iron declared as he figured out the potential paths to take in order to reach the esteemed "back" the waitress was talking about.
>>140744There are three doors in the back (not counting a fourth off to the right that must link outside). It's easy to see one is probably a kitchen (steel doors), leaving two, one on the left in a corner, and another on the side opposite the entrance, more towards the left. The latter looks like it's more likely an entryway into an open area, with beige walls
>>140737"I have plenty of experience with performing first aid in field like this."
>>140747"Alright. Just in case, you may want to bite onto something."
>>140748His eyes go wide, and he picks up a leather pouch used to hold stripper clips
[1d20+5 = 13]>>140749"Okay. Three, two, one..."
Heal: Focusing his magic around the bullet, Silver attempts to carefully extract it from the machinegunner's flesh.
>>140750"AAAHHH!"
Some blood comes out. Silver doesn't feel like he is pulling flesh, or anything important, so that is good. but he either didn't get the bullet, or didn't pull it out.
>>140751"That is why I said to bite down. I almost have it..."
>>140745Iron believes that the latter door that could potentially leave him to an open area to be the more likely place where the group might be currently eating, so he plans out a route to get there.
>>140752There's a slight whining sound
>>140753The door is not very far away at all. Going closer to the left will, presumably, make it easier to look into - and be seen from - inside the room, while walking from the right along the line of booths may be a little harder to see from inside.
The door isn't far from the entrance of what is presumably the bathrooms.
[1d20+5 = 6]>>140754"Come on..."
Heal: Silver tries again, hopeful that he can succeed without causing his patient much more suffering.
>>140755Okay, more blood. A lot more blood. Oh Celestia, why is there so much blood?
[1d20+5 = 16]>>140756Heal: Silver hurriedly tries to keep the machinegunner's blood inside of him.
>>140754Sensing it'd be best to head right, Iron soon added that to his scouting plan.
>>140757Silver forces a table cloth inside the machine gunner (one with few glass shards or bits of wood or paint, fortunately), and stops the outward bleeding. Hopefully it coagulates and stops bleeding inside. Hopefully.
"AAAHHH"
He bites down on on the leather bag. He also puts less weight on his left foreleg
>>140758Alright, time to proceed with the sneaky (unless Sands is involved)
>>140759"Well...fuck. Sorry about that. You may want to take rest of that brandy."
>>140761He removes the leather bag still wincing, and starts drinking
>>140760Figuring it wouldn't hurt, Iron would tell Sands his secret plan to scout them out and come back here to properly discuss how to approach them.
>>140763"Do you have a reason for being so close and so curious?" Sands asks
>>140764"I, uh," Iron trailed off for a bit, unsure of what to say. "I am curious about their body parts?"
>>140762He pats his uninjured foreleg before going to pick up the deceased corporal's SMG and the spare ammo and magazines for it.
>>140765Sands narrows her eyes, scrunches, and pulls both ears down. The left one flops a bit.
>>140766It's not the prettiest gun, but it works. 3 full magazines of 32 rounds, and one that is about half full in the gun.
>>140767"Bad line," Iron concluded with a nod. "How about I am curious about their culture?"
>>140768"Possible... I don't know how much they'll like it, but it's plausible."
>>140767Silver takes them, so he can properly support his soldiers in close quarters.
With this done, he goes to the bedroom to see if the ponies assigned to that window are still there.
>>140770The pony in the smaller bedroom is gone entirely. The best guess is, he was the “buddy” of the pony assigned to link up with the other section.
>>140771Silver checks the bathroom, then.
>>140772This little pony has come out of the bathroom, and is trying to be with the remaining ponies.
>>140769Iron hummed for a second before presenting a potential third option. "How about 'I am interested in your stories from afar.'?"
>>140773Silver announces to the three remaining ponies.
"Alright, I am going to investigate Telephone Office. Remember to ask me code phrase when I get back, in case something happens."
>>140774“I’m... not sure what that means, but maybe?”
She places both elbows on the table, and pulls her hair out of the way
“The thing is, stealth isn’t quite what you think. You’re not hunting animals in the forest. You don’t have to hide yourself because it doesn’t matter if they see you. They see ponies and whatever other creatures every day. It’s just another part of the scenery. Stealth is about hiding an
intent. So long as they don’t suspect you have a hotline motivation, you are fine, mostly. So unless you actually want them to answer your questions - and maybe you do - what matters is that they really believe that is why you are back there, and you didn’t just go on a rampage by the seashore.”
>>140775“Yes sir.” Says one
“Should somepony go with you?” Says another