1460 replies and 5 files omitted.
>>139948"Once we get the wolves getting looked at, talk with the doctors there, while I go look for the records. Imply to them that the changelings are looking to transfer you and it will start to become an expected result when I alter the records, which will allow the transition to take place smoothly."
>>139949"But the Changelings will know the difference. They will want confirmation and everything."
>>139950"Then I will just have to get them to alter it for me."
>>139951He smiles at Spark
"You really think you can do that?"
>>139954"Alright. Well, let's get these coffins in."
>>139955Spark helps the doctor load the coffins.
First, they are stacked on a cart, then the cart must be taken to the station. At the station, a guard - openly a changeling with a spiked quest - is there to question:
"Where are the papers?"
>>139957"Doc's got them over there. I'm helping him today."
>>139958The doctor drops the handle on the cart to pull out a set of papers:
"What, these don't seem to have proper names on them."
The doctor looks at him and says
"These three are, well, let's just say they need a bit more
discretion. Best not to draw attention to them. They are destined to Whinnapolis for research purposes."
The guard looks a little more closely at the coffins. The doctor adds
"We don't know if there is any communicable disease on them. But I don't think the higher ups would appreciate any such deadly and disfiguring disease being spread by handling the corpses."
[1d20+3 = 12]>>139959"I'm in no position to speculate, but I wouldn't be surprise if it has something to do with that panic in the mine."
Bluff roll.
>>139960The changeling physically pulls away, pulls his lips up in something like a wince, and with his right hoof, seems to wave them along.
The train pulls into station. It's a steam locomotive, with a windowless car in the fore, a few of what loo to be older coach cars, and then some cars behind that may be freight, though it's hard to say for sure from this angle.
The guard says:
"The baggage car. There."
>>139961Spark helps the doctor move the coffins to the baggage car.
>>139962A couple items need to be moved and stacked up, but there is room for the three coffins. One needs to be placed in the center of the walk way, while one must be placed on top of other bags.
The doors are closed, and the car starts to move.
>>139963What all can Spark see in this car?
>>139964A couple crates, some bags on the wall evidently filled with mail near the front of thee car, a small cart that seems to include mail, a door that presumably attaches to the locomotive on the front most end, a number of actual bags and items of luggage in leather cases to either side of the narrow walk way, and a door at the end. There are a couple dim electric lights, two doors on each side, one of which is two doors that slide open, and a door at the end that connects to the first coach car There are no windows. Of course the three coffins are there, as well as the doctor.
>>139965"I don't suppose that guards will come in here to check on the mail, do you?"
>>139966"There is no RPO here, so there isn't a need. They aren't like the old Equestrian railway where they are most concerned with creatures stealing items of value out of the mail. Mostly they are worried about mail being used to coordinate partisan activity, or maybe hiding guns or explosives. They check it before it's sent, but they don't check it while it's moving."
>>139967"Alright. Think the wolves are safe enough to come out and talk then?"
>>139969Spark taps on the coffins, signaling it is safe to come out.
>>139970tap tapThere's a gasp, and Waabiski comes out panting. Makade independently throws off his lid, also gasping. He removes his rifle, and places it to the side.
Waabishki:
"It's so cramped and stuffy in there"
Makade:
"These airholes are not big enough."
Waabishki gets up, awkwardly, to go pull off the lid off Miskobag. Makade stretches out his legs, evidently in pain
>>139971"Sorry. Still, we got in and are on our way."
>>139972Waabishki asks
"And what are we to do when we get there?"
>>139973"We will get you in to see a doctor."
>>139974"Do we... just go to the hospital?"
>>139975"You will once we get you in. I might have to sweet talk our way in, but that is doable."
>>139976She sits down next to Miskobag, who is silent, but looks up out of the coffin. He does not get out of it.
"Whatever it takes," she says, almost silently.
>>139977Spark nods.
"Just remember to not lunge at anypony, changeling or otherwise. We have to maintain cover while we are there."
>>139978"I won't" she grimaces, and turns away
Makade now speaks
"Remember, we still have our problem of this almost 'state of war.'"
>>139979"Where we are going, there are also wolves, which naturally would go to the doctor on occasion. So the war won't matter once we are in the city and heading for the doctor. We will be treated as any other citizen the changelings have to watch."
>>139980Almost irritated, he responds
"No. I don't mean that." He shakes his head and tilts his head down, before looking back up. "I mean our problem is not yet solved."
>>139981"I'm sorry. I don't know what you are referring to."
>>139982"I mean the ongoing war against the Zagaskway. I's been a while since they've tried to attack our position, but it's a sword that has hung over our heads for half a year now. More importantly, it has severely reduced our ability to trade."
>>139983"The Zagaskway? I have never heard of them."
>>139984"Ugh....
Us. Ziibe explained this, I think. Our band of the Ma'iingan."
>>139985"These names are a bit much for me to keep up with. I have just met you after all."
>>139986He sighs
"I went to pony school, and so did Waabishki. Our pack is called the Zagaskway band. That is Ma'iingan for 'bloodsucker,' which is the same as the pony name for our pack. We are the 'Leech' group. Or rather, the 'Leech Lake' group. You ponies call us the Onibwe Nation. We call ourselves the Ma'iingan, which is our word for "people." We are the wolves of the southern and central Crystal Empire, and Northern Equestria."
>>139987"So, you are afraid you will be attacked in our absence?"
>>139988"No, I mean we have a long term problem that is not resolved. We are running low on certain tools, medicines, and bullets."
>>139989"Which is why it is a good thing you are making some pony friends then. I will set you up with trade with the New Mareland occupation."
>>139990Waabishki makes a remark, evidently not directed at Spark:
"But you were not born into the Zagaskway, were you?"
Makade blinks
"These 'New Marelanders.' Where are they?"
>>139991"To the east. They are the on the other side of the changeling border. Both sides are rivals and could go to war in the future as both want all of these lands of Equestria as their own."
>>139992Makade:
"Something seems almost fitting about the ponies being conquered and colonized."
Makade pauses for a moment, and after a beat, resumes:
"But I cannot deny that the ponies have been reliable trade partners, even if they try to skip out of royalty payments. These Doubles have been only hostile so far."
>>139993>>139992Waabishki has her own remarks, however:
"I don't want our people to be caught up in someone else's war."
>>139993>>139994"Well, if you stay out of the war in entirety, you will need to create all of your own weapons and ammo, which makes you a more tempting target for your neighboring changelings, who like those things. Right now, their fear of the forest is keeping them from invading, but fear can be overcome by greed. Trade can occur under their radar and keep you out of direct conflict."
>>139995>>139994Makade speaks to Waabishki:
"I've seen their advance. He is correct about one thing for certain. We need support."
Then he turns to Spark
"But I would rather negotiate with the Doubles than fight them. Perhaps they would be willing to give back some of our land in exchange for help against partisans."
>>139996"You can be sure that if you deal with them, you will be spied on by them, including infiltration, if they don't demand to know you location and turn it into a new mine or foresting operation. There are two valuable things you can offer the changelings: land or information. That is if you don't want to consider labor in their mines as trade. And I doubt you have the information they are looking for to secure the trade.
Meanwhile, you do have knowledge useful to secure trade with New Mareland, the information you already possess about changeling structures, their fear of the woods, and the layout of said woods. It makes the most sense to trade with a distant neighbor that can't easily strike you and will have to stretch supply lines to invade rather than the superpower at your door."
>>139997He takes a moment to contemplate this. His ears move down, and back up again.
"Would this not anger the Changelings?"
>>139998"That is only if they discover the trade, which can all take place in the woods, which they don't enter. Plus, this isn't funding a modern war capable nation. This is helping a small nation that does not engage in gruella warfare. It should go under the radar."
>>139999Best Pony"How will we trade with these New Marelanders?" He asks
>>140000Best pony!
"I can set up a meeting at the border, at which point, you will make your demands of trade and I will pressure them to agree, but they will likely need at least the scouting information of your immediate area, the mine, the woods, the railway, things like that."
>>140002"Alright... Waabishki has faith in you, and I will take a risk as well."
>>140004"Uh, should we stay here or go into the coach?" The doctor asks
>>140005"Hmm... I think we best stay here and work out our strategy should things go south."
>>140006"Uh, okay. What shall we do then?"
>>140007"We need to regroup, confirm we are not changelings, and then we need to lay low. Once we lose any pursuers, we can then get another ride back home."
>>140008"But what about whoever is pursuing us?" He asks
>>140009"We will need to avoid killing pursuers, but we also need to make sure we don't have them realize where we have actually come from, so they don't go around looking for your home. If all goes well, they will just believe the residents of the city are the ones being troublesome."
>>140010"Maybe... I would like to avoid my home while I am here. To avoid anything being associated with my family."
>>140011"You might want to make up some new names then."
>>140012"Uh... well we'll still need somewhere to group at, or to stay at while we stay a while. Exploratory surgery or tests could take a while. And maybe you could stay at the hospital, but maybe not."
>>139935"Yes Sir."
And now Silver begins the task of distracting the machine gun.
>>139280A couple more customers come in, mostly nothing out of the ordinary.
>>140015Amber looks to see if they need any help and if so she goes to assist.
>>140015I don't suppose there are other streets himself and his rifleponies can take to get around the church?
>>140016Some stallion, who for some reason seems to like Amber. There's also a mare wearing an overly thick sweater who seems to start with Amber but quickly needs to be given to Guy instead because of her specific questions.
>>140017There seems to be a lot behind the church, with the church itself having a small parking area and wooden fenced in area. Then there is a minor street that is not paved, and hosts single family homes.
>>140019"Yeah, I need a dress for my daughter's school dance. It's not until later in the Spring, but I want to surprise her with it."
>>140021"Oh, she's 11 now. Well, she will be when I give her this dress. And when the dance happens in Spring."
>>140018Silver leads the group through the minor street.
>>140023And now it's a question of where Silver wants to attack from
>>140024There's a specialized children's section. The stallion provides as much information he can about her dimensions. There are dresses in lavender, lime, pink, and of course many of mixed colors.
>>140025Definitely the opposite end of the church from where the MG team is going to be set up.
>>140028Unless Silver seeks more specific cover or concealment, he can move to attack
>>140027"Oh, okay." She picks out a blue dress.
"Do you think she would like this one?" >>140029Cover would definitely be a help, though I'm unsure of the organization of the town in this area. Are there any stone or brick fences or walls they can usex
>>140032There is a stone fence at the edge of the church lot, though the wall is very low - 3 feet - and can only provide so much cover from shots above. Of course being very close to the church itself prevents them from getting a hot downwards, but you'd have to get that far, and it's possible to stay close to the buildings between the fire station and the church so as to avoid being in line of sight.
>>140033"Hmmm...."
There are a surprisingly high number of blue dresses for fillies there
>>140035He blinks, and perhaps in this moment Amber remembers she is dealing with a male
"Uh...."
>>140037The dress corresponding to Amber's suggestion has a crisscross pattern of black and dark lines
"Lagoons in far off lakes.... I like that."
>>140039He takes a closer look at the dress, slowly becoming mesmerized by waves of blue that bob up and down against a white upper portion, and black lines that intersect and then bounce back again on the bottom
"Yes... This may do."
>>140034Do any of the soldiers have grenades?
>>140041He takes the item, places it on the counter, and pays cash for it. Sadly, it's that same currency as earlier. At least it's a bluish color on these bills.
>>140042Yes, most have hoof grenades, and one rifle may shoot rifle grenades
>>140043Silver directs them to get into cover, and points to where the MG nest is for the rifle grenade to be shot in.
>>140044Upon closer inspection, Amber actually gets an answer to this question. The bills are denominated 20 bits, rather than the 50 she saw earlier
>>140045Alright, ponies in position, presumably hiding close to the edge of the residence next to the church.
>>140046Silver gets into position, and gives the signal to the grenadier.
>>140048>>140047The shot goes low, landing in the ceiling - one of the few vaulted ceilings in the town - causing a few ceramic shingles to shatter and fly about. Quite a number are dislodged, sliding off the roof and falling to the ground.
This absolutely gets the Changeling's attention
"Dort!"
There is the sound of rifle fire, and Silver can see dirt kicked up by a bullet hitting the ground behind the house where they are hiding.
>>140046"Thank you for your business, have a nice day. I hope your daughter does well!" She waves goodbye to the customer.
>>140050"Oh, she will. She will."
He leaves, but outside, Amber notices something. An automobile pulls up, stopping outside. It's a rather fancy one two, with a long engine house and curves. A grey diamond dog in a suit and wearing a black cap gets out and opens the rear door.
>>140049"Take cover against wall!"
Silver rushes up against the wall of the church, to inform the rest of the ponies what to do. He points to one of the ponies carrying grenades.
"Take step back and toss pineapple!"
>>140052"At what?" The pony yells
>>140051Her mouth gapes open at such an unexpected sight. Amber had seen automobiles before but never such ones designed with form in mind to a degree of art. She assumes that the diamond dog must be quite wealthy if he has such nice clothes and is driving such a machine–that is, until he opens the door.
>>140054The pony that steps out is a unicorn mare. Her coat is a lighter pink, but she's wearing a dress of greens and blues. Her mane has black and white both. She steps down, and walks towards the shop, then inside. The diamond dog closes the door.
>>140053"At where rifle fire is coming from!"
He motions to the same location as he did for the rifle grenade.
>>140056A pony throws one out, then another
[1d20 = 17][1d20 = 9] >>140057>>140057One is tossed over, hits a window and falls down besides the church, detonating on the ground. There is a distinct sound of glass breaaking, as some of the windows on the church shatter. Shrapnel seems to fly either way through the passage way between the buildings.
Another grenade is tossed up, bounces on the roof, and falls over to the other side of the roof, exploding somewhere on the roof top.
>>140055Oh my, I wasn't expecting somepony like this! She looks a princess almost. What do I do, what do I do? she frets to herself, before practically leaping in front of her and bowing, or whatever the pony equivalent of a curtsey is.
>>140058Silver ducks when the grenade goes off so close to them.
"Черт! Everypony okay?"
>>140059She opens the door, affirming that her stop here was indeed intentional. She walks in, delicately but also with a quick pace. At once she looks young, but also older, like she's trying to keep the beauty of youth even after the passage of years. A best guess is that she's somewhere in her late thirties - if she's older, she does a good job of hiding it - while still attractive to the stallions (mostly, anyways). Her dress is probably the most peculiar feature about her, besides the automobile and driver. It's a set of fine material (silk?) that looks inappropriately light for a winter's day. It's pattern of blues and greens with yellow hints looks almost like the aurora. It's probably a more expensive brand than anything sold here. She wears a white and blue set of slippers.
Guy has spent much of the day standing on guard slightly to the right of the entryway, and a little back. He has tried to meet and talk with customers before Amber could. Now, he takes a step back, and moves out of the way. High Sewn looks up from her magazine at the entering mare.
>>140060"Yes."
Perhaps the last grenade had its intended effect of making the Changeling position duck down, because there is a pause of fire for almost three seconds. but when that ends, there is a hail of bullets. The machine gun starts shooting, and seems to hit the wall of the house Silver and the rifle section are up against.
[1d20 = 20] >>140061Compared to this new entrant Amber looks positively drab with her dark, concealing dress that was out of fashion years ago. Her straight-cut hair betrays the appearance of a commoner, a fact only reinforced by her country accent.
"Good afternoon, miss! Welcome to the shop. I hope there is something I can help you with," she says with a hint of nervousness but also with warmth.
>>140062She turns sharply to Amber, and looks at her with her light blue eyes.
"I can find it myself just fine, thank you." She turns away. Then she turns back
"Actually, surprise me. It's a gift for somepony's daughter."
>>140063"Oh, um…I'll do my best!" She hurries to the section with the higher-end clothes.
>>140061>>140060A hail of bullets come down, hitting the wall of the house and the ground around them.
Then something very unfortunate comes down, bouncing against the ground, flying up, and stopping past the ponies in front of them, behind the house. It's a grenade, perfectly positioned in front of them all.
>>140064She slowly comes over.
"Younger" she says
>>140065"Like these?" She moves toward the dresses similar to the one she just sold earlier.
>>140065Can Silver make a roll to throw the grenade away from the soldiers? And if so, what type of roll?
>>140067It's already been flying through the air, so there is not much time. It would be like an unarmed attack role, because it is literally a kick. Also, failure and probably even success mean a grenade exploding very nearby
>>140066She looks at it
"Rather basic. But if this pony were more important, I'd be at
Le Chevalier. Why don't you tell me what
you'd get your six year old daughter? With more money, of course."
>>140068Time slows down to a point where it almost completely stops in Silver's head. All of the options available to him go through to be weighed in his mind, and in his mind he doesn't see very many good options. And there isn't much time to deliberate on any better ones. He thinks about the soldiers with him, about their service to Equestria, what ponies await them back home when this war is over, how much more of their young lives they have left...and makes his decision.
He offers a prayer to Celestia, prepares to be welcomed by his long dead wife, and jumps on the grenade.
>>140068"I…don't have a daughter. But if I did, maybe something that could be worn to a lot of different events over the year." She feels a dark cream, cotton dress with embroidery on the upper part and truffles on the skirt.
>>140069I'm guessing Silver ends the dream right here?
https://youtu.be/-Pouu1DoqVM?t=230>>140070"And
that is what you'd go with?" She asks, skeptically
>>140071Uh...I don't know. Is that the end of the dream?
>>140072"Mhmmm. Where are you from, fillie?" She asks
She speaks strongly, and she is accented to the Equestrian East, probably Manehattan, but maybe further north."
>>140073Well if he dies in dream, then obviously, yes
>>140074I'm just not sure he'd survive even if he was successful in kicking the grenade away or telekinetically throwing it around the corner of the building.
>>140075"West of here? Like Sire's Hollow? Moonlight Shores?"
>>140078Then I suppose he does...?
>>140080“Well, that explains a bit. And what brought you here?”
Or should we do-over with Silver kicking/throwing the grenade away instead?
>>140082“And that’s why you’re here? In this store?” She asks
>>140084"Yes, ma'am. Miss Sewn was kind enough to let me work in her store and I'm trying my hardest to help her. I'm also the hostess for a restaurant at night." She grins, as if this is some small point of pride.
>>140085“Oh? Which one.” She asks.
[1d20+8 = 17]
Let's just see what the roll would have been.
>>140087Context. Roll a second d20
>>140086Has the name of the restaurant been given yet? If not, let's just say Amber mentions it and follows up with the eager question,
"Have you heard of it? A lot of fashionable mares like yourself tend to visit." >>140089“On Chincoteague? I’ve passed by it.”
She doesn’t have an immediate follow up.
>>140090No modifiers
>>140093She smiles a little
“You sure are a chipper one. Do you take so much pride in every little job?”
Okay, that’s it for me tonight
>>140014Thanks! Sorry, I had to cut my session short yesterday.
>>140013"We will see what we can do."
>>140098Waabishki says to Makade:
"Didn't your parents move to Whinnyapolis?"
Makade:
"No. Why?"
Waabishki:
"That letter you had smuggled in. Biwak told me about it."
Makade:
"And?"
Waabishki:
"And they told you they moved to Whinnyapolis."
Makade:
"Okay, yes. Fine."
>>140100Doctor:
“And if you are caught, it’s just a personal visit to family.” He smiles.
>>140101"I suppose. Though we won't be caught."
>>140102Doctor:
"Yes. That's the spirit."
>>140104Okay, either cut to arrive in Whinnyapolis, or move to coach car
Which will likely lead to arrival >>140105We can move to the arrival now.
>>140106It's perhaps one and a half to two hours, Spark feels the train slowing, and then stopping.
Doctor:
"We must be arriving in station."
>>140107Spark heads to the coach to get ready to exit.
>>140108Makade pulls his rifle back into the coffin as Waabishki places the lid back on Miskobag's coffin. Spark finds the door at the back, and is able to go through it, through the vestibule, and through the door into the coach. Spark sees the ponies inside the coach car, though it's less than half full. More earth ponies than any other race, and a surprising - or not surprising - number of Crystal ponies. They wear old woven sweaters and heavy coats, and look up at the passing ponies if they look up at all. At the end of the car are two seats together. Looking outside, Spark can see they are already at the platform - an island, mostly empty, of brick and concrete. Nopony stands to get off.
A white unicorn stallion with a ragged coat walks inside, declaring "have your tickets and ID ready to present." He comes in turn to Spark and the doctor.
>>140117Spark nods the doctor over.
>>140120The doctor smiles and blinks, evidently not understanding
\
"Tickets and ID" the attendant says
>>140122"I'm with the doctor here."
>>140125Spark shows his fake ID from the boarder crossing.
"I said I'm with the doc here. The changelings on the line when I boarded said I was free to ride due to the nature of the cargo we are carrying. It is urgent."
Silver shouts "GRENADE!" while diving to kick the grenade away from the group.
>>140126He blinks, and picks up the ID with blue unicorn magic, examining it
The Doctor:
"Yes... we're escorting medical... 'waste,' if you will, from Blackwood. Some discretion is requested from the Gendarme. The regional commander will appreciate it."
The doctor gives the attendant his ID, and the attendant backs off. Attendant:
"Very well. You are cleared."
And Spark and the doctor may leave
>>140128Spark helps the doctor unload the coffins.
>>140121>>140127Silver sees the grenade coming to a resting position in front of his group. He immediately rushes forward and kicks it to push it away, before trying his hardest to throw himself to the ground.
There is a loud sound, a stinging sensation, and then tinnitus making it difficult to hear much at all.
[1d6 = 2][2d6 = 3][2d6 = 4][1d6 = 2]>>140129This is not an easy task, as it requires locating a cart, taking the three coffins out, stacking them, and covering everything with a cover.
>>140130Would there be a cart nearby?
>>140127>>140130In Silver's years of life, he presumably has many things to be grateful for, and many ponies to be grateful to. Of these, one of the least expected benefactors of Silver is also one of the more consequential: whatever Changeling military adviser thought it would be a good idea to use "offensive" concussion-effect grenades over the Equestrian style "defensive" fragmentation grenades.
Silver is a little dazed, is prone, momentarily deaf, and seems to have been hit with some shrapnel. But he is alive and can move his limbs.
>>140131Yes, one for moving luggage short distances evidently belonging to the railway. But it's not suited for taking the coffins across the city.
>>140132"So, how are we going to move our cargo?"
>>140132Groaning in pain and unable to hear anything over the loud dinn in his ears, Silver checks to see just how bad his shrapnel wounds are.
>>140134A slim piece of casing, very small, in the upper back. It's hard to tell how hard it would be to remove.
>>140133"Uh... I don't know, really."
[1d20+5 = 23]>>140135Heal: Silver turns his head so he can look at the shrapnel as best as he can, bites down on his rifle, and focuses his magic around the metal piece to try to pull it out.
>>140137Cannot rest when enemies are nearby - Silver has exposed himself dangerously close to the line of fire.
>>140138Alright then, he gets back into cover, and then pulls the shrapnel out of him.
>>140137>>140139Silver succeeds in pulling a small piece of grenade casing out of him, though it leaves a lot of blood.
Silver can see that three other members of the section were hit, ones who failed to hit the ground before the grenade exploded. The wounding is minor compared to what it could have been
>>140140Silver groans in pain again, and slowly stands up from his position. He peaks around the corner at the changeling position.
>>140141>>140142There is a shot (and miss) at Silver from what seems to be a bolt action rifle
[1d20+10 = 26]>>140143Silver aims and fires a returning round at the changeling.
>>140144Whether Silver hit or did not, he certainly got close, hitting within the tower, and causing at least one to drop their heads
[1d20 = 16] >>140136"Well, we are going to have to do something. Do we drag them along the ground?"
>>140144>>140145Silver now invites the shooting of the machine gun around the corner, with a long "clack clack clack."
>>140146"Either we need a full sized cart, or we need to find a place to take the wolves out."
>>140147If he can, now would be a good time for Silver to duck back around the corner.
>>140148Silver indeed does. The other members of the rifle section seem to be pinned in place.
>>140149Silver looks back to them, and shouts due to his continued tinnitus.
"Can anypony hear me!?"
>>140150Most of them move their lips.
>>140147"Well, I guess finding a spot would be more convenient for us."
>>140151"I'm going to take that as a no!"
Is there any medium or large size object nearby that can be thrown, like a brick?
>>140153There are pieces of fence that have been dislodged by machine gun bullets (including bricks), rocks in the backyard, and the gravel road
>>140152"Okay, so there's probably a baggage or cargo position somewhere around here... or we could remove the coffins to a different building..."
>>140154Silver grabs a brick in his telekinesis, and tosses it out into the MG's line of sight.
>>140155"Clack clack clack" a short burst from the machine gun - not more than a second - and no shots from rifles
>>140156"Damn..."
Silver looks back to his soldiers. Are any of them wearing army caps?
>>140157Most have the wide brimmed steel helmets issued to most combat infantry.
>>140158"Hmm...can not do that..."
Could he blind throw a grenade around the corner at the changelings?