1610 replies and 6 files omitted.
>>139336Saltlick answers
"Stay away from its face. That's how it got Firm Heart. Firm Heart saw it was the creature. You could see it in how he stopped; looked afraid. The thing knew it. It lunged forward, opened its mouth, and used its magic. I think it bit him too. With its teeth."
When Silver has part of his body on the changeling, the black colt pulls back, awkwardly past Silver, jumps back to stand up, pick up his automatic rifle, and then smashes the butt of the automatic rifle against the creature. But the automatic rifle is an inferior club, being too heavy, too unwieldy. The black colt looses control of the weapon as it smashes into the muzzle of the creature, and falls back, with the gun resting ontop of the creature's face until he can pull it up and off.
>>139339"Let me have your rifle, Saltlick, I will knock it out. Take care of Firm Heart!"
>>139340Looks like the black colt may have beaten Silver to it. It bleeds from its mouth, and one of its fangs hangs lose. It gurgles as it attempts a hiss. Nevertheless, Saltlick gives his rifle to Silver, while he backs up, and attempts to walk to Firm Heart.
[1d20+5 = 14]>>139341Silver grabs Saltlick's rifle with his magic, and bashes the rifle's butt against the changeling's head once more for good measure.
>>139342Silver hits it in the head, and it quickly stops moving, though it continues bleeding.
>>139343A heavily panting Silver gets off of the changeling imposter and looks over at the black colt.
"Help me drag this somewhere out of sight."
>>139344"Where? Like a closet?"
It's a small bedroom. There is a window in the room (that can be covered with a curtain), but few other ways to look inside. There is a bed, a dresser, and a table on the other end, as well as a closet.
>>139345"That is good idea. We should also tie it up and gag it."
Silver bends down to look at the name and rank on the uniform.
>>139346Silver can look at it, but the black colt answers for Silver once he notices his intentions.
"Hazelred. Technical Private Hazelred."
The black colt helps shove a sock in its mouth - which may have been necessary just to keep it from choking on its own blood - and ties the creature.
>>139347"Селестия, черт возьми. We will find you, Hazelred. I promise."
Once that's finished, he and the black colt drag the changeling into the closet, close it, and then Silver goes to check on Firm Heart.
>>139348Firm Heart is conscious, but breathing heavy. His lips are shrunken, almost like he's dehydrated. He is bleeding from the shoulder, although the wound is not very deep.
>>139349"He is changeling bitten alright, in both senses of word. Ugh...this was stupid plan on my part. Never should have put him in such danger."
>>139351"Yes, he will. Water and something sweet to eat will help, but to fully recover either he needs rest, or if we are lucky this fake Hazelred will have some changeling honey. Stay here with Firm Heart, I am going to go back out and check his bags."
Silver leaves the bedroom and closes the door behind him. He looks around for where they set Hazelred's bags.
>>139354He nods, and the door is closed behind him. The bags lie between the entrance of the house, and a sofa, on the floor
>>139355Silver looks through Hazelred's bags for either a vial of changeling honey, or some kind of container the changeling might have been using to disguise the substance.
>>139356No honey, nothing out of the ordinary. Only a few salt crackers, a canteen, a pair of Automatic Rifle magazines, ten ammo clips, and the platoon's lone radio set and an extra battery for it.
>>139357Silver mutters a curse under his breath, though now he knows why they targetted Hazelred. He finds Brisbuck, and whispers to him.
"Technical Private Hazelred. Firm Heart got bit."
>>139358There is no stopping his ears from falling down, nor his hair from standing up.
"That's our only radio operator. And one of the very first soldiers to be examined."
>>139359"Explains why he was targetted. We will find him, but I just need you to keep soldiers calm and orderly while we sort things out in examination room."
>>139360He nods
"... Who else has been replaced?"
But he says this more to himself than to Silver
>>139361Silver pats the younger pony's shoulder.
"Do not worry about that right now. Focus on getting us through this."
>>139363He nods
"Very well. For now, I am keeping them all in our sights."
>>139364Silver nods back, and returns to the bedroom.
>>139365It is so. The black colt is placing the imposter in the closet, while Saltlick has moved Firm Heart to the side of the bed
>>139366"No dice on honey. Has Firm Heart responded yet?"
>>139369"Uh, sort of. He seems to speak, though it's less clear how much awareness he has."
>>139370Is there a window in the bedroom, one a pony could fit through?
>>139372"Hmm...anypony have ideas on how to get Firm Heart out of here? He is in no shape to continue this, and I do not think I would put him through this again either way. I will continue examinations."
>>139373The black colt nods
Saltlick:
"Keep ponies away from the living room and hallways, we can take him to the bathroom"
>>139374Silver nods, leaves the bedroom, and informs Brisbuck and Amber Grain on what to do.
>>139376Direct the soldiers to temporarily keep out of the living room and hallways so Firm Heart can be put in the bathroom.
>>139377This is done, with the house cleared, and Firm Heart moved to the bathroom, placed down in the bathtub
>>139378Once he's safe in the bathroom, they reorganize the line of soldiers, and Silver enters the bedroom with Saltlick and the black colt.
"Alright, this should not be too hard...I hope. You two saw what Firm Heart did, think you can guide me through process?"
>>139381"Uh... The light is shined above, or maybe it was into the eyes.... I don't know the rest." Is as much as Saltlick can answer.
>>139382"Ah, so it is just as I already knew. Good! Now, if I act as if something is off, like Firm Heart did, please interfere. While I think I can take more than he can, I would like to avoid getting changeling bitten if I can."
>>139384"Well, I don't know that he wasn't going to do more... but the creature attacked him."
Then they answer Silver
"Okay."
And Silver presumably starts again
[1d4 = 2] >>139385You would presume correctly.
>>139386The soldiers come in one by one. Some times they are silent, sometimes they ask questions.
"Okay, so what is this for?"
"So what do I do?"
"Is that it?"
One small snow white stallion even asks
"Are you looking for a Changeling?"
Silver doesn't detect any changelings in the first big batch. At least, he hasn't identified any, and none have revealed themselves.
>>139387Silver does his best to answer their questions. As for the snow white stallion, the best he can do is to smile awkwardly and tell him the following:
"Everything will be explained once we have finished. Do not say anything to others to give them false impression of what is going on before then."
>>139388Silver does not find any Changelings. Well... if there is a white spot in the pupil, that's something like a cataract, or other natural thing, right? They aren't Changelings? Are they?
Amber Grain intrudes inside the room
"Sir. One of the members of the Machine Gun Attachment has vanished."
>>139389Silver pales slightly at the news.
"Anypony else?"
>>139390"Everypony else is accounted for. Except of course, Technical Private Hazelred." He answers, not happy with this predicament.
>>139391"We need to hurry and finish. We do not have much time before changelings decide to do something. Keep close eye on our soldiers."
>>139392Silver finishes the set. Silver didn't detect any Changelings, assuming he knows exactly what a Changeling looks like. Brisbuck has the whole set at attention outside.
>>139393He sighs, puts on the bravest face he can, and addresses the platoon.
"Soldiers, I am afraid I owe you explanation, and grave news to go along with it. Changelings have infiltrated Vale, and 332nd. What you just went through was test to sus out any disguised changelings. Those of you gathered here have passed. Technical Private Hazelred, as well as one member from our machinegun attachment who has already fled, have unfortunately been replaced. If we are to get through this alive and find our missing compatriots, I must have your complete cooperation and attention."