Iron got his ass beat and has pissed off a whole criminal syndicate, Amber is doing some shady shit at the police station, Silver is making friends, and Spark is enjoying Whinnysotan hospitality.
>>146402He gives the almost-mythical creature a light squeeze, before releasing her.
"What do you call it then?"
>>146403She has an awkward smile, and perhaps something of a blush
"Heh, well, in many places and times, it is a way to grow extra food where you cannot plant so many different varieties in the fields. It is a tool of life. And even for the nobles, it is a way of showing the family's refinement and elegance."
>>146403>>146404She's exotic to be sure. With her scales, strange horn, cloven hooves and leonine tail she is not like any pony of Equestria. And yet she's there and lets him hug her.
>>146404Silver scratches his chin.
"Hmm...refinement and elegance. They are not often used to describe me, but I think I like them."
>>146406"Yes, they are essential to any noble family... Not that we ever were among them."
She looks behind herself and over the bay, towards the big dark clouds that have briefly dimmed the sun.
"Of course... this little property here isn't really big enough for a full-sized garden."
>>146407"That will have to be goal in near future. Getting you property large enough for garden, rock garden, and pagoda. Then we could really call ourselves family of nobles."
>>146341"Well, there is this stallion.. He's not a stallion, but he will come in the form of a grey stallion with a black mane... I moved to the city during the War to take a job at a factory, The factory... well, it reorganized after the War. There was this stallion in it I took a fancy to. I had one date, nothing serious at all, but... There was this member of the garrison. A changeling drone. He took a fancy to me, apparently. He would come in his insect form and... I pushed him away of course. But he started appearing like the stallion I knew, taking his body. I actually fell for it once. He gave me a kiss. A
Changeling kiss. Celestia, it was miserable. But... he hasn't stopped. Not at all."
>>146408"But there are other houses to either side. And a road and water on the other two sides." She says, plainly
>>146410"What, you would not want to live in large manor estate in quiet outskirts of city?"
>>146409"Has he followed you off of the job before?"
>>146411"Well, yes."
>>146412"Yes. Many times. To my home, to my friends, to the grocer..."
>>146413"I see. Make yourself comfortable here. You can stay the night."
>>146414"I saw him earlier. I think he has changed strategy. Now he is trying to get me in trouble with the garrison... Thank you."
She moves into the room, looking around uncertainly. She gasps and takes a step back when she sees Makade
"A wolf!"
She says this louder than is really comfortable for a house full of sleeping ponies.
>>146413Silver nods.
"That is fair. We should talk sometime about ways to make you more comfortable here. I notice your room is still as it was when we first moved in. Perhaps we could find furniture and decorations to make it more like home?"
>>146415"It's alright. He is a guest here as well. But let's slow down. What do you mean you saw him earlier? Where?"
>>146417"Oh, alright then" She says, looking at Makade, who, to his credit, is not currently aiming a loaded long gun at her, or at least, is hiding it.
She looks back to Spark
"On the street. As a part of a unit of Changelings. They were looking for me. Probably for...
love extraction. They may have been looking for me even without his involvement. And with him I trust them less."
>>146416"Well, I clean up after myself. What kinds of decorations? Plants? Maybe religious icons?"
>>146418"It's alright. Just relax on the couch. I'm going to talk with the other guest briefly."
Spark trots over to Makade and whispers.
"We got a problem."
>>146418"Those are good choices, but it is whatever you wish to have in your room to make it yours."
>>146419For her to go over to the couch requires her to move through the dining room, past Makade, through the kitchen, and into the living room. Makade at the very least turns around to watch her as she goes, never turning his back to her
"What is it?" He says
>>146420Her long, lion-like tail swings back and forth in the air, and she again smiles in a wide, toothy expression.
"Yes. I need to find something."
>>146421"That is actually good idea for us to do tomorrow Khoi, if you are still up for date. We can go shopping for things to decorate your room with."
>>146421"Well, regardless of her being a spy or not, she confirmed that she is being pursued by a patrol and she saw them a bit further down the road. We are going to have some company."
>>146423"When did she supposedly see this patrol?"
>>146422"Oh, that's a nice idea. Perhaps we can do that after work."
>>146424Silver nods again, and looks over to Jubilosa if she's still in the vicinity.
"Speaking of..."
>>146425Jubilosa has run off, evidently
>>146426"Huh. I wonder where she went to..."
Silver goes inside the house to look for his Jubee, mindful to wipe his dirty hooves on a doormat if available.
>>146424"She said down the road. She has been being stalked and they have been messing with her with their shapeshifting. Even if her story isn't to be believed, there is still most likely a patrol coming for us now."
>>146427No proper doormat exists, but the wood of the patio will do. While Paper Clipping can be found on the first level, there is no sign of Jubilosa down stairs in the Livingroom, kitchen or dining room.
>>146428He pulls up the rifle, which evidently he kept just out of sight below the counter
"Then I will be prepared."
>>146429She must be upstairs, then.Silver checks their bedroom.
>>146431Silver gives the door a polite knock.
>>146434"Uh.... okay." She says. Silver, presumably, opens the door to Jubilosa carefully trying to take care of feathers on her left wing in front of the mirror
>>146435"Ah, getting ready for our date too, I see?"
Silver steps toward the shower and starts to get it ready.
>>146436"Yes. Almost too late now..." She says, using something like a pick, going through feathers.
Turing one knob turns on the heat, and then another the cold water. The water pours.
>>146437"We still have time, do not worry my Jubee. We will get there in time and enjoy fancy dinner."
He steps into the shower, enjoying the sensation of the steady stream of water hitting his coat, quickly getting his mane and coat wet and drippy.
"Ahh...I love showers."
>>146438She looks back to him, and closes her beak tightly. At Silver's words, she asks herself
"Do I need another one?"
>>146439Hearing her, Silver replies.
"I do not think it is nessecary. You took shower this morning after our 'fun'. I am showering because I was helping with garden and got dirty."
But since he has her attention, he gets a mischevous grin on his face and he decides to entertain his griffon with a little show. He turns away from her, moving his tail aside and shaking his rump from side to side. His family jewels are on full-on display for Jubilosa, if she cares to look.
>>146440She smiles
"Heh. Best to save that for later tonight." She says, and picks at more feathers.
>>146441"Consider this your appetizer. I have one more gift for you when time comes, if you can be patient until after our date."
Silver resumes showering, using soap, shampoo, and conditioner to get his coat, mane, and tail nice and clean.
>>146442"I'll wait" She says. She spends much of her time cleaning fathers and caring for her claws, as well as applying some sort of perfume.
>>146443At the same time, Silver spends the time rincing out his thick coat, making sure that no shampoo and such is left. Once he's finally done, he steps out to dry himself off with a towel.
>>146444Silver starts to dry off, but there's a lot of fluff to dry. Jubilosa has left the bathroom.
>>146445Indeed there is, but he gets it dry. Once he does, he goes into the bedroom to put on the suit he bought.
>>146447"Well, let me put it this way. If there are more... 'colt cuddlers' in the Baltimare elite, they are well motivated to find them, regardless of whether that motive is to seek Justice. And the same with arms traffickers. I think that is a good thing."
>>146446Jubilosa sits on the bed, with Khoi behind her trying to fix the feathers on her head.
>>146448"You really think so?" she asks, and looks briefly behind her to make sure Red Scabbard has gotten past.
>>146448Silver smiles at the sight, and lets them be as he puts the suit on.
>>146449Scabbard runs and moves into the hallway behind them. Soon enough Amber and Sunnyside Meadows have turned a corner, and are completely out of line of sight.
"Well, I don't really know. But I believe that when it comes to ponies, you tend to get out of them the result you let them know you expected and prepared for. Believe they will do good, and they are more likely to do good. Start with distrust, and what you feared will come to pass."
An entire group of new officers has entered the room through the front entryway and have joined the fray.
>>146450She carefully and slowly puts on the new dress Silver bought for her, going before mirror and admiring it.
>>146451Amber had been arguing for and against either side, neither with much sincerity, but something in Sunnyside's words and kindly tone moves her to want to agree with him.
"You're right, I suppose I should think the better of ponies I meet." The new group catches her eye and she watches them intently to see what happens.
>>146451Silver also admires it, and her. He looks absolutely stunned.
"Wow..."
>>146452He smiles back to her, though he does not maintain that smile when he sees what has changed.
This is not a small intrusion, but a whole set of new officers. It looks like two new ponies and a griffin in black jackets, and two soldiers in green. The detectives start to break apart and move, and it looks like the situation is in flux once again.
Sunnyside Meadows immediately goes forward and tries to talk to the new officers in the room.
>>146453She bats her eyes, and opens her mouth in a smile too wide for a closed beak to contain
"He he he"
>>146454Amber stays within earshot but doesn't move forward with him, preferring not to get entangled in whatever problem this may be. She hopes that whatever it is, it might be just long enough for Red Scabbard to finish whatever he's doing so she can leave.
>>146454He goes over to her, and grabs one of her talons with a forehoof.
"No duchess, no baroness, no queen in all of Griffonia can compare to your beauty right now, Jubee."
>>146455They come to him with fairly angry words, and he tries to calm them down. For all of their certainty that what they want is there, they don't seem to know
precisely what it is and where it is. Still, they suggest a few specific offices that may be the location of certain files, which seems to be at least part of what they are after. The new black jackets include a green earth pony, a light blue pegasus, and a white feathered griffin, as well as two green uniformed soldiers: a yellow pegasus and a mahogany earth pony. These later two soldier both carry carbine rifles with fixed bayonets, and the presence of these firearms seems to fundamentally change the tone of the detectives in the room.
A greyish griffin in Baltimare PD blue has also joined the fray, though she is silent thus far.
>>146456"D'awwww"
She lets him take the forehoof... but then closes in for a gripping hug as best she can, almost jumping on him.
>>146457Her pupils narrow, even in the low light, at the weapons with
bayonets. The wicked gleam of those blades sends a shiver through her, and she forces herself to look away.
Different offices? I hope those don't include the one Red Scabbard is in. I hope he hurries...>>146456Lies! Gabriela Eagleclaw is best griffon.
>>146457"Wah!"
Silver stays firm against this assault, if barely. He hugs back, taking the opportunity to get a feel of the dress as it's being worn.
>>146458The long bayonets, presumably designed to be used against flying griffins and changelings, or even charging buffalo and yaks, are almost short swords. Only the short length of the soldier's carbines and their pointing them upwards make these weapons viable in closed quarters of the detectives' offices. At least one of the black jacketed officers has a revolver, though he does not brandish it, but rather keeps it holstered
Roll Die>>146459Thick and furry in places, yet soft, thin, and velvety in others
>>146461Now, the set as a whole starts to move for the offices
>>146460Worth every Bit.
"I would love to spend forever like this, but unfortunately we have date starting soon."
>>146462The offices where Red Scabbard is at?
>>146464They start from the hallway near the evidence room. Red Scabbard is presumably on the opposite side past two turns in the hallway, with the central hallway being one more way of getting to where Scabbard is
>>146463"Yes. Let's go." She says
>>146465Phew, looks like Red Scabbard should have time after all. She trudges alongside the group wordlessly.
>>146468They advance quickly. When they get to the central hallway, Scabbard may be cut off from retreat.
>>146465Silver leads the pair as to go to exit the house. He holds the front door open for her as they depart. Once outside, the two head in the direction of the restaurant, looking for a taxi along the way.
>>146469Before that can happen:
"Oh, oh, what's that office over there? Does it have what you want?"She points to a random nearby door, positioning herself perpendicularly to their path so they would have scoot past her at least to continue.
>>146470Yet again, this means walking in the direction of the mainland and hailing a taxi. A taxi is hailed, and the two are picked up.
>>146471At least one officer looks over at the door, and asks a question about it to another. After some time, another officer says "No. That is not it" and physically pushes Amber aside.
>>146472Silver gives the driver the name and address of the restaurant they're going to.
>>146472Amber has no choice but to walk with them a little bit farther. She moves out a little in front and does the same thing again.
"This door looks like it has something very important behind it, is it the one?"
>>146473The griffin driver takes note, nods, and steps on the gas
>>146474Roll Diplomacy
>>146476Swift Soul
"That's the assistant. He should have the lead file."
They try to enter this office, getting Trakyr to unlock it, who himself takes his sweet time
>>146477Amber breathes a quiet sigh of relief.
"Glad to help."
Unfortunately, I have to sleep now
>>146475Silver smiles at Jubilosa.
"Are you excited for date? I know I am."
>>146396Iron kept up his dance with Cauldron's tongue for a bit longer before breaking the kiss with a satisfied smile, his snout still almost pressing against hers. "...that was far sweeter than mine," he casually joked before exhaling lovingly.
>>146480“Yes. I don’t think I’ve been to a fancy restaurant in a city before, except for one time. And I’ve never been to a spa. And I’ve never been in such a fancy dress!”
>>146483"You could have fooled me. You look so natural wearing this dress."
>>146484She moves her head down, and bats her eyes.
“D’aww. Thanks”
>>146485He holds onto his lovely griffon date for the rest of the ride.
"And soon, you and I will do all of those things."
>>146486The ride is perhaps shorter than Silver may have expected, the taxi driving along the same road all the way through Cherry Hill past beach houses, an elementary school, and smaller shops, then off the peninsula and into cowtown, past large warehouses and a brewery, then past brick apartment buildings. Turning left off of Friesien Road and onto 11th street Silver can see in front of him the large shapes of the Celestial Gult Insurance Building, Tall Sails Tower, and the Bank of the South East off to the right, and the Dominion Mining Building off to the left, reflecting the light of the setting sun and leaving long shadows. The buildings closer to the road still tend to be three or four floors and made of brick, but the color shifts from a tan-brown to bright red, and well lit cafes delis occupy the street levels, along with sidewalks relatively crowded, mostly with ponies but to a lesser degree an assortment of other creatures, notably hippogriffs. The Taxi slows down in front of a building that could easily be confused for a plantation manor house, with it's two floors, white walls and wooden overhang. Perhaps centuries ago, it was exactly that. Now Silver can recognize it as his destination: The Orgueil.
>>146488>>146478Swift Soul ceases his forward progress and stops at the room. But another pegasus with the new arrivals asks "And what of the other offices?" She is answered by the bat
"We should secure them as well."
>>146490Silver pays his driver, gets out of the taxi, and holds the door open for his date.
"It appears we have arrived, my love."
>>146491She extends a claw, and if Silver accepts, exits the taxi with a gleaming expression. Perhaps she consciously emulates the appearance of movie star exiting a vehicle for the premiere of their latest movie. She certainly looks the part.
>>146493Silver even plants a kiss on her talon before leading her towards the fine establishment. He can appreciate the gorgeous archetecture of this classical plantation house as they approach and then enter the white walled building.
>>146494Roll Diplomacy, little pony
>>146495Entering through the two decoration lined front doors, Silver enters into something like a foyer with hardwoord floors and staircase that wraps around on the left. There are doors off to either side and wooden railings along a second level, as well as a chandelier above. A brown unicorn stallion in a suit attends a wooden stand.
>>146496Silver approaches the dapper stallion, his griffon date beside her.
"Hello, I have reservation for two. Name is 'Silver Sword'."
>>146497Opposed
[1d20+4 = 15]>>146498He looks down briefly, and then back up.
“Indeed. Follow me.”
The stallion takes them up the stairs to the left, and then across a red carpet floor into a room on the opposite side, to the right from the entrance. It’s almost like a large parlor room, sort of, with portraits and landscape scenes on the far left wall, many of griffins, and tables with vases and red cloth across them. Silver and Jubilosa are guided to a table nearer the far wall, and near one of the relatively small square windows.
>>146499>>146497She twists her lips.
“Better to be sure.”
She walks along past Amber, along with the white griffin. Swift Soul and the green earth pony go inside the office. The bat stands in the hallway, near Amber.
>>146499Silver looks out of the window as they sit down, to get a look of outside.
>>146500Amber bites her lip before meekly saying,
"I'd better help in that case." She follows them.
>>146502Roll luck, little pony
>>146501Through the window silver can see the edges of shutters, the tile on the overhang below, the lit street lamps, the street below and those who walk on it. Silver sees a pony couple passing, and a lone mare on the opposite side of the street. The glass window of a smoke shop flares in reflecting the setting sun. Above the line of one, two, and three story buildings, a couple taller buildings of brick further away are visible. But besides two or three smoke stacks, no structures besides these break the orange and blue sky above what must be the Horseshoe Bay, studded with so many grey clouds.
>>146504They continue forward, near the second turn in the hallway towards where Scabbard is