Dark Star starts has embarked in a new venture - infiltrating cells of leftwing radicals at a local university.
>>148993 →Spark continues down the sidewalk.
All that remains now is for Silver to wake up.
>>149005In not much time, Spark reaches the end of the park's pathway, finding himself on a sidewalk on the opposite side of the block from where he started.
>>149031Silver awakens alone in his bed, perhaps later in the morning than he excepted. The light coming into the room from the great, seaside glass doors is limited and the room is dark for daylight.
>>149032Silver lifts his head slightly, blinking the sleep away while he looks around the dark room.
>>149033The room isn't especially dark, but neither is it flooded with natural sunlight, though it is well after daybreak. To the left of him, the covers are pulled down and the sheets are disturbed.
>>149034Silver gets up, stretches, and checks out why it's comparatively dark by going to the balcony door.
>>149035It isn't hard to see why. Looming over the horizon, and dominating the sky, is a cloud formation directly South, far south, across the bay. The multicell cumulonimbus nearly forms a wall along the far horizon. Though the curvature of the earth and the forest on the opposite side of the bay blocks of view of the storm's lowest base, it appears as dark thunderclouds that gradually lighten as the clouds go higher, appearing like cotton balls where the sky meets space. Closer to Silver are much smaller, dark and thin rain clouds that partly block the Sun. Whether these are the furthest tendrils spun off of the distant clouds, or independent formations is hard to tell.
The waters of the bay appear troubled, and moved by strong winds blowing south. This has a rather interesting effect, as it means that the waters nearest the beach house have blown away and receded, leaving thirty feet or more of mud, and revealing a small wrecked boat, and a chest.
>>149038"Ooooo, what kind of treasures were
you carrying, my friend?"
Silver turns and leaves the room, and enters the living room to see who's there.
>>149039Silver goes down the stairs to see Paperclipping sitting up on the couch, looking remarkably better, and wearing a leather jacket vest that obscures any view of the bandages on his chest, though it does not cover his belly. Jubilosa is there too, walking into the room with coffee in one claw, stopping to adjust the knob on the radio, which she seems to be listening to.
>>149040"Hello! How is everyone?"
Silver cheerfully joins them.
>>149041Jubilosa looks up
"Fine"
Paperclipping also looks over, and raises a hoof in a wave
"Good Morning" he says
>>149042The unicorn goes over to give his Jubee a hug.
"This weather is very interesting. I saw chest and wrecked boat exposed by retreating waters I would like to investigate."
>>149043She seems a little surprised by this, raising a foreclaw, partially openning her wings, and moving half a step back, but ultimately the griffin is hugged.
"Uh, that's alright. Yeah, they've mentioned it on the news earlier. But it's all south of us, I think."
>>149044He looks up at his griffon, taking notice of her reaction.
"Is everything alright?"
>>149046He continues to look up at her.
"Talk to me."
>>149047"What is it you want to hear?" She answers, with a slight bit of irritation
>>149048"I want to talk about what is bothering you, dove."
>>149049"Bothered? I'm not bothered. Just reconciling myself to living with a sex hound, that is all." She answers
>>149050"It rather sounds like it is bothering you, dove."
He smiles at her.
"If you want what happened last night to never happen again, all you have to do is say word. I care for you lot more than I do casual sex."
>>149051"Well, it's kind of hard to believe that when I see you lusting after my friend, after random mares... even after
him." She says
>>149052He grabs a hold of her talon, and holds it in his forehooves.
"If you asked it of me, I would swear it upon anything and everything dear to me."
>>149053She looks to him and has a solemn expression. The slow music ceases and is replaced with a news broadcaster's voice
Paperclipping interjects
"Stop bickering and listen"
The Broadcaster states,
"We interrupt this broadcast to bring you an important message from Governor Halcyon Shores. All air and rail travel through the Upper Basin between Tenochtitlan - Tonaltzintli and Baltimare - Saltlickingham has been suspended until further notice. All travel up and down the Snake River has likewise been suspended.
The Governor has issued an order mandating the evacuation of all civilians from the Zazquiyahuitl region, and has issued an advisory evacuation of Tonaltzintli. Those living in Saltlickingham and Tonalzintli are advised to fill bathtubs and buckets with freshwater, and stock up on food, medicine, and heating fuel. Subjects are advised to avoid travelling to these areas if possible. Furthermore, schools and non-essential government services are closed for the day in Tenochtitlan, Tonalzintli, and Saltlickingham.
Furthermore, the Governor has issued an order creating a District-wide Militia force under the control of the District, and asks ponies to join. Ponies with law enforcement, military, and especially medical skills are asked to volunteer their services for the good of the District. This concludes the message."
The broadcaster stops speaking, and the music resumes, albeit a different song than was playing before.
>>149054He looks at the radio as the report goes through.
"Hmm. Sounds like it is going to be bad in south."
He returns to look at Jubee.
"Just say word, my dove. I will follow it for as long as I am yours, and you are mine."
>>149056She doesn't break her eyes from him.
"I would appreciate it." She says
Paperclipping interjects
"Prude."
This causes her eyes to move from Silver to Paperclipping. He follows up.
"I never took you for a puritan."
She says,
"Will you mind your own business?"
He says
"Will you mind yours? Stop being so jealous."
Then she says,
"Did you actually sleep with him?"
And he:
"And if I did? What would it matter? It's not like you've lost anything..."
This continues
>>149057Silver interrupts them both with a firm voice.
"Both of you, enough."
He looks at Jubilosa first, his voice softening.
"I promise, Jubee, you will be my only. And no, I did not sleep with Clip."
He looks then at Clip, voice still soft.
"It is something you will understand when you get into relationship. There is give and there is take."
>>149058Paperclipping:
"Quite a bit of taking and not enough giving, it sounds like to me."
>>149059He smiles at him.
"You would be surprised what she gives me. She gives me kind of companionship I have missed for many years."
>>149062Paperclipping scrunches, and crosses his forelegs
>>149063"How are you feeling anyways, Clip? Feel any better from yesterday?"
>>149064"Yesterday? Heh heh, yes." He says
>>149065He smiles widely.
"That is great to hear. I hope you are healed soon."
He looks to the two people in the room with him.
"Anyways, I hope you two continue to get along, I do not like my favorite people fighting. I want to investigate that boat wreckage before tide comes back in."
>>149066"Okay" Juilosa says, slowly walking closer towards one of the two couches, again picking up her coffee.
>>149067Silver goes outside to investigate the wreckage.
>>149068Silver exits out the rear door of the house. Though the area immediately next to the house is leeward of it, when Silver goes down the wooden staircase to ground level, he can feel the chill wind passing by.
The area nearest the shoreline is filled with many rocks and debris, but further away is more sand and silt, which turns to mud with scattered rocks, a couple clams, a bottle or two, a few pieces of drift wood, and near where the water meets the exposed mud, an overturned boat and the chest.
>>149070It's a rowboat, a little larger than a dinghy, turned upside and partially buried in the mud, with the bow and port side sticking out a bit more than the stern and starboard. The boat is painted white, though this chips and fades to grey and naked brown wood, and there seems to be a name upside in black, chipped letters. It looks like "Emirate." Probably it belonged to a much larger vessel, either as a ship's boat or a lifeboat.
>>149072"Huh."
Is the boat rotting, or is it still sturdy?
>>149073It's in the process of rotting, but still sturdier than not. It's deep enough in the mud that it would need to be dug out with a shovel.
>>149074That's unfortunate, he likely wouldn't have enough time to dredge it up. Well, time to investigate the chest.
>>149075The "chest" is a metal box, likewise painted white, though more obviously flaking, somewhere in size between a tool box and a trunk.
>>149077A latch holding it together can be pulled up, opening the box.
Inside are one, two, three carbine rifles, four pistols, waterlogged ammunition, and detachable magazines
>>149078"Woah...what kind of boat did this come from, anyhow?"
Can Silver close the box and bring it with him?
>>149079The box is very heavy and is partly buried in the sand.
>>149080Silver returns to the house, wipes his hooves before entering, and goes up to Mala's room.
>>149081Mala silently lays on his bed, but seems to open his eyes and looks to Silver as he approaches
>>149082"Hello, best buddy. Are you awake?"
>>149083Mala raises his head, and his triangular ears
"I am now" He answers
>>149084He smiles.
"Well, if you wanted, I could use some help. Waterline outside has receded in advance of storm, and it has exposed crashed lifeboat and gun locker. If you were willing, I could use some help unburying them from mud and bringing them to safety."
>>149085Mala gets up, and out of the bed, walking over towards Silver
"Yes, I can help." He answers
>>149087"Sure" He says, coming to Silver's side
>>149088He smiles again.
"Well, alright! Follow me!"
But first: do they happen to have any shovels?
>>149089At least one is known to have been used by Khoi during her "Improvements"
>>149090Silver grabs it, and goes with Mala down to the boat.
>>149091Silver and Mala go out onto the mud. The wind blows strong and cold, and further off Silver can see the bay is worked up into waves. The storm cell looks a little larger than it did before, or at least that's the appearance. But the boat and chest are right before them.
Mala's feet slowly start to sink into the mud, as do Silver's. But he lifts them up, and readjusts his position.
>>149092"Come on, friend, let us hurry. I am not sure how long we have."
Silver gets to work unburying the boat and chest.
>>149093Silver digs, and digs, and Mala likewise digs with his paws, trying to get underneath the boat and the chest
Silver should roll die with a strength modifier
[1d20+2 = 19]
>>149095>>149094Between the shovel and Mala's paws, the two are remarkably efficient in removing mud around the chest and the boat. This is rather fortunate, as the wind is beginning to shift directions and the water is already on its way back in. The boat was on the edge of the water when Silver found it, and it will soon again be under it.
>>149096Hopefully, the two can uncover both and get them out of danger.
>>149097At last, both objects are freed from the mud, or at least free enough that they may be dislodged.
>>149098"Alright, let us put chest in boat, and push it back to our lot."
>>149099Silver and Mala attempt to turn the boat right side up, and lift the chest onto the boat.
Roll strength
>>149101Success! The boat is flipped over by the pair, and the two lift up the heavy chest and place it in the boat. While the bottom of the boat wants to press into the mud, the rising water makes moving the boat increasingly easy.
>>149102"Thank you very much for your help, Mala. Maybe someday we can fix this boat up and go fishing together. We could have steady supply of meat for you and Jubee."
>>149103Mala wags his tail
"That sounds like fun. I've never been fishing before."
But the wind has changed direction again, and the water makes a loud, running sound, as it starts to come in in small waves.
>>149104"It is quite nice. But, eh...we should probably take care not to join fish before that happens."
>>149106Presumably, the two try to push the boat to the shoreline, and then onto the shore.
>>149032Spark checks his surroundings.
>>149120All of the ponies around him have moved further away; the stallion with the foal has crossed the street, the mare on the opposite side of the road to the left has turned the corner away from Spark, and the stallion further behind him has moved another block and out of sight. All have moved, save for the naked brown stallion who, previously walking parallel to Spark on the sidewalk, has turned right where the block turns, thus completing a half circle around the block going 180 degrees, and placing him behind Spark as he too, enters the sidewalk and turns right. A pink mare in a winter jacket walks along the same sidewalk, heading towards Spark.
>>149133>>149128Dark Star has asked Lunar Nadir "What is it like attending the university.
Nadir looks down, and mumbles something inaudible through her teeth.
>>149134Spark stands still for a moment.
>>149135The mare in front of Spark continues walking forward. When she reaches a certain distance from him, about twenty feet, she briefly looks to him, raises her left hoof in a wave, says “Hiya,” and then turns back, moving to pass Spark to his left. The brown stallion behind Spark, though he is harder to see, seems to momentarily stop, move forward, stop again, and then move forward at a slower pace.
>>149136Spark turns to face the stallion.
>>149137He looks up at Spark, then looks around, and walks forward, as if to pass Spark
>>149138Spark also walks forward and past him.
>>149139Spark passes him, moving to the side as he does so.
He seems to walk by, though at a low pace
>>149140Spark heads back into the park.
>>149141Spark walks in, and after a moment of the other pony loitering around, he follows Spark into the park, staying some ways behind
>>149143Spark turns back to the stallion.
"Can I help you, friend?"
>>149144"Oh"
He seems somewhat surprised
"Just uh, waiting. That's all." He says
>>149145"Me too. Want to share what are you waiting for?"
>>149146He moves past, and stops at a position where he's facing sort of perpendicular to Spark.
"A... A leasing office. My sister is moving in."
>>149147"That's good. So what brings you over here?"
>>149148“Well uh, just helping her out.”
Whinnysotan accent, toothy smile. Little eye contact.
>>149149"That's very kind of you. Is the office close by?"
>>149150wags tail>>149151"Oh it's.." He turns his head a little to his right, and then tilts his head to the right "Over there"
>>149152"Perfect. I need to go check it out later as well. When does it open?"
>>149153He has some hesitation
“It’s open, the pony is just out”
He answers
>>149154"Ah. Do you know when he will be back?"