Dark Star starts has embarked in a new venture - infiltrating cells of leftwing radicals at a local university.
>>149645“Wow that was quite the speech. You’re very good at that. It’s frankly amazing. You said you actually know some of the creatures that rose up? Incredible! You’re right I don’t know too much but I would love to know more.”
>>149661When June arrived and sat down on the chair across from Dark Star, Lunar Nadir leaned over Solar Night with both forelegs wrapped around his neck and shoulders, and with her head and chin firmly pressed into his back. Her wings have eased away from her body, and fall down, as if failing to fold properly. Yet despite Nadir's thorough invasion of Solar Night's personal space, June does not look at her, nor take any notice of her, nor aim his eyes anywhere save at the eyes of this newcomer, Solar Night. Just before June's last speech, Nadir becomes aware of her now physical clinginess, and backs off of Solar Night, sitting uprising, and allowing a foot and a half between them. Yet even this movement does not draw June's attention, and Dark Star may be forgiven if he believes Lunar Nadir to be a just a hallucination shared by himself and Mars Loaf, albeit a very persistent hallucination, and one he can feel and touch, and be felt and touched in turn.
June smiles, and pulls his head back in triumph. For a moment it seems as if he's been knocked off kilter, or perhaps the alcohol has finally truly set in. But he lowers his head back and regains his composure.
"Oh yes. I know much, and if you are willing, so shall you in time. We will
do much."
>>149643Spark was last after a possible changeling, but he got away.
>>149664The last post is
>>149190, which is "[the stallion] runs some ways down, until the sidewalk meets a street"
>>149559She answers,
"I'm not sure. It's an area I've never been to, and where it may be easy to get lost. Anypony who joins the group will definitely want a share, and may also be a potential traitor. We definitely need as much strength as possible to carry things out."
>>149665I had thought last time we got to where the stallion ran behind a building.
>>149665Iron hummed softly, wondering himself if he had such a thing: Even after his positive experiences after his big failure, he was a quite queasy over inviting Sands along in case she got hurt again for his sake.
Quickly shaking his head, he looked back to Cauldron with a tinge of curiosity. "Do you have a pony who would be interested and is trustworthy enough?" he tentatively prodded.
>>149666Correct. He’s gone down another walkway, and out of line of sight.
>>149667“That depends… we could invite the creature who first gave the tip. He’ll probably want a share, and we don’t know him well. We could bring another associate from the Syndicate. He’d be trustworthy, but he wouldn’t necessarily know anything about the area. And then we could bring one of your friends…”
>>149668I suppose Spark will now retreat back to his friends now that the spies have their cover blown.
>>149669Spark goes south(?), and then west, past apartments, and into a fenced lot where all of the creatures wait in the truck
“Where you followed?” Makade asks
>>149668"One of my friends?" Iron asked with a tilt of his head.
>>149670"I was for a bit, but he ran off. I think we best hurry or they will catch back up."
>>149671“You know. One of your ponies you work with.”
>>149673"You mean Sands?" Iron asked in tow, unsure of what Cauldron was implying.
>>149674“Well, she could be one of them, yes. I meant the ones you do… ‘business’ with.”
>>149672Ply Press:
“I agree.” He starts the truck, and drives off and away from the location.
>>149676I assume he waited for Spark to get inside.
>>149675Iron blinked once before shaking his head. "I doubt those ponies can be trusted with this," he replied in turn before turning pensive. "...maybe Sands can be trusted?"
>>149677Yes. With Spark needing to get inside for it to be easy to talk yo him, though speaking through an open driver’s side window is possible. Wellspring has hidden herself in the back.
>>149678She blinks
“I’ve asked this before, but…
who is she? Is she some rescue project of yours? Are you trying to take her as an apprentice. Is she a” she whispers the next part “
lover?”
>>149679"I think she will be a valuable asset in order to spread the word of your business," Iron replied as succinctly as he could. "She is quite charismatic."
>>149680But where is Spark going?
>>149681“So that’s what you want to do with her? Hire her into sales? Or advertising?”
>>149682I believe they are driving back to the house and from there, we can find out more about what Wellspring is wanting.
>>149682"Either works, really," Iron agreed with a nod.
>>149683And so they wind their way through the city, ending up back at the house. Wellspring looks around variously before exiting with her bag, and hurrying into the house.
>>149684“But what about today?” She asks
>>149685"As a travelling partner," Iron proposed instead with a nod. "I think she can shoot magic through her horn, so that could help."
>>149686“A unicorn might help.” She mumbles.
“I don’t know how much ‘magic’ is really helpful, but it couldn’t hurt I suppose.”
>>149687"We should probably ask her if she is willing to go into the jungle, though," Iron suggested with a bit of hesitation. "She strikes me as an adept concrete jungle dweller only."
>>149689“I suppose…” Cauldron says
“She does look a little soft. And delicate…”
>>149690"She did jump in a fight when I was downed," Iron tentatively offered with a slightly sheepish smile. "That has to count for something, right?"
>>149691“Well…” she looks down to the floor.”
“Yes. That does count for something.”
>>149693She enters the living room, and returns to the couch. Petal and Waabishki are together in the kitchen, as the doctor and ply press enter. Makade follows Spark.
>>149692Iron is finally feeling a tinge of awkwardness at Cauldron's repeated utterance, causing him to start idly scritching his foreleg with a hoof.
>>149695She looks back up to Iron
“Is that all?”
>>149696This caused Iron to raise his eyebrows in surprise. "All of what?" he asked in turn.
>>149697“Is that everyone you want to come?”
>>149694"Are you going to shed any light on your situation now?" he directs to Wellspring.
>>149699She looks up towards Spark with giant, open bright eyes, surprised by Spark’s question.
“Shed… what light?” She asks, trying to force her lips up over her teeth in a smile.
>>149698"I cannot think of anypony else that would be both trustworthy and useful to this task," Iron replied with a nod.
>>149700"You went back there really looking for just one or two particular items, one of which you have now. So it would be most helpful to know what is going on, especially since we are now being spied on by changelings."
>>149701“If trustworthiness is your main concern, then yes. I could have one of my associates help. But I think I need them with money lending.”
>>149702She looks up at him.
“Uh……”
>>149703"I think us three would be enough," Iron tentatively proposed in turn, not overly sure himself.
>>149704“Well, I hope. But only you are especially strength. Snd we really will need all of your strength. You see, quicksilver is expensive. But it isn’t as valuable as gold, or even silver. It’ll be very heavy, and you’ll have to carry it through the jungle.”
>>149705Finally feeling back in his element, Iron soon puffed his chest out proudly as he confidently smiled towards Cauldron. "I can definitely carry a lot of stuff," he boldly proclaimed.
>>149706She raises an eyebrow.
“Across land? Up hills? While we are in possible danger? And this isn’t counting the fact that we may have to fish it out of the ravine in the first place.”
>>149703"If you want our help, you are going to want to tell us what you know."
>>149707Iron energetically nodded.
>>149708“Uh… uh…” she looks up, and then lowers her head, closing her eyes and lowering her ears flat to her head.
“Okay… I’ve… well, that one Changeling, that’s all true… but I’ve also become involved in… activities.”
>>149711She is silent for a moment, and after done silence answers:
“… Resistance.”
>>149709“Well, let’s get ready. Expect more than a usual amount of danger.”
She walks around Iron to the door, opening it