>>156530"He needs to finish his studying. Plus, I live a ways away so I'd better set out now. Thank you, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again." Despite her reassuring tone, she decides Mustard wants to be alone right now. There will be plenty of chance to see him again tomorrow.
Amber sets out along the most familiar route back home, at least what she can recognize in the dim light. She realizes she needs to buy cookery and looks for the off-chance a kitchen supply shop is open on the way.
>>156531Silver is both substantially stronger, and is a full-grown unicorn with reasonable telekinetic powers. All the same, it’s a large quantity of toys and books in each bag, and even worse the bags aren’t really tied together, so if they are not held down, they could let everything fall out.
>>156532Daylight Dahlia stands up from her couch, entirely unpersuaded that she hasn’t scared off Amber, or the two didn’t break up for good before they reentered the house. But it isn’t her choice.
It’s probably a 25 minute walk to Amber’s apartment. It’s unsavory to make it alone, but it’s not an especially threatening time of night. Street lights illuminate the way.
>>156533With care and caution, Silver tries his best.
>>156532>>156534Exactly why Amber chooses to end her day on a negative note after so many good hours, and why she chooses her colt friend’s last emotion towards her to contemplate for the next 23 hours is that she offended him, made no effort to fix the problem, did not reassure him that she loved him, and leaves without even a hug goodbye in the early hours of the night… I have no idea. Amber keeps her secrets, and she got free food, sex, and a use of an otherwise boring Sunday afternoon out of it, so she came out ahead. The bars are still open, and will be for many more hours.
For the best shopping, go straight north into the city center, and only later turn due east to head to the apartment. This is the best choice for decent quality businesses, the simplest instructions for following directions home, and also the safest in terms of avoiding crime. While there isn’t a kitchen supply store per se, she certainly walks across a store selling such supplies. Amber’s funds are limited, however. She needs another payday soon.
>>156535Silver manages to get both bags, and the foals are ready to move.
>>156536Silver leads the two foals outside, with their immense amount of stuff. He turns his head to them once outside.
"Do not mind Mala's current appearance, he got like that during fight."
>>156537Mala’s appearance could be worse, as he appears to have made an effort to clean his mouth and forelegs. Judging by the matting on his fur, and tending flecks of brown, dried blood further away from his lips, he must have licked it off. Only Mala’s left foreleg, which he holds up on the dash, is visible. His right foreleg is hidden by the door. He has the window rolled down and is looking towards Silver.
Mint Marine reacts first with joyful surprise. “I didn’t know you had a car.” And then apprehension at the mention and sight of Mala’s disheveled, brown flaked fur, and then fear when he sees the blood stains in the back seat. White Orchid is already acclimated to the matter, and sits in the back.
>>156536Although Amber was, perhaps excessively, polite, everypony makes a
faux pas eventually, especially a simple peasant girl. Part of her regrets leaving her love without clearing things up with him, though she reassures herself that time heals all wounds and she'll see him, fresh and renewed, just tomorrow. Indeed,
he had offended
her by proposing foals before she has even had time to think about it, and before he formalized any offer of marriage. Mustard is indeed the stallion she wants to reproduce with, eventually, but jumping into such a commitment after only a week in Baltimare? A tad bit excessive. Anyway, that was certainly a wonderful day to follow a wonderful night, and she's happy to get that much out of it.
All Amber needs is a pot and some basic cutlery, and she goes inside the store to see how much it would cost her.
>>156538Silver opens the passenger-side door for Mint Marine.
"Yes, I got shot couple of times, and Mala helped to save White Orchid by biting and subdueing one of assailants. I am sorry for bloodstains, I am hoping to clean them out when I get chance."
>>156540Mint Marine gets in the vehicle, clearly scared. White Orchid takes the seat on the right, because that is the one with the blood. But he tries to keep away from the blood stains, sitting at an awkward angle.
Mother Marery comes outside, and watches the process. She says to the foals “It’s for your protection, little ones.”
>>156539She’ll have the whole night, and the work day tomorrow to contemplate it. And whatever happens, she’ll see him at work.
A big pot set can be had for 55 bits. Or a nice single one for 20 bits, or a cheap single pot for 8 bits. A big cutlery set costs 30 bits, a knife set also about 30 bits, or just a few individual items for 3 bits each.
>>156541Silver puts their stuff in the trunk, and smiles and waves at Marery.
"I will keep them safe!"
>>156542She waves to him, although she has a serious expression.
“Be careful” she says
Silver can see that Mala has been grasping the automatic and holding it right by the door, attempting to keep it out of sight. He looks to Silver wordlessly as he gets in the car.
>>156543Silver smiles at him before setting off. Next is finding a store to buy either a couple of sleeping bags or cots.
>>156544Easy enough. The hardest part is parking the car, which requires parallel parking.
>>156545>parallel parkingshuddersHow far is the nearest, non-parallel parking spot?
>>156541Amber gets the nice single pot and one spoon, amounting to 23 bits hopefully. She remembers she can use her own knife to chop up vegetables. But she doesn't have a cutting board. How much does a cheap slab of wood cost?
>>156549About 6 bits. Wood must be in short supply.
>>156550The professor explains that the dynamic between centralized and decentralized power has been at play in every disagreement in Equestrisn history from its founding to after its end, snd that many other disputes - monarchy versus democracy, the power of the aristocracy, national identity versus tribal identity, socialism versus capitalism - have either been masks for disputes between central and regional power, or have played out through disputes between centralized and decentralized power. He highlights multiple disputes in history. The transformation of the Hearthswarming Covenant nations into the single nation of the Principality of Equestria (a process of increasing centralization), the rise of feudal claims and the Princesses’ Court (mostly decentralization), the waning of the Church (actually a consolidation of power to the central government), and the recent rise of democracy and socialism. He promises that the governments of other nations like the Changeling Hives and the Griffonian Empire, which have experienced the same processes in even more dramatic fashion.
He feigned neutrality, but it can be sensed that the professor prefers centralized authority. The students of the class tend to prefer decentralized government, which creates some friction between himself and the students. Note that not every student disagrees. The Anarchists of Baltimare, as the professor notes in passing, are very strong proponents of decentralized power (unlike the Communists, who are centralists). This is probably the source of the friction.
>>156551She bites the bullet and buys one. Better than scratching up her countertop.
>>156553One more thing. She needs to buy some postage stamps.
>>156554Though Amber lives in a fantasy land of talking magical unicorns and dragons, the post office is not open at 7 PM on a Sunday.
>>156555She'll pick up some tomorrow. She proceeds back to her apartment.
>>156556And so she goes back, carrying her pot, a spoon, and a board. She arrives alone to find her apartment is… messy.
>>156557Quite an understatement. She starts by cleaning the floor, recognizing that there has been…leakage.
She has a washboard and tub, right?
>>156558Tub, yes. Washboard… I don’t think soThe floor is not in pristine condition.
>>156559She fills her tub with soapy water, gets a sponge, and starts the dreaded task. At least it brings back memories of the best night in her life.
>>156560Well… the floor at least looks cleaner now.
>>156561Looking up, Amber assesses how badly the bed fared.
>>156562The bed is okay. The sheets… not so much.
>>156563She diligently takes the sheets and scrubs them the best she can with fresh water in the washtub, hanging them up afterwards.
>>156564There are four distinct fluids on the bedsheets. Among these is a smal quantity of blood that forms the only proof that Amber was a virgin when she was taken the night before. Mustard Trim might be nostalgic for it as a memento, but in any case, blood is hard to wash off.
[1d20 = 16]
>>156548Score! Silver parks here to avoid the hassle, and just decides to trot down to the store. Before he goes he asks the foals if they want to come along.
>>156566White Orchid does not. Mint Marine is uncertain, but once White Orchid shakes his head, he follows.
>>156567Silver puts White Orchid's protection in Mala's capable paws, and goes to the store with Mint Marine.
"I am sorry about all of this, Mint."
>>156565>>156564I was not intending another reply, if that was not clear>>156568I meant that Mint Marine follows White Orchid in not leaving the car… but this works I guess.“So… is this going to be like a sleep over? What’s happening?”
>>156570A sleeping bag is a bit of an odd item, but can be found and had all the same, in this instance, among outdoors supplies. Silver acquires two with some of his remaining money
>>156571If different colors are available, he gets ones appropriate to the colts' colors, and returns to the car with them paid.
>>156572Not quite. Green, brown, and black. He gets two, and has that checked off
>>156573With that taken care of, the car takes off towards his house.
>>156565>>156569Sorry, was napping. I may have the coof, looking for horse paste now"This will never come out completely," she grumbles. Nonetheless she washes them as best as she can, and tells herself never to give these to a guest.
>>156574The distance isn’t that great in an automobile. Silver arrives with the three of them. Both Mint Marine and White Orchid look out their windows at the Beach house.
Mint Marine [He has a better view]
“Is this… is this it?”
>>156575FAt least it isn’t that much blood. Most of the stains have come out. Most of it.
>>156576Silver stops in front of the house.
"Yes it is. Home sweet home."
>>156576Having spent a good amount of time scrubbing her sheets and the blanket cover, she hangs them up and cleans up miscellaneous spots in the room.
>>156577The colts exit the vehicle.
White Orchid
“Wow…. This is nice!”
White Orchid, and then Mint Marine, trot around the house, looking around.
>>156578Fortunately, the mess is contained to the one location on the floor, and the bedsheets. Unfortunately, Amber doesn’t have a quick way of drying anything.
>>156579She'll have to wait, and sleep with the spare sheet and the blanket without the cover.
Tired after all that cleaning, she picks up the mandolin and strums some tunes, almost absent-mindedly.
>>156579Silver smiles, and exits the vehicle.
"Take look around, I am going to alert household as to your arrival. Mala, it may be good idea to go up to bathroom and take bath."