/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>160462
He holds one of her forehooves, feeling the differences between her cloven hooves and his own.

"I could very easily see future where we are together, happy and enjoying our lives. I provide, you care, and all around us are happy fillies and colts resulting from our pairing."

>>160436
He looks over at tricky

>>160464
She does not look at, or even acknowledge Dark Star. She goes directly for the bottle, trying to pull it out of Sorrel’s grasp. There are a couple shouts of “mine!” and “give me!” as the two start to fight over the bottle.

>>160465
He laughs slightly and watches them fight over it

>>160467
He sits down on the floor and watches the chaos he has wrought.

>>160468
Sorrel takes a drink abc tries to down most most of it, which is not possible for her even under ideal circumstances. She coughs and spits some out, while Trick takes it. But Sorrel dives in to take it back. Some spills out on the floor, as the two mares wrestle back and forth over the whiskey.

[1d3 = 1]

>>160469
Dark Night has a smile on his face s he enjoys the show

>>160470
Look at what happened because of what you did. What it lead to. There are riots out there. Two bar mares are in half-sober condition. And you’re laughing. You’re laughing. Some whiskey was spilled tonight because of what you did.

Sorrel and Tricky pulls the bottle back and forth, spilling some of the whiskey on the ground and on Sorrel’s chest, especially as the latter pulls it towards herself.

>>160471
I Know. How about another joke murray?

Dark star laughs more

>>160463
It's still an odd feeling, as there are two distinct bones in her hooves. He can even move one separately from the other. Her hooves have clearly been cut and polished.

She has her toothy smile, showing her small fangs. Her eyes go down, and seem to focus on the touching hooves, then go back up to meet Silver's

"I'll... thank you, I'll see."

>>160472
Pic.

[1d3 = 1]

>>160473
>>160472
"No... Gimme!"
They are still wrestling back and forth on the bottle. Sorrel has snuck a few swigs, but that's about the extent of the progress on this stalemate.

>>160473
Dark Star sips a second bottle he has, stealthily

>>160475
Roll for stealth. Dexterity modifier

>>160477
The fighting continues
[1d3 = 2]

>>160478
Dark Star Drinks more

>>160473
He smiles wide and beaming, showing off his own fangless teeth. They look to be in good condition, at least.

"I know it is still very early for marriage, but I could promise that you and any of our foals together would be well taken care of and provided for for long time to come. All of wealth and influence I get from my work would be yours as well to use as you wish, and you would be able to command position of respect not just in our household but maybe even in this corner of Equestria, if I work hard enough."

He plans a kiss on the underside of her hoof, right between her two toes.

"I love you, Khoi."

>>160479
Finally, the conflict ends with Sorrel as the victor. Tricky looses her grip as Sorrel holds it tight, close to her chest. Tricky realizes she won’t be able to pry it from Sorrel’s grasp, and gives up. Sorrel, finally secure, lays down on her belly on the floor, with the bottle in front of her. She sucks on the opening, almost like a sipping cup.

Defeated, Tricky hangs her head, and walks away. But then she looks over to Dark Night, and slowly walks up to him with a pouting expression.

>>160481
He grins
"looks like somepony lost a war."

>>160482
She scrunches. Her mane is disheveled. She looks up at Dark Night.

>>160480
She is silent, with a clearly stunned expression. And she is silent a moment longer.

“Tell me…. Work hard enough to do what, exactly?”

>>160483
"Oh come on. it's not so bad."
He extends his hoof with the bottle in hoof

>>160485
An expression of pure joy lights across her face. She takes it from Dark Night.

>>160486
He Can't help but chuckle slightly

>>160487
She takes a swig. It’s still hard alcohol, so she can’t actually consume much before it’s too strong to continue.

>>160488
Dark Night Laughs
"Lightweight."

>>160489
“…. I am not!”

>>160490
He smiles
"Sure."

>>160491
“Alright.” She says, and with a hoof, hands over the bottle.

“Let’s see how well you can hold your liquor.”

>>160484
"Well, be honest with me, one of things you desire in life is respect and status, yes? I was not entirely joking when I asked if you wished to be noblemare. It is possible for us to join those ranks as I acquire wealth and status."

>>160493
“How… how so?” She asks, leaning forward.

>>160494
"Depending on who gives me work, each one would come with amount of respect and prestige as well as what jobs pay. Perhaps it would result in higher pay, perhaps it would result in perks and gifts. It is not too far from how lords would reward loyal lieges with land and titles for advancing their lord's banner. And, if we were married in future, these would pass onto you as well."

>>160495
She nods
“Continue…”

>>160496
"Perhaps they could give empty manor house over to me as reward for great job done with fine plot of land to go with it and enough room for large family, or we could be invited to dinners, balls, and galas with Equestria's elite. You could have ponies wait on your every need and speak to you as if you were Benevolent Empress of Equestria. Our foals could become Equestria's next generation of leaders when they grow up, and with strong moral teachings of their parents could go on to make this land better than it ever has before."

>>160497
“But how likely is this really? What if you fail?” She asks

>>160498
"It is very likely, my Khoi. And even if I fail, you and our foals will be well taken care of. You have my eternal word."

>>160499
She sits in silent consideration.

>>160500
He gives her a mischevious, almost sinisterly sultry look.

"And, you know...I am curious to see what beautiful unicorn-kirin foals we could *make* together..."

In her vulnerable distracted state he gives the bottom of her hoof another kiss. A long, slow kiss with an audible noise. Perhaps even with just the tiniest bit of tongue action where her toes meet, though it's hard for Khoi to exactly tell if he does so or not.

>>160501
“….”

>>160502
After a second, Silver looks up, and smiles again at her with a chuckle.

"Heheh, sorry, I wanted to see your reaction."

He returns to just regular, unassuming hoofholding.

"But it is true, Khoi, I would provide for our family."

>>160503
She looks down, and looks at her menu.

“What are- what are you getting?” She asks, not making eye contact.

[1d20+3 = (10+3) = 13]
>>160504
Sense Motive: Is Khoi flustered? Angry? Embarassed? How is she feeling right now? This is something Silver tries to get a read on.

>>160505
Uncomfortable.

>>160506
Awww, poor Khoi. He looks through his own menu as he speaks.

"You know it is okay to be desirable creature, yes?"

>>160507
The dishes are not familiar.

She moves the menu around.

>>160508
He tilts his head at the unfamiliar names of food on the menu. He changes the subject, even if only for the moment.

"Uhhh...hmmm...what would you recommend, Khoi?"

>>160509
Khoi taps on the menu several times, and stares at it.

“I don’t know…”

>>160510
"Hmm..."

Silver puts his menu down, gets out of his seat, and goes around to stand next to Khoi and look at their menu together to get an idea of what to have.

>>160511
Khoi leans away from Silver

Among other items are rice noodles, soups, steamed vegetables, and a couple pastry type items. Oh, and rice.

>>160513
Silver points to the rice noodles and steamed vegetables.

"How about this?"

>>160450
Helm replies,
"Yes, it's certainly unlike anything else. That's precisely why it's so valuable. Why it must be preserved.

Mason has not spoken to Amber even once, and has only said a few words like "Yes," "Over there" and a few small words exchanged with Helm while the bookshelf was moved. Now, he moves forward, closer to Amber with a wide grin.

"What are you so afraid of?" He asks

>>160514
She leans away from Silver, and half turns her body

"... Yes?"

>>160519
Silver looks over at her, his usual smile replaced with a worried frown.

"...I really did make you that uncomfortable, did I?"

>>160520
She starts a smile, stops, and nods, looking away as the nod begins.

>>160518
Amber responds, "I am not a superstitious creature, but that," she points to the statue, "has all the markings of something holding sinister energy in itself. Whoever you have pawned this off to will be bringing something terrible on himself."

>>160522
If Amber cared to take a closer look at the statue, she’d see that the worms comprising the griffin-form are not maggots - they are much too long, and lack the ridged texture. Nor are they earthworms. With their smooth texture, long bodies, and detailed sucker-heads, they more closely resemble parasitic intestinal roundworms, or deep-sea detritivorous eels, or something else entirely; something more alien. Whether this incongruity with the creatures if common experience represents a failure on the part of the artist to accurately represent what he intended, or whether the artist had other sources of inspiration, Amber cannot tell.

Mason:
“Heh heh. No no, the new owner has been selected lovingly and carefully. Just as you wouldn’t give a beloved pet to an uncaring home when you must part, neither do we give the history of griffinkind away to those who do not understand and appreciate it. The new owner is an avid historian and collector of antiquities. And importantly, this statue will find its home among ponies, who though they may be ignorant of much, do not carry the superstitions so prevalent here.”

>>160523
"Don't they?" Amber questions. "The ponies have a healthy fear of dark magic, and untold numbers of artifacts considered too dangerous for the public are secreted away in Canterlot behind guards and the strongest magical protection. Just because they don't know about this, doesn't mean they wouldn't also hide it if given the opportunity."

>>160524
He closes his eyes and makes a single shake of his head.
“Every society has its atavisms, and to be sure, the Western ponies are not an exception. But the general air of the social environment, and more importantly, the trajectory of society, are very different.”

>>160525
"Then get it out of here," Amber says bitterly. "I am not strong enough to move it anyway."

>>160526
“Of course. We only need help in moving it.”

>>160527
"Why did you choose me? There are stronger griffons among your guests, not to mention your servants."

>>160528
Helm:
“Oh, I don’t tell the servants.”

Mason:
“They don’t need to know when or where it is going. Lest they be jealous. You don’t know much about it. You won’t have a whole story to tell the police if they find you. Unlike them, if they knew.”

>>160529
"I see. Well, let's get this over with," Amber grumbles.

>>160530
The two by fours serve as handles. The first task is the raise the statue up to allow a piece of plywood to be placed underneath it.

Just what, precisely, is so off about this statue is difficult to articulate. Surely it’s something beyond its appearance, and beyond the eire context and room. But there is no doubt that some indescribable, perhaps instinctive revulsion against this artifice is present, and difficult to ignore.

>>160531
Amber grimaces while grabbing one of the handles. It's too late to back out of it now, a promise is a promise no matter how disagreeable it is.

>>160532
For a moment, Amber feels almost dazed and confused, with her view slowly distorting, and sounds that surely come from only feet in front of her sounding like distant echoes. It is as if she is leaving her? body and pulling away. There may be a concern that the room is poisoned with carbon monoxide, or that some unusual fungal spore is having a hallucinogenic effect. Fortunately, there is no issue with balance, a quality absolutely critical to carrying the heavy piece out of its special room, and into the primary of the two secret rooms upstairs.

The stairs present a special problem, as the statue is unstable as it is, perched atop a sheet of plywood and two by fours. Tilting the statue too far back could risk it falling backwards. So it must be held high from the back and low from the front as it is taken up the stairs. Helm helps Amber carry it in the back, while Mason leads the front. Finally, it is taken into the other room.

>>160533
At last the deed is done, and it was easier albeit more unpleasant than expected. What next?

>>160521
Silver kneels and lowers his head to her (while being careful not to poke her with his horn). His voice carries a serious tone.

"I am sorry, Khoi, it was stupid and silly thing of me to do, and I did not want to make you uncomfotable like this. I want us to have great date, and do not want it to be ruined by things such as that. It will not happen again without your consent."

He looks up again at her with pleading eyes.

"Can you forgive me?"

>>160535
She moves away within her seat, so that she is only half sitting on it, and tail curled away.

"Okay..." She replies, her body contorting in strange angles

>>160536
Silver seems a bit saddened and confused by the contradictions in her reply and her body language.

>>160537
She remains, trying to create some physical separation between Silver and herself

>>160539
Silver returns to his seat, then, to see if she relaxes.

>>160540
Relax is a strong word, but she resumes a normal posture in her seat across from Silver

>>160541
Well...here's hoping Silver didn't ruin the date.

>>160542
Silver is Khoi’s ride, so she isn’t going anywhere, at least for now. The two are across from each other, and food still needs to be ordered.

>>160543
Damn, is the restaurant just that busy?

>>160544
If necessary, the waitress may be summoned. The drinks gave already come. The unicorn waitress arrives and asks the two what they want to order

>>160545
Silver asks for the rice noodles and steamed vegetables.

>>160546
The unicorn nods. Khoi asks for noodles, and a specific soup.

>>160547
Once the waitress takes their order and leaves, Silver asks Khoi, "How similar are these dishes to those in Ngua Nam?"

>>160548
After a pause, and an examination of her menu, she says.

“I cannot tell. I do not understand all of these words.”

>>160549
Silver looks at the words on his own menu.

>>160550
It’s actually in two languages. Ponish, and what is presumably some sort of Kirin language.

>>160551
"It is good they have Ponish as well. This other language must be of Kirin Empire."

>>160552
“Yes, I can see.” She says. She looks around the room.

“That” she says, holding her hoof low but pointing. “Has a plant we don’t really use. And in general these dishes are more complex than what we eat every day. These are more for special occasions.”

>>160553
"Well, it is rather upscale restaurant. It makes sense for them to be fancy and complex."

Silver's curiosity has been piqued, however, from what she has said.

"This may be stupid question, but...do you read Ponish?"

>>160554
“A little…” she says, without eye contact

>>160555
Silver smiles at her again.

"Well...would you like to learn sometime?"

>>160556
She looks up towards him,
“Perhaps I should.”

>>160557
"I could teach you, Khoi. I think it would be nice thing we could do."

>>160558
She has a toothy smile.
“Maybe…”

>>160559
He smiles back.

"What Ponish do you know?"

>>160560
“Some. Spoken, mostly.”

>>160561
"Well, how about basics, like letters and numbers?"

>>160562
“Yes, I do…” she says

>>160563
"Ah, well that is good. Heh, I suppose on date is not best place to learn."

>>160564
“Not really…” she has a smile that is awkward, but seems to convey that she understands that what was stated was intended as a joke.

>>160565
He smiles back, though less awkwardly.

"Is learning Ponish common in Ngua Nam?"

>>160566
“Not that common.” She answers