1680 replies and 28 files omitted.
>>162724"Something like that. Something I wouldn't want them using in the city."
>>162725"Indeed. That is why we are here to stop them. You know where they are, Spec?"
>>162712Helder and Erich look through the items
Helder:
"What about my clogs?"
Erich:
"You can get over it." He pauses and looks at the items. "At least this original print is saved. I definitely wouldn't want the Imperials finding this one." He holds up a book, and looks to the side. "One set of clothes will... work."
Felderklied
"What about any of my items?"
Felderklied is holding a rag to her wound, and is clearly in pain, rocking.
>>162728To Federkleid: "I'm sorry. I didn't know where your things were, and if I had carrying them out would have been troublesome. We should get to a doctor…."
>>162730Looking forward to seeing you again, Spark!
(You) are all cute ponies
>>162742N-no u!
>>162730hopes>>162726"No." He says
"That's why we need the radio. They'll reveal themselves, unfortunately."
The road merges into north Cowtown past where the peninsula meets northern Baltimare. The streets are congested with automobiles, which are far more numerous than Silver ever remembers them being. There are hundreds of them, with their green, red, blue, yellow, and white colors and smooth curves. There are also a few more houses along this way than Silver can recall. Some of the traffic moves east onto the peninsula, but some of it moves north along the roadway.
Spectral Streak turns left.
"But the best bet is they'll be somewhere along... here."
>>162743Silver pulls out the radio, and gives it a look over.
"I will follow your lead, Spec."
>>162744Turn the knob to turn on the radio, and also to tune into specific channels. Hold down a button to speak into it.
The car slows down as it comes into a section with shops on either side, alternating with town houses or close single family homes. Silver can see ponies crowded along the side of the streets moving. Earth ponies dominate, although there are some unicorns, pegasi, and even bat winged ponies, with the latter two sometimes flying in the air. Some ponies seem joyful. Some are concerned, or scared. Some are confused. Some are bored, or move around as if it's a normal Monday. Silver passes a pair of mares shouting "woo, death to the Changelings!" who roam about, as well as an older stallion who shouts "the end is neigh. You should have listened!" Both are moved along by ponies in blue or green uniforms, with both a few Baltimare PD officers helping to move along the flows of citizens, and several ponies in what Silver can recognize as the "Homeguard" which he is now evidently a part of. Some of these ponies seem to be standard reservists, but many are beyond drafting age (30s), and even wear military medals. The sirens have stopped, and now speakers play music. National music, with trumpets and drums.
>>162745Silver has a worried look on his face as he witnesses the mood of the ponies pedestrians they pass by.
"I am concerned these ponies have mostly forgotten what hell we went through last time we fought war against Changelings. How many truly know what this means and how it will affect them?"
>>162746Spectral Streak looks forward
"Most of them didn't experience the War that directly. Not the way we did. It was far away, until it shook their windows, and came through their front door. I think that's why the evacuation has so many of them startled. Really puts a damper on the mood." He pauses, glances over to Silver, and then looks forward. "I haven't forgotten. I hope we send hell back."
>>162747"I hope so too. This war, it feels different from first one. I cannot tell if it is good different or bad different, but it will be."
>>162748"We have the intiative. We chose the moment. I'd say that's a good different." He says, and flips the knob on the radio. Quickly sounds flow through.
From static, there is the sound,
"Air reserves in the air."
"Hey, Meadow Brook bridge coming in?"
"Yeah, uh, no problems yet. A bit of congestion but nothing's blown up yet."
"Keep it up. Just keep it open."
A couple police cars move on the opposite side of the road, moving to a branch of the roadway that splits north on one of the thoroughfares out. There's a diner over on the right side, and a grocery store on the left, and a couple ponies in uniform on the street, one directing traffic, and another on the side. There are more pedestrians and automobiles here, so Spectral Streak slows down.
>>162749Silver keeps his eyes out for any suspicious activity, not wanting the Changelings to catch him and his team unaware. With all of this commotion they have plenty of opportunity to try to slip by unnoticed.
"What is plan when we encounter them? Do we try to capture one alive for interrogation, or no prisoners?"
>>162750"Depends on what kind of information we can get out of them, and how long it will take to get it."
One police car pulls over on the side of the road, and a pair of ponies get out, one carrying some kind of shotgun, and the other some kind of carbine. They go into the grocery store. The other car pulls over into a parking space along the east/opposite side by the diner, and one officer pony gets out of the driver's seat, and then from the right passenger's seat. In the middle of the square, a uniformed reservist directs a car to move left and north, and then starts to move over to the right police car. Traffic isn't quite at a gridlock here, but it's not moving terribly quickly either. Spectral Streak has been heading into the city on the mostly clear right lane, but it's not uncommon at all for cars to move into this lane to get around traffic, slowing his speed significantly. From inside of the grocery store, a pair of pegasi run out at high speed, carrying a number of what seem to be cans. Spectral Streak takes the moment to pull over on the right towards the other green uniformed officer who stands near the diner on the south side of the block.
>>162751Silver is somewhat disgusted by the actions of the two pegasi.
"Ugh. Looters. It is last thing we need now."
>>162752"Hey, take them down!" He shouts to the green uniformed pony, who considers crossing the street. One officer by the grocery store starts to move to follow him, while the other two across the street get back in the car.
Overhead, Silver hears a roar. It seems that planes are passing by.
>>162753There you go. Silver silently cheers on the police as he looks up at the planes, curious what they're doing.
>>162754Two of them, bright and shiny aluminum with swept wings and yellow wingtips and bands. They are flying low and fast, though they are gaining in altitude. Silver can see at this distance that the planes are loaded with numerous rockets under their wings. There is no buzzing sound, but rather a roar as they pass by.
>>162755"Huh, planes with rockets. And they are quite loud. Looks like they might be on patrol. What are warplanes doing out here?"
Silver returns his attention back to ground level and his surroundings.
>>162756Spectral Streak:
"Patrol? Maybe. But you can't blow it up if it isn't on the ground."
After a pause
"The whole military was supposed to be doing training exercises before deploying to combat operations in Kiria. Somehow I don't think that's going to happen."
The police car makes a sharp u-turn, cutting across traffic to pull around back south. One of the officers on the ground starts running after the pegasi, although the unicorn is a bit grounded. relative to his quarry.
>>162757"They will certainly be making long trip to frontline. But you make good point. You think these changeling agents will be choosing military targets? Target infrastructure? Civilian population?"
>>162758"According to the briefings I got at least, it's assumed they'd target infrastructure, industry, and military targets. In Baltimare, that means the naval base and harbor, but also things like-"
ClangSilver hears glass shattering as the police car turned south goes right back into the intersection and runs into the front of another car, partly pushing it aside, and stopping the police car perpendicular to the line of traffic. Soon enough, both doors swing open. The wreck is basically right in front of both of them, as Silver and Streak are parked just off to the side from the right lane of the intersection.
>>162759Silver leans slightly to look at the wreckage right in front of them. He's very grateful it's not them who got involved, but he hopes everypony's alright.
"...at least police are already at scene of accident."
>>162760The green uniformed traffic cop goes over towards the driver's side door, and stops next to it. He looks in and says
"Are you alright?"
The officer on the other side opens the door and gets out of the vehicle.
And then, from the driver's side door, there is a
BANGAnd
"
Tatatatatatatatatatatatatat"
The officer on the other side stands up, and fires a machine carbine right into the car that is hit with full auto.
[1d20+5 = (13+5) = 18] >>162761>>162760The traffic director is shot right in his front with a sidearm by the driver.
>>162761>>162762Silver shouts out to the surrounding ponies urgently once the gunfire starts. He gets out of the car with his rifle pointed towards the driver's window.
"EVERYPONY DOWN!"
Can Silver attack yet, or does he have to wait?
>>162763They've absolutely chosen their actions, so... yes.
The Jenny's optic has an arrow that comes down from the top, and converges down on the target.
[1d20+10 = (5+10) = 15]>>162764Silver focuses the Jenny's optic on the driver of the car, and squeezes the trigger.
>>162765A crisp pull, and a
bang. About half the recoil of the old Lavender, although the Jenny is shorter and lighter. The shell rotates in the air as it is ejected, and the gun is immediately ready to be fired again.
Hit.
>>162767Another shot
[1d20 = 14]Spectral Streak looks up and over at the car, and takes a moment to pull out his own Jenny, and
Bang Bang Bang Bang[1d20+5 = (4+5) = 9][1d20+5 = (9+5) = 14][1d20 = 1][1d20 = 9]On the other side, there is
Tatatatatatatat. He seems to target the other green uniformed officer.
>>162768>>162767Two shots hit the side of the vehicle, one goes wide and hits a car in the back, and one hits the driver
[2d8 = 5] [1d20+10 = (8+10) = 18]>>162768>>162769Silver likes the feel of this Jenny. He aims again at the driver and gives her a little squeeze.
>>162770>>162771A squeeze, and the officer falls back in his seat. In a green flash he becomes black, with blue eyes and blue-green blood from visible wounds.
The other assailant seems to crouch down behind the vehicle, trying to take cover.
>>162768>>162772The driver earlier fired a single bullet right through the center of the windshield of Streak's vehicle.
>>162773Silver advances on the vehicle, keeping his weapon trained on the it as he tries to get into view of the other attacker. With hoof signals he tells Spec to keep him covered.
"Just surrender, changeling, you are surrounded, and out of hope. Give up and we will do you no harm."
>>162774The alleged officer moves the carbine up through the now shattered window, and attempts to blind fire at Silver
[1d20 = 14][1d20 = 19][1d20 = 17][1d20 = 19][1d20 = 2] >>162775With a
tatatatat, Silver is, unfortunately, hit several times
[2d6 = 8] >>162775>>162774>>162776The flak jacket mitigates, but does not stop Silver from being hit by carbine rounds.
[1d20+10 = (15+10) = 25][1d20+10 = (4+10) = 14]>>162777The pain is great but he hardly falters, and now he knows where the assailant roughly is. He squeezes off a couple of rounds from his Jenny in response.
>>162778The rounds go right through the door.
One hit, one miss.
>>162780He is hit.
Spectral Streak has gotten out of the car, presses a button on the gun, holds it up, and,
"
Pow Pow Pow Pow"
He fires the Jenny fully automatic into the car police car from what is a very short range, firing through the door.
>>162781Can Silver move to be in view of the changeling assailant, then attack?
>>162782By moving around the car either in front or behind it, yes.
[1d20+10 = (19+10) = 29][1d20+10 = (19+10) = 29]>>162783In that case, Silver moves around the front of the car into view of the changeling and fires two rounds at almost point blank.
>>162784He seems to have been hit by at least one of the bullets Spec fired. However, Silver unambiguously hits the drone, who is already leaning against the car door.
>>162786The officer burns in green fire, revealing a black insect that falls over onto his belly.
>>162787With the last enemy defeated, he rushes around to check on the wounded pony.
>>162729"Yes. Soon. I still need clothes because otherwise I look like I just got shot." She looks over the items. "And since I don't have any here, I'll have to borrow these." She picks up Erich's set.
"Hey!" Erich objects
"You can shut up. It was your poor hiding that got got us in this situation."
"That's my one set. Be careful not to ruin it." He says
Federkleid makes some remark, but Helder speaks directly to Amber.
"There is a veterinarian directly along the way out, on one of the only roads that goes to the river. Discretion can never be guaranteed but... At least it's not far out of the way."
(You) are all cute ponies
>>162807Amber nods in agreement back at Federkleid. "We'd better not lose any more time. Let's get patched up as quickly as possible."
>>162821"Now... How to get there?"
>>162820N-no u!
scrunch>>162788He is lying on his back, still breathing. He is shot somewhere in the chest. His lungs may or may not have been penetrated.
>>162830"Going there all as a group would be suspicious, especially if we don't have a pet. We should take the back alleys," Amber says.
>>162832"…I think that's best?" Amber says hesitantly. "The automobile might attract too much attention and we couldn't go down the alleys with that. It's not too far, is it?"
>>162833Helder answers
"Could be a whole mile, I think. To the veterinarian"
>>162834"We need to take the car," Amber concedes with sadness.
>>162835would definitely pet the little ponyHelder:
"I don't like the risk... But you two are wounded." He says
>>162836"If it makes you more comfortable, Hederkleid and I could take the car while you two meet us there later. We would need to stay at the office for a little while at least."
>>162839"I think you would know that better than I, I'm just a humble musician."
>>162840He blinks
"Stronger together. The car is this way."
Presumably, the small group leaves the shop, and hurries across a street to get back to the car.
>>162841"You're right." Amber looks around to make sure they're not being watched before getting in the car. She will not be driving this time.
>>162846Amber and the group cross the street, and quickly enter the car, placing what remains of the luggage in the back, with Federkleid and Amber, with Erich riding shotgun and Helder driving….
And then Amber seeds a police officer walking right by the car.
>>162847"I cannot believe we're not allowed to board!" Amber exclaims, making sure her wound is not visible. "The trains are never delayed like this, what do you suppose happened to warrant this?" She hopes the others get the hint.
>>162850The officer looks over at Amber, nods, and walks on his way into the train station.
Helder waits a moment, and puts the car in reverse, then drives off.
>>162851Phew….She can't wait until they get to their destination. It should be a short ride, but a stressful one.
>>162852It turns out, a car having significant damage from wrecks driving on the road isn't that uncommon, or at least isn't unusual enough to turn any heads.
The location is lumber framed with a white plastered wall, a second floor and a very high roof. Helder pulls in, and then decides to pull back out and around the location. There are many trees nearby and a field with cows. It seems they have already moved further away from town.
>>162853"Make sure the car is not visible from the street," Amber cautions. Relieved, she gets out and waits for the others before going into the clinic.
>>162854Helder is ahead of them, parking in the back.
A griffin comes out and greats them, evidently a slightly below middle aged griffin with yellow feathers, wearing a vest and hat with glasses.
Federklied is the first to great him, followed by Erich. He opens the door, and the group is invited inside.
>>162855"Good day to you sir. Could you help us? We got in a small altercation."
>>162856He looks over to Amber, and then down at the wound, if it isn't covered with clothing
"And here I thought you had slipped and fell on some bullets." He looks over at Erich
"Should I be concerned?"
He answers
"No, well, we're leaving. They may be others looking for us. I know we're asking for much, but... for old times sake."
The veterinarian turns and moves over to Federklied
"Alright.. let's get you stitched up and stop the bleeding."
>>162857Amber follows the good doctor and waits for Federklied to get patched up first, knowing that she took a worse hit. It still hurts for Amber though, especially without the imminent worry of getting caught.
>>162858Amber enters an entry foyer with a hat rack and a wooden store for shoes. Multiple items of furniture like benches and counters are overly covered in white paint. There is a doorway going further in, and a narrow wooden staircase going up. However, it is the next room over that has a bed, a sink, cabinets, windows and restraints allowing it to be useful for medical procedures on smaller animals and griffins. This is where he takes Federklied.
"They got you good. I don't have any plasma. You'll have to just take the blood loss. This will stop the external bleeding, and keep you from getting infected."
Erich stays with Federklied as the doctor works on her. Amber and Helder can stay in the entry foyer if they like, or go into the other room if they like while they wait.
>>162859It's humble compared to the palace, but it's better than nothing. Amber has a look into the other room, trying not to get herself concerned about the medical procedure. She doesn't go far into the room but stays by the threshold.
>>162830"This is too much for me to fix with what little I have..." He calls out, "I need help with this one, he needs doctor immediately!"
>>162864Roll for luck
>>162860The walls of the room are not adorned with the homely paintings of a griffin's residence, nor the diagrams of dog anatomy you'd expect in a veterinarian's office. It seems that this would be used for smaller livestock like goats, but not for something like a cow.
He does what he can to remove the bullet and sow up Federkleid. It's Amber's turn now.
>>162866Amber goes to the doctor and lies down, uneasily staring at him.
>>162867He takes a look at the wound.
“Rather nasty. There’s a little morphine.”
He takes out a hypodermic needle, and injects it into Amber. Has she ever felt it before? It’s not pleasant. But Amber is and has experienced worse. He takes a wet rag, wipes the wound, and applies iodine.
She starts to become numb, but not before he tries to stick forceps into the wound.
This is unpleasant. >>162868Amber squirms her neck and hisses, but otherwise tries to remain still. She looks up and focuses at the ceiling instead of looking at the procedure.
(You) are all cute ponies
>>162874>>162871Hello!
>>162872No u!
>>162890Soon
>>162891N-no u!
blushes>>162870A pony along the street on the southside side, a greenish earth pony, yells out "I'm a doctor!"
>>162868He has to move around in the wound, clearly not accomplishing what he wanted to accomplish the first time. But after the passage of still more seconds, he finds what he wants. He wipes the wound, and starts to stitch Amber up, applying many stitches. Eventually, Amber is sewn up, and a bandage is applied over the wound.
>>162894Silver hurriedly urges the doctor over.
"He is hurt bad, shot in chest."