Doc was ready to disembark. So much happened overnight that it felt like this trip took a few weeks.
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Minion in her view. "Not out of your pay-" Rime looks stoic. "Forget I asked. You can stop holding my coffee. I would like my second cup before I depart. One sugar. Please." Rime pays the ten caps.
Rime says to Guoth, "Do not forget to wait for me." She tilts her head. "Did you not want to lecture Oddy?" Rime will gather her things and be ready to depart when the train stops.
She greets Golden. "Everything worked out fine for us. The mystery ghost on the train resolved. We may never find out what scared the train ponies so much this morning." Rime counts her wands and gems before they arrive to make sure no one has stolen any valuables.
Oddy's smile faded compleltly, and she face hoofed.
She started to face hoof.
".
Oh deer...Be careful. She is the worst, among ponies and reindeer alike.' she pause. She back away from everydeer, swallowing a weep.
She wave to Rime.
And then write a small note to Firestarter.
"The secret that work with most
Is keeping them k'happy, (yes! I write with an accent!)
Praises are free to say, but always gold to the listener
Shame is funny. The past is an imagination, it's silly to worry for the future
There notning beside the present.
With love Oddy Irre!
P.S. Everydeer has pretty moments and less pretty..'
she add a little photo of herself sneezing and cross eyed
On it's back. "Do you still think I am pretty? Wink"
She now a bit somber. Looking at the window.
Oddy turned to Doc."Do you need a
Doc, Doc? I actually know one good doctor. K'he call himself Doc. I met k'him at the dock." she giggled,
Minion frowns at Oddy. "Really? She seemed so nice, though...She left me a mint."
Firestarter reads the note and turns red all the way up to her ears.
====
"Coming right up!" Minion says and trots off to get it.
Quoth grumbles under his breath to himself. "She's irresponsible, and then she goes and makes children happy. I don't think I'd get through to her." Still, at Rime's prompting, he does approach Oddy and Doc.
"Ms. Oddy," he says, "Do you ever think about the consequences of your actions?"
Oddy shook her head. 'She is like me.. just selfish and corrupted... be careful Minnie deer.'
Oddy isn't beaming energy right now.
But she does giggle at Firestarter's reaction
She turned to Quoth with a raised eyebrow
"I know, you won't miss me, but this isn't a reason to go so offical with me, and call me Ms.' Oddy chuckled.
"Nope.' she shrug.
"Which actually give you a chance with me.' she wink.
"Is this k'how you flirt? I guess it's adorable in a very cranky way...'
Doc let out a snort, as if Oddy had said something funny. "Nah, I'm good. Just clearing my throat is all." He takes note of the short somber moment. Hmm.
"You ever have a conversation without flirting?" Doc asked, wondering if such a thing i possible with the little agent of chaos.
Wondering just what in the hell she just watched, Pepper shoves her urshanka hat down over her muzzle in frustration, only coming up for air after telling herself that this bunch of crazies (and Doc) will take the lion's share of attention away from the pony who doesn't want to be identified. And they're still not as bad as the bully boys from her security job. Some. How. Adjusting her hat, finishing her coffee, she loads up her guncase onto her back and resumes the stoic, "Eff-Off" attitude that she came in with, waiting for Oppurtunity to disembark before following her, and making a note of the personal effects she needs to pick up before it's time to leave.
"Well, Golden, you're the boss. Where to next?"
The train enters a tunnel, dimly lit by flickering bulbs. It plunges on ahead for a short distance before braking to a halt at an underground, mostly-concrete platform kept warm enough so that ponies don't need all their heavy winter gear. The place looks stable, but a few patches of floor are cracked and reveal packed earth and stone beneath them. Nothing that a Sand Dog couldn't dig through, though the concrete sections might give Roxy trouble.
The edge of Quoth's beak curls down into an expression of distaste. He sighs. "Fine. I know you don't care and I know this won't help anyone, but I'll say it for my benefit. You terrorized that poor mare for your own amusement. Maybe you had another reason, but 'fun' played into it too, right?"
He adjusts his grey coat and pulls the hood up over his head. "Ponies aren't playthings, Ms. Oddy, they're people. You'd do well to remember that." He turns and nods to Roxy. To Two Bit, he says, "Come on, kid. I'll buy you a hot drink or something while we wait for your parents to show up."
Golden smiles sideways at Pepper. "Well, if you're offering, I do have some heavy luggage that I could use some help unloading and moving into a taxi-cart."
Rime ignores Doc's informative interjection. The world will never know what happened!
Rime nonchalantly walks about her business until she sees Oddy wave then she happily returns a smile.
Rime prompts him again. "A message may take a while to get delivered but it will never arrive if it was never sent. The message may even be tossed away, but you will know that you said your peace." She looks up at the ceiling for a second. "I had some pen pals." Rime will leave him alone to do his business.
Rime eats her remaining apple bombs in a paced manner so she finishes by the time they arrive. She sips on her coffee for a while until they draw nearer the train station then drinks her coffee down hot. She says to Golden, "What a lovely little breakfast, minus a few distractions. An apple bomb always has a way to warm a pony's stomach. A perfect end to my first train ride away from home."
Rime will pack her arctic cloths, wearing her winter clothes, onto her saddlebag and wear all her luggage on her back. Her staff in her hoof. Her scarf around her neck. Her journal is put away. She doesn't want the book damaged in a busy train station or stolen out of the air. She gathers with her party to venture forth and says to the group, "My first stop is a cartographer's shop. I need to buy a map and return here so that Quoth can mark down some important locations. I do not want to delay, and him abandon our deal."
Oddy smile to Doc. "I try to avoid conversation without flirts. As should anydeer."
To Quoth. "Darling, no need for false accusations. Ponies might think you are devolpong obssesion toward me. You might get k'hurt.' she wink.
She give a very warm hug to Minion and to Firestarter and even her mother.
"It was amazing ride! Eastory wll remember this as the First Train Ride Of Two Bits!" and pick him up on her back.
"Another town, another adventure!'
Golden grins at Rime. "Glad to hear it! Here's to many more just as good." She raises the last of her coffee and downs it.
As everyone begins to get up and start moving, she clears her throat. "Before everyone scatters," she says, "I just want to let you all know that, if you have business to attend to in town, that is fine. Just meet up with me for dinner at the Salty Streetsweep. It's the third level down, overlooking the Falls."
Quoth lets Oddy go without any other comments, intending to use his time on, in his mind, more productive conversations.
"Dinner and a view. A sun and moon class combination."
She says to Golden and Doc, "I will meet with the both of you as soon as my map is marked. You should expect me to mail you." She looks to Oddy, "You have not said anything about receiving my mail. Were you surprised to hear my voice. Hearing me instead of seeing me send off the message is quite the different experience."
"Since we are working together everypony will need to know what to call each pony. I will make this quick." She nods to ponies. "Golden Opportunity. Doc. Oddy Irre. Roxy." She looks to Pepper. "And, we have not had a proper introduction. Glint. I am Rime Verse." Rime introduced herself to the train last night so Pepper should know Rime's name already? She sweetly smiles. "I look forward to working with you."
Oddy smile. "Rime, you are cute. But you could use some charm of mystery. Bragging, making you more adorable in brattish way, but you are amazing anyway.' and gave her a peck.
"I am in for anything that isn't boring!' and looked at Pepper
"I think I'll go with k'her!
Rime happily enjoys Oddy calling her cute. The advice to be more mysterious is not entirely rejected on its face because Oddy knows about being charming. A sense of mystery is important for style. Then, veins 💢 pop above her left eye when Oddy calls her a braggart and brattish. Rime pulls back from the peck before it lands and grins a sharp aggressive grin. "Oddy, my good friend." She says with forced sweetness through stiff cheeks. "You are far too teasing today. I demand that you not try to kiss me unless I give you permission." Her horn glows blue, and Rime attempts to inflict Oddy's back with blue spots. "I do not want to irritate you with my requests, but I have certain boundaries that my friends will need to respect. I am pleased to hear you say I am charming and amazing. I very often find you charming as well. You are an amazing reindeer. I am pleasantly looking forward to spending our time together today." Rime is being honest with her compliments, but she is very annoyed at being insulted in front of the group. She wants to lash out, but she fears losing her only friend and doesn't want to hurt Oddy.
Spoiler: @IgorOddy might want to a HT roll! A hard to reach place on her back might become itchy.
Itch
[roll0] vs 15
Regular; Resisted by HT
Causes the subject to itch fiercely in a spot of the caster’s choice. The subject is at -2 DX until he takes one full second to scratch (more, if armor, etc. is in the way!). Only one Itch spell can affect a given subject at a time.
Oddy was probably about to say something clever, but her eyes have widended, and her mouth made an O.
But then her near eternal smile return. She will scrath it later.
"Aw, sweetie. I guessed I moved too fast. I give such tips only to those I believe can be much more, then they are right now." she pause, her face cringe for a short moment as she force herself not to scratch, and she also isn't as jumpy.
"It's rare to see somepony with your abilties nowdays, and combined with more refined charms... minds of ponies will be your playthings. And my intuation tell me, you would play them into good deeds"
And with more hushed tone. "And... Iremia might need quite the guidance..'
"Rime, what do you mean by mail us?" Doc asked.
To Oddy, "You are very quick on your hoofs. Very few ponies move at your speed." Rime isn't sure if Oddy meant to give her a backhoofed compliment but she shouldn't get too mad at her friend. Oddy isn't scratching her back for some reason. Pride? She felt her spell go through and can see the blue spots on her back. The spell would break if Oddy scratched herself in front of everypony. She smiles at a compliments that could not be backhoofed. "Magic takes a lot more hard work than most ponies realize. The path is difficult and many fall short. We make a good team, you and I. You keep that intuition of yours sharp." She lowers her voice. "And, we will help Iremia. Two more days and she will be with my family."
To Doc, "That was what I was discussing with Oddy. I know a spell that allows me to speak to people at great distance. I will reach out to your group that way to arrange a meeting once my business concludes. Another meeting spot could be arranged instead? If you would rather I meet with you that way."
Roxy waves vaguely to acknowledge Golden's and Rime's words. Salty Streesweep, dinner, three levels down. Sounds simple enough and Roxy was finally becoming more alert after a full belly and coffee. Roxy gathers her things and plops it down not far from Quoth and looks through her bags. Seeming to make sure everything was still in place and there were other ponies still disembarking anyway.
"Anything else I need know? What they look like? Signal?" She mutters quietly to the ghoul.
To Roxy she smiled.
"Oh! Our lovelist sand dog is awake! Oora! Oora!" she salute! Her face cringe only for a moment from the itch.
Golden smiles at Doc. "Good! You can carry the stuff, then." She chuckles and pats him on the back. "Don't worry. We'll only buy half a ton of equipment, but we'll get a sled you can pull it on." She nods in acknowledgment to Rime. "Alright! We'll do most of our shopping at the Powerline Supply Store.
She then steps away for a moment and onto the platform itself to secure several weighty trunks full of stuff that the Porter is offloading from the train. She thanks him and gives him a few caps as a tip.
Quoth stares straight ahead. He pats Two-Bit on the head. "Here's the caps, kid. Go stand in line by that refreshment stand and get yourself something. I'll be along in a moment."
Two Bit nods. "You want anything, Mister Raven?"
Quoth's beak cracks into a smile. "Ask if they have Dippsy' Dots."
The colt's snouth scrunches up in confusion. "Never heard of them, but I will check!" He trots off to stand in line, still within line of sight of Quoth.
The ghouled griffon nods towards a figure standing in the corner. "There she is," he says to Roxy, "I'll approach her, she'll hand over the caps, and I'll say, 'pleasure doing business'. That's when you strike. Got it?"
"Does Powerline deal in firearms and related gear? I may go with you after Casanova and I cart this stuff off..."
Pepper, or "Glint" as she's calling herself rolls her eyes at Doc's chivalrous affronts, but only moves away when Oddy gets near her, actually trying to take flight--just out of reach-- with her gun case in tow. This interrupts whatever she had planned to say to Rime.
"Look, snowflake, you may wanna go have fun elsewhere for a while, I'm just gonna be lugging around heavy equipment with this guy," she points a hoof at Doc, "It's got to be done, after all, unless you're volunteering to carry some actual weight around."
"Carry things? Sure! Easy peasy!" Oddy nodded entuasticly.
"But then you let me order you a drink! Ms. General Captain... Glint?' she tilted her head, unsure if she heard tbe name correctly
Doc chuckles. "I'll remember to channel my inner sled dog. Makes logistical sense though--we'd want Glint, Oddy, and Rime to be free of reins to do their respective flying and magic tricks if something attacks us along the trip."
Doc listens to the conversation, but doesn't comment.
"Casanova?" Doc questioned, genuinely confused as to why that nickname stuck to him. He wasn't trying to be anything but helpful. Is that not a thing up this far north?
"Da'ww, Doccy sweetie! Aren't you chivaloriouse? I carry stuff all the time, and it doesn't hold me back! So don't worry!"
"Are we still talking about carrying stuff?' Oddy has tilted her head.