The Frozen North: All Aboard!

[DigoDragon]

"Doesn't matter where a hired gun's from. But I'm not a former raider either if you were going to ask about that." she then... well, ignore is a strong word. She doesn't initiate further conversation but if the earth pony has any legit questions, or statements, she's not stopping him. Eventually he'll say what he wants and despite her low opinion of the guy, better him than that reindeer trying to get her to dance while performing delicate maintenance.

Doc sits down, he watches the pegasus tinker. "Nah, you weren't a raider. For one thing, you were a professional out there when we found the alicorn; eyes were always on the target. The other, the condition of your weapon is too immaculate," he says, pointing with a gesture of his snout rather than pointing with a hoof. "That's a... Pranci SPAS-12, right? Beautiful weapon."

[Miltonian]

Two Bit's eyes shine. "Thanks, ma'am!" he says politely and zips over to get breakfast. Minion honors Doc's contribution and seems to forget that he didn't pay enough to cover the inflated cost. The colt gets his breakfast for free. Golden is enjoying hers, but she seems a little disgruntled about something.

"Er..." Minion points to the door she came through. "He's in there, but passengers aren't allowed in there..." Her eyes travel back to the disco ball and she sighs. "Still needs strobe lights..." That might answer Roxy's question, but it probably raises even more questions. Her eyes brighten. "I could turn the lights on and off really fast and--"

"For the love of Celestia, what is that horrid contraption hanging from the ceiling?" a deep, stentorian voice booms through the car. The mustachioed stallion, who left before the events turned everything upside down, glowers at the disco ball. "That can't be regulation. Remove it at once!"

[tonberryking]

"Celestia bucking broncos, this pony knows too much..."

She thinks to herself as Pepper, spitting out the tool into the case. She responds as Glint, hastily pushing everything back into place and slamming the case shut as Mr. Mustache shows up, not wanting a train official to see her working on a freaking gun.

"--don't call it beautiful. Doesn't matter how high quality it is, or if its owner--that's me-- has an affinity for it. It's still a tool. It's not some work of industrial art; it has a very specific purpose." She recalled Doc has a sword. Figures. She never met a swordpony who didn't have a romanticized take on weapons, even that one sedate unicorn she crossed paths with who looked like a green Friesian with some glitzy blade. Goddesses she hopes there aren't any more like her...

"What exactly are you trying to get out of me?" she asks in a slightly lowered voice, once more taking a generous sip of coffee.

[DigoDragon]

"What exactly are you trying to get out of me?" she asks in a slightly lowered voice, once more taking a generous sip of coffee.

"Just a conversation, nothing more," Doc answers with a calm tone. "Figured we could chat casually about hardware over a cup of coffee. I know a bit about firearms from my mama back in Manehattan. She's an officer over in our little town. Near as I remember, she taught me to shoot about the age I was able to pull a trigger."

He sips his coffee. "Well, reckon you remember my nickname from last night. Don't think I caught what name you go by?"

[igordragonian]

'Don't worry Minnie sweetie, nopony will see me go in there.', and true to her word, Oddy walk away when the others are distracted with each other


She is covered in a silvery mist and go to her next victim target. She doesnt expose herself yet

[Elbeyon]

Is the ghoul still upset about Rime telling everypony to get off her? He is so sensitive for a ghoul. A pony would think the years would have given him a thicker coat despite him skin conditions. He shouldn't have even been upset in the first place. She doesn't have to talk to him or his charge! Rime watches the colt zip off then returns her attention to her own business. He is so rude!

Rime studies Golden then looks at her food. She asks, "Is everything alright?" Rime coats her hoof in glowing blue magic and shows it off to Golden. "My apple bombs are great, but I have enchanted them to bring out their essential flavor. Would you like me to do the same for your breakfast?" Rime sips her coffee.

Rime notices the mustachioed stallion, but he isn't her concern.

She says to Roxy. "I can believe that. You apparently slept rather comfortably. Your fur is a great asset to you." Rime thinks. "Are you a bounty hunter? A tough gunslinger looking for paying jobs sounds like a bounty hunter to me. Or, perhaps this is a one-off for you and you have some other aspirations?"

[tonberryking]

"...Glint Eastwind"

She looks out the window for a moment, realizing she's not getting rid of Doc that easily.

"If you're still trying to hit on me, fella, bringing up your mom isn't going to win me over. Besides, most officers are chunkhead bullies... Why aren't you making nice with the princess, anyhow? She's been awful quiet wherever she is."

[Miltonian]

At that moment, Quoth chooses to lean down and say to Rime. "I had them when they weren't 200 years old." He then resumes keeping a close eye on Two Bit. The ghoul looks sleepy right now. A bit slow on the uptake. He could use some coffee. He has been up all night.

"But," Minion says as Oddy slips away, "But, you're supposed to stay here! That's the orders. You can't--" Oddy slips away. Minion sits down on her haunches. "Oh dear. Ohhhhh dear. This is bad."

"I'll say it is," the stallion says, "You haven't served me yet. Incompetent, that's what you are."

Minion leaps to her hooves and pushes the cart forward. "Of course, sir!" she says, forcing a smile onto her face, "So sorry."

"You should be," he snaps, "Now, I want a full-course spread." He looks askance at her. "You do have that, don't you?"

"Er..." Minion starts flipping through a small book. "Flambee...flange..."

"You don't know?" The stallion scoffs. "Well, somepony is losing their job today."

Golden glances back at the scene and throws the stallion a disapproving look, but says nothing. To Rime, she says, "That would be nice. They taste, well, a few hundred years past their expiration date."

Meanwhile, Oddy has slipped into the engine itself. The first section has been converted into a makeshift kitchen, whose parts fold away when not in use. Another mare sits by the stove, frying up some more mushrooms. Towards the back, two and a mare stallions sit around the table, smoking and playing cards while they wait for their breakfast. One of them wears the Chief Engineer's uniform. There is Oddy's target.

[igordragonian]

Oddy smile.
She breath intimatly into the chief engineer.
"Fun!' she wishper and squeak, and then hop away, still in mist.
Seeding an idea.
For now she observe and study him.

Spoiler: rolls

Show

Empathy roll please!
Body launguage 13
(3d6)[3][5][2](10)

[DigoDragon]

"If you're still trying to hit on me, fella, bringing up your mom isn't going to win me over. Besides, most officers are chunkhead bullies... Why aren't you making nice with the princess, anyhow? She's been awful quiet wherever she is."

Doc chuckles into his cup of coffee. "Neigh, I'm not trying to hit on you. Don't want anything to do with the alicorn either. Yeah, she was pretty, but I came to my senses right quick. Alicorn are nothing but trouble. Dunno where she went, but seemed like she flew off based on how Oddy and Rime been acting. Probably for the best I reckon."

He drinks down the last sip of coffee. "I just wanted a friendly chat here." Doc leans a little closer, whispering, "See that mare there, Golden Opportunity? Did she hire you as part of a team to raid a Depot or something like that?"

[Elbeyon]

Rime purses her lips at Quoth. He must be tired. Rime is tired too of the crappy food in the Frozen North. It is so rare to get something fresh that isn't mushrooms. Mushrooms themselves got old seventeen years ago. There is no variety! The only food worth eating unaltered is in her dreams. Quoth calling the food poor tasting is something she would agree with normally, but these aren't any normal Apple Bombs. Rime enchanted them and takes offense to him calling her food low quality. Rime would rather stave than eat some nasty food.

She says to Quoth, "You would be surprised by how little can change in two hundred years." Rime takes a dramatic chomp in front of him then gives him a fake smile. She forks an apple bomb from her bowl and floats it closer to Quoth. "This apple bomb has patiently waited over two hundred years to be eaten by you. In all its waiting it has always remembered that it is an apple bomb. You should finish its story. You just might have some pleasant memories yourself."

She notices the mustachioed stallion again when he snaps at Minion but she returns her attention back to Golden. "That sounds horrible. You ordered the same thing as me. You should at least eat the same thing as me." She smiles at Golden. Rime hovers her glowing hoof over Golden's food and sprinkles magic on it. The food and drink glow blue for a moment before returning to normal. The food suddenly looks more appetizing and fresher. The taste that left it over the two hundred years returns with a positive new attitude, ready to kick tongue. Rime expectantly, cheerily asks, "How is that? Today is an important day. I would not want you getting off on the wrong hoof. The group is depending on us for success."

[Miltonian]

Oddy senses that he is a hard, but fair, pony. The hardness is common out here. Train-ponies are not the richest nor do they have the easiest life. The fairness is less common. She observes him pass by at least two chances to cheat, one of which would have won him quite a bit of caps.

Her whisper, however, has a very different effect. He goes pale, brown coat almost matching hers. "Oh no," he says, "The pink ghost. She's back!"

===

Quoth sighs softly. "Fine," he says and pops it into his mouth. He frowns and chews slowly. "Well. It doesn't taste like radiation. Tastes like...like I remember it tasting before the War."

Golden also takes a bite and makes an appreciative 'hmm' sound. "That's more like it," she says, perking up a bit, "Thank you, partner." She gives Rime a friendly (light) punch on the shoulder. "Knew I made the right choice with you."

[tonberryking]

"Yeah, she did. Hang on..." Glint stopped looking at Doc moments ago, her aqua eyes narrowing at the newcomer.

"HEY! WALRUS!" apparently Mr. Mustache isn't the only pony around who can be loud, "Either can it or pick on somepony you can't have fired, why don't you!? We all got enough problems without out you trying to sack the staff around here!" she gives Minion a look. If he tries to have her fired, "Glint's" got her back. Also, she wants a second coffee.

"Jeez, it's a crazy train, but it's not her damn fault..." she growls, considering the matter settled, " The nerve of some stuffedshirts.
Anyway, yeah, she did. Don't tell me you charmed your way on board too?" It's as if her outburst didn't occur, but to Doc she seems a little more cooperative now to speak with him. ...Just what did she have pent up before this!?

Spoiler: OOC/Rolls

Show

(1d6)[1](1d6)[6](1d6)[5]
Intimidation?

[DigoDragon]

"Jeez, it's a crazy train, but it's not her damn fault..." she growls, considering the matter settled, " The nerve of some stuffedshirts.
Anyway, yeah, she did. Don't tell me you charmed your way on board too?" It's as if her outburst didn't occur, but to Doc she seems a little more cooperative now to speak with him. ...Just what did she have pent up before this!?

Doc gives Glint an appreciative 'golf clap' when she stands up for the server mare. He agrees with her statement.

At the question, Doc chuckles. "Other way around, actually," he confesses, but in hushed tones to keep the conversation between them. "She cornered me last night and put on a decent sales pitch. Reckon if this place is genuine, she wants a doctor in case it's got some real traps inside. She hired the sand dog too. The way I figure it, she wants to put the team together all at once so her info doesn't leak out to other salvage teams. So I'm bettin' the unicorn got hired for her magical knowledge. Not sure about the reindeer, though I can think of a few uses for her abilities to walk on air and pull stuff out of her pockets. Could do without her vamping attempts."

Doc rolls the cup between his hooves. "Well, best four out of five, eh?"

[Elbeyon]

Rime genuinely smiles at Quoth humoring her and him taking a bite. "The apple bomb's story comes to end except to those that look back. You may call it fate or destiny that lead to this moment. A pleasant, tasty memory. Not exactly low rubbish now was it?" There is no way he wouldn't recognize it was good. It was enchanted by herself! Rime pulls her fork back and routinely cleans it off with a floating cloth. She forks a small apple bomb piece herself. A quick bite to eat before she continues.

"We did not have a chance to introduce ourselves with everything happening last night." Rime shifts her staff to her non-dominate hoof and extends her hoof to shake his claw. "I am Rime Verse. You may have heard of me. I noticed you reading out in the hall last night. An avid reader who can not even put down a good book to sleep, yet kind enough to fear that their reading light would wake the colt." Rime needles him with a smile. "Are you off on a grand rewarding adventure with the colt?" Her writing book and pen float at her side.

She levitates another fork into her mouth. To Golden, "Not everyone truly appreciates good food." She smiles at being thanked. "You are welcome. It feels good to be working with you, partner." Rime looks at her punched shoulder like she isn't entirely sure how to respond. She has heard tales of shoulder punching between friends but she has never genuinely experienced it. She tries to act like there was no delay and her body language accepts the good natured punch. "You did." Make the right choice. "I made the right choice with you." Rime sips her coffee. "Have you traveled to Neighagara Falls often?"

[userpay]

Roxy tucks into her food, still peering about bleary eyed though the coffee is helping that at least slightly. The disco ball in particular gets a long look from the sand dog. Sparkly... But not the right kind of sparkly. Her head tilts back towards Rime when she talks to Roxy again. "Mmm... Sorta. Guess I'm more an odd job sorta dog. Gotta beable to handle yourselfz to keep folks from messing with chu and gotta make caps."

Glint laying into the random stallion though draws a bemused cackle from Roxy. "Speaking of messing..." She half rolls half flops over, somehow not spilling her goodies, to look at the mustached stallion. "There's a thing called a line, or do you not have those back where you come from?"

[Miltonian]

The stallion's face turns red. A vein appears on his forehead and it looks as though he might have a stroke right then and there. "I have never been so insulted in my life. Young filly, do you even know who I am? I can only presume not, because otherwise you would not have dared to speak that way to me!" He shakes his cane in Pepper and Roxys's general direction, but before he can go on, Minion plops his meal down in front of him.

"There you are sir!" she says brightly, but through clenched teeth, "Enjoy!" She turns around and trots over to serve Worthy and Firestarter instead.

Quoth chuckles. "No offense, doll, you're too young for me to have heard about. Seen too many bright young prodigies. Most of them die before they really do much." He clears his throat. "Wishing you better luck than them, of course. Anyway, name's Quoth. Quoth the Raven, according to my registered title. Actually more of a hawk, but they insisted it'd sound cooler."

"Just some light reading," he says modestly, "Gotta admit, I do miss bookstores. I mean, they're still around, but most of the books are gone or ruined and if there's still a teller they've gone all ghoulish and feral." He chuckles. "...Two Bit's a good colt. His parents seem alright. Paid promptly and didn't try to cheat, at least."

"I have been there quite often," Golden says, "I actually spend more time there then at the Resort."

"Neighagara's a good place," Quoth says, "As cities go. Institute's kinder, but a bit more full of themselves."

[igordragonian]

Oddy giggle.
"Oh. Terror prank? It's quite rare. But would be nice change of pace."
She passed around his ear again
"Fuuuuun...' wishpered and hoped away still in mist.
She pull a small ball from her reserve and throw it at the middle of the room and anounced.
"Poing!' and hopped away for safety amused to see what will happen.
pink ghost? Sound cute. She sound like a nice pony

[Elbeyon]

To Quoth, "I see the cold even slows the travel of information." He should have heard of her since he was in Rainbow Resort. "You must have an eye for talent. Most of those 'prodigies' lacked the character to survive out in the Frozen North. Not everypony is destined to travel such an inhospitable environment. Travel at length at least." She smirks. "Thank you for your well wishes. Everyone needs luck on their side from time to time. The wasteland is harsh." She looks interested when he mentions he has a title. She asks with a bit of excitement, "Registered title? Are you a part of The Regulators? Quoth the Raven. The title fits a regulator very well."

She smiles at him. "I do love a good book, any book. I prefer non-fiction if you are ever kind enough to share with me. Libraries have much the same horrible fate. I do wish I got to experience the massive libraries and bookstores of the past. You were very lucky to live in the golden age of books." Her fork has stopped moving at this point. "As a fellow reader you must know I would want to know the location of any libraries or bookstores. I do not care if feral ghouls inhabit the place. We can group up and clear them out. I am willing to spend my food caps on any worthwhile rumors."

"More books are being lost everyday than new books written. Not enough ponies have a passion or ability for writing. That is why I am going to write as many books as I can! I want future ponies to read something that is not two hundred years old. I want them to fall in love with our stories, our lives and struggles. I want to fuel their passion to learn and read." She looks over to Two Bit. "He seems like a good colt. Polite. He is the type of young pony I want reading everyday."

She says to Golden, "I have never been to Neighagara falls, but I do listen to their radio channel. I feel like I already know city. Though, I am happy to have such a capable guide to actually show me around." She says to Quoth. "Neighagara does seem to care about being a good place to live. The place seems to have had some success." She is glad to hear from Golden and Quoth the place is decent. The change in comfort from the Resort to any other place is going to be staggering. She could have picked a worst first to visit.

To Roxy, "An odd job specialist. Wonderful. I am a freelancer as well. I do whatever fits my fancy and is worth the caps. Food does not grown on trees." She chuckles at her own joke. "You seem capable of handling yourself. You do have this rough air about you that intimidates away trouble. I like that. A commanding presence is too rare a trait. I am hoping to write and publish books as I travel around. Share my stories with the world." She smiles at Roxy. "Are you interested in being a character in my books?"

[Miltonian]

"Sir, there is no..." the mare begins. Then, Oddy's ball strikes the floor. All eyes fall on it. They exchange glances, wide-eyed and frightened..

"THE TRAIN IS HAUNTED!"

"THE PINK GHOST IS HERE!"

"I DON'T WANT A PARTY! I WANT TO GO HOME!"

"CELESTIA SAVE US ALL!"

=========

Quoth shrugs. Even if he had heard, there is no guarantee he would have cared. In answer to her question, he says, "...Yeah. I'm a Regulator. One of the oldest, though that comes with the ghoul territory. Least it means I'm good at surviving."

He looks her up and down. "Yeah, you look the type. Tell you what, for a single cap, I'll mark down the locations of a few I remember on any map you've got. Can't give it out free, you know, but I can almost do it for free."

"Oh, I'm sure his parents are cramming his head full of technical manuals and the like." He chuckles.

"Speaking of Neighagara," Golden says, "Ms. Minion! How long do we have before we pull in?"

"Thirty minutes!" Minion calls back.

[igordragonian]

Oddy giggle.
She take a small note and with crayon write.
"Workers say they can't dance and play. Until they have time for it, I will play and dance with you!' she make a plane from the note, toss it in the engineer's face, then hop to him and wishper.
"Open! Thihihi! Or else!'

[Elbeyon]

Rime hears shouting in the crew area. Haunted? Pink Ghosts? Parties? Her only question is how Oddy is involved. Rime pretends she didn't hear anything. It is too early in the morning to deal with hysterics.

Rime brightens at being correct. "I thought The Regulators only did bounty missions?" Her pen scribes intensely. The Regulators are good writing material. "Is there more to this job or is this not official regulator work? That is amazing that you have had such a dangerous job for such a long time and have managed to survive." She chuckles. "I am apparently not the only one with a little luck on my side. How exactly did the regulators come to exist? Were you there for the group's creation?" She says as an aside, "Whoever came up with your original title deserves thanks. The name is very stylish."

She calls a cap out from her backpack and holds her hoof out to drop the payment in his claw. "Why are you not the little daisy pusher?" Rime is smiling and taking his judgement as a compliment. She is trying to call him charming. "Here. A candy for you as well." She will drop the cap and an enchanted candy into his claw. "I do not have a map on my pony. I will go buy one from a cartographer when we reach the city and return back to the train for you can mark it."

Rime isn't ignoring Golden. Thirty minutes, hm. Rime bites into an apple bomb for the first time in a while. Her coffee half drank by now.

[tonberryking]

Ignoring Mr. Walrus, because she is done with him, Pepper gives Doc an odd look. She's heard the "Oh no, he/she came onto me" bit before but doesn't seem to think he'd be trying to impress her with that.

"Maybe she can distract robotic guard turrets or barter with some insane dowager toting a rusty blunderbuss if we encounter anypony alive where we're going," she starts when the other occupants begin screaming. She sits upright with a jolt, revealing what seems to be a larger/more complex version of Doc's own firearm under her coat, but doesn't draw her weapon. "...that was her, wasn't it? Dammit, I need more coffee for this. How do you even keep someone like her in line?"

[DigoDragon]

She sits upright with a jolt, revealing what seems to be a larger/more complex version of Doc's own firearm under her coat, but doesn't draw her weapon. "...that was her, wasn't it? Dammit, I need more coffee for this. How do you even keep someone like her in line?"

"I'm not sure you keep a mare like her in line so much you just keep her 'business end' pointed toward the enemy," Doc comments. He notes Glint's firearm. Neat. Doc gets up and straps on his shield.

"Right. So, let's find out which it is. I'm going to go retrieve Oddy before someone decides to test the theory if ghosts can be shot." Doc goes through the door Minion came from to find Oddy.

[Miltonian]

Terrified and on the verge of a breakdown, the engineer shakily opens the note, as Oddy instructed. He shudders when he reads the words. "She...she wants us to dance for her amusement," he tells them.

The cook shakes her hoof at the air. "Curse, you Pink Ghost! We have work to do!"

The other mare tackles her to the ground. "She didn't mean it! We'll dance! We'll dance!" She rolls off the first mare and begins dancing frantically. "S-see? We're dancing! Please don't shoot us with the cannon!"

===

Quoth is becoming increasingly distracted by the noises from upfront, but he carries the conversation a little farther. "We do other work too, just not as Regulators," he says, "And we can charge very well for it too." He scratches his head and looks mournfully at the feather that falls out. With a sigh, he flicks it away. "Better not be balding. Anyway. Yeah, I was around. Didn't join up till later, but I was around. Working as a caravan guard back then for the traders that braved the backroads before the trains got up and running. Basically, ponies that got a reputation for killing raiders banded together to take down bigger gangs. Founder went by the name of Sniper Scope. Markspony, so they say. Could shoot the wings off a bloatsprite from across town. He and his pals killed just about everything that troubled the Frozen North. Even took on a few alicorns. Soon, it became official, or as official as it gets."

"Course, they're dead now. Where they're buried is something every Regulator knows but tells no-one else."

He squints at her, puzzling that compliment out. He decides it's alright and nods. "Right then," he says, "Right. You do that."

He turns towards the front door about the same time Oddy and Doc do. "Someone should take care of that." He begins moving towards it.

[igordragonian]

Oddy burst into a laughter.
"Cannons? This one g'hardcore ghost..'

She write another note.
"ThIs Is A gOoD StArT. iF yOu PrOmIsE tO gIvE pArTy TiMe EvErY dAy. OkIe DoKiE?'

[DigoDragon]

Doc calls out the reindeer's name as he moves to the front. "Oddy? Where are ya, you little scamp? I think you had enough fun with the train crew."

[userpay]

"Books?" Roxy looks at Rime with a puzzled expression. An offer like that would be a first, folks were usually going on about fleas or hey give that back. "Eh, sure I guess. So long as I get a cut." Roxy gestures vaguely.

At the yells from the next car come through Roxy's head flicks around. Pink ghost? Surely they couldn't be talking about... Roxy shuffles herself further into her seat. Just... Hope she doesn't see Roxy. It's her best chance.

[Elbeyon]

Rime watches the engine car door and sips her sweet coffee. "I imagine well-regarded Regulators could charge a pretty cap. One of which I am sure you are." The feather floating to the ground draws a similar reaction from her as him. Cursed bald for all eternity or however many more hundred years Quoth has in him sounds like an unkind fate. She can almost feel pain in her mane. "I would hope not." That would be very unfortunate. "Amazing, you are a history piece. You could write a book or two yourself." She smiles. "I imagine you as the type that would defend traveling traders. I see you have always been drawn to dangerous work." She writes Sniper Scope in her book and underlines it three times. "He sounds like an amazing pony. May his grave be protected."

Great! He will wait for her at the train station. "I will try not to keep you waiting long. You do not go running off on me now before I get back. You understand?"

She lowers her cup as he walks away from her. "Good luck," she says with a sweet voice. Blue magic surrounds the feather on the floor, and Rime picks it up. She sips her coffee and puts Quoth's feather into her saddlebag.

To Roxy, "You are a member of an important crew now. Me leaving you out would impacting the story's integrity." The ask for money strains Rime's face. "There are certain momentary benefits that come with fame. You will be fairly compensated." She looks towards the front with Roxy then turns to face her again with a big grin. "Roxy, how do you feel about ghosts? They are a rare encounter for anypony that doesn't dabble in their dealings. They are very obsessive in whatever entitlements hound them. A blade nor bullet slowing them down as they move about the living world."

[Miltonian]

"And now she's bankrupting us," the tackled mare says.

"Quiet! We have to do what she says," the engineer declares, "Y-yes, oh great and powerful ghost. A party everyday..."

===

"Thanks. I hope I won't need good luck, but it never hurts." Quoth moves to the door alongside Doc. "You think this is the reindeer's doing?"

Golden clucks her tongue. "I think we may need to keep a close eye on our two-horned friend. In the future."