Wanderlust: Equestrian Nights, Part II

Scorch finishes and swallows the doughnut he was munching on during the explanation before stating "That seems like a very basic plan."

"Yeeess, I admit it hasn't been hammered out very well. I wanted to hear your opinions first, considering you're in the middle of it."

"I didn't realize you played so loosely with the lives of your allies, princess." Far from being disgusted, Spring was a little impressed. It was the only sensible option. He just found it amusing that Ms. Friendship and Love had decided up on it.

Spring grins. He was beginning to appreciate the princess. "If I had a better plan, you would've heard about it. I'm in, but we need to keep in mind that they're moving too. What happens if we fail to draw them out...because they attack here? They clearly still occupy your cities. Mint Jewel was doing community service."

"Well, if we don't go, we could just as likely fail because they don't do anything here," comments Scorch, "I'm guessing the reasons we're going to Canterlot is because we don't know what has happened to the dominate-pony-thing there, the higher population increases the chances that herdmind members would be there, and the increased security of the city decreases the chances of escape. Not like they will if I'm there though."

"Well... I can't say I have any objection. It'll be nice to head back to Canterlot, besides, on national business." He smiled slightly. "I need to make a report to the University anyway, tell them what happened with the reason I was came to Ponyville in the first place."

"I'm asking the Princess." Spring says, more or less replying to Scorch. However, he continues to train his gaze on Twilight. "Have you considered this? What happens if they come back?"

"If they come back here? We'll be ready for them," Twilight says confidently. "All the same, I would like to have more information before that happens. Hence the campaign to capture a Dominant. Alive, please," she explains, glaring once more at Bubbling Spring as she stresses the word "alive".

"The main hurdle to this particular plan is how to draw enough attention to yourselves to draw them out. What happened with Mint Jewel has happenstance, and I'd rather not count on it happening a second time."

"Surviving to bring you back anything seemed like a bright idea at the time." Spring says wryly. "But if I find myself in a similar situation, I'll be sure to offer my life in return for the prompt delivery of her unconscious form. I could probably get you a new crown or a cape in the deal, how does that sound?"

Once Scorch is done mumbling and pacing to himself over the nerve of that unicorn Bubbling and his reply to Scorch, trying his best not to cause a scene, says "Well, if this Dominant could be anypony, then we need to do this in a place everypony can see us. Or, them, I guess." He looks up at the three unicorns and pegasus, trying to figure out what would be a good explanation for at least one of them doing something to draw attention. "So, what exactly do they know about you guys? They share what they know, right? So what exactly have any of you said to any of them? We don't want to do something that they know you don't do."

The twins have been silent the whole time, for different reasons. While both of them understand the plan to be bait, Soft is just meekly going along with it, while Water is actually just trying to keep up. In so doing, she finally speaks up. "Wait, I have a question, too. If we're gonna be bait, right, and they decide to come after us- how do we know we're even going to see the Dominant? What's to keep them from hiding out somewhere on the other side of town, and just sending a bunch of minions at us instead?" Soft joins in, "Yeah, why would the dominant risk discovery at all?"

"Frankly, even one of the 'minions' would be helpful, although naturally not as much as a Dominant," the princess explains. "Either one gives us information we badly need. A minion, at least, could offer opportunities to study the Herdmind magically. A Dominant, however, can be questioned. If they send minions, the risk for us decreases as well, while still offering a reasonable return."

"So it doesn't matter who they send? The important thing is that we getting their attention, and then protecting our ponies?" Scorch ponders for a moment, "Don't suppose you got a map of Canterlot around?"

"I do," the princess says, unrolling a map onto the table. You can see all of the streets, businesses, and alleyways sprawled across the table.

The twins scrutinize the map of Canterlot, though don't really know what to suggest. "...Let's go to the Mall. We could get some shopping done while we wait to be attacked by insane herdmind ponies."

Scorch thinks about the malls in Canterlot to figure out which would be the most ideal for this situation...

(General Knowledge: 13 (Roll) + 6 (Skill) + 2 (Level) = 21)

Scorch knows of several locales that could work. The Trotson Shopping Center first comes to mind as the go-to place to waste time and money in Canterlot. There's also a place called the Bazaar; simply a wide lot filled with tents, tables, ponies, and their miscellaneous junk: if you can't find it there, it's probably not worth having, and who knows who you might bump into. Scorch has also heard rumors of an underground market called Deeplight for the more legally questionable products (or information) one might want to acquire (or rid oneself of), but who would want to go there?

"Well, for malls, you've got two options. We could take the Trotson Centre if you just want a regular mall, but we've also the Bazaar, which is a weird place full of trash. Oh, and maybe Deeplight, if that's even real. If it is though, it's a wretched hive of scum and villainy. Question is though," Scorch scratches the side of his neck above the chain brace, "Which one would we most likely find the Dominant?"

"The Deeplight would probably be the easiest place for them to infiltrate. It's also the place that can complain the least if we wreck half the shops chasing a Dominant down, and it's not like anyone's going to raise an eyebrow if a scuffle breaks out down there." Spring thinks a little more. "On the other hand, we're just as likely to get accosted by some two-bit pickpocket or mugger as our real threat. And we only really get one attempt at jumping them."

"Mm...that's fair. In fact, they should already be present in the city. Mint Jewel was doing community service when she found me; that's not the position of a newly-arrived traveler." Spring looks up at Twilight. "How suspicious does deploying sections of the Royal Guard to areas around Canterlot seem? They function as the city's police force too, right?"

"There's a separate division of the Guard for law enforcement," Twilight explains. "They're already posted around Canterlot under normal circumstances. In light of the recent attacks, there have been additional Guards posted in key places as well. So no, it wouldn't look odd at all."

"Oh, they'll notice," Princess Twilight says, a grin playing onto her face. "See, you four have gone to a lot more trouble than I anticipated, and I don't want you to feel unnoticed. If you're not going home, you're going big," she says, her grin widening as she unrolls what seems to be a blueprint of some kind.