Dragon's Feud

jaguargamma wrote:"Guess we're off again to see the princess-wizard."

"Eyup," Pumpkin agrees, looking past the others at the departing Big Mac for a few long seconds.

She looks back at Applejack, surprised, when the farm mare elaborates on what had happened to the castle. They just... carried off the entire thing? How did that not wake her? Then, again, she'd been up late avoiding studying for the upcoming test by watching a Metropolis rerun marathon after she'd accidentally lost track of time and drank a pot... or two of coffee around 11 PM. It's the type of accident that could happen to anypony, after all.

The dragons probably stole the castle after she'd eventually passed out. Well, there went her magic dragon teleportation idea. Maybe she'd been reading too many mystery novels.

"Well, I guess we better head back to town," she says to the others before turning to Applejack. "We're pretty sure the diamond dogs don't actually know anything. The dragon really is our best bet," she states before turning to head off back to the main part of Ponyville.

"I'll bet they had some real heavyweights in there then. Not a teenager like the one we got, but real big ones, the kind you hear about besieging castles in stories..."

Atlas muses. "Unless they've got a real army of them little teenagers."

Applejack falls silent for the rest of the way there, seemingly lost in thought. It takes a few minutes to get to Town Hall, where Applejack halts the group and runs inside to find Twilight. For several minutes you all are left standing around with the unconscious dogs, getting all manner of strange looks from the townsponies.

Mercifully, you don't have to wait too long, as the balcony doors on the second floor burst open, the winged unicorn hurtling herself to the ground in a rush to see the prisoners. "Three dogs? This is wonderful!" She comes over to check them over, as Applejack comes running out the front door to catch up. "You all performed exceptionally, with these three there's no telling what we an learn about the dragons' operations!" Twilight seems giddy, using her magic to lift all three into the air. "We need to take them to see Rarity right away." "Now wait a minute Twi, I get you're excited and all about your special team, but fact is we don't know if three dogs are any better than one, and we gotta account for them now- food and where to keep them and whatnot." Twilight looks over at her, concerned. "Is that going to be a problem? Rarity said the more the merrier." "Yeah, but that's only half the problem anyway." Applejack now looks to the collective group. "Y'all wanna tell her, or should I?" "Tell me... what?" "Yeah, tell her what?" Echoes the cheerful pink pony who seems to have come from nowhere, along with a tray of cupcakes that she seems halfway done devouring.

Chassis glances around, then decides to break the news herself.

"We didn't just get the dogs. We also got the dragon that was overseeing them."

Big lizard tried to pick fight when dogs start losing, Peony tries to elaborate on the circumstances of Sliver's capture. Big lighting hammer go BOOM, now dragon in orange pony's barn.

"Hey, at least somepony appreciates us," Pumpkin says to the others as the princess bursts eagerly through the door. Her excitement over their obviously hugely heroic deed almost makes up for that completely unfair library book fine from a year ago. Almost.

"Well, why shouldn't she be excited? We were pretty great, fighting a hundred diamond dogs and a dragon at the same time," Pumpkin says to Applejack, a louder than necessary. All the better to be overheard.

She continues, in a more reasonable volume. "If we can find out what's going on from them, we can stop it soon. Then, we can just let them go and forget about all this. Besides, keeping them here can't possibly take more food than how much they've been stealing from US!" She yelps the last word, toppling over in surprise as Pinkie Pie suddenly appears right next to them. She's so startled that she doesn't even get to take much part in the big reveal of the dragon, instead left just nodding along with the others.

Twilight's enthusiastic smile falls to a shocked deadpan. She listens to the account, as if trying to piece something together, and is only snapped from it when Pinkie fires a piece of popcorn into her open mouth. She spits it out, and rounds on Chassis. "You caught a DRAGON?!" She practically yells, getting the attention of a few nearby ponies, who watch in shock. She doesn't care though, her horn lighting up, and then in a flash she's disappeared.

Applejack looks like she's about to say something, but Twilight doesn't give her enough time before teleporting back in front of you. "A dragon, in Ponyville?" she looks livid, rotating on the spot to look at the entire team. "That's... I can't.... this is..." She sputters. "Well now you've done it." Pinkie says with a grin, finishing her popcorn and trotting (presumably) out of harm's reach. AJ also backs up, looking unsure. Twilight takes a breath, and then breaks into a wide smile. "This is WONDERFUL!" She grabs Chassi in a hug, then goes around hugging the rest. "Truly astonishing! I never thought my special team would be so effective and well-suited to the task!" Applejack sputters as Twilight lays on the praise. "This is incredible- there's so much more we can do now that we have a dragon prisoner. We'll take the dogs to Rarity, and then get to work on learning from all of them. Oooh this is so exciting!" "Now wait a minute Twi, just what are we gonna do to keep that thing locked up? It can't stay in my cellar!" "Applejack, don't you worry, you and I will figure out what to do with it- but I think your cellar may be the best case scenario." "Yeah? And my hat is made of Rock Candy!" She fires back- the mention of candy seeming to summon Pinkie Pie back to the conversation.

Twilight and Applejack argue for a moment, while Pinkie hangs out on the side with the group. "Wow, I wish they'd hurry up, I need to know what kind of cake Twilight wants for the 'we caught a dragon' party. Plus we have so much other work to do- I wonder if she's gonna send you guys to come help us next." She nudges Cherry in the ribs, and whispers, "There'll be cupcakes." Twilight breaks off from the discussion with AJ to come talk to the group. "We'll figure out what the best solution is on the way to the farm. Meanwhile, once you all have delivered those dogs to Rarity, you can come back here to rest, and then go meet with any of the other Team Leaders for your next mission." She trots off towards the farm with Applejack in tow, continuing their discussion. "Ugh, Twilight wait!" Pinkie bounces off after them, and then stops and looks back at Cherry. "CUPCAKES!" She whispers loudly with a wink, and then is gone.

It takes only another 10 minutes' walk to get to the Carousel boutique, Rarity's Dress shop and Team Amaranth's base of operations. There are several ponies lounging about outside the shop, but one of them spots the group coming with the cargo and runs inside. By the time you reach the door, all the ponies have gotten up to see the spectacle, and the dressmaker herself has come outside to greet you. "Oh my goodness, Twilight said I could expect a dog... but three? Excellent work. Boys, pleases take our guests to their new quarters." A sextet of large, strong looking stallions ttake control of the three dogs, and take them inside. "So wonderful to meet you all. I am Rarity, head of team Amaranth. And you are?" She looks at the group expectantly- never too busy for pleasantries, it seems.

---

Congratulations, the mission is officially accomplished, and the party officially levels up to level 6.

Chassis starts rubbing her muzzle the moment Twilight and AJ start arguing over containment.

A1C Bronymous wrote: "Now wait a minute Twi, just what are we gonna do to keep that thing locked up? It can't stay in my cellar!"

"The safe I asked you for earlier..."

"Applejack, don't you worry, you and I will figure out what to do with it- but I think your cellar may be the best case scenario." "Yeah? And my hat is made of Rock Candy!"

"Take a safe. Add air holes. Insert dragon."

"Wow, I wish they'd hurry up, I need to know what kind of cake Twilight wants for the 'we caught a dragon' party. Plus we have so much other work to do- I wonder if she's gonna send you guys to come help us next." She nudges Cherry in the ribs, and whispers, "There'll be cupcakes."

"I'm down for treating ourselves. Just as soon as..."

Twilight breaks off from the discussion with AJ to come talk to the group. "We'll figure out what the best solution is on the way to the farm."

Chassis starts to repeat her advice again, but then Twilight and AJ turn and leave, with Pinkie bouncing after them.

So instead, she uses her breath to sigh as she follows the group to Rarity's, "Or we'll just ignore the engineer and solve our practical problems ourselves. Because that's always pans out well."

It takes only another 10 minutes' walk to get to the Carousel boutique, Rarity's Dress shop and Team Amaranth's base of operations. There are several ponies lounging about outside the shop, but one of them spots the group coming with the cargo and runs inside. By the time you reach the door, all the ponies have gotten up to see the spectacle, and the dressmaker herself has come outside to greet you. "Oh my goodness, Twilight said I could expect a dog... but three? Excellent work. Boys, pleases take our guests to their new quarters." A sextet of large, strong looking stallions ttake control of the three dogs, and take them inside. "So wonderful to meet you all. I am Rarity, head of team Amaranth. And you are?" She looks at the group expectantly- never too busy for pleasantries, it seems.

Chassis steps forward. "I'm Chassis, engineer. I'm the one with the big coach and robot." She starts to offer her hoof, then stops. "My work involves grime and grease, but my hooves are clean. You're okay with that, right?"

Had too many prim-and-proper ladies turn into raging banshees on me over that. You seem nice enough, but I'm not gonna chance it.

"Pinkie Pie is more energetic than I'd imagined... And Princess Sparkle as well." Atlas muses on the way to the boutique.
Once he's there, he hands the bundled up dogs over to the stallions, while commenting, "Watch that one, it's a bit sharp. And that one's collar scuffs a little."
Finally he tunes in to Rarity's conversation, and gives a polite nod. "I'm Atlas. Wandering strongman and entertainer, now elite operative of Princess Sparkle... or something. Nice to meet you."

Eee, smells bad Peony complains as she is assaulted by a wave of perfumes on the way into the boutique. Like flowers but fake.

Helmaroc rolls her eyes and shakes the travel bottle a little, which shuts Peony up for a while.

Watching quietly from the side lines, Kabra'za's gaze wondered over the scene before him impassively. The zebra had offered to create a couple of very powerfully scented soaps for when prisoners started to come in; After all, "A lady of such high standing would be filled with wrath, if we didn't offer these filthy brutes a bath...". The fact that diamond dogs responded to hot, soapy water in the same manner as their more beast like dog kin had made him chuckle a little... Torture with kindness indeed. It wasn't hard work at any rate and he was fairly certain that complimenting the unicorn mare had been the right way to go to get in her good books.

However as he watched the scene before him, he tilted his head slightly as he allowed his thoughts to race; There was an opportunity before him and all he had to do was walk over and seize it! Walking towards the small group that had managed to bring in not one, but three dogs he allowed a small smile to appear on his face as he bowed his head a little. "Welcome to the Carousel boutique, Ponyville's own private fortress of chic. If such isn't banned I would love to join you merry band to travel across this wonderful land."

Dice rolls:

Pumpkin pumps a forehoof in the air as she hovers above the others as they near the boutique. "There's going to be a we caught a dragon party!" she enthuses, looking back at the non-residents. "You have no idea what kind of treat you're in for! Pinkie's parties are legendary! I hope there's going to be coffee cake!"

She quiets down a bit when they actually arrive, landing and crossing one forehoof behind the others, looking proud as can be. "The breezie and bird are Peony and Helmaroc," she says helpfully to Rarity while said breezie is busy doing what makes her most happy: complaining. "And I'm Pumpkin Spice and- holy Celestia! You're a zebra!" she interrupts herself in shock, looking over the white mare's shoulder.

"I mean... uh..." She looks completely abashed, muttering an apology. "What I meant was... Team Facundity could use all the help it can get," she says quickly, looking like she's an inch from shoving her own hoof in her mouth. She looks back at the others. "Right guys?" she asks, clearly trying to make up for her social blunder.

"I've met a few zebras in my travels, but they're not the most common in Eqeustria..." Atlas says, looking the newcomer over. "I don't mind. The more the merrier, right?"

Another zebra with a habit of speaking in rhyme. When they finally get Twilight's castle back, Chassis might have to raid Twilight's library for books on zebra cultures, too.

Any comment Chassis has about the subject stops short at the sound of heavy-steel hooves coming up the path behind the group. Mossburg is heading their way. At his side walks an older unicorn mare with a clipboard, the lapel of her business suit adorned with a pin displaying the logo for Stable Farms  Insurance Company.

"Oh! Excuse me for a second, everypony. Gotta take this."

Chassis meets the insurance agent just outside of earshot. The agent's expression remains deadpan as Chassis speaks with her, her focus on scribbling data onto the paperwork on her clipboard. When Chassis finished, the agent asks a few more pointed questions, patiently listening to Chassis's answers and adding whatever relevant information from them to her paperwork.

Finally, the older mare's magic curls the claim form she'd filled out into a tight roll and sent it away. After a few moments, another rolled-up form appeared in its place. The agent uncurled it, read it aloud, and after exchanging more words to Chassis, cast a spell.

And just like that, Chassis's mobile workshop coach appears out of thin air, looking as though nothing had happened to it.

As the agent spins and heads back into town, Chassis returns to the group with a smile.

"First lesson I learned after going nomad. You don't build a custom combination mobile home and workshop and NOT get insurance on it."

jaguargamma wrote:"My work involves grime and grease, but my hooves are clean. You're okay with that, right?"

Rarity smiles. "Of course, I understand the risks of labor. It is no problem." She shakes your hoof, but you notice a a slight hesitation, her briefly looking at it to make sure it is clean, before she does so. Rarity then acknowledges the rest of the introductions, and then providing one more while Chassis is summond to speak to the insurance agent. "Ah, yes. this is Dr. Kabra'za." She says delicately, still wrapping her tongue around the exotic name. "He's been quite the dear, providing all kinds of tinctures for our team members. He's also responsible for most of the smells around here, working on special shampoos and soaps for the dogs." She shoots a sideways glance toward the breezie, but maintains her polite smile. "Though I feel I must mention," She says, turning to Kabra'za, "while you arrived after teams were assigned- and I'm glad you chose to come and help us here at the Boutique- this team was put together by Twilight, and you'll probably need to run it by her before you tag along. Just to be safe, of course. You understand." You think you catch a subtle flutter of eyelashes...Rarity opens the door and allows everyone into the shop, but pauses, spying Cherry, who had not said anything yet. "Oh, my apologies, dear, I... must have missed your introduction as well. You are...?" She asks, holding out a polite hoof.

An awkward second passes, and then Chassis clears her throat.

"I should, uh...head back to Sweet Apple Acres. That wagon's blocking the road, and Applejack still has the stuff I need to hitch Mossburg to it."

She looks to Cherry for a second, then adds, "This is Cherry. You'll have to excuse her. She doesn't get a lot of sleep, so she tends to zone out a lot. I'll catch up with you once I get the wagon moved."

As she walks past Mossburg, Chassis starts to tell him to stay by the wagon, but stops for a moment to think.

"You know what? Mossburg, come with."

Mossburg looks at Chassis and intones, "Reminder. I am still banned from the premises."

"I'll handle it. Come anyway. Might need your muscle."

As he turns to follow his creator to Sweet Apple Acres, Mossburg steals a glance back to the party. As expressionless as his face is, his eyes still manage to beckon for somepony to come with him and Chassis.

"Bleh... I mean, Cherry Sundae is my name." Cherry wearily holds out her hoof. "Forgive my appearance, I haven't exactly gotten beauty sleep since moving to Ponyville. Never found a busier village than here. That's also why I didn't introduce myself earlier... sometimes I space out and don't notice or care about what's going on."

Cherry glances around, looking bored but simply tired, getting her bearings. "Even the pink one couldn't rouse me from my stupor... although I don't remember her saying anything that interested me, anyway. Something about cupcakes."

"Oh of course. I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't going to ask Princess Twilight for her blessing to join her personal team of troubleshooters. I was merely checking to see if making the request to join would be well received or not." Kabra'za answered, dropping the rhyming pattern of speech that he had been using mere moments before completely in order to speak as if he were a normal pony. Turning to Rarity proper, he offered a respectful little bow as he added "Provided of course that you could afford to let go of me and the services that I provide Lady Rarity."

Turning to glance at the party itself, he grinned a little as he looked them over in order to try and get a read of their abilities and skills. They didn't look like much, but they did successfully take down a small team of diamond dogs and their dragon overseer so clearly there was something about them. "I have traveled quite a bit myself. In fact I know how to speak a bit of the native tongue of Dimondia from a rather interesting journey there that might prove helpful in the field."

"Yet another reason I wish you'd stay, you would be very helpful when we interrogate the dogs." Rarity sighs, and grabs Cherry's hoof. "A pleasure to meet you, Cherry. It's too bad you haven't gotten any rest. Have you tried the spa, its simply wonderful for relaxation. Or I could offer you a bed here. My little sister is not here while this little crisis is happening, so it should remain quite peaceful, quiet..."

As you all move through the boutique, you spot a door, presumably to the basement, that has been repurposed with heavy locks and a sign that reads "Prisoner holding. All others keep out. Unless you're interrogating. Then its fine." The sign has the same curious shield symbol that the map from earlier bore. "The dogs will be kept down there. Fluttershy came by to ensure they would be comfortable, and once they're awake we can begin questioning them. My team has been training hard these last few days to ensure we'll be successful." Rarity continues on, leading you all into a cozy kitchen. "Now, would you all care for a break? Some tea or snacks? You should have a bit of a rest before your next mission."


After the longish trek back to the farm, Chassis can see that most of the work activity seems to have stopped. Team Barnyard members are standing around, talking among themselves. They seem to be crowded around the new barn- only recently put up, after the dragons' first attack. It looks good for having been put up on such short notice.

Food! Yes, pony, give food now-- grrk! Peony's excited mental babble is once again disrupted by Helmaroc shaking the bottle.

~P's and Q's, Peony...~ Helmaroc caws.

After tumbling around for a few seconds, Peony rights herself and coughs, reluctantly starting again. Er, yes. Pretty pony give food... please.

As the party started to walk into the boutique proper and paused at the basement door that had been converted into a prison cell (a move that raised some questions in his mind about the possibility of the dogs trying to tunnel their way to freedom, but he wouldn't ask them just yet...), Kabra'za kept his tongue until Rarity had finished and the Breezy/Eagle combination had spoken up at the offer of food before he politely cleared his throat. "While the others are enjoying your generous hospitality, I'm sure I could rouse one of the dogs from their slumber in order to ask a few questions. Just need to get a couple of things from my cart to help set the tone a little and a list of what questions you desire answered and I'll see what I can do. "

Taking a moment to glance at the party in thought for a moment, what could only be described as a devise grin appeared on his muzzle. "Actually, if any of you wish to help I think I have a tactic in mind..." Glancing back at Rarity, he quickly cleared his throat as he asked "I'm going to need some rope, two muzzles and about half a dozen bottles of ginger ale. I assume you've already stockpiled the two former, but do you know where I can get some fine examples of the latter?"

Chassis hums as the farm comes into view.

"Can't imagine what's got their interest."

Mossburg lowers his head and mutters, "Apprehensive. We may be required to enter the barn to confirm."

"I don't think anypony's going to make you go inside again after last time. I'm just here to get the stuff we need to hitch you to the new wagon. I should be able to handle that myself."

Mossburg gives Chassis an uneasy look as the crowd of ponies starts to part ahead of them.

"Well, I'm a traveler myself, so I wouldn't have the faintest clue," Atlas scratches his head as he thinks about the question. "What do you plan to do with so much ginger ale, anyway? It won't hurt the darn pups, will it?"

Kabra'za chuckled a little as he waved the possibility of actually harming the diamond dogs. "Oh, my current plans for the ginger ale would be to opening it up in celebration for getting some information out of one of our prisoners... but firstly it will be used as a prop." For a moment he considered keeping his cards close to his chest for this one... but odds were he was going to have to inform any of them that were going to be assisting anyway and he needed to get Rarity's permission to do it at any rate...

"Effectively what we need to do is figure out which of the three dogs you brought in is the most imaginative... We'll be able to figure that out very quickly because he'll be the one most worried about the situation he is currently in. Some fake skull candles lit by an unnaturally colored flame and some powerful smelling incense will help us figure out who our lucky pup is going to be..." He paused for a moment as he considered something before perking up "Added bonus, it helps mess up their sense of smell which will help make things easier."

Shaking his head to get back on track, he cleared his throat as he continued "Anyway... once we have our target, the fun begins. A few of us will go down there with the bottles of ginger ale, making a fuss about being quick before the powers that be figure out what we're doing, suggesting we're doing something naughty before grabbing one of the dogs who isn't our target and dragging him off out of eyesight of the other prisoners. Once he's out of sight, we gag him and tie him up before staging a one sided conversation for the other prisoners to hear before making the sound effects of a cork popping, a liquid fizzing... and a very loud howl of pain. Then repeat the process with the second prisoner who isn't our target as quickly as possible to deny him the chance to think or discuss anything with his friend. Then we let our target stew for a few minutes to let that imagination of his consider all the possible things we did to make his friends howl like that..."

The grin that appeared on the zebra's face was as devious as the idea he had presented. "By the time we go to 'get him', he'll be spilling everything he knows to try and save his own hide."