/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

>>128130
Iron enters the room. The bed has been made, the sheets are changed, and the champagne bottle is gone

>>128131
"Well, next we need actual matress and boxspring to put inside frame."

>>128132
"Sands?" Iron calls out as he approaches the bed "Are you here?"

>>128133
"Alright." She says

The ponies walk around in the store, to find a section which sells mattresses. All a part of this large furniture store, modeled on department stores.

Keskoo looks around at first. Then she presses down on one with her forehooves. Then another. Loputu jumps on another one to bounce around

>>128134
Iron hears the door open behind him, from the hallway. It's White Sands, cautiously looking in

>>128135
Silver also tests one of the matresses, figuring he might get ideas for the empty room in the beach house along the way.

"So, how do you like your bed? Soft, firm, something in between?"

>>128135
Iron can't help but give Sands a tired smile. "Hey," he calls out as he climbs atop the bed "I am back."

>>128136
"I've always had my bed firm. Always"

Keskoo lays down on a mattress, and slowly starts to sink down into it, like soft, fluffy white quicksand

>>128137
She enters the room, and closes the door behind her, locking it
"That was quicker than I expected" she says

>>128138
"Things are going according to plan," Iron proceeds to tell her as he lays on the bed belly down before looking curiously at the mare "How good are you at selling stuff?"

>>128139
"It's easier when it's a stallion. But.... not bad" She answers
She seems a little confused

>>128140
"I will need your help, then," Iron informs Sands as he stretches himself on the bed, yawning softly "for we will start selling some potions to create our income, particularly ones that want a quick physical recovery, like resistances, unlicensed practicioners, hunters and more."

>>128138
Silver stiffles a little giggle at the sight.

"So, is firm what you prefer?"

>>128141
She twists her mouth
"You didn't already have a plan for an income"

Then she adds,
"Well, it is a good thing you have one now"

>>128142
The pony is halfway buried at this point
"I suppose... but I can't say I have tried much softness"

>>128143
Iron purses his lips, scrunching his snout. "I will have you know I planned this in less than two days before coming here," he informs Sands, offended tone apparent. "I simply needed to get investment into the enterprise before I could enact my plan."

>>128145
"Alright alright. Entrepreneurial and spirit of Capitalism and all that"

>>128146
Iron exhales softly before laying sideways on the bed. "Ugh..." he groans, stretching himself further "good thing most of it is set up. Now I can rest fo a bit."
He cranes his head to look at Sands once more. "Do you have any other questions?"

>>128147
"Yes"
She blinks
"Sell what now? To who?"

>>128148
"Health potions," Iron informs "to anypony that wants it expect this 'Overseas' thing back at the other side of the world, if I recall correctly."

>>128149
She blinks at him, laying down on the bed next to him
"Uh.... Okay"

>>128150
"Particularly the doctor we visited that one time, those resistances against the 'fah-scheezt' establishment," Iron continues as he lays his head on the pillow "'Popular' something. I cannot quite remember. Maybe the weapons dealers I met some days ago, considering his customer base."

>>128151
"You mean the Anarchists?" She asks
Then her ears turn forward towards Iron
"Weapons dealers?"

>>128152
"Mhm," Iron replies "likes to sell some to would-be hunters that go to the Jungle." He rubs his snout in thought. "I cannot remember what stuff he was selling, but they were mostly weapons and armor."
Iron's ears, in turn, swivel at the mention of anarchists. "What was that first part?"

>>128144
Silver smiles at her.

"Well, as long as Loputu is willing, try out as many beds as you can, so you can find what you like best."

>>128153
"This thing about the Resistance. Where you talking about the Anarchists?"

>>128154
"This one isn't completely soft, but a little firmer"
He isn't quite jumping on the mattress.... but you'd be hard pressed to explain what he's doing any other way

Keskoo:
"I suppose I could try...."

>>128153
"Were you talking about the Anarchists?" She asks

>>128156
"Maybe," Iron replies as he fidgets on the bed. "as long as they oppose the fascist regime, it is fair game for me."

>>128157
Now she smiles
"Are you sure you want to do it with health potions though? Why not something with a little bit more.... power?"

>>128159
"It is the one I will be given for sure, so I am planning accordingly," Iron replies, sneaking in a yawn "Maybe in the coming days, the potion variety will grow and we could, but that is not something I control."
He glances at Sands once more. "Anyhing else?"
>>128158
My reference archives does not have the item you have presented.

>>128160
"I want to hear more about this Resistance and weapons dealers? What have you done with them before?"

>>128156
"I suppose this kind of store is not very common in Cubria?"

>>128161
"I know where to contact them, but we may be at a rocky start," Iron guesses "since I believe I decked 5 of them the first day I was here. As for the weapons dealer, I bought a set of griffonian armor and... some spiked gauntlets, if I recall correctly."
Iron hums slightly. "There is always selling them to the Waterfront Gang, too."

>>128162
She looks up at him
"Nothing this large. We could stuff mattresses with feathers. Not that my family could afford them. There was one store in Everfrost at least... but I never got a full mattress. Not like this, anyways... These are modern. Well made. Not like the ones in the crowded apartment."

She presses down on another mattress, that gives at her hooves
"If I can't sleep on a soft mattress, I can remove it. Right?"
She looks back up to him

>>128163
She brings up a hoof, and closes her eyes as if waving the last suggestion away
"I mean selling weapons to the resistance. They may pay big for that."

>>128164
"I know that," Iron promptly answers "but I do not have a stockpile of weapons on hoof, meaning I cannot provide them with such a thing." He pauses before glancingaway "and after recent events regarding potential crackdowns, I have been informed of, it might be best for us to keep the ones we currently have."

>>128164
Silver nods to her.

"Of course. I can always put it to use at house if you end up not liking it."

>>128165
"Well, if you don't want black uniformed soldiers breaking down your door at 2 AM and dragging you off to never be seen again, you should sell to anyone besides the resistance. Not that, you know, you'd be safe from having your house set on fire regardless."

With a magic aura, she brings a small porcelain cup to her mouth, and sips an unidentified liquid
"But I appreciate your concern for safety. And the greater good. Do tell me more."

>>128166
She smiles to him
"I've never had very much choice in my life." She looks away
"I know it's a mattress. A small thing. But still, I could not chose a mattress anywhere else. I did not have to"

She looks away
"In the village it was kind of comforting, assuring almost, knowing what you were going to do. At the factory... in that big building back there... it was oppressive. Here, I have choice. And it seems almost scary. What if I chose wrongly?"

Then, her eyes go back to him
"Like the decision to leave. To stow away in the freighter."

>>128167
Iron couldn't help but snort softly at Sands' response. "Fat chance when I got no home to break into or to set on fire," he replies absentmindedly "I bet if I climb atop a tree, they would never find me."
He snickers softly "Ah, the advantages of being able to become nomadic and independant of any silly 'cee-vee-lai-sa-tion' gimmick at any time are quite nice," he continues before looking at Sands. "At most, they would burn down a bar, which does not concern me."

>>128168
She looks at him almost as if she is looking past him. Her voice is distant
"Oh they can find you..."

>>128170
Iron can't help but raise an eyebrow at such an answer. "You think so?" he asks nonchalantly, unfazed by Sands' obvious hinting of her past, knowing she wouldn't go ahead and tell it. "Because I sincerely doubt it, considering what they are going to get on their log."

>>128171
"Their log? What?"

>>128172
"You know, when they have too much stuff going on that it becomes hard to keep up?"

>>128173
"If they think it's important, they can get to it"

>>128169
Depending on what they do, I can't say they're wrong, considering their amount of ties become practically zero. However, I bet most homeless use this as an excuse more than a reason.
>>128174
"Is a random stallion providing some bottled health really that important when they have bigger things to deal with?"

>>128175
"I'm just saying..." she says, with a look of concern

>>128176
"Sounds to me you have been targetted by them in the past," Iron nonchalantly guesses, considering how afraid she is of them.

>>128167
"Freedom is scary. But I would say it is worth it. You can never find out what is best for you if every decision is made by somepony else. And if you make wrong choice...you pick yourself up by your bootstraps, you learn from your mistakes, and you try again.

"It is much easier to do with friends around to help you, though."

>>128177
"Just..."
She looks down
"In Manehattan, there were instances... many instances... where a creature was walking down the road at night, and then another one walks by them and BAM BAM BAM! Shoots them dead, or stabs them. Sometimes they could be eating at a restaurant with their family, and someone comes up and shoots them. Yes, they can definitely burn down a bar. They have burned down many bars. These kinds of assassinations aren't unprovoked, no. But selling a good in the territory of another criminal syndicate where they have a monopoly could be considered provocation. That is just what the gangs did before the war. And you... you want to get involved in politics. The soldiers would rarely do anything unless someone shot at them first, or it was a planned raid. But the SSA... They were something else entirely. All of the resources of the police and the brutality of the gangs. They would take any creature out of their beds, out of hotels, from the kitchen table. Off of the street or after they gave big public speeches. They would disappear. Sometimes, you would see them again after months, often beaten. Just as often, never again. You say you want to sell health potions to those who want to do them harm? That is exactly the kind of thing they look for. Well, they might be more forgiving if it's just health potions, but still. And the Resistance.... Well, they will bomb entire buildings and cars to kill a single soldier or collaborator. They like snipers as well. They will even provoke artillery bombardments so that civilians will be killed, so it makes their enemies look worse.

And as for me.... well, you know where you found me"

>>128178
She is speechless for a moment

".... Friends?"

>>128179
Silver nods at Keskoo, and smiles.

"Yes. Friends."

>>128180
She smiles bigger. She isn't quite holding back tears, but that isn't far from what she is doing either
"I will try the soft mattress. If I can't sleep on it, I suppose I will just take it off or sleep on the floor"