//------------------------------//
// 6 - Start Episode 3 - New Dynamics 
// Story: Roll for Initiative 
// by David Silver 
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Big Mac nudged a die, his face a mask of uncertainty. "We did it wrong?"

"Nah." Spike waved a hand quickly as if warding away the idea. "I just learned a few things."

"So what's that mean?"

"It means I 'get' what the book's saying in a few spots, that's all. We're not changing how we play."

"Oh. Tha's good." He nodded his head, relaxing. "What'd ya learn from, jus' readin'?"

"Shining Armor stopped by." Spike set out Big Mac's sheet and his own. "He decided to 'teach' me how to play. I didn't bother telling him we were already doing it, so I got a lesson on things. Some of it's pretty cool, but most of it would just slow us down."

"Huh..." Big Mac pulled his sheet closer and peered at it. "Somethin' ain't right."

"Unicorns are good at magic, so you got a bonus to that." Spike pointed at the sheet. "So you're even more awesome than before!"

"Tha's good." He nodded his big red head. "Did you get somethin'?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! It was kinda obvious. I mean, what dragon doesn't breathe fire?" He let out a little gust of green flame before chuckling as he settled in his seat. 

"An ice dragon?" postulated Big Mac.

"Huh, guess they wouldn't..." Spike set out the two paper figures he had made for them. "Last we left off..."

A knocking came from the front of the castle. Spike hopped up. "Just a sec!" He rushed over to the door and pulled it open to reveal the lanky form of the pizza delivery pony. "Just in time!"

"What for?" the brown delivery pony asked curiously even as he reached back and produced several boxes of cheesy goodness.

"Oh, we're playing a game. It's a guy thing."

"I'm a guy," noted the pony with a grin.

"That you are." Spike gave an appraising nod. "I mean, don't you need to deliver more pizzas?"

"Nope, you were the last." There was a hopeful edge in his voice.

It was not missed by Spike, who gestured inside. "Well, if you're ready to brave the dangers, perhaps you too can become a hero."

"Really?!" His voice squeaked in his excitement as he stepped inside. "What kind of game is this?" The lanky earth pony trotted beside Spike on their way back to the playing room.

Big Mac looked up as they arrived, watching the pizza pony quietly with unspoken questions.

Spike hopped back into his chair, set the pizza boxes down and gestured to the left. "Big Mac, this is Parcel Post."

Big Mac nodded at him. "Ayup. Don't ya normally deliver mail?"

"Usually," he admitted as he sank into a spot beside the curved table. "I like delivering things. Getting things where they need to be is what I do."

Spike slapped down a new piece of paper. "It's time to craft your character. In this game, you assume the identity of another pony, who will go on amazing adventures, right wrongs, and, with hope and perseverance, become a hero!"

Parcel stomped the ground in approval. "That sounds fun. Can I be a delivery pony?"

Spike blinked. "You already are one of those."

"But..." He frowned a little with thought. "But I'm not a delivery pony here."

"That's true." Spike nodded as he got to scratching on the paper with his quill. "How about a scout? That means you'll be good at getting to places, even dangerous places, without being stopped. You know how to sneak around big nasty monsters, so your packages are always on time!"

His face brightened at the idea. "That sounds amazing! Parcel Post, ultimate deliverer!"

"Nope." Big Mac shook his head firmly. "Gotta make up a new name."

"Oh, hmm..." He tapped at his chin with a hoof before bringing it down on the table. "I will be Postage Due!"

Spike chuckled softly. "Nice." He wrote down the name and pulled out a new stand and slip of paper. He drew Parcel Post with a ninja-like set of clothing. "Here we are, Postage Due, nothing can stop him from reaching his assigned goal. Speaking of that, he's just about to make a fateful stop. He crests the hill and sees his target below. Two figures are just rousing in the morning, a dragon scholar of some kind--" He nudged his own figure. "--and a warrior unicorn." He nudged Big Mac's figure. "Those are the two you've been searching for. You have something for them."

Postage approached, darting from bush to tree to rock, keeping from obvious sight. Just as his quarries (distant rolling sound) pass him without noticing him, he springs forward! "Delivery!" He presents the box he was entrusted with. "I trust you are..." He paused to inspect the address on the package. "Garbunkle and Sir McBiggun?"

The warrior stepped forward. "Ayup. Where's the package from?"

Postage Due flipped the box to face the address towards them. It was from a place called Chadwick.

"Mah home," gasped out Sir McBiggun.

Spike tilted his head. "I didn't plan that, but that works."

Garbunkle held out a hand towards Postage. "Well, you've arrived safely. Let's see what's inside."

Postage tipped his hat and turned away. "There are many more packages that have to reach even more dangerous places. Good luck in your travels."

Parcel stood up from the table. "Gee, thanks! That was a blast."

Spike blinked dumbly. "Wait, what? You just started."

"And I got to make an exciting delivery. This game's fun! Thanks for inviting me." He was already trotting for the door, waving as he went.

"Um, bye?" Spike and Big Mac waved at him until he was gone, the door closing behind him.

Big Mac gave a shrug. "Well, that was interestin'. So what's in the package?"

Spike popped open one of the pizza boxes. "Snacks, for one." They shared a chuckle as they both took a slice and got to chomping a moment. Spike gobbled down the last of his slice and wiped his hands clean. "Alright, so we open the package curiously..."

McBiggun sliced neatly along the side of the box, allowing it to open freely. Inside was a great horned helmet. McBiggun gasped as he lifted it up in his magic. "This belongs t' mah father. Why is it here?"

Garbunkle reached into the box past where the helmet was and finds a letter. "It seems Chadwick has come under attack! Your father... fought bravely to the last." Garbunkle lowered his head in a moment of silence that was echoed by his grieved companion. "They say the helmet is yours, by inheritance."

McBiggun placed the helmet on his own head. "Ah'll never put on another! What attacked them?"

Garbunkle squinted as he turned the parchment over. "They mention something about some kind of terrible sea creature that had awesome magic."

"Sea creature?" McBiggun shook his head. "But Chadwick ain't on no beach."

"I did mention magic." Garbunkle folded the letter and tucked it away. "This foul creature could be the same that we're already looking for."

"The wizard?!"

"Indeed! A sea wizard!"

"Swizard?"

Big Mac and Spike chuckled at the silly name before Spike waved it away. "Okay okay, so we know we have to stop this bad wizard! He can't go around attacking good Spiketopia settlements."

"Spiketopia?" Big Mac tilted his head a little.

"Oh, that's just the name of the country." Spike shrugged softly. "Like Equestria."

"That'd be like callin' it 'Celestia' instead."

"We already have one of those." Spike stuck out his tongue. "So! Filled with grim determination, our heroes set off."

They had a place to go to, at least. Sir McBiggun knew where his home was, and there could be hints there as to the origin, identity, or current location of their aquatic nemesis could be.  Every step was fueled with the need to make right this wrong and protect the sanctity of their nation, and hopefully save Princess Schmarity.

Big Mac grabbed a slice of pizza. "Does Garbunkle know where Schmarity is?"

"Alas, neigh." Spike thrust one finger up. "He knew that destiny would guide him too her if he traveled to that inn and searched for a peculiar unicorn."

Big Mac tilted his head. "Huh, guess ah big burly unicorn's a bit weird."

"The best kind." Spike smiled at Big Mac. "We are just what Spiketopia needs to save the day." He brought down his finger in a fist of action. "We will do all that we must to restore peace."

Big Mac smiled at that. "And save Schmarity."

"Oh, uh, and that..." He rubbed behind his head, cheeks pinked lightly.  "Our brave heroes hike through the wilderness, only spying a scrap of civilization on the third day. The small town before them was a welcome sight. They saw something that would help, a wagon! There were several in plain view in what may have been a wagon stall or something like that. There were big fuzzy beasts tied up nearby, perhaps the things used to haul the wagons around."

"Ah head down into tha city." Big Mac pointed at Spike. "Ah'll ask polite like if we can have a wagon and what fer."

Spike plinked a d20 towards Big Mac. "Go ahead, you'll need a ten or better."

Those weren't awful odds, but they weren't assured. Big Mac got a sudden idea. "Ah'll ask if there's anythin' that need bringin' our way, so they get somethin' out of it."

"Good idea." Spike gave an approving nod. "Now you just need a five."

With confidence, Big Mac sent the die tumbling. 12. "Oh yeah..."

"Nice. You approach the mare that stands by the carts and explain your need and offer to her. She spits out a straw she was chewing on."

"Well, reckon we could work somethin' out, for a knight and all. We're havin' big trouble with bandits lately anyway, so if you kin get our goods to Chadwick while you're at it, you'll be doin' us a favor. Ah got family there, they'll take the wagon when ya get there, ya hear?"

Sir McBiggun raised a hoof to his chest. "Ayup. We'll get it there, ah promise. If we see any bandits, we'll teach 'em a lesson fer harassing good ponies."

"See that ya do." She walks to a rickety looking wagon. "Now it ain't that I don't trust ya, but we already lost some wagons, so I'm a little shy about it."

McBiggun looked it up and down. "It'll do, but we'll  need somethin' to pull it."

The mare gave a sharp whistle and clopped the ground twice quickly. Two of the great beasts lumbered from their pen to stand before her obediently. "These two great lovable beasts will get you where yer going. Treat them right, and they'll do the same. Abuse 'em any, and they'll leave you high and dry and come back t' me. They're raised to be good pullers, not abused slaves."

Garbunkle saluted at the mare. "Don't you worry. We wouldn't dream of abusing an animal."

"Nope." McBiggun nodded in agreement. "Nice to meet ya." He held out a hoof towards one of the large creature.

It leaned in and sniffed with enough force to ruffle his fur before a huge tongue emerged and licked him from the hoof right up to the shoulder.

"Aw, he likes you already." The mare smiled happily at how well they had gotten along. "Feed's in the cart already, just let me fetch the goods I want hauled." She trotted off into her house.

Big Mac pointed to the big beast figure next to his own. "How fast are they?"

"Not that fast, but they don't slow down for anything, and they're really durable. They can walk for most of the day before they need any breaks, so they'll get us where we want to go faster than if we just walked ourselves."

Big Mac nodded at that. "Sounds helpful. Onwards! We got a castle to save."

"Castle?"

Big Mac nodded. "Chadwick is a castle, like a fortress with a town in it."

"Ohhhh." Spike was not planning on that, but saw no reason to deny the idea. "Awesome."