92 - Fit for Royalty
Each stand she stopped in front of, the merchants seemed to focus on her. Ember was the queen of the marketplace, and her confident smile said she knew it. "I am the only creature here with money, aren't I?"
Spike lifted his shoulders softly. "The ponies have bits, which they have mild interest in. You have their money, which they want a lot more."
"Works for me." She slapped down a scaled hand on the counter of the stand she was in front of. "Hey, what is this?"
The female merchant gestured grandly to what Ember was pointing towards. "That is a picture frame, but you can put any picture you want in it, even several pictures at once and it will change on its own or at your command."
Ember hiked a scaled brow. "Picture? Oh!" She turned to Spike. "Like those things your friend hangs on their mirrors?"
"Yeah, I think?" He fluttered up a bit to get a better view of the curious frame. "But how does it show a bunch and change."
"Already bored." Ember grabbed him by the shoulder and drew him away towards a display of weapons, an entire rack of futuristic rifles with a stack of batteries beside them. "Hey, I remember these things. Those jerks were using them on us."
The merchant there was a wiry gentleperson patting one of those racks. "These will punch a hole right through whatever you need a hole in. Keep the battery topped off and that's all it needs."
"Battery?" Even tranlated to Ponish, it wasn't a word she'd encountered before. She looked to Spike expectantly.
"Batteries make electrical things work," he explained, looking around before spotting the stack of batteries. "Those. Those are batteries."
"You get one free with the purchase of any gun that needs one," added the merchant as a sales benefit. "Some prefer to have spares. What use is a gun without being able to shoot?" He suddenly grabbed one Ember had her eyes on and slapped a battery into it fluidly before turning to face a row of three targets. "Watch."
Ember did just that, crossing her arms and tapping a foot. Her expression turned mixed as a thin red beam punched a hole in the target. "I remember that," she growled out. "Still... having one for myself makes more sense than being angry at it... Hey, Spike. What do you think?"
"Hm?" He set back down the little pistol he had picked up. "Dragons don't need that."
"You're a dragon, and you're excited about a weapon," she pointed out with a cocked brow. "Try that logic again."
"Well, yeah... but it's a symbol... I mean, being trusted with it, anywhere, means ponies respect my status as a warrior." He puffed out his chest, looking prouder by the moment. "It also tells everyone else that I am a warrior, even if I never use it."
"Convinced me." She grabbed one of the rifles. "I want the biggest that fits on my back."
"With pleasure," eagerly gushed the merchant with obvious joy, selecting a weapon that fit her size needs. "I have a strap that will hold it there for just a trifle more."
She rolled a hand. "Yeah yeah, get me ready to go."
With permission given, he asked no more questions, attaching the strap around her body and attaching the gun to it. "We are required to show anyone buying one how to use it safely. Sir Mountbatten was quite adamant on that point. I'll show you that now."
"Good. I don't want a weapon I can't use. That would be dumb." She reached over her shoulder but grasped nothing but air, clutching and grabbing for it wildly before she finally caught it with a claw and dragged it over her shoulder. "There we go. That will take some practice."
Spike lifted into the air. "Well, you're going to be busy a while. Oh! Hey." He waved at the merchant. "She has enough for this, right?"
"That's actually a great question." Ember set down her bulging bag of currency. "Now we get to find out if I was ripped off. How much?"
The merchant pointed to the strap, then the gun, his finger dancing with mental math before a number emerged. He reached for the bag but paused halfway there, looking to Ember silently.
"Go on," she prompted with a little wave.
Soon he had counted out the amount and gave some change to her still considerable pouch. "A pleasure. Now, you've paid for this lesson, so let's make it a good one."
With a renewed grin, Ember held the gun as she saw the soldiers doing when they were firing on her. "Alright, let's do this."
"You don't want the butt against your arm like that." He nudged it towards her shoulder. "Thankfully, laser weapons don't have any real kickback. With a projectile, you could knock your arm right out of alignment that way."
"Project-what now?"
Spike spotted a person in the crowd. "Have fun with the practice." He waved at Ember, figuring she'd be busy for some time, and took off, landing a short distance before Gregor and his guards. "Father Gregor, did you find anything?"
Gregor brought his hands together softly without a clap. "Squire Spike, a pleasure and one of those I could stand to meet." With a flourish, he produced a disc from within his robes. "I have information Sir Mountbatten needs to be privy to. Our cameras caught a distant peek at those responsible for today's attack."
"That's gr--those? There were more than one?" He lifted into the air partway through, looking ready to launch to find Laud when the realization brought him to a stop.
"I am afraid that is what we found." He shook his head sadly. "I would see them found, for the safety of others."
"I'll get Laud... What is that?" He pointed at the disc Gregor was still holding.
"This contains the video of the event. If Sir Mountbatten lacks the supplies to read it, we can return to our ship to view it there." He slipped the disc away. "I will hold it until we are certain."
"Probably a good idea." Not like Spike knew how to use the curious thing. "I'll find Laud. You wait here." He darted straight up, veering into circling over the crowd of humans, ponies, and one dragon. Button Mash was pulling his cart away with a stash of things he apparently had managed to trade for. The CMC were singing into a set of microphones, speakers playing behind them their words along with the beat of a song, much to the amusement of other creatures in the area.
There was Laud, speaking to Mayor Mare. Spike dropped from the sky towards him.
"We are investigating." Laud was tapping his fingers on the hilt of his blade. "That hair will provide a vital clue. We'll at least know the species of what did this, and that will rule out a good number of possibilities."
Mayor Mare nodded softly. "If it was a pony, I will give them quite the talking to!"
Laud's brows went up as one. "I imagine there is more to be done than a firm lecture."
The mayor looked baffled. "Well, I suppose we could also fine them. That poor merchant deserves something for all the trouble. This reminds me, is he alright? I haven't seen a hint of him."
"He is in intensive care," spoke Laud in stressed tones. "Whoever did this could have killed him."
"But they didn't, thank Celestia." She put a hoof to her heart with a little smile. "We will see they never do this again."
"By asking them nicely?" His tone carried his incredulity in the idea.
"By telling them firmly. If they are a repeat offender, more may be required, but we don't have too many serious repeat offenders if you don't count... him."
"Him?"
"Me!" Discord was there where he had not been. "What trouble are you blaming on me this time?"
Laud jumped back and almost tripped over Spike in the process, stumbling.
"Woah, sorry." Spike scrambled out of the way. "I was waiting for a chance to join the conversation."
"Pfft, I've been waiting forever to even join the story." Discord rolled his eyes mightily. "Now then, what's this about repeat offenders?"
Laud looked ready to draw his blade, barely restraining himself from doing so. "What manner of demon is--"
"--spirit," cut in Discord with one brow raised and a finger raised. "Spirit of chaos, Discord. Here." He furnished a card with a flip of his fingers and held it out towards Laud.
Mayor Mare heaved a slow sigh. "Laud Mountbatten, of the Hawkwoods, meet Discord, reformed spirit of chaos."
"Charmed." Discord bowed in place, still holding the card in place. "Not often I get to meet nobility that doesn't need a set of horseshoes."
Laud took the card firmly but not quickly, looking it over. It had his name and a slew of titles and a picture of him that winked when he looked at it. "You... are a creature of magic."
"Guilty as charged." He was suddenly wearing prison attire, a chain attached to his left leg leading to a heavy-looking iron ball. "But a nice one. I waited all this time just for your sake."
"My sake?! While I appreciate kindness given, I fail to see why you would do such a thing."
Discord slowly rolled a hand. "Is it not obvious? Had I appeared earlier, you would have been quite upset, Mister Comes-From-Magic-Haters. Why, you still seem quite perturbed, but you haven't tried to stab me yet, so I must have gotten the timing close enough."
Spike pulled lightly at Laud's pants from the side. "He's mostly harmless. In fact, we're friends. We play a weekly game of O&O."
Mayor Mare cleared her throat. "As I was saying, if the culprit is a pony, I will deal with them. If it is some other Equestrian creature, then it falls on Twilight Sparkle or yourself. I imagine she would greatly appreciate being consulted before you render judgment. On the other hoof, if they come from beyond this world, then that is entirely your discretion."
Discord did a twirl with an arm, his clothes changing in time with his arm's hiding his form to become a sharp business suit. "Well it wasn't me. I even have an alibi. I so rarely have those. What are we talking about again?"
Laud huffed softly. "Thank you, Mayor Mare. Discord was it? If you do not know what we speak of, how can you know that you have an alibi for it?"
"Lucky guess?" He plucked a four leaf clover from behind Laud's ear without hesitation. "At least, if whatever you're worried about happened today. I was with Fluttershy, and that dear wouldn't lie about something naughty I did."
Spike nodded softly. "He has a point there. She would be the first one scolding him. She's the one that reformed him."
"And is now my best of friends. Speaking of that, I was hoping to get some shopping time myself. It's not often I can get some of these things." His eyes wandered, one literally popping free to pull out a spyglass and peer across the shopping market. "A little shopping can be fun once in a while."
"Laud, Father Gregor said he has a video of who did it, and there's more than one of them." Spike pointed where he had left the father. "He's waiting for you. It's on this funny disc. He said if you don't have something to look at it with, you could go to his ship to watch it. Should I come with?"
"Mmm, no." He put a hand on Spike's shoulder. "I will accept their hospitality, but that leaves no one watching the market. I will entrust that task to you, Squire. See to the safety of everyone. Speaking of which, where is Dragon Lord Ember? Wasn't she with you?"
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Ember doesn't get into trouble. Ember stands there tapping her foot impatiently, while trouble comes running up with its shirt untucked and hair unbrushed.
9938180
I am now picturing a younger dragon (or dragon ally) named Trouble...
9938393
Dragons don't have hair. Maybe a kirin raised by dragons? I could see a dragon adopting one after seeing them go nirik.
I'm sure dragons could figure out a way to make a fireproof shirt.
Genre Discord is Savvy, but I wonder if Ember will manage to shoot his mouth off before he does.
I was half expecting Discord to Stitch up the viewing of that funny Disc, or he still has the chance, give Father Gregor an even more diffiicult time with those who want to believe the things they wish instead of that which they see.
As for Dragon clothes, fireproof is Nomex, proposed on oNiel colonies to take the place of denim, hardwearing outer clothing, which is spun glass fibre, but even better for Dragons, being lava proof, is spun sapphire fibre woven fabrics. Doesnt rip or tear easily against normal rocks due to being harder and tougher. Weakens at temperatures quite a way above highly fluid surface magma, lava.
Spacesuits made of spun sapphire are tough, but it has a higher thermal conductivity, so unless hollow core fibre and other designs can bring the thermal conductivity down, there wouldnt be a full market for Dragon Boutiques to sell to human spacers, just for suits, armour sheets for vehicles etc?
9938573
Char: "And this is Trouble, a rapidash I adopted a few years ago."
Trouble: "Da~ad! I'm a kirin, not a pokémon!"
Char: "See! Doesn't he look just like a shiny rapidash when he bursts into flame like that? So adorable..."
Trouble: "Da~ad! Stop trying to piss me off on purpose!"
Leaving Ember is fine, she was overseen anyways, properly transferred or not.
Laud gets another taste of the nature of equestrian justice. Will it be Gregor that stays his sword?
Keep going! ;)
9938765
Char: "he's also a great snuggle!"
9939077
Can snuggles be tsundere?
9939150
yes though you might not like it when they do
Ok why Ember bought the biggest gun she could even though she might never use it. Simple dragons are all about postureing and having "stuff". Dragon buys a plasma cannon because they can, to have it, sure in a fight they never use it but then "Why vaporize you with my gun when I can incenrate you personally?"
9939150
Snuggles can incite tsundere!
9939481
Exactly this. She also listened to to Spike who told her that carrying a weapon openly was a sign that you were a warrior even if you didn't use it.
And Discord joins the story.
I think this has bumped it up a rating...and I hope he's included in the climactic battle.
9938141
I imagined these religious people as children. Maybe they get scraped up and sent to the church where a clergyman praises the pancreator and suddenly they are healed. The connection may be illusory, but the belief is based on things they see rather than things they are told. This is non faith only as far the definition presented goes. If your definition is different, then I can easily be wrong.
9939934
They believe they were healed. That is not faith. They can see that they were hurt, than they were not. Easy peasy, deffos healed.
They believe they were healed because the priest invoked the name of God, a completely legit thing that is looking out for them. This is not something they can see or verify. This is faith.
It is possible for an action to have fragments of both.
9939998
It comes down to definitions. I suppose you're correct even with mine in that regard since I wasn't thinking about them knowing for sure that it's their religion providing the power. I have to assume that nobody has found a means of showing that that is the case because what you say about your story is true by definition in most regards.
""With pleasure," almost and the merchant with obvious joy"
Something seems to have gone wrong in there. What is the "almost" supposed to be/be doing?
"and that will rules out a good number of"
"and that will rule out a good number of"?
"of the Hawkwoods meet Discord"
"of the Hawkwoods, meet Discord"?
"now my best of friend. Speaking of that"
"now my best of friends. Speaking of that"?
9940832
These typos will get in the way of our investigation. That will not stand.
9941337
Heh. :)
A dragon with a blaster seems gratuitously deadly, but I understand status goods.
Oh dear, Discord is probably not going to help with Father Gregor and the church. Especially when he starts offering them golden apples as a prank.
Discord, finally!!
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