>>43569818
>if you're willing to change a little
Heh. Maybe the guy has some wisdom.
>Could she have figured out about Neoma?
Considering she did not figured out Salki and Thistle, no.
>when it's time
Sounds like an asshole move. I mean why not "we will tell them after we crossed"?
>opened her mouth to argue
How most bad things start with her.
>Something has gone wrong!
Let me guess, a few of them crossed (for example children playing) or something and the portal cycled. At least this would be the most likely scenario.
>What if
Strange thoughts. Immediately making a LOT of assumptions.
>They aren't saying anything
Or they do but they can't understand it. Or they knocked themselves out cold.
>mostly her pride which is hurt
Ok, so not that bad.
>she looked drunk
Thistle knows that feeling well.
>slipping into bits of the Royal Voice
Poor eardrums of Twilight. Since Luna is standing above her directly.
>We have done enough damage as it is.
Hm, since they are messing with time it could be serious. Did they just jump to modern times?
>Apologies for what?
Not delivering what was promised.
>Worse
Modern times here we go!
>A long time forward.
Now the questions is what era.
>seven hundred years
Oh. So not modern times. Also Rainy day is long long dead and most likely completely forgotten.
>That is correct.
At least their enemies are long gone and they are forgotten.
>take some from a weaker people
So immediately making some enemies. Good start...
>I don't think people will accept that
Do they have a choice?
>Rainy Day is truly lost to us.
Sad.
>Remember that she wanted this.
She wanted no change. Big difference.
>Will you tell him what has happened?
I don't think it will have that big of an effect on them.
>I don't know. Maybe?
Love? Definitely not. I have not seen a single sign of love. Fucking in itself is not love. This kind of caring is not romantic love.
>Equestria will always welcome you back.
Oh they will see her sooner than later.
>what Luna would say if she knew?
Probably nothing. She would just terminate the pregnancy and that's it.

>looks like Rainy Day is safe
Was safe. Probably. They have no way of finding out what happened to her. I don't think the people kept written records. What happened a thousand year ago is just folklore to them.
>small group of bronze age savages
Probably not much change. Maybe cities got bigger and they started to enter iron age.

Thanks for the update!

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I wanted to post this image, but then I remembered the general turns eleven in two weeks.

>>Continued

> The wind sneaked its way under her coat and really *bit*, regardless of any fur she had in the way. Thistle tried to shrug and wiggle the thing into a better fit, but all she did was open more avenues for the freezing afternoon air.
> She was bathed in sunlight, but it didn't really help, not with the heavenly orb so low and red. She shivered even as she looked upon the splendor. It painted a fantastic picture of the landscape, perhaps even one worthy of the chill.
> There was beauty in the nomad world. She had to keep telling herself that.
> Beside her Salki was shuffling from foot to foot. If she hadn't known it was him, she wouldn't have recognized him. The poor man was wrapped from head to toe, with only his eyes visible above the thick, cotton scarf which was wrapped around his face.
> Were it not so *damned* cold, she would have recognized him by smell, but this deep in winter her nose seemed permanently stuffed. That last part was also a blessing, since she had to live with the nomads in tight, unventilated tents. She herself was no rose, come to think of it. They'd arrived into this familiar, yet new, world on the heels of autumn and it would be months until the air warmed up. They were also up in the mountains, which added to the whole effect.
> Despite the harsh conditions, the people were in good spirits.
> "[They caught elk yesterday,]" Salki said, voice slightly hoarse from a cough he'd been fighting for what felt like the whole winter.
"[Good. The people will eat.]"
> "[We were nearly out of pony food. This is good. We can live in this land.]"
"[You doubted it?]"
> She took her eyes off the spectacular sunset to grin at the man in jest, and she saw the tiny wrinkles around his eyes as he smiled in turn. "[No, but it is still good news.]"
"[It also means more food for me.]"
> "[You have plenty of food left. The grain is set aside for you specially.]"
"[We will use that to plant when it gets warmer.]"
> At this, Salki lost his smile. He looked over his shoulder, half-expecting his mother to be standing there with her usual disapproving frown. "[You know we nomads don't do that. We have to move. Planting and waiting for things to grow prevents us from moving. It's what the city people do.]"
"[It means everyone has food.]"
> He didn't answer that and she found herself grateful. It would waste the beautiful sunset to start that old argument yet again, especially when she knew it was Darga who made the decisions, all in all.
> Perhaps she could start working on that bit, instead?
"[You need to be stronger,]" she told him.
> "[What do you mean? Why?]"
"[Your mother tells you what to do.]"
> He turned away so she wouldn't see even the small glimpse of his face. "[Mother has good advice.]"

>>43646198

"[Maybe, but there's a difference between advice and order. Everyone thinks you're weak.]"
> "[What am I supposed to do? You know how Mother is!]"
> She let the silence envelop them as she considered the problem. It was *her* problem once more, regardless of what she pretended back in Equestria. Yes, she would travel to the East and find a place for herself in the cities there - Celestia provide that there still *were* cities in the East! - but until then she had to do her best by the Borchi-Quin.
"[Do you remember when I first came to your people, years ago? When Willow brought me, and he gave me to you to watch, because you were watching the donkeys?]"
> "[Yes?]" He didn't see where she was going with it, but was more than willing to entertain the discussion, especially if it got him off the previous, uncomfortable topic.
"[I learned the language from you. You taught me how to speak nomad. You were patient, and you listened, and you helped me practice. Without your patience, I would not have survived. Maybe I would have been killed for meat, or maybe I would have been sold like Rainy Day.]"
> Salki didn't answer, so she took a breath and continued.
"[Thank you for that. I wanted you to know how much that meant to me.]"
> He still didn't respond, but now he was watching her closely.
"[Now I will repay you by teaching you in turn,]" she said. "[Here is how we will start. When do we leave the mountains?]"
> It wasn't a question he'd been expecting and Salki's eyebrows rose. "[What? I don't know?]"
"[No. Tell me: when are we leaving the mountains?]"
> She held his gaze for a while before he looked into the distance. "[I- I'm not sure. I should ask Mo-]"
"[No,]" she repeated softly. "[You tell me. When can the people leave the mountains?]"
> "[It's not that easy! We have to prepare the meat from the elk and we have to catch some more for the journey. Then there's tents, and the donkeys. We have to get everything ready.]"
"[Good. How long will that take?]"
> He didn't quite understand what she was doing, but these were things he could think about about. She waited in expectant silence for Salki to consider, until he said: "[Two weeks. I think. Two more hunting trips. We will rest while the women smoke the meat. Zaur, Bulat, and Temir will prepare the herds to move.]"
"[We will speak with Darga and Intor today. Willow and Darkhan should be there, too. You will tell them what you have decided and ask if they have objections.]"
> The poor man gave her a helpless, almost panicky look, so she stepped closer and placed a careful hoof against his knee.

>>43646200

"[You need to start taking control. You will have a child soon. A child who will look up to you. If it's a son, he will be Chieftain after you. If you don't give orders, then your son will learn not to give orders.]"
> Salki's subservience to his mother was a sore topic and he moved away. "[What do you know about that?]" he asked testily.
"[I know, because I will have a child, too.]"
> It came out unplanned, but it was the right time. Other than Rangi, none of the nomads knew yet and she could have kept it a secret for some time longer. Why had she told Salki? Was it a sign of respect, or some form of gratitude for the friendship they'd had, even if it had been strained at times?
> "[Really?!]" he asked. "[How? When? Wait, did you- did you know when you-]" The poor man fell silent as he didn't know how to ask the questions. His befuddlement made him look like that young lad again, and she chuckled in amusement.
"[Yes. I knew I wanted it. I made it happen when we were in Equestria.]"
> "[Why didn't you stay there?]"
> She bit her lip before she spilled out something she wasn't quite ready to say. What she'd done wouldn't be considered a crime among the nomads, but it still rankled her pony sensibilities and she'd rather forget it had ever happened.
"[Because I don't belong there,]" she said truthfully. "[Living here, with you, has changed me. I can't relate to ponies anymore. I wasn't happy.]"
> "[And you'll be happy here?]"
"[Well. Not here, exactly. I will go East, where Rainy Day ended up. The people there, once, respected ponies. Maybe they still have stories about her. Maybe I can build a life there - for me, and for Rangi.]"
> She'd spoken about taking the Ruslan before, so it wasn't news to Salki. Instead, he asked: "[Are you sure you don't want to stay with us? Maybe we can do something - change something...]"
"[No. The nomads won't change. I was foolish to think they would. In summer, I will pay some men to escort me East. We will go looking for the cities, and if we find them, I will stay there. I hope you will come to visit and trade, and we can see each other again.]"
> "[You will have your child grow up in our world? He will be alone.]"
"[She,]" Thistle corrected. "[I will have a filly.]"
> "[How do you know?]"
"[I do. And no, she will not be alone. When she is old enough, I will bring her to this place where the worlds touch. She will return to Equestria and have a life among the ponies.]"
> Salki shook his head and kicked some snow away. "[You have it all figured out, do you?]"
> She approached him again, and put her hoof back on his knee.
"[I do. This is important to me. You should think the same way. Imagine what you want - for yourself, and your child. Then work to make it happen.]"

>>43646201

> "[Hah. It's easy to talk this way. It's harder to do when Mother is starting at you.]"
"[Use Saule.]"
> The sudden change nearly gave the poor man whiplash. "[W-What?!]" he barked.
"[She is fierce, and she knows what she wants. We may not agree on things, but she's a very strong woman. Ask her to help you deal with Darga. Ask her to deal with Intor, too. She is Intor's family, after all.]"
> Salki, taken aback, scratched at his beard through his pony-woven scarf as he turned the idea around in his mind. "[Interesting,]" he murmured at length. "[Pit the women against each other. Maybe it will work.]"
"[We will make it work. Start giving orders. More importantly, start expecting those orders to be obeyed. You will see that they will be.]"
> "[That's your pony wisdom?]"
"[It's something I think I always knew, but maybe I forgot. I think Princesses Twilight and Luna reminded me. Come on, let's go back. You should organize the next hunt as soon as possible.]"
> That was more to his liking and something he imminently understood. Salki began wading through shin-high snow back to the camp. The walk was a little easier since they'd already pushed through on their way out. "[I will go on this hunt, I think.]"
"[Good. Make sure you strike the killing blow. Make sure you're the one who brings the animal back into the camp.]"
> "[That's a long way to carry a heavy animal!]"
"[No, stupid. Take turns carrying it. Be the first to carry it, and change people so that you're the last one to carry it. People should see that *you* are bringing them food.]"
> "[Oh,]" Salki said and fell silent as he considered. The only sounds was the squeaking of the frozen snow and the gentle hoofsteps as Thistle followed in his wake. "[That's smart.]"
"[Thanks.]"
> "[I could have used advice like this sooner.]"
"[I know. I'm sorry. I should have understood what kind of a society yours is, instead of trying to change it.]

> ~~~~

> Xuan was the last one. Thistle had decided on that order because Xuan, or all people, would be amenable. They were on good terms. The only problem was Buygra and his annoyingly preceptive questioning.
> "[Tell me again why you need another,]" he was saying. "[You don't need to prepare meat to last, you don't have donkeys to look after, and you don't have a lot of things to carry around. You carry them yourself.]"
"[I just want her. I said I would pay what you asked, didn't I?]"
> Xuan exchanged glances with her husband, but was distracted when Guuni grabbed her hand with her tiny one and made a few vaguely word-shaped noises. Thistle herself couldn't prevent a little smile, even with the seriousness of the situation.

>>43646203

> She hadn't done perfectly, and that would very likely end up being a problem, but she'd done the best she could for her promise to Rangi and his people. It hadn't been cheap, but she would have plenty of gold and gems left once everyone was paid.
"[Look. You're my friends. I trust you. If I tell you why I'm doing this, will you promise to keep it a secret?]"
> This drew Xuan's attention away from her daughter and she pierced the mare with a hard stare. "[You're not going to involve us in something stupid, are you?]"
"[No, I promise!]"
> "[Like that whole deal with the Ulan-Zuk? Or going to your pony world, which lost us a thousand years?]"
"[It's nothing bad! Promise you won't tell anyone.]"
> The nomads shared another of those meaningful looks and volumes of quiet communication passed between them. Eventually, Xuan sighed and put a hand over her eyes. "[I will probably regret this, but fine. I promise I will not tell anyone.]"
> "[Me too,]" Buygra added.
> Thistle allowed herself to breathe once again.
"[I'm buying all the Ruslan slaves.]"
> "[What?! Why?]" Buygra rose partially from his cross-legged sitting position. He caught himself with a fist on the ground, then lowered back. "[Explain!]"
"[I promised Rangi. It's not right what we did to his people. We can't make it right. The best I can do is get them their freedom. So I'm buying them and I will take them with me when I go East in the spring.]"
> The man looked incredulous. "[You will keep fifty slaves until spring? Are you crazy? No one in the camp will go along with it.]"
"[They already have. Most of them. A few said no, but I will offer them more gold.]"
> "[What are you going to do with fifty slaves?]"
"[I won't have them. That was part of the deal. That was why people agreed so easily. They can keep them until I go East, and the Ruslans will go with me. They'll be my escort.]"
> Even Buygra put his face in his hands as Xuan heaved another sigh. She said: "[Husband, she *cannot* be this stupid. Tell me I heard wrong.]"
"[What?]"
> There was just a touch of whine in her voice, stemming from her annoyance that the two were talking about her as if she wasn't there. As if she were a toddler!
"[Tell me!]"
> Xuan removed her hands and looked at her, face drawn with a mixture of pity and annoyance. "[Think about it. You will have a large group of Ruslans and you will leave the camp. People who have lost everything. You are one of the Borchi-Quin, whom they probably hate more than- well, more than anyone right now.]"
> She waited for the mare to get it, then looked helplessly at her husband.
> "[They will kill you as soon as you're out of sight of the camp,]" he said bluntly. "[In the first night, if not sooner. They will take everything you have, and go their own way.]"

>>43646204

> It wasn't something she'd considered. Could the Ruslans *really* be that angry?
"[B-But I'm saving them!]"
> "[It won't matter. You're Borchi-Quin, and therefore you're untrustworthy to them. You have no honor in their eyes. They will think they're doing a good deed.]"
"[What if I bring some hunters with me?]"
> "[Against fifty?]" Buygra said. "[They are mostly women, but no less fierce. Imagine what they've gone through. Do you think you're the only one?]"
"[Only one what?]"
> He looked at the tent flap for long seconds, then continued: "[Others have said something similar. It doesn't happen often, but some feel as you do. They say we should let the Ruslans go. They say we shouldn't have killed them. It doesn't work that way. We keep them under control because we don't have a choice. If we let them go, they will try to take their revenge.]"
> Thistle didn't have an answer to that. She felt silly for not having considered it, and her cheeks were getting hot. She couldn't meet either of their gazes, so she looked at Guuni instead. The child was oblivious, playing with a bit of leather in her fingers.
"[What do I do?]"
> "[I don't know. It's not something you *can* do. Life doesn't work that way.]"
"[What if we took them to Equestria and left them there?]"
> This time Buygra actually groaned. "[They will wait a few days to rest, until all of us are dead, then they would come back and try to kill our descendants. You'd just be moving the problem to a future generation,]" he said and looked right at Guuni. The thought of such a revenge made Thistle shudder and she shook her head.
"[Okay, so not that. What if we take them East? What if we free them in the land of the cities? Surely they can find new lives there?]"
> "[If you want to trust them to stay there, sure. I wouldn't, and once people realize what you're doing, no one else will either. They will not sell their slaves to you, even if you've already made the deal. They will return your gold.]"
"[I have to do *something*!]" she whined. "[I promised Rangi I would do something!]"
> Xuan barked a laugh at that. "[Sounds like you have a different problem.]"
"[What problem?]"
> "[It sounds you have an uppity slave who is giving you orders. Maybe what you should be doing instead is keeping Rangi in line. Buygra can help you with that. It'd be a lot easier than what you're planning.]"
> It was her turn to put her face in her hooves. She felt like crying at this devastating prediction. She sought desperately for some hole, something which would make her right. Some way to pull it off.
"[What if Rangi speaks to the other Ruslans? What if we make them promise? Swear on their honor?]"

>>43646207

> "[Hah!]" Buygra exclaimed. "[They wouldn't consider an oath given while they were slaves to mean anything. I wouldn't. Nobody would!]"
> A wretched groan escaped her lips and her ears were as flat as they would go.
"[I need to do this somehow,]" she pleaded. "[It's the pony thing to do. If I don't - if I let it go on, then what am I?]"
> For a while they didn't answer, but then Xuan's warm hand gripped her fetlock and pried her hoof away so she could see the woman at least out of one eye. "[You're Borchi-Quin,]" she said quietly.
> It didn't make her feel any better. She asked wretchedly:
"[If I find a way to make this happen - will you still sell me Safiya?]"
> The couple exchanged another long, worried glance. At last, Buygra gave a tiny nod and said: "[If we are sure you won't get yourself killed. If you have a solid plan.]"
> Perhaps that was the best she could hope for right now.
> They'd given her a lot to think about. She refused to accept it was hopeless. She didn't want to share Buygra's cynical worldview.
> Maybe Rangi would have something.
> A worse thought struck her and her ears flattened completely. Could she trust him? What if he, too, was only saying what she wanted to hear so he could get free? He had plenty of anger against the Borchi-Quin, she knew that for a fact.
> Damned Xuan, and damned Buygra, and curse them both for putting these thoughts in her head. Even if - she begrudgingly had to admit - they had probably saved her life by telling her.
"[I'll let you know. Thanks,]" she muttered and stood.
> Little Guuni made a gargling, laughing noise and reached out her little hand, the piece of leather forgotten.
> "[Wait,]" Xuan said. "[Come back. She wants to touch you.]"
> Annoyed or not, they were still her friends, and she still liked Guuni. Thistle walked over and lowered her muzzle so the girl could feel around the soft fur.
"At least you're not cynical yet. Little Guuni. Will you be true to your name? Will you be a friend?"
> Buygra leaned his head to one side at her use of Equestrian. She had no doubt he understood most of it, but he didn't comment.
> "[Tell you what,]" Xuan said. "[Have dinner with us. You can play with Guuni a little, and we will talk like the old times.]"
"[Thanks. I probably need practice with children, too.]"
> "[Ohoho!]" Xuan exclaimed and clapped her hands together. "[That sounds like a secret! Now you're *certainly* not leaving until I've gotten it out of you!]"
> The woman was *sharp*, but her enthusiasm - in contrast to her earlier cynicism - was refreshing. Thistle began to smile as she settled down beside the infant, who was exploring her hoof with clumsy fingers.
"[Okay, I will tell you.]"

>>43646212

Last week was a slow one, with lots of tired, so I didn't make much progress. Was no thread also, so that works out. Here we have good ol' Thistle back where she really belongs.

A few more things to wrap up, I think (although I'm really bad at estimating how much there's left...).

Paste: https://ponepaste.org/11514

>>43645808
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingering
>I want to do this to a pony
>I want to own pony servants and have them tend to my needs
>I want to dote on them and treat them lovingly
>I want to have friends to come overI want to shove raw ginger into their ponuts to make them more presentable
>I want my pony servants to push through the discomfort and act normal in front of the guests
>I want to praise them for their good job once the guests leave
>I want to do this every time guests come over
>I want to make them develop a fetish for gingering
>I want to make them aroused every time I tell there will be guests
>I want to give my stallions hard-ons every time I tell them to be ready
>I want to make my mares wink every time they see me buy ginger root
>I want to be forced to stop once my pony servants are too aroused from the ginger in their ponuts to act normal
>I don't even like ginger

>>43646926
There was a story that did it but I can't remember which. I think it was Rarity, so maybe one of Vega's?

>>43646945
NTA
I don't remember anything like that from Vega's stories.

>>43646212
>on the heels of autumn
Dunno when they arrived, but hopefully not during a time when they had trouble stocking up on food.
>out of pony food
So it's been months since they arrived.
>plant when it gets warmer
Not in the mountains.
>Mother has good advice
The two are not mutually exclusive.
>repay you by teaching you in turn
This is going to end bad. Like anything she does.
>I know, because I will have a child, too.
That's a pretty stupid argument.
>I knew I wanted it
While she was drunk.
>Why didn't you stay there?
Stupidity.
>I wasn't happy
Was she happy when she was forced to kill? Or skin animals?
>have a life among the ponies
2 years was enough for Thistle to not fit back in Equestria anymore. Growing up among the humans will make sure the filly won't be able to fit back either.
>You have it all figured out
Just like all her other failed plans.
>Pit the women against each other.
Heh.
>I should have understood what kind of a society yours is
She should have understood which ones can be changed and which ones can't.
>involve us in something stupid
Ah, they know her!
>fifty
That's not a small amount. I expected maybe 15-20. 50 is like a small clan. And all blames her.
>she *cannot* be this stupid
But she is!
>kill you as soon as
Nah, they will torture her first.
>Others have said something similar
And these are the ones who Thistle could have selected to come to Equestria. Not the whole clan.
>trust them to stay there
If Thistle splits them up it could maybe work. Maybe. But finding 50 bigger city to fit each of them one by one isn't easy.
>I have to do *something*!
Back to square one.
>uppity slave who is giving you orders
He did not give her orders. But he did express how displeased he is. And Thistle do loves getting dicked.
>Swear on their honor?
What honor? Their dead clan's honor?
>It's the pony thing to do
Not long ago she said she changed.
>then what am I?
A pony who does not fit back to pony society.
>Could she trust him?
Depends on if he views her as a Borchi-Quin or not, and if he knows exactly what part she played when the blood bath went down.
>no doubt he understood most of it
That would be pretty advanced.

Thanks for the update!

bumpin to read

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She can tell you have ponertreats in your pocket

Where are the bumpslaves?

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>>43650324
The role of a bumpslave was ruled as cruel and inhumane by the supreme court, so they all got reclassified as either farm equipment or customer service automation devices.

>>43646926
Reminds me of the gingering prohibition policy in the sex slavery game Free Cities.

A year ago AWF mentioned he's working on a non pony project. What is it?

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>>43653933

>>43651324

I have been chipping away at something yes. Thought I'd try to write a normie novel, see if I'm any good at it. Results are mixed, though test readers have been reasonably happy, so I'm thinking of looking for an actual publisher, or maybe self& publishing it.

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>>43657216
Eww I only read mlp related stuff.

bump